slewe with-sword full many a â—reekish knight For al the warrâ—s yet loude â—ndronâ—ene With her he â—eâ—t in her he tooke delight His manly bâ—est that force of foe withstoode Was razde by loue his Curage did no good Vlisses â—â—ie for all his wilie wit Was lodgde in loue by Cyices sugred cuppe â—lato deuine whose stue the Starres dyd hit With learnedlips of Venus sauce did suppe His graue precepts stoode him in slender sted Whome lawe of kinde in lincke of fancie led Fell Dâ—onyse with Alexander great Duke Iason â—ariâ— â—irâ—hus Pompey take And he whome Dydo did so well entreate That to the curreous Queene his vowe did breake Yea soue him selfe Apollo Marâ— and all To Venus bowde each one was Cupids thrall The noblest Nimphes that euer were aliue The queyntest queenes the force of fancie felt The dayntiest dames durst not with loue to striue The haughtiest harts had Cupid made to mete Medea Phillis Helen Phedra flerce Crcuâ—a Oeuon Lucrece loue did pierce Laodamie Hermyon Hypsiphill Curst Cliremnestra Brisies Deyanire Semyramis and Progne prone to kill With Mirthâ— Biblis lust to loue did stirrée And thousands moe of whome the Poetes tell Prouokt by loue to flaming fancy fell Which sith is so I may with better face A pardon craue of you that Ladies be For dringing here a homely wenth in place And ranking her with danies of gallant glee Who sith did rage in fancie as the rest Why should she not be plast among the best Put case her byrth was base her linage lowe Herparynts poore her liuelod bare and shin Sith Cupid did his golden shaft bestowe Vpon her brest when liking entred in Let her receiue the guerdon that is dewe To faithfull loue and march with Cupids crewe Where leaue is lowed for each one to contend Where markes are made the cunningst hand to trie Without reproofe each one his bowe doth bend And arrowes there without contrâ—lement she Likewise sith loue at rendon roues his dartes We ought not scorne the meanest louing hartes When Cresus brings his gorgeous giftes in hand And slay an oxe to offer to the goddes A groome with gote by him may baldly stand In holy Church they little count of odd es Eâ—e minde is all that makes or marres the thing A Carter loues as whotly as a King The Argument to the tenth Historie AMerchants sonne that Girolanus hight Of tender age in great good liking fell VVith one Saluestra a damsell faire and bright A taylers daughter who there by did dwell The aged father did and left the boy Abounding welth his heyre and only ioy The carefull mother doubting least her sonne VVold make his choice marie with this maide Dispatcht him thence to Paris there to wonne Vntill his heate and humor were delaide To please his friends away this yonker rode And there a space vnwilling made abode Retires in fiue to Florence backe againe VVhen mothers feare doubts were layde aside His auncient loue aye sticking in his brayne But ere he came the wench was woxe a bryde VVhich greude him sore he wist not how to deale At last deuisde into her house to steale VVhere being plast vnwist of any wight He stayde his time till husband fel on sleepe Then out he gate defenst with darke of night And softly to Saluestras bed did creepe He sighde he sued he pleaded there for life In hope to had his pleasure of the wife But al for nought his winde did shake no come The womans will was bent another way VVhich when he found as one that was forlorne He wist not how to do nor what to say His griefe was such as by Saluestras side He laide him downe and there for sorow dyde The husbaÌ„d wakes the wife bewrayes the case The corse was streight conueyde away by night When morow came the beare was brought in place The graue was cast the body lay in sight The mother mournd and many matrons moe Bewayl the chaunce of him that died so Among the rest that present were to viewe This heauie hap Saluestra stoode as than She sawe her friend whom she vnkindly slewe And therewithall to rewe his death began So deepely sanke remorse into this dame As downe she fell and dyde vpon the same AS auncient men report there dwelt A Merchant man of yore In Plorence who by traficke had Increast his stocke to more Than any of his race had done A very wealthy wight Who on his wife begate a sonne That Girolamus hight And after time the babe was borne The father chaunst to die But as it bape be made his will Before and orderly Disposde his goods as men are wont The carefull mother then A widow left with good a duise And apde of loarned men The tutors of this merchants sonne Both vsde the infant well And gaue such eye vnto his stocke As nought to damage fell This childe as common order is Did vse to sport and play Among the other neighbors babes To driue the time away And as the childrens custome is Some one among the rest To fancy most euen so this boy Did like a mayden best A Taylers daughter dwelling by They daily vsde to méete With sundrie other babées moe Amid the open shreete This liking in their tender yéeres Shot vp and grew to more Euen as their liâ—â—s encreast by age The sparke which loue before Had kindled in his wanton brest Did growe to greater fire And Girolamus in his heart The mayden did desire Their daily custome came to kinde And looke what day that he Had past without the sight of her He thought it lost to be And that which set the flaxe on fire And bred the hoter flame Was that the boy did well perceiue The mayden ment the same And likte aswell of him againe The mother when she sawe This matter worke began to checke And kéepe the wagge in awe And whipt him now and then among But when she did perceiue The stubborne stripling set her light And that he would not leaue Those wanton trickes vnfit for youth She wexe a wofull daâ—e And to the tutors of her sonne This pensiue widowe came As one that of that reabtres thorne An Orenge trée would fayne Haue made because his stocke was great But all her toyle was vame And to the sages thus she said Vngracious graffe my sonne Scarce fourtéene yéeres of age as yet Already hath begonne And entred in the suare of loue The wagge begins to frie With one Saluestras liking lust A taylours daughter by So that vnlesse we wise by deale And warely seeme to watch At length perhaps this foolish else Will with the mayden match And make a rash contract with her Which if should happen so From that time foorth I should not liue A merrie day I knowe Or if he should consume and wast With thought or pine away To sée her matcht some other where Then woe were me I say Wherefore to voyde this present ill I thinke it best quoth
to her he loued best Whom he without offence had put to cruell paine Wherefore within a space the king began to loue againe And fansie her as fast deuising sundry shiftes To winne her olde good will he gaue her many goodly gifts She could not want the thing the tyrant had in store Who then but Aretafila whom he had rackt before And she that was full wise by countnance and by the are Did make as though she did embrace and helde the tyrant deare But still in store she kept within her wrathfull minde Remembrance of reuenge till she fit time and place might finde And in her head she cut the patterne of his paine How if occasion servde she mought auenge her husbande slaine By Fedimus she bare whilste he yet liuing was A daughter that for honest life and beautie braue did passe And so befell it that the king a brother had Leander namde a wilfull youth and eke a wanton lad Much giuen to the loue of light alluring dames To whom as to a byting fish a bayte this mayden frames To take him by the â—â—ppe by sorcerie she wrought And cuppes that cause a man to loue whereby this youth she brought Into her subtil net thus was Leander caught By loue deuises that the Quéene vnto her daughter taught This damsel hauing woonne Leander to her lure So traynde him on as she at last the Princesse did procure The tyrant to request to yéelde him his desire As touching mariage of the Mayde that set his minde on fire Who when Leanders loue and purpose vnderstoode To Aretafila to breake the same he thought it good She willing was thereto as one that wrought the wile Nicocrates perceiuing that denying it a while Yet graunted at the length not willing to be seene An enemie vnto the mayde the daughter of the Quéene When all good willes were got the mariage day drew neare Vntill Leander wedded was he thought it twentie yéere To make the matter thord I leaue for you to scan Both of the maydens rich attyre and iewels of the man I leaue the musike out I let the banket go I speake not of the noble men that were at wedding tho I write not of the wine nor of the daintie cates Assure your selues there waÌ„ted naught that fitted royal states When wedding day was done the wife to chamber went And after her Leander came where they in pleasure spent The night as custome is and maried folkes do vse And selfe same pleasure night by night from that day forth ensues The lately wedded wise behaude her selfe so well That still Leander tén times more to doting fansie fell Which when she vnderstâ—de a wench of wily witte To set her purpose then abroch she thought it passing fit A fyled tale she framde and thus begun to speake Mine own quoth she the great good wel I beare you makes me breake My minde and meaning nowe The carke and care I haue Is causer that I will you from your brothers sword to saue Your life whilste yet you may you sée his monstrous miude And how his hatefull tyrants heart is all to blood inclinde You know his cruell déedes I shall not néede recite The sundry men that he hath slaine vpon a meere despight You viewe the gorie ground where yet the bodies lie You sée how tyrant like he deales you sée with daily eye Such vndeserued deathes as wo it is to tell In my conceite if you should séeke his spoyle you did but well It were a worthie déede and well deseruing prayse To murther him and reaue his realme that so his subiects slayes To rid your natiue soyle of such a monster may Not onely gaine immortall fame that neuer shall decay But winne you such good will in countrie and in towne As by the meanes thereof you may attaine the royall crowne Which now your brother weares against the peoples will Who would no doubt elect you prince if you the tyrant kill To quit so good a turne and noble deede withall But if you let him raigne a while I feare at last you shall Repent your long delay your state is neuer sure As long as he the mouster lines he will your bane procure What thraldome like to yours howe wretched is your life Haue you forgotten how you sude to him to take a wife Fie shame Leander fie I greatly disalow That you who are his brother should vnto your brother bow Put case he owe the crowne is that a cause that you May not go marry where you list but must be forst to sue So like a boy for leaâ—â— to choose your selfe a make Oh that I were a man I would enforce the beast to quake Leander if you loue or make account of me Bereaue the monster of his life my mother longs to sée The slaughter of her so that siue my father earst VVith these her wordes Leander felt his heart so throughly pearst As vp from bed he flew with minde to murther bent To sucke his brothers blood ere long this wilfull marchant ment Leander had a friend whom he did loue as life Callde Danicles to whom he rode and tolde him what his wife Had willde him take in hande wherein his ayde he must In whom especially he did repose assured trust Leander with his friend when time and place did serue Nicocrates the tyrant slue as he did well deserue And hauing done the déed achieude the kingly Crowne He strake the stroke and ruler was and gouernde all the towne Thus he in office plaste puft vp with princely might Not forcing Aretafila his mother law awhit Nor any of hir blood once hauing got the raigne Did all the worlde to vnderstande by that his high disdaine That he his brother slue for rancour and despight Not for desire his Countrey soyle from tyrants handes to quight So loath some all his lawes so straunge his statutes were Such folly in his roysting rule as made the people feare Their former foe to haue bene raysde to life againe VVho was not many dayes before by this Leander slaine VVhen Aretafila sawe howe the game did go And that Leander in his sway did vse the matter so And proudly rulde the realme estéeming her so light VVho hoped by his brothers death the countrie had bene quight Releast of tyrants rage when she perceiude I say Howe haughtily his heart was bent she meant her part to play In ridding of the realme of such a cruel king That kept his subiects so in awe and vnder yoke did wring A fresh report was blowne of one Anabus bred In Libie lande a Martial man that all his life had led In face of foraine foes with him this wily dame Did practise and such order tooke as he with army came Leander to subdue who being nigh at hand With mightie troupe of warlike wights to ouercom the laud The Quéene his mother lawe as one that were dismaide To worke her wile Leander â—alâ— and thus to him shée said Loe here good sonne
that see how this beast did runne A wicked race and woxe his mothers foe Note how the heauens made leuell yet at last And plagude by dâ—ath his blooddy dealings past Aut sero Aut citius The argument to the third Historie GEntile loude one Nicoluccios wise Faire Catiline a matrone graue and wife Whom to corrupte sith he might not deuise He parted thence to leade a grauer life For she was bent to scorne such masking mates As houerd still about her husbands gates Within a while this Nicoluccio His Ladie great with childe was forst to ride In haste from home and leaue her there as guide Whome sodayne griefe assaylde by fortune so As Phisicke friends and all that sawe the chance Did yelde her dead she lay in such a traunce The senslesse corse was to the Church coÌ„ueide And buried there with many a weeping eye The brute was blowne abrode both farre nye Reporte once spread is hardly to be stayde Gentile hearing how the matter went His Ladies losse did bitterly lament At length when teares had well dischargde his woe And sorrowe slakte a friend of his and hee Tooke horse rode by night that none might see Whether they ment or wherabout to goe To Church he came dismounted from his horse He entred in and vp he tooke the corse With full intent to dallie with the dead Which he in life by suite could neuer winne He colde he kist he handled cheeke and chinne He left no limme vnfelte from heele to ehad So long he staide at last the infant steerd Within her wombe whereby some life appeerde By fellowes helpe he bore the body thence Home to his aged mother where she dwelt Who moude to ruthe with her so frendly delt As to reuiue her sparde for expence She could not vse her owne with greater care So choyse her cheere so daintie was hir fare VVhen time was come for nature to vnfolde Her coferd ware this dame was brought a bed And by Gentiles meanes had happily sped And he forthwith a solemne feast did holde VVhere to the husband both the wife and boy Sâ—rrendred were to his exceeding ioye BOlogna is a towne of Lumbardie you know A citie very brauely builte and much set out to shewe Where as in auncient dayes a famous knight there dwelde Who for good giftes and linage both all others farre excelde A man commended much Gentile was his name This worthy gallant fell in loue by fortune with a dame That Catilina hight one Nicoluccios wyfe A passing faire and featurde wenche and ledde an honest life And loude her husband so as she did little waye The frendship of enamored youthes nor ought that they could say This Gentleman that sawe the Ladies faithfull breast And how he might by no deuice to him her fansie wrest Nor enter in her grace whom he did loue so well Nor by good seruice gaine good will to déepe despaire he fell And hereupon vnto Modena he retyrde And bore an office in the towne as one there to desyrde It fortunde on a time when Nicoluccio rode From home as touching his affaires and that his wife abode A thrée myles off the towne where he had buylte a graunge To make her mery with her friendes and eke the ayre to chaunge Then being great with childe not many wéekes to goe This Lady had a great mishap as here my pen shall showe A griefe I wote not what with such a sodayne force And monstrous might befell the dame and conquerde sore her corse As in the Ladies limmes no sparke of life appéerde And more than that an other thing there was that most discheerde Her kinsfolkes then in place for such as had good sight And skill in Physike déemde her dead and gaue her ouer quight And thereupon her friends that wiste howe matters went By her report in time of life and howe that she had spent Not full so many monthes as giue a babée breath And make it vp a perfect childe when once they sawe her death Not making farther searche in case as there she laye Vnto a Church not farre from thence the carkasse did conuay And gaue it there a graue as Ladies vse to lye The bodie being buried thus a friende of his did hye Him to Gentile straight to tell him of the newes Who though was fardest froÌ„ her grace yet could none other chuse But sorrowe at her death When greatest gréefe was past And that he had be thought awhile thus out he brake at last Loe Lady lo quoth he nowe art thou dead in graue Nowe Madame Catilina I who during life could haue Not one good frendly looke nor sweete regarding eye VVill be so bolde to steale a kisse as you in coffin lie Nowe booteth do defence you cannot now resist VVherefore assure thée Lady nowe thou shalt be sweetely kist Howe dead soeuer thou arte nowe will I take delight And â—â—uing tolde his tale the day withdrewe and made it night Then taking order howe he mought that none might sée Dispatche and goe vnto the place his trustie freud and hee Vpon their geldings mounte and neuer made a staye Vntill they came vnto the Church where dead the Ladie laye Where being lighted off their horses in they goe And vp they brake the coffyn straight and he that loude her so Laye by the Ladies side and clapte his face to hers And lent her many a louing kisse and bathde her breast with teares Lamenting very sore But as we daily sée The lust of man not long content doth euer long to bée Proceeding farther on but moste of all the rest The fonde desire of such as are with raging loue possest So he that had resolude no longer there to staye But doe his feate and home agayne thus to himselfe gan saye Oh sith I nowe am here why should I idle stande Why doe not I this breast of thine imbrace and féele with hande I neuer after this shall touch it so againe Nor neuer mynde Gentile thus proceeding in his vaine Into her bosome thrust his hande beneath her pappe And staying there a little space did féele a thing by happe Within her wombe to wagge and beat against her brest VVhereof at first he woxe amazde but after repossest Of wittes and sense againe a further triall hee Did make and then he found the corse not thorough dead to bee Though little were the life yet some he knew for trouth To rest within the Ladies limmes wherefore the gallants both From out the coffyn tooke this lately buried corse And vp they leapte in all the poast and layde her on the horse Before the saddle bowe and home in haste they ride Both to recouer life againe and fearing to be spyde Thus closely was she brought within Bologna walles Vnto Gentiles house where he vpon his mother calles Requesting her to helpe the case required haste His mother being graue and wyfe receiude the corse as fast As she good matron mought which déede of pitie done Both
had beheld She watred straight her eyes And out alasse to Stramba and Lagina lowde she cries The louers left the déep discourse And to the place they runne Where as so late this chaunce befell And deadly déed was done Ariuing there and sinding dead The weauer in the grasse And more than this perceiuing how His body swollen was And séeing all his face bespaugde With spots as black as cole And that in all the body was Not any member whele Then Stramba cried out aloude Oh vile vnthriftie wench what hast thou done why hast thou giuen Thy friend a poysoned drench What meanst thou by this déed of thine Which words were spoke so hie That all the neighbours heard the same That were the dwellers by And in they pressed all in hast Into the garden where The showte was made and being come They found the body there Both void of life and fouly swolue An valy sight to sée And finding Stramba shedding teares And blaming her to be The only cause of Pasquines death The wench vnable eke For verie griefe of heart a worde In her defence to speake Though shée in déed were not the cause Yet they that came to view Did apprehend the girle and thought That Strambas wordes were true When thus the wench arested was Shée wrong and wept a pace And so from thence was brought before The common Iudge his face Vnto the pallace where hée dwelt The maidens accusers were Excéeding earnest in the case Both Stramba that was there With Pasquine as his faithfull friend And other moe beside That came into the garden when The faithfull virgin cride And hereupon the Iustice fell To question of the fact Debating with the witnesses Who hauing throughlie rackt The matter and not finding her As giltte of the déede Nor any proofe of malice that Might from the maide procéede As touching murther of the man Hée thought it good to stay His iudgement and himselfe to goe Where dead the carkasse lay To view the partie and the place To beace the matter out For all the other euidence Might not remoue the doubt Within his head the Iudge conceivde In this so strange a case The men that knew the garden brought The Iustice to the place Where Pasquines carkasse puffed lay And strouting in such wise As made the Iudge himselfe am azde Hée could not well deuise How such a mischiefe might bée done Which made him aske the maide Symona how the murther hapt To whom the virgin said Renowmed Iustice after talke Betwixt this man and me Hée stept aside vnto the bed Of Sage that here you sée And with a leafe thereof he rubd His gummes as I do nowe And therewithall shée tooke a leafe To shew the Iustice how Her friend had done and this quoth she He did and died than Whereat this Stramba and the rest That records were began To scorne and laugh in presence of The Iudge and earnestly Made sute that fire might bée fet Wherein the wench to trie To féele the penance of her fact Which like a wicked wretch She had deuisde shée earned death That would her friend dispatch The virgin wofull for the death Of him that latelie died And fearefull at the earnest sute Which Stramba made beside Thus hauing rubd her tender iawes With Sage before them all Without suspect of such mishap Bereft of life did fall Vnto the ground where Pasquine lay And in like sort did swell From louely lookes to loathsome limmes A monstrous chaunce to tell And thus to shew the meane how earst Her louer lost his breath This sillie giltlesse wench her selfe Euen there did die the death O happy soules whose hap it was In one ielfe day to laue So faithfully and in selfe day The pangs of death to proue And happter had you both ybin If you had had the grace Some other where to spent the time And not within that place But farre more blessed are yée nowe If in this death of yours You loue ech other as in life Your likings did endure But thou Symona happiest art For ending so thy dayes If we that liue may iudge aright And yeeld the dead their praise VVhose innocent and giltlesse ghost Dame Fortune did denie By Strambas false surmised proofs VVithout iust cause to die I count thée treble blest of God For Fortune found I say A meane for thée by selfe same death That rid thy friende away To set thee frée from misreports And slaunder that did growe And gaue thée leaue by losse of life Vnto thy loue to goe The Iudge that saw this sodain chance And all others eke That present were amazed stood And wist not what to speake Or to comecture in the cace The wisest tongues were domme At last the Iudge as soone as hée Was to his senses comme Thus said by this it doth appeare The Sage that here you sée Infected is and venim strong Though Sage by nature be A very soneraigne holesome hearbe The proofe hath made it plaine But for because we will be sure It shall not hurt againe Do delue it vp and burne it here It may offend no more The Gardner therewithall was come Who digd it vp before The Iudge and all the standers by He had not parde the ground Farre in but that the cause of both Those louers banes he founde For vnderneath this bed of Sage The fellow that did dig Turnd vp a toade a loathsome sight A worme excéeding big The toade was of a monstrous growth Then euery man could tell And iudge the cause of that mishap Which both those friends befell Then could they say the venomd worme Had bealchd his poyson out And so infected both the roote And all the bed about Where grewe the Sage that bred their deaths Then sawe they playne the cause And reason why the weauer dyde By rubbing of his lawes They made no more adoe but forst The gardner by and by To make a fyre to burne the Sage And eke the Toade to frie That was the cause of double spoyle The Iudge had nought to say When this was done but parted home The people went their way Straight Stramba and his other mates That gaue in euidence Against Symona brought a Beare And bare the bodies thence So vgly swollen as they lay Vnto Saint Paules and there Within one Tombe did burie both For of that Church they were Lenuoy AS noble mindes to loue are kindly bent And haughty harts to fancie homage yeelde As upâ—â— makes the stoutest states relent And martiall men that daunt the foe in fielde So meanest mates are masht within the net That wily loue to trappe his trayne hath set What Prince so prowde what King for al his crown What sage so sadde or solemne in his sawes What wight sowise but Cupid brings him downe And makes him stoupe to nature and her lawes Both poore and rich doe loue by course of kinde The proofe whereof in all degrees we finde That Hector sterne that stroue to mayntayne Troy And
flakte his burning fire And made request withall that she Should graunt him his desire He promisde golden mountaynes then But all his sute was vayne No iote of friendship for his life The merchant mought attaine Wherefore desirous then to die Saluestra he besought That in rewarde of all his loue And all his former thought Which he had suffered for her sake She would but yelde him grace To warme himselfe within her bed Fast by her side a space Whose flesh 〈◊〉 maner frozen was With staying there so long He made her promise on his faith He would not offer wrong Vnto Saluastra at not once Let fall a worde so mutch Nor yet her naked carkasse with His manly members tutche But hauing taken there a heate And warmde himselfe in bed He would depart and déeme that he Sufficiently had sped Saluestra taking pitie then Of Gyrolamus case Vpon the promise made before Did yelde him so much grace As on her bed to stretch him selfe The youth thus being laid Besides his mistres toucht her not But with him selfe he waid The great good wil that he so long Within his brest had borne Vpon her present rigor eke He thought and shamefull scorne And being brought to déepe dispaire He purposde not to liue But die the death without delay And vp the ghost to geue And hereupon his sprices withdrew Themselues from outward parts His senses fled he stretcht him selfe And so the youth departs Fast by Saluestras sauage side To whom he sude for grace When Girolam thus dead had line Vpon her bed a space The wench did wonder very much That he was wore so chaste Whose flame of late so burning was And fancie fride so fast At length in feare her husband would Awake she gan to say Oh Gyrolamus how 〈◊〉 this When wil you packe away But hearing him no answere make She thought him sound asléepe Which made her reach her hand to wake The man that slept so déepe She felt and found him colde as yee Whereof she marueld much And therupon with greater force She gan his limmes to touch And thrust him but he stirred not With that within her head The wife conceaued and wistful wel That Girolam was dead Whereof she was the soriest wench That euer liued by breath She knew not what to doe to see So strange and sodaine death But yet at last she did deuise To féele her husbands thought In person of another not As though her selfe had wrought Or béen a party in the fact Put case good fir quoth she A yonker loued a maried wife As I my selfe mought be And comming to her chamber late In hope to winne the wife Were both begilde of all his hope And eke berefte of life By only force of franticke loue And lacke of his desire And want of pities water to Delay his scalding fire What would you doe in such a pinche How would you deale as than Whereto the husband answered that He weuld conuay the man Vnto his home without mistrust Or malice to the dame His wife that had resisted so The force of Cupides flame Which wheÌ„ she herd she answered thus Then husband doth it lye Vpon vs nowe to practise that And eake that tricke to trye And taking of his hand she put It on the coarse that laye Vpon the other side of her As colde as any kaye Wherat the wilfull wight dismayde And ierst with sodaine feare Lepte of the bed full sore amazde To féele a body there And out he ran to lightâ—â— linke Without debating more Of further matter with his wife Of what they spake before The candle light bewrayed the corse He sawe the partie playne He made no more a doe but put Him in his robes agayne And bore him on his shoulders thence And knowing verie well His lodging set him at the doore Where did his mother dwell When day was come and people sawe The carkasse of the dead Before the gate the fame thereof Throughout the citie spread Each one did wonder at the chaunce That passed by the way They knewe the partie passing well But wist not what to say Yet most of all the mother musde And vexed was in minde That hauing searchte the body coulde No wounded member finde Which made Phisitions flatly say That forowe stopte his breath With one assent they all agréede That griefe did cause his death As custome is the corse was borne Into a temple by Where merchant men of his estate And welthie wights did lie The mourning mother the ther came To waile her sonnes decease And with the matrone thousands moe Of neighbors more and lesse Were come to church to shed their teares Saluestras husband then Perceiuing that the preate was grent Of women and of men Ran home wilde his wife do on A kerchiefe on her head And throng amid the 〈◊〉 to beare What newes went of the dead And be him selfe thrustan among The men to learne what they Imaginde of the marchants death Where any one did say Or had him in suspect thereof Sâ—â—aestra hereupon Made hast to church and felt remorse Within her brest anone But all to late her pitie â—ame For she desired to vew Him being dead whom carst aliue She tooke disdatâ—e to râ—we Or recompence so much as with A kisse O wenche vnkind A maruels thing to thinke how hard It is for man to finde Or sounde the depth of louers thoughts Or knowe the force of loue For loe hir brest whom Gyrolams Good fortune might not moue Nor during life procure to ruth His death did raze hir harte His misaduentures did renewe The stroke of Cupides darte Hir auncient flame rekindled was And to such pitie grewe When as she did the carcasse dead Of Gyrolamus vewe That being but in simple wéede As meanest women were By one and one she gate before The richest matrons there Not stintyng till she came vnto The body where it lay And being there she gaue a shoute And yelded forth a bray So loude as for hir life she could And groueling with hir face On Gyrolamus carcasse fell His bodie to imbrace And bathde his limmes with brackish teares That issued from her eyes As long as life would giue her leaue Which done Saluestra dyes And looke how griefe hidden thought Had slayne her desperate friend Euen so remorse of couerte cares Her loathed life did ende Which when the mourning matrons saw Eache one in friendliest wise To comfort her in words began And willd her thence to rise As then not witting who she was But at the last when that She would not mount but lay me still Vpon the body flat They came to lift her vnber legges And rayse her from the grounde And then both that the wife was dead And who she was they founde Saluestra then she did appeare Then dubble woxe the woe Of all the wiues that mouruers were When they the dame did knowe Then gan they mourne as fast againe As ere they did before For euery sighe a
hundred sobbes For euery teare a score This brute no sâ—â—er out of Church Among the people came But out of hand per husband hearde The tidings of the same Who as I said was gone among The men to lend an eare And hearken what report there went Of them that died there Then like a louing husband that Imbrast Saluestra well From sobbing sighes to trickling teares For her misfortune fell And waild her ddath no little time And after that to some That were in place declard by night How Gyrolam did come Vnto his house through burning loue Which he Saluestra bore And tolde the tale from point to point As I haue pend before Where at the audience wofull woxe That vnderstood the case Then taking vp the carkasse of The wife that lay in place And hauing knit the shrowding shéete As common custome is They layd her body on the beare And set her side to his Thus hauing wept vpon the dead In proofe of inward paine And buried both together home The people went againe See lucke whom loue was not of force Aliue to linke in one Death found the meanes to couple close Within a marble stone Lenuoy VVHether stars doe stir good lykyng from aboue By hidden force and couert power deuyne Or câ—aunce breede câ—oyce leades vs on to loue â—nd fancy falses as fortune list assigne I cannot iudge nor perfectly defyne But this I know ouce let it ghther roote And to remoue it then is slender boote Let sicknes grow let cankers worke theyr wyl Seeke not at first their malyce to suppresse Scorne wholsome helpe doe floute at physikes sail In hope thy greefe wyl swage and vvaren lesse And thou at last shalt neuer haue redresse Diseases more admitte no cunning cure The cause by tyme is fastned on so sure When fire to once crept yn among the shaw And flame hath raught the rotten roose on hye T is hardly quencht hys fury hath no law It seldome sinkes tyl all on ground do ly The way to help is busily to ply The matter fyrst before it grow too far When steedes are stolne t ys bootles doores to darre Euen so it fares when fancy blowes the cole Of frend â—ipfâ—â—st and sâ—ts abroach good will I man may ympes with ease from loue controle Whilst feare dot force them stoupe to parents wyl But let them run their race at ryot styl And not rebukte by reason at the fyrst Along they go let parents doe their worst Too late comes salues to cure contyrmed sores When loue is linkt and choyce is chayned tast You may as soone plucke trees vp by the rootes As breake the knot or sunder promise past The tackle hangs so sure vnto the Mast When shypâ— from shore haue hopste vp all their saâ—les To bend about againe it little vailes So statelie is the stroke of Cupids bow So fell his force so huge his heauie hand No striuyng serues no shift to shun the blow No might nor meane his Godhead to withstand Who fastest runnes sinks deapest in the sands Wherefore I wish that parents giue consent And not repine when mindes to match are bent For barre the sick whom Feuer doth molest To drinke his fill gis thirst will be the more Restraine thy Ienates course thy bridle wrest The beast becouimes farre fiercer than before Where streames be stopt there riuers most doe rore Downe goe the banks and ouer flowes the flood Where swellyng waters feele themselues withstood No trauayle serues to sunder louing heartes No absence breedes in friendes forgetfull mindes The farther of that dely from other parts The botter ech his flaming fancie findes Who striues to stop doth most enrage the wynds No louer true but beares within hys brest The shape of her whom he doth fancie best As thunder showres whom weather calmes againe Gyue greater drought and helpes along the string By meanes of heate mixt with the blomiing raine So safe returne of absent friende doth bring Increase of loue and faster streames the spryng Respect of birth of state or ought beside Stops not the boat that driues wuh such a tide A folly then for parents to restraine For lucres sake their children â—th we see That both theyr care and labour is in vaine And sundrie times a thousand tiles there bee That doe ensue when they will not agree As in this tale the Florentine doth showe The great mishaps by such restraint that grow Could mothers threates or tutors taunts reucke This Marchants minde or make him alter loue Could Parris pleasure once this youth prouoke His auncient friend from fancie to remoue Yea though it were a thing for his behoue No backe he came the selfe same man he went He chaungde the ayre but not his first entent And loue to helpe him onward od his race Assisted with deuise and subtile sleight Eke Venus taught him how to come in place And shrowded him in cloudie cloke of night Whereby he might approch to his delight But all for nought The game that he pursude Was caught before and thence his haue ensude So Pyramus in Babylon of pore Faire Thisbe loued but parents disagreed They might not match but prisoned were therefore Yet loue at length this faithfull couple freed The time was set the place and all decreed When foule mishap bereft them both of life Who slue themselues with one vnluckie knife Had pitie lodge within Saluestras brest Would she haue forst so true a man to die Who chargde with loue and thousand woes distrest Did hazard life to presse in place so me Vnto a dame that with her spouse dyd lie O blooddie Beare nay rather Tygers whelp That would refuse her auncient friend to helpe O marble mynde O stayne of womans stocke Not fed with un â—e of kindly nurses pappe But hewed with toole out of some ruthles rocke And layd withyn some Lionesses lap Couldst thou alow thy frend so hard a hap As by thy syde amid his sute to see Him dâ—e the death and all for loue of thee Draw hether dames and read this bloody fact Note wei the fruite of frovvardnes in loue Peruse the plague of her that pyty lackt See how in that she pleasd the gods aboue Example take your xygoâ— to remous And you that are Cupydos knyghts taâ—e heede Bestovv no more good wil then shalde need Renounce the loue of such as are forsped Forgoe those frends vvhâ—m law forbids to lyke Courte no mans wyfe embrace no maryage bed Leaue of your luste by others harines to seeke No such good vvyl can last aboue a vveeke Looke vvhen you thynke your selues in cheefest pryce They set you by vvhylst others throvv the dyce When once regard of honor lyes asyde When credyt is respected nought at all Then shame ensues and follovves after pride From vertue then to fylthy vice they fall And to allure they vse a pleasant call And beyng once entangled in the tvvyg To make you fat they â—eede you vvith a fyg For one delyght ten
to me then Helen was to Priams sonne of Troy And constant more in loue then was Vlisses make Of whose assured life and zeale so much the Poets spake Lesse light then Lucrece eke whom Tarquins lust defilde As curteous as the Carthage Quéene that fowly was beguilde To quite all which good parts this vow I make to thée I will be thine as long as I haue power mine owne to be Another Epitaph vpon the death of Henry Sydhnam and Gyles Bampfield gent. YF teares might ought auayle to stynt my woe If sobbyng sighes breathd out from pensiue brest Could ease the gryping greefes that payn me so Or pleasure them for vvhom I am distrest Neyther vvould I stycke vvyth teares to fret my face Nor spare to speud redoubled fighes apace But sith neyther dreary drops nor sighes haue power To doe me good or stand my frends in steede Why should I seeke vvyth forovves to deuoure Those humors that my fayntyng lymmes should feede Bootelesse it vvere therfore I vvyl assay To shevv my selfe a frend some other vvay Some other vvay as by my mournyng pen To doe the vvorld to vvit vvhat vvyghts they vvere VVhose deaths I vvayle vvhat frendly forvvard men And to thys land they both dyd beare Alas I rue to name them in my verse VVhose only thought my trembling hart doth pearse But yet I must of force their names vnfolde For things concealde are seldome when bewaild Tone Sydnham was a manly wight and bolde In whom neither courage baute nor feature faylde Faythful to frends vndaunted to his foes A lambe in loue where be to fancy chose The second neere vnto my selfe allyde Gyles Bamfield hight I weepe to wryte his name A gallant ympe amyd his youthfull pryde Whose seemely shape commended natures frame Deckte of the gods in cradle where he lay With louely lymmes and parts of purest clay Themselues might boast theyr byrths for gentle bloud The houses are of countenance whence they came And vaunt I dare their vertues rare as good As was their race and fitted to the same There wanted nought to make them perfect blest Saue happy deathes which clouded all the rest When rascall Irysh hapned to rebel Who seld we see doe long continue true Vnto the Lord of Esser lotte it fell To haue the lotte those outlawes to subdue Who went away to please the Prynce and state A â—â—â—ded on of many a doughty mate Whose names although my dreary quil conceale Yet they I trust wil take it wel in worth For noble mindes employd to common weale Shall finde a stemme to blaze their prowes foorth My dolefull muse but this alone entends To wryte and wayle my frends vnhappy endes Away they would and gaue their last adew With burning hearts to slay the sauage foe Bestride their steads and to the sea they flew Where weather rose and water raged so As they alas who meane their countrey good Were forst to lose their liues in Irish flood Those eyes should haue lookt the foe in face Were then constraind to winke at euery waue Those valiant armes the â—illowes did imbrace That vowd with sword this reaims renowne to saue Those manly minds that dreaded no mishap Were soust in seas and caught in suddaine trap Proud Eole Prince controller of the winds With churlish Neptune soueraigne of the â—eâ—s Did play their parts and shewd their stubburn kinds Whom no request nor prayer might appease The Tooyan Duke bid not so great a brunt When he of yore for Laume land did hunt And yet these wights committed none offence To Iuno as sir Paris did of yore Their only trauell was for our defence Which makes me waile their sodain deaths the more But what the Gods do purpose to be done By proofe we see mans wisdom cannot shun Ye water Nimphes and you that Ladies be Of more remorse and of a milder mood Than Neptune or king Eole if you see Their balefull bodies dâ—â—uing on the floud Take vp their lims allowing them a graue Who well deserued a richer hearse to haue Whereon do stampe this small deuice in stone That passers by may read with dewed eyes When they by chance shall chance to light thereon Loe Sydhnam here and Bampfields body lies Whose willing harts to serue their prince and realme Shortned their liues amid this wrathfull streame Ante obitum supremáque funera foâ—lix Deo iubente fato cedunt mortalia A louer deceiued exclaimes against the deceiuer and hir kind HOw much a wretch is he that doth affie so well In womans words and in hir hart doth lodge his loue to dwell Beléeues hir-outward glée and tickle termes to trust And doth without regard of time apply to womans lust Sith that hir wandring will and most vnstable mind Doth daily tosse and turne about as leaues amid the wind Who lothes hir most she loues and him that sues for grace She sharply shuns and proudly scornes and ebbes and flowes apace ¶ O gods what haue I done alas at length I spie My former follies and discerne how much I marcht awry To plant assured trust in tickle womans brest That Tygerlike sance mercy liues and euer shuns the best And yet she knowes I loue and how I waste away And that my hart may haue no rest nor quiet night or day Which sith to hir is knowen and how I hold hir chiefe Why cruell and vnkind doth she not pitie of my griefe ¶ Who is so perfect wise that may such malice brooke Of womans proud disdaine or beare their braules with quiet looke Without an open shew of lothsome lurking smart That racks the ribs that beates the brest and plagues the pensiue hart O me vnhappy wight most wofull wretch of all How do I lose my libertie and yéeld my selfe a thrall In seruing hir that cleane against all law and right Consumes my life destroyes my days and robs my reason quite O loue cut off hir course and bridle such a dame As skornes thy skill and leaues thy laws and makes my griefe hir game If as I déeme thou be the soueraigne of the skies Of Elements and Nature eke that all in order ties Wreake both thy wrong sustamd and eke thy damage done To me on hir whom flatly thou perceiuest vs both to shun Conuert hir frosen hart to coles of scalding fire Where rigor raigns and enuie dwels with poisoned wrathfull ire ¶ She crueâ—l knowes my loue and how as Saint I shrine Hir beautie in my brest and how with pearcing pains I pine And how a thousand times each day I die she knowes Yet mercilesse no mercy she nor signe of sorow showes She bound me to the stake to broile amid the brands At point to die a Martyrs death all which she vnderstands Yea though she know it well yet she conceiues a ioy At all my bitter grief and glads hir selfe with mine annoy O most disloyall dame O bloudy brested wight O thou that hast consumd by care my hart and courage quite O thou for