affection as made her Parents no lesse willing to entertaine his kindenesse then her his loue his speech was sildom not much his letters few not teadious his gifts not many but of worthe and thus farre wrought her fauour with his affection that for women though hee saw many yet hee loued none but her her vertue made him vowe chastitie her beautie were his eyes blisse her modestie was his loues praise her loue his lifes honour she knew it and was pleased in it I knewe it and loue him for it her parents vsed him as a Sonne her Brother as himselfe and she as her Brother now affection grew to passion and patience to ioyne with reason for the confirmation of a mutuall comfort but what fortune doth in these courses too many in their crosses can witnes he was farre from his parents shee at home with her friendes loath hee was to put her to aduenture of her honour with his fortune though in him shee reposed her worldes felicitie loath shee was to leaue him for want of what with him and yet her care was such of him that shee would bee ruled by him and therefore hauing betwixt themselues sealed with their hands the infringible band offaith and troth in the heart after a supper in her fathers house a breake-fast in her brothers lodging as well as loue could giue him leaue hee tooke leaue of his faire lady to looke home toward his father to whome hee would impart his suite of whome hee would obtaine a blessing and from whome hee would returne to her with his fortune To tell you the manner of their parting if euer you were in the like perplexitie would but reuiue a forgotten passion but when swallowed sighes and bleeding teares had almost marr'd all on both sides her brother caried her away I brought him away and so went the world away Now many a night since haue I lyen with him and heard him deliuer such due praises ofher worthinesse and sigh out such deepe sorrowes of his own vnhappinesse that if I could haue done him good I could not haue denied him and not being able I could not but sorrowe with him Chre. Alas poore Gentleman where did you leaue him Pam. Not farre from his fathers house Chre. And doth his father loue him Pam. Or else he were vnnaturall Chre. And doth he loue his Father Pam. Deerely I will swearefor him Chre. And will not his father helpe him Pam. He is fearefull to charge him Chre. And doost thou loue him Pam. As my selfe and deerest of any but your selfe Chre. What will serue him Pam A thousand Crownes Chre. I wil giue it him and thee as much more to accompany him Pam. And will you not repent it when you knowe him Chre. Why I knowe he is not mine enemie if he be thy friend and if thou louest him I will thinke nothing too deere for him Pam Imagine it were my selfe Chre. Haue I ought too deere for my Sonne that could finde me out such a Daughter Pam. Then deere Father pardon my circumstance and fauour my suite your sonne is the man my Mistresse the Lady and in the performance of your worde lies the hope of my comfort Chre. Saist thou mee so Boy gramercie for thy merrie tale I will be as good as my worde to thee and better in my loue to thee I will goe to her with thee and make vp the match for thee Thy valour with her Beautie thy learning with her wit thy honestie with her vertue thy land with her money I hope shall make a happie coniunction for though thou wert a stranger thou shalt be found no begger and now thy Mother is dead and thy sister is married I care not in my olde age to see a little of the world with thee but yet by the way now thy wooing is past for thy wiuing let me tell thee If shee gouerne thee thou art gone Lord haue mercie vpon thee and if shee will bee gouerned by thee then beware of a Fooles Paradice for Women haue stomackes and if they cannot pranke they will powte if they bee faire they are either idle or worse occupyed if fowle eyther sullaine or vncomfortable if rich eyther proude or froward if wittie in daunger of humors if fantasticke out of question Amorous if young wilful if aged wayward Now tell me how wilt thou chuse a wife if thou fit not her humor she wil frown if she fit not thine thou wilt fret therfore though wit be gratious beautie be pretious kindenes be comfortable vertue bee honorable and wealth doe wel loue be a wonderfull thing al this be in a woman yet when vse makes wearines wearines makes loathsomnes constancy is so cumbersom that it hinders much contētment when she falles deafe or thou blinde or she sicke thou poore or shee be of one minde or thou of an other that complaintes must be made causes must be decided quarrells must bee ended enemies must be reconciled or parties parted and how thē when will or wāt breedes woe or wickednes loue is an other thing then hath bene talked ofin the olde time what then swearing staring scolding and brawling cursing banning crying oh fine life for a mad dog when the childe bawles in the Cradle the wife brawles at the table the nurse wralles in the kitchin the maide mumbles in the seller where are you then in a pittifull wood alas the day that euer I did it there is no helpe for it therefore in time looke to it if thy mistris be as thou saist God keep her so if she be not holde not if thou saiest thou louest her I pray heartely that it holde it so but hope saies the best I will beleeue it feare saies the worst I wil defie it onely this my Sonne let me tell thee touching the managing of a wife maintaining loue with a wife the assured notes of a louing wife first for the managing of a wife note her yeres her wit her disposition her acquaintance if she be young be careful but not iealous of her make not two beds with her except in sickenes that not fained let her not want such cōpany as you thinke fit for her for idlenes solitarines put many thoughts into a womans head that may anger her husband at the heart why a dreame sometime of vnkindenes will put strange passions into some womans head therfore awake let her not be without company to exercise her wits in good conference least she be worse imploied in ill cogitations let her bee apparrelled to thy calling but no further for feare of pride then a worse plague let her feede holsomely but not to daintily for as snow engēdreth haile a licoris tongue will haue a couetous minde you know my meaning let her wāt no necessaries nor feede her with superfluities welcome her friēds that are honest keep
steale and so liue as long as they can and for the women if they bee faire they knowe what to make of their beautie and if Fowle how to make of their money Olde Folkes can tell howe to gouerne Children and youthes will play the wagges if it bee with their owne Fathers for Boyes God send them Grace had neuer more witte then they haue now a daies Now for the Gouernours where there are manye it is strange if there bee not one wise and if the rest will obserue good notes their wittes may prooue nere the worse now if there bee manie wise it will trouble one wit too much to take notice of them all and therefore Sonne though a little expence of money haue bought thee a little experience and the varietie of knowledge haue giuen thee a little contentment yet let no Idoll corrupt thy conscience no vanitie corrupt thy wit nor folly bee Maister of thy will thy natiue soyle is naturall thy Countriemen nearer to thee then strangers thy kindred then vnknowne people and thy Fathers house will giue a kinder welcome then the Pallace of a Princesse Let not the alteration of the Ayre alter thy nature the obiect of thine eye the Iudgement of thy minde nor the sound of the eare the sence of thy heart If thou bee returned home as thou wentest out I shall bee glad of it but if eyther France haue taught thee fancies Italye wantonnesse Flaunders drunkennesse or any place wickednesse I shall bee sorrie for thy Trauaile and wish thou hadst neuer gone Oh let not wars make thee bloudy Courts make thee prodigal trade make thee couetous lawe make thee partiall women make thee wanton nor flatterie make thee proude for as Trauaile is the life of youth and varietie the loue of knowledge so yet after all thy Trauaile learne this nay by thy varietie of thy knowledge learne this Lesson couldest thou see all the worlde thou shouldest see nothing but a worlde and in the ende of all finde all haue an ende Riches must eyther be spent or lefte beauty must decay honour must be transported nature must growe weake sences loose their sence and life must ende and then when all is gone then vanitie vanitie and all is vanitie in the graue there is no beautie no honour no wealth no sence no life thither you must as well as I and who knoweth who first now whether it bee in the Sea or in the lād in a Fishes belly or a Leaden Coffin all is one a graue there must be of whosoeuer it be and therefore before thou commest to that last Inne of thy worldes Iourney let me wish thee wheresoeuer thou goest and whatsoeuer thou seest be still one man remēber one thing serue but one God loue but one thine owne coūtry haue but one wife trust but one friēd for many Gods breedeth heathens miseries many countries trauailers humors many wiues mēs purgatories and many friends trustes ruine first God gaue thee life loue him for it yea hee loueth thee liue to him for it your Countrey gaue you foode vnder God loue it for it your Countrey gaue you knowledge first vnder God liue in it for it your wife giues you Issue loue her for it she easeth your house cares liue with her for it and your friend conceales your secrets loue him for it and is an other your selfe liue neere to him for it and leauing the vaine desire of varietie liue to the onely loue of vertue spend your thoughts in contemplation of Deuine comfort your substance in the seruice of God and benefit of your countrey wagge not wanton with the wandring eyes nor trifle out time in vnprofitable toies couer not your balde head with Periwigs of borowed hayre curle not your beard with hot Irons leere not aside like a Beare-whelpe nor looke vnder the browes like a Bull Dogge march not in a towne of peace like a Souldiour nor runne out of your wits in an humor carry not a picke-tooth in your mouth a flower in your eare nor a Gloue in your Hat for it is apish and foolish deuised by idle heads and worne by shallowe wits binde not your inuention to Poetry nor make an Oration of an Epistle Learne but two partes of speeche to speake good wordes and to good purpose goe cleanely but not gaiely and gaine honestly and spend thriftilie feede sparingly drinke moderately sleepe soundly but rise earely so passing thy time merrily thou shalt liue happily and die blessedlie this lesson hath been taught me at home and I doubt you will scarce finde a better abroad but least I growe teadious to thee thus to take thee to Schoole as soone as thou commest home I pray thee tell me thy opinion of contentment whether it can be so well had abroade as at home Pam. Truely Father I knowe not the minde of euerie man nor how fullye to define content but when wit hath found out reason hath Iudged and nature hath receiued the pleasure of the Spirit in the delight of the sences I thinke if in the world there bee any content it is there Now be it at home or abroad all is one for there is an olde sentence which is oftentimes newly in effect Omne Solum fortis patria euery house is home all Countries are one to a resolute minde a friend is a friēdabroad an ennimie is an ennimie at home vertue is limited to no place but honoured in al persons loue hath a worlde to walke in to take the pleasure of his fortune where varietie of choise tries the wisdome of judgement my father if I beholde him but as a man I can loue him but as a man but when I thinke of his loue I loue him as a Father now loue being bound to no place cannot forget his owne nature any where nay absence of place strengthens the memorie of Loue and therefore if I beholde my selfe in being a sonne I remember my Father if I behold your bounty I remember your blessing and honour your Loue so that still I say it is not the place that perfecteth affection no not in nature and sometime absence is the cause of the more Ioy in loue as in the Souldiour who after Conquest returneth with more honour then he had at home the Marchant after a voyage pleaseth his mistris with better wares then she had at home the Courtier after trauaile tels his Lady a better tale then of a Foxe and a Goose and the Scholler after Trauaile makes a better verse then at home why the Clowne after trauaile can learne to kisse his hand maide Maulkin after trauaile can make new countenances new complexions oh father this home humor wil soone be worne so threed-bare that if it were not shifted with some trauaile euen with lazy wit would grow louzy for in place of accoūt where knowledge is to be enquired there is more matter then for the Market and of more judgement then maister constables were the wise
that haue seene the world note the necessarie good of Trauaile who neuer heard but a Iacke-Dawe would thinke a Parret a spirit either be affraide of her or in loue with her when he that knoweth her what shee is wil regarde her as shee is now he that neuer saw but an Ape would thinke a Baboone a little deuill but he that hath trauailed where they are bred will know them for ordinary beastes of those countries he that neuer saw a Mountibanke would take a curtizen for a better creature but hee that had seene their traffique would neuer care for their trade he that neuer saw a Whale would thinke it a Deuill in the Sea but hee that had been where they are bredde would knowe it there an ordinarie Fish hee that neuer saw a Picture would goe neere to thinke it an Angell but hee that knowes them what they bee will thinke of them as they are Oh Father the Tiranny of one Prince makes the mercie of an other more glorious the terror of warre makes peace seeme more joyfull and the daunger of the Sea makes the Land more wished for doth not the drunkennesse of one Countrie make sobrietie in an other seeme more gratious the Treasons in one Countrie make loyalltie more honourable in an other and who hath not seene the one how can he Iudge of the other now for further causes of contentment what Golde is in the Indies what Arte in China what workmanshippe in Millaine what building in Florence what Fountaines in Genoua what State in Norremberge and for Venice who hath not seene it cannot praise it but who hath seene it and can judge of it I leaue him to speake of it Oh the Corne wine and fruite of France the Oyle Spice Drugges and fruite of Spaine the Rosen Pitch Tarre and Hempe Waxe and Honie from the Easte Countries the Veluets Sattens Taffaties and Silkes of Italy and other farre Countries are these at home yea but howe not to bee seene with that contentment that it is at their home for to see the little Worme that windes the Silke how shee liues before her working and then how with her worke shee payes for her liuing howe neate the Maides bring them to Market wound vp in their worke how finelye they are wound out of their worke and their Silken threedes wouen into diuers fine Stuffes as well Cloath of Golde Tissue Siluer or Tuffed or plaine Veluet or Satten or stuffes of other names the rarenes in the Arte of it and the neatenes in the dooing of it it is a thousand times more contentiue then to buye it in a Shoppe and to weare it in slappe Oh to see a Generall in the middest of an Armie or a Cittie besiedged to see the Beautie of one and note the strength of the other and to tarrie the fortune of both it would make you breake your Spade and your Flaile and as olde as you are trye the Fortune of your Sworde to see but one such a sight in all your life why in a Chamber to see a woman of worth sued to by the better sort to heare the excellencie of her wit deliuered at the ende of her tongue with such a grace of modestie as might cleere suspicion of vngratious action when her eyes like starres did sparckle in the little Element of her face and her hayres like wiers might winde vp the thoughts of loues heart while her wordes like Oracles should coniure honour to loyaltie to behold such a queene-like creature in the richest of her array to reade her in the excellēcie of her wit heare her in the excellencie of her musicke were such a contentment to the spirit of good vnderstanding as would make the heart to rise to the highest of his worldes ioy and is this to bee seene at home in a cupboord or a Corne-lofte or a Cowe pastor no no I confesse flesh and blood red and white and louely browne will doe well where are no better but a countrey daunce is but a Iigge to a stately Pauen no father had you seene that which I haue seene and know that I knowe you wold long as well as I to see that I would see for an olde Mans lesson is knowledge by experience and a young Mans Loue is varietie of vnderstanding which is the fruite of Trauaile Chre. Well Sonne I sayed it not for nought that Boyes in these daies haue wit at will God send them grace to vse it well but now I haue heard you at leysure giue mee leaue to answere you a little touching contentment you say euery house is a home and euery Countrie alike to a resolued spirit but he that selleth Land at home to looke ouer Land abroade when his money is spent and hee hath neither house nor home what then followes but insteede of content play Mal-Content and for the commoditie of Land better haue an Acre of land in Cheape-side then a hundreth in the Land of waste for it is either vnder water or subiect to drowning and therefore tell not mee of your outlandish earth nor the fruites of it for I can haue as good hearbes and fruites here at my doore for my money as you can haue any where in your trauaile I know it for I haue heard thē say it that haue tried it why haue not we our Cherry our Strawberry our Raspesse our Goose-berrie and our Mulberie and I knowe not how many berries as the Season serues haue not wee the Plumme the Peare the Apricocke the Apple the warden and the Quince the Walnut and the Filberd and the Hasell Nut the Medler and the Ches-nut and al in their seasons growing in our countries brought to our markets and are they not cheaper heere then to trauaile for them I knowe not whether Indeede I thinke we haue them not in such aboundance for I holde no such necessitie now for Mineralles I doe not thinke but you may finde more Golde and Siluer aboue the ground in one Acre in Cheape-side then you may finde in ten of the best Acres in your Trauaile and therefore for Earth I thinke we haue as good at home as you can finde abroad and so much for your earth Now for your fine wormes and your worming Maides it is a prettie idle thing to stand peering on a Worme but perhaps we haue wormes at home that winde themselues vp in Silke though they bee not caried to Market one of which are better worth then a hundreth of your wormes for Maides if our maides be not as cleanely on the market day as they are on a Holy-day trust mee no more and I am sorrie you can say no more for yours for they that bee not Sluts will bee neate and there is an ende and for your Silkes and Veluets wee haue our Sattens heere with such a glasse that you may almost see your face in it vppon the backeside of a Vardingale and therefore talke no more of it wee haue it heere without trauaile
gratious gesture and an humble minde shewe a true heart a good wit a blessed soule and an excellent creature and such is my Mistresse Chre. And yet a staied eye may haue a strange sight a blushing cheeke an ill fore-head a softe speech a slye meaning and an humble minde a couered crafte but so I hope hath not your mistris Pam Oh no varietie of knowledge solitarie walkes holy obseruance and necessarie exercise shew a carefull wit a contemplatiue spirit a zealous heart and an industrious minde and such hath my mistris Chre. And yet varietie may breede vanitie solitarines may shadowe pride holy shewes may hide hipocricie and exercise may prooue cunning but such I hope isnot your mistris Pam. No Father vertue and vanitie are odde Solitarines and pride are of a contrarie humor holines Ipocricie are contraries and labour and crafte are of sundrie natures and my mistris and an ordinarie creature are different in their dispositions and therefore I beseech you if you speake of the best sorte let her not be left out if of the worst thinke not of her name for she hath no place in their imperfections Chre. I like thee well boy I see perswasion doth well in affection thou wilt stand for thy Mistris against the whole world it is well done for if shee bee worthie thy praise sticke to her if thou bee worthy her fauour neuer leaue her but now leauing this loue tale till wee come where the matter is further to be talked of let me haue an other bowte with you for a few points of your opinion touching certaine propositions that I meane to make you Pam. Deere father your Sonne will bee ready to performe his best to your pleasure therefore say what shall please you Chre. Tell me then if you must leaue your father or your mistris which would you leaue Pam. My Mistris Chre. Your reason Pam. Because I may haue such an other mistris but such an other father I cannot haue Chre. But if your Mistris were your wife how then Pam. I must leaue Father and mother and cleaue to my wife Chre. If you must loose your land or your loue which would you Pam. My Land for I may purchase other Land but I cannot purchase such an other Loue. Chre. If you were without a wife you may bee rich and by a wife shall bee poore which will you Pam. A wife for Godlines is great riches to him that is content with that he hath Chre. If you may bee wise and will not and would be wise and cannot which would you chuse Pam. The may be for where there is power wee may be perswaded but where there is no power will is not to be spoken of Chre. If example teach you you conceaue it not or if you conceiue it and regarde it not which is the worse Pam. Not to conceaue for will is sooner cured then wit of any imperfection Chre. If a friend deceaue you an enemie help you whome will you loue best Pam. My friend for they doe both againe their wils and the one out of no good the other out of no euill minde Chre. Thus much for a friend and a wife Now to other matters what dost thou thinke moste needefull in the world Pam. Honestie there is so little of it that it is in fewe mens hands Chre. And what least needefull Pam. Villanie there is so much that many hāg for it Chre. What is moste comfortable in the world Pam Ayer for it maintaines life Chre. What moste profitable Pam. Money for it gaines thousands Chre. What least profitable Pam. Pride for it spendes much Chre. Which is the vylest creature in the world Pam. The Cucko for she kiles the sparow that hatcht her Chre. And which the kindest Pam The Pellican for she killes herselfe to feede her young Chre. Who is the truest louer in the world Pam. The Turtle for she neuer changeth whome she chuseth Chre. Which is the most dogged bird in the world Pam. The Turkey-Cocke for he beates his hen whē he hath troden her Chre. which is the most foolish bird Pam. The Woodcocke for she is euer shewing her taile Chre. Which is the best beast in the world Pam. The Vnicorne for his horne killeth poyson he neuer hurteth a Virgin Chre. Which is the most stately Pam. The Lyon because he stoopes all other with his looke Chre. Which is the moste craftie Pam. The Foxe when he scrapes the huntsman Chre. And what the strangest Pam. An Ape because he is like a man Chre. And which is the most monstrous Beast Pam. A wittoll because he hath a world of hornes Ch. Wel said which is the nimblest beast in the world Pam. A Camelion for hee can turne himselfe into diuerse colours in an instant Chre. Which is the most profitable beast in the world Pam. An Oxe for when he hath drawne al the yeare he will make beefe against Christmas Chre. What is the moste vnprofitable Beast Pam. A Wolfe for he is good for nothing while he liues nor dead but for his skinne Chre. Which is the sweetest Beast of the world Pam. A Ciuit Cat. Chre. And which is the moste vnsweet Pam. A dogge when he hath eaten carrion Chre. Well thus I see thou art able to answere mee to good purpose to whatsoeuer I shall propound thee but leauing this ticktacke shall we goe to some other game Pam. What please you Chre. Then let mee bee merrie with thee and to my questions answere me conceitedly Pam. As I can without offence Bhre Then first to your Gramer rules howe many parts of speech are there Pam. Two to speake well or speake ill Chre. What is a nowne substantiue Pam. A rich man for hee can stand alone without helpe Chre. A nowne adiectiue Pam. A Begger that liues of almes for hee cannot stand alone Chre. What is a Verbe Pam. Loue for when you haue declined it to the ful it makes nothing but a noise for it hath no substāce Chre Wel leauing further to speak of these groundes of learning let me aske you when an english is giuen to be made in Latine what is to bee done Pam. No harme if it be well made Chre. How doe the Nominatiue case and the verbe agree Pam. Better then many neighbours that can hardlye liue togither Chre. How vnderstand you the Plurall number in one person Pam Two wayes one in haec homo the common of two or three or in a Wench great with childe before she knowe her husband Chre. How make you a figure of a Cipher Pam. Whē a foole keepes a place among wise men Chre. And howe a Cipher of a figure Pam. Of a wisemā without money for a purse without money is a body without life Chre. How figure you a Gerunde Pam. In hope euer dooing and neuer done Chre. And how a Participle Pam. In happe done well or ill Chre. And how make you a broken number Pam. With sighes and sobbes Chre. And how a full point Pam. At the graue because I can goe no further at least in this world Chre. A good place for them that walke right but for other it is a sorrie gate to a heauie house but leauing those pointes to men of more diuine studies let vs a little more talke of the course of the worlde and tell mee what is the reason why one man that hath no wit shal haue much money and an other that is verie wise can get little Pam Because the one hath gotten vnderstanding and the other hath gotten to stand vnder Chre. Indeede thou saiest well the wise man stands ouer and the couetous standes vnder his money but tell me thy opinion why should a knaue prosper and an honest man goe downe the winde Pam. Because the one seekes his paradice heere and the other in an other world Chre What doost thou thinke moste beautifull in the world Pam. A faire day Chre. And what moste vncomfortable on the earth Pam Emprisonment Chre. And what most pleasing to nature Pam. Libertie Chre. And what moste grieuous Pam. Sicknes Chre. What is the best substance of a Sillogisme Pam. Truth Chre. And what the best proofe of a good wit Pam. To maintaine it Chre. Thou saiest well but I feare I trouble thee with to manie questions and therefore not to trie thee too much I wil onely tell thee a word or two of my opinion of the world and so we will goe into supper Pam. I thanke you sir I shall be glad to heare it and hope not hastily to forget it Chre. I will tell thee I thinke the world a maze of wit a walke of will a trouble of reason a poyson of nature an enemie of rest a labour of man a Laborinthe of time a wildernesse of creatures and a pilgrimage of patience where the wise gouerne best and the wicked thriue moste the rich haue moste power and the poore most miserie where pride makes her triumphe vanitie selles her wares folly hunts after fortune and honour followes wealth where children haue long breeding Women bring charge men Trauaile toward death Learning breedes studdie Arte breedes labour and Sickenesse weakenesse the Sea is daungerous the Aire infectious the earth laborous and the fier is terrible In summe no felicitie in it nor happines but to leaue it therefore when thou hast as wel past it as I and knowest it as I doe Coelum virtutis patria et non est hic mihi mundus Heauen is vertues Countrie and heere is no world for me but for that thou art young and some things are to be done in this world I hope before thou shalt goe out of it I will first prouide for thy content in the happie course of thy wished comfort then leaue thee to the heauenly contemplation of thy spirits happinesse but I see my seruant comming towards vs the messenger of my stomackes attendance and the Sunne is toward his declination and therefore for this time I will trouble thee no further but onely reioyce in thy happie health and that I haue heard from thee I see it is euen supper time and therefore let vs away Pam. I will wayte vpon you FINIS Imprinted at London for Edward VVhite and are to be solde at his Shop neere the little North-doore of S. Paules Church at the Signe of the Gun 1605.
Chre. And where the Idlest Pam. In the Ordinaries where there is nought but talke and play and Cheere Chre. Where is the quiet life Pam. In the Countrie where wit may feede the spirit in contemplation Chre. Where the noblest Pam. In the warres where valour may shew mercie and wisdome gaine honour Chre. And where the moste blessed Pam. In the Church where praier and fasting findes admirable comfort Chre Well said my good Boy but out of thine owne Countrie tell mee where thou didst finde moste contentment Pam. In Italie for there I found the Marchant rich the Souldiour valiant the Courtier Affable the Lawyer Learned and the Craftes-man cunning the Women faire and the Children toward the earth fruitefull the fruite pleasant the Climat temperate and the Labourer painefull I cannot say but in other Countries I found diuers of these but not al so much in any Chre. And where moste discontentment Pam. In Barberie where the Souldiour is bloodie the Iewe liues with the Gentill the Marchant is of no pleasing carriage the Courtier I neuer saw the Women are not beautifull the Climat is hot and the Soile but euen so so and in summe little good but Hides and Sugar Chre. I hope thou didst make no long stay there Pam. No Sir nor euer intend to come there againe I had rather make Salt my Sugar then Trauaile thither againe for it Chre. Where didst thou make thy longest aboade Pam. In Italie and there except at home with you I had rather spend my life then in many places of the world and in Venice of any place there Chre. Your reason Pam. Because there I may feede mine eyes with manie faire obiects and my minde with many deepe considerations to beholde the platforme and Scituation of the Cittie how it standeth enuironed with the Sea then to view the stately buildings of stones as wel in their Churches as their Houses vpon the Realta to see the varietie of strangers to obserue the people their habites their Languages and their carriages to see the treasurer of S. Marco the prouision in their Arsenale and the state in the Dukes Pallace to note the strict ciuill manner of their gouernement to conuerse with fine wits to accompany kinde natures to beholde their faire Ladies and to enioy the libertie of conscience to take a Gondolo and crosse a smooth Sea to their sweet Riuers and at pleasure to take the ayre of their pleasant villages to feede of their sweet fruites and drink of their delicate wines with other needeles things to talke of that except this countrie and your house I knowe no such place of contentment Chre. Thou saist wel these causes of content may wel make thee in loue with the Countrie but I am glad to heare thee except thine owne countrie my house where I doubt not thou shalt receiue as much true cōtent as either Italy or all the world can affoord thee at least if I can deuise it it shall bee so but if it cannot bee it shal be my content that thou shalt haue it where thou wilt or canst deuise it but beeing now abroad supper will not be readie this hower I pray thee recite me some prettie Historie or tell mee some prettie tale of somewhat that hath passed in the way of thy passage I care not of what nature it be it shall content me Pam. Vpon the suddaine to call to minde any historie of aunciēt time that may be worth the recounting I shall haue somewhat to doe but of some such matter as hath passed in my Trauaile whereof I haue bene either an eye witnes or had perfect intelligence that I may tel you the truth I care not if I acquaint you with the discourse Chre I pray thee doe and thou saist well for Trauailers are giuen some say to begull the worlde with gudgins especially such as long after newes to heare strange things though they neither vnderstand them in the telling of them nor can remēber a word of them but for thy selfe though I were but a friend yet I see such is thy knowledge of good as will not let thee cōmit so great an euil therfore on gods name say what thou wilt it shal content me I will beleeue it thanke thee for it for it will bee a good meane to passe away the time and to make our walke seeme the shorter Pam. Sir to tel you of a bloodie fight a defeated armie the Sacke of a Cittie or the wracke of a Shippe were more lamentable thē comfortable to tell you of a monster that had bin the death of a man would but mooue pittie and griefe to tell you of the plague in a countrie and the ruyne of a kingdome would but be a breeding of melancholly to tell you of a Shepheard and his Dog wold but shew you that you see euery day to talke of a Foxe and a Goose why the countrie is too full of them euerie where to tell you of a Wolfe a Lambe why it would but make you pray for your flock therfore to leaue al idle vnfitting humors I wil tel you in my opinion a true prettie discourse of somewhat that hapned in a Cittie where I spent some time which I hope shall not dislike you Chre. I pray thee doe Pam. Then Sir you shall vnderstand in the Cittie of Venice a place in which I spent some time it was my hap among other contentmēts to fal acquainted with a yoūg Gētlemā much of mine own yeres had bin at the vniuersitie seene something in trauaile there finding many pleasing spirits thought good to spend some time among thē it fell out one morning among other going towards S. marco in my cōpany passing by a house of a great Magnifico or gentlemāly marchāt he chanced to espy in an entrie within the doore a pretty nay a young gentleman talking with a faire damsel whom he imagined to be the yong mans mistris but it fell out she was his sister now the yoūg gentlemā wel acquainted with my friēd beckned him into the house gaue not onely him but mee also for his sake a very kinde welcom procured no lesse at the hāds of his faire sister whō though far short of her desert I wil describe in her worthines her yeres about twenty the prime of natures pride and virginities honour beautiful so far as a creature can be imagined wise with that modesty that made her wit admirable kinde with that care that made humility gratious her portiō though not for a prince yet able to make a poore mā wealthy for her proportiō the painter might be graced in her counterfaite loued she was of al that knew her hated of none that could know her serued of manie that were happie to attend her and especially beloued of one that did truely honour her who was the young man whom as my selfe I loued often did hee sollicite his suite with such secret proofe of his