me to search once more vp and downe although I could finde nothing O foole said I vnto my selfe am I so mad to thinke that she whom I haue so hainously abused will vouchsafe to doe me good and helpe me Nay rather what reason hath shee to desire any thing so much as my destruction and ouerthrow to the intent shee may be reuenged of so vile an outrage as shee hath receiued at my hands No no it is meere follie to looke for any succour from her when nought but death can rid me of mine anguish This voice which I heare is no doubt of some wicked Spirit which would haue me turne backe into the world to liue in continuall wretchednes as I haue heretofore done But I meane not to be so deluded for die I will and so rid my selfe from all miseries as are like henceforward to light vpon me and with this minde I went once more vp to the top of that Rocke from whence without all doubt I had flung my selfe but that I espied a far of a ship tossed and tumbled with a great Tempest which withheld me as then from the same for I tooke mee thought a kind of compassionate pleasure to see how the winds maistered the leaking vessell causing it one while to reele one on side and then vpon the other tarning vp and downe as a Barrell that is emptie for the winds dryuing it with a contrarie blast cast great Billowes of water into the same touching the tops of Rocks and making the shore side white and fomie with a thicke froth striking a great terror in the mindes of the Sailers Meane space a mightie waue came flowing ouer the ship as if it would haue suncke it which made the Sailers to bestirre themselues plying the pumpe vntill they did sweat And now the Sunne began to be darkened the Cloudes to looke gloomie and blacke and the storme to encrease more and more whilest raigne and lightning fell from heauen as fast as water falleth from the Mountaines The Passengers within lay all as if they had bene dead whilest most pittious outcries wofull complaints and continuall exclaimings were heard amongst them euery bodie calleth for succor but none doth helpe the noyse of the waters and the roaring of the windes hindering the Sailers so much as they could not vnderstand one another The Pilot that held the sterne and guided the ship with a pale and dead colour one while cried out another while made signes with his hands to make them vnderstand what they should doe but what with the pittious wailing within and what with the terrible noyse abroad they could not know what he said And now the sterne grew so violent as euery one was appalled therewithall they being driuen into such a feare as they could neither heare nor gather what the maister of the ship commanded so as giuing ouer to looke vnto their ship they all began to make a most dolefull outcrie wringing their hands and tearing the haire from off their heads as if they had bene mad Which the Pilot perceiuing he likewise gaue ouer his charge for to no purpose was it for him to hold the Sterne any longer whilest some of them not many of them all well knowing what they did ran to the Rudder some to the Mast some set vp Sailes othersome pulled them downe some ran vp to the Tackling other tumbled downe from thence one ran to doe one thing and another went to doe another and to be briefe they all laboured so confusedly as they rather did hurt then good any way To conclude churlish Boreus blew more extreamly then he had done before whilest Eolus gaue leaue vnto the blustring windes to play their parts The Sea encreased in raging and the Monsters thereof appeared aboue the water the more to affright such as beheld them The Sterne of the ship bursteth and falleth in peeces The Sailes are all broken and rent the Decke or forepart of the vessell turneth vp and downe the sides of the same are left bare whilest the ship being as quite without defence able any longer to resist the violence of the outragious flotings of the Sea yeeldeth vnto the mercie thereof suffering the whirling Billowes to winde themselues within her which the Passengers perceiuing crie out aloud for mercie vnto the heauens expecting euery minute of an houre to be swallowed downe into the bottome of the Surges At last the ship runneth against that Rocke vpon the top of which I stood hauing all this long while beheld this wofull spectacle with the teares streaming downe mine cies The maister and the rest of the Sailers doe what they can poore soules to hinder her from splitting asunder but all in vaine the furie of the storme is so cruell and outragious whereupon euery man seeketh to saue himselfe a great number of them being gotten into the little Skiffe that was tied vnto the ship but the same being ouer-charged with multitude because euery one sought to get therein sunke presently drowning all those that were within her Onely one young man escaped sauing himselfe through the strength of his armes and legs he swimming so lustily as at last he got vnto the foote of the Rocke against which the vessell ran and so brake all in peeces This youth being all ouer durtie and foule looked pale for very feare and yet seemed he to reioyce in that he hath scaped the furie of Neptune Great was the pleasure he tooke to see himselfe deliuered from death and yet by little and little he began to growe heauie againe seeing himselfe in such a place as was vnhabited and like a wildernesse shroadly doubting least hunger would make an end of that which the Sea had not and that he hardly could get pardon of the earth to liue as he had before of Neptune A new griefe and a nouell terror of death assaileth him afresh whilest being thus alone he sigheth to thinke of his hard fortune He casteth his eies here and there and looketh round about to see if any would come to helpe him But he could not perceiue no such sight and he listeneth with his care to hearken if he could heare the sound of any voice but all was in vaine it would not be he knoweth not whether the firme land will be more kind vnto him then the vnstable Seas and doubteth much the same He is in dread that he shall die either through drinking too much or for eating too little little doth he thanke the heauens to haue saued him from shipwracke in the Sea seeing he is likely to die through famine on the land Now whilest he thus sigheth and lamenteth I hearing his speech straitwaies knew him by his tongue to be the miscrable Fortumo sometimes companion in my for mer Loues Whereupon I holding vp my hands vnto the skies thanked them that it had pleased them to graunt me so much fauour as I might be able to be a meanes to saue the lire of mine old friend honouring
not this strange fire which filleth all my vaines My griefe consume my coarse consuming though t is great With care and cries to feede my soule is my desire No hope to heale my wounds within me bide Alas I curse my selfe yet honor I the fire See then how farre Loue drawes me on from Reason wide Thrise happie Nature of each mortall man in this For they in dying of their ils an ende doe gaine But Spirits diuine cannot Diuine their essence is Venus immortall was immortall was her paine What said I No. LOVE cannot die through deaths despire For in the soule he liues and soule can neuer die On earth below no creature is that takes in Loue delight And Ioue himselfe his awfull power hath felt on hie Woe is me in this strange sort I perish languishing I wish for death yet how to perish doe not know Wretched that wight whose burning griefes aie doth him wring Nor can them quench nor die to ridde himselfe from woe But since I to this mischiefe am predestined Nor can death to remorse or pittie nothing moue Of Gods I le craue I may be metamorphosed Into those haplesse Birds that still bewaile their Loue. Thus sung the troubled Nimph Orithia amorous of the foresaid ARCAS who passing on her way sweetly held on her dulcet tune but she being gone the old man once more began to report what he before intended reaccounting this Historie following Most vniust lawe of partiall LOVE The lamentable Tragedie of chast Floretta and kind Plaindor which with thy malice slie Thousands of faults with iustice vaile dost hide malitiously Thou that thy traiterous selfe dost faine to be asacred thing And by a coloured greement thousands vnto death dost bring Most cruell law of loathed LOVE that vnder friendships showe Dost paint thy bloodie Massakers and makst them holy goe Thou that with vaine allurements fond and with faire smiling glose So many faithfull Louers in their fatall tombes dost close Who cuttest off so soone of men on earth the vitall thred Of such as for their loyaltie and faiths are honored Who fiend-like suckst their blood and as if thou still destned were To plague the world the flesh of these poore murthred soules dost teare Hast thou then this faire worthy Brace of constant Louers slaine Whose memorie still flourishing for euer shall remaine Hast thou them stifled through mischance without remorse or ruth Their flowring yeares their daies their yeares in prime of their green youth Ah too too cruell law of thine and happie thrise our life If that it were not subiect to thy ouer-ragings rife But what is he can liue exempt from these thy amorous lawes When euery puissant God what ere this yoke as forced drawes Then who can Loue commaund when Ioue himselfe full oftentime By him hath roughly bin controld although his powers diuine And yet some comfort small it is to vs though little gaine The Gods to haue companions with vs in this our paine Then reade this more then wofull verse beleeue it as your Creede True Herolds of a message such as hearts to heare will bleede Though in this vncoth desart colde LOVES hatefull enemie Death keepeth his abode and court and sleepe doth here abie Where horror doth inhabit still and fat all sisters three Who to vntwist our threed of life most willingly agree Where hundred thousand hugie Rocks sore bruisde with thunders might And torne through long continuance of times iniurious spite Are to this place chiefe ornaments though many a hollow caue And deepelesse ditches soundlesse pitts as glories chiefe it haue Although in steed of corne with thornes brambles it be sowen And with the chillie spring of Isie waters t is ore-flowen Although it be inuironed with monsterous hedges thicke Of blood drawing brambles and although wild beasts abound in it And that the sweelling periurde sea most fearefull to our eyes The same doth compasse round about with fome which thicke doth rise So as no one delight at all though little doth appeare Or seemes that euer Venus sowed her seede immortall here That neuer here for to repose did rest the beautious sunne When he his daily course in course with Maiestie had runne In briefe although this Iland be of gastfull lands the worst Where onely damnd dispaire doth seeke for to abide accurst Yet liude there here not long agoe a louely Shepheard faire Whome cruell Loue did vex and gripe more then with monstrous care A Shepheard sweete in euery point he was and complete right But that too soone his tender yeares cut off were through despite A perfect Shepheard faire he was his mind and valour such As all the rest of Swaines that liude in woods he past by much The spoylâ—â— of 〈◊〉 Beares the rough sharpe skin of tusked Bores Oâ— Lions sell and greedie Woolues hang vp vpon his dores Strange hidious Serpents vgly heads and Griffons Tallent clawes Sharpe poysonous teeth of Dragons huge with their most vgly pawes About the little closing walls of his small house was set As honorable witnesse of his valour more then great Those were his hangings rich and these his pictures set in gold Which intermixt in sundrie sort you still might fresh behold * A Sentence No such braue furniture as is a deadly enemies spoyle ' Whose colour nere is marde with dust nor length of time can foyle ' So is the battered harnesse rich wonne from our vanquisht foe ' Which hung vpon our walls more faire then gold doth make them showe ' For with the same the honour of the owners victorie ' Is there enstald and registred nor can it euer die Thus then this gallant Shepheard faire not little to his fame Adornd his house with sauadge spoyle which he abroad had slaine His armour was his bowe his clubbe his She pheards wreathed hooke For harneis he of musket proofe a leathren brestplate tooke Yet nothing couldore-cme his more then vsuall common power Still from the chase and fighting he returned conquerour Thrise happie fortunate was his first bringing vp and birth Not any gifts more excellent Nature gaue on this earth Valiant he was and strong in limmes well made and trimme withall So faire as euery Shepheardesse in loue with him did fall Blest therefore was he in his first greene youth as he deseru'd Whome honour did accompanie whom fortune alwaies seru'd Thrise happie he in his young yeares till t was his lucklesse sate That dismall Loue his reason and his sense did captiuate For then he lost his wonted force and courage euery waies And of his more then braue exployts the memorable praise He onely studied then alone to nourish his sad griefe To sighthe his secret sorrowes forth and waile without reliefe * An Inuectiue against Loue. O more then cursed caitife Loue thou wisedoms dost annoy Debashest reason sound from minde and valour dost destroy Wise men thou makest worse then fooles and makst them onely fit To hurt themselues whilst obstinate they
their ouerthrow This Princes being of an excellent beautie her bringing vp being according vnto her birth and instructed in all conuenient qualities fit for so noble a Virgin grew to be famous and admirable in euery strange countrie Such one diuine Cassandra was The Pearle of Phrigian land Her learning such as it did passe Whose Sire it could not vnderstand Diuers forraigne Princes amazed at the renowmed report of this faire Ladie found themselues taken with a certaine great desire to see her amongst others was the King of Danes sonne one who was young gallant and couragious whose chiefe delight was in the sweet exercises of loue He being driuen by the same of this peerelesse Paragon to passe the Seas and to come vnto the Court of her Father to see her was receiued and entertained according vnto the greatnes of his calling with large testimonies of contentment euery way on the old Kings side for that he tooke it most kindly that the young Prince vouchsafed in his owne person to come and honour him with the noblenes of his presence Hauing seene this Princesse he iudged Fame to be enuious in that she had not bruited abroad the halfe part of her perfections being of conceit that all such rare qualities as euer haue bin were all assembled and met together in this one bodie and that Nature hath made this as a superexcellent peece of worke to bring her selfe to be admired and wondered at in the eyes of all men For the effecting of the same Thus whilst the Louer burneth in this flame No beautie 's like to that of his faire dame This caused him to think that she was to be courted with some extraordinary meanes and not with any triuiall or vsuall discretion required in such affaires Because such Maydens as are beautious both in bodie and in minde are not so easily courted and obtained with such facilitie as others are by reason a man findeth nothing to proceed from them but what is found to be graue prudent and of great vnderstanding and iudgement In the meane time loue daily grew more and more in the young Prince which was the occasion he imagined the perfections of his Mistris to encrease likewise in her A Sentence Such is the strange force of Loue as it changeth the nature of mens eyes making them behold blacke for white forcing them oftentimes to adore such a one for celestiall and diuine which amongst others generally is of no account But what maruaile is it to see him maister the eyes of our bodie if he be able to controll our very soules as he himselfe best pleaseth And herein may Louers be compared vnto such as walke in the night who can discerne nothing but what pleaseth their torche to make them see Euen so they esteeme nothing to be faire but what their Loue alloweth them to thinke of So the flame of a fire the more it spreadeth ábroad the more it maketh the fuell to burne And so the Prince the more he found his soule to be powred out vpon the beautie of his Lady the more hee still viewed and beheld her alwayes courting and deuising with her thinking still that hee should finde one new perfection or another in her Resembling herein right students who the more they reade the more they are desirous because their reading bringeth them some new contentment or pleasure causing them more and more to be rauished with the admiration of wondring at the bottomles depth of diuine Learning But the young Damsel who through some secret and inward motion of her minde prophesied the end of this Loue to be miserable although the beginning seemed to be sweete and goodly carryed herselfe herein as the wise husbandman who commendeth not the day ouermuch A Similie vntill he see the euening to be come especially when he seeth the Sun rise too timely and to burne too hote at the beginning which made her hardly to be brought vnto any thing being the cause that mooued him to vse these speeches vnto her hauing found her one day at conuenienient leisure Most excellēt Princesse the greatest contentmēt that a man can wish for in this world is to see his opinion and conceit confirmed with experience and he that beleeueth and seeth the effect of his beliefe to take place esteemeth himselfe thrice Fortunate as well of the good conceit he hath of his owne sense as for the pleasure and contentment he findeth therein when hee beholdeth his soule to be fullie assured of that which hee so much and so long desired Amongst the number of which I may well place my selfe esteeming my fortune most happy in that I hauing seene you haue seene the effect of my beliefe the full assurance of mine owne infallible iudgemēt The renowme of your rare vertues hath driuen me hither desirous to vnderstand if it were true or no But I finde it not so because it hath forgotten to speake of you as you haue deserued which parts in you are farre more commendable then all the reports that haue as yet bene made of you And this is the cause you ought not to wonder if I seeing you farre more accomplished euery way then was bruited vnto mee doe loue honour and affect you as I doe Seeing that before euer I beheld you I honoured you deepely in my heart And if the Gods recompence the pains which mortal men take to visit them to receiue their Oracles and doe answere them according vnto their desires Then deare Soueraigne of my thoughts I shall desire you I may not be frustrate of the hope which brought me hither which was to be gratiously accounted of by a faire Princesse like your selfe who being perfect in all good gifts cannot I trust want neither mercie nor mildnes And if the iust prayers of men are heard vp to the heauens though they themselues are in condition base and vnworthy to offer the same yet mine being of an other nature in that I craue nothing but what is lawfull and honest should me thinks be accepted of you Such demands as proceede from a foolish and vndecent Amitie A Sentence are to bee reiected as dishonest and beastly but such as belong vnto a sacred and vnspotted Friendship ought to be accounted of because without CHASTE LOVE both Gods and men quickly perish The praier which I most humblie desire to offer vnto you is to beseech you to entertaine me as your faithfull seruant to the end that if my loyall constant and long seruices may deserue any merrit it might please your gratious and most sacred Loue to finde some place for me in the same who hath vowed to make you and onely you the Queene of mine owne person Royall Crowne Realme For this I will be bold to say that if you shall grace me so much as to bestowe the Title of seruant on me I will not doubt but to shew my selfe worthie of some reward in that I thinke An Example hauing once obtained this
a darke and gloomie cloud no more was now seene the comfortable day whilst the vnwelcome night brought with him his obscure frightfulnesse desperate danger his dispairing feare and iueuitable death his cruell amazement presenting these Tragicall shewes before the eyes of the poore distressed passengers No sweet Musicke was now heard nor no signe of ioy or pleasure was amongst them Only the Seas and the windes spake made a noyse and roared most horribly which was the cause that cold feare began as then to take possession of their soules and death to seaze vpon them whilst salt teares fell downe like swinging showers vpon their shaking hands held vp to heauen for mercie Most wofull were their cries most heauie their sobbing and groaning and most mournfull and pittifull the complaints which they made in this their extremities Their leaking ships were tossed and tumbled here and there some in one place and some in another as pleased the vncertaine windes not vnlike the conquerour who deuiseth and separateth his prisoners as he thinkes best according vnto his owne minde some of them were carried vnto one strange cost and some vnto another euery one of them hauing a contrarie fortune most of them in the ende being drowned and fewe or none of them saued and safely come to land That vessell in which the poore Princes remained was by chance cast vpon the cost of Spaine Alas how were her eyes swolne with teares her heart broken with griefe and her very soule galled with sorrow to see what hard fortune was hapned vnto her and vnto all her companie and traine 〈…〉 â—â—â—es were all falne into the bottome of the Sea whither she looked 〈…〉 follow after complaining most heauilie of her partiall destinies that had brought her to be a prey vnto the watrie Monsters The wearied Marriners and tired Sailers had wrought all the meanes they could both by cunning and force to withstand the rage of this storme but all in vaine for the pumpe was not able to deliuer forth one quarter of the water which the billowes of the Sea continually beate in in the ende the windes drew this ship vpon the coasts of Spaine as I said before and in such a case as was most daungerous by reason of the Rockes that were there all about which was the cause in despite of all the Sailers it ranne vpon a hard shelfe being with the blowe broken and splitted all in sunder A wofull spectacle was this to behold and as drerie a Tragedie for to report What eyes could see this and not weepe what eares can heare this and not tingle And what tonge can reade this dolefull storie and not faulter in his speech Then then euery one cried out for mercie from aboue one catching a boord an other a chest this one thing and that another and all to saue their liues their sweete liues which all doe hold so deare but yet for all that all of them in a manner notwithstanding were cast away and perished onely Iustina by the grace of God and assistance of Fortune hapned vpon a casket in which were her Iewels which she grasping fast within her armes the vnmercifull windes wearie of their cruelties through the helpe of a great waue of the Sea threw her vpon the sandie shore but yet in so miserable estate as most pitifuall it ws to behold her she being pale heauie and more then halfe dead through feare and sorrow insomuch as she moues no more then a senselesse stone representing the forme of a dead coarse rather then of a liuing creature in which dreadfulnes was found as yet some small sparke of life Thus long time did she liue as one breathlesse and liuelesse not being able to call or to recouer her vitall spirits againe In the ende though it were first long she came vnto her selfe beholding with a pittious eye so many drowned coarses to flote vpon the water and so much costly stuffe and rich treasure to be cast here and there vpon the shore and how hauing somewhat recouered her former senses lifting vp her moistned eyes and trembling hands vnto heauen she began thus O Sage Romane that rightly diddest blame such who when they might take their iournie by land will foolishlie commit themselues vnto the mercie of the waters And thou prudent Philosopher who wert of opinion that a man sailing in a boate had but two fingers as it were of life Alacke alacke too true were your words I hauing prooued the same not a little vnto my cost and misfortune O God what vice what fault or what sinne hath brought me vnto this remedilesse mischiefe into which I now see my selfe plunged ouer head and eares was this my doing or did I euer goe about to labour or seeke for this vnfortunate alliance which hath cost me and my companie so deare No no I rather sought how to resist the same to the vttermost of my poore power and to shun and auoyd as much as lay in me this fatall and ominous marriage Ah vnfortunte children from whom the respect and duetie they owe vnto their parents taketh away all the power and authoritie they haue to dispose of their owne persons as themselues doe chiefely couet and desire my minde did prognosticate this misfortune vnto me yet could not I auoyd it and as another vnluckie Cassandra I aduertised my selfe before hand of a mischiefe to come vnto me yet would I not giue credite vnto the same Woe is me woe is me because I see my selfe deliuered now from one daunger and for that I am exempt and freed from the malice of the spightfull Seas Am I therefore more happie then these breathlesse trunkes which lying before me are depriued of life by these vnmercifull Surges No no for they by this meanes are cleared from all debts and whereas I am yet to pay mine and that perhaps with greater miseries and mischiefes and after a worse manner farre by oddes then they haue any waies done For what can I hope for in this strange Countrey where I finde my selfe comfortles and alone but either to starue and die for hunger either to be dishonored by the rude inhabitants and people heere remaining or else to be deuoured with the iawes of some one wilde beast or another Yet Heauens I pray to graunt me rather that I may satisfie the famlne of these sauadge monsters then to be rauished and to loose mine Honour it being the chiefe and onely Iewell which I desire to conserue in this world O haplesse Ariadne and yet farre more fortunate then I An example for thou being left in an vncouth Iland all alone diddest doubt nothing but death being throughly assured as concerning the preseruation of thy virginitie and good fame whereas I alack feare greatly both the one and the other To whom may I vtter my complaints of whom may I intreat for comfort whom may I craue to assist me and from whom may I purchase to obtaine remedie for my so great griefe and anguish
soule if it were possible Why afflicting thy selfe thus doest thou adde more miserie vnto my paine If euer I haue merited anie thing at thy handes then I coniure thee by that most faithfull amitie I haue borne thee whilest I liued forbeare to lament or grieue any more And suffer I pray poore Alphonso to die quietly who accounteth himselfe most fortunate in that he seeth he dieth in thy good grace and fauour Most fortunare doeth he die hauing bene brought to his ende by base treason and not through braue valour hauing before reuenged himselfe of thy mortall enemie my deere and louely Ladie Now if I shall finde that thou seemest to enuie at my glorie shall I not then haue reason to complaine of thee to accuse thy friendship to thinke hardlie of thy promise and lastly to condemne thy most loyall Loue Alas Iustina wilt thou make mee so miserable as I shall heare my selfe to be the cause of thy death now I am dying Ah doe not that iniurie or wrong vnto him who hath loued thee dearer then the apples of his owne eyes How deerely and at what a high price doest thou sell to mee this last pleasure which I finde in dying before thy presence Diddest thou thinke Iustina when thou marriedst mee that thou hadst wedded some God or other that was immortall Deare heart Death is common and naturall to all men without sparing of any A Sentence we must all die at one time or another and if my dayes were shortned sooner then thou wishest what remedie canst thou finde against the will of the Heauens Then content thy selfe with my death without making me die againe through the vnpleasant report of thy ouerthrow Liue then liue long and happily to the end I may die the more pleasingly And here I most earnestly pray desire and adiure thee by our former mutuall loue by all our chast pleasures by our sacred band of wedlock and by the selfe-same affection which maketh thee so heauie and ioylesse for mine occasion seeke not to offer any violence vnto thy faire selfe after I am dead Speake my sweet Charge wilt thou giue me thy word as thou hast held me deare to hold this promise with me Ay mee I see thou disdainest to answere me as vnwilling to yeelde vnto this my last request Oh most disconsolate and comfortles my death And wilt thou then mine onely ioy refuse to graunt me this my last boone which I so earnestly begge of you Thou that for my sake art willing to leaue this world and who of late didst please to offer it vnto me to saue my life Be not so vnkinde now nor offer me this iniurie to refuse me in this point otherwise I protest I will curse my byrth my cruell Fortune and the froward Heauens themselues Speake then sweet Spouse for till then I forbid thee to touch my dying face and lippes Ah speake yet at length and I beseech thee be content with the hellish paines which I endure to leese thy companie without aggreuating any more my more then endlesse torments Ah cruell Husband replyed the pensiue Princesse what offence haue I done thee what iniurie haue I committed against thee and how haue I wronged the bands of our sacred marriage that thou shouldest forbid me thy presence Where is now the time in which thou hast so much desired to haue me about thee Where are those wonderfull caresses those sweet embraces and those affectionate kindnesses vsed vnto mee of late that thou shouldest now thus reiect condemne and disdaine me If I am vnworthy of thee then why diddest thou accept of me as thy companion and friend And if I haue not merited to follow thee then why hast thou ioyned my soule so strictly vnto thine Thinkest thou I would be thine liuing and would not be the same vnto thee after thou wert dead My deare Lord remember that since I first was wedded vnto thee I haue alwayes fulfilled thy commandement and that I serued and obeyed thee and thy will in all things In leiu of which perfect obedience graunt mee once what I shall desire of thee But if thou wilt not not onely be content to leaue mee a most wretched Creature after thy departure but also to make me more miserable wilt not permit me to follow thee then to render a new proofe of my great affection towards thee for the great good will I haue alwayes had to be dutifull vnto thee and to satisfie thy dying Spirit at this houre Behold I here vow not to lay any violent hands vpon my person but to attend with patience vntill it shall please the Destinies to call mee vnto thee from hence Then my kinde Loue answered the Knight let me embrace thee once againe cheerfully and let me kisse thee once more since thou art so pleasing vnto me O how much doe I acknowledge my selfe beholding vnto thee how blessed doest thou make my death and how willingly doe I depart from out this world And seeing thou hast made me this faithfull promise I most humblie beseech thee to haue alwayes in remembrance poore Alfonso thy loyall Husband Heauens graunt that if thou hast a minde to take a second choyce that thou mayest happen vpon such a one as may loue thee no worse then I haue done I feele my speech beginneth to faile me and death knocketh at my hearts doore to enter in Farewell my faire sweete louing kinde chaste and loyall wife Adieu my heart and life close vp these mine eyes and this my mouth which once was thine and cause my bodie to be carryed vnto his last home whilest I receiue for vowes thy plaintes thy teares for oblations and thy Faith for friendlie assurance That little land and wealth I haue I wholly bequeath vnto thee I will that all my goods whatsoeuer be thine although I doubt not but that thy vertues are able to purchase thee more great and precious riches Onely bestow a little peece of ground vpon his bodie who whilest he liued was vnworthy to enioy so gratious a Princesse as thy worthie selfe Farewell my good Friends and faithfull Seruants whom I desire and commaund to honour and make account of my deere Ladie and wife as you would of mine owne selfe if I were liuing whom I know will not be vnmindfull of you for your good seruices done vnto mee And cease you your womanish teares for not with effeminate teares but with shrill Trumpets and warlike Drummes the coarses of braue Souldiers are vsed to be conducted vnto their graues Once more farewell my sweete Princesse Remember what thou hast promised vnto mee and LORD receiue my soule into thy heauenlie King Alas this word Kingdome hee could not throughly pronounce Death with one stroke cutting off his voyce and his life both together at once But why hold I you so long with this Tragicall discourse or what should I report vnto you the vnspeakeable sorrowes of dispairing Iustina when shee saw her noble husband giue vp the last
vnto his il-willers in as much as his obligation is like to be forfaited the summe neuer likely to be paide when hee shall receiue so great a benefite of his enemie who is least bound to doe the same good vnto him of all others Thus saide the sorrowfull Arcas who hauing ended his discourse was chosen as ludge betweene the old man and the Knight about their first Argument But when he vnderstood how these Pirats of the Seas changed so lately into Trees and bruit beasts and would haue offered violence vnto the faire Shepheardesse hee then gaue his Censure that they were worthily punished confirming this his Decree to stand as authenticall in the presence of the Shepheardesse her selfe whom hee presently knewe to be loucly Delia who was not a little comforted and reuiued when shee so happily found Arcas and other her olde acquaintance in this place Euen as banished persons cheare themselues in their exile beeing maruellouslie ioyfull when in a straunge land they met one with another Wherevppon the Shepheard demaunded of her the cause of her comming into this vncoth Desart and by what chaunce shee came thither As also the reason why these cruell lawlesse persons did pursue her with their naked swordes in such a straunge manner And therewithall they sat downe vpon a greene banke placing the Nymphe in the middest of them who began to tell this sad Tale following Not long since there was a certaine Noble man of an Island Delia the Shepherdesse reporteth a strange history who became amorous of a goodly Maid she being the onely child he had This Damosell had vowed her selfe vnto the seruice of the Goodesse Iuno Which her Father not knowing of pursued her the more eagerly she still denying and flying from him as much as she could calling vpon her Mistris to assist and helpe her One day amongst others hee found her at such an aduantage as he attempted by force to rauish her which shamefull deed was repugnant against all reason honor and honestie The Virgin not knowing what to doe resisted and cried out imploring for the aide of Iuno who seeing such vnnaturall vsage of a Father vnto his owne Child delayed no longer to helpe her For as the lustfull Lord thought to haue embraced his daughter and to haue had his pleasure of her in steed of holding a liuing bodie in his armes he found a cold and senslesse image of white Marble The Goddesse Iuno hauing chaunged her faithfull seruant into this liuelesseforme to preserue her chastitie vndefiled The Father wonderfully amazed at this matter but more sadde and heauie was he as well for the losse of his onely childe whom he loued as his owne soule as also to see that he was depriued from enioying of that contentment which hee hoped of was readie in a manner to kill himselfe for verie meere griefe and vexation when vppon the suddaine he found out that the Maid had vowed herselfe vnto Iuno and that that Goddesse to the ende to frustrate him of his will had turned her into this colde forme of Marble Which when he knew madde for rage and griefe against Iuno it being not the dutie of any creature to murmure or bandie against the Celestiall powers he runneth vnto the Altar plucking downe her Image and breaking it in a thousand pieces The Goddesse being iustly moued with this outrage prouoked her husband Iupiter likewise against him who tooke this iniurie done vnto his wife in as hainous a manner as if it had bene done vnto himselfe and therefore to reuenge the same he sent an infectious pestilence into this Iland of which all the land in a manner died The cruell Lord being the first man that was punished with the same whilst those fewe that remained aliue fledde presently out of that Countrey shifting as well as they could to saue themselues and came to inhabit in a certaine barren and fruitlesse foyle not farre off from their owne But after they had some fewe yeares bene tired with their banishment and as wearie of this hungrie and vnpleasant place where they did bide desiring and longing to see the smoake of their olde Chimneys they ventured to returne back againe into their owne Countrey where no sooner were they setled but the same pestilent disease beganne afresh to seaze vpon them taking them away as fast as euer it had done before Wherevpon they sent vnto the Oracle of Apollo to know how they might be freed of this plague who returned them answer that to appease the wrath of Iuno they must sacrifice a young Virgin vnto her shee being euery way as faire in beautie as that Virgin was which Iuno had chaunged into a picture of Marble They heating this began to bethinke themselues what they should doe in this case for their Iland brought forth no such comely creatures and therefore they determined to scoure all the Coasts neere about to see if they could finde anie such Now after the damnable Fiend Discord with her breath like brimstone her wings like a Dragon and her pawes all of fire had driuen that gratious and goodly companie out of the sweet Groues of Arcadia euery one highing him vnto his owne home after the death of that valiant Lord Phillis so much bewailed and lamented of euery one I alone amongst the rest resolued with my selfe not to stirre one foote from thence but to take my Fortune patiently as it should happen not vnlike vnto a Lamb that is reserued for Sacrifice In the meane time Report had blasted abroad the beautious faces of all our Shepheardesses which sometime were biding in this happie Desart carrying the same tyed vnto his wings brought it vnto the eares of the men of this cruell Hand who no sooner heard it but that they took shippe minding to take one of the fairest Maidens there and to sacrifice her vnto the Goddesse of Riches Comming then a shore vpon our Iland and not finding any more to please their fancie then my poore selfe they tooke me perforce and brought me prisoner into their ship hoping that I should be a remedie to mittigate the anger of the Goddesse and not because I was saire enough for their purpose But such as desire any thing are contented with little Like vnto right Gamesters who rather then they will be excluded from play will play at small stakes and holde the candle vnto the rest So they imagined any beautie were it neuer so simple would serue well enough for their turne and purpose I seeing my selfe thus taken like vnto a sillie Partridge seazed vpon by the gryping Faulconer and sore doubting what the other Virgin feared lifting vp my deawy eyes vnto the heauens I made mine humble and hartie prayer vnto the Almightie to assist me in this extremitie and to deliuer me out of the hands of these monsters whom I doubted sore because of mine honor And no sooner had I made intercession vnto him but hee as a most mercifull Father heard my prayers gaue eare
against him No no faire Dame chast and modest writings neuer alter the honor of any Gentlewoman Many haue written of Lucretia and their discourses haue made her the more famous throughout the whole world For as the remembraunce of infamous person is much detested and hated by the Muses So is the glorie and renowne of the venâ—ous installed by them in eternall memorie for euer What are men but dust if the Muses should not make them suruiue after they are dead and liue in the world againe Hee neuer leaueth this world whom the Muses doe grace so much as to paint his egregious Acts in the Temple of memorie when his successors and succeeders beholde him continuallie with great admiration and wonder by which meanes hee dieth no more then such sacred and noble minds doe who are obliged and bound vnto the Muses as Achilles and Hector were with diuers other Refuse not then gratious Nymph the commendations of my Muse although too base for thee which shall neuer cease nor giue ouer to sing of thy vertues according vnto thine owne minde and pleasure For the Muses are the waiting Gentlewomen of Vertue and are bound to reserue the memories of all such as haue liued 〈◊〉 and with honor So that if Vertue force her owne enemies to reuerence her much more can shee compell the Muses to doe the like they being obliged by dutie to be alwayes at her call and to attend vpon her Scipis the great after he had giuen ouer Rome was daily visited by the Pyrates of the Sea which men although in their owne proper nature they were cruell and wicked yet neuertheles were they forced by reason of his vertue to honor him comming so farre out of their way onely to see so famous a Captaine and kissing his victorious hands as if he had bene some great God So Casar likewise after hee was taken prisoner by certaine Rouers of the Seas was much respected of the same Theeues for his vertue although hee threatned them to hang them when hee should come on land Denie not then diuine Daâ—â—â—zell the frutes of my Muse but giue her leaue to doe her good will who hash vowed to praise thee although thou forbid the same I will not then hinder thee answered the Nymphe because I see thou art resolute Yet this I will tell thee that as it is a pleasant pastime to labour and sowe where a man may reape the fruit thereof againe with increase So is it most grieuous and intollerable when one shall toyle and sweate night and day and yet obtaine no recompence for the same When thy Muse shall haue composed thousands of verses in mine honour and when thou hast made whole volumes perined and endited at large written wholelie for my credit yet what profite doest thou hope for at my handes Or what shalt thou get thereby They say that Baccus and Cupid as they were one day going a hunting caught Minerua in their Nettes If so it were no doubt it was with her owne consent For I doe not thinke that anie can force one to loue or affect him whether the partie will or no. Neither shall thy writings nor thy perswasions euer take mee in their Trappes For where the Iudge is iust and vncorrupt there is no altering nor wresting of Iustice nor can his vertue be dimmed or abused with presents or gifts So likewise neuer looke for anie commoditie by thy studie at my hands For so should I buy them too too deare Inasmuch as nothing is to be rated at so high a price as our good Name or Fame is For euery thing that is lost may be recouered else againe but the losse of this is deplorable and altogether impossible to be obtained when it is once gone But say I should beleeue thee and yeeld vnto thee in this point that thy loue towards mee is sacred and iust yet art thou so simple to thinke that those that shall come hereafter will imagine the same and that they will iudge thy flowring youth and the spring-tide of thy life hauing bene spent in my behalfe and for mine occasion thou hast found no recompence nor guerdon of me for so great paines So that if whilst I liue I can hardly keepe mine honour from blame yet when I am dead I cannot preserue it from the suspition thereof it being become a prey vnto most venemous and slaunderous tongues For this I will tell thee Shepheard the presence of a man oftentimes withholdeth manie things from being spoken against his credit and good name which when hee is absent the mischieuous and malignant sort will not sticke to report and blaze abrode And although I know that euery kinde of friendship is not dishonest but that manie haue loued for pure vertue onely yet can wee not let euery one from speaking as they shall please and it is left vnto the conceits of those as shall be then liuing to thinke according vnto their owne humours and will and to belieue as they list because there is none to forbid them the contrarie But in the meane space how many is there in the world that will rather speake ill then well and giue forth bad speeches then once thinke good thoughts especially such kinde of people as speake of spite who because they are bad themselues therefore they will report malitiously of others that are better then themselues onely of ill will and for nothing else These reasons make mee take small taste in thy writings when they shall prooue more damageable then profitable vnto mee and chiefly if by their meanes I chaunce to be defamed any way For for glorie onely it being accompanied with vertue may mortall men account themselues worthie both of the name of men and of immorrall renowne and not for any thing else Gratious Ladie and Mistris replied Arcas is it possible that the Sunne should shine at mid-day and yet not be seene with our eyes And can anie be so blinde as to take that glorious Lampe for night seeing so many bright and glittering beames to issue from the same And so likewise do you thinke it is likely that anie one dare be so shamelesse and impudent to slaunder the spotlesse vertue of an immaculate Virgin whome euery one knoweth to be both prudent and chaste Those that are replenished with vertue can neuer blame such a one because shee is as they are and resembleth her And if the vitious and foolish seeke to backbite her then doth her glorie increase the more For that they see by daily experience that shee is nothing vnto them in as much as in malitious sort they seeke to oppugne and rise vp against her And if this which you say should be true then should the world thinke ill of so manie worthie and vertuous women who are commended in the workes of diuers Poets Then should Cassandra the Troyan Penelope Pelixena Portia Lucretia Alcesta and diuers others be but hardly thought of which neuertheles we see commended throughout the
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