another time I should thinke that suing to thée for sauour thou wouldest bestowe frownes profering my seruice thou wouldst offer skornes If I sighed thou wouldst smile laughing at my teares and ioying at my griefe requiting euery kinde demande with so cruell answers as if thy bitter words could not force me to leaue my suite thy skornefull farewels should frustrate my wil offering to touch thine hand mée thought thou profereds thy foote and stouping to catch that being glad of any thing thou wouldst in a rage fling from me and leaue the doore barred against me There should I sit till my téeth chattered in my head and my heart aked in my bellie then should I shake for colde and sigh for sorrowe when thinking to knock my legges against the ground to get heate I should kick al the cloathes off me being in the end constrained to awake through colde At what time that colde fare would better content me then the former flattering cheare did please me being as glad it was false as I would haue béen glad if the other had béen true Many like to these did I endure before my acquaintance with thée not knowing any meanes how to obtaine the same of thée vntill happely finding thee in a sommers euening at the dore I presumed to enter parlie with thée offering my selfe your seruant which had béen a tweluemoneth your sworne subiect doubting of your patieÌ„ce though you séeme to be a patterne of pittie How and after what order I haue since that time besought your sauour your selfe shall be my iudge for I list not to rehearse my dayly shiftes to shewe my zeale my manyfolde conclusions to obtaine your companie my giftes to wooe the seruants and my presents to gaine your good will But to be briefe thereby to come to that I like best one whole yeare I loued thée before thou knewest me thrée more are passed since first I spake to thée yet then was I as neare as now I am and now as farre off as I was then Say therefore swéete since to stay longer yéelds but little comfort shall my suite now end with the verdit You loue me To which long preamble shut vp with so whot a conclusion she no lesse prepared herselfe to answere him then Frier Tuck vsed ceremonies before he song mattens She cast her eyes vp to Heauen as if she had béen making her praiers to loue sighing so bitterly as I thought hir placket lace would haue brokeÌ„ then to the matter thus she answered Alas gentle sir I must confesse I haue found you kinde and you haue béen at a great deale more cost then I could wish you had your suite hath béen long and my kindenes not much nor doe I hope you eâ—pect more at my hands then you haue had before my friends haue granted their good will Maidens are modest and must not bée prodigall of their courtesie children are bound and cannot consent without their parents counsell pardon mée therefore I pray you if I say I loue you not since my father knowes you not and thinke not much if I desire you to leaue to loue mée vntill my mother giue me leaue to like of you At which time assure your selfe I will bee as ready to performe your will as they shall be forward to wish me that good and thus in the meane time I hope you will rest satisfied This was a shroade bone for my passionate youth to gnawe on that being so strucken on the head as his heart aked therewith thought to ease his sorrowe with this replie Ah my swéetest swéete quoth hée Thinke not on thy fathers counsel séeing a greater friend craueth his deserte nor let me rest their leasure without pitie that hath thus long remained constant vnto thée I loue thée nor for thy fréendes sake though I loue them for thy sake nor doe thou lothe me for their pleasure that liues but at thy pleasure But swéete and soueraigne of my hart as thy thoughts be not tied to their wils so let not thy loue be linked so fast to their liking as their mislike should end my life by remouing thy loue Say my goddesse and therewithall as he was procéeding she cut off the rest with this short answere I beséech you sir to leaue off your courting vnlesse you entend some other conclusion then as yet I can gather for of my faith loue you I wil not nor consent I dare not without my fréends giue their consents first and thereupon she thrusted through the throng and poasted out of doores leauing my passionate louer to say his pater noster alone where we will leaue them What I thought I will tell you and I hope you will not doubt of the matter for that Honestie speakes it One yéeres loue without acquaintance and thrée yéeres suite to be neuer the néerer either he was a bad lawyer or she a monstrous vniust iudge but be it both a passionate Asse and a péeuish wench were well met But marke his folly and her cunning he building Castles in the aire and setting trappes in the Sunne to catch the shadowe of a coye queane was pleased by her with wagging his bawble and ringing his bell while she pickt his pocket and cut his pursse A proper péece of seruice of a passionate Souldier and a prettie sleight of a flattering Slut I would we had more of them nay why wish I that since the worlde is too full of such alreadie Yet of my honesty she was as fitte a match for such a foole as might be found in the worlde A great deale of fond fancie repaied with a sharpe shorte deniall and thrée yéeres affection rewarded with an ounce of flatterie mingled with a pound of discurtesie a good cordiall to comfort so kinde a hart Oh the subtilty of the diuell that vnder the shadow of obedience couers yâ— craft of cosonage It is hotte loue that buildes on fréendes liking and pestilent affection that relies rather on the mothers loue then on the Louers loyaltie Such as stands so curiously on their Parents good will hauing dealt so craftily without their consent are worthie by Honesties doome to stand in a Cage vntill either their fréends good will be got or her swéet harts licence obtained for her deliuerie And this is too good for that the kinde Asse wil too too soone release her I thinke this punishment would be worse welcome vnto her namely that she be bound from mariage so long as she hath kept him without his answere which will so pinche her prodigall desire as either she will forsweare honestie or neuer commit the like knauerie Oh there is a companie of minions which delight to haue many sutors that they may bragge amongst their mates of their diuersitie of louers they thinke it commendable to haue store of customers But knewe they so much as I know they were better to goe once in a fortnight to Greenes Cunnyberries then to haue such resorte to haunt their companies Honestie honours
he makes the mis-rule and kéeps the open Christmas he desires the sporte and mainâ—â—ines the pastime so that though he be long in comming and staies but little in his Lordship yet the remembrance of his iolitie is not forgotten a long time after He kéepes his custome euery yéere and a yéere with him is but a short space so that after he comes to his full age he makes many Christmasses for Desire is not short liued It is therefore this lingring loue that dooth all the harme because by him Desire is onely begotten He that beating the market is willing to buye will not stand long a bargaining when he hath met with his liking for feare a francker customer steppe betwéene him and his longing but if he be careles he will not deale without a good penniworth Very easily then is the mischéefe of repentance taken from women séeing a true-meaning sutor may be as quickly discerned as a careles chapman may be perceiued And how fondly doo they entrude themselues into the néedles hazard of great discontent that will let their loue runne so farre without reason as it cannot be called backe without great gréefe at the least Though a buyer be not able to giue the seller his asking yet will he be earnest to haue it at such a price as he doth offer and although this louing customer be not of abilitie to answere thy fréends expectation yet shall he not be forward to be possessed of thée he is but a watcher for aduantages So that if either his abilitie be such as of himselfe he can maintaine thée or be thy possibilitie so great as by his good endeuour he may winne a liuing thy fréends good will by the possession of thée thy affection is too too colde if thou kéepes him lingring without his longing and his deuotion is small if he be not an vnceasing sutor for it And truely in Honesties minde and pardon me I pray you with whose conceipts it iumpes not those matches shall prosper best where lone is rather respected then wealth prouided there be a care had of the likelyhoode of possibilitie which must come with one of them But shall one that hath nothing ioyne louing issue with an other that hath or is like to haue as little he hauing no meanes to make a liuing he shewes himself to be afoolish follower of repentance and an vncharitable procurer of an others wretchednes There are many good wits that wanting matter to worke on wade into the triall of dangerous conclusions which otherwise being imployed would become profitable members of a common wealth All cannot be heires and many yonger brothers children are but barely left though they haue had good bringing vp which nothing hinders their gentrie onely now a daies it is a barre to their preferment For men wil sooner match their daughters with my yong maister arich Coblers Sonne though they be their heires then with a Gentleman of a good house being a yonger Brother Héerby comes the decay of a ancient gentilitie and this yâ— making of vpstart houses héerby those that haue had good bringing vp must either goe to plough and carte being drudges to such drones or their natures disdaining that and more abhorring to begge leade them to lewde practises to maintaine the state of their birth And did you Fathers which are to match your Children know the hart-breakings many parents which haue béene of your mindes haue found by triall then would the feare of vnciuill behauiour which springeth by succession from their carterly progenitors turne your gréedie desire of golden gaine to a ioyfull gaining of your posterities happines But fie of couetousnes that is the roote of all mischiefe for men that haue enough to make their Daughters Gentlewomen by matching them with houses of no small antiquitie will with the desire they haue therevnto wooe men of great liuing with large offers to match their sons and heires with them Who being drawen therunto will vse them their wiues méeâ—â—ly well during the life time of their owne and wiues Fathers for that their estates are by their great portions better maintained and their best fréends thereby well pleased But let your Daughters beware after your and their Fathers death when all hope is taken away of a further gaine and a search made of their auncestors alliance for then seeing the basenes of your pettigrée and yâ— noble descents of their predecessors that corruption of blood which you with your corruption of money hath made and their Fathers couetousnes hath purchased to their succession will as for the most parte it doth in the like cases moue such hartbreakinges as either quarrelles of diuorcement or sutes of separation will surely followe When on the contrary parte if respecting gentrie thereby to aduaunce your houses you would match theÌ„ with Gent. yonger brothers of whom there ought to be lesse regarde the chiefe house being maintained your Daughters portions being the onely maintenance of their estates would be so strong a helpe to encrease their affection towards your children with purchased happines to their posterities as knowing no housholde quarrelles can be without charges they will be glad to studie to encrease the swéetenes of vnitie thereby to continue euerlasting prosperitie to their following ages Honestie knowes what the fairing-monger will saye when he shall heare of one so flat against his opinion touching mariages not letting to affirme that it is most necessarie that the consent of parents should be last sued for and little regarded in respect of loue especiallye séeing his Pamphlet buildes so diuinelye on farre-fetcht arguments to proue the contrarie Therfore to preuent him and to prouide against the great danger their matches-making procure Honestie must tell him and assure all those that are of his minde that were the worlde like vnto that wherein Abraham liued or were Fathers of these daies of his disposition his argument drawen from the gift of Euah to Adam by God and such like might séeme to proue some thing But séeing these times in effect are quite contrary to those and the dispositions of men in our daies altogether disagréeing to theirs of that age his time had béene better spent in a worke to some other purpose For a little to séeme to flie from my matter and to haue a fling at him how many Fathers now a daies are there so carefull of prouiding conuenient mates for their children at a seasonable time as our great Grandfather Abraham was Againe how manye haue children that are so obedient to bend their loue to their Parents liking as was Isaac Oh Sir you are deceaued our yong ones are of riper wits and far forwarder then Children were in those daies and our olde ones are of more couetous mindes and far forwarder to be drawen to their childrens good for what greater good then to enioye them they loue and what will offend our parents more then to entreat that he sent his seruant to search forth one of his next kinne
not remain long or my misliking would come too too soone because I am not able to follow what youâ— first wife hath performed and you will be vnwilling to beare with the wants your second choice must be enriched with But peraduenture I mistake your meaning for where as I thinke you sue to haue me to your second wife you sâ—eke but to haue my good wil to liue with my fréende 〈◊〉 good sâ—r my duetie as you say must not gainsay their pleasure nor will I for that matter but with all my hart if you haue their licence for your boord haue my good will to obtaine your bed there also for their house is at their owne commaundement Then doubt I not replyed he to haue you for my bedfellow But that doubt I answered she for that I know the contrary Why dare you quoth he to disobay your Fathers commaundement No sayd she so it be for my commoditie It shall be both for your profite and prefeâ—ment Make me to beléeue that quoth she and then peraduenture it may be a bargaine Why woman said he I deserue your better Take her answered she and I will not be matched to your inferiour Why then I sée you do scant loue me I vse it not quoth she and yet I sweare I will mocke you rather then marrie with you With which being highly displeased he bestowed thrée or foure crabbed tearmes being liueries of his cholerick long toung and so departed A shame goe with him thought Honestie whatsoeuer she thought and with all such Louers louers with a halter lubbers I may better tearme them What monstrous matches are such as are shuffled vp after the selfe same order Suppose she had beene fearefull and durst not to haue resisted the receipt of what she lothed imagine she had béene foolish and could not haue iudged of affection thinke she had béene forward and would haue béene glad of any one alas poore wretch I pittie the supposition what should I haue said to the confirmation I know assuredly she should haue sighed whatsoeuer I had saide and mourning should haue béen her companion what ere had béen my communication he would haue daunst with her portion while she had drooped through want of affection he would haue loathed her company for that she was not a dayly commoditie her life should haue béen like the hacknies that are at euery mans commaundement for the hire and her ioy as momentary as the florishing gréene grasse in Iuly Pitifully should she haue liued punished by him without pitie and this is my reason of the possibilitie for that it is most likely he loued her not how well any body vse them they loue not let them speake that suspect not Now that he loued her not may be proued both by his kinde of wrong careleslye suing vnto her peremptorily vsurping her Fathers authoritie which was a band to lye her to obedience though a bad meane to obtaine her curtesie For affection is not to be limitted nor loue to be compelled but coÌ„trarily hatred followes feare and feare fore-runnes mislike and how we loue those we regarde not iudge they that woo and obtaine not But this custome is too common and ouer cruell namely a wooing of fréends and a constraint of loue I would not say compelling but for feare it shoulâ— haue been taken for compelling Were Honestie a Iustâ—â—e they should either lye in the stockes a fortnight or marry her I would match him with which should séeke a wife after this order I thinke verily he would rather stay his stint by the héeles then be bound to the other inconuenience and yet he could finde in his hart to binde another to yâ— bad bargaine This is charitie yea neuer a whit of honestie being so farre from ciuilitie as the Millers craft is from true dealing Now truely truly to deale as we would be dealt with is sent to the hedge a begging and neighbourly loue is made a hacknie being so worne to the bones with séeking a good Maister as his skinne will hang on the bush shortely I haue heard a reporte of a passing kinde man that complained of his wife at a Sessions for pissing a pot full iudging thereby she was dishonest and that same man shortly after burying his wise sued to a maide after the manner aforesaid he had obtained her fréends good will and were at a point for the Maidens loue yet on a time she was troubled with the head-ake at his being with her whereof he so misliked as in the morning he went to the Phisitions to haue their opinions to what disease it coulde turne and vpon their reporte left her I am assured I haue erred in no point vnlesse I haue mistooke the last putting the Phisitions opinion in the roome of his owne bad meaning it was no disease indéede that misliked or misled him but it was of the Fathers pursse not of the Daughters head well she was well prouided for in missing of him and if he sped any thing the better let him boast of it but Honestie can iudge no better of the remnant of his companions then his action giues the verdict of him which is as bad as may be But to another that hapned on one that had the too thanke with whom he would not matry for feare the hollownesse of her tooth should corrupt her breâ—th and so annoye his colde stomack It was colde indéede and I would such stomacks might be heated with redde hotte gold as chéerfull as scalding leade Well to a third he liked her parents wel for that they were honest godly and as well of the maiden because she séemed modest to be bréef he could find no saulte in either of them onely his feare was that the Daughter would be somewhat shrewish for that she had a long nose and thereupon gaue her ouer If her nose had béene long enough I think â—he might haue smelt a knaue but I am assured she knewâ— a churle and so let her claime him wheresoeuer she sées him Yet one more of the same stampe and so we will leaue them This was a wooer in graine who had gone so far as they were at next doore to he askt in the Church The wedding apparel was bought the day appointed yea and I may tel you many of yâ— gesse bid only there was no assurance for that he abhorred but it fortuned that before the day there dyed a rich man that left a welthie widdow to whom he made so secret loue as he wonne her good will within a fortnight after the death of his predecessour well notwithstanding to saue his couÌ„terfeit credit and preserue his hypocriticall honestie he resorted dayly to his olde swéete hart with whom vpon some smal reason he fel at ods vsing her so vnkindly in spéeches as he drew teares for sorrow Glad of this though turning his earnest into iest he called her vnto him in the presence of many of her Fathers seruants then swearing that if the
not to enquire after one that had most wealth and should some children entertaine no loue in our time vntill their parents procured it nor sue for a match before their fréends made it it were requisite their honestie should be great or I knowe what will follow Yet againe Fathers liue not now adaies ordinarily aboue a hundred yéeres whereby they haue a long lasting gouernement ouer their Children but beholde it is far contrary and therefore it requires contrary procéedings And lastly for that I will not be long at this time in this matter the holy writ beares not such sway in our consciences as it workt wonders in theirs of those daies and therefore to helpe our weaknes in the want of that warrant we must vse the meanes loue to drawe vs to that euerlasting happines But once more to my courting companions to make as spéedie an end with them whose haire-braine fancying and fickle affection is no small hindrance to loues procéedings Honestie hauing set downe the meanes to finde out their knauerie hath also prouided a batte to beate downe such flatterie the instrument to finde out their dissimulation being a search into their lingring and the clubbe to match their clubbe féete a loathing of their company But to come to the punishment I would haue such to be plagued with in my opinion and by Honesties doome they are worthie to be set for scarre-crowes in newe sowen fieldes and the rather thus goes my iudgement for that séeing they are so skilfull to doo harme in townes and cities if that bad-used wit were forst to be imployed about that commodious doo-good they would inuent excellent meanes to preuent the spoyle the rauenous birds commit Their pregnant wits and cunning deuices to catch womens affections that farre excéede crowes in reason and discretion confirme they would be strange and therefore profitable yet because it is somewhat too bace though their practises are as beastly I will ende with them with this resolution That they are as worthie to stand in white-shéetes in Churches for leauing women in desperate cases hauing drawen them into that fooles paradice of ouer-passionate affection as they that poyson strangers bellies This would make faithfull sutors happie constant louers ioyfull and conrting dissemblers feareful Honestie hauing noted these enormities harbored in lewde dispositions shuffled into this Morrice at last lent his eares and bestowed his eyes ioyning with him his best vnderstanding to search into the natures of yâ— remnant to see whether yâ— multitud were mixed with these in bad conceits But behold so contrarie practizes were performed by them as those procéedings are disagréeing to the furtherance of perfect vnitie Amongst these did I beholde Loue dandled with swéete musick and constant affection vpholâ—â—n with modest demeanour The soueraignes of Virginitie displayed their heauenly dignitie by the imperiall colours of matchles beautie grounde with the Ambrosian oyle of celestiall courtesie and the matronly deities proued their ethereall discréetnes in following the heauens prescriptioÌ„ for Loues true imitation I saw Kindenes matched with Goodwill Affection linâ—ed vnto Liking Loue embraced with Loyaltie Vertue leading theÌ„ to eternall happines They liked not for a moment loued not vpon aduantage nor wooed but with a good intention These shaked not hands with hatefull hearts nor vsed smoothe tongues with dissembling thoughts They courted not kindely to corrupt shamefully ne protested with vowes to wound with wordes and kill with déeds but hand and heart went together and the tongue vttered their passionate conceites their heart louing them as faithfully as their tongue labored to winne their courtesie And you no earthly creatures though ioyned with men for their eternall good you heauenly saints I meane masking in the shadowes of terrestriall shapes you beautifie this crue with your deuine motions whose mindes arâ— onely inritched with the true wisdome that vpholdes Loues welfare Your sacred actions ayde his simple followers naught but your carefull kindnes binds mens weake affections from vnconstancie You make their praiers effectuall their request gayning through you the safetie of their longing Your pittie brings them to pietie and your almes relieues them from the captiuitie of Despaire Destressed Honestie is soly harbored within your milke-white bosomes and were it not for your bountifull charitie his end would be tormenting beggerie Your allablaster pappes do wholy minister moisture to my consuming welfare and from their sugered teates doe I onely drawe my liquor of life so that by your motherly kindnes to decaying Honestie they reape likewise their blisse that would giue mée my baine recouering contrarie to their wils the remaynder of their weale For how marcheth the passionate souldier without you sound the alarome of his good-spéede or how fareth the amorous gallant except you play the galliard of acceptance Vnfortunate eyes your pearcing fightes shal be cruelly curst and vnnaturall vsage shall be offered to your obedient hearts for séeing and adoring celestiall obiects vnles their relenting pittie take mercie on your destressed abiects And blaspheming tongue thy vnbridled impudencie shall heape vpon thy owne back a bundle of vntollerable miseries by being forced to vtter execrable slaunders against them for their hard hearts that were purchased to worke your hard happe through your owne iniurious follie Passions of discontent must please your fancies and sorrowfull poems must grace your musick déep sighes must straine your heart-strings and direfull sorrowe lull you a sléepe when visions of new destresses must disquiet your greatest happines and dreames of fresh vexations forbid you the least ease You shall suc in vaine because you haue delighted in vanitie and hope without obtaining for that your heart haue harbored dissembling except these goddesses whose goodnes is vnspeakable vouchsafe to minister a plaster of pitty to your louing pietie It is their courtesie that must make you chereful and their good conceits must cherish your dying mirth their liking must honour your affection and their gratefull kindnes must aduance the zeale of your protested loyaltie It is in their choyse to change your chance and in their power to bridle Fortune for that the Fates being their sisters are at their calles to set downe your destinies If they say they doe hate you beware for they can hurt you but if they affirme they loue you striue to continue your present happines and feare to lose the proffered blessednes Why are women accounted weake but because their nature is pure Or wherefore are they necessarie but that men cannot liue without their companie When we are succorles they comfort vs being melancholy they chéere vs and they are the meanes to redéeme vs from the gates of hell Being mad their musicall tongues chase away the euill spirits being bewitched their loue charmes the tormenting diuels and being swallowed vp by the gulfe licentiousnes the heauens haue created theÌ„ the helpe to redéeme vs from that hellish furnace Thus much for their power now a little of their properties O sacred mercie neuer more