Selected quad for the lemma: cause_n
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A15427
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Hecatonphila. The arte of loue Or, loue discouered in an hundred seuerall kindes.; Hecatonphila. The arte of love.
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Alberti, Leon Battista, 1404-1472.
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1598
(1598)
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STC 257; ESTC S110268
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22,612
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94
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height of my pleasures So long these golden howres daies months and yeares endured till fortune enuying my further happines suffered me to see a certaine Gentlewoman who albeit her deserts else where were worthie liking yet mee thought her familiaritye fitted not with my Husband Hereupon as if I had been wounded with a deadly stroke my face became pale and wan deepe conceiued displeasure sate vppon my brow and my former pleasing disposition conuerted into such melancholy as my Husband being present conquered with compassion gathering by his discretion what danger hereby might redound to our loue both in teares other apparant testimonies of sorow he declared how greatly this mishap did discontent him All which was no appeasing of my furious oppression but I must needs goe complaine my selfe to my Mother who to witnes her owne experience as also to withdraw mee from so vaine a perswasion affirmed That shee had both noted and heard their discoursing meruailing I wold shew my selfe so immodest as to iudge of honest demeanour so absurdly and rashly and the Gentlewoman comming but in kindnes to see mee my Husband for my sake gaue her such entertainment aswell knowing what became him farre better than I did Her words wanted strength to remooue mine opinion I reputed it an iniurie and therefore I would not be otherwise perswaded but gaue this frantick spleene such souereigntie ouer me that I grew into a wonderfull hatred against him concluding neuer after to loue him againe but rather greeuing for the affection I had bestowed on him alreadie And in this heate I shut vp my selfe to solitude purposing while I liued to loath mens cōpany loue now was changd to hate faire looks to bitter frownes all else were my vtter foes but such whose fortunes did equall mine afflictions Alas what fooles are we women transported vp and downe with these amorous passions When I perceiued my former determination of solitarinesse to haue no likelihood of continuance then became I deuout and religious none but Church-goers might now bee my companions with them sister-like I went from Church to Church vsing all the meanes I could deuise to forget the loue of him whom I thought my greatest enemie And least conference with ouer-manie might alter mine intent I would prattle with dumbe pictures vowing this day and that day to enter religion because I would become a sworne aduersarie to loue See here my silly wisedome as if I could thus haue left my Husband at mine owne proper pleasure being bound to him in the bond of all humilitie dutie The verie thoght of Loue I found wold not agree with the austeritie of Religion the one in bitternes I deemed sweet and the other in the very best estate somewhat too sowre Thus while with one nayle I thought to expell another in seeking to quench Loue I kindled it more violent and where I was but sindgd before by the flame now in euerie part of me I felt the fire hotly burning Thus one while I would faine be free from Loues mightie thraldome yet lothe at another to loose his continuall amorous seruice whose verie lookes were my life and whose absence was more bitter than a thousand deaths But I was cunning enough to keep all this close and seemed outwardly to feele no greefe at all when God knowes how extreamely my poore heart was tormented Sullen will made me to delight in solitude darke roomes and obscure vaults would I daily walke in where like a witlesse foole I did nothing else but plague my self and please others who in secrete smiled at my peeuish disposition In the end being well disciplinde with mine owne disease and more wearie of this oppression than I would the world shuld haue known I became a little more friendly to my Husband desiring that still he would keepe me companie and I might be his glasse continually to gaze on To ease himselfe of my daily molestations and somwhat to sooth me in this friuolous humour he yeelded to let his owne affaires run lauishly at randome and suggest my sottishnes with all possible conuersation obseruance When I had gotten this vaine victorie it were wonderfull to tell you how prowde I became thereof for then I beganne to determine a soueraigntie in my selfe to make my will a law and his submission the onelye piller to maintaine and vnder-prop it I grew then into such extremitie of bold and vndecent presumption that I would esteeme of him as I list offend him when I pleased hauing no other reason but onely his patient sufferance if he laughed I would lowre if hee spake faire I would be froward if hee desired to walke I would tarrie at home if he inuited friends to be merrie I would deuise al the meanes I could to make them malcontent thus home was a hell to him abroad little or nothing better and I like a verie diuell continually tormenting him But who sustained the worst al this while His patience did priuiledge him for inward vexation so that my selfe bare the burden of this disquiet and I did my selfe more harme than I could doo him for my blood began to drie vp my mind afflicted with insupportable sorrowes all my veynes seemed as shrunke and wythered daily was I subiect to welneere howerly swounings Which my pittiful Husband with great griefe beholding my former faire shape to bee so strangely altred and without any iust cause of offence proceeding from himselfe he still desired to know the reason of this maladie whether it lay in him by any means to help it or if at him I was thus offended If not quoth he but that your displeasure is kindled against some other wrong not your selfe with these sharpe tormentings but let mee reuenge it on whom so ere it be for it is a debt due to Loue and a right which hee doth by great reason challenge that betweene two vnited soules nothing should bee kept in secret but the one bee alwayes priuie to the others oppressions because a Louer in such a case is to be commaunded and eithers counsel is not to be scorned but obeyed as the onely salue to cure any amorous sicknes But I euen as it is the nature of manie other women neuer to be suffised with iniury much lesse with reuenge one while tooke pride to see him hūbled another while practised how to preuaile more more against him smiling to see him so obsequious I sit as it were controlling ouer him I wished that he might know the ground of my greefe yet if by my speeches hee anie way perceiued it with stout courage solemne oaths I would flatly denie it affirming that he had no way offended me but the cause of my distemper grew by others Then would I shew disdainfull looks scorne to keep him company and expresse manifest hatred against him and so long I continued in these pestilent humors onely to make him wearie with the weight of this martyrdome that I could sing when hee
quick witted and aboue all most loyall exceding in al the parts of gentlenes Verie skilful was he in the exercise of Armes managing great horses and either at his launce bow or such commendable qualities right ready well seene in sciences musique painting engrauing yea all other Artes whatsoeuer and yee can name no laudable action fit for a man but I imagine he could therein very hardly be seconded Impossible it is for mee to recount the moitie of his admirable vertues which worthily made him famous affected and euerie where regarded Thinke then faire Ladies I neede not be ashamed both to esteeme and tearme him my Lord being such an onely most sweete and loyall Louer neither a matter hard or laborious to me readily and at all times to please and obey him nay I thought my selfe most happie and fortunate if I might expresse my vttermost diligence in doing whatsoeuer he pleased to commaund me Who better could deserue such dutie and reuerence at my hand than such a worthie husband Oh my Lord most blessed haue I euer reputed my selfe seeing Fortune bestowed such a Loue on me as had not his like But alas my mishap chaunced afterward cutting off the felicitie of such a heauenly kinde of life by taking him from me into a farre distant Countrey and death could bee no worse to mee than this sowre separation yet this is some consolation to my soule that the remembraunce of thy faith and loue continueth aliue in me which I keepe and will doo with all religious duty I can as a most memorable testimonie of our neuer sundred affection Such a Loue as this faire Ladies yea such a Loue if such a one maye be met withall doo I councell ye to make choyce off and intyrely to loue him neuer preferring anie to the souereigntie of your affections but such as are wise vertuous and modest These are they that will requite your faith and kindnes with endlesse recompences and by whom ye shall neuer need to doubt any sinister accident These like Poets Times glories will make your names immortall giuing true fame and eternitie to your beautie and vertues Lesbia Corinna Cynthia and manie more deceased a thousand yeares since yet liue by being beloued of vertuous and learned men Loue then sweete Sisters those that are learned wise modest vertuous so shall your liues be heere as none the like and your loues remembred as none comparable CAP. 7. THus hauing declared how ye should elect men worthie of your loue now will I shew the meanes to entertaine and preserue them still in louing And first of all let me tell yee faire Creatures that nothing better becommeth your excellent perfections and sooner preuaileth in conquering his heart you ayme at than a sweete carriage of countenance as also a comely discreete and modest presence one piercing looke heates and enkindles the dullest desire one modest amorous glaunce awakens sleepie thoughts fetcheth fire from the flint and makes the hart as yeelding as your own can craue enioying Heerein I haue discerned manie young Damosels through want of better wit verie much to deceiue themselues imagining that a man no sooner lookes on them but presently he is in loue with them which makes them verie liberall in eying euerie one and take plesure in gazing on each goer by still thinking theyr beautie increased by their often beholding wheras men are rather wearied with noting their vanitie But beleue me deare Friends it is no part of beauties glorie to attract a troope of eies or be beleagerd with an hoast of idle regarders couet rather priuately to bee seene as one adorned with vertue courtesy and humanitie than gold purple silke or siluer for that shall make thee truly honoured when the other will leaue thee foolishly despised One onely light makes an entyre and perfect shadow whereas manie lights being together confounds defaceth it euen so from one onely Friend and loyal Louer true and perfect loue is to bee expected for well may she bee compared to the Brood-hen that all the daye long bestowes her paines in all the dust shee meetes withall and yet sleepes at night hungrie and vnsatisfied It is good then for her that loueth to imploy all her endeuour to finde the meanes for preseruing one entire Loue onely for how vnwise is shee that considers not how manie casualties and dangers happen in loue especially when affection is rouing at more than one marke onely Vnderstand faire Sisters true loue is a matter immortall not to bee deuided or seuered for when it is truly bestowed where your soule solemnly affecteth what beside it is bragd or boasted on to anie other is woords without woorth and golden showes with glassie substance She that can deuide her liking into diuers parts proportions knowes not how to loue indeed but prophanes so sacred a profession shee that labours not to maintaine loue in his true and onely glorie deserues not to haue the benefites of loue but rather to be generaly hated and contemned And though all other reasons auailed as nothing in this behalfe yet thinke with your selues that beeing pursued with a multitude of riualls what expectation is to be had thereof I will not stand to rehearse all the inconueniences but let this one suffise for the residue If yee lend good lookes to euerie one ye bring your selfe into a hell intollerable seruitude for then if ye grace one more than another presently ariseth hatred and contentions betweene them What daily is then to bee lookt for about your doores but brawles quarrels frayes murders made onely about you The people laye the blame hereof vppon you worthily despising yee for these rude inciuilities Some one of them either to despite his enemie the more or because he will be singuler in his owne conceipt beares downe the rest with tearmes and brauadoes he becomes the kill-cow he will haue more than anie though he merit lesse than any where ere hee comes hee brags of your fauours presents letters and tokens yea sometime of kindnesse that might be kept closer And hearing the like deliuered from another with oathes and protestations how true I know not furie beeing enkindled nothing but blood can allay this hot tempest and you being the cause thereof are publiquely condemned that neuer can your credit bee afterward repayred But admit that all your Louers were ciuill and modest no way iniuring your fame and reputation yet shal ye finde great defect in this multitude of followers and that the prosecuting of their loue will proue very perillons Continuallye will they bee to one another as spyes murmurers and secrete enemies so that no place or time can yeeld yee anye safe assurance or priuiledge but by one or other ye shall bee continually siedged neuer enioy one minutes rest from their ceaselesse perturbations Therefore would I aduise ye not to be so generall in your affection but to elect one Louer onely such a one as before I haue deciphered vnto