deuise to liue in rest Fare well therefore thou false dissembling dame Whose luring lookes did lull me so a sleepe That when I felt the force of fierie flame And saw my selfe in daunger drownd so deepe I could not leaue the harme I lykt so well Which now I loth and will do while I liue Thy winks thy wiles thy words and all farewell To them that list my intrest whole I giue That they may keepe the thing with cost and care Which I desird and should haue bene my share The Prince his maister séeing him so sodainly and straungely altered laboured by all meanes possible to vnderstand the cause thereof which the gentleman would not in any wise confesse but sought to excuse the matter as he could and make his case a great deale better then it was The Prince therefore seeing all his wordes spent to small purpose in seeking to perswade him to manifest his griefe perceiuing that the hower approched wherein he appoynted to mete with this gentlewoman whose loue he had so lightly purchased being loth to prosecute his purpose without the companie and councell of his fauoured seruaunt whom he had in all thinges found faithfull vnto him he secretely called him vnto him and said Though I haue dyuers tymes demaunded the cause of thy griefe which I imagine to procéede of loue and can not be resolued in it yet for the mutuall amitie that ought to be betwene vs I will not conceale any secret of mine from thee Knowe then for certaine that I haue of late bene intrapped with the loue of a gentlewoman of this towne so faire and full of all perfections as I thinke in all Europe there liueth not her like whose happy company if fortune be not too contrary vnto me I hope to enioy this night at my pleasure wherefore hauinge now reuealed this secret vnto thee as to him in whom I haue most special affiance I pray thee vouchsafe to accoÌ„pany me to the place where she remaineth that is my onely solace and I assure thee if thou wilt let me vnderstaÌ„d what it is that thus troubleth thy mynd which I hartely beseche thee thou shalt fynd me as redie to satisfie thy desire in any thinge and as carefull to redeme thee from these dolors that now depriue thee of thy natural rest The gentleman knowing the perfecte goodwill and vnfained affection that his Lorde and maister bare vnto him perceyuing also by this his profred courtesie how desirous he was of his well doinge shewed him from pointe to pointe the cause of all his grefe proceding of loue and the ingratitude of her whom he honored estéemed aboue all other creatures being the selfe same gentlewoman that his Lord had chosen for his chefest frend which when he perceyued whether he had cause to contemne him or no I leaue it to the iudgment of those that be louers whose nature is to loth them that seke to be pertakers of their loues or to take from them any part of theire fauour whom they so greatly fancie Notwithstanding this wyse and worthy prince preferring the loue of his frend before his own fond affections toke a cleane contrary course for considering the miserable case whereunto loue had brought this pore gentleman he resolued with him self rather to respect his health then his owne priuat pleasure and resting vpon this determination he said to the gentleman as foloweth My frend thoughe I haue nothing in the world so dere and delightfull vnto me but I could willingly imparte the same with thée though thou mayst dispose of my goods as of thine owne câ—mmaund my person to do thée pleasure yet loue that can alow of no parteners will not permit vs to be both pertakers of the gentlewoman whome we both desire thou art greatly pained for her sake and I prefer the pleasure I might enioy with her before all my worldly treasure These are two great extremeties for as the one can wel be endured so may not the other be wel forborne Thy case craueth comfort and my contentment if thou want thy will thou art in daunger to perish if I bridle my affections it will brede me sorow notwithstanding so great is the loue I beare vnto thée that I do rather chose to depriue my self of this fauour then to se thée languish for lacke of that which is in my power to graunt thee Comforte thy selfe therfore cast of this carefulnes and despaire no more but count thy self assured of that thou sekest she shall be thyne that best deseruest her thou shalt enioy her wholy to thy self I geue her frely vnto thée and geue ouer all the intrest that I had or may haue in her hereafter The pore gentleman hearing these kinde words and perceyuing his owne error betwixt hope to obtayne his desire and â—eare to offend his good Lord whome he honoured with al reuerence due to so worthy a person not knowing how to answere or what to imagine he stode as still as a stone staringe in the princes face sheding great aboundaunce of teares and as one bereft of all his senses vnable to vtter one only worde a greate while together At the last coming to him self agayne with all humilitie he craued pardon for the offence which he had vnwittingly committed against hys maiesty protesting that he would rather choose to die a thousand deathes if it were possible then willingly séeke to impeach the least part of his pleasure The Prince remayning firme in his liberal purpose after he had studied a while by what meanes he might best beguile the gentlewoman and bring his frend reliefe hauing found a fitte deuise for that purpose he commaunded the gentleman to attend vpon him and vpon paine of hys displeasure to do whatsoeuer he should appoint him and so incontinently they passed together towards the gentlewomans lodging where they were finely receaued at their comming by a prety maid that she had made priuey to her meaning who like a good seruaunt carefull of her Mistres commaundements conueyed the Prince very priuely into her chamber where she attended his comming whose frendly welcome amorous enticements had ben enough to moue the chastest mind in the world to take delight in her and forgetting al frends and frendship to betake him selfe wholy vnto her But this good Prince whose minde was fully bent to séeke the safetie of his frend when he and the gentlewoman were laid together in the bedde and the candle put out faining as though he rise to â—ase him selfe went to the gentleman his seruaunt whom he had left in an other lodging not farre of sending him thether to supply his rome satisfied him self with the maid that was a prettie 〈◊〉 gerle whom with his good perswasions and liberall promises he easely obteyned to be at his commaundement in all thinges wherwith he did well content him selfe for the time The gentleman that was now in tharmes of his Lady whom he loued so dearely when he had wel satisfied
her selfe vnhappy for euer then to liue without the company of her faithfull and wel affected seruant And after good deliberation seeing her selfe greatly vrged to forsake the Court through the fury and feare she had of her displeased friendes she agreed with her best beloued to the ende they might fréely enioy their Loue some where els to forsake the Courte and her Countrey with all conuenient speede wherefore the better to bring their desire to passe they caused them selues to be marryed as secretly as they might and setting all their affayres in good order when they were furnished of money and all thinges that eache of them seuerally according to their habilitie were able to procure for feare to be discouered they stole away in the night and traueled by vnknowen wayes that were not commonly tradâ—â—â— til they came to the sea side where they tooke 〈◊〉 with purpose to passe towards Italie thinking there to spende the rest of their life happely and as their heart desirâ—d but cruel fortune inconstant and enuious of the good that be fore she had graunted them turning their sweet into sower and their pleasure into great displeasure so extreamely handled them that their miserable mishap may be a good example to all other to beware of the like when they find themselues disposed to take so dangerous a wise These two fugitiue Louers being imbarked as aforesayd before they were fully ten miles from the hauen there rose so great a tempest in the sea that the sky beeing couered with many dark cloudes and the water troubled with the vehemencie of the wind that it seemed al things were quite confounded and brought into a confused Caos so that the boldest in the barke and he that had best skill was faine to geue ouer his taske and committe all to the mercy of the tyme which was so daungerous that the ship ouermatched by the vehemency of the windes was broken all to péeces against a harde rocke and all that were in it drouned and lost saue onely Barisor and Flora For Barisor strengthned by the vehemencye of hys loue holding his Flora in his armes all be blobred with wéeping when he saw the eminent daunger which might no way be auoyded he cast her vpon his backe and with an inuincible courage leapt into the Sea and puttinge himselfe to the power and conducte of the tempestuous waues brake the billowes with his body as a Dolphin with his broade finnes The Lady acknowledginge the great diligence of her poore louer sayd vnto him Alas my deare frend I greatly feare that by seeking my safety we shall both be drouned nay sweete Lady sayd Barisor thy company is such a comfort vnto me and my desire to preserue thee so great that it maketh me more swift then the winde and stronger then the waues that striue against me The sorowful Flora bending her selfe to kis her bearer the best recompence that then she coulde make him for all his paynes it gaue the poore gentleman so great courage that with the help of the time and the sea which waxed calme againe he gate to land in a desert Iland inhabited by none but wild beastes So soone as they were arryued in this place they loking back on a sodaine perceiued a huge Lyon hard at their héeles wherfore thinking that he would haue deuoured them and so with their life to haue ended all their miseries they prepared themselues with patience to abide their vnhappy destinie like frends to die together But the cruel beast whether it were that he had before satisfied himselfe some where els or that the heauens had so appointed it contrary to al expectation departed from them without offering them any iniury or vsing any violonce towards them When they had escaped this daunger for feare to fall into the like again they wandred vp and down thrée whol dayes together to seek some place of securitie but in al that time they saw no earthly creature nor found any harbor but only the wild desert and the maine sea that enuironed it round about wherefore being extreamely pinched with hunger and faint with running they were constrayned to rest their féeble bodies voyd of al natural strength hard by the sea side where being couched together in this miserable plight each imbracing other almost dead for want of foode and not able to doe any thing but wéepe and sighe Barisor sayd to his beloued Flora Alas my deere hart thy swéete and delicate youth vnable to endure the extreame anguish of this deadly famine must needes pearish without any hope of recouery Ah my deere friend sayd she I feele myselfe greatly eased by enioying thy frendly companie Then pausing a while and fetching a feeble sighe she said againe Alas poore soule I see thou mayst no longer endure this dolor all the forces of thy pining harte doe faile thee Not in loue replyed Barisor though in this earthly bodies our soules so vnited that nothing hath power to part them shal ascend to the heauens together and so long as any gaspe of breath remayneth satisfie theÌ„ selues with these two kisses now colde for wante of natures giftes Thus lamentably complaining and straitly embracing at the last they gaue vp the ghost shortly after were found by certain strange marchants that came on shore to furnish themselues of fresh victual being dryuen vpon this Iland by tempest who when they saw the dead bodies of these desolate louers newly deceased but past al recouerie perceiued by al outward apparance that they died for want of foode wherfore lamenting their case which seemed verie strange vnto them they buried them after the best maner they might and then departing from them they departed on their purposed voyage where they made report of this strange accident and likewise in all other places where they hapned to come and amongst the rest in Hungary so that in the end it came to the eares of those that were acquainted with the late escape of Barisor and Florinda who knowing by all euident tokens that these pitifull newes concerned them some were glad because they might now with more assurance enioy the large reuenues that belonged to Flora others reprooued their folly but all in generall lamented their losse specially such as were louers to whose minde this strange example was no small terror Behold here Gentlemen the force of foolish Loue which inflameth the hearts of the greatest oftentimes bereaueth them offense and maketh them careles of al duties who the greater more noble that they be the more care they ought to haue not to remitte any thing how small so euer it be that may be any blemish to their reputation For it is most certaine that whosoeuer once forsaketh God and suffreth himself to be led away with euery foolish passion that prouoketh him he must nedes fal into such dangerous wayes as will leade him at last to vtter perdition which he shal neuer be able to auoyde Constance louing Martuccio Gomitto wheÌ„ she
wittes may clime To touch the toppe of highest thinges with praise Which Nestor scarce attainde in all his dayes Young coltes beares price before olde restie iades young twigges stande faste when taller trees decay The budding rose exceedes the flower that fades youth waxeth ripe whilest age doth were away Then iudge aright and praise him for his paynes That prooues his theame in praising youthly braynes G. A. In commendation of the Author LEt hoarie heares who longe in painfull soyle with heauie hande haue sowed Experience seede At haruest reape in guerdone of their toyle the name and fame of wisdome for their meede But yet for witte let youth receaue the praise As this our Youth doth flowe in these our dayes N. Skr. In the praise of his frende THough wanton will did wrangle late with witte though Soldior braulde though Schollar cauil stil Manillas mone though no man pittie it nor woman-like so lose a praise of will Though counsell then that came from phisickes lore Doth yealde as yet no salue to heale his sore Yet died not witte he did but make his will I not deny but then he might be sicke His addle head may were a kercher still for then his braine was touched to the quicke But who so lookes shall see him here aliue And well perceaue how youth can him reuiue Mistres Marie P. In commendation of her seruaunts worke TO praise the wight whose déedes deserue no lesse were but to throwe my wordes into the winde For eache that sees his worke must needes confesse vnlesse they swarue contrarie to their kinde That he deserues farre more then I can tell his workes his wordes his deedes deserue so well R. W. gent. To his frende A N. LOe for my frende I here doe breake my vow who earst haue sworne in silence for to rest But for because my frende constraines me now both vowes and othes I doe accounte as iest And say and sweare as I haue done of yore that such Greene wittes haue seldome beene before I. Io. Gent. IN verse to write the praises of my frende I wante the skill of learned Poets olde Whose pregnante witte in Virgill may be pende and not by me his filed phrase be tolde Reade gallante youthes this booke which he hath wrot not for his owne but your delight God wot I. H. To his frende A. N. TO say of trothe that this my frende doth well and in the ende his doinges should proue badde My name his fame I should both by and sell and nether winne but both of vs be sadde So that to praise him further then I say I neither can ne will ne must nor may YOVTHES VVIT OR THE WIT OF GRENE YOVTH WITH THE CASTELL OF Conceites Choose Gentlemen mez-Dames which of these two shall best like you Two louers being together in the night the Man died for ioy the Maide for griefe Whereof ensued the death of other two IN the citie of Cessenna not long since was dwelling a riche marchant named Affranio who had two children a Sonne and a Daughter Néere vnto him was dwelling an other marchant named Gerardo who had likewise a Sonne and a Daughter and as betwene the fathers there had of long time bene great familiaritie so did acquaintance growe and increase betwene their children specially betwene their Daughters For Camilla the Daughter of Gerardo by meanes of her brothers absence who was resident at Rome where he had continued a long time as factor for his father hauing no bodie to kéepe her companie in his absence resorted diuers times to Cornelia who her father being dead was then only Mistres of the house which her brother Hannibal as sole inheritour of all his goodes did hold and enioy after his decease The continuall conuersation of these two gentlewomen as it ingendred betwene them such perfect amitie as could neuer be dissolued so did it kindle a new fire in the hart of Hannibal which by the contemplacion of Camillas bewtie so increased from time to time and in the end toke such déepe roote that it could not possiblie be remoued This straunge passion so tormented the mind of the poore gentleman who had neuer before bene acquainted with the like that neglecting all his necessarie affaires he applied his whole care and studie to please and pleasure his beloued Camilla who vtterly ignorant of his griefe shewed him no better countenaunce then she did commonly to all other young gentlemen of her acquaintance which Signor Hannibal perceiuing and not satisfied therewith would faine haue made his meaning more apparant crauing such comfort as the necessitie of his cause required but the feare he had to offend and so to lose the fauour whereof he was assured by her continuall presence did still deteyne him and would neuer suffer him to prosecute his purpose Thus hanging betwene hope and dispaire th one pricking him forward the other pulling him backe imagining now one thing now an other thing and neuer resoluing fully vpon any thing he became at last so melancolike with musing imagining on this matter that losing his appetite to meate and desire to sléepe at the last he grew sicke and by litle and litle wasted away as snow against the sunne Cornelia séeing her brother thus pained applied her selfe like a naturall sister to prouide him all things that she thought méete for the recouerie of his health by Phisicke or otherwise but his disease procéeding of no natural cause could neither be discerned nor cured by any Phisitiā were his skill and experience neuer so great only their opinion was for the most part that it procéeded of some passion of the mind which Cornelia vnderstanding who could by no meanes imagine vppon what occasion he should be so disquieted to vnderstand the truth she lay continually vpon him vsing all the perswasions that possibly she might to make him reueale vnto her the cause of this his grieuous malladie which at the last he did with much a do telling her that it was only for the loue he bare to her frend Camilla which he had sought by all meanes possible to suppresse but could not being continuallie renewed by the dayly contemplacion of her celestiall bewtie Cornelia hearing these wordes vttered by her sicke brother with grieuous sighes and great aboundaunce of teares knowing that it was then no time to reproue his folly but rather to prouide a remedie for thextreame mischiefe whereunto he was so vnhappely fallen comforted him with swéete wordes exhorting him to plucke vp his spirites and séeke some meanes to remedie his griefe Whereunto he replied that he knew not how to ease him selfe vnlesse it would please her to discouer his affection to her frend Camilla and persuade her to take some pitie vpon him Cornelia that loued her brother as her owne life gaue him her promise that when opportunitie should serue she would satisfie his desire and make his estate so well knowen to her in whom his only hope of helpe consisted that
she had no doubt but that her tender hart would be moued to take compassion vpon him when she should perceaue that his intent was honest and his affection in dede vnfamed Hannibal was somewhat comforted with these kind words considering the great amitie that was betwene Camilla and his sister Cornelia thought her wordes might worke such effect with her that he should easily obtaine his desire Cornelia shortly after being with her frend Camilla talking of diuers matters as women will do when they he together at the last she spyed her time to open her brothers case vnto her tellinge her what straunge tormentes he endured for her sake affirming that without her helpe he was like to languish without all hope of remedy praying her therefore most instantly to haue pitie vpon him Camilla though she liked not well of these words that Cornelia had vsed vnto her yet séeing her to be greatly grieued for her brothers sickenes she did the rather hold her excused and would not greatly reproue her but gaue her to vnderstand that she tooke small delite in such amorous suters praying her from thenceforth to trouble her no more with the like assuring her if she did that she should but lose her labour and be farre enough from obtaining that she sought Cornelia though she were not satisfied with this aunswer yet being so nipt maidenly shamefastnes would not suffer her to procéede any further in the matter neither durst she shewe her brother what aunswere Camilla had made her least it should driue him to greater extreamities then he was in before but whether it were with watching and the great paines that she tooke with him continually during the time of his sickenes or by some griefe she conceaued in the vncourteous aunswer of her frend Camilla or because she saw no meanes to remedy her brothers seacelesse torment she fell shortly after into a grieuous feuer which constrained her to kéepe her bedde whereof when Camilla had vnderstanding she came incontinently to visite her and being with her all alone in a chamber next adioyning to the lodging where Hannibal lay hauing but a wall betwene them so that whatsoeuer was sayd in th one might easely be hard in thother Hannibal hearing his Camillas voice asked his sister Cornelia who was with her who aunswered him that there was no body but Camilla Hannibal being likewise alone at that present calling his wits together and taking more courage vnto him then he was accustomed to haue in this case taking his lute in his hand he began to sing as followeth YEld me my heart yeld me my libertie From out this prison let me passe againe That for thy sake bide such extreamitie As neuer mortall man might well sustaine If thou hast vowd to tread Dianas trace If crueltie increase in thee by kinde If thou disdaine to graunt thy seruaunt grace Or canst not lodge such liking in thy minde Yeld me my hart that wholy then I may Geue vp the ghost when as my race is runne Which now for loue doth languish night and day And hath no power those painfull paines to shunne But if thy purpose be to keepe it still Yet vse it better then thou didst before To vex the wight no doubt the deede were ill That well deserues thou shouldest esteeme him more Then in thy breast as reason doth require My grieued hart vouchsafe to lodge at last That I may say thou did'st not desire Nor wish the woes that I so long did tast But that thy loue though it were long conceald Was firmely sixt and plainly now reueald And then began on the other side of the wall with wordes interrupted with sighes and great abundaunce of teares to declare to Camilla his amorous and extreame passion humbly beséechinge her to take pitie vpon him and not to suffer him to finish his miserable life in the flower of his youth through her cruelty and want of compassion Of such force were these his prayers that mollefying her tender hart which she felt sodainly enflamed with an vnaccustomed heate she thoughte it greate crueltie not to haue compassion vpon him and no lesse ingratitude to deny him that fauour which his entire affection and perfecte loialtie had wel deserued wherefore in frendlye wise she spake vnto him after this manner Senior Hanniball I am contented to allow of your wordes and cannot but like well of your courteous offer not supposing you to be one of those that wyth leude practises doe seeke to deceiue such simple soules as I am who when they haue satisfied their wicked desire report it amongest their companions to the great reproche and vtter spoyle of those that were so fonde to beleue them But rather then any suche thinge shoulde happen to me I desire to die the moste gréeuous death that may be deuised knowing rightwel that when a woman hath once lost her good name she hath then no more to loose the same being the onely riches that she can haue in this world It is therefore very méete that we be somwhat circumspect in this matter if the loue you beare vnto me be so perfect as you professe and that your meaninge be none other then I imagine it you may demaund me of my Father in marriage who I am well assured will not deny you your honest request By this meanes you may easely obteyne your desire and keepe my good name vnspotted which is the thing wherein I cheifly delight me Hannibal was well satisfied with these words and greatly cōmending the vertuous care she had for the preseruation of her good name promised so sone as he had recouered his health to do as she had directed him After this Hannibal proued all meanes to procure his health and being well recouered caused certayn of his frendes to moue his sute to Camillas Father who knowing his hability and liking well of the offer aunswered that he could be well contented to bestowe his daughter vpon him but would not resolue vpon any thinge till his Sonne whose name was Claudius were retorned from Rome which he saide would be verie shortly Camilla knowing her Fathers answer imagined the matter to be fully concluded for she thought assuredly that her brother would not be agaynst it wherefore betakinge her selfe wholy to her frend Hannibal her affection towards him grew so great that it was nothing inferior vnto his Whilst Claudius deferred his coming from Rome to Cesena vpon some occasion of busines that detained him longer then he thought for these two louers diuers tymes had conference together thinking by that meanes somwhat to aswage the amorouse flame that continually burned in theire brestes but this caused it more and more to increase and made them thinke euerie hower a yeare till Claudius retorned But when they sawe he stayed so long after his tyme apoynted they caused themselues to be secretly maried thinking to celebrat the mariage at Claudius retorne who cominge home shortly after was aduertised by his Father of
his desire and aswaged his heate with her swete imbracement he asked her pleasantly whether she thought that the greatnes of a Prince was able to shew more perfect affection then the good hart and loyall seruice of a meane gentleman The gentlewoman hearing his voyce which she knew very well perceyuing therby that it was not the Prince whom she had pleasured but the gentleman that she thought to displease and depriue of that fauoure which his entire affetion had wel deserued vnderstanding very well to what end his wordes did tend sighing a litle she said If my wisdome had bene as greate as my bewtie I had not depriued my self of libertie to make me a slaue to one that set so light by me neither had mine expectacion bene thus deceaued nor my selfe so beguiled But seeing it is so fallen out and that the liberalitie of a Prince hath bene so great to preferre the loue of his seruaunt before his owne priuate affections it is great reason that 〈◊〉 shoulde hold me contented and shew my selfe as liberall 〈◊〉 you whose loyaltie hath well deserued it as he hath done that gaue me this good example wherfore I do here wholy betake my selfe vnto you accepting you for my only frend so long as liâ—e and your good liking shall last with assured promise neuer more to aâ—â—er my choyce or allow of any other in that respect but alwaies and in all thing to be most humble at your commaundement These and such like wordes she vsed vnto him and afterwards falling into more pleasaunt talke they passed the time till morning came and then the gentleman with a gracious Conge takinge leaue of his Mistresse departed with the Prince his maister being both well satisfied who diuerse times after when occasion serued receaued the like contentemente But nowe least I ingender in your hartes some extreame enuie by speaking ouermuch of this their excéeding pleasure I thinke it best to hold my peace and so auoyde the inconuenience which otherwise might insue A lamentable discourse of the loue betwene Barisor and Flora with the piteous end of them both Not without great reason do the Poets faine foolish loue to be naked for vndoubtedly he is naked of all good vertues They do likewise make him blind to shew that for want of good foresight he suffereth him selfe to fal into all maner of vices I may then very well conclude with them and say that his subiectes are so naked so blind and voyde of naturall sense that being in a maner dispoiled of all good vertues they suffer them selues to be led into such filthy pudles froÌ„ whence they are not able to get out againe till their hard fortune do make them feele the smart of their wilfull folly as plainly appeareth by the story ensuing The most renowmed king of Hungarie the last that raigned in those partes before the Turke had wasted the countrie and brought it vnder his subiection did in his life time hold an open Court and had in his traine a great number of gentlemen and Ladies so well accomplished in all perfections as there was no Prince in Christendome comparable vnto him where loue had so liuely displayed himselfe that it was harde to finde in any other Courte whatsoeuer more affectionate seruauntes to their Ladies then was one gentlemaÌ„ of his house named Barisor who though he were but basely borne and little fauoured with the giftes of fortune notwithstanding nature farre more gracious vnto him made him in all vertue and beautie so perfect that without comparison hee was accounted the most accomplished gentleman in the Courte and had such aduauntage aboue all other that aswell in all manner of Gentlemanlike exercises as also in martiall exploites hee alwayes shewed himselfe farre to surmount the rest which made him to be so welbeloued and estéemed of euery one especially of the Ladies of the court that by meanes of the good countenance they gaue him generally he tooke great pleasure oftentimes to beare them company shewing him selfe so courteous and seruiceable vnto them that therby he drew vnto him the hartes of most of them In this honourable troupe there was a Lady named Flora of an auncyent house and very rich in possessions who séeing this gentleman so much estéemed and praised of euery one saue only of her could no longer forbeare to shew him the like freendly and fauourable countenaunce He on the other side beholding the delicate complection and naturall beautie of this worthy Gentlewoman was in such sorte surprysed that he did in a maner lose all his senses Loue incontinently during these amorous regards vsing his accustomed force at one instant tyed the heartes of these twaine so straightly together and brought them to that passe that it was easie to iudge by their outward countenaunce how they were inwardly tormented which though it seemed very straunge vnto them at the first specially to the young Lady yet when it had once taken roote in her heart it was so surely setled as it did accompany her to her graue Thus to discouer their secrete thoughts hauing yet none other meanes but onely the amorous glaunces of their gasing eyes they could not sufficiently discouer the force of this new fire wherewith they were so greately inflamed which so much tormented the minde of the poore Gentleman that being on a day al alone in his chamber and almost out of his wittes through extreame sorrow he caste him selfe downe vpon his bed thinking to recouer some rest but Loue and the continuall remembrance of this new passion so often renued his griefe that in the end he was enforced for the ease of his mind to sing to his Wife these verses following Another to the like effect Like as the Steere that neuer felt the Yoake But liued free in Woods and pastures still Or like the horse that neuer yet was broake Nor brought with bit t' obay the Riders will So rangde I long and wandred ofte astray Vntaught to bridle my desires alas Amidst my thoughts blinde Cupid bore such sway That bastard boy not he whose sonne Ioue was Whose brande was smothering heate not much vnleâ—ke To that cleere flame which broyleth in my brest Wherin I ioy as in the thing I seeke And therefore since I therewithall am blest And Reasons yoake hath made my sences tame I crie O happie yoake O noble flame His song ended sighing bitterly he sayd O vnhappie and miserable wretch that I am well worthy am I to lose both life and liberty to become a slaue and the most vnhappy gentleman on earth that haue setled mine affection in so high a place that not so much as mine eyes much les my thoughts shal euer be able to attaine vnto it which makes me worthy of a thousand deathes if it were possible to endure so many what may I then expect but euen my vtter ruine both of body and soule seeing my selfe without all hope of remedie at the very beginning of my loue considering the