The first part of the nature of a Woman Fitly described in a Florentine Historie Composed by C. M. LONDON Printed by Valentine Simmes for Clement Knight and are to be sold at his shop at the little North doore of Paules 1596 To my very good friend Maister T. A. Gentleman of the middle Temple SIR the Authour of this Booke willing to shrowde his vnperfect worke vnder the couert of some suche well minded Gentleman that might defend it from the greedy gripe of such bolde-faced bussards as commonly vse to prey vpon the workes of yong wits and of himselfe altogether vnprouided for that purpose hath entreated mee to make some meanes for his helpe herein at whose instant request I haue presumed to commit to your selfe this vnperfect worke which please it you but to accept in part of payment for that debt of duetie wherein I stand bound vnto you it shal incourage me when his idle houres shall better furnish some more substantiall subiect to pleasure you with that who now am bolde to presume vppon your patience with this I cease being I am that I am and while lliue wil liue to loue you Yours in all loue C. K. The life and death of the old Duke The first Chapter BEfore the many spacious parts of the wide Romaine Empire had subiected themselues to the gouernement of one principall head there liued in those parts of Italy which nowe men call Florence a Duke named Radulpho one whom nature had beautified in euerie externall part of the bodie and wisdome adorned with all internall gifts of the mind who from the first spring of his happy birth to the ripe yeares of his hopefull age so effectually prospered as that hee liued no lesse renowmed for his worthie atchieuements abroade then admired for his wise gouernment at home being generally for them both accounted the principall Péere that then that part of the world did affoord So that as from the heart the beginning of life proceedeth vigore to euerie seuerall organ of the bodie so from him as the fountaine of matchlesse honour dayly issued such Christal streams of magnanimous behauiour towards his foes and courteous humanitie to his friends as made him the wonder of that worlde being then but newly reduced from the barbarous behauiour of the sauage Satires to the ciuil gouernement of obedient subiects This blessed prince in the prime of his prosperous yeares chose to wife a Ladie of his owne Countrie called Dorabella a woman as vertuous as beauteous and as plentiously replenished with commendable behauiour as gloriously adorned with matchlesse feature so that it might bée iudged howe gods and nature had in these two onely excéeded themselues in affoording none whose loue might counteruail the matchlesse liniaments of that more then earthly creature he onely excepted nor any beautie of such power as to conquer his maiden affections if she to that purpose had not especially béene selected Many sunshine dayes full of blessings ouer their heads and euerie yeare séemed to excéed another in heaping still renuing pleasures into their plentifull lappes walling them rounde about with impregnable felicitie that they might proudlie oppose themselues against the hardest brunts of Fortunes extremitie Amongest all which fauours one especially not the least though almost the last was this that at one birth this worthie dutches brought into the worlde two male twins the right patrons of their royal parents whose comming was not a little welcom to the secure inhabitants of that very wel gouerned Dukedome In that heauens and their happie starres had so effectually aunswered their longing hopes in the issue of those louing princes These ioyfull parents carefully foreseeing that their forwarde children might answere their toward growth in commendable qualities fitting such royall pesonages thought it most conuenient when the stealing houres of euer running time had made them able to conceiue the principals of learning and knowledge to prouide for them such men of skill as well in good letters as arts and sciences as also fit directers as might tutor their tender yeares in the timely practise of such worthy exercises as are best in estéeme with men of so high estate which done they spent the proces of their pleasant dayes fauoured of gods and beloued of men blessing that golden age wherein they liued for that no former dayes had felt so fauourale aspects of smiling heauens to eternish their memorie through all succéeding posterities vntill the date of their smiling dayes gan to growe out and the forerunners of ensuing death gins to admonish them of the spéedie ende of their so pleasant life Whenas now the olde king spending those pleasant hours in melancholy contemplation as best fitting the humour of gray heades which he was wonted to ouerpasse in delightsom contentation fitly agréeing with the vnripened thoughts of yong wits calles to his drowping minde the fickle estate of this worldly felicity of which men perswade themselues there is no certaintie but this that is vncertaine soone sprowting like a summers flower after the spring dew of a pleasant morning prowdly spreading the swéet leaues to the warme beams of the comfortable Sunne and when the heate of one day is ouerworne faintly decayes and blots the former shew as though it had neuer béene borne alluding his former life to the pleasant trauaile of a waifaring man that hauing ouerpassed a great deale of the day wandering in a pleasant dale at last must worke vp his way to the hie top of a wearie hil from whose height he may againe looke at the ouercome pleasures of his forenoones iourney And thus sighing to himselfe often recites in his aged memorie the pleasant daies of his youthful iolitie the very thought whereof had bin sufficient to haue drowned himselfe in a gulfe of sorrow had not his liuely picture perfectly pourtrayed in the youthful behauiour of his yong sonnes perswaded him that part of his soule was diuided into their bodies And thus feeding his olde conceit with the hope of his forward children he so pleasantly spent the painful daies of his vnpleasant age in the verie remembrance of his succéeding heires as though himselfe had shaken off the siluer cognisance of vnweldy age and felt againe the warme springing bloud of aduenterous youth til after the reuolution of many yéeres as euery beginning of necessitie hath his end euery day by course his night and euery spring by kinde his fal of leafe so attendant vppon his life was the all ending time of too timely death whose approch prefigured by many infallible tokens makes him wisely and warily prouide against his vncertaine comming lest at vnawares he might be sodainely taken in his secure liuing And as the first and greatest care that troubled his wearie minde he calles before him his two sonnes the pillers that were after to support the heauie burden of the good gouernement of that common wealth which yet lay vpon his own shoulders who comming to the bed side where their father lay performing
such dutie as naturally belongeth to parents from the children and sorrowful to beholde their old father labouring so earnestly with the wearie assaults of neuer tired death swelling sorrowe plentifully flowes out at the christall condites of their starre like eies in pearle-like droppes of brinie salt teares Which when their old sire beheld giuing charge to some of his attendants there by to set him vp in his bed for by this had the bloody conflicts of al deuoring death almost druncke vppe al the moisture of his sometimes wel moistned members and vsing some perswasions to his gréeuing sonnes to desist from their wéeping he thus beginnes to dispose of his earthly riches Since quoth he the common course of continuall yéeres in the flourishing and fading fruits of our mother Earth daily decipher to our therfore gréeuing thoughts the vnconstant state of our here abode may sufficiently perswade and induce you to conceiue the occasion that hath brought me your old father to be a weake souldior as here you sée in the lists of death who haue past the spring of my growth the summer of my flourishing the Autumne of my fading must nowe like a dried leafe fal in the comfortlesse bosome of colde killing winter at whose end you must beginne whose death must be your life and whose fal the step wherein you must tread to arise then take truce a while with the vnbrideled course of nature and learne with patience to loose that which care can not kéepe your many teares may occasion some hurt to you but were they more then they are they could not al help me when this conquering captaine vnder whose cruel hand lieth vanquished your sometimes vanquishing father prowdly triumphed in the treble victorie of your woorthie grandsire to whome my selfe was sole heire he though rich yet left me poore and though I succéeded in the possession of much wealth yet was I then but slenderly stored with wisedome so that what he had carefully got I at the first as carelesly spent til the experience of some few yéeres though it were somewhat long yet was it not too late enriched me with the one as he had stored me with the other both which I leaue more amply to you then I did plentifully receiue them of him Then taking in hand his crowne this heauen quoth hée which I like Atlas haue long supported must I nowe lay vpon your shoulders and on you two disloade this heauie burthen which hath so long béene onely borne by me Breake it I may not in twaine whose golden circle closeth so manie in one containing the welfare of as many people within this ring as the Atlantike sea compasses in her gréedie armes Diuision brings foorth discord discord confusion confusion desolation which woful end to preuēt by a good beginning I haue thus contriued Twins you are both and therfore in birth equal Thou quoth hee Perseus to his eldest son art a scholler richly adorned with the great gift of godlike learning and therefore mightest chalenge a prerogatiue aboue thy brother but that Theseus speaking then to his yongest sonne hath as farre excéeded thée in the practise of a souldiour as thou him in the profession of a scholler so that being ioyned togither you would make one perfect man but seuered are two maimed members It is reported of the Pelican that with her owne blood she reuiued her dead yong and so I though wanting blood to recall you from the dead pleasures of yoong secure delights yet shal my latest breath counsel you to the careful desire of vertuous déedes The Rauen so long as shée is able to prouide meate for her yong wil neuer let them flie from her sight and so fares it with me willing stil to enioy your desired companies as long as I might but sith I am now too weake to swim against so great a currant as is this sea of death that drowneth in eternall obliuion whatsoeuer the worlde hath brought forth since her first creation I must here vrged of necessitie leaue that which willingly I would prolong And therefore in a word I bequeath to you this crown and kingdom which your forefathers for many yéeres haue royally vpholden be as one soule in two bodies two men but one minde two hands gouerned by one head Let thy wit direct his weapon and his weapon defend thy wit There is a roote in Libia that beareth two bulkes which as long as they cleaue together prosperously flourish but being seuered they soone fade Great streames that forcibly breake forth of the bowels of mighty mountains kéeping their course togither within compas of two banks forcibly preuaile against al oppositions but being separated their force decreases and themselues in the end decay There are two friendly fishes alwayes kéeping companie together opposing themselues against the mightiest monsters that the sea affoords but when by any sinister occasion they are separated then are they easily ouercome by smaller creatures then themselues Be not proud least you be hated nor too humble for then will you be dispised heare the complaints of the poore and then shall you be beloued and punish the misdéedes of the wicked and so shall you be feared Surfet not with drinking much wine for that will bréed follie nor accompanie with many women for thence comes all iniquitie Vse your sports in measure and deferre not your weightie affaires for the loue of vaine pleasure Do iustice with all sinceritie and let not your punishment taste too much of seueritie Take héede of the crie of Orphans for that ascends to heauen and procureth speedie vengeance and incurre not the curse of widowes for that weyes downe to hell from whence there is no redemption Well could I wish that my now decaying breath were not so sore vrged by impartiall death to leaue this concaue castell of my panting breast that I might more enrich you with that good whereof you shall haue farre more néede then of much golde but what heauen prouides cannot by vs be preuented and therefore must I leaue you to your fortunes which proue as prosperously as your father wisheth it heartily And so kissing both his sonnes and making some signes still of more matter when his weake tong had denied any more to performe his office and shortly after turning his face to the wall ended his dayes The mutual succession of his sonnes in his Dukedome The second Chapter AFter whose death his sonnes carefully prouides to order all things in the best order for the adorning of their fathers funeral All which done the funerall rites solemnised and euerie thing fully brought to ende all which after they according to the solemne custome of their ciuil country sumptuously had performed they took order for their coronation which was also in euery part effectually discharged as they had orderly deuised so that now it rested for them ioyntly to goe forwarde in the peaceable gouernement of that quiet common wealth which their deceased father had left vnto their
That neuer felt fiers force afore Then gins she praise a maidens life The golden time of all content Cursing that day made her a wife That wrought her this disparagement For if quoth she I had traced the wood With sacred Dians maiden traine Then had my vestall life beene good Who now must pine away in paine But be my fall a meanes to moue Those faire borne creatures of my kinde To shunne in time inticing loue That captiuates a free borne mind For if in time I had foreseene The end my vnbrideled will This dismall day had neuer beene And all Troyes towers had then stoode still Thus as the heauenly harmonie of those earthly goddesses had drawne away the minds of the rauished beholders a trecherous slaue tutored before by hir vnhappie counsel closely seazed vpon the other child her brothers daughter and béeing cunningly conueyed from them at a backe gate which led forth toward the high stéep rocks that seuers the neighbour lands from the fierce inuasion of the furious sea hée in al hast hied him thitherward which for that it was not farre distant he soone attained and for that the water was then somewhat low and that flood had yet couered againe the naked bosome of the broad sands séeking in the secret bottome of the vnsearchable sea to burie the smal bodie of this prettie babe he was forced to goe lower downe then willingly he would haue aduentured but that of necessitie he must doe it to acte that which before he had inuented Neare adioyning to that place within the strong compasse of a nature walled caue hewed out of the hard bosome of a flintie rocke was the abode of manie exiled people who for that the lawes of their countrey had denied them the benefit of peaceful liuing in their quiet country by reason of some great offences by them committed had there setled themselues whereof some being then placed as Centinels vpon the highest promontorie of all the borderig shore looking euerie way to espie some passengers vpon whom they might make their prey at the length espied this posting companion hasting to the execution of this harmelesse childe and loath to let them escape their hands some who were readier then the rest in haste followed down towards him apace who by this time was come to the water side and being busied about the disfurnishing of the babe and thinking himselfe secure from any approching companie vntil at length turning his face suddenly about whether to lay away some of the clothes or reach some necessarie thing as he then wanted hée espied this exiled companie hastily comming vppon him whom for that himselfe was borne within the confines of that Countrey he straightway knew and being somewhat acquainted with their maners that they were bloodie minded men giuen ouer to the rigorous desire of vnrighteous liuing and bound vnder the subiection of no law 〈◊〉 fearefully leauing the childe halfe naked and halfe clothed lying sprawling vppon the wet sandes for such was the number of her tender yeares that she could neither speake to implore relief neither goe to ease herselfe of that vnaccustomed order wherein he had left her but he swiftly taking the aduauntage of his nimble legs made al possible spéede to escape their comming who in his hastie flight not regarding to take the right way that might readiest direct him out of the danger of those doubtful sands was ere he were aware insconsed within the trustlesse compasse of a soft hollow ground which we call quick-sands where he suddenly sinking downe was by and by buried in the bottom of the salt flowing sea a iust reward for his so deuilish desert Now were the other who prosecuted this bad attempt of so shameful a sin come vnto the place where the helpelesse child lay pitiously betrayed in the sandie mire of that moist ground whose hearts although they were closed vp in vnrelenting brâ—â—sts and were men exercised in naught but murthers and massacres yet séeing so goodlie a forward childe richly adorned with manie garments of much worth they tooke more compassion ouer it then commonly they vsed in the like cases and carefully carying it home to their caue tooke such order as the childe was wel relieued againe that with feare cold was almost dead Her must we leaue to accompanie them in their sauage Cel and returne to the Princes who now were swimming in all delight in the pleasure of their Garden Of the accidents that happened these Kings after the death of their children The sixth Chapter THeir dinner being done she musick withdrawing and al their sport fully ended for that the swift paced Chariot of the Sunne drawing through the Christall skies with fierie breathing horses had now wel nigh attained the ende of their wearie iourney when these merrie disposed people gathering together al their companie intended to leaue the country delights and returne again to their pallace where when al were gathered togither readie to depart suddenly was missed the yong childe Who first for that they imagined she had béene borne forth for delight by some of their houshold seruants into the coole shadowe of those Summer groues where with all spéede they duly searched but in vaine for none could find though almost al of them were busied in séeking of her so that at length hopelesse to find what they so vnluckily had lost they were forced to returne home with as manie wéeping teares as they came forth with smiling ioies Heauie were the discomforted parents for their lost childe sad the poore subiects for their Princes paine and generally these vnexpected accidents did driue all minds into a déepe muse what strange fortune should so fowly foyle the setled estate of these princely péeres two beautiful babes euen in their cradles so cunningly conueyed from the watchful eies of their wearie nurses and no meanes of suspition apparant that might induce any probable coniecture of their escape Well to be short as the greatest burthens must with pacience be ouerborne the hardest haps with humilitie be helped and the saddest sorowes with some salues be seuered so these royal personages considering the chaungeable estate of vnstable chaunce that like the fading flourish of an April day soone laughing and soon lowring againe considering that the misfortune of ill chauncing change often times in faire florishes presented though they may be often foreséene yet are they seldome preuented made them patiently to relie vpon hope of al helping heauen whose readie power would one day either restore them to their former hopes or by the iust doome of all ending death restraine them from al future mishaps Thus being both of them diuorsed from of cherishing children whose pleasing presence might recreate the melancholie dispositioÌ„s of their world wearied minds they sadly spende the wearie remnant of their wofull dayes abandoning all meanes that might moue their mirth refusing all counsell of comfortable friends and delighting in nothing but desperate despaire vsing their tongues to tel no tale
secretly conceale and surely effect what she was now about to commit vnto his charge which for that the slaue was as bloudilie affected to performe anie vilanie as she boldly addicted to deuise this treacherie he did not onelie sweare to conceale this her counsel and effect her deuise but also offered himselfe as most ready to spend limme and life in anâ—â— sort that might do her seruice This pleasing answere so pleased the working humour of this wicked woman as that taking aside this readie prepared varlet for the execution of her bloudy deuise begins thus to instruct him in hir intent Many quoth she are like to be the calamities likely to ensue vpon our stocke and of-spring which in time to preuent I haue thus timely inuented a meane to preuent their beginnings and so quite remooue the feareful euent of so vnluckie an end as is likely to ensue thereof Doest thou not quoth she obserue the vnequal hope of our future happinesse in the possession of this present kingdome I meane in our heires and thinkest thou not I haue reason with timely preuention to resist their vntimely purpose would it not gréeue thée when the vncertaine houre of most certaine death shal cut the golden thréed that holdeth the liues of these two kings to sée thy masters and my husbands daughter who should equally inioy the succession of this crowne disinherited from the possession therof by our brothers son If this so inwardly touch a straunger ah would it not much more grieue me that am her mother Our sorrowes are more then our wordes are any wise able to expresse And therfore greater then the common helpe of ordinarie comfort can in any part redresse Woes shewed in teares are washed away with the same sorrow painted forth by the tongue vanishes to aire with the words But the incarnate care of almost remedilesse euill cannot so liuely be in outward action expressed as in the inward closure of a true sorrowful heart they are fully possessed which care the vnhappie course of euer ruling heauen hath throwne heauilie vpon my head whereof to discharge my selfe there is no remedie but one and no one can effect it but thy selfe vpon whose trust must I build as great 〈◊〉 foundation as containes the quiet good end of al this nation More perswasions and they more perswasiue too then these could I vse to thée that might induce thée with more alacrity to do what I shal deuise but relying vpon the readie endeuour in the execution of this secret busines I wil thus acquaint thée with my purpose Thou knowest how heauen hath blessed our brother Perseus with a goodly son to whom I could wish much good if it were not to mine owne harme He when the course of al outliuing time shal take away his father and my husband must of necessitie alone possesse that which they now ioyntly enioy then shal the issue of our bodies liue in subiection to him who else should performe as much dutie to them which no wayes we can eschew But and there she suddenly stopt as though her faltring tongue had denied to proclaime the hellish practise she had plotted Which when her seruant perceyued imagining somewhat should folow that interrupt period boldly attempted to continue her almost repentant spéech Nay quoth he let not your Maiestie be afraid to commit to my secresie any thing that shal tend to your acceptable seruice For so fast hath the much meriting bond of your bounteous liberalitie tied me to the dutiful obeysance of your Maiestie that should you impose a greater labour to my performaunce then Iuno to her Hercules lay a farre more heauie burthen on my necke then the heauens to supporting Atlas commit a greater charge to my watchful care then Iupiter to his all eied Argus I would spend al my dayes in trauailing with Alcides my strength in bearing with Atlas mine C. eyes in watching with Argos but I would fullie effect whatsoeuer you should thus faithfully commit to my diligent endeuour So great is the loue that I bear both to your selfe the plentiful patrone of my present estate and your faire childe of whom I expect as much succéeding happinesse as I possesse present hope that were it to rid both your brother and his hateful son I should not onely thinke my labour imployed to a good end but also my toyle easie to be performed and hope my soule should be euerlastingly rewarded for my no more then dutiful seruice At which wordes the Quéen now fully fleshed to aduenture vpon his so vilde an indeuour begins now in plaine words to discouer what before vnder a Curten she had somewhat coloured vnripping the hidden thoughts of her self-known heart to the longing eares of her readie attendant thus began to enforme him in her fore-plotted mischiefe Then quoth she since thou so willingly offerest what I did more then halfe feare to ashe and hast so rightly met with mine owne meaning I presume vpon thy trust to tel what is the secretest wish of my vnquiet wil. My brother quoth she hath a sonne which I wish either he had not or my selfe were not and yet not hate to him but loue to my selfe is it that vrgeth me to do that to him which else his life would effect in me His moyst blood is the liquour which onely must quench my dry thirst and the end of his daies ad new date to the decaying number of my yeares which if thou wilt but effect as I wil aduise I wil clearlie acquit thée of his death and richly reward thée for that déed Remember to what I may preferre thée from which his life doth deferâ—e thée what profit thou maist gaine by the one and what miserie thou art like to incurre by the other For assure thy selfe that it thou now denie the performance of my request when I haue vncouered the effect of my drift I wil not onely worke thy vtter disgrace but hasten thy shamefull decay At which words the fellow standing as one in a traunce loath as it should séeme so heynously to offend though he had rashly made so readie an offer would neither affirmatiuely at the first answer her demaund nor negatiuely denie her desire til she waking him out of his drowsie dumpe asked him if hée would boldly goe forwarde with his fore-pretended purpose which for that his promise afore past as hée thought though wickedly concluded yet could not wel be recalled made him againe after she had rowsed his drowsie spirits with the golden sound of rich rewards make a solemne vow to effect what busines soeuer she shuld appoint him And she taking hir time to strike vpon an hote iron thus followed her fore-purpose This night quoth she for longer we may not delay it I haue deuised readie meanes howe the boy should be deliuered into thy hand and yet thou neuer suspected as any way accessarie to this priuie massacre A Gentlewoman here attendant vpon me whom I also haue sworne to our purpose
but tragidies nothing entred into their eares but the harsh harmonie of pitiful paines frequenting no pleasant places but the dismal shewes of blacke Cypresse shades from whose concaue bulks bounds the harsh hellish noyse of the ill boading Owle fasting the daies with sad sighes and watching the night with sorrowful slumbers representing by their liues the true image of liuelesse death The still lasting hate of the proud Queenes the meanes rhey wrought to separate the loue of their husbands and the euent thereof The seuenth Chapter WE heard in the beginning of this hystorie how Lydia wife to this worthie Theseus had assayed with vrging arguments of some perswading force to vntwine the wel-spun thréede of fast linking loue betwixt these peaceful and princely brethren blessed in all worldly wealth except the vnfortunate choyse of two wicked wiues Now as such are the rootes such are the fruits such as is the cause such likewise is the effect so fares it with the wil-working wits of these vnkindly creatures both wicked because both womē Emelia likewise boldly presuming vpon the patience of her vnpatient husband sorting a time when for his melancholie recreation he had seuered himself into a garden whether he often resorted where sitting him downe vnder the broad braunches of a bléeding Mulberie and supposing himselfe to be safe from disturbing approch of misliking companie he taking in his heauie handes a sad tuned instrument vnto whose tracet straines he solemnly sung this sadde song Some Poets say there is a hill Where sittes the Ladies of delight Composed of Musicks sacred skill And teaches euerie man t'indight Thence doth my minde returne againe For she can find no solemne muse Whose discontented tracet straine Will fit the Antheme she must vse They sing of ioy and she of woe They of delight she of vnrest There let their merrie Muses goe Whom fairer dayes haue better blest A sad tuned hart's my instrument Whose strings all out of tune I straine Striking great dumps of discontent Till all be pluckt in two with paine My Musicke is a sorrowes song Where discords sound is smart delight My dittie life that lastes too long To see desire crost with despite Vnpleasant harmonie God knowes When out of tune is euerie string Bad sounds that all of discord growes And sad the Muse that so must sing But some poore soules must merry make Whose else dead drooping cheare would die Least sorrow should asunder breake There groning soules with miserie Which dittie after he had solemnly sung and that the trickle teares stopt vp the pleasant passage of his sorowful song easily rising from melancholy seat gins with sad sigh to reiterate to himselfe the hard mishaps of his malecontented life When turning him backe séeing his wife hasting towards him would fain haue shunned her comming as loath to be disturbed in his discontent but she intreating him staid his escape and thus gins cunningly to insinuate with his sorow Husbande quoth thee wilt thou still suffer this canker of discontent to eate away in dispaire the swéete Summer of thy chiefest dayes Sorrowe excéeding cure must also bee past care Hurts that cannot be auoided must by meanes be amended Shal the patient let his sore fester because he cannot abide the surgeon should search it And wilt thou die in despaire because thou suffrest none to disswade thée from this discontent It is an olde saying Nothing is néerer the trée then the barke and shoulde there bee any thing more déere to a man than his wife Therefore was she taken out of his breast because she should be alwayes in his bosome Suffer me to vnrip the sore for I wil be a gentle surgeon and being ransacked I wil minister soueraine salue to mitigate thy malady why doest thou then this in discontent turne from me as wearie of my company who hath diuorced thy liking from my loue or orawen thy desire from my delight Whereat the wearied king faintly answering his dissembling wife gins thus mildely to answere My woes quoth he more than the sandes vppon the shoares wil hardly by counsel be qualified though it were more then the droppes of water in the sea the which dispaire of comfort driues mee from desiring counsel but if thou canst bring any balme that wil expel this griefe any salue that wil search this sore or any thing els that wil worke mine ease I wil for thy sake heare it though peraduenture I shal not vse it Let me quoth she sée thy disease and then shalt thou heare my deuise That quoth he can I in a worde though it bee as much as a worlde the discontented harme of an ouer charged heart hauing al things and yet enioying nothing pleased of al except my selfe and by my selfe displeasing al but my selfe Thus haue I shortly quoth hee tolde thée my griefe though I despaire by thée to receiue any reléef why quoth she haue so many yéeres runne ouer my wofull head and thinkest thou I neuer tasted the sharpe dealing of discontent yes thy self canst witnes to my woe with what griefe I haue ouergone the losse of our chiefest comfort so strangely tane away which patience did cure in me but greater helpes hast thou for remedy Is not sowre meate disgested with swéete sawce cold humours expelled with hote sweates soft yron filed with harde stéele and shal not discontentiue dispaire be dispersed with the swéet counsel of contented comfort lets gesse quoth she at thy malladie and then I wil giue thée a soueraine remedy loosly hast thou let ouerslip the pleasures of many faire daies by thine owne neglect Aire vnmooued straightwaies corrupteth and water that standeth quickrly stinckes kéene edges not vsed waxe dull and good qualities not exercised waxe dead Moathes eate the vnworne garment and grasse confusedly ouergrowen the vntrodden pauement better had we want wit then not vse it The souldiour that cowardly kéepes fast his weapon when hée shoulde vse it against his enemy were farre better haue none at al. How I should compare thy state I know not except to the miserable estate of a muddie miser that hauing much wil vse naught Howe great giftes hath heauen and thy forward indeuour indued thée withal and since then how little hast thou employed them Oh there is a branch sprung from thine owne root that had he but a small quantitie of thy qualities a modill of thy minde would long ere this haue cured in himselfe that griefe whereon thou nowe gronest and long since haue pleased himselfe by plaguing thee but that the iust God considering thy quiet contented disposition that rather desirest to suffer iniurie then to chalenge equitie He is a souldier forsooth what then but thou a scholler a thing far more in account among men Did Aiax his big braues ouerbeare Vlysses his wise words No. And shal thy brothers furious lookes ouerturne thy friendly dealing Thy displeasing dispaire is his delightsome content and thy passion his pleasure Rowze then thy sléeping conceit shake off