With Lullaby your dreames deceiue And when you rise with waking eye Remember then this Lullabye Euer or Neuer The lamentation of a louer NOw haue I found the waie to wéepe wayle my fill Now can I ende my dolfull dayes so content my will. The way to weepe inough for such as list to wayle Is this to go abord the ship where pleasure beareth sayle And there to marke the iestes of euery ioyfull wight And with what winde and waue they fléet to nourish their delight For as the striken Deare that séeth his fellowes féede Amid the lustie heard vnhurt féeles himselfe to bléede Or as the seely byrd that with the Bolte is brusd And lieth aloofe among the leaues of al hir pheares refusd And heares them sing full shrill yet cannot she reioyce Nor frame one warbling note to passe out of hir mournfull voyce Euen so I finde by proofe that pleasure dubleth payne Vnto a wretched wounded hart which doth in woe remaine I passe where pleasure is I heare some sing for ioye I sée som laugh som other daūce in spight of darke anoy But out alas my mind amends not by their myrth I déeme al pleasurs to be paine that dwell aboue the earth Such heauy humors féede the bloud that lendes me breath As mery medcins cannot serue to keepe my corps from death Spraeta tamen viuunt Certaine verses written to a Gentlewoman whome hee liked very wel and yet had neuer any oportunity to discouer his affection being alwayes bridled by ielouse lookes which attended them both and therefore gessing by hir lokes that she partly also liked him he wrote in a booke of nirs as foloweth being termed with the rest that follow the lokes of a louer enamoured THou with thy lookes on whom I loke full ofte And find there in great cause of déepe delight Thy face is fayre thy skin is smoth and softe Thy lippes are swéet thine eyes are cléere and bright And euery part séemes pleasant in my sight Yet wote thou well those lokes haue wrought my wo Bicause I loue to looke vpon them so For first those lookes allurd mine eye to loke And strayght mine eye stird vp my hart to loue And cruell loue with déepe deceitfull hooke Chokt vp my mind whom fancie cannot moue Nor hope reléeue nor other helpe behoue But still to loke and though I loke to much Néedes must I loke bicause I see none such Thus in thy lookes my loue and life haue hold And with such life my death drawes on a pace And for such death no medcine can be told But loking still vpon thy louely face Wherin are painted pitie peace and grace Then though thy lokes should cause me for to dye Néedes must I looke bicause I liue therby Since then thy lookes my lyfe haue so in thrall As I can like none other lookes but thine Lo here I yéelde my lyfe my loue and all Into thy hands and all things else resigne But libertie to gaze vpon thyne eyen Which when I doe then think it were thy part To looke again and linke with me in hart Si fortunatus infoelix VVith these verses you shall iudge the quicke capacitie of the Lady for she wrote thereunder this short aunswere Looke as long as you lyst but surely if I take you looking I will looke with you ¶ And for a further proofe of this Dames quicke vnderstanding you shall now vnderstande that sone after this aunswere of hirs the same Aucthour chansed to be at a supper in hir company where were also hir brother hir husband and an old louer of hirs by whom shee had bene long suspected Nowe although there wanted no delicate viandes to content them yet their chiefe repast was by entreglancing of lokes For the Aucthour being stong with hotte affection coulde none otherwyse relieue his passion but by gazing And the Dame of a curteous enclination deigned nowe and then to requite the same with glancing at him Hir olde louer occupied his eyes with watching and her brother perceiuing all this coulde not abstaine from winking whereby hee might putte his Syster in remembraunce least she shoulde too much forget hir selfe But most of all her husbande beholding the first and being euyll pleased with the seconde scarce contented with the thirde and misconstruing the fourth was constrayned to playe the fifth part in frowarde frowning This royall banquet thus passed ouer the Aucthor knowing that after supper they should passe the tyme in propounding of Ryddles and making of purposes contriued all this conceipt in a Riddle as followeth The which was no soner pronoūced but shee coulde perfectly perceiue his intent and draue out one nayle with another as also enseweth His Ryddle I Cast mine eye and sawe ten eyes at once All séemelye set vppon one louely face Twoo gaz'd twoo glanc'd twoo watched for the nonce Twoo winked wiles twoo fround with froward grace Thus euerye eye was pitched in his place And euerye eye which wrought eche others wo Saide to it selfe alas why lookt I so And euerye eye for ielousie did pine And sigh'd and sayde I would that eye were mine Si fortunatus infoelix ¶ In all this louelie company vvas not one that coulde and would expound the meaning hereof At last the Dame hir selfe aunswered on this wise Syr quod she because your darke speach is much to curious for this simple company I wyl bee so bolde as to quit one question with another And when you haue aunswered mine it maye fall out peraduenture that I shall somewhat the better iudge of yours Hir Question WHat thing is that which swimmes in blisse And yet consumes in burning griefe Which being plaste where pleasure is Can yet recouer no reliefe Which sées to sighe and sighes to sée All this is one what maye it bée ¶ He held him selfe herevvith contented and aftervvardes when they vvere better acquainted he chaunsed once groping in hir pocket to find a letter of hir olde louers and thynking it vvere better to vvincke than vtterlye to put out his eyes seemed not to vnderstande this first offence but soone after finding a lemman the vvhich he thought he savve hir olde lemman put there he deuised therof thus and deliuered it vnto hir in vvriting I Grooped in thy pocket pretty peate And found a Lemman which I looked not So found I once which nowe I must repeate Both leaues and letters which I lyked not Such hap haue I to finde and séeke it not But since I sée no faster meanes to bind them I wyll hencefoorth take Lemmans as I finde them The Dame vvithin verie short space dyd aunsvvere it thus A Lymone but no Lemmane Syr you found For Lemmans beare their name to broade before The which since it hath giuen you such a wound That you séeme now offended very sore Content your selfe you shall find there no more But take your Lemmans henceforth where you lust For I wyll shewe my letters where I trust ¶ The lookes of a
towardes the ground toke good aduisement in his aunswere when a fayre gentlewoman of the company clapped him on the shoulder saying how now sir is your hand on your halfpeny To whome he aunswered no fayre Lady my hand is on my harte and yet my hart is not in myne owne hands wherewithall abashed turning towards dame Elinor he sayde My souereigne and Mistresse according to the charge of your command and the dutie that I owe you my tongue shall bewraye vnto you the truthe of mine intent At this present a rewarde giuen me without desert doth so reioyce mée with continuall remembraunce that though my minde be so occupied to thinke thereon as that daye nor night I can bée quiet from that thought yet the ioye and pleasure whiche I conceiue in the same is such that I can neyther be cloyed with continuaunce thereof nor yet afraide that any mishappe can counteruayle so greate a treasure This is to me suche a heauen to dwell in as that I féede by day and repose by night vppon the freshe recorde of this reward This as Bartello sayeth he ment by the kisse that she lent him in the Gallery and by the profession of hir laste letters and woordes Well though this aunswere bee somewhat mistie yet let his excuse be that taken vppon the sodaine he thought better to aunswere darkly than to be mistrusted openly Hir second question was what thing in this life did moste gréeue his harte and disquiet his minde whervnto he answered That although his late rehersed ioy were incomparable yet the greatest enimie that disturbed the same was the priuie worme of his owne giltie conscience which accused him euermore with great vnworthinesse and that this was his greatest griefe The Lady biting vpon the bitte at his cunning answeres made vnto these two questions ganne thus replie Seruaunt I had thought to haue touched you yet nearer with my thirde question but I will refrayne to attempt your pacience and nowe for my third demaund aunswere me directly in what manner this passion doth handle you and howe these contraries may hang together by any possibilitie of concorde for your woordes are straunge Ferdinando now rousing himselfe boldly tooke occasion thus to handle his aunswere Mistresse quod he my woordes in déede are straunge but yet my passion is muche straunger and thervpon this other day to conteÌ„t mine owne fantasie I deuised a Sonet which although it bée a péece of Cocklorels musicke and suche as I might be ashamed to publish in this company yet bicause my truth in this answere may the better appeare vnto you I pray you vouchsafe to receiue the same in writing and drawing a paper out of his pocket presented it to hir wherin was written this Sonet LOue hope and death do stirre in me such strife As neuer man but I led such a life First burning loue doth wound my hart to death And when death comes at call of inward griefe Colde lingering hope doth feede my fainting breath Against my will and yeeldes my wound reliefe So that I liue but yet my life is such As death would neuer greue me halfe so much No comfort then but only this I tast To salue such sore such hope will neuer want And with such hope such life will euer last And with such life such sorrowes are not skant Oh straunge desire O life with torments tost Through too much hope mine onely hope is lost Euen HE F.I. THis sonet was highly commended and in my iudgement it deserueth no lesse His dutie thus perfourmed their pastimes ended and at their departure for a watch worde hée couÌ„selled his Mistresse by little and little to walke abrode saying that the Gallery neare adioyning was so pleasaunt as if he were halfe dead he thought that by walking therin hée might be halfe more reuiued Think you so seruaunt quod she and the last tyme that I walked there I suppose I toke the cause of my malady but by your aduise for that you haue so clerkly steynched my bléeding I will assay to walke there to morow Mistres quod he and in more ful accomplishment of my duetie towards you and in sure hope that you will vse the same onelie to your owne priuate commoditie I will there awaite vpon you and betwene you and me wil teach you the ful order how to steynch the bléeding of any creature wherby you shal be as cuÌ„ning as my self Gramercy good seruant quod she I thinke you lost the same in writing here yesterday but I caÌ„not vnderstand it therfore to morrow if I féele my self any thing ameÌ„ded I wil sende for you thither to enstruct me throughly thus they departed And at supper time the Lord of Valasco finding fault that his gestes stomacke serued him no better began too accuse the grosnesse of his vyands to whom one of the geÌ„tlewomen which had passed the afternoone in his company answered Nay sir quod she this gentleman hath a passion the which once in a day at the least doth kill his appetite Are you so well acquainted with the dispositioÌ„ of his body quod the Lord of the house by his owne saying quod she not otherwise Fayre ladie quod FerdinaÌ„do you either mistoke me or ouerheard me theÌ„ for I told of a coÌ„fortable humor which so fed me with coÌ„tinuall remeÌ„braÌ„ce of ioy as that my stomack being ful therof doth desire in maner none other vittayles Why sir quod the host do you theÌ„â—iue by loue God forbid sir quod Ferdinando for then my cheekes wold be much thinner thaÌ„ they be but there are diuers other greater causes of ioy than the doubtful lots of loue for mine own part to be playn I caÌ„not loue I dare not hate I would I thought so quod the gentlewoman And thus with prety nyppes they passed ouer their supper which ended the Lord of the house required Ferdinando Ieronimi to daunce and passe the time with the gentlewomen which he refused not to doe But sodenly before the musicke was well tuned came out Dame Elynor in hir night attyre and said to the Lord the supposing the solitarinesse of hir chamber had encreased hir maladie she came out for hir better recreatioÌ„ to sée them daunce Well done daughter quod the Lorde And I Mistres quod Ferdinando would gladly bestowe the leading of you about this great chamber to driue away the faintnesse of your feuer No good seruaunt quod the Lady but in my stéede I pray you daunce with this fayre Gentlewoman pointing him too the Lady that had so taken him vp at supper Ferdinando to auoyd mistrust did agrée too hir request without furder entreaty The daunce begon this Knight marched on with the Image of S. Frances in his hand and S. Elynor in his hart The violands at end of the pauion staied a whyle in whiche time this Dame sayde to Ferdinando Ieronimi on this wise I am right sory for you in two respects although the familiarity haue hytherto had
pleased not you I cannot my selfe therwith be pleased as one that seeketh not to please many and more desirous to please you than any The cause of myne affection I suppose you behold dayly For self loue auoyded euery wight may iudge of themselues as much as reason perswadeth the which if it be in your good nature suppressed with bashfulnesse then mighty loue graunt you may once behold my wan cheekes washed in woe that therein my salt teares may be a myrrour to represent your owne shadow and that like vnto Nacissus you may be constrayned to kisse the cold waues wherein your counterfait is so liuely purtrayed For if aboundance of other matters fayled to drawe my gazing eyes in contemplation of so rare excellency yet might these your letters both frame in me an admiration of such diuine esprite and a confusion too my dull vnderstanding whiche so rashly presumed too wander in this endles Laberinth Such I esteeme you and thereby am become such and euen HE. F.I. THis letter finished and fayre written ouer his chaunce was to méete hir alone in a Gallery of the same house where his manhood in this kinde of combat was firste tried and therein I can compare him to a valiant Prince who distressed with power of enemies had committed the safegard of his person to treaty of Ambassade and sodenly surprised with a Camassado in his owne trenches was enforced to yéeld as prisoner Euen so Ferdinando Ieronimi lately ouercome by the beautifull beames of this Dame Elynor and hauing now committed his moste secrete intent to these late rehearsed letters was at vnwares encountred with his friendly foe and constrayned either to prepare some new defence or else like a recreant to yéeld himselfe as already vanquished Wherefore as in a traunce he lifted vp his dazled eies and so continued in a certen kind of admiration not vnlike the Astronomer who hauing after a whole nights trauaile in the grey morning found his desired starre hath fired his hungry eies to behold the Comete long looked for wherat this gracious Dame as one that could discerne the sunne before hir chamber windowes were wide opeÌ„ did deign to embolden the fainting Knight with these or like woordes I perceiue nowe quod she howe mishap doth follow me that hauing chosen this walke for a simple solace I am here disquieted by the man that meaneth my destruction and therwithall as half angry began to turne hir backe when Ferdinando now awaked gan thus salute hir Mistresse quod he and I perceiue now that good hap hauÌ„ts me for being by lacke of oportuniâ—ie constreined to commit my welfare vnto these blabbing leaues of bewraying paper shewing that in his haÌ„d I am here recomforted with happy view of my desired ioy and therewithall reuerently kissing his hand did softly distreyne hir slender arme and so slayed hir departure The firste blow thus profered and defended they walked and talked trauersing diuerse wayes wherein I doubte not but that the Venetian coulde quite himselfe resonably well For after long talke shee was contented to accept his proffered seruice but yet still disabling hir selfe and séeming to maruell what cause had moued him to subiect his libertie so wilfully or at least in a prison as shée termed it so vnworthy Wherevnto I néede not rehearse his answere but suppose now that thus they departed sauing I had forgotten this shée required of him the last rehearsed letter saying that his firste was loste and nowe shée lacked a new bottome for hir silke the whiche I warrant you he graunted and so preffering to take an humble congé by Bezolas manos she graciously gaue him the Zuccado dez labros and so for then departed And there vppon recompting hir woordes he compiled these following whiche he termed Terza sequenza too sweete Mistresse SHE OF thee deare Dame three lessons would I learne What reason first persuades the foolish Fly As soone as shee a candle can discerne To play with flame till shee bee burnt thereby Or what may moue the Mouse to byte the bayte Which strikes the trappe that stops hir hungry breth What calles the bird where snares of deepe deceit Are closely coucht to draw hir to hir death Consider well what is the cause of this And though percase thou wilt not so confesse Yet deepe desire to gayne a heauenly blisse May drowne the minde in dole and darke distresse Oft is it seene whereat my hart may bleede Fooles play so long till they be caught in deede And then It is a heauen to see them hop and skip And seeke all shiftes to shake their shackles off It is a world to see them hang the lip Who earst at loue were wont to skorne and skoff But as the Mouse once caught in crafty trap May bounce and beate against the boorden wall Till shee haue brought hir head in such mishap That downe to death hir fainting lymbes must fall And as the Flie once singed in the flame Cannot commaund hir wings to waue away But by the heele shee hangeth in the same Till cruell death hir hasty iourney stay So they that seeke to breake the linkes of loue Striue with the streame and this by paine I proue For when I first beheld that heauenly hewe of thine Thy stately stature and thy comly grace I must confesse these dazled eies of mine Did wincke for feare when I first viewd thy face But bold desire did open them againe And had mee looke till I had lookt to long I pitied them that did procure my paine And lou'd the lookes that wrought me all the wrong And as the byrd once caught but woorks hir woe That striues to leaue the limed twigges behind Euen so the more I straue to parte thee fro The greater grief did growe within my minde Remedilesse then must I yeeld to thee And craue no more thy seruaunt but to bee Till then and euer HE. F.I. WHen he had well sorted this sequence he sought oportunitie to leaue it where shée might finde it before it were lost And nowe the coles began to kindle whereof but ere while shée feigned hir selfe altogither ignorant The flames began to breake out on euery side and she to quench them shut vp hir selfe in hir chamber solitarily But as the smithie gathers greater heate by casting on of water euen so the more she absented hir self from company the fresher was the griefe whiche galded hir remembrance so that at laste the report was spredde thorough the house that Mistresse Elinor was sicke At which newes Ferdinando tooke small comfort neuerthelesse Dame Venus with good aspect did yet thus much furder his enterprise The Dame whether it were by sodaine chaunge or of wonted custome fell one day into a greate bléeding at the nose For whiche accident the sayde Venetian amongst other pretie conceits had a present remedie Whereby he tooke occasion when they of the house had all in vayne sought many waies to stoppe hir bléeding to worke his feate in this wise
I beseech you accept me for your faithfull friend and so shall you surely finde me Not so quod shee but you shal be my Trust if you vouchsafe the name and I wil be to you as you shall please to tearme me my Hope quod hee if you be so pleased and thus agreed they two walked a parte from the other Gentlewoman and fell into sad talke wherein Mistresse Fraunces dyd verye curteousely declare vnto him that in dâ—ede one cause of hir sorrow sustained in his behalfe was that he had sayde so openly ouer night that hee coulde not loue for she perceyued verye well the affection betweene him and Madame Elynor and shee was also aduertised that Dame Elynor stoode in the portall of hir chamber harkening to the talke that they hadde at supper that right wherefore she seemed to be sorry that such a worde rashely escaped might become great hinderaunce vnto his desire but a greater cause of hir griefe was as shee declared that his happe was to bestow his liking so vnworthylye for shee seemed to accuse Dame Elinor for the most vnconstant woman liuing In full proofe whereof she bewrayed vâ—to him how she the same Dame Elynor had long time bene yelded to the Minion Secretary whom I haue befor described in whome though the robe quod the no one poynt of woorthinesse yet shameth she not to vse him as hir dearest friend or rather hir holiâ—st Idoll and that this not withstanding Dame Elynor had bene also sundry tymes woone to choyce of chaunge as she named vnto Ferdinando two Gentlemen wherof the one was named Hercule Donaty and the other Haniball de Cosmis by whom she was during sundrie times of their seuerall aboad in those countries entreated to like courtisie for these causes the Dame Fraunces séemed to mislike his choyce and to lament that she doubted in processe of time to sée him abused The experiment she ment was this for that she thought Ferdenando I vse Bartelloes wordes a man in euery respect very worthy to haue the seuerall vse of a more commodious common she hopped now to sée if his inclosure there of might be defensible against hir sayd Secretary and such like These thinges and diuers other of great importaunce this courteouse Lady Fraunces dyd friendly disclose vnto hym and further more did both instruct and aduise him to procéede in his enterprise Nowe to make my talke good and least the Reader might bée drawen in a ielose suppose of this Lady Fraunces I must let you vnderstand that she was a virgin of rare chastity singuler capacitie notable modestie excelent beauty and though Ferdenando Ieronimij had cast his affection on the other being a mery woman yet was there in their beauties no great difference but in all other good giftes a wonderfull diuersitie as much as might betwene constancie flattring fantasie betwene womanly couÌ„tenaunce and girlish garishnes betwene hot dissimulation temperat fidelity Now if any man wil curiously aske the question why he should chuse the one and leaue the other ouer besides the coÌ„mon prouerbe So mani men so manie mindes thus may be answered we sée hy common experience that the highest flying faucon doth more coÌ„monly praye vpon the corn fed crow the simple shiftles doue then on the mounting kyte why because the one is ouercome with lesse difficultye then that other Thus much in defence of this Lady Fraunces to excuse the choyce of Ferdenando who thought himself now no lesse beholding to good fortune to haue found such a trusty friend then bounden to Dame Venus to haue wonne such a Mistres And to returne vnto my pretence vnderstand you that he being now with these two fair Ladies come very néere the castle grew in some ielouse doubt as on his own behalf whether he wer best to break coÌ„pany or not WheÌ„ his assured Hope perceiuing the same gan thus recoÌ„fort him good sir quod she if you trusted your trusty frieÌ„ds you should not néede thus cowardly to staÌ„d in dread of your friendly enimies Well said in faith quod FerdinaÌ„do I must confesse you were in my bosome before I wist but yet I haue heard said often that in Trust is treason Wel spokeÌ„ for your self quod his Hope Ferdinando now remeÌ„bring that he had but erewhile taken vpon him the name of hir Trust came home per misericordiam when his Hope entring the Castle gate caught hold of his lap half by force led him by the gallery vnto his Mistres chamber wheras after a litle dissembling disdain he was at last by the good helpe of his Hope right thaÌ„kfully receiued for his Mistresse was now ready to dine he was therfore for that time arested there a supersedias sent into the great chamber vnto the Lord of the house who expected his coming out of the parke The dinner ended he throughly contented both with welfare welcome they fell into sundry deuices of pastime at last Ferdinando taking into his haÌ„d a Lute that lay on his Mistresse bed did vnto the note of the Venetian galliard apply the Italian dittie written by the worthy Bradamant vnto the noble Rugier as Ariosto hath it Rugier qual semper fui c. but his Mistres could not be quiet vntill she heard hym repeat the Tinternell which he vsed ouer night the whiche he refused not at that ende wherof his Mistres thinking how she had shewed hir selfe to vse any further dissimulation especially perceyuyng the toward enclination of hir seruants Hope fel to flat and playne dealing walked to the window called hir seruaunt apart vnto hir of whom she demaunded secretly and in sad earnest who deuised this Tinternell My Fathers Sisters brothers sonne quod he His mistres laughing right hartely demaunded yet a gain by whome the same was figured by a niece to an Aunt of yours Mistres quod he Well then seruaunt quoth shee I sweare vnto you by my Fathers Soule that my mothers youngest daughter doth loue your fathers eldest sone aboue any ceature liuing Fardenando hereby recomforted gan thus replie Mistres though my fathers eldest son be far vnworthy of so noble a match yet since it pleaseth hir so wel to except him I would thus much say behind his bark that your mothers daughter hath done him some wrong and wherein seruaunt quod she by my troth Mistres quod he it is not yet xx houres since with out touch of brest she gaue him such a nip by the harte as did altogether bereaue him his nightes rest with the bruse therof Well seruaunt quod she content your selfe for your sake I will speake to hyr to prouyde hym a playster the which I my selfe will applye to hys hurt And to the ende it maye worke the better wyth hym I will puruay a lodging for hym wher hereafter he maye sléepe at more quiet This sayd the rosie hewe disdained hir sikely chekes and she returned to the coÌ„pany leauing Ferdinando rauished betwene hope and dread as on
to vse that for a Spurre which I had heere appoynted for a Brydle I can none otherwise lameÌ„t it but to say that I am not the first which hath bene misiudged Truely gentle Reader I protest that I haue not ment heerein to displease any man but my desire hath rather bene to coÌ„tent most men I meane the diuine with godly Hymnes and Psalmes the sober minde with morall discourses and the wildest will with sufficient warning The which if it so fall out then shall I thinke my selfe right happie And if it fall out otherwise I shall yet neuer bee ashamed to become one of their corporation which reape floutes and reprehension for their trauayles But bicause these Posies growe to a great bundell and thereof also the number of louing lynes exceedeth in the Superlatiue I thought good to aduertise thee that the most part of them were written for other men And out of all doubt if euer I wrote lyne for my selfe in causes of loue I haue written tenne for other men in layes of lust For I counte greater difference betweene loue and lust than there is diuersitie betweene witte and wisedome and yet witte and I did in youth make such a fray that I feare his cosen wisedome will neuer become freendes with me in my age VVell though my folly bee greater than my fortune yet ouergreat were mine vnconstancie if in mine owne behalfe I shoulde compyle so many sundrie Songs or Sonets I haue heard of an honest plaine meaning Citizen who being ouercharged with many matters in the lawe and hearing of a common solicitor of causes in the Citie came home to comfort his wife and tolde hir that he had heard of one which dwelt at Billingsgate that coulde helpe all men Euâ—n so good Reader I was a great while the man which dwelt at Billingsgate For in wanton delightes I helped all men though in sad earnest I neuer furthered my selfe any kinde of way And by that it proceedeth that I haue so often chaunged my Posie or worde For when I did compile any thing at the request of other men if I had subscribed the same with mine owne vsuall mot or deuise it might haue bewrayed the same to haue beene of my doing And I was euer curious in that behalfe as one that was lothe to bewray the follies of other men And yet as you see I am not verie daungerous to lay my selfe wide open in view of the worlde I haue also sundrie tymes chaunged mine owne worde or deuise And no meruaile For he that wandereth much in those wildernesses shall seldome continue long in one minde VVell it were follie to bewayle things which are vnpossible to be recouered sithence Had I wist doth seldome serue as a blasone of good vnderstanding And therefore I will spende no more wordes in this Preface but I pray thee to smell vnto these Posies as Floures to comfort Herbes to cure and VVeedes to be auoyded So haue I ment them and so I beseech thee Reader to accept them Farewell T.B. In prayse of Gascogines Posies WE prayse the plough that makes the fruitelesse soyle To bring forth corne through helpe of heauenly might And eke esteeme the simple wretches toyle VVhose painefull handes doe labour day and night VVe prayse the ground whereon the herbes do grow VVhich heale or helpe our greeues and mortall paine Yea weedes haue worth wherein we vertue know For natures Art nothing hath made in vaine VVe prayse those floures which please the secrete sense And do content the tast or smell of man The Gardners paynes and worke we recompence That skilfull is or aught in cunning can But much more prayse to Gascoignes penne is due VVhose learned hande doth here to thee present A Posie full of Hearbes and Flowers newe To please all braynes to wit or learning bent Howe much the minde doth passe the sense or smell So much these Floures all other do excell E.C. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies IN gladsome Spring when sweete and pleasant shoures Haue well renued what winters wrath hath torne And that we see the wholesome smelling Floures Begin to laugh rough winters wracke to scorne If then by chaunce or choyce of owners will VVe roame and walke in place of rare delightes And therein finde what Arte or natures skill Can well set forth to feede our hungrie sightes Yea more if then the owner of the soyle Doth licence yeelde to vse all as our owne And gladly thinkes the fruites of all his toyle To our behoofe to be well set and sowne It cannot be but this so great desart In basest breast doth bâ—eede this due regarde VVith worlde of thankes to prayse this friendly part And wish that woorth mought pay a iust rewarde Good Reader then beholde what gallant spring This booke brings forth of fruites of finest sortes Be bolde to take thy list of euerie thing For so is ment And for thy glad disportes The paine was tane therefore lo this I craue In his behalfe that wrote this pleasant worke VVith care and cost and then most freely gaue His labours great wherein great treasures lurke To thine auayle let his desartes now binde thee In woorde and deede he may still thankfull finde thee M.C. commending the correction of Gascoignes Posies THe Beares blinde whelpes which lacke both nayles and heare And lie like lumpes in filthie farrowed wise Do for a time most ougly beastes appeare Till dammes deare tongue do cleare their clozed eyes The gadde of steele is likewise blunt and blacke Till file and fire do frame it sharpe and bright Yea precious stones their glorious grace do lacke Till curious hand do make them please the sight And so these floures although the grounde were gay VVhereon they grew and they of gallant hew Yet till the badde were cullde and cast away The best became the worse by such a crew For my part then I lyked not their smell But as they be I like them pretly well R.S. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies THe pleasant plot wherein these Posies gâ—â—w May represent Parnassus springs indeede VVhere Pallas with hir wise and learned crew Did plant great store and sow much cunning seede That Goddesse then on whom the Muses wayte To garde hir grounde from greedie gathrers spoyle Hath here ordeynde by fine and close conceyte A greene knight chiefe and master of the soyle Such badge beares he that beautified this booke VVith glorious shew of sundrie gallant flowers But since he first this labor vndertooke He gleand thereout to make the profite ours A heape of Hearbes a sort of fruitfull seedes A needefull salue compound of needlesse weedes Appendix All these with more my freend here freely giues Nor naked wordes nor streyne of straunge deuise But Gowers minde which now in Gascoigne liues Yeeldes heere in view by iudgement of the wise His penne his sworde himselfe and all his might To Pallas schoole and Mars in Princes right T. Ch. In prayse of Gascoignes Posies THough goodnesse of the
calling to minde that there is a noble house of the Mountacutes in Italie and therwithall that the L. Mountacute here doth quarter the coate of an auncient English Gentleman called Mounthermer and hath the inheritaunce of the sayde house dyd therevpon deuise to bring in a Boye of the age of twelue or .xiiii. yeeres who should faine that he was a Mounthermer by the fathers side and a Mountacute by the mothers side and that his father being slaine at the last warres against the Turke and he there taken hee was recouered by the Venetians in their last victorie and with them sayling towardes Venice they were driuen by tempest vpon these coastes and so came to the mariage vpon report as followeth and the sayde Boye pronounced the deuise in this sort WHat wōder you my Lords why gaze you gentlemen And wherefore maruaile you Mez Dames I praye you tell mée then◠Is it so rare a sight or yet so straunge a toye Amongst so many nooble péeres to sée one Pouer Boye Why boyes haue bene allowed in euerye kinde of age As Ganymede that pretye boye in Heauen is Ioue his page Cupid that mighty God although his force be fearse Yet is he but a naked Boye as Poets doe rehearse And many a préetye boye a mightye man hath proued And serued his Prince at all assayes deseruing to bée loued Percase my strange attire my glittering golden gite Doth eyther make you maruaile thus or moue you with delite Yet wonder not my Lordes for if your honours please But euen to giue me eare a while I wyll your doubtes appease And you shall knowe the cause wherefore these roabes are worne And why I goe outlandishe lyke yet being Englishe borne And why I thus presume to presse into this place And why I simple boye am bolde to looke such men in face Fyrst then you must perstande I am no straunger I But English boye in England borne and bred but euen hereby My father was a Knight Mount Hermer was his name My mother of the Mountacutes a house of worthy fame My father from his youth was trained vp in field And alwayes toke his chiefe delight in helmet speare and shielde Soldado for his life and in his happie dayes Soldado like hath lost his life to his immortall prayse The thundering fame which blewe about the worlde so wyde Howe that the Christian enemye the Turke that Prince of pride Addressed had his power to swarme vppon the Seas With Gallies foists and such liks ships well armde at al assaies And that he made his vaunt the gréedy fishe to glut With gobs of Christian carkasses in eruell péeces cut These newes of this report did pearce my fathers eares But neuer touched his noble heart with any sparke of feares For well he knewe the trade of all the Turkishe warres And had amongst them shed his blood at many cruell iarres In Rhodes his race begonne a slender tale yong man Where he by many martiall feats his spurres of knighthood wan Yea though the péece was lost yet won he honour styll And euermore against the Turkes he warred by his wyll At Chios many knowe how hardily he fought And howe with streames of stryuing blood his honoure deare hée bought At length enforst to yéeld with many captaines mo He bought his libertie with Landes and let his goodes ago Zechines of glistering golde two thousand was his price The which to paye his landes must leape for else he were vnwise Beléeue me nowe my Lordes although the losse be mine Yet I confesse them better solde than lyke a slaue to pine For landes maye come againe but lybertie once lost Can neuer finde such recompence as counteruailes the cost My selfe now know the case who lyke my fathers lot Was lyke of late for to haue lost my libertie God wot My father as I saye enforste to leaue his lande In mortgage to my mothers kinne for ready coyne in hande Gan nowe vpon these newes which earst I dyd rehearse Prepare himselfe to saue his pawne or else to léese his phearce And first his raunsome payde with that which dyd remaine He rigged vp a proper Barke was called Leffort Brittaine And lyke a venturer besides him séemely selfe Determined for to venture me and all his worldly pelfe Perhappes some hope of gaine perswaded so his minde For sure his hauty heart was bent some greate exploite to finde Howe so it were the windes nowe hoysted vp our sailes Wée furrowing in the foming flooddes to take our best auailes Now hearken to my wordes and marke you well the same For nowe I wyll declare the cause wherefore I hyther came My father as I saye had set vp all his rest And tost on seas both daye and night disdayning ydle rest We left our forelandes ende we past the coast of Fraunce We reacht the cape of Finis Terre our course for to aduaunce We past Marrocchus streightes and at the last descried The fertile coastes of Cyprus soile whicch I my selfe first spyed My selfe a foreward boye on highest top was plast And there I saw the Cyprian shoare whereto we sayld in haste Which when I had declared vnto the masters mate He lepte for ioye and thanked God of that our happy state But what remaines to man that can continue long What sunne can shine so cleare bright but cloudes may ryse among Which sentence soone was proued by our vnhappy hap We thought our selues full néere our friendes light in enemies lap The Turke that Tirant he with siege had girte the walles Of famous Famagosta then and sought to make them thralles And as he laye by lande in strong and stately trenche So was his power prest by Sea his Christian foes to drenche Vpon the waltring waues his Foistes and Gallies fléete More forrest like than orderly for such a man most méete This heauy sight once seene we turnde our course apace And set vp al our sailes in haste to giue suche furie place But out alas our willes and windes were contrarie For raging blastes did blowe vs still vppon our enimie My father séeing then whereto he néedes must go And that the mighty hand of God had it appointed so Most like a worthy knight though certaine of his death Gan cleane forget all wayling wordes as lauishe of his breath And to his Christian crewe this too shorte tale he told To comfort them which séemde to faint make the coward bold Fellowes in armes quod hée although I beare the charge And take vpon mée chieftaines name of this vnhappy barge Yet are you all my pheares and as one companie Wée must like true companions togeather liue and die You sée quod hée our foes with furious force at hand And in whose handes our handfull heere vnable is to stand What resteth then to doe should we vnto them yéeld And wifully receiue that yoke which Christians cannot weld No sure hereof be sure our liues were so vnsure And though we liue yet so
put me from my wonted place And déepe deceipte hath wrought a wyle to wrest me out of grace Wyll home againe to cart as fitter were for mée Then thus in court to serue and starue where such proude porters bée Si fortunatus infoelix ¶ This question being propounded by a Dame vnto the Aucthour to witte why he should write Spreta tamen viuunt he aunswereth thus DEspysed things may liue although they pine in payne And things ofte trodden vnder foote may once yet rise againe The stone that lieth full lowe may clime at last full hye And stand a loft on stately towr's in sight of euery eye The cruell Axe which felles the trée that grew full straight Is worne with rust when it renewes and springeth vp on height The rootes of rotten Réedes in swelling seas are seene And when eche tide hath tost his worst they grow againe ful gréene Thus much to please my selfe vnpleasauntly I sing And shrich to ease my morning minde in spite of enuies sting I am nowe set full light who earst was dearely lou'd Som new foūd choise is more estemd than that which wel was prou'd Some Diomede is crept into Dame Cressides hart And trustie Troylus nowe is taught in vaine to playne his part What resteth then for me but thus to wade in wo And hang in hope of better chaunce when chaunge appointeth so I sée no sight on earth but it to Chaunge enclines As litle clowdes oft ouercast the brightest Sunne that shines No Flower is so freshe but frost can it deface No man so sure in any seate but he maye léese his place So that I stand content though much against my mind To take in worth this lothsome lot which luck to me assynd And trust to sée the time when they that nowe are vp May féele the whirle of fortunes whéele and tast of sorrowes cup. God knoweth I wishe it not it had bene bet for mée Styll to haue kept my quiet chayre in hap of high degrée But since without recure Dame Chaunge in loue must raigne I now wish chaunge that sought no chaūge but constāt did remaine And if suche chaunge do chaunce I vowe to clap my hands And laugh at them which laught at me lo thus my fansie standes Spreta tamen viuunt ¶ In trust is Treason written by a Louer leaning onelye to his Ladies promises and finding them to fayle THe straightest Trée that growes vpon one onely roote If that roote fayle wyll quickly fade no props can do it boote I am that fading plant which on thy grace dyd growe Thy grace is gone wherefore I mone and wither all in woe The tallest ship that sailes if shée too Ancors trust When Ancors slip Cables breake her helpe lyes in the dust I am the ship my selfe mine Ancor was thy faith Which now is fled thy promise broke I am driuen to death Who climeth oft on hie and trusts the rotten bowe If that bow breake may catch a fall such state stand I in now Me thought I was a loft and yet my seate full sure Thy heart dyd séeme to me a rock which euer might endure And sée it was but sand whome seas of subtiltie Haue soked so with wanton waues that faith was forst to flye The flooddes of ficklenesse haue vndermined so The first foundation of my ioy that myrth is ebb'd to wo. Yet at lowe water markes I lye and wayte my time To mend the breach but all in vaine it cannot passe the prime For when the prime flood comes which all this rage begoon Then waues of wyll do worke so fast my piles are ouer roon Dutie and dilligence which are my workmen there Are glad to take vp fooles in haste and run away for feare For fansie hath such force it ouerfloweth all And whispring tales do blow the blasts that make it ryse fall Thus in these tempests tost my restles life doth stand Because I builded on thy wodres as I was borne in hand Thou weart that only stake wereby I ment to stay Alas alas thou stoodst so weake the hedge is borne away By thee I thought to liue by thee now must Idye I made thee my Phisicion thou art my mallady For thee I longde to liue for thée nowe welcome death And welcome be that happie pang that stops my gasping breath Twise happie were that axe would cut my rotes downe right And sacred were that swelling sea which would consume me quight Blest were that bowe would breake to bring downe climing youth Which craks aloft and quakes full oft for feare of thine vntruth Ferenda Natura The constancie of a louer hath thus sometimes bene briefly declared THat selfe same tonge which first did thée entreat To linke thy liking with my lucky loue That trustie tonge must nowe these wordes repeate I loue thee still my fancie cannot moue That dreadlesse hart which durst attempt the thought To win thy will with mine for to consent Maintaines that vow which loue in me first wrought I loue thee still and neuer shall repent That happie hande which hardely did touch Thy tender body to my déepe delight Shall serue with sword to proue my passion such As loues thee still much more than it can write Thus loue I still with tongue hand hart and all And when I chaunge let vengeance on me fall Ferenda Natura ¶ The fruite of foes written to a Gentlewoman who blamed him for writing his friendly aduise in verse vnto another louer of hyrs THe cruell hate which boyles within thy burning brest And séekes to shape a sharpe reuenge on them that loue thée best May warne all faithfull friendes in case of ieopardie Howe they shall put their harmelesse hands betwéene the barck trée And I among the rest which wrote this weary song Must nedes alledge in my defence that thou hast done me wrong For if in simple verse I chaunc'd to touch thy name And toucht the same without reproch was I therefore to blame And if of great good will I gaue my best aduise Then thus to blame without cause why me thinkes thou art not wise Amongst olde written tales this one I beare in mind A simple soule much like my selfe dyd once a serpent find Which almost dead for colde lay moyling in the myre When he for pittie tooke it vp and brought it to the fyre No sooner was the Snake recured of hir griefe But straight shée sought to hurt the man that lent hir such reliefe Such Serpent séemest thou such simple soule am I That for the weight of my good wil am blam'd without cause why But as it best beseemes the harmelesse gentle hart Rather to take an open wrong than for to plaine his part I must and will endure thy spite without repent The blame is mine the triumph thine and I am well content Meritum petere graue A Louer often warned and once againe drouen into fantasticall flames by the chase of company doth thus bewayle his misfortunes I That
more faire than she for whome proud Troy was solde More constant to conteyne than Cresside to be eoy No Calcas can contriue the craft to traine hir out of Troye No Diomede can drawe hir setled harte to change No madding moode can moue hir mind nor make hir thoughtes to range For hir alone it is that Cupide blindfolde goes And dare not looke for feare least he his libertie should loose At hir dame Venus chafes and pines in ielowsie Least bloudy Mars should hir espie and chang his fantasie Of hir the Quene of Heauen doth stand in dreadfull doubt Least Ioue should melte in drops of gold if once he find hir out Oh that my tonge had skill to tell hir prayse aright Or that my pen hir due desertes in worthy verse could write Or that my minde could muse or happie heart conceiue Some words that might resound hir worth by high Mineruas leaue Oh how the blooming ioyes do blossome in my brest To think within my secret thought how far she steines the rest Me thinkes I heare hir speake me thinkes I sée hir still Me thinkes I feele hir féelingly me thinkes I know hir will. Me thinkes I sée the states which sue to hir for grace Me thinkes I sée one looke of hirs repulse them all apace Me thinkes that houre is yet and euermore shall be Wherein my happie happe was first hir heauenly face to sée Wherein I spide the writte which woond betwéene hir eyne And sayd behold be bold for I am borne to be but thine Me thinks I féele the ioyes which neuer yet were felt Whome flame before yet neuer toucht me thinks I feele them melt One word there an end me thinks she is the sunne Which only shineth now a daies she dead the world were done The rest are twinkling starres or Moones which borow light To comfort other carefull soules which wander in the night And night God knowes it is where other Ladies bée For sure my dame adornes the day there is no sunne but shée Then louers by your leaue and thinke it nothing strange Although I seme with calme content in seas of ioyes to range For why my sailes haue found both wind and waues at wyll And depthes of all delightes in hir with whome I trauell styll And ancors being wayed I leaue you all at large To steare this seemelye Shippe my selfe suche is my mistresse charge Fato non fortuna Dan Bartholmew his second Triumphe FYe pleasure fye thou cloyest me with delight Thou fylst my mouth with sweete meates ouermuch I wallow styll in ioye both daye and night I déeme I dreame I doe I taste I touch No thing but all that smelles of perfect blisse Fye pleasure fye I cannot like of this To taste sometimes a baite of bytter gall To drinke a draught of sower Ale some season To eate browne bread with homely handes in Hall. Doth much encrease mens appetites by reason And makes the swéete more sugred that ensewes Since mindes of men do styll seeke after newes The pampred horse is seldome séene in breath Whose maunger makes his greace oftimes to melt The crammed Fowle comes quickly to his death Such coldes they catche in hottest happes that swelt And I much like in pleasure scawled styll Doe feare to starue although I feede my fill It might suffice that loue hath built his bowre Betwene my Ladies liuely shyning eyes It were inough that Bewties fading flowre Growes euer freshe with hir in heauenly wise It had bene well that shée were faire of face And yet not robbe all other Dames of grace To muse in minde how wise how faire how good How braue howe franke how curteous and how true My Ladys is doth but inflame my blood With humors such as byd my health adue Since happe alwaies when it is clombe on hye Doth fall full lowe though earst it reachte the Skye Lo pleasure lo lo thus I leade a life That laughes for ioye and trembleth oft for dread Thy panges are such as call for changes knife To cut the twist or else to stretch the thread Which holdes yféere the bondell of my blisse Fye pleasure fye I dare not trust to this Fato non fortuna Dan Bartholmewes his third Triumphe YF euer man yet found the bathe of perfect blisse Then swimme I now amid the seas where nought but pleasure is I loue and am beloued without vaunt be it tolde Of one more faire then she of Greece for whome proud Troy was solde As bountifull and good as Cleopatra Queene As constant as Penelope vnto her make was séene What would you more my penne vnable is to write The least desert that séemes to shine within this worthy wight So that for nowe I ceasse with handes helde vp on hye And craue of God that when I chaunge I may be forst to dye Fato non Fortuna The Reporter THese vaunting verses with a many mo To his mishap haue come vnto my handes Whereof the rest bicause he sayled so In braggers boate which set it selfe on sandes And brought him eke fast bound in follyes bands Of curtesie I kéepe them from your sight Let these suffice which of my selfe I write The highest trée that euer yet could growe Although full fayre it slorisht for a season Founde yet at last some fall to bring it lowe This olde sayd sawe is God he knoweth not geason For when things passe the reach and bounds of reason They fall at last although they stand a time And bruse the more the higher that they clime So Bartholmew vnto his paine dyd proue For when he thought his hap to be most hye And that he onely reapt the fruictes of loue And that he swelt in all prosperitie His comfort chaunged to calamitie And though I doe him wrong to tell the same Yet reade it you and let me beare the blame The Saint he seru'd became a craftie deuill His goddesse to an Idoll séemde to chaunge Thus all his good transformed into euill And euery ioy to raging griefe dyd raunge Which Metamorphosis was maruels straunge Yet shall you seldome otherwise it proue Where wicked Lust doth beare the name of Loue. This sodaine chaunge when he began to spye And colde suspect into his minde had crept He bounst and bet his head tormentingly And from all company him selfe he kept Wherby so farre in stormes of strife he stept That nowe he séemed an Image not a man His eyes so dead his colour waxt so wan And I which alwayes beare him great good wyll Although I knew the cause of all his griefe And what had trainde and tysed him theretyll And plaine to speake what moued his mischiefe Yet since I sought to ease him with reliefe I dyd become importunate to knowe The secréete cause whereon this grudge should growe At last with much ado his trembling tonge Bewrayde theffect of his vnwylling wyll Which here to tell since it were all to longe And I therewith too barren am of skyll And trouble you with
tedious tydinges styll Content you now to heare himselfe rehearse His strange affectes in his lamenting verse Which verse he wrote at Bathe as earst was sayd And there I sawe him when he wrote the same I sawe him there with many moanes dismaide I sawe him there both fryse and flashe in flame I sawe him gréeu'd when others made good game And so appeareth by his darke discourse The which to reade I craue your iust remorse Dan Bartholmewes Dolorous discourses I Haue entreated care to cut the thread Which all to long hath held my lingring life And here aloofe nowe haue I hyd my head From company thereby to stint my strife This solitarye place doth please me best Where I may weare my wylling mind with moane And where the sighes which boyle out of my brest May skald my heart and yet the cause vnknowne All this I doe for thee my swéetest sowre For whome of yore I counted not of care For whome with hungrie iawes I dyd deuoure The secrete baite which lurked in the snare For whome I thought all forreine pleasures paine For whome againe all paine dyd pleasure séeme But onely thine I found all fansies vaine But onely thine I dyd no dolours déeme Such was the rage that whilome dyd possesse The priuie corners of my mazed mind When hote desire dyd compt those tormentes lesse Which gaind the gaze that dyd my fréedome bind And now with care I can record those dayes And call to mind the quiet lyfe I led Before I first beheld thy golden rayes When thine vntrueth yet troubled not my hed Remember thou as I can not forget Howe I had layde both loue and lust aside And howe I had my fixed fancie set In constant vowe for euer to abide The bitter proofe of panges in pleasure past The costlye tast of hony mixt with gall The painted heauen which turnde to hell at last The freedome fainde which brought me but to thrall The lingring sute well fed with freshe delayes The wasted vowes which fled with euery winde The restlesse nightes to purchase pleasing dayes The toyling daies to please my restlesse minde All these with mo had brused so my brest And graft such grefe within my groning heart That had I left Dame fansie and the rest To gréener yéeres which might endure the smart My wearie bones did beare away the skarres Of many a wound receiued by disdaine So that I found the fruite of all those warres To be naught else but panges of vnknowen paine And nowe mine eyes were shut from such delight My fansie faint my hote desires were colde When cruell hap presented to my sight The maydens face in yéeres which were not olde I thinke the Goddesse of reuenge deuisde So to bée wreackt on my rebelling wyll Bicause I had in youthfull yéeres dispisde To taste the baites which tyste my fansie styll Howe so it were God knowes I cannot tell But if Ilye you Heauens the plague be mine I sawe no sooner how delight dyd dwell Betwéene those litle infantes eyes of thine But straight a sparkling cole of quicke desire Dyd kindle flame within my frozen heart And yelding fansie softly blewe the fire Which since hath bene the cause of all my smart What néede I say thy selfe for me can sweare Howe much I tendred thée in tender yeares Thy life was then to me God knowes full deare My life to thée is light as nowe appeares I loued the first and shall do to my last Thou flattredst first and so thou wouldst do styll For loue of thée full many paines I past For deadly hate thou seekest me to kyll I cannot nowe with manly tongue rehearse How sone that melting mind of thine dyd yelde I shame to write in this waymenting verse With howe small fight I vanquisht thée in fielde But Caesar he which all the world subdude Was neuer yet so proude of Victorye Nor Hanyball with martiall feates endude Dyd so much please himselfe in pollicie As I poore I dyd séeme to triumphe then When first I got the Bulwarkes of thy brest With hote Alarmes I comforted my men In formost ranke I stoode before the rest And shooke my flagge not all to shewe my force But that thou mightst thereby perceiue my minde Askaunces lo nowe coulde I kyll thy corce And yet my life is vnto thée resinde Well let this passe and thinke vppon the ioye The mutuall loue the confidence the trust Whereby we both abandoned annoye And fed our mindes with fruites of louely lust Thinke on the Tythe of kysses got by stealth Of sweete embracinges shortened by feare Remember that which did maintaine our helth Alas alas why shoulde I name it here And in the midst of all those happie dayes Do not forget the chaunges of my chaunce When in the depth of many waywarde wayes I onely sought what might thy state aduaunce Thou must confesse how much I carde for thee When of my selfe I carde not for my selfe And when my hap was in mishappes to be Estéemd thée more than al the worldly pelfe Mine absente thoughtes did beate on thée alone When thou hadst found afond and newfound choice For lacke of thée I sunke in endlesse mone When thou in chaunge didst tumble and reioyce O mighty goddes néedes must I honor you Needes must I iudge your iudgmentes to be iust Bicause she did for sake him that was true And with false loue did cloke a fained luste By high decrées you ordayned the chaunge To light on such as she must néedes mislike A méete rewarde for such as like to raunge When fansies force their féeble fleshe doth strike But did I then giue brydle to thy fall Thou head strong thou accuse me if thou can Did I not hazard loue yea life and all To warde thy will from that vnworthy man And when by toyle I trauayled to finde The secrete causes of thy madding moode I found naught else but tricks of Cressides kinde Which playnly proude that thou weart of hir bloud I found that absent Troylus was forgot When Dyomede had got both brooch and belt Both gloue and hand yea harte and all god wot When absent Troylus did in sorowes swelt These tricks with mo thou knowst thy self I found Which nowe are néedelesse here for to reherse Vnlesse it were to touche a tender wound With corosiues my panting heart to perse But as the Hounde is counted little worth Which giueth ouer for a losse or twaine And cannot find the meanes to single forth The stricken Deare which doth in heard remaine Or as the kindly Spaniell which hath sprong The prety Partriche for the Falcons flight Doth neuer spare but thrusts the thornes among To bring this byrd yet once againe to sight And though he knowe by proofe yea dearely bought That selde or neuer for his owne auaile This wearie worke of his in vaine is wrought Yet spares he not but labors-tooth and nayle So labord I to saue thy wandring shippe Which reckelesse then was running on
the rockes And though I saw thée séeme to hang the lyppe And set my great good wyll as light as flockes Yet hauld I in the mayne sheate of the minde And stayed thy course by ancors of aduice I woon thy wyll into a better winde To saue thy ware which was of precious price And when I had so harbored thy Barke In happy hauen which saufer was than Douer The Admyrall which knewe it by the marke Streight challengde all and sayd thou wert a rouer Then was I forst in thy behalfe to pleade Yea so I dyd the Iudge can saye no lesse And whiles in toyle this lothsome life I leade Camest thou thy selfe the faulte for to confesse And downe on knée before thy cruell foe Dydst pardon craue accusing me for all And saydst I was the cause that thou didst so And that I spoone the thred of all thy thrall Not so content thou furthermore didst sweare That of thy selfe thou neuer ment to swerue For proofe wherof thou didst the colours weare Which might bewray what saint thou ment to serue And that thy blood was sacrificed eke To manyfest thy stedfast martyrd mynde Till I perforce constraynd thée for to séeke These raging seas aduentures thereto finde Alas alas and out alas for me Who am enforced thus for to repeate The false reports and cloked guyles of thée Whereon to oft my restlesse thoughts do beate But thus it was and thus God knowes it is Which when I founde by playne and perfect proofe My musing minde then thought it not amisse To shrinke aside lamenting all aloofe And so to beate my simple shiftlesse brayne For some deuice that might redéeme thy state Lo here the cause for why I take this payne Lo how I loue the wight which me doth hate Lo thus I lye and restlesse rest in Bathe Whereas I bathe not now in blisse pardie But boyle in Bale and skamble thus in skathe Bycause I thinke on thine vnconstancie And wylt thou knowe howe here I spend my time And howe I drawe my dayes in dolours styll Then staye a while giue eare vnto my rime So shalt thou know the weight of all my wyll When Titan is constrained to forsake His Lemans couche and clymeth to his carte Then I begin to languishe for thy sake And with a sighe which maye bewray my smarte I cleare mine eyes whome gumme of teares had glewed And vp on foote I set my ghostly corse And when the stony walles haue oft renewed My pittious plaintes with Ecchoes of remorce Then doe I crye and call vpon thy name And thus I saye thou curst and cruell bothe Beholde the man which taketh griefe for game And loueth them which most his name doe lothe Behold the man which euer truely ment And yet accusde as aucthour of thine yll Behold the man which all his life hath spent To serue thy selfe and aye to worke thy wyll Behold the man which onely for thy loue Dyd loue himselfe whome else he set but light Behold the man whose blood for thy behoue Was euer prest to shed it selfe outright And canst thou nowe condemne his loyaltie And canst thou craft to flatter such a friend And canst thou sée him sincke in ieoperdie And canst thou seeke to bring his life to ende Is this the right reward for such desart Is this the fruite of seede so timely sowne Is this the price appointed for his part Shall trueth be thus by treason ouerthrowne Then farewell faith thou art no womans pheare And with that word I staye my tongue in time With rolling eyes I loke about eache where Least any man should heare my rauing rime And all in rage enraged as I am I take my sheete my slippers and my Gowne And in the Bathe from whence but late I came I cast my selfe in dollours there to drowne There all alone I can my selfe conueye Into some corner where I sit vnseene And to my selfe there naked can I saye Behold these braune falne armes which once haue bene Both large and lustie able for to fight Nowe are they weake and wearishe God he knowes Vnable now to daunt the fowle despight Which is presented by my cruel foes My thighes are thin my body lanck and leane It hath no bumbast now but skin and bones And on mine Elbowe as I lye and leane I sée a trustie token for the nones I spie a bracelet bounde about mine arme Which to my shaddowe séemeth thus to saye Beleeue not me for I was but a Charme To make thée sleepe when others went to playe And as I gaze thus galded all with griefe I finde it fazed almost quite in sunder Then thinke I thus thus wasteth my reliefe And though I fade yet to the world no wonder For as this lace by leysure learnes to weare So must I faint euen as the Candle wasteth These thoughts déere swéet within my brest I beare And to my long home thus my life it hasteth Herewith I téele the droppes of sweltring sweate Which trickle downe my face enforced so And in my body féele I lykewise beate A burning heart which tosseth too and fro Thus all in flames I sinderlyke consume And were it not that wanhope lendes me wynde Soone might I fret my facyes all in fume And lyke a Ghost my ghost his graue might finde But frysing hope doth blowe ful in my face And colde of cares becommes my cordiall So that I styl endure that yrksome place Where sorrowe seethes to skalde my skinne withal And when from thence or company me drieus Or weary woes do make me change my seate Then in my bed my restlesse paines reuiues Vntil my fellowes call me downe to meate And when I ryse my corpse for to araye I take the glasse sometimes but not for pride For God he knowes my minde is not so gaye But for I would in comelynesse abyde I take the glasse wherein I seeme to sée Such wythred wrinckles and so fowle disgrace That lytle maruaile séemeth it to mée Though thou so well dydst like the noble face The noble face was faire and freshe of hewe My wrinckled face is fowle and fadeth fast The noble face was vnto thée but newe My wrinckled face is olde and cleane outcast The noble face might moue thée with delight My wrinckled face could neuer please thine eye Loe thus of crime I couet thée to quite And styll accuse my selfe of Surcuydry As one that am vnworthy to enioye The lasting fruite of suche a loue as thine Thus am I tickled styll with euery toye And when my Fellowes call me downe to dyne No chaunge of meate prouokes mine appetite Nor sauce can serue to taste my meates withall Then I deuise the iuyce of grapes to dight For Sugar and for Sinamon I call For Ginger Graines and for eche other spice Wherewith I mixe the noble Wine apace My Fellowes prayse the depth of my deuise And saye it is as good as Ippocrace As Ippocrace saye I and then I swelt
colde in earth and claye But that I was restored vnto breath By one that séemde lyke Pellycane to playe Who shed his blood to giue me foode alwaye And made me liue in spite of sorrowe styll Sée how my dreame agrees now with this byll His feebled wittes forgotten had there whyle By whome and howe he had this letter first But when he spyde the man then gan he smile For secréete ioye his heart dyd séeme to burst Now thought he best that earst he compted worst And louingly he dyd the man embrace And askt howe farde the roote of all his grace Sée sodaine chaunge sée subtile swéete disceipte Behold how loue can make his subiectes blinde Let all men marke hereby what guilefull baite Dan Cupide layeth to tyse the louers minde Alacke alacke a slender thread maye binde That prysonor fast which meanes to tarrye styll A lytle road correctes a ready wyll The briefe was writte and blotted all with gore And thus it sayde Behold howe stedfast loue Hath made me hardy thankes haue he therefore To write these wordes thy doubtes for to remoue VVith mine owne blood and yf for thy behoue These bloody lynes do not thy Cares conuert I vowe the next shall bleede out of my heart I dwell to long vpon this thriftlesse tale For Bartholmew was well appeasde hereby And féelingly he banished his bale Taking herein a tast of remedy By lyte and lyte his fittes away gan flye And in short space he dyd recouer strength To stand on foote and take his horse at length So that we came to London both yfere And there his Goddesse tarryed tyll we came I am to blame to call hir Goddesse here Since she deserude in déede no Goddesse name But sure I thinke and you may iudge the same She was to to him a Goddesse in his thought Although perhaps hir Shrines was ouerbought I maye not write what words betwéene them past How teares of griefe were turnde to teares of ioye Nor how their dole became delight at last Nor how they made great myrth of much anoye Nor how content was coyned out of coye But what I sawe and what I well maye write That as I maye I meane for to endite In louely London loue gan nowe renew This blooddye Letter made it battle much And all the doubtes which he in fansies drew Were done away as there had bene none such But to him self◠he bare no body grutch Him selfe he sayde was cause of all this wo Withouten cause that hir suspected so O louing Youthes this glasse was made for you And in the same you may your selues behold Beléeue me nowe not one in all your crew Which where he loues hath courage to be bold Your Cressides climes are alwaies vncontrold You dare not saye the Sunne is cleare and bright You dare not sweare that darkesome is the night Terence was wise which taught by Pamphilus Howe courage quailes where loue be blinds the sence Though proofe of times makes louers quarelous Yet small excuse serues loue for iust defence These Courtisanes haue power by pretence To make a Swan of that which was a Crowe As though blacke pitche were turned into Snowe Ferenda She whome heauen and earth had framde For his decaye and to bewitche his wittes Made him nowe thinke him selfe was to be blamde Which causeles thus would fret himselfe in fittes Shée made him thinke that sorrowe sildome sittes Where trust is tyed in fast and faithfull knottes She sayd Mistrust was méete for simple sottes What wyl you more shée made him to beléeue That she first loued although she yonger were She made him thinke that his distresse dyd gréeue Hir guiltlesse minde and that it might appeare Howe these conceiptes could ioyne or hang yfere She dyd confesse howe soone shée yeelded his Such force quod she in learned men there is She furder sayde that all to true it was Howe youthfull yeares and lacke of him alone Had made hir once to choose out brittle glasse For perfect Gold She dyd confesse with mone That youthfully shee bytte a worthlesse bone But that therein she tasted déepe delight That sayde shée not nor I presume to write Shée sware and that I beare full well in minde Howe Dyomede had neuer Troylus place Shée sayd and sware how euer sate the winde That Admirals dyd neuer know hir case She sayd againe that neuer Noble Face Dyd please hir eye nor moued hir to change She sayd hir minde was neuer geuen to range She sayd and sayd that Bracelettes were ybound To hold him fast but not to charme his thought She wysht therewith that she were déepely drownd In Ippocrace if euer she had sought Or dronke or smelt or tane or found or bought Such Nectar droppes as she with him had dronke But this were true she wisht hir soule were sonke And to conclude she sayde no printed rymes Could please hir so as his braue Triumphes dyd Why wander I She cou'red all hir crimes With déepe disceipt and all hir guiles she hyd With fained teares and Bartholmew she ryd With double gyrthes she byt and whyned both And made him loue where he had cause to loth These be the fruictes which grow on such desire These are the gaines ygot by such an art To late commes be that séekes to quenche the fire When flames possesse the house in euery part Who lyst in peace to kéepe a quiet hart Flye loue betimes for if he once oretake him Then seeld or neuer shall he well forsake him If once thou take him Tenaunt to thy brest No wrytte nor force can serue to plucke him thence No pylles can purge his humour lyke the rest He bydes in bones and there takes residence Against his blowes no bucklar makes defence And though with paine thou put him from thy house Yet lurkes hée styll in corners lyke a Mouse At euery hole he créepeth in by stelth And priuilye he féedeth on thy crommes With spoiles vnséene he wasteth all thy welth He playes boe péepe when any body commes And dastardlik he séemes to dread the drommes Although in déede in Embushe he awaytes To take thée stragling yf thou passe his straites So séemed now by Bartholmews successe Who yeelded sone vnto this second charge Accusing styll him selfe for his distresse And that he had so languished at large Short worke to make he had none other charge To beare loues blowes but styll to trust hir tale And pardon craue because he bread hir bale And thus he lyude contented styll with craft Mistrusting most that gaue least cause of doubt He fledde mishappe and helde it by the haft He banisht bale and bare it styll about He let in loue and thought to hold him out He séemde to bathe in perfect blisse againe When God he knowes he fostred priuie paine For as the Trée which crooked growes by kinde Although it be with propping vnderset In trackt of time to crooked course wyll twinde So could Ferenda neuer more forget The lease at
I loue not Dulipo nor any of so meane estate but haue bestowed my loue more worthily than thou déemest but I will say no more at this time Ba. Then I am glad you haue changed your minde yet Po. Nay I neither haue changed nor will change it Ba. Then I vnderstande you not how sayde you Po. Mary I say that I loue not Dulipo nor any suche as he and yet I neither haue changed nor wil change my minde Ba. I can not tell you loue to lye with Dulipo very well this geare is Gréeke to me either it hangs not well togither or I am very dull of vnderstanding speake plaine I pray you Po. I can speake no plainer I haue sworne to the contrary Ba. Howe make you so deintie to tell it Nourse least she shoulde reueale it you haue trusted me as farre as may be I may shewe to you in things that touche your honor if they were knowne and make you strange to tell me this I am sure it is but a trifle in comparison of those things wherof heretofore you haue made me priuie Po. Well it is of greater importance than you thinke Nourse yet would I tell it you vnder condition and promise that you shall not tell it agayne nor giue any signe or token to be suspected that you know it Ba. I promise you of my honestie say on Po. Well heare you me then this yong man whome you haue alwayes taken for Dulipo is a noble borne Sicilian his right name Erostrato sonne to Philogano one of the worthiest men in that countrey Ba. How Erostrato is it not our neighbour whiche Po. Holde thy talking nourse and harken to me that I may explane the whole case vnto thée The man whome to this day you haue supposed to be Dulipo is as I say Erostrato a gentleman that came from Sicilia to studie in this Citie euen at his first arriuall met me in the stréet fel enamored of me of suche vehement force were the passions he suffred that immediatly he cast aside both long gowne and bookes determined on me only to apply his study And to the end he might the more cōmodiously bothe sée me and talke with me he exchanged both name habite clothes and credite with his seruāt Dulipo whom only he brought with him out of Sicilia and so with the turning of a hand of Erostrato a gentleman he became Dulipo a seruing man and soone after sought seruice of my father and obteyned it Ba. Are you sure of this Po. Yea out of doubt on the other side Dulippo tooke vppon him the name of Erostrato his maister the habite the credite bookes and all things néedefull to a studente and in shorte space profited very muche and is nowe estéemed as you sée Ba. Are there no other Sicylians héere nor none that passe this way which may discouer them Po. Very fewe that passe this way and fewe or none that tarrie héere any time Ba. This hath béen a straunge aduenture but I pray you howe hang these thinges togither that the studente whome you say to be the seruant and not the maister is become an earnest suter to you and requireth you of your father in mariage Po. That is a pollicie deuised betwéene them to put Doctor Dotipole out of conceite the olde dotarde he that so instantly dothe lye vpon my father for me But looke where he comes as God helpe me it is he out vpon him what a luskie yonker is this yet I had rather be a Noone a thousande times than be combred with suche a Coystrell Ba. Daughter you haue reason but let vs go in before he come any néerer Polynesta goeth in and Balya stayeth a little vvhyle after speaking a vvorde or tvvo to the doctor and then departeth Scena 2. CLEANDER Doctor PASIPHILO Parasite BALYA Nourse WEre these dames héere or did mine eyes dazil Pa. Nay syr héere were Polynesta and hir nourse Cle. Was my Polynesta héere alas I knewe hir not Ba. He muste haue better eyesight that shoulde marry your Polynesta or else he may chaunce to ouersée the best poynt in his tables sometimes Pa. Syr it is no maruell the ayre is very mistie too day I my selfe knew hir better by hir apparell than by hir face Cle. In good fayth and I thanke God I haue mine eye sighte good and perfit little worse than when I was but twentie yeres olde Pa. How can it be otherwise you are but yong Cle. I am fiftie yeres olde Pa. He telles ten lesse than he is Cle. What sayst thou of ten lesse Pa. I say I woulde haue thoughte you tenne lesse you looke like one of sixe and thirtie or seuen and thirtie at the moste Cle. I am no lesse than I tell Pa. You are like inough too liue fiftie more shewe me your hande Cle. Why is Pasiphilo a Chiromancer Pa. What is not Pasiphilo I pray you shewe mée it a little Cle Here it is Pa. O how straight and infracte is this line of life you will liue to the yéeres of Melchisedech Cle. Thou wouldest say Methusalem Pa. Why is it not all one Cle. I perceiue you are no very good Bibler Pasiphilo Pa. Yes sir an excellent good Bibbeler specially in a bottle Oh what a mounte of Venus here is but this lighte serueth not very well I will beholde it an other day when the ayre is clearer and tell you somewhat peraduenture to your contentation Cle. You shal do me great pleasure but tell me I pray thée Pasiphilo whome doste thou thinke Polynesta liketh better Erostrato or me Pa. Why you out of doubt She is a gentlewoman of a noble minde and maketh greater accompte of the reputation she shall haue in marrying your worship than that poore scholer whose birthe and parentage God knoweth and very fewe else Cle. Yet he taketh it vpon him brauely in this countrey Pa. Yea where no man knoweth the contrarie but let him braue it bost his birth and do what he can the vertue and knowledge that is within this body of yours is worth more than all the countrey he came from Cle. It becommeth not a man to praise him selfe but in déede I may say and say truely that my knowledge hath stoode me in better steade at a pinche than coulde all the goodes in the worlde I came out of Otranto when the Turkes wonne it and first I came to Padua after hither where by reading counsailing and pleading within twentie yeares I haue gathered and gayned as good as ten thousande Ducats Pa. Yea mary this is the righte knowledge Philosophie Poetrie Logike and all the rest are but pickling sciences in comparison to this Cle. But pyckling in déede whereof we haue a verse The trade of Lavve doth fill the boystrous bagges They svvimme in silke vvhen others royst in ragges Pa. O excellent verse who made it Virgil Cle. Virgil tushe it is written in one of our gloses Pa. Sure who soeuer wrote it the morall is excellent and worthy
and will you suffer him master thus to reuile you Ero. Come in come in what wilt thou do with thys pestil Da. I will rap the olde cackabed on the costerd Ero. Away with it you sirra lay downe these stones come in at dore euery one of you beare with him for his age I passe not of his euill wordes Erostrato taketh all his seruantes in at the dores Scena viij PHILOGANO FERARESE LITIO ALas who shall relieue my miserable estate to whome shall I complaine since he whome I brought vp of a childe yea and cherished him as if he had bene mine owne doth nowe vtterly denie to knowe me and you whome I toke for an honest man and he that should haue broughte me to the sighte of my sonne are compacte with this false wretch and woulde face me downe that he is Erostrato Alas you might haue some compassion of mine age to the miserie I am now in and that I am a stranger desolate of all comforte in this countrey or at the least you shoulde haue feared the vengeaunce of God the supreme iudge whiche knoweth the secrets of all harts in hearing this false witnesse with him whome heauen and earth doe knowe to be Dulipo and not Erostrato Li. If there be many such witnesses in this coūtrey men may go about to proue what they wil in cōtrouersies here Fer. Well sir you may iudge of me as it pleaseth you how the matter commeth to passe I know not but truly euer since he came first hither I haue knowen him by the name of Erostrato the sonne of Philogano a Cathanese nowe whether he be so in déede or whether he be Dulipo as you alledge let that be proued by them that knewe him before he came hether But I protest before God that whiche I haue said is neither a matter compact with him nor any other but euen as I haue hard him called reputed of al mē Phi. Out and alas he whom I sent hither with my son to be his seruaunt and to giue attendance on him hath eyther cut his throate or by some euill meanes made him away and hath not onely taken his garmentes his bookes his money and that whiche he brought out of Sicilia with him but vsurpeth his name also and turneth to his owne commoditie the bills of exchaunge that I haue alwayes allowed for my sonnes expences Oh miserable Philogano oh vnhappie old man oh eternall God is there no iudge no officer no higher powers whom I may complaine vnto for redresse of these wrongs Fer. Yes sir we haue potestates we haue Iudges and aboue al we haue a most iuste prince doubt you not but you shall haue iustice if your cause be iust Phi. Bring me then to the Iudges to the potestates or to whome you thinke best for I will disclose a packe of the greatest knauerie a fardell of the fowlest falsehoode that euer was heard of Li. Sir he that wil goe to the lawe must be sure of foure things first a right and a iust cause then a righteous aduocate to pleade nexte fauour coram Iudice and aboue all a good purse to procure it Fer. I haue not heard that the law hath any respect to fauour what you meane by it I cannot tell Phi. Haue you no regard to his wordes he is but a foole Fer. I pray you sir let him tell me what is fauour Li. Fauour cal I to haue a friend néere about the iudge who may so sollicite thy cause as if it be right spéedie sentence may ensue without any delayes if it be not good then to prolong it till at the last thine aduersarie being wearie shal be glad to compound with thée Fer. Of thus much although I neuer heard thus muche in this coūtrey before doubt you not Philogano I will bring you to an aduocate that shall spéede you accordingly Phi. Then shall I giue my selfe as it were a pray to the Lawyers whose insatiable iawes I am not able to féede although I had here all the goods and landes which I possesse in mine own countrey much lesse being a straunger in this miserie I know their cautels of old at the first time I come they wil so extoll my cause as though it were already won but within a seuēnight or ten daies if I do not continually féede them as the crow doth hir brattes twētie times in an houre they will begin to waxe colde and to finde cauils in my cause saying that at the firste I did not well instructe them till at the last they will not onely drawe the stuffing out of my purse but the marrow out of my bones Fer. Yea sir but this man that I tell you of is halfe a Saincte Li. And the other halfe a Deuill I hold a pennie Phi. Well sayd Litio in déede I haue but smal confidence in their smothe lookes Fer. Well sir I thinke this whom I meane is no suche manner of man but if he were there is such hatred and euil wil betwene him this gentlemā whether he be Erostrato or Dulipo what so euer he be that I warrant you he will doe whatsoeuer he can do for you were it but to spite him Phi. Why what hatred is betwixt them Fer. They are both in loue and suters to one gentlewoman the daughter of a welthie man in this citie Phi. Why is the villeine become of such estimatiō that he dare presume to be a suter to any gentlewomā of a good familie Fer. Yea sir out of all doubt Phi. How call you his aduersarie Fer. Cleander one of the excellentest doctors in our citie Phi. For Gods loue let vs goe to him Fer. Goe we then Finis Actus 4. Actus v. Scena 1. Fayned EROSTRATO WHat a mishappe was this that before I could méete with Erostrato I haue light euen ful in the lap of Philogano where I was cōstrained to denie my name to denie my master to faine that I knew him not to contend with him to reuile him in such sort that hap what hap can I cā neuer hap well in fauour with him againe Therefore if I could come to speake with the right Erostrato I will renounce vnto him both habite and credite and away as fast as I can trudge into some strange countrey where I may neuer see Philogano againe Alas he that of a litle childe hath brought me vp vnto this day and nourished me as if I had bene his owne in déede to confesse the trouth I haue no father to trust vnto but him But looke where Pasiphilo commeth the fittest man in the world to goe on me message to Erostrato Erostrato espieth Pasiphilo comming towards him Scena ij PASIPHILO EROSTRATO TWo good newes haue I heard to day alreadie one that Erostrato prepared a great feast this night the other that he séeketh for me And I to ease him of his trauaile least he shoulde runne vp and downe séeking me and bicause no man loueth
leuie threatning armes Whereof to talke my heart it rendes in twaine Yet once againe I must to thee recompte The wailefull thing that is already spred Bicause I know that pitie will compell Thy tender hart more than my naturall childe With ruthfull teares to mone my mourning case Ser. My gracious Quéene as no man might surmount The constant faith I beare my souraine Lorde So doe I thinke for loue and trustie zeale No Sonne you haue doth owe you more than I For hereunto I am by dutie bounde With seruice méete no lesse to honor you Than that renoumed Prince your déere father And as my duties be most infinite So infinite must also be my loue Then if my life or spending of my bloude May be employde to doe your highnesse good Commaunde O Quéene commaund this carcasse here In spite of death to satisfie thy will So though I die yet shall my willing ghost Contentedly forsake this withered corps For ioy to thinke I neuer shewde my selfe Ingratefull once to such a worthy Quéene Ioca. Thou knowst what care my carefull father tooke In wedlockes sacred state to settle me With Laius king of this vnhappie Thebs That most vnhappie now our Citie is Thou knowst how he desirous still to searche The hidden secrets of supernall powers Vnto Diuines did make his ofte recourse Of them to learne when he should haue a sonne That in his Realme might after him succéede Of whom receiuing answere sharpe and sowre That his owne sonne should worke his wailfull ende The wretched king though all in vayne did séeke For to eschew that could not be eschewed And so forgetting lawes of natures loue No sooner had this paynfull wombe brought foorth His eldest sonne to this desired light But straight he chargde a trustie man of his To beare the childe into a desert wood And leaue it there for Tigers to deuoure Ser. O lucklesse babe begot in wofull houre Ioc. His seruant thus obedient to his hest Vp by the héeles did hang this faultlesse Impe And percing with a knife his tender féete Through both the wounds did drawe the slender twigs Which being bound about his féeble limmes Were strong inough to holde the little soule Thus did he leaue this infant scarcely borne That in short time must néedes haue lost his life If destenie that for our greater gréefes Decréede before to kéepe it still aliue Had not vnto this childe sent present helpe For so it chaunst a shepheard passing by With pitie moude did stay his giltlesse death He tooke him home and gaue him to his wife With homelie fare to féede and foster vp Now harken how the heauens haue wrought the way To Laius death and to mine owne decay Ser. Experience proues and daily is it séene In vaine too vaine man striues against the heauens Ioca. Not farre fro thence the mightie Polibus Of Corinth King did kéepe his princely court Vnto whose wofull wife lamenting muche Shée had no ofspring by hir noble phéere The curteous shepherd gaue my little sonne Which gratefull gift the Quéene did so accept As nothing séemde more precious in hir sight Partly for that his faitures were so fine Partly for that he was so beautifull And partly for bicause his comely grace Gaue great suspicion of his royall bloude The infant grewe and many yeares was demde Polibus sonne till time that Oedipus For so he named was did vnderstande That Polibus was not his sire in déede Whereby forsaking frendes and countrie there He did returne to seeke his natiue stocke And being come into Phocides lande Toke notice of the cursed oracle How first he shoulde his father doe to death And then become his mothers wedded mate Ser. O fierce aspect of cruell planets all That can decrée such seas of heynous faultes Ioca. Then Oedipus fraight full of chilling feare By all meanes sought t' auoyde this furious fate But whiles he wéende to shunne the shameful déede Vnluckly guided by his owne mishappe He fell into the snare that most he feared For loe in Phocides did Laius lye To ende the broyles that ciuill discorde then Had raysed vp in that vnquiet lande By meanes whereof my wofull Oedipus Affording ayde vnto the other side With murdring blade vnwares his father slewe Thus heauenly doome thus fate thus powers diuine Thus wicked reade of Prophets tooke effect Now onely restes to ende the bitter happe Of me of me his miserable mother Alas how colde I féele the quaking bloud Passe too and fro within my trembling brest Oedipus when this bloudy déede was doone Forst foorth by fatall doome to Thebes came Where as full soone with glory he atchieude The crowne and scepter of this noble lande By conquering Sphinx that cruell monster loe That earst destroyde this goodly flouring soyle And thus did I O hatefull thing to heare To my owne sonne become a wretched wife Ser. No meruayle though the golden Sunne withdrew His glittering beames from suche a sinfull facte Ioca. And so by him that from this belly sprang I brought to light O cursed that I am Aswell two sonnes as daughters also twaine But when this monstrous mariage was disclosde So sore began the rage of boyling wrath To swell within the furious brest of him As he him selfe by stresse of his owne nayles Out of his head did teare his griefull eyne Vnworthy more to sée the shining light Ser. How could it be that knowing he had done So foule a blot he would remayne aliue Ioca. So déepely faulteth none the which vnwares Doth fall into the crime he can not shunne And he alas vnto his greater gréefe Prolongs the date of his accursed dayes Knowing that life doth more and more increase The cruell plages of his detested gilte Where stroke of griefly death dothe set an ende Vnto the pangs of mans increasing payne Ser. Of others all moste cause haue we to mone Thy wofull smarte O miserable Quéene Such and so many are thy gréeuous harmes Ioca. Now to the ende this blinde outrageous sire Should reape no ioye of his vnnaturall fruite His wretched sons prickt foorth by furious spight Adiudge their father to perpetuall prison There buried in the depthe of dungeon darke Alas he leades his discontented life Accursing still his stony harted sonnes And wishing all th' infernall sprites of hell To breathe suche poysned hate into their brestes As eche with other fall to bloudy warres And so with pricking poynt of piercing blade To rippe their bowels out that eche of them With others bloud might strayne his giltie hands And bothe at once by stroke of spéedie death Be foorthwith throwne into the Stigian lake Ser. The mightie Gods preuent so fowle a déede Ioca. They to auoyde the wicked blasphemies And sinfull prayer of their angrie sire Agréed thus that of this noble realme Vntill the course of one ful yere was runne Eteocles should sway the kingly mace And Polynice as exul should departe Till time expyrde and then to Polynice Eteocles should yéelde the scepter
is the mightie quéene Of all good workes growes by experience Which is not founde with fewe dayes séeking for Ete. And were not this both sounde and wise aduise Boldly to looke our foemen in the face Before they spred our fields with hugie hoste And all the towne beset by siege at once Cre. We be but few and they in number great Ete. Our men haue yet more courage farre than they Cre. That know I not nor am I sure to say Ete. Those eyes of thine in little space shall sée How many I my selfe can bring to grounde Cre. That would I like but harde it is to doe Eto I nill penne vp our men within the walles Cre. In counsell yet the victorie consistes Ete. And wilt thou then I vse some other reade Cre. What else be still a while for hast makes wast Ete. By night I will the Cammassado giue Cre. So may you do and take the ouerthrowe Ete. The vauntage is to him that doth assaulte Cre. Yet skirmishe giuen by night is perillous Ete. Let set vpon them as they sit at meat Cre. Sodayne assaults affray the minde no doubt But we had néede to ouercome Ete. So shall we do Cre. No sure vnlesse some other counsell helpe Ete. Amid their trenches shall we them inuade Cre. As who should say were none to make defence Ete. Should I then yéeld the Citie to my foes Cre. No but aduise you well if you be wise Ete. That were thy parte that knowest more than I. Cre. Then shall I say that best doth séeme to me Ete. Yea Creon yea thy counsell holde I deare Cre. Seuen men of courage haue they chosen out Ete. A slender number for so great emprise Cre. But they them chose for guides and capitaynes Ete. To such an hoste why they may not suffise Cre. Nay to assault the seuen gates of the citie Ete. What then behoueth so bestad to done Cre. With equall number sée you do them match Ete. And then commit our men in charge to them Cre. Chusing the best and boldest blouds in Thebes Ete. And how shall I the Citie then defende Cre. Well-with the rest for one man sées not all Ete. And shall I chuse the boldest or the wisest Cre. Nay both for one without that other fayles Ete. Force without wisedome then is little worth Cre. That one must be fast to that other ioynde Ete. Creon I will thy counsell follow still For why I hold it wise and trusty both And out of hand for now I will departe That I in time the better may prouide Before occasion slip out of my hands And that I may this Polynices quell For well may I with bloudy knife him slea That comes in armes my countrie for to spoyle But if so please to fortune and to fate That other ende than I do thinke may fall To thée my frend it resteth to procure The mariage twixt my sister Antygone And thy deare sonne Haemone to whom for dowre At parting thus I promise to performe As much as late I did beheste to thée My mothers bloude and brother deare thou arte Ne néede I craue of thée to gard hir well As for my father care I not for if So chaunce I dye it may full well be sayd His bitter curses brought me to my bane Cre. The Lord defend for that vnworthy were Ete. Of Thebes towne the rule and scepter loe I néede nor ought it otherwise dispose Than vnto thée if I dye without heyre Yet longs my lingring mynde to vnderstand The doubtfull ende of this vnhappie warre Wherfore I will thou send thy sonne to seke Tyresias the deuine and learne of him For at my call I knowe he will not come That often haue his artes and him reprovde Cre. As you commaund so ought I to performe Ete. And last I thée and citie both commaund If fortune frendly fauour our attemptes And make our men triumphant victors all That none there be so hardie ne so bolde For Polynices bones to giue a graue And who presumes to breake my beste herein Shall dye the death in penaunce of his paine For though I were by bloud to him conioynde I paâ—t it now and iustice goeth with me To guide my steppes victoriously before Pray you to Ioue he deigne for to defende Our Citie safe both now and euermore Cre. Gramercie worthie prince for all thy loue And faithfull trust thou doest in me repose And if should hap that I hope neuer shall I promise yet to doe what best behoues But chieflie this I sweare and make a vowe For Polynices nowe our cruell foe To holde the hest that thou doest me commaunde Creon attendeth Eteocles to the gates Electrae he returneth and goeth out by the gates called Homoloydes CHORVS O Fierce and furious Mars whose harmefull harte Reioyceth most to shed the giltlesse blood Whose headie wil doth all the world subuert And doth enuie the pleasant mery moode Of our estate that erst in quiet stoode Why doest thou thus our harmelesse towne annoye Which mightie Bacchus gouerned in ioye Father of warre and death that dost remoue With wrathfull wrecke from wofull mothers breast The trustie pledges of their tender loue So graunt the Gods that for our finall rest Dame Venus pleasant lookes may please thée best Wherby when thou shalt all amazed stand The sword may fall out of thy trembling hand And thou maist proue some other way full well The bloudie prowesse of thy mightie speare Wherwith thou raisest from the depth of hell The wrathfull sprites of all the furies there Who when the weake doe wander euery where And neuer rest to range about the coastes Tenriche that pit with spoile of damned ghostes And when thou hast our fieldes forsaken thus Let cruell discorde beare thée companie Engirt with snakes and serpents venemous Euen she that can with red virmilion dye The gladsome gréene that florisht pleasantly And make the gréedie ground a drinking cup To sup the bloud of murdered bodyes vp Yet thou returne O ioye and pleasant peace From whence thou didst against our wil depart Ne let thy worthie minde from trauell cease To chase disdaine out of the poysned harte That raised warre to all our paynes and smarte Euen from the brest of Oedipus his sonne Whose swelling pride hath all this iarre begonne And thou great God that doest all things decrée And sitst on highe aboue the starrie skies Thou chiefest cause of causes all that bée Regard not his offence but heare our cries And spedily redresse our miseries For what cause we poore wofull wretches doe But craue thy aide and onely cleaue therto Finis Actus secundi Done by G. Gascoygne The order of the thirde dumbe shevve BEfore the beginning of this .iij. Act did sound a very dolefull noise of cornettes during the which there opened and appeared in the stage a great Gulfe Immediatly came in .vj. gentlemeÌ„ in their dublets hose bringing vpon their shulders baskets full of earth and threwe them
into the Gulfe to fill it vp but it would not so close vp nor be filled Then came the ladyes and dames that stoode by throwing in their cheynes Iewels so to cause it stoppe vp and close it selfe but when it would not so be filled came in a knighte with his sword drawen armed at all poyntes who walking twise or thrise about it perusing it seing that it would nether be filled with earth nor with their Iewells and ornaments after solempne reuerence done to the gods and curteous leaue taken of the Ladyes and standers by sodeinly lepte into the Gulfe the which did close vp immediatly betokning vnto vs the loue that euery worthy person oweth vnto his natiue coūtrie by the historye of Curtins who for the lyke cause aduentured the like in Rome This done blinde Tyresias the deuine prophete led in by hys daughter and conducted by Meneceus the son of Creon entreth by the gates Electrae and sayth as followeth Actus iij. Scena 1. TYRESIAS CREON. MANTO MENECEVS SACERDOS THou trustie guide of my so trustlesse steppes Déer daughter mine go we lead thou the way For since the day I first did léese this light Thou only art the light of these mine eyes And for thou knowst I am both old weake And euer longing after louely rest Direct my steppes amyd the playnest pathes That so my febled féete may féele lesse paine Meneceus thou gentle childe tell me Is it farre hence the place where we must goe Where as thy father for my comming stayes For like vnto the slouthfull snayle I drawe Deare sonne with paine these aged legges of mine Creon returneth by the gates Homoloydes And though my minde be quicke scarce can I moue Cre. Comfort thy selfe deuine Creon thy frend Loe standeth here and came to méete with thée To ease the paine that thou mightst else sustaine For vnto elde eche trauell yeldes annoy And thou his daughter and his faithfull guide Loe rest him here and rest thou there withall Thy virgins hands that in sustayning him Doest well acquite the duetie of a childe For crooked age and hory siluer heares Still craueth helpe of lustie youthfull yeares Tyr. Gramercie Lorde what is your noble will Cre. What I would haue of thée Tyresias Is not a thing so soone for to be sayde But rest a whyle thy weake and weary limmes And take some breath now after wearie walke And tell I pray thée what this crowne doth meane That sits so kingly on thy skilfull heade Tyr. Know this that for I did with graue aduise Foretell the Citizens of Athens towne How they might best with losse of litle bloude Haue victories against their enimies Hath bene the cause why I doe weare this Crowne As right rewarde and not vnméete for me Cre. So take I then this thy victorious crowne For our auaile in token of good lucke That knowest how the discord and debate Which late is fallen betwene these brethren twaine Hath brought all Thebes in daunger and in dreade Eteocles our king with threatning armes Is gone against his greekish enimies Commaunding me to learne of thée who arte A true diuine of things that be to come What were for vs the safest to be done From perill now our countrey to preserue Tyr. Long haue I bene within the towne of Thebes Since that I tyed this trustie toung of mine From telling truth fearing Eteocles Yet since thou doest in so great néede desire I should reueale things hidden vnto thée For common cause of this our common weale I stand content to pleasure thée herein But first that to this mightie God of yours There might some worthie sacrifice be made Let kill the fairest goate that is in Thebes Within whose bowelles when the Préest shall loke And tell to me what he hath there espyed I trust t' aduise thée what is best to doen. Cre. Lo here the temple and ere long I looke To sée the holy préest that hither cōmes Bringing with him the pure and faire offrings Which thou requirest for not long since I sent For him as one that am not ignorant Of all your rytes and sacred ceremonyes He went to choose amid our herd of goates The fattest there and loke where now he commes Sacerdos accompanyed with .xvj. Bacchanales and all his rytes and ceremonies entreth by the gates Homoloydes Sacer. O famous Citizens that holde full deare Your quiet country Loe where I doe come Most ioyfully with wonted sacrifice So to beséeche the supreme Citizens To stay our state that staggringly doth stand And plant vs peace where warre and discord growes Wherfore with hart deuoute and humble chéere Whiles I breake vp the bowels of this beast That oft thy veneyarde Bacchus hath destroyed Let euery wight craue pardon for his faults With bending knee about his aultars here Tyr. Take here the salt and sprincle therwithall About the necke that done cast all the rest Into the sacred fire and then annoynte The knife prepared for the sacrifice O mightie Ioue preserue the precious gifte That thou me gaue when first thine angrie Quéene For deepe disdayne did both mine eyes do out Graunt me I may foretell the truth in this For but by thée I know that I ne may Ne wil ne can one trustie sentence say Sa. This due is done Tyr. With knife then stick the kid Sac. Thou daughter of deuine Tyresias With those vnspotted virgins hands of thine Receiue the bloude within this vessell here And then deuoutly it to Bacchus yelde Man. O holy God of Thebes that doest both praise Swete peace and doest in hart also disdayne The noysome noyse the furies and the fight Of bloudie Mars and of Bellona both O thou the giuer both of ioy and health Receiue in grée and with well willing hand These holy whole brunt offrings vnto thée And as this towne doth wholy thée a dore So by thy helpe do graunt that it may stand Safe from the enimies outrage euermore Sac. Now in thy sacred name I bowell here This sacrifice Tyre And what entralls hath it Sac. Faire and welformed all in euery poynt The liuer cleane the hart is not infect Saue loe I finde but onely one hart string By which I finde something I wote nere what That séemes corrupt and were not onely that In all the rest they are both sound and hole Tyr. Now cast at once into the holy flame The swete incense and then aduertise mée What hew it beares and euery other ryte That ought may helpe the truth for to coniecte Sac. I sée the flames doe sundrie coulours cast Now bloudy sanguine straight way purple blew Some partes séeme blacke some gray and some be gréene Tyr. Stay there suffyseth this for to haue séene Know Creon that these outward séemely signes By that the Gods haue let me vnderstand Who know the truth of euery secrete thing Betoken that the Citie great of Thebes Shall Victor be against the Gréekish host If so consent be giuen but more
my will with flames of feruent loue To further forth the fruite of my desire My fréends deuisde this meane for my behoue They made a match according to my mind And cast a snare my fansie for to blind Short tale to make the déede was almost donne Before I knew which way the worke begonne And with this lot I did my selfe content I lent a liking to my parents choyse With hand and hart I gaue my frée consent And hung in hope for euer to reioyce I liu'd and lou'd long time in greater ioy Than shée which held king Priams sonne of Troy But thrée lewd lots haue chang'd my heauen to hell And those be these giue eare and marke them well First slaunder he which alwayes beareth hate To happy harts in heauenly state that bide Gan play his part to stirre vp some debate Whereby suspect into my choyse might glide And by his meanes the slime of false suspect Did as I feare my dearest friend infect Thus by these twayn long was I plungd in paine Yet in good hope my hart did still remaine But now aye me the greatest grief of all Sound loud my Lute and tell it out my toong The hardest hap that euer might befall The onely cause wherfore this song is soong Is this alas my loue my Lord my Roy My chosen pheare my gemme and all my ioye Is kept perforce out of my dayly sight Whereby I lacke the stay of my delight In loftie walles in strong and stately towers With troubled minde in solitary sorte My louely Lord doth spend his dayes and howers A weary life deuoyde of all disport And I poore soule must lie here all alone To tyre my trueth and wound my will with mone Such is my hap to shake my blooming time With winters blastes before it passe the prime Now haue you heard the summe of all my grief Whereof to tell my hart oh rends in twayne Good Ladies yet lend you me some relief And beare a parte to ease me of my payne My sortes are such that waying well my trueth They might prouoke the craggy rocks to rueth And moue these walles with teares for to lament The lothsome life wherein my youth is spent But thou my Lute be still now take thy rest Repose thy bones vppon this bed of downe Thou hast dischargd some burden from my brest Wherefore take thou my place herelie thée downe And let me walke to tyre my restlesse minde Vntill I may entreate some curteous winde To blow these wordes vnto my noble make That he may sée I sorow for his sake Meritum petere graue A Riddle A Lady once did aske of me This preatie thing in priuitie Good sir quod she faine would I craue One thing which you your selfe not haue Nor neuer had yet in times past Nor neuer shall while life doth last And if you séeke to find it out You loose your labour out of doubt Yet if you loue me as you say Then giue it me for sure you may Meritum petere graue The shield of loue c. L'Escü d'amour the shield of perfect loue The shield of loue the force of stedfast faith The force of faith which neuer will remoue But standeth fast to bide the brunts of death That trustie targe hath long borne off the blowes And broke the thrusts which absence at me throwes In dolefull dayes I lead an absent life And wound my will with many a weary thought I plead for peace yet sterue in stormes of strife I find debate where quiet rest was sought These panges with mo vnto my paine I proue Yet beare I all vppon my shield of loue In colder cares are my conceipts consumd Than Dido felt when false Aeneas fled In farre more heat than trusty Troylus fumde When craftie Cressyde dwelt with Diomed My hope such frost my hot desire such flame That I both fryse and smoulder in the same So that I liue and die in one degrée Healed by hope and hurt againe with dread Fast bound by faith when fansie would be frée Vntied by trust though thoughts enthrall my head Reuiu'd by ioyes when hope doth most abound And yet with grief in depth of dolors drownd In these assaultes I féele my féebled force Begins to faint thus weried still in woes And scarcely can my thus consumed corse Hold vp this Buckler to beare of these blowes So that I craue or presence for relief Or some supplie to ease mine absent grief Lenuoie To you deare Dame this dolefull plaint I make Whose onely sight may soone redresse my smart Then shew your selfe and for your seruaunts sake Make hast post hast to helpe a faithfull harte Mine owne poore shield hath me defended long Now lend me yours for elles you do me wrong Meritum petere graue A gloze vpon this text Dominus ijs opus habet MY recklesse race is runne gréene youth and pride be past My riper mellowed yeares beginne to follow on as fast My glancing lookes are gone which wonted were to prie In euery gorgeous garish glasse that glistred in mine eie My sight is now so dimme it can behold none such No mirrour but the merrie meane can please my fansie muche And in that noble glasse I take delight to view The fashions of the wonted worlde compared by the new For marke who list to looke each man is for him selfe And beates his braine to hord heape this trash worldly pelfe Our hands are closed vp great gifts go not abroade Few men will lend a locke of heye but for to gaine a loade Giue gaue is a good man what néede we lash it out The world is wōdrous fearfull now for danger bids men doubt And aske how chanceth this or what meanes all this méede Forsooth the common answer is because the Lord hath neede A noble iest by gisse I find it in my glasse The same fréehold our Sauiour Christ conueyed to his asse A text to trie the truth and for this time full fitte For where should we our lessons learne but out of holy writte First marke our only God which ruleth all the rost He sets aside all pompe and pride wherein fond wordlings boast His traine is not so great as filthy Sathans band A smaller heard may serue to féede at our great masters hand Next marke the heathens Gods and by them shall we sée They be not now so good fellowes as they were woont to be Ioue Mars and Mercurie Dame Venus and the rest They bāquet not as they were wont they know it were not best So kings and Princes both haue lefte their halles at large Their priuie chambers cost enough they cut off euery charge And when an office falles as chance sometimes may be First kéepe it close a yeare or twaine then geld it by the fée And giue it out at last but yet with this prouiso A bridle for a brainsicke Iade durante bene placito Some thinke these ladders low to climbe alofte with spéede Well let them
Firste he pleaded ignorance as though he knewe not hir name and therefore demaunded the same of Mistresse Fraunces who when shée had to him declared that hir name was Elinor hee sayde these woordes or very like in effect If I thought I shoulde not offend Mistres Elynor I woulde not doubte to stoppe hir bléeding without eyther payne or difficultie This Gentlewoman somewhat tickled with his woordes did incontinent make relation thereof to the sayde Mistresse Elynor who immediately declaring that Ferdinando was hir late receyued seruaunt returned the saide messanger vnto him with especiall charge that hee shoulde employ his deuoyre towardes the recouery of hir health with whome the same Ferdinando repayred to the chamber of his desired and finding hir set in a chayre leaning on the one side ouer a Siluer bason After his due reuerence hée layde his hande on hir Temples and priuily rounding hir in hir eare desired hir to commaunde a Hazell sticke and a knyfe the whiche beyng brought hée deliuered vnto hir saying on this wise Mistresse I will speake certaine woordes in secrete to my selfe and doe require no more but when you heare me saie openly this woorde Amen that you with this knyfe will make a nicke vppon this Hazell sticke and when you haue made fiue nickes commaunde mée also to cease The Dame partly of good will to the Knight and partly to be stenched of hir bléeding commaunded hir mayde and required the other Gentils somewhat to stande aside whiche done he began his Oraisons wherein he had not long muttered before he pronounced Amen wherwith the Lady made a nicke on the sticke with hir knyfe The saide Ferdinando continued to an other Amen when the Lady hauing made an other nick felt hir bléeding began to steynch so by the third Amen throughly steinched Ferdinando then chaunging his prayers into priuat talk said softly vnto hir Mystres I am glad that I am hereby enabled to doe you some seruice and as the staunching of your owne bloud may some way recomfort you so if the shedding of my bloud may any way content you I beséech you commaund it for it shal be euermore readily employed in your seruice and therwithal with a loud voyce pronounced Amen wherewith the good Lady making a nick did secretly answere thus Good seruant quod shée I must néedes think my selfe right happy to haue gained your seruice and good will and be you sure that although ther be in me no such desert as may draw you into this depth of affection yet such as I am I shal be alwayes glad to shewe my self thankfull vnto you And now if you thinke your self assured that I shall bleede no more doe then pronounce your fifth Amen the which pronounced shée made also hir fifth nicke and held vp hir head calling the company vnto hir and declaring vnto them that hir bléeding was throughly steinched And Ferdinando tarying a while in the chamber found oportunitie to loose his sequence néere too his desired Mistres And after congé taken departed After whose departure the Lady arose out of hir chayre and hir mayd going about to remoue the same espied and toke vp the writing the which hir mistres perceiuing gan sodenly coniecture that the same had in it some like matter to the verses once before left in like maner and made semblant to mistrust that the same should be some wordes of coniuration and taking it from hir mayd did peruse it and immediatly said too the company that she would not forgo the same for a great treasure But to be plain I think that Ferdinando excepted she was glad to be rid of all company vntill she had with sufficient leasure turned ouer and retossed euery card in this sequence And not long after being now tickled thorough all the vaines with an vnknown humour aduentured of hir selfe to commit vnto a like Ambassadour the discyphring of that which hitherto shée had kept more secret and therevpon wrot with hir own hand and head in this wyse GOod seruant I am out of al doubt much beholding vnto you and I haue great comfort by your meanes in the steinching of my bloud and I take great comfort too reade your letters and I haue found in my chamber diuers songs which I think too be of your making and I promise you they are excellently made and I assure you that I wil bee ready to doe for you any pleasure that I can during my life wherefore I pray you come to my chamber once in a day till I come abroad again and I wil be glad of your company and for because that you haue promised to be my HE I will take vpon me this name your SHE THis letter was doubtles of hir own hande writing and as therin the Reader may finde great difference of Style from hir former letter so may you now vnderstand the cause Shée had in the same house a friend a seruant a Secretary what should I name him such one as shée estéemed in time past more than was cause in tyme present And to make my tale good I will by the same words that Bartello vseth discribe him vnto you He was in heigth the proportion of two Pigmeis in bredth the thicknesse of two bacon hogges of presumption a Gyant of power a Gnatte Apishly wytted Knauishly mannered and crabbedly fauord What was there in him then to drawe a fayre Ladies liking Marry sir euen all in all a well lyned pursse wherewith he could at euery call prouide suche pretie conceytes as pleased hir péeuish fantasie and by that meanes hée had throughly long before insinuated him selfe with this amorous dame This manling this minion this slaue this secretary was nowe by occasion rydden too Florence forsothe and though his absenee were vnto hir a disfurnishing of eloquence it was yet vntoo Ferdinando Ieromini an opportunitie of good aduauntage for when hée perceiued the change of hir stile and thereby grewe in some suspition that the same procéeded by absence of hir chiefe Chauncellor he thought good now to smyte while the yron was hotte and to lend his Mistresse suche a penne in hir Secretaries absence as hée should neuer be able at his returne to amend the well writing therof Wherfore according to hir cōmaund he repayred once euery day to hir chamber at the least whereas hée guided himselfe so wel and could deuise such store of sundry pleasures and pastymes that he grew in fauour not onely with his desired but also with the rest of the gentlewomen And one day passing the time amongst them their playe grew to this end that his Mistresse being Quéene demaunded of him these thrée questions Seruant quod she I charge you aswell vppon your allgiance being nowe my subiect as also vpon your fidelitie hauing vowed your seruice vnto me that you aunswere me these thrée questions by the very truth of your secret thought First what thing in this vniuersall world doth most reioyce and comfort you Ferdinando Ieronimi abasing his eyes
coulde deuise some pastime amongst vs to kéepe you company for I remember that with such deuises you did greatly recomforte this fayre Lady when she languished in like sort She languished in deede gentle Hope quod hée but God forbide that she had languished in like sort Euery body thinketh their own greif greatest qd dame Elynor but in deede whether my greife were the more or the lesse I am right sorye that yours is such as it is And to assay whither our passions proceded of lyke cause or not I would we could according to this Ladyes saying deuise some like pastimes to trie if your malladie would be cured with like medicines A gentle woman of the company whom I haue not hetherto named gan thus propound We haue accustomed quod she heretofore in most of our games to chuse a King or Quene and he or she during their gouernment haue charged euery of vs eyther with commaundementes or questions as best séemed to their maiestie Wherin to speake mine opinion we haue giuen ouer larg a skope neither semeth it reasonable that on should haue the power to discouer the thoughts or at least to bridle the affects of al the rest And though in déed in questioning which doth of the twaine more nerely touch the mind euery on is at frée liberty to answere what they list yet oft haue I hearde a question demaunded in such sorte and vpon such sodayne that it hath bene hardly answered without mouing matter of contencion And in commaundes also some times it happeneth one to bée commaunded vnto such seruice as eyther they are vnfit to accomplish and then the parties weaknes is therby detected or els to doe something that they would not wherof ensueth more grutch than game Wherefore in mine opinion we shall do well to chuse by lot amongst vs a gouernour who for that it shal be sufficient preheminence to vse the chayre of maiestie shal be boūd to giue sentēce vppon al suche arguments and questions as we shall orderly propound vnto them and from him or her as from an oracle wée will receiue aunswere and decyding of our lytigious causes This dame had stuffe in her an old courtier a wylie wenche named Pergo Wel this proportiō of Pergo pleased them well and by lot it hapned that Ferdinando must be moderator of these matters and colector of these causes The which being so constituted the Lady Elynor sayd vnto this dame Pergo You haue deuised this pastime quod she because we thinke you to be most expert in the handling therof do you propound the first question we shal be both the more ready and able to follow your example the Lady Pergo refused not but began on this wise Noble gouernor quod she amongst the aduentures that haue befallen mée I remember especially this one that in youth it was my chaunce to bée beloued of a verye courtlike yong Gentleman who abode neare the place wherin my parents had their resiaunce This gentleman whether it were for beauty or for any other respect that he sawe in me I knowe not but he was enamored of me that with an excéeding vehement passion of such force were his effectes that notwithstanding many repulses which he had receiued at my handes he seemed daylye to grow in the renewing of his desires I on the other side although I could by no meanes mislike of him by any good reason considering that he was of byrth no waye inferiour vnto mée of possessions not to bée disdamed of parson right comelye of behauiour Courtly of manners modest of mynde lyberall and of vertuous disposition yet suche was the gaitye of my minde as that I coulde not bée content to lende him ouer large thonges of my loue but alwayes daungerouslye behaued my selfe towardes him and in suche sorte as hee coulde neyther take comfort of myne aunsweres nor yet once finde him selfe requited with one good looke for all his trauaile This notwithstanding the worthy Knight continewed his sute with no lesse vehement affection than earst hée had begonne it euen by the space of seuen yeares At the last whether discomfited by my dealynges or tryed by long trauayle or that he hade parcase light vpon the lake that is in the forrest of Ardena and so in haste and all thristie had dronke some droppes of disdayne whereby his hot flames were quenched or that he had vndertaken to serue no longer but his iust tearme of apprenticehode or that the téeth of tyme had gnawen and tyred his dulled spirites in such sort as that all bée nummed hee was constrayned to vse some other artificyal balme for the quickning of his sences or by what cause moued I knowe not he did not onely leaue his long continued sute but as I haue since perceiued grew to hate me more deadly than before I had disdained him At the first beginnyng of his retyre I perceiued not his hatred but imagened that being ouer wearied he had withdrawen himself for a time And considering his worthines ther withall his constancie of long time proued I thoughe that I could not in the whole world find out a fitter match to bestowe my selfe than one so worthy a person Wherfore I doe by al possible meanes procure that he might eftsones vse his accustomed repraye vnto my parentes And further in al places where I hapened to meete him I vsed al the curtesies towardes him that might be contayned wythin the bondes of modestie But al was in vaine for he was now become more daungerous to be wone than the haggard Faulcon Our lottes being thus vnluckely chaunged I grewe to burne in desire and the more daungerous that he shewed him selfe vnto me the more earnest I was by all meanes to procure his consent of loue At the last I might perceiue that not only he disdayned me but as me thought boyled in hatred against me And the time that I thus continued tormented with these thoughts was also iust the space of seuen yeares Finally when I perceiued no remedye for my perplexityes I assayed by absence to were away this malady and therefore vtterly refused to come in his presence yea or almost in any other company Wherby I haue consumed in lost time the flower of my youth am become as you sée what with yeares and what with the tormenting passions of loue pale wane and full of wrinkles Neuerthelesse I haue therby gayned thus much that at last I haue wond my self cléere out of Cupids chaynes and remayne carelesse at libertie Now marke to what end I tell you this first vii yeares passed in the which I could neuer be content to yeld vnto his iust desires next other vii yeares I spent in séeking to recouer his lost loue and sithens both those vii yeares there are euen now on saint Valentines day last other vii yeares passed in the which neither I haue desired to sée him nor he hath coueted to here of me My parents now perceyuing how the crowes
foot is crept vnder mine eye and remembring the long sute that this gentelemaÌ„ had in youth spent on me considering therewith all that grene youth is well mellowed in vs both haue of late sought to perswade a marriage betwene vs the which the Knighte hath not refused to here of and I haue not disdayned to thinke on By their mediation we haue bene eftsoones brought to Parlee wherein ouer and be sides the ripping vp of many olde griefes this hath bene cheifly rehearsed obiected betwene vs what wrong and iniury eche of vs hath done to other And here aboutes wée haue fallen to sharpe contencion He alleadged that much greater is the wrong which I haue done vnto him than that repulse which hée hath fithenes vsed to me and I haue affirmed the contrary The matter yet hangeth in varyence Now of you worthy Gouernour I would be most glad to heare this question decided remembring that there was no difference in the times betwene vs And surely vnles your iudgment helpe me I am afrayde my marryage will hée marred and I may go lead Apes in hell Ferdenando aunswered good Pergo I am sory to heare so lamentable a discourse of your luckles loue and much the soryer in that I muste néedes giue sentence agaynst you For surely great was the wrong that eyther of you haue done to other and greater was the néedelesse greife which causelesse eche of you hath conceyued in this long time but greatest in my iudgment hath bene both the wrong and the greife of the Knight In that notwithstanding his desertes which your selfe confesse he neuer enioyed any guerdone of loue at your handes And you as you alledge did enioy his loue of long time to gether So that by the reckoning it wil fal out although being builded in your owne conceipt you sée it not that of the one twenty yeares you enioyed his loue vii at the least but that euer he enioyed yours wee cannot perceiue And much greater is the wrong that rewardeth euill for good than that which requireth tip for tap Further it semeth that where as you went obout in time to trie him you did altogither loose time which can neuer be recouered And not only lost your owne time whereof you would seeme nowe to lament but also compelled him to lease his time which he might be it spoken with out offence to you haue bestowed in some other worthy place and therefore as that greife is much greater which hath no kind of coÌ„fort to allay it so much more is that wrong which altogether without cause is offered And I sayd Pergo must needes think that much easier is it for them to endure grief which neuer tasted of ioye and much lesse is that wrong which is so willingly proffered to be by recompence restored For if this Knight wil confesse that he neuer had cause to reioyce in all the time of his seruice then with better contentacion might he abyde greife than I who hauing tasted of the delight which I did secretly coÌ„ceiue of his desertes do think ech grief a present death by the remembrance of those for passed thoughts lesse wrong séemeth it to be destitut of the thing which was neuer obtained then to be depriued of a Iewel wherof we haue been already possessed so that vnder your correction I might conclude that greater hath béene my griefe and iniury susteined than that of the Knight To whome Ieronimy replied as touching delight it maye not be denied but that euery louer doth take delight in the inward contemplation of his mind to think of the worthines of his beloued therefore you maie not alledge that the Knight had neuer cause to reioyce vnlesse you will altogeather condemne your selfe of worthines Mary if you will say that he tasted not the delightes that louers seeke then marke who was the cause but your selfe And if you would accuse him of like ingratitude for that he disdained you in the later vij yéeres when as he might by accepting your loue haue recoÌ„penced him selfe of all former wronges you must remember therewithall that the crueltie by you shewed towards him was such that he could by no means perceiue that your change procéeded of good will but rather eftsons to hold him enchained in vnknown linkes of subtile dealings therefore not without cause he doubted you yet without cause you reiected him He had often sought occasion but by your refusals he could neuer find him you hauing occasion fast by the foretop did dally with him so long tyl at the last he sliped his head from you then catching at the bald noddle you fouÌ„d your selfe the cause yet you would accuse another To conclude greater is the griefe that is susteined without desert much more is the wroÌ„g that is offered without cause Thus Ferdinando Ieronimy decided the question propounded by Pergo and expected that some other Dame should propound another but his Mistresse hauing hir hand on another halfpeny gan thus say vnto him Seruant this pastime is good and such as I must nedes like of to driue away your pensiue thoughtes but sléeping time approcheth I feare we disquiete you wherefore the rest of this time we will if so like you bestowe in trimming vp your bed and to morrow wée shal meete here and renewe this newe begon game with Madame Pargo Mistresse quod hée I must obeye your wil and most humbly thanke you of your great goodnesse and all these Ladies for their curtesie Euen so requiring you that you wyll no further trouble your selues about mée but let my Seruaunt aloane with conducting mee to bed Yes seruaunt quod she I wil sée if you â—an sléepe any better in my shéetes and therewith commaunded hir handmayde to fetche a payre of cleane shéetes the which being brought maruaylous fine and swéete the Ladies Fraunces and Elinor dyd curteously vnfold them and layd them on the bed which done they also entreated him to vncloath him and go to bed being layd his Mistresse dressed and couched the cloathes about him sithens moistened his temples with Rosewater gaue him handkerchewes and other freshe linnen about him in doing wherof she whispered in his eare saying Seruaunt this night I will bée with thée and after with the rest of the Dames gaue him good night and departed leauing him in a traunce betwéen hope and dispayre trust and mistrust Thus he laye rauished commaunding his seruaunt to goe to bed and fayning that him selfe would assaye if he could sléepe About ten or eleuen of the clocke came his mistresse in hir night gowne who knowing all priuye wayes in that house verie perfectlye had conueied her selfe into his chamber vnséene and vnperceiued and being nowe come vnto his beds side knéeled downe and laying hir arme ouer him sayde these or lyke wordes My good Seruaunt if thou knewest what perplexities I suffer in beholding of thine infirmities it might then suffice eyther vtterlye to driue away the mallady or much
vnder him than to descant any longer vpon Ferdinandoes playne song and thus they continued in good accord vntill it fortuned that Dame Fraunces came into her chamber vpon such sodaine as she had like to haue marred all the musicke well they conueyed their clifes as closely as they could but yet not altogither without some suspicion giuen to the sayd dame Fraunces who although she could haue bene cōtent to take any paine in Ieronimies behalfe yet otherwise she could neuer haue bestowed the watching about so worthelesse a pryse After womanly salutations they fell into sundrye discourses the Secretary stil abiding in the chamber with them At last two or thrée other gentlewomen of the Castle came into Madam Elinores chamber who after their Bon iour did all vna voce séeme to lament the sikenes of Ferdinando and called vppon the Dames Elynor and Fraunces to goe visite him againe The Lady Fraunces curteously consented but Madame Elynor first alledged that she her selfe was also sickly the which she attributed to hir late paynes taken about him and sayd that onely for that cause she was constrayned to kepe hir bed longer than hir accustomed hower The Dames but specially the Lady Fraunces gan streight wayes coniecture some great cause of sodaine chaūge and so leauing dame Elinor walked altogether into the parke to take the ayre in the morning And as they thus walked it chaūced that Dame Pergo heard a Cuckoe chaunt who because the pride of the spring was now past cried Cuck cuck Cuckoe in hir stamering voyce A ha quod Pergo this foule byrd begines to flye the countrye and yet before hir departure sée how spitfully she can deuyse to salute vs Not so quod Dame Fraunces but some other whom she hath espyed wherewith Dame Pergo looking round about hir and espying none other companie sayde Why here is no body but we few women qd she Thanks be to God the house is not farre from vs quod Dame Fraunces Here at the wylie Pergo partly perceyuing Dame Fraunces meaning replyed on this sort I vnderstand you not quod she but to leap out of this matter shall wée goe visit Maister Ieronimy and see how he doth this morning Why quod dame Fraunces do you suppose that the Cuckoe called vnto him Nay mary quod Pergo for as fare as I knowe he is not maried As who should say quod Dame Fraunces that the Cuckoe enuieth none but maryed folkes I take it so sayd Pergo the Lady Frances answered Yes sure I haue noated as euill lucke in loue after the Cuckoes call to haue hapned vnto diuers vnmaried folkes as euer I did vnto the maryed but I can be well content that we go vnto him for I promised on the behalfe of vs al that we would vse our best deuoyre to recomfort him vntill he had recouered helth and I do much meruayle that the Lady Elinor is now become so vnwilling to take any trauayle in his behalfe especially remembring that but yesternight she was so diligent to bring him to bed But I perceiue that all earthly thinges are subiect vnto change Euen so they be quod Pergo for you maye behold the trées which but euen this other daye were clad in gladsome gréene and nowe their leaues begin to fade and change collour Thus they passed talkeing and walking vntill they returned vnto the Castle whereas they went strayght vnto Ferdinandoes chamber and found him in bed Why how now Trust quod Dame Fraunces will it be no better Yes shortly I hope quod he The Ladyes all saluted him and he gaue them the gra-mercy at the last Pergo popped this question vnto him And howe haue you slept in your Mistres shetes Mayster Ieronemy quod she reasonably well quod he but I pray you where is my mistresse this morning Mary sayd Pergo we left hir in bed scarce well at ease I am the more sorye quod he Why Trust sayd Mistresse Fraunces be of good comfort assure your selfe that here are others who would be as glad of your wel doing as your mistres in any respect I ought not to doubt there of quod Ferdinādo hauing the profe that I haue had of your great courtesies but I thought it my dutye to aske for my mistresse being absent Thus they passed some time with him vntill they were called awaye vnto prayers and that being finished they went to dinner where they met Dame Elynor attired in an night kerchiefe after the soolenest the solempnest fashion I should haue said who loked very drowsely vpon all folkes vnlesse it were hir secretary vnto whom she deigned somtime to lend a frendly glaunce The Lord of the Castle demaunded of hir how master Ieronemy did this morning She answered that she knew not for she had not sene him that day You may do wel then daughter quod the Lord to go now vnto him and to assay if he will eate any thing and if here be no meates that like him I praye you commaunde for him anye thing that is in my house You must pardon me sir quod she I am sickely disposed and would be loth to take the ayre why then go you mistres Fraunces quod he and take some body with you and I charge you sée that he lacke nothing Mistres Fraunces was glad of the ambassege and arysing from the table with one other gentleman tooke with hir a dish of chikins boiled in white broth saying to hir father I think this meat méetest for mayster Ieronimy Of any that is here It is so quod he daughter and if he like not that cause some what els to be dressed for him according to his apetite Thus she departed and came to Ferdinando who being plonged in sundry woes and thrilled with restlesse thoughtes was nowe beginning to rise But seing the Dames couched down agayne and sayd vnto them Alas fayre Ladyes you put your selues to more paynes than eyther I do desire or can deserue Good Trust quod Dame Fraunces our paynes are no greater than duty requireth nor yet so great as we could vouchsafee in your behalfe And presently my father hath sent vs vnto you quod she with this pittaunce and if your apetite desire any on thing more than other we are to desire likewise that you will not refrayne to call for it Oh my good Hope quod he I perceiue that I shall not dye as long as you maye make me liue And being nowe some deale recomforted with the remembraunce of his mistres words which she hadde vsed ouer night at hir first comming and also thinkinge that although shee parted in choller it was but iustlye prouoked by him selfe and that at leasure hee shoulde finde some salue for that sore also hée determined to take the comforte of his assured Hope and so to expell all venomnes of mistrust before receiued Wherfor raising him selfe in his bed hee cast a night gowne about his shoulders saying It shall neuer be sayd that my fainting hart can reiect the comfortable Cordialles
of so freendly phisitions Nowe by me troth well sayed gentle Trust quod Dame Fraunces and in so doing assure your selfe gueryson with spéed This thus sayed the curteous Dame become his keruer he wyth a bold spirite gan tast of hir cokerey But the late conflicts of his conceipts had so disaquainted his stomack from repastes that he could not wel a way with meate and yet neuerthelesse by lyttle little receyued some nouryture When his Hope had crammed him as longe as she coulde make him séede they delyuered the rest to the other gentlewoman who hauing not dyned fell to hir prouender In which meane while the Lady Fraunces had much comfortable spéech with signor Ieronemy and declared that shée perceiued very well the maladie but my Trust quod she be all whole and remember what I foretould you in the beginning neuerthelesse you must thinke that there are remedies for all mischifes and if you will be ruled by myne aduise we will soone finde the meane to ease you of this mishap Ferdinando tooke comforte in hir discrecion fréendly kissed hir hand gaue hir a cartlode of thankes for hir greate good will promising to put to his vttermost force and euermore to be ruled by hyr aduice Thus they passed the dinner while the Lady Fraunces alwayes refusing to declare hir conceipt of the late chaung which she perceiued in his Mistresse for she thought best first to wynne his wyll vnto conformitie by little and little and then in the ende to perswade him with necessitye When the other gentlewoman had vytayled hir they departed requiring him to rise and boldly to resist the fayntenesse of his feuer The which he promised and so bad them a Dio. The Ladyes at their retourne found the courte in Dame Elynores chamber who had there assembled hir secretary Dame Pergo the rest ther they passed an hower or twayne in sundry discourses wherein Dame Pergo did alwaies cast out some bone for mistresse Fraunces to gnaw vppon for that in déede she perceyued hir harty affection towardes Ferdinando whereat Mistresse Fraunces chaunged no countenaunce but reserued hir reuenge vntill a better oportunitie At last quod Dame Fraunces vnto Mistresse Elinor and when will you goe vnto your seruaunt fayre Lady When he is sicke and I am whole quod Dame Elinor That is euen nowe quod the other for howe sicke he is your selfe can witnesse and howe well you are we must beare recorde You maye as well be deceiued in my disposition quod Dame Elinor as I was ouerséene in his sodaine alteration and if he be sicke you are meete to be his phisition for you sawe yesterday that my paines dyd lyttle profite towardes his recomfort Yes surelye sayde the other not onelye I but all the rest had occasion to iudge that your curtesie was his chiefe comfort Well quod Dame Elinor you knowe not what I knowe Nor you what I thinke quod Dame Fraunces Thinke what you lyst quod Elinor In deede quod Fraunces I may not thinke that you care neither wyll I dye for your displeasure so halfe angrie she departed At supper they met againe and the maister of the house demanded of his daughter Fraunces howe Fardinando did Syr quod she he dyd eate some what at dyner and sithens I sawe him not The more to blame quod he and now I would haue al you gentlewomen take of the best meates and goe suppe with him for company driueth away carefulnesse and leaue you me here with your leauinges alone Naye syr quod Mistresse Elinor I pray you giue me leaue to beare you company for I dare not aduenture thither The Lorde of the Castle was contented dispatched awaye the rest who taking with them such viandes as they thought méetest went vnto Ieronimies chamber fynding him vp and walking about to recouer strength whereat Dame Fraunces reioysed and declared how her Father had sente that company to attend him at supper Ferdinando gaue great thankes missing now nothing but his Mistresse thought not good yet to aske for hir but because he partly gessed the cause of hir absence he contented himselfe hoping that when his lure was newe garnished he shoulde easely recleame hyr from those coy conceyptes They passed ouer their supper all in quyete and sone after Mistresse Fraunces being desirous to requite Dame Pargoes quibbes requested that they might continue the pastime which Dame Pergo had begonne ouer night whervnto they all consented and the lot fell vnto Dame Fraunces to propounde the second question who adressing hir speche vnto Ferdinādo said in this wise Noble gouernor I will reherse vnto you a strange historie not fayned neyther borowed out of any oulde aucthoritie but a thing done in deed of late dayes and not farre distant from this place where wée nowe remayne It chaunced that a gentleman our neyghbour being maryed to a very fayre gentlewoman liued with hir by the space of fower or fiue yeares in greate contentacion trusting hir no lesse than he loued hir and yet louing hir as much as any man could loue a woman On that other side the gentlewoman had woonne vnto hir beautie a singular commendation for hir chast and modest behauiour Yet it happened in time that a lustie young gentleman who very often resorted to them obtayned that at hir handes which neuer any man coulde before him attaine and to be plaine he wonne so much in hir affections that forgetting both hir owne duty and hir husbandes kindnes shée yéelded hir body at the commaundement of this louer in which pastime they passed long tyme by theyr pollitycke gouernment At last the frendes of this Lady and especially thrée sisters which she had espied ouermuch familliarity betwene the two louers and dreading least it might breake out to their cōmon reproch toke their sister apart and declared that the world did iudge scarce well of the repayre of that Gentleman vnto hyr house and that if she did not foresée it in time shée should not onely léese the good credite which she hir selfe had hitherto possessed but furthermore should distaine theyr whole race with common obloquy reproche These and sundry other Godly admonitions of those sisters could not sink in the mind of this gentlewoman for she dyd not only stand in defiaunce what any man could thinke of hir but also séemed to accuse them that because they saw hir estimation being their yonger to grow aboue their owne they had therefore deuised this meane to set variance betwene hir husbande and hir The sisters seing their holesome counsell so reiected and hir continue styll in hir obstinate opinion adressed theyr speache vnto hir husbande declaring that the worlde iudged not the best neyther they themselues did very wel like of the familiaritie betwene their sister and that gentleman and therfore aduised him to forecast all perils and in time to forbid him his house The husband on the other side had also conceiued suche a good opinion of his gest
had growen into such a stricte familliaritie with him that you might with more ease haue remoued a stone wal than once to make him think amis eyther of his wyfe or of hir louer Yea and immediatelie after this conference he woulde not sticke thus to say vnto his wife Lamia for so in déede was hir name thou hast thrée such busie brained sisters as I thinke shortlye their heads wyll breake they woulde haue me to bée iellous of thée no no Lamia c. so that he was not onely far from any such beléefe but furthermore dyd euerye daye increase his curtesies towards the louer The sisters being thus on all sides reiected and yet perceyuing more more an vnséemelye behauiour betwéene their sister and hir minion began to melt in their owne grease and such was theyr enraged pretence of reuenge that they suborned diuers seruauntes in the house to watch so dilligentlye as that this treason might de discouered Amongst the rest one mayde of subtile spirite had so long watched them that at last she spied them go into the chamber together and lockte the doore to them wherevpon she ranne with all hast possible to hir Mayster and toold him that if he would come with hir she would shewe him a very straunge sighte The gentleman suspecting nothing went with hir vntill he came into a chamber néere vnto that wherein they had shut themselues And she pointing hir mayster to the keyhole bad him looke through where he sawe the thing which moste mighte mislike him to behold Where at he sodaynely drewe his Dagger and turned towardes the mayde who fled from him for feare of mischiefe But when he could not ouertake hir in the heat of his coller he commaunded that she should forth wyth trusse vp that little which she had and to departe his seruice And before hir departure he found meanes to talke with hir threatening that if euer she spake any worde of this mistery in any place where she should come it should cost hir life The mayde for feare departed in silence and the Maister neuer changed coūtenance to either his wife or to hir paramour but fayned vnto his wife that he had turned a waye the mayde vpon that sodayne for that shee had throwen a Kitchin knife at him whiles he went about to correct a fault in hir c. Thus the good gentleman dranke vp his owne swette vnseene euery day encreasing curtesie to the louer and neuer chaunging countenaunce to his wife in any thing but onely that he refrayned to haue such knowledge of hir carnally as he in tims past had and other men haue of their wiues In this sort he continued by the space all most of halfe a yeare neuerthelesse lamenting his mishap in solytary places At last what moued him I know not he fell a gayn to company with his wife as other men do and as I haue heard it sayed he vsed this pollicy Euery time that he had knowledge of hir he would leaue either in the bed or in hir cusshencloth or by hir looking glasse or in some place where she must néedes finde it a piece of money which then was in Italie called a Caroline Thus he dealt with her continuallye by the space of fowre or fiue monethes vsing hir neuerthelesse very kindly in all other respects and prouiding for hir all things necessary at the first call But vnto his geast he still augmented his curtesie in such sort that you would haue thought them to be sworne brothers All this notwithstanding his wife much musing at these smal péeces which she founde in this sort and furthermore hauing sundrye times found hir husband in solitarye places making great lamentation shée grewe inquisitiue what should be the secréete cause of these alterations vnto whom he would none otherwise answere but the any man should finde occatiō to be more pensiue at one time than at another The wife notwithstanding increasing hir suspect imparted the same vnto hir louer alledging therewithal that she doubted verye much least hir husband had some vehemēt suspicion of their affaires The louer encoraged hir likewise declared that if she would be importunate to enquire the cause hir husband would not be able to kepe it from hir and hauing now throughly instructed hir shée dealt with her husband in this sort One day when shée knew him to be in his study alone she came into him and hauing fast locked the doore after hir conueyed the keye into hir pocket she began first with earnest entreaty and then with teares to craue that he woulde no longer kéepe from hir the cause of his sodaine alteration The husband dissimuled the matter still at last she was so earnest to know for what cause he left money in such sort at sundry times That he aunswered on this wise Wyfe quod hée thou knowest howe long wée haue béene married togeather and howe long I made so deare accompt of thée as euer man made of his Wife since which dayes thou knowest also howe long I refrained thy company and howe long againe I haue vsed thy company leauing the money in this sort and the cause is this So long as thou dyddest behaue thy selfe faithfullye towardes mée I neuer lothed thy company but sithens I haue perceiued thée to bée a harlotte and therefore dyd I for a tyme refraine and forbeare to lye with thée and nowe I can no longer forbeare it I giue thée euery time that I lye with thée a Caroline which is to make thée vnder stande thine owne whordome and this rewarde is sufficient for a whore The wife beganne stoutlye to stand at defiaunce but the husband cut of hir speach and declared when where and how he had sene it hereat the woman being abashed and finding hir conscience guilty of asmuch as he had aledged fell downe on hir knées with most bitter teares craued pardon confessing hir offence whereat hir husband moued with pitie melting likewise in floods of lamentation recomforted hir promising that if from that day forwardes she would be true vnto him he would not onely forgiue al that was past but become more tender and louing vnto hir then euer he was What doe I tarrye so long they became of accord and in full accomplishment thereof the gentlewoman dyd altogeather eschewe the company the speach and as much as in hir laye the sight of hir louer although hir husband dyd continue his curtesie towards him and often charged his wife to make him fayre resemblaunt The Louer was nowe onelye left in perplexitie who knewe nothing what might be the cause of all these chaunges and that most gréeued him he could by no meanes optaine againe the speach of his desired he watched all opportunities hée suborned messengers hée wroote letters but all in vaine In the ende she caused to bée declared vnto him a time and place where she woulde méete him and speake with him Being met she put him in remembraunce of all that had passed betwéene
them shée layde also before him howe trusty she had bene vnto him in all professions she confessed also howe faithfullye he had discharged the duety of a friend in al respectes and therwithall she declared that her late alteration and pensiuenesse of minde was not without great cause for that she had of late such a mishap as might chaunge the disposition of any lyuing creature Yea and that the case was such as vnlesse she found present remedy hir death must needes ensue and that spedely for the preuenting whereof she alledged that she had beaten hir braines with al deuises possible and that in the ende she could thinke of no redresse but one the which lay only in him to acomplish Wherfore she besought him for all the loue and good will which had euer passed betwéene them nowe to shewe the fruites of true friendship and to gratifie hir with a frée graunt to this request The louer who had alwayes bene desirous to pleasure hir in any thing but now especially to recouer hir wonted kindnesse gan franklye promise to accomplishe any thing that might be to him possible yea though it were to his great detriment and therewithall dyd déepely blame hir in that shée would so long torment hir selfe with any griefe considering that it lay in him to helpe it The Ladye aunswered that she had so long kept it from his knowledge bicause she doubted whether hée would be content to performe it or not although it was such a thing as he might easely graunt without any manner of hurt to himself yet now in the ende she was forced to aduenture vppon his curtesie being no longer able to beare the burdē of hir griefe the louer solicited her most earnestly to disclose it and she as fast séemed to mistrust that he would not accomplish it In the ende she tooke out a booke which she had brought for the nonce bound him by othe to accomplishe it The louer mistrusting nothing lesse thā that ensued toke the othe willingly which done she declared al that had passed betwene hir hir husband his griefe hir repentance his pardon hir vowe and in the ende of hir tale enioyned the louer that from thenceforthwardes he should neuer attempt to breake her constant determinatiō the louer replied that this was vnpossible But she plainlye assured him that if he graunted hir that request she would be his friend in al honest godly wise if not she put him out of doubt that she would eschew his company and flée from his sight as from a scorpion The louer considering that hir request was but iust accusing his owne guiltye conscience remembring the great curtesies alwayes vsed by hir husband and therewithall séeing the case now brought to such an issue as that by no other meanes than by this it could be conceiled from the knowledge of the worlde but most of all being vrged by his othe dyd at last giue an vnwilling consent and yet a faithful promise to yelde vnto hir wyl in al thinges and thus being become of one assent he remaineth the derest friend most welcome gest that may be both to the Lady and hir husband and the man and the wife so kind each to other as if there neuer had bene such a breche betwen them Now of you noble Gouernor I would faine lerne whether the perplexity of the husband when he looked in at the keye hoole or of the wife when she knewe the cause why the Carolines were so scattered or of the louer when he knew what was his mistres charge was greater of the thrée I might haue put in also the troubled thoughts of the sisters the mayd when they saw their good wil reiected but let these thrée suffice Gentle Hope quod Ferdinando you haue rehearsed that right eloquētly a notable tale or rather a notable history because you séeme to affirme that is was done in dede of late not far hence Wherein I note fiue especial pointes that is a maruailous patience in the husband no lesse repentaunce in the wife no smal boldnesse of the mayde but muche more rashnesse in the sisters last of al a rare tractabilitie in the louer Neuerthelesse so returne vnto your question I thinke the husbands perplexity greatest because his losses abounded aboue the rest his iniuries were vncōparable The Lady Fraunces did not seme to contrary him but rather smiled in hir sléeue at Dame Pergo who had no lesse patience to here the tale recited then the Lady Fraunces had pleasure in telling of it By this time the sléeping houre aproched the Ladyes prepared their departure when as mistres Fraūces sayd vnto the Venetiane Although percase I shall not do it so hādsomly as your mistres yet good Trust quod she if you vouchsafe it I can be content to trim vp your bed in the best maner that I may as on who would be as glad as she to procure your quiet rest Ferdinando gaue hir great thāks desiring hir not to trouble hirself but to let his man alone with that charge Thus they departed how al partyes toke rest that night I knowe not but in the morning Ferdinando began to consider with himselfe that he might lye long ynough in his bed before his mistres would be apeased in hir peuishe conceipts wherfore he arose being aparelled in his night gowne tooke occation to walke in the gallery néere adioyning vnto his mistres chamber but there might he walke long inough ere his Mistresse would come to walke with him When dinner time came he went into the great chamber whereas the Lord of the Castle saluted him being ioyful of his recouerye Ieronimy giuing due thanks declared that his friēdly entertainement togeather with the great curtesie of the gentlewomen was such as might reuiue a man although he were halfe dead I would bée loath quod the hoast that any Gentleman comming to mee for good wyll shoulde want any curtesie of intertainement that lyeth in my power When the meate was serued to the table the Gentlewomen came in all but Dame Elynor and Mistresse Pergo the which Ferdinando marked very well and it dyd somewhat abate his apetite After diner his Hope came vnto him and demaunded of him howe hée would passe the daye for his recreation to whome he answered euen as it best pleased hir She deuised to walke into the parke and so by litle and litle to acquaint himself with the ayre he agréed and they walked togeather being accompanied with one or two other gentle women And although there were nowe more cause that hee shoulde mistrust his Mistresse than euer he had before receyued yet the vehement passions which he sawe in her when she first came to visite him and moreouer the earnest words which she pronounced in his extremitie were such a refreshing to his minde as that he determined no more to trouble him selfe with like conceiptes concluding further that if his mistresse were not faultie then had
the woorthie prayse Whose ofspring holdes the honor of his sire He coulde declare what VVallop was alwayes What Awdelie séemde what Randell did require He coulde say what desertes in Drewrie be In Reade in Bryckwell and a meany moe But bashfulnesse did make him blush least he Should but eclypse their fames by singing so Suffiseth this that still he honors those Which wade in warres to get a woorthie name And least estéemes the gréedie snudge which goes To gayne good golde without respecte of fame And for the thirde sorte those that in dystresse Do driue their dayes till drummes do draw them out He coumpts him selfe to bée nor more nor lesse But euen the same for sure withouten doubt If drummes once sounde a lustie martch in déede Then farewell bookes for he will trudge with spéede FINIS Tam Marti quà m Mercurio Corected perfected and finished WHo soeuer is desirous to reade this proposicion more at large and cunningly handled let him but peruse the Prouerbe or adage it self in the first Centurian of the fourth Chyllyade of that famouse Clarke Erasmus Roterodamus the vvhiche is there also Entituled Dulce bellum inexpertis ⧠HEARBES Tam Marti quà m Mercurio ¶ In this diuision are conteyned The Comedie called Supposes Folio 1. The Tragedie called Iocasta Fol. 73 The fruite of Reconciliation 129 The force of true Frendship 131 The force of Loue in Strangers 132 The praise of browne beautie 134 The Partrich and the Merlyn 135 The vertue of Ver. 136 The complainte of a Dame in absence 138 The praise of a Coūtesse 139 The affectiō of a louer 140 The complainte of a Dame suspected 141 A Riddle 143 The shield of Loue. 144 The gloze vpon Dominus ijs opus habet 145 Gascoignes counsel to Diue. Fol. 148 Gascoignes counsel to Wythipole 151 Gascoygnes woodmanship Fol. 156 Gascoigns gardenings 160 Gascoigns iourney into Hollande 163 SVPPOSES A Comedie vvritten in the Italian tongue by Ariosto Englished by George Gascoygne of Grayes Inne Esquire and there presented 1566. The names of the Actors BAlia the Nurse Polynesta the yong woman Cleander the Doctor suter to Polynesta Pasyphilo the Parasite Carion the Doctors man. Dulypo fayned seruant and louer of Polynesta Erostrato fayned master and suter to Polynesta Dalio Crapyno seruantes to fayned Erostrato Scenaese a gentleman stranger Paquetto Petrucio his seruantes Damon father to Polinesta Neuola and two other his seruants Psyteria an olda hag in his house Phylogano a Scycilian gentleman father to Erostrato Lytio his seruant Ferrarese an Inkéeper of Ferrara The Comedie presented as it were in Ferrara The Prologue or argument I Suppose you are assembled here supposing to reape the fruite of my trauayles and to be playne I meane presently to presente you vvith a Comedie called Supposes the verye name vvherof may peraduenture driue into euery of your heades a sundry Suppose to suppose the meaning of our supposes Some percase vvill suppose vve meane to occupie your eares vvith sophisticall handling of subtill Suppositions Some other vvil suppose vve go about to discipher vnto you some queint conceiptes vvhich hitherto haue bene onely supposed as it vvere in shadovves and some I see smyling as though they supposed vve vvould trouble you vvith the vaine suppose of some vvanton Suppose But vnderstand this our Suppose is nothing else but a mystaking or imagination of one thing for an other For you shall see the master supposed for the seruant the seruant for the master the freeman for a slaue and the bondslaue for a freeman the stranger for a vvell knovven friend and the familiar for a stranger But vvhat I suppose that euen already you suppose me very fonde that haue so simply disclosed vnto you the subtilties of these our Supposes vvhere othervvise in deede I suppose you shoulde haue hearde almoste the laste of our Supposes before you coulde haue supposed anye of them arighte Let this then suffise Supposes Actus primus Scena 1. BALIA the Nurse POLYNESTA the yong vvoman HEre is no body come foorth Polynesta let vs looke about to be sure least any man heare our talke for I thinke within the house the tables the plankes the beds the portals yea and the cupbords them selues haue eares Pol. You might as well haue sayde the windowes and the doores do you not sée howe they harken Ba. Well you iest faire but I would aduise you take héede I haue bidden you a thousande times beware you will be spied one day talking with Dulippo Po. And why should I not talke with Dulippo as well as with any other I pray you Ba. I haue giuen you a wherfore for this why many times but go too followe your owne aduise till you ouerwhelme vs all with soden mishappe Po. A great mishappe I promise you marie Gods blessing on their heart that sette suche a brouche on my cappe Ba. Well looke well about you a man would thinke it were inough for you secretly to reioyce that by my helpe you haue passed so many pleasant nightes togither and yet by my trouth I do it more than halfe agaynst my will for I would rather you had setled your fansie in some noble familie yea and it is no small griefe vnto me that reiecting the suites of so many nobles and gentlemen you haue chosen for your darling a poore seruaunt of your fathers by whome shame and infamie is the best dower you can looke for to attayne Po. And I pray you whome may I thanke but gentle nourse that continually praysing him what for his personage his curtesie and aboue all the extreme passions of his minde in fine you would neuer cease till I accepted him delighted in him and at length desired him with no lesse affection than he earst desired me Ba. I can not denie but at the beginning I did recommende him vnto you as in déede I may say that for my selfe I haue a pitiful heart séeing the depth of his vnbridled affection and that continually he neuer ceassed to fill mine eares with lamentable complaynts Po. Nay rather that he filled your pursse with bribes and rewards Nourse Ba. Well you may iudge of Nourse as you liste In déede I haue thought it alwayes a déede of charitie to helpe the miserable yong men whose tender youth consumeth with the furious flames of loue But be you sure if I had thought you would haue passed to the termes you nowe stand in pitie nor pencion peny nor pater noster shoulde euer haue made Nurse once to open hir mouth in the cause Po. No of honestie I pray you who first brought him into my chamber who first taught him the way to my bed but you fie Nourse fie neuer speake of it for shame you will make me tell a wise tale anone Ba. And haue I these thanks for my good wil why then I sée wel I shall be counted the cause of all mishappe Po. Nay rather the author of my good happe gentle Nourse for I would thou knewest