trées the world elements and euery thing reuersed shall fall to their former Chaos Hauing thus plight their troth each to other séeing they could not haue the full fruition of their loue in Thessalia for that Syllanus consent would neuer be granted to so meane a match Varrona determined as soone as time and opportunitie would giue her leaue to prouide a great masse of money and many rich and costly iewels for the easier carriage and then to transport themselues and their treasure into Thracia where they would leade a contented life vntill such time as either she should be reconciled to her father or else by succession being the sole child her father had come to the Dukedome This deuise was greatlie praised of Lysimachus for he feared if the Duke her father should but heare of the contract that his furie would be such as no lesse then death would stand for painment He therefore told her that delay bred danger that many mishaps did fall out betwéene the cup and the lip and that to auoyd anger it were best with as much spéede as might be to passe out of Thessalia least fortune might preuent their pretence with some new despight Varrona whom loue pricked forward with desire promised to dispatch her affaires with as great haste as either time or opportunitie would giue her leaue and so resting vpon this point after many imbracings and swéete kisses they departed Varrona hauing taken her leaue of her best beloued Lysimachus went immediately home her merrie countenance giuing no suspition of mistrust at all Lysimachus poore soule was no lesse ioyfull that being a Shepheard fortune had fauoured him so as to reward him with the loue of a Ladie hoping in time to be aduanced from that condition to be the husband of a rich Princesse So that he thought euery houre a yeare till by their departure they might preuent danger not ceasing still to go euery day to his Shéepe not so much for the care of the flocke as for the desire he had so sée his loue and swéete heart Varrona who oftentimes when opportunitie would serue priuately repaired thither albeit her fathers prohibition to the contrary to feede her fancie with the sweete content of Lysimachus presence And albeit she neuer went to visit him but most secretly yet her oft repaire made her not only suspected but knowne to diuers of their neighbours who for the good will they bare to old Procyon told him secretly of the matter wishing him to aduertise Lysimachus of it that he would if it were possible restraine his libertie In the meane time Varrona was not slacke in her affaires but applied her matters with such diligence that she prouided all things fit for their iourney Treasure and Iewels she had gotten great store thinking there was no better friend then mony in a strange country rich attire she had prouided for Lysimachus and because she could not bring the matter to passe without the help and aduise of some one she made the old seruant of hers called Toxeus who had serued her from his childhoode priuie to her affaires who séeing no perswasions could preuaile to diuert her from her setled determination gaue his consent and dealt so secretlie in the cause that within short space he had gotten a Ship readie for their passage The Mariners seeing a fit gale of wind for their purpose wished Toxeus to make no delayes least if they pretermitted this good weather they might stay long ere they had such a faire winde Toxeus fearing that his negligence should hinder the iourney in the night time conueighed the Trunkes full of treasure into the Ship and by secret meanes let Lysimachus vnderstand that the next morning they meant to depart he vpon the newes slept very little that night but got him vp earely and went to his sheepe looking euery minute when he should sée Varrona Now see the valiantnes of a virgin or rather consider the force of loue which maketh the weake strong the witlesse wise the simple subtile yea and the most cowards most couragious For that morning Varrona attired her selfe in one of her Pages apparell and trudged out of the towne as if she had béen sent on some message and so fast as her faint legges but strengthened by loue could carrie her she hasted through the woods to the fields where the saint whom she only honoured was readie to receiue her who though at the first he knew her not but thought she had béen Cupid or Mercurie fallen from the heauens yet at length by her louing lookes cast vpon him he knew who it was and embracing her fast in his armes said If Iupiter swéete wench should sée thée in this Pages apparell no doubt but he would forgoe his Ganymede and take thée vp into heauen in his stéede O most soueraigne Ladie and Mistres what seruice shall I be able euer to do you which may counteruaile this kindnes what dutie can be a due recompence to this good will If I by any meanes can requite this curtesie I neuer doubt to be déemed vngratefull while I liue But accept good Ladie I beséech you that which is in me to performe which is the faithfullest heart that euer was vowed to Ladie which when it swerueth from you let the torments of Tantalus Tytius Sysiphus and all the ruthfull rout of hell be heaped vpon me Varrona hearing him so earnest said Few words most worthie Lysimachus are enough to win credit to a matter alreadie belieued for only vpon confidence of your constant faithfull heart towards me I haue thus vnaduisedly aduentured mine honour as you see desiring you not sinisterlie to thinke of this my attempt being boldned thereto by the great loue which I bare towards you by the loyaltie which I looke for of you towards me Ah said Lysimachus if I should make any ill interpretatiō of your vertuous loue and sincere affection towards me I were the veriest villaine on earth for I take God to witnes I take your forward will for such friēdly fauour that I doubt my deserts will neuer be able to answer thereto as I desire and with that he aptly ended his talk vpō her mouth Now frō thence they posted to the hauen where the Ship lay not daring any longer to stay for feare of apprehēsion by posts which should be sent after thē Whither so soone as they were come the Mariners were readie with their Cock-boate to set them aboord where being coucht together in a cabbin they horsting their maine sailes weighed anchor and haled into the deepe hauing a lustie gale in the poope which draue them gallantly forward But on the next morning about the breake of the day the aire began to be ouercast the winds to rise the seas to swell yea presently there arose such a fearefull tempest as the Ship was in danger to be swallowed vp with euery sea the maine mast with y◠violēce of the wind was throwne ouer-boord the sayles were torne the tackling
ensigne of iustice if reason be your Captaine generall to leade you I doubt not but soone to turne to a retire for if it be good will which you beare me I must néedes grant you duly deserue the like againe but when you are able to prooue it good will to deflowre my chastitie to bereaue me of my good name to dispoile me of my honour to cause me to transgresse the bonds of honestie to infringe my faith towards my husband to violate the sacred rites of Matrimonie with other innumerable enormities when I say you are able to prooue these to proceede from affection then will I willingly yéeld consent to your request But sée the vnreasonablenes of your suite would you haue me in shewing courtesie towards you commit crueltie towards my selfe Should I in extending mercie to you bring my selfe to miserie Should I place you in pleasure and displace my selfe of all ioy For what solace can a woman purchase hauing lost her chastitie which ought to be the ioy iâ—well and ienâ—me of all Gentlewomen of what calling and countenance soeuer Your appeale from your owne cause to my courtesie bewrayeth the naughtinesse thereof for if it be not ill why stick you not too it if it be good why appeale you from it But séeing you haue constituted me iudge in this case you know it is not the part of a iudge to deale partially or to respect the man more then the matter or to tender more my owne case then your cause therefore indifferently this sentence definitiue I giue I condemne you henceforth to perpetuall silence in this suite and that you neuer hereafter open your mouth herein being a matter most vnséemely for your honour and most preiudiciall to my honestie and in abiding this sentence if you can be coÌ„tent with honest amitie for the courtesie which I haue found at your hands and for the good wil which you pretend to beare me I promise you you shal enioy the second place in my heart and you shall finde me friendly in all things which either you with reason can aske or I with honestie grant Maechander hauing heard this angell thus amiably pronouncing these words was so rapt in admiration of her wisedome and rauished in contemplation of her beautie that though she had not inioyned him to silence yet had he not had a word to say and least his lookes might bewray his loue and his countenance discouer his case he secretly and sodainely withdrew himselfe into his chamber to studie what face to set on the matter and casting himselfe vpon the bed after he had dreamed a while vpon his doating deuises at length he awaked out of his wauering thoughts and recouering the possession of his senses againe he sung this mournefull Dittie Maechanders Sonnet O Cupid thou which doest in haâ—ty skies Amongst the great and mightie gods soiourne And eke that present art with terreine wightâ— To cause their hearts with louers lawes to burne To thee O God whose bowe and golden shaâ—â— Doth wound both gods and men alike And causest euery one to yeeld themselues to thee And subiects to become for all Dianaes spite To thee I make and sweare my fixed vowe If I by help of thee my wished ioyes attaine Then must I onely praise thy mighty bowe And subiect will to thee alwayes remaine By this time the Play was ended and his guests readie to depart whereupon he was driuen to come forth of his chamber to take leaue of them and bidding his mistres good night he gaue her such a looke that his very eyes séemed to pleade for pittie so that what his tongue durst not his eyes did His guests being gone he disposed himselfe to rest but loue willed him otherwise to employ that night which was in examining particularly euery point of her answere And though the first part séemed somewhat sharp and rigorous and the second conteined the confutation of his cause yet the third and last part seemed to be mixt with mettall of more milde matter which he repeated to himselfe a thousand times and thereupon as vpon a firme foundation determined to raise vp his building againe which the two former parts of her answere had vtterlie ransackt to the ground But mistaking the nature of the soyle whereon the foundation was laid his fabrike as if it had béen set in the sand soone came to ruine for by that promise of friendship which she kindlie made him he sinisterly conceiued hope of obteining that which she neither with honour could promise nor with honestie performe and feeding himselfe with that vaine hope in great brauerie as in a manner assured of the victorie he wrote vnto her to this effect Machander to Varrona wisheth what he wants himselfe ALbeit good mistres you haue inioyned my tongue to silence yet my hands are at libertie to bewray the secrets of my heart and though you haue taken my heart prisoner yet my head hath free power to pleade for release and reliefe Neither would I you should count me in the number of those cowardly souldiers who at the first Canon that roareth giue ouer the siege for I haue been alwayes setled in this opinion that the more hard the sight is the more haughtie is the conquestâ— and the more doubtfull the battaile the more doughtie the victorie And as it is not the part of a politike Captaine to put himselfe in perill without hope of gaine or praise so to winne the bulwarke of your brest I count it a more â—ich bootie then Caesar had in ransacking so many Cities and a most râ—â—e praise then euer Alexander had in subduing so many nations And though my presumption may seeme great in assaulting one as is your sweete selfe yet seeing in all degrees of friendship equalitie is chiefly considered I trust you will cleare me of crime that way neither would I you should thinke my flight so free as to stoope 〈…〉 the haughtie Hawke will not pray on carion so neither will courtlie silks practise countrie sluts 〈◊〉 because I 〈◊〉 that to be in you which both concerneth my caâ—â—ing and consenteth with my fancie I haue chosen 〈◊〉 to for the◠〈◊〉 of my deuotions humbly 〈…〉 that it may not be said your name hath bin called vpon in vaine â—hereby you may loose that honour which I in 〈…〉 vnto you The benefit which you bestow on me 〈…〉 the second place in your heart as I mus◠〈…〉 though somewhat vnthankfullie so must I craue a greater though 〈…〉 heart and bodie are yours 〈…〉 amends Weigh the matâ—â—â— vprigh 〈…〉 casâ— courteouslie and take compassion on me 〈…〉 Yours altogether Maechander To this letter â—e 〈◊〉 this passion MY boate doth passe the straights of seas incenst with fire Fild with forgetfulnesse amidst the winters night A blind and carelesse boy brought vp by fond desire Doth guide me in the sea of sorrow and despight For euery oare he sets a ranâ—e of foolish thoughts And cuts in stead of waue a hope
disalow marriage and that you pretend otherwise in words then you intend to do in works I am content to giue you the honour of the field and thus far to yeels my consent to your opinion that virginitie considered of it owne nature simply without circumstance is better then matrimony but because the one is ful of perill the other fraught with pleasure the one full of ieopardie the other full of securitie the one as rare as the blacke swanne the other as common as the black crowe of good things I thinke the more common the more commendable I said she I haue gotten any conquest thereby I thanke mine owne cause not your courtesie who yéelds when you are able to stand no longer in defence Nay Madame say not so quoth he for in that verie yéelding to your opâ—â—â—on 〈◊〉 marriage better then virginitie for that it is more common neither would I haue you turne my silence 〈◊〉 this matter in lacke of knowledge or reprehend me if I spare to inforce further proofe in a matter alreadie sufficiently prooâ—ed no more then you would rebuke the spanniell which ceaseth to hunt when he seeth the hawke seazed on the paâ—tridge But you may maruaile madam what is the cause that maketh me perswade you thus earnestly to marriage which as mine owne vnworthynesse willeth me to hide so your incomparable courtesie enâ—â—rageth me to disclose which maketh me thinke that it is no small cause which can make you greatly offended with him who beareth you great good will and that what sute soeuer I shall prefer vnto you you will either graunt it or forgiue it pardon or pittie it Therefore may it please you to vnderstand that since not long since I tooke large view of your vertue and beautie my heart hath bene so inflamed with the bright beames thereof that nothing is able to quench it but the water which floweth from the fountaine that first infected me and if pittie may so much preuaile with you as to accept me I dare not say for your husband but for your slaue and seruant assure your selfe there shal no doubt of danger driue me from my duetie towards you neither shall any Ladie whatsoeuer haue more cause to reioyce in the choice of her seruant then shall your selfe for that I wil account my life no longer pleasant vnto me then it shall be imployed in your seruice Fuluia dying her little chéekes with vermilion red and casting her eyes on the ground gaue him this answere As I am to yéeld you thanks for your good wil so am I not to affoord consent to your request for that I neither mind to marrie nor thinke my selfe worthie to retaine such a seruant But if I were dâ—â—pâ—sed to receiue you any way I thinke the best manner meane enough for your worthinesse Immediately hereupon there came company vnto them which made them breake off their talke and Fuluia being got into her chamber began to thinke on the sute made vnto her by Valentine and by this time Cupid had so cunningly carued and ingraued the idoll of his person and behauiour in her heart that she thought him worthie of a farre more excellent wife then her selfe and perswading her selfe by his words and lookes that his loue was loyall without lust true without trifling and faithfull without faigning she determined to accept it if her parents would giue thereto their consent Now Valentine nothing dismayed with her former deniall for that it had a courteous close so soone as opportunitie serued set on her againe in this sort Now Madame you haue considered my case at leisure I trust it will stand with your good pleasure to make me a more comfortable answere I beseech you sir said she rest satisfied with my former resolution for other as yet I can make you none Alas Madame quoth he the extremitie of my passion will not suffer long prolonging of remorse wherefore I humbly entreat you presently to passe your sentence either of bale or blisse of saluation or damnation of life or death or if the heauens haue conspired my confusion and that you meane rigorously to reiect my good wil I meane not long to remaine aliue to trouble you with any tedious sute for I account it as good reason to honour you with the sacrifice of my death as I haue thought it conuenient to bestow vpon you the seruice of my life Alas quoth she this iesting is nothing ioyfull vnto me and I pray you vse no more of it for the remembrance of that which you vtter in sport maketh me féele the force thereof in good earnest for a thousand deaths at once cannot be so dreadfull vnto me as once to thinke I liue to procure the death of any such as you are If said he you count my words sport iest and daliance assure your self it is sport without pleasure iest without comfort and daliance without delight as tract of time shall truly maniâ—est But if you loue not to heare of my death why like you not to giue me life which you may doe onely by consent of your good will Why sir quoth she you know my consent consisteth not in my selfe but in my parents to whom I owe both duetie and honour therefore first it behooueth you to demaund their consent Why Madame quoth he shall I make more account of the meaner parts then of the head you are the chiefe in this election and therefore let me receiue one good word of your good will and then let heauen and earth doe their worst It is not the coyne countenance or credit of your parents that I pursue for to purchace such a treasure as is your good will I could be content all the dayes of my life to be obnoxious vnto all calamities so that you be mainteyned according to your desire and worthinesse Well said she séeing I am the onely marke at which you shoote assay by all meanes to get my friends good liking and if you leuell any thing straight me you shall not misse Valentine vpon this procured the Kings letters for in his fauour he was highly interested to her father in this behalfe who hauing pervsed them said he trusted the King would giue him leaue to dispose of his owne according to his pleasure and that his daughter was too néere vnto him to sée her cast away vpon one who for lacke of yéeres wanted wisedome to gouerne her and for lacke of lands liuing to mainteine her And calling his daughter before him he began to expostulate with her in this sort Daughter I euer heretofore thought you would haue béen a solace and comfort to my old yeeres and the prolonger of my life but now I see you will increase my hoaâ—â—e haires and be the hastner of my death Doth the tender care the carefull charge and chargeable cost which I haue euer vsed in bringing you vp deserue this at your hands that you should passe a graunt of your good will in marriage without my consent Is
beléeue that loue should vnite our thoughts when fortune hath set such difference betweene our degrees But thou likest of Varronas beawtie Men in their fancie resemble the Waspe which scornes that flower froÌ„ which she had fetcht her wax playing like the inhabitaÌ„ts of the Iland Tenerifa who wheÌ„ they haue gathered the sweet spices vse the trées for fewell so men hauing glutted theÌ„selues with the faire of womens faces hold them for necessarie euils and wearied with that which they séemed so much to loue cast away fancie as children do their rattles and loathing that which so deeplie before they liked especially such as take loue in a minute and haue their eyes attractiue like iet apt to entertaine any obiect are as readie to let it slip againe Lysimachus hearing how Varrona harpt still on one string which was the doubt of mens constancie he brake off her sharp inuectiue thus I grant Varrona quoth he many men haue done amisse in proouing soone ripe and soone rotten but particular instances infer no generall coÌ„clusions and therfore I hope what others haue faulted in shall not preiudice my fauours I will not vse sophistrie to coÌ„firme my loue for that is subtilitie nor long discourses least my words might be thought more then my faith but if this will suffice that by the trust of a Shepheard I loue Varrona and woe Varrona not to crop the blossomes reiect the trée but to consummate my faithfull desires in the honourable end of marriage At this word marriage Varrona stood in a maze what to answere fearing if she were too coy to driue him away with her disdaine if she were too courteous to discouer the heate of her desires in a dilemma thus what to do at last this she said Lysimachus euer since I saw thée I fauoured thée I cannot dissemble my desires because I sée thou dost faithfully manifest thy thoughts in liking thée I haue thée so far as my honour holds fancie still in suspence but if I knew thée as vertuous as thy actions do pretend and as well qualified whereof you make demonstration the doubt should be quickly decided but for this time to giue thée answer assure thy selfe thus I will either marrie with Lysimachus or still liue a virgin with this they streined one anothers hand He hauing his answer gaue a curteous adew to them 3. but specially to Varrona so playing loth to depart he went to Procyon who all this while attended his comming vnto whom Lysimachus made a true relation of all those things which passed betwéene them aduertising him of the lenitiue remedies which she applied vnto his maladious spirit whom we will for a time permit to meditate on his singular expectations and returne vnto Syllanus Varronas father He hauing intelligence of the secret méetings which these two louers daily vsed being excéeding much displeased vpoÌ„ a day as he walked into his Garden by chance he met with Varrona accompanied with diuers Gentlewomen whom saluting very gratiously he passed by them and taking his daughter by the hand walking aside with her into an open gréene walke fell into this talke with her Why huswife quoth he are you so idle tasked that you stand vpon thornes vntill you haue a husband are you no sooner hatched with the Lapwing but you wil run away with the shel on your head soone pricks the tree that wil prooue a thorne and a girle that loues too soone wil repent too late What a husband why the maydes of Rome durst not looke at Venus temple till they were 30 nor went they vnmasked till they were maried that neither their beauties might allure other nor they glance their eyes on euery wanton Egipt is plagued with a dearth I tell thée fond girle when Nilus ouerfloweth before his time the trées that blossome in February are nipped with the frosts in May vntimely fruits had neuer good fortune yong Genile-women that are wooed and wonne ere they be wise sorrow and repent before they be old What 〈◊〉 thou in Lysimachus that thine eye mâ—st choose and thy heart must fancie Is he beautiful why fond girle what thy eye liketh at morne it hateth at night loue is like a hauen but a blaze and beautie how can I better compare it then to the gorgeous Cedar that is onely for shewe and nothing for profit to the apples of Tantalus that are precious in the eye and dust in the hand to the starre Artophilax that is most bright but fitteth not for any compasse so yong men that stand vpon their outward portrayture I tell thee are preuidiciall Demophoon was fayre but how dealt he with Phillis Aeneas was a braue man but a dissembler all but little worth if they be not wealthie And I pray thee what substance hath Lysimachus to endue thée with hast thou not heard that want breakes amitie that loue which beginneth not in gold doth end in beggerie that such as marrie but to a faire face tie themselues oft to a soule bargaine And what wilt thou doe with a husband that is not able to maintaine thée buy forsooth a dram of pleasure with a pound of sorrowe and a pinte of content with a whole tunne of preiudiciall displeasures But why doe I cast stones in the ayre or breath my words into the wind when to perswade a woman from her will is to rowle Sisyphus stone or to tie a head-strong girle from loue is to tie furies againe infetters Therefore huswife as you tender my affection I commaund you to surcease those vaine and idle matters which please me as much as the stinging of a waspe and shall profit you as little as fire to coole your thirst And with that in a rage he flung away not admiting her replie Varrona perceiuing her fathers good will thus alienated from her fearing a further inconuenience did in humilitie submit her selfe to his disposing not vsing any longer her accustomed walkes Which Lysimachus perceiuing mused greatly what should become of his loue somewhile he thought she haâ— taken some word vnkindly and had taken thâ— pet then he imagined some new loue had withdrawne her fancie or happilie she was sicke or detained by some great buâ—â—nesse of Syllanus These 〈◊〉 â—id Lysimachus cast into his head who hauing loue in his heart proued restlesse and halfe without patience that Varrona wronged him with so long absence for loue measures euery minuit and thinkes houres to be daies and dayes to be monethes till he feeds his eies with the sight of his desired obiect Thus perplexed liued poore Lysimachus while on a day siting with Procyon in a great duâ—pe he was crediblie informed by Toxc us of those sorrowfull accidents at which being sodainely surprised with griefe and string his eyes on the starrie concaue began thus in their presence to vtter passionate coÌ„plaints not limiting his lamneÌ„ts with distinct clauses for his moane admitted no methode Iniurious heauens quoth he hath your influence effected this misfortune iniust
gods haue you in enuying this my prosperitie depriued me of the view of that wherein I imagined my whole felicitie should consist vngentle Cupid hast thou déeming my Varrona fairer then thy Pshyche thwarted thus my doating humour I will wander through the earth augmenting the springs with streames of my teares filling the woods with rebounding Ecchoes of my woes tracing the plaines with my restlesse steps O that I might equall Orpheus in art as I excell him in anguish the powerful vertue of his heaueÌ„ly tunes amazed furious beasts staied flueÌ„t streames raised stones assembled trées mouing sense in senselesse things Descending to the silent â—aults of Aâ—heron he caused ghostes to groane shadowes to sigh effecting releÌ„ting thoughts in hels remorslesse iudges But were I his pheere in that profession I would do more enforcing Syllanus her father not touched with such a sympathie to leaue his suspition and grant me my loue whither do I wandere Is this to rest leaue Lysimachus nay procéed Lysimachus cease to suppose begin to sorrow Ay me wretched me hoplesse hopelesse what meanes can I now conceit what deuise may now be potted Herâ—aâ— he sâ—â—pt and opening the flood-gates of his eyes distilled a shewer of teares supplying his spéeches with déepe sighes But resoluing to procéed he was interrupted by the shepheard who hearing the words of his complaints lamented at the 〈◊〉 of his sorrowes 〈◊〉 by all meanes to 〈…〉 of his memorie the rememberance of these caushalties assuring him that time being the wachstone of loue would no doubt sort all things for his content and so quoth he you sâ—â— it is time to â—old our flockes with that they 〈◊〉 shéepe 〈…〉 home but he poore soule that had loue his 〈…〉 thoughts set on fire with the 〈…〉 began to cauâ—â—nate 〈◊〉 vpon the 〈◊〉 which Varrona had receiued from her father Remaining in this pitifull plight féeding on nothing but heauie dispaire he became so changed in his bodie and soule as though they had bene now 〈◊〉 But 〈◊〉 good hap his mourning being ouerheard by the good shepheard and finding him so transformed 〈…〉 â—â—formed Varrona thereof She hauing taken diligent notice of this his information admired greatly at the constancie of his affection and séeing her father vpon vrgent affaires was rode to the Court she déemed if not amisse herselfe to goe and visit him Who calling vpon Lysimachus with a â—hrill voice recouered him better with her words then withall the potions or hot drinkes she could deuise to giue him Lysimachus staring her in the face muttered as it séemed to himselfe but remained spéechlesse but she with great care comforted him as a woman want no good words in such a case and brought him againe to the vse 〈◊〉 his tongue wherewith he soulâ—red out these words Ah Varrona cruell dispaire hath so mangled my swéete hope that vnlesse I finde some spéedie remedie the wound will growe incurable and willing to goe forward his breath failed him Lysimachus quoth she as I am ignorant of the cause so I am sorrowfull for thy disease and I would I had as much power to heale thy extremitie as will to performe it if it shall not preiudice the glorie of my credit or blemish my honour therefore if it be in my hands to better thée assure thy selfe to 〈◊〉 the benefit the honour of my name alwaies excepted Lysimachus 〈…〉 a while thought it best to discouer himselfe and presently to receiue the conâ—â—t to life or the reply to death for his life death did depend in her answere praying the rest to depart with a sighing spirit and trembling chéere disclosed himselfe Aâ— my swéete Varrona in whose answere is seated my heauen or hell to recount to you my sorrowes or repent my loue can neither ease me of the one or further me in the other sâ—eing your selfe shall appeare a witnesse in them both Although that reason did somewhat prefer me by the benefit of séemely gouernment keeping in subiection the vntamed appetite of furious affections yet confirming it by my owne eye-sight the manifold graceâ— wherewith â—ame nature hath mightily enriched you I found my thoughts so fiercely assaulted that either I must yéeld to be your captiue or else die in the combat Yea the glistering beaâ—â—â—â— of your heauenly perfections so pierced my heart that I was forced to forsake reason to followe affections and to forgoe libertie to liue in bondage if it may be tearmed bondage to serue with loue such rare excellencie Hauing tasted so much of fancies cup and the drinke dispiersing it selfe into euery part I felt such passions in mine vnacquainted conceits that nothing but the rememberance of your swéetest sake could procure my ease fully resolued to serue loue and honour Varrona till the destinies of death should denie me Tumbling in the extremitie of these straunge passions and hearing that thy fathers suspition or rather iealousie of our late vnited simpathie doth watch like Argus ouer Io vnwilling that thou shouldest passe beyond the reach of his eye vnlesse as the thinkes thou shouldest ouerreach thy selfe my contents were turned into delayes complaints and my pleasure wrapt in this laborynth of grieuous lamentations but now noting the exâ—temitie of thy fortunes I find that Venus hath made this constant to requite my miseries and that where the greatest onset is giuen by fortune there is strongest defence made by affection Thus I doubt not but thy father in watching thée ouer-waketh himselfe and I hope profiteth as little as they which gaze on the flames of Aetna which vanish out of the sight in smoake Varrona throughlie vnderstanding his rare and ruthfull discourse with wéeping eyes and sorrowfull chéere embracing him in her armes after a sugred kisse gaue him this swéete comfort The heauens Lysimachus by their miraculous working haue taken truce with our affections whose diuine influence I thinke by some secret contemplation do séeme to conclude our loues It may be I haue béen liked of some and flattered of many but neuer deserued of any but only of thée Lysimachus whose life loue and loyaltie may iustly claime an intâ—rest in the fauourable consent and constancie of thy Varrona Lysimachus hearing this heauenlie harmonie was so rauished betweene ioy and feare for he feared least it had bin but a dreame that he was not able to vtter one word but at last sensibly perceiuing that it was no vision but the veritie of his desires staying himselfe by her hand concluded thus Ah swéete Varrona the only reuiuer of my dying spirit although neither heauen nor earth can affoord me thanks sufficient to requite thine honourable fauour yet shall the zealous truth and tried loue of Lysimachus affections encounter the glorie of Varronas beawtie And I vow by the heauens that when Lysimachus shall let his eye slip from thy beawtie or his thoughts from thy qualities or his heart from thy vertues or his whole life from euer honouring thée then shall heauen cease to haue starres the earth
difficult to be by him accomplished which hardly enterpriseth it With that he tooke a Lute in his hand and played a note to a dittie which he sung as followeth Valentines Song I would thou wert not faire or I were wise I would thou hadst no face or I no eyes I would thou wert not wise or I not fond Or thou not free or I not so in bond But thou art faire and I cannot be wise Thy sunlike face hath blinded both mine eyes Thou canst not be but wise nor I but fond Nor thou but free nor I but still in bond Yet am I wise to thinke that thou art faire Mine eyes their purenesse in thy face repaire Nor am I fond that doe thy wisedome see Nor yet in bond because that thou art free Then in thy beautie onely make me wise And in thy face the Graces guide mine eyes And in thy wisedome onely see me fond And in thy freedome keepe me still in bond So shalt thou still be faire and I be wise Thy face shines still vpon my cleared eyes Thy wisedome onely see how I am fond Thy freedome onely keepe me still in bond So would I thou wert faire and I were wise So would I thou hadst thy face and I mine eyes So would I thou wert wise and I were fond And thou wert free and I were still in bond With these and such like sayings encouraging himselfe he purposed to pursue his purpose and sayled not daily to attend vpon his mistresse with all dutie and diligence sought all occasions he could to let her vnderstand his loyal loue and great good will towards her which she perceiuing disdayned not to acknowledge by her amiable and courteous countenance towards him wherewith he held himselfe as well satisfied as if he had bene made Monarch of the whole world And though he were oft determined in words to present his sute vnto her yet when it came to the point he should haue spoken feare of offending her altogether disappointed his purpose and made him mute in the matter which he minded to vtter But at length perceiuing that delay bred danger for that she had many other suters and féeling by experience that as fire the more it is kept downe the more it flameth vp so loue the more he sought to suppresse him the more fiery forces within him he expressed he beganne to set feare aside and to force a supply of courage in his faint heart and séeing his mistresse fit in the presence alone he entred into reasoning with her in this manner Madam for that I sée you without company I am the bolder to presume to prease in place whereof though I be altogether vnworthy yet am I willing to supply it and if my company may content you as well as your sight satisfieth me I doubt not but you will accept it in good part and so much the lesse I hope my cōpany shall be cumbersome vnto you for that you are busied about nothing whereto my presence may be preiudiciall And verily when I consider the common course of life which your swéet selfe and other maydes of your estate leade me thinkes it is altogether like the spending of your time at this present which is with your leaue be it spoken idly vnfruitfully without pleasure without profit And if my credit were such with you to craue beléefe for that which I shal speake I would not doubt but to perswade you to another trade of life more commendable to the world more honorable amongst all men and more acceptable in the sight of God For beléeue me I pittie nothing more then virgins vaine pittie who thinke they merit reward for liuing chastly when in déed they deserue blame for spending their time so wastly Sir said she as your company contenteth me well enough so your talke liketh me but a little for though I must confesse I sit at this present without doing any thing yet in my fancie it is better to be idle then ill imployed as your selfe is now in reprehending that state of life which excelleth al others as farre as the Sunne doth a star or light darknesse and wherin I meane for my part to passe the pilgrimage of this my short life if either God dispose me not or my friends force me not to the contrary God forbid Madame said he you should continue your time in any such trifling trade of life which indéed is to be counted no life at all as the Grecian Ladies can truely testifie who as Homer reporteth reckon their age from the time of their marriage not from the day of their birth and if they be demaunded how old they be they begin to number from their marriage and so answere accordingly for then onely say they we begin to liue when we haue a house to gouerne and may commaund our children and our seruants Tush said the Ladie this is but the sentence and proper opinion of our peculiar people who perchance by nature of their countrie or otherwise are more desirous of husbands then other neither is it any more reason that we should be tied to their example then they bound to follow our virgin Vestals or other who consume the whole course of their life without contaminating their corps with the company of man Nay rather said he without receiuing their perfection from men according to the opinion of Aristotle But Madame I did not produce that example as necessarie for all to follow but as profitable to prooue and shew what base account they made of virginitie which you so highly estéeme of But to leaue particular opinions and come to generall constitutions and customes I meane both naturall humane and diuine lawes and you shall sée them all to make against you And first if you consider natures which in the doings of creatures without reason are plainely set downe you shall behold no liuing wight in the world vniuersall but that so soone as by age they are apt thereto applie themselues to that life whereby their kind may be conserued and number increased Behold the high flying Falcon which soareth so high in the aire that a man would thinke she should neither stoupe to lure or lust yet she is no sooner an Entermurer or at the farthest a white Hawke but that of her owne accord she commeth to the call of the Tersell-gentle her mate Likewise the Doe which flingeth so fréely about the woods as though she made no account of the male yet she is no sooner a forressister but that she seekes the societie of the Bucke Yea if it would please your seemely selfe to enter into the consideration of your owne nature or if your courtesie would déeme me worthie to haue the examination of your secret thoughts I doubt not but you would confesse your selfe to feele a fierie force of that naturall inclination which is in other creatures which being so you must graunt to deale vnnaturally in resisting that motion which cannot be ill or idle because nature hath