other What likelyhoode of continuance hath the House whose ground worke is rotten although the prospect be beautifull and strong God wot the féeblenes of the Foundation will ouerthrowe the firmenesse of the vpper frame Compare this vnequall estate in Mariage with this ouersight in building and you shall finde the discorde as great betwéen the one as the ruine and decay spéedie in the other The good and able Gouernment of the Husband is the foūdation and ground worke of Mariage and the beauty of the Wife the blessing in hauing of Children and the benefite of possessing liuings are the outward buildings of mariage And as they are pleasant in the eye of the world euen so they greatly please the mindes of the maried and giue a singuler grace to this honourable vocation But if the Gouernment of the Husband be inabled with age as in truth Olde Age is no other then a second Infancie In whose desire direction discretion and delight there are imperfections The beautie of the wife will be blasted with sorrow for the insufficiencie of her Husband euill Education will accurse their blessing in hauing of children and negligence will waste their benefites of liuing You holde a yong wife a companion to recreate an olde man but he shall finde her a corsiue that will consume him to death A yong man concludeth the swéetest solace in loue with sighes it is thē like an olde man endes it with teares And God he knowes he often wéepeth more of desire to please his wife then of any deuotion he hath to wantonnesse yet is all his paines to a fruitlesse purpose for that the Game finisheth in his gréefe and neither began nor endes in his wiues contentment You are too quick in aduantage Segnior Soranso Defence c. quoth the Doctor olde Wine though it be dead in the mouth yet is it warme in the Stomack when the new fumes in the head but comforteth not the hart Dry wood maketh a bright fire where gréene bowes consume halfe away in Fume and Smoake The Sunne riseth watrishly and is long before it giueth heate where in the afternoone it scorcheth the face So a yong man deuideth his loue into a hundreth affections and euery fancy pleased there will but a little fall to his wiues share where an old mans loue is setled and his fancy is fixed vpon one And as the recited examples in age are in best hart so to proue an olde mans sufficiencie there is a cōmō Prouerb Graie haires are nourished with green thoughts Now to content his yong wife she shal haue no cause to suspect his Affection abroad and shall not lack to be beloued at home Moreouer which delighteth a yong woman who naturally is ambitious she shal take her place according to the grauitie of her Husband and not as her yong yéeres requireth And to conclude to giue her an honourable name the most precious Iuell with which a woman may be beautified she shal receiue graue directions from her husband and through the swéete delight she taketh in hearing her good gouermēt commended we will put them in execution Doctor Mossenigo replyed not with this vehemencie for any delight he had to commend this vnequall estate in Mariage but to flatter Katharina Trista with an Ambitious hope of great reputation in matching with his aged selfe but she that knew a legge of a Larke was better then the whole carkasse of a Kite would none God thank him And to make him horn wood if he perseuered in his opinion in Soransoes behalfe quoth Bargetto his ancient crosser Maister Doctor there is more pride in your words thē substance in your proofes your hartie olde Wine must be drawen out when it is broached your dry wood is but a blaze and your hotte Sunne doth but sweat for sorrow that he is going to cowche in the darke Caues of Tartessus Reproofe c. But as touching olde men they may well be sufficient in gréene thoughts as you terme them but I am assured that in déeds they are weake and withered and therefore a man cannot speake too much euill of this excesse in dotage withered Flowers are more fit for a Dunghill then méete to decke a house olde rotten Trées are néedefull for the fire but vnnecessary to stand in an Orchard euen so olde decaied creatures are comely in the Church but vnséemely by a yong womans side The olde man which marrieth a yong Wife is sure of this sowre sauce to rellish his swéet imaginations The mischances of an olde man yōgly maried his beloued wife howsoeuer she dissembleth disdaineth him his neighbours all to beflouteth him and soothing Parasites beguileth him common opinion will counterfeit him like Acteon not so much for the ficklenesse they sée in his wife as for the infirmities they know in himselfe And bréefely to conclude his ioy A yong wife is death to an olde man he may perchaunce liue two yéeres with his faire wife but the mischaunce of his Children will remember his infamie for euer Gréene Iuy which catcheth an olde Trée maketh quick worke for the fire and the imbracements of a faire woman hastneth an olde man to his Graue And although it be a hainous wrōg causelesse to cōdemne the wife An honest woman is lightly slaundered by the imperfections of her Husband yet this will be the opinion she killed her Husband with thought to heare and sée how she trespassed both against his and her owne honour Foule fall such a Mariage quoth Maria Belochy where the vertuous Wife shall be slaundered through the imperfections of her Husband It is some wrong quoth Fabritio but shee might haue foreséene the mischiefe Repentance to late while she was frée Well quoth Quéene Aurelia vpon this knowledge of mischaunce The wise are warned by the mischances of others our companie are sufficiently warned Procéede in iudgement as you allow eithers opinion Whereupon Fabritio with Isabella with one accord gaue sentence against Doctor Mossenigo in these wordes An olde man amourous of a yong woman is an enemy both to his health and reputation for the causes aforesaide The rest of the company smyled to heare this iudgement but the Doctor brake foorth many a secret sigh not for the disgrace he tooke in his pleading for he defended an ill matter with colour sufficiēt but in that he knew this verdict would alwaies be a barre in his sute While the Doctor and Soranso argued Quéene Aurelia espied in the Cloth of Arras A Rhinocerot a beast fourmed like an Vnicorne saue that he bare his horn in his nose which beast sléeping laid his murthering horne in a yong Maidens lap and after the question was decided she demaunded what the beast was and what the misterie signified but the meaning was as strange as the sight to most of the company In the end quoth Ismarito Madame The Metamorphose of Rinauius a Gentleman of Naples I haue read of a gallant yong Gentleman of
friend Felice as she entered so departed Who not withstanding left part of her sorrow behinde in Cornaros heart whose cheareles countenance whē Malipiero perceiued quoth hee let not the martyrdome of this woman afflict you for her fault deserueth this vengeaunce and so recounted the reported aduenture And in aduantage she wed him her prison A honourable fauour and the Anatomie of her dishonour and withall licensed him to talke with Felice to heare what plea shee had for her discharge Vppon which warrant quoth Cornaro Madame if your patience bee equall with your torment I holde you the most happy Woman of the world Felice with a countenance abased and Chéeks dewed with teares tolde him in humble words The true ensigne of sorrow that her trespasse was ten times greater then the torment which the Lord of the house whome shee was not worthy to call husband had appoynted her And therewithall the sorrow of her heart tooke away the vse of her tongue Whereupon Malipiero led the Gentleman away who rendred him affected thankes in that besides his good entertaynment hée witsafed him the honour to know so great a secresie withall moued with compassion he effectually intreated Malipiero to accept Felices sorrow True repentance is to be receiued in satisfaction of offences the true witnesse of grace and amendment as satisfaction of her offence which procéeded of frailtie and withall importuned him with such earnest reasons as Malipiero mas content to send bath for her and his owne friends Perfect loue cannot be so iniured but it will alwaies retaine some affection To be partly ruled and partly aduised by them in her behalfe The parentes and friends of euery side séeing the humilitie sorrow and patience of poore Felice were all earnest sutors for her remission The roote of auncient loue not altogether dead in Malipiero was comforted with their intercessions and quickned with the hope of amendment in so much as vpon solemne promise to be henceforth of good behauiour hee receiued her to grace and to repayre her crased honour with the fauour of both their parents he new maried fayre Felice in which holie estate A reparation of dishonour they liued loued and agréed many happie yeares afterward together And with the bones of Marino Georgio buried the remembrance of former iniuries Master Doctor quoth Fabritio you haue reported a very necessary historie for it contayneth many héedfull notes both of admonition and aduise Besides the due punishment of rashnes in Marriage For therein we may sée how hungerstarued want compelleth the best natured man to deceiue his friend and yéelde vnto his owne slaunder Againe how that monster Golde conquereth the honour of the fayrest Yea quoth Isabella corrupteth that conscience of the wisest so that this is no example of any honour to you men because Golde inticed Felice to be disloyall to her husband for it draweth many of you both from the feare and loue of God Well quoth Soranso let it passe Felice in her repentance hath made a large amends of her trespasse and I feare me if euerie like offence were so sharpely punished wee should haue Mazers of mens Skuls more ordinary then siluer Boules and pouled women more common than balde men Not so quoth Quéene Aurelia Feare of correction brideleth the affections of the euill for a few of these examples would bridle the incontinent affections both of man and woman if not for the loue of vertue for the feare of correction After these and a fewe other Moral notes were culled out of Doctor Mossenigoes History What hurteth one instructeth the other Madame quoth Dondolo if we continue this course it will be a good while before we doo finde out the Paradise that Plato speaketh of Be it so quoth Quéene Aurelia but if we still continue the way to his house Hell our errour will instruct others and since we haue yet long respite it shall not bée amisse euery day to take a sundry hie way vntil we find out the true passage And for that our Question is concluded and our houre glasse run we wil for this Day make here an end The Question that arose by beholding the Mountebanks in the third Nights Pastime AT the accustomed houre Supper was serued in with manie dayntie Dishes which were sauced with sundry short ciuill and pleasant euents of the Gentlemen and Gentlewomens wits For he or she was held of weake capacitie that either of forestudy or vpon offered occasion could say nothing of good regarde In the ende when supper was done Breuitie is best for Table talke and Quéene Aurelia and the most Honourable of the company had taken their places vpon a Scaffold made for the nonce there mounted a Mountebanke his neck bechayned with liue Adders Snakes Mountebanks of Italie are in a maner as English pedlers Eau'ts and twentie sundry kinde of venymous vermines whose mortall stinges were taken away by Arte and with him a Zanni and other Actors of pleasure who presented themselues onely with a single desire to recreate Segnior Philoxenus and his worthy company and not with the intent of common Mountibankers to deceiue the people with some vnprofitable Marchandise In the middest of this pastime an ancient Gentleman of the Societie séeing these Viperous Beasts by cunning vsage to be made so Domesticke and affable whether it were vpon an impression of his owne griefe or of the experience he had of another mans Plague I knowe not but sure I am he burst into these passions O God The strange nature of 〈◊〉 womans tung quoth he of what mettal is a womans toung which correction cannot chastise nor lenitie quiet when these dumb Serpents by the one or the other are tamed Marie quoth a pleasant companion it is made of the same mettall that Virgils Brasen Flayle was of which strooke both his friends and foes But quoth the Gentleman Virgil knew and taught others how to pacifie this engine It is true quoth the other but in teaching the secrete vnto his scruant cost him his own life So a womā knowes how to holde her tongue by hauing of her will but if a man thinke to stay it he must beate her to death A young youth named Phrisio thinking to winne the Spurres Defences for a chiding wife by building a Fortresse for women who haue no weapons but their tongues to defend and offend tooke vpon him to prooue a chiding wife though she bee a little vnpleasant both profitable and necessary his reasons were these Vnsauourie receits turne to holsome effectes The strongest Poyson is pleasant in taste and the remedie for the poysoned offendeth the mouth with tartenesse Nettles that stinges the hande maketh Pottage to comfort the heart the blood of the Scorpion cureth the biting of the Viper If poysoned vnpleasant and bitter thinges retayne a vertue for the benefite of man in my imagination quoth he an vnquiet wife is not vnprofitable though she be a little
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
your Maiestie quoth Andrugio and disconering himselfe shewed the preuidence of God and the meane of his escape and tendring his Sisters comfort aboue his owne safetie he prostrated him selfe at his Maiesties féete humbly to obey the sentence of his pleasure The King vpon the report of this strange aduenture Princes are bound to their word after good deliberation pardoned Promos to kéep his word and withall holding an opinion that it was more beneficiall for the Citizens Of two the least euill is least dangerous to be ruled by their olde euill Gouernour new reformed then to aduenture vpon a newe whose behauiours were vnknowne And to perfect Cassandras ioye he pardoned her brother Andrugio with condition that he should marrie Polina Thus from betwéene the téeth of danger euery partie was preserued and in the end established in their harts desire Madame quoth Soranso your good conclusion hath likewise preserued vs from a great danger Ruthfull tales raiseth remorce in the hearers for had you ended with the sorrow you began we had béen al like to haue béen drowned in teares Indéed quoth Katharina Trista you men haue had cause sufficient of sorrowe by hearing your kinde reproched with such monstrous euils By example of euill the euill are feared By example of the good the good are strengthened and we women frée passage to lament in beholding none but crosse fortunes to succéed the good indeuours of a vertuous Lady It is true quoth Fabritio but to participate of their ioye we men haue learned out of Promos example of euill for feare of his like punishment of euill to doo well and you women by example of Polinas vice and Cassandras vertue are both warned and incouraged to weldooing Indéede quoth Quéene Aurelia there are many Morall precepts in either Historie to be considered Good order is to be kept among such as haue beene late sick which I hope the company haue so regarded as there néedeth no repetitition And further because I will not be too bolde of the victory ouer my late distemperature we will héere end And therewith she arose and retired into her Chamber with charge that the company should attend her in the same place vntill Supper who obeying intertained time euery one with their speciall fancy The question that arose at Supper vpon the fourth daies exercise MAny prettie nippes passed betwéene the retyred Company this night at Supper as well on the Gentlewomens parte as of the Gentlemens insomuch as presuming vpon this Daies honour when the Table was readie to be taken away Aluisa Vechio tooke vpon her to maintaine a woman to be a creature euery way as excellent and perfect as man Comparison breedeth contention For naturall shape quoth she they are more beautifull of a better temperature and complection then men In valiant exploytes what difference was there betwéen Semiramis and her Husband Ninus betwéene the Amazon women and Alexander For constancie of minde Excellent vertues in women did not Loadice imbrace death with lesse feare then Mithridates her Husband Asdruballes Wife then Asdruball himselfe And what man hath kept a constant resolution of death so long as Lucretia In Vertues you men that read Histories and Cronicles of all ages shall finde women renowmed for learning gouernment and pollicie In Mecanicall Artes there are Women likewise experienced In the vertue of Diuining what man hath come néere the Sibils To be short what man hath béen so perfect in any vertue but histories make mention of a woman as perfect Yea quoth Dondolo but there be so fewe of these women Cauillers neuer answere directly as an easie wit may remember them But it will cumber your tung to report them quoth Katharina Trista The other Gentlemen although they were willing to giue place vnto the Gentlewomen in small matters A disgrace in honour a Gentleman may not beare with yet this comparison of equall soueraignty nettled them a little In as much as Soranso answered Madame Aluisa you haue made a bolde comparison and but a bare proofe Where you vaunte to be more excellent in shape and more delicate in substance then men It is an ouer ruled question that Women receiue perfection by Men Aristotles problemes and Men imperfection by Women then by how much the vertue is of more emprise that is simply of it selfe then that which is compound of an other by so far we excéede you in this perfection Your honour of valiātnes died with your examples and although there hath béen Women learned and experienced in Mecanicall craftes Extraordinary things are not to be compared with ordinary yet to heare a Woman plead at the Barre preach in a Pulpit or to sée her builde a house is a wonder and no example in vse How short your diuining Sybels come of the credit of the Prophets in the olde Testament is no question disputable Life is precious For your constancie at death you know not how precious life is which maketh you rash and not constant and in truth what you haue frowardly determined you will not be forbidden As she that had her Tung cut for calling of her husband Théefe would yet notwithstanding make the signe of the gallows Well sir quoth Quéene Aurelia Epicarias obstinacy Epicaria in the trembling pas sage of death was constant who endured to be rent in péeces before she would confesse the conspiracy against Nero would haue béene holden for a vertue of staidenesse in a man And what say you of Leena PLIN. Lib. 34. Cap. 2. that bit off her tung and spit it in the Tirant Hippias face because she would not bewray a conspiracy against him Madame with your fauour quoth the Doctor had she not had this foresight An enuious Suggestion it had béen like the Athenians should haue béene driuen to haue made a brazen bell as a Monument of her talk rather thē a tungles Liōnes as they did in honour of her silence for had she not mistrusted her imperfection she would neuer haue committed that tiranny vpon her self Had her tung béene venomed with your mallice it is like quoth Quéene Aurelia that the Athenians had verified your slaunderous opinion herewith she looked a skawse vpon her fauoured seruants as who would say I check the omission of your dutie in not defending of my right Vpon which warning and especially for the excellencie of this sex A man may praise a woman without reproching a man quoth Ismarito a man may doo iustice vnto an other without iniury to himselfe and sure without the reproche of men a man may commēd the excellencie of women in whose behalf although I wil not cōdemne Sir Soransos reasons yet in my opinion he erred in the first Article where he toucheth the perfection of Men and the imperfection of Women for neither of themselues are perfect Chaste talke ought especially to be vsed in the presence of women Aris. Prob. nor may haue
Naples named Rinautus that was Metamorphosed into such a Beast by this aduenture passing through the Iland of Circeiū that Homer speaketh of which is now annexed vnto the Continent he was espied of Circes who inhabited that Iland This wrinckled ill-fauoured witch at the first sight was surprised in loue with the goodly shape and beauty of this séemely Gentleman but for all her charmes and inchauntments her art failed either to force him to loue or to frée her selfe from louing for notwithstanding she was a Goddesse he disdained her ouerworne foule and withered visage and she presuming of her sorcerie powred fresh Coles vpon her kindled desire in hope that necessitie would force him to consent to the request frée will contemned but Cupid to whom such power onely belongeth to scourge her presumption in such sorte hardened Rinautus hart that all Circes sute and sorceries tended vnto a fruitlesse successe Insomuch as in her rage she turned him into a Rhinocerot a beast of vnconquerable force who in his nose beareth a horne much like to the Vnicorne But notwithstanding he was thus transfourmed as King Nabuchadonizer in the fourme of an Oxe retained the spirite of a man so he in his altered shape nourished his ancient disdaine of ill fauoured Circes and to be fully auenged with all his force pursueth olde Creatures and such as he ouertaketh he goreth to death yet is he by this pollicie subdued Place a faire Maide in his walke and foorth with he will with a louing countenance repaire vnto her and in her bosome gently bestowe his murthering horne and sodainly as one rauished with cōtentment he falleth a sléep by which meanes he is slaine before he recouereth the vse of his force The company laughed well to heare this strange Metamorphosis In the ende quoth Quéene Aurelia I would Maister Doctor had heard this historie when he so inuayed against Beautie perhaps he would haue béene afraide of her vengeance séeing her power able to conquere sauadge and wilde beastes But the Doctor glad of this aduantage Euill men care not for conscience so they haue a colour for their offences not vnlike the cunning Lawyer the buyeth Robin hoodes penniworthes and yet with some nice forfeitures threatneth the seller with continuall bondage and many times bringeth back his money and kéepeth his bargaine not caring for his Conscience so that he haue a colour for his offence or as the wisest sort of Atheists that liue as though they hoped neither after Heauen nor feared Hell yet confesse God with their mouth because the contrary would make them hated of men so he by this tale found out both a warrant to maintaine his former blasphemie and to excuse his present follie in Loue And to authorise either Madame quoth he the inchaunted Beast approueth mine opinion of Beauties power and his Death is a greater witnesse of her cruelty then is Doctor Mossenigo The force of Beautie who confesseth that men in vaine prescribe remedies for the Affected or receites to preserue men from the infections of Beautie You are welcome vnder our Lée quoth Aluisa Vechio But to take away all hope of good intertainment quoth Catharina Trista no No affliction but hath his remedie no Maister Doctor you deceiue your selfe Beauty neither retaineth the power nor poyson which you speake of and with you Ouid and all the amorous Poets are mistaken who say Affection ariseth from Beautie and not of the frée will of man But say you all what you please good foresight will contrary your opinions There is no sore but hath his salue no gréefe but hath his remedie nor no danger but may be forstoode either by praier or good indeuour Indéede quoth Faliero Socrates altred his inclination by studie of Philosophie Examples to be regarded The Niniuites preserued their Cittie by praier and Virbius doubled his life by mastering of his disposition Floradin be witched with the loue of faire Persida Idlenes nourisheth and exercise remedieth loue his déere fréend Pericles Wife worte in a Table booke fie Floradin fie she is thy fréend Pericles Wife and so often as idlenes presented him with this passion he read his written remembrance and by some honest exercise remoued his imagination This is not your day Maister Doctor quoth Soranso I beléeue there is some vnkindenes betwéene Saturne and Venus by the enuious aspect of some other Plannet this howre It may be quoth the Doctor by the flatterie of Mercurie Flatterie the enemie of truth who is euermore enemy to the plainenes of truth Well quoth Quéene Aurelia let vs leaue this by-matter and consider better of Ismaritos Metamorphosis me thinkes it prophesieth much mischaunce to an olde widdow which marieth a yong man and no great pleasure to the yong maried Bacheler Mariage commended between an olde woman and a yong man O good Madame say not so quoth Soranso for in this fortune lyeth a yonger Brothers welfare and the cause that maketh happinesse accompanie olde women to their Graue Reproofe c. It may well be to their Graue quoth the Doctor but it bringeth sorrow into their House and maketh their life more impleasant then death and if Soranso followe this course perhaps his day will be no better then Doctor Mossenigos Quéene Aurelia smiling saide she feared this contention would bring the company to hell gates Yet quoth she in that I imagine the way wil be pleasant I licence you to perseuer in your purpose Vpon which warrant quoth Soranso to maintaine that to be true Defence c. which I haue already alleadged in the commendation of this estate in Mariage This further reason in my conceite you will neither disallowe nor the maried couple shal haue cause to mislike which is where a fresh yong gentleman either of small liuing or farre spent with lustines A good exchange of Marchandise lightes of a rich olde widdow for that both their desires in this fortune shal be satisfied He shall haue plenty of Coyne the onely Grace he lacked and she the possession of a goodly Personage the chéefest Iewel she loueth which exchange of Marchandise cannot chuse but continue their liking and raise much contentment Clean contrary quoth the Doctor for the follies of a yong man is sufficiently punished by marying an olde woman and the sinnes of an olde widdowe are fully plagued in matching with a yong man for that contrary to your suggestion neither can inioye the cause of their Mariage without annoyance to their mindes for his liking is fastned on her riches which she will not but by necessitie leaue and her loue is setled on his person which for her pleasure he disdaineth to punish The euils in an olde widdow The vnfortunate yongman knowes not what gréefe he ioynes to his gaine in matching with an olde widdow till that experience breakes them foorth in sighes If his wife be rich she will looke to gouerne if she be poore he is plagued both
beautifull Gallerie where the Maps of the worlde were so artificially set foorth in painting as I doubt the Popes Microcosmos at Latteran which hath béene this sixtéene yéeres a making will be ended with no more perfection In this Gallerie were the Pictures of all Christian Princes and in an other place by themselues the pictures of ceÌ„rtain heathen rulers in another rank the Pictures of so many learned men graue magistrats as he could through fréendship or reward obtaine After much discourse of the especiall Monuments wherewith this pleasant gallerie was attired An especiall Booke of deuises Segnior Phyloxenus brought Ismarito a faire booke wherein were diuers rare deuises and directing hun to Pensils colours and other necessaryes of Harrowldry requested that he would helpe to beautifie the said booke with some ingenious remembrance Sir quoth Ismarito I haue already recorded your good fauours in the table of my hart and I beséeche you that this faire booke may not be blemished by me or remaine a witnes to you of my indiscretion This nicenesse quoth Philoxenus professeth more then ordinary knowledge and therfore I coniure you by the affection you beare me to satisfie my request Ismarito vpon this importunitie because he would not leaue a suspition Ismaritos deuise Pharos a Lanterne or light deuised by King Ptolemie surnamed Philadelphus for the benefit of Nauigation in those parts which cost 800. talents that his curiositie grew rather of simplicitie then discretion and missing among the Moderne Monuments their Pictures the vertues of whose fame are blazed in the Capitols of the whole world he tooke a Pensill and with the same drewe an Iland and ouer the midst thereof made a Pharos which shined like the Sunne and therein a Phenix bathing of her selfe whose gleaming reflexions shined ouer all Loegria Cambria and the greatest part of Albania and extended vnto a great parte of the Continent especially vnto that part that lay betwéen the Ocean the Mediterrane and the great Sea called Euxinus Pontus and vnderneath writ Pharos Europae non Africae Philoxenus aduisedly regarded this deuise before he would either require Ismaritos intent or giue his owne iudgement In the end deuining what should be the secret meaning of this Simbole or Ensigne quoth he Segnior Ismarito this Cognizance of your quick wit pleaseth me much and withall remembreth me of a neglected curtesie which I thinke will shew you the Image of your Phenix and blason the secrecie of your whole deuise and thereupon he lead Ismarito into a most curious priuie Gallerie where drawing a faire Curtaine and reuerently kissing his hand he shewed Ismarito the Picture of a Royall Princesse An honourble fauour most richly and liuely set foorth with which a Marchant of Venice who traffiqued toward the Westerne Islands presented him which Ismarito behelde with a regarde so dutifull as there néeded no glose to expound the zealous affection of his hart The counterfeits of other Potentates there were which Philoxenus placed in the ranck of these Princes for some regarded vertues knowne vnto himselfe And by his owne testimonie he prised these counterfeites aboue all the Monuments ancient or Moderne which beautified his Pallace Vpon which warrant Sir quoth Ismarito A regarde in strangers to teach subiecteâ— their dutie the honorable regarde that you haue of these Princes shadowes being a stranger prescribeth rules of dutie vnto their Subiectes humbly to reuerence their sacred persons Indéede quoth he it is but iust their tungs cry God saue their hignesse and their harts answere So be it After Segnior Philoxenus and Ismarito had had some conference as well touching the meaning of this Pharos as of some other deuises figured in Philoxenus Book the Trumpets sound gaue knowledge of Dinner so that this priuate conference was adiorned till Segnior Philoxenus pleasure should renue it When Ismarito entered into yâ— great chamber and among so many faire Flowers The Rose is the most glorious of flowers missing the glorious Rose his countenance well showed that his mornings sorrow had béene but a sléepe which new awakened streaked with the increase of passion yea such was the pensiuenesse of the whole company An vnexpected good newes is double welcome as the first seruice represented rather a Funerall dinner then a Christmas feast But in the middest of a storme as Phoebus sometimes beholdeth the Earth with a chéerefull countenance so in the deapth of this heauines there was newes brought of Queene Aurelias amendment who commaunded the chosen company after Dinner to attend her comming in the Chamber of pleasure This knowledge so quickened the dulled spirites of the Gentlemen and Gentlewomen Myrth cureth as much as Medicine where the maladie is not mortall as they agréed for one day if Quéene Aurelia pleased to alter the solemne course in their ordinary exercise for where the malladie is not mortall mirth cureth as much as medicine and holding this determination they the rest of Dinner in actions of pleasure fully auenge themselues of the iniurie of former sorrow After Dinner was ended and the company had a while pawsed to set themselues in good order vpon a new summons the appointed number A sumptuous Tapistrie marched into this Chamber of Pleasures which was hanged with a rich Tapistrie of voluntary deuise euery Trée Flower Birde Beast or whatsoeuer was therein resembled in his proper colours of Silke was portraied The Shéepe with their Fléeces fryzeled the Beastes curiously raysed with rawe Silke like vnto their naturall haire the Trées beautified with proper leaues and fruite the Rose with his buds sprigs and other attire and to be bréefe euery other Flower was counterfaited with such Arte as they séemed to be naturall Yea a man might haue béene indifferently wise enough Men may be deceiued without the slâ—under of simplycitie in other ordinarie matter and yet haue aduentured to haue gathered a flower or haue plucked an Apple in these hangings and who so was best acquainted could not wearie his eyes in the beholding of them so that the very attire of this Chamber walles had an intertaining vertue were there no other creature in the place Curious sights please more then vnciuill people Quéene Aurelia attended with the Ladies and Gentlewomen presented her selfe before the yong Gentlemen had halfe gazed their will The company saluted their Soueraigne with a reuerent curtesie whose chéekes some what more bleake then ordinary with this distemperature resembled in colour the perfect white Gilliflowre A little sicknes maketh an alteration in beautie a little streaked with Carnation After some priuate talke betwéene her and one or two of her fauoured Seruants she tooke her place where she pleased and the rest as they were accustomed which done the Eunuch with a well tuned voice vnto the Lute sung this following Care away CAre Care goe pack thou art no mate for me thy thornie thoughts the hart to death doth wound Thou makest the faire seeme
like a blasted tree by thee greene yeeres with hoarie haires are grownd Which makes me sing to solace mine annoy Care Care adiewe my hart doth hop for ioy Care Care adiew thou riuall of delight returne into the Caue of deepe dispaire Thou art no Guest to harbour neere my spright whose poysoned sightes infect the very Aire Wherefore I sing to solace mine annoy Care Care adiew my hart doth hop for ioy Care Care adiew and welcome pleasure now thou wish of ioy and ease of sorrow both To weare thy weede I make a sollemne vowe let Time or Chaunce be pleased or be wroth And therefore sing to sollace mine annoy Care Care adiew my hart doth hop for ioy The note of this Song was farre better then the ditty but for that it answered the determination of the company it passed for currant Whereupon Madame quoth Fabritio if it be your pleasure One square breaketh no custome we will this day varry from our wonted course and according to our Theame begin with some mirth to sharpen our wittes for grauer discourses we haue time enough besides to beate out the passage to Platoes Paradise Vse your discretions quoth Quéene Aurelia and by her commaundement Bargetto was appointed to begin the exercise who obeying reported this following aduenture of Frier Inganno The aduenture of Frier inganno reported by Mounsier Bargetto IN a Village among the Appenine Mountaines not farre from the place where S. Frauncis lyeth intombed there sometimes dwelled a faire yong countrey woman named Farina and for that her house was in the hye way to S. Frauncis holy Reliques she was many times visited with Friers of his order who were intertained rather for their habite the their honestie for the poore ignorant people reuerenced Saint Frauncis as a second Christ for whose sake they holde his Disciples not inferiour to Saints among many that visited Farinas house Fryer Inganno a smugge Chaplaine euer sealed his blessings vpon his dames lippes and yet without suspition of the husband or dishonest intent of the wife for such gréeting was euer taken for a holy fauour Vpon a time after Frier Inganno had well beaked himselfe with a warme fire It is saide S. Francis subdued incontinent desires by tumbling naked in frost and Snowe and a good breakfast the spirite that Saint Frauncis was driuen to coniure downe by tumbling naked in the frost and snow tempted his Disciple with such swéete motions as he was minded wilfully to abiure heauen rather then to deale so roughly with the deuil And taking aduantage of the good opinion the ignorant held of his holynes and was so bolde with Saint Frauncis his Maister as to make a wanton match in his name A premiditated sinne so that after he had a while considered of his perswasion The trick of a knauish seruant vpon a quiet opportunitie Blessed art thou quoth he among the Appenine countrie women for Saint Frances from heauen hath beheld thy charitable vsage of his Disciples and the last Night A gentle perswasion after I had prayed with great deuotion before his Image I behelde him in the Maiestie of an Angell fayre young lustie and in euery proportion like my selfe and nothing at all like his meagre Cripple Image So that I was in doubt of being transformed out of my selfe till with a méeke voice he sayd Be not dismayed I am thy Maister Inganno and am come to bestowe my blessings vpon the good Appenine dames that for my sake cherish you my Disciples But with an especiall Affection I will visite the good Dame Farina And for that her Feminine weaknes can not indure my heauenly presence I will many times borrow thy earthly shape and in my name go salute Farina and shew her that this night in that her Husband is from home I meane to visite her will her to leaue open the Doores because I purpose to come as Fryer Inganno and not as Saint Fraunces This is his message therefore as I began I end Ignorance heareth euery tale as trueth blessed art thou among the Appenine countrie Dames The poore woman as apparant as this trecherie was had not the power to mistrust Flattery eateâ—â— the bread oâ— the Iust but gaue the Frier a good almes for his newes and sayd she would attend Saint Francis blessed will Away goeth the Fryer with a light heart and a heauy Cowle but God to punish his lewd intent and to preserue her from sinning through ignorance so tickled her heart with ioy of this blessing at hand A note of little secresie in a woman as to welcome Saint Frances she must néedes haue the Belles rung The Priest of the Parish hearing the cause smelt out the Fryers cunning and was glad to take one of those Beggers in a Pitfal Enuy setteth hatred between fellowes of euery vocation that with glorious lyes had robbed him of his Parishioners deuotions and withall perswaded her with such reasons as she was fully resolued of the Friers deceit And to bee auenged by the Parsons direction she caused Leayda to lye in her Bed a Mayde so ougly sluttish and deformed as through the Parish she was called the Furie of Lothsomenesse About ten of the clocke finding the doores open Frier Inganno mounts into Farinaes Chamber and without light or leaue An vnwelcome salutatioÌ„ leapes into her bed but he had not blessed Leaydaes lippes before the Priest Farina and others entered with Taper and Torch-light singing Salue Sancte Francisce And knéeling about the Bedsides sung Sancte Francisce ora pro nobis The poore Fryer Pleasure in others increaseth sorrow in the afflicted like a Foxe in a grin being both intrapt and imbrast by a Hag of hel cryed from his heart A dolore inferni libera me Domine After the Priest and the rest of the company were weary of laughing and the Fryer almost dead with wéeping It is an office of charitie quoth the Priest to put Saint Frances againe in his Toombe for it is so long since he was in the world Enuy rude people are not pacified with prayers of the afflicted that he hath forgot the way back into heauen The Fryer leering like the thiefe that hung on the left side of Christ tooke all with patience for well hée wist Prayer booted not Well for that night they bound and stript him like a dead Coarse Rude people extreme reuengers and in stead of swéete Flowers laid him in a bundle of Nettles The next morning the rude countrie people who in reuenge are without ciuilitie or order cruelly scourged the poore Frier And setting him the forenoone naked in the Sunne anointed his body with honey so that the Hornets Wasps and Flyes tormented him with the paynes of hell In the afternoone with a hundred Torches Tapers and other waxen lights this rustick multitude caried second Saint Frances vnto his Toombe The best way to win the communalty and had