observing on whom she looks and who looks on her Argus did not so keep his Cow the watchfull Dragon the golden Fleece or Cerberus Hell gates as he does her toyling and wasting away himself in pursuite of so concealed a mystery and so obscure a verification If he see her discourse familiarly with another if by nod winke smile or message he think she discloseth her self to another he is instantly tormented none so dejected as he is he thinks himself utterly undone a cast away the scorne of fortune There are some though their hearts be violently assaulted with jealousie and false suspicion insomuch that they can never rest in quiet make shew outwardly of a happy life and a carelesse neglect of their best beloved yet in despite of themselves and their best endevours they cannot dissemble it It is the natural course of this passion for it is with those who are in the highest pitch of Love as those who are on the tops of great elevations their heads grow dizie and though no body touch them they reel till they fall of themselves meerly by the fear of falling And this is the passion that ruines Loves reputation and disorders the souls tranquillity Therefore If Lovers needs must jealous be And from this venom ne'r be free Then fie upon 't my prayer shall be From Love good Jove deliver me Now as touching Women they have the symptomes of this passion more vehemently their wils being stronger then their reason there is no counsell to be given them against this evill of jealousie their nature being wholly suspicion vanity and curiosity If you seek to perswade them they will flie out against you like so many Lyonesses objecting How can they moderate their passions how can they but be jealous when they see themselves manifestly neglected contemned loathed unkindly used and their unkind Lovers court Ladies to their faces There is a tree in Mexicana which is so exceedingly tender that a Man cannot touch any of its branches but it withers presently so Women are so subject to this passion that like tinder they will take fire at the least sparke of suspicion and a small touch will wound and kill their love This passion is most predominant in old Men as saith the Author of the Accomplisht Woman which very properly be compared to Ivy because that grows ordinarily upon old heapes or ruines so this passion wreathes it self most commonly about old tortured and dejected spirits such as marry young wenches and how can they be otherwise all things considered We see Ivy flourishing upon dry withered and saplesse trees so in old Men this passion is very potent and youthfull and becomes the stronger in such as age or crazinesse of wit infeebles or stupefies It is no great miracle if jealous ones be lean their passions feeding on nothing but faintnesse and nothing like melancholy to entertain jealousie Therefore I exhort Gentlewomen not to bestow themselves upon fools or apparent melancholy persons jealousie being a symptome of that disease and fools have no moderation It is an enemy with poysoned weapons and his approach is enough to overthrow when the memory hath once received it reason often comes too late for a resistance I hope I shall not be thought a vagrant from my subject if I tell marryed couples that suspicion of it self is able to make one flie out that was otherwise honest If we consider that jealousie and Cuckolds differ no otherwise then a City Sheriffe and Alderman a little time makes the one the other for it is as common as the Moon gives hornes twice a moneth to the world for a jealous Man to wear Actaeons badge the Miller sees not all the water that goes by his Mill sometimes Sweet-heart and Cuckold are reciprocal termes many a good Gentleman hath worn a plume of Buls feathers in his crest being set in by his arrant honest Mistresse There was a Roman named Cydippus who took so great a delight to see Buls baited that it set such an impression in his Idea as he thought so much of it over night that he arose in the morning with a horned head This spectacle pleased him for that he had entertained his fancy with it and in the end his imagination did him this ill office There is no malice sufficiently black to blind this passions capacity it gives subtlety and craft to the dullest and perverts the most vertuous to seek satisfaction for the injury if has no bound to inventions it brings ruine to its fosterer as it did to Procris jealous of her husband Cephalus she imagined he had a Mistresse besides her self which she thought he went to seek in the woods under pretence of hunting she hid her self behind a bush thinking to hear the discourse of his solitary thought he hearing a stir and a noise in the thicket and believing it was a Deer shot an arrow at it and struck her to the heart she dying cryed Cephalus which word made him know he had taken his Wife for a beast and I think he was not very much mistaken Also Mr. Brathwaith in his English Gentlewoman records a matchlesse president of Jealousie acted in England with the like tragicall conclusion He hath it in these words IT sometimes pleased a young Gentlewoman whose fortunes had swelled her high to settle her affections on a Gentleman of deserving parts which he entertained with a generous requitall nothing was omitted that might any way increase their respect or second the height of their joyes Continuall resort and frequent made them inseparably one no day so pleasing as when they were together no hour so tedious as when they were asunder But short is that moment of fading happinesse which hath in it a relish of lightnesse and is not grounded on essentiall goodnesse Long had they not thus lived and sociably loved but the Gentlewoman conceived some private suspicion that her self was not the sole soveraignesse of his heart but that another was become sharer in his Love Neither was this Competitrice whom she suspected any other then her own attendant whose Casket she secretly opened where she found a Ring of especiall note which she had formerly bestowed on him This confirmed her conceit changed her reall love into mortall hate which she seconded with this Tragick act Inviting him one day into a Summer Arbour where in former times they were wont to repose amidst of an amorous discourse she casually fixt her eye upon three Lennets one whereof picking some Privet leaves purposely to build her nest flew away whilest the two which remained lovingly billed one with another which she intentively observing used these words How tenderly and intimately do these poor fools mate it were it not pity they should be ever divided Which words she had no sooner uttered then the she Lennet flew away and left the male alone till another returned with whom the he Lennet billed and amorously wooed as he had done before which she more seriously eyeing O quoth she
at ten years of age and was but 15 when she hid the spies as some report Leo saith that in Africk one shall scarce finde a Maid at 14 years of age for when the vehemency of Adolescency which is betwixt the age of 14 and 28 beginneth to tickle them and when they have greatest need of a bridle then they let loose the raines committing themselves to the subjection of this passion There are many forward Virgins of our age are of opinion that this commodity can never be taken up too soon and howsoever they neglect in other things they are sure to catch time by the forelock in this if you aske them this question they will resolve you 14 is the best time of their age if 13 be not better then that and they have for the most part their Mothers example before them to confirme and prove their ability and this withall they hold for a certain ground that be they never so little they are sure thereby to become no lesse yet let me tell these forward Girles the effects that most commonly ensue are dangerous births diminution of statute brevity of life and such like This passion is more tolerable in youth and such as are in their hot bloud and shall I be bold to speak it without offence to the stale Batchelors that Love is not properly nor naturally in season but in that age next unto infancy Nunc grata juveni Venus Venus to young men is a welcome guest But for an amorous complexion to cover glowing fires beneath the embers of a gray-beard to see an old man to dote upon Women what more odious what more absurd yet in some this Idalian fire flameth more in their old age then in their youth Aristotle saith that old men are not out of the reach of Cupid nor bid defiance to Venus till they have passed the age of 70 years And truly a gray-head and a wanton-heart are ill suited it is more ridiculous to see it in Women then men It rageth in all ages yet is it most common and evident among young and lusty persons in the flower of their age high fed and living idly for such as are continually imployed it scarce touches them till they come to be 24 or 25 years of age and then but very lightly according to the speech of Lyndamor to Pallemas that he had arrived to the age of 25 years before he ever felt any effects as Love useth to produce in hearts of his age Not but that he was of his naturall inclination as much devoted servant unto Ladies but being continually exercised in businesse much different from idlenesse he had no pleasure to let Love sow any seeds in his soul for ever since he was able to bear armes moved by a generous instinct which invites noble spirits unto dangerous enterprizes he was perpetually in wars where he did most heroically signalize himself Some have given two reasons why youth is more subject to this illimited passion then any other age The first is That naturall heat or vigour which is most predominant in youth provoking him to attempt the greatest of difficulties rather then suffer the repulse where he affects The second is Want of imployment which begets this distemperature Vacuo pectore regnat amor Love playes hai-day in an idle person Amor otiosae cura est solicitudinis saith Theophrastus it is an affection of an idle minde Also it fosters it self by a writ of Priviledge in the hearts of young men who abounding with much bloud and consequently with great store of Vitall spirits are more fiery and ardent making them full of wanton and youthfull desires I have many times observed a great sympathy and affection young boyes and girles have one to another and indeed there is a pretty pleasing kind of wooing drawn from a conceived but concealed fancy which suits well with these amorous younglings they could wish with their hearts ever to be in the presence of those they love so they might not be seen by them Might they chuse they would converse with them freely consort with them friendly and impart their truest thoughts fully yet would they not have their bashful loves finde discovery They would be seen yet seem obscured Love but not disclose it see whom they love but not be eyed Yea which hath struck me into more admiration I have known divers whose unripe years half assured me that their green youth had never instructed them in the knowledge nor brought them to conceit of such vanities excellently well read in Love Lectures and prompt enough to shew proofes of their reading in publick places The amorous toyes of Venus and Adonis with other Poems of like nature they peruse with such devotion and retain with such delectation as no subject can equally relish their unseasoned palats like those lighter discourses If this passion begin in infancy and so continue it is more affectionate and strong because that custom which is taken in that age doth by degrees become a nature which growing up with years growes solid and unalterable Fronutus saith of Love Juvenis pingitur quod amore plerumque Juvenes capiuntur sic mollis formosus nudus quod simplex apertus hic affectus ridet quod oblectamentum prae ase ferat cum phiretra c. The reason why Love was painted young is because young men are most apt to Love soft fair and fat because such folks are soon captivated naked because all true affection is simple and open he smiles because merry and given to delights hath a Quiver to shew his power and none can escape him old nor young is blinde because he sees not where he shootes nor whom he hits c. Let us now Demonstrate what temperatures and complexions do sympathize together and are most prone and apt to receive the impression of this Passion THe diversitie of complexions breeds a diversity of desires whereby they judge diversly of things present and follow those which do best agree with their constitutions whereby we see that in the election of any thing whatsoever the appetite doth accommodate it self to the temperature of the body for we see Men fit themselves in their customs and carriages to their corporeal temperature ever desiring to converse with their like for Nature would so have it to this only end that every one should be esteemed and be loved and they that are not absolutely faire in every part should not be despised but being received into grace and favour with their Lovers might live honestly in mutuall society and in good esteem with them Every like desireth and loveth his like whereby ever for the publick good there remaineth nothing despised because there is nothing but hath its like And therefore to the eyes of a Moor the black or tawny countenance of his Moorish Damosel pleaseth best and yet such a one would almost turn the stomach of a Sanguine complexioned English man to look upon Now to discover those who are
the idoll of their lust You may behold in those that are far entred into this passion floods and ebbs of thoughts fits and countenances of persons possessed and it is in all of them to deifie the creature on whom they are so passionately enamored and would willingly place them among the Stars yea upon the Altars Chaines and wounds are honorable if they come from a beloved hand making their heads cushions for their Mistresses feet shewing that they finde more force in their eyes then in their own hearts They would die a thousand deaths for them so they throw but so much as a handful of flowers or distill but a poor tear on their tombs This Love awakeneth excludeth none all other passions and garboyles them and makes them all Lacques to wait upon it It makes Lovers through immoderate watching giddy brain'd having their spirits troubled and become very fools Fears and joyes hopes and desires mixt with despairs and doubts do make the sport in Love they are the very Dogs by which the Hare is hunted and being flesh'd in the chase neither stop nor give ore passion being in a hot sent till they have killed her It is a natural distemper a kinde of Smal-pox every one hath had it or is to expect it and the sooner the better It is of so great force and authority that it subjugateth unto its will the greatest power of the minde that is Will which ruleth and governeth all the other both interiour and exteriour powers and yet the will is constrained many times for the better pleasing and content of Love to follow those things which it doth altogether abhor and detest so that having so wonderful an Empire and command over all the powers both inward and outward of the body and of the minde no wonder if Love both will and can do what it will It was Love that betrayed Sampson by Dalila it was Love made Colomon brutish by his Concubines and turn Idolater 't was Love caused Ahab to be rooted out through Jesabel Marc. Anthony slew himself for the love of Cleopatra the destruction of Troy was caused by Helena the Pandora of Hesiodus the pitifull death of Hercules by Deianira and many other miserable events procured through the Love of Women and plentifully declared in Histories How was Loves great-master Ovid inamoured of bright Julia the jewell of his soul and celebrated her excellencies and their love stealths under the mask of Corinna Nay Apollo himself the inventer of Poesie Musick and Physick elated for his victory over the ugly Python found Cupids shaft the most prevalent when he pursued the too much loved but overmuch hating Daphne over the uncouth rocks craggy cliffes and untrod mazes of the Woods Cupid is more then Quarter-master among the Gods Capiumque Jovem coelo traxit he made Jupiter metamorphose himself for Europa into a Bull and put himself to graze that he might lick her hands who fed him with flowers for Danae into a shower of gold for Astrea into an Eagle for Leda into a Swan for Antiope into a Satyr for Egina into a flame for Mnemosyne into a Shepherd for Dois into a Serpent for Calysto into a Wood-nymph or Nun so by this you may see that Love made him esteem his pleasure above his state so as Lucian Juno called him Ludus Amoris Cupids whirligig Sen. in Herc. oet. Tu fulminantem saepe domuisti Jovem Likewise all faigned Romances do continually chant forth the complaints of millions of Lovers and the infidelity of their Mistresses on the other side Women waging war with Men cease not to accuse their inconstancy which were able to tire spirits any thing serious A Lovers heart is Cupids quiver an inextinguishable fire more hot and vehement then any material fire it is the quintessence of fire no water can quench Sen. Hippol Quis meas miserae Deus Aut quis juvare Daedalus flammas queat What God can ease What Daedalus can quench such flames as these Or according to the eloquent poesie of another For Love hath nets there laid to serve his turn And in the water will his wildfire burn O! how many Men do wander in this way how many persons in this age are corrupted too much with the extremity of this passion lulling themselves asleeep in the laps of such as seek to strangle them How many excellent spirits are recorded in History which were in excellent state and in full vigour of the functions of an intellectual life who by approaching over-neer to this sex have entred into affections of fire and flames which like little creeping Serpents have stolne into their hearts I cannot sufficiently admire at the sottishnesse and drowsinesse of many Noble spirits who are so delighted and captivated with the vain dreams of their own fancies that they imploy all the gifts and graces of the minde and incline to some beautiful object What a ridiculous thing is it to see Men fall from their primitive goodnesse as to lose their selves in dotage and that dotage on one creature and that creature a Woman really next to a miracle is my only admiration O traitresse Dalila which seekest by thy inticings to deliver Mans soul to an enemy far worse then the Philistines Such pleasures are like gilded pils which under their external beauty include bitternesse They are also like fresh Rivers that end their course in the Sea losing their sweet relish in an Ocean of saltness Man cannot love and be wise both together the very best of them is betwixt hawke and buzzard if once they be overtaken with this passion It being the first and chief mistresse of all the passions the most furious and severest of all he that suffers himself to be seduced by it he is no more himself his body endureth a thousand labours in the search of his pleasure his minde a thousand hels to satisfie his desire and desire it self increasing growes into fury As it is natural so it is violent and common to all It maketh all the wisdom resolution contemplation and the operation of the soul brutish It is impossible to reckon up the many great dangers and hazzards they undergoe they undertake single combates venture their lives creep in at windowes gutters go down chimnies in ropes and climbe over wals to come to their Sweet-hearts anoint the doores and hinges with oil lest they should make a noise tread softly whisper c. and if they be surprised leap out at windowes and cast themselves down headlong What a passionate speech was that of Callicratides in Lucian Dial. amorum Mihi ô dii coelestes ultra sit vita haec perpetua exadverso amicae sedere suave loquentem audire c. si moriatur vivere non sustinebo idem erit sepulchrum utrisqueThe which we thus paraphase O ye Gods celestial grant me this life for ever to sit opposite to her I love that I may continually be an auditor of her mellifluous speeches to go in and