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
of words both gréeueth the reporter and giueth meane for a thousand sighes to break from the hearer where affected circumstances giue a grace to a pleasant tale Sorrowes causeth silence Sorow to heare their kinde thus stained with crueltie locked vp the tunges of the poore Gentlewomen a pretie while In the end quoth Aluisa Vechio We are bound to shew aswell the cause as to punish the euill a dame more olde and bolde then the rest me séemeth that Faliero hath but little fauored Elysa for he hath showen her euill and the scourge of her euill and in charitie he was bound to shew the cause of her euill I would quoth Doctor Mossenigo that Frier Bugiardo had heard this disputation Good moralitie is better then euill doctrine it might haue béen the breking down of the Altar whereupon he but lately committed blasphemy it would haue more reformed him thē his pleasing Sermon could haue confirmed vs. These aduantages the Doctor tooke to crosse the Gentlewomen his late open enemies There is no trusting of a reconciled enemie and but now his fained fréends not vnlike a sneaking dog that neuer barkes but bites withall And to spite them the more quoth he Monsier Bargetto since you are bound from speaking of loue you haue both cause and oportunitie to talk of womens hate Pardon me quoth Bargetto for this penance was but a due paine for my presumption The example of a naughty nature which I hope to ouercome with patient suffering and sure in this milde answere Bargetto shewed a morall vertue A necessary note and Doctor Mossenigo by his malicious question a canckred nature for simply to offend procéedeth of frailtie but to perseuer in euill is a note of wilfull frowardnesse Well notwithstanding Bargettos temperance a Cauiller caught hold vpon this question as a Mastiue vpon an old dry Marybone A Cauiller hath colours for euery question and to proue a womans hatred more greater then her loue he auouched many cruell authorities But Faliero who had done them some initirie in reporting the late history made them part of amends and put their aduersarie to silence in prouing the contrary his reason was that their hate in the extremest degrée stretched but to the death of an other and their loue many times hath done wilfull murder vpon them selues Then it followeth Womens loue is more great then their hate by how much we prise our selues aboue an other by so much their loue is greater then their hatred Yea quoth the Doctor but their loue and hatred are both violents Women do amis but men are the cause and euery violent is an euill Yea Master Doctor quoth Maria Belochy their euils are the greater for men for by their flattering inchauntments women loue immoderately and stung with mens vnsufferable iniuries they hate mortally The Doctor replyed Beauty ouercommeth the wisest there was more power in her looks then authority in her words but least he should be subdued by the one he would not contend with the other Why quoth Quéene Aurelia beauty works no more impression in a Doctors eye then doth poyson in Mineruas shéelde for he by Philosophy can subdue affection Madame quoth he you may well compare beauty and poyson together EVRIPIDES comparison between beauty and loue for their operations are alike saue that beauty is the more extreame in that she infects with her looks and poyson not vnlesse we taste it or when it is most strong not vnlesse we touch it yea Euripides compareth her inchauntment with the inticements of a kingdome whereas he saith IN these two things a Kingdome to obtaine Or else to worke the faire to their will So sweetly tastes the grace of either gaine As men ne dread their freends with foes to kill The reason is controlement shrinkes the place Whereas a King as soueraigne Iudge doth sit In loue because that reason lackes his grace For to restraine the selfe conceits of wit So that God knowes in danger stands his life That is a King or hath a fayre wife To deale in Princes affayres the company was too gréene but in beauties behalfe there was neither Gentleman nor Gentlewoman that was not desirous to bee reuenged of the Doctors detraction for he that hath a slaunderous tongue iniurieth many Slander is generally hated and is himselfe hated of all men but for that it was now too late to decide any other great question Quéene Aurelia adiourned the ending of any controuersie vntill the next day The Deuice of the second Nights Mask BY a secret foreknowledge of a Maske with which Soranso Bargetto Ismarito and others purposed to honor Segnior Philoxenus and his companie supper was hastened and soone ended and after the one had saluted the other with an accustomed reuerence while the rest of the Gentlemen entertained Time with dauncing or deuising with their mistresses the Maskers withdre with themselues about nine of the clock in this disguise presented themselues agayne A Consort of swéete Musicke sounded the knowledge of their comming the Musitians in Gyppons and Venetians A Gentleman is not to show his passions by his attire of Russet and Black Taffata bended with Murrey and thereon imbrodered this Posie Spero Timeo Taceo expressing thereby the sundry passions of Loue and before them two Torchbearers apparelled in Yellow Taffata Sarcenet the generall apparell of the Maskers was shorte Millaine Clokes Dublet and Hose of Grêene Satten bordered with Siluer Greene silke stockes White Scarpines Rapyers and Daggers Siluered Men in mary case are to be priuiledged for another merit Blacke Veluet Cappes and White Feathers They agréed to be thus attyred to shewe themselues frée in the eye of the world and couertly bound vnto their mistresses Ismarito for courtesie sake because he was a straunger and withal in that his Mistres was the most honourable had the leading of this Maske who lighted with a torch by his Page apparelled in Blew Carnation and White Taffata the colours of his Mistres Ventoy a Fan. entered with a Ventoy in his hand made like an Ashe tree wrethed about with Iuy expressing this poesie Te stante virebo with which vpon fit opportunitie he presented Quéene Aurelia his Mistresse within which were couertly hid these verses in English Italion TWo Soueraigne Dames Beauty and honestie Long mortal foes accorded are of late And now the one dwels in my Mistresse eye And in her heart the other keepes her state Where both to shew the vertue of this peace To garnish her make ryot of their Grace In her fayre eye Dame Beauty doth increase A thousand Gleames that doe become her face And with her heart thus doth the other deale She lowly seemes and mounts through chast disdayne So that her thrals doo serue with honest zeale Or fearing blame doe yeelde vnto their paine The heauenly soules enuies the earths renowne Such giftes diuine in humaine shape to see And Ioue stil moues a
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
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
Naples named Rinautus that was Metamorphosed into such a Beast by this aduenture passing through the Iland of Circeiū that Homer speaketh of which is now annexed vnto the Continent he was espied of Circes who inhabited that Iland This wrinckled ill-fauoured witch at the first sight was surprised in loue with the goodly shape and beauty of this séemely Gentleman but for all her charmes and inchauntments her art failed either to force him to loue or to frée her selfe from louing for notwithstanding she was a Goddesse he disdained her ouerworne foule and withered visage and she presuming of her sorcerie powred fresh Coles vpon her kindled desire in hope that necessitie would force him to consent to the request frée will contemned but Cupid to whom such power onely belongeth to scourge her presumption in such sorte hardened Rinautus hart that all Circes sute and sorceries tended vnto a fruitlesse successe Insomuch as in her rage she turned him into a Rhinocerot a beast of vnconquerable force who in his nose beareth a horne much like to the Vnicorne But notwithstanding he was thus transfourmed as King Nabuchadonizer in the fourme of an Oxe retained the spirite of a man so he in his altered shape nourished his ancient disdaine of ill fauoured Circes and to be fully auenged with all his force pursueth olde Creatures and such as he ouertaketh he goreth to death yet is he by this pollicie subdued Place a faire Maide in his walke and foorth with he will with a louing countenance repaire vnto her and in her bosome gently bestowe his murthering horne and sodainly as one rauished with cōtentment he falleth a sléep by which meanes he is slaine before he recouereth the vse of his force The company laughed well to heare this strange Metamorphosis In the ende quoth Quéene Aurelia I would Maister Doctor had heard this historie when he so inuayed against Beautie perhaps he would haue béene afraide of her vengeance séeing her power able to conquere sauadge and wilde beastes But the Doctor glad of this aduantage Euill men care not for conscience so they haue a colour for their offences not vnlike the cunning Lawyer the buyeth Robin hoodes penniworthes and yet with some nice forfeitures threatneth the seller with continuall bondage and many times bringeth back his money and kéepeth his bargaine not caring for his Conscience so that he haue a colour for his offence or as the wisest sort of Atheists that liue as though they hoped neither after Heauen nor feared Hell yet confesse God with their mouth because the contrary would make them hated of men so he by this tale found out both a warrant to maintaine his former blasphemie and to excuse his present follie in Loue And to authorise either Madame quoth he the inchaunted Beast approueth mine opinion of Beauties power and his Death is a greater witnesse of her cruelty then is Doctor Mossenigo The force of Beautie who confesseth that men in vaine prescribe remedies for the Affected or receites to preserue men from the infections of Beautie You are welcome vnder our Lée quoth Aluisa Vechio But to take away all hope of good intertainment quoth Catharina Trista no No affliction but hath his remedie no Maister Doctor you deceiue your selfe Beauty neither retaineth the power nor poyson which you speake of and with you Ouid and all the amorous Poets are mistaken who say Affection ariseth from Beautie and not of the frée will of man But say you all what you please good foresight will contrary your opinions There is no sore but hath his salue no gréefe but hath his remedie nor no danger but may be forstoode either by praier or good indeuour Indéede quoth Faliero Socrates altred his inclination by studie of Philosophie Examples to be regarded The Niniuites preserued their Cittie by praier and Virbius doubled his life by mastering of his disposition Floradin be witched with the loue of faire Persida Idlenes nourisheth and exercise remedieth loue his déere fréend Pericles Wife worte in a Table booke fie Floradin fie she is thy fréend Pericles Wife and so often as idlenes presented him with this passion he read his written remembrance and by some honest exercise remoued his imagination This is not your day Maister Doctor quoth Soranso I beléeue there is some vnkindenes betwéene Saturne and Venus by the enuious aspect of some other Plannet this howre It may be quoth the Doctor by the flatterie of Mercurie Flatterie the enemie of truth who is euermore enemy to the plainenes of truth Well quoth Quéene Aurelia let vs leaue this by-matter and consider better of Ismaritos Metamorphosis me thinkes it prophesieth much mischaunce to an olde widdow which marieth a yong man and no great pleasure to the yong maried Bacheler Mariage commended between an olde woman and a yong man O good Madame say not so quoth Soranso for in this fortune lyeth a yonger Brothers welfare and the cause that maketh happinesse accompanie olde women to their Graue Reproofe c. It may well be to their Graue quoth the Doctor but it bringeth sorrow into their House and maketh their life more impleasant then death and if Soranso followe this course perhaps his day will be no better then Doctor Mossenigos Quéene Aurelia smiling saide she feared this contention would bring the company to hell gates Yet quoth she in that I imagine the way wil be pleasant I licence you to perseuer in your purpose Vpon which warrant quoth Soranso to maintaine that to be true Defence c. which I haue already alleadged in the commendation of this estate in Mariage This further reason in my conceite you will neither disallowe nor the maried couple shal haue cause to mislike which is where a fresh yong gentleman either of small liuing or farre spent with lustines A good exchange of Marchandise lightes of a rich olde widdow for that both their desires in this fortune shal be satisfied He shall haue plenty of Coyne the onely Grace he lacked and she the possession of a goodly Personage the chéefest Iewel she loueth which exchange of Marchandise cannot chuse but continue their liking and raise much contentment Clean contrary quoth the Doctor for the follies of a yong man is sufficiently punished by marying an olde woman and the sinnes of an olde widdowe are fully plagued in matching with a yong man for that contrary to your suggestion neither can inioye the cause of their Mariage without annoyance to their mindes for his liking is fastned on her riches which she will not but by necessitie leaue and her loue is setled on his person which for her pleasure he disdaineth to punish The euils in an olde widdow The vnfortunate yongman knowes not what gréefe he ioynes to his gaine in matching with an olde widdow till that experience breakes them foorth in sighes If his wife be rich she will looke to gouerne if she be poore he is plagued both
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