turned her feruent loue into extreme hate her déep delight into deadly despite as now her chiefest care and industrie was to reuenge her broyling rage vppon guiltlesse Pharicles which she spéedily performed on this wise It happened that vpon the same day wherein shée receiued the Letter Signor Farnese and the rest of the Magistrates of Saragossa were assembled togither in the commō Hall to consult of matters as concerning the state of their Citie whither Clarynda came and there openly accused Pharicles to be a Spie and that his remaining in Saragossa was to sée where the Citie was weakest and that hée had conferred with her how and when hée might most conueniently betraie it and that shée regarding more the commoditie of her country than the loue of a stranger thought good to reueale the matter spéedilie that they might the better preuent such a mischiefe The Magistrates giuing credit to Clarynda and knowing that Pharicles had a pestilent wit for suche a purpose sent the officers to apprehend him who finding him in his lodging made him greatly astonished when hée knew the cause of their comming yet he made them good cheare and went the more willingly because hée felte his conscience cleare from anie suche cryme as might be obiected against him Pharicles being come into the common Hall Signor Farnese saluted him on this maner I sée master Pharicles quoth he t is hard to iudge the trée by the leaues to choose the stone by his outward hew cloth by his colour and a man by his faire wordes for none so faire as the Panther and yet none so rauenous the Peacocke hath moste glistering feathers and yet most ouglie féete the barren leafe is most delightfull to be séene most deadly to be tasted the Chrisolite pleaseth the eye and infecteth the stomack yea that which oft times séemeth most precious prooueth most perilous for trecherie hath a more glozing shewe than troth and flatterie displaies a brauer flag than faith subtill Synon could tell a finer tale than simple Brennus and deceitfull Vlisses had a fairer tongue than faithfull Aiax so Pharicles I perceiue the more wit thou hast the more to be suspected and thy fairest spéech infers the foulest mind thy curtesie here in Saragossa hath bene but a cloake for thy trecherie Well Pharicles haue I brought vp a birde to picke out mine owne eyes haue I hatched vp the egge that wil proue a Cockatrice yea haue I cherished thée as a friend which wouldest murther mée as a foe haue I sought to bréed thy credit and thou deuised my destruction haue I say I sought thy blisse and thou my bale I thy weale and thou my woe haue our citizens here in Saragossa honored thée as thy friends and thou abhorred them as thine enemies well the greater their loue was counting thée curteous the greater plague will they inflict vpon thée finding thée trecherous The Troyans neuer shewed more fauour to any than to Synon who afterward betraied the citie Who so welcome into Carthage as Aeneas and yet he repaied them with ingratitude the Babylonians neuer trusted any better than Zopyrus and he moste traiterously betraied them to Darius and shall not their mishaps learne vs to beware yes Pharicles we will preuent our daunger with heaping coales vpon thy head The cause of these my spéeches I néed not rehearse because thine owne conscience condemnes thée as guilty Thou art accused here Pharicles by Clarinda to be a spy yea thou hast fought secretly to betray the citie into the hands of the Italians thy countrimen vppon this she hath here solemnely taken her oath And besides this I giue thée to vnderstand that thou canst not by the Statutes of Saragossa pleade for thy selfe being a straunger if thou be appeached of treason neither will it serue thee to haue a testimoniall from thy countrie sith we know that the Italians are confederate to thy treacherie so that by the lawe this day thou shouldest die since thy accuser hath cōfirmed the complaint with her corporall oath yet I will stand so much thy friend as repriue thée for fortie daies to sée what will fall betwéen the cup and the lip and with that he sate downe Pharicles amazed with this trecherous accusatiō of this gracelesse Curtizan was so drenched in distresse and sowsed in sorrow to sée that he might not acquite himselfe with vnfolding this deuised knauerie that if verie courage had not bene a conserue to comfort his care he had there with present death ended this dissention But chearing himselfe vp as well as he could he went to the Iailors house without vttering anie one word vntill there being solitary by himselfe he fell into these extremities It is more griefe quoth he to the silly Lambe to lie lingring in the gripe of the Tygre thā presently to be deuoured and he which is cast into the Lyons denne wisheth rather to be torne in péeces than to liue in feare of future torment yea I try by experience that to die cannot be full of care because death cutteth off all occasions of sorrow but to liue yet euerie day to looke to die of all woes is the most hellish misery for the stinging feare to die and the gréedy desire to liue make such a cruell combat in the mind of the condemned person as no kinde of torture how euer so terrible is to be compared to that when as one lingereth in life without any hope at all to liue And what then Pharicles is there anie mishap so miserable which thou hast not merited or any death so despitefull which thou hast not deserued No were thy torment thrise more terrible it were not halfe sufficient to repay thy trecherie thy dissembling with Mamillia and thy falshood with Publia vnlesse the Gods be too vniust cannot escape without vengeance Why but do the Gods fret more at my flatterie than they fumed at others follie Aeneas dissembled with Dido and yet was prosperous Theseus deceiued Ariadne and yet happie Paris contemned Oenone and yet the Gods fauoured his enterprise in gaining Helena Iason was vniust to Medea and yet returned safe to Greece Yea but Pharicles they were not so wilfull as thou wert to set thy selfe opposite both to the Gods and Fortune they tooke time while time was and held ope the poake when the Pigge was offered For Aeneas though he forsooke Dido he obayed the Gods in taking Lauinia and Theseus though he reiected Ariadne yet he tooke the dame which Fortune assigned him and that was Phedra But Pharicles thou hast committed double offence not onely in forsaking thy forepassed louers but also in reiecting her whome Fortune proffered thée and that was Clarinda Oh Pharicles bée content with thy state and let patience be the remedie to asswage this thy intollerable maladie for better hadst thou farre turne the stone with Sysiphus and be torne vppon the whéele with Ixion than be coupled with such a common Curtizan yea ere it be long thou wouldest thinke
performance so faile thou in promise yea learn to loath him for his vice as thou louedst him for his vertue moderate thine affection withdraw thy good will and if thou hap to finde him halting race him quite out of thy remembrance and in so doing it shall both please me and ease thée in the meane time suppose the best Mamillia perceiuing her fathers friendly affection by this his carefull counsel and seeing his talke tended to her weale was driuen into a doubtful dilemma what answere to frame for if she should séeme so light of loue as to haue her heart at libertie both to like and loath as fickle fancie ledde her all the world might condemne her of inconstancie againe if shée did not whollie agrée to her fathers iudgement he might thinke shée did contemne his counsell and her owne commoditie to auoid therfore the blame of disobedience and the blemish of discurtesie she framed him an answere on this wise Sir quoth she it is farre more easie for the Phisition to giue counsell than for the patient to put it in practise and a thing of lesse charge to finde a fault than to amend it yea it were an easie matter to be prickt with sorrow if the distressed man might assoone bée cured as counselled but to remoue care or cease from griefe is lightly perswaded but verie hardly performed which by experience I finde in my selfe For I both know your counsell to be good and also I most heartily desire to follow it yet the griefe of Pharicles ingratitude hath taken such déepe roote in my haplesse hart that neither counsaile nor constraint can race it out of my remembrance And whereas sir you perswade me to moderate mine affection to withdraw my good wil from Pharicles and to quench the fire of fancie with the despightfull droppes of hatred I coniecture they be rather wordes of course to trie my constancie than spoken in good earnest to exhort mée to such trecherie For you know I chose Pharicles for my mate and you were content with the match I fixed mine affection not to continue with him a yeare in dalliance but to remaine with him all my life in marriage wherin no fond and vncertaine liking but sincere and perpetuall loue is to be required for to marrie without the force of fancie is to become a seruile slaue to sorrowe There must bee a knitting of hearts before a striking of hands and a constraint of the minde before a consent with the mouth or else whatsoeuer the flower is the fruite shall be repentaunce Which things considered I am not to be blamed though I cannot leaue to loue at mine owne pleasure nor to be condemned though I am so ouercharged with sorrow sith an other shall enioy him vpon whom my heart is wholie fixed Tush Mamillia quoth Gonzaga interrupting her talke I say as I said before that it is good to be carefull if there were any cause but since no occasion of sorrow is offered why should you be ouergrowne with griefe Pharicles hath taken a sodaine and vncertaine iourney what then Wilt thou condemne him of follie before thou heare the vrgent cause of his spéedie departure No but wil you say the case is too manifest and so inferre the rumor of his late supposed marriage which I deny as a most infamous slaunder raised vpon so honest a Gentleman And for better proofe thereof come with me for I will go to my brother Gostino that there your cousin Publia may dissolue your doubt and confirme my hope and so without any delaie they hasted to heare the case decided Where I cannot passe ouer without some spéech gentelwomen the incomparable constancie of Mamillia which was so surelie defenced with the rampier of vertue as all the fierce assaults of fortune could nowhit preuaile as preiudiciall to such professed amitie no the fained treacherie of so troathlesse a traitour as Pharicles did rather strengthen than astonish her infallible friendship the counsell of her father the feare of his displeasure the hope of profit or the dread of future daunger were of so litle force to diminish her affection as it rather remained by those contrarie blastes of fortune farre more inflamed than anie whit extinguished And yet inferre Mamillia and a thousand other Ladies who for their loyaltie deserue as good report and as great renowne as perfect presidentes against those vniust pratlers which séeke like sicophants to discredit womens constancie and forsooth they must stand for no paiment but alasse if they spie one silly dame to halt or tread her shoe awrie her fault is as much as though all did offend for they will exclaime against all in general as though none were to bee founde guiltlesse But it is no maruell if the sillie Lambe be vniustly accused where the Woolfe comes in as plaintife Well Gonzaga being come to the house of his brother in lawe Gostyno he found the olde gentleman so far spent with his long and lingring sicknes that he was very loth with such friuolous questions to trouble his patience yet after salutations and many wordes passed betwéene them wherin the one deciphred his paines and the other lamented his case the sicke man vttering his griefe with sighes and the other his sorrow with teares Gonzaga like a wilie Foxe found occasion to bring the matter in question so subtilly as Gostyno either not at all or else verie hardlie spied the fetch framing his talke to this or such like effect Although Plato in the bookes of his common wealth doth counsell the Athenians not to visit any of their friendes in time of aduersitie except they could by some meanes redresse their miserie because that comfort saith hée is cold and vnsauourie which commeth not bewrapt with some kind of remedy yet as one condemning Platoes iudgement in this case I am come to comfort you as a friend but not to cure you as a Phisition lest I might be thought to hant my friend in his health and hate him in his sicknes which either belongeth to a foole or a flatterer But if I were as cunning a Phisition as a constant friend and had as great skill to cure as to counsell yet if I take not my markes amisse I shoulde more profite you with good aduise than with anie potions were they neuer so soueraigne For your daungerous disease which most importeth death is age and your sorest sicknesse is many yéeres I speake Gostyno the more boldly sith I heare you are more willing to die than desirous to liue that you séek more the welth of your soule than the health of your bodie In déed Appollonius Tianeus reporteth that the Gymnosophists made a lawe that no man hauing passed thréescore yeares should buy any land before he made himselfe a graue nor build any house before he had prouided for himselfe a Sepulchre because in age wée ought to make more readinesse to die than prouisions to liue for the stéele being spent the knife cannot cut the oyle
coosin germain to trecherie yet he feared not to mock so long with Mamillia dissemble with Publia vntill he gained nothing for his reward but a ship of sorrow to disgest the recklesse roote of repentance for as he had receiued the stroke by ficklenesse so he meant to salue the sore by flight as he had bred his bane by their presence so he would cure his disease by absence thinking that Aristotle his sentence in Logick was also an Axiome in loue that one contrary driues out another Iudging as priuate familiaritie was the father of fancie so discontinuance should be of sufficient force to quench out the frying flames of loue But he sate beside the saddle for he spake by gesse and not by experience by wit but not by wisedome The sting of a serpent by continuance enuenometh the whole bodie He which is charmed of the Torpedo by procrastination runneth mad and the pricke of loue by delay is vncurable yet Pharicles blinded with the vale of vanitie and sowsed in the seas of selfeloue was so wrapped in the waues of wilfulnesse as at the first hee thought his iourney into Sicilia a perfect pumicestone to race out the memorie of his daintie dames in Italie But he skipt beyond his skill and was verie grossely blinded with folly for he was not only frustrate of his imagination but did euen frie amidst the flouds that as he sailed on the seas the bewtie of his goddesses gaue his conscience such a cruell canuizado by the meanes of fancie as the poore Gentleman driuen almost into the dungeon of despaire burst forth into these termes O infortunate Pharicles hath the dolorous destinies decréed thy destructiō or the peruerse planets in thy natiuity conspired thy bitter bane Hath froward fortune sworne to make thée a miserable mirrour of her mutabilitie Shall thy friendes sorrow at thy hap and thy foes reioyce at thy chance yea all the worlde wonder at thy staylesse state of life Shall Mamillia muse at thy madnesse in change and Publia laugh at thy lightnes in choise Yea shal they count thée more curious thā careful more wittie than wise more light in thy loue than lewd in thy life and yet so lewd as sufficient to winne the best game Ah Pharicles shall thy daintie dames in Italie trie by experience that although thy person is so brauely beautified with the dowries of nature as she séemed to shew her cunning in caruing a péece of so curious perfection yet thy mind to be so blotted with the blemish of inconstancie and so foiled with the filthie spot of ficklenesse as nature may séeme to make a supplie in the bodie sith there was such a want in the mind Shall I say they compare thée to the diamonde who for all her glistering hue distilleth deadly poyson To the Seastar whose shell stayneth the Iuorie and whose meat is blacker than Iet Vnto the trées in the Mount Vermise whose barke burneth like fire and whose sap is colder than Ice Well Pharicles cast thy cardes make thine accountes and thou shalt finde the greatest gaine to be losse and thy profite to be such as hee that maketh of a mountaine of golde a myerie moulhill of an Elephant a Gnatte and commeth from a wealthie merchant to a bare banckrout Consider with thy selfe thou hast stayned thy stocke and what more to be regarded Thou hast crackt thy credite and what of greater price Thou hast lost thy friendes and what of more value Thou hast purchased two most trustie louers to be thy mortall foes and exiled thy selfe as a poore pilgrime into a strange countrie Why Pharicles can these thy dolorous discourses cure thy care or can vnfoulding of thy infortunate life be a meanes to mittigate thy miserie rubbe not thy galded conscience for feare of a déeper sore but if thou hast béene carelesse in chaunge be nowe carefull and constant in choyce if thou hast committed a fault séeke in secret wise to make some part of amendes if thou hast offended by breaking promise make a recompence in paying performance Yea but the salue be it neuer so pure is not worth a rush if vnapt for the soare the medicine being vnfit for the patients disease though neuer so soueraigne bringeth small profite so this thy clarkely counsell vnapt for the cause will procure thée but litle ease for thou hast deceiued Mamillia and halted with Publia thou hast made a fault to both and canst make amendes but to one thy promise is to laie thy loue on two where the performance can light but vppon some particular person so that in any wise thou canst not make a ful satisfaction for thy fault vnlesse thou take vpon thée such a charge as thou shalt neuer bée able to rule nor they suffer O vnhappie man art thou the onelie marke at which fortune meanes to vnloose her infortunate quiuer And with that hée cast foorth such a sigh as it was a sufficient sign to witnesse a ready remorse in his troubled mind that the maister of the ship taking compassion on this perplexed pilgrim thought to comfort his care with this merrie motion Sir quoth he your bitter teares and déepe sighs which you powre foorth so plentifully as tokens of some inwarde griefe hath driuen both the marriners me into a diuerse dumpe as we all stand in doubt whether those pittifull plaints procéed from a carefull cōscience combred with sin or else that you are of that order of pilgrims whose pretensed pilgrimage is to séeke S. Iames but their heart deuotion is vowed to an other Saint which with a crabbed countenance hath giuen them such a cutting corasiue as they séek by absence either to mittigate her moode or procure their owne ease and if you bée of the same case and in the like minde I will thinke you as madde as he that counteth fasting a soueraigne preseruatiue against famine Pharicles hearing the Pilots parle to touch him somewhat perceiuing his talke to sende to some end thought as closely to stand him the warde as he had clarkely giuen him the blow and therefore trickt vp his talke with this cunning scuse Pilot quoth Pharicles although they skill in nauigation be great yet if thou hadst no greater cunning in stirring of the stearne than in coniecturing the cause of my sorrow I would verie lothly haue committed my selfe vnder thy charge to haue sailed into Sicillia for whether thou presumest vppon phisiognomie or follie it is but a bare diuision to say that either loue or sinne must be the cause of griefe but put case thou hast hit the marke and that my outward sighes be signes of inward loue will not absence thinkest thou diminish affection Yes quoth the Pilote when you finde solitarinesse a soueraigne salue against sorrow then will the dewe of discontinuance quench out the fire of fancie but leauing these amorous questions you are welcome to the coastes of Sicillia Pharicles séeing the cockboate readie to carrie him to the shoare rewarded both the
maister and the marriners very francklie desiring the Pilot sith he himselfe was a stranger to guide him to some honest Inne where hée might make his aboade while he staied in the countrie Who being verie desirous to gratifie the Gentleman carried Pharicles to a verie friends house of his who for the Pilottes cause gaue Pharicles such curteous entertainment as hée thought himselfe to haue hapt on a verie good hoast Where by the way Gentlemen we sée the tickle state of such yong youthes whose wits are wils and their wils are lawes coueting so much sensual libertie as they bring themselues into perpetuall bondage for the Polype hath not more colours nor the Camelion more sundrie shapes than they haue change in thoughts now liking now loathing for a while professed enimies to Venus court then sworn true subiects to the crowne of Cupid so variable as a man can neither iudge of their nature nor nourture vnlesse by natiuitie they be lunatikes not taking this worde as the English men do for starke mad but as borne vnder the influence of Luna and therfore as firme in their faith as the melting waxe that receiueth euerie impression thinking as Pharicles did that it is a Courtiers profession to court to euerie dame but to bee constant to none that it is the grace to speak finely though without faith and to be wedded in words to as many as the lusting eie can like so that at length whē their talke is found tales their loue lust and their protested promises smal performance then their credite béeing crackt they must be trauellers to séeke that in a strange country which they could neuer find in their own they must into Sicillia for shiftes into Italie for pride to France for fraude and to Englande for fashions and follie so that they returne home laden not with learning but with leaudnesse not with vertue but with vice yea their whole fraught is a masse of mischiefes I speake not of all trauellers Gentlemen but of such as Pharicles which take their iourney either that their credite at home is crasie or else being wedded to vanitie séeke to augment their follie But againe to Pharicles who now safely setled in Saragossa the chiefe citie in Sicillia a place of no lesse suspition than resort and yet the most famous mart in all the countrie dealt so clarkely in his calling and behaued himselfe so demurely as his pretensed kinde of life gaue occasion to no man to suspect his fained profession for his Palmers wéed was worne with such a grauitie in his countenance and such a modestie in his maners as all men thought the man to be halfe mortified For Pharicles knew verie well that he could not liue in Saragossa vnder the state of a gentleman but either he must spende with the best or sit with the woorst yea beside that without companions hée could not bée and hée thought it verie harde to choose a dramme of golde among a pounde of drosse to finde one Gemme amidst a whole heape of flint one Eele among many Scorpions and one friend amōg a thousand flatterers it might assoone be his happe to chaunce on a dissembling Dauus as on a trusty Damon to commit his counsel to a subtil Sinon as to a faithfull Pilades to take him for a professed friend which might be a protested foe in the fairest grasse to finde the fowlest Snake in Oryllus boxe a deadly poyson in Carolus scarph a withered roote in the shape of a friende the substance of a foe Hée thought likewise that such a Citie as Saragossa was often times as well stored with Parasites as garded with souldiers and as full of counterfaites as counsellers and that he might finde many cousins claiming more acquaintance to his purse than kinred to his person more allyed to his liuing than to his linage to conclude more to féed his fancie for gaine than either good wil or friendship Pharicles partly feared and partly perswaded with the consideration of the former premisses was fully resolued in his minde to abandon all company to giue a finall farewel to his forepassed follie to make a change of his chaffer with better ware of his drosse with golde and of his fléeting will with staied wisedome Hauing thus determined to leade a Pilgrims life to punish his bodie with this Palmers penance in satisfaction of his disloyall dealings with his trusty louers he had not liued in this Hermits state by the space of a moneth but he proued the Pilots talke to be no tales nor his wordes to be winde but a setled sentence for want of company so increased his care and brought such melancholike motions to his musing mind as now he perceiued solitarinesse to be the nursse of sorrow and discontinuance the father of fancie The modestie of Mamillia the constancie of Publia his credite crakt in Italie his youth spent in vanity his great promises and smal performance his fained faith forged flatterie so battered the bulwarke of his brest gaue such fierce assaults to his carefull conscience as he thought himselfe to be in a second Hell vntill he might find a meanes to mitigate his miserie and therfore as solitarines was the sore so he meant societie should be the salue determining to driue away those dumpes by frequenting of companie which otherwise woulde haue bredde his vtter bane respecting neither cost expences nor hazarding of himselfe so his minde might remaine in quiet Pharicles hauing thus cast off his Pilgrimes wéed and Pilgrims profession gaue the citizens of Saragossa in short time to vnderstand that hée was as well a Gentleman by nature as by nurture and as worthily brought vp as worshipfully borne For first hée made a restraint of his will by wit then vsed his wit so warilie and wiselie shewing such a curteous countenance and franke liberalitie to al estates as he draue them into a dout whether the comlines of his person or the worthinesse of his mind deserued greater commendation In so much as those yong Gentlemen thought themselues happie which might be counted companiōs to this new guest aboue all the rest of this courtly true which kept him company a yong gentlemā named Ferragus onely sonne to the gouernour of Saragossa was ioyned with him in most priuate familiarity thinking that day euill spent wherein he had not visited his new friend Pharicles and the more to do him honor being a stranger hée oftentimes carried him to his fathers house where in short time Pharicles wonne such credit by his curtesie that Signor Fernese for so was the old gentleman called thought his house the more luckie he had such a guest his sonne the more happie he had chosen such a companion but for al this Pharicles fearing to find a pad in the straw and a burning sparke amongst colde ashes was a foe to none nor a friend to anie neither durst trust Ferragus without sufficient triall but bare himselfe so indifferent to all yet shewing
perfect being old Losyna the Quéene of the Vendales at the first a vicious maiden but at the last a most vertuous matrone But to aime more neare the marke was not Rodope in the prime of her youth counted the most famous or rather the most infamous strumpet of all Egypt so common a curtizan as she was a second Messalyna for her immoderate lust yet in the floure of her age being married to Psammeticus the king of Memphis she proued so honest a wife and so chaste a Princes as she was not before so reproached for the small regard of her honestie as after shée was renowned for her inuiolable chastitie Phryne that graceles Gorgon of Athens whose monstrous life was so immodest that her carelesse chastitie was a pray to euerie stragling stranger after she was married to Siconius shée became such a foe to vice and such a friend to vertue yea she troad her steppes so steddily in the trade of honestie as the Metamorphosis of her life to her perpetuall fame was ingrauen in the brazen gates of Athens So Pharicles if the Gods shall giue me such prosperous fortune as to receiue some fauour of thée in liew of my most loyal loue and I shall reape some rewarde for my desertes and haue my fired fancy requited with feruent affection assure thy self I will so make a change of my chaffre for better ware of my fléeting will with staied wisdome of my inconstancie with continencie from a most vicious liking to such a vertuous liuing from a lasciuious Lamia to a most loial Lucretia as both thou and all the worlde shall haue as great cause to maruell at my modestie as they had cause to murmure at my former dishonestie thus languishing in hope I wish thee as good hap as thou canst desire or imagine Thine though the Gods say no Clarynda CLarynda hauing thus finisht her Letter called one of her maydes which shée thought most méete for suche a purpose and willed her to carrie it with as much spéede as might bee to Pharicles who hauing taken the charge in hand dealt so clarklie in the cause as shée sought such fit opportunitie for the performance of her message that shée found Pharicles sitting solitarie in his chamber to whom she offered the letter in her mistresse behalf on this wise Sir quoth she if my bold attempt to trouble your studie may import small manners or little modestie the vrgent cause being once knowne I hope both I shal be excused and you pacified For so it is that my mistresse Clarynda by the space of two or thrée daies hath bene pinched with such vnacquainted paines and griped with suche vnspeakeable griefs as the extremitie of her sicknesse is such as we looke onely when the stroake of death shall frée her from this incredible calamitie Yet amidst the sorest panges of her pinching distresse she commaunded me to present this letter to your worships hands wherein both the cause and the sickenesse it selfe is decyphered For she hath heard by report that you haue such perfect skill in curing that kinde of maladie which by fortune is inflicted vpon her that eyther of her death or the restoring of her health consisteth in your cunning which if it be such as no doubt it is if eyther you haue the nature of a Gentleman or your courtesie be such as all Saragossa speaketh of I hope her disease being once knowen you will send such a soueraigne salue for her sickenesse as we her poore handmaides shall haue cause to giue you thankes for our mistresse health and she her selfe be bound to remayne a duetifull debter of yours for euer Pharicles hearing the subtile song of this enchaunting Syren doubted to touch the scrappe for feare of the snare and was loath to taste of any daintie delicates least he might vnhappilie be crossed with some impoysoned dish of charming Cyrces for Pharicles knewe himselfe an vnfitte Physition for such a paltring patient neither could he on the sodaine diuine of her dangerous disease nor coniecture the cause of her insupportable sorowe vnlesse she were fallen in loue with his friend Ferragus and thought to make him a meanes to perswade his friend to the like affection But to auoide the trappe whatsoeuer the trayne were he though best to looke before he did leape and to cast the water before he gaue counsell least in knéeling to Saint Francis shrine he should be thought a Fryer of the same fraternitie to auoyde therefore such inconuenience as might happen by replying too rashlie he gaue her this vncertaine answere Maide quoth he as you haue for your part sufficientlie satisfied me with this excuse not to thinke euill of your boldnesse so you haue driuen me into a doubt what I should coniecture of the strangenes of the message sith that since I soiourned in Saragossa I haue neither openly professed my selfe a Physition nor secretly ministred to any of my friends wherby any such supposition might be gathered but perhaps it pleaseth your Mistresse to descant thus merily with me for my pilgrims apparell which at my first cōming to Saragossa I did vse to weare which if it be so tell her I traueiled not as a Pilgrim that had cunning to cure the disease of a Curtizan because I would not buy repentance too déere but that my pilgrims wéed did warne me to beware for cheaping such chaffre as was set to sale in the shamelesse shop of Venus Marrie if your mistresse be in earnest that her disease be so dangerous that all the learned Physitions in Saragossa dare not deale withall and yet my small skill may cure it I meane first to séeke out the nature of the sicknesse and then the vertue of the simples to make the receipt which being done my Page shal bring her an answer of her letter spéedily The maide hearing this doubtfull answere departed but Pharicles desirous to sée what clarklie conclusions he should find in the Curtizans scrowle could scarcely stay while the maide had turned her back from vnripping the Seales wherein he found Clarinda combred with such a perilous sicknesse as must of necessity bréede her death if she were not cured or his extreme miserie if she were amended séeing himselfe therefore chosen a Physition for such a passionate patient as would reward him with large reuenewes rich possessions for his paines yea and that which was more yéelded her person into his power in part of payment whose comely proportion surpassed the brauest dames in Europe if the stayne of her honesty had not béen a blemish to her incomparable beawtie he was with these large offers driuen into a doubtfull dilemma what he should replie to Clarindas demaunde his dissembling with Mamillia his treacherie to Publia his credite crackt in Italie the losse of his friends the hate of his foes and nowe againe the riches of Clarinda her surpassing beawtie and her promise to take a new course of life so assaulted the fort of this perplexed Pharicles as
he had almost yéelded a listening eare to the melodie of this immodest mermaide But as there is no hearbe so perillous which hath not some one vertue which is precious nor no Serpent so infectious whiche is not indewed with some one qualitie which is commodious So Pharicles although he was wholie wedded vnto vanitie and had professed himselfe a mortall foe to vertue béeing in the state of his life such a mutable machauilian as he neither regarded friend nor faith oath nor promise if his wauering wit perswaded him to the contrarie yet he entered into such déep considerations of the curtizans conditions and of the care of his owne credite yea the feare of God and dread of man so daunted his conscience that now he so loathed this lasciuious Lamia as full of chollar he fel into these melancholike passions Is it not sufficient O fickle and vnstedfast fortune that thou hast drenched me in the waues of distresse and tossed me with the tempest of aduersitie in loosing two such true and trustie louers as by thy frowning frowardnes I haue lost but now to aggrauate my griefe and to repaie my care with greater calamitie thou séekest in a straunge countrie to trappe me in the snares of captiuitie where I haue neither kinsmen to comfort me nor friendes to giue mée good aduise to redresse my miserie yea and that which is most despight to entangle me with such trash the burden wherof is the greatest plague that any mortall man can sustain O haplesse man and vnhappie fortune Why but Pharicles why doest thou so fondlie accuse fortune of iniustice Whereas if thou weyest all things in the equall ballance she séeketh more thy preferment than thou thy selfe canst desire Consider but thine owne case Mamillia hath reiected thée for a flatterer and Publia accounts thée for a Parasite Gonzaga is thy foe Gostyno thine enemie yea thy verie friendes are become thine aduersaries and all Padua despiseth thée as a patterne of leawdenesse what hope canst thou haue then Pharicles to recouer thy credit where euerie man of reputation will refuse thy companie Doest thou hope to winne fame where thou art infamous or to bée counted vertuous where thou art tried to be most lasciuious No no and therefore count fortune thy friende who in a straunge countrie hath offered thée such a match as for her parentage patrimonie lands and liuing birth and beautie may deserue to be a mate for the most famous Prince in the world Yea but Pharicles she is a Curtizan common and inconstant What then Hath she not promised to chaunge her vicious liking into a most vertuous liuing the state of a Curtizan into the staie a of matron to make a Metamorphosis of her forepassed dishonestie into most perfect modestie The palme that is most crooked being a twig is most straight being a trée What more hurtful to the heart than the buds of a date yet no greater cordiall than the fruite nothing sauoureth worse than a Panther being a whelp yet no beast hath so swéet a smel being old that which oft times in prime of yéeres is most perilous in ripe age proueth most precious So Pharicles althogh Clarinda hath bene a most gracelesse monster in her youth yet she may proue a most gracious matron in her age yea and by how much the more shée hath knowne the filthinesse of vice being a maide by so much the more she will embrace vertue being a wife O Pharicles are thy senses alate so besotted and thy wit so inueigled art thou so blinded with the vale of vice dimmed with the maske of vanitie that thou art become more sottish than the senselesse stones or more bruite than vnreasonable creatures The Crysolite being worne on the finger of an adulteresse so detesteth the crime as it cracketh in péeces by méere instinct of nature The Vnicorne is such a foe to adulterie and such a friend to chastitie as hée alwaies preserueth the one and killeth the other The iuice of the Basco leafe so abhorreth vnlawfull lust as it will not by any meanes be digested in the stomacke of a strumpet Wilt thou then Pharicles loue her whom the senslesse stones do loath or deale with that person whom verie bruite beasts do detest No no Mamillia will rather both forgiue and forget thy flatterie Publia pardon thy periurie than they would but once haue thée consent to companie with such a gracelesse Curtizan And with that such a sorowfull sadnes oppressed his melancholike mind as he had fallen into forepassed passions had not his friende Ferragus driuen him out of that dumpe who comming into the chamber finding him as one hauing his heart on his halfpeny wakened him out of his dreame with this pleasant salutation I am sorie friend Pharicles to finde you in this dumpe so I am the more gréeued because I cannot coniecture the cause and although it be the dutie of a friend to be copartner of his friendes sorrow yet I dare not wish my selfe a partaker of your sadnesse because I suppose you are offring incense at the aultar of such a Saint at whose shryne you will not so much as once vouchsafe that I should but sing placebo If this be the care that combers your minde good Pharicles find some other time for your amorous passions But if it be any sinister mishap which hath driuen you into this dumpe either want of wealth losse of friends or other frowne of Fortune only reueale Pharicles wherein I may pleasure thée and I will supplie thy want with my weale cure thy care with such comfortable counsell as my simple wit can afoord The fairest sandes Pharicles are oftimes most fickle When the leafe of the Seahuluer looketh most gréene then is the roote most withered where the Sea breaketh with greatest billows there is the water shallowest so oftimes in the fairest spéech lies hid the falsest heart in flourishing wordes dissembling déedes and in the greatest shew of good wil the smallest effect of friendship I can not Pharicles paint out my affection towards thée with coloured spéeches nor decipher my amitie with the pensill of flatterie but if thou wilt account me for thy friend so vse me when thou hast occasion thou shalt to be short finde me farre more prodigall in performance than pratling in promises and so I ende Pharicles for all these painted spéeches of his friend Ferragus durst not wade vs farre where the foord was vnknowen nor reueale the cause of his care to his companion lest happily he might find a Pad in the straw and try that oftimes of the smoothest talke ensueth the smallest trueth to satisfie therfore his friend and to cloake the cause of his care he coyned this pretie scuse O Ferragus quoth he it is not as you imagin the pangs of loue which haue driuen me into these passions neither the want of wealth which haue thus wrapped me in woe for to be intangled with loue I haue alwayes thought it
of my happinesse and the stay of all my felicitie who hath wonne my heart by loue and shall weare it by lawe What sayest thou Mamillia shall Pharicles enioy thée Art thou so carelesse of thy fathers commandement so soone to forget his counsell Shall his wordes be as winde and his talke of so little effect as thou meanest rechlesly to regarde it Wilt not thou in thy life obserue that which hée enioyned thée at his death Was not Pharicles the onelie man he forbad thée to marrie and wilt thou choose him for thy mate In louing him thou doest forfeit thy landes and shewe thy selfe a disobedient daughter in hating the man thou enioyest thy possessions and declares thy selfe a dutifull childe Tush Mamillia is not Pharicles the man to whō thou art confirmed by loue and contracted by law Did not thy father consent to the match and agrée to the couenant And shall he nowe vpon so light an occasion cause thée to violate thine oath breake thy promise and turne thy loue to hate No I will obey my father as farre as the lawe of Nature commands me but to crack my credit and clog my conscience I wil not consent neither his fatherly counsell nor the losse of my goods and landes shall constraine mée to forsake Pharicles no misling mists of miserie no drenching showers of disaster fortune nor terrible tempests of aduersitie shal abate my loue or wracke my fancie against the slipperie rockes of inconstancie yea if my landes will buy his raunsome or my life purchase his fréedome he shal no longer leade his life in calamitie And with that she flung out of her chamber being so diligent and carefull to bring her purpose to passe that within short space she furnished a ship wherein in disguized apparrell shée sailed to Sicillia comming to Saragossa the daie before Pharicles should be executed where she dealt so warily and wisely that not onely she learned the cause of his imprisonment but also got the coppy of those letters which had passed betwéene Clarynda and Pharicles thinking euerie houre a yéere till the next morning Well the dismall day being come wherein Pharicles by the dint of death should dispatch al his forepassed miseries Ferragus being cladde in mourning attire with a pensiue heart and sorrowfull countenance commeth to accompany Pharicles so distressed with griefe oppressed with sorrow so blubbered with teares and blowne vp with sighes that Pharicles was faine to comfort him on this wise Why friend Ferragus quoth he shal the patient appoint the salue or the sicke man set down the medicine Shall he that is crossed with care be a comforter or the distressed man be driuen to giue counsell Shall I which now on euerie side am pinched with the pains of death become a Phisition to cure thy calamitie Or rather shouldest not thou in this extremitie séeke to asswage my dollor with comfortable incouragemēt Why Ferragus am I more hardy which am at the hazard of death than thou which art deuoide of daunger Yea for by how much the more I féele my conscience guiltlesse of this crime by so much the more I féele my minde frée from sorrow Socrates would not haue his friend lament when hée drunke his fatall drafte because quoth he causelesse death ought to be without dollour so good Ferragus chéere thy selfe since thy friend Pharicles is so far from treason to Saragossa as thou from treacherie to Padua Pharicles scarsly had vttered these words when the officers intreated him to make haste for Signior Farnese and the rest of the Magistrates had staied a great space for his comming at the common Hall Pharicles knowing that procrastination in care was but to increase sorrow founde no fish on his fingers nor made no delaies from his death but went with them willingly Hée being arriued there before the Magistrats Signior Farnese standing vp to pronounce the fatall sentence was interrupted by Mamillia who comming in richly attired and straungely disguised knéeling on her knées craued leaue to speake which being graunted she vttered these words You haue great cause to muse and maruel O noble and worthie Sicillians in that a silly virgin a stranger yea and of the same Citie of Padua which is now so detested of the citizens of Saragossa dare presume not fearing any danger to present her selfe amidst so many enemies But whome the diuell driues he must néeds runne and where law and necessitie are two spurs in the side there the partie so perplexed neither maketh delaie nor feareth daunger so that Gentlemen by howe much the more my arriuall is to bée thought strange by so much the more my distressed griefe is to be supposed greater It is not the hope of preferment which forced me to this extremitie because I am of sufficient parentage and patrimonie in mine owne country neither the desire to sée forraine fashions because it is not fit for a virgin to be counted a wanderer No it is partly for thy cause Signior Farnese that I came both to kéepe thée from pronouncing vniust iudgement to discouer the monstrous treacherie of a trothlesse Curtizan and to saue this guiltlesse Gentleman from present danger Who by birth is a Paduan of noble parentage issued from such a stocke as yet was neuer stained either for cowards or traitours For his state he is not frée but contracted vnto me by consent of both our parents As concerning his soiourning in Saragossa it was not to betray your citie but to learn your fashions not to be counted a counterfaite but to be called curteous But to be briefe least my tale might séeme tedious to his vniust accusation inferred by such an iniurious Curtizan thus I answere that if the calling of a strumpet carried as little credite here as it doth with vs in Padua Pharicles would haue bene more fauourably examined and her accusation more throughly canuased It was not O noble Farnese that she accused Pharicles because of his trecherie but in that he would not consent to her vanitie not because she had such loue to her natiue countrie but in that Pharicles would not agrée to match himself with so gracelesse a monster and for the confirmation of this my allegeance sée here the Letter of Clarynda and the replie of Pharicles and with that she held her peace Farnese and the rest of the Magistrates hauing read the contents of the letters maruelling at the mischieuous mind of so hellish a harlot sent spéedily for Clarynda who being come and more strictly examined confessed the fault and receiued the punishment due for such an offence But whē the citizens of Saragossa and especially Ferragus heard how Pharicles was acquited and the treacherie discouered they both reioyced for his happie deliuerie and also wondered that such maruellous wit wisdome and incomparable constancie could remaine within the yoong and tender yeares of Mamillia But Pharicles séeing before his eyes the Goddesse which had giuen him vnhoped for life driuen as it were into an
extasie for ioy with blushing chéekes trembling ioynts as one féeling in his cōscience the sting of his former inconstancie welcomed her on this wise Oh Mamillia quoth hée howe welcome thou art to thy poore perplexed Pharicles I can scarsly conceiue much lesse able to expresse but if time and place were conuenient either to confesse my fault or acknowledge my offence thou shouldest perceiue I did now as heartily repent as before wilfully offend Alas how am I bounde if it were but for this one onely desert to remaine thy bondslaue for euer at command well omitting such secrets till a more conuenient leisure hoping thou hast forgiuen and forgotten al forepassed follies I bid thée once againe most hartily welcome to Saragossa Pharicles quoth shée thy Mamillia takes this thy hartie welcome as a sufficient recompence for all her trouble and trauel assuring thée she hath both forgiuen and forgotten all forepassed iniuries otherwise I would neuer haue taken such paines to frée thée from daunger Let your amorous discourses alone till an other time quoth Farnese for you shall with the rest of the Magistrates of Saragossa be my guests to day at dinner Pharicles and Mamillia thanking Farnese for his curtesie accepting his gentle profer were not only his guests for that day but were so sumptuously banqueted there for the space of a wéeke that they easilie perceiued by their good chéere how welcome they were to the Gentleman At last taking their leaue of Farnese they returned home to Padua where the Senators hearing of the straunge aduentures which Pharicles had passed and perceiuing the incomparable constancie of Mamillia they were not onely content that they two should marrie together but also contrarie to her fathers last will testament let her peaceably enioy all his landes and possessions Marrie whether Pharicles proued as inconstant a husband as a faithlesse wooer I knowe not but if it be my hap to heare looke for newes as spéedilie as may be Robert Greene. In praise of the Author and his Booke IN Britaine soyle there is a garden platte Which for the Aire and Nature of the place Both holsome is and brauely situate Where learning growes and hath a noble grace This plat doth yeeld vnto vs diuerse plants Which spread in time this Iland round about Though some of them good iuice and moisture wants Yet many haue both pith and force no doubt Some sharpe of taste but verie holsome are Some not so good yet verie toothsome bee Some toothsome are and verie good though rare Which all excell ech other in degree Not first nor next do please my fancie much The last are best which pleasant profit brings Mongst whom this plant whose place and grace is such Doth yeeld a flower which faire and liuely springs Greene is the plant Mamillia the flower Cambridge the plat where plant and flower groes London the place which brought it first in power The Court a seat most fit for such a rose And to be short if I true prophet be Plat place and seate this pleasant rose shall see If plant doth please court citie and countrie And not displease her noble Maiestie G. B. Nomen ingenium cum debet inesse Poëtae Omen ita genium debet habere liber Ore placet Grenus prodest oculisque colore Ingenium genium nomen omen habet Vt virtutis comes inuidia sic Calami comes calumnia TO THE RIGHT WORSHIPFVL and vertuous Gentlewoman Mary Rogers wife to M. Hugh Rogers of Euerton encrease of worship and vertue PRaxiteles the Painter being demaunded why in presenting a curious target to Minerua hee did most cunnigly pourtray the picture of her Priest Chrisites aunswered that Mynerua was wise so was Chrisites that being his friend he thought this the best meanes to gratifie him Which saying of Praxiteles I take as a sufficient excuse for my rashnesse For if I be demaunded why in dedicating my Booke to others I haue inserted your worshippes name I answere that both your constant vertuous and godly dispositiō caused me with Praxiteles to ingraue your name in a worke where Gentlewomens cōstancie is so stifly defended knowing your rare and vertuous qualities to be such as your verie enemies if you haue anie shall be forced maugre their face to extoll vour fame with immortall praise and also your liberall bountie friendly curtesie whereof without any desert I haue tasted draue me though not as I would yet as I could to shew the dutifull affection wherwith I am bound to be at your commaund for euer While thus I wished more euidently to shewe some signe of my good will a certaine letter of Mamillia to the yong Ladie Modesta chaunced to come vnto my hands wherein the Anatomy of Louers flatteries is displaied which I humbly present vnto your worshipfull patronage desiring you to accept it not according to the value of the gift but to the mind of the giuer and assuring you that none of your welwillers do in heart wish you more prosperitie though my abilitie be not able in outward shewe to make it manifest Thus ceasing to trouble your worship I commit you to the Almightie Clare Hall the vij of Iuly Yours at commaunde ROBERT GREENE THE ANATOMIE OF LOVERS FLATTERIES Mamillia to the yong and vertuous Virgin the Ladie Modesta I Remember Madam that when as my grandfather Lewes Gōzaga was newly created Duke of Neuers that diuers of his friends to shew their dutifull affectiō offered him sundry rich presents most méete for so high a personage and amongst the rest a certaine Musition presented vnto his hands a scrole wherein were pricked two or thrée curious points of cunning descant desiring the Duke to accept of his simple gift sith therein was comprehended all his riches and skill to attaine the which he had passed diuers countries and most dangerous perils The Duke wisely weighing with himselfe that nothing was more precious than that which was purchased with daunger accepted the gift as a most precious Iewell Considering which Madame and finding my selfe so greatly indebted to your Ladiship for the great curtesie and good entertainmēt you shewed me in Saragossa as my insufficiency shall neuer be able to requite it I thought good least happily I might be thought vngratefull or counted so obliuious as to forget a good turne in stead of precious iems and rich iewels to present your Ladiship with a casketful of friendly counsell which so much the more is to be esteemed charie chafre by how much the more I haue bought the proofe and experience of the same with paine and perill And if Madame you shall take it as a caueat to auoide the alluring snares of Cupids flatteries both I shall be glad my writing tooke so good effect you haue cause hereafter to thank me for my counsell That lasciuious Poet Ouid Madam Modesta whome iustly we may terme the foe to womankind hath not only prescribed in his bookes de arte Amandi a