auengde Not make your eyes so blinde But rather if so be there is No nay but they must die Giue leaue at my request that they Their proper strength may trie Let them make choice vpon their death And scape your handie force Whereto they all agréed in one But no man tooke remoise It irckt them that the tyrants blood Shouldst rest so long vnshed There were appointed for the noueâ— That both the Ladies led Into an tuner lodging where When they arriued were The eldest sister like a Dame Vndaunted voyde of feare From off her waste did loose the scarâ—e That girt her loynes about And bid her yonger sister doe The like with courage stout Then to a rester of the house Their girdles both were tide The knots and all were fitly made To cause the silke to slide Who so had viewde those virgins then He would haue thought that they had not intended by and by Such break neck game to play Their faces were so fresh to fight Their eyes did neuer stare Their tungs pronounst their tales as though Their hartes had felt no care Their outward gesture shewde a ioy More rather than distresse When thus I say the knots were knit To do the feate the lesse Of both the Ladies tooke the elder Sister by the hand Requesting her that shée as then So much her friend would stand As first to let her die the death And play her part before To whom the elder answered thus As neuer heretofore I haue denyde thée Sister aughte In all my life So now Euen at my death I am content Vnto thy will to bow Thou shalt haue leaue to let me liue Till thou be dead and gone But that which gréeues me most of all And giues me cause of mone Is that I liue to see thy death before my losse of life The yonger Ladie thereupon Without a farther strife Conuaid her head into the scarfe The other standing there Gaue counsell so to place the knot Just vnderneath the eare As lightly she might loose her breath And rid her selfe of paine The yonger followed her aduise An easie death to gaine A wofull thing for me to write And loathsome eke to you Deare Ladies who to passe their time Shall hap my book to view To thinke that two such virgins borne And bred in Princely blisse Should be inforst in fine to make So hard a choyce as this But as the auncient Prouerbe goes Perforce obaies no law The crabbed carters whip will cause A stately steed to drawe The yonger sister thus hereft Of life the elder came And cut the girdle of the beame To hide her sisters shame As well as shée good Ladie might Then was her part to play Who putting on that other scarfe About her necke gan say Vnto Megesten noble Dame When thou shalt see me ded For honours sake vnto thy kinde Sée thou my carkasse led In place that is for maidens méete Let not my body lie Despoyld of robes to naked shew And view of euerie eye And with her saying downe shée slipte And by her bodies pease Though light it were did stop her pipes And so shée dyde with case The Lenuoy THose realmes right happy are where princes rainge That measure out by vertue all their deedes Abhorring with their vassals blood to staine Their sacred hands and gore their kingly weedes The subiects there with willing harts obay And Peeres be safe from fall and foule decay But out alas where awfull Tyrants hold In haughtie crucil hands the royall powre And mischiefe runnes by office vncontrolde There aye the great the lesser sort deuoure By daylie proote ech one may daily see That such as rulers are such subiects be Vnlesse the law forbid the lewde to sinne Vnlesse the Prince by rigor vices quell Disorders will by sufferance soone rush in Who striues not then in mischiefe to excell By nature man vnto the worst is bent If holesome statutes stay not his entent A hangrie wight is hardly harde from food The kindled straw is seldome when put out A Cyrant that hath tasted once of blood With much adoe forbeares the fillie rout So sweete is sinne as once from vertue fall And thou art lightly lost for good and all No looking backe no bending foote about No feare of fall for mauy a mischiefes past No ill reuockt no dreed of any doubt Till God by heapes powre downe his plagues at last As by this verse is planily set to view No matter tainde but auncient storie true Who would by might haue maintained Iuzios lust That â—ewe the childe before the fathers face Whaâ— King would wincke at matter so vniust Or fauour muffian in so foule a case The fact was vile and dreadfull vengeance dewe Vnto a Prince that such disorder knewe To bolster vice in others is a blame For such as may by power suppresse the deed But crowned kings incurre the greatest shame When they themselues on Subiects flesh do feede For Lions take no pleasure in the blood Of any beast vnlesse they bee withstood And when such states so fouly doe offend Not they alone doe bide the bitter scurge But subiects are for rulers vices shend Is when the Sea doth yeeld to great a surge The lesser brookes doe swell aboue their boundes And ouerflow like floods the lower grounds Lyacon lewde that fed on strangers blood Although himselfe were he that God forgate Yet causer was that loue with sodaine blood Drownde all the world saue 〈◊〉 and her mate Thus one ill yeere may worke ten thousands woe God hates yll kings and doth detest them so As heere we see this vgly Tyrants wife And giltlesse broode that neuer did offend Raunsomde the fathers faultes by losse of life And he him selfe was brought to wretched end Wherefore let Peeres and states vprightly stand Least they and theirs be toucht by Gods owne hande For he that guydes the golden globe aloft Bekoldes from hie and markes the deedes of man And hath reuenge for euery wicked thought Though he forbeare through mercy now and than He suffereth long but sharpely payes at last If we correct not our misdoings past He spares no more the Monarke than the Page No more the Reysars than the countrie Clownes He fauours not the auncieut for their age He cuts off Kings for all their costly Crownes No royall roabes no scepter no deuice Can raunsome those that fauour fylthy vice The Argument to the ninth Hystâ—rie SYâ—â—ona lilet of Pasquine passing well And he did frie as fast with egal slame In sorte as on a time these louers fell To make a match of purpose for the same With one coâ—â—ent where time and place was set This louing couple in a garden met There 〈◊〉 to other vttered their deuise To salue the fores that fancy fixt in brest They kist they â—olâ—d thus neither part was nice To take the time of both vvas compted best Amid their glee vvas Pasquines hap to spie A bed of sage that there vvas grovving by
had beheld She watred straight her eyes And out alasse to Stramba and Lagina lowde she cries The louers left the déep discourse And to the place they runne Where as so late this chaunce befell And deadly déed was done Ariuing there and sinding dead The weauer in the grasse And more than this perceiuing how His body swollen was And séeing all his face bespaugde With spots as black as cole And that in all the body was Not any member whele Then Stramba cried out aloude Oh vile vnthriftie wench what hast thou done why hast thou giuen Thy friend a poysoned drench What meanst thou by this déed of thine Which words were spoke so hie That all the neighbours heard the same That were the dwellers by And in they pressed all in hast Into the garden where The showte was made and being come They found the body there Both void of life and fouly swolue An valy sight to sée And finding Stramba shedding teares And blaming her to be The only cause of Pasquines death The wench vnable eke For verie griefe of heart a worde In her defence to speake Though shée in déed were not the cause Yet they that came to view Did apprehend the girle and thought That Strambas wordes were true When thus the wench arested was Shée wrong and wept a pace And so from thence was brought before The common Iudge his face Vnto the pallace where hée dwelt The maidens accusers were Excéeding earnest in the case Both Stramba that was there With Pasquine as his faithfull friend And other moe beside That came into the garden when The faithfull virgin cride And hereupon the Iustice fell To question of the fact Debating with the witnesses Who hauing throughlie rackt The matter and not finding her As giltte of the déede Nor any proofe of malice that Might from the maide procéede As touching murther of the man Hée thought it good to stay His iudgement and himselfe to goe Where dead the carkasse lay To view the partie and the place To beace the matter out For all the other euidence Might not remoue the doubt Within his head the Iudge conceivde In this so strange a case The men that knew the garden brought The Iustice to the place Where Pasquines carkasse puffed lay And strouting in such wise As made the Iudge himselfe am azde Hée could not well deuise How such a mischiefe might bée done Which made him aske the maide Symona how the murther hapt To whom the virgin said Renowmed Iustice after talke Betwixt this man and me Hée stept aside vnto the bed Of Sage that here you sée And with a leafe thereof he rubd His gummes as I do nowe And therewithall shée tooke a leafe To shew the Iustice how Her friend had done and this quoth she He did and died than Whereat this Stramba and the rest That records were began To scorne and laugh in presence of The Iudge and earnestly Made sute that fire might bée fet Wherein the wench to trie To féele the penance of her fact Which like a wicked wretch She had deuisde shée earned death That would her friend dispatch The virgin wofull for the death Of him that latelie died And fearefull at the earnest sute Which Stramba made beside Thus hauing rubd her tender iawes With Sage before them all Without suspect of such mishap Bereft of life did fall Vnto the ground where Pasquine lay And in like sort did swell From louely lookes to loathsome limmes A monstrous chaunce to tell And thus to shew the meane how earst Her louer lost his breath This sillie giltlesse wench her selfe Euen there did die the death O happy soules whose hap it was In one ielfe day to laue So faithfully and in selfe day The pangs of death to proue And happter had you both ybin If you had had the grace Some other where to spent the time And not within that place But farre more blessed are yée nowe If in this death of yours You loue ech other as in life Your likings did endure But thou Symona happiest art For ending so thy dayes If we that liue may iudge aright And yeeld the dead their praise VVhose innocent and giltlesse ghost Dame Fortune did denie By Strambas false surmised proofs VVithout iust cause to die I count thée treble blest of God For Fortune found I say A meane for thée by selfe same death That rid thy friende away To set thee frée from misreports And slaunder that did growe And gaue thée leaue by losse of life Vnto thy loue to goe The Iudge that saw this sodain chance And all others eke That present were amazed stood And wist not what to speake Or to comecture in the cace The wisest tongues were domme At last the Iudge as soone as hée Was to his senses comme Thus said by this it doth appeare The Sage that here you sée Infected is and venim strong Though Sage by nature be A very soneraigne holesome hearbe The proofe hath made it plaine But for because we will be sure It shall not hurt againe Do delue it vp and burne it here It may offend no more The Gardner therewithall was come Who digd it vp before The Iudge and all the standers by He had not parde the ground Farre in but that the cause of both Those louers banes he founde For vnderneath this bed of Sage The fellow that did dig Turnd vp a toade a loathsome sight A worme excéeding big The toade was of a monstrous growth Then euery man could tell And iudge the cause of that mishap Which both those friends befell Then could they say the venomd worme Had bealchd his poyson out And so infected both the roote And all the bed about Where grewe the Sage that bred their deaths Then sawe they playne the cause And reason why the weauer dyde By rubbing of his lawes They made no more adoe but forst The gardner by and by To make a fyre to burne the Sage And eke the Toade to frie That was the cause of double spoyle The Iudge had nought to say When this was done but parted home The people went their way Straight Stramba and his other mates That gaue in euidence Against Symona brought a Beare And bare the bodies thence So vgly swollen as they lay Vnto Saint Paules and there Within one Tombe did burie both For of that Church they were Lenuoy AS noble mindes to loue are kindly bent And haughty harts to fancie homage yeelde As upâ—â— makes the stoutest states relent And martiall men that daunt the foe in fielde So meanest mates are masht within the net That wily loue to trappe his trayne hath set What Prince so prowde what King for al his crown What sage so sadde or solemne in his sawes What wight sowise but Cupid brings him downe And makes him stoupe to nature and her lawes Both poore and rich doe loue by course of kinde The proofe whereof in all degrees we finde That Hector sterne that stroue to mayntayne Troy And
mishappes to flie I yéelde my brayne too barraint farre my verses all too vyle My pen too playne with metre méte to furnith Lucans style Whose déepe deuise whose filed phrase and Poets péerelesse pen Would cloye the cunningst head in court and tyre the Iustiest men But yet sith none of greater skill and ryper witte would write Of Caesar and Pompeius warres a woorke of rare delight I thought it good as well to passe the idle time away As to the worlde to set to vewe howe discorde bréedes decay To turne this princely Poets verse that simple men might sée Of Ciuill broyles and breach at home how great the mischeiues bée But sith it standes not with your wills who lady Muses are That one so dull as I should deale in case concerning warre I am content to plie vnto your pleasures out of hande It bootes me not against the will of heauenly states to stande Yet being that my present plight is stufte with all anoye And late mishaps haue me bereft my rimes of roisting ioye Syth churlish fortune clouded hath my glée with mantell blacke Of foule mischaunce wherby my barke was like to bide the wracke Good ladie giue me leaue to write some heauy sounding verse That by the vewe thereof my harmes the readers heart may perse With that the Goddesse gaue a becke and yeelded my request And vanisht streight without offence and licenste me to reste Then I to reading Boccas fell and sundrie other moe Italian Authours where I found great stoare of states in woe And sundrie sortes of wretched wights some slayne by cruell foes And other some that through desire and Loue their lyues did lose Some Tyrant thirsting after bloud themselues were fowly slayne And some did sterue in endlesse woes and pynde with bitter payne Which gaue me matter fitte to write and herevpon it grewe That I this Tragicall deuise haue sette to open viewe Accept my paynes allow me thankes if I deserue the same If not yet lette not meaning well be payde with checke and blame For I am he that buylde the bowre I hewe the hardened stone And thou art owner of the house the paine is mine alone I burne the bée I holde the hyue the Sommer toyle is myue And all bicause when winter commes the honie may be thine I frame the foyle I grane the golde I fashion vp the ring And thou the iewell shalt enioye which I to shape doe bring Adieu good Reader gaze thy fill if aught thine eyes delight For thee I tooke the woorke in hande this booke is thine of right The argument to the first Historie THrough wilful loue and liking ouermuch Nastagios state did melt and without returne Of like good will Euphymiuâ— minâ—e was â—uel She felt no flame when he gâ—od man did buâ—â—â— But made hiâ— griefe her glâ—◠〈◊〉 bitter â—marre Might nothing rize or pierce her marble harte By friendes aduise at last he parted thence Though greatly greeâ—â—ed remouing racke him sore To quit the cause of al his fond expence And purchase case which he had lost before A death no doubâ— it was to put away And yet no life with her in place to stay Beholde the happ as he ful pensiue stoode Amyd a groue adioyning to his tent Recounting former toyes athwart the wood With cruell curres an armed knight there went That had in chace a frotion fresh of hewe Whom he by force of sword and mastiues â—lewe And after death this lady liude againe Vp start away she ran before the Knight For thus the Goddes alotted had her paine Bycause she slewe by scorne that â—â—uing wight In death he was her plague whâ— me â—â—e in life Enforst to slay himselfe with mutthering knife Nastagio pondering in his restlesse thought As wel the requely as the cause of all Seing that skorne the ladies penance wrought For dealing earst so hardely with hir thrall Bethought him howe to make a my â—rour right Both of the mayde and eke the cursed knight His plat was thus he byd in friendly sort Vnto his tente to feast and banket there His auncient loue that made his payne hir sporte Whose mother came and diuers friendes I feare Amyds the feast the knight pursude the mayde And slevve hiâ— there as I before haue sayde Which sight amazde the route but most of all That virgin coye so carelesse of the man Be gonne to quake it toucht her to the gall And therevpon hir liking first began For after that she woxe hâ—s wife at last Dreading the gods reuenge for rigour past IN Italie there is a Citie hight Rauenna by report as braue a place As may be found both fresh fair to sight Wherein of yore there was a noble race Of gallant wights great choise of men of fame But one in chief Nastagio by name The father of this forward ympe did dye Forespent with yéeres and load with siluer locks VVhose laud and fee descended orderly Vnto the Sonne with store of other stocks Few fathers of this aged mans degrée In so good case did leaue their sonnes as hée This might suffice to make Nastagio rich But where wealth is there lightlie followes more For hée an vncle had who gaue as mych At time of death as father left before The wealth of thefe two rych renowmed wights Iu little space vpon Nastagio lights Not one in all Rauenna might compare With him for wealth or matcht him for his muck He liude at full not tasting any care But tooke his time and vsde his golden luck Not wanting ought that fitted for his state By meane of flowing wealth full warme he sate This youth his wanton prime without a wife Retchlesse consumde and liude in single sort Estéeming that to be the blessed life Because he found it stuft with glée and sporte As yonkers that at randon vse to range Refuse to wed because they loue to change Vntill at length his roauing eies hée kest Vpon a wench and tooke so perfect view Of Graces that did harbour in her brest As streight to liking of this maid he greâ—â— His fansie fed vpon hir featurde lookes In sort as none saue her this gallant brâ—kes Who doublesse was a neate and noble Dame Trauersar cleaped was her worthir Sire And she herselfe Euphymia cald by name As fresh of hewe as men might well desire With her I say Nastagio fell in loue Whose setled choyse no reason might remoue Her christall eyes had lurcht his yéelding heart And razde his bending hreast by often glaunce Her glittering locks so queyntly coucht by art Had brought this youth to such a louing traunce As all his care was how to compasse grace From her whom he so derely did imbrace Then as it is the trade of Cupids â—â—nghts He fell to feast where lackt no daintie fare To come be forraine cates that breede delights For no expence this courtly wight would spare Hée vsde the tilt on Ienate trapt with gold To please his Donnas eyes with courage bold For if
saue her life to thée I sweare That neither with her friends nor with thy parents shée No not with thée her spouse she coulde in greater suretie be As touching honest life than with my mother deare Assure thy selfe shée neuer was abusde nor tempted héere This processe being tolde Gentile turnde him rounde Vnto the Ladie dame quoth he you know I had you bounde By faith and lawfull oath I quit you héere of all And set you frée aboorde againe and goe againe you shall To Nicoluccio and with that both wife and brat To Nicoluccios handes he gaue and downe Gentile sate The husbande did receiue his wife with willing hande And eke the babe and how much more he in dispayre did slande Of hauing her againe whom hee accounted dead The greater was his ioy and mirth when he so happily sped In recompence whereof he yeelded to the Knight Gentile for his great good turne the greatest thankes he might And all the rest beside that were to pitie moude Gentiles nature did commend hée dearely was beloude Of all that heard the case and feasted there that day Thus will I leaue the matron and her sonne at home to stay These matters ended thus ech guest his horse did take And parted from Gentiles house that did the banket make Home rode the man and wife vnto their grange with spéede The cheare which was at her returne and welcome did excéede The people maruailde much that shée who buried was Cuuld liue againe and euer as shée through the stréetes should passe In Bolyne men did gaze and greatly view the dame And from that day Gentile still a faithfull friend became To Nicoluccio and the parents of his wife VVhom hee by vertue of his loue had raisde from death to life Lenuoy VNbrideled yonth is prickt to pleasure aye And led by lust to tollow fanâ—â—es fyts Vnsaufull heads runne retchlesse on their way Like wylfull coltes that broken haue their bats Not lookyng backe till foultring foote doe faile And all consumde that was for their auaile Vnhappy they by scathe that purchase skyll And learne too late how youth dyd lead awrie Vnluckie men for wit that follow wyll And foule delights in golden prime apply More wisedome were ech one to wed a wife Than marryed daines to lure to lewder life For though that nature let vs runne at large And all things made by kynde to common vse Yet man must lende an eare to ciuill charge That points a baine for euery foule abuse And bids beware pollute no marriage bed Without offence let single life be leed As honest loue by custome is allowde Both law and reason yeelding to the same In single wyghts so parties being vowde To marryage yoke assaulted are with shame Both God and man such sluttysh sutes detest The lawfull loue is euer couâ—ted best Which makes me blame Gentiles rash assault On Carilina fayre from former vowe Whom he pursude to tharge with heauie fault And sought to linne to make this matron bowe Yet grace at last preuailde in both so well As shee stayd chaste and he to vertue fell His foule dessre his lewde and lustfull mynde Was cause of lyfe and wrought a double pleasure This bâ—ried danâ—e in pit to death had pynde Had he not lâ—ude and like her out of measure Thus â—â—l sometime is cause of good successe And vvicked meanings turne to happines Had some rash yinpe beene in Gentiles case So farre inflamde wyth Beaurie of a danie And after that had had so fyt a place To worke his will and done a deed of shame I doubt inee much hee would haue reapt the frule By leaue of force of all hys paynefull sute Here all were blest the mother well reuiude The infant borne the matron full of ruth Thrice happy he for bring so truly winde Gentile worthie praise for ioyall truth All louers may hereby example take And learne of him blind fansies to forsake The argument to the fourth Historie TWo Knightes did linke in League of great goodwill At length the one corrupts the others wife And traitourlike procurde her vnto ill Which vile abuse bred deadlie hate and strife And was the cause this leacher lost his life For why the Knight to whome this wrong was wrought This tratour slue when he full little thought The murther done he gaue his Cooke the hearte Of him that had conspirde this filthie feate And made him dresse it curiouslie by arte And gaue his wife the same at night to eate VVho fed thereof and thought it passing meate But when she knew the heart the hap and all She loathde to liue and slue her selfe by fall Quid non cogit amor VVHilome in Prouance were as they that knew the same Doe make report two Courtly knightes both men of worthie fame Ech knight his Castle had well furnisht euery way With store of seruants at a becke their pleasures to obey The tone Rossilion calde a bold vndaunted knight The second egall to the first sir Guardastano hight VVho being men at armes and passing well approude For valiant courage in the fielde like faithfull brothers loude They dayly vsde to ride to Turneies both yfeare To tilt to iust and other feates perfourmde with sworde and speare Their garments eke agréee and were of egall sise To shew the concorde of their mindes vnto the lookers eys And thus though either knight his seuerall maner held And either ten myles at the least from others Castle dwelde Yet hapneth it at last that Guardastano fell In liking wyth Rossylions wife and loude her verie well A dame of beautie braue renowmed very much Whose featurde face and goodly grace the knight so neere did touch As hee reiected quight the faith he should haue borne Her husband and his trustie friend that was his brother sworne Hée vsde his gestures so vnto this gallant dame At sundrie times that she at length his friend in loue became And liked well the knight and so began to place Her fansie as shée nought so much did tender or imbrace As Guardastanos loue Shee euer lookt when he Would frame his humble sute and craue her secrete friende to be Which fortunde in a while for he bewraide his case And she lesse wise than wanton streight did yéeld the Louer grace There neaded flender force so weake a fort to winne For she as willing was to yeelde as he to enter in And thus for twice or thrice the lustie louers delte In Venus sport whose frying hartes with Cupids coles did melte But in this loue of theirs they did not vse so well The matter but the husband did the smoke by fortune smell Of that their silthy flame who highly did disdaine That such outrage and soule abuse his honour should distaine Whereby his former loue to mortall hate did growe And then he purposde with himselfe to slay his deadly foe That fowlie so abusde a Knight that gaue him trust Meane while came tidings that in France the Lystes were made The Trump
Nastagio faire But seeing how in seas of sorow and distresse Thy body bathde for loue of me I could not doe no lesse But seeke to salue thy harmes by pitying thine anoy VVho to possesse my liked limmes bereft thy selfe if ioy I saw howe for my sake thou wasted hadst thy welth And planting battrie to my fort wert retchlesse of thy health Deuising how to raze the bulwarke of my brest And scale the walles of my good will whom thou didst fancie best I plainly did perceiue as Louers soone will see Howe thou forsookest thy natiue soyle and all for loue of me Quite carelesse of thy coyne thy friendes and yeerely rents Not forcing stately builded bowres nor gallant garish rentes Which when I flatly found from fansie to procéede Although thou thoughtst me ouerproud I pitied thée in déede Yea Ioue shall be my iudge when thou beganste to sewe And in Rauenna wert inragde and first to liking grewe Thy courtly grace was such so comly was thy corse And all thy partes so pleasde mine eyes as I had had remorse And bended to thy bowe saue that I dreaded guiles My fearefull youth hid me beware of mens mistrustfull wiles Who faine to frie in loue and melt with fansies flames When their deuise is only how by craft◠to compasse dames I reade in auncient bookes how Iason playde the Iew And to the Queene that savde his life in fine was found vntrue Not forcing her a figge who for his sake forwent Both aged syre and tender babes and crowne by due descent Againe I calde to minde how false Aeneas fled And left the curteous Carthage dame fast sléeping in her bed Whose bountie earst had bounde by det and due desart VVhen weatherbeaten he arrvide this trayterous Troyans hart Then Theseus came to thought and pranking Paris eake VVho like vnfaithfull fickle men their sworne vowes did breake Fayre Oenons wofull writ can witnesse of the tone Thother from Ariadna fled and left her post alone VVith sundrie suters mo who being bound to loue Saunce quarell good or matter why their likings did remoue Renouncing to their shames those Ladies who did rewe Their base estates and did relieue the men they neuer knewe These partes procurde my pawse And wilde me to beware Least I by giuing rash consent to loue were trapt in snare My loue was like to thine I fryde with egall fire But nature helpes vs to conceale the sparkes of our desire Kinde aydes vs to conuey our fittes in finer wise For honours sake than men who shew their fancies by their eyes VVhich if we Ladies did Defame would ring her bell And blaze out armes in colours base although we meant but well You men like Marchants are that set their wares to showe VVhereby to lure the lookers eyes that by your wyndowes goe And sundrie times in steade of right and costly clothes You vtter trash and trifling stuffe which euery chapman lothes But we like Goldsmithes deale that forge their plate within VVhose hammers plie the Anuil aye and yet no working seen No smoke nor smoother flies for any to beholde Vntill the rude vnperfite masse be brouhht to burnisht golde We worke but all within our hammers are not heard We hotly loue but kéepe it close for feare our match be marde For who esteemes the mayde or holdes the virgin pure That standes a stale for euerie guest and stoupes to euerie lure Yea be she maide or wife if once her lookes be light And that in sundrie suters tales she place her deepe delight Downe is her cre dite cut with hatchet of mishap Her hooour hewde in peeces straight by meane of open lap O Goddes what griefe were this vnto a noble minde How would it vexe an honest Nymph whose credite clearely shynde For offer of goood will with meaning not amisse To beate the badge of Helen or of Creside for a kisse Then ought not we I pray that noble maydens are So guide our tender steppes of state as vertue may prefarre And place vs in the ranke that is for Ladies dewe Should we lende light beliefe to loue or euery futer rewe So might we reape the crop of care and foule defame VVhere earst we neuer meant to sowe the sinfull séedes of shaine I write not this of all that louing suters bee Or in such sort as though I thought the like deceit in thée As earst in Iason was or in the wandring Prince And sundrie other Lordings mo that haue bene louers since One Swallow is no signe that Sommer time is come No more must all Cupidos knightes be cast because of some Birdes are not plumde alike yet all birdes in kinde So men are men but yet in some more fickle partes we finde I counte thée no such one as lightly will remoue Thy lingring sute my long delayes confirme thy faith in loue VVhom sith I finde so firme and stedfast in desire As neither lowring lookes nor lacke can make thee once retyre Or folter in thy fayth which thou hast vowde to me Proceede in loue but hast thée home that I thy face may sée Plucke vp thy manly minde and sprites forspent with woe Drie vp the deaw that from thine eyes and drearie chéekes do flow Doe barbe that boysterous beard that ouergrowes thy face Either cut or kembe thy feltred lockes to mende thy manly grace Put on thy golden gyte and former fresh aray Bestride thine auncient stately stéede and quickly come away Backe to Rauenna ride euen there to purchase ioy Where thou ere this the more my blame hast liude in great anoy Forgo thy solemne walkes bandon Classie wood Leaue off to leade thy life in lawndes imbrace thy townish good Thou art no vowed Monke in Cloyster close to dwell No Aucker thou enioynde with Beads to hyde in simple Cell But thou a comelie knight in field a Martial man And eke in time of peace a wight that rule Rauenna can Whefore as I enforst thy bale and causelesse care And was the onely the that made thée mourne and languish thare So good Nastagio nowe let me reuoke thée thence That hande that did the harme ere this nowe vse in thy defence I shot I must confesse the dart that gaue the dynt For which lo here the blesseful balme thy deadly griefes to stint Surceasse thy wofull plaintes discharge thy darke dispaire The golden beames of my remorse shall cleare thy cloudy ayre VVhen angry faowning foes encounter in the fildes VVith murdering mindes the stronger slaies when once the weaker yéeldes Vp goes the wrathfull sworde into his sheath againe The yéelding of the tone doth cause that neuer a man is slaine If weakest thus may winne by stouping to the strong In combate fell for life and death thou doest mee double wrong That hold in virgins hand thy bale and eke thy blisse And am thy Quéene and only ioy and frankly offer this If thou my kindnesse scorne and rather makste the choyce To spill thy gallaunt prime in plants than
should gee But whē this youth had once atchiude the state He scornde the Queene al her friends forgate Puft vp with princely pride he wore the crown And lawlesse liude so neare his brothers trade As needefull was to seeke to put him downe And thereupon the Queene this practise made She hirde for coyne a noble man at armes To slay her sonne to salue her countries harmes This warlike Captaine came from Libie lande Who tooke by force this tyrant coward king And gaue him vp into his mothers hande A Noble dame that compast twice to bring Her realme to reste and rigour to subdewe Lo here the summe the processe doth ensewe VVIthin Cyrene earst there dwelling was a Dame Namde Aretafila of birthe and noble bloud she came Elator was her Syre a man of great renowme Sir Faedimus her husband hight the chiefe in all the towne For noble minde and wealth this Ladie was so well With bewtie dighte as she the reste not onely did excell For feature of her face that was full fayre to looke But eke for graue Mineruas giftes and cunning in her booke Her sacred giftes were great her wisdome was as rare As was her face for fewe with her in learning might compare What time this Ladie liude a tyrant fierce and fell Nicocrates possest the lande where did this matron dwell Who many of the men that in the Citie were Did do to fowle and shamefull death he kept them all in seare In colour of the dead who cause he did not trust The bearers with his naked sworde the bodies vsde to thrust Through coffin where they lay to make the matter sure This great outrage of his the Queine no longer coulde endure But verie much mislikte these Tyrants trickes and had Compassion of her natiue soyle and woulde béen very glad With hazard of her life to rid this monster quight For hatred which shée hare to him that murthred so the knight Whom shée full dearely loude and albeit the king Made very great account of her yet did shée minde the thing Which shée concerude before and purposde in her breast And till shee had atchieude the same could neuer liue at rest And though the Prince his power this dayly greater grewe Had bred the Subiects to dispayre their fréedome to reuewe Or euer safe to liue within their natiue land VVhere such a cruell king did holde the scepter in his hand Yet did this noble dame conceiue a greater trust To finde a time to worke her feate which eyther doe shée must And so at fréedome set her countrie men againe And venge her louing husbands death or let them all be slaine As hée good knight had béene To pricke her on the more Shée cald to minde the practise of a Theban dame before That wise Faeraea hight for doing of the which The valiant women wan renowme and was commended much VVhom shée had great desire to follow in this déede But when shée saw for lack of aide and helping hands at ueed VVhich the the Theban had shée could not doe the léeke Shée meant to doe it with a thing that was not farre to séeke Deuising by a driuke to rid the Tyrants life Who siue her busband by deceite and forst her to his wife A poyson she preparde whereby as I shall tell In present perill of her life this ventrous Ladie fell For still her purpose failde and being in the end Discouered and the matter found which shée did then pretende Dissembling could not serue to salue the sore againe For what good heart she bare the king did then appeare too plaine The Tyrants mother eke that Madame Caluia hight Not louing Aretafila a dame of great despight Full fit to bréede a babe of such a blooddie minde For children commonly are like vnto the mothers kinde Perswaded that to death this Ladie should be done As one that did pretend the spoyle and slaughter of her sonne But what the great good will to her the Prince did beare And answere bold that shée had made with vsage voyde of feare Before the mother Quéene who there in open place Accusde her of her murther ment there standing face to face Did quit her from the death But when the proofe was such And euidence so plaine appearde so that shée mought not much Excuse her of the fact but that the poysoned cup Was made by her and meant vnto the king to drinke it vp There Aretafila before the Iudges face In presence of the Prince her spouse did thus declare the case My Soueraigne Lord and Loue I cannot doe no lesse But that this cup I did procure before thée now confesse My selfe the syrrope made and meant to giue it thee But this I will protest againe not knowing it to be A venim rancke and vile but verily did thinke By cunning to deuise this cup and make a craftie drinke To cause a man to loue for knowe you this that I Am spited at of sundrie that my marriage doe enuie It gréeues a number that you beare me such good will It is a gall to some to see that I shoulde haue my fill Of treasure and attyre and be a Prince his wife And they themselues to liue vnknowne and lead a priuate life I knowe they cannot well my haphy state endure But that they will at length deuise your friendship to allure And cause you cast me off which was the cause that I Did brewe this drinke to kéepe good wil. I thought it good to trye By art to stay a friend whom I by fortune wonnes And if so be I did offend you cannot deeme it donne For malice but good will for hatred but for zeale VVhy should I then condemned be that neuer meant to deale But as a louing wife And if your pleasure be I shall bée punisht for my fault yet doeaccount of me Not as a witch that woulde bereaue you of your life But one that by enchauntment thought to make your Loue your wife And match her in good will that doth extréemely loue And who to be belovde alike dyd meane this sleight to proue VVhen thus the Matron had with manly mouth and grace Ypleaded for her selfe the Prince to whom pertaind the case VVell liking this excuse woulde not in any wise That shée who was his wife shoulde die but this he did deuise That there shée should be rackt till time shée would confesse The truth and what shée meant thereby in open place expresse When torment readie was and rack there set in place Then cankred Caluia plaide her part and laid her on a pace Vntill shée wearie woxe shée longed for her blood Which made her earnest in the case and plague the Quéene a good But Aretafila as one that forced nought Of all the paines shée had indurde discouered not her thought She nothing would confesse but kept it in her minde And hereupon deliuerde was Nicocrates could finde No due desart of death Then grew within his breast A great remorse for rigour showne