Brother poore man alas what should hee doe Life was swéet but to be redéemed with his sisters Infamie could not but be alwayes vnsauerie To perswade her to consent was vnnaturall to yéelde to death was more grieuous To choose the least of these euils A hard choice of two euils was difficult to studie long was dangerous Fayne would he liue but shame closed his mouth when he attempted to perswade his Sister But Necessitie that mastreth both shame feare brake a passage for his imprisoned intent Swéete Cassandra quoth he that men loue is vsual but to subdue affection is impossible and so thorny are the motions of incontinent desire The force of necessitie as to finde ease the tongue is only occupied to perswade The purse is euer open to entice and where neither words nor Giftes can corrupt with the mighty force shall constraine The force of Loue. or dispight auenge That Promos doe loue is but iust thy beauty commaunds him That Promos be refused is more iust because consent is thy Shame Thou mayst refuse and liue but hée being reiected I die For wanting his will in thée he will wreake his téene on me This is my hard estate My life lyeth in thy Infamie and thy honour in my death Which of these euilles be least I leaue for thée to iudge The wofull Cassandra answered A hard fortune that death was the least whose darte we cannot shunne when Honour in deaths despight outliueth time It is true quoth Andrugio but thy trespasse will be in the least degrée of blame Death is to bee preferred before dishonourable life For in forced faultes Iustice sayth there is no intent of euill Oh Andrugio quoth she intent is now adayes little considered thou art not condemned by the intent but by the strickt word of the Law The venemous nature of Enuy. so shal my cryme be reproched and the forced cause passe vnexcused and such is the venome of Enuy one euil déede shal disgrace tenne good turnes and in this yéelding so shall I be valued Enuy Disdayne Spight The vertuous are assured of many enemies and incertaine of any frendes Malice Slaunder and many moe furies will endeuour to shame me and the meanest vertue will blush to help to support my honor so that I sée no liberty for thée but death nor no ease for me but to hasten my end O yes quoth Andrugio for if this offence be knowne thy fame wil be enlarged because it will likewise be knowne A cause that may excuse the breach of honour that thou receiuedst dishonr to giue thy brother life If it be seceret thy conscience will be without scruple of guiltinesse Thus knowne or vnknowen thou shalt be deflowred but not dishonested and for amends we both shall liue This further hope remayneth that as the Gilliflower both pleaseth the eye and fâ—edeth the sence euen so the vertue of thy chast behauiour may so grace thy beauty A faint hope as Promos filthy lust may be turned into faythfull loue and so moue him to salue thy honour in making thée his wife Or for conscience for beare to doe so heynous an iniurie Soueraigne Madame and you fayre Gentlewomen quoth Isabella I intreate you in Cassandraes behalfe these reasons well weyed to iudge her yéelding a constraynt and no consent who weary of her owne life and tender ouer her brothers with teares of her louely eyes bathed his chéekes with this comfortable sentence Liue Andrugio and make much of this kisse A louing kisse which breatheth my honour into thy bowels and draweth the infamie of thy first trespasse into my bosome The sharpe incounters betwéene life and death so occupied Andrugioes sences that his tongue had not the vertue to bid her farewel To gréeue you with the hearing of Cassandraes secret playnts were an iniurie vertuous Ladies for they concluded with their good Fortune and euerlasting fame But for that her offence grew neither of frayltie A good consideration in Cassandra frée will or any motion of a woman but by the méere inforcement of a man because she would not stayne the modest wéedes of her kinde she attyred her felfe in the habite of a Page and with the bashfull grace of a pure Virgine she presented wicked Promos Andrugioes precious ransome This diuel in humane shape more vicious then Heliogabalus of Rome A damnable offence and withall as cruell as Denis of Sycil receiued this Iewell with a thousand protestations of fauour But what should I say In the beginning of his loue Promos was Metamorphosed into Priapus and of a Féende what may we expect but vengeance heaped vpon villany And therefore let it not séem straunge the after this Hel houÌ„d had dishonored Cassandra he sent his warrant to the Gayler priuily to execute Andrugio with his head crowned with these two Briefes A villainous ingratitude in Promos name to present Cassandra Fayre Cassaudra as Promos promist thee From Prison loe he sends thy Brother free This was his Charge whose cursed will had béen executed had not God by an especial prouidence at the houre of his Death An especiall prouidence of God possessed Andugio with the vertues of the two braue Romanes Marcus Crassus and Marius the one of which by the force of his tongue and the other by the motions of his eyes caused she Axe to fal out of the Headsmans hand and mollified his cruel minde With like compassion the Gayler in hearing Andrugioes hard aduenture left his resolution And vpon a solemne oath to liue vnknowen yea to his deare Sister hee gaue him life and in the dead of the night betooke him to God and to good fortune A signe of an honest nature which done this good Gayler tooke the head of a young man new executed who some what resembled Andrugio and according to leawd Promos commaundement made a present thereof to Cassandra How vnwelcome this Present was An vnwelcom present the testimonie of her former sorrowes some what discouer but to giue her present passion a true grace were the talke of Prometheus or such a one as hath had experience of the anguishes of hel O quoth she swéete Andrugio whether shall I first lament thy death exclayme of Promos iniurie or bemone my owne estate depriued of honour and which is worse cannot die but by the violence of my owne handes Alas the least of these griefes are too heauy a burden for a man then all ioyned in one poore womans heart cannot bee eased but by death and to be auenged of iniurious Fortune I will foorth with cut my Fillet of life But so shall Promos lewdnesse escape vnpunished what remedie I am not of power to reuenge to complaine I expresse my owne infamie but withall proclaime his villanie and to heare his lewdenes reproued would take away the bitternesse of my death I will goe vnto the king who is iust and mercifull he shall heare the ruthfull
plaister embost with many curious deuises in golde and in sundry places in proper colours was ingraued his deuise which was A Holly tree full of red beries and in the same a fluttering Mauis fast limed to the bowes with this posie in french Qui me nourit me destruit And in verie déede the beries of the trée féedeth this bird and the barke maketh Lime to fetter her But I afterwards learned Segnior Philoxenus vsed this Ensigne as a couert description of desire A couert description of desire whose swéete torments nourisheth the minde but consumeth the bodie to the graue In this beautifull place I embraced the salutations of such a braue troupe of Gentlemen and Gentlewomen as the honour of the householde might well giue Enuie vnto some Princes Court. And least at my first comming I might bée abashed through small acquaintance Segnior Philoxenus emboldened mée with a familiar communication A ciuill foresight meete for a Gentleman and in the ende vppon a conuenient occasion demaunded of mée the name of my Countrie I answered him I was a Gentleman of England voluntarily exiled with a burning desire to sée the Monuments of other Countries A necessarie regard for trauelers the order of their gouernement and manners of the people And are you of that blessed Ile quoth he where the people liue in peace prosperity vnder the rule of a MaideÌ„ Quéene crowned with such diuine vertues The vertues of the Queenes Maiestie maketh the Iland of England famous throughout the whole World as the whole world may hardly containe her fame Sir quoth I your good testimonie of her worthinesse being a Stranger taketh all occasion from mée her dutifull subiect to inlarge her renowne O quoth he if Enuie durst detract her openly as she secretlie conspireth her ouerthrowe in these parts you should be driven to stop your eares or endure a torment to a faithfull subiect more violent then Death But the vertue of her Shielde Vertue stoppeth the mouth of Enuie but fireth her heart with malice I meane her graue Senate hath returned the Dartes of Enuie so thick vpon her shoulders as she hath no power to eclips her bright renowne whose vertue shineth in Enuies despight as a Diamond in an obscure place or as the Sune through small passages into the bowels of the earth so that happy and thrice happie are you the Subiects of the good Quéene of England whose gracious gouernement filleth your Cofers with wealth sealeth your dores with peace and planteth quietnesse in your Conscience so that blessed aboue other Nations you liue abroad without suspition of danger at home and at home fearelesse of enemies abroade Wherefore in honour of your Soueraigue whose fame armeth all true knights with an earnest desire to doo her seruice I am glad of the meane to bestow on you or any of hir nation the affection of a friend Sir quoth I the vertue of these honorable thoughts blaseth the true magnanimity of a noble minde which measureth not your fauour by the desart of others but with the royaltie of your heart The true Blazon of a noble minde and so binde thousands in recognisance of seruice among which debters I desire to be inrolled although I can discharge but little After we had bestowed a small time in these like spéeches he commanded some of his seruants to direct mée vnto a lodging if I pleased to be dispoiled of my riding attire who straight waies brought mée into a Bed Chamber so wel accommodated with euery necessarie pleasure as might haue serued for the repose of Cupid and his loner Ciches hauing a faire prospect into a goodly Garden beautified with such rare deuises as deserued to bée compared with the earthly Paradice of Tiuoly Tiuoly 12. miles from And to be briefe this Pallace with all her conueiances as well necessarie as of pleasure Rome where the Cardinall of Esta hath a most rare Garden Cardinal Furnesaes pallace in Rome fully matched the statelinesse of Cardinall Furnesaes Pallace builded and beautified with the ruinous Monuments of Rome in her pride so that the curiousnesse thereof was of power to haue inchaunted my eyes with an immodest gaze had I not remembred that it belongeth vnto a Gentleman to sée and not to stare vpon the strangest Nouell that is for bace is his minde whose spirit hourely beholdeth not greater matters then either beautie A necessarie obseruation for a Gentleman building or brauerie And certainely at this instant I delighted more to contemplate of Segnior Phyloxenus vertues then to regarde his sumptuous buildings who as I learned of one of the Seruants all the yéere opened his dores to euery ciuill Gentleman and at Christmas inuited all commers A worthie Custome as a customarie dutie so large was the prescription of his curtesie But which shined aboue the rest he was in his youth brought vp in the French Court where by the grace of God and labour of some good friend as his behauiours could not but win many hée learned to serue God with purenesse of heart and not with painted ceremonies H. was a Protestant as his superstitious Countrie men doe which was one chiefe cause why he spake so reuerently of the Quéenes Maiestie whose vertues make her enemies dumbe for malice will not let them say well and shame forbids them to speake amis of her sacred life by the time I had talked a while with one of the seruants and put my selfe in a more ciuill order then was necessarie for trauaile supper was in a redinesse which although it excéeded the common order of fasts yet it passed not farre the bounds of ancient custome for my place at the Table I had the priueledge of a stranger set aboue my degrée and with the same intertainment were Frenchmen Almain Duchmen and other Gentlemen Other strangers arrmed by the like adue ture A custome gâ—nerally vsed in France and in some places of Italy strangers intreated The Grand Master of the feast in words gaue vs one welcome for all but not so few as a thousand in affable countenances Supper being ended according to the custome of the place a Cake was cut in péeces to the number of the Gentlemen and Gentlewomen present and if the marked péece were allotted vnto a man he should bée King if to a woman she should be Quéene of the Christmas pleasures for it was agréede there should be but one to commaund and all to obay Madona Aurelia Sister to the Lord of the Pallace was crowned with the lot whose worthinesse was such as herein it séemed fortune obayed desert for there was no Gentlewoman in the troupe that Aurelia exrelled not in beautie and singularity of wit nor no Gentleman that her vertues inchaunted not with more admiration then the Sirens swéete songs the wether wearied Sayler so that of the one she was crowned with Enuie and of the other with Honor. But in as much as this was but the first
of brauerie whom the whole troupe reuerently saluted and honorably accompanyed vnto the Chappell After Seruice Dinner and all were solemnly ended Quéene Aurelia with a chosen company Musick refresheth the wit retyred her self into a pleasant drawing Chamber to execute the reported ordenaunce But to quicken the Spirites of the company before they entred into discourse she commaunded a faire Eunuche Boy to sing some one song as he thought good who obaying her commaundement with a heauenly note vnto the Lute sung this louing lay NO ioy comes neere the heauenly ioy of loue When we imbrace the wish of our desire All pleasures els that kinde or Art may moue To loue are like the heate of painted fire Loue is the roote whereon sweet thoughts do growe Loue is the sowrce from whence content doth flow When I beholde my Misterisse in the face Loue from her eyes a thousand Graces throwes But when in armes I doe her selfe imbrace One smiling looke exileth all my woes Then straight our lips prepare themselues to fight And on ech kisse loue sets a new delight What would you more I wish me in my graue Were but my soule with halfe these pleasures crownde And heare on earth to be my Misterisse slaue I holde me free and others to be bound Wherefore I sing which I in solace proue There is no heauen to life bestowed in loue The swéet deliuery of this sonet so inchanted the harts of the hearers as for a space their sences gaue place to the contemplation of their soules In the end Madona Isabella by this motion made the whole company a passage for spéech If Loue be so swéet a passion quoth she I muse from what cause procéedeth the complaints of Louers who with showring teares bedewe the earth with misty sights dimme the aire and with shrill outcries pearse the heauens The cause quoth Soranso procéedes of our fleshly imperfectiōs which corrupts the nature of good things and not of any defect in loue Loue simply is good for loue is a simple deuine vertue and hath his being in the soule whose motions are heauenly I haue read quoth Isabella that there be sundry kindes of loue The vse of loue are diuers quoth Soranso as in zeale towards God The distinctions of loue in duety towards our Country in obedience towards our parents and in affection towards our fréends All which motions procéede foorth of one loue although some are more vehement then the other euen as many Riuers doo run out of one Spring whereof some haue a more swift course then the other But of that passion which we ordinarily call loue the wish either tends to Mariage or wantonnes There is matter of disputation in Mariage quoth Franceschina Knowne euik are not to be defended because the estate is honorable and yet subiect to crosse fortunes But touching your conclusion of wantonnes deserues to dye in silence for known euils are to be chastened without allowing their defences Madame quoth Faliero vnlesse you reuoke this sentence we wil haue you indited at Rome as an heretick for by the Popes Canons Priests may not marry and they haue a custome among themselues not to liue chaste Well quoth Franceschina if the Pope for this opinion burne me as an heretick good men will cannonise me for a vertuous Virgin These digressions quoth Quéen Aurelia are the meanes rather to worke a confusion of our memories A necessary note then to conclude any beneficiall matter for our instruction And therefore I hold it to greater purpose substantially to handle one argument thē sieightly to ouerrun many causes where the doubts we leaue vnresolued wil be more dangerous vnto the hearer then the counsels we vse profitable vnto the follower Madame A contention whether Mariage or the single life is the worthier quoth Fabritio I hold it good we obey your direction And for that Mariage is the most honourable euent of Loue and that a Single life is the greatest testimony of Chastity A ciuill Contention to proue which is the most worthy of the two would conclude much contentment For as Yron and Flynt beat together haue the vertue to smite fire so mens wits encountring in doubtfull questions openeth a passage for imprisoned Truth Quéene Aurelia Argument decideth doubts and the rest of the company liked very well of the Subiect and studying who were the fittest to deale in this controuersie Aurelia with a glauncing eye behelde that her seruant Ismarito witsafed no greater token Wise silence worketh more regarde then foolish talke that he tooke delight in these actions then sometime the secret bestowing of a modest smile whereupon she forethought that as Floods when they are most highest make least noise euen so perchaunce his still tongue was gouerned by a flowing wit and desirous to sound his sufficiencie she quickned him with this crosse surmise Seruant quoth she your sober lookes promiseth a hope that you will vndertake Dianaes quarrell but which will serue in this question I feare me you commaund Loue so much A fault in many trauellers as you contemne Mariage And the greater is my suspicion in that you are a Trauailer the nature of which sort of people is to swell with a monsterous disdaine of Mariage The reason is say they their affections are paysoned with the knowledge of womens so hamous euils as they dare not venter of that vocation But my opinion is they haue learned so many subtilties to deceiue a shiftles woman as dandled with the imbracements of sundry Loues they forsweare Mariage who bindes them to one only wife And if you be infected with the humour of these sorte of Trauailers you may well vndertake this charge All vnmarried passe vnder the name of chast for Venus though she loue not Diana yet is she the sworn enemie of Iuno And if you be sound from this infirmitie the little haste you make to marry witnesseth you honor Hymen with no great deuotion and therfore I commaund you to vse all your possible proofs in the Defence of a Single life and for your assistance I do appoint you Lucia Bella whom this charge cannot mislike because as I vnderstand she means to be a professed Nun You are to encounter the opinions of many and therefore arme your selues with as good reasons as you may Madame quoth Ismarito I am so deepely bound vnto your commaundement as I am driuen to leaue your suggestions not answeared and my owne innocency vnexcused and only attend the incounter of him that wil maintain Mariage to be more worthy then a Single life which vocation of Mariage though I reuerently honour yet I so zealously affect the other as I hope where the Iudges are indifferent to make the glory thereof to shine as the faire white aboue euery other colour Sir Defences of Mariage quoth Soranso though white be a faire colour yet are the choyse of all other colours more rich and glorious so though
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
honour which if shee consent to staine or deminish she doth iniurie to her whole house The Cardinal of Aragon An inhumain parte aduenged the base choice of his Sister the Duchesse of Malfy with the death of her selfe her Children and her Husband and alleaged in defence that he had done no iniurie to Nature but purged his House of dishonour for Nature quoth he is perfect and who blemisheth her is a monster in Nature whose head without wrong to Nature may be cut off Yea quoth Soranso but this Cardinall for all his habit Defence c. and glose of Iustice is for this act so often regestred for a Tirant as I feare me hée will neuer come among the number of Saints but the example of these mariages are vsuall Reproofe c. and such ensuing vengeance is but rare and besides her especiall contentment a woman looseth none of her generall titles of dignitie by matching with her inferior In déede quoth Dondolo in common curtesie she enioyeth them A womā that abaseth her selfe in Mariage in law loseth her reputation but not in curtesie but in the strickt construction of the law she is degraded And by this meane is bound to intertaine the meaner with familiaritie least they being proude or reputing her scornefully doo crosse her ouer the thumbes with the follies of her fancy But admit the meane seruant marry his Mistresse and escapeth the mallice of her friends which successe one among ten such suters hardly attaineth The naturall desires of a woman Let him yéeld to pay this rent for his good fortune to suffer his wife to rule to direct and to command his owne determinations And where she ordereth the vncontrouled Wife desireth to bée serued with pompe and to bée set forth with pride which the ruling Husband would represse as well for sauing his wiues honour as for sparing his owne pursse The vncontrouled wife desireth to walke at libertie and to be visited of many of which the ruling Husband would barre her as well to preserue his minde from mistrust as to kéepe his Chimney from being fired The vncontrouled wife disdayneth the Countrie and destreth the Citie which the ruling Husband would mislike for that in the Countrie the exercise of huswiferie inlargeth his Wiues estunation and in the Citie idlenesse hazardeth her reputation The vncontrouled Wife desireth without checke to prattle without discretion to gouerne which the ruling Husband in no wise would allowe for that many wordes is a blemish to his wiues modesty and the rule of his Wife is warrant sufficient for the wise to ouerrule him for a Woodcocke Many other vanities follow the desires of Women which a man thus aduanc'st must forbeare to chasten least hée expose himselfe to a thousand dangers for the wife taking pepper in the nose will suffer him yea perchaunce agrée to make him a pray to the displeasure of his enemies I meane her able friends and kindred which bondage is not within the Paradice Plato speaketh of For according to the opinion of sundrie Philosophers as Nature will not bée controuled for that she createth as Fortune is wonne with no praiers because she is blinde and shooteth at aduenture no more dooth mariage allow of inequallitie because her wil is to deuide her benefits and blessings among the married with indifferencie To this end Mariage is likened to Sienes grafted in a stocke of contrarie qualitie for as by growth and good order Iudgement in reproofe of lofty loue they both become of one nature euen so man and woman vnited in this honourable estate with good vsage become of one disposition Againe as Sienes thus grafted without speciall Husbandrie while they be tender come to no proofe euen so man and woman thus ioyned in Matrimonie vnlesse in the prime of their Mariage with equall care they loue and cherish one another in the waine of their yeares the swéete Fruites of wedsock will be blasted with repentance Segnior Fabritio to conclude Dondolos opinion with his own iudgement said in truth that Mariage could not away with such seruitude as the Husband who is wise and the chiefe should obay the wife who in common construction is simple weake and the inferiour And where a rich woman as Dondolo hath said Marieth her poore Seruant because she is the cause of his aduancement she wil looke to gouerne which if she doo her indiscretion will moue others to speake and her husband to sorrow if he challenge the priueledge of a husband to direct he shall be bound to a life more bitter then Death Not but that in respect of his former estate he may endure these crossings of his wife but because as he is growne in estimatiō so is he growne in hautines of minde and can now worse brooke an vnkinde word then in times past an imurious déede And therefore in Dondolos behalfe I doo iudge Soranso to be in an errour I wil not dispute against the authoritie of your iudgment quoth Soranso but at aduenture if yonger brethren erre in mariage God send thē to stumble vpon no worser fortune Men must haue regarde how they blame least they bite thē selues Quéene Aurelia who regarded that Dondolo was somewhat too lauish in painting out of the naturall desires of a woman knew as well how to set forth his follies and ouersight and therefore to take a modest reuenge quoth shée If happinesse in Mariage consisteth so much in the Lordly rule of the husband then where a man marieth his inferior in reputation there is a likelyhood of good agréement wherefore Segnior Dondolo because I think you maried your wife with the same Iudgement with which you manifested the inconueniences of loftie Loue I beséech you shew vs the blessings of this inferiour choyce Soranso and the rest began to smile to heare this commandement for wel they knew Dondolo was intrapt with a slaunder of his owne reputation but Dondolo although he were a little gauled set a reasonable florish vpon his bace fancie therefore quoth he as it is alreadie adiudged Defence of bace loue if a man marrie aboue his calling he must beare with his Wife in folly as much as shée was blinded in fancying of him which bondage mariage can hardly endure then if hée match with his inferiour if contraries haue contrarie qualities per consequence she will be as lowly as the other is loftie as pacient as the other is proude and as dutiful as the other is disoainfull if the other prodisgally spond because her portion is large she wil w e huswiferie spare because her substance was small if the other presume because of her Gentrie shée will séeke reputation with her good conditions and if the other bolster her faultes with the countenance of her able Friends A rich dowrie with a woman shée dooing amisse will crie her husband mercie because she lackes succorers to sustains her euill a course as Plato saieth that maketh the dowrie
Naples named Rinautus that was Metamorphosed into such a Beast by this aduenture passing through the Iland of Circeiū that Homer speaketh of which is now annexed vnto the Continent he was espied of Circes who inhabited that Iland This wrinckled ill-fauoured witch at the first sight was surprised in loue with the goodly shape and beauty of this séemely Gentleman but for all her charmes and inchauntments her art failed either to force him to loue or to frée her selfe from louing for notwithstanding she was a Goddesse he disdained her ouerworne foule and withered visage and she presuming of her sorcerie powred fresh Coles vpon her kindled desire in hope that necessitie would force him to consent to the request frée will contemned but Cupid to whom such power onely belongeth to scourge her presumption in such sorte hardened Rinautus hart that all Circes sute and sorceries tended vnto a fruitlesse successe Insomuch as in her rage she turned him into a Rhinocerot a beast of vnconquerable force who in his nose beareth a horne much like to the Vnicorne But notwithstanding he was thus transfourmed as King Nabuchadonizer in the fourme of an Oxe retained the spirite of a man so he in his altered shape nourished his ancient disdaine of ill fauoured Circes and to be fully auenged with all his force pursueth olde Creatures and such as he ouertaketh he goreth to death yet is he by this pollicie subdued Place a faire Maide in his walke and foorth with he will with a louing countenance repaire vnto her and in her bosome gently bestowe his murthering horne and sodainly as one rauished with cōtentment he falleth a sléep by which meanes he is slaine before he recouereth the vse of his force The company laughed well to heare this strange Metamorphosis In the ende quoth Quéene Aurelia I would Maister Doctor had heard this historie when he so inuayed against Beautie perhaps he would haue béene afraide of her vengeance séeing her power able to conquere sauadge and wilde beastes But the Doctor glad of this aduantage Euill men care not for conscience so they haue a colour for their offences not vnlike the cunning Lawyer the buyeth Robin hoodes penniworthes and yet with some nice forfeitures threatneth the seller with continuall bondage and many times bringeth back his money and kéepeth his bargaine not caring for his Conscience so that he haue a colour for his offence or as the wisest sort of Atheists that liue as though they hoped neither after Heauen nor feared Hell yet confesse God with their mouth because the contrary would make them hated of men so he by this tale found out both a warrant to maintaine his former blasphemie and to excuse his present follie in Loue And to authorise either Madame quoth he the inchaunted Beast approueth mine opinion of Beauties power and his Death is a greater witnesse of her cruelty then is Doctor Mossenigo The force of Beautie who confesseth that men in vaine prescribe remedies for the Affected or receites to preserue men from the infections of Beautie You are welcome vnder our Lée quoth Aluisa Vechio But to take away all hope of good intertainment quoth Catharina Trista no No affliction but hath his remedie no Maister Doctor you deceiue your selfe Beauty neither retaineth the power nor poyson which you speake of and with you Ouid and all the amorous Poets are mistaken who say Affection ariseth from Beautie and not of the frée will of man But say you all what you please good foresight will contrary your opinions There is no sore but hath his salue no gréefe but hath his remedie nor no danger but may be forstoode either by praier or good indeuour Indéede quoth Faliero Socrates altred his inclination by studie of Philosophie Examples to be regarded The Niniuites preserued their Cittie by praier and Virbius doubled his life by mastering of his disposition Floradin be witched with the loue of faire Persida Idlenes nourisheth and exercise remedieth loue his déere fréend Pericles Wife worte in a Table booke fie Floradin fie she is thy fréend Pericles Wife and so often as idlenes presented him with this passion he read his written remembrance and by some honest exercise remoued his imagination This is not your day Maister Doctor quoth Soranso I beléeue there is some vnkindenes betwéene Saturne and Venus by the enuious aspect of some other Plannet this howre It may be quoth the Doctor by the flatterie of Mercurie Flatterie the enemie of truth who is euermore enemy to the plainenes of truth Well quoth Quéene Aurelia let vs leaue this by-matter and consider better of Ismaritos Metamorphosis me thinkes it prophesieth much mischaunce to an olde widdow which marieth a yong man and no great pleasure to the yong maried Bacheler Mariage commended between an olde woman and a yong man O good Madame say not so quoth Soranso for in this fortune lyeth a yonger Brothers welfare and the cause that maketh happinesse accompanie olde women to their Graue Reproofe c. It may well be to their Graue quoth the Doctor but it bringeth sorrow into their House and maketh their life more impleasant then death and if Soranso followe this course perhaps his day will be no better then Doctor Mossenigos Quéene Aurelia smiling saide she feared this contention would bring the company to hell gates Yet quoth she in that I imagine the way wil be pleasant I licence you to perseuer in your purpose Vpon which warrant quoth Soranso to maintaine that to be true Defence c. which I haue already alleadged in the commendation of this estate in Mariage This further reason in my conceite you will neither disallowe nor the maried couple shal haue cause to mislike which is where a fresh yong gentleman either of small liuing or farre spent with lustines A good exchange of Marchandise lightes of a rich olde widdow for that both their desires in this fortune shal be satisfied He shall haue plenty of Coyne the onely Grace he lacked and she the possession of a goodly Personage the chéefest Iewel she loueth which exchange of Marchandise cannot chuse but continue their liking and raise much contentment Clean contrary quoth the Doctor for the follies of a yong man is sufficiently punished by marying an olde woman and the sinnes of an olde widdowe are fully plagued in matching with a yong man for that contrary to your suggestion neither can inioye the cause of their Mariage without annoyance to their mindes for his liking is fastned on her riches which she will not but by necessitie leaue and her loue is setled on his person which for her pleasure he disdaineth to punish The euils in an olde widdow The vnfortunate yongman knowes not what gréefe he ioynes to his gaine in matching with an olde widdow till that experience breakes them foorth in sighes If his wife be rich she will looke to gouerne if she be poore he is plagued both
with beggerie bondage if she be proud she will hide her abilitie to maintaine her pompe if she be testie he is forst to patience if she be ielous he can hardly indure her rages And to conclude if the olde doting widdowe be frée from one of these faultes she is tied to forty euils of lesse sufferance for if her Husband commaund her will she straightwaies saieth her other Husband was more kinde if he chaunce to dine from home she willes him to sup with his harlots if he spend beyond her allowance thus she reuiles him A Begger I found thee and so thou wilt leaue me To chastice her talke setteth an edge of her tung to suffer her in her rage maketh her railings irreuocable By your words Maister Doctor quoth Lucia Bella the wife is the greatest cause of this contention aad yet in common opinion the Husband is most blamed Madame you are too hastie in an aduauntage I ment no such partiallity quoth the Doctor Yea Madame quoth Bargetto Maister Doctor is now so conquered as his tung is the Trumpet of your pleasure It is so quoth the Doctor to sound out those thinges which are true PLATOES Hell in Mariage and in truth the yong Husband often times maketh the euils good in déedes which the olde wife vseth but in words for no longer then she féedeth him with Coyne shall she enioy his companie if she rob not her Children to inrich him she shal lack no froward lookes nor fowle vsage if she put him in possession of her liuing he straightwaies dispossesseth her of his loue for hauing what he sought he will els where be enamoured And vprightly to speake she lacketh neither occasion to lament nor cause to be inraged for who is so patient as can dissemble her vnsufferable passions both to bée spoyled of her liuing and to bée eryled from that shée loueth And in very truth so egall are their euills as it were a hard matter to iudge who deserueth least blame or most excuse she reproacheth him of Beggerie whoredome Vnthriftines ill vsage and of the ruine both of berselfe and her Children He blameth her of olde age ielosie curstnesse scowlding and for hiding of her goods which he hath bought with dooing iniurie vnto his person If shée be determined to be merie he scornfully telleth her that it is as sightly for a toothelesse Mare to eate Marchpane as for such a wrinckled Mumpes to fall a bylling If he come in well disposed and affably intreateth her she calleth him dissembling hipocrite saith he saluteth her with his tongue but his heart imagineth of his minions abroade shée runneth to the neighbors to complaine in the meane while hée sendeth her corne to the Market and her cattel to the Faire If the friends of good will or neighbours of charitie labour to accord their contention as she imagineth to shame him shée thundreth out a thousand iniuries that hée dooth her for her owne praise she saith that of pure loue she maried him with nothing and to reproach him she sweares hée hath spent her substance and hateth her person To shew her owne good huswiferie shée tels that she worketh all day at her Distaffe and to blase his vnthriftinesse she she weth how he plaieth away her gaines at Dice she crieth out that perforce hée taketh what hée openly findeth and priuilie stealeth what she secretly hideth These and many moe complaints she preferreth against her husband with the vehemencie of a womans passion Her husband that knoweth how to bée reuenged in déedes for his owne credit is more milde in words hée layeth all these blames vpon her owne crooked disposition who though she be so olde as a man can hardly loue her yet with a cankred ielous froward nature shée would force a man to hate her but what remedy since his fortune was so hard hée would starue her with patience and onely adde this Sâ—â—â—age to his Lâ—taâ—â—â— A praua muliere good Lord 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 These drâ—e scoffes sets her heart in a light fire and saue that she hath not so many colours like vnto Iris thundreth out the venome of her cankred Spirit in reuilings and raylings against her husband and to say truth her case is to be pittied as much as her tongue is to be blamed for iniutie is not so grieuous vnto 〈◊〉 as to sie his aduersarie soothe his trespasse with an honest â—hoâ— But to my purpose A great cause of impatience her husband crosseth her with a quiet answere you may sée friends saith hée wilde fire will burne in water drink will make the Dropsie drie and mildnes in me moueth madnesse in my wife by her example here you sée my life at home as tedious as hell then perhaps some â—louâ—ing Marchant saith like enough and the she diuell weareth the houres Thus with their owne mischiefes they grieue their friends delight their foes and weary their Neighbors in according their debates and if they be in the morning quieted and goe home in peace at Noone like enemies they are redy to throwe the house out at the window a slut like the furie of lothsomnes shal bring in dinner because the ielous wife dare not trust her husband with any maide that is hansome the husband offended throweth the Platters at her head and asketh if she meane to pâ—yson him the wife taketh pepper in the nose and saith if he had not married her he would haue béen glad of the worst morsell there The husband replieth that if he had not béen so mad the diuell would not haue married her Then beginneth the olde Musick tuâ—ed perchance with a rap or two of the lippes and when they haue brawled their fill shée runneth and bemoneth her selfe at her neighbours and hée goeth and maketh himselfe merrie with his Mistresses In sooth Defence c. master Doctor it féemeth to mée quoth Sir Soranso that you haue very substancially proued my opinion for Mariage equally deuideth her blessings and mischances betwéene the maried and as farre as I can sée neither of these knoweth who hath the better or worse bargen there are raylings and vnquietnesse of both sides but what of that pleasure is best seasoned with paine and though they sometimes iarre at home they agrée well when they are seperated among their neighbours And although you haue stretched their debates vpon the rack of vengeance yet at aduenture I wish my selfe no worse bestowed then murie an olde wealthy Widdow I doo not thinke but by good vsage to continue her first affection giuen euen vnto dir very Graue You will kill her with kindnesse quoth Maria Belochie Yea Madam quoth Soranso if her nature be so froward as to die with good vsage In déede Ladyes quoth the Doctor there are some men that entertaine their olde wiues with such a faire showe of flattering loue as they be witch them euen to their latter gasps But at what rate dooth she purchase this kindenesse O euen with the vndooing
of her selfe and Children yea A most wicked pollicie and which is worse it is the pollitie of Father in lawes to dandle the infancie of their wiues Children in the lap of ignorance to this ende that being of lawfull age they may with lesse fetches boguile them of their liuing so that the vnfortunate child knowes not whether he may more bemone his losse of liuing or lacke of good bringing vp Senecas opinion that children were better to be dead borne then ignorant of good letters and in my iudgement of both the euils want of education is the greatest for learning and vertue purchaseth liuing and liuing corrupteth but coyneth not good conditions and as Seneca saith libertie without learning is a bondage to the minde and further the Child were better to be dead borne then barren of good Letters for that ignorance is a graue which burieth life Master Doctor quoth Quéene Aurelia me thinketh your words doo too much wrong to the wife though they cannot sufficiently blame the husband I graunt that father in lawes estéeme their owne profites before their wiues childrens preferments but yet I suppose Nature dooth direct the naturall Mother to eye their good bringing vp Things that are best esteemed who with much sorrowe brought them fooâ—th for as the Prouerbe géeth things that are dearely bought are of vs intirely beloued and nothing is more dearely purchased then what is attained with the hazard of life which venter the Mother maketh before she is assured of her Childe then this crueltie to wards her Children to satisfie the wil of her second husband will make indifferent men holde her an vnnaturall Mother whether her husband estéeme her a dutiful wife or no. Oh good Madam Reproose c. quoth the Doctor how can the hen succour her Chickens when she her selfe is at the mercy of the Kite how can the Conny preserue her Rabets when the Ferret is in possession of her Burrowe and how may the vnfortunate Mother Foster her shiftlesse Children either as she should or would wheÌ„ her fancy or folly hath enthralled her to a second husband whose power is to direct and displeased to check This seueritie of Father in lawes hath bred much diuision in mariage but stil the quarrels are concluded with the detriment of the Children for the vnhappie wife is bound to one of these two euils either to agrée to the tyrannizing of her entrailes A hard extremitie or to yéeld to her owne continuall sorrow and quietnesse and where the case is so desperate it may be lamented but not wondred at that necessitie breake the boundes of nature To stay this mischiefe quoth Helena Dulce honorable is the custome of Spaine An honorable custome of Spaine where the vertuous dame holdeth the second mariage a retrograding of her reputation a wrong to her deceased husband for by this staiednesse shée is in possession of her libertie and hath the disposing of her liuing I holde this precise custome quoth Dondolo more profitable then necessarie for the penance were too hard yea vnpossible to bée indured that the lusty young Widdow should bée constrained to a Virgins chastitie for as Ouid deuineth I that sometimes of Nuptiall rites Haue taste the pleasant toyes Now cannot chuse but call to minde Dame Venus sugred ioyes But if the aged widdow could liue within this lawe it would bring honor to her yeares and happinesse to the end of her life What better husbands may shée haue then her owne Children whome she may both commaund and controule Meete husbands for aged widdowe whose dueties are to labour in her causes and to vnburden her heart of cares And when shée departeth this life where may shée better dispose her liuing then vpon her owne Children whome to relieue she is coniured by nature and to bring vp in good nurture bound in conscience But from the beginning so rife hath béen the dotage of widdowes that when their féeble legges faintely supporte their consumed bodies when at high noone their mistie eyes hardly discerneth the high way and when forst through lack of téeth they swallowe their meate their lippes notwithstanding take delight in kisses and their mindes thirst after wantonnesse Mens follies are as great as Womens simplicities in this ouersight in dotage quoth Quéene Aurelia but I think it necessarie that héere wée stay our iourney least wée enter into hell before we be a ware and therefore Segnior Fabritio I pray you let vs haue your sentence to ouerrule this question Madam quoth Fabritio the euill of this inequallitie in Mariage is both so auncient and so common in vse Experience is a iudgement it selfe as there néedeth no other iudgement then experience of our neighbours mischaunces but to succour the iniured Children A worthy law made by Laertius I would that one of Laertius lawes were common to the whole world which is where the Tenant sued his Lord Seruant his Master or the Childe his Parents that Iudges themselues should forth with looke into the Processe and determine the same for it is vehemently to be supposed that these sutes are forced vpon vehement iniuries otherwise the Seruant would feare to sue his Master who hath pówer moderately to chasten him the Tenant would quake to vnquiet his Lorde who hath many meanes to crosse him and without whose grace hée may neuer liue in peace Shame and duety in any sufferable matter would make the childe forbeare to molest his Parents for but where his cause is knowne Reporte like a two edged Knife would besides his iniurie wound him with blame and omission of dutie Therefore where the least of two dangerous euils foreeth the aboue said to sue it is much to be lamented that delay countenance of friends corruption with bribes and other supporters which the rich hath should torment the poore complainant more then his originall iniurie Your reason is but iust quoth Quéene Aurelia and the rest of the companie who wearie with the multitude of the recited mischances here broke off the disputation and went and reposed themselues in the great Chamber The speeche which passed the sixt night at Supper betweene Segnior Philoxenus and his Honourable Guestes ACcording to the order of Merchaunts who at the latter enoe of the yeare suruey their accountes to sée what fortune and mischaunce they haue receiued through the whole yeare past Segnior Philoxenus towards the latter ende of Supper smilinglie demaunded an account of the benefite of the chosen companies sixe dayes Disputation Sir quoth Soranso It is no striuing against the streame with a modest merrie countenance we are like to present you a Banckrupts reckoning who the longer he occupieth the worse he thriueth so wée these sixe dayes haue trauailed to finde out a way to the Paradise in mariage and euery day we haue béen further and further off of our determination one day we thought that the wealthy matches of Parents would haue spéeded our iourney but there