must haue their longing or else I die through their ouerliking for as too swéet parfumes makes the sense to surfet and the most bright coulours soonest blemish the sight so I in gasing on the choise perfections of beauty haue dazelled mine eies and fiered my hart with desire that none but the fruition of that blessed obiect can saue me from being loues cursed abieâ—t Now Madam â—he rare Idea that thus through the applause of mine eie hath bewitched my hart is the beauteous image of your swéet selfe Pardon me if I presume when the extremity of loue pricks me forward Faults that grow by affection ought to bee forgiuen bicause they come of constraint then Madam read with fauour and censure with mercy for so long I dallied with the flie about the candle that I began to féele ouer much heat would breed my harme I haue playd so long with the Mynew at the baite that I am stricken with the hooke I haue viewed your beautye with such delighte and considered of your vertues with such desire that in your gratious lookes lies the only hope of my life Ah Philomela were not my loue extreame my passions passing all measure my affection to full of anguish I woulde haue concealed my thoughts with silence and haue smoothered my gréefes with patience but either I must liue by reuealing it or die by repressing it I feare thou wilte heare obiect Philippo is my friend and then I am of little fayth to profer him this wrong I confesse this is a truth and were worthy of blame were I not bewitcht by loue whoe neyther admitteth exceptions of fayth or friendshippe if it be a passion that controuleth the Goddes no woonder at all if it conquer and commande men If sonnes disobey their Fathers to haue their desires it is more tollerable to crack friendship for the conquest of loue Whie then did Nature frame beawty to be so excellent if she had tied the winning of it within exceptions If that a friend may fault with his friend for a kingdom no doubâ— fayth may be broken â—or loue that is a great deale more puissant then Kinges and much more pretious then Diadems chiefly if that the party be chary to haue regarde of his mystresse honour what the eie sees not Phylomela neuer hurteth the heart a secret loue impeacheth not chastitie Iuno neuer frowned when Iupiter made his scape in a Cloude Priuate pleasures haue neuer inioyned vnto them anye pennance and shee is alwaies counted chast enough that is chary enoughe then Madam let him not die for loue whome if you please you may blesse with loue It may be you will replye that Philippo is a Conte and a great deale my superiour and the supreame of your hart therefore not to be wronged with an arriual Consider Madame kinges doo brooke many vnknowne scapes Loue will play the wanton amongest the greatest Lordes Women are not made such chaste nunnes but they may let much water slippe by the Mill that the Miller knoweth not of They may loue their husband with one of their eies and fauour a friende with the other Since then Madam I haue béene stunge with the Scorpion and cannot be helpt or healed by none but by the Scorpion that I am wounded with Achilles launce and I must be healed with his Truncheon that I am intangled and snared in your beautie and must bee set at libertie onely by your loue Looke vpon my passions and pyttie them let me not die for desiring your sweete selfe but rather graunt me fauour and enioy suche a louer as will prise your honour before his life and at all times be yours in all dutyfull seruice whilest hee liues expecting such an answere as is agreeyng to such diuine beawtie which cannot bee câ—uell or according vnto my dâ—stinie which be it sâ—â—ister wilbe my death farwel Yours euer though neuer yours Geouanni Lutesio Hauing finished his letter thus amorousliâ— he remembred himselfe and although philippoâ— stayde for him in the garden yet he â—tept once againe to his standishe and wrote vnder this fgllowing soâ—net Natura Nihil frustra On women Nature did bestow two eies Like Hemians bright lamps in matchles beuty shining Whose beames do soonest captiuate the wise And wary heads made rare by Arts refining But why did Nature in hir choise combining Plant two fayre eyes within a beautuous face That they might fauour two with equall grace Venus did sooth vp Vulcan with one eie With thother granted Mars his wished glee If she dyd so whom Heimens did defie Thinke loue no sinne but grant an eie to me In vayne else Nature gaue two stars to thee If then two eyes may well two friends maintayne Allow of two and proue not Nature vayne Natura repugnare belluinum After he had ended this Sonnet he went and shewed them to Signyor Philippo who liked well of his passionate humour and desired nothinge more then to heare what answere his wife woulde make to these amarous poems therefore that he might grant Lutesio the fitter oportunitie to deliuer them he tooke a skiffe and wente with sundrye other Gentlemen his familiars to sollace himselfe vpon the waters In the meane while Lutesio who was left alone by himselfe began to enter into the least disposition of a gelous man that woulde hazard the honour of his wife to content his owne suspitious humour and whet on a friend to a fayned fancie which in time might grow to an vnfayned affection so that smyling to himselfe he began thus to murmure in his minde Is not he worthy to finde that seekes and deserueth he not many blowes that craues to be beaten Sith Philippo will buy the Buckes head is he not worthy to haue the hornes and séeing he will needes haue me court his wife in iest were it not well if he might haue the Cuckow in earnest Knowes he not that frumps amongest friends grow at last to open anger that pretty sportings in loue end oftentimes in pretty bargaines that it is il gesting with edge tooles and of all cattell worst cauilling with fayre women for beawty is a baite that will not be dallied with But I loue him to well and I honour the lady to much to motion suche a thought in earnest Though he be foolishe I knowe hir too honeste to grant loue to the greatest Monarch of the world While thus he was musing with himselfe Philomela came into the Garden with two of her waiting women whoe seeing Lutesio in a dumpe thought hee was deuising of his new loue wherevpon she stept to him and began to aske him if hee proceeded in his purpose I madame quoth he if I meane to perseuer in life and with that the water flood in his eyes whether it was that he had an onion in his napkin to make him wéepe or that hee had suckt that speciall qualitie from his mother to let fal teares when he list I know not but she perceiuing hee watred his plants began somewhat to
applause and Philippo there with teares in his eyes took leaue protesting to spend his exile contentedly in séeking out of Philomela and when he had found her then in her presence to sacrifice his bloode as a satisfaction for his Lecherie Lutesio likewise swore to make a queast for her and so did the Genouayes and the Duke her father was as forward and the Senate broke vpp and the Duke of Millaine forthwith daparted home to his own countrey where leauing him going homeward and Philippo Lutesio and the Genouais séeking for Philomela Once againe to the innocent Lady who béeing arryued in Palermo was not onely courteously intertained of the M. of the Shippe but also of his wife who noting her modesty vertue silence and other good properties rare qualities was so far in loue with her that she would not by any meanes let her departe out of her house but with a simpathie of sweete affectiones did loue like two sisters in somuch that Philomela was brought ot bedde and had a yong Sonne called Infortunatus because he was borne in the extremitie of his mothers miserie The M. of the shippe and his wife being pledges of his Christendome liuing thus obscure and yet famous in Palermo for her vertues she found that of all musicke the meane was the merriest that quiet rested in lowe thoughts and the safest tontent in the poorest cottages that the highest trées abide the sharpest stormes and the greatest personages the sorest frownes of Fortune therefore with patience she brookt her homely course of lyfe and had more quiet sleepes now in the ship-masters house in Palermo then she had in her pallace in Uennice onelye her discontent was when she thought on Philippo that he had proued so vnkinde and on Lutesio that for her sake hee was so déeply iniuried yet aswel as she might she salued these sores and couered her hard fortunes with the shadow of her innocencye While thus she liued honorablie in Palermo not for her excellent behauiour and good qualitie It fortuned that the Duke of Milaine and Lutesio both disguised like two palmers had passed throgh many places to séeke Philomela and to reduce her from banishment and at last aryued in Palermo intending to soiourne there for a while and then ot passe vp to Samagossa and so through all Sicilia to haue intelligence of the destressed Countesse While thus they stayed inquiring diligently of her and not hearing anye newes sith she was seldome séene abroad and beside that her name changed and called Abstemia It chaunced that either by Fortune or destanie there arryued at the same time in Palermo the County Philippo Medici who hauing trauailed through diuers countreyes to finde out his innocent Countesse wearied at last not so much with trauaile as with the gnawing worme of a guiltye conscience that still tormented him he beganne more and more to enter into dispaire and to thinke his lyfe loathsome vnto him wishing daylye for death so it might not come through the guilt of his own hand yet resoluing rather to bée the murtherer of him selfe then thus to linger out his daies in dispaire In this perplexed passion hee gat him into a thicke groue there the better to communicat in his melancholie vowing if hee hearde not of Philomela in that cittie to make that groue the monumeÌ„t of his graue thus desirous of death or of the recouery of his wife It fortuned that Arnoldo Frozzo sonne and heire to the Duke of Palermo being in loue with a young gentlewoman whose lodging was distaunt some three leagues from the Citie pricked forward by the extremitie of affection thought to go visite her although he was not onely forbidden by his father but watched least priuilye he might steale vnto her yet as loue can finde starting hoales he deuised this pollicie hee carried a slaue that remained in his Fathers housâ— abroad to the groue with him where Philippo lay lurking and there chaunging apparell with him he got him to his desired Mistres and bad the slaue returne couertly into the Cittie and meet him the next day at the same place parting thus as he was going homewarde hee was met by a young Sicilian gentleman named Petro Salino who bearing a mortal grudge to the Dukes son in that he affected the Gentlewoman whome hee so tenderly loued seeing him alone and thinking him to bee Arnoldo Strozzo by his apparell and déeming hee came now from his beloued Mistres set vpon him and slewe him and with his rapeir so mangled his face that by no meanes he could be discerned and thereupon fled Arnaldos page missing his M. seeking abroad for him in the fieldes for that he desired oft times to be solitarie light vpon the dead body of the slaue and iudgeing it to be his M. because he was in his apparell cried out ran home and carried newes therof to the Duke his Father who as a man distraught of his wits coÌ„manded straight search to be made to finde out the actor of the Tragedye causing the dead corps to be conueyed with muche gréefe and many teares All the Courtiers gentlemen and others sought abroad to séeke out the author of this murther and not far of where the slaue was slain found Philippo walking vp downe vntrust his hat lying by him and his rapier in his hand the courtiers séeing a maÌ„ thus suspitious made inquirie what he was why quoth the Countie I am the man you looke for Art thou then said the Cousin of Arnaldo that bloudy traitour that haste slaine the Dukes sonne The Countie glad he had so swéete an occasion to be rid of his lyfe resolute and bréefely said I Marry am I and I will kill his father too if euer I reache him with that they laide hould vppon him and carried him to prison and as he went by the way they examinde what hee was but that by no meanes hee would reueale vnto them onely he said he was an Italian purposelye come from Uenice to act it Newes straight was carried to the Duke that the murtherer was taken who was highly glad thereof and resolued the next daye with the states of the countrey to â—it in iudgement as fame and reporte cannot be silent so it was straight noysed abroad through Palermo that the Dukes sonne was slaine by a Uenetian and how he was taken and should the next day be arraigned and executed Philomela hearing that hee was a Uenetian that had doone the déede desirous to sée him tooke the Maister of the ships wife with her and went to the prison and there by fauour of the Gayler sawe him through a windowe assone as Philomela had a viewe of him she sawe it was Philippo Medici her husband disguised hauing in his face the very signes of dispair This sight of her husband droue her into a maze yet to conceale the matter to her felfâ— she said she knewe not the man As thus she was standing talking with the Gayler there came a UenetiaÌ„
recouer hir Philippo to sauor none but his Philomela While thus hir minde a little suspitious began to wauer Lutefio began to lay his â—aites to bâ—tray this sillie innocent Nowe you must imagine hée was a yoong Gentleman of a good house of no meane wealth nor any way made infortunate by nature for hee was counted the most fine and courtly Gentleman is al Venice This Lutesio therfore séeking fit oportunitie to find Madame Philomela in a merrie vaine for Time is called that Cappillata Ministra that fauours Louers in their fortunes watched so narrowly that he found the Countesse sitting al alone in hir Garden plaieng vpon a Lutâ— many pretie Roundâ—laies Borginets Madrigals and such pleasant Leâ—â—ons al as it were amorous loue vowed in honour of Venus singing to hir Lute many pretie and merie ditties some of hir owne composing and some written by some wittiâ— Gentlemen of Venice thinking now time had smiled vpon him by putting hir in such an humorous 〈◊〉 At last he heaâ—d hir warble out this 〈…〉 Philomelas Ode that she sung in hir Arbour SItting by a riuer side Where a silent streame did glide Muse I did of many things That the mind in quiet brings I gan thinke how some men deeme Gold their god and some esteeme Honour is the cheefe content That to man in life is lent And some others doe contend Quiet none like to a friend Others hold there is no wâ—lth Compared to a perfit helth Some mans mind in quiet stands When he is Lord of many lands But I did sigh and sayd all this Was but a shade of perfit blis And in my thoughts I did approue Nought so sweet as is true loue Loue twixt Louers passeth these When mouth kisseth and hart grees With folded armes and lippes meeting Each soule another sweetly greeting For by the breath the soule fleeteth And soule with soule in kissing meeteth If Loue be so sweet a thing That such happie blisse doth bring Happie is Loues sugred thrall But vnhappie maidens all Who esteeme your Virgins blisses Sweeter than a wiues sweet kisses No such quiet to the mind As true loue with kisses kind But if a kisse proue vnchast Then is true loue quite disgrast Though loue be sweet learne this of me No Loue sweet but honestie As soone as Philomela had ended hir Ode Signior Lutesio stept to hir and halfe mard hir melody with this vnloâ—kt for motion I am glad Madam to find you so ful of glee womens minds set on mirth shews their thoghts are at quiet when Birdes sing early there hath bene a swéet deaw so your morniâ—ges Antheme shewes your nightes content the subiect of your song and the censurâ— of my thoughtes argue vpon conclusion for lykelye it is you haue founde kissing sweete that so highlye commend it but as the old prouerbe is such laugh as win and such as enâ—s fauours may affoord hir incense loue is pretious to such as possesse their loue bâ—t there is no hell if loue bee not hell to such as dare not expresse their passions Philomela seeing Lutesio tooke hir napping in singing so mery an Ode shewed in the blush of hir cheeks the vashfulnesse of hiâ— thoughts yet knowing he was hir husbands familiar she cared the lesse and smiling made him this pleasant answere Signior Lutesio as I rellisht a wanton song at randon so I little lookt your ears should haue béene troubled with my musicke but since you are a hearer â—f my hoarse dittie take it as you finde it and conster of it as you please I know mine own mening best In that I commend kissing it argues me the more kind and my husband the more louing in that I find lip loue so swéet women may be wantons in their husbands yet not immodeâ—â— wiues are allowed to sport so their dallieng be nâ—â—â—ishonest yet had I knowne you had beene so nie I wouâ—de haue byn more silent and at this word she blusht againe discouering by hir lookes it greeued hir any man though neuer so familiar should heare hir so extraordinary pleasant but to finde fishe in Signior Lutesios fingers because hee glaunst at disdain in loue she followed hir reply thus yet since sir what is past cannot bee râ—â—alde I will ouerâ—â—ippe the conceit of mine own folly â—nd be so bold as to haue you vnder confession What is the reason Lutesio you diuerslie descant of the fruition of loue hath that diuine passion crept into your braines Giouanni hearing hir harpe on that string strained it a pin higher thus Deuine passion call you it Madam nay rather a fury fetcht from hel a madnesse â—rued in the bâ—some of Tesiphon an vnbrideled desire a restlesse agony a continuall anguish thus doo I value loue because my life is at an end by the wronges of loue such as are poisoned with rugwort count it fatal yet suche as haue the plurisie drinke it in potions the Mercuriall Moti was very much commended of Vlisses though condemned of Cyres mens poems followe their passions and they conclude as they are contented then Madam if all the worlde say loue is a Heauen yet must I say desire is a hell not that the bewteâ—us saint whom mnie eye doth worship and my hart doth honour hath quitted my affection with disdaine but that in not daring discouer my passions I am put to a triple tormeÌ„ting penannce At this he fetcht such a fained figh that simple meaning Philomela imagined the Gentleman was full of sorrow and therefore began to comfort him thus Why Signior Lutesio haue you soared so high that you doubt the scortching of your fethers hath your desires taken flight so far aboue your degrée that you feare a fall is the Ladie whom you loue so great of byrth that you dare not be your owne broaker Loue Lutesio if honest is lawfull and may reape disdain but not disgrace Desire is the daughter of destinie and the simpathie of affections is forepointed by the starres Woemens eies are not tied to high personages but to exquisite perfections and the greater oft times they be in degrées the lower they proue in loues be she then Lutesio the stateliest the richest the fairest in all Italie feare not to court her for happily she may grant and shee at the worst can but say no When I entered into thy wonted humours how honestly wanton thou hast béen amongst women of high accompt when I thinke of thy wealth of thy vertues of thy parentage of thy person I flatter not Lutesio for in my opinion a frumpe amongst friends is pettie treason in effect I cannot but wonder what she is that Lutesio dares not tell he loues if without offence I may craue it tell me her name that I may censure of her qualities Lutesio with a face full of discontent made her this answere Madame as I dare not discourse my loues so I will not discouer her name I regard her honour as my life and therfore onely suffice it I am as far