Deuoted to their Ladies deere commaund Then what man of reason is he who would be so vnreasonable in his owne desires to wish himselfe obstinatly foolish or thinke himselfe foolishlie wife by â—â—â—â—…ining his owne dissolute infranchisment in the boundlesse limitts of his owne frantick wilfulnesse such and of such nature are they who in the rancorous spleenes of an vnpreuailing rancour durst not onelie in the mallice of their tongues to speake but in the venome of their hearts to copy out whole pamphlets against the dignitie of the female sex either without respect that they themselues came from a woman or without regard that a woman wrought the peace for their weak-ballac't soules oh but say such had not a woman beene the tempter and efficient of our fall we had not needed a redemptions alas sillie betrayers of your owne follie wretched blasphemers against the perfection of nature can ye not or will yee not vnderstand that the blessing of this fall is saluation assurance of heauen certainty of ioyes yes it is doubtlesly probable that women are Natures pride Vertues ornaments Angels on earth worthy to be serued Saints in heauen Memorable to be registred Ne ij sunt amore digni Quos indignos reijcit amor Would any man liue happie in content of mind fortunate in prosperitie of content singular in the repute of account blessed in beeing inriched with earths rarest blessing let him then ennoble his deserts by deseruing to be beloued of whome of popular opinion or vnstable vulgar dependances no but of loue it selfe a woman Would any be miserable let him be excluded from the fauour of beauty it is a misery incomparable a torment vnspeakable a death yea a hell insufferable How then comes it to passe that some vaine oppugners of loue thinke that by seruing of a ladie they themselues both honour in their loue and ought to be honoured for louing of their beloued it is easily answered by the imperfection of their manhood and pride of their grosse erronious folly For this in the rules of affection is text Whosoeuer truely loue and are truly of their ladies beloued ought in their seruice to employ their endeuours more for the honour and deseruing the continuance of their ladies good will than any way to respect the Free-will of their owne heedlesse dispositions else are they degenerate Bastards and Apostates reuolting from the principals and principall rules of sincere deuotion It is not ynough for any man that hath by long suit tedious imprecations ieopardous hazard toyle of bodie griefe of mind pitifull laments obsequious fawnings desperate passions and passionate despaire at length for a meed or requitall to his vnrest gained the fauourable acceprance of his most and best desired ladie it is not I say then ynough for such a man to thinke that by his pennance in obtayning he hath performed a Knights seruice hauing obtained but he must thenceforth as much employ his industrie to preserue For well sayd the Poet whosoeuer sayd it Non minor est virtus quam quaerere parta tueri Perfect seruice and seruiceable loyaltie is seene more cleerely in deseruing loue and maintaining it thaÌ„ in attempting or laboring for it How can any one be sayd truely to serue when he more respects the libertie of his owne affections than the imposition of Ladies command to attaine happinesse and then neglect it is but an vnhappie negligence a negligent vnhappinesse it is an vnthankfull ingratitude than which nothing can be to heaueÌ„ more hainous in the regard of men more detestable Herein are certaine chuffes differing from the glorious nature of gentilitie who hauing stumbled vpon the raritie of beautie are cloyed in their owne delicacies not prizing the invaluable iewell of what they possesse not esteeming the benefit of their precious felicitie but like swine touze pearle without respect when as generous spirits glorie in their ample fortune and subiect themselues to their chiefest glorie for to be a deseruing seruant to a deserued ladie is liberally to enioy heauen on earth If therefore the scope of mortalitie consist in the fruition of imparadised content or a contented paradise how requisite is it that Knights for vnder these titles of honour doe I conclude true louers should loose the freedome of their owne wils to be seruiceable to the wils of their choycest ladies who can serue two Masters who can be a master of himselfe when he is a seruant to his ladie but either he scornes the humilitie due to her or affects a singularitie to himselfe if the one he is no seruant if the other an vnfit louer Why for because a true louer must frame his actions to the behestes of his ladie and magnifying her worthinesse Hence is it sayd and truely sayd Knights in ladies seruice haue no free-will that is they ought not to be their owne nor subiect to their owne pleasure vnlesse to please themselues in the recreation which tendeth to their ladies honour How pithily sayd a wise man Non amare decet at amari praestat To loue is common to sensualitie but to be beloued is the crown of desert they best deserue to be beloued who deserue loue and they principally deserue loue who can moderate their priuate affection and leuell the scope of desert to the executing their ladies commaund and adorne their names by martiall feates of armes As for instance Paris defended Hellen with the losse of his life Troylus would fight for Cresseida Aenaeas wonne Lauinia with the dint of his weapon and sweat of bloud Paelops hazarded his life for Hippodamia yea what better example than of late in our owne territorie that noble vntimelie cropt spirit of honour our english Hector who car'd not to vndergoe any gust of spleene and censure for his neuer-sufficiently admired Opia a perfect Penelope to her ancient knight Vlisses he an vnfained Vlisses to her for whose sake neither the wiles of Circes or inchauntments of Syrens or brunt of warrs could force or intice to forgetfulnes But examples may seeme rather tedious than conuenient I leaue the certainty of them to their authours with this prouiso that what is manifest needs no commentarie Now then considering the perfections of ladies haue been both informer and moderne ages so resonant through euery climate of the world what dull spirit what leaden apprehension hath he that would be more curious to vndertake the yoake of their seruice then forward to participate their beauties Lentulus the Roman warrior after all his conquests abroad was willingly captiu'd and conquered at home insomuch as at the first veiw of Terentia hee fear'd not to say Non bellum non fortuna Fate cannot limitt warre cannot subdue the efficatie of loue The fleeting pashions of disloyall minds Proceeds from wrong directed scope of lust Inconstant chaunge beseems grosse-feeding hindes In whose deserts is neither faith or trust When noble spirits in the bonds of dutie Pay tribute to the excellence of beautie For gentle temper of a freer
blood Counts bondage to a ladie willing pleasure Adoring seruice of best worthy good And deeme their toile for fauour pleasing leasure Not reckoning commaund seruilitie But true performance true nobilitie To talke conuerse or dailie is not loue But amorous wantonnesse of idle play Brunts of defence doth firme affection proue Who would not fight when beutie is the prey Then who is he who would not think hee 's free When hee 's inthral'd to loues captiuitie Loues captiuitie is freedoms infranchisement and whosoeuer is a prisoner to the merrit of fairnesse is absolutely naturalized a denizen to happines To conclude for in knowen verities many proofes are needlesse a true and truely louing knights libertie ought to be inchained to the disposure of his ladie her will must be to him a law and that law not penall but irrefragable The sincerity of his tryed affection must bee an obstacle to wilfulnes with due consideration that although he be bound to vndergoe her pleasure so he shall vndertake no shame that may displease For from the faire proceeds nothing but what is faire Ladies are mild and fearefull to impose dangers wise and will preuent them especially such daungers as either may threaten inglorious dishonour or likely perill to their beloued Timorous they are of the worst carefull and in that care ambitious for the best Nature made them Females vertuously kinde women angelically vertuous horror befits not their sex or vnthankefulnesse their beauties for although warre defends the right of loue yet loue cannot brooke the seueritie of warre Dalliance in chambers harmelesse play and sport Doe with the sweetes of loue much better sort Since then ladies are moulded of this temper and tempered in the mould of loue mildnesse and kindnesse what is that Knight that would not be their captiue insomuch as the bluntest cynicke must in reason avow that it is most reason that Knights in Ladies seruice haue no Free-will TO THE RIGHT Honourable the Earle of Arundel Second Position Beautie is the Maintainer of Valour RIGHT HONOVRABLE IT is no preiudice to the precious claritie of knowledge euen in vndoubted truthes to make truth more doubtles for in matters of wrong arguments doe confound sence when in explanation of right they doe senceably approoue it T is good Mysterie in demonstration is a confused nicenesse So knowne is the certainty of this Positiō Et domi et foris that whosoeuer would seeme ignorantly strange would but bewray his strangely rude ignorance in seeming so Beautie say we is the maintayner of Valour Who is so blunt as knowes it not who is so blockish as will not and may with iustice defend it an instance euen in the entrance shall bee no absurditie In the infancie of the Romane Empire as Plutarch to the purpose rehearseth the Romanes violently seazed vpon the Sabines ladies by violence they wonne them by valour they iustified their winning insomuch as euer after betwixt these warlike Nations began both increase of hatred and defiance of hostilitie In which times Kissing had his first originall deuised by the Sabine ladies as an earnest-peny of desart to the guerdon of the Romanes desperate toyle For although in the eyes of some more Stoicall censures Kissing seems but a needlesse ceremonie yet in the feeling of loue it is the first tast of loue the first certaintie of hope the first hope of obtaining the first obtaining of fauour the first fauour of graunt the first graunt of assurance the first principallest assurance of affection the first shadow of the substance of after contented happinesse happy pleasure pleasing heauen but to our matter Men for the most part some more heroycall inclinations by nature excepted are in the frailtie of their humanitie so fearefull of harmes and so desirous of the preseruatiue of life as although not the discouragement of cowardise yet proper instinct of mortalitie will deter them from wilfull and imminent running into perill Some againe are of that frozen and cold temperature of disposition as according to the prouerbe they esteeme it prouident safetie to sleepe in a whole skinne Of this imbecilitie are many who haue only enioyed the lazie softnesse of vitious ease and neuer felt at least neuer conceited the touch of any miserie no not of gentilitie The selfe alone meanes therefore that were to bee ordayned for a prouocation and incitemēt to liuelyhood of manhood was the quintessence raritie yea rare quintessence of diuine astonishment Beautie vpon whose al-perfection the greedy eye of desire euen in spirits of clay and mud being sixt hath stir'd vp such a rauishment of possession as they now esteeme all dangers weake nay all impossibilities facilities to possesse it That Cardinall-vertue of inuincible fortitude had long since ben leuel'd with cowardise had not beauty the alarum to magnanimitie rent the distrust of weaknes and strengthened it with contempt of precedencie aemulation of desert Say then how probable is it how indubitate hereditary is the dependance of Valor to the merit of beauty Beautie which prickes on the slowest encourageth the faint-harted sharpens the dull commaundeth the stowtest recreateth the wearie and guerdoneth the deseruing Beautie the largesse of the Gods the comfort of men the bounty of heauen the prize of earth the paradise of glory the Vialactea to felicitie the wonder of it selfe beautie This is that Achilles impenetrable shield which euerie Vlisses pleads for euery Aiax fights for this is that golden fleece which the Argonautes sued to find which Iason toyling enioied This is that famoused Trophey which Philip would haue his sonne Alexander in the games of Olympus to wrastle for How much are they deceiued I mean these fainter bloods who vainly imagine that souldiers fight for spoile only Generals hazard their persons for greedines Sea-men traffique for auarice Knights wander for prey or that any ieopards his life chiefely for lucre Does not the marchant venture ship-wrack to returne with a present that may purchase his Ladies liking and in her liking his owne blisse does not the souldier fight abroad to preserue his ladie in safety at home does not the generall commaund that hee may returne with victorie gracious in his Ladies eyes does not the Knight errant attempt threatnings of horrour aduentures of dread thunder of death it selfe onely to rumour his fame in the cares of his ladie does he not range for the succour of beautie for the freedome of beautie for the ioy of beautie and all spoyle that the souldier bleedes for all the greedinesse that commaunders sweat for all the auarice that the Marchant trades for all the prey that the Knight aduentures for all the benefite that euerie one and all of these hope wish pray contend for is the fruition of Beautie than which nothing can be more gratefull nothing is so acceptable Valour Through streames of blood and massacres of death I spend the troubles of a glorious breath In feates of armes and lifes dread desperation I touze to gaine me Fame and Reputation
HONOR TRIVMPHANT OR The Peeres Challenge by Armes defensible at Tilt Turney and Barriers In Honor of all faire Ladies and in defence of these foure positions following 1. Knights in Ladies seruice haue no free-will 2. Beauty is the mainteiner of valour 3. Faire Lady was neuer false 4. Perfect Louers are onely wise Mainteined by Arguments ALSO The Monarches meeting OR The King of Denmarkes welcome into England Tam Mercurio quam Marti AT LONDON Printed for Francis Burton 1606. To the most noble Lord the Duke of Lennox his grace First Position Knights in Ladies seruice haue no free-will To the Right Honorable the Earle of Arundel Second Position Beauty is the mainteiner of valour To the Right Honorable the Earle of Pembrooke Third Position Faire Ladie was neuer false To the Right Honorable the Earle of Mountgomery Fourth Position Perfect louers are onely wise To the Rightly Honourable and truely worthy Ladies the Countesse of Pembrooke and the Countesse of Mountgomerie MOST EXCELLENT LADIES Where perfect honour is ennobled with accomplisht perfection Beauty is not scant which euermore is the glorious shrine of honourable fauour else had I misconceited mine owne hopes and beene grauelled in mine own conceipts but my strong confidence is my confident warrant neither can ye distast that which explanes but what is done for you what is done by yours If the pleasure ye shall take in the Defenders who are yours by the defence which is for you be great then the acceptance cannot be lesse in reading the reasons for that defence especially being to you deuoted and onely to you deuoted What defects and weakely mainteyning arguments in the arguments there are your protection shal wipe off and the trueth it selfe which needes no lustre chiefly priuiledge I affect no singularity I boast no affectation yet can I not freeze in the one when I am temperately heated with the other To whom noble Countesses should I dedicate the ornaments of loue and beauty but to the beautifullest ornaments worthy to be beloued Neither doubt I but as these endeauours were willingly intended so will they as gratefully bee accepted Otherwise as I hope as I feare not I will be an alien to mine owne issue as vnworthy to be christined for mine since dis-esteemed in being mine Others who oppose themselues if not by Mercury perswaded I referre to be by Mars enforced So aduenturing at once all my deserts in your like or dislike I rest Deuoted to your honourable virtues I. F. To euery sundry opinioned Reader READER I Intend not to make any tedious Apologie if thou be my friend thou wilt censure friendly if a stranger indifferently if an enemie I esteeme thee not Then thus I write not to content each cauelling braine But eyes of noblest spirits he that loues mee Will thanke my labours and commend my veyne For any others enuy least it moues mee He that will storme at euery wrongfull hate Must not referre it to desert but fate Let Ladies smile vpon my lines I care not For idle faults in grauer Censors eye On whose opinion truth it is I dare not The merit of my studies to rely Heere is the comfort which doth cheere despaire I shall be lik't not of the graue but faire Meritum rependant venustae Honor tryumphant TO THE RIGHT NOble Lord the Duke of Lennox his Grace First Position Knights in Ladies seruice haue no free-will RIGHT NOBLE LORD HOw certaine it is both by the tradition of ancient and moderne iudgements avowed that euerie man is not borne for himselfe the communitie of the sawe and the authoritie of reason shall bee a Priuiledge sufficient but how much mistaken both the Philosophers of old and later Neotorickes haue been their owne ignorance makes manifest A man say they is partly borne for his Countrey partly for his Parents partly for his friends nothing or if any thing yet least and lastly for himselfe True yet had the sensible touch of passion toucht them with the feeling of a passionate sence how much more and more truely might they haue affirmed that the chiefest creation of man was next his owne soule to doe homage to the excellent frame of beautie a woman A woman the art of nature the liuely perfection of heauens Architecture for though Man be the little world where wonder lyes yet Women are Saints aboue earth's Paradise For what is he who is so absolute a Lord of himselfe so powerfull in his owne power so free of his owne affections as being ensnared in the pleasing seruitude of a gracious beautie can or durst to vndertake any occasion of remisnesse but his own hart wil be the first guilty accuser of his owne folly and his sincere repentance doe pennance in the language of griefe in the griefe of despaire Againe what is he then that being free from this captiued happinesse of loue as it were disdaining to stoope to the bondage of beautie will not at length feele the miserie of his scorne and be scorned in the wracke of his miserie besides may hee not be desperate of his owne merit to thinke himselfe the onely exiled abiect banished from out the acceptance of a Ladies fauour as also his owne vnworthinesse which cannot deserue so delicious a blessing say then such a one be entertained as a happie seruant to a more glorious mistresse how soone how much is his owne free rule of himselfe indeered to the commaund of a precious Goddesse neither then hath he neither is it meet he should haue any more domination ouer his owne affections Mars throwes downe his weapons and Venus leads him captiue the lustre of her eyes and the glorie of her worth are of such vnresistable a force as the weaknesse of his manhood or the aptnesse of his frailtie are neither able to endure the ones reflection or withstand the others temptation how then must he yeeld true not to captiuitie but freedome for to bee captiued to beautie is to bee free to vertue who would not put of an armour of hard steele and turne from his enemies to be enchained in pleasure and turne to a lady in a bed of soft down foolish hardinesse is hardened foolishnesse when securest loue is the loueliest securitie Loue once was free from loue and had a will To play the wanton wag he strooke full many And tooke delight soft thoughts of ease to kill Yet he himselfe was neuer spoyid of any Loue carelesse would go walke when by a groue Loue saw a Nymph when straight Loue fell in loue Cupid with Psiches fell in loue whose beauty Dazled the lustre of his wandring eye Forcing his heart deuote obsequious duty Vnto the wonder of her diety Herein was Cupid blind who els could see Loue now captiu'd his heart which earst was free Loue hath no power ere he gaine his rest But to impawne sweare promise and protest Alas what is it then that men in bed Will not vow vrge to gaine a maiden head Which being got they euer after stand
what armes on the behalfe of iustice doth maintaine and rightly maintaine that merely of it selfe Beauty is the maintainer of Valour TO THE RIGHT HONOrable the Earle of Pembroke Third Position Faire Ladie was neuer false RIGHT HONORABLE THe temperature of the mind follows the temperature of the bodie Which certaine axiome sayes that sage Prince of Philosophers Aristotle is euer more infallible Then doe not I a little maruell what arrogant spleen of malediction with teeth of iuyceles enuie durst to detract frō the worthines of Beauty terming it a particular blessing bestowed for a more general curse Terming it fickle deceitfull incōstant when if the sawes of authority be authēticall nothing can be more precious nothing in it selfe so vertuous Faire Ladie was neuer false Oh sayes some curious impostor Euge hominem a goodly theame much witt no doubt expected few proofes produced who will not sweare the contrary who will not beleeue the contrarie as his Creed vaine fondlings as many as so beleeue doubtlesse shall be so deceiued and doe penance for their errour in the gall of their distrust For if the temperature of the mind follow the temperature of the bodie text it is then without controuersie as the outward shape is more singular so the inward vertues must be most exquisite Nature is but the handmayd to heauen Beautie is the rarest workemanship of Natures power So questionlesse where the hand maid of heauen hath imparted her art the blessings of the Gods are plentifully abounding Neither will they make that lame which nature hath framed perfect For why can falshood lye hidden vnder the raritie of fairnesse no more than vice can lurke vnder the plumes of vertue which is meerely impossible Beautie is but a faire Inne to lodge more fairer guests within It is but the liuely colour of an excellent tasting wine It is the greatest good in it selfe that heart of humanitie can wish for If deformitie be the dreg's and scum of earths disgrace if it be as it is the curse of the Parents transgression layd vpon the child then contrarily must beautie be the immediate testimonie of heauens fauor why were people in times past called Giants Monsters but for the vgly appearance of their shapes Neither were they in body so mishapen as in conditions odious So then euen in them it is manifestly verified that foulest enormities harbour in fowlest formes then it followes that firmest vertues are shrowded in the fairest complexions Some indeed oppose an argument that Beauty of it selfe is a great good but the abuse most wretched common Yea so common that the very face of beautie is a presumption yea more a warrant of inconstancie to such is easily replyed Such abuse proceeds not from perfect beautie but from the adulterate counterfeit of beautie art Of this nature are those that being intemperately wanton striue with artificiall cunning to couer the defects of nature For true beautie as it is of it selfe a good so is it in it selfe simple innocent and harmelesse Into which no thought of vnkindnesse can penetrate and being once subiect to loue can neuer will neuer be tempted to loosnesse O strange sayes one oh heresie cries another palpably false falsely absurd do not Poets the pillars of your folly affirme that Venus forsooth your only Deity of your passions the queen of your thoughtts the boast goddesse of your loues was absolutely false to her husband else had Cupid been vnborne Aenoeas vnbegotten And yet lady was neuer faire false was not Helen of Greece made a Troian stale a scorne to posterities whose verie name is ominous to cuckolds Do not all chronicles of antiquity shew not only that the faire but the fairest haue prooued lightest and yet faire ladie was neuer false True the Poets say so who being thēselues lasciuiously addicted thought it great inhumanity at least iniurie that Beautie should be ingrost to the proper vse of one alone man Besides if Poets are to be credited Venus was a Goddesse not framed by nature but yssuing from the Gods therfore aboue humane apprehension Poets speak truth to warrant their writs and so was Venus faire they deuise fictions to approoue their wits so was she immodest with this Caueat that she was Venus was a troth that she was trothles a fiction Also Helen was counted faire because many affected her procur'd by her enticing wantones inuiting allurements Curteous I thinke she was therfore beloued faire neuer for then not fickle Indeed I acknowledge old writers being themselues past the youth of loue sunke into dotage haue inueighed against the dignity of that sex not vpon knowledg but mere supposition deming that because the worst are haunted of the worst for their lewdnes condemne the fairest for being faire as the principall inchantment Now so much differēce is there betwixt the wantō the faire as the wantō may be beloued but the faire wil not be wanton It is to be supposed that such as inclined to the loose ficklenesse of change are not of that excellent temper oftrue bewty because then they knowing their own merit as women of that nature do wold be by how much the more noted by so much the more tender of the preseuatiō of their honors report And somewhat precizely pardon troth prize their own value Scire tuū nihilest nisi te scire hoc sciat alter To be faire not admired is as a hiddē minerall yet to be admired not preserue that admiratiō is an vnvalued indignity But as ladies are fair so are they wise as they are both faire and wise constant Alas most know many fele that bewty is not easily woed to loue many bitter conflicts of oppressed griefs are to be indured ere they are won to listē to affection And at length being persuaded they were not so obdurat before to be sued to as they are now most constant in their loues most sincerely firme to their choice Experience teacheth it that stele is not soon hot yet being once fired is lesse easily cooled An exāple or two shal warrant the credit of the rest who could bee more industrious to his ladie thā Theseus was in gaining Ariadne who being conquered was euer most fast to him though iniuriously yea perfidiously forsaken of him Portia so inderely reuerenced Cato as she would for his preseruatiō swallow coles Alcest wold die for Admetus And Penelope the mirror of the Greeke matrons both for constancy Bewty wold neuer falsify her faith to Vlisses I my self shuld account such proofs inconuenient did not the proofe of my defence rely vpon former instances compared both with present latter times Diana renowned for beauty was more renowned for chastity insomuch as singularly truly fairest ladies cōtended to be her nymphs if trust to writers may be attributed rara praeclara according to the prouerbe that the fairest are the fairest that is the best best to be estemed what is more to be vrged for the
pollicies more politicke circumuentions broached then in speedie obtaining of delatorie loue which is in it selfe so vrgent so impatient of delayes as the soundest sleights quaintest deuises haue beene studied for accomplishing of rest to vnrest ease to disquiet remedy to desperation Three things triall hath taught to be expedient for mastery in loue After choice Patience to indure reproofes Witt to procure content Boldnesse to attempt at opportunities Vaine is patience without hope hope desperate without meanes meanes when occasion proffers her forelock and women toleration hinderance without boldnesse Yet boldnesse without witte is to no vse neither without witte shall time be euer found when to be bold In a perfect louer therefore all these three are iudicially cohered Also if a curious surueior will vpon this approue that louers haue beene witty yet disallow any wisedom in this witt by distinguishing a different discrepancie betwixt witt and wisdome since the one tendeth onely to folly of humanity the other to consideration of diuinity I will answer that perfect Louers euen in this respect are perfectly wise as with ease thus being ouercome with the affection of some excellently deseruing beauty with admitation of the singular perfection thereof with what curious workmanship it is framed with what glorye of Maiesty it is endowed it is an immediate occasion to bring them in serious cōceit of weighing the wōders of the heauens in compacting such admirable quintessence in so precious a forme by which they will deepely reuolue the dignitye of GOD in that mould and truely acknowledge the weakenesse of their owne nature in comparison of Beauty This is the ready and directest course to force men to consider their owne frailty and magnifie the omnipotency of their creator in fashioning both So as Loue is the onely line which leadeth man to the font of Wisedome that is to the gloryfying of heauens power and confessing mans imbecillity Who then can deny who will not allowe that Perfect Louers are onely wise onely wise true for men deuoted to contemplation of Theologie are withdrawne from the absolute due reuerence somtime of him to whome they chiefly owe all due reuerence by humane affaires when Louers haue euermore the Idea of Peauty in their imaginations and therefore hourely do adore their makers Architecture Perfect Louers are onely wise now againe to humanity the dullest wit the most vnseasoned capacity being once salted with the tast of loue sharpens his dulnesse and seasons his capacity to study any slieght any deuice for setting a period to his desires Insomuch as no time shall euer present any oportunity of study but all inuention is vsed all conceiptes imployed for the fruition of his beloued who beeing inioyed yet his wittes are neuer idle but industrious for conseruation of what hee inioyes as loath to impart from that which with so much vigilancie he not easily obtained As hitherto I haue proceeded with demonstration of examples so now to the purpose will I inferre an instance to the more effectuall proofe of this The Greekes after the discursion of Helen preparing an expedition against Troy both for acquittance of their iniury and recouery of their false neuer truly faire Queene stood not in more need of Achilles for his courage then of Vlisses for his counsaile who being then newly married to his perfectly faire Penelope was vpon good cause moued in the tendernesse of his loue vnwilling to that action but excuse could not preuaile except pollicie could finde excuse he feares much but loues more which loue euen at an instant ripens his inuention Loue ripeneth his inuention he faines madnesse and for madnesse to aduise in sober actions would proue but a mad aduise an vnaduised madnesse but he was discouered and went Secondly what vndoubted wisedom in him did charme his eares against the incantations of the Syrens the deuoute affection which he bore to his Penelope quickning his apprehension Was euer man a truer louer and euer man more truly wise It is infallibly certaine certainly infallible perfect louers are onely wise Now it may be cauelled that that cannot be for how can Louers be wise when Loue it selfe is both vaine idle and foolish a toye a meere conceit of fancie But how vaine foolish idle and fantasticall are they that so conceiue Loue is the onely band the alone obligation that traffiques betwixt earthly creatures and heauenly Angels that vnites woman to man yea man to man nay man to himselfe and himselfe to God Loue is the dignity of mans worth not a blind Cupid a sensual lust as Poets faine but an earnest and reasonable desire of good as authorities confirme It is an entire conuinction of soules together Mutua sors animi pia commutatio mentis sub fido fidum est pectore pignus Amor. Quid magis est placidum nihil est faelicius illo Pax iucunda manus splendida tuta quies Fulget in auricoma nitido cum robore forma Ipsa suasplendens gaudet Amore Venus Loue is that tickling blood which softly creepes Into the pleasures of a quiet brest Presenting pretty drcames in flumbring sleepes Andin a Ladies boosome takes his rest Loue bath's him in the channell of delight Which louers sigh for and wish they also might Of twenty thousand 't is the wittiest passion Wise in foreseeing of ensuing care Makes louers prouident yeelds consolation And checks the bad from ill if so they dare Loue is that fountaine where the springs do lye Whence sweetest waters run yet neuer drie Loue is that harmlesse prick in pleasant brier Which doth most please the sent and breed desire Thus much for satisfaction of the witty Now briefly followes for a conclusion to the wise Louers are perfect wise and simply perfect indeed absolutely perfect insomuch as nothing is more expedient to the full accomplishment of a wise man then to be a Louer Now would any man seeme to oppose himselfe to the aduerse maintaining of what hath already been prooued it will be euident he shall more toyle his braines to affirme an vntroth then the praise or commendation hee expects with a generall Plaudite will counteruaile If any champion will likewise be desperate hardy to vndertake a disallowance of these chaliēged positions question-lesse he neede not doubt but he shall not soner be armed but as soone foyled and in the vulgar confession of shame acknowledge his deerely bought wilfulnesse But I leaue that to triall I heere meane to be a pen man no champion Conclusion WOuld any man be gracious in a Ladies fauour let him then subiect himselfe to her wil. Would any be valiant and renowned for chiualty let him serue vnder the colours of beauty Would any striue to be blessed in hauing a Lady truly constant let him choose her truly faire Would any be perfectly wise let him be perfectly louing Would any be happy couragious singular or prouident let him be a louer In that life consisteth all happinesse all courage all glory all wisdome But as for