essentiall substance without the other But to dispute of this secret in nature at large were vnpleasing to their chast eares and bréefey too mistical for their vnderstandings But who so is so curious in search let him read that Philosophers probleames with an vnpartiall iudgement and he shal finde thē in substance euery way as perfect as meu and in that opinion of the eye The quality and not the quantity commends of al that sences who is the most perfect iudge they far excel man in purenes of complection where exception is taken to the few in number of fingulerly wel qualified women I affirme that it is not the quātity but the quality that commends a little salt relisheth more then a great deale of sugar Iudith with her owne hands atchiued a more honorable conquest then all the Cilisions besides Alexandra the wife of Alexander king of the Iewes whē the vnciuill multitude were ready for his tiranny to make the intrails of dogs a sepulture for his dead body yea to be further auēged to murther his two Sonnes by her swéet behauiour so mollified their cruell harts as loosing their resolutions they gaue her husband an honorable burial prostrated thēselues at her childrens féete which pacification the strength nor wisdom of her counsel could not obtain Eua. By what instrumēt did God first show the vigor of his vēgance by a woman And by what instrumēt did he show the vertue of his mercy Our Lady by a woman Soueraigne vertue is Femenine and I blush to tel it Yrkesome Vice is Masculine The Ladies laughed outright to heare Ismaritos difference But Soranso halfe angry answered that if Ismaritos countrymen were of his minde they might be ashamed that they were so effeminate Pardon me Where an iniury in words may be reuenged in words a Gentleman is not bound to his swoord quoth Ismarito it is their commendation to yéelde vnto women and to conquer men Tush tush quoth Bargetto to nip himselfe by the nose Ismarito is to be pardoned for his Captaine S. George is shackled in a womans garter It is true quoth Ismarito but thus fettered he hath many times chased S. Michael to his Mount Fabritio fearing that these crosses would turne to the Deuils blessing Discreete standers by pacifieth contentions studied how to accorde this contention and with that intent quoth he Ismarito you haue well deserued to kisse these Ladies hands for your honourable commendation of their sexe Vertue and vice both Feminine and Mesculine But where you say Vertue is the Feminine and vice the Masculine both men and women are vnderstoode in either The olde Diuines tooke Vertue to be God and Vice the Diuell and either to be both Feminine and Masculine Orpheus saide that Iupiter and Pluto were both Male and Female It is also read in Scripture That God fashioned both man and woman to his owne likenes Moreouer this word Homo signifieth both kindes so that since Man and Woman are not simply of themselues but compounded one of an other I blame this vnnaturall contention for excellencie for neither can obtaine Soueraigne victorie without dooing iniury to themselues The head among some is taken for the Man Note and the hart for the woman for both are of an indifferent gender and al the other members indifferently at their commandement Quéene Aurelia with a smiling countenance answered that she was content that a Man should gouerne as the head and women direct as the hart and because we will not doo iniury vnto our naturall vertue of Modesty we will giue place to you Modesty an naturall vertue in a woman in contention for Soueraignties and binde you to serue vs for our vertues and therewithall in rising she broke of this controuersie After Supper there was a little time bestowed in hearing of swéete musicke but for that Quéene Aureliaes late distemperature grew of ouer watching the company this night went vnto their lodging in a good houre MADONA AVRELIA Her fift daies pleasures Contayning a briefe discourse touching the excellencie of Man and a large discouery of the inconueniences of ouer loftie and too base Loue with other morall notes needfull to be regarded THe last nights good houre of repose was the cause of the companies this dayes early rising who by nine of the clock entered the great Chamber armed for any lawdable exercise And after an accustomed dutie of salutation discharged euery man bethought himselfe of some pleasing matter to entertayne the present time Soranso Ismarito were seuered from the rest of the cōpany vpon priuate discourse which being ended Soranso casting his eye aside beheld in the hangings the picture of Ixion herdled to his tormenting whéele Sée yonder The Fable of Ixion quoth he the worthy scourge of Ambition and withall reported the Fable of his presumptuous making of loue to Iuno Nay quoth Ismarito Ixion is rather the example of Vayne-glorie punished To be proud in vertues is commendable for Iupiter so well allowed of Ixions hie minde in that he represented his Image as hée raysed him from Earth to Heauen and because he should not perish in his affection he satisfied his desire with the embracement of a counterfeit Iuno The scourge of vainglory and so sent him backe vnto the Earth where vaine glorious Ixion Proclaymed that he was the Minion of Iuno and had Acteoned Iupiter for which arrogancie Iupiter threw him to hell with this pictured vengeance Questionlesse quoth Soranso this imagination of the Heathen Poet could not but be the trauell of a diuine spirit it exposeth such néedfull matter for Christians to contemplate of You néede not doubt of your opinion The soule trauaileth to bring forth diuine monuments in the heathen quoth Ismarito for after God had created Adam after his owne Image he scattered the séede of Adam vpon the face of the whole world and wheresoeuer the essentiall forme of Adam was there was also the Image of God which in the most barbarous Heathen creature laboureth to bring out hie and excellent things I beséech you quoth Soranso to enlarge this discourse I am not so simple to beléeue that we are like the Image of God in our outward shape yet my knowledge is not perfect in what vertues we resemble the Image of God Referring you A discreete exordium for young men that argue for your better knowledge to grauer iudgements quoth Ismarito I will only to satisfie your request say what I haue read and what in my opinion standeth with reason In our exterior body to say we resemble God were a grose ignorance The excellency of man throgh the vertue of the soule but in that our soule is closed within our body and giueth life and mouing to the whole body it is no absurdity to conclude the lesse within the greater to shewe how the soule resembleth God who consisteth in a Trinitie Notwithstanding she is but one yet
but a Goddesse here on earth and Iuno is Quéene of Heauen Dianaes force is in her Bow and Arrowes Iuno bestoweth Thunderbolts vpon her enemies Diana is attired with gréene leaues and Iuno with glorious Starres Diana féedeth on rawe fruites and drinketh colde water Iunoes Feastes are of Manna and her bowles are fild with Nectar Dianaes musick is no better then the voyces of a few Nimphes Iuno is recreated with the harmony of Angels Dianaes pastime is a foote to chace the fearefull Roe where Iuno in Phaetons winged Chariot pursueth a thousand seuerall pleasures then by how much the pomp of Iuno excéedeth the naked Triumphs of Diana by so much Mariage must néedes be more worthy then the Single life Lucia Bella that should haue answered Aluisa Vechio not vnlike the Marigolde that closeth her Beauty when Phoebus is attired with his brightest rayes so admired the glory of Iuno Vaine glorious shewes bewitcheth women that as an inchaunted creature her tongue forgot her naturall office the reason was her hart was sodenly surprised with an ambitious desire of honor Which change Ismarito perceiued with the first and least her silence should conclude a yéelding All is not golde quoth he that glistereth Contentment neither followeth the greatest nor scorneth the meanest nor euery thing counterfet that is not curiously garnished a smiling countenance is no ful testimony of a merry hart nor costly Garments of a rich Purse And perchaunce the griefe of Iunoes secret discontentments is greater then the delight of her glorious pomp where Diana who as a Diamond in the darke shineth of her selfe néedeth not the Ornaments of Iuno And as she is simply of a pure substance so her thoughts must néedes be swéet and quiet Sir quoth Maria Belochy our soundest iudgements are of those things that we our selues sée therefore if the apparance of Mariage be worthier thâ—n the apparance of the single life if sentence be truly pronounced it must be in the behalfe of Iuno Quéene Aurelia pâ—rceiuing the increase of Ismaritos aduersaries for who can stop a streame measure the sire weigh the winde or hinder Fancies passages and with all considering how that the controuersie was sufficiently debated commanded the contenders to kéepe silence and referred the question to be iudged by Fabritio and Isabella Who hauing aduisedly considered the reasons on both sides agréed that a single chast life pleased God because Chastity is pure and also delighteth man because shee quieteth the minde but a chast maried life both pleaseth and honoreth God because Mariage hourely presenteth the worlde with the Image of himselfe pleaseth and profiteth man because she giueth him a companion by affection changed into his owne disposition of whom he hath children who in despight of death preserueth him aliue And therefore the sentence of them both was pronounced by Fabritio Sentence giuen in the behalfe of mariage in the behalfe of Mariage who withall enlarged her prayses with the report of many swéete Blessings which she liberally bestoweth vpon her Subiects But lest the company should haue béen fired with too hasty a desire of Mariage hee cooled their affections with such caueats as they that had their voyces ready tuned to sing the prayses of God Hymen were of the sodayne as mute as a fish by reason whereof Fabritio had frée passage for his counselling reporte who after many wordes to either purpose deliuered concluded with the opinion of Plato That Mariage was a paradise on earth Platoes opinion of Mariage if her Lawes be obserued and a Hell in the House where her Statutes are broken The Gentlewomen wist not what to say to Fabritios bitter-swéete commendation of Mariage vntill Bargetto quickned their tongues by this pleasant suggestion Pleasant talk is good phisâ—â—k for sorrowe If quoth he Platoes opinion be law by the same reason women are either Angels or Diuels And why not men as well as women quoth Isabella whose dispositioÌ„ beareth the greatest sway in this vocation I will shew you a reason quoth Doctor Mossenigo men with a meane can temper their passions The extreame passions of a woman when a woman hath no measure in her loue nor mercy in her hate no rule in her pittie nor piety other reuenge no iudgement to speak nor patience to diffemble and therefore she is likened vnto the Sea A Gundelo is a little Boate like a wherry which one while is so milde as a smal Gundelo indureth her might and anon with outrage she ouer whelmeth the tallest ship Ah master Doctor quoth Katharina 〈◊〉 I feare me you are so learned Hien sometimes a man and somtimes a woman as like the Hyen you change your selfe sometimes into the shape of a womaÌ„ but yet of this malitious purpose to learne their dispositions only to reproch their kind but had any of vs the cunning to become a man but a while I imagin we should euer after loue that better to be a woman You haue rather cause quoth Dondolo to let master Doctor kisse your hand for commending your kinde then to blame him by a surmise of iniurie offered vnto women for if there be a few good they couer the faults of a number that are euill as a little golde guildeth a great quantity of iron and for any thing he sayd you haue as generall an interest in vertue as in vice Yea but quoth Quéene Aurelia he is to be blamed for his intent The intent of euill is to be punished which was euil and deserueth not to bee praysed for the good which came of it which was our merite Madame quoth the Doctor so much greater is the good you receiue by my Trespasse as thereby you are honoured with the vertue to forgiue Yea Pardon is to be vsed in ignorant and not in wilful faults but quoth she remission is to bee vsed in ignorant offences and not in wilfull My habite quoth he is a testimonie that I spake not of malice So much quoth she the greater is your fault in that it procéeded vpon pleasure The punishment of great offenders doth most good in examples and where you think to priuiledge your selfe by your habite for example sake you shall at open Supper bath renounce your heresie and make satisfaction or abide the Iudgement of these Gentlewomen If there be no remedie quoth he I must obey The Doctor thus taken tardie gaue occasion of laughter vnto the whole company Which blowne ouer quoth Soran so we haue trauayled this day to an vnfortunate end for that now towards night we are entered into an open Champion where we find many broad wayes to Hell and but one crosse path to heauen Well quoth Quéene Aurelia we will take other times to beate out the true passage And least wee be lated wée will no further to day Whereupon after a courtly reuerence done Quéene Aurelia with her Attendantes shewed her selfe in the great Chamber where she might repose her mind with the choice of
vnpleasant Her anger kéepeth seruants in awe and her quicknesse ouerséeth their negligence if her tung runne at riot where she hunts there is store of abuse which must be chased either with blowes or words if y◠fury of her spéech offend her Husband it is like that her outrage groweth from his fault and where an iniury is offered it is sufferable if the wrong be blamed but which maketh a ful amends for her furious mood as the clowdy and rainy day lightly cléereth towards night euen so though she bitterly scowld at boord she wil be sure to kisse swéetly a bed The auncient Gentlemen commending the quick wit of this yong Gentleman In blaming mildens is to be vsed vsed this circumstance before he refelled his error Ah quoth he if wit were as aduised in Iudgement as he is ready in conceite his imaginations would turne to wonderfull effects but as fairest colours soonest staine as swéetest flowers are blasted with a breath as beautifull creatures are blemished with a little care as the brightest Sun threatneth suddaine raine yea as euery mortall thing hath his imperfection euen so wit being mortall Wit simply in imperfect and assigned by Nature to make man glorious aboue other creatures by rashnes corrupts the ripenes of his conceites and to good purpose his pride is thus abated for other wise man which inioyeth wit to worship his Creator and to liue content with the liberties of the sea and to kéepe him within the limits of the earth would search the secrets of heauen and I think dispossesse Pluto of hell Yong Gentleman quoth he I vse not this ceremony to represse your liberty of spéech for the errour of your rashnes I will refell with reason and experience but least héeraftèr you should be as arrogant in opinion as you are ripe in conceite I haue thought good fréendly and bréefely to signifie your imperfection and now to answere your late suggestion I affirme that Nature hath created nothing to a néedlesse purpose but not withstanding our abuse or mischance changeth hurtfull things into occasions of our help surfite and sicknes only commendeth Medicine and as you affirme the bloud of a Scorpion cureth the biting of the Viper But take away the cause which procéedeth from our gréefe and you shall finde medicine an enemy to health and the stinge of a Scorpion no better then death and trust me he is to be reckoned a foole and his misfortune to passe vnreléeued that wilfully indammageth his health in hope of remedy In like sort let him liue vnpittied to ouersée the slacknesse of his seruants who will marry a wife whose tung shall ouer-rule himselfe But more particularly to describe the properties of an vnquiet wife and more largely to discourse the displeasures of her vnfortunate husband I will approoue her lowrings as vnprofitable as his life is vnpleasant you say her quicknesse ouerséeth the negligence of sernants but I affirme that her curstnesse maketh them as swift to runne away Shift is vnprofitable for Maister and Seruant as they were slowe to serue her and common vse auowes that often shift is neither beneficiall for Maister nor seruant for proofe as the rowling Stone gathereth no Mosse and want of vse canckereth Iron in likewise thrift flyeth the fléeting Seruant and idlenes consumeth his ability of seruice Now touching the euill reckoning of those which are serued their wandering seruants not onely charge their common accounts with double wages but with secret pilfering they set their maisters in more déepe arrerages The Grecians that in times past neither vsed medicine for sicknesse Gienta a venemous herb one sort wherof is supposed to be Hemlocke nor patience in aduersitie but vpon euery great veration poisoned themselues with venemous Cienta In their Histories remember more that haue voluntarily died through the violence their Wiues tunges then of any other calamity Diogenes being demaunded the diuersity of an euill betwéene ascold a harlot answered They differ as the Viper doth from that crockadill for the scolde saith he with outrage destroyeth her Husband A needfull regarde for yong Gentlemen and the other with dissembling loue consumeth him to death And so concluded thē both enemies to life and quiet liuing of man Phrisio being both modestly warned and throughly answered with a blushful grace replyed the the grauity of his person and the sound reason in his wordes had taken from him al occasion of further Question vnles that women were his Iudges An ill cause asketh a partiall iudge This wittie shift moued such as were within the hearing to smile for where the cause is ill it is necessary to séeke a Iudge that is partiall and which commended Phrisios gouernment vpon a small check he left to contend with this ancient Gentleman for yong men although their wittes be good are not priuiledged to dispute with the grauer sort without licence intreatie or great renerence By this time the Mountibanke with describing the qualities of his vermin and the Zanni in shewing the knauish conditions of his Maister had wasted a good part of the night and wearied the most part of the company so that desire of repose summoned them vnto their lodgings MADONA AVRELIA Her fourth daies pleasures Containing varietie of necessary discourse and yet withall the greater part appertaining to the generall argument of Mariage SO déepe are the impressions of sorrow The great impression as the faining of Poets may be helde for Morall truthes where as they affirme that the bitter mone of Orpheus tung together with the passionate sound of his Instrument moued such ruth in infernall creatures as while he was a suter to Pluto for the restitution of his wife Euridice his plaints so charmed the torments of Hell as for the time the Gripe forbare to teare vpon Titius growing hart Tantalus indeuoured not to drinke Danais daughters leste filling of their brincklesse Tub toyling Sisiphus sate and eased himselfe vpon his rowling Stone yea and Pluto ouercharged with pitie made restitution of Euridice This sorrow to heare that Quéene Aurelia by some distemperature was sick and kept her Chamber wrought such gréefes in the hartes of the whole company that they hung their heads in disgrace like Garden Flowers which séeming as teares are cloyed with the dewe of a foule mistie day True sorrow is knowne rather by sighes then words Among the rest Ismarito although he vsed not so many words of lamēt as some other did yet with the teares of his hart he solemnifed the true rites of a Mourner and to say truth where the tung hath frée passage to talke the hart is occupied with no great gréefe Segnior Phyloxenus séeing Ismarito in this passion and that occasion entertained him with no other busines while the rest of the company were hearing of a little superstitious seruice The Pope hath begun and not yet finished a most rare Gallerie Beautifull attires for a Gallerie lead him into a very faire
not other Fryers vsed milde and plawsible requests in his behalfe they would surely haue buried him aliue for threatning increaseth a tumult whē faire words may peraduēture stay it The poore Fryer discharged from the hands of these vngentle people learned afterwardes to be more warie but for al this punishmēt was nothing the honester For among men of his Habit remayneth an opinion that the faultes which the Worlde séeth not God punisheth not After the company had well laughed at Fryer Ingannoes penance Quéene Aurelia asked master Doctor the Archdetracter of Women how many such stories he had read of the religious Dames None quoth he that hath béen so sorely punished but of a number that haue as highly trespassed What quoth Helena Dulce by such subtil practises Men offend subtilly women simply No quoth the Doctor but through simple affection Well quoth Aluiso Vechio their euils are written in their foreheads Womens euils are writ in their foreheads that slanderous mens tongues may reade and inlarge them And your great euils are buried in the bottome of your heartes that vnlesse the Diuel meane to shame you the world knoweth not how to blame you Mens faults lie hid in their hearts This was the Gentlewomens day wherefore the ciuill Gentlemen would not offer to crosse them much so that following their aduantage A ciuil curtesie in a Gentlemā Madame quoth Isabella with your fauour and patience I will reporte an Historie that open such a haynous trecherie done by a man as shal take away all possibility from a woman to commit so impious an Act. Quéene Aurelia willed her to procéede and the whole cōpany séemed to be attentiue whereupon Isabella reported as followeth The rare History of Promos and Cassandra reported by Madame Isabella AT what time Coruinus the scourge of the Turkes This history for rarenes thereof is liuely set out in a Comedy by the reporter of the whole worke but yet neuer presented vpon stage raygned as King of Bohemia for to well gouerne the Cities of his Realme he sent diuers worthy Magistrates Among the rest he gaue the Lord Promos the Lieutenantship of Iulio who in the beginning of his gouerment purged the Citie of many auncient vices and seuerely punished new offenders In this Citie there was an olde custome by the suffering of some Magistrates growen out of vse that what man soeuer committed Adultery should lose his head A hard lawe for incontinent persons the womā offender shuld euer after be infamously noted by the wearing of some disguised apparell For the man was helde to be the greatest offender and therefore had the seuerest punishment Lord Promos with a rough execution reuiued this Statute and in the highest degrée of iniurie brake it himselfe as shall appeare by the sequell of Andrugioes aduentures This Andrugio by the yéelding fauour of fayre Polina trespassed against this ordinance who through enuie was accused by Lorde Promos condemned to suffer execution The wofull Cassandra Andrugios Sister prostrates her self at Lord Promos féete and with more teares then words thus pleaded for her brothers life Most noble Lord and worthy Iudge vouchsafed me the fauour to speake whose case is so desperate as vnlesse you beholde mée with the eyes of mercie the frayle trespasse of condemned Andrugio my Brother will be the death of sorrowfull Cassandra his innocent Sister I wil not presume to excuse his offence or reproch the Law of rigor for in the generall construction Lawe adiudgeth by the generall offēce hée hath done most euill and the Law hath iudged but what is right But reuerent Iudge pardon that necessitie maketh me here tell that your wisdome already knoweth The most Soueraigne Iustice is crowned with Laurell although she be girt with a Sword And this priuiledge she giueth vnto her Administrators that they shall mitigate the seueritie of the Law Iustice is more renowmed by lenitie then seueritie according to the qualitie of the offence Then that Iustice be not robbed of her gratious pittie listen good Lord Promos to the nature of my Brothers offence and his able meanes to repayre the iniurie He hath defiled no nuptiall Beb the stain whereof dishonoureth the guiltlesse Husband He hath committed no violent Rape In which Act the iniured maid can haue no amends But with yéelding consent of his Mistresse Andrugio hath onely sinned through Loue and neuer ment but with Mariage to make amendes I humbly beséech you to accept his satisfaction A good cause to moue pittie and by this Example you shal be as much beloued for your clemencie as feared for your seueritie Andrugio shal be well warned and he with his Sister wofull Cassandra shall euer remaine your Lordships true Seruants Promos eares were not so attentiue to heare Cassandras ruethful tale as his eyes were settled to regarde her excellent Beauty And Loue Loue fauoureth no degree that was appoynted Headsman of Andrugio became nowe the Soueraigne of his Iudges thought But because he would séeme to bridle his passions he answered fayre Damsel haue patience you importune me with an impossibilitie he is condemned by Lawe then without iniurie to Lawe he cannot be saued Princes prerogatiues are aboue Law Princes and their Deputies Prerogatiues quoth shée are aboue the Lawe Besides Law truelie construed is but the amends of iniurie and where the fault may be valued and amends had The true intét of the Law the breach of the law is sufficiently repayred Quoth Lord Promos your passions mooueth more then your proofes and for your sake I will repréeue Andrugio A good turne vpon an euill cause and studie how to doe you ease without apparant breach of Law Cassandra recomforted Authority in euil Magistrates is a scourge vnto the good with humble thankes receiued his fauour and in great hast goeth to participate this hope with her dying Brother But oh that Authoritie should haue power to make the vertuous to doe amisse as well as through correction to inforce the vicious to fall vnto goodnesse Promos is a witnes of this priuiledge who not able to subdue his incontinent loue and withall resolued that Cassandra would neuer be ouercome with fayre wordes A monstrous request large promises or rich rewards demaunded the spoyle of her Virginitie for raunsome of her Brothers libertie Vnlesse they be reprobate good example may reforme the wicked Cassandra imagined at the first that Lord Promos vsed this spéech but to trie her behauiour Answered him so wisely as if he had not béen the Riuall of vertue he could not but haue suppressed his lewde Affection and haue subscribed to her iust petition But to leaue circumstances Promos was fiered with a dicious desire which must be quenched with Cassandraes yéelding loue or Andrugio must die Cassandra moued with a chast disdaine departed with the resolution rather to dye her selfe then to stayne her honour And with this heauie newes gréeted her condemned
Virginitie which is the fairest flower of a Single life be precious in the sight of God and in the opinion of men yet is Mariage more precious in that it is a sacred institution of God and more honoured of men the Married are reuerently intertained when the vnmarried are but familiarly saluted The Maried in assemblies are honoured with the highest places the vnmarried humble themselues vnto the lowest To be short Virginitie is the handmaide of Mariage Then by how much the Master is greater then the seruant by so much Mariage is more worthy then is Single life I confesse quoth Ismarito Mariage is an honourable estate Defences of a single life instituted of God and embraced of men but whereon had she her beginning vpon this cause to kéepe men from a greater inconuenience as the Law was founded vpon this reason to punish the trespasses of men But if no offence had béen giuen the Law had not néeded So if man had liued within bounds of reason which before any commaundement giuen was vnto him a Law Mariage might haue béen spared and therefore in the highest degrée is but a vertue vpō necessitie where Chastitie is a deuine vertue gouerned by the motions of the soule which is immortall and participating of the same vertue is alwaies fresh and gréene The euerspringing Bay is the Metamorphosis of chaste Daphnè whome Apollo although he were a soueraigne God could not allure to Mariage which proueth Chastity a true spark of Diuinitie whose twinkling reflexions so daseleth the eyes of imagined Gods whose powers must néedes be more great then the greatest of men as they cannot sée an end of their incontinent desires whereas the beauty of Mariage is many times blasted by fortune or the frailtie of the Maried Therfore think I by how much deuine things are of greater emprise then earthly by so much the Single life is more worthy then the Maried And in aduauntage quoth Lucia Bella where Soranso saith that there is great honor done vnto the married and to the Single is giuen light regard I pray you whether are Bacchus minions or the Muses most reuerenced among men whose places are hyer then the Cleargies and among women whose greater then the religious Dames They haue not this preheminence quoth Faliero because they professe a Single life Defences of Mariage but because their function is more sacred then other mens The cause why the cleargie are reuerenced who if their prayers to God be no more zealous then their vowes to chastity are stedfast you fly to the authority of a company as spotted as Labans Shéepe But where Sir Ismarito saith that Mariage is but a vertue vpon necessity to restraine man from a greater euill I approoue it an estate set downe by Nature and that man hath but amplified it with certain ceremonies to make perfect the determination of nature For we dayly sée in vnreasonable creatures Mariage is in a sorte worshipped Fowles of the Aire I meane the he and the she cupple together flie together féed together and neast together The Turtle is neuer merie after the death of her Mate and in many brute beastes the like constancy is found But generally there is neuer iarre nor misliking betwéen the Male and Female of vnpollitique creatures Vnpollitick creatures reuerence mariage and among the most barbarous people that euer liued by the impresson of nature Mariage hath euermore béen reuerenced and hououred Much more ciuill people ought to affect this holy estate And where Ismarito attributes such glory vnto a Single life because that Daphne was metamorphosed into a Bay Trée whose branches are alwaies gréene In my opinion his reason is faired like the Bay Trée for the Bay trée is barren of pleasant fruit and his pleasing words of weighty matter Furthermore what remembrance is there of faire Sirinx coynesse refusing to be God Paris wife other then that she was metamorphosed into a fewe vnprofitable Réedes Or of Anaxaretes chaste cruelty towards Iphis ouer then that she remaineth an Image of Stone in Samarin Many other such like naked Monuments remain of nice contemners of Mariage But in the behalfe of Mariage thousands haue béen changed into Oliue Pomegranate Mulberie and other fruitfull trées swéete flowers Starres and precious stones by whom the world is beautified directed and nourished In many well gouerned common wealths Sterility hath béene reputed so vile as the Aged was of no man honoured that had not children of his owne to do him reuerence Then by how much those things which nourish with increase are more necessary then those things which but simply please the eye by so much the maried is more worthy then the single life Sir quoth Ismarito it séemeth that you haue read a Leafe more then Saint Katherins Nun Defences of a single life for she simply tried all things and you subtilly vse but what serueth your owne turne you reproach a Single life with Barrennesse and commend the fertility of Mariage but had you showen the wéedes with the Corne bare pasture would haue returned as great a benefite as your haruest The Monsters Serpents and loathsome Creatures mentioned by Ouid in his Metamorphosis were they not I pray you the fruites of Mariage as wel as the blessings which you so affectedly reported Oedipus was glad to scratch out his eyes because he could not indure to beholde the vices of his Children The good Emperour Marcus Aurelius in his aged daies neuer rose that he sighed not neuer dined that he fretted not nor neuer went to bed that he wepte not to heare sée and consider the monstrous euils of his Children Admit the Maried haue vertuous Children they may dye when they are yong then the goodnes of their liues increaseth sorowes by their deathes and where the comfort is so doubtfull it is not amisse to refuse the hazard of the gréefe Vertuous fame is another life neither dyeth there any of Dianas band but that their vertues reuiueth them as the ashes of the Phenix turneth to another Phenix It is for some Phenix sake quoth Quéene Aurelia that you thus stoutly defend a Single life I doo but your commaundement quoth Ismarito I quoth she it is at my commaundement but yet for some others merite Aluisa vechio The impatiencie of women wil not be hid fearing that mariage would receiue some disgrace if that Quéene Aurelia fauoured the Defence of a Single life could not longer suppresse her affections but with a womans Impatiencie blamed the rigour of Diana who condemned Acteon to be deuoured of his owne Hounds who caused swéet Adonis to be staine by a wilde Boare with many other cruell partes vnséeming the naturall pittie of a woman but which might haue saned a great deale of Argument or at the least which will now soone end the Controuersie compare quoth she Iuno and Diana together and by their callings you may easily iudge who is the worthier Diana poore soule is
of words both gréeueth the reporter and giueth meane for a thousand sighes to break from the hearer where affected circumstances giue a grace to a pleasant tale Sorrowes causeth silence Sorow to heare their kinde thus stained with crueltie locked vp the tunges of the poore Gentlewomen a pretie while In the end quoth Aluisa Vechio We are bound to shew aswell the cause as to punish the euill a dame more olde and bolde then the rest me séemeth that Faliero hath but little fauored Elysa for he hath showen her euill and the scourge of her euill and in charitie he was bound to shew the cause of her euill I would quoth Doctor Mossenigo that Frier Bugiardo had heard this disputation Good moralitie is better then euill doctrine it might haue béen the breking down of the Altar whereupon he but lately committed blasphemy it would haue more reformed him thē his pleasing Sermon could haue confirmed vs. These aduantages the Doctor tooke to crosse the Gentlewomen his late open enemies There is no trusting of a reconciled enemie and but now his fained fréends not vnlike a sneaking dog that neuer barkes but bites withall And to spite them the more quoth he Monsier Bargetto since you are bound from speaking of loue you haue both cause and oportunitie to talk of womens hate Pardon me quoth Bargetto for this penance was but a due paine for my presumption The example of a naughty nature which I hope to ouercome with patient suffering and sure in this milde answere Bargetto shewed a morall vertue A necessary note and Doctor Mossenigo by his malicious question a canckred nature for simply to offend procéedeth of frailtie but to perseuer in euill is a note of wilfull frowardnesse Well notwithstanding Bargettos temperance a Cauiller caught hold vpon this question as a Mastiue vpon an old dry Marybone A Cauiller hath colours for euery question and to proue a womans hatred more greater then her loue he auouched many cruell authorities But Faliero who had done them some initirie in reporting the late history made them part of amends and put their aduersarie to silence in prouing the contrary his reason was that their hate in the extremest degrée stretched but to the death of an other and their loue many times hath done wilfull murder vpon them selues Then it followeth Womens loue is more great then their hate by how much we prise our selues aboue an other by so much their loue is greater then their hatred Yea quoth the Doctor but their loue and hatred are both violents Women do amis but men are the cause and euery violent is an euill Yea Master Doctor quoth Maria Belochy their euils are the greater for men for by their flattering inchauntments women loue immoderately and stung with mens vnsufferable iniuries they hate mortally The Doctor replyed Beauty ouercommeth the wisest there was more power in her looks then authority in her words but least he should be subdued by the one he would not contend with the other Why quoth Quéene Aurelia beauty works no more impression in a Doctors eye then doth poyson in Mineruas shéelde for he by Philosophy can subdue affection Madame quoth he you may well compare beauty and poyson together EVRIPIDES comparison between beauty and loue for their operations are alike saue that beauty is the more extreame in that she infects with her looks and poyson not vnlesse we taste it or when it is most strong not vnlesse we touch it yea Euripides compareth her inchauntment with the inticements of a kingdome whereas he saith IN these two things a Kingdome to obtaine Or else to worke the faire to their will So sweetly tastes the grace of either gaine As men ne dread their freends with foes to kill The reason is controlement shrinkes the place Whereas a King as soueraigne Iudge doth sit In loue because that reason lackes his grace For to restraine the selfe conceits of wit So that God knowes in danger stands his life That is a King or hath a fayre wife To deale in Princes affayres the company was too gréene but in beauties behalfe there was neither Gentleman nor Gentlewoman that was not desirous to bee reuenged of the Doctors detraction for he that hath a slaunderous tongue iniurieth many Slander is generally hated and is himselfe hated of all men but for that it was now too late to decide any other great question Quéene Aurelia adiourned the ending of any controuersie vntill the next day The Deuice of the second Nights Mask BY a secret foreknowledge of a Maske with which Soranso Bargetto Ismarito and others purposed to honor Segnior Philoxenus and his companie supper was hastened and soone ended and after the one had saluted the other with an accustomed reuerence while the rest of the Gentlemen entertained Time with dauncing or deuising with their mistresses the Maskers withdre with themselues about nine of the clock in this disguise presented themselues agayne A Consort of swéete Musicke sounded the knowledge of their comming the Musitians in Gyppons and Venetians A Gentleman is not to show his passions by his attire of Russet and Black Taffata bended with Murrey and thereon imbrodered this Posie Spero Timeo Taceo expressing thereby the sundry passions of Loue and before them two Torchbearers apparelled in Yellow Taffata Sarcenet the generall apparell of the Maskers was shorte Millaine Clokes Dublet and Hose of Grêene Satten bordered with Siluer Greene silke stockes White Scarpines Rapyers and Daggers Siluered Men in mary case are to be priuiledged for another merit Blacke Veluet Cappes and White Feathers They agréed to be thus attyred to shewe themselues frée in the eye of the world and couertly bound vnto their mistresses Ismarito for courtesie sake because he was a straunger and withal in that his Mistres was the most honourable had the leading of this Maske who lighted with a torch by his Page apparelled in Blew Carnation and White Taffata the colours of his Mistres Ventoy a Fan. entered with a Ventoy in his hand made like an Ashe tree wrethed about with Iuy expressing this poesie Te stante virebo with which vpon fit opportunitie he presented Quéene Aurelia his Mistresse within which were couertly hid these verses in English Italion TWo Soueraigne Dames Beauty and honestie Long mortal foes accorded are of late And now the one dwels in my Mistresse eye And in her heart the other keepes her state Where both to shew the vertue of this peace To garnish her make ryot of their Grace In her fayre eye Dame Beauty doth increase A thousand Gleames that doe become her face And with her heart thus doth the other deale She lowly seemes and mounts through chast disdayne So that her thrals doo serue with honest zeale Or fearing blame doe yeelde vnto their paine The heauenly soules enuies the earths renowne Such giftes diuine in humaine shape to see And Ioue stil moues a
violent saue that I holde Caesars to be the harder for that hee was murthered in the Armes of Prosperitie and Pompey at the féete of Disgrace but being both dead vnto their Monuments Writers adde this Opinion Caesar in his life was more fortunate then Pompey and Pompey more honest then Caesar A proofe that some disgrace is the ground of Good Reporte and some good Fortune the Trumpe of Infamie therfore let no man yéeld to Aduersitie nor affie too much in Pompe and paynted Prosperitie for the one is but vexation the other vanitie and both in short time vanish A sodaine alteration as me thought made me to contemplate of these causes for that comming out of my lodging somewhat timely I entred the great Chamber with as strange a regarde as he that commeth out of a House full of Torch and Taperlights into a darke and obscure corner knowing that at midnight about which time I forsooke my company I left the place attyred like a second Paradise the earthly Goddesses in brightnesse resembled Heauenly Creatures whose Beauties dasied mens eyes more then the Beames of the Sunne The swéete musicke recorded the Harmonie of Angels the strange and curious deuices in Maskers séemed as figures of diuine Misteries And to be shorte the place was a verie Sympathie of an imagined Paradise And in the space of one slumbering stéepe to be left like a desart wildernesse without any creature saue sundry Sauage Beastes portrayed in the Tapistrie hangings imprest such a heauy passion in my minde as for the time I fared as one whose sences had forgot howe to doe their bounden offices In the ende to recomfort my throbbing heart I tooke my Citterne and to a solemne Note sung this following Sonet which I a little before composed vpon a quiet thought I possessed after my reading of Boetius of the consolation of Philosophie translated into Italion by Cosimo Bartoli FArewel bright Golde thou glory of the world Fayre is thy showe but foule thou mak'st the soule Farewel proud minde in thousand Fancies twirld Thy pompe is like the stone that stil doth roule SISIPHVS ¶ Farewel sweete Loue thou wish of worldly ioy Thy wanton Cups are spiste with mortal sin Farewel dyre Hate thou doost thy selfe annoy Therefore my heart no place to harbour in ¶ Enuy farewel to al the world a foe Like DENNIS BVLL a torture to thy selfe Disdayne farewel though hie thy thoughts doe flow Death comes and throwes thy Sterne vpon a shelfe ¶ Flattery farewel thy Fortune doth not last Thy smoothest tales concludeth with thy shame Suspect farewel thy thoughts thy intrails wast And fear'st to wound the wight thou faine wouldst blame ¶ Slaunder farewel which pryest with LYNX his eyes And canst not see thy spottes when al are done Care Care farewel which like the Cockatrice Doost make the Graue that al men fayne would shun ¶ And farewel world since naught in thee I finde But vanitie my soule in Hell to drowne And welcome Philosophy who the minde Doest with content and heauenly knowledge crowne During the time that my thoughtes swounded with the charme of my passionate Musick The Sunne decked in his most gorgious Rayes gaue a bon Giorno to the whole troupe and so many as were within the sound of my instrument were drawen with no lesse vertue then the Stéele vnto the Adamant In so much of the sodaine to beholde thē statelines of the presence I was driuen foorth of my muse with a starkeling admyration not vnlike vnto him that sléeping ouer a dying brand is hastelie wakened with the lightening of a thousand sparckles The offices of Curtesie discharged on euery part Segnior Soranso saied the Poets fayned not without reason that Amphions Harp gaue sence vnto stone Walles For so deuine quoth he are the operations and vertues of Musick A commendation of Musick as he that shall be bound to declare her particular Graces shall be no lesse troubled then the painter Zeuxes was in the counterfetting of Cupid Who after much trauell was driuen to draw him blinde for otherwise he had vnder taken Sisiphus taske because the twinckling reflections of Cupids eyes A faining how Cupid came to be called blind threw a thousand Beauties vpon his face and shadowed the worke of the Painter Thus through ignorance Cupid hath euer since béen reputed blinde and for his owne perfection is honored with the title of the God of Loue. The name of Loue gaue a large occasion of discourse but for that another time was appointed for those disputations and the morning was wholly dedicated vnto the seruice of God the question drowned in Soransos suggestion and the whole company silent in such affaires attended Quéene Aurelias comming who in change of gorgious and rich apparrell kept her accustomed howre to goe vnto the Chappell By that time seruice was ended and euery mans deuotion done dinner was ready to bée set vpon the Tables with such choice of delicate Viands as vnto the bountie of the feast there might nothing be added After that Quéene Aurelia and the rest had taken their ordinary places euery one helped the disgestion of their meate either in inuenting some ciuill merriment or in hearing it reported by another Bargetto all this while was neither heard to speake nor séene to smile Which perceiued by Franceschina Sancta his Mistres she moued with the spirit of compassion studied how with iustice shée might reuoke her sentence and vnstring her seruants tongue and to that end she demanded how thrée good turnes might be vnrewarded thrée offences pardoned A question to trie a quicke wit thrée iniuries left vnreuenged and in euery of these Iustice preserued This question passed through the table and returned without his true resolution In the end quoth Segnior Philoxenus Monsier Bergetto what is your opinion Sir quoth Bergetto my mistresse hath locked the tongue that should pronounce it Why quoth Franceschina these be no questions of loue and therefore you haue libertie to speake No Lady quoth Bergetto but his vertue may appeare in the answere Well quoth his Mistresse if you can cleare your trespas by one of these questions I must doo no iniurie to Iustice and therefore say your pleasure Vpon this warrant quoth Bergetto to your first thrée I answere Three good turnes may be receiued vnrewarded A Captaine may betray his charge which is a benefit to the enemie but the betrayer is not to be receiued as a friend for hée that will fell his countryman may not bée held assured to a stranger Secondly a Théefe that peacheth his fellowes dooth good to the common wealth and yet deserueth no reward for he that may priuiledge his owne theft in bewraying other mens will euer more steale vpon presumption Thirdly to win a mans money is a good turne and yet the loser is not to bée recompenced for his intent was to win the winners To your second thrée questions Three offencesmay with Iustice be pardoned a man may
offend through ignorance which is excused without a pardon for ignorance is without intent of euil therefore to be suffered though not to be cherished a man may offend through necessitie which commendeth Iustice with the vertue to forgiue for necessitie is bound vnto no law and therefore deserueth not to be punished with the rigour of law To the third a man may offend through rashnes and make amends with repeutance which Iustice may pardon without preiudice to equity and herein faire Mistres I haue showen my trespas and the reparation of my trespasse To your third thrée questions Three iniuries may pas vnteuenged a man may hurt his friend against his will which is an iniurie yet ought not to be reuenged for reneng can but afflict the trespasser and the misfortune grieueth him before the husband a man may kisse the wife by mistaking which is an iniury not to be reuenged for the wife may wipe away the wrong with her hand and the husband by reuenge may make worke for the Chirurgion and to the last a man must be content to take good words of a beggerly debtor which is an iniury not to be reuenged for a man can haue of a Cat but her skin and of a begger but his scrip vnles he will sell the Apothecary the greace of the one and the dice maker the bones of the other The whole company gaue a verdict that Bergetto had expounded his Mistres doubts without blemish to Iustice and therefore were ernest suters for his remission Whome shée pardoned with this prouiso that hée should behaue himselfe honourably towards women hereafter For his libertie Bargetto reuerently kissed his Mistresses hand and thus all vnkindnesse pacified Quéene Aurelia mouing a little raisde the company from the Table who a pretty time after dinner had respyt to prepare their wits for the accustomed exercise The Clocke had no sooner sounded the disputation houre but Quéene Aurelia and her Ladies were ready in the drawing Chamber and vpon warning the chosen Gentlemen gaue their attendance who hauing taken their places the Eunuck knowing his charge vnto the Lute sung this Sonet TO thee I send thou fairest of the fayre The vowes and rites of an vnfained heart Who with my plaints doe pearce the subtill Ayre That Beautie thou maist heare and see my smart Who sues but that thy deputie on earth May take in gree my off'rings of good will And in account returne my Loue in worth With charge thy priests my bones to ashes burne And with the same thy aulters all to meale That I may make to serue eache louers turne The peace off'ring with Sacrifice of zeale This Sonet in Beauties behalfe put the whole companie in remembrance of Doctor Mossenigoes last nights lauish spéech of Beautie and the scandalous comparing of her to poyson or which is worse a more subtill infection and therefore to bée resolued of his wrong or her gyltines Quéene Aurelia appointed Monsier Bargétto to bée her Champion and to assist him for it was agréed that frée choice of Mariage should this day be disputed whose affection for the most procéedeth from the vertue of Beautie she lycensed euery one that fauoured her cause which done she willed the Doctor and his fauorers to spit their venym Maddame quoth the Doctor Olde men are bound by their grauitie to say no more then they will stand to it neither beséemeth the stayednes of my yeares nor agréeth with the grauitie of my profession in such an assembly to speake the thing I dare not auouch therefore since it cōmeth to this issue that I must hazard vpon a charge or shrinke away with shame though my enemies be many my cause is iust vpon which warrant I am feareles of my foes and resolute in mine opinion Bargetto likewise glad of this fauour protested before Quéene Aurelia and the whole company that in the faithfull execution of his charge the prodigall spoyle of his life should giue contempt to death The Doctor The dash of a Pen is more grieuous then the counterbuse of a lance that had giuen as many déepe wounds with his Pen as euer he had done with his lance shronke no more at these threats then an Oke at the Helue of an Axe but coldely willed him to vse his pleasure hée was ready to defend or to die in his opinion Whereupon Bargetto to strengthen himselfe the better made this remembrance of the yester dayes report It is quoth he already approoued Free choise in mariage defended if the married in forced mariages could as well finish with the Church as they can account with their consciences their ioy to be Maried was not so colde as their destre to bée deuorsed would bée whot therfore by this awke ward successe in forcement a frée choise in Mariage cannot choose but continue as I think as much loue betwéene the Maried as the other sowed debate Rashnes and constraint quoth the Doctor are both violents Reproofe c. Defence c. and euery violent is a vice then how can a vicious attempt haue a vertuous successe men doo euill quoth Bargetto that good may come of it and it is allowed And men doo good quoth the Doctor that euill may come of it and it is forbidden Reproofe c. for it is the intent both in good and euill that commendeth or condemneth and what good intent hath the foolish young man that by his rashnes in mariage robbeth his parents of their comfort and himselfe of his credit He satisfieth his fancy quoth Bargetto a special regarde in Mariage where there is a swéete accord betwéene the Maried the parents cannot but reioyce and the neighbours are bound to speake well and beautie in his wiues face wil féed his heart with a thousand delights so that he shall sustaine want with little griefe labour to get wealth with a great desire for where vnitie is small things growe to great Such may be the vnitie quoth the Doctor as smal griefes may growe to great sorrowes Reproofe c. when the winde is in the neck of a stooping Trée it falleth downe right and when the vnthriftines of the Husband agréeth with the euill huswiferie of the Wife Sorrow striueth to be in the maried mans bosome before the maried be in his wiues bead and what other expectation may there be either of the one or the other when he satisfieth his fancie before he considereth of the duties of Mariage and she in taking an husband that is ignorant in the affaires of husbandrie and in offices of Mariage It is the office of the maried to be aduised ere he loue Duties before Mariage and louing to be reposed in his choise It is the office of the maried to be prouide for an household before he take possessiō of his hearts delight and it is the office of the maried to examine the conditions of his mistresse before he enter into any couenant of mariage And how
ariuall by occasion whereof the company left their determination to furnish the great Chamber The wittie deuice of Segnior Philoxenus to giue certaine Comedians a Theame to present some pastime in action the fift night after Supper BY that time Supper was done certaine Commedians of Reuenna presented their seruice to Segnior Philoxenus and his honourable companie who are not tied to a written deuice as our English Players are but hauing certaine grounds or principles of their owne will Extempore make a pleasant showe of other mens fantasies so that to trie the quicknes of the Gentlemen and Gentlewomens wittes to giue the Comedians a theame Segnior Philoxenus demanded the meaning of certaine Questions Segnior Soranso quoth he what passion is that that tormenteth a man most and hath least power to ouercome To thinke of a Womans Inconstancie quoth Soranso 1. Incōstancy which grieueth euery man and cannot bée subdued by women themselues Madam Aurelia quoth Philoxenus What thing is that which most delighteth and most deceiueth a Woman A mans dissimulation quoth Quéene Aurelia Which hath such a swéete passage 2. Dissimulation through his Tongue as it delighteth like the Sirens Songs and yet turneth to as deceitefull a conclusion as the Crocadiles Teares This yet was but quid pro quo so that neither one part nor the other was displeased The modest laughter being ceased Segnior Philoxenus demaunded of Ismarito what was the cause of most Deuotion and yet the greatest replenisher of Hell Ignorance quoth Soranso which causeth men to worship Stones 3. Ignorance and dishonour God Madam Maria what is that quoth Seginor Philoxenus that of men is least estéemed and of God most regarded Chastitie quoth Maria Belochy which is precious before God 4. Chastitie and a laughing stock among men Doctor Mossenigo quoth Segnior Philoxenus among men who is the most cruell A Dycer quoth the Doctor for he teareth God inpéeces 5. A Dicer This answere was both true and moued newe laughter although it were propounded to discouer the nature of the Enuious 6. Enuie who murthereth the liuing and the fame of the dead Madam Lucia quoth Segnior Philoxenus wherein doth a man please a woman best and displease himselfe most The modest Gentlewoman began to blush with great difficultie resolued this Question In the end by the tongue of Aluisa Vechio quoth she in giuing of her 7. Will. her Wyll It is true quoth the Doctor for her delight is to gouern wherein her discretion giueth others cause to laugh and her husband to hang the lyp Segnior Dondolo quoth Segnior Philoxenus what is the greatest friend to men at liberty and the most enemie to such as are condemned Hope quoth Dondolo which incourageth men at libertie to attempt great matters 8. Hope and maketh such as are condemned vnprepared for death Madam Helena quoth Seignior Philoxenus what is that which woundeth the heart and yet is worshipped of the eye Beauty quoth Helena Dulce for it pleaseth a mans eye 9 Beauty and pearceth his heart Segnior Bargetto quoth Segnior Philoxenus What is that which oweth most and payeth least and of all euils is the worst Ingratitude quoth Bargetto For that Monster receiueth good turnes and payeth vengeance 10. Ingratitude Madame Franceschina qd Segnior Philoxenus What is that which in louing too much baneth with Hate Ielousie quoth Franceschina Sancta which by ouermuch louing raiseth Suspition Suspition moueth Contention 11. Ielousie and Contention turneth to mortall hatred Segnior Faliero I demaund quoth Philoxenus who he is that profiteth his friends but by death is a Steward for other men and maketh his account onely with God A Couetous man quoth Faliero who while he liueth is enemie vnto himselfe 12. Couetousnes and therefore vnlikely to be friend to others also is but a Steward of his goods he gathereth for he spareth for others and spendeth little or nothing vpon himselfe and at the iudgement day before GOD must make account of all his deceit Madame Katharina quoth Segnior Philoxenus what is that which is coldest clad in Friese and warmest tired in precious stones Pride quoth Katharina Trista which hath no grace but in brauerie Louely guests quoth Segnior Philoxenus you haue so liuely diuined my meaning in your sharpe answeres as I expect wonders of your dayly disputation Sir quoth Fabritio we hitherto haue but exposed and refelled errours If you haue done so much quoth Philoxenus you haue made a fayre passage for the glorie of Trueth Vertue is commended by vice which by the refelling of Error you shall finde for euery vertue is commended by his contrary A Diamond séemeth the fayrer for his foyle Black best fetteth forth White Good is most praysed in the reprehension of euill and Trueth in the highest degrée is renowmed by the refelling of errour and therfore follow your purpose the conclusion cannot but be profitable Here Segnior Philoxenus stopped his digression and commaunded the Comedians to bethinke themselues of some action that should liuely expresse the nature of Inconstancy Dissimulation Ignorance and the rest of the passions before named Which charge being giuen while the Actors were attyring themselues for the Stage Quéene Aurelia and her attendants tooke their places with such aduantage as euery Gentleman had liberty to deuise with his Mistresse After the Comedians had put themselues in order they patched a Comedie together and vnder the recited names shewed some matter of Morality but a great deal of mirth who with their pastime kept the company vp so long as drowsie sléepe which delighteth in nothing but silence arrested the greater parte of them and caried them close prisoners vnto their chambers MADONA AVRELIA Her sixt daies pleasures Containing many needefull regardes for a Gentleman with a discouery of the inconueniences of Mariages where there are great inequalitie of yeares THe chearefull Sun which comforteth euery earthly Creature as the Lanterne of broade day so enlightened euery Chamber of Segnior Philoxenus Pallace as the Gentlemen and Gentlewomen to be auenged of the iniurie of Night who being the mother of cōfusion had separated them from their companions of pleasure hastily rose attyred themselues like vnto Partridges that howsoeuer they are seuered know retire vnto their méeting places presented themselues in the great Chamber The offce of ciuill courtesie discharged such as were coupled entertained Time with the deuice of their especiall fancies others contemplated of their priuate affayres and Ismarito among the rest in a quiet place was reading in Peter Mesier his Cronicle of Memorable things The rare Historie of Tamberlaine the Great Tamberlaine the great in the beginning a Pesaunt surnamed Flagellum Dei where he much admired the vertues of the man who of alabouring Pesant or in the best degrée of a poore Souldier by his vertues and inuincible valour became a great Monarch Yea and while Tamberlaine liued was as much feared as Alexander But
owne will and of his owne Spirite so wrought to his owne affection that betwéene them there is séene two bodyes and but one thought perceiued The Maried ioy alike sorrow alike are of one substance one concord Loue to our Parēts reuerent one wealth one pouertie companions at one Boord and in one Bed The loue we beare vnto our Parents Loue to our brethren naturall is or ought to be reuerent and dutifull because they gaue vs life vnto our Brethren naturall because of the priuitie in blood to our friends affectionate by certaine motions and consents of the minde Notwithstanding Loue to our friends affectionated that these Loues be thus great yet are there diuers causes to lessen them But bet wéene the maried no mischance or infirme fortune is cause sufficient of hatred for none gouerned by reason Loue between the maried irrcuocable is so inhumane as to malice his own flesh Cōpare their seueral affections by sorrow and you shall sée the weakenes of the one in regarde of the strength of the other The greatest mone we make for the death of our Father Brether A good meane to trie the loue of the maried or Friend appeareth in sighes or most vehement in teares whereas if we our selues are but a little wounded we crie outright so that by how much we excéede in sorrowing our own mischances The ring a triall of the loue betweene the maried aboue another mans by the same reason so much we loue our selues more than another The King that is giuen by the husband put on the wiues finger ought to be of golde to witnes that as golde is the most precious of Mettals so the loue of the maried excéedeth all other loues To which effect Another figure of the ring Propertius sayth Omnis amor magnus sed aperto in coniuge maior Moreouer the close ioyning of the ring is a figure of true vnitie of the maried betwéene whom there should be no deuision in desire nor difference in behauiour Christ was borne of a maried woman To honour this holy iustitution of God God would haue his onely begotten sonne to be borne of a wife perfectly maried saue that she was not carnally soyled Licurgus the good King of the Lacedemonias Licurgus lawe for the vnmaried so reuerenced this sacred estate as he made a Law that what Lacedemonian soeuer were vnmaried after the age of thirty eight yeares should be chased and hissed out of all publique playes and assemblies as one vnworthy to be séene and that in the colde winter he should naked indure the reproches of the people and withall was bound to confesse how he iustly suffered that punishmēt as a Mispriser of Religion a contemner of Lawes and an enemie to nature The Romanes were not so seuere The Law of the Romanes for the vnmaried but yet the aged vnmaried were condemned according to their abilitie to pay vnto the Treasurer for publique vse a good summe of money Plato in his Lawes enacted that the vnmaried should execute Platoes lawes for the vnmaried no honourable Office Estate nor dignitie in the common wealth The good Emperour Alexander Scuerus although he maried rather to giue ende to his mother Mammeas importunities then as he thought to begin a more happy life yet fayre Memmia his wife so naturally accorded with his disposition as when she died he would often renew his sorrow and remember her vertues in these wordes Alecander Scuerus loue to Memmia his wife So great a Treasure as I haue lost a man seldome findeth Death were gentle if he tooke nothing but that which offendeth but oh he hath reaued the better part of my selfe How wonderfully was the loue of Paulina sage Senecaes wife who opened her Veines not onely Paulinaes rare loue to her Husband Seneea with an intent to accompany him to death but also with a desire to féele her husbands maner of death Quintus Curtius reciteth that King Darius with an vnapauled Spirite The precious loue of king Darius to his wife tooke his ouerthrowes by Alexander the Great the ruine of his kingdome the danger of his Royal person But hauing knowledge of his wiues death he wept bitterly shewing by this sorrow that he loued his Quéene farre aboue his Crowne King Admetus being fore sicke receiued this answere from the Oracle that if he liued his best friend must dye The deuine loue of king Admetus wife which when the good Quéene heard she presently slew her selfe and in the trembling passage of death censtantly said To giue King Admetus life his Queene and dearest friend doth dye Tiberius Graccus finding two Serpents in his chamber The exceeding loue of Tiberius Graccus towards his wife went to the Augurs to knowe what they diuined Who answered that he was bound to kill the one of these two Serpents if he slew the male he should die himselfe if he killed the female he should lose his wife who murtherer of himselfe slew the male and saued his wife and so by his rare loue raised a question whether his wife were more fortunate in hauing such a husband The wonderful loue of Queene Artimesia towards her husband Mausolus or vnhappie in loosing of him One of the seuen wonders of the world is an eternall testimonie of the loue which Quéene Artimesia bare to her husband Mausolus who for to engraue his dead Coarse erected a Sepulchre so royall and sumptuous as tooke away the glory of all Princely Toombes before her time and left no possibilitie for any in time to come to excell the same One of the seuen wonders of the woilde but holding this too base a mansion for his kingly heart she dried the same to pouder spicing her wine therwith she buried it in her owne bowels to crowne his fame with an euerlasting memorie for that that ruine of his Sepulchre was subiect to the iniurie of time with great rewards she encouraged Theopompus Theodectes Naucrites Isocrates foure of the most famous Orators of Greece to renowme his vertues Among whom Aul. Gel. in lib. de nocti aiti Theopompus as we reade receiued the triumph of victory in that learned skirmish I could reportè many other authorities of vnseparable Loue betwéene the Maryed the least of a hundred whereof would equall the friendships of Titus and Gisippus or of Damon and Pithias the two wonders of mens affections But for that I know the able wits here present can cloth my naked proofes of the excellencie of Mariage and of the diuine Loue betwéene the maried with many other sounde reasons I will giue place Madame that you and the rest of your Ingenious company may doo better seruice to the one and Iustice to the other desiring that that which is sayd may discharge my promise though not satisfie your expectation Sir quoth Quéene Aurelia if you giue vs good lawes to preserue Loue among the
maried as you haue with precious authorities set forth the excellencie of mariage and the diuine operations of her blessings with a ful performāce of your promise you shall binde vs all to be your Debters Madame quoth Philoxenus you set me to a very harde taske the Rose is Hostesse as well for the Butterflie as the Bée the Sunne shineth both vpon the good and bad yea Christ himselfe was aswell Master to a Théefe as to a true Disciple Euen so diuine Mariage cannot haue but some Deuilish Subiects whome Examples will not feare much lesse may Lawes kéepe in vnitie I graunt quoth Quéene Aurelia the euill are fearelesse of the Law vntill they bee scourged with the vengeance therof The Law is a scourge to the euil comfort to the good but the good embrace Lawes as their Directors in Vertue and defenders from danger for whose benefite I intreate you now with as large a power as I lately commaunded you that in this behalfe you will commit some counsailing Lawes to our attentiue memories Madame quoth Segnior Philoxenus to shew that your Vertues haue as great power to commaund me as your authoritie to enioyne me I will set downe my owne imaginations to preserue and multiply Loue peace wealth Ioye among the Maried leauing the same to be perfected by the hearers better iudgments Housholde Lawes to keepe the Maried in Loue Peace and Amitie Reported by Segnior Philoxenus THe satisfaction of fancie is the sowrce of ioy in Mariage But there be many meanes to damme vp the course of delight betwéene the Maried if the match be not made aswell by foresight as frée choice The Office of forsight is to preuent following mischāces Mariage consisteth as well in foresight as free choise and aduisedly to consider if present abilitie wil support an Housholde and according to their calling leaue a portion to their posteritie In this point the experience of the Parents is to be preferred before the rash imaginations of the sonne for the aged Married by proofe know that in time many accidents of mischance will hinder the indeuours of the best husbands The office of Foresight is like wise to considrr Equality in yeeres of the equalitie in yéeres least the one growing and the other declining in perfection after a while repent whē remedie comes too late the Rose full blowne séemeth faire for a time but withereth much sooner then the tender Bud. It is the office of foresight Equality in manners to consider of the equalitie of bringing vp least a diuersity in manners betwéene the maried make a deuision of desires for Spanielles and Curres hardly liue together without snarling And it is the office of foresight Consent in religion to sée that there be a consent in Religion betwéene the maried for if their loue be not grafted in their soules it is like their Mariage will be infirmed with the defects of the body The office of frée choise is the roote or foundation of Mariage Free choise in satisfaction of Fancie which consisteth onely in the satisfaction of fancy for where the fancie is not pleased all the perfections of the world cannot force loue and where the fancy delighteth many defects are perfected or tollerated among the maried When mariage is selemnized there are many things to be obserued on the parte both of the husband and the wife The Husband is to consider A mans house is a pettie common weale his house is a petty Commō wealth whereof himselfe is chéefe and his seruants Subiects therefore for the welfare both of himselfe and householde it is néedefull that he set downe such orders as God may be glorified himselfe profitably serued the good seruant wel rewarded The office of a Wife the euil chastened and the neighbour pleased And as it is the Husbands office to set downe these orders so it is the Wiues duetie to sée them executed The charge of the Husband The husbands care apportaineth to things abroad is to get abroad for the prouision of his householde and the Wife is bound to spare at home towards the maintenance of her Children The office of the Husband is to sée his ground tilled his Cattell cherished his fences sound his labourers work and their wages paide The dutie of the Wife is to sée her Garden wéeded The Wiues charge is huswifery within doore her Vines cut and in her Orchard her fruit trées pruned within doores her house well ordered her Maidens busied her Children instructed the fréend entertained and the Tables well furnished And in this Oeconomie many women haue so excelled as Socrates affirmeth that he learned of women more Morall Philosophie Morall Philosophie to be learned by women then naturall reason of Anaxagoras and Archelaus wherein Socrates testifieth no more then their worthy sexe deserueth for many women gouern their Families with such Prudence Temperance Pietie and other commendable vertues as may well instruct the wisest The Husband ought to beware Lasciuious talke to be shunned of the husband that in the presence of his wife he vseth no filthie lasciuious talke for besides the witnes of his owne indiscretion he maketh her a passage for many an vnhappie thought The Wife ought to be nice in occasion of suspition The wife ought to be nice in cause of suspition for her husband that sée'th open cause of mistrust cannot but feare that in secret he receiueth iniurie and ielowsie though she procéeds from excéeding loue yet is she the greatest enemie of the maried The Husband is bound to kéepe his wife in ciuill and comely apparell Comely apparell the Husband should giue his wife as well to make her séeme beautifull vnto himselfe as to preuent the reproche of the neighbour for this hath béen an ancient custo me among the Romaines and it is to be feared that if the Husband breake it to spare his Purse the Wife will repaire it though she gage her person The Wife that will please her Husband Cleane linnea commendable in a wife and make a great showe of a little though her Gowns he plaine in her linnen she must be curious and fine for otherwise were she attired all in Silke if her sléeues Partlet and other Linnen be coorse torne or sluttishly washed she shall neither be praised of strangers nor delight her Husband The Husband after householde iarres The Husband must beware of sullennes if the wife séeme to be sorie he ought not to be sullen for if she perceiue him of a froward nature it is like in other such squares she will be negligent to please him The Wife if she offend her Husband The wise must be amiable towards her husband by some ignorant trespasse she must please him with a louing countenance least if he finde her of a crooked condition he wil take delight to crosse her with continuall foule vsage The olde Husband A law for a yong womans old Husband is to