can he be aduised that marieth without the priuitie of his Parents And how can he support an household that marrieth with his Parents displeasure vpon whose deuotion he liueth and how can he iudge of his mistresse conditions that wanteth discretion to consider of his owne estate and where you alledge the beauty of his wiues face wil féede the husband with delight his delight will starue his body without other supplies so that when charge shall increase and his wealth diminish let the foolish young maried man impose himselfe vpon this fortune that he cannot so oft kisse the swéete lippes of his beautifull wife as he shal be driuen to fetch bitter sighes from his sorrowfull heart Sir quoth Soranso Defence c. taking Bergettos part of two euils the least is to be chosen and it is lesse euill for a man to liue a while hardly and satisfie his owne fancie then to liue euer discontented and please his friends The good behauiour of the maried may win the parents to consent and amend their exhibition or death may come and put them in possession of their parents liuing If either of these chance as one is shortly like to happen the penance that they indured will season their prosperitie and counsell the maried to kéepe within their teacher to leap within their latchet and liue within their compasse the louing aduise of the husband will reforme the disposition of euill in the wife No man nor woman but in some point deserue to be blamed and in some other to be praised For as Plato saith there is no woman so perfect good but in some one point may be reprehended nor no man so faultlesse but that some what in him may be amended so that if the Husband gently reprehend the fault of his Wife and the Wife patiently suffer the offence of her Husband the abilitie of their estate will sustaine a household and their loue and agréement will bée an especiall comfort vnto themselues and a commendable example vnto all the neighbours The best of both your euils quoth Doctor Mossenigo is starke naught Reproofe c. but our question was not to chuse the least of euils but that which is simply good not withstanding to answer to the sequell of this rashenes in mariage you say their good behauiours may recouer their parents good will but I prophesie that their euill demeanours are more likely to extinguish the affection of a Father for necessitie will accustome the Husband with dishonest shifts and kéepes his fayre Wife from being idle for want must bée supplyed what shame so euer ensue Then is it likely that the parents which did shut their purses in the beginning to punish the contempt of their Children wil now fast lock them to be reuenged of their infamie And where you gaue them a hope by their parents death I say no man dyneth worse Their pennance is great that liue in incertaine hope then hoping Tantalus nor none are more wetshod then they which expect dead mens shooes and when they fall the soules perhaps will bée worne I meane the Father in his life time may take order to die euen with the world or at least leaue his liuing maimed and the most of his substance wasted for in a tempest at Sea what Pylot hath any care of goods that féeth the ship at the point to sinke An vngodly child maketh an vnthrifty father euen so what parents can haue any ioy of worldly wealth more then to defend necessitie when hée séeth the heyre both of his labor and liuing out of hope of well dooing so that through this rashnesse many sonnes during their fathers liues with hard shiftes shift of necessity and after their deathes liue disinherited and not altogether so much for their owne contempt The seuerall paines of offences as for their wiues incontinency and truely in the first although the parents may be thought cruell yet are they not to be reputed vnnaturall for that euery offence hath his proper scourge restitution is the true paine for robbery an eye is reuenge for an eye a hand for a hand death challēgeth death and disobedience in the sonne deserueth disinheritance by the father Incontinency slandereth an honest mans house Touchiug this dishonesty of the daughter in law as it is great hazard but that necessitie thus bestowed will bend her a little the seueritie is sufferable if her husbands father shut her forth of his doores for that the honour of a mans house is so delicate as it can away with no staine and reseruing your fauours vertuous dames where a strumpet entereth she stuffeth the house with slander as carraine infected the ayre with stincke yea the occasion is iust if the father spare to get and the mother cease to saue nay if they spend that which they haue for it were great pittie that there should bée any thing left either of their liuing or labour to support a harlots pride O how innumerable are the inconueniences of this temeritie in mariage The wise by coniecture and dayly experience séeth and the foolish with sorrowe in their owne entrailes féeleth and therefore as a hainous offence the auncient Philosophers which without partiallitie checked Vice and cherrished Vertue punished this contempt of Children Plutarke saieth the sonne that marieth without his Parents consent among the Gréekes was publikely whipped Paines for temeritie in mariage among the Lacedemonians disherited and among the Thebanes both disinherited and of his parents openly accursed The yonger company began to feare a restraint of Fréeloues libertie and their Goddesse Beauties disgrace The Doctor gaue Capitaine Bargetto such crosse blowes who though he fainted in his opinion yet like a Cocke that hath one of his eyes stricken out his head bared to the braines yet striketh vntill he dyeth he assayled the Doctor with this one more reason Master Doctor quoth he they goe far that neuer returne Defence c. and the battaile is very cruell where none escapes what although a number spéede ill in making of their owne choice many haue prospered well In matches of the best foresight good Fortune hath not alwaies béen found and yet foresight is not to be blamed nor the other aduenture to be dispitefully condemned Ouid saith that Forma numen habet then by vertue of her Diuinitie it is like shée will sustaine them in aduersity that in prosperity became her vowed Seruants neither dooth this stayne of the wiues behauiour often follow for where Beautie Loue and Frée choise maketh the Mariage they may be crossed by Fortune yet continue faithfull Piramus and Thisbie Romeus and Iuliet Arnalt and Amicla and diuers others at the point to possesse their loues were dispossest of their liues but yet vnstained with dishonesty This want with which you threaten them what is it in respect of the pleasures these Louers possesse Wealth which is the contrary A description of wealth abused what is it being
Virginitie which is the fairest flower of a Single life be precious in the sight of God and in the opinion of men yet is Mariage more precious in that it is a sacred institution of God and more honoured of men the Married are reuerently intertained when the vnmarried are but familiarly saluted The Maried in assemblies are honoured with the highest places the vnmarried humble themselues vnto the lowest To be short Virginitie is the handmaide of Mariage Then by how much the Master is greater then the seruant by so much Mariage is more worthy then is Single life I confesse quoth Ismarito Mariage is an honourable estate Defences of a single life instituted of God and embraced of men but whereon had she her beginning vpon this cause to kéepe men from a greater inconuenience as the Law was founded vpon this reason to punish the trespasses of men But if no offence had béen giuen the Law had not néeded So if man had liued within bounds of reason which before any commaundement giuen was vnto him a Law Mariage might haue béen spared and therefore in the highest degrée is but a vertue vpō necessitie where Chastitie is a deuine vertue gouerned by the motions of the soule which is immortall and participating of the same vertue is alwaies fresh and gréene The euerspringing Bay is the Metamorphosis of chaste Daphnè whome Apollo although he were a soueraigne God could not allure to Mariage which proueth Chastity a true spark of Diuinitie whose twinkling reflexions so daseleth the eyes of imagined Gods whose powers must néedes be more great then the greatest of men as they cannot sée an end of their incontinent desires whereas the beauty of Mariage is many times blasted by fortune or the frailtie of the Maried Therfore think I by how much deuine things are of greater emprise then earthly by so much the Single life is more worthy then the Maried And in aduauntage quoth Lucia Bella where Soranso saith that there is great honor done vnto the married and to the Single is giuen light regard I pray you whether are Bacchus minions or the Muses most reuerenced among men whose places are hyer then the Cleargies and among women whose greater then the religious Dames They haue not this preheminence quoth Faliero because they professe a Single life Defences of Mariage but because their function is more sacred then other mens The cause why the cleargie are reuerenced who if their prayers to God be no more zealous then their vowes to chastity are stedfast you fly to the authority of a company as spotted as Labans Shéepe But where Sir Ismarito saith that Mariage is but a vertue vpon necessity to restraine man from a greater euill I approoue it an estate set downe by Nature and that man hath but amplified it with certain ceremonies to make perfect the determination of nature For we dayly sée in vnreasonable creatures Mariage is in a sorte worshipped Fowles of the Aire I meane the he and the she cupple together flie together féed together and neast together The Turtle is neuer merie after the death of her Mate and in many brute beastes the like constancy is found But generally there is neuer iarre nor misliking betwéen the Male and Female of vnpollitique creatures Vnpollitick creatures reuerence mariage and among the most barbarous people that euer liued by the impresson of nature Mariage hath euermore béen reuerenced and hououred Much more ciuill people ought to affect this holy estate And where Ismarito attributes such glory vnto a Single life because that Daphne was metamorphosed into a Bay Trée whose branches are alwaies gréene In my opinion his reason is faired like the Bay Trée for the Bay trée is barren of pleasant fruit and his pleasing words of weighty matter Furthermore what remembrance is there of faire Sirinx coynesse refusing to be God Paris wife other then that she was metamorphosed into a fewe vnprofitable Réedes Or of Anaxaretes chaste cruelty towards Iphis ouer then that she remaineth an Image of Stone in Samarin Many other such like naked Monuments remain of nice contemners of Mariage But in the behalfe of Mariage thousands haue béen changed into Oliue Pomegranate Mulberie and other fruitfull trées swéete flowers Starres and precious stones by whom the world is beautified directed and nourished In many well gouerned common wealths Sterility hath béene reputed so vile as the Aged was of no man honoured that had not children of his owne to do him reuerence Then by how much those things which nourish with increase are more necessary then those things which but simply please the eye by so much the maried is more worthy then the single life Sir quoth Ismarito it séemeth that you haue read a Leafe more then Saint Katherins Nun Defences of a single life for she simply tried all things and you subtilly vse but what serueth your owne turne you reproach a Single life with Barrennesse and commend the fertility of Mariage but had you showen the wéedes with the Corne bare pasture would haue returned as great a benefite as your haruest The Monsters Serpents and loathsome Creatures mentioned by Ouid in his Metamorphosis were they not I pray you the fruites of Mariage as wel as the blessings which you so affectedly reported Oedipus was glad to scratch out his eyes because he could not indure to beholde the vices of his Children The good Emperour Marcus Aurelius in his aged daies neuer rose that he sighed not neuer dined that he fretted not nor neuer went to bed that he wepte not to heare sée and consider the monstrous euils of his Children Admit the Maried haue vertuous Children they may dye when they are yong then the goodnes of their liues increaseth sorowes by their deathes and where the comfort is so doubtfull it is not amisse to refuse the hazard of the gréefe Vertuous fame is another life neither dyeth there any of Dianas band but that their vertues reuiueth them as the ashes of the Phenix turneth to another Phenix It is for some Phenix sake quoth Quéene Aurelia that you thus stoutly defend a Single life I doo but your commaundement quoth Ismarito I quoth she it is at my commaundement but yet for some others merite Aluisa vechio The impatiencie of women wil not be hid fearing that mariage would receiue some disgrace if that Quéene Aurelia fauoured the Defence of a Single life could not longer suppresse her affections but with a womans Impatiencie blamed the rigour of Diana who condemned Acteon to be deuoured of his owne Hounds who caused swéet Adonis to be staine by a wilde Boare with many other cruell partes vnséeming the naturall pittie of a woman but which might haue saned a great deale of Argument or at the least which will now soone end the Controuersie compare quoth she Iuno and Diana together and by their callings you may easily iudge who is the worthier Diana poore soule is
whose deuine beauties emblemed in humane shape dazeleth the yongest sight in Ionia Then to reuile them thus thou tirannisiest nature to demaund why I loue and serue Beautie thy question is blinde and deserueth a double answere But aye me though my eyes and loueh aue doone but what is iust Fortune hath dealt too rigourously with me to render my hart captiue to his Daughter who is the riuall of my Father what hope may I giue to my affections when possibilitie of comfort is taken away the Parents are readie to sheath their Swoords in one an others entrailes is it then like the Children shall imbrace a mutuall affection O no for though milde Venus consent that they loue wrathfull Mars will seuer their affection O cruel Warre thou art not vnproperly called the scourge of God The vengance of Warre for in thée is contained a greater vengeance then might be imagined by man thou armest the Sonne against the Father the Vnckle against the Nephewe the Subiect against his Soueraigne Thy drinke is blood thy foode the flesh of men thy fiers are flming Citties thy pleasures spoyling of Widdowes rau ishment of Virgins subuersion of Lawes and publique benefite thy Iudges Tiranny and Iniustice and where thou remainest her knowne enemy is not so dangerous as the fained fréend But why exclaime I of Warre who double Crowned Alexander with the riches of Asia and Affrica who honoured Caesar with imperiall triumphes and rewarded Hanniball for the trauailes of his life with renowne after death by whom Millions of men are registred in the life booke of Fame and through whome Phrigius giueth expectation of benefite to his Countrey comfort to his aged Father and honour to his posteritie I receiued my wound in the time of peace nay in the Temple of Diana shall I then exclaime of Peace and vpbraide Chastitie fowle fall the hart that should moue and shame woorme the tung that pronounceth such blasphemie O blessed peace thou fast chainest Treason Tiranny Murther Theft and Wrath with all disturbers of common tranquilitie and in the highest dignities placest Iustice The blessings of peace Pietie Temperance Concorde and Loue with many other Morrall vartues by whome the lewde are chastened the good are cherished and Common weales prosper and flourish O Chastitie thy diuine vertues deserue a better Trumpet then my iniurious tung thy excellency is written in the browe of Pieria And is Pieria the Deputie of Diana O yes and Phrigius the seruant of Venus too true is it then impossible they should agrée in affection yea sure O vnfortunate Phrigius through peace which receiuedst thy wound before Dianas Alter and by cruell warre art seperated from the Surgion that should cure thée These sundry conflicts Phrigius had with his bitter passions which pursued their aduātage with such thornie feares as if he had not béene suddenly succoured by the aduise and comfort of Lord Miletus a fauoured Counseller to Duke Nebeus and an assured fréend to his sonne Phrigius he had béene like to haue yéelded to dispaire Miletus was glad to sée him thus affected and sorry to beholde him so dangerously afflicted for in this loue he foresawe an end of the ancient enuie and enmitie betwéene the Citizens of Miletum and Myos whose ciuill Fraies had buried more yong men in the Féeldes then aged in the Churches and Churchyardes Therefore to confirme his affection and to comfort him with hope Lord Phrigius quoth he to blame your affection were cruelty and no sound counsell for you loue Pieria the Paragon of the worlde to discomfort you with an impossibilitie of her fauour were clean against the possibilitie of your fortune for besides that your person alluringly pleaseth your authorities commaund yea Pithes cannot but reioyce Pieria consent and all Myos desire is to solemnize this Mariage My selfe and the grauer sort of the counsell will motion the matter to the Duke your Father who I trust wil holde the affection of his sonne rather to procéede from the iustice of Diana then the iniurie of Cupid Who regarding the zelous offering◠o◠Pieria agreed that you should be wounded that Pieria might haue the honour to cure you in whose vertues all Ionia hopeth to be blessed Therefore to make your affection knowen in some pleasing Letter to Pieria cōmend your seruice and to deale with both your Fathers refer the care to me How swéete the smallest hope of grace is to a condemned man or the least word of comfort from the Phisition to the infirmed patient the sodaine change of Phrigius mone truely manifesteth who now began to looke chéerefully and with hope appeased his passions so that imbrasing Miletus hée committed his life to the fortune of his discretion and while his passion was quick he presented both loue seruice to Pieria in this following letter Phrigius Letter to Pieria FAire Pieria sith it is a common thing to loue and a miracle to subdue affection let it not seeme strange that I am slaue to your beautie nor wonder though I sue for grace The wounded Lyon prostrateth himselfe at the feete of a man the sicke complaineth to the Phisition and charged with more torments the louer is inforced to seeke comfort of his Mistresse To proue that I loue needeth no other testimony then the witnes of your rare perfections to giue me life is the only worke of your pittie Wherefore Madame since the vertue of your eye hath drawne away my heart as the Adamant dooth the steele I beseech you that my heartles body may so liue by your ruth as I may haue strength as well as will to doe you seruice and let it suffice for more honor of your tryumph that by the power of beautie your vertues haue atchiued a more glorious conquest then might the whole strength of Myos and which is more of a puissant enemie you haue made so perfect a friend as Phrigius shall hold himselfe in no fortune so happie as to encounter with the oportunitie to do Pieria and her fauourers seruice or their enemies damage if which amends may repaire all iniuries past I shall holde the safeconduit blessed that licensed you to enter Myletum if greater ransome be demanded it must be my life which if it be your will shall forth with bee sacrificed notwithstanding in such crueltie Dianas Temple shall be prophaned before whose Aulter I receiued my wound from the eyes of faire Pieria but holding it vnpossible that a stonie heart may be enemie to so many Graces as liue in your face I Balme my wounds with hope that I kisse your gracious hand that your answer wil returne an acceptance of seruice He whose heart waighteth on your beautie PHRIGIVS THis Letter sealed and subscribed To faire Pieria Tryumph after victorie was deliuered vnto a trustie Messenger who hauing safeconduit to passe through both the Armies in good houre arriued at Prince Pythes Pallace and in the presence of her mother other friends reuerently kissing the same deliuered Pieria
with Phrigius louing commendations his letter Who so in the Springtime in one moment had séene rayne and sunshine might againe beholde the like change in Pierias troubled countenance who found no lesse ioy in reading the letter then cause of wonder in beholding the superscription who by the consent of Diana to bring peace into Myletum was by loue with the selfe same Arrowe and at one instant wounded in as déepe affection as Phrigius notwithstanding bound to no desire so much as to the direction of her parents she shewed them this letter who wearie of the warres and embracing this meane of peace after they had aduisedly considered the contents to comfort Phrigius without iniurie to Pierias chast behauiour in her name they returned this answere Pierias answere to Phrigius Letter SIr Phrigius I receaued your Letter as I confesse that your praises so far passe my merit as I wonder at the error of your iudgement so I doubt whether so honorable a personage as your Lordship can yeelde your seruice to so meane a Lady or if loue were of that power whether you would obay to be seruant to her whose Fathers riuall your parents and you are but on the other part I entertaine a faint hope that you are not so much enemie to your honor as to leaue in your Aduersaries possession a monument of Dissimulation vpon which warrant and your free offer of seruice I binde you by a courteous request to indeuour to conclude a speedie peace that I may without danger of hostility repaire to Dianas Temple in compassing of which gratious league you shal receiue great glory the countrey much quiet and I whom you wish such welfare shall be bound to doe you any honourable fauour Pieria of Myos This answere sealed and subscribed To my Lord Phrigius deliuered by the hands and blessed with the louing countenance of Pieria was returned to Phrigius by his own messenger who after hée had read and reread this Letter not for that the Contents gaue him any assurance of loue but for because they commanded an imployment of seruice he comforted his spirit with hope that his indeuour in this charge should both reaue all doubt of dissimulation by him and smoothe Pierias Browe of Chaste disdayne and to further a happie ende of the Countries calamitie In the beginning of Phrigius contentment Lorde Miletus had so dealt in these affaires as in short time Duke Nebeus and Prince Pythes came to parle of peace and while the counsels of either parte considered vpon the Articles of agréement safeconduit of Tratick was giuen to the inhabitants of either Citie How swéete the friendly incounters of these ancient enemies were is the office of him that hath béen scourged with warres The vertue of Peace who though they were but in the estate of repriued men yet the hope of assured peace lightned their harts of former sorrowe and replenished the place with gladnesse Faire Pieria now safely repaired to the Aulters of Diana and Phrigus more of desire to salute his Mistris then of zeale to sacrifice to Chastitie fayned many deuotions to visit her Temple where these Louers for the reuerence they bare to the place forbare to encounter in any spéeche of loue yet if Diana would haue published their thoughts she should haue confessed that the most deuotionate of them both in their hearts honored Iuno in the eye of her owne Image and aulters But Diana though she be the Soueraigne of single Nimphes yet is she friend to Iuno and the Chast Married and only enemie to Venus and the wanton sort so that she tooke in worth this light trespasse yea held her selfe honoured that her sacred Temple should be the originall cause of Myletum and Myos peace and amitie and the ende of their auncient enuie and enmitie Wherefore to conclude the begun agréement she sent Concorde and Charitie to chayne vp grudge and dissention Duke Nebeus and Prince Pythes fréed from the vexation of these furies with affable and friendly intertainment reasoned of their affayres and while the Parents parled of their common profit the children vpon lawfull oportunities deuised of their priuate loues but yet with such a dutiful regarde of their friends consent that although their hearts were linked together by frée choyce the clapping of hands was referred to the foresight of Parents who burying former iniuries in the caue of obliuion made an Edict of Amitie sealed The power of vertuous loue strengthned with the mariage of Phrygius and Pieria Heires of eithers renowne and dignitie Behold here the worke of loue grafted in the honorable harts of the vertuous The wrath and stormes of war is turned to calme and temperate peace the blossoms of enmitie are altred into fruits of amyty and the roote of mallice growne to the trée of pittie The Nobles in honor of this mariage lauisht out their treasure in al their triumphes and showes to be in good equipage The meaner Gentlemen by excéeding cost learned by experience how afterward to spare The Citizens with giftes of great imprize presented their dutiful affections The learned eternised this mariage peace in tables of memorie The Cleargy song Himnes of ioy the common people rung the Belles and euery sort shewed some token of delight So that Phrigius and Pieria after the deathes of their aged fathers were crowned with the dignities of Myletum and Myos and all their happie life were honored with these acclamations of their subiects Liue blessed Princes the appeasers of Iupiters wrath by whome War the Monster of humanitie is fast chayned and peace the soueraigne of morall vertues Triumpheth in the Capitals of Ionia liue blessed princes and long enioy the hearts of your subiects In your vertues who haue multiplied wealth and to doe you seruice are readie to spend their liues This zeale and reuerence of their subiects Phrigius and Pieria many yeres possessed betwéene whom there was such equallitie in disposition as fortune knew not by any accident of ioy or mischance how to seuer their desires And when the time came that the heauens enuying the glorie of the earth in possessing this diuine couple charged nature to render their right Who obaying the will of Ioue sent sickenes to summon both Phrigius and Pieria and licensed death to doe his worst And as there yet remaineth an opinion in Miletum as their loues began in one houre so their liues ended in one moment whose spirits Metamorphosed into white Turthes tooke their flight towards that heauenly Paradise Where I wish al faithfull louers this louely company abiding places Segnior Philoxenus by the vertue of this dayes exercise the onely trauell of his learned wit so raysed the hearts of the companie with the desire of Mariage that Lucia Bella who in the beginning of Christmasse was determined to haue béene a vestall Nunne now confessed that they were enemies to Nature not worthy the society of men which scandalised or scorned this sacred institution The rest of this
light which was a Phoenix eye Led by this Starre amayne he commeth downe And footing sets vpon a fruitful I le Where liu'd a Queene crown'd with the Worlds renowne Vpon whose rule Grace Peace and Wealth did smile Her Senate graue her Cities Mansions weare For such as fled for persecutions feare To whom he gaue the tokens that were sent Fayre Pallas forme and Venus louely face Sweete Pithos tongue and Dians chaste consent And of these giftes Pandora nam'd her Grace And ioynes withall Ioues blessings to the same To make her liue in euerlasting fame These monsters fell which publique order breake Dissention Wrath and Tyranny he bound This office done he thought as Ioue would leake To heauen he hyes and blessed leaues the ground Where this good Queene and Subiects quiet liue When ciuill warres her neighbor kingdomes grieue Euen this is she whose sacred fame is knowne Throughout the world in Enuie Feare and Loue Enui'd because she raignes in peace alone Fear'd in that she shielded is by Ioue Lou'd for desert whose vertues shine as bright As twinckling Stars doo in the frosty night This siluer Pen meete for a Virgins prayse Vranie here doth Ismarito giue With charmed charge this Queenes renowne to rayse As she in spight of Death and Time may liue Which right is hers the labour is but thine Then Iudging write as she may seeme diuine Vaticinium VRANIES A briefe Summarie of the principall Arguments handled in these seuen Dayes Pleasures 1 OF the difference betweene the Maried state and the single life 2 Of the inconueniences of forced Mariages 3 Of the inconueniences of rash Mariages 4 Of diuers speciall poynts concerning Mariage in generall 5 Of the inconueniences of ouer lofty and too base Loue in the choyce of either Husband or Wife 6 Of the inconueniences of Mariages where there are inequalitie of yeares 7 Of the excellencie of Mariage with many sound Lawes and laudable directions to continue loue betweene the Maried All which Principles are largely and pleasantly intercoursed with other Morall Conclusions of necessary regarde FINIS Madona Aurelia her first dayes pleasures Chiefly containing A ciuill Contention whether the maried or single life is the more worthy And after many good Reasons alleadged on either parte Sentence is giuen on the behalfe of Mariage AT what time the Earth dismantled of her braue Attire A description of the dead of winter lamented the absence of Dame Aestas company that faire Phoebus in his Retrogradation entring the Tropique of Capricorne and mounting in the Zodiacke licensed naked Hyemps to powre down her wrath vpon the face of the whole world through dread of whose boysterous stormes euery liuing creature by the direction of Nature retired himselfe vnto his safest succour as the Birde to his Nest the heast to his Couert the Bée to his hiue the Serpent to his hole onely Man excepted Man by reason inlargeth the bounds of nature within whose limites euery other creature liueth who being beautified with a diuine spirite and armed with reason farre aboue the reach of Nature scorneth to be chayned vnto any place through the violence or iniurie of Tyme In this dead season such were my Affaires that Necessitie sent me into a Countrey farre from home whereas I was no lesse vnacquainted with the people then ignorant of the waies This was the Forrest of Rauenna in Italie for the most part of pine Apple trees and hauing trauailed the great part of a Christmas Eue in a desart Forrest strayed out of knowledge I tooke me to a déepe beaten way which promised a likelyhood to finde out some spéedie Harbour and after I had iornied the space of an houre in a swéete Groaue of Pyne Apple trées mine eye fastened vpon a stately Pallace the brightnes whereof glimmered through the Branches of the younger woodde This Pallace was 10 miles from Rauenna towards the Riuer of Poe. The custome of Christmas not vnlike the Beames of the Sunne through the Crannelles of a wall assuring then my selfe to receiue best Instructions of the better sort of people such was my haste as I soone arriued at this sumptuous place but according to the condition of time in Christmas sooner to finde a friend feasting in the Hall then walking in the field other then a few of ignorant peysants I could perceiue no person The delight I tooke to beholde the scituation and curious workmanship of this Pallace made me so long forget the cause of my arriuall there as in the ende one of the well qualited seruants hauing knowledge of my being without in a seruisable order came and presented me with his Lords curteous welcome and reuerently requested mée to alight and enter the Pallace which imagined this entertainment to be but an Italion curtesie after thanks giuen by a modest excuse refused so great a fauour and onely craued to be directed the readiest waie to Rauenna the seruant cunningly replying that I could not bée receiued into the Citie without his Lords Bollytyne Bollytine a warrant of health without which no man may trauel in Italy and at this time he sealed no mans safe conduct without knowledge that his affayres required great haste in so much as won with his importunities and ouercome with wearinesse of Trauell I committed my Horse to the ordering of my man and accompanied this officious seruant to wards the Pallace and by the way ouer a large entrance into a faire court I might reade these two briefes in Italion Pisano é Forresterio A liberall welcome Entrate e ben venuto Which generall inuiting imboldned me so far as I hardly marched towards the great Hall the Skréene whereof was curiously fronted with cloudy Marble supported on euery side the passages Welcome and Bountie the porters with stately Pillers of Geate and ouer the thrée Portalls stood the Images of two men the one of Allablaster Marble bare headed representing the vertue of welcome the other of blew Marble attyred like a Cooke and by him were artificially painted Pheasants Partriges Capons and other costly Cates as the figure of Bountie at the entry of this stately Hall I was receiued by the Lord of the Pallace accompanied with diuers Gentlemen of good qualitie with so ciuill and friendly intertainement as his behauiour blazoned the true knowledge of curtesie before wée past any further I began to recount the aduenture which brought me thither and craued his honourable fauor for my dispatch why then quoth Segnior Phyloxenus for so for some cause I name the Lord of the Pallace I thanke your hard fortune for arriuing you here to do me this honor no hard but happy fortune quoth I if I may liue to honor you with any effectual seruice wel quoth he after your werie trauaile it is more néedefull to prouide for your repose then for a further iourney and so lead mée the way into a faire great Chamber richly hung with Tapistrie the roofe whereof was Allablaster
but a Goddesse here on earth and Iuno is Quéene of Heauen Dianaes force is in her Bow and Arrowes Iuno bestoweth Thunderbolts vpon her enemies Diana is attired with gréene leaues and Iuno with glorious Starres Diana féedeth on rawe fruites and drinketh colde water Iunoes Feastes are of Manna and her bowles are fild with Nectar Dianaes musick is no better then the voyces of a few Nimphes Iuno is recreated with the harmony of Angels Dianaes pastime is a foote to chace the fearefull Roe where Iuno in Phaetons winged Chariot pursueth a thousand seuerall pleasures then by how much the pomp of Iuno excéedeth the naked Triumphs of Diana by so much Mariage must néedes be more worthy then the Single life Lucia Bella that should haue answered Aluisa Vechio not vnlike the Marigolde that closeth her Beauty when Phoebus is attired with his brightest rayes so admired the glory of Iuno Vaine glorious shewes bewitcheth women that as an inchaunted creature her tongue forgot her naturall office the reason was her hart was sodenly surprised with an ambitious desire of honor Which change Ismarito perceiued with the first and least her silence should conclude a yéelding All is not golde quoth he that glistereth Contentment neither followeth the greatest nor scorneth the meanest nor euery thing counterfet that is not curiously garnished a smiling countenance is no ful testimony of a merry hart nor costly Garments of a rich Purse And perchaunce the griefe of Iunoes secret discontentments is greater then the delight of her glorious pomp where Diana who as a Diamond in the darke shineth of her selfe néedeth not the Ornaments of Iuno And as she is simply of a pure substance so her thoughts must néedes be swéet and quiet Sir quoth Maria Belochy our soundest iudgements are of those things that we our selues sée therefore if the apparance of Mariage be worthier thâ—n the apparance of the single life if sentence be truly pronounced it must be in the behalfe of Iuno Quéene Aurelia pâ—rceiuing the increase of Ismaritos aduersaries for who can stop a streame measure the sire weigh the winde or hinder Fancies passages and with all considering how that the controuersie was sufficiently debated commanded the contenders to kéepe silence and referred the question to be iudged by Fabritio and Isabella Who hauing aduisedly considered the reasons on both sides agréed that a single chast life pleased God because Chastity is pure and also delighteth man because shee quieteth the minde but a chast maried life both pleaseth and honoreth God because Mariage hourely presenteth the worlde with the Image of himselfe pleaseth and profiteth man because she giueth him a companion by affection changed into his owne disposition of whom he hath children who in despight of death preserueth him aliue And therefore the sentence of them both was pronounced by Fabritio Sentence giuen in the behalfe of mariage in the behalfe of Mariage who withall enlarged her prayses with the report of many swéete Blessings which she liberally bestoweth vpon her Subiects But lest the company should haue béen fired with too hasty a desire of Mariage hee cooled their affections with such caueats as they that had their voyces ready tuned to sing the prayses of God Hymen were of the sodayne as mute as a fish by reason whereof Fabritio had frée passage for his counselling reporte who after many wordes to either purpose deliuered concluded with the opinion of Plato That Mariage was a paradise on earth Platoes opinion of Mariage if her Lawes be obserued and a Hell in the House where her Statutes are broken The Gentlewomen wist not what to say to Fabritios bitter-swéete commendation of Mariage vntill Bargetto quickned their tongues by this pleasant suggestion Pleasant talk is good phisâ—â—k for sorrowe If quoth he Platoes opinion be law by the same reason women are either Angels or Diuels And why not men as well as women quoth Isabella whose dispositioÌ„ beareth the greatest sway in this vocation I will shew you a reason quoth Doctor Mossenigo men with a meane can temper their passions The extreame passions of a woman when a woman hath no measure in her loue nor mercy in her hate no rule in her pittie nor piety other reuenge no iudgement to speak nor patience to diffemble and therefore she is likened vnto the Sea A Gundelo is a little Boate like a wherry which one while is so milde as a smal Gundelo indureth her might and anon with outrage she ouer whelmeth the tallest ship Ah master Doctor quoth Katharina 〈◊〉 I feare me you are so learned Hien sometimes a man and somtimes a woman as like the Hyen you change your selfe sometimes into the shape of a womaÌ„ but yet of this malitious purpose to learne their dispositions only to reproch their kind but had any of vs the cunning to become a man but a while I imagin we should euer after loue that better to be a woman You haue rather cause quoth Dondolo to let master Doctor kisse your hand for commending your kinde then to blame him by a surmise of iniurie offered vnto women for if there be a few good they couer the faults of a number that are euill as a little golde guildeth a great quantity of iron and for any thing he sayd you haue as generall an interest in vertue as in vice Yea but quoth Quéene Aurelia he is to be blamed for his intent The intent of euill is to be punished which was euil and deserueth not to bee praysed for the good which came of it which was our merite Madame quoth the Doctor so much greater is the good you receiue by my Trespasse as thereby you are honoured with the vertue to forgiue Yea Pardon is to be vsed in ignorant and not in wilful faults but quoth she remission is to bee vsed in ignorant offences and not in wilfull My habite quoth he is a testimonie that I spake not of malice So much quoth she the greater is your fault in that it procéeded vpon pleasure The punishment of great offenders doth most good in examples and where you think to priuiledge your selfe by your habite for example sake you shall at open Supper bath renounce your heresie and make satisfaction or abide the Iudgement of these Gentlewomen If there be no remedie quoth he I must obey The Doctor thus taken tardie gaue occasion of laughter vnto the whole company Which blowne ouer quoth Soran so we haue trauayled this day to an vnfortunate end for that now towards night we are entered into an open Champion where we find many broad wayes to Hell and but one crosse path to heauen Well quoth Quéene Aurelia we will take other times to beate out the true passage And least wee be lated wée will no further to day Whereupon after a courtly reuerence done Quéene Aurelia with her Attendantes shewed her selfe in the great Chamber where she might repose her mind with the choice of
sundrie pleasures For his or her disposition was very strange that in that company could not finde both a Companion and sporte that pleased his humor The first Nights Pastime AMong wise men these Orders haue euermore béen obserued or allowed In the Church to bée deuoute in place of Iustice to be graue at home to be affable Deuotion and at meales to be merrie for in the Church we talk with God who séeth our hearts and hateth hypocrisie Grauitie in Iustice we sit to chasten light demenours then great were the shame that our countenances should contemne our selues At home we rule and commaund then were it Tyranny to vse seuerity there where is no resistance Affabilitit At meales to be merrie digesteth meate and refresheth the wit then is he an enemie vnto himselfe that contemneth the rule of health and the helper of knowledge Mirth Howsoeuer the thrée first precepts were obserued Segnior Philoxenus and his honourable guestes duly executed the last who in the midst of supper hearing of Doctor Mossenigos pennance hasted the execution The Doctor séeing there was no remedy openly confessed that he had praysed women against his wist for which he was condemned to 〈◊〉 Ab renuntio and to make satisfaction by some other meanes And as he thought the contrarie was the amends of euery trespasse and therefore whereas he had praysed them against his will hée was ready to desprayse them with his will Subtilty beateth true meaning with his owne sword Quéene Aurelia would haue taken exceptions to these wordes but that the company cryed The Doctor speakes Law which she could not with Iustice violate whereupon Mossenigo reported as followeth Doctor Mossenigo his Satisfaction for praysing women against his will IN the famous Citie of Vienna in Austria sometimes dwelled a simple Sadler named Borrihauder who was maried to an olde crabbed shrew called Ophella the agréement of this couple was so notable as the Emperour Charles the fift commaunded his Paynter Parmenio to drawe their counterfeits as a monument of furie Parmenio comming to doe the Emperours commaundement found Borrihauder wéeping with the agonie of his wiues stripes and Ophellas chéekes as red as fire with the heate of her tongue which straunge sight chaunged his determination into a pleasant conceipt and in place of their Counterfeits in a fayre table he drew an Element troubled with lightening and vnder writ Ophella and in another Table fastned to the same hée likewise drew an Eloment darkened with raine and vnder writ Borrihander Parmenio presented this trauell vnto the Emperour The Emperour séeing the two names and not the shape of those he commaunded to be drawne demaunded the Painters meaning herein who plesantly answered that he could not take the view of Ophellas face for feare of being fiered with the lightening of her tongue and that Borrihauder was drowned with teares which as showers of rain followed the thunderclaps of his wiues Fistes But in good time had she died this Demideuil Orphella fel so extreamely sick as in euery mans iudgement it was néedful to giue Phisick to her soule but bootelesse to bestow any of her Body Borrihauder séeing her as he thought at a good passe was so accustomed to sorrow as he determined to knole her passing bel with this counterfeit mone Ah deare God quoth he how vnhappy am I to lose my louing wife my good wife my swéete wife O howe happy were I that as we haue liued together so wee might nowe die together This pittious sound of her husband so melted the dying hart of Ophella that like a candle consumed that leaueth a little smoke in the wéeke she lay both spéechlesse and sencelesse saue that the pangs of death somtimes threw a weak breath out of her mouth but like vnto wilde fire that burneth in water the Corsiue that would haue killed the diuel in her case recouered her to health which was her husband out of feare of her life in despight of the iniurie of time past fell to kisse and coll his Maide which watched his gasping wife before hée tooke order with the Clarke to ring her knell which Ophella as dim as her sight was perceiued and Furie which was the last motion that accompanied her in life like a whirle wind that w e a sodain violence draweth things into the ayre so fired her heart with malice to sée her husband in this iollitie with her mayd as madnes gaue her the strength to crie Ah ah Traytor I am not yet dead ah villaine villaine I am not yet dead and through this passion choller so dried her Catar as shortly after she perfectly receiued her health and so canuassed her husband Borrihauder as by the motions of sorrow and payne hee hung himselfe in a Crabtrée O quoth Katherina Trista it was great dammage that Thymon of Athens was not in the towne to shew all malitious men that trée The diuell might haue pâ—t in their mindes to haue hanged themselues This sodaine answere of Katherina Trista tickled all the company with a laughter a good parte whereof A cunning answere taketh away the grace of a shrewd tale were ready to scandall women with a froward nature being by this example more fostered with despight then good vsage who now for feare of their owne reproch amplifted not Master Doctors tale with any other spightfull authorities For the History of Thymon of Athens dogged nature Thymon of Athens was the sworne enemy of humanitie was so well knowne to euery Gentleman as the remembrance of his name assured them that there neuer liued woman of so froward a condition neither is it possible that euer any man againe should be so great an enemy to humanitie And thereupon quoth Falerio Thymon of Athens was without heyre or successour and therefore is no able example to blame vs. Neither had Ophella for any thing wee heare either heire or successor quoth Aluisa Vechio then by your owne reason is of no authority to stander our sexe This one quip for another although more mildely handled of the Gentlewomens side according to their naturall modestie quieted either part In so much as Doctor Mossenigo humbly desired to bée receiued into the grace of women againe Nay quoth Quéene Aurelia you deserue to be euermore banished the presences of women Alas good Madame quoth he I did but your commaundement and thereupon I appeale to the report of the company Yea A dutiful subiect is bound to obey his Princes words and not linger vpon the effect but quoth she my meaning was otherwise O Madame quoth hee Subiects are bound to execute their Soueraignes wordes and are not priuiledged to interpret their charge to their owne fancie I sée well quoth Quéene Aurelia that there is no dealing with a Lawyer for they can defend their owne trespasses with the same sworde A fained frend is better then a dangerous open enemy wherewith they punish other mens offences and therefore better to haue
vnspeakable ioy or vncurable sorrow how may a man assure himselfe of the one or auoide the other when a womans vnsearcheable heart is the only harbor both of her good euil conditions and once in appearance the honourable and the dishonest the vertuous the vicious and in briefe euery sorte of women are naturally beautified with modestie If the good repulse dishonest request with chast disdaine the badde with counterfet sobrietie will blush at incontinent sutes if the good vseth silence as a vertue the bad with well ordered spéech wil be as highly estéemed if the good with the beautie and benefites of nature delight the bad with the florish of Art will no lesse be fantasied So that at the first face the cunningest Clarke may be deceiued in iudging who best deserueth The greatest Clarke quoth Faliero proues not alwaies the wisest man none more apt to be beguiled then he He valueth all that glistereth Golde he estéemeth faire words Experience is the best ludge as friendly déeds and thinketh that louely countenances do spring from a louing condition when experience knowing the contrarie will trie them all by the best The corruptest Canker bloometh like the swéetest Eglantine the bitter Bullice resembleth the pleasant Damson and the sower Crah the sauorie Pippin Euen so good and bad faire and fowle chaste and vnconstant women are made of one moulde framed of one forme The forme deceiueth but the qualitie sheweth the creature naturally graced with a shamefast blushing but as in smell the Canker in tast the Bullice and the Crab in relish bewray their imperfections euen so with cunning vsage the subtillest woman will shew her vnnaturall conditions counterfeits will to kinde copper holds print but not touch with gold fire hid in ashes will breake forth in heate water courses stopt find out new passages euen so the impatient woman throughly moued discloseth her passions the proud with sufferance excéedeth in pompe and the wanton sore charged wil fall to folly Well quoth Dondolo notwithstanding your directions be good yet the path to heauen is so difficult to finde as the ignorant passenger without direction is like to follow the beaten way to hell and the surest guide is Experience So that the direction of the Parents The foresight of Parents is to be imbraced of the Children in this behalfe Parents with regarde foresée the euils that negligent Children féele ere they withstand Parents prouide liuing to maintaine their Childrens loue Children often times by matching with beggers diminish their parents inheritance Parents labour for necessaries to support an house-hould Children onely séeke for silken ragges to vpholde their pride Parents haue care to match their Children with those of vertuous condition and Children lightly regard no more then their louers amiable countenance I confesse with you quoth Faliero the ouersights of yong men in their choyce A reprehension of forced mariage but I crie out vpon forcement in Marriage as the extreamest bondage that is for that the ransome of libertie is the death of the one or the other of the maried The father thinks he hath a happie purchase if hée get a rich yong Warde to match with his daughter but God he knowes and the vnfortunate couple often féele that hée byeth sorrow to his Childe slander to himselfe and perchance the ruine of an ancient Gentlemans house by the riot of the sonne in Lawe not louing his wife But admit there bée no disagréement betwéene the parties which is rather fortune then foresight in parents who regarde that the lands and goods bée great but smally waie whether the beauty and behauiours please or no yet loue inforst taketh knowledg neither of friends fauor forme Loue will not be constrained goods nor good bringing vp Delicate meate hardly forceth an appetite vnto the sick Pleasure yéelds no sollace to the sorrowfull no more can forcement enforce the frée to fancie The Lyon with gentlenes may bée tamed but with curstnes neuer conquered much more lordly is Loue for as Petrarke defineth The Prince the Peere the Subiect and the slaue Loue giues with care to him they make their mone And if by chance he grant the grace they craue It comes of ruth by force he yeelds to none I could report many examples of large authoritie The euill of tediousnes to proue this inconuenience but to a néedelesse ende for tediousnes duls the remembrance of the hearer and tyres the tongue of the reporter In dayly action you may view the libertie of Loue his contempt to bée constrained and the great compassion he vseth when he is with curtesie acquired which account in forced Mariage is sildome considered There is procurement of friends before plightment of faith safety for liuings before assurance of loue and clapping of hands before knitting of hearts an occasion that the sorroful parties mourne when they are Married reioyse when by death they are seuered Dondolo replyed that when there is no remedy Reason will driue them to loue But Faliero maintayned that Reason and Loue are at deadly food Reason bids thée loue but where thou art liked Reason and Loue as enemies and Loue bids thée fancie where thou art hated Reason directs for thy benefit and Loue allures to thy detryment and to conclude the office of Reason is to appease olde griefes and the nature of Loue is to raise new debates Tush tush quoth Bargetto among the maried quarrels in the day are qualified with kisses in the night whereupon groweth this Adage The iangling words that Louers vse in rage Giues Loue a grace when anger dooth asswage A witnesse that vnkindnesse inlargeth Loue as the wrack of Winter doth the beautie of Sommer then although the Parents matche at first bée without the fancie of the Children a reconciliation in fine will double their comfort Sir quoth Soranso fauoring Falieros opinion you wrest the Adage is to a contrarie meaning Another reprehension of forcement in mariage for it is to bée vsed but where there hath béen some time perfect loue and where a grounded loue is although the Married menace with their tounges they malice not with their hearts on the contrarie part looke what rule the Louer vseth in loue the enemie obserueth in reuenge Therefore if the Maried abhorre before Marriage they may well dissemble with their tongues but will neuer be delighted in their harts where there is such a deuision in the desires of the Married fayre fained semblance will soone turne to flat fowle falling out their thrift goeth forward as the carriage drawne by two Oxen taile to taile the husband will haue no delight to get nor the wise desire to saue seruants with negligence will waste and hyrelings with prolining wil win and which is worst the continuance of mallice wil custome them with mortal hatred hatred betwéene the Married bréedeth contention betwixt the parents contention betwixt the parents raiseth quarrels among the kindred
vp the roots so though I dissemble till oportunitie Sicheus shall féele my hate to death and though I endure a space I will redéem my dying life and perseuering in this resolution Elisaes thoughts The Diuell is the executioner of vengeance that were lately drowned in sorrow now flamed with desire of Reuenge and the Deuill who is the Executioner of Vengeance presented her forth with this vngratious meane A yong Gentleman named Chion among a troupe of other Ladies and Gentlewomen beheld faire Elisa with such a burning affection as he foorthwith dispossessed his owne hart to make his bosome the seate of her imagined Image so that his soule that continually eyed her beauty and his hart at the direction of his Mistresse gaue such a heat to his desire that had he béene sure to haue receiued Ixions torments for his ambitious attempting of Iunoes loue he could neither haue left to loue An extreame passion of loue nor haue forborne to séek for grace so that follow what would he foorth with presented his affections in this ensuing Letter ⧠Chions Letter to Elisa FAire Mistresse had I vertue to perswade you to ruth as you haue power to make me loue the discouery of my blazing affections would melt you were you a Mountain of Ice to pittie But for that Loue is more vehement in the hart then in the toung I appeale to your owne motions for grace if you haue euer loued if not I hope for such iustice at Venus hands as you shall loue and yet thus much I say although I affye nothing in my perswasions because they be but words I presume of my indeuours for that I haue vowed my life to death to do you seruice of which you can haue no better assurance then imployment nor I a hyer fauour then to be imployed Good Madame martyr me not with ordinary doubts in that my affections are not ordinary For as your beauty excelleth al other Dames as the faire Rose each Garden Flower euen so the full power of Loue hath made me in the estate of flaming flaxe that is presently to receiue grace or in a moment to perish Thus longing for your sweet answere I somewhat succour my torments with the imagination that I kisse your gracious hand No more his owne Chion This Letter sealed and subscribed was deliuered to so cunning a Messenger as néeded no instructions in Chions behalfe The letter presented and aduisedly read by Elisa surprised her with an vnmeasurable ioy not so much for that she had purchased her selfe a faithful Louer as procured her Husband a mortall enemy A naturall feare in a woman surpriseth many of their euil affections of which Chions Letter gaue her not so great assurance as the disposition of his countenaunces in a former regarde and thereupon pursuing Sicheus with more hate then minding Chion with affection she mused vpon a number of mischiefes inuented by desire to be reuenged and suppressed by feare to be defamed In fine remembring that she had read Loue quickneth a mans wit although it burieth Reason To trie if he could define what seruice she desired she returned Chion a Briefe wherein he had a light to mischiefe and might be read without blemish of her honour the effect whereof was this While SICHEVS doth liue ELISA cannot loue CHION receiued this Scrowle but yet before he presumed to read the Contents he kissed and rekissed the same holding an opinion that comming from his mistresses hands it deserued such honour although it contained Sentence of his death not vnlike the foolish Mahometians An example for Christian Subiects who vpon their Emperours Commaundements are ready Exerutioners of their owne liues But to my purpose Craft hath many times his wil with an opnion of honestie when Chion had throughly perused this strange aunswere were it Sicheus his heauy Destinie or a iust scourge for his foretrespasses accursed that he was he became too iust an Executioner of Elisaes wicked will but yet with this interpretation that the loue she bare her husband directed her in this answere Insomuch as ouercome with a furious hate towards Sicheus as the barre of his welfare like a Lyon that bites the Iron grate which holdes him from his pray sodenly with this salutation he sheathed his Sword in Sicheus ntrailes SICHEVS shall not liue To hinder CHIONS loue The fact was so fowle and withal so publique Wilfull faults deserue no pardon as the Officers of Iustice immediatly seased vpon Chion and for that his bloodie swoord was a witnes of the trespas there was no Plea to saue him for wilfull faults may be pittied but deserueth no pardon and to say trueth neither did he destre to liue because Elisa the vertue of his life by the charge of law was bound to sue him to death who followed the processe with an apparance of sorrow such as if her Couscience had béen without scruple of guiltinesse or her hart a thousand degrées from ioy when God knowes she was puffed with the one and the other so that the wonder at her dissimulation equalled the reproch of her notorious hatred To be short A fauour euill bestowed this was the Iudges sentence Chyon should be behaded as amends for Sicheus death and the Widdow should be endowed with his goods for the dammage done vnto her but God which knoweth our secret faults when Iudges though they rule as Gods know but what they heare and sée as men not willing to hide such an hainous offence This Iudge is not partiall for fauour gaine or feare First amased all the hearers with an vnknown voice Elisaes hart is as guiltie as Chions hand and there with all thundred this following vengeance vpon the cleared malefactor The Infant in Elisaes wombe as it were ingendred of the Parents malice at the very instant not obeying the course of Nature so tirannised her Intrailes as with very agony she dyed and withall remaineth an opinion that the Husband Wife and Sonne by the appointment of the Gods were Metamorphosed into Vipers which venimous Beastes are thrall to these curses The female after she hath engendred The curses giuen vnto a Viper murdreth the Male because she will not be ruled as an inferiour and the yong eate themselues forth of their Dams intrailes because they will not be bound to the obedience of Nature Well quoth Soranso though your Metamorphosis be vnlikely yet it is not vnnecessarily applyed For for the most part those which are forced to Mariage agrée little better then Vipers But it séemeth to me Segnior Faliero you haue too fauourably reported this History in Elysaes behalfe considering the mortall venime she tempered in her hart O quoth Faliero long fowle wayes Breuitie is best in passionate matters and affectation in pleasant both tyreth the Horse and wearieth his Rider where both the one and the other ouercommeth the length of faire passages with pleasure Euen so in a ruthfull History ouer plenty
this florish to make accorde betwéen the Sonne and the father as now his Table was furnished with emptie platters The misery of want and his Audit bags with a set of Counters So that Want that will make a toothlesse woman to bite at Brasen walles entred into Prouolos House and swore both him and his whole houshold vnto the statutes of necessity whose lawes were so straite that although they all had great occasion of sorowe they had no leasure for shifting to supply their wants insomuch as in short time there was no Neighbour that Prouolo was not in his debt or danger and no good natured youth there abouts that Marco Malipiero had not boorded or coosoned And what should faire Felice doo in this extremetie liue vpon her husbands trauell and be idle her selfe that were no good Huswiferie and yet poore Malipiero loued her so déerly that he would haue ventured vpon a thousand infamies to maintain her in the state of an honest Gentlewoman but although his shifts helped they defraied not her desire to be braue A Diamond hath not his grace but in gold nor a faire Woman her full commendation but in the ornamentes of brauerie So that attired to her best aduantage Brauery belengeth to Beuty Piatso a market place or a place of assembly faire Felice would many times walk vnto that Piatso Richio a place where the brauest Gentlemen assembled and where the finest deuices were solde she taking this liberty to walk bound the gal lant yong gentlemen in eurteste to Court her curteous seruice is to be accepted with thanks acceptance of seruice inlargeth acquaintance acquaintance ingendreth familiarity and familiarity setteth all follies abroach So that let other Maried men take warning by Malipieros hard Fortune A necessary note for if their wiues loue gadding like faire Felice be inconstant do want or finde in their husbands miscontentmēt twenty to one they will pawn their honors to please their fancies Well Felice lost nothing by these iournies for some one Gallant would present her with a Ventoie to coole her selfe some other with a mirrour to beholde her selfe and some with Lawnes Curtesie done with an euill intent Ruffes Coyfes and such necessaries to set out her selfe and yet vpon no dishonorable condition but by your leaue with hope of an after fauour This trafique faire Felice vsed vntill among a number that temperately affected her Marino Giorgio the rich Orphant of Capo verdo immoderately loued her and withall the honors of curtesie serued her But notwithstanding his lusty personage might please his louely countenance might intice and his rare wit passing through a swéet tung might be witch a woman in loue for that Malipiero was inriched with these perfections Felice regarded Marino Georgio but with an ordinary grace Disdaine haunteth desire and had it not béene for that Archinchaunter Golde perhaps would neuer haue béene inconstant This light account of Felice inlarged the affection of Marino The fire of loue for as drinke increaseth the dropsies drouth so disdaine heapeth coles vpon desire whereof Marino Teste seipso hath left an infallible authoritie whose torments were so gréeuous as the fire which of all flames burneth most and appearesh least burst out of his mouth the smoake of such furious sighes that where he was but late of a pure Sanguine Complection he séemed now nothing but Choller adust So that his fréends mourned and many moned his strange alteration who counselled him to take the Phisitians aduice But neither Galen Hipocrates nor their enemy Paracelsus could skill of his cure so that he was in danger to haue consumed to Cinders had not Macrello the Phisition of Loue vndertaken his health who comforted him with many swéet words of hope Phisick cureth not loue but Marino continually afflicted himselfe in recounting an impossibility of fauour Why quoth Macrello is not your personage séemely Yes but it doth not please Is not your face louely Yes but it doth not allure Is not your wit quick and good Yes but it can not perswade Is not Felice a woman Yes and more an Angell Well then quoth Macrello be of good comfort Angels be not cruell nor stéely harted O quoth Marino but Felice is constant and true to he husband who to continue her affection is graced with these and many more perfections Yea quoth Macrello but hee wanted one of your chiefest beauties What one is that quoth Marino Euen that The force of Golde that opened the double locked doore of Acrisius brasen Tower and put Iupiter in possession of his daughter Danais loue And thinke you this golden Beauty will not make a passage into poore Malipieros bed-chamber I warrant you yeas you haue Golde more at commaundement than I but I know the vertue better then you This short tale quickned dying Marino as the flashe of Rose water doth a sullen swounding childe Whereupon quoth he Macrello if your medicine bee of no lesse vertue to restore my life then your wordes to giue me hope the fortune shall be your profite as wel as my pleasure Hope comforteth but Loue cureth the Louer Well quoth Macrello sustaine your selfe with hope and for that your inuention is delicate deuise you some curious rich Iewel let me alone quoth hée both to charme and to present it and so with a remembrance in the hande he left Marino to contemplate of his loue and to consider how to recouer his life who in the end concluded to sende faire Felice the Image of himselfe in Golde inameled black his face meagre and pale and by a deuice the blacke mantle throwen aside for to appeare the bared Carkasse of Death with the intrayles consumed and in the seate of his life Marinoes present to his Mistresse to place Felice attyred with Diamonds Rubies Emrods and other precious Stones looking vpon his smoking heart whereupon was written these two briefes Loue onely giues me health Not Medicine nor wealth This Image made vnto his fancie he wrote this following Letter Marino Georgios letter to Felice the faire FAyre Mistresse if I enioyed any health I would wish you parte but what I doe possesse I acknowledge to bee yours and my selfe to be but your Steward And for this seruice because it is duetie I craue nothing but leaue my merite wholly to your consideration Yet lest my silence should rob the glory of your pittie and my death reaue you of a faythfull Seruant more of zeale to doe you long seruice then of any desire I haue to liue I here present you my consumed selfe only kept aliue by the life of fayre Felice who sitteth crowned in the Pallace of my heart which bleeding at her feete sheweth the meanes of my cure which if you witsafe I liue if not you see my death And thus doubtfull betweene both vntil I kisse your sweete answere I remaine Vnto my latter gaspe Your faythful Marino Georgio THis letter Sealed and Subscribed To the handes
vnpleasant Her anger kéepeth seruants in awe and her quicknesse ouerséeth their negligence if her tung runne at riot where she hunts there is store of abuse which must be chased either with blowes or words if y◠fury of her spéech offend her Husband it is like that her outrage groweth from his fault and where an iniury is offered it is sufferable if the wrong be blamed but which maketh a ful amends for her furious mood as the clowdy and rainy day lightly cléereth towards night euen so though she bitterly scowld at boord she wil be sure to kisse swéetly a bed The auncient Gentlemen commending the quick wit of this yong Gentleman In blaming mildens is to be vsed vsed this circumstance before he refelled his error Ah quoth he if wit were as aduised in Iudgement as he is ready in conceite his imaginations would turne to wonderfull effects but as fairest colours soonest staine as swéetest flowers are blasted with a breath as beautifull creatures are blemished with a little care as the brightest Sun threatneth suddaine raine yea as euery mortall thing hath his imperfection euen so wit being mortall Wit simply in imperfect and assigned by Nature to make man glorious aboue other creatures by rashnes corrupts the ripenes of his conceites and to good purpose his pride is thus abated for other wise man which inioyeth wit to worship his Creator and to liue content with the liberties of the sea and to kéepe him within the limits of the earth would search the secrets of heauen and I think dispossesse Pluto of hell Yong Gentleman quoth he I vse not this ceremony to represse your liberty of spéech for the errour of your rashnes I will refell with reason and experience but least héeraftèr you should be as arrogant in opinion as you are ripe in conceite I haue thought good fréendly and bréefely to signifie your imperfection and now to answere your late suggestion I affirme that Nature hath created nothing to a néedlesse purpose but not withstanding our abuse or mischance changeth hurtfull things into occasions of our help surfite and sicknes only commendeth Medicine and as you affirme the bloud of a Scorpion cureth the biting of the Viper But take away the cause which procéedeth from our gréefe and you shall finde medicine an enemy to health and the stinge of a Scorpion no better then death and trust me he is to be reckoned a foole and his misfortune to passe vnreléeued that wilfully indammageth his health in hope of remedy In like sort let him liue vnpittied to ouersée the slacknesse of his seruants who will marry a wife whose tung shall ouer-rule himselfe But more particularly to describe the properties of an vnquiet wife and more largely to discourse the displeasures of her vnfortunate husband I will approoue her lowrings as vnprofitable as his life is vnpleasant you say her quicknesse ouerséeth the negligence of sernants but I affirme that her curstnesse maketh them as swift to runne away Shift is vnprofitable for Maister and Seruant as they were slowe to serue her and common vse auowes that often shift is neither beneficiall for Maister nor seruant for proofe as the rowling Stone gathereth no Mosse and want of vse canckereth Iron in likewise thrift flyeth the fléeting Seruant and idlenes consumeth his ability of seruice Now touching the euill reckoning of those which are serued their wandering seruants not onely charge their common accounts with double wages but with secret pilfering they set their maisters in more déepe arrerages The Grecians that in times past neither vsed medicine for sicknesse Gienta a venemous herb one sort wherof is supposed to be Hemlocke nor patience in aduersitie but vpon euery great veration poisoned themselues with venemous Cienta In their Histories remember more that haue voluntarily died through the violence their Wiues tunges then of any other calamity Diogenes being demaunded the diuersity of an euill betwéene ascold a harlot answered They differ as the Viper doth from that crockadill for the scolde saith he with outrage destroyeth her Husband A needfull regarde for yong Gentlemen and the other with dissembling loue consumeth him to death And so concluded thē both enemies to life and quiet liuing of man Phrisio being both modestly warned and throughly answered with a blushful grace replyed the the grauity of his person and the sound reason in his wordes had taken from him al occasion of further Question vnles that women were his Iudges An ill cause asketh a partiall iudge This wittie shift moued such as were within the hearing to smile for where the cause is ill it is necessary to séeke a Iudge that is partiall and which commended Phrisios gouernment vpon a small check he left to contend with this ancient Gentleman for yong men although their wittes be good are not priuiledged to dispute with the grauer sort without licence intreatie or great renerence By this time the Mountibanke with describing the qualities of his vermin and the Zanni in shewing the knauish conditions of his Maister had wasted a good part of the night and wearied the most part of the company so that desire of repose summoned them vnto their lodgings MADONA AVRELIA Her fourth daies pleasures Containing varietie of necessary discourse and yet withall the greater part appertaining to the generall argument of Mariage SO déepe are the impressions of sorrow The great impression as the faining of Poets may be helde for Morall truthes where as they affirme that the bitter mone of Orpheus tung together with the passionate sound of his Instrument moued such ruth in infernall creatures as while he was a suter to Pluto for the restitution of his wife Euridice his plaints so charmed the torments of Hell as for the time the Gripe forbare to teare vpon Titius growing hart Tantalus indeuoured not to drinke Danais daughters leste filling of their brincklesse Tub toyling Sisiphus sate and eased himselfe vpon his rowling Stone yea and Pluto ouercharged with pitie made restitution of Euridice This sorrow to heare that Quéene Aurelia by some distemperature was sick and kept her Chamber wrought such gréefes in the hartes of the whole company that they hung their heads in disgrace like Garden Flowers which séeming as teares are cloyed with the dewe of a foule mistie day True sorrow is knowne rather by sighes then words Among the rest Ismarito although he vsed not so many words of lamēt as some other did yet with the teares of his hart he solemnifed the true rites of a Mourner and to say truth where the tung hath frée passage to talke the hart is occupied with no great gréefe Segnior Phyloxenus séeing Ismarito in this passion and that occasion entertained him with no other busines while the rest of the company were hearing of a little superstitious seruice The Pope hath begun and not yet finished a most rare Gallerie Beautifull attires for a Gallerie lead him into a very faire
Brother poore man alas what should hee doe Life was swéet but to be redéemed with his sisters Infamie could not but be alwayes vnsauerie To perswade her to consent was vnnaturall to yéelde to death was more grieuous To choose the least of these euils A hard choice of two euils was difficult to studie long was dangerous Fayne would he liue but shame closed his mouth when he attempted to perswade his Sister But Necessitie that mastreth both shame feare brake a passage for his imprisoned intent Swéete Cassandra quoth he that men loue is vsual but to subdue affection is impossible and so thorny are the motions of incontinent desire The force of necessitie as to finde ease the tongue is only occupied to perswade The purse is euer open to entice and where neither words nor Giftes can corrupt with the mighty force shall constraine The force of Loue. or dispight auenge That Promos doe loue is but iust thy beauty commaunds him That Promos be refused is more iust because consent is thy Shame Thou mayst refuse and liue but hée being reiected I die For wanting his will in thée he will wreake his téene on me This is my hard estate My life lyeth in thy Infamie and thy honour in my death Which of these euilles be least I leaue for thée to iudge The wofull Cassandra answered A hard fortune that death was the least whose darte we cannot shunne when Honour in deaths despight outliueth time It is true quoth Andrugio but thy trespasse will be in the least degrée of blame Death is to bee preferred before dishonourable life For in forced faultes Iustice sayth there is no intent of euill Oh Andrugio quoth she intent is now adayes little considered thou art not condemned by the intent but by the strickt word of the Law The venemous nature of Enuy. so shal my cryme be reproched and the forced cause passe vnexcused and such is the venome of Enuy one euil déede shal disgrace tenne good turnes and in this yéelding so shall I be valued Enuy Disdayne Spight The vertuous are assured of many enemies and incertaine of any frendes Malice Slaunder and many moe furies will endeuour to shame me and the meanest vertue will blush to help to support my honor so that I sée no liberty for thée but death nor no ease for me but to hasten my end O yes quoth Andrugio for if this offence be knowne thy fame wil be enlarged because it will likewise be knowne A cause that may excuse the breach of honour that thou receiuedst dishonr to giue thy brother life If it be seceret thy conscience will be without scruple of guiltinesse Thus knowne or vnknowen thou shalt be deflowred but not dishonested and for amends we both shall liue This further hope remayneth that as the Gilliflower both pleaseth the eye and fâ—edeth the sence euen so the vertue of thy chast behauiour may so grace thy beauty A faint hope as Promos filthy lust may be turned into faythfull loue and so moue him to salue thy honour in making thée his wife Or for conscience for beare to doe so heynous an iniurie Soueraigne Madame and you fayre Gentlewomen quoth Isabella I intreate you in Cassandraes behalfe these reasons well weyed to iudge her yéelding a constraynt and no consent who weary of her owne life and tender ouer her brothers with teares of her louely eyes bathed his chéekes with this comfortable sentence Liue Andrugio and make much of this kisse A louing kisse which breatheth my honour into thy bowels and draweth the infamie of thy first trespasse into my bosome The sharpe incounters betwéene life and death so occupied Andrugioes sences that his tongue had not the vertue to bid her farewel To gréeue you with the hearing of Cassandraes secret playnts were an iniurie vertuous Ladies for they concluded with their good Fortune and euerlasting fame But for that her offence grew neither of frayltie A good consideration in Cassandra frée will or any motion of a woman but by the méere inforcement of a man because she would not stayne the modest wéedes of her kinde she attyred her felfe in the habite of a Page and with the bashfull grace of a pure Virgine she presented wicked Promos Andrugioes precious ransome This diuel in humane shape more vicious then Heliogabalus of Rome A damnable offence and withall as cruell as Denis of Sycil receiued this Iewell with a thousand protestations of fauour But what should I say In the beginning of his loue Promos was Metamorphosed into Priapus and of a Féende what may we expect but vengeance heaped vpon villany And therefore let it not séem straunge the after this Hel houÌ„d had dishonored Cassandra he sent his warrant to the Gayler priuily to execute Andrugio with his head crowned with these two Briefes A villainous ingratitude in Promos name to present Cassandra Fayre Cassaudra as Promos promist thee From Prison loe he sends thy Brother free This was his Charge whose cursed will had béen executed had not God by an especial prouidence at the houre of his Death An especiall prouidence of God possessed Andugio with the vertues of the two braue Romanes Marcus Crassus and Marius the one of which by the force of his tongue and the other by the motions of his eyes caused she Axe to fal out of the Headsmans hand and mollified his cruel minde With like compassion the Gayler in hearing Andrugioes hard aduenture left his resolution And vpon a solemne oath to liue vnknowen yea to his deare Sister hee gaue him life and in the dead of the night betooke him to God and to good fortune A signe of an honest nature which done this good Gayler tooke the head of a young man new executed who some what resembled Andrugio and according to leawd Promos commaundement made a present thereof to Cassandra How vnwelcome this Present was An vnwelcom present the testimonie of her former sorrowes some what discouer but to giue her present passion a true grace were the talke of Prometheus or such a one as hath had experience of the anguishes of hel O quoth she swéete Andrugio whether shall I first lament thy death exclayme of Promos iniurie or bemone my owne estate depriued of honour and which is worse cannot die but by the violence of my owne handes Alas the least of these griefes are too heauy a burden for a man then all ioyned in one poore womans heart cannot bee eased but by death and to be auenged of iniurious Fortune I will foorth with cut my Fillet of life But so shall Promos lewdnesse escape vnpunished what remedie I am not of power to reuenge to complaine I expresse my owne infamie but withall proclaime his villanie and to heare his lewdenes reproued would take away the bitternesse of my death I will goe vnto the king who is iust and mercifull he shall heare the ruthfull
euents of Promos Tiranny and to giue him example of vengeance I will seale my complaints with my déerest blood Continuing this determination Cassandra buried her imagined brothers head and with spéede iornyed vnto king Coruinus Court before whose presence when she arriued her mourning Attire but especially her modest countenāce moued him to beholde her with an especiall regarde Cassandra vpon the graunt of audience with her eyes ouercharged with teares A mischeefe wel preuented reported the already discoursed accidents with such an apparance of gréefe as the King and his Attendants were astonied to heare her and sure had she not béen happily preuented she had concluded her determination with chaste Lucretias destinie A noble fauour The King comforted her with many gratious wordes and promised to take such order that although he could not be reuiued her Brothers death should fully be reuenged and her crased honour repaired without blemish of her former reputation Cassandra vpon these comfortable words a little succoured her afflicted hart with patience attended the Iustice of the King who with a chosen companie made a Progresse to Iulio and entred the Towne with a semblance of great fanour towards Promos A necessary pollicy by that colour to learne what other corrupt Magistrates ruled in this Cittie for well he knew that Birdes of a feather would flie together and wicked men would ioyne in affection to boulster eche others euill After this gratious King had by héedfull intelligence vnderstoode the factions of the people vnlooked for of the Magistrates he caused a proclamation to be published in which was a clause that if any person could charge any Magistrate or Officer with any notable or hainous offence A royall grace Treason Murder Rape Sedition or with any such notorious Crime where they were the Iudges of the multitude he would himselfe be the Iudge of them and doe iustice vnto the meanest The clamors of the poore and the consciences of the rich like Hell Sorrowe and Shame the attendants of Cassandra Vpon this Proclamation it was a hell to heare the exclamations of the poore and the festered consciences of the rich appéered as loathsome as the Riuer of Stix Among many that complained and receiued iudgement of comfort Cassandras Processe was presented who lead betwéene sorrow and shame accused Promos to his face The euidence was so plaine as the horrour of a guiltie conscience reaued Promos of all motions of excuse so that holding vp his hand An vnusuall place for a Iudge amongst the worst degrée of théeues the little hope that was left moued him to confesse the crime and with repentance to sue for mercy O quoth the King such especiall mercy were tiranny to a common wealth A necessary regarde in a Prince No Promos no Hoc facias alteri quod tibi vis fieri You shall be measured with the grace you bestowed on Andrugio O God quoth he if men durst barke as dogges many a Iudge in the worlde would be bewrayed for a théefe It behoueth a Prince to know to whom he committeth Authoritie least the Swoord of Iustice appointed to chasten the lewde Princes beares the blame of euill Officers extortion wound the good and where good subiects are wronged euill Officers receiue the the benefit and their Soueraignes beareth the blame Well A iust iudgement wicked Promos to scourge thy impious offences I héere giue sentence that thou foorth with marry Cassandia to repaire her honour by thée violated and that the next day thou lose thy head to make satisfaction for her Brothers death This iust iudgement of the good king in the first point was foorth with executed The good prorect the lewde But sacred is the authoritie that the vertues of the good are a Shielde vnto the lewde So swéete Cassandra who simply by vertue ouercame the spight of Fortune The duetie of a wife truely shewen in this mariage was charged with a new assault of sorrow and preferring the dutie of a wife before the naturall zeale of a Sister where she before prosecuted the reuenge of her brothers death she now was an humble suter to the King for her Husbands life The gracious King sought to appease her with good words but he could not doo her this priuate fauour The common weale is to be regarded before priuate honour without iniurie vnto the publike weale for though quoth he your sute be iust and the bounden duety of a wife yet I in fulfilling the same should do vniustly and generally iniure my Subiects and therefore good Gentlewoman haue patience and no doubt vertue in the end will giue you power ouer all your affections There was no remedy Cassandra must departe cut of hope to obtaine her sute Siue bonum siue malum Fama est But as the experience is in dayly vse the dooings of Princes post through the world on Pegasus back And as their actions are good or badde so is their same With the like spéede the Kings iustice and Promos execution was spread abroad and by the tung of a Clowne was blowen into Andrugios eares who till then liued like an Outlawe in the Desart woods But vpon these newes couertly in the habite of an Hermit Good motions proceede frō the soule and euill from the flesh by the diuine motion of the Soule who directs vs in things that be good and the Flesh in actions that be euill Andrugio goes to sée the Death of his Capitall enemy But on the other parte regarding the sorrow of his sister he wished him life as a fréend To conclude as well to giue terrour to the lewd as comfort to his good subiects the King personally came to sée the execution of Promos who garded with Officers and strēgthened with the comfortable perswasions of his Ghostly fathers Among whom Andrugio was méekely offered his life as a satisfaction for his offences A gratefull parte which were many more then the Law tooke knowledge of and yet to say the truth such was his Repentance as the multitude did both for giue and pittie him yea the King wondred that his life was gouerned with no more vertue considering the grace he shewed at his death Andrugio beholding this ruthfull Spectackle was so ouercome with loue towards his Sister as to giue her comfort he franckly consented a new to emperill his own life And followinge this Resolution in his Hermits wéede vpon his knées hee humblye desired the Kinge to speake The King graciously graunted him Audience Whereupon quoth he regarded Soueraigne if Lawe may possibly be satistied Promos true Repentance meriteth pardon Good Father quoth the King he cannot liue Murther asketh death and no other satisfaction and the law satistied vnlesse by miracle Andrugio be reuiued Then quoth the Hermite if Andrugio liue the law is satissied and Promos discharged I quoth the King if your praier can reuiue the one my mercie shall acquit the other I humbly thank
your Maiestie quoth Andrugio and disconering himselfe shewed the preuidence of God and the meane of his escape and tendring his Sisters comfort aboue his owne safetie he prostrated him selfe at his Maiesties féete humbly to obey the sentence of his pleasure The King vpon the report of this strange aduenture Princes are bound to their word after good deliberation pardoned Promos to kéep his word and withall holding an opinion that it was more beneficiall for the Citizens Of two the least euill is least dangerous to be ruled by their olde euill Gouernour new reformed then to aduenture vpon a newe whose behauiours were vnknowne And to perfect Cassandras ioye he pardoned her brother Andrugio with condition that he should marrie Polina Thus from betwéene the téeth of danger euery partie was preserued and in the end established in their harts desire Madame quoth Soranso your good conclusion hath likewise preserued vs from a great danger Ruthfull tales raiseth remorce in the hearers for had you ended with the sorrow you began we had béen al like to haue béen drowned in teares Indéed quoth Katharina Trista you men haue had cause sufficient of sorrowe by hearing your kinde reproched with such monstrous euils By example of euill the euill are feared By example of the good the good are strengthened and we women frée passage to lament in beholding none but crosse fortunes to succéed the good indeuours of a vertuous Lady It is true quoth Fabritio but to participate of their ioye we men haue learned out of Promos example of euill for feare of his like punishment of euill to doo well and you women by example of Polinas vice and Cassandras vertue are both warned and incouraged to weldooing Indéede quoth Quéene Aurelia there are many Morall precepts in either Historie to be considered Good order is to be kept among such as haue beene late sick which I hope the company haue so regarded as there néedeth no repetitition And further because I will not be too bolde of the victory ouer my late distemperature we will héere end And therewith she arose and retired into her Chamber with charge that the company should attend her in the same place vntill Supper who obeying intertained time euery one with their speciall fancy The question that arose at Supper vpon the fourth daies exercise MAny prettie nippes passed betwéene the retyred Company this night at Supper as well on the Gentlewomens parte as of the Gentlemens insomuch as presuming vpon this Daies honour when the Table was readie to be taken away Aluisa Vechio tooke vpon her to maintaine a woman to be a creature euery way as excellent and perfect as man Comparison breedeth contention For naturall shape quoth she they are more beautifull of a better temperature and complection then men In valiant exploytes what difference was there betwéen Semiramis and her Husband Ninus betwéene the Amazon women and Alexander For constancie of minde Excellent vertues in women did not Loadice imbrace death with lesse feare then Mithridates her Husband Asdruballes Wife then Asdruball himselfe And what man hath kept a constant resolution of death so long as Lucretia In Vertues you men that read Histories and Cronicles of all ages shall finde women renowmed for learning gouernment and pollicie In Mecanicall Artes there are Women likewise experienced In the vertue of Diuining what man hath come néere the Sibils To be short what man hath béen so perfect in any vertue but histories make mention of a woman as perfect Yea quoth Dondolo but there be so fewe of these women Cauillers neuer answere directly as an easie wit may remember them But it will cumber your tung to report them quoth Katharina Trista The other Gentlemen although they were willing to giue place vnto the Gentlewomen in small matters A disgrace in honour a Gentleman may not beare with yet this comparison of equall soueraignty nettled them a little In as much as Soranso answered Madame Aluisa you haue made a bolde comparison and but a bare proofe Where you vaunte to be more excellent in shape and more delicate in substance then men It is an ouer ruled question that Women receiue perfection by Men Aristotles problemes and Men imperfection by Women then by how much the vertue is of more emprise that is simply of it selfe then that which is compound of an other by so far we excéede you in this perfection Your honour of valiātnes died with your examples and although there hath béen Women learned and experienced in Mecanicall craftes Extraordinary things are not to be compared with ordinary yet to heare a Woman plead at the Barre preach in a Pulpit or to sée her builde a house is a wonder and no example in vse How short your diuining Sybels come of the credit of the Prophets in the olde Testament is no question disputable Life is precious For your constancie at death you know not how precious life is which maketh you rash and not constant and in truth what you haue frowardly determined you will not be forbidden As she that had her Tung cut for calling of her husband Théefe would yet notwithstanding make the signe of the gallows Well sir quoth Quéene Aurelia Epicarias obstinacy Epicaria in the trembling pas sage of death was constant who endured to be rent in péeces before she would confesse the conspiracy against Nero would haue béene holden for a vertue of staidenesse in a man And what say you of Leena PLIN. Lib. 34. Cap. 2. that bit off her tung and spit it in the Tirant Hippias face because she would not bewray a conspiracy against him Madame with your fauour quoth the Doctor had she not had this foresight An enuious Suggestion it had béen like the Athenians should haue béene driuen to haue made a brazen bell as a Monument of her talk rather thē a tungles Liōnes as they did in honour of her silence for had she not mistrusted her imperfection she would neuer haue committed that tiranny vpon her self Had her tung béene venomed with your mallice it is like quoth Quéene Aurelia that the Athenians had verified your slaunderous opinion herewith she looked a skawse vpon her fauoured seruants as who would say I check the omission of your dutie in not defending of my right Vpon which warning and especially for the excellencie of this sex A man may praise a woman without reproching a man quoth Ismarito a man may doo iustice vnto an other without iniury to himselfe and sure without the reproche of men a man may commēd the excellencie of women in whose behalf although I wil not cōdemne Sir Soransos reasons yet in my opinion he erred in the first Article where he toucheth the perfection of Men and the imperfection of Women for neither of themselues are perfect Chaste talke ought especially to be vsed in the presence of women Aris. Prob. nor may haue
other What likelyhoode of continuance hath the House whose ground worke is rotten although the prospect be beautifull and strong God wot the féeblenes of the Foundation will ouerthrowe the firmenesse of the vpper frame Compare this vnequall estate in Mariage with this ouersight in building and you shall finde the discorde as great betwéen the one as the ruine and decay spéedie in the other The good and able Gouernment of the Husband is the foūdation and ground worke of Mariage and the beauty of the Wife the blessing in hauing of Children and the benefite of possessing liuings are the outward buildings of mariage And as they are pleasant in the eye of the world euen so they greatly please the mindes of the maried and giue a singuler grace to this honourable vocation But if the Gouernment of the Husband be inabled with age as in truth Olde Age is no other then a second Infancie In whose desire direction discretion and delight there are imperfections The beautie of the wife will be blasted with sorrow for the insufficiencie of her Husband euill Education will accurse their blessing in hauing of children and negligence will waste their benefites of liuing You holde a yong wife a companion to recreate an olde man but he shall finde her a corsiue that will consume him to death A yong man concludeth the swéetest solace in loue with sighes it is thē like an olde man endes it with teares And God he knowes he often wéepeth more of desire to please his wife then of any deuotion he hath to wantonnesse yet is all his paines to a fruitlesse purpose for that the Game finisheth in his gréefe and neither began nor endes in his wiues contentment You are too quick in aduantage Segnior Soranso Defence c. quoth the Doctor olde Wine though it be dead in the mouth yet is it warme in the Stomack when the new fumes in the head but comforteth not the hart Dry wood maketh a bright fire where gréene bowes consume halfe away in Fume and Smoake The Sunne riseth watrishly and is long before it giueth heate where in the afternoone it scorcheth the face So a yong man deuideth his loue into a hundreth affections and euery fancy pleased there will but a little fall to his wiues share where an old mans loue is setled and his fancy is fixed vpon one And as the recited examples in age are in best hart so to proue an olde mans sufficiencie there is a cōmō Prouerb Graie haires are nourished with green thoughts Now to content his yong wife she shal haue no cause to suspect his Affection abroad and shall not lack to be beloued at home Moreouer which delighteth a yong woman who naturally is ambitious she shal take her place according to the grauitie of her Husband and not as her yong yéeres requireth And to conclude to giue her an honourable name the most precious Iuell with which a woman may be beautified she shal receiue graue directions from her husband and through the swéete delight she taketh in hearing her good gouermēt commended we will put them in execution Doctor Mossenigo replyed not with this vehemencie for any delight he had to commend this vnequall estate in Mariage but to flatter Katharina Trista with an Ambitious hope of great reputation in matching with his aged selfe but she that knew a legge of a Larke was better then the whole carkasse of a Kite would none God thank him And to make him horn wood if he perseuered in his opinion in Soransoes behalfe quoth Bargetto his ancient crosser Maister Doctor there is more pride in your words thē substance in your proofes your hartie olde Wine must be drawen out when it is broached your dry wood is but a blaze and your hotte Sunne doth but sweat for sorrow that he is going to cowche in the darke Caues of Tartessus Reproofe c. But as touching olde men they may well be sufficient in gréene thoughts as you terme them but I am assured that in déeds they are weake and withered and therefore a man cannot speake too much euill of this excesse in dotage withered Flowers are more fit for a Dunghill then méete to decke a house olde rotten Trées are néedefull for the fire but vnnecessary to stand in an Orchard euen so olde decaied creatures are comely in the Church but vnséemely by a yong womans side The olde man which marrieth a yong Wife is sure of this sowre sauce to rellish his swéet imaginations The mischances of an olde man yōgly maried his beloued wife howsoeuer she dissembleth disdaineth him his neighbours all to beflouteth him and soothing Parasites beguileth him common opinion will counterfeit him like Acteon not so much for the ficklenesse they sée in his wife as for the infirmities they know in himselfe And bréefely to conclude his ioy A yong wife is death to an olde man he may perchaunce liue two yéeres with his faire wife but the mischaunce of his Children will remember his infamie for euer Gréene Iuy which catcheth an olde Trée maketh quick worke for the fire and the imbracements of a faire woman hastneth an olde man to his Graue And although it be a hainous wrōg causelesse to cōdemne the wife An honest woman is lightly slaundered by the imperfections of her Husband yet this will be the opinion she killed her Husband with thought to heare and sée how she trespassed both against his and her owne honour Foule fall such a Mariage quoth Maria Belochy where the vertuous Wife shall be slaundered through the imperfections of her Husband It is some wrong quoth Fabritio but shee might haue foreséene the mischiefe Repentance to late while she was frée Well quoth Quéene Aurelia vpon this knowledge of mischaunce The wise are warned by the mischances of others our companie are sufficiently warned Procéede in iudgement as you allow eithers opinion Whereupon Fabritio with Isabella with one accord gaue sentence against Doctor Mossenigo in these wordes An olde man amourous of a yong woman is an enemy both to his health and reputation for the causes aforesaide The rest of the company smyled to heare this iudgement but the Doctor brake foorth many a secret sigh not for the disgrace he tooke in his pleading for he defended an ill matter with colour sufficiēt but in that he knew this verdict would alwaies be a barre in his sute While the Doctor and Soranso argued Quéene Aurelia espied in the Cloth of Arras A Rhinocerot a beast fourmed like an Vnicorne saue that he bare his horn in his nose which beast sléeping laid his murthering horne in a yong Maidens lap and after the question was decided she demaunded what the beast was and what the misterie signified but the meaning was as strange as the sight to most of the company In the end quoth Ismarito Madame The Metamorphose of Rinauius a Gentleman of Naples I haue read of a gallant yong Gentleman of
owne will and of his owne Spirite so wrought to his owne affection that betwéene them there is séene two bodyes and but one thought perceiued The Maried ioy alike sorrow alike are of one substance one concord Loue to our Parēts reuerent one wealth one pouertie companions at one Boord and in one Bed The loue we beare vnto our Parents Loue to our brethren naturall is or ought to be reuerent and dutifull because they gaue vs life vnto our Brethren naturall because of the priuitie in blood to our friends affectionate by certaine motions and consents of the minde Notwithstanding Loue to our friends affectionated that these Loues be thus great yet are there diuers causes to lessen them But bet wéene the maried no mischance or infirme fortune is cause sufficient of hatred for none gouerned by reason Loue between the maried irrcuocable is so inhumane as to malice his own flesh Cōpare their seueral affections by sorrow and you shall sée the weakenes of the one in regarde of the strength of the other The greatest mone we make for the death of our Father Brether A good meane to trie the loue of the maried or Friend appeareth in sighes or most vehement in teares whereas if we our selues are but a little wounded we crie outright so that by how much we excéede in sorrowing our own mischances The ring a triall of the loue betweene the maried aboue another mans by the same reason so much we loue our selues more than another The King that is giuen by the husband put on the wiues finger ought to be of golde to witnes that as golde is the most precious of Mettals so the loue of the maried excéedeth all other loues To which effect Another figure of the ring Propertius sayth Omnis amor magnus sed aperto in coniuge maior Moreouer the close ioyning of the ring is a figure of true vnitie of the maried betwéene whom there should be no deuision in desire nor difference in behauiour Christ was borne of a maried woman To honour this holy iustitution of God God would haue his onely begotten sonne to be borne of a wife perfectly maried saue that she was not carnally soyled Licurgus the good King of the Lacedemonias Licurgus lawe for the vnmaried so reuerenced this sacred estate as he made a Law that what Lacedemonian soeuer were vnmaried after the age of thirty eight yeares should be chased and hissed out of all publique playes and assemblies as one vnworthy to be séene and that in the colde winter he should naked indure the reproches of the people and withall was bound to confesse how he iustly suffered that punishmēt as a Mispriser of Religion a contemner of Lawes and an enemie to nature The Romanes were not so seuere The Law of the Romanes for the vnmaried but yet the aged vnmaried were condemned according to their abilitie to pay vnto the Treasurer for publique vse a good summe of money Plato in his Lawes enacted that the vnmaried should execute Platoes lawes for the vnmaried no honourable Office Estate nor dignitie in the common wealth The good Emperour Alexander Scuerus although he maried rather to giue ende to his mother Mammeas importunities then as he thought to begin a more happy life yet fayre Memmia his wife so naturally accorded with his disposition as when she died he would often renew his sorrow and remember her vertues in these wordes Alecander Scuerus loue to Memmia his wife So great a Treasure as I haue lost a man seldome findeth Death were gentle if he tooke nothing but that which offendeth but oh he hath reaued the better part of my selfe How wonderfully was the loue of Paulina sage Senecaes wife who opened her Veines not onely Paulinaes rare loue to her Husband Seneea with an intent to accompany him to death but also with a desire to féele her husbands maner of death Quintus Curtius reciteth that King Darius with an vnapauled Spirite The precious loue of king Darius to his wife tooke his ouerthrowes by Alexander the Great the ruine of his kingdome the danger of his Royal person But hauing knowledge of his wiues death he wept bitterly shewing by this sorrow that he loued his Quéene farre aboue his Crowne King Admetus being fore sicke receiued this answere from the Oracle that if he liued his best friend must dye The deuine loue of king Admetus wife which when the good Quéene heard she presently slew her selfe and in the trembling passage of death censtantly said To giue King Admetus life his Queene and dearest friend doth dye Tiberius Graccus finding two Serpents in his chamber The exceeding loue of Tiberius Graccus towards his wife went to the Augurs to knowe what they diuined Who answered that he was bound to kill the one of these two Serpents if he slew the male he should die himselfe if he killed the female he should lose his wife who murtherer of himselfe slew the male and saued his wife and so by his rare loue raised a question whether his wife were more fortunate in hauing such a husband The wonderful loue of Queene Artimesia towards her husband Mausolus or vnhappie in loosing of him One of the seuen wonders of the world is an eternall testimonie of the loue which Quéene Artimesia bare to her husband Mausolus who for to engraue his dead Coarse erected a Sepulchre so royall and sumptuous as tooke away the glory of all Princely Toombes before her time and left no possibilitie for any in time to come to excell the same One of the seuen wonders of the woilde but holding this too base a mansion for his kingly heart she dried the same to pouder spicing her wine therwith she buried it in her owne bowels to crowne his fame with an euerlasting memorie for that that ruine of his Sepulchre was subiect to the iniurie of time with great rewards she encouraged Theopompus Theodectes Naucrites Isocrates foure of the most famous Orators of Greece to renowme his vertues Among whom Aul. Gel. in lib. de nocti aiti Theopompus as we reade receiued the triumph of victory in that learned skirmish I could reportè many other authorities of vnseparable Loue betwéene the Maryed the least of a hundred whereof would equall the friendships of Titus and Gisippus or of Damon and Pithias the two wonders of mens affections But for that I know the able wits here present can cloth my naked proofes of the excellencie of Mariage and of the diuine Loue betwéene the maried with many other sounde reasons I will giue place Madame that you and the rest of your Ingenious company may doo better seruice to the one and Iustice to the other desiring that that which is sayd may discharge my promise though not satisfie your expectation Sir quoth Quéene Aurelia if you giue vs good lawes to preserue Loue among the