first seeketh to take away that which the Gods themselues are not able to render backe againe whereas the other bereaueth vs but of life onely which is subiect vnto death continually Wretched are those persons that doe ill and yet reape no commoditie thereby for what good commeth vnto the backbiter by speaking ill of anie but onely that in the ende hee himselfe is hated of euery bodie Play not thou this part neither stumble thou into this foule ditch especially doe not blame her whome thou makest a shewe to loue so much But thy speeches discouer sufficiently enough what thy affection is for if thou hadst supposed mee to be such a one I cannot beleue that euer thou couldest haue loued mee because commonly wee ought to hate vice and respect and preferre vertue For such as make the world beleeue that they beare affection vnto foolish women doe not loue them indeed but onely seeke to enioy part of those pleasures as they participate vnto others So as it is impossible that a vertuous and a constant Loue can haue any other foundation then Vertue it selfe Therefore it is but meere follie for thee to make me belieue hereafter through thy fained teares and dissembling speeches that thou louest mee For is it likely that one can loue an other whom hee himselfe blameth and whom hee thinketh worthie of reprehension and shame If thou hast loued mee for my Vertue which thou imaginest I haue now lost for what wilt thou loue me hereafter The cause being taken away the effect dieth and the foundation of a Building being ruinated the house whereon it standeth must needs fall because nothing can be without his cause or subiect If the cause ceaseth in mee which was the motiue of thy Loue then needes thy former affection must cease likewise And therefore I pray thee make me belieue no more that thou bearest any good liking vnto me for I neuer can nor will giue credit vnto thee nor will belieue therein Or if thou did dest loue me then I must needs thinke thou didst it to betray me and so to corrupt mine honor I say therefore that so farre off is thy loue from being Amitie as rather quite contrarie â— esteeme it to be deadly hatred and most furious rage So as these bad conditions being in thee I can haue no occasion to loue thee but rather haue more reason to loath and detest thee as the most mortall aduersary that I haue vnto that thing which is far dearer vnto me then is my dearest life that is my pretious honour Thus said the Chollorike Diana and to confesse but truth she had good reason so to say For there is no guilelesse soule that without being somewhat moued can heare herselfe ill spoken off neither can the most vertuous person that is endure to be falslie slaundered but that he must needs growe a little in Choller As that child who being already forth of the Schoole doore thinking he is alreadie in the fields and that hee is playing amongst his companions abroad looketh very sadly and is wonderfully amazed when vpon the suddaine his Tutor taketh him by the chollar of his doublet and bringeth him againe correcting him with the rodde for his ouerbold and foolish hardines Euen so found I my selfe to be confounded with silent heauines and being wonderfully afflicted with inward anguish and sorrow Great is that Corsie and sharpe which a man feeleth when through ouermuch headdie rashnes he offen deth that thing which hee esteemeth most of all in this world Euen so vnsupportable is that griefe when a man falsly accuseth his friend whose credit he would seeke to preferre before his owne dearest hart blood Ah why then did not the earth open to swallow mee vp and why at that time did not the Sunne obscure it selfe as when he was three daies without appearing abroad disdaining to behold so horrible a crueltie of an vnnaturall father committed by him against his owne young and prettie children These speeches of mine innocent Lady iustly incensed against mee was as a poysoned darte piercing quite through my poore soule A chilly cold ranne through all my bones a deepe despite against my selfe seized vpon my veines and my voyce lay as if iâ— had bene stopped within the pallate of my mouth my colour looked as dead Ashes my tongue remained dumbe and my mouelesse eies were closed bowing downe toward the earth As then no other answere could I giue vnto my Mistris then salt teares trickling downe along my cheekes whilst from my breast as from a Furnace issued forth great store of scalding sighes O how happie had I beene at that time if some one courteous God or other would haue transformed me into some rocke some stone or else into some Tree Neuerthelesse although I spake not all well might she gather that my exceeding griefe was the cause thereof It is an old saide Sawe One mischiefe neuer commeth alone but that it hath an other attending vppon it And so by misfortune it happened vnto mee For my new companion in Loue of whom long since I told you commeth in amongst vs who hauing more witte in his head then I in stead of blaming my Ladie most wrongfullie as I very foolishly had done presented her with these Verses following The heauens for honours theirs thee faire haue made The heauens for my mishap mee kinde haue framde Ioue for his praise infanted Vertue thine Gods heauen and earth reape honour through thy glorie I onely am accurst but victorie T' is to wage Combat with a Deitie I loue that sweet band which enchaines my soule Liuing I burne yet honour I thee flame Loe how rich Beautie can vsurpe ore mâ—e Medusa like my Nature thou dost channge But hee his Time spends not but gaineth honor Who branely fights vnder a Goddesse Banner O happie I when I thy face behold More rare and perfect than was Venus faire When I thine Eyes see shining like two Starres Gazing I die whilst death brings life to mee He happie dieth that his best life doth end In loyall seruice of his beautious friend More happie I my selfe iudge so to die Than Adon liu'd whilst hee the daintie Corpse Of Venus ioyde who wailde his death most sadde Hee blessed was but I celestiall Since Fortune mine with his may well compare And beare away the prize for ouer-Faire Beautious if onely for to see thy stainelesse Feature More happie t' is than Gods by many wayes What should I be wouldst thou to loue mee dame But so great good vnworthie I to haue The Gods would iealous grow that one poore wretch Ingratious fauor boue themselues should stretch Yet in despite of them my ioyfull life Liueth in contemplation of thy Thewes Whilst they like rolling Spheares the Skies adorne Happie that Lambe offered in Sacrifice To burne vpon thy Aultars Grace to gaine Whose Tombe and Ashes winnes vnto him Fame Most gratiously did shee accept of this Present and the rather because shee would anger me
gaspe in her armes I will now be briefe After the Princesse found Alfonso dead she remembred her plighted vowe vnto him and therefore sought neither venim sword nor ame other extremitie to ende her dayes but hauing sweetely embalmed his carkasse and placing it in a monument of Christall because she might the better behold it she neuer departed from the same vntill that after a certaine time what with hunger sorrow griefe she finished her wearie and loathed life Her fasting and weeping had so chaunged her as her neerest seruants and acquaintance scarce knew her Now had shee no more that sweete face for the beautie of which so many Princes had so often combatted and fought nor were her eyes such as had rauished so manie soules neither was her haire that passing golden haire whose tresses had serued for nets to catch and intrap the Courtliest and greatest hearts that liued And to be briefe she was no more that faire and louely Iustina who indeed had no need of such comely fauour when her onely desire was to die Her face and cheekes were now become pale and yeallow her eyes darke and sunke deepe into her head her haire fowle vnkempt and almost all torne off her breasts drie and leane her armes shrunke and brawnfallen her handes without flesh or whitenesse and finally shee resembled the very portraiture of a Ghost or rather of Death it selfe In this miserie did shee liue some fewe moneths when at the last perceiuing the date of her life to be expired she came vnto the Tombe where taking the embalmed carkasse vp and embracing it in her armes she vsed these pittifull speeches vnto it as followeth O sole remainder of all my good Fortunes O onely chiefe treasure of all my goods O sole pawne furuiuing of my true Loue the onely comfort I haue in these my languishing griefes and the goodly bodie which sometimes reuiued the faire soule inhabiting therein which now liueth in eternall glorie for euer To thee I appeale as the onely thing which I most loue honor and praise praying thee to assist me at mine ende and to beare witnesse with me that I haue kept promise most faithfullie As thou when thou diddest die wert willing that I should not malice or annoy thee at thy death So let not mine I pray thee be any way displeasing vnto thee All whatsoeuer thou diddest craue did I yeeld and accord vnto then blame me not if hauing performed what I protested I come vnto the Heauens to finde thee In thy life time I haue liued for feare to displease but now thou liuest no longer faire and beautifull Coarse and that I haue taken order for thy buryall what thinkest thou should keepe me heere any longer It is reasonable I should die seeing I can now no longer liue and that I goe to make a search for thee most chast soule in what place soeuer thou art Die then sorrowfull Iustina and leauing of to lament change these thy reares thy miseries and cares into this eternall repose where resteth thy husband quietly I haue liued but too too long and my miserable life hath bin too irkesome vnto me It is now more then high time to make an ende thereof and making an ende of my selfe to remoue my selfe vnto him who whilst he liued had commaund ouer my soule Thrise blessed Instina to be quit and rid of these vnspeakable torments to liue in euerlasting quietnes which is the onely hope of the miserable Let vs goe then let vs goe I humbly beseech that great God who as a iust Iudge of the innocencie of our hearts knoweth the secrets of our thoughts to open that sacred gate vnto me which he hath promised vnto his faithfull children This said she kissed the dead coarse of her husband againe giuing charge vnto her Gentlewoman to enterre and burie her body hard by his side that done she layeth her selfe along by the same which she still embraceth and hauing dressed her head and apparelled her selfe for the same purpose she rendied vp her spirit A spirit right meritorious and worthie of eternall glorie Her body according vnto her last will was buried in the selfe same sepulcre which she had caused to be made for her husband before Herewith Coribant held his peace being hindred to speake any more by reason of his teares teares which berest the others of their voyces who without being able to discourse any more one with another for that time departed euery one to their senerall homes so to passe away the darke and gloomie night As they were walking faire and softly onwardsvpon their way Arcas heard one sing this song following Loue fare thouwell liue will I now Quiet amongst the green-wood bow Ill betide him that loue seekes He shall liue but with leane cheekes He that fondly falles in Ioue A slaue still to griefe shall prooue Loue fare thou well liue will I now Quiet amongst the greene-wood bow What an Asse and foole is hee That may serue and will goe free In worlds not a wench so faire But I for my life more care Loue fare thou well liue will I now Quiet amongst the c. I like not these Dames so smooth As would haue men court and lous For as constant I them finde As the Sea is or the winde Loue fare thou well liue c. Once I lou'd one that was kinde But she did what pleasde her minde Better t is nere to be borne Then liue as anothers scorne Loue fare thou well liue well c. Then Loue thee I doe defie I hate thy bad dealing I He is a foole that liues in paine A toy so small for to gaine Loue fare thou well liue will I now Quiet amongst the greene-woodbow After the Shepheard had made an ende of this merrie Sonnet another came vnto them demaunding if some of the companie could expound his Riddle which he proposed in this manner Nor life nor vertue haue I lest I die I borrow of my buried trunke chiefe strength Though I am dead ore time yet triumph I Ore time that cuerie thing consumes at length What 's dead disdained is yet all affoord Me honour and their chiefe preseruers name All men may rightly call me their best Lord Since they Sans me the world cannot maintaine Yet though so much good doth from me proceed These thanklesse worldlings doe not sticke at all To cut me off in Summer with great speed And beate me into little powder small Yet had I rather cruelly thus perish Then liue a longer space for many time The season doth but badly oft me chearish Offering great hurt and wrong to vertue mine This Riddle was interpreted to be corne which being sowne in the earth and seeming dead casteth forth a greene blade and in time groweth to be ripe in despite of all stormes and foule weather whatsoeuer It nourisheth mankind and therefore is honoured of them as a father not forbearing for all that to reape him in Haruest to thresh and grinde
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
speake vnto her For said he vnto him selfe what should hinder me that I should not bewray how much I affect her What though shee be the Daughter of my King is it reason therefore that I should die for her and yet not make her acquainied with my death and the cause thereof What know I whether Loue hath infected her as well as it hath poysoned mee Fot as great Princes as shee haue felt his force and haue bene brought vnder by him which if it were so I would not then doubt but that shee would be so gratious vnto me as to take some pittie vpon mee For Loue makes the hearts of great Monarks to stoope as well as those of poore peasants forcing as well the brauest minds to be subiect vnto his lawes as such as are baser persons Did not he make soft and gentle the hart of proud and haughtie Achilles compelling him to yeeld vnto his prisoner Briseis to like her so well as hee quarrelled with all the Princes of Greece to haue her good will And the selfe same Loue did it not take downe the stubborne stomacke of high minded Angelica who although she were a Princesse and sought vnto by all the chiefest Paladines and men of renowne in the world yet did she cast her liking vpon sillie Medor a simple Page or Lackey Nothing can withstand his mightie power neither King nor Queene Royaltie nor Nobilitie all are alike vnto him and all must doe as he pleaseth Onely with surlie and proud mindes doth he most commonly adorne his triumphant Chariot disdaining as it were the spoyles of the meanest Againe did not Venus doate on a Shepheard and Phoebus vpon a plaine Countrey Lasse Yes yes and therefore nothing is impossible vnto Loue. And seeing it is so I will endeuour to see if I can learne whether hee hath tamed the great heart of this louely Princesse which if he hath done I hope then that it is strucken with a golden Dart as mine is and not with one of lead Might I but once finde that she affecteth mee I would doe well enough with the rest hoping in time to bring euery thing to a most prosperous end and happie issue Thus said my Maister being resolute to sound the depth of the Princesse thoughts and yet hee thought it was hard to wade through such a Foord much doubting the entrance therein but farre more how to get out thereof againe And as a Generall of an Armie after hee hath had manie parleyes with the Fort which is enemie vnto him pitcheth his Tentes round about the same but seeing his Souldiers to be beatten backe againe with losse of many of his men dispaireth that he shall not be able to surprize it doubting sore of some bad issue in this his enterprise Euen so many doubts ran into Don Iohns head which much troubled him as well he knew not what to doe One while he feareth lest he should offend his Mistris and loth he is to displease her yet in the end Fortune who fauoreth such as be venturous egged him forward making the way plain for him that he might the better bewray his affection vnto his Ladie For one day the King being willing highly to grace him commanded him to sit downe with him at his owne Royall table where his daughter fat right ouer against him Neuer can Vertue be honoured too much whilst shee doeth credit vnto them that thus seeke to doe her reuerence and dutie I leaue vnto your aduised considerations to iudge whether whilest the Princesse sate so nigh the Knight he lost anie time or no And whether hee tooke his occasion finding the opportunitie so fitte if hee had done otherwise he had done fondlie But hee seeing his Saint so nigh vnto him watching fitte time after many troubled conceits running in his minde with a blushing countenance and a low trembling voyee hee thus beganne to Court her What would you say most excellent Princes to heare that your owne knight vpon the selfesame day in which he receiued from your royall selfe the prize for Tilting became both victorious and vanquisht and all at once Victor ouer so many braue Caualiers but vanquisht through your most beautious eyes And although euery Conquerour is proud of his conquest and he that is conquered lamenteth for his losse yet I quite contrarie vnto them esteeme lesse of my victorie then I doe to be ouercome for it is far more honourable to be ouerthrowne by a diuine puyssance then to be Conquerour ouer a weeke and feeble force And what greater renowme or brauer fame may so much beautifie and adorne my daies as to be called the vassall and slaue of her and to be vanquisht by her who by the same force is able to ouercome euen the Gods themselues No other glorie will I seeke then this which is to be accounted your Captiue I know good Madame you may count me ouer arragant and without discretion in that I dare presume to vse such speeches vnto you who are both my naturall Princes and my Ladie purchased through your too beautious eyes yet though the Gods be sacred and immortall they for all that refuse not the seruice of worldly men their creatures because nothing can hinder vertue from doing her duetie inasmuch as she is without fault and the rather in that she is of force to make the fierce and wildest hearts that are to be in loue with her I speake not this that I would looke for any recompence for my paines of you neither that you should make any account of me at all onely I would most humble entreat you that you would vouchsafe to belieue that all my desires all my studies and all my endeuours are wholy vowed vnto your secret seruice and that no person shall command ouer my soule but onely your sweet selfe Thinke not then gratious Princes that I am ouer-rash and too too bold to deliuer such words as these vnto you For it is impossible that any right generous minde or braue heroicall thought should see so rare and matchlesse a beautie as yours is but that he needs must be in loue therewith and louing it deuote himselfe vnto the honour of the same for euer Did not so many diuine vertues abound within you and were you not euery way indued with so rare and exquisite qualities as you are we then should not so earnestly seeke to serue you neither should we be so curious to follow you with so great affection and respect as we doe Sooner shall the Sunne be without light and the earth without verdure and greenes for as the heauens whether we will or no giueth vnto vs light Euen so despite of your selfe shall you be honoured and admired as long as you are so excellent and perfect a creature Then if I place my selfe in the order of such as reuerence your rare qualities good Madam pardon me neither thinke that any person can bare more loyall seruice vnto you then I my selfe doe for might my
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
condemned for the same Had Iupiter neuer loued the earth had neaer bene clensed nor purged of such monsters as much did trouble it for then the mightie Hercules had neuer bene borne Marke I beseech you how much wee all are beholding vnto Loue. Many times when men fall a discoursing and from words to quarrels so farre is Loue off from being the author thereof as quite contrarie were it not for his presence contentious Discord would animate one against another euerie one to murther his companion acquaintance for where Loue is there neuer is seene any disagreement at all And therefor is Loue the father of concord and peace and not of brawling and strife A Historiz yea and so puissant and forcible is hee as his power also extendeth to force wilde beasts to be milde as was that Lyon which was brought before Titus the Emperor which in steed of deuouring the poore slane who was flung vnto her to staunch her exceeding great hunger gently fell downe at his feete stroking him doing him all the reuerence that might be and louing him most deerely by reason that this slaue flying away from the seuere crueltie of his maister and lighting into a wood where this beast was had pulled out a great thorne out of his foote which most pitiouslie did grieue him Now if brute beasts are taught to loue out of doubt then such men shall be much condemned as will not follow the like example The graue Spartans put in practise this counsell to the intent to haue children in as much as they imagined that such as were begotten through a firme and passing kinde of good liking would prooue farre more valiant and couragious then such as were borne of the husband and wife without louing one an other And surely we see by experience that such children are more gallant and of a brauer spirit then those that are brought forth into the world lawfully whether it is either because the loue of such persons is more affectionate and passionate that are the cause of their byrths or whether it be for that they see by reason that they are Bastards they are depriued of their Parents inheritance and therefore the more willingly thrust forth themselues to seeke their owne aduancement Iefpha the Iudge of Israel and William surnamed the Conqueror that got the Crowne of England were of this number with infinite other braue personages So that by this we may gather that Loue not onely bringeth forth honor and profite vnto men but also an vnspeakable kinde of comfort withall They that haue tryed the pleasure thereof can better iudge then I For the delight that Loue affordeth is so sweete so gentle and so delightfull as it is not possible to set downe no nor scarce to conceiue the same in anie thoughts So that in comparison of that all other mortall ioyes are but A Bomparison as it were small sparkles and like vnto litle stars in respect of this which for the glorie thereof may be compared vnto the splendent Sunne Heerewithall Coribant kept silence leauing Arcas to follow this discourse and to make an end of this disputation which he did in these termes following If it be lawfull for one to say something and to argue of that which wee cannot see as of a Deitie or Godhead then must we reason by the effects of the same But these which exceede our humane capacitie and conceit giue vs a most certaine and sufficient testimonie that we ought to belieue that there is a certaine puissance and power farre greater then is our owne which we cannot attribute vnto anie other then vnto GOD. As in a wildernes the houses there built testifie that men be dwelling therein because they are the worke of mens hands So may we say of Loue and so it is with him for neuer hath any person seene him nor viewed him at any time yet notwithstanding A Similie euery one is able to talke and to discourse of him by reason of the wonderfull effects which proceed from his diuine power and might Where you say that Children borne out of marriage are valiant and couragious At that I maruell nothing at all for Loue being a Bastard as the sonne of Mars and Venus cannot doe lesse then like support and affect his brethren they hauing the same beginning that he hath Neuerthelesse for all they haue some particular gift incident vnto them yet are they as illegitimate depriued both by Nature and by the Ciuill Law from bearing any charge or office in the common-wealth as their birth is contrarie vnto the custome as well of honestie as of all ciuill order and Lawe Therefore Loue is not praise-worthie in this point for manie times hee confoundeth Right and maketh a gallimalfrie or a mingle-mangle of Iustice bringing such vnlawfull Brattes as these to inherit with those that are lawfullie begotten either for default that they are not knowne or taken to be such or else because their presupposed father will not publish them for Bastards for that he will not offend the honor of his wife But say the world were freed from such kinde of men and that there were no more such to be found yet for all that it should be neuer a whit the lesse honored nor lesse defended I confesse and yeelde that Loue is mightie and of great power in the procreation of such children But as all Countreyes and Realmes without the execution of Iustice are but plaine open theeueries and robberies liuing as licentious Outlawes So Loue without reason and Iustice is but a disordinate appetite trampling vnder his feete all respect all Iustice and all Law to satisfie and asswage his hote and burning passions And how much Sumiramis the nieces of Augustus the Emperour Poppea Agrippina Faustina and diuers others haue bene condemned for following such kinde of Loue and giuing ouer themselues most voluptuously vnto all sorts of people you knowe as well as I am able to report Where you say that Loue is not the author of vice but rather men who applie the same ill and abase it through the badnesse of their owne nature I answer that it is nothing so For as the prisoner cannot dispose of him who is his keeper and holdeth him captiue Euen so men are so farre off from ruling Loue according as they would that hee vseth them as he list holding them so fast in such sure bands as they can doe nothing but what shall please him There is difference betweene him and wine for a man may take heede if he will that he drinke not so much vntill he be drunke but he cannot so easilie resist Loue in as much as that reason being supprest which is in man vpon which presently Loue as a tyrant ceazeth he can then doe no more of himselfe he being constrained and compelled to follow the will and commaund of him that doth signorize ouer him For if Loue were in the free libertie at the deuotion and disposition of
soft ease and safe pleasures to runne desperately to winne Honour passing through many thousand Pikes and wading through infinite dangers and perills with great labour and paine before they could attaine vnto the place where it was seated So the prudent Prince of Ithaca left his constant wife to follow the long and tedious tenne yeares siege of Troy And so the great Gueslin high Constable of France left his Spouse to venture for that glorie in the middest of wonderfull daungers which made him famous for euer An example And so our renowmed Portuguise although hee held nothing so precious nor so religious in the whole world as he did to liue with his sweete Izabella whose companie was his Paradice and whose presence his heauen heere vpon earth Yet would he needes leaue all this felicitie and happinesse to endure in steelie Armour the brunts of bloodie Warre and whole worlds of Trauailes and painfull labours to the ende hee might winne Honour which Noble and Heroicall mindes hunt after so much And which many times they dearely buy with the losse of their most precious liues Hee therefore resolued to depart although not without exceeding great griefe to leaue his faire and beautious Spouse and the rather because hee hoped to attaine vnto more Honour through his worthy demeanure and braue carriage hee hauing excellent meanes as now to shewe afresh some fruites of his former towardnesse and forwardnesse in his Princes seruice in the Warres by reason of that great and worthie Commaund which was bestowed vpon him He thought that who alwayes should liue drowned in pleasures resembled the Companions of Vlisses changed into Swine and that nothing was well gotten but what was purchaste with the hazard of a mans life Wherevpon with manie sighes with many bitter teares and sorrowfull laments hee taketh leaue of his dolefull wife For commonly we are admonished by GOD through some secret knowledge when some mischaunce is comming towards vs which wee can no way auoyde So that the woefull Ladie Izabella foreseeing as it were beforehand the mischiefe that was like to light vppon her did nothing else but powre forth whole showres of teares hauing not the power to let her Husband loose from out of her armes The winding Vine neuer held the Hasell or Filberd more intangled within her leaues A Similie nor the greene Iuy neuer cleaued so fast vnto the olde stonie wall as this young Ladie clung about her heauie Spouse whome LOVE whilest sought by violence to hold still sterne HONOVE plucked him from thence by maine force carrying him away with him Hee was ordainde for further ill to goe his way Nor doth the life of Man A Sentence stand alwayes as one stay His wife prayeth desireth and coniureth him to breake his voyage to giue ouer his enterprise and to continue still with her teling him that shee had as yet but onely tasted the blessed pleasures which chaste wedlocke acquainteth faithfull Louers withall without hauing had the lawfull fruition of those sweete contentments which she so much desired But shee pleaded in vaine and to no ende her Husband was deafe and would not yeelde vnto her demaund Honour dryed vp her teares making them to be of no force whilst glorie was the hatchet that cut off her precious speeches and desire of praise the fire which consumed her most passionate prayers And therefore though passing loth hee taketh his leaue and departeth carrying away with him the wounded heart of his louely Spouse in exchaunge of which he leaueth hauie mournings and sadde laments which followed her euen vnto her verie graue Horatio beeing now arriued at Ansillies followeth his businesse most fortunately Mars chasing away Cupid cruell warres gentle Loue and hautie ambition the sweete remembrance of his wife It is a common fashion of manie men to follow a thing most earnestly and eagerlie and then presently and vpon the suddaine when they haue gotten it A Sentence they giue it ouer nor caring a whit for the same any more Resembling heerein the way-faring man who a far off seeketh a fountaine or spring to staunch his thirst and hauing freed himselfe of his drinesse maketh no more account of the water nor would stirre one foote to finde it againe But this was not all For the Heauens aboue abounding in good or bad Fortunes rayne not one downe alone but many other all together and at one time and we see for the most part that one mischiefe neuer commeth but that there falleth another vpon the necke of the same For so it was that Horatio beeing farre off from his deare Spouse and depriued of her company by reason of the warres wherein he was so much busied chaunced to become amorous of the faire Prisoner hee had of late taken in a Battaile as I haue saide before yea and so much doth he doate of her that as the flaming Torche darkneth the light of the candle so likewise this loue quenthed the loue hee had before borne vnto his wife O vngodly Husbands which so wickedly falsifie your faiths vnto your lawfull and louing bedfellowes deceiuing them so shamefully vnto your owne shames Against had Husbands Haue euer any of you liued without being punished of the Almighty for your hainous faults Was not Paris the ouerthrow and breake-necke of all his House and Countrey for defiling the bed of Menelaus and reiecting his betrothed wife Enone Came not Iason to a miserable ende being depriued of his Children of his Wife and his Pallace for abandoning Medea and for taking another false wife And did not Theseus staine his hands in the chaste and pure blood of his owne sonne Hippolitus for giuing ouer his deare Spouse Ariadne Examples of bad Husbands to the ende he might satifie his lust with Phoedra And so was Horatio well plagued for his licentious pleasures For God most iustly punished him defacing his former glorie weakning his vertue ruinating his credit and vtterly ouerthrowing his vallour So long since Salomon through Harlots lost his diuine wisedome they forcing him to become an enemie vnto God So the strumpet Dalila was the cause of the death of Sampson the stout And so haue many other braue and great personages bene vtterly ouerthrowne by this inticing Sexe and seuerely chastised by God as hee did our great Commaunder of Ansillies who was so besotted of his slaue as hee liued not but onely by her lookes Her eyes was his bright Sunne he none desirde but her She onely faire was her aboue none else he did prefer A strange thing that many times these foolish and wicked Amours should be more hot and liuely then such as be lawfull and chasse The reason being either because they are forbidden by the Law man commonly louing that which he is prohibited to doe or because they are as it were stolen or enioy de but seldome keeping such Louers in a perpetuall appetite and desire As those who rise from the table their bellies halfe filled come to
soonest the greatest dangers which neuer offend them whether it be because they are alreadie throughly satisfied and contented with their miseries beeing loth to wrong them any more Or whether it be for that some good Angell doth accompanie and guide these wretches who without diuine helpe and assistance would vtterly damne themselues for euer But now by this time the desolate Ladie had caused a Shippe to be throughly furnished at all points into which as a couragious Medea she entreth cutting and slicing the salt waters so long till at last she happily arriueth at that Citie vnto which her Husband had with-drawne himselfe the better and more safely to liue in his secure and sensuall pleasure When hee hearing of her arriuall being farre more sauage then the bruite beasts themselues who heare the voyces of their little ones and of their companions caused the gates of the Towne to be shut commaunding her vpon paine of his displeasure without vouchsafing so much as once to see her to returne backe againe into her Shippe with all her traine and so to hoyse vp sayle and away to the place from whence she came O farre more cruell then Iason who suffered Medea to be present and to set out the Marriage of his newe wife farre more vnkinde then great Agamemnon An example who permitted his wife to liue and keepe companie with her Louers And more shamelesse then Marke Anthony the Romone who left his vertuous and Princely wife to satisfie himselfe with the embracings of that impudent harlot Cleopatra There is no better vineger then that which is made of good wine when it sowreth Euen so the best Natures commit the grossest faults when they giue themselues ouer vnto euill I knowe not whether it is because they haue the more meanes to doe the same then others or whether it be for that vice waxing proud of so rich a prey will neuer giue them ouer still keeping them to execute her wicked will in euerie thing This pittious newes so appalled the sences of the poore Ladie Izabella as she fell downe into a dead sowne Her vitall spirits faile her and she falls for lorne Like one that is vnto his graue vntimely borne In the ende shee came vnto her selfe againe for an exceeding kinde of griefe driueth away paine from the bodies of women by reason that their sorrow floweth forth with their teares and so waxeth lesse because of the helpe that they haue by sighing which is not so with men who for that they cannot shewe forth eyther by their eyes or by their voyce any part of their griefe are in the ende stiffed and choked with the same Not vnlike vnto an olde Oaken tree that breaketh before it will bowe which by reason it cannot bende according vnto the winde is torne and rent vp vnto the verie rootes Izabella then hardly distressed must needes swallow downe this bitter potion and patience perforce must doe all he hath charged her not being able to contradict him in any thing For the woman by the ciuill Lawe is subiect vnto her husband whose fault neuerthelesse is not in danger of punishment as that of the wife Certainly a most vniust Law which two being culpable of one and the selfe-same offence punisheth the one and permitteth the other to goe scotfree Man by his sword reuengeth the wrong his wife hath done if by chance she breaketh the bands of Marriage whereas the poore woman in steed of vsing the like punishment vpon him is forced to see to suffer yea and to allow and beare with the vnlawfull adulteries of her husband But such men God no doubt will punish as hee did our forgetfull Pertingale not long after Izabella seeing no other remedie putteth her selfe once more to the Seas being often in the minde to throw her selfe therein had it not bene but onely that shee feared the losse of her soule Which custome the Paynims oftentimes vsed to rid themselues from their troubles and for that they respected not the immortalitie of the soule in that they knewe not the true God All day long shee wept but the waters carryed away her teares and all the night shee sighed but the blustring windes whirled away her sighes The Sea storming at the iniurie she had receiued beganne to swell for anger to whistle for rage and to fret and murmure for despite and choller It could not suffer such a great wrong beeing farre more pittifull then her careles and cruell husband And therefore meaneth to bring backe the Shippe once more wherein his saithfull spouse remained driuing it to the selfe-same Hauen where it had bene the day before Horatio not dreaming of anie such matter but still glutting himselfe in his amorous sport with his subtill friend seeking nothing so much as how to please her by all meanes possible Euen as Achilles did himselfe a slaue to Brixis yeeld Although shee was his slaue by law and wonne by him in field But LOVE is saide to be blinde and respecteth not the condition of Creatures neither hath hee anie respect of persons at all Onely hee accounteth of their beautie with which hee oftentimes helpeth himselfe to tyrannize ouer the proudest hearts forcing the Prince sometimes to yeelde vnto the Peasant whereby hee may bring himselfe to be thought to be more admirable in the eyes of mortall men The comfortlesse Ladie seeing her selfe to be brought backe againe by the proud and imperious windes into the same port much against her will wherein she had harboured but a fewe houres before fearing sore to offend her wilfull Husband whose onely pleasure and delight was to worke her iniurie beganne a fresh to renew her former complaints sighing and crying out after this pittifull manner Ah God ah God was it not enough that I had mine husband to my mortall enemie but that I must needs haue the waues of the Sea also to bandie against me for what remaineth to come or what can there be left behinde to make me more miserable and vnfortunate then I am alreadie seeing that he who hath promised me so great loue so great friendship and affection and vowed so much and so many oathes vnto mee is the onely man that persecuteth me as if I were the deadliest foe that he hath vpon the face of the earth Ah hard harted and forgetfull Knight ill wouldst thou passe so many dangers venter through so many perills and hardly wouldest thou endure such a hell of disquietnes for the loue of thy wife as Vlisses did for his seeing when I come vnto thee with so great trouble thou not onely disdainest me but also refusest to admit mee to come into thy presence Ah good and kind Graccus who to prolong the life of thy wife didst shorten thine owne how farre doest thou differ from my iniurious Spouse Such as are guiltie and doe but worthily suffer for the euils they haue done complaine vniustly and without cause but oh how hard and vnsupportable griefe is it to reape iniuries in
you go about to keep me from him whither I will or no. Nor was she deceiued of her purpose though thrise happie in that it pleased God to call her himselfe from out this vale of miserie and so by that meanes to saue her soule For no sooner was shee hindered of her intent but what for anger thereof and what for extreame griefe for Horatios death she fell into a dangerous and hote burning Feuer which so violently seazed vpon euery part of her as her weake bodie being not able to endure the fierie raging thereof shee yeelded her tormented carkas vnto death within sixe dayes after At what time shee was freed from all her former troubles and after her death she was according vnto her desire enterred with her husband leauing behinde her many commendations for her matchlesse vertues her losse being lamented of cuerie good bodie as was fufficiently showne by the pittifull laments that were euerie where vsed for her sake because of the rare examples of chastitie of patience of modest demeanure of loue and of loy altie which she carryed towards her vngratefull and vnkind Husband And this Shepheard is the historie I meant to report vnto thee but because that Diana looking palish with her siluer hornes meaneth to runne her course entering into the place of her glistering brother the Sunne wee will for this time vntill to morrow morning withdraw our selues vnto our Cortages and then as earlie as thou wilt shalt thou begin the discourse of thy Loue againe Wherevpon the olde man and Arcas began to retire themselues homewards and by the way they encountered a faire Shepheardesse who proposed a Riddle vnto another desiring him to interpret the same rightly And this was it that followeth For others good and profit I outragious still Consume what doth my proper vigor entertaine And though my burning is not vnto anie ill Where I should prais de be they vngras of all me doe name Father of liuing Creatures all I am renoumde And Lord I am ouer the Time on earth that staies Yet doth a little thing dant mee and me confound And of a Conquerour conquered forceth mee strait-waies But in the end although that I am plagued thus Through succour of the windes when all thinke I am dead I rise againe to men of times most dangerous And through my harmefull rage I fill them full of dread My mother I deuour whilst I a straunger nonrish For ill I good doe to my spightfull enemies Iudge then since Serpents in my bosome I doe cherish If I ore wretched am not in most pittious wise The other Shepheard knew not the meaning of this Riddle which the old man interpreted in this sort Your Emgma faire Shepherdesse signifieth the fire which being for the vse of man to warme him consumeth deuoureth the wood it being his mother and nourisher It is counted the Father of all liuing Creatures who without heat cannot liue Although he is of great force yet doth a very small thing vanquish him which is water Neuerthelesse when he sheweth to be dead a little blast of winde maketh him to burne more furious then before He doth good to such as count and call him vngratefull in warming them with his heate and deuoureth his mother which is the reason he tearmeth himselfe to be most miserable and wretched This solution euery one commended when as they were walking homewards one of the Shepheards sung this Ode following To Louers what good doth the Sunne If by his beames they be vndone LOVE' 's as bitter as is Rue Blest are such as nere is knew He is accurst that comes tot'h Sea Once were and in port waist haue ease To Louers what good doth their Sunne If by his beames they are vndone A fend Louer doth not â—â—ril Name nor fame of mant inberit Since he is fee to his owne health Whilst in fire he burnes himselfe To Louers what good doth their Sâ—â—â—e If by his beames they be vndone Griefe 〈◊〉 Loue tendeth nis Pleasure is his 〈…〉 Better laugh then wade and sigh Who then Loues not his owne life To Louers what good deth If by his beames Without teares no Louer is Nor his sad laments doth â—isse Better farre to liue at ease Then to seeke a shrowe to please To Louers what good If by his beames Wretched then be such as loue I le liue free nor it will proue For who 'le count of him that still Like set his wees nourish will To Louers what good doth the Sâ—â—â—e If by his beames he be vndone This Ode being sung euerie owne departed vntill the returne of mestfull Aurera leauing the Sister of Apollo to runne out her darke and gloomie course The end of the second daies meeting of Iuliettaes Shepheards THE THIRD DAIES MEETING OF IVLIETTAES SHEPHEARDS NO distance of place can hinder kind amitie no change of aire altar firme affection neither can the separation of that which is loued diuide or keepe backe the Louer from his sweet Mistris Too true noble Phillistell doest thou know this to be thou being so farre off from thy faire and sacred Iulietta and yet neuerthelesse thou liuest in her and still dreamest of her beautie whilest louing her although she be absent thou canst not forget her for that she holdeth thy heart with her as in a close prison thou in the meane time feeling and by thine owne experience finding how cruell vnto a loyall Louer the absence of his beautious Ladie is the fish not more desiring to haue water for his nourishment then he doth couet her companie it being the chiefe foode of his soule O how tedious and irkesome vnto him who attendeth and expecteth the breake of day to come hauing some great matter of importance to dispatch is the long seeming course of the vnwelcome night In all which time he is not able to take any rest looking still with open eyes to spie the rising of the faire Sunne which he ioyfully marketh at his first appearing to warme the little hills to melt the soft snow to glister and shine vpon the earth and with a solemne pace to mount vp and to settle himselfe in his glorious chariot riding in progresse through the huge giring Vault of heauen he seeth him brauely to chase away the sparkling Starres as the Conquerour doth his enemies that he hath vanquisht and beholdeth the sad and sable night to flie from his cheerfull face as the timerous thiefe doth the seuere Iudges presence whilest he listeneth vnto the melodie of thousands of pretie Birds which solemnize and celebrate in their warbling notes the arriuall of the prudent Sire of proud Phaeton Poore Philistell how often hast thou counted short daies for long yeares after that malitious Fortune had sequestred thee from the companie of thy Ladie and how many times didst thou dreame in the night that thou sawest her deuising and talking with thee in the same manner as she was wont to doe when those happie Desarts of Arcadia were true witnesses
chambers other chiefe Roomes being ruinated and fallen flat vnto the ground but yet the foundation thereof standeth strong and sound and is not rotten nor perished at all Now the walkes the lodgings the hangings and the chiefe beautie of our Church were the good workes the charitable deeds and the wonderfull miracles done by the Apostles thereof in the old world most of which the corruption of this age and the vitious liuing of these degenerate successors hath spoyled defaced and trod vnder their feete and yet notwithstanding all this the foundation vpon which she is setled and placed remaineth still vnshaken and vndecaied being strongly built vpon the word of God who is the chiefe builder and pillar of the same Now that the Ministers of Gods word haue bene heretofore much reuereÌ„ced we may finde by the auncient Heathen people who made more account of them then many doe at this daie who intelleth themselues with that faire name of Christians Abraham loden with spoyles and returning home victorious ouer Kings who had taken his brother prisoner offered the tenth part of all his rich booties vnto the high Priest Melchisedecke Alexander being an Infidell after the taking of Tire marching towards Ierusalem as a victorious Conquerour with intention to ruinate and take it vnto the ground was himdered and let by the high Priest who very couragiouslie came against him meeting him by the way receiuing manie high fauours and honors done vnto him by that vnbeleeuing Monarch who then missed of his purpose Antiochus hauing besieged the selfe same Citie not onely gaue seuen dayes of Truce vnto the Priests thereof to celebrate the solemne Feast but besides that sent them fatte Bullocks with garlands and guilded horns to goe through with their Sacrifices the better O graue and religious Monasteries how much more reuerence haue you receiued in times past of those Infidels and vnbeleeuers A Commendation of all true Minister of the sacred word of Gods then you doe now at this day of a number of bad Christians But you neede not to wonder thereat at all for the seruant shall neuer be made much of nor be accounted of by the enemies of his Maister whome he pursueth euen vnto the death Such as hate God haue no regard to fauour his Vassals and Creatures and the ill willers of the Chuch doe maligne the Prelates thereof It is not for eueâ—ic priuate man but onely for Magistrates and such as are in authoritie to iudge of the fault of the Minister his dutie is onely to beleeue that hee doth not erre as long as he laboureth in his reuerend vocation and calling orderly and well For the Iewes although they were vngodly yet had they the power to chase away wicked spirits by Exoreismes and Spells and the Sacrifice that is offered of a bad Munster is as profitable vnto such as be there in place as if it had bene done by the iustest Priest in the world Do that which the Scribes and Pharisies command you saith our Sauiour Christ because they are placed in the Chayte of Moses and be Ministers of the Lawe although otherwise they are froward ill giuen and malitious and therefore vnwerthie to be followed For although you owe no honor vnto their owne persons yet are you indebted and are bound vnto their vocation and calling as long since the people kneeled downe not vnto the Asse before whome they sell but vnto the Image which the beast bare vpon his backe Say a Prince should sends Lieutenant into some of his Prouinces that should be a bad man and wickedly giuen to gouernt the same yet for all his faults would the people beare respect vnto him were it bus ouely because their Prince sent him vnto them and for that they would not thshonor hice state and dignitie Royall For sometimes the dignitie of the Office is honoured by reason of him that exerciseth that place and so likewise the Minister is often reuerenceâ—â— for his function and charge which hee executeth and putteth in practise The auncient Romanes were more carefull then any other Nation A History to attribute and yeelde honor vnto the Officers of their Common-wealth whereof wee haue a notable proofe of that gallant young Fabius the sonne who being a Consuil and seeing his Father a farre off to come â—â—ding towards him in the streete beeing then but Dictator sent before one of his Sargimts to desire him to light from off his horse and to remember to doe not vnto him who was his Sonne and whom he might commaund but vnto his place of Consulship such honour and reuerence as did there vnto belong And Alexander the great gaue so great credit and respect vnto the answere which the great Priest of Iupiter â—mmon gaue him calling him his sonne that he verilie perswaded himselfe he should conquere all the world And vpon this resolute beliefe of his he fought many bloodie Buttells of which hee alwayes proued Conquerour Had wee that are Christians accounted as much of our Preachers as the Inside is did of the Ministers of their Gods there had not then sprung vp so many Errors amongst Christian religion as there hath done The onely cause that so manie excellent wittes haue bene ouerthrowne and that the pease quietnes of the faithfull hath bene much broken troubled For if euery man had honoured true Preachers in their places without rising vp against them and not seeking to suppresse and keepe downe their authority and power as they haue done neuer any contentious heresie had sprung vp amongst vs because he can neuer be heritike nor aduersary vnto the Church who doth the commaundements of true Ministers thereof they being not able to commaund any thing that is contrary vnto the expresse word and will of God Our Sauiour himselfe vouchsafed to acknowledge the priests of the Iewes for chiefe Heads and Soueraignes when he willed these Leapers that were healed and clensed by him to goe and present themselues before them as they that had all the power giuen vnto them as indeed they haue by the â—â—ernall word of God himselfe who saith thus vnto his Prophet Ieremie he speaking vnto the Ministers of the Church Behold I haue put my word in thy mouth and haue appointed thee ouer all Kings peoples Realmes to the end thou maist plant or pull vp build or plucke downe doe or vndone whatsoeuer thou pleasest And I will haue thee to haue authoritie ouer all the Monarks and Princesse of the earth And this was confirmed and ratified by our Sauiour himselfe who gaue the selfesame power vnto S. Peter his successour so by coÌ„sequeÌ„ce to all the succeeders of Peter 〈…〉 to bind and lofe and to open and shut promising to ratifie in heauen whatsoeuer he should doe here vpon earth In times past the Ministers of the Church were holden for such they were honoured as Vicars of Christ respected as the successors of S. Peter beloued as the fathers of soules sought vnto as
world did encounter And wicked Tyrants did send to hell with a mischiefe So did Achilles loue in his prime and he but a youngling Was by the craftie meanes of his foe most cruelly murdred Greatest states haue lou'd why then for loue should I blam'd be If that I seeke as they to loue thee my Goddesse aboue all Not any things here in this earth compared to thy beautie Not any things here in this earth that like to thy sweet selfe May vaunt to giue lawes as Gods that dwell in the cleere skie For Loue falling in loue with thy faue face and with thy rose checke Plase like awanton in thine eies and like to a Babie Nor doth he liue but in thee who art his Court and his Heauen Happie thou that canst command so loftie a God-head Such and so rare thy fauour is thy grace so beseeming As their Palas most denine doth seeke to repose her On thy cherrie lippes hunnie sucking Mercurie seazeth Aud thy sacred Angels voice is the voice of Apollo And to be briefe th' art so diuine as fewe thee resemble Fowe or none that liues in this world so beautifull as thou Then will I loue thee what doe I say too little a thing t is Lesse that I worship doe to thee as vnto a Goddesse Then to thee as immortall might my life I doe offer And my loy all heart doe I sacrifice to thy beautie Whilst I hung on thine Altar this my verse which hath chaunted With thousand close sighes the praises of many others But yet neuer honoured any like to thy rare selfe Wondred at of men of Gods most worthily worshipt Then this my chast voice receiue as heauenly powers doe And vouchsafe for this song a corner of thy sweet Altar Vnto the end I deeply may engraue in the same place How in coarse and in minde thou fram'd art daintily perfect And that nothing equall can thy feature immortall Who art honours lonely Nurse and Eternities owne childe Hauing made these verses I plaide as the countrie Farmeth doth who hauing gathered some daintie or new kind of fruite keepeth the same verie charily to make a present thereof vnto his Land-lord vpon the first occasion he shall haue to see him and so I resolued to keepe these my verses and to present them vnto my Diana assoone as she should returne from the ceremonies of her Goddesse and long was it as me thought that she staied For to one that expecteth looketh for any thnig euery houre seemeth a yeare at the least Willingly could I haue murmured against the Goddesse Diana If I durst and more willingly haue curtold of and shortned her Sacrifices if I had bene as I was not the great Priest of the Gods But in the end the best thing that I could finde to helpe me was patience perforce whilest I attended with good deuotion the will of the heauens which at the last bringeth euery thing to his perfection Yet when these Sacrifices were at an end they were no more fortunate vnto me then was their beginning For my Diana being elected and chosen Queene of these Mysteries by the other Nymphs was conducted not farre from thence by the whole troupe of them to be enstalled to receiue the Robes of her Royrall Soueraigntie much did it please me that my Ladie was so highly honoured but as much againe did it displease me that I should lose her presence longer for the same which was the cause it drowned and choaked all the contentment and pleasure which I conceiued of her prehemmence and to know her to be preferred before all the rest of the Goddesse traine For the good seruant is not a little glad and proud in that he serueth a braue and vertuous Maister who surpasseth all others in vertue and in chiualrie And so the Louer is fullie contented and not a little doth glorie when he is the seruant of such a Ladie as not Loue alone maketh her seeme beautifull in his owne sight but when she is so reputed and accounted of by the voice of all men Nothing delighteth our mindes more then when we see euery mans conceit to iumpe with our owne in the thing that we loue most of all Now the honour that was attributed vnto my Mistris was great for she was brought from the temple arrayed with a fine and daintie robe of white lawne vnder which was a garment of cloth of golde rich of great valew her head was adorned embollished with a Royall golden Crowne and the louely traces of her flaxen haire were tied with small and delicate colours of the purest silke set out with many prettie knots à nd wonderfull rare deuises Her countenance was such and so Maiesticall as if she had bene the Goddesse Diana indeed for apparell setteth out the bodie verie much being one of the goodhest and chiefest ornaments to encrease beautie especially if there be good store of change of the sacred and costly with ill and that it be fit and well made for the person that shall weare it Her Chariot was of Iuorie wherein she sat inthronized drawne with foure huge Lions which shaked their yellow rough skinnes to make such stubborne harts to feare and quake that were loth to bow and doe reuerence vnto their beautious and Princely Princesse Before her and by her side the other Nymphs marched orderly and in a row euery one of them carrying a braunch of Oliue wreathed and intermixed with a bowe of greene Laurell and a writing vpon the same which bare euerie one 's owne Quatrin in praise of this royall Nymph whereof some of them were these here vnder inserted The Muses Goddesse faire this chast verse offer thee And to thy peerlesse Coarse and Beauties excellence To praise the good to blame such wights as wicked be Is honors double gaine and double recompence Another Quatersan If thou Dianaes name her beautie and her wit doest beare Who is adornd in heauens whilst thou below dost soiourne here What reason is it then but that we worship thee likewise As wee the mighty Gods doe and like honors thee deuise Another Too small a toy this Lawrell is to make for thee a Crowne Thy temples to embellish faire thou art of such renowne T is mortals gaine this honour yet as we present to thee Immortall verses so with such the Gods presented bee Another Rare vertue neuer honoured is enough at any time Nor can we too much make to smoake her Altars ore diuine Then if thy workes as hers immortall right doe show Wonder thou not though beauties thine be worshipt so Another Queene of our workes and Princesse of our hart Of our chaste minds we offer thee best part Our verse it is through which the Conquerour liues Which to his deeds most heauenly brightnes giues Another Blest be our Queene immortall she alwaies In words and deeds we 'ele honour her with praise Whose bodie beautious and whose soule is faire And who for gifts with Pallas may compare Another
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
strange Shepheard who left him when he and the rest of his company retired as fast as they could vnto their owne Lodging where we will as now leaue them The end of the third daies meeting of Iuliettaes Shepheards THE FOVRTH DAYES MEETING OF IVLIETTAES SHEPHEARDS LOVE pierceth not so farre the tender brest of a young Hart in the loue of a fresh and iollie Doe or that of the sturdie Bull towardes his fatte and faire Heifer as was Coribants pricked through the remembrance of Deliaes beautie What rest tooke hee in the night what sleepe went downe with him what pleasure felt hee or what contentment did he perceiue or finde Night which otherwise is the mother and refresher of all trauell is the Nourse of Louers labours For in that they are then solitarie and alone nothing crosseth the meditation of their Loues Their torments present themselues daylie before their eyes and they bethinke themselues euery houre how with a thousand troubles and crosses they may but speak vnto their Mistresses Solitude doth more hurt then good to him whome griefe tormenteth and that coueteth to find out a place to his desire wherein to complaine himselfe Euen so the young Bull depriued of the loue of his iollie Heifer goeth away roaring to hide himselfe in some coole caue or denne and there he beateth and tormenteth himselfe roaring and crying out with maine force No otherwise braue Orlando depriued of his Angelica sought out the most remote and secrete places therein to complaine his disastrous mishappes Solitarie and sadde night therefore in stead of bringing anie relaxation or ease vnto the torments of this Shepheard more renewed them euen as the Smyth maketh the heate of his Forge more ardent when he throweth water vpon the same Onely God Morpheus beguiling him might haue giuen him some asswagement of his griefe but yet such as would not long haue continued For Truth chased away imaginations and dreames and discouered her face These torments these dreames these labours and these flames are stirring verie earlie And as the Hare goeth out of her Forme betimes in the morning to feede in the corne fieldes being afraide lest in the day shee should light vpon some vnhappie encounter In like manner the Shepheard can no longer remaine in his Cottage when hee seeth the day dawne on that side of the heauens where the Sunne riseth hee will by no meanes that his bright beames should reflect vpon his drousie head This would turne him as he thinketh to great shame to be discouered by the Sunne And he feared the like reproach as Mars and Venus receiued being found together and taken within the industrious Net of Vulcan A sluggard neuer acteth any thing of importance Glorie is not obtained by being idle but by plying out fingers busying our selues in manie matters and styrring earlie about our affaires The Sunne yet wet in rising from his moyst bed let fall certaine droppes vpon the earth it seemed by his appearāce that some flagitious fact by him seene had made him looke all pale sad heauie notwithstanding by degrees he euer drew nearer nearer Oh what a power hath this goodly Lamp which giueth life vnto all creatures keeping and preseruing the same in them as also by the same hand he taketh away perisheth and confoundeth the same notwithstanding there is no good how little so euer it be which is not farre better then the best griefes of the world In like manner thogh the Sun shewed himselfe pale morphewed ghastly yet was hee by all creatures a 1000. times more desired then night how cleare soeuer The clifts euen smoaked with a desire to see and feele his beams vpon their toppes euen as the furious Bull casteth fume out of his nosthrills when he seeketh after fight desireth to meete with the Lydian Lyon to set vpon him There was not so much as the flowers which smiled not at his cōming they being his beautifull kinsmen to the end to please ioyfully receiue him The Birds called vpon him in their notes the beasts by their sounds voyces men by many signes and demonstrations Desired therefore of all liuing creatures he commeth spreadeth on all sides his flaming eyes causing all the world to behold his faire bright countenāce Euery one beholding the same blusheth thereat is ashamed heauen it selfe appeareth more neare and cleare and the Shepheard conducted by this immortall light with slow pace arriueth within the Desarts He neither draue lambs nor sheepe before him for the iniquitie of the time had dispoyled him of them robbing him of his bleating troupes and of whatsoeuer else he had receiued by the benefite of Fortune Hee went out therefore all alone walking along with an awaked spirit mind disburdened of all drowsines all quick and liuing whilst he thus said to himselfe It is with speciall reason that men tearme heauen their Father for in truth without him what could they performe Doth not he bestow on them their being life vigour contentmēt pleasure Whatsoeuer fauour or bountie men feele it descendeth from aboue For the earth of it selfe produceth vnto them nothing good or excellēt but on the contrary bringeth thē forth a thousand maladies cares torments labors And though there tumble down from heauen sometimes miseries scourges which torment whip men yet neuertheles their own sinne is the cause thereof For this is the liuely fountain of malediction not heauens euen as the fountain is no occasion of the water that harboreth within the same but the spring from whence it floweth so cold Is not heauen the nourice of this faire Sun which ripeneth all things heateth as well those bodies sensible as other immoueable that giueth vertue power vnto the earth On the other side within heauen dwelleth the Eternall Deitie in the same is his seate there within is his Empire there his diuine Tabernacle In heauen dwelleth this great and mercifull GOD who doth not only pardon men during their liues but euen whē they are dead also His mercie walketh ouer the Tombs and Sepulchers of the dead and goeth seeking them out euen vnder the earth to relieue them by his charitable office giuing vs triall not onely of admirable Clemencie but also of diuine Iustice That which maketh him to be knowne for true God is only his Iustice and his Mercie For hee could not be God except he were both iust and mercifull Besides hee most liberallie giueth vnto vs wherewith to maintaine our life hauing a care of the least haires that fall from off our heads and of the least byrd that liueth Hee giueth nourishment vnto euery one yea vnto the Crowes little ones themselues that call vpon him when their olde ones denie to giue them foode at all O an hundred times worthie of infernall punishment is hee who loftie and proud will not giue thanks vnto God for so manie of his benefites I seeing besides a thousand others he might haue iust occasion
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
all kindnesse that might be brought forth many Demigods and heroicall Spirits who most brauely purged the world from these hatefull and damned Monsters Olympia the mother of that great Alexander receiued into her bosome that mightie Iupiter conceiuing by him that glorious Sonne and that great Monarch of the earth Rbea the mother of Remus and Romulus refused not the kissings of God Mars being big with child of those two worthy Princesse which built Rome afterward she comming to be Mistris ouer all the world Away then with these fond conceits and remember to be fauourable vnto me as these courteous dames haue bene heretofore Shepheard Shepheard aunswered Delia neuer dreame of any such thing betweene thee and me for those women yeelded vnto the Gods because they might bring forth children worthy of such Fathers which might be as profitable vnto the publike God as they themselues had bene before But such a commoditie cannot happen of our Loue and say it might chaunce to be so yet my opinion is according vnto the common saying that we ought not doe Euill that good may come thereof because the ill being once done cannot be amended whereas we we are not sure whether that good which we expect will fall out according vnto our hopes or no and the rather because many things happen betweene the cup and the lip Therefore these presidents shall neuer perswade me to loue for none are bound to follow that which is leaud or bad neither are they commaunded to be wicked after the examples of others Then Shepheard change thou thy minde thine owne selfe or else thou wilt force me to shun thy companie for there is nothing that troubleth the eares of another more then to repeate often that which is pleasing vnto him Remember the torments of Ixion for affecting the iealous Sister of Ioue and thinke how poore Tamirus was plagued for being amorous of the Muses neither goe about to debash a chaste minde to cast liking vnto thee for feare least the heauens who punish all such wrongs as are done vnto Innocents reuenge not this iniurie which thou offerest vnto me seeing that he is in more fault that perswadeth one to leaudnes then he that doth the same the first inuenting that which had not he bene had neuer bene done whereas the other doth but put in practise what he neuer of himselfe had ment Quench then and mortifie within thee thy foolish desires and let me alone I pray thee to liue as I haue done who haue bene offered but too much wrong alreadie without hauing need of thee to buz such vaine toyes into my head as thou doest continually Coribant would haue aunswered when he might perceiue hard at hand the reuerend old man protector of that Desart hauing a staffe in one hand and a booke in an other with which he controuled the Spirits as well of the earth below as of the aire aboue He came to finde melancolike Arcas to the end he might follow and prosecute his amorous Historie whom he no sooner espied with Orythia who was all this while courting of him but that he marched towards him which the Nymph perceiuing left him when the Magitian making a signe poore Arcas followed him he not daring to denie him whereupon they went vnto their accustomed place where being set downe the old man thus began Come on Shepheard and now begin thy Tale which the other day thou leftest vnperfect for it is to no end to take a busines in hand except we finish the same Dispatch I pray thee and let me heare what thou canst say more as concerning thy chaste Loues for sweete is the memorie of things commendable the recitall of which purgeth our soules from many faults which otherwise we are likely to commit Happie are such as haue had the friendship of good and excellent Poets and so likewise vnfortunate are they that chaunce to fall into their hatred For of the first they make the memorie and remembrance euerlasting and eternall asthey make the last to be counted hatefull and detestable for so doe the writings of the auncient Poets shew vs. Homer bringeth Achilles and the Greekes to be victors although it was the Troyans that had the vpper hand making Penelope to be the Mirrour of chastitie and wisedome when indeed she was no better then an infamous Curtezan and Virgil commendeth the traitor Aeneas when the very truth is he like a disloyall wretch sold Troy and condemneth modest Dido to make the world to hate her she being as free from any such lascionsnes as Maro was from telling what was true Happie therefore are such as learned Poets fauour with their pennes but aboue all most fortunate are those whom thou hast taken in hand to praise because thy Muse is veritable and not a liar or vntrue Blessed are those thy beautious Ladies whose worthie vertues thou hast blazed forth with so great respect and reuerence since the memorie of them shall neuer perish by reason of deuouring time or be drowned in the pitchy Riner of forgetfull Lethes Goe forward then for the soule that is dallied withall deferred from hope is grieuously afflicted with sorrow and the hinderance of that thing which one desireth maketh the conceit of the ioy to be farre lesse than otherwise it would be Great is the charge thou laiest vpon me replied Arcas and hardly would I take such a peece of worke in hand for any other but the law willeth that he that receiueth must render againe neither is it sufficient for one to be beholding vnto another vnlesse he make some satisfaction for the same and therefore seeing I am in this predicament it is but reason that I should endeuour to acquit my selfe towards thee in satisfying thy desire because I am so much bound vnto thee And yet before I goe any further I beseech thee graue Father and all such as shall come after thee vnto whom this worke by fortune shall happen to beleeue that I haue not declined from the truth in any one word in describring the rare perfections of IVLIETTA and of DIANA they being such as I haue painted forth or rather farre more excellent then I am able to display And therefore let the Posterities hereafter beleeue as we at this day doe that as there was a braue and valiant Harpalice that as Thomaris sometimes raigned who discomfited the vanquisher of Kings that as Pentisilea gaue succour and assistance vnto the Troyans that as Sage and couragious Zenobia liued with thousands of other peerlesse women So was their flourishing IVLIETTA and DIANA two Ladies and Virgins of so excellent and exquisit qualities as well of the bodie as the minde as neuer any of their Sex in the old time are to be compared vnto them But to come to the purpose If you remember I presented certaine verses vnto my sugred Saint for so I told you and she accepting of them went with the other Nymphs towards the Temple of Diana Follow her I durst not for those
the praises which and but of right was attributed vnto her therefore I esteemed my selfe rather the more vnfortunate because I had but onely this one way to shew my loyall minde vnto her of which when I was hindered I felt my selfe to die a more then languishing death As that messenger who perceiuing his Maister to be angry with him presenteth him with some pretie gift or other hoping thereby to pacifie appease his choller but when he seeth that he reiecteth the same he falleth presently into dispaire and dieth for very griese and anguish of minde Euen so I when I sawe a counter-maund whereby I was forbidden to blazon forth the rare parts matchlesse qualities of my Mistris I became as one sencelesse through pure sorrow of the same because I was barred of my will in that which I so much desired Long time did I stand like a dumb Image or Idoll whilst I perceiued that none durst controll the proceeding of vnkinde Diana so wise and prudent did euery one hold her and in the meane time the other Nymphs did as the followers of that wise Phylosopher who neuer gaue any other reason for the opinions which they held but this Ipse Dixit Piâ—hagoras said so they not daring for their liues to contradict their chiefe head in any thing such awfull respect and dutifull feare did they carrie towards her A liuely apprehension of a most passionate and sudden sorrow hindered my speech so as I could not answere as I might confuting her former resolution with most liuely and apparant reasons It is easie for poyson that is entered into a mans bodie to worke as it list vrging him to his end if no remedie be sought to resist the same Euen so the opinion of my Mistris not being refelled whereby she might be perswaded to giue it ouer made her to continue the more firme and resolute therein And now faine would I haue spoken although before I wished I had neuer opened my mouth but I durst not for feare of offending her whom I coueted to please more then my selfe Euery one of the Nymphs without daring as much as once to replie against Diana stood stone still holding downe their head s as if they allowed of her proceedings which was the matter that the more afflicted me I thinking that they were of the selfesame conceit and that they had perswaded her first to leaue and giue ouer the world yet if I might haue had but that libertie as but now and then to haue seene her in her solitarie Receptacle or Cell I wold not haue cared halfe so much but that was impossible for I knew none but women might come there all men being banished from that place as they were from those sacrifices which the Romane dames vsed to solemnize and offer secretly and in the night vnto the Goddesse Bona Dea. These were the reasons that made me so sad and these the occasions that wrought me such sorrow yet in the end may heart was so great and I longed so much to speake to see if I could dehort her from her former determination as griefe forced me to burst out yet with a wofull gesture and a heauie looke in this manner Most sage and prudent Nymph God hath not forbid vs to honour those that be his creatures but rather the more to induee vs to doe the more reuerence vnto them calleth them Gods for the glorie that others giue vnto them returneth backe vnto him againe That King whom his Subiects obey doth not hinder neither is he angry that they beare respect vnto his Leftenants because the same dutie reboundeth backe againe vnto him who is their Soueraigne and for that without him no such reuerence should be done He hath promised vnto those that are his children that they shall sit as Iudges vpon his Throne at the last day to iudge the twelue Tribes of Israel Is he then iealous if mortall men be honoured No doubt he is not For if this were true then would he neuer haue giuen them so great power as he hath done here in this world neither haue set them in the place of his owne authoritie and gouernment wherein they are installed because he knew well that they had neuer bene able to execute their office nor to haue done such miracles as he suffered them to doe vnlesse they had bene honoured and admired by them Therefore is he not angrie that good men are highly accounted of but rather punisheth such as will not be obedient and dutifull vnto them as he did the Iewes who mocked and despised Moses who praying to him for them he made this answere Nogro it is not thou whom they haue despised but mine owne felfe By which we may gather he will haue his elect to be respected Wherefore most gratious Nymph if that great and euerlasting God to serue him here belowe vpon the earth hath raigned downe vpon thee thousands of goodly and beautifull vertues being willing thou shouldest be honoured and esteemed of euery one why then shouldest thou refuse such fauours offered vnto thee Iudith after she had ouercome cruell Holofornes and deliuered her countrie from tyrannie and Bondage refused not the honours which were done vnto her knowing that glorie is the daughter of Vertue and that the one can neuer be parted from the other So likewise let vs humbly beseech thee to accept in good part our small praises although I confesse farre vnworthy for thee seeing they are all we can bestowe vpon thee for so doing thou shalt not fall into suspition of Pride as long as thou doest but what is the pleasure of God whose minde was that some creatures should be more perfect then other some to the end he would haue himselfe glorified by them and because they should be more admired and wondered at then the rest In which number you faire Ladie may place your selfe for you were formed and made that the wonderfull workemanship of the Eternall Iehouah might be the more admired and therefore you haue no reason to hinder that honour which is done vnto him through your meanes he himselfe speaking of the worthines of his Elect saith thus If any one shall follow and administer vnto me my father who liueth in the heauens shall honour him againe If God himselfe disdaineth not to doe honour vnto those that are his who dare then oppose himselfe against that which he commandeth vs Ought not we to imitate the Eternall Father who is the Author of all wisedome in doing of which we must as he hath taught vs giue reuerence and respect vnto the iust and best worthy who are not to refuse it seeing it proceedeth from his diuine ordinance Contemne not that honour which is due vnto you least you shew your selfe an eneynto his sacred will it being done vnto you by the father of all wisedome because he will haue you to be commended amongst mortall men And whereas you condemne and disdaine both Orators and Poets yet haue there bene
so soft and supple for many braue mindes had they brought vnder their yoake they not once daring to refuse her command Although this fauour was but small yet stood I so much in awe to displease her as I trembled more for feare of her then I did of the Monster For twise had I made triall of her anger alreadie which I felt more hot then fire it selfe doubting greatly least I should fall into the like danger againe Thus whilest I now and then touched her sweet hands she neuer perceiued what I did whether it were either because she made shewe that she knew it not or because feare had so hindered her that she could not conceiue of any such thing for where dread seazeth vpon one there can be no other thoughts she driuing them away and making her selfe onely Mistris of that place But howsoeuer it was it fell out well for me to enioy so great a happines But if the onely touching of her hand was of force to bring me into an Extasie of ioy and pleasure what then thinke you would the kissing of the same haue wrought in me if I had had license to haue done so much vnto her No doubt I had died through extreame delight as that Romane Gentlewoman did An Example when she sawe her sonne returned home safe and aliue from that bloodie battaile of Cannas where she thought he had bene slaine But I was not worthy of so great a good and therefore was well contented with the fortune I had before Meane space this beast commeth with a most strange boldnes there not being his like in all the world affrighting not onely the Gods of the woods but men and other senselesse creatures also The Serpent Python was neuer so horrible the Hydra that Hercules slew not halfe so terrible nor that great Crocadile that was taken vpon the bankes of Nilus and presentted vnto King Ptolomie by his fishers was halfe so hideous or fierce He had the head of a wilde Boore hauing sharpe and great prickles round about his throate as red as any blood his haire his skinne and his eares were as a Lyons his bellie as a Leopard His taile as a Serpent his feete as a Griffon he had wings as an Eagle The description of that vgly Monster PRIDE with great proudnes did he come to drinke at that cleare Fountaine I wondring much that the verie spring thereof did not drie vp at the sight of so vgly a Monster He drinke at his pleasure whilest very dread kept vs within a little hole which we by chance had found out vpon the top of the Rocke into which we had gotten because we would not be seene of this odious beast but when we sawe him winged we then began to feare more then euer we had done before for then we thought verily that he would take his flight vp vnto the Rocke and so deuour vs who stood trembling and shaking because we imagined it could not be but that he had seene vs for alwaies feare turneth euerything to the worst iudging sinisterly of the same To be short he had seene vs indeed and no doubt to our great hurt had he made after vs to finde our feare true The description of Humili tie but that there arriued vpon the suddaine a young Damozell plainely apparelled in white linnin with a comely kind of attire vpon her head faire in face sober in countenance lowly in gate and yet most louely to behold In her hand she had a Bowe which bent when she pleased and seuen arrowes well headed and sharpe and though she were otherwise naked not hauing other weapons at all yet did she not stand in doubt of this fierce Monster but boldly marched towards him whilest though her pace was soft and humble yet did it seeme this hugie beast did feare her and faine would haue bene gone from her Diuers were our opinions as concerning this Dame some thought she was Diana others that it was Iune some Minerna and some Venus But to say truth she resembled none of them being more faire then some of them and lesse beautifull then the other and yet more milde and curteous then any of them all To conclude we all agreed with a generall consent that she was some diuine creature seeing she addressed her selfe to goe against the Monster so boldly who perceiuing her to approach towards him turned towards her vomitting forth so great and flashing a flame as all seemed to be on fire thereabouts we thinking that she had bene consumed with the same But as gold taken out of the burning Furnace A Similie is farre more bright and fierce then when it was first flung in and as Camomill the more it is trod vpon the thicke and better it groweth euen so might we see this faire Archeresh to shew more cleare and beautifull when the flame was once past and gone then she had bene before No hurt had she at all which made vs to wonder whilest putting one of her arrowes into her Bowe she aimed so right as she planted it within one of the eyes of this monsterous beast who for very rage and madnes cast forth a most horrible roaring mingled with fire blood frothy fome whereupon he flieth vp into the aire thinking to come downe with great violence vpon her and so to gripe her within his Tallents but she quickly shot another shaft into his bellie as he was about to flie vpon her who slipping a little aside suffered him to fall with great force vpon the hard ground This made him to leape vp hastily againe and with strange furie to run towards his enemie to deuour her who neuer gaue backe one foore for the matter but quickly let fliean other arrow which lighted iust vpon one of his eares which made him so outragious through very griefe and paine as he flew vpon her with great violence and with his sharpe pawes in despite of her snatcht her Bowe Arrowes from her which done away he runneth with them through the wood leauing the flight and the faire Virgin that followed after him I seeing this made all the hast I could to get downe to the end I might know what she was and thereupon followed her hard Hauing ouertaken her I was giuen to vnderstand by her that this Monster was PRIDE hauing the head of a wilde Boore proud greediet he skinne the haire and the colour of a roaring Lyon stately and high minded more then other beasts the bellie of a mutinous Leopard wonderfull insolent the clawes of a Griffon by nature arrogant The taile of a Serpent subtill peruerse and impudent and the wings of an Eagle who is by kinde loftie and high minded This Monster was borne before all time proceeding from the Excrements of heauen and earth Of the Originall aâ—d first beginning of Pride when the Eternall Iehouah first diuided them since when it hath haunted men continually The euerliuing Sonne of the euerlasting God comming
amongst vs draue him away since which time he being returned into the world hath done more hurt then euer he had done before as the thiefe doth that hath once escaped out of Gaile Neuer was there any so wise that hath bene able to resist him no not the old Phylosophers themselues who composed many famous workes in disgrace and contempt of vaine-glorie setting downe their names in the forefront of their bookes but were ouercome by him All Christians for the most part were in the same predicament especially such who tearme themselues to be Maisters of the Lawe and teach the same for so sweet a thing is glorie as euery one desireth and runneth to haue it But as I told you before our Sauiour Christ being borne in an old rotten stable within a Manger vpon haie and betwixt two harmelesse beasts chased away this cruell Monster vnto the shame of all other mortall creatures For his Pallace royal was a stable his Princely Chariot a Manger his fine sheetes haie and strawe his Seruitors an Oxe and an Asse and his Princes poore and sillie Shepheards After this the good Constantiue hauing giuen so much lands vnto the Popes as they began to dispute with armed weapons what right they had vnto the same he 〈◊〉 in amongst the Cleargie and so by little and little amongst all sorts of men else Thus hath he long time run vp and downe till at the length An exampleâ— discouriâ—â—â—t 〈◊〉 I my selfe who aâ—â— called Humilitie obtained so much as either I might kill him or at the least driue him out of the world But the Traitor perceiuing himselfe to be vanquishit withdraweth himselfe from me and closely hideth himselfe one while in Monasteries an other while in womens brests now in the Court of Princes and then againe amongst Souldiours and men of warre so as I can neuer chase him away by reason be hath so many sure and common places whereunto he doth retire In the end by chance I found him in this Desart a thing most miraculous for sildome or neuer was he wont to haunt solitarily places his chiefe dwelling being alwaies in the proud Pallaces of haughtie and high minded Monarks And if I had bene able to haue fastned all mine Arrowes which I brought with me he had bene dead ere this but the damned wretch being encouraged by the succours which great personages lend him hath growne insolent and bold as he hath ventured to snatch foure of them from me which he neuer durst to haue done if he had fought with me onely of himselfe and had not bene assisted and countenanced out by the aide of others If thou hast well marked and considered of my carriage and mine attire thou maâ—est easily gesse I am Humilitie his deadly enemie but at this day so hated of all men as they reiect me suffering me as thou seest to walke in a manner naked as miserable and starued creatures void of all reliefe whereas Pride is well and richly cloathed full fed and much made of and well entertained of euery one If thou remembrest well our combat thou sawest me to shoote three Arrowes at him all which did hit him right The Arrowes that Humilitie shot at the Monster Pride The first Artowe was shameâ— aftâ—es The first was the shape of Shamefastnes which strucke out the eyes of Pride for neuer shall any bashfull and modest man or woman be subiect vnto Pride as simple and debonaire was chaste Hyppolitus curteous Alexander the great and affable and milde the valiant Scipio Of women humble was Cassandra Lucretia meeke and gentle Oclatoia and Cornelia louely and sweet in behauiour The second Arrow was the Arrow of Truth for neuer can a iust or vpright conscience The Second Truth be trouched with Pride and this flewe into his eares which sheweth that no true man will euer importune or abuse the cares of any with false tales and deceitfull lies as most true and iust of their word was Aristâ—des Phâ—cion and Cato the elder The third which hit his bellie was the Arrow of Sobrietie for what man soeuer shall vse to fast and giue himselfe to abstinence shall neuer waxe proud The third Sebrictie because wine and gluttonie engendreth Pride discention quarrels and strife Witnesse Epanondas Cincinatus Cate Ciâ—â—râ— and diuers other And these were the three Shaftes with which he was wounded The other foure which he tooke away perforce from me were these following The first was of Iustice which should haue hit into the Muzzle or snout for a iust and vpright Iudge will neuer take delight in the sent of gifts and presents The foure other Arrowes that Pride tooke away from Humilitie The first was of Iustice The Second of Fortitude The third of Patience least he should be corrupted thereby neither will he be insolent and high minded at all A president we haue of Samuel the Prophet of Daniel and diuers others The second was that of Fortitude which should haue pierced quite through his necke for neuer was a valiant Conquerour proud but rather curteous and milde witnesse Alexander Casar Edward the third King of England and Charles the fift with diuers others beside The third was that of Patience which should haue depriued him of his wings for the Patient man that can stay the good houre hath the aduantage of these proud and ambitious persons remaining maister of his owne will where haughtie minded spirits fall soonest when they seeke to flie highest Of the number of such as haue bene patient was that graue Camillus who being exiled from his countrie which he had so often offended patiently attended her leisure vntill at the length she acknowledging her fault called him home againe So likewise was Cicero another choosing rather to liue as a banished man enduring with patience his vniust iniurie then his Citie should for his cause grow to ciuill Discention and vtter ouerthrow his staied forbearance giuing him in the end the victorie against all his proud enemies The fourth and last being seauen in all was that of Mildenes for neuer was milde or friendly person proud and this Arrow should haue strucke off the legs of this Monster For meeke and humble mindes shall by little and little take downe and tame the high courages of the proud and such was Dyon surnamed the curteous who brought lowe the audatious boldnes of the Tyrant Dennis and such another was Scipio the gentle who brake the insolent proceeding of haughtie Hanniball These be the Arrowes by which this vgly beast might haue bene tamed and subdued The forth and last was of Mildnes but he hauing taken foure from me I doubt mesore that he will neuer be brought vnder Subiection by any As for my selfe I can no more now hunt nor chase him away sithence I am abandoned of men and disarmed as thouseest and therefore seeing I finde my selfe hated here in the world and quite without armour I must be forced to take my iourney vp to heauen