for thankes from mee But howsoeuer it was away she went and left me And thus we see that the badde followeth vpon the necke of the good and that no good chaunce can long continue in his first pride and force Meane space I beganne to cheare my selfe and to comfort Fortunio whom I had saued from drowning and who being all the while not farre off from mee protesting he neuer saw so exquisite a beautie No although his Cleomine had bene present and therefore was not a little rauished therewithall Thus talking and deuising from one matter vnto an other at length we got home where after hee had bene shifted and laide into his warme bedde and that hee had for a while refreshed his wearie limmes I desired him to report all his Fortunes vnto mee in which he willingly yeelded vnto mee deliuering vnto mee this pitious historie following which I will now make thee partaker of And hauing so said he pawsed a while to take his breath the better beginning thus Know then my good Arcas after cruell discord meger enuie and inexorable destinie had forced vs to leaue our sweet abiding in Arcadia we flying as Melibeus did from our owne Countrey which was seazed vpon and enioyed by a companie of cruell and barbarous men at Armes I went and offered my seruice vnto a braue Spanish Knight borne in the Kingdome of Arragon hee being not inferiour vnto anie of his time for valour or for Martiall stratagems belonging to the warres Such Heroicall spirits as theirs Fortune most commonly vseth to tryumph ouer as it were to meddle with base and ignominious people because small conquest is gotten by conquering such a one as hath neither force nor power to resist and therefore yeeldeth presentlie This Caualier was called Don Iohn of Toledo being in yeares some fiue and twentie wealthie enough and maruellous faire and comely of personage By manie braue deedes at Armes hee had gotten to be in the number of the best Souldiers of his time and no doubt hee hud growne to haue bene as famous as that auncient Hector of Troy was heretofore If cruell LOVE had not opposed himselfe against his notable victories There is no man that liueth but hath his euill Angell attending vpon him which darkeneth the faire weather of his good Fortunes when he is likeliest to rise vnto great glorie and renowme Needes must he taste of some miserie for feare if hee should be glutted too much with pleasures and neuer feele of aduersitie hee would quickly forget his Creator and so disdaine to be obedient vnto him Not vnlike vnto that leaud seruant who after he hath gotten enough in the seruice of his Maister maketh no account of him but leaueth him and followeth his owne delights and pleasures I then being retained and following this young Knight followed his humour so well as he made more account of mee then he did of anie of his other seruants and the rather because I would manie times report vnto him some Accident or other of our first loues and merriments of Arcadia in which hee delighted wonderfullie But had the poore Gentleman knowne at that houre what great hurt and damage hee was like to receiue by the selfe-same Loue hee would haue stopped his eares against the discourse of his might neither would hee euer haue opened the gate of his kinde heart vnto so bloudie and periurde a Thiefe But what men that are lustie and healthfull is bodie many times feede vpon such kinde of meates as they thinke because they please their tuste to be good and yet afterwards they surfet vpon the same and often die thereof But my maister as he was a braue Soldiour so was hee a gallant Courtier following the Court much as many of our best Captaines vse Now the King of Arragon had as then no more Children then one goodly young Ladie of the age of fifteene or sixteene yeares called Maria beautifull in fauour gratious in her behauiour but aboue all passing vertuouslie well giuen Not long time after it pleased God to send the Queene a young Sonne by his wife which was the cause that great ioy was made throughout all the Court and Countrey and great Feasts and Tryumphs appointed for the same The King himselfe causing solemne Iustes and Tiltings to be proclaimed The Prize being a meruailous rich and strong tempered Armour of proofe with a daintie Courser of Naples for the Victor which should be deliuered him by the hands of his faire Daughter Maria he knowing well that a couragious Knight would receiue such a reward with a farre better minde from such a goodly Princesse then from anie other person whatsoeuer And now the time being appointed and the day come the Listes were open and the running at Tilt begun where many worthy Knights were assembled to giue liuely proofs of their wonderfull valour they not so much coueting the prizes for the richnes thereof as they did for to haue the honour of the victorie before so Royall an assemblie The King being placed with all his Nobles round about him the young Princesse his Daughter sitting in a Throne of Maiestie higher then the rest and euery thing being in ordes fit for such a meeting Behold the Trumpets sounded when the Challengers and the Defendants entred into the Listes brauely mounted and richly apparelled euerie one wearing the Fauour of his Mistris Now after manie staues were broken and diuers Runners ouerthrowne Don Iohn commeth into the fielde hauing a plaine white Armour vpon him his Coate Armour being painted with the flames of Cupids fire and in his Shield a Phoenix drawne in most liuely colours His manlie countenance his comely stature his gallant Port and his stately presence drewe euerie mans eyes to behold him marking him from the top of his head vnto the sole of his foote so as none could iustly finde anie fault in him so excellently was hee proportioned in all parts Like to Achilles seem'd hee strong and braue When hee into their Towne the Troyans draue Great hope and expectation was there of the worthines of this Champion who as then came luckilie into the Lists For all the Arragoneses who were the Challengers were ouerthrowne by the other strangers Knights But no sooner was hee entred in amongst them but that suddenlie all of his side beganne to take courage againe hoping by his valour hee would make amends for the foyle which they had taken As Hector did who beat the Orecians Back That had before the Troyans put to wrack Don Iohn placing his Speare in his wrest one ountred his Foes with such force as either he made them to giue back vpon their saddles or else turned them out from thēce vpon the bare ground And so long did hee follow them in this chase that in the ende the Arragonians got the maistrie and he was adiudged to be victorious ouer all those that ranne at Tilt which was the cause that he was highly commended of the King himselfe and of all his
't to passe This onely now remaines for me my life is in thy hand If I shall liue or die the power as now within thee stands By thee alone I hold this life for thee I die as now That hope I haue thou nourishest my feare engendrest thou Sweete then take pittie of this Loue like Caos so confuse And graunt my hearts request who there his aduocate doth chuse Mine i st not any more thine eyes from me the same did take Then being thine doe pittie it and much of it doe make Destroy not what is in thy power but rather it preserue In man great wisedome t is what is his owne for to conserue I craue not that thou me my captiue heart againe restore To liue with so braue conquerour as thou t is happier more My wils if any interest longes to me in the same As much I doubt since it I lost no more I may it claime It still within thy louely bands as prisoner true be bound Nor in my brest his wonted place no more henceforth be found Then since it is thine owne and that an amorous sweete desire To haue respect vnto his health and life doth thee require Vnlesse thou on his fortune hard dost take some kinde remorse In thy chast amities pure heate he needes must die of force Ah then relent be pittifull in fauourable wise And daine for to accept from him this dutious sacrifice For what can I offer more deare to thee then my deere heart Which nere would yeelde to Loue before he felt this bitter smart Which scornd his vtmost force and lawes did vtterly reiect And of his manly stomack stout did showe full many effect Then of so braue a vanquisht Foe ore-come by beautie thine Take pittie and him gently vse in this his captiue time Such gallant souldiers as be tooke in field by chaunce of warre A Similie Be much respected kindly vsde and honoured much they are And whilst as prisoners they remaine and till their ransome come All friendly courtesie to them in louing sort is done Then to my humble heart faire Dame who thee doth honour deere Not cruell be as if thy foe whome thou should'st hate he were Ah gently vse him or without thus suffering him to lie Still languishing giue verdit strait and he shall willing die For if thy grace he may not gaine he cannot liue on earth Whose wounds are deadly happie he if ease he finds by death A Sentence Speake then Floretta faire to me nor by thine answere sower Be thou the cruell cause to force me leaue my life this hower SWEET speake for by their Oracles contented are the Gods To answere men yet greater farre then men they are by ods So said the Shepheard who in feare the summons did attend Offortune good or bad if he should liue or life should end Like to the guiltie criminall who is of hope depriu'd A Comparision Whilst iudgement with great terror he expects to be disliu'd His heart did paint full sore and fast his face for feare did sweat Mistrust did show in his sad eyes feare in his soule was set Disgrace and shame to be denide his bodie gauld throughout Who doth attend for what he longes and languisheth in doubt Thus wandred too and fro his vitall spirits in this state Whilst that his life did seeme to him as ouer desperate Tide was his tongue and now it irke him that he ought had said Wishing that he his secret wound to her had not bewraide So doth a braue and gallant mind by famine forct to beg Repent him after that an almes demanded thus he had But at the last the Shepheardesse dissolu'd these doubts confuse Chearing somewhat the Shepheard by these words which she did vse The time hath bin that Venus though Loues mothers she hath lou'd Whilst selfe same plagues which she inflicts on others she hath prou'd Great Ioue the President and chiefe of all the Gods aboue Did thinke it no disparagement at all to be in loue Both Gods and Goddesse haue lou'd then why should I be blam'd Since but with selfesame spot I am as they haue all bin staind Ioue life hath giuen vnto vs that we should follow him To erre as Gods A Sentence is no offence so praise not blame we winne Then may I without scandall loue as they before haue done So as my loue in chastest path of loyaltie doe come With such loue Plaindor thee I like and hope this loue so strong Shall be of force thy constancie to make endure more long I loue thee yet no power thou hast ore body mine at all If once presume vnmodestly A Sentence ought to request thou shall For no loue is that loue indeed but rather furious rage That seekes our honour with disgrace or infamie t' engage Then I will loue thee yet of me thy selfe nought else assure But my chast faith which I le reserue to thee vnspotted pure Vntill that happie time shall chance to hap to vs at last When we by sacred marriage rights may coupled be more fast And with this Plaindor be content for what more canst require Then of my loue to be assur'd which is thy chiefe desire The loyall wish of Louers true is loue reciprocall For where good meaning is and plaine there none is mockt at all But for to 〈◊〉 for plâ—â—â—ure send alone in sensuall wise Is brutish 〈◊〉 to beâ—stâ—s who show all reason to despise Did I but thinks Shepheard thy Loue not sober were or chast Or that within thy brest blaâ—k thoughts staine to my state were plast That from thy heart all honour thou and credit didst reiect And more of 〈◊〉 mâ—â—t â—nlike then vertue didst respect Assure thy selfe I will â—râ—uâ—ng myself on thee so sore As for thy boldnes thou shouldst diâ— although I dide therefore And I soone pâ—â—ish would my 〈◊〉 for that I was so vaine To loue a friend so small of worth a my chast minde to staine My blood shed by my hands should wash my fault and error baed Since I to maker hoyce of my Loue no better foresight had Floretta nere shall liue to morne by taking such disgrace Floretta sooner flourish shall by death which I le imbrace Then Plaindor liue and thinke thy selfe thrise happie for to be Since of a vertuous Loue thy selfe assured thou dost see Mâ—aâ—â— time looke to thy selfe attending that same blessed day The haruâ—st of our â—hastest Loue when Hymen gather may To die or say ought that vnto discredit mine may turne For which death purging me too late thou then for me shalt mourne He that is wise seekes to be Lord ore his affections And he a conquerour is right that conquers his passions Be thou such one deare friend for who with prudencie doth cope Findes his desires soone riâ—in dare and nourished his hope Thus wisely spake Floretta faire whose golden speech so graue Made Plaindor in his entrailes hot a greater burning haue Her sage discretion
Loue hath without which he is neuer rightly found All these sorrowes as yet remaine in me I bringing them with me into my Ship insteed of such pretious Marchandise as the Marchant ladeth his vessel withall in a far and forrein Countrie But O how sweete vnto Illustrious spirits are such trauels as they endure to purchase glorie For that labor doe we not call any toyling at all which we suffer for a most beautious thing when with the same we may recompence our selues for the paines which we haue taken Sweet and kinde haue I found the sorrowes which the loue I bare renowmed Iulietta hath made me feele Inasmuch as the remembrance of her rare perfections shadowed the thought of my griefs as a bright burning torch doth a little small candle A Sentence For how many are there that iudge the paine more sweete and pleasing which they endure for the respect of some worthy subiect then the quiet repose and gentle rest of their owne soules How many are there to be founde which giue themselues vnto great paines taking of which if they pleased they might be soone rid by louing better that kinde of life A Similie then any rest at all The Husbandman calleth not that trauell any labour which he taketh to sowe his grounde because he hopeth thereby to reape a good Haruest So likewise cannot any one that loueth terme his traucls any troubles at all if he endure the same for a worthie respect especially hoping to finde some grace or fauour in the ende The Fruites of Loue are so delightfull as the onlie sent of them alone A Sentence without any further taste extinguisheth and cureth the toylings turmoyles of Louers That labor being most blessed whereof the recompence is ready and at hād and not long neither slow in cōming With Loue may the Louer be requited of his kinde Lady mistris if she so pleaseth and therefore most happie the paines of Loue. But woe is me I talke of fortunate Louers and not of my selfe for without any shewe or signe that my loue is cured or healed am I returned home againe bringing nothing with me but the Image of my fair Saint imprinted in my soule with thousand sorrowes to accompany the same yet wheresoeuer the cunning Painter passeth he leaueth some showe of his skill A Similie and euerie famous Poet some signe of his Muses excellencie So I before my departure from forth this solitarie abode whilst the angrie sea waxeth calme and the blustring windes growe to be milde wandring vp downe and singing we wil afterward engraue in some Oke or other some of my verses as true Testimonies of my zealous labors To the end that my diuine Goddesse may florish euen in the most vncoth and vtmost partes of all the world Wherevpon he sung these Verses following Mongst the cries of the dead amidst sighes heauily groning Of such Ghosts as are damn'd frighted with Fiends and with hags Long haue I forced forth the accents of my too hoarse voice Yet nor the dead nor the damn'd answered haue any word My cruell Mistris nor the Heauens will vnderstand me Ah solitarie wood answere me then I thee pray Ah doe receiue marke the wofull tune of my sad Song And make all for to know my clamor ore pittious Draw with at tractiue voyce the stony Rocks for to heare me O grone speake thou for me else all doe scorne at my cries Thus for to sigh and to complaine alwaie ' is a hard case But worse it is for to see who sighes and cries to be scorn'd VVhat should I then O yee woods for Sacrifice to you offer But my laments to you agreeable and very fit Since that you kindly daine to answer vnto my waylings Nought haue I now left else only my sad toung I haue But t is enough too much for such as Cupid abuseth For true Louers good hap lies in the Tombes of the dead Oh that of woes wearie some great God would but exchange me Into some auncient Beech or to some wilde sauadge Elme Should not my linelesse Trunke be welcome thē to your Forrests Teares should so fast from me fall like to a crist all eye-spring As they your faithfull plants still should make more abounding And of power be to force halfe dying trees to reuine Ah most sacred Groues the time hath bin in your coole shade As one rauisht for ioy I saw the heauenly face Of my cruell Faire the deadliest foe to my good daies Of which since that the stars as iealous haue me depriu'd O giue me leaue so much as I may but write with my starpe knife Deepe all about your Rocks the stories of my deare Loue. Then will I write how heauens haue made daintily perfect Mongst thousand beauties Iuliet more then the rest I will write of her chast worth more then rightly renowmed What doe I say Will I write O no not I as I should Yet dare I write of my dire paines the Destinie cruell Write will I of my hopes lookt for of me but in vaine I will tell how mine eyes are blind with weeping I vse still And to death will I leaue deafe to my plaints that hath bin A defying challenge for to prooue that he could not Kill me without that he kill my miseries therewithall I will write how my teares could moue no more with their weeping Those faire eies I adore Eies which I loue as my soule Then the waues of sea doe moue the Rocks that doe scorne them Rather I write will how into my teares there are falne Her leaden shafts tipt hard with disdaine for to coole them And by the same hath she power me for to wound when she please Write will I thi'll hap of my youth the spring of my chiefe tide Of such veniall faults as by ill lucke we commit Which when they seaze on vs they ende our liues most intire But more loud will I crie that mine owne hurts and my harmes After so many crosses nere could make me become wise Curst is the wight that is plagu'd yet by his plagues nothing wise But yet as who power hath ore a power of the rest He complaines without sense that by a God's ore come More for to striue or doe then we can the lawes doe forbid vs. LOVE ore Gods and Kings I le say I take but the vse If the cause why I haue offended any doe aske me Of great Gods and Kings I le say I take but the vse If to haue thus gron'd forth my painfull griefe I be blamed If condemned I am thus to bewray my true Loue If I be taxt for my crying for my plaints and my wailing Then for my selfe thus I say Loue that doth wound euery man One himselfe being wounded strait complains to his Mother And Mars oft did grieue when that he first was in loue Wretched so that they iustly plaine no man may for bid them Reason t' haue to crie till that
what time she hath most neede of our helpe For force onely bindeth the Slaue whereas wee are bound both by Nature honor in a more perfect indissoluble chaine to staÌ„d in her defence Hath not that Prince iust cause to be angrie with his Vassell nay rather A similie may he not worthily put him to death who leaueth him in his most extremitie when he hath most greatest and most dangerous affaires such as concerne his whole Estate Land about which when he should be busied he getteth him away and giueth him quite ouer eyther for feare least he should be put to too much labor and taking of paines or else because he is loath to hazard his life for the safetie of his Soueraine If so then is hee worthie of farre more punishment that doth abandon his Countrey when it is in most miserie For offering our bodies vnto her wee offer but the least dutie that may bee seeing we doe but discharge vs of that debt which is due vnto her and which but for a time we borrowed Of a better minde O Codrus wert thou who to serue thy Countrey An example wert content to sacrifice thy selfe to death being willing for the good of thine owne Land not onely to loose thy pleasures thine Imperiall Crowne but also thy owne sweet and Royall selfe So likewise did Themistocles merit great coÌ„mendations who thought it better to dispatch himselfe by swallowing downe a draught of deadly poison then to draw his sword against his natiue soyle He therefore is not worthie the name of Honor who in respect of his owne priuate contentment and safetie renounceth and abiureth the troubles of his Citie rendring by such bad meanes his vertue without fruit or profit and without any merit at all For most seriouslie shall he be punished of God who hath not employed his calling to some good vse which was lent vnto him and as a bad seruant hath hid the same vnder ground without profit at all Inasmuch as hee sheweth himselfe vnthankfull vnto God yea and deserueth no goodnes at all if hee shall not make a commoditie of that vertue good gift which he hath bountifully giuen vnto him more then vnto others Not vnlike vnto him that maketh the world laugh at his follie who beeing diseased and sicke carrieth the remedy of his maladie in his hand without once tasting or taking the same vnto the benefit of his health In olde time such as liued as vnprofitable members vnto their Common-wealths were taxed at a very great Fine to the end that if their bodies would doe no seruice vnto their Countreyes yet at the least their purses should supplie the defects of that fault For there is no reason that we should liue without bestowing somwhat of our substance vnto the reliefe of our Common-wealth Such then as for feare of taking too much paines for the Common-wealth and as loath to oppose themselues against the abuses of the same withdraw themselues apart to liue to their owne selues are much to be blamed and are farre wide from being to be called or accounted vertuous For it is not a valuable excuse to say I cannot doe any good seruice because I am of no account and reckoning No no this is not enough we must doe as much as we may to the vttermost of our power for many little fagots laide together make a huge and great Bonfire At the least we must seeke as much as in vs lyeth to quit the debt we owe. But as such slothfull men as these are to be condemned so farre more are some others to be hated and detested who sticke not as damned Traytors to conspire against the safetie of their natiue soyle raising factions in the same consuming them with ciuill dissentions and vtterly ouerthrowing them with mutinous Seditions Such vipers as these are borne to the detriment domage of the Common-wealths comming of the race of Tymon of Athens These kinde of men being onely such as the further they are off from their Countreyes the more profitable it is for the same But amongst manie children which a good Father bringeth vp it cannot be chosen but that some one or other of them must be found to be bad An example In as much as the earth it selfe producing many plants of which some are good and some are badde doeth likewise engender such strange and diuerse Natures Yet as shee teacheth the Gardner by skill to set and graft his best fruites in such a season as he may bring them to full maturitie and ripenes at their fitte time And they deuise how to cut off and to pluck vp by the roots such as be ill nothing worth So hath she also both ordained rewards and glorie for the best and most vertuous Natures in recompence of their worthie and honorable deedes and sharpe and seuere punishments for such as are badly enclined to punish them for such leaude faults as they shall commit Now as a King who is to wage battaile with a strong and puissant enemie hath need of all his Forces to gether valiantly to giue him the ouerthrowe So that Realme which perceiueth some of her owne proper children to rise and to take Armes against her seeking like the sonnes of Absolon to destroy their Father hath great neede of all her good and faithfull issue who at such an extreamity as that is neither may nor ought to leaue her naked and alone because as then such an one doth as much hurt that will not seeke to hinder this conspiracie against her and yet is of power to doe it as hee that is the first Author and motiue of the same This time then will not suffer thee my deare Shepheard to take thine ease thus thou must returne againe into thine afflicted Countrey take thy Fortune as shall happen participate with her in her miseries and saile with her in the selfe-same dangerous voyage For those are knowne to be true friends that helpe at a dead lift A Sentence and in greatest extremitie because they doe good without euer hoping for of any reward Change then thy aduise and like another Camillus returne from thine exile to bestow vpon thy Countrey these thy last deuoires depriue not thy Natiue soyle of thy bones being to be pittied as much as great Affrican was to the end that either thou being buried within the bowels of the same thou mayst leaue a glorious remembrance of thy selfe when thou shalt die Or else that thou offering thy seruice vnto her thou now bindest her vnto thee although all the seruices which wee are able to render vnto our Countrey cannot binde her vnto vs by reason wee are farâ—c more beholding vnto her Thinke not as yet that thou art as it were a dead tronk which is cast into the graue because it is vnprofitable and to be put to no good vse yeelde vnto thy Countrey what good thou canst and any braue qualitie thou hast to stand her in steed
their ouerthrow This Princes being of an excellent beautie her bringing vp being according vnto her birth and instructed in all conuenient qualities fit for so noble a Virgin grew to be famous and admirable in euery strange countrie Such one diuine Cassandra was The Pearle of Phrigian land Her learning such as it did passe Whose Sire it could not vnderstand Diuers forraigne Princes amazed at the renowmed report of this faire Ladie found themselues taken with a certaine great desire to see her amongst others was the King of Danes sonne one who was young gallant and couragious whose chiefe delight was in the sweet exercises of loue He being driuen by the same of this peerelesse Paragon to passe the Seas and to come vnto the Court of her Father to see her was receiued and entertained according vnto the greatnes of his calling with large testimonies of contentment euery way on the old Kings side for that he tooke it most kindly that the young Prince vouchsafed in his owne person to come and honour him with the noblenes of his presence Hauing seene this Princesse he iudged Fame to be enuious in that she had not bruited abroad the halfe part of her perfections being of conceit that all such rare qualities as euer haue bin were all assembled and met together in this one bodie and that Nature hath made this as a superexcellent peece of worke to bring her selfe to be admired and wondered at in the eyes of all men For the effecting of the same Thus whilst the Louer burneth in this flame No beautie 's like to that of his faire dame This caused him to think that she was to be courted with some extraordinary meanes and not with any triuiall or vsuall discretion required in such affaires Because such Maydens as are beautious both in bodie and in minde are not so easily courted and obtained with such facilitie as others are by reason a man findeth nothing to proceed from them but what is found to be graue prudent and of great vnderstanding and iudgement In the meane time loue daily grew more and more in the young Prince which was the occasion he imagined the perfections of his Mistris to encrease likewise in her A Sentence Such is the strange force of Loue as it changeth the nature of mens eyes making them behold blacke for white forcing them oftentimes to adore such a one for celestiall and diuine which amongst others generally is of no account But what maruaile is it to see him maister the eyes of our bodie if he be able to controll our very soules as he himselfe best pleaseth And herein may Louers be compared vnto such as walke in the night who can discerne nothing but what pleaseth their torche to make them see Euen so they esteeme nothing to be faire but what their Loue alloweth them to thinke of So the flame of a fire the more it spreadeth ábroad the more it maketh the fuell to burne And so the Prince the more he found his soule to be powred out vpon the beautie of his Lady the more hee still viewed and beheld her alwayes courting and deuising with her thinking still that hee should finde one new perfection or another in her Resembling herein right students who the more they reade the more they are desirous because their reading bringeth them some new contentment or pleasure causing them more and more to be rauished with the admiration of wondring at the bottomles depth of diuine Learning But the young Damsel who through some secret and inward motion of her minde prophesied the end of this Loue to be miserable although the beginning seemed to be sweete and goodly carryed herselfe herein as the wise husbandman who commendeth not the day ouermuch A Similie vntill he see the euening to be come especially when he seeth the Sun rise too timely and to burne too hote at the beginning which made her hardly to be brought vnto any thing being the cause that mooued him to vse these speeches vnto her hauing found her one day at conuenienient leisure Most excellēt Princesse the greatest contentmēt that a man can wish for in this world is to see his opinion and conceit confirmed with experience and he that beleeueth and seeth the effect of his beliefe to take place esteemeth himselfe thrice Fortunate as well of the good conceit he hath of his owne sense as for the pleasure and contentment he findeth therein when hee beholdeth his soule to be fullie assured of that which hee so much and so long desired Amongst the number of which I may well place my selfe esteeming my fortune most happy in that I hauing seene you haue seene the effect of my beliefe the full assurance of mine owne infallible iudgemēt The renowme of your rare vertues hath driuen me hither desirous to vnderstand if it were true or no But I finde it not so because it hath forgotten to speake of you as you haue deserued which parts in you are farre more commendable then all the reports that haue as yet bene made of you And this is the cause you ought not to wonder if I seeing you farre more accomplished euery way then was bruited vnto mee doe loue honour and affect you as I doe Seeing that before euer I beheld you I honoured you deepely in my heart And if the Gods recompence the pains which mortal men take to visit them to receiue their Oracles and doe answere them according vnto their desires Then deare Soueraigne of my thoughts I shall desire you I may not be frustrate of the hope which brought me hither which was to be gratiously accounted of by a faire Princesse like your selfe who being perfect in all good gifts cannot I trust want neither mercie nor mildnes And if the iust prayers of men are heard vp to the heauens though they themselues are in condition base and vnworthy to offer the same yet mine being of an other nature in that I craue nothing but what is lawfull and honest should me thinks be accepted of you Such demands as proceede from a foolish and vndecent Amitie A Sentence are to bee reiected as dishonest and beastly but such as belong vnto a sacred and vnspotted Friendship ought to be accounted of because without CHASTE LOVE both Gods and men quickly perish The praier which I most humblie desire to offer vnto you is to beseech you to entertaine me as your faithfull seruant to the end that if my loyall constant and long seruices may deserue any merrit it might please your gratious and most sacred Loue to finde some place for me in the same who hath vowed to make you and onely you the Queene of mine owne person Royall Crowne Realme For this I will be bold to say that if you shall grace me so much as to bestowe the Title of seruant on me I will not doubt but to shew my selfe worthie of some reward in that I thinke An Example hauing once obtained this
the losse of his Mistris for that was the generall brute that ranne for currant throughout all the Countrey One while he condemned his ouerrash fondnes as wánting aduise and discretion in that through the same he had hazarded vpon the vngentle waues so faire and sweete a Creature as she was Another while he acknowledged and confessed himselfe to be the author of her death and the cause of her destruction Whilest this opinion of his drewe whole floods of teares from his eyes thousands of sighes from his heart and millions of heauie complaints from his soule Two cruell conceits did alwayes afflict him the one was the losse of his Loue the other the constant beliefe that he had bene the occasion of her vtter ouerthrow Commonly we beare with more patience the misfortune which hapneth vntovs A Sentence by the despitefull malice of the angrie Stars then we doe that which through our owne default doth fall vpon vs. For the one we can no way remedie because we cannot resist against the heauens but the other wee imagine we might by some deuise haue preuented if in due time we would with discretion haue looked vnto the same All the Court as well the highest as lowest endeuored what they could to comfort him but he esteemed that as a double griefe to be perswaded to be comforted by anie hauing lost her which was his chiefest comfort In the ende he deuised these dolefull Ditties in which kinde of exercise hee spent most part of his wearisome time This then was the wofull Song which he vsed oftentimes to sigh forth when hee was in his Chamber all alone or walking amidst the vncouth Forrests or when he was retired vnto some priuate place along the solitary Sea-shore Now I haue lost the deare light of mine eyes What should I doe but end my wearie dayes That Louer which with Mistris his doeth die A Sentence Dyeth not Alas but rather liues alwayes So Pyramus and Thysbe did disliue Themselues and liu'd together like two Doues That seruant which his Louer doth suruiue No faithfull Louer by loyaltie prooues So great a losse teares cannot counteruaile The rate hereof at so high price is set Base mindes it fittes for life to weepe and waile That so at length their griefes they may forget Not death it selfe though stung with his sharp sting Their loyall hearts can parted make remaine Th' one dying doth death to the other bring Making but one for to become of twaine As sweet that happie life of Louers was When th' one the other ioyfullie did prooue So seemes it sweete to them from life to passe When they together ende their Life and Loue. Loue doth renew and so like Phoenix shall In the Elizian fieldes below the earth Chaste Amitie not mortall t' is at all As is our fatall ende and flitting breath Ah how can one liue in this world of woe A Sentence When he hath lost the best part of himselfe Who seekes not after Mistris his to goe In Friendships Checquer hath but little wealth Diuorse me then from life yee Destinies To rid me from this labyrinth of noy The FAIREST shall not plaine in righfullwise Of mee since I haue lost her my chiefe ioy Ay mee I see Death no remorse will take On me whilst slowe hee hearkneth to my crie The Heauens our plagues the greater for to make Will not permit Death should approach vs nie Shall I then liue in griefe my selfe to banne Euen in despite and gainst my soules owne will Alas I must for I vnworthy am To bee where bides my Ladie freed from ill Am I not wretched then more then the rest To cause her death for whom I ought t' haue dide Then why should I imagine me so blest As for to looke for comfort at this tide No no I must and I deserue to finde Thousands of crosses ere I ende this life Who ill hath done deserues no vsage kinde A Sentence No gentle death but direfull sorrowes rife My hope is this that after thousand plagues A lingring death shall seaze vpon my Coarse Whilst thousand griefs throughout my vaines shall rage The more to punish him without remorse Then let none comfort or once counsell mee Since this my wound is mortall sans recure A mad man neuer will perswaded be By reason what is best for him t' endure Vnhappy I and trebble curst my state Wherein I liue a death ore desperate Thus wailed this sadde Prince continually and to say truth iust were his waylings and but rightfull his complaints considering how great his loyaltie was and yet if he loued Iustina well our Loue-sick Caualier honored her as much if not more for as he liked her for her beautie so did he as much admire her for her vertue To seeke to obtaine her in hope to carrie away that which many a Louer proposeth as a guerdon for his trauaile and paine which he hath taken hee knewe full well that it was in vaine and against his word and promise and to espouse and marrie her being altogether ignorant of her byrth and estate euery one knowing in what wretched taking he found her vpon the Sea-shore all alone hee durst not both for feare lest hee should doe iniurie vnto his house from whence he descended and also lest he should prouoke the iust displeasure of his best friendes and nighest kindred in attempting so rash an enterprise without their consent Thus was he troubled with many doubtes still running in his head not knowing what way to take or which course to resolue vpon No more then the Pilgrime who being vnskilfull in his iourney A comparison and comming to a foure crosse-path-way knoweth not which of them all rightly to chuse Meane space Loue got the aduantage of him daily yea and in that sort as in the end he became absolute maister of the Fort and chiefe Lord and Conqueror ouer the soule of the poore Gentleman In so much as hee could no longer now conceale this hidden fire any more The burning coale couered with hot cinders is more fresh ardent and full of heate then the fiery flame it selfe Very willing and faine was he to haue bewrayed his sicknesse but he knewe not to whom he being not ignorant that none could ease him of his paine but onely shee who was the cause thereof of whom he looked to reape but small or no comfort at all The day and night was all one with him for hee slept no more when the Moone gaue light then when the Sunne shined his greatest contentment being to be alwayes in the companie of his deere Mistris not remembring how the more he resorted vnto her the more his heart was inthralled and caught in the nettes of Loues pleasing seruitude and bondage The often and dutifull deuoires hee alwayes vsed to doe her seruice his stealing glaunces and pittifull lookes he cast vpon her beautious countenance and his continuall burning sighes comming like smoakie exhalations from his brest were
him and so to make flower thereof which he had rather should be done then to be ouer long kept for many times it groweth mustie lying in garners This Riddle being thus expounded the harmlesse Shepheards retired themselues for that night as also did melancholie Arcas Where we will leaue them vntill the next morning The end of the first daies meeting of Iuliettaes Shepheards THE SECOND DAIES MEETING OF THE FIFT BOOKE OF IVLIETTAES SHEPHEARDS WHAT Frostie Night neuer so bitter were of power sufficient to coole the outragious and burning heate of the Shepheard Arcas What obscure horror could bring a sleepe the watchfull thoughts of his waking euills And what deepe slumber take from him the continuall remembrance of his diuine Diana his spirit being alwaies troubled as well in the night as in the day and therefore far more miserable then the bruite beastes For whereas they repose themselues sometimes from their trauell he alwaies laboured and was still in paine he plainely perceiued the day beginning to lighten the hollow giering vault of heauen he viewed the glorious Sunne to gild and adorne the Roseall skie and he beheld beautious Anrora to weepe drerie teares for the death of her deare swarthie child yet all these brought no comfort vnto his griefes For such mindes as are ouer-cruellie afflicted with cares A Sentence are neither suâ— iect to the coolie rest of the night nor take pleasure at the glistering lampe of All-seeing Phoebus because they receiue no contentment neither in the one nor in the other Scarse did the breake of day appeare when this Swaine ariseth from his bed running vp and downe the Desart and searching for some fit place where he might bewaile his sorrowes at the full At length he entreth into a huge deepe Caue enuironed round about with sharpe brambles and pricking bryars able to terrifie and affright any excepting onely such as seeke for death whom wretched and wofull Caitiues feare not at all because euery houre they feele farre worse plagues then death it selfe and for that it is rather a pleasure then a torment vnto them to exchange their euill for good and to leaue a sowre and seuere Maister to follow and serue one that is milde and debonaire Arcas then being gotten into the bottome of this darkesome Dungion after he had for a certaine time bene mute and as one falne into a sound in the end breaking as it were out of a dead sleepe he began thus to complaine Ay me Alas What might I thinke to be the reason or cause of the miserie and vnhappines of man Is it the heauens that iealous of their good fortune scourgeth them with so great cruelties Or is it their sinnes which prouoketh the anger of God forcing him to stretch out his threatning hand against them No doubt it is this last for sinne onely and wickednes first opened the gate to death that he might come in amongst vs and so ouerthrow vs. It is for the punishment of such offences as we commit against the holy One that we are persecuted with pestilence famine and with warre So was Dauid plagued for his fault and Sodome and Gomorrhâ— with fire ouerthrowen So were the Niniuites threatned so was Ezechias admonished to repent O thrise happie the Godly who prosper like the fruitfull Lawrell and possesse in peace that land which is taken away from the wicked with tempestious lightning and thunder For so was the good Abraham blessed and so after his imprisonment was the righteous Ioseph with many moe besides But coÌ„trariwise most vnfortunate are the wretched wicked ones because they grudge and repine in that they suffer for the faults they haue committed whilst they are stung with Serpents from the heauens as were the Hebrewes heretofore when they began to murmure in the wildernes Beware how thou repinest against the Almightie Ichoua And saith the wise man for no good nor profit can come thereof We cannot then tearme the heauens to be the authours of our euils but it is the onely transgressing of the diuine commandemeÌ„ts which we cannot truely say be hath giuen vnto vs to breake them or that he hath giuen vs so hard a law as that it is vnpossible for vs to sulfill the same For it should be a most rediculous and vaine part of a Prince to establish and appoynt such ordinances vnto his Subiects as they cannot any way performe as to defelid or foâ—â—id them to grow to wax taller or bigger or other such fond and vnreasonable impossibilities as these be And therefore O how gentle and easie are the commaundement of God be himselfe affirming the same when he tearmeth his yoke easie and â—ight his burthen little and gentle to beare For Is it not as easie a thing for a man to doe good as euill when as in doing good he enioyeth the happie and blessed content of the quietnes of his minde without being troubled either with the feare of the lawes or the doubt of reproach or slaunder Besides he doth not dread death for he withdraweth himselfe from other hazards whilst he meditateth vpon the same whereas Theeues and Murtherers in robbing and killing euery houre incounter therewith before they are aware But say it hapneth vnto them yet doe they receiue it most meekely for sweet and blessed is the death of the iust that die in the Lord where that of the wicked is hatefull and abhommable Curtious then and gentle are the commaundements of the highest which his Apostle Saint Iohn approueth in these words Keepe his commaundements and you shall find them to be neither troublesome hard nor difficult to obserue They chase away hot boyling Auarice which burneth men with her vncharitable coldnes they banish all mortall ambition which weareth away the yeares of man before his time is come they take from them all murther and robbing which stifleth the necke of the wicked with an infamous corde they smother and kill adulterie which laieth hold as well vpon the health of man as on his honour and to conclude they extirpe and roote out all those vices which are deadly enemies as well to the bodie as to the soule By which we see his lawes are easie and sweet yea and most profitable and necessarie for the health and contentment of mankind which was the cause the other Apostle Saint Paul calleth the commaundement of the Eternall Iehona a godly iust and sacred commaundement it being the preseruer of Iustice the puritie of our liues and the very essence as it were of all equitie peace and goodnes For what crosses ouerthwart the soules of the godly who delight in no other thing then in the law of the Lord And what great and grieuous courses doe trouble and disturbe the consciences of the wicked who take a pride as it were as did Remus sometime in leaping ouer the walles of Rome to exceed goe beyond the bounds of the diuine ordinances of God which because they are not hard to be accomplished are not
why speakest thou not all this while why breakest thou not this solemne silence of thine which caÌ„not be but grieuous vnto such as behold thee nay more as painfull as death it selfe vnto them that think well of thee Ah faire Nymphe replyed the Shepheard what delightfull answer canst thou imagin to draw from him who is not agreeable or pleasing vnto his own selfe and what medicine canst thou get from a sicke person that is not able through the agonie of his griefe to help himselfe any thing at all Can my discourses be pleasing vnto thee when they are most odious and hatefull vnto mine owne selfe he had need to be perfect in health that will heale such as be sick to be fully at libertie that can infranchise slaues and to be perfectly content A Sentence that taketh vpon him to comfort the unserable Stay but the time beautious Nymph I say stay but the time vntill the gratious Heauens taking compassion vpon me doe cure my recureles infirmitie that I be once freed from the heauy and burthensom bonds wherein I am now chained and then will I condescend vnto thy demaund For alas can one loyall and faithfull seruant serue at one time two maisters and they both differing in nature Euen so can the true chast Louer loue with equall affection two contrary subiects A Sentence No no for that Loue which is sacred firme and commendable can neuer endure to be diuided Loue it selfe being a simple substance which participateth with no diuision and therefore such as truely fancie anie doe loue without the separation of good will in such wise as it is as vnpossible for the constant Louer to haue two Mistresses as it is for the Element to containe two Sunnes within it all at one time If thy fancie were fixed vpon some Demi-god heere below wouldest thou take it in good part that a sillie Swaine should presume to make loue vnto thee seeking to force thee to giue ouer thy first loue and promise which neuer should be forgotten what deuise soeuer might be wrought If not then I beseech thee immortall Creature importune no more the despised Arcas too too much alreadie wronged by the Heauens but rather suffer him to take some breath in his miseries which hee must perforce endure as well as he may Heape not vpon him stone vpon stone burthen vpon burthen nor mischiefe vpon mischiefe satisfying thy selfe with this his most heauie extremitie without seeking to make his woes more terrible or cruell then they already be For Orythia this I will sweare that the Heauens shall fall vpon this ground and the cold frozen Seas shall turne into hote fire before the heart of vnfortunate Arcas shall be heated with anie other loue then with that of his Diana Her beautie will he loue alone shee onely shall be serued of him pale death it selfe not being of force to alter this constant resolution Then speake no more of this matter vnto mee and let it suffice thee that I honour thee for thy Deitie as Numa Pompilius adored the Nymph Egeria For onely Diana doe I loue and none but her alone Commaund my bodie to serue thee in what he is able call my soule to â—ttend vppon thee at thy will dispose of my poore power as thou shalt best please and bid mee doe anie thing whatsoeuer thou likest Behold me prest to obey thee but not to loue least I should forget my Diana and say I should goe about to doe so yet cannot I although I would neuer so faine Content thee that I doe what I may that I offer thee all that my soule is able and be not so vnourteous vnto me as to binde me to things vnpossible which no man is bound to performe So deare doe I hold thy quietnes answered the weeping Nymphe that for feare I shoulddisplease thee to the end thou shalt perceiue how vnfainedly I doe fancie theeâ— I will rather studie to ouerthrow and vtterlie ruinate mine owne life then seeke by any meanes to hinder or force thy desire any way at all So let it be yea let it be so and so let it still continue since I was borne to be the most miserable of all others And seeing I see so many mortall creatures preferred before my loue who am immortall I will vse to make mine eyes perforce to weepe continually to the ende that they being depriued of their lightes may no longer behold the cause of their ineuitable sorrowes Thou must then O poore Nymph and wretched Orythia resolue with thy selfe to endure this mischiefe and prepare thy selfe to make an ordinary exercise of thy more then heauie mischaunces So liued Venus in woe long time after the death of her Darling Adonis So did Phoebus lament the losse of his deare Daphne And so did Ioue waile for the losse of his Io and his Europa Euen so must I grieue at this mine vnlukie deniall Yet neuertheles A Sentence thou that art the onely motiue of this my mischiefe and the onely cause of this my sharpe and bitter Corsie take heede take heede I say lest for this egregious iniurie which thou now offerest mee the Gods reuenge not themselues vppon thee making thine anguish as great as mine is grieuous euerie way For neuer let him looke for fauour from aboue that hath not shewed mercie vnto such as sue and seeke vnto him heere below And yet accursed that I am mine owne griefe is not so cruell but that the care which I take for thine is farre more troublesome vnto mee I seeking in desire to be doublie plagued perplexed and tormented so I might see thee quite ridde and released from these thy woefull passions although notwithstanding all this thou doest badly requite my great good will towards thee But the Heauens who are farre more iust more excellent and diuine then thou will yeelde me some sufficient guerdon Meane space dispose of dolefull Orythia who is more thine then her owne and reseruing her honor doe with her what thou list shee beeing readie with her diuine power to assist thee in all thy writings which thy mournfull Muse shall sigh forth not onely alone at this time but for euer hereafter not demaunding any other reward of thee for her paines but that shee sometimes may be had in remembrance in thy works which alreadie haue found place amongst the most commendable Inuentions that haue bene accounted of by the brauest Princes and highly prised and esteemed of by manie others and which also shall be had in request heereafter more then euer they yet haue bene despite of the enuious whatsoeuer that goe about to seeke to deface the same Liue then sweet Shepheard and dreame as long as thou please with thy selfe of thy so much desired Loues as I shall do the like of thine But the day shall come in which the Heauens shall depriue thee from the pleasure of the same to the ende thou mayest know by the experience of thine owne proper
because of this small grace I obtained at my Mistris hand beganne to perswade my selfe of things that neither might nor could well be brought to passe A small matter maketh Louers to hope or feare I now tooke vpon mee to make this Dittie following which as sweetely as I could I sung before my Ladie Heare it then though vnworthie it be of your patience LADIE how much doe I respect and loue Your beautie rare which doeth my heart controule When lest that you to anger I should moue I bite my tongue and silent am in soule Ore me you haue still such a hand As none but you may me command I rather chuse a thousnd times to die Without offending your most heauenly face Then like to Dedals sonne fall foolishly And so through rashnes end my youthfull race Borne was I for to be your slane My seruice you alone shall haue If I of you such reuerent regard Haue as to you I dare not tell my griefe Ah then but gesse my Crosses ouer hard By these my teares I bide without reliefe Thinke that as others I doe mourne The fire kept close more hote doeth burne Before to you my cares I will bewray I le perish as your loyall seruant true Death cannot be so grieuous any way As for to be offensiue vnto you So you be not displeasd by me The losse of life no losse shall be A double burning burthen I doe beare My selfe consuming with a two-fold woe First for because I loue and hold you deare And next because I dare not tell you so A pittious paine that to conceale Which most we couet to reueale The Law doth men sometimes compell and make All that they know not to disclose or tell But LOVE all speech away from vs doth take Which is a plague as bad as second Hell We must not for our selues once speake Whilst silence makes our hearts to breake But though my tongue most secretly this ill Doth keepe my pittious eyes yet shew the same Thus whilst I loyall do contiuue still I counted am a coward to my shame Because that I am ouer kinde I am condemn'd of abiect minde To reape for louing true a mortall wound I holde is as a sacred thing diuine And so I rather wish dead to be found Then a deniall should cause ruine mine What neede I then my griefes her show When what I would faire shee doth know I le rather flie to Heauen with swiftest wing Then that mine earnest sute my Dame should grieueâ— To speake too much A Sentence much danger oft doth bring When warie silence nere doth blame receiue Of Gods we learne secret to bee Little to say and much to see Then Dearest since thou art not ignorant Of my hard state rue on my pittious plight Which though in colours forth I do not paint Yet they in conscience merit fauour right Who serueth well A Sentence though he not crauing stand Yet doth his good deserts enough demand After I had sighed forth this amorous Dittie it pleased my Ladie to allow it for passable and currant shee doing mee the honor to sing it her selfe now and then vnto the sweete sound of her daintie Lute But O thrice happie Song to haue bene thought worthie for to liue in the sacred memorie of my Mistrisse and to be warbled forth with her sweet melodious voyce This reuerend and graue Sire was the beginning and first progresse of my chaste Loue which made me so carefull as I could take no rest in somuch as like one ouer-curious I would needs know the euent of the same and therevpon one day I addressed me vnto an Ecco of whom I demanded many things which shee resolued me of suddainly But yet her answere was so fatall and heauie vnto mee as it not a little irketh me to repeate it Neuerthelesse because I will hide nothing of my proceedings from you listen if you please For thus it was ECCO Harke Goddesse of these Woods vnto my neuer ceaslesse cries Who here most blessedly dost liue exempt from vanities Thou Goddesse which through knowledge thine of prudent fore-seeing Fate Doest know our endes and deaths and of our liues the course and state Goddesse of heauenly Nature right to whom Ioue doeth reueale Great secerets of importance and nought from thee doth conceale Thou that of vs according to thy owne will doest dispose Thou which one while doest make vs liue in ioy and then in woes To thee to thee doe I appeale To answere me then come Whose voyce seemes for to flie from out a hollow ghastly Tombe Who shall relieue my woes and breathe into me vit all breath Into my soule ore-chargde with griefe and ouerwhelmde with death ECCO Death In what estat shall Loue which cuts my wings of thoughts ore-glad Finde my poore minde which when it left it left it ouer sad ECCO Ouer-sad What with my heart once strong as steele gainst griefes shall then be done Since hardly it was made to yeeld shall it be ouercome ECCO Ouercome After so many wearie toyles where-through I needs must perish What will my Lady count of this my too too deare bought seruice ECCO Vice But shall I from this wretched state whilst I doe liue be free Or shall I still vnto her will as seruile Bond-slaue bee ECCO Bond-slaue bee Ah say what good at length shall I find in this my cold damage What new come nouell Accident shall set a fire my courage ECCO Courage Shall Rage and Furie then within my bones vnconstant burne And for to quench this flaming fire to me shall none returne ECCO None returne Who is the cause of this my griefe and of mine vsuall paine Since I haue alwaies honoured the great Palladian ECCO Palladian Why sencelesse find I sences mine from Reason thus to mone Who workes this vncoth feare in me Say is it cruell Loue ECCO Cruell Loue. And is it cruell to one that is the authour of my griefe The greatest of Gods that will mongst God be honoured first and chiefe ECCO First and chiefe Shall I then be vnfortunate starre-crossed in my will And without succour succourlesse must I continue still ECCO Continue still Ah Arcas miserable wretch behold now here the life Which thou must lead whilst thou dost liue begirt with sorrow rife Chuse rather death then thus to liue in endlesse miserie By dying all thy griefes doe end they woes and anguish die Seeke in this vncoth Desart sad some kind of gentle death Who 's plungd in paine should nere desire to draw his vitall breath A Sentence One plague's as bad as is some death one death ends torments all Then death not life I le chuse and take of euills what is most small This was the pittilesse answere of cruell Ecco which made me bedeawe my cheekes many times with brinish teares and to wish my selfe to be as lowe vnder the ground as I was high vpon the earth whilest I consumed peecemeale away in most wofull
soft ease and safe pleasures to runne desperately to winne Honour passing through many thousand Pikes and wading through infinite dangers and perills with great labour and paine before they could attaine vnto the place where it was seated So the prudent Prince of Ithaca left his constant wife to follow the long and tedious tenne yeares siege of Troy And so the great Gueslin high Constable of France left his Spouse to venture for that glorie in the middest of wonderfull daungers which made him famous for euer An example And so our renowmed Portuguise although hee held nothing so precious nor so religious in the whole world as he did to liue with his sweete Izabella whose companie was his Paradice and whose presence his heauen heere vpon earth Yet would he needes leaue all this felicitie and happinesse to endure in steelie Armour the brunts of bloodie Warre and whole worlds of Trauailes and painfull labours to the ende hee might winne Honour which Noble and Heroicall mindes hunt after so much And which many times they dearely buy with the losse of their most precious liues Hee therefore resolued to depart although not without exceeding great griefe to leaue his faire and beautious Spouse and the rather because hee hoped to attaine vnto more Honour through his worthy demeanure and braue carriage hee hauing excellent meanes as now to shewe afresh some fruites of his former towardnesse and forwardnesse in his Princes seruice in the Warres by reason of that great and worthie Commaund which was bestowed vpon him He thought that who alwayes should liue drowned in pleasures resembled the Companions of Vlisses changed into Swine and that nothing was well gotten but what was purchaste with the hazard of a mans life Wherevpon with manie sighes with many bitter teares and sorrowfull laments hee taketh leaue of his dolefull wife For commonly we are admonished by GOD through some secret knowledge when some mischaunce is comming towards vs which wee can no way auoyde So that the woefull Ladie Izabella foreseeing as it were beforehand the mischiefe that was like to light vppon her did nothing else but powre forth whole showres of teares hauing not the power to let her Husband loose from out of her armes The winding Vine neuer held the Hasell or Filberd more intangled within her leaues A Similie nor the greene Iuy neuer cleaued so fast vnto the olde stonie wall as this young Ladie clung about her heauie Spouse whome LOVE whilest sought by violence to hold still sterne HONOVE plucked him from thence by maine force carrying him away with him Hee was ordainde for further ill to goe his way Nor doth the life of Man A Sentence stand alwayes as one stay His wife prayeth desireth and coniureth him to breake his voyage to giue ouer his enterprise and to continue still with her teling him that shee had as yet but onely tasted the blessed pleasures which chaste wedlocke acquainteth faithfull Louers withall without hauing had the lawfull fruition of those sweete contentments which she so much desired But shee pleaded in vaine and to no ende her Husband was deafe and would not yeelde vnto her demaund Honour dryed vp her teares making them to be of no force whilst glorie was the hatchet that cut off her precious speeches and desire of praise the fire which consumed her most passionate prayers And therefore though passing loth hee taketh his leaue and departeth carrying away with him the wounded heart of his louely Spouse in exchaunge of which he leaueth hauie mournings and sadde laments which followed her euen vnto her verie graue Horatio beeing now arriued at Ansillies followeth his businesse most fortunately Mars chasing away Cupid cruell warres gentle Loue and hautie ambition the sweete remembrance of his wife It is a common fashion of manie men to follow a thing most earnestly and eagerlie and then presently and vpon the suddaine when they haue gotten it A Sentence they giue it ouer nor caring a whit for the same any more Resembling heerein the way-faring man who a far off seeketh a fountaine or spring to staunch his thirst and hauing freed himselfe of his drinesse maketh no more account of the water nor would stirre one foote to finde it againe But this was not all For the Heauens aboue abounding in good or bad Fortunes rayne not one downe alone but many other all together and at one time and we see for the most part that one mischiefe neuer commeth but that there falleth another vpon the necke of the same For so it was that Horatio beeing farre off from his deare Spouse and depriued of her company by reason of the warres wherein he was so much busied chaunced to become amorous of the faire Prisoner hee had of late taken in a Battaile as I haue saide before yea and so much doth he doate of her that as the flaming Torche darkneth the light of the candle so likewise this loue quenthed the loue hee had before borne vnto his wife O vngodly Husbands which so wickedly falsifie your faiths vnto your lawfull and louing bedfellowes deceiuing them so shamefully vnto your owne shames Against had Husbands Haue euer any of you liued without being punished of the Almighty for your hainous faults Was not Paris the ouerthrow and breake-necke of all his House and Countrey for defiling the bed of Menelaus and reiecting his betrothed wife Enone Came not Iason to a miserable ende being depriued of his Children of his Wife and his Pallace for abandoning Medea and for taking another false wife And did not Theseus staine his hands in the chaste and pure blood of his owne sonne Hippolitus for giuing ouer his deare Spouse Ariadne Examples of bad Husbands to the ende he might satifie his lust with Phoedra And so was Horatio well plagued for his licentious pleasures For God most iustly punished him defacing his former glorie weakning his vertue ruinating his credit and vtterly ouerthrowing his vallour So long since Salomon through Harlots lost his diuine wisedome they forcing him to become an enemie vnto God So the strumpet Dalila was the cause of the death of Sampson the stout And so haue many other braue and great personages bene vtterly ouerthrowne by this inticing Sexe and seuerely chastised by God as hee did our great Commaunder of Ansillies who was so besotted of his slaue as hee liued not but onely by her lookes Her eyes was his bright Sunne he none desirde but her She onely faire was her aboue none else he did prefer A strange thing that many times these foolish and wicked Amours should be more hot and liuely then such as be lawfull and chasse The reason being either because they are forbidden by the Law man commonly louing that which he is prohibited to doe or because they are as it were stolen or enioy de but seldome keeping such Louers in a perpetuall appetite and desire As those who rise from the table their bellies halfe filled come to
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
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
had Paris of his Host Menelaus Clytemnestra of Agamemnon her husband and Tarquine of the good name and fame of Lucretia To be short it is an accursed kinde of Rage that breaketh all Alliance and kinred all Amitie and good friendship Faith and hospitalitie ouerthrowing topsituruie all the buildings of Reason Talke not then vnto mee of this pernitious LOVE The burnt childe dreads the fire and I haue somewhat felt the flame thereof and therefore I will resolue rather to die then to be ouertaken by so furious an Enemie Ah faire Shepheardesse replyed the Shepheard how much art thou deceiued herein when amongst all mortall respects whatsoeuer LOVE is esteemed the chiefe and carryeth away the prize before them all For what is he that is more warie and circumspect then the constant Louer it towards his Dame Whom feareth he so much to offend as her and how willingly would he offer his life to besacrificed rather then he would so much as once moue or displease her The same LOVE being the reason that shee alone is not respected but as well all such of her well-willers as goe about to aduance and honour her There is nothing that teacheth men better the Adoration of the Gods then Loue for that seruice which Louers yeeld vnto their Ladles hath a kinde of resemblance vnto the reuerent worshipping of the Gods who are not displeased that wee should attribute such respect vnto such a beautifull thing which they haue made to the intent it should be honoured For were it not for LOVE what account or difference can there be made betweene an excellent and exquisite kinde of beautie and that which is but meane But that God that hath taught vs to discerne the faire from the foule and esteeming of the one to Loue and refuse the other maketh vs to loue and couet faire faces setting on fire thousands of Inuentions in our soules which reuiueth vs with liuely effects to the end wee may satisfie and content our desire But answered the Shepheardesse these effects are for the most part wicked and bad as are the Childern of a leaude and ill-giuen Father resembling the off-spring of such as be crooked who are borne with crooked backes as their Parents had before them Now if such effects are contrarie to Lawe and Reason it were farre better they should be stifled as dead then being suffered to liue they should growe to be mischieuous and vnfortunate But if it be necessarie that to driue away all smne wee condemne the sinner to the ende that afterwards it may finde no fit instrument to put in practise so vngodly a force So if wee will take away all the bad effects of LOVE wee must despoyle and banish himselfe and his enticing allurements also For in vaine doth the Gardener goe about to kill or destroy any bad and noysome weede or plant if without pulling vp the roote hee doth but onely breake the tender leaues thereof Let vs men Shepheard â—nue away this pestisent Loue from vs. As for mine owne part I ve we neuer willingly to follow the same For marching but a while vnder his Ensigne I haue alreadie suffered more then thousands of hard misfortunes and terrible crosses So saide the Shepheardesse when as the Shepheard was answering her they might vnderstand the voyce of another Shepheard speaking as followeth ECCO O that the Gods of these huge Woods would shew me fauour such But for to heare my Fortunes hard ore Fortunate by much O that they would but marke how I doe nought but waile and crie I doubt not then but they their eares would lend mee by and by Might I but them so courteons finde to listen to my mone I would adore and honor still their Maiesties each one Then with a voyce like Lightning flash I soone would thunder forth And shewe with sighing in my verse their bountie and their worth Of them alone then would I fing and of their great renowne Whist that my tongue should neuer linne but still their praises sonne Their kindnesse my soule vnto them should binde in to be so fast As nere I would forget the same as long as life should last Ah then shall I obtaine of Mistris mine this happie Bonne To yeeld me liking when will shee will it be long or soone ECCO Soone What may I hope for when I thus fight vnder Cupids Banner Whilst I consume my selfe thereby and worke mine owne dishoner ECCO Honer What may I of my FAIRE expect when as the Gods I finde To crosse me in my amorous sute vnlesse she will be kinde ECCO She will be kinds Who is of power this gloomy Cloud from off mine eyes to moue â—â—nd to repaire my late fallen helpe quite ruined by Loue ECCO Lous Then i st not hee that courtcously after our grieuous woe Our Fancie brings to happie Port I now perceine t' is so ECCO T' is so But are the gentle Heauens content importunde without cries To yeeld to vs poore worldly wights our wish in courteous wise ECCO In conrteous wise If so what shall become of that quicke Fire which burnes so bright Within my bowels languishing shal't be extinguisht quite ECCO Extinguisht quite What shall become of this mine ill which in my Coarse doth stay Shall it increase my farther care or shall it soone away ECCO Soone away Shall I for any good ere hope to come from her my griefe Who holds my heart fast tide and plagues my soule without reliefe ECCO Reâ—efe Say then hath Lone acquainted yet my Mistris cruell Hart With this my woes hath she as yet felt of my paines some part ECCO Some part Then sacred Gods I le hope the best and as an Oratle I le looke one day that this to mee may fall out veritable Not doubting but that fore I die I may that sweete fruit reape In Ioy which I haue sowne long since in anguish and in sweate Meane time with these your answeres kinde I le satis fide returne Assuring me through fauours yours I shall giue ore to mourne For whilst your comfortable beames shall shine vpon me bright My hart shall liue sreed from all feare enfrancht from danger quite Then heauenly Powers remember what your promise is to me Who trust repose in you that I deceiued may not be of men are taxt for Farth not kept you menit farre more blame Sâ—â—te you our deeds brightly adorne as glistering Sunny flame Vpon this the Shepheard being maruellously well satisfied in his minde beganue to speake thus vnto himselfe If wee haue any reason to giue credit vnto the Oracles of the Gods then out of doubt I hâ—ue no other cause but to hope well For manie times through thousands of such answeres haue they assured mee that I shall enioy that which I most desire and couet And yet alas alas this is a great and grosse error in me to belieue them For God onely who alone is without beginning and ending knoweth what is to come whereas these Diueis
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
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
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
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
an other mans vice but on the contrarie our neighbours error must serue vs in steed of a darke night wherein during the same to kindle our owne vertue must shine bright instructing our selues by his famous example as the ancient Spartaines caused their slaues to be made drunke to the end that their children might hate wine by the brutish and dishonest actions they sawe these base creatures commit being possessed with this liquor It is a foolish conclusion to say that if my neighbour be a foole I must therefore become insensate and set fire on my owne house because I see my neighbours on a burning flame It is rather requisite that an other mans doing be beneficiall vnto vs and that the vice of our neighbour reforme our owne and not make vs to offend like himselfe For vertue would be imitated and vice auoided To maintaine that no man can be constant and resist Loue were to erre grosely For Alexander amidst his great victories delights and conquests performed it Demosthenes refused the Loue of Lais louing ten crownes better then the enioyance of her This wise and graue Philosopher I say whom she could neuer set on fire either by her wanton enticements amorous lookes or her beautie so renowmed so that she thought him an insensible stone and not a man You should in this doe iniurie to modest Scipio who being conquerour of all Affricke religiously abstained from the loue of a woman And a thousand others haue liued free from this misfortune which you may not rightly place in the number of offenders For their fault obscure not the excellent glorie of the vertuoâ—â— and drawe not from their offence matter of opprobrietie against the wise It will be greater honour vnto you to see wise men in name offend and your selfe free from fault then if you erred after the example of some simple creatures Oh Shepheard replied Arcas I denie the foundation of your argument for I will not confesse that it is a fault or crime to loue and iudge Louers no lesse wise then those that haue not loued at all for he may iustly be said to be peruerse and an offender whose offence procureth publike dammage but so farre of is a Louer from preiudicing men that quite contrarie he profiteth them greatly The Louer like the prodigall man iniureth none but himselfe he onely beareth he onely endureth he onely suffereth but from his torment ariseth mortall glorie to the subiect he loueth for was there euer Ladie faithfully by her seruant beloued that did not both honour and sing forth according to the abilitie of his inuention her excellent and rare vertues What can mortall men desire more deare and precious then to see themselues honoured and made immortall to future ages the which Louers fauoured by the Muses may make their Ladies and Mistresses That great King of Macedon thought he not Achilles happie to haue bene set forth and commended by Homor and all great personages haue they not desired the like honour Not to be moued with the passion of glorie is to be brutish and without feeling or not to be stirred vp with a desire to make ones name liuing after death is a signe of a base and boorish minde They to whom the heauens haue not imitated either Art or Learning to attaine to this glorie by writing seeke after it in buildings or other rare workes of great charge and expence which continue for some time but not so long as bookes But it is certaine that the Muses hauing taken Loue in a snare of flowers would say nothing else but crowne this God with greene garlands acknowledging that they should be nothing without him who giueth them vttrance power breath to set forth their verses in despite of time it selfe For neither the greatnes of gifts nor of feare nor the hope of rewards nor threatnings could neuer make a learned Poet write well of any one if he doe not loue and affect him but on the contrarie onely Loue will make him speake better of those whom he shall loue simply without hope of reward then of those whom he loueth not and yet expecteth from them some recompence Questionlesse without Loue many excellent bookes which are made in the honour of men would be yet to doe a thousand other noble Acts which now through him be apparant to the eies of men Commendable therefore are Louers and more then any other sort of men at least they loose not time nor consume it not in doing nothing Oh Godhead replied Coribant but on the contrarie a thousand euils haue proceeded from Loue The ruine of Troy may verifie this and a thousand other testimonies I but quite otherwise replied Arcas Loue stood the Troyans in steed for he sent them the meane to kill Achilles reuenging the death of their Princes he being dead they in such a sort weakened the enemies Campe that without Treason Troy had neuer bene subiect to the Greekes But what hath Loue to doe with the Treason of men as long as he is not the cause thereof And yet the selfelame Loue replied Coribant was it not the cause of the death of modest Hipâ—olitus who was pittifully slaine by the vniust dealings of his wicked Stepmother Nay rather quice contrarie aunswered Arcas he was the occasion that he was made immortall he being raised from death vnto life againe by the cunning of that learned Esculapius who could neuer haue done him so great a good turne vnlesse he had first tasted of death through Loue. But what say you then quoth Coribant vnto Loue which forced Tarquin to offer violence vnto the castitie of Lucres being the cause of so great a mischiefe It was an occasion replied Arcas rather of a maruellous good turne by reason it was the cause of libertie of the Romances with the vtter ruine ouerthrow of their TyraÌ„ts and Lucretia dying in that order as she did was she not most fortunate and happie For doth not such a one die happily who as Codrus by his death preserueth his countrie making the same through his losse to be fortunate afterward And yet the verie same Loue said Coribant was the Author of the cruell perishing of Piramus and Thisby they hauing but a sorie guerdon for their so constant affection which the one bare vnto the other Is he not then bloodie minded and cruell No truely replied Arcas for what more sweet and pleasing kinde of death could they suffer than they did And had it not bene a thousand times better that one of them should die with the other thaÌ„ to be separated diuided seeing the Louer that loseth his Mistris or that Ladie that hath lost her seruant liue not at all but rather languish And yet still the same Loue was it said Coribant which vrged the daughters of Minos to betray their aged Father giuing instructions vnto Theseus how to slay the monster and to get out of the Labyrinth when he had done Why and the same Loue answered
attend the Tale most sad And marke through vile iniurious LOVE what pittious end they had It channced now the Holly-day due vnto LOVE was come In which once euery yeare great Feasts most solemnely were done His Temple in this Desart was which holden was diuine For honor it was wonderous rich for beautie rare and fine As well as Neighbours Forrainers came thither far neare The Demy-gods Fawnes Satyres Nymphs mongst Shepheards and appeare These with their Crownes of Laurell greene vpon their bushy head Themselues did shew in Courtly pomp adorn'd and bellished About their neckes hung hugie chaines and pretious Carkenets And bout their armes they Iewells ware and costly Bracelets Now that this God propitious mongst them himselfe would show Great store of Sacrifices they vpon him did bestow Perfumde with Incens offered and hundred sorts of verse Which did his power his Maiestie and noble deeds rehearse That done they did beginne to daunce each one as lik'te them best And to what daunce they Fancie had to that themselues addrest Whilst that the Syluans and the Gods of woods with Cornets shrill With Hoboies Bagpipes and such like the place throughout did fill One doth a Brawle of Poitiers shew another with a grace The measures leades the third againe Lauolta treads apace Thus euery one doth striue to please themselues with fresh delight No falling out amongst them is no malice or despite Not any was there bent to ill nor any to displease One sought another to content to purchase ioy and ease Together mongst this merrie crew there was our Louers twaine When as a curst mishap did chaunce that cause was of their bane For mongst the rest that in that place did daunce with blith-full glee Euen in the midst of all their mirth as merrie as might bee A Nymph there was surpassing faire for so she well did showe So faire as FLORA she did match if not before her goe From forth her eies like Diamonds a sparkling fire did come Whose glaunces shewed to be of force to equalise the Sunne Her Amber locks by nature curlde lay wauing on her cheeke As Seas doe gently beake on banke a sight that all did leeke This Virgin sweet to NVMIDOR comes with a grace most trim And by the hand the Shepheard takes to daunce a while with him Long did they daunce and as they daunst her colour fresher shoowes And still the more she daunceth aie the more she fairer growes So beautifull she seemes indeed as in that place there is A Sauadge Satire who begins to thinke to doe amisse Insecret sort to rauish her he vowes by force and strife Or else before he lose his wish hee 'le lose his hatefull life This Monster foule mishapen wretch vnworthie for to Loue Dan Cupids fire within his brest beginneth now to proue He frets and fumeth inwardly and through this vncoth heate His colour changing comes and goes his heart doth pant and beate Respect of persons place and feare lest he should not obtaine His hairie bodie makes to shake through a cold sweat amaine Meane space none doth him marke or thinke that ere he durst presume The companie thus to disturbe in this his fretting fume But LOVE that forceth mightiest Gods and them hath oft controld Makes him auditious insolent proud haughtie and so bold That in the end and suddenly he carrieth her away As doth the Wolfe when violently he seazeth on his pray Ah helpe she crieth pittiously ah helpe helpe loud she cries Whilst that through feare sorrow she dead in his rough armes lies All are amaz'd nor can they moue onely braue NVMIDOR Vowes for to rescew her from him or else to die therefore With naked sword in hand he runnes after the Thiefe amaine Yet all his running's to no end he laboureth but in vaine For so fast tripps the Satire as it seemeth he doth flie The Eagle faster takes not flight when he from Ioue doth hie Nor doth the Hawke when he hath got the Partridge seeme so swift As this rude villaine doth his feete so fast still moue and shift But still the Nymph for aide doth crie and after NVMIDOR Doth follow hearing her hard by which grieueth him the more He followeth him apace and still he keepes where he hath tras't And more he heares her to lament the more he maketh hast Yet though he doth all he can he cannot him ore take Which is the cause his breast he beates and sorrow great doth make And now hard at his heeles he is which when the Satire sees Into a hollow gloomie Rocke to hide himselfe he flees This was the cause the Shepheard lost the wofull Damzels sight Onely by crie of hers he knew how follow her he might So long he seekes that at the last he comes into the roome Where as the Satire gainst her will the Virgin would ore come Which sight incenst him so with rage as that his sword he takes And trusting him through bodie quite an end of him he makes Downe fals the Monster in his gore his lust begins to coole Whilst with his streaming blood he makes the place seeme like a Poole Which when the gentle Shepheard sawe no more he wearie was Now he had had his will he for his trauaile did not passe The frighted Nymph he comforteth and bids her be of cheare Since that the Satire for his rash attempt had paid so deare He wils her thanks the God of Loue who had him thither sent Her to protect from villanie which was against her ment Nor looketh he for praise of her but happier thinkes himselfe To saue a Nymph from shame then if he purchast had great wealth Thus said the Shepheard to the Nymph but thus although he said Yet answered she him nought at all for still she was afraid She shooke like an Aspen leafe her hart did throb and pant And being frighted in her minde she breath almost did want Resembling right a prettie Hinde by Hounds that being chast And hardly scaping from their clawes thinkes scarce the dangers past She viewes the Satire wallowing in his owne blood desperately Yet though she plainely seeth the same she scarce beleeues her eie The Shepheard seeing her still doubt from feare her for to winne Once more begins to comfort her and thus he doth begin Sweet Nymph what meanst thou thus to doubt and why thy selfe dost wrong Dost not behold thy lustfull foe dead for to lie along To feare where cause is Reason wills withouten cause to feare Argues a minde depriu'd of sence and signe 's of folly meere Comfort thy selfe and if thou can tell me what new disgrace May be of force to daunt with dread thy bloodlesse palie face Seest not thy liuelesse enemie his countenance dost not know His earthly coarse as euidence that he is dead doth show Cease then to doubt for feare of ought since now thou hast no cause Leaue thus to weepe waile and lament and make thereof a pause Take courage vnto thee and
thinke my victorie vpon The wise of dangers past will were so much as once thinke on Then leaue off for to sorrow thus and seeme not to disdaine Through too much passion honour this which I through thee doe gaine So said he gently helpes her vp and sets her on her feete Whilst with a thousand hunnie words he sweetly her doth greete The Nymph now come vnto herselfe begins to gather hart To chase away all feare from her which fore did breed her smart Her former colour now doth come into her cheekes afresh Whilst she in humble sort with thankes vnto him doth expresse Her gratefull minde acknowledging in courteous manner trim How that her honour and her life preserued were by him With blushing looke and smiling cheare she crownes with flowers his head And vowes in modest wise to be at his deuotion led But weladay who ere would thinke that thanks for his reward Should be the cause a recompence he should receiue so hard This kindnesse which the Nymph on him bestowd deseruing worth Th' vntimely end of him and of his FLORA deare brought forth For doing good the fillie Swaine his harmelesse life must lose A slender hire for praise when at so high a rate it growes Things taken well are still done well a sinne t is to mistruct Vpon surmises false and vaine and proofes not to haue iust Ah had the Shepheards Mistris bene as wise as she was faire She had not heapt vpon her selfe nor him such dismall care Meane-time braue Numidor through his exploit most famous grew And through the Nymphs gratefull report each one this matter knew Which FLORA made for to misdoubt for long time she before Had markt the Virgin to be faire the cause she feard the more She sawe as she did thinke that or'e familiar he was With her and how oft them betwixt great kindnesses did passe She well remembred how they daunct together and which most Did gaul her how in hast away he after her did post When as the Satire snatch her vp her to haue ramshed And how to saue her he againe his life had ventured All these compar'd together made her gesse all was not well So that her bodie quite throughout an vncoth cold sweat fell And now she gan to loue so much as iealous she did grow Of him that nere the same deseru'd nor had off ended so She sighes and sobs and frantick like now here now there doth runne Thinking her dearest Loue of friend an exemie was become Nor dares she in her soule him call her faithfull seruant true Nor worthie of a Mistris kind since he hath got anew Against him say she doth exclaime and still gainst him doth crie Cals him vniust deceitfull false of right an enemie And as if he committed had some monstrous sinne on earth She counts him worthie for to die vnsit to draw his breath And now she throughly is assur'd that he is giuen to range And that of his first plighted Loue he hath made an exchange This forceth her with face one while as pale and wan to looke Another while to be as red as fire from furnace tooke Now doth she burne and then againe she suddenly doth freese Whilst through these passions contrarie her sences she doth leese And now to kill her NVMIDOR she vowes most resolute Since him a periur'd wretch and not better she doth repute That done she meanes to end her daies and slay her selfe him by The more her constant Loue vnto the world to testifie But now Loue makes her change her thought although against her will And forceth her although despite of her to loue him still She weepes and wailes and pearly drops fall from her like small teares Whilst as a bedlem she doth rent her face and golden heares She flings her self vpon the ground her head thereon she knocks Whilst griefe so much in her beares sway as it tongues passage locks With armes a crosse vnto the heauens she lifteth vp her hands Whilst she of Venus and her Sonne reuenge of him demaunds Yet after of the matter she better bethinkes her selfe And then vnto him she doth wish all happines and health Grieuing that she so much hath spoke gainst him she doth repent And from her former cruell minde most willing doth relent But nerethelesse she is resolu'd her selfe to end her life Thereby to ease her of her pangs and rid her from this strife So much she doth disdaine to liue as death she meanes to chuse Since Numidor a Mistris new hath tooke her to refuse Ah cruell Shepheard doth she say lamenting pittiously Hast thou the hart who thee so deare hath lou'd to force to die Well well most vnkind man I for thy sake my selfe will slay And goe into my graue I will vntimely fore my day To please thee not my selfe I sought whilst I on th' earth did liue Nor to prolong my daies tle seeke since thee I see I grieue But at this fault of thine so foule vngratefull dost thou thinke The Gods aboue true Iusticers will seeme at all to winke Thinkst thou vnkind the heauens will ere vnto thee be kinde When how thou fowly hast profan'd their Altars they shall finde No no th' immortall powers sharpe foes vnto thy periurie Shall doe me right and wreake my wrong for this my iniurie Such punishment with tortors huge they shall on thee bestow As they doe on Danaides in Limbo lake below And as they Theseus plagu'd because he wreched was forsworne Or Iason who Medea left all comfortlesse forlorne With many other Louers false which like are vnto thee There as thou rightly dost deserue afflicted thou shalt bee For Iupiter though for a while he men permits to rome And fickle changings proue yet in the end he paieth them home So Paris died and well deseru'd Enone that abusde Who in her life time better him than he deseru'd had vsde Then dost thou thinke fond-man that thou shalt scape this scourage alone Who art the sowrse of all my griefe and motiue of my mone Perhaps thou dreamest because that they awhile their plagues doe spare They slowe are vnto punishment nor of the same haue care What is deferd is not vnpaid the time shall come ere long That thou shalt make amends for misse acknowledging this wrong The more to chastise any fault the Gods gently forbeare The more at last they are rigorous more cruell and seuere Then thinke not wrech most treacherous but that the day shall come That thou shalt smart for what thou hast to wofull Flora done My cause to the heauens I doe commit to them I doe appeale They know the secrets of all hearts nor ought will they conceale And yet sweet Numidor forgiue and pardon what I say Since t is my griefe not I that thus against thee doth enuay For should'st thou neuer so much wrong doe vnto me each houre Yet angrie for to be with thee nere shall I haue the power Loue which is of more force 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
speake vnto her For said he vnto him selfe what should hinder me that I should not bewray how much I affect her What though shee be the Daughter of my King is it reason therefore that I should die for her and yet not make her acquainied with my death and the cause thereof What know I whether Loue hath infected her as well as it hath poysoned mee Fot as great Princes as shee haue felt his force and haue bene brought vnder by him which if it were so I would not then doubt but that shee would be so gratious vnto me as to take some pittie vpon mee For Loue makes the hearts of great Monarks to stoope as well as those of poore peasants forcing as well the brauest minds to be subiect vnto his lawes as such as are baser persons Did not he make soft and gentle the hart of proud and haughtie Achilles compelling him to yeeld vnto his prisoner Briseis to like her so well as hee quarrelled with all the Princes of Greece to haue her good will And the selfe same Loue did it not take downe the stubborne stomacke of high minded Angelica who although she were a Princesse and sought vnto by all the chiefest Paladines and men of renowne in the world yet did she cast her liking vpon sillie Medor a simple Page or Lackey Nothing can withstand his mightie power neither King nor Queene Royaltie nor Nobilitie all are alike vnto him and all must doe as he pleaseth Onely with surlie and proud mindes doth he most commonly adorne his triumphant Chariot disdaining as it were the spoyles of the meanest Againe did not Venus doate on a Shepheard and Phoebus vpon a plaine Countrey Lasse Yes yes and therefore nothing is impossible vnto Loue. And seeing it is so I will endeuour to see if I can learne whether hee hath tamed the great heart of this louely Princesse which if he hath done I hope then that it is strucken with a golden Dart as mine is and not with one of lead Might I but once finde that she affecteth mee I would doe well enough with the rest hoping in time to bring euery thing to a most prosperous end and happie issue Thus said my Maister being resolute to sound the depth of the Princesse thoughts and yet hee thought it was hard to wade through such a Foord much doubting the entrance therein but farre more how to get out thereof againe And as a Generall of an Armie after hee hath had manie parleyes with the Fort which is enemie vnto him pitcheth his Tentes round about the same but seeing his Souldiers to be beatten backe againe with losse of many of his men dispaireth that he shall not be able to surprize it doubting sore of some bad issue in this his enterprise Euen so many doubts ran into Don Iohns head which much troubled him as well he knew not what to doe One while he feareth lest he should offend his Mistris and loth he is to displease her yet in the end Fortune who fauoreth such as be venturous egged him forward making the way plain for him that he might the better bewray his affection vnto his Ladie For one day the King being willing highly to grace him commanded him to sit downe with him at his owne Royall table where his daughter fat right ouer against him Neuer can Vertue be honoured too much whilst shee doeth credit vnto them that thus seeke to doe her reuerence and dutie I leaue vnto your aduised considerations to iudge whether whilest the Princesse sate so nigh the Knight he lost anie time or no And whether hee tooke his occasion finding the opportunitie so fitte if hee had done otherwise he had done fondlie But hee seeing his Saint so nigh vnto him watching fitte time after many troubled conceits running in his minde with a blushing countenance and a low trembling voyee hee thus beganne to Court her What would you say most excellent Princes to heare that your owne knight vpon the selfesame day in which he receiued from your royall selfe the prize for Tilting became both victorious and vanquisht and all at once Victor ouer so many braue Caualiers but vanquisht through your most beautious eyes And although euery Conquerour is proud of his conquest and he that is conquered lamenteth for his losse yet I quite contrarie vnto them esteeme lesse of my victorie then I doe to be ouercome for it is far more honourable to be ouerthrowne by a diuine puyssance then to be Conquerour ouer a weeke and feeble force And what greater renowme or brauer fame may so much beautifie and adorne my daies as to be called the vassall and slaue of her and to be vanquisht by her who by the same force is able to ouercome euen the Gods themselues No other glorie will I seeke then this which is to be accounted your Captiue I know good Madame you may count me ouer arragant and without discretion in that I dare presume to vse such speeches vnto you who are both my naturall Princes and my Ladie purchased through your too beautious eyes yet though the Gods be sacred and immortall they for all that refuse not the seruice of worldly men their creatures because nothing can hinder vertue from doing her duetie inasmuch as she is without fault and the rather in that she is of force to make the fierce and wildest hearts that are to be in loue with her I speake not this that I would looke for any recompence for my paines of you neither that you should make any account of me at all onely I would most humble entreat you that you would vouchsafe to belieue that all my desires all my studies and all my endeuours are wholy vowed vnto your secret seruice and that no person shall command ouer my soule but onely your sweet selfe Thinke not then gratious Princes that I am ouer-rash and too too bold to deliuer such words as these vnto you For it is impossible that any right generous minde or braue heroicall thought should see so rare and matchlesse a beautie as yours is but that he needs must be in loue therewith and louing it deuote himselfe vnto the honour of the same for euer Did not so many diuine vertues abound within you and were you not euery way indued with so rare and exquisite qualities as you are we then should not so earnestly seeke to serue you neither should we be so curious to follow you with so great affection and respect as we doe Sooner shall the Sunne be without light and the earth without verdure and greenes for as the heauens whether we will or no giueth vnto vs light Euen so despite of your selfe shall you be honoured and admired as long as you are so excellent and perfect a creature Then if I place my selfe in the order of such as reuerence your rare qualities good Madam pardon me neither thinke that any person can bare more loyall seruice vnto you then I my selfe doe for might my
solitarily as melancolicke person in a wildernes and neuer more to moue me in this matter God knoweth how often afterward I cursed my tongue and wished ill vnto my mouth for the same for I will confesse the truth that euen then and before that time as euer since I haue done I loued thee most dearely Full little did I thinke but that I should haue heard from thee againe ere long when thou presently diddest retire thy selfe from my presence so that although I knew thou louedst me and that I was willing to shew thee any honourable courtesie yet could I not as faine I would by reason I knew not how to send conueniently vnto thee whilest thou in the meane time wert almost dead for griefe and I little better because thou haddest forsaken me so suddenly Now whilest we both liued thus in great discontentment the Prince of Lyons as ill fortune would came hither vnto my fathers Court and would needs force me to be his wife But I who had vowed in my minde neuer to haue any other vnto my husband then thine owne sweet selfe entreated thee to trie the combat with him in my behalfe not thinking that thou haddest bene halfe so weake as I perceiued afterward thou wert At the length it was thy good fortune to be victor of the field whereof I was not a little glad I determining with my selfe whatsoeuer should haue hapned to haue bene married vnto thee But woe is me I now perceiue death must cause vs to part in this world although we will meete both together in another And now seeing at this verie instant I am forced to behold thee drawing thy latest breath and that thine eyes are readie to be closed vp with an euerlasting sleepe thinkest thou that I either can or will allay the heate of my griefes or that I will reuoke my first word which was to take part of such fortune as should be allotted vnto thee Doest thou thinke I am so cruell so hard harted or so much voyd of remorse and pittie that thou dying before me onely for my cause and in my quarrell I would not so much as lament and bewaile thy death Ah my vnkind friend great wrong is this thou doest vnto me No no one and the selfesame Tombe shall enclose both cur bodies together and that which Loue would not permit to be thine whilest thou liuedst gentle death shall put thee in possession thereof without any trouble at all Thy commandement in this point shall be of no force with me thy prayers to no purpose neither thy entreating of any power at all with me but in any thing else doe but bid me and I will strait obey thee onely in this I must denie thee for assuredly I will die rather then liue to thinke that thou wert ouerthrowne through me and that I should liue continually to sigh and cry out saying Alas where is now my worthie Knight Can mine eyes shine and giue light when thine are dead and gon Can I endure to see thee caried vnto thy graue I not be buried in the earth And can I abide to liue to say Behold yonder my sweet friends Tombe and not be enclosed therein my selfe Neuer demand so vniust a request at my hands neither be so hard harted vnto me as to wish me to suruiue thee to the end I may be the more miserable But perhaps thou thinkest because I haue bene cruell vnto thee therefore thou maiest repay me with the like recompence againe To which I thus answere First the heauens know how much it was against my will and haddest thou not bene too farewell and timerous thou haddest saued both thine owne life and mine also Besides I challenge the pardon which euen now thou diddest graunt vnto me for this mine offence and therefore sweet friend be content and pleased for with thee will I die whilest our coarses shall lie one by another in one selfe Vault which when they were liuing was not permitted vnto vs and for this I hope mine honour cannot be called in question seeing all ages haue allowed young Ladies to loue honestie braue and valiant Knights and such was my loue and not otherwise as God himselfe can witnes Who then can iustly taxe mine honour None my deare Knight none and seeing it is so receiue this last kisse from the most wofull woman liuing receiue her heauie plaints and her lamenting grones and doe not oppose thy selfe against that small remainder of contentment which is behind for her in dying with thee which she will take as a requitall for so many miseries which haue bene afflicted vpon her Needes must I tell thee that I doe enuie at that glorie thou hast to die before me but long shall it not be for I will follow thee as fast as may be meane while and when thou shalt be in the heauens remember I pray thee thy deare and faithfull Maria. More would she haue spoken but that her heart was so ouerpressed with griefe as she fell downe dead vpon my dying Maister who seeing so pittifull a spectacle knew not what to doe for helpe her any way he could not so extreame and faint he was At the last she came vnto her selfe when with a lowe and fumbling voice he spake these fewe words the last as euer he pronounced vnto her My gratious Ladie now I beseech thee harbor no such vnkinde conceit within thee more good maiest thou doe vnto me with thy honourable speeches whilest thou art liuing then when thou shalt be dead or if thou shouldest die with me No sweet Princes no liue yea liue still and happily seeing nothing fairer then thy selfe can liue For else what discredit would it be vnto me if it should be obiected against me that I had darkned and extinguisht the brightest Sonne of this world let not so foule a blot staine my memorie after I shall be departed from hence aliue seeke not to shorten thy time before the will of God cutting off thy selfe before he doth appoint thee and disposing of thy bodie not according vnto his but thine owne pleasure An doe not so for so you may not doe Mortall creatures must be ruled by the diuine ordinance aboue and expect their leisure not doing any thing but as they shall appoint them Liue then I say once more and close these my dying eyes which whilest they liued were thine this Boone if thou shalt graunt me I then shall thinke my selfe happie but if not then shall I account my selfe as most miserable And now I feele that welcome death doth approach towards me through which all my cares and troubles end I my time is now come my sences faile and my tongue beginneth to be speechlesse No more haue I now to say to thee my deare Princes but onely to recommend my memorie and thine owne life vnto thee of which two things I desire thee as euer thou louedst me to haue an especiall regard Farewell I can no longer speake farewell the beautie
strong for him who although he had so often giuen the foile vnto the Romans yet when he lost his pretious libertie through lying in Capua and making Loue vnto a woman there was ouercome by that temperate Romane Scipio Demetrius likewise was so bewitched with the faire Curtezan of Athens as he stood in awe of her as if he had bene her bond-slaue And if we should leaue the earth and flie vp into the heauens wee shall finde the Gods themselues haue bene schollers in Cupids schoole For did not Ioue loue Europa Lida Alcumena and diuers others Phoebus Cassandra Daphne and many moe Mars Venus Venus Adonis Diana Endimion and I know not whome besides Why then if it be so I must needs say that thy power extendeth farre and neere thou being as mightie in the heauens as thou art here vpon the earth Fortunio seeing mee in this humour beganne thus How now man but euen now thou shewedst thy selfe to be conquerour ouer thy passions setting a good face on the matter whilest thou didst bare out the brunt thereof And now againe thou seemest as a recreant to yeeld vnto thy anguish and sorrow crying out and vexing thy selfe as if thou wouldest die vpon the suddaine what is the reason of this alteration and change It is a credit for a man to change from vice to vertue and of bad to become good but not to goe on still growing worse and worse Dauid is praised for amending his wicked life and for becomming a new man where his Sonne Salomon is condemned in that he forgot himselfe in his latter daies becomming an Idolater and a whoremonger amongst his concubines Thinkest thou that it is enough for thee to say thou art not able to resist the force of Loue and that other mens faults are sufficient to excuse and defend thine That thiefe is not exempted from punishment who excuseth himselfe hauing robbed from others that he hath but done as an other hath done before him for though it be lawfull to imitate such actions as are commendable and vertuous yet is it not tollerable to doe what is wicked and villainous This colour then will not serue thee and therefore if as thou not long since diddest affirme thou louest the inward qualities of the minde without coueting that fleshly pleasure which Louers so much studie to obtaine although with great labour and losse but what is the reason thou takest on thus And why shouldest thou seeme to dispaire being readie euery houre almost to goe about to giue ouer the world For louing the soule onely the bodie which is but a closet for the same cannot hinder thy affection neither canst thou hope to receiue any other contentment or pleasure of thy loue then in conceit whereas thou doing thus as thou doest thou wilt make the world belieue that thy loue is of another manner of nature then thou wouldest perswade vs it being the common fashion of sottish Louers and such as desire sensuall delights to crie out and lament as if they were readie to die when they cannot taste the sweetnes of the same as the sicke Patient dieth for want of physicke that should expell such superfluous humours as hurt him Now if thy Loue be such as thou saiest that it neither demandeth nor expecteth in any sort this pleasure what maketh thee for want of enioying the same to run still vnto death wringing thy hands and making such pittious moane as is strange to behold Therefore are such men farre more furious and mad then those senselesse Bedlems are who without cause seeke to offer violence vnto themselues imitating the heathen people of Aegypt who vsed to burne themselues without any cause at all but onely when the toy tooke them in the head for most deare ought we to hold our life because it is vnrecouerable neither must we forgoe it vnlesse for some great occasion as either for the benefit of our common-wealth or for speciall good and aduancement of all our friends I seeing Fortunto to be so earnest replied thus O Fortunio I cannot see how a man can lose a lesser losse then the shortning of his daies for loosing them he lighteth vpon a path that leadeth him into eternall rest and therefore he is not hindered at all resembling that marchant who exchangeth bad marchandise for such as are most pretious and rich For a smaller matter then mine thousands of wise men haue shortned their liues A witnes whereof is that wise man who following Alexander the great and much fauoured of him gaue not ouer for all that to erect a great pile of wood which he setting a fire most cheerfully leapt therein without sturring once and so was there buried But perhaps you will aske me what was the cause that vrged him thereunto truely none but onely because he would leaue this mortall life to inherit a life euerlasting But say that no liuely apprehention of intollerable griefe did force a man to this desire yet are the very defects of Nature and the desire to become immortall sufficient enough to imprint most deeply this conceit in his soule especially if after death we shall be free from feeling of any paine according vnto the grosse errour of the voluptuous Epicure For is it not farre better neuer to be borne then to liue and endure miserie But we flie higher in our thoughts thē those Phylosophers for we by this meanes set not onely an end vnto our wretchednes but we change them into glorie contentment and our fraile and fleshly bodie into an immortall state free from all corruption Therefore my conclusion is that seesing the onely maimes of Nature without any other accident of euill are of force enough to imprint within vs this desire of death we are not to be reprehēded if we die in as much as we are stirred vp vnto death as well because of these imperfections as also by reason of such a subiect of deadly griefe as can no way be remedied nor holpen but by the fatall Destinies and those that doe contrariwise cannot be compared for constancie and vertue vnto those women who one striuing with another leaped into the flaming fire wherein their dead spouses were burned a deepe passion of true sorrow and a vehement desire to follow their husband being that which did animate them vnto this death Besides such as are in dispaire for euer seeing ioyfull daies in this world haue not they the greatest reason of all to die which if any such shall refuse they are of a more base and timerous disposition then those women afore said seeing that in death onely a man incountreth with quiet rest as whilest we liue we are yoaked and tyed vnto troubles The sage Hebrew King praiseth in his prouerbes the dead more then he doth the liuing death being the securest harbor of all other where when we are arriued we are exempted from rowing any more in the dangerous barge of this turbulent world Fond is that Pilot who through the fauour of the
presented her with my Paper which the opening with a cheerfull countenance read this Sonnet following Faire thou the heauenâ— like to thy selfe mak'st faire So thou my Fortune blessest thee to loue He vanquisht is not though of Armour bare When with the Sunne his strength Mars dares not prâ—â—ut If I thy Beauties stine my selfe right call Who thee t' adore can blame my loyaltse The selfe same God that Louers worship all Is that sweete God which breeds their miseris Faire then I loue thee ah what i st I say Nay more I worship thee and thee admire Mâ—verse and voyce shall honour thee for aye Sing still thy praise thy glorse still desire Faire it is much the Gods for to resemble But more to be like Vertue yet without Sage Pallas helpe Ioue nere had made to tremble Offurious Tytans that rebellious Rout. To thee then like to Gods to Vertue like All praises wee 'le ascribe as guerdon right As she read these Verses shee seemed to smile A Similie giuing mee a verie kinde looke and many thankes for the same As the Vine-worker reioyceth when comming into the field betimes in the morning hee findeth his Vine sprung forth and readie to budde all ouer which promiseth him a bountifull Largesse to come from Bacchus Euen so began I to be light for ioy to see so cheerfull a countenance to come from her hoping to haue some good fortune afterward O how sundrie and suddaine are the alterations in loue One while a Louer is dead and then againe he is aliue now hee is merrie and then by and by he is sadde a small matter being able to make him hope or dispaire as a litle Leuen maketh a great deale of Paste sower But as I was most vnfortunate before so beganne I now to be most happie of all For no sooner had my Mistris read what was written but shee began thus It is great griefe and hart vnto a gallant Courtier who can and faine would make some excellent proofe of his valour when hee cannot meete with a fitte place or fielde wherein he might exercise and put in practise his Chiualrie Euen so it is great pittie Shepheard that thou canst not encounter a subiect worthy of thy penne which might be able and of sufficiencie enough to make thy Muse shewe her selfe abroad in her right colours For this Poeticall veine of thine without hauing some rare or diuine matter to animate it and to set it forward is like vnto a goodlie body that hath no soule which although it shewe faire and beautifull yet can it doe little good A comparison because it wanteth life Or it may be compared vnto a large and fatte fielde bringing forth much grasse which is a testimonie of his fertile richnesse But yet for want of labour and sowing yeeldeth not anie Corne at all I assure thee I am right heartilie sorrie that thou wantest an excellent subiect whereon to worke For then I verily perswade my selfe we should see most admirable conceits to come from thy Muse As for my selfe I neither will nor dare refuse these Verses which thou hast bestowed vpon mee they sanouring of the same sweetnesse for then worthilie mightest thou iudge mee to be more prouder then the Gods who thankfullie accept of the smallest gifts that mortall men doe offer them But yet I could wish with all my hart that they had bene meant vnto some other more vertuous Saint For worthie things belong vnto such as are worthie personages great matters vnto great mightie Potentates what is honorable is due vnto the vertuous no otherwise then shame reproach do belong vnto the infamous such as be wicked Notwithstanding all this I will not giue ouer to account of thy Muse seeing that for all shee hath taken so leane and barren a subiect as my selfe she doth so well by reason whereof she sheweth herselfe to be the more worthie of commendation and praise But farre better and more perfect by great oddes would she appeare if the foundation wherevpon she had built had bene but as goodly as shee her selfe is faire For then no doubt but she would bring forth most straunge and matchlesse workes as of beautifull parents sweete and well-fauoured children are borne Ah say not so most sacred Nymph replyed I although these your speeches are like vnto a lowlie vertue wherein the more you humble your selfe the more you are exalted For what Goddesse is there raigning in the Skies aboue that meriteth more praise then thou doest And what mortall woman is there liuing that carrieth a minde more chaste a heart more vertuous a beautie more excellent or a iudgement more perfect then thou thy selfe doest Although great persons are by the benefite of Fortune raised and aduaunced vnto many Titles of honour and are enriched with Treasures mightilie we cannot therefore say that for that onely cause they are more worthie of praise then such meaner creatures as are barred from such great wealth and authoritie so long as they be as curteous as the others For true glory is not giuen to blinde and cheating Fortune but vnto diuine and heauenly Vertue He is worthy of little praise who hath nothing of his owne but is faine to borrow of others such are rich men who throgh the aduancement of nature A Sentence not of their own industrie enioy that which they haue wheras such as are wise who of their own selues without the help of others shew many proofs of vertue deserue to be comended indeed Poore Homer is more accounted of then rich Agamemnon laudlesse Maro then couetous Crassus poore Solon more then golden Croesus And so faire Nymph although thou hast not the name of a Goddesse seeing in desert thou doest merite the same why shouldest thou refuse that praise that is rightly due and belonging vnto the soueraigne powers aboue But I know thy minde and by thy speech doe gather what thou meanest Thou seemest to refuse the fruits of my Muse and not without great reason because they are too weake and vnable to display and set abroach thy vertues For as those that are excellent Poets greatly honor wise and worthy spirits so such as be grosse and vnlearned rather bring discredite then credite vnto them by their harsh and foolish vorses It being far better for a braue Heroicall minde not to be praised at all then to heare himselfe commended by the mouth of an illiterated and simple Poetizer This is the cause thou refusest my verse but it is certaine that the more Vertue flieth from glorie the more doeth glorie follow her The Sages in times past did well An Example to reiect the praises which were attributed vnto them and because they would not be seene when they put in practise many rare and admirable exploites they hidde themselues close within some vnfrequented Desart or other And yet neuerthelesse they had their due in the ende and when they least dreamed of any such matter Glorie
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
I le leaue to loue thee being dead When thy faire portraiture reuiues my sight If mortall voice from Tombes haue some men lead Restoring vnto them their senses right Then how much more ought LOVE be houonred Whom then the greatest Gods is more of might Then think not though my Corse in Vault thou see That from thy loue as thou wouldst I am free Below in Monument still shalt thou heare How I will sigh for without soule thy Fire Shall hold mee vp whilst liuing I 'le appeare Being dead as fore my death I did desire Nor deadly pangs thereof will I once feare Nor part from thee as thou wouldst faine require For in thy life so cruell th' ast not beene But in my Death as loyall I 'le be seene Yet is my Fortune better farre then thine For without breach of Faith as thou hast done I shall haue leaue to plaine of sorrow mine Thou thinkst in killing mee a Martyrdome More tedious then before mee to assigne But th' art deceiu'd a wrong Race hast thou runne For whilst I liu'd thy Rigour was my bane But now being dead I freed am from the same Death then both thee and mee preserues from ill Thee that no more thy Beautie I molest Mee that I feele not now thy cruell will O happie Death that two desires hath blest Then let mee die thy minde for to fulfill Yet first I will this Rock shall be possest Of this my dolefull verse true witnesse How vndeseru'd I brought was to distresse For though to die it shall mee mickle please Yet must I grieue at thy lost Companie Then Rocks Caues Woods Groues Springs and greenie Leaze Witnes you all LOVE Arcas made to die To noyse this in the world doe neuer cease If I report shall where as dead I lie How all of you although by Nature wilde Yet then my Mistris are more meeke and milde No sooner had I engrauen these Verses but that I got me vp vnto the toppe of the same Rock minding to cast my selfe downe into the swelling Seas when vpon the suddaine an other new conceit came into my braine which was to see if I could deuise a meane how I might restore Diana againe not onely vnto my selfe but also vnto the other Nymphs who as well as I sore lamented the losse of her departure Wherevpon I knowing that she would not be perswaded by any reasons whatsoeuer to be reclaimed or altered from her first determination I went and sought out her Friends and Parents vnto whome I bewrayed the intention of their faire daughter perswading them with all the earnest speeches I could by all the liuely reasons as might be deuised that they should not in any wise permit her to haue her will therein They hearing mee tell so straunge a Tale were wonderfully amazed and daunted therewith For Diana neuer meant to haue made them priuie in this her secret businesse promised mee that they would so worke as they would if they could crosse her in this her resouled purpose they themselues being much vnwilling she should take vpon her any such Austere and Melancholike course Wherevpon I being glad that they iumped with mee in opinion hauing receiued hearty thankes from them for my kinde Intelligences came away wonderfullie well pleased in that I had spedde so well And not long after they tooke so good an order as the faire Nymph although very much against her will was constrained to obey their hests and giuing ouer her former resolution liuing amongst vs as shee had vsed before But alas as hee that buildeth goodly houses oftentimes erecteth his graue it being his chaunce to be slaine therein Euen so I thinking to prolong mine owne life framed mine owne proper death and ouer throwe For my Mistris who before time was wont still to vse mee kindely shewing me good countenance when she saw me although for the most part shee was sadde and heauy in her minde because shee was barred from her most wished for Designe came at the length to know that I onely was the chiefe cause that her Parents had so much hindered and crossed her against her will As that Maister who bearing great affection vnto one of his seruants particularly both hateth and detesteth the same man after he findeth how hee is run-away and hath robbed him of his goods and Treasure Euen so no sooner came these dismall newes vnto her cares but that suddainly she began to alter her minde towardes mee hating mee vnto death yea and that in so cruell a manner as shee beganne now to loath mee a thousand times more then euer she had loued me before Wherevpon shee vowed in her minde to be reuenged vpon me imagining and deuising in her selfe how she might best doe it But alas what need had she to haue troubled herselfe so much For shee needed no other to execute this spitefull malice towards me then her owne poore selfe Thus we see how chaungeable and vncertaine the fortunes of Louers are in their Loues For one morning I finding her alone beganne as I was wont to salute her when shee presently looking as redde as any â—â—re with extreame choller began thus to requite my kindnesse O cruell and vngratefull wretch out of my sight if thou meanest that I shall liue Is this the reward for so many curtesies as thou hast receiued at my hands to seeke most Traitreously to hinder mee in my sacred and religious intention Away I say and out of my sight for I forbid thee my presence and thinke or else It shall goe hardly with me but that I will most grieuously plague thee for thy vnthankfull and leaud dealing In the meane while I commaund thee vpon paine of death that thou neuer presume to come againe before me Cruell vngratefull false-harted and wicked Creature as thou art that hast thus requited mee with euill for good most iniuriously opposing thy selfe against my most iust and godly desires And hauing so said away she flung swelling for very rage and anger and not so much as once staying to heare what answere I could make in mine owne defence That woman whom her husband hath taken tardie as guiltie of some hainous facultie is not halfe so heauie sorrowfull neither so confounded with feare and shame as I was then Long did I stand stone still as if my feete had growne vnto the ground neither was I able or had the power to open or lift vp mine eyes so much had grieâ— seazed vpon me as I thought verily I should haue dyed as then in that place In the ende comming vnto my selfe againe and remembring the more then cruell threatnings of my dread Mistris without wailing any more or bethinking me of any other deuise how to excuse my selfe I ran vp vnto the toppe of the Rocke vpon which I had bene so often before That done I closed both mine eyes flinging my selfe downe from thence into the maine Sea resoluing to drowne me within the bottome of the same No sooner was I in the water but I began to repent mee of my rash enterprise whilst the feare of death being not farre off so terrified and affrighted mee as I beganne to swimme most lustily in the waues to saue my life Thus as I was tumbled and tossed too and fro by the churlish Surges a certaine Shippe by great good fortune sailed by the Marriners and Sailers whereof being moued with pittie tooke mee vp by a rope being verie heauie and sadde as you may well suppose And within a while after whether it were by reason the inward griefe I conceiued for my Ladies vnkindnesse or because of the great paine and labour which I had taken in swimming I know not but I fell to be most extreamely sicke in the Shippe vpon the suddaine They doubting least I would die as those who were very vnwilling to haue any diseased folks in their vessell although forie for the same yet forced and as it were halfe against their wills set me on land in this desart leauing me some victualls to liue vpon vntill better foretune should happen In the end I recouered my health againe and am miserable ARCAS confined to fiue in this comfortlesse wildernesse and depriued the company of my deare Mistris for euer my comfort is that my dayes will soone be shortned and that I haue not long to liue And thus good Father haue you heard the true dolefull discourse of my more then wretched misfortunes which will neuer end vntill my life shall part from this his vnwelcome mansion I doubt I haue troubled you in being ouer long but alas it was sore against my will for sooner if I could would I haue sinisht the same Not a whit answered the olde Magitian for you rather haue pleased mee very much and I like your discourse maruailous well And God I pray comfort you for great need haue you thereof But it is now very neere night Let vs then goe replied the Shepheard seeing I haue now set downe and reported the restlesse liues the pittifull complaints and the most lamentable kindes of such as haue loued FINIS Nec morte moritur Amor. LONDON PRINTED BY THOMAS Creede dvvelling in the old Change neere old Fishstreete at the Signe of the Eagle and Childe 1610.
Phisitions for afflicted cōsciēces feared as the punishers of enormities abuses saluted as the Superiours or Elders of the Church redoubted as the I rophets of the sacred Scripture proclaimed as Herolds of the pure and sincere veritie and truth it selfe The auncient Emperours disdained not to be chosen by them in their Empire and Gregorie surnamed the Great named and appointed the seuen Romane Electors the seuen Romane Electors I say againe who oftentimes deposeth such Emperours as before they had chosen when they were found guiltie of some notorious and detestable crime But now alas what shall I say vnto you poore miserable contemptible and despised Ecclesiasticall Pastors In steed of honouring you you are now iniured in steed of louing you you are hated and loathed in steed of saluting you you are abused in steed of respecting you you are disdained and contemned in steed of giuing vnto you most that you haue is taken from you miserable are you your selues and most wretched your calling since you are abused through so many grose indignities and yet for all this the euerlasting sonne of the heauenly Father found not a dignitie more godly and more worthie then that of Priest-hood according vnto the order of Melchicedecke he was the first High Priest whose successours were the Apostles of whom at this day are the reuerend Pastors and Preachers of the word the true and lawfull followers But comfort your selues Religious and godly Diuines for thrise blessed are all those that suffer trouble and persecution in their bodies for the name of Iesus Christ-Glorie is the daughter of trauaile and paine as enuie is the infant of glorie and onely by trouble and paine haue the Saints beaten the way for vs to mount to heauen But as such as thinke so meanely of Religion and of the Prelates thereof are themselues to be as meanely accounted of euen so highly are such to be esteemed that haue giuen them there due and rightly honoured them And such a one was Theodosius that famous Emperour sarnamed the Great who sought all the meanes he could to haue the fauour good will of S. Ambrose when he had excōminicated him yeelding vnto his will and fearing greatly his displeasures and not long after he being threatned by a certaine Hermit with the like punishmēt he sent for all the Bishops there-abouts to know of them whether he might be interdicted the Church and all godly companie by so poore a creature as he was standing mightily in awe of the same And therefore ye worthie learned and religious Diuines whatsoeuer disgraces are offered vnto you and howsoeuer you are most iniuriously handled or most contemptuously made account of yet be not you troubled thereat but follow your graue and vertuous calling you being appointed and chosen by God himselfe to be the dispensers the celebraters of his blessed Sacraments and the blasoning Herolds of his eternall and euerlaistng word lawfull Successours in his diuine function and great and mightie by reason of your more then worthie dignitie But behold where the old man commeth vnto whom I must make intercession in the behalfe of these wretched Pirates so strangely metamorphosed by him To him will I pleade with all humble modestie lest growing in chollor with me he vse me as hardly as he hath done them and the rather because not long since I somewhat angred him Herewithall the Knight comming vnto him saluted him with great curtesie in this manner Learned and respectiue Father God prosper thy yeares prolong thy life multiplie thy daies conserue and keepe thee still in health Let me intreate thee a while to stay and a little to rest thy selfe in this place whilest I shall be bolde to deliuer a fewe words vnto thee The Gods sometimes lend their cares vnto mortall men neither doe they disdaine to heare them as thou makest shew me thinkes as if thou art loth to listen vnto mine Stay then reuerend old man and giue not iust cause vnto me that I may conceiue any vnkindnes through this thy harsh and hard deniall Nothing is of smaller account then the speech of man who so yeeldeth not vnto that will yeeld vnto nothing The old man seeing himselfe to be held by the hand and vrged so hardly as it were somewhat in choller replied thus Palmer thou art too troublesome and importunate let me goe I would wish thee hinder me no longer from the seruice of the Gods about which I am now going lest thou force me to doe that which I would not be willing for what thou wouldest haue I know alreadie before thou speakest Thy request is not lawfull inasmuch as Iustice should be wronged and rightly might she complaine of me if I should yeeld vnto thy demand giue ouer then thy vaine sute for no bodie is bound to doe what is ill and vniust at the request of another because we ought to make more account of Iustice then of all the world besides and for that no amitie or affection is to be preferred before a reasonable and righfull matter Heare me therefore and disquiet not my minde which is now busied about heauenly things and thinke I loue thee well to let thee goe seotfree when thou shalt vrge me with such an vnreasonable motion as this for Iustice punisheth as well those that seeme to allow of euill as those that doe commit euill themselues Pardon me graue sir answered the knight there is no man liuing that lesse alloweth of euill then I doe which I hate loath and despise but I cannot chuse but I must needs loue pittie and mercie for as we are all men so are we bound one to helpe another the bruite beastes themselues doing the like through the verie instinct of Nature Compassion ought to be preferred before all other respects because a fault that is done may be amended and become a vertue but a man once dead for want of pittie neuer riseth againe and his losse is vnrecouerable and can neuer be repaired againe Mercie hath alwaies gotten the vpper hand of rigour and fiercenes and the pittifull man doth deserue more then the iust whereof Cosar shall serue me for a witnesse who affirmed that the fruites of his victories was the pardon he daily gaue vnto thousands of his enemies assoone as they sought his fauour What nourisheth the societie and companie of men What maintaineth their liues and what increaseth their health and quietnes but milde pittie If there were none but hungrie wolfes or greedie Lyons how then should the world endure and how could men be sure to enioy their liues in safetie Ah if our most louing God should be found as thou art without mercie what hope should we haue to enioy eternall glorie but rather looke euerie houre when we should be swallowed vp into the bottomlesse gulfe of hell Change then this thy too too obdurate resolution The exceeding great curtesies that Alexander vsed vnto the Persian Kings daughters and wife was the cause that Darius prayed the
Gods that if he needs must be driuen out of the throne of Cyrus he might haue no other successour to follow him then the same Alexander his chiefe enemie Great account doe we make and much doe we esteeme of great and noble personages that haue liued long before our daies yet not so much for the many victories they obtained as for the kind gentlenes and milde curtesies they vsed vnto their foes when they had ouercome their owne passions For to conquer an enemie is the benefit of Fortune whereas that which we win and carrie away from our owne selues cannot be attributed vnto any thing but vnto our selues and that is the victorie which consisteth in pardoning of our enemies Then follow this direct course and thy memorie shall flourish for euer O how ignorant doest thou shew thy selfe to be replied the old man by this thy discourse Who knoweth not that euerie one of vs is bound for our owne credits to bridle our affections and to shew grace vnto our aduersarie vnto whom Fortune hath left no meanes to defend himselfe when he is once vanquisht But the same law that commandeth vs to be pittifull vnto our enemies teacheth vs to be iust and seuere vnto the aduersaries of Iustice For what sufficient reproach and shame can a Maister doe vnto such a seruant of his who shall stand by and see his Lord beaten abused and defamed and yet neuer as much as once stirreth his foote to take his quarrell in hand nor once to defend him he hauing bene able to haue done the same if he would We are all the seruants of Iustice by whom since we are all nourished protected and defended in this world is it reasonable that we should endure to see heâ— spoyled abused and trod vnder seere and yet neuer reuenge her wrongs The same eternall God whom thou tearmest mercifull hath not himselfe contemned Iustice but rather hath yeelded vnto the satisfaction of the same choosing rather to become man and to die as man then to falâ—ific or offer iniurie vnto Iustice So likewise the selfe-same Alexander whom thou paintest forth to be so kind deferred not to punish in most cruell sort the murtherers of Darius causing them to be peece-meale torne with wilde horses in sunder No reason is it that that man should be suffered to liue who is not moued to reuenge Iustice when she is profaned and wronged she being that vertue that containeth within her all the other and they are all as it were tied about her necke inasmuch as it were to no purpose for one to be sober and continent if he should proue to be an vniust man and an vsurper ouer other men And were Iustice honoured of euery one as she ought to be in right we then should haue but small neede either of force valour or prowes at all For should euerie man liue orderly and well giuing vnto his neighbour that which is his due there should be no occasion to vse force to compell him to deale iustly and true stand not then to importune me thus to shew compassion vpon the foes of Iustice hinder not the diuine vengeance of the same lest thou be punished for taking their parts so much For cursed is he that beareth with vice and winketh with his eies because he will not see that fault which he is loth to punish Learned Father answered the knight how much more easier is it for a man to pardon then to reuenge A small labour were it and little or no time would it aske to speake this one onely word I pardon them but not so qucikly is found the meanes to reuenge Happie may he account himselfe that hath not a cruell minde nor bloodie hand the Lord himselfe reiecting the sacrifices of such as haue rough and bloodie hands Besides the same Iustice in whose behalfe thou alleagest so much is content that that sinner be receiued into grace that craueth pardon for his fault he promising to make hartle satisfaction for the same For what more can one demand of the offender but amends for the offence he hath committed Iustice misliketh not to see her deare sister Mercie to be respected and sued vnto because that without yeelding satisfaction for the crime and not paying what is due vnto Iustice she neuer receiueth the misliuer into her fauour That good Father did not he take againe into his former grace his prodigall child after he had so vainely and prodigally spent all his wealth and patrimonie And that wilde King Loies surnamed the Debonaire did not he forgiue all his children who had chased him out of his kingdome depriued him of his Crowne and had forcibly made him a Monke If so then let him be mercifull that looketh for mercie for as we sowe so shall we reape And if we doe otherwise we shall prooue our selues but liars before God and cruell of our speech before the face of the world Let vs pittie one another as we would be pittied againe of God himselfe for if he should but once looke into our faults who then dare appeare before his presence This is the reason I am so earnest with thee to the end I might obtaine so much fauour at thy hands as to restore those poore distressed soules vnto their pristinate and former shapes againe that they may be continually obliged vnto thee for so great a bountie towards them Thou knowest not answered the old man what thou demandest For if the lawe giuen by Princesse doth not exempt themselues from the rigour thereof and if God himselfe will haue euill punished as he pardoneth the faithfull hauing slaine the infamous inhabitants with fire and brimstone and swallowed downe aliue into hell that rebellious crue of Dathan Coran and Abiron Why then contrarie to his ordinance wilt thou solicite in the behalfe of the wicked when the sinne is so hainous as it can neuer enough be plagued Call to minde the saying of that great Emperour who putting into a certaine Iudges hand the sword of Iustice saide thus vnto him Holde heere and take this weapon against mine owne selfe if thou shalt finde mee culpable And if I shall doe anie thing against Iustice Agesilaus King of the Spratanes did not thinke the King of Persia to deserue that name of GREAT more then hee A Sentence but onely for that he was more vpright and vnpartiall in all his actions making account by this meanes that all the glorie and honour of great Monarkes consisted in the beautie of this IVSTICE And to say the truth she is a most beautifull and diuine Ladie seeing she rendreth vnto euery man what is his in right not taking away from anie man by violence the least thing that is but rather maketh such ill-gotten goods to be restored vnto the true owners thereof againe Worthy then are such to be seuerely punished that violate and defile her so much Cursed be you saith the great GOD by the mouth of his Prophet Esay that publish wicked Lawes
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