loued Helena Sparta had neuer reioyced nor Troy ben brought to ruine But did not I cause him to goe to Menelaus vnder coulour of Embassage to Court vnto his wife to leade her awaie by force and after to defend his vniust quarrel against all Greece Who had spoken of the loue of Dido if he had not deuised to goe a hunting that she might haue the better commoditie to communicate with Aeneas that by such priuate familiaritie he might not be ashamed to take from her that which long before most willingly she would haue giuen him I beléeue no mention had béene made of Artemizia if I had not caused her drinke the cynders of her husbands dead carcasse for else who had knowen whether she had loued her husband more then other women The effect and issues of things alwayes make them to be praised or dispraised If thou makest men to loue yet I am oft times the chiefest cause But if any straunge aduenture or greate effect chaunceth in that thou hast no part but the onely honour belongeth vnto me Thou rulest nothing but y â— heart the rest I gouerne yea I leade thée I conducte thée and thine eyes serue thée to no more vse then the beames of the Sunne to a blinde man But to the ende thou knowe mée from hence foorth and that thou mayst giue mée thankes for conducting thée carefullye Beholde nowe howe greatlye thine eyes dooe profite thée Follie putteth out Cupids eies Loue. Alasse Iupiter O my mother Venus what auayleth it to bée thy sonne so feared so redoubted both in heauen and in earth if I be subiect to bée iniured as the most vile slaue in the worlde Alasse haue I thus lost mine eies by an vnknowen woman Folly Take héede sond foole another time to rayle vppon those who perhappes are of more force and puissaunce then thou Thou hast offended the Quéene of men thou hast outraged her who gouerneth the heart the braine and the minde Under whose shadowe euerie one once in his lyfe shroudeth himselfe and ther remaineth either long or short time according to his merite thou hast displeased her who procureth thy renowme thou hast contempned her who hath aduaunced thée and therfore hath this misfortune fallen vpon thy head Loue. Alasse how is it possible for me to 〈◊〉 her whom I neuer knew or to reuerence that person whom before I neuer sawe but if thou hast borne me such great good will as thou saist pardon this my offence and restore me my sight Folly To restore thée thine eyes is not in my power but I will couer the place to hide the deformitie Folly couereth Cupids face with a Scarfe and giueth him wings And in liew of this haplesse lucke thou shalt haue these wings which shal cary thée whether thou wilt wish Loue. But where hadst thou this vaile so readie to couer my deformitie Folly It was giuen me as I came hether by one of the destinies who told me it was of that nature that if it were once fastned it could neuer be vnloosed Loue. How vnloosed am I then blinde for euer O vile and traiterous wretch coulde it not suffice to pull out mine eyes but to take awaie the meanes that the Gods cannot restore them now I sée the sentence verified on my selfe that it is not good to take a present at the hande of an enimie O cruell destinies O cursed daie shall not the heauens the earth and the seas haue cause to waile sith loue is blinde But why doe I complaine héere in vaine it is better for me to sue to the Gods for reuengement The second discourse Loue goeâ—â— from the Pallace of Iupiter lamenting to himselfe his mischiefe Loue. Alasse in what miserable case am I what can eyther my bowe or mine arrowes auaile me nowe can I not cause whom I 〈…〉 â—oue but without respect of persons euerie one is in daunger of my darts Hetherto I haue onely caused daintie damsells and young youths to loue I did choose out the brauest blouds and the fairest and most well featured men I did pardon vile and base persons I excused the deformed creatures and let olde age remaine in peace But now thiâ—king to hit a young gallaunt I light vpon some olde â—â—â—ting lecher in stéed of some braue Gentleman I strike some filthie foule lurden And it shall happen I dâ—â—bt that they shall bée most fortunate in their loue so that by patrimonie presence or wealth they shall soonest winne the fauour of women and by this meanes my kingdome shall come to ruine when men sée in it such disorder and euill gouernment Venus hauing long sought Cupid now meeteth him I haue carefully long sought thée my deare sonne meruailing what the cause shoulde bée that thou hast not bene present at the banket of Iupiter Who is greatly incensed against thee not onely for thy absence but for the complaintes which are 〈◊〉 out against thée by sundrie poore artificers labouring men pesaunts slaues hand maides olde men and toothlesse aged women crying all vnto Iupiter that they loue thinking themselues greatly iniured in this respect that the passion which is proper to worthy and noble men should be inflicted vpon them which are of the base and vildest sort Loue. Had not the great misfortune which is chaunced vnto me happened I had neither bene absent from the banquet nor these gréeuous complaints had not bene inferred against mée Venus Why and art thou hurt Who hath thus vailed thine eies Loue. Folly hath not onely pulled them out but also hath put this bande before mine eies which can neuer be taken away Venus O cursed enimie of all wisedome O haplesse wretch vniustly called a Goddesse and more vnrightly tearmed immortall hast thou depriued me of my chiefest delight and felicitie O disaster loue O dissolute mother O wofull Venus who séest thy sonne thy ioy and onely care thus cruelly depriued of his sight Well since thy mishap is so great I vowe that euerie one that shall loue what fauour or happie successe so euer he shall haue shall not be without some care trouble or calamitie that hée vaunt not himselfe to be more happie then the sonne of Venus Loue. Cease off good mother from these sorrowfull complaints redouble not my griefe by these your dolorous discourses suffer mée to beare mine owne misfortune and wish not euill vnto them which shall bée my subiectes Venus Well let vs then goe to Iupiter and complaine of this cursed inchauntresse The third discourse Venus If euer thou hadst pittie of my plaintes most iust Iupiter when thou sawest me labour to saue my son Aeneas from the furie of the raging Seas and to defend him from other daungers in the which he was present at the siege of Troy If my teares for the death of my deare Adonis moued thée to compassion The surpassing sorrow that I doe conceiue for the great iniurie offered to Cupid I hope shall moue thée to pittie If teares wold suffer me I would
she might staye still in the chamber of presence whether presently Thersandro was sent for who curteously and curiously dooing his obysaunce to the Duke deliuered his Embassage in this manner WHere-as riâ—ht worthie sir Oâ—lanio the Duke of Alexandria more vnwittingly then wilâ—ully denyed certaine tribute which hée confesseth both hée and his predecesâ—ours haue paide to you and your aunâ—estâ—urs Hearing that heerevppon your grace meanetâ— rather to wage battaile then to loose anie parte of your due although he feareth not your force as one able euery way to withstand it nor passeth of your puissaunce as a Potentate sufficient to resist your power Yet the care hée hath of his subiectes safetie and the loue hee hath to preserue the life of his commons the regard he hath to paie and performe that which conscience and custome requireth and lastly meaning with Tully Iniquissimam pacem iustissimo bello anteponere Hée hath sent mée both to sue for conditions of peace and to pay the tribute which if your grace shall refuse of force he must put his hope in the hazard of Fortune THersandro hauing thus pythelye performed his charge Clerophontes tolde him that vpon a sodaine he woulde not dispatche so waightie a matter but meant first both to consulte and take counsaile of his Nobles which done within thrée dayes hée shoulde haue an aunswere In the meane time hée commaunded Lucianus the Steward of his house verie courteouslye to intreate both Thersandro and his traine and to feast them with such sumptuous fare as they might haue cause most highly to extoll his magnificence But leauing Clerophontes to consult with his learned counsaylours and Thersandro to companie with the lustie Courtiers againe to Lewcippa who while this young youth was telling of his â—ale neuer markte the matter but the man nor regarded not the parle but respected the person neuer noted the contents but viewed his countenance In such sort that shée was so scorched with the fire of fancie and so scalded with the flame of affection so bewitched with his beautie and so inueagled with his bountie as hée was the onelye man that made her checke at the praie bate at the Lure and wyllingly yéelde to the first assaulte of fancie And on the other side Fortune so fauoured that Thersandro printing in his heart the perfection of Lewcippas person felte his fréedome so fettered by the viewe of her heauenly face and so snared in the beames of her amorous glaunces that hée wisht that eyther this discention had neuer growen or that hée hadde not béene the deliuerer of the message for hee felt his heart alreadie so ouergrowen wyth good-will towardes this younge Princesse as no salue but her selfe was able to mittigate his sorrowe no medicine but her courteâ—â—e was able to cure his calamitie and hée thought to preferre his sute to his professed foe was follie to linger still in loue was death and miserie to séeke for helpe at her handes neyther woulde the present state permitte him nor time suffer him to prosecute his purpose daunted with these diuerse doubtes to auoyde the melancholike motions that molested his minde hée presently went from his lodging to the Court that by companie he might driue awaie these dumpes where hée found in the great chamber diuerse Ladies and Gentlemen passing awaie the time in pleasaunt parle amongst whom was that pearelesse Paragon princely Lewcippa who after due reuerence done to the Gentlewomen in generall was singled out by Thersandro and courted in this wise MAdame quoth hée if anie creature hath iust occasioâ— to accuse either Nature or the Gods of iniustice man onelye hath the greatest cause to make this complaint for there is none eyther so depriued of reason or deuoide of sence which by some naturall instinct dooeth not skilfully presage of perills before they come and warily preuent ere they be past The Goates of Lybia knowe certainelye when the Canicular dayes beginne wherein commonlye they fall blinde and therefore by eating the hearbe â—olopodium they prouidentlye preuent their disease When the Lyon leaueth his Lawnes and raungeth in forraine Desertes hée alwayes foresheweth a drought When the Fish called Vâ—anascapos sinketh downe to the bottome of the Sea hée bewrayeth greate tempestes to bée imminent But man is so farre from this secrete foresight that not onelye hée cannot deuine of these ensuinge daungers but rather wilfullye or willing pusheth himselfe into most manifest perills which madame I speake as féeling my selfe distressed with this want For if I had bene indued with this sacred prescience perfectly to presage of ensuing perilles I had not ben crossed with such cares as I am like to incur nor hadde cause to repent this my present arriuall But sith lacke of such skill hath procured my losse and that when the hurt is had it is too late to take héede though reuealing of my mishappe cannot heale my miserie nor repeating of my paines redresse my sorrowe yet I meane to participate my passions to your good grace that though you cannot or will not mittigate my maladie yet you maye pittie my estate which will somewhat ease my heauinesse I came to your Fathers Court madame a frée man of Alexandria and am lyke to retourne a captiue of Metelyne I arriued deuoyde of care and am lyke to departe drenched with calamitie I landed frée from affection but feare to passe hence fraught with fancie my charge was onely to parle of peace but my chaunce is to discourse of passions Yea your beautie hath so fettered my fréedome and so snared my heart in the linkes of your loue that it shall neuer bée raced out by anye sinister meanes of Fortune although I sée it is almost impossible to obtayne it For I doubte our parents are lyke to proclaymâ— themselues professed foes and the vrgent necessitie of my affayres forceth mée to departe so spéedelye as want of time wyll not suffice to make tryall of my loue whereby I might claime a sufficient guerdon for my good wyll yet howsoeuer the matter shall happe whether my hope be voide or my happe be vaine I meane madame to remaine yours for euer Lewcippa tooke such delight in hearing Thersandro discourse so louingly as she could scarely kéepe her countenaunce from bewraying the pleasure she conceiued in this parle séeing that her loue was requited with lyking and her fancie incountered with the like affection Yet least Thersandro should thinke her too curteous if she shuld come at the first call and very light of loue to like at the first looke she framed him this aunswere SIr quoth she if of your sute for conditions of peace there insue no better successe than the reuealing of your passions shall reape pittie at my handes or if the intreatie for truce be as lightly respected by my Father as either your person or petition is regarded by me you are like to carrie home cold newes to your couÌ„trey and to vaunt that you bad faire but bought little that your Haruest was long
onely an ordinarie kinde of liking towards Gwydonius Who bathing thus in the streames of blisse and safely harboured in the hauen of happinesse wanting nothing which might content his minde eyther for plesure or profite thought it a poynt of méere folly eyther to seeke or wish for more than inough knowing that to strayne further than the sléeue would stretch was but to make the arme bare and to skippe beyonde a mans skill was to leape but not to knowe where to lyght to auoyde therefore hastinesse in hazarding hée fell a slumber in the carelesse seate of securite But as it is impossible for a man to sléepe by the Uiper and not bée inuenomed to gaze vppon the Cockatrice and not be infected to stare vppon the Sunne and not bée dazeled to looke vpon Medusas head and not be transformed to wade in the waues and not bée drenched to handle coales and not be scorched so it was as impossible for young Gwydonius to gaze vppon the beautie of Castania and not bée galled to fire his eyes vppon her feature and not bée fettered to sée her vertuous qualyties and not bée inueigled for her courtesie hadde so incountered him her modestie hadde so amazed him and her charie chastitie so inchaunted him that whereas hée came to Orlanio his Courte frée from affection hée was nowe become a seruyle Slaue to Fancie before a foe to Lust nowe a friende to Loue yea hée felte such an alienation of his senses and such a straunge Metamorphosis of his minde as reason was tourned to rage myrth to mourning ioye to annoye delight to despight weale to woe blisse to bale in fine such contrarye passions so perplexed this doubtfull Patient as maugre his face he yéelded the Fort to fancie and pulde in the former flagge of defiaunce intreated for truce and beganne to enter parle with Cupide on this manner O Gwydonius quoth hée what straunge chaunce naye what rare chaunge what sollempne motion naye what sodayne madnesse what foolish frensie or rather what franticke affection hath possessed thée Is thy lawlesse lybertie tourned to a slauish captiuitie Is thy fréedome fettered Are thy sences besotted Is thy witte inueygled Werte thou of late a defier of Venus and arte thou nowe a defender of vanitie Diddest thou of late renounce beautie as a foe and wilt thou now imbrace her as a friende Is this the carefull keeping of thy Fathers commaundement or is this thy diligent duetie in obseruing the counsayle of thy olde Sire Clerophontes Hast thou so soone forgotte his fatherlye precepts or committed to oblyuion his friendlye aduertisement Did hée carefully warne thée to beware of Loue and wilt thou carelessely wedde thy selfe to Lust Did he shewe thée what poysoned ban◠is hidden vnder the painted baites of beautie and wilt thou be haled to the hooke O haplesse case naye rather if the charye charge thy Father gaue thée will be no constraint if his counsayle will not commaunde thée if his warning wil not make thée warie nor his aduice be thy aduertisement yet let imminent perills and insuing daungers bée a precious preseruatiue against future calamities Consider with thy selfe Gwydonius what difference is betwéene fréedome and bondage betwéene libertie and captiuitie mirth and mourning pleasure and payne rest and care happinesse and heauinesse and so farre dooth he which is frée frō affection differ from him which is fettered in fancie Why but Gwydonius why doost thou thus recklesly rage against reason Why doost thou thus fondly exclayme agaynst thine owne welfare Why doost thou condempne thy selfe of that crime whereof thou art not guyltie Thy Father warned thée to beware of fickle fancie but this thy lyking is firme affection Hys counsayle was to perswade thée from leawde lust but not from lawfull loue from vanitie not from vertue yea his will was to wish thée from lykeing such a lewd minion who had neither birth welth nor vertue but a little fading beautie to be either her credite or thy countenance not to warne thée from louing such a chast maiden nay a péereles Princesse whose birth may countenaunce thy calling whose power may promote thée whose liuings may inrich thée whose vertue maye aduaunce thée yea in obtaining whome thou shalt gaine both honour and perhaps the inheritaunce of a Dukedome Doost thou thinke then Gwydonius in winning so worthie a péece to purchase thy Fathers displeasure nay assure thy selfe he will not onelye be content with thy chaunce but he will thinke thou hast runne a happier race than Hyppomanes did in winning Atlanta Content with thy chaunce Why Gwydonius art thou so fonde a foole as to count the Castle conquered that as yet thou hast not compassed to suppose the Citie sacked which thou hast not beséeged to thinke the bulwarke beaten which as yet thou hast not battered or to count the Ladie wonne whome as yet thou hast not wooed Nay Gwydonius if thou weigh thy case in the equall Ballaunce thou hast more cause of feare than of hope of doubte than of assuraunce of myssing thy pretence than of obtayning thy purpose The Fawlchon Gwydonius seldome perketh with the Merlyne the Lyon seldome lodgeth with the Mouse the Hart seldome féedeth with the Pricket Aquila non capit Muscas and a Dame indued with Nobilitie vouchsafeth not to match with a man of meane Gentilitie Of meane Gentilitie Gwydonius yea truely for Castania rather thinketh thée sprong of some poore peasaunt than of anye princely personage Besides alas Fortune her selfe denieth me anye such fauour my good will as yet hath deserued no suche gwerdon my desire is farre aboue my deserts my ambition aboue my condition and the poore staye of wandering Gwydonius farre vnfit for the princely state of worthie Castania But put case she did will as I did wish that she wer pricked in y e same veine caught in the same snare trapped with the like traine fired with the like fancie yet the Duke her father will neither condescend to her mind nor consent to my motiō neither think well of her liking nor of my loue nay if he shoulde but once heare of such recklesse folly as he hath wrought my promotion so he would worke my confusion as hée hath bene my friend so he would be my foe and in troth Gwydonius not without cause for art thou so voide of vertue or vowed to vice so nursed vp in vanitie or nusled vp in villanie as to requite his liberalitie with such disloialtie to returne the trust which he reposeth in the◠with such treason Tush Loue is aboue Lord or Lawe friend or faith Where Loue leadeth no master is made account off no king cared for no friende forced off no dutie respected but all things done according to the qualitie y ◠is predominant Why Gwydonius what doubts are these that thou thus dreamest on Why dost thou cast beyond the Moone and feare before thou art in daunger to fall knowing that Loue and Fortune desireth not them that are dastards nor careth not for them
such tumbling waues such fearefull surges such roaring stremes such hideous goulfs as it made the passage séeme a thousand times more perillous This terrible sight was such a cooling Card to my former conceits as hope was turned to feare blisse to bale supposed happinesse to assured heauinesse And yet my fancie was not quenched but rather far the more inflamed my desire was not diminished but augmented my liking no lesse but rather inlarged so that to liue in loue without hope was loathsome to séeke redresse was losse of life to want my wish was horror to inioy my will was hell to liue in care without comfort was calamitie to séeke for cure was more thâ— miserie not to possesse y e pray was hellish daunger to venture for the prize was haples death Thus crossed with cares daunted with such diuers doubts desperate hope so repulsed direfull feare y â— incouraged by ventrous desire I hadde either obtained my wish or wanted of my will if your Ladyshippe had not so sodainely wakened me out of my slumber Thus madame Castania you haue heard my dreame now the doubt is whether it had ben better to haue ventured vppon the brickle bridge and so either desperatly to haue ended cares with death or else valiantly to haue inioyed desire with renowme or still like a fearefull dastard to haue ended my dayes in lingering loue with myserie Castania hearing the surmised dreame of Gwydonius both smelled the fetch and smiled at the follie of this young youth knowing that these fantastical visions and presupposed passions would in time if he tooke not héed proue but too true to preuent therefore such imminent perills shée nipt her young nouice on the pate with this parle GWydonius quoth shée I haue listened to thy drousie dreame with déep deuotion by so much the more desirous attentiuely to heare it by howe much the more I finde it straunge and wonderfull yea so straunge as if I my selfe had not wakened thée out of thy slumber I would either haue thought it a fained vision or a fantasticall inuention but sith these Gentlemen héere present mine owne eyes are witnesses thine owne tongue a testimonie of thy talke suffice I beléeue it though I can not diuine it to giue a verdit where the euidence is not vnderstood is vanitie to yéeld a reason of an vnknowen case is méere folly and to interpret so straunge a dreame without great practise is but to skip beyond my skill and so lay fast in the mire Yet least I might séeme to promise much and performe nothing I will decide your doubt if you please to take my doome for a censure It is a saying Gwydonius not so common as true that the hastie man neuer wantes woe and that hée which is rash wythout reason seldome or neuer sléepeth without repentaunce To venture amiddest the Pikes when perills cannot bée â—schewed is not fortitude but folly to hazarde in daungers when death ensueth is not to bée worthely minded but wilfully mooued Uertue alwayes consisteth betwéene extremities that as too much fearefulnesse is the signe of a quaking coward so too much rashnesse betokeneth a desperate Ruffian Manhoode Gwydonius consisteth in measure and worthynesse in fearing to hazard without hope But to giue a verdite by thine owne voyce I perceiue thou art guiltie of the same crime for when the bricklenesse of the Bridge portended death and the surging Seas inferred losse of lyfe yet desire draue thée to aduenture so desperate a daunger Better it is Gwydonius to liue in griefe then to die desperatelye without grace better to choose a lingering lyfe in miserie then a spéedie death without mercie better to bée tormented wyth haplesse fancie then with hellish fiends for in lyfe it is possible to represse calamity but after death neuer to redresse miserie Tully Gwydonius in his Tusculans questions discoursing of the happinesse of life and heauinesse of death sayth that to lyue we obtaine it of the louing Gods but to die of the vnluckie destinies meaning heereby that lyfe though neuer so loathsome is better then death though neuer so welcome whereby I conclude Gwydonius that to liue carfully is better then to die desperatly Gwydonius perceiuing that Castanias parle was nothing to the purpose and that shée toucht not that point whereof hée desired most to bée absolued but meant to shake him off wyth a fléeâ—elesse aunswere beganne to drawe her to the Trappe wyth this traine MAdame Castania quoth he I confesse that rashnesse neuer raigneth without repentaunce nor hastie hazarding without haplesse harmes that he which aduentureth desperate daungers is a foole he that passeth ineuitable perills is worse then an Asse Yet from these so generall rules Madame I exempt these perticular exceptions namely Loue Necessitie which two are tied w tin no bonds nor limitted within no law for whom y e diuel driues he must néedes run be the passage neuer so perillous and whom Loue or Necessitie forceth he must venture be the daunger neuer so desperate for as there is no enterprise so easie which to an vnwilling man séemeth not verie hard to bée atchieued so there is no incounter so combersome where will wisheth that séemeth not passing easie to bée perfourmed nowe this will is with nothing sooner pricked forwarde then either with the force of Loue or sting of necessitie So that whosoeuer aduentureth in a daunger though neuer so desperate is not to be blamed if inforced by fancie or incouraged by affection and especially where the perill is in possibilytie to bee passed without death and in the performaunce thereof the possession of such a prise as the passionate person more estéemeth then lands limmes or lyfe it selfe bée it neuer so swéete In which case madame my cause consisteth For the Ladie who was an heauenly obiect to my glasing eies was so beautified with the giftes of nature and so perfectly pollished with more then naturall perfection that with the only view of such diuine beutie my sences were so besotted my wit will so inueigled my affection so inflamed any fréedome so fettered yea Loue alreadie had made so greate a breach into the bulwarke of my breast that to obtaine so gorgeous a Goddesse I thought death no daunger though neuer so direfull nor losse of lyfe no torment though neuer so terrible In déed Gwydonius quoth Thersandro I agrée with thée in this poynt that there is no carpet Knight so cowardly that wold not passe most perillous pikes to possesse so liuely a Dame as thou doost decypher nor no dastard so daunted with dread which would not greatlye indanger himselfe to inioy so louely a damsell in y â— fruition of whom consisteth nothing but ioy blisse rest contentation of minde delight happinesse yea all earthlye felicitie And yet Sir quoth Gwydonius your sister Castania condemnes me of follye in ventring for so precious a price when as hope perswaded me that no hazarde could be haples and assured me that Loue
and courage of the Captaines Thus continued they in fight euen almost vntill éeuen with meruaylous slaughter on both sides the victorie yet doubtfull till in the ende the Alexandrians began to faint and flye more oppressed with the excesse of the multitude than distressed for want of manhoode for there were two and fortie thousand slaine but not one taken prisoner and of Clerophontes companie eight and twentie thousand slain and sixe hundred mortally wounded This monstrous massacre and fearefull slaughter so amazed the mindes of these two Captaines that for the better burying of the dead and healing of them which were hurte they concluded a truce betwéene them for fiftéene dayes in which time Orlanio sent Ambassadors to parle of peace w t Clerophontes but in vaine for he was resolued either valiantly to die in the field with glorie or to inioye the Dukedome of Alexandria with renowme Yet as a worthie Prince preferring the securitie of his soldiers before the safetie of his owne person he offered them the combat which Orlanio to auoide the effusion of bloud most willingly accepted Nowe it was agréed and concluded betwéene thē that two champions might be chosen who by the dint of the swoord should stint the strife betwéene these two armies If he of Metelyne remained victor then Orlanio shuld not onely paie his former tribute but deliuer vp his Dukedome into the hands of Clerophontes But if y ◠Alexandrians obtained y ◠conquest y ◠Duke of Metelyne should peaceably depart the countrie release the tribute and also resigne his state and become a subiect to Orlanio And for the better kéeping confirming of these conditions they presentlye dispatcht Embassadours to Fernandus the king of Bohemia to intreate his maiestie that he would vouchsafe to become iudge in the combat who for that he wished wel to both these dukes graunted to their requests and with as much spéede as might be came to Alexandria But in the meane time there was some difference aboute the champions For Clerophontes sayd that sith in loosing the field consisted the losse of liuing life and libertie and in getting y ◠victorie the gaine of a Dukedome he would in proper person fight the combat and trie the chance of Fortune and therefore made a challenge to Orlanio But he finding himselfe farre vnfit to resist his furious force refused it Yet promising that none vnlesse he were descended of Nobilitie should enter the lists wherwith Clerophontes was verie well contented Nowe while this truce continued which was prolonged for thirtie dayes it was lawfull for them of Alexandria to come and viewe the campe of Metelyne and for the Metelynes to goe and sée the Citie Wherevpon Clerophontes desirous to sée Orlanio and his Court went onelye accompanied with his garde to Alexandria where he was most royally entertained and sumptuously feasted by Orlanio both of them remitting the rigour of their mallice till it shoulde bee shewed in effect by reason of their manhood But as soone as Thersandro and the other Lords saw Clerophontes y ◠he was rather a monster then a man hauing each lim so strongly couched each part so proportioned so huge of stature so fierce of countenance they were so daūted with the sight of his persō as they almost feared to come in his presence saying that thereof the boldest blouds in Alexandria were not able to abide the force of Clerophontes Who now peaceably departing to his hoast lefte Orlanio as greatly perplexed for assēbling his nobilitie together amongst whom he appointed the champion shuld be chosen They not onely with one consent withstood his cōmaund but began to murmure and mutine against him condempning him of folly that he would so vnaduisedly commit his own state ther stay to the doubtful hazard of one mans hap Orlanio seeing y ◠it was now no time to chastise this their presumption vnlesse he meant to raise ciuill dissention in the citie which were the next way to confirme the enimie bréed his owne confusion he dissēbled his cholar began to work a new way For first he fréed Castania out of prison thē made generall proclamation throughout his Dukedome y ◠what Lord so euer w tin his land would try the combat with Clerophontes if he remained victor in the conquest he would not onely giue him his daughter Castania to wife let him possesse peaceably the Dukedome of Metelyne as her dowry but be content to acknowledge him as his liege paye him tribute as he was wont to Clerophontes While he lingered and listened how this proclamition would preuaile Castania hearing this seuere sentence dolefull doome pronounced séeing that shoulde not onely be forced to forsake Gwydonius but be constrained to match in marriage with one whome shée should neyther loue nor like burst forth into these bitter complaintes A Alasse quoth she how pinching a pain it is to be perplexed with diuers passions what a noisome care it is to be combred with sundrie cogitations what a woo it is to hang betwéene desire despaire what a hell it is to houer betwéene feare and hope For as to him which is assured to die death is no dolour in that he perfectlye knowes there is no salue can cure his sorrow so to him which feares to die yet hopes to liue death were thrice more welcome then to linger in such doubt In which cursed case alas my case consisteth for as out of the riuer Cea in Sicillia bursteth most feareful flames and yet the streame is passing colde neither is the water able to quench the fire nor the fire cause the water to bée hotte so the heate of hope flameth out of the chilling fountaine of feare yet the force of the one is not able to asswage the vehemencie of the other but still my heauie heart is diuersly assailed with them both If my Father Orlanio winne the conquest I doubt my desire shall neuer haue happie successe if Clerophontes triumphe as victour I greatly feare his crueltie is such as I shall not escape most haplesse death And yet againe I hope that then my own Gwydonius wil accept me for his and with triumphant armes imbrace me But alas will Clerophontes suffer him to match with his mortal so wil he not rather preuent it by my peril Yes no doubt if he returne with triumph my Father shal serue him as a subiect my brother shall become his vassall my friendes shall bée forlorne my Citie sackt and my natiue Countrie brought to vtter confusion And shall I for the loue of a straunger wishe these straunge stratagemmes Shall I to féede mine owne fancie and content my lustinge minde wish my Fathers death my Brothers bane my friends mishap my Countries confusion and perhappes my owne miserie For though Gwydonius loued mée when our parents were friendes he will not now lyke me béeing foes but to reuenge the iniuries my Father offered him will subtilly séeke to sacke my honour and honestie and so
be no difference betwéene the Noble and the pesaunt betwéene the Infidell and the Moore the Turke and the Iewe the Ladie the Mistresse and the hand-maide But ther shall insue such a confused inequalitie that the faire shal not be matched with the wel featured but shal be oft times ioyned with fowle and deformed persons Great Ladies and noble Dames shall fall in loue with them whome before they would disdaine to accept as their seruants And when the loyall and faithfull Louers haue long languished in the loue of some beautifull Dame whose mutuall good will they haue gayned by deserte then Folly will cause some fickle false flatterer to enioye that in one hower which in all their life they coulde not attayne I passe ouer the continuall debates and quarrells that shall ensue by Folly whereof shall spring woundes massacres and most fearefull murthers And I greatly feare that wheras Loue hath inuented so many laudable sciences and brought foorth so many commodities that now he will bring great idlenesse accompanied with ignoraunce that he will cause young Gentlemen to leaue feates of armes to forsake the seruice of their Prince to reiect honourable studyes and to appplye them selues to vaine songs and sonnets to chambring and wantonnesse to banketting and gluttonie bringing infinite diseases to their bodies and sundrie daungers and perills to their persons for there is no more daungerous companie than of Folly Behold O souereigne Iupiter the mischiefes and miseries that are like to insue if Folly be appointed companion to Loue. Wherefore I in the person of all the Gods beséech your Maiestie to graunt that Loue maye not be ioyned with her and that Folly may gréeuously be punished for the outrage she hath done to Cupid As soone as Apollo had ended his Oration Mercurie in defence of Folly beginneth to speake in this wise Mercurie WHereas right worthie Iupiter Apollo hath with his painted eloquence set out the praises of Loue and hath sought with his filed phrases to discredit Folly I hope when your Maiestie shall throughlye heare the cause decyded you will commende his Eloquence more than his reasons For it is not vnknowen vnto you and all the Gods that Folly is no whit inferiour vnto Loue and that Loue should be of no force without her neyther could his kingdom indure without her help ayde and counsayle I praye you call to remembraunce how Folly incontinently after Man was placed in Paradise beganne most imperiously to rule and hath euer since continued in such credite as neuer any Goddesse had the like raigning and ruling amongest men from time to time from age to age as the onely Princesse of the worlde Insomuch that who haue bene more honored than fooles Who was more subiect vnto Folly than Alexander the great which féeling himselfe to suffer hunger and thirst to be subiect to sorrow and sicknesse not able to kéepe himselfe from dronkennesse yet would be honoured for a God What kinde of people hath bene in greater credit than Philosophers and who more fooles Did not Aristotle most foolishly dye for sorrowe because he knewe not the ebbing and flowing of the sea Did not Crates in casting his treasure into the sea commit a wise déede What folly shewed Empedocles by his straunge coniectures what say you to Diogenes tunne and to Aristippus flatterie Who so throughly considereth their opinions shal finde them subiect to the state of Folly How many other sciences are there in the world which are altogether foolish and yet the professors of them had in high reputation amongest men They which are Calculators of Natiuities makers of charecters casters of figures are they not Friers of this fraternitie Is it not Folly to be so curious as to measure the heauen the height of the starres the breadth of the earth and the deapth of the sea and yet the professors heereof are highly estéemed onely by the meanes of Folly Nay how could y â— world continue if the daungers troubles calamities and discommodities of mariage were not couered by folly Who would haue coasted the seas if Folly had not ben his guide to commit himselfe to the mercie of y â— winde the waues to liue in daunger of fearefull surges and and perillous Rockes to trafficke with sauage and barbarous people onely incensed by the meanes of Folly And yet notwithstanding by this meanes the common wealth is maintained knowledge and learning augmented the properties of hearbes stones and birdes beastes perfectly searched out What Follye is it most daungerously to passe into the bowels of y e earth to dig for yron and seeke for golde How many Arts and occupations shuld be driuen out of the world if Folly were banished truly the most part of men should either beg for want or dye for hunger How should so many Aduocates Procurators Sergeaunts Atturneyes Scriueners Imbroderers Painters and Perfumers liue if Lady Folly were vtterlye exiled Hath not Folly inuented a thousand deuices to drawe a man from idlenesse as Tragedies Comedies Dauncing schooles Fencing houses wrastling places and a thousand other foolish sports Hath she not made men hardie venterous to fight with Lyons Boares Bulles onely to gaine honour to passe other in folly What did Antonie and Cleopapatra when they straue who should spend most in beastly banketting What caused Caesar lament that he had not begun to trouble the worldâ—in that age wherin Alexander had conquered the greatest part Why did diuers séeke to fill vp the valleyes to make plaine the mountaines to drye vp riuers to make bridges ouer the sea as Claudius the Emperour did What made Rhodope build the Pyramides and Artemisia frame the sumptuous sepulcher but Folly In fine without this Goddesse man should be carefull heauie and whollye drowned in sorrow whereas Folly quickeneth his spirite maketh him sing daunce leape and frame himselfe altogether to pleasure It is not possible that Loue shuld be without the daughter of youth which is Folly For Loue springeth of sodaine and sundry causes by receyuing an Apple as Cydippe by looking out at a Windowe as Scylla by reading in a Booke as the Ladye Frauncis Rymhi some fall in loue by sight some by hearing but all liuing in hope to obtane their desires And yet some haue loued without anye naturall cause as Pigmalion who fell in Loue with his marble picture I pray you what Sympathia could there be betweene a lyuely youth and a dead stone what was it then but Folly that kindled this flame what forced Narcissus to fall in Loue with his owne shadowe but Folly Yea what aduenture is passed in loue without Folly For the Philosophers define Folly to be a depriuation of Wisedome and Wisedome is altogether without passions of the which when Loue shall be voyde then no doubt the sea shall be without waues and the Fire without heate Consider but a young man which onely placeth his delight in amorous conceiptes decking dressing and perfuming himselfe most delicately who passeth out