Firste he pleaded ignorance as though he knewe not hir name and therefore demaunded the same of Mistresse Fraunces who when shée had to him declared that hir name was Elinor hee sayde these woordes or very like in effect If I thought I shoulde not offend Mistres Elynor I woulde not doubte to stoppe hir bléeding without eyther payne or difficultie This Gentlewoman somewhat tickled with his woordes did incontinent make relation thereof to the sayde Mistresse Elynor who immediately declaring that Ferdinando was hir late receyued seruaunt returned the saide messanger vnto him with especiall charge that hee shoulde employ his deuoyre towardes the recouery of hir health with whome the same Ferdinando repayred to the chamber of his desired and finding hir set in a chayre leaning on the one side ouer a Siluer bason After his due reuerence hée layde his hande on hir Temples and priuily rounding hir in hir eare desired hir to commaunde a Hazell sticke and a knyfe the whiche beyng brought hée deliuered vnto hir saying on this wise Mistresse I will speake certaine woordes in secrete to my selfe and doe require no more but when you heare me saie openly this woorde Amen that you with this knyfe will make a nicke vppon this Hazell sticke and when you haue made fiue nickes commaunde mée also to cease The Dame partly of good will to the Knight and partly to be stenched of hir bléeding commaunded hir mayde and required the other Gentils somewhat to stande aside whiche done he began his Oraisons wherein he had not long muttered before he pronounced Amen wherwith the Lady made a nicke on the sticke with hir knyfe The saide Ferdinando continued to an other Amen when the Lady hauing made an other nick felt hir bléeding began to steynch so by the third Amen throughly steinched Ferdinando then chaunging his prayers into priuat talk said softly vnto hir Mystres I am glad that I am hereby enabled to doe you some seruice and as the staunching of your owne bloud may some way recomfort you so if the shedding of my bloud may any way content you I beséech you commaund it for it shal be euermore readily employed in your seruice and therwithal with a loud voyce pronounced Amen wherewith the good Lady making a nick did secretly answere thus Good seruant quod shée I must néedes think my selfe right happy to haue gained your seruice and good will and be you sure that although ther be in me no such desert as may draw you into this depth of affection yet such as I am I shal be alwayes glad to shewe my self thankfull vnto you And now if you thinke your self assured that I shall bleede no more doe then pronounce your fifth Amen the which pronounced shée made also hir fifth nicke and held vp hir head calling the company vnto hir and declaring vnto them that hir bléeding was throughly steinched And Ferdinando tarying a while in the chamber found oportunitie to loose his sequence néere too his desired Mistres And after congé taken departed After whose departure the Lady arose out of hir chayre and hir mayd going about to remoue the same espied and toke vp the writing the which hir mistres perceiuing gan sodenly coniecture that the same had in it some like matter to the verses once before left in like maner and made semblant to mistrust that the same should be some wordes of coniuration and taking it from hir mayd did peruse it and immediatly said too the company that she would not forgo the same for a great treasure But to be plain I think that Ferdinando excepted she was glad to be rid of all company vntill she had with sufficient leasure turned ouer and retossed euery card in this sequence And not long after being now tickled thorough all the vaines with an vnknown humour aduentured of hir selfe to commit vnto a like Ambassadour the discyphring of that which hitherto shée had kept more secret and therevpon wrot with hir own hand and head in this wyse GOod seruant I am out of al doubt much beholding vnto you and I haue great comfort by your meanes in the steinching of my bloud and I take great comfort too reade your letters and I haue found in my chamber diuers songs which I think too be of your making and I promise you they are excellently made and I assure you that I wil bee ready to doe for you any pleasure that I can during my life wherefore I pray you come to my chamber once in a day till I come abroad again and I wil be glad of your company and for because that you haue promised to be my HE I will take vpon me this name your SHE THis letter was doubtles of hir own hande writing and as therin the Reader may finde great difference of Style from hir former letter so may you now vnderstand the cause Shée had in the same house a friend a seruant a Secretary what should I name him such one as shée estéemed in time past more than was cause in tyme present And to make my tale good I will by the same words that Bartello vseth discribe him vnto you He was in heigth the proportion of two Pigmeis in bredth the thicknesse of two bacon hogges of presumption a Gyant of power a Gnatte Apishly wytted Knauishly mannered and crabbedly fauord What was there in him then to drawe a fayre Ladies liking Marry sir euen all in all a well lyned pursse wherewith he could at euery call prouide suche pretie conceytes as pleased hir péeuish fantasie and by that meanes hée had throughly long before insinuated him selfe with this amorous dame This manling this minion this slaue this secretary was nowe by occasion rydden too Florence forsothe and though his absenee were vnto hir a disfurnishing of eloquence it was yet vntoo Ferdinando Ieromini an opportunitie of good aduauntage for when hée perceiued the change of hir stile and thereby grewe in some suspition that the same procéeded by absence of hir chiefe Chauncellor he thought good now to smyte while the yron was hotte and to lend his Mistresse suche a penne in hir Secretaries absence as hée should neuer be able at his returne to amend the well writing therof Wherfore according to hir cōmaund he repayred once euery day to hir chamber at the least whereas hée guided himselfe so wel and could deuise such store of sundry pleasures and pastymes that he grew in fauour not onely with his desired but also with the rest of the gentlewomen And one day passing the time amongst them their playe grew to this end that his Mistresse being Quéene demaunded of him these thrée questions Seruant quod she I charge you aswell vppon your allgiance being nowe my subiect as also vpon your fidelitie hauing vowed your seruice vnto me that you aunswere me these thrée questions by the very truth of your secret thought First what thing in this vniuersall world doth most reioyce and comfort you Ferdinando Ieronimi abasing his eyes
did but lende hir light as for a lite VVith friendely grace To shew hir face That else would shew and shine in hir dispight Dan Phoebus hee with many a lowring looke Had hir behelde in yore in angrie wise And when he coulde none other meane deuise To staine hir name this deepe deceit he tooke To be the baite that best might hide his hooke Into hir eies his parching beames he cast To skorche their skinnes that gaZ'd on hir full fast VVhereby when many a man was sunne burnt so They thought my Queene The sonne had beene with skalding flames which wrought them all that wo And that when many a looke had lookt so long As that their eyes were dimme and dazaled both Some fainting heartes that were both leude and loth To looke agayne from whence that error sprong Gan close their eye for feare of farther wrong And some againe once drawen into the maze Gan leudly blame the beames of beauties blaze But I with deepe foresight did soone espie How phoebus ment By false intent To slaunder so her name with crueltie wherefore at better leasure thought I best To trie the treason of his trecherie And to exalt my Ladies dignitie when Phoebus fled and drewe him downe to rest Amid the waues that walter in the west J gan behold this louely Ladies face whereon dame nature spent hir giftes of grace And found therein no parching heat at all But such bright hew As might renew An Aungels ioyes in raigne celestiall The courteouse Moone that wisht to do me good Did shine to shew my dame more perfectly But when she sawe hir passing iollitie The Moone for shame did blush as red as bloud And shrounke a side and kept hir hornes in hoode So that now when Dame Cynthia was gone J might enioye my Ladies lokes alone Yet honoured still the Moone with true intent VVho taught vs skill To worke our will And gaue vs place till all the night was spent F. I. ANd now to returne to my tale by that time that hee returned out of the parke it was dinner time and at dynner they all met I meane both dame Elynor dame Fraunces Ferdenando I leaue to discribe that the Lady Fraunces was gorgiously attyered and set forth with very braue apparell and Madame Elynor onely in hir night gowne gyrt to hir with a coyfe trymmed Alla Piedmonteze on the whiche she ware a little cape crossed ouer the crowe with two bandes of yellowe Sarcenet or Cipresse in the middest whereof she had placed of hir owne hand writing in paper this worde Contented This attyre pleased hir then to vse and could not haue displeased Mistresse Fraunces had she not ben more priuy to the cause then to the thing it selfe at least the Lorde of the Castle of ignnoraunce and dame Fraunces of great temporaunce let it passe with out offence At dinner bicause the on was pleased with al former reconinges and the other partye priuie to the accōpt there passed no word of taunt or grudged but omnia bene After dynner dame Elinor being no lesse desirous to haue Ferdinandos compani then dame Frances was to take him in some prety trippe they began to question how they might best passe the day the Lady Elinor séemed desirous to kepe her chamber but Mistresse Fraunces for another purpose séemed desirous to ride abroade therby to take the open ayre they gréed to ride a mile or twayne for solace and requested Ferdinando to accompany them the which willingly granuted Eche one parted from other to prepare them selues nowe began the sport for when he was booted his horses sadled and he ready to ride he gan misse his Rapier wherat al astonied he began to blame his man but blame whom he would found it could not be At last the Ladies going towardes the horsebacke called for him in the base Court and demaunded if he were readie to whome hée aunswered Madame I am more than readie and yet not so ready as I would be and immediatly taking him selfe in trip he thought best to vtter no more of his conceipt but in hast more than good spede mounted his horse comming toward the dames presented himselfe turning bounding taking vp his courser to the vttermost of his power in brauery after suffering his horse to breath him selfe he gan also allay his owne choller to the dames he sayd Fayre Ladyes I am ready when it pleaseth you to ride where so you commaund How ready so euer you be seruaunt quod dame Elynor it seemeth your horse is readier at your commaunde then at oures If he bée at my commaund Mistresse quod he he shall be at yours Gramercye good seruaunte quod shée but my meanyng is that I feare he be to stirring for our cōpany If he proue so mistres quod he I haue here a soberer palfray to serue you on The Dames being mounted they rode forthwardes by the space of a mile or very neare Ferdinando whether it were of his horses corage or his owne choller came not so neare them as they wished at last the Lady Fraunces sayde vnto him mayster Ieronomy you sayde that you had a sober horse which if it be so we would bée glad of your company but I beleue by your countenaunce your horse and you are agréed Ferdinando alighting called his seruaunt chaunged horses with him and ouer taking the Dames sayd to Mistres Fraunces And why doe you think fayre Lady that my horse and I are agreed Because by your countenaunce quod she it séemeth your patience is stirred In good faith quod he you haue gessed aright but not with any of you Thē we care the lesse seruaunt quod Dame Elynor By my troth Mistresse quod he looking wel about him that none might heare but they two it is with my seruaunt who hath lost my sword out of my chamber Dame Elinor litle remembring the occasion replied it is no matter seruaunt quod she you shall heare of it againe I warrant you and presently wee ryde in Gods peace and I trust shall haue no néede of it yet Mistres quod he a weapō serueth both vses aswell to defēd as to offend Now my by troth quod Dame Fraunces I haue now my dreame for I dreamt this night that I was in a pleasaunt medow alone where I met with a tall Gentleman apparrelled in a night gowne of silke all embroadered about with a garde of naked swordes and when he came towards me I séemed to be afrayd of him but he recomforted me saying be not afrayd fayre Lady for I vse this garment onely for mine owne defence and in this sort went that warrelike God Mars what time hée taught Dame Venus to make Vulcan a hammer of the new fashion Notwithstanding these comfortable words the fright of the dreame awaked me and sithens vnto this hower I haue not slept at al. And what time of the night dreamt you this quod Fardinando In the grey morning about dawning of the day but
more to augment thy griefes for I know thou â—ouest me and I thinke also that thou hast had sufficient proofe of myne vnfayned good wyll in remembrance whereof I fall into sundry passions First I compt the happy lotes of our first acquaintance and therin I call to minde the equalitie of our affections for I thinke that there were neuer two louers conioyned with freer concent on both partyes and if my ouer basty deliuery of yeelding words be not wrested hereafter to my condempnation I can then assure my self to escape for euer without desert of any reprofe Here withall I cannot forget the sundry aduentures hapned since wee became one hart deuided in two bodyes all which haue ben both happily atchiued and delectable enioyed What resteth then to consider but this thy present stat The first corosiue that I haue felt and the last cordiall that I looke forthe end of my ioyes and the beginning of my torments And here hir salt teares gan bath the dying lippes of hir seruaunt who hearing these wordes and well considering hir demeanor began now to accuse him selfe of such and so haynous treason as that his gilty hart was constrayned to yeelde vnto a iust scourge for the same He swooned vnder hir arme the which when she perceiued it were harde to tel what feares did most affright hir And It were hard nowe to rehearse how he was reuyued since there were none presente but hee dying who could not declare and she liuing who would not disclose so much as I meane to bewraye For mine aucthor dreameth that Ferdenando returning to life the first thing which he felt was that his good mistres lay pressing his brest with the whole weight of hir bodye byting his lips with hir friendly téeth And peraduenture she refrayned either of curtesie towards him or for womanish feare to hurt her tender hande to strike him on the chéekes in such sort as they doe that striue to call againe a dying creature and therefore thought this the aptest meane to reduce him vnto remembrance Ferdinando now awaked could no lesse doe than of his curteous nature receiue his Mistresse into his bed Who as one that knewe that waye better than how to help his swooning gan gently strip of hir clothes and louingly embracing him gan demaund of him in this sorte Alas good Seruaunt quod shée what kinde of maladie is this that so extréemly doth torment thée Ieronimij with fainting speach answered Mistresse as for my maladie it hath béene easelye cured by your bountifull medicines applied But I must confesse that in receiuing that guerison at your handes I haue bene constrained to fall into an Extasie through the gauling remembraunce of mine owne vnworthinesse Neuerthelesse good Mistres since I perceiue such fidelitye remayning betwéene vs as that fâ—we woordes wyll perswade suche trust as louers ought to imbrace let these fewe wordes suffice to craue your pardon and do eftsones powre vppon me your vnworthy seruaunt the aboundaunt waues of your accustomed clemencie for I must confesse that I haue so highlye offended you as but your goodnesse surpasse the mallice of my conceiptes I must remayne and that right woorthely to the seuere punishment of my desertes and so should you but loose him who hath cast away him self and neither can accuse you nor darre to excuse him selfe of the crime Dame Elinor who had rather haue founde hir seruaunt perfectly reuiued than thus with straunge conceyptes encombred and musing much at his darke spech became importunat to know the sertaynty of his thoughts And Ferdenando as on not maister of him selfe gan at the last playnly confesse how he had mistrusted the chaung of hir vowed affections Yea and that more was he playnely expressed with whom of whom by whom and too whom she bent hir better liking Nowe here I would demaunde of such as are experte Is there any greater impedymente to the fruition of a Louers delights than to be mistrusted or rather is it not the ready way to race all loue and former good will out of remembrance to tell a guilty mind that you do mistrust it It should seeme yes by Dame Elynor who began now to take the matter whotlye and of such vehemencie were hir fancies that she nowe fell into flat defiance with Ferdinando who although he sought by many faire wordes to temper hir chollorike passions and by yelding him selfe to get the conquest of an other yet could he by no meanes determine the quarrell The soft pillowes being present at al these whot speches put forth them selues as mediators for a truce betwene these enemies and desired that if they would néedes fight it might be in their presence but one only blowe so from thence forth to become friendes againe for euer But the Dame denied flatlye alledging that shée found no cause at all to vse such curtesie vnto such a recreant adding further many words of great reproche the which dyd so enrage Ferdinando as that hauing forgotten all former curtesies he assayleth his enemies by force At last she rose sodainlye and determined to saue hir selfe by flight leauing him in bedde with many despitefull wordes and swearing that he shoulde neuer eftsones take her at the lyke aduauntage the whiche oathe she kepte better than hir fourmer professed good wyll and hauing nowe recouered her Chamber because shee founde her hurt to be nothing daungerous I doubte not but shée slept quietlye the rest of the night As Ferdinando also perswading himselfe that he shoulde with conuenient leasure recouer her from this haggard conceipt tooke some better rest towardes the morning than hee had done in many nightes forepast So let them both sléepe whiles I turne my penne vnto the before named Secretarie who being as I saye come latelye from Florence had made many proffers to renewe his accustomed consultations but the sorrowe whiche his Mistresse had conceyued in Ieronimy his sicknesse togeather with hir continuall repayre to him during the same had bene such lettes vnto his attempts as it was long time before he could obtayne audience At the last these newe accidentes fell so fauourably for the furtherance of his cause that he came to his Mistresse presence and there pleaded for himselfe Nowe if I should at large write his alligations to gither with hir subtile aunsweres I shoulde but comber your eares with vnpleasaunt rehearsall of feminine frayltye To be short the late disdayneful moode which she had coÌ„ceiued against FerdinaÌ„do togither with a scrupule which lay in hir conscience touching the xj article of hir beléefe moued hir presently with better will to consult with this Secretary aswel vpon the spéedy reuenge of hir late receiued wrongs as also vpon the reformation of hir religion And in verye déede it fel out that the Secretary hauing bene of long time absent there his quiles and pens not worne so néere as they were wont to be did now pricke faire large notes that his mistres liked better to sing fa-burden
shoulde be chastised and the yong man should be absolued All this rehearsed and considered you may as I say growe in some doubt whether I were worse occupied in first deuising or at last in publishing these toies pamphlets and much the rather for that it is a thing commonly seene that nowe adayes fewe or no things are so well handled but they shall bee carped at by curious Readers nor almost any thing so well ment but may bee muche misconstrued And heerewithall I assure my selfe that I shall bee generally condemned as a man verie lightly bent and rather desyrous to continue in the freshe remembraunce of my follyes than content too cancell them in obliuion by discontinuance especially since in a house where many yong childrē are it hath bene thought better pollicie quite to quench out the fire than to leaue any loofe cole in the imbers wherewith Babes may play and put the whole edifice in daunger But my lustie youthes and gallant Gentlemen I had an intent farre contrarie vntoo all these supposes when I fyrst permitmitted the publication heereof And bycause the greatest offence that hath beene taken thereat is least your mindes might heereby become enuenomed with vanities therefore vnto you I will addresse my tale for the better satisfying of common iudgements And vnto you I will explane that which being before mistically couered and commonly misconstrued might be no lesse perillous in seducing you than greeuous euidence for to proue mee guiltie of condemnation Then to come vnto the matter there are three sortes of men which beeing wonderfully offended at this booke haue founde therein three maner of matters say they verie reprehensible The men are these curious Carpers ignorant Readers and graue Philosophers The faults they finde are Iudicare in the Creede Chalke for Cheese and the cōmon infection of loue Of these three sorts of men and matters I do but very little esteeme the two first But I deeply regarde the thirde For of a verie troth there are one kinde of people nowadayes which will mislyke any thing being bred as I thinke of the spawne of a Crab or Creuish which in all streames and waters will swimme eyther sidewayes or flat backwards and when they can indeede finde none other fault will yet thinke Iudicare verie vntowardlye placed in the Creede Or beeing a simple Sowter will finde fault at the shape of the legge or if they be not there stopped they wil not spare to step vp higher and say that Apelles paynted Dame Venus verie deformed or euill fauoured Of this sort I make small accounte bycause indeede they seeke a knotte in the Rushe and woulde seeme to see verie farre in a Mylstone There are also certaine others who hauing no skill at all will yet be verie busie in reading all that may bee read and thinke it sufficient if Parrot like they can rehearse things without booke when within booke they vnderstande neyther the meaning of the Authour nor the sense of the figuratiue speeches I will forbeare to recyte examples by any of mine owne doings Since all comparisons are odious I will not say how much the areignment and diuorce of a Louer being written in ieast haue bene mistaken in sad earnest It shall suffice that the contentions passed in verse long sithence betwene maister Churchyard and Camell were by a blockheaded reader cōstrued to be indeed a quarell betwene two neighbors Of whom that one hauing a Camell in keping and that other hauing charge of the Churchyard it was supposed they had grown to debate bicause the Camell came into the Churchyarde Laugh not at this lustie yonkers since the pleasant dittie of the noble Erle of Surrey beginning thus In winters iust returne was also construed to be made indeed by a Shepeherd VVhat shoulde I stande much in rehersall how the L. Vaux his dittie beginning thus I loth that I did loue was thought by some to be made vpō his death bed and that the Soulknill of M. Edwards was also written in extremitie of sicknesse Of a truth my good gallants there are such as hauing only lerned to read English do interpret Latin Greke French and Italian phrases or metaphors euē according to their owne motherly conception and childish skill The which bicause they take Chalke for Cheese shall neuer trouble me whatsoeuer fault they finde in my doings But the third sort beeing graue Philosophers and finding iust fault in my doings at the common infection of loue I must needes alledge suche iuste excuse as may counteruayle their iuste complaynts For else I shoulde remayne woorthie of a seuere punishment They wysely considering that wee are all in youth more apt to delight in harmefull pleasures then to disgest wholesome and sounde aduice haue thought meete to forbid the publishing of any ryming tryfles which may serue as whetstones to sharpen youth vnto vanities And for this cause finding by experience also how the first Copie of these my Posies hath beene verie much inquired for by the yonger sort and hearing likewise that in the same the greater part hath beene written in pursute of amorous enterpryses they haue iustly conceyued that the continuance thereof hath beene more likely to stirre in all yong Readers a venemous desire of vanitie than to serue as a common myrrour of greene and youthfull imperfections VVherevnto I must confesse that as the industrious Bee may gather honie out of the most stinking weede so the malicious Spider may also gather poyson out of the fayrest floure that growes And yet in all this discourse I see not proued that either that Gardener is too blame which planteth his Garden full of fragrant floures neyther that planter to be dispraysed which soweth all his beddes with seedes of wholesome herbes neyther is that Orchard vnfruitfull which vnder show of sundrie weedes hath medicinable playsters for all infirmities But if the Chirurgian which should seeke Sorrell to rypen an Vlcer will take Rewe which may more inflame the Impostume then is hee more to blame that mistooke his gathering than the Gardener which planted aright and presented store and choyse to be taken Or if the Phisition will gather hote Perceley in stead of cold Endiue shall he not worthily beare the burthen of his owne blame To speake English it is your vsing my lustie Gallants or misvsing of these Posies that may make me praysed or dispraysed for publishing of the same For if you where you may learne to auoyd the subtile sandes of wanton desire will runne vpon the rockes of vnlawfull lust then great is your folly and greater will growe my rebuke If you where you might gather wholesome hearbes to cure your sundrie infirmities will spende the whole day in gathering of sweete smelling Posies much will be the time that you shal mispende and much more the harme that you shall heape vpon my heade Or if you will rather beblister your handes with a Nettle then comfort your senses by smelling to the pleasant Marioram then wanton is
your pastime and small will be your profite I haue here presented you with three sundrie sortes of Posies Floures Hearbes and VVeedes In which diuision I haue not ment that onely the floures are to bee smelled vnto nor that onely the VVeedes are to be reiected I terme some Floures bycause being indeed inuented vpon a verie light occasion they haue yet in them in my iudgement some rare inuention and Methode before not commonly vsed And therefore beeing more pleasant than profitable I haue named them Floures The seconde being indeede morall discourses and reformed inuentions and therefore more profitable than pleasant I haue named Hearbes The third being VVeedes might seeme to some iudgements neither pleasant nor yet profitable and therefore meete to bee cast away But as many weedes are right medicinable so may you find in this none so vile or stinking but that it hath in it some vertue if it be rightly handled Mary you must take heede how you vse thē For if you delight to put Hemlocke in your fellowes pottage you may chaunce both to poyson him and bring your selfe in perill But if you take example by the harmes of others who haue eaten it before you then may you chaunce to become so warie that you will looke aduisedly on all the Perceley that you gather least amongst the same one braunch of Hemlock might anoy you I assure you my yong blouds I haue not published the same to the intent that other men hereafter might be infected with my follies forepassed For though it be a comfort in miserijs habere consortem yet is it small consolation to a fellon to haue a Coyner hanged in his companie And I assure you although you will think it straunge that I haue not caused them to bee imprinted for anie vaine delight which I haue my selfe therein conceyued For the most of them being written in my madnesse might haue yeelded then more delight to my frantike fansie to see them published than they now do accumulate cares in my minde to set them forth corrected and a deformed youth had bene more likely to set them to sale long sithence than a reformed man can be able now to protect them with simplicitie The scope of mine intent and the marke whereat I shoote is double I meane grounded vpon two sundrie causes the one that being indebted vnto the worlde at the least fiue thousande dayes verie vainly spent I may yeeld him yet some part of mine account in these Poemes VVherein as he may finde great diuersitie both in stile and sense so may the good bee incouraged to set mee on worke at last though it were noone before I sought seruice The other reason is that bicause I haue to mine owne great detriment mispent my golden time I may serue as ensample to the youthfull Gentlemen of England that they runne not vpon the rocks which haue brought me to shipwracke Beware therefore lustie Gallants howe you smell to these Posies And learne you to vse the talent which I haue highly abused Make me your myrrour And if hereafter you see me recouer mine estate or reedifie the decayed walls of my youth then beginne you sooner to builde some foundation which may beautifie your Pallace If you see me sinke in distresses notwithstanding that you iudge me quick of capacitie then lerne you to mainteyne your selues swimming in prosperitie and eschue betymes the whirlepoole of misgouernment Finally I beseech you and coniure you that you rather encourage me to accomplish some worthier trauaile by seeing these Posies right smelled vnto than discourage me from attempting other labours when I shall see these first fruites reiected or misused I haue corrected them from sundrie faultes VVhich if they had not brought suspition in the first copie be you then out of doubt you had neuer bene troubled with these seconde presents nor persuaded to flourishe wisely with a two edged swoorde in your naked hands But as I haue ment them well so I craue of God that they may both pleasure and profite you for the furtherance of your skill in any commendable enterprise From my poore house at VValtamstow in the Forest the second of Ianuarie 1575 To the Readers generally a generall aduertisement of the Authour ALl that is written is written for our instruction as the holy Apostle witnesseth to the Romaines in his .xv. Chapter And in his ninth Chapter of his first Epistle to the Corinthians hee glorieth that hee coulde as it were transforme himself into all professions therby to winne all kinde of men to God saying that with the Iewes he became a Iew with them that were vnder the law he seemed also vnder the lawe with the feeble he shewed himselfe feeble And to conclude he became all things to all men to the ende that hee might thereby winne some to saluation My Schoolemaster which taught me Grammer woulde alwayes say that some schollers he woonne to studie by strypes some other by fayre meanes some by promises some other by prayses some by vainglorie and some by verie shame But I neuer hard him repent him that euer he had persuaded any scholler to become studious in what sort soeuer it were that hee woonne him For whether the braue Gennet be broken with the bitte or with the snaffle whither he be brought in awe with a Spurre or with a wand all is one if he proue readie and well mouthed Thus much I write gentle Reader to the ende that myne intent may appeare in publishing of these Posies VVherein as there are many things morall so are there also some verses more sauced with wantonnesse than with wisedome And as there are some ditties which may please and delight the godly and grauer sort so are there some which may allure the yonger sort vnto fond attempts But what for that Hath Terence bene forbidden to be read bicause his Comedies are rehearsals of many madde prankes played by wanton youthes No surely Paracelsus and sundrie other Phisitions and Philosophers declare that in euerie thing naturall there is to be founde Salt Oyle and Brimstone And I am of opinion that in euery thing which is written the holy scriptures excepted there are to be founde wisedome follie emulation and detraction For as I neuer yet saw any thing so clerkly handled but that therein might be found some imperfections So coulde I neuer yet reade fable so ridiculous but that therein some morallitie might be gathered And as the good writer shall be sure of some to bee maliced so the bad shall neuer escape the byting tongues of slaunderers But to returne to my purpose If in the hardest flint there may be found sparkes of liuely fire and the most knottie peece of Box may be wrought to a fayre Doogen hafte let these fewe suffice to persuade thee that I haue not procured the publication heereof to any ende so much as that the youthful sort might therein take example and the aged recreation Nowe if any misgouerning their owne wittes doe fortune
to vse that for a Spurre which I had heere appoynted for a Brydle I can none otherwise lameÌ„t it but to say that I am not the first which hath bene misiudged Truely gentle Reader I protest that I haue not ment heerein to displease any man but my desire hath rather bene to coÌ„tent most men I meane the diuine with godly Hymnes and Psalmes the sober minde with morall discourses and the wildest will with sufficient warning The which if it so fall out then shall I thinke my selfe right happie And if it fall out otherwise I shall yet neuer bee ashamed to become one of their corporation which reape floutes and reprehension for their trauayles But bicause these Posies growe to a great bundell and thereof also the number of louing lynes exceedeth in the Superlatiue I thought good to aduertise thee that the most part of them were written for other men And out of all doubt if euer I wrote lyne for my selfe in causes of loue I haue written tenne for other men in layes of lust For I counte greater difference betweene loue and lust than there is diuersitie betweene witte and wisedome and yet witte and I did in youth make such a fray that I feare his cosen wisedome will neuer become freendes with me in my age VVell though my folly bee greater than my fortune yet ouergreat were mine vnconstancie if in mine owne behalfe I shoulde compyle so many sundrie Songs or Sonets I haue heard of an honest plaine meaning Citizen who being ouercharged with many matters in the lawe and hearing of a common solicitor of causes in the Citie came home to comfort his wife and tolde hir that he had heard of one which dwelt at Billingsgate that coulde helpe all men Euâ—n so good Reader I was a great while the man which dwelt at Billingsgate For in wanton delightes I helped all men though in sad earnest I neuer furthered my selfe any kinde of way And by that it proceedeth that I haue so often chaunged my Posie or worde For when I did compile any thing at the request of other men if I had subscribed the same with mine owne vsuall mot or deuise it might haue bewrayed the same to haue beene of my doing And I was euer curious in that behalfe as one that was lothe to bewray the follies of other men And yet as you see I am not verie daungerous to lay my selfe wide open in view of the worlde I haue also sundrie tymes chaunged mine owne worde or deuise And no meruaile For he that wandereth much in those wildernesses shall seldome continue long in one minde VVell it were follie to bewayle things which are vnpossible to be recouered sithence Had I wist doth seldome serue as a blasone of good vnderstanding And therefore I will spende no more wordes in this Preface but I pray thee to smell vnto these Posies as Floures to comfort Herbes to cure and VVeedes to be auoyded So haue I ment them and so I beseech thee Reader to accept them Farewell T.B. In prayse of Gascogines Posies WE prayse the plough that makes the fruitelesse soyle To bring forth corne through helpe of heauenly might And eke esteeme the simple wretches toyle VVhose painefull handes doe labour day and night VVe prayse the ground whereon the herbes do grow VVhich heale or helpe our greeues and mortall paine Yea weedes haue worth wherein we vertue know For natures Art nothing hath made in vaine VVe prayse those floures which please the secrete sense And do content the tast or smell of man The Gardners paynes and worke we recompence That skilfull is or aught in cunning can But much more prayse to Gascoignes penne is due VVhose learned hande doth here to thee present A Posie full of Hearbes and Flowers newe To please all braynes to wit or learning bent Howe much the minde doth passe the sense or smell So much these Floures all other do excell E.C. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies IN gladsome Spring when sweete and pleasant shoures Haue well renued what winters wrath hath torne And that we see the wholesome smelling Floures Begin to laugh rough winters wracke to scorne If then by chaunce or choyce of owners will VVe roame and walke in place of rare delightes And therein finde what Arte or natures skill Can well set forth to feede our hungrie sightes Yea more if then the owner of the soyle Doth licence yeelde to vse all as our owne And gladly thinkes the fruites of all his toyle To our behoofe to be well set and sowne It cannot be but this so great desart In basest breast doth bâ—eede this due regarde VVith worlde of thankes to prayse this friendly part And wish that woorth mought pay a iust rewarde Good Reader then beholde what gallant spring This booke brings forth of fruites of finest sortes Be bolde to take thy list of euerie thing For so is ment And for thy glad disportes The paine was tane therefore lo this I craue In his behalfe that wrote this pleasant worke VVith care and cost and then most freely gaue His labours great wherein great treasures lurke To thine auayle let his desartes now binde thee In woorde and deede he may still thankfull finde thee M.C. commending the correction of Gascoignes Posies THe Beares blinde whelpes which lacke both nayles and heare And lie like lumpes in filthie farrowed wise Do for a time most ougly beastes appeare Till dammes deare tongue do cleare their clozed eyes The gadde of steele is likewise blunt and blacke Till file and fire do frame it sharpe and bright Yea precious stones their glorious grace do lacke Till curious hand do make them please the sight And so these floures although the grounde were gay VVhereon they grew and they of gallant hew Yet till the badde were cullde and cast away The best became the worse by such a crew For my part then I lyked not their smell But as they be I like them pretly well R.S. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies THe pleasant plot wherein these Posies gâ—â—w May represent Parnassus springs indeede VVhere Pallas with hir wise and learned crew Did plant great store and sow much cunning seede That Goddesse then on whom the Muses wayte To garde hir grounde from greedie gathrers spoyle Hath here ordeynde by fine and close conceyte A greene knight chiefe and master of the soyle Such badge beares he that beautified this booke VVith glorious shew of sundrie gallant flowers But since he first this labor vndertooke He gleand thereout to make the profite ours A heape of Hearbes a sort of fruitfull seedes A needefull salue compound of needlesse weedes Appendix All these with more my freend here freely giues Nor naked wordes nor streyne of straunge deuise But Gowers minde which now in Gascoigne liues Yeeldes heere in view by iudgement of the wise His penne his sworde himselfe and all his might To Pallas schoole and Mars in Princes right T. Ch. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies THough goodnesse of the
fresh Samon or any suche good dishe he followeth to the house and either with some newes or some stale iest he will be sure to make himselfe a geast Ero. In faith and I will séeke there for him Du. Then muste you néedes finde him and when you haue done I will make you laughe Ero. Whereat Du. At certaine sport I made to day with master doctor Ero. And why not now Du. No it asketh further leysure I pray thée dispatche and finde out Pasiphilo that honest man. Dulipo tarieth Erostrato goeth out Scena ij DVLIPO alone THis amorous cause that hāgeth in cōtrouersie betwene Domine doctor me may be compared to thē that play at primero of whō some one peraduēture shal léese a great sum of money before he win one stake at last halfe in anger shal set vp his rest win it after that another another another till at last he draw the most part of the money to his heape the other by litle litle stil diminishing his rest til at last he be come as néere the brinke as earst the other was yet again peraduēture fortune smiling on him he shal as it were by péece meale pull out the guts of his fellows bags bring him barer than he himselfe was tofore so in play continue stil fortune fauoring now this way now that way til at last the one of thē is left with as many crosses as God hath brethren O howe often haue I thoughte my selfe sure of the vpper hande herein but I triumphed before the victorie And then how ofte againe haue I thoughte the fielde loste Thus haue I béene tossed nowe ouer nowe vnder euen as fortune list to whirle the whéele neither sure to winne nor certayne to loose the wager And this practise that nowe my seruaunte hath deuised although hitherto it hath not succeeded amisse yet can I not count my selfe assured of it for I feare still that one mischance or other wyll come and turne it topsie turuie But looke where my mayster commeth Damon comming in espieth Dulipo and calleth him Scena iij. DAMON DVLIPO NEVOLA and two mo seruants DVlipo Du. Here sir Da. Go in and bid Neuola and his fellowes come hither that I may tell them what they shall goe about and go you into my studie there vpon the shelfe you shall find a roule of writings which Iohn of the Deane made to my Father when he solde him the Grange ferme endorced with bothe their names bring it hither to me Du. It shall be done sir Da. Go I wil prepare other maner of writings for you thā you are aware of O fooles that trust any mā but themselues now adaies oh spiteful fortune thou doest me wrong I thinke that from the depth of Hell pitte thou haste sente mée this seruaunt to be the subuersion of me and all mine Come hither sirs and heare what I shal say vnto you go into my studie where you shall finde Dulipo step to him all at once take him and with a corde that I haue laide on the table for the nonce bind him hande and foote carie him into the dungeon vnder the stayres make faste the dore bring me the key it hangeth by vpon a pin on the wall Dispatche and doe this geare as priuily as you can and thou Neuola come hither to me againe with spéede Ne. Well I shall Da. Alas how shall I be reuenged of this extreme despite if I punishe my seruant according to his diuelishe deserts I shall heape further cares vpon mine owne head for to suche detestable offences no punishment can séeme sufficient but onely death and in such cases it is not lawful for a man to be his owne caruer The lawes are ordeyned and officers appoynted to minister iustice for the redresse of wrongs and if to the potestates I complayne me I shall publishe mine owne reproche to the worlde Yea what should it preuayle me to vse all the puinishments that can be deuised the thing once done can not be vndone My daughter is defloured and I vtterly dishonested how can I then wype that blot off my browe and on whome shall I séeke reuenge Alas alas I my selfe haue bene the cause of all these cares and haue deserued to beare the punishment of all these mishappes Alas I should not haue committed my dearest darling in custodie to so carelesse a creasure as this olde Nurse for we see by common proofe that these olde women be either péeuishe or pitifull either easily enclined to euill or quickly corrupted with bribes and rewards O wife my good wife that nowe lyest colde in the graue now may I well bewayle the wante of thée and mourning nowe may I bemone that I misse thée if thou hadst liued suche was thy gouernement of the least things that thou wouldest prudently haue prouided for the preseruation of this pearle A costly iewell may I well accompte hir that hath béen my chéefe comforte in youth and is nowe become the corosiue of mine age O Polynesta full euill hast thou requited the clemencie of thy carefull father and yet to excuse thée giltlesse before God and to condemne thée giltie before the worlde I can count none other but my wretched selfe the caytife and causer of all my cares For of al the dueties that are requisite in humane lyfe onely obedience is by the parents to be required of the childe where on the other side the parents are bound first to beget them then to bring thē foorth after to nourish them to preserue them from bodily perils in the cradle from daunger of soule by godly education to matche them in consort enclined to vertue too banish them all ydle and wanton companie to allow them sufficiente for their sustentation to cut off excesse the open gate of sinne seldome or neuer to smile on them vnlesse it be to their encouragement in vertue and finally to prouide them mariages in time cōuenient lest neglected of vs they learne to sette either to much or to litle by thēselues Fiue yeares are past since I might haue maried hir when by cōtinuall excuses I haue prolonged it to my owne perdition Alas I shoulde haue considered she is a collop of my owne flesh what shold I think to make hir a princesse Alas alas a poore kingdome haue I now caught to endowe hir with It is too true that of all sorowes this is the head source and chiefe fountaine of all furies the goods of the world are incertain the gaines to be reioyced at and the losse not greatly to be lamented only the children cast away cutteth the parents throate with the knife of inward care which knife will kill me surely I make none other accompte Damons seruants come to him againe Scena iiij NEVOLA DAMON PASIPHILO SIr we haue done as you hadde vs and here is the key Da. Well go then Neuola and séeke master Casteling the iayler he dwelleth by S. Antonies gate desire him too lend me a
and will you suffer him master thus to reuile you Ero. Come in come in what wilt thou do with thys pestil Da. I will rap the olde cackabed on the costerd Ero. Away with it you sirra lay downe these stones come in at dore euery one of you beare with him for his age I passe not of his euill wordes Erostrato taketh all his seruantes in at the dores Scena viij PHILOGANO FERARESE LITIO ALas who shall relieue my miserable estate to whome shall I complaine since he whome I brought vp of a childe yea and cherished him as if he had bene mine owne doth nowe vtterly denie to knowe me and you whome I toke for an honest man and he that should haue broughte me to the sighte of my sonne are compacte with this false wretch and woulde face me downe that he is Erostrato Alas you might haue some compassion of mine age to the miserie I am now in and that I am a stranger desolate of all comforte in this countrey or at the least you shoulde haue feared the vengeaunce of God the supreme iudge whiche knoweth the secrets of all harts in hearing this false witnesse with him whome heauen and earth doe knowe to be Dulipo and not Erostrato Li. If there be many such witnesses in this coūtrey men may go about to proue what they wil in cōtrouersies here Fer. Well sir you may iudge of me as it pleaseth you how the matter commeth to passe I know not but truly euer since he came first hither I haue knowen him by the name of Erostrato the sonne of Philogano a Cathanese nowe whether he be so in déede or whether he be Dulipo as you alledge let that be proued by them that knewe him before he came hether But I protest before God that whiche I haue said is neither a matter compact with him nor any other but euen as I haue hard him called reputed of al mē Phi. Out and alas he whom I sent hither with my son to be his seruaunt and to giue attendance on him hath eyther cut his throate or by some euill meanes made him away and hath not onely taken his garmentes his bookes his money and that whiche he brought out of Sicilia with him but vsurpeth his name also and turneth to his owne commoditie the bills of exchaunge that I haue alwayes allowed for my sonnes expences Oh miserable Philogano oh vnhappie old man oh eternall God is there no iudge no officer no higher powers whom I may complaine vnto for redresse of these wrongs Fer. Yes sir we haue potestates we haue Iudges and aboue al we haue a most iuste prince doubt you not but you shall haue iustice if your cause be iust Phi. Bring me then to the Iudges to the potestates or to whome you thinke best for I will disclose a packe of the greatest knauerie a fardell of the fowlest falsehoode that euer was heard of Li. Sir he that wil goe to the lawe must be sure of foure things first a right and a iust cause then a righteous aduocate to pleade nexte fauour coram Iudice and aboue all a good purse to procure it Fer. I haue not heard that the law hath any respect to fauour what you meane by it I cannot tell Phi. Haue you no regard to his wordes he is but a foole Fer. I pray you sir let him tell me what is fauour Li. Fauour cal I to haue a friend néere about the iudge who may so sollicite thy cause as if it be right spéedie sentence may ensue without any delayes if it be not good then to prolong it till at the last thine aduersarie being wearie shal be glad to compound with thée Fer. Of thus much although I neuer heard thus muche in this coūtrey before doubt you not Philogano I will bring you to an aduocate that shall spéede you accordingly Phi. Then shall I giue my selfe as it were a pray to the Lawyers whose insatiable iawes I am not able to féede although I had here all the goods and landes which I possesse in mine own countrey much lesse being a straunger in this miserie I know their cautels of old at the first time I come they wil so extoll my cause as though it were already won but within a seuēnight or ten daies if I do not continually féede them as the crow doth hir brattes twētie times in an houre they will begin to waxe colde and to finde cauils in my cause saying that at the firste I did not well instructe them till at the last they will not onely drawe the stuffing out of my purse but the marrow out of my bones Fer. Yea sir but this man that I tell you of is halfe a Saincte Li. And the other halfe a Deuill I hold a pennie Phi. Well sayd Litio in déede I haue but smal confidence in their smothe lookes Fer. Well sir I thinke this whom I meane is no suche manner of man but if he were there is such hatred and euil wil betwene him this gentlemā whether he be Erostrato or Dulipo what so euer he be that I warrant you he will doe whatsoeuer he can do for you were it but to spite him Phi. Why what hatred is betwixt them Fer. They are both in loue and suters to one gentlewoman the daughter of a welthie man in this citie Phi. Why is the villeine become of such estimatiō that he dare presume to be a suter to any gentlewomā of a good familie Fer. Yea sir out of all doubt Phi. How call you his aduersarie Fer. Cleander one of the excellentest doctors in our citie Phi. For Gods loue let vs goe to him Fer. Goe we then Finis Actus 4. Actus v. Scena 1. Fayned EROSTRATO WHat a mishappe was this that before I could méete with Erostrato I haue light euen ful in the lap of Philogano where I was cōstrained to denie my name to denie my master to faine that I knew him not to contend with him to reuile him in such sort that hap what hap can I cā neuer hap well in fauour with him againe Therefore if I could come to speake with the right Erostrato I will renounce vnto him both habite and credite and away as fast as I can trudge into some strange countrey where I may neuer see Philogano againe Alas he that of a litle childe hath brought me vp vnto this day and nourished me as if I had bene his owne in déede to confesse the trouth I haue no father to trust vnto but him But looke where Pasiphilo commeth the fittest man in the world to goe on me message to Erostrato Erostrato espieth Pasiphilo comming towards him Scena ij PASIPHILO EROSTRATO TWo good newes haue I heard to day alreadie one that Erostrato prepared a great feast this night the other that he séeketh for me And I to ease him of his trauaile least he shoulde runne vp and downe séeking me and bicause no man loueth
than this I lyst not say Cre. Alas for curtesie Say on Tyresias neuer haue respect To any liuing man but tell the truth Sacerdos returneth with the Bacchanales by the gates Homoloides Sac. In this meane while I will returne with spéede From whence I came for lawfull is it not That suche as I should heare your secresies Tyr. Contrary then to that which I haue sayde The incest foule and childbirth monstruous Of Iocasta so stirres the wrath of Ioue This citie shall with bloudy channels swimme And angry Mars shall ouercome it all With famine flame rape murther dole and death These lustie towres shall haue a headlong fall These houses burnde and all the rest be razde And soone be sayde here whilome Thebes stoode One onely way I finde for to escape Which bothe would thée displease to heare it tolde And me to tell percase were perillous Thée therfore with my trauell I commende To Ioue and with the rest I will endure What so shall chaunce for our aduersitie Cre. Yet stay a whyle Tyr. Creon make me not stay By force Cre. Why fléest thou Tyr. Syr t is not from thée I flée but from this fortune foule and fell Cre. Yet tell me what behoues the citie doe Tyr. Thou Creon séemest now desirous still It to preserue but if as well as I Thou knewest that which is to thée vnknowne Then wouldst thou not so soone consent thereto Cre. And would not I with eagre minde desire The thing that may for Thebes ought auayle Tyr. And dost thou then so instantly request To know which way thou mayest the same preserue Cre. For nothing else I sent my sonne of late To séeke for thée Tyr. Then will I satisfie Thy gréedie minde in this but first tell me Menetius where is he Cre. Not farre from me Tyr. I pray thée sende him out some other where Cre. Why wouldest thou that he should not be here Tyr. I would not haue him heare what I should say Cre. He is my sonne ne will he it reueale Tyr. And shall I then while he is present speake Cre. Yea be thou sure that he no lesse than I Doth wishe full well vnto this common weale Tyr. Then Creon shalt thou knowe the meane to saue This Citie is that thou shalt flea thy sonne And of his bodie make a sacrifice For his countrey lo héere is all you séeke So much to knowe and since you haue me forst To tell the thing that I would not haue tolde If I haue you offended with my words Blame then your selfe and eke your frowarde fate Cre. Oh cruel words oh oh what hast thou sayde Thou cruell sothsayer Tyr. Euen that that heauen Hath ordeined once and néedes it must ensue Cre. How many euils hast thou knit vp in one Tyr. Though euill for thée yet for thy countrey good Cre. And let my countrey perishe what care I Tyr. Aboue all things we ought to holde it deare Cre Cruell were he that would not loue his childe Tyr. For coÌ„moÌ„ weale were well that one man waile Cre. To loose mine owne I liste none other saue Tyr. Best Citizens care least for priuat gayne Cre. Depart for nowe with all thy prophecies Tyr. Lo thus the truth doth alwayes hatred get Cre. Yet pray I thée by these thy siluer heares Tyr. The harme that coÌ„mes from heauen can not be scapt Cre. And by thy holy spirite of prophecie Tyr. What heauen hath done that cannot I vndoe Cre. That to no moe this secrete thou reueale Tyr. And wouldst thou haue me learne to make a lye Cre. I pray thée hold thy peace Tyr. That will I not But in thy woe to yéelde thée some reliefe I tell thée once thou shalt be Lorde of Thebes Which happe of thine this string did well declare Which from the heart doth out alonely growe So did the péece corrupted playnly shewe An argument most euident to proue Thy sonne his death Cre. Well yet be thou content To kéepe full close this secrete hidden griefe Tyr. I neither ought ne will kéepe it so close Cre. Shall I be then the murtherer of mine owne Tyr. Ne blame not me but blame the starres for this Cre. Can heauens condemne but him alone to dye Tyr. We ought beléeue the cause is good and iust Cre. Vniust is he condemnes the innocent Tyr. A foole is he accuseth heauens of wrongs Cre. There can no ill thing come from heaueÌ„s aboue Tyr. Then this that heauen commaunds can not be ill Cre. I not beléeue that thou hast talkt with God. Tyr. Bicause I tell thée that doth thée displease Cre. Out of my sight accursed lying wretch Tyr. Go daughter go oh what foole is he That puts in vre to publish prophecies For if he do fore tell a froward fate Though it be true yet shall he purchase hate And if he silence kéepe or hide the truth The heauy wrath of mightie Gods ensuth Appollo he might well tell things to come That had no dread the angry to offende But hye we daughter hence some other way Tyresias with Manto his daughter returneth by the gates called Electrae Scena 2. CREON. MENECEVS OH my deare childe well hast thou heard with eare These wéery newes or rather wicked tales That this deuine of thée deuined hath Yet will thy father neuer be thy foe With cruell doome thy death for to consent Me. You rather ought O father to consent Vnto my death since that my death may bring Vnto this towne both peace and victorie Ne can I purchase more prayse worthy death Than for my countries wealth to lose my breath Cre. I cannot prayse this witlesse will of thine Me. You know deare father that this life of ours Is brittle short and nothing else in déede But tedious toyle and pangs of endlesse payne And death whose darte to some men séemes so fell Brings quiet ende to this vnquiet life Vnto which ende who soonest doth arriue Fiâ—â—s soonest rest of all his restlesse griefe And were it so that here on earth we felte No pricke of paine nor that our flattring dayes Were neuer dasht by froward fortunes frowne Yet béeing borne as all men are to dye Were not this worthy glory and renowne To yéelde the countrey soyle where I was borne For so long time so shorte a time as mine I can not thinke that this can be denied Then if to shunne this haughtie high behest Mine onely cause O father doth you moue Be sure you séeke to take from me your sonne The greatest honor that I can attayne But if your owne commoditie you moue So much the lesse you ought the same allowe For looke how much the more you haue in Thebes So much the more you ought to loue the same Here haue you Hemone he that in my steade O my deare father may with you remaine So that although you be depriued of me Yet shall you not be quite depriued of heires Cre. I can not chuse deare sonne but disalowe This
my good will that nothing crau'd but like for iust reward I see thâ— faucon gent sometime will take delight To seeke the folace of hir wing and dallie with a kite The fairest VVoulf will choose the foulest for hir make And why because he doth indure most sorrow for hir sake Euen so had like I hope when dolefull daies were spent VVhen wearie wordes were wasted well to open true entent VVhen fluddes of flowing teares had washt my weeping eies VVhen trembling tongue had troubled hir with loud lamenting cries At last hir worthy will would pittie this my plaint And comfort me hir owne poore slaue whom feare had made so faint VVherefore I made a vowe the stoany rocke should start Ere I presume to let her slippe out of my faithfull heart Lenuoie And vvhen she savve by proofe the pith of my good vvill She tooke in vvorth this simple song for vvant of better skill And as my iust deserts hir gentle hart did moue She vvas content to ansvvere thus I am content to loue F. I. BY these verses he ment in clowdes to discipher vnto Mistresse Fraunces such matter as she wold snatch at and yet could take no good hold of the same Furthermore it aunswered very aptly to the note whiche the musicke sounded as the skilfull reader by due triall may approue This singing daunce or daunsing song ended Mistresse Fraunces giuing due thanks séemed weary also of the coÌ„pany and profering to departe gaue yet this farewell to Ferdinando not vexed by choller but pleased with contentation called away by heauy sléepe I am constreyned quod she to bid you good night and so turning to the rest of the company tooke hir leaue Then the Maister of the house commaunded a torch to light Ferdinando to his lodging where the sodaine chaunge of his Mistresse countenance togither with the straungenesse of Mistresse Fraunces talke made such an encounter in his mind that he could take no reste that night wherefore in the morning rising very earely although it were farre before his Mistresse hower he cooled his choller by walking in the Gallery neare to hir lodging and there in this passion cepiled these verses following A Cloud of care hath coured all my coste And stormes of strife doo threaten to appeare The waues of woo which I mistrusted moste Haue broke the bankes wherein my life lay cleere Chippes of ill chaunce are fallen amyd my choyce To marre the mynd that ment for to reioyce Before J sought J founde the hauen of hap VVherin once found I sought to shrowd my ship But lowring loue hath lifte me from hir lap And crabbed lot beginnes to hang the lip The proppes of darke mistrust do fall so thick They pearce my coate and touch my skin at quick VVhat may be saide where truth cannot preuaile VVhat plea maie serue where will it selfe is iudge VVhat reason rules where right and reason faile Remedilesse then must the guiltlesse trudge And seeke out care to be the caruing knife To cut the thred that lingreth such a life F. I. THis is but a rough méeter and reason for it was deuised in great disquiet of minde and written in rage but to the matter When he had long and all in vaine looked for the coÌ„ming of his Mistresse into hir appoynted walke he wandred into the Parke néere adioyning to the Castle wall where his chaunce was to meete Mistres Fraunces accompanied with one other Gentlewoman by whome hee passed with a reuerence of curtesie and so walking on came into the side of a thicket where he satte downe vnder a tree to allay his sadnesse with solitarines Mystresse Fraunces partely of curtesie and affection and partly to content hir minde by continuance of such talke as they had commenced ouer night entreated hir companion to goe with hir vnto this Trée of reformation whereas they founde the Knight with hys armes foulded in a heauy kinde of contemplation vnto whome Mistresse Fraunces stepped a pace right softhlye and at vnwares gaue this salutation I little thought Syr Knight quoth shee by your Euensong yesternight to halte founde you presentlye at suche a Morrow Masse but I perceyue you serue your Saint with double deuotion and I pâ—ny God graunt you trouble meede for youre true intent He being taken thus vpon the sodaine coulde none otherwise aunswere but thus I toulde you mistres quod hée that I coulde laugh without lust and â—est without ioye and therewithall starting vp with a more bold countenaunce came towards the Dames proffering vnto them his seruice to waight vpon them homewardes I haue hearde saye ofte times quod Mistresse Fraunces that it is harde to serue two Maysters at one time but we wyll be ryght glad of your company I thanke you quod hée and so walking on with them fell into sundrye discourses still refusing to touche any part of theyr formor communication vntill Mystresse Fraunces sayde vnto him by my troth quod shee I woulde bée your debtour these two daies to aunswere me truely but vnto one question that I will propound fayre Gentlewoman quod he you shall not neede to become my debtour but if it please you to quit question by question I will bee more readye to gratifie you in this request then eyther reason requireth or than you woulde be willing to worke my contentation Maister Fardinando Ieronomij quod she that sadly peraduenture you know but a litle how willing I would be to procure your contation but you know that hitherto familliarytie hath taken no déepe roote beetwixt vs twaine And though I finde in you no manner of cause whereby I might doubt to commit this or greater matter vnto you yet haue I stayed hitherto so to doe in doubt least you might thereby iustlie condemne me both of arrogancy and lacke of discretioÌ„ wherwith I must yet foolishlye affirme that I haue with great paine brydeled my tongue from disclosing the same vnto you Suche is then the good will that I beare towardes you the which if you rather iudge to be impudencie then a friendely meaning I may then curse the hower that I first concluded thus to deale with you herewithall beeing nowe redde for chaste bashefulnesse shee abased hir eies and slaied hir taulke to whome Fardinando thus aunswered Mystresse Fraunces if I shoulde with so excéeding villanye requight suche and so exceeding great courtesye I might not onelye seeme to digenerate from all gentrye but also to differre in behauiour from all the reste of my lyfe spent wherfore to be playne with you in fewe wordes I thinke my selfe so muche bounde vnto you for diuers respects as if abilitie doe not fayle me you shall finde mee mindefull in requitall of the same and for disclosing your mind to me you may if so if please you aduenture it without aduenture for by this Sunne quod he I will not deceyue such trust as you shall laye vppon mee and furthermore so farre foorth as I may I will be yours in any respect wherfore
a twig or twayne you will like a tractable yong scholler pluck vp your quickned spirits cast this drowsinesse apart Ferdinando with a great sigh answered Alas good Mistres quod he if any like chastisement might quickē me how much more might the presence of all you louely Dames recomfort my dulled mind whome to behold were sufficient to reuiue an eye now dazled with the dread of death that not onely for the heauenly aspects whiche you represent but also much the more for your excéeding curtesie in that you haue deigned to visit mée so vnworthie a seruaunt But good Mistresse quod he as it were shame for me to confesse that euer my hart coulde yéelde for feare so I assure you that my minde cannot be content to induce infirmitie by sluggishe conceyt But in trueth Mistresse I am sicke quod he and therewithall the trembling of his hart had sent vp suche throbbing into his throte as that his voyce now depriued of breath commaunded the tong to be still When Dame Elynor for compassion distilled into teares and drew towardes the window leauing the other Gentlewomen about his bed who being no lesse sorye for his griefe yet for that they were none of them so touched in their secrete thoughtes they had bolder sprits and fréeer speach to recomfort him amongest the rest the Lady Fraunces who in deede loued him déepely and could best coniecture the cause of his conceipts sayd vnto him Good Trust quod shée if any helpe of Phisick may cure your maladie I would not haue you hurt your selfe with these doubts whiche you séeme to retayne If choice of Diet may helpe beholde vs here your cookes ready to minister all things néedefull if company may driue away your anoye wee meane not to leaue you solitary if griefe of mind be cause of your infirmitie wée all here will offer our deuoyre to turne it into ioye if mishap haue giuen you cause to feare or dreade any thing remember Hope which neuer fayleth to recomfort an afflicted minde And good Trust quod she distreining his hand right hartely let this simple proofe of our poore good willes bee so excepted of you as that it maye work therby the effect of our desires Ferdinando as on in a traunce had marked very litle of hir curteouse talke yet gaue hir thankes and so held his peace whereat the Ladyes being all amazed there became a silence in the chamber on all sides Dame Elynor fearing thereby that she might the more easely be espyed and hauing nowe dryed vp hir teares retourned to hir seruaunt recomforting him by all possible meanes of common curtesie promising that since in hir sicknes he had not only staunched hir bleding but also by his gentle company and sundry deuices of honest pastime had driuen a waye the pensiuenes of hir mind she thought hir selfe bound with like willingnes to do hir best in any thing that might restore his health taking him by the hand said further Good seruaunte if thou beare in deed any true affection to thy poore Mistres start vpon thy féet again and let hir enioye thine accustomed seruice to hir cōfort for sure quod she I will neuer leaue to visite this chamber once in a daye vntill I may haue thée downe with mée Ferdinando hearyng the harty woordes of his Mistris and perceiuyng the earnest maner of hir pronunciation began to receyue vnspeakeable comfort in the same and sayd Mistris your excéedyng courtesie were able to reuiue a man half dead and to me it is bothe great comfort and it doeth also glad my remēbrance with a continual smart of myne owne vnworthinesse but as I woulde desire no longer life than til I might be able to deserue some part of your boūty so I wil endeuor my self to liue were it but only vnto the ende that I might merite some parte of your fauour with acceptable seruice and requight some deale the courtesie of all these other fayre Ladies who haue so farre aboue my deserts deigned to doe me good Thus sayd the Ladies taried not long before they were called to Euensong when his Mistres taking his hand kissed it saying Farewel good seruaunt and I praye thée suffer not the mallice of thy sickenesse to ouercome the gentlenesse of thy good hart Fardinando rauished with ioy suffered them all to departe and was not able to pronounce one word After their departure he gan cast in his mind the exceeding curtesie vsed towardes him by them all but aboue all other the bounty of his Mystresse and therwithall tooke a sound firme opinion that it was not possible for hir to coūterfeite so deepely as in déede I beleeue that shee then did not wherby he sodenly felt his hert greatly eased and began in himselfe thus to reason Was euer man of so wretched a heart I am the most bounden to loue quod he of all them that euer possessed his seruice I enioy one the fayrest that euer was found and I finde hir the kindest that euer was hearde of yet in mine owne wicked heart I coulde vilanously conceyue that of hir which being compared with the rest of hir vertues is not possible to harbour in so noble a mind Herby I haue brought my self without cause into this féeblenesse and good reason that for so high an offence I should be punished with great infirmitie what shall I then doe yelde to the same no but according to my late protestation I will recomfort this languishing minde of mine to the ende I may liue but onely to do penaunce for this so notable a cryme so rashly committed and thus saying he start from his bed and gan to walke towardes the window but the venimous serpent which as before I rehearsed had stong him coulde not be content that these medicines applyed by the mouth of his gentle Mistresse should so soone restorte him to guerison And although in dede they were such Nythrydate to him as that they had nowe expelled the rancour of the poyson yet that ougly hellishe monster had left behind hir in the most secret of his bosome euen betwene the minde and the man one of hir familiers named suspect whiche gan work in the weake spirites of Ferdinando efectes of no lese perill than before he had receiued his head swelling with these troublsome toyes and his hart swimming in the tempests of tossing fantasie he felt his legges so féeble that he was cōstrayned to lie down on his bed again and repeating in his own remembraunce euery woorde that his mistres had spoken vnto him he gan to dread that she had brought the willow braunche to beate hym with in token that he was of hir forsaken for so louers do most commonly expound the willow garlande and this to thinke did cut his hart in twayne A wonderfull chaunge and here a little to staye you I will discribe as I finde it in Bartello the beginning the fall the retourne and the being of this hellish byrde who in déede maye well
foot is crept vnder mine eye and remembring the long sute that this gentelemaÌ„ had in youth spent on me considering therewith all that grene youth is well mellowed in vs both haue of late sought to perswade a marriage betwene vs the which the Knighte hath not refused to here of and I haue not disdayned to thinke on By their mediation we haue bene eftsoones brought to Parlee wherein ouer and be sides the ripping vp of many olde griefes this hath bene cheifly rehearsed obiected betwene vs what wrong and iniury eche of vs hath done to other And here aboutes wée haue fallen to sharpe contencion He alleadged that much greater is the wrong which I haue done vnto him than that repulse which hée hath fithenes vsed to me and I haue affirmed the contrary The matter yet hangeth in varyence Now of you worthy Gouernour I would be most glad to heare this question decided remembring that there was no difference in the times betwene vs And surely vnles your iudgment helpe me I am afrayde my marryage will hée marred and I may go lead Apes in hell Ferdenando aunswered good Pergo I am sory to heare so lamentable a discourse of your luckles loue and much the soryer in that I muste néedes giue sentence agaynst you For surely great was the wrong that eyther of you haue done to other and greater was the néedelesse greife which causelesse eche of you hath conceyued in this long time but greatest in my iudgment hath bene both the wrong and the greife of the Knight In that notwithstanding his desertes which your selfe confesse he neuer enioyed any guerdone of loue at your handes And you as you alledge did enioy his loue of long time to gether So that by the reckoning it wil fal out although being builded in your owne conceipt you sée it not that of the one twenty yeares you enioyed his loue vii at the least but that euer he enioyed yours wee cannot perceiue And much greater is the wrong that rewardeth euill for good than that which requireth tip for tap Further it semeth that where as you went obout in time to trie him you did altogither loose time which can neuer be recouered And not only lost your owne time whereof you would seeme nowe to lament but also compelled him to lease his time which he might be it spoken with out offence to you haue bestowed in some other worthy place and therefore as that greife is much greater which hath no kind of coÌ„fort to allay it so much more is that wrong which altogether without cause is offered And I sayd Pergo must needes think that much easier is it for them to endure grief which neuer tasted of ioye and much lesse is that wrong which is so willingly proffered to be by recompence restored For if this Knight wil confesse that he neuer had cause to reioyce in all the time of his seruice then with better contentacion might he abyde greife than I who hauing tasted of the delight which I did secretly coÌ„ceiue of his desertes do think ech grief a present death by the remembrance of those for passed thoughts lesse wrong séemeth it to be destitut of the thing which was neuer obtained then to be depriued of a Iewel wherof we haue been already possessed so that vnder your correction I might conclude that greater hath béene my griefe and iniury susteined than that of the Knight To whome Ieronimy replied as touching delight it maye not be denied but that euery louer doth take delight in the inward contemplation of his mind to think of the worthines of his beloued therefore you maie not alledge that the Knight had neuer cause to reioyce vnlesse you will altogeather condemne your selfe of worthines Mary if you will say that he tasted not the delightes that louers seeke then marke who was the cause but your selfe And if you would accuse him of like ingratitude for that he disdained you in the later vij yéeres when as he might by accepting your loue haue recoÌ„penced him selfe of all former wronges you must remember therewithall that the crueltie by you shewed towards him was such that he could by no means perceiue that your change procéeded of good will but rather eftsons to hold him enchained in vnknown linkes of subtile dealings therefore not without cause he doubted you yet without cause you reiected him He had often sought occasion but by your refusals he could neuer find him you hauing occasion fast by the foretop did dally with him so long tyl at the last he sliped his head from you then catching at the bald noddle you fouÌ„d your selfe the cause yet you would accuse another To conclude greater is the griefe that is susteined without desert much more is the wroÌ„g that is offered without cause Thus Ferdinando Ieronimy decided the question propounded by Pergo and expected that some other Dame should propound another but his Mistresse hauing hir hand on another halfpeny gan thus say vnto him Seruant this pastime is good and such as I must nedes like of to driue away your pensiue thoughtes but sléeping time approcheth I feare we disquiete you wherefore the rest of this time we will if so like you bestowe in trimming vp your bed and to morrow wée shal meete here and renewe this newe begon game with Madame Pargo Mistresse quod hée I must obeye your wil and most humbly thanke you of your great goodnesse and all these Ladies for their curtesie Euen so requiring you that you wyll no further trouble your selues about mée but let my Seruaunt aloane with conducting mee to bed Yes seruaunt quod she I wil sée if you â—an sléepe any better in my shéetes and therewith commaunded hir handmayde to fetche a payre of cleane shéetes the which being brought maruaylous fine and swéete the Ladies Fraunces and Elinor dyd curteously vnfold them and layd them on the bed which done they also entreated him to vncloath him and go to bed being layd his Mistresse dressed and couched the cloathes about him sithens moistened his temples with Rosewater gaue him handkerchewes and other freshe linnen about him in doing wherof she whispered in his eare saying Seruaunt this night I will bée with thée and after with the rest of the Dames gaue him good night and departed leauing him in a traunce betwéen hope and dispayre trust and mistrust Thus he laye rauished commaunding his seruaunt to goe to bed and fayning that him selfe would assaye if he could sléepe About ten or eleuen of the clocke came his mistresse in hir night gowne who knowing all priuye wayes in that house verie perfectlye had conueied her selfe into his chamber vnséene and vnperceiued and being nowe come vnto his beds side knéeled downe and laying hir arme ouer him sayde these or lyke wordes My good Seruaunt if thou knewest what perplexities I suffer in beholding of thine infirmities it might then suffice eyther vtterlye to driue away the mallady or much
vnder him than to descant any longer vpon Ferdinandoes playne song and thus they continued in good accord vntill it fortuned that Dame Fraunces came into her chamber vpon such sodaine as she had like to haue marred all the musicke well they conueyed their clifes as closely as they could but yet not altogither without some suspicion giuen to the sayd dame Fraunces who although she could haue bene cōtent to take any paine in Ieronimies behalfe yet otherwise she could neuer haue bestowed the watching about so worthelesse a pryse After womanly salutations they fell into sundrye discourses the Secretary stil abiding in the chamber with them At last two or thrée other gentlewomen of the Castle came into Madam Elinores chamber who after their Bon iour did all vna voce séeme to lament the sikenes of Ferdinando and called vppon the Dames Elynor and Fraunces to goe visite him againe The Lady Fraunces curteously consented but Madame Elynor first alledged that she her selfe was also sickly the which she attributed to hir late paynes taken about him and sayd that onely for that cause she was constrayned to kepe hir bed longer than hir accustomed hower The Dames but specially the Lady Fraunces gan streight wayes coniecture some great cause of sodaine chaūge and so leauing dame Elinor walked altogether into the parke to take the ayre in the morning And as they thus walked it chaūced that Dame Pergo heard a Cuckoe chaunt who because the pride of the spring was now past cried Cuck cuck Cuckoe in hir stamering voyce A ha quod Pergo this foule byrd begines to flye the countrye and yet before hir departure sée how spitfully she can deuyse to salute vs Not so quod Dame Fraunces but some other whom she hath espyed wherewith Dame Pergo looking round about hir and espying none other companie sayde Why here is no body but we few women qd she Thanks be to God the house is not farre from vs quod Dame Fraunces Here at the wylie Pergo partly perceyuing Dame Fraunces meaning replyed on this sort I vnderstand you not quod she but to leap out of this matter shall wée goe visit Maister Ieronimy and see how he doth this morning Why quod dame Fraunces do you suppose that the Cuckoe called vnto him Nay mary quod Pergo for as fare as I knowe he is not maried As who should say quod Dame Fraunces that the Cuckoe enuieth none but maryed folkes I take it so sayd Pergo the Lady Frances answered Yes sure I haue noated as euill lucke in loue after the Cuckoes call to haue hapned vnto diuers vnmaried folkes as euer I did vnto the maryed but I can be well content that we go vnto him for I promised on the behalfe of vs al that we would vse our best deuoyre to recomfort him vntill he had recouered helth and I do much meruayle that the Lady Elinor is now become so vnwilling to take any trauayle in his behalfe especially remembring that but yesternight she was so diligent to bring him to bed But I perceiue that all earthly thinges are subiect vnto change Euen so they be quod Pergo for you maye behold the trées which but euen this other daye were clad in gladsome gréene and nowe their leaues begin to fade and change collour Thus they passed talkeing and walking vntill they returned vnto the Castle whereas they went strayght vnto Ferdinandoes chamber and found him in bed Why how now Trust quod Dame Fraunces will it be no better Yes shortly I hope quod he The Ladyes all saluted him and he gaue them the gra-mercy at the last Pergo popped this question vnto him And howe haue you slept in your Mistres shetes Mayster Ieronemy quod she reasonably well quod he but I pray you where is my mistresse this morning Mary sayd Pergo we left hir in bed scarce well at ease I am the more sorye quod he Why Trust sayd Mistresse Fraunces be of good comfort assure your selfe that here are others who would be as glad of your wel doing as your mistres in any respect I ought not to doubt there of quod Ferdinādo hauing the profe that I haue had of your great courtesies but I thought it my dutye to aske for my mistresse being absent Thus they passed some time with him vntill they were called awaye vnto prayers and that being finished they went to dinner where they met Dame Elynor attired in an night kerchiefe after the soolenest the solempnest fashion I should haue said who loked very drowsely vpon all folkes vnlesse it were hir secretary vnto whom she deigned somtime to lend a frendly glaunce The Lord of the Castle demaunded of hir how master Ieronemy did this morning She answered that she knew not for she had not sene him that day You may do wel then daughter quod the Lord to go now vnto him and to assay if he will eate any thing and if here be no meates that like him I praye you commaunde for him anye thing that is in my house You must pardon me sir quod she I am sickely disposed and would be loth to take the ayre why then go you mistres Fraunces quod he and take some body with you and I charge you sée that he lacke nothing Mistres Fraunces was glad of the ambassege and arysing from the table with one other gentleman tooke with hir a dish of chikins boiled in white broth saying to hir father I think this meat méetest for mayster Ieronimy Of any that is here It is so quod he daughter and if he like not that cause some what els to be dressed for him according to his apetite Thus she departed and came to Ferdinando who being plonged in sundry woes and thrilled with restlesse thoughtes was nowe beginning to rise But seing the Dames couched down agayne and sayd vnto them Alas fayre Ladyes you put your selues to more paynes than eyther I do desire or can deserue Good Trust quod Dame Fraunces our paynes are no greater than duty requireth nor yet so great as we could vouchsafee in your behalfe And presently my father hath sent vs vnto you quod she with this pittaunce and if your apetite desire any on thing more than other we are to desire likewise that you will not refrayne to call for it Oh my good Hope quod he I perceiue that I shall not dye as long as you maye make me liue And being nowe some deale recomforted with the remembraunce of his mistres words which she hadde vsed ouer night at hir first comming and also thinkinge that although shee parted in choller it was but iustlye prouoked by him selfe and that at leasure hee shoulde finde some salue for that sore also hée determined to take the comforte of his assured Hope and so to expell all venomnes of mistrust before receiued Wherfor raising him selfe in his bed hee cast a night gowne about his shoulders saying It shall neuer be sayd that my fainting hart can reiect the comfortable Cordialles
them shée layde also before him howe trusty she had bene vnto him in all professions she confessed also howe faithfullye he had discharged the duety of a friend in al respectes and therwithall she declared that her late alteration and pensiuenesse of minde was not without great cause for that she had of late such a mishap as might chaunge the disposition of any lyuing creature Yea and that the case was such as vnlesse she found present remedy hir death must needes ensue and that spedely for the preuenting whereof she alledged that she had beaten hir braines with al deuises possible and that in the ende she could thinke of no redresse but one the which lay only in him to acomplish Wherfore she besought him for all the loue and good will which had euer passed betwéene them nowe to shewe the fruites of true friendship and to gratifie hir with a frée graunt to this request The louer who had alwayes bene desirous to pleasure hir in any thing but now especially to recouer hir wonted kindnesse gan franklye promise to accomplishe any thing that might be to him possible yea though it were to his great detriment and therewithall dyd déepely blame hir in that shée would so long torment hir selfe with any griefe considering that it lay in him to helpe it The Ladye aunswered that she had so long kept it from his knowledge bicause she doubted whether hée would be content to performe it or not although it was such a thing as he might easely graunt without any manner of hurt to himself yet now in the ende she was forced to aduenture vppon his curtesie being no longer able to beare the burdē of hir griefe the louer solicited her most earnestly to disclose it and she as fast séemed to mistrust that he would not accomplish it In the ende she tooke out a booke which she had brought for the nonce bound him by othe to accomplishe it The louer mistrusting nothing lesse thā that ensued toke the othe willingly which done she declared al that had passed betwene hir hir husband his griefe hir repentance his pardon hir vowe and in the ende of hir tale enioyned the louer that from thenceforthwardes he should neuer attempt to breake her constant determinatiō the louer replied that this was vnpossible But she plainlye assured him that if he graunted hir that request she would be his friend in al honest godly wise if not she put him out of doubt that she would eschew his company and flée from his sight as from a scorpion The louer considering that hir request was but iust accusing his owne guiltye conscience remembring the great curtesies alwayes vsed by hir husband and therewithall séeing the case now brought to such an issue as that by no other meanes than by this it could be conceiled from the knowledge of the worlde but most of all being vrged by his othe dyd at last giue an vnwilling consent and yet a faithful promise to yelde vnto hir wyl in al thinges and thus being become of one assent he remaineth the derest friend most welcome gest that may be both to the Lady and hir husband and the man and the wife so kind each to other as if there neuer had bene such a breche betwen them Now of you noble Gouernor I would faine lerne whether the perplexity of the husband when he looked in at the keye hoole or of the wife when she knewe the cause why the Carolines were so scattered or of the louer when he knew what was his mistres charge was greater of the thrée I might haue put in also the troubled thoughts of the sisters the mayd when they saw their good wil reiected but let these thrée suffice Gentle Hope quod Ferdinando you haue rehearsed that right eloquētly a notable tale or rather a notable history because you séeme to affirme that is was done in dede of late not far hence Wherein I note fiue especial pointes that is a maruailous patience in the husband no lesse repentaunce in the wife no smal boldnesse of the mayde but muche more rashnesse in the sisters last of al a rare tractabilitie in the louer Neuerthelesse so returne vnto your question I thinke the husbands perplexity greatest because his losses abounded aboue the rest his iniuries were vncōparable The Lady Fraunces did not seme to contrary him but rather smiled in hir sléeue at Dame Pergo who had no lesse patience to here the tale recited then the Lady Fraunces had pleasure in telling of it By this time the sléeping houre aproched the Ladyes prepared their departure when as mistres Fraūces sayd vnto the Venetiane Although percase I shall not do it so hādsomly as your mistres yet good Trust quod she if you vouchsafe it I can be content to trim vp your bed in the best maner that I may as on who would be as glad as she to procure your quiet rest Ferdinando gaue hir great thāks desiring hir not to trouble hirself but to let his man alone with that charge Thus they departed how al partyes toke rest that night I knowe not but in the morning Ferdinando began to consider with himselfe that he might lye long ynough in his bed before his mistres would be apeased in hir peuishe conceipts wherfore he arose being aparelled in his night gowne tooke occation to walke in the gallery néere adioyning vnto his mistres chamber but there might he walke long inough ere his Mistresse would come to walke with him When dinner time came he went into the great chamber whereas the Lord of the Castle saluted him being ioyful of his recouerye Ieronimy giuing due thanks declared that his friēdly entertainement togeather with the great curtesie of the gentlewomen was such as might reuiue a man although he were halfe dead I would bée loath quod the hoast that any Gentleman comming to mee for good wyll shoulde want any curtesie of intertainement that lyeth in my power When the meate was serued to the table the Gentlewomen came in all but Dame Elynor and Mistresse Pergo the which Ferdinando marked very well and it dyd somewhat abate his apetite After diner his Hope came vnto him and demaunded of him howe hée would passe the daye for his recreation to whome he answered euen as it best pleased hir She deuised to walke into the parke and so by litle and litle to acquaint himself with the ayre he agréed and they walked togeather being accompanied with one or two other gentle women And although there were nowe more cause that hee shoulde mistrust his Mistresse than euer he had before receyued yet the vehement passions which he sawe in her when she first came to visite him and moreouer the earnest words which she pronounced in his extremitie were such a refreshing to his minde as that he determined no more to trouble him selfe with like conceiptes concluding further that if his mistresse were not faultie then had
haue stoade in argument that it was written by Hellen not by Elynor Well mine aucthor affirmeth that it was written by this Dame Elynor and that vnto hir he thus alledged that he tooke it all for one name or at least he neuer read of any Elynor suche matter as might sound worthy like commendation for beautie And in déede considering all circumstaunces of histories and comparing also the time that suche reportes do spreade of his acquaintaunce with Hellen it cannot be written lesse then sixe or seuen yéeres before he knewe Hellen marrye peraduenture if there were any acquaintaunce betwéene him and that Hellen afterwardes he might adapt it to hir name and so make it serue boath their turnes as elder louers haue done before and still doe and wyll doe world without ende Wel by whome he wrote it I know not and to returne to the purpose he sought more certainelye to please his Mistresse Elynor with this Sonet written in hir praise as followeth THE stately Dames of Rome their Pearles did weare About their neckes to beautifie their name But she whome I doe serue hir pearles doth beare Close in hir mouth and smiling shewe the same No wonder then though eu'ry word she speakes A Iewell seeme in iudgement of the wise Since that hir sugred tongue the passage breakes Betweene two rockes bedeckt with pearles of price Hir haire of golde hir front of Juory A bloody heart within so white a breast Hir teeth of Pearle lippes Rubie christall eye Needes must J honour hir aboue the rest Since she is fourmed of none other moulde But Rubie Christall Iuory Pearle and Golde Ferdinando Ieronimy OF this Sonet were it not a lyttle to muche prayse as the Italians do most commonly offend in the superlatiue I could no more commend it but I hope the party to whome it was dedicated had rather it were much more than any thing lesse Wel thus these twoo Louers passed many daies in excéeding contentation more than speakable pleasures in which time Ferdinando did compile very many verses according to sundrye occasions proffred and they were for the most parte fauced with a taste of glory as you know that in such cases a louer being charged with inexprimable ioyes and therewith enioyned both by duety and discrecion to kéepe the same couert can by no meanes deuise a greater consolation than to commit it into some cyphred wordes and figured speaches in verse whereby he feeleth his heart halfe or more than halfe eased of swelling For as sighes are some present ease to the pensiue minde euen so we find by experience that such secréete enteredmoning of ioyes doeth encrease delight I would not haue you conster my wordes to this effect that I thinke a man cannot sufficientlye reioyce in the luckie lottes of loue vnlesse he empart the same to others God forbid that euer I should enter into such an herisie for I haue alwayes bene of this opinion that as to be fortunate in loue is one of the most inward contentations to mans mind of all earthly ioyes euen so if hée do but once bewray the same to any liuing creature immediatly either dread of discouering doth bruse his brest with an intollerable burden or els he leeseth the principall vertue which gaue effect to his gladnes not vnlyke to a Poticares pot which being filled with swéete oyntmentes or perfumes doth retayne in it selfe some sent of the same and being powred out doeth returne to the former state hard harsh and of small sauour So the mind being fraught with delightes as long as it can kepe them secretly enclosed may continually féede vpon the pleasaunt record thereof as the wel wylling and readie horse byteth on the bridle but hauing once disclosed them to any other straight waye we loose the hidden treasure of the same and are oppressed with sundry doubtfull opinions and dreadfull conceiptes And yet for a man to record vnto him selfe in the inward contemplation of his mind the often remembrance of his late receiued ioyes doth as it were ease the hearte of burden and ad vnto the mind a fresh supplie of delight yea and in vearse principally as I conceyue a man may best contriue his waye of comfort in him selfe Therfore as I haue sayde Ferdinando swimming nowe in delightes did nothing but writ such verse as might acumilat his ioyes to the extremitie of pleasure the which for that purpose he kept from sight of the world as one more desirous to seme obscure defectiue than ouermuch to glory in his aduentures especially for that in the end his hap was as heauie as hitherto he had ben fortunate And here I wyll surcease to rehearse any more of his verses vntil I haue expressed how that his ioyes being exalted to the highest degrée began to bend towards declinatiō For now the vnhappy Secretary whom I haue before remēbred was returned from Florence on whom Fardinando had no soner cast his eies but immediatly he fell into a great passion of minde which might be cōpared vnto a feauer This fruit grew of the good instructions that his Hope had planted in his mind whereby I might take iust occasion to forwarn euery louer how they suffer this venemous serpent ielousie to créepe into their conceipts for surely of al other diseases in loue I suppose that to be vncurable and would hold longer discourse therin were it not that both this tale the verses of Ferdinando him selfe hereafter to be recited shal be sufficiēt to speake for me in this behalf The louer as I say vpon the sodain was drouen into such a malladie as no meate might nourishe his body no delightes please his minde no remembrance of ioyes forepassed content him nor any hope of the lyke to come might recomfort him hereat some vnto whome I haue imparted this tale haue takē occasion to discōmend his fainting heart yet surely the cause inwardly déeply considered I cannot so lightly condempne him for an old saying is that euerye man can giue councell better than followe it and néedes must the conflicts of his thoughts be straunge betwéene the remembraunce of his forepassed pleasure and the present sight of this monster whom before for lacke of like instruction he had not so throughlye marked and beheld Well such was the griefe vnto him that he became sickly and kept his chamber The Ladies hauing receiued the newes thereof gan al at once lament his misfortune of common consent agréed to visit him they marched thither in good equipage I warant you and foūd Ferdinando lying vpon his bed languishing whō they all saluted generally and sought to recomfort but especiallye his Mistresse hauing in hir hand a braunce of wyllow wherewith shée defended hir from the whot aire gan thus say vnto him Seruaunt quod she for that I suppose your mallady to procéede of none other cause but only slouthfulnesse I haue brought this preaty rod to beate you a little nothing doubting but when you feele the smart of