Therfore this one thing especially I exhort you to do that you endeuor by all meanes to bring it so to passe that she may think she is beloued of you soone after wil she imitate you but how may these de done which you tell me I pray thée instruct me better what I may do for you before this time haue sacrificed at Loues altars and haue béen a scholer in his scholes and know well howe to behaue your selfe in these matters for I am altogither ignorant a more nouice in loues affaires and one who neuer sawe his colours displayed before Then answered Clinias you néed not take such paines to learne this of others for Cupid himselfe herein will be your maister for euen as litle infants whoÌ„ no man teacheth to suck yet they by themselues do learne naturally do know norishment to be in their mothers dugs so yong men being first with child of loue haue néede of no maister to instruct them to bring forth but if griefe torment you the length of time do cause any necessitie although that this bee your first deliuery yet you shall not erre in any thing for this God himselfe will take vpon him to play the Midwife as time and occasion shall affoord so must you apply your talke but aboue all things take héed of vnchast and immodest dealings but vse the matter so with silence as that by your action they might conceiue your meaning For yong men and maids are affected with like modesty and although they be desirous of copulation yet they wold not séeme to haue any talke concerning such matters for why they thinke dishonestie in the words but they who haue bin well experienced in mens matters holde it no disgrace to talke more amply of such a subiect but virgins knowing the first assayes of their louers to procéed for cause of triall by some pleasant actions do séeme to shew their willingnesse to them wherefore if in words at first you wold haue her to try dame Venus sports that spéech will offend her eares for she will blush and vtterly denie your requests and take them as a great indignitie and disgrace offred to her neither at first will she grant because she may not séeme to yéeld of her owne accord but in the end when she hath perceiued how â—long with your petitions you haue knocked at the posterne of her heart then will she séeme more mollified and yéeld her selfe more tractable to your desires but not so much that you might thinke she is wholy woon already but then you must begin to vse some merry familiar toyes betwéene you and when oportunitie liketh you best requite her kindnesse with a kisse for the kisse of a louer to a willing wench is a silent woing but to an vnwilling is in stéed of an humble petition But yet although she were loth to refuse this your kindnesse she wil séeme with a litle violence to resist that by an opinion of necessitie this might séeme to excuse her maydenly modestie And although she do resist yet enforce her not but in resâ—â—â—â—ng marke how she doth behaue her selfe for in this matter you had néed to be circumspect and if you perceiue that she remaine stil in her accustomed guise vse no violence but thinke that as yet shée is not perswaded and if that you would haue her more tractable to your hand dissemble the matter cunningly nor rashly do not you go about to marre your whole match Then said I thou hast helped mee wonderfully O Clinias in my procéedings and I do not doubt but that the matter wil go forward as you would wish but I am greatly affraid lest this new happinesse be a beginning of further mishaps and cast me into a more burning fire wherefore if this my griefe should daily encrease what should I do or whither should I turn me I cannot haue her to my wife because my father hath appointed alreadie another to supply that place neither is she a forreiner or deformed neither as it is with Charicles doth my father sell me to her but he doth giue me his own daughter the most bewtiful creature aliue except Leucippe but I now am blind and cannot iudge of her excellent fauour which truly doth deserue to be commended for I do sée nothing but Leucippe and surely at this time I am betwéene two contraries for the vehemency of loue and the commandements of my father doo draw my minde almost a sunder who shall decide this controuersie necessitie doth striue with nature my minde deare father is willing to obey the might of the aduersary withstaÌ„deth me he doth shewe my torments to the Iudge he is here ready with his arrowes holding firebrands in his hands argueth my case I will yéelde vnto you father but alas I am compassed round with a scorching fire Thus did we dispute togither of the god of Loue and his behests when on a suddaine one of Charicles playfellowes came hastily running in presaging some ill newes by his countenance so that Clinias in a maze cried out Sure some harme is happened to Charicles he had scant sayd so but the messenger told that Charicles was dead with which message Clinias was so astonied that like vnto one strooken with lightening his voyce and sences fayled him and presently fell into a swoune but the boy telling forward his tale said hée got vpon your horse Clinias and at first spurred him gently but when he had ridden two or thrée courses about he stayed and rayned him vppe wiping his face all dropping downe with sweate and as hee was standing thus behold a suddaine noise arose behinde him wherewith the horse béeing afraide gaue a mightie Iumpe began to runne headlong about biting of his bit writhing of his necke shaking of his maine incensed with feare was caried violentle euery where his foreféete prauncing forwarde his hinderféet striuing to ouertake the former hastened his course and droue him the faster forward the poore boy in this contention was tossed vp and downe like vnto a floting ship in the mainâ— sea tossed on the waues with a mightie tempest thus was he vnhappy boye shaked vppe from the heade to the tayle from this side to that now euery minute readie to fall at length when he could hold the raynes no longer hée then gaue himselfe to the custody of fortune but the horse béeing violentye caried went ranging abroad leauing the beaten way and ran into a wood where he dashed the poore child against a trée as a bullet is cast out of the mouth of a roaring cannon with such force fel he out of the saddell his face was deformed with so many woundes as there were sharpe knags on the stocke which fearing not to kil pearsed to the bones his body was tangled in the bridell and was laid in the very high way to death but the horse was so astonied at y e fall that he could run no further and being thus hindred from his flight he
togither with Clinias he fetcht a great sigh theÌ„ Clinias as it were depending of his soule with a foultering tong said Thou dost kil me with thy silence what it is that tormenteth thée thus or with whom dost thou striue Then said Charicles my father goeth about to marry mee to a wife and she is hard fauored and deformed too that I might be tormented with a double hell for since a faire wife is a great trouble how can it otherwise be but that an ill fauored one mâ—st néeds be twise worse but my father gaping after wealth doth affect much that family wo is me poor wretch which am sold for mony to be my wiues bondslaue which when Clinias hearâ— he wexed pale and inueying bitterly agaynst women kind he vehemently disswaded him from mariage saying what doth thy father go about to marry thée What hast thou deserued that thou shouldst be cast into bondes doest not thou heare great Ioue himselfe speaking for thée thus To these Ile giue the price of the heauenly fire stoln away To be a plague which none shall shun ne euer shal decay Such is the pleasure which is gotten in such matters that it may be very wel likened to y e nature of the Mermaids for they by the swéetnesse of their songs do vtterly destroy those which listen to them and thou maist behold the greatnesse of the mishaps insuing by the very preparation of the marriage as by the swéete sounding of the Musicke clapping togither of doores and burning of Tapers Now who seeing such great tumults and stirre would not count him vnfortunate that goeth about to take a wife to me he seemeth to go vnto a battell and if that thou didst abhor y e studie of humanitie then thou mightest perhaps be ignorant in the misaduentures which haue happened by women but when thou hast profited so well in that art that thou canst remember what arguments they haue ministred for the stage why shouldst thou forget the Iewell of Eryphile the banket of Phylomela the slaunder of Sthenoboea the incest of Aerope the crueltie of Progne in killing her own childe What and if the beautie of Chriseis did allure Agamemnon the fauour of Bryseis intice Achilles yet they were cause that both their armies were consumed by the plague Candaules king of Lydia maried a faire wife but he was slain by her the nuptial torches of Helen burnt Troy the chastitie of Penelope caused a great number of gallant wooers to be slain Phaedra caused Hippolitus whom she loued and Clytemnestra caused Agamemnon whome she hated presently to bée made away O women readie to all wickednesse which are a lyke pernicious vnto them whom they loue as to those whome they hate And what was the reason why Agamemnon should be slaine whose beautie was diuine His head and eyes were like to almightie Ioue And did like maiestie with his person moue And yet oh Iupiter such a mans head was cut off by a woman and for faire women let this suffice in whose company a meane vnhappinesse is alwayes present For beautie sometimes doth ease calamities and it alone is one good thing amongest so manie badde But if shée be as you say deformed you are punished indéede with a double hell and who by any meanes can endure it especially being of so tender age and rare beautie Do not by the immortall Gods O Charicles cast thy selfe into seruâ—tude nor do not croppe the flower of thy age before the time for amongest manie other mischiefes which bee in marriage yet this is one that the strength of thy age must bée spent there do not I pray thée good Charicles do not I say vndoo thy selfe and let so deformed a Gardener croppe so fayre and swéete a Rose Then sayde Charicles the Gods and I haue alwayes had a care of this and the marriage shall not bée yet this good while and many things may bée done by night and wée will consider of it at our leysure Wherefore nowe it remaynes that I go and exercise my selfe with the horse which you gaue mée for as yet I neuer did ride him So hée went away about to ende his first and last race but I went forwarde to declare vnto Clinias howe all my matters stoode howe I fell into loue and how I enioyed the sight of her I tolde him also her lodging her supper her beautie At length perceyuing my selfe to talke somewhat absurdly O Clinias said I I can neuer be euen with griefe for loue hath cast all his furie vpon me and hath left mée no place to take my rest Leucippe is alwayes in my minde in my eyes in my heart and al my cogitations neither euer was there any man to whoÌ„ like mishap euer happened for my griefe lyeth at home Thou talkest like a mad man sayd Clinias since it is not possible to inioy a more happier loue then thou dost for thou hast no néed to go to another mans house no néed of passengers betwéene fortune hath not separated her from thée but euen placed her togither with thée in the same house to another which is in loue it is sufficient if he can but inioy his mistresse lookes and he accounteth it the greatest pleasure that is but to satisfie his eyes with beholding her but they are thought most happy who haue libertie to talke togither but thou dost both sée her heare her and eat drinke togither with her And although that thou art thus happy yet thou complainest dost beare an vngratefull mind towards Cupid who hath done thus much for thée dost not thou know yet that there is greater pleasure in beholding thy mistresse then in touching her For while the eies do looke one vpoÌ„ another like vnto a looking glasse they do take in them the true proportion of the body for y e very images of beautie sent from the body by the help of the eies falling to y e hart do there although the bodies be separated asunder inioy a happie méeting and it is farre more delightfull then the carnall copulation of the bodies which doth séeme to me to be but altogither vaine and to tell you briefly my opinion what I thinke continuall vse hath greatest force to perswade and the eyes are the getters of loue and to get fauor daily custome doth most of all auaile whose force truly is such that it wil tame the very sauage wild beasts much more women Moreouer the equalitie in yeares will auaile much to obtaine her fauour for euer Betweene the like is the best coherence and so it is ordained by nature that euery like chooseth his like so that where she doth perceiue shée is loued she will requite it with a mutuall loue againe for euery maid would haue her self accounted faire and beautifull and doth reioice to be beloued and doth coÌ„mend her louer as a witnesse of her beautie And if there be any which thinketh she is beloued of noâ— she then begins to misdéeme of her own countenance
prouided all things which were necessary for our flight part of that potion wherewithall Cynops was cast into a sleepe Satyrus reserued and whilest he serued vs at supper he gaue it to Panthia in a glasse wherefore the table being taken away euery one went to his owne chamber but Panthia féeling the potion to worke caused vs to make more hast wherfore Satyrus gaue vnto Leucippes bedfellow of the same potion whom hee did faine to be in loue withall Moreouer he gaue some of it to the Porter which made him instantly to sléepe in the meane season Clinias stood without the doores with a Coach ready furnished expecting our comming after all were fast a sléepe about the first watch of the night with all silence we departed out of the house locking the doores fast againe and laying the keyes vnder the doore Satyrus led Leucippe forth by the hand and by very good chance Cynops which did accustome to watch vs was sent foorth a Towne of an arrant wherefore hauing departed thus out of the house we came thither where Clinias stayed for vs wée were in number sixe I and Leucippe Satyrus Clinias and his two men after we were gotten vp we directed our course toward Sydon the other part of the night being spent wee came vnto a citie which was Berytium where hoping to find a ship readie to saile from thence neither did our expectation deceiue vs for assoone as we came into the hauen we founde a ship readie to launch foorth and we went into it before we asked of them whither they went all our necessary thinges beeing brought into the ship we were euen now about to sayle foorth when Lucifer began to appeare Then did we know that we sayled towards Alexandria a most famous Cittie of Aegypt Then did I begin to reioyce that we were thus safely come to sea the shippe scant out of the hauen and new entering into the maine Ocean after that a fit winde serued vs there began to arise a great noyse of the Saylers in the shippe first drawing of the Cables the noyse of the maister exhorting them then was the crosse peece brought foorth the Saileyard hung vp the Sayles readie to be hoysed vp the Anchors plucked vp the hauen being left we began to sayle foorth a prosperous iourny the lande did séeme to go backe from the shippe as if that it did saile it selfe then was there a great reioycing and clapping of handes throughout all the shippe and many prayers bestowed on the Gods praying them to send a prosperous nauigation In the meane while the winde increased the saile was full and the ship sailing very safe there was by chance in the same ship a yoong man sitting by vs which because it was now dinner time very curteously inuited vs that we also would eate with him wherefore when Satyrus had made readie that which hée prouided for vs we did eate togither in common making our selues both partakers of our dinner and talke also when I began thus I pray you sir what country-man are you and what is your name Then answered he I am an Aegyptian borne my name is Menelaus but by your leaue may I demaund the same of you Then quoth I my name is Clitiphon his Clinias both Phaenicians by birth And if it please you sir first to declare vnto vs the cause of this your trauaile we also will recompence you with the like Then said Menelaus the summe of this my nauigation is vngratefull loue and an vnfortunate hunting from which although I did diuers times earnestly exhort him yet I could not preuaile wherefore when he would not obey my gentle admonitions I also did then accompany him in hunting and vpon a day when both of vs went foorth on horseback we discoursed of many seuerall kinds of hunting but of all I commended to him the hunting of the Hare and such little beasts and so long as he pursued such game I was wel satisfied in mind but when by chance a wilde â—ore rushed forth of the woods which he séeing being nothing afraide weÌ„t to méete him and wilfully did run vpon him I stil crying stay stay hold your horse or else you are slaine the boore did séeme to be of such a huge bignesse when séeing him comming vppon him ran also forward to méete him and both of them did violently rush one vpon another which when I saw I was sodainely astonied with feare fearing least the boore should get vnderneath him fling down his horse I cast a dart which I had at him it so chanced I would that chance had neuer bin the boy ran by receiued the wound but in what case do you think I was in then and if at that instant there was any life in me it was euen like vnto those who at euery moment are about to giue vp the ghost and that which was most to be gréeued my hand which cast the dart being helde forth was presently benummed as hauing a due reward for so an vnluckie chance as it were hating of it selfe for being author of so vile a death wherefore the parents of the boy accused me in the court as principall of his death which I did not denie and I willingly liked of their accusation which if they had not brought I wold haue sacrificed to his soule wherfore I iudged my selfe worthy to die but the iudges moued with pittie banished me for the space of thrée yeares which time being passed I now am returned into my countrey againe while that Menelaus did recount these strange misfortunes not much vnlike to the hard chance of Patroclus Clinias being put into remeÌ„brance of his beloued Charicles could not chuse but wéepe wherfore said Menelaus what doo you wéepe for my misfortune or whether are you banished also for the like mishap theÌ„ Clinias not without many â—iâ—he repeated y e hard hap of Chaâ—icles and the horse after whom also I recounted my History But when I saw Menelaus very sad by the remembrance oâ— his gréefes and Clinias also weeping for the death of his Charicles being destrous to wipe away both their sorrowes I began a discourse mingled with an amorous delight for Leucippe was then absent who imediately before went into a more close place of the ship to take a nap turning my self to them I smiled Clinias said I for the most part in argument ouercometh me and euen now for he desireth to inueigh against women as his maner is he may do it the better because hee hath found a like companion of his loue what is the cause why so many are in loue with boyes surely I my selfe cannot tell neither sée any cause why Then answered Menelaus what is it not I pray you better then the loue of women boyes are more perfect then women and their beautie is of more force to delight y e senses with pleasure But I pray you quoth I how is it more vehement what for because as soone as it appeareth
it is gone again neither giueth any possibility for y e louer to enioy it but is like to Tantalus in the riuer Stix that when he would drinke of the water it flyeth away from him neither is there any sustenance left for him to receiue and that also which is drunke is first taken away before that hé◠which drinketh can be satisfied euermore he must depart so from his louer as if there hadde béene nâ—uer no such loue or else but newe beganne and the pleasure is mingled with a kinde of sorrow and hee is euer drie but his thirst can neuer bee quenched Then sayde Menelaus but you Clitiphon doo not séeme to knowe which is the chéefest felicitie in loue that alway is most to be wished for which bringeth no lothasomenesse and wherewith one is neuer satisfied for those things which remaine the longer to vs for to enioy them do take away the delight thereof with too much sacietie but those thinges which sometimes are taken away are alway newe and do daily flourish and as much as is taken away from them by the shortnesse of time so much is added to the greatnesse of the desire and theyr pleasure doth not fade and wherefore is the Rose accounted the fairest of all plants but because it soonest doth fade away surely I doo thinke that there is two kindes of bewtie which is amongst mortall men the one heauenly the other common which indéede are the verie giuers of all bewtie and the heauenly bewtie scorneth to be ioyned with our mortall and therfore striueth to flie vp to heauen the common bewtie créepeth on the ground and cleaue to euery base bodie and if you will that I shall bring you a witnesse for this which I haue sayde marke you the Poet Homere whose verses are these The Goddes incensed with bewtie of this Boy To heauen him brought to serue great Ioue aboue In filling of sweet Nectar and Ambrosian wine Who can deny but that the cause was loue Neuer was there woman for bewtie brought vp to heauen although Iupiter loued women well Alcmena fell into lamentations and was constrained to hide her selfe the Tower and the Sea kept Dianae prisoner Semele was consumed by fire But when he fel in loue with this Phrygian boy Ganymedes he tooke him vp to heauen with him that he might dwell togither with him and serue him at his table and cast Helle down from heauen which did supply the place before for shée was a woman But I taking his words out of his mouth thus replyed Nay quoth I woman-kinde séeme to be most heauenly and that for a strong reason because their bewtie doeth not so quickly fade that commeth next vnto heauenlinesse which is farthest from corruption and contrary that ought not to bee called heauenly but earthly which is most subiect to alteration because it is most like to mens nature Iupiter loued this Phrygian boy and tooke him vp to heauen what then This doth not detract any thing from womens bewtie for a womans loue he transformed himselfe into a Eull so he did not for the loue of him for the loue of Leda he chaunged himself into a Swan and oftentimes did he take the shape of a Satyre Gold and many such like things But let Ganymedes fill the cuppe for Iupiter while Iuno lye with the Goddes since the Goddesse hath a boy to be her cup-bearer It pittieth me truly to heare or thinke how he was carryed vp to heauen a rauenous bird snatched him away and he was no otherwise dealt withall theÌ„ those who fal into the hands of a tirant Was it not I pray you a grief to sée a boy catched vp in the talents of such a bird his head hanging down as if he were now readie to fall such a carrion deuouring bird did not carry Semele to heauen but the fire which is the chiefest of the element and let not this séeme straunge vnto you that some haue bene taken vp to heauen in flames of fire For Hercules went no otherwise to heauen Do you laugh at Danaes imprisonment in the Tower and her seruituds at the rocke I pray you remember Perseus this one thing satisfied Alcmena that Iupiter for her fake tooke thrée whole dayes from the world But if omitting these fables you will make mention of that true pleasure which is conceiued in women although herein I haue not bin much conuersant but one who hath experience in these matters may speake more if he please neither hath there bene any vse or delight wherewith I haue enured my selfe yet I will speake as much as I can their bodies are tender to imbrace their lippes soft for to kisse whose whole proportion of the bodie is onely made to moue delight and he which doth enioy a bewtifull woman hath the true felicitie of all pleasure for he doth imprint in her lippes as they who seale in waxe shée also doth kisse as it were by art seasoning her kisses with a swéeter delight neither is it sufficient to kisse her lippes but also to â—éed as it were vpon her mouth In touching of her tender breasts what great delight there is I leaue to them whom experience hath made perfect herein and euen in their naturall actions shée doth so delight as that he might thinke himselfe in another world The kisses of boyes are rude their imbracings vnapt and vnnaturall whose delight doth languish and is veyd of all true pleasure indéed Then said Menelaus you séeme not to be a neuice in this art but one who haue serued in Cupid his warres a lonâ—â—ime you haue reckoned vp so many curiosities of women But now marke you me againe and I will shewe you what pleasure is reaped in the loue of boyes In a woman not only her words but also all her actioÌ„s are ful of subtiltie if some be faire they may thanke the Painters shoppe all whose bewtie is compacted of nothing else then of painting colouring and curling their haire and in kissing from whom take away this painting and counterfetting of colours and truly you will thinke them barer then a Iaye as the Prouerbe is when all his stolne feathers are plucked from his backe but the bewtie of boyes is not besmeared with the counterfeyt of painting neither spunged vp with borrowed perfumes the very sweate of the browes of a boy doth excell all the swéete sauours of Muske and Ciuet about a woman and a man may openly talke and play with them and neuer bee ashamed neither is there any tendernesse of flesh which is like to them their kisses do not sauour of womens curiositie neither beguile with a foolish error the kisses of them are swéete and delightfull not procéeding of art but of nature and the very image and picture of their kisses are so swéete and pleasant that you might very wel thinke that heauenly Nectar to bee betwéene your lippes The third Booke The Contents The description of their shipwracke how Menelaus was cast on shore at Paralia
〈◊〉 the Egyptians Serapis the Latins Iupiter was celebrated wherin the the lights did shine through the citie a sight worthie the beholding for when euening came and now the Sun was set neyther was it night altogither but about twilight me thought the citie did then contend with heauen in bewtie I saw Melichius Iupiter and his temple whose godhead when we had worshipped we made our prayers that here might be an end of all our calamities and then we departed thence came to Menelaus who had hired a house in the citie but the god would not grant vs our praiers for there was another danger behinde which fortune séemed to threaten vpon vs for Chaerea had loued Leucippe priuily long before who gaue her the medicine hoping to haue occasion therby to come into acquaintance with her and that he might preserue her for himself whom when he saw how hard a matter it was to get he weÌ„t about to lay wiles and ambushes to take her away wherfore hauing gotten certain théeues like himselfe togither he told them all what he purposed to do therefore counterfeiting to celebrate his byrth day he inuited vs to sée the Iland Pharus And as we went out of the house there appeared to vs a sign of ill luck for a hawke following a swallow strooke with his wing Leucippe vpoÌ„ y e head wherfore being troubled in mind and looking vp into the aire what straÌ„ge signe said I is this O Iupiter which thou shewest vnto vs But rather if this bird be truly thine why doest not thou shew vs a more manifest signe wherefore turning me about for we stood neare vnto a Painters shop I did beholde a table wherin was drawen the mishap of Progne the violence of Tereus the cutting out of the tongue of Philomela conteining all the whole history therof There was to be séene y e sampler which Philomela wrought Tereus also sitting at his table and a seruant holding abroad the sampler and Philomela pointing in it with her finger Progne did séeme to grant to her desire and looking eagerly knitting the browes did séeme as though she would be reuenged vpon Tereus which had dealt thus traiterously with her sister which did stand by hauing her haire plucked off her face beaten her garments rent and torne her white breast did lye open her right hande wyping her eyes shée did greatly and gréeuously accuse Tereus with her left hand she endeuours to couer her naked breasts with a péece of her torne garment Tereus plucked her to him with all his strength straightly imbracing her in his armes in the other part of the picture the women brought to Tereus in a dish the reliques of his sonne to supper which was his head and hands laughing togither and trembling but he rising vp with his drawne sword in his hand séemed to thrust downe the table with his arme which now did neither stand nor fall yet séemed as though it did fall Then said Menelaus if you will take my counsell I thinke it good if you did not go to Pharos for two signes of ill fortune haue happened to you the flying of the hauke and the threatning of the picture for the soothsayers and diuinators do warn vs not to despise such tokens as thâ—se but if that we haue any affairs at all we should talk with them for whose cause we vndertooke the trauaile if there be any likelihood in the matter do not you sée the picture full of filthy loue impudent adultery womens mishaps to conclude full of al iniquitie I truly would deferre this going to another ende This spéech of Menelaus seemed to be very true wherefore I badde Chaerea farewell which went away very sad saying that to morrow he would come for vs againe Then Leucippe turning to me for women are desirous to know euery toy I pray you said shée tell me what this picture these birdes and these women about that impudent man do meane Then saide I those which you sée now to be birdes were once men the women there Progne Philomela for these were their names were sisters born at Athens this was turned into a Swallow the other into a Nightingall the mans name was Tereus a Thracian borne and the husband of Progne was transformed into a Lapwing To satisfie the lust of a barbarous man one woman is not sufficient especially when occasion serueth him to fulfill it by violence the loue of Progne towards her sister did giue the occasion to this intemperate man which following his owne sensualitie did fall into all intemperance and immodestie for she sent him being her husband to sée her sister which departed her husband but returned her sisters Louer and as he returned he made another Progne which when he would haue made knowne he gaue her a rewarde for her virginitie lost he cut out her tongue notwithstanding he had thus dismembred her yet she found out a dumbe reporter of her misfortune for in a cloth with Stella she wrought all the villanie committed by him her hand serued in stéede of her tongue when she could not deliuer to the eares what she had suffered she laid it before the eyes Progne hauing read the worke and knowing how her husband had rauished her she determined to torment him with a newe kinde of punishment surpassing the common opinion And when both these women did burne in anger a conspiracy being made they prouided a supper farre more delectable then the marriage of Philomela They did set his sonne before him at dinner to be eaten During her anger Progne was not his mother Itys was not her sonne for shée had forgotten that shee brought him soorth into the world for the rage of slaunder is farre more mightie then the griefe of the wombe although that this was troublesome to them yet when they sawe they should reuenge him who had violated the lawes of wedlocke they did recompence this trouble with pleasure of reuenge After Tereus sitting down at this supper and hauing eaten sufficiently these women smiling and fearing brought foorth in a Charger the reliques of his sonne which when he saw perceiuing that hée had eaten the séede of his owne loynes hée shedde teares aboundantly then incensed with choler drawing out his swoord ranne vpon them but the ayre tooke them vp suddainly chaunging them into birdes with whom also Tereus was taken vp who as yet all doo carry about them a remembraunce of theyr déede the Nightingale euermore flieth away the Lapwing pursueth her which signifieth that hatred doth remaine still after their mutation And by these meanes at that time we auoyded his wiles reioycing greatly we did not fall into our enemies hands The next morning Chaerea came againe and we for modesties sake could not deny him the second time wherefore taking shippe we came to Pharos Menelaus staying behind because hée was not in his perfect health Chaerea first brought vs vnto the top of the tower shewing to vs the most admirable and wonderfull building
citie Then hauing giuen certain instructions about her husbandrie for which cause chéefely shee came thither she returned in her coach home to the Citie when supper was brought in we sate downe but Satyrus séemed by his countenance to haue some weighty matter to speake vnto me priuily made a signe to me to rise wherefore I fained as though I went to exonerate my belly I came forth but Satyrus saying not a word gaue me a letter which being sealed before I could breake it open a chill colde did shiuer through my bones for the letter was written with Leucippes hande after this manner Leucippe to her maister Clitiphou sendeth salutations DO not maruel though I cal you maister for with what other name I should call you I know not since you are my mistresses Husbande although you doo not very well know the great troubles which I haue suffered for your sake yet I thought it necessarie to certifie you of a few things for your sake I left my mother and vndertooke with you a voiage for your cause I was a sacrifice and after fell into the hands of pyrates I suffered shipwracke and also I suffered another kinde of death for your sake also I was bound in iron chaines I caried a spade I digged the ground and was scourged that you might become another womans husband and I another mans wife but I pray the gods forbid it I haue indured these calamities with a valiant minde but you not hurt free from wounds go about to solace your selfe with new marriages But if you thinke I deserue any thanks at all for these mishaps which I haue suffered request your wife that I may be set free as shee hath promised and pay her the money which Sosthenes laide out for me and because I am not farre from Byzantium take care that I may be carried thither and if you do not beleeue me thinke that my troubles are satisfied with this one thing Fare well The gods send you ioy of your new marriage These do I write vnto you being yet a Virgin WHen I had read the letter my minde was distracted into a thousand parts I did burne in loue waxe pale and sometime maruailed otherwhiles I did beleeue the letters being perplexed betwéene feare and ioy Then said I to Satyrus what hast thou brought this letter to mée from hell or what do these meane What is Leucippe aliue Yea said Satyrus and that is she which you saw bound in the countrey but the cutting of her haire hath so disguised her that she can scant be knowne of any why dost thou saide I fill mine eares with such good newes and will not shew mee my chéefest felicitie Be silent said Satyrus and dissemble the matter cunningly least you cast vs all away before some more surer counsell be had in the matter you sée that this is the chéefest woman in the citie and almost madde for your loue and we are now betwéene the two nettes destitute of all hope I cannot saide I for a delight and pleasure is spread throughout al the vaines of my body the letter doth expostulate with me Wherefore I red ouer the letter againe and answered in particular euery thing as if she had bin present being now absent Thou speakest to me O most swéet Leucippe and where thou didst write this thou hast suffred all these misfortunes for my sake I must néedes confesse I was the author of all these thy miseries but when I came to these words which contained the reproches and hard measure offred to her of Softhenes I wept as bitterly as if I had stood by séene them For y e cogitations turning the very edge of y e mind to those things which are signified in the paper doth represent to y e mind those things which are written no otherwise theÌ„ if they wer opposite before the eyes But when shée obiected my mariage a blushing red did couer all my face as if I had béen taken in manifest adulterie the very letters had mooued me so farre Then turning to Satyrus I cryed Alas what shall I doo what excuse shall I vse now Satyrus We are now takeÌ„ manifestly Leucippe knoweth all and I pray god her loue do not begin to be turned into hatred But I would willingly know how she escaped safe the pyrates hands whose carcase y t was which wée buried TheÌ„ sayd Satyrus she will tell you all at more leysure but necessity biddeth you to write back pacifie her for I did sweare y t willingly you would not marry Melite what hast thou tolde that I am maried now thou hast vndoone me for as yet all the whole cittie is ignorant of my mariage Moreouer I do sweare by Hercules and my good fortune that I am not maried to her Then said Satyrus I hope sir you doo but iest as though it is not manifestly knowne that you haue bin in bed togither But I know said I that I speak of greater knowledge for Melite hath not enioyed mee according to her will But first tell mée what I shuld write for this change hath wonderfully mooued me so much as y t I know not what I may do Then said Satyrus I am not wiser then you therefore beginne to write loue will indite the rest but dispatch as soone as you can and haue very great care what you set down wherefore I wrote a letter after this forme Clitiphon to Leucippe sendeth salutations AL health to my deare mistresse Leucippe For I present do behold you present but by your letters as though you were absent The selfe-same thing doth make me happy and wretched But if omitting all other things thou wiâ—t looke into the truth of the matter making no preiudice of me you shaâ—l find that my virginitie if there be any virginitie of men hath followed your example but if for a wroÌ„g cause you begin to hate me I earnestly beseech you that you would change your opinion For I do promise as the gods be my helpers that it will come to passe that you shall verily knowe that I am in no fault Farwell And let me vnderstand from you that you be fauourable to me THe letters being writteÌ„ and sealed vp I gaue theÌ„ to Satirus to conuey requesting him to speake no more of me theÌ„ becommed him being thus full of pleasure sorrow I returned to supper but it came into my minde how that Melite would not let me depart that night because the marriage was not full finished betwéene vs neither could it be that Leucippe being found I should once looke vpon another Wherefore I determined to set my couÌ„tenance so as y t she might knew my mind to be changed and least she should enforce my promise for I fained that I had caught a shaking with a cold Melite although she perceiued that I went about to séeke an occasion because I would not kéepe my promise yet she could not openly conuince me Wherefore not hauing supped I rose vp â—o go
also could not chuse but be angry with the letter but loue was opposed against her anger that hauing aide of slaunder at length gotte the victorie wherefore when night was come Thersander went to a friendes house of his in the Cittie but Melite went to the man who had the custody of me hauing talked with him she came in to mée the other Seruants not knowing but onely two whom she had appointed to stay at the doore vntill her returne again and hauing found me lying vpon the grounde and comming neere to mee although shee coulde not speake all her mind at that instant yet her countenance did séeme to deliuer it saying O vnhappie woman that I am and borne first to my owne perdition which also do so much desire that which I cannot attaine O more then mad which loue him that despiseth me which being tormented with gréefe doo take pitie vpon him which is light affected yet I cannot cease to loue the author of these so many my mishappes against me there is both a man and a woman conspiring wherof the one doth scorne me the other is gone to gather hearbes yet could not I know before that I craued aide of my veriest enemie Hauing spoken thus incensed with furie she flung it into my face which when I vnderstood I was astonied and cast down my head as if I hadde béene guilty of some hainous crime But she beganne still to lament and wéepe crying out Alas alas what shal be come of me affliected with so many calamities for thy sake I lost my husbande neyther yet could I enioy thée but shortly also I shall loose thy sight which alone is graunted to me And moreouer for thy cause my husband hateth and detesteth me accusing me of adulterie and that with him with whom I neuer receiued any delight or pleasure so much shame reproch hath happened to me Other womeÌ„ by their dishonesty can reape their pleasure but I alone without pleasure haue gotteÌ„ reproch and shame ignominie O trecher O barbarian O thou Clitiphon more cruell then pirates more hard hearted then tyrants canst thou finde in thy heart to sée a weake woman burning in thy loue and so cruelly tormented and cannot thou take pittie on her since thou also art in loue Doest thou not feare the wrath of Cupid Doest thou not care for his firebrandes and secret misteries art not thou moued so pittie with these teares which these eyes haue shed so aboundantly wherwithall euen very robbers will be mooued to compassion what were not my prayers of force to persweade thée to embrace mée or to do that which I haue long desired did neither the oportunitie of the time serue had neither my embracings or dalliance any force to mooue Moreouer that which was the most reprochfull of all abandoning my kissing embracing and toying as if you were nothing affected towards me I pray you what is this but a shadowe of mariage you did not ly with one which was past child bearing who did refuse your kindnesse but with a yong one a louing and another perhappes will say faire and beautifull O thou Eunuch O thou gelding O despiser of beautie Now do I beséeche the immortall goddes that al thing may fall out contrary to thy desires that the three sisters may conspire to crosse thée which thou now doost prepars against mée Thus did Melite speak not without teares then did she held her peace a litle assoone as she saw y t I replied nothing cast mine eies vpon the ground her mind being changed she begaÌ„ to vtter these words What I haue hitherto spoken swéet youth choler grief forced me thereunto but now loue constraineth me to speake Howe could I be angry or cast such reproaches vpon thée when as I was all in a heate the very fire did possesse the inward parts of any body Now at the leÌ„gth obey I do not desire many days or perpetual mariage which thou hast hitherto prolonged the more vnfortunate I one only accoÌ„panying is sufficieÌ„t so litle ayd will driue away so great a wouÌ„d Come therfore extinguish this fire a litle whatsoeuer I haue spokeÌ„ more sharply against thée pardoÌ„ me since it is incideÌ„t to passioÌ„s it caÌ„not otherwise be but she y t loueth vnhappily must raue sometimes neither do I forget how filthy a cause I plead But yet I am not ashamed to declare the secrets of loue To some Cupids dartes are not felt and the wounds of louers are made knowne to none but those which are in loue this day remaineth yet wherein I pray thée performe thy promise Remember Isis and doo not séeme litle to regard that oath which thou swarest in her Temple but if thou wouldest performs thy promise as it was confirmed by oathes betwéene vs I would not care for a thousand Thersanders But because Leucippe cannot be found by any meanes I would wish you to marry some other although that al things séeme to offer warre against me and the very dead are risen from their graues O sea thou hast preserued a Sayler but by preseruing him thou hast cast him into greater daungers two dead persons are reuiued again to my perdition as though one Leucippe were not sufficient but let her liue so that Clitiphon do not liue in sorrow Who can endure this that wicked Thersander should returne now and I standing by to strike thee and could not helpe thée As yet good goddes all thy face is full of blew wales I thinke Thersander was blind But now O maister Clitiphon for thou alone doest possesse my heart I begge this one thing that thou wouldst giue me now the first and last thing which I will craue of thée this little delay seemes longer to me then many dayes so neither you haue lost your Leucippe neither she dyed a false death doo not neglect my loue for whose cause when amongst other commodities yet thou shalt haue Leucippe restored againe vnto thée had not I loued thée and brought thée hither thou wouâ—dst yet haue thought thy Leucippe to haue bin dead Moreouer you are to thanke fortune for this kindnesse as a man did vpon a time who hauing founde a great treasure in the earth honoured the place where he found it consecrating an altar offring of sacrifices he crowned the earth Thou doest not onely giue me no thankes for finding thy treasure with me but also doest despise the author of this thy good turne Thinke that for my sake loue did speake to thée in this maner O Clitiphon graunt me this one thing which am standerd bearer to thée in thy warre that Melite doo not depart from thée vntouched it is my fire which burneth her wherefore Clitiphon obey the commaundements of thy God since thou wilt that I shall looke to all thy other affaires I will deliuer thée from bands although Thersander would not haue it so and I will adorne a chamber for thee wherein thou shalt liue as long as thou
and being brought from the other maydes he shut her vp in a close chamber of the house saying beholde I bring thée a heape of good newes wishing thée well that when you haue obtained that which you would I hope you will not forget mee neither fears this violence nor thinke it doone for your harme for here you shall enioy my maister to be your louer Leucippe being stroken with this vnlooked-for mishappe was astonied Sosthenes came to Thersander which then was returned home and told him what he had doone and he commended Leucippes beautie to the heauens so that Thersander conceiuing in his mind a most admirable beautie When the festiuall was ended hee commanded Sosthenes to go before and he himselfe would come after vnto the maide this place was about halfe a mile distant from the cittie In the meane time I beeing attyred in Melites apparrell did méete them going vpon a sodaine and first Sosthenes espyed me saying beholde the adulterer escaped and comming apparrelled in your wiues ornaments the youth which went before mee knowing them very well hauing no time to giue me warning for feare ranne away but I was presently taken Thersander began to crie cut for aid which she watch hearing came 〈◊〉 to him in all haste he beganne more and more to augment 〈◊〉 crime repeating all things which he could remember as well those things which were fit to be spoken as not and called me adulterer and thése In the ende hee carried me to the prison laying to my charge that I had defiled his bed but all this moued me nothing not the reproches of beeing in prison nor the slaundring of my good name did affright me for I did â—â—st that I could conuict him with sufficient proofe that I was no adulterer because the marriages were openly solemnized But that did gréeue me worst of al that I had not Leucippe for the minde is the presager of mishaps to come but neuer of goodnes neuer any good thing came into my mind coÌ„cerning Leucippe all things were suspitious and full of feare my mind was troubled my spirits daunted I my self in great veration and anguish Thersander when he had cast me into prison went verie mercie with Sosthenes to Leucippe where comming into the house he found her lying vpon the ground and meditating vppon the wordes which Sosthenes had reported to her before shewing by her countenance the feare and gréefe of her heart For the minde cannot be séene but by the countenance it may plainely be discerned as if it were in a glasse If she be pleasant mirth it selfe shineth in her eyes but if contrarywise shee be sad gréefe and sorrow contracteth her browes and sitteth in her chéekes But Leucippe hearing the doores open scant had cast her eyes vpon them for they had a candle but shee cast downe her head againe Thersander séeing her beautie which came out of her eyes which was like to a flash of lightning comming forth of the clouds did shine in his face and instantly vanished againe for the eyes are the chéefest seate of beautie he instantly was in loue and being ouercome with the force thereof began to watch when she would cast vp her eyes againe but when he beheld her sad peâ—siue and heauie looking vpon the ground how long said he shall thy eyes be fastened on the ground how long wilt thou shew the bâ—â—utâ—e of thy countenance to the earth why dost thou not rather looke vp When Leucippe had heard him speake thus she wept bitterly the Christall teâ—res in abundance began to water her ruddie chéekes A teare doth mooue the eyes and disquiet them for if they before alreadie it maketh them worse and increaseth their paine but if they be cléere and the black sight compassed with a round white circle they moysten with the teares and are like the litle bubbles of a cleare spring their salt moisture running downe the bosome the white part doth as it were waxe soft with the dewe but the â—ight séemeth to be purple so that y t is like the violet this a daffadill But when her teares were such they could easily couer the gréefe of the minde and if that they had congealed when they had fallen downe we shoulde haue had a newe kinde of amber Thersander therfore while he doth behold the virgins beautie and sorrowe togither with the one béeing drawnâ— into an admiration with the other fraught with anger his eyes were full of teares for it is so ordained by nature that womens teares should mooue pittie and so much the more by how much they are the fresher but if shée be a beautifull woman and the beholder her louer then will not his eyes rest but they also mooued by some compelling cause doo shedde teares also for the beautie which in fayre Women hath his chiefest seate in the eyes doo â—â—owe from thence into the beholders eyes and doo drawe from thence abundance of teares whereby it commeth to passe that the louer receiuing her beautie into her eyes kéepeth also his teares there neyther doth he desire to wipe them away but holding still the motion of his eyes kéeping them in as long as he can fearing least they shuld fall before they be séene of his louer for he doth thinke to shew by that signe y t he is in loue The like hapned to Thersander he wept aâ— it is most likely that he might shew he was moued with a kind of humane desire willing to insinuate into the fauour of Leucippe because he saw her wéepe he also woulde doo the like Then turning him to Sosthenes hee saide Comfort thou her for thou seest in howe great heauinesse shee lieth I although vnwilling will depart hence that I maye not héere bee troublesome vnto her Afterwarde when I sée her more milde I will speake vnto her in the meane time saide hee be of good comfort maide for so soone as I can I will take away this thy sorrow Then about to go forth he spake to Sosthenes saying take héede that thou speake no more of mee then becommeth thée and to morrow morning by day light looke that thou come vnto me and certifie mee of this matter In the meane season assoone as I was gone Melite sent a seruant to Leucippe into y e countrey which should hasten her homewarde telling her that there is now no néed of medecines he presently came thither finding her fellow strangers complainig that they could not find her returned back in al hast and told his mistresse who vnderstanding that I was cast in prison and Leucippe was carried away was ouerwhelmed in a sea of cares and although shee could not certainly know all the order of this mishap yet they laide all the blame vpon Sosthenes wherefore she laboured diligently to haue Leucippe found out and that she might perswade Thersander that she was in no fault she cunningly deuised a tale which séemed to contrarie the truth For when hee came home and exclaimed againe Thou