passeth through the pikes of all difficulties A Sentence yet it descendeth downe into the Tombs of the dead sounding like a Trumpet the due praises of manie when they are buryed who whilst they liued would not accept of any such matter For as the Cloudes although they shew thicke darke and gloomie cannot for all that hinder the brightnes of the Sunne but for all their foggie vapours hee will breake out and appeare in his splendent Maiestie Euen so maugre the cruell times yea and in despite of their owne selues the vertuous are euer honoured whom glorie it selfe doeth neuer abandon or forsake And therefore gratious Nymph reiect not what my Muse in most humble manner bestoweth vpon thee seeing she doth the best she can For the good will of the giuer not the richnes of the gift doth perfect make better the present Poore folke giue as much althogh it be of little value considering their abilitie as the mightier sort doe A Sentence although they bestow neuer so much and the sillie widowes Mite was as well accepted as the richest mens golde which in the Temple was offered Dainethen to make me so fortunate as to vouchsafe to accept of me to chaunt forth thy praises And doubt not but so earnest a desire shall so much animate and incourage my Muse as she will think nothing can see me to be too hard for her For this cause onely do I liue nothing so much keeping life within my bodie as a zealous desire Herald-like to blazon forth thy vertues which If I thought I might not obtaine I would chuse rather to die then liue My gifts are but small and yet more commendable shalt thou be for accepting of them then if they had bene richer because the world shall see that not anie couetous humor of gaine nor any worth of the present moued mee to make a tender of the same but only an humble mind the right noblenes of thy more then curteous own nature Thus did I argue for my selfe when my faire Saint who tooke some pleasure in my speech beganne to answer me in this manner Neuer ought any honest praise to be reiected because it proceedeth from good will The Gods themselues taking in good part the praises of the simple as well as of those that are more mightie I therefore accept of thine if thou thinkest there be any thing in mee as I doubt me there is not worthy of thy studie but yet with this condition that like a faithfull Hystoriographer and not as a fawning Poet thou set downe the truth For as that Crowe An Example when she was despoyled of her feathers which shee had borrowed of the other Byrds became naked and bare as that face is found to be more fowle and fuller of wrinkles which is vsed to be dawbed with paintings then that which neuer hath any other then her naturall beautie So when one is praised afterwards his defects and vitious life commeth to be knowne abroad he is more disgraced with infaâ—â—ie discredit then if he had not bene spoken of before only because of his owne imperfections Be then iust and true in thy writings and then no doubt but the labour which thou shalt take shal be much lessened abated and small shal be the paine thou puttest thy pen too because thou shalt finde little or nothing in mee worthy to be commended But aboue all I would wish thee to haue speciall regard vnto this that thy works if by chaunce thou shalt find I be worthy of thy Inuention breed neither iealousie of me nor malicious enuie against me the two common plagues amongst all men For it were farre better to liue bare and poorely and without beeing made famous abroad then to be rich and be enuied of all and so to purchase the ill will of euery one This onely desire was Casars death his enemies bearing malice at his vertues and this was the losse of the life of Alexander the great who was hated for his exceeding great victories So said the beautious Nymph and that with so good a grace as although shee seemed to make a shewe that shee was vnwilling to accept of the praises of my Muse yet did she so wittilie order the matter as I found by the circumstance of her discourse she did not altogether reiect mine offer A Sentence Quickly did I find her meaning for who marketh so narrowly the manner fashion the gesture and the countenance of his Mistris as doeth the Louer seeing he findeth either good or hurt in the least glaunce of her eyes Soone did I conceiue that she did not differ much from my minde and I made my selfe ready to answer her when behold we might suddenly heare a great noise a far off as if it had bene of fome wilde Beast that brake through bushes past through hedges and forced the very trees to stoope and shake with his furious running against them This noise made my Ladie and all her company maruellously afraid for it was most terrible in their cares wherevpon they began to take their flight and that they might runne the swifter the feare of this straunge accident lent them wings I seeing this tooke my worthie Diana vnder the arme the greatest fauour that euer I had before receiued of her and yet was it not willingly graunted by her For neuer would shee haue suffered me to haue done so much but that the danger and her present necessitie was such I helping her the better to get vp vnto the toppe of the foresaid high Rocke at the foote of which was as I tolde you before a most faire and cleare Christiall Fountaine When beeing there wee thought our selues to be quite out of all perill and danger and that if it were a Beare or a Lyon or any Tyger it could not ouer easily get vp to the top of the same or at least that we could not be discouered in so high a place but yet neuerthelesse my Ladie still quaking trembling as one that could not abandon her pensiuenes vpon the suddaine She endured that I should holde her vnder the arme whilest in the meane time I ventured to touch her white and daintie hand which was to me as if I had bene in Paradise for so much did feare possesse her as she neuer thought of any such matter O what a happie time had I as then and how much was I beholding vnto that wilde beast although the terror thereof did make me to shake A right holy day was that day vnto me and the happiest that euer I had in all my life Great was the pleasure my poore heart felt as then when I had that libertie to touch those rare and victorious hands as long since these desperate Pirates had An Example who came from farre onely to kisse the fist of Scipio surnamed Affrican after he had taken his farewell of vngratefull Rome Neuer was there so lillie a white hand neuer one
many of them that haue not done good vnto their priuate friends onely but also vnto their whole countrie and common-wealth Besides A praise of Cicero that famous Orator of Rome did he not preserue his citie through his prudent Eloquence from being vtterly spoyled and ouerthrowne when Cateline Cethegus Lentulus with diuers other of their complices had conspired together first to cut the throates of the chiefe Citizens and then to set Rome on fire he alone bringing to passe through his prudent policie that which the brauest Romane Captaine amongst them would neuer haue effected without the effusion of blood of millions of Citizens Therefore did Cicero shew himselfe more stout and more profitable then the greatest Commanders and brauest Souldiours of them all Cicero preserued Rome from the consâ—itacie of Careline and other noble Romanes who with the losse of many a man purchased a Conquest vnto their countrie wheras he without the death of any one ouerthrew his aduersaries who were the more dangerous in that they kept within the citie it selfe Besides this notable exployt of his how often hath he saued many a good Citizen and worthy Gentlemen from death as that Roscius most vniustly accused before the Tyrant Scilly Ligarius and Deioterus with many more all which through his diuine Eloquence he restored vnto life yea he did more then all this for he rather chose to goe into voluntarie exile then to encounter and withstand the force of his vniust enemies although he might very easily haue done the same and so by that meanes saued Rome which otherwise was readie to take his part if so he had pleased he hauing the maior part of the greatest persons and in a manner the whole youth of Rome to be on his side Many other good deeds did this worthy man leauing diuers learned peeces of workes behind him to the no small profite and benefit of that royall citie Where you blame Homer A praise of Homer you doe that which neuer any in the world hath done before for so highly was he accounted of as there were diuers goodly cities which falling at debate and contention amongst themselues committed their whole busines vnto his iudgement they receiuing for an irreuocable Sentence but onely one of his verses and after he was dead they fell out and striued who should haue his bodie to interre the same He is counted the Author of all Arts and Sciences But say he should sometimes spare the truth now and then in his writings as if he seemed to be a little partiall yet was he neuerthelesse to be borne withall and could doe no otherwise then hee did in speaking somewhat in the praise and commendation of his owne Countrey For for our Countrey we are borne and are bound to doe more for it then for our selues Againe you must consider he was a Poet and no Hystoriographer and that Poets haue more libertie to write according vnto their owne fancie or affection then Hystoriographers haue who without great reproach cannot abuse sacred Veritie it selfe But howsoeuer it is the workes of Homer are full of iudgement and Learning from whence as from a deepe Fountaine euery great Scholler draweth forth his learning and without his books grosse Ignorance had darkned the whole world with her blacke gloomie Cloudes As for Virgil how could he doe lesse than what he did seeing he did but praise such from whom hee had receiued so many benefites and good turnes and who had restored him vnto his former liuing and Lands all which he before had lost The vngratefull man is as bad and as worthy to be punished as is the Homicide Besides it is better now and then to straine curtesie with Truth then to murther a man for there may be amends made for a lie but not for ones life when it is gone and taken away And therefore that great Mantua Poet is more to be excused in that he somewhat dissembled the veritie of the storie which he wrote praising his benefactors because he would not be vnthankfull vnto them then if hee had spoken the Truth and so concealed those great kindnesses which hee had receiued whereby hee should be taxed of ingratitude But for all this he is reputed for the Prince of Latin Poets his Aeneidos shewing to be a most learned and beautifull worke in so much as he dying before he had sufficient time to make a finall ende thereof especially of those verses which hee left vnperfect Augustus the Emperour would not permit that anie of his owne Poets should take the same in hand to correct it Being loth that so famous a Poeme should be iniuried any way hee chusing rather to leaue it vnfinished as he found it then that it should be perfected by the hand of any other Not vnlike that picture which excellent Zeuxis beganne to make for Venus no Painter daring after his death to take vpon him to ende the same Cicero before Octanius his raigne comming by chaunce before he dyed to haue a sight of some of Virgils verses cryed out with great admiration Behold another hope of Romeâ— for I knowe not how the witte of man can deuise a greater worke then this Poets then are not so much to be blamed as you imagine for without them wee should be depriued of many goodly Inuentions and graue Moralls â—ca and from many diuine praises which wee attribute vnto God as are the Psalmes of Dauid which are in verse proceeding from that sacred Prince and Poet of the Iewes Contrary vnto your minde was Alexander the great who made so great account of Homers verse as he had alwayes his Iliades vnder the pillow of his bedde lying hard by his sword affirming oftentimes Achilles to be most fortunate because he was renowmed by so famous a Poet wishing that hee had bene as then aliue to the end hee might haue graced him so much as to haue set forth his valiant exploits Where you alledge Demosthenes to haue made the Macedonians and the Athenians to wage battell together I answere you that hee could doe no lesse then perswade his Countrey-men to defend the libertie of their Countrey it beeing the greatest Treasure that free people esteemed especially the Grecians who continually were vp in Armes to conserue their auncient Liberties In so much as it is reported of Demosthenes that if hee had had as much force power and vallour as he had of good affection and true zeale towards his Countrey the Macedonians had neuer conquered Athens But he cannot be blamed who fighteth vntill the last gaspe of life dying with the first and chiefest for the health of his Countrey as did that stout Orator who lost his life for that cause hauing done many good seruices and brought much profite vnto the Athenians before For beeing banished from amongst them hee went presently without loosing anit time at all vp and downe such Citties as belonged vnto the Spartanes who were deadly enemies vnto Athens whom hee perswaded so vehemently
lodge of such Spirits as like vacabonds wandred vp and downe the world being worthily punished by the great and iust Gods Many gastly Caues were there to be found but so horrible were they as the onely sight of them brought trembling feare to the mindes and sudden amazement to the eyes of such as should behold them No running Fountaine was there that gaue forth cristall water no shadowing groue to keepe men from parching heate nor any greene coolie grasse with faire coloured flowers to delight the sences onely in this vncoth wildernesse did soiourne such sad and old angrie men as by there nightly Charmes forced the Spirites of the earth to obey their wills and to be at their command In steede of Nightingale and Lark was there found the Scritching Owle and night Rauen with such other dismall Birdes whose flight nature and crie did serue for sinister prophesies vnto the miserable Inhabitants thereof All thrise wofull and lamentable dwelling in comparison of the ioyfull woods of Arcadia the first witnesses of the chast Loues of this disastred Shepheard and yet fortunate inough for him seeing that he being depriued of all his wisht for hopes soughtby many pittilesse Accidents to ende his loathed life Those faire and goodly troupes of Shepheards and Shepheardesses which were wont heretofore to be a comfort vnto him were now most pittifully taken from his sight There the learned Iulâ—tta was not to be found neither there could his deare friend Philas be heard of who with others were wont most sweetly to record and sing of their ouerhard fortunes in their loyall Loues O poore Shepheard if solitarines may bring to the male-contented any delight at all no doubt but then thou doest participate with the same for amongst millions of sauadge beastes thou liuest alone amongst thousands of gastly rocks and amongst infinites of desarts without any cleare light or cheareful Sunne And yet the sharpe feeling of his inward griefes ouercame and drowned the sad apprehension of this solitarie seate A Similie no otherwise then great and desperate mischances slake and quench those that are little or as most violent diseases hinder the feeling of such as are lesse vnrecouerable Not smally fortunate did he thinke himselfe to haue found this vnluckie Râ—ceptakle making vnto himselfe a false ioy of that sower Subiect which was the caâ—se of heause sorrow vnto others And herein might he witnesse full well that in respect of the â—ll that happeneth in Loue all other euils are right pleasures and that that onely torment brought with it a certaine sure knowledge of misfortunes vnto men O how easie a matter is it to resist all worldly troubles and to passe through the pikes of the same But how hard or rather impossible a thing is it to vanquish and ouercome loue A Sentence Of all the fanites that wise men commit none is more excusable then such as Loue forceth then to doe Who was more learned then Plato who more inditiall then Aristotle who more godly then Daâ—ad who more wise then Salomon and who more strong then Sampson Surely none and yet neuer haue any bin more ouercome by loue then they of which Tirants slauâ—sh yoke this poore Shepheard also had felt the heauie burthen His rare constancie bare patiently the losse of his goods tooke gently his banishment from his countrie endured quietly the crueltie of time and brooked wisely the iniuries of the enuious but vnto this Loue it yeelded quickly and as it were without constraint Thrise blessed was he in that be knew how to make choise of so beautious and rare Subiects but yet quadruple vnfortunate for that he could not reape the sweete fruites of the same in this world A Sentence The remembrance of things lost is forgotten through length of time the paine of deadliest sicknesses is appeased by Phisicke and the deepest conceited sorrow weareth away with often sighing but alas his loue was alwaies liuing without ende and without truce as a substance euerlasting Too too cruell was that star that shonne at his birth but farre more remorslesse the care and griefe of his continuall vexed life And in respect of him happie are all other whatsoeuer who are tormented with the losse of their kinde friends deare countrie louing families and acquaintance all which though they be much grieuous to support and suffer yet are they not to be compared in rigor vnto the least passion of Loue for the Soule findeth in them some one comfort or other and the bodie some ease of griefe or at the least an ende of all but in the pangs of Loue neither the one nor the other are euer out of trouble Wretched then is the man that leueth therefore wretched this Shepheard and yet more happie then such contented persons who liue alwaies fearing death whereas the approach of the same was the onely hauen and heauen of his vnhappines Such and so great was the extremities of his woes as it hindred him to marke or conceiue the fearefulnes of this desart to apprehend the horror of so frightfull a dwelling He thinketh of nothing lesse then of the horriblenes of the same Such condemned Soules as are drawne vnto the place of execution dreame not of any thing else then of the bitter death they goe to suffer EueÌ„ so sought not he any other iourney in this wildernesse then such as his passion led him on to take his eyes not being employed in any office at all whilest he himselfe seemed to be both deafe blinde and dumme O sage and prudent Poets who to expresse the nature and effects of Loue most properly faine Louers to haue bin changed into insensible shapes for certainely they are but Stones Trees and Rocks in their actions and behauiour although they retaine and keepe with them a humane shape A long time did this miserable Shepheard walke thus without knowing which way he went vntill at the last for verie wearines he was forced to rest himselfe at the foote of a mightie high Rocke There being set vpon the ground his armes a crosse his eyes lifted vp his lips close shut together leaning his head vpon the stone which hung on the one side he seemed as if he had bin another very Rocke for as a Rocke so were his gestures moue-lesse his spirits gone and all the partes of his bodie without force and vigor And to say the truth indeede how could he once stirre if his Soule being the life of his bodie was as then absent and at that time retired into the bosome of his faire Mistris Thus sat he senselesse a great while with a heauie setled countenance vntill at last looking downe lowe with his eyes he espied certaine verses to be carued most curiously within the Rocke which made him resemble the Hunter A Similie who dispairing of his Prey and hauing as it were quite forgotten the same vpon the soden spieth his game which forceth him to begin a fresh the pursuite thereof and so followeth the
A Sentence For is not that sick patient to be noted for vnwise who will not disclose vnto his Phisition the cause of his disease but persisting most obstinately rather to feele the pangs of death then to declare where his griefe is And so hee that manifesteth his sorrowes by lamenting receiueth some kinde of consolation if not present remedie For as the small droppes of water falling by little and little vpon the harde Rocke in time doe make it hollow So likewise the hearts of women be they neuer so stronglie armed with the splints of Steele and Adamant yet in the ende they will waxe tender and soft as the harde Iron is made to bowe by the stroke of the hammer Besides oftentimes the peruerse Iudge doth Iustice rightlie through verie importunitie which by no other meanes he could euer haue bene brought to haue done It is a thing that I haue seene Louers ordinarily put in practise of whom the passions are so violent as they haue not bene able nether to conceale nor to restraine them within themselues when they haue most coueted to doe the same I my selfe haue made tryall of this remedie haue passed this straight ventured this hazard and in conclusion haue found to haue done good of it In witnesse whereof I beseech you once more to giue me the hearing of another of my passionate Sonnets With right good will answered the old man vpon condition that thou wilt promise me afterward to vnwinde the Bothome of thy Loues threed Wherevppon the Shepheard began to sing in this sort Before my selfe I doe disliue heare these my plaints O FAIRE which rauisht hast my sweetest libertie If thou before hast dainde of my religious Loue My loyaltie after my death then honor thou Nor feare that Heauens shall by my death be proud Because ending my dayes extinguisht is my Fire Death onely can cashere mee from this wretched life Where in the sacred Throne of Loue seates my pure Soule Whilst I doe breath whilst hart through 1000. sorrowes sobs It shall be seruile vassaile to thy Deitie And mongst the Ghosts being dead thou shalt my Lady be For in my soule thy Beautie is caractered There do I see thee still and as mine Idol chiefe I le sacrifice to thee great store of cries and teares Ah then plight me thy faith for to accept my vowes As late thou seemdst to rewe at my sad heauie griefs Leaue him to dye to dye who liues withouten life Being far from thine Eyes his chiefe diuinest light For say alas wherein can I stand thee in steed When I am but a shadow in a withered Corse Spent haue I all my teares bewailing thy long absence In loosing thee the Heauens haue reft my vigor quite I nothing am become Most wretched he that thinks To liue depriu'd of that chiefe good his heart doth nourish Then whilst I looke my fatall day of death to see No voyce sounds in mine eares but of laments and cries Mirth is for those are fortunate rot for a soule That feeles more horrors strange then Limbos frightfull Ghosts Then welcome pining Care and sorrow sower to me For with my thoughts dispairing still you best agree Thus haue you heard another of my wofull ditties O happie Arcas if being depriued of so sorrowfull a subiect of lamenting as this is thou couldest enioy the sight of thy faire and deere Diana as heretofore thou hast done Alas that the separation of the soule from a faire body should be far more pleasing then that of two loyall harts most stricklie chained with the strong bond of faithfull loue for with this first dissolution the remembrance of all greife and doller passeth away like a flash of lightening that is sodenly come and gone But alack how long are the sorrowes how wearisome the troubles how vnsupportable the miseries that the separation of his Mistris bringeth vnto the wretched Louers Poore Oenone too well knowest thou this to be true who diddest die for verie heauines because thou wert disioyned and withheld from thy deere Paris Death it selfe is more welcome vnto Louers then the long absence of their Ladies and yet dare they not die because they feare their displeasures which when they goe about to free themselues from this bondage snatcheth the weapon out of their hands whilest the hope which they conceiued once to behold them delayeth from day to day the execution of this cruell arrest of death A Similie being so profitable vnto all Louers That traueller findeth himselfe in great perplexitie and is not a little pensiue and angrie who after he hath iournied all the day long by the comfortable light of the Sunne is constrained to wander in the darke all the night after For as the comming forth out of bad into good is luckie sweete and fortunate so harde and troublesome is the losse of ioy to enter from thence into miserie and as it were into the verie gates of destruction And as mortall mē desist not from offering sacrifice vnto the Gods although they be far off from their sacred presence So my deere and diuine Diana though my fortune hath remoued me far from thy beautious sight yet will I not leaue to dedicate all my writings vnto thee to present my sighes vnto thee and to render thousand pittious oblations of my teares as vnto my chiefe Goddesse whose I whollie am my verses my cries and my complaints shall all be addressed vnto thee O faire Diana in what place soeuer thou now displaiest forth thy radiant beames doe not I besech thee despise the slender vowes of the religious votary who liuing only through thee oweth vnto thee both his labors and his life How wiselie haue the learned set downe that the onely presence of the Diuine Essence bringeth all contentment that may be vnto those blessed spirits that continually behold the same seeing the onely countenance of my Mistris brought my soule to be happie and satisfied mine eyes at full with perfect ioy I now excuse you O yee leane and yet rich couetous churles who content your minds with often gazing vpon your rustie old gold because there is nothing comparable vnto that pleasure which the sight bringeth vnto the soule in respect of that thing which so much delighteth him And who then with reason may blame me to loue so faire a Iewell seeing beautie is found to be a gift come from God made onely to render himselfe the more admirable in the eyes of the world Who can iustlie finde fault with that man that shall loue a thing rare perfect and surpassing in perfection such as are ordinarie and common So likewise who can rightly condemne men for honoring such a one as beautie her selfe yeeldeth a most excellent perfection amongst those that are most perfect of all Then thee O Diana doe I honor thee doe I loue thee do I respect sorrowing alway for the want of thee and whilst my vital blood shall boyle within my veines will I worship thee
th'Iron doth the Adamant so drawes she him to smart Whilst metamorphisde into teares of woe he knoweth no meane His torments being so cruell as his griefes are too extreame He thinkes no more of his poore sheepe he hath forgotten those No other thought now troubles him but how to end his woes His voyce his crie his gesture sad and his most morunfull speech Are all of Loue and how they Loue for succour may beseech His colour now is chang'd and gate so is his wonted grace Nored nor white as heretofore remaineth in his face Like ashes he lookes pale and leane whilst sorrow drieth his bones Nor hath he strength for to doe aught except to send forth grones Without all hope or comfort he doth draw his loathed life And for his refuge death doth seeke torid him of this strife But death is deafe vnto his call as fieree Sycambra is And therefore thou and th' other too he gainst his will must misse Well may he call but they 'le not come once comfort for to bring But leaue him when he needes them most to liue thus languishing In briefe the heauens death and men with destuies doe conspire Gainst him that he shall burne yet haue no meane to quench this fire Nothing preuailes him to auaile whilst on the other side Sycambra in like predicament as he is doth abide Of thonsand bloodie passions she participateth vext Yet nothing can relieue her whilst she languisheth perplext Armanda iests and her when she doth speake at euery word He skoffes nor fauour he at all to her will once afford He laughes to see her weepe to heare her sigh it makes him smile Nor will so much as one small dram of pittie yeeld the while But growing too too insolent and puffed vp with pride He wills her to depart and die nor cannot her akide Swearing by all the Gods that he will sooner seeke his death Then fancie her as long as he shall draw his vitall breath She seeing her selfe disdained thus doth ban her destinie And after many strange conceits resolueth for to die By some strange kinde of vncoth death she meanes to cure her wound Which Loue as foe had giuen her her sences to confound Without imploring any more sauadge Armandas aide Who neither her nor her kinde sute respected aught or waide So loyall Hero of her life an end would willing make When faire Leander she did see drowned for her sake Ah fretting corsie worse then death with neuer endles smart When cheating Loue impoysoneth the constant loyall heart More cruell then the rest by odds for dying we but range From this life to another while we make a better change Whereas the for lorne Louers life so bitter is and fell As thousand deaths they chuse before they will abide the hell Of all the torments then on th' earth Loue most outragious is Loue that our youths makes wither fast depriuing as of blisse Sycambra therefore now resolu'de to die doth soone entend That so at length her Agonies and senselesse griefes may end A trenchant blade she taketh vp but viewing it so kright And sharpe she straitway lets it fall so much it her doth fright Her heart will not endure her hand should set it to her brest And therefore with such inchauntment to die she doth detest A throtling halter doth displease as much as sword before So rusly to be strangled stiffe her faire necke doth abore She poyson takes but her conceit that drench hath ouerthrowne Which makes her halter poyson sword all three to let alone A gentler kinde of death though strange she hath found out as the Which is t'entombd her selfe aliue torid her of her woe She meanes within a Rocke obscure from other Rockes far wide With thousand Ditches compassed and bushes on each side Fearefull to Sauadge beasts themselues and horrible to men Her selfe there to enclose and there her selfe doth closely pen. Thus lanquisht she most wrethedly no meate she had nor bred But sighes and sobs no drinke at all but teares which fast she shed No meate she would but mone no drinke but dole to end her life Meaning hereby her coarse to spoyle through starning famines knife The skriching night Owles dolefully her wailings did assist And lucklesse Rauens moand her Loue whilst they to her did list Death whom she wisht for oft at hand was still though not so nigh As she desirde and sorrow was with her continually No voyce she vsde but cries no speech but drerie drie laments So heauily she mournes as Rockes for pittie doe relent Yet no man answeres her at all The comfort most she findes Is when false Ecco her last word againe vnto her windes But he that of her miserie is cause and motiue chiefe Is deafe vnto her praiers become nor yeeld will her reliefe More hard then stubborne Rocks then hills more Sauadge and more fierce He will not mollifie his heart no pittie can it pierce His weale it is to see her waile her bale to him is blisse Whilst in a state most pittilesse far worse then death he is O Tygers whelpe monster of men worthy of any blame Too much vnworthy to be lou'd of such a constant dame Ah may that fortune chaunce to thee as to Adonis coy Who of a Goddesse dayning loue a Boore did him destroy And let it hap to thee as to Narcissus peeuish Elfe Who others Loues refusing did in loue fall with himselfe Yet can I not say that the Gods are partiall but most iust The selfe same measure others we doe giue we looke for must So Ladies had Sycambra kinde vnto her Zerphir bene She had not then such tortors felt nor had abid such teene As she did bide still languishing desirous for to die Whilst she to death Armanda like to come to her doth crie Yet hopes she thus she cannot liue and that her times not long Her heart she findes alreadie broke for bearing so great wrong Besides her fainting bodie fraile prognosticates to her By reason nature's growne so weake death is not from her far Much doe the gastly dreames she hath in slumber her affright And fearefull apparitions strange which she beholdes in night Sometimes they to her bring dispare then her with hope they feede With hope in vaine which when she wakes her wounds more fresh make bleed For he that nothing hath to loose needs not to waile his losse Nor needs he feare that Fortunes wheeles swift turning should him crosse Where he is in most pittious plight that viewes his chiefest stay Which should from ruine him support on sudden tooke away Long time Sycambra in this wise most vncoth liued thus Like to the shape of gastly death in case most dolorous Whilst in meane space Famine and Griefe with neuer ceasing cries Her flesh did turne to bones her heart tormenting in strange guise Her colour which before was fresh and daintie as the Rose And that same beautious varnish pure no more now in her showes Like to
world there not being found any of so foule a tougue that dare to speak against them No no it is not so easie a matter to burie and interre the glorie of the vertuous for vertue shineth still in despite of all her enemies although they seeke but yet in vaine by many strong and subtill deuises to eclipse and ouerthrow the same And though Virgill haue written against modest Dido yet is shee made famous for her honestie and so accounted of despite of such as thought to darken and smother such rare and admirable vertues as were within her Vpon diuers considerations and with diuers kinde of conceits haue the learned written of women And an easie matter is it to iudge by the stile by the phrase and by the affection of the writer if they were chaste and vertuous or no For it is not possible that he that describeth an vnhonest woman and of whom he hath had his pleasure can carrie that awfull respect that temperate moderation and that dutifull feare in his stile towards her as well and in as good order as that man that doth blazon forth although he loueth her well the admirable vertues of a chaste and modest Ladie because one cannot although he would respect or feare that which is his owne or rather is in Common as well vnto others as vnto himselfe But of her that is chast sober and well qualified a man cannot speak but with great aduise and mature deliberation as when wee speake of the Gods because we haue no interest in her Then is it but a hard interpretation to thinke that the modest and regardfull writings of a loyall Louer bring any disparagement vnto the faire vertues of his louely Mistris when she shall so highly be praised in that she hath with stood so many strong assaults of such as haue laide batterie against the inuincible Fort of her admirable chastitie and when euerie one shall see and reade of her more then rare qualities drawne and painted forth in their liuely and right colours with the cunning pensill of the loftie verse of her most faithfull seruant And after this manner O diuine Diana doe I pretend to write of thee and make thee famous and when thou findest that I meane otherwise then let most shamefull death befall mee defacing and ouerthrowing mee and my writings as most vnworthie to be seene or looked vppon or once to be remembred within the memories of man But yet answered the Nymph I would faine know what you shall get by louing me For neuer shall you find as long as I liue that I will be Scholler vnto Loue so cruell and vniust a Maister hee is And to prooue that this is true by example seeing no reason will satisfie you I will not stick to take the paines to tell you a strange historie Herevpon faire Diana placing her selfe in the middest of the other Nymphes who as I were rauished at her great wisedome beganne to recount her Tragedie with a most pleasing grace in this sort following About what time the earth withouten sowing plentiously Brought vnto men their Haruest rich and that continually When as the wisht for bearded Corne which Ceres forth doth bring Waxt ripe without all cockle bad in fields faire glistering When bended Trees in Autums raine with burdens there did grone So full of fruit they hung without deceiuing any one When euery hedge a vineyard was and that in goodly show Thousand and thousand bunches thicke of grapes each where did grow When as the harmelesse flocks of beasts and thick-woolld bleating sheepe Did rouâ— themselues abroad alone and on the mountaines keepe When all the long day Heads of Cattell grazde euery where Withouten doubt of Wolfe or Foxe of Tyger or of Beare When Elmes and Reech with stately Okes drop honie downe amaine Which on the plants and tender hearbes in deawie wise did raine Before that any thunder cracke and lightnings flashie blast On flintie marble Rocks did seaze and them in middest brast When all was quiet full of peace and when this selfe same place Blessed Astrea with her gifts most happilie did grace When fire and sword hard Iron and steele were banished away Which at the first the causers were of worlds and mans decay When that in steed of blood and warre was nothing but milde peace Which made the earth with thousand ioyes to flourish and encrease In that blest time and happie age a Shephear desse did liue To whom all for her beautie rare the palme and prize did giue Thrise happie Stella was she clâ—apt and well she might be so For neuer starre in firmament more faire and bright did show As Luna when in midst of pride she sheweth in frostie night With sparkling lights attended on so shon her beautie bright But yet alas the mortall woes and hard end she did passe Did testifie but too too well that shâ— not happie was The names of things to the natures oft accord and well agree And yet to the names the natures oft discordant shew to bee Malitious LOVE as subtill spie abounding in all malice Amongst sweet pleasures seekes to sowe errors and shamefull vice He likes alife sorrow and griefe to chop our ioyes among And pleasure ours to turne to paine the more to doe vs wrong Iealous he is of mortalls good of their sweet ease and rest And in their actions them to crosse he makes an vsualliest This made him cast himselfe into the eies of this maide faire Which as a torch scru de for to set a fire most deadly care Of her bright glaunces diammds right he forged all his darts With which he as mercifull did pierce the loyalst harts Her flaxen haires were bands wherewith as Conquor he controld And bound most fast the soules that were most wariest and most bold Of her sweet smiles and pleasing speech he made a luring baite Through which to rauish minde and sense he couert lay in waite As with the sound of his rare Harpe when Orpheus vsde to sing Hard stubborne Rocks and liuelesse woods he forst to follow him As beasts and Birds did tend on him as gastly spirit of hell To list to Musicke his of their owne mindes did them compell And as the fowler slie by note of his deceitfull pipe The simple Bird vnwittingly arawes in his net to light And as the adamant that nere by lightning taketh flawe The Iron by a secret power vnto him close doth drawe So by the louely smiles and by the sugred speech and grace Of this rare Damozell Loue did charme the minds of men apace By th'unnie of her daintie tongue they too too credulous Themselues did offer for to fall in daunger perilous Now in this place liu'd Shepheards twaine the proprests of all others Instuture tall and vpright height there were not two such Louers Nor were they onely goodly wights but strong withall and stout Oft they the Beare and Lion chaste the Forrest all about For hunting at that time was alâ— their sport
many Louers haue there bene lesse faithfull then I am and nothing so zealous in loue as my selfe that haue finished their liues when they were depriued of their louing dames and shall not I be as fortunate as they euery way as vertuous as they especially when I haue deserued more then they haue which when I haue done I hope gratious Virgin your chaste soule will doe no lesse then testifie what great respectand dutious affection I bare vnto you vntill my latest gaspe hauing long serued you and yet neuer had any reward at all But what talke I of reward when I desire to die were it onely for this thing in that I durst presume to loue you and yet it is not death that daunteth not at all onely I grieue because I feare I neuer shall finde so sweet a face in the other world with which I may delight me But I am not the first Louer hath bene sent away vnrewarded of his Mistris and yet too great hath my recompence bene in that I haue had that great good hap as to haue seene you whilest I liued and now I must loose you can I doe other then loose my selfe you goe your way and thinke you I shall stay behind Ah then how much are you deceiued for I will die yea I will die although not by your commandement yet because I shall see you no more and this I here protest I am most resolutely minded to doe come whatsoeuer will thereof meane space withdraw thy hand from me which I desire not to kisse since t is with thy displeasure whilest I liued I sought to please thee and now I die I will not seeke to crosse thee Away then with this thy hand too faire for me to touch assuring thee that I am as much contented with thy good will as if I had enuoyed the greatest pleasure in the world Then once againe I beseech thee let me alone and trouble me no more I bid the world adue and take my last farewell of thee for die I will since t is the onely thing which I desire Diana seeing me looke so gastly began to be afraid of me doubting least I would presently haue laid violent hands vpon my selfe as I sweare vnto you reuerend father I had done but that I found her more tractable and more kinde which was the cause that after she had many times sighed beholding me with a most pittifull and curteous aspect and mourning as it were to see me in so heauie a plight she spake thus mildly vnto me Ah Arcas most faithfull Arcas if thou wilt die for my sake there is no reason but I should be miserable for thee to requite this thy great kindnesse towards me So will I be for thee and such a one doe I wish my selfe to be as long as I shall liue Say not then that thou art the most miserable wretch aliue since Diana is a partaker of thy miserable fortunes who to haue regard vnto her honour and for the loue she beateth vnto thee shall liue most miserable all the rest of her sad life being somewhat comforted in this onely that she cannot suffer for two more worthy subiects As sweet shall be my griefes when I shall thinke of thee as my ioy shall be when displeasing I remember thee not at all I see it is the will of the Gods that things should thus fall out and I will not be repugnant against the same more proofes I haue not to manifest my good meaning vnto thee being hindered through mine honour in leiu whereof I will giue thee a tast of the rest by my continuall Martyrdomes Therefore I coniure thee by that chaste Loue thou hast so long borne me offer no violence vnto thy selfe but stay the will of the heauens for it may so fall out as thou maist perhaps see me once more before thou diest and seeing the houre is now come that without seeing me more I must absent my selfe from thee I will not conceit mine affection from thee for I know thou wilt not seeke thy profit by my hiâ—derance Too well doe I know and must needs acknowledge thy faithfull and infinite Loue towards me If euer man hath bene worthy of a Ladies Loue then it is thine owne selfe therefore thinke that nothing in the world hath hindered me to make requitall vnto thee as full well thou hast deserued but chaste honour and seeing I cannot doe otherwise let me increate thee haue patience Besides if the assurance of my amitie may comfort thee seeing thou canst not receiue any other consolation at my hands assure thy selfe I loue thee deerly yea deare Arcas dearely doe I loue thee and to giue a most plaine testimonie of the same I will and command thee vpon that power and authoritie which thou hast giuen vnto me ouer thee that thou kisse my hand as thou before desirest and I pray thee most hartily to belieue that I am wonderfull sorie because I cannot giue thee a more ample signe of my Loue vnto thee content thee then with this small fauour of mine and thinke it is greater then it is because it commeth from so willing a minde and from her who wisheth vnto thee more happinesse then she doth vnto her owne selfe O sweete words which as a lushious kinde of poyson infected my soule with true ioy although afterwards they cost me dearely I hauing bought them at too high a rate and yet what could I now desire more But as the fall from an high Tree is farre more daungerous then from a lower and as the afflictions of rich men spoyled of their goods is farre more grieuous then those of the poore because they neuer had any such wealth to loose Euen so these delightfull speeches wrought my miseries to be farre more cruell afterwards vnto mee then if my Ladie neuer had pronounced them Yet did they mee great good as then in respect I enioyed her companie and in that she shewed her selfe so kinde vnto me But alas it was my Fortune and not her fault since none can withstand his hard destinie Meane time I being astonisht and amazed trembling like that wayfaring man when he beholdeth a Snake winding about his legge tooke my Lady by the Lilly-white hand going about with great reuerence to kisse it when a suddaine feare comming freshly into my head that my Diana would mislike of the same made me to forbeare a while Whilst I thus said vnto her Sweet Ladie I beseech you forbeare and let mee after my wonted manner languish away secretly in my sorrowes rather then any discontentment should trouble you at all For too great a plague would that be vnto me if I should liue to behold the ouerthrow of her whom I esteeme more pretiousthen mine owne life and the rather sithence I am predestinate to be vnhappie Let me I pray you be pardoned in this because I know my selfe euery way vnworthie of so rich a curtesie hauing receiued but too much fauour alreadie at your hands
stand well pleas'd in it No pleasing obiect likes their eyes but what doth threat them ill What euill is that loue they best their ruine fostring still They blowe the glowing coales that burnes them with ore what desire As doth the foolish slie that spoyles himselfe within the fiâ—e Poore soules bewitcht a thousand times each man in carefull wise Doth seeke to shunne what may him hurt and from the same he flies Each one doth deadly poyson hate which doth abridge his life And being pained strait doth hunt with speede for succour rife * The true disposition of a right Louer Onely the peruerse Louer doth all hope of helpe refuse He likes his pining griefe and what doth hurt him still doth chuse He blest himselfe accounteth that not heald is his disease His sicknes he doth honour and to die it doth him please Hard fortune is this to him yet his haps farre harder more He waileth his mischance and yet his griefe he doth adore His woes nere die but still reuiue Then happier liue you faire You that be dead in better case then Louers plag'd you are LOVE then our Shepheards courage stout did weaken with his rage And reapt the sprouting fruit scarse ripe of his first happie age Rauisht his senses and to thousand dangerous harmes him drew And after these disasters all most cruellie him slew This Shepheard Plaindor called was no creature like to him For force of arm s for beautious shape or vertues halfe so trim But heare I pray how Cupid proud in most malitious wise Transformes himselfe to poyson strong for to deceiue our eyes Who though he seemeth vnto vs as courteous meeke and kinde Yet but a poysoned wine though sweete in tast you shall him finde Which we no sooner drinke but that it doth vs mickle harme Bereaues vs of our vitall spirits and doth our Reason charme This deadly draft who doth but tast to die is certaine sure And yet before his death longtime he must strange griefes endure Hara by this darkesome desart sad there was a place most daintie Where Autumne in his season brought forth fruits great store and plentiâ— Rich was it of all worldly things but yet amongst the rest For richest good a Damsell faire surpassing it possest Most famous for this beautious maid was registred this place Though at that time fewe men had had the hap to see her face Her stature tall made her in shewe like to a Princely Queene Rather then one that in the woods and groues brought vp had beene Her flaxen haire which calmiâ— windes did gently blow full soft A description of a beautifull maide Hung dangling downe more fine then golde in thousand curlings wrought Oft when she any leisure had she twisted in the shade Those haires as nets which mâ—ry soules to bow vnto her made Her forhead of faire Iuorie was euen pure and large No furrow there dâ—grace to forme the flesh dia frowning charge No bending wrinkle there was seene nor painting to deface The snowy whitenes which is vsde to make more faire the face Her eyebrowes purest Ebonie kept their proportion right No plâ—asing show so prettily the fancie did delight Sweete shadowes for her sphere-like eyes which with their twincklings calme From sunnâ—â— beames did them defend which burned ouerwarme Her diamond sparkling â—yâ—s were such and did so brightly shine As those two lamps â—hâ— Sunne and Moone most glorious and diuine Her piercing glaunces full of power like to swift lightning were When as the slash inslam'd from heauen it selfe on th' earth both beare So rolde they in her head as greatest hearts they forct decay And valiant spirits of men as slaues did bring vnto their bay Dan Cupids darts they were with which he vsed men to crosse Who being vassels made most bate did glorie in their losse Dire Comets were they like to such that danger do portend And such were hers for death they gaue to her and to her friend Yet they of shame fastnâ—s did show to be the bashfull Call Where chast delight did dâ—â—ly vse for his disport to dwell Her pure vermilion shâ—â—ts when she did smile had force and power To show more perfect faire by odds then daintiest gilliflower How sweet and cruell wast at once to touch so holy thing What mortall griefe was it that tooke but once asay to him Poore Plaindor can true witnes be one kisse vnto his cost Was cause that he his pretious life and all his good daies lost Her châ—rrie lipps did closely hidâ— right Grient Pearle of Inde No pretious â—â—â—lls hâ—lfe so rich you in that land can finde From which Pâ—rculâ—â—s vaiulâ—s a pleasing sent did come More sweet then Muske more daintie sarre then rightest Sinamum Her louely cheekes Suâ—nes blemish were as Alablaster faire Whose roseall colour mixt with creame did show beyond compare Her dimpled chinne was full and round her brest the milkie way Where Cupid when that he was hot a bathing often lay Two Apples faire thereby was seene as sprung from paradise The Graces in that garden vsde to sport in wanton-wise Her matchlesse hand was long and strait her fingers white and small The mountaine snow refin'd to them was nothing white at all Such was this peerlesse virgins faire and she FLORETTA hight Blest perfectly but onely that bad destnie ded her spight One day as in the warming sunne with mickle curious care She did diuide and tide in knots her shining bright gold haire The harts of worthiest Demigods here on the earth to trap As Plaindor came from woods to view her thus t' was his hard hap And being wearie thought a while to rest him by her side But this reposing afterward be dearely did abide For vading pleasure ouer small he too too deere did pay But t' was his fortune bad and downe along by her he lay Where he such poyson suckt as t' was within a while his bane And where he rest did thinke to find he found recurelesse paine Thrise happie he had he not laid himselfe vpon that greene Or if that forward he had gone or her he had not seene For though his wearie coarse did rest his mind did trauaile sore Whilst his bewitched eyes apace downe swallowed venim store His gazing eyes nâ—re from her face one iot at all did stir His eyes made onely to behold and gaze on none but her He markes with more then curious view her for head and her cheeke Her haire her brest and other parts which hee too well did leeke So rests atteniuely and still leaping as t' were for ioy The conqueror proud when he beholds his prey which him did noy So standeth still the greedie Iewe to marke with heedfull eye Such pretious lewells passing rare which he doth long to buy Then then the haplesse Shepheard first perceiu'd the flame begin To spred alongst his heart and to consume his soule within He then perceiu'd of libertie he was depriu'd and sence By those bright beames of that
't to passe This onely now remaines for me my life is in thy hand If I shall liue or die the power as now within thee stands By thee alone I hold this life for thee I die as now That hope I haue thou nourishest my feare engendrest thou Sweete then take pittie of this Loue like Caos so confuse And graunt my hearts request who there his aduocate doth chuse Mine i st not any more thine eyes from me the same did take Then being thine doe pittie it and much of it doe make Destroy not what is in thy power but rather it preserue In man great wisedome t is what is his owne for to conserue I craue not that thou me my captiue heart againe restore To liue with so braue conquerour as thou t is happier more My wils if any interest longes to me in the same As much I doubt since it I lost no more I may it claime It still within thy louely bands as prisoner true be bound Nor in my brest his wonted place no more henceforth be found Then since it is thine owne and that an amorous sweete desire To haue respect vnto his health and life doth thee require Vnlesse thou on his fortune hard dost take some kinde remorse In thy chast amities pure heate he needes must die of force Ah then relent be pittifull in fauourable wise And daine for to accept from him this dutious sacrifice For what can I offer more deare to thee then my deere heart Which nere would yeelde to Loue before he felt this bitter smart Which scornd his vtmost force and lawes did vtterly reiect And of his manly stomack stout did showe full many effect Then of so braue a vanquisht Foe ore-come by beautie thine Take pittie and him gently vse in this his captiue time Such gallant souldiers as be tooke in field by chaunce of warre A Similie Be much respected kindly vsde and honoured much they are And whilst as prisoners they remaine and till their ransome come All friendly courtesie to them in louing sort is done Then to my humble heart faire Dame who thee doth honour deere Not cruell be as if thy foe whome thou should'st hate he were Ah gently vse him or without thus suffering him to lie Still languishing giue verdit strait and he shall willing die For if thy grace he may not gaine he cannot liue on earth Whose wounds are deadly happie he if ease he finds by death A Sentence Speake then Floretta faire to me nor by thine answere sower Be thou the cruell cause to force me leaue my life this hower SWEET speake for by their Oracles contented are the Gods To answere men yet greater farre then men they are by ods So said the Shepheard who in feare the summons did attend Offortune good or bad if he should liue or life should end Like to the guiltie criminall who is of hope depriu'd A Comparision Whilst iudgement with great terror he expects to be disliu'd His heart did paint full sore and fast his face for feare did sweat Mistrust did show in his sad eyes feare in his soule was set Disgrace and shame to be denide his bodie gauld throughout Who doth attend for what he longes and languisheth in doubt Thus wandred too and fro his vitall spirits in this state Whilst that his life did seeme to him as ouer desperate Tide was his tongue and now it irke him that he ought had said Wishing that he his secret wound to her had not bewraide So doth a braue and gallant mind by famine forct to beg Repent him after that an almes demanded thus he had But at the last the Shepheardesse dissolu'd these doubts confuse Chearing somewhat the Shepheard by these words which she did vse The time hath bin that Venus though Loues mothers she hath lou'd Whilst selfe same plagues which she inflicts on others she hath prou'd Great Ioue the President and chiefe of all the Gods aboue Did thinke it no disparagement at all to be in loue Both Gods and Goddesse haue lou'd then why should I be blam'd Since but with selfesame spot I am as they haue all bin staind Ioue life hath giuen vnto vs that we should follow him To erre as Gods A Sentence is no offence so praise not blame we winne Then may I without scandall loue as they before haue done So as my loue in chastest path of loyaltie doe come With such loue Plaindor thee I like and hope this loue so strong Shall be of force thy constancie to make endure more long I loue thee yet no power thou hast ore body mine at all If once presume vnmodestly A Sentence ought to request thou shall For no loue is that loue indeed but rather furious rage That seekes our honour with disgrace or infamie t' engage Then I will loue thee yet of me thy selfe nought else assure But my chast faith which I le reserue to thee vnspotted pure Vntill that happie time shall chance to hap to vs at last When we by sacred marriage rights may coupled be more fast And with this Plaindor be content for what more canst require Then of my loue to be assur'd which is thy chiefe desire The loyall wish of Louers true is loue reciprocall For where good meaning is and plaine there none is mockt at all But for to 〈◊〉 for plâ—â—â—ure send alone in sensuall wise Is brutish 〈◊〉 to beâ—stâ—s who show all reason to despise Did I but thinks Shepheard thy Loue not sober were or chast Or that within thy brest blaâ—k thoughts staine to my state were plast That from thy heart all honour thou and credit didst reiect And more of 〈◊〉 mâ—â—t â—nlike then vertue didst respect Assure thy selfe I will â—râ—uâ—ng myself on thee so sore As for thy boldnes thou shouldst diâ— although I dide therefore And I soone pâ—â—ish would my 〈◊〉 for that I was so vaine To loue a friend so small of worth a my chast minde to staine My blood shed by my hands should wash my fault and error baed Since I to maker hoyce of my Loue no better foresight had Floretta nere shall liue to morne by taking such disgrace Floretta sooner flourish shall by death which I le imbrace Then Plaindor liue and thinke thy selfe thrise happie for to be Since of a vertuous Loue thy selfe assured thou dost see Mâ—aâ—â— time looke to thy selfe attending that same blessed day The haruâ—st of our â—hastest Loue when Hymen gather may To die or say ought that vnto discredit mine may turne For which death purging me too late thou then for me shalt mourne He that is wise seekes to be Lord ore his affections And he a conquerour is right that conquers his passions Be thou such one deare friend for who with prudencie doth cope Findes his desires soone riâ—in dare and nourished his hope Thus wisely spake Floretta faire whose golden speech so graue Made Plaindor in his entrailes hot a greater burning haue Her sage discretion
strange affection growe And so should be true Loue indeed where two should be but one A loyall Louer should but serue his mistris sole alone For neuer hath it yet bin seene that constant amitie Would ere disgest that in the midst it should diuided be This caused Plaindor not to loue this wretched maiden poore Who for his sake perplexed was and well nie at deaths doore Thus languishing she followeth him with pale and pitteous looke Still seeking for to take that course which she should haue forsooke She followeth him in Quest and still she after him doth trace Like to the Blood-hound good the deare that followeth with great pace Whilst he good soule full little thought that she ought to him ment He on his owne affection so earnestly was bent Nor could he scarce endure to heare her speake or talke to him Nor once to looke on her although she proper was and trim None but Florettas stainlesse shape as beautifull he deem'd All other fauours whatsoere as Maskes vnto him seem'd His soules sole ioy and lifes delight she was and chiefe repose She was his first choyse and the last that he through fancie chose Yet in the end this pleasure which him lik't so him deceiu'd For she whome he did thus contemne at last his loue perceiu'd Seeing her selfe disdaind so oft by him now growne so quaint She doubted lest whome he did serue he had some other Saint Which was the cause that hindred her his fauour to obtaine Resoluing with her selfe to seeke till she had found the same Imagining but to no end by some deuise herein To wade so far as at the last she Plaindors grace would win But t' was the ruine of the one and th 'others ouerthrow By too too soone vntimely death as I to you will show Plaindor expecting still the houre when stormes should once be past To reâ—pe with ioy what he had sowen with sorrow at the last Building vpon Florettos faith as on a rockie shelfe Whome he more then the better part accounted of himselfe Did yeeld his heart into her hands in most obsequious wise Breathing by her sweet breath and taking life by her bright eyes So as that houre he saw her not he found himselfe to die For then the Louers chear'd when as his Mistris he is by Sometimes he would be with her in the thicke and muddie shade Sometime sit with her by some spring which prettie murmuring made And there while by fountaine coole the heate from them to keepe Or in some groue be tapistred with flowers surpassing sweete Then in some Bower by Nature fram'd where they did often vse Vpon the grâ—sse in steed of beds their lodgings for to chuse Or for to see the wanton fish about some cristall poole Or by some Isie riuer cleere the mor themselues to coole Or in some hodow Rocke the heate of scorching sunne t' auoid Whose sparkling beames their tender flesh too much oft times annoid Or in some fresh and low deepe Caue enuironed about Like Baricados made for fence with brier sweet throughout In such like place as these they vsde without suspect alwaies In this same sort to spend of their greene youth full many daies Deuising many a louing toy as harmelesse wantons doe Which honour doth permit whilst they their honour honour toe One while they merrie Rundelaies together both doe sing And with their cheerfull chaunting make the woods throughout to ring An other while with blushing cheekes like to two Turtle Doues One doth vnto the other tell their first chast modest Loues Then one the others beautie doth commend and then againe They praise their plighted constancie exempt and free from staine And now they prettie Babies looke one in the others eyes Whilst loue new subiects still of sport to please them doth deuise For bearing alwaies nerethelesse by proffer or by showe Once to attempt what any way might to dishonour growe Whilst they poore soules bare burning coales yet quench them durst they not Lest their good fame they should abuse and their pure honour spot This made them sound through hope and sigh for want of their desire Not daring reape their loues sweet fruites as much they did require They wish and yet are wide from it faine if they durst they would They will not doe through vertue what they thinke in sense they should Sweet thoughts they haue they sweat for hope and yet they die through griefe They haue at hand the remedie yet will not take reliefe Halfe dead halfe liue they gasping stand disiesting this sower drench Whilst water in their hands they haue this fire yet will not quench Bright mirrours of rare modestie crown'd glory you haue wonne That hauing time and place so fit your passions did orecome And now they fell to their repast which was of sauadge Bore Which Plaindor had in hunting slaine with cheese and fruit good store In steed of daintie wine full strong to drinke glad were they than The water of a riuer cleare which from a Rocke forth ran But their chiefe foode and daintiest meate were louely glaunces cast Which from their eyes like swiftest shafts were shot and darted fast Thrise blessed they A Sentence No fortune like â— although they feele some smart 'To such true Louers as in bodies twaine haue but one heart ' The wealth of all this hugie world not worth the halfe of this ' None lest they haue experience had can comprehend such blisse ' But as we see the sunne oft times through ouer sweltrie heate Changing the weather faire great stormes and thundercraks doth threat So likewise we do finde full oft that of most pretious things Some great misfortune groweth which vs to our destructions brings For euery thing is framed so and in such fashion'd guise That what is good here on the earth doth finde his contraries Of perfect Elements of diuers natures here vnnam'de Are bodies formde and fashioned and liuing Creatures framde The heate engendreth chillie cold cold water Thunders cracke Warre Concord Concord Peace Peace War where all goeth to wracke So of the pleasant sweet successe of Louers these did come That which did breed their dismall ends and layd them in their Tombe The Shepheardesse which Plaindor lou'd disdaining in her minde To be disdaind and reape repulse where she thought Loue to finde Did dogge him as an enuious Spie that no way he could walke In wood nor groue but after him full slylie she would stalke And one day by ill luck it was her fortune to espie How with Floretta he a Caue did enter secretlie Which when she saw her loue she curst the author of her strise She band the day of her sad byrth detesting sore her life She saw her labor all was lost her time was spent in vaine And there withall she well perceiu'd recurelesse was her paine Yet thought she she would see the ende of this their Loue so chast And their discourse to heare herselfe close in a bush she
did wholly run on thee my bodie aye was thine Thy will as t' were a penalt Lawe to thee did me combine To please thee not my selfe I liu'd nor did I thinke at all That ere my credit had receiu'd a foyle much more a fall Nav more I could haue bene content that thou shouldst tasted haue That sweetest sweet that Louers seeke and still is that they craue But that mine Honor did ore me with greater puissance seaze Then my desire ore senses had as sensuall them to please This selfe-same honor now although some wrongfully haue toucht Because it too much honor'd thee and suffered thee too much Demaunds my bodie offered be to him my fault to purge And for to haue it sacrifiz'de most bloodie doth it vrge And so it shall Floretta then courage take heart at grace And this vile blot of hatefull shame let 's wipe from off our face For though I through this poyson strong of life depriued be Yet my good Fame taxt wrongfully it shall restore to me Adiew my dearest Plaindor but must I my selfe absent From thee and from thy presence needs must I alack be sent I I Ah hellish griefe yet me my heart againe restore That I may liue below this earth with quiet minde the more Ah render me my heart againe which I le in pieces teare Nor for to see the same to die be thou abasht with feare Sweete Plaindor if that ere thou lou'dst Floretta thou mayst vaunt Vouchsafe this one request to her now dying for to graunt Which is me to suruiue that thou as Testis witnesse may How wrongfully some thought too much my Glories pride to slay I call thee for to speake the truth of my chaste Innocence And to the Heauens I doe appeale who knows my true pretence Then Friend if euer in that sight of thine this body haue Bene gratious when it dead shall be prouide for it a graue Close these mine eyes cashirde from light shut fast this mouth so pale And this my Coarse below in ground to burie do not faile Deare this is all I craue of thee since now my course is runne That kindnes is but worth small praise that by the halues is done But how now Plaindor what do'st weepe thou sigh'st amaine me thinke Nay then thy grieuous Martyrdome I soone will ease and stint Le ts dye le ts dye more then high time t' is I were gone from hence And saying so she swalloweth downe that hatefull poysonous drench That done vppon the greeny grasse her selfe she softly throwes And holding of her armes acrosse her prettie mouth doth close When lifting vp her last seene eyes she Plaindor might behold How he his manly brest for griefe did beate with courage bold Whereat she weeps afresh so great a Corsie to her t' is And dying now she striues to giue to him her latest kisse That done she yeeldeth vp the Ghost Ah heauie spectakell But now the dire Catastrophe of this sad tale I le tell When Plaindor saw his Mistres dead with lookes most furious He draweth his sword which gainst himselfe he bends as barbarous And raging like a bedlem mad distraught of wit through wroth Minding himselfe to massacre these words he sigheth forth Floretta ah Floretta speake speake fairest of all Faire Where 's now thy faith that did protest of me to haue such care Where 's now thy oaths and promises They now haue me deceiu'd And my greene youth long fed with hope they haue of ioy bereau'd Cruell Floretta and yet cruell to none except vnto Thy selfe when for anothers fault thy selfe thou didst vndo To bring me to my dismall ende no way couldst thou deuise But for to slaughter thus thy selfe in such a monstrous guise O faire but chaster Coarse by farre what hast thou done or sed To be vntimely fore thy time consorted with the dead And thou pure soule within that Coarse what sinne didst thou commit That thou so soone from that faire Inne away shouldst passe and flit Thine Honor th' ast kept vndefil'd then if you this doe call A fault how then hast thou offended Else hast thou not at all Faire beauties spotlesse Temple thou doest dye for mine effence And I the essence of thy ill to liue seeke to dispence Ah wretched me and which is worse white liuered soppe I am Vnworthie of such calling as to beare thy Seruants name No no I needs must dye my blood pardon for fault shall win And I will satisfaction make for this my cruell sin Yet fore I die I humbly grace and pardon begge of thee Who hast the power that this my soule remaineth thus in me Ah pardon me what i st I say this pardon which I craue Argues my fault more monsterous that worse I sinned haue I see the Murtherer I haue bin of thy fresh flowring youth Thy healths chiefe Homicide and foe vnto thy faith some ruth For me not for thy selfe thou dyest and shall I then be cause To see those eyes mouth clos'd vp which Death vnto them drawes O of all vertue golden meane of loyaltie bright sonne Whome as my Saint I haue ador'd must thou for me be vndone O hell O black dispaire of Starres most spitefull in such wise To incense so many boysterous stormes gainst my small barke to rise Ay me why dy'de I not when first I saw this face of hern Then lyke an exile from all ioy to be exposde and driuen But soft my Toung runs too too fast and words be nought but winde I know not where I am nor am I now in my right minde Yet at the least let me once bid my deerest Dame adieu And let me of her take my leaue Ah speake what will not you No no I am vnworthy I vnworthy of her grace I not deserue that haue destroyd such fauour so suire face And hast thou then the heart to see that beautie be disliu'de The onely cause that thou long since of life wort not depriu'de And canst thou breathe without her sight thou canst not I doe know Vnto Th'Elizian golden fieldes thou needes with her must goe My selfe my young yeares cutting off will rid me of annoy Since such a blacke tempestious storme hath shipwrackt all my ioy I le die I le diâ— but yet what kind of death might I inuent Cruell enough for my vile fact me iustly to torment Since that the fait falst mâ—â—de aliue through me her death hath found To whome more then to all the world I was obligde and bound Diuinest beautie thou through me doest perish and doest die Whose chiefe delight was to restore my nie lost libertie Plaindor thy deaths wound hath thee giuen whilst he forgot himselfe To whome he owed his life and goods and more then all his wealth Ah haplesse man ah louely Nymphe great reason sure thou hast To giue mâ— ore since ouer thee so small care I haue plaâ—'te And misely didst thou gesse that I vnto thy glorious fame Should be small credit rather
which is to me in steed of a strong Pillar and therefore can neuer be remoued Now if that Bandite may count himselfe happie who seeth to arriue before him such as are come to restore him vnto his former honours and to bring him home againe into his wished for natiue soyle Then may I seeing thee most generous Knight halfe perswade my selfe that mine exile beginneth to ende graunting mee for thine onely sake a certaine Truce vnto my ouer-tedious griefes But tell me I beseech thee if too too importunate I be not with thee what now doth that faire Creature whose likenes thou hast heere doth her Vertues still continue pursuing to glaunce forth her diuine beames doeth her Altars as yet smoke with so manie Sacrifices which those braue Spirits offered vnto her and doth her learned vaine sigh forth such sweete verses as were wont to Enchaunt and Charme so many thousands of louely soules Ah Shepheard answered Philistel the alteration and the changing of the Planets A Similie change and turne by the selfe-same manner the nature of all creatures and the course of euery mortall thing The Prince that meaneth to remooue his Court where hee stayes causeth all his houshold likewise to doe the same because they depend whollie vpon his commaund and so are men seruants vnto the will and powerfull command of the Starres All things are altered and quite turned topsie-turuie in our Desarts of Arabia The Heauens who before regarded them with a gratious eye perceiuing how all Faith all Pietie all Iustce all Learning was banished from thence haue therefore banisht from thence all their gratious fauors rayning vpon other Countreys that sweet pearly deaw of Mercie They haue turned their sight from those parts which being vnworthy of their so great bountie they haue bestowed vpon more thankfull Lands Well doest thou know that since that time wherein men haue left the nature of men to take vpon them that of the Wolfe inuesting themselues with both skinne and conditions of that beast there hath beene no other conceit nor studie amongst them but villanie and mischiefe As those that are vertuous hunt after Glorie hauing no other thought but of Honor which they set before thē as a reward for their labors The wicked sort to doe wickedly put in practise and vse diuers meanes deuices That which they are not able to execute by plaine force that doe they performe through diuellish Treason For they hold this generall Maxime as an Oracle that the skin of the Foxe Note must couer all that part which the Lyon leaueth bare and vnhidden and that subtiltie should supplie and helpe Force Rage assist Valour and Treason support Vertue at a dead lift We are now no more of that Humor which this braue Prince was of who refused to Combat with his enemie by aduantage or subtiltie for feare least he seeing himselfe so ouercome by chaunce should once more venture to trie his Fortune againe to finde if he could as well be ouercome by Vertue as by false and slie Trecherie Deceit at this day is the chiefe ground of euery mans actions A Sentence which sheweth sufficiently that they haue no more accesse vnto Vertue that they make no more account of Glorie and that nothing which is good shou'd henceforth be looked for to proceed from them Thou knowest how Phillis hauing courteously receiued certaine miscreant Infidels to be as his companions with him and how they as iealous of his renowme and enuious of his vertue being greedie to enioy his goods and more desirous then any way deseruing his happie Fortunes most cruellie and damnably slue him on the sodaine this being the ordinarie death of the valiant valor it selfe not being able to resist the same they themselues still venturing where danger alway bideth So Iuliius Caesar the wonder of the world was traitetously slaine An Example whome the bloody hand of Mars could neuer subdue So dyed Sertorius slaine by his owne followers after he had spoyled and brought to nought the great strength and forces of Pompey of Metellus and of all the Roman people So dyed Eumenes solde most basely by his owne men he hauing so often before conquered the kings of Asia his deadly foes And in such sort dyed Dyon hauing ouerthrowne Denis the Tyrant of Siracusa finde himselfe to be massacred by his owne household seruants Thus then wee see that it is the common course of the greatest Conquerours to die after a straunge manner And although to make away anie man in this base fashion it is counted dishonest cruell and detestable yet is the same accounted of now adayes in the World it beeing as an ordinary practise daylie put in vse more then any other policie Custome is another nature and preuenteth ouermuch manie times for hardly or neuer can we reclaime a thiefe from stealing although we threaten him neuer so much So men vsing themselues as now to commit Treasons will not sticke to glorie in the same that so much and as it seemeth Deceit was the principall matter of which they were compact and made Phillis being dead his diuine sister would needes follow him shee giuing quite away so many daintie and worthy giftes wherewith she was most sweetly adorned and embelished Shee now desireth to liue no where so much as in the darke and solitary woods the companie of mortall creatures are troublesome vnto her all pleasures disagreeable all ioy refused and vnwelcome all hope displeasant and all cheerfull myrth most hatefull vnto her Salt teares are onely sweete vnto her sorrowe and heauinesse her best comforts and pittious laments are most deare and welcome vnto her Women haue no other weapons being crossed by hard destinies then bitter teares not that they are able* through weeping to remedie their griefes but because through them they shewe signes of their affected mindes and good will towards them who being persecuted by vnkind Fortune are the occasion they lamēt so much for their sakes For true teares are so dearely bought A Sentence cost so much to draw them from the moystned springs of the eyes as none can with reason thinke they distill from thence but for the losse of some one thing or other which wee tender as much as the better part of our owne selues So her drerie Muse after his death addicted her selfe vnto nothing else then to bewaile the losse of her Brother sighing forth thousands of lamentable verses and singing mournfull Anthems ouer his graue whilst shee powred forth whole Oceans of more then affectionate teares Of these mournfull Ditties had I great store but the Tempest vpon the Sea tooke them from me yet hope I one day to recall them againe vnto my former memorie at what time I meane to make thee partaker of them Not long after my parents deceasing and I being called vpon continually to returne home vnto my people was forced much against my will to take my leaue of her for a certaine time leauing her
my heart in easing of which I brought away this her table My hope is shortly to returne backe againe after I haue set in good order certaine of mine affaires of great importance at what time if thou shalt remaine here as then I will take thee with me as I passe to the ende I may restore thee vnto thy sweete Countrey vnto thy deare acquaintance and vnto thy louing friends who remaine not a little heauie for thine absence Ah Knight An excellent discourse in praise of a Contemplatiue kinde of life answered the Shepheard what need hath he that is resolued to die retiring himselfe from the companie of men to returne into their societie againe What need of a Chyrurgian had Cato when after he had wounded himselfe hee was determined with himselfe to die Next after the dead are men onely happie who as these that are dead vnto the world neuer vse to frequent the world more And seeing thou thy selfe confessest that Vice doeth raigne and rage amongst men why shouldest thou enuie at this small parcell of contentment which mine Exile yeeldeth me tumbling me downe as it were from the very height and toppe of the same The right happinesse of man doth not consist in greatnes of Honor nor in the vaine pleasures of this world for how can you terme such accidents to be happie when they haue no assurance of continuing wherein the chase of Vertue is to be followed without tracing the paths of Vice at all For what trouble can there arise vnto a vertuous man can the losse of goods humble him no for he hath none Can the death of children no nor that for hee finding by Vertue that they were borne to die vexeth not himselfe at all in that they haue payd the debt which they did owe vnto Nature Can the want of friends no for if he iudge the time to be miserable in which we liue and as it were the father of all misfortunes he will then think his friends most fortunate to be departed out of this vale of misery Can the afflictions of his bodie neither for hee knowing the goodlines of vertue will soone find that glory is gotten with patience and that it is far better to suffer for a little while then to see himselfe mingled with the troupes of vnworthie persons whose memorie good name dieth euen with their bodies What then may grieue the vertuous Can the losse of his vertue No nor that likewise For it being a Treasure farre beyond the power of Fortune and as it were wholly diuine is not subiect vnto anie mortall decaying Byas was of the same minde who carrying his learning with him wisely affirmed An Example that he bare away all his chiefe wealth with him If then neither all the spitefull deuises of enuious Fortune neither all the bloodie cruelties of stepdame Nature can euer force or offer violence vnto a vertuous man what need hath hee at all to craue ayde of men or to enter into their societie when by their vices they shall corrupt his vertue Diogines was of mine opinion who being content with his owne vertue very boldly refused those Magnificall proffers of Alexander the great And so did Phocion the Grecian Fabritius the Roman and Pyrrhus that famous king of the Epyrotes Besides what feare of punishment for his fault doeth trouble the wise man what sodaine apprehension of losses what frightfulnes of paine what doubt of death or what thoughtfull care for worldly matters to come hereafter Anacharsis being pounded to death in a morter iested at death Socrates bought the same and Plato forced his owne selfe to take the like That Rocke that is founded most strongly within the midst of the Sea cannot nor ought once to feare least the weather-beaten Barks or Ships should breake it in peeces when contrariwise it is the same that splitteth them in sunder Euen so the wise man hath no neede to doubt least the force of any worldly accidents should carry him away seeing in all his Actions hee goeth beyond them and vanquisheth the puissance both of the Heauens and of Fortune But this power hath he not whilst he shal be ranging and running vp and downe amongst men spoyling himselfe through their vices but rather when he is retired alone by himselfe to entertaine vertue which as now keepeth and abideth in the woods since shee hath bene banished from Townes and Cities Our Sauiour CHRIST being to encounter with Satan chose not a battalion-field in the magnificall temple of Salomon nor in the publike Market-places of most populous Cities but in a solitary and frequentles Desart within which whilest S. Iohn Baptist kept he neuer saw the incestuous adulterie of proud Herod nor felt his own head cut off from his shoulders for speaking nothing but the truth He then that will be counted wise let him forbeare and flie from Citties where growe nothing but contentions and troubles for so did Ciccro Seneca very often lament because they were drawne from their solitary abidings to be imploied by the Roman Emperors about matters of Estate But now what vice can the wise man encounter withall here in these Desarts which may be offensiue vnto his Vertues Doeth he finde here any Iniustice No for such as haue nothing to loose and offend not the Lawes haue nothing to doe with a Iudge Doth he find ambition no for pouertie is neuer hated but rather pittied then spighted Doth he find murther no for vncouth wildernesses neuer breed quarrels Doth he finde falsifying of faith and lying no for here being nothing to be gained we need not to make our selues rich with lying Doeth he finde disloyaltie or subtil trecherie no nor that neither For the deceitfull deuises of the wicked and their aspiring hopes to become great doth not combat with the truth and honestie of our contented soules Seeing then all accidentall causes of sinne are here preuented driuen backe and quite taken away that may trouble the vertuous in his quiet rest deface his vertue offer violence vnto his constancie and bring hurt vnto the calme contentment of his owne minde Did euer any such man repent him of what he had done not any for of well doing A Sentence repentance neuer commeth Repentance beeing one of the most sensible sharpe and cruellest whippes wherwith men are much scourged because it neuer marcheth alone without shame and great hurt He onely is right blessed who at the very period of his life and at his last gaspe sorroweth not for any thing that hee hath done finding himselfe to haue no more to repent him of his former actions passed A blessed and holy abode then for the wise are these harmelesse desarts which bannish all vice and giue entertainment onely vnto vertue Vnto such a place did that godly Saint Duke William of Aquitaine withdraw himselfe when he was determined to leaue the world to followe God to renounce all vice to loue vertue to abiure all sinne and to honor pure Innocencie
what time she hath most neede of our helpe For force onely bindeth the Slaue whereas wee are bound both by Nature honor in a more perfect indissoluble chaine to staÌ„d in her defence Hath not that Prince iust cause to be angrie with his Vassell nay rather A similie may he not worthily put him to death who leaueth him in his most extremitie when he hath most greatest and most dangerous affaires such as concerne his whole Estate Land about which when he should be busied he getteth him away and giueth him quite ouer eyther for feare least he should be put to too much labor and taking of paines or else because he is loath to hazard his life for the safetie of his Soueraine If so then is hee worthie of farre more punishment that doth abandon his Countrey when it is in most miserie For offering our bodies vnto her wee offer but the least dutie that may bee seeing we doe but discharge vs of that debt which is due vnto her and which but for a time we borrowed Of a better minde O Codrus wert thou who to serue thy Countrey An example wert content to sacrifice thy selfe to death being willing for the good of thine owne Land not onely to loose thy pleasures thine Imperiall Crowne but also thy owne sweet and Royall selfe So likewise did Themistocles merit great coÌ„mendations who thought it better to dispatch himselfe by swallowing downe a draught of deadly poison then to draw his sword against his natiue soyle He therefore is not worthie the name of Honor who in respect of his owne priuate contentment and safetie renounceth and abiureth the troubles of his Citie rendring by such bad meanes his vertue without fruit or profit and without any merit at all For most seriouslie shall he be punished of God who hath not employed his calling to some good vse which was lent vnto him and as a bad seruant hath hid the same vnder ground without profit at all Inasmuch as hee sheweth himselfe vnthankfull vnto God yea and deserueth no goodnes at all if hee shall not make a commoditie of that vertue good gift which he hath bountifully giuen vnto him more then vnto others Not vnlike vnto him that maketh the world laugh at his follie who beeing diseased and sicke carrieth the remedy of his maladie in his hand without once tasting or taking the same vnto the benefit of his health In olde time such as liued as vnprofitable members vnto their Common-wealths were taxed at a very great Fine to the end that if their bodies would doe no seruice vnto their Countreyes yet at the least their purses should supplie the defects of that fault For there is no reason that we should liue without bestowing somwhat of our substance vnto the reliefe of our Common-wealth Such then as for feare of taking too much paines for the Common-wealth and as loath to oppose themselues against the abuses of the same withdraw themselues apart to liue to their owne selues are much to be blamed and are farre wide from being to be called or accounted vertuous For it is not a valuable excuse to say I cannot doe any good seruice because I am of no account and reckoning No no this is not enough we must doe as much as we may to the vttermost of our power for many little fagots laide together make a huge and great Bonfire At the least we must seeke as much as in vs lyeth to quit the debt we owe. But as such slothfull men as these are to be condemned so farre more are some others to be hated and detested who sticke not as damned Traytors to conspire against the safetie of their natiue soyle raising factions in the same consuming them with ciuill dissentions and vtterly ouerthrowing them with mutinous Seditions Such vipers as these are borne to the detriment domage of the Common-wealths comming of the race of Tymon of Athens These kinde of men being onely such as the further they are off from their Countreyes the more profitable it is for the same But amongst manie children which a good Father bringeth vp it cannot be chosen but that some one or other of them must be found to be bad An example In as much as the earth it selfe producing many plants of which some are good and some are badde doeth likewise engender such strange and diuerse Natures Yet as shee teacheth the Gardner by skill to set and graft his best fruites in such a season as he may bring them to full maturitie and ripenes at their fitte time And they deuise how to cut off and to pluck vp by the roots such as be ill nothing worth So hath she also both ordained rewards and glorie for the best and most vertuous Natures in recompence of their worthie and honorable deedes and sharpe and seuere punishments for such as are badly enclined to punish them for such leaude faults as they shall commit Now as a King who is to wage battaile with a strong and puissant enemie hath need of all his Forces to gether valiantly to giue him the ouerthrowe So that Realme which perceiueth some of her owne proper children to rise and to take Armes against her seeking like the sonnes of Absolon to destroy their Father hath great neede of all her good and faithfull issue who at such an extreamity as that is neither may nor ought to leaue her naked and alone because as then such an one doth as much hurt that will not seeke to hinder this conspiracie against her and yet is of power to doe it as hee that is the first Author and motiue of the same This time then will not suffer thee my deare Shepheard to take thine ease thus thou must returne againe into thine afflicted Countrey take thy Fortune as shall happen participate with her in her miseries and saile with her in the selfe-same dangerous voyage For those are knowne to be true friends that helpe at a dead lift A Sentence and in greatest extremitie because they doe good without euer hoping for of any reward Change then thy aduise and like another Camillus returne from thine exile to bestow vpon thy Countrey these thy last deuoires depriue not thy Natiue soyle of thy bones being to be pittied as much as great Affrican was to the end that either thou being buried within the bowels of the same thou mayst leaue a glorious remembrance of thy selfe when thou shalt die Or else that thou offering thy seruice vnto her thou now bindest her vnto thee although all the seruices which wee are able to render vnto our Countrey cannot binde her vnto vs by reason wee are farâ—c more beholding vnto her Thinke not as yet that thou art as it were a dead tronk which is cast into the graue because it is vnprofitable and to be put to no good vse yeelde vnto thy Countrey what good thou canst and any braue qualitie thou hast to stand her in steed
the losse of his Mistris for that was the generall brute that ranne for currant throughout all the Countrey One while he condemned his ouerrash fondnes as wánting aduise and discretion in that through the same he had hazarded vpon the vngentle waues so faire and sweete a Creature as she was Another while he acknowledged and confessed himselfe to be the author of her death and the cause of her destruction Whilest this opinion of his drewe whole floods of teares from his eyes thousands of sighes from his heart and millions of heauie complaints from his soule Two cruell conceits did alwayes afflict him the one was the losse of his Loue the other the constant beliefe that he had bene the occasion of her vtter ouerthrow Commonly we beare with more patience the misfortune which hapneth vntovs A Sentence by the despitefull malice of the angrie Stars then we doe that which through our owne default doth fall vpon vs. For the one we can no way remedie because we cannot resist against the heauens but the other wee imagine we might by some deuise haue preuented if in due time we would with discretion haue looked vnto the same All the Court as well the highest as lowest endeuored what they could to comfort him but he esteemed that as a double griefe to be perswaded to be comforted by anie hauing lost her which was his chiefest comfort In the ende he deuised these dolefull Ditties in which kinde of exercise hee spent most part of his wearisome time This then was the wofull Song which he vsed oftentimes to sigh forth when hee was in his Chamber all alone or walking amidst the vncouth Forrests or when he was retired vnto some priuate place along the solitary Sea-shore Now I haue lost the deare light of mine eyes What should I doe but end my wearie dayes That Louer which with Mistris his doeth die A Sentence Dyeth not Alas but rather liues alwayes So Pyramus and Thysbe did disliue Themselues and liu'd together like two Doues That seruant which his Louer doth suruiue No faithfull Louer by loyaltie prooues So great a losse teares cannot counteruaile The rate hereof at so high price is set Base mindes it fittes for life to weepe and waile That so at length their griefes they may forget Not death it selfe though stung with his sharp sting Their loyall hearts can parted make remaine Th' one dying doth death to the other bring Making but one for to become of twaine As sweet that happie life of Louers was When th' one the other ioyfullie did prooue So seemes it sweete to them from life to passe When they together ende their Life and Loue. Loue doth renew and so like Phoenix shall In the Elizian fieldes below the earth Chaste Amitie not mortall t' is at all As is our fatall ende and flitting breath Ah how can one liue in this world of woe A Sentence When he hath lost the best part of himselfe Who seekes not after Mistris his to goe In Friendships Checquer hath but little wealth Diuorse me then from life yee Destinies To rid me from this labyrinth of noy The FAIREST shall not plaine in righfullwise Of mee since I haue lost her my chiefe ioy Ay mee I see Death no remorse will take On me whilst slowe hee hearkneth to my crie The Heauens our plagues the greater for to make Will not permit Death should approach vs nie Shall I then liue in griefe my selfe to banne Euen in despite and gainst my soules owne will Alas I must for I vnworthy am To bee where bides my Ladie freed from ill Am I not wretched then more then the rest To cause her death for whom I ought t' haue dide Then why should I imagine me so blest As for to looke for comfort at this tide No no I must and I deserue to finde Thousands of crosses ere I ende this life Who ill hath done deserues no vsage kinde A Sentence No gentle death but direfull sorrowes rife My hope is this that after thousand plagues A lingring death shall seaze vpon my Coarse Whilst thousand griefs throughout my vaines shall rage The more to punish him without remorse Then let none comfort or once counsell mee Since this my wound is mortall sans recure A mad man neuer will perswaded be By reason what is best for him t' endure Vnhappy I and trebble curst my state Wherein I liue a death ore desperate Thus wailed this sadde Prince continually and to say truth iust were his waylings and but rightfull his complaints considering how great his loyaltie was and yet if he loued Iustina well our Loue-sick Caualier honored her as much if not more for as he liked her for her beautie so did he as much admire her for her vertue To seeke to obtaine her in hope to carrie away that which many a Louer proposeth as a guerdon for his trauaile and paine which he hath taken hee knewe full well that it was in vaine and against his word and promise and to espouse and marrie her being altogether ignorant of her byrth and estate euery one knowing in what wretched taking he found her vpon the Sea-shore all alone hee durst not both for feare lest hee should doe iniurie vnto his house from whence he descended and also lest he should prouoke the iust displeasure of his best friendes and nighest kindred in attempting so rash an enterprise without their consent Thus was he troubled with many doubtes still running in his head not knowing what way to take or which course to resolue vpon No more then the Pilgrime who being vnskilfull in his iourney A comparison and comming to a foure crosse-path-way knoweth not which of them all rightly to chuse Meane space Loue got the aduantage of him daily yea and in that sort as in the end he became absolute maister of the Fort and chiefe Lord and Conqueror ouer the soule of the poore Gentleman In so much as hee could no longer now conceale this hidden fire any more The burning coale couered with hot cinders is more fresh ardent and full of heate then the fiery flame it selfe Very willing and faine was he to haue bewrayed his sicknesse but he knewe not to whom he being not ignorant that none could ease him of his paine but onely shee who was the cause thereof of whom he looked to reape but small or no comfort at all The day and night was all one with him for hee slept no more when the Moone gaue light then when the Sunne shined his greatest contentment being to be alwayes in the companie of his deere Mistris not remembring how the more he resorted vnto her the more his heart was inthralled and caught in the nettes of Loues pleasing seruitude and bondage The often and dutifull deuoires hee alwayes vsed to doe her seruice his stealing glaunces and pittifull lookes he cast vpon her beautious countenance and his continuall burning sighes comming like smoakie exhalations from his brest were
note wrought so much by his excellent cunning as the soule of the Princesse was rauished with the same so that not being able any longer to withhold her selfe from weeping shee left her sicke Patient in whose eares as she was taking her leaue she softly whispered these fewe but yet sweete speeches Courage true Seruant and liue in hope expecting from me all the helps that may be to recouer your grieuous sicknes which shall be such yea and that in such an ample manner as I will endaunger mine owne life to restore you to yours and will not sticke to loose my selfe so I may saue you Saying so she went her wayes leauing Alfonso to muse on this matter canaussing diuers conceits in his braine By reason of these last words which she vttered he knewe not well how to take them nor how to vnderstand them nor scarcely what to make of them Yet in the meane time he stayed to see what effects would follow vpon the same and looked for some good Fortune to happen Not vnlike vnto the criminall who expecteth some fauour or friendship promised him by the Iudge And now he beginneth some what to comfort himselfe for that hee perceiued some pittie in the remorsefull eyes of his relenting Ladie who being tormented with diuers passions knewe not well what to say what to doe or what to resolue vpon The death of her Friend went neere her his loyall and sincere affection pleaded for some commisseration vnto her Insomuch as the exceeding great paines trauell he had taken in her behalfe the innumerable curtesies infinite kindnesses she had receiued at his hands began to make a breach into her constant brest so as at the last doe what she could she yeelded and became wholly his On the other side the feare and doubt lest she should doe any thing which might be a scandall vnto her Honor or a blemish vnto her inuincible chastitie which she had so long and with so great admiration kept inuiolable vntainted made her giue ouer and retire from her first determination A Similin As wee see a floating vessell in the troubled Sea tossed and tumbled with two contrarie windes neither forward nor backward nor to passe one way nor another Euen so fared the mind of this delicate Virgin who being ouercharged with many conceits and opinions knew not on which to resolue Yet in the ende Loue got the vpper hand For as a flame of fire feazing vpon a drye peece of wood couered with greene Iuie glideth ouerth wart the same and at the last burueth into ashes both the wood and the greene leaues together Euen so Loue entring at the first by her eyes descendeth downe lower and in the end runneth ouer all her bodie which he boldeth and arresteth as his owne goods Iustina then hauing once more resolued what to doe detemined with her selfe to marrie her kinde Hoast but being risen from her bedde a kind of bashfull shame began to breake this enterprise which would neuer permit that a modest Damosell her owne selfe should discouer her owne Loue neither suffer that the proper tongue of the Princesse should be the trompet of her owne shame But LOVE who would in no wise take the foyle and was very readie in aduising her how shee should dispatch this busines which much troubled her gaue her counsell to deliuer her minde in writing vnto her louing Seruant when she should next goe to visite him and so the shame should remaine within the paper which is of too pale a colour to blush Whervpon as she was taking pen in hand she called to minde the place from whence she came the doubt lest the Letter comming to light might be a discredit vnto her which was the cause shee stood in a mummering as it were a long time before she began to write still as fast as she endited she strait-waies crost it out againe with her pen. Loue thinking that bashfulnes could not endite well and bashfulnes thinking that Loues penning was as ill Long stood they disputing about fit termes to serue the purpose but in the end the Princesse emboldened through LOVE set downe her minde in these termes following The Princesse Letter to her Seruant IF this manner of writing be of power to bring thee to life againe then know it is sufficient to take away mine from me For in seeking to reuiue thee I cause mine owme Honor to die But alas can I see thee still languish thus through mine occasion and not participate with thee in thy miseries in the selfe-same fashion Ah would to God wee had exchaunged our Estates for then would I presently desire to die as thou doest wish thee to liue as I do and so should I not be forced to satisfie thy request neither should mine Honor then complaine of mee in that I haue lesse respect of that then of the safegard of one man The feare lest I should haue bene counted the murtherer of thy life caused mee to write this Letter vnto thee Neither had I done any thing at all in thy behalfe but that I haue a most assured hope and confidence that thou recouering by my onely meanes thy former life wilt be a helpe and ayde vnto mee to teach mee how to make away my selfe by death What shall I say more vnto thee thy recouerie is my death and thy life mine ouerthrow and ruine Yet had I rather perish then thou shouldest miscarry any way Liue then and be well except thou wilt kill her whom thou sayest thou louest with such respect Or if thou wilt needes die yet at the least tearme not mee the destroyer of thy life seeing I haue offered health vnto thee I knowe not which I should most desire eyther that thou liue or that thou die If thou liuest I then must needes die And if thou dyest I may no longer liue What good then shall I get by letting thee haue thy life Onely this onely the glorie that I haue preserued thee from death the obligation canceld wherein I was indebted vnto thee and the break-necke fall of that strong opinion thou hast that thou dyest for mee Liue then I intreate thee and when thou shalt be well GOD I beseech him if so it please him open vnto vs some honest and iust meanes to vnite vs together in that sacred band which of two soules maketh but one And this I doe promise thee Fare you well This Letter being written there was a new Councell called to consult whether it should be deliuered or whether committed vnto the mercie of the fire For in accidences of Loue there is found strange contrarieties euery minute of an houre as we see in a little while diuers sorts of windes to arise in the skye Yet in the ende Loue still preuailed and so much perswaded that the Damosell her selfe resolued to goe and visite the poore patient and to deliuer the paper into his owne hands No sooner was she entred the Chamber but that
two Knights presented themselues before the Iudges who gaue them their oath vpon the holy Bible that they entered into this combat vpon a iust cause that done they vewed their armour and weapons and lastly conducted them vnto the listes making proclamation that vpon paine of life no person whatsoeuer should as much as once presume either by shew or signe looke or countenance word or deed to fauour either the the one or the other but to let their valour fortune trie who shall be conquerour A Comparison As two young Bucks burning in loue of a faire Doe take delight to trie their strength before her and being both furious pierce through their bodies and heads with their sharpe and rough hornes Euen so these two gallant Champions longing to encounter and either of them desirous to enioy that pretious prize which armeth the one against the other being in place where they may trie the vtmost of their force most furiously discharge one against the other and as two terrible Thunder-claps meeting together in a cloud breake at the cracke fall both downe vpon the earth So these two Knights at the first shecke and meeting tumble both downe vpon the ground but their launces being broken they draw forth their swords beginning to charge themselues a fresh As did Achilles once and Hector valiant stout When fore the walles of stately Troy they fought it out The Dane animated more with furie then with force laid on load without ceasing flinging forth his fire so furiously as if his strength had not failed more then his courage A Similie Alphonso had bene vanquisht but a great fire of strawe is quickly extinguished In like manner the blowes that despite and rage giueth are assoone ended Meane-while our Spaniard fought coldly but yet with great aduisement neuer striking but to the purpose so still kept himselfe in breath with great aduantage The Prince redoubling his strokes supposing his foe was growen feeble both in force courage laid on loade hurting him vpon the left arme This wound from which the blood issued apace the remembrance of her who was the cause of this warre the presence of the King and the flower of Chiualrie of all his countrie did stirre vp the Spaniard so much as now he would combat no more soberly and with discretion but as a desperate Souldiour against his deadly enemie letting driue at him so lustily with such quicknes and such dexteritie as the Dane found he was not a little deceiued in him But as he was chasing of him thus by chaunce Alphonsoes sword fell out of his hand he hauing nothing now but his dagger to defend himselfe withall which was the reason euery one thought as then that he was but a dead man his enemie promising vnto himselfe the victorie the desire of which made him pursue the Spaniard hotly who knew not which way to furnish himselfe of a Target nor how to warrantise his honour and his life but onely by running in vpon the Dane and so by maine force to get him downe which deuise of his the other fearing looked more warily vnto himselfe lest he should get within him whilst in the meane time he gaue him many a sore wound which he could not well escape because he wanted his weapon In the ende such was the good fortune of the Spaniard that the Dane thinking to runne full but at him with all his force which the other auoyded by mouing his body from that place lightly his sword also slipt out of his hand so as they were now weapond alike when comming to handie gripes and to grappell together Alphonso proued to be the stronger of the twaine flinging his enemie downe and giuing him so terrible a knocke withall as both speech and senses failed him That done he vnbuckled his head-peece and setting his poniard to his bare throat willeth him henceforward to renounce all such claime as he before had laid vnto his Ladie and wife and to acknowledge himselfe to be vanquisht or else he should die presently But the Prince choosing rather death than shame and vtter destruction then the depriuation of his Mistris disdained to answere him looking still when the other would stabbe him quite through which neuerthelesse as a right Noble minde he would not but leauing the Dane wallowing in his owne blood and sore bruised with his fall he commeth vnto the Iudges demaunding of them if he had done sufficient to be counted the vanguisher and to haue obtained the glory of the victorie or no. Who much commending him for his clemencie in that he had so cutreously pardoned his aduersarie told him he had performed his duetie euery way that done he was conducted vnto the place where the King sat who highly praised him for his valour and greatly honouring him for his vertue gaue him leaue to depart his Royall presence From thence he rode vnto the Court accōpanied with thousands of braue Knights where with great ioy the faire Ladies as the custome was disarmed him whilst the Chirurgians prouided for the dressing of his wounds that done he was had vnto his lodging keeping his bed vntill such time as he recouered whilst in the meane space he was euery day visited by all the Barrons and great Lords of the Realme who did congratulate with him for so famous a victorie Not long after the Danish Prince was carried out of the field sore wounded and wel nigh dead for griefe and shame cursing his bad fortune that he had not bene kild out right who although he was highly beholding vnto Alphonso for his life yet did he most tratierously conspire in his minde to murther him one way or other suffering himselfe rather to be transported with base reuenge then with sage reason or with honestie of the cause So Paris dastard-like surp isde with feruile feare Sware stout Achilles death to whom he hate did beare But the gallant Spaniard that ment nothing but well neuer suspected any such treacherie but rather that he had surely bound the Prince his enemie vnto him in good will seeing he had shewed him so great a kindnes as to gratifie him with his life A Sentence For so the right valiant man indeed iudgeth by his selfe that others are valiant like vnto him and he that is honest thinketh other men to beare as honest a minde as himselfe doth But all creatures are not framed of one kind of mettall or condition their passions and desires in louing being contrarie and diuers Nature greatly delighting and making proofe of her mightines and power by this diuersitie of humours Alphonso being recouered of his late wounds and very much longing to see his faire wife determined to take his iourney homewards of which his minde the malicious Dane hauing an inckling he taketh his leaue of the King in most dutifull manner making a shew as if he would take his iourney towards Denmarke riding a day or two onwards on his way and then turneth backe
poasting towards Alphonsos Castle where he and his companie being disguised lay in waite for the Spaniard not daring for his life to set vpon him nigh the Kings Court lest his villanre should be descried and he well punished for the same About some sixe daies after he was gone Alphonso leaueth the Court highly commended and much praised of euery one little suspecting any treason with a small traine following him when being now within two leagues of his Castle behold the vngratefull Dane and his attendants to come out of a little wood well armed at all points and to rush sodeÌ„ly vpon Alphonso who being of an excelleÌ„t spirit courage carried himselfe so brauely as before he caught his deaths wound the Prince was turned off from his horse starke dead vpon the ground by him who being the first that set vpon him But in the ende What can the valiant Hercules gainst oremuch force preuaile Couragious mindes will sooner die then yeeld themselues or quaile So our worthie Spaniard had rather be killed manfully then saue his life by base and ignoble flying away But after he had fought a long time hauing giuen vnto many their death wounds and receiuing many himselfe his enemies still hemming him in round about setting vpoÌ„ him with a fresh assault at the last he falleth downe dead from his horse which the villaines perceiuing and doubting lest they should be followed by the countrie they tooke vp the dead course of their Prince in hast lamenting this hard aduenture and setting spurres to their horse away they flew as fast as the winde being neuer heard of after Behold here one of Loues feâ—sts of a contrarie fashion vnto other bankets For his first dishes presented at the table are pleasant sweet and delightsome but his last course is bitter cruell wofull bloodie and full of murther His chiefest companion is quarrelling Mars neither doth he euer march without hauing with him either Rage Furie or Follie. Meane space some of Alphonsos men who as crauens retired apart when the skirmish was at the hottest seeing their enemies fled came backe againe where all the broile had bin longing to know how their Maister had sped whom they found with a thousand wounds well nigh bleeding through euery part of his bodie and lying amongst the thickest of his enemies which were slaine by his owne hand whereat they making most pittious mone began to search if there were yet any one sparke of life in in him or no At the last they hauing done their best indeuour to recouer him he began to come a little vnto himselfe againe when scarce being able to open his eyes dimd and damd vp with death his soule readie to flit from hence vnto a better world with a hollow voice he thratled forth these few words My dearest friends let me intreat you to shew me this fauour it being the last which I will euer hope or looke for at your hands to conuey this my martyred body vnto my faithfull spouse to the ende I may be so happie as once to see her and to bid her farewell More would I say but I am so faint I cannot His sorrowfull seruants yerning for very griefe and dissoluing themselues into salt teares cursing now though too late their cowardly running away carried his dying carkasse faire and softly towards his house To Cleopatra so Marke Anthònies dead coarse Was brought which she drew vp to her with wofull force O what a spectacle what a tragicke present and what a bitter encounter was this for miserable Iustina to meete withall who not long before had heard how happily and how valiantly her kind husband had conquered his enemie in the sight of all Spaine which good newes had filled all her spirits with an exceeding kind of pleasing ioy and comfort But alas what a change and alteration was this from the first matter Ah how much more is that misfortune liuely toucheth vs to the quicke which when we least thinke of it surprizeth vs altogether vnexpected we passing our time in iollitie and pleasure then such as we are prouided for when it commeth it being long since we looked for the same and therefore the better prepared to beare the burthen thereof Meane time the poore Ladie must needs tast this bitter potion beare as well as shee can this terrible clap of dismall thunder No sooner had she a sight of this dying coarse which she thought to be starke dead But that she tooke on as one distraught and quite out of their wits O faire haire before daintily curled how cruelly were you then torne But farre fairer face how wert thou bescratched and thou beautious brest how wert thou be bloodied So great was her anquish as she fell downe in a sowne vpon that bodie whom she so dearely loued embracing the same most tenderly it being that which she more accounted of then of any thing else in the world Thrise happie had she bin and not a little beholding vnto death if at that houre he had bereft her of life but her fortune was not so good for she was compelled to liue the longer because her paine should be the greater And now she being come vnto her selfe againe although it was a woful mirrour to behold his pale bloodlesse face his mangled flesh all to be sprinkled washed in his owne gore yet did she not sticke to kisse his wan and cold lips a thousand times and more whilst her teares serued her in steed of water to make cleane his wounds to wash away the blood and to solemnize his drerie Funerall with the same Carelesse of her health she lay long time vpon the wet ground whilst she held the coarse as pittifully in her lap as the kind nurse doth her little Infant in her armes neither did she remoue her sweet mouth from his but kept it still close thereon desirous to die as he had done Out alas alas cried she where am I who am I what do I see is it possible that I should yet breath hauing lost the onely life of my soule And you mine eyes are you so cruell vnto my health that you will abide to behold that which will force you to be more miserable and yet mine eyes my wofull eyes it is no shame to behold your best benefactor looke then on him your fill although pittilesse death hath closed vp his sight with an eternall sleepe But thou art dead for me my deare husband for my cause hast thou lost thy life and for no other O wretched iourney and most vnhappie that euer thou tookest in hand yet was it not death that slew thee No no death durst But it was I and euen I t' was I and none but I and I alone whome thou diddest thinke to be thy louing wife Ah sweete sweet Husband shall I be guiltie of this fault by murthering of my selfe which I haue committed against thee No no for my death cannot counteruaile thine Shall it be said that
I doe liue after thee and suruiue him who was the onely nourisher of my dolorous life Can I abide to be one minute of an houre from thee who hast so much alwayes desired the companie of haplesse Iustina Ah mine eyes mine eyes as much as you shewed your selues cheerfull to delight the heart of my Husband in your Loues so much or more shew your selues full of salt teares to lament his disaster But teares are the common offerings of euery woman at their husbands buryalls A Sentence and are too base oblations for so worthie and solemne an exequies Thy friendship deserueth better then so And more am I obliged vnto thee then to offer such base trifles Not my blubbering teares but my heart blood is due vnto thee For why should it not be thine when my verie soule is at thy seruice Ah cruell Honor why hast thou not rendered mee againe mine Alfonso in the selfe-same manner as thou tookest him from mee to doe thee seruice And how badly hast thou requited the paines hee hath taken in seeking to preserue thee fafe and sound Who euer would haue thought I should haue seene so horrible a sight as I see before I had dyed and who would haue imagined but that my praiers which I made continuallie vnto God to take me out of the world before my sweet Husband should not haue obtained grace from Heauen But come the worst that can come there shall not be much difference of time betweene our deaths for so quickly will we follow one another that if one houre cannot cut vs off both together yet at least one day shall dispatch and make vs away But in the meane space iustly maiest thou complaine of me my deare Knight in another world for that I haue bene the murtherer of thy life But I beseech thee complaine not of that neither of her who thinketh the time but miserable in which she liueth exiled and banished from thee Woe is mee I haue killed I haue slaine and murthered that which I loued most vpon the earth And vnto him which I know and acknowledge I was most beholding But is this possible Alack alack it is but too true Blacke and vnluckie was our marriage not vnlike vnto that of Paris and Hellena the conclusion whereof was bloodie woe and sorrowfull death Ah my tongue canst thou yet talke and thou my heart canst thou still breathe and yee mine eyes are you not yet blinde Alas I liue not for the least anguish that I endure is a greater hell then death vnto me And thou partiall death who art not ignorant that my Husband and I were but one onely person why killing him hast thou not done the like vnto me Or if thou then hadst forgotten the same why doest not thou now better remember thy selfe Come then most welcome death come I pray and permit not her to liue that so much desireth to attend on thee And yet before I depart where shall I find eyes sufficient to weepe and lamentings bitter enough to be conformable vnto the sorrowes of my soule Oh that this my humor changing it selfe wholly into teares and drowning me therewith in it might be so forth ate to drowne therewith all my torments also And alack what intollerable pangs doe I suffer can any sauadge body endure the same and yet not part hence And can mine eyes view my Spouse giue vp his ghost and not seale vp their liddes with an euerlasting slumber Louing and louely bedfellow as heretofore our affections were loyall true and chast so as loyall sweet and chast shall our entombings be together Sweet Husband as long as thou liuedst thou neuer wouldest depriue me of thy kinde and friendly embracings Ah then I desire thee let me not be defrauded of thy death For I am not worthie to be called thy wife if I doe not as well participate of thy bad fortunes as of thy good and take a say of thy sowre as well as I haue done of thy sweet If ioy could neuer diuide our foules why should they then be vntyed by death And as I heeretofore haue slept with thee in the selfe-same bed as our sacred marriage appointed vs so I beseech thee denie mee not to lye with thee in the selfe-same Tombe that thou doest Whlist we were liuing we were perfitly vnited together being dead wee will be as kindly ioyned one vnto another As well shalt thou be my husband now thou art dead as when thou wert aliue neither shall the Destinies themselues hinder me from following thee still to assist and helpe thee according vnto my bounden dutie But now alas before I come vnto thee how shall I pay the last remainders of my Loue which I owe thee By what testimony shall I render sufficient proofe of mine ardent affection towards thee and what perfect signes shall I shewe of my true dolour as thou too too well deseruest In times past An Example those women that loued their husbands best vsed to sacrifice themselues vnto the fire burning their bodies because they would die with them And shall I be lesse dutifull then those And what cannot I for my Loue is more perfect then theirs was But yet before I die let me kisse those eyes which liuing rauished my libertie those eyes which were of late the cheerfull Sun of my soule those eyes which once nourished my sadde and dulled spirits So let me touch those sugred lips whose liuely breath was sometimes the chiefe comfort of my minde and a precious balme to my griefe And thou faire countenance wherein sometimes lay all my hopes whose louely presence entertained my good Fortune Neuer shall I be satisfied enough in kissing of thee neither can my mortall desires be satisfied as they wish Ay me was I borne to murther mine owne life and was I so vnluckie in my birth that I could not dye without the losse of that which I helde as deare as mine inward soule And thou my soule how hard is thy trouble how heauie thy languishing and how wretched thy estate whilst that of mine Espouse liueth glorious by me heerein I can no longer talke and too long haue I prolonged my life and it may seeme my griefe is the lesse in that I haue had such libertie of speech But how The Swan singeth sweetly at the houre of her death An example then let none wonder though I waile and lament so much mine ende being so nigh Dispatch then miserable Iustina and performe the last vowes which are due vnto thy Alphonso to the ende thou maist hasten the more to follow him And therewithall she so often kissed and rekissed him as his Ghost for a while once returned againe into his bodie whilst hauing heard what pitious mone shee made for him he striueth euen in the middest of his death pangs to open his closed eyes and pale mouth a little to looke once more vpon her and to vtter these fewe words vnto her Ah my deare soule and deerer then my
plagued with death onely for that he did but send to aske aduise and counsaile of him But say that God would forgiue this sinne yet tell me I pray you what truth and certaintie can you find amongst these illuding spirits First they are for the most part ignorant of such things as shall hereafter happen as well as men be And besides there is no truth in them they being the first authors of lies and those that first taught vs to speake vntruely The poore Pamms themselues ouer whom they had so great power for that they were Infidels and abandoned of God were continually mocked deluded and most grosely deceiued by these malignant spirits As witnesse Pirrhus Alexander and thousands moe If then they would cousen their chiefest friends and dearest seruants how much more will they goe about to deceiue such as are their enemies and who as strangers giue but little credit vnto them To conclude the diuels are abiured enemies against the righteous God himselfe and therefore if we will be counted his true and faithfull soruiters indeed we must not haunt nor keepe companie with his aduersaries otherwise he will suffer them to make a prey of our soules as being vnworthie to appeare before his heauenly throne because we haue left him and followed his foes Such is the common end of such kind of people who whilst they are liuing seruing the diuels doe the like when they are dead they being rewarded with hell fire for their paines As the old man was replying againe they might perceiue two Nymphs to come towards them where they sat each of them hauing a written paper in their hands which they deliuered vnto the shepheard Arcas who vnfolding the same found these verses following Loue is a daintie force aboue all other Which doth enforce our spirits vnto good things And without it our soules were neuer able Any thing to doe rightly that deserueth Gloriefor euer Contraries it doth bring into a concòrd Bloodie warres it soone swageth Being more puissant then the Gods themselues are Sweet and the sower it ioyneth both together For to agree well Vnder him wholy gouernd is the huge world Vnder his lawes the heauens eke are subiect Rightly may he be termd a mightie Monarke Whose power extends so far as t is withouten Any set limit He doth his might vse onely exercising It in the harts of liâ—le pretie creatures greene trees Flowers plants hearbes and fruitfull springing Vnder his influence like true hartie Louers Loue one another Of a brace of soules he doth make but one soule Which death it selfe doth hardly make to sunder But man doth perish by his destny fatall Therefore is Loue more kinder to be counted Then is our fortune Simple mens fortunes he doth often raise high Making them like to those of greatest Princesse Then doth not he well merrit much rewarding That to him submits marching passing brauely Vnder his banner Hope to our fainting thoughts he bring to vs still And to our hearts he bringeth ioy and gladnes For vnto Louers nothing is so pleasant As when they see that of their louely Ladies Much they are made of He doth reuiue our glory that was extinct Through the displeasure of our peruerse Plannees Oh how the pleasure is accounted daintie After laments and bitter heauie sorrowes Which one endureth After the brunt of cruell raging Tempest We find the skies more fairer then before time Lone doth reforme vs making vs become new And to resist our mischiefes he doth backe vs Fresh to encounter T is th'happie hauen of our best assurance The sacred Lodestar Sailers vse in voyage Whilst that his sweetnesse all our fornser tranailes Which we endured in our tedious iourney Makes vs forget them Neuer hath he had taste aright of pleasure A Sentence That in the field hath neuer followed true Loue As the darke night is nothing to the faire day So to delights of Loue ther 's not vpon earth Aught to be equalde Euery ioy must yeeld vnto daintie Loues ioy Thoughts of all other what are they but bitter All chiefe contentment springeth from this kind Loue For the conceit oft is so sweetly sugred As all it passeth What we imagine of it in our minds still Cannot be bettred by our often wishing For it doth so much please vs in our owne thoughts As it reuiues vs when our soule is passing Forth of our bodies Then vnto Cupid as asacrifice fit I on his altar offer will my poore heart Nor is it disgrace for to honour rightly One that is counted as a heauenly victor Throughout the whole world These were theverses which one of the Nymphs had composed in praise of Loue but the other had writ in dispraise of the same as here followeth Vaine Loue 's a furious burning force That chastest minds burnes sanus remorse Wretched that loueth is that coarse And want shall his desire He hearts and minds makes disagree Through him great houses filled bee With slaughters treasons treacherie For he of strife is sire Millions of men he doth betray The Gods he bringeth to his bay Like subtill tyrant he doth slay Through sloth all vertue rare The smallest shrubs that grow so trim Doe vade and wither thorough him Poore beastes flie his imprisoning Who liues he doth not spare Such as in Marriage holily Are knit which none ought to vntie He seekes to lose most wickedly Faith plighted to despite Braue Kings and Princes he destroyes Mightie and feeble he annoyes Whilst that with proudest hearts he ioyes To feed his appetite The Louer oft as desperate He egges to slay himselfe through hate Better to be without Loues mate Than die and damned bee If any pleasure he doth bring For that he double doth vs sting Loue cannot yeeld forth any thing But what is sorrowes fee. To comfort vs when storme is done Then shines againe the cheerfull Sunne Where neuer ioy to Louers come For they are shipwrackt still Loue is of man the fatall Rocke A Sentence On which his ship of ease doth knocke Whilst on the sands he doth him shocke By death him for to spill He nouer felt hath any paine That hath not knowne the Louers vaine Each griefe hath but his course certaine Where Loue doth bleed for aye No ill so nigh the heart doth sit As doth this fierce tormenting fit Death is more pleasing far than it Which rids our cares away Our soules with hope it doth torment Whilst nought but Massacres are ment To die t is better far content Then ay liue languishing Loue then most cruell without grace Whom I will curse in euery place No God but diuell is in this case God tha'utor's not of sinne These verses being read before the companie the first Nymphe who wrote in praise of Loue began thus to frame her speech vnto amorous Arcas It is a matter worthy of due consideration to thinke how the Glorie of vertue flieth throughout the world eurey where and how the renowmed fame of learning filleth
stout his speech his prudent wit By this same gentle Shepheard was Sycambras pride tooke downe Since carelesse of her care for him he on her still did frowne Cruell he was without remorse vnto her endlesse paine As she vnto her Louer was retchlesse and hard againe His great disdaine this crueltie made her to feele the more Which through his beautie ouer proud he made her suffer sore Thus oft by selfe-same punishment which we doe others make To feele for our offences bad like penance we doe take A Sentence So oft the Heauens by selfe-same Blade to slay our proper Coarse With which we others slaughtered haue doe iustly vs inforce Now whilst this Shepheardesse did burne infancie with vnease Nothing vnlesse Armanda t' was her eyes bewitcht could please Yet nothing did Armanda loath so much as when he spide Sycambra hatefull to his sight for then for spite he dide Thus their desires quite contrarie the one vnto the other Could not but bring forth thousand griefs which they were forc't to smother Sycambra curst that haplesse Loue which made her for to burne For him who vnto her againe like Loue did not returne And contrarie that she must hate the Amitie so rare Which Zerphir Zerphir Louer hers most loyall to her bare For so that gentle Swaine was call'd whose friendship was not fainde And who for honoring her so much much sorrow had sustainde Meane space Sycambra night and day laments her Fortunes hard Accusing her crosse Fate and Loue from all good luck debard Whilst all this while Armanda blythe his hunting followeth fast And chasing of the Hart and Hynde his time with pleasure past He sleepeth soundly in the night withouten dread or feare Whilst amorous onely of his health himselfe he seeks to cleare But weladay the other Swayne poore Zerphir Zerphir poore As did Sycambra so did he most grieuous paines endure As well as she Armanda lou'd helon'd her or as much Whilst with the flame of selfe-same fire Loue his true hart did touch Yet could he not this vncoth flame extinguish coole or quench Loue so from case and remedy did keepe him as a fence Sycambras griefe and Zerphires paine alike were in like case Whilst from their blubbered eyes salt tearesran trickling downe apace Both wounded with like Loue and yet with diuers sundry darts Encreasing more their dolours and their pangs within their harts Sycambra nere Armanda could attaine as oft she sought Nor to affect Zerphir her Swaine she euer could be brought Most wretched her hard happe to place Loue where she reapt disdaine Withouten any remedy for to asswage her paine Nor to haue power to succour him who was her Louer true Whom she did force yet could not chuse through her disdaine to rue Thus many dayes in this estate these strange desires remaind Whilst neither length of time nor wees their Fortunes euer chang'd Sycambra louing still the man that would not her requite Nor she once smiling on her Swayne whose ioy was in her sight But in the end vnable more this choaking rage to smother She did resolue at resolute her toments to discouer To trie if she Armanda could perswade to ease her smart And if a gainfull purchase she could make of his deare hart For one day as his fashion was as he was on the wayes Attending on his flocke of sheepe which want only did grase Not thinking he of any Loue detesting such a fee Deuising thousand toyes himselfe to please as he did goe Sycambra sweetly him accosts and prayeth him doe her grace To giue her leaue her Fortunes hard she may discourse a space And not her prayers to disdaine nor yet her secret vow Nor crueller then Gods to be who vnto prayers how Vouchsafing mortall men to heare and them not to despise But mou'd vnto compassion heale their wounds in pittious wise These words Armanda galled much who nought for her did passe Yet she so vrg'de him as to heare her speake content he was She then as one amazde in minde quite out of countenance Her vitall spirits bereft of hope her ioyes for to aduance A cold swet ouer all her face quaking with frightfulnesse Her eyes halfe shut for shame her heart fraughted with much distresse Her sences daunted sore her breath still panting too and fro All which as true fore-runners did her griefs at hand fore-show Her tongue stuttring stammering thick her voyce trembling soft Now weeping and then sobbing fast and sighing then full oft She thus to him vnkinde did speake at last though first t' were long To him who pleasure small did take in this her wofull Song Ah my Armanda wilt not take on me compassion Nor of these torments which doe vexe me in this vncoth fashion Wilt thou her send most cruelly vnto her fatall Tombe Her who in soule hath vow'de thine owne alone for to become Hast thou the heart the wight that liues onely for thee to slay To th' end shee might thee dutious serue and chastly thee obey Sweet Shepheard euery labour great deserues a recompence And lesse men iustly deale the Heauens with them will not dispence They must respect vnto them giue and awfull honor chiefe A Sentence They must their Louers loue and seek to swage their inward griefe Else are they not so curteous as is the Lyonesse Who sheweth to him that feedeth her a kind of thankefulnesse Ah then regard my pittious plaintes reward me for my paine And suffer me to ioy thy loue which I deserue to gaine After a long laborious toyle the Husbandman doeth reape The wisht for fruit which Haruest doth with plentie on him heape Whereby hee well is guerdoned for moyling so before Forgetting quite all former care which troubled him full sore And wilt thou I that partie be afflicted with such crosse That I alone shall merite none receiue for all my losse That I shall alwayes liue in Dole in sad lamenting still Nor finde no ease for all my griefes is this thy pleasures will Wilt thou be without pardon sweete and mercie all alone Like to a Furie full of hate wilt thou be such a one Ah sweete Armanda hart too faire so cruell for to bee Beautie and Mercie as two Twinnes together stillagree A Sentence Euen as the Iuye with his armes the wall doeth close embrace Winding himselfe most hard thereto So Beautie cleanes to Grace And wilt thou then by Bedlem rage thy Beautie rare defame Wilt thou through thy strange crucltie purchase a Murtherers name Wilt thou ore-come with ore-much spite force her vnwilling die Who thee adoreth as the Gods aboue most reuerently Alack Armanda doe not so thy Vertue so to wrong Wise men themselues so carrie as they after death liue long A Sentence Wee must not haue respect alone vnto the present thing But hope that future praise great ease vnto our soules may bring Ah then deare Shepheard mercie showe to mee which shall redowne To thy immortall Glory
much and much to thy renowne Be thou content to see her breathe who by thy Grace doth liue And who to view thy hurts in soule more then thy selfe would grieue No Treasure like a faihfull Friend so rich you can denise Who to himselfe gets foes in minde much diseontented dies Friendship from Heauen first come and as a gift diuine is held A Sentence And mortall men from ouerthrowes it saued hath not seld Then Deare vouchsafe for to appease the torments I endure Appease my sorrowes and my wounds nigh mortall daine to cure Nor force me not lest dying I when life from me shall part Doe call vpon thee in my death as if chiefe cause thou wert Ah speake then my Delight and cleare from me this bitter storme By comforting my deadly woes which I too long haue borne To th' end thy kindnesse milde to helpe my sicknesse may be seene As hitherto the Author of my troubles thou hast beene But why doest thou so long delay to answere vnto mee Hard harted more then flintie rocks which in the mountains bee Ah cruell man I well perceiue my loue thou doest disdaine Nor wilt vouchsafe in cheerfull wise to staunch my bleeding vaine I see thou meanst with those thine eyes prides dartes still me to pierce To close me in my fatall Tombe through rigor thine so fierce Well be it so I am content For happie I them gesse Who dying A Sentence see to dye with them their griefes which then doe cease And since I finde that sauadge-like thou wilt not rue my state I am well pleasde to end my dayes because thou doest me hate Then yet but daine to speake to me say if thou wilt asswage Or still increase these plagues of mine which doe within me rage Cruell dispatch my loyaltie which nere from thee did swerue Say in thy conscience doeth it not one word of thee deserue Alas A Sentence answere but I or no what lesse thing can one finde Or baser priz'de then is a word which is but sound of winde Thus said she sighing ceast whilst teares from cheekes like showres did fall Yet nor her selfe nor teares nor speech Armanda mou'd at all Nay more so cruell was he growne as he disdaind to looke Vpon her face her beautious face which hardly he could brooke Her passionate words could not perswade they made him hate her more That he so long had giuen her eare himselfe he blamed sore In th' end forc't by the vrgings oft and importunitie Of sad Sicambra who like Ghost did haunt him with her crie With furious lookes and frowning brow these words at last he spoke Which like a dismall Oracle her heart in sunder broke Foolish Sicambra thus in vaine to vexe me what doest meane From these fond fittes of idle Loue thy minde why doest not weane T' is thou that makst Armanda die in worse then wofull wise Armanda who thy speech and loue contemnes as worthlesse prise Thy tedious tale told to no end to heare he little ioyes He dies tormented tir'de and gaul'd to heare thee make such noyse Now prie thee prie thee let alone Armanda miserable Who for to take his wonted rest is not through thee scarce able He at thy follies doeth but smile his chiefe delight and loue Is for to chase wild beasts of prey his strength gainst them to prooue He cannot like of any thing except his flocke of sheepe With which to pleasure his not small he in the fields doth keepe To force one loue against his will is what can neuer be Neuer the same hath bene as yet nor shall you find 't in me For loyall Loue that it may dure and neuer prooue to faint Doth of himselfe A Sentence seaze on the heart without force or constraint Where being forc't t' is alwayes bad vnperfect and vnsound For nothing's goodly but what 's built on Friendships firmest ground Then why fond Gyrle art thou so mad to loue me to constraine By this thy earnest vrging speech which thou too well canst faine I tell thee I in those false eyes nor face of thine delight Nor doe I pittie ought at all thy hard and heauy plight I laugh to see thee heauie weepe to heare thee sigh I smile And in thy martyring much doe ioy whilst thou complainst the while Poore wretch thou doest but loosethy time nor euer shalt thou finde Armanda will his fancie change to thee for to be kinde He 'le neuer loue thee For before his heart should so conspire To quench so worthlesse flames a death most strange he would desire For neuer greater mischiefe vile can any himselfe bring Then when he tries the lawes of Loue and feeles his poysonous sting Vnhappie they that know the same and wise I him account That with this bedlem passion mad will not at all confrount My yeares are too too young mine age not ripe enough as yet My selfe to subiect as a slaue to Loue his furious fit Nor haue I time enough to be a scholler in his schoole And I am wilde enough although I play not so the foole Then leaue me to my selfe that I may of my selfe dispose Whose pleasure hunting is whose sport is quiet soft repose And come not thus to trouble me with these thy bawling cries Which I assure thee I disdaine in most contemptuous wise Be gone nor looke here any more thou come this text to preach For for such sicknesse as these I am no pleasing leach And therewith all the Shepheard sterne departs and all alone Sicambra leanes vncomforted Sanus pittying of her mone Alacke what should she doe as now She could doe nought but waile Which rather did encrease her griefe then cause the same to quaile No teares our passions can represse which from the heart arise A signe they are of woe but want the perfect remedie It is but lost time to lament whil'st weeping we reuiue Afresh these cruell torments which doe martire vs aliue Now as she wofully thus tooke on in this her desperate plight Kinde Zerphir who had sought her much on her by chance did light And seeing her afflicted thus all desolate and sole He sighing weepes to view her weepe and with her doth condole So suffereth the Louer chast for his sweet Ladies sake If she but grieued be the same he at his soule doth take He of the paine participates which in her minde is growne And more her hurt doth trouble him then that which is his owne Zerphir then did endure as much as did the Shepheardesse Her teares were his his pensiue plight then his was nothing lesse But after much lamentings sad with many a bitter sob He sweetly thus gan comfort her whil'st fast her heart did throb Sicambra who thus miserable thy life hath made to me Who hath thy fortune brought as mine thus pittious for to be Whence comes these sighes true witnesses of thine in interuall troubles Whence slow these teares apparant showes that care within thee double I st
because of this small grace I obtained at my Mistris hand beganne to perswade my selfe of things that neither might nor could well be brought to passe A small matter maketh Louers to hope or feare I now tooke vpon mee to make this Dittie following which as sweetely as I could I sung before my Ladie Heare it then though vnworthie it be of your patience LADIE how much doe I respect and loue Your beautie rare which doeth my heart controule When lest that you to anger I should moue I bite my tongue and silent am in soule Ore me you haue still such a hand As none but you may me command I rather chuse a thousnd times to die Without offending your most heauenly face Then like to Dedals sonne fall foolishly And so through rashnes end my youthfull race Borne was I for to be your slane My seruice you alone shall haue If I of you such reuerent regard Haue as to you I dare not tell my griefe Ah then but gesse my Crosses ouer hard By these my teares I bide without reliefe Thinke that as others I doe mourne The fire kept close more hote doeth burne Before to you my cares I will bewray I le perish as your loyall seruant true Death cannot be so grieuous any way As for to be offensiue vnto you So you be not displeasd by me The losse of life no losse shall be A double burning burthen I doe beare My selfe consuming with a two-fold woe First for because I loue and hold you deare And next because I dare not tell you so A pittious paine that to conceale Which most we couet to reueale The Law doth men sometimes compell and make All that they know not to disclose or tell But LOVE all speech away from vs doth take Which is a plague as bad as second Hell We must not for our selues once speake Whilst silence makes our hearts to breake But though my tongue most secretly this ill Doth keepe my pittious eyes yet shew the same Thus whilst I loyall do contiuue still I counted am a coward to my shame Because that I am ouer kinde I am condemn'd of abiect minde To reape for louing true a mortall wound I holde is as a sacred thing diuine And so I rather wish dead to be found Then a deniall should cause ruine mine What neede I then my griefes her show When what I would faire shee doth know I le rather flie to Heauen with swiftest wing Then that mine earnest sute my Dame should grieueâ— To speake too much A Sentence much danger oft doth bring When warie silence nere doth blame receiue Of Gods we learne secret to bee Little to say and much to see Then Dearest since thou art not ignorant Of my hard state rue on my pittious plight Which though in colours forth I do not paint Yet they in conscience merit fauour right Who serueth well A Sentence though he not crauing stand Yet doth his good deserts enough demand After I had sighed forth this amorous Dittie it pleased my Ladie to allow it for passable and currant shee doing mee the honor to sing it her selfe now and then vnto the sweete sound of her daintie Lute But O thrice happie Song to haue bene thought worthie for to liue in the sacred memorie of my Mistrisse and to be warbled forth with her sweet melodious voyce This reuerend and graue Sire was the beginning and first progresse of my chaste Loue which made me so carefull as I could take no rest in somuch as like one ouer-curious I would needs know the euent of the same and therevpon one day I addressed me vnto an Ecco of whom I demanded many things which shee resolued me of suddainly But yet her answere was so fatall and heauie vnto mee as it not a little irketh me to repeate it Neuerthelesse because I will hide nothing of my proceedings from you listen if you please For thus it was ECCO Harke Goddesse of these Woods vnto my neuer ceaslesse cries Who here most blessedly dost liue exempt from vanities Thou Goddesse which through knowledge thine of prudent fore-seeing Fate Doest know our endes and deaths and of our liues the course and state Goddesse of heauenly Nature right to whom Ioue doeth reueale Great secerets of importance and nought from thee doth conceale Thou that of vs according to thy owne will doest dispose Thou which one while doest make vs liue in ioy and then in woes To thee to thee doe I appeale To answere me then come Whose voyce seemes for to flie from out a hollow ghastly Tombe Who shall relieue my woes and breathe into me vit all breath Into my soule ore-chargde with griefe and ouerwhelmde with death ECCO Death In what estat shall Loue which cuts my wings of thoughts ore-glad Finde my poore minde which when it left it left it ouer sad ECCO Ouer-sad What with my heart once strong as steele gainst griefes shall then be done Since hardly it was made to yeeld shall it be ouercome ECCO Ouercome After so many wearie toyles where-through I needs must perish What will my Lady count of this my too too deare bought seruice ECCO Vice But shall I from this wretched state whilst I doe liue be free Or shall I still vnto her will as seruile Bond-slaue bee ECCO Bond-slaue bee Ah say what good at length shall I find in this my cold damage What new come nouell Accident shall set a fire my courage ECCO Courage Shall Rage and Furie then within my bones vnconstant burne And for to quench this flaming fire to me shall none returne ECCO None returne Who is the cause of this my griefe and of mine vsuall paine Since I haue alwaies honoured the great Palladian ECCO Palladian Why sencelesse find I sences mine from Reason thus to mone Who workes this vncoth feare in me Say is it cruell Loue ECCO Cruell Loue. And is it cruell to one that is the authour of my griefe The greatest of Gods that will mongst God be honoured first and chiefe ECCO First and chiefe Shall I then be vnfortunate starre-crossed in my will And without succour succourlesse must I continue still ECCO Continue still Ah Arcas miserable wretch behold now here the life Which thou must lead whilst thou dost liue begirt with sorrow rife Chuse rather death then thus to liue in endlesse miserie By dying all thy griefes doe end they woes and anguish die Seeke in this vncoth Desart sad some kind of gentle death Who 's plungd in paine should nere desire to draw his vitall breath A Sentence One plague's as bad as is some death one death ends torments all Then death not life I le chuse and take of euills what is most small This was the pittilesse answere of cruell Ecco which made me bedeawe my cheekes many times with brinish teares and to wish my selfe to be as lowe vnder the ground as I was high vpon the earth whilest I consumed peecemeale away in most wofull
soft ease and safe pleasures to runne desperately to winne Honour passing through many thousand Pikes and wading through infinite dangers and perills with great labour and paine before they could attaine vnto the place where it was seated So the prudent Prince of Ithaca left his constant wife to follow the long and tedious tenne yeares siege of Troy And so the great Gueslin high Constable of France left his Spouse to venture for that glorie in the middest of wonderfull daungers which made him famous for euer An example And so our renowmed Portuguise although hee held nothing so precious nor so religious in the whole world as he did to liue with his sweete Izabella whose companie was his Paradice and whose presence his heauen heere vpon earth Yet would he needes leaue all this felicitie and happinesse to endure in steelie Armour the brunts of bloodie Warre and whole worlds of Trauailes and painfull labours to the ende hee might winne Honour which Noble and Heroicall mindes hunt after so much And which many times they dearely buy with the losse of their most precious liues Hee therefore resolued to depart although not without exceeding great griefe to leaue his faire and beautious Spouse and the rather because hee hoped to attaine vnto more Honour through his worthy demeanure and braue carriage hee hauing excellent meanes as now to shewe afresh some fruites of his former towardnesse and forwardnesse in his Princes seruice in the Warres by reason of that great and worthie Commaund which was bestowed vpon him He thought that who alwayes should liue drowned in pleasures resembled the Companions of Vlisses changed into Swine and that nothing was well gotten but what was purchaste with the hazard of a mans life Wherevpon with manie sighes with many bitter teares and sorrowfull laments hee taketh leaue of his dolefull wife For commonly we are admonished by GOD through some secret knowledge when some mischaunce is comming towards vs which wee can no way auoyde So that the woefull Ladie Izabella foreseeing as it were beforehand the mischiefe that was like to light vppon her did nothing else but powre forth whole showres of teares hauing not the power to let her Husband loose from out of her armes The winding Vine neuer held the Hasell or Filberd more intangled within her leaues A Similie nor the greene Iuy neuer cleaued so fast vnto the olde stonie wall as this young Ladie clung about her heauie Spouse whome LOVE whilest sought by violence to hold still sterne HONOVE plucked him from thence by maine force carrying him away with him Hee was ordainde for further ill to goe his way Nor doth the life of Man A Sentence stand alwayes as one stay His wife prayeth desireth and coniureth him to breake his voyage to giue ouer his enterprise and to continue still with her teling him that shee had as yet but onely tasted the blessed pleasures which chaste wedlocke acquainteth faithfull Louers withall without hauing had the lawfull fruition of those sweete contentments which she so much desired But shee pleaded in vaine and to no ende her Husband was deafe and would not yeelde vnto her demaund Honour dryed vp her teares making them to be of no force whilst glorie was the hatchet that cut off her precious speeches and desire of praise the fire which consumed her most passionate prayers And therefore though passing loth hee taketh his leaue and departeth carrying away with him the wounded heart of his louely Spouse in exchaunge of which he leaueth hauie mournings and sadde laments which followed her euen vnto her verie graue Horatio beeing now arriued at Ansillies followeth his businesse most fortunately Mars chasing away Cupid cruell warres gentle Loue and hautie ambition the sweete remembrance of his wife It is a common fashion of manie men to follow a thing most earnestly and eagerlie and then presently and vpon the suddaine when they haue gotten it A Sentence they giue it ouer nor caring a whit for the same any more Resembling heerein the way-faring man who a far off seeketh a fountaine or spring to staunch his thirst and hauing freed himselfe of his drinesse maketh no more account of the water nor would stirre one foote to finde it againe But this was not all For the Heauens aboue abounding in good or bad Fortunes rayne not one downe alone but many other all together and at one time and we see for the most part that one mischiefe neuer commeth but that there falleth another vpon the necke of the same For so it was that Horatio beeing farre off from his deare Spouse and depriued of her company by reason of the warres wherein he was so much busied chaunced to become amorous of the faire Prisoner hee had of late taken in a Battaile as I haue saide before yea and so much doth he doate of her that as the flaming Torche darkneth the light of the candle so likewise this loue quenthed the loue hee had before borne vnto his wife O vngodly Husbands which so wickedly falsifie your faiths vnto your lawfull and louing bedfellowes deceiuing them so shamefully vnto your owne shames Against had Husbands Haue euer any of you liued without being punished of the Almighty for your hainous faults Was not Paris the ouerthrow and breake-necke of all his House and Countrey for defiling the bed of Menelaus and reiecting his betrothed wife Enone Came not Iason to a miserable ende being depriued of his Children of his Wife and his Pallace for abandoning Medea and for taking another false wife And did not Theseus staine his hands in the chaste and pure blood of his owne sonne Hippolitus for giuing ouer his deare Spouse Ariadne Examples of bad Husbands to the ende he might satifie his lust with Phoedra And so was Horatio well plagued for his licentious pleasures For God most iustly punished him defacing his former glorie weakning his vertue ruinating his credit and vtterly ouerthrowing his vallour So long since Salomon through Harlots lost his diuine wisedome they forcing him to become an enemie vnto God So the strumpet Dalila was the cause of the death of Sampson the stout And so haue many other braue and great personages bene vtterly ouerthrowne by this inticing Sexe and seuerely chastised by God as hee did our great Commaunder of Ansillies who was so besotted of his slaue as hee liued not but onely by her lookes Her eyes was his bright Sunne he none desirde but her She onely faire was her aboue none else he did prefer A strange thing that many times these foolish and wicked Amours should be more hot and liuely then such as be lawfull and chasse The reason being either because they are forbidden by the Law man commonly louing that which he is prohibited to doe or because they are as it were stolen or enioy de but seldome keeping such Louers in a perpetuall appetite and desire As those who rise from the table their bellies halfe filled come to
steed of reward for doing good turnes and how bitter is the paine which we endure through the malice of those whome wee loue best and of whom we expect the like friendship againe The offence we receiue of our enemie is tollerable because the law permitteth reuenge in that case whereas the law of friendship forbiddeth to reuenge vs on such whom we affect for feare of their displeasures Ah my good God what fault haue I committed against my husband that he should vse mee thus despitefully Haue I as Clitemnestra defiled our Nuptiall bed Haue I as Hellena the Greeke run into the armes of a rauisher of women Or as Semiramis haue I polluted mine honour and chastitie with incestious kind of liuing Oh no I feare no such matter God that seeth the sectets of all hearts knoweth my conscience is free of any such ill What haue I then done Alas I know not Alas for what sinne am I thus seuerely punished But O sweet Lord as thou art diuine in thy miracles and terrible in thy iudgements the exemption of which commeth either soone or at last so I confesse thou now doest punish mee either for some fault of mine that is past or else for the sinnes which my forefathers haue committed against thee And yet this is some comfort vnto me that I am not the first Innocent that hath bene sore afflicted For so was Susanna so was Iob so was Ioseph and so were diuers others farre more godly then my selfe O miserable Dido and yet more happie then I am though thou wert left forsaken by forsworne Eneas for short was thy paines not long was thy griefe and sodaine was thy complaints a gentle death ending with thy life all thy sorrowes and cares together whereas I haue not the selfesame libertie to die as thou hadst an other respect holdeth my hands death being not in my power as it was in thine But now in the meane time what shall I doe whether shall I goe or what shall become of me The Sea will make mee no way to returne from whence I came and the furious rage of my husband will not suffer me to come on land Am I become some Patricide whom the lawes of man depriue of aire of earth and of water O lamentable chaunce of mine pittifull death receiue this my wretched carkasse into thy bosome there to be huried and rather sinke this vessell wherein I now abide before thou carrie me backe vnto that place wherein I haue receiued so great despite and wrong Alas mine eyes what can you see to delight you any longer when he that is most pleasing vnto you debarreth you from his louely presence To whom wilt thou my voyce speake seeing he hath closed thy mouth whose speech before was most agreeable vnto my soule And you my feete whither now will you take your coarse seeing that he who was wont to guide your steps vnto the Lodge of pleasure hath now shut the gate against you Ah gentle death if euer the wailings and lamentings of a most distressed wretch haue euer moued thee to compassion and pittie ah then let me obtaine the same at thy hands Do that which my cruell Husband ere long will put in practise making meas happie as I am now vnfortunate Thrise blessed Portia death came vnto thee to helpe thee at thy need and thou acceptedst of his helpe happie Ariadne for God tooke care of thy life made much of thee and in steed of Theseus accepted of thy companie And O luckie Olimpia though abandoned of Birannos thy forsworne Husband yet a great Prince reuenged thy wrong and tooke thee to wife where thou liuedst afterward in much ioy and delight But alas no man helpeth me none succoureth me neither doth any come to assist me in bewailing my misfortunes Who then hath euer had so strange a mishap as my selfe Ah that the spirit and Quintesence of my griefe could dissolue into teares that it might distill forth from out mine eyes and that I might die like him that hauing his vaines opened in warme water loseth both his life and blood together Or that my sorrowfull heart wearie with ouermuch sighing and sobbing would breake and burst in peeces Might I but die I would not care what kind of death I suffered so that once I were dead for no death be it neuer so monstrous is equall with the least anguish that I sustaine Degenerate knight and voyd of all remorse seeing thou meanest to entertaine all kind of cruelties whatsoeuer that haue bene found in any creature yea cuen worse then the bruite beasts themselues doe vse why doest thou not put in practise the bloodie execution of the same by cutting in twaine my throat as thou hast most irreligious cut in sunder the sacred band of Marriage which should haue bound vs still fast together Thou canst not do me a greater pleasure nor a better satisfaction canst thou make me for so many bad parts as thou hast plaide against me than to make an end of me with that hand which hath so often vowed and sworne in most solemne manner that I onely maintained his Maister aliue But I forget my selfe let God I beseech worke with me as it pleaseth his holie will for iust he is and iust are his iudgements he knoweth the hearts of euerie one and he that is most culpable of vs twaine he will I am assured in the end punish Whilst she was thus bewailing her misfortunes behold newes commeth vnto her that her husband was liuing the Citie to goe forth to the wars through which occasion she might very easilie if she pleased haue accesse and speech vnto him Which when she heard she stood long time doubtfull what to doe for as Loue perswaded her to present her selfe before him so the feare to offend him the iust disdaine for so abusing her with rage iealousie despite did disswade her from the contrarie What should she then doe she both loued feared the presence of her Husband she wonderfully desired to see him yet sore doubted lest in offring to see him she should too much moue and anger him by reason he had giuen commandement she should not as much as once presume to come into his sight But see the sudden changing of mans nature and how God oftentimes putteth men in minde of their owne good and soules health when they are approaching nigh vnto their ends to the intent they vtterly ouerthrow not themselues For Horatio who so mortallie hated his chaste and loyall wife being mounted on horse-backe to encounter with the enemie sodenly began to be touched with a secret aduertisement from God sore longing as then to see her whilst from his soule repenting him for his foule fact his conscience tolde him that the Almightie would punish him for the same as he himselfe thought he deserued no lesse marching thus forward although not with that alacritie of minde nor that braue and stout resolution as he was wont to doe but rather heauily
still in such base and abiect seruitude and bondage These speeches did the cunning Curtezan vse sepatheticallie sending forth so manie sighes and teares to accompanie the same that as I gesse the rightfull God to reuenge poore Izabellas wrongs did so much animate the strength and courage of the Moore her husband that as one desperate with rage and iealousie hee most furiouslie runneth with all his Troupes vpon the Portugall Armie whome as a Thunder or Lightning hee ouerturneth so that the Christians doe what they could were ouerthrowne and had the worse Which when Horatio percelued he as a wise and politike Capitaine beganne with aduantage to retire vntill such time as the foresaid diuellish Moore came where hee was who with his wife set vpon him where Horatio slue them both whilst in this conflict ouer pressed with numbers of Souldiers hee was strucken downe and thrust through with a Iaueline where he lost both force and life together So died the companions of Machabeus An example being slaine by the fword who were found charged with Thefts and Robberies So by the decree of God those chiefe men and heads ouer the people of the lewes were hanged vp because they caused the other to commit Idolatrie and leaue their Creator So was the periurde Zedechias forced to die in prison hauing his eves pulled our and his children slaine before his face And so perished Ioconias and diuers others iustlie punished by the holie one of Israel For Iustice diuine neuer giueth ouer from doing right And if it be slowe in comming yet doth the crueltie of the punishment make amends for the deferring of the same Meane time the Portingales gathered themselues againe into battaile array and followed their enemies with so hote a pursuite as they at the last recouered and brought backe againe the bodie of their Capitaine ouer which the Moores meant to haue triumphed So for the bodie of Achilles deere friend slaine The Greekes and Troyans hand to hand doe fight amaine Hardly did these Infidels let the bodie goe skirmishing oftentimes with their foes for the same yet neuerthelesse in despite of them all the Portingales gote it away and brought it with them which as yet breathed and had some little life within it But sorrowfull newes were these vnto heauy Izabella who hoped that at the ioyfull returne of her husband all should be well as shee her selfe could wish But man purposeth and God disposeth man hopeth of one thing but God doth quite contrarie to that which he supposeth So Senacherib thinking to conquer was himselfe conquered and the Iewes who thought themselues to be quite ouerthrowne came in the end to be victors So proud Goliah was slaine contratie vnto his owne conceit and to the opinion of all men So Amon was hanged neuer any thinking he should haue died such a shamefull death And Mardocheus who was condemned to be slaine was honoured deliuered And so it fell out with this vncomfortable Ladie who hoping to see her husband to come home well and safe vnto her and to repent him of his former follies found him to be slaughtered and dead without life or soule O cruell mutation change truth it is that she before had heard by certaine of her husbands Souldiours that had escaped out of the field that the Portugalls had lost the day but yet knew she nothing of his death And yet euen then a cold feare ran all about her heart whilest she sore suspecting the worst prophesied within her selfe that it was true and that she had lost her husband and not not long after her doubt was confirmed but with too too true a proofe when the rest of his band brought his coarse into the citie vnto her where she was and when so denly at the sight thereof she sounded it being long before they could get life in her againe whilest in the meane space Horatios mangled carkasse was laid in a bed God giuing him so much time of repentance as he craued mercie of him and of all the world for his bad life whilest all that small time as he so lamēted his sinnes his faithfull Souldiours with sad teares wonderfully lamented the losse of so noble a Generall vnder whom they had alwaies remained vanquishers So Greckes did waile Achilles death of great renowne So Troyans Hector moande chiefe Fortresse of their towne Great Machabeus one of the Nine WORTHIES was neuer more lamented amongst his men of warre than he was amongst the Portugalls whom he had so often brought home victorious ladē with forraigne spoyles into their countrie Who then perceiuing himselfe to drawe nigh vnto his end desired to talke with his wife that he might take his latest leaue of her But now what is he that can lend mea Sea of Inke to set downe the grieuous passions and the insupportable sorrowes of his pittifull wife Where shall I find a pen of Iron to paint forth her lamentable speeches And what paper is sufficient to receiue in writing the number of her more then sad and heauie complaints To hers was the woes of Niobe nothing at all Nothing the griefes of Hecuba nothing those of Portia nor those of chast Lucretia compared vnto hers With much adoe was she brought vnto the bed for goe she could not for very faintnes weakenes where her repētant husband was giuing vp the Ghost who so soone as he beheld her O griefe O loue O pittie O heauie spectacle that it was to see this heauie meeting such as like was neuer seene before the poore dying soule beginning in his death to affect and loue her more entirely then euer he had hated her before whilest thrusting forth his dying armes with seeble force to embrace her and laying his cold lips vpon hers with a hollow faultring voyce he began thus to speake as well as he could O fortunate day in which poore Horatio dieth reposing himselfe at ease in the bosome of his Izabella O my chaste and sweet Ladie must I needs die leauing after my death so foule a fault as thou shalt haue cause to complaine of me as the authour of all thy griefes whatsoeuer No way am I able to make thee any reasonable satisfaction neither know I how sufficiently to make amends for so hainous and so detestable an offence as I haue committed against thee which the iust God hath reuenged vpon me for thy sake and according as I deserued But sweet wife if as yet there remaineth any one small sparke of that rare and loyall Loue thou hast heretofore borne me and if iust griefe and rightfull disdaine hath not quenched it all and quite put it out then by the selfesame affection and fancie I pray desire and beseech thee most humbly to pardon me this once and not to be the cause that miserable Horatio should goe into his graue with great anguish and exceeding bitternes of his soule This pardon as I hope for of thee so doe I expect it at thy hands crauing in the
meane while by reason of that litle space of time I haue to breath thou wilt doe me the fauour to embrace me kindly if it shall please thee to thinke me worthie of such a kindnes this being the last request and latest fauour I shall craue at thy hands Ah let me kisse those faire cheekes which were sometimes mine and those sweet sparkling eyes which had not the blacke foulnes of my fault dimmed them they had still stood me in steed of two glorious Sunnie lights Although I cannot denie but thus to die in thy armes doth much lighten and ease me of my torments I endure within my minde yet had it pleased God to haue but giuen me the grace to haue suruiued but some fewe yeares that I might haue made some amends vnto my faithfull Spouse whom I haue so wickedly abused I then would haue thought my selfe to haue bene the happiest creature vnder the heauens Thinke deare heart that I make no account neither care any thing at all to die but onely for this cause and for that I shall be forced to leaue thee a Widow whom I loue more then my owne soule Iust and great reason hast thou to complaine and find fault with me and farre vnworthie am I that thou shouldest shed these salt teares for my sake For why shouldest thou waile his death who hath bene thy chiefe aduersarie why doest thou sorrow for the losse of thy mortall enemie and lamentest thou the death of him who sought thy vtter ouerthrow Drie vp these teares for I desire them not Leaue these thy sighes for I not merit them and giue ouer these thy bitter wailings for I am no way worthie of them Onely pardon me close vp these my dying eyes when they shall lèaue their wonted light which done if it shall please thee to honour this miserable carkasse of mine with thy presence vnto my Tombe and now and then to thinke on me although thou hast small reason so to doe then then I say shall I be euery way contented and satisfied vnto the full Weepe not I pray thee then for me who descrues no teares at thy hands but rather ill thoughts for otherwise I shall sustaine a double death thy sorrow being nigher setled vnto my heart then my deperture hence can be any way dolefull vnto me So saying the fainting knight kisseth his wife wiping her blubbered eyes and embracing her as straitly as the Iuie doth the wall If the poore Ladie could not answere him it was no great wonder when as those that were but spectators in this heauie sight although they felt not as much as she yet were they mouelesse and much amazed for verie pure pittie In the end the disconsolate Izabella began to recouer her speech answering him in this sort Cruell and hard-harted husband let my pittifull paine my easelesse griefes and my insupportable sorrowes satisfie thee without gaulling me any further with this word pardon vnto her who neuer desired to liue but to doe thee seruice Ah deare Horatio thinkest thou I can liue after thy departure hence and that I can ioy in this world being bereaued of thy companie Whilest thou did dest liue I was thine by the lawes of marriage and when thou art dead I will be thine also resolued to follow thee wheresoeuer thou goest thinking my selfe happie that I am so luckily come as to die with thee Then if I may or thou wouldest haue me to giue any credit vnto thy speeches then in requitall of them all let me againe intreate thee this one thing which is that I may leaue this world with thee But why should I aske leaue of thee when I am at libertie my selfe to dispose of my life as I shall thinke good of and when with ending of one life I may rid my selfe of a lingring death which doth continually haunt me Thankes therefore to thee kind Thethis who didst driue my shippe into this Port where I may passe to heauen with him who was the onely life and maintainer of my life and who being dead I can no longer remaine allue Pittilesse husband to debarre me from my teares whē as I see my countrie depriued of a braue defender of his libertie and find my selfe forsaken of the onely loyall and most louing friend I had here vpon this earth No no I will weepe and shed teares as long as any drop of moysture shall remaine within this bodie for should I not waile for thee for whom then should I reserue these teares Whose losse should I lament but thine and for whom should I take thought or care for but for thine owne sweet selfe who was so neare to mee as thou who so deare as thy selfe and who is to haue interest in mee but my best and sweetest Horatio Then hinder not her from lamenting who liueth onely to shead teares and doe not enure the happines she findeth in that she hath time to bewaile her vnhappie Fortunes How wide is my best Lord from mine intention and meaning and how slenderly doth he conceit of my loue towards him when hee imagineth that although I see him dye yet should not I waile and that his death and destruction should not be the ende and date of my life this beeing the least thing that I can doe for him the least dutie that I doe owe vnto him and the smallest testimony of my great affection which I haue euer borne him Gush forth then my brinish teares and streame downe along my pale cheekes washing away the bloud of my wounded Spouse mingling your selues together as my soule hath alwayes bene with his most perfectly mixed and conioyned the one with the other My dearest Lord if euer thou hast thought well of mee speake neuer more of this word pardon it becommeth me to intreate rather then you I hauing bene shee that hath so often offended you let vs forgiue forget all vnkindnesses whatsoeuer that our soules as most loyall friends may die and liue together in eternall felicitie for euer O how like an Angell replyed Horatio doth my Izabella speake and how pleasing doth shee cause my death to be vnto mee would she but promise to suruiue and liue after my death For sweet Lady it is thy sorrows and not my death that shortens my lifes and I die not for griefe but for sorrow to see thee lament for my cause Wilt thou die and doest not descrue death No it is I that haue offended and therfore merit to be punished for my fault Liue thou happilie still and safely returne thou home into thy Countrey againe where thou shalt not want new husbands who will deserue at thy handes far better then I haue done had I not so much forgot my selfe towards thee as I confesse I haue my ioyes had bene at the highest and I had departed hence the happiest man aliue But now mine houre approcheth I feele death ready to arrest mee with his yron mace my heart fainteth and my soule beginneth to flie from
hence To you I turne my speech now my faithfull fellows and companions in Arms who haue always taken such fortunes as I haue done to you I recommend the honor of your deare friend Horatio somtimes your Gouernor after his death Most strictly charging you as you shall answere before God and most kindlie intreating you as you will haue the good will of men to see my faithfull and constant wife conueyed safely from hence into Portugall according vnto her calling after this my carkasse shall be interred there to doe her all dutifull seruice that may be Farewell my brethren my friendes and my companions I goe before you to prepare places for you I goe to heauen there to enioy eternall happinesse Giue me your hands euery one of you before I die and leaue now these your needlesse and vnnecessary mournings in my behalfe Remember that God is iust in all his actions who hath and that deseruedly punished mee for abusing my constant Spouse so hainouslie as I haue done being so voyde of grace as to preferre a most damned strumpet before her chast and vertuous selfe which was the onely occasion of mine vntimely death Murmure not therefore at the diuine iudgements of the Almightie neither be you grieued at my losse and ouethrow for a far better and a brauer Captaine may you haue then I am Portugall being able to veeld forth men better for desert and for valour then I haue bene euery way I say no more but wish you my faithfull Souldiers no worse then I doe vnto mine owne soule And now once more againe I come to thee my chastest wife Although what to say more then alreadie I haue done well I knowe not Loth I am to leaue thee yet leaue thee I must and therefore I hope thou wilt remember not the fault I haue done thee but how I repent me for the same before I die And this perswade thy selfe that if euer sinne hath bene grieuous vnto the sinner then hath mine bene the same My verie soule beeing sore vexed and tormented day and night euery houre that I doe but thinke thereof But things past and done are not to be vndone and what is once remedilesse must needs prooue to be recurelesse Once more farewell my sweete Izabella to whom I wish no lesse ioy then I haue felt of sorrow Thou God that knowest the secrets of all hearts receiue my soule I beseech thee and saue it from the hands of the enemie So saying hee gaue vp the ghost being infolded within the chaste armes of his kinde wife his face touching her face and his lippes ioyning vnto hers No sooner was his carkasse without life and colde as a marble stone but his mestfull Izabella sunke downe for sorrow So that afresh as then began cryings out screechings wringing of hands and sheading of teares the house resembling a shadow of that miserable mourning when the Troyans saw their Citie set on fire by the Grecians in the night So wofull and so shrill was the sorrowes that euery one made for their Lord as the noise therof waked their vnfortunate Lady from her passionate extasie who being somwehat come vnto her selfe and falling vpon the dead coarse began thus to exclaime Woe is me that euer I was borne and art thou dead my deare Lord without mee Ah why hast thou left her who had rather die with thee then liue with anie other else Thou hast left me at the worst now thou art gone For what am I but an Anatomie of griefe it selfe What is my heart but a receptacle of sadnesse And what are mine eyes but a colde fountaine that distilleth salt water continually Is it likely or possible that Izabella should breath now Horatio is breathles Can it be he should be dead and I should be as yet aliue No no it cannot be and yet in the meane time his bodie is without life and senses and mine too full of vitall motion but long it shall not be so I must now resolue my selfe to follow the course my husband led mee and to take such part with him as he hath taken before me vnfortunate I to haue stayed so long and that I died not before my louely husband Could Portia die when Brutus was slaine and may Izabella liue her Horatio hauing left her Before that time come the Seas shall chaunge the course of his floods and mountaines shall remoue and come to settle amongst lowe valleyes As I saw thee here vpon the earth so hope I to behold thee in the Heauens And for the conclusion and ende of all my disasters I will be interred in the place where thou art buryed Then kissing the pale lippes of her dead husband shee thus began againe O faire mouth from whence sometimes I sucked Nectar foorth must thou be a Trophee for death And must thou be despoyled of so many rich vertues to make famous his victorie Sweete louely eyes must you likewise serue to honour death resigning ouer your quondam Diamond lights vnto blacke and gloomic darknes And thou beautious face must thou turne vnto earth and shewe pale and wanne whilst I remaine here against my will and pleasure No reason is there herein but that I should follow my Guide and accompany him at whose commaund I was alwayes and that most willingly Ah my kind friends I coniure you by the late affection you bare vnto your Lord and Goueruor now dead by the faith and promise you vowed and sware vnto him and by the sacred remembrance of his glorious renowne which neuer shal be forgotten that you consent and agree to bury our two bodies both in one graue Whilst I liued I esteemed as my chiefest treasure my honor good name and now I die my loue vnto my Lord shall remaine as a president for Ages to come of our loyall and true faithfull loue I come sweet Horatio I come nor will I any longer linger in miserie but will seeke thee wheresoeuer thou art vntill I finde thee ending this my loathed life with a death most sweet comfortable Then sweet Iesus be mercifull vnto me and forgiue me this my last fault which extreame and vnsupportable sorrow and not any desperate kinde of conceit forceth me to put in practise And hauing so said shee went about to stabbe her selfe with a poniard vnto the hart when one of the company there by snatcht it forth of her hands vppon the suddaine wherevpon shee seeing her selfe to be preuented of her purpose looking angerly vpon them Well quoth she Portia for all her Gard that watched ouer her had her will and died Cato despite of all his attendants slew himselfe And thinke you for all your narrow looking vnto me that I will not rid my selfe one way or another of life Yes yes ye vnkind men I will dispatch my selfe from this miserie mauger your malicious minds who I perceiue do enuie at my good Fortune and I will complaine of your hard dealing towards me vnto my deare husband in that
blame me for being an Attendant vpon so excellent a Virgin as shee was who was so respectiuely vsed of all sorts Passing well did I like of their Deuises and Sonnets but onely for one thing which was that in one place they prayed and wished her that shee should not make account of Loue and this one word was it that made mee thinke the worse of all the rest of the Song as one limbe of a man cut off from his bodie deformeth all the rest of his personage But you need not to wonder that I tooke this matter so hainously for I forsooth thought I had some interest in her when indeed there was no such thing I afterwards bethinking my selfe that if she would haue disposed of her selfe to loue she then would haue chosen some one farre more worthie then I was on whome to cast her good liking Neuerthelesse I excused the Nymphes for that which they had saide knowing that it pleased their Princesse well to make such a motion vnto her and the rather because I thought I was not likely in hast to be the man whome shee meant to affect What will you more The feast was now at an ende my Ladie tooke againe her owne former apparell returned vnto her olde place and meadow and there liued as shee was wont to doe No sooner did I see her but that I played the humble Publican looking vpon her a sarre off and not once daring to approach nigh vnto her doubting least I should find her more hautie and furlie then before-times by reason of her great aduancement and good fortunes bestowed on her And yet I hoped my verses would be an occasion that I should haue accesse vnto her although to say the truth I feared greatly that she would not much care neither for them nor for me Holding them thus in my hand and not daring to present them vnto her One while I tooke them out of my pocket thinking to offer them vnto her and so stood doubtfull betweene both what to doe Not vnlike vnto a young scholler who whilst hee is going vnto his maister to craue licence to goe play hath many conceits running in his head not daring when hee commeth before him to begge leaue for feare least he should be denyed Oftentimes I repented me that euer I had deuised them seeing I had lost so much time and leisure to write them outâ—o faire and now was readie to teare them in pieces In the ende I tooke courage knowing the worst was but a deny all hoping well of her because I was well assured that the frutes of the Muses were honoured and esteemed euen of their owne enemies yea and of the most worst and leaudest people in the world Drawing nigh then I presently perceiued the excellencie of my Mistris spirit for I found her more affable then shee was before she had bene so much aduaunced in houor I saw her to be one of those wise Sages who are neither puffed vp with aduancement of good Fortune nor taken downe through too extreame miseries of the same I perceiued that firme constancie lodged in her soule and that she caried the same countenance in prosperitie as she would haue done if she had bene in aduersitie Marius the noble Romane deseruing no more to be drawen with one and the selfe-same countenance alwayes then shee was when neither ioy nor sorrow could chaunge her After I had with a solemne Congé and lowe cursie deliuered my verses vnto her shee with a milde looke accepted them and as mee thought liked indifferently well of them For neuer did she giue ouer vntill she had throughly red them Whilst I In the meane time fearing like the criminell who doubtfully attendeth the award either of life or death beganne to consider within my selfe of her vertue mine eyes beholding her beautie my heart contemplating vpon her glorie and all my sences trembling for feare least I should haue offended her Iudge then in what an extremitie I was when being as it were in an extasie I could not so much as once moue my hands not stirre my foote from off the place where I stood resembling that senslesse Statue of the Sunne which the Rhodians made so much account of No sooner had shee red them but that shee beganne thus curteously to speake vnto mee Employ not anie more good Shepheard thy time thus who am not worthie thereof For if thou takest this small and homely beautie of mine to be the subiect of thy Muse assure thy selfe that then thou soone wilt want matter To things perfect are praises due and not vnto vnperfect and to such sillie Creatures as I am Robbe not so manie Heroicall spirits and exquisite wittes of thy verse when they deserue it so rightly Nor doe not bestowe the same on mee who knoweth not what it is to doe well whereby I may merit praise Ill doth hee imploy his Muse or rather prophane it who bestoweth it about the commendations of imperfect things because the nature thereof being diuine it ought not to discourse but of diuine and celestiall subiects Homer neuer sung of Thersistes nor of thousands more of Greekes vnworthie to be named but onely of stout Achilles of valiant Hector of prudent Vlisses and of venturous Aiax with such others Chaunge then thy Theame and make the world see by some rare worke of thine how much thou art able to doe through the power of the Muses and that thou art fit and worthie to describe the valiant and Martiall exployts of peerlesse and Princely Potentates in a proud and loftie flile Wee ought not to weare our wedding garment vpon working dayes That which iustly appertaineth vnto God ought to be rendred vnto him and after him that which is due vnto Princes and so then vnto meaner persons euery one their owne according vnto their estate and degree More delight shall I take to read thy verses when they shall be filled with a stately vaine and when they shall sound forth the Martiall praises of such great States as shall euerie way deserue the same and yet I will not refuse these thou hast bestowed on me but will keepe them because they are excellent pleasing Marie heereafter I would aduise thee to spend thy time better and to write of some grauer matter and of more importance then heretofore thou hast done that neither Time not Death may be able to destroy the same I being emboldened with this her speech stayed not long to answere her replied thus Fairest amongst the most faire and worthie to be accounted wise amongst the wisest Although I cannot chuse but confesse that vertue is of so great puissance and force as shee is able to commaund out soules to dispose of our hearts as shee shall thinke best her selfe Yet cannot shee let and hinder Honor to praâ—â— and commend what is most worthie The more wise folkes refuse glorie the more will glorie follow them and honor them And the more folkes pursue the same the more it flieth
armes hung downe Sans motion and like a picture faire Which linelesse is in colours wrought tresemblance so she bare The wofull Shepheard when this sight most dolorous he spide Afresh his plaints he doth renew and out aloud he cride Kissing this linelesse coarse and dying he seekes himselfe to ease Whilst her embracing he doth thinke her griefes somewhat t' appease His sight he wistly sixeth on her face and on her eies And like amad man he takes on in most outragious wise Yet he to Stella listueth still who still doth him require And pray to pardon her foule fault this oneli's her desire And as she giueth vp the ghost she forth these words doth grone Ah pardon me sweet pardon me the most distressed one Sweet Gloridan forget for giue poore Stella for her ill She did offend but knew it not it was against her will Oh in one Tombe let me with thee sweet friend be buried Gods lawes command to pardon such as doe offend being dead Farewell deare Spouse and graunt to me but this my last request Farewell for death to seaze on me I feele alreadie prest I le meete thee in the Lizian fields and then I will thee knowe Once more farewell my Cloridan for now from thee I goe So saying she doth breath her last as any stone she is cold Yet closely in his feeble armes the Shepheard doth her hold But when that he had bleeding left which like a spring did come From forth his brest and mongst the blood of his faire Stella runne He laieth her softly downe by him her eies he then doth close And by her side placing himselfe vnto his end he growes And hauing cried out full oft as one accursed most That he was author of her death he giueth vp his ghost Whilst by his warme blood and salt teares he seeketh to appease His Ladies spirit late gone from thence to liue with greater ease A thousand times he saith farewell sweet Stella still he cride And in the end in selfe same sort as Stella did he dide Their bodies twaine which whilst they liude had but one soule alone Were buried both together shut within one Tombe and stone And Aridon that Traitor curst who these two Louers paind By iustest punishment of Gods into a Rocke was changd Which Iupiter doth oftentimes scourge for his former sin With thunder-bolts breaking his top and all to battering him Then let no Louer once presume vnlawfull meanes to seeke But be resolued to be content as shall their Ladies leeke For forced Loue or treacherie will nere proue well at all Which if they vse worse plagues shall them then Aridon befall After the faire Nymph had made an end of her dismall historie she spake thus vnto me Now Shepheard confesse confesse I say by this example the vniust crueltie of Loue. He that will not yeeld neither vnto presidents nor vnto reasons ought to be accounted as a most obstinate and ignorant person for it is more follie not to submit vnto reason then to be altogether vnacqainted with the same It is an old said sawe that he is happie whom other mens harmes can make to beware For to growe wise at the charges of another and not at his owne cost is a greater treasure then the golden sands of the riuer Pactotus As for mine owne part this examample with diuers others which I can report and all vnto this purpose wherein Loue hath shewed thousand proofes of his bloodie rage shall make me wise and warne me to looke vnto my selfe well enough They say that a man should take heed of a mad dog of a franticke bedlem and of a notable Drunkard because by nature they are apt to doe shrowd turnes And euen so we should looke vnto our selues lest we should fall into the laps of Loue seeing we know him to be so peruerse so wicked and vniust for he shall neuer be moned who most sondly flingeth himselfe into the pit that hath bene shewed vnto him before Then Shepheard shalt thou be wise if betimes thou withdrawest thy selfe from such a Tyrant foolish will I account thee if thou imaginest that I will euer follow so bad a maister as he is his schoole resembling an intricate labyrinth into which it is easy to enter but impossible or verie hard to get out of it againe He that will doe well must neuer doe any thing whereof he may repent him afterward for a man neuer droupeth but when he languisheth through feare still looking for that mischiefe to happen which will at the last make him to repent If I know alreadie that repentance would not be faire off from me if I should loue by reason of the dammages that proceed through the same were not I then verie simple to goe about to loue Then talke no more vnto me of such vanities but rather discourse with me of such Ceremonies Fraiers vowes and Sacrifices belonging vnto Diana which are mine ordinarie exercises For euerie workeman delighteth to here talke of his owne Science or Misterie I hearing her say so replied thus O fairer creature then Venus more chaste then Polixena and more learned then Cassandra The braue Captaine that continually followeth the warres knoweth well that his function or calling is full of dangerand trouble and yet in the meane while he repenteth not to follow the same because of the hope he hath to reape renowme and credit which is encountred and wonne euen in the middest and the thickest of Cannon shot of the battaile And so although the Louer doubteth not but that he is like to endure great troubles and turmoiles in his amorous pursuit yet doth not he giue ouer the following thereof without repenting himselfe at all because the hope to please that which he so much liketh bringeth the thoughts of all his troubles and labours to be very weake and of no force or violence at all The sicke patient which taketh a potion knoweth that it is bitter and yet for all that he sticketh not to swallow it downe most willingly by reason of the firme confidence he hath to be healed of his griefe That the paines of loue are bitter and cruell I cannot but confesse yet then againe we must remember how sweet and luscious is that ioy that the Louer participateth of when he seeth himselfe beloued of his Mistris An inestimable lewell is not gotten nor giuen for nothing neither such and so rare a good thing as this is can be obtained without great labour and trauaile And for mine owne part will alwaies account those sorrowes and troubles most easie and sweet be they neuer so sower and vnsufferable to loue a thing so absolute and perfect as your sweet selfe is For that Generall of an armie shall neuer be taxed with cowardise who hath done his end uour and what he can to cause the enemie to come into the field but he shall soone be condemned for a dastard that shall flie from his foe through very seare The honour that one
being the ordinarie whippes with which they scourge thē for their impieties but it is themselues that are causes of their owne sorrowes because they driue away sage Reason from them who is of might sufficient to deliuer and set them free The franticke Bedlem that wilfully killeth himselfe can he dying accuse any other of his disaster or complaine of a straunger when he hath murthered himselfe No more can a fond Louer hurting himselfe be angrie with the heauens who was not the cause thereof but he himselfe And herein they resemble little children that hauing done a fault lay the blame thereof either vpon their play-fellowes or vpon something else being neuer willing to confesse that they haue done amisse Fuen so they themselues hauing felt one burning in their brests the furious fire which in the end consumeth and destroy eth them condemne the powers aboue for the same But small reason haue they so to doe for they that vse it are rather counted to be full of rage and giuen to murmure then esteemed as wise and prudent persons And yet I cannot denie but that the heauens narurally doe as it were seeme to be bound to doe vs good but the accident oftentimes corrupteth the Nature The Parent by Nature is bound to loue his child yet if his his owne flesh shall be peruerse and ill giuen becomming a mortall enemie vnto his Father this right of Nature ceaseth and he is no more bound to doe any thing for him no more than for a straunger There is a iust law grounded vpon this reason which permitteth the Father being iustly offended with his Sonne to dishinherit him of his lands this being the very same punishment that the children of Sophocles suffered for that they most maliciously accused their Father to dote for age and to be out of his right wits onely because they would haue depriued him of his possessions and goods Brutus likewise stucke not to prosecute the death of his too forward sonne most cruellie and with great disgrace also because he had done as well against the Common-wealth as contrarie vnto his owne command So therefore although the heauens I speake all this against my selfe as well as thee Coribant for that I am as wretched a Louer as thy selfe art in euerie degree be our common Father and for that cause is naturally bound to doe vs good yet notwithstanding is he not bound to shewe vs this kindnesse if we shall gricuously and willingly offend him as the Accidence of the offence shall be more violent and strong then the naturall Right is which by reason of this quite ouerthroweth the other For as water quencheth the fire and maketh it cold as any Ice which by nature is hote burning and full of heate So the discourtesies and iniuries which we offer vnto such as by Nature were prouided to be our protectors and defenders drowne and extinguish all their deuoire and Right altering their good mindes from vs quite contrarie vnto that it was at the first A man that is by kinde borne vicious and bad and such a one as bringeth forth of the wombe of his mother wickednesse with him into the worlde may per Accidence through good education and bringing vp become vertuous and wise Euenso the Accident of iniuries and displeasures may chaunge and alter the curteous inclination of a kinde friend sowring and sharpning the same against vs as the Lees and dregs doe the sweetest wine And this mischiefe falling vpon our heads wee cannot condemne anie for it but our owne selues who are the chiefe and efficient cause thereof And therefore we are much in the wrong to lay the blame on him whom through our owne meere follie we haue made him our soe although he be slow and slacke to helpe vs we being falne into miserie although before he by nature was bound to lend vnto vs his helping hand and to assist vs in what he could certainely if we were well and godly giuen and without prouoking or tempting the Eternall Power aboue would we but confirme our selues in all our actions according vnto his desire keeping vs with the bonds of his commandements there is no doubt but he would aide vs hearing vs when we should call vnto him and would nor sticke to raine downe Manna as he did for the children of Israel nourishing vs in the wildest Desarts that be But what law can force or constraine him to shew vs this mercie when we shew our selues to be his mortall enemies going about to increase his wrath euerie houre against vs. But say that he were willing and readie as we are most vnworthie thereof to helpe vs and that it would please him to haue this pittifull and fauourable regard ouer vs yet may you be well assured he would neuer take any charge nor euer make any account of Louers for their griefes is not numbred amongst the plagues of other miscrable creatures the second cause whereof the heauens oftentimes are our sinnes being the first Loue being seene to be but a verie meere follie and therefore neuer moueth the heauens with compassion to heale them A great and grose error therefore it is amongst Louers to imagine that the heauens are the Authors of their paine but a farre greater fault is it in them to require their aide and assistance for Loue is not any kind of contagious disease causing men to die cutting off one after another and for that cause hath reason to implore the heauens for aide to helpe them as they doe when any great mortalitie or plague rageth amongst them but it is a sickenes that continueth still without dying with which onely sensuall persons and sooles and none else are infected This is the reason that we haue neuer knowne any Louers to haue bene cured through miracle whereas we find written in diuers learned bookes that the bodies of many men being dead haue bene restored to life againe and that many haue bene cured of incurable discases onely this vaine sicknes is vnworthie of remedie and reliefe because it proceedeth not neither through the anger of the heauens nor by reason of the contagion of other diseases but onely through our owne foolishnes Now as that amitie cannot be firme and strong betweene man and woman where they answere not one another in desires and affection although naturally they are bound to loue one another euen so the heauens cannot be accused of crueltie in not scourging mortall creatures if the cause which should drawe them vnto this charitable endeuour be taken away from them Let vs then no more exclaime against the Celestiall Power aboue but let vs thanke our owne selues that we deserue no better of him our sinnes being the cause he giueth vs ouer As the fellon cannot blame the Iudge that condemneth him to death nor accuse him of ouermuch seueritie in that he dieth but rather his owne bad liuing that brought him vnto so vntimely an end for he is not to be thought ill of who doth rightly
euery word she spake was as a stabbe of a Poinard giuen him at the hart He feareth to speake what might make his wound worse and doubteth as much least he should displease the Ladie who as he thought might perhaps enquire the cause thereof because she would heale it The fit opportunitie he had made him to think that it were best for him now to lay open his minde or else neuer thinking that when he would he should not finde so apt a time againe and now againe a new toy taketh him in the head perswading him to remit and referre this busines vntill another day but then by and by he condemneth himselfe as vnwise that hauing spent so much time to finde this commoditie and now at the last hauing gotten it he goeth about to leaue it In the end being vrged still by the Gentlewoman to resolue her of her doubt and seeing that he could not well be rid of her vnlesse he did satisfie her in what she demaunded he determined whatsoeuer should come of it to breake this Ice and to bewray his Loue vnto her whereupon with a sad countenance and often faultring in his voice he thus began Faire Mistris I was in good hope that my often sighing with my heauie and perplexed countenance had bene sufficient to haue bewrayed the sorrow that galleth my heart without of hauing had any neede to pleade for pittie vnto you with my mournfull tongue But seeing it pleaseth you that my speech shall deliuer what my heart gaue my troubled countenance in charge I thinke it but reason so to doe it being the command of her who is the cause of this my wofull martyrdome I know I doe but sow my seede vpon the salt sea shore and that I lay my nets although in vaine to catch the windes and yet had I rather to depriue my selfe of all comfort and ioy then displease you and send you away iustly incensed against me He that hath deuoted himselfe vnto the seruice of any woman will shew all dutifull respect that may be vnto her will haue great regard that he offend her not will rather endure any punishment in his owne person than moue her whom he vowed to adore with all reuerence Seeing then you haue so earnestly commaunded me to open vnto you the very secrets of my soule and the first causes and originall of all my trouble I will condescend vnto you and most faithfully deliuer the same without keeping backe any thing from you at all Knowe then sweet Ladie that your diamond eies haue bene the torches that hath first lightned this fire your beauties haue bene the Fewell and your courtly behauiour the bellowes to kindle the same You onely haue made the wound and if you list may heale it and from no other but from your selfe am I to seeke comfort for the wounds of Loue are healed by the selfesame dart that made them as the Scorpion doth who is of power to helpe such whom he before hath stung Iudge then I beseech you in what a pittifull plight I am and what great cause I haue to curse and bewaile my hard disaster For what hope to recouer my selfe of this daungerous disease haue I and how is it possible for me to obtaine that for which so much I wish Alas I know not I and yet Mirrha ioyned her desire although it were incestious with her owne Father And Passiphae Queene of Candio had her pleasure of a Bull quenching by that meanes her vnhonest heate But I poore wretched Caitiffe how may I purchase that which so faine I would except your fauourable grace take compassion vpon me in vouchsafing vnto my deadly sore that comfortable remedie lying in your hands which onely is offorce to make me well Then what should I vse so many words or trouble you with so tedious a discourse Onely this I will say that I hate mine owne selfe because I would loue you assuring your selfe that my life shall as soone be conuerted into ashes as my soule is likely to be burned through the fire of Loue vnlesse you cast this necessarie water vpon it to quench the heate thereof putting my dying heart in securitie of some good hope to come I am bold deare Mistris to be thus plaine with you because I am resolute and haue set vp my rest to chuse one of these two waies either that of death as soone as you shall pronounce the sentence of deniall vnto me or that of life if I shall finde you readie and milde to ease me of my paine Thinke then as you please of this my speech and censure of me as you shall best like here I stand before the barre of your beautie expecting either life or death the one being as agreeable vnto me as the other and although I must needs tell you that it shall be farre greater glorie for you to saue me than to cut me off before my time Antonio hauing deliuered his minde in this desperate kinde of manner made the Gentlewoman so amazed to heare such an occasion vnexpected from him as she scarce knew where she was Her speech was gone pale earthly was her sight A stone not liuing creature seemd she right But being come vnto her selfe againe she began to curse within her selfe her foolish ouer hardines in that she was so earnest and inquisitiue to know of him the reason of his discontentments when it concerned her nothing at all doubting least if any disgrace should happen about the same all the blame should be laide vpon her How to replie vpon the sudden she knew not and whilst she was musing what she might doe she began to hate him deadly wishing vengeance to light vpon him for presuming to court her with such shamelesse impudencie Now whilst she stood thus bethinking her selfe of the matter Antonio straitway imagined it was for his good that she delaied so long to aunswere him but he found the contrarie too soone for in the meane time she remembred her owne honour and chastitie and the great friendship her husband had shewed though vndeseruedly vnto this traiterous friend of his which so incenst her with iust rage and choller as she began to take vp my Gentleman in this sort How now sir what is this you say dreame you or are you well in your right wits What signe or likelishood of vice or dishonestie haue you seene in me that you should thus proudly sollicite and importune me to dishonour my selfé and my kinde husband who loueth you farre dearer then his owne selfe was there euer any so bold to attempt an enterprise so difficult and hard as this is which thou goest about without he had bene assured before by some gesse or other that he might bring the same to passe I thinke none but thy selfe But tell me I pray you Antonio what notice or testimonie of lightnes haue I giuen vnto the world at any time that you should dare thus immodestly to accost me Goe to your Minions and
heare any tidings either of that treacherous villaine or of his wife In the end he lighteth vpon a great thicke gloomie Forrest through which as he rode he found a dead carkasse of a man and a woman lying by him being in little better case then he was But leauing Leander and his companions seeking their aduenture we will come vnto wofull Cynthia his wife and when fit time shall serue we will discouer who was that creature dead and who that woman being almost in as bad a taking as he vpon whom Loander so strongly hapned Cynthia being carried away from her husband so sodenly and by such barbarous treacherie was for a great while as one in a traunce hardly comming vnto her selfe againe And certainlie I thinke that if women were subiect by nature to die for sorrow then no doubt but she had died for neuer was there woman in this world more sad or heauie than she was no not Niobe Hecuba Oenone Porcia Cornelia nor any other Ladie were she neuer so ouerwhelmed with miseries But this kinde of death seldome or neuer is incident vnto the Female kinde as that of sodaine ioy is Long lay she in this Extasie or sound and long was she before she recouered her right sences againe and so much was she astonisht in her minde with the same as the passage of her speech was kept close and shut from her yet at the last her vitall spirits recouered force within her and her tongue had libertie to speake But alas she could not as much as pronounce one word neither was she able once to open her mouth so wofully did she weepe and so pittâ—fully did she sob and sigh Diuers sorts of colours and that in great number must a cunning Painter haue to draw a faire and great Picture Euen so thousands of teares and millions of sighes had this wretched Gentlewoman need of if she meant liuely to set forth and bewaile her Disaster at the fall For neuer was any Ladies sorrowes to be compared vnto hers Hellena was rauished but with her owne consent Neither did her rauishment bereaue her husbands life as hers did Penelope was dailie and hourely sollicited and importuned by a number of tedious and impudent suters but yet she was suffered to liue chastly and to attend the returne of her Vlisses Hecuba after shee had seene her husband murthered and all her sonnes slaine was led away as a captiue or slaue into Greece and yet had shee more reason to haue borne with patience these her misfortunes though in a higher degree of miserie rather then Cynthia in hers For Hecubas mischaunces proceeded from her enemies to whom the law of Nations giueth leaue to doe what mischiefe they can whereas haplesse Cymhias vnhappines came from him whome she esteemed as the dearest and most faithfull friend her Husband had Lucrctia for losse of chastitie slewe her owne selfe but her death was the death of her aduersarie and the life and libertie of all her Romane Citizens And theresore no woman can be said to haue bene more wretched then hopelesse Cynthia for she saw her Leander murthered as she thought whilst she remained as prisoner in the power of him that was his bloodie Butcher looking euerie houre to be forced of her honour and good name Infinit were the occasions that she had to complaine and the reasons without number that compelled her to exclaime against the most partiall Destinies For what could she loose more pretious and deare then her sweet Spouse whom she esteemed more then her honor and her owne life Needs therefore must her complaints be greeuous and her lamentings heauie and bitter as one that dispaired of all comfort to come Ah woe is me cried shee out why was I borne and why did my mother bring me into this world since there is no person liuing so vnfortunate as I am for I doe not count those miserable who haue liberty to shorten their owne dayes by death but onely such as faine would die and yet cannot Is it possible that one should be borne vnder so hard a Planet as not to be able to die when most fainest he would O how great is that euill when it forceth vs to require ayde of the Fatall sisters to ridde vs of the same whom men detest and loath as their mortall enemies And yet can none but they relieue and ease such wretched creatures The healthie man whilst he is well loatheth and abhorreth to take or taste anie potion or medicine but when he is sicke he is glad and faine to swallowe it downe be it neuer so bitter and sower So we whilst we liue merilie and at harts ease we contemne death but when our griefes are so great as wee are not able to endure them then we account our selues as happie to haue him O God is it possible for me to be able in words to deliuer my losses for my sighes to deplore them for mine eyes to bewaile them or for my heart to be of force to endure them If the losse of paltrie goods maketh men outragious in their passions and if the death of our kinsfolks or friends be sufficient to engender afflictions in vs how much more then haue I cause of insupportable sorrowes Alas I haue lost my kinde husband but am I able to say so and not my soule to flie forth of this miserable bodie or is my condition so miserable that I may say I haue lost him indeed No no I will neuer belieue it rather will I die then perswade my selfe of any such vnwelcome matter vnto me But say I die yet haue I lost him yea I haue lost him and onely through mine occation I haue bene the homicide of my husband and I alone haue slaine him but why then alacke doeth not the rigour of the Lawe passe vpon mee which condemneth such murtherers vnto death Was it not enough for mee to be brought into the most wretchedst estate of all others to be depriued of my deare Leander but that I must be the cause of his vtter ouerthrow also Damned and accursed Beautie how wise was that young Romane Gentleman Spurius who most cruelly mangled and defaced his louely face because hee would haue none to like him And so thrice happie had I bene if I had spoyled and made foule this my wicked countenance which was the first motiue of all these euils and mischiefes following O faire soule of my deare Spouse and Bedfellow great reason hast thou now to complaine of mee iust are thy accusations and most right thy greeuances against me yet since the Gods are appeased with the sacrifices of men I hope that my life shall be a sufficient satisfaction for the offence I haue done vnto thee Thou liuest in the heauens where nothing is hid from thee and seeing thou knowest all things thou needest not to doubt of mine innocencie herein But what is this vnto thee seeing now thou liuest no more and that thou art cut off before thy
time appointed But I will presentlie follow thee neither had I stayed so long as I do but that I am preuented much against my will For with what weapon should I pierce this my fainting brest or what kinde of death were I best to die of and in what manner will these mine enemies giue me leaue to slaughter my selfe Alas they will not doe me so great a fauour and too too narrowlie doe they watch mee that I can not hurt my selfe Thrice happie wert thou miserable king Perceus in comparison of mee since thy Conquerour Paulus Aemilius gaue thee libertie to make away thy selfe so to ridde thee from thy seruile bondage But I haue lost my Husband Porcia would not suruiue hers No more would Cornelia Cleopatra and diuers others all which made away themselues to followe their husbands and shall I not be as willing as they were in this case and as ready to take the same course to follow death that I may liue with my deare Leander for euer Yes yes I will be as forward as the best and I will deuise some way or other to ridde my selfe out of this loathed life which cannot liue without his soule who was my frendly husband Besides the longer I liue the greater feare I am still in to loose my chaste honor which although God hath yet preserued yet doubt I sore I shall not long continue so but be forced by them vnlesse I escape away from them by some miracle from aboue But say I should be so fortunate as to be freed from out the handes of this Tyger who holdeth me as his slaue without anie violence offered vnto my chastitie yet who would belieue the same seeing he hath attempted so desperate and villainous an exploit forgetting all religion and friendship onely to haue mee in his possession and considering the strange and extreame affection that he hath made a shewe vnto the open world to haue borne mee A graue and wise woman must not onely be free from blame it selfe but as well must be cleane from all suspition of the same For what maketh her to looke without blushing but her vpright carriage and her good name alwayes vntainted which being once defiled resembleth a barren Tree that is without fruit or hath bene blasted with Lightnining or Thunder neuer looking afterwards greene againe Filthie and base is the most excellentest beautie of any woman if once her modest life be corrupted Venus was faire but yet of no account because of her immodest desires Hellen was beautifull but too much defamed because of her luxurious life and so were Thais Flora and Laxis louely to behold but yet accounted of as common because of their shamelesse and too too wanton behauiour In what a pecke of troubles then am I in looking still euery moment when I shall be froced to make shipwracke of my chastitie for the defence of which I haue oftentimes hazarded my life But I appeale vnto the Almightie who shall be my iudge if I be forced how much my soule abhorreth this vice for though my bodie be defiled yet shall my minde neuer be I being fullie resolute to wash the same cleare with the dearest blood I haue assoone as any opportunitie shall serue me to put it in practise Mine onely hope is that when I shall haue most need God will vouchsafe to giue me a sweete taste of those comfortable words of his who hath promised to succour and helpe those which be his faithfull true seruants in their greatest extremities and when they least looke for any such aide or assistance from him Thus wailed the distressed Cynthia dispairing of all meanes how to relieue her selfe in her wretchednes suffering her selfe to be carried away with the violence of her crosse as the Shippe is tossed too and fro vpon the Sea in a Tempest But our heauenly FATHER aboue kept safe and vntainted her Honour and so by that way receiued againe into his mercie her chaste and pure soule which hee before had lent her It is in our aduersitie that wee finde the admirable succours of GOD so profitable vnto vs for in prosperitie wee cannot rightly taste them No more then the Drunkard being ouercome with too much liquor can iudge of good wine whilst wee being rocked a sleepe in the cradle of sensualitie despise his mercies as Porklings and hogges doe Malt and Acorns when their bellies is full of them but being once pinched with hunger runne vp and downe for them as they were madde So wee whilst we liue in pleasure cannot rightly know how sweete the fauours and kindnesse of God is because we are glutted with worldly delights But when wee are once afflicted with miserie wee then finde the comfortablenesse of the same and can quickly iudge how necessarie it is vnto vs for our good and welfare And this Cynthia found although after a straunge fashion For those vngodlie Theeues which wicked Antonio had hired to be his bloodie executioners in this his villainous Teagedie not daring for feare of being tortured with plagues to stay in the Countrey after they had committed this detestable outrage followed him as fast as they could Amongst which there was one more bolde then the rest who marking the fauour and comelinesse of Cynthia although as then she looked pale and leane for verie anguish and griefe grewe to be amorous of her determining with himselfe to haue his pleasure of her although he paide neuer so dearely for it Thus was the poore Gentlewoman come out of Gods blessing into a warme Sunne and fallen from a plaine Ague into a hote burning Feuer and yet this misfortune turned in the end vnto her good Thus Heauens make proue that profitable oft Which mortall men account of as of nought The hand of the Lord is mightie and strong who rewardeth sinne according vnto his desert not winking thereat at any time but either soone or late punish the offence that is committed For as we haue vsed others so shall wee our selues be vsed and such measure as we giue vnto strangers such measure shal be meated vnto vs againe The murtherer most commonly dieth by the sword The high-way Theefe is robbed and spoyled the Adulterer shall be dishonored and shamed and the cruell man shall find no mercie of them into whose power he is fallen If wee well remember this lesson we shall find it to be most true confirmed as well by the words of the euerliuing SONNE OF GOD as by a number of ancient examples in the Sacred scriptures Dauid for defiling the bed of Vrias saw ciuill discord and discention amongst his owne children he himselfe after he had seene his daughter Thamar defloured and his sonne Ammon slaine being chased vp and downe by his owne childe and reuiled and railed at by a base and abiect Peasant of the Countrey Iezabell for hauing shed the blood of the Prophet died a shamefull death she being flung from out a high window in her owne Pallace vpon the ground to serue
of fortune In the number of these was this miserable Shepheard who scoffed at the commodities of that blind goddesse desiring no other thing for his full satisfaction and delight then the presence of his faire Diana Diana who surely amongst the fairest was most faire sage chaste prudent and of the stock of the most famous families in Europe Diana who took pleasure in reading of his works that neuer shewed him frowning countenance in that she knew he honored her honor more then her beautie and that his chaste loue loued rather her soule and mind then her bodie Nothing could hinder sage and chaste Diana from shewing good countenance chastely louing excellent spirits She should haue bene a cruell Beare if her soule had bene void of amitie and this learned Queene of France kissed learned Chartier finding him a fleeepe vpon a bancks side though amongst all other euill fauoured and deformed hee was most crabbed of countenance giuing this excellent answere to those that wondered at the same I kisse not Chartier but that excellent mouth from whence haue issued so manie learned discourses not louing the man but his doctrine In doing thus no Ladie can be blamed For one may and that more commodiously affect chastlie that which meriteth Loue then impudentlie that which tendeth to vice and corruption The Shepheard after his dolorous complaint beganne to sing this Sonnet which followeth SONNET Come and approach and heare my cries you Hagges and Hob-goblings And doe receiue in gree my heauie plaintes and abuse Vnto your cruell fatall Sisters nought doe I profer For I no more life haue t' is with my griefes ouerdead LOVE that hath tooke my loyall Hart for a pawne euerlasting Gagd'e for my Truth is dead splitted in euery part Whilst to an auncient Elme I seeme like one that is Spoylde with Lightnings blast when but the roote doth remaine O kinde Death all mortall woes who makest an end of me In this my chiefe pangs thee doe I call mee to helpe Sweet let me die through thee that then I truely report may LOVE hath wounded my heart Death of my paine make an end Onely in the◠is my hope a hope God knowes very slender Nought hope I in my cares but for to dye out of hand Dye would I rather then in woes lie still for to languish Blest is the soule that departs when that he cannot be curd'e But you mine eyes are accurst to haue seene my Ladie so cruell Since that distoyaltie hath to me done such a wrong Well had it bene for you if with a night euerlasting Shut had you bene alwayes your proper death not to see That so sacred Light you are neuer like for to see more Which did reuiue my spirits when that they first were in thrall Sweet should I then count my miserie comparde to my bad hap If that the world I might leaue as in my minde I doe wish Sigh'd haue I more then a thousand times yet she with her hard hart Is no more mollified then in the Seas is a Rocke More doe I pray more doth she say nay for all mine intreating Whilst that her lookes are so sower as they my woes make the mor◠These Verses could not yet content him but with the same conceit employing his Muse which she furnished him withall he carued these two Sonnets vpon the hard front of the Rocke SONNET I. More hard then Rocks I feele my Martyrs hard The flinty Rocke the chisell doth endure Yet nought but death from hurt can me award So great 's mine ill which is without recure Yee heauenly Gods cast Lightnings on my face As on the Mounts of Epire or consume Mee Phoenix like reuiuing in a space For I in Loue a Phoenix am become Too much I haue abid then from these eyes Since you haue drawne forth fountains of salt teares So many sighes from heart let it suffise Nothing so strong but sorrow quickly weares Each thing except my selfe with change doth mend Yet see my cruell Destenie I am still In paine and yet my paine doth neuer end Liuing I die though dying I doe liue This is the fauour my FAIRE doth me giue SONNET II. What may it be my Mistris should me scorne So much as not on mee vouchsafe to looke Was I then vnder such hard Planet borne As that my sicknes strange no Salue can brooke That Beautie which so often doth me wound Those sacred eyes Authors of all my smart Kill mee when I to looke on them am found Nor helpe they me as I to death depart What Destenie then may change this mine ill hap What alteration may my griefes appease I ill Fortune in such sorrowes doth me wrap As though they would yet mee they cannot ease For shee that is of torments mine the sourse More sacred is then heauens and more diuine Fierce Destinie and Fortune in her course She doth commaund and with her beck combine Then to this Goddesse must I seeke alone To cure my mortall wound or else to none He had further sighed and spoken more in renuing his long complaints if Coribant sad for his griefe had not drawne neare labouring to comfort him For oh how true and assured friends be they who both in deed word asswage the griefe of their friends and worthie of cōmendation is that Amitie which the iniurie of time fortune cannot chāge nor alter It resembleth that gold which we highly esteem of whē purified in the furnace it hath passed the fire Euen so sacred is that Amitie worthy of cōmendation which the iniurie oppression of fortune cannot kill nor destroy Coribant therefore approached to this miserable Shepheard saluted him sate downe by him and saide Teares haue alwaies bene held for reproach in noble hearts magnanimous mindes neuer weepe they leauing this effeminate and base qualitie vnto women And in verie good consideration the victor Aemilius cast in miserable Perceus his teeth pusillanimitie and want of courage in addicting himselfe to lamentation why then doe you weepe Brutus with a constant and cheerfull countenance beheld his childrens death And that Phylosopher was no whit at all moued vnderstanding of the death of his onely sonne In lamentation Time slippeth away and in the meane while there is no remedie found to come out of miserie There is a double losse the one of our health quiet which reares ouer whelme the other of precious time which in steede of bestowing of it in complaints we shuld employ in searching out proper remedie for our miseries torments That thing only should be deplored the which is without recouerie and remedie But that which may be remedied should not be lamented but with diligence sought out to be recouered For what can be ouer difficult for men to performe Are not all things subiect vnto thē and doth not the wise man command ouer the starres which is to say he may by his wisedome auoid the sinister aspect of the heauens make them otherwise disagree
an other mans vice but on the contrarie our neighbours error must serue vs in steed of a darke night wherein during the same to kindle our owne vertue must shine bright instructing our selues by his famous example as the ancient Spartaines caused their slaues to be made drunke to the end that their children might hate wine by the brutish and dishonest actions they sawe these base creatures commit being possessed with this liquor It is a foolish conclusion to say that if my neighbour be a foole I must therefore become insensate and set fire on my owne house because I see my neighbours on a burning flame It is rather requisite that an other mans doing be beneficiall vnto vs and that the vice of our neighbour reforme our owne and not make vs to offend like himselfe For vertue would be imitated and vice auoided To maintaine that no man can be constant and resist Loue were to erre grosely For Alexander amidst his great victories delights and conquests performed it Demosthenes refused the Loue of Lais louing ten crownes better then the enioyance of her This wise and graue Philosopher I say whom she could neuer set on fire either by her wanton enticements amorous lookes or her beautie so renowmed so that she thought him an insensible stone and not a man You should in this doe iniurie to modest Scipio who being conquerour of all Affricke religiously abstained from the loue of a woman And a thousand others haue liued free from this misfortune which you may not rightly place in the number of offenders For their fault obscure not the excellent glorie of the vertuoâ—â— and drawe not from their offence matter of opprobrietie against the wise It will be greater honour vnto you to see wise men in name offend and your selfe free from fault then if you erred after the example of some simple creatures Oh Shepheard replied Arcas I denie the foundation of your argument for I will not confesse that it is a fault or crime to loue and iudge Louers no lesse wise then those that haue not loued at all for he may iustly be said to be peruerse and an offender whose offence procureth publike dammage but so farre of is a Louer from preiudicing men that quite contrarie he profiteth them greatly The Louer like the prodigall man iniureth none but himselfe he onely beareth he onely endureth he onely suffereth but from his torment ariseth mortall glorie to the subiect he loueth for was there euer Ladie faithfully by her seruant beloued that did not both honour and sing forth according to the abilitie of his inuention her excellent and rare vertues What can mortall men desire more deare and precious then to see themselues honoured and made immortall to future ages the which Louers fauoured by the Muses may make their Ladies and Mistresses That great King of Macedon thought he not Achilles happie to haue bene set forth and commended by Homor and all great personages haue they not desired the like honour Not to be moued with the passion of glorie is to be brutish and without feeling or not to be stirred vp with a desire to make ones name liuing after death is a signe of a base and boorish minde They to whom the heauens haue not imitated either Art or Learning to attaine to this glorie by writing seeke after it in buildings or other rare workes of great charge and expence which continue for some time but not so long as bookes But it is certaine that the Muses hauing taken Loue in a snare of flowers would say nothing else but crowne this God with greene garlands acknowledging that they should be nothing without him who giueth them vttrance power breath to set forth their verses in despite of time it selfe For neither the greatnes of gifts nor of feare nor the hope of rewards nor threatnings could neuer make a learned Poet write well of any one if he doe not loue and affect him but on the contrarie onely Loue will make him speake better of those whom he shall loue simply without hope of reward then of those whom he loueth not and yet expecteth from them some recompence Questionlesse without Loue many excellent bookes which are made in the honour of men would be yet to doe a thousand other noble Acts which now through him be apparant to the eies of men Commendable therefore are Louers and more then any other sort of men at least they loose not time nor consume it not in doing nothing Oh Godhead replied Coribant but on the contrarie a thousand euils haue proceeded from Loue The ruine of Troy may verifie this and a thousand other testimonies I but quite otherwise replied Arcas Loue stood the Troyans in steed for he sent them the meane to kill Achilles reuenging the death of their Princes he being dead they in such a sort weakened the enemies Campe that without Treason Troy had neuer bene subiect to the Greekes But what hath Loue to doe with the Treason of men as long as he is not the cause thereof And yet the selfelame Loue replied Coribant was it not the cause of the death of modest Hipâ—olitus who was pittifully slaine by the vniust dealings of his wicked Stepmother Nay rather quice contrarie aunswered Arcas he was the occasion that he was made immortall he being raised from death vnto life againe by the cunning of that learned Esculapius who could neuer haue done him so great a good turne vnlesse he had first tasted of death through Loue. But what say you then quoth Coribant vnto Loue which forced Tarquin to offer violence vnto the castitie of Lucres being the cause of so great a mischiefe It was an occasion replied Arcas rather of a maruellous good turne by reason it was the cause of libertie of the Romances with the vtter ruine ouerthrow of their TyraÌ„ts and Lucretia dying in that order as she did was she not most fortunate and happie For doth not such a one die happily who as Codrus by his death preserueth his countrie making the same through his losse to be fortunate afterward And yet the verie same Loue said Coribant was the Author of the cruell perishing of Piramus and Thisby they hauing but a sorie guerdon for their so constant affection which the one bare vnto the other Is he not then bloodie minded and cruell No truely replied Arcas for what more sweet and pleasing kinde of death could they suffer than they did And had it not bene a thousand times better that one of them should die with the other thaÌ„ to be separated diuided seeing the Louer that loseth his Mistris or that Ladie that hath lost her seruant liue not at all but rather languish And yet still the same Loue was it said Coribant which vrged the daughters of Minos to betray their aged Father giuing instructions vnto Theseus how to slay the monster and to get out of the Labyrinth when he had done Why and the same Loue answered
me than is this thy offence Command me louing thee with thee and with thy fault dispence Iudge then of this strange crueltie that it should me constraine To loue and honour him who is the Author of my baine So we the feeble sicke man see through senselesse fond desire What is th' occasion of his death to couet and require So I arrested by proud Loue am forst iniuriously Alack the while to honour thee who laughst to see me die Thee must I like and follow still despite of my poore hart Although void of all honestie and friendly Loue thou art Still for thy sake I languish must in death with great disease Yet I my selfe count happie since I doe it thee to please The Gods forget as I forgiue thee from mine inward soule And neuer may they for my death as faultie thee controule As willingly I thee forgiue as to my death I goe For being dead thou then too late my constancie shalt knowe Well maist thou haue a fairer friend but faithfuller was neuer Who as she seru'd thee whilst she liu'd in death shee 'le loue thee euer But thou great Cupid rightfull Iudge reuenge my cause aboue On her who traiterously hath stolne from me my heart and loue Plague her that makes me pine away example let her bee To Louers all how they take heede to vse such treacherie Plague her that hath my Louer stolen my louely NVMIDOR And let her feele like punishment as I haue felt ore sore Ah let her not who loyall Faith so shamefully doth soile Raise Trophees of my ouerthrow nor triumph in my spoile Thus Flora prated and sigh't thus wailde the heauie Shepheardesse Was neuer Nymph or Maiden borne that felt such deepe distresse In wailing and in weeping she did spend the day and night And the remainder of her life in sorrow sans delight And now she wearie is of life life doth her vex and grieue A greater Corsie hath she not than that she thus doth liue She doth resolue to die forthwith and yet she faine would chuse The gentlest and the easiest way her soule from corpse to loose For to dispatch her selfe with sword it was too fierce and fell The fire displeased her and the rope to her was horrible To fling her selfe downe from some Rocks high top she had desire But being there the height thereof did make her to retire Vpon the Seaish banke she stood minding therein to lep But raging waues did her afright from drowning they her kept As we behold amaz'd to stand the doubtfull traueller Not knowing which way for to take by reason of great feare Vnskilfull which path for to trace beset most dangerously Which he alreadie seemeth in his minde to view with eie On euery side with Theeus who all the passages about Haue laid so as he knoweth not how from thence to get him out So Flora doubtfull and yet full of corsiues and of paine Knoweth not what death were best to chuse though she would die full faine She musing lookes now here now there she runneth euery houre About the woods and wisheth that some beast might her deuour O that we should ill wish our selues oftentimes we wishing woe Vnto our selues it lights on vs poore Flora found it so No wisedome t is the Gods to punish vs to put in minde Too soone they can if so they please to plague vs iust cause finde Meane time Loue at this Shepheardesse doth smile and at her griefe Who more she doth her woes bewaile the more she wants reliefe His glorie he embellisheth by reason of her care And his victorious Chariot with the same doth make more faire But leauing her still languishing we will againe returne To Numidor who missing her doth waile as fast and mourne He seekes and searcheth euery where for Flora he doth call But yet no voice but Ecco shrill doth answere him at all Ecco doth onely answere him with wast and fruitlesse sound He heares her name but Floras selfe can no where yet be found Like as the Hart that louing Deare when he his prettie Hinde Runnes round about in euery place with flying pace to finde Now seeketh her amongst the Rocks and then the woods among Then in the Forrests there by Foords and Riuers all along And finding still to misse her then seekes in some hollow Caue To see if there her companie as fortunate he may haue And wearie now with seeking her he downe lieth in some place Sighing full sore for want of her whom he longs to embrace So doth our Shepheard who was now with seeking her being tirde Wailes his hard hap not her to finde whom he so much desirde So much he wailes as hardest Rocks grieue that so much he seekes And pittious Ecco when he sighes in recompence now weepes Each thing seemd to their power as though they succour to him brought Onely did Flora want alas for whom so much he sought Flora for whom he sought whom yet he could not once entreate That she vouchsafe would to his cries to answere and to speake Flora who power had ouer him him to commaund alone Whose death and life lay in her hands for her thus did he mone And now into his troubled braine did many fancies come One while he thinkes some God of woods with her away is runne Or that some other Satire ruffe hath drawne her to some cane And there against her will doth minde his will on her to haue Another while he doubteth sore lest in this vncoth wood Some sauadge beast hath seazde on her and spilt her harmlesse blood Or else he feares she him will haue no more vnto her mate But rather meanes some Louer now into her grace to take Thus doth he languish comfortlesse to see his hard estate And in a manner doth begin to grow as desperate What hopefull is that he reiects no ioy he entertaines But as a man carelesse of helpe he wretchedly remaines As is a guiltie person brought before the Iudge seuere Conuicted fore him for his fault which proued is most cleare His conscience telling him of his offence and his amisse And for to proue the same before him his sharpe witnesse is Which when he findeth shame and griefe doth so his sinnes confound As he his life not to respect nor to regard is found So wofull full of heauie care this haplesse Shepheard was And so he Flora had not lost for life he did not passe But hauing lost her he did thinke his heart and soule was gone And therefore comforted he would not he of any one Yet he no sooner breath had tooke but that he nerethelesse For all his toyling gan to seeke and search for her afresh He prieth into euery bush through groues he looketh all Andrunnes so fast as oftentimes through hast he downe doth fall Trough brambles sharpe through bushes and through hedges he doth passe Through thicke and thinne and all to finde his long sought dearest I asse Like to the Deare that chased is
secret ceremonies were forbidden to be solemnized by men whilst she in the meane space carried away my hart with her to stand her in steed of a sacrifice which she might offer vnto her Goddesse Long did I expect her comming back againe and grieuous was it vnto me to stay so long her returne but there was no other remedie wherefore I laid me downe vnder a broade Beech Tree where if I had heard neuer so small a noyse I presently started vp thinking I should haue beheld the sweet face and comely countenance of my glorious Sunne If but a small leafe had moued I thought straightwayes she was come Then would I count in my minde how many paces it was from that place vnto the Temple and me thought that now she was comming from thence that by my account she was so farre onward of the way and and yet I was deceiued in my conceit For I reckoned as they say without mine Hoast One while I doubted least she had altered her iourney and that she determined to walke some other way Another while I feared least she stayed the longer because she was loth to come where I was O most weetched is the condition and estate of Louers from whome doubtfull feare and fearefull doubt can neuer be abandoned Although men owe reuerence vnto the Gods and that they ought to respect that Seruice as they should their owne proper liues Yet neuerthelesse I could as then haue bene very well contented that Diaxa had bene spared from doing that Sacrifice O miserable lawe of LOVE which spoyleth all other and which so that itselfe may restaliue and goe for currant careth not although all other considerations be made voyde and disanulled how iust soeuer they be The Louer so hee may enioy what he coueteth he forgetteth all that is to come not so much as once thinking of the dutie which is due vnto the Gods nor regarding the feare of men nor respecting sacred Religion at all Great is the Furie no doubt that haunteth them else would not amorous Phoedra haue sought the death of innocent Hyppolitus neither the wife of Putiphar gone about to haue made the vertuous Ioseph endure so great miserie Now whilst I expected her whom I could not see I might heare not farre from mee a certaine voyce singing this Dittie following Lucklesse and luckie both at once am I With feare and hope I trembled as a Reed Lucklesse by Beautie thine by Destinie Luckie because I am thy slaue indeed For then thy face there nothing is more faire Then thy sweet Eyes nought more diuine or rare One while I hope another while I feare Nor can there any thing my fancie please It greeues me for to see the heauens though cleare So much I doubt thy fauour to displease Then thy faire face there nothing is more faire Then thy sweet Eyes nought more diuine or rare Then sweet sower Foe vonchsafe me for to loue Or once for all abridge my time of life Nor suffer me such torments more to prâ—â—â— Since I must die lest thou appease this strife For then thy face there nothing is more faire Than thy sweet Eyes nought more diuine or rare Although thine Eyes my paines encreaseth more Yet more I see them more I them admire Thy beautious feature I so much adore As for to die for it I still desire For then thy Face there nothing is more faire Then thy sweet Eyes nought more diuine or rare For louing thee my greefes I happie deeme Though cruell and vnsuffrable they bee Whilst at the same as enuioue I doe seeme Though for thy sake how I still die I see Then thy faire face there nothing is more faire Than thy sweet eies nought more diuine and rare Then whether death my life shall take away Or whether I shall laid be in my graue Yet will I loue and honour thee for aie Both dead and liue my seruice thou shalt haue For then thy face there nothing is more faire Than thy sweet eies nought more diuine or rare This Song was dolefull enough and yet more dolorous was the voice of him that sung it which was small remedie vnto my sorrowes but rather a fresh beginning vnto them whilst I lanquished being oppressed with a double martyr and my griefe encreased more and more the first was because I loued and the other was because I perceiued that I was seconded in my louing So violent was the affection which I bare vnto my Ladie as it began to breed in me a certaine kind of iealousie I beginning to imagine that this other my companion in Loue because he was better liked of then I was might be as an ouerthwart barre to crosse my happie successe making Diana more hard-harted vnto me then she would haue bene if she had had no more Sutors then my selfe onely This second wound gauled me more than the first I maruailing much how it was possible for me to resist so sharpe an assault This was the cause I could not take any rest quietly my minde still running that I was not so much fauoured nor affected as this new commer was Not vnlike vnto him who lying in a wood cannot sleepe all that night long as well because he feareth the rauenous teeth of the wild beastes as also the cruell spoyling of fierce and murthering theeues Neuerthelesse I began to comfort me at the last thinking that if this new come guest had bene so well entertained by my Saint he would not then haue lamented so much as he did for one cheerfull looke one louely glaunce or one pleasant word proceeding from his Mistris is enough to make a Louer reuiue againe although he were before at deaths doore This then was the reason that for a while I was pacified and contented but then by and by I began to doubt againe remembring that it was an ordinarie course of Louers to complaine without cause whether it is because still they haue one thing or another in their heads that maketh the alwaies feare the worse or whether it be for that they take a kind of pleasure in complaining and lamenting after they haue glutted themselues with delight no otherwise than such as being extreame and hot fling themselues into cold water or as vnto staruen and famisht men victuals and food are most sweet and delectable This was the perplexitie in which I was in I being so troubled in my minde as I was halfe out of my wits yet in the end I resolued to drawe neere vnto this Shepheard to behold him wistly hoping that when I had throughly marked his contenance I might quickly coniecture of his disgrace or contentment and whether he were in fauour with my Mistris or no. Whereupon I stole faire and softly vnto him as with slowe and secret pace Mirrha approached the bed of her father when being hard by him who lay along at the foote of a shadowing Rocke I might here him demaund his fortune of God Pan who vsed to aunswere
that Phoebus being amorous of her had intreated his Sister Phoebe that she might remaine there vntill the next day to the end he might enioy her company This vnwelcome newes vtterly ouerthrew me I seeing my selfe to be bearded with such a companion in my Loue as no doubt would put my nose out of ioynt and chase away that small hope that I had before to creepe into some little credit with her Although some might thinke that I had had great reason to haue reioyced that I had so great a God vnto my Riuall in my Loue yet neuerthelesse I bare so proud a nunde as like another Marsius I could willingly haue hazarded my skinne against him so I might haue hindered him from enioying my Ladie But they that are bound must needs obey the weakest must vnto the wall and such as are inferiours must yeeld vnto the will of their superiours and betters This speech of the foresaid Virgin made me almost besides my selfe for I iudged and not without reason that so faire a dame after she had enioyed the Amitie of so mightre a God would neuer vouchsafe to stoo pe so low as daigne to thinke vpon a silly Shepheard and this was the cause I counted my selfe as vtterly vndone and with this heauie resolution I withdrew my selfe vnto my poore cottage where I gaue my selfe ouer to weepe and waile at my pleasure But whether it were that the Nymph had false intelligence or whether she ment to be merrie with me or no I know not for my Diana staied not that night in the Temple but presently after I was gone returned vnto the selfesame place where I so long had expected her coming which when I vnderstood I was more vexed grieued then I had bene before thinking my selfe to be forsaken of all good fortune and thereupon as one mad for very anger I tore my hâ—ire most grieuously bit my fingers for despite and cursed my selfe more then ten thousand times thinking that this iust punishment was lighted vpon me in that I presumed to imagine that my Ladie who was the very tipe and patterne of all chastitie would be so vaine as to consent vnto such a monstrous immodest motion although neuer so great a God had required her for the greatnes of Princes doth not diminish the offence of a woman that yeeldeth herselfe vnto them but rather if she be wise she ought to close her eies against such puisant Royalnes remembring that her honour is as well rauished by a great potentate as by a meane person and one of lowe estate meane time whilest I was absent the other Shepheard my companion in lowe estate meane time whilest I was absent the other Shepheard my companion in loue amorous of Diana lost neither time nor place but finding a fit occasion he ventureth to approach her presence vsing this short speech vnto her presenting her with these two Sonnets following Receiue gratious and louely Nymph receiue after the custome of the Gods this leane and bare present which as a Sacrifice I offer vnto thy rich beaurie excuse the weaknes and vnworthines thereof esteeming as much of the loyall good will of the giuer as if he had bene able to haue bestowed a farre more pretious treasure vpon thee she hearing him say so with a smiling grace tooke the paper which when she had vnsolded she read aloud as followeth The first Sonnet Thy beautie t is which cause immert all it deth showe So many proud harts it doth curb and bring downe lowe It is thy dauntlesse spirit that all as wonderous deeme Which thy faire face and Theâ—es more fairer maketh seeme Ah doe not suffer then are cruellte appeare Whilst they their honours due due vnto them doe heare Sacred he is held with Gods and sweet to Louers such Who faithfully doth thee adore and reuerence so much Faire honour neuer doe this mischiefe foule permit But let milde pittie in the looke of this mine enemis sit In my sweet enemies eies where writ is beauties storie And let not Surquedrie eclips with hate such seld seens glorie At lest yet come to me so if the worst doe come I shall haue honour though by death I be vndone Whilst she the beauens shall see her sharpely to rebuke And mestfull mourne that she such wrong course gainst me tooke The second Sonnet I liue no more or if as yet I liue T is thee to please thou enemie to my life No greater ill then nourish what doth grieue Maintaining quenehlesse fire to burne vs rife What hates me I most greedily desire What helpe me may that helpe to me deniese Alas of whom then shall I aide require A happie Louer 's he bewaild that dies Cruell mishap to force vs for to lone What vs doth follow with a deadly hate And that as sacred to account and prone Which spoyles and shortneth our chiefe quiet state Thrise trebble blest that neuer knoweth this ill For better t is disloyall to be thought Then for a dismall Ladie suffer still Who better lost is then for to be sought The faire Nymph most gratiously accepted these verses But I who had no other way to growe in fauour with her but onely by this selfesame meanes perceiuing that I was seconded by another who tooke the selfesame course and perhaps with better successe then I had therein was not a little sad fearing least I should be hindered very much through the same yet was I not sorie that many did haroldise the praises of my Ladie neither was I enuious at all that she was so much commended for a constant Louer indeed will alwaies preferre the honour and credit of his Mistris before his owne or all the pleasures which he hepeth to enioy of her because that Loue that onely expecteth pleasure is no true Loue but rather a filthy desire of Lucre and gaine whereas right Loue indeed esteemeth more of the honour renowme of his Ladie then of his owne particular commoditie and profit For that Louer cannot iustly say he hath done any worthy thing in the behalfe of his sweet Saint who aimeth at his owne contentment alone studying out how to benefit himselfe But he may be said to haue made a proofe of faithfull Amitie indeed who hath laboured not for his owne good but for his Ladies whose reputation good name and same is more deare vnto him then his owne proper life This then was the cause that I was not sorrie although my Diana had neuer so many worthy Poets at her command onely I was exceedingly afraid lest she should therefore make the lesse account of me when she had others that could doe as well as much as my selfe and yet neuerthelesse I protest I speake not this to flatter my selfe she shewed not so good a countenance vnto this fresh water Souldiour in the campe of Cupid as she did vnto me For these were the speeches she vsed vnto him after she had red his Sonnets Certainely sweet is that verse and
detestable kind of liuing But what is good and well done that quickly is forgotten not any as much as once reporting the same because such as be ill giuen will neuer commend any except it be much against their minde Feare not then to speake so thou speake well for so shalt thou please the best kind of people and displease none but such as are the worst for the fruit of a good tree is more commended then that which is bad Speake then man and say one thing or another otherwise I shall imagine that either disdaine doth shut vp thy voice or else that hatred hindereth thee from speaking As that Souldiour is not a little ioyfull when being readie to haue his head strucken off by the enemie whose prisoner he is he seeth his friends arriued and come to his aide whereby he is rid from all danger Euen so not a little pleasant was I when I hard so sweete a heauenly sound proceeding from so faire an Angell which was of such power as it reuiued all my dying sences in me it banished away all feare from me it put new hope into me and brought my former fresh colour into my cheekes againe Whereupon I did prostrate my selfe in most humble wise before the feete of my Ladie for well did she deserue a greater reuerence at my hands but she not willing I should doe so tooke me vp by the hand by that blessed hand I say which chased all dispaire from me Whereupon I thus returned condigne thankes vnto him Can you most beautious Saint raise and reuiue him who hath deserued so much vengeance at your hands and can you haue pittie vpon his bodie who would not take no compassion vpon your honour No Ladie no rather let him die as one vnworthie to receiue from you the least fauour in the world why should you vouchsafe to looke vpon him with those heauenly eyes of yours not worthie of so great a grace keepe those sweet and chaste glaunces for him who shall deserue them better then my selfe who merrit not to see so much as the vsuall light of the heauen Am I he beautious Nymph that haue so much abused thee if so why then shouldest thou vouchsafe me to approach thy wonderous presence Although thou of thy kind nature shalt forget this foule fault of mine yet shall mine owne plaine nurture and bringing vp teach me not to forgiue the same for mine owne hand shall punish both my tongue and heart the one for speaking ill of thee and the other for conceiuing a sinister opinion against thee Arcas shall neuer surfer Arcas to goe scotfree he hauing so hainously sinned against his sacred Saint Trouble me not then in mine owne busines but let me execute what I haue alreadie determined to doe onely I would entreate this Boone that it would please you to pardon my rash crime before I die for neuer did I willingly offend thee onely I was too too credulous and ouer-light of beliefe Too much credit did I giue vnto that which one of thy companions reported vnto me I thinking simplie thou mightest full well count thy selfe happie to be beloued of so great a God but too sacred is thy vertue too modest thine honour to be ouercome with any power of the Gods Pardon then this foolish conceit of mine which I will wash cleare with the dearest blood I haue I thinking my selfe not a little happie in that I haue had the fortune to see thee before my death and to haue acknowledged before thee my more then grosse ignorance and vaine follie With great contentment shall I die seeing I haue had the leisure to haue bewraied the secrets of my soule shewed how far I was fro doing thee any willing iniurie Besides I beseech thee by thy vnspotted chastitie to thinke that no ancient Loue heretofore is to be compared vnto that which wretched Arcas hath borne thee Neuer could any faithfull affection equall his no more then any beautious feature liuing may be compared vnto thine Then pardon once more I beg of thee thy most wretched slaue that he dying may not die in the disgrace of his Mistris I cannot denie but that I haue erred but yet not so much of my selfe as by reason of another nothing so much grieuing me as that I had so sinister an opinion of thy matchlesse vertue and therefore for this fault onely will I adiudge my selfe to die Happie is he that dieth in thy seruice and for thy sake yea more happie then Piramus that slew himselfe for his deare Thisbes for he cannot finde fault with his death that looseth his life for a rare and worthy Subiect The guiltie person being drawne vnto the place of execution is pardoned of the partie who causeth him to die contenting himselfe with his death as a sufficient sat is faction for the fault he hath committed Euen so let me intreate thee to discharge me a Culpa though not a Pena to the end my death may expiate the horriblenes of the offence and that I may with ioy descend into the Elizian fields amongst those blessed shadowes Graunt me then this my last request otherewise more wretched shall be my death then that of good old Priamus who sawe his owne children massacred before his owne face More would I haue said but that curteous Diana interrupted me in my speech who being more mercifull then Iustice it selfe thus replied No Shepheard no I neuer will yeeld vnto thy request because I will not haue thee die The Gods although they be mightie and immortall yet doe they not demaund of such men as haue offended them to haue their liues in satisfaction of their fault but are contented with some lesser punishment and doest thou thinke that I am more cruell then they If so thou doest me wrong Liue then I say and talke no more of death I pardon thee of thy fault perswading my selfe that it was thy ouer rash beliefe and not thy minde which did commit so grose an ouersight Be merrie then and assure thy selfe that Diana was neuer cruell but rather that she is as courteous as she hath and will be chaste Take heede onely that thou hereafter doe not so offend againe and let the danger from which thou hast now escaped make thee more wise against an other time For sometimes an offence standeth in some good steed when through remembrance of the same it maketh others to be more warie and better aduised As that Shepheard is ioyfull who hath chased away the Wolfe bringing backe againe his sheepe safe and aliue which the deuouring beast was carrying away Euen so was I pleased and satisfied at full with this her kinde counsaile And yet notwithstanding the going away of my faire Diana did somewhat abate the sweetnesse thereof for shee presently left mee eyther because shee would not haue the other Nymphes knowe that she had pardoned mee who were hard at hand or because shee would not as then heare my answere as if she looked
speake vnto her For said he vnto him selfe what should hinder me that I should not bewray how much I affect her What though shee be the Daughter of my King is it reason therefore that I should die for her and yet not make her acquainied with my death and the cause thereof What know I whether Loue hath infected her as well as it hath poysoned mee Fot as great Princes as shee haue felt his force and haue bene brought vnder by him which if it were so I would not then doubt but that shee would be so gratious vnto me as to take some pittie vpon mee For Loue makes the hearts of great Monarks to stoope as well as those of poore peasants forcing as well the brauest minds to be subiect vnto his lawes as such as are baser persons Did not he make soft and gentle the hart of proud and haughtie Achilles compelling him to yeeld vnto his prisoner Briseis to like her so well as hee quarrelled with all the Princes of Greece to haue her good will And the selfe same Loue did it not take downe the stubborne stomacke of high minded Angelica who although she were a Princesse and sought vnto by all the chiefest Paladines and men of renowne in the world yet did she cast her liking vpon sillie Medor a simple Page or Lackey Nothing can withstand his mightie power neither King nor Queene Royaltie nor Nobilitie all are alike vnto him and all must doe as he pleaseth Onely with surlie and proud mindes doth he most commonly adorne his triumphant Chariot disdaining as it were the spoyles of the meanest Againe did not Venus doate on a Shepheard and Phoebus vpon a plaine Countrey Lasse Yes yes and therefore nothing is impossible vnto Loue. And seeing it is so I will endeuour to see if I can learne whether hee hath tamed the great heart of this louely Princesse which if he hath done I hope then that it is strucken with a golden Dart as mine is and not with one of lead Might I but once finde that she affecteth mee I would doe well enough with the rest hoping in time to bring euery thing to a most prosperous end and happie issue Thus said my Maister being resolute to sound the depth of the Princesse thoughts and yet hee thought it was hard to wade through such a Foord much doubting the entrance therein but farre more how to get out thereof againe And as a Generall of an Armie after hee hath had manie parleyes with the Fort which is enemie vnto him pitcheth his Tentes round about the same but seeing his Souldiers to be beatten backe againe with losse of many of his men dispaireth that he shall not be able to surprize it doubting sore of some bad issue in this his enterprise Euen so many doubts ran into Don Iohns head which much troubled him as well he knew not what to doe One while he feareth lest he should offend his Mistris and loth he is to displease her yet in the end Fortune who fauoreth such as be venturous egged him forward making the way plain for him that he might the better bewray his affection vnto his Ladie For one day the King being willing highly to grace him commanded him to sit downe with him at his owne Royall table where his daughter fat right ouer against him Neuer can Vertue be honoured too much whilst shee doeth credit vnto them that thus seeke to doe her reuerence and dutie I leaue vnto your aduised considerations to iudge whether whilest the Princesse sate so nigh the Knight he lost anie time or no And whether hee tooke his occasion finding the opportunitie so fitte if hee had done otherwise he had done fondlie But hee seeing his Saint so nigh vnto him watching fitte time after many troubled conceits running in his minde with a blushing countenance and a low trembling voyee hee thus beganne to Court her What would you say most excellent Princes to heare that your owne knight vpon the selfesame day in which he receiued from your royall selfe the prize for Tilting became both victorious and vanquisht and all at once Victor ouer so many braue Caualiers but vanquisht through your most beautious eyes And although euery Conquerour is proud of his conquest and he that is conquered lamenteth for his losse yet I quite contrarie vnto them esteeme lesse of my victorie then I doe to be ouercome for it is far more honourable to be ouerthrowne by a diuine puyssance then to be Conquerour ouer a weeke and feeble force And what greater renowme or brauer fame may so much beautifie and adorne my daies as to be called the vassall and slaue of her and to be vanquisht by her who by the same force is able to ouercome euen the Gods themselues No other glorie will I seeke then this which is to be accounted your Captiue I know good Madame you may count me ouer arragant and without discretion in that I dare presume to vse such speeches vnto you who are both my naturall Princes and my Ladie purchased through your too beautious eyes yet though the Gods be sacred and immortall they for all that refuse not the seruice of worldly men their creatures because nothing can hinder vertue from doing her duetie inasmuch as she is without fault and the rather in that she is of force to make the fierce and wildest hearts that are to be in loue with her I speake not this that I would looke for any recompence for my paines of you neither that you should make any account of me at all onely I would most humble entreat you that you would vouchsafe to belieue that all my desires all my studies and all my endeuours are wholy vowed vnto your secret seruice and that no person shall command ouer my soule but onely your sweet selfe Thinke not then gratious Princes that I am ouer-rash and too too bold to deliuer such words as these vnto you For it is impossible that any right generous minde or braue heroicall thought should see so rare and matchlesse a beautie as yours is but that he needs must be in loue therewith and louing it deuote himselfe vnto the honour of the same for euer Did not so many diuine vertues abound within you and were you not euery way indued with so rare and exquisite qualities as you are we then should not so earnestly seeke to serue you neither should we be so curious to follow you with so great affection and respect as we doe Sooner shall the Sunne be without light and the earth without verdure and greenes for as the heauens whether we will or no giueth vnto vs light Euen so despite of your selfe shall you be honoured and admired as long as you are so excellent and perfect a creature Then if I place my selfe in the order of such as reuerence your rare qualities good Madam pardon me neither thinke that any person can bare more loyall seruice vnto you then I my selfe doe for might my
death testifie the same any way I protest I would more willingly die then line I crauing nor wishing any thing so much in this world as your pleasure and contentment Thus said Don Iohn trembling for very feare so as he whom the valour of the greatest enemie he had could not so much as once daunt or terrifie he not knowing what it was to feare a bloodie aduersarie doth now quake and lookepale sitting before a sillie Virgin yea he standeth more in awe of her then of a whole oast of armed men The young Princes who was alreadie perswaded by Loue to entertaine him into her amorous seruice to the end she might the better tast how sweet a pleasure it was and what great credit to be attended on by noble Spirits who most commonly are conquerours ouer such as be haughtie proud found her hart to be more mollified and softned by reason of this Oration which my Maister had made vnto her whilest as the Bird is deceiued with the sweet pipe of the fowler so was she ouercome with the pleasing harmonie of his mellifluous tongue But yet as that Captaine who rendereth vp his Sconce to saue his honour first suffereth the Cannon to be brought thither to batter the same because he will not haue the world to thinke that timerous feare but rather default of succour brought him vnto this extremitie Euen so the Princes ment not to be wonne so soone but rather remembring her royall birth and calling and withall her vertuous disposition and honourable bringing vp thought first with some short speech to answere her Knight againe as if she had bene angry with him Great personages for the most part vse Laconicall breuitie in their discourses their words being farre more pretious and of more worth then those of the common sort of people are and therfore ought to be the more accounted of Thus then did the Princes Maria replie vnto him That man worthily is denied of his desire that demandeth a thing vniust or what is contrarie vnto the lawes being by the same lawe condemned either to make some amends or endure some kind of punishment for the same The haughtie minde who like Phacton would soare to high is not lamented when he falleth being plagued for his pride seeing none should flie that haue not wings neither ought any to intermeddle with that which belongeth vnto Kings except he be royally borne Shouldest thou be chastised with so grieuous punishment for this thy too much sawcie and rash enterprise thou wert but serued rightly for I would haue thee to know that one of mine estate of my honour and reputation is not so easie wonne or changed as euery winde changeth and moueth the waues of the Seas too and fro Neither haddest thou any such neede to make so long a preamble in thy speech in offering of thy seruice vnto me when in nature and dutie thou art bound vnto me to serue me and this thou doest promise to doe vpon hope forsooth that thou maiest bring me to yeeld vnto thy desire but vpon this condition I refuse both it and thy selfe for I will not onely hate vice but all occasions whereby I may be induced to be brought vnto the same Henceforth then learne to be more wise and thinke thy selfe happie that thou maiest this once escape scotfree for this thy presumptuous boldnes This was the choake peare which the Princes gaue vnto Don Iohn to swallow notwithstanding whatsoeuer she spake she ment far otherwise wishing vnto him as well as to her owne selfe Sage and prudent was that Phylosopher who desired that man might carrie a window in his brest the better to know what he thought and what he ment in heart which if it were so there should not then be so many horrible treasons committed neither such damned deeds perpetrated and put in practise as now they are But here belowe is little or no perfection at all the most part of men passing away their liues without doing any commendable act at all But now our knight thinking his Mistris had ment as she spake forgetting that it is the nature of women now and then to dissemble thought her to be his mortall enemie and was so daunted withall as he sat like a mouelesse Rocke not able to answere her one word so much had griefe seazed vpon his tongue dispaire assailing his heart and shame for being denied making him looke pale and bloodlesse in the face As that maister of a ship is amazed and sad when he seeth the weather on the suddaine to change quite contrarie vnto the warrant he had not long before giuen vnto his Passengers whilest they in the meane time cast in his teeth the smaller skill and knowledge he hath in his art he not well knowing what to answere them againe Euen so it fared with my maister who was quite blanke and knew not what to say vnto this matter In so much as had any at that table knowne of his loue or but heard what she had said they might easily haue gessed what the matter was by his very countenance but none knew it neither would be discouer it vnto any but onely vnto me alone But the Princes who doubted that either her lookes which she forced to shew frowning and discontent or else the sharpe speech she gaue vnto him would perhaps make him to doe somewhat which afterward might cause her to beshrow her selfe chiefely because of the secret good will she bare him in her soule which was of more efficacie and force then all other considerations whatsoeuer began now to repent her that she had taken him vp so short and therefore determined with her selfe to make him amends with another far more cur teous then the first when as she beginning the cloth was taken vp and the feast done so that she was constrained though much against her will to rise and leaue her Knight As that woman who being taken tardie in some fault by her husband standeth heauie and sad in some corner of one chamber or other whilest the rest of the houshold are merrie and pleasant together Euen so mine vnfortunate Lord whilest all the other Gallants of the Court were dauncing speaking and discoursing pleasantly one with another he stood most heauily lamenting his hard fortune vnto himselfe alone No maruaile then although euery one was astomsht and wondered to see so sudden an alteration in him looking so pittifully especially when there was nothing wanting vnto him but that he might be rather more blyth and pleasant then others he hauing receiued so many honours by reason of the prize he had gotten both of the King and all the Court. But to this he might haue answered them as that noble Romane did who hauing put his wife away could giue no other reason vnto them that although his shooe was fine and well made for his foote yet did not any knowe whereabouts it wrung him but onely himselfe Euen so Don Iohn selt himselfe grieued yet none could
solitarily as melancolicke person in a wildernes and neuer more to moue me in this matter God knoweth how often afterward I cursed my tongue and wished ill vnto my mouth for the same for I will confesse the truth that euen then and before that time as euer since I haue done I loued thee most dearely Full little did I thinke but that I should haue heard from thee againe ere long when thou presently diddest retire thy selfe from my presence so that although I knew thou louedst me and that I was willing to shew thee any honourable courtesie yet could I not as faine I would by reason I knew not how to send conueniently vnto thee whilest thou in the meane time wert almost dead for griefe and I little better because thou haddest forsaken me so suddenly Now whilest we both liued thus in great discontentment the Prince of Lyons as ill fortune would came hither vnto my fathers Court and would needs force me to be his wife But I who had vowed in my minde neuer to haue any other vnto my husband then thine owne sweet selfe entreated thee to trie the combat with him in my behalfe not thinking that thou haddest bene halfe so weake as I perceiued afterward thou wert At the length it was thy good fortune to be victor of the field whereof I was not a little glad I determining with my selfe whatsoeuer should haue hapned to haue bene married vnto thee But woe is me I now perceiue death must cause vs to part in this world although we will meete both together in another And now seeing at this verie instant I am forced to behold thee drawing thy latest breath and that thine eyes are readie to be closed vp with an euerlasting sleepe thinkest thou that I either can or will allay the heate of my griefes or that I will reuoke my first word which was to take part of such fortune as should be allotted vnto thee Doest thou thinke I am so cruell so hard harted or so much voyd of remorse and pittie that thou dying before me onely for my cause and in my quarrell I would not so much as lament and bewaile thy death Ah my vnkind friend great wrong is this thou doest vnto me No no one and the selfesame Tombe shall enclose both cur bodies together and that which Loue would not permit to be thine whilest thou liuedst gentle death shall put thee in possession thereof without any trouble at all Thy commandement in this point shall be of no force with me thy prayers to no purpose neither thy entreating of any power at all with me but in any thing else doe but bid me and I will strait obey thee onely in this I must denie thee for assuredly I will die rather then liue to thinke that thou wert ouerthrowne through me and that I should liue continually to sigh and cry out saying Alas where is now my worthie Knight Can mine eyes shine and giue light when thine are dead and gon Can I endure to see thee caried vnto thy graue I not be buried in the earth And can I abide to liue to say Behold yonder my sweet friends Tombe and not be enclosed therein my selfe Neuer demand so vniust a request at my hands neither be so hard harted vnto me as to wish me to suruiue thee to the end I may be the more miserable But perhaps thou thinkest because I haue bene cruell vnto thee therefore thou maiest repay me with the like recompence againe To which I thus answere First the heauens know how much it was against my will and haddest thou not bene too farewell and timerous thou haddest saued both thine owne life and mine also Besides I challenge the pardon which euen now thou diddest graunt vnto me for this mine offence and therefore sweet friend be content and pleased for with thee will I die whilest our coarses shall lie one by another in one selfe Vault which when they were liuing was not permitted vnto vs and for this I hope mine honour cannot be called in question seeing all ages haue allowed young Ladies to loue honestie braue and valiant Knights and such was my loue and not otherwise as God himselfe can witnes Who then can iustly taxe mine honour None my deare Knight none and seeing it is so receiue this last kisse from the most wofull woman liuing receiue her heauie plaints and her lamenting grones and doe not oppose thy selfe against that small remainder of contentment which is behind for her in dying with thee which she will take as a requitall for so many miseries which haue bene afflicted vpon her Needes must I tell thee that I doe enuie at that glorie thou hast to die before me but long shall it not be for I will follow thee as fast as may be meane while and when thou shalt be in the heauens remember I pray thee thy deare and faithfull Maria. More would she haue spoken but that her heart was so ouerpressed with griefe as she fell downe dead vpon my dying Maister who seeing so pittifull a spectacle knew not what to doe for helpe her any way he could not so extreame and faint he was At the last she came vnto her selfe when with a lowe and fumbling voice he spake these fewe words the last as euer he pronounced vnto her My gratious Ladie now I beseech thee harbor no such vnkinde conceit within thee more good maiest thou doe vnto me with thy honourable speeches whilest thou art liuing then when thou shalt be dead or if thou shouldest die with me No sweet Princes no liue yea liue still and happily seeing nothing fairer then thy selfe can liue For else what discredit would it be vnto me if it should be obiected against me that I had darkned and extinguisht the brightest Sonne of this world let not so foule a blot staine my memorie after I shall be departed from hence aliue seeke not to shorten thy time before the will of God cutting off thy selfe before he doth appoint thee and disposing of thy bodie not according vnto his but thine owne pleasure An doe not so for so you may not doe Mortall creatures must be ruled by the diuine ordinance aboue and expect their leisure not doing any thing but as they shall appoint them Liue then I say once more and close these my dying eyes which whilest they liued were thine this Boone if thou shalt graunt me I then shall thinke my selfe happie but if not then shall I account my selfe as most miserable And now I feele that welcome death doth approach towards me through which all my cares and troubles end I my time is now come my sences faile and my tongue beginneth to be speechlesse No more haue I now to say to thee my deare Princes but onely to recommend my memorie and thine owne life vnto thee of which two things I desire thee as euer thou louedst me to haue an especiall regard Farewell I can no longer speake farewell the beautie
sadde and heauie who hauing gotten verie nigh vnto the Hauen and beginning to cast Anker perceiueth himselfe to be carried backe againe into the maine Sea by a suddaine storme his Shippe being ready to runne vpon euery Rocke and so to sinke and drowne Euen so it was my lucke to perish euen in the Hauens mouth and beeing escaped of a sicknes then to die vpon the sudden And thus you see how iust my complaints were For more cruell are those dartes which vnlooked for pierce vs then those that wee knowe of and more sharpe is the paine that commeth vpon the suddaine then when we did before expect it Being then fallen into this suddaine mischaunce I knewe not what order to take nor what resolution to resolue vpon but only such as desperate wretches vse which was to make away my selfe and to haue recourse vnto the selfe-same death which I had heretofore chosen whereby I might rid me of my torments And now I was entring into that great and beaten path of desperate caytifs hoping by this means to bring an end to all my troubles which dangerous course I had quickly taken had not the curreous heauens bene more pittifull vnto mee then I was vnto my selfe making vaine and frustrate my former intention and meaning O how hard is it sometimes for a man to die and sometimes againe how easilie may he dispatch himselfe The wise man saith that mans life is as brittle as glasse that is quickly broken and yet notwithstanding many liue longer then they would wishing to die although they cannot For such as goe merrilie vnto their deaths because they hope their miseries shall end with their liues lament not at all for the losse thereof but rather thinke they haue a happie turne As the sicke Patient that couragiously swalloweth downe his bitter Pills which if hee were well and in health were neuer able to doe it Being throughly resolute what to doe I now gaue ouer weeping and sighing onelie I accused my Destinies making mee one while fortunate and then againe miserable Whilst in the meane space I did a little complaine of my Mistrisse but yet with such respect and in such a reuerend manner as she could take no exceptions against me at all This done I went to die for her and yet durst I not terme her to be the occasion of my death Not vnlike vnto these holie and deuout persons who although they be plagued with all sortes of miseries neither dare nor will venture to call the Gods the Authours of their wretchednes Me thought I was but too fortnnate to die for so worthie a subiect and that I was ouer-bountifully recompenced for all my troubles to haue that glory as to haue seene my cruell Saint for whom I dyed O faithfull and loyall LOVE that will not permit what paines soeuer I endured that I should not complaine of mine enemie So Pyramus dying for his Thisbes sake thought not himselfe vnfortunate neither accused her for his death And so was I as willing to followe the same course as that braue Caualier of Rome was who boldly leaped into the swallowing Gulfe or like his Countrey-man that with as great courage thrust his fist into the fire A matter that is alreadie well determined of be it neuer so hard is halfe dispatched at the first And there is nothing that looseth more time then vncertaine resolution I had now got vp vpon the toppe of the same Rocke where I was before minding to finish my loathed life and was readie with a braue manly heart to fling my selfe downe headlong into the bottome of the Sea thinking to make my selfe a Citizen of the kingdome of Thetis when the Nymph Orythia who still haunted mee but in vaine for my Loue caught hold of mee by the arme hindering mee from drowning my selfe in those salt Ocean waues As that Traueller is astonisht who seeth the Skies to chaunge and skowle whilst the Clowdes looke darke and bigge with raine euen so was I amazed when I saw my selfe so strangely preuented of my purpose I knewe not whether I should take this which shee had done in good part or in ill shee hauing disturbed mee in my desperate Action Wherevpon I looked vpon her and sighing as one that had bene awaked out of a dead sleepe at what time he dreamed of some pleasant matter spake thus vnto her What is the reason cruell as thou art what is the reason I say that thou shouldest thus oppose thy selfe against my good What iniurie hast thou receiued at my hands that thou shouldest thus bee a let and obstacle vnto the ending of my miscries and wherefore shouldest thou beare so spitefull a disdaine to see mee ridde of all my griefes and troubles Hard is my happe aboue all others that when I am readie and willing to die to auoyd these my more then insupportable torments I am still crossed and barred in this my chiefest desire Alacke Alacke how vnlikely is it that I shall finde comfort whilst I liue when being at the very point to die I cannot finde helpe to dispatch my selfe Goe goe hard-harted as thou art withdraw thy selfe from mee the chiefest foe I haue vnto my rest and let it suffice thee that my plagues abound too much alreadie without thine aide to make my woundes more mortall and deadly then they were before The Nymph hearing me say so replyed thus Shepheard Shepheard if in the olde world there haue bene anie that for casting away themselues haue deserued fame although they were farre vnworthie thereof yet was it for some great occasion and by reason of some laudable subject and not for a vaine and trifeling matter as thine is And yet I will tell thee one thing that so farre off is that man that murthereth himselfe from true glorie to challenge vnto himselfe the name of Constant as quite contrarie to thy conceit he rather deserueth shame and infamie For he that is constant endureth aduersitie with the same countenance as he did prosperitie without being moued or passionated one iotte at all as that worthie Romane Marius was Such as hauing not this resolute vertue of Constancie and because they want true courage of the minde A Sentence to resist these worldly afflictions seeke straitwayes how to ridde themselues of their liues deserue no praise or commendations at all but ought to be accounted as most abiect and white-liuered Cowards Doeth he merite to taste of pleasure that neuer suffered paine to be a commander who neuer did obey or to be partaker of honour who neuer did hazard himselfe to winne the same I thinke not Euen so such men deserue no grace nor fauour of the Gods at all who cannot patiently beare out such tribulations as are sent them from aboue by reason of their sinnes A Seatence and therefore thinking to escape them goe about to murther themselues Tell mee I pray thee shall the Gouernour of that Cittie be excused from blame who whilst the Cittizens thereof prospered and
all things went well with them is content to continue and rule amongst them But no sooner doth he see Fortune to turne her smiling face from them then hee giueth them the slippe putting them to shift as well as they can for themselues Cato is rather condemned then commended for killing himselfe at what time his Countrey had most need of him Neither can hee be rightly tearmed magnanimous hauing chosen so easie a death to auoyd a farre greater euill of which he seemed to acknowledge and confesse to be vanquisht and ouercome seeing he durst not stay to make proofe An Example and encounter with the same And yet is hee worthie of farre more praise then thou art For he had a better colour to shadow his death then thou hast whom soolish LOVE hath thus ouerthrowne Such cannot be called valiant and resolute who for feare of suffering a greater euill cunninglie chuse the lesse yeelding themselues vnto an easier punishment to auoid a farre more cruell As Sceuola cannot be saide to haue a right braue minde although he burnt his arme escaping by that meanes Death which otherwise hee could not eschue A Seatence being a farre greater torment then the firing of his fist Againe say that a man had all the occasions in the world whereby he might seeme to haue reason to massacre himselfe and that it were impossible for him to support and endure the anguish and agonies of his euer encreasing sorrowes yet ought he still to expect and looke for grace and fauour from the heauens who after they haue powred downe vpon vs raigne and stormes send vs most faire and comfortable weather There is none so wretched but that at one time or another tasteth of the goodnes of the Gods and though it be not by and by yet commeth it ere it be long so that we ought alwaies rather to hope the best then to feare the worst for death is the last refuge of mortallmen which neuertheles they ought not to entertaine without leaue of the superiour power A Searence the Lawe for bidding such to be capable of Christian buriall but hauing a stake knockt into their bowels to be laid in the cōmon high waies who as Iudas shall lay violent hands vpon themselues proclaiming them abroad to be worse then murtherers and homicides and making them infamous for euer Take heede then that thou fall not into this labvrinth of shame For if one must needs die he must haue a great care of the preseruation of his honour and so to order the matter that after his death his memorie be not fouly sported with some blacke fault for then is the time when he is out of the world that a man is talked of either well or ill if well then euery one lamenteth his absence and losse declaring how necessarie and profitable he was vnto his countrie If ill then doe they speake the worst they can of him because they now feare him no more knowing that dead men cannot bite at all It is to small purpose A Sentence although we haue carried our selues vprightly all our life-time if the Catastrophe and end thereof be vnhonest and wicked For the end doth make perfect the worke and the goodliest building that is is nothing worth if the foundation thereof be not firme and sure Liue so whilest thou staiest in this world as when thou shalt be dead none may be able to lay reproach vnto thee Doe so I pray thee for it would be a double death vnto me although I cannot die my selfe if I suruiuing thee should heare thee ill spoken of whom I haue alwaies so dearely loued And to giue thee a most certaine and kind taste how much I account of thee now thou art in this wofull perplexitie although thy loue is the thing I most desire and that my chiefest happines consisteth in seeing thee without a Mistris yet to the end I may doe thee good I am content to hurt mine owne selfe esteeming my selfe happie in that I may redeeme thy life with the losse of mine owne chiefest pleasure promising thee to entreate thy hard-harted Diana in thy behalfe to plead vnto her for thee to succour thee to the vttermost of my power in thy loue which is the tormentor of my rest and quietnes O great proofe of a most perfect amitie in a Nymph O rich witnesse testimonie of her feruent affection certaine was the assurance of her loyall friendship towards me most beautifull was that vertue in her most chaste was her desire and as commendable was her willingnes therein he is highly to be prised and set by that dieth for his friend A Sentence yet that man is farre more worthy of praise who resigneth all the interest he hath in that thing which may make him most happie to pleasure another therwithall whilest he in the meane time for want therof liueth in perpetual miserie especially if it be in the affaires of Loue which are so nice and so full of iealousie as the Louer thinketh he looseth nothing although he loose his life and libertie so he be not cousoned of his Ladies fauour Meane space poore Orythia is content so she may helpe mee to ouerthrowe her selfe being resolute to be most wretched for euer to the end shee may ridde me from all my griefes and sorrowes whilst I stand admiring her right generous minde amazed at her constancie highlie prising her affection and wonderfullie applauding her braue and straunge conceit Wherevpon I humblie thanked her for her kindnesse accepting of her gratious offer vowing vnto her that I will not die as now but rather expect some happie issue of her employment And therwithall I protest that I am the willinger to liue because I would satisfie her request not daring to refuse her courtesie because I found my selfe so much beholding vnto her and not for any certaine hope I did conceiue that I should finde grace at my Mistris hands For how could I thinke to finde succor from her who without occasion giuen had deliuered me ouer vnto death whereas I might well haue bene counted barbarous and vngratefull to haue denied the request of this Nymph especially when it proceeded from an affection so loyall and perfect Ingratitude being as foule a vice as bloodie Murther Vnthankfull persons in the old time were condemned vnto death An Example as the vnnaturall Sonnes of Sophocles were disinherited loosing all their father goods because they accused their aged father to doate for very age Doe as thou pleasest most gratious Nymph said I for I promise thee I will prolong my life at thy command not that I expect thy enterprise may bring me any comfort but onely because I feare to disobey thee Too much alreadie hast thou bound me vnto thee and therefore I beseech thee thinke I will sooner dispend my heart blood for thy sake then for mine owne Goe then thy waies and the heauens prosper thee in thy voyage yet if this my busines
strong for him who although he had so often giuen the foile vnto the Romans yet when he lost his pretious libertie through lying in Capua and making Loue vnto a woman there was ouercome by that temperate Romane Scipio Demetrius likewise was so bewitched with the faire Curtezan of Athens as he stood in awe of her as if he had bene her bond-slaue And if we should leaue the earth and flie vp into the heauens wee shall finde the Gods themselues haue bene schollers in Cupids schoole For did not Ioue loue Europa Lida Alcumena and diuers others Phoebus Cassandra Daphne and many moe Mars Venus Venus Adonis Diana Endimion and I know not whome besides Why then if it be so I must needs say that thy power extendeth farre and neere thou being as mightie in the heauens as thou art here vpon the earth Fortunio seeing mee in this humour beganne thus How now man but euen now thou shewedst thy selfe to be conquerour ouer thy passions setting a good face on the matter whilest thou didst bare out the brunt thereof And now againe thou seemest as a recreant to yeeld vnto thy anguish and sorrow crying out and vexing thy selfe as if thou wouldest die vpon the suddaine what is the reason of this alteration and change It is a credit for a man to change from vice to vertue and of bad to become good but not to goe on still growing worse and worse Dauid is praised for amending his wicked life and for becomming a new man where his Sonne Salomon is condemned in that he forgot himselfe in his latter daies becomming an Idolater and a whoremonger amongst his concubines Thinkest thou that it is enough for thee to say thou art not able to resist the force of Loue and that other mens faults are sufficient to excuse and defend thine That thiefe is not exempted from punishment who excuseth himselfe hauing robbed from others that he hath but done as an other hath done before him for though it be lawfull to imitate such actions as are commendable and vertuous yet is it not tollerable to doe what is wicked and villainous This colour then will not serue thee and therefore if as thou not long since diddest affirme thou louest the inward qualities of the minde without coueting that fleshly pleasure which Louers so much studie to obtaine although with great labour and losse but what is the reason thou takest on thus And why shouldest thou seeme to dispaire being readie euery houre almost to goe about to giue ouer the world For louing the soule onely the bodie which is but a closet for the same cannot hinder thy affection neither canst thou hope to receiue any other contentment or pleasure of thy loue then in conceit whereas thou doing thus as thou doest thou wilt make the world belieue that thy loue is of another manner of nature then thou wouldest perswade vs it being the common fashion of sottish Louers and such as desire sensuall delights to crie out and lament as if they were readie to die when they cannot taste the sweetnes of the same as the sicke Patient dieth for want of physicke that should expell such superfluous humours as hurt him Now if thy Loue be such as thou saiest that it neither demandeth nor expecteth in any sort this pleasure what maketh thee for want of enioying the same to run still vnto death wringing thy hands and making such pittious moane as is strange to behold Therefore are such men farre more furious and mad then those senselesse Bedlems are who without cause seeke to offer violence vnto themselues imitating the heathen people of Aegypt who vsed to burne themselues without any cause at all but onely when the toy tooke them in the head for most deare ought we to hold our life because it is vnrecouerable neither must we forgoe it vnlesse for some great occasion as either for the benefit of our common-wealth or for speciall good and aduancement of all our friends I seeing Fortunto to be so earnest replied thus O Fortunio I cannot see how a man can lose a lesser losse then the shortning of his daies for loosing them he lighteth vpon a path that leadeth him into eternall rest and therefore he is not hindered at all resembling that marchant who exchangeth bad marchandise for such as are most pretious and rich For a smaller matter then mine thousands of wise men haue shortned their liues A witnes whereof is that wise man who following Alexander the great and much fauoured of him gaue not ouer for all that to erect a great pile of wood which he setting a fire most cheerfully leapt therein without sturring once and so was there buried But perhaps you will aske me what was the cause that vrged him thereunto truely none but onely because he would leaue this mortall life to inherit a life euerlasting But say that no liuely apprehention of intollerable griefe did force a man to this desire yet are the very defects of Nature and the desire to become immortall sufficient enough to imprint most deeply this conceit in his soule especially if after death we shall be free from feeling of any paine according vnto the grosse errour of the voluptuous Epicure For is it not farre better neuer to be borne then to liue and endure miserie But we flie higher in our thoughts thē those Phylosophers for we by this meanes set not onely an end vnto our wretchednes but we change them into glorie contentment and our fraile and fleshly bodie into an immortall state free from all corruption Therefore my conclusion is that seesing the onely maimes of Nature without any other accident of euill are of force enough to imprint within vs this desire of death we are not to be reprehēded if we die in as much as we are stirred vp vnto death as well because of these imperfections as also by reason of such a subiect of deadly griefe as can no way be remedied nor holpen but by the fatall Destinies and those that doe contrariwise cannot be compared for constancie and vertue vnto those women who one striuing with another leaped into the flaming fire wherein their dead spouses were burned a deepe passion of true sorrow and a vehement desire to follow their husband being that which did animate them vnto this death Besides such as are in dispaire for euer seeing ioyfull daies in this world haue not they the greatest reason of all to die which if any such shall refuse they are of a more base and timerous disposition then those women afore said seeing that in death onely a man incountreth with quiet rest as whilest we liue we are yoaked and tyed vnto troubles The sage Hebrew King praiseth in his prouerbes the dead more then he doth the liuing death being the securest harbor of all other where when we are arriued we are exempted from rowing any more in the dangerous barge of this turbulent world Fond is that Pilot who through the fauour of the
true who sent home the poore Publicane beeing humble and meeke more iustified vnto his house then hee did the proud Pharisie who stood vaunting so much vppon his owne good-works with this sentence Free that buâ—◠〈◊〉 himselfe shall be glorified and hee that glorifieth himselfe shall not be exalted O how much better and comelier is it that a man should say vnto one Friend sit vp higher at the Table take a more honourable place vnto you then to say Come downe sit lower that a worthier person then thy selfe may sit where thou doest Hence then Pride and fie vpon Haughtines pack hence Ambition and away with vainglory these being most dangerous plagues vnto men infecting as well their consciences as their mindes within them On the other side sweere and profitable is Humilitie for so doth the wise man teach vs when hee saith Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for little doest thou knowe what tuill this day may bring vnto thee Amilcar Amilear deceuted throgh Pride chiefe Generall of the Carthaginian forces besieging Syracusa had an answere from his false Gods that hee should suppe the day following within the same Towne wherevpon he straightwaies began to waxe proud and yet did it fall out otperwise then he expected for although hee supped the same night within the Citie it was not as a Conquerour but as a prisoner hee being taken in a Skirmish which they of the besieged Towne made against him Let vs not therefore vaunt our selues ouermuch least wee be taken downe sooner then we looke for for hee onely that is lowly in minde shall be accounted of Let vs then shunne all Prids to auoyd the same we must leaue all companies all Cities and all Courts of Princes So did the deuout and mortified Marie Magdalene leaue the world retiring her selfe into a Rock The death of M. Magdalen where being all alone she lamented her sinnes past with great contrition and repentance passing the rest of her life in this deuout manner To leaue this Monster the Auncient good Fathers ranne into Woods and Desarts leauing their Townes and Cities as Paul Anthony Hierome and diuers moe because Prsde seldome or neuer haunteth solitarie places for feare he should be starued for hun ger but rather runneth amongst the Rich and where there is good store and plentie of euery thing and thither likewise must wee withdraw our selues if wee meane to liue deuoutlie indeed The Almightie Sonne of the euerliuing God chose a Wildernesse for his field of warre A solitary place better for Meditano of heauenly matters then Citties or company of men at what time hee did combat with the Diuell after that he had fasted fortie dayes and fourtie nights O thrice happie they who giuing ouer the world passe the rest of their liues in true holinesse and vertue in some secrete and remote place as if it were an Hermitage where neither Ambition nor Enuie neither Couetousnes nor vaine Loue trouble them not at all whilst they with great contentment and pleasure passe the rest of their liues free from all daungers whatfoeuer There they grieue not to see their enemies waxe rich and themselues to growe poore There no brawlings at the Barre about Law matters no confused noyse for the profite of Cities no toyling and moyling like Drudges in the Countrey doth trouble or molest them at all whilst they onely liue vnto their God not regarding or once minding any matters or businesse of the world After this manner of life A proofe of the Contemplatius life meane I to end mine owne and I will studie to finde out this sacred Humilitie which neuer deceiueth anie For hardly can hee misse of his purpose or be frustrated of his enterprise who goeth willingly about the same not beeing troubled with any thing else in his minde at all Hence then all Ambitious creatures for I must needes leaue you since you soyle our soules as oyle doth staine a garment A solitarie and sequestred kinde of life is best Pride is neuer in poote and vertuous places more pleasing and more secure then any other So will I liue and such a one will I be to â—uoyd that furious Monster Pride who neuer commeth in chaste and priuate places which are well gouerned and where good exercises are vsed in all laudable sort that may be And therfore here I protest that from hence forward I will leaue this wicked world and that most willingly with all the vaine pompes and flattering greatnesse of the same wishing euery one that is wise to followe mee taking the same course I am in hand to doe So horrible and terrible is the foulenesse of that Beast as it maketh me yet to tremble for verie feare and neuer shall I thinke thereof but that I shall finde my selfe the worse a long time after Therefore to preuent the worst and not to fall into his gryping pawes I am resolued to forsake all companie of men shutting my selfe within some vncoth and vnfrequented place like vnto a Recluse where without euer seeing any bodie I will end the remnant of this my too long life farre from Pride and ambition and voyd of all loue and enuie This is my constant and certaine resolution which I propose to such as minding to follow me are willing to be partakers of true Humslitie gaining thereby rest in this world and in the world to come peace euerlasting Therefore my deare and sweet companions although I be loth yet must I needs leaue you to seeke out this rough and austere kinde of abode where my drerie eyes shall be exempted from the view of this strange Monster which would make me to die for very feare onely if they should by chance once more haue neuer so little sight of him yea yea I will seeke to auoide his loathed prefence by this good meanes whilest following the steps of humble Humilitie I shall imitate that great vessell of election who reioyced in nothing so much as in the crosse of Christ That religious S. Iohn the Baptist who called himselfe the voice of a cryer in the wildernes and that godly Elias who tearmed himselfe to be a feather blowne vp and downe by the winde all which three were lowly and humble aduersries to Pride and voide of all ambition Therefore haue I set vp my rest to cast Anker in this Hauen after my sayling through so many and dangerous mortall Seas desiring you all my deare and louing sisters most humble entreating you that none of you doe me that great wrong as to seeke to dehort me from this so holy a resolution which if you should yet were it but in vaine and to no purpose at all he is accursed that seekes to leade astray that sinner who is entered into the path of his saluation he hauing a sorrowfull heart and being penitent in his minde for the same Now reuerend Sire iudge you if this Oration was pleasing vnto me or no I stood mute and still as that huge
and the first opening of a fault is difficult vnto a vertuous minde but very casie when he shall be permitted to take an habit in the same For so small a trifle and such a thing as can doe thee no good be not I beseech thee the cause that I be esteemed or taken for other then hithereto I haue bene for hare and leane should that tryumph be which thou shouldest purchase by mine honour because my blood should presently make satisfaction for the same Content thee then with what I haue said and thinke that I will not denie thee any thing which may stand with my credit but considering that this which thou requirest may some way impeach the same I cannot iustly yeeld vnto thy demand Leaue then I say once more to importune me for that which will doe thee no good yet will hurt me much and then shall I thinke that thy speeches are true and that thy loue is chaste and vertuous as thou hast hitherto protested This was my Ladies sharpe replie which draue away all my former ioy I had conceiued of hope by reason of her first kinde words so as now my complaints began afresh againe my teares renewed and my sighes came forth faster then they had done before I was so galled with sorrow and so much griped at the heart with this her vnexpected deniall as I could doe nothing but weepe holding downe mine eyes towards the ground as not daring to looke vpon her In the end surcharged and oppressed with contrarie passions I burst out into these wofull tearmes hauing before sent forth thousands of scalding sighes as precursors of the same O cruell Loue O miserable Starres iealous of my good O dismall day wherin I was borne and more then thrise accursed life of mine since I am more wretched then any whatsoeuer liuing After much labour taking and many a yeares sayling the Pilot at length arriueth vnto his Hauen but I Caitiffe that I am finde no end of my torments None giueth succour vnto me neither doth any as much as a little ease me my sicknes encreaseth with the day continueth all night long and yet neuer amendeth Alas alas why died not I at the first when hauing offended you my dearest Ladie you exild me from you louely presence Vnfortunate Shepheard that I was to perswade my selfe to liue and hope the best when I finde no cause but of dispaire and death Ah had I then taken that readie course I had bene now free from these hellish panges which euery minute oppresse my heart and I had bene partaker of those rare beatitudes which the soules of happie Louers enioy for euer Sacred and Religious Diana since you adiudge me vnworthy of any small fauour at your hands and that without yeelding to agree vnto so little a matter you are desirous of my end yet at the least doe thus much for me as to permit me to die in leiu of all my troubles before thy beautious face This I beg at your hand for default of that other curtesie which you iudge me vnworthy of for although you haue denied me the first yet I hope you will agree vnto the secod otherwise I vow after I haue a hundred thousand times tearmed you by the name of Cruell I will most desperately lay violent hands vpon my selfe crying out that you haue bene the cause of mine vntimely ouerthrow Graunt me then one of my requests the last of which you cannot well denie because it costeth you nothing What hurt can this be vnto you any way but rather good when you shall doe so charitable a deed vnto the common-wealth as to permit him to die who is vnprofitable vnto the same Without licence from you I neither may nor will take this bloodie course in hand seeing I hold my life from you and that you alone and none but you haue puissance ouer me Linger not then to yeeld vnto my desire for if you thinke that my trauailes past haue merited any reward you cannot better recompence them then to graunt me death which is the onely thing I couet seeing I must be depriued of your cheerfull presence as one not worthy to enioy it As the Hunter is amazed hauing lost the tracing of the Deare which he hunteth his dogs being at a bay knoweth not which way to goe nor well what path to take whilest his Hounds barking vpon some dich side round about him he standeth musing what to doe Euen such a one my Ladie seemed to be she seeing her selfe charged with two contrarie demaunds both which she iudged aduersaries vnto her honour which to take she knoweth not well and therefore standeth studying as one sad and pensiue what to say vnto this matter If she should giue me her hand to kisse she feareth least I should foolishly and without wit speake something that might discredit her and if she should suffer me to die she being now readie to giue ouer the world and to become as it were a Religious Nunne she doubted least the world would say she had done it for griefe of me Besides she was vnwilling that I should die vnto whom despite of her selfe she thought her selfe somewhat beholding knowing that death was but a cold recompence for so great loue as I had borne her Much was she perplexed in her minde about this busines my hard fortune did somewhat soften her stonie heart but then againe the respect of her honour did harden it as much but had Loue had but some interest or power in her she had quickly brought these two contraries vnto an agreement but alas he then had not neither is he like euer to haue What should she doe in these two extremities and how should she throughly satisfie and content her honour One while she putteth forth her hand for me to kisse and then vpon the suddaine putteth it backe againe one while she is about to casshire me with rough speeches and then againe she seemeth willing to yeeld vnto my request one while she careth not although I die and then by and by she cannot endure she should be counted so cruell Meane space she seeth me to raine whole riuers of teares and to send forth blacke clouds of scalding sighes whilest with a sobbing heart I thus once more follow mine old sute vnto her What is the reason faire Goddesse that you thus stand lingring through delaies and not suffer this forsaken and abiect wretch to die To what end doth he liue which way can he profite his countrie and what reason haue you to lament his destruction Pronounce pronounce thy faithfull sentence quickly for he attendeth for nothing else to the end he may with a more braue courage wend his way to put in practise the same Speake then and giue our this musing when the Iudge sitteth vpon the life or death of an offender he standeth not studying vpon the same but soone pronounceth his finall iudgement Deliuer then my sentence as a fatall Oracle without delaying any longer for
I le leaue to loue thee being dead When thy faire portraiture reuiues my sight If mortall voice from Tombes haue some men lead Restoring vnto them their senses right Then how much more ought LOVE be houonred Whom then the greatest Gods is more of might Then think not though my Corse in Vault thou see That from thy loue as thou wouldst I am free Below in Monument still shalt thou heare How I will sigh for without soule thy Fire Shall hold mee vp whilst liuing I 'le appeare Being dead as fore my death I did desire Nor deadly pangs thereof will I once feare Nor part from thee as thou wouldst faine require For in thy life so cruell th' ast not beene But in my Death as loyall I 'le be seene Yet is my Fortune better farre then thine For without breach of Faith as thou hast done I shall haue leaue to plaine of sorrow mine Thou thinkst in killing mee a Martyrdome More tedious then before mee to assigne But th' art deceiu'd a wrong Race hast thou runne For whilst I liu'd thy Rigour was my bane But now being dead I freed am from the same Death then both thee and mee preserues from ill Thee that no more thy Beautie I molest Mee that I feele not now thy cruell will O happie Death that two desires hath blest Then let mee die thy minde for to fulfill Yet first I will this Rock shall be possest Of this my dolefull verse true witnesse How vndeseru'd I brought was to distresse For though to die it shall mee mickle please Yet must I grieue at thy lost Companie Then Rocks Caues Woods Groues Springs and greenie Leaze Witnes you all LOVE Arcas made to die To noyse this in the world doe neuer cease If I report shall where as dead I lie How all of you although by Nature wilde Yet then my Mistris are more meeke and milde No sooner had I engrauen these Verses but that I got me vp vnto the toppe of the same Rock minding to cast my selfe downe into the swelling Seas when vpon the suddaine an other new conceit came into my braine which was to see if I could deuise a meane how I might restore Diana againe not onely vnto my selfe but also vnto the other Nymphs who as well as I sore lamented the losse of her departure Wherevpon I knowing that she would not be perswaded by any reasons whatsoeuer to be reclaimed or altered from her first determination I went and sought out her Friends and Parents vnto whome I bewrayed the intention of their faire daughter perswading them with all the earnest speeches I could by all the liuely reasons as might be deuised that they should not in any wise permit her to haue her will therein They hearing mee tell so straunge a Tale were wonderfully amazed and daunted therewith For Diana neuer meant to haue made them priuie in this her secret businesse promised mee that they would so worke as they would if they could crosse her in this her resouled purpose they themselues being much vnwilling she should take vpon her any such Austere and Melancholike course Wherevpon I being glad that they iumped with mee in opinion hauing receiued hearty thankes from them for my kinde Intelligences came away wonderfullie well pleased in that I had spedde so well And not long after they tooke so good an order as the faire Nymph although very much against her will was constrained to obey their hests and giuing ouer her former resolution liuing amongst vs as shee had vsed before But alas as hee that buildeth goodly houses oftentimes erecteth his graue it being his chaunce to be slaine therein Euen so I thinking to prolong mine owne life framed mine owne proper death and ouer throwe For my Mistris who before time was wont still to vse mee kindely shewing me good countenance when she saw me although for the most part shee was sadde and heauy in her minde because shee was barred from her most wished for Designe came at the length to know that I onely was the chiefe cause that her Parents had so much hindered and crossed her against her will As that Maister who bearing great affection vnto one of his seruants particularly both hateth and detesteth the same man after he findeth how hee is run-away and hath robbed him of his goods and Treasure Euen so no sooner came these dismall newes vnto her cares but that suddainly she began to alter her minde towardes mee hating mee vnto death yea and that in so cruell a manner as shee beganne now to loath mee a thousand times more then euer she had loued me before Wherevpon shee vowed in her minde to be reuenged vpon me imagining and deuising in her selfe how she might best doe it But alas what need had she to haue troubled herselfe so much For shee needed no other to execute this spitefull malice towards me then her owne poore selfe Thus we see how chaungeable and vncertaine the fortunes of Louers are in their Loues For one morning I finding her alone beganne as I was wont to salute her when shee presently looking as redde as any â—â—re with extreame choller began thus to requite my kindnesse O cruell and vngratefull wretch out of my sight if thou meanest that I shall liue Is this the reward for so many curtesies as thou hast receiued at my hands to seeke most Traitreously to hinder mee in my sacred and religious intention Away I say and out of my sight for I forbid thee my presence and thinke or else It shall goe hardly with me but that I will most grieuously plague thee for thy vnthankfull and leaud dealing In the meane while I commaund thee vpon paine of death that thou neuer presume to come againe before me Cruell vngratefull false-harted and wicked Creature as thou art that hast thus requited mee with euill for good most iniuriously opposing thy selfe against my most iust and godly desires And hauing so said away she flung swelling for very rage and anger and not so much as once staying to heare what answere I could make in mine owne defence That woman whom her husband hath taken tardie as guiltie of some hainous facultie is not halfe so heauie sorrowfull neither so confounded with feare and shame as I was then Long did I stand stone still as if my feete had growne vnto the ground neither was I able or had the power to open or lift vp mine eyes so much had grieâ— seazed vpon me as I thought verily I should haue dyed as then in that place In the ende comming vnto my selfe againe and remembring the more then cruell threatnings of my dread Mistris without wailing any more or bethinking me of any other deuise how to excuse my selfe I ran vp vnto the toppe of the Rocke vpon which I had bene so often before That done I closed both mine eyes flinging my selfe downe from thence into the maine Sea resoluing to drowne me within the bottome of the same No sooner was I in the water but I began to repent mee of my rash enterprise whilst the feare of death being not farre off so terrified and affrighted mee as I beganne to swimme most lustily in the waues to saue my life Thus as I was tumbled and tossed too and fro by the churlish Surges a certaine Shippe by great good fortune sailed by the Marriners and Sailers whereof being moued with pittie tooke mee vp by a rope being verie heauie and sadde as you may well suppose And within a while after whether it were by reason the inward griefe I conceiued for my Ladies vnkindnesse or because of the great paine and labour which I had taken in swimming I know not but I fell to be most extreamely sicke in the Shippe vpon the suddaine They doubting least I would die as those who were very vnwilling to haue any diseased folks in their vessell although forie for the same yet forced and as it were halfe against their wills set me on land in this desart leauing me some victualls to liue vpon vntill better foretune should happen In the end I recouered my health againe and am miserable ARCAS confined to fiue in this comfortlesse wildernesse and depriued the company of my deare Mistris for euer my comfort is that my dayes will soone be shortned and that I haue not long to liue And thus good Father haue you heard the true dolefull discourse of my more then wretched misfortunes which will neuer end vntill my life shall part from this his vnwelcome mansion I doubt I haue troubled you in being ouer long but alas it was sore against my will for sooner if I could would I haue sinisht the same Not a whit answered the olde Magitian for you rather haue pleased mee very much and I like your discourse maruailous well And God I pray comfort you for great need haue you thereof But it is now very neere night Let vs then goe replied the Shepheard seeing I haue now set downe and reported the restlesse liues the pittifull complaints and the most lamentable kindes of such as haue loued FINIS Nec morte moritur Amor. LONDON PRINTED BY THOMAS Creede dvvelling in the old Change neere old Fishstreete at the Signe of the Eagle and Childe 1610.
HONOVRS ACADEMIE OR THE FAMOVS PASTORALL of the faire Shepheardesse IVLIETTA A worke admirable and rare Sententious and graue and no lesse profitable then pleasant to pervse Wherein are many notable Discourses as well Philosophicall as Diuine Most part of the Seuen Liberall Sciences being comprehended therein with diuers Comicall and Tragicall Histories in Prose and Verse of all sorts Done into English by R. T. Gentleman BELLVM HIT AVARITIA CONTRA Imprinted at London by Thomas Creede 1610. TO THE TRVLIE HONORABLE AS WELL FOR VERTVE AS NOBILITIE THE LADIE ANNE HERNE Wife to that worthie and gene rous Gentleman Syr EDVVARD HERNE of the thrice Auncient and Noble ORDER of the BATHE KNIGHT BOund by desert not meriting the same Words still to giue for deeds doth make me shame Yet Beautious pardon since the pouer Man Giues thogh not what he should yet what he can Thanks yeeld I you the pay of younger Brother Let Heyres be franke and not their Riches smother What you request I wish you would commaund For so my dutie to your Vertue 's paund Vouchsafe this modest Booke fraught full of wit A subiect chaste a Ladie chaste doth fit Then honored ANNE grace HONORS ACADEMIE Since HONOR honoreth you as much as anie Your Eglets high Conceit too well doth know My Swallow MVSE flies for your pitch too low This stuffe is SHEPHARDS GRAY spunne course and plaine Vnlesse that you this worke to grace shall daigne But as your outward shape is louely faire So inwardly you' ar Curteous Debonaire Your disposition milde all faults will couer And as vnseene you gentlie them do smother My hope is then that you will sweetly looke With your all-pleasing Eye vpon this Booke Resolu'de whereon your Votarie I rest Liue happie since manie through you are blest The Phoenix faire sprung from your Ashes sweete As you so her in dutious sort I greete Euer deuoted vnto your matchlesse Vertues Robert Tofte TO THE CVRTEOVS AND IVDICIOVS READER AND TO NONE OTHER PArdon to craue of Sottish MVLTITVDE That saucie giddie-headed Monster rude Who knowes not when ought well is or amis Of shallowe shickle Braine a token is I le not so much as winde to begge it spend None grosely more then Find-faults do offend A golden Calse I cannot worship I An Ape in purple Asse in skarlet Die My Muse as yet I neuer Marchant made Who fells â—â—s wit for Golde is LEARNINGS IADE My Scope is faire and vertuous is my Feeld Then pleasure great this subiect needs must yeeld Nor I of anie feare to be disgrac're As is my Muse so is my Mistris chaste No word obscene â—o phrase lasciuious You here shall reade to tainte a Virgins blush Hence Enuie then goe get thee downe to hell My Sunn 's so oright all mistâ— it doth expell LEARNED to you my Booke and selfe I yeeld Against those Gorgons holde forth Pallas Shield Chiefly against an other worser Crue Oh pardon passion when it speaketh true Against such ydle Theeues as doe purloyne From others Minte what 's none of their owne Coyne These buz about like Drones and Beetles blinde Whilst in them Hunnie none but gaule you finde Against these Cheaters and their shifting Rout Vouchsafe your Cristall Shield for to hold out Yee royall Marchants-like in th' Ocean deepe Of endlesse Knowledge venture wealth to seeke Nor feare you when you vtter it at home Those barbarous BROKERS that each where doe rome And do their force though weake God knowes aduance Conducted by their blinde guide Ignorance Base Ignorance the Foe most capitall To Wisedome Learning and good Manners all Oh doe but you in your RIALTO rich Of CVRTESIE nor is this Fauour mich Giue out this Trash of mine is like no Like 's the same Your precious Wares and I shall malice shame Do you but once commend this my poore wealth And MOMVS straite for griefe will hang himselfe Yours euermore R. T. THE PRINTER TO THE READERS IN GENERALL GEntle Readers brieflie and ingeniouslie in a word thus This Booke hath beene kept from the Translator heereof a long time since when vntill it was in a manner throughlie Printed hee neuer had sight of it and therefore could not possiblie pervse it ouer as his desire was meaning to haue corrected what you perhaps may finde amisse Some faults no doubt there be especially in the Verses and to speake truth how could it be otherwise when he wrote all this Volume as it were Cursorily and in hast Neuer hauing so much leisure as to ouer-looke one leafe after he had scribbled out the same It therefore must needs be little better then a confused Chaos Rudis indigestaque Moles not much vnlike the Beares vglie whelpe before it be licked ouer by the dambe But there is no remedie now but patience hee can be but sorie for the same And yet to speake indifferently the errours heerein committed are not so grosse and so many but that they may be easily let slippe and passe vnespied and this is the petition which I am bold to put vp vnto you which if my Fortune be so good as it may passe and be graunted amongst you you shall animate the Gentleman hence-forward to be more carefull to please you and binde me in double bands with him to labour hereafter in what I may to make some better satisfaction for this your kinde patience towards vs both And so I rest Alwayes yours to by poore power T. C. THE FIRST PART OF IVLIETTAS PASTORALLS A MOST EXQVISITE PIECE OF VVORKE wherein are set downe diuers excellent Discourses as well Morall as Philosophicall Intermixed with many Histories both pleasant and Tragicall set forth in sundrie sorts of verses fitting the Humor of euerie one whatsoeuer AFTER so many strange cruelties inflicted vpon the wretched Shepheard A RCAS by vnpitifull Fortune in the end he found himself all alone in the middest of a most fearefull desart being a place agreeable to his griefe and not a little fit for his sharpe and stinging miserie Horror in steed of light made there her abode neither did any other comfortable Beame of pleasure shine there then such as ioylesse solitarines draweth from pining sorrow No cheerfull Sunne in this place vsed to cast forth his gladsome raies it being the ordinarie abiding of the blacke daughters of fatall death The chiefest riches the poore Shepheard found there was Bushes Thornes Brambles and Briers hard flintie Rocks and huge senselesse stones No other creatures entertained he for his Guests but brute Beastes withdrawing himselfe from the companie of men as if they had bin diuels Thousands of Rocks of which some being eaten with time other some blasted with lightning and some set out with sharpe pointed Thornes kept him as a Bulwarke safe on the one side and the periurde waters of the changing Sea growing white with stormie Billows preseru'd him secure on the other There sometimes was the melancolike abode of still sleepe there the resting place of pale death and there the