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
stand well pleas'd in it No pleasing obiect likes their eyes but what doth threat them ill What euill is that loue they best their ruine fostring still They blowe the glowing coales that burnes them with ore what desire As doth the foolish slie that spoyles himselfe within the fiâ—e Poore soules bewitcht a thousand times each man in carefull wise Doth seeke to shunne what may him hurt and from the same he flies Each one doth deadly poyson hate which doth abridge his life And being pained strait doth hunt with speede for succour rife * The true disposition of a right Louer Onely the peruerse Louer doth all hope of helpe refuse He likes his pining griefe and what doth hurt him still doth chuse He blest himselfe accounteth that not heald is his disease His sicknes he doth honour and to die it doth him please Hard fortune is this to him yet his haps farre harder more He waileth his mischance and yet his griefe he doth adore His woes nere die but still reuiue Then happier liue you faire You that be dead in better case then Louers plag'd you are LOVE then our Shepheards courage stout did weaken with his rage And reapt the sprouting fruit scarse ripe of his first happie age Rauisht his senses and to thousand dangerous harmes him drew And after these disasters all most cruellie him slew This Shepheard Plaindor called was no creature like to him For force of arm s for beautious shape or vertues halfe so trim But heare I pray how Cupid proud in most malitious wise Transformes himselfe to poyson strong for to deceiue our eyes Who though he seemeth vnto vs as courteous meeke and kinde Yet but a poysoned wine though sweete in tast you shall him finde Which we no sooner drinke but that it doth vs mickle harme Bereaues vs of our vitall spirits and doth our Reason charme This deadly draft who doth but tast to die is certaine sure And yet before his death longtime he must strange griefes endure Hara by this darkesome desart sad there was a place most daintie Where Autumne in his season brought forth fruits great store and plentiâ— Rich was it of all worldly things but yet amongst the rest For richest good a Damsell faire surpassing it possest Most famous for this beautious maid was registred this place Though at that time fewe men had had the hap to see her face Her stature tall made her in shewe like to a Princely Queene Rather then one that in the woods and groues brought vp had beene Her flaxen haire which calmiâ— windes did gently blow full soft A description of a beautifull maide Hung dangling downe more fine then golde in thousand curlings wrought Oft when she any leisure had she twisted in the shade Those haires as nets which mâ—ry soules to bow vnto her made Her forhead of faire Iuorie was euen pure and large No furrow there dâ—grace to forme the flesh dia frowning charge No bending wrinkle there was seene nor painting to deface The snowy whitenes which is vsde to make more faire the face Her eyebrowes purest Ebonie kept their proportion right No plâ—asing show so prettily the fancie did delight Sweete shadowes for her sphere-like eyes which with their twincklings calme From sunnâ—â— beames did them defend which burned ouerwarme Her diamond sparkling â—yâ—s were such and did so brightly shine As those two lamps â—hâ— Sunne and Moone most glorious and diuine Her piercing glaunces full of power like to swift lightning were When as the slash inslam'd from heauen it selfe on th' earth both beare So rolde they in her head as greatest hearts they forct decay And valiant spirits of men as slaues did bring vnto their bay Dan Cupids darts they were with which he vsed men to crosse Who being vassels made most bate did glorie in their losse Dire Comets were they like to such that danger do portend And such were hers for death they gaue to her and to her friend Yet they of shame fastnâ—s did show to be the bashfull Call Where chast delight did dâ—â—ly vse for his disport to dwell Her pure vermilion shâ—â—ts when she did smile had force and power To show more perfect faire by odds then daintiest gilliflower How sweet and cruell wast at once to touch so holy thing What mortall griefe was it that tooke but once asay to him Poore Plaindor can true witnes be one kisse vnto his cost Was cause that he his pretious life and all his good daies lost Her châ—rrie lipps did closely hidâ— right Grient Pearle of Inde No pretious â—â—â—lls hâ—lfe so rich you in that land can finde From which Pâ—rculâ—â—s vaiulâ—s a pleasing sent did come More sweet then Muske more daintie sarre then rightest Sinamum Her louely cheekes Suâ—nes blemish were as Alablaster faire Whose roseall colour mixt with creame did show beyond compare Her dimpled chinne was full and round her brest the milkie way Where Cupid when that he was hot a bathing often lay Two Apples faire thereby was seene as sprung from paradise The Graces in that garden vsde to sport in wanton-wise Her matchlesse hand was long and strait her fingers white and small The mountaine snow refin'd to them was nothing white at all Such was this peerlesse virgins faire and she FLORETTA hight Blest perfectly but onely that bad destnie ded her spight One day as in the warming sunne with mickle curious care She did diuide and tide in knots her shining bright gold haire The harts of worthiest Demigods here on the earth to trap As Plaindor came from woods to view her thus t' was his hard hap And being wearie thought a while to rest him by her side But this reposing afterward be dearely did abide For vading pleasure ouer small he too too deere did pay But t' was his fortune bad and downe along by her he lay Where he such poyson suckt as t' was within a while his bane And where he rest did thinke to find he found recurelesse paine Thrise happie he had he not laid himselfe vpon that greene Or if that forward he had gone or her he had not seene For though his wearie coarse did rest his mind did trauaile sore Whilst his bewitched eyes apace downe swallowed venim store His gazing eyes nâ—re from her face one iot at all did stir His eyes made onely to behold and gaze on none but her He markes with more then curious view her for head and her cheeke Her haire her brest and other parts which hee too well did leeke So rests atteniuely and still leaping as t' were for ioy The conqueror proud when he beholds his prey which him did noy So standeth still the greedie Iewe to marke with heedfull eye Such pretious lewells passing rare which he doth long to buy Then then the haplesse Shepheard first perceiu'd the flame begin To spred alongst his heart and to consume his soule within He then perceiu'd of libertie he was depriu'd and sence By those bright beames of that
coarse possession there to keepe When thou my coarse depriued quite of beauties gifts shalt view My chearfull eyes to loose their lights and bid those lights adue When thou doest heere her sigh from forth her soule vntimely crost And when thou shalt Sycambra thine view to giue vp the Ghost Ah then doe this good turne for me doe this for me straitway Vnto my cruell vnkind friend this RING from me conuay Tell him his too too flintie heart and barborous crueltie Hath forct me loyalst maide aliue for him aliue to die Tell him by that quicke lightning fire which from his eyes forth came Which swifter far then whirling darts my gentle heart haue slaine By his rich beautie too too rich for me too poore to enioy Which for my time vntimely brought me vnto endlesse noy And by that heart of his too proud tryumphing ore my glorie That he forget me not but thinke vpon my pittious storie Doe this sweet Zerphir for my sake doe this request for mee T is all before my death to thee I giue as Legasee Nor doe denie me this although in conscience I confesse I not deserue thy smallest grace for my ore cruelnesse Ah Zerphir this denie me not This said she held her peace And presently death fore her came with violence to cease Whilst with a gentle quiet sigh her soule that wearie was Of loathed life most willing vp vnto the heauens did passe Leauing her bodie voyd of life withouten vitall aire Disrobde of beautie spoylde of forme depriude of colour faire Yet happie she to die in such kinde sort as then she dide Since that her griefe vanisht therewith which liuing she did bide Happie to die so as she dide since partiall Loue vniust Disasters hard and vndeserude vpon her still did thrust Like as we see in th' end of day vpon the set of Sunne When Tethis entertaines her spouse the light being well might done A kinde of cloudie sable dampe ariseth to our eyes And with a gloomie curtaine thicke is couered all the skies So as vpon the face of th' earth there nothing doth appeare But darknesse sleepe and heauie care with gastly sighes each where So by degrees this beautious coarse lookt pale and wanne like earth When once the soule had it depriude of his quicke liuing breath Like to a shadow was it of a substance faire before No cheerfull colour was there in that face so faire of yore Withouten sence or motion it remained like a blocke Or as a comly pile of stone carude out of marble Rocke Yet Zirphir doth imbrace it oft and as i ft t were aliue The same with pittious glaunces he to yeeld to him doth striue But kisse her he not dares though she be dead lest he offend The soule of her who whilst she liu'd he lou'd as dearest friend Her as before he doth respect and doth her reuerence Although him no drop of grace she gaue his amorous heate to quench Teares like to flowers he streameth downe yet not one word he speakes Sorrow so much doth seaze on him as tongue from plaining breakes Long was he in this agonie at length he comes his way Taking the Fatall Ring with him his Mistris to obey He hunteth vp and downe to finde Armanda and at last Reuiling him into these tearmes tearmes fit for him he brast Hard hearted cruell Sauadge wretch for thy vnworthy Loue Fairest Sycambra now is dead since thee she could not moue Dead is she for thy sake thou liu'st vnworthy of thy life Thou liu'dst her and her loue to scorne through thy orethwartings rife Take here this Ring she sends to thee as witnesse too too true That she destroyd her selfe for thee though thou her death nought rue The Flower of all fairenes is dead slaine onely for thy sake Whilst thou nor her nor on her Loue wouldst any pittie take More fierce then Tyger beastly more then Lion when as such Relent and shew compassion more then thou hast done by much Why takst thou not this pretious I em thou that doest women kill Which for thee till her dying day she had reserued still Happie to haue so deare a pawne yet curst because thou art The cause the owner kinde thereof was strooke with mortall dart Hold hold rude carle and thinke not but the day shall one day come When as iust plague thou shalt receiue for this by heauens iust dome Armanda hearing him to rage in this wise nought doth say But smiling flings the Ring from him to the woods betakes his way Leauing poore Zerphir almost quite bereft of wit and mad To see what slight regard of her and of her Ring he had And but he feard the quiet Ghost to grieue of his faire Dame He had Armanda for his pride as he deserued slaine This held his hands from slaughtring him he so did her respect The onely reason why to kill that wretch he did neglect The reuerence which vnto her he long before time bare Made him for his so hot reuenge his hastie will to spare As one enraged this carelesse man he looketh after long And by his eyes his minde bewraies he faine would venge this wrong Nor doth he leaue to curse and ban this more then ruthlesse wight Vntill through thicknes of the trees no more he spie him might Wherewith he riseth and turnes backe vnto his Ladies corse Which he embracing oft through griefe to fall in sound doth force Her Ring on finger hers againe he puts nor dareth hee Retaine the same as his owne goods although now dead she bee Fearing Sycambras angrie Ghost once fairest ouer all Should be offended for so doing and him disloyall call This causde him beare himselfe so iust whilst in most mournfull wise These his last wordes he sighed forth mixt with strange dolefull cries And is it thou Sycambra sweet whom now I doe embrace Whom whilst thou liu'dst my chiefest ioy I in this earth did place Is thy faire body fram'd by heauens all others for to foyle Become deaths prey vnworthy death Sycambra sweet should spoyle Are these the eyes whose lights of late did shine like brightest Sunne Now darkned by dire destinie and of their sights vndone Is this faire forhead honour chiefe of Muses vertuous Bereft of beautious feature quite and quite disfigurde thus Is this sweet hony mouth of thine O griefe that makes me banne Dispoylde of all his treasures rich become pale white and wanne Are thy chast Brests the pure ripe fruit of Paradise so faire Which to allure the staiedst witts two daintie Apples bare Dead and shrunke in and thou thy selfe Sycambra tirde with griefe Hast thou thy soule to heauens resignde there for to finde reliefe Thou hast alas nor liu'dst thou more those eyes of thine but late Like Diamonds sparkes now dim doe show as deaths darke Sable gate Nor part nor parcell is of thee from head vnto the foote But yeelds a heauie solemne shew attirde in deadly sute Thy dates expirde dead art thou
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
the Elect and chosen of God yet let vs behaue our selues so as we may be of the same meaning by these his words that if we list we may saue our selues Then ought I to fret and fume against the starres or murmure and repine against the Heauens themselues No God forbid since my faults and not they haue bene the authors of mine owne misfortunes Had I not sinned I had not felt the least touch of these troubles that thus torment mee I had not bene so wretched as to haue bene despoiled of that little mercie grace which I had of the Almightie I had not bene driuen from mine owne house banished from my Countrie exiled from the presence of my dearest friēds nor scourged with the sharp whip of extreme want and pouertie Neither had this my predestinated disaster which still followeth me vnto mine vndoing bene able to haue crost mee in all my designes as it doeth euen at this houre and will doe continually For alas how little would I esteeme of my losses and of mine exile since he cannot be termed a Bandite who is welcome amongst the wiser sort and who yet hath some friendes left him were it not for this my hard Destinie which as a ghastly Furie doeth still haunt and follow mee But I see I see as in a glasse my miserie to be such as it will neuer be separated from mee and I perceiue but too well that Destinies may be foreseeue but neuer can be preuented As the Shepheard was thus pittifully lamenting vnto himselfe behold hee might perceiue two terrible roaring Lyons to come directly towards the Caue wherein he had gotten himselfe it being the ordinary denne wherein they vsed to harbour which when hee saw he quickly started vp drawing forth his sword with intention to defend himselfe to make them buy his flesh dearely but they without so much as once offering to hurt him gently passed by him moued as I gesse with his more then wofull misery They being gone he came forth from his melancholike Cell and as he was walking thus alone the dolefull Nymph Orythia his old yet loyall Louer met him by chance who was comen euen into this wildernes to finde him out After she had saluted him shee intreated him to sit downe vpon a greene banke couered ouer with shadowing Cipresse and to heare a certaine Sonnet which shee had made in remembrance of him The Shepheard seeing no other remedie sitteth him downe promising the Nymph attentiucly to giue eare vnto her Dittie which shee most pitifully sung after this manner following Cruell mishap the Butcher of my life All thee except is mortall heere below Men are deaths foes with him are at strife And death is that which I doe couet so My tongue speaks what with hart agreeth best Death and laments is of my speech the sourse Ah iudge then if that I haue any rest Louing of euils all the very worse If damned soules without en ende alwaies Sharp plagues endure Alas I feele like paine A monstrous ill it is all his lifes daies To beare the brunt of ghosts in Limbo slaine And yet the damnd suffer for their offence Whilst I for doing good indure these woes The guiltie to complaine of ill wants sonse Wrongly to suffer patience makes to lose May not my plaints most iustly counted be In right the Heauens of crueltie t' accuse What good ere found I O yee Gods to mee Vniust yee slay vs yet to heare vs yee refuse Without enfeele of pleasure or of ioy With anguish you our vitall spirits fill Enforcing vs to entertaine annoy So what 's good leaues vs whilst we take the ill Thus gainst your fierce and more then sharpe Alarms Wee sickly soules too weake must harden strong Our selues and for to helpe vs in our harmes Wee hope in vaine the more our selues to wrong Alack Cowards that flie and followed are orefast Small leisure haue or none their Armour off to cast The Nymph hauing ended this her mournfull Musicke with a deepe sigh fet from the bottome of her heart began thus to wooe the Shepheard O how iustly doe the powers aboue afflict thee seeing thou so cruellie doest torment others Is it not most meete and reasonable that as we sowe so we should reape and as we haue measured vnto others so wee should looke for the like measure againe LOVE maketh thee die without depriuing thee of life whilst thou forcest the selfe-same Loue without killing me to torment me most cruelly Ay mee what strange kinde of Frenzie doeth trouble thy soule Thou refusest the friendship of one that is immortall to seek after the loue of a worldlie beautie which is subiect vnto death fortune and chaunge wherein thou doest shewe a sufficient signe of the error of men who follow that that flieth from them leauing the best and accepting of the worst And if they committing so grosse an absurditie feele themselues to be plunged in the gulfe of most bottomles griefes by the Heauens A Sentence should they therefore complaine lament He that hath wounded himselfe can accuse none for his hurts but his own selfe and the prodigal child that hath through his foolishnes consumed all his wealth may blame or thank no bodie but his owne meere follie Why doest thou not accept of that present which willingly offereth it selfe vnto thee why doest thou endure so many miseries to obtaine that which thou wilt neuer be able to purchase Is not hee vnwise that whilst the storme lasteth leaueth the drie house in which he was in to runne to seeke another farther off and in the meane time is subiect vnto the bitternes of the Tempest And is not he a foole who leaueth a thing certaine and present to take what is vncertaine and doubtfull Well may hee bee counted to murther himselfe that refuseth what is profitable vnto him whilest he vainely seeketh and yet to no purpose what he is likely neuer come by Loue then sweet Shepheard loue her that dearely liketh thee No small punishment doe they deserue A Sentece who hate such as loue fancie them in as much as friēdship being not forced but rather comming of his owne accord deserueth a recompence no lesse then that gift which departeth from a franke and liberall free minde doeth merit thankes because it is not forced any way Then I say doest thou not loue her who esteemeth of thee more then of her owne selfe whilst thou more sauadge and fierce then the cruell Tygers who loue their matches doest refuse the amitie of thine equall euery way that sacred amitie so much accounted of both by Gods and men Ah change thy selfe-will and stubborne minde hard hearted swaine as thou art and call to remembrance what dangers I haue passed what hazards I haue trauersed and how many countryes I haue runne through to find thee out resoluing with my selfe neuer to leaue him who hath my heart and carrieth the same within his brest alwayes But
Phisitions for afflicted cōsciēces feared as the punishers of enormities abuses saluted as the Superiours or Elders of the Church redoubted as the I rophets of the sacred Scripture proclaimed as Herolds of the pure and sincere veritie and truth it selfe The auncient Emperours disdained not to be chosen by them in their Empire and Gregorie surnamed the Great named and appointed the seuen Romane Electors the seuen Romane Electors I say againe who oftentimes deposeth such Emperours as before they had chosen when they were found guiltie of some notorious and detestable crime But now alas what shall I say vnto you poore miserable contemptible and despised Ecclesiasticall Pastors In steed of honouring you you are now iniured in steed of louing you you are hated and loathed in steed of saluting you you are abused in steed of respecting you you are disdained and contemned in steed of giuing vnto you most that you haue is taken from you miserable are you your selues and most wretched your calling since you are abused through so many grose indignities and yet for all this the euerlasting sonne of the heauenly Father found not a dignitie more godly and more worthie then that of Priest-hood according vnto the order of Melchicedecke he was the first High Priest whose successours were the Apostles of whom at this day are the reuerend Pastors and Preachers of the word the true and lawfull followers But comfort your selues Religious and godly Diuines for thrise blessed are all those that suffer trouble and persecution in their bodies for the name of Iesus Christ-Glorie is the daughter of trauaile and paine as enuie is the infant of glorie and onely by trouble and paine haue the Saints beaten the way for vs to mount to heauen But as such as thinke so meanely of Religion and of the Prelates thereof are themselues to be as meanely accounted of euen so highly are such to be esteemed that haue giuen them there due and rightly honoured them And such a one was Theodosius that famous Emperour sarnamed the Great who sought all the meanes he could to haue the fauour good will of S. Ambrose when he had excōminicated him yeelding vnto his will and fearing greatly his displeasures and not long after he being threatned by a certaine Hermit with the like punishmēt he sent for all the Bishops there-abouts to know of them whether he might be interdicted the Church and all godly companie by so poore a creature as he was standing mightily in awe of the same And therefore ye worthie learned and religious Diuines whatsoeuer disgraces are offered vnto you and howsoeuer you are most iniuriously handled or most contemptuously made account of yet be not you troubled thereat but follow your graue and vertuous calling you being appointed and chosen by God himselfe to be the dispensers the celebraters of his blessed Sacraments and the blasoning Herolds of his eternall and euerlaistng word lawfull Successours in his diuine function and great and mightie by reason of your more then worthie dignitie But behold where the old man commeth vnto whom I must make intercession in the behalfe of these wretched Pirates so strangely metamorphosed by him To him will I pleade with all humble modestie lest growing in chollor with me he vse me as hardly as he hath done them and the rather because not long since I somewhat angred him Herewithall the Knight comming vnto him saluted him with great curtesie in this manner Learned and respectiue Father God prosper thy yeares prolong thy life multiplie thy daies conserue and keepe thee still in health Let me intreate thee a while to stay and a little to rest thy selfe in this place whilest I shall be bolde to deliuer a fewe words vnto thee The Gods sometimes lend their cares vnto mortall men neither doe they disdaine to heare them as thou makest shew me thinkes as if thou art loth to listen vnto mine Stay then reuerend old man and giue not iust cause vnto me that I may conceiue any vnkindnes through this thy harsh and hard deniall Nothing is of smaller account then the speech of man who so yeeldeth not vnto that will yeeld vnto nothing The old man seeing himselfe to be held by the hand and vrged so hardly as it were somewhat in choller replied thus Palmer thou art too troublesome and importunate let me goe I would wish thee hinder me no longer from the seruice of the Gods about which I am now going lest thou force me to doe that which I would not be willing for what thou wouldest haue I know alreadie before thou speakest Thy request is not lawfull inasmuch as Iustice should be wronged and rightly might she complaine of me if I should yeeld vnto thy demand giue ouer then thy vaine sute for no bodie is bound to doe what is ill and vniust at the request of another because we ought to make more account of Iustice then of all the world besides and for that no amitie or affection is to be preferred before a reasonable and righfull matter Heare me therefore and disquiet not my minde which is now busied about heauenly things and thinke I loue thee well to let thee goe seotfree when thou shalt vrge me with such an vnreasonable motion as this for Iustice punisheth as well those that seeme to allow of euill as those that doe commit euill themselues Pardon me graue sir answered the knight there is no man liuing that lesse alloweth of euill then I doe which I hate loath and despise but I cannot chuse but I must needs loue pittie and mercie for as we are all men so are we bound one to helpe another the bruite beastes themselues doing the like through the verie instinct of Nature Compassion ought to be preferred before all other respects because a fault that is done may be amended and become a vertue but a man once dead for want of pittie neuer riseth againe and his losse is vnrecouerable and can neuer be repaired againe Mercie hath alwaies gotten the vpper hand of rigour and fiercenes and the pittifull man doth deserue more then the iust whereof Cosar shall serue me for a witnesse who affirmed that the fruites of his victories was the pardon he daily gaue vnto thousands of his enemies assoone as they sought his fauour What nourisheth the societie and companie of men What maintaineth their liues and what increaseth their health and quietnes but milde pittie If there were none but hungrie wolfes or greedie Lyons how then should the world endure and how could men be sure to enioy their liues in safetie Ah if our most louing God should be found as thou art without mercie what hope should we haue to enioy eternall glorie but rather looke euerie houre when we should be swallowed vp into the bottomlesse gulfe of hell Change then this thy too too obdurate resolution The exceeding great curtesies that Alexander vsed vnto the Persian Kings daughters and wife was the cause that Darius prayed the
she blusht Whilst she more faire did shew when through her face the colour flasht Her eies she cast on the ground and at 〈…〉 so looke By them vpon the soden she durst not vpon them to looke That done with sad and heedfull eare she doth about her prit Lest what not comely had bene they about her 〈…〉 In th' end she findes all well not much 〈…〉 Who doubts some theenes but hauing found 〈…〉 their doth not feâ—â—e Mean time poore Cloridou who is perplext most dangerus Takes heart at grasse whilst boldly he gins to accost her thus Faire light of my best life why art thou thus possest with care When heauent themselues they vertuous life hurt cannot nor once dare Chaste is thy soule vertuous thy minde most beautifull thy face No Tyger fierce or Lion fell thy beautie dare disgrace The diuels themselues cannot thee hurt why doubts thou things diuine Are not as mortall be to shame subiect at any time The Gods haue made thee goodly that the heauens might honour thee Our spirits are bodies framde that thou by vs mighst worshipt bee Thee will we serue in humble wise with dutifull respect Nor whilst we liue as vs becomes our duties wee le neglect Then sacred Saint thy selfe assure my soule thus languishing No bad conceit through carriage mine to thee shall euer bring No rash attempt vndecently shall make me ouerbold With her 〈◊〉 home Mistris of my hart and my chiefe good I hold Then doe all dread abandon quite looke merrie and be blithe For we both honour thee and for thy Loue contend and strine So said the Shepheard whilst that Loue did shoote in cunning wise Fancies swift darts into his hart which came from Stellas eies From Stellas eies who now begins to felle an vncoth flame And who doth finde as Cloridan to bide the selfesame paine She findes she forced is to loue although against her will And more she seekes him to expell the more be enâ—reth still The Shepheards words are wounds to her and pierce her like a dart His speeches breaches be which soone make entrance in her hart And now on soden Cloridon she liketh and sowell As in her sight for beautie he doth onely heare the bell And so likewise doth Cloridan thinke of his daintie Loue Vowing within his soule that death shall not her thence 〈◊〉 So in the Phrigian forrest thicke when Paris liu de 〈◊〉 In Enons Loue he was intrapt and for the same did 〈◊〉 Of whose deare loue that loyall Nymph so highly did esteeme As after he was slaine to mourne for him she aiâ— was seene But Stella somewhat fearfull now and blushing in this case Vnto her Shepheard thus replide with comely bashfull grace A worthie Shepheard like thy selfe I neuer doubted yet That for to offer wrong to me his honour would forget The minde that generous is indeed and doth for glâ—ris made Is nere so base as to abuse a sillie harmelesse maide His honour he doth holy wracke vpon discredits shelfe That hauing others conquered braue cannot orecome himselfe It better him becomes to bunt the Lion or the Bare The greedie Wolfe wilde Boore and fierce then sillie Daâ—â—zeâ— fâ—â—e No glorie t is much for to force or proudly to command As haue no might nor any power such furie to withstand But I assure me of thy selfe and that I trust thee thâ—â— Thou seest I doe not flie from thee as one ore time 〈◊〉 Besides with blushing I confesse thou art the first of all That hast against my will enforct me follow Cupidâ— call A soule thou hast that Loue as now compelleth to be thine Loue that doth both our harts in one in loyall bands combine That Loue which makes me yeeld to thee for to be ouerthrowne That Loue which Tyrant-like denies that I shall be mine owne Then looke that in this loue thou doe mine 〈◊〉 still preserue It being all that for our paines me righly shall deserue For thou shalt sooner Stella see in graue for to remaine Before that any vitious soule her vertuous life shall staine Shee 'le rather die a thousand times for constant amitie The treasure is which I doe rate at endlesse price so hie Chastely to loue in vertuous sort is sure a worthie thing And heauens themselues to modest Loue a ioyfull end will bring Remember then what I doe say or trouble me no more Faire words without performance true I loathe and doe abore So Stella said and Cloridan to heare these words of ioy So rauisht was as now he quite forgot all former noy Nor could he speake for gladnes while his hart did leape within He knew not how to frame his tale or which way to begin As dead men we through ouermuch displeasing griefe become So sudden pleasure ouermuch stops passage of our tongue Both th' one and th' other oftentimes vs too too much doth moue Extremities of both without a meane we often proue Many through pleasure die their daies many doe end through woe Griefe kills our sences sodenly and ioy likewise doth so And after winter many stormes and rainie shewers apace The Sunne begins by little for to shew to vs his face The plants and Trees reuiue againe looking both fresh and greene Which in the frostie season cold through snow did lie vnseene So at the last the Shepheard got his wonted speech againe And pleasure former dread and feare did chase away 〈◊〉 Which being gone as soone as time did breath to him affoord In humblâ— wise he once more thus began her for to boord Sweet Ladie since the law diuine of Cupid heauenly king Such fauours great doth shew to me not of my meriting And that I blest am so that to your hart mine tied is A cause our chast desires are like for to obtaine rare blisse And since our mindes are so vnite and knit in bonds so strong As death it selfe with all his force shall neuer doe vs wrong I vow for to be yours alone hap ill to me or well Despite of destinie despite of Fortune spite of hell For to be loued of thy selfe it passeth and is such As like no glorie is on earth for to be found by much When Adon Venus did enioy so blessed was not he Nor Pirams loue to Thisbe could so hot and ardent be The Gods themselues in glorie theirs who are redoubtable In pleasure with me to compare cannot nor are not able More fortunate am I then they my hart is more content Then when Ioue with Europa liu'd and time away so spent A thousand Almours in my minde I feele for to be hid More sweet then when Leander kind embrace his Hero did With Paris vaine is Hellens ioy compared vnto mine My fancies are so sweet they seeme as if they were diuine None is so happie as my selfe th' Ambrosia of the Gods Not so much liketh them as doth my life like me by ods Ah then amongst contentments such doe not me so much grieue As for to thinke
findeth in louing a diuine beautie easilie recompenceth the paines thereof for that man shall be more accounted of who hath combatted with some famous Conquerour although he be ouercome by him then he that shall remaine Maister of the field ouer a weake and feeble enemie Thinke not much then faire and glorious Nymph if I dare venter to serue you when the meanest followers of mightie kings are more respected and regarded then those that are the greatest of other great Lords and Nobles The faire Nymph would haue replied but that by chance a certaine Virgin came before her presenting her with a Sonnet composed in the name of all the whole companie which hindered her from answering me But this was the Sonnet following The glorious heauens we praise in goodly wise Because the Gods doe lodge within that place So you that hold sweet beautie in your eies And honour in your soule haue fairer grace Then who to glorie yours can silence giue When than the heauens it is farre more diuine Heauens perish but vertuous spirits alwaies liue Glorie shall flourish still and so shall thine Then at your feet we hang this verse of ours Whilst vnder shade of thousand Lawrells greene We of your virtues will discourse whose powers No Tempests rage to feare shall ere be seene Since Pans faire Sisters to you honour yeeld Since this our Song your vertues doe sigh forth And since all Lawrells doe your for head shield Vouchsafe thereof though t is of little worth Diana hauing read this Sonnet liked it passing well which I perceiuing and that she delighted in Poetrie made bold to request my Muse that she should daine to inspire some daintie veine or conceit in me to be able to endite the like Whereupon she pittying me gaue care vnto my praier which was the occasion that at that verie instant and vpon the sodaine I wrote these verses following If nothing faire I see but what 's thy face If brightnes thine the day is of mine eies If vertue thine I doe as Gods embrace Haue I not reason then in dutious wise Thy gratious selfe for to implore Since thee as Goddesse I adore Who finds a salue to cure him of his griefe By friendly hand of that shall he not make Account when he thereby may get reliefe Whereby his sicknesse from him he may shake The wounded Deare to the hearbe 〈…〉 Which can him helpe as be doth know So then in this my worse then Captines state These lines I offer to thy Deitie Not doubting but though haplesse be my fall I from thy selfe shall find some remedie Of thee I beg some grace to haue In thee of health to spill or saue Who dieth for want of succour or remorse Doth not deserue or merrit any blame But such as by their owne power and their force May wretches helpe yet let them take their bane Such doe deserue punisht to bee Of Gods and men in highest degree Another Dian thou shin'st in heauens with Maiestie In hell below likewise thou doest command And in the earth thou raignest gloriously Ah then if I am thine let me so stand Slaues to immortall Essence are we all And them we honour must though gainst our will Doest aske Diuine then how this doth befall How I dare loue thee I must loue thee still The sacred skies are made for to adore What that resembleth we must worship too For mortall men haue life from them therefore And vnto them we reuerence ought to doe Then if thy power breath to my soule doth giue Ah then conserue the same for I am bound Most strictly thee to honour whilst I liue And whilst I tred vpon this earthly ground Deare a presumption let not this be thought In me to serue thee though a thing of nought I hauing finished these two Sonnets presented them vnto her who shewed them vnto all her companions they marking and looking vpon me verie wissly I thinking that by that meanes I might obtaine some of them to be my good friends and to speake a good word for me vnto my Mistris who now was once more conducted by the sweet voice of the other Nymph vnto the temple of Diana where she for a while staied And so deare Father let me intreate you that I may make a stay here at this time for my minde is troubled within me my tongue faileth and my voice beginneth to be hoarse we wil deferre the rest til vnto morrow for what liketh not one day may chance to please at an other Content quoth the old Magitian and let vs away The bowe must not alwaies be bent lest it weaken too much and so must thou take some rest or else thou wilt be ouer wearie and soone tired Therefore am I the more willing to yeeld vnto thy request to the end thy discourse may be as agreeable vnto thee in reporting as it is pleasant vnto me in hearing the same Whereupon they left the place where as they were walking homewards they might perceiue a Shepheard talking with a Shepheardesse vnder the shade of an old Oake which was the occasion they drew nigh to heare what they said the Shepheard viging her in this sort Fond is that man that thinketh to remoue a huge Rocke from one place into another and as fond is he that goeth about to turne or stay the course of the salt waters of the Sea Fuen so O cruell Delia is he a foole that will take vpon him to resist the will of the Gods and oppose himselfe against the power of the heauens Those huge Giants the Titans went about such a bold piece of worke but being ouerthrowne with lightning they serue as witnesses that the hand of the holy one of Israel doth not strike in vaine If so why then wilt thou so wilfully stand against the decree of the Gods Which if thou doest thinke not but they will quickly abate thy boldnes and punish thy ouer presumptuous pride That Maister doth punish his seruant worthily who scoffeth at his commaundements and maketh no account to be obedient vnto him And thinkest thou that the Gods will not plague thee seeing thee so stubborne against their wills so peruerse against their minds and so vnwilling to performe their desire They haue saued thee from the rauenous tallents of the murthering Pitate and as it were by miracle brought thee hither and wherefore doest thou thinke they did so but onely because thou shouldest be milde vnto my prayers and yeeld gently to graunt me some fauour But it seemeth by thy carriage hitherto that thou wilt as it were of meere obstinacie bandie against them in this thine error but take heede thou be not plagued and then too lately thou wilt wish that thou haddest changed thy minde for the Gods vse alwaies to afflict selfewild people because it is not fit nor the part of any man to rise vp and to rebell against them Then seeing the most maruellous and diuine prouidence hath brought vs here both together that
being the ordinarie whippes with which they scourge thē for their impieties but it is themselues that are causes of their owne sorrowes because they driue away sage Reason from them who is of might sufficient to deliuer and set them free The franticke Bedlem that wilfully killeth himselfe can he dying accuse any other of his disaster or complaine of a straunger when he hath murthered himselfe No more can a fond Louer hurting himselfe be angrie with the heauens who was not the cause thereof but he himselfe And herein they resemble little children that hauing done a fault lay the blame thereof either vpon their play-fellowes or vpon something else being neuer willing to confesse that they haue done amisse Fuen so they themselues hauing felt one burning in their brests the furious fire which in the end consumeth and destroy eth them condemne the powers aboue for the same But small reason haue they so to doe for they that vse it are rather counted to be full of rage and giuen to murmure then esteemed as wise and prudent persons And yet I cannot denie but that the heauens narurally doe as it were seeme to be bound to doe vs good but the accident oftentimes corrupteth the Nature The Parent by Nature is bound to loue his child yet if his his owne flesh shall be peruerse and ill giuen becomming a mortall enemie vnto his Father this right of Nature ceaseth and he is no more bound to doe any thing for him no more than for a straunger There is a iust law grounded vpon this reason which permitteth the Father being iustly offended with his Sonne to dishinherit him of his lands this being the very same punishment that the children of Sophocles suffered for that they most maliciously accused their Father to dote for age and to be out of his right wits onely because they would haue depriued him of his possessions and goods Brutus likewise stucke not to prosecute the death of his too forward sonne most cruellie and with great disgrace also because he had done as well against the Common-wealth as contrarie vnto his owne command So therefore although the heauens I speake all this against my selfe as well as thee Coribant for that I am as wretched a Louer as thy selfe art in euerie degree be our common Father and for that cause is naturally bound to doe vs good yet notwithstanding is he not bound to shewe vs this kindnesse if we shall gricuously and willingly offend him as the Accidence of the offence shall be more violent and strong then the naturall Right is which by reason of this quite ouerthroweth the other For as water quencheth the fire and maketh it cold as any Ice which by nature is hote burning and full of heate So the discourtesies and iniuries which we offer vnto such as by Nature were prouided to be our protectors and defenders drowne and extinguish all their deuoire and Right altering their good mindes from vs quite contrarie vnto that it was at the first A man that is by kinde borne vicious and bad and such a one as bringeth forth of the wombe of his mother wickednesse with him into the worlde may per Accidence through good education and bringing vp become vertuous and wise Euenso the Accident of iniuries and displeasures may chaunge and alter the curteous inclination of a kinde friend sowring and sharpning the same against vs as the Lees and dregs doe the sweetest wine And this mischiefe falling vpon our heads wee cannot condemne anie for it but our owne selues who are the chiefe and efficient cause thereof And therefore we are much in the wrong to lay the blame on him whom through our owne meere follie we haue made him our soe although he be slow and slacke to helpe vs we being falne into miserie although before he by nature was bound to lend vnto vs his helping hand and to assist vs in what he could certainely if we were well and godly giuen and without prouoking or tempting the Eternall Power aboue would we but confirme our selues in all our actions according vnto his desire keeping vs with the bonds of his commandements there is no doubt but he would aide vs hearing vs when we should call vnto him and would nor sticke to raine downe Manna as he did for the children of Israel nourishing vs in the wildest Desarts that be But what law can force or constraine him to shew vs this mercie when we shew our selues to be his mortall enemies going about to increase his wrath euerie houre against vs. But say that he were willing and readie as we are most vnworthie thereof to helpe vs and that it would please him to haue this pittifull and fauourable regard ouer vs yet may you be well assured he would neuer take any charge nor euer make any account of Louers for their griefes is not numbred amongst the plagues of other miscrable creatures the second cause whereof the heauens oftentimes are our sinnes being the first Loue being seene to be but a verie meere follie and therefore neuer moueth the heauens with compassion to heale them A great and grose error therefore it is amongst Louers to imagine that the heauens are the Authors of their paine but a farre greater fault is it in them to require their aide and assistance for Loue is not any kind of contagious disease causing men to die cutting off one after another and for that cause hath reason to implore the heauens for aide to helpe them as they doe when any great mortalitie or plague rageth amongst them but it is a sickenes that continueth still without dying with which onely sensuall persons and sooles and none else are infected This is the reason that we haue neuer knowne any Louers to haue bene cured through miracle whereas we find written in diuers learned bookes that the bodies of many men being dead haue bene restored to life againe and that many haue bene cured of incurable discases onely this vaine sicknes is vnworthie of remedie and reliefe because it proceedeth not neither through the anger of the heauens nor by reason of the contagion of other diseases but onely through our owne foolishnes Now as that amitie cannot be firme and strong betweene man and woman where they answere not one another in desires and affection although naturally they are bound to loue one another euen so the heauens cannot be accused of crueltie in not scourging mortall creatures if the cause which should drawe them vnto this charitable endeuour be taken away from them Let vs then no more exclaime against the Celestiall Power aboue but let vs thanke our owne selues that we deserue no better of him our sinnes being the cause he giueth vs ouer As the fellon cannot blame the Iudge that condemneth him to death nor accuse him of ouermuch seueritie in that he dieth but rather his owne bad liuing that brought him vnto so vntimely an end for he is not to be thought ill of who doth rightly
voyage findeth but the halfe part of his Marchandise in his ship the gaine of which drew him to aduenture abroad and to leaue his countrie and friends Euen so Leander found himselfe but halfe contented and pleased when he perceiued those to be dead whom he so much coueted in his minde to haue encombred them aliue neuerthelesse he drew neerer vnto the place where they lay marking very wistly both his dead enemies and his wife As he stood thus gazing vpon them diuers conceits ran in his head not knowing well what to thinke of the matter one while he thinketh that his wife loued Antonio so dearely as she would needes die with him an other while he iudgeth rightly of the fact imagining that ciuill discention had caused one to kill an other now he iudgeth that some foe of Antonios had stabd him and then againe he gesseth that some of his friends had offered him this cruell outrage for doing so great villainie against him But Loue crossed all these contrarie conceits dispearsing them heere and there as the cracke of the thunder forceth the cloud to giue way when it breaketh through the same and falleth vpon the ground below he thought he had many iust occasions to hate his wife meaning if she had bene aliue to haue inflicted vpon her that punishment which he had alreadie found her to endure and yet when he had a little better considered thereof in his minde seeing her to be brought vnto so pittifull a straight he could not chuse but must needes lament and bewaile her hard mishap Whilest she liued he loathed her nor will he by any meanes be induced to beleeue that she is culpable of that fault of which he before accused her seeing that now she is dead A friend is neuer knowne so well as when he is mist He commeth neerer and neerer vnto her which wofull Cynthia perceiuing and not knowing who it was but rather supposing that the villaines were come backe againe although she were not quite dead yet did she faine her selfe to be so fearing least they would offer some violence vnto her bodie if she should haue made shew that she had bene still aliue Leander lighting of his horse kneeleth downe by his wife weepeth bitterly and then kisseth her which the poore soule perceiuing maruelling much what this should meane openeth her dying eies a little when after she had a good while wistly looked vpon him she sawe and knew him to be liuing whom she held and accounted to be dead That Romane woman who died with sodaine ioy seeing her sonne returne safe and whole from that bloodie battaile of Cannas and whom she esteemed to be dead was not halfe so much rauished with true delight and amazemēt in viewing him as Cynthia was when she saw her spouse aliue and well And now she striueth as much as in her feeble strength lieth to open wide her languishing eies that she might the better gaze and looke vpon her husband But alas mortall and deadly were the glaunces she cast vpon him mortall were they vnto her to Leander she now began to wende away as mildly as a lambe whilest her wofull husband what sinister conceit soeuer he had before of her died for very anguish to see her in this wofull taking He was aliue and not wounded at all his wife readie to giue vp the ghost all to be mangled with gorie blood and yet had not he his tongue so readie to command as his poore Cynthia had for so great was his griefe as he could not speake as much as one word which she perceiuing and now knowing throughly who he was with a kind of hollow and broken voice she spake thus vnto him Ah my deare husband art thou then come from heauen to assist and helpe thy faithfull wife she being readie to giue vp the ghost and hast thou dained so much as to remember her and to honour her at her end with thy welcome presence Ah say is it thine owne selfe whom I see or is it some euill spirit that hath taken thy shape vpon him to mocke and delude me If it be thee and that thou liuest as yet then thrise fortunate is Cynthia to see thee before she giueth ouer this wretched life And yet if thou be that Leander who sometimes wert the kind husband of vnhappie Cynthia how then canst thou abide to approach neere vnto her she hauing bene the occasion of so many euils lightned vpon thee thou knowing not whether she be cleare from them or no But I see well that Loue draweth all such doubts in thee and will not suffer thee to beleeue any thing that is not good for me And yet Leander hast thou reason to conceiue the worst of me because I haue bene the occasion of many troubles that haue hapned vnto thee notwithstanding I sweare vnto thee by that God before whom I hope to be iudged who reuengeth euery periurie that I am meerely innocent of what ill so euer is done I hauing not bene defiled either in bodie or in minde the Almightie hauing most miraculosly preserued me from all such harme Whereupon she began to discouer vnto him all that had hapned since she last sawe him and withall how she had not made him acquainted with the affection which Antonio bare vnto her the cause of all this mischiefe and the reason that it might haue bene preuent if he had knowne thereof But said she I was in good hope he would haue become a new man being loth to bewray his soilie vnto you because you made so great account of him thinking he would neuer haue borre so bad a minde towards you But now I see this sore to be vnrecurable I know not what to say but onely to craue pardon of you for the same and withall to take some order for my buriall Then sweet husband weepe no more for what reason hast thou to bewaile her death who hath brought thee so many losses and vncurable dammages whilest she liued with thee rather haue you cause to reioyce and be glad to see her finall end and therefore I most humbly beseech you if you doe loue me indeed as you seeme at this time to make some shew that you doe drie vp your teares cease these lamentings giue ouer this sighing and sobbing and suffer me to finish this small rest of my life in some pleasure for my sorrow proceedeth not from my death but for that I see thee thus to take on Trouble not then I pray thee that contentment which I haue to view and behold thee before I shut vp my dazeling eies through thy too much lamenting for my death If thou hast loued me then call to minde this thy good will towards me and let the remembrance thereof now I die perswade thee to doe so much for me It is the last office of friendship which thou must doe for me for now I shall trouble thee no more my glasse being runne and the date of my life in
so to doe for this onely good in that he hath procured mankinde to be borne maister of all other creatures and giuen him a soule immortall in felicitie For if the enemies of men be punished and if sometimes the Ancients ordained equall paine for one Ingrate as for a murtherer Surely the man ingrate towards Almightie God that acknowledgeth not so many blessings and graces from him ought to suffer much as worthie of most grieuous punishment Thus sayd the Shepheard to himselfe and had further discoursed vpon this subiect but that a sudden storme of raine made him runne out to goe stand vnder a thick Rock the toppe whereof saue garded him from the iniuries of heauen And being there aboue he heard a voyce which vttered this which followeth Blessed be they which are either perfectly happie without euer hauing felt griefe or altogether miserable hauing neuer made tryall of any contentment For he which suddainly cōmeth out of the Stoue findeth the aire colder then he who hauing neuer bene within hath alwayes stood without doore In like māner those which neuer felt any good during their life endure nothing so much as they which haue bin happie are afterwards becom miserable For if white maketh vs better to know and discerne black in like sort good maketh the griefe which ensueth more cruell intollerable the remēbrance of which losse terribly tormenteth our soules It greeueth not one so much to goe without cloathes who ordinarily goeth naked as well in winter as Sūmer but it would be a cumbersome hard matter for him who hath bin well and warmly clad to be stripped thrust into his shirt and forced to go all bare In like manner the miserable that haue knowne nothing but griefe are not so greatly oppressed with paine as they who haue sometimes tasted of felicitie whereof at the same instant they finde themselues depriued More cruell was king Perceus his change who of a puissant king became miserable a seruant slaue and laughing-stocke of Fortune then if hee had neuer knowne any such greatnes remaining as a priuate simple man and without a Diademe Of the selfe same now speake I by experience for more cruell at this day doe I feele the griefe to see my selfe absented depriued of my deare Diana thē if I had neuer seen her or that she had not pleased mine eies as she hath done Alas Can it be that I should remaine without her or that my soule may continue in my body being depriued of her faire and shining countenance If the bodie cannot moue without the soule Oh how can mine liue enioying no more that Sun which caused it both to liue and moue Oh my Diana in what part soeuer thou glaūcest forth thy beautifull and celestiall rayes let the heauens be alwayes fauourable vnto thee in recompence of the good thou hast done me in suffering me to behold thy countenance Farre frō thy yeares dayes let pale death flie all discontentment absent it selfe from thy soule all vexation griefe auoyd thy hart let sadnes be banished from thence to conclude let no feeling of griefe euer touch thee liuing let heauē alwaies make thy beauty durable thy chast vertue immortall thy sacred fidelitie power eternall and thy excellent glorie endles Alas if the heauens preserue thy noble perfections who vnder the Sun shall liue more perfect or happy thē thy selfe for none can equall thee in these worthie vertues vertues alas which augment misfortunes make my complaints more bitter For he hath greater cause to complain that hath lost much then he that hath endured the losse but of a small matter I haue lost thy diuine presence which only chased and droue away my obscure nights now I wander in darknes in night in horror vexation I haue lost my Sun my dayes are turned into nights Alas but haue I not likewise lost my miserable life Alas my Goddesse if thou wouldest if thou wouldest I say take my soule as thine owne retaine it with thee why takest not thou in like manner my life causing him to die which cannot liue remoued frō thy light but I must scoure both sea land to find thee out I will flie neither paine danger nor labor to see thee yet once more before death reap my sad wretched daies And then in all repose contentmēt pleasure I will yeeld this miserable carkasse to the earth shaken quashed with so many hitter griefes euen broken as it were in pieces with a thousand martyrdoms During these daies replenished with obscurity dyed in lamentation darknes In that I shall not behold thy beautifull diuine countenance my teares like streams shall poure out frō my blubbered eyes sighes shall come forth euen from my soule sad wailing mourning frō my hart No apprehension of pleasure shall dwel within me no apparāce of life to signe of pleasing delights nor any note of health Miserable will I alwaies remaine no ioyfull accident no chāge of fortune or new forme of life can administer the least consolation to my soule voyd of pleasure ioy of all good and contentment I will sigh continually while destinie moued at my long complaints together with my life cut off my teares troubles Thus spake this wretched Shepherd wretched surely miserable who neuer felt so much as one smiling glaunce of fortune miserable certainly in that he was borne to suffer neuer knew what ioy meant yet more wretched in hauing spent his years emploied his whole life offered his dayes and yeelded his time to seruice of many who permitted pouertie to swallow vp his years and manage and ouermaister his life And though he were peerles in miserie and that his state of life was onely swayed by misfortunes which held him caytif notwithstāding cruel enuie which biteth all things though they be incorporeall ceased not to make a thousand malicious iealous of that little cōmendation which his dolorous Muse acquired to his years In all cōsiderations therfore he was most wretched aboue all others But that which gaue the greatest blow and that made his griefe insupportable and fell was the absence and losse of his Diana The remembrance wherof was sufficient to forget choak quite extinguish all the mortall pleasures he could haue tasted of in this world Euery one maketh his chiefe felicity of that he best liketh things which are sometimes held for happy cōmodious of mortall men are in contēpt with those who haue placed their soueraigne good in some other matter as Louers flout at riches treasures Empires and kingdomes which mortall men propound vnto themselues for the good of their contentmēt vpon which they build their most pleasure and delight But the onely presence of their Ladies is their chiefest good for their soules be more ioyfull in beholding of them then are the eyes of a couetous mizer when they take pleasure in contemplation of the goods riches
their liues doe loath Worthie is hee of blaeke Night That in Cupid doth delight Gods from heauen haue chast'e and som This vile wretch vs to torment Nor are wee him to endure That such plagnes vs doth procure Worthie is hee of blaoke Night That in Cupid doth delight Then most wretched him I deeme That of this blinde Boye doth steeme Worser Plague there 's not of ills That consumes still yet nere kills Worthie is hee of blacke Night That is Cupid takes delight If this Song did astenne me driuing me into a heauy dump you may caslly iudge For I assure you I began now to giue ouer all hope to haue any more ioyfull dayes in this world and I was of this opinion that my Ladit had for the nonce deliuered the same in my presence to the end I should not looke for any fauour at her hands and that by this Song she had as it were bidden me farewell For such women as are wise and of diseretion haue a thousand deuises to take their leaues and to be rid of their Louers whome they esteeme not as well to shadow their cruell mindes with the same as to be free and cleare from them without reproach or blame For what need had my Mistris to bid me Adieu since I neuer was worthie nor accounted to be one that shee should loue No no I was not a man good enough to heare of a beautie so perfect so much as this one small word Goe thy wayes But haughtie and high minded LOVE vseth to distribute his pride amongst his followers in such sort as you shall seldome or neuer see a Louer but that hee is insolent and proud promising farre more vnto himselfe then hee is like to obtaine Hee that is a seruant will be alwayes sure to haue one qualitie or other of his Maisters as a newe vessell retaineth still the sent of that liquor with which he hath bene first seasoned And so I before this time beganne to thinke better of my selfe then I had cause but my vain-glorious humor was quickly taken downe resembling the Lightning flash which no sooner is borne but that it dyeth or a buble of water which is no sooner come but that it is gone againe presentlie The Dance ended my Ladie came straight towards mee demanding and enquiring of me what that Monster and that Maide were and what became of them I tolde her all as I did vnto you without forgetting any thing describing vnto her with all the best cunning I had both the vglinesse of that deformed beast and the beautie of the Damosell that did encounter with him As that braue Caualier whome his enemie doeth dare to Combat standeth musing within himselfe sometime before hee doeth answere debating in his minde whether he should accept or refuse the Combat so stood my Mistris mute and still at my speeches studying a great while before she spake any one word In the end she sitteth her downe when hauing willed vs to sit by her shee beginneth with a most sober and sadde looke thus to deliuer her minde Seeing Shepheard that this Monster is called Pride thou couldest not describe so fowle a Beast and so horrible bad de enough neither must thou speake too much in the praise of so sweete so faire and gentle a Virgin as that Damosell was because shee is Humilitie For what thing is there in the world more vglie then Pride What more disagreeing from the Nature of Gods and men what so great an aduerfarie vnto Vertue and what more contrarie vnto the glorie of mankinde Pride was first placed in heauen amongst the Angelicall spirits which the Almighty God had made beautifull immortall and without corruption An excelleÌ„t discourse against Pride but this Monster hauing defamed and disgraced them was with them throwne downefrom thence from whence he came to inhabit in the terrestriall Paradise There did this damned wretch poyson our first Parents perswading them The fall of Lucifer through Pride that they should be like vnto their Creator if they would by transgressing his sacred Ordinance cate of the forbidden Tree These poore soules belieued him but they ouerthrew themselues for hauing hearkened vnto him God driuing them out of that dainty Paradise condemned them to die The fall of our first parents Adam and Eue through Pride after they had in much sorrow and care finished their naturall liue With them was this Serpent hunted away who retired himselfe amongst mortall men liuing heere in the world and fewe were there of the sonnes of men which did not entertaine and make much of him Caine nourished this hell-hound a long time being induced through him to kill his humble and meek-harted brother who could not abide this insolent Dragon Afterward The fall of Caine through Pride as men grew increased so hath this Monster done both in power and credit insomuch as he counselled the children of the earth to build a Tower which might reach vp into heauen These vaine fooles belieued him busying themselues about their high Turret and taking great paines to accomplish and effect this rash and haughtie enterprise But the HOLIE ONE of Syon ouerthrew their building The ouerthrow of the Tower of Babylon throgh Pride destroyed the worke of their owne hands and brake their audacious attempts driuing the Monster himselfe almost out of his wittes to see such an alteration and chaunge Hereof was it that the first Poets fained That those huge Giants the Tytans being sonnes of the earth went about to set hill vppon hill and mountaine vppon mountaine that they might scale vp to heauen and that therefore Iupiter destroyed them with Lightning by the ayde and assistance of Minerua the Goddesse of wisedome ouerthrowing their prefumptuous action with his foresaid Thunderbolts Since when this Monster hath entered into the Courtes of Princes and Kings impoysoning them so strongly with his accursed venome The ouerthrow of the Peâ—sian Kings through Pride as they grew to be exceeding proud causing themselues to be worshipped and adored of men as the Kings of Persia did he giuing addresse vnto some of them that they should imitate Iupster making his Thunder to roare and to cast Lightning abroad as he vsed This proud Conceit was entertained in the Pallace of Alcxander the great after he had brought the Empire of Persia vnder subiection The ouerthrow of Alexander the great through Pride For hee grewe so arrogant and so high minded as he would needs be adored by his people but death quickly extinguisht both his glorie and his life after hee grewe to be odious amongst his owne followers through his insolent Pride So would Nabuchadonozar be worshipped causing his Image to be set vp he commaunding euerie one to offer sacrifice and prayer vnto it The fall of Nabucadnezar through Pride as vnto a God But the three Children of the Iowes refused this vniust law who for that cause were cast into a hote burning Ouen they being neuerthelesse taken forth
pensiue humour from him What man be of good courage we must he ordered by the will of the Gods and without killing ourselues with these inward passions must attend the good houre vntill it shall please them to call vs For neither weeping nor wailing can alter our Destinies neither can they be mended thereby because it lieth not in our handes but in the heauenly Powers to amend what is amisse This is my aduise in that I wish thee well for wee are giuen by nature to wish well vnto those whom we know are our friends and wel-willers whereas otherwise we should be worse then bruit beasts who acknowledge curtesies which they haue receiued Then take this counsell from mee although I was borne rather to learne counsell then to giue counsell vnto others But the Gardiner sometimes can giue good hearbes for Phisicke and a wise man now and then may be aduised by one that is simple and without learning as Moses did who tooke the opinion of his Father in law being farre lesse skilfull then hee I doubt not but thou knowest by experience that this which I haue saide will be profitable vnto thee and that thou wilt hereafter remember mee for the good aduise which I haue giuen thee Thus spake the Nymph most kindely her curteous speeches putting life into my bodie againe making me blush with a vermillion colour which she seemed to like well of Wherevpon I taking hart at grasse although still crazed with inward heauinesse beganne thus to answere her Oh sacred Goddesse is it possible that hee that is stiffened and benommed in all his limmes and ioyntes with an extreame colde should be warme without Fire Euen so can hee comfort and delight himselfe who without hauing the least subiect of ioy in the world hath all his Bodie attached with a wonderfull strange and heauie sadnesse Amongst all the wise Sages of the world past there haue bene very fewe that haue bene able to haue dissembled and concealed their inwdard griefes and sorrowes Elias that great Prophet could neuer doe it but rather flying into a Desart to auoyd the furie of wicked Achab most pittiously desired to die Neither could Iob the patterne of all patience smother the same but rather weeping and taking on most lamentablie wished to be ridde from his miserable life And thinke you I that am so poore a wretch in respect of them am able to hide mine anguish and driue away these inward afflictions which so much torment mee especially when I haue so great reason to lament my Disasters Wonder not then gracious Nymph that I seeme thus to waile and weepe but rather suffer mee to goe through with the same to the ende I may the sooner be brought vnto my graue for that is the onely comfort of such forlorne and forsaken Caitiffes as my selfe yea Death sweete Death is the Port and Hauen of all such distressed mindes as I am O that I were blinde that I might not see the mischiefe that is ready to take holde vpon mee or that I were senslesse and voyde of all passions to the ende I might be exempted from such dangerous plagues as are alreadie ready to infect me Must I be well in bodie and yet deadly sicke in minde Must I be sicke in minde and yet not consume away And must I consume away and not yet die but languish thus in horror worse then in hell yea and that continually O vniust Heauens ô too vnkinde and barbarous LOVE what haue I done vnto thee Cupid that for all my loyall loue thou thus shouldest reward me Haue I euer defied or denyed thee as Apollo did after hee had slaine that huge Serpent Python when he mocked at thee and at thine Arrowes as thou flewest in the Ayre that thou shouldest thus wound mee with so vncurable rigour and exasperate thus thy worse then sauadge Tyrannie against mee Ah Mistris deare Mistris behold here before you the most wretchedst creature that euer liued vnder the Cope of heauen the very Anatomie of miserie and the true Mirrour of all misfortunes And belieue I beseech you that the terrours which euery minute of an houre affright his inward soule is farre worse then vglie Death it selfe But iustly am I punished seeing as ouer presumptuous I durst be bolde to flie so high like vnto another Phaeton presuming to adore your more then druine and sacred Beauties Yet sweet Ladie pardon me because LOVE is the cause who was assisted by your faire eyes to make me his base prisoner and abiect bond slaue for euer against whom no force neither heauenly nor humane is able to preuaile Thus was I bolde to pleade like an earnest suter for grace vnto my Ladie I knowing well that I was neuer like to finde so fitte an occasion againe as then I had because I saw she was resolute to enter into a kinde of life farre worse and harsher then anie Monasticall liuing whatsoeuer And therefore I thought with my selfe that seeing I was fully bent and purposed to die I knewe the worst and worse then Death I could not be adiudged Thus you see how desperate persons sometimes helpe themselues although quite contrarie vnto their owne expectation So fought that sicke and diseased Souldier being full of valour vnder his Generall king Antigonus onely because he would be ridde of his disease which did so much afflict him but no sooner was hee cured thereof then that he became a notable Coward as one that was desirous to sleepe in a whose skinne and neuer after would venture in the warres againe The faire Virgin hearing mee thus earnest were it either because shee was loth to leaue behind her she being now readie to depart from vs any cause to conceiue hardly of her or whether it were that my pittifull speeches had moued her vnto remorse and to haue compassion vpon me I know not but I found her nothing so austere nor sower towards me as she was wont to be which I gathered by her indifferent milde answere she replying thus If thy disease Arcas be incurable and that as thou thy selfe thinkest it will hardly be healed why then hast thou bene so obstinate as thou wouldest not in time seeke what thou mightest to haue bene rid of the same Very simple is he who vndertaketh to transport a huge Rocke from one place to an other when it is not by nature to be remoued So if thou seest that my loue can no way be profitable vnto thee why then wilt thou be so selfe-wild as to persist therein it being such an other piece of worke as those Giants tooke in hand when they went about to scale vp to heauen for say I were willing to shew thee what fauour I might yet could I doe thee no good because of my credit assuring my selfe that if thou louest me indeed and as thou so often hast protested thou wilt not desire any thing of me that might ouerthrow me in doing of thee good True loue is of this nature that it