cheareful hart she entertaineth him which makes a man take more pleasure in her he loueth and by whom he is beloued agayne then in any other whatsoeuer be she neuer so beautifull For as saith one and very well too when a man receiues a present from a Lord he regardeth not the gift how faire or rich so euer it be as he doeth the good will and courtesie of the giuer so God acknowledgeth not our presents neither careth for them but our intents and good wils only Therefore we may say that when a man sporteth the pleasure of the body likes him not so well as that of the hart for if pleasure be had against the good will of any it serues not to him as anye contentment Contrarywise although he delighted but his body only yet if he were assured of the others good liking it would suffise being loued againe as himselfe dooth loue Moreouer if it be granted that the body is in such sort espoused to the minde as being one with the other it cannot be but an extreame paine if they delight not one in the other why then it would seeme most hurtfull to them if they should be forced to abstaine froÌ„ a ioy so vehement or abide separation thorowe constraint not daring priuatly or publikly be seen together who so thus offeÌ„deth or seeketh to force nature cannot auoide falling into great danger Why then I must say that strict and intire amitie cannot long continue between a man and woman without the delight of the bodie if amitie be bred of one and selfe same will not able to endure sinister contraries why then such parties shall as hardlie command and vanquish their passions as they receiue good by being in one anothers sight and harme when they may not be so together or as during not to speake but before witnesses This is the reason why loue is said not to continue long betweene a man and woman except it be in such as are tyed by the bands of mariage for betweene others it cannot be either without great danger or without suspition and scandale especially such secrecie and communication as is required in loue which makes of two hearts one and ioyneth them inseperably together As for others because our lawe giues vs a conscience if kindnes be had hardly can it be durable but betwene maried persons because the wise haue made a vertue of necessitie alliaunce is more certaine to wit more lasting hauing made a communion and societie together of all fortunes whatso uer good and bad But concerning loue it is very hard to be demeaned with a woman if she be not his wise or freend in delighting because nature inuites vs to those imbracings and secrecies which follow one another in sequence not to be named among such persons as intend to liue chastely And this I speake because discoursing now of loue I meane not amitie which I reserue for man to man or brother to syster or a sonne to his mother which cannot well name it selfe to be loue neyther the desyre of beauty distinct and seperated from amitie and good will for in trueth the focietie among amourous persons is such as the body is but a meane of vniting the soules and heere vpon diuers I hisitions discoursing haue made a communication of the complexions taken from the braine the heart the lyuer and in breefe from all the animall partes in man the lyfe of an insant being disposed and formed therby which is the cause why men are heere so mooued prouoked wheras other beasts enter as by a kinde or violence And hence proceedeth the passions of the amourous expressed so liuely by Poets both Greeke Latin Italian and others beside auncient and moderne especially when they haue set downe nothing but hane evther felt or experimented the same sufficientlye in themsciues so that it is very needfull if a man will make resistance to vse such extremities as we read the most holye persons did who led their liues in the solitarie deserts and heere I might alledge what they haue written but that it is sussicientlye knowne already But all this notwithstanding I set it not downe as a generall rule that a man cannot loue a woman but in this manner and for the delight before rehearsed for well might I be ashamed thereof besyde I should doo iniurye to infinite honest and chaste looues But I sav that keeping the one and other from following has nature therein consists the paine and the merit since as I lately spake the most holye persons being in the wildernes liuing on fauage rootes punisinng their bodies with hard garments drinking water and sleeping little but lying on sharpe stones in breese not admitting any remedie yet haue they in such serte beene assaulted as they in theyr writings haue been constrained to expresse it Now concerning our selues who are trained and brought vp in softe and delicate manner when we haue perticuler and priuate conference with her whome we best looue being fayre and gracious and requiting vs with loue if we could then abstaine the glory would be found the greater by how much the payne and resistance was difficult checfely when in regarde of the affection we beare our freend we feare to vrge any thing might be vnhonorable And heerein may the power of looue be discerned which making the louer forget his pleasure defrauds his desire to content her in al he may whom he so dearly affecteth Of such loyal freends are many to be found whose louers haue had such authoritie ouer them as being vertuous by perswasiue reason they let passe the pleasure for the great daunger which followes and ensues thereby His guide herein as in all thinges else is that the action of a man is 〈◊〉 his election and the election betweene two goods according as it is sayde a man for his pleasure leaues the following of honor which is but the minde of a cowardly souldier or Sâ—aile like house keeper timorous to follow the renouned exercise of warre where contrariwise the braue Souldier beeing iealous of his honor beguiles him selfe of his ease and the pleasure he takes in his house with his wife making the hard field his bed mountes on the rampartes shuts himselfe into a towne where he suffers extremitie of famine makes his body a wall agaynst the cannons batterie and doth all this for the loue of his honor In like sort can I say that he which truly loueth will abstayne from his owne desire be it but to satisfie the chast and modest inclination of his beloued As she likewise that lookes for answerable looue to her owne will endeuer by al meanes she can deuise that the grace of her mouth namely her breath and speech may besweet pleasing and agreeable to her louer But as for such as are vnited by the bonds of marriage they remem bring the inducements of their former loues how they laboured by al courses to congratulat one another in al chast and cordiall kindnes
princesses haue bene noted to loue and reuerence their husbandes exceedingly albeit they haue had bastardes by others rather renewing then any way hindering their loue but when honour once is wounded it is a matter almost impossible for a man afterward to giue his wife good lookes and not proue her as a bad creature when once she hath forfeited her fayth giuen to him Many examples of vertuous dames are registred in writings that paciently haue endured this iniurie of their hufbands nay more to see their concubines kept euen in the very same house with them the olde Testament as also the histeries Greek and Romaine want no store of them who haue enfranchised their seruauntes that haue giuen entertaynment to their husbandes But among men of generous nature ye shall neuer finde any one that would endure so much as a suspition oneof their wiues witnesse Julius Caesar who did repudiate his wife and when one demaunded him the cause there of he answered because he would hauchis wife voyde of suspition by much more reason then would he haue her free from detection of crime Suspition is that which brings dishonor both to man and woman therefore Iealosie of it selfe is as yrkesome to beare in a man as a woman and so much the more in a man because thereby he looseth his honour To tell what kinde of payne this iealosie is exceedeth possibilitie of expressing for if the losse of goodes of birth of freends or of parentes be such as torments and makes a man inmeasurably passionate how greeuous then will be the losse of his wife to him of whom it is say de Aman shall leaue sather mother and all and cleaue vnto his wife If that bond and coniunction cannot be deaided or sundred but by death only what shall become of him who sees him selfe disioynd from amitie and yet for all that stands tyed by his person much better were if for him to looke vpon death then continually to haue before his eyes the cause of his affliction and see his enemie still remaining aliue reuiuing dayly the remembrance of the heinous wrong doone him And euen as a man deemes him selfe happy when he is conioyned in good and durable amitie with a wife by whom he is entreated honorably seruing as an ayde consolation in his affayres Euen so on the cōtrarie he reputes himself vnhappie whē in sted of wife a deare frend and choyse companion he findes a deadly emmie one that hath done him vnrecouerable shame one that delightes in his death and with whome hee hath no assurance of his life Of like quality is this estate in a woman when she sees her selfe forsaken and despised She that hath no honor but by her husband finding her selfe to be contemned despised to behold a base strumpet preferred before her to endure her brauadoes insteed of being supported by her lord and spouse to whom she is vowed and dedicated to whom she hath giuen her goods and person for whomse choyse she iefused very many sufficient offers of whom she might haue beene much better regarded and honoured what life I pray ye is it to be thought that she poore soule endureth There is nothing that more offendeth any one then to see himselfe despised and contemned as also nothing more contenteth the hart then to feele the loue and affecttion of well willers and iaclosie neuer commeth without conceie of scorne and disdayne A woman seeing her selfe maryed to a man and giuing her selfe only to him no other are to bee regarded by her not finding the like in her husbande and honestly knowes not how to reuendge her wrong what dooth she then but weepe and lament yet with all she considers with her selfe that the faultes in a man are corrigible and tif should he see the like blemish in some oher bad bodie who therefore goes as hated of all men it would be a meanes of his amendment I haue seene diuers who haue dearely loued their wiues after they haue sundry tvmes before gon away and forsaken them but this doth hardly hold in some Linde of men because infamie remaynes in the woman not in the man God is more readie to pardon and forgiue a sin then man is he forgets withall a sinne so soone as he hath pardoned it but a man dooth continually remember it in regard that honour is like to a glasse which beeing once broken can neuer be made whole agayne VVe haue spoken of iealosie in man and wife let vs saye somewhat of the same in amorous persons and to speake truely I finde that loue not being fastened by by the scale of marriage is dayly subiect to the changes of Fortune for one while it hopes a nother while despayres now full of feare then by and by assured now doubting then rioting now in fauour then reiected often ending and beginning againe according to the oppinion of Plato It is an estate of no certaintie and therfore from such as are subiect thereto iealosie can very hardly be absent for delight is not tied therto but if it be it is with great danger and inconuenience Therfore it is impossible but iealosie sometimes must be medling therwith yet not in such daungerous sort as in the state of mariage because wher faith is not giuen if any impeach happen it is more excusable then when faith feeles it selfe neglected and abused Contrarywise it seemes that iealosie in looue is commendable because therby is witnessed how highly a man esteemes her whom he affecteth as beeing angry and displeased at vnkinde wordes or greeuing for the absence of his louer according as one compares the case to a mother that mournes for her infant whome shee supposed lost which if shee should not do her affection might be saide to be verie small For which I would aduise some meane as in all other things for it ensues often times to great inconueniences by brauadoes and repulses giuen and taken Therefore it becomes them to deale wisely and discreetely in these affaires As concerning iealosie betweene two friends certainly it is to be reprooued by reason distrust engenders disagreement declaring the little credence and repute which eche holdes of other for there is no man but he will be offended at the iniurie receiued by his friend the rather because his hope is frustrated and he findes not his friend so entire as he suppoed him to be But in what amitie or friendship soeuer icalosie ought not to be without some cause expressed and knowen Likewise it is verie hard to hinder it when the occasion is great and too apparant VVho loueth any thing dearely feareth the losse thereof and takes it more grieuously when it is lost The like eason of sorrowing for such losse agrees with deep passion when it cannot be attained but farre exceedeth when it is quite lost indeede For to apart with a thing peaceably possest is verie irksome whereas things neuer enioyed cause the lesse greeuance It is not possible for a good mind that loueth
Fancies Ague-fittes Or Beauties Nettle-bed Wherein one nightes lodging will cost nine monethes Nettling Handled in sixe Discourses pithie pleasing and profitable Patere aut abstine LONDON Printed by G. Simson for William Iones dwelling at Holborne conduit at the signe of the Gunne 1599. To the right worshipfull Master William Basset Esquire one of her Maiesties Iustices of the peace in both the Counties of Derbie and Stafford Likewise to the most vertouâ— Gentlewoman his wife all health and happinesse most hartily wished DEbtes of what antiquitye soeuer are not by delay discharged neither promises by long protraction impeached from performance How iustly both these right worshipfull appertaine to me though happilie out of date in your too long expectation I may be sory for no sooner compassing and you in fauour wil I hope receiue what comes at last excusing all errors with the common addage better late then neuer When your worship was high sheriffe of Stafford-shire as some-way to expresse thankfulnesse for the fauours then founde I promised you that in such forte as this I would erelong salute ye But being hindred by a long sicknesse as also conuenient meanes to discharge my promise I could neuer till this instant be so fortunate as to greete you with any thing woorthie your viwe or sufficient to plead the least parte of performance And though my conceite heerof may be greate yet how you shall thinke therof may well be doubted because oppinions are as varyous as mens humours are diuers yet the sound beleefe I haue in your euer-affable nature makes mee hope that the meannes of my gift shall be shaddowed with the intire depth of great good will and what wantes in this in some other heerafter will be better supplied Nor seek I to be free from my former bond of promise by this sillie trifle in respect of so great deseruing but rather that your worship would take this onward to arme ye with some hope of attayning to the rest and that withal to expresse I am willing to continue yours in dutie till the very vttermost be discharged Both this my selfe and what else remaynes in me I intreat your worship kindely to conster on for you shal finde them readie on the least occasion to vse them In meane while praying for all happie blessings to attend and follow you as also the most vertuous Gentle-woman your wife whom heauen enritch with blessed sight of her hopes ioy I humbly commend ye both to his protection who hath hitherto had care of you and will euermore comfort you The Argument of each seuerall discourse Of Beautie Dis 1. Of Loue. Dis 2. Of the meanes to compasse fauour and acceptaunce Dis 3. Of the considerations of Loue Dis 4. Of Iealosie Dis 5. Of the passions of Looue Dis 6. Of Beautie The first discourse I Knowe not if among those benefits bestowed vppon the body beauty deserue to haue any such account made of it as we do of halth agilitie strength and disposition because Beautie is not any thing at all felt by the person indued there with neyther serues but to such as see it and to them whom it giueth delight Now to know if by Beautie there doth ensue any commoditie the question is problematicall and may be debated as for the affirmatiue so likewise for the negatiue for it appeares that nature bestowing beautie on any did it to make them beloued and that which possesseth the hartes of men may be good right be termed mightie and drawes all sortes of commodities to it not hauing neede of any thing in the protection of others Briefely it is well knowen what good those famous courtezanes got by it as Flora Layis Lamia and their like moreouer it is necessarie we should remember that Beautie is such a gift of nature as all the gold in the world cannot giue vs the like for eloquence science and gentilitie are attayned only by studie and diligence If then no small estimation be to be made of the fauoure good grace and loue of men we must confesse Beautie to be a benefit at least the cause thereof in winning and procuring vs such frendes But when on the other side I consider that those frendes which are followers of Beautie be rather louers of their owne pleasures and voluptuousnes so that they loue not indeede the beautifull body but better may be called enemies yea traitours to the honor and good renowne of Beautie then any true freendes or well willers I rest in my former oppinion and dare not repute beautie to be a benefit VVhen likewise I call auncient histories to memorie I finde how hurtful beautie was to Lucretia albeit she was most chast and vertuous to modest Susanna also and discreet Penelope mirrours and examples of perfect loyaltie both they and an infinite number of their like had bene most happie if their beauties had not beene so much coueted and desired In like manner I consider that such as are followers of beautie haue no respect but of their owne passions and no care at all of beauties reputation because if beautie in some sorte doth bring commonditie to such as are adorned therewith as perhaps to commaund mens goodes at their pleasure yet can they not for all that ouerrule their harts and willes for many times they giue their goods away to enioy their pleasure and they that yeeld thereto make sale both of their bodies and honor submitting themselues to base prostitution onely for monye Such women therefore cannot iustly terme themselues mistresses when to haue a little power of their goods they make their owne persons as seruantes to me so for the bare title of Lady of their money they make men Lords of their affections nay of them selues so much as may be We may now see if beauty be a benefit to such as delight therin when it cannot be in her that is indued therewith because she can neyther feele or see it any way and in trueth I may here speake as Epicurus did of pleasures when one demaunded of him whether pleasure were a benefit or no and he thereto returned this answere that he hath but little wit who when his finger is in the fyre wil aske of other if he feele payne or no whether the fire be hot and Ice cold meaning thereby if a delight be pleasing to a mans own self why should he question whether it be a benefit or no since himselfe both feeles and makes experiment thereof In like manner I say that he who hath a fayre wife knowes well if he haue delight or pleasure for were not beautie expected and desired it would not be so generally sought and purchased which makes mee to coniecture that a man hauing a fayre wife or friend esteemes beautie for a benefit and cheifest pleasure and therefore Plato giues no other definition of loue but that it is a desire of beautie as very amply he deliuereth in his dialogues called Phoedrus For this matter therfore the testemonies of so many