bewraie the cause of my sorrow but behold my sonne in what plight he is and thou shalt easily perceiue the cause of my complaint Iupiter Alasse my deare daughter what doe these teares preuaile knowest thou not what fatherly affection I haue alwaies borne thée what doest thou distrust that I wyll not succour thée or that I cannot Venus No I neither doubt the one nor distrust the other I onely demaund iustice against Folly the most outragious furie in the world which hath thus grieuously abused Cupid Folly Most mightie and soueraigne Iupiter beholde I am héere readie to answere to Venus complaints and to debate my right against Cupid Iupiter Folly I will neither accuse nor excuse thée vntill I haue heard the defence of the one as well as the plaint of the other least I should be thought parciall neither for the more auoiding of iniustice in the matter wil I suffer you to plead your owne causes but Venus choose you one of the Gods and Folly take you an other Venus I choose Appollo to defend my cause Folly And I Mercurie to maintaine my right Iupiter Then Apollo Mercurie prepare your selues to plead well in your clients cases and Apollo since you take the plaintiefes part let vs heare what you can say Apollo THe common people right soueraigne Iupiter although their minds be sotted almost seÌ„celes yet they haue al way had loue in such sacred estimation y â— they haue carefully rewarded theÌ„ w t the titles of honor dignity which haue excelled in y â— holy affection estéeming this only vertue if so rightly it may be tearmed sufficient of a maÌ„ to make one a God The Scithians for this cause canonized Pilades Orestes erecting temples vnto theÌ„ calling theÌ„ the Gods of amitie Castor Pollux were made immortal by this meanes not in y â— they were brothers but in y â— which is rare their loue was inuiolable Howe hath fame blazed abroad y â— loue of Dauid Ionathas y â— amitie of Pithias Damon of Titus Gysippus But y â— better to make manifest y â— force of loue amitie I will alledge the saying of Darius who opening a Pomgranat being demanded wherof he would haue as many as ther were graines within answered of Zopyres this Zopyre was his faithful friend by the meanes of whom he conquered Babylon I remember also a certaine Syrian demanding a maide in marriage and being willed to shew of what wealth he was said that he had no other riches but two friends estéeming himself rich inough with such possessions to craue y â— daughter of a great lord in mariage Did not loue cause Ariadne saue Theseus life Hyperminestra redéeme Linceus froÌ„ danger Medea frée Iason from perill Haue not many poore soldiers ben aduanced to high dignities by y â— meanes of loue yea doth not all pleasure profit procéed to man by loue causing him to looke w t an amiable countenance to speake pleasantly and to be curious in his ieastures although by nature he be dull sottish of a fierce looke What causeth a man to go braue fine in his apparell séeking euerie day new fashions but loue What procureth Gentlewomen to haue their haire frizeled crisped and embrodered with golde to be dressed after the Spanish French or Italian fashion but Loue. Painting their faces if they be foule with liuely colours But if they be faire they so carfully kéepe their beautie from the parching heate of Summer from the chilling colde of Winter from Wine raine and age as they remaine almost euer young not so much as forgetting to haue their shooes made fine and neate because the curiousnesse of men is such as they leaue not to looke from the crowne of the head to the soale of the foote to haue their iemmes iewells ouches ringes perfumed gloues and what not In fine what beautie or brauerie is in the apparell eyther of man or woman all proceedeth of Loue. Shall I saie that Musicke was onely inuented by loue yea truely for eyther it mittigateth the passions wherewith men are perplexed or else augmenteth their pleasure so that dayly they inuent diuerse kindes of instrumentes as Lutes Citrons Uiolls Flutes Cornets Bandoras whereon they plaie Madrigalis Sonnettes Pauins Measures Galiardes and all these in remembraunce of Loue as he for whom men doe more then for anie other What causeth men to iust tourney runne at tilt and combat but loue Who caused Comedies shews Tragedies and Masks to be inuented but Loue. Wherof commeth it that men delight to rehearse their amorous chaunces and straunge passions and to relate them to their companions some praising the courtesie of his Ladie another condempning his mistresse crueltie yea recounting a thousande mishappes which happen in theyr loues as Letters disclosed euyll reportes suspitious iealousie sometimes the husband comming home sooner than either the louer would or the wife doeth wish sometimes coniecturing without cause and other times beléeuing nothing but trusting vppon hys wiues honestie To be short the greatest pleasure after loue is to tell what perillous daungers are passed But what maketh so many Poets in the worlde is it not Loue the which séemeth to be the plaine song whereon all Poets doo descant yea there is few which write vppon any serious matter but they close vp their worke with some amorous clause or els they are the worse accepted Ouid hath celebrated the fame of Cupid Petracke and Virgil Homere and Liuâ—us Sapho yea that seuere Socrates wrote somewhat of his loue Aspasia Tush who rightly can denye that Loue is not the cause of all the glorie honour profite and pleasure which happeneth to man and that without it he cannot conuenientlye lyue but shall runne into a thousande enormities All this happie successe came by Loue as long as hée had his eyes but now being depriued of his sight and accompanied with Folly it is to be feared nay certainly to be beléeued that he shall be the cause of as manie discommodities mischiefes and mishaps as hethertoo hée hath bene of honour profit and pleasure The noble men which loued their inferiours and the subiects which dutifully serued their Lords shall be meruailously chaunged by the meanes of folly for the master shall loue his seruaunt onely for his seruice and the seruaunt his master onely for commoditie Yea there is none so addicted vnto vertue but if once he loue he shall presently commit some foolish touch and the more straight and firme loue is the greater disorder there shall be by the meanes of Folly There will returne into the world more then one Biblis more then one Semyramis then one Myrrha then one Canace then one Phaedra There shall be no place in the world vnspotted The high walls and treâ—lissed windowes shall not kéepe the Nunnes and Uestall Uirgins in sauegard Olde age shall tourne her aged affections into fond fancies and wanton desires Shame shall lyue as an exile There shall
pleasing you and my diligence in pleasuring her THE Duke hearing the friendly and faythfull protestation of the good Ladie Melytta tolde her that although it were great trouble for one of her age to frame her selfe as a companion to such young youth and that some care belonged to such a charge yet hée woulde so counteruaile her painefull labour with princely lyberalitie that both she and all Alexandria should haue cause to speake of his bountie MElytta thanking the Duke for such vndeserued curtesie setting her householde affaires in good order repaired to the Court as spéedely as might be But leauing her with Castania againe to Cwydonius Who now béeing aryued at Alexandria pinched wyth pouertie and distressed with want hauing no coyne left wherewith to counteruaile his expences thought it his best course if it were possible to compasse the Dukes seruice repairing therefore to the Court he had not staied there thrée dayes before hée found fit opportunitie to offer his seruice to Orlanio whome verie duetifully hée saluted on this manner TYE report right worthie Prince of your incomparable courtesie and pearlesse magnanimitie is so blazed abroade throughout all Countries by the golden trumpe of Fame that your grace is not more loued of your subiects which tast of your liberall bounty then honoured of straungers which onely heare of your princely vertue Insomuch that it hath forced me to leaue my natiue soile my parents kindred and familiar friendes and pilgrimelyke to passe into a straunge Countrie to trie that by experience héere which I haue heard by report at home For it is not right worthie sir the state of your Countrie which hath allured me for I déeme Bohemia whereof I am no lesse pleasant then Alexandria neither hath want of liuing or hope of gaine intised me for I am by birth a Gentleman and issued of such parents as are able with sufficient patrimonie to maintaine my estate but the desire not onely to sée but also to learne such rare curtesie and vertuous qualities as fame hath reported to be put in practise in your Court is the onely occasion of this my iourney Now if in recompence of this my trauaile it shall please your grace to vouchsafe of my seruice I shall thinke my selfe fully satisfied and my paines sufficiently requited Orlanio hearing this dutifull discourse of Gwydonius marking his manners and musing at his modestie noting both his excellent curtesie and exquisite beautie was so inflamed with friendlye affection towarde this young youth that not onely he accepted of his seruice but also preferred him as a companion to his sonne Thesandro promising that since he had left his Countrie and parents for this cause he would so counteruaile his dutifull desert with fauour and friendshippe as he shoulde neuer haue cause to accuse him of ingratitude Gwydonius repaying heartie thankes to the Duke for his vndeserued curtesie béeing nowe brought from woe to weale from despaire to hope from bale to blisse from care to securitie from want to wealth yea from hellish miserie to heauenly prosperitie behaued himselfe so wisely and warily with such curtesie in conuersation and modestie in manners that in short time hée not hnely purchased credite and countenaunce wyth Orlanio but was most entirely liked loued of ThersaÌ„dro Now there remained in the Court a young knight called Signor Valericus who by chaunce casting his glauncing eies on the glittering beautie of Castania was so fettered in the snare of fancie and so intangled with the trap of affection so perplexed in the Laborinth of pinching loue and so inchaunted with the charme of Venus Sorcerie that as the Elephant reioyceth greatly at the sight of a rose as y â— bird Halciones delighteth to view y e feathers of the Phoenix and as nothing better contenteth a Roe buck then to gaze at a red cloth so ther was no obiect that could allure the wauering eies of Valericus as the surpassing beautie of Castania yea his onely blisse pleasure ioy and delight was in féeding his fancie with staring on the heauenlye face of his Goddesse But alasse her beautie bredde his bane her lookes his losse her sight his sorowe her exquisite perfections his extreame passions that as the Ape by séeing the Snaile is infected as the Leoparde falleth in a traunce at the sight of the Locust as the Cockatrice dyeth with beholding the Chrisolito so poore Valericus was pinched to the heart with viewing her comely countenaunce was griped with galding griefe and tortured with insupportable tormentes by gasing vppon the gallant beautie of so gorgeous a dame Yea he so framed in his fancie the forme of her face and so imprinted in his heart the perfection of hir person that the remembrance thereof would suffer him take no rest but he passed the daie in dolour the night in sorrow no minute without mourning no houre without heauinesse that falling into pensiue passions he began thus to parle with himselfe Why how now Valericus quoth hée art thou haunted with some hellish hagge or possessed with some frantike fury art thou inchanted with some magical charme or charmed with some bewitching Sorcerie that so sodainely thy minde is perplexed with a thousand sundrie passions alate frée and now fettered alate swimming in rest and now sinking in care erewhile in securitie now in captiuitie yea turned from mirth to mourning froÌ„ pleasure to paine from delight to despight hating thy selfe and louing her who is the chiefe cause of this thy calamitie Ah Valericus hast thou forgot the saying of Propertius that to loue howsoeuer it be is to loose and to fancie howe charie so euer thy choice be is to haue an ill chaunce for Loue though neuer so fickle is but a Chaos of care and fancie though neuer so fortunate is but a masse of miserie for if thou inioye the beautie of Venus thou shalt finde it small vauntage if thou gette one as wise as Minerua thou mayst put thy winninges in thine eye if as gorgeous as Iuno thy accompts being cast thy gaine shall be but losse yea be shée vertuous be â—he chaâ—t be she courteous be she constant be she rich be she renowmed be she honest be she honourable yet if thou be wedded to a woman thinke thou shalt finde in her sufficient vanitie to counteruaile her vertue that thy happinesse will be matcht with heauinesse thy quiet with care thy contentation with vexation that thou shalt sowe séede with sorrowe and reape thy corne with sadnesse that thou shalt neuer liue without griefe nor dye without repentaunce for in matching with a wife ther is such mischifes and in mariage such miseries that Craterus the Emperour wishing some sinister Fortune to happen vpon one of his foes prayed vnto the Gods that he might be maried in his youth and dye without issue in his age counting mariage such a combersome crosse and a wife such a pleasant plague that he thought his foe could haue no worse torment than to be troubled with such
noysome trash Oh Valericus if the consideration of these premisses be not sufficient to perswade thée if the sentence of Propertius cannot quench thy flame nor the saying of Craterus coole thy fancie call to minde what miseries what mischiefes what woes what wailings what mishappes what murders what care what calamities haue happened to such as haue bene besotted with the balefull beautie of women enioying more care than commoditie more payne than profite more cost than comfort more gréefe than good yea reaping a tunne of drosse for euery dramme of perfect golde What carelesse inconstancie ruled Eriphila what currish crueltie raigned in Philomela how incestruous a life lead Aeuropa and how miserable was that man that married Stheuolea What gaines got Tereus in winning Progne but a loathsome death for a little delight Agamemnon in possessing the beautie of Crecida caused the Grecian armie most gréeuously to be plagued Candaules was slaine by his murdering wife whom so intyrely hée loued Who was thought more happy than the husbande of Helena and yet who in time lesse fortunate What haplesse chaunces insued of the chastitie of Penelope what broyles in Rome by the vertue of Lucretia the one caused her sutours most horriblye to be slayne and the other that Tarquin and all his posteritie were rooted out of their Regall dignities Phaedra in louing killed her haples sonne Hippolitus Clitemnestra in hating slew her louing husband Agamemnon Alas Valericus how dangerous is it then to deale with such Dames which if they loue they procure thy fatall care and if they hate thée thy finall calamitie But ah blasphemous beast y â— I am thus recklesly to raile rage without reason thus currishly to exclayme agaynst those without whome our life though neuer so luckly should séeme most loathsome thus Tymon lyke to condempne those heauenlye creatures whose onely sight is a sufficient salue against all hellish sorrowes is this right to conclude generallye of perticular premisses is it Iustice to accuse all for the offence of some is it equitie to blame the staye of vertuous women for the state of vicious wantons Doost thou thinke Valericus to shake off the shackles of fancie with this folly or to eschewe the baite of beautie by breathing out such blasphemie No no assure thy selfe that these thy raging reasons will in time be most rigorouslye reuenged that the Gods themselues will plague thée for braying out such iniurious speaches Alas Loue wanting desire maketh the minde desperate and fixed fancie bereaued of hope tourneth into furye The loyall faith I beare to Castania and the loathsome feare of her ingratitude the déepe desire which inforceth my hope and the deadlye despayre which infringeth my happe so tosseth my minde with contrarie cogitations that I neyther regarde what I saye to my harme nor respecte what I doo to my owne hurte yea my sences are so beâ—otted with pinching Loue and my minde so fretted with frying fancie that death were thrice more welcome than thus to linger in despayring hope And with that to passe awaye those pensiue passions hée floung out of his Chamber with his Hawke on his fiste thinking by suche sporte to dryue awaye this melancholycke humour which so molested his minde But as hée was passing thorough the Courte hée was luckelye incountered by Melitta and Castania who minding to haue some sporte with Valericus before hée did passe had the onset thus pleasauntly giuen him by Castania IT is harde Signor Valericus quoth she to take you either without your Hawke on your fiste or your heart on your halfepenie for if for recreation you be not retriuing the Partridge with dogs you are in solemne meditation driuing away the time with dumpes neyther caring for companie to solace your sadnesse nor plesantly discoursing of some amorous Parle which makes the Gentlewomen of this Court thinke that you are either an Apostata to Loue as was Narcyssus or haue displayed the flagge of defiaunce against Fancie as did Tyanaeus If these their surmised coniectures be true Valericus I warne thée as a friend to beware by other mens harmes least if thou imitate their actions thou be mangled with the like miserie or maymed with the like misfortune Valericus hearing his Saint pronouncing this sugred harmonie féeling himselfe somewhat toucht with this quipping talke was so rapte in admiration of her eloquence and so rauisht in the contemplation of hir beautie that he stoode in a maze not able to vtter onâ— word vntil at last gathering his wits together he burst foorth into these speaches MAdame quoth he what it pleaseth the Gentlewomen of this Court to surmise of my solytarinesse I knowe not but if they attribute it too curiousnesse or coynesse to strangenesse or statelinesse either that I am an enimie to loue or a foe to fancie that I detest theyr bountie with Narcissus or contempne their beautie with Tiancus they offer me great iniurie so rashly to coniecture of my disease before rightly they haue cast my water But to put your Ladiship out of doubt what is the cause of my dumpes so it is that of late raunging the fieldes my heart my hawke I shoulde say Madame houered at such a princely pray and yet myst of her flight that since she hath neither prunde her selfe nor I taken anye pleasure Marie if the fates should so fauour me or fortune so shrowde me vp in prosperitie that my desire might obtayne her wish I would not onely change my mourning to mirth my dolour to delight and my care to securitie but I would thinke to haue gotten as rich a pray as euer Caesar gaind by conquest SUrely Signor Valericus quoth Melitta no doubt the pray is passing princely since the valew thereof is rated at so precious a price and therefore we haue neither cause to condempne your Hawke of haggardnesse for want of pruning nor you of foolyshnesse for want of pleasure And if your heart your hawke I should saye Signor Valericus hath reacht farther with her eye than she is able to mount with her wing although I am no skilfull Fawlconer yet I thinke you had better kéepe her on the fist still and so féede her with hope then let her misse agayne of her flyght and so she tourne tayle and bée foyled In déede Madame quoth Valericus your counsaile is very good for as there is no better consect to a crazed minde than hope so there is no greater corasiue to a carefull man than despaire and the Fawlchoners also iumpe with you in the same verdite that the Hawke which misseth her praye is doubtfull to soare aloofe and prooue haggard Yet if she were so tickle as she would take no stande so ramage as she woulde be reclaymed with no lure I had rather happely hazarde her for the gayning of so péerelesse a praye though I both lost her and wanted of my wish than by kéeping her still in the Bynes to prooue her a kyte or me a coward In déede Sir quoth Castania Fortune
looke at the lure and shall I now stoope without stall come without call yea and to such an emptie fist O lawlesse Loue O witlesse will O fancie fraught full of phrensie and furie Alasse if I should be so carelesse as to consent to this franticke toie what will they say that praised me for my vertue will they not as fast dispraise me for my vanitie wil not my father fret my kinsfolke crie out my friendes be sorrie my foâ—s and especially Valericus laugh me to scorne and triumph of this my mishap yea wil not all y â— world wonder to sée me alate giuen to chastitie and now shake hands with virginitie to yéeld my déerest iewell chiefest treasure into y e hands of a stragling straunger who came to my fathers court without countenance or coine wealth or worshippe credit or calling yea who by his owne report is but a person of small parentage Séeke then Castania to asswage this flame and to quench this fire which as it commeth w tout cause so it wil consume without reason For the greatest flowe hath the soonest ebbe the sorest tempest hath the most sodaine calme the hottest loue hath the coldest end and of the déepest desire oft times ensueth the deadlyest hate so that she which settles her affection w t such spéed as she makes her choice without discreation may cast her corne she knowes not where and reapes she wots not what and for her hastie choosing may perhaps get a heauie bargaine Alasse I knowe this counsaile is good but what then can I denie that which the destinies haue decréede is it in my power to peruert that which the Planets haue placed can I resist that which is stirred vp by the starres No what néede I then make this exclamation sith I am not the first nor shall not be the last whom the frantike phrensie of flickering fancie hath with more wrong and greater vauntage piteously oppressed What though Gwydonius be not wealthie yet he is wise though he be not of great parentage yet he is of comelye personage it is not his coine that hath conquered me but his countenaunce not his vading riches but his renowmed vertues I far more estéeme a man then money I but the Duke my father is not so base minded as to bestow me vpoÌ„ so meane a Gentleman he neuer will consent that poore Gwydonius shuld inioy y â— which he hopeth some pearlesse prince shall possesse What then shall I preferre my Fathers weale before mine own wil his liking before mine own loue no no I will choose for my selfe whatsoeuer my choice be Why but perchance Gwydonius will no more estéeme thee then thou didst Valericus repay thée with as smal fancy as thou him with affection Tush doubt it not Castania thou art y â— dame which he so deciphered in his dreme thou art y â— Venus which he saw in his visioÌ„ y â— art y â— goddesse whose beauty hath so bewitched him y â— art y â— iewell to possesse y â— which ther is no hap so hard which he would not hazard no daunger so desperate which hée wold not aduenture no burden so heuie which he wold not beare nor no perill so huge which he wold not passe And shall not then Gwydonius be my seruant sith I am his Saint shall not I like him which loueth mée sith he is my ioy shall I not inioye him Yes Gwydonius is mine and shall bée mine in despight of the fates and Fortune Castania hauing thus pittifully powred out her plaints would gladly haue giuen Gwydonius intelligence with modestie if she might of her good will towardes him god knows how faine Gwydonius wold haue discouered his feruent affection if too much feare had not astonished him too great bashfulnes staied her She therfore houering betwéene feare hope perseuered so long in his pensiue passions careful cogitations y â— by couert concealing of her inward sorrow the flame so furiously fried within her that she was constrained to kéepe her bed Whervpon Melytta coniecturing the cause of her care by y â— colour of her countenaunce thought to sift out the occasion of her sorrow y â— by this meanes she might apply a medicine to her maladie finding fit opportunitie she brake with her in this wise Madame Castania quoth shée since I haue by y â— Duke your father bene assigned to you as a companion I haue in such louing wise both comforted counselled you as I hope you haue iust cause to say y â— I haue most carefully tendred your estate for perceiuing how willing you were to follow my direction I counted your wealth my weale your pleasure my profite your happinesse my ioy your prosperitie my felicitie Which friendly care if it werâ— not to be considered if I shuld shew you what great sorrow I sustaine by your heauinesse you would iudge my words to procéede either of folly or flatterie but if your sore be such as it may be salued if your care may be cured if your grief may be redressed or your malady mitigated by my means coÌ„mand me good Castania in what I may to pleasure thée thou shalt find me so charely to performe my charge as my willing mind shall euideÌ„tly bewray my well meaning I see Castania of late such a straunge Metamorphosis in thy minde as for pleasant conceits thou dost vse pensiue cogitations thy chéerefull countenance is changed into lowring lookes thy merrie deuises into mournful dumps yet I cannot coniecture no cause of this sodaine alteration If want of riches should worke thy woe why thou swimst in wealth if losse of friends thou hast infinit of noble pareÌ„tage which loues thée most entirely If thou meanest no longer to leade a single life no doubt thy father will prouide thée of such a princely match as shall content thée for his person and countenaunce thée with his parentage But if in all these supposes I haue mist the marke and haue not toucht the case of thy calamitie vnfolde vnto me Castania what the paine is that thus doth pinch thee and assure thy selfe I will be so secrete in thy affaires as euer Lampana was to her Ladie Cleophila Castania hearing this friendly discourse of Melytta thought for al this faire glose y e text might be to intricate that these painted spéeches would proue but rotten pillers fearing therefore the fetch and doubting the worst if shée bewraie her minde shée framed her this aunswere MAdame quoth she the incomperable curtesie and vnfained friendship which since your first comming I haue found in you by experience will neither suffer mée to suspect your Ladyshippe of flatterie nor my selfe willingly to be accused of ingratitude for your diligence hath bene so great my deserts so small that if I might but liue to requite some parte of your good will it were the second felicitie I looke for in this life But touching the pensiue passions which thus diuersly perplexed
she might staye still in the chamber of presence whether presently Thersandro was sent for who curteously and curiously dooing his obysaunce to the Duke deliuered his Embassage in this manner WHere-as riâ—ht worthie sir Oâ—lanio the Duke of Alexandria more vnwittingly then wilâ—ully denyed certaine tribute which hée confesseth both hée and his predecesâ—ours haue paide to you and your aunâ—estâ—urs Hearing that heerevppon your grace meanetâ— rather to wage battaile then to loose anie parte of your due although he feareth not your force as one able euery way to withstand it nor passeth of your puissaunce as a Potentate sufficient to resist your power Yet the care hée hath of his subiectes safetie and the loue hee hath to preserue the life of his commons the regard he hath to paie and performe that which conscience and custome requireth and lastly meaning with Tully Iniquissimam pacem iustissimo bello anteponere Hée hath sent mée both to sue for conditions of peace and to pay the tribute which if your grace shall refuse of force he must put his hope in the hazard of Fortune THersandro hauing thus pythelye performed his charge Clerophontes tolde him that vpon a sodaine he woulde not dispatche so waightie a matter but meant first both to consulte and take counsaile of his Nobles which done within thrée dayes hée shoulde haue an aunswere In the meane time hée commaunded Lucianus the Steward of his house verie courteouslye to intreate both Thersandro and his traine and to feast them with such sumptuous fare as they might haue cause most highly to extoll his magnificence But leauing Clerophontes to consult with his learned counsaylours and Thersandro to companie with the lustie Courtiers againe to Lewcippa who while this young youth was telling of his â—ale neuer markte the matter but the man nor regarded not the parle but respected the person neuer noted the contents but viewed his countenance In such sort that shée was so scorched with the fire of fancie and so scalded with the flame of affection so bewitched with his beautie and so inueagled with his bountie as hée was the onelye man that made her checke at the praie bate at the Lure and wyllingly yéelde to the first assaulte of fancie And on the other side Fortune so fauoured that Thersandro printing in his heart the perfection of Lewcippas person felte his fréedome so fettered by the viewe of her heauenly face and so snared in the beames of her amorous glaunces that hée wisht that eyther this discention had neuer growen or that hée hadde not béene the deliuerer of the message for hee felt his heart alreadie so ouergrowen wyth good-will towardes this younge Princesse as no salue but her selfe was able to mittigate his sorrowe no medicine but her courteâ—â—e was able to cure his calamitie and hée thought to preferre his sute to his professed foe was follie to linger still in loue was death and miserie to séeke for helpe at her handes neyther woulde the present state permitte him nor time suffer him to prosecute his purpose daunted with these diuerse doubtes to auoyde the melancholike motions that molested his minde hée presently went from his lodging to the Court that by companie he might driue awaie these dumpes where hée found in the great chamber diuerse Ladies and Gentlemen passing awaie the time in pleasaunt parle amongst whom was that pearelesse Paragon princely Lewcippa who after due reuerence done to the Gentlewomen in generall was singled out by Thersandro and courted in this wise MAdame quoth hée if anie creature hath iust occasioâ— to accuse either Nature or the Gods of iniustice man onelye hath the greatest cause to make this complaint for there is none eyther so depriued of reason or deuoide of sence which by some naturall instinct dooeth not skilfully presage of perills before they come and warily preuent ere they be past The Goates of Lybia knowe certainelye when the Canicular dayes beginne wherein commonlye they fall blinde and therefore by eating the hearbe â—olopodium they prouidentlye preuent their disease When the Lyon leaueth his Lawnes and raungeth in forraine Desertes hée alwayes foresheweth a drought When the Fish called Vâ—anascapos sinketh downe to the bottome of the Sea hée bewrayeth greate tempestes to bée imminent But man is so farre from this secrete foresight that not onelye hée cannot deuine of these ensuinge daungers but rather wilfullye or willing pusheth himselfe into most manifest perills which madame I speake as féeling my selfe distressed with this want For if I had bene indued with this sacred prescience perfectly to presage of ensuing perilles I had not ben crossed with such cares as I am like to incur nor hadde cause to repent this my present arriuall But sith lacke of such skill hath procured my losse and that when the hurt is had it is too late to take héede though reuealing of my mishappe cannot heale my miserie nor repeating of my paines redresse my sorrowe yet I meane to participate my passions to your good grace that though you cannot or will not mittigate my maladie yet you maye pittie my estate which will somewhat ease my heauinesse I came to your Fathers Court madame a frée man of Alexandria and am lyke to retourne a captiue of Metelyne I arriued deuoyde of care and am lyke to departe drenched with calamitie I landed frée from affection but feare to passe hence fraught with fancie my charge was onely to parle of peace but my chaunce is to discourse of passions Yea your beautie hath so fettered my fréedome and so snared my heart in the linkes of your loue that it shall neuer bée raced out by anye sinister meanes of Fortune although I sée it is almost impossible to obtayne it For I doubte our parents are lyke to proclaymâ— themselues professed foes and the vrgent necessitie of my affayres forceth mée to departe so spéedelye as want of time wyll not suffice to make tryall of my loue whereby I might claime a sufficient guerdon for my good wyll yet howsoeuer the matter shall happe whether my hope be voide or my happe be vaine I meane madame to remaine yours for euer Lewcippa tooke such delight in hearing Thersandro discourse so louingly as she could scarely kéepe her countenaunce from bewraying the pleasure she conceiued in this parle séeing that her loue was requited with lyking and her fancie incountered with the like affection Yet least Thersandro should thinke her too curteous if she shuld come at the first call and very light of loue to like at the first looke she framed him this aunswere SIr quoth she if of your sute for conditions of peace there insue no better successe than the reuealing of your passions shall reape pittie at my handes or if the intreatie for truce be as lightly respected by my Father as either your person or petition is regarded by me you are like to carrie home cold newes to your couÌ„trey and to vaunt that you bad faire but bought little that your Haruest was long
loued Helena Sparta had neuer reioyced nor Troy ben brought to ruine But did not I cause him to goe to Menelaus vnder coulour of Embassage to Court vnto his wife to leade her awaie by force and after to defend his vniust quarrel against all Greece Who had spoken of the loue of Dido if he had not deuised to goe a hunting that she might haue the better commoditie to communicate with Aeneas that by such priuate familiaritie he might not be ashamed to take from her that which long before most willingly she would haue giuen him I beléeue no mention had béene made of Artemizia if I had not caused her drinke the cynders of her husbands dead carcasse for else who had knowen whether she had loued her husband more then other women The effect and issues of things alwayes make them to be praised or dispraised If thou makest men to loue yet I am oft times the chiefest cause But if any straunge aduenture or greate effect chaunceth in that thou hast no part but the onely honour belongeth vnto me Thou rulest nothing but y â— heart the rest I gouerne yea I leade thée I conducte thée and thine eyes serue thée to no more vse then the beames of the Sunne to a blinde man But to the ende thou knowe mée from hence foorth and that thou mayst giue mée thankes for conducting thée carefullye Beholde nowe howe greatlye thine eyes dooe profite thée Follie putteth out Cupids eies Loue. Alasse Iupiter O my mother Venus what auayleth it to bée thy sonne so feared so redoubted both in heauen and in earth if I be subiect to bée iniured as the most vile slaue in the worlde Alasse haue I thus lost mine eies by an vnknowen woman Folly Take héede sond foole another time to rayle vppon those who perhappes are of more force and puissaunce then thou Thou hast offended the Quéene of men thou hast outraged her who gouerneth the heart the braine and the minde Under whose shadowe euerie one once in his lyfe shroudeth himselfe and ther remaineth either long or short time according to his merite thou hast displeased her who procureth thy renowme thou hast contempned her who hath aduaunced thée and therfore hath this misfortune fallen vpon thy head Loue. Alasse how is it possible for me to 〈◊〉 her whom I neuer knew or to reuerence that person whom before I neuer sawe but if thou hast borne me such great good will as thou saist pardon this my offence and restore me my sight Folly To restore thée thine eyes is not in my power but I will couer the place to hide the deformitie Folly couereth Cupids face with a Scarfe and giueth him wings And in liew of this haplesse lucke thou shalt haue these wings which shal cary thée whether thou wilt wish Loue. But where hadst thou this vaile so readie to couer my deformitie Folly It was giuen me as I came hether by one of the destinies who told me it was of that nature that if it were once fastned it could neuer be vnloosed Loue. How vnloosed am I then blinde for euer O vile and traiterous wretch coulde it not suffice to pull out mine eyes but to take awaie the meanes that the Gods cannot restore them now I sée the sentence verified on my selfe that it is not good to take a present at the hande of an enimie O cruell destinies O cursed daie shall not the heauens the earth and the seas haue cause to waile sith loue is blinde But why doe I complaine héere in vaine it is better for me to sue to the Gods for reuengement The second discourse Loue goeâ—â— from the Pallace of Iupiter lamenting to himselfe his mischiefe Loue. Alasse in what miserable case am I what can eyther my bowe or mine arrowes auaile me nowe can I not cause whom I 〈…〉 â—oue but without respect of persons euerie one is in daunger of my darts Hetherto I haue onely caused daintie damsells and young youths to loue I did choose out the brauest blouds and the fairest and most well featured men I did pardon vile and base persons I excused the deformed creatures and let olde age remaine in peace But now thiâ—king to hit a young gallaunt I light vpon some olde â—â—â—ting lecher in stéed of some braue Gentleman I strike some filthie foule lurden And it shall happen I dâ—â—bt that they shall bée most fortunate in their loue so that by patrimonie presence or wealth they shall soonest winne the fauour of women and by this meanes my kingdome shall come to ruine when men sée in it such disorder and euill gouernment Venus hauing long sought Cupid now meeteth him I haue carefully long sought thée my deare sonne meruailing what the cause shoulde bée that thou hast not bene present at the banket of Iupiter Who is greatly incensed against thee not onely for thy absence but for the complaintes which are 〈◊〉 out against thée by sundrie poore artificers labouring men pesaunts slaues hand maides olde men and toothlesse aged women crying all vnto Iupiter that they loue thinking themselues greatly iniured in this respect that the passion which is proper to worthy and noble men should be inflicted vpon them which are of the base and vildest sort Loue. Had not the great misfortune which is chaunced vnto me happened I had neither bene absent from the banquet nor these gréeuous complaints had not bene inferred against mée Venus Why and art thou hurt Who hath thus vailed thine eies Loue. Folly hath not onely pulled them out but also hath put this bande before mine eies which can neuer be taken away Venus O cursed enimie of all wisedome O haplesse wretch vniustly called a Goddesse and more vnrightly tearmed immortall hast thou depriued me of my chiefest delight and felicitie O disaster loue O dissolute mother O wofull Venus who séest thy sonne thy ioy and onely care thus cruelly depriued of his sight Well since thy mishap is so great I vowe that euerie one that shall loue what fauour or happie successe so euer he shall haue shall not be without some care trouble or calamitie that hée vaunt not himselfe to be more happie then the sonne of Venus Loue. Cease off good mother from these sorrowfull complaints redouble not my griefe by these your dolorous discourses suffer mée to beare mine owne misfortune and wish not euill vnto them which shall bée my subiectes Venus Well let vs then goe to Iupiter and complaine of this cursed inchauntresse The third discourse Venus If euer thou hadst pittie of my plaintes most iust Iupiter when thou sawest me labour to saue my son Aeneas from the furie of the raging Seas and to defend him from other daungers in the which he was present at the siege of Troy If my teares for the death of my deare Adonis moued thée to compassion The surpassing sorrow that I doe conceiue for the great iniurie offered to Cupid I hope shall moue thée to pittie If teares wold suffer me I would