good will of strangers in hearing his vertue and wonne the harts of his subiects in féeling his bounty counting him vnworthy to hear the name of a Soueraigne which knew not according to desert both to cherish and chastise his subiects Fortune and the fates willing to place him in the palace of earthly prosperity endowed him with two children the one a sonne named Thersandro and the other a daughter called Castania either of them so adorned with the gifts of Nature and be antifled with good nurture as it was hard to knowe whether beautie or vertue helde the supremacie But least by this happie estate Orlanio should be too much puffed vp with prosperitie Fortune sparing him the mate yet gaue him a slender checke to warne him from securitie for before his daughter came to the age of fouretéene yeares his wife dyed leauing him not more sorrowfull for the losse of her whom he most intirely loued than carefull for the well bringing vp of her whom hee so dearely liked Knowing that as his Court was a schoole of vertue to such as bridled their mindes with discretion so it was a nurss of vice to those tender yeares that measured their willes with witlesse affection esteeming libertie as perillous to the staie of youth as precious to the state of age and that nothing so soone allureth the minde of a young maide to vanity and to passe her youth without feare in security Feared with the consideration of these premisses to auoyde the inconueniences that might happen by suffering Castania to leade her life in lawlesse libertie hee thought it best to choose out some vertuous Ladie to kéepe her companie who might direct her course by so true a compasse and leuel her life by so right a line that although her young years were verie apt to be intangled in the snares of vanity yet by her counsaile and companie shee might steadily tread her steps in the trace of vertue and none he could find more fit for the purpose than a certain olde widow called Madame Melytta honoured for her vertuous life throughout all Alexandria who being sent for to the Court he saluted on this manner MAdame Melytta quoth hée the report of thy honest conditions and the renoume of thy vertuons qualities are such as thereby thou hast not onelie purchased great praise but wonne great credit throughout all the Countrie In somuch that incensed by this thy singular commendation I haue selected thée as the onely woman to whome I meane to commit my chiefest treasure I mean Melytta my daughter Castania to whom I will haue thee bee both a companion and a counsellour haping thou wilt take such care to traine her vp in vertue trace her quite from vice to winne her minde to honestie and weane her quite from vanitie that she in her ripe yeares shall haue cause to thanke thee for thy paines and I occasian to regard thée as a friend and reward thee for thy diligence FIrst Melytta see that she leade her life both charily and chastly Let her not haue her owne will least shee proue too wilfull or too much libertie least shee become too light The palme tree pressed downe groweth notwithstanding but too fast The heath Spattania though troden on groweth verie tall and youth although strictly restrained will proue but too stubburne The vessell sauoureth alwayes of that licour wherwith it was first seasoned and the minde retaineth those qualities in age wherein it was trained vp in youth The tender twig is sonner broken than the strong branch the yong stem more brittle than the old stocke the weake bramble shaken with euerie wind and the wanering will of youth tossed with euerie paste of vanitie readie to bee wracked in the waues of wantonnesse vnlesse it be cunningly guided by some wise and warie Pilot. Then Melytta sith youth is so easily entrapped with the alluring traine of foolish delights and so soone entangled with the trash of pernitions pleasure suffer not my daughter to passe her time in idlenesse least happily being taken at discouert shee become a carelesse captiue to securitie for whan the minde once floateth in the surging seas of idle conceits then the puffes of voluptuous pleasures and the stifling stormes of vnbrideled fancy the raging blastes of alluring beautie and the sturdie gale of glozing vanitie so shake the Shippe of recklesse youth that it is dayly in doubt to suffer most dangerous shipwracke But let her spend her time in reading such auncient authors as may sharpen her wit by their pithie sayings and learne her wisedome by their perfect sentences For where nature is vicious by learning it is amended and where it is vertuous by skill it is augmented The stone of secret vertue is of greater price if it be brauely polished the gold though neuer so pure of it selfe hath the better colour if it be burnished and the minde though neuer so vertuous is more noble if it be enriched with the gifts of learning And Melytta for recreation sake let her vse such honest sports as may drine away dumps least she be too pensiue and free her minde from foolish conceits that shee bee not too wanton Thus Madame as you haue heard my fatherly aduise so I pray you giue my daughter the like friendly aduertisement that hereafter she may haue both cause to reuerence me and to reward thee Melytta hauing heard with attentiue héed the minde of Orlanio conceiued such ioy in this new charge and such delight in this happy chance as with cheerefull countenance she repayed him this answere SIr quoth she although in the largest seas are the forest tempests in the broadest waies most boisterous windes in the highest hilles most dangerous happes and in the greatest charge the greatest care yet the dutie which I owe you as my Soueraigne and the loue I beare you as a subiect the care I haue to please you as my Prince and to pleasure you as a Potentate the trust you repose in my trueth without sufficient tryall the confidence you put in my conscience without sure proofe the curtesie your Grace doth shewe me without anie desert haue so inflamed the forepassed fire of dutifull affection and so incouraged me to encounter your Graces curtesie with willing constancie that there is no hap so hard which I woulde not hazard no danger so desperate which I woulde not aduenture no burthen so heauie which I would not beare no perill so huge which I would not passe no charge so great which both willingly and warily I woulde not performe For since it hath pleased your Grace to vouchsafe so much of my simple calling as to assigne me for a companion for your daughter Castania I will take such care in the charie performance of my charge and indenour with such diligence both to counsaile comfort Castania as your Grace shall perceiue my dutie in pleasing you and my diligence in pleasuring her THe Duke hearing the friendly faithfull protestation of the good Lady
rather far the more inflamed my desire was not diminished but augmented and my liking no lesse but rather inlarged so that to liue in loue without hope was loathsome to séek redresse was losse of life to want my wish was horror to inioy my wil was hel◠to liue in care without cōfort was calamity to séek for cure was more than misery not to possesse the pray was hellish danger to venture for the prize was haples death Thus crossed with cares daūted with such diuers doubts desperate hope so repulsed direful feare that encouraged by ventrous desire I had either obtained my wish or wanted of my wil if your Ladiship had not so sodainly wakened me out of my slūber Thus Madame Castania you haue heard my dreame now the doubt is whether it had been better to haue ventured vppon the brittle bridge and so either desperately to haue ended cares with death or else valtantly to haue enioyed desire with renowne or still like a fearefull dastard to haue ended my dayes in lingering loue with misery Castania hearing the surmized dreame of Gwydonius both smelled the fetch and smiled at the folly of this young youth knowing that these fantasticall visions and presupposed passions would in time if hée tooke not héed proue but too true to preuent therfore such imminent perils shée nipt her yong nouice on the pate with this parle GGydoniu◠quoth shee I haue listened to thy drousie dream with déep deuotion by so much the more desirous atttentiuely to heare it by how much the more I find it strange and wonderfull yea so strange as if I my selfe had not wakened thee out of thy slumber I would eyther haue thought it a fained vision or a fantasticall inuention but sith these Gentlemen here present and mine owne eyes are witnesses and thine owne tongue a testimony of thy talk suffice I beléeue it though I cannot diuine it to giue a verdite where the euidence is not vnderstood is vanity to yéeld a reason of an vnknowne case is meere folly and to interpret so strange a dreame without great practice is but to skip beyond my skill and to lie fast in the mire Yet least I might séeme to promise much perform nothing I wil decide your doubt if you please to take my doom for a censure It is a saying Gwydonius not so common as true that the hasty man neuer wants woe and that hee which is rash without reason seldome or neuer sloepeth without repentance To venture amidst the Pikes when perilles cannot bée eschewed is not fortitude but folly to hazarde in daungers when death insueth is not to bee worthily minded but wilfully mooued Vertue alwaies consisteth betwéen extreamities that as too much fearefulnesse is the signe of a quaking coward so too much rashnes be tokeneth a desperate Ruffian Manhood Gwydonius consisteth in measure worthinesse in fearing to hazard without hope But to giue a verdit by thine owne voyce I perceiue thou art guilty of the same crime for when the brittlenesse of the bridge portended and the surging seas inferred losse of life yet desire draue thée to aduenture so desperate a danger Better it is Gwydonius to liue in griefe then to dye desperately without grace better to choose a lingering life in misery then a spéedy death without mercie better to be tormented with haplesse fancy then with hellish fiends for in life it is possible to represse calamity but after death neuer to redresse misery Tully Gwydonius in his Tusculans questions discoursing of the happinesse of life and heauinesse of death sayth that to liue we obtaine it of the louing gods but to dye of the vnlucky destinies meaning hereby that life though neuer so loathsome is better then death though neuer so welcome whereby I conclude Gwydonius that to liue earefully is better then to die desperately Gwydonius perceiuing that Castanias parle was nothing to the purpose and that shée toucht not that point wherof he desired most to be absolued but meant to shake him off with a sléeuelesse answere began to drawe her to the Trap with this traine MAdame Castania quoth hée I confesse that rashnesse neuer raigneth without repentance nor hastie hazarding without haplesse harmes that hée which aduentureth desperate dangers is a foole and he that passeth ineuitable perils is worse then an Asse yet from these so generall rules Madame I exempt these particular exceptions namely Loue and Necessitie which two are tyed within no bounds nor limited within no law for whom the diuell driues hée must néedes runne be the passage neuer so perillous and whom Loue or Necessity forceth hee must venture bee the daunger neuer so desperate for as there is no enterprise so easie which to an vnwilling man seemeth not very hard to be atchieued so there is no encounter so cumbersome where will wisheth that séemeth not passing easie to bee performed now this will is with nothing sooner pricked forward than eyther with the force of loue or sting of necessity So that whosoeuer aduentureth in a daunger though neuer so desperate is not to be blamed if inforced by fancy or incouraged by affection and especially where the perill is in possibility to bee passed without death and in the performance thereof the possession of such a prize as the passionate person more estéemeth than lands limbs or life it selfe be it neuer so swéet In which case Madame my cause consisteth For the Lady who was an heauenly obiect to my gazing eyes was so beautified with the giftes of nature and so perfectly polished with more than naturall perfection that with the onelie view of such diuine beautie my senses were so besotted my wit and will so inueigled my affection so inflamed and my fréedome so fettered yea loue alreadie hath made so great a breach into the bulwarke of my breast that to obtaine so gorgious a Goddesse I thought death no daunger though neuer so direfull nor losse of life no torment though neuer so terrible Indéed Gwydonius quoth Thersandro I agrée with thée in this point that there is no carpet Knight so cowardly that would not passe more perillous pikes to possesse so liuely a Dame as thou doest decipher nor no dastarde so daunted with dreade which woulde not greatly indanger himselfe to enioy so louely a damsell in the fruition of whome consisteth nothing but ioy blisse rest contentation of minde delight happinesse yea all earchly felicity And yet Sir quoth Gwydonius your Sister Castania condemnes me of folly in venturing for so precious a prize when as hope perswaded me that no hazard could be haplesse and assured me that Loue and Fortune fauoureth them that are bolde that the gods themselues seeing my perplexed passions wold of pitty defend me from those perilous daungers For if Theseus by Diuine power were ayded against the force of the monstrous Minotaure or if Iason who constrayned with a couetous desire to obtaine the golden Fléece arriuing at Colchos was preserued by the gods from the
his Father vnder the pretence of seruice is purposed to procure your fatall death and the finall destruction of your Dukedome And the better to performe this diuellish practise hée hath contracted himselfe to my Lady Castania who blinded with his beautie and inueigled with his wit hath consented not onely to kéep his counsaile to your confusion but also closely to conuey her selfe with him into his Countrie Which pretence if your Grace doth not spéedily preuent you shall find that delay bréedes danger that procrastination in perils is but the mother of mishap And haue I quoth Orlanio brought vp the bird that wil picke out mine owne eies Haue I fostered vp the Serpent in my bosome that will bréede my bane Haue I giuen her life that séekes to yéeld me death Haue I cherisht her béeing young and will she consume mee béeing older Was there none to choose but Gwydonius nor none to loue but the sonne of her fathers foe Will shee preferre her lust before my life her priuate pleasure before the safetie of my person Well as she forgets the duetie of a childe so I wil forget the naturall affection of a father and therefore Valericus goe spéedily with these noble men to Gvvydonius chamber and apprehend him that I may requite his hatefull trecherie with most hellish torments And Thersandro sée you that Castania be closely kept vntill we haue caught the traitour least shee vnderstanding that their deuise is disclosed she saue her selfe by flight Valericus hauing this commission giuen him from the Duke made no delay but passed to Gvvidonius lodging with as much spéede as might be but fortune who after euerie chip of mischance sendeth some lot of good lucke and after euerie storme of aduersitie sendeth a quiet calme of prosperitie so carefully prouided to frée Gwydonius from mishap that he was newly gone towards Castania to impart vnto her this his pretence but before hee came to her chamber he was encountered by Thersandro who stearnly taking Gvvydonius by the bosome pulling out his rapier commanded him as a traitour to stand or else without any farther doome he should féele the dint of death Gvvydonius amazed with this sodaine motion stoode as one in a traunce neither being able to defend himselfe with worde or weapon but yéelded himselfe into the handes of Thersandro who shakt him vp with these bitter spéeches THou traiterous wretch quoth he as it is impossible for the flame so closely to be couered but it will be spied so it is impossible but that treason though neuer so secret should in tract of time be disclosed which now by experience is verified in thee for although thou hast hetherto falsely fained thy selfe to be a stranger of a forraigne nation thou art now known to be sonne and heire to Clerophontes that cruell tyrant my Fathers foe by whose péeuish policie thou hadst not onely brought that commō wealth to confusion but didst pretend to be preiudiciall to my Fathers person if thy deadly practise and diuelish purpose had not by Valericus his meanes béen preuented Hast thou béene so trained vp in trecherie or is thy minde so spotted with villanie as to repay my fathers good will which such barbarous ingratitude to deuise his destruction which simply foresought thy preferment Yea to counsell my sister Castania not onely to consent to thy desire but to my fathers death Is this the maner of Mitylene or the custome of thy country to be such coosening counterfaites Well since I haue happily attached thee as a traitour and as a villanous rebell both transgressing humaine and diuine lawes thou shalt abide the paine and punishment due to such diuellish offenders Now let thy cruell sire Clerophontes free thee from those torments which thou art like to suffer for thy trecherie and let the Lordes of Mitylene deliuer thee from his handes who meanes in most miserable wise to martyr thee Yea let thy Concubine Castania who is like for her gracelesse disobedience to sip of that same sorrow sée if her teares will now preuaile to mooue Orlanio to pittie No if Iupiter himselfe sent Mercurie to mitigate his moode neither the authoritie of the one nor the eloquence of the other might preuaile to pacifie his furie GWydonius séeing that not onely his purpose was preuented and his secrets disclosed but that also Valericus most villanously had accused him and Castania of that which they neuer so much as once imagined was so perplexed and driuen into such dumpes as hee séemed by silence to auerre that which Thersandro had alleadged yet at last he began thus to reply THersandro quoth he as I meane not to affirme that which is false so I will not deny that which is true but come dolor come death come miserie come martyrdome come torture come torments I will neither accuse myselfe vniustly nor excuse myselfe by periurie I confesse Thersandro that I am sonne and heire to the Duke of Mitylene and contracted to thy sister Castania that Clerophontes is my father by the law of nature and Castania my wife by the league of loue but that I either pretended or purposed to be preiudiciall to Orlanios person or that Castania was counsailed or euer consented to her fathers confusion I not onely deny but I will proue by combats that Valericus most villanously doth accuse vs of the whereof we are altogether sacklesse VVHy Gwydonius quoth hée wilt thou séeke to proue thyselfe loyall when the hearers deeme shee a lyer or to make a tryall of thy troth when thy words can haue no trust Dooest thou think my fathers fury will suffer thée to fable Dooest thou thinke his wrathfull rage wil abide thy reasons or that he wil be so patient as to hear thée plead thine owne cause No if thou wert as cléer from these crimes alleadged against thée by Valericus as I am yet in that thou art son to Clerophontes the coine of Croesus and Kingdoms of Caesar were not sufficient ransome to redéem thée frō death But Gwydonius since thy health hangeth in my hands and thy life or death is in my power I will neither bee so bloudy minded as to bréede thy bane nor so cruell as to be the cause of thy confusion The guerdon Gwydonius I craue of this my good will and the recompence I claim for this curtesie is that when thou commest to Mitylene thou certifie thy sister and my loue and Lady Lewcippa that for her sake I haue procured thy safety that her perfection hath preserued thée from perill the loue I beare her hath saued thy life the dutifull deuotion I owe vnto her hath redéemed thée from death and daunger And in token of this my vnfeined affection I will lift my hand against none that commeth from Mitylene but against Lucianus onely Before Thersandro was able sullie to vnfolde his mind or that Gwydonius had time to yéelde him thankes for the safegard of his life they heard a great noise which made Gwydonius flie and
which of all other inward sores requireth greatest secrecie yet vndoubtedly the more it is discouered the sooner it is cured For as the stone of Armenia being couered with Sand burneth most extreamely and no sooner taketh aire but it cooleth so the firie flames of loue raked vp in silence fry most suriously but being by discourse disclosed they soone conuert from flame to fume and smoke Wherfore good Castania impart vnto mée the matter which doth import thée so néere and I sweare vnto thee by the sacred rites of Ceres which is so honoured in Alexandria that if thou doest loue where thy friends doe not like and thy wish be contrary to their will yet I will sake all meanes possible to redresse thy sorrowe Alas good Madame rather than you should thinke mee so incredulous or suspicious as not to beléeue your oath or doubt of your secret dealing I will without delay make you priuy to the cause of my paine what perill soeuer I incurre by reuealing it So it is Melytta that the perfection of Gwydonius his exquisite qualities excellent vertues haue so fiercely assaulted the fort of my fancy as I am perforce constrained to resigne my liberty captiue vnto his curtesie to make his person the prison of my heart This lucklesse vnlikely loue Madam is the cause of my care the sum of my sorrow this frantike affection hath driuen my drooping heart to shew forth these drousie leekes this is it which hath made me an enemy to myselfe a foe to all good company and to delight in nothing but sorrow and solitarinesse yea this is the sore which if in time it be not salued will preuent by death all other miseries And is this quoth Melytta the pain that so greatly perplexeth you Is this the care that so cumbers your conscience Is this the danger which driues you into such déepe distresse Do you think so superstitiously of Gwydonius or so abiectly of your selfe that you déem this matter impossible to be brought to passe no no doubt not Castania I my selfe dare absolutely promise thee that thy loue shall sort to such happie successe as thou thy selfe doest séeke for And with that Melytta stayed by a sodaine sight she had of that Saint that Castania so hartily serued for Gwydonius was entring in at the chamber deere with a dish of delicates which Orlanio hearing his Daughter was so sick had sent her Melytta séeing that Cupid began to sauor the cause of his Clients in giuing them such fit opportunitie to discouer their cares went her waie leauing Gwydonius the first man to play his part in this tragicall comedy who séeing his goddesse thus surprised with sicknesse was so gallen with griefe so pinched with hellish passions and so tortured with extreame torments that his colour began to change he fetcht a déep sigh or two which Castania hearing she perceiued without touching his pulses the cause of these his sodain passions In fine such melancholike motions so amazed his minde that he was almost mute in his message yet at length incouraging himselfe hée presented it vnto her in this wise Madame quoth he the Duke your Father hearing of your sodaine sicknesse in token of his fatherly affection amongst all his dainties hath sent you this dish which hee thinks most méet for your diet wishing your Ladiship to let no doubtfull motions distresse your minde nor no carefull thoughts cumber your conscience for you shall lacks nothing if you reueale to him your want which either your will or wish can desire And truly Madame to manifest my willing duety if the praiers of a poore Gentleman may be heard of the heauenly Gods I wish that before you taste of this feede it may turne to Nectar whereby not only your sicknesse should be salued but your diuine beautie and vertue according to desert should be crowned with immortalitie Castania perceiuing with what fernent affection Gwydonius vttered those wordes began to chéere vp her selfe in hope that her good will should not be repaied with ingratitude taking therefore the present at his handes and liking it neuer the worse for his sake that brought it she returned him this replie Gwydonius quoth she as I haue cause most reuerently to accept of my fathers louing curtesie and to repay his naturall affection with most dutifull obedience so I haue cause to thanke thee for thy paines and to thinke well of thée for thy wish promising in recompence of thy good wil if in any respect I may pleasure thee to séeke and sue to my father for preferment Madame I account the performance of my message no paine but pleasure and I thinke my selfe as much honored by this office thrice more happy than if I should in Ganimedes place present that cup to Iupiter But Madame sith that to stop the streame is to make the floud flow more fiercelie to represse the fire is to make it flame more furiously and to restraine the force of loue is to kindle a greater flame least too long delaie should bréede too great daunger and by concealing my sorrow I should make the sore incurable I thought good either presently to heare the curteous sentence of my life or the cruell doome of my death So it is Madame that too long gazing vppon the beames of your heauenly beautie and too narrowly construing ouer your vertuous conditions I remaine so caught in the snare of your bountie and so thralled in the thréede of your vertue that the staie of my life hangeth in your hands either to driue mee downe to hellish miscrie or to boist mee vp to heauenly felicity For although I haue not heretofore by dutifull seruice made manifest the loyaltie of my loue yet since I first framed in my fancie as in a mirrour the shape of your surpassing beautie my heart hath béene crossed with such cruell Camizados for your sake as if with the Target of hope I had not wiâ—hst stood the furious force of such raging furies I had by despaire béene dashed against most dangerous rockes Sith then Madame the sight of your swéete face hath fast fettered my fancie in the links of loue so as without your means I can neither be redressed nor released I humbly desire you neither to resist the motion of my well meaning nor to reiect the deuotion of my good will but to accept your poore Gwydonius as a faithfull seruant Castania hearing diligentlie the faithfull discourse of distressed Gwydonius perceiuing by his sighs the pinching sorrow of his thoughts and séeing him so fast fettered in follie on a sodaine to giue her the slip had that shee desired and now her louing lookes were turned to lowring glances her delightfull curtesie to disdainfull coinesse and she thought to repaie the swéete meate wherewith before she fed him with most sowre sauee not that she misliked of his loue for it was the onelie thing she desired but to make him the more feruent in affection vttering these or such like
all their market and turned their swéet to sowre for he gaue Thersandro his answere before Lewcippa which was this That he neither meant to accept of the conditions of peace nor to receiue the tribute but to claime his due by the doubtfull euent of battaile That he shortly pretended in person to visite Orlanio and within the walles of Alexandria to demand his debt and that he would bestow his fathers Dukedome vpon a Lord of his called Lucianus in dowrie with his daughter Lewcippa Thersandro was nothing amazed with the first part of the message but when he heard how Clerophontes meant presumptuously both to depraue him of his liuing and depriue him of his loue hee was so puffed vp with wrath and choler as happe what happe would he fell into these tearmes I remember quoth he that Caligula the Emperour prouiding a mightie armie to subdue great Britaine when hée was come to the sea ready to poste ouer his souldiers in his Nauie he left off his endlesse enterprise and set them to gather Cockles Siphax boldly boasting that hee would bestow the kingdome of Numidia vpon his second sonne was by Massinisâ—a ouerthrowne and sold as captiue to the Romanes I dare not sir inferre comparisons because they be odious nor apply the examples sith time and place forbids mee but this I say that to fish before the net is alwaies counted folly and to vaunt before the victorie is but vanitie Yea and if I had as good right to your daughter Lewcippa as I haue to the supposed dowrte which you assigne her I would in despight of Lucianus and the diuell himselfe dispose her at my pleasure Clerophontes hearing the cholerike conclusion of Thersandro could scarcely bridle his frantike furie from raging without reason against this young youth yet somewhat mitigating his moode hee breathed out these cruell threatnings IF the law of armes quoth he did not both safely protect thée and surely forbid me to hurt thée in that thou art a messenger I would with such seueritie chastice these thy presumptuous spéeches as thou shouldest learne hereafter to answere with more reuerence yet I wish thée not to stand too stiffe vpon this point least if thou bee so recklesse as to breake the bondes of reason I be so forgetfull as to passe the limits of the law Thou hast receiued a determinate answer for the Embasse and heere I charge thée this present day to depart out of my dominions Thersandro fearing the tyrannie of this cruell Clerophontes presently passed out of the chamber of Presence taking his leaue of Ladie Lewcippa onely with louing lookes which she requited with such glaunces of good will that they were sufficient signes what insupportable sorrow she receiued by his so sodaine departure yet knowing that her fancie was incountered with mutuall affection she draue away the mystie cloudes of despaire hoping that the Gods séeing their faithfull amitie would take pittie of their passions and in time redresse their miserie But Thersandro hauing with spéede dispatcht his affaires all his traine being set aboord and they coasting the straights with a luckie gale was so combered with care and so ouer-growne with griefe that he passed no houre minute nor moment without wofull wailing sorrowfull sobs and far fetcht sighs so that the Gentlemen his companions supposing that hée was thus painfully perplexed for feare of Clerophontes puisance began both to comfort and incourage him not to doubt or dreade the force of the enemie sith his father was able to repulse him without anie daunger to himselfe or anie great damage to his subiectes But these their perswasions coulde no whit preuaile to asswage his passions this their incoragement could not cure his care But as there is no greater bane to the bodie than trouble of the minde so Thersandro so long continued in these pensiue passions and carefull cogitations concealing his griefe so couertly which so much the more furiously flamed within him that he was constrained to kéep his Cabbin till his arriual at Alexandria Where being set on shore and presently conueied to the Court he remained for the space of thrée dayes so strangely perplexed as he was not able to make report of his message which so griped Orlanio with such inspeakeable griefe as he wished rather to haue died valiantly with the force of his enemy than to put the death of his sonne in hazard by passing so perillous a iorney But Thersandro séeing that sorrowe would not salue his sore but rather increase his sicknesse that mourning woulde not appease his maladie but rather augment his misery began to take heart at grasse and within fewe daies began to recouer his former health And then hee declared to his father what he had in charge from Clerophontes how hée meant spéedily to wage war against him by force of arms to driue him out of his Dukedom which he had already promised to one Lucianus in dowry with his daughter Orlanio hearing this proude presumption of this bragging Duke thought the greatest barkers were not alwaies the sorest biters and that it was far more easie with wordes to obtaine the victorie than with déeds to attaine the conquest Yet least he might he taken at vnawares he made a generall muster throughout all his Dominions prouiding in euerie place necessary munition for the defence of his Countrie And assembling his Nobility to giue their verdit who were fittest to be Captains in this skirmish after some consultation had in this cause they concluded that since Clerophontes meant to ioyn battaile in his own person that likewise he should be Generall of the field and Gwydonius who surpassed all the rest in martiall exploits should be Lieutenant and conduct the armie which he no sooner heard but he was tormented with inspeakable grief he began to pull downe his Peacockes feathers to hang his wings and crie creake euerie man hoping to win fame was merry but he alone mourning euery man laughed and he alone lowred insomuch that he was generally suspected to be a fearefull cowarde and that dread of danger draue him into these dolefull dumps But as they rashly coniectured the cause of his sorrowe so they mist the nature of his sicknesse for Gwydonius séeing that of the cruel coÌ„flict his calamity should insue and that this bloudy broyle would bréed his bane he fel into such solitary surmises and such musing meditations that Valericus his opén friend and yet his secret foe sought by sundrie meanes to search out the cause of his care but not beeing able to wring out any thing either by flattering promises or fained protestations he ceased from his importunate sute But froward fortune brought it so to passe that Valericus comming by the chamber of Gwydonius heard him thus desperately discoursing with himselfe Alasse quoth he I sée the Sunne being at the highest declineth the Sea being at the full tide ebbeth calme continueth not long without a storme neither is happinesse had long without heauinesse blisse without bale
weale without woe mirth without mourning For who alate so floated in the flouds of felicitie as I which now by the sinister meanes of frowning fortune am sowsed in the seas of sorrow eralted alate to the highest degrée of happines am now driuen to the greatest extremitie of euill alate puffed vp with prosperity and now pushed downe with aduersitie yea alate placed in Paradise and now plunged in perplexity Oh Gwydonius if thy Fathers friendly precepts might haue perswaded thee if his aduice had béene thy aduertisement and thou hadst carefully kept his counsaile then by his fore-warning thou hadst béene forearmed against all mishap and miserie The force of fickle fancy had not then giuen thee the foyle Loue had not so lightly procured thy losse nor the painted shewe of beautie had not so soone procured thy bane My bane Why fond foole beautie hath bred my blisse fancie hath not giuen me the foile but hath yéelded me the fort Loue hath not wrought my losse but requited me with treble gaine Hath not Castania requited my loue with loyaltie and repaied my good will with mutuall affection Is shée not my Saint and I her seruant Are we not contracted together by loue and shall continue together by law May I not dispose of her in the way of marriage at my pleasure Yes but what then The more is my griefe and the greater my care For if her presence procureth my delight will not her absence bréed my despight If her consent preserued my life will not her contempt inferre my death Yes For alas since the destinies meane to dissolue that fancie hath decréed since the frowning fates séeke to vnloose that which loue hath linked since froward fortune meanes to breake the bonds wherein beautie hath bounde vs since these bloudie broyles will cause Castania where before she accepted me for a friend now to reiect me for a foe What better lucke can I looke for than a loathsome life or what better hap can I hope for than horror and heauinesse Yea which way so euer I turne mee I see nothing but woe and wretchednesse For if Orlanio perceiued our liking how would he storme at our loue If he knew my chance how would he fret at his Daughters choice Woulde hée euer consent that Castania should match with so meane a mate that her Princely personage should bee disgraced with my base parentage that her calling should be crazed with my slender countenance no he would no doubt first banish me out of all his dominions Tush Gwydonius would God this were the worst and then thou mightest hope in time by some means to redresse this doubt But if Orlanio shuld know thou wert heire apparant to the Dukedome of Mitylene and only sonne to Clerophontes his fatall foe what torment were there so terrible which thou shouldest not trie What paine so pinching which thou shouldest not passe What hap so hard which thou shouldest not hazard Yea what death so direfull which at his cruell hands thou shouldest not suffer And what if Castania were priuy to thy state doest thou thinke her so constant as to consent to her Fathers foe Doest thou thinke shee would wishe the sonnes weale when the Father wisheth her mishap No assure thy selfe if thy state be once knowen that Castania will most deadly detest thée which will bee more gréeuous to thée than death it selfe be it neuer so terrible Sith then Gwydonius thou must shortly either go in arms against thine owne Father or else lose both thy loue and thy life let not delay bréede daunger but strike on the stith while the yron is hot Castania hath promised to forsake both father friends and her owne Countrie to passe where and whē it pleaseth thée shee doubteth no daungers she forceth of no misfortune she careth for no calamity she passeth for no perils so she enioy thy desired companie and therefore as spéedily as may be conuey her closely into the confines of Mitylene before either she know thy staie or thy state And shall I so practice her with policies Shall I so sifte her with subtiltie Shall I put so little trust in her troth and so small confidence in her constancie as to conceale frō her any secret No come woe come wretchednesse come death come daunger hap what hap will I will presentlie impart vnto her my present state and my pretended purpose Valericus hearing this doubtfull discourse of Gvvydonius was driuen into an extasie for ioy to sée that hee had found such fit meanes whereby hee might not onely purchase the Dukes fauour aspire vnto honour and dignitie but also obtaine the loue of Castania for he meant spéedily to preuent the pretence of Gwydonius by vnfolding to the Duke the sum of his secret purpose assuring himselfe that after Orlanio knew his parents and parentage that hée was sonne and heire to Clerophontes no price though neuer so precious no ransom though neuer so rich might redéeme him from the most despitefull death that could be deuised And of these premisses he inferd this conclusion that if the cause be taken away the effect faileth that Gwydonius beeing reiected hee should be receiued that he béeing despighted with hate hee should be requited with loue and vpon this hope he went presently to bewray this matter to Orlanio whome hee found with his sonne Thersandro and diuerse other noble men consulting what course they had best take against Clerophontes whoms Valericus saluted in this wise PLato right worthy Prince that graue and wise Philosopher whose sentences in all ages haue béene holden as most diuine Oracles portraieth out in his bookes of his Common wealth the picture of a perfect Citizen whose liniaments béeing first leuelled hée tricketh vp with these colours that he loue his Prince loyallie kéepe the lawes carefully and defend his Country valiantly in which thrée pointes saith hée consisteth the chiefest dutie of a trusty subiect This saying of Plato throughly considered and calling to minde the sundrie good turnes which without desert your Grace hath bestowed vppon mee I thought if I shoulde not repaie your fauour with faithfulnesse and your trust you repose in mee with inuiolable troth I might bee counted a vicious vassall deuoide of all vertues a trecherous citizen rather then a trusty subiect a carelesse slaue then a carefull gentleman yea a gracelesse mōster misled with ingratitude I am come right worthy sir not to betray my fo but to bewray my frend not to discouer the falt of my enemy but to disclose his offence which liueth with me in perfect amitie in whose company hitherto hath béene all my ioy pleasure and delight but since his pretence is greatly preiudiciall to your Graces person I thought to prefer your profit before mine own pleasure and the commoditie of my country before mine owne priuate contentation So it is that Gwydonius whom your Grace hath honoured and all the Court estéemed is sonne and heire to Clerophontes the Duke of Mitylene who by the péeuish policie of
Clerophontes if he remained victor in the conquest hee would not onely giue him his daughter Castania to wife let him possesse peaceably the Dukedome of Mitylene as her dowris but be content to acknowledge him as his liege pay him tribute as he was wont to Clerophontes While he lingred and listned how this proclamation would preuaile Castania hearing this seuere sentence and dolefull doome pronounced seeing that she should not onely be forced to forsake Gwydonius but be constrained to match in mariage with one whom she should neither loue nor like burst forth into these bitter complaints ALasse quoth she how pinching a paine is it to be perplexed with diuerse passions what a noysome care it is to be cumbred with sundrie cogitations what a woe it is to hang betwéene desire aâ—â— despaire and what a hell it is to houer betwéene feare and hope For as to him which is assured to die death is no dolour in that he perfectly knows there is no salue can cure his sorow so to him which feares to die and yet hopes to liue death were thrice more welcome than to linger in such doubt In which cursed case alas my care consisteth for as out of the riuer Cea in Sicilia but flesh most fearefull flames and yet the streame is passing colde neither is the water able to quench the fire not the fire cause the water to be hot so the heat of hope flameth out of the chilling fountain of feare and yet the force of the one is not able to asswage the vehemency of the other but still my heauy heart is diuersly assayled with them both If my father Orlanio win that conquest I doubt my desire shall reuer haue happy successe if Clerophontes triumph as victor I greatly feare his cruelty is such as I shall not escape most hoplesse death And yet again I hope that then my owne Gwydonius will accept me for his and with triumphant armes embrace me But alas wil Clerophontes suffer him to match with his mortall foe wil hée not rather preuent it by my perill Yes no doubt if he returne with triumph my father shall serue him as a subiect my brother shall become his vassall my friendes shall bee forelorne my Citie sackt and my natiue Countrie brought to vtter confusion And shall I for the loue of a Stranger wish these straunge Stratagems Shall I to féede mine owne fancy and content my lusting minde wishe my Fathers death my Brothers bane my Friends mishap my Countries confusion and perhappes my owne miserie For though Gwydonius loued mée when our Parents were friendes hée will not now like me being foes but to reuenge the iniuries my Father offered him will subtilly séeke to sacke mine honour and honesty and so triumph of my shame and discredite Had I not better pray my Father may winne the combate and then shall I bathe in the streames of blisse and flowe in the flouds of felicitie then shall I dread no daunger no feare no perills then shall I sée my father friends and Country flourish in most happie prosperitie then shall I enioy some iollie Gentleman who will loue mée being young and cherish me being olde and possesse the Dakedome of Mitylene for my downe And canst thou Castania be so ingratefull as to will his woe which wisheth thy weale to desire his destruction which prayeth for thy prosperity Canst thou be so couetous as to craue that for thy possession which is thy Gwydonius patrimonie or so suspicious as to accuse him of trechery which hath bin but too trusty to count him a counterfaite which hath alwaies béene constant No come what come will let froward Fortune fauour whom shée please so I maie ioy and safely enioy my only ioy Gwydonius As Castania had thus ended her complainte Gwydonius who all this while lurked about the borders of Alexandria heard what successe Orlanioâ— affaires had with his Father Clerophontes how varie fews or none at all durst trie the combat with him that his loue and Lady Castania was the prise that hée should get that gained the conquest Which things considered supposing that Castania had cast him off and that she plaid Out of sight out of mind by a secret and trusty messenger hee presented her with this Letter Gwydonius to Castania health THe pure spice Castania the more it is pounded the swéeter smell it yéelds the Camomill increaseth most béeing troden on the Palme tree the greater waight it beareth the straighter it groweth the stone Terpistretes the more it is beaten the harder it is and loyall loue is not weakened by the stormes of aduersitie but rather farre the more fortified by the frowarde state of frowning Fortune which Madame I speake by proofe and experience for since I haue supped off the sowre dregs of sorrow and béene pestered with the bitten pills of penary sin or sinister fortune hath crossed me to the mishaps and disaster fates haue driuen mee downe to misery my fancy hath so furiously assaulted my minde and affection hath so incessantly battered the bulwarke of my brest as the sparkes of Ioue which kindled in mée in prosperity are turned to fierce and fiery flames by adnorsitie So that Madam your presence did not before procure me such pleasure as your absence doth paine neither was I so drowned in delight in frequenting your companie as I am drenched with despight by leading my life in sorrowfull calamitie Alasse Castania what vnspeakeable griefe hath tormented mée what direfull dolour hath distressed mee what hellish horrour hath haunted mee yea what wee and wretchednesse hath wracked my wits since thou last béen proclaimed a prey to him whosoeuer winneth the prise in the combate How oft haue I wished that I might bee the Champion to make the challenge that I might venture my life to purchase thy liberty that my death might redéem thée from danger But alas I sée to wish is in vaine to craue of the geds that thy father should vaunt of the victory is but to wish that our loue should haue haplesse successe to pray that Clerophontes should returne with conquest thou wilt déeme I desire thy friends misfortune Thus assayled with diuers doubts I driue off my dayes in dolour hoping howsoeuer fortune frowne that the fates wil assigne vs a perfect calm of permanent felicity for this sturdie storme of pinching miserie Thine euer exiled Gwydonius CAstania hauing receiued this Letter séeing that no sinister chaunce of fortune was able to change the fixed fancie of Gwydonius conceiued such assured hope in his constancie as now shée thought his troth was filed with no spot of treachery that his faith was quite deuoide of flatterie that whatsoeuer chaunced she might safely repose hir stay and state in his loyaltie Insomuch that to drine out the euill opinion which she thought her brother Thersandro had conceiued of Gwydonius conspiracie she secretly shewed him the Letter which after he had read ouer and carefully construed euery clause hee began both to detect
stead of some braue Gentleman I strike some filthie lurden And it shall happen I doubt that they shal be most fortunate in their loue so that by patrimony presence or wealth they shall soonest winne the fauour of women and by this meanes my kingdome shall come to ruine when men sée in it such disorder and cuill gouernment Venus hauing long sought Cupid now meeteth him I Haue carefully long sought thée my déere sonne maruelling what the cause should bee that thou hast not béene present at the banket of Iupiter Who is greatly incensed against thée not only for thy absence but for the coÌ„plaints which are powred out against thée by sundrie poore artificers laboring men peasants slaues hand-maids old men and toothlesse aged women crying all vnto Iupiter that they loue thinking themselues greatly iniured in this respect that the passion which is proper to worthy and Noble men should be inflicted vpon them which are of the base and vilest sort Loue. Had not the great misfortune which is chaunced vnto me happened I had neither béen absent from the banquet nor their gréeuous complaints had not béene inserred against me Venus Why And art thou hurt Who hath thus vailed thine eyes Loue. Folly hath not onely pulled them out but also hath put this band before mine eyes which can neuer be taken away Venus O cursed enemy of all wisedome O haplesse wretch vniustly called a goddesse and more vnrightly tearmed immortal hast thou depriued me of my chiefest delight and felicity O disaster loue O dissolute mother O wofull Venus who séest thy sonne thy ioy and only care thus cruelly depriued of his sight Well since thy mishappe is so great I vowe that euery one that shall loue what fauour or happy successe soeuer he shall haue shall not be without some care trouble or calamitie that he vaunt not himselfe to be more happie than the sonne of Venus Loue. Cease off good mother from these sorrowful complaints and redouble not my griefe by these dolorous discourses suffer mee to beare mine owne misfortune and wish not euill vnto them which shall be my subiects Venus Well let vs then go to Iupiter and complaine of this cursed inchantresse The third Discourse Venus It euer thou haddest pittie of my plaintes most iust Iupiter when thou sawest me labour to saue my sonne Aeneas from the furie of the raging seas and to defend him from other dangers in the which hée was present at the siege of Troy If my teares for the death of my deare Adonis moued thee to compassion The surpassing sorrow that I doe conceiue for the great iniurie offered to Cupid I hope shall mooue thée to pittie If teares wold suffer me I would bewray the cause of my sorrow but behold my son in what plight hee is and thou shalt easily perceiue the cause of my complaint Iupiter Alasse my béere daughter what doe these teares preuaile knowest thou not what fatherly affection I haue alwaies borne thee what doest thou distrust that I will not succour thee or that I cannot Venus No I neither doubt the one nor distrust the other only demaund iustice against Follie the most outragious Furie in the worlde which hath thus grieuously abuted Cupid Folly Most mightie and soueraigne Iupiter behold I am here ready to answere to Venus complaints and to debate my right against Cupid Iupiter Folly I will neither accuse nor excuse thée vntill I haue heard the defence of the one as well as the plaint of the other least I should be thought partiall neither for the more auoiding of iniustice in the matter will I suffer you to pleade your owne causes but Venus choose you one of the Gods and Folly take you another Venus I choose Apollo to defend my cause Follie. And I Mercurie to maintaine my right Iupiter Then Apollo Mercurie prepare your selues to plead well in your clientes cases and Apollo since you take the plaintifes part let vs heare what you can say Apollo THe common people right soueraign Iupiter although their minds be sotted and almost senselesse yet they haue alway had loue in such sacred estimation that they haue carefully rewarded them with the titles of honor and dignitie which haue excelled in that holy affection estéeming this onely vertue if so rightly it may bee tearmed sufficient of a man to make one a God The Scythians for this cause canonized Pilades and Orestes erecting temples vnto them and calling them the Gods of amitie Castor and Pollux were made immortall by this meanes not in that they were brothers but in that which is rare their loue was inuiolable How hath same blazed abroad the loue of Dauid and Ionathan the amitie of Pythias and Damon and of Titus and Gisippus But the better to make manifest the force of loue and amitie I will alledge the saying of Darius who opening a Pomgranate being demanded whereof hee would haue as manie as there were graines wtin answered of Zopyres this Zopyrus was his faithful friend by the meanes of whom he conquered Babylon I remember also a certaine Syrian demaunding a mayd in mariage being willed to shewe of what wealth hee was said that he had no other riches but two friendes esteeming himselfe rich inough with such possessions to craue the daughter of a great Lord in marriage Did not loue cause Ariadne saue Theseus life Hyperminestra redéeme Linceus froÌ„ danger and Medea frée Iason from perill Haue not many poore soldiers béen aduanced to high dignities by the meanes of loue Yea doth not all pleasure and profit procéed to man by loue causing him to looke with an amiable countenance to speake pleasantly and to bee curious in his gestures although by nature he be dull sottish and of a fierce looke What causeth a man to go braue and fine in his apparell seeking euerie day new fashions but loue What procureth Gentlewomen to haue their haire frizled crisped embrodered with gold to be dressed after the Spanish French or Italian fashion but Loue Painting their faces if they be foule with liuely colours But if they be faire they so carefully kéepe their beautie from the parching heate of summer from the chilling cold of Winâ—ter from the winde raine and aire as they remaine almost euer young not so much as forgetting to haue theirshooes made fine and neate because the curiousnesse of men is such as they leaue not to looke from the crowne of the head to the sole of the foote to haue their gemmes iewels ouches rings perfumed gloues what not In fine what beautie or brauerie is in the apparell either of man or woman all procéedeth of Loue. Shall I say that Musicke was onely inuented by loue yea truly for either it mitigateth the passions wherewith men are perplexed or else augmenteth their pleasure so that daily they inuent diuerse kindes of instruments as Lutes Citrons Violls Flutes Cornets Banderas wheron they play Madrigalls Sonnetts Pauins Measures Galliardes and all these in remembrance of Loue
Common-wealth is maintayned knowledge and learning augmented the properties of hearbes stones Birdes and beastes perfectly searched out What folly is it most daungerously to passe into the howels of the earth to digge for yron and séeke for gold How many artes and occupations should bee driuen out of the worlde if Follie were banished Truly the most part of men should either beg for want or die for hunger How should so many Aduocates Procurators Sergeants Atturneis Scriueners Imbroderers Painters and Perfumers liue if Ladie Follie were vtterly exiled Hath not follie inuented a thousād deuices to draw a man from idlenesse as Tragedies Comedies Dancing schooles fencing houses wrastling places a thousand other foolish sports Hath she not made men hardie and venturous to fight with Lions Bores and Buls onely to gaine honour and to passe other in follie What did Antonie and Cleopatra when they straue who should spend most in beastly banquetting What caused Caesar lament that he had not begun to trouble the world in that age wherein Alexander had conquered the greatest part Why did diuerse séeke to fill vp the valleyes to make plaine the mountaines to dry vp Riuers to make Bridges ouer the Sea as Claudius the Emperour did What made Rodope builde the Pyramides and Artemisia frame the sumptuous sepulchre but Follie. In fine without this Goddesse man shoulde bee carefull heauie and whollie drowned in sorrow whereas Follie quickeneth his spirits maketh him sing daunce leape and frame himselfe altogether to pleasure It is not possible that loue should bee without the daughter of youth which is Follie. For Loue springeth of sedaine and sundrie causes by receiuing an apple as Cidippe by looking out at a windowe as Scilla by reading in a Booke as the Ladie Francis Rimhi some fall in loue by sight some by hearing but all liuing in hope to obtaine their desires And yet some haue loued without anie naturall cause as Pigmalion who fell in loue with his Marble picture and I pray you what Sympathie could there be betwéene a liuely youth and a dead stone what was it then but follie that kindled this flame What forced Narcissus to fall in loue with his owne shaddowe but Follie Yea what aduenture is passed in loue without Follie For the Philosophers define Follie to be a depriuation of wisedome and wisedome is altogether without passions of the which when loue shall be voide then no doubt the Sea shall be without waues and the fire without heats Consider but a young man which onely placeth his delight in amorous conceites decking dressing and perfuming himselfe most delicately who passeth out of his lodging fraught with a thousand sundrie fancies accompanied with men and Pages passing to the place where hee may haue a sight of his Mistresse obtaining for his trauell no gaine but perhaps some amorous glance making long sutes spending his time and his treasure consuming his wit and wasting his wealth and yet reaping nothing but disdaine and discredite But if it chance that his Mistresse condescend vnto his requests she appointeth him to come at some suspicious houre which he cannot performe without great perill To come with company were to bewraie his secrets to go alone most daungerous to goe openly too manifest so that he must passe disguised sometime like a woman other times like a peasant or some vile person scaling the walles with ladders climbing vp to the windowes by cordes yea continually in daunger of death if Follie did not hold him vp by the hand It is not also vnknowne vnto you how many sundrie passions do perplexe the poore passionate Louers all which procéed of Follie as to haue ones heart separated from himselfe to be now in peace and then in warre now couering his dolour blushing one while and looking pale another fraught whollie with feare hope shame seeking that carefully which hée séemeth to flie and yet doubtfully dreading not to finde it to laugh sildome to sigh often to burne in colde and freeze in heate to be crossed altogether with contraries which be signes not onely of follie but of phrensie Who shall excuse Hercules handling so carefully the distaste of Omphale or Salomon for combring himselfe with so many Concubines Anniball in submitting himselfe to his Loue Aristotle in obeying Hermia and Socrates in yéelding to Aspasia and many other which we sée daily to bee so blinded as they know not themselues and what is the cause hereof but follie so that we see that it is she which maketh Loue to be so feared and redoubted it is she that honoureth him exalteth his name and causeth him to be counted as a God Further whosoeuer loueth must apply himselfe to the affection of his mistresse although it be contrarie to his naturall constitution if he be quiet wise and discréete yet if his louer please to haue him chaunge his state he must turne his stearne and hoise his saile to goe with another winde Zethius and Amphion could not agrée for because the delight of the one was a despight to the other vntill Amphion left his Musicke If the Ladie whom thou louest be couetous thou must chaunge thy selfe into golde and so fall into her bosome if she be merrie thou must bée pleasant if sullen thou must be sad All the seruants and sutors to Atlanta were hunters because she delighted in that sport Many Gentlewomen to please their louers which were Poets left the rocke and the néedle and tooke in hand pennes books now tell mee if these straunge Metamorphoses be not méere points of follie Doe you thinke that a Souldier which goeth to the assault marketh the trenches thinketh of his enemies or of a thousand harguebushes wherof euerie one is sufficient to destroy him No he onely hopeth to win the conquest and doth not so much as once imagine the rest He which first inuented sayling doubted not of the perillous daungers and hee that playeth neuer thinketh to become a looser yet are they all thrée in daunger to be slaine drowned and vndone But what then they neither do see nor will sée what is hurtfull vnto them So we must coniecture the like of louers for if they did sée the dreadfull dangers and the fearefull perits wherein they are how they be deceiued and beguiled they would neuer honour loue as God but detest him as a Diuell and so should the kingdom of loue be destroyed which now is gouerned by ignorance carelesnesse hope blindenesse which are all the handmaids of Folly Remaine in peace then fond Loue and séeke not to break the auncient league which is betwéen thée and Folly For if then doest thy bowe shal be broken thy darts shal be of no force Contemptęque iacent sine luce faces ¶ When Mercury had finished the defence of Follie Iupiter seeing the gods to be diuersly affected that some held with Cupid and some with Folly to decide the doubt he pronounced this sentence FOr the difficulty and importance of this difference and diuersitie of opinions we haue remitted the deciding of it vntill thrée times seuen times and nine ages be past in the meane while wee straightly commaund you to liue friendly together without offering iniury one vnto another And Folly shall guide and conduct blinde Loue whither shée séemeth best and for the restoring of his eyes after we haue spoken with the Destinies it shall be decréede FINIS AT LONDON Printed for Mathew Lownes 1608