conceite that place their liking on the foundation of beauty and to be counted men of great iudgement that in their desires séeke to covnite themselues to such an excellency for may not he which enioyeth a beautifull Lady boast that he possesseth at command by spending a few yéeres in wooing some part of his liuing in expences his dayes quiet in sighs his nights sléep in teares by these toyes and a few other passions he possesseth himselfe of that creature which the graces and nature had studied many ages to make excellent yet there be some such satiricall copes-mates that spare not to raile against them calling them the imperfection of nature saying beauty is vanity and the signe of little honesty noting women as waspish froward deceitful toyish light sullen proud inconstant discurteous cruell and what not such as can afford them no better spéeches I would haue either made Euenuches or Esseni or plaine Asses neuer to be fauoured of women but to be accounted as stoicall companions vnfit to attend on such beautifull and vertuous creatures for in my opinion swéete and simple soules they be pleasant open harted far from deceit God wote as bearing all their owne secrets both graue and yet hauing many mad and merry tricks to pleasure men humble lowly submitting themselues to what their friends will lay vpon them constant as neuer to be turnd from their opinions kind enough and to be short as full of excellent qualities as the precious stone Silex is full of secret vertue and this right mighty Gods is my opinion of women The Gods smiled at this censure of Arion and wished him if he could to proue it with an instance as Orpheus did the contrary Arion laying by his instrument and the Gods being silent he told his tale to this effect Arions Tale. AFter that Right mighty Gods the Pirats had heaued me ouer boord that being receiued vpon a Dolphins back I was safely transported to Loyath the King glad of my arriuall as honoring me for that I was counted the most perfect musition in Thece and musing at the strangenes of my fortunes to make his péeres and princes of his land partakers not only of my melody but of the wonder he proclaimed a generall feast not of volentary but vpon commaund that all Dukes Earles Barrons Knights and other Gentlemen should with their wiues and children for the more magnificence be present which strickt Edict was so straightly obeyed of all that at the day appoynted none failed to be present there appeard in the Kings Pallace such troups of Lords and Ladies as might with their glorious brauery ouercharge the eye with pleasure To these the King presented me clad in my rich robe with mine instrument euen as I sate on the Dolphins back with the whole discourse of my fortunes wherat they were all driuen into a wandring admiration after long gazing on me as at a man reserued to some higher or more hatefull destiny they sate downe in the great Hall to dinner beeing placed by the King him selfe and his Sonne who then playde the Marshall of the Hall the yong Prince whose name was Philomenes giuing greatest attendance where hee sawe the fairest Ladies as hauing his eye drawn rather with beauty then chiualry at last he espied a lampe that lightned all the rest or rather disgraced them as Phebe dooth the little fixed Starres for so farre she surpast the other Ladies in excellency as she did in dignity and by birth she was daughter to Pelopidas the Duke and great commaunder in Corinth this Lady whose name was Argentina was so faire as touching the faultles mixture of vermillion flourisht vpon Iuory so full of fauor for the perfect proportion of the linaments whereupon this natiue colour was ouer-dasht that nature had made beauty abcolute and beauty made Argentina the most excellent Philomenes séeing so heauenly a Nimph stoode staring on her face as at a wonder gazing so long that Venus séeing Ceres and Bacchus honored all the rest thought to arrest the yong Prince for her attendant so that leuelling Cupids arrow aright and wishing the boy to draw home she pierst Philomenes so deepe that hee shrunk start at the suddaine prick which this inuenomed arrow had tainted him with feeding thus his eye his fancy his thoughtes with contemplation hee lost his stomacke to gorge with the Camelion on the ayre sure was that messe where Argentina sat to haue what attendance the Prince could grace them with but their seruice was so broken and so ill sewed that either they must coniecture the Prince to bee no cunning seruitor or els that his hart was on his halfe-penny well dinner beeing doone and the tables taken vp Arion fell to his musick and the cheefe Ladies to the measures Philomenes ringleader of the rout singled out the Lady Argentina who blushing to sée the young Prince make choise of her aboue the rest gaue such a glorie to her face that Philomenes all on fire at the sight had almost forgotte the time of the measure but calling his wits together he led formost till the musick ceast then wringing her by the hand he whisperd to her thus I see Madam that all these Lords and Ladies present frolicke themselues as fitting the time and feeding my Fathers delightful humor my silly selfe onely excepted who thys day giuing mine eyes leaue to banquet on your beautie commanded my stomacke to fast and pray that my heart which had surfetted on the excellencie of loue might finde a curteous Phisition now swéete saint it resteth in your fauour whether I shall triumph as the most happiest or sorrow as the most miserable The musick called on to an other measure so that Philomenes was interrupted forced to tread his taske but as soone as the musicke gaue breathing time Argentina beginning her exordium with a blush made Philomenes this aunswer It seemeth sir that tis a mery time your honor is so well disposed to bee pleasant singling out a cunning musition the simplest plaine song that your descant might séeme the more refind It behoueth such as my self to brook y e frumps of a Prince to take them for fauours for Kings wordes may not offend if in wrath much lesse in iest might your handmaide dare to reply in my opinion howsoeuer your eyes haue banquetted your sight is neuer the worse nor they the more satisfied for your harts surfeite I will bee beadwoman with your stomack not in fasting but pray that your Phisition may prooue such as would fit your desires but my Lorde to your last clause it is vnlikely your mirth dependeth of my fauour whose fauour cannot profit nor disfauour preiudice but taking it in iest as your honor profferd it I pray you for my part my Lord to be as merry as you please The instruments sounded and forward must Philomenes who wisht Arions strings might crack that his melody ended he might proceed in his prattle As soone as the
resting in this estimation with the King preferment was no meanes to quiet his minde for loue had wounded so deepe as honour by no meanes might remedy that as the Elephants can hardly bee haled from the sight of the Wast or the Roe buck from gazing at red cloth so there was no obiect that could so much allure the wauering eyes of this Thracian called Acestes as the surpassing beautie of the Princesse Lydia yea so déepely he doted that as the Camelion gorgeth herselfe with gazing into the ayre so he fedde his fancie with staring on the heauenly face of his Goddesse so long dallying in the flame that he scorcht his wings in time consumed his whole body Beeing thus passionate hauing none so familiar as he durst make hee fell thus to debate with himselfe Is it Alcestes loue that troubles thee why thou art a Souldiour sworne to armes not to Armour to incounter foes in the féelde not to courte Ladies in the Chamber Hercules had almost performed his twelue labours ere he durst find leysure to loue and thou art scarse acquainted with Mars but thou seekest to be priuate friend to Venus away fond foole to thy Speare and Shielde manage thy horse though héere in a peaceable Countrey let not Bées hiue in thy Helmet rust inblaze the figure of sloath on thy Armour or loue call thee her milksoppe by whom warre it selfe hath approoued martiall hast thou forgotte that which thou suckest out of thy Nurses teate that to loue is to loose and fancie bee it neuer so charie is meere folly for loue how soeuer it bee is but a Chaos of cares and fancie though neuer so fortunate hath her crosses for if thou inioy the beauty of Venus thou shalt finde it small vantage if thou get one as nice as Minerua thou mayst put thy winnings in thine eye if as gorgious as Iuno thy account being cast thy sums will be rated with losse yea be shée chast be shée vertuous be shée curteous constant rich renowned honest honourable yet if thou be wedded to a woman thinke thou shalt finde in her sufficient vanity to counteruaile her vertue assure thy selfe neuer to liue lesse without disquiet nor die before thou haue cause to repent which Craterus the Emperour noted when wishing that some sinister misfortune might befall his foe he prayed vnto the Gods he might be married in his youth and dye without issue in his age accounting mariage by this wish farre more full of preiudice then of pleasure This yea all this Acestes thou knowest to be true but suppose it were not is there not sufficient to disswade beside seest thou not or hath fancy cast such a maske before thine eyes that thou wilt not sée that her beauty as it is excellent so it is high seated both in the dignity of her parentage the selfe conceite of her mind to be gazed at and so honored not to be reacht at and so enioyed thou séest she is little liberall of her lookes much lesse prodigall of her loue she couets rather a God then a man thē amongst men think she wil aime at the highest or sit still as she is Pride in her greatest pompe sits inthrond in her eyes and disdaine in her lookes that if she glaunce to so low as Acestes it is rather to grace him with a smile then to shew him any fauour beside fortune hath opposed her selfe to thy aspiring thoughts in that thy good will hath not yet deserued any such guerdon thy desire is farre aboue thy desert and the poore stay of a wandring Knight farre vnfitte for the Princely state of worthy Lidia But suppose she were pricked in the same veine and that Venus would friendly instill some drops of her inchaunted water to mollifie her hart yet y e Duke her Father will neither condiscend to her mind nor consent to my motion nay if he should but heare of such reckles folly as he hath wrought my promotion so hee would worke my confusion and in troth Acestes not without cause for art thou so voyde of vertue or vowde to vice as to requite his liberality with such disloyalty to returne the trust which hee reposeth in thée with such treachery Tush Loue is aboue Lord or law friend or faith where Loue buddeth no Maister is made account off no King cared for no friend feared of no duty respected but all things done according to the quality that is predominant Hast thou béene a Souldiour and dreamest thou of such doubts are the courtings of Venus more perrillous then the incounters of Mars or the deniall of a Lady worse then the daunt of a foe no Acestes be not faint harted as the North Ilands where the people Iberi dwell foster no venemous beast nor the Sea called Mare mortuum feedeth no Fish so are there no Cowards suffered to arriue at Paphos she is but a woman and therefore to be wone Then sound on the march aske not of what degrée she is but where she is these words Acestes carry emphasis and are more fit for a Souldier then for a Louer for loue is quesie and if it be ouer-strained cracketh at the first wrest enduring in this doubt he sat downe déepely ouercharged with melancholy passions that as he which eateth of the Goord Nutte loseth his memory and as the Elephant féeding on the Helytropian becommeth sleepy so Acestes fell into a drowsie kind of contemplature that to auoide such cogitations as combred his minde hee got him selfe into a Gallery which was built betweene the Turrets of the house and there sette himselfe downe as halfe in a traunce Loue that tooke pitty of this patient so fauourd him that he had not sat long in his dumps but that Lidia came thither all alone to be solitary who séeing Acestes sitting thus sadly slumbring determined for her owne recreation to be a little plesant with him and therfore awakened him thus Why how now Acestes is it your custome in Thracia to vse slumbers after meat for Phisick or is it some melancholy impression that thus amateth your sences trust me at the first I called to remembrance the picture that Zerxsis drew of Endimion lying vpon the mount of Erecinus who leaning his head on his hand his eyes shutte as one in a dreame yet had his face so bedued with distilling teares as his outward plaints did sufficiently bewray his inward passions and so Acestes in this thy solitary dump didst thou resemble Endimion both in countenance and colour that had teares fallen from thine eyes as thou wert in a traunce I had happily demaunded how Phebe had vsed thee So apalde was Acestes at this sodaine presence of Lidia that hee sat still as a man depriued of his sences till at the last gathering of his wittes together he start vp and his due reuerence done he made this answere I think Madam that melancholy is not particuler either to person or place but that being a complexion it followeth oft-times the quality
away and the King with the two Kings and the Lords passed in to dinner No sooner was Acestes alone but the ingratitude of the King the disdaine of his Daughter the disgrace offered by both so pierst him to the hart that as such as drink of Lethe become obliuious so he forgetting the beauty of Lidia fell to such déepe thoughts of hate and reuenge that he enioyned himselfe for a great space to be solitary that Nemesis and he might consult together how to bring both the Father and the Daughter to confusion at last hee resolued to goe to Armenia to Sertorius there great Potentate of that Country whom hée knew to be mortall enemie to the King of Lidia and in this resolution hée tooke his iourney No sooner was hee arriued in the Armenian Court but worde was brought to Sertorius that Acestes the martiall Thracian that conquered Pamphilia Caâ—ia and Cylicia was come disguised and as a stranger into his Court the King hearing this tooke one or two of hys chéefe Lords and went to salute Acestes and to giue him honourable entertainement such as belonged to so mightie a CoÌ„querer Acestes perceiuing himselfe to be known after due reuerence doone to the King began at large to discourse to him what seruice he had doone to the King of Lidia and how hee was rewarded crauing succour and supply of his Maiestie that hee might reuenge with hys Sworde The King amazed at such monstrous ingratitude wondring how such base resolutions coulde harbour in the hart of Prince he promised Acestes not onely to ayde him with an army of approoued Souldiers but in person to hazard him selfe both to requite olde iniuries and to reprooue in iustice such an abuse offred without desert This answer of Sertorius so contented Acestes that after great thanks hee rested in the Court passing frolicke til the forces were furnishing which no sooner were ready but without delay Sertorius and Acestes marched merrily forwarde towardes the confines of Lidia as soone as Acestes had sette his foote within the ground of the ingratefull King drawing his Sword hee swore not to sheathe it till hee had made it drunke with the blood of Lidians commaunding his Souldiers for Sertorius had giuen him the ordring of the battailes that they should vse all extremeties of martiall burne sack spoile Citties Townes and Castles to cast all to the ground to take none Captiues of whatsoeuer degrée or sex but to put all to the Sword men as they were subiects in Lidia Women as the wormes that he most hated Children as the issue of them both the pillage of all should be theirs only the King of Armenia should haue the Kingdome and he would content him selfe with reuenge this Oration ended he furiously marched forward and where hee came left the Countrey desolate The King of Lidia hearing this was driuen into a great agony but dissembling his gréefe for feare of discouraging his Souldiers he leuied a mighty army and hasted forward to buckle with Acestes whom he met halfe at aduantage as hauing most of his men at pillage whereupon the Lidians taking oportunity set vpon the Armenians but Acestes so rangde those that he had in such warlike sort that he not only aboade the braue of his enemy but entred his battaile disordered his ranckes and put them to the flight many were slaine in that present place such as escapt and fled were met by the Pillages and haruiers of the Armenians and all put to the sword so that of forty thousand Lidians there scarse remained thirty with the King who passing vp into the Country insconst him-selfe within a strong Castel with his Daughter Lidia a few faint harted Souldiers and all the treasure hee could get Acestes followed his Fortunes and leauing Sertorius behind with the mayne battaile tooke with him ten thousand Horse and sixe thousand foote and made after the King of Lidia as fast as his men were able to march comming at last to the Castell weere he was insconst first he intrencht a siege round about and legard it on euery side then he damd vp all such springs wels and Conduits as serued the Castell with fresh water this done hee resolued not to loose a man at the assault but to make them yeeld by famine The Princesse Lidia looking ouer the walls séeing how her mortall enemy had girt the Castell with Souldiers Armenians men there thirsted after blood and hated both her and her Father she fell from thoughts to passions from passions to teares insomuch that she sat her downe and wept bitterly her Father comming vp the batilments séeing his daughter in such perplexed estate finding want of victuals and that of force he must be famished gréefe stopping his spéech he sat him downe and bare her company in her passions and after consulted how to preuent ensuing misery many coniectures cast at last they resolued to submit themselues to his mercy whereupon Lidia decking her selfe in most gorgious attire accompanied onely with two of her Ladies passed out of the Castell gate went toward the Legar the Sentonell no sooner had them in hold but they were honourably conueyed to the Pauilion of Acestes who being certified that the Princesse Lidia was attended to speake with him leapt from his seate and went to entertaine her Lidia no sooner saw him but she fell downe at his feete Acestes curteeusly tooke her vp and setting her in his seate demaunded her what sheÌ„craued Lidia all blubbered with teares falling downe on her knées began thus Mighty Acestes if repentance were any satisfaction for offences or sorrowe any salue to couer ingratitude if teares might wipe away disdaine if a Uirgines blood would pay raunsome for them which haue done amisse I would present all these to pacifie the fury of thy conquering Sword but I know such déepe hate of my Fathers ingratitude such desire to reuenge my rechlesse disdaine and the disgrace proffered by both hath set a fire the hart of Acestes as nothing may serue to quench such an ouer heated flame Oh yet might I finde so much fauour that my death might redéeme the old man my Father if not for the losse of Kingdome yet of life and from falling into the handes of his ancient enemy Sertorius I should account Acestes as mercifull as he is valiant if my treaties may not preuaile as it little behooueth Acestes any way to fauour Lidia yet graunt me this that I may dye vpon thine owne Sworde that my blood vanishing on thy blade thou mayst be satisfied and I slaughtred by the hand of Acestes so braue a Souldier might dye contented No sooner had shee vttered these words but shee poured foorth such streames of teares as made the Armenians to take pitty of the distressed Princesse Acestes taking her vp againe called for his Sworde and vnsheathing falling downe at her feete began thus to make reply Such déepe impression of gréefe swéete Goddesse hath pierced the heart of Acestes in that hee hath lifted
her Mother to whom he deliuered Argentina thus Madam here I deliuer your daughter as safe as I receiued in outwarde appearance but how I haue schoold her time will make trial perhaps we haue strooke the match and therfore let the Lorde Pelopidus prouide a good dowrie and with that he went his way when the matter comes to that effect my Lord you shall haue a dukedome with her at that the Prince turnd back and said thats mine already and her Father is like to bee my subiect and so to holde his liuing in cheefe the Dutchesse smilde thus they parted But leauing Philomenes to the King his Father who hauing noted as narrowly as his sonne the beauty of Argentina had great lyking of the Lady so that he made inquirie of those which were Pelopidus neerest neighbours what disposition the virgin was of they all affirmed to the King that shee was so vertuous humble curteous and adorned with such excellent qualities as the fourme of her life was a methode wherby other Gentlewomen did direct their actions The King hearing this resolued in his minde there coulde not be a fitter match for his Sonne whervpon determining to break with the yong Prince as he was in this humor hée met Philomenes whom he tooke aside and began to question him as concerning Argentina whether hee could fancy the Lady or no. Philomenes afraide the King had espyed their loues made answer that he neuer tooke such narrow view of her that he could yéeld his iudgement with affection then doo qd the King and giue me within two daies an answer and so he departed Philomenes ioyfull of this no sooner met Argentina but he told what motion his Father had made but to make a smal haruest of a little crop Philomenes at the two daies end so answered his Father that the King breaking with the Duke it was concluded that the end of the feast should be the beginning of y e marriage which was such a ioy to the nobles to see their yong Prince allied in his owne Land that they deuised newe Iustes and pastimes continuing the feast many dayes to their great ioy and the Louers most happy content The mariage and the feast thus finished the Nobles departed Pelopidus leauing his daughter thus honorably espoused took this leaue the maried couple staying still with the old King in his Court who being of great age liued not long after but paide his debt vnto nature so that Philomenes was crowned King of Corinth Liuing thus happily with his wife Argentina thinking his degrée too high for Fortune to preiudice it so fell out that Marcion the King of Sycilia hearing that his ancient enemy Philomenes father was dead thought to try what mettall was in the sonne to proue if he were as valiant and fortunate as his father therfore he leauied a great Army prouided a great fléete to saile to Corinth which was no sooner rigged but he imbarqued his men and as soone as wind weather woulde permit sailed towards Corinth where arriuing in a Desert place as politick to land without any great resistāce he vnshipt his men and all his furniture for war and letting his Nauie ride in the road hee marched forward into the maine land vsing as one y t intended a conquest fire sword Philomenes hearing by Postes how Marcion was landed with a mighty Hoast and had spoiled many of his prouinces started vp summoning his Lords about him raised a mighty hoast such as neuer King of Corinth dyd before him and with thē marched to meet with Marcion whom he incountred by the Riuer y t runneth by the great plaines called the Corinth downes then pitching his pauilion he intrenched his Army and so had Marcion fortified his lying thus a while at last by Heralts they resolued vpon a day of battaile which once come both the Armies rangd they ioynd battaile so furiously the one to cōquer the other to defend Philomenes hart made one with equitie the other with dispaire that a long while y e fight was doubtfull till at last fortune allotted the best to Marcion in such sort that the fielde was his the Corinthians most slaine some fledde the King valiantly fighting taken prisoner Marcion triumphing in the victory marched forwardes to the Citty leading Philomenes as his Captiue comming to the gates y e Cittizens yéelded vp the keyes he as a valiant conquerour entred passing into the pallace found there the Queene all blubbred with feares as a woman almost sencelesse whom he comforted and committed to y e custodie of one of his Duke seated thus victoriously in Corinth he not onely disgraded the King from all dignitie but disrobing him commanded that he should be turnd out of the pallace and that he should not be reléeued vpon paine of death but if he would haue any thing to satis-fie his thirst he should gette it with his handythrift Philomenes not abashed at this doome intreated the King to be good to his wife and so went and became a labourer for day wages contented with this fortune Marcion the next day sent for the Queene who although forlorne with teares yet nothing her narrowly hee found her the fayrest creature that euer yet in his life he had viewed so that hée fell extreamly in loue with her and offered her what lyberty or pleasure shee would haue courting her with many faire promises and amorous conceits but all in vaine for shee was resolued whatsoeuer fell life or death y t none to her but her loue Philomenes Marcion captiuated in her beauty was restlesse féeling such strange vncouth passions that at last he fell into these termes What fond motions Marcion are these that disturbe thy mind what childish thoughts vnfit for a king a souldier nay for one that hath conquered both a Crowne and kingdom thou camst from Sycilia to be victor heere thou art arriued not vanquished thou hast beaten Philomenes in battaile art brought vnder by his wife in loue thy resolution was to terrifie thy foes with thy sword so thou hast don but faine to please a woman with thy tongue by this fond foolery I may note y t Venus frowne is of more force then the weapons of Mars that affections are harder to be supprest then enemies to subdue that loue is aboue King and keiser where Cupid commaunds there dignity hath no priuiledge to withstand then Marcion yéelde sue and intreat but whom the wife of Philomenes thy captiue rather commaund her and what shee will not yeelde by intreaty take by constraint in so dooing should I reape infamy and forced loue is neuer swéete no Marcion allure her with wealth promise she shal be thy paramore to seat her next thy selfe in thy kingdome women are won with fauors and there is none so chast but time and gifts may intice In this resolution he sent for Argentina beganne thus to deliuer his minde vnto her Thus seest Argentina how I haue fauourd
thée no like a Princesse that were captiue but euen as a Quéene that is sole mistres and soueraigne of my affections thy beauty hath cōquered that hart which had made conquest of thy Country subdued him who before womans feature neuer vanquished then Argentina take pitty of him that for thy loue is so passionate consent that I may enjoy thée as my paramour and thou shalt be honourd as shée that is best loued of the King of Sycilia I could Argentina y ◠seest obtaine by force what I sue for by intreatie but I couet rather to possesse my selfe of thy louely consent then by constraint yéeld therefore what I request and héere before the Lords of Sycilia I promise to grant whatsoeuer thou shall commaund so it touch not my Crowne nor thy Husbande though to the danger of my person fréely without exception Argentina as one nothing dismaid returnd him this answere I not deny Marcion thou hast subdued Corinth and deposed the King which I attribute rather to his bad fortunes then thy prowesse or chiualrie but in all thy conquest thou shalt neuer boast thou hast conquered either Philomenes or hys wife Argentina séeing we are only ouercom not vanquished in that both of vs remaine contented and kéepe our minds vntoucht thou art inchaunted with my loue no Marcion but perhaps thou art fed with lust neuer hope that Argentina will minister any meanes to appease the flame although thou shouldst inforce her to consent by the most extreame torments Philomenes liues so long wil loue not thée but him whom I vowed to be true vnto for euer yet thy last condition hath somwhat perswaded me that if thou graunt what I request I will consent not only to be thy paramour but thine for euer the king was so glad of this that he iterated with an oath to performe her demauud then this it is quoth Argentina Tomorrow morning thou shalt shut thy selfe into a secret place wherof my selfe wil kéepe the key there for thrée dayes thou shalt fast without tasting any thing so aslake hunger or thirst this time thou shalt pray to the Gods for the remission of our sinns which we shal offend in by breach of matrimony then at the terme of thrée days thou shalt fréely take the vse of my body before thou eat any meat otherwise if thou faile but as much as Proserpina to taste a graine of the pomgranet thou shalt neuer after question me of loue thus doo and I grant to like thée or els here is my head let that pay my raunsom Marcion was so setted in her beauty that he thought it nothing to vndertake this taske and therfore promised before his Lords to fast three daies and then to lye with her before he eat any meat or els neuer to motion her any more of loue whereupon the next day the Princesse shut him vp till the date was expired in which thrée dayes he felt such torments such pinching hunger and extreme thirst that he cursed loue and exclaimed against beauty as a charme y t made men senceles willing to giue for one crum the Diadem of Corinth well the terme expired all the Nobles were assembled sat in the great hall expecting what euent shold fall either of y e kings fast or of Argentinas request at last Argentina sent the key to one of the Lords that the king might come into the Hall whether she presently would repaire the Lord went to the chamber doore and no sooner put the key to the lock but Marcion started vp and cryed for meat the Lord vnlockt and saw the king glance at him with such a fierce looke that he was afraid and started back villaine quoth Marcion hast thou brought me any meat and with that running as a mad man into the hall flinging in fury among the Lords Why Gentiles quoth he sit you héere without meat why are not the tables spread doo I allow such niggardly allowance or wil you famish him that fostereth you all At this he was in a rage Argentina apparailed in her richest robes came pacing that she looked more like an Angell then a mortall creature insomuch that euery eye directed their glaunces at so heauenly an obiect except Marcion who at her sight sat as a man greatly amated hauing her mayde followe her with a dish of meat crumd Argentina with a smiling countenance taking him by the hand sayd thus Redoubted Conquerour according to promise I am come in the presence of these Lords to offer my self subiect to your highnes plesure ready to goe whither your grace shal conduct me Marcion at this cried out thinkst thou Argentina that famisht men haue minde on beauty or is hunger to be satisfied with loue no no tis true Marcion Sine Cerere baco friget Venus reason could not subdue lust but fasting hath set it on a non plus but what is that the mayde carries meat my Lord quoth she for your honour after and with that she blusht Marcion no sooner heard her name meate but he leapt to the mayde puld away the dish saying farwel fond loue and welcome that wherof one morsel is worth a monarchy Argentina giue me leaue to eate for thou hast conquered Marcion in his own folly and with that he fell to his meat wherwith after he had somewhat appeased his hunger sitting him in his seat royal he began to parle with his Lords of Argentinas pollicy highly extolling the constancy of so true a wife and so far entred into consideration of the chaunce of fortune and fall of Princes that rising from his throne he went and embraced and kist Argentina not only praising her for her redy inuention to perswade him from his vanity but for her sake sent for her husband and yéelded him his Crowne and his Kingdome and liuing his sworn friend returned home into Sycilia NO sooner had Arion ended his tale but Mars taking opportunity said we sée by this euent that as women haue their vanities whereby to be checked so they haue their vertues redounding greatly to their praise beeing both affable and constant although that single instance of Orpheus his Lidia did inferre the contrary And so quoth Apollo would Venus serue for an instance if you mean of constancy for no doubt if you may be iudge al beauty shal be vertue all women shal be Saints now quoth Iupiter Apollo by your leaue to take Mars his part we oft rightly to think of women seeing so oft we seeke their fauors speak to them by intreaties for their loues otherwise we should proue our selues very ingrate to beat thē with rods that feast vs with banquets to proffer them Scorpions that giues vs no worse then their own selues Liuely spokē quoth Mercury but Iuno likes you neuer the better for this flattery as supposing you haue sued to more then contented her or becommed you but in my opinion Arions tale paints out a paragon a matchles mirrour as wel for constancy as the other for cruelty these extremes therfore infer no certain cōclusions for they leaue a mean betwéene both wherein I think the nature of women doo consist neither so cruel but they wil grant nor so constant but they will yeeld rather oft-times proue too curteous then too vnkind Sée quoth Mars how péeuishly you conclude to taunt them still of vnconstancy well Mercury quoth he thou art subtill canst by thy fallacions prooue what thou wilt but yet this I set down for mine own opinion that women the more beautiful they are the more curteous the more constant y e fuller of excelent qualities and rather vertues and by the Riuer of Stycks I swere and with that he rose in a choller this I will approoue against him that dare maintaine the contrary though not with my pen yet my sword at this the Gods smild and Mars in such a rage clapt his hand on the boord that I awoke not knowing what became of the Gods or of Arions soule only I remembred their tales BEing thus awakt I lookt about mee and still sate my Shepheard how now good fellow quoth I haue I not taken a lusty nap thy Pipe sounded so swéetly and there I had such a dreame as I would not haue lost for much for I hope it wil after more profit me then all my iourny I haue past to Erecinus I am glad quoth the Shepheard my pipe did thée so much pleasure and if thy slumber hath presented thée any visions note them for al dreames that men sée in Erecinus prooue true and with that standing vp me thought he had wings on his head shoulders and féete he bad me farwell tooke his flight then I knewe it was Mercury Whereupon calling to mind the occasion of my iourney I found that either I had lost loue or loue lost me for my passions were eased I left Erecinus and hasted away as fast as I could glad that one dreame had rid me of fancy which so long had fettred me yet could I not hie so fast but ere I could get home I was ouertaken with repentance FINIS Robert Greene.