permit or I with modestie could suffer Yet at the last casting with my self that y e heat of thy loue might cleane be razed with y e coldnes of my letter I thought it good to commit an inconuenience that I might preuent a mischiefe chusing rather to cut thée off short by rigour then to giue thée any iot of hope by silence Gréene sores are to be dressed roughly least they fester tettars to bée drawen in the beginning least they spread ring wormes to be anoynted when they first appeare least they coÌ„passe the whole body and the assalts of loue to be beaten baâ—k at the first siege least they vndermine at the second Fire is to be quenched in the spark weedes are to be rooted in the bud follies in the blossome Thinking this morning to trye thy Phisicke I perceiued thy fraud insomuch as the kernel that should haue cooled my stomack with moistnes hath kindeled it with cholar making a flaming fire wher it found but hot imbers conuerting like y e spider a sweet floure into a bitter poyson I am Philautus no Italian lady who commonly are woed with leasings won with lust entangled with deceipt and enioyed with delight caught with sinne and cast off with shame For mine owne parte I am too young to know the passions of a louer and too wise to beleeue them and so far from trusting any that I suspect all not that ther is in euery one a practise to deceiue but that there wanteth iâ— me a capacitie to conceiue Séeke not then Philautus to make the tender twig crooked by Arte which might haue growen streight by Nature Corne is not to be gathered in the budde but in the eare nor fruit to be pulled from the trée wheÌ„ it is gréene but when it is mellow nor Grapes to be cut for y e presse when they first rise but wheÌ„ they are full ripe nor young Ladies to be sued vnto that are fitter for a rod then a husband and méeter to beare blowes than children You must not thinke of vs as of those in your owne country that no sooner are out of the cradell but they are sent to the court and woed some-times before they are weaned which bringeth both the Nation their names not in question onely of dishonestie but into oblique This I would haue thée to take for a flat answere that I neither meane to loue thée nor héereafter if thou follow thy sute to heare thée Thy first practise in y e Masque I did not allow the second by thy writing I mislike if thou attempt the third means thou wilt enforce me to vtter that which modestie now maketh me to conceale If thy good wil be so great as thou tellest séeke to mitigate it by reason or time I thank thée for it but I can not requite it vnlesse either thou wert not Philautus or I not Camilla Thus pardoning thy boldnes vpon condition and resting thy friend if thou rest thy sute I ende Neither thine nor hir owne Camilla THis letter Camilla stitched into an Italian Petracke which she had determining at the nexte comming of Philautus to deliuer it vnder the pretence of asking some question or the vnderstanding of some worde Philautus attending hourely y e sucresse of his loue made his repaire according to his accustomable vse and finding the Gentlewomen sitting in an herbor saluted them curteouslye not forgetting to be inquisitiue how Camilla was eased by his Pomegranet which oftentimes asking of hir shee aunswered him thus In faith Philautus it had a faire coat but a rotten kernell which so much offended my weake stomack that the very sight caused me to loath it and the sent to throw it into the fire I am sory quoth Philautus who spake no lesse then truth that the medicine could not works that which my minde wished and with that stoode as one in a traunce which Camilla perceiuing thought best to ruâ— no more on that gall least the standers by should espy wher Philautus shooe wronge him Well sayd Camilla let it goe I must impute it to my ill fortune that where I looked for a restoritie I found a consumption and with that she drew out hir petracke requesting him to coÌ„ster hir a lesson hoping his learning would be better for a schoolemaster then his lucke was for a Phisition Thus walking in the ally she listned to his construction who tourning the booke found wher the letter was enclosed and dissembling that he suspected he sayd he would kéepe hir petracke vntill the morning doe you quoth Camilla With that the Gentlewomen clustered about them both either to heare how cunningly Philautus could conster or how readily Camilla could conceiue It fell out that they turned to suche a place as turned them all to a blanke where it was reasoned whether loue came at the sodeine viewe of beautie or by long experience of vertue a long disputation was lyke to ensue had not Camilla cut it off before they could ioyne issue as one not willing in the company of Philautus either to talke of loue or think of loue â—east either he should suspect she had bene woed or might be wonne which was not done so closely but it was perceiued of Philautus though dissembled Thus after many words they went to their dinner wher I omit their table talke least I loose mine After their repast Surius came in with a great train which lightened Camillas hart and was a dagger to Philautus breast who taried no longer then he had leasure to take his leaue either desirous to read his Ladies answer or not willing to enioy Surius his company whom also I will now forsake and followe Philautus to heare howe his minde is quieted with Camillas courtesie Philautus no sooner entred his chamber but he read hir letter which wrought such skirmishes in his minde that he had almost forgot reason falling into the olde vain of his rage in this manner Ah cruell Camilla and accursed Philautus I sée nowe that it fareth with thée as it doth w t the Hare Sea which hauing made one astonied with hir faire sight turneth him into a stone with hir venemous sauor and with me as it doeth with those that view the Basilike whose eyes procure delight to the looker at the first glymse and death at the second glaunce Is this the curtesie of England towards strangers to entreat them so despightfully Is my good will not onely reiected without cause but also disdained with-out coulour I but Philautus praise at thy parting if she had not liked thée she would neuer haue answered thée Knowest thou not that where they loue much they dissemble most that as fayre weather commeth after a foule storme so swéete termes succéede sowre tauntes Assaye once againe Philautus by letters to winne hir loue and follow not the vnkinde hound who leaueth the sent bicause he is rated or the bastarde Spaniell which being once rebuked neuer retriueth his game Let AtlaÌ„ta runne neuer so swiftlye
thing it is and how pestilent to youth I partly knowe and you I am sure can gesse Martius not very young to discourse of these matters yet desirous to vtter his minde whether it were to flatter Surius in his will or to make triall of the Ladies wit Began thus to frame his aunswere MAdam there is in Chio the Image of Diana whiche to those that enter séemeth sharpe and sower but returning after their suites made looketh with a merrie and pleasaunt countenaunce And it may bée that at the entraunce of my discourse yée will bende your browes as one displeased but hearing my proofe be delighted and satisfied The question you moue is whether it be requisite that Gentlemen and Gentlewomen should méete Truly among louers it is conuenient to augement desire amongst those that are firme necessary to maintaine societie For to take away all méeting for feare of loue were to kindle amongst all the fire of hate There is greater daunger Madame by absence whiche bréedeth melancholy then by presence which engendreth affection If the sight be so perillous that the companye shoulde be barred why then admitte you those to sée banquets that may thereby surfet or suffer them to eate their meate by a candle that haue sore eyes To be seperated from one I loue woulde make me more constant and to kéepe company with hir I loue not woulde not kindle desire Loue commeth as well in at the eares by the report of good conditions as in at the eyes by the amiable countenaunce whiche is the cause that diuers haue loued those they neuer sawe and séene those they neuer loued You alledge that those that feare drowning come néere no wells nor they that dread burning néere no fire Why then let them stande in doubt also to washe their handes in a shallowe brooke for that Serapus falling into a channell was drowned and let him that is colde neuer warme his hands for that a sparke fell into the eyes of Actina whereoff she dyed Let none come into the company of women for that diuers haue bene allured to loue and being refused haue vsed violence to themselues Let this be set downe for a law that none walke abroad in the day but men least méeting a beautifull woman he fall in loue and loose his libertie I thinke Madam you will not be so precise to cutte off all conference bicause loue commeth by often communication which if you do let vs all now presently depart least in séeing the beautie which daseleth our eyes and hearing the wisedome which tickleth our eares wée be enflamed with loue But you shall neuer beate the Flye from the Candell though he burne nor the Quaile from the Hemloch though it be poyson nor the louer from the company of his Ladie though it be perillous It falleth out sundrye times that companye is the cause to shake off loue working the effectes of the roote Rubarbe which being full of choler purgeth choler or of the Scorpions sting which being full of poyson is a remedy for poyson But this I conclude that to barre one that is in loue of the company of his Ladie maketh him rather mad then mortified for him to refraine that neuer knew loue is either to suspect him of folly without cause or the next way for him to fall into folly when he knoweth the cause A louer is like y e hearb Heliotropium which alwayes enclyneth to that place where the Sunne shineth and being depriued of the Sunne dyeth For as Lunaris hearbe as long as the Moone wareth bringeth forth leaues and in the waning shaketh them off so a louer whilst he is in the company of his Lady where all ioyes encrease vttereth manye pleasaunt conceites but banished from the sight of his Mistris where all mirth decreaseth either lyueth in melancholye or dyeth with desperation The Ladye Flauia speaking in his cast procéeded in this manner LKuely Martius I had not thought that as yet your costes tooth stucke in your mouth or that so olde a trewant in loue coulde hetherto remember his lesson You séeme not to inferre that it is requisite they shoulde méete but being in loue y t it is conuenient least falling iâ—â—o a madde moode they pine in their owne peuishnesse Why then let it follow that the Drunckarde which surâ—â—â—eth with wine be alwayes quaffing bicause he liketh it or the Epicure which glutteth him-selfe with meate be euer eating for that it contenteth him not séeking at any time the meanes to redresse their vices but to renue 〈◊〉 But it fareth with the Louer as it doth with him that powreth in much wine who is euer more thirstie then he that drinketh moderately for hauing once tasted the delights of loue he desireth most the thing that hurteth him most not laying a plaister to the wound but a corrasiue I am of this minde that if it be daungerous to laye Flare to the fire Salte to the eyes Sulphure to y e nose that then it cannot bée but perillous to let one Louer come in presence of the other For Surius ouer-hearing the Lady and séeing hir so carnest although he wer more earnest in his suite to Camilla cut hir off with these wordes GOod Madame giue me leaue either to departe or to speake for in trueth you gall mée more with these tearmes then you wist in séeming to inueigh so bitterly against the méeting of louers whiche is the onelye Marrowe of loue and though I doubt not but that Martius is sufficiently armed to aunswere you yet would I not haue those reasons refelled which I loath to haue repeated It may be you vtter them not of mallice you beare to loue but onely to moue controuersie where there is no question For if thou enuie to haue louers méete why did you graunt vs if allowe it why séeke you to separate vs The good Ladye coulde not refraine from laughter when she sawe Surius so angrye who in the middest of his owne tale was troubled with hirs whom shée thus againe aunswered I cry you mercy gentleman I had not thought to haue catched you when I fished for an other but I perceiue now y t with one beane it is easie to get two Pigeons with one bayte to haue diuers bits I see that others may gesse where the shooe wrings besides him that weares it Madame quoth Surius you haue caught a Frog if I be not deceiued and therefore as good it were not to hurt him as not to eate him but if all this while you angled to haue a bit at a Louer you should haue vsed no bitter medicines but pleasaunt baites I cannot tell aunswered Flauia whether my bayght were bitter or not but sure I am I haue the Fish by the gyll that doth me good Camilla not thinking to be silent put in hir speake as she thought into the best whéele saying LAdye your cunning maye deceiue you in fishing with an Angle therefore to catch him you would haue you were best to vse
most colours not that sheweth greatest courtesie A playne tale of Faith ye laugh at a picked discourse of fancie you meruayle at condemning the simplicitie of trueth and preferring the singularitie of deceipt wherin you resemble those fishes y t rather swallow a faire baite with a sharpe hooke then a foulc worme bréeding in the mudde Héereoff it commeth that true louers receiuing a flout for their faith a mocke for their good meaning are enforced to séeke such meanes as might compel you which you knowing impossible maketh you the more disdainful and them the more desperate This then is my counsell that you vse your louers like friends and chuse them by their faith not by the shewe but by the sounde neither by the waight but by the touche as you doe golde so shall you be praised as much for vertue as beautie But return we againe to Philautus who thus began to debate with himselfe WHat hast thou done Philautus in séeking to wound hir that thou desirest to winne With what face canst thou looke on hir whom thou soughtest to loose Fye fye Philautus thou bringest thy good name into question and hir lyfe into hazard hauing neither care of thine owne credit nor hir honour Is this the loue thou pretendest which is worse then hate Didst not thou séeke to poyson hir that neuer pinched thée But why doe I recount those thinges which are past and I repent I am now to consider what I must do not what I would haue done Follies past shall be worn out with faith to come and my death shall shew my desire Write Philautus what sayst thou write no no thy rude stile wil bewray thy meane estate and thy rash attempt wil purchase thine ouerthrow Venus delighteth to heare none but Mercury Pallas wil be stoln of none but Vlisses it must be a smooth tongue and a swéet tale that can enrhaunt Vesta Besides that I dare not trust a messenger to cary it nor hir to read it least in shewing my letter she disclose my loue and then shall I be pointed at of those that hate me and pitied of those that like me of hir scorned of al talked off No Philautus be not thou the bye worde of the common people rather suffer death by silence then derision by writing I but it is better to reueale thy loue then conceale if thou knowest not what bitter poysō lyeth in swéet words remember Psellus who by experience hath tryed that in loue one letter is of more force then a thousand lookes If they like writings they read them often if dislyke them runne them ouer once and this is certeine that she that readeth such toyes will also aunswere them Onely this be secret in conueyaunce which is the thing they thiefliest desire Then write Philautus write he that feareth euery bush must neuer goe a birding he that casteth al doubts shall neuer be resolued in any thing And this assure thy selfe that be thy letter neuer so rude and barbarous she will read it and be it neuer so louing she will not shew it which were a thing contrary to hir honour the next way to cal hir honestie into question For thou hast heard yea and thy selfe knowest that Ladies that vaunt of their Louers or shewe their letters are accompted in Italy counterfaite and in England they are not thought currant Thus Philautus determined hab nab to send his letters flattering himself with the successe which he to him selfe faigned and after long musing he thus began to frame the minister of his loue ¶ To the fayrest Camilla HArde is the choyce fayre Ladye when one is compelled either by silence to dye with griefe or by writing to hue with shame But so swéet is the desire of lyfe and so sharpe are the passions of loue that I am enforced to preferre an vnseemely sute before an vntimely death Loth I haue ben to speake and in dispaire to spéed the one proceeding of mine owne cowardise the other of thy crueltie If thou enquire my name I am the same Philautus which for thy sake of late came disguised in a Maske pleading custome for a priuiledge and curtesie for a pardon The same Philautusm which then in secrette tearmes coloured his loue and nowe with bitter teares bewrayes it If thou nothing estéeme the brynish water that falleth from mine eyes I would thou couldest see the warme bloud that droppeth from my hart Oftentimes I haue bene in thy company where easilye thou mightest haue perceiued my wanne cheekes my hollow eyes my scalding sighes my trembling tongue to foreshew that then which I confesse now Then consider with thy selfe Camilla the plight I am in by desire and the perill I am lyke to fall into by deniall To recount the sorrowes I sustaine or the seruice I haue vowed would rather bréede in thée an admiration then a beliefe only this I adde for the time which y e end shal trie for a truth that if thy aunswere be sharp my life wil be short so farre loue hath wrought in my pining almost consumed body that thou only mayst breath into me a new lyfe or bereaue me of the olde Thou art to weigh not howe long I haue loued thée but how faithfully neither to examine the worthines of my person but the extremitie of my passions so preferring my deserts before the length of time and my disease before the greatnes of my birth thou wilt either yeelde with equitie or deny with reason of both the which although the greatest be on my side yet y e least shal not dislyke me for that I haue alwaies found in thée a minde neither repugnant to right nor voyd of reason If thou wouldest but permit me to talke with thee or by writing suffer me at large to discourse with thée I doubt not but that both the cause of my loue would be beléeued and the extremitie rewarded both procéeding of thy beautie and vertue the one able to allure the other ready to pittie Thou must thinke that God hath not bestowed those rare giftes vppon thée to kill those that are caught but to cure them Those that are stunge with the Scorpion are bealed with the Scorpion the fire that burneth taketh away the heate of the burne the Spider Phalaugium that poysoneth doth with hir skinne make a plaister for poyson and shall thy beautie which is of force to winne all with loue be of the crueltie to wound any with death No Camilla I take no lesse delight in thy faire face then pleasure in thy good cōditions assuring my self that for affection without lust thou wilt not render mallice without cause I commit my care to thy consideration expecting thy letter either as a Cullife to preserue or as a sword to destroy either as Antidotum or as Auconitum If thou delude me thou shalt not long triumph ouer me liuing and small will thy glory be when I am dead And I ende Thine euer though he be neuer thine Philautus
Northeast winde my good Euphues doth neuer last three dayes tempestes haue but a short time and the more violent the thunder is the lesse permanent it is In the like manner it falleth out with the iarres crossings of friendes which begun in a minute are ended in a moment Necessary it is that among friendes there shoulde bée some ouerthwarting but to continue in anger not conuenient the Camill first troubleth the water before he drinke y e Frankencense is burned before it smel friends are tryed before they be trusted least shining like y e Carbuncle as though they had fire they be found being touched to be without fire Friendshippe should be lyke the Wine which Homer much commending calleth Maroneum where-off one pinte being mingled with fiue quartes of water yet it kéepeth his olde strength and vertue not to be quallified by any discourtesie Where salt doth growe nothing els can bréede where friendship is buylt no offence can harbour Then good Euphues let the falling out of friendes be the renuing of affection that in this we maye resemble the bones of the Lyon which lying still and not mooued begin to rot but being striken one against another break out lyke fire and ware greene The anger of friendes is not vnlike vnto the Phisitions Cucurbitae which drawing al the infection in y e body into one place doth purge all diseases and the iarres of friends reaping vp all the hidden mallices or suspitions or follyes that lay lurking in the minde maketh the knot more durable For as the body being purged of melantholy waxeth light and apt to al labour so the minde as it were scoured of mistrust becommeth fit euer after for beléefe But why doe I not confesse that which I haue coÌ„mitted or knowing my self guilty why vse I to glose I haue vniustly my good Euphues picked a quarrell against thée forgetting the counsell thou giuest mée and dispistng that which I nowe desire Which as often as I call to my minde I cannot but blushe to my selfe for shame and fall out with my selfe for anger For in falling out with thée I haue done no otherwise then he that desiring to saile safely killeth him at the helme resembling him that hauing néede to alight spurreth his horse to make him stande still or him that swimming vppon anothers backe séeketh to stoppe his breath It was in thée Euphues that I put all my trust and yet vppon thée that I poured out all my mallice more cruell then the Crocadile who suffereth the birde to bréed in hir mouth that scoureth hir téeth nothing so gentle as the princely Lyon who saued his life that helped his foote But if either thy good nature can forget that which my ill tongue doth repent or thy accustomable kindnes forgiue that my vnbridled furie did commit I will hereafter be as willing to be thy seruant as I am now desirous to be thy friende and as readie to take an iniurie as I was to giue an offence What I haue done in thine absence I wil certifie at thy comming yet I doubt not but thou cannest gesse by my condition yet this I add that I am as readie to die as to liue were I not animated with y e hope of thy good counsell I woulde rather haue suffered the death I wish for then sustained the shame I sought for But nowe in these extremities reposing both my life in thy hands and my seruice at thy commaundement I attend thine aunswere and rest thine to vse more then his owne Philautus THis letter he dispatched by his boyâ— whiche Euphues reading coulde not tell whether he shoulde more reioyce at his friends submission or mistrust his subtiltie therefore as one not resoluing himselfe to determine any thing as yet aunswered him thus immediatelye by his owne messenger Euphues to him that was his Philautus I Haue receiued thy letter and knowe the man I read it and perceiued the matter which I am as farre from knowing howe to aunswere as I was from looking for such an errand Thou beginnest to inferre a necessitie that friendes should fall out when as I cannot allow a conuenience For if it be among such as are faithfull there should be no cause of breach if betwéene dissemblers no care of reconciliation The Camel saist thou loueth water when it is troubled and I say the Hart thirsfeth for the cleare streame and fitly diddest thou bring it in against thy self though applyed it I knowe not how aptly for thy selfe for such friendship doest thou like where braules may be stirred not quietnesse sought The wine Maroneum which thou commendest and the salt ground which thou inferrest the one is neither fit for thy drinkng nor the other for thy tast for such strong Wines will ouer-come such light wittes and so good salt cannot relysh in so vnsauory a mouth neither as thou desirest to applye them can they stande thée in stéede For oftentimes haue I founde much Water in thy déedes but not one drop of such wine and the ground where salt shoulde growe but neuer one corne that had sauour After many reasons to conclude that iarres were requisite thou faâ—â—est to a kind of submission which I meruayle at For if I gaue no cause why diddest thou picke a quarrell if anye why shouldest thou craue a pardon If thou canst defie thy best friende what wilt thou doe to thine enemie Certeinely this must néedes ensue that if thou canst not be constant to thy friende when he doth thée good thou wilt neuer beare with him when he shall doe thée harme thou that séekest to spill the bloude of the innocent canst she we small mercie to an offender thou that treadest a Worme on the tayle wilt crush a Waspe on the heade thou that art angrye for no cause wilt I thinke runne madde for a light occasion Truely Philautus that once I loued thée I can-not deny that now I should againe do so I refuse For smal confidence shall I repose in thée when I am guiltie that can finde no refuge in innocencie The mallyce of a friende is like the sting of an Aspe which nothing can remedie for being pearced in y e hande it must be cut off and a friend thrust to the heart it must be pulled out I had as liefe Philautus haue a wound that inwardly might lightly grieue me then a scarre that outwardly should greatly shame me In that thou séemest so earnest to craue attonement thou causest me the more to suspect thy trueth for either thou art compelled by necessitie then it is not worth thankes or els disposed againe to abuse me and then it deserueth reuenge Eeles cannot be held in a wet hand yet are they stayed with a bitter Figge leafe the Lamprey is not to be killed with a cugell yet is she spoyled with a cane so friends that are so slipperye wauering in all their dealings are not be kept with faire and smooth talke but with rough sharpe taunts contrariwise
will the Scithian whippe be regarded where the sharpnesse of the sword is derided If thy lucke haue bene inforunate it is a signe thy lyuing hath not bene godly for commonlye there commeth an ill ende where there was a naughtye beginning But learne Philautus to lyue héere-after as though thou shouldest not lyue at all be constant to them that trust thée trust them that thou hast tryed dissemble not with thy friend either for feare to displease him or for mallyce to deceiue him know this that the best simples are very simple if the Phisition coulde not applye them that precious stones wer no better than Pebbles if Lapidaries did not know them that the best friend is worse than a foe if a man doe not vse him Methridate must be taken inwardlye not spread on Playsters Purgations must be vsed like drinke not lyke Bathes the counsayle of a friende must bée fastened to the minde not to the eare followed not praysed employed in good lyuing not talked off in good meaning I know Philautus we are in Englande but I would we were not not that the place is too base but that wée are too badde and God graunt thou haue done nothing which may tourne thée to discredite or me to displeasure Thou sayest thou wert of late with Camilla I feare me too late and yet perhappes too soone I haue alwayes tolde thée that she was too high for thée to clymbe and too faire for others to catch and too vertuous for any to inueigle But wilde Horses breake high Hedges though they can-not leape ouer him eager Wolues barke at the Moone though they cannot reach it and Mercurie whisteleth for Vesta though he can-not winne hir For absenting my selfe I hope they can take no cause of offence neither that I know haue I giuen any I loue not to be bold yet would I be welcome but guestes and fish say we in Athens are euer stale within thrée dayes shartly I will visite them and excuse my selfe in the meane season I thinke so well of them as it is possible for a man to thinke of women and how well that is I appeale to thée who alwayes madest them no worse then sancts in heauen and shrines in no worse place then thy heart For aunswering thy suite I am not yet so hastie for accepting thy seruice I am not imperious for in friendshippe there must be an equalâ—tie of estates and that may be in vs also a similitude of manners and that cannot vnlesse thou learne a new lesson and leaue the old vntill which time I leaue thée wishing thée wall as to my selfe Euphues THis letter was written in hast sent with speede and aunswered againe in post For Philautus séeing so good counsaile coulde not procéede of any ill conceipt thought once againe to sollycite his friend and that in such tearmes as he might be most agréeable to Euphues tune In this manner To Euphues health in body and quietnesse in minde IN Musicke there are many discords before there can be framed a Diapason and in contracting of good will many iarres before there be established afrindshippe but by these meanes the Musicke is more swéete and the amitie more sounde I haue receiued thy letter where-in there is as much good counsaile conteined as either I woulde wish or thou thy selfe coulâ—est giue but euer thou harnest on that string whiche long since was out of tune but now is broken my inconstancie Certes my good Euphues as I cannot but commende thy wisdome in making a stay of reconciliation for that thou findest so little stay in me so can I not but meruaile at thy incredulitie in not beléeuing me since y t thou séest a reformation in me But it may be thou dealest with me as the Philosopher did with his knife who being many yeares in making of it alwayes dealing by the obseruation of the starres caused it at the last to cut the harde whetstone saying that it skilled not how long things were a doing but how well they were done And thou holdest me off with many delayes vsing I know not what obseruations thinking thereby to make me a friend at last that shall laste I praise thy good meaning but I mislyke thy rigour Mée thou shalt vse in what thou wilt and doe that with a sleÌ„der twist that none can do with a tough wyth As for my being with Camilla good Euphues rubbe there no more least I winch for deny I will not that I am wrong on the withers This one thing touching my selfe I saye and before him that séeth all thinges I sweare that hereafter I will neither dissemble to delude thée nor picke quarrells to fall out with thée thou shalt finde me constant to one faithlesse to none in prayer deuout in manners reformed in life chast in words modest not framing my fancie to the humour of loue but my déeds to the rule of zeale And such a man as héeretofore merrily thou saidst I was but nowe truely thou shalt sée I am and as I know thou art Then Euphues appoint the place where wée maye méete and reconcite the minds which I confesse by mine owne follyes were seuered And if euer after this I shal séeme iealous ouer thée or blynded towards my selfe vse me as I deserue shamefully Thus attending thy spéedye aunswere for that delayes are perillous especially as my case now standeth I end thine euer to vse as thine owne Philautus EVphues séeing such spéedye returne of an other aunswere thought Philautus to be very sharps set for to recouer him and weighing with him selfe that often in marriages there haue fallen out braâ—â—â—â— where the chiefest loue shoulde be and yet againe reconciliations that none ought at any time so to loue that he shoulde finde in his heart at any time to hate Furthermore casting in his minde the good he might â—o to Philautus by his friendship and the mischiefe that might ensue by his fellowes follye aunswered him thus againe speedely as well to preuent the course he might otherwise take as also to prescribe what waâ— he shoulde take Euphues to his friend Philautus NEttells Philautus haue no prâ—ckeâ—â—â— yet they sting and words haue no pointes yet they pearre though outwardly thou protest great amendement yet oftentimes the softnesse of Wooll whiche the Seres sende sticketh so fast to the shinne that when one looketh it shoulde kéepe him warme it fetcheth bloude and thy smooth talke thy swéete promises may when I shal think to haue them perfourmed so delight me be a corosiue to destroy me But I will not cast beyond the Moone for that in all things I know there must be a meane Thou sweareth nowe that thy life shall be leade by my lyne that thou wilt giue no cause of offence by thy disorders nor take anye by my good meaning which if it be 〈◊〉 I am as willing to be thy friende as I am to be mine owne But this take for a warning if euer thou â—arre when thou shouldest iest or
and not to embrace hir in the heate of my desire then to sée fire and not to warme me in the extremitie of my colde No no Euphues thou makest loue nothing but a continuall woing if thou barre it of the effect and then is it infinite if thou allowe it and yet forbid it a perpetuall warfare and then is it intollerable From this opinion no man shall withdrawe me that the ende of fishing is catching not angling of birding taking not whistling of loue wedding not woing Otherwise it is no better then hanging Euphues smyling to sée Philautus so earnest vrged him againe in this manner WHy Philautus what harme wer it in loue if y e heart shoulde yeelde his right to the eye or the fancie his force to the care I haue read of many some I know betwéene whom ther was as feruent affection as might be that neuer desired any thing but swéet talke and continuall company at bankets at playes and other assemblies as Phrigius Pieria whose cōstant faith was such that there was neuer word nor thought of any vncleannesse Pigmalion loued his Iuory image being enamored only by y e sight why shuld not y e chast loue of others be builded rather in agréeing in heauenly meditations then temporal actions Beléeue me Philautus if thou knewest what it were to loue thou wouldest be as farre from the opiniō thou holdest as I am Philautus thinking no greater absurditie to be held in the world then this replyed before the other could ende as followeth IN déede Euphues if the king would resigne his right to his Legate then were it not amisse for the heart to yéelde to the eyes Thou knowest Euphues y t the eye is the messenger of loue not y e Master that the eare is the caryer of newes the heart the disgester Besides this suppose one haue neither eares to heare his lady speak nor eyes to sée hir beautie shall he not therefore be subiect to the impression of loue If thou answere no I can alledge diuers both deafe blinde that haue béene wounded if thou graunt it thē confesse the heart must haue his hope which is neyther séeyng nor hearing and what is the third Touching Phrigius and Peria think them both fooles in this for he that kéeketh a Hen in his house to cackle not lay or a Cocke to crow and not to treade is not vnlike vnto him y t hauing sowen his wheat neuer reapeth it or reaping it neuer thresheth it taking more pleasure to sée faire corne then to eat fine bread Pigmalion maketh against this for Venus séeing him so earnestly to loue so effectually to pray graunted him his requeste which had he not by importunate suite obtained I doubt not but he would rather haue hewed hir in péeces thē honoured hir with passions and set hir vp in some Temple for an image not kept hir in his house for a wife He y t desireth only to talke view without any further suite is not farre different from him that liketh to sée a paynted rose better then to smel to a perfect Uiolet or to heare a birde sing in a bush rather then to haue hir at home in his owne cage This will I followe that to pleade for loue and request nothing but lookes and to deserue workes and liue only by words is as one should plowe his ground neuer so we it grinde his colours and neuer paint saddle his horse and neuer ryde As they were thus communing there came from the Ladie Flauia a Gentleman who inuited them both that night to supper which they with humble thankes giuen promised to doe so and till supper time I leaue them debating their question Now Gentlewomen in this matter I would I knew your mindes and yet I can somewhat gesse at your meaninges if any of you shoulde loue a Gentleman of such perfection as you can wishe woulde it content you only to heare him to sée him daunce to marke his personage to delyght in his wit to wonder at all his qualyties desire no other solace If you like to heare his pleasant voice to sing his fine singers to play his proper personage to vndertake any exployte woulde you couet no more of your loue As good it were to be silent and think no as to blush and say I. I must néeds conclude with Philautus though I should cauil with Euphues that the ende of loue is the ful fruition of the partie beloued at all times and in all places For it cannot follow in reason that bicause the sauce is good which shold prouoke mine appetite therfore I shold forsake the meat for which it was made Beléeue me the qualities of the minde the beautie of the body either in man or woman are but sauce to whet our stomackes not meate to fill them For they that lyue by the view of beautie still looke very leane and they that séede onely vppon vertue at boorde will goe with an hungry belly to bedde But I will not craue héere in your resolute aunswere bicause betwéene them it was not determined but euery one as he lyketh and then Euphues and Philautus being now againe sent for to the Lady Flauia hir house they came presently wher they found the worthy Gentleman Surius Camilla Mistresse Frauncis with many other Gentlemē and Gentlewomē At their first entraunce doing their dutie they saluted all the company and were welcommed The Lady Flauia entertained them both very louingly thanking Philautus for his last companye saying be merry Gentleman at this time of the yeare a Uiolet is better than a Rose and so she arose and went hir waye leauing Philautus in a muse at hir wordes who before was in a maze at Camillas lookes Camilla came to Euphues in this manner I am sory Euphues that we haue no gréene Rushes considering you haue ben so great a straunger you make me almost to thinke that of you which commonly I am not accustomed to iudge of any that either you thought your selfe too good or our chéere too badde other cause of absence I cannot imagine vnlesse seing vs very idle you sought meanes to be well imployed but I pray you héerafter be bolde and those things which were amisse shall be redressed for we-wil haue Quailes to amend your cōmons and some questions to sharpen your wits so that you shal neither finde fault with your dyot for the grosenesse nor with your exercise for easinesse As for your fellow friend Philautus we are bound to him for he wold oftentimes see vs but seldome eat with vs which made vs thinke that he cared more for our company than our meate Euphues as one that knew his good aunswered hir in this wise Faire Lady it were vnséemely to strew gréene rushes for his comming whose company is not worth a straw or to accompt him a straunger whose boldnesse hath ben straunge to all those that knew him to be a straunger The small abilitie in me to requit
thinke this but that there should be in a womā aswel a tongue to deny as in a mā to desire that as men haue reason to like for beautie where they loue so womē haue wit to refuse for sundry causes wher they loue not Otherwise were we bound to such an inconuenience that whosoeuer serued vs we should aunswere his suite when in euery respect we mistike his conditions so that Nature might be said to frame vs for others humours not for our owne appetites Where-in to some wée should be thought very courteous but to the most scarce honest For mine owne part if there be any thing in mée to be lyked of any I thinke it reason to bestowe on such a one as hath also somwhat to content me so that wher I know my selse loued and doe loue againe I would vpon iust tryall of his constancie take him Surius without any stoppe or long pause replyed presently LAdy if the Torteyse you spake off in India were as cunning in swimming as you are in speking he wold neither feare the heate of y e Sunne nor the ginne of the Fisher. But that excuse was brought in rather to shewe what you coulde say then to craue pardon for that you haue said But to your aunswere What your beautie is I will not here dispute least either your modest eares should glow to heare your owne prayses or my smooth tongue trippe in being curious to your perfection so y t what I cannot commend sufficiently I wil not cease continually to meruaile at You wander in one thing out of y e way where you say that many are enflamed with y e countenance not enquiring of the conditions when this position was before grounded that ther was none beautifull but she was also mercifull and so drawing by the face of hir beauty al other morral vertues for as one ring being touched with the Loadstone draweth another and that his fellowe till it come to a thaine so a Lady endewed with beautie pulleth on curtesie curtesie mercye one vertue linkes it selfe to another vntill there be a rare perfection Besides touching your owne lightnesse you must not imagine that loue bréedeth in the heart of man by your lookes but by his own eyes neither by your words whē you speak wittily but by his owne eares which conceiue aptly So that were you dumbe and could not speake or blind and could not sée yet should you be beloued which argueth plainly that the eye of the man is y e arrow the beautie of the woman the white which shooteth not but receiueth being the patient not the agent vppon tryall you confesse you would trust but what tryal you require you conceale which maketh mo suspecte that either you would haue a triall without meane or without ende either not to be sustained being impossible or not to be finished being infinite Wherin you would haue one run in a circle wher there is no way out or build in y e ayre where there is no meanes howe This trial Camilla must be sifted to narrower points least in séeking to trie your louer like a Ienet you tyre him like a Iade Then you require this libertie which truely I cannot denie you that you may haue y e choyce as well to refuse as the man hath to offer requiring by that reason some qualities in the person you would bestow your loue on yet craftily hiding what properties either please you best or like women well wherein againe you moue a doubt whether personage or wealth or wit or all are to be required so that what with the close tryal of his faith and the subtill wishing of his qualities you make either your Louer so holy that for faith he must be made al of truth or so exquisite that for shape he must be framed in ware which if it be your opinion the beautie you haue will be withered before you be wedded your wooers good olde Gentlemen before they be spéeders Camilla not permitting Surius to leape ouer y e hedge which she set for to kéepe him in with a smiling countenaunce shaped him this aunswere IF your position be graunted that wher beautie is ther is also vertue then might you adde that where a faire flower is there is also a swéete sauour which how repugnaunt it is to our common experience there is none but knoweth and how contrary the other is to trueth there is none but séeth Why then do you not set down this for a rule which is as agréeable to reason y t Rhodope being beautiful if a good complection and faire fauour be tearmed beautie was also vertuous that Lais excelling was also honest that Phrine surpassing them both in beautie was also curteous But it is a reason among your Philosophers that the disposition of the minde foloweth the cōposition of y e body how true in arguing it may be I know not how false in tryall it is who knoweth not Beautie though it be amiable worketh many things contrary to hir fayre shew not vnlyke vnto siluer which being white draweth blacke lynes or resembling the tal trées in Ida which allured many to rest in them vnder their shadow and then infected them with their sent Now where-as you sette downe that loue commeth not from the eyes of the woman but from the glaunces of the man vnder correction be it spoken it is as far from the trueth as the head from the toe For were a Ladye blinde in what can she be beautifull if dumbe in what manifest hir wit when as the eye hath euer ben thought the Pearle of the face and the tongue the Ambassador of the heart If there were such a Lady in this companye Surius that should winke with both eyes when you wold haue hir sée your amorous lookes or bée no blabbe of hir tongue when you would haue hir aunswere to your questions I can-not thinke that either hir vertuous conditions or hir white and red complection could moue you to loue Although this might somewhat procure your lyking that doing what you lyst she will not see it and speaking what you would she wil not vtter it two notable vertues and rare in our sex patience and silence But why talke I about Ladyes that haue no eyes when there is no man that wil loue them if he himselfe haue eyes More reson ther is to wooe one that is dumbe for that she cannot deny your suite and yet hauing eares to heare she may as well giue an answere with a signe as a sentence But to the purpose Loue commeth not from him that loueth but from the partie loued els must he take his loue vppon no cause and then it is lust or thinke himselfe the cause and then it is no loue Then must you conclude thus if there be not in women the occasion they are foolrs to trust men y t praise them if the cause be in them then are not men wise to arrogate it to themselues It is the eye of the women
that is made of Adamant the hart of the man that is framed of yron and I cannot think you wil say that the vertue attractiue is in y e yron which is drawen by force but in the Adamant that searcheth it perforce And this is the reason that manye men haue bene entangled against their wills with loue and kept in it with their wills You know Surius that the fire is in the flint that is striken not in the stéele that striketh the light in the Sun that lendeth not in the Moone that boroweth the loue in the woman that is serued not in the man that sueth The similitude you brought in of the arrow flew nothing right to beautie wherfore I must shoote that shafte at your owne brest For if the eye of man be the arrow beautie the white a faire marke for him that draweth in Cupids bow then must it necessarily ensue that y e archer desireth with an ayme to hitte the white not y e white the arrow that the marke allureth the Archer not the shooter the marke and therfore is Venus sayd in one eye to haue two Apples which is coÌ„monly applyed to those y t witch with the eyes and not those that wooe with their eyes Touching trial I am neither so foolish to desire things impossible nor so froward to request that which hath no endeâ—â—â—ut words shall neuer make me beléeue without workes least in following a faire shadow I lose the firme substance and in one word set downe the only trial that a Lady requireth of hir louer it is this that he performe as much as he sware that euery othe be a déede euery gloase a gospell promising nothing in his talke that hée perfourme not in his triall The qualities that are required of the minde are good conditions as temperance not to excéed in dyet chastitie not to sin in desire constancie not to couet chaunge wit to delight wisdome to instruct mirth to please without offence and modestie to gouerne without precisenesse Concerning the body as there is no Gentlewoman so curious to haue him in print so is ther no one so careles to haue him a wretch only his right shape to shew him a man his Christendom to proue his faith indiffereÌ„t welth to maintaine his family expecting all thinges necessary nothing superfluous And to conclude w t you Surius vnlesse I might haue such a one I had as leaue be buried as maried wishing rather to haue no beautie and dye a chast virgin theÌ„ no ioy liue a cursed wife Surius as one daunted hauing lyttle to answere yet delighted to heare hir speake with a short speach vttered these words I Perceiue Camilla that be your cloath neuer so bad it wil take some colour your cause neuer so false it will beare some shew of probabilitie wherin you manifest the right nature of a woman who hauing no way to winne thinketh to ouer-come with wordes This I gather by your aunswere that beautie maye haue fayre leaues and foule fruit that all that are amiable are not honest that loue procéedeth of the womans perfection and the mans follies that the triall looked for is to performe whatsoeuer they promise that in minde he be vertuous in body comely suche a husbande in my opinion is to bée wished for but not looked for Take héede Camilla that séeking all the Wood for a streight sticke you chuse not at the last a crooked staffe or describing a good counâ—aile to others thou thy selfe followe the worste much lyke to Chius who selling the best wine to others dranke himselfe of the lées Truly quoth Camilla my Wool was blacke and therefore it could take no other colour and my cause good and therefore admitteth no cauil as for the rules I set downe of loue they wer not coyned of me but learned beeing so true beleeued If my fortune be soil that searching for a wande I gather a camocke or selling wine to other I drinke viniger my self I must be content y t of the worst poore helpe patience which by so much the more is to be borne by how much the more it is perforce As Surius was speaking the Lady Flauia preuented him saying it is time y t you breake off your speach least we haue nothing to speake for should you wade any farther you would both waste the night and leaue vs no time and take our reasons and leaue vs no matter that euery one therfore may say somwhat we commaund you to cease that you haue both sayde so well we giue you thankes Thus letting Surius and Camilla to whisper by themselues whose talke we wil not heare the Lady began in this manner to gréete Martius We sée Martius that wher young folkes are they treat of loue when souldiers méete they conferre of war painters of their colours Musitians of their crochets euery one talketh of that most he lyketh best Which séeing it is so it behoueth vs that haue more yeres to haue more wisedome not to measure our talke by the affections we haue had but by those we should haue In this therefore I would know thy minde whether it be conuenient for women to haunt such places where Gentlemen are or for men to haue accesse to Gentlewomen which me thinketh in reason can-not be tollerable knowing that ther is nothing more pernitious to either then loue and that loue breedeth by nothing sooner than lookes They that feare water will come néere no wells they that stande in dread of burning flye from the fire ought not they that wold not be entangled with desire to refraine company If loue haue the pangs which y e passiâ—naâ—â— set downe why do they not abstain from the cause if it be pleasant why do they dispraise it We shunne the place of pestilence for feare of infection the eyes of Catherismes bicause of diseases y e sight of y e Basilisk for dread of death and shall we not eschewe the company of them that may entrap vs in loue which is more bitter then any distruction If we flye théeues that stale our goods shall wée follow murtherers that cut our throates If we be héedie to come where Waspes be least we be strong shall we hazarde to runne where Cupid is where we shalbée stifeled Truelye Martius in my opinion there is nothing either more repugnant to reason or abhorring from nature then to séeke that wée shoulde shunne leauing the cleare streame to drinke of the muddy ditch or in the extreamitie of heate to lye in the parching Sunne when he may sléepe in the colde shaddowe or being frée froÌ„ fancy to seeke after loue which is as much as to coole a hotte Liuer with strong wine or to cure a weake stomake with raw flesh In this I wold heare thy sentence induced the rather to this discourse for that Surius and Camilla haue begunne it then that I lyke it Loue in me hath neither power to commaunde nor perswasion to entreat Which how idle a
to blush at the last though long time strayning courtesie who should goe ouer the stile when we had both haste I for that I knew women would rather dye than séeme to desire began first to vnfolde the extremities of my passions the causes of my loue the constancie of my faith the which she knowing to be true easely beléeued and replyed in the lyke manner which I thought not certeine not that I misdoubted hir faith but that I could not perswade my selfe of so good fortune Hauing thus made each other priuie to our wished desires I frequented more often to Camilla which caused my friendes to suspect that which now they shall finde true and this was the cause that we all méete héere that before this good companye wée might knitte that knotte with our tongues that we shal neuer vndoe with our téeth This was Surius speach vnto me which Camilla with the rest affirmed But I Euphues in whose hearte the stumpes of loue were yet sticking beganne to chaunge colour féeling as it were new stormes to arise after a pleasaunt calme but thinking with my selfe that the time was past to wooe hir that an other was to wedde I digested the Pill which had almost choakt mée But Time caused me to sing a new Tune as after thou shalt heare After much talke great théere I taking my leaue departed being willed to visit the Lady Flauia at my leasure which word was to me in stéede of a welcome With-in a while after it was noised that Surius was assured to Camilla which bread quarrells but he lyke a noble Gentleman reioycing more in his loue than estéeming the losse of his friends maugre them all was maried not in a chamber priuately as one fearing tumults but openly in the Church as one ready to aunswer any obiections This mariage solemnized could not be recalled which raused his Allyes to consent and so all parties pleased I thinke them the happiest couple in the world Now Euphues thou shalt vnderstand that all hope being cut off from obteining Camilla I began to vse the aduauntage of y e word that y e lady Flauia cast out whom I visited more like to a soiourner than a straunger being absent at no time from breakfast till euening Draffe was mine arrand but drinke I woulde my great courtesie was to excuse my grieuous torments for I ceased not continually to court my violet whom I neuer found so coy as I thought nor so courteous as I wished At the last thinking not to spend all my wooing in signes I fell to flat sayings reuealyng the bitter swéetes that I sustayned the ioye at hir presence the griefe at hir absence with all speaches that a Louer might frame she not degenerating from the wyles of a woman séemed to accuse men of inconstancie that the painted words were but winde that fayned sighes were but flights that all their loue was but to laugh laying eayghts to catch the fish that they ment agayne to throw into the Riuer practising onely cunning to deceiue not courtesie to tell truth wherin she compared all Louers to Mizaldus â—he Poet which was so lyght that euery winde would blow him away vnlesse he had lead tyed to his héeles and to the fugitiue stone in Cicyco which runneth away if it be not fastened to some post Thus would she dally a wench euer-more giuen to such disport I aunswered for my selfe as I coulde and for all men as I thought Thus oftentimes had we conference but no conclusion many méetings but few pastimes vntill at the last Surius one that coulde quicklye perceiue on which side my breade was buttered beganne to breake with moe touching Frauncis not as though he had heard any thing but as one that wold vnderstand some thing I durst not séeme straunge when I found him so courteous knowing that in this matter he might almost worke al to my lyking I vnfolded to him from time to time the whole disscourses I had with my Uiolet my earnest desire to obtaine hir my landes goods and reuenewes who hearing my tale promised to further my suite where-in hée so besturred his studie that with-in one moneth I was in passibilytie to haue hir I most wished and leaste looked for It were too too long to write an Historye béeing but determined to sende a Letter therfore I will deferre all the actions and accidents that happened vntill occasion shall serue either to méete thée or minister leasure to mee To this ende it grew that conditions drawen for the performaunce of a certeine ioynter for the which I had many Italians bound we were both made as sure as Surius and Camilla Hir dowrie was in redy money a thousand poundes and a fayre house wherein I meane shortly to dwel The ioynter I must make is foure hundred poundes yearely the which I must héere purchase in England and sell my landes in Italy Now Euphues imagine with thy selfe that Philautus beginneth to change although in one yere to marry and to thriue it be hard But would I might once againe sée thée héere vnto whome thou shalt be no lesse welcome than to thy best friend Surius that noble Gentleman commendeth him vnto thée Camilla forgetteth thée not both earnestly wishe thy retourne with great promises to doe thée good whether thou wish it in the Court or in the Countrey and this I durste sweare that if thou come agayne into Englande thou wilt be so friendlye intreated that either thou wilt altogether dwell héere or tarry héere longer The Lady Flauia saluteth thée and also my Uyolet euerye one wisheth thée so well as thou canst wishe thy selfe no better Other newes héere is none but that which lyttle apperteineth to mée and nothing to thée Two requestes I haue to make as well from Surius as my selfe the one to come into Englande the other to heare thine aunswere And thus in haste I bidde thée fare-well From London the first of February 1579. Thine or not his owne Philautus THis letter being delyuered to Euphues and well perused caused him both to meruayle and to ioye séeing all things so straungely concluded and his friend so happely contracted hauing therfore by the same meanes opportuntie to sende aunswere by the which he had pleasure to receiue newes hée dispatched his Letter in this forme ¶ Euphues to Philautus THere could nothing haue come out of England to Euphues more welcom theÌ„ thy letters vnlesse it had ben thy person which when I had throughly perused I could not at the first either beléeue them for the straungenesse or at the last for the happinesse for vppon the sodaine to heare such alterations of Surius passed all credite and to vnderstand so fortunate successe to Philautus all expectation yet considering that many things fall betwéene the cup and the lip that in one luckie houre more rare things come to passe theÌ„ some-times in seauen yeare y t marriages are made in heauen though consumated in earth I was brought both to beléeue the euents