it is gone again neither giueth any possibility for y e louer to enioy it but is like to Tantalus in the riuer Stix that when he would drinke of the water it flyeth away from him neither is there any sustenance left for him to receiue and that also which is drunke is first taken away before that hé◠which drinketh can be satisfied euermore he must depart so from his louer as if there hadde béene nâ—uer no such loue or else but newe beganne and the pleasure is mingled with a kinde of sorrow and hee is euer drie but his thirst can neuer bee quenched Then sayde Menelaus but you Clitiphon doo not séeme to knowe which is the chéefest felicitie in loue that alway is most to be wished for which bringeth no lothasomenesse and wherewith one is neuer satisfied for those things which remaine the longer to vs for to enioy them do take away the delight thereof with too much sacietie but those thinges which sometimes are taken away are alway newe and do daily flourish and as much as is taken away from them by the shortnesse of time so much is added to the greatnesse of the desire and theyr pleasure doth not fade and wherefore is the Rose accounted the fairest of all plants but because it soonest doth fade away surely I doo thinke that there is two kindes of bewtie which is amongst mortall men the one heauenly the other common which indéede are the verie giuers of all bewtie and the heauenly bewtie scorneth to be ioyned with our mortall and therfore striueth to flie vp to heauen the common bewtie créepeth on the ground and cleaue to euery base bodie and if you will that I shall bring you a witnesse for this which I haue sayde marke you the Poet Homere whose verses are these The Goddes incensed with bewtie of this Boy To heauen him brought to serue great Ioue aboue In filling of sweet Nectar and Ambrosian wine Who can deny but that the cause was loue Neuer was there woman for bewtie brought vp to heauen although Iupiter loued women well Alcmena fell into lamentations and was constrained to hide her selfe the Tower and the Sea kept Dianae prisoner Semele was consumed by fire But when he fel in loue with this Phrygian boy Ganymedes he tooke him vp to heauen with him that he might dwell togither with him and serue him at his table and cast Helle down from heauen which did supply the place before for shée was a woman But I taking his words out of his mouth thus replyed Nay quoth I woman-kinde séeme to be most heauenly and that for a strong reason because their bewtie doeth not so quickly fade that commeth next vnto heauenlinesse which is farthest from corruption and contrary that ought not to bee called heauenly but earthly which is most subiect to alteration because it is most like to mens nature Iupiter loued this Phrygian boy and tooke him vp to heauen what then This doth not detract any thing from womens bewtie for a womans loue he transformed himselfe into a Eull so he did not for the loue of him for the loue of Leda he chaunged himself into a Swan and oftentimes did he take the shape of a Satyre Gold and many such like things But let Ganymedes fill the cuppe for Iupiter while Iuno lye with the Goddes since the Goddesse hath a boy to be her cup-bearer It pittieth me truly to heare or thinke how he was carryed vp to heauen a rauenous bird snatched him away and he was no otherwise dealt withall theÌ„ those who fal into the hands of a tirant Was it not I pray you a grief to sée a boy catched vp in the talents of such a bird his head hanging down as if he were now readie to fall such a carrion deuouring bird did not carry Semele to heauen but the fire which is the chiefest of the element and let not this séeme straunge vnto you that some haue bene taken vp to heauen in flames of fire For Hercules went no otherwise to heauen Do you laugh at Danaes imprisonment in the Tower and her seruituds at the rocke I pray you remember Perseus this one thing satisfied Alcmena that Iupiter for her fake tooke thrée whole dayes from the world But if omitting these fables you will make mention of that true pleasure which is conceiued in women although herein I haue not bin much conuersant but one who hath experience in these matters may speake more if he please neither hath there bene any vse or delight wherewith I haue enured my selfe yet I will speake as much as I can their bodies are tender to imbrace their lippes soft for to kisse whose whole proportion of the bodie is onely made to moue delight and he which doth enioy a bewtifull woman hath the true felicitie of all pleasure for he doth imprint in her lippes as they who seale in waxe shée also doth kisse as it were by art seasoning her kisses with a swéeter delight neither is it sufficient to kisse her lippes but also to â—éed as it were vpon her mouth In touching of her tender breasts what great delight there is I leaue to them whom experience hath made perfect herein and euen in their naturall actions shée doth so delight as that he might thinke himselfe in another world The kisses of boyes are rude their imbracings vnapt and vnnaturall whose delight doth languish and is veyd of all true pleasure indéed Then said Menelaus you séeme not to be a neuice in this art but one who haue serued in Cupid his warres a lonâ—â—ime you haue reckoned vp so many curiosities of women But now marke you me againe and I will shewe you what pleasure is reaped in the loue of boyes In a woman not only her words but also all her actioÌ„s are ful of subtiltie if some be faire they may thanke the Painters shoppe all whose bewtie is compacted of nothing else then of painting colouring and curling their haire and in kissing from whom take away this painting and counterfetting of colours and truly you will thinke them barer then a Iaye as the Prouerbe is when all his stolne feathers are plucked from his backe but the bewtie of boyes is not besmeared with the counterfeyt of painting neither spunged vp with borrowed perfumes the very sweate of the browes of a boy doth excell all the swéete sauours of Muske and Ciuet about a woman and a man may openly talke and play with them and neuer bee ashamed neither is there any tendernesse of flesh which is like to them their kisses do not sauour of womens curiositie neither beguile with a foolish error the kisses of them are swéete and delightfull not procéeding of art but of nature and the very image and picture of their kisses are so swéete and pleasant that you might very wel thinke that heauenly Nectar to bee betwéene your lippes The third Booke The Contents The description of their shipwracke how Menelaus was cast on shore at Paralia
also could not chuse but be angry with the letter but loue was opposed against her anger that hauing aide of slaunder at length gotte the victorie wherefore when night was come Thersander went to a friendes house of his in the Cittie but Melite went to the man who had the custody of me hauing talked with him she came in to mée the other Seruants not knowing but onely two whom she had appointed to stay at the doore vntill her returne again and hauing found me lying vpon the grounde and comming neere to mee although shee coulde not speake all her mind at that instant yet her countenance did séeme to deliuer it saying O vnhappie woman that I am and borne first to my owne perdition which also do so much desire that which I cannot attaine O more then mad which loue him that despiseth me which being tormented with gréefe doo take pitie vpon him which is light affected yet I cannot cease to loue the author of these so many my mishappes against me there is both a man and a woman conspiring wherof the one doth scorne me the other is gone to gather hearbes yet could not I know before that I craued aide of my veriest enemie Hauing spoken thus incensed with furie she flung it into my face which when I vnderstood I was astonied and cast down my head as if I hadde béene guilty of some hainous crime But she beganne still to lament and wéepe crying out Alas alas what shal be come of me affliected with so many calamities for thy sake I lost my husbande neyther yet could I enioy thée but shortly also I shall loose thy sight which alone is graunted to me And moreouer for thy cause my husband hateth and detesteth me accusing me of adulterie and that with him with whom I neuer receiued any delight or pleasure so much shame reproch hath happened to me Other womeÌ„ by their dishonesty can reape their pleasure but I alone without pleasure haue gotteÌ„ reproch and shame ignominie O trecher O barbarian O thou Clitiphon more cruell then pirates more hard hearted then tyrants canst thou finde in thy heart to sée a weake woman burning in thy loue and so cruelly tormented and cannot thou take pittie on her since thou also art in loue Doest thou not feare the wrath of Cupid Doest thou not care for his firebrandes and secret misteries art not thou moued so pittie with these teares which these eyes haue shed so aboundantly wherwithall euen very robbers will be mooued to compassion what were not my prayers of force to persweade thée to embrace mée or to do that which I haue long desired did neither the oportunitie of the time serue had neither my embracings or dalliance any force to mooue Moreouer that which was the most reprochfull of all abandoning my kissing embracing and toying as if you were nothing affected towards me I pray you what is this but a shadowe of mariage you did not ly with one which was past child bearing who did refuse your kindnesse but with a yong one a louing and another perhappes will say faire and beautifull O thou Eunuch O thou gelding O despiser of beautie Now do I beséeche the immortall goddes that al thing may fall out contrary to thy desires that the three sisters may conspire to crosse thée which thou now doost prepars against mée Thus did Melite speak not without teares then did she held her peace a litle assoone as she saw y t I replied nothing cast mine eies vpon the ground her mind being changed she begaÌ„ to vtter these words What I haue hitherto spoken swéet youth choler grief forced me thereunto but now loue constraineth me to speake Howe could I be angry or cast such reproaches vpon thée when as I was all in a heate the very fire did possesse the inward parts of any body Now at the leÌ„gth obey I do not desire many days or perpetual mariage which thou hast hitherto prolonged the more vnfortunate I one only accoÌ„panying is sufficieÌ„t so litle ayd will driue away so great a wouÌ„d Come therfore extinguish this fire a litle whatsoeuer I haue spokeÌ„ more sharply against thée pardoÌ„ me since it is incideÌ„t to passioÌ„s it caÌ„not otherwise be but she y t loueth vnhappily must raue sometimes neither do I forget how filthy a cause I plead But yet I am not ashamed to declare the secrets of loue To some Cupids dartes are not felt and the wounds of louers are made knowne to none but those which are in loue this day remaineth yet wherein I pray thée performe thy promise Remember Isis and doo not séeme litle to regard that oath which thou swarest in her Temple but if thou wouldest performs thy promise as it was confirmed by oathes betwéene vs I would not care for a thousand Thersanders But because Leucippe cannot be found by any meanes I would wish you to marry some other although that al things séeme to offer warre against me and the very dead are risen from their graues O sea thou hast preserued a Sayler but by preseruing him thou hast cast him into greater daungers two dead persons are reuiued again to my perdition as though one Leucippe were not sufficient but let her liue so that Clitiphon do not liue in sorrow Who can endure this that wicked Thersander should returne now and I standing by to strike thee and could not helpe thée As yet good goddes all thy face is full of blew wales I thinke Thersander was blind But now O maister Clitiphon for thou alone doest possesse my heart I begge this one thing that thou wouldst giue me now the first and last thing which I will craue of thée this little delay seemes longer to me then many dayes so neither you haue lost your Leucippe neither she dyed a false death doo not neglect my loue for whose cause when amongst other commodities yet thou shalt haue Leucippe restored againe vnto thée had not I loued thée and brought thée hither thou wouâ—dst yet haue thought thy Leucippe to haue bin dead Moreouer you are to thanke fortune for this kindnesse as a man did vpon a time who hauing founde a great treasure in the earth honoured the place where he found it consecrating an altar offring of sacrifices he crowned the earth Thou doest not onely giue me no thankes for finding thy treasure with me but also doest despise the author of this thy good turne Thinke that for my sake loue did speake to thée in this maner O Clitiphon graunt me this one thing which am standerd bearer to thée in thy warre that Melite doo not depart from thée vntouched it is my fire which burneth her wherefore Clitiphon obey the commaundements of thy God since thou wilt that I shall looke to all thy other affaires I will deliuer thée from bands although Thersander would not haue it so and I will adorne a chamber for thee wherein thou shalt liue as long as thou
togither with Clinias he fetcht a great sigh theÌ„ Clinias as it were depending of his soule with a foultering tong said Thou dost kil me with thy silence what it is that tormenteth thée thus or with whom dost thou striue Then said Charicles my father goeth about to marry mee to a wife and she is hard fauored and deformed too that I might be tormented with a double hell for since a faire wife is a great trouble how can it otherwise be but that an ill fauored one mâ—st néeds be twise worse but my father gaping after wealth doth affect much that family wo is me poor wretch which am sold for mony to be my wiues bondslaue which when Clinias hearâ— he wexed pale and inueying bitterly agaynst women kind he vehemently disswaded him from mariage saying what doth thy father go about to marry thée What hast thou deserued that thou shouldst be cast into bondes doest not thou heare great Ioue himselfe speaking for thée thus To these Ile giue the price of the heauenly fire stoln away To be a plague which none shall shun ne euer shal decay Such is the pleasure which is gotten in such matters that it may be very wel likened to y e nature of the Mermaids for they by the swéetnesse of their songs do vtterly destroy those which listen to them and thou maist behold the greatnesse of the mishaps insuing by the very preparation of the marriage as by the swéete sounding of the Musicke clapping togither of doores and burning of Tapers Now who seeing such great tumults and stirre would not count him vnfortunate that goeth about to take a wife to me he seemeth to go vnto a battell and if that thou didst abhor y e studie of humanitie then thou mightest perhaps be ignorant in the misaduentures which haue happened by women but when thou hast profited so well in that art that thou canst remember what arguments they haue ministred for the stage why shouldst thou forget the Iewell of Eryphile the banket of Phylomela the slaunder of Sthenoboea the incest of Aerope the crueltie of Progne in killing her own childe What and if the beautie of Chriseis did allure Agamemnon the fauour of Bryseis intice Achilles yet they were cause that both their armies were consumed by the plague Candaules king of Lydia maried a faire wife but he was slain by her the nuptial torches of Helen burnt Troy the chastitie of Penelope caused a great number of gallant wooers to be slain Phaedra caused Hippolitus whom she loued and Clytemnestra caused Agamemnon whome she hated presently to bée made away O women readie to all wickednesse which are a lyke pernicious vnto them whom they loue as to those whome they hate And what was the reason why Agamemnon should be slaine whose beautie was diuine His head and eyes were like to almightie Ioue And did like maiestie with his person moue And yet oh Iupiter such a mans head was cut off by a woman and for faire women let this suffice in whose company a meane vnhappinesse is alwayes present For beautie sometimes doth ease calamities and it alone is one good thing amongest so manie badde But if shée be as you say deformed you are punished indéede with a double hell and who by any meanes can endure it especially being of so tender age and rare beautie Do not by the immortall Gods O Charicles cast thy selfe into seruâ—tude nor do not croppe the flower of thy age before the time for amongest manie other mischiefes which bee in marriage yet this is one that the strength of thy age must bée spent there do not I pray thée good Charicles do not I say vndoo thy selfe and let so deformed a Gardener croppe so fayre and swéete a Rose Then sayde Charicles the Gods and I haue alwayes had a care of this and the marriage shall not bée yet this good while and many things may bée done by night and wée will consider of it at our leysure Wherefore nowe it remaynes that I go and exercise my selfe with the horse which you gaue mée for as yet I neuer did ride him So hée went away about to ende his first and last race but I went forwarde to declare vnto Clinias howe all my matters stoode howe I fell into loue and how I enioyed the sight of her I tolde him also her lodging her supper her beautie At length perceyuing my selfe to talke somewhat absurdly O Clinias said I I can neuer be euen with griefe for loue hath cast all his furie vpon me and hath left mée no place to take my rest Leucippe is alwayes in my minde in my eyes in my heart and al my cogitations neither euer was there any man to whoÌ„ like mishap euer happened for my griefe lyeth at home Thou talkest like a mad man sayd Clinias since it is not possible to inioy a more happier loue then thou dost for thou hast no néed to go to another mans house no néed of passengers betwéene fortune hath not separated her from thée but euen placed her togither with thée in the same house to another which is in loue it is sufficient if he can but inioy his mistresse lookes and he accounteth it the greatest pleasure that is but to satisfie his eyes with beholding her but they are thought most happy who haue libertie to talke togither but thou dost both sée her heare her and eat drinke togither with her And although that thou art thus happy yet thou complainest dost beare an vngratefull mind towards Cupid who hath done thus much for thée dost not thou know yet that there is greater pleasure in beholding thy mistresse then in touching her For while the eies do looke one vpoÌ„ another like vnto a looking glasse they do take in them the true proportion of the body for y e very images of beautie sent from the body by the help of the eies falling to y e hart do there although the bodies be separated asunder inioy a happie méeting and it is farre more delightfull then the carnall copulation of the bodies which doth séeme to me to be but altogither vaine and to tell you briefly my opinion what I thinke continuall vse hath greatest force to perswade and the eyes are the getters of loue and to get fauor daily custome doth most of all auaile whose force truly is such that it wil tame the very sauage wild beasts much more women Moreouer the equalitie in yeares will auaile much to obtaine her fauour for euer Betweene the like is the best coherence and so it is ordained by nature that euery like chooseth his like so that where she doth perceiue shée is loued she will requite it with a mutuall loue againe for euery maid would haue her self accounted faire and beautifull and doth reioice to be beloued and doth coÌ„mend her louer as a witnesse of her beautie And if there be any which thinketh she is beloued of noâ— she then begins to misdéeme of her own countenance
citie Then hauing giuen certain instructions about her husbandrie for which cause chéefely shee came thither she returned in her coach home to the Citie when supper was brought in we sate downe but Satyrus séemed by his countenance to haue some weighty matter to speake vnto me priuily made a signe to me to rise wherefore I fained as though I went to exonerate my belly I came forth but Satyrus saying not a word gaue me a letter which being sealed before I could breake it open a chill colde did shiuer through my bones for the letter was written with Leucippes hande after this manner Leucippe to her maister Clitiphou sendeth salutations DO not maruel though I cal you maister for with what other name I should call you I know not since you are my mistresses Husbande although you doo not very well know the great troubles which I haue suffered for your sake yet I thought it necessarie to certifie you of a few things for your sake I left my mother and vndertooke with you a voiage for your cause I was a sacrifice and after fell into the hands of pyrates I suffered shipwracke and also I suffered another kinde of death for your sake also I was bound in iron chaines I caried a spade I digged the ground and was scourged that you might become another womans husband and I another mans wife but I pray the gods forbid it I haue indured these calamities with a valiant minde but you not hurt free from wounds go about to solace your selfe with new marriages But if you thinke I deserue any thanks at all for these mishaps which I haue suffered request your wife that I may be set free as shee hath promised and pay her the money which Sosthenes laide out for me and because I am not farre from Byzantium take care that I may be carried thither and if you do not beleeue me thinke that my troubles are satisfied with this one thing Fare well The gods send you ioy of your new marriage These do I write vnto you being yet a Virgin WHen I had read the letter my minde was distracted into a thousand parts I did burne in loue waxe pale and sometime maruailed otherwhiles I did beleeue the letters being perplexed betwéene feare and ioy Then said I to Satyrus what hast thou brought this letter to mée from hell or what do these meane What is Leucippe aliue Yea said Satyrus and that is she which you saw bound in the countrey but the cutting of her haire hath so disguised her that she can scant be knowne of any why dost thou saide I fill mine eares with such good newes and will not shew mee my chéefest felicitie Be silent said Satyrus and dissemble the matter cunningly least you cast vs all away before some more surer counsell be had in the matter you sée that this is the chéefest woman in the citie and almost madde for your loue and we are now betwéene the two nettes destitute of all hope I cannot saide I for a delight and pleasure is spread throughout al the vaines of my body the letter doth expostulate with me Wherefore I red ouer the letter againe and answered in particular euery thing as if she had bin present being now absent Thou speakest to me O most swéet Leucippe and where thou didst write this thou hast suffred all these misfortunes for my sake I must néedes confesse I was the author of all these thy miseries but when I came to these words which contained the reproches and hard measure offred to her of Softhenes I wept as bitterly as if I had stood by séene them For y e cogitations turning the very edge of y e mind to those things which are signified in the paper doth represent to y e mind those things which are written no otherwise theÌ„ if they wer opposite before the eyes But when shée obiected my mariage a blushing red did couer all my face as if I had béen taken in manifest adulterie the very letters had mooued me so farre Then turning to Satyrus I cryed Alas what shall I doo what excuse shall I vse now Satyrus We are now takeÌ„ manifestly Leucippe knoweth all and I pray god her loue do not begin to be turned into hatred But I would willingly know how she escaped safe the pyrates hands whose carcase y t was which wée buried TheÌ„ sayd Satyrus she will tell you all at more leysure but necessity biddeth you to write back pacifie her for I did sweare y t willingly you would not marry Melite what hast thou tolde that I am maried now thou hast vndoone me for as yet all the whole cittie is ignorant of my mariage Moreouer I do sweare by Hercules and my good fortune that I am not maried to her Then said Satyrus I hope sir you doo but iest as though it is not manifestly knowne that you haue bin in bed togither But I know said I that I speak of greater knowledge for Melite hath not enioyed mee according to her will But first tell mée what I shuld write for this change hath wonderfully mooued me so much as y t I know not what I may do Then said Satyrus I am not wiser then you therefore beginne to write loue will indite the rest but dispatch as soone as you can and haue very great care what you set down wherefore I wrote a letter after this forme Clitiphon to Leucippe sendeth salutations AL health to my deare mistresse Leucippe For I present do behold you present but by your letters as though you were absent The selfe-same thing doth make me happy and wretched But if omitting all other things thou wiâ—t looke into the truth of the matter making no preiudice of me you shaâ—l find that my virginitie if there be any virginitie of men hath followed your example but if for a wroÌ„g cause you begin to hate me I earnestly beseech you that you would change your opinion For I do promise as the gods be my helpers that it will come to passe that you shall verily knowe that I am in no fault Farwell And let me vnderstand from you that you be fauourable to me THe letters being writteÌ„ and sealed vp I gaue theÌ„ to Satirus to conuey requesting him to speake no more of me theÌ„ becommed him being thus full of pleasure sorrow I returned to supper but it came into my minde how that Melite would not let me depart that night because the marriage was not full finished betwéene vs neither could it be that Leucippe being found I should once looke vpon another Wherefore I determined to set my couÌ„tenance so as y t she might knew my mind to be changed and least she should enforce my promise for I fained that I had caught a shaking with a cold Melite although she perceiued that I went about to séeke an occasion because I would not kéepe my promise yet she could not openly conuince me Wherefore not hauing supped I rose vp â—o go
hast deliuered the adulterer thou hast set him frée from his bondes thou hast sent him out of the house why doest not thou follow him why doest thou stay heere rather follow thy louer that thou maist beholde him bounde in more stronger chaines Then said Melite what adulterer do you meane are you well in your wits which talke thus vainly If you wil lay aside your choler heare what I shal say you may easily know the truth This one thing I request you that you would shew your self an equal iudge and casting slaunder out of your eares placing reason in stéed of anger I pray you listen to my tale This man is neither an adulterer nor my husbaÌ„d he is a Phaenician born in Tyrus inferior to none of y e country As he sailed fortune séemed to frown vpoÌ„ him for his ship was split his merchandice all lost in shipwrack which wheÌ„ I heard being moued with the misfortune of the man being also mindful of you I entertained him thinking with my self that it might so fal out that you also might wander abroad and some woman would take pittie vpon your aduersitie and if indéed you hadde perished in the waters as it was reported abroad doo not thinke then that I did amisse if I succoured all such as suffered shipwracke How many doo you thinke I haue relieued which haue endured the violence of the Sea what number do you belieue I haue buried which haue perished in the water and if I could get but a boord of some broken ship which came to land I would take it vp saying Perhaps my Thersander was carried in this shippe Of those which haue escaped the daunger of the sea he is one and the last whom when I offred what other thing did I doo then be obedient vnto you he sayled as you did and therefore deare husband I pittied his mishappe as a picture of yours Now doo you knowe after what order I brought him hither Moreouer he did bewaile the death of his wife whome hée thought to haue perished although she did not whom I know not who it was which did certifie me that she was aliue and did lodge at our Steward Sosthenes his house And the matter was found out thus for going into the Countrey we found a woman which bewayling and making great mone followed me you know where Sosthenes dwelleth she is with him in the Countrey you may demaund of him of all things concerning her at your pleasure if you can finde I haue not spoken the truth in any thing then shall you accuse me of adultery lawfully Thus spake Melite faining as though she had not heard of the rape of Leucippe determining also in her minde that if Thersander had gone about to haue knowne the truth of the matter she would haue brought the seruants to witnesse with whom she went that morning into the Country that now she can be found in no place neither did she moue this enquiry of Leucippe to him for any other intent then y t she would haue him belieue y e rest to be true which she had spoken and althogh she séemed to answer euery thing oppositly inough yet she wold infer this also and y â— swéet husband I wold not haue you thinke that these are fables remeÌ„ber how I led my life while we liued togither wherfore you do wrong me to think amisse of me now This report of the yong man procéeded to his honour because the cause was not knowne to many why I did receiue him into familiaritie and if a man must beléeue fame were not you thought to be drowned in the sea for flaunder and fame are two mischiefes propinquall to wit because this her daughter is more sharpe thâ—n a sword more hoter then fire and more apter then the Maremayde to perswade shee is more voluble then water more swifter then the wind more quicker then the lightening wherefore the spéech which is vttered with slaunder flyeth in manner of an arrow which woundeth him being absent against whom it is sent for hee which heareth and easilie beleeueth beeing incensed with anger doth rage against him which is wounded but fame procéeding from such a wound is manifold and dispersed into diuers places and being driuen with the winde of the spéech and being kept vp with the feathers of the tongue is carried round about euery where and falleth into their eares which she méeteth These two plagues haue coÌ„spired against me the same do now possesse your mind and driue my spéeches from your eares which when Melite had said tooke Thersander by the hand and would haue kissed it but hee mooued with the likelyhood of her words remitted his anger conceiued for that which she had reported of Leucippe agréeing with Sosthenes wordes which he had signified to him before did take away all suspition from him yet he would not beléeue all for a slaunder being once crept into ones mind will very hardly be rooted out But Thersander hearing that the maid which he loued was my wife was wonderfully troubled in minde and conceiued more hatred against me saying that he would enquire if the matter were so as he hadde heard Being thus disquieted he went to bed alone Melite â—ow being sore gréeued because she could not performe that which she had promised to mee but Sosthenes hauing dismissed Thersander requesting him to be absent a while hee came againe to Leucippe promising her many things and pretending some happinesse to her by his countenance hee hadde her be of good courage saying All things Lacaena will fall out prosporously Thersander is so farre in loue with you that he is readie to goe madde perhappes hée will marry you and I woulde you should knowe it is by my helpe alone which did commende the rarenesse of your excellent bewtie vnto him aboue all measure I fastened this conceyt in his verie marrowe wherefore leaue off this wéeping and be of good cheare and sacrifice to Venus for this felicitie besides haue care you remember mée then sayd Leucippe God graunt that such happinesse euer come to thée as thou hast reported vnto mée But Sosthenes little suspecting that shée mocked him thinking shée spake from her heart sayd I will recount to thée the estate and wealth of Thersander that thou maist knowe thou hast greater cause to reioyce Therefore know this for certaintie that hée is Melites husband which you sawe héere in the Countrey and the chéefest in birth amongest the Ionians whose stocke surpasseth his wealth but his gentlenesse excelleth all his riches Moreouer what should I talke of his age Thou seest that hée is a young man and bewtifull which two things women chiefely desire Héere Leucippe could not endure Sosthenes to prate any longer saying How long thou most infamous tempter wilt thou procéede to defile my eares with this thy vncleane talke What care I for Thersander let him bee fayre for Melite rich for his Countrey curteous and couragious to them which haue néede of his
index of the wounde from which being touched dooth flowe whole streames of bloud so the mind being wounded with the sharpe poynt of some ill nâ—wes dooth not instantly gape neyther doo the teares immediately come foorth which is as it were the bloud of the wounded heart but after that the tooth of sorrow hath somewhat touched it then is the minde rent asunder and the teares hauing made passage for their streame through the eyes doo flowe abundantly for my minde so soone as it was strooken with the spéech of him that reported the death of Leucippe as it were with a dart beganne after a little space to breathe from griefe and make passage for the teares Then sayd I what feare was this which allured me with so short ioy who shewed Leucippe to me that shée might be the cause of newe calamities vnto mée what because I coulde not satisfie my eyes with beholding by which alone I was happie or if I did beholde I was not filled with sight all my pleasure beeing like vnto a dreame O wretched man that I am for whom howe often haste thou died Leucippe shall I neuer cease from wéeping I thinke not for I sée a newe death commeth vpon one anothers backe but fortune before this time hath mocked me with her calamities but this I sée is no spoâ—â—ng matter After what meanes was Leucippe taken awaye before in those other suppposed deathes I hadde euer some comfort left first thy whole body thy head being taken awaye which I buried but now thou hast died a double death both of bodye and soule togither whaâ— hath it auailed thée to haue escaped the daunger of théeues twice if that this receiuing of Melites be the taking of thée away from me Why did I so often kisse the author of of thy death Why did I so swéetely embrace her and bestowe vppon her my first fruites of Venus before I gaue them to thée As I was thus complaining with my selfe Clinias came in whom I certified of the whole matter But said hée bée of good courage who knoweth whither â—he be aliue againe hath not shée béene often dead and yet reuiued Why then doest thou thus rashly disquiet and vexe thy selfe you may meditate of it at your leysure when you knowe certainely that shée is deade indéede You séeme to ieste with mee sayde I for howe can you knowe it more apparantlye surelie I doo thinke I haue founde a happie waye to death and it is such a one that Melite also shall not escape frée For I had deeréede as you knowe if so the destenies woulde suffer mée to wash awaye this obiected cryme of adultery by iudgement But newe I purpose to take a quite contrary course I will acknowledge the crime saying that I and Melite burning in loue togither did hire this miscreant priuily to murder Leucippe so shée shal suffer worthy punishment and I will leaue my lothsome life the gods wil grant al things I hope to fal out more happily What sayde Clinias dare you vndertake so filthy a facte committed and confesse her death which was your onely loue then said I There is nothing dishonest which bringeth shame and confusion to the enemie I beeing in this case not long after there came one to deliuer this man accused of the false murther who sayd he was appointed by the Archontes and that hee shoulde bée brought to aunswere those things which shoulde bée obiected against him In the meane time Clinias and Satyrus comforted mée and perswaded me aâ—so not to confesse any thing in iudgement as I hadde decréed But they the next day hired a house and there dwelt in that that they might not be séene in companie with Melite the next day I was brought into the Court and where Thersander was present with a great apparance hauing brought no lesse then ten lawyers to plead his cause neither I being readie to die would go about to sue for Melites defence After that they had made an ende of theyr argument and licence was graunted to mee to speake all these sayd I which haue pleaded for Thersander and Melite haue declared nothing but méere toyes you shall heare mee faithfully and dilligently declare the whole matter as it is I hadde a friende sometimes borne at Byzantium her name was Leucippe which I did thinke to haue perished for shee was violently taken from mee by the Aegyptian pyrates after it so chanced I fell in companie with Melite at Alexandria with whome growing into better acquaintance I came from thence hither where I found Leucippe seruing Sosthenes chéefe steward of Thersanders landes but howe Sosthenes could receiue a frée woman into bondage or what familiaritie hee hadde with the Pyrates I leaue to your gentle consideration Melite after shee perceiued that I hadde recouered my olde loue againe fearing least I shoulde settle my minde vppon her tooke counsell to make her awaie which I also allowed for why shoulde I denie it and when shee had promised to make me Lorde of all her wealth I hired a damned pesant to murther her promising him a hundreth péeces of Gold so he hauing committed the fact fled away neither since that time did I euer heare of him But loue séeing himselfe thus troubled suffered me not to go long vnreuenged for knowing the mayde was murthered being charged with an euill conscience I neuer ceased to wéepe since that time but nowe being burned with the desire of her I do loue her dead neither do I accuse my selfe for any other cause but that I would haue you send me thither where my louer is since that in your presence I am a murtherer and desire to die I cannot endure to liue any longer which when they had heard me apparantly confesse were amazed at the vnlooked for issue of the matter but especially Melite The lawyers which defended Thersanders cause when they heard that cryed out for ioy but they of Melites side did examine her if the cause were thus certaine But she being wonderfully distempered denied vtterly some things other things she granted and of purpose very closely she séemed to confesse but what I had told of Leucippe she verily affirmed that all was most true except her death wherefore when her spéech agréed with my confession they which defended Melite came so into suspition of her as that they were vncertain what spéech they should vse to defend her But Clinias when there was a great cry and tumult risen stood vp in the middle giue me leaue said he to speake a little since the iudgement is now to be giuen of his life which when he had obtained he wept saying O you men of Ephesus doo not rashly condemne this young man to death which you sée is desirous to die which is the onely easing of mischiefes to miserable men he hath taken vpon him the impious fact of wicked men that suffering punishment hee might finde some refuge for his aduersities I will declare to you in few words as breefe as