forepassed tournes yet will I pretermit to shewe howe chargeable thy seruice hath bene to me dismisse thee from suche reckoninges Ah Aurelia farewell for euer and I pray God giue thée better speede then thou deseruest and no worse then I wishe thee By thine and Fortunes prisoner Philotimus He receiued no aunswere of these his letters neither did hee looke for any but restles flung vp and downe neither seeking coÌ„forte nor findinge anie but in his agonie traced from place to place muche like to Bacchus Nunnes or to Cibeles braine-sicke Nymphes in Ida Mounte he ran resembling those whom Driades and Faunes doe force to flye But when he saw himselfe busy bootles nothing to preuaile he satte him downe and entred straight to this consultation Forget that pranked paramour pert and let her goe Forget her Philotimus Nay sooner shall the roaring froathie Seas ymatch the loftie Firmament in height and hellish Plutoes feltered den with starbright heauen shall sooner coupled bee and shining lighte with gloomye shades agree and with the cleare drie day the drearie night conioyne and smoaking stifling scaldinge fire conuerte to frostie ysicle snowe ere I forget whome I haue forgone ah dearest Aurelia And herewithall the teares ranne downe his chéekes apace He was dailie troubled with this Quotidian neither eating nor drinking nor sléeping but fed I thinke with Aungells food and by Gods imputation dispenced for the time from humaines vsuall conuersation He spent his time sometime studying howe to recouer wealth to win his Lady againe sometimes composing Epitaphes for his Tombe thinking he could not long liue sometime in Meeters to praise his Aurelia on whom to thinke it did him good and sometime in complaining the frowardnes of his fates among the reste these fewe that followe I thought good to insert Who looseth Loue and conquers care in lieu who pightes his paines and pines for want of food His lossfull lot and crimeles curse I rue yet would he vew my cause his case were good His hap may be to fancy yet else where ah speme spent my loue and I am done Or he may drench and die in deepe despaire O that I might for bliss enioy that boone Long haue I seru'd and well deserud some meede yet doe doe I sterue with strife and sternefull nayes My constancie was causer of my creede that crueltie is curst that trust betraies A chearles case must needes cause chilling care O pale wanhope when wanton wantes his wish No dastard to be daâ—de where dole doth deare as good to fast as feast where dearth's a dish What mettall can resist the flaming fire no heart I thinke can hate those christall eies How can a bounden thrall retire desire The Eagles force subdues ech bird that flies These rimes were made in great agony and anguish But as euerie hill hath his dale euerie tide his eb and euerie tempeste his flawe of faire weather so had he some intermission of hiâ— sobbinges though he coulde not haue remission of all his sorrowes For thus he began to straighten his affectioÌ„s with reasons rule Though he were in disgrace with Aurelia and defaced of all his frendes yet God would either sende remedie or take him to his mercie Though his body nothing proportionable to his valure were not big inough to beat his foe Cornelius yet did he see that the litle dapper carcasse was the tabernacle of wit and the louby bones a tipe of a dullard Though in the ruine of his riches hee were brought to an exigent and like to be exiled the precincts of his countrey yet did he reconsolate himselfe with his readinges and experimentes by which he found that Wit commonly wears a wallet at his backe when Follies robes be veluets and to this effect did he frame this pettie Pamphlet whereof here I make illation VVHen we haue past the day in the Sea with perrill the night of death doth take vs in at the porte of health For who hath a patterne or a lease of his life or what Obligation in this case may serue without the performance of manye a condition As ofte comes ihe lambe to the market as the elder sheepe as ofte blastes the bloome as the riper fruite and Gods ioy in garlands that be fresh and gréene Then let youth claime no prerogatiue where no priuiledge is graunted but wishe and pray for the comming of his Christ and watch and warde that he come not vnawares I haue alwaies thoughte that the guiltles prisoner with his clogged conscience lookinge for nothing but his fatal finall sentence at the next gale deliuerie is not so subiect to the summons of death as we that are out of circuit of such crimes free from the sentence of the bloudie Iudge This hath euer bene mine opinion preferring the lingring of a certaine death before the lasting of an vncertaine life And of all other the sharpest wit saith Titleman hath the shortest life Bycause heat which is the cause of quicknes hauinge preheminence in the temperature of his bodie doeth eate vp the naturall moisture which is a sustenaunce to it and so hauing nothinge to féede on burnes vp the carcasse The matter of colde haile is thin and warme saith Arist warme water sooner fréezeth then colde lycoure saith Velcurie and I auouche that the hottest constitution which by the way is most pregnant in wit is the readiest procurer of cold death Soone ripe soone rotten quickly spent that 's easely gotten bauin burnes brighte but it is but a blaze the flashinge lightening is gone at a gaze then this is my verdit As those abortiui which are borne before their time neuer proue sightlie men so these forward youthes and too forward saith M. Askam neuer proue old men If any man appose me in what sort of men I déeme this passing worke of wit for my cocke I would chuse the litle dapper Dick take Robbin Hood who list let me haue litle Iohn Be not angrie with me if I speake amisse Aristotle is my authour will aunswere all replies who makinge a bypartite diuision of all kindes of men in his bookes of Pollicie giueth the burlie boned bouÌ„sers neither good for man nor woman vnles it be to lubber-leape them the orders of seruitude and to litle timbred fellowes who want in weight if you poise them by bodies but readie in wit and quicke as a Bée the gouernment to rule the one appointing what to doe like Maister Oiconomus the goodman of the house the other taking aime at his maisters mouthe to execute his pleasure So that the maisters â—ye fattes the horse thoughe the Groome of the â—â—â—le geue him prouander The same Arist assertes the moste fooles to bee mosâ—e boulde and fierce Bycause as grosse bloud wherewith he aboundes increaseth his strength so it must necessarilie weaken the wit and make a grossum caput Contrariwise the tender bloud froÌ„ whence thin rare spirites do breath as our Philosophers clepe them enséebles the body and kepes it downe whettes
bene fellowe soldiours in the same legar so that hee which hath my misaduentures and is enthralled with thy presente state maye vie the paire for sorrowe whatsoeuer the stake be Notwithstanding though thou whose state was once extolled arte nowe controuled of checkmate spite and diuested from thy throne despaire not tho as a miscreaunt nor destruste thy possibilitye Ofte haue I seene as vnluckye a Burrowe harboure a Connye Ofte haue I knowen as vnskillfull as great humilitie as I vnaduisedly sollicite my suite So it is my good seruaunt that my prouident care to preserue my state thy sober discretion in all thy dealings induce me to thanke thée for thy trustie pollicie and to craue thée for my phear and lawful husband Yet I beséech thee impute not this to lust for such perturbations are placed in my preterpect tense but refer it to the vertue of thy good demeanour which hath a force attractiue to drawe all heartes to it What saiest thou man If my breach of maners haue staind my art of wooing then bee thou a mannerly maid for me and say nay and take it I aunswered her in these or the like wordes My good mistris your meritorious charitie hath so long relieued me and your present curtesies offer mee suche kindnes that for the one you may challeng me to be your vassal with the other you haue stricke mee into a maze Wherefore I aske forgiuenes on my knées if I do not accomplish your reasonable commaund and whiles I liue I will punishe my vntowardly minde that is not submissiue to your good meaning Yet this I will tell you which perhaps you haue heard when the Moone which is the lowest planet is in coniunction with Saturne which is the highest planet there can no good natiuitie issue from them when Winter marries Summer write it vp for a woonder and when an old grift in a yonge plante fructifies good fruite the yeare will pippins be preseruatiue from the plague The greenenes of my youth and the grauitie of your yeares are discordes in descante and therefore can they neuer make good musicke I am meeter for your seruaunt then your soueraigne and you fitter form y mistris then to be my fellowe If I were phaÌ„tasticall good mistris your clemencie and good nature coulde withdraw loue from other obiectes and allure it to your selfe but I haue vowed singlenes and wil be true votarie for what cause God and my conscience best knowes At this time we brake of she telling me that shee doubted not but I would be better aduised and I aunswering that I wished I could satisfie her expectation Manye colloquies had wee about these matters after this but her earnest instaunce wrought but my resistauÌ„ce and my waiwardnes her goodwill At length with much adoe and many entreatings I got leaue to be manumitted of her seruice with her good liking Her reward at my departure was very bountifull and though my abilitie were too slender to make requital yet was my gratefull hearte not vnwilling to bee thankfull .. Then in the progreffe of my trauaile my meditation was what course of life to take And since my lignage was obscure my parentage but base I would néedes haue enterprised some exploite with the atchieuement of which I might haue bene to my posteritie an originall of true gentilitie Amongst the rest the soldiours profession I most honoured and though I had bene trayned vp in learning and neuer seene a lined campe yet did I thinke that my reading with a litle experience would affoord me such knowledge as would suffice a soldiour Machaon and Podaliâ—e the sonnes of Coronis two excellent doctors in phisicke were Coronels of the Tricenses Ithomenienses and Occaliens that came to Troy with thrise ten sayle Could not I then for a néede marshall the battaylons and phalanges of footemen and raunge the soldiours with good disposition place the chariots in the front the choise footemen in the rereward and the weake ones in the middest O braue when bloudie trumpe to battaile soundes and lustie neighing horse bestirres him on the ground But when I looked backe to see my selfe and the feblenes of my sielye carcasse alas poore man quoth I thou arte more like to fight with a Crane as Homer in the third of his Iliades saieth that the Pygmyes doe then attayne by thy valure to anye notable conquest surcease from this deuise I wishe Nay Diana in her trayninge chase delightes Minerua in her chattering armes doeth march Apollo in his siluer-sounding cordes disportes yet none of these are my content The fragrant fieldes the rurall lawnes where Zephyrus inspires the fruitfull earth and doeth attire eache bushe with budde and bloomie braunch where the purple Columâ—ine and the oriente cowsloppe the daffadillie and the pretie lillie the dazie and the violet do may in aray shal be my pallace and my paradise After all my consultations had bene accomptant to my reason this was the foote of my determination I met with an olde auncient shepheard with whose tranquillitie of life being seiunged from all humaine troubles I was much delighted Him I endeuored to serue and after his decease the small flocke which hee kept in his life was mine by his bequest after his decease The residue of my life haue I ledde euer since in this vocation where at my pleasure I could studie good authours be contemplatiue when I list and my mansion house is yonder litle cottage which thou seest stand amid the trées My name as thou rightly gessedst at the first is Laurus Now if thou canst either brooke my kinde of life or accept the néedines of my cheare I wil either make thée a companion in my callinge as longe as I liue or geue thee whiles thou listest suche entertainment as I canne Philotimus his humour was frankly fedde with this discourse of the shepheard Laurus quoth he I gratulate thy presence and am glad to sée thée much haue I heard of thée which now I will not repeate and I thinke my selfe happie that I haue met with thée But as for thy life I rather admire it then meane to imitate it For a candle put vnder a bushell is light in vaine and a taleÌ„t hid is to small purpose If thou canst giue me knowledge of anie Court nere at hande or any nobleman that wil vouchsafe me his seruice I shall thinke my self much beholden to thée Truly quoth the shepheard in good time for not manye leagues from hence doeth soiourne a famous and vertuous Gentleman the prince of this prouince whose peaceable pollicie and diuine gouernment I cannot rightly match but with that most renowned regiment of the worthye Queene ELIZABETH nowe Queene of England whose royall excellencie Ah Laurus quoth Philotimus there holde least in talking of Elizabeths maiestie thou beest ouerwhelmed with her glorie Her vertues muste bee adored with sincere contemplation but cannot be recensed without abridging of her praises If thou shouldest magnifie her highnes with
gawdye a skin as the Leopard hath more wit then the speckled foole Lorde quoth Aurelia what a monster arte thou a man in my eyes and a foxe in my eares Parmenio helde on not hearinge what she said If it were the part of a Iudge to respect parcialitie I shoulde percase remember my maisters Euening brawlinges and Morning whippinges which many a time God knowes poore I doe feele heare and vnderstand But I would you wist Parmenio hath emulation for trustines with Anthony the Oratours seruaunt who being rackte and torturde to giue testimony against his maisters adultery when he had played faste and louse with a pretty wench would rather endure to die then make an Apocalips of his maisters priuities therefore with warrantize of my vpright dealing now to the purpose For as much as my maister hath offended you mistris Aurelia with his vngratefull negligence and you haue greued my maister with your sinister suspition wherof the one he hath made auriculer confession and of the other you are not acquited I pronounce that for pour bypartite sinnes both of you till to morow morning at six of the clocke doe penaunce together in a paire of white sheetes They both smild at the boyes conceit and Aurelia not able to vtter one worde for laughing faintlye foltered out as followeth O God O God O Parmenio thou doest me so much good I can not abide thée Alas said he I hurt you God thanke me but wheÌ„ coltes crye wyhye they are commonlye lustye I will not kicke quotâ— Aurelia least I seme to be gauld but thou art tâ—o hâ—sty for a parish priest that consummates a mariage before the banes be asked and bringes vs to bed before we be married Their banquet was ready the boord couered and Parmenio Antigone stoode in steade of sewer and seruitours Parmenio seing the night ouertake them and acquainted with his maisters hamour who had rather haue bene talkinge with Aurelia then féeding of these viaundes made so great hast that he spild a broth on her gowne Very well said Philotimus so could I haue done my selfe Me thinkes you should said the boy when I doe it before you Aurelia smiled at his aunswer and pacifying his maister toulde him that since the effecte was so good to make them sport the cause must deserue no reprehension Nay quoth Parmenio you haue no honestie in your victuals No aunswered Aurelia frowning at it howe than No forsooth quoth the boy neuer an herb called honesty Thus they merely past the whyle the page willing to cheare them with iesting But my yong Lady was no Epicure at her meat still staring in Philotimus his face ministring meruailes to her selfe of that which was no noueltie for her to vew Parmenio marking howe she plaid bo-péepe spoke to his maister in this sort If mistris Aurelia feede on your phismony song as she doth this nighte shee will make you looke with a paire of Lenton cheekes whether it be for sparinge of her cates or noâ— I know not but all this nighte she hath neither other sustenaunce nor taste but such as come from your amorous countenaunce to her gloting eies I haue hearde saie Aurelia that the nourishmente is alwayes like the body nourished and if it be so I hope there is some sympathy betwixt his lookes and my liking Par. In-deed that which nourisheth turneth into the substauÌ„ce of that which is nourished and therefore I doubt not but anone my maister will find the way into your litle substaunce Aur. I trow nay Philotimus will not do so he is my best child Par. When you haue borne him and brought him foorth yow may lawfully call him child and he you mother His maister thanked him that he was so diligente a broker for his pleasure Par. It is not for disability in you and that which I say you must seale wherin stands the vertue Princes you know in parliament houses haue their speakers to declare their pleasures and case themselues If you haue a letter of good tidinges it is no matter what varlet be the carrier so you know his hand who hath signed it and sent it mistris Aurelia takes no kepe how great a bragger I be so you proue your self a valiaunt rider Philot. had done his deuoire Aurelia was sufficed the table taken vp Antig. Parmen cabbished together into a bye lobby where they refreshed themselues with the relicks of their reuersion and Parmenio plaid his reakes whose shorte colloquy yow shall heare seiunctly Par. Nowe mistris Antigone you haue laboured till yow sweate and I haue toyled till I am drye therefore if thou be at leysure I will be so bolde as drinke to you if you will giue me leaue Ant. I am not at leasure to giue the leaue but take thee thy choice of a thowsand thankes Par. I haue a suâ—â—e to you but that I feare the repulse and a whelpe that firste doth misse of his game doth neuer after proue woorth an haw Ant. A Butchers curre doth neuer alter his nature as for water Spanyels wee haue no neede of them in this place Par. If you haue learnd the eight liberall science I mean edgging I will sett a spoke to your â—â—gge Antigone but good my wench â—ooke with thine eies and pitty wiâ—h thine hâ—rt O quoth Antigone I loue the terribly but it is a chiefe point of art to dissemble art I loue thée well but I trust in God thou shalt neuer knowe it Parmenio seing himself thus ridden gâ—ue her a loue tap vpon the cnéeke as though he would haue bette her for mocking him I will beate the bush quoth hee and then peraduenture I shall catch the birde for whips and faire wordes are the best to winne women Antig. Indeed thou art more like a stale to deceiue women then aproper man to winne them by might yet such battes will scare the foule away But there rest they in their meriment till the nexte morning and returne wee to Philotimus who is courting his mistris recording oulde loue without vpbraiding requesting a contracte without resistaunce Aurelia although shee were not inferiour to him in fancy yet did she doubt though she were younge that youth woulde turne with the wind for that as Tully saith they loue ardore quodam adolescentulum and stoode aloofe in denying his suite insomuch that Philotimus very pensiuely protested she kild him with obstinacie their conference I haue described dialogue wise Aur. Hath not she action that kills and he passion that is kild How can it then be that when as he that loues doth worke and â—he that is loued suffers she should kill him Philot. Nay rather he that loues suffers and she workes Aur. But hath not he frée choice to loue or not to loue Phil. He hath Aur. Then he killes himself that loues Phil. The woman killes not bycause she is loued but bycause she loues not againe For whosoeuer maye saue and will not killeth O Aurelia be not so sterne to him
that hath elected that and none els for his felicitie lest Nimesis the goddesse who wreakes all iniuries with sharp reuengment take my cause in hand and plague thée though she helpe not me Aur. What wouldest thou haue me say Phil. But thrée wordes that as I am thine so thou art mine for euer Aur. This is a short song with a long Epiphonema A matter of marriage requires deliberation Phil. But I haue deliberated too long Aur. It is Loue not Wisdome makes you thinke thus and Loue is blind Phil. No no my loue sees for thou doest not seme such a one bycause I loue thee but I loue thee bycause thou arte suche a me Aur. Thou art not wel acquainted with my manners if thou â—addest worne the shooe thou mightest iudg wher it would hurt â—hée Virginitie is a faire thinge Is it not a better sighte to sée a freshe Rose in the stalke then withered in a Gentlemans â—aâ—â—â— Phil. Had you rather haue nothing but flowers in your orcharde or the flowers falling of haue your Trées swelle with apples Aur. But chastitie is a good thinge Phil. Therefore would I marry a chast maide and it may be a time we shal liue chast in the meane time we must learne it or we cannot attaine to all at the first Aur. What get virginity with violating of it Phil. Yea why not Wee learne to abtaine from wyne by drinking litle litle If virginity be so laudable theÌ„ it is not lawfull to marry but say not so Aurelia least like an vnkind â—iâ—d the defoile thine owne nest accuse thy mother of dishonesty and thy selfe of basterdie Aur. I shall lose my libertie Phil. Nay thou shalt be Quene I King and we will gouerne our familie Is not your mind tied to your bodye yet woulde it not be loosed bycause it is there willingly Aurelia desirous to shift of this talke found euery crafty hoalâ— to thrust her head in But it may be quoth she we shall be barren Phil. As though you are not so nowe And it is better to liue to die then neuer to liue at all If we haue ioy it shall be double if griefe thou shalt beate but a part Aur. Our children may miscarry Phil. That lieth in vs for if we be good they will be good Tigres are not borne of lambes nor doues of rauens nor hadde children of parentes that giue good example Aur. These thinges are hard Phil. Bicause they are good and that is the cause that you are so hard bycause you are so fayre Aur. Alas Philotimus why doe we recken our chickens before they be hatcht and trouble our selues about these matters which maye time inough be talked on seuen yeares hence Wee are too litle to yong for the delightes of marriage Phil. Tush Aurelia a shorte sacke hath a wide mouth yong kids lether will stretch and well thou knowest a woman without a man is like a ship without a stearne when I haue left my affection here at home it wil be a cause I shall sit at my study not wandering abroad with wauering wool gathering thoughts And as the Dromeda which runneth a hundreth miles or more a day canne long continue his course and running withowten meate and after his tedious iourneyes contentes himself with brousing on the date trée and a few stones thereof so can I endure pains all these our vnmellowed yeares in hope to possesse thée as mine hire Aur. Thou art not like the Crocodile that wantes his tongue Phil. But I am like him in this that I would liue either by water or land foâ— enioye the. I thinke thou hast the precious stone Sardonix who hath the propertye to make one lowly and humble in their doinges as thou art which way lookest thou Aur. not affording me a good countenance my I read is dough if the béest of the nature of the bird Kalader which when a man hath bene long sâ—ck if he shall dye turnes a away her face from him if he shall escape death streth her sight vpon him and behouldeth him chearfully Aur. tell me this wold you haue me married to a dead man as you are Phi. The herb panace can reuiue the dead the touch of the saphyre can rid the diseased of the greuous sore the Carbuncle Orphens his harp raysed Euridice his wife from death and your â—â—â—ning I know in this poynt wil be as currant as neds so your â—â—nsent be not awanting I giue you the supremasie of my soule vse it as you list Aur yea Philotimus the Eagle is called quéene of all other birds yet she stirth from the litle kinde of swallowe whiche is all black not daring to fall on her praye till the swallowe fly abroade and on the contrary our hollow father the Pope is cleped the seruaunt of seruaunts yet he ruleth the rost within most parts of Christendome I now am misteris and you seruaunt this order wil be inuerted if wee couenaunt thâ—â— Neuerthelesse taking this friuolous talke for firme truth of your loyaltye and knowing that the precious stones Ceâ—idomâ— if you will haue theÌ„ vertuous must be taken out of the swallowes womb before they touche the ground and that as one fruite of the figtree which beareth fruite three or four times ayeare rypeth another springeth so thefarest haue must be taken in time which being grounded vppon long continuaunce if it some time chaunce to quayle it will springe againe in the same for me I am contente to yeeld my selfe a vassall to your desire Phil. Fye pleasure fye thou cloyest the withe delyghte Nowe Priams sone giue plane thy belens how is stainde O Troylus weepe no more faire Coesâ—d thyne is lothâ—ye sowle Nor Hercules thou haste cause to vaunt for thy swete Omphale nor Romeo thou hast cause to weepe for Iuliets losse if euer Amelia had saluted your sight whose bright eye beams like the precious Carbuncle show so many reflexions that selfe God Cupid god of loue hath chosen to be blind lest proper dart at sight of her should wound his brest O Gods and fates and rowling heauens can I my loues deare loue forget God knowes I wish I could requite but God confound if I forget I vsurpe any maistrie ouer thee nay if thou wilt so farr debase thy selfe as make me thy fellow we will beare the bridle euenly with equall peyz Aur Pertinax in beginning of his reigne thinking that the heauens were a mete burden for none but Atlas nor the imperiall crowne a congruent garland to none but to those of diuine excellencie defect whereof he bewatled in him selfe and the surplusage whereof he admired in others would haue instauled theÌ„ Consul Glabrion in the empire and haue placed him in the chayce of estate In whose refusall Glabrion persisting aunswered him thus Thy humble humility which thou showest pertinax in the lack of merit of the Empire maketh thee of deseruing sufficient to be inuested in the Empire Neither must I insult ouer thy subiection but
the crowes such loue she bore to blacke brought forth rauens in her prâ—gnancie so thou for misusing the heauenly minds delight yelding all to sence art cleane deuoid of all vnderstanding whiche commeth from the mind and art led onely by sence like a brute beast But meaning no more at this time to build Castles in the aire nor wast my wordes to a deafe man Harpocrates the god of silence a god to whom I haue euer done ear this and will do euer my bounden homage shall conuince thy Comus the god of intemperancie of hatefull viciousnes in wordes and hurtfull loosenes in life It makes my harte bleede to see thee so wise to wickednes fearing thy fall which I will not deuine and deuising the means to feare thée from falling For me to relinquish such apparant euidence and leane to thy bastardly reasons were to leaue the hal and come to the kitchin I promisse you quoth Aemilius I doe not doubte but by Euening that wee come to our lodginge your loftye stomacke nowe haughtie then hungrie will be glad to crepe from the hall to the kitchin and this angrie bleeding with the pearce of my propositions and with your owne maliciousnes for the griefe of your ouerthrowe will be well inoughe staunched with the legge of a Rabbet It fareth with me as it did with the estate of king Onomaus to whom it was truly prophesied that duringe the singlenes of of his daughter he should liue and reigne in triumphant prosperitie but most vnluckely as soone as she maried should be depriued of kingdome life so I whiles my arguments were in my owne handes was by anye mans Iudgement a patron of veritie but assoone as they were coupled to your constructions I streightwaie was by your criminal collation in substaunce superficiall and in opinion erroneous An Oracle pronouÌ„ced to Pelias when he should see one barefooted do rites to his fathers ghost then he should staÌ„d in dauÌ„ger of death and I meeting with a naked man shall seeme by his brauing to be ouercome Whereas you burden mee with impotencie of sence I aunswere that I haue as litle as an other and as muche as I vse yet thou louest me well that takest me vp before I fall to geue me warning of falling Notwithstanding not to halte before a cripple nor dissemble with my fayned frende these thy Argumentes resemble Ladies which are fitt for sheetes and good for nothing But the Deuill loues al colliers thou selflike reasons of thine owne warping like the rusticke Shepheard in Maroes Aeglogs which being in in loue with his lasse Phillis preferred the chessnut trée before all other bycause she loued it My sweeting Phillis chessnuts loues while Phillis the fine shall loue these nuts ne Venus myrt shal dare compare or Phaeb his laurell match these nuts Euery coulour became Aristippus well saith Horace the nightingale neuer wantes Songe saieth Bacchis in Plautus neither while you can shape your selfe a shift to shade your knauery will you euer want proofe for pursuit of this purpose Thou arte more dainty in thy phrase then trusty in thy spéech and lesse pregnant by pollicie to proue thy folly then proue with Hostillitie to depraue my meaning But thy impudent raylings which thou thinkest thy protection are against thy Inuectiue a sufficient purgation For a galled Horse neuer wincheth till hee be touched and a Deare standeth at the bay when he is hard beset and Menechmus Sosicles then feygned himselfe mad when hee knewe no other meanes to auoide his harmes Tullye saith when the people gaue Gabinius an applaudite vpon the Stage or else where he feared least hee had committed some euill and if thou haddest chirped to my Conclusion I should haue thought I had not done so well I wonder how thou canst assay to shame me with thy railings and not blame my Tutor who allotted me my taske In this me thinks thou resemblest Aiax his Wife that losing her Husband in the Shippe called Argos wished the Firre beames whereof it was made had neuer bene hewed in the wood Peleius when as they were not the cause of his Destruction but the wilde fire throwen into the Shipp or those that praised one for presenting a Gifte to Diogenes and mentioned nothinge of Diogenes that merited the gifte or rather in my Fancie thou arte moste like Will Summer which being hurte with anye thoughe he stoode a Furlonge of him woulde alwayes strike his nexte fellowe The Dogges which were watchers in the Capitoll at Rome for discrying of Théeues if they barked at a rightefull occasion had their ordinary allowance if they quested in the day time when no filtching could befall they had their legges broken the same is inrould of the Géese which were to giue watchwoord by their gagling So Philotimus if thou hast said as thou shouldest thou art a good goose if not I would not haue thy leggs broken whiche maye stande the in steade ere thou die to runne from a skirmishe but I wishe thy Tongue well mauacled to geue no cause of such mishap The firste parte of thy Treatise hath litle reason the seconde lesse sence the third scarse any life at all Thou increasest in thy grosenes like Fame in Virgill which is euer the stronger the further it goeth or like our holy time of Lent which as Cassiodorus recites out of Socrates the ninthe Booke of his Historie was first but three weekes and by litle and litle aspired to forty daies Thy Argumentes are drawne from the disport called Hopenniho wherin all must say as one saith do as he doth for all thy confirmation is but an an exhortation to frame an imitation to other mens liking We must stand at reuersion of others mens iudgement and like sielie groomes gather their crummes when they haue done As who should say bycause Apollo Cianeius and Fulgentius the Bishop of Emvâ—is neuer eate fleshe nor drunke wine therefore euery man must be dieted after this manner because some of the old Seminary haue betaken themselues to wilful peuishnes as foolish Hermits or Ancresses and deuoutly spend their times in holy Orizous therefore forsooth we must doe so This followes as well as that in Beuis of Hampton Some lost a nose and some their lip and the king of Scots hath a ship Art thou ignoraunt good Philotimus to howe many misaduentures our learning is obnoxious and how feble Memorie the keeper of it is loste with age or perished with a knocke Georgius Trapell A man very learned quite forgot in his age euery iott of his learning as though it had neuer bene he The Emperour Claudius so halted in memorie that talkinge in bed with his Wise incontinently he woulde become vnmindfull of himselfe and aske for his Wife why shee came not to bed and hauing done to death a Noble man the day following made great inquirie for him as for a trustie Senator to determine with other of his Counsaile on contriuersies Thou wouldee presse vs with
sobs and throws be sowen in vaine O then Castibula without Castibula that of Castibula houldest nothinge but the outward shape with a conscience more cruell then Gracchus Valerius his who for his crueltye was in hatred with all the Romiane empire As of serpents teeth which Iason flunge into the grounde there sprunge a troupe of sterne souldiours with sword shield till time the earthly brothers twixt themselues to ciuil coÌ„bat fell and fought yfâ—re a grislye fighte soe of euerye denyall that you denounce shall a myllyon of cares arise within my breste that shall neuer cease to worke ciuill warrs twixt my soule and body till time wâ—th fearce combat the one be dispatched Stay nymph and flye me not The lambes so flye the wolues the Staggs the Lyons so the doues so from the goshauks flye and euery creature from his foe It s somewhat from the fraughted boughes to plucke the fruite at full and somewhat from the tender stalke in prime to take the primrose I am both yong and youthfull yet vnspotted of beds pleasure and would to you O goddesse you giue vp my firste fruit offeringes The agony of my passions are like the biting of a madde doâ—ge whose rancklinge rage endurethe euen vnto deathe O Ladye showe thy mercye One snare maye easelye take two byrds and one Goddesse vsuallye heareth two mens praiers sweete Lady showe thy mercy shee that giues quickly doubles the gift giue me quicklye or else I dye presentlye good Ladye for thy mercye Casti dye Telamon I praye you of what coulour shall your clothe be died truste me if you dye any thinge I thinke it will be a cote of chaungeable coulor which I wishe as hartilye as mine owne welfare and will thanke you for it as for a benefite I speake flatlye that thou maist knowe my minde that thou neither linger in an endeles hope nor I deceiue thee with painted words It was enacted by the Lawes and statuts of Rhodes that none should giue counsaile to destrâ—ssed wights nor seeme to tender their miserye with piteous words vnlesse they had some remedies to asswage their calamities and plaister the misfortunes that deared the patients Therefore synce my former aduice coulde not worke withe you I cannot geue you any more consolation but leaue you where I founde you to the Gods their compassion I will not double withe you in driuinge you of withe faire language when my meaninge is nothinge more then to disappoynte my appoyntment and so Imitate the waterman whiche lookethe one waye and roweth another Meruaile not Telamon that my curtesse propice euer at your praiers is nowe founde refractarye in rigour and vnloked for of you Lucius Clarus consull beinge sente by the senate to the Oracle of Apollo to demaunde what the Romaines shoulde doe beseiged of the Frenchmen withe manye teares and greate offeringes kneelinge fortye dayes vppon his bare knees could get no aunswere of the God The cause was as Apollo afterward tould the Romaine priests which came of the same message that Lucius Clarus was an euill man and besieched a greate demaunde Certes though it be meete that brute beasts be chastised by other brute beasts and the bitinge of a scorpion with the liuer of a scorpion and hainous faults with smarting corrections yet I wil not punish you with open penaltie neither publish your secret crimes if you will bridle your brainsicke iade withe an hartye paenitet Greate and abstruce is the misterie of chastity which who soe violates deserueth no lesse torment in euery member then the whole body is able to tollerate When a certaine ship wherein was the diesse Berecyntthia mother of the Gods arriued at the port of Hosty it ran vpon the sand from whence by the space of four dayes xxx M. men were not able to remoue it By chaunce came thither one of the virgins vestals named Rhea who with her girdle tied to the shipp drew it to the land as easelye as she would haue drawen a thred from the distaffe so although my beauty as you tearme it bee strong to deteine you in your doting moode yet let the goodnes of my vertuous chastity withdraw you from your naughtines to a loue of mine honesty You saye that one snare maye take two birds and I resaye that one garment is not meete for many neither shall one Castibula fit diuers mens lusts It were more brutishnes in thee to defloure thy frendes wife then Clodius his incest was abhomination which discheueled his owne sister and as mad an excuse for me to say I made the partner of my priuities bycause I loued thee as Caâ—us Blessius his was which hauing conspired with Tiberius Gracchus to subuert the common wealth asked forgiuenes of Lenates and Rutilius the consuls and Ladius which theÌ„ sat in counsaile with them bycause he made such acount of Tiberius Gracchus that whatsoeuer he willed him do he must needs do it yea though it were to burne the Capitol And good cause hath my husbaÌ„d which now vseth me as a Lady like the ould Romaines then to houlde me as a slaue as the Barbariens do their wines An husband is to his wife like a spider in the middes of her web For if any part of the saide copweb be but touched with the poynt of a nedle foorthwith the spider feeleth it And if the wiues honesty bee neuer so litle cracked she shal inggle closelye but he will perceiue it Trachinus a merchaunt hauing robbed the Phoenicians of their merchaundise comming ashore commaunded his men to buye whole dearies of kine whole heardes of oxen and swine and sheepe to do sacrifice and make good cheare and pay for theÌ„ whatsoeuer was asked at the first worde so it is an easie matter but most wicked to bee liberall of that whiche is not mine owne but my husbands Telamon it befits not a gentleman to bath himselfe in these brothell conceites One of the Marranes of Italy for soe were their kings called for shuttinge vp his gates by night that he mighte sleepe surelye and take delight withe his concubine was depriued of his realme Neroes scholemaister would often saye though I knewe that Gods would pardon mee and men knew no misse of me yet for the villanye of the flesh I woulde not sinne in the flesh There was a law of the Romaines that nothing should be denied to women with childe of that they asked and neuer anye woman longed more for that she saw then I long for reformation in these thy most horrible detestations Therefore good Telamon let reason be intercessor to freewil to depose these inexpiable perturbations I cannot declare that I fele neither thou fele that I will declare I am more tormented inwardly at thy sodeine assaults then those poore creatures were outwardly which the cruell Alexander Fereas buried quicke fastned together face to face or those among the Scithians which for any great faulte had the Statute extended vpon them which commaunded them to bee put in the
Cornelius his daring challenge though his strength were far inferiour to meete him in any conuenient place which the coward would not be brought to doe Thus loaded with more griefe then can be borne with Geometry whereon the bodie of man doeth hange and sendinge out more sighes then can be numbred by Ciphers or tolde by Arithmeticke wherein mans Soule consistes the poore forlorne Gentleman entred his chamber where shutting the doore hee closelie with himselfe debated his distres in this sort Ah Philotimus thou wretched wighte Philotimus that canst neither liue with credit nor die with honour cursed be the houre wherein thou wast got a clowde dim that day wherin thou wast borne damned be the parentes that broughte thee to lighte and whelmd be the World with fire and brimstone that with rebellious insurrections and inordinate commotions all euery one haue conspired my decay Am I that Philotimus whose bare worde was wonte to bee of more weight then ten thousand poundes of some mans money and now am cald in question of pettie shameles coosenage which O Lord thou knowest howe much I abhorre Am I that Philotimus whom all my frendes haue the best floure in their garlaÌ„d and nowe am caste out for a rotten stinking weede trode vnder foote of euerie passenger O Lord saue my credit from shipwrack and bringe it to safe harbour where taken as a wrecke of the Sea by way of escheate in time it may be knowen howe vnspotted it is Thou haste all mens hartes in thy handes to dispose at thy pleasure forget my transgressions mortifie my affections and renewe their good opinions who nowe despaire of mee What is becomd of him that sometime was the Gem of all the Iewells in Athens then praised of all to incourage him to vertue now prased for of some to restraine him froÌ„ vice Is hee not now thought a sensuall reprobate deuorced from all pietie lulde in securitie giuen vp of God to his palpable lustes with the bitt in his téeth to flinge where he list like an harbourcles vacabond or a brother of Caine My long acquainted frendes combined to me with egall faith why fly ye touch why start ye from me If I haue taken stande why cast ye not forth your wonted lures Or if as yet I bee not well mande why make yee no labour to reclaime me from haggardnes Arraigne me at the barre of Seurre iudgement exaggerate my crimes with amplification impannell an inqueste of Russet coat Robbins let Cautle Subteltie be the foreman Summumâ—ius the Iudge and Cuthbert the cutthroat commense his action what amercement or penaltie canne they assigne mee or wherein can they say I haue offended that should alienate anye man from former liking Indeed I haue wastfully spente more caytiffe I the surrender of my fathers landes and run my selfe into desperate debtes and now in stéede of blew coates to waite at my table haue a couple of Sergeants to attend me through the stretes that I slip not the collar But of what sparkles did this heate glow or from whence did these exspences take their Exordium to glut mine owne vnsatiable appetites or to feede the veâ—ues of foisting mates who neuer helde out fiste while I had a groate that they puld it in emptie and now not onely all of them haue abandoned my companie but some that haue soaken manie an aungell out of my bagge if they recken but twoo pence that I borrowed â—t theirs are readie to sende out proces to attache my bodie True is the Prouerbe saue a Thiefe from the gallowes and he will be the firste shall doe thee a mischiefe I haue cloathed these ragamuffins I haue fed these clammed michers I haue bene their harbinger when they had not a caue to couche their cockscombes in I thought their boulstered names had stuffe to show the praise did hight I raisde a star whereto direct my course in whose prospect my tackle faild my compas brake I threshed for corne all is turnd to chaffe O that I had either bene Zopyrus to haue disciphered their falshoode by Phisiognomye or they had bene suche as Socrates to haue chaunged their crooked natures by education I haue red that if Basil be put â—ouertlie vnderneath the dish where a woman should eate her queaste stomacke straightway lothes it O that I had such a vertue to haue staied my frendes falshood But letters that are made of the powder of Rochalum can not be red but in cleare water and those that packe their cogging in a cloake of dissembling caÌ„not be descried but by a warie forwatch Adrianus painted grapes so artificially that birds pecked at them neither could any descerne them but with diligent marking The Hollin tree beareth barke berries the one kills birds the other féedes them and such fellowes beare aungells in their faces and deuils in their deuises the one enticeth good natures to followe them the other entangles them in their deceites Bycause I haue digged mine owne ground till I come at the clay and now aske some licour at my neighbours Well they not onelie denie me with a snub but out of my hearing râ—â—ile without cause and make ladders on my backe for Slaunder to climbe on Erect your Trophees Captaines you haue got a goodlie conquest and gained knighthood this day by bringing a sackles soule into a fooles paradise as Clytus takinge three or fowre shippes called himselfe Neptune When a mans hose be downe it is easie to kisse him where he sat on Saterday Your scoffes be out of season far from the documents of Euangelical Gospellers which preach both in season and out of season but taking an holier text then any of you and affoording a litle more profitable notes Hanno with durable paines taught birdes which he pent in a cage in time to crie Deus est Hanno Hanno is a God you with craftie forged dealing haue ah Craft made the common sorte extoll you to the skies Bycause you would cast of the yoake that is laid on your neekes to be the meanes of my ruine you beare them in hande when you are in corners that as the Salamander is cause of her owne death by spirtinge out the fire which doeth nourish her so I with prodigall expences not procurd bp any of you haue ruinated my state brought it to this stay therefore haue I foultred bycause I followed not you Woe to the Géese that haue the Fox for their priest ay for the Lambes that are nurst of the Wolfe in the ditch falls the blind that is led by the blind It is hard to draw water in a drie soile or fishe out skill from an emptie ponde As to bee hearde where eares are none or Lead to be grauen in Marble stone so harde it is to heare counsell of you which may accorde with any good Good soules you haue nothing within but gutts and garbage neither hearte nor liuer nor any good entrailes Goe sléepe in a Trunke with Clearchus catch flies
the meanes of alians to obteine a kingdome Philotimus then hauing recordation of an olde companion of his in the Court who frendlie had professed much and was proficient in nothing as occasion gaue proofe thoughte that since there was one ace lefte that mighte doe him good though he had mist of that cast which might haue wonne the game without coÌ„tradiction to trie the dice which neuer were constant and consequently with confidence setting pen to paper writte these fewe lines Philotimus to his frend Erogazus GOod frend Erogazus health to thy person and wealth to thy frendes O Erogazus I now must write thée woonders and craue thée for my Sanctuary My plentie hath bred me pouertie my faire and sunnie downye day hath all beburnt my hewe my strength hath giuen mee a fall muche like Narcissus fate whose too muche beautie was a baite to catche him in the brooke My wealth was wearie of his welfare and neuer deignde to wowe that Ladie Wit till Woe entistte it neither to despise nor spite her hestes I am nowe more vncouthly transmuted from my auncient state then hee who with looking on Mineruaes naked side did loose his shape and was transformed to a Beast The blind Poliphemus did not more mournfully and wastfully crie vnto his loued faire Calatea then I a poore blind forlorne Gentleman both of frendes and affection doe with dole and despaire call till I cough but without an aunswere to my Ladye Aurelia Aurelia deare frend hath forsaken Philotimus But why God knows not I excepte it be for this to make me a patterne to my péers of fortunes frailnes beauties lightnes and herself a sampler to light huswiues of loue for liuing inconstancie in loue My creditors were not so readie to lende mee money as they are vnreasonable for a sodaine dischardge in this resemblinge the Epycures stomackes who hauinge a greate Seruice brought to the table at once would not eat any meat but hauing euerie 〈◊〉 brought seuerallye by it selfe like inglunâ—ous cormâ—rauntes guâ—d vp all so they in my time of haruest would â—â—k me no coâ—â—e but in the depth of winter will needes haue a crop My landes are morgaged my demanes leased my apparell pawnd nothing wanting in me to the accomplishment of all miserie but that I weare no giues with which they thinke to gin me for my chamber is a prison and I pend vp in it out of which I dare not looke least some euill eie looke on me My solace in this agonie is too sorrowfull to recite my pleasures want a name vnlesse Paine bee their nickname My Lute lies mute my Cytharin sadde my Virginalls whose quauering notes Aurelia oft hath caused being bereft of her that was a virgin sainct as they thought are iarring out of tune If Thales who with musicke cured the sicke of the plague or Zenocrates who with melodie helped franticke lunatickes should make me harmonie I should rather thinke the Gods had sent me this ioy for my further paines then take delighte of their laies with my discordant eares so oft haue the Gods deluded me with doatinge so disturbed is my minde with disordinate carkinge In this extremetie I craue thy helpe to appease my creditors and ease my paines and though my abilitie be skant to counteruaile your cost yet inconstant fortune will once batter for better and then a gratefull mind shall requite with double guerdon I am not ignorant how litle thou owest me nor so impudent to demaund ought of duetie yet must I commit an inconuenience to preuent a mischiefe and for auncient beneuolence craue your benificence Few woordes may suffice a willing minde and one sillable is too much for an vnwilling miser Farewell good Erogasus on whom onelie I cast the ancker of my care I expecte thy spéedie aunswere and hope for present helpe What entertainment these letters of entreatie had you maye iudge by Erogazus his awnswere which followeth Erogazus to Philotimus THe malignant nature of thy entice maladie doth notify the daunger of thy disease and warnes vs to decline his perillous contagions The infected of the plague doe naturally couet to contaminate others the Drone depriued of his winges doth seeke to clippe the Bées of theirs when the Rauen féeles herselfe draw neare to death she kils her yongones to leade the daunce I suppoâ—e Philotimus thou thinkst it a comfort in thy miserie to haue a companion in extremitie If one treaâ— bar-footed on the bird Drymus forthwith his skin commeth of and his legges swell and they also that handle him which is hurt lose their skin the christall waues that beates against the muddie rocke doe purge the rocke but do pollute theÌ„selues with filth Alphenor offring to rescue Phedimus and Tantalus ystrick with pearcing shaft yfere and lying groueling on the ground was gride himselfe through bulcke with dint of deadlye dart your part must be minsed by these comparisons your festered wounds you wish me swadle vp must seeke another surgeon or remaine without remedie Though the Riuer Peneon run in the Lake Titaresis yet is it neuer miâ—ed with it though for olde acquaintaunce sake I can take paines to sée you brought to the gallowes I meane to be no partner of your haâ—ter As the Colt will not be brideled so the Asse must be spurred as no rule could raine you whiles you were in your huffe so skant must tame you when you are in your néede To beg is no way to get my frendship If you wil kepe frends you must put in practise this old delectorie Giue take seeke all things few things nothing els you may put your flock in the common but it shalâ— hardly find a shepheard seeke for an almes but find Gods seath For proofe whereof bicause you shal beleue me I my selfe wil be as prouident to kepe my right as you were nothing wise to demaund without reason Farewell good Philotimus I haue not for you Yours if he might Erogazus When Pilotimus had red these letters ah wretch quoth hee that hast no end of thy goods nor beginning of goodnes no cause to spende thy money on thy selfe nor honestie to lende it to thy frendes that haddest rather reserue thy coyne to a néedeles vse then deserue well of others with parting from a pennie the mothes eate thy money the wormes wroot thée out and vtter decay be both your destinies Now when he sée no truth neither in louer nor brother nor frende deuided as it were into choller and griefe he writ this Pamphlet following Mihi crede credendum nemini HE whose truste hath wrought him treason which treason causeles hath brought him miserie warns all good natures to beware by his folly giues theÌ„ this pamphlet for a frendly caueat Vouchsafe to reade it though you ride him that made it and if as I wishe it be to your benefit which shal be my comfort let it not misse to be my bale which is my custome Rifle it to the bottome
Though thou hast iniured me and periured my mistrisse yet that thou maist know that a worme frod on will turne rgaine that the chips of the trée which thou wouldst hew downe may flye in thy face I dare thée to the feild and sende thée my gauntlet for a gage of reuenge appointe the place and bring none but thy self as I am a Gentleman I promisse to méete thee my selfe single alone though I grauÌ„t me as simple as any one then shalt thou trie though Aurelia haue my hart in pawne which I cannot redeme that notwithstanding I haue a gall which shall gaule the to the reynes and a bodye to beare thy blowes and deare thy bones Farewell patch and coward ond as spedely as thou darest proue thy selfe a Capteine Philotimus thy foe and thyne accursed THese letters in Cornelius his absence were deliuered to one of his seruauntes and by this meanes came to Auraliaes reading who had not Cornelius vnbewares showen himself would to stay this suite haue returnd a writ of non est inuentus but since it happened otherwise that all minght cotton well this was her rescript in Cornelius his behalf For as I earst said he was a gentleman that had great store of small knowledge one belike conceyued in ignoraunce and begotten when his father was a litle scared Cornelius to the glorious soldiour Philotimus O Preclare stratagems and your erected Trophees you florish faire but fight at leisure you make as couragious a challeng as if you were Laelius Atticus Dentatus who was an hundreth and twentie times in battaile vnto which hee wente alwayes with such courage of minde and force of bodie that hee seemed to presume of victorie but though thou art the prowdest that euer I heard brag yet art thou not the most prouedst that euer I delt with though thou art one of those groyling gruntes which Perseus speaketh of in his fifth Satyre whose cholericke garboyle pipkius full of purging drugges can neither quench nor quell one of that ruffianlike number that will dragge the Deuill out of Hell for thirtene pence yet your puffing and snuffing will be well inough snaffled your choller will be coold your ire relent No féete shall be my fence nor feare your kilkow chat though Buten were brag yet Dares was his match though Dares were frolicke yet he found his fellowes though Teucer with his bow made hauocke in hacking the Troian knights and coronels yet Hector at length with his heaued codgill paide him home with heaue and how the yonker Antilocuus butchered Ecepholus but for his hire Agenor sente a Iauelin to his bared breste and laide him loubring on the ground Dyodorus his soule was sent to Plutoes Courte by Pirus Thracian prince hee strake his legge with mightie pibble and burst ech veine and corde But what ensued Thoas could not blin but slitt Lord Pirus paunch with téeninge sword many a soldier moe in his reueng were dold with deadly swoune the purple gore whereof did flow as hilly springs are wont to spread As Stenhelus frend to Diomede was neuer from his back to aid him at néede so if thou by traines or tretcherie for I defye thy manhoode shalte doe me a mischiefe I haue both frends and seruauntes too the worst whereof will cracke your crowne Thinkest thou I will so far debase my self as to debate a quarrell with thée by dinte of sword In faith Sir no. The greyhound sente to Greate Alexander by the kinge of Albania hauinge an Hart a Bore and a Beare brought to him lay still wagging his tayle not vouchsafing to looke on theÌ„ but hauing a Lion brought leapt at him and strangled him and seing a great Eliphant seemed to reioice at the bignes of him and after two or thrée questings rowsing himselfe slue him But thy father thou wilt say was a ndble man and therefore thou my equall admit thy fathers honour and aduerte what I will say if an Asse were borne of Pegasus being an Asse what cause hath he to compare with any horse If you loue discorde so well beware you accord not to wear an hempton cord For after a collar comes an haulter The winsing kickenest Iade that will not abide to be shod if you put but a lile round fâ—intstone in one of his eares and then holde the eare hard is very quiet and if you put in eyther eare one you shall haue him as milde as a shéepe so if a man should but whisper in your eare and tell you he would méete you in suche a place you would singe I feare me a palinodie Let Pluto send thee peace of mind and stay thy moodie manacings and as in yeares and welth thou wantst of me so yéeld thy nauale forces Gainst him its best to fight and animate thy mind whose pith thou canst withstand and mate his might remember well my wordes and tender their performaunce Vlisses wished to haue forehayde the Lycians Prince Sarpadon but Gods they would reserue that fact for some more worthy champion You straine no curtesie to call me knaue as one that hath a déepe insight in a knaue and thinke no scorne to call me patch I giue you to vnderstand that your patches clothes be worne and the ragges sticke in your téeth Desist Philotimus for it will not bee thy lucke to resist Cornelius When thou arte wiser in thy challenges and fitter to fight I will be readier to aunswere theÌ„ and not disdaine the victorie Thine as thou his Cornelius Hazard dwelles next hardines It grieued Philotimus to the heart that he could not hurt Cornelius by neither wile nor weapon and this hee though not the least addition to the heape of his miseries But he quoth Philotimus that will néedes be a shéepe cannot greatly grudge to be bitten with a Fox and since the coward dare not manfullye méete me in the feild let him thinke it no villanie though I catch him by a traine But as the water floweth when it is at lowest eb so one Archaretos who had often sought for Philotimus his frendship in his prosperitie and still was set at nought of the coy Philotimus til time of aduersitie was now a soueraigne solace to all his stéering sorrowes This Gentleman Archaretos keping in the countrie hearde of Philotimus his hard haps and howe his creditors on the one side ment perpetually to imprison him and his enemies on the other to dispatch him out of the way and nowe this he thouhht a verie conuenient time to showe his loyaltie to Philotimus of whose recouerie he had good hope Wherefore finding a meanes at his owne charges for Philotimus to auoide these daungers he writ to him this epistle ¶ Archaretos to Senior Philotimus THe recordation of that amitie wherewith I once affected thée when thou not regardedst it the consideration of true loues propertie which is not to relente for any vnkindnes moues me in thy miserie to animate thee with comforte and to proffer thee such aide as my
leaues and as the naked Serpent recouers his scalie finnes and euerye wasted thinge doth weare to former state so Philotimus began to make reiteration of his sorrowes neuer hauinge respite but for a greater spite ensuing nor ceasing to sighe but for encreasing his sobs When Io was transmute of Ioue into an Hefars forme to bleare Ioues spouses eies that she mighte deeme no dame he had defloured but onely that a beaste was pasturing in the feild she rued this bestiall chaunge of hers with dankishe feare and by and by assaying to complaine shee lowed out which did her so affray that oft she started at her noise vnto her father Inachs bankes shee did repaire apace where ofte the lithie Nymph had played her iocundary reakes now when shee looked in the streame and saw her horned head she was agast and from herselfe would all in hast haue fled and when she thought to lift her handes vnto her head for helpe she saw she had no handes at all in steade of costlye couch and deare bought downe she satte a nightes vpon the ground and on such grounds whereas sometime was not so much as grasse and oftentimes she was compelled to drinke on muddie oasye pits and for her food on croppes of trées and bitter wéedes to brouze euen such and much alike was the life of Philotimus His sound reboundes into the wood and thus he mournes Ye greedie gripes forbeare to tire on Titius growing-hearte O Tantal that indeuorest to drinke the shuning water Danaus daughters that seeke to fill your tubs that haue no brinkes and Ixion that dost draw in that incessāt wheele and Sisyphus with thy rowling restles stone waile ye no more worke yee no more your taskes and sorrowes euery ech one are fallen vnto my lot O God alas O Maiaes sonne Cyllemus sweete and nephewe vnto Atlas who with thy charming rod and pipe bringst thinges asléepe fetchest soules from Hell asswage my woes assist my brain with rest and driue away those terrours wherewith my minde is tortured And as the drinkers of the Riuer Salmacis or of the lake of Aethiop doe quite forgoe their memorie or as Melampus Amithaons son deliuered kinge Praetus his daughters by his charmes and hearbes from being mad so thou vouchsafe this gratious boone and yéeld no such recourse of thoughtfull passed state vnto my woes a nourishment but let it now surcease and ende and woes decay with famishment In Pallene there is a people the which by diuinge thrise three times in Triton lake become all fethered and take vppon them the shape of birdes Faire Phaetuse and Lampetie the daughters of the Sun and Clymen bewraying salt brine teares and still be wayling brothers death were ouergrowen with slender barke and turnd to trées of which saide trées in guard of their goodwill and mone flow gummie teares that Amber men doe call which hardened with the Sunne and falling from the boughes into the brooke doe serueas thinges of price to decke our Ladies wrests and weare about their neckes so rather then I spende my dayes in spitefusl dole conuert me good Mercurie to some Tree or stone that may doe the seruice or Aurelia some vse Now brighte Hyperion was in middes of skie and searde the feild with fierie rayes so that for very languishing heate Philotimus was constreynd to seeke a shade Not verie far of there was a valley thicke with Pineapple Cipresse trees that armed were with prickes and in the furthest end thereof there was a pleasaunt boure vaulted with the leauy trees by nature it was wal◠with flint and pommy halfe about and on the righte side of the same a liuelye springe with christall streame full freshly flowed out whereof the vpper brimme was grene with grasse and matted hearbes Here did Philotimus that swet and swelted almost reste himselfe to refreshe his weakned limmes and here he gan afreshe to repeat his miserie which he could neuer repel from his recording memorie Into this valley had an olde Shepheard whose name was Laurus forced with heate brought his flocke and hee sitttinge vnder a pineapple tree was reading on an old motheaten booke The shepheard hearing a lamentable sounde traced the voice till he had started Philotimus whom he found sitting vnder a Cipresse trée leaning on his lefte hande sometimes beatinge his héeles against the ground sometimes knocking his head against the Trée sometime heauing his displaied handes to heauen calling for mercie and reuenge the one to pacifie his mood the other a meede for his enemies crueltie When his rage was asswaged and he had fed his fill vpon this estasie Laurus something more emboldened then before geuing him a tap on his shoulder with his sheepehooke saluted him after this manner My Sonne God speede thy studie and breede thy quiet augment thy patience or lessen thy penaunce and if thy griefe maye be tolde and my rudenes accepted bewray it to me I will betray thée to none credit mee a straunger good yongman I will bee as true to thee as the begger to his dishe What haste thou trespassed against thy selfe thus to tormente thee without cause or reason Declare good Sonne and doubte not conference is conuenable to subdewe direfull melancholie and difference of talke makes diuersitie in thought A slender poale canne supporte a large vine and my sleighte abilitie maye assiste thy debilitie Open to me thy state and hope to be bestad A shepheards scrippe is stuffed erewhile with better fare then bacon a graish weede doeth vaile sometimes a gayer witte then veluet a gray goose weare becoms a wearied minde but doeth not proue a goosish sot benummed man an hoarie heade doth hoorde both sores and salues for euerie crased minde Nowe of fellowship saye and vnfolde thy dismall dristresses as wee sit in this cooly shade Philotimus seing his frendly talke countnaunced by a reuerēt aspect of grauitie saluted him after this forme Haile worthy shepheard what ere thou arte of greater woorth then Laure I thinke if Laure himselfe did heare But since you are importune to heare my importable destinies I will neyther be captious to misconstrue your good meaning neither ingrateful to deny a kind demaund that one an argument of a peuish mind the other a consequent of a peruerse iudgment then my case standeth thus If pleasures be in painfulnes if ioyes accord with carefulnes if mirth may be in miserie if banishment bee libertie then am I most pleasant most ioifull most merie most frée but ay lady mercy I am quite the contrary I am a captiue clapt in chaines of care lapt in the lawes of lethall loue as the dogge all onely for the taste doth gnawe the bone so forth I drawe this irked life with fancies vaine repaste My corsiues comfort is but this that as a siedged forte with forrein force for want of ayde must yéelde at laste so this my corps thus courst with cares for want of ease shall quickly fade I haue frendes or had frendes