â—â—light in auncient counsailes not amorouâ— conceits leâ—â—â— in smelling vppon sweete Uiolets they stumble on bitter 〈◊〉 Truth Pasylla thou giâ—eâ— good preceptes if thou canst follow thâ—â—e owne pâ—â—â—ciples Thou art perswaded by Rodeâ—â—o to loue but take heede of such baleful allurements 〈◊〉 thy selfe against his charming desâ—â—â— with a â—hast diâ—â—rine so shalt thou be â—â—er that as he which weareth Laurell cannot be hurt with lightning nor he that carrieth the penne of an Eagle perish with thunder so shall neither loue nor fancie paine thee with haplesse passions Thinke this Rodento is a man and therefore 〈…〉 he saieth a louer and so a flatterer as fickle as the Wolâ—â—s of Syria which forget their pray ere they are halfe satiffied and as dissembling as Iupiter who feedeth Alcmena for a while with Nectar and then killeth her with fire Sith then Pasylla to loue is to loose feare not Venus as a 〈◊〉 but â—espise her as a wanton intreat not Cupid with prayers but wiâ—h curâ—â—s â—ell Fancie thou wilt reiect her as a vassal not regard her as a vertue For RodeÌ„to raile against him as thy foe aâ—swere him not as a friend burne his letters to despight him and in steede of curtesie present him with Meâ—â—eas inchaunted casket who is enemie tâ— thy Father but Conte Coelio â— and who can wish thy mishap but his sonneâ— Doth Rodento loue Pasylla 〈◊〉 he hateth Pasilla he faineth loue to procure thy losse he flattereth to trie thy follie and if he finde thee to fond he will bring thee a sleepe with melodie and then strike of thy heade with Mercurie Ah Pasylla condemne not Rodento without cause if thâ—u â—â—â—nest not to loue him delight not to lacke him profer 〈◊〉 Netâ—lâ—s sith he presents thee with 〈◊〉 if he yeeld thee Hony rub not his hiue with Gall answere him friendly though thou straine eucresie to flatter For sweete promises please more then sower giftes and pleasant poâ—ioâ—â— are better taken though infectious then bitter â—iâ—â—es though most holsome And know this Pasylla that the 〈◊〉 of the â—ill Chymera is to be quenched with hay not with water the mountaine in Harpasa to be remoued with ones fingar not with the whole strength and loue to be driuen out with reason not to be thrust out with force least in striuing against Venus she play the woman and seeke to reuenge Pasylla had scarce vttered these last wordes but wearied with doubtfull thoughts and bitter passions she fell a sleepe passing away the night with slumbring dreames till the morning that she wooke and assaulted afresh by Cupid had falne to her old complaints had not one of her gentlewomeÌ„ brought her word that Clarista had waited there a good space to speake with her Pasylla smiling at the diligent hast of the old Pandar commaunded she should be brought in but shee no sooner was within the doore but Pasylla as one in choller starting vp in her bedde tolde her she was more soone come then welcome and that it was farre vnfitting for her aged yeares to be a messenger in such a foolish matter how as she had before honored her for her graue counsailes tending vnto vertue so now she would despise and abhorre her as a doting foole alluring young minds vnto vanitie that if Valdracko shoulde knowe of her rash attempt he would not onely forbid her his house but also punish her as a spectacle that others shoulde beware to sollicite any such fonde and vnlawfull sutes but sith it was the first offence she was content to pardon the fault and to put vp the iniurie with sylence marry if either shee shoulde presently vtter any wordes in her owne defence or euer hereafter trouble her with any such trash she would cause her father with rigor to reuenge it to the vttermost and with that shee cast her the letter she had made charging her to carrie it to Rodento and to tell him that she so meanely accounted either of his person or parentage that after shee had opened his letter and sawe from whom it came she disdained to reade the contents so that whatsoeuer his sute were he might keepe it secreat to himselfe And with that shee layd downe againe telling Clarysta sith she had heard her mind shee might depart at her pleasure Clarista seeing Pasylla in such a fury durst not stand to defend her former attempt for fear of further danger but humbly craued pardon if she had done amisse promising both w t al dutiful seruice to make her amends and also neuer to be a stifler in the like cause with a submisse reuerence she tooke her leaue and departed Pasylla seeing how fearefull the old Gentlewoman was smiled at her selfe that she could so cunningly dissemble thinking she had done verie well in not disclosing her mind to such a doating foole For she knew that old womeÌ„ though by many years they knew how to speak yet no time nor age coulde learne them to be secreat that they weare their hearts in their handes and carrie their thoughts in their tongues end that they couet to heare feare not to speak participating their priuate counsailes to euery one that calles them gossyp This consideration moued Pasylla rather to make a smal scarre by speaking title then a deepe wound by blabbing to anyâ— and musing thus in these thoughts shee fell againe a sleep But Clarysta trudging home with a flea in her eare found Rodento at her house whom after reuerent salutations done she nipped on the Pate with this heauy newes telling him that Pasylla was so straunge as she would not so much as vouchsafe to read the contents of his letter but after she knew from wheÌ„ce it came redeliuered it with great choller charging her in harde bitter tearmes neuer hereafter to sollicite any such sute least she mâ—â—e her father priuy to her alluring practises And therfore shee earnestly intreated him either to cease of from his sute or else to vse some other messenger for she neuer durst atteÌ„pt hereafter to breake the matter Rodento hearing this heauy news seing as he thought his letter returnd without an answere sat a long while as one in a trance tormented w t such pinching assaults of fancy as Clarysta might easily perceiue how the poore Gentleman was perplexed at last thinking it best to couer a discontented mind with a contented countenaÌ„ce with the bright colours of myrth to blot out the dark shadowes of sorrow he began faintly to smile looking vpon the letter threw it down on y e ground and treading on it with his fâ—ete told Clarista that he hoped not to set that at his heart which Pasylla set at her heele but as she requighted his affection w t despight so he meÌ„t to rase out fancy with disdaine not onely to cease of from such heedelesse sutes but from such haples loues yet proâ—â—â—â—â—â— to remain her friend for her forward willingnes He took his leaue of Clarista and went home to his
haue Hoâ— Mars with choller much adust doâ—he câ—use his crue to raue Aâ—â— what â—iseases incident 〈…〉 and proper name of euery greefe and paine But this his skill with rare delight is saweed in such sort As grauer heads may counsell finde and yonger yeares disport Both by his learned censure may most pleasaunt profite gaine With friendly speech and praises due then recompence his paine FINIS Henry Gale Master of Artes. In Epicureos FOnd Epycurus with thy crue which scornes the course of heauenly frameâ— Bend downe thine eye and take a viewe peruse this worke and blush for shame To see thy doating doomes refeld which taste of naught but earthly slime And now by right and force compeld to yeeld to trueth in this our time Wherein Astrologie her famous loreâ— doth iustly claime her sacred due As Greene hath prou'd she did before and now her praises doth renue With such surpassing wit and skill as shall display thy brutish will FINIS George Mearâ—â— Gentleman In 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Ride Epicure deum gere nescia pectore fati finge nihil caeli significare faces Crede mihi ad nigrum quando raptaberis orcum Hic tua quod plectat scommata Numen erit Sultum pecus est non homo quicunque Astronomiae studio non tenetur cuius neminem nisi deum authorem repertorem faciundum puto Plato Saturne Iupiter Mars Sol Venus Mercurie Luna Saturne I Am sory Venus that thou art descended from mee beeing a God or that the destinies not to bee controlled haue appointed thee for a Goddesse but especially that thou art one of the vii Planets whose celestiall influences are predominant in terrestiall creatures I heare the complaints of theÌ„ which are skilfull in the calculation of natiuities exclaiming against thy thrise accursed constellation for by thee Venus the prime of yeeres which ought to bee spent in vertues is consumed in idle vanities Youth whiche in the golden age delighted to trie their vertues in hard armours take their onely content in delicate and effeminate amours through thee young mindes are blinded with lasciuious loue and aged yeeres pestered with fresh affections thou doest inchaunt the heartes of men with vnfitte fancies and layest beauty as a snare to intrappe vertue Loue as they whom haplesse experieÌ„ce hath taught make report is the onely plague which infecteth the myndes of mortall men and what daungerous euentes proceede of this franticke impression springe fond Venus of thy accursed influence so that if the Gods woulde bee ruled by me thou shouldest not onely be depriued of thy place among the Planets but exiled from all dignitie in the heauens and denyed to haue any more power vpon earth Venus Saturn if Gods might waxe old as they are immortal I wold thinke age had made thee doate but I neede not deceyue my selfe for it is thy accustomed melancholy that driueth thee into these bitter inuectyues Thou art sorie that I am come of thy lyne and I therefore discent because the destinies haue appoynted my progenie from such a peeuish Parent whose celestial but infortunate impression ioyned with a perpetuall vnluckly irradiation breedeth both in mens mindes and bodies such haplesse passions sawsed with so bitter and wofull euents as I sorrow to heare their cursing complaintes and shame to desceÌ„d from the race of such a despised Planet whereas contrary in the course of al configurations whether I be in some improper and sinister house or my vertue darkened with some vnlucky aspect either in Coniunction or Opposition yet the mildnesse of my influence doth alwaies mittigate though not extinguishe the cruell disposition of all other infortunate starres And further syr to shew that your inuectiue sauoureth more of rancour theÌ„ of reason I say that those natiuities whiche are fauoured wyth my happye aspecte dispose the minde to a continuall pronenesse and forwardnesse vnto pitie friendshippe amity and loue Loue yea Loue I say as neither God nor man iustly can gainsay which oft times pacifieth displeasures among heauenly powers and appeaseth debates among earthlye creatures It is y â— enemie to dissention the friend to quiet yea the preseruer conseruer of humane actions so that what is done well either is loue or proceedeth from loue But Saturne let those two crabbed Philosophers who hated loue and fed vpon gall and melaÌ„choly I meane Timon and Aparmantus come forth and thou shalt heare them with bitter curses accuse thy Saturnine complexion to be the spur that prickt them forward to their desperate philosophie Mars Truth Venus therefore Saturne for a while by the conseÌ„t of his own son Iupiter was most iustly exiled for y â— through his peeuish frowardnes neither could the gods agree in heauen nor men vpon earth Iupiter Mars you mistake the matter my father Saturne is the most noble of all the planets for his influence is principally predominant in age wherein vayn thoughtes and fresh affections are suppressed and wisedome onely beares swaye breeding in mens minds a hatefull contempt of vice and a happie desire of vertue therfore the golden age wherin al liued iustly was called Aetas Saturnea Luna Tush Iupiter blame not Mars his hande is on his halfepenie he plaieth like the Lidian stone which rubbed with the iuice of Mandrake becommeth hot where before it is most colde Venus is the goddesse of beauty and will loue Mars a god must loue let not his broken coyne stand for starling for he speaketh of affection all the Gods either do know it or may know it Mars Luna your reproch maye bee counted a praise for there is no hold to be taken at your words whose verdict is so variable y e ere Iupiter can turne his backe you wil chaunge your tale neuer singing one sougâ—e nor remaining in one mynd least if your censure should at any time be al one you might be thought not to be Luna But it is for you to talke with the goddesses not with the Gods Saturne Mars Luna hath reported as much as she can proue and yet no more then we know but letting her defend her own quarrel I say that respecting your own lucklesse constellation it were most fit for you to hold with Saturne for wrath enuie warres choler bloud murther hatred proceedeth froÌ„ your influence Mercurie Not so Sir in this I will speake for Mars hee breedeth in mens mindes valour prowesse magnanimity courage constancy resolutions without feare setled determination without change Iupiter And you Mercurie pollicies sleights faire promises small performance causing men by your variable impression to flatter friend or foe to sweare in mouth and for sweare in hart to beare two faces vnder a hood to carry a Lamb in his shield and a Tygre in his bosome with the one hand to present spice and wyth the other hemblocke Sol. Is it not a shame right mightye Gods that your grauities shuld be so blinded with raging choler as to your own discredit to rippe vp those thinges which
by her wincking and to feare that the old Pandar suborned by some lewde mate had attempted to perswade her to some vnlucky match so that at the first she refused the letter til at last forced by the earnest intreaty of Clarista to take it she put it vp in her pocket promising if it conteyned nothing preiudicial to her honor she would the next day redeliuer an answere And with that being both satisfied they went agayne to Pandina who all that while was walking alone in the gallerye passing away the after noone in such endles chat as women when they meet can discourse of till the night drawing on Clarista tooke her leaue and departed Pandina and Pasylla being presently calde to supper where hauing taken theâ—â— repast with the Duke they withdrew themselues to their lodgings Pandina into her bedde chamber and Pasylla into her closet where she no sooner came but in hast she vnripped the seales and found the contentes so straunge and vnlookt for that she both mused and marueiled at Rodentos sodaine passion and Claristas fond perswasion laughing at her foolish attempt and at his as she thought dissembled affection thinking that the young Gentleman inflamed with a secreat hate sought to spoile her honestie vnder the couloured pretence of Amitie and with the crocodile to weepe Rose water at the first and to spitte venome at the last For she knewe that there had beene such mortall hatred betwixt the Counte Coelio and her Father that as the flames of Eteocles and Polynires did part in their funerals so there coulde neuer growe any perfect affection betweene her Rhodento Yet the fame of his exquisite perfection and vertuous qualities the renowne of his valiant prowesse and bountifull courtesie was so blazâ—e abroade throughout all Farrarâ— that as his friends had cause to commende him for his valoâ— so his verie foes could not condemne him because of his vertues Pasylla calling to minde the perfect proportion of his person was halfe tickled with a consenting affection so that if her will might haue stand for a lawe Rodento had not mist of his loue but as fancie forced her to listen to his sute so duetie drâ—ue her to denie his request yet with such modest curtesie as the young Gentleman shoulde haue no great cause to unslike of her answere being in this good minde she tooke pen and Inke and writ him a letter to this effect Pasylla to Rodento Coeliâ— wisheth as shee ought IT is impossible Rodento with musicke to allure Vlysses because with Perill he hardly escaped the Syrons melodie when the Eagle sluttereth Doues take not their flight neither will the Deare stand at the viewe of a dogge though he feare not to gaze at the sight of a boult where hateful suspition breedeth enmitie there it is hard with painted shadows to procure amitie Synons mouth sauored of Hony when his hart was seasoned with Gall. Cassius had a dimple in his cheeke when he had a daggar in his hande and they which couet most bitterly to betray must first seeke most sweetely to intrappe I speake this Rodento because I see thy infectious poison presented in rich plate thy filthie drosse couered with gold and thy crooked meaning with a coloured motion Can the house of the Coelii fauour Valdracko or canst thou loue where thy father hath alwayes sought to hate Nay shall Pasylla be so madde to thinke thy glozing truth other then guilefull treacherie or thy sacred desire to obtain other then a feere at despight to reuenge if she should thou mighest well haue great occasion to laugh but she farre more cause to repent It had been good Rodento to haue halted but not before a Cripple and if thou wouldest needs flatter fancie thou saist to haue drawne the plot for some other person for thou mightest think if I spied no deceipt I were too fonde and if I doubted no dissembling too creedulous siâ—h then thy hooke being bare thou canst catch no fish thou maist sit downe and play with thine Angle But put case Rodento doth loue shall therefore Pasylla begin to like no she hath learned to be blinde at profers and deafe at promises to heare little and beleeue lesse least in harkning to the charmer she hap to be inchanted It is not for fools to play with swords nor for maides to dallie with loue least the one haue cause to crie and the other to repent There is nothing sweeter then libertie nor any thing more sooner lost which men seeke to obtaine with flattery and to rewarde with falshood yet I will imagine Rodento doth loue and Pasylla could loue will Valdracko grant he shoulde enioy his daughter no hee had rather preuent her with vntimely death then pretend such an vnlikely demaunde he would sooner consent to payn her with some hellish miserie then place her in such a haplesse marriage But alas what is this to the purpose Rodento doth loue and must enioy his loue or else poore soule die for loue Truely either the mans minde is very weake that will pine away with such a passion or his bodie verie feeble that wil perish for so small a maladie but sith your stomacke Rodento is so queasie I will giue you this comfortable principle that as it is harde for women not to consume with care so it is impossible for men to die of a conceit the ones minds melting like waxe the others hardned like Adamant And yet howsoeuer the case stands though I neither can nor may loue thee RodeÌ„to yet I wil not hate thee but wish that our parents were as assured friends as the children might be perfect louers and so farewell Her owne and not possible to be yours Pasylla PAsylla hauing thus finished her letter feeling her cyes to be halfe closed with drowsie sleepe went to her bedde thinking to beguile the long night with swee slumbers but it fell out otherwise for Venus willing to fauour such a forward champion as Rodento thought to yoke the neck which as yet neuer yeelded and to fire that fancie with a lusting desire which hitherto hadde beene frosen with a chaste disdaine shee therefore presented vnto Pasylla the beautie and young years of Rodento the vertuous disposition of his minde wherein he was simple and the perfection of his outwarde shape wherein hee was singular in the one excelling most in the other inferior to none which duelie considered draue her to debate thus doubtfullie with her selfe Ah vnhappie Pasylla whose minde is pained with vnacquainted passions and whose heade is troubled with vnequall thoughts shall thy Uirgins â—â—ate â—e stained with fonde desires or thy younge yeares darkened with Cupides shadowes Tis fitte for thee Pasylla to spende thy youth in laboures not in loues to pace solemnelye after Vesta not to gadde wantonlye after Venus Maydes muste haue denyall in their mouth and disdaine in their hearts so â—haâ— they 〈…〉 securely despise fancie Diana is painted kissing 〈◊〉 and spotting beauâ—ies face with a Penfel Uirgiâ—s 〈◊〉
natures whereof two are fruitefullâ— Fortunate and luckie thaâ— is to say heate moisture by which all things â—o increase prosper The other two dismall maligne and dangerous namelie colde drinesse by which all thinges are weakened and ruinate The auncient Astrologers constitute Venus and Iupiter temperate in nature for their heat and moisture Saturne Mars intemperate for the nipping cold of the one the burning inflamed and adust heate of the other And thus farre Ptolomeus himselfe by whose verdite we are induced to thinke and affirme that the influence of Venus of moist without any excesse with a smal and temperate warmnesse which the Poets perhaps respected wheÌ„ they fained Venus to come of the foame of the sea calling her Aphrodite but Euripides thinks she is so called quod Aphrones siâ—t and of an imperfect mind that suffer themselues to be ouercome by Venus allurements Of y e faculties she doth challenge vnto her y â— appetitiue of humors Phlegme but yet doulâ—e vnsauory natural yea such as Asclepiades affirmeth y â— may easily be changed into bloud and for the natiue heat may be easily decocted and thus much for her essential description Nowe as concerning the peculiar affections of those men in whom she is predomynant They be pleasantly disposed and indued Atticâ— quâ—dam lepore knowing rather the manners of their friends then hating them delighting in flowers and precious oyntments carrying about them the purse of Cupid tyed with the blade of a Leeke scratching their head with one finger and to vse the Latin prouerbe molle peruncti Lesbiantur Corinthiantur eating Lettice and stalking on their typtoes Lidio more viuentes careful to encrease beautie and somewhat tickled with selfeloue carrying Honny in their mouthes and like Spanyels flattering with their â—ayles in their right eares bearing oyle hauing twinckling eyes and soft delicate haire apt to get children and giuen to propagation applying these minds to songs sonets addicted to pittie mercie and fauour Et in vâ—ramuis aurem vtrunque oculum Dormientes The peculiar diseases to this starre are Cathars Coryse Branchy Lethargies Palsies Apoplexies Gonorrhea passâ—o obstructions of the raines bladder belly with paines in the secreat parts quotidian feuers paines in the headeâ— Lieuteria diarrhea diabete dropsies other more proceeding of crudities excesse and abundance of Phlegme windinesse imbecillitie of heate perfrigerations such others As touching their pulses they be smal slow soft their sweat vnsauorie vrine pale and thinne their deiections white moist and 〈◊〉 of Crudity dreaming for the most part of waters Bathes Fishings Snakes and such like Saturnes Tragedie THe City of Memphis is highly commended for the nourse of good letters because in that place learning was rewarded with her due deserts ignorance as neere as might be so vtterly exiled as euerie Mecanicall man was able to yealde a reason of the principles of his science In this Citie famous in those dayes for learning and vertue dwelled an infamous strumpet called Rhodope descended of good parentage and of comely personage honorable for her birth and renowmed for her beautie but her outward hue was so spotted with inwarde vice as her praise was not such for the perfection of the body as the discredit was for y e lasciuious disposition of her mind which was so stained with wanton affections that I thinke Venus her selfe coulde not haue past her in vanities This Rhodope racking her honestie to maintaine her pompe and pride forgetting shame and conscience two vertues long since exiled from Venus Court set her bodie to sale and in the prime of her yeares became a professed courtesan so that for the appointed price euery stragling straunger might pray vppon such lothsome Carrion This shamelesse strumpet tooke small delight to be seene in the Citie but when shee went abroade to take a view of the streetes shee past in such sumptuous â—ort that the Citizens a long time after had matter ynough to talke of her magnificence It so fell out on a day that shee determined to go sport her selfe at a fountaine which is dedicated vnto Venus a miles distance from Memphis whether shee went accompanied with such young youthes as were snared in her alluring bewty being come to the place which for the scituation seemed to bee an earthly paradise after they had refreshed theÌ„selues with stoare of dainty delicates which were prouided by Rhodope they past away a great part of the day with amorous conceiptes and pleasant parles till at last the weather waring somewhat warme Rhodope desirous to bath her feet in the coole fountaine caused one of her maides to pull of her shooes which were imbrodered with gould and richly be sette with stones which she diligently doing as she laid them on the greene grasse verie necessarie to helpe her mistresse â—off with her hoase an Eagle soaring a loft and seeing the glistering of the goulde soused sodainely downe and carried away her right shooe in her gripe which sodaine sight greatly amazed Rhodope marueiling what this straunge and prodigious chaunce shoulde portende beginning straight coniecturally to construe this happe to the worst but her companions were of an other opinion for some of them saide it was a signe of good lucke other that it was a token of honour and dignitie All her selfe excepted saide the best because women are most pleased with praises and promises and shee rested to thinke the best whatsoeuer in outward countenance she did pretende Well after they had diuersely descanted vppon this euent shee with her company returned to the Citie of Memphis but the Eagle with the shooe tooke her flight to the Court of Psamnetichus who at that verie moment was walking alone in his priuie Garden assoone as shee came ouer the kings heade not by chance but by some infortunate and dismall destinie she let the shooe fall and with a marueilous crie soared againe into the ayre which soodaine and prodigious sight so amazed the olde king and so astonished his senses as they which gazed at the gastlie heade of Gorgon At last come to himselfe he tooke vp the shooe marueiling whether it did belong to some heauenly Nymph or some mortall creature The shape pleased his fancy the glistring beautie thereof delighted his eyes to be short Cupid the accursed sonne of Venus seeing him at discouert drewe a boult to the heade and strooke Psamnetichus at the verie heart which perced him so deepe that hee beganne not onely to like the shooe but to loue the owner of such a pretious Iewel feeling a tickling affection to enter into his minde whereuppon he began to smile at his owne follie that he should be so fond now in his age to doate more then he did in his youth Where by the way wee may note the despightfull mallice of Venus who perceiuing that her infortunate and ill affected influence is hindered by a vertuous disposition and that although her accursed configuration be of great