vp the roots so though I dissemble till oportunitie Sicheus shall féele my hate to death and though I endure a space I will redéem my dying life and perseuering in this resolution Elisaes thoughts The Diuell is the executioner of vengeance that were lately drowned in sorrow now flamed with desire of Reuenge and the Deuill who is the Executioner of Vengeance presented her forth with this vngratious meane A yong Gentleman named Chion among a troupe of other Ladies and Gentlewomen beheld faire Elisa with such a burning affection as he foorthwith dispossessed his owne hart to make his bosome the seate of her imagined Image so that his soule that continually eyed her beauty and his hart at the direction of his Mistresse gaue such a heat to his desire that had he béene sure to haue receiued Ixions torments for his ambitious attempting of Iunoes loue he could neither haue left to loue An extreame passion of loue nor haue forborne to séek for grace so that follow what would he foorth with presented his affections in this ensuing Letter ⧠Chions Letter to Elisa FAire Mistresse had I vertue to perswade you to ruth as you haue power to make me loue the discouery of my blazing affections would melt you were you a Mountain of Ice to pittie But for that Loue is more vehement in the hart then in the toung I appeale to your owne motions for grace if you haue euer loued if not I hope for such iustice at Venus hands as you shall loue and yet thus much I say although I affye nothing in my perswasions because they be but words I presume of my indeuours for that I haue vowed my life to death to do you seruice of which you can haue no better assurance then imployment nor I a hyer fauour then to be imployed Good Madame martyr me not with ordinary doubts in that my affections are not ordinary For as your beauty excelleth al other Dames as the faire Rose each Garden Flower euen so the full power of Loue hath made me in the estate of flaming flaxe that is presently to receiue grace or in a moment to perish Thus longing for your sweet answere I somewhat succour my torments with the imagination that I kisse your gracious hand No more his owne Chion This Letter sealed and subscribed was deliuered to so cunning a Messenger as néeded no instructions in Chions behalfe The letter presented and aduisedly read by Elisa surprised her with an vnmeasurable ioy not so much for that she had purchased her selfe a faithful Louer as procured her Husband a mortall enemy A naturall feare in a woman surpriseth many of their euil affections of which Chions Letter gaue her not so great assurance as the disposition of his countenaunces in a former regarde and thereupon pursuing Sicheus with more hate then minding Chion with affection she mused vpon a number of mischiefes inuented by desire to be reuenged and suppressed by feare to be defamed In fine remembring that she had read Loue quickneth a mans wit although it burieth Reason To trie if he could define what seruice she desired she returned Chion a Briefe wherein he had a light to mischiefe and might be read without blemish of her honour the effect whereof was this While SICHEVS doth liue ELISA cannot loue CHION receiued this Scrowle but yet before he presumed to read the Contents he kissed and rekissed the same holding an opinion that comming from his mistresses hands it deserued such honour although it contained Sentence of his death not vnlike the foolish Mahometians An example for Christian Subiects who vpon their Emperours Commaundements are ready Exerutioners of their owne liues But to my purpose Craft hath many times his wil with an opnion of honestie when Chion had throughly perused this strange aunswere were it Sicheus his heauy Destinie or a iust scourge for his foretrespasses accursed that he was he became too iust an Executioner of Elisaes wicked will but yet with this interpretation that the loue she bare her husband directed her in this answere Insomuch as ouercome with a furious hate towards Sicheus as the barre of his welfare like a Lyon that bites the Iron grate which holdes him from his pray sodenly with this salutation he sheathed his Sword in Sicheus ntrailes SICHEVS shall not liue To hinder CHIONS loue The fact was so fowle and withal so publique Wilfull faults deserue no pardon as the Officers of Iustice immediatly seased vpon Chion and for that his bloodie swoord was a witnes of the trespas there was no Plea to saue him for wilfull faults may be pittied but deserueth no pardon and to say trueth neither did he destre to liue because Elisa the vertue of his life by the charge of law was bound to sue him to death who followed the processe with an apparance of sorrow such as if her Couscience had béen without scruple of guiltinesse or her hart a thousand degrées from ioy when God knowes she was puffed with the one and the other so that the wonder at her dissimulation equalled the reproch of her notorious hatred To be short A fauour euill bestowed this was the Iudges sentence Chyon should be behaded as amends for Sicheus death and the Widdow should be endowed with his goods for the dammage done vnto her but God which knoweth our secret faults when Iudges though they rule as Gods know but what they heare and sée as men not willing to hide such an hainous offence This Iudge is not partiall for fauour gaine or feare First amased all the hearers with an vnknown voice Elisaes hart is as guiltie as Chions hand and there with all thundred this following vengeance vpon the cleared malefactor The Infant in Elisaes wombe as it were ingendred of the Parents malice at the very instant not obeying the course of Nature so tirannised her Intrailes as with very agony she dyed and withall remaineth an opinion that the Husband Wife and Sonne by the appointment of the Gods were Metamorphosed into Vipers which venimous Beastes are thrall to these curses The female after she hath engendred The curses giuen vnto a Viper murdreth the Male because she will not be ruled as an inferiour and the yong eate themselues forth of their Dams intrailes because they will not be bound to the obedience of Nature Well quoth Soranso though your Metamorphosis be vnlikely yet it is not vnnecessarily applyed For for the most part those which are forced to Mariage agrée little better then Vipers But it séemeth to me Segnior Faliero you haue too fauourably reported this History in Elysaes behalfe considering the mortall venime she tempered in her hart O quoth Faliero long fowle wayes Breuitie is best in passionate matters and affectation in pleasant both tyreth the Horse and wearieth his Rider where both the one and the other ouercommeth the length of faire passages with pleasure Euen so in a ruthfull History ouer plenty
Goddesse her to crowne Which is decreed when nature shall agree Thus happy I in Fortunes frownes long whirld A Goddesse serue and Soueraigne of the world BArgetto lighted by a Page apparelled in his Mistresse colours Greene Carnation and White followed Ismarito hauing the mouth of his Maske closed with a small Golden Lock as a witnesse of the true execution of his Mistres commandement and vpon his fist he carried a Parrate to prattle to his Mistres vpoÌ„ pausing betwéen euery solemne Almain couertly vnder the Parrates wing was hidden this passion HEnce burning sighes which sparkle from desire To pitty melt my Mistresse frozen Hart Her frozen hart that Fancy cannot fire Nor true intent perswade to ruâ—my smart Haste haste I pray the Icye paâ—â—â—e breake And pleade for him that is forbid to speake What though at first you faile to calme her rage Yet as the Sunne from earth doth draw the Rayne Your vertues so the stormes of scorne may swage Or feede Desire with showers of disdaine For euen as drinke doth make the Dropsie drie So colde disdaine compels Desire to frie. Her will be done but I haue sworne to loue And with this vow will nourishe my delight Her scorne my woe nay time may not remoue A faithful zeale out of my troubled spright Yea more then al I le Sacrifice my blood And fire my bones to doe my Mistresse Good SORANSO lighted by a Page in Orange Tawny Watched and Greene was the next that presented himselfe who vpon his left side had a Hart of Crimson Granado Silke so artificially made and fastened to his dublet as if his body had opened and his heart appeared which fell downe at his Mistresse féete vpon such a Fortune as shee was bound to take it vp which opened she might beholde the picture of berselfe reading this submission EVen as the Hart a deadly wound that hath Retyres himselfe with sighes to solace griefe And with warme teares his gored sides doth bath But finding mone to render smal reliefe Impatient Beast he giues a heauy bray And hastes the Death that many would delay So I whose Loue beyond my hap doth mount Whose thoughts as Thornes yet prick me with Desire Whose sute and zeale return's with no accompt Whose hope is drye set in a harte of Fire Holde this for ease foorthwith to spoyle the eye That lookte and lou'de thâ—â— in despayre to dye A happy Doome if it for law might stand But men condemnde themselues may not dispatch Their liues and deathes are in their Soueraignes hand So mine in hers whose Lookes did me attach And therefore I to pardon or to kill Must yeeld my selfe the Prisoner of her will L'ENVOY THen Lady fayre receiue what longes to thee A fettered thrall attyred with disgrace And at thy feete his wounded heart here see And in the same the Image of thy face Which bleeding fresh with throbs throwes forth his mone Rueth rueth deare Dame for that I am your owne DONDOLO lighted by his Page apparelled in Tawny Blew and Black Taffata was the fourth who vpon his Breast bare a Myrrour set the outside inward and yet fastened so siope as it might receiue light with an imagination that he shewed his Heart the Beauty of his Mistresse and in the thought he wrote vpon the outside Bastache Spero within which glasse this Sonet was cunningly conueyed which vpon a fit oportunitie he presented vnto his Mistresse Lucia Bella. FRom shore to sea from dales to mountaines hie From meddowes fayre amid the craggie rocke Loue doth me leade I know not whither I But euermore a passage doth vnlocke Now doe I fight now weepe now death I feare In all these stormes yet loue the healme doth steare In desart woods I wander too and fro Where I wilde beastes and firie Serpents meete Yet safe I passe Loue doth direct me so In tempests rough my barke doth alwayes fleete Yea when Sun Moone and starres forsake the skie Loue giues me light from my faire Mistresse eye I mount to heauen I know not with what winges I sinke to hell yet drowne not in distresse Twixt Ice and flame Loue me in safety bringes But to what end in sooth I cannot gesse Yet hap what shall Loue giueth me this scope In dangers mouth to liue alwayes in hope FALIERO lighted by a Page attired in Peach colour yellow and popeniay greene Taffata was the fifte and last that entered who as if she were climing vp his Arme caried a white Turtle so artificially made as it deceiued no lesse then Parrhasius paynted Table Cloth In whese Beake were finely rowled these Verses IF on firme fayth one Hart vncharg'd with fraud One langour sweete one wish desire doth moue If honest Zeale a gentle brest doth lawde If wandering long in the Lab'rinth of Loue If wan pale cheekes are witnesses of woe If reaking sighs throwne from a burning heart If all these and thousand sorrowes moe May charme Mistrust and make you rue my smart Faire Mistresse looke but in my Meagre face And you shall reade that I haue neede of Grace In this order and with these deuises the Maskers entred and after they had saluted Quéene Aurelia and the honourable of the company they placed themselues some of the one side of the great Chamber and some of the other obseruing therein a more discréete order then the ordinary Maskers who at their first enterance either daunce with themselues or rudely sease vpon the Gentlewomen but these Maskers entertayned a small Time with their Musicke while they had leasure to looke about and espie who were the worthiest among the Ladies In the ende Ismarito kissing his hande with a Countenance abased humbly desired Quéene Aurelia to doe him the grace to daunce with him Next Bargetto made choyce of Franceschina Santa after him Soranso chose Maria Belochi Dondolo raysed Lucia Bella and last of all Faliero tooke his Mistresse Catherina Trista and thus they obserued in their choyce the same course they kept in their enterance After this company had performed all the ciuill Seruices of Maskers leauing behinde them their Mistresses honoured and the whole company much contented they departed in the good order they entered sauing that their Mistresses were possessed with their seuerall Deuices Which done the Gentlemen and Gentlewomen began to shrinke out of the great Chamber as the starres séeme to shoote the Skie towardes the breake of day MADONA AVRELIA Her third daies pleasures Containing sundry Moral Precepts With a large discouery of the inconueniences of Rash Mariages THE Authoritie is daylie Experience that prooueth howe that the bitterest worldly Sorrow â—he vncertainâ—â— of worldly â—â—ings soone endes either by benefite of Fortune or violence of death neither is the firmest worldly pleasure of more continuaunce then an Imagination which is straight crost with a contrary Suggestion What difference was there betwéeue the Fortunes of Caesar and Pompey Both Pompey and Caesar diâ—d violently when their endes were both
Brother poore man alas what should hee doe Life was swéet but to be redéemed with his sisters Infamie could not but be alwayes vnsauerie To perswade her to consent was vnnaturall to yéelde to death was more grieuous To choose the least of these euils A hard choice of two euils was difficult to studie long was dangerous Fayne would he liue but shame closed his mouth when he attempted to perswade his Sister But Necessitie that mastreth both shame feare brake a passage for his imprisoned intent Swéete Cassandra quoth he that men loue is vsual but to subdue affection is impossible and so thorny are the motions of incontinent desire The force of necessitie as to finde ease the tongue is only occupied to perswade The purse is euer open to entice and where neither words nor Giftes can corrupt with the mighty force shall constraine The force of Loue. or dispight auenge That Promos doe loue is but iust thy beauty commaunds him That Promos be refused is more iust because consent is thy Shame Thou mayst refuse and liue but hée being reiected I die For wanting his will in thée he will wreake his téene on me This is my hard estate My life lyeth in thy Infamie and thy honour in my death Which of these euilles be least I leaue for thée to iudge The wofull Cassandra answered A hard fortune that death was the least whose darte we cannot shunne when Honour in deaths despight outliueth time It is true quoth Andrugio but thy trespasse will be in the least degrée of blame Death is to bee preferred before dishonourable life For in forced faultes Iustice sayth there is no intent of euill Oh Andrugio quoth she intent is now adayes little considered thou art not condemned by the intent but by the strickt word of the Law The venemous nature of Enuy. so shal my cryme be reproched and the forced cause passe vnexcused and such is the venome of Enuy one euil déede shal disgrace tenne good turnes and in this yéelding so shall I be valued Enuy Disdayne Spight The vertuous are assured of many enemies and incertaine of any frendes Malice Slaunder and many moe furies will endeuour to shame me and the meanest vertue will blush to help to support my honor so that I sée no liberty for thée but death nor no ease for me but to hasten my end O yes quoth Andrugio for if this offence be knowne thy fame wil be enlarged because it will likewise be knowne A cause that may excuse the breach of honour that thou receiuedst dishonr to giue thy brother life If it be seceret thy conscience will be without scruple of guiltinesse Thus knowne or vnknowen thou shalt be deflowred but not dishonested and for amends we both shall liue This further hope remayneth that as the Gilliflower both pleaseth the eye and fâ—edeth the sence euen so the vertue of thy chast behauiour may so grace thy beauty A faint hope as Promos filthy lust may be turned into faythfull loue and so moue him to salue thy honour in making thée his wife Or for conscience for beare to doe so heynous an iniurie Soueraigne Madame and you fayre Gentlewomen quoth Isabella I intreate you in Cassandraes behalfe these reasons well weyed to iudge her yéelding a constraynt and no consent who weary of her owne life and tender ouer her brothers with teares of her louely eyes bathed his chéekes with this comfortable sentence Liue Andrugio and make much of this kisse A louing kisse which breatheth my honour into thy bowels and draweth the infamie of thy first trespasse into my bosome The sharpe incounters betwéene life and death so occupied Andrugioes sences that his tongue had not the vertue to bid her farewel To gréeue you with the hearing of Cassandraes secret playnts were an iniurie vertuous Ladies for they concluded with their good Fortune and euerlasting fame But for that her offence grew neither of frayltie A good consideration in Cassandra frée will or any motion of a woman but by the méere inforcement of a man because she would not stayne the modest wéedes of her kinde she attyred her felfe in the habite of a Page and with the bashfull grace of a pure Virgine she presented wicked Promos Andrugioes precious ransome This diuel in humane shape more vicious then Heliogabalus of Rome A damnable offence and withall as cruell as Denis of Sycil receiued this Iewell with a thousand protestations of fauour But what should I say In the beginning of his loue Promos was Metamorphosed into Priapus and of a Féende what may we expect but vengeance heaped vpon villany And therefore let it not séem straunge the after this Hel houÌ„d had dishonored Cassandra he sent his warrant to the Gayler priuily to execute Andrugio with his head crowned with these two Briefes A villainous ingratitude in Promos name to present Cassandra Fayre Cassaudra as Promos promist thee From Prison loe he sends thy Brother free This was his Charge whose cursed will had béen executed had not God by an especial prouidence at the houre of his Death An especiall prouidence of God possessed Andugio with the vertues of the two braue Romanes Marcus Crassus and Marius the one of which by the force of his tongue and the other by the motions of his eyes caused she Axe to fal out of the Headsmans hand and mollified his cruel minde With like compassion the Gayler in hearing Andrugioes hard aduenture left his resolution And vpon a solemne oath to liue vnknowen yea to his deare Sister hee gaue him life and in the dead of the night betooke him to God and to good fortune A signe of an honest nature which done this good Gayler tooke the head of a young man new executed who some what resembled Andrugio and according to leawd Promos commaundement made a present thereof to Cassandra How vnwelcome this Present was An vnwelcom present the testimonie of her former sorrowes some what discouer but to giue her present passion a true grace were the talke of Prometheus or such a one as hath had experience of the anguishes of hel O quoth she swéete Andrugio whether shall I first lament thy death exclayme of Promos iniurie or bemone my owne estate depriued of honour and which is worse cannot die but by the violence of my owne handes Alas the least of these griefes are too heauy a burden for a man then all ioyned in one poore womans heart cannot bee eased but by death and to be auenged of iniurious Fortune I will foorth with cut my Fillet of life But so shall Promos lewdnesse escape vnpunished what remedie I am not of power to reuenge to complaine I expresse my owne infamie but withall proclaime his villanie and to heare his lewdenes reproued would take away the bitternesse of my death I will goe vnto the king who is iust and mercifull he shall heare the ruthfull
euents of Promos Tiranny and to giue him example of vengeance I will seale my complaints with my déerest blood Continuing this determination Cassandra buried her imagined brothers head and with spéede iornyed vnto king Coruinus Court before whose presence when she arriued her mourning Attire but especially her modest countenāce moued him to beholde her with an especiall regarde Cassandra vpon the graunt of audience with her eyes ouercharged with teares A mischeefe wel preuented reported the already discoursed accidents with such an apparance of gréefe as the King and his Attendants were astonied to heare her and sure had she not béen happily preuented she had concluded her determination with chaste Lucretias destinie A noble fauour The King comforted her with many gratious wordes and promised to take such order that although he could not be reuiued her Brothers death should fully be reuenged and her crased honour repaired without blemish of her former reputation Cassandra vpon these comfortable words a little succoured her afflicted hart with patience attended the Iustice of the King who with a chosen companie made a Progresse to Iulio and entred the Towne with a semblance of great fanour towards Promos A necessary pollicy by that colour to learne what other corrupt Magistrates ruled in this Cittie for well he knew that Birdes of a feather would flie together and wicked men would ioyne in affection to boulster eche others euill After this gratious King had by héedfull intelligence vnderstoode the factions of the people vnlooked for of the Magistrates he caused a proclamation to be published in which was a clause that if any person could charge any Magistrate or Officer with any notable or hainous offence A royall grace Treason Murder Rape Sedition or with any such notorious Crime where they were the Iudges of the multitude he would himselfe be the Iudge of them and doe iustice vnto the meanest The clamors of the poore and the consciences of the rich like Hell Sorrowe and Shame the attendants of Cassandra Vpon this Proclamation it was a hell to heare the exclamations of the poore and the festered consciences of the rich appéered as loathsome as the Riuer of Stix Among many that complained and receiued iudgement of comfort Cassandras Processe was presented who lead betwéene sorrow and shame accused Promos to his face The euidence was so plaine as the horrour of a guiltie conscience reaued Promos of all motions of excuse so that holding vp his hand An vnusuall place for a Iudge amongst the worst degrée of théeues the little hope that was left moued him to confesse the crime and with repentance to sue for mercy O quoth the King such especiall mercy were tiranny to a common wealth A necessary regarde in a Prince No Promos no Hoc facias alteri quod tibi vis fieri You shall be measured with the grace you bestowed on Andrugio O God quoth he if men durst barke as dogges many a Iudge in the worlde would be bewrayed for a théefe It behoueth a Prince to know to whom he committeth Authoritie least the Swoord of Iustice appointed to chasten the lewde Princes beares the blame of euill Officers extortion wound the good and where good subiects are wronged euill Officers receiue the the benefit and their Soueraignes beareth the blame Well A iust iudgement wicked Promos to scourge thy impious offences I héere giue sentence that thou foorth with marry Cassandia to repaire her honour by thée violated and that the next day thou lose thy head to make satisfaction for her Brothers death This iust iudgement of the good king in the first point was foorth with executed The good prorect the lewde But sacred is the authoritie that the vertues of the good are a Shielde vnto the lewde So swéete Cassandra who simply by vertue ouercame the spight of Fortune The duetie of a wife truely shewen in this mariage was charged with a new assault of sorrow and preferring the dutie of a wife before the naturall zeale of a Sister where she before prosecuted the reuenge of her brothers death she now was an humble suter to the King for her Husbands life The gracious King sought to appease her with good words but he could not doo her this priuate fauour The common weale is to be regarded before priuate honour without iniurie vnto the publike weale for though quoth he your sute be iust and the bounden duety of a wife yet I in fulfilling the same should do vniustly and generally iniure my Subiects and therefore good Gentlewoman haue patience and no doubt vertue in the end will giue you power ouer all your affections There was no remedy Cassandra must departe cut of hope to obtaine her sute Siue bonum siue malum Fama est But as the experience is in dayly vse the dooings of Princes post through the world on Pegasus back And as their actions are good or badde so is their same With the like spéede the Kings iustice and Promos execution was spread abroad and by the tung of a Clowne was blowen into Andrugios eares who till then liued like an Outlawe in the Desart woods But vpon these newes couertly in the habite of an Hermit Good motions proceede frō the soule and euill from the flesh by the diuine motion of the Soule who directs vs in things that be good and the Flesh in actions that be euill Andrugio goes to sée the Death of his Capitall enemy But on the other parte regarding the sorrow of his sister he wished him life as a fréend To conclude as well to giue terrour to the lewd as comfort to his good subiects the King personally came to sée the execution of Promos who garded with Officers and strēgthened with the comfortable perswasions of his Ghostly fathers Among whom Andrugio was méekely offered his life as a satisfaction for his offences A gratefull parte which were many more then the Law tooke knowledge of and yet to say the truth such was his Repentance as the multitude did both for giue and pittie him yea the King wondred that his life was gouerned with no more vertue considering the grace he shewed at his death Andrugio beholding this ruthfull Spectackle was so ouercome with loue towards his Sister as to giue her comfort he franckly consented a new to emperill his own life And followinge this Resolution in his Hermits wéede vpon his knées hee humblye desired the Kinge to speake The King graciously graunted him Audience Whereupon quoth he regarded Soueraigne if Lawe may possibly be satistied Promos true Repentance meriteth pardon Good Father quoth the King he cannot liue Murther asketh death and no other satisfaction and the law satistied vnlesse by miracle Andrugio be reuiued Then quoth the Hermite if Andrugio liue the law is satissied and Promos discharged I quoth the King if your praier can reuiue the one my mercie shall acquit the other I humbly thank
whose deuine beauties emblemed in humane shape dazeleth the yongest sight in Ionia Then to reuile them thus thou tirannisiest nature to demaund why I loue and serue Beautie thy question is blinde and deserueth a double answere But aye me though my eyes and loueh aue doone but what is iust Fortune hath dealt too rigourously with me to render my hart captiue to his Daughter who is the riuall of my Father what hope may I giue to my affections when possibilitie of comfort is taken away the Parents are readie to sheath their Swoords in one an others entrailes is it then like the Children shall imbrace a mutuall affection O no for though milde Venus consent that they loue wrathfull Mars will seuer their affection O cruel Warre thou art not vnproperly called the scourge of God The vengance of Warre for in thée is contained a greater vengeance then might be imagined by man thou armest the Sonne against the Father the Vnckle against the Nephewe the Subiect against his Soueraigne Thy drinke is blood thy foode the flesh of men thy fiers are flming Citties thy pleasures spoyling of Widdowes rau ishment of Virgins subuersion of Lawes and publique benefite thy Iudges Tiranny and Iniustice and where thou remainest her knowne enemy is not so dangerous as the fained fréend But why exclaime I of Warre who double Crowned Alexander with the riches of Asia and Affrica who honoured Caesar with imperiall triumphes and rewarded Hanniball for the trauailes of his life with renowne after death by whom Millions of men are registred in the life booke of Fame and through whome Phrigius giueth expectation of benefite to his Countrey comfort to his aged Father and honour to his posteritie I receiued my wound in the time of peace nay in the Temple of Diana shall I then exclaime of Peace and vpbraide Chastitie fowle fall the hart that should moue and shame woorme the tung that pronounceth such blasphemie O blessed peace thou fast chainest Treason Tiranny Murther Theft and Wrath with all disturbers of common tranquilitie and in the highest dignities placest Iustice The blessings of peace Pietie Temperance Concorde and Loue with many other Morrall vartues by whome the lewde are chastened the good are cherished and Common weales prosper and flourish O Chastitie thy diuine vertues deserue a better Trumpet then my iniurious tung thy excellency is written in the browe of Pieria And is Pieria the Deputie of Diana O yes and Phrigius the seruant of Venus too true is it then impossible they should agrée in affection yea sure O vnfortunate Phrigius through peace which receiuedst thy wound before Dianas Alter and by cruell warre art seperated from the Surgion that should cure thée These sundry conflicts Phrigius had with his bitter passions which pursued their aduātage with such thornie feares as if he had not béene suddenly succoured by the aduise and comfort of Lord Miletus a fauoured Counseller to Duke Nebeus and an assured fréend to his sonne Phrigius he had béene like to haue yéelded to dispaire Miletus was glad to sée him thus affected and sorry to beholde him so dangerously afflicted for in this loue he foresawe an end of the ancient enuie and enmitie betwéene the Citizens of Miletum and Myos whose ciuill Fraies had buried more yong men in the Féeldes then aged in the Churches and Churchyardes Therefore to confirme his affection and to comfort him with hope Lord Phrigius quoth he to blame your affection were cruelty and no sound counsell for you loue Pieria the Paragon of the worlde to discomfort you with an impossibilitie of her fauour were clean against the possibilitie of your fortune for besides that your person alluringly pleaseth your authorities commaund yea Pithes cannot but reioyce Pieria consent and all Myos desire is to solemnize this Mariage My selfe and the grauer sort of the counsell will motion the matter to the Duke your Father who I trust wil holde the affection of his sonne rather to procéede from the iustice of Diana then the iniurie of Cupid Who regarding the zelous offering◠o◠Pieria agreed that you should be wounded that Pieria might haue the honour to cure you in whose vertues all Ionia hopeth to be blessed Therefore to make your affection knowen in some pleasing Letter to Pieria cōmend your seruice and to deale with both your Fathers refer the care to me How swéete the smallest hope of grace is to a condemned man or the least word of comfort from the Phisition to the infirmed patient the sodaine change of Phrigius mone truely manifesteth who now began to looke chéerefully and with hope appeased his passions so that imbrasing Miletus hée committed his life to the fortune of his discretion and while his passion was quick he presented both loue seruice to Pieria in this following letter Phrigius Letter to Pieria FAire Pieria sith it is a common thing to loue and a miracle to subdue affection let it not seeme strange that I am slaue to your beautie nor wonder though I sue for grace The wounded Lyon prostrateth himselfe at the feete of a man the sicke complaineth to the Phisition and charged with more torments the louer is inforced to seeke comfort of his Mistresse To proue that I loue needeth no other testimony then the witnes of your rare perfections to giue me life is the only worke of your pittie Wherefore Madame since the vertue of your eye hath drawne away my heart as the Adamant dooth the steele I beseech you that my heartles body may so liue by your ruth as I may haue strength as well as will to doe you seruice and let it suffice for more honor of your tryumph that by the power of beautie your vertues haue atchiued a more glorious conquest then might the whole strength of Myos and which is more of a puissant enemie you haue made so perfect a friend as Phrigius shall hold himselfe in no fortune so happie as to encounter with the oportunitie to do Pieria and her fauourers seruice or their enemies damage if which amends may repaire all iniuries past I shall holde the safeconduit blessed that licensed you to enter Myletum if greater ransome be demanded it must be my life which if it be your will shall forth with bee sacrificed notwithstanding in such crueltie Dianas Temple shall be prophaned before whose Aulter I receiued my wound from the eyes of faire Pieria but holding it vnpossible that a stonie heart may be enemie to so many Graces as liue in your face I Balme my wounds with hope that I kisse your gracious hand that your answer wil returne an acceptance of seruice He whose heart waighteth on your beautie PHRIGIVS THis Letter sealed and subscribed To faire Pieria Tryumph after victorie was deliuered vnto a trustie Messenger who hauing safeconduit to passe through both the Armies in good houre arriued at Prince Pythes Pallace and in the presence of her mother other friends reuerently kissing the same deliuered Pieria
plaister embost with many curious deuises in golde and in sundry places in proper colours was ingraued his deuise which was A Holly tree full of red beries and in the same a fluttering Mauis fast limed to the bowes with this posie in french Qui me nourit me destruit And in verie déede the beries of the trée féedeth this bird and the barke maketh Lime to fetter her But I afterwards learned Segnior Philoxenus vsed this Ensigne as a couert description of desire A couert description of desire whose swéete torments nourisheth the minde but consumeth the bodie to the graue In this beautifull place I embraced the salutations of such a braue troupe of Gentlemen and Gentlewomen as the honour of the householde might well giue Enuie vnto some Princes Court. And least at my first comming I might bée abashed through small acquaintance Segnior Philoxenus emboldened mée with a familiar communication A ciuill foresight meete for a Gentleman and in the ende vppon a conuenient occasion demaunded of mée the name of my Countrie I answered him I was a Gentleman of England voluntarily exiled with a burning desire to sée the Monuments of other Countries A necessarie regard for trauelers the order of their gouernement and manners of the people And are you of that blessed Ile quoth he where the people liue in peace prosperity vnder the rule of a MaideÌ„ Quéene crowned with such diuine vertues The vertues of the Queenes Maiestie maketh the Iland of England famous throughout the whole World as the whole world may hardly containe her fame Sir quoth I your good testimonie of her worthinesse being a Stranger taketh all occasion from mée her dutifull subiect to inlarge her renowne O quoth he if Enuie durst detract her openly as she secretlie conspireth her ouerthrowe in these parts you should be driven to stop your eares or endure a torment to a faithfull subiect more violent then Death But the vertue of her Shielde Vertue stoppeth the mouth of Enuie but fireth her heart with malice I meane her graue Senate hath returned the Dartes of Enuie so thick vpon her shoulders as she hath no power to eclips her bright renowne whose vertue shineth in Enuies despight as a Diamond in an obscure place or as the Sune through small passages into the bowels of the earth so that happy and thrice happie are you the Subiects of the good Quéene of England whose gracious gouernement filleth your Cofers with wealth sealeth your dores with peace and planteth quietnesse in your Conscience so that blessed aboue other Nations you liue abroad without suspition of danger at home and at home fearelesse of enemies abroade Wherefore in honour of your Soueraigue whose fame armeth all true knights with an earnest desire to doo her seruice I am glad of the meane to bestow on you or any of hir nation the affection of a friend Sir quoth I the vertue of these honorable thoughts blaseth the true magnanimity of a noble minde which measureth not your fauour by the desart of others but with the royaltie of your heart The true Blazon of a noble minde and so binde thousands in recognisance of seruice among which debters I desire to be inrolled although I can discharge but little After we had bestowed a small time in these like spéeches he commanded some of his seruants to direct mée vnto a lodging if I pleased to be dispoiled of my riding attire who straight waies brought mée into a Bed Chamber so wel accommodated with euery necessarie pleasure as might haue serued for the repose of Cupid and his loner Ciches hauing a faire prospect into a goodly Garden beautified with such rare deuises as deserued to bée compared with the earthly Paradice of Tiuoly Tiuoly 12. miles from And to be briefe this Pallace with all her conueiances as well necessarie as of pleasure Rome where the Cardinall of Esta hath a most rare Garden Cardinal Furnesaes pallace in Rome fully matched the statelinesse of Cardinall Furnesaes Pallace builded and beautified with the ruinous Monuments of Rome in her pride so that the curiousnesse thereof was of power to haue inchaunted my eyes with an immodest gaze had I not remembred that it belongeth vnto a Gentleman to sée and not to stare vpon the strangest Nouell that is for bace is his minde whose spirit hourely beholdeth not greater matters then either beautie A necessarie obseruation for a Gentleman building or brauerie And certainely at this instant I delighted more to contemplate of Segnior Phyloxenus vertues then to regarde his sumptuous buildings who as I learned of one of the Seruants all the yéere opened his dores to euery ciuill Gentleman and at Christmas inuited all commers A worthie Custome as a customarie dutie so large was the prescription of his curtesie But which shined aboue the rest he was in his youth brought vp in the French Court where by the grace of God and labour of some good friend as his behauiours could not but win many hée learned to serue God with purenesse of heart and not with painted ceremonies H. was a Protestant as his superstitious Countrie men doe which was one chiefe cause why he spake so reuerently of the Quéenes Maiestie whose vertues make her enemies dumbe for malice will not let them say well and shame forbids them to speake amis of her sacred life by the time I had talked a while with one of the seruants and put my selfe in a more ciuill order then was necessarie for trauaile supper was in a redinesse which although it excéeded the common order of fasts yet it passed not farre the bounds of ancient custome for my place at the Table I had the priueledge of a stranger set aboue my degrée and with the same intertainment were Frenchmen Almain Duchmen and other Gentlemen Other strangers arrmed by the like adue ture A custome gâ—nerally vsed in France and in some places of Italy strangers intreated The Grand Master of the feast in words gaue vs one welcome for all but not so few as a thousand in affable countenances Supper being ended according to the custome of the place a Cake was cut in péeces to the number of the Gentlemen and Gentlewomen present and if the marked péece were allotted vnto a man he should bée King if to a woman she should be Quéene of the Christmas pleasures for it was agréede there should be but one to commaund and all to obay Madona Aurelia Sister to the Lord of the Pallace was crowned with the lot whose worthinesse was such as herein it séemed fortune obayed desert for there was no Gentlewoman in the troupe that Aurelia exrelled not in beautie and singularity of wit nor no Gentleman that her vertues inchaunted not with more admiration then the Sirens swéete songs the wether wearied Sayler so that of the one she was crowned with Enuie and of the other with Honor. But in as much as this was but the first