shortly shall sée me his lorde ▪ I aske the seate wherof I ought of right Possesse the halfe I am Oedipus sonne And yours so am I true sonne to you both Wherfore I hope that as in my defence The worlde will weygh so Ioue wil me assiste Eteocles commeth in here by the gates Electrae himself armed and before him .xx. gentlemen in armour his two pages wherof the one beareth his Target the other his helme Chor. Beholde O quéene beholde O woorthie quéene Vnwoorthie he Eteocles here cōmes So woulde the Gods that in this noble realme Shoulde neuer long vnnoble tyrant reigne Or that with wrong the right and doutlesse heire Shoulde banisht be out of his princely seate Yet thou O quéene so fyle thy sugred toung And with such counsell decke thy mothers tale That peace may both the brothers hartes inflame And rancour yelde that erst possesse the same Eteocl. Mother beholde your hestes for to obey In person nowe am I resorted hither In haste therefore fayne woulde I knowe what cause With hastie spéede so moued hath your minde To call me nowe so causelesse out of time When common wealth moste craues my onely ayde Fayne woulde I knowe what quent commoditie Perswades you thus to take a truce for tyme And yeld the gates wide open to my foe The gates that myght our stately state defende And now are made the path of our decay Ioca. Represse deare son those raging stormes of wrath That so bedimme the eyes of thine intent As when the tongue a redy Instrument Would fayne pronounce the meaning of the minde It cannot speake one honest séemely worde But when disdayne is shrunke or sette asyde And mynde of man with leysure can discourse What séemely wordes his tale may best beséeme And that the toung vnfoldes without affectes Then may procéede an answere sage and graue And euery sentence sawst with sobernesse Wherefore vnbende thine angrie browes deare childe And caste thy rolling eyes none other waye That here doest not Medusaes a face beholde But him euen him thy bloud and brother deare And thou behold my Polinices eke Thy brothers face wherein when thou mayst sée Thine owne image remember therewithall That what offence thou wouldst to him were done The blowes thereof rebounde vnto thy selfe And hereof eke I would you both forewarne When frendes or brethren kinsfolke or allies Whose hastie hearts some angrie moode had moued Be face to face by some of pitie brought Who seekes to ende their discorde and debate They onely ought consider well the cause For which they come and cast out of their minde For euermore the olde offences past So shall swéete peace driue pleading out of place Wherfore the first shall Polinices be To tell what reason first his minde did rule That thus our walles with forrein foes enclosde In sharpe reuenge of causelesse wronge receiu'd As he alledgeth by his brothers doome And of this wicked woe and dire debate Some God of pitie be the equall iudge Whome I beseeche to breath in both your breasts A yelding heart to deepe desire of peace Poli. My woorthie dame I finde that tried truthe Doth beste beseeme a simple naked tale Ne néedes to be with painted proces prickt That in hir selfe hath no diuersitie But alwayes shewes one vndisguised face Where déepe deceipt and lies must séeke the shade And wrap their wordes in guilefull eloquence As euer fraught with contrarietie So haue I often sayde and say againe That to auoide our fathers foule reproche And bitter curse I parted from this lande With right good will yet thus with him agréed That while the whirling wings of flying time Might roll one yeare aboute the heauenly spheare So long alone he might with peace possesse Our fathers seate in princely Diademe And when the yeare should eke his course renue Might I succeede to rule againe as long And that this lawe might still be kept for aye He bound him selfe by vowe of solemne othe By Gods by men by heauen and eke by earth Yet that forgot without all reuerence Vnto the Gods without respect to right Without respect that reason ought to rule His faith and troth both troden vnder foote He still vsurps most tyrantlike with wrong The right that doth of right to me belong But if he can with equall doome consent That I retourne into my natiue soyle To sway with him alike the kingly seate And euenly beare the bridle both in hand Deare mother mine I sweare by all the Gods To raise with speede the siege from these our walles And send the souldiers home from whence they came Which if he graunt me not then must I do Though loth as much as right and reason would To venge my cause that is both good and iust Yet this in heauen the Gods my records be And here in earth each mortall man may know That neuer yet my giltlesse heart did fayle Brotherly duetie to Eteocles And that causlesse he holdes me from mine owne Thus haue I said O mother euen as much As néedefull is wherein I me assure That in the iudgement both of good and badde My words may séeme of reason to procéede Constrained thus in my defence to speake Chor. None may denie O pere of princely race But that thy words are honest good and iust And such as well beséeme that tong of thine Eteo. If what to some séemes honest good and iust Could séeme euen so in euery doubtfull mind No darke debate nor quarell could arise But looke how many men so many minds And that that one man iudgeth good and iust Some other déemes as déepely to be wrong To say the truth mother this minde of mine Doth fléete full farre from that farfetch of his Ne will I longer couer my conceit If I could rule or reigne in heauen aboue And eke commaund in depth of darksome hell No toile ne trauell should my sprites abashe To take the way vnto my restlesse will To climbe aloft nor downe for to descend Then thinke you not that I can giue consent To yeld a part of my possession Wherin I liue and lead the monarchie A witlesse foole may euery man him gesse That leaues the more and takes him to the lesse With this reproch might to my name redound If he that hath with forren power spoilde Our pleasaunt fields might reaue from me perforce What so he list by force of armes demand No lesse reproofe the citizens ensewes If I for dread of Gréekish hosts should graunt That he might climbe to heigth of his desire In fine he ought not thus of me to craue Accord or peace with bloudy sword in hand But with humilitie and prayer both For often is it séene and proofe doth teach Swete words preuaile where sword and fire do faile Yet this if here within these stately walles He list to liue the sonne of Oedipus And not as king of Thebes I stand content But let him thinke since now
shoulde be chastised and the yong man should be absolued All this rehearsed and considered you may as I say growe in some doubt whether I were worse occupied in first deuising or at last in publishing these toies pamphlets and much the rather for that it is a thing commonly seene that nowe adayes fewe or no things are so well handled but they shall bee carped at by curious Readers nor almost any thing so well ment but may bee muche misconstrued And heerewithall I assure my selfe that I shall bee generally condemned as a man verie lightly bent and rather desyrous to continue in the freshe remembraunce of my follyes than content too cancell them in obliuion by discontinuance especially since in a house where many yong childrē are it hath bene thought better pollicie quite to quench out the fire than to leaue any loofe cole in the imbers wherewith Babes may play and put the whole edifice in daunger But my lustie youthes and gallant Gentlemen I had an intent farre contrarie vntoo all these supposes when I fyrst permitmitted the publication heereof And bycause the greatest offence that hath beene taken thereat is least your mindes might heereby become enuenomed with vanities therefore vnto you I will addresse my tale for the better satisfying of common iudgements And vnto you I will explane that which being before mistically couered and commonly misconstrued might be no lesse perillous in seducing you than greeuous euidence for to proue mee guiltie of condemnation Then to come vnto the matter there are three sortes of men which beeing wonderfully offended at this booke haue founde therein three maner of matters say they verie reprehensible The men are these curious Carpers ignorant Readers and graue Philosophers The faults they finde are Iudicare in the Creede Chalke for Cheese and the cōmon infection of loue Of these three sorts of men and matters I do but very little esteeme the two first But I deeply regarde the thirde For of a verie troth there are one kinde of people nowadayes which will mislyke any thing being bred as I thinke of the spawne of a Crab or Creuish which in all streames and waters will swimme eyther sidewayes or flat backwards and when they can indeede finde none other fault will yet thinke Iudicare verie vntowardlye placed in the Creede Or beeing a simple Sowter will finde fault at the shape of the legge or if they be not there stopped they wil not spare to step vp higher and say that Apelles paynted Dame Venus verie deformed or euill fauoured Of this sort I make small accounte bycause indeede they seeke a knotte in the Rushe and woulde seeme to see verie farre in a Mylstone There are also certaine others who hauing no skill at all will yet be verie busie in reading all that may bee read and thinke it sufficient if Parrot like they can rehearse things without booke when within booke they vnderstande neyther the meaning of the Authour nor the sense of the figuratiue speeches I will forbeare to recyte examples by any of mine owne doings Since all comparisons are odious I will not say how much the areignment and diuorce of a Louer being written in ieast haue bene mistaken in sad earnest It shall suffice that the contentions passed in verse long sithence betwene maister Churchyard and Camell were by a blockheaded reader cōstrued to be indeed a quarell betwene two neighbors Of whom that one hauing a Camell in keping and that other hauing charge of the Churchyard it was supposed they had grown to debate bicause the Camell came into the Churchyarde Laugh not at this lustie yonkers since the pleasant dittie of the noble Erle of Surrey beginning thus In winters iust returne was also construed to be made indeed by a Shepeherd VVhat shoulde I stande much in rehersall how the L. Vaux his dittie beginning thus I loth that I did loue was thought by some to be made vpō his death bed and that the Soulknill of M. Edwards was also written in extremitie of sicknesse Of a truth my good gallants there are such as hauing only lerned to read English do interpret Latin Greke French and Italian phrases or metaphors euē according to their owne motherly conception and childish skill The which bicause they take Chalke for Cheese shall neuer trouble me whatsoeuer fault they finde in my doings But the third sort beeing graue Philosophers and finding iust fault in my doings at the common infection of loue I must needes alledge suche iuste excuse as may counteruayle their iuste complaynts For else I shoulde remayne woorthie of a seuere punishment They wysely considering that wee are all in youth more apt to delight in harmefull pleasures then to disgest wholesome and sounde aduice haue thought meete to forbid the publishing of any ryming tryfles which may serue as whetstones to sharpen youth vnto vanities And for this cause finding by experience also how the first Copie of these my Posies hath beene verie much inquired for by the yonger sort and hearing likewise that in the same the greater part hath beene written in pursute of amorous enterpryses they haue iustly conceyued that the continuance thereof hath beene more likely to stirre in all yong Readers a venemous desire of vanitie than to serue as a common myrrour of greene and youthfull imperfections VVherevnto I must confesse that as the industrious Bee may gather honie out of the most stinking weede so the malicious Spider may also gather poyson out of the fayrest floure that growes And yet in all this discourse I see not proued that either that Gardener is too blame which planteth his Garden full of fragrant floures neyther that planter to be dispraysed which soweth all his beddes with seedes of wholesome herbes neyther is that Orchard vnfruitfull which vnder show of sundrie weedes hath medicinable playsters for all infirmities But if the Chirurgian which should seeke Sorrell to rypen an Vlcer will take Rewe which may more inflame the Impostume then is hee more to blame that mistooke his gathering than the Gardener which planted aright and presented store and choyse to be taken Or if the Phisition will gather hote Perceley in stead of cold Endiue shall he not worthily beare the burthen of his owne blame To speake English it is your vsing my lustie Gallants or misvsing of these Posies that may make me praysed or dispraysed for publishing of the same For if you where you may learne to auoyd the subtile sandes of wanton desire will runne vpon the rockes of vnlawfull lust then great is your folly and greater will growe my rebuke If you where you might gather wholesome hearbes to cure your sundrie infirmities will spende the whole day in gathering of sweete smelling Posies much will be the time that you shal mispende and much more the harme that you shall heape vpon my heade Or if you will rather beblister your handes with a Nettle then comfort your senses by smelling to the pleasant Marioram then wanton is
armes with cost with déedes with eloquence We that saued such as knew not where to flie Were now by them accusde of trecherie 189 These fruits I say in wicked warres I founde Which make me wryte much more than else I would For losse of life or dread of deadly wounde Shall neuer make me blame it though I could Since death doth dwell on euerie kinde of mould And who in warre hath caught a fatall clappe Might chaunce at home to haue no better happe 190 So losse of goodes shall neuer trouble me Since God which giues can take when pleaseth him But losse of fame or slaundred so to be That makes my wittes to breake aboue their brimme And frettes my harte and lames me euery limme For Noble minds their honour more esteeme Than worldly wights or wealth or life can deeme 191 And yet in warres such graffes of grudge do growe Such lewdnesse lurkes such malice makes mischief Such enuie boyles such falshood fire doth blowe That Bountie burnes and truth is called thief And good desertes are brought into such brief That Saunder snuffe which sweares the matter out Brings oftentimes the noblest names in doubt 192 Then whether I be one of Haughty harte Or Greedy minde or Miser in decay I sayde and say that for mine owne poore parte I may confesse that Bellum euery way Is Sweete but how beare well my woordes away Forsooth to such as neuer did it trie This is my Theame I cannot chaunge it I. Peroratio 193 O noble Quéene whose high foresight prouides That wast of warre your realmes doth not destroye But pleasaunt peace and quiet concord glydes In euery coast to driue out darke anoye O vertuous dame I say Pardonez moy That I presume in worthlesse verse to warne Th ambitious Prince his dueties to descerne 194 Your skilfull minde O Quéene without compare Can soone conceyue that cause constraynes me so Since wicked warres haue bredde such cruell care In Flaunders Fraunce in Spaine and many mo Which reape thereby none other worth but wo Whiles you meane while enioy the fruites of peace Still praysing God whose bounties neuer cease 195 If you my liege vouchsafe in gratious wise To pardon that which passeth from my Muse Then care I not what other kings deuise In warres defense nor though they me accuse And say that I their bloudie déedes abuse Your onely grace my soueraigne Lady be Let other Kings thinke what they list of me 196 And you my Lordes to whome I dueties owe And beare such loue as best becommeth me First Earle of Bedford whome I right well know To honour armes and woorthie VVarwyke he In whose good grace I couet sore to be Then Leyster next Sussex not set behinde And worthy Essex men of noble minde 197 Yong Oxenford as toward as the best Northumberland and Ormount woorthy prayse Lyncolne Kildare and VVorster with the rest Of noble Earles which hold your happy dayes In high renowme as men of warre alwayes With others mo to many to recite Vouchsafe my Lordes to pardone that I write 198 Of VVilton Grey to whome these rimes I wrote With all the Barons hold of English soyle I humbly craue that it may be forgotte Although my Muze haue séemde to kéepe a coyle With mighty men which put the weake to foyle I ment not you since by your déedes appeares You rule with right like wise and worthy peares 199 Right reuerend of Canterbury chiefe London and Lincoln Bishoppes by your name Good Draue of Pawles which lend a great relief To naked néede and all the rest of fame In pastors place with whome I were too blame If Neuynsone my maister were not plaste Since by his helpe I learning first embraste 200 Beare with my verse and thinke I ment not you Whereas I spake of pride in Prelacie But let it bide euen there where first it grew Till God vouchsafe to quench hipocrisie Which by pretence to punish heresie Doth conquere realmes and common concords breake You know my mind I néede no playner speake 201 You gemmes of Iustice chiefe of either bench And he that kéepes hir Maiesties great seale Good Quéenes attorney he whose pitties quench I say sometimes the rigour of his zeale When miserie to mercy must apeale And Sergeant Louelace many ways my friend As I haue found yet let me there not end 203 But hold my tale to Rugge and all the rest Of good Grayes Inne where honest Yeluerton And I Per se sometimes yféere did rest When amitie first in our brests begonne Which shall endure as long as any Sunne May shine on earth or water swimme in Seas Let not my verse your lawlike minds displease 203 For well wot you our master Christ himselfe Which had but twelue Apostles in his trayne Had Iudas yet which solde for worldly pelfe Our Sauiour this text is true and playne And where so many Lawyers do remayne There may be some although that you be none Which bréede debate and loue to cast a bone 204 In Chancerie I néede no man suspect Since conscience in that court beareth sway Yet in the same I may no wayes neglect Nor worthy Powle nor Cordell by the way Of whome that one is of my kéepe the keye That other once did lende me such aduise As was both sounde and good had I bene wise 205 He tolde me once I beare it well in minde And shall it nay forget whyles lyfe doth last That harde it is a noble name to finde In such attempts as then in seruice past Beleue me now I founde his wordes no blast Wherfore I pray both him and his compéere To beare with that which I haue written héere 206 And as for Merchants though I finde the most Hard harted men and compting cunningly Yet Albany shall thinke I do not boast In rayling wise for sure his curtesie Constreynes me now to prayse him worthely And gentle Rowe with Luntley make me say That many Merchaunts beare euen what they may 207 But to conclude I meane no more but thus In all estates some one may treade awrye And he that list my verses to discusse Shall sée I ment no more but modestly To warne the wise that they such faults do flie As put downe peace by couine or debate Since warre and strife bryng wo to euery state FINIS L'enuoié GO little Booke God graunt thou none offende For so meant hée which sought to set thée foorth And when thou commest where Soldiers séeme to wend Submit thy selfe as writte but little woorth Confesse withall that thou hast bene too bolde To speake so plaine of Haughtie hartes in place And say that he which wrote thée coulde haue tolde Full many a tale of blouds that were not base He coulde haue writte Dan Dudleyes noble déedes Whose like hath since bene harde on earth to finde Although his Vertue shewes it selfe in Seedes Which freade his tracks and come not farre behinde He might haue sung of Grey
man and trust in me there is a slaue for euery sore and doubt you not to this mischéefe we shall finde a remedie Du. O friend reuiue me that hitherto since I first attempted this matter haue bene continually dying Ero. Well harken a while then this morning I tooke my horse and rode into the fieldes to solace my self and as I passed the foorde beyonde S. Anthonies gate I met at the foote of the hill a gentleman riding with two or thrée men and as me thought by his habite and his lookes he should be none of the wisest He saluted me and I him I asked him from whence he came and whither he would he answered that he had come from Venice then from Padua nowe was going to Ferrara and so to his countrey whiche is Scienna As soone as I knewe him to be a Scenese sodenly lifting vp mine eyes as it were with an admiration I sayd vnto him are you a Scenese and come to Farrara why not sayde he quoth I halfe and more with a trembling voyce know you the daunger that should ensue if you be knowne in Ferrara to be a Scenese he more than halfe amased desired me earnestly to tell him what I ment Du. I vnderstande not wherto this tendeth Ero. I beléeue you but harken to me Du. Go too then Ero. I answered him in this sorte Gentleman bycause I haue heretofore founde very curteous entertaynement in your countrey béeing a studēt there I accompt my self as it were bounde to a Scenese and therefore if I knewe of any mishappe towards any of that countrey God forbid but I should disclose it and I maruell that you knewe not of the iniurie that your countreymen offered this other day to the Embassadours of Counte Hercules Du. What tales he telleth me what appertayne these to me Ero. If you will harken a whyle you shall finde them no tales but that they appertayne to you more than you thinke for Du. Foorth Ero. I tolde him further these Ambassadoures of Counte Hercules had dyuers Mules Waggons and Charettes ladē with diuers costly iewels gorgeous furniture other things which they caried as presents passing that way to the king of Naples the which were not only stayd in Sciene by the officers whom you cal Customers but serched ransacked tossed turned in the end exacted for tribute as if they had bene the goods of a meane marchaunt Du. Whither the diuell wil he is it possible that this geare appertaine any thing to my cause I finde neither head nor foote in it Ero. O how impaciēt you are I pray you stay a while Du. Go to yet a while then Ero. I procéeded that vpon these causes the Duke sent his Chauncelor to declare the case vnto the Senate there of whome he had the moste vncurteous answere that euer was heard whervpon he was so enraged with all of that countrey that for reuenge he had sworne to spoyle as many of them as euer should come to Ferara and to sende them home in their dublet and their hose Du. And I pray thée how couldest thou vpon the sudden deuise or imagine suche a lye and to what purpose Ero. You shall heare by and by a thing as fitte for our purpose as any could haue happened Du. I would fayne heare you conclude Ero. You would fayne leape ouer the stile before you come at the hedge I woulde you had heard me and séene the gestures that I enforced to make him beléeue this Du. I beléeue you for I knowe you can counterfet wel Ero. Further I sayde the duke had charged vpon great penalties that the Inholders and vitlers shoulde bring worde dayly of as many Sceneses as came to their houses The gentleman béeing as I gessed at the first a mā of smal sapientia when he heard these newes would haue turned his horse an other way Du. By likelyhoode he was not very wise when hée would beleeue that of his countrey which if it had bene true euery man must néedes haue knowen it Ero. Why not when he had not béene in his countrey for a moneth paste and I tolde him this had hapned within these seuen dayes Du. Belike he was of small experience Ero. I thinke of as litle as may be but beste of all for our purpose and good aduenture it was that I mette with such an one Now harken I pray you Du. Make an ende I pray thée Ero. He as I say when he hard these words would haue turned the bridle and I fayning a countenance as though I were somewhat pensiue and carefull for him paused a while after with a great sighe saide to him Gentleman for the curtesie that as I said I haue found in your countrey bicause your affaires shall be the better dispatched I will finde the meanes to lodge you in my house and you shal say to euery mā that you are a Sicilian of Cathanea your name Philogano father to me that am in déede of that countrey and citie called here Erostrato And I to pleasure you will during your abode here do you reuerence as you were my father Du. Out vpon me what a grosse hedded foole am I now I perceiue whereto this tale tendeth Ero. Well and how like you of it Du. Indifferently but one thing I doubt Ero. What is that Du. Marie that when he hath bene here twoo or thrée dayes he shal heare of euery man that there is no such thing betwene the Duke and the Towne of Sciene Ero. As for that let me alone I doe entertaine and will entertaine him so well that within these two or thrée daies I will disclose vnto him all the whole matter and doubte not but to bring him in for performance of as muche as I haue promised to Damon for what hurte can it be to him when he shall binde a strange name and not his owne Du. What thinke you he will be entreated to stande bounde for a dower of two thousand Ducates by the yéere Ero. Yea why not if it were ten thousande as long as he is not in déede the man that is bound Du. Well if it be so what shall we be the néerer to our purpose Ero. Why when we haue done as muche as we can how can we doe any more Du. And where haue you left him Ero. At the Inne bicause of his horses he and his men shall lie in my house Du. Why brought you him not with you Ero. I thought better to vse your aduise first Du. Well goe take him home make him all the chéere you can spare for no cost I will alowe it Ero. Content looke where he commeth Du. Is this he goe méete him by my trouthe he lookes euen lyke a good soule he that fisheth for him mighte bée sure to catche a cods heade I will rest here a while to discipher him Erostrato espieth the Scenese and goeth towards him Dulipo standeth aside Scena ij The SCENESE PAQVETTO PETRVCIO his seruāts EROSTRATO HE that
my will with flames of feruent loue To further forth the fruite of my desire My fréends deuisde this meane for my behoue They made a match according to my mind And cast a snare my fansie for to blind Short tale to make the déede was almost donne Before I knew which way the worke begonne And with this lot I did my selfe content I lent a liking to my parents choyse With hand and hart I gaue my frée consent And hung in hope for euer to reioyce I liu'd and lou'd long time in greater ioy Than shée which held king Priams sonne of Troy But thrée lewd lots haue chang'd my heauen to hell And those be these giue eare and marke them well First slaunder he which alwayes beareth hate To happy harts in heauenly state that bide Gan play his part to stirre vp some debate Whereby suspect into my choyse might glide And by his meanes the slime of false suspect Did as I feare my dearest friend infect Thus by these twayn long was I plungd in paine Yet in good hope my hart did still remaine But now aye me the greatest grief of all Sound loud my Lute and tell it out my toong The hardest hap that euer might befall The onely cause wherfore this song is soong Is this alas my loue my Lord my Roy My chosen pheare my gemme and all my ioye Is kept perforce out of my dayly sight Whereby I lacke the stay of my delight In loftie walles in strong and stately towers With troubled minde in solitary sorte My louely Lord doth spend his dayes and howers A weary life deuoyde of all disport And I poore soule must lie here all alone To tyre my trueth and wound my will with mone Such is my hap to shake my blooming time With winters blastes before it passe the prime Now haue you heard the summe of all my grief Whereof to tell my hart oh rends in twayne Good Ladies yet lend you me some relief And beare a parte to ease me of my payne My sortes are such that waying well my trueth They might prouoke the craggy rocks to rueth And moue these walles with teares for to lament The lothsome life wherein my youth is spent But thou my Lute be still now take thy rest Repose thy bones vppon this bed of downe Thou hast dischargd some burden from my brest Wherefore take thou my place herelie thée downe And let me walke to tyre my restlesse minde Vntill I may entreate some curteous winde To blow these wordes vnto my noble make That he may sée I sorow for his sake Meritum petere graue A Riddle A Lady once did aske of me This preatie thing in priuitie Good sir quod she faine would I craue One thing which you your selfe not haue Nor neuer had yet in times past Nor neuer shall while life doth last And if you séeke to find it out You loose your labour out of doubt Yet if you loue me as you say Then giue it me for sure you may Meritum petere graue The shield of loue c. L'Escü d'amour the shield of perfect loue The shield of loue the force of stedfast faith The force of faith which neuer will remoue But standeth fast to bide the brunts of death That trustie targe hath long borne off the blowes And broke the thrusts which absence at me throwes In dolefull dayes I lead an absent life And wound my will with many a weary thought I plead for peace yet sterue in stormes of strife I find debate where quiet rest was sought These panges with mo vnto my paine I proue Yet beare I all vppon my shield of loue In colder cares are my conceipts consumd Than Dido felt when false Aeneas fled In farre more heat than trusty Troylus fumde When craftie Cressyde dwelt with Diomed My hope such frost my hot desire such flame That I both fryse and smoulder in the same So that I liue and die in one degrée Healed by hope and hurt againe with dread Fast bound by faith when fansie would be frée Vntied by trust though thoughts enthrall my head Reuiu'd by ioyes when hope doth most abound And yet with grief in depth of dolors drownd In these assaultes I féele my féebled force Begins to faint thus weried still in woes And scarcely can my thus consumed corse Hold vp this Buckler to beare of these blowes So that I craue or presence for relief Or some supplie to ease mine absent grief Lenuoie To you deare Dame this dolefull plaint I make Whose onely sight may soone redresse my smart Then shew your selfe and for your seruaunts sake Make hast post hast to helpe a faithfull harte Mine owne poore shield hath me defended long Now lend me yours for elles you do me wrong Meritum petere graue A gloze vpon this text Dominus ijs opus habet MY recklesse race is runne gréene youth and pride be past My riper mellowed yeares beginne to follow on as fast My glancing lookes are gone which wonted were to prie In euery gorgeous garish glasse that glistred in mine eie My sight is now so dimme it can behold none such No mirrour but the merrie meane can please my fansie muche And in that noble glasse I take delight to view The fashions of the wonted worlde compared by the new For marke who list to looke each man is for him selfe And beates his braine to hord heape this trash worldly pelfe Our hands are closed vp great gifts go not abroade Few men will lend a locke of heye but for to gaine a loade Giue gaue is a good man what néede we lash it out The world is wōdrous fearfull now for danger bids men doubt And aske how chanceth this or what meanes all this méede Forsooth the common answer is because the Lord hath neede A noble iest by gisse I find it in my glasse The same fréehold our Sauiour Christ conueyed to his asse A text to trie the truth and for this time full fitte For where should we our lessons learne but out of holy writte First marke our only God which ruleth all the rost He sets aside all pompe and pride wherein fond wordlings boast His traine is not so great as filthy Sathans band A smaller heard may serue to féede at our great masters hand Next marke the heathens Gods and by them shall we sée They be not now so good fellowes as they were woont to be Ioue Mars and Mercurie Dame Venus and the rest They bāquet not as they were wont they know it were not best So kings and Princes both haue lefte their halles at large Their priuie chambers cost enough they cut off euery charge And when an office falles as chance sometimes may be First kéepe it close a yeare or twaine then geld it by the fée And giue it out at last but yet with this prouiso A bridle for a brainsicke Iade durante bene placito Some thinke these ladders low to climbe alofte with spéede Well let them
then quoth he hath turnde to me hir backe Shall I go yéeld to mourning moane and cloath my self in black◠No no for noble mindes can beare no thraldome so But rather shew a merrie cheere when most they wade in wo. And so will I in gréene my careful corpse aray To set a bragge amongst the best as though my heart were gay Not greene bicause I hope nor gréene bicause I ioy Nor gréene bicause I can delight in any youthfull toy But greene bicause my gréenes are alway fresh and gréene Whose roote is such it cannot rot as by the frute is séene Thus sayde he gaue a groane as though his heart had broke And from the furnace of his breast sent scalding sighes like smoke And sighing so he sate in solitarie wise Conueying flouds of brynish teares by conduct of his eyes What ende he had God knoweth Battello writes it not Or if he do my wittes are short for I haue it forgot The continuance of the Author vpon the fruite of Fetters THus haue you heard the gréen Knight make his mone Which wel might moue the hardest heart to melt But what he ment that knewe himselfe alone For such a cause in wéerie woes to swelt And yet by like some péerlesse peece it was That brought him so in raging stormes to passe I haue heard tell and read it therewithall That neare the Alpes a kinde of people bée Which serue with shot wherof the very ball Is bigge of bulke the péece but short to sée But yet it shootes as farre and eke as fast As those which are yframde of longer last The cause say some consisteth in the locke Some other iudge bicause they be so strong Renforced well and bréeched like a brocke Stiffe straight and stout which though they be not long Yet spit they foorth their pellets such a pace And with such force as séemes a woondrous case Some other thinke the mettal maketh all Which tempred is both rounde and smooth to sée And sure me thinkes the bignesse of the ball Ne yet the locke should make it shoote so frée But euen the bréech of mettall good and sounde Which makes the ball with greater force to bounde For this we sée the stiffe and strongest arme Which giues a ierke and hath a cunning loose Shootes furdest still and doth alway most harme For be his flights yfeathred from the goose Or Peacockes quilles or Rauen or Swanne or Crowe His shafts go swifte when others flie but slowe How so it be the men that vse to shoote In these short gunnes are praysed for the best And Princes seeke such shotte for to promoote As perfectest and better than the rest So that by like their péeces beare the sway Else other men could shoote as farre as they Their péeces then are called Petronels And they themselues by sundrie names are calld As Bandolliers for who in mountaynes dwels In trowpes and bandes ofte times is stoutly stalld Or of the Stone wherwith the locke doth strike Petronelliers they called are by like And so percase this péerelesse péece of his For which he mournde and made such ruefull mone Was one of those and therfore all his blisse Was turnd to bale when as that péece was gone Since Martial men do set their chief delight In armes which are both free and fayre in sight My selfe haue séene some péece of such a pryce As woorthy were to be estéemed well For this you know in any straunge deuise Such things as séeme for goodnesse to excell Are holden deare and for great Iewels déemd Bycause they be both rare and much estéemd But now to turne my tale from whence I came I saie his lottes and mine were not vnlike He spent his youth as I did out of frame He came at last like me to trayle the pike He pynde in pryson pinchte with priuie payne And I likewise in pryson still remayne Yet some good fruite in fetters can I finde As vertue rules in euery kinde of vice First pryson brings repentaunce to the minde Which wandred earst in lust and lewde deuice For hardest hartes by troubles yet are taught That God is good when all the worlde is naught If thou haue ledde a carelesse lyfe at large Without regard what libertie was worth And then come downe to cruell Gaylours charge Which kéepes thée close and neuer lettes thée forth Learne then this fruite in Fetters by thy selfe That libertie is worth all worldly pelfe Whose happe is such to yéelde himself in warre Remembre then that peace in pleasure dwelles Whose hartes are high and know not what they are Let such but marke the gingling of their belles When fetters frette their anckles as they goe Since none so high but that may come as lowe To tell a truth and therein to be shorte Prysons are plagues that fal for mans offence Which maketh some in good and godly sorte With contrite harte to grope their conscience Repentance then steppes in and pardon craues These fruites with mo are found in darksome caues If thou haue friends there shalt thou know them right Since fastest friends in troubles shew their fayth If thou haue foes there shalt thou sée their spight For all to true it is that Prouerbe sayth Where hedge is lowe there euery man treads downe And friendship failes when Fortune list to frowne Patience is founde in prison though perforce And Temprance taught where none excesse doth dwell Exercise calles least flouth should kill thy corse Diligence driues thy busie braines to swell For some deuise which may redéeme thy state These fruites I found in fetters all too late And with these fruites another fruite I found A strange conceyt and yet a trustie truth I found by proufe there is no kinde of ground That yéeldes a better croppe to retchlesse youth Than that same molde where fetters serue for mucke And wit stil woorkes to digge vp better lucke For if the séede of grace will euer growe Then sure such soile will serue to beare it best And if Gods mercie therewithall do flowe Then springs it high and ruffles with the rest Oft hath bene séene such séede in prison cast Which long kept close and prospred yet at last But therewithall there springs a kinde of Tares Which are vile wéedes and must be rooted out They choake vp grace and lap it fast in snares Which oftentimes do drawe it déepe in dout And hinders plantes which else would growe full hie Yet is this wéede an easie thing to spie Men call it Fansie sure a woorthlesse wéede And of the same full many sortes are found Some fansies are which thinke a lawfull déede To scape away though faith full fast be bound Some thinke by loue nay lust in cloke of loue From fetters fast their selues for to remoue Some be that meane by murder to preuaile And some by fraude as fansie rules the thought Sometimes such frightes mens fansies do assaile That when they sée their fréedome must be bought They vowe to take a
His sentence had béene shortly sayde if Faustine had bene iudge For this I dare auow without vaunt be it spoke So braue a knight as Anthony held al their necks in yoke I leaue not Lucrece out beléeue in hir who lyst I thinke she would haue lik'd his lure stooped to his fist What mou'd the chieftain then to lincke his liking thus I would some Romaine dame were here the question to discusse But that I read her life do finde therein by fame Howe cleare hir curtesie dyd shine in honour of hir name Hir bountie did excell hir trueth had neuer pere Hir louely lokes hir pleasant spéech hir lusty louing chere And all the worthy giftes that euer yet were found Within this good Egiptian Quéene dyd séeme for to abound Wherefore he worthy was to win the golden fléece Which scornd the blasing starres in Rome to conquere such a péece And shée to quite his loue in spite of dreadfull death Enshrinde with Snakes within his Tombe did yéeld hir parting breath Allegoria IF fortune fauord him then may that man reioyce And thinke himself a happy man by hap of happy choice Who loues and is belou'd of one as good as true As kind as Cleopatra was and yet more bright of hewe Hir eyes as greye as glasse hir téeth as white as mylke A ruddy lippe a dimpled chyn a skyn as smoth as silke A wight what could you more that may content mannes minde And hath supplies for eu'ry want that any man can finde And may him selfe assure when hence his life shall passe She wil be stong to death with snakes as Cleopatra was Si fortunatus infoelix ¶ The praise of Phillip Sparrowe OF all the byrdes that I doe know Phillip my Sparow hath no peare For sit she high or lye she lowe Be shée farre off or be shée neare There is no byrde so fayre so fine Nor yet so freshe as this of myne Come in a morning merely When Phillip hath bene lately fed Or in an euening soberlye When Phillip lyst to goe to bed It is a heauen to heare my Phippe Howe she can chirpe with chery lippe She neuer wanders farre abroade But is at hand when I doe call If I commaund shée layes on loade With lips with téeth with tongue and all She chants she chirpes she makes such chéere That I beléeue she hath no peere And yet besides all this good sport My Phillip can both sing and daunce With new found toyes of sundry sort My Phillip can both pricke and praunce As if you saye but fend cut phippe Lord how the peat will turne and skippe Hir fethers are so freshe of hewe And so well proyned euerye daye She lackes none oyle I warrant you To trimme hir tayle both tricke and gaye And though hir mouth be somewhat wide Hir tonge is sweet and short beside And for the rest I dare compare She is both tender swéet and soft She neuer lacketh dainty fare But is well fed and féedeth oft For if my phip haue lust to eate I warrant you phip lacks no meate And then if that hir meat be good And such as like do loue alway She will lay lips theron by the rood And sée that none be cast away For when she once hath felt a fitte Phillip will crie still yit yit yit And to tell trueth he were to blame Which had so fine a Byrde as she To make him all this goodly game Without suspect or iellousie He were a churle and knewe no good Would sée hir faynt for lacke of food Wherfore I sing and euer shall To prayse as I haue often prou'd There is no byrd amongst them all So worthy for to be belou'd Let other prayse what byrd they will Sweet Phillip shal be my byrd still Si fortunatus infoelix ¶ Farewell with a mischeife written by a louer being disdaynefullye abiected by a dame of highe calling VVho had chosen in his place a playe fellovv of baser condition therfore he determined to step a side and before his departure giueth hir this farvvell in verse THy byrth thy beautie nor thy braue attyre Disdaynfull Dame which doest me double wrong Thy hygh estate which sets thy harte on fire Or newe found choyse which cannot serue thee long Shall make me dread with pen for to reherse Thy skittish déedes in this my parting verse For why thou knowest and I my selfe can tell By many vowes how thou to me wert bound And how for ioye thy hart did seeme to swell And in delight how thy desires were drownd When of thy will the walles I did assayle Wherin fond fancie fought for mine auayle And though my mind haue small delight to vaunt Yet must I vowe my hart to thee was true My hand was alwayes able for to daunt Thy slaundrous â—â—oes and kepe theyr tongues in mew My head though dull was yet of such deuise As might haue kept thy name alwayes in price And for the rest my body was not braue But able yet of substaunce to allaye The raging lust wherein thy limbes did raue And quench the coales which kindled thée to playe Such one I was and such alwayes wyl be For worthy Dames but then I meane not thée For thou hast caught a proper paragon A theefe a cowarde and a Peacocke foole An Ase a milkesop and a minion Which hath no oyle thy furyous flames to coole Such on he is a pheare for thée most fit A wandring gest to please thy wauering wit. A theefe I counte him for he robbes vs both Thée of thy name and me of my delight A coward is he noted where he goeth Since euery child is match to him in might And for his pride no more but marke his plumes The which to princke he dayes and nights consumes The rest thy selfe in secret sorte can iudge He rides not me thou knowest his sadell best And though these tricks of thine mought make me grudg And kindle wrath in my reuenging brest Yet of my selfe and not to please thy mind I stand content my rage in rule to binde And farre from thée now must I take my flight Where tongues maye tell and I not sée thy fall Where I maye drinke these druggs of thy dispite To purge my Melancholike mind with all In secrete so my stomacke will I sterue Wishing thee better than thou doest deserue Spraeta tamen viuunt The doale of disdaine written by alouer disdainfully reiected contrary to former promise THe deadly dropes of darke disdayne Which dayly fall on my deserte The lingring sute long spent in vayne Wherof I féele no frute but smart Enforce me now this wordes to write Not all for loue but more for spite The which to the I must rehearse Whom I dyd honour serue and trust And though the musicke of my verse Be plainsong tune both true and iust Content thée yet to here my song For els thou doest me doobble wrong I must alledge and thou canst tell How faithfully I vowed to serue And
ryme called ryding rime and that is suche as our Mayster and Father Chaucer vsed in his Canterburie tales and in diuers other delectable and light enterprises but though it come to my remembrance somewhat out of order it shall not yet come altogether out of time for I will nowe tell you a conceipt whiche I had before forgotten to wryte you may see by the way that I holde a preposterous order in my traditions but as I sayde before I wryte moued by good wil and not to shewe my skill Then to returne too my matter as this riding rime serueth most aptly to wryte a merie tale so Rythme royall is fittest for a graue discourse Ballades are beste of matters of loue and rondlettes moste apt for the beating or handlyng of an adage or common prouerbe Sonets serue aswell in matters of loue as of discourse Dizaymes and Sixames for shorte Fantazies Verlayes for an effectuall proposition although by the name you might otherwise iudge of Verlayes and the long verse of twelue and fouretene sillables although it be now adayes vsed in all Theames yet in my iudgement it would serue best for Psalmes and Himpnes I woulde stande longer in these traditions were it not that I doubt mine owne ignoraunce but as I sayde before I know that I write to my fréede and affying my selfe therevpon I make an ende FINIS VVyll is dame bevvties chiefe Iustice of Oyre and terminer Common Bayll There is in deede suche a kinde of feuer Lenuoye Such a sect there is that desire no longer lyfe theÌ„ vvhiles they are in loue Astolf being the goodliest personne in the vvorlde founde a dvvarfe lying vvith his vvife * Apeece of golde like the Crusado * The chiefe Cittie in Cyprus * The gouernour of Famagosta * The generall of the Turkes The foure to che bearers that came in vvith the Actor The Actor had a token in his cap like to the Mountacutes of Italie The token that he dyd vveare in his cappe The Montacutes and capels in Italye do vvere tokens in their cappes to be knovven one from another * Venetian hotes * Knovv not * Good quaâ—â—â—ies * Am not * Lacke * As vvho should say These thinges are mistical and not to bee vnderstoode but by Thaucthour him selfe Another misterie Another misterie Another misterie Another similitude Hope is euer contrary to a louers Passion à definito Poetes Astronomers definition Painters description Common peoples opinion The Authors definition Prince Nobilitie Prelacie Lawyers Merchants Husbandmen CoÌ„munaltie Haughty harts ☞ Caesar Pompey Montacute Earle of Salisbury Borbon Borbons Epitaph Aristotle Cicero Auicene Greedy minde Miser Vnthriftes Praters Felons Hope is cup-bearer to war. Flushyng frayes fleesing of Flaunders Aerdenburgh Tergoes * The Prince of Orenge his name is Guillam of Nassau ☜ Ramykins * A Coronel of the kings side (a) An Iland so called which was sore spoyled by our countrymen (b) A Coronel of the kings side whiche was gouernour of Middelburgh next before MouÌ„tdragon * A towne in Holland * Christmas The frute of fansie The pleasauntest village as I thinke that is in Europe (a) forbidden (b) the Greene captaine (c) a prouerbe (a) protestauÌ„ts (b) The Iland wherein Flushing doth stand (c) Rigged vp and fully furnished (d) a Towne (e) a Riuer (f) Lusty gallants (g) The admiral of flushing (h) Iulian de Romero (i) The castellane of Anwerp (k) A Riuer Hope is the herbenger of mishappe * footemen ☜ ☞ * A coronell of the kings side ☜ Prince Nobilitie Prelacie Lawyers Merchaunts The first supose grownd of all the suposes An other supose Another supose An other supose A dottish supose An other supose Erostra Du. ex improuiso Dulipo is espied by Erostrato The seruants come in An other suppose Pasi subito improuiso venit An other suppose Another suppose Another suppose A stoute suppose A pleasant suppose A true suppose A shamelesse suppose A needelesse suppose An other suppose A shrewde suppose An other suppose Another suppose Another plain and homely suppose Erostrato exit A knauishe suppose Lawyers are neuer weary to get money A gentle suppose A crafty suppose A right suppose The first suppose brought to conclusion * Fygure The courte liuely painted A glasse for yong women ArgumentuÌ„ â maiore Bacchus Bacchus was the God whom they most honored in Thebes Neuer Sworde Lamenting Exile an exceding griefe to an honest mynde All exyles are like bondmen Hope the help in miserye Fuw frends in miserye Smal causes may moue the needy to contend The dames did loue Polynice and hate Eteocles One of the furies Rehersall of olde grudges doâ— hâ—â—der al reconcilition (b) Cruell or vengeable Truth pleadeth simply when falssehood vseth eloquence (c) Crown 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Sundrye men sundry minds Onely rule Wil not Tullyes opinyon Youth seeth not so much as age Ambition doth destroye al equalytte doth maynteyne al things If the head be euill the body cannot be good Content to riche Riches are but borowed ware More care to loose than plesure to posses Small glory for a rebel to see his owne countrey spoyled Kyll Promisse Age must be helped by youth Venus made him blynde for giuing sentence against hir Great follye to accuse the gods A thankles office to foretell a mischiefe No greater honor than to dye for thy countrey Death indeed yeldeth more pleasure than lyfe Comaundements Any messeÌ„ger is welcome that bringeth tydings of aduancement Cesers tears We harken somtimee willingly to wofull news * would not She sheweth the frutes of true kyndly loue The duty of a childe truly perfourmed She giueth him a staffe and stayeth hym hir self also Iustice sleepeth A Glasse for brittel Beutie and for iusty limmes A mirrour for Magistrates (a) The Hill where poetes fayne thâ—t the Muses sleepe (a) A true exposition (b) Querweening There are to many of them in euery countrey A Misterie (a) Sir William Morgan of Pencoyde (a) bettâ—â— (a) best beloued (b) in good worth (a) Fadom a half three ho. (b) When all sayles are takeÌ„ downe (c) You be to soone (d) It is not good tide (e) the Duke (a) vnknowen (a) It is good tide that know I well (b) Lusty gallants Yorke and Herle (a) care (a) A Small bote The ayre of that Countrie did by all likelyhood seeme colder to him than the streetes of Venice (a) as who sayeth She vvas an Egiptian Angelica refusing the most famous knights in the vvhole vvorlde chose at last Medoro a poore seruing man.
Firste he pleaded ignorance as though he knewe not hir name and therefore demaunded the same of Mistresse Fraunces who when shée had to him declared that hir name was Elinor hee sayde these woordes or very like in effect If I thought I shoulde not offend Mistres Elynor I woulde not doubte to stoppe hir bléeding without eyther payne or difficultie This Gentlewoman somewhat tickled with his woordes did incontinent make relation thereof to the sayde Mistresse Elynor who immediately declaring that Ferdinando was hir late receyued seruaunt returned the saide messanger vnto him with especiall charge that hee shoulde employ his deuoyre towardes the recouery of hir health with whome the same Ferdinando repayred to the chamber of his desired and finding hir set in a chayre leaning on the one side ouer a Siluer bason After his due reuerence hée layde his hande on hir Temples and priuily rounding hir in hir eare desired hir to commaunde a Hazell sticke and a knyfe the whiche beyng brought hée deliuered vnto hir saying on this wise Mistresse I will speake certaine woordes in secrete to my selfe and doe require no more but when you heare me saie openly this woorde Amen that you with this knyfe will make a nicke vppon this Hazell sticke and when you haue made fiue nickes commaunde mée also to cease The Dame partly of good will to the Knight and partly to be stenched of hir bléeding commaunded hir mayde and required the other Gentils somewhat to stande aside whiche done he began his Oraisons wherein he had not long muttered before he pronounced Amen wherwith the Lady made a nicke on the sticke with hir knyfe The saide Ferdinando continued to an other Amen when the Lady hauing made an other nick felt hir bléeding began to steynch so by the third Amen throughly steinched Ferdinando then chaunging his prayers into priuat talk said softly vnto hir Mystres I am glad that I am hereby enabled to doe you some seruice and as the staunching of your owne bloud may some way recomfort you so if the shedding of my bloud may any way content you I beséech you commaund it for it shal be euermore readily employed in your seruice and therwithal with a loud voyce pronounced Amen wherewith the good Lady making a nick did secretly answere thus Good seruant quod shée I must néedes think my selfe right happy to haue gained your seruice and good will and be you sure that although ther be in me no such desert as may draw you into this depth of affection yet such as I am I shal be alwayes glad to shewe my self thankfull vnto you And now if you thinke your self assured that I shall bleede no more doe then pronounce your fifth Amen the which pronounced shée made also hir fifth nicke and held vp hir head calling the company vnto hir and declaring vnto them that hir bléeding was throughly steinched And Ferdinando tarying a while in the chamber found oportunitie to loose his sequence néere too his desired Mistres And after congé taken departed After whose departure the Lady arose out of hir chayre and hir mayd going about to remoue the same espied and toke vp the writing the which hir mistres perceiuing gan sodenly coniecture that the same had in it some like matter to the verses once before left in like maner and made semblant to mistrust that the same should be some wordes of coniuration and taking it from hir mayd did peruse it and immediatly said too the company that she would not forgo the same for a great treasure But to be plain I think that Ferdinando excepted she was glad to be rid of all company vntill she had with sufficient leasure turned ouer and retossed euery card in this sequence And not long after being now tickled thorough all the vaines with an vnknown humour aduentured of hir selfe to commit vnto a like Ambassadour the discyphring of that which hitherto shée had kept more secret and therevpon wrot with hir own hand and head in this wyse GOod seruant I am out of al doubt much beholding vnto you and I haue great comfort by your meanes in the steinching of my bloud and I take great comfort too reade your letters and I haue found in my chamber diuers songs which I think too be of your making and I promise you they are excellently made and I assure you that I wil bee ready to doe for you any pleasure that I can during my life wherefore I pray you come to my chamber once in a day till I come abroad again and I wil be glad of your company and for because that you haue promised to be my HE I will take vpon me this name your SHE THis letter was doubtles of hir own hande writing and as therin the Reader may finde great difference of Style from hir former letter so may you now vnderstand the cause Shée had in the same house a friend a seruant a Secretary what should I name him such one as shée estéemed in time past more than was cause in tyme present And to make my tale good I will by the same words that Bartello vseth discribe him vnto you He was in heigth the proportion of two Pigmeis in bredth the thicknesse of two bacon hogges of presumption a Gyant of power a Gnatte Apishly wytted Knauishly mannered and crabbedly fauord What was there in him then to drawe a fayre Ladies liking Marry sir euen all in all a well lyned pursse wherewith he could at euery call prouide suche pretie conceytes as pleased hir péeuish fantasie and by that meanes hée had throughly long before insinuated him selfe with this amorous dame This manling this minion this slaue this secretary was nowe by occasion rydden too Florence forsothe and though his absenee were vnto hir a disfurnishing of eloquence it was yet vntoo Ferdinando Ieromini an opportunitie of good aduauntage for when hée perceiued the change of hir stile and thereby grewe in some suspition that the same procéeded by absence of hir chiefe Chauncellor he thought good now to smyte while the yron was hotte and to lend his Mistresse suche a penne in hir Secretaries absence as hée should neuer be able at his returne to amend the well writing therof Wherfore according to hir cōmaund he repayred once euery day to hir chamber at the least whereas hée guided himselfe so wel and could deuise such store of sundry pleasures and pastymes that he grew in fauour not onely with his desired but also with the rest of the gentlewomen And one day passing the time amongst them their playe grew to this end that his Mistresse being Quéene demaunded of him these thrée questions Seruant quod she I charge you aswell vppon your allgiance being nowe my subiect as also vpon your fidelitie hauing vowed your seruice vnto me that you aunswere me these thrée questions by the very truth of your secret thought First what thing in this vniuersall world doth most reioyce and comfort you Ferdinando Ieronimi abasing his eyes
towardes the ground toke good aduisement in his aunswere when a fayre gentlewoman of the company clapped him on the shoulder saying how now sir is your hand on your halfpeny To whome he aunswered no fayre Lady my hand is on my harte and yet my hart is not in myne owne hands wherewithall abashed turning towards dame Elinor he sayde My souereigne and Mistresse according to the charge of your command and the dutie that I owe you my tongue shall bewraye vnto you the truthe of mine intent At this present a rewarde giuen me without desert doth so reioyce mée with continuall remembraunce that though my minde be so occupied to thinke thereon as that daye nor night I can bée quiet from that thought yet the ioye and pleasure whiche I conceiue in the same is such that I can neyther be cloyed with continuaunce thereof nor yet afraide that any mishappe can counteruayle so greate a treasure This is to me suche a heauen to dwell in as that I féede by day and repose by night vppon the freshe recorde of this reward This as Bartello sayeth he ment by the kisse that she lent him in the Gallery and by the profession of hir laste letters and woordes Well though this aunswere bee somewhat mistie yet let his excuse be that taken vppon the sodaine he thought better to aunswere darkly than to be mistrusted openly Hir second question was what thing in this life did moste gréeue his harte and disquiet his minde whervnto he answered That although his late rehersed ioy were incomparable yet the greatest enimie that disturbed the same was the priuie worme of his owne giltie conscience which accused him euermore with great vnworthinesse and that this was his greatest griefe The Lady biting vpon the bitte at his cunning answeres made vnto these two questions ganne thus replie Seruaunt I had thought to haue touched you yet nearer with my thirde question but I will refrayne to attempt your pacience and nowe for my third demaund aunswere me directly in what manner this passion doth handle you and howe these contraries may hang together by any possibilitie of concorde for your woordes are straunge Ferdinando now rousing himselfe boldly tooke occasion thus to handle his aunswere Mistresse quod he my woordes in déede are straunge but yet my passion is muche straunger and thervpon this other day to conteÌ„t mine owne fantasie I deuised a Sonet which although it bée a péece of Cocklorels musicke and suche as I might be ashamed to publish in this company yet bicause my truth in this answere may the better appeare vnto you I pray you vouchsafe to receiue the same in writing and drawing a paper out of his pocket presented it to hir wherin was written this Sonet LOue hope and death do stirre in me such strife As neuer man but I led such a life First burning loue doth wound my hart to death And when death comes at call of inward griefe Colde lingering hope doth feede my fainting breath Against my will and yeeldes my wound reliefe So that I liue but yet my life is such As death would neuer greue me halfe so much No comfort then but only this I tast To salue such sore such hope will neuer want And with such hope such life will euer last And with such life such sorrowes are not skant Oh straunge desire O life with torments tost Through too much hope mine onely hope is lost Euen HE F.I. THis sonet was highly commended and in my iudgement it deserueth no lesse His dutie thus perfourmed their pastimes ended and at their departure for a watch worde hée couÌ„selled his Mistresse by little and little to walke abrode saying that the Gallery neare adioyning was so pleasaunt as if he were halfe dead he thought that by walking therin hée might be halfe more reuiued Think you so seruaunt quod she and the last tyme that I walked there I suppose I toke the cause of my malady but by your aduise for that you haue so clerkly steynched my bléeding I will assay to walke there to morow Mistres quod he and in more ful accomplishment of my duetie towards you and in sure hope that you will vse the same onelie to your owne priuate commoditie I will there awaite vpon you and betwene you and me wil teach you the ful order how to steynch the bléeding of any creature wherby you shal be as cuÌ„ning as my self Gramercy good seruant quod she I thinke you lost the same in writing here yesterday but I caÌ„not vnderstand it therfore to morrow if I féele my self any thing ameÌ„ded I wil sende for you thither to enstruct me throughly thus they departed And at supper time the Lord of Valasco finding fault that his gestes stomacke serued him no better began too accuse the grosnesse of his vyands to whom one of the geÌ„tlewomen which had passed the afternoone in his company answered Nay sir quod she this gentleman hath a passion the which once in a day at the least doth kill his appetite Are you so well acquainted with the dispositioÌ„ of his body quod the Lord of the house by his owne saying quod she not otherwise Fayre ladie quod FerdinaÌ„do you either mistoke me or ouerheard me theÌ„ for I told of a coÌ„fortable humor which so fed me with coÌ„tinuall remeÌ„braÌ„ce of ioy as that my stomack being ful therof doth desire in maner none other vittayles Why sir quod the host do you theÌ„â—iue by loue God forbid sir quod Ferdinando for then my cheekes wold be much thinner thaÌ„ they be but there are diuers other greater causes of ioy than the doubtful lots of loue for mine own part to be playn I caÌ„not loue I dare not hate I would I thought so quod the gentlewoman And thus with prety nyppes they passed ouer their supper which ended the Lord of the house required Ferdinando Ieronimi to daunce and passe the time with the gentlewomen which he refused not to doe But sodenly before the musicke was well tuned came out Dame Elynor in hir night attyre and said to the Lord the supposing the solitarinesse of hir chamber had encreased hir maladie she came out for hir better recreatioÌ„ to sée them daunce Well done daughter quod the Lorde And I Mistres quod Ferdinando would gladly bestowe the leading of you about this great chamber to driue away the faintnesse of your feuer No good seruaunt quod the Lady but in my stéede I pray you daunce with this fayre Gentlewoman pointing him too the Lady that had so taken him vp at supper Ferdinando to auoyd mistrust did agrée too hir request without furder entreaty The daunce begon this Knight marched on with the Image of S. Frances in his hand and S. Elynor in his hart The violands at end of the pauion staied a whyle in whiche time this Dame sayde to Ferdinando Ieronimi on this wise I am right sory for you in two respects although the familiarity haue hytherto had