be so why then am I exempted from this rule Neuer was any euill more violent then mine and yet in the meane time it thus continueth still extreame O deceitfull sentence Alack alack double doe I feele my griefe the one in suffering it the other in liuing to endure it and yet what should let me from murthering of mine owne selfe but euen the selfe-same charge which the Maister gineth vnto his slaue ouer whom he hath command both of life and death The onely Physitions which carefully assist me in my disease are Death and Dispaire Comfortable is the remedie of Death but damnable is the syrup of Dispaire The one hindreth the other not vnlike vnto two contrary windes which hold and keepe in a tottering Ship in the maine Sea it being not able to saile neither of the one side nor of the other Thrice welcome should death be vnto me if naturally and without dispaire it would come on the sodaine to rid me from this trouble So thrice happie dispaire if without death it could chase away this my more then intollerable anguish from mee Betweene these two contrary windes doe I flote not that I will denie but that sometimes the Sunne-shine of my soule hath made mine eyes cleare and bright but yet in such sort hath it bene as the light thereof presently after hath caused my darknesse to shew more gastly fearefull and horrible Ah sweetest Sunne of my soule where doest thou now at this present dart and cast forth thy heauenly bearnes And what happie Countrey is at this houre warmed with the gladsome Luster of thy beautious light In respect of the faire continuing day long and tedious are the nights though short and in Sommer vnto the sickly creature euen so long and â—rksome is my darknes in respect of the cheerfull day of thy oft-wisht for presence Wretch that I am I wander without thee in middest of the horror of a continuall euening whilst black and gloomy shadowes are alwayes before mine eyes O God if our sinnes inflict vpon vs these plagues wherewith wee are tortured yet at the least when wee haue patiently endured them drawe vs from out this heauie yoke The guiltie person condemned to die conceiueth no greater disquietnes in his minde then to thinke of that kinde of punishment which shall take away his life from him Ah then take him away take him away I beseech you out of this world who can doe nothing but cast forth complaints and laments and whose importunate voice pestereth without intercession both heauen and earth calling still to minde the afflictions without number which he is forced ouermuch to beare But I see I must yet languish somewhat longer if so what remedie but compeld content Let me then languish thus and pine away and let mine vsuall sorrowfull tune pursue my dayes euen vnto my very graue to the ende that so bewailing my crosse destinie I may at last giue vp my wearied Ghost But I see deare Father I doe but trouble thee and therefore in respect of thee I will giue ouer this mournefull melodie onely I will recite vnto thee an answere of a certaine false Ecco who not long since decciued my hopefull expectation And thus it was ECCO Great Goddesse of these woods that in these woods art honored right Speake wilt thou lend thine eares to one that is in wofull plight With thy last sweete sound amorous wilt thou my griefe abate Importuning my Fortune hard to mee vnfortunate O Goddesse answere my complaints which I before thee powre And pittie my outragious paine by sweetning of my sowre Comfort me in my torments and my griefes that choketh mee With hope that from this dismall plague I one day may be free To th' ende that I deuoutly may blesse thy thrice blessed Grace Ah then if thou as now within these hollow Rocks hast place Answere my Cryes say which of these two shall I prooue To make an end of all my woes or Death or Loue Ecco LOVE After so many crosses which we force and driue Shall I then die or they being dead shall I suruiue Ecco SVRVIVE But shall I stilithen liue depriued of my pleasure In ponsiuenes thus languishing and in displeasure Ec. PLEASVRE May it be I should be grac't with her who doth excell In all rare showes so base as I can I deserue so well Ec. SO WELL. But in meane space for these my griefes I haue no other scope But death to ende them since I liue without all hope Ec. HOPE Alas dispaire encour treth still my rising hope and truth And ore me this proud power will raigne and rage sans ruth Ec. SANS RVTH If so thrice miserable is the wretched Louers state And mine what can it be but most vnfortunate Ec. FORTVNATE After so many brunts borne which in my soule breedes strife Which shall I call to helpe me then or death or life Ec. LIFE But if I vnder this hard law shall liue most cruelly Who then will pittie me whilst in these panges I lie Ecco Ecco I. If so then still I le hope and O yee Gods I you adiure Not to deceiue my future hopes nor glories mine obscure Ah keepe your promise vnto me and after so much griefe Extinguish quite the furie of my cares which beg reliefe So will I blesse for euermore your Deites most true And mongst the most renowm'd in world sing praises still of you See my good Father the cosoning hope that the Goddes of the Forrests bestowed vpon me or rather to say more truly abused my wretched life O notable false deceitfull Oracles of the Gods as Pirrhus and others may well testifie the same But why should men be condemned for deceiuing one another when they are cosoned by the Gods themselues Long time did I hope well of this mine answere but in the end I found it had deluded my conceit by which my sorrow encreased not a little the more Alacke if it be so that I am altogether vnworthie of this good why then should the Gods thus promise me the same He that hopeth for nothing languisheth but little but hope deferred most mortally afflicteth the soule Besides I haue long since that time found by experience not smally to my cost that the will of the Gods is called backe either by reason of our sinnes or for our vertues sake Because of our sinnes they deface and blot out the good entended vnto vs perceiuing that our faults make vs vnworthy of them and for our vertues they call backe their cruell executioners finding vs to be worthy of grace for that we repent vs. And certainely I belieue they pronounced the best for me but my default afterward made me vnmeete to enioy the benefit of their sentence which they haue now raced out and out quite in peeces continuing still my misfortune against me But I commit all vnto their graue and secret prouidence Meane space heare I pray you the first borne song of my wailing Muse since my first
fault haue I committed that you should enuie at this small rest which I finde whilst I am dying and why doe you malice my fortune when by death I hope to rid my selfe from these so hellish torments Let me I pray you depart hence quietly who deserue not to liue since whilst I liued I could not conquere my selfe If the braue Caualiere suffereth himselfe sometimes to die for very griefe to see himselfe ouercome and if right generous mindes thinke scorne to beg life of the victor chusing rather to die then to liue and carie the marke of a vanquisht person in their face how much more iustly then ought he to consent to his owne death and die willingly who ouer-charged with ordinarie foolish passions hath not bene able to conquere himselfe It is not for me Madame to liue any longer seeing I am not of power to hinder and forbid louing that which is the occasion of my death because I finde my selfe vnworthie to enioy the same Yet if it be a lesse disgrace to be subdued by a vertuous and gallant Captaine of the warres then by a base coward and a dastard of no valour then doe I count it a lesse displeasure vnto me to die for so worthie and rare a Subiect as I doe Iudge then most gratious Ladie and iudge but rightly how sacred and chast how faithfull and firme my loue hath alwaies bene which forceth me rather to die most wretchedly then to discouer it vnto you for feare of offending your more then wonderfull vertue But alas I not onely sacrifice this my life vnto your diuine deitie but thousands more would I offer if I had so many onely to be reconciled vnto you I haue done all that I could before I came vnto this my last remedie to take vpon me this wofull resolution But Souldiers that are beggered and dispaire of all hopefull succours A Comparison are in the ende forced despite of themselues to yeeld So I seeing my selfe voyd of all health and helps to what ende should I longer prolong my dolorous life to lengthen my cares the more And yet if it were possible you might be moued with a solemne protestation of a iust loyall and liuely affection borne towards you or if the misfortune of him who for feare to offend you most willingly abandoneth his life might touch you with some small drop of pittie Ah then Mistris suffer I beseech you this wretched carkasse of mine to be enterred in your presence to the ende that euen vnto his Tombe he may vaunt to haue had your blessed companie who whilst he liued was his onely delight and clearest light grace this my vnfortunate carkasse so much vnfortunate to die so soone without hauing shewed any sufficient proofe of his seruice nor restored you vnto your former happie fortunes But alas what good could it doe at all Seeing as vnworthie to serue you you haue and yet iustly cashired him and refused his vnprofitable seruice Therefore was it fittest for him to die seeing whilst he liued he was found as Non proficiens in the seruice of her vnto whome he was endebted for his life The onely thing I wish for in this world was but once more to see you to the ende I might certitifie you of my minde as now I haue done and to satisfie my weeping eyes who would haue died most vnwillingly if they had not once beheld your sweet selfe before the closing vp of their lids which request since I haue obtained to what purpose should I longer breathe The trauailer reposeth himselfe at the ende of his iorney A Sentence The craftes man giueth ouer hauing made an ende of his worke and euery one seeketh to rest hauing finished what they first tooke in hand So I now the houre-glasse of my life is run out now I haue seene spoken and obtained what I requested so much why should not I repose my selfe as well as others and quietly goe downe into my graue in peace I must sweet Ladie I needs must die and bid you hartily farewell I must die for griefe to want your presence and loose your companie But for a mortall disease no remedie is to be found Pardon me if I speake more boldly then becommeth me and thinke that he that lieth on his death bed hath libertie at that time to deliuer his minde at full Aboue all I here protest vnto you and most humblie by the name of God by your faire vertues by your Princely descent by your sacred honour by your rare beautie I earnestly entreate you to beleeue me that I neuer desired any thing more then the conseruation of your chastitie that I neuer so much wished mine owne good as I haue alwaies sought to maintaine your renowme and glorie Yet before I die let me intreat you sweet Mistris to heare a few verses which the remembrance of you and death together endited in memoriall of your chast amitie for he dieth not at all who dying seeth himselfe Imprinted in the mindes of his best friends most sorrowfull for his departure And hauing so said he called his sad Page vnto him who being commanded by him tooke his Lute in his hand and with an excellent sweet voyce vnto a most dolefull tune sung these verses following before his weeping Mistris O Death which vnto death my griefes doest consecrate For thankes my heart blood I will offer vp to thee Yet dying I account my selfe as miserable That sooner this to thee I had not power to proffer Alas what gaine I longer life for to prolong If I am frighted thus as well by day as night He shipwracke makes not of his rest that gently dies And his daies ending makes an ende of all his griefes O God what doth it boote me to adore my FAIRE Since I vnworthie am to serue so rare a beautie And yet an honour great t is for me to be loyall My hurts their guerdons haue in my fidelitie Then must I die I see and t is the common course Of brauest spirits death gently to endure Better resolue to die then alwaies liue in woe The shipman toyles till he attaines the wished port A due faire beautie which my soule hast rauished A due mine eyes shall nere more see thy brightnes pure I will entombe with this my sad disastred life My heart my teares my coarse in my most faithfull Loue. Ay me I waile too much A minde magnanimous Distils not watrie drops but floods of goarie blood And worser is his fault who doth vnwilling die Then he that from this world doth part with stomack braus Courage then thou my soute leaue this sad sorrowes cell My bodie and goerise with those that liue below Thrice blessed hee that dieth his Mistris will to please Such ende to make not death but Glories vnto him For Countrey Parents Frends their liues let others spend I will bestow mine for my faire and chastest Friend The Page hauing sung this wofull Dittie vnto a passing mournfull
note wrought so much by his excellent cunning as the soule of the Princesse was rauished with the same so that not being able any longer to withhold her selfe from weeping shee left her sicke Patient in whose eares as she was taking her leaue she softly whispered these fewe but yet sweete speeches Courage true Seruant and liue in hope expecting from me all the helps that may be to recouer your grieuous sicknes which shall be such yea and that in such an ample manner as I will endaunger mine owne life to restore you to yours and will not sticke to loose my selfe so I may saue you Saying so she went her wayes leauing Alfonso to muse on this matter canaussing diuers conceits in his braine By reason of these last words which she vttered he knewe not well how to take them nor how to vnderstand them nor scarcely what to make of them Yet in the meane time he stayed to see what effects would follow vpon the same and looked for some good Fortune to happen Not vnlike vnto the criminall who expecteth some fauour or friendship promised him by the Iudge And now he beginneth some what to comfort himselfe for that hee perceiued some pittie in the remorsefull eyes of his relenting Ladie who being tormented with diuers passions knewe not well what to say what to doe or what to resolue vpon The death of her Friend went neere her his loyall and sincere affection pleaded for some commisseration vnto her Insomuch as the exceeding great paines trauell he had taken in her behalfe the innumerable curtesies infinite kindnesses she had receiued at his hands began to make a breach into her constant brest so as at the last doe what she could she yeelded and became wholly his On the other side the feare and doubt lest she should doe any thing which might be a scandall vnto her Honor or a blemish vnto her inuincible chastitie which she had so long and with so great admiration kept inuiolable vntainted made her giue ouer and retire from her first determination A Similin As wee see a floating vessell in the troubled Sea tossed and tumbled with two contrarie windes neither forward nor backward nor to passe one way nor another Euen so fared the mind of this delicate Virgin who being ouercharged with many conceits and opinions knew not on which to resolue Yet in the ende Loue got the vpper hand For as a flame of fire feazing vpon a drye peece of wood couered with greene Iuie glideth ouerth wart the same and at the last burueth into ashes both the wood and the greene leaues together Euen so Loue entring at the first by her eyes descendeth downe lower and in the end runneth ouer all her bodie which he boldeth and arresteth as his owne goods Iustina then hauing once more resolued what to doe detemined with her selfe to marrie her kinde Hoast but being risen from her bedde a kind of bashfull shame began to breake this enterprise which would neuer permit that a modest Damosell her owne selfe should discouer her owne Loue neither suffer that the proper tongue of the Princesse should be the trompet of her owne shame But LOVE who would in no wise take the foyle and was very readie in aduising her how shee should dispatch this busines which much troubled her gaue her counsell to deliuer her minde in writing vnto her louing Seruant when she should next goe to visite him and so the shame should remaine within the paper which is of too pale a colour to blush Whervpon as she was taking pen in hand she called to minde the place from whence she came the doubt lest the Letter comming to light might be a discredit vnto her which was the cause shee stood in a mummering as it were a long time before she began to write still as fast as she endited she strait-waies crost it out againe with her pen. Loue thinking that bashfulnes could not endite well and bashfulnes thinking that Loues penning was as ill Long stood they disputing about fit termes to serue the purpose but in the end the Princesse emboldened through LOVE set downe her minde in these termes following The Princesse Letter to her Seruant IF this manner of writing be of power to bring thee to life againe then know it is sufficient to take away mine from me For in seeking to reuiue thee I cause mine owme Honor to die But alas can I see thee still languish thus through mine occasion and not participate with thee in thy miseries in the selfe-same fashion Ah would to God wee had exchaunged our Estates for then would I presently desire to die as thou doest wish thee to liue as I do and so should I not be forced to satisfie thy request neither should mine Honor then complaine of mee in that I haue lesse respect of that then of the safegard of one man The feare lest I should haue bene counted the murtherer of thy life caused mee to write this Letter vnto thee Neither had I done any thing at all in thy behalfe but that I haue a most assured hope and confidence that thou recouering by my onely meanes thy former life wilt be a helpe and ayde vnto mee to teach mee how to make away my selfe by death What shall I say more vnto thee thy recouerie is my death and thy life mine ouerthrow and ruine Yet had I rather perish then thou shouldest miscarry any way Liue then and be well except thou wilt kill her whom thou sayest thou louest with such respect Or if thou wilt needes die yet at the least tearme not mee the destroyer of thy life seeing I haue offered health vnto thee I knowe not which I should most desire eyther that thou liue or that thou die If thou liuest I then must needes die And if thou dyest I may no longer liue What good then shall I get by letting thee haue thy life Onely this onely the glorie that I haue preserued thee from death the obligation canceld wherein I was indebted vnto thee and the break-necke fall of that strong opinion thou hast that thou dyest for mee Liue then I intreate thee and when thou shalt be well GOD I beseech him if so it please him open vnto vs some honest and iust meanes to vnite vs together in that sacred band which of two soules maketh but one And this I doe promise thee Fare you well This Letter being written there was a new Councell called to consult whether it should be deliuered or whether committed vnto the mercie of the fire For in accidences of Loue there is found strange contrarieties euery minute of an houre as we see in a little while diuers sorts of windes to arise in the skye Yet in the ende Loue still preuailed and so much perswaded that the Damosell her selfe resolued to goe and visite the poore patient and to deliuer the paper into his owne hands No sooner was she entred the Chamber but that
meane while by reason of that litle space of time I haue to breath thou wilt doe me the fauour to embrace me kindly if it shall please thee to thinke me worthie of such a kindnes this being the last request and latest fauour I shall craue at thy hands Ah let me kisse those faire cheekes which were sometimes mine and those sweet sparkling eyes which had not the blacke foulnes of my fault dimmed them they had still stood me in steed of two glorious Sunnie lights Although I cannot denie but thus to die in thy armes doth much lighten and ease me of my torments I endure within my minde yet had it pleased God to haue but giuen me the grace to haue suruiued but some fewe yeares that I might haue made some amends vnto my faithfull Spouse whom I haue so wickedly abused I then would haue thought my selfe to haue bene the happiest creature vnder the heauens Thinke deare heart that I make no account neither care any thing at all to die but onely for this cause and for that I shall be forced to leaue thee a Widow whom I loue more then my owne soule Iust and great reason hast thou to complaine and find fault with me and farre vnworthie am I that thou shouldest shed these salt teares for my sake For why shouldest thou waile his death who hath bene thy chiefe aduersarie why doest thou sorrow for the losse of thy mortall enemie and lamentest thou the death of him who sought thy vtter ouerthrow Drie vp these teares for I desire them not Leaue these thy sighes for I not merit them and giue ouer these thy bitter wailings for I am no way worthie of them Onely pardon me close vp these my dying eyes when they shall lèaue their wonted light which done if it shall please thee to honour this miserable carkasse of mine with thy presence vnto my Tombe and now and then to thinke on me although thou hast small reason so to doe then then I say shall I be euery way contented and satisfied vnto the full Weepe not I pray thee then for me who descrues no teares at thy hands but rather ill thoughts for otherwise I shall sustaine a double death thy sorrow being nigher setled vnto my heart then my deperture hence can be any way dolefull vnto me So saying the fainting knight kisseth his wife wiping her blubbered eyes and embracing her as straitly as the Iuie doth the wall If the poore Ladie could not answere him it was no great wonder when as those that were but spectators in this heauie sight although they felt not as much as she yet were they mouelesse and much amazed for verie pure pittie In the end the disconsolate Izabella began to recouer her speech answering him in this sort Cruell and hard-harted husband let my pittifull paine my easelesse griefes and my insupportable sorrowes satisfie thee without gaulling me any further with this word pardon vnto her who neuer desired to liue but to doe thee seruice Ah deare Horatio thinkest thou I can liue after thy departure hence and that I can ioy in this world being bereaued of thy companie Whilest thou did dest liue I was thine by the lawes of marriage and when thou art dead I will be thine also resolued to follow thee wheresoeuer thou goest thinking my selfe happie that I am so luckily come as to die with thee Then if I may or thou wouldest haue me to giue any credit vnto thy speeches then in requitall of them all let me againe intreate thee this one thing which is that I may leaue this world with thee But why should I aske leaue of thee when I am at libertie my selfe to dispose of my life as I shall thinke good of and when with ending of one life I may rid my selfe of a lingring death which doth continually haunt me Thankes therefore to thee kind Thethis who didst driue my shippe into this Port where I may passe to heauen with him who was the onely life and maintainer of my life and who being dead I can no longer remaine allue Pittilesse husband to debarre me from my teares whē as I see my countrie depriued of a braue defender of his libertie and find my selfe forsaken of the onely loyall and most louing friend I had here vpon this earth No no I will weepe and shed teares as long as any drop of moysture shall remaine within this bodie for should I not waile for thee for whom then should I reserue these teares Whose losse should I lament but thine and for whom should I take thought or care for but for thine owne sweet selfe who was so neare to mee as thou who so deare as thy selfe and who is to haue interest in mee but my best and sweetest Horatio Then hinder not her from lamenting who liueth onely to shead teares and doe not enure the happines she findeth in that she hath time to bewaile her vnhappie Fortunes How wide is my best Lord from mine intention and meaning and how slenderly doth he conceit of my loue towards him when hee imagineth that although I see him dye yet should not I waile and that his death and destruction should not be the ende and date of my life this beeing the least thing that I can doe for him the least dutie that I doe owe vnto him and the smallest testimony of my great affection which I haue euer borne him Gush forth then my brinish teares and streame downe along my pale cheekes washing away the bloud of my wounded Spouse mingling your selues together as my soule hath alwayes bene with his most perfectly mixed and conioyned the one with the other My dearest Lord if euer thou hast thought well of mee speake neuer more of this word pardon it becommeth me to intreate rather then you I hauing bene shee that hath so often offended you let vs forgiue forget all vnkindnesses whatsoeuer that our soules as most loyall friends may die and liue together in eternall felicitie for euer O how like an Angell replyed Horatio doth my Izabella speake and how pleasing doth shee cause my death to be vnto mee would she but promise to suruiue and liue after my death For sweet Lady it is thy sorrows and not my death that shortens my lifes and I die not for griefe but for sorrow to see thee lament for my cause Wilt thou die and doest not descrue death No it is I that haue offended and therfore merit to be punished for my fault Liue thou happilie still and safely returne thou home into thy Countrey againe where thou shalt not want new husbands who will deserue at thy handes far better then I haue done had I not so much forgot my selfe towards thee as I confesse I haue my ioyes had bene at the highest and I had departed hence the happiest man aliue But now mine houre approcheth I feele death ready to arrest mee with his yron mace my heart fainteth and my soule beginneth to flie from
death sweet death why vnto me doest not such fauour shew As for to end my course my soule and time all with one blow Alas why so long doest permit her for to breath and line Who liueth not whilst languishing she more and more doth grieue O death why thus to nourish life in me doest me despite Who am of all that line on earth the most accursedst wight This bodie which polluted is with worse then worse may be This bodie which vnworthie is the heauens or man to see This bodie spoild of honour rich and cloathed now with shame Although my minde did neuer yet consent vnto the same This bodie which deserues from graue and buriall to be â—ard The mocke of Fortune and the tipe of punishment most hard This bodie which with mine owne hand in peeces I should â—â—â—e This bodie which for to be burnt to ashes 〈◊〉 orthie were Ah cursed bodie hast thou staind thy soule without reâ—ure And guiltlesse of this ill must thou eternall paines 〈◊〉 Hast thou thy credit lost thy honour hast thou blemished Defamde thy Spouse and Traitor bene vnto thy Lord and head Thou shalt be plagued for the same of death thou shalt not misse Yet death 's too good for such a sinne too milde a paine it is Ah then sweet friend why doest it touch why to it comes thou night Alacke forbeare infectious t is it is thine enemie Vnworthie of thine eies it is vnworthie of thy face Nor doth it merit for to haue the least drop of thy grace Vouchsafe not for to touch the same but rather let it perish T is it hath sind and murthered thee the same then doe not cherish But yet before into the hands of wishâ— for death I fall The Gods to witnesse of my truth as records I do call I call the heauens aboue the earth the Seas that stowing shew The spirits of the firmament and them of hell below The Tritons Siluans Satire swift the Nymphs in Groues that walke And damned hags whose gastly shapes strike terror as they talke In briefe whatso hath life or mines all Trees all Rocks and Caues All Fountaines Groues and shadowing Vales from parching heat that same All these as witnesses I call that I am culpable But yet deceiu'd most traiterously and so made miserable All these I call and doe coniure that know the innocent Vnwittingly I faulted haue yet neuer did consent My faith I neuer brake to thee my Spouse I here a vow This heauens yee know for truth for I did thinke that it was thou I thought t was thou as thou wert wont that thou hast hid my face My face that is the cause that thou art in this wofull case Vnwilling though my bodie is tainted yet pure's my minde My bodie which against his will thy shadow false did finde But yet t is faultie and deserues and righly too reward Since it thine ouerthrow hath wrought through Fortune ouer hard Twise then it thee offended hath and double wrought thy wee Alas that double for to die I cannot force it the. The greatest sorrow I sustaine of these my sorrowes all Is that I double cannot die nor twise by dying fall Then why shouldst thou desire sweet hart new friendship to begin With such a bodie as but late doth come from doing sinne Vnworthie t is for thee the earth grosse earth let that it couer A fitting spoyle t is for the same and not for any other Or rather let this carkasse vile be purged pure with fire And th'a shes be disperst abroad through windes as I desire Woe is me borne was I to be thy death and through hard hap By my bad meanes the Parce three haue caught thee in their 〈◊〉 T is I and none but I that kild thee haue my dearest Spouse T is I that death haue brought to thee and that most dangerous Thou diest for my fault O cruell Lawe and most vnciuill He that is guiltlesse bides the paines of her that hath done euill T is I that blood haue drawne from thee t is I thy hart haue split T is I that haue thy louing name amongst the dead soules writ It is not death as thou dost thinke thy life that shortned hath But t is thy Stella haplesse borne to doe thee ill and skath Then to thy selfe I doe appâ—dle if death I not deserue And how much fortune mine accurst from other Fortunes swernt When as in steed of honouring thee dishonoured thee I haue And when I life to thee should giue I bring thee to thy graue When as our sacred Hymen I should reuerence and adore I haue abusde disparaged and scandalisde it fore And lastly when with ioy thou shouldest thy youth with pleasure passe I doe vntimely our thee off and make thee vade like grasse I being then the cause of all this mischiefe and this ill Doest seeme to wonder though I weepe and beauens with sorrow for Haue I not reason to lament to sigh to waile and grone Like vnto Niobe till like to her I turne to stone Since first the skies were fram'd and Sunne to shine at first was seene More wretched woman than my selfe nere was nor ere hath beene O wofull Stella Cloridan O Cloridan my life My life shall expiat my fault to end these sorrowes rife That selfe same sword that wounded thee shall through my bodie ranse Whilst dying both together we will laid be in one Tombe Then pardon me sweet Cloridan for pittie pardon mee Since that through others treacherie I haue offended thee Adien my Lord I loath to liue and not thy selfe enioy And saying so her selfe she strait doth with his sword destroy O brane Virago glorie and renowme of women kinde Fewe like thy selfe thy selfe like fewe didst shew a worthie minde O vertuous Ladie O faire spirit of thy selfe conquerour Ore whose rare constancie nor sword nor death it selfe had power So Lucres dide the Romanes Pearle when by base treacheris She vndefilde defiled was through Tarquin forceablie So Hero dide so Thisbe with the selfesame sword did slay Her selfe when Piramus to seeke she went the haplesse way And now her breathlesse coarse did fall vpon the pouer Swaine Who with that burthen gâ—â— to breath and seeke some life againe As when the night approacheth we behold and view the Suâ—â—â—â— By little and by little steale from hence his race being done His colour lesneth and lookes pale disdaining that still tide Whilst in some corner of the skie his faire face he doth hide So that vermillion colour sweet of Stella but of yore That beautie boue suparlatine as sacred to adore That passing snow white Iuorie that did all thoughts controule By little and by little forth from out her bodie stole Ore that 〈◊〉 louely coarse of hers death sits predominaâ—â— Who for that he came there for Rose and Lillie fresh did wâ—â—t Pale looked now those cherrie lips like ashes they appeare Whilst with aniron sleepe shut vp her eies fast closed were Her
Areas was the occasion of a greater benefit in deliuering Athens from such a seruile bondage as forced them to offer their prettie little children vnto the greedie lawes of that deuouring Monster To conclude much honour great glorie and infinite good hath proceeded through Loue in so much as he that hath neuer loued deserueth not the name of a man As the Shepheard had made an end of his speech the faire Nymph Orythia arriued who hauing her Lute in her hand sung in a most dulcet tune these Heroicall verses following What shall my Fortune neuer mend in which I doe languish Yet O yee Gods let me die for line without heart can I not now Cruell he that my soule commaunds doth mocke at my hard haps Curst be the flame that euery thing doth burne sane our anguish Ah shall I neuer see my life nor my Loue to be ended Neuer for these skies are cruell vnto my plainings And they doe seeme to be deafe when with my cries I doe mone them More that I liue I plague my selfe and am mine owne Hangman Cruell alone is that griefe that no remedie findeth But for to suffer without hope if destinie mine were Why was I brought into this world and why was I borne then Better nere to be than alwaies so to be tortred Woe to me hope haue I none that ere my paine will be swaged Yet no griefe there is to be found but findeth his easing Excepe such as ouer desperate onely by Loue comes Then since I needes must langnish thus content will I hold me For at last my comforts this although that I perish Yet from all these cares and troubles soone shall I rid me That man neuer feares when death doth venter vpon him When to loose this wretched life he rides in a Hauen Free from the Tempests of this world to liue euerlasting After the Nymph had with many scalding sighes deliuered these verses she thus bespake the Shepheard Arcas What time wilt thou limit vnto my sorrowes and when wilt thou make an end of tormenting me as thou doest If pittie cannot induce thee to succour me at least let these mine earnest praiers moue thee Why takest thou delight thus to be importuned and why is it a pleasure vnto thee thus to be sued vnto Ah wy doest thou not restore my heart vnto his former health and why deuiest thou to helpe him who is so much affected to doe thee seruice Cruell is that Lord that maketh his faithfull seruant to serue him still and yet yeeldeth him no recompence for his paine vniust is he and hatefull both to God and man For what vice more horrible can there be than barbarous ingratitude Ah wash from thy soule that foule fault and suffer not thy selfe any more to be reproached in that thou art hard-harted and bitter against her who onely deuoteth her selfe vnto thee After the Criminall hath his fatall sentence pronounced he is put to death presently without making him languish any more in prolonging his miserie Fuen so let me intreate thee to dispatch and giue thy verdit of life or death against me without delighting thy selfe any longer in my Disasters The fire put into the mouth of a Cannon forceth the pouder to flie out suddenly which turneth into a flame Euen so I am not able longer to endure without my griefe burst forth of my soule or that I giue vp the ghost and die But what talke I of death when it is denied vnto me No no had I but had the benefit of the same thou cruell man hadst neuer heard so many praiers come from me neuer had I made so many vowes vnto thee neither had I moued thee so often vnto compassion as I haue done for with some desperate instrument or other I had finished both my life and griefe long ere this and both at one time But alas I being immortall must endure this anguish whilest being able to helpe others I cannot heale mine owne festring wounds Not vnlike the Physition who dieth after he hath conserued the liues of other not hauing the skill to preserue his owne Were some God the cause of these my plaints and that by reason of some one Deitie or other this mischaunce had hapned vnto me I were not worthie of some excuse amongst mine equals But when I call to minde how I haue suffered my selfe to be vanquisht by a simple Shepheard and yet am not able to perswade him to haue remorse vpon me I needs must confesse I am worthie to be blamed and that rightly But alas I know not wel what I say for my Ladie the Goddesse Diana loueth a Shephcard as well as I and vnder this weede oftentimes lodgeth vertue learning and beautie Neuer was any more beautifull than Adonis none more faire than Narcissus and none more liuely than Paris when he was a Shepheard neither was there euer a Nymph more amiable than Enone the Shepheardesse Angelica the peerlesse Paragon of all beautie left many great Princes and valiant Paladines all which were suters vnto her for her Loue and accepted a poore common Souldier for her sweet heart and Loue. Loue respecteth not riches onely he hath an eie vnto the perfection of the person that is loued Then sweet Shepheard fancie me and giue me some sure proofe of thy affection towards me without putting me any more to further troubles So said the pensiue Nymph when Arcas being rauished with the contemplation of his faire Mistris as if he had bene speaking vnto her and as if Orythia had bene farre from him Began to speake thus O sacred Diana haue I not as yet giuen thee sufficient testimonie of my zealous good will towards thee considering my long and many sorrowes but wilt thou still see more and yet neuer yeeld me any recompence for the same Alas the Goldsmith trieth gold but once if it will indure the fire which he vseth to make so me excellent piece of worke withall and the Eagle is contented to carrie his little ones but once against the Sunnie Beames which if they are able to abide he suffereth them to liue making account they are his owne Why then deare Mistris art not thou content with these many proofes of my faithfull Amitie without demaunding still new at my hands If it be because I am too base a creature to be beloued and that thou thinkest me not worthie of so high a fauour Ah then I beseech thee remember Iupiter who disdained not the Loue of Europe or of Semele although they were mortall women nor Thetis who although a Goddesse yet vouchsafed to espouse Penelus an earthly man and sacred Apollo who vouchsafed to affect the Troyan Cassandra yea remember the Goddesse of all beautie who was willing to accept the Loue of Anchises to beare a child by him which was called the wandring Prince Aeneas And therefore be not angrie although I dare to loue thee for I feare not that the torment of Ixion shall euer punish me because I
the remainder of his loathed life And that the sooner he might die with care Ioy banishing he entertaines dispaire Hauing this conceit in his head the next morning he commeth vnto the Court where he taketh his leaue in humble wise of the King and that he might haue a colour for his departure and that none might suspect his heauie countenance he maketh them beleeue his mother was at the poynt of death and therefore he being sent for must needs away vnto her Hauing bene with the King he commeth vnto the Queene and to her faire daughter vnto whom he telleth this sad newes looking very sorrowfully and so most humbly taketh his leaue of them but the young Princes gessing shroadly at the truth of the matter and that there was no such thing but onely a meere excuse grieued mightily to heare how she should lose his companie the onely cause wherof she knew her selfe to be for which although she was hartily forie yet knew she no way how to remedie as then the same Meane space Don Iohn most pittifully consumed away as well because he wanted his Mistris as also for that he was neuer likely to see her any more whilest he being retired vnto his melancolike house resolued to die and to giue ouer the world O cruell madnes O furious rage O incomparable mischiefe O miserie none so great as Loue. What worser misfortune can happen vnto a man then for want of reason to suffer himselfe to fall into the mercilesse hands of his murthering foe And what vnhappines be it neuer so great can ouerthrow a man so soone as that which depriueth him of all sense and vnderstanding for the losse of our best friends or chiefest goods are easily to be borne because seldome or neuer they make vs lose our right wits for them but the torments we suffer in Loue are insupportable and not to be endured for it confoundeth our vertue and constancie as was too well seene by Don Iohn who would not take comfort in any thing but onely in death whilest lying thus dangerously sicke of a secret disease of the minde he was so much changed as none could well haue knowne him for his goodly and comely personage was become pale weake and earthly his haire long wilde and feltred his eyes hollow and deepe setled in his head his face heauie and sad his cheekes hollow and leane his lips dead like ashes and dried vp for want of moysture his breasts lanke and without flesh his hands but skinne and boane and his armes brawne fallen and without any force at all to be briefe he resembled rather a dead Anatomie then a liuing creature And although diuers haue bene of an opinion that hardly or neuer any can die for Loue because as they say this amorous sickenes tainteth the soule onely which is not subiect vnto death and not the mortall bodie yet neuerthelesse for all this there is no doubt but that many haue so died and that the soule as a companion of the bodie in the selfesame functions cannot feele any griefe but that the bodie must feele his part thereof and except he be partaker of the same euen as one day both the one and the other shall be partners either of eternall glorie or else of euerlasting fire in that they haue bene companions in this world either of good or else of euill Such a life then was this which our poore Arragonian Gentleman endured a life ordinarie and common vnto such who depriued of all hopefull happines pine away like one that is in a recurelesse consumption for nothing maketh vs to liue but onely ioyfull hope which if it be deferred long it maketh vs languish but much more then will it plague vs if we once growe in dispaire neuer to obtaine the same And therefore there is none so wretched a life as that which weareth away for want of hope and so liued miserable Phedra who seeing her deare Hyppolitus dead for want of hope slew her selfe For as the Poet saith Sweet hope the life of euery one what ere doth cherish And were it not for wisht for hope all men would perish This then was my Maisters resolution which no man could dehort him frō All his house and chambers were painted with blacke our Liueries being tawnie and in the roome where he lay he caused diuers melancholicke and sad sentences to be drawne in great Characters all which were the Infants of dispaire One day he being somewhat better then his vsuall custome was called for pen and Inke and thereupon composed these sad verses following which he would oftentimes sing vnto his Lute My sighes when giue you ore to sigh then forth my paine Mine eyes when haue you done to waile my griefe though all in vaine Was ere seene such strange crueltie where Loyaltie is found Whilst through th' vngratefull for to die remorselesse I am bound I die but in what sort alas my woes so many be As neuer any heretofore hath suffered like to me Happie is he that to his end by one sure stroke doth hie To languish dying is far worse then quickly for to die My teares that in mine eyes doe stand with sihges my griefes doe showe And yet ther 's none that pittieth me whilst worse I still doe growe I cannot cured be and she that 's Author of my griefe To slay my selfe she weapous giues vnto me Sans reliefe Like Captiue am I led away yet can I not behold Her face to whom I prisoner am and who my hart controld He is no valiant Souldiour right nor any Conquerour braue Who to his prisoner dares not showe himselfe when he doth craue But heauens I see conspire gainst me this life I finish must Yet happie he that in his loue diest loyally and iust Sacred for euer Faile shall it neuer This my Monument Since that Loue so true Though none the same rewe Within it is spent But cruell thou too late shalt finde vntimely death of mine My Loue was pure my hart most iust and bare thereof the signe Yet I le not taxe thee for my death thy rigor hard to proue I le say it was my destinie and not thy nere gaind loue But why in vaine seeke I in life to haue a farther scope He happie dieth who in the would hath liued without hope Then le ts dispatch by sweetest end to rid vs of this paine Le ts shun this troublesome sea the port with Ancor ours to gaine His death is blessed Of life disposessed When by a sweet way Ending of his life He shuns care and strife And in rest doth stay This was the melancolicke Musicke which my lucklesse Maister sung vnto his Lute making all those heauie that were hearers of the same O male-contented sorrow thou woundest our soules through sadnes neuer suffering vs to rest quietly thou driest vp the marrow in our bones whereas ioy delighteth and comforteth the heart Through thee and through thy blacke sister dispaire died constant Portia Cato the
to what end is it to winne time for that which cannot be auoided Free and discharge my doubtfull soule from farther care and seeme not to enuie at the good fortune which I am like to haue by laying violent hands vpon my selfe Diana seeing me looke so pale and gastly began to be a little moued with compassion towards me whereupon she thus answered Ah Shepheard why dealest thou so hardly with me and why doest thou constraine me to doe that which is against my will and why to saue thy selfe doest thou seeke that I may perish Hard hap had I to be borne vnder so vnluckie a Plannet sithence inaccording vnto thy request I shall leaue vnto the world a bad opinion of my chaste minde and in resusing to yeeld vnto thee I shall be counted the murtherer of thy life Ah would to God that that day wherein I first sawe thee had bene the last houre that euer mine eyes had seene thee any more But seeing there is no remedie in extremities come what will I will rather ingage mine owne life then venture thine and if it be my fortune to die for this fault yet will I thinke to finde my death more sweet vnto me then if I had put thee to suffer the same seeing thou hast endured so much for my sake onely Take then this accursed hand accursed because of mine honour and doe with it as thou shalt please yet with this solemne protestation that if this my curtesie shall bring the least suspition or scandall of my good name and fame vnto me the selfe same hand that hath bene the cause thereof shall make amends by shedding the purest blood which is within this bodie Whereupon she presented me her faire hand to kisse But in this exploit I behaued my selfe as that braue Cauailier who doth sweare to be the death of his enemie whilest he keepeth him close and standeth out against him but no sooner doth he submit himselfe vnto him but that he receiueth him most curteously forgiuing all displeasures that is past Euen so plaid I for holding this pretions pawne within my power and perceiuing that it grieued my Mistris to giue the same as she did I vtterly refused her kinde offer resoluing with my selfe rather to languish still like a miserable creature then to giue her the least displeasure that might be and yet neuerthelesse I disputed of this question a good while before I let her hand goe from me One while the great delight which it presented vnto mine eyes longing sore as a starued man for foode to possesse this rich Iewell pressed me very much to take that happie occasion not vnlike vnto that man who hauing not of long time eate any thing finding a Table furnished with great store of meate falleth vnto his Victualls and cannot for his life forbeare from eating that though he would neuer so faine An other while the extreame Loue which I bare vnto my Ladie compelling me to seeke and preferre the contentment of her aboue mine owne quiet opposed it selfe against me counterchecking my desire And therefore well might she perceiue how farre I was from seeking the purchase of her dishonour when I resolued to endure millions of torments before I would be an occasion that she should grieue or be discontented any way at all Hauing long time debated within my selfe about this matter in the end I did as that prudent King of the Spartans who being almost dead for thirst caused all his followers to drinke their fills he himselfe refusing to tast as much as one drop of the water although he sat vpon the Fountaines side to the end he might saue his people from seruile bondage and so did I refuse this worthy gift seeing I sawe how dearely my Mistris accounted of the same and therefore taking her by that faire hand I said thus vnto her No no my sacred Goddesse neuer shall it be obiected as a foule reproach vnto wretched Arcas that he went about to force the vertuous Diana Death shall be more agreeable vnto me then life before I will constraine or compell thee to any thing that is against thine owne will Suffer me I pray thee to continue the same as I am and let neither the one nor the other of my requests be graunted I will not offer to touch thy beautious hand with my polluted lips seeing I perceiue thou thinkest that it will be some disparagement vnto thee neither will I die at all seeing my death is not agreeable vnto thee but rather liuing as I doe a most languishing life I will still attend thy last will pleasure First shall my soule flie forth from out this bodie rather shall my heart burst in sunder within my brest and sooner shall this vitall breath of mine be stopped on the suddaine before I will doe any thing that shall any way mislike thy minde If I demaund ought that is vnlawfull pardon me I beseech you seeing Loue is the cause thereof As for my selfe I will meekely beare and patiently endure my tedious troubles and still vexing corsies without lodging any more such two vnwelcome guests within me as you shall dislike of Then O yee miserable wretches all you that sometimes haue liued here vpon the earth come come and rid your selues of all your cares and lay them all vpon me who am ble and of force to beare them And now you my drearie eyes euerlasting let your teares be my scalding sighes neuer giue ouer to smoake from out my brest whilest thou my tongue shalt doe nothing else but pitteously report thy heauie Martyrdomes Alas when will that houre come wherein after I haue sufficiently wept and wailed sighed and sobbed may depart this vaile of miserie Ah Ladie must mine eyes endure to behold thine absence and shall my tongue be able to bid thee farewell No no rather let mine eyes be blind for euer and let my tongue neuer pronounce word more Ah kinde death gentle death curteous death if euer thou hast brought succour vnto any sorrowfull wight then come and helpe me Behold I call thee heare how I cry vnto thee nay more I summon thee in Iustice to appeare But is it possible that a solitarie place shall seclude so sweet a Saint from my companie and must I be faine loosing the substance to feed vpon the shadow No it cannot be I first must die not being able to endure her absence Madam your most wretched and yet more loyall Seruant Arcas cannot leaue your presence but he must withall leaue his owne life he must die before your eyes before he depart from you and faine would he sacrifice his heart vpon the Altar of your beautie if he might haue but your good will and leaue But I see it will not be for I am yours and not mine owne you may not be without me and therefore I will follow you wheresoeuer you goe and when I can goe no farther then will I shorten my daies to end mine endlesse sorrowes For
he admires her faith he doth adore As sacred he doth honour her and likes her chast loue more He could not â—â—st nor rightly giue a gesse which did surmount Of these two so â—re qualities in her if so great count Her beautie faire or wisedome graue which most did her aduance He was with them so ravished and out of countenance For heauenly Alâ—â—rs we dâ—e vse to vertue to erect And so cause beautie conquereth mens spirits we respect Each of these twaine 〈◊〉 by themselues or by themselues diuided By men are raisde to highest rate and as diuine are praised But in one body when alone this Twinne of vertue light That coarse the beautie of the Gods as then resembleth right T is heauenly then as they and for to Loue doth willing draw The hardest hearts and senselest Rocks of Epyr with great awe With this rich Iewell pretious is Plaindor rauished And without stirring thinkes that he vp to the heauens is fled Immortall and most iâ— finit his glorie he doth thinke More then the Gods themselues which do of flowing Nectar drinke His heart in pleasures sea swimmes fast as he himselfe requires His soule doth melt through sweet conceit in flames of his desires His ioy doth keepâ— him tongue tide and he thinkes he dreames as tho Whilst in his minde he diuers thoughts doth canuas too and fro What he doth see he credits not nor can he easily deeme That so rare beautie once will daine of him for to esteeme He stands amazde like to that Prince from captiue bonds vnthrald Who is from prison tooke to Throne and there anew enstald He thought Floretta flower of all would nere haue stoopt so base Nor that she ere ment him to write in Checkroll of her grace Sad sorrow oft the constancie of man doth much annoy And good things vnexpected quite confound the minde with ioy Thrise happie who the Center keepe nor nere exceed the meane Where neither good nor bad doth them torment with such extreame Plaindor then wakt out of his traâ—se with louely discreet cheere Million of condigne thankes doth giue to his Floretta deere Denâ—â—tly he his faith protests strictly to keepe to her And that beyond Loues sacred bonds he neuer meanes to stir To serue her faithfully and that himselfe heele sooner slaie Then to commit what should offend her humor any way Faire flower quoth he light of my life doe not me doubt at all Thy will a Lnâ— thy word command be vnto me still shall Thy wish my chiefe desire I le hold thy glorie shall be mine Thou wholly shalt be vnto me and my soule onely thine I neuer will forget my selfe and when I first offend Against thy daintie selfe I pray my life haue shamefull end When as vnconstant wauering wight I shall like Haggard range Of all the hellish torments fierce then let me haue the change Most wicked I and most vnfit to liue vpon the earth If when thou life to me hast giuen I should thee quite with death 'A sowler fault cannot be nam'd nor that deserues more shame A Sentence ' Then th'ungrate Lâ—uer when he is vnthankefull to his dame ' For ther 's no euill that so much craues succours speedie neede ' Then that which Louers doth molest and makes their hearts to bleede ' Nor is there any cruell paine as is the louing griefe ' For Loue consumes both soule and coarse vnlesse it finde reliefe Then Ladie as thou mercifull hast bin thus vnto me So I my seruice dutifull for die assure to thee And if my fortune chaunce to prooue by enuious destenie set That I my selfe by doing what vndecent is forget My blood shall wash my fault away and rather this offence Shall ende my life then periurde like with fault I will dispence Doe so replide Ploretta and thou soone shalt see the day When as our Loues shall happie preouc though now they vs delay But chiefely haue regard boue all that thou the cause be not That my chast meaning through thy fault be staind with vitious blot For should this ill chaunce hap thou then as I before said soone Shall seem slaine by mine owne hands to sleepe within my Tombe Thus did these Louers twaine themselues one th' other oft coniure And thus betweene themselues their faithes in secret did assure As whilom was Dan Paris An example with forsooks Enone seene To plight their Loues most couertlie amongst the leaues so greene But after they had to idea while with many a pleasing word After a thousand pâ—stimes as the yeare did then afford With thousand louely glaunces quickâ— one to the other cast Which forst the amorus fire within their entrailes burne more fast After a thousand petite Oathes with sports before nere found To see if of their fancies fiâ—t a like were not the ground After a thousand sugred smiles and toyings delicate Which more the mindes of Louers true doth rightly recreate After a thousand small disdâ—â—nes 〈◊〉 d for the nonce And discontents prou'd mâ—riâ—â—â—ts betweene these Doue-like ones By which from cinders vnto flames there heate did more encrease By reason of this wâ—nton warre and amorous angrie peace After much woing but no doing the euening being come And that the Sâ—re of Phâ—eâ—on his course that day had runne At last Plaindor nigh surfetting with ioy and meere content Kist her faire hand with much adoe yet prettily was shent That done though loth he bids adue vnto his Ladie bright Being angrie not a little that so soone was come the night And laden richly thus with hope of her whome he lou'd best He home doth goe where quietly he takes his wished rest O rare beginning faire commencement of two Loues so chast O happie couple whilst their daies so luckily were gract O blessed Louers if against your fortunes heauens rage Not trauerst had to ruine you in your best youthfull age But when we thinke puft vp with hope that we doe flie aloft Then soonest clipped are our wings by angrie stars full oft Then iealous of our glory they doe seeke vs to destroy Thinking they gaine chiefe victorie when vs they can annoy Thus these two Louers vnto dire misfortune destined By cruell Fates in middest of their ioyes were ruined Yet heare this wofull tale of them and you will iustly say That nothing long in this vaine world continueth at one stay Because Plaindor for propernes and strength others did passe He of another Shepheardesse extreamely liked was His two blacke eyes made her eyes show how nigh she was to death Her colour for the loue of him was like the fall of leafe She fancied none but him alone he was her onely treasure And that she was thus thrald for him she counted it a pleasure But Plaindor neuer thought on her nor for her ought did care Alreadie all his Rest was vp to like none but his FAIRE He had no leisure for to iudge if she did loue or no So much for faire Floretta did his
A Sentence For is not that sick patient to be noted for vnwise who will not disclose vnto his Phisition the cause of his disease but persisting most obstinately rather to feele the pangs of death then to declare where his griefe is And so hee that manifesteth his sorrowes by lamenting receiueth some kinde of consolation if not present remedie For as the small droppes of water falling by little and little vpon the harde Rocke in time doe make it hollow So likewise the hearts of women be they neuer so stronglie armed with the splints of Steele and Adamant yet in the ende they will waxe tender and soft as the harde Iron is made to bowe by the stroke of the hammer Besides oftentimes the peruerse Iudge doth Iustice rightlie through verie importunitie which by no other meanes he could euer haue bene brought to haue done It is a thing that I haue seene Louers ordinarily put in practise of whom the passions are so violent as they haue not bene able nether to conceale nor to restraine them within themselues when they haue most coueted to doe the same I my selfe haue made tryall of this remedie haue passed this straight ventured this hazard and in conclusion haue found to haue done good of it In witnesse whereof I beseech you once more to giue me the hearing of another of my passionate Sonnets With right good will answered the old man vpon condition that thou wilt promise me afterward to vnwinde the Bothome of thy Loues threed Wherevppon the Shepheard began to sing in this sort Before my selfe I doe disliue heare these my plaints O FAIRE which rauisht hast my sweetest libertie If thou before hast dainde of my religious Loue My loyaltie after my death then honor thou Nor feare that Heauens shall by my death be proud Because ending my dayes extinguisht is my Fire Death onely can cashere mee from this wretched life Where in the sacred Throne of Loue seates my pure Soule Whilst I doe breath whilst hart through 1000. sorrowes sobs It shall be seruile vassaile to thy Deitie And mongst the Ghosts being dead thou shalt my Lady be For in my soule thy Beautie is caractered There do I see thee still and as mine Idol chiefe I le sacrifice to thee great store of cries and teares Ah then plight me thy faith for to accept my vowes As late thou seemdst to rewe at my sad heauie griefs Leaue him to dye to dye who liues withouten life Being far from thine Eyes his chiefe diuinest light For say alas wherein can I stand thee in steed When I am but a shadow in a withered Corse Spent haue I all my teares bewailing thy long absence In loosing thee the Heauens haue reft my vigor quite I nothing am become Most wretched he that thinks To liue depriu'd of that chiefe good his heart doth nourish Then whilst I looke my fatall day of death to see No voyce sounds in mine eares but of laments and cries Mirth is for those are fortunate rot for a soule That feeles more horrors strange then Limbos frightfull Ghosts Then welcome pining Care and sorrow sower to me For with my thoughts dispairing still you best agree Thus haue you heard another of my wofull ditties O happie Arcas if being depriued of so sorrowfull a subiect of lamenting as this is thou couldest enioy the sight of thy faire and deere Diana as heretofore thou hast done Alas that the separation of the soule from a faire body should be far more pleasing then that of two loyall harts most stricklie chained with the strong bond of faithfull loue for with this first dissolution the remembrance of all greife and doller passeth away like a flash of lightening that is sodenly come and gone But alack how long are the sorrowes how wearisome the troubles how vnsupportable the miseries that the separation of his Mistris bringeth vnto the wretched Louers Poore Oenone too well knowest thou this to be true who diddest die for verie heauines because thou wert disioyned and withheld from thy deere Paris Death it selfe is more welcome vnto Louers then the long absence of their Ladies and yet dare they not die because they feare their displeasures which when they goe about to free themselues from this bondage snatcheth the weapon out of their hands whilest the hope which they conceiued once to behold them delayeth from day to day the execution of this cruell arrest of death A Similie being so profitable vnto all Louers That traueller findeth himselfe in great perplexitie and is not a little pensiue and angrie who after he hath iournied all the day long by the comfortable light of the Sunne is constrained to wander in the darke all the night after For as the comming forth out of bad into good is luckie sweete and fortunate so harde and troublesome is the losse of ioy to enter from thence into miserie and as it were into the verie gates of destruction And as mortall mē desist not from offering sacrifice vnto the Gods although they be far off from their sacred presence So my deere and diuine Diana though my fortune hath remoued me far from thy beautious sight yet will I not leaue to dedicate all my writings vnto thee to present my sighes vnto thee and to render thousand pittious oblations of my teares as vnto my chiefe Goddesse whose I whollie am my verses my cries and my complaints shall all be addressed vnto thee O faire Diana in what place soeuer thou now displaiest forth thy radiant beames doe not I besech thee despise the slender vowes of the religious votary who liuing only through thee oweth vnto thee both his labors and his life How wiselie haue the learned set downe that the onely presence of the Diuine Essence bringeth all contentment that may be vnto those blessed spirits that continually behold the same seeing the onely countenance of my Mistris brought my soule to be happie and satisfied mine eyes at full with perfect ioy I now excuse you O yee leane and yet rich couetous churles who content your minds with often gazing vpon your rustie old gold because there is nothing comparable vnto that pleasure which the sight bringeth vnto the soule in respect of that thing which so much delighteth him And who then with reason may blame me to loue so faire a Iewell seeing beautie is found to be a gift come from God made onely to render himselfe the more admirable in the eyes of the world Who can iustlie finde fault with that man that shall loue a thing rare perfect and surpassing in perfection such as are ordinarie and common So likewise who can rightly condemne men for honoring such a one as beautie her selfe yeeldeth a most excellent perfection amongst those that are most perfect of all Then thee O Diana doe I honor thee doe I loue thee do I respect sorrowing alway for the want of thee and whilst my vital blood shall boyle within my veines will I worship thee
the losse of his Mistris for that was the generall brute that ranne for currant throughout all the Countrey One while he condemned his ouerrash fondnes as wánting aduise and discretion in that through the same he had hazarded vpon the vngentle waues so faire and sweete a Creature as she was Another while he acknowledged and confessed himselfe to be the author of her death and the cause of her destruction Whilest this opinion of his drewe whole floods of teares from his eyes thousands of sighes from his heart and millions of heauie complaints from his soule Two cruell conceits did alwayes afflict him the one was the losse of his Loue the other the constant beliefe that he had bene the occasion of her vtter ouerthrow Commonly we beare with more patience the misfortune which hapneth vntovs A Sentence by the despitefull malice of the angrie Stars then we doe that which through our owne default doth fall vpon vs. For the one we can no way remedie because we cannot resist against the heauens but the other wee imagine we might by some deuise haue preuented if in due time we would with discretion haue looked vnto the same All the Court as well the highest as lowest endeuored what they could to comfort him but he esteemed that as a double griefe to be perswaded to be comforted by anie hauing lost her which was his chiefest comfort In the ende he deuised these dolefull Ditties in which kinde of exercise hee spent most part of his wearisome time This then was the wofull Song which he vsed oftentimes to sigh forth when hee was in his Chamber all alone or walking amidst the vncouth Forrests or when he was retired vnto some priuate place along the solitary Sea-shore Now I haue lost the deare light of mine eyes What should I doe but end my wearie dayes That Louer which with Mistris his doeth die A Sentence Dyeth not Alas but rather liues alwayes So Pyramus and Thysbe did disliue Themselues and liu'd together like two Doues That seruant which his Louer doth suruiue No faithfull Louer by loyaltie prooues So great a losse teares cannot counteruaile The rate hereof at so high price is set Base mindes it fittes for life to weepe and waile That so at length their griefes they may forget Not death it selfe though stung with his sharp sting Their loyall hearts can parted make remaine Th' one dying doth death to the other bring Making but one for to become of twaine As sweet that happie life of Louers was When th' one the other ioyfullie did prooue So seemes it sweete to them from life to passe When they together ende their Life and Loue. Loue doth renew and so like Phoenix shall In the Elizian fieldes below the earth Chaste Amitie not mortall t' is at all As is our fatall ende and flitting breath Ah how can one liue in this world of woe A Sentence When he hath lost the best part of himselfe Who seekes not after Mistris his to goe In Friendships Checquer hath but little wealth Diuorse me then from life yee Destinies To rid me from this labyrinth of noy The FAIREST shall not plaine in righfullwise Of mee since I haue lost her my chiefe ioy Ay mee I see Death no remorse will take On me whilst slowe hee hearkneth to my crie The Heauens our plagues the greater for to make Will not permit Death should approach vs nie Shall I then liue in griefe my selfe to banne Euen in despite and gainst my soules owne will Alas I must for I vnworthy am To bee where bides my Ladie freed from ill Am I not wretched then more then the rest To cause her death for whom I ought t' haue dide Then why should I imagine me so blest As for to looke for comfort at this tide No no I must and I deserue to finde Thousands of crosses ere I ende this life Who ill hath done deserues no vsage kinde A Sentence No gentle death but direfull sorrowes rife My hope is this that after thousand plagues A lingring death shall seaze vpon my Coarse Whilst thousand griefs throughout my vaines shall rage The more to punish him without remorse Then let none comfort or once counsell mee Since this my wound is mortall sans recure A mad man neuer will perswaded be By reason what is best for him t' endure Vnhappy I and trebble curst my state Wherein I liue a death ore desperate Thus wailed this sadde Prince continually and to say truth iust were his waylings and but rightfull his complaints considering how great his loyaltie was and yet if he loued Iustina well our Loue-sick Caualier honored her as much if not more for as he liked her for her beautie so did he as much admire her for her vertue To seeke to obtaine her in hope to carrie away that which many a Louer proposeth as a guerdon for his trauaile and paine which he hath taken hee knewe full well that it was in vaine and against his word and promise and to espouse and marrie her being altogether ignorant of her byrth and estate euery one knowing in what wretched taking he found her vpon the Sea-shore all alone hee durst not both for feare lest hee should doe iniurie vnto his house from whence he descended and also lest he should prouoke the iust displeasure of his best friendes and nighest kindred in attempting so rash an enterprise without their consent Thus was he troubled with many doubtes still running in his head not knowing what way to take or which course to resolue vpon No more then the Pilgrime who being vnskilfull in his iourney A comparison and comming to a foure crosse-path-way knoweth not which of them all rightly to chuse Meane space Loue got the aduantage of him daily yea and in that sort as in the end he became absolute maister of the Fort and chiefe Lord and Conqueror ouer the soule of the poore Gentleman In so much as hee could no longer now conceale this hidden fire any more The burning coale couered with hot cinders is more fresh ardent and full of heate then the fiery flame it selfe Very willing and faine was he to haue bewrayed his sicknesse but he knewe not to whom he being not ignorant that none could ease him of his paine but onely shee who was the cause thereof of whom he looked to reape but small or no comfort at all The day and night was all one with him for hee slept no more when the Moone gaue light then when the Sunne shined his greatest contentment being to be alwayes in the companie of his deere Mistris not remembring how the more he resorted vnto her the more his heart was inthralled and caught in the nettes of Loues pleasing seruitude and bondage The often and dutifull deuoires hee alwayes vsed to doe her seruice his stealing glaunces and pittifull lookes he cast vpon her beautious countenance and his continuall burning sighes comming like smoakie exhalations from his brest were
I doe liue after thee and suruiue him who was the onely nourisher of my dolorous life Can I abide to be one minute of an houre from thee who hast so much alwayes desired the companie of haplesse Iustina Ah mine eyes mine eyes as much as you shewed your selues cheerfull to delight the heart of my Husband in your Loues so much or more shew your selues full of salt teares to lament his disaster But teares are the common offerings of euery woman at their husbands buryalls A Sentence and are too base oblations for so worthie and solemne an exequies Thy friendship deserueth better then so And more am I obliged vnto thee then to offer such base trifles Not my blubbering teares but my heart blood is due vnto thee For why should it not be thine when my verie soule is at thy seruice Ah cruell Honor why hast thou not rendered mee againe mine Alfonso in the selfe-same manner as thou tookest him from mee to doe thee seruice And how badly hast thou requited the paines hee hath taken in seeking to preserue thee fafe and sound Who euer would haue thought I should haue seene so horrible a sight as I see before I had dyed and who would haue imagined but that my praiers which I made continuallie vnto God to take me out of the world before my sweet Husband should not haue obtained grace from Heauen But come the worst that can come there shall not be much difference of time betweene our deaths for so quickly will we follow one another that if one houre cannot cut vs off both together yet at least one day shall dispatch and make vs away But in the meane space iustly maiest thou complaine of me my deare Knight in another world for that I haue bene the murtherer of thy life But I beseech thee complaine not of that neither of her who thinketh the time but miserable in which she liueth exiled and banished from thee Woe is mee I haue killed I haue slaine and murthered that which I loued most vpon the earth And vnto him which I know and acknowledge I was most beholding But is this possible Alack alack it is but too true Blacke and vnluckie was our marriage not vnlike vnto that of Paris and Hellena the conclusion whereof was bloodie woe and sorrowfull death Ah my tongue canst thou yet talke and thou my heart canst thou still breathe and yee mine eyes are you not yet blinde Alas I liue not for the least anguish that I endure is a greater hell then death vnto me And thou partiall death who art not ignorant that my Husband and I were but one onely person why killing him hast thou not done the like vnto me Or if thou then hadst forgotten the same why doest not thou now better remember thy selfe Come then most welcome death come I pray and permit not her to liue that so much desireth to attend on thee And yet before I depart where shall I find eyes sufficient to weepe and lamentings bitter enough to be conformable vnto the sorrowes of my soule Oh that this my humor changing it selfe wholly into teares and drowning me therewith in it might be so forth ate to drowne therewith all my torments also And alack what intollerable pangs doe I suffer can any sauadge body endure the same and yet not part hence And can mine eyes view my Spouse giue vp his ghost and not seale vp their liddes with an euerlasting slumber Louing and louely bedfellow as heretofore our affections were loyall true and chast so as loyall sweet and chast shall our entombings be together Sweet Husband as long as thou liuedst thou neuer wouldest depriue me of thy kinde and friendly embracings Ah then I desire thee let me not be defrauded of thy death For I am not worthie to be called thy wife if I doe not as well participate of thy bad fortunes as of thy good and take a say of thy sowre as well as I haue done of thy sweet If ioy could neuer diuide our foules why should they then be vntyed by death And as I heeretofore haue slept with thee in the selfe-same bed as our sacred marriage appointed vs so I beseech thee denie mee not to lye with thee in the selfe-same Tombe that thou doest Whlist we were liuing we were perfitly vnited together being dead wee will be as kindly ioyned one vnto another As well shalt thou be my husband now thou art dead as when thou wert aliue neither shall the Destinies themselues hinder me from following thee still to assist and helpe thee according vnto my bounden dutie But now alas before I come vnto thee how shall I pay the last remainders of my Loue which I owe thee By what testimony shall I render sufficient proofe of mine ardent affection towards thee and what perfect signes shall I shewe of my true dolour as thou too too well deseruest In times past An Example those women that loued their husbands best vsed to sacrifice themselues vnto the fire burning their bodies because they would die with them And shall I be lesse dutifull then those And what cannot I for my Loue is more perfect then theirs was But yet before I die let me kisse those eyes which liuing rauished my libertie those eyes which were of late the cheerfull Sun of my soule those eyes which once nourished my sadde and dulled spirits So let me touch those sugred lips whose liuely breath was sometimes the chiefe comfort of my minde and a precious balme to my griefe And thou faire countenance wherein sometimes lay all my hopes whose louely presence entertained my good Fortune Neuer shall I be satisfied enough in kissing of thee neither can my mortall desires be satisfied as they wish Ay me was I borne to murther mine owne life and was I so vnluckie in my birth that I could not dye without the losse of that which I helde as deare as mine inward soule And thou my soule how hard is thy trouble how heauie thy languishing and how wretched thy estate whilst that of mine Espouse liueth glorious by me heerein I can no longer talke and too long haue I prolonged my life and it may seeme my griefe is the lesse in that I haue had such libertie of speech But how The Swan singeth sweetly at the houre of her death An example then let none wonder though I waile and lament so much mine ende being so nigh Dispatch then miserable Iustina and performe the last vowes which are due vnto thy Alphonso to the ende thou maist hasten the more to follow him And therewithall she so often kissed and rekissed him as his Ghost for a while once returned againe into his bodie whilst hauing heard what pitious mone shee made for him he striueth euen in the middest of his death pangs to open his closed eyes and pale mouth a little to looke once more vpon her and to vtter these fewe words vnto her Ah my deare soule and deerer then my
the Elect and chosen of God yet let vs behaue our selues so as we may be of the same meaning by these his words that if we list we may saue our selues Then ought I to fret and fume against the starres or murmure and repine against the Heauens themselues No God forbid since my faults and not they haue bene the authors of mine owne misfortunes Had I not sinned I had not felt the least touch of these troubles that thus torment mee I had not bene so wretched as to haue bene despoiled of that little mercie grace which I had of the Almightie I had not bene driuen from mine owne house banished from my Countrie exiled from the presence of my dearest friēds nor scourged with the sharp whip of extreme want and pouertie Neither had this my predestinated disaster which still followeth me vnto mine vndoing bene able to haue crost mee in all my designes as it doeth euen at this houre and will doe continually For alas how little would I esteeme of my losses and of mine exile since he cannot be termed a Bandite who is welcome amongst the wiser sort and who yet hath some friendes left him were it not for this my hard Destinie which as a ghastly Furie doeth still haunt and follow mee But I see I see as in a glasse my miserie to be such as it will neuer be separated from mee and I perceiue but too well that Destinies may be foreseeue but neuer can be preuented As the Shepheard was thus pittifully lamenting vnto himselfe behold hee might perceiue two terrible roaring Lyons to come directly towards the Caue wherein he had gotten himselfe it being the ordinary denne wherein they vsed to harbour which when hee saw he quickly started vp drawing forth his sword with intention to defend himselfe to make them buy his flesh dearely but they without so much as once offering to hurt him gently passed by him moued as I gesse with his more then wofull misery They being gone he came forth from his melancholike Cell and as he was walking thus alone the dolefull Nymph Orythia his old yet loyall Louer met him by chance who was comen euen into this wildernes to finde him out After she had saluted him shee intreated him to sit downe vpon a greene banke couered ouer with shadowing Cipresse and to heare a certaine Sonnet which shee had made in remembrance of him The Shepheard seeing no other remedie sitteth him downe promising the Nymph attentiucly to giue eare vnto her Dittie which shee most pitifully sung after this manner following Cruell mishap the Butcher of my life All thee except is mortall heere below Men are deaths foes with him are at strife And death is that which I doe couet so My tongue speaks what with hart agreeth best Death and laments is of my speech the sourse Ah iudge then if that I haue any rest Louing of euils all the very worse If damned soules without en ende alwaies Sharp plagues endure Alas I feele like paine A monstrous ill it is all his lifes daies To beare the brunt of ghosts in Limbo slaine And yet the damnd suffer for their offence Whilst I for doing good indure these woes The guiltie to complaine of ill wants sonse Wrongly to suffer patience makes to lose May not my plaints most iustly counted be In right the Heauens of crueltie t' accuse What good ere found I O yee Gods to mee Vniust yee slay vs yet to heare vs yee refuse Without enfeele of pleasure or of ioy With anguish you our vitall spirits fill Enforcing vs to entertaine annoy So what 's good leaues vs whilst we take the ill Thus gainst your fierce and more then sharpe Alarms Wee sickly soules too weake must harden strong Our selues and for to helpe vs in our harmes Wee hope in vaine the more our selues to wrong Alack Cowards that flie and followed are orefast Small leisure haue or none their Armour off to cast The Nymph hauing ended this her mournfull Musicke with a deepe sigh fet from the bottome of her heart began thus to wooe the Shepheard O how iustly doe the powers aboue afflict thee seeing thou so cruellie doest torment others Is it not most meete and reasonable that as we sowe so we should reape and as we haue measured vnto others so wee should looke for the like measure againe LOVE maketh thee die without depriuing thee of life whilst thou forcest the selfe-same Loue without killing me to torment me most cruelly Ay mee what strange kinde of Frenzie doeth trouble thy soule Thou refusest the friendship of one that is immortall to seek after the loue of a worldlie beautie which is subiect vnto death fortune and chaunge wherein thou doest shewe a sufficient signe of the error of men who follow that that flieth from them leauing the best and accepting of the worst And if they committing so grosse an absurditie feele themselues to be plunged in the gulfe of most bottomles griefes by the Heauens A Sentence should they therefore complaine lament He that hath wounded himselfe can accuse none for his hurts but his own selfe and the prodigal child that hath through his foolishnes consumed all his wealth may blame or thank no bodie but his owne meere follie Why doest thou not accept of that present which willingly offereth it selfe vnto thee why doest thou endure so many miseries to obtaine that which thou wilt neuer be able to purchase Is not hee vnwise that whilst the storme lasteth leaueth the drie house in which he was in to runne to seeke another farther off and in the meane time is subiect vnto the bitternes of the Tempest And is not he a foole who leaueth a thing certaine and present to take what is vncertaine and doubtfull Well may hee bee counted to murther himselfe that refuseth what is profitable vnto him whilest he vainely seeketh and yet to no purpose what he is likely neuer come by Loue then sweet Shepheard loue her that dearely liketh thee No small punishment doe they deserue A Sentece who hate such as loue fancie them in as much as friēdship being not forced but rather comming of his owne accord deserueth a recompence no lesse then that gift which departeth from a franke and liberall free minde doeth merit thankes because it is not forced any way Then I say doest thou not loue her who esteemeth of thee more then of her owne selfe whilst thou more sauadge and fierce then the cruell Tygers who loue their matches doest refuse the amitie of thine equall euery way that sacred amitie so much accounted of both by Gods and men Ah change thy selfe-will and stubborne minde hard hearted swaine as thou art and call to remembrance what dangers I haue passed what hazards I haue trauersed and how many countryes I haue runne through to find thee out resoluing with my selfe neuer to leaue him who hath my heart and carrieth the same within his brest alwayes But
coarse possession there to keepe When thou my coarse depriued quite of beauties gifts shalt view My chearfull eyes to loose their lights and bid those lights adue When thou doest heere her sigh from forth her soule vntimely crost And when thou shalt Sycambra thine view to giue vp the Ghost Ah then doe this good turne for me doe this for me straitway Vnto my cruell vnkind friend this RING from me conuay Tell him his too too flintie heart and barborous crueltie Hath forct me loyalst maide aliue for him aliue to die Tell him by that quicke lightning fire which from his eyes forth came Which swifter far then whirling darts my gentle heart haue slaine By his rich beautie too too rich for me too poore to enioy Which for my time vntimely brought me vnto endlesse noy And by that heart of his too proud tryumphing ore my glorie That he forget me not but thinke vpon my pittious storie Doe this sweet Zerphir for my sake doe this request for mee T is all before my death to thee I giue as Legasee Nor doe denie me this although in conscience I confesse I not deserue thy smallest grace for my ore cruelnesse Ah Zerphir this denie me not This said she held her peace And presently death fore her came with violence to cease Whilst with a gentle quiet sigh her soule that wearie was Of loathed life most willing vp vnto the heauens did passe Leauing her bodie voyd of life withouten vitall aire Disrobde of beautie spoylde of forme depriude of colour faire Yet happie she to die in such kinde sort as then she dide Since that her griefe vanisht therewith which liuing she did bide Happie to die so as she dide since partiall Loue vniust Disasters hard and vndeserude vpon her still did thrust Like as we see in th' end of day vpon the set of Sunne When Tethis entertaines her spouse the light being well might done A kinde of cloudie sable dampe ariseth to our eyes And with a gloomie curtaine thicke is couered all the skies So as vpon the face of th' earth there nothing doth appeare But darknesse sleepe and heauie care with gastly sighes each where So by degrees this beautious coarse lookt pale and wanne like earth When once the soule had it depriude of his quicke liuing breath Like to a shadow was it of a substance faire before No cheerfull colour was there in that face so faire of yore Withouten sence or motion it remained like a blocke Or as a comly pile of stone carude out of marble Rocke Yet Zirphir doth imbrace it oft and as i ft t were aliue The same with pittious glaunces he to yeeld to him doth striue But kisse her he not dares though she be dead lest he offend The soule of her who whilst she liu'd he lou'd as dearest friend Her as before he doth respect and doth her reuerence Although him no drop of grace she gaue his amorous heate to quench Teares like to flowers he streameth downe yet not one word he speakes Sorrow so much doth seaze on him as tongue from plaining breakes Long was he in this agonie at length he comes his way Taking the Fatall Ring with him his Mistris to obey He hunteth vp and downe to finde Armanda and at last Reuiling him into these tearmes tearmes fit for him he brast Hard hearted cruell Sauadge wretch for thy vnworthy Loue Fairest Sycambra now is dead since thee she could not moue Dead is she for thy sake thou liu'st vnworthy of thy life Thou liu'dst her and her loue to scorne through thy orethwartings rife Take here this Ring she sends to thee as witnesse too too true That she destroyd her selfe for thee though thou her death nought rue The Flower of all fairenes is dead slaine onely for thy sake Whilst thou nor her nor on her Loue wouldst any pittie take More fierce then Tyger beastly more then Lion when as such Relent and shew compassion more then thou hast done by much Why takst thou not this pretious I em thou that doest women kill Which for thee till her dying day she had reserued still Happie to haue so deare a pawne yet curst because thou art The cause the owner kinde thereof was strooke with mortall dart Hold hold rude carle and thinke not but the day shall one day come When as iust plague thou shalt receiue for this by heauens iust dome Armanda hearing him to rage in this wise nought doth say But smiling flings the Ring from him to the woods betakes his way Leauing poore Zerphir almost quite bereft of wit and mad To see what slight regard of her and of her Ring he had And but he feard the quiet Ghost to grieue of his faire Dame He had Armanda for his pride as he deserued slaine This held his hands from slaughtring him he so did her respect The onely reason why to kill that wretch he did neglect The reuerence which vnto her he long before time bare Made him for his so hot reuenge his hastie will to spare As one enraged this carelesse man he looketh after long And by his eyes his minde bewraies he faine would venge this wrong Nor doth he leaue to curse and ban this more then ruthlesse wight Vntill through thicknes of the trees no more he spie him might Wherewith he riseth and turnes backe vnto his Ladies corse Which he embracing oft through griefe to fall in sound doth force Her Ring on finger hers againe he puts nor dareth hee Retaine the same as his owne goods although now dead she bee Fearing Sycambras angrie Ghost once fairest ouer all Should be offended for so doing and him disloyall call This causde him beare himselfe so iust whilst in most mournfull wise These his last wordes he sighed forth mixt with strange dolefull cries And is it thou Sycambra sweet whom now I doe embrace Whom whilst thou liu'dst my chiefest ioy I in this earth did place Is thy faire body fram'd by heauens all others for to foyle Become deaths prey vnworthy death Sycambra sweet should spoyle Are these the eyes whose lights of late did shine like brightest Sunne Now darkned by dire destinie and of their sights vndone Is this faire forhead honour chiefe of Muses vertuous Bereft of beautious feature quite and quite disfigurde thus Is this sweet hony mouth of thine O griefe that makes me banne Dispoylde of all his treasures rich become pale white and wanne Are thy chast Brests the pure ripe fruit of Paradise so faire Which to allure the staiedst witts two daintie Apples bare Dead and shrunke in and thou thy selfe Sycambra tirde with griefe Hast thou thy soule to heauens resignde there for to finde reliefe Thou hast alas nor liu'dst thou more those eyes of thine but late Like Diamonds sparkes now dim doe show as deaths darke Sable gate Nor part nor parcell is of thee from head vnto the foote But yeelds a heauie solemne shew attirde in deadly sute Thy dates expirde dead art thou
now led hast thou me the way High time now t is for me the lawes of Nature to obey Reason it is I follow thee for is it possible Thou being gone I longer here vpon this earth can dwell My wretched daies in this vile world haue bene vnfortunate Yet dying thus in chastest Loue most happie is my state The Stars haue fullie recompenst my hatefull fortunes here In graunting me the libertie to die by thee my deare And that I touch that coarse by death exempt from vitall sence Which when it liu'd full hardly did my seruice recompence Ah beautious shade of late the lodge of honour and fresh Bower Whose praise deaths selfe though he thee slew to kill hath not the power Faire coarse receiue these tribute teares and let me pardon winne If thee embracing after death I ouerbold haue beene Daine to accept my scalding sighes and doe not him despise Who whilst he liu'd honoured thee and dying thee doth prise Rich coarse thou art to make amends to me poore soule in this That for so many woes I felt thou yeeld to me one kisse For what haue I for all my paines and trauaile I endurde Which thy hard heart continually too willing me procurde What recompence or pardon due did euer I receiue But what through sorrow my best rest from me did take and reaue To cancell all which former counts be pleasde faire Loue I pray That Zerphir dying thou being dead kisse thee now chastly may And yet alas I dare not lest that thou shouldst take it ill Gainst me as if I sought the same withouten thy good will Faire shadow now with glorie dect take for my offerings These teares these sighes these passions sad which sorrow to thee brings Receiue this blood I sprinkle here vpon thy sacred shrine To th' end my soule in dutious sort may follow after thine My heart was thine whilst I did liue and fortune wills it so That it be thine when Zerphirs dead and lieth in th' earth full low Daine therefore sacred soule and thinke not little proud am I That t is my chaunce I may haue leaue by thy sweet side to lie Willing thou wert not whilst thou liu'dst that I should be thine owne But being dead I for thy slaue most loyall shall be knowne By reason I haue well deseru'd through griefes long by me borne And by my chastest countenance that neuer woes did scorne The memorie whereof me thinkes should make thee sometimes call To minde thy Zerphir and not quite forget him once for all But Zerphir now le ts die too long we staied haue t is enough Sufficient teares on this dead coarse we now haue powred forth The heauens are wearied with my cries and neuer ceaselesse plaint And my broke heart through trembling feare doth beate in bulcke and faint Le ts die by this one word and as he spoken had that word Most cruell gainst himselfe his side he pierceth with his sword Wherewith he tumbleth dead vpon his Mistris breathlesse corse Whilst that his wound both soule and blood to issue forth doth force Thus died Sycambra meriting for constancie great fame Thus Zerphir died deseruing well to haue a liuing name Death ioynd them both together neere their bodies in one Tombe Were laid which liuing were disioynd by ouer partiall Dome And not long after that proud youth Armanda for his pride As well he aid deserue the same full dearely did abide For presently vpon their death like to Narcissus fond He died in loue being with himselfe whose losse not any monde Thus Cupid's in his Lawes vniust as by this Tale you see Yet Ladies learne to loue if lou'd againe you meane to bee The Shepheard hauing made an ende of his Tragedie helde his peace bringing vnto the whole companie a kinde of mournfull and solemne silence vpon the ricitall of the same with a secret still and inward sorrow for the lamentable end of Zirphir and Sycambra O how miserable are those who seeme as it were to feele their owne losses through the recitall and reporting of other mens mishaps being as bad almost as to awake the happie patient sleeping by reason of his soporiferous potion iust at that time when the Chyrurgian beginneth to cut off his legge Too too much doe I prooue it find it and trie it to touch me to the verie quicke cried out the sighing Arcas The misfortunes of euerie man reuiueth mine owne which before lay closely couered vnder the cinders of my former Distasters The remembrance of things prosperous is nothing so pleasant as the recalling to minde of what is vnhappie is bitter and sower For the pleasure thereof hindereth the true knowledge of pleasure aright and so by the contrarie the contrarie is the more to be commended But O how cruell then is the conceit and apprehension of a mans euils For the felicitie of the other doth not oppose himselfe against the crueltie of this thought those which are fortunate being exempted through the ioy they conceiue of their ill chances which are past and gone Old Hecuba when shee was captiue rendred the memorie of her miseries more cruell by reason shee alwayes thought vpon her happie time that was already gone For one is not so much grieued to be wretched by Nature as when he is brought downe so lowe by Fortune and the cause is for that wee are naturally borne to suffer and that he accounteth not his ill hap to be vnsupportable which he receiueth of Nature in that he is accustomed to endure and beare the same alwayes But euen as where both Fortune and Nature abound in anie notable spirit it is the more excellent and accomplished for the same So twise miserable is hee who as my selfe feeleth him selfe to be iniuried both by Fortune and Nature By Fortune she hauing made shipwrack of my libertie of my Goddesse and faire Mistrisse A Sentence and of the sweete aire of my Countrey By Nature I hauing nothing in me that can draw any commendations for me amongst the learned or win vnto me any credit amongst such as are accounted rare and admirable persons in the world Then why loue I or why should I desire to breathe any longer Vnfortunate that Marriner who arriuing safely into the Hauen will needs venture againe to thrust himselfe into the tempests of the Sea to drown himselfe most wilfully in the bottom of the waues So fareth it with me for after I had bene cruelly plagued with the chast loue of the learned and famous Iulietta I fell to loue the renowmed Diana The fire of this affection being far more hotter then the other but although this my first fault may be well pardoned yet the second falling againe into this error is to be greatly doubted feared Ah Arcas thou shouldst haue contented thy selfe with thy first imprisonment without seeking to commit thy selfe afresh into a new captiuitie But Souldiers in warre may be taken three or 4. times in that they be not of power
faire and diuine throughout the world But as mortall men deserue norecompence from the heauens vntill they haue by thousand good proofes testified the faithfull and dutifull seruice towards them So I will not presume to importune you to affect me at all much more to yeeld me any guerdon for my paines vntill that by infinites of dutious deuoyres I shew myselfe insome part worthy of your gratious seruice which hath bound me so firmely vnto your peerlesse beautie Mine onely request vnto you is that it would please you to haue me in your louely remembrance and not to entertaine any other as your loyall seruant before you shall haue iust occasion to discard and giue me ouer For as no doubt it will be little pleasing vnto you hereafter to repent you that ye haue made a worse choyse than of my selfe so will it be farre more bitter vnto me than a most desperate death to be discharged from seruing her whom I loue more then mine owne heart and cherish more then mine owne life yea then mine owne soule which is now wholy yours seeing that he that is owner of the same is the inuiolable slaue vnto your incomparable beauties DON HORATIO Izabella for so was her name not acquainted with the humour of Loue as she iested at his amorous passion so did she scoffe at his Letter making no account either of the one or the other But as Cremona and Mantua were giuen by Augustus the Emperour as a spoyle vnto his men at Arius and Souldiers because they had taken part against him holding with his enemie the inhabitants thereof being driuen from thence and hardly entreated and as such Subiects of that Prince are worse vsed and with farre more rigour and crueltie who proue Rebles vnto him then those which haue bene alwaies faithfull and true Euen so such proud audatious and disdainfull harts who at the first make no account of Loue and refuse his yoke most stubbornly are more fiercely plagued after they are once taken downe and conquered then those who betimes submit themselues vnto this seruitude accustoming themselues by little and little to support and beare this bondage patiently of which Sabella may be a sufficient witnesse as ere long you shall heare Horatio was then forgotten as the Infant that hath forgotten his lesson which was taught him and his Letter torne in peeces which afterwards the proud Virgin bought at a high rate Meane space as two Riuers which mingle themselues together A comparison enuiron a whole countrie and became a little Sea And as the fire being blowne with two paire of Bellowes kindleth more then when it hath but one So Don Horatio pricked forward by valour and Loue began to doe incredible matters against the Infidels of Affrica So that he became to be famous in euery mans mouth there being no talke but onely of his worthie and valiant exployts Izebella hearing him to be thus praised marking how the King himselfe with all his chiefe Martialists did highly commend him began by little and little to grow gentle and milde As the hard Diamond becommeth soft put into the blood of a Goat and that great Masse and lumpe of crueltie of hers beganne to waxe more kinde and to breake in sunder as the Snow falne thicke vpon the top of a hill at the shining of the Sunne melteth and droppeth away to nothing in small time But yet these light motions were not sufficient nor strong enough for Loue whereon he might build a firme foundation he knowing the presence and the speech of the braue Portingall Knight would doe more good then all these which were no other then castles built in the aire or conceits framed by an idle head they passing away as the clouds do poste from one to another in the firmament Not long after newes was brought vnto the Court for certaine that Horatio had wonne a notable victorie of the King of Fesse kild many of his enemies and gotten a notable rich bootie and spoyle amongst which was taken prisoner a maruailous faire Ladie sister vnto the Barbarian King married vnto the Lieftenant of that countrie Izabella who cared not much whether she lost Horatio or no before these newes because she made no great account of him began now to doubt that this captiue Dame would take her conquerour prisoner robbing her of that which she refused to take for her owne so as now she began to wish for to haue him playing as young childrē doe who after they haue resused some certaine thing begin to grieue mightily when they see the same giuen vnto others and this was the cause she now began to wake and looke about her Diuers strange and prodigious are the effects of Loue which maketh me thinke that Force onely not Venus was his mother and that Dispaire first begot him for he doth nothing but violently not vnlike vnto the thunder-bolt which neuer tumbleth downe vpon the ground but it breaketh one thing or another But now Horatio laden with fame with spoyles and with prisoners returneth home to Portingall vpon whome euerie one casteth his eye whom euerie man doth highly commend and vnto whome all degrees whatsoeuer doe vse much dutious respect and humble reuerence The King himselfe doth him great grace entertaining him with high commendations giuing him many kind thanks for his so valorous honourable carriage against his enemies yet notwithstanding all these fauours he rather chose to haue had one amorous glaunce from his Mistris then all these Royall curtesies He seeth himselfe honoured by the King made much of by the Nobles respected by the inferiour sort and to be accounted of and commended by euery bodie Nothing wanteth for the perfection of his glorie He cannot wish for more then he hath nor desire more then is alreadie attributed vnto him yet neuerthelesse he maketh no account of all these his good fortunes no more then that man doth who enioy a most pretious and inestimable Iewell disdaineth and refuseth other little rich stones although they be much valued and accounted of by other The onely presence of his Ladie was that which pleased his minde and the least sweet looke cast from her smiling countenance bred more contentment in him then all the honours and entertainments whatsoeuer Euerie man hath a particular affectection that gouerneth him and some one thing which he esteemeth more then all the rest to enioy which he accounteth his chiefe glorie pride and contentment in this world despising all whatsoeuer else might happen by any other meanes vnto him Some delight in greedie couetousnes some in renowmed Chiualrie some in aspiring ambition and the most part in hote and furious Loue. Nothing pleaseth these kind of men but onely what is affected through these things not esteeming ought to be good or allowable which commeth any other way although it be profitable praise-worthie and faire And this was our Portingall Knighs conceit who now was growne into such credit in the court with the
discharge his office wherein he is placed following the line of Iustice in all his proceedings though neuer somuch discommoditie happen thereby vnto the wicked because it is a vertue to punish vice and not any Tyrannie what punishment soeuer is afflicted vpon those that are â—ad and leaudly giuen Neuer trouble thy selfe then to crie vnto the heauens to assist thee in thy troubles for they are deafe at the praiers of Louers and are not obliged to require and make whole that sore which we through our owne foolishnes haue made to corrupt our owne bodies After the Nymph had thus schooled her Shepheard she without staying for his answere began to sing in a sweet note this Ode following Now that Boreus with his cold Doth this Countrie round infold And his Isicles displaies Whilst the Verdure greene he slaies We must end our life ere long And shut vp our mournfull song Now that more than cruell paine Brings our hopes for to be vaine And that Loue makes vs distill Salt teares sigrnes of ou kind will Needs we must our liues tearme end Vnto t'h eanens to ascend Now that such is our sad care As of helpe we helplesse are That crosse Fates seekes vs to grieue Why should we desire to line Better t is to die than still Follow what workes vs more ill Now that sighes and sobs and teares The subiects of our verses heares And whilst this plague gaines our hart Let vs likewise make it smart By a death that one day may Make vs victor euery way Now that skies with lightnings blast Forct our pleasures not to last And that Sunne no more doth shine We must yeeld to tempests time Loyall we will lay vs downe And goe willing to our Tombe Now that cold and chillie feare Haunts vs gastly euerie where Seeke we must by crueltie For to end our miserie For an end to euery thing Gentle death none else doth bring Now that burning fire are bright Hath our soules consumed quite Leauing nought with vs but greanes Lets our selues rid all at once Dying lets our courage prous Oenon like for Paris lone The Nymph hauing made an end of her drearie song began to speake a fresh in this sort I assure thee Shepheard though I sing yet doe I take small pleasure in the same for my note is like the tune of that snowy Bird which singeth in the Riuer Meander and yet with these my sighes the extremitie of my paine is somewhat slaked and asswaged Grieuously doth he die that is not able to disgest the potion which he hath in his stomacke so the griefe which is inclosed in the minde doth most suddenly choake vs vp if there be not some way deuised for a vent by which it may passe That Cannon bursteth into which powder is put if there be no void place through which the fire may issue forth There is not a heart be it neuer so couragious but the paine of Loue will make it to bend and breake vnlesse it ease it selfe with sobbing and weeping and yet alas these remedies are but as worthlesse Plaisters of subtill Chyrurgians who to keepe the wound the longer from healing to the end they may gaine the more of the Patient winne time still by laying such salues vnto it as rather make it worse then better For to speake truth indeed Loue passeth not away through length of time weareth not away with weeping nor is satisfied though we lament and sorrow neuer so much He is more proud and fierce more stubborne and hard than the Rocke that is made hollow with the often droppings of water And to giue you a sufficient testimome of the same besides that I my selfe haue had experience thereof I will report vnto you a strange Historie in which you shall haue a tast of millions of cruelties that he did committ bringing his louing flaues to their vtter ouerthrow in the end But what did I say I would display Loue in his colours Alacke it is impossible for I my selfe am not able to report the least part of mine owne griefes not much vnlike vnto the principall Actors of my Tragedie But it is all one I must and will report it Examples that are gone and past teach vs that come after how to liue well and beate plaine the way which leadeth vs either vnto blacke infamie or else vnto immortall glorie besides the times with such chaunces as they bring forth are found often to be like and agreeable in effects Harken therefore for now I begin my Tale. It is a comman speech almost of euery one that beautie ought to be accounted as an inestimable Iewell be stowed vpon vs by the Gods whom as it is thought it doth resemble they themselues hauing vouchsafed to honour it here vpon the earth to the end that men adoring the same may the better learne how to worship them aright For one would thinke it were impossible to encounter or meete with anything more excellent or that is of more power to commandouer the hearts of mortall men Notwithstanding all this I am of a contrarie conceit being of opinion that beautie ought rather to be christened by the name of the Fountaine from wheÌ„ce sprang forth in great aboundance all the misfortunes and calamities that happen in this world For the more beautifull a thing is the more it is desired this desire ingendring in the minde of man a thousand deuises either cruell vnhonest or vnreasonable to obtaine the same and to carrie it away because to purchase what one doth couetor like a man carrth not oftentimes to infringe and breake the barres of Iustice Honour and of Lawe imagining that the accomplishment of all things lieth in the effecting of his desire So as I am not of their mindes who place beautie aboue all other mortall things but rather iudge it to be more pernitious vnto men then Serpents whom they loathe and flie from as from their deadly enemies This beantie serueth for a Subiect and matter where vpon Loue may worke the better to exercise his most vnlawfull and tyrannicall effects in as much as without him he could haue nothing whereupon he might be working Now the cause of vice being taken away the effect thereof â—â—eth and he that shunneth the occasions of sinne can hardly or seldom offeÌ„d Only beautie is the occasio of all such enormities as Loue doth commit and therefore vpon her may we well lay the foundation of all humane calamities For what wickednes is there but Loue hath perpetrated and brought forth Helena the faire wrought the ouerthrow of famous Troy and all the Phrigian Nobilitie Bryseis the beautifull sowed discord and diâ—fention amongst the Gretian Captaines And louely Cleopatra filled the whole Sea and Land of Egypt with streames of goarie blood And now harken how I will confirme what I haue spoken to be most true by this Histone following In the Marchesse of Lomherdie a most sruitfull countrie there dwelt a Gentle man noblie desceded being Lord of a
time appointed But I will presentlie follow thee neither had I stayed so long as I do but that I am preuented much against my will For with what weapon should I pierce this my fainting brest or what kinde of death were I best to die of and in what manner will these mine enemies giue me leaue to slaughter my selfe Alas they will not doe me so great a fauour and too too narrowlie doe they watch mee that I can not hurt my selfe Thrice happie wert thou miserable king Perceus in comparison of mee since thy Conquerour Paulus Aemilius gaue thee libertie to make away thy selfe so to ridde thee from thy seruile bondage But I haue lost my Husband Porcia would not suruiue hers No more would Cornelia Cleopatra and diuers others all which made away themselues to followe their husbands and shall I not be as willing as they were in this case and as ready to take the same course to follow death that I may liue with my deare Leander for euer Yes yes I will be as forward as the best and I will deuise some way or other to ridde my selfe out of this loathed life which cannot liue without his soule who was my frendly husband Besides the longer I liue the greater feare I am still in to loose my chaste honor which although God hath yet preserued yet doubt I sore I shall not long continue so but be forced by them vnlesse I escape away from them by some miracle from aboue But say I should be so fortunate as to be freed from out the handes of this Tyger who holdeth me as his slaue without anie violence offered vnto my chastitie yet who would belieue the same seeing he hath attempted so desperate and villainous an exploit forgetting all religion and friendship onely to haue mee in his possession and considering the strange and extreame affection that he hath made a shewe vnto the open world to haue borne mee A graue and wise woman must not onely be free from blame it selfe but as well must be cleane from all suspition of the same For what maketh her to looke without blushing but her vpright carriage and her good name alwayes vntainted which being once defiled resembleth a barren Tree that is without fruit or hath bene blasted with Lightnining or Thunder neuer looking afterwards greene againe Filthie and base is the most excellentest beautie of any woman if once her modest life be corrupted Venus was faire but yet of no account because of her immodest desires Hellen was beautifull but too much defamed because of her luxurious life and so were Thais Flora and Laxis louely to behold but yet accounted of as common because of their shamelesse and too too wanton behauiour In what a pecke of troubles then am I in looking still euery moment when I shall be froced to make shipwracke of my chastitie for the defence of which I haue oftentimes hazarded my life But I appeale vnto the Almightie who shall be my iudge if I be forced how much my soule abhorreth this vice for though my bodie be defiled yet shall my minde neuer be I being fullie resolute to wash the same cleare with the dearest blood I haue assoone as any opportunitie shall serue me to put it in practise Mine onely hope is that when I shall haue most need God will vouchsafe to giue me a sweete taste of those comfortable words of his who hath promised to succour and helpe those which be his faithfull true seruants in their greatest extremities and when they least looke for any such aide or assistance from him Thus wailed the distressed Cynthia dispairing of all meanes how to relieue her selfe in her wretchednes suffering her selfe to be carried away with the violence of her crosse as the Shippe is tossed too and fro vpon the Sea in a Tempest But our heauenly FATHER aboue kept safe and vntainted her Honour and so by that way receiued againe into his mercie her chaste and pure soule which hee before had lent her It is in our aduersitie that wee finde the admirable succours of GOD so profitable vnto vs for in prosperitie wee cannot rightly taste them No more then the Drunkard being ouercome with too much liquor can iudge of good wine whilst wee being rocked a sleepe in the cradle of sensualitie despise his mercies as Porklings and hogges doe Malt and Acorns when their bellies is full of them but being once pinched with hunger runne vp and downe for them as they were madde So wee whilst we liue in pleasure cannot rightly know how sweete the fauours and kindnesse of God is because we are glutted with worldly delights But when wee are once afflicted with miserie wee then finde the comfortablenesse of the same and can quickly iudge how necessarie it is vnto vs for our good and welfare And this Cynthia found although after a straunge fashion For those vngodlie Theeues which wicked Antonio had hired to be his bloodie executioners in this his villainous Teagedie not daring for feare of being tortured with plagues to stay in the Countrey after they had committed this detestable outrage followed him as fast as they could Amongst which there was one more bolde then the rest who marking the fauour and comelinesse of Cynthia although as then she looked pale and leane for verie anguish and griefe grewe to be amorous of her determining with himselfe to haue his pleasure of her although he paide neuer so dearely for it Thus was the poore Gentlewoman come out of Gods blessing into a warme Sunne and fallen from a plaine Ague into a hote burning Feuer and yet this misfortune turned in the end vnto her good Thus Heauens make proue that profitable oft Which mortall men account of as of nought The hand of the Lord is mightie and strong who rewardeth sinne according vnto his desert not winking thereat at any time but either soone or late punish the offence that is committed For as we haue vsed others so shall wee our selues be vsed and such measure as we giue vnto strangers such measure shal be meated vnto vs againe The murtherer most commonly dieth by the sword The high-way Theefe is robbed and spoyled the Adulterer shall be dishonored and shamed and the cruell man shall find no mercie of them into whose power he is fallen If wee well remember this lesson we shall find it to be most true confirmed as well by the words of the euerliuing SONNE OF GOD as by a number of ancient examples in the Sacred scriptures Dauid for defiling the bed of Vrias saw ciuill discord and discention amongst his owne children he himselfe after he had seene his daughter Thamar defloured and his sonne Ammon slaine being chased vp and downe by his owne childe and reuiled and railed at by a base and abiect Peasant of the Countrey Iezabell for hauing shed the blood of the Prophet died a shamefull death she being flung from out a high window in her owne Pallace vpon the ground to serue
for foode for dogges Pilate for pronouncing an vniust sentence against the Innocent was condemned vnto a most heauie death And in our time and in these our dayes we see Fellons and Theeues most wretchedly perish The law of God permitteth not one neighbour to offend another but that he receiue his reward thereafter for otherwise God should not be iust except he should doe good for good and euill for euill And so did it happen vpon the Traitor Antonio who was repayed with such iniurie as he had done vnto his deare friend but yet with great reason hee hauing violated and infringed the lawes of friendship and Hospitalitie by one of that cursed-crewe which wrought the foresaide villanies and in whome hee reposed greatest confidence and trust So wee see the rauenous Wolues to howle and to bicker one with another the greedinesse in feeding hindering them to knowe themselues although they be all of one companie and so the sent and sweetnesse of the prey maketh Theeues to forget their former kindnesse amongst themselues egging them forward to cut one anothers throate to haue the more gaine And such was miserable Antonio his misfortune who hauing as I saide before gotten a good round summe of money and Iuells together to liue vnknowne with his Mistris not minding to returne any more vnto his owne home where he had committed this wickednes the smell of his Gold began to come into the noses of these murthering Rascalls who when they knew not from whom to steale vsed to robbe and filche one from another It is a very difficult and hard matter to giue ouer any kinde of vice especially if a man take an habit in the same for then the more hee marcheth forward to exercise it the more he is plunged ouer head and eares in it Not vnlike vnto the horned Stagge who the more he seeketh to get out of the Toyle which as a snare was left to intrappe him the more he intangleth and windeth himselfe therein Denis of Siracusa had gotten such a custome to spoyle and robbe the Gods in their Temples that hee thought he had not spent that day well in which he had not pilled some one God or other of his ornaments or shauen the golden beard of some others But hee and his were punished for the same their fortunes beeing to be banished out of their Countrey and to die in great want and beggerie But to come vnto the bolde Theefe of whome I spake before who being deepely in loue with Cynthia and whose fingers itched to be busie with Antonios golde called his copes-mates together vnto whom he told so swoothe a tale and so cunningly perswaded them to set abroach this second Tragedie against Antonio as their teeth being seton edge for the Treasure they quickly condescended vnto him and the rather because it was their ordinarie trade The wicked still heape sinne like Hills on sinne So long till they their Soules doe soyle within And now the Holie one beginneth to raigne downe vengeance vpon the head of periured Antonio who least thought of danger when it was nighest at hand hee not once as much as dreaming of anie mischiefe that hung ouer him his chiefest studie being how to perswade the sorrowfull Cynthia to giue ouer her pensiue mourning and to cast away all care and sadnes And as hee was one day alone in her chamber with her verie busie to comfort her and as earnest to sollicite his olde loue vnto her seeking to winne her good will and sauour Behold vpon the suddaine this notable Rascall with his fellowes breaketh in vpon them who without speaking so much as one word ranne furiously vpon Antonio with their naked swords massacring him as Caesar was in the Senat and that with such impâ—â—â—ositie and outragiousnes as they spoyled one another especiallie the miserable but then most happy and fortunate Cynthia who wonderfullie desirous to die rushing into the middest of their brandishing blades and presenting her naked breast vnto the mercie of the Theeues was in the ende wounded to death amongst them her chaste and purple blood streaming out of her weake and fainting carkasse as from a running Fountaine And yet may we count her fortunate in this her misfortune since she was borne by destinie to be miserable her happe being so good as to die without the losse of her honour and reputation carrying away with her her good name and fame euen vnto the graue Thus was the chaste Iphiginea sacrificed so was the bashfull Polixena put to death and so dyed the vertuous daughter of Iepha with diuers other Virgins who to conserue their Chastitie left both their liues and soules together This murther done there followed another for these Rakehells fearing to be taken for doing the deed and willing to be gone vrged their fellow Theefe to make haste away with them but he was so farre in loue with Cynthia who lay at the point of death as by no meanes he would leaue her which they perceiuing and doubting least if hee should be found there he would bewray and appeach them all thought to make sure worke as nigh as they could and so thrusting him through they trussed vp their bagge and baggage carrying away Antonio his Treasure with them leauing Cynthia readie to giue vp the ghost who though shee were so nigh her ende yet could she speake a little No sooner were these Hell-hounds gone from her but shee beganne to take some small comfort in her minde counting her selfe as blessed to die in this manner hauing a sure confidence that she should see her husband in Heauen the glorie whereof she hoped to enioy because she had so luckily preserued her honour O how sweete a thing is death vnto them who are desirous to die when they see themselues disfranchised and freed from all misfortunes and when they find their miseries with the vpshot of their liues Such was the death of the modest and pudike Cynthia and with such ioy did Thisbie leaue the world to follow her beloued Piramus for death is not of power to vnbinde the hearts of true Louers No no they must follow one another euen into the Elizian fieldes and there tye againe those chaines which death before had broken in sunder And now sweet Cynthia perceiuing her selfe to be alone and readie to render vp her Soule vnto her first Redeemer lifting vp her eyes to heauen began to make this prayer I knowe and acknowledge I confesse and proclaime all abroad that thy speech ô most gratious GOD is both Sacred true and veritable which is that thou assurest succour and aide vnto such of thy distressed seruants as be readie to dispaire for want of helpe So diddest thou relieue that Countrey of Aegipt which was wel-nigh starued with famine through the wisedome of chaste Ioseph Thou diddest assist the Iewes in their great extreamie when the red Sea gaue backe to make them passage drowning their enemies which went about to pursue and follow after them Thou diddest send
the foresaid people most miraculously Manna from heauen when they were almost dead for very hunger Thou diddest make cleare water to flowe from the hard and frozen Rocke to staunch their drinesse and thou Lord didst free them from the power of Senacherib by thy holie Angell Thou diddest deliuer Daniel from out the Lyons denne and the modest Susanna out of the bloodie hands of the two olde Palliards the Elders And so sweete Sauiour hast thou protected mine honour which without thee had bene ouerthrowne vtterlie Thrice happie I that through thy sacred guiding of me haue escaped this misfortune but far more blessed in that I shall leaue this world in this bad and wretched time where nothing doth raigne and dominiere but vice Treason and violence I most humblie thanke thee most mercifull Father for so great a benefite bestowed vpon me For what could happen more acceptable vnto me then to follow my deare Husband into heauen thereto continue with him and to enioy euerlasting glorie with thy Saintes Let vs die willingly then Cynthia with a braue minde and constant resolution leauing a rich testimony of our loyall loue and affection vnto the posteritie that shall come hereafter And although a faithfull Christian ought not as hee is dying either to desire or to wish anie vengeance for to light vpon his aduersaries and enemies yet must I needs confesse that it is a great solace and contentment vnto mee to die in the middest of such as were foes vnto my Leander land mine honour and the rather because they are dead as well as I to make satisfaction for their faults O GOD how sacred are thy decrees how iust thy iudgements and how rightfull thy proceedings Thou hast not permitted the murtherers of my Husband to liue long after they had done so horrible a deed and contrarie to all expectation thou hast defended mee from their most furious and vnchast lust and therefore I will take this my crosse most patiently and will be contented to die as willinglie as when I was first ioyned by the holie Church vnto my deare Husband in sacred marriage bandes most religiously And yet my Soueraigne Sauiour I greatly feare thy Iustice the number of my faults weighing farre more heauie then my good deeds but thou canst if thou so please deface them all Thou art the God of all mercie and art mercifull vnto all men for the consolation and saluation of whome thou thy selfe of thy great compassion hast bene willing to die O then let this innocent blood of mine shed by the aduersaries of thy glorie be sufficient to wash my sinnes away through thy grace and let my modest and stainelesse minde be as a fire to consume the number of mine offences O yee mine eyes the Authors of my disasters cruell and proud eyes first motiues of these our common miseries calamities soone shall you loose your wanton lights and soone shall you be closed vp with an yron sleepe of death for euer But ô gentle Death when commest thou come I beseech thee come away vnto mee who art so courteous so apte so fit and so profitable for my sorrowes Often haue I desired thee a thousand times haue I called for thee and with thousands of intreaties and prayers perswaded thee to come to assist mee and now thou art come I salute thee and thanke thee entertaining thee as one who can saue mee from a great losse thou being able to withdraw me from shipwracke and of power sufficient to bring me safely into the Hauen where I long so much to be O how foolish is that Marriner who being miraculouslie arriued in the Port will backe againe into the Sea whilst the storme playeth his part and not stay vntill the weather be cleare and calme Euen so how madde were I if hauing cast Anker at the Hauen of my well-fare I should now begin to wish to liue once more returning backe into this miserable life in which we encounter so many dangerous Rocks and perilous stumbling blocks as we can neuer be quiet Then let vs die what say I die Nay rather let vs liue for hee onely liueth happily that changeth this fraile and transitorie life after an immortall and an euerlasting estate That Farmer may be saide to be right fortunate who leaueth his Farme which hee holdeth of his Lord to enioy a faire Mannor in Fee simple to him his heires for euer This was the cause that so manie holie and graue persons haue wished for death thinking that being dissolued from life they should become farre better by this alteratation and change Elias liuing in the wildernes did often couet it Old Symeon demanded it and Saint Andrew refused to liue to make his choyce of death Who then can hinder mee but that I should desire it imitating so many worthy personages No it is that I onely require and looke for For the griefe thereof is lesse then the least paine we feele when we are aliue That debtor that is still vexed haunted and abused by his Creditor because hee should pay what he oweth is he not happie when he hath made euen with all men that he may after liue in quiet If so why then farre more blessed are they who pay their due vnto Nature vnto whome they are indebted and who by tendering the same vnto her which they must once doe are quited and freed from all worldly calamities afterwards to come My onely desire is to see and stand before the presence of my most gracious Lord and GOD and to behold the face of my louing Husband wayting and attending vpon him Dispose thee then once more Cynthia to goe this pleasant voiage resoluing to giue ouer this mortall life to enioy an immortall felicitie Lord then receiue my soule and deliuer it out of the hands of mine ancient and sworne enemie the diuel So said the dolorous or rather ioyfull Cynthia who hauing laide her selfe downe in a comely manner expecting euery minute when she should die tooke thought for nothing but how she might be buried orderly But God tooke order for that matter For no sooner had she made an end of her Praier but Leander by chaunce came that way who perceiuing farre of these dead bodies and desirous to know what they were set spurs to his horse to ride towards them and when being come neare them by little and little he found what he so much sought for As the young amorous Bull seeing a farre of a young Haifer to brouse vpon the bankes of a cleare Riuer approacheth neerer neerer to know the better if it be his Loue or no and as he marcheth forward holdeth vp his head for ioy because he findeth her by certaine markes to be the same So Leander euery step he goeth reioyceth greatly in his minde as assuring himselfe that he hath now found that which with so great labour he had made search for But as that Marchant is not throughly ioyfull who after he hath made a long and dangerous
so to doe for this onely good in that he hath procured mankinde to be borne maister of all other creatures and giuen him a soule immortall in felicitie For if the enemies of men be punished and if sometimes the Ancients ordained equall paine for one Ingrate as for a murtherer Surely the man ingrate towards Almightie God that acknowledgeth not so many blessings and graces from him ought to suffer much as worthie of most grieuous punishment Thus sayd the Shepheard to himselfe and had further discoursed vpon this subiect but that a sudden storme of raine made him runne out to goe stand vnder a thick Rock the toppe whereof saue garded him from the iniuries of heauen And being there aboue he heard a voyce which vttered this which followeth Blessed be they which are either perfectly happie without euer hauing felt griefe or altogether miserable hauing neuer made tryall of any contentment For he which suddainly cōmeth out of the Stoue findeth the aire colder then he who hauing neuer bene within hath alwayes stood without doore In like māner those which neuer felt any good during their life endure nothing so much as they which haue bin happie are afterwards becom miserable For if white maketh vs better to know and discerne black in like sort good maketh the griefe which ensueth more cruell intollerable the remēbrance of which losse terribly tormenteth our soules It greeueth not one so much to goe without cloathes who ordinarily goeth naked as well in winter as Sūmer but it would be a cumbersome hard matter for him who hath bin well and warmly clad to be stripped thrust into his shirt and forced to go all bare In like manner the miserable that haue knowne nothing but griefe are not so greatly oppressed with paine as they who haue sometimes tasted of felicitie whereof at the same instant they finde themselues depriued More cruell was king Perceus his change who of a puissant king became miserable a seruant slaue and laughing-stocke of Fortune then if hee had neuer knowne any such greatnes remaining as a priuate simple man and without a Diademe Of the selfe same now speake I by experience for more cruell at this day doe I feele the griefe to see my selfe absented depriued of my deare Diana thē if I had neuer seen her or that she had not pleased mine eies as she hath done Alas Can it be that I should remaine without her or that my soule may continue in my body being depriued of her faire and shining countenance If the bodie cannot moue without the soule Oh how can mine liue enioying no more that Sun which caused it both to liue and moue Oh my Diana in what part soeuer thou glaūcest forth thy beautifull and celestiall rayes let the heauens be alwayes fauourable vnto thee in recompence of the good thou hast done me in suffering me to behold thy countenance Farre frō thy yeares dayes let pale death flie all discontentment absent it selfe from thy soule all vexation griefe auoyd thy hart let sadnes be banished from thence to conclude let no feeling of griefe euer touch thee liuing let heauē alwaies make thy beauty durable thy chast vertue immortall thy sacred fidelitie power eternall and thy excellent glorie endles Alas if the heauens preserue thy noble perfections who vnder the Sun shall liue more perfect or happy thē thy selfe for none can equall thee in these worthie vertues vertues alas which augment misfortunes make my complaints more bitter For he hath greater cause to complain that hath lost much then he that hath endured the losse but of a small matter I haue lost thy diuine presence which only chased and droue away my obscure nights now I wander in darknes in night in horror vexation I haue lost my Sun my dayes are turned into nights Alas but haue I not likewise lost my miserable life Alas my Goddesse if thou wouldest if thou wouldest I say take my soule as thine owne retaine it with thee why takest not thou in like manner my life causing him to die which cannot liue remoued frō thy light but I must scoure both sea land to find thee out I will flie neither paine danger nor labor to see thee yet once more before death reap my sad wretched daies And then in all repose contentmēt pleasure I will yeeld this miserable carkasse to the earth shaken quashed with so many hitter griefes euen broken as it were in pieces with a thousand martyrdoms During these daies replenished with obscurity dyed in lamentation darknes In that I shall not behold thy beautifull diuine countenance my teares like streams shall poure out frō my blubbered eyes sighes shall come forth euen from my soule sad wailing mourning frō my hart No apprehension of pleasure shall dwel within me no apparāce of life to signe of pleasing delights nor any note of health Miserable will I alwaies remaine no ioyfull accident no chāge of fortune or new forme of life can administer the least consolation to my soule voyd of pleasure ioy of all good and contentment I will sigh continually while destinie moued at my long complaints together with my life cut off my teares troubles Thus spake this wretched Shepherd wretched surely miserable who neuer felt so much as one smiling glaunce of fortune miserable certainly in that he was borne to suffer neuer knew what ioy meant yet more wretched in hauing spent his years emploied his whole life offered his dayes and yeelded his time to seruice of many who permitted pouertie to swallow vp his years and manage and ouermaister his life And though he were peerles in miserie and that his state of life was onely swayed by misfortunes which held him caytif notwithstāding cruel enuie which biteth all things though they be incorporeall ceased not to make a thousand malicious iealous of that little cōmendation which his dolorous Muse acquired to his years In all cōsiderations therfore he was most wretched aboue all others But that which gaue the greatest blow and that made his griefe insupportable and fell was the absence and losse of his Diana The remembrance wherof was sufficient to forget choak quite extinguish all the mortall pleasures he could haue tasted of in this world Euery one maketh his chiefe felicity of that he best liketh things which are sometimes held for happy cōmodious of mortall men are in contēpt with those who haue placed their soueraigne good in some other matter as Louers flout at riches treasures Empires and kingdomes which mortall men propound vnto themselues for the good of their contentmēt vpon which they build their most pleasure and delight But the onely presence of their Ladies is their chiefest good for their soules be more ioyfull in beholding of them then are the eyes of a couetous mizer when they take pleasure in contemplation of the goods riches
of fortune In the number of these was this miserable Shepheard who scoffed at the commodities of that blind goddesse desiring no other thing for his full satisfaction and delight then the presence of his faire Diana Diana who surely amongst the fairest was most faire sage chaste prudent and of the stock of the most famous families in Europe Diana who took pleasure in reading of his works that neuer shewed him frowning countenance in that she knew he honored her honor more then her beautie and that his chaste loue loued rather her soule and mind then her bodie Nothing could hinder sage and chaste Diana from shewing good countenance chastely louing excellent spirits She should haue bene a cruell Beare if her soule had bene void of amitie and this learned Queene of France kissed learned Chartier finding him a fleeepe vpon a bancks side though amongst all other euill fauoured and deformed hee was most crabbed of countenance giuing this excellent answere to those that wondered at the same I kisse not Chartier but that excellent mouth from whence haue issued so manie learned discourses not louing the man but his doctrine In doing thus no Ladie can be blamed For one may and that more commodiously affect chastlie that which meriteth Loue then impudentlie that which tendeth to vice and corruption The Shepheard after his dolorous complaint beganne to sing this Sonnet which followeth SONNET Come and approach and heare my cries you Hagges and Hob-goblings And doe receiue in gree my heauie plaintes and abuse Vnto your cruell fatall Sisters nought doe I profer For I no more life haue t' is with my griefes ouerdead LOVE that hath tooke my loyall Hart for a pawne euerlasting Gagd'e for my Truth is dead splitted in euery part Whilst to an auncient Elme I seeme like one that is Spoylde with Lightnings blast when but the roote doth remaine O kinde Death all mortall woes who makest an end of me In this my chiefe pangs thee doe I call mee to helpe Sweet let me die through thee that then I truely report may LOVE hath wounded my heart Death of my paine make an end Onely in the◠is my hope a hope God knowes very slender Nought hope I in my cares but for to dye out of hand Dye would I rather then in woes lie still for to languish Blest is the soule that departs when that he cannot be curd'e But you mine eyes are accurst to haue seene my Ladie so cruell Since that distoyaltie hath to me done such a wrong Well had it bene for you if with a night euerlasting Shut had you bene alwayes your proper death not to see That so sacred Light you are neuer like for to see more Which did reuiue my spirits when that they first were in thrall Sweet should I then count my miserie comparde to my bad hap If that the world I might leaue as in my minde I doe wish Sigh'd haue I more then a thousand times yet she with her hard hart Is no more mollified then in the Seas is a Rocke More doe I pray more doth she say nay for all mine intreating Whilst that her lookes are so sower as they my woes make the mor◠These Verses could not yet content him but with the same conceit employing his Muse which she furnished him withall he carued these two Sonnets vpon the hard front of the Rocke SONNET I. More hard then Rocks I feele my Martyrs hard The flinty Rocke the chisell doth endure Yet nought but death from hurt can me award So great 's mine ill which is without recure Yee heauenly Gods cast Lightnings on my face As on the Mounts of Epire or consume Mee Phoenix like reuiuing in a space For I in Loue a Phoenix am become Too much I haue abid then from these eyes Since you haue drawne forth fountains of salt teares So many sighes from heart let it suffise Nothing so strong but sorrow quickly weares Each thing except my selfe with change doth mend Yet see my cruell Destenie I am still In paine and yet my paine doth neuer end Liuing I die though dying I doe liue This is the fauour my FAIRE doth me giue SONNET II. What may it be my Mistris should me scorne So much as not on mee vouchsafe to looke Was I then vnder such hard Planet borne As that my sicknes strange no Salue can brooke That Beautie which so often doth me wound Those sacred eyes Authors of all my smart Kill mee when I to looke on them am found Nor helpe they me as I to death depart What Destenie then may change this mine ill hap What alteration may my griefes appease I ill Fortune in such sorrowes doth me wrap As though they would yet mee they cannot ease For shee that is of torments mine the sourse More sacred is then heauens and more diuine Fierce Destinie and Fortune in her course She doth commaund and with her beck combine Then to this Goddesse must I seeke alone To cure my mortall wound or else to none He had further sighed and spoken more in renuing his long complaints if Coribant sad for his griefe had not drawne neare labouring to comfort him For oh how true and assured friends be they who both in deed word asswage the griefe of their friends and worthie of cōmendation is that Amitie which the iniurie of time fortune cannot chāge nor alter It resembleth that gold which we highly esteem of whē purified in the furnace it hath passed the fire Euen so sacred is that Amitie worthy of cōmendation which the iniurie oppression of fortune cannot kill nor destroy Coribant therefore approached to this miserable Shepheard saluted him sate downe by him and saide Teares haue alwaies bene held for reproach in noble hearts magnanimous mindes neuer weepe they leauing this effeminate and base qualitie vnto women And in verie good consideration the victor Aemilius cast in miserable Perceus his teeth pusillanimitie and want of courage in addicting himselfe to lamentation why then doe you weepe Brutus with a constant and cheerfull countenance beheld his childrens death And that Phylosopher was no whit at all moued vnderstanding of the death of his onely sonne In lamentation Time slippeth away and in the meane while there is no remedie found to come out of miserie There is a double losse the one of our health quiet which reares ouer whelme the other of precious time which in steede of bestowing of it in complaints we shuld employ in searching out proper remedie for our miseries torments That thing only should be deplored the which is without recouerie and remedie But that which may be remedied should not be lamented but with diligence sought out to be recouered For what can be ouer difficult for men to performe Are not all things subiect vnto thē and doth not the wise man command ouer the starres which is to say he may by his wisedome auoid the sinister aspect of the heauens make them otherwise disagree
when mongst the woods as yet Loue was not knowne In that same happie golden world when none through Loue did grone Wren Shepheards free from Cupids darts as carelesse did remaine And for to languish were not forc't through too much amorous paine But rather not so much as once thinking of this proud Loue ' Voide from all ill themselues sought still merrie to make and proue Whilst want only amongst themselnes in ioy they spent the day And pleasantly to their contents the time did passe away Freed from those cares that Louers haunt and brings them to their graue Making them pale and wearie fore their youths they passed haue Then was no wailing there nor eies that teares doe shed apace Nor that they grieued were could you perceiue ought by their face Cleerd from all plaints releast from sighes not knowing what ment care They did despise and eke contemne the Cyprian Goddesse faire Her cruell Sonne the very Syre and father of all vice Of them Oblations neuer had nor any Sacrifice The mighty power of Cupid blinde as then they did not know Nor what did meane his fire-brands his Arrowes and his Bow Withouten troubling with this Loue their neuer troubled braine A kinde of ordinary kindnesse did mongst them remaine In merry laughter and in sport they spent the soone gone yeare Their chiefest pleasures thousand songs and Madrigals then were Which they sigh'd forth with comely grace whilst beut the flowing banke Of some cleare riuer all the Crue of them themselues encampe One while they daunced hand in hand within the Meadowes greene Another while bout foote of Rocke for cooltnesse they were seene As then plaintes were not their repasts nor tcares as drinke to vse As Louers wont who what is ill still for themselues they chuse Consuming sorrow did not gnawe nor gripe them at the hart Nor was their chiefe reliefe of Death the penetrable dart But rather without carke and care without malice or strife As happie soules in all content they wore away their life No palenes was within their cheekes no hollownesse in eye Which frighted with a suddaine feare most pittious you might spie Nor could you once perceiue as much as signe of heauie chance In their well featur de faces all and louely count enance Ah trebble blessed such For he cannot be said to liue Who for Death wisheth that his woes no more might make him grient In steed of pastimes to be blithe they sounded their shill Crowde And with a hundred Songs they fild the Groues with noyses lowde Whilst their soft instruments apace according to their vse Oftimes well tun'de and then vntun'de as they themselues did chuse A thousand Brawles and Pastorall Odes they sung in plainest sort Whereby the more they did increase their merriment and sport In coole of day to daunce about you might en them espie And when the heate was great in midst of shadowing Groues to lie There would they many an olde wiues tale and iesting Fables tell Whilst some of them to blowe a fresh thir Bagpipes fell Now vnder cooly Trees they would friendly make their repast Feeding on bread and Mornings milke for to delight their taste And dipping in the water cleare their Hattes they that did drinke Which better farre then any wine though daintiest they did thinke But weladay the nature of this sauadge inhumane LOVE Did alter this sweete course of life and worser made them proue He chang'de their pastimes into playes and spoyled so their sense As weakening courage theirs hee forc't them stand without defence As we doe see amaz'd to stand the gentle harmles Sheepe And that in running here and there no order they doe keepe When as at vnawares the Wolfe wtih reuenous mouth them takes And of them as him liketh best a bloody slaughter makes Or as we vieu the Shepheards from the fields in haste to runne One here one there least that by death they should be ouercome When Iupiter to threat the earth with which he seemeth wroth From heauen he in angrie wise his Thunder sendeth forth Making a thousand flashie Lights the children of dread Feare Vnto their frighted eyes and on their bloodlesse cheeks appeare Whiist furie of the Thunders hard with such a suddaine cracke As one would thinke it were hard by and euen at his backe Euen so did LOVE these Shepheards fray trouble to them wrought Consumde their liues and chiefest glee and to their end them brought And thus it was Nature had framde one Shepheardesse mongst rest More perfect then the other all and fairer then the best Young was she in experience and in age for but as then She passed had of yeares some fine and ioyning to them ten Yet stature hers so comely was and full of Matestie As for a second Venus her they did of right descrie Her hatre farre brighter then pure gold in knottes was tyed fine Empaling round her head most rich of Princely Crowne the signe Whilst those her tresses amorous did genttly moue with winde As we the calmy waues in Sea to role and rise doe finde Her Forhead heauens sweet mount was smoothe by Nature framed faire No Art though exquisite could mend the same it was so rare No wriâ—ckle was there to be seene no frowning in that place That truely got by Beautie was Beautie gaue it such grace Her Eyelid lids of Ebony inclosed there within Which Gods and Men amazed made and euery hart did win Her sparkling eyes two starres did shew then Lightning far more bright More cleare then glorious Sunne when he doth shew his chiefest light Eyes which who so presum'd to dare their lookes for to behold They soone were strucken blinde as t' were for being ouerbold Eyes where as LOVE in all his pride did seeme for to repose And through the sparklings of the which lies chiefest honors rose Eyes which as sacred and diuine all did adore and feare Although to euery one their full and ouerthrow they were Her Checkes that checkt greatst Potentates which Beautie beautifide Of ruddie Rose and Lillie white the equall combat tryde Her Checkes vermillion colloured by Nature not through Art The perfect Type of louelinesse to each one did impart Her witching lippe was Curr all white like to a Gillsflower Which â—atred was in pearly deaw most supple euery hower And as her Lippes so was her Mouth her mouth like Orakell From which a speech forth came that did Pallas though wise excell Her Lippes inuiting to sweet sport did grace her dimpled chinne Whose sight was such as was enough in thought to make vs sinne Her snowy Throat was seemely plac'te so was her sweatlesse Neck Which whitest Marble of the Alps and Porphery did check Her matchlisse Throat so delicate her daintie Skinne so cleare As through the same what so she dranke the coulour did appeare Her beautous Breasts LOVES lobbie right right way to Paradice Where grewe those golden Apples rare vnvalued for their prcie Two Mountaines there were plac'te from
detestable kind of liuing But what is good and well done that quickly is forgotten not any as much as once reporting the same because such as be ill giuen will neuer commend any except it be much against their minde Feare not then to speake so thou speake well for so shalt thou please the best kind of people and displease none but such as are the worst for the fruit of a good tree is more commended then that which is bad Speake then man and say one thing or another otherwise I shall imagine that either disdaine doth shut vp thy voice or else that hatred hindereth thee from speaking As that Souldiour is not a little ioyfull when being readie to haue his head strucken off by the enemie whose prisoner he is he seeth his friends arriued and come to his aide whereby he is rid from all danger Euen so not a little pleasant was I when I hard so sweete a heauenly sound proceeding from so faire an Angell which was of such power as it reuiued all my dying sences in me it banished away all feare from me it put new hope into me and brought my former fresh colour into my cheekes againe Whereupon I did prostrate my selfe in most humble wise before the feete of my Ladie for well did she deserue a greater reuerence at my hands but she not willing I should doe so tooke me vp by the hand by that blessed hand I say which chased all dispaire from me Whereupon I thus returned condigne thankes vnto him Can you most beautious Saint raise and reuiue him who hath deserued so much vengeance at your hands and can you haue pittie vpon his bodie who would not take no compassion vpon your honour No Ladie no rather let him die as one vnworthie to receiue from you the least fauour in the world why should you vouchsafe to looke vpon him with those heauenly eyes of yours not worthie of so great a grace keepe those sweet and chaste glaunces for him who shall deserue them better then my selfe who merrit not to see so much as the vsuall light of the heauen Am I he beautious Nymph that haue so much abused thee if so why then shouldest thou vouchsafe me to approach thy wonderous presence Although thou of thy kind nature shalt forget this foule fault of mine yet shall mine owne plaine nurture and bringing vp teach me not to forgiue the same for mine owne hand shall punish both my tongue and heart the one for speaking ill of thee and the other for conceiuing a sinister opinion against thee Arcas shall neuer surfer Arcas to goe scotfree he hauing so hainously sinned against his sacred Saint Trouble me not then in mine owne busines but let me execute what I haue alreadie determined to doe onely I would entreate this Boone that it would please you to pardon my rash crime before I die for neuer did I willingly offend thee onely I was too too credulous and ouer-light of beliefe Too much credit did I giue vnto that which one of thy companions reported vnto me I thinking simplie thou mightest full well count thy selfe happie to be beloued of so great a God but too sacred is thy vertue too modest thine honour to be ouercome with any power of the Gods Pardon then this foolish conceit of mine which I will wash cleare with the dearest blood I haue I thinking my selfe not a little happie in that I haue had the fortune to see thee before my death and to haue acknowledged before thee my more then grosse ignorance and vaine follie With great contentment shall I die seeing I haue had the leisure to haue bewraied the secrets of my soule shewed how far I was fro doing thee any willing iniurie Besides I beseech thee by thy vnspotted chastitie to thinke that no ancient Loue heretofore is to be compared vnto that which wretched Arcas hath borne thee Neuer could any faithfull affection equall his no more then any beautious feature liuing may be compared vnto thine Then pardon once more I beg of thee thy most wretched slaue that he dying may not die in the disgrace of his Mistris I cannot denie but that I haue erred but yet not so much of my selfe as by reason of another nothing so much grieuing me as that I had so sinister an opinion of thy matchlesse vertue and therefore for this fault onely will I adiudge my selfe to die Happie is he that dieth in thy seruice and for thy sake yea more happie then Piramus that slew himselfe for his deare Thisbes for he cannot finde fault with his death that looseth his life for a rare and worthy Subiect The guiltie person being drawne vnto the place of execution is pardoned of the partie who causeth him to die contenting himselfe with his death as a sufficient sat is faction for the fault he hath committed Euen so let me intreate thee to discharge me a Culpa though not a Pena to the end my death may expiate the horriblenes of the offence and that I may with ioy descend into the Elizian fields amongst those blessed shadowes Graunt me then this my last request otherewise more wretched shall be my death then that of good old Priamus who sawe his owne children massacred before his owne face More would I haue said but that curteous Diana interrupted me in my speech who being more mercifull then Iustice it selfe thus replied No Shepheard no I neuer will yeeld vnto thy request because I will not haue thee die The Gods although they be mightie and immortall yet doe they not demaund of such men as haue offended them to haue their liues in satisfaction of their fault but are contented with some lesser punishment and doest thou thinke that I am more cruell then they If so thou doest me wrong Liue then I say and talke no more of death I pardon thee of thy fault perswading my selfe that it was thy ouer rash beliefe and not thy minde which did commit so grose an ouersight Be merrie then and assure thy selfe that Diana was neuer cruell but rather that she is as courteous as she hath and will be chaste Take heede onely that thou hereafter doe not so offend againe and let the danger from which thou hast now escaped make thee more wise against an other time For sometimes an offence standeth in some good steed when through remembrance of the same it maketh others to be more warie and better aduised As that Shepheard is ioyfull who hath chased away the Wolfe bringing backe againe his sheepe safe and aliue which the deuouring beast was carrying away Euen so was I pleased and satisfied at full with this her kinde counsaile And yet notwithstanding the going away of my faire Diana did somewhat abate the sweetnesse thereof for shee presently left mee eyther because shee would not haue the other Nymphes knowe that she had pardoned mee who were hard at hand or because shee would not as then heare my answere as if she looked
shall chance to be any hinderance vnto thee let me then entreate so much at thy hands that I depriuing my selfe of this loathed life may be rid of these corsiues which still torment me and thou be freed of this tedious charge which so much troubles thee Not so answered Orythia Let mee alone and I dare warrant thee all shall be well Castles besieged yeeld not at the first parley things that are brought to passe processe of time and with mature deliberation and aduise continue longer and seeme more sweet afterward for a man knoweth not the delightfulnes of pleasure aright if he haue not a tast of paine before and that which we haue most dearest bought and hardliest come by we alwaies hold most pretious and of most account Liue then in peace and suffer me to trie my fortune which I perswade my selfe shall proue most happie in thy behalfe So saying the Nymph leaueth me to take her iourney minding to helpe me although she hurt her selfe taking more care to heale my sore then to cure her owne wound I could not chuse but follow after her faire and softly yet aloofe when by chance I met Fortunnio in the way all to be blubbered with weeping who thought verily that I had bene dead he roming vp and downe the Forrest like a man distraught crying out and calling still vpon my name whom none saue an Ecco answered Much did he bewaile my losse making greater moane for me then I deserued whilest most vnwisely he blamed Loue as the Author of my death and enuied most bitterly against the stonie hart of my faire Mistris But no sooner had he a sight of me but that he came running most cheerfully vnto me and most tenderly embraced me changing his former sad and heauie countenance not vnlike to him who hauing found some pretious Iewell which he before accounted as lost beginneth to reuiue and to be merrie againe Then did he tell me how my Ladie had hard I was dead she belieuing the same for most certaine truth for Orythia had for my good spread abroad this report with as much speed as possible she could which comming vnto my Dianas eares was not a little vnpleasant vnto her as was found by the number of salt teares which she shed as a sure restimonie of her true griefe Which when I knew I began to take comfort againe and to reuiue my selfe with a fresh hope of some good successe to come and thereupon I compiled these verses following vpon the teares which my Mistris shed in my behalfe whilest I attended with great deuotion the often wished for returne of kinde Orythia Examitor and Pentamitor verses Sweet doe not thinke thy pearly teares my paines can asswage ought Not death but thy teares bring to my soule his adue For thy grieuous plaints in steed of one onely shert death Thousand deaths and more are to me paine to enerease I not deserue that thou for me shouldst wofully weepe thus T is not death but thy teares take from my selfe my delight Death alone this sillie corpse commands when it iskes him But thy griefes doeforce soule for to flie to the skie After so many paines in our loue leaue vnto me giue none Hence to depart in peace rest that I may in my graue Long enough haue I liu'd since that so gentle a liking Tide hath thy hart to mine and to thy soule ioyned miue Then this my exceeding torments Faire doe not enuie Since that I desire life then thy selfe for to leaue Farewell pleasd he dyes who dying findeth a fauour When that his Ladies hand close vp his eyes at his end What more sacred Tombe to be interd can I chuse me Then to die in thy armes where my desire euer liu'd If whilst I liu'd thou care didst take for my poore life At my happines then ah be not enuious now Leaue I beseech thee teares to shed since teares cannot helpe me For my soule once gone thou by thy teares cannot haue Cruell death to relent with sighes you neuer intreate can Blest that Louer dies who by his Loue makes an end Onely this I beg at thy hands before that I die here Those faire beautious eyes kisse that I might but a while Might I but finde this kindnes rare then blest would my soule be Nor would it are forget thanks to requite in his minde Faire too much it were for me to die in thy sweet armes He that dies content death neuer feeles or his dart Who to his Mistris doth deuote his hart as a present Leaues the same in his brest royally laide in a Tombe Gloomie night for to close mine eyes fast can neuer haue power Nor can I die as long as what I like I may see Then doe but thinke on me whose soule was onely deuoted Vnto thy selfe and which liu'd in thy brest that is chaste In the bottome of my darke graue shine shall thy bright eyes Whilst with a new fire death shall me reuiue once againe For if heretofore the same could into my soule peirce Who can hinder it now brightly to shine on my coarse Then deare Saint to leaue these wailings let me request thee I doe not sigh cause I die but thee to see to lament For since of thy grace I am not worthy but vnfit Then as much as a teare why for my sake shouldst thou shed Vnder the yoake of amorous seruice whilst that I liu'd What good once did I thee what haue I done for thee ere T is no sense to bewaile the losse of one that deserues not Who to none but himselfe whilst that he liu'd did he loue This is the cause my soule force my coarse to relinquish For that he seruice small did whilst he liu'd to my dame Yet since this my wisht for death most happily hapneth Since by my parting now I from my griefe now doe part T is my fortune for me too good ah faire doe not enuie Since that alone through death happily liue doth the soule Wipe then thy faire eyes and without shewe of a mourner This my breathlesse Trunke vnto the graue doe thou beare Thrise happie Tombe since he againe reuiues with a new life Who dead leaueth his Loue rauished him for to joy This was the mestfull Dittie I made I being then so troubled in my minde as I knew not well how to expresse my griefe although I vsed many scalding sighes and salt teares to make manifest the same I being of cōceit that it was impossible for me to blazon forth the crueltie of Loue in his right colours and yet did I seeke to comfort my selfe in that I had many cōpanions in my miserie heretofore O victorious Caesar for all thy valour thou wast conquered by louely Cleopatra who had a sonne by thee called Cesarion And thou graue Emperour and diuine Phylosopher diddest thou not doate vpon thy most vnhonest Faustina whilest thou thy selfe becamest Loues prisoner notwithstanding all thy wisedome and greatnes Hanniball found his force too
vnto the other vertue where I doubt not but I shall be better entertained then I haue bene here vpon the earth Meane space I admonish thee and all such as thou shalt thinke worthie to make acquainted with this matter to detest and aborre this shamelesse Monster and to follow me in my course of life otherwise they shall be afflicted with like punishment as those proud Giants the Titanois were for their more then audatious presumption Hauing made an end of her speech I might perceiue wings to issue out of the sides of this beautious Damozell wherewith I saw her to flie vp towards the element passing through the airie Regious vntill she came vnto the heauenly Court of the Eternall King since which time she neuer descended nor neuer as I doubt will she any more This accident droue me into no small amazement not vnlike him that seeth many strange enchantments done by a Magitian whereupon with more hast then good speed I went to finde my Mistris to declare this aduenture vnto her but the feare she had of the foresaid beast had driuen her from thence so as I found nothing but the corner within which we had hidden our selues But O me vnhappie wretch that reported that which afterward was my vtter ruine and ouerthrow An Example O what euill sometimes this little tongue of ours doth vnto vs for that of Demosthenes ouerthrew the libertie of Greece And therefore thrise wise was that Phylosopher that thought nothing in this world to be worse then the tongue because it not onely bringeth calamitie vnto him that speaketh but also vnto the whole common-wealth besides And therefore well said that old Sage of Greece who affirmed that silence was commendable and without blame whereas speaking was subiect vnto reprehention and reproach The auncient wise men in times past did offer Sacrifice vnto dumb Silence as vnto a sacred Deitie adoring her with great reuerence for many a one haue bene cut short of their liues because of their ouer-rash and bold speech and this found I to be but too true by mine owne experience and vnto my no small griefe Well I not finding my Mistris there went seeking of her vp and downe not making account of any paine so I might once haue a sight of her loue making that labour to seeme but easie and sweet which Louers vndertake when they follow in pursuit their faire and beautious Ladies for the desire which they haue to see them maketh them to thinke it is no trauaile at all and that man thinketh that he rather plaieth then worketh who expecteth some worthie recompence when he hath brought his worke vnto an end This made me to run vp and downe to see if I could finde her whilest being earnest in this busines I might heare a certaine voice comming forth of a thicke quickset wherevpon I staied awhile to harken if it were hers or no but I knew quickly it was not as soone as I hard the Song which was as followeth Withouten scope To haue the hopen My Ladie any more Since cannot bee That I may see To death I le flie therefore Sweet death now come And to me runne Since I to thee doe crie Be thou my friend That I may end These dates of miserie Whilst I doe line I nought but grieue Deprined of all ioy How can that hart Of case haue part When Loue doth him annoy My sorrowes soure My cries each houre My soule doth pinch with paine My heauie moanes My sighes nor groanes Can neuer moue my dame Why then so long Death dost me wrong That yet I am not dead That man doth rest Happie and blest Whose soule from hence is sled No worldly strife No ill so rife Can hurt who is in graus Die he doth not But life hath got That such a good may haue Thus was the Shepheard amorous of my Diana of whome I told you before who reaped no more sweet fruits of his loue nor found any more curtesie at her hands then I had done which was in effect nothing so that we being borne both vnder one Plannet became to become partners and companions in our loue and miserie together He sighed and sobbed as I did he wailed and wept as I vsed to doe and yet neither his sighing nor his teares were any more profitable vnto him then they were vnto me After his Song was finished he began thus afresh to complaine O Cupid how well haue the Gods chosen thee to be the bloodie butcher of their cruelties since they could not bestowe this office vpon any that could discharge the place so well as thou by reason thou art more cruellie giuen then any one that is in heauen aboue or else in hell belowe There is no tortor or torment no Corsie or anquish of what Nature or kinde soeuer that is without hope Loue onely excepted for to miserable Captaines there is some hope of their freedome to poore and beggerly wretches a conceit to become rich againe to sicke persons some comfort to recouer their former health but loue is without all likelihood or beliefe of hope whatsoeuer Who then is more cruell then he who more to be doubted and who so hurtfull and dammageable vnto mankinde and therefore when the Gods meane to punish vs most cruellie then doe they send this cruell executioner vnto vs he being farre worse then the flashing lightning it selfe for that without languishing quickly dispatcheth vs where this after it once beginneth with vs neuer maketh an end driuing vs to linger in a worse then deadly consumption Too well finde I this and feele it to my smart louing in dispaire and yet in such sort as death which is hatefull vnto men and is of force to rid me out of this agonie and insupportable passions is forbidden me I not daring to die for feare to loose the wisht for presence of her who daily killeth me So doth the Marchant allured with profit scowre so often the swelling Seas that in the end both he and his ship with all his Marchandise is swallowed therein And so I loue and yet will not giue ouer that which in the end will drowne me and be the cause of my pittious ouerthrow but as the Gods harden the harts of such men whom they meane to chastise who when it is too late begin to thinke how they might haue aunided the same so the more rigorously to punish me the heauens haue forced me to loue depriuing me of all meanes how to helpe my selfe because they are desirous of my fall O thrise blessed Leander Piramus and Paris in respect of me who for loue left their liues and yet had this good hap that before they died they enioyed their Mistreâ—es companie and were beloued of them where I on the other side am hated and loathed of mine But diuers and of sundrie effects are the shafts of Loue some are of leade and they rather coole and freeze then heate others â—â—hedded with gold which pierce into
farre better deliuer and present before the diuine Maiestie I being in some remote place separated and alone then if I should liue where I should behold the fond vanities of worldlings continually As for you my deare companions a worser guide then my selfe Heauen neuer can bestow vpon you That Goddesse Diana whom you serue shall take care of you neither wil she leaue you vnprouided of some one or other worthy protectresse that may alwaies defend you Should I haue stayed with you still yet could not you haue hoped that I could haue done any good for you by reason of the small power ability which vnconstant Fortune hath bestowed vpon me And yet I must needs confesse that your absence will be an exceeding corsie griefe vnto me and that losing you I shall lose the chiefest stay of my ioy contentment But notwithstanding all this so sweet and comfortable is the thought of spirituall things as I must leaue all mortall pleasures for them This only is my comfort that the separation of our bodies shall neuer part our former affection which we haue borne one another Then I beseech you all forget not me as I will euer remember you You shall haue parcell of my prayers and I will thinke vpon you in my soule when I am alone Weepe not then for her who goeth away to lead a most blessed life otherwise I shall take you to be my mortall enemies enuying my good fortune neither bewaile her losse who neuer could be halfe so profitable vnto you whilst shee liued with you as shee shall be when she is sundred from you Flintie Rockes sometimes are diuided through Lightninges and Thunders much more may earthly creatures be seuered one from another All Companies and all Acquaintance must needes one day breake off whereas their true Friendship and loyall Amitie neuer departeth nor dyeth at all If euer you haue loued me then reioyce with me and wish vnto me that glorie and felicitie which I prepare for my life to finish the rest of these wretched dayes of mine But it now draweth on towards the euening I therefore will trouble you no more at this time but bid you all good night let euery one withdraw thēselues vnto their lodgings Wherevpon they all went homewardes whilst I my selfe stayed all alone behind for I was not able to rise vp from the ground whereon I sat by reason of the exceeding griefe I felt within me Mouelesse I lay like vnto a Tower cold I was as any stone and senselesse I seemed resembling a dead Coarse which is layed in a Tombe without mouing speaking or sighing at all All that long night did I spend falling into cold sweats and heauie soundings weeping and sobbing vntill my hart nigh burst without either sleepe or rest no not so much as once closing mine eye-liddes The day being come I found my selfe a little and God knowes it was little indeed amended wherevpon with much adoe I got vp and went to my lodging where finding paper and Inke sheading thousandes of teares and sending forth millions of sighes I wrote these dolefull verses following Since farre exilde from mee doth wound my soule And that a mortall desperate straunge disease Doth stealing seaze vpon my bloudlesse Coarse What should I longer linger for to ate Since Death alone can cure this vncoth flame Mine eies hane wept mine hart hath sigh'd too much My soule is wearied with enduring paine Hee dieth not that in dying ends all griefe Those lonely Eyes are now debasht from mee So is that gratious Fauour more then faire For whom I breath and feede vpon this Aire Blest is that man that then yeelds vp his Ghost When as he findes himselfe in heauens disgrace And seeth the Welkin for to wound him still With mee shall wend into my Fatall Tombe My bloody griefes and more then dolefull Dule And all those thoughts of her who when I liu'd Made mee to prooue a worse then trebble Death Let no man then seeme for to waile my losse Since friendly Death by it my cares doth crosse It is enough since for my worthlesse Death My Mistris faire forbeareth to lament Nor grieues that I should part so soone her fro Dead I should please her better then when life Did soiourne in this earthly Inne of mine And therefore I will end my loathed dayes My prying Eyes first authours of mine ill My gentle hart ore loyall in his loue As they deseru'd sharpe paine shall first endure Reason it is that they who first offended Should be inflicted with due punishment For so the heauens will guerdon each aright Cupid doth vse for to abridge our dayes Nor for our woes doth quit vs otherwise First hee doth wound and then he heales againe By two Deuises and both contraries The first our heart burnes th' other kills our strength Th' one cruell is the other 's amiable Blest is he that LOVE serues since in one day Hee happie or vnhappie make him may Hauing made this sorrowfull Song I determined to present it vnto my Ladie come of it whatsoeuer could for my last farewell that euer she should haue of mee wherevpon I went to seeke her and such was my good fortune as I found her all alone walking vnder the shadow of a number of sweet Cipresse trees No sooner had I a sight of her but that a certaine timerous respect ioyned with a kinde of amazement seazed vpon mee so that I became vpon the suddaine as colde as any Ice Wherevpon I began to be astonisht quite forgetting my former resolution whilst I remained as a Pillar fixed in the ground not being abe to doe anie thing but to gaze vpon her more then Angelicall face My vitall spirits were all flowen into mine eyes who held them very earnestlie busied in contemplation of this her more then peerlesse beautifull countenance Whilst I thus beheld her I remembred the vnsupportable losse I was like to endure losing her diuine presence knowing that the more I viewde her the more was my griefe when I thought I should be depriued from her and yet neuerthelesse I tooke a wonderfull great contentment to lose my selfe in this sweete Riuer as the flie doth when hee is drowned in sweete milke Minerua neuer seemed more graue nor fuller of maiestie vnto poore Arachne when shee was punished by her neither did Diana shewe more amiable or louely when she accompanied her Shepheard Endimion then my Mistris did in mine eye Being thus rauished with so heauenly a sight I could not withdraw my selfe from the same desiring no other death in my minde but in beholding her so to giue vp the Ghost which the Virgin perceiuing thus saluted mee What is the matter Shepheard that you are vp so early this morning what seekest thou here and why lookest thou so sadde and heauilie Away with this dumpish melancholy the butcher of mans life for hee liueth not but rather languisheth as one dying who being ouer sadde and heauie cannot shake this
beheld so perfect a beautie but farre more blessed if being depriued of her you likewise depriue your selues of all light O royall Recluse that shalt enioy the companie of my Diana Ah why am not I transformed into thee what shall I doe or what shall become of mee whither should I goe or what should I say and what can I hope for that may please me in this world Too long haue I liued since the longer I liue the more my paiâ—e increaseth Dispatch then forlorne and forsaken Shepheard seeing thou art exiled from what thou most of all didst delight in whilst yee mine Eyes who of late serued to contemplate so diuine a countenance shall now stand me in stead to raine downe bitter teares and thou my Tongue who of late wert an instrument to commend such rare and diuine vertues shalt serue me now to lament their losse and bid them all Adien Must I then bid Adieu vnto those golden locks which serued as bands to tye my heart must I bid Adieu to those faire and daintie tresses curling in cirkles and wauing with the winde resembling those of the Paphian Goddesse shall I neuer see you more after you are inclosed within those vnooth walls Must I needs bid Adieu vnto that goodly and spacious Forhead smooth as Gette and free from euerie wrinkle and frowne that For head whereas all Vertue lodgeth the seat of Iustice and receit of all Chastitie Must I needs languish and pine away without seeing you any more Oh vnhappie day of my byrth ô miserable my chaunce and vnfortunate the time wherein I liue Must I needs bid Adieu vnto those thinne and slender Eye-lids the foes of care and enemies vnto griefe descending vault-wise like a fine Arche of Ebonie delightfull to behold but farre more pleasant to touch Is it possible I can liue and not see you I cannot Now woe is mee I cannot needes must yee take my life away my sorrowfull life must you take away with you But chiefly you faire Eyes must I needs bid you Adieu my two glorious Sunnes haue you resolued neuer to shine more and must I needs still liue in darknesse O Saphire Eyes the throne of LOVE the bright lamps of Chastitie the lodges of vertue true mirrours of honest maiestike modestie must I needs beforsaken of you Cruell as you are you first inflamed my hart rauishing the same whilst it consumed with the fire of desire yet thinke not for all this that I will leaue you your glaunces shall be my guides and your lookes the pathes wherein I will trace I can no more lose or leaue you then the Traueller can walke in the thick darke wood without the light of the day O faire Mouth and must I needs bid thee Adieu wo is me shall I neuer see thee more Ah sacred Mouth wherin my soule reposed the happie chaire of my chaste Desires resembling a garden of Musk roses and Cloue gilly-flowers from whence proceeded so many wise and hunnie speeches charming our â—indes as the great Priest of Thracia did the stones and Trees with the sound of his bewitchitching Harpe shall it be said I shall neuer see you more it cannot be Arcas shall neuer be seene to ioy in this world when he is depriued of the heauenly sound of thy Harmonious voyce And yee faire louely Cheekes shall I bid you Adieu Cheeks vermillion without cunning or painting whose naturall Die is the Lillie sweetly mixed with the Damask-rose neuer can I part from you without parting from life all Ah beautious Brests must I needs bid you Adieu where reposed the nine Muses with their sage brother Brests more faire then Summers day and far more white then Mountain snow sweet lobby of vertue it selfe and pleasant prison of my intangled heart Neuer shall I be able to bid you Adieu sooner must my dayes be shortned and my wretched selfe cut off before my time appointed In the meane space liue thou my peerlesse Saint in all happines full of ioy and freed from all annoy liue to be honoured both of Gods and men Adieu for euer and a day the light of my soule life of my minde farewell Adieu my gratious sweet chaste vertuous and religious Mistris Heauens graunt thee all happinesse according vnto thine owne contentment whilst I take my course to die despite of the maleuolent starres that haue so long prolonged my life But yet before my death leaue yee mine Eyes some teares to accompanie in weeping so manie faire and goodly Nymphes who as well as your selfe mourne for the losse of their best Gonernesse and yet it is not for braue and generous mindes to shead teares but rather for base Cowards weake Women and little powling Children Cato when hee died neuer wept at all so wee without lamenting will giue vp the Ghost it shall suffice that the goary droppes of my purple blood shall be in stead of salt teares Too much haue I sighed and sobbed too much haue I wailed and wept and ouermuch haue I lamented and cryed out And yet before my fatall houre approach I will leaue some pittious signes of my griese behinde mee that the world may see after my death how rare and constant my loue hath alwayes bene Herevpon I made an ende of my speech falling downe through very faintnesse all along vpon the grassie ground whilest holding mine armes acrosse as a token of my gricuous cares and lifting vp mine eyes towardes the heauens I began afresh to weepe most bitterly That done I began to apprehend so liuely a passion of exceeding bitter sorrow that the very conceit thereof made mee to sownd and so for a long time I lay as it were berest of all my senses At the last I reuiued and therewithall rose vp when taking my knife I engraued in the Rocke these mournfull Verses following Vnto the soundlesse Vaults of Hell below I le waile noy griefes remedilesse amaine Whilst frightfull Ghosts as pittifull shall shew And Fliâ—tie Rocks remorse take of my paine Yea Death it selfe my bitter paines shall know To witnesse that my life in noy hath laine For Louers true can neuer die indeed Whose loyall hearts a beanenly fire doth feed My Course beeing layd along within my Graue Shall shew his teares his torments and his loue And for his minde did neuer change nor waue Farre brighter then the Sunne the same shall prone By him the picture of his Lady he shall haue Which he being dead afresh shall make him mone Like to the fire in ashes contred Which though at shew no flame yet is not dead LOVE is not tarn'de by Death but still doth liue Although that life doth flit and passe away Then Lady thinke not though by death thou grieue My bodie that thou LOVE canst make decay As long as Fancie â—oth thy beautie driue Into my soule No this will bide for eye Within my heart thy beautie printed is LOVE in my Tombe to harbor will not â—â—isse Thinkst thou
to what ende doest thou shew thy selfe to be like vnto the fire that burneth that that nourisheth her or to the viper that knaweth her mother in pieces or to the vngratefull churle that murdereth his best benefactor Darest thou so impudently speake again st her that is the Mother the Queene and the Nurse of all things Most mortall enemie of the Gods who acknowledge her for their vaiuersall Mother whom thou blamest with so great blasphemie Who giueth their essence and Being vnto liuing creatures but she who maketh them to liue and moue but she Should not this great obscure Caos but for her turne againe into his confused forme the Elements be confusedly mingled one with another Who hath giuen Soule and life vnto man but she When the expert Physition hath done all he can to the vttermost of his Art to heale the sicke patients if he then casteth away his medicine and refuseth wilfully his owne health is it the Doctors fault if he be taken away by death If thou hast receiued both a soule and sufficient vigor and force of Nature and for default of vsing the same wisely ill fortune hath seazed and taken hold vpon thee canst thou iustly lay the cause of thy mishap vpon Nature O foole as thou art know thou that our Spirits and our bodies haue receiued all perfection that may be and the very best of euery vertue that is in any other liuing creature A Sentence is bestowed vpon vs. Vnto a wise man nothing is vnpossible neither can the stars themselues preuaile ought against him But if he will needes lose himselfe if he will imploy his good gifts against his owne selfe as the surious man who woundeth his heart with his ownesword can the blame thereof be attributed vnto Nature That vassall that hath receiued all good and kinde entertainement and vsage of his Lord and yet afterward will faile of his duetic A Similie doth he bring his Maister to be guiltie of his offence or can he make him to be the Author of this his so grosse tollie I think not If so why hast thou then suffered thy selfe so foolishly to be deceiued cheated and depriued of that force and vertue that Nature hath lent thee laying vpon her all the blame for the losse of the same Thou affirmest that man is miserable and therefore little beholding vnto Nature but vpon what Foundation vpon what Rocke or vpon what sure ground canst thou proue her to be the cause of his miserie Doth he want any thing that is conuenient and fit for him hath he not the forme and shape of the Gods Is not his Soule diuine and doth it not participate with wisedome knowledge and vnderstanding and if thou wilt not allow Wisedome Knowledge and Science to be in the number of the best things then dost thou deface euery vertue and by this meanes thou makest men to be no better then brute and senselesse beastes But knowledge saiest thou bringeth vnto man care and vexation of mind which like a worme eateth and knaweth him continually and yet doth the same vnderstanding make him to approach nigh vnto the Gods bringing him to be farre more perfect then when he knew nothing O what an vnspeakable ioy doth he conceiue in his soule when he is once able to attaine vnto the discouerie of those admirable effects of God being able through his knowledge to preuent such mischiefes as are at hand and to deliuer others from present shipwracks of imminent misfortunes Thou addest that these things encrease and ingender sad thoughts in his minde but what paine what griefe what molestation or trouble is there found be it neuer so sharpe stinging which can once counteruaile or compare with the ambrosiall sweetnes of that renowned glory which that man swalloweth downe along time who rightly and perfectly doth but iudge conceiue of celestiall actioÌ„s by his prudencie skill maketh himselfe most profitable and necessarie vnto his common-wealth All those other bad conceites passe and vanish away as a sudden storme but most durable and for euerlasting is that glory which man buildeth and establisheth vpon the rockie ground of neuer failing vertue Great Hercules as now An example feeleth no more the paine of all those hugie labors which he once endured in this world for that is dead and gone but his glorious renowne his worthy name and fame endureth still and shall for euermore But thou castest thine eyes vpon such things onely as are present which are flitting and not durable fortifying thy complaint vpon a vaine and light shadow without bethinking thee once of that substance of Eternitie that is to come hereafter A Sentence True glorie is neuer gotten but by great labour and trauaile and vertue best shineth through deadliest dangers as the Sunne showeth clearest amongst the darkest cloudes Hadst thou but any high courage in thee or wert thou brauely pricked forward with the spur of honour thou wouldst neuer regard so much as thou dost this present time but wouldst rather haue respect to what is like to come hereafter for right wretched is he that with his dying body encloseth and burieth his name his glory and all his exploytes all within one obscure tombe Blame not Nature then who hath made man perfect in all parts and compliments and hath giuen him the direct meanes to enter into the right way which leadeth him vnto the place of Eternitie And if thou canst not vnderstand these Arâ—bique letters the fault is thine owne and not Natures who hath giuen thee a mind to conceiue and a tongue to learne to practise and speake But there is no reason that without labour and taking of paine we should come to purchase our desires since through this trauaile the perfection of Nature is the better knowne producing many faire effects within our soules first formed and inuented by her which without industrie would remaine quite extinguisht and of no force not vnlike vnto senselesse stones The Shepheard wakened with this biting discourse began to take heart at grasse replying vpon the old man in this sort Whatsoeuer thou art that shewest thy selfe so charitable and deuout in thy deuoyre and dutie towards Nature christning her with the name of perfect I must needes tell thee thou art wonderfull wide from the truth and not a little deceiued in this matter For if such perfection were found in her as thou speakest why then doth she not make euery man perfect alike whereas quite contrarie from some she taketh away their health through long and strange Maladies which by her owne name are tearmed naturall from others she curtalleth and loppeth off their best members whereby they growe deformed and misshapen some others she abridgeth and taketh away from them their right wits and senses making them become innocents and fooles and from others againe she withdraweth her liberall hand of plentie forcing them to liue in great want and beggerie Now what perfection is here found in these so
diuers contrarie effects for of that thing which is perfect nothing can proceede but what is perfect like vnto it selfe As it happeneth amongst Lions Lionesses which alwaies resemble one another but from Nature diuers effects doe happen vnperfect and therefore is not she her selfe perfect Now badly quoth the old man herein doe you conclude for both Nature her selfe is perfect and so are her workes also Perfect are her workes in that she doth distribute vnto euery one that which she knoweth to be most necessarie for him Some doth she cause to be sicke to the ende she may smoother and kill the force and power of such vices as they haue ouer greedily swallowed downe From others she taketh away their right wits and memorie to make them forget the conceit and thought of high and aspiring designes and to bring them to thinke of base and lowe matters vpon the conseruation of which dependeth the estate and safetie of their Superious and from others she keepeth backe her treasures to the ende she might acquaint them with the ordinarie labour and tillage of the earth which rendereth a most sacred and diume testimonie of her perfection without which the most worthiest Spirits addicted wholly vnto glory should be constrained to forsake and yeelde their bodies vnto death as being famished for want of sustenance and as her perfection is exquisite so is her puissance incomprehensible and the effects of the same most admirable so as who solloweth her steps alwaies orderly shall neuer grosely erre nor offend shamefully And yet replied the Shepheard diuers that haue offended erring through Nature haue by Art much amended their defects whereas neuer hath there bin knonwe any one that hath bin found to be perfect through the benefit of Nature As we see the Sages wise men that liued heretofore in the olde world spent many yeares to correct by knowledge and experience the defaults of lame Nature But that knowledge answered the old man proceeded from the selfe same Nature in such wise as she is not to be blamed at all for the same nor to be thought any thing the more vnperfect for it seeing that as she was the cause of that ill so she brought a remedie for the same and that so holesome a one as the wound being once cured A Similie the whole body euer after was the better being cleare purged of all his defects Not vnlike vnto the body of man which being purified through a comfortable potion is not onely freed of that disease which as then infected him but euer after is the better in health for that holesome Phisicke We see that sometimes the Surgion maketh incision and cutteth off flesh to the ende the whole body may be the more healthfull and sound so this experieece which Nature hath bestowed vpon man is so perfect and necessarie as he may iudge himselfe to be right happie to haue found some such small defect of Nature in himselfe since they haue bin of force to learne him how to helpe himselfe and how to vse this excellent knowledge vnto his great aduantage which not onely cleanseth him from his faults present but from such likewise as are to come hereafter What is that you said answered Arcas as though there be not many faults and imperfections of Nature and those of so high a qualitie as no experience nor skill be it neuer so great can euer amend them or once be able to doe good of them how many incurable diseases are there that no Phisicke can helpe them and how many cruell and desperate inconueniences that no Art can withstand them No no Nature her selfe can neuer deliuer vnto man any one knowledge sufficient no although we would graunt that wisedome proceeded from her as it doth not which were of force and power enough to amend and correct her owne faults and imperfections I will demaund but this one question of you whether you thinke there be any naturall prudence or foresight strong enough to helpe that sicknes which proceedeth from Loue and whether Louers haue not good reason iustly to complaine of Nature who without any succour or helpe halleth thēso cruelly vnto such inexpiable miseries Nay then quoth the old man if you come to encounter against me with the power of Loue I must needs haue the field and yeeld the prize vnto you For I my selfe although I haue drawne thousands of treasures from Nature all which are sufficient proofes of her beautifulnes of her power vertue yet could I neuer find by her meanes any remedie against this incurable disease Incurable may I call it since it hath made me to abandon the world to liue this solitarie kinde of life whereby I might beguile my vnsupportable paines and so in the ende finde death the onely right Soueraigne cordiall and helpe to ease and ende this hellish disease And if the selfesame accident hath brought thee hither to be a companion vnto me in my miseries I shall be very willing to discourse vnto thee the disastred aduentures of my Loue and as gladly euery way to vnderstand the haplesse course of thine owne It is the onely thing I most desire replied Arcas although I doubt shrodely that the memorie of my bitter troubles will hardly afford me free vtterance of speech to recite and repeate at full the discourse of mine infinite misfortunes and I feare me least the sadde remembrance of my renewed griefes will interrupt and breake the slender threed of my feeble voice But before I begin let me intreat you to expound and to enterpret vnto me these Arabique verses the substance of the same Withall my hart answered the old man but first let vs take our places for our more ease vnder the shade of this coolie rocke that the faire coloured greene of these sight pleasing odoriferous hearbes may be partakers of so lamentable an Historie Whereupon the old man with Arcas sat him downe where he thought fittest for himselfe when hauing now alreadie cast his eyes vpon the Caracters readie to report them in the French language a sad accent of a heauie voice caused him on the soden to stop be silent not vnlike that Marchant who trauailing on the way to goe his voyage A Comparison sodenly turneth backe leauing his companie with whome before he had iournied being giuen by the way as he passed to vnderstand of the too too vntimely death of his deare louing Spouse This voice rauished the soules of both our Pilgrimes reuiuing a fresh memorie of their loues within their hearts tooke away from them all other thoughs the better to make them dreame of their passions and brought them into their former estates of their Loues in which they were at the first And this following was the Song which that sweete breast breathed forth most sweetely accompanied with thousands of deepe and profound sighes WHen wilt thou wearie be of sighing forth my paines Poore heauie heart whose teares extinguisht haue thy heate Why doth
not this strange fire which filleth all my vaines My griefe consume my coarse consuming though t is great With care and cries to feede my soule is my desire No hope to heale my wounds within me bide Alas I curse my selfe yet honor I the fire See then how farre Loue drawes me on from Reason wide Thrise happie Nature of each mortall man in this For they in dying of their ils an ende doe gaine But Spirits diuine cannot Diuine their essence is Venus immortall was immortall was her paine What said I No. LOVE cannot die through deaths despire For in the soule he liues and soule can neuer die On earth below no creature is that takes in Loue delight And Ioue himselfe his awfull power hath felt on hie Woe is me in this strange sort I perish languishing I wish for death yet how to perish doe not know Wretched that wight whose burning griefes aie doth him wring Nor can them quench nor die to ridde himselfe from woe But since I to this mischiefe am predestined Nor can death to remorse or pittie nothing moue Of Gods I le craue I may be metamorphosed Into those haplesse Birds that still bewaile their Loue. Thus sung the troubled Nimph Orithia amorous of the foresaid ARCAS who passing on her way sweetly held on her dulcet tune but she being gone the old man once more began to report what he before intended reaccounting this Historie following Most vniust lawe of partiall LOVE The lamentable Tragedie of chast Floretta and kind Plaindor which with thy malice slie Thousands of faults with iustice vaile dost hide malitiously Thou that thy traiterous selfe dost faine to be asacred thing And by a coloured greement thousands vnto death dost bring Most cruell law of loathed LOVE that vnder friendships showe Dost paint thy bloodie Massakers and makst them holy goe Thou that with vaine allurements fond and with faire smiling glose So many faithfull Louers in their fatall tombes dost close Who cuttest off so soone of men on earth the vitall thred Of such as for their loyaltie and faiths are honored Who fiend-like suckst their blood and as if thou still destned were To plague the world the flesh of these poore murthred soules dost teare Hast thou then this faire worthy Brace of constant Louers slaine Whose memorie still flourishing for euer shall remaine Hast thou them stifled through mischance without remorse or ruth Their flowring yeares their daies their yeares in prime of their green youth Ah too too cruell law of thine and happie thrise our life If that it were not subiect to thy ouer-ragings rife But what is he can liue exempt from these thy amorous lawes When euery puissant God what ere this yoke as forced drawes Then who can Loue commaund when Ioue himselfe full oftentime By him hath roughly bin controld although his powers diuine And yet some comfort small it is to vs though little gaine The Gods to haue companions with vs in this our paine Then reade this more then wofull verse beleeue it as your Creede True Herolds of a message such as hearts to heare will bleede Though in this vncoth desart colde LOVES hatefull enemie Death keepeth his abode and court and sleepe doth here abie Where horror doth inhabit still and fat all sisters three Who to vntwist our threed of life most willingly agree Where hundred thousand hugie Rocks sore bruisde with thunders might And torne through long continuance of times iniurious spite Are to this place chiefe ornaments though many a hollow caue And deepelesse ditches soundlesse pitts as glories chiefe it haue Although in steed of corne with thornes brambles it be sowen And with the chillie spring of Isie waters t is ore-flowen Although it be inuironed with monsterous hedges thicke Of blood drawing brambles and although wild beasts abound in it And that the sweelling periurde sea most fearefull to our eyes The same doth compasse round about with fome which thicke doth rise So as no one delight at all though little doth appeare Or seemes that euer Venus sowed her seede immortall here That neuer here for to repose did rest the beautious sunne When he his daily course in course with Maiestie had runne In briefe although this Iland be of gastfull lands the worst Where onely damnd dispaire doth seeke for to abide accurst Yet liude there here not long agoe a louely Shepheard faire Whome cruell Loue did vex and gripe more then with monstrous care A Shepheard sweete in euery point he was and complete right But that too soone his tender yeares cut off were through despite A perfect Shepheard faire he was his mind and valour such As all the rest of Swaines that liude in woods he past by much The spoylâ—â— of 〈◊〉 Beares the rough sharpe skin of tusked Bores Oâ— Lions sell and greedie Woolues hang vp vpon his dores Strange hidious Serpents vgly heads and Griffons Tallent clawes Sharpe poysonous teeth of Dragons huge with their most vgly pawes About the little closing walls of his small house was set As honorable witnesse of his valour more then great Those were his hangings rich and these his pictures set in gold Which intermixt in sundrie sort you still might fresh behold * A Sentence No such braue furniture as is a deadly enemies spoyle ' Whose colour nere is marde with dust nor length of time can foyle ' So is the battered harnesse rich wonne from our vanquisht foe ' Which hung vpon our walls more faire then gold doth make them showe ' For with the same the honour of the owners victorie ' Is there enstald and registred nor can it euer die Thus then this gallant Shepheard faire not little to his fame Adornd his house with sauadge spoyle which he abroad had slaine His armour was his bowe his clubbe his She pheards wreathed hooke For harneis he of musket proofe a leathren brestplate tooke Yet nothing couldore-cme his more then vsuall common power Still from the chase and fighting he returned conquerour Thrise happie fortunate was his first bringing vp and birth Not any gifts more excellent Nature gaue on this earth Valiant he was and strong in limmes well made and trimme withall So faire as euery Shepheardesse in loue with him did fall Blest therefore was he in his first greene youth as he deseru'd Whome honour did accompanie whom fortune alwaies seru'd Thrise happie he in his young yeares till t was his lucklesse sate That dismall Loue his reason and his sense did captiuate For then he lost his wonted force and courage euery waies And of his more then braue exployts the memorable praise He onely studied then alone to nourish his sad griefe To sighthe his secret sorrowes forth and waile without reliefe * An Inuectiue against Loue. O more then cursed caitife Loue thou wisedoms dost annoy Debashest reason sound from minde and valour dost destroy Wise men thou makest worse then fooles and makst them onely fit To hurt themselues whilst obstinate they
strange affection growe And so should be true Loue indeed where two should be but one A loyall Louer should but serue his mistris sole alone For neuer hath it yet bin seene that constant amitie Would ere disgest that in the midst it should diuided be This caused Plaindor not to loue this wretched maiden poore Who for his sake perplexed was and well nie at deaths doore Thus languishing she followeth him with pale and pitteous looke Still seeking for to take that course which she should haue forsooke She followeth him in Quest and still she after him doth trace Like to the Blood-hound good the deare that followeth with great pace Whilst he good soule full little thought that she ought to him ment He on his owne affection so earnestly was bent Nor could he scarce endure to heare her speake or talke to him Nor once to looke on her although she proper was and trim None but Florettas stainlesse shape as beautifull he deem'd All other fauours whatsoere as Maskes vnto him seem'd His soules sole ioy and lifes delight she was and chiefe repose She was his first choyse and the last that he through fancie chose Yet in the end this pleasure which him lik't so him deceiu'd For she whome he did thus contemne at last his loue perceiu'd Seeing her selfe disdaind so oft by him now growne so quaint She doubted lest whome he did serue he had some other Saint Which was the cause that hindred her his fauour to obtaine Resoluing with her selfe to seeke till she had found the same Imagining but to no end by some deuise herein To wade so far as at the last she Plaindors grace would win But t' was the ruine of the one and th 'others ouerthrow By too too soone vntimely death as I to you will show Plaindor expecting still the houre when stormes should once be past To reâ—pe with ioy what he had sowen with sorrow at the last Building vpon Florettos faith as on a rockie shelfe Whome he more then the better part accounted of himselfe Did yeeld his heart into her hands in most obsequious wise Breathing by her sweet breath and taking life by her bright eyes So as that houre he saw her not he found himselfe to die For then the Louers chear'd when as his Mistris he is by Sometimes he would be with her in the thicke and muddie shade Sometime sit with her by some spring which prettie murmuring made And there while by fountaine coole the heate from them to keepe Or in some groue be tapistred with flowers surpassing sweete Then in some Bower by Nature fram'd where they did often vse Vpon the grâ—sse in steed of beds their lodgings for to chuse Or for to see the wanton fish about some cristall poole Or by some Isie riuer cleere the mor themselues to coole Or in some hodow Rocke the heate of scorching sunne t' auoid Whose sparkling beames their tender flesh too much oft times annoid Or in some fresh and low deepe Caue enuironed about Like Baricados made for fence with brier sweet throughout In such like place as these they vsde without suspect alwaies In this same sort to spend of their greene youth full many daies Deuising many a louing toy as harmelesse wantons doe Which honour doth permit whilst they their honour honour toe One while they merrie Rundelaies together both doe sing And with their cheerfull chaunting make the woods throughout to ring An other while with blushing cheekes like to two Turtle Doues One doth vnto the other tell their first chast modest Loues Then one the others beautie doth commend and then againe They praise their plighted constancie exempt and free from staine And now they prettie Babies looke one in the others eyes Whilst loue new subiects still of sport to please them doth deuise For bearing alwaies nerethelesse by proffer or by showe Once to attempt what any way might to dishonour growe Whilst they poore soules bare burning coales yet quench them durst they not Lest their good fame they should abuse and their pure honour spot This made them sound through hope and sigh for want of their desire Not daring reape their loues sweet fruites as much they did require They wish and yet are wide from it faine if they durst they would They will not doe through vertue what they thinke in sense they should Sweet thoughts they haue they sweat for hope and yet they die through griefe They haue at hand the remedie yet will not take reliefe Halfe dead halfe liue they gasping stand disiesting this sower drench Whilst water in their hands they haue this fire yet will not quench Bright mirrours of rare modestie crown'd glory you haue wonne That hauing time and place so fit your passions did orecome And now they fell to their repast which was of sauadge Bore Which Plaindor had in hunting slaine with cheese and fruit good store In steed of daintie wine full strong to drinke glad were they than The water of a riuer cleare which from a Rocke forth ran But their chiefe foode and daintiest meate were louely glaunces cast Which from their eyes like swiftest shafts were shot and darted fast Thrise blessed they A Sentence No fortune like â— although they feele some smart 'To such true Louers as in bodies twaine haue but one heart ' The wealth of all this hugie world not worth the halfe of this ' None lest they haue experience had can comprehend such blisse ' But as we see the sunne oft times through ouer sweltrie heate Changing the weather faire great stormes and thundercraks doth threat So likewise we do finde full oft that of most pretious things Some great misfortune groweth which vs to our destructions brings For euery thing is framed so and in such fashion'd guise That what is good here on the earth doth finde his contraries Of perfect Elements of diuers natures here vnnam'de Are bodies formde and fashioned and liuing Creatures framde The heate engendreth chillie cold cold water Thunders cracke Warre Concord Concord Peace Peace War where all goeth to wracke So of the pleasant sweet successe of Louers these did come That which did breed their dismall ends and layd them in their Tombe The Shepheardesse which Plaindor lou'd disdaining in her minde To be disdaind and reape repulse where she thought Loue to finde Did dogge him as an enuious Spie that no way he could walke In wood nor groue but after him full slylie she would stalke And one day by ill luck it was her fortune to espie How with Floretta he a Caue did enter secretlie Which when she saw her loue she curst the author of her strise She band the day of her sad byrth detesting sore her life She saw her labor all was lost her time was spent in vaine And there withall she well perceiu'd recurelesse was her paine Yet thought she she would see the ende of this their Loue so chast And their discourse to heare herselfe close in a bush she
thought but this his happines because it was hatefull vnto his owne natiue countrie ought rather to haue bin counted vnhappines then any felicitie at all for where the publique good is extended not any man there should seeke his owne particular quiet but rather most cheerfully endure the selfesame torment with which his countrie is afflicted But O how worthy of all praise are such who as resolute Saylors shew like courage and cheere as well in aduersitie as in prosperitie being euery way throughly armed and resolued to abide the very shocke push of fortune not loosing their spirits or stomacks any thing at all at the first arriuall of the same but rather are the more strengthened and animated thereby yeelding through their inuincible patience infinit rich testimonies of a most perfect and obsolute vertue indeed Amongst which number wel may Louers be admitted who being at libertie to kill themselues as infamous and degenerate mindes doe and hauing the selfe same meanes and excuses that they haue yet will not perpetrate nor put in practise so vile and horrible a fact to the ende they may the better shew the fruites of their constancie and perptuall vertue in all places wheresoeuer they shall chaunce to come For as he is not excuseable from blame who because he cannot be good therefore giueth himselfe to what is bad inasmuch as herein it is our parts to force our nature it selfe No more is he to be commended who for that he can no longer bandie with his afflictions and with the painefull labours of this world maketh away his owne selfe because we being the creatures of God are bound to take part of all such sinister accidents as it shall please him to send vpon vs without shaking off the same from vs by destroying our selues which the diuine lawe forbiddeth vs to doe As that of the ciuill prohibiteth Bondslaues to flie from the hands of their Lords and Maisters A Sentence They therefore are more to be commended who suffer and sigh forth their griefes then those who because they want force to resist the violence therof slay themselues For vertue shineth most amidst hard and difficult matters no glory at all harbouring amongst base and abiect spirits What 's that you say answered the old man Tell me I pray you is there any thing more sweet or deerer vnto man then life What can make him more renowmed thē to loose that which he holdeth most dearest to follow vertue and to doe nothing vnworthy of his owne honour And if your speech were true then O yee braue martiall spirits and Captaines of warre most miserable and far from glory are you who for the publique benefit and good amongst thousand battailes haue yeelded forth your blood and soules together What worthy exploytes had men shewed abroad what generous acts what valiant deeds and what workes of Eternitie If they had bin such diligent preseruers of their liues when for feare of loosing the same they should haue left behind them millions of vertuous stratagems being the children of praise Fathers of common-wealths in the enterprising of which they stand in perill of their most pretious liues A great credit is it for a man to giue ouer all desire of riches of greatnesse of all pompe and estate and to depriue himselfe of all delicate and delitious kind of liuing but far greater commendation is it vnto him to abandon all these foresaid pleasures to follow vertue in quest and to giue ouer that which is more neare vnto vs then all these worldly felicities I meane our sweet life for not to be borne at all is the greatest ill fortune that can commonly happen vnto men as to haue life is the sweetest and most comfortablest thing A Sentence that can be imagined That it is happines to be borne and to liue in this world I denie said the Shepheard for how blessed had it bin and far better for many a one neuer to haue tasted of this life at all as by their lucklesse endes hath well appeared Life is good and pleasant to such as know how to vse it well but most miserable vnto others for the ende of euery action doth crowne and make perfect the same and no man is said rightly to be fortunate vntill his death be come What happie good or vertuous ende can such make who haue alwaies liued most vngodly when by being so borne they become most wicked sinners being continually troubled in their conscience which like a worme still gnaweth their soules whereas those that liue well and iustly and whose behauiour is holy and vnspotted make most happie endes I say therefore euery mans birth is not happie but rather that it is oft times more miserable vnto some men then pleasant or fortunate for better were it for such a one neuer to be at all then to be borne and so to loose his soule and glory his name and memorie through his leaude and wretched misdemenor An example The Spartans far wiser then we were of mine aduise who made so light account of life as the least naturall imperfection that their children brought with them into this world was the cause they threw them into their common shore or priuies thereby taking from them their humane essence and their liues How many miserable wretches shall a man find in this world to liue in such extremitie and want as they wish they neuer had bin borne desiring nothing so much as to haue their daies abridged and out off and to lie full low in their quiet graues Therefore to be borne and to liue in this world are not such pretious things as you account them but rather most grieuous and troublesome so as a man comming to loose the same looseth no great matter Vertue being his pledge for so small a losse Neither will I denie the worthy deedes which the vertuous bring to passe they not standing any thing at all in feare to loose their liues and yet the very selfe-same consideration which maketh them esteme so little of their health witnesse sufficiently enough that it is not prized by them at any high rate seeing they are content to exchange it for death If the good Iob before he had suffered what he did had ended his life he then had bene depriued of that prayse which his rare patience purchased vnto him An Example as we finde in the sacred Scriptures And yet quoth the old man what good did all these complaints vnto Iob which he so often repeated in his miseries they not being any thing lessened or asswaged by the same And so to begin where we first left What auaileth the miserable to lament For more is he to be commended that with discretion concealeth his greife and with milde constancie beareth out the same then he that maketh proclamation of it by wailing bewraieth it by sighing and by his condoling maketh it more apparant euery way Not so neither replied the Shepheard but rather it is quite contrarie
as long as my bones shall be ioyned vnto this flesh will I reuerence thee as long as my soule shall be martyred within this bodie will I dutiously regard thee bewailing thy losse whilst I shall haue libertie to breath and to be able to make sensible things gentle giue eare vnto my complaints But I see reuerend Sire that I doe but wearie thee and trouble thine eares ouermuch to importune them with these pittious discourses of my hard fortune now therefore will I change my note resoluing to doe what it shall please thee to command me Yet before we proceede any further spare me I pray thee so much leisure as to heare a Sonet of mine which I being depriued of my Ladie cast off and quite left of mortall men cleane for gotten of such as haue bin beholding vnto me my sad or rather colericke Muse endited for me whilst I wandered vp and downe this darkesome Forrest Reade it quoth the old man for both thy prose and verse are pleasing vnto me seruing me in steed of sweet Roses to reuiue and refresh mine ancient heate And thinke not but that thy speeches are worthy to be harkned vnto Whereupon the Shepheard red this Sonet following Beyond the Stigian Stix hath Caron reft Thee O diuine Faith and for company Friendship with thee who must not here be left For faith is nothing without amitie Alas why let'st thy Muse liue in disdaine To thee and her a fortune vsuall seene Thou men beleeu'st t is they that thee haue slaine Abusing her through othes as thou hast bin Thy comforts this thou diest at this hower Her ende was languishing long ere she dide A speedie death is sweete a lingring sower She starued died by flowing plenties side You Mortals then let in one Tombe remaine Faith Loue and Muses since they were of prise For fond is he that calls them backe againe And you not Loyall are friendly nor wise This Dittie of thine said the old man is pithie and graue but yet the Subiect thereof is somewhat displeasing vnto me For I cannot doe men that iniurie as to thinke or imagine that they should become enemies vnto the Muses considering but for them their memories and names should rest and lie buried with their bodies in the selfesame graue And although age hath cooled and frozen in me my first Tragick furie Mother of all good verses yet will I answere thee as well as I may Heare me then awhile Whereupon he began thus If in one coffin FAITH LOVE and the MVSES graue By earthly creatures hand enformed close doe lie And thinke their deedes and name immortall so to haue They doe abuse themselues with ore much Surquedrie If FAITH no more liues and if hence we banish LOVE If MVSES haue on earth no sacred Altars here Heauens then must perish And the supreme Gods aboue With essence their's diuine confused must appeare But heauens as yet stand firmely Gods doe raigne And mortall men by liuing on the earth belowe So FAITH LOVE and the MVSES still aliue remaine The sinnes of men cannot exile them vnto woe Astormie Tempest may the Sunne sometimes obscure Yet afterward his Beames shew forth more bright and graue See Shepheard quoth the old man if this Sonnet hath as yet any smacke of this gallant heate which en flameth youthfull spirits with the hot cinders of glory And if my Muse shall so much vouchsafe as to fauour me with some small conceit to accompanie my trembling old age which although she doe not and that my verses be rude and ill shapen yet of this I am well assured that the Subiect is both good and true For how O Shepheard can heauens and earth continue without Loue If the Gods should fall at variance and Loue should be driuen away from them who then during this confused dissension and tempestuous hurly-burly should guide the course of the heauens and giue order about the gouernment of terrestiall matters What good rule and order and what vpright Iustice or policie is there found in that cittie An example wherein the Magistrates are at variance diuided into factions and quite discrepant in opinions No no Loue of necessitie must liue amongst the Gods to the ende he may maintaine vnion amitie and friendship one with the other he giuing directions as well for diuine as earthly businesses Father answered the Shepheard this question of thine is verie easilie resolued and thou as quickly to be contented and satsfied in this poynt There is no neede at all to haue the companie of Loue in the heauens to be as an assistance or helper in the maintaining and gouerning of celestiall causes seeing amongst vs there is but one God whose onely diuine prouidence alone ruleth both heauen and earth he being not disvnited at all for it is a Substance simple not subiect vnto diuision and therefore hath nothing to doe with Loue to bring him to agreement seeing he can neuer be diuided And this is for the auncient Paynims to discourse vpon these naturall reasons God then A similie doth not meddle nor hath not to deale with this Loue I meane such as is wanton but dearely doth he affect perfect amitie inasmuch as he loueth mankinde which are his children he demaunding the selfe-same loue of them againe The Soueraigne Magistrate vpon whose commaundements the gouernment of the whole cittie dependeth cannot be at controuersie with his Subiects about the ordering thereof because they doe not participate with his power he himselfe commanding alone by his absolute will and authoritie So God being without equall and onely perfectly puissaunt and mightie cannot fall at square with any of his seruants which thing if it be so he then hath no neede of Loue to make them agree together againe Thy reason is good replied the old man in respect of that which belongeth vnto God but as concerning men how can they liue without Loue For if a building cannot remaine firme and sure without a strong foundation how then may men continue without Loue which serueth as a fortresse vnto their rest and pleasure and as a chiefe nourishment vnto their liues For can men liue quietly who are alwaies quarrelling and as it were at daggers-drawing and who for want of Loue are still readie to stabbe one another What assurance of life can that souldier promise vnto himselfe who most couragiously goeth to the field to combat with his enemie man to man An example alone Euen so what kind of life should men leade one with an other if their quarrells should cause them trie their valours with their swords staining the ground with the losse of their dearest blood For into what bottomlesse gulfes of misfortune and ouerthrow did ciuill dissension for want of Loue and friendship bring the Romanes who with their owne proper weapons reuenged the iniuries and wrongs they had done vnto forraigne Nations vpon their owne selues which those barborous strangers with all their force could neuer haue bin able to
be knowne for feare least being discourered she should be conueied vnto the Prince of Danes and so by that meanes forced to leaue the companie of the Spanish Knight whome now she dearely loued although she somewhat dissembled the same most earnestly desired him not to bewray what she was vnto any man vntill she should finde a fit time to be knowne Which he most willingly promised giuing her more honour from that time forward and vsing her with greater respect then he had done before verie much discondemning his owne iudgement in that he could not perceiue this Ladie to be noblie discended seeing so many rich proofes and apparant signes of the same as her courtly demeanure her rare vertue her stately Maiestie her learned discourse and excellent beautie gaue forth sufficient testimonie which euery one did admire at Meane time these vertuous Louers twaine did burne in oneselfe fire And languishing did pine away for want of their desire But alas no remedie could be found to ease their passiōs for the gentleman knowing the Princes descent to be so great and worthie durst not as much as once presume to thinke she would vouchsafe to accept him for her husband chusing rather to die a thousand times then to be very troublesome vnto her or to receiue so bitter a pill from her as a sharpe repulse which he knew he should neuer be able to disiest but onely by death This conceit bred such a melancolie apprehension in him as by little and little he began to languish away his blood was dried vp his colour gone and his strength decaied so as he seemed rather a dead coarse readie to be laid in his graue then a man likelie to liue This sudden accident troubled euery one all lamenting the misfortune of this gentle Knight especiallie wofull Iustina who knew her selfe to be the onely cause of this sorrow and which was worse knew no meanes how to remedie the same without disparagement vnto her credit yet in the ende she resolued with her selfe if otherwise then well should happen vnto Alphonso to die for his sake so dearely did she loue him who now was growne to be in such a pittifull taking as he could neither rest sleepe eate nor drinke so as he was forced although sore against his will to keepe his loathed bed where he thought neuer to haue seene his Mistris more A strange thing Louers resemble the Basiliske who desireth to see that within a cristall glasse which is the cause of his owne death So these poore wretches couet nothing so much as the presence of that thing which doth shorten their liues soonest thinking themselues most miserable when they are depriued of the same They account no time happie but when they feele death and nothing is more agreeable vnto them then that Subiect which taketh away their life from them Verilie if the law doth most iustly condemne such for wilfull murtherers as destroy and make away themselues then ought Louers to be placed amongst the ranke of these her selfe-wild murtherers for their onely follie hastneth the ende of their liues making them to die before their time This poore knight lieth grieuously sicke without hope of recouerie and Iustina resolueth for companie to take the like course she thinking it to be no reason that she should liue ioyfully when her friend should be dead through her onely occasion O how bitterly did she curse her cruell fortune seeing her selfe inuironed with two such violent extremities either to permit him to die whom she loued more then her selfe or else to suffer her honour to be crazed which she loathed more then death In the ende she resolued rather to ende her daies then to scandalise her good fame with soule reproach and to leaue the bodies both of her selfe and her friend breathlesse then to deface her chastitie which she preferred before all things else in the world Hauing set vp her rest thus she goeth to visit her sickly friend who seeing her come began to open his eyes to mooue his bodie and to change his colour and countenance which soden alteration she presently perceiued by reason she knew better then any other the cause of his sicknes comming to his bed side she sits her downe by him and taking him by the hand with a soft and pittious voice she began thus to speake vnto him What cheare sweet Gouernor and how fare you what will you with this your sicknes make so many of your good friends ill who so much loue you and desire your welfare If you will not liue for your owne sake at the least yet seeke to recouer for theirs for what pleasure or delight can they take seeing you brought into this low estate in which now you are fallen We ought more to respect the good of our friends then our selues because we are borne for them your vertues your youth and your valour are to be profitable vnto your countrie kindred and friends neither can they as yet well spare them that death should enioy them Liue my good Lord liue and let not your priuate losse be a generall hinderance vnto all your countrie For vnhappie is that man who standeth in steed of a fire to burn his owne proper realme You that haue so often discomfited your enemies wonne so many braue victories and subdued and brought vnder so many valiant aduersaries will you suffer your selfe to be ouercome with a little sickenes which you may if you so please easilie driue away from you Courage man courage and like a good Physition heale your selfe be not the occasion lest for want of helping your selfe it be thought that you haue bene a wilful murtherer of your owne bodie A Sentence For he may well be tearmed a murtherer of his owne life who shunneth the meanes for to conserue the same and who entertaineth for his friends the executioners thereof Comfort your selfe thē I beseech you and with your recouerie make your friends recouer their former ioy againe banishing away all their sorrow with your abandoned sicknes And as for my selfe I offer vnto you all honest seruices as farre as honour permits to helpe you vnto your health againe which I esteeme as dearely of as mine owne life for the many courtesies I haue receiued most gratiously of you which I know and acknowledge so worthie of recompence as if I thought my life might buy and redeeme yours I would thinke my selfe most fortunate to haue it bestowed vpon so rare and worthie a Subiect The poore Gentleman beholding his cruell mistresse the onely pretious Balme for his sicknes with a heauie eye who neuerthelesse Thrise happie thought himselfe to see that beautious face Although she had brought him into so pittious a case Clasping her faire white hand hard within his forcing the very walles themselues to yearne and grieue at his pittious languishing with a hollow voice interrupted with many sobs and sighes perceiuing death to approach he faintly replied thus Ah my sweet Charge what
she beganne to tremble like a leafe when comming towards Alfonso and curteously saluting him Hee force and courage takes A similie fresh blood comes in his face Nor findes he any paine whilst shee is in that place That done she sits her downe by him and although she came with set purpose to let the letter fall downe vpon the bed for the nonce that he might take it vp yet now shee was so ashamed againe as she kept it still in her pocket But in the ende after much disquietnes in her minde after many dicourses of this or that far off from the purpose and after thousands of conceits that ran in her head the time being come to depart as shee bad him farewell she thrust it softly not being seene of any into the sicke mans hands Who then esteemes himselfe most blessed in his glorie More rich then he had gainde a huge and great victorie Neuertheles as he that desireth to vnderstand some good newes from his familie seeing the messenger before him looking neither ioyfullie nor sadly knoweth not well what to gesse at the matter nor whether he should thinke all well or no So this poore Louer knewe not whether hee had in his hand his pasport of life or death O how the soules of Louers are troubled when hope and feare both at one time combat within them together He doubteth that which he dareth not doubt and feareth greatly to promise vnto himselfe that which hee most of all desireth Feare so terriblie assaulteth him that it hindereth him oftentimes in assuring himselfe of his feare by reason of the apprehension it hath to finde things contrarie vnto his desire For yet it were better alwayes to continue in one and the selfe-same Fortune then to chaunge from good vnto bad And commonly Louers imagine their businesse goeth worse and worse with them and that it is not possible for the Heauens to establish them and their proceedings in a better estate In the meane while after many fearefull doubts and doubtfull feares hee openeth a little peece of the paper and then shutteth it againe and then hee openeth the same the second time that done hee beginneth first to read one line then two and there standing at a stay dareth proceed no further A comparison Not vnlike vnto him that by little and little wadeth through a bad passage beginning often to passe along now retiring back and then resoluing to goe through the same But as in drinking we find the taste of the wine so he in reading now a line and then another in the ende was assured of all reioycing not a little to finde so manie blisfull hopes to proceed from the reading of this short Letter What should I say more but that hee began to comfort himselfe resoluing once more to liue daring to hope for many happie Fortunes to come and chasing away all frightfull feares and doubts whatsoeuer I will wonder no more now if the faire Stratonice healed the sonne of Seleucus he promising to giue her vnto him for his wife For our Knight A Similie only vpon the bare word and promise of his mistris recouered his health againe growing to be lustier and stronger then euer he was before No sooner came he abroad but that he remembred to render condigne thanks vnto his faire Charge for abasing her gratious selfe so lowe as to daine to vouchsafe so often to take the paines to visit him in his sicknes through whose gentle pittie alone he confessed to hold his life Meane space Loue like a cunning Soldier that faire and softly stealeth vnto the top of his enemies walls by little and little had such interest in these two Louers that within a while after they were solemnely marryed together with all the pomp and ceremonies requisite in such a matter to the great contentment and no little pleasure of them both But alack thus was the marriage of Paris and Helena Who filde with goarie blood and flaming fire faire Troy Whilst as a wofull prey the Grecians them did stroy Thus were they placed vpon the top of the turning wheele of vnconstant Fortune yea and so surely seated as they thought that it was impossible they could be throwne downe from thence but they considered not that euery thing being come vnto his last and vrmost perfection doeth eyther alter or decay because of the ruine ouerthrow losse miserie and corruption of old things such as are nouell and new A Sentence take their Essence and beginning as of an olde Phoenix is engendered a newe one So as nothing can remaine perpetuall in this world seeing the world it selfe may not alwayes last but must one day be changed into another manner of forme then now it is Besides Fortune doth not alwayes make choyce of meane and base people for small praise and lesser glorie should she haue to deale with such she rather chusing the most mightiest most happiest and most richest persons to the end her renowme may growe more famous giuing such the ouerthrow whose haughtie pride and high prosperitie seemed to threaten euen the Heauens themselues The terrible falles of diuers Emperours Kings and Princes are sufficient testimomonies that this is but too true Of which some haue bene throwne downe so lowe from the toppe of her Wheele as they haue neuer bene able to rise againe which mischaunce hath neuer happened vnto the poorer sort who can neuer fall from high because they are wretched and are alwayes moulled alow But to returne where we left three yeares or there-abouts did our two Louers liue in all happy contentments that might be without any alteration at all for euery one imagined Iustina to be perished in the Sea in so much as there was no more search nor enquirie made after her to know what became of her But in the end as ill Fortune would haue it there was a certaine Shippe cast by Tempest vpon the same place where the Princesse before was driuen in which were two Danes escaped from shipwracke who seeing her to walke along the shore as was her vsuall custome presently knewe her and no sooner were they returned home vnto their Countrey but forthwith they informed their Prince of the whole matter who as yet tooke it very heauily and sore languished for the losse of the Princesse No sooner was hee acquainted with this newes but as one ioyfull aboue measure he resolued to haue her againe although with the losse of his dearest blood imagining in his conceit that shee was already his For Hellen so his force did Menelaus trie Resolu'de herfor to haue or else with griefe to die Meane space it happened that our Knight Alfonso was forced to make a voyage vnto the Court of his King called Ramire I will leaue to your iudgement to gesse how loth hee was to depart from her from whom he could hardly be absent without abandoning his owne life But his Honor forced him although sore against his will to make necessitie a vertue
poasting towards Alphonsos Castle where he and his companie being disguised lay in waite for the Spaniard not daring for his life to set vpon him nigh the Kings Court lest his villanre should be descried and he well punished for the same About some sixe daies after he was gone Alphonso leaueth the Court highly commended and much praised of euery one little suspecting any treason with a small traine following him when being now within two leagues of his Castle behold the vngratefull Dane and his attendants to come out of a little wood well armed at all points and to rush sodeÌ„ly vpon Alphonso who being of an excelleÌ„t spirit courage carried himselfe so brauely as before he caught his deaths wound the Prince was turned off from his horse starke dead vpon the ground by him who being the first that set vpon him But in the ende What can the valiant Hercules gainst oremuch force preuaile Couragious mindes will sooner die then yeeld themselues or quaile So our worthie Spaniard had rather be killed manfully then saue his life by base and ignoble flying away But after he had fought a long time hauing giuen vnto many their death wounds and receiuing many himselfe his enemies still hemming him in round about setting vpoÌ„ him with a fresh assault at the last he falleth downe dead from his horse which the villaines perceiuing and doubting lest they should be followed by the countrie they tooke vp the dead course of their Prince in hast lamenting this hard aduenture and setting spurres to their horse away they flew as fast as the winde being neuer heard of after Behold here one of Loues feâ—sts of a contrarie fashion vnto other bankets For his first dishes presented at the table are pleasant sweet and delightsome but his last course is bitter cruell wofull bloodie and full of murther His chiefest companion is quarrelling Mars neither doth he euer march without hauing with him either Rage Furie or Follie. Meane space some of Alphonsos men who as crauens retired apart when the skirmish was at the hottest seeing their enemies fled came backe againe where all the broile had bin longing to know how their Maister had sped whom they found with a thousand wounds well nigh bleeding through euery part of his bodie and lying amongst the thickest of his enemies which were slaine by his owne hand whereat they making most pittious mone began to search if there were yet any one sparke of life in in him or no At the last they hauing done their best indeuour to recouer him he began to come a little vnto himselfe againe when scarce being able to open his eyes dimd and damd vp with death his soule readie to flit from hence vnto a better world with a hollow voice he thratled forth these few words My dearest friends let me intreat you to shew me this fauour it being the last which I will euer hope or looke for at your hands to conuey this my martyred body vnto my faithfull spouse to the ende I may be so happie as once to see her and to bid her farewell More would I say but I am so faint I cannot His sorrowfull seruants yerning for very griefe and dissoluing themselues into salt teares cursing now though too late their cowardly running away carried his dying carkasse faire and softly towards his house To Cleopatra so Marke Anthònies dead coarse Was brought which she drew vp to her with wofull force O what a spectacle what a tragicke present and what a bitter encounter was this for miserable Iustina to meete withall who not long before had heard how happily and how valiantly her kind husband had conquered his enemie in the sight of all Spaine which good newes had filled all her spirits with an exceeding kind of pleasing ioy and comfort But alas what a change and alteration was this from the first matter Ah how much more is that misfortune liuely toucheth vs to the quicke which when we least thinke of it surprizeth vs altogether vnexpected we passing our time in iollitie and pleasure then such as we are prouided for when it commeth it being long since we looked for the same and therefore the better prepared to beare the burthen thereof Meane time the poore Ladie must needs tast this bitter potion beare as well as shee can this terrible clap of dismall thunder No sooner had she a sight of this dying coarse which she thought to be starke dead But that she tooke on as one distraught and quite out of their wits O faire haire before daintily curled how cruelly were you then torne But farre fairer face how wert thou bescratched and thou beautious brest how wert thou be bloodied So great was her anquish as she fell downe in a sowne vpon that bodie whom she so dearely loued embracing the same most tenderly it being that which she more accounted of then of any thing else in the world Thrise happie had she bin and not a little beholding vnto death if at that houre he had bereft her of life but her fortune was not so good for she was compelled to liue the longer because her paine should be the greater And now she being come vnto her selfe againe although it was a woful mirrour to behold his pale bloodlesse face his mangled flesh all to be sprinkled washed in his owne gore yet did she not sticke to kisse his wan and cold lips a thousand times and more whilst her teares serued her in steed of water to make cleane his wounds to wash away the blood and to solemnize his drerie Funerall with the same Carelesse of her health she lay long time vpon the wet ground whilst she held the coarse as pittifully in her lap as the kind nurse doth her little Infant in her armes neither did she remoue her sweet mouth from his but kept it still close thereon desirous to die as he had done Out alas alas cried she where am I who am I what do I see is it possible that I should yet breath hauing lost the onely life of my soule And you mine eyes are you so cruell vnto my health that you will abide to behold that which will force you to be more miserable and yet mine eyes my wofull eyes it is no shame to behold your best benefactor looke then on him your fill although pittilesse death hath closed vp his sight with an eternall sleepe But thou art dead for me my deare husband for my cause hast thou lost thy life and for no other O wretched iourney and most vnhappie that euer thou tookest in hand yet was it not death that slew thee No no death durst But it was I and euen I t' was I and none but I and I alone whome thou diddest thinke to be thy louing wife Ah sweete sweet Husband shall I be guiltie of this fault by murthering of my selfe which I haue committed against thee No no for my death cannot counteruaile thine Shall it be said that
soule if it were possible Why afflicting thy selfe thus doest thou adde more miserie vnto my paine If euer I haue merited anie thing at thy handes then I coniure thee by that most faithfull amitie I haue borne thee whilest I liued forbeare to lament or grieue any more And suffer I pray poore Alphonso to die quietly who accounteth himselfe most fortunate in that he seeth he dieth in thy good grace and fauour Most fortunare doeth he die hauing bene brought to his ende by base treason and not through braue valour hauing before reuenged himselfe of thy mortall enemie my deere and louely Ladie Now if I shall finde that thou seemest to enuie at my glorie shall I not then haue reason to complaine of thee to accuse thy friendship to thinke hardlie of thy promise and lastly to condemne thy most loyall Loue Alas Iustina wilt thou make mee so miserable as I shall heare my selfe to be the cause of thy death now I am dying Ah doe not that iniurie or wrong vnto him who hath loued thee dearer then the apples of his owne eyes How deerely and at what a high price doest thou sell to mee this last pleasure which I finde in dying before thy presence Diddest thou thinke Iustina when thou marriedst mee that thou hadst wedded some God or other that was immortall Deare heart Death is common and naturall to all men without sparing of any A Sentence we must all die at one time or another and if my dayes were shortned sooner then thou wishest what remedie canst thou finde against the will of the Heauens Then content thy selfe with my death without making me die againe through the vnpleasant report of thy ouerthrow Liue then liue long and happily to the end I may die the more pleasingly And here I most earnestly pray desire and adiure thee by our former mutuall loue by all our chast pleasures by our sacred band of wedlock and by the selfe-same affection which maketh thee so heauie and ioylesse for mine occasion seeke not to offer any violence vnto thy faire selfe after I am dead Speake my sweet Charge wilt thou giue me thy word as thou hast held me deare to hold this promise with me Ay mee I see thou disdainest to answere me as vnwilling to yeelde vnto this my last request Oh most disconsolate and comfortles my death And wilt thou then mine onely ioy refuse to graunt me this my last boone which I so earnestly begge of you Thou that for my sake art willing to leaue this world and who of late didst please to offer it vnto me to saue my life Be not so vnkinde now nor offer me this iniurie to refuse me in this point otherwise I protest I will curse my byrth my cruell Fortune and the froward Heauens themselues Speake then sweet Spouse for till then I forbid thee to touch my dying face and lippes Ah speake yet at length and I beseech thee be content with the hellish paines which I endure to leese thy companie without aggreuating any more my more then endlesse torments Ah cruell Husband replyed the pensiue Princesse what offence haue I done thee what iniurie haue I committed against thee and how haue I wronged the bands of our sacred marriage that thou shouldest forbid me thy presence Where is now the time in which thou hast so much desired to haue me about thee Where are those wonderfull caresses those sweet embraces and those affectionate kindnesses vsed vnto mee of late that thou shouldest now thus reiect condemne and disdaine me If I am vnworthy of thee then why diddest thou accept of me as thy companion and friend And if I haue not merited to follow thee then why hast thou ioyned my soule so strictly vnto thine Thinkest thou I would be thine liuing and would not be the same vnto thee after thou wert dead My deare Lord remember that since I first was wedded vnto thee I haue alwayes fulfilled thy commandement and that I serued and obeyed thee and thy will in all things In leiu of which perfect obedience graunt mee once what I shall desire of thee But if thou wilt not not onely be content to leaue mee a most wretched Creature after thy departure but also to make me more miserable wilt not permit me to follow thee then to render a new proofe of my great affection towards thee for the great good will I haue alwayes had to be dutifull vnto thee and to satisfie thy dying Spirit at this houre Behold I here vow not to lay any violent hands vpon my person but to attend with patience vntill it shall please the Destinies to call mee vnto thee from hence Then my kinde Loue answered the Knight let me embrace thee once againe cheerfully and let me kisse thee once more since thou art so pleasing vnto me O how much doe I acknowledge my selfe beholding vnto thee how blessed doest thou make my death and how willingly doe I depart from out this world And seeing thou hast made me this faithfull promise I most humblie beseech thee to haue alwayes in remembrance poore Alfonso thy loyall Husband Heauens graunt that if thou hast a minde to take a second choyce that thou mayest happen vpon such a one as may loue thee no worse then I haue done I feele my speech beginneth to faile me and death knocketh at my hearts doore to enter in Farewell my faire sweete louing kinde chaste and loyall wife Adieu my heart and life close vp these mine eyes and this my mouth which once was thine and cause my bodie to be carryed vnto his last home whilest I receiue for vowes thy plaintes thy teares for oblations and thy Faith for friendlie assurance That little land and wealth I haue I wholly bequeath vnto thee I will that all my goods whatsoeuer be thine although I doubt not but that thy vertues are able to purchase thee more great and precious riches Onely bestow a little peece of ground vpon his bodie who whilest he liued was vnworthy to enioy so gratious a Princesse as thy worthie selfe Farewell my good Friends and faithfull Seruants whom I desire and commaund to honour and make account of my deere Ladie and wife as you would of mine owne selfe if I were liuing whom I know will not be vnmindfull of you for your good seruices done vnto mee And cease you your womanish teares for not with effeminate teares but with shrill Trumpets and warlike Drummes the coarses of braue Souldiers are vsed to be conducted vnto their graues Once more farewell my sweete Princesse Remember what thou hast promised vnto mee and LORD receiue my soule into thy heauenlie King Alas this word Kingdome hee could not throughly pronounce Death with one stroke cutting off his voyce and his life both together at once But why hold I you so long with this Tragicall discourse or what should I report vnto you the vnspeakeable sorrowes of dispairing Iustina when shee saw her noble husband giue vp the last
plagued with death onely for that he did but send to aske aduise and counsaile of him But say that God would forgiue this sinne yet tell me I pray you what truth and certaintie can you find amongst these illuding spirits First they are for the most part ignorant of such things as shall hereafter happen as well as men be And besides there is no truth in them they being the first authors of lies and those that first taught vs to speake vntruely The poore Pamms themselues ouer whom they had so great power for that they were Infidels and abandoned of God were continually mocked deluded and most grosely deceiued by these malignant spirits As witnesse Pirrhus Alexander and thousands moe If then they would cousen their chiefest friends and dearest seruants how much more will they goe about to deceiue such as are their enemies and who as strangers giue but little credit vnto them To conclude the diuels are abiured enemies against the righteous God himselfe and therefore if we will be counted his true and faithfull soruiters indeed we must not haunt nor keepe companie with his aduersaries otherwise he will suffer them to make a prey of our soules as being vnworthie to appeare before his heauenly throne because we haue left him and followed his foes Such is the common end of such kind of people who whilst they are liuing seruing the diuels doe the like when they are dead they being rewarded with hell fire for their paines As the old man was replying againe they might perceiue two Nymphs to come towards them where they sat each of them hauing a written paper in their hands which they deliuered vnto the shepheard Arcas who vnfolding the same found these verses following Loue is a daintie force aboue all other Which doth enforce our spirits vnto good things And without it our soules were neuer able Any thing to doe rightly that deserueth Gloriefor euer Contraries it doth bring into a concòrd Bloodie warres it soone swageth Being more puissant then the Gods themselues are Sweet and the sower it ioyneth both together For to agree well Vnder him wholy gouernd is the huge world Vnder his lawes the heauens eke are subiect Rightly may he be termd a mightie Monarke Whose power extends so far as t is withouten Any set limit He doth his might vse onely exercising It in the harts of liâ—le pretie creatures greene trees Flowers plants hearbes and fruitfull springing Vnder his influence like true hartie Louers Loue one another Of a brace of soules he doth make but one soule Which death it selfe doth hardly make to sunder But man doth perish by his destny fatall Therefore is Loue more kinder to be counted Then is our fortune Simple mens fortunes he doth often raise high Making them like to those of greatest Princesse Then doth not he well merrit much rewarding That to him submits marching passing brauely Vnder his banner Hope to our fainting thoughts he bring to vs still And to our hearts he bringeth ioy and gladnes For vnto Louers nothing is so pleasant As when they see that of their louely Ladies Much they are made of He doth reuiue our glory that was extinct Through the displeasure of our peruerse Plannees Oh how the pleasure is accounted daintie After laments and bitter heauie sorrowes Which one endureth After the brunt of cruell raging Tempest We find the skies more fairer then before time Lone doth reforme vs making vs become new And to resist our mischiefes he doth backe vs Fresh to encounter T is th'happie hauen of our best assurance The sacred Lodestar Sailers vse in voyage Whilst that his sweetnesse all our fornser tranailes Which we endured in our tedious iourney Makes vs forget them Neuer hath he had taste aright of pleasure A Sentence That in the field hath neuer followed true Loue As the darke night is nothing to the faire day So to delights of Loue ther 's not vpon earth Aught to be equalde Euery ioy must yeeld vnto daintie Loues ioy Thoughts of all other what are they but bitter All chiefe contentment springeth from this kind Loue For the conceit oft is so sweetly sugred As all it passeth What we imagine of it in our minds still Cannot be bettred by our often wishing For it doth so much please vs in our owne thoughts As it reuiues vs when our soule is passing Forth of our bodies Then vnto Cupid as asacrifice fit I on his altar offer will my poore heart Nor is it disgrace for to honour rightly One that is counted as a heauenly victor Throughout the whole world These were theverses which one of the Nymphs had composed in praise of Loue but the other had writ in dispraise of the same as here followeth Vaine Loue 's a furious burning force That chastest minds burnes sanus remorse Wretched that loueth is that coarse And want shall his desire He hearts and minds makes disagree Through him great houses filled bee With slaughters treasons treacherie For he of strife is sire Millions of men he doth betray The Gods he bringeth to his bay Like subtill tyrant he doth slay Through sloth all vertue rare The smallest shrubs that grow so trim Doe vade and wither thorough him Poore beastes flie his imprisoning Who liues he doth not spare Such as in Marriage holily Are knit which none ought to vntie He seekes to lose most wickedly Faith plighted to despite Braue Kings and Princes he destroyes Mightie and feeble he annoyes Whilst that with proudest hearts he ioyes To feed his appetite The Louer oft as desperate He egges to slay himselfe through hate Better to be without Loues mate Than die and damned bee If any pleasure he doth bring For that he double doth vs sting Loue cannot yeeld forth any thing But what is sorrowes fee. To comfort vs when storme is done Then shines againe the cheerfull Sunne Where neuer ioy to Louers come For they are shipwrackt still Loue is of man the fatall Rocke A Sentence On which his ship of ease doth knocke Whilst on the sands he doth him shocke By death him for to spill He nouer felt hath any paine That hath not knowne the Louers vaine Each griefe hath but his course certaine Where Loue doth bleed for aye No ill so nigh the heart doth sit As doth this fierce tormenting fit Death is more pleasing far than it Which rids our cares away Our soules with hope it doth torment Whilst nought but Massacres are ment To die t is better far content Then ay liue languishing Loue then most cruell without grace Whom I will curse in euery place No God but diuell is in this case God tha'utor's not of sinne These verses being read before the companie the first Nymphe who wrote in praise of Loue began thus to frame her speech vnto amorous Arcas It is a matter worthy of due consideration to thinke how the Glorie of vertue flieth throughout the world eurey where and how the renowmed fame of learning filleth
stout his speech his prudent wit By this same gentle Shepheard was Sycambras pride tooke downe Since carelesse of her care for him he on her still did frowne Cruell he was without remorse vnto her endlesse paine As she vnto her Louer was retchlesse and hard againe His great disdaine this crueltie made her to feele the more Which through his beautie ouer proud he made her suffer sore Thus oft by selfe-same punishment which we doe others make To feele for our offences bad like penance we doe take A Sentence So oft the Heauens by selfe-same Blade to slay our proper Coarse With which we others slaughtered haue doe iustly vs inforce Now whilst this Shepheardesse did burne infancie with vnease Nothing vnlesse Armanda t' was her eyes bewitcht could please Yet nothing did Armanda loath so much as when he spide Sycambra hatefull to his sight for then for spite he dide Thus their desires quite contrarie the one vnto the other Could not but bring forth thousand griefs which they were forc't to smother Sycambra curst that haplesse Loue which made her for to burne For him who vnto her againe like Loue did not returne And contrarie that she must hate the Amitie so rare Which Zerphir Zerphir Louer hers most loyall to her bare For so that gentle Swaine was call'd whose friendship was not fainde And who for honoring her so much much sorrow had sustainde Meane space Sycambra night and day laments her Fortunes hard Accusing her crosse Fate and Loue from all good luck debard Whilst all this while Armanda blythe his hunting followeth fast And chasing of the Hart and Hynde his time with pleasure past He sleepeth soundly in the night withouten dread or feare Whilst amorous onely of his health himselfe he seeks to cleare But weladay the other Swayne poore Zerphir Zerphir poore As did Sycambra so did he most grieuous paines endure As well as she Armanda lou'd helon'd her or as much Whilst with the flame of selfe-same fire Loue his true hart did touch Yet could he not this vncoth flame extinguish coole or quench Loue so from case and remedy did keepe him as a fence Sycambras griefe and Zerphires paine alike were in like case Whilst from their blubbered eyes salt tearesran trickling downe apace Both wounded with like Loue and yet with diuers sundry darts Encreasing more their dolours and their pangs within their harts Sycambra nere Armanda could attaine as oft she sought Nor to affect Zerphir her Swaine she euer could be brought Most wretched her hard happe to place Loue where she reapt disdaine Withouten any remedy for to asswage her paine Nor to haue power to succour him who was her Louer true Whom she did force yet could not chuse through her disdaine to rue Thus many dayes in this estate these strange desires remaind Whilst neither length of time nor wees their Fortunes euer chang'd Sycambra louing still the man that would not her requite Nor she once smiling on her Swayne whose ioy was in her sight But in the end vnable more this choaking rage to smother She did resolue at resolute her toments to discouer To trie if she Armanda could perswade to ease her smart And if a gainfull purchase she could make of his deare hart For one day as his fashion was as he was on the wayes Attending on his flocke of sheepe which want only did grase Not thinking he of any Loue detesting such a fee Deuising thousand toyes himselfe to please as he did goe Sycambra sweetly him accosts and prayeth him doe her grace To giue her leaue her Fortunes hard she may discourse a space And not her prayers to disdaine nor yet her secret vow Nor crueller then Gods to be who vnto prayers how Vouchsafing mortall men to heare and them not to despise But mou'd vnto compassion heale their wounds in pittious wise These words Armanda galled much who nought for her did passe Yet she so vrg'de him as to heare her speake content he was She then as one amazde in minde quite out of countenance Her vitall spirits bereft of hope her ioyes for to aduance A cold swet ouer all her face quaking with frightfulnesse Her eyes halfe shut for shame her heart fraughted with much distresse Her sences daunted sore her breath still panting too and fro All which as true fore-runners did her griefs at hand fore-show Her tongue stuttring stammering thick her voyce trembling soft Now weeping and then sobbing fast and sighing then full oft She thus to him vnkinde did speake at last though first t' were long To him who pleasure small did take in this her wofull Song Ah my Armanda wilt not take on me compassion Nor of these torments which doe vexe me in this vncoth fashion Wilt thou her send most cruelly vnto her fatall Tombe Her who in soule hath vow'de thine owne alone for to become Hast thou the heart the wight that liues onely for thee to slay To th' end shee might thee dutious serue and chastly thee obey Sweet Shepheard euery labour great deserues a recompence And lesse men iustly deale the Heauens with them will not dispence They must respect vnto them giue and awfull honor chiefe A Sentence They must their Louers loue and seek to swage their inward griefe Else are they not so curteous as is the Lyonesse Who sheweth to him that feedeth her a kind of thankefulnesse Ah then regard my pittious plaintes reward me for my paine And suffer me to ioy thy loue which I deserue to gaine After a long laborious toyle the Husbandman doeth reape The wisht for fruit which Haruest doth with plentie on him heape Whereby hee well is guerdoned for moyling so before Forgetting quite all former care which troubled him full sore And wilt thou I that partie be afflicted with such crosse That I alone shall merite none receiue for all my losse That I shall alwayes liue in Dole in sad lamenting still Nor finde no ease for all my griefes is this thy pleasures will Wilt thou be without pardon sweete and mercie all alone Like to a Furie full of hate wilt thou be such a one Ah sweete Armanda hart too faire so cruell for to bee Beautie and Mercie as two Twinnes together stillagree A Sentence Euen as the Iuye with his armes the wall doeth close embrace Winding himselfe most hard thereto So Beautie cleanes to Grace And wilt thou then by Bedlem rage thy Beautie rare defame Wilt thou through thy strange crucltie purchase a Murtherers name Wilt thou ore-come with ore-much spite force her vnwilling die Who thee adoreth as the Gods aboue most reuerently Alack Armanda doe not so thy Vertue so to wrong Wise men themselues so carrie as they after death liue long A Sentence Wee must not haue respect alone vnto the present thing But hope that future praise great ease vnto our soules may bring Ah then deare Shepheard mercie showe to mee which shall redowne To thy immortall Glory
th'Iron doth the Adamant so drawes she him to smart Whilst metamorphisde into teares of woe he knoweth no meane His torments being so cruell as his griefes are too extreame He thinkes no more of his poore sheepe he hath forgotten those No other thought now troubles him but how to end his woes His voyce his crie his gesture sad and his most morunfull speech Are all of Loue and how they Loue for succour may beseech His colour now is chang'd and gate so is his wonted grace Nored nor white as heretofore remaineth in his face Like ashes he lookes pale and leane whilst sorrow drieth his bones Nor hath he strength for to doe aught except to send forth grones Without all hope or comfort he doth draw his loathed life And for his refuge death doth seeke torid him of this strife But death is deafe vnto his call as fieree Sycambra is And therefore thou and th' other too he gainst his will must misse Well may he call but they 'le not come once comfort for to bring But leaue him when he needes them most to liue thus languishing In briefe the heauens death and men with destuies doe conspire Gainst him that he shall burne yet haue no meane to quench this fire Nothing preuailes him to auaile whilst on the other side Sycambra in like predicament as he is doth abide Of thonsand bloodie passions she participateth vext Yet nothing can relieue her whilst she languisheth perplext Armanda iests and her when she doth speake at euery word He skoffes nor fauour he at all to her will once afford He laughes to see her weepe to heare her sigh it makes him smile Nor will so much as one small dram of pittie yeeld the while But growing too too insolent and puffed vp with pride He wills her to depart and die nor cannot her akide Swearing by all the Gods that he will sooner seeke his death Then fancie her as long as he shall draw his vitall breath She seeing her selfe disdained thus doth ban her destinie And after many strange conceits resolueth for to die By some strange kinde of vncoth death she meanes to cure her wound Which Loue as foe had giuen her her sences to confound Without imploring any more sauadge Armandas aide Who neither her nor her kinde sute respected aught or waide So loyall Hero of her life an end would willing make When faire Leander she did see drowned for her sake Ah fretting corsie worse then death with neuer endles smart When cheating Loue impoysoneth the constant loyall heart More cruell then the rest by odds for dying we but range From this life to another while we make a better change Whereas the for lorne Louers life so bitter is and fell As thousand deaths they chuse before they will abide the hell Of all the torments then on th' earth Loue most outragious is Loue that our youths makes wither fast depriuing as of blisse Sycambra therefore now resolu'de to die doth soone entend That so at length her Agonies and senselesse griefes may end A trenchant blade she taketh vp but viewing it so kright And sharpe she straitway lets it fall so much it her doth fright Her heart will not endure her hand should set it to her brest And therefore with such inchauntment to die she doth detest A throtling halter doth displease as much as sword before So rusly to be strangled stiffe her faire necke doth abore She poyson takes but her conceit that drench hath ouerthrowne Which makes her halter poyson sword all three to let alone A gentler kinde of death though strange she hath found out as the Which is t'entombd her selfe aliue torid her of her woe She meanes within a Rocke obscure from other Rockes far wide With thousand Ditches compassed and bushes on each side Fearefull to Sauadge beasts themselues and horrible to men Her selfe there to enclose and there her selfe doth closely pen. Thus lanquisht she most wrethedly no meate she had nor bred But sighes and sobs no drinke at all but teares which fast she shed No meate she would but mone no drinke but dole to end her life Meaning hereby her coarse to spoyle through starning famines knife The skriching night Owles dolefully her wailings did assist And lucklesse Rauens moand her Loue whilst they to her did list Death whom she wisht for oft at hand was still though not so nigh As she desirde and sorrow was with her continually No voyce she vsde but cries no speech but drerie drie laments So heauily she mournes as Rockes for pittie doe relent Yet no man answeres her at all The comfort most she findes Is when false Ecco her last word againe vnto her windes But he that of her miserie is cause and motiue chiefe Is deafe vnto her praiers become nor yeeld will her reliefe More hard then stubborne Rocks then hills more Sauadge and more fierce He will not mollifie his heart no pittie can it pierce His weale it is to see her waile her bale to him is blisse Whilst in a state most pittilesse far worse then death he is O Tygers whelpe monster of men worthy of any blame Too much vnworthy to be lou'd of such a constant dame Ah may that fortune chaunce to thee as to Adonis coy Who of a Goddesse dayning loue a Boore did him destroy And let it hap to thee as to Narcissus peeuish Elfe Who others Loues refusing did in loue fall with himselfe Yet can I not say that the Gods are partiall but most iust The selfe same measure others we doe giue we looke for must So Ladies had Sycambra kinde vnto her Zerphir bene She had not then such tortors felt nor had abid such teene As she did bide still languishing desirous for to die Whilst she to death Armanda like to come to her doth crie Yet hopes she thus she cannot liue and that her times not long Her heart she findes alreadie broke for bearing so great wrong Besides her fainting bodie fraile prognosticates to her By reason nature's growne so weake death is not from her far Much doe the gastly dreames she hath in slumber her affright And fearefull apparitions strange which she beholdes in night Sometimes they to her bring dispare then her with hope they feede With hope in vaine which when she wakes her wounds more fresh make bleed For he that nothing hath to loose needs not to waile his losse Nor needs he feare that Fortunes wheeles swift turning should him crosse Where he is in most pittious plight that viewes his chiefest stay Which should from ruine him support on sudden tooke away Long time Sycambra in this wise most vncoth liued thus Like to the shape of gastly death in case most dolorous Whilst in meane space Famine and Griefe with neuer ceasing cries Her flesh did turne to bones her heart tormenting in strange guise Her colour which before was fresh and daintie as the Rose And that same beautious varnish pure no more now in her showes Like to
know but too too well whose perfect Picture right Is too too liuely portraide forth within mine inward spright T is thou I know but too too well though changd thou art the same I for Sycambra thee will know thou still shalt be my dome T is thou t is thou that diest with sobs and sighes tormented thou Whilst blest thou thinkst thy selfe to leaue a life so deleroâ—â— T is thou that parting from this world this wold is maked left And voyd of pleasure and delight which with thee is bereft Woe is me and must these eyes yet no eyes but streames of brine Liue for to see eclipsed to be so faire a Sun-shine Whose glittring Lampes my chiefest light of yore were wont to bee Without whose glances bright nor day nor morning I could see Alas my God why was I not when that I first was borne Transformd into some stone then thus to be false Cupids scorne Why died I not before the time in loue with thee I fell Since thy plagues vndeserude doe proue my soule a Criminell Why doe I not miscarrie but against my will that liue Through force of this so vmust Laewe the more my soule to grieue Which forceth her to die that doth deserue to liue for are Whilst wretched me who merrit death it will not take away Ah too too partiall lawlesse law of miserable Loue Accursed be that day wherein thou first this life didst proue O Gods dart downe your thunder bolts vpon my hatefull head Plague me not her t is I not she that should be punished This trunke of mine vnprofitable of vitall breath bereane Since that mischieuous Loue doth me in my best loue deceiue Ding downe to hell this coarse of mine this wicked periur'd carse Consuming it to powder small by flashing lightnings force Kill Zerphir kill that by oue death he end may all his wee And with the same rid all his plagues that in him daily growe But fairest Faire must thou needs die O losse inestimable No no thou canst not die for death to kill thee is not able Thy glory mongst both Gods and men shall neuer haue an end Despite of Destny Vertue this from Tombe shall still defend Within the hearts of liuing men shall be thy lasting graue And as another Pallas thou shalt reuerence of them haue Thy soule hath heretofore too rich and royall tired beene Thy beautie eke too sacred and thy Faith too constant seene Then as base seruile Bond-slanes poore tide vnto Vassalage Subiect to be or homage yeeld to deaths ore hastie rage No louely Ladie thou shalt liue and Zerphir he shall die Because he came not as he should to helpe thee speedily Zerphir must die who by his death atrue certificate Shall shew how through the want of thee that be to liue doth hate Zerphir must die because he cannot after thee seruine Nor without thy sweet companie delight to be aliue Zerphir must die because depriude he is of thy sweet face And therefore meanes by selfe same steps the selfe same path to trace Yet my soules ioy if of my griefe if truth that nere did swarue The smallest sparke of fauour left did ere of thee deserue If my deare blood to beautie thine which willing I afford As sacrifice for to be shed merrits of thee one word Ah then looke vpon Zerphir thine these sighes and sobs restaine And fore he dieth vouchsafe to speake to him a word or twaine This is the onely boone I craue to which but condiscend And most contented then below to th' other Ghostsile wend. But I perceiue thou wilt not grant this fute cruell to me I cannot this small grace obtaine I finde it will not be Why then le ts brauely hence depart le ts die her face before And lets before her seeke to gaine the 〈◊〉 Elizian shore So saying he full oft farewell Sycumbra did rehearce Which done his sword he plact against his brest the same to pearce When as Sycambra wakt as t' were from forth her passions sad To see Zerphir arriued there by her was much aâ—rad But more she troubled was when she percou'd how in that place He as one desperate would haue slaine himselfe before her face This forced her pittiously to looke towards him and with her hand To make a signe as though she would grannt what he did demand Beckning to him to throw his blade from him which he ore bolde Had drawne to sley himselfe whilst she her meaning would vnfolde To which the Shepheard willing greede approaching to her nie Longing to heare what she would say resolude with her to die He comforts her he cheareth her he praieth her leaue her mone Whilst she with much adoe these words her last will forth doth grone Zerphir if I haue iniurde thee as needs I must confesse Yet more reuenge then what is light on me thou needs not presse If heretofore my beautie proud hath oft abused thee The heauens to punish that foule fault thou now dost iustly see I feele and that but rightfully the very selfe same griefe That thou endur'st to liue disdaind daining Sanus reliefe I die Zerphir I die in paine because as thou I loue Then with my death contented be since I this penance proue Now I coniure thee if thou feelst the tortors and the plagues Allotted vnto Louers true which neuer cease to rage If thou dost know that sdainfull power of Cupids matchlesse force Which makes vs often count of such as yeeld vs no remorse And such as much doe make of vs as barborous and vngrate To scorne their sutes and for their Loue them to repaie with hate Then Zerphir pardon I beseech since I haue made thee smart Thou seest although not by thy meanes enough reuengde thou art That eye which once did thee contemne with ouer-haughtie scorne Death to requite thy wrongs on it and vpon me hath sworne Sycambra dieth plungd in woe and none doth her deplore Her countenance and complexion both are chaunged ouer sore Her face is blooalesse and heate doth keepe within her vaines Her armes are brawne-falne in her cheekes no colour now remaines She dyeth she dieth desirous more to die then for to liue Onely that thee she could not helpe nor succour she doth grieue Ah Zerphir if to thinke on me no anguish thee t will bring If for thy ouer cruell Dame it moues thee any thing And if that Loue of late so hot be not as yet growne colde But as a valiant conquerour thy heart doth prisoner holde If yet affection thou bearst her who neuer thee affected And that all pittie thou hast not from pittying her reiected Then humblie I doe thee beseech by that rare former Loue That these thy griefes right bottomlesse compassion kinde may mone And that this thy compassion sweet for me may so preuaile As thou to graunt one sute to her vouchsafe not for to faile And this it is I beg of thee that after th'Iron sleepe Of death shall cease vpon my
steed of reward for doing good turnes and how bitter is the paine which we endure through the malice of those whome wee loue best and of whom we expect the like friendship againe The offence we receiue of our enemie is tollerable because the law permitteth reuenge in that case whereas the law of friendship forbiddeth to reuenge vs on such whom we affect for feare of their displeasures Ah my good God what fault haue I committed against my husband that he should vse mee thus despitefully Haue I as Clitemnestra defiled our Nuptiall bed Haue I as Hellena the Greeke run into the armes of a rauisher of women Or as Semiramis haue I polluted mine honour and chastitie with incestious kind of liuing Oh no I feare no such matter God that seeth the sectets of all hearts knoweth my conscience is free of any such ill What haue I then done Alas I know not Alas for what sinne am I thus seuerely punished But O sweet Lord as thou art diuine in thy miracles and terrible in thy iudgements the exemption of which commeth either soone or at last so I confesse thou now doest punish mee either for some fault of mine that is past or else for the sinnes which my forefathers haue committed against thee And yet this is some comfort vnto me that I am not the first Innocent that hath bene sore afflicted For so was Susanna so was Iob so was Ioseph and so were diuers others farre more godly then my selfe O miserable Dido and yet more happie then I am though thou wert left forsaken by forsworne Eneas for short was thy paines not long was thy griefe and sodaine was thy complaints a gentle death ending with thy life all thy sorrowes and cares together whereas I haue not the selfesame libertie to die as thou hadst an other respect holdeth my hands death being not in my power as it was in thine But now in the meane time what shall I doe whether shall I goe or what shall become of me The Sea will make mee no way to returne from whence I came and the furious rage of my husband will not suffer me to come on land Am I become some Patricide whom the lawes of man depriue of aire of earth and of water O lamentable chaunce of mine pittifull death receiue this my wretched carkasse into thy bosome there to be huried and rather sinke this vessell wherein I now abide before thou carrie me backe vnto that place wherein I haue receiued so great despite and wrong Alas mine eyes what can you see to delight you any longer when he that is most pleasing vnto you debarreth you from his louely presence To whom wilt thou my voyce speake seeing he hath closed thy mouth whose speech before was most agreeable vnto my soule And you my feete whither now will you take your coarse seeing that he who was wont to guide your steps vnto the Lodge of pleasure hath now shut the gate against you Ah gentle death if euer the wailings and lamentings of a most distressed wretch haue euer moued thee to compassion and pittie ah then let me obtaine the same at thy hands Do that which my cruell Husband ere long will put in practise making meas happie as I am now vnfortunate Thrise blessed Portia death came vnto thee to helpe thee at thy need and thou acceptedst of his helpe happie Ariadne for God tooke care of thy life made much of thee and in steed of Theseus accepted of thy companie And O luckie Olimpia though abandoned of Birannos thy forsworne Husband yet a great Prince reuenged thy wrong and tooke thee to wife where thou liuedst afterward in much ioy and delight But alas no man helpeth me none succoureth me neither doth any come to assist me in bewailing my misfortunes Who then hath euer had so strange a mishap as my selfe Ah that the spirit and Quintesence of my griefe could dissolue into teares that it might distill forth from out mine eyes and that I might die like him that hauing his vaines opened in warme water loseth both his life and blood together Or that my sorrowfull heart wearie with ouermuch sighing and sobbing would breake and burst in peeces Might I but die I would not care what kind of death I suffered so that once I were dead for no death be it neuer so monstrous is equall with the least anguish that I sustaine Degenerate knight and voyd of all remorse seeing thou meanest to entertaine all kind of cruelties whatsoeuer that haue bene found in any creature yea cuen worse then the bruite beasts themselues doe vse why doest thou not put in practise the bloodie execution of the same by cutting in twaine my throat as thou hast most irreligious cut in sunder the sacred band of Marriage which should haue bound vs still fast together Thou canst not do me a greater pleasure nor a better satisfaction canst thou make me for so many bad parts as thou hast plaide against me than to make an end of me with that hand which hath so often vowed and sworne in most solemne manner that I onely maintained his Maister aliue But I forget my selfe let God I beseech worke with me as it pleaseth his holie will for iust he is and iust are his iudgements he knoweth the hearts of euerie one and he that is most culpable of vs twaine he will I am assured in the end punish Whilst she was thus bewailing her misfortunes behold newes commeth vnto her that her husband was liuing the Citie to goe forth to the wars through which occasion she might very easilie if she pleased haue accesse and speech vnto him Which when she heard she stood long time doubtfull what to doe for as Loue perswaded her to present her selfe before him so the feare to offend him the iust disdaine for so abusing her with rage iealousie despite did disswade her from the contrarie What should she then doe she both loued feared the presence of her Husband she wonderfully desired to see him yet sore doubted lest in offring to see him she should too much moue and anger him by reason he had giuen commandement she should not as much as once presume to come into his sight But see the sudden changing of mans nature and how God oftentimes putteth men in minde of their owne good and soules health when they are approaching nigh vnto their ends to the intent they vtterly ouerthrow not themselues For Horatio who so mortallie hated his chaste and loyall wife being mounted on horse-backe to encounter with the enemie sodenly began to be touched with a secret aduertisement from God sore longing as then to see her whilst from his soule repenting him for his foule fact his conscience tolde him that the Almightie would punish him for the same as he himselfe thought he deserued no lesse marching thus forward although not with that alacritie of minde nor that braue and stout resolution as he was wont to doe but rather heauily
Ceres of me praise deserue Though all the ground with Corne doth swarue When I through hunger pure doe starue And readie am to pine My broken ioyes repaire who may Who can my weeping Conduits stay Since who of sorrow is the pray Belongeth vnto griefe Mine eyes which death orechargeth sore As now can waile and weepe no more Since shee is gone whom I adore And who brought them reliefe My hart through sorrow's waxen cold Loosing what hee most deare did hold Blessed if that in graue enrold He were his hopes being past No comfort to my soule 's arriude He seekes the meanes to be disliude So Piramus of Loue depriude Gane vp his latest gaspe Now I my cruell Faire haue lost Of what sweet comfort may I boast Yet for ones Mistris to be lost The paines of death or pleasure He is not bound in world to liue Who alwayes languishing doth grieue When hee by dying may it relieue Which to him is a Treasure The Sunne though hidden be his beames Extinguisht yet are not his gleames So Lady mine her sight forth streames Though she is farre from me More cruell did I feele the paine When her faire glannce burnt euery vains Respecting what I now doe gaine Although shee absent be When shee was tooke from me away Why then did not my heartsome slay For who with Conquerour his is pray Cannot be said to die Ah cruell day and lucklesse time When as I lost those lookes dinine My soule consumde away did pine Wanting that Deitie Then seeing that deprinde I am Of her no longer liue I can My Fortunes hard I le curse and ban Expecting still for death Withouten soule no bodie liues His Mistris losse a Loner grienes Whilst he such wofull torments prieues As none feele like on earth The olde Magician and the Knight hearing so dolefull a Dittie sung by the Shepheard Arcas who did nothing but lament for the absence of his Diana could not choose but weepe when after hee had made an end of his Song they might heare him vse these speeches vnto himselfe O troublesome and vnquiet Sunne who hath caused thee so soone to leaue thy bed before thy wonted time And what need had anie Creature of thine so quick to returne as long as they ouer-wearied and tyred with trauatle slept sweetly vnder the protection of the secret and still Night A Similie And how happie was I before thy brightsome comming For then at my pleasure I did contemplate and behold the face of Diana shining in the heauens which nourished in my soule the remembraunce of my beautious Goddesse And what can delight me more then to thinke on her who resembleth her much and who it honoured with her name Nothing pleaseth the sicke man so much as his health which he desireth aboue all things although many times in vaine And so nothing is so much agreeable to me as my faire Mistris whome I doe often wish for although to no ende For the pale and breathlesse coarse layde vpon the colde ground is not more depriued of life A Sentence then I am voyd of all hope to see my cruell Faire againe Miserable is hee that languisheth without all hope for nothing sweeteth the sharpnes of his wound when as a little hope alone is of force to nourish the poorest wretches in the world Easie are the trauailes and gentle the paines that one suffereth whilst he hopeth For the conceit of the delight of the thing he hopeth for maketh them pleasant changing them into contentment and ioy whereas the labour and paine of him that is in dispaire of all hope is most dangerous insupportable and intollerable Tell me mine eyes to what end doe you see and giue light if you can no more behold her who was your chiefest delight O faire and louely Diana in what place soener it is thy Fortune as now to bee making the same blessed with thy beautious presence Heauens graunt that thou mayest liue happilie and that the remnant of all my good Fortunes if at least I haue any reserued for me be heaped bestowed vpon thee whilst I in the meane space will liue here alone in this solitary Wood to bewaile my disasters and languish daily as one in a consumption that piecemeale pineth away and can neuer be cured For to what end doth he make intercession or praiers vnto the Heauens whom the Heauens themselues doe holde for their enemie That man that is difasterly destined hath no reason to expect any good fortune which if he doth he but mocketh himselfe and in the end doth finde he is deceiued So I looke for nothing that is comfortable or pleasing to come from aboue because I know my selfe to be in the number of those miserable Caitifs A Sentence who neuer haue felt any thing here in this world but woe and distresse vntill they haue bene layed and lodged within their graues O too too partiall Fates of men that some should be still happy luckie and blessed in euery thing and others so vnfortunate that they should neuer taste of aught but of sorrow care and anguish And of this last accursed crue I am the chiefe But perhaps some will say Eucry one feeleth his owne griefe and misfortune but not that which another is tormented withall Yet let such iudge but indifferently of my case and then I know they cannot chuse but pittie me For is it not an euill to be endured for one to loose the cheerfull light of his owne sweete life his much desired health and well-fare his owne louing natiue Countrey his deare Parents and his affectionate friends and acquaintance without finding any succour or reliefe at all but of his proper enemies For vaine is the helpe of them from whom I hoped and as bootlesse is the reward of my trauaile that I am like to receiue of such as I serued O miserie worse then dispaire it selfe for one to be beholding for his good Fortune vnto his mortallfoe and not finde recompence of those of whome he hath so well deserued O Themistocles it was thou that didst passe through this narrow straight being welcommed caressed and honorablie entertained of thy cruell aduersarie when thou wert banished by thy ingratefull Countreymen whom thou hadst most faithfully serued and oftentimes most valiantly fought for to saue their â—â—es and Countrey And thou Coriolanus didst finde the like fauour and grace amongst thine enemies after thy owne Citizens had vnkindly driuen thee out of their Citie whom thou before hadst serued loyallre with many testimonies of rare and wonderfull fidelitie And such was thy Fortune braue Alcibiades exiled by thine owne people and entertained most louingly by the Spartanes thy hatefull deadly foes In your Ship doe I saile in your boate doe I rowe and the selfe-same mishap you had doe I participate of but sore full sore against my minde for in an ill houre was he borne that is driuen vnto such a narrow estate as he is forced to haue recourse
world there not being found any of so foule a tougue that dare to speak against them No no it is not so easie a matter to burie and interre the glorie of the vertuous for vertue shineth still in despite of all her enemies although they seeke but yet in vaine by many strong and subtill deuises to eclipse and ouerthrow the same And though Virgill haue written against modest Dido yet is shee made famous for her honestie and so accounted of despite of such as thought to darken and smother such rare and admirable vertues as were within her Vpon diuers considerations and with diuers kinde of conceits haue the learned written of women And an easie matter is it to iudge by the stile by the phrase and by the affection of the writer if they were chaste and vertuous or no For it is not possible that he that describeth an vnhonest woman and of whom he hath had his pleasure can carrie that awfull respect that temperate moderation and that dutifull feare in his stile towards her as well and in as good order as that man that doth blazon forth although he loueth her well the admirable vertues of a chaste and modest Ladie because one cannot although he would respect or feare that which is his owne or rather is in Common as well vnto others as vnto himselfe But of her that is chast sober and well qualified a man cannot speak but with great aduise and mature deliberation as when wee speake of the Gods because we haue no interest in her Then is it but a hard interpretation to thinke that the modest and regardfull writings of a loyall Louer bring any disparagement vnto the faire vertues of his louely Mistris when she shall so highly be praised in that she hath with stood so many strong assaults of such as haue laide batterie against the inuincible Fort of her admirable chastitie and when euerie one shall see and reade of her more then rare qualities drawne and painted forth in their liuely and right colours with the cunning pensill of the loftie verse of her most faithfull seruant And after this manner O diuine Diana doe I pretend to write of thee and make thee famous and when thou findest that I meane otherwise then let most shamefull death befall mee defacing and ouerthrowing mee and my writings as most vnworthie to be seene or looked vppon or once to be remembred within the memories of man But yet answered the Nymph I would faine know what you shall get by louing me For neuer shall you find as long as I liue that I will be Scholler vnto Loue so cruell and vniust a Maister hee is And to prooue that this is true by example seeing no reason will satisfie you I will not stick to take the paines to tell you a strange historie Herevpon faire Diana placing her selfe in the middest of the other Nymphes who as I were rauished at her great wisedome beganne to recount her Tragedie with a most pleasing grace in this sort following About what time the earth withouten sowing plentiously Brought vnto men their Haruest rich and that continually When as the wisht for bearded Corne which Ceres forth doth bring Waxt ripe without all cockle bad in fields faire glistering When bended Trees in Autums raine with burdens there did grone So full of fruit they hung without deceiuing any one When euery hedge a vineyard was and that in goodly show Thousand and thousand bunches thicke of grapes each where did grow When as the harmelesse flocks of beasts and thick-woolld bleating sheepe Did rouâ— themselues abroad alone and on the mountaines keepe When all the long day Heads of Cattell grazde euery where Withouten doubt of Wolfe or Foxe of Tyger or of Beare When Elmes and Reech with stately Okes drop honie downe amaine Which on the plants and tender hearbes in deawie wise did raine Before that any thunder cracke and lightnings flashie blast On flintie marble Rocks did seaze and them in middest brast When all was quiet full of peace and when this selfe same place Blessed Astrea with her gifts most happilie did grace When fire and sword hard Iron and steele were banished away Which at the first the causers were of worlds and mans decay When that in steed of blood and warre was nothing but milde peace Which made the earth with thousand ioyes to flourish and encrease In that blest time and happie age a Shephear desse did liue To whom all for her beautie rare the palme and prize did giue Thrise happie Stella was she clâ—apt and well she might be so For neuer starre in firmament more faire and bright did show As Luna when in midst of pride she sheweth in frostie night With sparkling lights attended on so shon her beautie bright But yet alas the mortall woes and hard end she did passe Did testifie but too too well that shâ— not happie was The names of things to the natures oft accord and well agree And yet to the names the natures oft discordant shew to bee Malitious LOVE as subtill spie abounding in all malice Amongst sweet pleasures seekes to sowe errors and shamefull vice He likes alife sorrow and griefe to chop our ioyes among And pleasure ours to turne to paine the more to doe vs wrong Iealous he is of mortalls good of their sweet ease and rest And in their actions them to crosse he makes an vsualliest This made him cast himselfe into the eies of this maide faire Which as a torch scru de for to set a fire most deadly care Of her bright glaunces diammds right he forged all his darts With which he as mercifull did pierce the loyalst harts Her flaxen haires were bands wherewith as Conquor he controld And bound most fast the soules that were most wariest and most bold Of her sweet smiles and pleasing speech he made a luring baite Through which to rauish minde and sense he couert lay in waite As with the sound of his rare Harpe when Orpheus vsde to sing Hard stubborne Rocks and liuelesse woods he forst to follow him As beasts and Birds did tend on him as gastly spirit of hell To list to Musicke his of their owne mindes did them compell And as the fowler slie by note of his deceitfull pipe The simple Bird vnwittingly arawes in his net to light And as the adamant that nere by lightning taketh flawe The Iron by a secret power vnto him close doth drawe So by the louely smiles and by the sugred speech and grace Of this rare Damozell Loue did charme the minds of men apace By th'unnie of her daintie tongue they too too credulous Themselues did offer for to fall in daunger perilous Now in this place liu'd Shepheards twaine the proprests of all others Instuture tall and vpright height there were not two such Louers Nor were they onely goodly wights but strong withall and stout Oft they the Beare and Lion chaste the Forrest all about For hunting at that time was alâ— their sport
and now he loues her well Which is the cause with armes though weake he seckes to make a shift And trieth if her sore languishing he from the ground can lift He openeth her faire eyes and forc't through Cupids proud command He kisseth them ten thousand times whilst senslesse she doth stand O God how rich and puissant is Loue and of what great power All former iniuries to make him cancell at this hower Desire for to reuenge his wrongs as Louers wont to vse He now abhors with such bad meanes himselfe hee 'le not abuse Hee 'le rather die then offer wrong to his disloy all Dame Minding in death to honon her and to conceale the same Softly he rubs her liuelesse face oft kissing her faire lippes And being deadly sicke from them dead almost life he sippes Her fore-head he doth water with his brinish teares that flowe Her fore-head father of his griefe and motlue of his woe Thus whilst he ouer her doth mourne Stella gins to reuiue Wondring that Cloridon she sees againe to be aliue Who feeling now his senses faile and life to fleete full fast With hallow poyce and throtling throate he spake these speeches last Ah Stella I st thou whom I haue lou'de then mine eyes more deare I st thou that dost before me in this pittions plight appeare I st thou ingratefull cruell wench whom I doe see here lye Hard by my side whilst for thy sake I doe vniustly die I st that bright Diamond eye of thine that wounded hath my hart 〈◊〉 That eye that gainst all reason makes me renerence my smart I st that faire Forehead yet forsworâ—e and those gold haires of thine That haue bene enemies to me and to all good of mine Ah Stella what hast done thy faith alas why didst thou breake So dearely prised on my side through yeelding ouer-weake Why hast shou falsly lefs thy Spouse thy loyall Cloridon And entertained in his stead on suddaine Aridon Since at the first thou willing me and vnconsty giued tooke No reason t' is that now sans cause I should be thus forseeke Thou hauing then abused me to tell how I abhorre Hast thou the face and darest thou to come my face before Alas should I permit thee Or should I now banish theâ— As periurde wretch whom I doe finde mine ouerthrow to bee LOVE and the Heauens for witnesses against thee doâ— I craueâ— If whilst I liu'd I any way myselfe abused haue My faith and vowe plighted to thee I alwayes haue conserâ—de My loyaltie thou prâ—oued hast of thee it well desornde Not any but thine onely selfe alone I loued still And now I die O spite to hate thee I haue not the will Yet hast thou falsified thy Faith and gone from thy first word Whilst for true loue false fained loue to me thou dost afford But haue I so ill merited and Aridon so well That thou shouldst entertaine him and me thou shouldst expell Ah I haue seene that with mine eyes in such vndâ—cent sort As cause that they haue seene too much they now are All-amort I haue thee seene kisse Aridon false Aridon vniust Whilst to caresse him as thou didst my hart in twaine did burst Disloyally through periurie thy Faith thou broken hast Thine Honor lyeth in the dust and thy good Name is past Thy glorie through inconstancie hath caught her deadly wound Thy credit stained is nor more it can be healed sound Who euer would imagine once or euer would haue thought That one so faire a beautie would so fowle a deed haue wrought Who euer would haue had suspect an eye so full of loue â—â—full of infidelitie vnconstantly would proue Ah say discurteous too vnkinde why hast thou me deceiu'd This thy false show of Amitie hath me of life bereau'd For not my death t' is I lament nor much of that I waide If thou hadst not my meaning chast and honest minde betraide Had I not found thee mutable vnconstant wauering bad Not lingered nor languished in life I so much had This mischiefe that thou false art found and double in thy hart Doth gaull my soule worse thousand times then deaths most keenest dart But yet although thou hast to me this iniurie procur'de Although thy loue to me is found immodest and periur'd Yet now I die I loue thee still though I t' is am abusde My death yet shall disponce with thee and thou shalt be excusde Loue that at first me vnto thee in bands most strict did binde Commands me on alleageance mine with thee no fault to finde â—hen iudge of I did honour thee whilst I did liue on earth Sence dying now I doe the same and will doe after death And since it is thy will sweet soule that I shall leaue this place Why doth such outrage offer now vnto thy beautious face If the thy will that I shall die and that to haue me dead Me and thy selfe in subtill wise thou hast dishonoured Why sobst and sighest why with fist doest beate thy tender brest To see as thou desir'st that I be freed from this vnrest Ah leaue to shed teares thus for me now good thy selfe appease To see this sight torments me more and more doth me disease Weepe not for me vnworthie I that thou for me shouldst waile Since those thine eies once my chiefe blisse are now become my baile Nor seeme thou thus to grieue for him or aught for him to 〈◊〉 Who not thy loue deseruing dieth because he was forlorne No no dissembling wretch thou doest not weepe for death of mine â—et fore I part let me once kisse those daintie lips of thine Let me dying but kisse those eies although I not deserue Which for to light me to my Tombe in steed of tâ—â—ch shall â—erne What wilt thou not grace me so much this fauour wilt not graâ—â—â— To haue obtaind so much at my last gaspe shall I not vaunt Dost thou denie to suffer me to tast of that sweet good Which heretofore I oft haue had within this darkesome word When our sacred mariage rights consummated with oth Vowing one to the other faith and to be constant both Why doest refuse me cruell since I die through heauie griefe Whilst dying thou 'lt not to my paine ad debut some small reliefe Stella this hearing next in soule perplexed with strange paine Once more vpon her faithfull Swaine doth fall on sound againe She falleth downe vpon his brest her bodie senselesse is When fainting Cloridan begins afresh her for to kisse And now what 's true he doubts and thinkes he was deâ—eined right Cursing his follie ouerbold and hating his best sighs He cannot thinke that Stella was with any one vntrue When he doth see how pitiously he taketh on anewe So oft to fall in Traunse so oft such Corsiues to endure Which makes him curse his tongue such woes that to her did prâ—sâ—â—â—â— But in the end she to her selfe againe comes when with cries And pittious plaints she breaketh forth thus in lamenting wise O
armes hung downe Sans motion and like a picture faire Which linelesse is in colours wrought tresemblance so she bare The wofull Shepheard when this sight most dolorous he spide Afresh his plaints he doth renew and out aloud he cride Kissing this linelesse coarse and dying he seekes himselfe to ease Whilst her embracing he doth thinke her griefes somewhat t' appease His sight he wistly sixeth on her face and on her eies And like amad man he takes on in most outragious wise Yet he to Stella listueth still who still doth him require And pray to pardon her foule fault this oneli's her desire And as she giueth vp the ghost she forth these words doth grone Ah pardon me sweet pardon me the most distressed one Sweet Gloridan forget for giue poore Stella for her ill She did offend but knew it not it was against her will Oh in one Tombe let me with thee sweet friend be buried Gods lawes command to pardon such as doe offend being dead Farewell deare Spouse and graunt to me but this my last request Farewell for death to seaze on me I feele alreadie prest I le meete thee in the Lizian fields and then I will thee knowe Once more farewell my Cloridan for now from thee I goe So saying she doth breath her last as any stone she is cold Yet closely in his feeble armes the Shepheard doth her hold But when that he had bleeding left which like a spring did come From forth his brest and mongst the blood of his faire Stella runne He laieth her softly downe by him her eies he then doth close And by her side placing himselfe vnto his end he growes And hauing cried out full oft as one accursed most That he was author of her death he giueth vp his ghost Whilst by his warme blood and salt teares he seeketh to appease His Ladies spirit late gone from thence to liue with greater ease A thousand times he saith farewell sweet Stella still he cride And in the end in selfe same sort as Stella did he dide Their bodies twaine which whilst they liude had but one soule alone Were buried both together shut within one Tombe and stone And Aridon that Traitor curst who these two Louers paind By iustest punishment of Gods into a Rocke was changd Which Iupiter doth oftentimes scourge for his former sin With thunder-bolts breaking his top and all to battering him Then let no Louer once presume vnlawfull meanes to seeke But be resolued to be content as shall their Ladies leeke For forced Loue or treacherie will nere proue well at all Which if they vse worse plagues shall them then Aridon befall After the faire Nymph had made an end of her dismall historie she spake thus vnto me Now Shepheard confesse confesse I say by this example the vniust crueltie of Loue. He that will not yeeld neither vnto presidents nor vnto reasons ought to be accounted as a most obstinate and ignorant person for it is more follie not to submit vnto reason then to be altogether vnacqainted with the same It is an old said sawe that he is happie whom other mens harmes can make to beware For to growe wise at the charges of another and not at his owne cost is a greater treasure then the golden sands of the riuer Pactotus As for mine owne part this examample with diuers others which I can report and all vnto this purpose wherein Loue hath shewed thousand proofes of his bloodie rage shall make me wise and warne me to looke vnto my selfe well enough They say that a man should take heed of a mad dog of a franticke bedlem and of a notable Drunkard because by nature they are apt to doe shrowd turnes And euen so we should looke vnto our selues lest we should fall into the laps of Loue seeing we know him to be so peruerse so wicked and vniust for he shall neuer be moned who most sondly flingeth himselfe into the pit that hath bene shewed vnto him before Then Shepheard shalt thou be wise if betimes thou withdrawest thy selfe from such a Tyrant foolish will I account thee if thou imaginest that I will euer follow so bad a maister as he is his schoole resembling an intricate labyrinth into which it is easy to enter but impossible or verie hard to get out of it againe He that will doe well must neuer doe any thing whereof he may repent him afterward for a man neuer droupeth but when he languisheth through feare still looking for that mischiefe to happen which will at the last make him to repent If I know alreadie that repentance would not be faire off from me if I should loue by reason of the dammages that proceed through the same were not I then verie simple to goe about to loue Then talke no more vnto me of such vanities but rather discourse with me of such Ceremonies Fraiers vowes and Sacrifices belonging vnto Diana which are mine ordinarie exercises For euerie workeman delighteth to here talke of his owne Science or Misterie I hearing her say so replied thus O fairer creature then Venus more chaste then Polixena and more learned then Cassandra The braue Captaine that continually followeth the warres knoweth well that his function or calling is full of dangerand trouble and yet in the meane while he repenteth not to follow the same because of the hope he hath to reape renowme and credit which is encountred and wonne euen in the middest and the thickest of Cannon shot of the battaile And so although the Louer doubteth not but that he is like to endure great troubles and turmoiles in his amorous pursuit yet doth not he giue ouer the following thereof without repenting himselfe at all because the hope to please that which he so much liketh bringeth the thoughts of all his troubles and labours to be very weake and of no force or violence at all The sicke patient which taketh a potion knoweth that it is bitter and yet for all that he sticketh not to swallow it downe most willingly by reason of the firme confidence he hath to be healed of his griefe That the paines of loue are bitter and cruell I cannot but confesse yet then againe we must remember how sweet and luscious is that ioy that the Louer participateth of when he seeth himselfe beloued of his Mistris An inestimable lewell is not gotten nor giuen for nothing neither such and so rare a good thing as this is can be obtained without great labour and trauaile And for mine owne part will alwaies account those sorrowes and troubles most easie and sweet be they neuer so sower and vnsufferable to loue a thing so absolute and perfect as your sweet selfe is For that Generall of an armie shall neuer be taxed with cowardise who hath done his end uour and what he can to cause the enemie to come into the field but he shall soone be condemned for a dastard that shall flie from his foe through very seare The honour that one
iudge but by coniectures and by auncient experience of things that haue hapâ—â—d before they being the fathers of lies And therefore wonderfully glad to deâ—â—â— and decerne munkinde because they haue sworne their vtter ouerthrow ruine And yet a braue and resolute spirit ought rather to hope well then to feare ill For hope no wisheth comforteth whereas feare afflicteth and tormenteth both soule and bodie Of one thing I may count my selfe happie which is that it seemeth the Gods of these woods haue a care of my Fortunes that they will assist me in what they may We ought not to refuse the aide of anie person be hee neuer so feeble and weake becausone may dot some one good or other vnto vs As we may finde vertue in the least Planenr Hear be that groweth But alack what hope may I lodge in my soule and how is it possible that the Prophesies of the Gods of these woods should prooue to be true If my peerlesse Iulietta who is farre off from mee neuer feeleth the piercing dartes of outagâ—ous Loue LOVE scarce setled in any is easily quenched againe especially when the meanes that should nourish his heate faileth and waxeth very colde for millions of contrarie conceits and imaginations is intermixed in the same which doth quickly drowne and quench it My Ladie is sarre remote from mee and therefore remembreth not me For as yet was I neuer registred in the role of her memorie And say there should be some small draught of mee therein yet would this cruell absence quickly deface it For the bare shadowe of a Counterfeit which the Painter leaueth without his right colours vnperfect can neither be faire or esteemed of any price Clytemnestra forgot her husband when he was absent Hellena her Spouse with diuers other women all which through the separation of place and absence of their friends forgot themselues so much as they not once thought of their ancient Louers For one Hyperâ—estra that remembred her husband fortie nine of her Sisters cut their husbands throats And amongst ten thousand women scarce you shall finde one that preserueth the memorie and fauour of her loyall friend ingrauen in her soule Heauens graunt I may not haue iust cause to complaine of this Accident but that returning back vnto my diuine Iulietta I may finde her hart to be gentle and tender towards me her rigour to be abated and her selfe more milde and affable vnto mee then she was wont to be Otherwise I shall thinke my selfe most vnhappie that the flowing waues of the surging Seas had not with my insupportable flames quenched and drowned both my loue and my life together For more fearefull is the frowning countenance of a Ladie vnto her sworne Seruant then the horrible face of the three fatall Sisters vnto a sicke man for the one maketh him languish burning in a lingring fire of thousand deaths whereas the other in a small space doth ridde him both of life and paine Thus saide the Knight not a little ioyfull of the answere which the late ECCO gaue vnto him But fond is that man that beleeueth in things that are to come seeing they are in the hands of the Almightie who can change them making them to take a quite contrie course as shall best please him And yet may man onely bring his Estate to be eyther Fortunate or misetable Fortunate in being penitent for his defaults appeasing the wrath of God through his true repentance who being mercifull vnto him sendeth him Celestiall Manda downe from heauen And miserable in prouoking his heanie anger against him whereby hee withdraweth his grace without giuing him that good which hee promised him and which he hoped for because heirs vnworthy of the same For the Children of Israel were depriued of the Holy Land although God had premised it vnto them before by reason of their sinnes their wickednesse opposing it selfe against his diuine force and helpe and his heauenlie bountie beeing turned from them in that they did so grieuously offend him Let no person therefore assure himselfe through others reports to taste of happinesse or to feele of vnhappinesse heereaster to comes but rather dispose himselfe to liue well and godlie to the end hee may enioy a blessed life without feeling anie form of cuill But leauing this discourse wee will come to Philistell who went away much conceneed beeing guided by a good Hope which because it had wings fled quicklie from him So manie are the humours that Hope is bound to content as it is impossible for her to stay long in anie one place they thinking to haue a great pleasure by enioying of her when indeed it is the greatest plague that can be For hee that is possessed with her but one noure is punished at the least ten dayes after for the same By reason the apprehension of anie bad newes is so cruell as it drowneth and killeth all hope of contentment to come hereafter Enery one feeling the chaunces of griefe sarre more sharpe and bitter then the Accidents or occurrences of ioy can be sweete or comfortable any way But as hee was thus iocund walking homewards hee might heare a Shepheard to sing this Sing the sound whereof suddinly made him stay as the voyce of the Ryder doth the horse vpon which he is seated And the rather did hee listen vnto it because hee was desirous of nouelties which naturallie pleaseth our sences whilst staying his walke betweene the seuerall passions of griese and delight he might heare this pittious Dittie following What should I waile thus weepe and make those outcries If my misfortunes where themselues they should drowne Burne their most hote selues hotter farre then burneth Thicke smoaking Aetna Thrise wofull Louer enerlasting wretched Who still doth lauguish heavily sans comfort And nener hopecan but to liue in sorrow Vntill his life end Farre better were it neuer for to be borne Then to be alwayes cru Ily afflicted With such a plague as hourely more and more doth Growe and increase still What crosse a man is subiect to by D stini Withouten hope is sure nere to be holpen Nor doth it leaue him till that hee be forced For to leaue lifes terme Then prithee sweet death come away and and me Come and abridge the number of my bad daies Nor caust thou blam'd be for to kill a bodie Wanting a line soule Thon that cuttest off so many of our crosses Courteous come come dispatch me quickly He cannot liue but in exceeding anguish That his owne life hates There is not anything but hath his ending And what is mortall hath not here long biding once But yet my wounds growe more and more nor death Seekes for to change them None will so much as pittie on me take now Nor on my fancie too too dearely purchast All saning sorrowes in the lash doc leaue me I being at worst Thus without dying doe I vade and perish Thus flow sower salt teares from mine eies for euer Whilst thut the heanens
being the ordinarie whippes with which they scourge thē for their impieties but it is themselues that are causes of their owne sorrowes because they driue away sage Reason from them who is of might sufficient to deliuer and set them free The franticke Bedlem that wilfully killeth himselfe can he dying accuse any other of his disaster or complaine of a straunger when he hath murthered himselfe No more can a fond Louer hurting himselfe be angrie with the heauens who was not the cause thereof but he himselfe And herein they resemble little children that hauing done a fault lay the blame thereof either vpon their play-fellowes or vpon something else being neuer willing to confesse that they haue done amisse Fuen so they themselues hauing felt one burning in their brests the furious fire which in the end consumeth and destroy eth them condemne the powers aboue for the same But small reason haue they so to doe for they that vse it are rather counted to be full of rage and giuen to murmure then esteemed as wise and prudent persons And yet I cannot denie but that the heauens narurally doe as it were seeme to be bound to doe vs good but the accident oftentimes corrupteth the Nature The Parent by Nature is bound to loue his child yet if his his owne flesh shall be peruerse and ill giuen becomming a mortall enemie vnto his Father this right of Nature ceaseth and he is no more bound to doe any thing for him no more than for a straunger There is a iust law grounded vpon this reason which permitteth the Father being iustly offended with his Sonne to dishinherit him of his lands this being the very same punishment that the children of Sophocles suffered for that they most maliciously accused their Father to dote for age and to be out of his right wits onely because they would haue depriued him of his possessions and goods Brutus likewise stucke not to prosecute the death of his too forward sonne most cruellie and with great disgrace also because he had done as well against the Common-wealth as contrarie vnto his owne command So therefore although the heauens I speake all this against my selfe as well as thee Coribant for that I am as wretched a Louer as thy selfe art in euerie degree be our common Father and for that cause is naturally bound to doe vs good yet notwithstanding is he not bound to shewe vs this kindnesse if we shall gricuously and willingly offend him as the Accidence of the offence shall be more violent and strong then the naturall Right is which by reason of this quite ouerthroweth the other For as water quencheth the fire and maketh it cold as any Ice which by nature is hote burning and full of heate So the discourtesies and iniuries which we offer vnto such as by Nature were prouided to be our protectors and defenders drowne and extinguish all their deuoire and Right altering their good mindes from vs quite contrarie vnto that it was at the first A man that is by kinde borne vicious and bad and such a one as bringeth forth of the wombe of his mother wickednesse with him into the worlde may per Accidence through good education and bringing vp become vertuous and wise Euenso the Accident of iniuries and displeasures may chaunge and alter the curteous inclination of a kinde friend sowring and sharpning the same against vs as the Lees and dregs doe the sweetest wine And this mischiefe falling vpon our heads wee cannot condemne anie for it but our owne selues who are the chiefe and efficient cause thereof And therefore we are much in the wrong to lay the blame on him whom through our owne meere follie we haue made him our soe although he be slow and slacke to helpe vs we being falne into miserie although before he by nature was bound to lend vnto vs his helping hand and to assist vs in what he could certainely if we were well and godly giuen and without prouoking or tempting the Eternall Power aboue would we but confirme our selues in all our actions according vnto his desire keeping vs with the bonds of his commandements there is no doubt but he would aide vs hearing vs when we should call vnto him and would nor sticke to raine downe Manna as he did for the children of Israel nourishing vs in the wildest Desarts that be But what law can force or constraine him to shew vs this mercie when we shew our selues to be his mortall enemies going about to increase his wrath euerie houre against vs. But say that he were willing and readie as we are most vnworthie thereof to helpe vs and that it would please him to haue this pittifull and fauourable regard ouer vs yet may you be well assured he would neuer take any charge nor euer make any account of Louers for their griefes is not numbred amongst the plagues of other miscrable creatures the second cause whereof the heauens oftentimes are our sinnes being the first Loue being seene to be but a verie meere follie and therefore neuer moueth the heauens with compassion to heale them A great and grose error therefore it is amongst Louers to imagine that the heauens are the Authors of their paine but a farre greater fault is it in them to require their aide and assistance for Loue is not any kind of contagious disease causing men to die cutting off one after another and for that cause hath reason to implore the heauens for aide to helpe them as they doe when any great mortalitie or plague rageth amongst them but it is a sickenes that continueth still without dying with which onely sensuall persons and sooles and none else are infected This is the reason that we haue neuer knowne any Louers to haue bene cured through miracle whereas we find written in diuers learned bookes that the bodies of many men being dead haue bene restored to life againe and that many haue bene cured of incurable discases onely this vaine sicknes is vnworthie of remedie and reliefe because it proceedeth not neither through the anger of the heauens nor by reason of the contagion of other diseases but onely through our owne foolishnes Now as that amitie cannot be firme and strong betweene man and woman where they answere not one another in desires and affection although naturally they are bound to loue one another euen so the heauens cannot be accused of crueltie in not scourging mortall creatures if the cause which should drawe them vnto this charitable endeuour be taken away from them Let vs then no more exclaime against the Celestiall Power aboue but let vs thanke our owne selues that we deserue no better of him our sinnes being the cause he giueth vs ouer As the fellon cannot blame the Iudge that condemneth him to death nor accuse him of ouermuch seueritie in that he dieth but rather his owne bad liuing that brought him vnto so vntimely an end for he is not to be thought ill of who doth rightly
heare any tidings either of that treacherous villaine or of his wife In the end he lighteth vpon a great thicke gloomie Forrest through which as he rode he found a dead carkasse of a man and a woman lying by him being in little better case then he was But leauing Leander and his companions seeking their aduenture we will come vnto wofull Cynthia his wife and when fit time shall serue we will discouer who was that creature dead and who that woman being almost in as bad a taking as he vpon whom Loander so strongly hapned Cynthia being carried away from her husband so sodenly and by such barbarous treacherie was for a great while as one in a traunce hardly comming vnto her selfe againe And certainlie I thinke that if women were subiect by nature to die for sorrow then no doubt but she had died for neuer was there woman in this world more sad or heauie than she was no not Niobe Hecuba Oenone Porcia Cornelia nor any other Ladie were she neuer so ouerwhelmed with miseries But this kinde of death seldome or neuer is incident vnto the Female kinde as that of sodaine ioy is Long lay she in this Extasie or sound and long was she before she recouered her right sences againe and so much was she astonisht in her minde with the same as the passage of her speech was kept close and shut from her yet at the last her vitall spirits recouered force within her and her tongue had libertie to speake But alas she could not as much as pronounce one word neither was she able once to open her mouth so wofully did she weepe and so pittâ—fully did she sob and sigh Diuers sorts of colours and that in great number must a cunning Painter haue to draw a faire and great Picture Euen so thousands of teares and millions of sighes had this wretched Gentlewoman need of if she meant liuely to set forth and bewaile her Disaster at the fall For neuer was any Ladies sorrowes to be compared vnto hers Hellena was rauished but with her owne consent Neither did her rauishment bereaue her husbands life as hers did Penelope was dailie and hourely sollicited and importuned by a number of tedious and impudent suters but yet she was suffered to liue chastly and to attend the returne of her Vlisses Hecuba after shee had seene her husband murthered and all her sonnes slaine was led away as a captiue or slaue into Greece and yet had shee more reason to haue borne with patience these her misfortunes though in a higher degree of miserie rather then Cynthia in hers For Hecubas mischaunces proceeded from her enemies to whom the law of Nations giueth leaue to doe what mischiefe they can whereas haplesse Cymhias vnhappines came from him whome she esteemed as the dearest and most faithfull friend her Husband had Lucrctia for losse of chastitie slewe her owne selfe but her death was the death of her aduersarie and the life and libertie of all her Romane Citizens And theresore no woman can be said to haue bene more wretched then hopelesse Cynthia for she saw her Leander murthered as she thought whilst she remained as prisoner in the power of him that was his bloodie Butcher looking euerie houre to be forced of her honour and good name Infinit were the occasions that she had to complaine and the reasons without number that compelled her to exclaime against the most partiall Destinies For what could she loose more pretious and deare then her sweet Spouse whom she esteemed more then her honor and her owne life Needs therefore must her complaints be greeuous and her lamentings heauie and bitter as one that dispaired of all comfort to come Ah woe is me cried shee out why was I borne and why did my mother bring me into this world since there is no person liuing so vnfortunate as I am for I doe not count those miserable who haue liberty to shorten their owne dayes by death but onely such as faine would die and yet cannot Is it possible that one should be borne vnder so hard a Planet as not to be able to die when most fainest he would O how great is that euill when it forceth vs to require ayde of the Fatall sisters to ridde vs of the same whom men detest and loath as their mortall enemies And yet can none but they relieue and ease such wretched creatures The healthie man whilst he is well loatheth and abhorreth to take or taste anie potion or medicine but when he is sicke he is glad and faine to swallowe it downe be it neuer so bitter and sower So we whilst we liue merilie and at harts ease we contemne death but when our griefes are so great as wee are not able to endure them then we account our selues as happie to haue him O God is it possible for me to be able in words to deliuer my losses for my sighes to deplore them for mine eyes to bewaile them or for my heart to be of force to endure them If the losse of paltrie goods maketh men outragious in their passions and if the death of our kinsfolks or friends be sufficient to engender afflictions in vs how much more then haue I cause of insupportable sorrowes Alas I haue lost my kinde husband but am I able to say so and not my soule to flie forth of this miserable bodie or is my condition so miserable that I may say I haue lost him indeed No no I will neuer belieue it rather will I die then perswade my selfe of any such vnwelcome matter vnto me But say I die yet haue I lost him yea I haue lost him and onely through mine occation I haue bene the homicide of my husband and I alone haue slaine him but why then alacke doeth not the rigour of the Lawe passe vpon mee which condemneth such murtherers vnto death Was it not enough for mee to be brought into the most wretchedst estate of all others to be depriued of my deare Leander but that I must be the cause of his vtter ouerthrow also Damned and accursed Beautie how wise was that young Romane Gentleman Spurius who most cruelly mangled and defaced his louely face because hee would haue none to like him And so thrice happie had I bene if I had spoyled and made foule this my wicked countenance which was the first motiue of all these euils and mischiefes following O faire soule of my deare Spouse and Bedfellow great reason hast thou now to complaine of mee iust are thy accusations and most right thy greeuances against me yet since the Gods are appeased with the sacrifices of men I hope that my life shall be a sufficient satisfaction for the offence I haue done vnto thee Thou liuest in the heauens where nothing is hid from thee and seeing thou knowest all things thou needest not to doubt of mine innocencie herein But what is this vnto thee seeing now thou liuest no more and that thou art cut off before thy
a manner quite expired Then graunt me this my request for my daies were but daies to serue thee my soule but a soule to honour thee and my heart but a heart to affect and onely loue thees and I hope thou hast found knowne and perswadest thy selfe that I speake nothing but truth Which if thou doest then let me obtaine this last Boone of thee and be not so cruell as to denie me so small a matter Grieue then no more my good Leander for me which if thou doest I then will close mine eies and shut vp my tongue because I cannot abide to see thee in this heauie plight for her who is vnworthie that thou shouldest torment thy selfe any way for her cause Hauing thus complained she held her peace when her wofull husband who during this her lamentable discourse had recouered his speech began thus to comfort her Ah my sweet Cynthia what cause of mislike haue I euer giuen thee and when did I vse thee otherwise than became me that thou shouldest imagine I were not able to forbeare thy companie without great discontentment vnto my selfe Doest thou then thinke that I loue thee not If so thou thinke O God what wrong doest thou vnto me yes Cynthia yes I loue thee yea and in that sort as thou canst not die without me Death is not of power sufficient to extinguish my loue which shall liue in despite of him and shall still continue with thee be thou aliue or dead Not so soone canst thou command but I will as willingly condiscend vnto thee in any thing and yet thy entreatie cannot hinder me but that I must bewaile thy Disaster and farre more should I take on by oddes but that my hope is to see the shortly in another world Too zealous and affectionate is my loue towards thee to see thee suffer that thou doest and I not to be moued with the same O would to God thou wert without hurt or wound and that I had had that misfortune to haue falne vpon me which thou now hast But seeing it cannot be thou shalt not chuse but giue me leaue to beare some part of thine anguish When we were well and liued at hearts ease there was not any thing but what was common betweene vs all things were alike betweene thee and me why then shouldest thou oppose thy selfe now so much against me as to denie me that I should participate of thy troubles with thee No no I will beare a heauie burthen in this thy sorrowfull song and mine eies shall streame forth before I die as two fountaines of water all the liquid humour that remaineth within my restlesse bodie Thou goest thy way my deare Cynthia and leauest me here plunged in deepe perplexitie but I will not stay long behind soone will I follow after thee and quickly ouertake thee Is it possible mine eies should giue light vnto my bodie and want thy sight and is it likely I shall be able to abstaine from thy companie for euer when I cannot endure to forbeare thy presence one short day O deare wife now I coniure thee by the chaste pleasures of our sacred Hymen and vnspotted nuptiall bed by that Loue of thine and mine as yet neuer broken and by thy heart and mine which neuer were but one let me entreate thee that thou take it not ill although I die with thee Great is the authoritie that Loue hath giuen thee ouer me but yet not so great as it shall disturbe my desire or make me follow any other course but death Certainely certainely I will beare thee companie euen into thy graue O faire and beautifull eies mine were you whilest you liued and mine shall you be when you are dead No man liuing hath interest in you but my selfe and you will I as well see being dead as when you were aliue O curteous death if it be possible for thee to be entreated by the Praiers or the cries of mortall wights or if euer thou hast done any kindnes vnto them then I beseech thee let me finde this fauour at thy hands that I may breath my last gaspe before my Ladie Doe me this good turne for all the euill thou hast done me and in recompence of such great losses as I am like to sustaine by thee in snatching away from me most violently the onely support and Atlasse of my life which if I may not obtaine I will complaine and exclaime against thee making it knowne vnto the whole world that thou art cruell and partiall against me onely for it should much abate and asswage my torments to goe before her to the end I might be exempted from those more then deadly darts which will pierce deepely into my soule when I shal behold her to be laid within her graue O cruell Tombe must thou be so fortunate as to lodge and entertaine so pretious a treasure to possesse so rare and louely a beautie and to enclose and couer a bodie so exquisite and perfect that same being the chiefe maintainer of my glorie and the onely vpholder of my life O that some gentle power would be so kind vnto me as to transforme me into thy likenes to the end I might enioy that benefit which is permitted to be thine and of which whilest it liued I was Maister and owner And yet thinke not thou shalt haue the bodie of my deare wife alone no no thou shalt haue mine also to beare hers companie and by that meanes thou shalt receiue two bodies which liuing had but one soule betweene them And now my sweet Cynthia let me once more take thee by the hand for a finall farewell and let me kisse thee once againe to the end that my breath may issue out of this his earthly mantion and part hence at the selfe same instant that thine passeth away Leander hauing so said and weeping most tenderly taketh the cold carkasse of his wife in his armes often kissing and rekissing her colde mouth he being neuer sufficiently satisfied with the delight of that dying which was wholy at his commaundement whilest it was liuing His lips neuer parted from hers whilest his eies streamed downe teares and his heart sent forth scalding sighes in aboundance O thrise fortunate soules whom neither death nor sorrowes could part asunder and ô happie couple who would not haue but one Tombe to enclose you both together And now Leander began to faint as well as his wife he being sore wounded with griefe and Loue which she perceiuing forced her selfe to vttes these fewe words as well as she could vnto him It is enough sweet husband it is enough you too much trouble your sicke selfe with an vnworthie burthen for we may count our selues blessed in that we haue incountered one with another before we die The end crowneth the workes of man their glorie lying onely in their deaths which death shall make vs famous for euer allotting vnto vs the Garland of commendation and praise to continue hereafter For mine owne part I
me than is this thy offence Command me louing thee with thee and with thy fault dispence Iudge then of this strange crueltie that it should me constraine To loue and honour him who is the Author of my baine So we the feeble sicke man see through senselesse fond desire What is th' occasion of his death to couet and require So I arrested by proud Loue am forst iniuriously Alack the while to honour thee who laughst to see me die Thee must I like and follow still despite of my poore hart Although void of all honestie and friendly Loue thou art Still for thy sake I languish must in death with great disease Yet I my selfe count happie since I doe it thee to please The Gods forget as I forgiue thee from mine inward soule And neuer may they for my death as faultie thee controule As willingly I thee forgiue as to my death I goe For being dead thou then too late my constancie shalt knowe Well maist thou haue a fairer friend but faithfuller was neuer Who as she seru'd thee whilst she liu'd in death shee 'le loue thee euer But thou great Cupid rightfull Iudge reuenge my cause aboue On her who traiterously hath stolne from me my heart and loue Plague her that makes me pine away example let her bee To Louers all how they take heede to vse such treacherie Plague her that hath my Louer stolen my louely NVMIDOR And let her feele like punishment as I haue felt ore sore Ah let her not who loyall Faith so shamefully doth soile Raise Trophees of my ouerthrow nor triumph in my spoile Thus Flora prated and sigh't thus wailde the heauie Shepheardesse Was neuer Nymph or Maiden borne that felt such deepe distresse In wailing and in weeping she did spend the day and night And the remainder of her life in sorrow sans delight And now she wearie is of life life doth her vex and grieue A greater Corsie hath she not than that she thus doth liue She doth resolue to die forthwith and yet she faine would chuse The gentlest and the easiest way her soule from corpse to loose For to dispatch her selfe with sword it was too fierce and fell The fire displeased her and the rope to her was horrible To fling her selfe downe from some Rocks high top she had desire But being there the height thereof did make her to retire Vpon the Seaish banke she stood minding therein to lep But raging waues did her afright from drowning they her kept As we behold amaz'd to stand the doubtfull traueller Not knowing which way for to take by reason of great feare Vnskilfull which path for to trace beset most dangerously Which he alreadie seemeth in his minde to view with eie On euery side with Theeus who all the passages about Haue laid so as he knoweth not how from thence to get him out So Flora doubtfull and yet full of corsiues and of paine Knoweth not what death were best to chuse though she would die full faine She musing lookes now here now there she runneth euery houre About the woods and wisheth that some beast might her deuour O that we should ill wish our selues oftentimes we wishing woe Vnto our selues it lights on vs poore Flora found it so No wisedome t is the Gods to punish vs to put in minde Too soone they can if so they please to plague vs iust cause finde Meane time Loue at this Shepheardesse doth smile and at her griefe Who more she doth her woes bewaile the more she wants reliefe His glorie he embellisheth by reason of her care And his victorious Chariot with the same doth make more faire But leauing her still languishing we will againe returne To Numidor who missing her doth waile as fast and mourne He seekes and searcheth euery where for Flora he doth call But yet no voice but Ecco shrill doth answere him at all Ecco doth onely answere him with wast and fruitlesse sound He heares her name but Floras selfe can no where yet be found Like as the Hart that louing Deare when he his prettie Hinde Runnes round about in euery place with flying pace to finde Now seeketh her amongst the Rocks and then the woods among Then in the Forrests there by Foords and Riuers all along And finding still to misse her then seekes in some hollow Caue To see if there her companie as fortunate he may haue And wearie now with seeking her he downe lieth in some place Sighing full sore for want of her whom he longs to embrace So doth our Shepheard who was now with seeking her being tirde Wailes his hard hap not her to finde whom he so much desirde So much he wailes as hardest Rocks grieue that so much he seekes And pittious Ecco when he sighes in recompence now weepes Each thing seemd to their power as though they succour to him brought Onely did Flora want alas for whom so much he sought Flora for whom he sought whom yet he could not once entreate That she vouchsafe would to his cries to answere and to speake Flora who power had ouer him him to commaund alone Whose death and life lay in her hands for her thus did he mone And now into his troubled braine did many fancies come One while he thinkes some God of woods with her away is runne Or that some other Satire ruffe hath drawne her to some cane And there against her will doth minde his will on her to haue Another while he doubteth sore lest in this vncoth wood Some sauadge beast hath seazde on her and spilt her harmlesse blood Or else he feares she him will haue no more vnto her mate But rather meanes some Louer now into her grace to take Thus doth he languish comfortlesse to see his hard estate And in a manner doth begin to grow as desperate What hopefull is that he reiects no ioy he entertaines But as a man carelesse of helpe he wretchedly remaines As is a guiltie person brought before the Iudge seuere Conuicted fore him for his fault which proued is most cleare His conscience telling him of his offence and his amisse And for to proue the same before him his sharpe witnesse is Which when he findeth shame and griefe doth so his sinnes confound As he his life not to respect nor to regard is found So wofull full of heauie care this haplesse Shepheard was And so he Flora had not lost for life he did not passe But hauing lost her he did thinke his heart and soule was gone And therefore comforted he would not he of any one Yet he no sooner breath had tooke but that he nerethelesse For all his toyling gan to seeke and search for her afresh He prieth into euery bush through groues he looketh all Andrunnes so fast as oftentimes through hast he downe doth fall Trough brambles sharpe through bushes and through hedges he doth passe Through thicke and thinne and all to finde his long sought dearest I asse Like to the Deare that chased is
bills and then on Champions plaine Another whilst alongst corne fields with swiftie pace amaine And in the end wearied with griefe her selfe flings on the ground Resolu'd to die through hunger staru'd since they will not be found So such a part our Shepheard plaide when he did see with eie His Mistris he no where could finde he faints resolu'd to die But weladay before his death he sawe his Flora faire Flora for whom so oft he calde the cause of all his care The coarse of that faire Nymph for whom he thought himselfe forlorus He found a Sauadge beast had all in pieces cruell torne For whilst through madding iealousie she vp and downe did fret In thickest woods as she desirde a Lion there her met Which seazing on her with his pawes did teare her in a trise The goodliest creature that did liue he slewe in furious wise Yet as she died on Nunidor she calde as he might heare For helpe though all in vaine and though as then he was too neere Too neere to her so pittious sound too farre to helpe her tho Which was the reason that the more it did encrease his woe She slaine away the Lion runnes when as from mountaine hie He might perceiue her breathlesse trunke in peeces torne to lie Which when he sawe he thither ranne as if he had bene mad So fast he ranne as running then nor strength nor breath he had Downe falls he sounding for pure griefe vpon the linelesse corse So long as he did seeme indeed as dead without remorse At last though long he once more comes vnto himselfe againe Calling his vitall spirits to him although with grieuous paine Whilst for to vtter these fewe words words grieuous he do 〈◊〉 Words such so pittifull as well both heauen and earth might moue And art thou dead faire natures worke the Mirrour of thy time Art thou disliu'de whom all admirde as sacred and diuine Art thou a prey to enuious Death could Death thee thus annoy Who whilst thou liu'dst my comfort wast my selace and my ioy O Death vniust damnd ennious vnto my chiefest ease Durst thou so much ore insolent my Flora faire displease Woes mee th' art dead and with thee dead are those thine Eyes so bright Thine Eyes which men for to reuiue had power enough and might Ah thouart dead where whilom lodg'd mine hart and inward soule Thou now art dead whose onely lookes the proudest did controule But thou art dead and can I liue to see a sight so sore Is Flora gone and likely i st that liue should Numidore Prodigious Planets me to make ore-liue my Ladie deare Since shee the Essence of my life was whilst I tiued here Heauens most vniust to giue to mee of life so long a scope Since I behold destroyed her in whom was all my hope But yee mine eyes why feare you not so foule a sight to marke And looking on it afterwards become not blinde and darke Most cruelly destned as I was thrice happie had I beene If I had neuer had these eyes and neuer could haue seeâ—â— Thrice happie I if some wilde beast in pieces had me tore So I this murther nere had spide which I so much abhore I was not beautious Nymph no way to be compar'd to thee If so why then should any way Death hinder be to meeâ— Accursed soule of mine and thou mine euer restlesse hart Canst thou abide to breath so long to taste such vncoth smart I am a Man and of more strength then she was why then first Since I could better death endure died I not most accurst Reason it was and conscience that I die before thee should Since as my Faith and dutie was not saue thy life I would Cruell Lyon that hast deuourd my ioy come doe thy will On mee who for to liue on earth count it a haynous ill Come come and from this miserie let him I pray be rid Who doth desire to end his dayes as his poore Flora did Doe vs this pleasure for to kill vs both at once together That dying so thou both maist please as well contenting either Why com'st not cruell then since that for thee I doe attend And stay thy leisure that thou mightst my wretched bodie rend I see thou art no Lyon right but of a Bastard kinde Else sooner mee then Ladie mine ere this time thou wouldst finde A Lyon generous indeed disdaineth for to prey On silly Virgins harmles Maides but lets them goe their way Hee onely seazeth on stout men or such as be his Foes And spoyleth them that chaseth him tearing in pieces those Where forth tyrannize vpon a Nymph a murthers such As neuer like was heard before and is detested much But I perceiue thou dar'st not come yet in despite of thee I le spoyle my selfe that so I may with my deare Mistris bee I le die that I may follow for to serue my Misteris Who seckes his Lady to suruiue of life not worthie is Faire thee the heauens haue reft to make themselues more faire to show Whilst here vpon the earth with vs they nought haue left but woe Faire they haue taken thee away to beautifie more faire Themselues whilst here instead of thee they leaue eternall care Meane time I liue still languishing thy heauy losse to rue Vnworthy to haue bidden thee farewell or once Adieu Yet Flora in despite of Death thou flourish shalt for euer Thy praise shall shew Acanthus like still flowring dying neuer The sweet Cloue Gilliflower and Rose of Spring it shall put downe Thy beautie was more beautifull and of more fresh renowue My daintie Flora being dead shall be such kinde of Flower As she shall be eternall aye and flourish euery hower Death may our liues abridge through Spite bating our youthfull dayes But Vertue it can nere subdue nor subingate her praise But why liue I it may be sayd that I in life remains Who liuing feele the torments of damn'd Ghosts sternall point No no I liue no more my dayes are turn'd to darkest nights Already I am registred amongst the liuelesse Sprighâ—s That I should liue and Flora dead a thing 's impossible To stay bâ—hinde her she being gone I loued her too well Sweet I must satisfaction make to thee for mine offence Although I shame when I doe thinke on my vile negligence Had I bene carefull ouer thee as but my part it was Thou then hadst bene aliue as now to ioy with me alas I did deserue the punishment for thou didst nere â—ffend Ah woe is mee thou not through Foes hast died has through thy Friend For which my â—respasse I resigne my life most millingly Neuer so much desiring life as now I wish to die But yet before I breathe my laft let me obtaine thy grace That I may kisse those Diamon eyes that quondanâ— beautions face Which said the Shepheard taketh vp her liâ—â—â—es so seatered Whilst them embracing floods of teares vpon them swife he shad So much and oft so
that Phoebus being amorous of her had intreated his Sister Phoebe that she might remaine there vntill the next day to the end he might enioy her company This vnwelcome newes vtterly ouerthrew me I seeing my selfe to be bearded with such a companion in my Loue as no doubt would put my nose out of ioynt and chase away that small hope that I had before to creepe into some little credit with her Although some might thinke that I had had great reason to haue reioyced that I had so great a God vnto my Riuall in my Loue yet neuerthelesse I bare so proud a nunde as like another Marsius I could willingly haue hazarded my skinne against him so I might haue hindered him from enioying my Ladie But they that are bound must needs obey the weakest must vnto the wall and such as are inferiours must yeeld vnto the will of their superiours and betters This speech of the foresaid Virgin made me almost besides my selfe for I iudged and not without reason that so faire a dame after she had enioyed the Amitie of so mightre a God would neuer vouchsafe to stoo pe so low as daigne to thinke vpon a silly Shepheard and this was the cause I counted my selfe as vtterly vndone and with this heauie resolution I withdrew my selfe vnto my poore cottage where I gaue my selfe ouer to weepe and waile at my pleasure But whether it were that the Nymph had false intelligence or whether she ment to be merrie with me or no I know not for my Diana staied not that night in the Temple but presently after I was gone returned vnto the selfesame place where I so long had expected her coming which when I vnderstood I was more vexed grieued then I had bene before thinking my selfe to be forsaken of all good fortune and thereupon as one mad for very anger I tore my hâ—ire most grieuously bit my fingers for despite and cursed my selfe more then ten thousand times thinking that this iust punishment was lighted vpon me in that I presumed to imagine that my Ladie who was the very tipe and patterne of all chastitie would be so vaine as to consent vnto such a monstrous immodest motion although neuer so great a God had required her for the greatnes of Princes doth not diminish the offence of a woman that yeeldeth herselfe vnto them but rather if she be wise she ought to close her eies against such puisant Royalnes remembring that her honour is as well rauished by a great potentate as by a meane person and one of lowe estate meane time whilest I was absent the other Shepheard my companion in lowe estate meane time whilest I was absent the other Shepheard my companion in loue amorous of Diana lost neither time nor place but finding a fit occasion he ventureth to approach her presence vsing this short speech vnto her presenting her with these two Sonnets following Receiue gratious and louely Nymph receiue after the custome of the Gods this leane and bare present which as a Sacrifice I offer vnto thy rich beaurie excuse the weaknes and vnworthines thereof esteeming as much of the loyall good will of the giuer as if he had bene able to haue bestowed a farre more pretious treasure vpon thee she hearing him say so with a smiling grace tooke the paper which when she had vnsolded she read aloud as followeth The first Sonnet Thy beautie t is which cause immert all it deth showe So many proud harts it doth curb and bring downe lowe It is thy dauntlesse spirit that all as wonderous deeme Which thy faire face and Theâ—es more fairer maketh seeme Ah doe not suffer then are cruellte appeare Whilst they their honours due due vnto them doe heare Sacred he is held with Gods and sweet to Louers such Who faithfully doth thee adore and reuerence so much Faire honour neuer doe this mischiefe foule permit But let milde pittie in the looke of this mine enemis sit In my sweet enemies eies where writ is beauties storie And let not Surquedrie eclips with hate such seld seens glorie At lest yet come to me so if the worst doe come I shall haue honour though by death I be vndone Whilst she the beauens shall see her sharpely to rebuke And mestfull mourne that she such wrong course gainst me tooke The second Sonnet I liue no more or if as yet I liue T is thee to please thou enemie to my life No greater ill then nourish what doth grieue Maintaining quenehlesse fire to burne vs rife What hates me I most greedily desire What helpe me may that helpe to me deniese Alas of whom then shall I aide require A happie Louer 's he bewaild that dies Cruell mishap to force vs for to lone What vs doth follow with a deadly hate And that as sacred to account and prone Which spoyles and shortneth our chiefe quiet state Thrise trebble blest that neuer knoweth this ill For better t is disloyall to be thought Then for a dismall Ladie suffer still Who better lost is then for to be sought The faire Nymph most gratiously accepted these verses But I who had no other way to growe in fauour with her but onely by this selfesame meanes perceiuing that I was seconded by another who tooke the selfesame course and perhaps with better successe then I had therein was not a little sad fearing least I should be hindered very much through the same yet was I not sorie that many did haroldise the praises of my Ladie neither was I enuious at all that she was so much commended for a constant Louer indeed will alwaies preferre the honour and credit of his Mistris before his owne or all the pleasures which he hepeth to enioy of her because that Loue that onely expecteth pleasure is no true Loue but rather a filthy desire of Lucre and gaine whereas right Loue indeed esteemeth more of the honour renowme of his Ladie then of his owne particular commoditie and profit For that Louer cannot iustly say he hath done any worthy thing in the behalfe of his sweet Saint who aimeth at his owne contentment alone studying out how to benefit himselfe But he may be said to haue made a proofe of faithfull Amitie indeed who hath laboured not for his owne good but for his Ladies whose reputation good name and same is more deare vnto him then his owne proper life This then was the cause that I was not sorrie although my Diana had neuer so many worthy Poets at her command onely I was exceedingly afraid lest she should therefore make the lesse account of me when she had others that could doe as well as much as my selfe and yet neuerthelesse I protest I speake not this to flatter my selfe she shewed not so good a countenance vnto this fresh water Souldiour in the campe of Cupid as she did vnto me For these were the speeches she vsed vnto him after she had red his Sonnets Certainely sweet is that verse and
imagined that that great God being iealous of mee threatned to flea me aliue as hee did Marsius if I presumed to prosecute my suite anie further And then againe me thought my faire Saint thrust mee from her most disdainefully shee being growâ— proud as an other Olympia or Rhea because of the companie of so glorious a Deitie To be short many dreames troubled mee in my rest abused me in my minde and caused me to be maruellously sorrowfull as I did now and then slumber Alwayes the thought of such things as we haue desired and sought for in the day time presenteth it selfe through Fancie vnto our eyes in the night Beautious Aurora was scarce risen from her olde husband and the Sunne was yet sleeping in his coolie bedde when I got me out of doores trudging as fast as I could vnto the same place from whence but the night before I parted Not being altered in affection or thorough griefe anie thing at all both which I still entertained All the night long before I could not rest which was the cause I composed this Ode following when being as then come vnto mine olde place and seeing my selie alone I began to sing the same with many a heauy sigh hauing it written faire in a paper as thou seest AN ODE Since that thou hast Victorie Ore my dearest Libertie Why with blacke Robe beautie thine Doest thou cloathe sorich and fine If thou wear'st it for to witnesse As a friend my sadde distresse Happie I since for my sake Thou the Colours sadde doest take Sweete my life content be thou That this blacke Weede I beare now Haplesse was my life and so Sad my life in th' end shall show Tomee these sadde cloathes alone Appertaine as signes of mone Nature in one bodie nere Blacke and White at once doth beare From my Blacke all hate be wide With which I my Crosses hide Hee that in dispaire doeth rest Black doeth beare for colour best Cruell this not Colour's thine Since thine eyes bright and dinine Sacred as the hallowed day Chase the gloomie Night away One that or'e All 's Victor braue Cannot rightly this Blacke haue Our barts wounded thou deest make Then of Conquerour habite take And let mee alone with this Since my fitting colour t' is Liue thou in eternall glorie Whilst I die at desperate seric Whilst this Dye thou putst on thee Thou depriu'st of comfort mee For I doubt that thouart sad And thy griefe Death's tome bad Change then this same weede of Dule Fit for dead folks O thou Cruell Why through it wouldst thou impaire Beautie thine farre more then rare Leaue it for I thee assure This my sight cannot endure Giue to mee my Colour blacke Or with Ghostes I goe to wracke If my Colour thou doest take For to ende my Crosses make Thou wilt not for whilst I liue More thou daylie wilt mee grieue That blinde Goddesse Fortune constant onely in vnconstancie hauing the day before vsde me so hardlie thought now to flatter mee a little in making me some amends for the great wrongs she had done vnto mee For my Mistris who with the other Nymphes had the night before fulfilled certaine vowes vnto the Goddesse Diana who then shined most gloriously vppon the face of the heauens was nigher vnto mee then I had thought and in a luckie houre for me heard me thus heauily lament vnto my selfe after I had made an ende of my Song Alas said I into what a maze of wretchednesse am I fallen how wofull is my Destinie and how haplesse my misfortune Of all worldlings liuing some are but too too Fortunate and some but too too miserable but I am neither in the one nor in the other of these two extremities For to say that I am Fortunate I cannot and to tearme my selfe miserable I may not in as much as LOVE although it ouerthroweth mee syet making me affect so dinine a Dame as I do is sufficient enough to he the vpon me all good Fortunes that may be This is the reason I am neither content nor altogether quite displeased whilst I walke in the middest of these two extremities as those base Cowardes who through faintnesse of heart runne from one Enemie vnto another and so serue neither of them rightly And yet alas I finde that the Ballance in which my misfortunes are placed in weigh more then that wherein my good Fortunes be And I feele the burthen of griese more heauy and hard vpon my shoulders then that of ioy and pleasure For what ioy can hee haue that hath not hope of anie thing Most sweete is the sweate that expecteth some fruite to come thereof As that Husbandman laboureth with delight when he soweth his ground because he hopeth to reape some gaine of the same whereas that trauell that is voyd of all hope â—â—so displeasing vnto vs as the verie thought thereof alone maketh a man miserable Such is mine estate for how can I being so wretabed a Caitiffe as I am attend or looke for any fauour from her whom the Gods themselves secke vnto and honour It is not likely that shee will leaue the friendship of so high a Deitie to like of so poore a Shepheard as I in whom there is nothing worthie of commending O beautious Diana enioy enioy I say most happily thy Loue with that great God the father of all Lightsomnes as one whom thou art worthie of and suffer me to pine away in griefe or at the least permit me to sâ—grisâ—ee my hart vpon your common Aultar to the end that this oblation may content him offred vp by a true Louer like himselfe Thrice blessed thou to be adored and reuerenced of so great a God and most accursed I since that I dying am not able to render any sufficient testimonie of the faithfull seruice which I haue alwayes vowed vnto thee But alas what need hast thou of my helpe or which way can I stand thee in stead when thou mayst commaund so mightie and diuine a power at all times Truely thou art right Fortunate and heauens I pray that so thou mavest still continue whilst I as one that languisheth piece-meale away will for thy sâ—ke goe and inclose my selfe within the bottome of some gloomy Rocke where I will so long bewaile my hard chaunce as at the last what with Famine and what with sorrow I will resigne this wretched life tormented with a number of calamities onely because I could no way pleasure thee my sacred Goddesse Thus did I say sighing and sobbing as one resolued to die when my faire Mistris who with â—uch patience had heard this mine amorus complaint vppon the suddaine appeared vnto me not vnlike a newe Sunne breaking through the thicke gloomie Cloudes when they couer the Skies all ouer That wife that beholdeth her husband aliue whome she lamented for dead is not halfe so much astonisht and amazed as I was when I saw my Diana whome I supposed to haue bene as then with the God of the
my latest end with so charitable and compassionate a piece of worke I blessed the voice that before had hindered me from dying being sorie that I had blamed it so much as I had done seeing I might preserue one of my best acquaintance from death not that I had altered my first determination as if I had bene vnwilling to perish but that I had not done so before I had brought to passe so good a deed Thereupon I came running downe from where I was as fast as I could when the poore soule who hard me comming a farre off and yet had not seene me at all thinking I had bene some wilde beast that came to deuour him chusing as the Blackebird vseth rather to commit himselfe vnto the mercie of a man then to endure the griping nailes of the Sparrow-hawke that followeth him in flight leapeth againe into the wide Ocean striuing with all the force he could and with the vtmost of his cunning he had in swimming to get as farre as he might from the shore side which but a little before he with much adoe had attained vnto I being come downe and seeing him in the maine Sea called him oftentimes by his name but the surges thereof made such a noyse as he heard me not carrying him still farther off from me which when I perceiued I then began to renew my plaints grieuing as well at his misfortune as mine owne and the rather because where I thought to haue saued him I was his vtter ruine and ouerthrow Whilst he in the meane space tooke great paines in swimming blowing puffing through extreame wearines and striuing vnto the vtmost of his strength to get vnto some other landing place But Fortune who in despite of himselfe would needes saue him or perhaps would shewe me so much fauour in lieu of so much and such hard dealing as she had vsed against me caused the Sea who went about to drowne him to be the onely meanes to saue him Strange is the beliefe of men for God oftentimes that they may perceiue most plainely how he disposeth of euery thing maketh them to finde succour from such as they account their chiefe enemies expecting no fauour nor curtesie at all from them and so it fell out with Fortunio for behold vpon the suddaine a Billowe of the Sea droue him although against his will backe vnto the foote of the Rocke from which he was of late parted he being so ouertyred with labour as he was in a manner without winde or force whereupon I came vnto him comforted him reuiuing him againe and putting life afresh into him That great vnbeleeuing Prophet was not more ioyfull when that huge Whale had cast him forth safe and aliue vpon the Sea coast after he had lodged three daies and nights in the bellie of the same as Fortunio was when he then sawe me and knewe me for Arcas This made him to take heart a grace and to plucke vp his former Spirits and yet when he looked wistly vpon me and sawe me looke with so pale and heauie a cheare he could not chuse but be maruellous sorie to behold me in that pittious plight whilest he vrged me often and that with great earnestnes to bewray vnto him the occasion of my sorrowes which I concealed from him In the end when he sawe there was no other remedie and that I was loth to bewray my minde vnto him he gaue ouer to inquisitiue therein any more not a little comforting himselfe in that he had so happily lighted vpon me who was the cause he had bene reserued from a dangerous kinde of death But I perceiuing he had need of warme cloaths and other comfortable necessaries fit to nourish him and to restore him vnto his former health tooke him with me to walke homewards towards my little cottage demaunding of him as we went of all his Fortunes since I last had seene him which as he was about to satisfie me behold whom should I meete withall but my sacred Diana who with the other Nymphs her companions was walking abroad to take the open aire As that Shehpeard is frighted with a sudden feare when he seeth to fall before his eies great flashes of lightning which burneth spoyleth and blasteth some goodly huge Oke that serued as a shadow for his wearie flocks to rest themselues therein Euen so was I astonisht trembling through euery ioynt when I called vnto remembrance my former fault and how hainous the crime was which I had done against her Faine would I as then haue taken occasion by the haire of the head that I might haue excused my selfe vnto her and so haue pleaded for her gratious pardon but alas my speech faileth me and I was quite without heart or courage The beautious Virgin perceiuing in what a pittifull plight I was in as one very wise quickly gessed the truth of the respect I bare vnto her was the reason why I was so confounded and void of all my sences Which was the cause she now began to thinke the better of me repenting as it were that she had taken me vp so roundly before and therefore she thought it not amisse to put courage into me againe by vsing some gratious speeches vnto me before she would leaue me Whereupon she smiling began thus to question with me What is the matter She heard that now thou art thus tongue-tied who before haddest thy voice at commaund and couldest discourse so readily and well Speake man and feare not to answere for more good doth he that speaketh then another that holdeth his peace saith nothing Courage and feare not any thing at all It is not my nature to be angrie long I knowing it to be a more commendable qualitie to be curteous then to be sorie and cruell If thy tongue hath bene the cause that mine hath spoken some sharpe speech or other which perhaps may somewhat grieue thee then blame thy selfe for the same and not me for that woman argueth her selfe to be culpable that seeketh not to defend her honour which she vnderstandeth is readie to be defamed This was the reason I ment not to take farther punishment of thee I being well satisfied with the first checke I gaue in words vnto thee Why then art thou thus moued doest thou thinke thou shalt commit an absurdutie and shalt not be told of the same If so thou then shouldest be in better taking then the Gods themselues who are not exempted from rebukes Hereafter learne to be more wise and consider well of the circumstance of the deed done before thou iudgest thereof for of the censure that is giuen in the worser part against the good name fame of women euery one maketh a benefit although it be false and scandalous and the reason is for that men are more readier to dispraise then to commend whether it be that they doe it of meere malice and dispight or because they are desirous to haue many like vnto themselues in their leaud and
so before although God he knoweth not anie in all the whole world was more ioyfull then shee to heare of so comfortable tidings and newes Wherevpon shee called for her Coach and went vnto the Knight to visite him where when she was come she found a number of Ladies and Gentlewomen in the chamber who were comforting of him and reioycing with him for his happie victorie No sooner was shee entred into the Chamber where he lay but all the other giuing place she drew towards his beddes side when he poore soule no sooner had spied her but that he forthwith sounded the companie imagining that it was his wounds and not her sight that was the cause thereof whilst she in the mean space was not a little amazed to see him so mightily chaunged and to looke so meger pale and hollow whome not long before she had knowne to be the goodliest and properest man liuing But this misfortune and sicknes hapned vnto him shee laide no bodie in fault of but her owneselfe confessing in her conscience that she was the onely cause thereof and therefore resolued within her selfe to make him amends with the losse of her owne life if he should hap to miscarrie or doe otherwise then well And now my sadde Maister being come vnto himselfe againe and seeing his Mistris to looke so heauily vpon him and sighing he held downe his countenance not daring to behold her whilst the Chyrurgians that had him in Cure and others thought that it was the paine of his woundes that made him so ill And therefore desired euerie one to withdrawe themselues from thence for a while that he might the better take his rest Wherevpon faire Maria was forced though sore against her will to leaue him vowing vnto her selfe if it should please God that her Knight might recouer his former health to marrie with none but him Thinking shee could not be anie mans so rightly as his seeing he had so brauely reuenged her quarrell vpon her hatefull enemie and had engaged his life for her deare seruice Alas how shall I be able to make an ende of this pittious historie I knowe not I and therefore good Arcas let this suffice which I haue alreadie reported vnto thee Heere the wretched Fortunio powred forth whole fountaines of teares it being a long time before hee could speake as much as one word more but I pressed him so much and vrged him so often that in the ende hee went forward with his former discourse in this manner Don Ihon my Maister had all the cunning Physitions and Chyrurgions that could be gotten to looke vnto him whereby hee might recouer his former health and haue his wounds healed But all was in vaine for there was no Medicine or Balme that could doe him any good by reason of the great sorrow which hee had before conceiued in his minde And because the small vertue and strength of his radicall humour within him which griefe had ouermuch weakened was not of power sufficient to nourish his grieuous wounds and therefore they became both weaker and worser euerie day then other They were not ouer mortall or deadlie and yet because of diuers accidents and what through the badde disposition of his bodie they became incurable which they that looked vnto him perceiuing and finding that there was no way but one with him certified his friendes thereof who tooke on most pittrouslie when they heard such heauie newes And now the last day was come in which most happily hee must leaue this world at what time although as then too late his Mistrisse shewed her selfe most kinde vnto him For shee hauing vnderstood by her trustie Page of whome I talked of before that he was drawing towards his latest ende determined with her selfe not long to liue after him wherevpon she tooke a fitte time to steale secretly vnto his Chamber where being alone with him and causing the doore to be boulted she came vnto his beddes head But alas Father I am not able to proceed any further for verie anguish of minde my hart will burst if without weeping I goe onward with my Tale. But yet I will doe what I can to make an ende thereof although for euerie word I speake I shall be forced to shead a teare The kinde Knight perceiuing the young Princesse to stand by him whose eyes were turned into springs of teares whose heart was turned into another Montgibell with scalding sighes and whose amorous locks lay all rent and torne about her shoulders with a hollow voyce and throatling in his throate spake thus vnto her If it be sweete Mistrisse for mee your faithfull and wretched seruant that you lament so much then I beseech you giue ouer the same and reserue it for a better purpose and lessen not the glorie which hee feeleth for dying in your Royall seruice But alas what is this I say Is it likely that you can bewaile the losse of him who when hee was liuing you depriued of life through your too extreame rigour No no I know it is not for mee that you thus take on for I confesse I am not worthie thereof but it is for the Prince of Lyons who is slaine that you torment your selfe whome perhaps you made account of to haue had for your husband If so then cruell Lady know this that it was thy onely commaundement caused me to kill him and had it not bene thy will he had bene yet aliue Neuerthelesse if in this I haue done amisse I craue pardon of thee before I die as well for that as for anie errour else that I haue most vnwillingly done against thee I die beautious virgin yea I must die onely because I loue thee accounting my selfe most vnfortunate in that I haue not receiued one small fauour at thy hands before my death Neither am I willing to liue seeing it is contrarie vnto thy will and pleasure My dying lippes had neuer that blessed happe to touch those thy vermillion checkes No not so much as to kisse those thy Princely handes and all because I was thereof vnworthie Notwithstanding if thou most gratious Mistris doest thinke that this my death for louing thee deserueth anie recompence then I most humblie beseech you that you pardon all that is past graunting me to kisse not your louely lips but onely that your most victorious hand O my soule my soule how insupportable is your anguish not to loue this my bodie but to abandon the companie of my sweet Princes I die happily being rid from all my griefe and yet most miserably in that I lose thee whom I loue farre more then my owne selfe O fairest creature of all that euer were faire remember remember thy deare Don Iohn after he is dead and gone who now taketh his last farewell of thee Hauing so said he sinketh downe into his bed his faire Mistris falling hard by his side in a sound but in the end comming vnto her selfe againe she shed so many teares vpon the bloodlesse visage of
the knight as at length life began to come in him once more that he might yet a little longer enioy the presence of her O what a pittifull sight was this to behold These two faithfull Louers who neuer had receiued any solace or comfort the one of the other in all the time of their life now at the last houre of their deaths begin to embrace and kisse one another sucking that sweet poyson which forced them to die mingling their teares vpon their checkes whilest they drowne themselues in the Seas of their owne laments and wailings O happie Knight to carrie with thee the soule of thy Mistris which with thy chaste kisses thou diddest sucke from forth her bodie and O blessed Princes to haue receiued so faithfull a proofe of thy Loyall Louer whilest thou doest comfort him he lying at the point of death The one was whole and without hurt the other at deaths doore and wounded mortally and yet was she that was whole no more able to speake then the other that was so fore diseased Mute and dumb were both of them they two hauing as it were but one bodie is but one will and minde was betwixt them yet this slight pleasure which they drew with their sole breath lasted not long for so great was their inward griefes as if they should not haue spoken their hearts must then needs burst in sunder As the beautie of the Rose that is gathered soone vadeth away because it quickly withereth by reason of the heate of the Suune Euen so as suddely were those ioyes which they conceiued gon from them whilest the young Ladie weepeth and weeping drieth vp the teares of ner faithfull Seruant she kisseth his closed eyes and with her tongue wipeth away the drops as they fall vpon his cheekes but alas in steed of those which she drieth vp his owne distilleth and lighteth vpon the same place whilest heauie sighes make him to groane and thousand passions interrupt and breake the passage of his speech He crieth out and taketh on most bitterly to see her thus to lament he curseth his hard fortune and calleth her cruell in that she seemeth to enuie at this his glorie which he conceiueth in his minde to enioy by dying and at the last forceth himselfe to vse these fewe speeches vnto her Alas sweet Mistris what haue I done vnto you what haue I done vnto you I pray you that you should so much malice the small remainder of this my hatefull life Let me alone I beseech you and suffer me to part out of this world quietly without troubling of me now I am going away from hence Are you not content that mine owne teares haue so often drowned me but that I must needs be ouerwhelmed with yours also O vnkinde and discourteous euen vntill my latest end If thou louest me as thou wouldest make me beleeue then shew some signe thereof in appeasing thy sorrowes for my loue sake Wilt thou make me so miserable as that now I am dying I shall finde my selfe to be the Author of all thy care and sorrow Alacke doe not me that great wrong and let it not be said that I haue receiued so vniust an iniurie from thee Goe in peace I pray you and suffer me to die according vnto mine owne wish O wretched carkasse of mine why diddest not thou breathe thy last with the corpse of thine enemie when thou soughtest the other day in the lists without procuring as now vnto thy selfe a worse then double death Well Ladie well I see thou wilt not cease from weeping I see thou wilt still be sighing and sobbing and I plainely perceiue thou wilt not giue ouer to lament for the losse of him who is not worthy that thou shouldest let fall one teare in his behalfe Most gratious Princes if my praiers cannot preuaile for me and although thou wilt doe nothing in respect of me ah yet at least haue some regard vnto thine owne honour for what would strangers thinke if they should finde that thou thus takest on and mourne for me Wilt thou make me so wretched as to cause me to be thought to be the occasion both of thy woe and of thy discredit which although wrongfully shall be a blemish vnto thy former renowme Doe not O doe not offer me such monstrous iniurie but rather if thou thinkest that euer I haue done any thing that hath bene pleasing vnto thee or that I did fight against thine enemie in thy behalfe recompence me with this one good turne which is that thou bewaile not the losse of him who whilest he liued was thy most religious Votarie to the end none may reproach or defame thee hereafter in giuing out that thou diddest Loue me But I perceiue it will not be I see my suite will not be graunted wherefore O death most kinde and courteous death make hast come come and make hast to rid me out of this too too seruile thraldome to the end I may no longer behold her thus to waile and weepe who is my chiefest ioy and felicitie in this world Then once more gratious Mistris But here he was preuented by the wofull Princes who not being able to heare him thus to vexe and torment himselfe interrupted him in his speech after this manner Now by that rare vertue by that admirable valour and by that comelines of personage all which were lately thine yea and by mine owne selfe who will be none but thine I entreate thee my deare and faithfull Knight and by that admirable loue which thou hast heretofore borne me and as yet doest beare vnto me I coniure thee to pardon me for this thy death for I onely haue forced thee to die it is I haue bene thy vtter destruction and I onely haue brought the vntimely vnto thy graue Ah let me but heare that sweete and comfortable word once pronounced by thee before I discouer vnto thee the secrets of my heart and that I bewray any more of mine inward minde vnto thee Louely Ladie replied my Maister I pardon thee with all my heart but why doest thou thus iest at my haplesse miseries requesting that of me which I first did beg of thee because it belonged vnto me and for that it is I and not thou that art herein culpable neuerthelesse if those words shall please thee for whom I liued onely to serue and obey and whom now I am dying I would be loth to offend I am content to speake them saying Fairest and loueliest Ladie I most hartily pardon you The mestfull Ladie hearing him to say so began to drie her eyes whilest flinging the haire of her head vpon her shoulders which before hindered her tongue from speaking she thus began to bewray her minde vnto him I cannot denie my deare heart but that I was much too blame when I first of all refused thy chaste seruice offered vnto me but alas did I thinke that for one onely deniall thou wouldest haue giuen ouer thy enterprise and betaken thy selfe to liue
of his Mistris as he perceiued not whē he was entered therfore he came neer vnto him and saluted him whilest the other stood stone still like vnto a Rocke resembling that statue of salt into which the wife of Lot was turned which the old Magitian perceiuing he came and pulled him by the sleeue saying How now man what cheare where is your minde now and why suffer you it so long before it doe his ordinarie duetie That dammage which a sencelesse creature doth ouer whom his Maister hath power is laid vpon him and not vpon the beast We ought wisely to rule what is committed vnto vs to gouerne which if it be so then why doest not thou looke vnto thy soule but rather doest permit her to wander thus abroad seeing that without her thou see-mest as a dead creature Call home for shame call home I say thy wits together and resolue to submit thy selfe vnto the iudgement of the Gods and to doe as they shall command thee for our griefes moue not them neither doe our teares appease their rigour towards vs. Ah Father answered the Shepheard how can he who hath no more power ouer his slaue because he hath past ouer his freedome vnto another dispose of him and command him as he was wont and how wilt thou that I beare sway ouer my soule hauing none within me since I haue resigned it vnto my Ladie who disposeth thereof as she best pleaseth And herein I resemble that miserable marchant whose ship being driuen against a Rocke scarce saueth his naked selfe hauing before seene all his goods and seruants to be cast away and drowned or rather I am like vnto that haplesse Duke of Ithaca who hauing but one poore leaking vessell got a shore through the helpe of the Sea Nymph Can he whom the cruell Law hath subiected vnder the will of another and being his poore drudge and slaue doe as he faine would and dispose of himselfe as he listeth You know he cannot neither can I doe as I would but as I may for I am my Mistris slaue and although she is not with me yet my heart which serueth in steed of a Table vnto Loue to draw her beautifull conceit presenteth her euery minute before me so as I seeme to see her liuely the sight whereof doth take away my sences from me for worthy things causeth vs to burne in loue of them and with a sweet kinde of force drawe vs of our owne accord to come vnto them Then maruaile no more though thou findest me thus out of temper If meere griefe be of power to procure death then what may Loue doe which not onely seazeth vpon the bodie but likewise vpon the soule scarce had I wet the soales of my feete entring into this wide Ocean of sundrie conceits when thou withdrewest me from the same as that carefull father doth his harmelesse child from the brim of some pit wherein he might fall and be drowned But alas what wouldest thou haue me to doe Suffer me I pray thee and let me alone in my musing for there is nothing more pleasant vnto a wofull man then to dreame of such delights as he hath once tasted because as then he thinketh still to tast them I was dreaming of that contentment which the companie of my Diana hath heretofore brought me why then hast thou disturbed me in the same when perhaps I shall not encounter with so sweet a thought I know not when againe and the rather for that a leuen houres and three quarters of a day are destined for the mishap of man and onely one poore quarter appointed for his contentment of which small space of time many haue bene depriued in the number of which I am the chiefe No no replied the old man Not to thinke of misfortunes maketh a man as happie as if he had neuer bene afflicted with any for he cannot be said to be sicke that liueth without any feeling of griefe or disease so he is not wretched that neuer remembreth his former disasters the thought whereof is the occasion that maketh vs so sad Driue then these idle fancies out of thy braine Hardly could courteous Dido entreate the wandring Prince of Troy to repeate and report the ouerthrow of his countrie although he was much beholding vnto her for irkesome is the calling to minde of such matters Away then with these toyes and begin thy discourse where thou last didst leaue which will like thee better and the rather when thou shalt account thy happie fortunes Ah good father answered Arcas neuer hath my tongue bene vsed to talke of any good fortune that hath hapned vnto me heretofore for few or none haue I had but onely to sigh forth my strange and wofull losses What Sunne haue these my drerie eyes euer beheld without new floods of teares and what darkesome night hath couered them with neuer so heauie a sleepe but that fresh griefes haue growne before the breake of day within my soule My wofull pilgrimage in this vnconstant world hath alwaies bene vnluckie dismall and vnfortunate and therefore I would to God that death had abridged the same But why should you thinke that I could liue and languish thus without bethinking me of my losse Nothing pincheth the heart more then a mans ouerthrow because it is long before he can recouer himselfe againe and for that it will aske much labour and paine yea it is so deeply inprinted within vs that although we haue in time repaired and amended our selues yet still there remaineth some one marke or another that galleth vs euen at the very quicke Who euer sawe man hauing endured great hinderance and mishaps but that he sometimes thinketh thereon yea and now and then bewaileth the same although he haue neuer so great a courage We are all good registers of such aduersities as happen vnto vs but not of prosperitie and sooner can we call to minde an iniurie done vnto vs then remember a benefit or good turne which we haue receiued for this old sinne of our great grandlire Adam draweth vs alwaies rather vnto bad then good This is the reason that men for the most part are naturally giuen sooner to slaunder then to defend the good name and credit of their neighbous and so likewise this is the cause I so liuely feele and apprehend the remembrance of my calamities not wishing any thing so much as to be confined within some Rocke alone like a Recluse to the end I might the better meditate vpon them and the more bitterly bewaile them Now quoth the old gray-beard I see thou art in the wrong for we must not haue our eyes alwaies vpon the earth but sometimes we must as well looke vp towards heauen Wherefore serueth this diuine reason which maketh vs Lords ouer all other creatures if by her aide we repulse not such mortall passions as come into the world with vs And to what end doth a father send his Sonne vnto the Vniuersitie most willingly defraving
and as kinde vnto vs as euer he was before The weaker must alwaies yeeld somewhat vnto the stronger because the one is neuer distraught nor carryed away with our publike affaires where the other are drawne abroad with much businesse and diuers cares which hindereth them oftentimes to remember or thinke vpon their inferiours Let him then liue if he be as yet liuing For neuer let Diana wish to liue to see that day wherein she shall be reproached to haue bene the cause of his death who by his writings doth eternize the Vertuous especially when I may preserue his life and that he seeketh not to haue any thing of mee that is preiudiciall vnto mine honour This was the answere of wise Diana vnto faire Orythia who most kindely thanking her in my behalfe came merrilie away seeking to find me out Who no sooner saw me but that shee deliuered vnto me my Ladies minde and therewithall aduised me to goe presently vnto her and to present my selfe vnto her How to requite this curteous Nymphe for so exceeding a fauour done vnto mee I know not Whilst I was framing a set speech in my minde to shew my selfe in some sort gratefull vnto her How now quoth she it is no time now to studie away and get you gone vnto your Mistris As for thanks I looke for none at your handes I hauing done but what was my dutie seeing such as are bound must needs obey yet I beseech the goddesse of Loue to make thee once to pittie me who wish thee no worse fortune then I doe vnto mine owne soule although thy chiefe happines must needs be my bad ouerthrow And hauing so sayd casting a pittious eye towards me and sighing most heauilie as if her heart would haue burst she went away from me and so left me I could not chuse but weepe thinking vpon her When remembring my Ladies message I set forward speedilie to wend towards her carrying in my hand a certain Sonnet which I had made in her praise not long before meaning to present it vnto her Being arriued where she was I found her accompanied with other Nymphes sitting by the side of a Fountaine which issued forth from out the veines of a stately Rocke the water whereof was farre clearer then any Cristall in whose bottome was a dainty yealow Sand such as that of Pactolus intermixed with a number of precious stones of sundry colours had a man bene able to haue thrust his nimble hand deep enogh he might without wetting of his arme with exceeding great pleasure haue taken a number of little fishes running vp downe and playing most wantonly there one while hyding themselues within the entrailes of the grauell and another while in sundrie corners and holes of the Fountaine Whilst being slipperie and skipping too and fro they would most cunninglie get out of the fingers of him that had caught them From this Fountaine there came forth two sweet Riuers which growing into a great water ranne round about the whole Countrey loosing themselues as they fell into the Sea adioyning This Fountaine was shadowed ouer with beautious Cipresse and louely Orenge ttees the sweete buds and blossomes whereof was able to rauish the mindes euen of bruit Beasts within the Rock were many seates to rest on framed by nature so artificiallie as no cunning could any way come neare them they being alwaies couered with pleasing Camomell the more to delight the sense of man The ground all along was full of greene grasse and other pretie hearbes which the teeth of Cattell had neuer spoyled nor ouer-heate of the day scorched or burned Manie sweete Rose-trees sprung forth from out the sides of that Rocke in diuers places and that in so iustand seemly an order as you would haue thought they had bene planted and set by the handy-labour of some curious Gardiner whilst all sort of Roots sprouted out in their right colours the odoriferous sent whereof was such and the scituation of the place so delightfull as you would haue thoght your selfe in Paradice as long as you had continued there Neuer was there Pallace more beautifull That Fountaine which the warlike Horse caused to spring out of the ground An Example with the hoose of his foote was nothing so daintie although more commended by such as dranke of the water thereof they being inspired with the gift of Poetrie euer after In this so pleasant a seate then did I finde gratious Diana passing away her time one while with washing her beautifull face an other while her Diamond eyes and then againe her long and slender hands No care as then troubled her neither was she busied in canuasing in her braines A Similie any serious matter of weighty importance As that great Sacrificer who thinking to sacrifice to Iuno the goddesse of Riches finding her Image either bloodie or sweating suddainely withdraweth himselfe from thence consulting with his fellow-Priest about the strange chance before he beginne his Ceremonies againe Euen so I seeing so rare a beautie stood as one amazed without speech and as if I had bene in a sound And now I began to consider within my selfe whether I were best to goe forwards on my iourney and offer my Present vnto this Nymphe or whether without speaking vnto her I should turne backe againe and goe from whence I came For although such onely finde Fortune to fauour them who are venturous and of bold spirits yet thought I it were farre better not to trye all especially when a mans life or credit lyeth therevpon then like bold Bayard to runne bluntly onwards and so to take repulse and be denyed of his sute For more sure and certaine is the meane life and estate then is the richest and highest in authority wherin there is nothing but trouble and danger This was the cause I stood so long debating of the matter within my selfe whether I were best to pursue my first enterprise or no A Sentence For hardly dare a man speak to such a one as we feare respect but in the end the same thing that made mee most to doubt did rid me out of the same stifling my feare driuing away all sorrow from me For my Mistris hauing espied mee who was neare readie to goe back againe called me vnto her O how sweete and comfortable was that sound vnto mee I thinking I had bene called by some God there-abouts Gratious and full of courtesie was her speech insomuch as I counted my name most blessed because it was pronounced by my louelie Goddesse No longer will I maruell now although the voyces of Saintes heeretofore haue bene of power to call vp dead Coarses from out the bottome of their graues where they lay buried restoring them vnto life againe since that of my faire Mistrisse was able to driue away all sadnesse and sorrow from mee and to reuiue fresh hope within me This made me draw neare vnto her when after many dutious Ceremonies done by me vnto her I
our hearts setting a fire many flames within the same With the Leaden Arrow hath Cupid strucke my Ladie which maketh her colde and cruell vnto my mischiefe and with a gold enoue is my poore hart wounded burning the same incessantly and making it to die remedilesse As the waifairing man who perceiâ—inâ— two or three wolues deuouring a sheepe most greedily in the corner of a field goeth his way faire and softly that he may not be perceiued by them Euen so I hauing heâ—rd what this Shepheard said stole softly by him without any noise because he should not see me in quest of my Ladie and yet had I no great need so to doe for Loue taketh a mans sight and sences away from him in such wise as they become Rocks or Trees as Myrrha was And thus was I rid of my fellow in Loue whome I left alone to meditate therevpon this musing working mischiefe not alone to his thoughts but vnto hâ— eyes and bodie also Meane space I seeke vp and downe for my Diana Neuer did those two bretheren being Twinnes wander more carefully to seeke all about for their rauisht sister then I sought here and there for her whome at the last I found dauncing amongst other Nymphs who to driue away the feare from her which as yet held her had deuised this sportfull pastime to see if they could make her merrie One thought drowneth another one exercise maketh another to be forgotten and nothing sooner driueth away a Tempest then the bright beames of the Sunne his chiefest enemie Still and husht did I stand to seâ— this trim daunsing not being a little proud to behold my Saint who excelled all the rest whiâ—â—h they trod the measures as well in beautie as in behauiour and good grace as the Phenix doth all other Birds And now she had quite forgotten the foresaid Monster and her feare was past and gone when no sooner she espied me but that her colour began to change she shewing not that liuelines in the Galliard as she had done before for my presence brought the danger before her eyes which she had but lately scâ—â—ed putting her in minde afresh of the foule deformitie of the Mâ—â—rster Accursedd that should be occasion of griefe vnto her vpon whome my whole life and libertie did depend But this was but a preamble or a beginning of my sorrowes the end whereof was more then lamentable and Tragicall Well may I say too true is that pouertie which learneth vs that one pleasure engendreth a thousand cares and that nothing is so much subiect vnto change as is the prosperitie of man Quickly did I perceiue how my Dâ—â—na was altered yet knew I not well the occasion thereof for one while I thought it was for meere pittie of my paines that she looked so who beholding me began to bethinke her selfe of the same another while I doubted least some sinister conceit was come into her head against me she being loth to vtter it with her owne mouth vnto me Being thus troubled in minde with two contrarie opinions I thought it best to stay vntill they had made an end of their pastime the better to be resolued therein being greatly moued in that vpon my first arriuall I sawe her change her countenance and therefore longed the more to know the cause thereof It is strange to see how we are alwaies more desirous and curious to vnderstand what is bad in our owne behalfes then that which is good for vs as if we our selues and not others would become murtherers of our owne healths Meane space many things ran in my braines whilest my Mistris passing by cast now and then a glaunce vpon me which sometimes I tooke for the best and then againe I doubted the worst To be short I resembled the guiltie Fellon who strucken colde with feare attendeth his last sentence either of life or death whilest I listned vnto their singing and amongst diuers other Sonnets I brought this away with me which one of the Nymphs warbled forth and therather did I learne it by roate so soone because it did somewhat answere vnto my humour AN ODE Worthy's hee of the bright Day Who doth loyall LOVE obay CVPID onely I doe loue Him I worship stillaboue Happie is he that by the same Wisedome to himselfe doth gaine Worthy's hee of the bright Day Who doth loyall LOVE obay O how sweete is that warme Fire Which our hearts heates with Desire To our soules no sweetnes is Halfe so dulcet as is this Worthy's hee of the bright Day Who doth loyall LOVE obay Blessed LOVE withouten crime Two Sonles pleaseth at one time Then doth LOVE his Louer right When his loue hee doeth requite Worthy's hee of the bright Day Who doth layall LOVE obay Of two Soules hee makes but one In two Bodies all alone LOVE more happie cannot hee Then wee louing Couples see Worthy's hee of thi bright Day What doth loyall LOVE obay Pleasure none vpon the ground Like to LOVE is to be found Pieasures passe as transitorie LOVE still lines in great glorie Worhy's hee of the bright Day Who doth loyall LOVE obay After the Nymph had made an end of her Song which charmed my spirites my Ladie as another Caliope answered her Ah renowned Father how sweete and yet sower withall was that voyce of hers vnto mee Empoysoned Ipocras is not halfe so dangerous vnto the health of man as that Dittie was cruell vnto my very soule Neuer was those bewitching tunes of the alluring Syrens halfe so gratious and delightfull which the prudent Duke of Ithaca feared more then Death it selfe One of the fairest parcells of a womans beautie is her voyce whilst it doeth rauish the hearts of the stauders by with true Harmonie and whilst her warbling Accents pierce and enter into the very depth of their soules By our eares doth it enter downe into our harts but it commeth not from thence without spoyle and riches For it carrieth away the minde of man playing as the subtill war-like foe doth who marching vpon his enemies Countrey setteth vpon the same violently neuer returneth home again vntill he be loaden with great prey treasure So sweete was her voyce and so bright her Saphire eyes as I could not chuse but crie out although softly and vnto my selfe Ah woe is me I die But now I pray you harken vnto my Ladies Song which was quite contrary vnto that that went before For thus it was Worthie is hee of darke Night That in Cupid doth delight Nothing in this World can be Sweeter then our Libertie Which LOVE often takes away And then all our ioyes decay Worthie is hee of blaeke Night That in Cupid doeth delight LOVE doth neuer sorrow misse Who grieues malcontented is But LOVE thus doth Louers sting Doth not LOVE then sorrow bring Worthie is hee of Blacke Night That in Cupid doth delight Who that soule hath ere seene oasde Vpon whom fierce LOVE hath soasde The Mistris and the Sernant both Oft through LOVE
true who sent home the poore Publicane beeing humble and meeke more iustified vnto his house then hee did the proud Pharisie who stood vaunting so much vppon his owne good-works with this sentence Free that buâ—◠〈◊〉 himselfe shall be glorified and hee that glorifieth himselfe shall not be exalted O how much better and comelier is it that a man should say vnto one Friend sit vp higher at the Table take a more honourable place vnto you then to say Come downe sit lower that a worthier person then thy selfe may sit where thou doest Hence then Pride and fie vpon Haughtines pack hence Ambition and away with vainglory these being most dangerous plagues vnto men infecting as well their consciences as their mindes within them On the other side sweere and profitable is Humilitie for so doth the wise man teach vs when hee saith Boast not thy selfe of to morrow for little doest thou knowe what tuill this day may bring vnto thee Amilcar Amilear deceuted throgh Pride chiefe Generall of the Carthaginian forces besieging Syracusa had an answere from his false Gods that hee should suppe the day following within the same Towne wherevpon he straightwaies began to waxe proud and yet did it fall out otperwise then he expected for although hee supped the same night within the Citie it was not as a Conquerour but as a prisoner hee being taken in a Skirmish which they of the besieged Towne made against him Let vs not therefore vaunt our selues ouermuch least wee be taken downe sooner then we looke for for hee onely that is lowly in minde shall be accounted of Let vs then shunne all Prids to auoyd the same we must leaue all companies all Cities and all Courts of Princes So did the deuout and mortified Marie Magdalene leaue the world retiring her selfe into a Rock The death of M. Magdalen where being all alone she lamented her sinnes past with great contrition and repentance passing the rest of her life in this deuout manner To leaue this Monster the Auncient good Fathers ranne into Woods and Desarts leauing their Townes and Cities as Paul Anthony Hierome and diuers moe because Prsde seldome or neuer haunteth solitarie places for feare he should be starued for hun ger but rather runneth amongst the Rich and where there is good store and plentie of euery thing and thither likewise must wee withdraw our selues if wee meane to liue deuoutlie indeed The Almightie Sonne of the euerliuing God chose a Wildernesse for his field of warre A solitary place better for Meditano of heauenly matters then Citties or company of men at what time hee did combat with the Diuell after that he had fasted fortie dayes and fourtie nights O thrice happie they who giuing ouer the world passe the rest of their liues in true holinesse and vertue in some secrete and remote place as if it were an Hermitage where neither Ambition nor Enuie neither Couetousnes nor vaine Loue trouble them not at all whilst they with great contentment and pleasure passe the rest of their liues free from all daungers whatfoeuer There they grieue not to see their enemies waxe rich and themselues to growe poore There no brawlings at the Barre about Law matters no confused noyse for the profite of Cities no toyling and moyling like Drudges in the Countrey doth trouble or molest them at all whilst they onely liue vnto their God not regarding or once minding any matters or businesse of the world After this manner of life A proofe of the Contemplatius life meane I to end mine owne and I will studie to finde out this sacred Humilitie which neuer deceiueth anie For hardly can hee misse of his purpose or be frustrated of his enterprise who goeth willingly about the same not beeing troubled with any thing else in his minde at all Hence then all Ambitious creatures for I must needes leaue you since you soyle our soules as oyle doth staine a garment A solitarie and sequestred kinde of life is best Pride is neuer in poote and vertuous places more pleasing and more secure then any other So will I liue and such a one will I be to â—uoyd that furious Monster Pride who neuer commeth in chaste and priuate places which are well gouerned and where good exercises are vsed in all laudable sort that may be And therfore here I protest that from hence forward I will leaue this wicked world and that most willingly with all the vaine pompes and flattering greatnesse of the same wishing euery one that is wise to followe mee taking the same course I am in hand to doe So horrible and terrible is the foulenesse of that Beast as it maketh me yet to tremble for verie feare and neuer shall I thinke thereof but that I shall finde my selfe the worse a long time after Therefore to preuent the worst and not to fall into his gryping pawes I am resolued to forsake all companie of men shutting my selfe within some vncoth and vnfrequented place like vnto a Recluse where without euer seeing any bodie I will end the remnant of this my too long life farre from Pride and ambition and voyd of all loue and enuie This is my constant and certaine resolution which I propose to such as minding to follow me are willing to be partakers of true Humslitie gaining thereby rest in this world and in the world to come peace euerlasting Therefore my deare and sweet companions although I be loth yet must I needs leaue you to seeke out this rough and austere kinde of abode where my drerie eyes shall be exempted from the view of this strange Monster which would make me to die for very feare onely if they should by chance once more haue neuer so little sight of him yea yea I will seeke to auoide his loathed prefence by this good meanes whilest following the steps of humble Humilitie I shall imitate that great vessell of election who reioyced in nothing so much as in the crosse of Christ That religious S. Iohn the Baptist who called himselfe the voice of a cryer in the wildernes and that godly Elias who tearmed himselfe to be a feather blowne vp and downe by the winde all which three were lowly and humble aduersries to Pride and voide of all ambition Therefore haue I set vp my rest to cast Anker in this Hauen after my sayling through so many and dangerous mortall Seas desiring you all my deare and louing sisters most humble entreating you that none of you doe me that great wrong as to seeke to dehort me from this so holy a resolution which if you should yet were it but in vaine and to no purpose at all he is accursed that seekes to leade astray that sinner who is entered into the path of his saluation he hauing a sorrowfull heart and being penitent in his minde for the same Now reuerend Sire iudge you if this Oration was pleasing vnto me or no I stood mute and still as that huge
and the first opening of a fault is difficult vnto a vertuous minde but very casie when he shall be permitted to take an habit in the same For so small a trifle and such a thing as can doe thee no good be not I beseech thee the cause that I be esteemed or taken for other then hithereto I haue bene for hare and leane should that tryumph be which thou shouldest purchase by mine honour because my blood should presently make satisfaction for the same Content thee then with what I haue said and thinke that I will not denie thee any thing which may stand with my credit but considering that this which thou requirest may some way impeach the same I cannot iustly yeeld vnto thy demand Leaue then I say once more to importune me for that which will doe thee no good yet will hurt me much and then shall I thinke that thy speeches are true and that thy loue is chaste and vertuous as thou hast hitherto protested This was my Ladies sharpe replie which draue away all my former ioy I had conceiued of hope by reason of her first kinde words so as now my complaints began afresh againe my teares renewed and my sighes came forth faster then they had done before I was so galled with sorrow and so much griped at the heart with this her vnexpected deniall as I could doe nothing but weepe holding downe mine eyes towards the ground as not daring to looke vpon her In the end surcharged and oppressed with contrarie passions I burst out into these wofull tearmes hauing before sent forth thousands of scalding sighes as precursors of the same O cruell Loue O miserable Starres iealous of my good O dismall day wherin I was borne and more then thrise accursed life of mine since I am more wretched then any whatsoeuer liuing After much labour taking and many a yeares sayling the Pilot at length arriueth vnto his Hauen but I Caitiffe that I am finde no end of my torments None giueth succour vnto me neither doth any as much as a little ease me my sicknes encreaseth with the day continueth all night long and yet neuer amendeth Alas alas why died not I at the first when hauing offended you my dearest Ladie you exild me from you louely presence Vnfortunate Shepheard that I was to perswade my selfe to liue and hope the best when I finde no cause but of dispaire and death Ah had I then taken that readie course I had bene now free from these hellish panges which euery minute oppresse my heart and I had bene partaker of those rare beatitudes which the soules of happie Louers enioy for euer Sacred and Religious Diana since you adiudge me vnworthy of any small fauour at your hands and that without yeelding to agree vnto so little a matter you are desirous of my end yet at the least doe thus much for me as to permit me to die in leiu of all my troubles before thy beautious face This I beg at your hand for default of that other curtesie which you iudge me vnworthy of for although you haue denied me the first yet I hope you will agree vnto the secod otherwise I vow after I haue a hundred thousand times tearmed you by the name of Cruell I will most desperately lay violent hands vpon my selfe crying out that you haue bene the cause of mine vntimely ouerthrow Graunt me then one of my requests the last of which you cannot well denie because it costeth you nothing What hurt can this be vnto you any way but rather good when you shall doe so charitable a deed vnto the common-wealth as to permit him to die who is vnprofitable vnto the same Without licence from you I neither may nor will take this bloodie course in hand seeing I hold my life from you and that you alone and none but you haue puissance ouer me Linger not then to yeeld vnto my desire for if you thinke that my trauailes past haue merited any reward you cannot better recompence them then to graunt me death which is the onely thing I couet seeing I must be depriued of your cheerfull presence as one not worthy to enioy it As the Hunter is amazed hauing lost the tracing of the Deare which he hunteth his dogs being at a bay knoweth not which way to goe nor well what path to take whilest his Hounds barking vpon some dich side round about him he standeth musing what to doe Euen such a one my Ladie seemed to be she seeing her selfe charged with two contrarie demaunds both which she iudged aduersaries vnto her honour which to take she knoweth not well and therefore standeth studying as one sad and pensiue what to say vnto this matter If she should giue me her hand to kisse she feareth least I should foolishly and without wit speake something that might discredit her and if she should suffer me to die she being now readie to giue ouer the world and to become as it were a Religious Nunne she doubted least the world would say she had done it for griefe of me Besides she was vnwilling that I should die vnto whom despite of her selfe she thought her selfe somewhat beholding knowing that death was but a cold recompence for so great loue as I had borne her Much was she perplexed in her minde about this busines my hard fortune did somewhat soften her stonie heart but then againe the respect of her honour did harden it as much but had Loue had but some interest or power in her she had quickly brought these two contraries vnto an agreement but alas he then had not neither is he like euer to haue What should she doe in these two extremities and how should she throughly satisfie and content her honour One while she putteth forth her hand for me to kisse and then vpon the suddaine putteth it backe againe one while she is about to casshire me with rough speeches and then againe she seemeth willing to yeeld vnto my request one while she careth not although I die and then by and by she cannot endure she should be counted so cruell Meane space she seeth me to raine whole riuers of teares and to send forth blacke clouds of scalding sighes whilest with a sobbing heart I thus once more follow mine old sute vnto her What is the reason faire Goddesse that you thus stand lingring through delaies and not suffer this forsaken and abiect wretch to die To what end doth he liue which way can he profite his countrie and what reason haue you to lament his destruction Pronounce pronounce thy faithfull sentence quickly for he attendeth for nothing else to the end he may with a more braue courage wend his way to put in practise the same Speake then and giue our this musing when the Iudge sitteth vpon the life or death of an offender he standeth not studying vpon the same but soone pronounceth his finall iudgement Deliuer then my sentence as a fatall Oracle without delaying any longer for
in that you haue vouchsafed to permit me to enioy your more then Angelicall presence thus long and all alone Neuertheles I most humbly thanke you as much for the proffer thereof as if I had enioyed the same I being euery way contented and satisfied as I would my selfe Thus did I excuse my selfe as one vnworthie of so great a kindnesse making daintie of the matter when my Ladie seeming as it were to be angrie that I refused the same and somewhat blushing through Choller thus replyed Well shepheard well I now perceiue that you will not accept of this small fauour because vo◠would haue some colour to complaine of mee after my departure from you Willingly I offer it then willinglie accept it for say that anie thing otherwise then well should happen vnto me about this matter yet would not I haue thee to think I loue thee so ill as I would lay anie blame vpon thee at all More pleasing is a hurt come by chaunce from a friend then a pleasure or good turne done vnto vs proceeding from an enemie Then if I may doe any thing with thee let mee intreat thee to doe as I will haue thee which if thou wilt not then wilt thou make me to think thou neuer didst affect me The refusall of a gift presented in good will argueth a peruerse minde of him against the giuer that doeth refuse the same Euen so I cannot imagine otherwise of thee but that thou rather hatest mee then louest me truely and therefore doe as thou pleasest But I will call the heauens to witnesse of mine offer proceeding from a pure good will to the ende the blame shall be thine and not mine if hereaster without cause thou shalt exclaime against me Therefore if euer thou meanest that I shall remember thy loue and that I shall thinke thou hast euer affected mee with a chaste and an vnspotted heart then let me intreat thee to accept of this gift which as I knowe it will be pleasing vnto thee so shall it be no way hurtfull vnto me at all Seeing then said I louely Diana that such is thy pleasure I will obey the same whether I liue or die and not a little will I glorie herein that I haue liued to fulfill the will of so great and gracious a Ladie as your selfe swearing by those your Diamond eyes that what mischaunce so euer shall hereafter light vpon mee I neuer will accuse you for the same Wherevpon I gentlie tooke her Iuory soft hand which I kissed bedeawing it with many a louing teare O sweet thought thereof ô pleasing remembrance of that good Fortune and ô sacred memory of that blessed time although they cost me dearely not long after That poore vassall who findeth himselfe punished for presuming to haue hunted within the Parkes of his Lord receiueth not halfe so deepe a conceit of his displeasure as this Fauour made mee afterwards to endure So much was my delight as I seemed to be rauished therewithall nothing in the world being able to haue contented mee so much as that did That thing which a man loueth and hath a minde vnto hee thinketh can neuer be too deerly bought Euen so I found nothing so precious in my thoughts as was those kisses which I then enioyed Alas neuer doe I thinke thereof but that I am ready for to sownd That wicked Tyrant Dennis beeing driuen out of his kingdome of Sicile neuer thought himselfe so wretched when he remembred his vtter ouerthrow as I doe when I call to minde my former life and happines I stood still as a stone sighing and crying out as indeed I had reason for two causes especially The one was the absence of my Ladie the other the losse of that sweete contentment which I then enioyed and was to giue ouer presently But the day now beginneth to be late and therefore I will briefly make an ende of this my more then wofull Tragedie No sooner had I let goe my Ladies hands but that the whole troupe of Nymphes were arriued they all saluting Diana their Gouernesse who was not slowe to returne them the like kindnes againe Alas this was that dismall day which did me both good and bad and all at one time together wherin I may compare her vnto the Viper which being venomous doth sting deadly and yet neuertheles serueth for many necessary helpes and vses For then was it when my Mistris still setled in her first resolution tooke leaue of all the Nymphes her companions to goe and inclose her selfe within some solitarie Cell for none could disswade her from the same althogh with sighes teares she was perswaded to the contrary Whilst I poore wretch being not able to endure to behold so pittifull a departure weeping and crying out like an other Niobe conueyed my selfe behinde a Rocke to bewaile my losse at the more leisure O how heauy were the complaintes I made as then how dolefull the mournings how bitter the laments and how pittifull was the moestfull sound of my dying voice I must needs make you acquainted with some part of them because I haue no other delight then to call to minde these my forepassed miseries Be these then cried I out the last speeches that euer I shall make vnto my deare Mistris and thou most glorious Sunne is it possible that I should be able to behold this blacke gloomy day when thou thy selfe hast hid thy head before times for lesse matter then this If so why then doest thou not now hide thy selfe to the ende thou mayest not view the most wretched Caitiffe that euer liued Who euer knew a bodie to liue without a soule breath or blood no more shall mine do for thou holdest my soule and heart louely Diana The cruell Destinies shall not depriue thee of mee but of my life also In losing of thee I will lose my selfe neither shall mine eyes see any more since they cannot behold thy gracious presence Vnfortunate I that did not a while since go kill my selfe before I was depriued from my chiefest ioy I now liuing to be but a common receptacle for all mischaunces whatsoeuer As possible is it for a man to support vpon his shoulders the huge weight of the Heauens as for mee to beare the absence of thee my sacred Diana Since the nourishment of my life is gone what can mine Eyes behold to see seeing their Sunne is Eclipsed who shall giue light vnto mine heart and how shall my hope flourish greene since all comforts be quite blasted and gone How many Louers haue there bene that haue either dyed with griefe or else haue slaine themselues with their owne swords onely because they haue lost their faire Mistriffes What then should let or hinder mee but that in like manner I may followe their examples The Marchant that hath no marchandise shutteth vp his shoppe and liueth idlely Euen so I hauing lost my Saint must shut vp mine eyes with the sweet slumber of death O blessed Eyes in that you haue