couered And whereof springeth this errour that women may not first make loue but only of a precise and curious custome nay rather a preiudicall and carefull custome I may tearme it to vs women for wherof commeth it that so many of vs are so euill matcht in mariage but only hereof that wée are tyed to the hard chose of those that offer their loue vnto vs where as if it were lawfull for vs to make loue where we lyked best we woulde neuer marry but to our minde and contentation Lastly I am not the first that haue played the lyke parte and that whiche is done by alowable example is lawfully done For Venus her selfe yéelded her selfe to her darlinge Adonis withoute any sute made on his part Phaedra made sute to Hippolitus Oenone pleaded her right with Paris Dido dyd Aeneas to vnderstande how déepely she desired him Bryses besought the goodwill of Achilles Adalesia by her gouernesse made loue to Alerane the Dutchesse of Sauoy went on pilgrimage to y Knight Mendoza infinit lyke exampls I could alleage and why is it not lawfull for me to do the lyke and make loue to King Minos who perchance would first haue sued to mée if he had first séene mée yes let the world iudge what they will I wyll doe what I shal iudge best for my selfe and with as conuenient spéede as I may I will either by letters or déedes do Minos to vnderstand what minde I beare him And as she was busely beating her braines here about one of her most trusty and louing women came ▪ vnto her humbly requestinge her to make her priuy to the cause of her perplexitie Alas good misteris saith she yf you want any thing let your friends vnderstand it and it shal be prouided If my poore seruice may any way serue your turne assure your selfe neither respect of honour lyuing or lyfe shall let mee from doing any thing which may deliuer you out of distresse if you haue imprisoned your libertie any where and giued your selfe in the fetters of fansy I know a Gentlewoman my familier freind who can stand you in as much steed for y obtaininge of your purpose as any gentlewoman in this Courte The princes desirous of aid in her distres prayed her woman to procure the comminge of that Gentlewoman with all possible spéede Whervpon the wayting woman caused one of the princesses gentlemen to goe to this honest woman and in her name to desire her to come to the princesse You shall vnderstande this gentlewomans name who was sent for was Pandarina in her youth a seruinge woman and one which knewe more fashions then was fit for honest women But nowe married to an honest Gentleman shée entred into a newe religion seeming to renounce her olde fayth setling her selfe in sutch hipocrysy y she rather counterfaited cunningly thē liued cōtinētly But to paint her out more plainly she was more coy thē cumly more fine thē wel fauored more loftly thē louely more proud then proper more precise thē pure more superstitious then religious more of spighte then of the spirit and yet nothing but honesty would downe with her more Ielous then zelous either iudging her husband by her selfe or iudginge her selfe vnworthy the seuerall vse of so cōmodious a commen as her husband was Well sutch as shee was this younge gentleman of the younge princesse was sent for her at the first comming according to the fashion hee kist her and hauing done his message with frowning face shee told him shee could not goe to the princesse and though shee could yet would shee not goe with him The Gentleman somwhat abashed hereat returned to the gentlewoman that sent him and told her what answere this honest woman made Who meruailing mutch therat went presently her selfe vnto her desiring that gentleman to accompany her Béeinge come to her lodging after a few salutacions Pandarina prayed the gentlewoman either to send vnto her a more modest messenger then the gentleman shee sent or els to teache him to kisse more continently The gentlewoman blushinge for bashfulnes told her she had not the skill to teache men to kisse shee thought that cunning concerned cōmon harlots or at least married women rather then her but sayth shee I will tell him of it that of him selfe hee may amend his fault and callinge the gentleman aside vnto her shée asked him how hée had misused him selfe towards Misteris Pandarina in kissinge her No way sayth hee that I knowe for but if I kissed her boldly I trust shee wil attribute it to young mens bashfulnesse and if I kissed her kindly I trust she wyll impute it to good will. Yes mary sayth the gentlewoman it was more hindely then shee cared for or liked of Uerily sayth hee if it were ouer kinde it is more then I know or more then I ment for to speake my fancy freely I know neuer a gentlewoman in this lande that I like of worse and if shee bee aferde I bee to far in loue with her I will bee bound in what bond shee will to hate her no man more But gentlewoman if you adhibite any credite to my counsayle flie her familiarity eschew her company sutch sayntes in shewe are Satans in déede sutch fayned holinesse is double diue lishnesse sutch counterfayte continencye I count litle better then baudry For sure this is a most sure marke to knowe dissemblers by that they will alwayes far excéede the meane for feare of béeing found in their fayning As those that fayne to weepe houle out right those that fayne to bee freindly shew them selues plaine Parasites as those that fayne to bee valiant brag most gloriously and as shee counterfaytinge continency sheweth her selfe altogether curious and hipocritiall But notwithstandinge I haue had no knowledge of her life and conuersation yet dare I lay my life on it that either shee hath bene naught is naught or wil be naught whensoeuer shee can get any foule adultrour fit for so filthy an adultresse The Gentlewoman hearing him so ernest prayed him to put vp the matter patiently sayinge shee thought it was but a shift to excuse her not comminge to the princesse and so went to Pandarina telling her the Gentleman was sory hée had offended her and so away they went together to the princesse I haue wandred Gentlewomen somwhat béesides the path of my promised purpose but yet not cleane out of the way of mine owne will and intent For though this digressiō pertaine litle to the history I haue in hande yet it may serue to admonish you that you take not executions of curiosyty against kisses which are giuen you of curtesy and if there chaunce to bée any fault in them either modesty to conceale it or presently to returne the kisses againe to him which gaue them But in excusing my former digression I shall enter into another digression therefore to the matter and purpose proposed Pandarina beeinge preferred to the presence of the Princesse hauinge done dutifull
cases and ioyninge of genders together And this was the lesson in déede that liked him this hée thought y lesson of al lesson y only lessoÌ„ which led to perfect learning y only instructioÌ„ which truly taught right construction the onely lesson of lyfe the only pathway to Paradise This lesson hée soone had learned and yet thought with himself that hée neuer had sufficiently learned it which made him in short time make repetition of it a thousand times And for recreation after his study his exercise alwayes was either to triumph of his owne happinesse either to trisle and talke with his misteris either in verse curiously to commende her or els in prose liuely to paint foorth the praise of women and amongst many other his frantick fancies hée presented in writing to his wife this mutch in effect As it somewhat easeth the afflicted to vtter their annoy so no doubt it greatly increaseth our happinesse to expresse our ioy And I am perswaded that al the delightfull things we sée all the ioyfull things we heare and all the pleasaunt thinges we feele woulde procure vs litle pleasure if we had no meanes to manifest theÌ„ or freinds to impart them to Therefore I will vnfolde my ioyes to my ioy my pleasures to my Peragon my mirth to my mistris For who euer swamme in sutch seas of delight who euer bathed in more perfect blis for first what could I haue wished more of God then to haue mine owne Father the author the béeginner the perswader the practiser the furtherer and the finisher of my felicitie to impart vnto mée his counsayle to depart with his coyne to geue mée his goods to leaue me his lands to do more for me then I had ether reasoÌ„ to require or so mutch as durst to desire O Father thou only knowest how to blesse thy children then what more happines could happeÌ„ vnto me then to haue a wife whose countenance coueteth only to content mée whose lookes are framed only to my lykinge whose wordes are only wrested to my wyll whose deedes are only directed to my delight whose beautie then the sun beames is more bright whose bounty wit and vertue is more rare then to be comprehended in a mortal wight who in shape Venus in wit passeth Pallas her selfe who is the only starre which giueth right light who is the only worship of the worlde the only honour of her age the only Phaenix of the earth whose gouernment is sutch that she can guide her selfe wisely in all companies in all causes whose discretion is sutch that shee can applie herselfe fitly to all times to all places to all persons who loueth mée so loyally that I cannot but like it who honoureth mee so dutifully that I cannot looke for more who at all times entertaineth mée so curteously that I cannot but bee content with it who dayly filleth my eares with sutch sugred words that they can not but delight mée who at borde feedeth mée so daintily that a prince would bée pleased with it who at bed feasteth mee so delicately that Cupid him selfe would bée glad of it O Misteris thou only knowest how to make thy husband happy But what meruayle is it to sée a good trée bring forth good fruit what wonder is it to sée one woman good when there are none ill And how is it possible there should bée any ill when y matter wherof they are made causes wherof they come are right good For first they are made of the purified mettall of man wheras man was made of y grosse earth And as in stils out of herbs is gotten pure water so out of man was gotten y pure mettall of women as may bée plainly perceiued by the finenesse of their fourme by the softnesse of their flesh by the clerenesse of their colour sutch like TheÌ„ for the constitution of their bodies they are most coÌ„monly colde by reason wherof they are most patient modest milde and mercifull most constant without lightnesse most continent without leudnesse neither offende either in excesse of meate either in fleshly heate so often as men of firy and hot complexions doe Besides that the purity of their bodies may bée perceiued by this that no corruption comminge by the grosenesse of meat or otherwise can continue long within them but that they haue continually euacuation of all yll humours sutch force hath that which is fine to expel that which is filthy And as their bodies are most perfecte so also their soules are most pure For wheras men receiue from Adam origynall sinne women are altogether voide of that infection which may be partly coniectured by the excellency of many of their complexions cleerenes of their skins so that no man almost would think y there could lurke any lothsomnes to be misliked of vnder so cumly a couert as their faire faces are but only they y haue proued the contrarie But notwithstaÌ„ding this perfectioÌ„ wherw t they are indued yet as things most excelleÌ„t are euer most enuied their want not those which want so mutch gouernmente that they will not sticke ernestly to inueigh against the noble feminine sexe and amongest the rest as who is so bold as blind bayard Mantuan like a mad man most rudely and rashly raueth and rayleth against them But his wordes are so voyde of wit and his railing so without reason that if hee were aliue I thinke him rather with tormentes to bee confounded then with argumentes to bee confuted Before him Aristotle as an Asse sotted with ouer mutch studdy maketh a great speake sayinge women are monsters in nature and he alleageth a profound reason to proue it for that nature forsooth alwayes intendeth to bringe forth that which is most perfect and therfore would bring forth only men if shee might Apythy argumente hee reasoneth as though it were graunted him that men were more perfecte then women which with all his philosophy hee shall neuer bee able to proue And if hee make this reason that the male is euer more perfect then the female nature her selfe will quickly confute him who in most of her creatures hath made the female far more perfect then the male And not to vse many instances what need wee goe any farther then consider the kinde of Hawkes where wee shall see the Goshauke far better then the Tossell the Gerfaulcon then the Gerkin the Lanar then the Lanaret the Sparâ—hauke then the Musket and so of all the rest But Aristotle can make a better reason for that women by mutuall coniunctions receiue their perfection from men a reason truely without all reason What woman was euer more perfecte then the virgin Mary who neuer knew man Then the Romaine vestall virgins Then our vowed virgins who continued the whole course of their life without the company of men But Ceny forsooth beeinge a mayd desired to bee made a man But will you know the cause Not for that shee coueted to bee of the kinde of man but that shee might
able to requite good will the one belonginge to the minde the others incident to the body but from the equitie of my cause I appeale to your good grace and fauour and at the bar of your beauty I humbly holde vp my handes meaning to be tried by your courtesy and mine owne loyalty and minding to abide your sentence either of consent vnto life or of deniall vnto death Camma hearing this discourse assoâ—e loked red for shame as soone pale for anger neither would disdain let her make him answere neither would her greife giue her leaue to holde hir peace but standing a while in a maze betwéene silence and saying at length shee brake of the one and burst out into the other in this sort If Sir your banquet had bene no better then this your talke is pleasant to mée I am perswaded the dishes woulde haue béen taken whole from the Table without touchinge but as the one was far better then the company deserued so the other for a far worse woman might more fitly haue serued and if your swéete meate haue sutche sower sauce the next time you send for mée I will make you sutch answere as was made to Cratorus the Emperour by Diogenes when he sent for him to make his abode with him in his courte who answered he had rather be fed at Athens with salt theÌ„ liue with him in all delicacy so for my part I promise you I had rather be fed at home with bread and water then pay so derely for dainty dishes Touching the paines you haue indured for my sake I take your wordes to bee as false towardes mee as you would make my faith towards my husband but admit they were true seeing I haue not willingly been the cause of them I count not my self bound in conscience to counteruayle them only I am sory they were not bestowed on some more worthy your estate and lesse worthy an honest name then my selfe which beinge the cheife ritches I haue I meane most diligently to keepe The interest which cauilingly you cleime in me as it consisteth of false premises so though the premises were true yet the conclusion which you infer thereof followeth not necessarily for were it so that your loue were greater towardes me then my husbandes which you can not induce me to beléeue yet séeyng my husbande by order of law hath first taken possession of mée your title succéeding his your successe and sute must néedes bée cold naught for as your selfe say of lawes so of titles the first are euer of most force and the most ancient of most auctoritie Your Wolues example though it shew your Foxely brayne yet doth it inforce no sutch proofe to your purpose but that by my former reason it may bée refelled for y the Woulfe is frée from the proper possession of any but therin truly you obserue decoraÌ„ very duly in vsyng the example of a Beast in so beastly a cause for like purpose like proofe like man like matter Your manly marchyng vnder the ensigne of Iustice if reason bée your captayne generall to lead you I doubt not but soone to tourne to a retire for if it bée goodwill which you beare mée I must néedes graunt you duly deserue the like agayne but when you are able to prooue it goodwill to deflower my chastitie to béeréeue mée of my good name to despoyle mée of mine honour to cause mée to transgresse the boundes of honestie to infringe my faith towards my husband to violate the sacred Rytes of Matrimonie to pollute the Temple of the Lorde with other innumerable enormities when I say you are able to prooue these to procéed of good will then will I willingly yéelde consent to your request But sée the vnreasonablenesse of your suite would you haue mée in shewyng curtesie towards you commit cruelty towards my self should I in extendyng mercie to you bring my selfe to miserie should I place you in pleasure and displace my selfe of all ioy for what ioy can a woman inioy hauinge lost her chastitie which ought to bée the ioy Iewell and Gemme of al Gentilwomen of my callyng and countenance your appeale from your owne cause to my courtesie bewrayeth the naughtinesse therof for if it bée not ill why sticke you not to it if it bée good why appeale you from it but séeynge you haue constituted mée Iudge in this case you know it is not the part of a Iudge to deale partially or to respect the man more then y matter or to tender more mine owne case then your cause therefore indifferently this sentence definitiue I giue I condemne you hencefoorth to perpetuall scilence in this sute and that you neuer hereafter open your mouth herein beeing a matter moste vnséemely for your honour and most preiudiciall to my honestie and in abidyng this sentence if you can bee content with honest amitie for the curteâ—ie which I haue alwayes founde at your handes and for the good will which you pretend to beare mée I promise you you shall inioy the seconde place in my harte and you shall finde mée fréendly in all thinges which either you with reason can aske or I with honestie graunt Synorix hauing heard this angell thus amiably pronouncing these woords was so rapt in admiratioÌ„ of hir wisedom and rauished in contemplation of her beutie that though shée had not inioyned him to silence yet had hée not had a woorde to say and least his lookes might béewray his loue and his countenance discouer his case hée secretly and suddainly withdrew him selfe into his chamber to study what face to set on the matter casting him self vpon his bed after hée had dreamed a while vpon his dotinge deuises at length he awaked out of his wauering thoughtes and recouered the possession of his sences againe by which time the play was ended and his guestes ready to depart whervpon hee was driuen to come foorth of his chamber to take his leaue of them and bidding his Misteris good night 〈◊〉 gaue her sutch a looke that his very eyes séemed to plead for pity so that what his tongue durst not his eyes did His guestes beeinge gone he disposed him selfe to rest but loue which was then his good Maister willed him otherwise to imploy that night whiche was in examyning perticulerly euery point of her answere And though the first part seemed sumwhat sharpe and rigorous and the second contained the confutation of his cause yet the third and last part seemed to be mixt with mettell of more milde matter which he repeated to himselfe a thousand times and there vppon as vppon a firme foundacion determined to raise vp his building again with the two former partes of her answere had vtterly â—ansakt to the grounde But mistaking the nature of the ground wheron the foundation was layd his building as if it had been set in sandes soone came to ruine for by that promise of freendship which she freendly made him hee sinisterly conceiued hope of obtayning that
vpon the Queene tooke a troupe of women with her and gat to the graunge where Philo. was brake open the doores and brought her home with her to her Palaice and there they two the one with signes and the other with woords entred into consultation how to bée reuenged on the trecherie of Tereus and surely if a man bee disposed to do his enemy a displeasure in déed if he folow my counsayle let him folow the counsayle of a woman nay all the Deuils in Hell could not so haue tormented Tereus as they did so that I thinke your selues wil say her fury excéeded his folly and her seuerity in punishyng his crueltie in offendyng For he had by her one only swéete sunne named Itys My tounge is not able to tell aâ—d my hart rendes in twayne to thinke that a reasonable creature should so rage in rigour that a woman should so want compassion that a mother should woorke sutch mischiefe to her owne childe For as I was about to tell you shée had by her husband one onely sonne and shée his owne mother miserably mente to murther him therby to bee reuenged on her husband O ruthlesse rage O merciles mother I haue read of a woman named Althea who wrought the death of her owne sonne Meleager for that hee before had slaine two or three of her bretheren likewise Agaue helped to teare in péeces her own sonne Penâ—hey for that hee would not do honour to the god Bacchus but for a mother to murther to mangle to make mans meate of her own childe beeing an innocent an infant that neuer did or thought amisse who euer heard any thing more monstrous in nature more beastly in Tiranny or more blouddy in cruelty For marke the manner of this murther as her sister and shee sate in her priuy chaumber meditatinge of this mischeife in came Itys the prety elfe beeing two or three yeeres of age and seeing his mother sit sadly sayd vnto her Mam how doost why doest weepe and tooke her about the necke and kist her saying I will goe call my dad to come and play with thee but shee like a tirannous Tiger â—long him from her saying Away impe of impiety how like thy father thou art not onely in fauour but in slattery also I will make thee make thy Dad sport shortly the infant rose againe and came run dugling to her saying why do you beate me mam I haue learned my Criscrosse to day so I haue and my father sayth hee wil buie mee a golden ceate and then you shannot kisse mee so you shannot but this trisling daliance could not turne her diuelishnesse But O dreadfull déede O lamentable case shee tooke her prety babe by the heare of the heade and drew him into a priuy corner prouided for the purpose and first cruelly cut of his harmeles head then butcherly quartered his comely carkas and betweene her sister and her dressed it in order of meate which done as the custome was in those feastes of Bacchus shee sent for the kinge her husband to suppe with her and set beefore him for the first seruice his owne sun Who after hee had fiercely fed on his owne fleshe and filled his belly with his owne bowels hee asked for his litle sonne Iâ—ys the queene answered why do you not se him I am sure you feele him and as he stared about the chamber to haue seene him out stept Philomela from behinde a cloath of Arras and slang the childes head in the fathers face wherby hee knew what banquet hee had bene bid to and so soone as his sences were come to him which that sower sight had taken away hée drew his rapier and thought to haue offered vp the bloud of his wife and her sister for a sacrifice vnto his sonne but they fled from him and as Ouid reporteth were turned into birds meaninge they were not worthy humaine shape or the vse of reason which were sutch cruell monsters altogether deuoyd of ruth and reason It were hard here gentlewoman for you to giue sentence who more offended of the husband or the wife seeing the dooinges of both the one and the other néere in the highest degrée of diuelishnesse such vnbridled lust and beastly cruelty in him sutch monsterous mischiefe and murther in her in him sutch treason in her sutch trechery in him sutch falsenesse in her sutch furiousnesse in him sutch deuilish desire in her sutch reuengful ire in him sutch hellish heat in her sutch haggish hate that I thinke them both worthy to bée condemned to the most botomles pit in Hell. Germanicus and Agrippina ¶ GERMANICVS a younge Gentleman of small liuyng â–ª of the kin and in the court of Octauian the Emperour becummyng amorous of the Lady Agrippina through great sute getteth her to wife and through his valiencie winneth to bee proclaymed heyre apparant to the Empyre Whose state Tiberius his cusin enuying dispatcheth him priuily with poyson and Agrippina for greif therof refusing all bodily sustenance most miserably famisheth her self to death THe Astronomers are of this opinion that the Planets haue preheminence ouer vs and that the Starres stir vs vp to all our enterprises but I am rather setled into this sentence that not the Planets but our passions haue the cheife place in vs and that our owne desires not the destines dryue vs to all our doynges whiche opinion I may iustifie by the example of a Gentleman named Germanicus whose fortune neither the Fates fixed neither the Planets planted neither the Starres stirred neither the destines draue neither the Shies caused but first his owne fonde fancie framed and then his owne ambitious desire finished as by the sequele of this Hystorie you shall sée For this Gentleman Germanicus frequentynge the court of Octauian the Emperour chaunced to fixe his eyes on the face of a noble Gentlewoman named Agrippina the daughter of M. Agrippa and as the Mouse mumpeth so longe at the bayte that at length she is taken in trap so hee bit so longe at the bayte of her beutie that at length hee was caught in Cupids snare and on a time as shée was at Cardes in the Presence chamber this youth stoode staryng in her face in a great studdy which shée perceiuynge to bryng him out of his studdy prayed him to reache her a boale of Wyne which stoode vppon a Cupboord by and as hée approched therewith to the place of her presence his sences were so rauished with the sight of her sweete face that hee let the boale fall foorth of his handes and retiryng backe with seemly shamefastnesse went for more and béeing come therwith shée thanked him for his paines saying I pray God that fall of the Wyne hinder not my winnyng and bryng mée ill lucke for I know many that connot away to haue Salt or Drinke or any sutch like thynge fall towardes them Madame saith Germanicus I haue often heard it disputed in schooles that sutch as the cause of euery thing is sutch wil be the
and parentes it is not vnknowen likewise to you that for your sake I haue sustained some labour in séeking our preferment and getting the Emperours good will who only may prefer vs now as the one hath made your life lesse pleasant then I desire or you deserue so the other shal aduaunce our state so high as your self can wish or I be able to wield so y the commodities of the one shall counteruaile the inconueniences of the other For you shall vnderstand that the Emperour doth not only for the present time prouide for me as if I were his owne child but also for the time to come hath proclaimed mâ—e sole heire to his Diademe and realme Which estate as I neuer sought so mutch as in thought for my selfe knowing mee to bee altogether vnworthy of it so I thinke my selfe most happy to haue aspired therto only for your sake whom I know woorthy of all the honour in the world For as it would haue been a hel and horrour to my hart to haue séene you liue in meaner callinge then you are woorthy of so will it bee a heauenly mirth to my minde to see you a prince in state as well as in stature beauty and vertue Master Germanicus sayth shee I promise you by the loue which I beare you for greater bonde I haue not to confirme my woords by that it doth mee more good to sée you thus pleasantly disposed then to here y newes which you haue imparted vnto me for th' one I am sure cannot hurt you but what harme the other may procure you I feare to thinke and faint to say Alas my Germanicus are you to know the perils which princely stat bringeth the falshood in friendes the treason in nobilyty the rebellion in comminalty the enuy of the weake the iniury of the strong Besides you see boystrous windes do most of all shake the highest towers the higher the place is the sooner and sorer is the fall the tree is euer weakest towardes the top in greatest charge are greatest cares in largest seas are sorest tempestes enuy alwayes shooteth at high markes and a kingdome is more easyly gotten then kept For to get is the gift of fortune but to keepe is the power of prudency and wisdome especially where there bee many that catch for it yea and when a man shall haue no faithfull frendes in sauyng it For Ennius saith flatly there is no fréendly or faithfull dealinge to be looked for at any mans handes in matters pertayninge to a kingdome and Euripides makes it in a manner lawfull for a kingdomes sake to transgresse the limittes of law nature and honesty Which opinions I may iustifie by many examples as of Numitor and Amulius c. who though they were naturall bretheren yet Amulius beeinge the younger deposed his elder brother from the kingdome of Rome sâ—ue his sonnes and made his daughters virgin Vestales that they might not marry and haue issue male to succeede the crowne likewise of Romulus and Remus who beeing bretheren borne at one birth yet bicause Remus should inioy no part of the kingdome Romulus found meanes to make him away The like is reported of Eteocles and Polinices of Iugurth towardes Hyempsal and Adherball all which were bretheren and by natures lawes most neerely linked together But of others that by bloud haue not beene so neere which in cases of kingdomes haue dealt far worse the examples are in straungnesse wonderfull in number infinite and in successe so sorowfull that it maketh mee colde at hart to consider of it I spake not this my Germanicus to forespeake you you may inioy the Empire quietly and so I trust you shall but I know not what the matter is methinkes my minde giues mée some mischiefe will insue thereof Alas good husband was it for my sake you sought the Empire Doo you thinke I can not be content with th' estate which fortune shal assigne to you Yes if it were to beg my bread from doore to doore as Adalesia did with her Alerane I could bee contented therwith so you were not tormented therewith It is you sweete husbande that are the ritches which I séeke to possesse you are the only honours which I looke for you are the only kingdome which I care for for so longe as I may inioy you come pouerty come meane estate come sicknesse yea come death it self so I may die betwéene your armes Therefore good Master Germanicus if you followe my counsayle resigne your title to the Emperour againe to bestow on some that hath more néede of it then thanks bée giuen to god wee haue for for my part I thinke my selfe indued with the greatest riches in the world to wit your person and mine owne contented minde And béesides the euils béefore rehersed incident to a kingdome this inconuenience is commonly incurred therby that it altereth the nature of the person which taketh that name vpon him for honours chaung manners and no doubt the diuersity of delightes which a prince possesseth bée but prickes to pleasure inticementes to folly and allurementes to lust Was not Saull I pray you in the beginning of his raigne a good prince but after declined to impiety Salomon beegan his raigne godly but afterwards gaue him selfe in pray to women Caligula Nero and Hannibal béegan to raigne like good princes but after the whole world was troubled with their tiranny I could aledge infinite other examples to like purpose but these shal suffice neither do I alledge these for that I feare y chaunge of your good nature but to feare you from the chaunge of your estate and yet the better I knowe your nature to bee the more cause haue I to feare the alteration therof For freshest colours soonest fade ripest fruit are rifest rotten But to leaue the louringe lottes which light on high estate which are more then I am able to reherse let this request take place with you that séeinge for my sake onely you coueted the empire at my sute only you will forgoe it againe Ah swéet wife saith hée imbracing her in his armes what is it vnder the Sunne whiche you may not commaunde mee to do without desiryng But I béeseche you suffer not the tender care you haue of mée to depriue you of the honour due to you For to cast the worste of it though open enemies or trecherous traytours or rude rebels shall set mée béesides my regall seate and depriue mée of life yet shall you remayne a princesse and be matched agayne with some other more worthy your estate and so longe I care not what béetide of my selfe Alas sir saith shée I bée séeche you vse no more of those wordes onlesse you count my great greif your great good Can I liue when you are dead shall I bée married again and you made away In deed saith hée I néede not vse sutch extréeme doubtes in a matter nothyng daungerous for the numbers are infinite of those who haue wielded far more waightie empires then
sute of the beseiger Neither is y prisoner to bée pitied who beeinge iudge ioyed only in staerity and cruelty neither is that clientes cause to bée considered who beeing a counsaylor dealt in the cases of other without conscience The gentlewoman séeinge her selfe thus reprochfully repulsed in very colorike conceites consumed away and died I am héere gentlewomen to admonish you not to suffer your selues to be caryed away with couetousnesse you sée to what miserable ende it brought this maried disloyall couple and as wel for your sakes as mine owne I would wish you who are indued with wealth sufficient to make a man as they say who are at your owne disposition and choice not to yéeld your selues as a pray to any who hath no néede of your wealth neither will gratefully accept your goodes but rather frankly to bequeath your selues to some poore younger brother who may thinke himself made by marrying you who may thanke his wise onely for his wealth who may impute his happinesse onely to hauing you whom you may binde to you by benefits who will no doubt indeuour to counterpeise your lyuing with his loue and your goodes with his good will who will rather serue you then séeke superiorytie ouer you who will rather be your man then your master your Liege then your Lorde your subiect then your soueraigne wherby you shal liue as you list your profits shall pleasure you your gooddes shall do you good And what so euer bee your common saying that you must as well loue to liue as liue to loue yet surely in my fancie I thinke it farre better for a married couple to liue together without liuinge then without loue for what litle liuing will suffice nature who knoweth not but what lothed liues be where loue doth lack looke but into the liues of the parties but now reported vnto you And if you credite not my report of them no more but marke your poore neighbours how quietly and merily they passe theyr time in pouertie assisted only by the calme of contentment and loue and then conuert your eyes to the view of many oother estates and looke how vnpleasantly and vncontentedly they spende their daies molested by the stormes of strife debate and hate Which contemplation I hope wil so confirme your iudgements that you will alwaies prefer loue before liuing or at least not so to respect th one as to neglect the other or at least if it be posible to ioine the one with the other Another thing also the death of Eriphile may driue into your mindes that you rage not lyke tyraunts ouer those whom your beautye hath made your bonslaues for you must know that it is more glory to vse the victory moderately then to get it mightely and farre more holdes haue bene woonne by clemencie then by crueltie For when the inhabitants know the captaines curtesie they wil rather yéeld to his assured mercy then stand to the doubtfull euent of battayle so gentlewomen if you minde to make breach into the harts of many and to win the fort of their faithes vnto you if you craue to conquer the goodwilles and to be courted with the seruice of suters you must with modestie make much of them with curtesie counteruaile their kindnesse with gratefulnesse accept their good wil with liberalitie requight their loue and with honest plainenesse answer to their demaundes you must not féede them with falshod draw them en with delay and torment them with trifling as Eriphile dyd her Infortunio to her owne infortunate hap as it luckely afterwards did light for it is Gods word and will that such measure as is met shall be measured againe and they that delight to drowne other in dolour shall not swimme long in pleasure them selues I knowe not what effecte my wordes will take for that I know not how you courtlye dames accounte of my cunninge but before mine owne face I am able to assure you this that the girles of our parish think that welch Sir Richard him selfe can not make a better preache then I can but it may be you wil thinke me ouer saucy with my lisping lips to prefer persuasions to them who are as voyde of folly euery way as my selfe of wit any way Yet considering how quietlye you tooke the rude railing of Amphiaraus against you I neede not doubt but that you will take in good part wordes whiche are well ment towardes you and if not follow them yet not mislike them and rather waigh the will of the speaker then the worth of the wordes Icilius and Uirginia ICILIVS a younge Gentleman of Rome fallynge in loue with Virginia is refused by her friendes for want of sufficient wealth but priuily contracteth himselfe vnto her and departeth into the warres Appius Claudius burning with vnchaste lust of the same mayden the better to obtayne her causeth Clodius his client to clayme her for his bondslaue and giueth wrongfull iudgement on his side But Virginius her father at her ernest request slayeth her with his owne handes to preserue her virginitie from the villainie of Appius who for that fact is cast into prison where desperatly hee doth himself to death IT is a doubt often debated but not yet decided whether loue discendeth from the heauens deriueth of our owne nature procéedeth of the similitude of manners commeth of acquaintance and familiarity taketh originall of our education and bringinge vp together whether it ariseth of beauty or of vertue whether it entreth in at the eyes or first bée rooted in the hart whether the cause come from the party that loueth or the party loued or whether it bée in our power to loue or to leaue I leaue to other to resolue vpon for for my part I yeeld god thankes for it I haue as yet been so litle troubled with loue that I know not what it is nor from whence it commeth and when I muse theron I am as bad troubled as Symonides was to thinke and say what god was but if an opinion grounded vpon reason without any proper experience on mine owne part may take place I thinke loue cheifly to bee grounded vpon the similitude of manners shewed and signified by familiarity and abode together For it is daily seene that those parties who at the first incountry and vew haue rather disâ—iked then loued ech other by continuance of conuersation and by conferring eche others conditions and nature together haue fallen into the fire of most feruent affection For true loue and faythful freindship is to will and to nill one thinge to haue one obiect of appetite and to haue like effect of affection I know there are infinite instances to bee giuen to this assertion for that some haue beene surprised with loue only vpon a louing looke some vpon a curteous word some vpon a single sight some vpon a vaine vision some vpon a doubtful dreame some vpon an vncertaine report and some some other way But as one swallow makes not sommer so one
her father Virginius Apius answered that hee thought it good the matter should hange in suspence vntill the returne of her supposed father but it was no reason but that hee who pretended yea and had prooued to haue sutch right to her should haue her in his custody vntill the matter were more examined and vpon his honour hée promised shee should bee foorth comminge to appeare at the time of her fathers approche The people hearinge this iniurious iudgment of Appius rather murmured at it then durst make resistance against it by reason wherof Marcus Cloudius béegan to draw the maid to bee defloured as the tiger in Hyrcane wooddes haleth the lambe to bée deuoured But god the righter of al wrongs and protector of all pure virgins preuented the perill which hong ouer her head sent home from the warres to succour her her vncle Numitorius and her spouse Icilius who hearinge the haynousnesse of the matter presently presed to the place where Appius sate in iudgement but hee commaunded his officers to kéepe Icilius backe whervpon Icilius inueighed against him in this sort Albeit O Appius by force you keepe mee from keepeinge mine owne out of your handes yet shall you not stay my toung from detecting the villany which you indeuour to doe For the truth is this virgin is betrothed to mée and my minde is to marrie her a chast maide therfore assure your selfe if it lie in mee to let shee shal not remaine one minute of an houre out of her fathers house Is it not sufficiente for you to depriue the people of the cheife pillors of their liberty but that our wiues and children also must liue in slauery to your tirranny Exercise your cruelty on our bodies at least let chastity bee in safety Ought princes to giue light of life to their people and wil you make your selfe a mirrour of mischeife to your posterity But if you minde to take her away from vs by force and from her her virginity neuer thinke to doe it while I haue any breath left in my body for in this iust cause and quarrell of my wife life shall sooner leaue mee then loyalty Appius thinkinge the power of Icilius would preuaile aboue his for that the multitude meruaylously inclined to his side sayd hée would haue another time to represse the rebellious rage of Icilius and touchinge the maide for her fathers sake hee was content to defer the pronouncinge of sentence against her vntill the nexte court day that her father might bee present in the meane while hée would intreate Marcus Cloudius to forbeare his right but if her father came not by the next court day hee would defer the execution of iustice for no mans plesure Presently vpon this hee dispatched letters to the captaine generall of the army that hee should not in any wise dismisse Virginius or suffer him to come home but Icilius had sent for him with such spéede that he had leaue to depart beefore those letters came to the captayne so it pleased god to preuent the pollicy and wicked purpose of Appius Now Virginius béeinge come to Rome went with his daughter to the iudgement place and did there lamentably implore the helpe of the people sayinge while I with the rest of the souldiours haue hazarded our liues in the defence of you and your children I am in daunger to haue mine owne daughter dispoyled wheras by my helpe our city is preserued from enemies I my selfe am brought to sutch misery as if it were taken by our enemies and vtterly razed to the ground For what greater villany can bée done to the vanquished then to sée béefore their eyes their wiues and children desloured and defiled But neighbours and freindes if you suffer mée to sustaine this iniury assure your selues your staffe standeth next to the dore and looke no longer to bée husbands ouer your wiues and parentes ouer your children then it shall please these tirantes to giue you leaue Any euill at the first entring in of it may easely bée auoyded but let one or two presidentes passe patiently without resisting and it will run into a custome and from thence to a law and you will neuer bée able after to rid your handes of it And if your owne safety driue you not to succour mée yet let my old yeeres my hoary heires the honest port which I haue euer maintained and the chast life of my daughter moue you to put to your handes to helpe redresse my wronge By this time Appius was come to the iudgement place with a great troupe of armed men and séeing Virginius there contrary to his expectation and perceyning no colour of law could cloud his dooings hée set down his owne will for a law and sayd hée would defraud Marcus Cloudius no longer of his right and séeinge the maide was conuicted by proufe and witnes to bée his bond maid he gaue sentence that he should presently haue her away not suffering her father to alleage any thing for her fréedome Virginius seeing this extreeme dealing of Appius threatningly shooke his hands at him saying I haue béetrothed my daughter to Icilius not to thee O Appius I haue brought her vp to bee an honest maried woman not thy harlot What doest thou thinke vnder the pretence of bondage to make her bound to thy beastlinesse Appius not regarding his rayling caused his officers to make the multitude giue place to Marcus Cloudius that hee might quietly cary away his bond mayd by reason wherof Virginia was left voide of helpe and rescue which her father perceiuing and séeing him self not able to deliuer her out of her enemies handes to defer the time hopinge still for helpe hée vsed this pollicy hée desired Appius hee might haue his daughter aside and betwéene her nurce and her examine the matter that if it were found hée were but her fained father hée might the more willingly depart with her Which béeing by Appius graunted they thrée went aside together where Virginia fell downe vpon her knees and made this ruthles request vnto her father I perceiue deare father it is not without great cause that the philosophers were of this opinion that the greatest felicity is neuer to bée borne and the second soone to die now séeing by your meanes I am depriued of the first I beseech you by your meanes let mee inioy the second and to counteruayle the lucklesse and lothsome life which you haue giuen mée vouchsafe to bestow on mee an honourable death And as by your fatherly care I haue continued a continent virgin hetherto so by your furthering aide I praye you let mee dye an honest mayde presently least my life hereafter contaminate y commendation of my life heretofore and seeing I can bee no longer suffred to liue honestly good father let mee die honourably For an honourable death is alwayes to bee preferred beefore an infamous life of euils the least is to bee chosen and death of body is to bee counted a lesse euill then distructiō
in as great rage as it had done the former time of their raygne But yet hate caused not sutch hoate skirmishes between the parentes but that loue forced as fierce assaultes between the children For it was so that Lycabas had a daughter named Alcest who what time Admetus was in her fathers court to intreate of peace chaunced out at her chaumber window to haue a sight of him and hee at the same time happened to incounter a vewe of her And as small drops of rayne ingender great flouddes and as of litle seedes grow greate trees so of this litle looke and sight grew sutch great loue and delight that death it selfe could not dissolue it For as women bee of delicate and fine mettall and therefore soone subiect to loue so Alcest after this first sight was so ouergone in goodwill towardes Admetus that shee fixed her only felicitie in framyng in her fancie the fourme of his face and printyng in her heart the perfection of his person And as nothyng breedeth bane to the body sooner then trouble of minde so shee perseuered so longe in sutch pensiue passyons and carefull cogitations that her body was brought so lo for lacke of the vse of sleepe and meate that shee was fayne to keepe her bed and by reason that shee couertly concealed her greife it burned so furiously within her that it had almost cleane consumed her away Her father seeinge her in this heauy case assembled all the learned phisitions hee could learne of in the country who hauinge seene her were all altogether ignorant of her disease and were at their wits ende what medicine to apply to her malady Some thought it a consumption some a burning feuer some a melancholy humor some one thing some another And her father examyning her how it held her and what disease shee thought it to bee shee answered that it was a sicknesse which it pleased god to sende her and that it was not in y helpe of Phisicke to heale her but her health was onely to bee had at gods handes Nowe Admetus on the other side hauinge the profer of many princes made him in the way of mariage made very carelesse account thereof and seemed in his minde to bee very angry with those offers and as the sight of meat is very lothsome to him whose stomacke is ill or hath already eaten his fill so that litle sight which hee had of Alcest had fed his fancy so full that to see or so mutch as think of any other woman was most greeuous vnto him And notwithstandinge the gripinge paine of loue caused some graftes of greife to begin to growe in his heart yet by reason that hée had the conducting of the army royall vnder his father hée was so busily occupied that he had no great leasure to lodge any louing thoughts within his breast But sée howe the destinies dealt to driue this bargaine thorow There aroase a quarrell béetwéene the two armies touchinge certaine pointes wherin the law of armes was thought to bée broken to decide which controuersy Admetus was sent post to Lycabas who sitting by his daughters bed side had woorde brought him that Admetus was come to the court to impart matters of importance vnto him Nowe at this instant there chaunced one of the Phisitions to hold Alcest by the arme and to féele her pulses and where before they beate very féebly as if shée had béene ready to yéelde to the sommance of death shée no sooner heard that message brought vp to her father but that her pulses began to beat with great force and liuelinesse which the phisition perceiuinge perswaded him selfe hée had found the cause of her calamity but for more assured proufe hée whistered the king in the eare desiring him that Admetus might bée sent for thither and there to make relation of his message vnto him which the kinge caused to bée done accordingly Admetus was no sooner admitted into the chamber but her pulses beegan to beate againe with wonderfull swiftnesse and so continued all the while hée was in the chaumber Who séeinge his loue in sutch daunger of her life though hée vnderstood not the cause therof yet hée cast sutch a carefull countenance towardes her that shee easely perceiued hée did participate in payne with her which made her cast sutch glaunces of goodwill towardes him that hée easely vnderstood it was for his sake shée sustained sutch sorow and sicknesse But the feare of her father who was his mortall foe and the vrgent necessity of his affaires forced him to depart without manifesting vnto her the manifolde good will hée bare her And though his departure were litle better then death to the damsell yet for that shée knew her loue to bée incountred with like affectiō wherof before shée stoode in doubt shee beegan to driue away the darke cloudes of dispaire and to suffer the bright light of hope to shine vpon her Admetus béeing gone the Phisition tooke the king a syde and tolde him his daughters disease was not deriued of any distemperature of the body but only of the disquietnesse of the minde and to tell you the truth plainely saith hee it is only the feruent affection shée beareth to that younge prince Admetus your enemy that forceth this féeblenesse and faintnes in her And told the kinge by what meanes hée tried the truth therof The kinge at these wordes was meruailously disquieted perswading himself that it was so in déede and that Admetus on the other side bare affection to his daughter for that all the time of his talke with him hée continually turned his eyes towards her bed and wold often times giue him answeres nothinge pertinent to the questions which hée proposed vnto him as hauing his cogitations conuersaunt in other matters Upon this the king went to his daughter as the phisition first ministreth to his patient bitter pilles and purgations to expell grose and ill humours and then applieth lenitiues and restoratiues to bréede and bringe againe good bloud so hée first vsed sharpe threatnings vnto her to expell the force and fury of her loue and then vsed gentle perswasions to restore her to her former helth and quiet of minde But neither the sowernesse of the one neither the swéetnesse of the other could preuayle for salues seldome helpe an ouerlong suffred sore it is to late to shut the stable dore when the stéede is stolen it booteth not to stop the breach when the towne is ouerflowen it is to late to dislodge loue out of ones breast when it hath infected béefore euery parte of the body For as sowninge mortifieth euery member as pestilence infecteth euery part as poyson pierseth euery vaine so loue if it bée not in time looked too will bringe both body and minde to vtter confusion For this virgin was so vanquished by loue that shée neither forced her fathers faire wordes neither feared his fierce threatninges but tolde him plainly shée would not deny the loue she bare Admetus neither could
reuerence humblye craued to knowe her pleasure Nay rather answered the princesse it is my payne Gentlewoman which I meane to make you priuy to and blushing either for giltinesse or for bashfulnesse shée vnfolded that secrets of her thoughts to Pandarina in this sorte Gentlewoman but that I know to whom I speake I shoulde perchaunce bée in doubt what to speake in this matter which is somewhat vnmeete for my maydenly estate But considering you are a womā and one who no doubt in your time haue felt the force of loue I perswade my selfe I may boldly impart vnto you the panges of my passion as to one who I hope will rather seeke a salue for my sore then thinke sinisterly of my dooinges Therfore you shall vnderstand that the sight of Kinge Minos who layeth siege to our city hath made sutch a breach into my heart that I lie altogether open to his assaultes and am fayne to yeeld my selfe his prisoner and captiue And though it may seeme straunge vnto you that his forces béeinge not bent against mée should haue sutch force ouer mée yet it is often séene that a dart leueled at one lightes on another And though you may meruayle to sée mée yéelde beefore any onset bee giuen yet no doubt that cittie merittes more mercy which yéeldeth without assault then that which standeth to the doubtfull euent of battayle and after mutch effusion of bloud yeldeth when it is able to stand no longer in defence For here the losse in the siege taketh away the gaine in the conquest the paine in pursuing taketh away the plesure in possessing and the hardnesse in winning drowneth the happinesse in wearing And surely if maides would follow my counsayle I would not wish them to set sutch solemne lookes to vse sutch nice denials and dainty delayes to those whom they thinke worthy of them and whom they mean only shall inioy them For they gaine nothing hereby but deferre their owne releife and increase their louers greife Béesides that when they are so hardly wonne it is a signe they yéeld rather by importunity of the wooer thē by any inclination of goodwill on their owne part But what neede I vse this defence where no body chargeth mée with any offence This rather lieth mée vpon ernestly to craue your aide assistance in this my distresse and that you will either by counsayle cure my disease either by paine or pollicy put mee in possession of my desire I am thus bolde to commit this matter vnto you presuming of your good wit and goodwill towardes mée And if you shew sutch faythfull freindlynesse herein as I verily looke for assure your selfe I will in sutch freindly manner requite it as you shall very well like of Misteris Pandarina hauing attentiuely attended her talke dutifully replied in this sorte Most excellent Princesse I am humbly to thanke you that it pleaseth you to repose sutch credite in mée as to discloase your secretes to mée and I shall thinke my selfe most happy if my duty may any way doe you good or my seruice satisfie your expectation And touching your loue it is sutch that you néede not bée ashamed to shew it yea in my iudgemente it is rather to bée commended euery way thē cōdemned any way For first in that your fancy is fixed on a prince you shew your princely minde in lyking your like then in that you seke to ioyne your selfe to him in mariage you shew your godly disposition in desiring to quenche the desires of your harte by that godly meane which god hath made and appointed Thirdly in louinge your fathers soe you followe gods commaundement who willeth you to requite good for euill Yea and by this meanes you may bée a meane to make peace and amity betweene two enemies and saue your cittie front siege and sacke Lastly in that you yeeld so quickly to the alarms of loue you shew your fine nature and wit which are soonest subiect to the impression of loue And for your opinion touching the dealing of dainty damsels you are no doubt Madame in the right For those which are so coyishe wilde or so haggarde like that searce in seuen yeeres sute they will bée reclaimed they plainely shewe themselues either to bée of base mettal as not to bée capable of loue either of grose wittes as not to vnderstande when loue is made vnto them either of slender iudgment as not to accept good offers either of incontinent conuersation as beeing loth to bee tied to one diet either of inconstaunt conditions as iudging men as light of loue as themselues are lend of life or els some way imperfecte that they are not meet for the holy state of matrimony Now wheras you craue my counsel and helpe to the bringing of your good purpose to passe good Madame would I were as well able as willinge to doe you good but so far as my simple wits can see in the matter I thinke this way the best to worke your will you knowe your father hath on his head a golden haire whereon dependeth the stay of his state and puissance of his power no more but when your father is a sleepe pull of the the heire and present kinge Minos therwith and no doubt but hee will imbrace you as the autor of his victory and receiue you for his lawful and louing wife so shal you redresse your own distres and preserue the life of your father and his people who perchaunce by the continuance of this warre may come to confusion The princesse likinge reasonably well of this practise of Pandarina gaue her thankes for her good counsayle and departed into her chamber by her selfe to thinke more of the matter where shee entred with her selfe into these contrarieties I sée there is no disease so desperate but if it be taken in time phisick may help it no matter so harde but polycie can preuaile in it nor no policye so good but experyence will put into our heads as may be séene by the sound aduice and perfect polycie of Pandarina I warrant I am not the first clyent that this counsellour hath had I am not the first Pupill that she hath practised for this is not the first sluttish sute that she hath bene Solicyter in this is not the first honest match that she hath made But stay let me not commend her cunning and counsell to mutch before I consider better of the goodnesse thereof ▪ I must forsooth pull of my fathers golden haire and present Minos therwith a light matter it séemeth to pul of a haire but alas that haire containeth my fathers helpe his hope his hap his strength his power his conquest and his kingdome Shall I then so mutch transgresse the lawes of nature to bring him to a miserable plight who was the cause that I came into this ioyfull lighte Who from my infancy carefully cherished and fatherlye fostered mee vp whom by humaine and deuine lawes I am bound to obey honor and loue No auaunt vnlawful loue