had the mischiefe wrought But oh swéete Christ thy grace this folly stayd Thou cleardst my sight which mistes of loue did bleare Unto whose praise my conscience hath bewrayd My former life deuoyde of godly feare Thou crau'st good Lord no other aduocate But prayer mine to purchase heauenly grace The which thou sayst doth neuer come too late If I repent when prayer pleades my case A contrite hart is the swéete sacrifice That thou dost séeke ere we thy fauour winne The which deare God with sighes wéeping eyes I offer vp in recompence of sinne Attending still when triall of my fayth Shall treade downe death Sathan force to réele And boldly say till latter gaspe of breath My soul through faith the ioyes of heauen doth féele The reporter To make this recantation or repentance more perfect in shewe and in déede he wrote this following admonition vnto him selfe which he termed his farewel to follie P. Plasmos farewell to folly FArewell you fading ioyes Which fancie forst me loue Adieu'go trudge your tickle toyes Though late too soone I proue O wandring head leaue off Fonde fancies to imbrace And sugred toung nowe cease to scoffe Or others to disgrace Forsake O luring eyes To faine the louing art And scalding sighes be you no spies To wound a womans hart O mynde with verses vaine No more thy selfe acquaint Forsake in time faire Venus game Ere age doth thée attaint O hart on hoyh y set Be warnd by wisedomes lawe So shalt thou scape blinde Cupides net Of which thou stoodst in awe Beware of tenne and foure Which be the cheaters fare Least hassards hard thy swéete do soure And make thy purse full bare This double charge I giue To you vnhappie handes From quarels fond y frée to liue As foe to life and landes Now last to you my legges Which be my bodies stay Frame not your gate as men on egges Whome busting doth affray Nor yet so stoutly stride As mens that beares would binde For stately steps bewrayes the pride Which harbours in the mynde My other members all Be rulde by reasons lore Let vertue reigne where vice did stall And former faults deplore Least future plagues you pricke To worke your greater paine For why against the thornes to kicke I count it more then vaine Nunquam sero The reporter I thinke it good to leaue P. Plasmos in this good moode vntill time fitteth he thus forewarned for the report of his better fortunes naythelesse for others héede I will make discourse of the souden fal of foure of his enimies whoÌ„ Gods iustice worthily cut off in the prime or before the accoÌ„plishment of their lewde desires the first of them was Lyros the only executioner of al his copartners deceites who vpon the reuealement of his and their mischieues fell into an extreme quarterne ague which haunted him vntill his death he hauing but one only childe which soudenly without any shew of sicknesse died he for feare of arrest forsooke his house and liued in corners And yet to comfort his solitarie life he oft song a counter tenure he being before a lustie and able man became soudenly a most weake and miserable creature to accompanie whiche he lost the vse both of memorie and wit. And to make an end of his miseries in steade of drinke he dronke poyson so that shortly after he was in shewe a most lothsome lepre who thus distrest forsaken of friendes and vexed with his foes for want of succour miserably yet repentauntly died whose complaint almost in order as hée confessed insueth The complainâ— of one Lyros a notable Cousener supposed at the houre of his death AMonge their falles by filthie fraude which fell Let my mishappe registred be I pray Whose wanton toyes whose wily trickes to tell But chéefe of all whose wofull plight to wray No doubt the lewde will bring to better stay For whose behoofe loe here I paint my thrall My happ my harme my life my death and all Noe shame it is for mée to showe my euill Though gracelesse life from wisedomes lore did swerue A sinne it were to liue and die a deuill So soule and all with Tantals hope should sterue My warning here for others héede may serue Fresh harmes they say will force men to beware When had I wist comes after still the faire Then couseners first to you my tale I streach God graunt my wordes to heale your woundes auaile But you will say my selfe doth néede a Leach To heire my head to helpe eche perisht naile To ridde my scabbes my Leprosie to scaile To cleare my eyes which are now darke and dim My nummed ioyntes to make both lith and trim I néede God wot if néede could fauour winne But out alas too late doth come the cure When God is bent to punish filthie sinne Though longe hée stayes in fine hée striketh sure Best therefore then ere you his wrath procure You sée your helpe with his precept agrée Ante languorem medicinam adhibe Prouide a salue before that sicknes come Prouide a mends for sinne and foule amisse Before Gods wrath your due desert doth dome For note deare friends I whilome bathde in blisse I swam in ioy my heart at woe did hisse I then had strength with health and wealth at will. My hap was cleare I sawe no clowdes of ill Then muse you will to sée so rare a chaunge As manly force to faile in prime of youth As faire to foule as health to scabbes and maunge As hap to harme as ioy to gréefe and ruth But listen well and marke what woordes ensuthe And you shall sée what forced mée to fall What wrought my woe what turnde by ioy to thrall First wéene that wealth did puffe mée vp with pride Next forme and force enforst me to aspire Then loue and lust into my brest did glide Last fretting thought so set my heart on fire That mariage néedes must coole my hoate desire My choice was good if chaunge had béene exilde But follie faith and fancie truth begilde My wandring will directed mée this course Which brainesicke youth did duelie treade and trace And entred once I fell from bad to worse I made a pray of euery yéelding face â–ª Such wanton lust doth follow want of grace Ne was this life defrayde with small expence And I God wott had not a mine of pence While coyne did last yet carelesse did I spend A poore increase can spring on such a roote When coyne was spent ne did my fancies end With youth to striue for reason t' was no boote No lacke could treade my follies vnder foote While land did last my want I did supplie With â—urchases of Dedi concessi My liuing sould and monie in my purse My lauish minde had neuer thought of lacke To geâ—t or saue I quite forgot the course For euery toy my Testours went to wracke Which did my bagges vnto the bottome sacke My coyne consumde and yearely rents thus gonâ— â–ª What refuge then once
the maskers were inuited vnto a costly banquet who marching with their Ladies with manly force encountred with many a monster whose grose bodies were traÌ„sformed into a sugred substance The maskers nowe on easie request did off their visardes as wel to make them selues knowne vnto their maistresses to manifest their zeale towardes the Lorde of the house the bridegrome and his faire bride as to shew their desire to delight the whole companie Rinaldo greatly ashamed of his disordered masking with blushing chéekes oftentimes very earnestly behelde faire Giletta Maistresse â–ª Giletta seeing him in these passions and knowing his wonted audacitie was assured somewhat was amisse with him so that to be better acquainted with his malladie with a prettie smyle she vsed these speaches Quoth she Friend Rinaldo I suppose your visard did you great wrong this night for that by your vnperfect sight you mistooke your choice so that wroth with your fortunes or angrie with poore Giletta she hath noted a number of souden alterations in you but if eyther be the cause remoue your choler and comfort your selfe that you tempered your toung so well as she knoweth none of your secretes Rinaldo glad of this opportunitie answered My souereine maistresse in very déede I greatly mistooke my chocie For wheras I had thought and determined to haue made it so in different as I might haue vsed my tong at will and pleasure I confesse it fel out so vnegal as I forst must yeald vnworthy to be your slaue so that musing on this mistaking I not only masked mute but I forgot to present you with my willing seruice Rinaldo being newely entered into his answere the Reuels broke vp and euery man went vnto his rest so that he was forced to discontinue his suite and bid his maistresse fare well which reuerently done he foorthwith went into his chamber and so to bed but his sleepe he diuided on those whose heades were frée from fancies For he God wot one while matching his base estate with her highe calling sawe an impossibilitie of fauour Anone ioyning her curteous disposition with the force of loue was fed with slender hope Thus hanging betwene hap harme the more he striued the more he was measht in the nextes of restlesse fancie but in the end resolued to prosecute his suit he soudenly caused his man to light a candle and then to proâ—â—er his seruice â–ª to paint his sorrowes and to vse excuse for his late silence he inuented these verses following THe pyning wight presented with reliefe With souden ioy awhile forgoes his sense The retchlesse youth likewise besiegde with griefe With feare dismayd forgets to vse defence Such is the force of hastie ioy or woe As for the time few knoweth what they doe And I vnwares with both extremes forgone Subiect to loue that neuer felt his force One while dismayd I starude in wretched mone And straight through hope I tasted sweet remorse Soust with these stormes wheÌ„ I shuld moue my sâ—it Small wonder though a while I masked mate And yet God wot my sighes did plead amaine They broke the cloudes that cowred all my care My ruthfull lookes presented still my paine As who wold say When wil she clâ—â—re thy scare Attending thus when you should note my case The time forewent ere I could sue for grace But now constraynd néede makes the créeple goe My festred sore of force some cure must seeke My woundes so bléed I can not hide my woe My hurt is heald if you my seruice like Let egall loue goe bath in wished blisse Suffiseth me my maistresse hand to kisse Lo thus deare dame you know my case and cure It rests in you my life to saue or spâ—ll If you desire I should these stormes indure Commaund my death and I will worke you◠〈◊〉 If not in time him for your seruant châ—se Who liuing dies till you his serâ—â—â—ce vse Roberto Rinaldo This little leasure together with the disquietnesse of mynde as appeareth by the plainenesse of this inuention wrought an alteration in Rinaldos muse yet for that his deuise somewhat answered his owne estate he was content to present it to maistresse Giletta and perseuering in the sayde purpose the next morning he clothed him selfe in russet satten garded with blacke veluet whiche witnessed he did both hope and dread he thus appointed chusing a place of moste aduauntage willingly lost these verses Giletta by this euening fare well looking for such a morning welcome was the first that found them who soudenly withdrewe her self with earnest desire effectually to peruse Rinaldos deuise Which done one while she scorned his base estate and straight she was contented of Rinaldo to be beloued so that her mynde distempered with the contrarietie of fancies neyther angrie nor well pleased she wrote this following answere Although it pleased you this other night occasion by me vnhappily ministred to intertaine time with an ordinarie profession of loue yet master Rinaldo you doe both me and your selfe great iniurie to continue your néedelesse labour with such importunancie to me For that you trust to ouerthrow my vertues with the assault of wanton persuasions your selfe for that I am assured you warre in vaine but for that I want wit to incouÌ„ter you in words or writing I wil hencefoorth likewise want will to take knowledge of eyther your exercises Thus muche being your firste attempt I thought good to answere least you should thinke with néedelesse nicenesse I acquited your courtesies And for that you knowe the successe of your faultlesse aduentures I trust to be no more troubled in answering your idle letters Giletta de Bologna This letter so soone as Giletta had surely sealed she presented her selfe in the great chamber Rinaldo delighted in nothing so muche as in the sight of his maistresse with the first saluted her Maistresse Giletta courteously as she did the rest acquited him dissembling as then her knowledge of his verses but notwithstanding this carelesse shewe her mynde was combred with a thousand contrarie fancies one while she mistrusted the inuention to be his owne deuise an other while she feared to deliuer her answere nowe she loued straight she scorned and yet in her greatest disliking she liked to looke on Rinaldo and as it is the nature of louers subiect to a thousand distresses to search all meanes to be assured of their choyces loyaltie so here maistresse Giletta newly entered into that profession by the often beholding of Rinaldo and marking the colour in his apparell tooke occasion vnder the colour of a pleasant request to be acquainted perhaps with his inward disposition in so much when as other Ladies charged such as they thought well of with seruice Quoth she for that I know maister Rinaldo you are a very good Poet I inioyne you without further studie to shewe in vearse to what ende you weare blacke vpon russet quoth Rinaldo willing to obey this iniunction deare Lady although my sight in Poetrie be but small
And yet this woe doth wrong me most I mourne without a mate For if one drop of hope were séene though dride with scorne in sight I might with pyning Tantale ioyne who sterues in swéete delight Or if I could but halfe the hill roule vp the tumbling stone I had a mate of Sisyphus to match with mée in mone But oh O not my hap more harde they haue a scambling ioy But I no thought of swéete remorse my souereigne is so coy My ioy in was my woe in is and so is like to bée My fancies turne to firie sightes aliue my death to sée The court the court where pleasure liues with paine increast my care Eche blisie séemde bale eche gleame of grace did mist my ioyes with scare Eche show of sport my sorrowes moude eche pleasure made mée plaine Yet there I preast to féede on sight digesting dire disdaine Were loue not blinde this life were straunge for one to loue his foe More straunge to haunt a place of harme but most to ioy in wee But Oh who féeles his aukeward fittes and suckes the swéete in soure Shall bide a yeare of dole with ease to féele one lightning houre Such life I lykt til sogge of scorne did rise to dampe my ioyes Till secrete sighes wrought open scoffes till flontes did quite my ioye Untill the colours which I wore my secrete mourning wrayde Till dauntes of friendes till frumpes of foes my feeble hope dismayde And till her blondie hate was séene of euery béetell sight Till then I neuer shronke but sought with zeale to quenche her spight But then quoth I Dom Diego wretch bid Court not care adue Some vnkouth haunt thy fortune séemes thy harmes alone to rue Thou gau'st thy woord to die her loue let word in worke agrée Her checking chaunge her scorne for faith is no excuse for thée A Hermits life beseemes thy lucke go haunt the Pyren hills To touch the foode wée may not taste increaseth hungry wills Therwith I vow'de in desart houltes alone to rue my harme Where fretting sighes doth serue for fire my frosen flesh to warme My foode is aples hawes and héepes such fruites as féede a beast Wilde monsters are companions mine in hollow caues I rest A crabtrée staffe my surest stéede my sterued legges to ease My thoughts new wounds increaseth stil whē cares I would appease The watchfull clocke the warning bell the harmonie I heare Is dreadfull noyes of dreadlesse beastes of whom I liue in feare My studie is to way and waile that fortune thus doth lowre Wher wealth by wāt once loue by scorne my swéete by present sowre Where fethers flue about my helme a willowe wreath to weare My wéedes of worth by cote of leaues sharpe flowes for deintie fare My stately home by hard exile delight by wythred woe Doth force god wott my wasted teares through griefe a fresh to flow My lute that sometime lent mée ease hath neither frett nor stringe My sugred voice with howling hoarst forbids mée now to singe My penns are worne my incke is done my paper all is writ Yet halfe my passions and my paine vnpainted are as yet So that for onely exercise in trées and Marble stone My griefe to case I forced now do graue my wretched mone Liue longe in blisse thou loftie Béeche wherein this vow is writt No luring friend nor lowring foe Geneuras faith shall flitt To witnes now her foule vntruth Dom Diego writes belowe Her vowed faith from knowen friend is reft by sawning foe But chiefe of all thou sacred stone remaine thou sound and safe Continue thou these letters fresh which are my Epitaphe Hard by this rough and ragged stone Dom Diego wretched ▪ lyes Geneuras hate exiled him yet louing her hee dies This homely tumbe is all my helpe to bring my death to light This must record my faithfull loue and show my Ladies spight In time I trust some forrest Pan or wandring pilgrime may Peruse my woes and to my swéete this sowre message wray To saue my faithfull boone vnbroke to show my seruice iust My souereignes scorne with face of faith her treason cloakt with trus◠Me wretched Dom Diego forst before my time to die My bones vnburied by this tumbe makes proofe it is no lie And now good death with spéede diuorce my soule from lothed life My ioyes are worne my pleasures past my peace is chaung'd to strife I sée no meane of quiet rest but onely death by thée Then spare them death whom pleasure hauntes vse thy force on me ▪ Dom Diego hauing for the space of 22. monethes thus liued an exiles life onely accōpanied with sorrow wretchednes and miserie which comfortlesse cōpanions no one houre forsooke him it chaunced that Dom Roderico a speciall friend of his had occasion to trauel into Gascoine and as hée iourneyed in the desart forrest whereof this wretched louer was made frée citizen he mist of his way in the end finding out Dom Diegos homely caben of whom he demaunded the way to Barcelone hauing his aunswere as he departed hée espied in a corner of his cotage two faire saddles vppon the one of them was ingrauen this Poesse in Spanish Que brantare la fe es causamuy fea To violate faith is a thing detestable Dom Roderico reading this poesse called to remembraunce how that his frend Dom Diego in al his deuises vsed the same to be short he so handled the matter as the hermite whō hée knewe not so was hée ouergrowne with haire and worne with woe confessed himselfe to be Dom Diego his friend taking him a side hée deliuered the whole cause of his exile Dom Roderico séeing this foster louers miserable estate vowed with what possible speede hée could to worke his remedie who for more haste forsooke his iourney and returned home vnto his owne castle At his comming home making no semblaunce of his knowledg hée roade to the place where fayre Geneuora with her mother soiourned of purpose to learne what new gallant had wooed her and finting him to bée a yonge gentleman of Biskaye who shortly after by her owne consent was minded to steale her away Dom Roderico so cunningly coyned with Geneuoras Page who wholy knew his mystresse secretes that he certainly learned the night of these louers departure The same night accompanied with ix or x. Gentlemen his cōpanions and friends he laye in waite for this Biskayne louer his Lady who about x. or a xi of the clocke only accompanied with two or thrée gentlemen his companions came merely on their way Roderico so soone as he saw the instrument of Dom Diegos miserie set spurres vnto his horse with speare in Rest so rudely welcomed this Biskayne that for all his coate of plate hée pearst through both his sides The souldiers of this amorous captaine séeing their maister thus infortunately slaine and waying their vnable force to incounter with Dom Rodericos cōpany saued thēselues by flight left woofull
him vnto contempt will tourne Where haply else to try his wit them selues will him request To shewe his reasons and his mynde which side he liketh best For ofte the best the baser choose and leaues the high estate But knowes againe when to be strange lest he shuld proue checke mate In honest myrth is wisedome séene as time thereto doth fit For grauest heads must haue a meane for to refresh their wit Fewe wordes they say in order plaste the wise mans tale doth wray And silence is an answere fit the noddies toung to stay But ouer halte in séeking praise some myndes persuade the still Their knowledge silence will conceale what then auailes their skill When as betwéene the both extreames a modest meane doth lye For to direct the wise mans tong as néedes the vse shall try Against ingratitude PEriander of Corinth sometime prince A lawe ordainde ingratefull chuffes to paine Which was on proofe who could a churle conuince To reape rewardes vnrecompenst againe To leuie mendes he should no longer liue For why quoth he suche men deserues no grace As gladly take and grudge againe to giue A needefull lawe this shamelesse sect to chace For what may be a viler fault then this To be vnkinde to father or to friend Or how may men amend their foule amisse Which scornes the wights which dayly them defend A Farmer once a frozen snake did finde With pitie mou'd who layd her by the fire The snake reuiu'd did shewe her selfe vnkinde But what ensu'd he slue her for her hire A morall rule ingratefull wights to warne How thanklesse they do quite a friendly turne But out alas those varlets be so stearne That viper like they lawe and dutie spurne We dayly sée the parents painfull toyle Their restlesse care their children well to traine We likewise sée how thanklesse children spoyle Their parents goods or wish them dead for gaine The good man oft the friendlesse childe doth kéepe And fosters him with many a friendly grote who séekes his spoyle when he is sound asléepe Or giues consent to cut his maisters throte We sée some men aduaunst to honours hye By helpe of such which once did beare a sway Which quite forget what feathers forst them flye If founders theirs by froward chaunce decay The traitrous mate whose prince doth cal to grace Is subiect straight to sowe seditious strife No maruell then to root out such a race If Corinth king ordained losse of life But if in vre we nowe should put his doome Ingratefull gnufes each gallowes so would cloy That scarcely théeues to hang shuld haue a roome To ease the iust whom dayly they annoy Yet doubt I not some meanes would be preparde To cut them off for both may well be sparde The euill fortune of a couetous person and what profite ariseth by the death of a churle A Desperate wight his fortunes foule to frée By wilfull death to rid his cares did choose But as he trudgd to totter on a trée Untimely there his loathed life to loose A rare good hap a pot of golde he found The gold hée rapt his rope hée left behind Anon a carle came sheaking through the ground In stéede of gold a rope who there did finde Which haplesse sight so nipt him at the hart That loe for woe hée pissed where hée stoode At length quoth hée this cord shall cure my smart And so hée hung himselfe in fullen moode The sight were fayre if euery bough did beare Such kinde of fruites till caren churles were choakt Whose deathes inforce a thousand well to fare Their liues the poore as many wayes hath yoakt The wormes reioyce vppon a churle to gnawe The poore man then whom hée did pinch of yore Hath pennie dole and meate to fil his mawe Where scarcitie was forthwith appeareth store Pray for his soule the common people crie As for his life the world full well may spare His hordes of gold about the house then flie Catch who catch may his goods a hundred share His heapes of corne to euery market sailes Which close hée kept in hope of some deare yeare And where hée sparde the parings of his nailes His sonne may spend and make his friends good cheare If such increase comes by a carrens death Who would not wish a cord to stop his breath A briefe description of death DEath is a piller to the Prince true iustice to vphold A terrour to the trayterous mate his secretes to vnfould A stedfast stay to common weales a webbe of worldlings woe A father to the harmelesse wight vnto his friend a foe ¶ An Epitaphe vppon the death of Henrie Cantrell of Lincolnes Inne Gent. by his friend R. C. SIth vertuous life death neuer may depriue But liueth ay amidde the glorious crew Lament not then our Cantrell is aliue In heauen on highe with chaunged life a new Then death no dole sith life therein remaines But glad hee gone to blisse from worldly paines From wreake of woe from cutt of cares anoye From fainting frends froÌ„ dole of doubtful dome From vaine delights the counterfet of ioy From sobbing sighes whence sorrowes séedes do come From dread to die sith death doth cleare vs quit Lament not then good Henrie Cantrells hit The dalying dayes that here wée lead alonge On earthlie mould fills vp the sacke with sinnes Here mirth with mone is alwayes mixt amonge To sowre our swéete here fortune neuer linnes Hence pleasure parkes no ioy can here remaine No swalowed swéete not purgde with pills of paine Then laude the Lord lament no whit at all Though it hath pleasd his will and heauenly â—est From wretched vs this happie youth to call For sure I say his soule him liked best Thus best hée calls and leaues the worst alone His mercie such our heaped sinnes to mone Howe great a vice it is either for the vertuous or valiaunt man to accompanie himselfe with men of base condition when as acknowledging his dutie hee may aduenture into the companie of the best WHere vertue may or vallor one aduaunce To base his hap a loute to liue belowe Or credite seeke with men of meanest chaunce A fearefull hart a dunghill minde doe showe On thornes no grapes but sower flowes doth growe Euen so by sottes no fame but shame doth rise A faire catch for such to count thée wise The forward minde doth couet this at least To prease where hée is poorest of the traine And not to liue with those himselfe the best For sure hée shall a lowsie kingdome gaine Where vnder him do none but beggers raine By learninges lore who doth the idiot schoole In fine wil proue himselfe a passing soole The highest trées doth kéepe the vnder spray From Phoebus gleames from sugred dewes that fall So mounting mindes aloft doth beare the sway When meaner wittes doth liue belowe in thrall They sucke the swéete when sottes do gnawe the gall They wrong by might their will makes right a mome Who prickes at such but séeldome
course direct as lyes his best auaile The Spanish marte whose mynde sometime doth please With further reach some hoyst their houering saile Some passe Marroccos straights by painful toyle Some séeke to reape the fruites of Ciprus soyle But how or where they rome with oken blockes Their liues their goods doth rest in Neptunes handes In rage some times who rolles them on the rockes Or driuen vnknowne they sinke on Sillaes sandes The gotten gaine they lookt thus haplesse lost In lue of toyle them selues be quite vndone Now vnto him which furrowes on the coast And hassard gaines on waltering waues doth shun Who gropes the oxe who sheares the shéepe for gaine Is often doust with dewes of rotting raine The handie craft who wins his breade by toyle With sweate of browe he gropes for others gaine He tylles the ground he sowes with séede the soyle When others reape the haruest of his paine To lodge the Lord who buildes the stately hall Yet glad to couch in cabben clad with néede For others ioy who liues him selfe in thrall Who killes the shéepe yet of the â—oad doth séede His summers toyle doth serue for winters store From hand to mouth good soule he hath no more The captaine he which climbes for high aduaunce By piercing blade imbrude in enimies blood In martiall shewes who formost leades the daunce His souldiers trainde in warlike order good The pyke men plaste to stay the horfemens rage The Musket wilde aloofe to souse them downe The byll men fresh when handie stroakes must gage When gallants hauing charge doth cry Aloun Then tantara he bids in battell ray Be mearching mates in hope of happie day But when to ioyne the bloudie trumpe doth sounde The horsemen fling to breake the pikemens ray The roaring gunnes doth terrifie the grounde The feathred flightes the enimies face doth fray The currier swift doth rid the skonce of ake With streames of bloud the ioyning vallies flowes And wounded wightes for life their héeles doth shake Who scapeth then next brunt may go to pot Thus daungerous standes the souldier state God wot The courtier nowe which hops vp by degrée â–ª And haply heau'd to heigth of high renowne If he do swerue from top of tickle trée His courtly friends will helpe to throwe him downe Who fawned earst then wrayes the forme of hate He honourd late nowe glad to crouch and créepe Yet Enuie vile with spite and foule debate So wreastes his guilt that grace doth alwayes sléepe Expeuterand toyle is guerdond with disdaine A bare reward in recompence of paine The clowne doth clawe more coyne out of the ground Then he whose skill doth reach the state of starres Of yore though men though learning were renound Wealth with those witâ—â—â— nowe at mortall warres By Physicke 〈◊〉 to credite many amount Where lacke of 〈◊〉 doth murther many one A sorrie trust tyde to so hard acount To lende him pence that payes the death for lone And yet no doubt his gaine is gauld with griefe When conscience his doth call him murdring théefe Great be the rents the Clergie doth receiue More great their charge the count if conscience take If errours their the simple doth deceiue For both their misse amendes their soules shall make This desperate cure agrees not with my minde Although the gaine doth tempt my gréedie thought If so it be that myâ—â—es of feaude doth blynde Or falshood faith from former grace hath wrought If trades of gaine be spyste with déepe deceit The Lawyers hooke lyes hid in sweetest bayte It choketh fooles which hunger after strife Suppose that craâ—t doth fore abuse his skill He sleas the purse the others soule and life By learnings lacke and error oft doth kill He roystes in sylkes which merchants fetch a far Him glad to please the simple soule doth moyle His sugred charme witch Angels to the bar His piercing pen the souldier oft doth soyle For solace sake if he will to the court If any be he soone shall sée the sport He little weyes so lawe be on his side The thundring threates which Lordly might doth moue If that his cause with countrie men be tride More harts he hath for feare then they for loue He often pulles a personage from the priest And ouerrules by lawe both might and right A kildowe sure whom no man dare resist God shield that I with such a bâ—g should fight And thus thou hearst of trades what I can say The lawe for game doth beare the bell away Formae â—ulla fides R.C. answere to G.W. opinion of trades I Thought my George thy Muse would fully fit My troubled mynde with heast of setled doome And tell the trade wherein I sure might sit From nipping néede in wealthy walled roome But out alas in tedious tale She telles the toyles of all And forgeth fates t' attend estates That séeld or neuer fall Bereauing so the hope that earst I held To finde at last a sight to set me sure In profites path my thriftlesse féete to weald Or walke the way that age might well indure Sith haplesse haps or conscience crackes Or toyles of tedious waight She proues the fées of all degrées Each course with cares affraight And yet I smell whereto thy tale doth tend And smyle to sée thy queint conceit therein I write not here thy meaning to amend Against thy wordes this answere I begin In prime to touch the merchants trade Which furrowes fishfull floodes Whose hap thou saist is lightly hurt With losse of life and goods Thou saist his ship sits sincking on the sande Of Sillas seas or on Caribdis rockes When nothing lesse the sea more sure then land Then fenced fortes more trustie hollowe blockes Let Neptune rage with wayward waues A figge for Aeoles windes By anchors stay in harbour gay The merchants succour findes As for the man that furrowes in the fielde Distrusting gaines that waltering waues afforde The fées that oxe and fruitfull shéepe doth yeelde And parched fieldes and northren dewes accorde His paines do passing pleasure quit When gréenie landes appeares He smyles in sweate when haruest heate Dries vp the corned eares The craftes man he that liues by handie skill By toyle and trade obtaineth néedefull gaines Ynough's as good as any feast sith will And quiet mynde contented so remaines He liues at rest in meane estate Contemning fortunes blast While such as hye aloft to flye He sées to fall as fast The noble hart whome nature pricks to prancke In martiall fieldes amid the clattering crewe For high renoune to furnish vp the ranke Thy Muse to daunt oh how the same I rewe Sith pen ne tong nor minde can match With due deserued hire The factes of those which force their foes By helmets helpe retire The courtier he that hops for high degrée At last attaines his wel deserued hap For seruice done he must rewarded be And gwerdon his the marke he leueld at Which gotten if he loose againe The fault ascribe his owne But setled wits escape
sâ—ooteth home Such is their force where credite beareth sway A perfect tale although the wronged tell Their thwarting speach what they mislike will stay The wronged wight with wrath may haply swell And pleades a fresh though not so passing well Then sausie knaue how maâ—lapeart hée is Away go packe your purpose you shall mis. But if the sot which in their fauour stand Do slammer forth a patched tale of lyes Their helping speach will force him vnderstand The way and meanes afresh for to deuise To frame his talke from shew of trueth to rise A vertue straunge their wordes can bring to passe That fooles séeme wise the wise in shew an Asse UUhat fréer life then others to commaund UUhat happier state then for to liue in rest What greater wealth then what a man demaund UUhat credite like the countnaunce of the best For thralles it were a heauen to reach the left But they aloft whom vertue doth aduaunce If more may bée inioy more happie chaunce UUho will not then both séeke and double séeke To reach this hap with hazard at the first The foreward wight though fortune giue the gléeke A fresh will toyle till that his harâ— doth burst â–ª If still shée frowne in faith the man is curst A fall saith he who recketh such a losse An asse shall ride and no hie sturring horsse For proofe againe the huge and mightie oke UUhose withered roote from falling cannot stay But downe hee comes by sturdie Boreas stroke His fall god wot doth crush the vnder spray Euen so it fares with those that beareth sway If by mishap they wrapped be in thrall The poore doth beare the burthen of their fall For where as mindes by mischiefe raisâ—e too hie Sedition sowe their natiue soilâ— to wring UUhen Princes might doth make such rebels flie The leaders chiefe well horst away do fling UUhen pesaunts stay and Sursum corde sing They sue for grace safe in anothers land When toyling thralles are trussed out of hand If in abuse of both their states be best Although the best in faith is very bad Deseruing well they are farre better blest They roist in silkes wheÌ„ clownes in raggs are clad They haue their will and what can more be had Who will not then how so sly hap saith nay Séeke out this chaunce if vertue sayes hée may ¶ An Epitaphe on the death of the right worshipful maister Robert Wingfield of Vpton in the countie of Northampton Esquier TO shewe their cause of dole whom Wingfields death doth pearse Good muse take thou a little paine his vertues to rehearse Hée wel was knowne to spring from house of auncient name Yea leaue his Armes and blase his actes and you shall sée the same His zeale to serue his God his care to saue his soule His stoute contempt of Romish ragges their taxe their tyth and toule The Gospell that hée lou'd his life that showde no lesse Bare witnesse that in words and workes the trueth he did professe Beléeue his blessings else which hée receyu'd from hie The first long life in happie health till age inforst him die And then this comfort swéete to frée his age from feares Hée sawe his children liue and like in credite many yeares Sufficient wealth hée had ynough hée thought a feast Hée had ynough hée spent ynough and with ynough deceast His credite with his Prince continued from his youth A sight most rare in office plast hée trust returnde with trueth Full fiftie yeares and twoe a Iustice place hee vsde For common peace and profite both hée séeldome paynes refusde Hée wéeded wronges from right by law and not by ame Hee kept this course to helpe the poore the lewd againe to blame His life vpright and iust hée ioyde in no mans thrall His dealings were both lou'd and likt among his neighbours all His bountie at his bord his store for euery sort The hie the lowe the riche the poâ—re wrought him a rare report And thus long time hée liu'de in credite and in loue Till death to worke his ioy our griefe his force began to proue But yet hée sicknes sent for to forewarne him first Whose honest minde whose conscience cleare straight bade him doe his worst And so with hope of heauen vnto the graue hee vailde Of which hée glad his friendes as sad if sorrowe ought preuailde Viuit post funera virtus ¶ An Epitaphe on the death of the right worshipfull maister Iohn Ayleworth Esquier IF men may waile their losse that death hath ridde from woe Then giue mée leaue to wéepe my fill my sorrowes so to showe And though to bathe in teares small botes now hée is gone Yet none can leaue so firme a friend and showe no signe of mone When brainesicke I a bruse with ouer brauery caught Hée first did cure my néede with coyne then soundly thus mée taught Bée stayde for rowling stones do sildome gather mosse I tryde his ayde I likt his wordes and still shall rue his losse His losse not I alone but thousands more lament His children friends seruaunts poore with brackish teares are sprent But Oh you fillie poore whom néede doth nip and pearce With hart with hand with might maine your heapes of woe rehearse Crye out of cruell death for reauing your reliefe You are the wightes that haue God wott the greatest cause of griefe When hunger faintes your heartes when you with cold shall frease The lacke of Ayleworths foode and fire your starued limms to ease When might would marre your right his counsell sound and sure His open purse to pleade your cause the paines hée but in vre When you poore soules shall misse with him that was your stay Then shall your griefes appeare as gréene as hée had dyde to day These were his fruites of faith these almes hée did of zeale Hee wayde no showe his woordes in workes the Gospell did reueale EXHORTATIO O life of much auaile O worldlings it insue So shall you not be ledde by gold but gold be rulde by you So shall you kéepe him bright that mouldeth in your chest So shall the world speake well of you your conscience so in rest The swéetest ioyes of all though death your farewell giue So so your soules with his in heauen your fames on earth shal liue ¶ An Epitaphe in the order of an admonition written on the death of his verie friend Iohn Note of Grayes Inne Gent. Vntimely flaine the 2. of Nouember 1575. WIth teares in thought imprint both frem and knowen frende Thrée speciall notes of much auaile by Notes vntimely ende 1. Note first his honest life of euery sort was lou'd Learned hée was and vertuous both his manhoode throughly prou'd A gallant witte hee had the which hée gouernde so As did content all sortes of men when cause the vse did show Hée had both health and wealth his fortune was to hard And yet in spite of froward chaunce Fame shall his vertues gard 2. His life would followed bée
grace But all in league their dealings lewde beware For then they do the diuell and all of scare The reporter The Philosopher Diogenes sayth that Nature to this intent bestowed two eyes and two eares and but one toung on any man that he should heare and sée more then he should speake And sure who soeuer vnaduisedly slaundereth another hurteth him selfe In matters of controuersie who so feeleth his suite colde straight séeketh by pretie traines to take some aduauntage of his aduersaries wordes to whiche effect the craftie churle complained on for any notable cousenage to knowe the compleynants secretes worketh meanes to bring him into extreame passions of choler who being greatly wronged will not onely giue knowledge by what countenaunce and in what court he will trounse the defendant for his deceit but lightly vnaduisedly voweth to strike him or calleth him craftle knaue cousening churle c. Wherevpon the defendant to worke the compleynants discredite declareth to some iustice of account in what daunger of life he stoode in the compleynant being mischiefously ruffenly disposed hauing colour of wroÌ„g for slauÌ„derous words he claps such vnkynde actions on the compleynant that will he or nyll he he enforceth him to agréement who so is so wronged may take warning to temper his toung by Plasmos penance who being hugely abused gaue out hard yet true speaches of one of his aduersaries not withstanding by his owne negligence together with the extremitie of Lawe he payde roundly for recompence who to discharge his stomache of griefe a â—orrie amendes in fayth blamed his toung as followeth P.P. Inuectiue against his toung THy rash reuenge O tatling toung I rue Although with truth thou slaundredst late thy foe The prouerbe olde by proofe I finde too true Who fightes with words doth wound him selfe with woe The ciuil lawe so fauours fame and name As strumpets knowne by wantons oft resort Are sildome put to any open shame Les open sight makes proofe of Venus sport Who so is toucht with any foule abuse Though common speach the same for truth confirme The common lawe the guiltie will excuse If proofe by oth ne makes the knowledge firme Thus wanton fylthes and wily churles are scus'd If secretly they worke their foule amis Yet néedely they which are by these abus'd Must haue a meanes to vse reuenge ywis Where oft their toung is first addrest to fight Whose furious threats forewarnes their foe of yre Which knowne he straight doth séeke to match their might And first begins their griefes for to conspire My selfe by such makes proofe this tale is true Who wéend to feare with threatning words my foe At which he smilde preuenting what he knewe Woulde be a mâ—ane to worke his ouerthrowe Yea worse then that he tryst me for me toung With actions houge for slaundering of his fame For which my purse an honest quest so stuong That euer since in faith it hath béene same Thus losse to me no hurt to him at all O babbling toung thy rash reuenge hath wrought Else blowes in lawe had giuen him cause to brall Of both the best though best reuenge be naught For bobs do feare when words not ioynd with déede In wrangling mynds more â—nackred thoughts doth bréede The reporter I may now without offence enter into the plaine discourse of Plasmos following for tunes and inuentions for I haue hetherto layde the cause of his miseries vnto his youthfull vnthriftinesse the which I confesse was an instrument but there were ouerthriftie executioners of his harde fortunes whose names and doings for that it was supposed some of them were aliue according to my commission I haue lefte vnreported wishing them well to fare vpon their recompence and repentance Nowe returning againe vnto P. Plasmos estate who being wrapped in a thousand miseries and mischiefes barde of the benefit of his owne liuing to worke his quietnesse forsaken of friends in his distresse daily tormented with his enimies vnkind vexations looking vnto the condition of his former life his exercises and studies and finding his life full of lewdnesse his exercise to be dallying dauncing and suche counterfet delightes his studie Wanton Comedies Tragedies and discourses acknowledging theâ—e 〈◊〉 the instruments of his mishap sought if the refourming of these abuses would be a meane of his better fortunes so that vsing one day the reading of scripture for his studie and lighting on the 102. Psalme intituled Domine exaodi orationeÌ„ meam imploying his Muse vnto a more better vse then of yore he made his humble submission vnto the highest for the release of his miseries as followeth IN gayle of griefe in closâ—e of worldly friendes forlorne Thy mercy Lord to ease my mone vnto my prayers turne Hide not thy heauenly face from him that lies in thrall High time and tide good God it is to heare my plaint cast My dayes consume with griefe my myrth is maid with mone My hart doth wast like withred grasse my graue I am one My flesh with thoughts doth fret in shew I am a ghoste I drencht in bale my foes in blisse I harmd of hap they bost The world coÌ„mends their welth spites my withered woe Yea dooms my doings by my dole theirs by delight in showe Thus wrongd and scornd I am which crosse I do imbrace Attending when thy mercy Lord my miseries shall chace Which ioyne with iustice thine to foyle my foes in sight So shall I praise and others feare thy maiestie and might The reporter Plasmos in time wringing him selfe out of all the troubles and mischiefes that his enimies had wrapt him in and seing his estate for his troubles so sufficient as with good gouernment he might liue in indifferent good credite On the contrarie part seing some of his enimies through their lewdnesse starke beggers and other some of them to dye soudenly and miserably as well to giue God thankes for his deliuerie as for the ouerthrowe of his enimies made this sonet following TO thée O Lord with hart and voice I sing Whose mercy great from dole to sweete delight From mone to myrth my troubled spirite did bring Yea more thy yre hath foyld my foes in sight They liue in want that flourisht late in wealth They grone with griefe yea lacke both help helth Their conscience guilt doth gall them through their gaine And yet they waste more faster then they winne Thus swéete prou'd sowre their pleasure turnd to paine Yea liuing dyde to thinke vpon their sinne Their shadowes feard so souden was their fall But more their death when destenie did them call Their mone amasd a thousand wretches moe Who sight and shrynkt through motions of deceit To heare report this thundring threat to throwe Foule fall the fraude to bréede our bale a baite A bitter swéete that rots ere it be ripe A liuing care to souls a deadly stripe But how with hap the pikes of harme I past Of murdrous mates of myndes on mischiefe set â–ª Whose snares
pardon mée and graunt you to amende The reporter The miserable end of Liros rather wrought a feare in straÌ„gers vnto the horrible cousenage then any repentance in false Frenos and other his confederats So hardeneth the deuil the heartes and blindeth the sightes of the raprobate as neither the example of other mens miseries nor pricke of their owne consciences can reclaime them from lewdenes And yet although a while they wallowe in their wickednes and seeme to holde the intising drâ—sse I meane wealth of this world at will in the pride of their prosperitie the most part of such worldlinges throughe Gods iustice are diuorced from their vaine delightes The soudaine fall of this Frenos proueth both the one and the other for notwithstanding he sawe the wretched death of Liros and knew that Liros did execute nothing but his deuise and direction yet séemed hée no wayes to be vexed in conscience for this offences being the author and only aduauntage reaper of his deceite and yet in the heate of his vnconscionable prouision he was soudainly arested with death Whom you may suppose as one amased with such soudaine visitation striuing for life to tell this disordered tale following Frenos complaint I Sée quoth hée death spares no sortes of men Our bagges of drosse may not withstand his might To moyle and toile for pelfe what bootes it then No whit God knowes if wée could sée aright But worldly cares our minds bewitched soe As thoughtes of heauen silde in our brestes do dwell The prouerbe saith the more such fathers woe Happ'is the childe whose father goes to hell But such prouerbes more common are then true Silde children kéepe that fathers lewdly gett And trust mée wealth if after want ensue With double griefe the néedie thrall doth frett To what ende then for mucke take wée such care To damne our selues and worke our childrens scare O wicked world so swéete thy torments séeme That when men tast thy drugges of vaine delight Their onely heauen thy thralles do thée estéeme With mistes of mucke thou blindest so their sight That wretched they whilst that in health they liue As Swine in myre do wallowe in their faultes An others fall nor conscience can them méeue To waile their sinnes till grislie death assaultes The thought of whom as thornes do pricke mée wretch Alas mée thinkes I sée his ghastly shape What did I meane to name him in my speach And can I not his furious force escape Oh noe my sinnes beginneth now to swarme To matche with him my selfe howe should I arme My conscience cryes confesse thy wicked life My wicked life such monstrous fraude presents As in my selfe I finde a hell of strife My gracelesse déedes the hope of grace preuents I sée I sée howe fierie fiendes do yell Before hie Ioue my wicked soule to haue My secrete sinnes condemnes mée wretch to hell They be so huge that nothing can me saue Where is the booke wherein Gods will is writ They say there in is balme that sinne can cure What ment I wretch I neuer studied it The booke is large my life will not indure So longe as I may reade and reape such grace The fault is mine I might while I had space I faint I faint my life will néedes away False Frenos now of force must yéeld to death These farewell woordes good friends yet note I pray Prepare your selues ere latter gaspe of breath So spend your liues as if you daily dyde Leste tarde you by death perhaps be tane Note well my fall in top of all my pride Before I wist hée gaue mée wretch my bane My worldly wealth for which I tooke such care I néedes must leaue in no good order sett A soudaine chaunge the chaunce yet nothing rare This is the proofe of goods that fraude doth get Loe this is all that death will let mée say But what is short may best be borne away The reporter This disordered complaint of Frenos is answerable vnto his disordered dealing but most of all vnto his sodaine death who hauing his conscience vnprepared tormented with the multitude of his sinnes stoode amazed what to say and yet howsoeuer it hange together it conteyneth matter of note which I leaue to the censure of the discrete reader And now to the rest of this report the next that death mett with in this Tragedie of couseners was Caphos a merchant whose name Frenos vsed in diuers of his craftie conueyaunces for that if néede so required hée had friendes to countenaunce monie to defend and an indifferent honest report to couler their lewde practises But notwithstanding his monie couler and countenaunce to set an honest shewe in the sight of the world of his subtile practises now that death attacheth him to make his accompt before the hiest you shall heare in what arerages he findes himselfe Caphos complaint THe Prouerbe saith as good wée eate the deuill As sup the broth wherein his body boilde As good wée do as giue consent to euill Which sorrie doome my coloured scuse hath foild My conscience throbs though I no fraude deuis'de My onely name that shadowed foule deceite In God his sight with Frenos fall is pris'de I féele my sinnes pluckes downe my soule with weight Yea Lyros and false Frenos both I knowe But leade the way that I must shortly goe Farre yet I am vnfit for such a iournie My compt falls short that I to God must giue If hée charge mée with filthie periurie It will not serue to saue mée from repreue To say how that for feare of after shame A manifest vntrueth I durst not sweare But Frenos gott a post knight of my name In stéede of mée that did both sweare and steare I must confesse I gaue thereto consent And God no doubt will punish my intent My subtile steightes to shadowe foule abuse May well lye hid and no man knowe the same But God doth knowe the fraude I put in vse For others heede deserued open shame The man that is with sicknes neuer vext Hath séeldome care what kinde of meate hée eates When such as are with surfets oft perplext Séeme daintie still to féede on diuers meates In worldly churles obserued is the like They feede on fraude till infamie them strike Marke well my woordes you worldlinges of all sortes But citizens your natures best I knowe There are of you haue méetely good reportes For riches sake and outward honest showe But how you get your monstrous heapes of gold Your conscience knowes and I can somewhat tell Your secret craft so séeldome is controld As what you gett you thinke you gett it well But how so héere your reckonings séemeth true A day will come when you shall count a newe Bée you reclaymde by others soudaine fall Sighe for your owne when others shames you sée Thinke that they are but patternes of your thrall If iustice should on you auenged bée A thousand wayes the highest séekes to winne
by this time the open ayre hath purged it but if before this time I my selfe am infected it smally helpes to throwe away this poore braunch and so your counsel is out of season and yet for the same I courteously thancke you Well quoth Frizaldo snuffinge at this aunsweare you were best to perfecte your delighte to weare a Rose with your Rosemarie meaninge the first letters of those two flowers aunsweared her louers name Roberto Rinaldo These woordes stroake poore Giletta dead and yet shée pretily dissemblinge her knowledge of Frizaldoes minde found out meanes to cutte off those crosse speaches with argumente that méetely well contented him But poore wench so soone as shée was bestowed alone in her Chamber solitarinesse wroughte a freshe remembraunce of Frizaldoes doubtfull woordes but yet after shee had a space bewayled her Fortunes shée wisely entered into the consideration of her owne estate and waying howe greatly that Frizaldo was fauoured of her friendes and on the contrarie parte Rinaldo of small accompte shée concluded to please all her friendes and contente both her louers to vse this policie Frizaldo whom shee smally esteemed shée mente to féede with courteous delayes Rinaldo whom in déede shée honoured shée determined in heart to loue and in showe to hate thinking by this meanes that she should extinguish quench Frizaldos ielous suspicion which in very déede contraried her imagination For although he liked Gilettas intertaynment yet hee continually feared her affection towardes Rinaldo yea hée eyed her with such mistrust as that shée could hardly finde occasion to acquainte her Rinaldo with this deuise notwithstanding hopinge of fauourable time to execute her purpose shée continued her fained good will towards Frizaldo but Rinaldo shée would neither sée send nor write vnto Who wonderinge at this insolencie and straungenes althoughe hée had hardly recouered his empayred health yet hée aduentured abroade to learne the cause of this soudaine alteration But his ouermuch temeritie and makinge hast herein had wroughte wofull waste of his life had not God wonderfully saued him For repayringe vnto the place of his wonted ioy and accustomed comforte hée found his mystresse dallying with a fresh gallant On him shée would not vouchsafe to looke Yea if on occasion hée saluted her by the name of his mystresse very disdainfulâ—y and scornefully or not at all shée aunsweared him On him shée frowned with a curst countenaunce On his enimie shée fleared with a delightsome fauour with him shee would not speake with his enimie shée continually talked Which vnfriendly welcome was far worse God wot to Rinaldo then his late sicknes But worst of al he digested the report of the Courtiers who inferring on their familiaritie gaue out for certainty that Segnior Frizaldo should marie with mystres Giletta These newes poore Rinaldo was like ynough to credite himselfe seing such apparaunte proofe thereof yea hée credited them so farre as hée could not away with any thought of hope In so much that scorning both Courte and companie as one forsaken of himselfe hée forthwith went vnto his chamber wheras passionately discoursinge on his harde Fortunes which plaint hée powdred with a thousand sighes by chaunce hée fastned his eye on the Iewel which Giletta had bestowed on him and with litle lust reading the posie thereof supposinge she had falsified her vowe toucht with the proofe of his wretchednes hée forthwith wrote these vnder written Uerses For faithfull loue the hate I finde in lue My vowe performde the false of her behest The small reward I reape for seruice true Her ioy to sée mée plunged in vnrest Doth force mée say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine I sue for grace shée smyles to sée my smart I pleade for peace shée séekes to sowe debate My sowre her swéete my griefe doth glad her hart I fawne shée frownes I loue and shée doth hate Sith soe I say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine Starue thou desire which kéepeth life in loue And so my thought from showring woe shall cease But loue aliue while fancie hope may moue A lyuing death my sorrowes will increase Wherefore I say to finde an ende of paine O fancie die thou féedest hope in vaine My fancies dead I end of woes should finde My eyes nay seas God wot of brackish teares Would leaue to loue whom loue hath made so blinde My thorned thoughtes no more should foster feares But oh aye mée for to proroge my paine My fancies liue and féedeth hope in vaine Doe what I can I pray on plighted troth A simple thinke shée will not breake this bonde I vowe to loue I will not false my othe But ah I finde her false and I too fonde Wherefore good death at once delay my paine My fancies liue and féedeth hope in vaine Roberto Rinaldo Unto these Uerses Rinaldo set a very sollem note and the nighte following hée bestowed himselfe vnder Gilettas chamber windowe where playing on his lute hée very mournefully sounge this passionate inuentioÌ„ of purpose like vnto the Swanne that sings before her death to bid his mystresse adieu for euer Good Giletta hearing this sorrowfull farewell much lamented her seruants estate yet durst shée not at that instant any wayes comfort him The cause was Segnior Frizaldo was then in her chamber who knew very well that it was Rinaldo that with his sollem musicke saluted mystresse Giletta yea hée knew by the ouer often chaunging of her couler how notwithstanding her dissimulation she greatly sorrowed Rinaldos distresse and therefore he thought best during his discomforture by some slye policie at once to ouerthrow him with distrust and vntil the execution of this treachery he thought best to giue him this bone to gnaw vppon First to shew his credite to be admitted into her chamber at that time of the night Next to proue his authoritie hée called Giletta by the name of his subiect Who duetifully aunswered him with the title of her souereigne which done quoch hée looking out of the window it is for you sake faire Lady wée are presented with this swéete musicke although your vnknowen welwiller maketh show of the sorrowes hée suffers not yet courtesie wills you to intercept his paines with thankes Poore Rinaldo hearing Frizaldos tongue made no stay for Gilettas thankes but returning to his chamber as one that had foregone his senses a while in sighes he vttered his plainte And after his sorrowe was somewhat eased quoth hée alas good Giletta thy exchaunge is very hard to leaue to be Rinaldos mystresse to become Frizaldos subiect But Rinaldo worse is thy hap that thou must serue her that is subiect to thy mortal enimie thy thraldome is intollerable thy tornients without end with violent death dispatch both thy seruitude and sorrowes so shalt thou force them to pittie that now triumphe at thy miseries In this sort Rinaldo continually raged at his fortunes Well how euer Rinaldo fared
Giletta was not frée from sorrowes for good soule shée thought it hie time to acquaint her seruaunt with the continuance of her loue and although shée had attempted many wayes yet shée found no currant opportunitie for discouerie thereof till in the end shée determined by letters to deliuer the Embassage of her minde to which effecte shee one day wrote these lines following MY Good seruaunte I cannot but sighe to thinke on thy sorrowes who inferring on my straungnesse hast my faithfull loue in suspicion and yet I cannot blame thée that knowest not what necessitie inforceth my coynesse Alas I liue in the gase of Ielous distruste who with Lynxes eyes watcheth my behauiour so that of force I am forst to rarrie a shew of hatred where in heart I loue But of this assure thy selfe althoughe Frizaldo whose familiaritie woorketh thy feare weareth both my gloue and Garter yet Rinaldo hath and shall haue my heart So that swéete friend from hencefoorth hauing my constancie thus warranted when most I lowre contrary my lookes with smiling thoughtes And thus till more fortunate time do perfect our wished desires thy louing Mystresse wisheth thée well to fare Giletta de Bologna When good Giletta had thus ended her letters for that shée durst not trust Rosina her wayting woman with the deliuerie of them whom shée knewe to be too well affected towardes Frizaldo to woorke him such an iniurie shée determined to be the Embassadour her selfe to accomplish which deuise shee made an apple hollowe wherein shée bestowed this letter which shée closed so cunningly that none by the outward show could perceiue the inward charge thereof But oh the force of ielosie Frizaldo for that he could not alwayes be present to eye Gilettas behauiour wonne her waytinge woman to watch her so narrowly as shée might bée able to yeeld accompt of all her doinges This trayterous mayde to her mystresse so trustily performed his request as although Giletta practised this deuise in her secrete closet yet through the cranell of a wall shée had notice thereof so that the night following shée came to the fingering of this apple and finding these louing lines in the body thereof shée forthwith went to Frizaldo to whom shée deliuered both the letter and apple but he that foreknew Gilettas loue towards Rinaldo was rather glad then sadde of these newes For by this meanes he spyde occasion presently to ouerthrowe Rinaldo with despaire To further which villanous trechery as néere as he could he counterfeted Gilettas hand and then in stéede of her courteous lines in her name hée wrote this vncomfortable letter RInaldo thy dissembling hath wrought my displeasure although I will not shew how nor wherein thou art vniust yet know thou I know so well thy villanies as no excuse shall remoue mee from reuenge And if my vnpleasaunt lookes any way offende thée assure thy selfe my heart tenne times more abhorreth thee thereof let this my hand writing be a witnes which I my selfe deliuer to this ende that thou mayst at once end both thy hope and vnregarded sute by her that hates the more then shee loues herselfe Giletta de Bologna When Frizaldo had made an ende of this letter hée bestowed it in the apple and wild Rosina to laye the same where shée found it the next day hée brought Giletta where of force shée must sée her louing Rinaldo and of purpose seemed carelesse of her behauiour that she might haue opportunitie to salute her sorrowful seruaunt Poore Giletta vnacquainted with this treacherie simplie deliuered Rinaldo the apple saying the vertue in the fruite was of force to end his sorrowes Herewith shée hasted after Frizaldo without either aunswere or thankes at her seruauntes hands who receyuing this courtesie beyond all hope as one amased at so soudaine a ioy it was longe ere hée tasted this apple and finding a letter inclosed therein I can hardly report the one halfe of his delight But this I am assured for his faire mystresse sake he a hundred times kist both the seale and superscription before he aduētured to take knowledge of the hidden message therein but when hée ripped it open and found the forecited newes alas poore man his late swéete motions so increased his sowre passions that if it were possible for anye to taste more miseries his fare excéeded the torments of Hell. Ah God quoth hée how may it so swéete a face should bée matcht with so cruel a hart such heauenly lookes with such hellish thoughts so faire a creature with so foule conditions and so modest a countenaunce with so mercilesse a minde O Giletta what meanest thou so to ecclipse thy honour darken thy vertue and spoile thy wonted report of pitie by murthering of thy faithfull friend Hadst thou no feare of infamie no thought of former vow Might not remorse of conscience withdrawe thée from disloyaltie Madest thou no more accompte of loue then like vnto a garment at thy pleasure to put off and on Couldest thou doe Rinaldo such iniurie as to let another deuoure the fruites of his toyle Wouldest thou suffer Frizaldo to reape the crop of loue that Rinaldo sowed with sighes wéeded with faith did nourish with teares and ripened with continual seruice Suppose I admitt the force of thy second loue in excuse of all these wronges with what face couldst thou triumphe in my miseries Yea desire my death that loued thée so deare Trust mée cruell Giletta if thine owne writing had not béene witnesse I would neuer haue thought thee inconstāt nor had not thine own hāds deliuered the instrument of my destruction I would hardly a credited thy letters but on so certaine a proofe in vayne it were to hope Ah God how rightly didst thou hit my fortune when as thou saidst thy apple woulde ease my sorrowes in deed I found in it my death only death must cure my grief And sith so subtily thou prophesiedst my destruction since it agréeth with thy wil thy wretched desire shal foorthwith be wrought In this desperate mynde Rinaldo hasted vnto the riuer of Poo where by the shore side he sawe a simple man to whome he deliuered a scroll wherein was written Giletta false of faith Rinaldo nipt so nye That lo he chose before his time in stremes of Poo to dy Whiche verses he requested the poore man to deliuer at the Lorde de Bolognas castle to maistresse Giletta and then without vsing any other speache he lept into the riuer The poore man halfe amazed at this wilful acte foorthwith hasted vnto the Lorde de Bolognas castle where after he had deliuered the writing to Giletta he shewed for certaintie he saw Rinaldo drowne him self The newes was vnwelcome vnto euerie hearer saue only to Frizaldo that trayned him into this mischiefe but especially to Giletta this tydinges was too too grieuous she weapt she waylde she blamed her and his vnlucky fortune Frizaldos iealousie her friendes vntowardnesse and chiefly her owne nycenesse as