the onely secret messengers of his minde vnto her All which the Ladie well perceiued although shee wisely dissembled the same beginning as it were now to participate with him in the selfe-same paine and during in a manner the selfe-same that he did But the feare shee had lest this good will should force him to forget his promise and his honorable â—arriage vnto her was the cause shee very hardly entertained this kinde affection which she bare him Yet is it lawfull for an honest woman to loue for nothing is more sacred in the whole world A Sentence then Loue but yet so must they like as they must seeeke to conserue their Honours chaste and vntainted such was the loue that faire Iustina cast vpon this Noble Spanyard But as a subtill Tyrant hauing set foote into some place although at the first entrance because hee hath not as yet planted strongly enough sufficient forces to serue his purpose carryeth a shewe of mercie and mildnesse to euery one where hee commeth by which meanes at the length hee getteth to be absolute Lorde and maister ouer the same which authoritie afterwardes hee exerciseth with all kinde of cruelties iniustice and all other horrible faults that may be Euen so Loue hauing gained one of the gates of the heart of the Princesse in the ende made himselfe chiefe ruler ouer all the Fortresse of her faire bodie She now began to take liking vnto the sweet lookes of the Gentlemen to praise and make account of his seruices and to lend a listning eare vnto his pleasing speeches and as a sicke person leauing his bedde and chamber doth giue testimonie vnto euery one of his welfare and recouerie by reason he findeth his stomack againe and can disgest his meare well euen so the delight and contentment which she tooke in the companie and in the behauiour of the Knight was a sufficient and assured signe of the great good will and singular affection which she bare him yet was her fancie nothing like vnto that which Alfonso for so was the Spaniards name bare vnto her it being of such strange force as it not onely gouerned ouer his health and welfare but also it helde in subiection his very soule which most miserablie languished Not vnlike vnto such who hauing taken a determinatiue kinde of poyson consume away by little and little Hee now thought that there could be no such rare contentment in this world as to enioy the companie of his Goddesse which could not be too deerely bought although it should cost him his deerest heart blood Neither was he of the rainde he had bene before to make a doubt what she was or that she was of a more base or inferiour house then himselfe was of Loue now had drowned all such doubtes in him hee onely studyed how he might worke the meanes to be gracious in her sight and to enioy her as his lawfull Bed-fellow and wife knowing too too well that her vertues would oppose themselues against all other sinister and dishonest meanes that should be attempted against her but this could he not doe except he tooke a newe course neither euer come to be maister of his desire without opening his minde vnto her in such sort as he resolued to giue his Mistris to vnderstand of the whole matter at large Wherevpon as he was one day walking alone with her after thousands of sighes sent forth from his heart with thousands of pitious loue-lookes most sweetely glaunced on her and with millions of sweet alterations in his minde his tongue trembling and his voice fainting his countenance and his colour altering and changing and a cold Feuer running through all his bones doubting least he should be repulsed with a sharp denyall with a lowe and faint voyce he began thus to accost her Sweet Charge for so she requested him to call her the assured report of certaine things amazeth oftentimes the spirit of man very much but the experience of the same giueth sufficient testimonie that it is most true I speake this vnto this end for that I haue heard manieto discourse often of Loue who haue reported infinite strange effects which hee hath with great wonder brought to passe so that I for mine owne part haue not a little admired him in mine inward soule yet could I neuer iudge rightly thereof vntill experience had acquainted me with an infallible proofe as concerning the same Since which time I haue found afterward that he is more wonderfull then I haue bene giuen to vnderstand there being such a certaine thing in Loue that none are able to expresse hauing more diuinitie in him then one can imagine with which only such as are strooken with his dart are acquainted withall and none else And certainly hee may be well called DORDE and liberall disposer of mortall mens fortunes seeing he is able to make such as are Conquerours to yeelde and force maisters to become slaues vnto their owne seruants and vassailes Besides he ought by great reason to be termed a God especially amongst such as are most wretched and miserable who being ready as it were to fall into the pitte are by him holpen out and lifted vp giuing them commaund and power ouer their Superiours This which I speake is not by roate nor by heare-say but onely by good proofe as I my selfe can best iustifie For I finde my selfe vanquisht by you faire Gentlewoman whome enuious Fortune had sometime though most vniustly brought into a most pittifull estate Then am I your slaue and yet none of these which seeke the dishonour of their Ladies to satisfie their sensuall desires But such a one I am as beareth more affection vnto your Honor then loue vnto your beautie Needes must I confesse I loue both the one and the other endeuouring in what I may for to conserue them both wishing to die a thousand times rather then suffer the least wrong or iniurie to be offered vnto them For your vertue doe I loue you and for your beautie doe I honor you for your modestie do I seeke you and reuerence you for your chastitie If I were found to affect you but for one of these good qualities onely in you may be it were subiect and likely to fall to ruine and decay but hauing so many goodly and sacred foundations and all vnited one vnto another making it to be of an inuincible strength Me-thinks it is impossible that euer this my loue should be shaken or remoued from his first place The hope of your goods of your Noblenesse of byrth or your riches are not occasions of the good liking I haue of you in that I am not acquainted with any such matters but onely with your Noblenesse I rather hating such friendships because they are lost and ended as soone as possession is taken of such things vpon which they were founded I then loue you with a sacred and chaste kind of loue beseeching you that I may be recompenced with the like affection againe For no
first seeketh to take away that which the Gods themselues are not able to render backe againe whereas the other bereaueth vs but of life onely which is subiect vnto death continually Wretched are those persons that doe ill and yet reape no commoditie thereby for what good commeth vnto the backbiter by speaking ill of anie but onely that in the ende hee himselfe is hated of euery bodie Play not thou this part neither stumble thou into this foule ditch especially doe not blame her whome thou makest a shewe to loue so much But thy speeches discouer sufficiently enough what thy affection is for if thou hadst supposed mee to be such a one I cannot beleue that euer thou couldest haue loued mee because commonly wee ought to hate vice and respect and preferre vertue For such as make the world beleeue that they beare affection vnto foolish women doe not loue them indeed but onely seeke to enioy part of those pleasures as they participate vnto others So as it is impossible that a vertuous and a constant Loue can haue any other foundation then Vertue it selfe Therefore it is but meere follie for thee to make me belieue hereafter through thy fained teares and dissembling speeches that thou louest mee For is it likely that one can loue an other whom hee himselfe blameth and whom hee thinketh worthie of reprehension and shame If thou hast loued mee for my Vertue which thou imaginest I haue now lost for what wilt thou loue me hereafter The cause being taken away the effect dieth and the foundation of a Building being ruinated the house whereon it standeth must needs fall because nothing can be without his cause or subiect If the cause ceaseth in mee which was the motiue of thy Loue then needes thy former affection must cease likewise And therefore I pray thee make me belieue no more that thou bearest any good liking vnto me for I neuer can nor will giue credit vnto thee nor will belieue therein Or if thou did dest loue me then I must needs thinke thou didst it to betray me and so to corrupt mine honor I say therefore that so farre off is thy loue from being Amitie as rather quite contrarie â— esteeme it to be deadly hatred and most furious rage So as these bad conditions being in thee I can haue no occasion to loue thee but rather haue more reason to loath and detest thee as the most mortall aduersary that I haue vnto that thing which is far dearer vnto me then is my dearest life that is my pretious honour Thus said the Chollorike Diana and to confesse but truth she had good reason so to say For there is no guilelesse soule that without being somewhat moued can heare herselfe ill spoken off neither can the most vertuous person that is endure to be falslie slaundered but that he must needs growe a little in Choller As that child who being already forth of the Schoole doore thinking he is alreadie in the fields and that hee is playing amongst his companions abroad looketh very sadly and is wonderfully amazed when vpon the suddaine his Tutor taketh him by the chollar of his doublet and bringeth him againe correcting him with the rodde for his ouerbold and foolish hardines Euen so found I my selfe to be confounded with silent heauines and being wonderfully afflicted with inward anguish and sorrow Great is that Corsie and sharpe which a man feeleth when through ouermuch headdie rashnes he offen deth that thing which hee esteemeth most of all in this world Euen so vnsupportable is that griefe when a man falsly accuseth his friend whose credit he would seeke to preferre before his owne dearest hart blood Ah why then did not the earth open to swallow mee vp and why at that time did not the Sunne obscure it selfe as when he was three daies without appearing abroad disdaining to behold so horrible a crueltie of an vnnaturall father committed by him against his owne young and prettie children These speeches of mine innocent Lady iustly incensed against mee was as a poysoned darte piercing quite through my poore soule A chilly cold ranne through all my bones a deepe despite against my selfe seized vpon my veines and my voyce lay as if iâ— had bene stopped within the pallate of my mouth my colour looked as dead Ashes my tongue remained dumbe and my mouelesse eies were closed bowing downe toward the earth As then no other answere could I giue vnto my Mistris then salt teares trickling downe along my cheekes whilst from my breast as from a Furnace issued forth great store of scalding sighes O how happie had I beene at that time if some one courteous God or other would haue transformed me into some rocke some stone or else into some Tree Neuerthelesse although I spake not all well might she gather that my exceeding griefe was the cause thereof It is an old saide Sawe One mischiefe neuer commeth alone but that it hath an other attending vppon it And so by misfortune it happened vnto mee For my new companion in Loue of whom long since I told you commeth in amongst vs who hauing more witte in his head then I in stead of blaming my Ladie most wrongfullie as I very foolishly had done presented her with these Verses following The heauens for honours theirs thee faire haue made The heauens for my mishap mee kinde haue framde Ioue for his praise infanted Vertue thine Gods heauen and earth reape honour through thy glorie I onely am accurst but victorie T' is to wage Combat with a Deitie I loue that sweet band which enchaines my soule Liuing I burne yet honour I thee flame Loe how rich Beautie can vsurpe ore mâ—e Medusa like my Nature thou dost channge But hee his Time spends not but gaineth honor Who branely fights vnder a Goddesse Banner O happie I when I thy face behold More rare and perfect than was Venus faire When I thine Eyes see shining like two Starres Gazing I die whilst death brings life to mee He happie dieth that his best life doth end In loyall seruice of his beautious friend More happie I my selfe iudge so to die Than Adon liu'd whilst hee the daintie Corpse Of Venus ioyde who wailde his death most sadde Hee blessed was but I celestiall Since Fortune mine with his may well compare And beare away the prize for ouer-Faire Beautious if onely for to see thy stainelesse Feature More happie t' is than Gods by many wayes What should I be wouldst thou to loue mee dame But so great good vnworthie I to haue The Gods would iealous grow that one poore wretch Ingratious fauor boue themselues should stretch Yet in despite of them my ioyfull life Liueth in contemplation of thy Thewes Whilst they like rolling Spheares the Skies adorne Happie that Lambe offered in Sacrifice To burne vpon thy Aultars Grace to gaine Whose Tombe and Ashes winnes vnto him Fame Most gratiously did shee accept of this Present and the rather because shee would anger me
strange affection growe And so should be true Loue indeed where two should be but one A loyall Louer should but serue his mistris sole alone For neuer hath it yet bin seene that constant amitie Would ere disgest that in the midst it should diuided be This caused Plaindor not to loue this wretched maiden poore Who for his sake perplexed was and well nie at deaths doore Thus languishing she followeth him with pale and pitteous looke Still seeking for to take that course which she should haue forsooke She followeth him in Quest and still she after him doth trace Like to the Blood-hound good the deare that followeth with great pace Whilst he good soule full little thought that she ought to him ment He on his owne affection so earnestly was bent Nor could he scarce endure to heare her speake or talke to him Nor once to looke on her although she proper was and trim None but Florettas stainlesse shape as beautifull he deem'd All other fauours whatsoere as Maskes vnto him seem'd His soules sole ioy and lifes delight she was and chiefe repose She was his first choyse and the last that he through fancie chose Yet in the end this pleasure which him lik't so him deceiu'd For she whome he did thus contemne at last his loue perceiu'd Seeing her selfe disdaind so oft by him now growne so quaint She doubted lest whome he did serue he had some other Saint Which was the cause that hindred her his fauour to obtaine Resoluing with her selfe to seeke till she had found the same Imagining but to no end by some deuise herein To wade so far as at the last she Plaindors grace would win But t' was the ruine of the one and th 'others ouerthrow By too too soone vntimely death as I to you will show Plaindor expecting still the houre when stormes should once be past To reâ—pe with ioy what he had sowen with sorrow at the last Building vpon Florettos faith as on a rockie shelfe Whome he more then the better part accounted of himselfe Did yeeld his heart into her hands in most obsequious wise Breathing by her sweet breath and taking life by her bright eyes So as that houre he saw her not he found himselfe to die For then the Louers chear'd when as his Mistris he is by Sometimes he would be with her in the thicke and muddie shade Sometime sit with her by some spring which prettie murmuring made And there while by fountaine coole the heate from them to keepe Or in some groue be tapistred with flowers surpassing sweete Then in some Bower by Nature fram'd where they did often vse Vpon the grâ—sse in steed of beds their lodgings for to chuse Or for to see the wanton fish about some cristall poole Or by some Isie riuer cleere the mor themselues to coole Or in some hodow Rocke the heate of scorching sunne t' auoid Whose sparkling beames their tender flesh too much oft times annoid Or in some fresh and low deepe Caue enuironed about Like Baricados made for fence with brier sweet throughout In such like place as these they vsde without suspect alwaies In this same sort to spend of their greene youth full many daies Deuising many a louing toy as harmelesse wantons doe Which honour doth permit whilst they their honour honour toe One while they merrie Rundelaies together both doe sing And with their cheerfull chaunting make the woods throughout to ring An other while with blushing cheekes like to two Turtle Doues One doth vnto the other tell their first chast modest Loues Then one the others beautie doth commend and then againe They praise their plighted constancie exempt and free from staine And now they prettie Babies looke one in the others eyes Whilst loue new subiects still of sport to please them doth deuise For bearing alwaies nerethelesse by proffer or by showe Once to attempt what any way might to dishonour growe Whilst they poore soules bare burning coales yet quench them durst they not Lest their good fame they should abuse and their pure honour spot This made them sound through hope and sigh for want of their desire Not daring reape their loues sweet fruites as much they did require They wish and yet are wide from it faine if they durst they would They will not doe through vertue what they thinke in sense they should Sweet thoughts they haue they sweat for hope and yet they die through griefe They haue at hand the remedie yet will not take reliefe Halfe dead halfe liue they gasping stand disiesting this sower drench Whilst water in their hands they haue this fire yet will not quench Bright mirrours of rare modestie crown'd glory you haue wonne That hauing time and place so fit your passions did orecome And now they fell to their repast which was of sauadge Bore Which Plaindor had in hunting slaine with cheese and fruit good store In steed of daintie wine full strong to drinke glad were they than The water of a riuer cleare which from a Rocke forth ran But their chiefe foode and daintiest meate were louely glaunces cast Which from their eyes like swiftest shafts were shot and darted fast Thrise blessed they A Sentence No fortune like â— although they feele some smart 'To such true Louers as in bodies twaine haue but one heart ' The wealth of all this hugie world not worth the halfe of this ' None lest they haue experience had can comprehend such blisse ' But as we see the sunne oft times through ouer sweltrie heate Changing the weather faire great stormes and thundercraks doth threat So likewise we do finde full oft that of most pretious things Some great misfortune groweth which vs to our destructions brings For euery thing is framed so and in such fashion'd guise That what is good here on the earth doth finde his contraries Of perfect Elements of diuers natures here vnnam'de Are bodies formde and fashioned and liuing Creatures framde The heate engendreth chillie cold cold water Thunders cracke Warre Concord Concord Peace Peace War where all goeth to wracke So of the pleasant sweet successe of Louers these did come That which did breed their dismall ends and layd them in their Tombe The Shepheardesse which Plaindor lou'd disdaining in her minde To be disdaind and reape repulse where she thought Loue to finde Did dogge him as an enuious Spie that no way he could walke In wood nor groue but after him full slylie she would stalke And one day by ill luck it was her fortune to espie How with Floretta he a Caue did enter secretlie Which when she saw her loue she curst the author of her strise She band the day of her sad byrth detesting sore her life She saw her labor all was lost her time was spent in vaine And there withall she well perceiu'd recurelesse was her paine Yet thought she she would see the ende of this their Loue so chast And their discourse to heare herselfe close in a bush she
and insupportable miseries are in the hearts of Louers Ariadne knoweth And how many false Treasons and blasphemous periuries Oenone feeleth Why then wilt thou iustifie him he hauing these foule faults Euerie bodie that lodgeth not reason within it selfe is blame-worthie And what reason I pray you is their found in Loue He is a traiterous Drogerar and a Physition of mens hearts for some he healeth and comforteth and other-some he vexeth killeth and tormenteth He is blind-folded which is enough and sufficient proofe to make thee know his imperfections Thinke not the worse of him for that said the old man for Iustice is vnited which brooketh no comparison in perfection and vertue Loue is blinded because he should haue no respect of persons to the ende greatest Kings may be no more exempted from his power then the poorest beggers He is blind to shew that he walketh without craft or dissimulation for that is no true and sincere amitie where falsenes of heart lodgeth and where treason and disloyaltie lurketh If Loue seeing clearely with his eyes should spare Princes and Potentates what profit then should the poorer sort receiue through this friendship For Loue compelleth the rich and haughtiest courages to affect and honour the poore basest creatures and to doe them all seruice possible they can And this is the reason that Loue is vailed and not meere folly For he shall neuer be counted vnwise who without any sudden alteration or passion whatsoeuer taketh his way and course directly and iustly without sparing great personages who are made for the support and helpe of the meanest and poorest sort of people Yet this vaile answered Arcas taketh away the light of knowledge hindring him from seeing what he ought to doe So that as a blinde man without a guide falleth into the ditch Euen so Cupid for want of sight committeth many thousands of grose enormities which being put in practise christen him with the name of a furie in steed of Loue. Is that right loue which altereth the minds of mē quite topsic turuie in all their proceedings in such wise as one shal be forced to loue her who hateth him and another shall be beloued of her whome he cannot in any wise abide Are not these effects meere enmities despights plaine rage and furie If so why then most vnworthie is Loue of this name attributed vnto him Thogh Iustice be vailed yet most loyall iust vnpartiall and sacred are her proceedings whereas those of Loue are quite contrarie Therefore you conclude ill to affirme that Loue is blinded like vnto Iustice which though it be all one thing yet is the cause different for the one carrieth her vaile to a good ende and the other to a bad purpose I report me vnto the vniust behauiour of this little blind Infant Alas poore soules replied the old man what more sheweth the admirable puissance of God then the diuersitie of effects proceeding from himselfe what giueth so much glorie vnto the Painter as the varietie of faire Pictures which he doth most cunningly portray forth and embollish Euen so why doth Loue bring forth so many and contrarie causes but onely to shew himselfe the more wonderfull to lay strong the diuine foundations of his mightie power He bringeth forth effects which althogh they are all differing yet be they alwaies such as are agreeable with the diuersitie of the natures of man gouerning euery thing with a kind of prudent policie vnknowne far aboue our reaches For else it might peraduenture so fall out that it might be more worse for him that loueth to be beloued againe then if he should be hated the wisedome of the Gods cannot be comprehended within our feeble spirits But this is the shallow conceit that mortall men haue rather then to thinke that to be firme holy iust and good which the Gods themselues goe about to enterprise For it is not to be thought otherwise but that they who are perfect as the Gods themselues and are no way spotted or polluted with vice can doe any thing that is vniust imperfect or foolish In respect of the Gods answered the Shepheard I auow what you affirme yet by your leaue I denie that loue may be admitted amongst this troope Those insolent Tyrants who vse their licentious will in steed of rightfull Loue whose constraining force maketh them to be feared although they be puissant mightie yet cannot they entitle themselues with the names of iust and prudent Princes And so I allow of the greatnes of the power of Loue but not of his Deitie God taketh no pleasure in the fal of man his creature but Loue seeketh the same God establisheth all things in good securitie by a certaine sacred order but Loue dismembreth scattereth separateth breaketh the peace and quietnes of man and therefore he is no God Most damnable persons are those who being troubled with some supernaturall and violent power attribute most wickedly vnto the Iust Sacred and diuine God the furious and raging fittes of braine-sicke Loue. Therefore let vs neuer pronounce this broad blasphemie for so farre off is Loue from being a God that mortall men are able to conquere and take him as it were prisoner If this be true replyed the olde Sire who then is it that maketh thee thus to stoope who hath yoked thee and made thee bowe thy necke vnto this God and wherefore doest not thou trample and treade vpon him he being but a man That Captaine that is conquered by a braue victorious enemy is worthie of blame but farre more is he to be condemned that suffereth himselfe to be ledde away Captiue by a weake feeble aduersarie If Loue be a thing of so small worth why then doest thou not chase him away from thee In vaine therfore be these teares which thou now sheddest in vaine thy complaints and in vaine these sorrowes which thou stil makest Fond is that sicke bodie that may helpe himselfe and who because as one selfe-wild will not suffereth himselfe to be infected with a disease too weake for him if he were willing to striue wrastle with the same Euen so art thou fond to languish as a vassaile vnto this God so long a time in this maner when if thou wilt thou canst vāquish him O foolish Slaue A Sentence that being able to free himselfe without danger from seruitude yet neuerthelesse continueth so all his life But the bragging Souldier may alwayes threaten his foe being absent against whom appearing once in sight he dareth not once so much as drawe his sword So thou seemest to contemne Loue yet in the meane time darest not for thy life to resist him and beeing valiant a farre off thou yeeldest at the first encountring together But this one thing I will tell thee that amongst all the deadly passions that doe ruinate and ouerthrow man there is none so strong nor violent as this of Loue death it selfe being farre more sweeter then that is How often doe we see
Iulietta who being pressed vpon to returne into his owne natiue soyle was forced much against his will to leaue her bringing away with her license these two Tables to the ende he might still contemplate and behold her as well with the eyes of his bodie as those of his soule And now I maruaile no more of that selfe-conceited Painter A Historie who fell in loue with his owne picture or of fond Narcissus who grew extreamely enamoured of his owne shadow seeing the Shepheard Arcas found the thoughts of his misfortunes to be sweetely asswaged with the continuall regard of these counterfaites gazing vpon them without mouing a long time In the meane space Philistel awaked the other Swaine not perceiuing it at all hauing now called to mind poore Arcas and how he had bin heretofore corriuall in his Loue and imagining that he was as yet touched with his first passion by reason his senses were rauished in staring so much vpon the picture of Iulietta to awake him out of his dreame he began thus to accost him Arcas the excellencie of beautie consisteth chiefly in this one poynt which is not to beare enuie vnto those that exercise the same but rather to imitate them in what we may for happie is that countrie which as a thicke and shadowing Forrest is sowed and filled with a great number of worthie and vertuous men Thy selfe and I strooken with one and the selfe-same dart haue loued her whose shadow thou here seest and because this Loue of ours was laudable yea and worthie of reward therefore hath it neuer altered our mindes nor separated our good liking one from another The Spartaines heretofore loued but yet chastly the faire and prettie children of their citie this liking of theirs neuer breeding any falling out or iealous conceit An example one against another although three or fower of them loued but one of these yongest boies alone But contrariwise they rather forced themselues and striued one with another who should best teach these youthes some rare qualitie or perfection whereby they might come to more estimation and credit And such was our loue towards the diuine Iulietta we both hauing loued her and yet not hated one the other forcing our selues to trie who could doe best in chaunting abroad her faire vertues seeking still to render that worthie honour vnto her perfections as they of right deserued And seeing this Loue did part vs at that time for a while asunder we ought as now of our owne accord to reunite our selues againe together For the Maister of a ship who hath had but hard fortune hauing made a bad voyage at sea hath neede after his losses to get tother the relicks and remainders of his Shipwracke and to make account of that which before this mischaunce he would haue disdained to haue done And so we if any small conceit ouerpartiall hath passed twixt vs about our Loues now at this houre when all is lost and that scarce we our selues are escaped from the crueltie of the waters let vs forget and sorgiue what is past and let the ioy in that we haue once more met againe before we die maister for a while this our ouermuch sadnes Friendship neuer bestoweth her diuine brightnes A Sentence where aboundance of pleasures flow for they hinder vs fro discerning the same being the occasions that it is not adored according vnto her deserts But when affliction and sorrow approacheth then doth she best appeare her wholsome effects as then being most prised and commended For at such a time necessitie forceth men to haue more neede one of another then when they are in prosperitie it being the onely cause that loue sheweth it selfe more liuely hot comfortable My minde prognosticated vnto me the comming into this place whilst I not knowing the good and happie meeting that I should haue here did murmur against the Seas for casting me vpon this shore but now I haue found by triall that humane matters being ordered by diuine prouidence happen oftentimes contrarie vnto the opinion of men to the ende they may know that in respect of God they are but vessels of earth by him ordained for shame and that vnto him onely appertaineth the disposing of all things O Philistell answered the Shepheard of great follie should he be condemned who finding himselfe all alone would imagine to be able to carrie away some great victorie amongst the midst of a huge number of enemies For it is not courage but rather mad furie for one to vndertake more then he is able to bring to passe inasmuch as it is no lesse vertue to know himselfe then to vanquish and ouercome his aduersaries These considerations are sufficient to moue me to extinquish all bad conceits which I might haue conceiued against you about the loue of sweete Iulietta For could I hope to haue any recompence of her whome hard misfortune wretched pouertie the malice of nature and a thousand other hinderances haue set me vp as it were for a marke to discharge their deadly arrowes at me Whereas you who to serue her haue left your countrie and your realme and who carrie besides the auncientnes of your birth and the greatnes of your race a braue and generous spirit endued with as vnseemely qualities may well hope for that which I not so much as dare to name or thinke of in my heart Behold then the cause why I cannot beare any malice vnto thee as touching that thing which I iudge my selfe vnworthie to possesse which for the same cause I reuerence adore For my Loues haue bin but shrill Trompets to sound the glory of this faire superexcellent virgin my labours but her Herrolds to blazen forth in right colours her rich perfections and mine amorous trauailes but loud Chaunters of her rare and diuine vertues But you my deare Philistell easilie and sweetly may you obtaine her good will by the sacred bond of Nuptiall hallowed right Nature hauing made you her equall in blood How men ought truely to loue power authoritie credit command Diuers waies may a man loue for in louing are many effects Some lay the foundation of their Loue vpon the weake and feeble ground of pleasures Others vpon that of marriage but the wisest place it vpon the inexpugnable Rocke of vertue Voluptuous loue passeth slightly and lightly away with the pleasures themselues for we loue no more that thing which we haue no more occasion to vse by reason we haue drawne from thence all the contentment we desired The affection which marriage engendreth endureth longer and yet is there oftentimes in the same many contrarieties and disagreements betweene the Husband and the Wife but that liking which is setled vpon the firme Rocke of vertue neuer dieth because the cause thereof remaineth euerlasting The foundation whereof can neuer be ouerthrown With such religious amitie haue I sought diuine Iulietta yea with such amity as shall neuer die in me no more then vertue
gaspe in her armes I will now be briefe After the Princesse found Alfonso dead she remembred her plighted vowe vnto him and therefore sought neither venim sword nor ame other extremitie to ende her dayes but hauing sweetely embalmed his carkasse and placing it in a monument of Christall because she might the better behold it she neuer departed from the same vntill that after a certaine time what with hunger sorrow griefe she finished her wearie and loathed life Her fasting and weeping had so chaunged her as her neerest seruants and acquaintance scarce knew her Now had shee no more that sweete face for the beautie of which so many Princes had so often combatted and fought nor were her eyes such as had rauished so manie soules neither was her haire that passing golden haire whose tresses had serued for nets to catch and intrap the Courtliest and greatest hearts that liued And to be briefe she was no more that faire and louely Iustina who indeed had no need of such comely fauour when her onely desire was to die Her face and cheekes were now become pale and yeallow her eyes darke and sunke deepe into her head her haire fowle vnkempt and almost all torne off her breasts drie and leane her armes shrunke and brawnfallen her handes without flesh or whitenesse and finally shee resembled the very portraiture of a Ghost or rather of Death it selfe In this miserie did shee liue some fewe moneths when at the last perceiuing the date of her life to be expired she came vnto the Tombe where taking the embalmed carkasse vp and embracing it in her armes she vsed these pittifull speeches vnto it as followeth O sole remainder of all my good Fortunes O onely chiefe treasure of all my goods O sole pawne furuiuing of my true Loue the onely comfort I haue in these my languishing griefes and the goodly bodie which sometimes reuiued the faire soule inhabiting therein which now liueth in eternall glorie for euer To thee I appeale as the onely thing which I most loue honor and praise praying thee to assist me at mine ende and to beare witnesse with me that I haue kept promise most faithfullie As thou when thou diddest die wert willing that I should not malice or annoy thee at thy death So let not mine I pray thee be any way displeasing vnto thee All whatsoeuer thou diddest craue did I yeeld and accord vnto then blame me not if hauing performed what I protested I come vnto the Heauens to finde thee In thy life time I haue liued for feare to displease but now thou liuest no longer faire and beautifull Coarse and that I haue taken order for thy buryall what thinkest thou should keepe me heere any longer It is reasonable I should die seeing I can now no longer liue and that I goe to make a search for thee most chast soule in what place soeuer thou art Die then sorrowfull Iustina and leauing of to lament change these thy reares thy miseries and cares into this eternall repose where resteth thy husband quietly I haue liued but too too long and my miserable life hath bin too irkesome vnto me It is now more then high time to make an ende thereof and making an ende of my selfe to remoue my selfe vnto him who whilst he liued had commaund ouer my soule Thrise blessed Instina to be quit and rid of these vnspeakable torments to liue in euerlasting quietnes which is the onely hope of the miserable Let vs goe then let vs goe I humbly beseech that great God who as a iust Iudge of the innocencie of our hearts knoweth the secrets of our thoughts to open that sacred gate vnto me which he hath promised vnto his faithfull children This said she kissed the dead coarse of her husband againe giuing charge vnto her Gentlewoman to enterre and burie her body hard by his side that done she layeth her selfe along by the same which she still embraceth and hauing dressed her head and apparelled her selfe for the same purpose she rendied vp her spirit A spirit right meritorious and worthie of eternall glorie Her body according vnto her last will was buried in the selfe same sepulcre which she had caused to be made for her husband before Herewith Coribant held his peace being hindred to speake any more by reason of his teares teares which berest the others of their voyces who without being able to discourse any more one with another for that time departed euery one to their senerall homes so to passe away the darke and gloomie night As they were walking faire and softly onwardsvpon their way Arcas heard one sing this song following Loue fare thouwell liue will I now Quiet amongst the green-wood bow Ill betide him that loue seekes He shall liue but with leane cheekes He that fondly falles in Ioue A slaue still to griefe shall prooue Loue fare thou well liue will I now Quiet amongst the greene-wood bow What an Asse and foole is hee That may serue and will goe free In worlds not a wench so faire But I for my life more care Loue fare thou well liue will I now Quiet amongst the c. I like not these Dames so smooth As would haue men court and lous For as constant I them finde As the Sea is or the winde Loue fare thou well liue c. Once I lou'd one that was kinde But she did what pleasde her minde Better t is nere to be borne Then liue as anothers scorne Loue fare thou well liue well c. Then Loue thee I doe defie I hate thy bad dealing I He is a foole that liues in paine A toy so small for to gaine Loue fare thou well liue will I now Quiet amongst the greene-woodbow After the Shepheard had made an ende of this merrie Sonnet another came vnto them demaunding if some of the companie could expound his Riddle which he proposed in this manner Nor life nor vertue haue I lest I die I borrow of my buried trunke chiefe strength Though I am dead ore time yet triumph I Ore time that cuerie thing consumes at length What 's dead disdained is yet all affoord Me honour and their chiefe preseruers name All men may rightly call me their best Lord Since they Sans me the world cannot maintaine Yet though so much good doth from me proceed These thanklesse worldlings doe not sticke at all To cut me off in Summer with great speed And beate me into little powder small Yet had I rather cruelly thus perish Then liue a longer space for many time The season doth but badly oft me chearish Offering great hurt and wrong to vertue mine This Riddle was interpreted to be corne which being sowne in the earth and seeming dead casteth forth a greene blade and in time groweth to be ripe in despite of all stormes and foule weather whatsoeuer It nourisheth mankind and therefore is honoured of them as a father not forbearing for all that to reape him in Haruest to thresh and grinde
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
why speakest thou not all this while why breakest thou not this solemne silence of thine which caÌ„not be but grieuous vnto such as behold thee nay more as painfull as death it selfe vnto them that think well of thee Ah faire Nymphe replyed the Shepheard what delightfull answer canst thou imagin to draw from him who is not agreeable or pleasing vnto his own selfe and what medicine canst thou get from a sicke person that is not able through the agonie of his griefe to help himselfe any thing at all Can my discourses be pleasing vnto thee when they are most odious and hatefull vnto mine owne selfe he had need to be perfect in health that will heale such as be sick to be fully at libertie that can infranchise slaues and to be perfectly content A Sentence that taketh vpon him to comfort the unserable Stay but the time beautious Nymph I say stay but the time vntill the gratious Heauens taking compassion vpon me doe cure my recureles infirmitie that I be once freed from the heauy and burthensom bonds wherein I am now chained and then will I condescend vnto thy demaund For alas can one loyall and faithfull seruant serue at one time two maisters and they both differing in nature Euen so can the true chast Louer loue with equall affection two contrary subiects A Sentence No no for that Loue which is sacred firme and commendable can neuer endure to be diuided Loue it selfe being a simple substance which participateth with no diuision and therefore such as truely fancie anie doe loue without the separation of good will in such wise as it is as vnpossible for the constant Louer to haue two Mistresses as it is for the Element to containe two Sunnes within it all at one time If thy fancie were fixed vpon some Demi-god heere below wouldest thou take it in good part that a sillie Swaine should presume to make loue vnto thee seeking to force thee to giue ouer thy first loue and promise which neuer should be forgotten what deuise soeuer might be wrought If not then I beseech thee immortall Creature importune no more the despised Arcas too too much alreadie wronged by the Heauens but rather suffer him to take some breath in his miseries which hee must perforce endure as well as he may Heape not vpon him stone vpon stone burthen vpon burthen nor mischiefe vpon mischiefe satisfying thy selfe with this his most heauie extremitie without seeking to make his woes more terrible or cruell then they already be For Orythia this I will sweare that the Heauens shall fall vpon this ground and the cold frozen Seas shall turne into hote fire before the heart of vnfortunate Arcas shall be heated with anie other loue then with that of his Diana Her beautie will he loue alone shee onely shall be serued of him pale death it selfe not being of force to alter this constant resolution Then speake no more of this matter vnto mee and let it suffice thee that I honour thee for thy Deitie as Numa Pompilius adored the Nymph Egeria For onely Diana doe I loue and none but her alone Commaund my bodie to serue thee in what he is able call my soule to â—ttend vppon thee at thy will dispose of my poore power as thou shalt best please and bid mee doe anie thing whatsoeuer thou likest Behold me prest to obey thee but not to loue least I should forget my Diana and say I should goe about to doe so yet cannot I although I would neuer so faine Content thee that I doe what I may that I offer thee all that my soule is able and be not so vnourteous vnto me as to binde me to things vnpossible which no man is bound to performe So deare doe I hold thy quietnes answered the weeping Nymphe that for feare I shoulddisplease thee to the end thou shalt perceiue how vnfainedly I doe fancie theeâ— I will rather studie to ouerthrow and vtterlie ruinate mine owne life then seeke by any meanes to hinder or force thy desire any way at all So let it be yea let it be so and so let it still continue since I was borne to be the most miserable of all others And seeing I see so many mortall creatures preferred before my loue who am immortall I will vse to make mine eyes perforce to weepe continually to the ende that they being depriued of their lightes may no longer behold the cause of their ineuitable sorrowes Thou must then O poore Nymph and wretched Orythia resolue with thy selfe to endure this mischiefe and prepare thy selfe to make an ordinary exercise of thy more then heauie mischaunces So liued Venus in woe long time after the death of her Darling Adonis So did Phoebus lament the losse of his deare Daphne And so did Ioue waile for the losse of his Io and his Europa Euen so must I grieue at this mine vnlukie deniall Yet neuertheles A Sentence thou that art the onely motiue of this my mischiefe and the onely cause of this my sharpe and bitter Corsie take heede take heede I say lest for this egregious iniurie which thou now offerest mee the Gods reuenge not themselues vppon thee making thine anguish as great as mine is grieuous euerie way For neuer let him looke for fauour from aboue that hath not shewed mercie vnto such as sue and seeke vnto him heere below And yet accursed that I am mine owne griefe is not so cruell but that the care which I take for thine is farre more troublesome vnto mee I seeking in desire to be doublie plagued perplexed and tormented so I might see thee quite ridde and released from these thy woefull passions although notwithstanding all this thou doest badly requite my great good will towards thee But the Heauens who are farre more iust more excellent and diuine then thou will yeelde me some sufficient guerdon Meane space dispose of dolefull Orythia who is more thine then her owne and reseruing her honor doe with her what thou list shee beeing readie with her diuine power to assist thee in all thy writings which thy mournfull Muse shall sigh forth not onely alone at this time but for euer hereafter not demaunding any other reward of thee for her paines but that shee sometimes may be had in remembrance in thy works which alreadie haue found place amongst the most commendable Inuentions that haue bene accounted of by the brauest Princes and highly prised and esteemed of by manie others and which also shall be had in request heereafter more then euer they yet haue bene despite of the enuious whatsoeuer that goe about to seeke to deface the same Liue then sweet Shepheard and dreame as long as thou please with thy selfe of thy so much desired Loues as I shall do the like of thine But the day shall come in which the Heauens shall depriue thee from the pleasure of the same to the ende thou mayest know by the experience of thine owne proper
vnto him narrowlie and sharpely keepeth him in For nothing increaseth vice and leaudenesse so much as doeth wanton libertie The vnbrideled Colte runneth galloping heere and there committing manie foule disorders The priuiledge of Euill taketh away all Vertue be cause it stifleth the recompence of good deedes and hindreth the punishment due vnto offences The auncient Princes who would haue their Children learne how to obey well before they should commaund sent them to studie amongst the Lacedcmonians to the intent they might be restrained and depriued of this enchaunting libertie through which men draw forth vice as if it were at a full vessell LOVE therefore must be gouernour and protector ouer youthfulnesse which he will purge from badde qualities as the Physition doth the sicke man from corrupt humours replenishing him againe with manie excellent and commendable Vertues Is not then Loue very necessarie The winde carryeth the chaffe from the Corne leauing onely that that is good and fanned cleerly So doth Loue A Similie croppe off vice cutting it away as the husbandman doeth the superfluous braunches of his vine leauing the inward minde neat and quite clensed from all filthinesse of vice Loue can doe more then all knowledge yea then the Muses themselues can doe For he teacheth learned men who hauing a confused masse and heape of thousand Sciences in their braines not knowing in what good manner to deliuer their mindes ar full as concerning these matters how to set downe their meaning orderly and to discourse of euery thing with good method and iudgement imitating the cunning Gold-smith who of a great wedge of Gold forgeth and frameth a great sort of good peeces of plate right profitable for men Or resembling the Sun which breaketh and diuideth in sunder the gloomy clouds which darkē the brightnes of heauē He is the luke-warme blood of the Goate mollifying and sotfning these rocks of Diamonds turning them to the vse of all sorts of people The greatest Doctors are but Dunces vntill Loue hath refined them and that they haue felt what his power is they after that becomming wittie and Courtly enditers through the sweete vaine of Loue. For necessitie findeth out the Art and the perill sought forth by the Soldior vrgeth him to finde the means to saue himselfe And so is the Louer compelled to please his Mistris which he doeth either discoursing vnto her his true and loyall affection in smoothe and pleasing tearms or else couching them sweetly and daintily in writing curiously and with a Courtlike phrase And of this perfection is Loue also the author shall he then be called a Paine and not rather the father of all science and vertue It is reported that the Muses lighted one day vpon Cupid keeping him within a border of flowers but what could that border bring but pleasure and contentment vnto them who had enclosed him within the same The Muses then honored Loue as Conquerors are wont to be vsed placing vpon his head a Crowne of greene flowers as also the most wisest in the world haue offered scrifices vnto him and to his celestiall Godhead he being the greatest power amongst the Gods that are in Heauen Therefore as I will not dispute against him so dare I not maintaine the cause of anie that should not pleade in his behalfe Herewithall the noble Knight held his peace daunting very much the other Nymph that had written against LOVE with these his liuely and excellent reasons which she thought were of such efficacie and force that they could hardly be refelled by anie other But the olde man who found himselfe to be ouercome in the argument hee had with Philistell as concerning Inchauntment and Sorcerie willing to recouer his lost honor and to winne the spurres againe in this second disputation replied against Loue in this wise I cannot denie but must needs confesse that neither the ordinary trauailes that men vse nor the day lie labours which they vsually take ought to be called Paine for they are not alwayes of one force and nature they passing away quiet rest comming in their place as the Bowe that cannot alwaies remaine stiffe and bent wheras Loue onely and that most iustly deserueth well this name of Paine An example The Laborer being payed for his worke is contented and taketh his rest the Husbandman reaping his corne taketh his ease and liueth merilie after but in Loue what quietnes can be found The poore drudge being wearie reposeth himselfe in the night so doth the tyred Traueller and euery beast whatsoeuer but the Louer what rest receiueth he either in the night or day As the day is tedious vnto him so is the night irksome and sadde are they then freed of paine The hungrie desire neuer taketh quiet ease but is in continuall paine the greedie couetous wretch crauing still golde can neuer so much as slumber one winke but the tormented Louers leadeth a wotse life farre then both these twaine because that good which he so much wisheth for and yet cannot obtaine it seemeth more pretious vnto him then all the Treasures in the world This doctrine to KNOW HIMSELFE doeth him no good at all for it cannot bridle his passions keep in his hed strong will nor curb or constraine his ardent affections and hee that cannot so doe can neuer be quiet in his minde Now the Louer coueteth alwayes and couetousnes is the child of paine Is not then Loue the author of paine and is it any thing else then meere griefe Nay although the Louer obtaineth that which he desireth yet for all that his torments cease not because he wisheth still to cōtinue the same for that the sore doubt he hath to lose that which he hath obtained with so much trauell increaseth the paine still in him The more golde the couetous myzer possesseth the more continually he wisheth A Sentence by reason the contentmēt of man is without any limit for being glutted with one kind of meat he is greedy and hungry after an other Diogines gaue out that he was contented in his pouertie but yet he was not for he did hunt after vaine-glory What shall wee then say of Louers who not onely desire to enioy their Loues but also a continuation still to gather them And when that length of much time hath quenched this fire of loue yet is there still remaining some hote cinders which presently is set on fire with the wind of desire as a flame when it is out is reuiued againe with the breath of the Ayre the selfe-same Loue beeing of this propertie that after it hath a long space troubled and tormented ouerthrowne and ruinated a man with continuall paine and anguish of minde in the ende it taketh away his life whether he will or no. Achilles knoweth this to be true who died for louing Polixena being slaine most miserablie amongst his enemies So doth Priam An Example the foolish loue of incestuous Paris being the cause he lost his life And so
thing commaund Euen so these Shepheards mockt at Loue they scorn'd at his renowne Who chafing at them quickly puld their Peacocks plumes adowne Taking them prisoners in the snares which they for others set Whilst idlely they went to hunt the light-foote Leueret So long they gib'de at him till at the last they bought it deare As did the Muses heretofore when as they amorous were And had him taken fettered fast within a Flowrie line He thinking them to haue embrac't through his great power diuine For Cupid in meane time as one enuious of their glorie Thinking the fairer that he tooke the more his victorie Resolu'd to vanquish them and in his yoake to make them draw And force them prooue against their wills the rigor of his law He at anynch doeth follow them watching most warily As doeth the Hunts-man when his game the wilde Boore he doth spie When they were set along the bankes of some cleare running brooke Or on some little Hillock small or Oake for shade had tooke Or whilst like Fairies they sat downe about some siluer spring Some working and some doing one and some another thing Some tuning their Rebeccas rude and some their Cornets shrill Each one themselues applying to what sport they had most will Whilst in the thickest of the grasse and meadowes coloured greene Their prettie foolish Flocks to daunce to feede and bleat were seene Meane time LOVE watch't with wary heed aduantage for to take To spoyle their pleasures sweet and them his prisoners for to make But he did find that this could not vpon the hast be done To vanquish such as prudent be A Sentence is not effected soone This Fort of Vertue to assault he could not find the feate Sore doubting lest in skirmishing he should repulst be beate Not easily can Loue surprise the double fenced brest Of such a one A Sentence who for his Loue of vertue is possest Where through preuention graue he knew he no good there could finde Whilst mongst chast harts his force was like a little blast of winde In th' end when long he had attempt although it was in vaine He playeth the subtile Spie with craft his purpose to obtaine Thrusting himselfe in middest of this chast and harmles flocke As doth the Wolfe when he doth meane the silly Lamhes to mocke Dauncing within the eyes most faire of fairest Shepheardesse To make himselfe be honored there with lowly humblenesse There doth he take his lodging vp this practise for to prooue And rauisheth thousands of harts most chast with her sweet Lone Meane while vnto the Shepheards all this Shepheardesse doth seeme So faire a Creature as her face immortall they do deeme They her adore within their soules and loue her perfectly They seek to serue her honoring her with zeale religiously But she makes no account of them she thinks her selfe diuine Whilst mortall men for her to loue she scorns as t' were a crime Thus Loue with pride such minds doth fill as with such heat is firde And who with such disdainfull spirits most hauty are inspirde So oft fine coyest Dames A Sentence most proud and insolent become When men they 'le haue to account of them yet mens sights will faun Euen as that Souldier who doth back returne to natiue soyle As victor not a little vaunts and bragges of golden spoyle So with vain-glory A Comparison small is not this angell possest Whose insolencie is such as Heauens themselues the same detest Honor oft-times engendred is of the most perfects thing Each one belieues his owne conceit his passion following Accounts of what is excellent within his proper soule But yet such faults as him disgrace he neuer doth controule He seeth the goodliest gifts he hath A Sentence to be distaind with pride Yet on this vice so palpable to looke he cannot bide This Shepheardesse Sycambra proud was call'd and christned so Whose high aspiring wrought in th' end her finall ouerthrow A faire young Shepheard did her loue her did he lone alone But at her hands poore silly soule contentment found he none For though she knew affection his did towards her surmount Yet she not of his friendship waide nor of him made no count Too too diuine she thought her selfe for any for to loue Loues selfe so high she lookt her will could hardly change or moue Yet by the selfe-same Loue her pride was punisht to her cost And this presumptuous minde of hers was cause her life she lost For now behold LOVE who to 'th Gods for might yeelds not at all Brauely totame proud stubborne hearts that pride might haue a fall Beyond this loftie minded Girle doth soare the prize to haue Whilst to a heart more proud then hers he makes her stoope like slane This was a Springall young who of his youth was in the prime Sanguin as Adon faire as faire Nurcissus in his time As trim and fresh as May whose chiefe delight and exercise Was hunting of the rauenous Wolfe as was his vsuall guise The poysoned darts of restles Loue which loyall hearts doth slay His wonted rest brake not at all by night nor yet by day He neuer dream'd of nor ere knew what those sad waylings means Which gripes the Louers oft with griefs and makes them pule leane He carefull looking to his sheepe his time away did passe In hunting was his chiefest ioy his loue wet fishing was Thus doe you see how Loue reueng'd himselfe on that coye Dame Who ore-presumptuous both his grace and fauour did disdaint Thus hurlie burlie makes he being the sire of leand debate Confounds all orders good and sense and changeth our estate So braue Achilles lou'd yet could not lou'd be of his friend So did Apollo Daphne like but t w'as vnto no end So thousands loued haue who nere could right rewarded be Whilst they true tryall made of Loues most vninst crueltte A Sentence Sycambra she whom others lik'te did loue sâ—â—s being lou'd And seeking others to transforme herselfe transformde she proon'd The louely Swaine which she adorde Armanda â—â—epedso Armanda whom Sycambra sought yet nere could find him the. Of stature he was tall well made of personage and face And in discretion bare himselfe with trim and seemely grace His chestnut haire was like vnto the whitish waters wet Which dangling downe in tresses faire did waue alongst his necke His faultlesse for-head large and broad as outward witnes gane By secret instinct as it were of his stout courage brane His eyes in colour like to blacke with twinckling eye-browes hid The swift flight which from bowe doth flie resemble aptly did His Currall mouth was Rubie red like to the ruddyrose When through the heat of Sunne himselfe he daintily doth close His checks white as the Creame wherein red strawberies one flings His Gate and port like to the state Maiesticall of kings His naked chinne declar'd his youth on which no haire was yet His well-growne armes his valour
haue euer bene accomplished and brought to passe without extreame boldnesse and exceeding great venturing yea and many times without all apparance of Reason They which spare to venture prooue for the most part Audaces Fortuna iuuat the midosque repellat poore and beggerly wretches For Fortune most commonly fauoureth such as be be bolde and of a desperate spirit whereas cowards and such as be white-liuered shee reiecteth and bringeth enought The Gods themselues vouchsafe to accept men for their seruitors nothing disdaining at all their sincere oblations and offerings Neither do you iudge aright of mine inward affection towards you For in louing you I doe honour you this my loue not being the childe of an vnchast Venus but of renowmed and illustrious Honour Too too diuine is your Beautie too braue your Vertue too chaste your mind and too sacred your honor to be tainted or once touched with the dart of Cytherea Besides Vertue it selfe neuer disdaineth dutious affection and loyall constancie for her attendants and seruitours which if it be so Then why should not you entertaine the poore Shepheard Arcas for your slaue The selfe-same Goddesse which you honour hath deerely loued a simple Swaine shee descending downe from the heauens to come vnto him and to search for him with all delightfull and pleasant shewes that may be Venus likewise hath not thought scorne of the amitie of louely Adonis why then should you disdaine mine Well may you forbid me but hinder me you cannot For loue you I must nor can anie thing turne me from the same Easilie may man tame his couetous passion his losses and hinderances his sorrowes and griefes but hardly or neuer can hee ouercome Loue. For neither Dame Nature her-selfe nor anie cunning Art are able to giue vs anie such precepts as are sufficient to bring the same to passe Dauid nor Dauids wise sonne Hercules nor strong Sampson Plato nor wittie Aristotle Ouid nor learned Virgill were neuer able to doe it hee hauing forced them all to trie his conclusions Bee then perswaded most excellent Nymphe and esteeme not so lightly of the puissance and force of LOVE lest hee make you to feele of his powerfull effects as that Prince vseth to deale hardly with such of his people and subiects as goe about to reuolt from him Fond man A Sentence replyed shee smiling The faults of great personages excuseth not the follies of the meaner sort whom wee must follow not in their riches but rather imitating them in their Vertues for their mightinesse couereth the faults which they doe the other not being able to doe the like because they want the authoritie the first are in If Diana and Venus haue loued therefore thinkest thou that I am bound to follow them and Loue as they did If so thou thinkest thou art much deceiued A Kingdome may well suffer a wicked and an vniust Prince and yet it doeth not followe but that his subiects may be both faithfull and godly Vertue is as much commendable in the poore A Sentence as in the rich and the sillie wretch dught as much to doubt to offend as hee that is most wealthiest and mightiest of all because the violating of Vertue admitteth no excuse at all in as much as men are more bound vnto her then vnto any thing else in the world Thinke not then that either these thy examples or these thy reasons are able to change my minde to alter my will or as much as once to make the least breach that is into the inuincible Forte of my chaste thought Subtill Sophisters in their schooles to maintaine their bad opinions neuer want Arguments which carrie the shewe and face of Reason So you Louers learne in the Academie of your Maister manie goodly discourses which resemble such fruite as is faire and ripe outwardly but within is rotten and vnwholsome and good for nothing For how can they be good or iust when the Doctor that teacheth them by your testimonies is without reason and blinde and without all equitie and iustice The beginning of your Song is alwayes this that it would please vnto entertaine you into our seruices Because forsooth your Loue is most sacred and chast towards vs. But good wine in time groweth to be sower and sharpe And so these your goodly considerations and chast respects waxe daily worse and worse so that in the ende they come to be starke naught indeed and much disagreeing with our Honours as the sweetest meate is soonest spoyled through the heate of the Sunne Giue ouer then good Swaine and neuer talke vnto me more of these errors which make both high and lowe to forget themselues otherwise I will stoppe mine eares as the Serpent doeth his with his taile I seeing her choller to be somewhat abated replied thus Rich Treasure of Vertue vnder correction your owne wordes condemne your owne opinion which you holde For if wee must not iudge by the example of others and if particular actions be they good or badde binde not the generall Then why thinke you that all Louers are scarce chaste or vertuous when there be diuers found to be of a contrarie disposition and Nature All the Goddesses were not like to Venus nor all the Gods of the humour of Iupiter He that hath abused himselfe no way but doeth his businesse honestly and well not going about any Treacherie or Treason ought not to abide the punishment of a Traitor For that were to doe against all Iustice there being great difference betweene the guiltlesse and the guiltie in the manner of their liues When I shall haue spoken or done any thing against my former meaning then may you well enroll mee amongst the number of those infamous Louers but vntill I shall so doe you cannot iustly accuse mee Did I thinke you were otherwise then you say you are and that Honor Vertue Modestie and Chastitie lodged not in your brest I could not I assure you loue you so much as I doe For that Loue that is not immortall is but a Loue false deceitfull and counterfait The Loue which one attributeth alone vnto Beautie passeth and dieth without the the same but that which respecteth Vertue continueth sacred and sure for euer because it neuer dyeth no more then Vertue it selfe doth If wee will loue rightlie then must wee loue the soule which is the receptacle of Reason which neuer perisheth and not the bodie which in small processe of time endeth and decaieth My conclusion is thus that I honour you for your vertue I loue you for your beautie hoping you will accept of my poore sacrifices least you be condemned to be more haughtie and high-minded then the Gods themselues who disdaine not to listen vnto the supplication of a sincere and loyall heart No more Shepheard answered the Virgin importune me no more Hee that is wise ought not alone to be without spot or blame but must as well be free and cleare from all suspition of the same Taking away
still in such base and abiect seruitude and bondage These speeches did the cunning Curtezan vse sepatheticallie sending forth so manie sighes and teares to accompanie the same that as I gesse the rightfull God to reuenge poore Izabellas wrongs did so much animate the strength and courage of the Moore her husband that as one desperate with rage and iealousie hee most furiouslie runneth with all his Troupes vpon the Portugall Armie whome as a Thunder or Lightning hee ouerturneth so that the Christians doe what they could were ouerthrowne and had the worse Which when Horatio percelued he as a wise and politike Capitaine beganne with aduantage to retire vntill such time as the foresaid diuellish Moore came where hee was who with his wife set vpon him where Horatio slue them both whilst in this conflict ouer pressed with numbers of Souldiers hee was strucken downe and thrust through with a Iaueline where he lost both force and life together So died the companions of Machabeus An example being slaine by the fword who were found charged with Thefts and Robberies So by the decree of God those chiefe men and heads ouer the people of the lewes were hanged vp because they caused the other to commit Idolatrie and leaue their Creator So was the periurde Zedechias forced to die in prison hauing his eves pulled our and his children slaine before his face And so perished Ioconias and diuers others iustlie punished by the holie one of Israel For Iustice diuine neuer giueth ouer from doing right And if it be slowe in comming yet doth the crueltie of the punishment make amends for the deferring of the same Meane time the Portingales gathered themselues againe into battaile array and followed their enemies with so hote a pursuite as they at the last recouered and brought backe againe the bodie of their Capitaine ouer which the Moores meant to haue triumphed So for the bodie of Achilles deere friend slaine The Greekes and Troyans hand to hand doe fight amaine Hardly did these Infidels let the bodie goe skirmishing oftentimes with their foes for the same yet neuerthelesse in despite of them all the Portingales gote it away and brought it with them which as yet breathed and had some little life within it But sorrowfull newes were these vnto heauy Izabella who hoped that at the ioyfull returne of her husband all should be well as shee her selfe could wish But man purposeth and God disposeth man hopeth of one thing but God doth quite contrarie to that which he supposeth So Senacherib thinking to conquer was himselfe conquered and the Iewes who thought themselues to be quite ouerthrowne came in the end to be victors So proud Goliah was slaine contratie vnto his owne conceit and to the opinion of all men So Amon was hanged neuer any thinking he should haue died such a shamefull death And Mardocheus who was condemned to be slaine was honoured deliuered And so it fell out with this vncomfortable Ladie who hoping to see her husband to come home well and safe vnto her and to repent him of his former follies found him to be slaughtered and dead without life or soule O cruell mutation change truth it is that she before had heard by certaine of her husbands Souldiours that had escaped out of the field that the Portugalls had lost the day but yet knew she nothing of his death And yet euen then a cold feare ran all about her heart whilest she sore suspecting the worst prophesied within her selfe that it was true and that she had lost her husband and not not long after her doubt was confirmed but with too too true a proofe when the rest of his band brought his coarse into the citie vnto her where she was and when so denly at the sight thereof she sounded it being long before they could get life in her againe whilest in the meane space Horatios mangled carkasse was laid in a bed God giuing him so much time of repentance as he craued mercie of him and of all the world for his bad life whilest all that small time as he so lamēted his sinnes his faithfull Souldiours with sad teares wonderfully lamented the losse of so noble a Generall vnder whom they had alwaies remained vanquishers So Greckes did waile Achilles death of great renowne So Troyans Hector moande chiefe Fortresse of their towne Great Machabeus one of the Nine WORTHIES was neuer more lamented amongst his men of warre than he was amongst the Portugalls whom he had so often brought home victorious ladē with forraigne spoyles into their countrie Who then perceiuing himselfe to drawe nigh vnto his end desired to talke with his wife that he might take his latest leaue of her But now what is he that can lend mea Sea of Inke to set downe the grieuous passions and the insupportable sorrowes of his pittifull wife Where shall I find a pen of Iron to paint forth her lamentable speeches And what paper is sufficient to receiue in writing the number of her more then sad and heauie complaints To hers was the woes of Niobe nothing at all Nothing the griefes of Hecuba nothing those of Portia nor those of chast Lucretia compared vnto hers With much adoe was she brought vnto the bed for goe she could not for very faintnes weakenes where her repētant husband was giuing vp the Ghost who so soone as he beheld her O griefe O loue O pittie O heauie spectacle that it was to see this heauie meeting such as like was neuer seene before the poore dying soule beginning in his death to affect and loue her more entirely then euer he had hated her before whilest thrusting forth his dying armes with seeble force to embrace her and laying his cold lips vpon hers with a hollow faultring voyce he began thus to speake as well as he could O fortunate day in which poore Horatio dieth reposing himselfe at ease in the bosome of his Izabella O my chaste and sweet Ladie must I needs die leauing after my death so foule a fault as thou shalt haue cause to complaine of me as the authour of all thy griefes whatsoeuer No way am I able to make thee any reasonable satisfaction neither know I how sufficiently to make amends for so hainous and so detestable an offence as I haue committed against thee which the iust God hath reuenged vpon me for thy sake and according as I deserued But sweet wife if as yet there remaineth any one small sparke of that rare and loyall Loue thou hast heretofore borne me and if iust griefe and rightfull disdaine hath not quenched it all and quite put it out then by the selfesame affection and fancie I pray desire and beseech thee most humbly to pardon me this once and not to be the cause that miserable Horatio should goe into his graue with great anguish and exceeding bitternes of his soule This pardon as I hope for of thee so doe I expect it at thy hands crauing in the
lost his former libertie and the freedome of his heart for the same He resembled that Pilot who seeth his Shippe to leake and full of holes by which the water entereth and therefore dispaireth of life And such a one was our wretched Conquerour who saw no remedie for him to quench this fire which burned his inward entrailes Hee was in loue with a Princesse the onely daughter of his King and whome the greatest Monarks of the world would haue thought themselues fortunate to haue had her for wise and who was so vertuous and wise as hardly could she be induced vnto Loue. Yet his misfortunes take to them a larger scope Hee giues not ore to Loue though he is without hope But after he hath considered within himselfe wisely of the matter he findeth that it is but meere follie to set vp his rest at that game anie longer and therfore hee resolueth to giue it ouer But the more he thinketh to forget his Loue the more Affection kindeleth within Not vnlike the Byrd who being taken in the lime-twigges the more she striueth to get away the more she is intangled Wherevpon one day he being alone calleth for mee and because he knewe I had some experience in Loue he demaunded my aduise therein discouering his wound vnto mee and crauing my best counsell I â—ouing him dearely perswaded him to chase away that venomous Adder and that he play not as that husbandman of the Countrie did who kept a Snake so long in his bosome till at the last hee stung him for his kindnes Besides I discoursed vnto him of the bloody outragiousnes of Loue often sighing as I reported the same vnto him because as then I remembred mine olde loue in Arcadia Hee hearing me say so strait belieued me determining with himselfe not to follow his faire Mistris any longer in chase and with that resolution willing mee to depart he layeth him downe vpon his bedde thinking to take his rest for a while But no sooner were his eyes closed but that Loue opened them againe presenting the beauâ—â—â— of 〈◊〉 Ladie before him so that presently he was chaunged in minde minding now to lone her againe As that Traueller who being bound by reason of some busines of great importance to take Sea no sooner arriueth at the shore but that hee fearing to enter the Sâ—â—ppâ— because of drowning retireth backe againe but afterward remembring the weightineâ— of the matter and how much it importeth him for his profit to goe onwards on his iourney marcheth backe againe vnto the water hazardeth himselfe and so in the end performeth his voyage Euen so my perplexed Lord after hee hath done what he can to subdue his passion and yet cannot at the last seeing no other remedie he resolueth to loue and to submit himselfe vnder the seruile yoake of cursed Cupid Or as the bondslaue hauing escaped in the night determineth with himselfe to be followed after in the day time chaungeth his aduise and frighted with extreame feare returneth home vnto his Maister Euen so Don Iohn hee is in the ende forced to acknowledge proud LOVE for his soueraigne Lord and is glad to yeeld vnto him Wherevpon he calleth mee againe vnto him making me priuie vnto his resolution discoursing still of Loue and flattering himselfe he would needes perswade mee that Loue was courteous and gentle when hee knew right well in his owne conscience that he did finde him otherwise But I on the other side wish him not to belieue so but rather aduise him to banish Loue from him as one that is an aduersarie both vnto his life and quietnes deliuering vnto him many proofes of the crueltie of that blinde God and of his villainous nature All this he heareth although hee knoweth not what to answere vnto the same because I spake but reason and yet for all this such was his mishap as like an obstinate and selfe-wild man he standeth still in his blind error stiffely As the robber by the high way side beeing admonished by some faithfull friend of his to giue ouer that leaud kinde of life telling him of the wretched and wicked end he is like to come vnto if he continueth still in the same listneth vnto him very earnestly and yet neuerthelesse falleth vnto his old kinde of trade of robbing is the same man still and so continueth Euen so this Gaualier although he gaue good eare vnto my reasons and perswasions yet did he persist as one obdurate in former follie and selfe-wilfulnesse But yet to say truth he was somewhat to be excused herein seeing he was no more maister of his owne selfe but rather Loue vnder whose Banner he fought Long lay he vpon his bed and yet he could not sleepe by reason of such strange visions as Loue presented vnto his eyes Whose fashion it is when he hath once conquered he will seldom or neuer suffer him to be in quiet Whervpon Don Iohn ariseth from his loathed bed taking his iourney towards the Kings Pallace where by the way hee is saluted and commended of all men but yet all these honors abated his paine little or nothing because he found by experience that he had lost more then euer he was like to recouer againe Besides if he had but knowne the minde of his Mistrisse he then could the sooner haue resolued what to doe according vnto her answere which was either to die or to followe his suite begunne But not knowing her will hee knewe not what to say nor what to thinke of the matter For Each Louer that is burned with this amorous flame In word and deed dependeth on his louely Dame Not long had hee stayed in the Court but that it was his good Fortune to haue a sight of his Mistrisse whome he thought to be wonderfullie inereased in Beautie since last hee saw her so as if shee then deserued to be honored as a Ladie why now shee merited to be worshipped and adored as if shee had bene some Goddesse indeed And thus his affection increaseth more and more On the other side the young Princesse began to feele a kinde of alteration within her selfe and found her heart to fancie Don Iohn aboue all men liuing Yea and so much as she thought he deserued to haue her Loue before anie other And yet when she remembred her Royall birth whose daughter she was and the greatnes of her honour shee beganne somewhat to forget him so as her desire was no sooner lightned but that it was quenched againe Not vnlike vnto those children borne before their time who no sooner are brought into the world but they straitway die Meane time the Knight who was not so bad a scholler in Loues schoole but that he had learned some lessons therein beganne to gather by the stealing glaunces which she cast vpon him that shee did not altogether hate him and therefore beganne to perswade himselfe that he was likely to haue some good successe in his amorous busines Wherevpon hee thought to venture to
had receiued their owne liues of him before who might if he so had pleased haue put them both to death So sweet was the pardon my Ladie gaue me which quite changed my minde restored mee to life and draue away all desire of death from me Straunge and extraordinarie are the meanes by which the Heauens lend ayde and assistance vnto miserable men especially when they least expect any such succour to be at hand Thousands of daungers did constant Marius escape and in the ende came to be chiefe Ruler in Rome The Heauens are so curteous as hardlie will they suffer that anie man be ouerthrowne or vndone and fewe haue there bene that haue offered to lay violent handes vpon themselues which they haue not saued Being as then both iocund and merrie I feasted and made much of poore Fortunio within my little Cabbin who vppon a day sitting at the Table with mee began thus to talke Certainely I will neuer maruell more to see thy face portrayed forth with griefe seeing thou louest so faire a Ladie For farre more daungerous and difficult is his Trauaile who aduentureth beyond the Seas to finde such curious marchandizes as be precious and rare then the paines an other taketh who is contented with such things as his owne Countrey affordeth No more can thy enterprise be other then heauie and full of perill thou louing no ordinarie Beautie but such a one as is most peerlesse and admirable And therefore is thy minde more haughtier then other Louers who followe faces lesse faire then thine by oddes But yet let this be thy comfort that the more thou doest hazard thy selfe in this so dangerous an Attempt the more glorious shall the victorie be when thou shalt obtaine the same For not matters of small importance but such as be hard and vnlikely to be atchieued deserue honour Vertue oftentimes making her selfe knowne amongst foule Vices as the Sunne doth in middest of the starres But I pray thee tell mee who set thee in hand with this second Taske and what gentle God heated thee with this other flame seeing thou so long time didst vowe seruice vnto the diuine Iulietta who when shee shall know hereof will condemne thee for chaunging and account thee as one fickle and vnconstant Ah Fortunio replyed I none can iustlie conceiue such finister opinion of mee For doest not thou knowe that my Loues were neuer other then honest and commendable I neuer loued the Bodie of anie woman so much as I did her soule It was the beautie of the minde and not the perfection of her personage that I esteemed and therefore doest not thou call to membrie that onely sighes haue bene the fruites of my loues He cannot be tearmed a Thiefe or Robber that liketh and seeketh for all such qualities as Vertue maketh amiable in anie subiect where they are found Neither will the wise be angrie or offended at all that their equalls are accounted of and that their perfections are honoured and blazed abroade as well as their owne bee Long since the auncient Sages of Sparta neuer fell out amongst themselues nor were iealous the one of the other if many of them had cast their affection vpon one goodly childe or other because they all striuing to exceede one an other in good will endeuoured within themselues to bring vp the same youth to be as perfect as might bee How then can my famous Iulietta condemne mee or once thinke ill of mee if I hauing heeretofore exalted carrolized and blazoned abroad her rare Thewes doe now take Truce with my Penne to the ende I might the more casilie bestowe a little time in displaying by my writings the excellent gifts of an other Ladie who doth participate with her Vertues The loue that a kinde Father beareth vnto one of his Children doth not hinder him but that hee may make much of the rest And the white colour that one esteemeth of in his owne conceit is no such let but that hee may as well like what is sable and blacke This word Vnconstant or Wanering is meant by such sensuall and voluptuous Louers as seeke and hunt after pleasure onely delighting also in chaunge and neuer making account of Vertue as I doe For of what Inconstancie can the faire and learned Iulietta taxe me if without hauing broken my word vnto her I honour her as much as euer I did before Whereas cruell should that honour be vnto mee and hardly should shee deale with mee if she should forbid me to reuerence and esteeme of an other Ladie who deserueth the same dutious respect as shee doeth As a iealous Husband is cruell and vnkinde vnto his chaste wife if he shall prohibite and hinder her to loue such qualities as are commendable and praise-worthie Honest Affection is not like vnto foolish Loue for the one beareth and endureth many things with patience it being possible for one man to loue manie vertuous sparits without reproach and all at one time where the foolish Louer cannot loue ante more then one fond woman at once except hee be counted a Cozoner and forsworne He cannot be iudged to be wise and of discretion who for his owne respect will seeke to hinder in what hee may that such things as are vertuous and commendable should not be liked nor accounted of But such a one is not of himselfe worthie of anie Loue at all For to oppose ones selfe against the honour which is giuen vnto Vertue is to be her mortall enemiet Vertue being worthie to be reuerenced and prised in what manner soeuer she is found as a rich Ring is to be accounted of vpon what finger soeuer it is put Poore was Homer and yet his Learning brought him to be respected hee hauing had bestowed vpon him thousands of Honors worthie of eternall glorie yet if hee should haue sought to haue swallowed vp all these great Fauours done vnto him and haue studied by all the meanes hee could to crosse others that deserued well seeking to keepe them backe from such dignities as were awarded vnto them hee not onely should haue bene counted both grosse and ignorant but also spitefull malicious and ill giuen And so would the world repute of the matchlesse Iulietta if shee should stomacke and take in ill part that her equalls should haue such praise as they but worthilie merite For although now I loue Diana yet doe I not anie way giue ouer to like Iulietta But the Schoole-maister sometimes giueth ouer teaching graunting leaue vnto his Scholler to goe play not suffering him alwayes to stand poaring vpon his booke Euen so I most humble must intreat her to permit mee for a while to sound forth the praises of Diana abroad as I haue alreadie done hers But now repose thy selfe Fortunio and take thy quiet rest for I perceiue thou art as yet wearie of thy great trauaile and labour and we will hereafter finde a more conuenient leisure to talke of these our olde matters Wherevpon the poore soule tooke mee at my
strange glittering beauties excellence Then of his ill the sillie wretch had knowledge at that hower Yet to resist or to withstand the same he had no power He felt his captiue heart attacht and roughly raught away And yet for all this would he not make of the same a stay All meanes of helpe he banisht thence and yet he felt the griefe He saw he was as one vndone yet would not seeke reliefe He was in prison yet he did refuse his libertie He found his error yet not once Peccauie would he crie He neuer sought to driue from him this ill iueuitable Though through the same he found himselfe for euer miserable Cruell effects of Loue such Louers as quite senselesse bee Cannot auoid their hurt although with eyes they doe it see So in Florettas beautious eyes Plaindor now captiuate Where he should haue resisted is proud of his lost estate He counts himselfe thrise fortunate that he thus vanquisht is By so diuine a beautie which he vowes his chiefest blisse He this his hurt doth better loue then all his former health His bondage fore his libertie he doth preferre and wealth Ah Louers more then wretched right worse hundred times then hell Is your estates and worse then death were it but death t' were well To th' enemie of your sweet liues your selues you doe deuote Your hang-man you doe honour still who seekes to cut your throte You are not able once to shunne to hate or to detest That which doth make you languish and you tortureth with vnrest You loue what workes your miseries and beautie chiefest sore To peacefull mindes of worthiest men as Goddes you adore Each one excepting Louers wrongd reuengement seekes by lawe Defends himselfe and being hurt vpon his foe doth drawe Each one except the Louer wars against his Enemie makes Hath reason to detest him and against him vantage takes He onely yeelds himselfe as slaue vnto his owne distresse He honoreth his tormentor fierce his prison he doth blesse Who remedie doth seeke for him him he accounts no friend He rather hates him mortally as if he were a fiende But were not Louers obstinate Good counsell vnto Louers did reason rule their minde Thus peruerse still gainst their owne good they would not be vnkinde And thus doth Plaindor now quite change from his first happie state That beautie worshipping which he ought rather for to hate As sensuall beast bereft of sense his heart he offereth free To her who seekes for to abridge his ioyfull libertie As sacred her he doth account and holdes her for a Saint Who is the motiue of his mone and subiect of his plaint With great deuotion dotarde like he vowes to reuerence That which vnto his life doth seeke to offer violence Thus from a man vnto a beast he is transformed right Whilst he doth seeke to gaine by losse and Loue which he should spight Yet onely in this thing his lucke was not ore passing bad Since one to beare him companie he in his sorrow had Floretta felt somewhat the darts of Loue though not so keene Which iustly seem'd diuided right these two young soules betweene A little she did feele the heate of this hot amorous fire Which in the loyall Shepheards heart was kindled through desire His personage and valour now her libertie had wonne And as she him before so now he her had ouercome Her milde behauiour showed the same her colour and her grace And her two eyes which still were sixt vpon his manly face Which rauished with selfe-like Loue like to a mirror true The one the others heauie case beheld and sad did view The stealing glaunces which they both cast forth alike did showe That in one selfesame Sea of Loue their hearts were dround with woe Their vncoth heates their scalding sighes their amorous soundings sweete Foretold that of one selfesame cup they both had drunken deepe Shame onely then withheld their tongues from silence to vntie And feare least one the others sute vnkindly should denie Both knewe they lou'de yet both did doubt least they not loued were They onely thought vpon that Loue which both did willing beare No signes betweene them yet had force although enough were showen To make the truth of both their mindes vnto their soules be knowen Floretta building on her beautie faire thought Plaindor lou'de And that to yeeld himselfe her thrall he casily might be mou'de Her greatest doubt was least he should not constant be nor true But in the ende would giue her o're and cause her so to rue Plaindor againe could not perswade himselfe so blest to be As for to be belou'd of her he thought she nere would gree He not so much as thinke so durst but rather did dispaire Ere to enioy the thing he held so deare and thought so rare He durst not oncedesire't for feare least being the same denide He therefore should the greater griefe in his successe haue tride Yet in the ende this Shepheah poore quite wearied with his paine Tooke heart at grasse though little lif within m did remaine His eyes fixt on the ground full sad his eyelidds closed tho And in his gesture many sighes forct from him too and fro His â—â—â—mbling soule full of pale dread teares trickling downe ore warme His mindâ— tâ—rmented diuersely with many a fierce alarme His blâ—â—â—ing heart prest downe with woe which throbd and sobd through feare And gainst all hope of future good in combat as it were His armes a crosse in wofull wise vnarmed he alone Thus to Floretta in few words his case he doth bemone Diuine and rarest beautie if the Gods haue heretofore Bin as I am of libertie depriude and which is more Lâ—ft their chiefe rest whilst in themselues they bare as open signe Such earthly beautie as did seeme more like themselues diuine Leauing the heauens their darts and fires their fortunes for to proue Disdaining nought as souldiers braue to march in Campe of Loue. If that their soules were scorched with this Archers fire so whot As for their wounds to finde some salue to seeke they shamed not If they as I felt thousand plagues for louing as I doe DEARE then that I endure the like let not be straunge to you Each seekes the steppes of these great Gods to follow and though he Doe somewhat erre in following them yet ought he pardoned be My heart as theirs I wounded finde with darts most mortally Which thou gainst me discharged hast from thy commanding eye The selfe same fire that was in them is seazde vpon my soule From sparkels now t is growen to flames and lord-like doth controule Burnt are my senses all my powers consumed vnto nought My reason is enchaunted sore and I to ruine brought If thee I see I die If not I then doe pine a way Thus by no meanes my sicknes strange I swage can or allay To quench this raging fire I done haue what I can alasse But t will not be although I would I cannot bring
't to passe This onely now remaines for me my life is in thy hand If I shall liue or die the power as now within thee stands By thee alone I hold this life for thee I die as now That hope I haue thou nourishest my feare engendrest thou Sweete then take pittie of this Loue like Caos so confuse And graunt my hearts request who there his aduocate doth chuse Mine i st not any more thine eyes from me the same did take Then being thine doe pittie it and much of it doe make Destroy not what is in thy power but rather it preserue In man great wisedome t is what is his owne for to conserue I craue not that thou me my captiue heart againe restore To liue with so braue conquerour as thou t is happier more My wils if any interest longes to me in the same As much I doubt since it I lost no more I may it claime It still within thy louely bands as prisoner true be bound Nor in my brest his wonted place no more henceforth be found Then since it is thine owne and that an amorous sweete desire To haue respect vnto his health and life doth thee require Vnlesse thou on his fortune hard dost take some kinde remorse In thy chast amities pure heate he needes must die of force Ah then relent be pittifull in fauourable wise And daine for to accept from him this dutious sacrifice For what can I offer more deare to thee then my deere heart Which nere would yeelde to Loue before he felt this bitter smart Which scornd his vtmost force and lawes did vtterly reiect And of his manly stomack stout did showe full many effect Then of so braue a vanquisht Foe ore-come by beautie thine Take pittie and him gently vse in this his captiue time Such gallant souldiers as be tooke in field by chaunce of warre A Similie Be much respected kindly vsde and honoured much they are And whilst as prisoners they remaine and till their ransome come All friendly courtesie to them in louing sort is done Then to my humble heart faire Dame who thee doth honour deere Not cruell be as if thy foe whome thou should'st hate he were Ah gently vse him or without thus suffering him to lie Still languishing giue verdit strait and he shall willing die For if thy grace he may not gaine he cannot liue on earth Whose wounds are deadly happie he if ease he finds by death A Sentence Speake then Floretta faire to me nor by thine answere sower Be thou the cruell cause to force me leaue my life this hower SWEET speake for by their Oracles contented are the Gods To answere men yet greater farre then men they are by ods So said the Shepheard who in feare the summons did attend Offortune good or bad if he should liue or life should end Like to the guiltie criminall who is of hope depriu'd A Comparision Whilst iudgement with great terror he expects to be disliu'd His heart did paint full sore and fast his face for feare did sweat Mistrust did show in his sad eyes feare in his soule was set Disgrace and shame to be denide his bodie gauld throughout Who doth attend for what he longes and languisheth in doubt Thus wandred too and fro his vitall spirits in this state Whilst that his life did seeme to him as ouer desperate Tide was his tongue and now it irke him that he ought had said Wishing that he his secret wound to her had not bewraide So doth a braue and gallant mind by famine forct to beg Repent him after that an almes demanded thus he had But at the last the Shepheardesse dissolu'd these doubts confuse Chearing somewhat the Shepheard by these words which she did vse The time hath bin that Venus though Loues mothers she hath lou'd Whilst selfe same plagues which she inflicts on others she hath prou'd Great Ioue the President and chiefe of all the Gods aboue Did thinke it no disparagement at all to be in loue Both Gods and Goddesse haue lou'd then why should I be blam'd Since but with selfesame spot I am as they haue all bin staind Ioue life hath giuen vnto vs that we should follow him To erre as Gods A Sentence is no offence so praise not blame we winne Then may I without scandall loue as they before haue done So as my loue in chastest path of loyaltie doe come With such loue Plaindor thee I like and hope this loue so strong Shall be of force thy constancie to make endure more long I loue thee yet no power thou hast ore body mine at all If once presume vnmodestly A Sentence ought to request thou shall For no loue is that loue indeed but rather furious rage That seekes our honour with disgrace or infamie t' engage Then I will loue thee yet of me thy selfe nought else assure But my chast faith which I le reserue to thee vnspotted pure Vntill that happie time shall chance to hap to vs at last When we by sacred marriage rights may coupled be more fast And with this Plaindor be content for what more canst require Then of my loue to be assur'd which is thy chiefe desire The loyall wish of Louers true is loue reciprocall For where good meaning is and plaine there none is mockt at all But for to 〈◊〉 for plâ—â—â—ure send alone in sensuall wise Is brutish 〈◊〉 to beâ—stâ—s who show all reason to despise Did I but thinks Shepheard thy Loue not sober were or chast Or that within thy brest blaâ—k thoughts staine to my state were plast That from thy heart all honour thou and credit didst reiect And more of 〈◊〉 mâ—â—t â—nlike then vertue didst respect Assure thy selfe I will â—râ—uâ—ng myself on thee so sore As for thy boldnes thou shouldst diâ— although I dide therefore And I soone pâ—â—ish would my 〈◊〉 for that I was so vaine To loue a friend so small of worth a my chast minde to staine My blood shed by my hands should wash my fault and error baed Since I to maker hoyce of my Loue no better foresight had Floretta nere shall liue to morne by taking such disgrace Floretta sooner flourish shall by death which I le imbrace Then Plaindor liue and thinke thy selfe thrise happie for to be Since of a vertuous Loue thy selfe assured thou dost see Mâ—aâ—â— time looke to thy selfe attending that same blessed day The haruâ—st of our â—hastest Loue when Hymen gather may To die or say ought that vnto discredit mine may turne For which death purging me too late thou then for me shalt mourne He that is wise seekes to be Lord ore his affections And he a conquerour is right that conquers his passions Be thou such one deare friend for who with prudencie doth cope Findes his desires soone riâ—in dare and nourished his hope Thus wisely spake Floretta faire whose golden speech so graue Made Plaindor in his entrailes hot a greater burning haue Her sage discretion
as long as my bones shall be ioyned vnto this flesh will I reuerence thee as long as my soule shall be martyred within this bodie will I dutiously regard thee bewailing thy losse whilst I shall haue libertie to breath and to be able to make sensible things gentle giue eare vnto my complaints But I see reuerend Sire that I doe but wearie thee and trouble thine eares ouermuch to importune them with these pittious discourses of my hard fortune now therefore will I change my note resoluing to doe what it shall please thee to command me Yet before we proceede any further spare me I pray thee so much leisure as to heare a Sonet of mine which I being depriued of my Ladie cast off and quite left of mortall men cleane for gotten of such as haue bin beholding vnto me my sad or rather colericke Muse endited for me whilst I wandered vp and downe this darkesome Forrest Reade it quoth the old man for both thy prose and verse are pleasing vnto me seruing me in steed of sweet Roses to reuiue and refresh mine ancient heate And thinke not but that thy speeches are worthy to be harkned vnto Whereupon the Shepheard red this Sonet following Beyond the Stigian Stix hath Caron reft Thee O diuine Faith and for company Friendship with thee who must not here be left For faith is nothing without amitie Alas why let'st thy Muse liue in disdaine To thee and her a fortune vsuall seene Thou men beleeu'st t is they that thee haue slaine Abusing her through othes as thou hast bin Thy comforts this thou diest at this hower Her ende was languishing long ere she dide A speedie death is sweete a lingring sower She starued died by flowing plenties side You Mortals then let in one Tombe remaine Faith Loue and Muses since they were of prise For fond is he that calls them backe againe And you not Loyall are friendly nor wise This Dittie of thine said the old man is pithie and graue but yet the Subiect thereof is somewhat displeasing vnto me For I cannot doe men that iniurie as to thinke or imagine that they should become enemies vnto the Muses considering but for them their memories and names should rest and lie buried with their bodies in the selfesame graue And although age hath cooled and frozen in me my first Tragick furie Mother of all good verses yet will I answere thee as well as I may Heare me then awhile Whereupon he began thus If in one coffin FAITH LOVE and the MVSES graue By earthly creatures hand enformed close doe lie And thinke their deedes and name immortall so to haue They doe abuse themselues with ore much Surquedrie If FAITH no more liues and if hence we banish LOVE If MVSES haue on earth no sacred Altars here Heauens then must perish And the supreme Gods aboue With essence their's diuine confused must appeare But heauens as yet stand firmely Gods doe raigne And mortall men by liuing on the earth belowe So FAITH LOVE and the MVSES still aliue remaine The sinnes of men cannot exile them vnto woe Astormie Tempest may the Sunne sometimes obscure Yet afterward his Beames shew forth more bright and graue See Shepheard quoth the old man if this Sonnet hath as yet any smacke of this gallant heate which en flameth youthfull spirits with the hot cinders of glory And if my Muse shall so much vouchsafe as to fauour me with some small conceit to accompanie my trembling old age which although she doe not and that my verses be rude and ill shapen yet of this I am well assured that the Subiect is both good and true For how O Shepheard can heauens and earth continue without Loue If the Gods should fall at variance and Loue should be driuen away from them who then during this confused dissension and tempestuous hurly-burly should guide the course of the heauens and giue order about the gouernment of terrestiall matters What good rule and order and what vpright Iustice or policie is there found in that cittie An example wherein the Magistrates are at variance diuided into factions and quite discrepant in opinions No no Loue of necessitie must liue amongst the Gods to the ende he may maintaine vnion amitie and friendship one with the other he giuing directions as well for diuine as earthly businesses Father answered the Shepheard this question of thine is verie easilie resolued and thou as quickly to be contented and satsfied in this poynt There is no neede at all to haue the companie of Loue in the heauens to be as an assistance or helper in the maintaining and gouerning of celestiall causes seeing amongst vs there is but one God whose onely diuine prouidence alone ruleth both heauen and earth he being not disvnited at all for it is a Substance simple not subiect vnto diuision and therefore hath nothing to doe with Loue to bring him to agreement seeing he can neuer be diuided And this is for the auncient Paynims to discourse vpon these naturall reasons God then A similie doth not meddle nor hath not to deale with this Loue I meane such as is wanton but dearely doth he affect perfect amitie inasmuch as he loueth mankinde which are his children he demaunding the selfe-same loue of them againe The Soueraigne Magistrate vpon whose commaundements the gouernment of the whole cittie dependeth cannot be at controuersie with his Subiects about the ordering thereof because they doe not participate with his power he himselfe commanding alone by his absolute will and authoritie So God being without equall and onely perfectly puissaunt and mightie cannot fall at square with any of his seruants which thing if it be so he then hath no neede of Loue to make them agree together againe Thy reason is good replied the old man in respect of that which belongeth vnto God but as concerning men how can they liue without Loue For if a building cannot remaine firme and sure without a strong foundation how then may men continue without Loue which serueth as a fortresse vnto their rest and pleasure and as a chiefe nourishment vnto their liues For can men liue quietly who are alwaies quarrelling and as it were at daggers-drawing and who for want of Loue are still readie to stabbe one another What assurance of life can that souldier promise vnto himselfe who most couragiously goeth to the field to combat with his enemie man to man An example alone Euen so what kind of life should men leade one with an other if their quarrells should cause them trie their valours with their swords staining the ground with the losse of their dearest blood For into what bottomlesse gulfes of misfortune and ouerthrow did ciuill dissension for want of Loue and friendship bring the Romanes who with their owne proper weapons reuenged the iniuries and wrongs they had done vnto forraigne Nations vpon their owne selues which those barborous strangers with all their force could neuer haue bin able to
woman can any way offer iniurie vnto her reputation and credit to loue those that seeke to conserue the same neither shall that loue which is loyall be euer defrauded of his due because it hath alwayes a greater respect vnto the conseruation of that thing which the woman loueth chiefly then to the pleasure hee taketh in the fruition and enioying of her beautie But if my spotlesse amitie be of any merit or worth with you I then most humblie intreate you so much to fauor me as to make me acquainted with your estate the cause of this your misfortune your parentage and house you come of and what your inward conceit is of me to the end I may either liue in assurance of some sweete hope or euer after passe my time in most wretched and remedilesse dispaire The Princesse who already in her conscience acknowledged her selfe much beholding vnto the Knight and who thought him to deserue the better in that he loued her with so great consideration and respect she being sicke of the same maladie that he was diseased and finding the desires of her mind to cope and iump with those of the Gentlemans they agreeing both in one alike with a lowe yet a sweet speech returned him this gratious answere Noble Gouernor if I had no other assurance of your excellent vertues then your faith which you haue most strictly kept and the respectiue care you haue alwayes had most reuerently of mine Honor I cannot thinke your intention and meaning to be otherwise then most chaste honest and laudable euery way For should you haue any other worse pretence towards mee I cannot see what profite might redound vnto you thereby I confesse you may if you please I being now in your power force my chast will but yet this pleasure should be both dishonorable in that you haue falsified your faith and offered violence vnto a sillie mayden who hath nought but teares to defend her and also short bootlesse because this hand should purge and wash cleane my bodie of this fault with the losse of his best blood which I would offer vnto mine Honor to appease his wrath and anger As for this sacred amitie which you assure me of I hold it most deere and agreeable because it being such as you tell me I know it will alwayes loue that which I tccount of most chiefly which is my reputation and credit studying by all possible means to conserue the same to the end it may still preserue me aliue And this is is a true signe and an infallible testimony of faithful and loyall Louers indeed For if they loue their Ladies entirely then will they neuer offer violence nor seeke to wrong that thing which they account of most which they esteeme of as precious as their liues of which they make reckoning of as of their only glory renowm For as we cannot rightly call that friendship true loue which a thiefe maketh a shew of to heare vnto an honest man because it is a colour only to robbe him of his goods and wealth A Similie euen so that loue is no loue but rather a most disloyall furie which a man professeth vnto a woman when through the onely shadow of the same he seeketh to take from her her sole and onely treasure which is her high priced Honor. For what law can bind a man to thinke well of such a Fellon as hath stolen from him all the riches he hath vnder a counterfaite shew that he loued him And what Subiect can a woman haue to make account of the loue of such a man who vnder this counterfaite maske hath reft her of her credit glorie and reputation I can neuer thinke that euer there can be any orderly forme of proceedings of loue amongst such persons and that woman that doth not repute him for her mortall enemie that would with violence seaze vpon her chastitie is the onely murtherer of her owne selfe yea farre worse then he that killeth his owne parents For what lawe can binde a man to credit to affect and to entertaine friendly him that openly seeketh to take away his life forcibly from him So likewise who can compell a woman to loue and hold him in esteeme that seeketh by all meanes he can the ouerthrow of her honour More reason is it that the robber by the high way side should die then the true man that standeth vpon his owne defence And so is it more necessarie that the woman should rather suffer the enemie of her chastitie to perish then to conserue him aliue to the vtter ruine and destruction of the same in as much as the death of one man is but a losse vnto one alone where the shipwracke of a woman is not onely hurtfull vnto her selfe but also vnto her whole kindred As for mine owne part I will neuer thinke that that man loueth me what shew soeuer he carrieth what cunning deuises soeuer he vseth and what signes of griefe soeuer appeareth who hath an intention to dispoyle my chastitie louing more his sensuall pleasure then my good name or fame but rather accounting him for my deadliest enemie will I enforce my selfe alwaies to reuenge me of his villanous minde towards me arming in what I can both heauen and earth against him I neither meane nor seeke this of you being alreadie throughly perswaded of the innocencie of your soule and of your chaste and right honest good will towards me which maketh me the bolder to bewray my estate and condition vnto you without concealing any thing that is of importance from you Know then most courteous Knight I am the vnfortunate daughter of Arnolde Duke of Bauiere betrothed by him but yet without my consent euery way vnto the King of Denmarkes Sonne who sending a companie of ships for me as we were sailing vpon the Seas sodenly a storme hapned which for a long time raged so cruellie as in the end all our fleete was cast away and I by fortune throwne vpon your shore in such estate as you found me whome neuerthelesse I cannot much accuse in that she hath brought me to be vnder your protection you being for your fidelitie honestie courtesie and continencie which I finde in your vertuous and liberall Spirit not a little to be commended Thus haue I discouered mine estate vnto you according vnto your desire I coniure you by all the Gods that in requitall of the same you will alwaies remember your promise and seeke to preserue that which you cannot bereaue me of without losse of my dearest life All those not a little amazed at the solemne discourse of the Princes admiring more and more her beautie her house and Princely descent kneeling downe before her humblie craued pardon for the neglect of honour which was due vnto her excusing himselfe in that he was ignorant of her qualitie and promising hereafter to amend the same and to haue respect vnto her according vnto her Royall degree But she that desired not to
note wrought so much by his excellent cunning as the soule of the Princesse was rauished with the same so that not being able any longer to withhold her selfe from weeping shee left her sicke Patient in whose eares as she was taking her leaue she softly whispered these fewe but yet sweete speeches Courage true Seruant and liue in hope expecting from me all the helps that may be to recouer your grieuous sicknes which shall be such yea and that in such an ample manner as I will endaunger mine owne life to restore you to yours and will not sticke to loose my selfe so I may saue you Saying so she went her wayes leauing Alfonso to muse on this matter canaussing diuers conceits in his braine By reason of these last words which she vttered he knewe not well how to take them nor how to vnderstand them nor scarcely what to make of them Yet in the meane time he stayed to see what effects would follow vpon the same and looked for some good Fortune to happen Not vnlike vnto the criminall who expecteth some fauour or friendship promised him by the Iudge And now he beginneth some what to comfort himselfe for that hee perceiued some pittie in the remorsefull eyes of his relenting Ladie who being tormented with diuers passions knewe not well what to say what to doe or what to resolue vpon The death of her Friend went neere her his loyall and sincere affection pleaded for some commisseration vnto her Insomuch as the exceeding great paines trauell he had taken in her behalfe the innumerable curtesies infinite kindnesses she had receiued at his hands began to make a breach into her constant brest so as at the last doe what she could she yeelded and became wholly his On the other side the feare and doubt lest she should doe any thing which might be a scandall vnto her Honor or a blemish vnto her inuincible chastitie which she had so long and with so great admiration kept inuiolable vntainted made her giue ouer and retire from her first determination A Similin As wee see a floating vessell in the troubled Sea tossed and tumbled with two contrarie windes neither forward nor backward nor to passe one way nor another Euen so fared the mind of this delicate Virgin who being ouercharged with many conceits and opinions knew not on which to resolue Yet in the ende Loue got the vpper hand For as a flame of fire feazing vpon a drye peece of wood couered with greene Iuie glideth ouerth wart the same and at the last burueth into ashes both the wood and the greene leaues together Euen so Loue entring at the first by her eyes descendeth downe lower and in the end runneth ouer all her bodie which he boldeth and arresteth as his owne goods Iustina then hauing once more resolued what to doe detemined with her selfe to marrie her kinde Hoast but being risen from her bedde a kind of bashfull shame began to breake this enterprise which would neuer permit that a modest Damosell her owne selfe should discouer her owne Loue neither suffer that the proper tongue of the Princesse should be the trompet of her owne shame But LOVE who would in no wise take the foyle and was very readie in aduising her how shee should dispatch this busines which much troubled her gaue her counsell to deliuer her minde in writing vnto her louing Seruant when she should next goe to visite him and so the shame should remaine within the paper which is of too pale a colour to blush Whervpon as she was taking pen in hand she called to minde the place from whence she came the doubt lest the Letter comming to light might be a discredit vnto her which was the cause shee stood in a mummering as it were a long time before she began to write still as fast as she endited she strait-waies crost it out againe with her pen. Loue thinking that bashfulnes could not endite well and bashfulnes thinking that Loues penning was as ill Long stood they disputing about fit termes to serue the purpose but in the end the Princesse emboldened through LOVE set downe her minde in these termes following The Princesse Letter to her Seruant IF this manner of writing be of power to bring thee to life againe then know it is sufficient to take away mine from me For in seeking to reuiue thee I cause mine owme Honor to die But alas can I see thee still languish thus through mine occasion and not participate with thee in thy miseries in the selfe-same fashion Ah would to God wee had exchaunged our Estates for then would I presently desire to die as thou doest wish thee to liue as I do and so should I not be forced to satisfie thy request neither should mine Honor then complaine of mee in that I haue lesse respect of that then of the safegard of one man The feare lest I should haue bene counted the murtherer of thy life caused mee to write this Letter vnto thee Neither had I done any thing at all in thy behalfe but that I haue a most assured hope and confidence that thou recouering by my onely meanes thy former life wilt be a helpe and ayde vnto mee to teach mee how to make away my selfe by death What shall I say more vnto thee thy recouerie is my death and thy life mine ouerthrow and ruine Yet had I rather perish then thou shouldest miscarry any way Liue then and be well except thou wilt kill her whom thou sayest thou louest with such respect Or if thou wilt needes die yet at the least tearme not mee the destroyer of thy life seeing I haue offered health vnto thee I knowe not which I should most desire eyther that thou liue or that thou die If thou liuest I then must needes die And if thou dyest I may no longer liue What good then shall I get by letting thee haue thy life Onely this onely the glorie that I haue preserued thee from death the obligation canceld wherein I was indebted vnto thee and the break-necke fall of that strong opinion thou hast that thou dyest for mee Liue then I intreate thee and when thou shalt be well GOD I beseech him if so it please him open vnto vs some honest and iust meanes to vnite vs together in that sacred band which of two soules maketh but one And this I doe promise thee Fare you well This Letter being written there was a new Councell called to consult whether it should be deliuered or whether committed vnto the mercie of the fire For in accidences of Loue there is found strange contrarieties euery minute of an houre as we see in a little while diuers sorts of windes to arise in the skye Yet in the ende Loue still preuailed and so much perswaded that the Damosell her selfe resolued to goe and visite the poore patient and to deliuer the paper into his owne hands No sooner was she entred the Chamber but that
I doe liue after thee and suruiue him who was the onely nourisher of my dolorous life Can I abide to be one minute of an houre from thee who hast so much alwayes desired the companie of haplesse Iustina Ah mine eyes mine eyes as much as you shewed your selues cheerfull to delight the heart of my Husband in your Loues so much or more shew your selues full of salt teares to lament his disaster But teares are the common offerings of euery woman at their husbands buryalls A Sentence and are too base oblations for so worthie and solemne an exequies Thy friendship deserueth better then so And more am I obliged vnto thee then to offer such base trifles Not my blubbering teares but my heart blood is due vnto thee For why should it not be thine when my verie soule is at thy seruice Ah cruell Honor why hast thou not rendered mee againe mine Alfonso in the selfe-same manner as thou tookest him from mee to doe thee seruice And how badly hast thou requited the paines hee hath taken in seeking to preserue thee fafe and sound Who euer would haue thought I should haue seene so horrible a sight as I see before I had dyed and who would haue imagined but that my praiers which I made continuallie vnto God to take me out of the world before my sweet Husband should not haue obtained grace from Heauen But come the worst that can come there shall not be much difference of time betweene our deaths for so quickly will we follow one another that if one houre cannot cut vs off both together yet at least one day shall dispatch and make vs away But in the meane space iustly maiest thou complaine of me my deare Knight in another world for that I haue bene the murtherer of thy life But I beseech thee complaine not of that neither of her who thinketh the time but miserable in which she liueth exiled and banished from thee Woe is mee I haue killed I haue slaine and murthered that which I loued most vpon the earth And vnto him which I know and acknowledge I was most beholding But is this possible Alack alack it is but too true Blacke and vnluckie was our marriage not vnlike vnto that of Paris and Hellena the conclusion whereof was bloodie woe and sorrowfull death Ah my tongue canst thou yet talke and thou my heart canst thou still breathe and yee mine eyes are you not yet blinde Alas I liue not for the least anguish that I endure is a greater hell then death vnto me And thou partiall death who art not ignorant that my Husband and I were but one onely person why killing him hast thou not done the like vnto me Or if thou then hadst forgotten the same why doest not thou now better remember thy selfe Come then most welcome death come I pray and permit not her to liue that so much desireth to attend on thee And yet before I depart where shall I find eyes sufficient to weepe and lamentings bitter enough to be conformable vnto the sorrowes of my soule Oh that this my humor changing it selfe wholly into teares and drowning me therewith in it might be so forth ate to drowne therewith all my torments also And alack what intollerable pangs doe I suffer can any sauadge body endure the same and yet not part hence And can mine eyes view my Spouse giue vp his ghost and not seale vp their liddes with an euerlasting slumber Louing and louely bedfellow as heretofore our affections were loyall true and chast so as loyall sweet and chast shall our entombings be together Sweet Husband as long as thou liuedst thou neuer wouldest depriue me of thy kinde and friendly embracings Ah then I desire thee let me not be defrauded of thy death For I am not worthie to be called thy wife if I doe not as well participate of thy bad fortunes as of thy good and take a say of thy sowre as well as I haue done of thy sweet If ioy could neuer diuide our foules why should they then be vntyed by death And as I heeretofore haue slept with thee in the selfe-same bed as our sacred marriage appointed vs so I beseech thee denie mee not to lye with thee in the selfe-same Tombe that thou doest Whlist we were liuing we were perfitly vnited together being dead wee will be as kindly ioyned one vnto another As well shalt thou be my husband now thou art dead as when thou wert aliue neither shall the Destinies themselues hinder me from following thee still to assist and helpe thee according vnto my bounden dutie But now alas before I come vnto thee how shall I pay the last remainders of my Loue which I owe thee By what testimony shall I render sufficient proofe of mine ardent affection towards thee and what perfect signes shall I shewe of my true dolour as thou too too well deseruest In times past An Example those women that loued their husbands best vsed to sacrifice themselues vnto the fire burning their bodies because they would die with them And shall I be lesse dutifull then those And what cannot I for my Loue is more perfect then theirs was But yet before I die let me kisse those eyes which liuing rauished my libertie those eyes which were of late the cheerfull Sun of my soule those eyes which once nourished my sadde and dulled spirits So let me touch those sugred lips whose liuely breath was sometimes the chiefe comfort of my minde and a precious balme to my griefe And thou faire countenance wherein sometimes lay all my hopes whose louely presence entertained my good Fortune Neuer shall I be satisfied enough in kissing of thee neither can my mortall desires be satisfied as they wish Ay me was I borne to murther mine owne life and was I so vnluckie in my birth that I could not dye without the losse of that which I helde as deare as mine inward soule And thou my soule how hard is thy trouble how heauie thy languishing and how wretched thy estate whilst that of mine Espouse liueth glorious by me heerein I can no longer talke and too long haue I prolonged my life and it may seeme my griefe is the lesse in that I haue had such libertie of speech But how The Swan singeth sweetly at the houre of her death An example then let none wonder though I waile and lament so much mine ende being so nigh Dispatch then miserable Iustina and performe the last vowes which are due vnto thy Alphonso to the ende thou maist hasten the more to follow him And therewithall she so often kissed and rekissed him as his Ghost for a while once returned againe into his bodie whilst hauing heard what pitious mone shee made for him he striueth euen in the middest of his death pangs to open his closed eyes and pale mouth a little to looke once more vpon her and to vtter these fewe words vnto her Ah my deare soule and deerer then my
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
misfortune how lamentable the state of such Louers is that are barted and excluded from all good hope of obtaining their wish and desire The Nymph hauing so said sodainly departed running as swiftly into the woods adioyning as the light Hinde leauing the Shepheard all alone who was as much amazed at her speech as is the way-faring man when in his trauaile he seeth the Thunder-bolt of heauen to fall vpon some proud Rocke breaking the toppes thereof with his terrible flashie blow Long was hee not in this browne studie but that the olde man wonderfull earnest to vnderstand the discourse of his troubles came to seeke him whome hee thus beganne to accost There is nothing that is holden more reuerend eyther amongst Gods or amongst men as is the word of man which ought to be respected most religious amongst ones enemies themselues be the neuer so cruell or barbarous and which wee ought not to falsifie although it be for the least thinges in the world because it is the band which tyeth the societie and fellowship of men together which being dismembred would most foulie and confusedly perish were it not but in repect of the great regard that is had and held of the same I know thou hast not forgotten how thou hast plighted thy promise to report vnto me thy misfortunes and thy Loues Now doe I summon thee to performe the same praying thee that thou wilt not be the cause that this Desart beeing the habitation of the Nymphes be not defiled with infidelitie of speech For as the Gods will not alone be free and spotlesse from all vices but also cleane from suspition of the same so will they haue the like Ceremonies to be most orderly obserued amongst their sacred abidings where as yet neuer any fault lodged And if thou imeginest that this thy discourse will prooue iâ—kesome vnto thee then know that the breaking of thy faith ought to be farre more grieuous and that of two euils thou oughtest to chuse the least which is rather to endure the nouell apprehensions of thine olde sores then to violate thy pawned promise I will craue nothing at thy hands but what I will heereafter requite againe offering in recompence of thy kindnesse after thou hast done to discourse vnto thee the whole storie of my life to the end that if our Fortunes shall be found to be alike we may the better seeke the like remedie to helpe our selues Then courage Sonne plucke vp thy spirits so long dulled with sorrow made ouermuch sicke with sadnesse and almost massacred with extreame melancholie and beginne to recount thy Tragedie whilst I will listen vnto thee reporting of thy harde Fortunes in thy trauell The Shepheard somewhat rowsed with this earnest request replyed thus I cannot denie but what one promiseth he ought to performe and so meane I. Yet the debtor who hath giuen his faith and promise to paie his money at a certaine set day although he is willing to keepe his word yet will he not sticke to get a longer time for the tendering of the same if he can possible especialie if he want the meanes to satisfie his creditor vnto whom hee is bound A Piouerbe For it is an olde saying What is delaide is not vnpaide and such fruits as are longest attended and looked for are alwaies the better because they are of better rellish and more ripe then the others Then suffer my minde yet a little longer to be in quiet and make not my mortall wounds so soone to bleed freshly againe For as bloody cruell are the thoughts of a mans vnlucky chances as the memorie is sweet pleasing of his happy good fortunes To report the same anew is as much as to strike the wound againe because wee call them to memorie when they are in a manner halfe forgotten whilst Time it selfe that hath somewhat lessened them seemeth to complaine as it were that men are abused by his meanes Giue me therefore some longer respite kinde Father of these Nocturnall Abodes to bethinke my selfe better of this matter to the end I may haue space to take breath a little more being so lately come forth from so manie outragious Seas of extreame miseries The Sayler hauing escaped the danger of waters leaueth to giue ouer from working assoone as euer his Shippe is come into the hauen An Example without looking vnto eyther his Merchandize or his vessell for ease and rest is more sweete then any other thing in the world seeing for this rest man trauelleth all the dayes of his life hoping at the ende of his labours to finde the same Then giue me leaue I beseech thee some small while to be quiet and trouble not my minde with this vnwelcome busines otherwise in steed of consolating my paine I shall thinke thou doest aggrauate it the more and makest the same more bitter vnto mee Ah Shepheard answered the old man doest thou make account that the quietnes of a wofull wretch is troubled when one desireth to vnderstand his griefe that so hee may help and heale him the sooner Man as he is curteous and humane is afterwards more readie to doe goood then euill because he roweth in the selfe-same Boate that he doeth whom he seeketh to relieue being so much afflicted and for that a good turne doth neuer come amisse but is welcome at all times Thinkest thou that thy sorrowes shall waxe worser and worser A Sentence by reason of this discourse which I intreat thee to deliuer The sicke patient reuealeth his disease vnto the Phisition but concealeth his griefe to the end he may find remedie Why then wilt thou make aduersaries thy tongue and thy face For did thy speech faile thee as not being able to discouer thy paine yet should we plainely perceiue it by thy looks Satisfie thy tongue and thy countenance in what they seeme to desire and beginne not here in this strange Countrey to shift vs off with disloyaltie and dissembling Behold this houre most fit the time now scrues and this place is most apte and commodious for the purpose It is in vncoth Desarts where Louers vse to come to report their mishaps at large thinking themselues not a little fortunate when they can haue auditors to listen vnto them I will attend thee whilst this shade doeth inuite thee to performe what heretofore thou hast promised Then I pray thee dispatch to the end thou maist satisfie my mind which eueÌ„ as it were languisheth with meer desire to heare thee The Shepheard seeing himselfe so sharply vrged to keep his word not being able any longer to delay him or to put him off after hee had sent foorth a number of scalding sighes thus began his speech Scarse was I come out of mine infancie growen a stripling my chinne not yet bearing the mark of a man when Loue enrolled me for one of his band forcing me to loue before I knewe what liking meant wherevpon I beeing young in experience and lesse practised in
plagued with death onely for that he did but send to aske aduise and counsaile of him But say that God would forgiue this sinne yet tell me I pray you what truth and certaintie can you find amongst these illuding spirits First they are for the most part ignorant of such things as shall hereafter happen as well as men be And besides there is no truth in them they being the first authors of lies and those that first taught vs to speake vntruely The poore Pamms themselues ouer whom they had so great power for that they were Infidels and abandoned of God were continually mocked deluded and most grosely deceiued by these malignant spirits As witnesse Pirrhus Alexander and thousands moe If then they would cousen their chiefest friends and dearest seruants how much more will they goe about to deceiue such as are their enemies and who as strangers giue but little credit vnto them To conclude the diuels are abiured enemies against the righteous God himselfe and therefore if we will be counted his true and faithfull soruiters indeed we must not haunt nor keepe companie with his aduersaries otherwise he will suffer them to make a prey of our soules as being vnworthie to appeare before his heauenly throne because we haue left him and followed his foes Such is the common end of such kind of people who whilst they are liuing seruing the diuels doe the like when they are dead they being rewarded with hell fire for their paines As the old man was replying againe they might perceiue two Nymphs to come towards them where they sat each of them hauing a written paper in their hands which they deliuered vnto the shepheard Arcas who vnfolding the same found these verses following Loue is a daintie force aboue all other Which doth enforce our spirits vnto good things And without it our soules were neuer able Any thing to doe rightly that deserueth Gloriefor euer Contraries it doth bring into a concòrd Bloodie warres it soone swageth Being more puissant then the Gods themselues are Sweet and the sower it ioyneth both together For to agree well Vnder him wholy gouernd is the huge world Vnder his lawes the heauens eke are subiect Rightly may he be termd a mightie Monarke Whose power extends so far as t is withouten Any set limit He doth his might vse onely exercising It in the harts of liâ—le pretie creatures greene trees Flowers plants hearbes and fruitfull springing Vnder his influence like true hartie Louers Loue one another Of a brace of soules he doth make but one soule Which death it selfe doth hardly make to sunder But man doth perish by his destny fatall Therefore is Loue more kinder to be counted Then is our fortune Simple mens fortunes he doth often raise high Making them like to those of greatest Princesse Then doth not he well merrit much rewarding That to him submits marching passing brauely Vnder his banner Hope to our fainting thoughts he bring to vs still And to our hearts he bringeth ioy and gladnes For vnto Louers nothing is so pleasant As when they see that of their louely Ladies Much they are made of He doth reuiue our glory that was extinct Through the displeasure of our peruerse Plannees Oh how the pleasure is accounted daintie After laments and bitter heauie sorrowes Which one endureth After the brunt of cruell raging Tempest We find the skies more fairer then before time Lone doth reforme vs making vs become new And to resist our mischiefes he doth backe vs Fresh to encounter T is th'happie hauen of our best assurance The sacred Lodestar Sailers vse in voyage Whilst that his sweetnesse all our fornser tranailes Which we endured in our tedious iourney Makes vs forget them Neuer hath he had taste aright of pleasure A Sentence That in the field hath neuer followed true Loue As the darke night is nothing to the faire day So to delights of Loue ther 's not vpon earth Aught to be equalde Euery ioy must yeeld vnto daintie Loues ioy Thoughts of all other what are they but bitter All chiefe contentment springeth from this kind Loue For the conceit oft is so sweetly sugred As all it passeth What we imagine of it in our minds still Cannot be bettred by our often wishing For it doth so much please vs in our owne thoughts As it reuiues vs when our soule is passing Forth of our bodies Then vnto Cupid as asacrifice fit I on his altar offer will my poore heart Nor is it disgrace for to honour rightly One that is counted as a heauenly victor Throughout the whole world These were theverses which one of the Nymphs had composed in praise of Loue but the other had writ in dispraise of the same as here followeth Vaine Loue 's a furious burning force That chastest minds burnes sanus remorse Wretched that loueth is that coarse And want shall his desire He hearts and minds makes disagree Through him great houses filled bee With slaughters treasons treacherie For he of strife is sire Millions of men he doth betray The Gods he bringeth to his bay Like subtill tyrant he doth slay Through sloth all vertue rare The smallest shrubs that grow so trim Doe vade and wither thorough him Poore beastes flie his imprisoning Who liues he doth not spare Such as in Marriage holily Are knit which none ought to vntie He seekes to lose most wickedly Faith plighted to despite Braue Kings and Princes he destroyes Mightie and feeble he annoyes Whilst that with proudest hearts he ioyes To feed his appetite The Louer oft as desperate He egges to slay himselfe through hate Better to be without Loues mate Than die and damned bee If any pleasure he doth bring For that he double doth vs sting Loue cannot yeeld forth any thing But what is sorrowes fee. To comfort vs when storme is done Then shines againe the cheerfull Sunne Where neuer ioy to Louers come For they are shipwrackt still Loue is of man the fatall Rocke A Sentence On which his ship of ease doth knocke Whilst on the sands he doth him shocke By death him for to spill He nouer felt hath any paine That hath not knowne the Louers vaine Each griefe hath but his course certaine Where Loue doth bleed for aye No ill so nigh the heart doth sit As doth this fierce tormenting fit Death is more pleasing far than it Which rids our cares away Our soules with hope it doth torment Whilst nought but Massacres are ment To die t is better far content Then ay liue languishing Loue then most cruell without grace Whom I will curse in euery place No God but diuell is in this case God tha'utor's not of sinne These verses being read before the companie the first Nymphe who wrote in praise of Loue began thus to frame her speech vnto amorous Arcas It is a matter worthy of due consideration to thinke how the Glorie of vertue flieth throughout the world eurey where and how the renowmed fame of learning filleth
the eares of all mortall men Neuer hath there bene any vertuous wight A Sentence that hath wanted his condigne praise for the more Vertue shunneth Glorie the more it maketh it selfe famous Glorie following after the heeles of the same Many Sages haue there bene in the old time who thought burying their bodies to haue interred their memorie and renowme therewithall but though they sought it yet could not they bring it to passe A Similie For as the lightning passeth into the vessell without breaking of it and sucketh vp the wine that is therein Euen so faire Glorie entereth into the Sepulcre and Tombe of the learned and desirous to be at libertie spreddeth it selfe abroad into euery coast and countrie The fire couered close vnder the cinders is more hote then the outward flame and that Captiue more ioyfull who is newly come forth of prison then he that hath neuer bene in durance Euen so more bright and more liuely is that famous renowme which we seeke to smother and to keepe secret then that which hath libertie to raunge abroad euery where Let neuer any wise man then thinke to be without Glorie no more then the leaude liuer A Sentence can be without shame and reproach Vertue soweth her seeds in trâ—uaile and trouble which in the end growe to be Glorie and Honour and which no tempest from heauen can destroy as it doth other common Plants Thrise happier that labourer that reapeth the fruites of his trauaile in peace And so right blessedis that prudent man that enioyeth the fruites of his Vertue with praise Well haue yee verified my saying to be true O yee worthie persons who are here assembled in this place together For your rare qualities haue brought you forth so many famous Glories with so perfect and excellent a renowme as it hath come vnto our eares here within this vncoth wildernesse and long time is it since my Sister and I haue expected your comming to determine vpon this our argument as concerning the great valure or the pouertie and basenes of Loue. Therefore since you all are now so happily here arriued and met Iudge I beseech you of our writings which of vs twaine shall carrie away the praise of victorie sending vs both away from you throughly contented and pleased with your graue and prudent censure whilst we in the meane space will attend in all dutifull deuotion and with most willing mindes to be resolued of our doubts by your learned and reuerent iudgement in all equitie and right Whereupon Philistel reading ouer againe the foresaid verses set open first the schoole vnto these disputations in these tearmes following No trauaile that is not without end or without hope can properly be called a paine for he that laboureth truely doth endure and suffer in hope to reape some sweete fruits of his labour which doth recompence him for the toyle he hath taken And this he cannot rightly call paines but rather a kinde of busie and stirring exercise All men euery one in their vocation trauaile take paine and yet for all that they thinke not to suffer paine in that they make no doubt to receiue the reward of their trauaile For if the labour of such men as receiue fruite were paine then could they not liue in as much as verie paine indeed which is neither comforted nor appeased nor guerdoned with any reward doth bring a man vntimely vnto his end We see in the bodies of such as be diseased An example that the very anguish of the sicknes for want of helping the same bringeth them at last vnto their graue But now we cannot giue this name of paine rightly vnto Loue because Louers doe liue still neither doe they sodenly die for that they alwaies hope well Is it a paine vnto a valiant Capitaine and an approued Soldier to sleepe in the fields vnder a hedge to suffer hunger and cold to endure thirst and drinesse rayne and cold weather vsing his bodie to this hardnes onely to purchase honor I thinke not but rather Iudge it to be a sweete and allowable exercise vnto him Euen so Louers cannot terme that trauaile which they endure for louing any paine at all but because in the ende they eyther attaine vnto the scope of what they haue so long pursued and sought for gathering the fruits which to enioy hath cost them so deerly Or else the continuance of time purgeth and washeth away the paines from them quite and cleane Therefore Loue being no paine it cannot be taxed of crueltie Nay more I dare auouch that it is very necessarie and not a little profitable Fabius Maximus was of opinion that it was conuenient that Carthage should be suffered to continue in her auncient force and not to be raced vnto the ground that it might serue as a continuall exercise vnto the young Romanes who for want of wanâ—es would spoyle themselues through too much idlenes which afterward fell out to be too true For the Romanes being Lords ouer the whole world by reason they had no more enemies to ouerthrow spoyled and ouercame their owne selues doing vengeance one vpon another with their owne proper swords in requitall of all such wrongs and iniuries as they had offered vnto strangers who could neuer haue bene able to haue done halfe so much hurt vnto them And so I may say of Loue The commendation of Loue for what exercise were able to keepe downe so great a number of follies attending vpon youth who for the most part are idle and slothfull if Loue did not set him to schoole and busie his braynes about matters of great moment and weight He would quarrell brawle and fight delighting in drunkennesse and in surfeitting He would be arrogant and proude a great Gamester and a leaud Dicer or else become altogether sottish and foolish But hauing once gotten him a Mistris he must if hee meane to be entertained into her seruice clense himselfe of all these badde vices For seeldome or neuer doeth Loue meddle with leaude and ill disposed persons Well may comelines rauish and winne the heart of a gallant Ladie but beasilines neuer is able because it hath no one iote of that diuine perfection resembling the Almightie which hee doth bestowe vpon such as pleaseth him to make to be loued and to make them to be admyred for the excellencie of his gifts which are enclosed within them Therefore must such young men as would be beloued studie to come to be graue curtcous eloquent stayed and secret These commendable qualities must they hold of Loue in Capite these being the ordinary lessons hee teacheth vnto his schollers in his schoole Contrariwise if you but marke these vaine young Gulles that loue not at all you shall finde them viciouslie giuen Blasphemers Drunkardes Dicers arrogant Asses and swaggering Bragadcchios The young Boy that is without a Tutor is hee not worse and an hundred times more rude then he that hath a carefull and seuere Master who looketh
doeth sage Agamemnon whose disloyall wife cut his owne throate because she might the more safer follow her disordinate appetite O what a pernitious thing is this Loue how often hath it broke the plighted oath betweene man wife making them amorous of strangers and causing them to disdaine their nuptiall bed with base and filthie whoredome The good Emperour Marcus Aurelius remembred this but too too well who saw so often his wife ouer familar with so many and poor Sampson through loue was depriued of his strength and made a slaue vnto others that Sampson I say who was wont to conquer others and to make them become tributaries vnto him Againe what faith and trust is there to be reposed in Louers so cunning are they and so readie to break their promises and to sweare falsly that Iupiter iesteth and scoffeth at their protestations as one that thinketh they neither can nor ought to keepe them any longer then they list For if men now a daies be so basely giueÌ„ that they will strait yeelde vnto Loue and that the desire to enioy a little paltrie beautie or a little coloured complexion composde of white and red can make them to forget all dutie all promise and their owne good nature it selfe What then should hinder them but that they may loue in another place to endanger their Faith there to sweare and forsweare themselues againe For hee that once committeth one sinne will easily fall into diuers other more grieuous he that is knowne to be faultie in one thing A Sentence is reputed to haue offended in all the rest Besides so farre is Loue off from standing the learned in anie stead that it hindereth and ouerthroweth their learning for it is impossible for a learned man both to loue and follow his studie together because the minde cannot in one and the selfe-same time intend to hunt after diuers matters and for that the care which Loue engendreth hindereth a wise man in prositing himselfe at his booke and doeth withdraw him from the pervsing and reading of the same Againe if there be neuer so meane and little ascience in the world but is sufficient to imploy a mans whole life time and all his wittes therein and yet for all that it hath neuer bene found that any could euer sound the deapth of the same How then is it possible that a wise man should be able to follow both Loue and Learning to prooue excellent in both Nay then I will see farther and dare auouch that the malice of the Serpent not onely spoyleth and corrupteth the studie of the wise but also his condition and religion And that this is true great Dauid and his sonne Salomon can witnesse and the Iewes themselues whom the loue of the Moabite women which the trayterous King Balaac sent vnto them moued from the seruice of the true God making them become most wicked and abhominable Idolaters What greater mischiefe can happen vnto a man then to denie his God his faith his beliefe and his religion yea and therewithall to loose all his wisdome and authoritie If Loue then be the cause of so manie misfortunes vnto men and bringeth them with him vnto them is not he then the damnable author of our ruine our perpetuall paine and vtter ouerthrow heeis farre worfe then all the poysonous serpents of the earth yea then the Diuels of of hell themselues Not so quoth Coribant and therefore I pray you make a stop there for Loue is not of that bad nature neither is hee to be compared vnto such wicked creatures as you would haue vs beleeue for were it not for him whom you reuile so much neither you nor any man else could liue at all That which maintaineth all things and giueth life and force vnto them can that be teatmed an euill spirst So farre off is Loue from being such a one as he hath made the Fiendes of hell themselues milde and gentle when the faithfull Orpheus went downe thither to bring backe his deare espouse That which doth not vsurpe vpon publike honestie but hath respect vnto euery vertuous action may it be called an enemie of Nature Loue hath preserued both honor respect and vertue then why should anie blame him The sonne of Seleucus falling in loue with his stepmother chose rather to be brought euen vnto deaths doore then to declare as much as his passion for feare least he should haue offended the honor respect and the obeisance of a Father through the dutie of a louing Sonne There is no doubt but that man is to be commended highly who rather consenteth vnto his own death ruine and miserie then to commit a most notorious and vnnaturall fact Loue forceth the Louer to chuse rather to die A Sentence then to perpetrate any hainous fault Is Loue then the subiect of blame Loue resembleth wine which taken moderately and with measure nourisheth the bodie but being vsed too excessiuely it burneth and inflameth the same Euen so Loue being well and wisely applyed may bring much profit glorie as it did vnto the Romans Sabines who being ready to encounter and to kill one another they agreed so louingly as euer after they were but as one bodie or a Citie within themselues Indeed if it be ill imployed then I must needes say it may doe much hurt but it is the Louer himselfe that is in fault thereof and not Loue. The grape of the vineyard of it selfe is good and was giuen for a nourishment vnto man yet neuerthelesse man sometimes dyeth with taking ouermuch thereof but is this the fault of the grape or of him that abused the same Is there any precious treasure to be found throughout the compasse of the wide and spatious world that is to be compared vnto a loyall faithfull friend What happier contentment can there be betweene man and wife then chast and perfect loue The greatest blessing that euer Mithrâ—dates found in this life was his kinde wife that in all his troubles still did assist and accompanie him shee being attired in the apparell of a man and doing him all the serurce she could as if shee had bene the meanest of his ordinary followers Manie things are there bestowed vpon vs by the Heauens which of their owne natures are good and yet the malice of man doth alter them into a bad propertie As weapons with which they kill one another Fire wherewith they burne whole Cities and townes Gold with which vertue is corrupted and the cloake of Religion wherewith they couer their proud ambition with many such like Yet although these things are thus ill vsed and wrested by the corruption of man we must not therefore say they are bad of their owne selues but rather by reason of the malice of others Euen so Loue being perfect and good in his owne proper nature and of his owne selfe be abused and made worse through the default of men it is not he but they that are to be
much and much to thy renowne Be thou content to see her breathe who by thy Grace doth liue And who to view thy hurts in soule more then thy selfe would grieue No Treasure like a faihfull Friend so rich you can denise Who to himselfe gets foes in minde much diseontented dies Friendship from Heauen first come and as a gift diuine is held A Sentence And mortall men from ouerthrowes it saued hath not seld Then Deare vouchsafe for to appease the torments I endure Appease my sorrowes and my wounds nigh mortall daine to cure Nor force me not lest dying I when life from me shall part Doe call vpon thee in my death as if chiefe cause thou wert Ah speake then my Delight and cleare from me this bitter storme By comforting my deadly woes which I too long haue borne To th' end thy kindnesse milde to helpe my sicknesse may be seene As hitherto the Author of my troubles thou hast beene But why doest thou so long delay to answere vnto mee Hard harted more then flintie rocks which in the mountains bee Ah cruell man I well perceiue my loue thou doest disdaine Nor wilt vouchsafe in cheerfull wise to staunch my bleeding vaine I see thou meanst with those thine eyes prides dartes still me to pierce To close me in my fatall Tombe through rigor thine so fierce Well be it so I am content For happie I them gesse Who dying A Sentence see to dye with them their griefes which then doe cease And since I finde that sauadge-like thou wilt not rue my state I am well pleasde to end my dayes because thou doest me hate Then yet but daine to speake to me say if thou wilt asswage Or still increase these plagues of mine which doe within me rage Cruell dispatch my loyaltie which nere from thee did swerue Say in thy conscience doeth it not one word of thee deserue Alas A Sentence answere but I or no what lesse thing can one finde Or baser priz'de then is a word which is but sound of winde Thus said she sighing ceast whilst teares from cheekes like showres did fall Yet nor her selfe nor teares nor speech Armanda mou'd at all Nay more so cruell was he growne as he disdaind to looke Vpon her face her beautious face which hardly he could brooke Her passionate words could not perswade they made him hate her more That he so long had giuen her eare himselfe he blamed sore In th' end forc't by the vrgings oft and importunitie Of sad Sicambra who like Ghost did haunt him with her crie With furious lookes and frowning brow these words at last he spoke Which like a dismall Oracle her heart in sunder broke Foolish Sicambra thus in vaine to vexe me what doest meane From these fond fittes of idle Loue thy minde why doest not weane T' is thou that makst Armanda die in worse then wofull wise Armanda who thy speech and loue contemnes as worthlesse prise Thy tedious tale told to no end to heare he little ioyes He dies tormented tir'de and gaul'd to heare thee make such noyse Now prie thee prie thee let alone Armanda miserable Who for to take his wonted rest is not through thee scarce able He at thy follies doeth but smile his chiefe delight and loue Is for to chase wild beasts of prey his strength gainst them to prooue He cannot like of any thing except his flocke of sheepe With which to pleasure his not small he in the fields doth keepe To force one loue against his will is what can neuer be Neuer the same hath bene as yet nor shall you find 't in me For loyall Loue that it may dure and neuer prooue to faint Doth of himselfe A Sentence seaze on the heart without force or constraint Where being forc't t' is alwayes bad vnperfect and vnsound For nothing's goodly but what 's built on Friendships firmest ground Then why fond Gyrle art thou so mad to loue me to constraine By this thy earnest vrging speech which thou too well canst faine I tell thee I in those false eyes nor face of thine delight Nor doe I pittie ought at all thy hard and heauy plight I laugh to see thee heauie weepe to heare thee sigh I smile And in thy martyring much doe ioy whilst thou complainst the while Poore wretch thou doest but loosethy time nor euer shalt thou finde Armanda will his fancie change to thee for to be kinde He 'le neuer loue thee For before his heart should so conspire To quench so worthlesse flames a death most strange he would desire For neuer greater mischiefe vile can any himselfe bring Then when he tries the lawes of Loue and feeles his poysonous sting Vnhappie they that know the same and wise I him account That with this bedlem passion mad will not at all confrount My yeares are too too young mine age not ripe enough as yet My selfe to subiect as a slaue to Loue his furious fit Nor haue I time enough to be a scholler in his schoole And I am wilde enough although I play not so the foole Then leaue me to my selfe that I may of my selfe dispose Whose pleasure hunting is whose sport is quiet soft repose And come not thus to trouble me with these thy bawling cries Which I assure thee I disdaine in most contemptuous wise Be gone nor looke here any more thou come this text to preach For for such sicknesse as these I am no pleasing leach And therewith all the Shepheard sterne departs and all alone Sicambra leanes vncomforted Sanus pittying of her mone Alacke what should she doe as now She could doe nought but waile Which rather did encrease her griefe then cause the same to quaile No teares our passions can represse which from the heart arise A signe they are of woe but want the perfect remedie It is but lost time to lament whil'st weeping we reuiue Afresh these cruell torments which doe martire vs aliue Now as she wofully thus tooke on in this her desperate plight Kinde Zerphir who had sought her much on her by chance did light And seeing her afflicted thus all desolate and sole He sighing weepes to view her weepe and with her doth condole So suffereth the Louer chast for his sweet Ladies sake If she but grieued be the same he at his soule doth take He of the paine participates which in her minde is growne And more her hurt doth trouble him then that which is his owne Zerphir then did endure as much as did the Shepheardesse Her teares were his his pensiue plight then his was nothing lesse But after much lamentings sad with many a bitter sob He sweetly thus gan comfort her whil'st fast her heart did throb Sicambra who thus miserable thy life hath made to me Who hath thy fortune brought as mine thus pittious for to be Whence comes these sighes true witnesses of thine in interuall troubles Whence slow these teares apparant showes that care within thee double I st
th'Iron doth the Adamant so drawes she him to smart Whilst metamorphisde into teares of woe he knoweth no meane His torments being so cruell as his griefes are too extreame He thinkes no more of his poore sheepe he hath forgotten those No other thought now troubles him but how to end his woes His voyce his crie his gesture sad and his most morunfull speech Are all of Loue and how they Loue for succour may beseech His colour now is chang'd and gate so is his wonted grace Nored nor white as heretofore remaineth in his face Like ashes he lookes pale and leane whilst sorrow drieth his bones Nor hath he strength for to doe aught except to send forth grones Without all hope or comfort he doth draw his loathed life And for his refuge death doth seeke torid him of this strife But death is deafe vnto his call as fieree Sycambra is And therefore thou and th' other too he gainst his will must misse Well may he call but they 'le not come once comfort for to bring But leaue him when he needes them most to liue thus languishing In briefe the heauens death and men with destuies doe conspire Gainst him that he shall burne yet haue no meane to quench this fire Nothing preuailes him to auaile whilst on the other side Sycambra in like predicament as he is doth abide Of thonsand bloodie passions she participateth vext Yet nothing can relieue her whilst she languisheth perplext Armanda iests and her when she doth speake at euery word He skoffes nor fauour he at all to her will once afford He laughes to see her weepe to heare her sigh it makes him smile Nor will so much as one small dram of pittie yeeld the while But growing too too insolent and puffed vp with pride He wills her to depart and die nor cannot her akide Swearing by all the Gods that he will sooner seeke his death Then fancie her as long as he shall draw his vitall breath She seeing her selfe disdained thus doth ban her destinie And after many strange conceits resolueth for to die By some strange kinde of vncoth death she meanes to cure her wound Which Loue as foe had giuen her her sences to confound Without imploring any more sauadge Armandas aide Who neither her nor her kinde sute respected aught or waide So loyall Hero of her life an end would willing make When faire Leander she did see drowned for her sake Ah fretting corsie worse then death with neuer endles smart When cheating Loue impoysoneth the constant loyall heart More cruell then the rest by odds for dying we but range From this life to another while we make a better change Whereas the for lorne Louers life so bitter is and fell As thousand deaths they chuse before they will abide the hell Of all the torments then on th' earth Loue most outragious is Loue that our youths makes wither fast depriuing as of blisse Sycambra therefore now resolu'de to die doth soone entend That so at length her Agonies and senselesse griefes may end A trenchant blade she taketh vp but viewing it so kright And sharpe she straitway lets it fall so much it her doth fright Her heart will not endure her hand should set it to her brest And therefore with such inchauntment to die she doth detest A throtling halter doth displease as much as sword before So rusly to be strangled stiffe her faire necke doth abore She poyson takes but her conceit that drench hath ouerthrowne Which makes her halter poyson sword all three to let alone A gentler kinde of death though strange she hath found out as the Which is t'entombd her selfe aliue torid her of her woe She meanes within a Rocke obscure from other Rockes far wide With thousand Ditches compassed and bushes on each side Fearefull to Sauadge beasts themselues and horrible to men Her selfe there to enclose and there her selfe doth closely pen. Thus lanquisht she most wrethedly no meate she had nor bred But sighes and sobs no drinke at all but teares which fast she shed No meate she would but mone no drinke but dole to end her life Meaning hereby her coarse to spoyle through starning famines knife The skriching night Owles dolefully her wailings did assist And lucklesse Rauens moand her Loue whilst they to her did list Death whom she wisht for oft at hand was still though not so nigh As she desirde and sorrow was with her continually No voyce she vsde but cries no speech but drerie drie laments So heauily she mournes as Rockes for pittie doe relent Yet no man answeres her at all The comfort most she findes Is when false Ecco her last word againe vnto her windes But he that of her miserie is cause and motiue chiefe Is deafe vnto her praiers become nor yeeld will her reliefe More hard then stubborne Rocks then hills more Sauadge and more fierce He will not mollifie his heart no pittie can it pierce His weale it is to see her waile her bale to him is blisse Whilst in a state most pittilesse far worse then death he is O Tygers whelpe monster of men worthy of any blame Too much vnworthy to be lou'd of such a constant dame Ah may that fortune chaunce to thee as to Adonis coy Who of a Goddesse dayning loue a Boore did him destroy And let it hap to thee as to Narcissus peeuish Elfe Who others Loues refusing did in loue fall with himselfe Yet can I not say that the Gods are partiall but most iust The selfe same measure others we doe giue we looke for must So Ladies had Sycambra kinde vnto her Zerphir bene She had not then such tortors felt nor had abid such teene As she did bide still languishing desirous for to die Whilst she to death Armanda like to come to her doth crie Yet hopes she thus she cannot liue and that her times not long Her heart she findes alreadie broke for bearing so great wrong Besides her fainting bodie fraile prognosticates to her By reason nature's growne so weake death is not from her far Much doe the gastly dreames she hath in slumber her affright And fearefull apparitions strange which she beholdes in night Sometimes they to her bring dispare then her with hope they feede With hope in vaine which when she wakes her wounds more fresh make bleed For he that nothing hath to loose needs not to waile his losse Nor needs he feare that Fortunes wheeles swift turning should him crosse Where he is in most pittious plight that viewes his chiefest stay Which should from ruine him support on sudden tooke away Long time Sycambra in this wise most vncoth liued thus Like to the shape of gastly death in case most dolorous Whilst in meane space Famine and Griefe with neuer ceasing cries Her flesh did turne to bones her heart tormenting in strange guise Her colour which before was fresh and daintie as the Rose And that same beautious varnish pure no more now in her showes Like to
know but too too well whose perfect Picture right Is too too liuely portraide forth within mine inward spright T is thou I know but too too well though changd thou art the same I for Sycambra thee will know thou still shalt be my dome T is thou t is thou that diest with sobs and sighes tormented thou Whilst blest thou thinkst thy selfe to leaue a life so deleroâ—â— T is thou that parting from this world this wold is maked left And voyd of pleasure and delight which with thee is bereft Woe is me and must these eyes yet no eyes but streames of brine Liue for to see eclipsed to be so faire a Sun-shine Whose glittring Lampes my chiefest light of yore were wont to bee Without whose glances bright nor day nor morning I could see Alas my God why was I not when that I first was borne Transformd into some stone then thus to be false Cupids scorne Why died I not before the time in loue with thee I fell Since thy plagues vndeserude doe proue my soule a Criminell Why doe I not miscarrie but against my will that liue Through force of this so vmust Laewe the more my soule to grieue Which forceth her to die that doth deserue to liue for are Whilst wretched me who merrit death it will not take away Ah too too partiall lawlesse law of miserable Loue Accursed be that day wherein thou first this life didst proue O Gods dart downe your thunder bolts vpon my hatefull head Plague me not her t is I not she that should be punished This trunke of mine vnprofitable of vitall breath bereane Since that mischieuous Loue doth me in my best loue deceiue Ding downe to hell this coarse of mine this wicked periur'd carse Consuming it to powder small by flashing lightnings force Kill Zerphir kill that by oue death he end may all his wee And with the same rid all his plagues that in him daily growe But fairest Faire must thou needs die O losse inestimable No no thou canst not die for death to kill thee is not able Thy glory mongst both Gods and men shall neuer haue an end Despite of Destny Vertue this from Tombe shall still defend Within the hearts of liuing men shall be thy lasting graue And as another Pallas thou shalt reuerence of them haue Thy soule hath heretofore too rich and royall tired beene Thy beautie eke too sacred and thy Faith too constant seene Then as base seruile Bond-slanes poore tide vnto Vassalage Subiect to be or homage yeeld to deaths ore hastie rage No louely Ladie thou shalt liue and Zerphir he shall die Because he came not as he should to helpe thee speedily Zerphir must die who by his death atrue certificate Shall shew how through the want of thee that be to liue doth hate Zerphir must die because he cannot after thee seruine Nor without thy sweet companie delight to be aliue Zerphir must die because depriude he is of thy sweet face And therefore meanes by selfe same steps the selfe same path to trace Yet my soules ioy if of my griefe if truth that nere did swarue The smallest sparke of fauour left did ere of thee deserue If my deare blood to beautie thine which willing I afford As sacrifice for to be shed merrits of thee one word Ah then looke vpon Zerphir thine these sighes and sobs restaine And fore he dieth vouchsafe to speake to him a word or twaine This is the onely boone I craue to which but condiscend And most contented then below to th' other Ghostsile wend. But I perceiue thou wilt not grant this fute cruell to me I cannot this small grace obtaine I finde it will not be Why then le ts brauely hence depart le ts die her face before And lets before her seeke to gaine the 〈◊〉 Elizian shore So saying he full oft farewell Sycumbra did rehearce Which done his sword he plact against his brest the same to pearce When as Sycambra wakt as t' were from forth her passions sad To see Zerphir arriued there by her was much aâ—rad But more she troubled was when she percou'd how in that place He as one desperate would haue slaine himselfe before her face This forced her pittiously to looke towards him and with her hand To make a signe as though she would grannt what he did demand Beckning to him to throw his blade from him which he ore bolde Had drawne to sley himselfe whilst she her meaning would vnfolde To which the Shepheard willing greede approaching to her nie Longing to heare what she would say resolude with her to die He comforts her he cheareth her he praieth her leaue her mone Whilst she with much adoe these words her last will forth doth grone Zerphir if I haue iniurde thee as needs I must confesse Yet more reuenge then what is light on me thou needs not presse If heretofore my beautie proud hath oft abused thee The heauens to punish that foule fault thou now dost iustly see I feele and that but rightfully the very selfe same griefe That thou endur'st to liue disdaind daining Sanus reliefe I die Zerphir I die in paine because as thou I loue Then with my death contented be since I this penance proue Now I coniure thee if thou feelst the tortors and the plagues Allotted vnto Louers true which neuer cease to rage If thou dost know that sdainfull power of Cupids matchlesse force Which makes vs often count of such as yeeld vs no remorse And such as much doe make of vs as barborous and vngrate To scorne their sutes and for their Loue them to repaie with hate Then Zerphir pardon I beseech since I haue made thee smart Thou seest although not by thy meanes enough reuengde thou art That eye which once did thee contemne with ouer-haughtie scorne Death to requite thy wrongs on it and vpon me hath sworne Sycambra dieth plungd in woe and none doth her deplore Her countenance and complexion both are chaunged ouer sore Her face is blooalesse and heate doth keepe within her vaines Her armes are brawne-falne in her cheekes no colour now remaines She dyeth she dieth desirous more to die then for to liue Onely that thee she could not helpe nor succour she doth grieue Ah Zerphir if to thinke on me no anguish thee t will bring If for thy ouer cruell Dame it moues thee any thing And if that Loue of late so hot be not as yet growne colde But as a valiant conquerour thy heart doth prisoner holde If yet affection thou bearst her who neuer thee affected And that all pittie thou hast not from pittying her reiected Then humblie I doe thee beseech by that rare former Loue That these thy griefes right bottomlesse compassion kinde may mone And that this thy compassion sweet for me may so preuaile As thou to graunt one sute to her vouchsafe not for to faile And this it is I beg of thee that after th'Iron sleepe Of death shall cease vpon my
now led hast thou me the way High time now t is for me the lawes of Nature to obey Reason it is I follow thee for is it possible Thou being gone I longer here vpon this earth can dwell My wretched daies in this vile world haue bene vnfortunate Yet dying thus in chastest Loue most happie is my state The Stars haue fullie recompenst my hatefull fortunes here In graunting me the libertie to die by thee my deare And that I touch that coarse by death exempt from vitall sence Which when it liu'd full hardly did my seruice recompence Ah beautious shade of late the lodge of honour and fresh Bower Whose praise deaths selfe though he thee slew to kill hath not the power Faire coarse receiue these tribute teares and let me pardon winne If thee embracing after death I ouerbold haue beene Daine to accept my scalding sighes and doe not him despise Who whilst he liu'd honoured thee and dying thee doth prise Rich coarse thou art to make amends to me poore soule in this That for so many woes I felt thou yeeld to me one kisse For what haue I for all my paines and trauaile I endurde Which thy hard heart continually too willing me procurde What recompence or pardon due did euer I receiue But what through sorrow my best rest from me did take and reaue To cancell all which former counts be pleasde faire Loue I pray That Zerphir dying thou being dead kisse thee now chastly may And yet alas I dare not lest that thou shouldst take it ill Gainst me as if I sought the same withouten thy good will Faire shadow now with glorie dect take for my offerings These teares these sighes these passions sad which sorrow to thee brings Receiue this blood I sprinkle here vpon thy sacred shrine To th' end my soule in dutious sort may follow after thine My heart was thine whilst I did liue and fortune wills it so That it be thine when Zerphirs dead and lieth in th' earth full low Daine therefore sacred soule and thinke not little proud am I That t is my chaunce I may haue leaue by thy sweet side to lie Willing thou wert not whilst thou liu'dst that I should be thine owne But being dead I for thy slaue most loyall shall be knowne By reason I haue well deseru'd through griefes long by me borne And by my chastest countenance that neuer woes did scorne The memorie whereof me thinkes should make thee sometimes call To minde thy Zerphir and not quite forget him once for all But Zerphir now le ts die too long we staied haue t is enough Sufficient teares on this dead coarse we now haue powred forth The heauens are wearied with my cries and neuer ceaselesse plaint And my broke heart through trembling feare doth beate in bulcke and faint Le ts die by this one word and as he spoken had that word Most cruell gainst himselfe his side he pierceth with his sword Wherewith he tumbleth dead vpon his Mistris breathlesse corse Whilst that his wound both soule and blood to issue forth doth force Thus died Sycambra meriting for constancie great fame Thus Zerphir died deseruing well to haue a liuing name Death ioynd them both together neere their bodies in one Tombe Were laid which liuing were disioynd by ouer partiall Dome And not long after that proud youth Armanda for his pride As well he aid deserue the same full dearely did abide For presently vpon their death like to Narcissus fond He died in loue being with himselfe whose losse not any monde Thus Cupid's in his Lawes vniust as by this Tale you see Yet Ladies learne to loue if lou'd againe you meane to bee The Shepheard hauing made an ende of his Tragedie helde his peace bringing vnto the whole companie a kinde of mournfull and solemne silence vpon the ricitall of the same with a secret still and inward sorrow for the lamentable end of Zirphir and Sycambra O how miserable are those who seeme as it were to feele their owne losses through the recitall and reporting of other mens mishaps being as bad almost as to awake the happie patient sleeping by reason of his soporiferous potion iust at that time when the Chyrurgian beginneth to cut off his legge Too too much doe I prooue it find it and trie it to touch me to the verie quicke cried out the sighing Arcas The misfortunes of euerie man reuiueth mine owne which before lay closely couered vnder the cinders of my former Distasters The remembrance of things prosperous is nothing so pleasant as the recalling to minde of what is vnhappie is bitter and sower For the pleasure thereof hindereth the true knowledge of pleasure aright and so by the contrarie the contrarie is the more to be commended But O how cruell then is the conceit and apprehension of a mans euils For the felicitie of the other doth not oppose himselfe against the crueltie of this thought those which are fortunate being exempted through the ioy they conceiue of their ill chances which are past and gone Old Hecuba when shee was captiue rendred the memorie of her miseries more cruell by reason shee alwayes thought vpon her happie time that was already gone For one is not so much grieued to be wretched by Nature as when he is brought downe so lowe by Fortune and the cause is for that wee are naturally borne to suffer and that he accounteth not his ill hap to be vnsupportable which he receiueth of Nature in that he is accustomed to endure and beare the same alwayes But euen as where both Fortune and Nature abound in anie notable spirit it is the more excellent and accomplished for the same So twise miserable is hee who as my selfe feeleth him selfe to be iniuried both by Fortune and Nature By Fortune she hauing made shipwrack of my libertie of my Goddesse and faire Mistrisse A Sentence and of the sweete aire of my Countrey By Nature I hauing nothing in me that can draw any commendations for me amongst the learned or win vnto me any credit amongst such as are accounted rare and admirable persons in the world Then why loue I or why should I desire to breathe any longer Vnfortunate that Marriner who arriuing safely into the Hauen will needs venture againe to thrust himselfe into the tempests of the Sea to drown himselfe most wilfully in the bottom of the waues So fareth it with me for after I had bene cruelly plagued with the chast loue of the learned and famous Iulietta I fell to loue the renowmed Diana The fire of this affection being far more hotter then the other but although this my first fault may be well pardoned yet the second falling againe into this error is to be greatly doubted feared Ah Arcas thou shouldst haue contented thy selfe with thy first imprisonment without seeking to commit thy selfe afresh into a new captiuitie But Souldiers in warre may be taken three or 4. times in that they be not of power
goddesse Diana and neuer to loue any man Cupid himselfe not being able to ouerthrow or remoue her firme and loyall determination and intent Thus did the amorous intreatings of foolish Phodra displease chast Hippolitus So did licentious Myrrha anger her father she being ouer importunate in her lawlesse loue And so did my vnwelcome speeches make her frowne euen through anger disdaines Vertue forcing her faire face to blush with shame and despite which shee like as with a pensill to temper with the vermillion of her bashfull modesty Me thought I felt my selfe condemned with that controlling looke of hers and the changing of her colour seemed to execute me euen aliue as I was Loue being of that nature that one onely countenance or gesture increaseth or diminisheth the hope of Louers as in a sick Patient a little good or ill dyet killeth or reuiueth the health of his life And now though too late A Sentence I repented me that I had spoken any thing Often is a man blamed for speaking but seldome or neuer for holding of his peace I confessed now that I had done a fault yet knew I not thereof vntill I had committed the same The Marriner ouertaken with stormes and wel-nigh sunke with surging Billowea hath leisure to repent him that he tooke Sea in such foule weather and must endure the pennance for the same Too late did the Troyans perceiue their owne ouersight An example in hauing permitted the Grecians to bring in their horse within their Citie walles and so was it with me But alack what people be there liuing in the world that are so much subiect vnto repentance as Louers be in as much as the more their losse is the greater is their repentance for that they kept the same no better Nothing is so pretious vnto the Louer as is the affection of his Ladie because it is the chiefe nourishment both of his body and minde Oft did I wish that I had brideled my tongue within my mouth but the byrd flying in the Ayre cannot flie but must be seene and a word once spoken cannot be recalled back againe being no more able to be recouered then the Time which is most vainely and sondly lost A Similie The 〈◊〉 once shot cannot returne backe to the bowe but must flie to the mark at which it was aimed Neither can the stone that is flung vp into the aire come againe into the hadde of the stinger before it hath mounted vp aloft What to doe I knew not only I hung downe my head and as one vnworthy to fee that face which was most iustly offended with my foolish temeritie I held mine eyea fixed vpon the ground Wherein I resembled him that playeth at Tennice who looketh vpon his Racket after he hath made a fault not knowing whom to blame for the same The louely Virgin not any thing at all moued in mind as I was for though the Fellon that hath offended A Similie is troubled before the Iudge we must not therefore say that the Iudge himselfe being innocent and the father of the Law should be astonisht at all tooke courage brauely againe and as it were in disdaine thus began to iest at me How now man what cheare all amort still Tell me thou rash and vnconsiderate Swaine doest thou not feare the paines of Ixion or to be plagued as that amorous Hunter was by Diana for his ouermuch sawcie boldnes I well perceiue thou findest that I am more curteous and gentle then thou art bolde and ouer-foolish-hardie farre more then any way becommeth thee indeed thy fault deseruing as great punishment as the others did But it may be thou art one of that accursed race of the Titans whom Iupiter blasted with Lightning for their notorious pride taking downe their proud glorie with the horrible dartes of his all-daunting fierie Thunder Doest thou not know my nature my calling my birth In going about to mocke me thou wouldst seeme to make me belieue that I am otherwise then I am making Loue to be author of thy follie and my beautie the mother of thine error But thou playest as almost euery one doeth For who euer hath done a fault that layeth not the blame thereof rather on another then vpon himselfe You Louers are happie in one thing for that you haue this Loue alwayes at command vpon whome as vpon a Rocke you founde and build all the buildings of your faults when it is a meere grosse Error to thinke that there is any such Loue at all Man if hee list may keepe himselfe from Louing For brideling his appetites with the snaffle of Reason and holding them in their right places they can no way offend and they no way offending he can neuer be forced to loue A Sentence Thou art the first that like bold Bayard durst be so audatious as to trouble me with such speeches as thou euen now hast done For to what purpose seemeth it the Husbandman to goe about to remoue a huge stone or Rocke from one place to another whose blacke and cold shade spoyleth his Corne Or what profite is it for the Pilot to seeke to tarrie the course of the flood because it hindereth his Nauigation I am vowed vnto the Goddesse Diana and am one of her Virgins which onely I will serue Hence then all loue from mee and thou that hast presumed as the first to speake vnto me therof shalt be him that shalt be first refused protesting vnto thee that if thou returne againe vnto thine olde Error I will so punish thee as thou shalt be a warning vnto all other whatsoeuer Ah good Father I yet stayed for a more hard and cruell answere of this angrie Nymph resembling the guiltie person who not fearing the arrest of death contrarie to his feare is onely condemned to pay a Fine Which was the cause that hope and assurance came vnto me againe Whilst with an humble reuerence I thus began to excuse my selfe vnto her Glorious and resplendent Lampe the purest Golde in the world hath sometimes bene dispraised of men and counted as base because they knew not the value and worth thereof Euen so if not any before my selfe haue not attributed glorie vnto thy beautie the reason is because they were not acquainted with the excellencie of the same Say what it best pleaseth youre sweet selfe yet shall you neuer keepe me from worshipping admiring and adoring that which is so precious and rate as it approcheth neere vnto the Gods because it is not in the power of man to hinder the same no more then the bond-slaue can contradict whatsoeuer pleaseth his Maister If the diuine Goddesse Diana hath entertained you for her owne doe you admire and wonder that mortall creatures after the example of the Gods doe vnto you honour and reuerence Too bold I must needs confesse I am to trouble you with these my harsh and tedious importunities But O worthie Diana what famous deedes and memorable acts
the occasions of vice to the ende he may not sinne at all For he that is graue and considerate can finde no excuse when he hath offended For mine owne part I will neither loue nor be beloued much lesse be the cause of anothers miserie But O you blinde and frantike Louers who alwayes make your Mistresses the motiues of all your misfortunes As if a faire Christall Riuer and such a one as is profitable vnto the whole Common-wealth should be condemned for drowning such as cast themselues headlong into the same and not their owne foolish and desperate fault But saiest thou I cannot hinder thee to loue mee a Gods name let it be so but yet this cold comfort I will giue thee loue mee as much as thou wilt yet neuer would I wish thee to looke for any requitall at my hands for if thou doest assure thy selfe thou shalt be mightily deceiued And take this also for a warning from mee besides that if thy indiscretion or want of gouernement shall by chaunce bring the least spot or blemish vnto mine honor yea as much as any small colour of the same I here solemnely protest that in reuenging it vpon thee I will likewise punish mine owne selfe in that I haue suffered thee so farre to runne on and not to haue plagued thee for thy offence For I will wash my hands in my best blood and so purge my selfe cleare from the fault Fond Shepheard that thou art this fraile and withering beautie of the bodie is nothing worth in comparison of that of the minde And that woman that hath the first and wanteth the second is like vnto a dead bodie which is nothing but a faire and fat-feeding for wormes If thou louest me indeed as thou wouldst make me belieue then loue that which I esteeme of more then of mine owne life that is mine honour and louing it euen for my Loues sake withdraw thy selfe from dooing that which may hurt it and so by consequence mine owne person For Shepheard assure thy selfe this mine honour can neuer die without my life and they sailing both in one Boate neuer shall Diana see the one without the other Admirable Ladie answered I great wrong doe you offer vnto me to account me as an enemie of the thing which you so religiously esteeme of in this world But if I so much displease you yet can I easily content you againe in absenting my selfe from you by a gentle kinde of death Permit me onely to execute the same and then shall you see how willing I am to be seruiceable vnto you in all my best deuoires If I haue forgotten my selfe anie way I craue pardon for my fault I beeing ouer rash in that I haue presumed to loue you so much as I doe and not that I euer went about to offer outrage or preiudice vnto your good Name or Fame in any sort whatsoeuer Or if without making satisfaction for mine offence you will not forgiue me yet I beseech you suffer me to die For neuer will I wish to liue to be holden for an enemie vnto that which I hold to be so precious and which I esteeme more off then of all the wealth in the world Shepheard Shepheard answered the curteous Damzell I take little delight or pleasure in blood Neither am I descended from those Gods which demaunded men to be sacrificed vnto them I will endure all yet not with force as Tyrants doe but rather with sweet mildnesse as gentle Princes vse I am content thou liuest but yet whilst thou liuest I would not haue thee kill her who hath giuen thee so much libertie or to bring her vnto her latest home if by thy fault her chaste credite be anie way impaired or diminished What shall I say more vnto thee to content thee when I haue alreadie I feare me said enough if not too much I must now leaue thee for I perceiue my Sister is about to call me to begin our dauncing againe Heauens graunt that thou maist liue freed of this thine euill and that my losse make thee not wise too late after thou hast wrought mine vtter ouerthrow Hauing so sayd away she goeth from me comforting her selfe amongst her diuine companie And I being not a little proud of this my gentle good fortune withdrew my selfe from the companie making my prayers vnto the Muses who deuised these two Sonnets which after the daunce was finished in the best manner I could I presented vnto her SONNET I. My thoughts a new cleare Sunne now whollie do adore My hart pale through great feare doth march vnder his light This Sunne thy sweete Face is where beautie keepes his store Which being diuine diuinely prized is aright Sacred Diana worshipped in Heauen and Hell Thou ore my hart alone deseru'st to signorise Men vanquisht by rare Deities that do excell Thee taking so should honor in most sacred wise If then I by thine eyes am ouercome and slaine Yet I esteeme myselfe most happie so to be Men seruing Gods Cannonized Saints are for their pains Ah then these humble prayers and vowes accept of me The greatest Gods vouchsafe A Sentence ment presents for to take And meaning good the sacrifice most perfect still doth make SONNET II. Faire Dame which with sweet bonds in bondage holdst my hart Daine that he may thee serue his raunsome so to pay Or if thou wilt not that from prison he shall part Then as a guiltie wretch in bis best time him slay He cannot see thee lest he dutious thee may serue Needs must hee rest thy slaue for who hath venim tane A counter-poyson seekes himselfe so to preserue Or findeth Death out for to ease him of his paine That torment sudddainly which gentle Death doth kill Ought not to be lamented when it riddes all griefe Whereas my woes are heauie during alwayes ill Ah then kill me on suddaine or yeeld me reliefe For happier is the Tombe then is his vitall breath Who rightly liueth not but wretchea languisheth These were the first verses which with a Viole pleading for pittie I presented vnto my beautious Diana who accepted of them and read them with an indifferent kinde conntenance O diuine Muses euen vice it selfe loueth honoreth and reuerenceth you Neither is there anie be they neuer so ill giuen but liketh of the praises which you with your melodious harmonie attribute vnto them Diana finding mee to be somewhat fauoured of the Muses beganne to thinke somewhat better of mee then she did beforce imagining that they would not suffer vice to raigne in my Loue because they are of themselues diuine and chaste So Maro by the helpe of his Muse obtained the fauour of Augustus the Emperour recouering his lands againe Wherevpon I began to conceiue better of my selfe then I any way deserued and as Pompey because hee had forced some of Caesars armie to retire backe as farre as their owne Trenches imagined with himselfe that hee had alreadie got the gole and wonne the victorie So I
plight Stay there Shepheard said the old man interrupting him for thy misfortunes haue put me in minde of a dolefull Historie which I will report vnto thee Hearken then for thus it beginneth In the raigne of Emanuel King of Portingall who with his Armie Royall The pittifull Historie of the Vertuous Izabella and her incontinent Husband Don Horatio scoured all the Seas thereabouts planting the faith of Iesus Christ in the hearts of the vnbeleeuing Moores who then had small knowledge in the same and at what time he vexed the Infidels of Affrica with continuall warres hauing wonne Saffin Arsillias too famous and strange Cities of that countrie from them fortifying them with sufficient braue valant Garrisons there then liued a young gallant Gentleman called Horatio who for the great proofes which he had alreadie shewed abroad of his rare and admirable chiualrie was growne to be verie famous and had gotten great fame and renowme amongst the Portingalls Hercules though he was valiant yet did hee loue and through loue died Achillis for Brissesse left the defence of his owne Souldiours and countrimen An example for the affection he bare to Polixena lost his life Mars and Cupid as the Father and Sonne walke most commonly together and fewe generous Cauailiers haue there bene that haue not vouchsafed to loue Amongst the number of which this youthfull knight was one who was forced to submit himselfe vnto the good liking and to seeke the fauour of a faire Gentlewoman as then attending vpon Maria the Queene and one of her Maidens of Honour being the daughter of Samperius an auncient Baron and defended from a most honourable house Neither was he much to be discommended in suffering himselfe to be ouercome by this young Damozell he hauing made his choyce so well that for vertue and wit for stature of body for good colour and complexion and for perfect properties in all partes of her there were fewe or none to be preferred before her in all the court of Portugall yet though his fancie was great he mightily concealed it vntill maugre his force the fire discouered it selfe bursting out into a great flame and that at a very bad time for him the King then dispatching him presently away for Sassin to follow the old warres against the Affricans Although Don Horatio was by nature borne to be a Souldiour being farre fitter for the field then to dallie in a field-bed warre being his most pleasing pastime and that he delighted in nothing so much as in battaile yet did it wonderfully grieue him to be absent from his Mistris wishing in his minde that he might haue giuen ouer his weapons and haue spun by her side as Hercules did sometimes rather then to haue departed from her But there was no remedie bound he was by oath and needs must he obey Besides this Nation is wonderfull respectiue and dutifull vnto their Prince and which was of most importance his honour would haue complained vpon him if he should haue refused so worthie a charge One thing there was which did not a little grieue him and that was because he could not make knowne vnto his Ladie the sincere affection he bare her to the end she might sometimes thinke vpon him and for feare lest in his absence she should entertaine some other stranger into her seruice he being not able by reason of his quicke dispatch to talke with her in priuate for occasion offereth her selfe now and than vnto such as are willing to seeke her Whereupon he thought it not amisse to write vnto her his minde by Letter which being done he knew not how to conuey it vnto her Much did he studie about the same one while deuising this way and another while that way but in the end none pleased him at all he being as farre off to find out any meanes as when he first began to thinke thereof A Similie Not vnlike the couetous wretch who doth nothing else night and day but studie how to encrease his rich substance and wealth beating his braines onely how to get gold and yet is neuer contented nor satisfied But behold how Fortune was Horatios friend in his busines Samperius the Father of this Gentlewoman was by chaunce as then in the Indies two great Caracts being sent by him from thence vnto the King the verie same day that Horatio departed from Lisbon to passe into Affrica Now our young Louer whom Loue roused vp as the Hūtsman doth his game counselled him to get some of these who were newly come to the Court to deliuer this Letter as if it had come from her Father which as he wished was quickly brought to passe For a certaine friend of his offered him to be the messenger and to deliuer the same with his owne hands vnto her which he did so orderly with so great cunning as none perceiued no nor the Damozell her selfe but that they were sent frō her father vntill she had opened and red them for there she found the sweet entreaties of a friend in steed of the graue counsell of a Father when being deceiued like him that returning home from a farre country findeth his house seazed vpon by his enemie she thought to teare the Letters all in peeces before she had throughly red them But as it is generally seene that nouell sights though bad doe please our eyes many men of the better sort thinking that a sudden change and alteration of things will breed their great contentment and ease Euen so this Damozell moued with this strange case after many doubtfull determinations within her owne selfe first readeth one line and then another and at the last the third and then foldeth the paper vp resolued to reade no more of the same but to burne it Yet as he that tasteth good wine although at the first he is resolued not to drinke much by little and littile swalloweth downe a great draft allured by the sweetnes of the same So this Gentlwoman finding somewhat that pleased her in the beginning made no more adoc but read them quite out the copie whereof was this DON HORATIO his Letter to IZABELLA FAire Gentelmoman ' if it be an irreuocable Doome that men be they neuer so valiant or couragious shall be subiect vnto a brauer and more liuelier force then their owne I hope you will not meruaile ouermuch if I humblie yeeld vnto your diuine Graces and if as a Captiue vnto your beauties I resigne my weapons vnto you and yeeld my selfe as ouercome by your beautious selfe The valiant Champion taketh it for more credit to be vanquished by a famous Conquerour accustomed to vanquish then to haue subdued some base and cowardly enemie because glorie is the mother of trauaile and of labour And seeing the heauens haue appoynted ihat I should be ouerthrowne I take no small pride and contentment that it is my fortune to be prisoner vnto the resplendant sunne of your beautious eyes I hauing neuer beheld any thing so
King hauing wonne himselfe such commendations by reason of his valour as he might commaund that which other Gallants and Gentlemen scarce durst not open their mouths to entreat for so that hauing egresse and regresse at all houres and to euerie place he one day espied a fit time to breake his minde vnto his Mistris whom he finding alone began thus to giue her the onset he that is troubled with any griefe is much lightned of the same when he hath vnfolded and discouered it vnto his friend Now faire Gentlewoman of all euils that I haue knowne in my conceit there is none that commeth nigh vnto Loue in respect of crueltie for all other diseases haue their remedies onely he is as it were without recure Notwithstanding as he entereth in at the eyes who stand him in steed of torches to set him a fire in the heart so will he perforce passe from forth the mouth taking the tongue for a Herold or Trompet of his dissignes I speake this by experience although vnto my no little sorrow vnlesse your harsh and hard rigour growe to be gentle and milde and except you lay a side this cruell vaile which hide the pittie of your inward thought Alas sweet Ladie if sometimes we loue those who hate vs such as beare vs no good will at all how much more in reason then ought we to affect those that loue vs indeed For although their friendship is not profitable vnto vs yet neuerthelesse ought we to accept of their good wills inasmuch as we cannot loue one vnlesse we wish couet and procure the credit and good of such whom we fancie which me thinkes should binde vs in conscience to shew the like good meaning againe considering that the bruit beastes themselues fancie those that doe good vnto them doing a kind of reuerence vnto their gouerners that gouerne and bring them vp That your beautie being so rare as it is cannot suffer or indure any thing that is bad or vitious I doubt not at all for most comonly that which is perfect of it selfe is not so easily through vice corrupted which put me in good hope that you will not blame my loyall amitie my true intention nor the chast desire I haue had alwaies to serue you If therefore it shall please you to entertaine me into so happie an office you then shall quickly perceiue many true effects to spring forth from this my faithfull seruitude a double band tying me against the harshnes of your rigour and I being double wise moued and compelled to serue you the one is your admirable incōparable vertue which admitteth no cōparison and the other is your excellent beautie which glistereth among other faces as tho Sunne doth among the startes May be you will say that Loue hath set me downe this lesson teaching me what I should speake and that neuer any Louer thinketh that Subiect foule which he loueth To which I will answere you that if you were not worthie of the praise I haue giuen you and meriting euery way to be beloued Loue neuer had made vse of your singular perfections to ouerthrow my libertie as he hath now done because he can neuer make a shew of the greatnes of his power but by such rare Subiects as Nature doth furnish him with all through which he helpeth himselfe to take prisoners the harts of greatest Monarks this being the reason we seldome or neuer sees foule or vitious woman to be affected or loued for that Loue refuseth to doe such a one as she any seruice at all It is no vnhonest desire that inflameth me with your kind a mitie for rather would I chuse to die then once to holde within me such a bad thought and much lesse doe I make Eburting mine exercise to passe the day withall now I am free frō warres For too pretious a thing doe I esteeme Time to be to consume and lose it without any good occasion neither is it my meaning any way to goe about to deceiue you for so doing I should but deceiue my selfe and deceiuing my selfe I should quickly be the authour of mine owne proper ouerthrow my pretence being to seeke you with a chast minde in the way of sacred marriage with the consent of your friends according vnto all orderly proceedings Thinke then sweet Lady how plaine my meaning is how holy mine intentions are and how chast my desires remēbring that Wedlocke is a matter you can hardly avoyd therefore I beseech you if you find me any way worthie of your friendship cast him not away that honoureth and adoreth you more then his owne soule neither frustrate him of that good fortune which he hopeth to find by enioying of your seemely selfe because he neitheir will nor can be fortunate but to make you blessed neither seeke for any renowme but onely to make your selfe the more glorious for euer This was the summe of the Caualiers speech Who silent now attends his Ladies kind replie Whilst to his heart she wounds doth dart with her faire eye Our saine Maide of Honour vnaoquainted altogether with such busines as this whose chast cares vntill now were alwaies shut vnto such Orations as these was much amazed to heare such a speech as this not knowing what answere to giue vnto Horatio vpon the soden She saw his vertue his reputation and his glorie had made him famous and commendable his loue to be chaste and laudable and his modest and pudicque intentions worthie of all succour reasonable But yet on the other side a number of these odde contrarie conceits which hinder men much in their first proceedings and so hardly bring it to passe when they haue begun the same as the most part of them like faint-hearted cowards giue ouer in their pursuite without doing any good at all made her to pause and doubt vpon the matter fearing lest as into vnknowne places all entrings and beginnings are dangerous so this his eager chasing in loue was followed either for some mischiefe to light vpon her bodie or else for some staine or blemish vnto her honour Besides such Virgins as are not practisde at all in the Art of Loue although they thinke well of such as are suters vnto them alwaies imagine so simple are they that their credits should be much disparaged if they should not giue two or three proud or disdainfull answeres vnto their seruants when they first begin to court them and therefore for fashion sake this Gentlewoman thought to doe the like but yet bethinking her selfe somewhat better of the matter she thought it was as good to forbeare as to doe it one while she thought vpon one thing and another while vpon an other in the end she resembled The Rosie bad which winde bloweth here and there amaine Holding his head downe which he raiseth vp againe She loued Horatio admired at his valour honoured his Chiualrie highly prized his glorie and found her selfe tickled with the great praises he gaue vnto her But as too
you go about to keep me from him whither I will or no. Nor was she deceiued of her purpose though thrise happie in that it pleased God to call her himselfe from out this vale of miserie and so by that meanes to saue her soule For no sooner was shee hindered of her intent but what for anger thereof and what for extreame griefe for Horatios death she fell into a dangerous and hote burning Feuer which so violently seazed vpon euery part of her as her weake bodie being not able to endure the fierie raging thereof shee yeelded her tormented carkas vnto death within sixe dayes after At what time shee was freed from all her former troubles and after her death she was according vnto her desire enterred with her husband leauing behinde her many commendations for her matchlesse vertues her losse being lamented of cuerie good bodie as was fufficiently showne by the pittifull laments that were euerie where vsed for her sake because of the rare examples of chastitie of patience of modest demeanure of loue and of loy altie which she carryed towards her vngratefull and vnkind Husband And this Shepheard is the historie I meant to report vnto thee but because that Diana looking palish with her siluer hornes meaneth to runne her course entering into the place of her glistering brother the Sunne wee will for this time vntill to morrow morning withdraw our selues vnto our Cortages and then as earlie as thou wilt shalt thou begin the discourse of thy Loue againe Wherevpon the olde man and Arcas began to retire themselues homewards and by the way they encountered a faire Shepheardesse who proposed a Riddle vnto another desiring him to interpret the same rightly And this was it that followeth For others good and profit I outragious still Consume what doth my proper vigor entertaine And though my burning is not vnto anie ill Where I should prais de be they vngras of all me doe name Father of liuing Creatures all I am renoumde And Lord I am ouer the Time on earth that staies Yet doth a little thing dant mee and me confound And of a Conquerour conquered forceth mee strait-waies But in the end although that I am plagued thus Through succour of the windes when all thinke I am dead I rise againe to men of times most dangerous And through my harmefull rage I fill them full of dread My mother I deuour whilst I a straunger nonrish For ill I good doe to my spightfull enemies Iudge then since Serpents in my bosome I doe cherish If I ore wretched am not in most pittious wise The other Shepheard knew not the meaning of this Riddle which the old man interpreted in this sort Your Emgma faire Shepherdesse signifieth the fire which being for the vse of man to warme him consumeth deuoureth the wood it being his mother and nourisher It is counted the Father of all liuing Creatures who without heat cannot liue Although he is of great force yet doth a very small thing vanquish him which is water Neuerthelesse when he sheweth to be dead a little blast of winde maketh him to burne more furious then before He doth good to such as count and call him vngratefull in warming them with his heate and deuoureth his mother which is the reason he tearmeth himselfe to be most miserable and wretched This solution euery one commended when as they were walking homewards one of the Shepheards sung this Ode following To Louers what good doth the Sunne If by his beames they be vndone LOVE' 's as bitter as is Rue Blest are such as nere is knew He is accurst that comes tot'h Sea Once were and in port waist haue ease To Louers what good doth their Sunne If by his beames they are vndone A fend Louer doth not â—â—ril Name nor fame of mant inberit Since he is fee to his owne health Whilst in fire he burnes himselfe To Louers what good doth their Sâ—â—â—e If by his beames they be vndone Griefe 〈◊〉 Loue tendeth nis Pleasure is his 〈…〉 Better laugh then wade and sigh Who then Loues not his owne life To Louers what good deth If by his beames Without teares no Louer is Nor his sad laments doth â—isse Better farre to liue at ease Then to seeke a shrowe to please To Louers what good If by his beames Wretched then be such as loue I le liue free nor it will proue For who 'le count of him that still Like set his wees nourish will To Louers what good doth the Sâ—â—â—e If by his beames he be vndone This Ode being sung euerie owne departed vntill the returne of mestfull Aurera leauing the Sister of Apollo to runne out her darke and gloomie course The end of the second daies meeting of Iuliettaes Shepheards THE THIRD DAIES MEETING OF IVLIETTAES SHEPHEARDS NO distance of place can hinder kind amitie no change of aire altar firme affection neither can the separation of that which is loued diuide or keepe backe the Louer from his sweet Mistris Too true noble Phillistell doest thou know this to be thou being so farre off from thy faire and sacred Iulietta and yet neuerthelesse thou liuest in her and still dreamest of her beautie whilest louing her although she be absent thou canst not forget her for that she holdeth thy heart with her as in a close prison thou in the meane time feeling and by thine owne experience finding how cruell vnto a loyall Louer the absence of his beautious Ladie is the fish not more desiring to haue water for his nourishment then he doth couet her companie it being the chiefe foode of his soule O how tedious and irkesome vnto him who attendeth and expecteth the breake of day to come hauing some great matter of importance to dispatch is the long seeming course of the vnwelcome night In all which time he is not able to take any rest looking still with open eyes to spie the rising of the faire Sunne which he ioyfully marketh at his first appearing to warme the little hills to melt the soft snow to glister and shine vpon the earth and with a solemne pace to mount vp and to settle himselfe in his glorious chariot riding in progresse through the huge giring Vault of heauen he seeth him brauely to chase away the sparkling Starres as the Conquerour doth his enemies that he hath vanquisht and beholdeth the sad and sable night to flie from his cheerfull face as the timerous thiefe doth the seuere Iudges presence whilest he listeneth vnto the melodie of thousands of pretie Birds which solemnize and celebrate in their warbling notes the arriuall of the prudent Sire of proud Phaeton Poore Philistell how often hast thou counted short daies for long yeares after that malitious Fortune had sequestred thee from the companie of thy Ladie and how many times didst thou dreame in the night that thou sawest her deuising and talking with thee in the same manner as she was wont to doe when those happie Desarts of Arcadia were true witnesses
world did encounter And wicked Tyrants did send to hell with a mischiefe So did Achilles loue in his prime and he but a youngling Was by the craftie meanes of his foe most cruelly murdred Greatest states haue lou'd why then for loue should I blam'd be If that I seeke as they to loue thee my Goddesse aboue all Not any things here in this earth compared to thy beautie Not any things here in this earth that like to thy sweet selfe May vaunt to giue lawes as Gods that dwell in the cleere skie For Loue falling in loue with thy faue face and with thy rose checke Plase like awanton in thine eies and like to a Babie Nor doth he liue but in thee who art his Court and his Heauen Happie thou that canst command so loftie a God-head Such and so rare thy fauour is thy grace so beseeming As their Palas most denine doth seeke to repose her On thy cherrie lippes hunnie sucking Mercurie seazeth Aud thy sacred Angels voice is the voice of Apollo And to be briefe th' art so diuine as fewe thee resemble Fowe or none that liues in this world so beautifull as thou Then will I loue thee what doe I say too little a thing t is Lesse that I worship doe to thee as vnto a Goddesse Then to thee as immortall might my life I doe offer And my loy all heart doe I sacrifice to thy beautie Whilst I hung on thine Altar this my verse which hath chaunted With thousand close sighes the praises of many others But yet neuer honoured any like to thy rare selfe Wondred at of men of Gods most worthily worshipt Then this my chast voice receiue as heauenly powers doe And vouchsafe for this song a corner of thy sweet Altar Vnto the end I deeply may engraue in the same place How in coarse and in minde thou fram'd art daintily perfect And that nothing equall can thy feature immortall Who art honours lonely Nurse and Eternities owne childe Hauing made these verses I plaide as the countrie Farmeth doth who hauing gathered some daintie or new kind of fruite keepeth the same verie charily to make a present thereof vnto his Land-lord vpon the first occasion he shall haue to see him and so I resolued to keepe these my verses and to present them vnto my Diana assoone as she should returne from the ceremonies of her Goddesse and long was it as me thought that she staied For to one that expecteth looketh for any thnig euery houre seemeth a yeare at the least Willingly could I haue murmured against the Goddesse Diana If I durst and more willingly haue curtold of and shortned her Sacrifices if I had bene as I was not the great Priest of the Gods But in the end the best thing that I could finde to helpe me was patience perforce whilest I attended with good deuotion the will of the heauens which at the last bringeth euery thing to his perfection Yet when these Sacrifices were at an end they were no more fortunate vnto me then was their beginning For my Diana being elected and chosen Queene of these Mysteries by the other Nymphs was conducted not farre from thence by the whole troupe of them to be enstalled to receiue the Robes of her Royrall Soueraigntie much did it please me that my Ladie was so highly honoured but as much againe did it displease me that I should lose her presence longer for the same which was the cause it drowned and choaked all the contentment and pleasure which I conceiued of her prehemmence and to know her to be preferred before all the rest of the Goddesse traine For the good seruant is not a little glad and proud in that he serueth a braue and vertuous Maister who surpasseth all others in vertue and in chiualrie And so the Louer is fullie contented and not a little doth glorie when he is the seruant of such a Ladie as not Loue alone maketh her seeme beautifull in his owne sight but when she is so reputed and accounted of by the voice of all men Nothing delighteth our mindes more then when we see euery mans conceit to iumpe with our owne in the thing that we loue most of all Now the honour that was attributed vnto my Mistris was great for she was brought from the temple arrayed with a fine and daintie robe of white lawne vnder which was a garment of cloth of golde rich of great valew her head was adorned embollished with a Royall golden Crowne and the louely traces of her flaxen haire were tied with small and delicate colours of the purest silke set out with many prettie knots à nd wonderfull rare deuises Her countenance was such and so Maiesticall as if she had bene the Goddesse Diana indeed for apparell setteth out the bodie verie much being one of the goodhest and chiefest ornaments to encrease beautie especially if there be good store of change of the sacred and costly with ill and that it be fit and well made for the person that shall weare it Her Chariot was of Iuorie wherein she sat inthronized drawne with foure huge Lions which shaked their yellow rough skinnes to make such stubborne harts to feare and quake that were loth to bow and doe reuerence vnto their beautious and Princely Princesse Before her and by her side the other Nymphs marched orderly and in a row euery one of them carrying a braunch of Oliue wreathed and intermixed with a bowe of greene Laurell and a writing vpon the same which bare euerie one 's owne Quatrin in praise of this royall Nymph whereof some of them were these here vnder inserted The Muses Goddesse faire this chast verse offer thee And to thy peerlesse Coarse and Beauties excellence To praise the good to blame such wights as wicked be Is honors double gaine and double recompence Another Quatersan If thou Dianaes name her beautie and her wit doest beare Who is adornd in heauens whilst thou below dost soiourne here What reason is it then but that we worship thee likewise As wee the mighty Gods doe and like honors thee deuise Another Too small a toy this Lawrell is to make for thee a Crowne Thy temples to embellish faire thou art of such renowne T is mortals gaine this honour yet as we present to thee Immortall verses so with such the Gods presented bee Another Rare vertue neuer honoured is enough at any time Nor can we too much make to smoake her Altars ore diuine Then if thy workes as hers immortall right doe show Wonder thou not though beauties thine be worshipt so Another Queene of our workes and Princesse of our hart Of our chaste minds we offer thee best part Our verse it is through which the Conquerour liues Which to his deeds most heauenly brightnes giues Another Blest be our Queene immortall she alwaies In words and deeds we 'ele honour her with praise Whose bodie beautious and whose soule is faire And who for gifts with Pallas may compare Another
The Oxe to Iupiter we vse to sacrifice To Baccus Wine the Goate to Pan we giue likewise Corne vnto Ceres and sweet Myrre we Cupid offer But vnto thee who vice dost hate our verse we proffer Another Thy Feature faire nor stately Gate hath vs orecome T is none of these thy vertue t is that this hath done He is not vanquished that hath endurde the sight Of one that is farre more in power then mortall might Another Mongst thousand honours due vnto thy glorious Deitie Receiue our verses and these Flowers as offerings to thy beautie Small tryumph for the Captaine t is to foyle his enemie Vnlesse Apollos sisters ring out his victorie These Quatraines were fairely written in great Letters of Gold all in my Mistris honour which how much it pleased me to see commended by so many sweet voyces you your selfe may soone imagine This done after they had carried her vp downe for a certaine space and that the Lions being wearied had reposed themselues all the Nymphs gathered themselues together in a round and holding hands one with another they began to sing sweetly againe in the praise of their Queene ringing out this peale with their notes sounding like sweet Bells as followeth Another Now must the Gods aboue And all the heauens that moue Of Diana praises sing That may hereafter ring Now must me with knot fine The Lawrell greene combine With th' oliue that his haire May be adornd were faire O Cibile whom the skies Doth worship reuerently Giue vs of Flowers gay That Garlands make we may Yee Muses that doe chaunt And of worlds honour vaunt Giue vs Inuention still From forth your sacred hill O Maias learned Sonne Giue vs a hunnie tongue And with thy rods vs touch That we may pleasure much Yee Gods and Goddesse Beston your worthines That we may celebrate Our noble Princesse state Who with renowâ—â—e doth liue Whose deeds forth honour giue A thing most worthie t is To praise what worthie is Then each where we will tell Her glorie doth excell Faire we of thee will sing And make our song to ring Of thee and of thy acts Of thy victorious facts Thy beautie wee le not hide Which in thy lookes doth bide Being full of Maiestie Whilst thou most worthily For chastitie doest gaine What Hippolit did staine Liue then and die thou namer But be thou crownd for euer With Coronet diuine Becomming wearing thine And neuer may thy hart Feele sorrow teene or smart Still may thy vertue yeeld Flowers fit for such a field And ore Loue dominere And with thy lookes him feare Daunt such as ouer-bold Thy honour dare behold Let vs right glorie finde Within thy peerlesse minde Celestiall things still loue What mort all is nere proue This only of thy beautie We sing as is our dutie And though thou in thy heart More firme and loyall art Then loyatie it selfe wealth Since Loue takes place fore May we of thee alone Ay thinke or else of none So death it selfe may haue No power thee for to brant So maist thou alwaies flourish Although we die and perish Like Phoebus Lawrall greene That fresh is alwaies seene So will we wish that care Thy Feature nere impaire And that what thou dost craue Thou euer maist it haue That blacke dispaire thy soule With thoughts may nere controule And that no griefe may cease On thee to wound thy peace That Ioue may ding the downe Who on thy good doe frowne And enuious are through spite To see how thou shinst bright Since all the Gods doe shew Their power here below A signe thaâ—le thee defend Vnto the world his end Then feare not for they will Protect and shield thee still Whilst thy 〈◊〉 shall shine Encreasing time from time Enfranchising with ioy Thy selfe free from annoy To th' end thou helpe vs may Whom onely we obay Faire then these verses take Which we penâ—e for thy sake Our selues nor life our soule Doe as thou please controule By all thy deeds of honour Which thou hidst in a manner DEARE graâ—â—â—t this Boone past bee T is all we bog of thee How pleasing this song was vnto mine eares you may kinde Father easilie suppose seeing it was so much in the commendation of my Ladie for the faithfull Louer indeed maketh more account of the honour and credit of his Mistris then of his owne and whoso doth otherwise is not a true seruant but a despitefull enemie This feast continued a long time being both grieuous and gladsome vnto me first grieuous because I could not haue thee companie of my deare Diana and then ioyfull to see how much it did redowne vnto her honour For the desire of glorie is so sweet that as sugar sweetneth such things as are most bitter so it maketh all paines and troubles seeme light and pleasant I wishing in my minde that my FAITH might growe to be famous rather then mine owne selfe which was the reason I did the better endure to be absent from her because I perceiue that it was for her renowne This made me haue patience perforce which I easilie brooked by reason I sawe that in my minde during all these Solemnities pleased me as much as that thing did for which I so eagerly and earnestlie attended and lookt for Willingly would I haue thrust my selfe amongst them to daunce to haue assisted therest according vnto my slender power and to haue the more praised my Ladie but I durst not neither would they haue receiued me into their companie I knowing that mortall things ought not to be mingled with diuine and that nothing could vnite and ioyne together the high Empire of Inpirer with the base ruling of Caesar Yet in the meane time I was so foolish in my conceits that I thought it grieued my Deare because she could not haue leisure to speake vnto me but I was farre wide from the matter for the pleasure and glorie which inuironed her round about drowned all other imaginations excepting onely that wherewith she was so highly honored And had not this carryed her minde away and busied it about the same yet had she neuer so much as once thought vpon mee because shee did not affect me at all neither bare me any good will but as she did ordinarily vnto others Such is the humour of Louers that judge euery one by their owne selues as if it were necessarie and expedient that euery one should be as fond as they themselues are foolish What should I say more but that as one rauished through too much ioy I beheld my Goddesse so earnestly and with such zeale as I perswaded my selfe she was the true Goddesse indeed and therevpon I imagined that she being raised to so high a dignitie would no more account of me then she had done heretofore of my verses for commonly prosperitie maketh men insolent and proude And yet againe I was not a little glad of her good Fortunes because I gessed that by that meanes none could rightly
away from them and disdaineth them The bodie cannot mooue nor liue without soule No more can vertue be without glorie If the Gods themselues holde thee for faire for vertuous and for wise and if the immortall Nymphes make account of thee for such a one and respect thee for the same Why then wilt thou refuse this small praise my mournefull Muse giueth thee If I am deceiued so are the Gods deceiued If I erre the Nymphs haue erred And if I haue done amisse so haue all the Demy-gods of the Forrest likewise But gratious Diana no man can doe amisse in imitating the Gods in as much as they are not subiect vnto vice and for that they vse not to sinne Why then doest thou blame mee in that I follow them Penelope so renowmed for chastitie hath neuer bene of that worth that thou art of nor Cassandra more learned Helene was neuer more beautious nor Enone more wise whilst in the meane time euery one of these for one only rare gift that was within them haue caused thousands of Poets to sweat in their praises why then shouldest thou who art possessed of all these goodly vertues alone refuse that honor which is so rightly due vnto thee But alas what say I Great reason hast thou to refuse such a poore praise as commeth from one so simple and weake a Poet as my selfe For the glory which the ignorant giue vnto the wise may rather be tearmed a discredit then ame honor vnto them Yet such as I am I beseech you accept of me imitating Alexander the great who cherished gratiously entertained as well bad as good writers as did blazon forth his praise For although through want of skill the ignorant man faileth very much of this marke by reason he cannot explaine and shewe forth the effects of his good will as he desireth yet cannot it let him from manifesting the good will it selfe which alwayes is accounted for the first part of the worke Permit then my poore Muse to celebrate thy renowme thou being farre more fairer then the Cassandra of great Ronsard more chaste then the Oliua of Hunny mother Bellay and more perfect then the Diana of courteous De Reports For a more diuine subiect my Muse could neuer chuse my pen could neuer write of a daintier matter my wit could neuer finde a fairer fielde to walke in nor my tongue a sweeter Theame whereon to discourse And shouldest thou denie me yet would I not giue ouer to praise thee for not onely do I hold thee worthy to be worthie thereof but also account thee the onely shee that heercafter I will celebrate and make famous as mine onely Ladie and Mistris Shepheard answered shee affection oftentimes blindeth the eyes of the wise and good will is euer partiall in the praises of his friends What soeuer a man loueth that neuer seemeth soule nor deformed because Desire is the childe of faire pleasaâ—â— and agreeable things and for that none will couet that which hee thinketh or imagineth to be loathsome or deformed And this is the reason that many haue praised vice and discommended Vertue writing most foolishly as their passions haue led them without respecting or once hauing any regard vnto the Truth it selfe Dido was reported by Virgil to be amorous and wanton yet was she chaste Vlisses by Homer to be more valiant then Alax whom he durst not look in the face And Aeneas â—o be pittifull and godly vnto his Countrey and yet it was he that most vngodlily betrayed the same vnto his enemie Poets write according vnto their owne humors when they please but not according as the Truth it selfe is indeed And so thy forward affection onely and not the night thrusteth thee forward to take pen in hand in my behalfe But what mayst thou expect to follow vpon the same hereafter but onely that men will say of thee as I haue saide of Homer and Virgil that thy fancie hath made thee to affect and commend that which was not any way praise-worthie of it selfe Thou wilt stand me in no other steed then to reuiue the memoriall of mine imperfections after my death which were farre better to be buried with me in my graue then to be bruited abroad Content thee therefore I pray thee and let it be sufficient that I am knowne to be full of defects now I am aliue without making me to be remembred for such hereafter when I shall be dead If thou louest me as thou makest a showe thou doest then loue my memorie also for wee ought not so much to respect things present which wee see whilest we liue as we should doe those that are to come hereafter The reason is for that we may finde some one remedie For the first whilst wee remaine here in this world But for the latter wee cannot because we are not heere to make meanes for the same Be not then the occasion that my name shall be called in question when for that I am then dead I cannot come to excuse my selfe as I would For happie are such worthie persons as leaue no remembrance of their Imperfections after they are gone out of this world least the people should call againe vnto minde their faults and so condemne them for the same And also thy verses testifying the great affection and good will thou bearest me will also show apparantly my defects and what was amisse in me For who doubteth but that Louers in respect of the great loue they beare vnto their Ladies hide vnder the colours of their smoothe and dainty kinde of Enditings all the faults and defects they haue be they neuer so foule There is none so vehement a passion as Loue neither is there any thing that doth so much wrong to Truth as that doeth in such wise as women should rather take these praises for a discredit then for a credit vnto them which they receiue of their Louers And this is mine opinion which all the perswasions in the world shall neuer make me chaunge Faire Nymphes replyed I then because Loue is mightie and celestiall therefore doth hee neuer intermeddle amongst the basest and meanest creatures especially with such as are deformed For neuer is there anie hard fauoured face beloued Who then will belieue otherwise but that Ladie that shall be found to be honoured by â— graue Poet is otherwise then a most perfect and accomplisht Creature euery way seeing perfection onely hath authoritie ouer our soules which hateth as much the thing that is deformed as it adoreth that which is faire How exquisite and excellent a Virgin was the faire Laura of renowned Petrarâ—â— and how much haue his workes brought liuely credit vnto her praises The Muses neuer sung of vnworthy subiects â— And although some may thinke that a Poet can make huge Elephant of a little Flie yet cannot he commend an vnhonest matter and worthy of reproach although he faine would Because the Muses who are the sounding Truâ—â— pets of Heroicall mindes would oppose themselues
excepting such a Day When they are sure their Mistresses that they enioyen may Their beautious presence is their Sunne it is their brightest Sunne Their absence is their darkest Night through which they are vndone The earthly glorie of the bodie is the Sunne and Light But of our mindes the cleare day is faire beautie shining bright And this they reuerently adore The Essence of the soule Is farre more excellent then that of bodie sans controle Beautie attendeth on the soule the Sunne on bodie waites The Sunne for worth to beautie then must yeeld in all conceit This makes the Swaine most earnestly to listen with his eare If he the rising of his Starre can see for to oppeare The smallest blast of winde or leafe that bloweth in any wise The Shepheard hearts and at the noyse thereof strait vp doth rise He look th wist I round about and thinkes her for to see Her that doth force him vnto Loue a seruite slaue to bee Now doth he thinke that forth her house she is comming vnto him And now he iudgeth in his minde she is hard at hand agin He counteth how sarre off she is then vp he starts on feete And forward runnes to see if he her on the way can meete But now lest by some odde by-way she comes he feares againe And then he pensiue sit him downe recounting of his paine At last though long it be she comes more louely then the Morne When rising an her glorious pride shee Thetis couch doth scorne Softly she comes with Snaile-like pace and to her selfe doth speake Whilst feare for losse of her good name makes her looke pale and bleake And as she is comming in her walke in midst of thickest wood She more then often stayeth her steppes and doubting so she stood Halfe ready to turne backe to breake her promise that was past For honor which full deare she held such doubts did make her cast But Loue then on the other side and beautie of the Swaine A thousand new desires afresh did breathe in her againe He tâ—lleth her she is bound to keepe the Oathe she made of yore Although that no account is made what eger Louers swore For LOVE himselfe doth mocke and iest to see how Louers sweare Louers but none else doe dispence with Oaths withouten feare In th' end the Nymph arriueth at th' appointed Christall spring Where pensiue Cloridan doth walke his thoughts still cannesing Sometimes he lay vpon the ground with Flowers bedyapred Where Stella but the day before herselfe with sleepe had fâ—d One while he rose and then to lay him downe you might him finde Now this he did now that for Louers troubled are in minde Thus being out of hope he spies the sight that likes him most Which make new ioy in euery part throughout his Coarse to cost Quickly he runnes to her her hands to kisse he soone is prest Whilst with a thousand sorts of Flowers he beautifieth her brest She seeing these two forward prancks her face with blushing didâ— Whilst in her selfe for this she heares how honor doth her chide Aduising her to reprehend him and his leande demeanor And that before she yeeld she should resigne her liues sweete Tenor. But Cupid makes her change her minde The Shepheards beautie faire Mikes her ore-bold and from her minde abandoneth all care She is resolude to vse him kinde nor with him to finde fault But him embraceth in sweete wise who her in acmes had caught Now all respect of honor and all feare of future shame By power of Loue were banished who her had ouercome Loue onely is her chiefest choyse her honor and her pleasure The Shepheards will her readie wish her ioy and her chiefe treasure But in the end to couer this their ouer-amorous rage Betweene themselues they plight their faith and promise Mariage The witnesses were Loue the Spring and many colloured Flower And thousand pretie chirping Birds there present at that hower All which with cheerfull warbling Note Hymen Hymen sing And with the ECCHO of the same the woods made for to ring Whilst in meane time our Louers twaine within a bottome low Of a close valley where no light scarce in the day did showe Did reape the long de for fruits of Loue both equall in desire Which readie was to burne their harts with more then vncoth fire That done on many Beechen Trees and Rocks and many a Caue They enter last their names together and finely them did graue Loue knots they make on euery twig and Garlands passing gay They hang thereon whilst pleasantly they passe the time away Thus for a while their hap was blest and sweet their destinie Their mariage sweeter and this held a tweluemonth very nigh Nor at this space they thought as much as once of time to come The present time was onely that which in their minds did runne Poore soules they iudge the heauens had not power to doe them ill Thinking this hunnie Moone with them thus would continue still But all things that are mortall here doe change as doth the time Pleasure none sooner 's come then gone scarce leauing any signe Loue as a Feather's quickly lost are wauering and light As sodenly as in our brest conceiu'd t is through delight A small thing spoyles and hinders it The twinkling of an eie The ioyes of any Louer soone can make to vade and die Witnesse these twaine whom Cupid thought liu'd pleasantly ore long Gainst whom th' enuious heauens sore conspirde to doe them wrong Through which the partiall Planets wrought their ouerthrow to bee And with a generall consent did of their death decree For still the far all destinies by Gods aye ordered Whilst by their sharpe Edicts gainst men they cut their liues not thred Like Potters they doe play with men who if they please their Pot They breake which they doe make and if they list they breake it not But now to let this passe one day faire Stella did arriue Burning with amorous paine vnto the wonted fountaine blithe And there expecting Cloridan her friend she doth repose Who was as yet for early t' was from out his bed scarce rose Looking for him who did not come she watcht and staid so long That at the last on greeuish turffe she fell in slumber strong Meane time the lucklesse Aridon in extreame Loue that fride Who so much more the flame for to encrease within him tride By how much Cloridan he saw expelling care and Dole To haue the hap to quench his fire in pleasures fountaine coole Dogs her as she doth goe from home resoluing in his hart To die or else by violence to ease him of his smart The friendship of his friend which he did hold most deare of late Regard to offend the honour of his dame who him did hate Faire honestie nor conscience all these his hot desire Bridle could not but furious he would to his will aspire Whilst thus he thinkes behold he comes whereas most pleasingly Yeelding
as t were her selfe he finds his cruell enemie Which when he saw Reason and Faith as franticke he neglects And as one void of sense from him each good thought he reiects As on the fearefull Hunts-man pale the wounded Lionesse Bleeding apace with egerforce for to reuenge doth presse So this same Sauadge Louer hot this Ladie rauisheth Whilst she vnhappie lieth a sleepe as one withouten breath He doth abuse her whilst to wake she doth as t were begin Yet she in such dead slumber was as ope her eies not bin With sleepe as then she was opprest with sleepe most miserable That euer after made her life and fortune lamentable Still Aridon she kisseth and most kindly doth embrace For she God wot dreamd Cloridan had bene there in that place Whilst in meane time but in ill houre doth Cloridon arriue And viewes that sight which for to see his soule doth him distiue He seeth how Aridon in spite of him doth him misvse Who is his Spouse betroth't and whom none but himselfe should vse He seeth how Stella being deceiu'd his face doth sweetly kisse Whilst through her eyes as yet not ope mistooke she fowly is Like as the Traueller in strait and narrow way doth spie A hissing Serpent for to come towards him on him to flie Or as with crie most horrible his passage to defend A hideous Dragon makes to him and rollings forth doth send Whilst trembling through pale chilly feare ready to giue vp Ghost He backward turnes nor dares he passe whereas he wisheth most So Cloridon with wofull griefe with frantike Iealousie With rage mixt with despitefulnes and burning frenesie Is vexed so in inward soule that he in desperate wise With sorrow madde now here now there rowles vp and downe his eyes Shame and sadde griefe so seaze on him as he flings thence away Nor can he bide in that bad place there longer for to stay Stamping and cursing vp and downe he runnes about the ground Seeking himselfe through vncoth meanes of life for to confound Resolude he is to die sith that his Dame he held so chaste Another loues not him whereby her selfe she hath defaste But now when gracelesse Aridon the Nymph had thus deceiu'de He flieth away so fast as he of her is not pâ—rceiu'de Which made her soone to ope her eyes when by her seeing none Frighted she leapeth vp and stands as still as any stone In pittious wise shee lookes about her selfe so for to ease Yet nothing could she see but what her sight did more displease Her dearely loued Cloridon on whom she oft doth call She cannot spie for to appeare or answere her at all One while she thinkes he hides himselfe that for him she should seeke Another while that he is gone to hunt where he doth leeke And then againe poore soule she thinks that she hath bene deceiu'de And that the same she could not see through sleepe of sight bereu'de She thinks if he who was with her had bene her Cloridon He would not her haue left so soone nor so soone from her gone Thus troubled in her minde with feare she sits her downe alone Whilst of her louely Shepheard she doth stay the comming home Each houre a yeare seemes to her and his staying ouer-long Makes her to doubt all is not well and that somewhat is wrong She weepes and wailes she taketh on and screecheth out full sore But had she knowne his hard estate she would hane wailed more This gaules her still yet Cloridon comes not all that same day The cause that thousand torments doe her tender hart assay Wofull she sits like Niobe teares streaming from her runne Whilst of her vtter ouerthrow she doth presage to come The euening come she home retires yet all the night no winke She sleepeth onely of her Swaine of him she still doth thinke That which had past the day before encreaseth more her woes This runnes still in her minde nor what to say thereof she knowes Feare so doth trouble her as scarce the day appeard in sight And that Aurora had expeld the darknesse of the night But vp she gets and euery where seeketh her Swaine to finde As is the youthfull Hart sought out by his beloued Hinde Her husband Cloridon she seekes and searcheth all about She looketh for him in the woods and thickets all throughout A thousand times she too and fro vnto the Spring doth runne To see if he by chaunce as was his wont were thither come But when she doth not finde him there she then misdoubts the worst Of some mischaunce that hapned is and counts her selfe accurst Yet for all this she giues not ore although shee 's in dispaire She trotttëth still she searcheth still and prieth here and there The name of Cloridan she oft repeateth and doth call Yet none except the ECCO shrill doth answere her at all Ah what sharp griefs and passions sad to vexe her did she proone Before that she her Cloridan found well-nigh dead through loue Who wearie for to languish as sorrowes seruile slaue With his owne sword a mortall wound within his body gaue After he had a thousand times blamde his disloyall Dame Accursed Loue as most vniust hating his amorous flame Within the bottome of a Rocke beset with gloomy wood Sprawling he lay along in midst of his warme purple blood And yet his breath was not quite gone though froÌ„ his deadly word Through floods of goare that streamde from thence his scalding sighes were drownd Death him consumde griefe for loue him kilde thus twise he dide His paines aboue all possions were that did such pangs abide From his sadeyes the limbecks wet of sorrow did distill Such store of teares as all the place with water they did fill His heauie grones his endlesse sighes that came his teares betwixt His luke-warme blood that with the moysture of his eyes was mixt Of his laments most dolorous the onely witnesse were And those hard Rocks which curteous then retolde what they did heare Bus now that haplesse Stella many times prooued had And that she Gloridan did finde in this estate so bad She straight-waies sownding falls on him and liuelesse so was seene As the poore Shepheard thought forthwith that quite dead she had bene Which when he saw although nigh dead as then was his faire Corse And that in him through want of blood remaind small strength or force Though death had now within his power his sense already brought And that he iustly angrie was gainst Stella as he thought Thinking but wrongfully alas that she had done him wrong And though he felt his weakenesse such as liue he could not long Yet at the lâ—st Loue vanquisht him and pittie him ore-came Now gins he loue that beautie which before he did disdaine Remorse of Conscience toucheth him and tells him in his minde Which he repents that he hath vsde his Ladie too vnkinde Although his thought that she herselfe abusde hath doth him tell Yet neuerthelesse he honoreth her
and now he loues her well Which is the cause with armes though weake he seckes to make a shift And trieth if her sore languishing he from the ground can lift He openeth her faire eyes and forc't through Cupids proud command He kisseth them ten thousand times whilst senslesse she doth stand O God how rich and puissant is Loue and of what great power All former iniuries to make him cancell at this hower Desire for to reuenge his wrongs as Louers wont to vse He now abhors with such bad meanes himselfe hee 'le not abuse Hee 'le rather die then offer wrong to his disloy all Dame Minding in death to honon her and to conceale the same Softly he rubs her liuelesse face oft kissing her faire lippes And being deadly sicke from them dead almost life he sippes Her fore-head he doth water with his brinish teares that flowe Her fore-head father of his griefe and motlue of his woe Thus whilst he ouer her doth mourne Stella gins to reuiue Wondring that Cloridon she sees againe to be aliue Who feeling now his senses faile and life to fleete full fast With hallow poyce and throtling throate he spake these speeches last Ah Stella I st thou whom I haue lou'de then mine eyes more deare I st thou that dost before me in this pittions plight appeare I st thou ingratefull cruell wench whom I doe see here lye Hard by my side whilst for thy sake I doe vniustly die I st that bright Diamond eye of thine that wounded hath my hart 〈◊〉 That eye that gainst all reason makes me renerence my smart I st that faire Forehead yet forsworâ—e and those gold haires of thine That haue bene enemies to me and to all good of mine Ah Stella what hast done thy faith alas why didst thou breake So dearely prised on my side through yeelding ouer-weake Why hast shou falsly lefs thy Spouse thy loyall Cloridon And entertained in his stead on suddaine Aridon Since at the first thou willing me and vnconsty giued tooke No reason t' is that now sans cause I should be thus forseeke Thou hauing then abused me to tell how I abhorre Hast thou the face and darest thou to come my face before Alas should I permit thee Or should I now banish theâ— As periurde wretch whom I doe finde mine ouerthrow to bee LOVE and the Heauens for witnesses against thee doâ— I craueâ— If whilst I liu'd I any way myselfe abused haue My faith and vowe plighted to thee I alwayes haue conserâ—de My loyaltie thou prâ—oued hast of thee it well desornde Not any but thine onely selfe alone I loued still And now I die O spite to hate thee I haue not the will Yet hast thou falsified thy Faith and gone from thy first word Whilst for true loue false fained loue to me thou dost afford But haue I so ill merited and Aridon so well That thou shouldst entertaine him and me thou shouldst expell Ah I haue seene that with mine eyes in such vndâ—cent sort As cause that they haue seene too much they now are All-amort I haue thee seene kisse Aridon false Aridon vniust Whilst to caresse him as thou didst my hart in twaine did burst Disloyally through periurie thy Faith thou broken hast Thine Honor lyeth in the dust and thy good Name is past Thy glorie through inconstancie hath caught her deadly wound Thy credit stained is nor more it can be healed sound Who euer would imagine once or euer would haue thought That one so faire a beautie would so fowle a deed haue wrought Who euer would haue had suspect an eye so full of loue â—â—full of infidelitie vnconstantly would proue Ah say discurteous too vnkinde why hast thou me deceiu'd This thy false show of Amitie hath me of life bereau'd For not my death t' is I lament nor much of that I waide If thou hadst not my meaning chast and honest minde betraide Had I not found thee mutable vnconstant wauering bad Not lingered nor languished in life I so much had This mischiefe that thou false art found and double in thy hart Doth gaull my soule worse thousand times then deaths most keenest dart But yet although thou hast to me this iniurie procur'de Although thy loue to me is found immodest and periur'd Yet now I die I loue thee still though I t' is am abusde My death yet shall disponce with thee and thou shalt be excusde Loue that at first me vnto thee in bands most strict did binde Commands me on alleageance mine with thee no fault to finde â—hen iudge of I did honour thee whilst I did liue on earth Sence dying now I doe the same and will doe after death And since it is thy will sweet soule that I shall leaue this place Why doth such outrage offer now vnto thy beautious face If the thy will that I shall die and that to haue me dead Me and thy selfe in subtill wise thou hast dishonoured Why sobst and sighest why with fist doest beate thy tender brest To see as thou desir'st that I be freed from this vnrest Ah leaue to shed teares thus for me now good thy selfe appease To see this sight torments me more and more doth me disease Weepe not for me vnworthie I that thou for me shouldst waile Since those thine eies once my chiefe blisse are now become my baile Nor seeme thou thus to grieue for him or aught for him to 〈◊〉 Who not thy loue deseruing dieth because he was forlorne No no dissembling wretch thou doest not weepe for death of mine â—et fore I part let me once kisse those daintie lips of thine Let me dying but kisse those eies although I not deserue Which for to light me to my Tombe in steed of tâ—â—ch shall â—erne What wilt thou not grace me so much this fauour wilt not graâ—â—â— To haue obtaind so much at my last gaspe shall I not vaunt Dost thou denie to suffer me to tast of that sweet good Which heretofore I oft haue had within this darkesome word When our sacred mariage rights consummated with oth Vowing one to the other faith and to be constant both Why doest refuse me cruell since I die through heauie griefe Whilst dying thou 'lt not to my paine ad debut some small reliefe Stella this hearing next in soule perplexed with strange paine Once more vpon her faithfull Swaine doth fall on sound againe She falleth downe vpon his brest her bodie senselesse is When fainting Cloridan begins afresh her for to kisse And now what 's true he doubts and thinkes he was deâ—eined right Cursing his follie ouerbold and hating his best sighs He cannot thinke that Stella was with any one vntrue When he doth see how pitiously he taketh on anewe So oft to fall in Traunse so oft such Corsiues to endure Which makes him curse his tongue such woes that to her did prâ—sâ—â—â—â— But in the end she to her selfe againe comes when with cries And pittious plaints she breaketh forth thus in lamenting wise O
they haue assisted thee in this Desart and most happily haue caused thee to meete him who hath endured so much for thy sake without any recompence as yet at all ah chaunge thy humour sweet Delia alter thy opinion and shew thy selfe to be of another minde to the end thy sweetlenitie and gratious bountie may bring the Gods to be as pleasing and willing in all thy desires as thy vnkind rigor and harsh disdaine haue heretofore made them to be austere and angrie towards thee for miserable is that wight and worthie to suffer trouble who being admonished will not amend and therefore is out of all hope to finde any succour at all Loue then froward Delia him who to obtaine thy grace hath dispended so many teares consumed so many whole daies sent abroad so many scalding sighes and left so many daintie pleasures onely to follow thee and who if he might but in some sort be assured of thy friendship would thinke himselfe the most happiest and the best contented man in the world But miserable is he who still laboureth and yet findeth himselfe frustrate of the fruits of his labour yet farre more accursed is he who consumeth his yeares and his life in the seruice of such a proud dame as yeeldeth no recompence vnto him at all for that he looseth his labour and paine and because he is forced to sigh and bewaile his foolish and vnkind choyse alone vnto himselfe neuer expecting any remedie Thus pleaded the Shepheard for himselfe when the hard-â—arted Shepheardesss made him this sower and vnwelcome answere I can neuer belcoue fond Shepheard that the Gods who are the authors of goodnes and most curtenu Earâ—hers vnto mortall men can be the cause that they should commit any fault much â—esse to eggs and incite them forward vnto the same but rather that men themselurs are the occasions thereof and therefore when any one hath done any such offence he must turne it from bad to good and seeke to couer the visage of his ill fortune with the colour and shew of good chaunce and hap If the Gods as thou affirmest had brought me hither to yeeld vnto thy wanton desires and to be an attendant vpon this Tyrant Loue then should they be the authors of my ruine and the occasions of my sinne but I will neuer thinke so vnreuerently or wickedly of their prupent prouidence and sacred bountie and if my good fortune hath made me to escape so great a daunger as I confesse I haue done I most humble thanke the Gods therefore of which sithence I now finde my selfe free I thinke it no wife dome to tumble into Caribdis because I haue auoided Silla and hauing gotten out of one mischiefe to fall into another for I hold my hap more cruell to be subiect vnder the bloodie tyrannie of Loue than if I had bene laid vpon the cruell Altar of Iuno as a Sacrifice to haue appeased her furie Thinke not that the Gods take any care of such as they suffer to fall into the hands of Loue but rather that they account them for lost creatures and such as be most miserable as the Phisition giueth ouer a patient whose disease is desperate and recurelesse when he seeth there is hope of his recouerie No man will bring his friend whom he affecteth vnder the yoke of a Tyrannicall maister who will make his life ouer miserable and whose crueltie he himselfe hath felt now the Gods haue oftentimes had experience of this bloodie Loue and felt his ouermuch rage furie and anger and therefore it is not likely that they will deliuer into such a Butchers hands that creature which they most of all desire to protect and defend in safetie The accident of Loue then doth not come by the meanes of the Gods neither are they occasions of such idlenes in our braines such Louers being but foolish so to thinke who being afflicted with his passions lay all the fault vpon the Gods Who then answered the Shepheard is the author thereof and who is it that breedeth it in cur soules if Loue is seared of the Gods theÌ„se lues how is it possiblie but meÌ„ should be troubled therewithall and what daintie spirit hath there cuer bene but hath loued what braue generous minde or what heroicall and magnanimous heart hath bene without it As the winde serueth for a guide vnto the Sailer in the Sea guiding his ship rightly Euen so Loue doth serue as a Pilot vnto the Sonnes of the Gods to effect and bring to passe braue expoites which can neuer be perfected as they should be vnlesse that Loue set foote into the fame What rare deeds of chiularie did Hercules a atchieue for faire Andromacha whom he loued How brauely did Achilles carrie himselfe for Bxiseis sake Iason for Medea Theseus for Ariadne and Orlando for his Angelica The Oxe pricked with the gode beginneth to mend his pace and draweth more lustily then at the first and so Loue is a kind of pricke and prouokement which eggeth forward valiant mindes forcing them to bring to passe farre more worthie and illustrious enterprises then they would haue done if they had liued quietly at home without knowing what Loue meant And therefore I am of opinion that not onely men but the Gods also ought to account themselues happie that Loue flourisheth in them for it is the bright tosch of their nights and the splendant Sunne of their daies Shepheard Shepheard replied the Nymphs thy owne speech hath confounded thy selfe for if Loue be so violentas thou describest him he then cannot last nor make himselfe knowne to be iust Things violent are alwaies hurtfull vnto some one or other and being so full of misfortunes and miseries they can neuer abide them because they passe with as great heate and furie as a flaming fire which consumeth all that is before it Therefore Loue being neuer in the meane but alwayes in the extremitie cannot chuse but be very vniust in as much as Iustice expelleth all force without hurting anie bodie So likewise are there verie fewe that willingly entertaine it but as the Tyrant by maine force and rigorous compulsion compelleth his subiects to do him seruice Euen so Loue through meere violence maketh men to submit themselues vnder his yoake and therefore he cannot be both iust and violent all at one time which two qualities can neuer be at one instant and in one and the selfe same subiect By thine owne confession he is violent and therefore he cannot be iust but ought as one vnworthie to be reiected and shaken off Nay I will say more there is nothing that maketh a man oftner to offend and to commit sinnes then this Loue doeth for it picketh out the eyes of Reason In such sort as the Louer respecteth neither Law Kinred Vertue Grace nor any Courtesies receiued so he may obtaine his vnrulie desire the enioying of which he respecteth more then he doth any Reason Iustice or Honor whatsoeuer For what respect I pray you
had Paris of his Host Menelaus Clytemnestra of Agamemnon her husband and Tarquine of the good name and fame of Lucretia To be short it is an accursed kinde of Rage that breaketh all Alliance and kinred all Amitie and good friendship Faith and hospitalitie ouerthrowing topsituruie all the buildings of Reason Talke not then vnto mee of this pernitious LOVE The burnt childe dreads the fire and I haue somewhat felt the flame thereof and therefore I will resolue rather to die then to be ouertaken by so furious an Enemie Ah faire Shepheardesse replyed the Shepheard how much art thou deceiued herein when amongst all mortall respects whatsoeuer LOVE is esteemed the chiefe and carryeth away the prize before them all For what is he that is more warie and circumspect then the constant Louer it towards his Dame Whom feareth he so much to offend as her and how willingly would he offer his life to besacrificed rather then he would so much as once moue or displease her The same LOVE being the reason that shee alone is not respected but as well all such of her well-willers as goe about to aduance and honour her There is nothing that teacheth men better the Adoration of the Gods then Loue for that seruice which Louers yeeld vnto their Ladles hath a kinde of resemblance vnto the reuerent worshipping of the Gods who are not displeased that wee should attribute such respect vnto such a beautifull thing which they haue made to the intent it should be honoured For were it not for LOVE what account or difference can there be made betweene an excellent and exquisite kinde of beautie and that which is but meane But that God that hath taught vs to discerne the faire from the foule and esteeming of the one to Loue and refuse the other maketh vs to loue and couet faire faces setting on fire thousands of Inuentions in our soules which reuiueth vs with liuely effects to the end wee may satisfie and content our desire But answered the Shepheardesse these effects are for the most part wicked and bad as are the Childern of a leaude and ill-giuen Father resembling the off-spring of such as be crooked who are borne with crooked backes as their Parents had before them Now if such effects are contrarie to Lawe and Reason it were farre better they should be stifled as dead then being suffered to liue they should growe to be mischieuous and vnfortunate But if it be necessarie that to driue away all smne wee condemne the sinner to the ende that afterwards it may finde no fit instrument to put in practise so vngodly a force So if wee will take away all the bad effects of LOVE wee must despoyle and banish himselfe and his enticing allurements also For in vaine doth the Gardener goe about to kill or destroy any bad and noysome weede or plant if without pulling vp the roote hee doth but onely breake the tender leaues thereof Let vs men Shepheard â—nue away this pestisent Loue from vs. As for mine owne part I ve we neuer willingly to follow the same For marching but a while vnder his Ensigne I haue alreadie suffered more then thousands of hard misfortunes and terrible crosses So saide the Shepheardesse when as the Shepheard was answering her they might vnderstand the voyce of another Shepheard speaking as followeth ECCO O that the Gods of these huge Woods would shew me fauour such But for to heare my Fortunes hard ore Fortunate by much O that they would but marke how I doe nought but waile and crie I doubt not then but they their eares would lend mee by and by Might I but them so courteons finde to listen to my mone I would adore and honor still their Maiesties each one Then with a voyce like Lightning flash I soone would thunder forth And shewe with sighing in my verse their bountie and their worth Of them alone then would I fing and of their great renowne Whist that my tongue should neuer linne but still their praises sonne Their kindnesse my soule vnto them should binde in to be so fast As nere I would forget the same as long as life should last Ah then shall I obtaine of Mistris mine this happie Bonne To yeeld me liking when will shee will it be long or soone ECCO Soone What may I hope for when I thus fight vnder Cupids Banner Whilst I consume my selfe thereby and worke mine owne dishoner ECCO Honer What may I of my FAIRE expect when as the Gods I finde To crosse me in my amorous sute vnlesse she will be kinde ECCO She will be kinds Who is of power this gloomy Cloud from off mine eyes to moue â—â—nd to repaire my late fallen helpe quite ruined by Loue ECCO Lous Then i st not hee that courtcously after our grieuous woe Our Fancie brings to happie Port I now perceine t' is so ECCO T' is so But are the gentle Heauens content importunde without cries To yeeld to vs poore worldly wights our wish in courteous wise ECCO In conrteous wise If so what shall become of that quicke Fire which burnes so bright Within my bowels languishing shal't be extinguisht quite ECCO Extinguisht quite What shall become of this mine ill which in my Coarse doth stay Shall it increase my farther care or shall it soone away ECCO Soone away Shall I for any good ere hope to come from her my griefe Who holds my heart fast tide and plagues my soule without reliefe ECCO Reâ—efe Say then hath Lone acquainted yet my Mistris cruell Hart With this my woes hath she as yet felt of my paines some part ECCO Some part Then sacred Gods I le hope the best and as an Oratle I le looke one day that this to mee may fall out veritable Not doubting but that fore I die I may that sweete fruit reape In Ioy which I haue sowne long since in anguish and in sweate Meane time with these your answeres kinde I le satis fide returne Assuring me through fauours yours I shall giue ore to mourne For whilst your comfortable beames shall shine vpon me bright My hart shall liue sreed from all feare enfrancht from danger quite Then heauenly Powers remember what your promise is to me Who trust repose in you that I deceiued may not be of men are taxt for Farth not kept you menit farre more blame Sâ—â—te you our deeds brightly adorne as glistering Sunny flame Vpon this the Shepheard being maruellously well satisfied in his minde beganue to speake thus vnto himselfe If wee haue any reason to giue credit vnto the Oracles of the Gods then out of doubt I hâ—ue no other cause but to hope well For manie times through thousands of such answeres haue they assured mee that I shall enioy that which I most desire and couet And yet alas alas this is a great and grosse error in me to belieue them For God onely who alone is without beginning and ending knoweth what is to come whereas these Diueis
scoffe at these my crosset And my faire euill But if 〈◊〉 tall Cupid be and mightie Able to vanquish men and soneraigne Gods too Why then my soule now heales he not He cannot Onely my Loue can But she ore cruell too too much deceiues me Not from her as yet any succour find I Balnâ—e for my sore she yeelded not vnto me But my decay seekes Yet t is my hope that Cupid at the last will Venge on her my death for her oner proud hart Ofe such deceitfull dames as she hane loned Yet neuer are lou'd Loue often striketh as he passeth by blind And hurts the best as well as basest persons Venus is witnesse Mirrha so and Dido Who slewe her owne selfe And yet before thus Mistris mine should plagu'd be I pray yee Gods all let my soule from hence flit Fore I endure to see that any ill should Vnto her happeu Too well to wisâ— them ill her eies I doe loue And too too carefull am I of her welfare I onely studie how I best might please her Though to mine owne paine He that indeed loues rather had he hazard For to die desprate thousand times and thousand Than for to veiw his Ladie line in anguish Making her end so Philestell knew by the voice that it was the Shepheard Coribant who being set leded from his hard harted Dame was walking all alone solitarilie sighing forth this Song which was in a manner no sooner ended but that he might perceiue a faire Nymph to approach towards him who hauing a warbling Lute in her hand sitteth downe by the side of the foresaid sorrowfull Shepheard singing most sweetly these verses following Trust now no more Yee mortals poore The Gods aboue Their wonted grace From you they chase Nor you they loue They doe despise Our sighes and cries And ue them iest All pittie milde They haue exilde From out their brest Their Altars proud No hope doth shroud Of good to come And when we pray As deafe they stay Seeming right dumme Then sillie Swaine And Shepheard plaine Else where goe crane Fonds he that mones To stocks and stones Himselfe to same Elsewhere declare Thy wofull care And leaue the skies Thy wofull plaints Thy hart that taints They des despise The heauens looke red With rage are spred And borrour too T is they is griefe Without reliefe That vs undeo He is a soe That thinketh not That from that place Through destinie Most wretchedly Comes our assgrace Then better t is For death to wish And end our daies Then still in strife Lead such a life So plagude alwaies For death 's our friend When he doth end Our bitter smart And through the same Doth rid our paine With hickrome dart This Nymph was Orithia amorots of Areas who after she had sent forth many scalding sighs spake thus vnto the Shepheard Whut hope remaineth for that vassasse who haue taken vp armes against his lawfull Prince and done him thousands of dammages in spoyling of his countrie to looke for succour at his hands when he shall fall into miserie The law of Iustice permits to oppose force to force to suffer wrong against iniurie and to repulse violence with all the furie that thay be Neither is he blame-worthie who rightly punisheth such iniuries as he hath wrongfull receiued Inasmuch as Iustice commandeth that he that doeth ill must receiue reward according vnto the same It is a hard matter to obtaine succour from our enemie although Coriolanus had that good fortune and that sumous Aihenian Themistocles long before him for the remembrance of the iniuries that are past and those outrages which we haue receiued doth bandie and set it selfe against the good will which perhaps we might finde in our need And surely they had neede to be borne vnder a most fortunate Plannet to be most excellent and worthie men of desert that dare venture to lend their helping hand vnto their aduersaries being in a maner halfe dead yet Caesar did it although too late it repented him thereof for he through sauing of Brutus and Cassius lost through their vngratefull hands both the Empire and his life Malicious hatred being once deeplie rooted in the brest is a poyson so violent and strong as it can hardly but with great paine be driuen out of the hart of man yea doe the best you can for your life yet will there some small sparleles thereof still remaine couoâ—t as we see we cannot emptie a well neuer so cleare and cleane but that some fewe drops will alwaies rise to be seene there Besides these little sparkles will carch hold on fire vpon the first and least occasion that may be making oftentimes a greater flame then there was before If then disdaine hindereth our enemie from doing good vnto vs what hope may poore wilde worldlings haue to find reliefe from the heauens the worst aduersarie they haue For if the faults and iniuries or the wrongs and abuses that one offereth vnto another maketh them to be at deadly hate what friendship may we looke for from the heauens whom we so often haue so grieuously offended It is an ordinarie course here amongst vs to transgresse the commandements giuen vnto vs from aboue to tread vnder our feete their ordinances and to iest and scoffe at their might and power which if it be so are they then bound to assist vs when we are in want He that will seeke to obtaine the good will of any man of worth seeketh how to obey and please him in what he can studying to applie his will vnto his minde and to condescend vnto whatsoeuer the other shall command For of the agreement in manners is friendship engendred whereas we take a quire contrarie fashion shewing all the signes and tokens we can of ill will vnto the heauens whereby they haue reason the more to detest vs. But you perhaps will replie and say that the heauens are puissantand Diuine and therfore if they please they many helpe vs. But to this I answere that therfore we are the more to be blamed because that fault that one committeth against a great Monarch or King is more seuerely to be chastised then that of a poore priuate person and he is more to be punished that doth iniurie vnto a wise graue and vpright man than if he had done it vnto one that was wicked cruell and vniust The powers aboue then being puissant may make our fault to be the more hainous in that we dare presume to offend them and they being Diuine our finnes are lesse subiect to pardon because we seeke to iniure them who are so sacred and iust But of all such miserable wretches as appeale vnto the aide of the heauens I know none whom they are lesse bound to helpe then such as we call Louers For their vnfortunatenes commeth not from aboue they are not the cause thereof neither are they these which powre downe vpon their heads this cuill as oftentimes they doe warre Famine Pestilence these
redde with continuall weeping For though teares be forbidden braue and gallant Spirits yet are they tollerable in them when they chaunce to fall into the amorous and ardent passions of Loue. His armes are brawne-fallen and on his bodie appeareth little or no flesh at all in such sort as he resembleth an Anatomie or dead carkasse rather then a liuing man As hee that is plagued with a hote burning Feuer giueth manie testimonies of the same One while by suddaine shaking and shiuering throughout his whole bodie another while by a colde sweat and then by a hote one againe Euen so Antonio his in firmitie appeared by many signes there beeing not one ioynt or member of his coarse but what shewed him to be extreamely tormented and as it were at deaths doore Which Leander seeing began to be halfe madde for the very anguish thereof what to doe he knew not and therefore was almost at his wittes ende To set vppon him afresh to see if he could perswade him to shriue himselfe vnto him he thought were but follic by reason he found him before so vnwilling to participate vnto him or confesse any thing At the last he began to thinke that although he kept it from him perhaps vpon some secret occasion yet peraduenture another might wring it out of him Wherevpon he went vnto his wife praying her to take the paines to see if shee could learne of Antonio that which hee had spent so much labour to knowe and yet by no meanes could attaine there vnto The chaste Ladie who was wonderfull willing to obey her husband and who affected yet with modestie what her Lord liked being of her owne disposition so courteous and pittifull as she gricued for the hurt of an other especially he being the dearest friend her husband had gladly accepted of the proffer Promising him to handle the matter both by her diligent care and good aduifement so cunningly as it should goe hard but that before fewe dayes were gone and past shee would vnderstand and know all And so shee did indeed speaking then more truer then shee was aware of For after shee had vsed to come and visite him now and than he began to recouer pretilie well insomuch as one day the gentlewoman finding him alone intteated him verie kindely to walke with her into the garden hard by somewhat to recreate himselfe and to reuiue him in that feeble and weake estate telling him it would not be amisse for him now and than to take the open aire which words she deliuered with so sweet a grace and so lonely a smile as now he was ten times deeper in loue with her than he had bene before O how foolish are Louers who because they themselues are senselesse therefore they thinke that euery one else is so likewise and that because they loue therefore none should be exempted from louing especially this is one of their conceits as concerning such women as they affect that because they are men worthie to be liked therefore forfooth these women must loue them if they but giue them neuer so little entertainment And so this vaine Antonio perswaded himselfe verily that his friends wife affected him because she vouchsafed in priuate to walke abroad with him He that hath bene long sicke is so desirous of his health that the least ease or amendment that he findeth maketh him beleeue he is well recouered and whole And so fareth it with these Louers who if they receiue the least fauour that may be at their Ladies hands they straitwaies thinke they are their owne Now was Antomo where he would be for he might at leisure behold the beautious eies the louely face and the faire breasts of his sweet Mistris but the more the fond man gazed vpon them the more he was burnt with a secret inward fire these rare beauties of hers drawing him into the bottom lesse gulfe of his vtter ouerthrow as the whirle Pooles in the Seas by many windings and turnings still by little and little the ships within their circled armes and so deuour and swallow them vp meane space wretched Antonio one while by his lookes another while by his sighes one while changing countenance and another while looking red as fire discouered vnto his Mistris so liuely the secret griefe that tormented him within his soule as she needed to haue knowne no more had she bene trained vp so well as hee in the schoole of Loue. But as the right true and honourable Captaine suspecteth not any treason because he knoweth not what it meaneth and for that he neuer did couet to learne the same so this rare Gētlewoman hauing neuer learnd how to entertaine or like any one except her husband could not conceiue the amorous fashions of Antonio nor what he meant making loue vnto her which was the reason his sorrowes slaked not but rather encreased more and more His fearefull glaunces which he stole vpon her and his scalding sighes faithfull messengers of his minde forget not to set out the sorrow that he endured One while he looked pale for feare another while he blushed red for shame oftentimes beginning to speake and so made an end before he had begun His heart is willing that his tongue should discouer his sicknes vnto his Physition but his tongue who doubteth he shall make the matter worse by speaking hath not the courage to speake one word His head is intoxicated and troubled whilst thousands of imaginations run in his braine Now he is resolute to bewray his griefe vnto her and now againe he is of a quite contrarie opinion not to doe it whilst he both hopeth and feareth and all at one instant But ô wretched carkasse the while to entertaine so many and so diuers enemies within it Feare opposeth himselfe against Loue who faine would speake and yet respect doth stop and hinder his desire Faine would he haue some stranger to deliuer his minde vnto his Ladie in his behalfe by which meanes should he haue the deniall which he alreadie apprehended in his thought yet being deliuered vnto him at a second hand he thought it would not be altogether so terrible vnto him But he too well knoweth that there is not any that can doe it or that knoweth his secret meaning but himselfe and therefore as the saying is he must make a Page of his owne age or else he must continue as he did without bewraying his minde at all One while he held downe his face for shame fixing his eies vpon the ground and an other while Loue lifted them vp againe forcing him to stare and gaze vpon the faire countenance of his Mistris he had all the gestures and signes of a most miserable Louer attainted of Loue speech onely accepted and he that is a firme and zealous Louer indeed neuer walketh without respect and fear The Centlewoman perceiueth such alteration in his face and that he often began to speake was very importunate with him to know what he ment and what he ailed But
of fortune In the number of these was this miserable Shepheard who scoffed at the commodities of that blind goddesse desiring no other thing for his full satisfaction and delight then the presence of his faire Diana Diana who surely amongst the fairest was most faire sage chaste prudent and of the stock of the most famous families in Europe Diana who took pleasure in reading of his works that neuer shewed him frowning countenance in that she knew he honored her honor more then her beautie and that his chaste loue loued rather her soule and mind then her bodie Nothing could hinder sage and chaste Diana from shewing good countenance chastely louing excellent spirits She should haue bene a cruell Beare if her soule had bene void of amitie and this learned Queene of France kissed learned Chartier finding him a fleeepe vpon a bancks side though amongst all other euill fauoured and deformed hee was most crabbed of countenance giuing this excellent answere to those that wondered at the same I kisse not Chartier but that excellent mouth from whence haue issued so manie learned discourses not louing the man but his doctrine In doing thus no Ladie can be blamed For one may and that more commodiously affect chastlie that which meriteth Loue then impudentlie that which tendeth to vice and corruption The Shepheard after his dolorous complaint beganne to sing this Sonnet which followeth SONNET Come and approach and heare my cries you Hagges and Hob-goblings And doe receiue in gree my heauie plaintes and abuse Vnto your cruell fatall Sisters nought doe I profer For I no more life haue t' is with my griefes ouerdead LOVE that hath tooke my loyall Hart for a pawne euerlasting Gagd'e for my Truth is dead splitted in euery part Whilst to an auncient Elme I seeme like one that is Spoylde with Lightnings blast when but the roote doth remaine O kinde Death all mortall woes who makest an end of me In this my chiefe pangs thee doe I call mee to helpe Sweet let me die through thee that then I truely report may LOVE hath wounded my heart Death of my paine make an end Onely in the◠is my hope a hope God knowes very slender Nought hope I in my cares but for to dye out of hand Dye would I rather then in woes lie still for to languish Blest is the soule that departs when that he cannot be curd'e But you mine eyes are accurst to haue seene my Ladie so cruell Since that distoyaltie hath to me done such a wrong Well had it bene for you if with a night euerlasting Shut had you bene alwayes your proper death not to see That so sacred Light you are neuer like for to see more Which did reuiue my spirits when that they first were in thrall Sweet should I then count my miserie comparde to my bad hap If that the world I might leaue as in my minde I doe wish Sigh'd haue I more then a thousand times yet she with her hard hart Is no more mollified then in the Seas is a Rocke More doe I pray more doth she say nay for all mine intreating Whilst that her lookes are so sower as they my woes make the mor◠These Verses could not yet content him but with the same conceit employing his Muse which she furnished him withall he carued these two Sonnets vpon the hard front of the Rocke SONNET I. More hard then Rocks I feele my Martyrs hard The flinty Rocke the chisell doth endure Yet nought but death from hurt can me award So great 's mine ill which is without recure Yee heauenly Gods cast Lightnings on my face As on the Mounts of Epire or consume Mee Phoenix like reuiuing in a space For I in Loue a Phoenix am become Too much I haue abid then from these eyes Since you haue drawne forth fountains of salt teares So many sighes from heart let it suffise Nothing so strong but sorrow quickly weares Each thing except my selfe with change doth mend Yet see my cruell Destenie I am still In paine and yet my paine doth neuer end Liuing I die though dying I doe liue This is the fauour my FAIRE doth me giue SONNET II. What may it be my Mistris should me scorne So much as not on mee vouchsafe to looke Was I then vnder such hard Planet borne As that my sicknes strange no Salue can brooke That Beautie which so often doth me wound Those sacred eyes Authors of all my smart Kill mee when I to looke on them am found Nor helpe they me as I to death depart What Destenie then may change this mine ill hap What alteration may my griefes appease I ill Fortune in such sorrowes doth me wrap As though they would yet mee they cannot ease For shee that is of torments mine the sourse More sacred is then heauens and more diuine Fierce Destinie and Fortune in her course She doth commaund and with her beck combine Then to this Goddesse must I seeke alone To cure my mortall wound or else to none He had further sighed and spoken more in renuing his long complaints if Coribant sad for his griefe had not drawne neare labouring to comfort him For oh how true and assured friends be they who both in deed word asswage the griefe of their friends and worthie of cōmendation is that Amitie which the iniurie of time fortune cannot chāge nor alter It resembleth that gold which we highly esteem of whē purified in the furnace it hath passed the fire Euen so sacred is that Amitie worthy of cōmendation which the iniurie oppression of fortune cannot kill nor destroy Coribant therefore approached to this miserable Shepheard saluted him sate downe by him and saide Teares haue alwaies bene held for reproach in noble hearts magnanimous mindes neuer weepe they leauing this effeminate and base qualitie vnto women And in verie good consideration the victor Aemilius cast in miserable Perceus his teeth pusillanimitie and want of courage in addicting himselfe to lamentation why then doe you weepe Brutus with a constant and cheerfull countenance beheld his childrens death And that Phylosopher was no whit at all moued vnderstanding of the death of his onely sonne In lamentation Time slippeth away and in the meane while there is no remedie found to come out of miserie There is a double losse the one of our health quiet which reares ouer whelme the other of precious time which in steede of bestowing of it in complaints we shuld employ in searching out proper remedie for our miseries torments That thing only should be deplored the which is without recouerie and remedie But that which may be remedied should not be lamented but with diligence sought out to be recouered For what can be ouer difficult for men to performe Are not all things subiect vnto thē and doth not the wise man command ouer the starres which is to say he may by his wisedome auoid the sinister aspect of the heauens make them otherwise disagree
of their disastrous Influēce What care moued resolute Diogines any thing at all either the cruell blowes of peruerse fortune or the terrible constellations of heauen Liued he not happy without sighes in his Tunne By his knowledge he surmounted both the starres fortune For properly he may be tearmed victor that feareth not his enemie and when he can no wayes iniurie or offend him And if all men would frame their liues after the exāple of this wise man when shuld we heare any sighes proceed frō them or what dolour could entangle their repose Nothing wanteth in man to be perfectlie happie but resolution For when he is resolute to be constant in misfortunes without so much as being once moued at the darts of aduerse fortune nothing can annoy him hee remaineth braue and couragious like the Conqueror within the Lystes against whome none dare make further tryall of their force In like manner fortune feareth the noble hart he which with a braue resolution disposeth himselfe to resist inconstancie shee dares no further lay hold vpon but permitteth him a free life quiet breathing happie repose She is like the cocke who hauing bene well beatē by an other and bleeding in all parts of his body dares not returne to encoūter but auoideth the pit vāquished flieth away In like manner resist thou this vniust fortune who hath made vpon thee so huge and cruel a warre resolue as a Marius to withstand misfortunes without changing thy countenance thereat more then he did For mans wisedome is not discerned in prosperous fortune in that it is an easie matter to shew himselfe wise constant in his felicities but rather in aduerse and contrarie occurrences the which to surmount valour constancie and vertue is requisite Shepheard replyed Arcas I confesse that the losse of earthlie thinges yea and of the life it selfe should not drawe tears from the eyes of the wise nor enforce his heart to send forth sighes For they be things of small value the anciēt Sages thought alwayes that they carried their treasure about with them in bearing their knowledge but this doctrine taketh no place in Loue. Euery thing hath alwaies some exception and the very threatnings of the eternall God chaunge oftentimes and saueth some one or other So notwithstanding we may iustly maintaine that teares sighes are vnbeseeming a valiant and noble man yet must wee alwayes say except onely in amorous actions For the Gods Goddesses and the Heroes haue lamented in this case Did not Venus bewaile her deare Adonis mouing to pitty therewith euen things without life did not Apollo lament his Daphne did not Hercules mourne for his wife which the Centaure took away from him did not cruell Achilles bewaile his Brisais did not Vlisses the wise take on for his wife and that Palladine of France Orlando the Frenchmens honor did he not a thousand times bewaile his Angelica becomming furious madde in that hee had lost her hath not braue Renaldo and all those valiant Heroicall spirits made moane whose complaints wise and mellifluent driostus reporteth vnto as O Shepheard why art thou then astonished if I bewaile and grieue for my sacred Diana the fire of loue like thunder which neuer commeth without raine although of it selfe it be burning fire and hotely kindeled In like manner the flames of Loue are alwayes mingled with lamentations and teares For Loue oftentimes forgeth his firebrands of contraries that is of Loue oftentimes and of hatred both mixt together Experience giueth testimonie of the same For onely Louers lament and are sadde when they are not beloued but hated of their Mistresses And behold euen as the thunder is engendred of heate and cold so be the flames of Loue compounded of loue and hatred so that it is vnpossible for the Louer to loue except he be beloued againe but bewaile and lament he may because these contraries proceed from him and render diuers effects of their sorme Why wonder you therefore that I weepe Oh Shepheard he which soweth vpon the Sea sand spendeth not his time more vnprofitably then he which bestoweth it in searching remedie for his Loue. For what can enforce an heart of Diamond or a loftie proud and cruell dame to loue against her will Violence in this thing is forbidden and though law would permit it yet would liuely and loyall Loue hinder it For the Louer will neuer doe any thing though he may which shall be displeasing to his Mistresse all meanes of remedie ceasing we must necessarily haue remorse to lamentation and teares which be the armes of the afflicted crying out of the iniustice and crueltie of the Starres which make vs loue the thing that hateth vs and to desire the thing that flieth and shunneth vs. And if the wise as thou saist ouercame and surmounted the diuers assaults of Fortune I answere thee withall That Loue hath tamed them as well as my selfe and none can make head against him Let Plato Aristotle and that prudent King endued with the gift of wisedome beare witnes I will no more therefore thinke my selfe foolish or depriued of reason in louing seeing these great lights as well as my selfe haue by Loue bene darkned that these Sages haue troddē the path of my error But Shepheard replied Coribant if some haue offended will you conclude that by their example euery one may erre And if amongst the auncient Sages some haue bene fooles and deceiued by Loue will you affirme that others haue yeelded themselues to this inconuenience You should in this doe them great iniurie for all the Iewes for the most part were wicked and yet the Apostles being of the selfe same nation were good men The cruell daughters of Danaut killed their husbands but pittifull Hypermuestra that saued hers must not be put in the number of these bloodie sisters In like manner a thousand learned personages which haue not onely subdued Loue but euen the starres themselues ought not to be taxed of reproach because there were some amongst them suffered themselues to be transported away with this furie for the vice of one particular man obligeth not a generalitie to the blame which he onely deserueth and an othres offence cannot preiudice the innocent If Plate haue erred wise Aristetle stumbled Sage Salomon gone astray will you say for all this that diuine Socrates wise graue Cato prudent Moses haue bene sinners and plunged in the selfe same vice and if the former be not to be followed nor imitated take example by the second doing like the wise Apothecarie who extracteth the iuice and vertue of hearbes and afterwards casteth away that which is worth nothing Fuen so amongst the Ancients we must imitate those whose excellent actions may serue in stead of a guide patterne leauing this who in imitating of them may cause vs stumble into the pit of vice in which they be drowned and washed You conclude not well therefore in drawing a libertie of doing euill from
an other mans vice but on the contrarie our neighbours error must serue vs in steed of a darke night wherein during the same to kindle our owne vertue must shine bright instructing our selues by his famous example as the ancient Spartaines caused their slaues to be made drunke to the end that their children might hate wine by the brutish and dishonest actions they sawe these base creatures commit being possessed with this liquor It is a foolish conclusion to say that if my neighbour be a foole I must therefore become insensate and set fire on my owne house because I see my neighbours on a burning flame It is rather requisite that an other mans doing be beneficiall vnto vs and that the vice of our neighbour reforme our owne and not make vs to offend like himselfe For vertue would be imitated and vice auoided To maintaine that no man can be constant and resist Loue were to erre grosely For Alexander amidst his great victories delights and conquests performed it Demosthenes refused the Loue of Lais louing ten crownes better then the enioyance of her This wise and graue Philosopher I say whom she could neuer set on fire either by her wanton enticements amorous lookes or her beautie so renowmed so that she thought him an insensible stone and not a man You should in this doe iniurie to modest Scipio who being conquerour of all Affricke religiously abstained from the loue of a woman And a thousand others haue liued free from this misfortune which you may not rightly place in the number of offenders For their fault obscure not the excellent glorie of the vertuoâ—â— and drawe not from their offence matter of opprobrietie against the wise It will be greater honour vnto you to see wise men in name offend and your selfe free from fault then if you erred after the example of some simple creatures Oh Shepheard replied Arcas I denie the foundation of your argument for I will not confesse that it is a fault or crime to loue and iudge Louers no lesse wise then those that haue not loued at all for he may iustly be said to be peruerse and an offender whose offence procureth publike dammage but so farre of is a Louer from preiudicing men that quite contrarie he profiteth them greatly The Louer like the prodigall man iniureth none but himselfe he onely beareth he onely endureth he onely suffereth but from his torment ariseth mortall glorie to the subiect he loueth for was there euer Ladie faithfully by her seruant beloued that did not both honour and sing forth according to the abilitie of his inuention her excellent and rare vertues What can mortall men desire more deare and precious then to see themselues honoured and made immortall to future ages the which Louers fauoured by the Muses may make their Ladies and Mistresses That great King of Macedon thought he not Achilles happie to haue bene set forth and commended by Homor and all great personages haue they not desired the like honour Not to be moued with the passion of glorie is to be brutish and without feeling or not to be stirred vp with a desire to make ones name liuing after death is a signe of a base and boorish minde They to whom the heauens haue not imitated either Art or Learning to attaine to this glorie by writing seeke after it in buildings or other rare workes of great charge and expence which continue for some time but not so long as bookes But it is certaine that the Muses hauing taken Loue in a snare of flowers would say nothing else but crowne this God with greene garlands acknowledging that they should be nothing without him who giueth them vttrance power breath to set forth their verses in despite of time it selfe For neither the greatnes of gifts nor of feare nor the hope of rewards nor threatnings could neuer make a learned Poet write well of any one if he doe not loue and affect him but on the contrarie onely Loue will make him speake better of those whom he shall loue simply without hope of reward then of those whom he loueth not and yet expecteth from them some recompence Questionlesse without Loue many excellent bookes which are made in the honour of men would be yet to doe a thousand other noble Acts which now through him be apparant to the eies of men Commendable therefore are Louers and more then any other sort of men at least they loose not time nor consume it not in doing nothing Oh Godhead replied Coribant but on the contrarie a thousand euils haue proceeded from Loue The ruine of Troy may verifie this and a thousand other testimonies I but quite otherwise replied Arcas Loue stood the Troyans in steed for he sent them the meane to kill Achilles reuenging the death of their Princes he being dead they in such a sort weakened the enemies Campe that without Treason Troy had neuer bene subiect to the Greekes But what hath Loue to doe with the Treason of men as long as he is not the cause thereof And yet the selfelame Loue replied Coribant was it not the cause of the death of modest Hipâ—olitus who was pittifully slaine by the vniust dealings of his wicked Stepmother Nay rather quice contrarie aunswered Arcas he was the occasion that he was made immortall he being raised from death vnto life againe by the cunning of that learned Esculapius who could neuer haue done him so great a good turne vnlesse he had first tasted of death through Loue. But what say you then quoth Coribant vnto Loue which forced Tarquin to offer violence vnto the castitie of Lucres being the cause of so great a mischiefe It was an occasion replied Arcas rather of a maruellous good turne by reason it was the cause of libertie of the Romances with the vtter ruine ouerthrow of their TyraÌ„ts and Lucretia dying in that order as she did was she not most fortunate and happie For doth not such a one die happily who as Codrus by his death preserueth his countrie making the same through his losse to be fortunate afterward And yet the verie same Loue said Coribant was the Author of the cruell perishing of Piramus and Thisby they hauing but a sorie guerdon for their so constant affection which the one bare vnto the other Is he not then bloodie minded and cruell No truely replied Arcas for what more sweet and pleasing kinde of death could they suffer than they did And had it not bene a thousand times better that one of them should die with the other thaÌ„ to be separated diuided seeing the Louer that loseth his Mistris or that Ladie that hath lost her seruant liue not at all but rather languish And yet still the same Loue was it said Coribant which vrged the daughters of Minos to betray their aged Father giuing instructions vnto Theseus how to slay the monster and to get out of the Labyrinth when he had done Why and the same Loue answered
Areas was the occasion of a greater benefit in deliuering Athens from such a seruile bondage as forced them to offer their prettie little children vnto the greedie lawes of that deuouring Monster To conclude much honour great glorie and infinite good hath proceeded through Loue in so much as he that hath neuer loued deserueth not the name of a man As the Shepheard had made an end of his speech the faire Nymph Orythia arriued who hauing her Lute in her hand sung in a most dulcet tune these Heroicall verses following What shall my Fortune neuer mend in which I doe languish Yet O yee Gods let me die for line without heart can I not now Cruell he that my soule commaunds doth mocke at my hard haps Curst be the flame that euery thing doth burne sane our anguish Ah shall I neuer see my life nor my Loue to be ended Neuer for these skies are cruell vnto my plainings And they doe seeme to be deafe when with my cries I doe mone them More that I liue I plague my selfe and am mine owne Hangman Cruell alone is that griefe that no remedie findeth But for to suffer without hope if destinie mine were Why was I brought into this world and why was I borne then Better nere to be than alwaies so to be tortred Woe to me hope haue I none that ere my paine will be swaged Yet no griefe there is to be found but findeth his easing Excepe such as ouer desperate onely by Loue comes Then since I needes must langnish thus content will I hold me For at last my comforts this although that I perish Yet from all these cares and troubles soone shall I rid me That man neuer feares when death doth venter vpon him When to loose this wretched life he rides in a Hauen Free from the Tempests of this world to liue euerlasting After the Nymph had with many scalding sighes deliuered these verses she thus bespake the Shepheard Arcas What time wilt thou limit vnto my sorrowes and when wilt thou make an end of tormenting me as thou doest If pittie cannot induce thee to succour me at least let these mine earnest praiers moue thee Why takest thou delight thus to be importuned and why is it a pleasure vnto thee thus to be sued vnto Ah wy doest thou not restore my heart vnto his former health and why deuiest thou to helpe him who is so much affected to doe thee seruice Cruell is that Lord that maketh his faithfull seruant to serue him still and yet yeeldeth him no recompence for his paine vniust is he and hatefull both to God and man For what vice more horrible can there be than barbarous ingratitude Ah wash from thy soule that foule fault and suffer not thy selfe any more to be reproached in that thou art hard-harted and bitter against her who onely deuoteth her selfe vnto thee After the Criminall hath his fatall sentence pronounced he is put to death presently without making him languish any more in prolonging his miserie Fuen so let me intreate thee to dispatch and giue thy verdit of life or death against me without delighting thy selfe any longer in my Disasters The fire put into the mouth of a Cannon forceth the pouder to flie out suddenly which turneth into a flame Euen so I am not able longer to endure without my griefe burst forth of my soule or that I giue vp the ghost and die But what talke I of death when it is denied vnto me No no had I but had the benefit of the same thou cruell man hadst neuer heard so many praiers come from me neuer had I made so many vowes vnto thee neither had I moued thee so often vnto compassion as I haue done for with some desperate instrument or other I had finished both my life and griefe long ere this and both at one time But alas I being immortall must endure this anguish whilest being able to helpe others I cannot heale mine owne festring wounds Not vnlike the Physition who dieth after he hath conserued the liues of other not hauing the skill to preserue his owne Were some God the cause of these my plaints and that by reason of some one Deitie or other this mischaunce had hapned vnto me I were not worthie of some excuse amongst mine equals But when I call to minde how I haue suffered my selfe to be vanquisht by a simple Shepheard and yet am not able to perswade him to haue remorse vpon me I needs must confesse I am worthie to be blamed and that rightly But alas I know not wel what I say for my Ladie the Goddesse Diana loueth a Shephcard as well as I and vnder this weede oftentimes lodgeth vertue learning and beautie Neuer was any more beautifull than Adonis none more faire than Narcissus and none more liuely than Paris when he was a Shepheard neither was there euer a Nymph more amiable than Enone the Shepheardesse Angelica the peerlesse Paragon of all beautie left many great Princes and valiant Paladines all which were suters vnto her for her Loue and accepted a poore common Souldier for her sweet heart and Loue. Loue respecteth not riches onely he hath an eie vnto the perfection of the person that is loued Then sweet Shepheard fancie me and giue me some sure proofe of thy affection towards me without putting me any more to further troubles So said the pensiue Nymph when Arcas being rauished with the contemplation of his faire Mistris as if he had bene speaking vnto her and as if Orythia had bene farre from him Began to speake thus O sacred Diana haue I not as yet giuen thee sufficient testimonie of my zealous good will towards thee considering my long and many sorrowes but wilt thou still see more and yet neuer yeeld me any recompence for the same Alas the Goldsmith trieth gold but once if it will indure the fire which he vseth to make so me excellent piece of worke withall and the Eagle is contented to carrie his little ones but once against the Sunnie Beames which if they are able to abide he suffereth them to liue making account they are his owne Why then deare Mistris art not thou content with these many proofes of my faithfull Amitie without demaunding still new at my hands If it be because I am too base a creature to be beloued and that thou thinkest me not worthie of so high a fauour Ah then I beseech thee remember Iupiter who disdained not the Loue of Europe or of Semele although they were mortall women nor Thetis who although a Goddesse yet vouchsafed to espouse Penelus an earthly man and sacred Apollo who vouchsafed to affect the Troyan Cassandra yea remember the Goddesse of all beautie who was willing to accept the Loue of Anchises to beare a child by him which was called the wandring Prince Aeneas And therefore be not angrie although I dare to loue thee for I feare not that the torment of Ixion shall euer punish me because I
whence on amorous sweet fire Did send forth sighes children of Care begotten through Desire Her slender Middle like a Spanne did shewe her waste so small Which who so lookt on as he lookt he languisht therewithall Next was that place Alas that of that Place I may not showe Vnworthie we such Mysteries and such rare sights to knowe Her hands were white as Whale his bone so matchelesse was her foote The first whereof were Arrowes which Dan Dupid vsde to shoote Then such this wonderous Beautie was of this faire Shepheardesse Who many a Shepheards hart did chaxm wroght them much distresse Her name was FLORA FAIRE surnam'd well worthy of that name And worthie was that name of her so glorious was her Fame Her exercise and vse as then was bout the Fields to walke And chiefest pleasure which she tooke in shadowy Groues to stalke Whilst as her harmlesse flocke did feede about them she did sing Full merilie some pleasant Round which made the woods to ring For spitefull LOVE as yet had not his malice gainst her bent Nor had he yet through his deuise spoylde this worke excellent Free was shee from a Louers life from amorous annoy With libertie most pleasantly her youth she did enioy But soone this humor for to change she gainst her will was forc't Compeld to Loue from her hearts ease poore soule she was diuorc't For by her dwelt a goodly Swaine that did increase her care A valiant Shepheard gallant and louely as she was faire Borne on the selfe-same day that she into this world was borne And subiect by the selfe-same chaunce vnto this fatall storme Hight NV MIDOR he cleaped was both affable and kinde So courteous and so debonnaire as like you could not finde In feature shape and comelinesse Adonis he did passe And if hee did not him exceed his equall sure he was Each morning when the breake of day began for to appeare He vsed to accompanie his FLORA loued deare Vnto the Meadowes with her Flocke and there with her would chat In friendly wise as they did walke of this and then of that And afterwards they both would set them downe or in some shade Of some thicke Pinetree or by Foord which trickling murmure made There would he cate of vittailes hers and she on his would feed Whilst what they had emongst themselues as common they decreed When any sport commenced was mongst Shephear as she was found The first that led the Daunce with him and he began the Round No sooner was it night but they together home did goe And in franke manner one of th' other Gifts vsde to bestowe These pretie sports were but a light as t' were more strong to tie And to begin to binde them in more perfect Amitie And yet this plaine and simple kinde of Courting though plaine stuffe To set their harmlesse harts on fire too much t' was and enough Since LOVE we see engendred is only by looks and speach And so continueth through the same beyond all humane reach This was the cause that manie woes they did endure Of Friends they loyall Louers did become most firme and sure As both their Birth-dayes were but one so was their Loues but one Equall they in affection were and loue they did alone One minde there was betweene them both two bodies but one soule One Conquerour both of their harts and fancies did controle What one did wish the other would alike was their Desire If th' one did burne through heate the other did feele as great a fire If th' one did send forth pittious plaints with many a drery teare The other for to waile with sighes and sobbes did not forbeare No loue like hers so passionate so loy all ere hath bene Anchises loue with Venus faire so constant was not seene Nor Pyramus may I compare vnto these Louers true Although so deare his Dame hee lou'd as that himselfe he slue In euery Rocke and Tree they did ingraue the houre and day In which LOVE cunningly had wrought to bring them to his bay In midst of Groues and thickie Woods cut in the tender kindâ— Of Okes and Elmes these Louers names engrauen you might finde Whilst as they romed here and there a thousand Songs they sung To make them to forget their paine fierce LOVE them so had stung The louely Shepheard Sonnets made in honor of his Dame And in her presence sung them oft presenting her the same Which she accepted gratiousty whilst with hote sighes from hart She shewde how he grieu'd not alone but that she bare a part And thus long time both comfortlesse did comfort one another Long time this secret Fare hid close in bosome they did smother Whilst in some sort the heauens did seeme their actions to allow And LOVE made show as good what so they did for to avow Bin weladay what mortall thing can euer lasting bee When they themselues must once decay and vnto ruine gree When Fortune enuicus of our good such interest hath and power That he can alter our delights and pleasures in an hower No maruell then though that sweet life of these two Louers in aine He topsie turme turned quite for pleasure bringing paine As you behold a stately Oke in growth surpassing prowde Vnder whose shade of late the Plants were glad themselues to shrowde Whose cooly leaues and braunches greene greatst Conquerors doth scorne Vpon their helmets and their Crests most brauely to haue borne Vpon the suddaine through mischance with Thunder sirucke as the Whilst blasted with the Laghtning flash his head doth lye fall low His scorchea leaues look black and swarth his verdure all is gone The Tree it selfe shewing like a Truncke a Blocke or barea stone No sappe or iuyce remaines therein but dead it seemes to bee Nor former glorie of his greene you anie more can see Euen so by malice most vniust through Fortune full of strife Of these two Louers happie-once did end the pleasant life The iealous heauens repining that they thus should liue on earth Exempt from canes Death sent to them to stop their vitall breath Death did they send as messenger to sommon them from hence And for to bring the same about they wrought a false pretence This which we LOVE call which two harts makes one in loyall wise The same vow'ae to the other oft makes deadlyest Enemies Of cold and freezing iealousie the Author first be is Whose sweetnes sowrest miserie to follow doth not misse Nor euer hath there any thing as yet in him bene found But what with griefe and wretchednes thicke swarming doth abound His preasures like are vnto spoyles or like an Aprill showre Which is no sooner come then goue nor any while doth dure That this is too too true I vouch Aenone she it prou'd And dolefidl Dido who did die because one-much she lou'd Achilles felt his furie fierce when he Polixena Did sue to haue whose witching-face was cause of his decay Then of these faithfull Louers twaine
thinke my victorie vpon The wise of dangers past will were so much as once thinke on Then leaue off for to sorrow thus and seeme not to disdaine Through too much passion honour this which I through thee doe gaine So said he gently helpes her vp and sets her on her feete Whilst with a thousand hunnie words he sweetly her doth greete The Nymph now come vnto herselfe begins to gather hart To chase away all feare from her which fore did breed her smart Her former colour now doth come into her cheekes afresh Whilst she in humble sort with thankes vnto him doth expresse Her gratefull minde acknowledging in courteous manner trim How that her honour and her life preserued were by him With blushing looke and smiling cheare she crownes with flowers his head And vowes in modest wise to be at his deuotion led But weladay who ere would thinke that thanks for his reward Should be the cause a recompence he should receiue so hard This kindnesse which the Nymph on him bestowd deseruing worth Th' vntimely end of him and of his FLORA deare brought forth For doing good the fillie Swaine his harmelesse life must lose A slender hire for praise when at so high a rate it growes Things taken well are still done well a sinne t is to mistruct Vpon surmises false and vaine and proofes not to haue iust Ah had the Shepheards Mistris bene as wise as she was faire She had not heapt vpon her selfe nor him such dismall care Meane-time braue Numidor through his exploit most famous grew And through the Nymphs gratefull report each one this matter knew Which FLORA made for to misdoubt for long time she before Had markt the Virgin to be faire the cause she feard the more She sawe as she did thinke that or'e familiar he was With her and how oft them betwixt great kindnesses did passe She well remembred how they daunct together and which most Did gaul her how in hast away he after her did post When as the Satire snatch her vp her to haue ramshed And how to saue her he againe his life had ventured All these compar'd together made her gesse all was not well So that her bodie quite throughout an vncoth cold sweat fell And now she gan to loue so much as iealous she did grow Of him that nere the same deseru'd nor had off ended so She sighes and sobs and frantick like now here now there doth runne Thinking her dearest Loue of friend an exemie was become Nor dares she in her soule him call her faithfull seruant true Nor worthie of a Mistris kind since he hath got anew Against him say she doth exclaime and still gainst him doth crie Cals him vniust deceitfull false of right an enemie And as if he committed had some monstrous sinne on earth She counts him worthie for to die vnsit to draw his breath And now she throughly is assur'd that he is giuen to range And that of his first plighted Loue he hath made an exchange This forceth her with face one while as pale and wan to looke Another while to be as red as fire from furnace tooke Now doth she burne and then againe she suddenly doth freese Whilst through these passions contrarie her sences she doth leese And now to kill her NVMIDOR she vowes most resolute Since him a periur'd wretch and not better she doth repute That done she meanes to end her daies and slay her selfe him by The more her constant Loue vnto the world to testifie But now Loue makes her change her thought although against her will And forceth her although despite of her to loue him still She weepes and wailes and pearly drops fall from her like small teares Whilst as a bedlem she doth rent her face and golden heares She flings her self vpon the ground her head thereon she knocks Whilst griefe so much in her beares sway as it tongues passage locks With armes a crosse vnto the heauens she lifteth vp her hands Whilst she of Venus and her Sonne reuenge of him demaunds Yet after of the matter she better bethinkes her selfe And then vnto him she doth wish all happines and health Grieuing that she so much hath spoke gainst him she doth repent And from her former cruell minde most willing doth relent But nerethelesse she is resolu'd her selfe to end her life Thereby to ease her of her pangs and rid her from this strife So much she doth disdaine to liue as death she meanes to chuse Since Numidor a Mistris new hath tooke her to refuse Ah cruell Shepheard doth she say lamenting pittiously Hast thou the hart who thee so deare hath lou'd to force to die Well well most vnkind man I for thy sake my selfe will slay And goe into my graue I will vntimely fore my day To please thee not my selfe I sought whilst I on th' earth did liue Nor to prolong my daies tle seeke since thee I see I grieue But at this fault of thine so foule vngratefull dost thou thinke The Gods aboue true Iusticers will seeme at all to winke Thinkst thou vnkind the heauens will ere vnto thee be kinde When how thou fowly hast profan'd their Altars they shall finde No no th' immortall powers sharpe foes vnto thy periurie Shall doe me right and wreake my wrong for this my iniurie Such punishment with tortors huge they shall on thee bestow As they doe on Danaides in Limbo lake below And as they Theseus plagu'd because he wreched was forsworne Or Iason who Medea left all comfortlesse forlorne With many other Louers false which like are vnto thee There as thou rightly dost deserue afflicted thou shalt bee For Iupiter though for a while he men permits to rome And fickle changings proue yet in the end he paieth them home So Paris died and well deseru'd Enone that abusde Who in her life time better him than he deseru'd had vsde Then dost thou thinke fond-man that thou shalt scape this scourage alone Who art the sowrse of all my griefe and motiue of my mone Perhaps thou dreamest because that they awhile their plagues doe spare They slowe are vnto punishment nor of the same haue care What is deferd is not vnpaid the time shall come ere long That thou shalt make amends for misse acknowledging this wrong The more to chastise any fault the Gods gently forbeare The more at last they are rigorous more cruell and seuere Then thinke not wrech most treacherous but that the day shall come That thou shalt smart for what thou hast to wofull Flora done My cause to the heauens I doe commit to them I doe appeale They know the secrets of all hearts nor ought will they conceale And yet sweet Numidor forgiue and pardon what I say Since t is my griefe not I that thus against thee doth enuay For should'st thou neuer so much wrong doe vnto me each houre Yet angrie for to be with thee nere shall I haue the power Loue which is of more force in
by Hunter he did runne And then againe begins the course that he before had donne When missing of his purpose he laments in pitteous case And cruell to himselfe doth scrath and teare his manly face Euen as Hippollitus the chaste was drawne by his faire haire Through forrests woods and mount aine tops and hurried euery where And at the last his limmes were rent asunder one from one Whilst frighted with sea monsters he from Chariot fell alone So such our Shepheard seemd to be resembling such a wight Whilst streames of blood runne downe alongst his bodie view you might He sighes and sobs within the woods with voice most dolorous Whilst on the name of Ladie his he crieth and cals on thus Ah where art thou my Flora dearâ— alas where maist thou be And why shouldst thou be so vnkind to hide thy face from me What place so happie is to hold thy selfe mine onely ioy Thy beautie now where doth it shine chasing away annoy Light of mine eies say dost thou loue ah yet vnto me speake And be not so vnkind my heart with calling thee to breake Where so thou liu'st blessed is that place thrise blessed aie More willing than in paradise I there would bide and staie Alacke what haue I done to thee thou shouldst be so vnkind To part from me my better part and leaue my soule behind No doubt some God hath gotten thee enioying presence thine Some heauenly power doth honour thee which breedeth sorrow mine For thinkest thou withouten thee I can draw forth this breath Thinkst thou that in thine absence I can liue vpon this earth Then speake my sweet vouchsafe so much as tell me where art thou Where bide those rare perfections and where shine thy vertues now May I not be so happie as to know where thou dost keepe Since for thy losse I cannot chuse eternally but weepe Without thy carefull Numidor tell me where doest thou staie Who euer hath thee lou'd and who will loue thee still for aie Canst thou if him as he doth thee so much and truely loue Grieue him so much vex him so much and ouermuch him moue I knew the time I must confesse when as thou didst sermount For loyall Loue and when of me thou diddest make account I know I know thou loud'st me once that loued me thou hast And that for constant loyaltie our mutuall Loue hath past I know that Loue ore both our hearts tryumpht as Conquerour And that or'e both our soules he had the like and selfesame power I le sweare that once thou louedst me though now thou lou'st me not Though now that fire extinguisht is and thou hast me forgot I know not if as wearie of me thou beginst to range And that thy fickle minde desires else where to soare and change Or whether hauing found a man thou better likst than mee I am reiected and shooke off and quite cassheirde by thee Which if that it be so why then die must poore Numidore And with his death his fortune hard and thy bad minde deplore If it be so he must resigne his life to death and die Rather than liue thus languishing in paine continually If it be so I needs must say though so to say doth griue There is no trust in any one no faith on earth doth liue Needs must I say women are false that constant fewe remaine And that their Sex doth harbor â— ought but false dissembling shame If it be so that Flora false to Shepheard hers hath prou'd Then well I sweare that loyally neuer hath woman lou'd But why alas talke I so vaine too idle is my head Whilst with such franticke raging fits my fantasie is fed What madding humor vexeth me what bedlem iealousie What fond conceit makes me to talke Sans Sens so foolishly Am I so vilely giuen to thinke that Flora will cassbeire Her seruant Numidor whom she before hath lou'd so deare That she to any but to him will true and faithfull proue That she will falsifie her faith orethrowing her first Loue O thought most base to haue of her conceit her to mistrust O traiterous Shepheard worthlesse man O louer most accurst Haue I long heretofore her Loue with Touchstone throughly tride And shall she now with sensure hard withouten cause abide Shall I of infidelitie condemne her and suspect When I haue euer knowne her all bad motions to reiect No no sweet Flora I dare sweare and I doe know too well Thou lou'st thy Numidor nor him for new wilt euer sell No thou dost loue him though some God hath tane thee gainst thy will And keepeth thee perforce although thou neuer meanedst ill I know thou dearely louest him as dearely as thy hart And that his absence makes thee waile and in thee breedeth smart I know my presence thou dost wish and dost lament my losse I know that my not being with thee thou dost count a crosse I doe beleeue assuredly nor otherwise I le thinke Thy loue so sacred nere can die nor euer be extinct Too much thou louedst me too much thou aie of me didst make To leaue me to abandon me and me for to forsake Thou louest me and dost desire with me to be I know But that bad fortune crossed thee the faults thereof to show Then in what place thy sweetest selfe doth soiourne and doth stay And where so ere thy beautie faire her brightnes doth display Where ore thy gratious eie doth glaunce controlling with delight Embellsshing with lulstrious raies the glorie of thy sight Ah there the Gods I doe beseech all happines to raigne Downe on thee fast whilst there thou maist in pleasure safe remaine Whilst I meane while will goe to seeke some wofull vncoth place Some hollow Rocke where I may liue since I can finde no grace For being of thy seemely shape though vndeseru'd depriude I needes must breath my last of force and seeke to be distiude Then happie liue thou liue thou long and neuer maist thou tast Of sorrow such as I haue done to force thy life to wast Thus said the Shepheard and therewith seekes still some hollow Cane Wherein he soone may finde his end which he desires to haue He seekes to finde his death whilst her to finde he nere doth linne As did Apollo Daphna chase whose loue he sought to winne Nor wearied is he Louers nere are wearied when the fire Of Loue doth burne their entrailes hot with coales of strange desire Long trauaile neuer tireth them but still they labour fresh And though they be ore chargde yet take thy courage nerethelesse Then Numidor by Loue borne out both day and night doth seeke For his faire Saint for whom he longs and much desires to meete As one beholds the Lionesse at mouth with froth to fome When she to seeke her little ones stolne from her forth doth runne She neuer staieth but restlesse runnes the forrests all about Nor giues she ore although her bones and backe doe cracke throughout Running sometimes vpon the
pittifull he sobb'd and sâ—h'd â—o fast Asruâ—hlesse Rocks seemd for to moane and halfe inpieces brast So wofully he wailde as All. except his Mistris deare Who to a better world was gone did seeme his 〈◊〉 to heare Yet though hee sighed wept and grieu'd and did laâ—â—nt so fore He could not nere-thelesse his Loue to former liferestore For Floras Spirits were flowen from hence her soule it did uscend To heauens where her betrothed Spouse with ioy she did attend Which he perceiuing gets him vp and to a Mountaine goes From top of which on Mistris his himselfe he headlong throwes He falls vpon her breathlesse limmes and as he dying fell He calls on her and still he cries Flora Adieu Farewells Thâ—â—r murthered bodies massacred within a while were found Which were intomb'd together both within one graue in ground And that of this their loyall Loue the Fame should neuer die This wofull Story was engrauen in plates of Iuonis The Shepheard hauing made an ende of his Tragicall discourse forced the eyes of his Auditors to stand full of water whilst thev streamed downe so small teares as it seemed to be the dribling golden shower in which Iupiter descended downe falling into the faire lappe of louely Danae Whilst Arcas sighed remembring his deare Diana Coribant wept thinking vpon his cruell Delia and whilst the louely Nymph Orythia casting a looke pleading for pittie vpon Aroas mourned in her heart to see his more then fierce rigour towards her Meane space Delia arriued whome no sooner Coribant espied but that hee presently arose going towards her and after he had saluted her with great kindnesse thus began to accost her Beautious Shepheardesse euerie thing excepting thy selfe onely freely exercise their LOVE what is thy soule alone made of Ice or thy heart framed of Steele Which way can it hinder thee to loue mee seeing I haue giuen thee so many proofes of my more then common fidelitie and faithfull constancïe towards thee Wilt thou be the onely Shee in the world that shall liue without louing Why the sacred Muses themselues haue loued and Caliope her selfe did beare and bring forth a childe What God is there that can forbid and prohibite to Loue when they themselues first gaue presidents vnto men to follow the same Hee is not to be blamed that followeth the instructions of his Lord and to his power doeth imitate his maister in what he doeth Loue then and if not as a mortall creature yet at the lest doe it as the Gods haue done before thee For he deserueth not to be tearmed a true and loyall seruant vnto his Maister that taketh a quite contrarie course vnto that which he teacheth him as if he would oppose himselfe against him for the very nonce Is it possible thou shouldest so long hate him who loueth thee so dearely And wilt thou be longer in making me some recompence then those two bretheren of Helen were who saued that Poet which sung their praises all abroad Speake then and satisfie me seeing the Gods although they be puissant and mightie disdaine not to answere men by the mouth of their Oracles What should I answere vnto thee Shepheard replyed Delia but that it is impossible for anie creature LOVE onely excepted to make one loue against their owne mindes Hippolitus for all the prayers and intreating which Phoedra vsed vnto him could neuer be moued to fancie her Neither could Daphne for all Apollos perswasions be induced to loue him No no LOVE is a piercing dart not throughly knowne of mortall men which oftentimes without reason vrgeth vs to affect that that is not worthie of our Amitie Be not there many Louers that if one should demaund of them the cause of their Loue they knowe not what to say nor can alledge anie reasonable excuse for the same I know there be How manie Blowses be there which are preferred before such as be beautifull indeed And how many base and beastly fellows before right braue and generous Spirits What is the occasion of this disorder none can tell Onely they will say it is the pleasure of Cupid it should be so Then thinkest thou with thy often speeches to compell me to loue thee and doest thou suppose that without the power of Loue I can be moued to beare thee any affection If so thou doest thou art in the wrong and therefore trouble Lone no more but rather let him take such course as he shall thinke best without seeking any more to constraine him against his diuine pleasure For if he be able to take downe the Gods much more is he to conquere thee by forcing thee to follow his will and to condescend vnto whatsoeuer he shall commaund thee Alas answered Coribant fewe diseased persons there be that doe not complaine for griefe ingendred of sighes they being his forerunners and messengers to manifest the same abroad Doest thou imagine that I am able to support this sorrowe which I feele in liking thee and that I can conceale the same without making thee acquainted with the tediousnes thereof But I see for all I complaine yet I find small comfort for mortall men cannot obtaine all they couet of the Gods Yet neuertheles I will discharge my conscience vnto thee which hath enioyned me to manifest this my so great euill to the end I might see if I could finde any remedie to make it whole againe But sayest thou LOVE is not purchast with teares nor plaintes neither with sighing nor sobbing but must come of his owne proper minde and when he pleaseth What is this thou sayest vnkinde as thou art wilt thou denie that perseuerance in constant liking is the mother of LOVE If small drops of water by often falling doe make hollowe the Stone And if rough and rustie yron is made smoothe and bright with often handling of the same Why then wilt thou not in like manner also confesse that vnfained long prayers vowes plaints and loyall offices of Fidelitie are able to make a breach in the heart of a Ladie through which Loue may enter Such hard-harted women as neither the teares of their Louers can mollifie or appease neither their complaints moue to pittie neither their secret and faithfull seruice perswade them to affection nor their extreame miseries reduce them to any compassion at all are farre worse then Sauadge Beares denouring Lions or rauenous Wolues that liue in barbarous desarts many wilde Beastes in steed of swallowing and deuouring of men which haue falne into their pawes to asswage their greedie hunger in steed of praying vpon them haue cherished and made much of them and shall a woman by natute gentle and mild be accounted lesse pittifull then bruite Beastes Doest thou thinke that it is an offerice to loue If all such Ladies which Iupiter loued had giuen him the repulse as thou doest me the world should yet be full of Monsters spoyled with Tyrants and ouerthrowne with bad and wicked persons But these courteous women entertaining that great God with
secret ceremonies were forbidden to be solemnized by men whilst she in the meane space carried away my hart with her to stand her in steed of a sacrifice which she might offer vnto her Goddesse Long did I expect her comming back againe and grieuous was it vnto me to stay so long her returne but there was no other remedie wherefore I laid me downe vnder a broade Beech Tree where if I had heard neuer so small a noyse I presently started vp thinking I should haue beheld the sweet face and comely countenance of my glorious Sunne If but a small leafe had moued I thought straightwayes she was come Then would I count in my minde how many paces it was from that place vnto the Temple and me thought that now she was comming from thence that by my account she was so farre onward of the way and and yet I was deceiued in my conceit For I reckoned as they say without mine Hoast One while I doubted least she had altered her iourney and that she determined to walke some other way Another while I feared least she stayed the longer because she was loth to come where I was O most weetched is the condition and estate of Louers from whome doubtfull feare and fearefull doubt can neuer be abandoned Although men owe reuerence vnto the Gods and that they ought to respect that Seruice as they should their owne proper liues Yet neuerthelesse I could as then haue bene very well contented that Diaxa had bene spared from doing that Sacrifice O miserable lawe of LOVE which spoyleth all other and which so that itselfe may restaliue and goe for currant careth not although all other considerations be made voyde and disanulled how iust soeuer they be The Louer so hee may enioy what he coueteth he forgetteth all that is to come not so much as once thinking of the dutie which is due vnto the Gods nor regarding the feare of men nor respecting sacred Religion at all Great is the Furie no doubt that haunteth them else would not amorous Phoedra haue sought the death of innocent Hyppolitus neither the wife of Putiphar gone about to haue made the vertuous Ioseph endure so great miserie Now whilst I expected her whom I could not see I might heare not farre from mee a certaine voyce singing this Dittie following Lucklesse and luckie both at once am I With feare and hope I trembled as a Reed Lucklesse by Beautie thine by Destinie Luckie because I am thy slaue indeed For then thy face there nothing is more faire Then thy sweet Eyes nought more diuine or rare One while I hope another while I feare Nor can there any thing my fancie please It greeues me for to see the heauens though cleare So much I doubt thy fauour to displease Then thy faire face there nothing is more faire Then thy sweet Eyes nought more diuine or rare Then sweet sower Foe vonchsafe me for to loue Or once for all abridge my time of life Nor suffer me such torments more to prâ—â—â— Since I must die lest thou appease this strife For then thy face there nothing is more faire Than thy sweet Eyes nought more diuine or rare Although thine Eyes my paines encreaseth more Yet more I see them more I them admire Thy beautious feature I so much adore As for to die for it I still desire For then thy Face there nothing is more faire Then thy sweet Eyes nought more diuine or rare For louing thee my greefes I happie deeme Though cruell and vnsuffrable they bee Whilst at the same as enuioue I doe seeme Though for thy sake how I still die I see Then thy faire face there nothing is more faire Than thy sweet eies nought more diuine and rare Then whether death my life shall take away Or whether I shall laid be in my graue Yet will I loue and honour thee for aie Both dead and liue my seruice thou shalt haue For then thy face there nothing is more faire Than thy sweet eies nought more diuine or rare This Song was dolefull enough and yet more dolorous was the voice of him that sung it which was small remedie vnto my sorrowes but rather a fresh beginning vnto them whilst I lanquished being oppressed with a double martyr and my griefe encreased more and more the first was because I loued and the other was because I perceiued that I was seconded in my louing So violent was the affection which I bare vnto my Ladie as it began to breed in me a certaine kind of iealousie I beginning to imagine that this other my companion in Loue because he was better liked of then I was might be as an ouerthwart barre to crosse my happie successe making Diana more hard-harted vnto me then she would haue bene if she had had no more Sutors then my selfe onely This second wound gauled me more than the first I maruailing much how it was possible for me to resist so sharpe an assault This was the cause I could not take any rest quietly my minde still running that I was not so much fauoured nor affected as this new commer was Not vnlike vnto him who lying in a wood cannot sleepe all that night long as well because he feareth the rauenous teeth of the wild beastes as also the cruell spoyling of fierce and murthering theeues Neuerthelesse I began to comfort me at the last thinking that if this new come guest had bene so well entertained by my Saint he would not then haue lamented so much as he did for one cheerfull looke one louely glaunce or one pleasant word proceeding from his Mistris is enough to make a Louer reuiue againe although he were before at deaths doore This then was the reason that for a while I was pacified and contented but then by and by I began to doubt againe remembring that it was an ordinarie course of Louers to complaine without cause whether it is because still they haue one thing or another in their heads that maketh the alwaies feare the worse or whether it be for that they take a kind of pleasure in complaining and lamenting after they haue glutted themselues with delight no otherwise than such as being extreame and hot fling themselues into cold water or as vnto staruen and famisht men victuals and food are most sweet and delectable This was the perplexitie in which I was in I being so troubled in my minde as I was halfe out of my wits yet in the end I resolued to drawe neere vnto this Shepheard to behold him wistly hoping that when I had throughly marked his contenance I might quickly coniecture of his disgrace or contentment and whether he were in fauour with my Mistris or no. Whereupon I stole faire and softly vnto him as with slowe and secret pace Mirrha approached the bed of her father when being hard by him who lay along at the foote of a shadowing Rocke I might here him demaund his fortune of God Pan who vsed to aunswere
Louers out of the mouth of certaine enchaunted Rocks Thus then he began vnto whom an Ecco replied in this sort Hard Rocks Rocks cruell insolent by nature and â—b dure Will you no pittie take on me for torments I endure Is no compassion in you lodg'd can nothing be offorce Yet at the last though long to rew and yeeld me some remorce Ah of my plagues cannot blaine that they may cured be At lest yet daine at my sad cries with voice to answere me Ah speake and say the truth shall I be freed once of this paine Or must I still endure therein and languishing remaine ECCO Languishing re maine Ah say alas must this my paine as thou assurd'st me hast Immortall be continuing still and must it alwates last ECCO Alwaies last What comfort then may succour me who scarcely draw my breath What may my dying soule reuiue which is so nigh to death ECCO Death Shall I then liue in sorrow thus my life away that weares And sighing shall I nothing doe but powre forth watrie teares ECCO Watrie teares But sighing thus i st possible my more than mortall ill Which makes me peanemeale pine away should thus continue still ECCO Still Continuing in my passions thus opprest with torments rife What other things will they take hence will they take hence my life ECCO Life To end my woes in this sad plight an end how might I haue Shall I finde my reliefe by Loue or when I am in graue ECCO In Graue But after millions of these woes being burnt with Loues hot Fewell For to requite my paines how shall I finde my Mistris cruell ECCO Cruell Why then I see no pittie she willford me for my griefe And since t is so I le yeeld my selfe to death without reliefe With one selfe bloodie instrument and with one selfesame blade My wounded corpse shall healed be my soude be well apaide Since onely death and none but death some can comfort giue What should me hinder haplesse that I should longer liue I I will die yea I will die and will a minde imbrace To massacre that wretched state that followeth me in chase Well may you reuerend Sir imagine if this aunswere was pleasing vnto me or delightfull vnto him especially when he heard the Gods of the Forrests to be so contrarie vnto him in all his desires Which was the cause that the poore Shepheard lying groueling vpon the ground and bedeawing the greene grasse with his drerie teares began to moane thus heauily O death wilt thou be still dease vnto my cries and wilt thou neuer heare me I calling so often and so much vpon thee Hast thou not had time enough to rid me of my troubles and wilt thou still thus driue me off with delaies continually Thinkest thou he can liue who pineth away piecemeale whilest he is fettered with worse than Iton manatles in the ioy lesse dungeon of vnmercifull Loue No he cannot for he liueth not at all but rather miserably consumeth away who seeth himselfe not onely depriued of his desire but also is quite debarred of all hope euer to obtaine the same Ah deare Loue if euer thou heretofore hast loued empoysoning thine owne soule with thine owne proper venome and if thy Mother likewise hath often plaid the selfesame part why then doest not thou take pittie vpon those who haue endured the same Martyrdome and since thou knowest their disease by thine owne experience why doest thou so long defer to bring them remedies for the same Well cruell Cupid well I see thou art blind indeed nor hast thou any regard at all to helpe me The better thou art attended on the worse thou shewest thy selfe as one who by nature is borne to doe hurt but not good vnto any Woe is me I liue without hope of any helpe more disconsolate than that Pilot who though he saileth in a thicke and gloomie storme yet doth he hope the same being past to see the Sunne shine againe trusting in the end safely to arriue within the wished Hauen But in my darke tempest and in my stinging corsiues and bitter crosses I see no hope of any signe of comfort to shine or smile vpon me Eternall is my shipwracke and my trauaile is without all end O faire Diana although thou art vnkind vnto me yet doe I take no small pride to call my selfe thy slaue for nothing can come neere thee in beautie neither can I belieue that the heauens theÌ„selues can create a beautie able to paragonise thine Happie is that Bull that is chosen to be offered vp as an oblation or sacrifice vnto the Gods although his blood be there shed and so most fortunate should I account my selfe 〈◊〉 for thy sake I might be thought worthy to finish my daies seeing that for thee I should suffer death and be sactificed by Loue vpon the Altar of thine extreame rigor and fiercenes Thus wailed the Shepheard his eies sending downe whole streames of salt teares which watered his face and cheekes all ouer I seeing this came neerer vnto him and whilest he not perceiuing me I began to marke behold his countenance which I saw quite colourlesse and the very Anatomie of an inward afflicted minde whereby I gathered that he had found no more fauour then I had at his Mistris hands neither that his fortune was any way better then mine This was the reason my second doubt died but not my first which still increased more and more because I sawe she was sued and sought vnto by many although I could not find any to be more in her bookes then I was which God knoweth was little or nothing at all As I was thinking hereupon a suddaine desire came into my minde to returne vnto the place from whence I came and there attend my fairest Saint for me thought still she should be come thither alreadie and that she not finding me there was gone home againe iudging my Loue not to be ouerhot seeing I had so small patience to stay a little for her Being come to mine old place as fast as I could I began there to condemne mine owne follie in that I would not take time whilest I might but rather so foolishly loose so fitan occasion as I had offered vnto me and this new accident ingendred another trouble in me Loue is an Orchard wherein are planted thousands of Trees in which Louers walke gathering continually diuers sorts of fruits of griefe and sorrow and it is a liuely spring of miserie from whence doe flow millions of little Riuers of pensiue care and sad woe Long had I not kept my stand but that one of the Nymphs came by who was one of the play-fellowes of my Ladie of whom I enquired if Diana were comming from the Temple or no. Offentimes the ouer great curiousnes we haue to vnderstand newes bringeth vs much dollor and sadnes As then I found the same to be true for the Nymph told me that Diana would stay all that night in the Temple and
daintie is the vaine of that Muse that taketh a worthy Subiect to exercise her diuine power with all as braue and goodly seemeth the swift courser which runneth in a faire and spatious plaine being guided by a very expert and excellent Horseman But as it is not easie to make him that is crooked straight and as he that goeth alwaies stooping can hardly walke bolt vpright Euen so although one haue neuer so rare a vaine to endite yet if he haue no worthie matter whereon to be employed he can hardly write learnedly Homer thought to haue made Achilles more valiant and strong then Hoctor but yet he could not Maro did what she was able to perswade vs that Aeneas was a man iust religious and a great friend vnto his Citie of Troy But it was vnto no end for he cannot leaue any worthy commendation behind him that taketh vpon him to commend a coward or one that bath bene a Traitor vnto his owne countrie I speake this Shepheard vnto this end I well perceiue thy Muse is wonderfull desirous to paint me forth most brauely but yet neuerthelesse I must needs tell thee that when thou hast done all thou canst it is to no purpose because thou shalt neuer be able to make the world beleeue otherwise then that I am a poore sillie soule simple and plaine and one that haue not as much as one good qualitie in me Take then some other better theame to declaime vpon for if thou relyest vpon my praise which is too weake a stay thou wilt quickly fall and thy inuention cease as hauing not whereupon to write Leaue me poore Nymph as I am with my imperfections least thou be the occasion that where thou seekest to magnifie me I shall be mocked for the same for farre better were it for a man to haue his bodie and the remembrance of himselfe to be buried both together then to be renownred as Thersites was and so to be infamous by reason of his memorie Leaue then I pray thee to poetise thus vpon me and rather bestow it vpon some other that doth better deserue it for too simple am I to be a Subiect for thy Muse To refuse the gift of another is as much as not to wish him well or to seeke not to be beholding vnto him for feare lest we should be constrained to make him some amends for as the giuer in bestowing a present doth shew his good will so he that receiueth the gift in accepting thereof doth make manifest his good minde vnto him Euen so my Mistris in refusing the fruits of the new Louers Muse gaue sufficient testimonie she did not much affect him of which thing when I heard I was not a little pleased And yet God he knoweth how much I was at that time gaulled with afflictions seeing so many contrarie windes and all in one day to tosse and tumble my weather beaten Barke All that long night could I not sleepe as much as one winke as often as I remembred the inestimable pleasure which that great God enioyed as I foolishly imagined with my Diana Besides I began to grow exceeding iealous doubting lest she being now come to haue so glorious a Deitie vnto her Paramour would disdaine the Loue of any other mortall creature yea and that now she onely doated vpon him I dreamed of the great delight Apolle tooke to haue in his armes so rare a Paragon but I neuer all this while thought vpon that which most of all concerned me which was the chaste and pure vertues of my Ladie for although I did beleeue verily that as that night she lay betweene the armes of that God yet could I not chuse but loue her as much as I had done before such great force hath Loue ouer vs as he maketh vs loue our Mistrisses although they be bad and vitious as well as if they were well giuen and vertuous nay I was so farre wide from reason as I thought she was to be excused in satisfying the request of so mightie a God not thinking this to be any blemish vnto her credit at all Thus euery Bird supposeth her owne neast to be most fairest and euery mother her owne child pretiest although it be mishapen and deformed But when I was assured of a certaine truth that my Ladie had not onely not laine that night in the Temple but rather like another Daphne or a new Cassandra had most vertuously refused this great God reiected his promises disdained his gifts shamed and hated his presence ah then two contrarie doubts began a fresh to combat in my heart the one was of contentment seeing my Diana so wise so modest and so vertuous the other was of dispaire imagining and not without cause that if she had refused the amitie of so great a God much lesse would she make any reckoning or account of me And thus was I still troubled in my minde although so much was the affection which I bare vnto her as I had rather to haue â—ene quite void of all hope euer after then that she should haue committed so foule an offence For the rare constancie which she had shewed against the sollicitings and inticement of that God made me to looke more cranestly into the greatnes of the fault which she should haue committed then I had done before like vnto him that flinging himselfe into a large Riuer the more he wadeth in the water the more he thinketh of the danger he is in not dreaming of the same before This made me to admire her more then euer I had done in times past although I perceiued I was out of all hope to be affected of her Strange is the puissance and force that vertue hath ouer our soules we chusing rather to loue her without reward or recompence then to follow vice although we should be richly guerdoned for the same Most sacred is this diuine Goddesse we choosing rather to be afflicted for her sake then to cast our liking vpon vgly and deformed vice This then was the cause I loued my Mistris more then if she had tainted her honour with Apoâ—â—o and that afterward she should haue giuen me loue to haue enioyed my pleasure with her This made the Duke of Ithaca to esteeme more of the modest and bashfull cares of his chaste Spouse then of the voluptuous pleasures of wanton Circes With my soule did I reuerence my Diana being of conceit that I could not suffer too much for so admirable a creature for sweet is the trauâ—ile of braue and haughtie enterprises a vertuous man chusing rather to endure labour and gaine notorious praise then to be quiet and at case without any honour or commendation at all And thus spent I the tedious night which before I spake of thinking one while that my Mistrisse discoursed with me in most kinde manner shewing mee many excuses that shee had done no such hainous fact but that I had greatly wronged her to suppose she had committed the same An other while I
speake vnto her For said he vnto him selfe what should hinder me that I should not bewray how much I affect her What though shee be the Daughter of my King is it reason therefore that I should die for her and yet not make her acquainied with my death and the cause thereof What know I whether Loue hath infected her as well as it hath poysoned mee Fot as great Princes as shee haue felt his force and haue bene brought vnder by him which if it were so I would not then doubt but that shee would be so gratious vnto me as to take some pittie vpon mee For Loue makes the hearts of great Monarks to stoope as well as those of poore peasants forcing as well the brauest minds to be subiect vnto his lawes as such as are baser persons Did not he make soft and gentle the hart of proud and haughtie Achilles compelling him to yeeld vnto his prisoner Briseis to like her so well as hee quarrelled with all the Princes of Greece to haue her good will And the selfe same Loue did it not take downe the stubborne stomacke of high minded Angelica who although she were a Princesse and sought vnto by all the chiefest Paladines and men of renowne in the world yet did she cast her liking vpon sillie Medor a simple Page or Lackey Nothing can withstand his mightie power neither King nor Queene Royaltie nor Nobilitie all are alike vnto him and all must doe as he pleaseth Onely with surlie and proud mindes doth he most commonly adorne his triumphant Chariot disdaining as it were the spoyles of the meanest Againe did not Venus doate on a Shepheard and Phoebus vpon a plaine Countrey Lasse Yes yes and therefore nothing is impossible vnto Loue. And seeing it is so I will endeuour to see if I can learne whether hee hath tamed the great heart of this louely Princesse which if he hath done I hope then that it is strucken with a golden Dart as mine is and not with one of lead Might I but once finde that she affecteth mee I would doe well enough with the rest hoping in time to bring euery thing to a most prosperous end and happie issue Thus said my Maister being resolute to sound the depth of the Princesse thoughts and yet hee thought it was hard to wade through such a Foord much doubting the entrance therein but farre more how to get out thereof againe And as a Generall of an Armie after hee hath had manie parleyes with the Fort which is enemie vnto him pitcheth his Tentes round about the same but seeing his Souldiers to be beatten backe againe with losse of many of his men dispaireth that he shall not be able to surprize it doubting sore of some bad issue in this his enterprise Euen so many doubts ran into Don Iohns head which much troubled him as well he knew not what to doe One while he feareth lest he should offend his Mistris and loth he is to displease her yet in the end Fortune who fauoreth such as be venturous egged him forward making the way plain for him that he might the better bewray his affection vnto his Ladie For one day the King being willing highly to grace him commanded him to sit downe with him at his owne Royall table where his daughter fat right ouer against him Neuer can Vertue be honoured too much whilst shee doeth credit vnto them that thus seeke to doe her reuerence and dutie I leaue vnto your aduised considerations to iudge whether whilest the Princesse sate so nigh the Knight he lost anie time or no And whether hee tooke his occasion finding the opportunitie so fitte if hee had done otherwise he had done fondlie But hee seeing his Saint so nigh vnto him watching fitte time after many troubled conceits running in his minde with a blushing countenance and a low trembling voyee hee thus beganne to Court her What would you say most excellent Princes to heare that your owne knight vpon the selfesame day in which he receiued from your royall selfe the prize for Tilting became both victorious and vanquisht and all at once Victor ouer so many braue Caualiers but vanquisht through your most beautious eyes And although euery Conquerour is proud of his conquest and he that is conquered lamenteth for his losse yet I quite contrarie vnto them esteeme lesse of my victorie then I doe to be ouercome for it is far more honourable to be ouerthrowne by a diuine puyssance then to be Conquerour ouer a weeke and feeble force And what greater renowme or brauer fame may so much beautifie and adorne my daies as to be called the vassall and slaue of her and to be vanquisht by her who by the same force is able to ouercome euen the Gods themselues No other glorie will I seeke then this which is to be accounted your Captiue I know good Madame you may count me ouer arragant and without discretion in that I dare presume to vse such speeches vnto you who are both my naturall Princes and my Ladie purchased through your too beautious eyes yet though the Gods be sacred and immortall they for all that refuse not the seruice of worldly men their creatures because nothing can hinder vertue from doing her duetie inasmuch as she is without fault and the rather in that she is of force to make the fierce and wildest hearts that are to be in loue with her I speake not this that I would looke for any recompence for my paines of you neither that you should make any account of me at all onely I would most humble entreat you that you would vouchsafe to belieue that all my desires all my studies and all my endeuours are wholy vowed vnto your secret seruice and that no person shall command ouer my soule but onely your sweet selfe Thinke not then gratious Princes that I am ouer-rash and too too bold to deliuer such words as these vnto you For it is impossible that any right generous minde or braue heroicall thought should see so rare and matchlesse a beautie as yours is but that he needs must be in loue therewith and louing it deuote himselfe vnto the honour of the same for euer Did not so many diuine vertues abound within you and were you not euery way indued with so rare and exquisite qualities as you are we then should not so earnestly seeke to serue you neither should we be so curious to follow you with so great affection and respect as we doe Sooner shall the Sunne be without light and the earth without verdure and greenes for as the heauens whether we will or no giueth vnto vs light Euen so despite of your selfe shall you be honoured and admired as long as you are so excellent and perfect a creature Then if I place my selfe in the order of such as reuerence your rare qualities good Madam pardon me neither thinke that any person can bare more loyall seruice vnto you then I my selfe doe for might my
tell the nature of his disease but onely she who might if so she pleased haue bene his Physition and yet was it not so grieuous vnto him but that it was farre worse to her selfe she repenting her selfe many times and often for her froward and tart words and seeking all meanes possible to make amends for the same although as then she could not Alacke how soone and quickly doth speech passe from vs and how terrible doe it sting oftentimes when a word is so bitterly spoken as it cutteth and pierceth more deeper then a sharpe and keene sword It was not for nothing that the auncient Sages had a certaine Goddesse they called Silence which alwaies held her finger vpon her mouth to giue vs to vnderstand therby that without long premeditating and bethinking vs well of the matter which we ment to deliuer we should not speake at all for feare least as the Poet saith That thy rash speech make thee for to repent Which at vnwares most fondly from thee went That great Commander ouer the whole armie of the Gretians who ouercame Troy repented him many a time and often of his too rash promise for he hauing vowed most solemnly vnto the Goddesse Diana to facrifice the fairest and goodliest thing in all his Realme vpon condition she would beappeased and plague the Gretian Campe no more was constrained for performance of what he had so religiously protested to sacrifice his owne daughter then who there was none fairer So likewise did those Fishermen repent them of their words who sold vnto that Phylosopher the counterfait of a Virgin in which they brought the Triuet of gold which was placed in the Temple of Apollo And so was that good Iudge Iepha sorrie in that he had so vnaduisedly promised vnto God to sacrifice the first thing which he should meete comming from his owne house as he should returne homeward if he should obtaine the conquest ouer his enemies for his onely child and daughter was she of whom he first had a sight of and therefore was she put to death This was the reason our young Princes being sorie that she had done amisse sought to amend the same when though faine she would yet then she could not And now the whole companie being readie to depart beautious Maria cast a most louely looke vpon her Seruant to giue him in full fatisfaction of her former iniuries done vnto him a certaine assurance as well of her Loue towards him as of her repentance for what she had vttered before But he that now had entertained blacke dispaire within his minde and who dreamed vpon nothing but on horror and death neuer marked her nor perceiued any such gratious signe and therefore it did him no good at all no more then a little weake potion is able to counterchecke and encounter with a deadly poyson that is mortally entred into the stomacke and euery part of a man And as small and ordinarie remedies are sufficient to helpe a man to his health who being but newly fallen sicke but are of no force nor vertue at all when he is growne to be dangerously diseased indeed Eeuen so these amorous gestures and signes of this Ladie which before the mortall infirmitie of my maister had bene comfortable vnto him and had done him much good comming now too late stood him in no steed he being as then like one that dispaired of his life Night being come he commeth home heauie and sad none knowing the occasion thereof but my selfe he himselfe not being able or at lestwise somewhat vnwilling to deliuer his misfortune vnto me but I hauing knowne the same came of mine owne accord vnto him seeking to comfort him by all the deuises I could therewithall telling him that the first entring into Loue was the hardest and that if a braue Generall of a field for one repulse or two would neuer giue ouer his enterprise but rather follow it harder yea and that with so desperate a courage as in the end he returned conquerour then much lesse ought he to be daunted or distrust his owne good hap although at the first push he had not made a breach into his Ladies heart Besides I told him that what is easie obtained is not worth the getting whereas that that is dearely bought hardly come by as most commoÌ„ly the affaires in loue be such are not so quickly purchast and therefore he must not thinke much although he endure some paine or labour before he attaine his so much desired suite for the fruits thereof are so luscious sweet that if the Louer should gather them without some danger he would growe more proud then the Tâ—ans and not sticke to compare for good fortune with the Gods themselues of which Iupiter himselfe although the mightiest of them all could not enioy his loue without great trauaile no though they were but mortall creatures which he so much affected Againe say that women should loue vs yet were it neither decent nor iust that they should suffer themselues to be intreated at the first encounter as well because their honour is still before their eyes which they hold as the dearest thing they haue as also because they doubt they shall be the sooner disdained and despised by vs as fooles and such as want discretion and gouernment if they should so soone make a tender vnto vs of their friendly loue Besides that a woman is but courted and attended vpon by the man but a small time and whilest he woeth her in the way of marriage for no sooner are they become man and wife but that then she must attend and serue him and this is the reason they are so long before they will yeeld vnto these amorous pursuites perswasions Withall we must consider the birth the calling and the qualitie of the person whom we seeke to obtaine who the nobler she is the longer must we thinke it will be before she be brought vnto our lures especially when she is our better farre so as if Briseus although a seruant and Captiue stood so much vpon her Pantophles as she looked that she should be sued vnto by Achilles her Lord and Maister much more should not he thinke it straunge and not wonder thereat at all although his Mistris being a Princes borne would looke for farre more seruice at his hands and therefore he had no reason but to be of courage to plucke vp his spirits and play as that wise Captaine doth who seeing himselfe discomfited presently gathereth new forces together againe and once more ventureth his fortune These and many other perswasions did I vse vnto him but the vnfortunate Gentleman thinking the taske he had taken in hand to be harder for to finish then it was would receiue no comfort at all much lesse any hope to obtaine what he so much desired in so much as he resolued to giue ouer the court for euer and to goe and liue in a house he had in the countrie where he ment to spend
there are But wherefore are they so condemned Is it because they beleeue not rightly or for that they had no Faith at all neither for the one nor for the other For there is no Christan be he neuer so leaud or badde but doth belieue otherwise hee should be tearmed a Turke and not a Christian why then are they adiudged vnto such an accursed sentence Euen for their badde deeds and vngodly actions For be they not the verie wordes of the Almightie when hee shall sit in his high Throne at the last day in iudgement Depart from mee ye workers of iniquitie into Hell fire and not Away from me yee faithlesse wretches who haue not beleeued aright What ouerthrewe Lucifer onely his badde deeds Hee presuming to dare to sit in the place of his Soueraigne and not his default of Faith For he could nor belieue ill seeeing that he visiblie saw that which Faith commandeth vs to belieue What droue our first father Adaw out of Paradise what but his badde dealings for which he was chastised What damned Iudas euen that horrible and terrible wickednes which he committed against his owne conscience That there is a recompence for liuing well and a punishment for dooing ill the Holie one himselfe instructeth vs when hee vsed this speech vnto Caine If thou hast done iustly shall thou not receiue thy reward and if vngodlie shall not sinne then stand knocking at thy gate Hee vsing heere this word Reward which cannot be without deseruing of the same For vppon what occasion should such a one be remunerated with a rich reward who hath done nothing worthie of anie recompence And yet neuerthelesse seeing God doth promise a guerdon vnto him that doeth well we must needs conclude that good workes deserues it and that without them faith is dead The onely Sonne of the euerlasting Father vsed the same words when speaking of the Scribes and Pharisies who made a shewe to doe good workes he said thus Verilie verilie I say vnto you these people haue receiued the reward of their works alreadie in this world By which we may conclude that there is an other world to come in which these wicked Hypocritas had bene recompenced for their works If they had not had their due whilst they liued here vpon the earth And hereby we learne that there is a reward due vnto good workes and that therefore they are not vnprofitable but I say not meritorious although there haue bene such as haue denied this doctrine because they might liue without discipline to haue the raine of liberty in their own hands and not to be subiect vnto Iustice to compasse which they haue denied the commendations of good workes to the ende that euerie bodie might doe euill without feare of punishment seeing that doing well should be no more requited then if they had committed euill But ô yee hellish spirited what wicked vices what Tyrannous crueltie what open robberies and what base villanies haue your fond and beastly errours brought into this world For before these your grosse opinions were set abroach no disordinate leaudnes raigned amongst vs all Murther Robbing Treason Cosenage deceit being quite banisht from vs whereas now such wicked minds as you haue seduced couet rather to doe ill then well because they feared no punishment for the same and that their good workes were not as they thought recompenced at all But many Authorities shewe you to Lye yea and naturall Iustice it selfe doth tell you that you are in the wrong For wherefore did that Maister command his bad seruant to be punished who had not employed his Talent well that was giuen vnto him at his departure but that such as are workers of iniquitie shall one day be punished And that those who like other good seruants haue taken grrat paines and laboured well shall be rewarded most bountifully as they were of their Maister Daniel the Prophet teacheth vs the very same doctrine when he aduised Nabuchedonozer not alone to belieue to the intent hee may be pardoned for his fault but to shewe the fruites of good workes as to giue Almes vnto the poore and to doe manie other deeds of Charitie which as the Apostle saith is the most goodliest and holiest of all the other vertues For this shall neuer die but alwayes remaine fresh and aliue whereas Faith shall cease at what time we shall behold that great GOD face to face in whom we haue belieued the hope whereof shall faile when we enioy that diuine glorie which wee expect and looke for But diuine Charitie shall still flourish because wee shall neuer giue ouer to remember our acquaintance and friends with whome wee haue liued heere vpon the earth although we liue in heauen praising God for them This was the reason that the Apostle said Although I were able through Faith to remoue Rockes from one place into an other yet if I be without Charitie I am like vnto on emptie Cimball which can doe nothing but make a confused noyse Small good then doth Faith without good works Ananias and Saphira did belieue nor were they voyde of Faith and yet behold how they were plagued with death by Saint Peter because they had done a most wicked and dissembling deed For onely Charitie and not Faith couereth the loathsomenesse and the multitude of sinnes as a garment doth the priuie parts of man And as that King at the Marriage commaunded that fellow to be cast into a dungion of darknesse where was nothing but wailing and gnashing of teeth because hee presumed to come vnto the Feast without his wedding garment Euen so he that will not attire him selfe with the comely roabe of Charitie shall be deliuered into the power of the Diuell as one vnworthy to be admitted to come vnto the Banquet of Angells Of small force then is Faith without Good works which our Sauiour witnesseth to be true when hee attributeth the remission of Marie Magdalens sinnes vnto the good worke which she had done for him she hauing vsed such Charitie vnto her Maister and therefore he said Many sinnes are forgiuen her because she loued much Now Loue and Charitie are as it were Twinnes and but one bodie for hee that loueth not cannot be kinde vnto his aduersarie and therefore the foresaid Marie by reason that she had loued and had shewed her selfe dutifull vnto our Sauiour gained full forgiuenes of her sinnes of whose kindnesse Christ had spoken thereof vnto his Disciples saying Wherefore are you angrie with this Woman shee hath done a good worke for me and therefore deserueth well of mee I see then by these examples that thou most gratious Lord expectest good works to come from man because thine are so admirable thou hauing taught vs by the example of that Prince that put to death those wicked Labourers in his Vineyard how thou wilt recompence such godly persons as haue done well and wilt punish the wicked whom thou shalt finde to haue done euill Let vs then endeuour by our
sorrow crueltie and dishonour Then he admireth her eye-browes thin louely browne and hating all care supposing verily that the Goddesse Diana had neuer any so prettie Belike then this Nymph had berest all the Gods and Goddesses of their best beauties No doubt in his conceit they had so much did he doate on her Loue. This done he commeth downe somewhat lower vnto her eyes apprehending the brightnes of them although they were farre off from him As that Captaine that is ouercome knoweth well the valour of him that did vanquish him or as the Shepheard remembreth the lightning which flashed vpon his flocke as they fed in the Meadow euen so did he suppose he still felt newe darts which she whirled at him for grieuous is the thought of sad and heauie things they being the Parents of all our disasters Ah said he vnto himselfe how beautifull are her eyes and yet not so beautifull as piercing and terrible resembling those of Circes faire to see and beautifull to behold and yet who looked vpon them was changed from a man into a beast They are both faire and cruell faire to view shining as the Sunne doth in the springtime that driueth away all bitter weather and cruell as the Basiliske whose onely sight killeth such as doth but behold her There is the lodge of Loue with whom disdaine and fiercenes soiourne and there sometimes doth pleasure abide but it is when the other twaine be abroad they hauing more interest in them then she hath Hated they are and yet loued as the young Scholler doth his Maister O sacred Loue that take religious feare with him for his companion and O how iust and goodly a thing is Amitie when it is married vnto awfull respect although farre from them the flame is neuerthelesse felt as those who stand behind the foremost at a fire perceiue the heate thereof also as well as they that stand before So doth the traitor Ixion throwne downe with lightning into hell feare and suspect the flashy lightning of Iupiter Hauing left her eyes he commeth vnto her nose neither too big nor too little but comely and of a most excellent proportion in the making thereof The eyes nor nose of Pallace the Goddesse of battaile are not more amiable nor more angrie although she be fierce and couragious in martiall exploits From thence he commeth vnto her lips where he is drowned in a poole of sweetnes when he doth but thinke of the daintie colour and the rare softnes thereof whilest desiring in his minde but to touch them through ioy and feare he falleth into a sownd The more sweet and soft he iudgeth them to be the more he findeth his griefe to be bitter because he cannot touch them A man careth not to enioy a matter of sinall waight or valew but to be hindered from the possession of a rich treasure gaulleth him at the very heart Neuer were the Cloue Gilliflowers in Iune halfe so daintie neither the Damaske Roses of the spring a quarter so beautifull as these yet were they ruddie like the Roses but farre more dangerous to be touched for her pure honour and her chaste thoughts were the pricking thornes which would not permit any to approach nere vnto that peerlesse muske tree More soft and supple were they then the lips of Iuno when Iupiter did kisse them and more tender and louely then those of bashfull Europa or blushing Alcest Now he remembreth that goodly ranke of orient Pearle emprisoned betweene two Rocks of right Currall from which issued forth such hunnie words as rauished his soule not vnlike vnto Orphens who forced sencelesse creatures to follow him with the sound of his well tuned Harpe Neuer did Mercurie talke more grauely or more eloquently then she although he was appointed to be Ambassador for the Gods great was his griefe when he found himselfe depriued from so happie a place from whence sometimes he had heard so many wise and admirable speeches to proceed from his Ladie he being with the onely remembrance thereof so much enchanted as his soule was not willing to returne backe into his bodie againe not hauing power to leaue her no more then the dumb stones and budding Trees were of force to retire from the entising Musicke of the Thracian Poet. From thence he came vnto her smiling and well formed cheeke no Queene Apple drawne red with the pensill of Phoebus in the mouth of September hauing so louely and naturall a colour There was no need of cunning painting nor deceitfull varnish to abuse the eye making the faces of women in time farre more foule then before for what need hath subtill Art when curteous nature hath done her part to finde any deuise seeking to better what she rather maketh worse The checke of Semele neuer came neere in beautie vnto her pure die not vnlike that daintie morning wherein the Sunne shineth in his pride or like vnto a piece of faire white Alablaster mixed with a little vermillion red Her necke was slender and thinne rising vp with state like a curious small Turret in a Princely pallace Her dimpled chinne was prettie and round But her beautious brests exceeded all the rest There lay the mountaine snowe which could neuer be dissolued with the heate of any Sunne There was the priuie chamber and closet royall of honour and chastitie And there was that christall Riuer of pure milke where Cupid being wearie of playing the wanton vsed to bath and refresh himselfe very often And there the same God was wont to repose himselfe betwixt those two beautifull Apples they being farre more pretious then that golden fruite of the Hesperides yet were they hard as Diamonds although the chiefe glorie of that race present Her hands pleased him much seeing them so faire so long and so supple the fingers whereof were excellent Musitions most diuinely playing vpon the siluer Lute and well tuned Cytherne To be briefe neuer was there any creature so exquisite and excellent in all points as she was in his conceit he comparing her first vnto the three Goddesses assembled vpon the mount Ida then vnto the Nymphs and lastly vnto mortall women accounting her to be farre more faire then that great Lady so often rauished or more beautious then the Loue of Demetrius or Marke Antonies sweet Saint yea Flora and Angelica were but homely pieces vnto her nor all such gallant Lasses as flourished heretofore or should come hereafter Thus was our Swaine rauished with the rare feature of his worthie Mistris and as the couetous wretch sigheth when he commeth to count in small summes the great treasures he hath bene spoiled of euen so did Arcas take on and lament when he began to dreame deeply of the greatnes of his vnsupportable losse Meane space the Sunne began openly to appeare waking men out of their drowsie sleepes opening their eyes and prying with his beames into their chambers when the old manrising and comming into the Rocke found our Shepheard so busie about musing
word and beeing very willing to sleepe indeed presentlie went and layde him downe vpon a bedde where hee rested soundly Meane while vpon the suddaine I was ioyfull as that Captaine who hauing with stood the brunts and hazardes of Fortune returneth home victour of the fielde composed these Verses following A fierce LOVE that burned hast my hart with milde flame In my Mistris sweet thoughts thoughts for me too high to reach too And with deepe desire doest make mee for to adore her Ah proud LOVE that lik'st our wailings laugh'st for to see still Our Breasts wounded all with goare through heauenly Beautie Through glaunce of such sparkling Eyes as into our soules diue After so much done vnto mee now hast thou the courage After so many hurts th' ast done mee now for to helpe mee And to abridge my paines Speake sweete Desire I doe pray thee Ah but alas what a Follie were it for mee to thinkese Thy crueltie thou nere giâ—est ouer Thou to the world comst Our Faults seuerely to punish as the Gods Hang-man Mars by their sufferance knew thy too wanton a Mother When thou into the world wast brought forth like to a Bastard Of Female bloodshed th' art Sonne and of bloody murther Foule fall thee therefore that hast most shamefully cousned Thousands of Heroick spirits whome wee doe Gods call Canst thou then falsly breaking the lawes of thy Byrth-right Curteous now become and be not like to thy Father Canst thou prooue better then thy Mother who was an Harlot No no for ripe Grapes from Thistles neuer can we gather Nor can I hope once well that thou beeing proud euer after Hast minde Gentle to turne for my good good for to doe mee No LOVE I confesse I not deserue whome I doe honour Worthie shâ—e is for the Gods and too too fure is shee for me Too too vnworthie I am t' enioy her whom I doe loue so Onely to thinke that I loue so faire a soule doth appease paine All my paine and my torments though they be as immortall When I remember that in her liues what is adorned How that the wisedome is in her of Pallas abounding How that portly Gate of Iuno is in her walking And how for Beautie as Venus shee 's a Goddesse Then goe thy wayes Cupid packe hence for well am I pleased Thy helpe nor thine ayde to assist mee ought doe I care for Happier I can neuer be then when I behold her Whom I doe highly prise reuerence and obey aboue all things And farre more then pleasures false Lusts chiefest Allurings Which fond Loners buy full deare ioyes which soone doe away flitte And likewise kill vs long long before our time 's come I doe not honour her for to dishonour her for her Vertues are that I like so they her minde haue adorned For where Vertue is there 's a minde Vnconquered euer Nor will I crane any other guerdon whilst I doe liue here What 's diuine will I loue and what 's worthily steemed For such praise hath shee wonne as she shall liue euerlasting These Verses I kept to present them vnto my Diana hoping to find her in the same good minde as I left her and to gaine some one small fauour or other for my reward of her But things that are framed slightly are of little or no account of all warre it selfe hath not so manie deuises and sundrie effects but LOVE hath farre manie more And yet no maruell for hee being a tender and delicate childe cannot chuse but by nature must needs be mutable and vnconstant And therefore it is no small misfortune vnto men that are forced to obey not a graue and well experimented Maister But this peeuish Boy from whom want of yeares taketh away all knowledge of Reason which as wee growe in bodie so doeth it sprout forth in vs For wretched is that Realme that is gouerned by a Childe because verie hardly without stumbling can a blinde man leade another without a light Now I being merrie at the hart and as iocund as might bee went to see if I could finde out my Mistrisse when thinking to haue no reason nor occasion at all to feare I then found her quite contrarie vnto my hopefull expectation As Mowers are wonderfullie amazed when as the Sunne shining faire and cleare they see vppon the suddaine great showres of raine to streame downe with manie horrible flashings of Lightning and Thunder and much like vnto a blustering Tempest a terrible Whirle-winde breaking forth of the prisons of Aeolus carrying away their greene heapes of grasse and other things as a troupe of Wolues doe bleating Sheepe so that in the ende they are forced to throwe away their sickles and Sithes not once dreaming of any such pittifull chaunces before Euen so hapned it vnto mee I not looking for any such hard fortune Neuer went any thing more nearer vnto my heart then this did I beeing so daunted therwithall as I was almost at the point of death For hauing sought out my Ladie whome I expected should be as curteous and debonaire as I had left her the day before I found her quite and cleane altered from her former disposition she looking vppon me with a most fierce and disdainefull countenance not vouchsafing so much as to speake one milde word vnto me or to accept of my Verses which I in humble wise did offer vnto her Alas thought I what meaneth this and how contrarie are the proceedings of LOVE vnto all other things For they chaunge alwayes and this their suddaine alteration altereth still against the hope of Louers Other men seeing their businesse to fall out well looke for some happie issue thereof But in Loue when our matters are prettilie well and likely to prooue best then are wee driuen most of all to feare and when they are past all hope then haue wee the chiefest cause to expect the best If this encounter was not farre more bitter and vnfortunate then the meeting of a Thiefe is vnto the way-faring man iudge you good Father for it is too grieuous a Corsiue vnto the innocent person to be condemned vnto death and yet not so much as once to heare nor vnderstand his iust defences in the same But in the meane time I must perforce swallow downe this vnwelcome Potion As the Slaue that is runne away beeing taken and brought backe againe vnto his Lord trembleth and feareth sore being forced to endure what punishment soeuer shall be inflicted vpon him Euen so there was no other remedie but that I must needs abide the displeasure of my Misters and take patiently what it should please her for to impose vpon mee I know not whether any olde conceit comming afresh into her minde had chaunged her former humour or whether some other new opinion conceiued without reason had made her so outragious or disdainefull towards mee But whatsoeuer it was neuer did I see her to looke so angerlie vpon me before As the Maister of a Shippe is passing
strong for him who although he had so often giuen the foile vnto the Romans yet when he lost his pretious libertie through lying in Capua and making Loue vnto a woman there was ouercome by that temperate Romane Scipio Demetrius likewise was so bewitched with the faire Curtezan of Athens as he stood in awe of her as if he had bene her bond-slaue And if we should leaue the earth and flie vp into the heauens wee shall finde the Gods themselues haue bene schollers in Cupids schoole For did not Ioue loue Europa Lida Alcumena and diuers others Phoebus Cassandra Daphne and many moe Mars Venus Venus Adonis Diana Endimion and I know not whome besides Why then if it be so I must needs say that thy power extendeth farre and neere thou being as mightie in the heauens as thou art here vpon the earth Fortunio seeing mee in this humour beganne thus How now man but euen now thou shewedst thy selfe to be conquerour ouer thy passions setting a good face on the matter whilest thou didst bare out the brunt thereof And now againe thou seemest as a recreant to yeeld vnto thy anguish and sorrow crying out and vexing thy selfe as if thou wouldest die vpon the suddaine what is the reason of this alteration and change It is a credit for a man to change from vice to vertue and of bad to become good but not to goe on still growing worse and worse Dauid is praised for amending his wicked life and for becomming a new man where his Sonne Salomon is condemned in that he forgot himselfe in his latter daies becomming an Idolater and a whoremonger amongst his concubines Thinkest thou that it is enough for thee to say thou art not able to resist the force of Loue and that other mens faults are sufficient to excuse and defend thine That thiefe is not exempted from punishment who excuseth himselfe hauing robbed from others that he hath but done as an other hath done before him for though it be lawfull to imitate such actions as are commendable and vertuous yet is it not tollerable to doe what is wicked and villainous This colour then will not serue thee and therefore if as thou not long since diddest affirme thou louest the inward qualities of the minde without coueting that fleshly pleasure which Louers so much studie to obtaine although with great labour and losse but what is the reason thou takest on thus And why shouldest thou seeme to dispaire being readie euery houre almost to goe about to giue ouer the world For louing the soule onely the bodie which is but a closet for the same cannot hinder thy affection neither canst thou hope to receiue any other contentment or pleasure of thy loue then in conceit whereas thou doing thus as thou doest thou wilt make the world belieue that thy loue is of another manner of nature then thou wouldest perswade vs it being the common fashion of sottish Louers and such as desire sensuall delights to crie out and lament as if they were readie to die when they cannot taste the sweetnes of the same as the sicke Patient dieth for want of physicke that should expell such superfluous humours as hurt him Now if thy Loue be such as thou saiest that it neither demandeth nor expecteth in any sort this pleasure what maketh thee for want of enioying the same to run still vnto death wringing thy hands and making such pittious moane as is strange to behold Therefore are such men farre more furious and mad then those senselesse Bedlems are who without cause seeke to offer violence vnto themselues imitating the heathen people of Aegypt who vsed to burne themselues without any cause at all but onely when the toy tooke them in the head for most deare ought we to hold our life because it is vnrecouerable neither must we forgoe it vnlesse for some great occasion as either for the benefit of our common-wealth or for speciall good and aduancement of all our friends I seeing Fortunto to be so earnest replied thus O Fortunio I cannot see how a man can lose a lesser losse then the shortning of his daies for loosing them he lighteth vpon a path that leadeth him into eternall rest and therefore he is not hindered at all resembling that marchant who exchangeth bad marchandise for such as are most pretious and rich For a smaller matter then mine thousands of wise men haue shortned their liues A witnes whereof is that wise man who following Alexander the great and much fauoured of him gaue not ouer for all that to erect a great pile of wood which he setting a fire most cheerfully leapt therein without sturring once and so was there buried But perhaps you will aske me what was the cause that vrged him thereunto truely none but onely because he would leaue this mortall life to inherit a life euerlasting But say that no liuely apprehention of intollerable griefe did force a man to this desire yet are the very defects of Nature and the desire to become immortall sufficient enough to imprint most deeply this conceit in his soule especially if after death we shall be free from feeling of any paine according vnto the grosse errour of the voluptuous Epicure For is it not farre better neuer to be borne then to liue and endure miserie But we flie higher in our thoughts thē those Phylosophers for we by this meanes set not onely an end vnto our wretchednes but we change them into glorie contentment and our fraile and fleshly bodie into an immortall state free from all corruption Therefore my conclusion is that seesing the onely maimes of Nature without any other accident of euill are of force enough to imprint within vs this desire of death we are not to be reprehēded if we die in as much as we are stirred vp vnto death as well because of these imperfections as also by reason of such a subiect of deadly griefe as can no way be remedied nor holpen but by the fatall Destinies and those that doe contrariwise cannot be compared for constancie and vertue vnto those women who one striuing with another leaped into the flaming fire wherein their dead spouses were burned a deepe passion of true sorrow and a vehement desire to follow their husband being that which did animate them vnto this death Besides such as are in dispaire for euer seeing ioyfull daies in this world haue not they the greatest reason of all to die which if any such shall refuse they are of a more base and timerous disposition then those women afore said seeing that in death onely a man incountreth with quiet rest as whilest we liue we are yoaked and tyed vnto troubles The sage Hebrew King praiseth in his prouerbes the dead more then he doth the liuing death being the securest harbor of all other where when we are arriued we are exempted from rowing any more in the dangerous barge of this turbulent world Fond is that Pilot who through the fauour of the
Gretian Horse made of wood wherein were hidden the enemies of Troy for neuer vntill then did I feele the piereing darts of sorrow aright In respect of this all my other paines were but pleasures nay meere toyes to speake of in a manner compared vnto this Corfie which so violently seazed vpon me as I felt most bloodie pangs and cruell conflicts to make warre within me the anguish thereof being so insupportable as I looked euery houre when my soule and bodie should haue parted asunder Ah most vnluckie tongue who taught thee to talke so much Alas that man should be so vnwife as to make way vnto his owne ouerthrow whilest he thinking to doe for the best it falleth out vnto him for the worst and where he looketh to haue praise there oftentimes he purchaseth most blame and discredit Full little did I thinke but that whilest I reported the filthines of the Monster she would haue giuen me great thankes for the same and that made me with the best tearmes I could to set out my tale but it fell out quite contrarie for I seeking to get somewhat lost all Well doe I see that the prudencie of man is nothing whilest God scosteth at their wisedome changing their dissignes quite contrarie vnto their desire Great reason had I to curse that lucklesse Monster vnto the bottomlesse pit of hell although before I had praised him so much because through him I was permitted to touch the faire hand of my froward Mistris And thus Louers either hate or loue what their blind God putteth into their heads they being still wauering and inconstant in their opinions Diuers were the heauie thoughts which as then seazed vpon me I being growne in a manner to follow blacke dispaire because I sawe I was like to be depriued of the presence of my Ladie for euer if she going onward as she began would seclude her selfe from all companies like vnto an Ankresse An other while I imagined that I my selfe was culpable of all this wofull mischance fearing shroadly that all such as should deplore or lament the losse of her would lay all the fault vpon me And therefore had I great reason to mourne and sorrow as I did I shewing by many signes and expressing by diuers waies how my feeble heart was wounded with an incurable fore But whilest I stood thus sighing and lamenting vnto my selfe and whilest all the sad Nymphs had fixed their weeping eyes vpō the ground not knowing what to say vnto the speech which their Ladie made the Shepheard who was amorous of her arriued there who after he had with a dutifull Conge saluted her and all her troupe presented her with these verses foilowing My pittious eye in mailing nothing more Bel oldeth faire then thy diuinest grace Nothing I see more sacred to adore Then that pure vertue that shines in thy face For thee I liue for thee I willing die Wishing no Sunne to see but for thy sake But should I thee offend then wretched I. Thus good and ill alike for thee I take For so rare subiect as thy selfe diuine My hart can neuer suffer ouermuch Although these cares knawe this poore hart of mine And to the quicke in euery part me touch Happie is he that suffereth for pure Loue For whilest he loues so he himselfe doth finde Transformed into such beautie as doth moue Life whereas death before to him was signds A Deitie then beautie is aright When it such wonders worketh in her sight Another Cruell for louing thee I le end my daies Since dying I shall liue still in thy beautie Who dieth Conquerour merrits double praise But farre more be who dieth for louing duetie Immortall glorie Piramus did gaine For this besides his loyall chastitie Was much commended when by death the same Freede Thisbe from most wofull miserie As he for her so I for thee will doe For thee I le die of my chaste Loue the honour And as the Phoenix I le consume for you I as himselfe consuming in that manner Whilst of my bones so burned shall reuiue Thousands of Louers created by this fire Who for their constant Loue shall be aliue World without end renowmed through true desire Of these Sonnets she made no account but hauing read them which she did rather to be rid of him then otherwise she gaue them backe againe vnto the Shepheard contrarie vnto her wonted custome with these words Little hath she neede of praise who because she should auoid the same maketh her selfe of a liue creature but a deadly coarse and yet of her owne valuntarle will and pleasure Wretched are such men as take pleasure to haue their eares tickled with praises God onely who is immortall infinite without sinne and euerlasting deserueth glorie alone Then Shepheard talke no more vnto me of such vanities as these are for I am no better then a most miserable caitiffe who am going to die and to giue ouer the world if that auncient Greeke refused all titles of honour affirming that he knew onely one thing which was that he knew nothing thinkest thou then that I can deserue it I who am as brittle as glasse descended from that first woman yea and from her owne sex who through her pride ouerthew all the world O Shepheard Shepheard if as now our first Grandmother Eue liued so farre would she be from looking for honour and reuerend duetie to be done vnto her as she would doe nothing but weepe continually whilest her haire with which we set out and beautifie our faces should serue her to doe nothing else then drie and weepe those drerie teares of hers Away then withall vaine-glorie Behold Saladine Emperour of the Infidels who dying commanded that this Epitaph should be set vpon his Tombe An excellens Epit aph Here lieth famous Saladine who of so many Kingdomes victories Riches and Titles of honour which he had whilst he liued hath carried away with him nothing but a plaine sheete into his graue All is meere vanitie that man doth euery thing passeth away like winde and after they are dead there is no more remembrance of them That deserueth no glorie at all A Sentence which is subiect vnto ruine and corruption nothing is more mortall or declining then man why then wouldest thou haue him commended seeing he perisheth and being perished the cause of his honour which thou so much chauntest doth perish also But God who is without beginning without middle or ending and who decaieth not at all doth merrit praise onely because he cannot fade and therefore the subiect of his glorie is alwaies liuing which we sing continually vnto his name Away then away with these foolish verses rather flattering then true and let me neuer heare nor see any thing that hath neuer so little a tast or shew of this misshapen Monster Pride Is it possible that man should presume that he merriteth praise who being made of earth is no better then earth and yet before he can returne to be
many Louers haue there bene lesse faithfull then I am and nothing so zealous in loue as my selfe that haue finished their liues when they were depriued of their louing dames and shall not I be as fortunate as they euery way as vertuous as they especially when I haue deserued more then they haue which when I haue done I hope gratious Virgin your chaste soule will doe no lesse then testifie what great respectand dutious affection I bare vnto you vntill my latest gaspe hauing long serued you and yet neuer had any reward at all But what talke I of reward when I desire to die were it onely for this thing in that I durst presume to loue you and yet it is not death that daunteth not at all onely I grieue because I feare I neuer shall finde so sweet a face in the other world with which I may delight me But I am not the first Louer hath bene sent away vnrewarded of his Mistris and yet too great hath my recompence bene in that I haue had that great good hap as to haue seene you whilest I liued and now I must loose you can I doe other then loose my selfe you goe your way and thinke you I shall stay behind Ah then how much are you deceiued for I will die yea I will die although not by your commandement yet because I shall see you no more and this I here protest I am most resolutely minded to doe come whatsoeuer will thereof meane space withdraw thy hand from me which I desire not to kisse since t is with thy displeasure whilest I liued I sought to please thee and now I die I will not seeke to crosse thee Away then with this thy hand too faire for me to touch assuring thee that I am as much contented with thy good will as if I had enuoyed the greatest pleasure in the world Then once againe I beseech thee let me alone and trouble me no more I bid the world adue and take my last farewell of thee for die I will since t is the onely thing which I desire Diana seeing me looke so gastly began to be afraid of me doubting least I would presently haue laid violent hands vpon my selfe as I sweare vnto you reuerend father I had done but that I found her more tractable and more kinde which was the cause that after she had many times sighed beholding me with a most pittifull and curteous aspect and mourning as it were to see me in so heauie a plight she spake thus mildly vnto me Ah Arcas most faithfull Arcas if thou wilt die for my sake there is no reason but I should be miserable for thee to requite this thy great kindnesse towards me So will I be for thee and such a one doe I wish my selfe to be as long as I shall liue Say not then that thou art the most miserable wretch aliue since Diana is a partaker of thy miserable fortunes who to haue regard vnto her honour and for the loue she beateth vnto thee shall liue most miserable all the rest of her sad life being somewhat comforted in this onely that she cannot suffer for two more worthy subiects As sweet shall be my griefes when I shall thinke of thee as my ioy shall be when displeasing I remember thee not at all I see it is the will of the Gods that things should thus fall out and I will not be repugnant against the same more proofes I haue not to manifest my good meaning vnto thee being hindered through mine honour in leiu whereof I will giue thee a tast of the rest by my continuall Martyrdomes Therefore I coniure thee by that chaste Loue thou hast so long borne me offer no violence vnto thy selfe but stay the will of the heauens for it may so fall out as thou maist perhaps see me once more before thou diest and seeing the houre is now come that without seeing me more I must absent my selfe from thee I will not conceit mine affection from thee for I know thou wilt not seeke thy profit by my hiâ—derance Too well doe I know and must needs acknowledge thy faithfull and infinite Loue towards me If euer man hath bene worthy of a Ladies Loue then it is thine owne selfe therefore thinke that nothing in the world hath hindered me to make requitall vnto thee as full well thou hast deserued but chaste honour and seeing I cannot doe otherwise let me increate thee haue patience Besides if the assurance of my amitie may comfort thee seeing thou canst not receiue any other consolation at my hands assure thy selfe I loue thee deerly yea deare Arcas dearely doe I loue thee and to giue a most plaine testimonie of the same I will and command thee vpon that power and authoritie which thou hast giuen vnto me ouer thee that thou kisse my hand as thou before desirest and I pray thee most hartily to belieue that I am wonderfull sorie because I cannot giue thee a more ample signe of my Loue vnto thee content thee then with this small fauour of mine and thinke it is greater then it is because it commeth from so willing a minde and from her who wisheth vnto thee more happinesse then she doth vnto her owne selfe O sweete words which as a lushious kinde of poyson infected my soule with true ioy although afterwards they cost me dearely I hauing bought them at too high a rate and yet what could I now desire more But as the fall from an high Tree is farre more daungerous then from a lower and as the afflictions of rich men spoyled of their goods is farre more grieuous then those of the poore because they neuer had any such wealth to loose Euen so these delightfull speeches wrought my miseries to be farre more cruell afterwards vnto mee then if my Ladie neuer had pronounced them Yet did they mee great good as then in respect I enioyed her companie and in that she shewed her selfe so kinde vnto me But alas it was my Fortune and not her fault since none can withstand his hard destinie Meane time I being astonisht and amazed trembling like that wayfaring man when he beholdeth a Snake winding about his legge tooke my Lady by the Lilly-white hand going about with great reuerence to kisse it when a suddaine feare comming freshly into my head that my Diana would mislike of the same made me to forbeare a while Whilst I thus said vnto her Sweet Ladie I beseech you forbeare and let mee after my wonted manner languish away secretly in my sorrowes rather then any discontentment should trouble you at all For too great a plague would that be vnto me if I should liue to behold the ouerthrow of her whom I esteeme more pretiousthen mine owne life and the rather sithence I am predestinate to be vnhappie Let me I pray you be pardoned in this because I know my selfe euery way vnworthie of so rich a curtesie hauing receiued but too much fauour alreadie at your hands
condemned for the same Had Iupiter neuer loued the earth had neaer bene clensed nor purged of such monsters as much did trouble it for then the mightie Hercules had neuer bene borne Marke I beseech you how much wee all are beholding vnto Loue. Many times when men fall a discoursing and from words to quarrels so farre is Loue off from being the author thereof as quite contrarie were it not for his presence contentious Discord would animate one against another euerie one to murther his companion acquaintance for where Loue is there neuer is seene any disagreement at all And therefor is Loue the father of concord and peace and not of brawling and strife A Historiz yea and so puissant and forcible is hee as his power also extendeth to force wilde beasts to be milde as was that Lyon which was brought before Titus the Emperor which in steed of deuouring the poore slane who was flung vnto her to staunch her exceeding great hunger gently fell downe at his feete stroking him doing him all the reuerence that might be and louing him most deerely by reason that this slaue flying away from the seuere crueltie of his maister and lighting into a wood where this beast was had pulled out a great thorne out of his foote which most pitiouslie did grieue him Now if brute beasts are taught to loue out of doubt then such men shall be much condemned as will not follow the like example The graue Spartans put in practise this counsell to the intent to haue children in as much as they imagined that such as were begotten through a firme and passing kinde of good liking would prooue farre more valiant and couragious then such as were borne of the husband and wife without louing one an other And surely we see by experience that such children are more gallant and of a brauer spirit then those that are brought forth into the world lawfully whether it is either because the loue of such persons is more affectionate and passionate that are the cause of their byrths or whether it be for that they see by reason that they are Bastards they are depriued of their Parents inheritance and therefore the more willingly thrust forth themselues to seeke their owne aduancement Iefpha the Iudge of Israel and William surnamed the Conqueror that got the Crowne of England were of this number with infinite other braue personages So that by this we may gather that Loue not onely bringeth forth honor and profite vnto men but also an vnspeakable kinde of comfort withall They that haue tryed the pleasure thereof can better iudge then I For the delight that Loue affordeth is so sweete so gentle and so delightfull as it is not possible to set downe no nor scarce to conceiue the same in anie thoughts So that in comparison of that all other mortall ioyes are but A Bomparison as it were small sparkles and like vnto litle stars in respect of this which for the glorie thereof may be compared vnto the splendent Sunne Heerewithall Coribant kept silence leauing Arcas to follow this discourse and to make an end of this disputation which he did in these termes following If it be lawfull for one to say something and to argue of that which wee cannot see as of a Deitie or Godhead then must we reason by the effects of the same But these which exceede our humane capacitie and conceit giue vs a most certaine and sufficient testimonie that we ought to belieue that there is a certaine puissance and power farre greater then is our owne which we cannot attribute vnto anie other then vnto GOD. As in a wildernes the houses there built testifie that men be dwelling therein because they are the worke of mens hands So may we say of Loue and so it is with him for neuer hath any person seene him nor viewed him at any time yet notwithstanding A Similie euery one is able to talke and to discourse of him by reason of the wonderfull effects which proceed from his diuine power and might Where you say that Children borne out of marriage are valiant and couragious At that I maruell nothing at all for Loue being a Bastard as the sonne of Mars and Venus cannot doe lesse then like support and affect his brethren they hauing the same beginning that he hath Neuerthelesse for all they haue some particular gift incident vnto them yet are they as illegitimate depriued both by Nature and by the Ciuill Law from bearing any charge or office in the common-wealth as their birth is contrarie vnto the custome as well of honestie as of all ciuill order and Lawe Therefore Loue is not praise-worthie in this point for manie times hee confoundeth Right and maketh a gallimalfrie or a mingle-mangle of Iustice bringing such vnlawfull Brattes as these to inherit with those that are lawfullie begotten either for default that they are not knowne or taken to be such or else because their presupposed father will not publish them for Bastards for that he will not offend the honor of his wife But say the world were freed from such kinde of men and that there were no more such to be found yet for all that it should be neuer a whit the lesse honored nor lesse defended I confesse and yeelde that Loue is mightie and of great power in the procreation of such children But as all Countreyes and Realmes without the execution of Iustice are but plaine open theeueries and robberies liuing as licentious Outlawes So Loue without reason and Iustice is but a disordinate appetite trampling vnder his feete all respect all Iustice and all Law to satisfie and asswage his hote and burning passions And how much Sumiramis the nieces of Augustus the Emperour Poppea Agrippina Faustina and diuers others haue bene condemned for following such kinde of Loue and giuing ouer themselues most voluptuously vnto all sorts of people you knowe as well as I am able to report Where you say that Loue is not the author of vice but rather men who applie the same ill and abase it through the badnesse of their owne nature I answer that it is nothing so For as the prisoner cannot dispose of him who is his keeper and holdeth him captiue Euen so men are so farre off from ruling Loue according as they would that hee vseth them as he list holding them so fast in such sure bands as they can doe nothing but what shall please him There is difference betweene him and wine for a man may take heede if he will that he drinke not so much vntill he be drunke but he cannot so easilie resist Loue in as much as that reason being supprest which is in man vpon which presently Loue as a tyrant ceazeth he can then doe no more of himselfe he being constrained and compelled to follow the will and commaund of him that doth signorize ouer him For if Loue were in the free libertie at the deuotion and disposition of
vnto my cries and pittied my wofull teares For within a while after he caused a blutering storme and Tempest to rise in the Seas that draue them farre away from their owne Coast forcing them in the ende to cast Anker vppon these parts Which being done I did coniure and intreat them so much that they permitted mee to come a shore to take the ayre somewhat to refresh and recouer my crazed health which the rage of the Tempest and the swelling billowes of the Ocean had much impaired and made worse But no sooner was I vpon the land and had set foote on the ground then I began suddainly to take my heeles and runne from them chusing rather to be killed by them as I fled then they should take from me mine honour violently And being in this minde I thought to venter my fortune as that young Romane Virgin did which brauely swum ouer the Riuer of Tiber thinking there was no other way with mee but that either death or flying away could saue my chastitic vntainted and preserue me vnhart They seeing this followed after mee as fast as they could runne threatning me with many outragious and iniurious tearmes to cut my throate if I stayed not And this had they done had not you deare Father come to rescue me by your learned and miraculous aide for which I most humblie thanke you acknowledging my selfe by your onely meanes and fauour to hold both mine honour and my life for both which I am obliged vnto you This pittifull discourse moued all the assembly to compassion and especially the old man who gaue her many kinde speeches comforting her in the best manner he could and so left her to repose her selfe because she was wonderfull wearie And in the meane time he singled out Arcas whom he led vnto the old solitarie Dungion or Caue sommoning him to goe forward in the Historie of his misfortunes The Shepheard hearing this began to chafe in his minde as a little boy doth fret when he is forced to repeate his lesson twise But it is to no end to be angrie for he durst not displease him any way because he sore doubted his diuellish cunning vnto whom not for loue but rather for feare he willingly seemed to condiscend beginning where he left in this wise Diana as I told you before tooke great pleasure in my verses yea and did me grace sometimes to sing some of them her owne selfe But as the raine transformeth and chaungeth it selfe into colde sharpe snow so this pleasure turned into griefe and dispaire by the answere I receiued of the cruell Ecco Yet neuerthelesse I thought to follow my game hauing alreadie roused the dame He that will be a souldiour in Loues campe must neuer be faint-harted nor giue ouer with a repulse or some small losse for continuance of time and milde patience are the sacred Ttees from which loyall Louers gather the fruits of their constant perseuerance and long looked for Amitie This was the cause I put forth my selfe to serue my Diana more then euer I had done before although she accounted nothing at all thereof by reason she was addicted wholie vnto the seruice of her Goddesse Neuerthelesse I alwaies hoped the best ruminating in my selfe that Rome was not built in one day and that that was rare and daintie could not be gotten easilie but at a high price and dearely I remembred that small drops of water with oftē falling maketh in the end a hole in the flintie stone be it neuer so hard and I relied verie much vpon the promise of time who vanteth to ripen euerie thing so they stay his leisure A small hope encourageth such as be Louers and hindereth them from giuing ouer their suite begun already Wherein they resemble such souldiours as are besieging some Cittie or other in which they hope in the end to enter although they haue the worst at the first And so Louers neuer dispaire for all their crosses and ouerthwartings but still hope the best as the Sunne which waxeth the clearer the more the clouds seeke to shadow him This made me still to follow my footing as the good Blood-hound doth the trace of the Deare When the day of the solemne feast of Diana drew neare which was the day of ioy and yeare of Iubile to all but vnto me alone heauie and sad I then againe began to weepe waile afresh for no remedie was there but my Mistris must needs goe thither with the other Nymphs her companions whilst I in the meane while should want her pleasing companie For to follow her it was not lawfull which both her honour forbad me and also the sacrifices and misteries were such and so seruile as none might see them but women Besides I remembred the fault which Clodius committed in Rome prophaning defaming the ceremonies of the Goddesse Bona to the intent he might enioy the carnall companie of Caesars wife which offence brought forth manie other The Iudges being through the same corrupted and the Iniustice which they did in absoluing the guiltie without punishment I calling all these things to minde suffered my Ladie to goe vnto these sacrifices which continued diuers daies whilest I in the meane while was left alone at what time I began to find how heauie and greuous the absence of this Ladie is vnto the Louer whilest I tried the same all that space within my selfe Yet although she was absent I was not altogether idle for I composed these Heroicall verses following Now doe I meane in this my verse to tell that thy beautie Hath by thy glaunces sweet of freeman made me a Bond-slaue When mine cies surprisde with a feare more terrible then death Gan ouer-bold to cast lookes on thy heauenly feature So will I tell how since that time I neuer had one day But that my thought and my minde haue runne of Loue still rouings Nor haue I dreamd of aught but of that blind little Elfe Loue Who hath my heart kept captiue and my soule as a prisoner Yet is he happie that can serue a dame so tryumphant Happie is he that is bound in a chaine so sweet and so louely That all carking care driues from me lest I be grieued In that I am thy seruant true I blest doe account me Who like the sacred Sunne doest glad the world and his of spring For so diuine a soule as thou who would not endanger Life and himselfe and what he hath that is aught worth No aisgrace t is of braue Captaine for to be vanquisht Loue ne're soiournes in the hearts of cowardly Milkesops But in the thoughts of Noble men most fierce doth he combat And great Ladies mindes he seekes to keepe in his owne puet Wofull witnesse hereof is Dido cruelly destned And those kindsisters that Thesius sau'de from his ending Hercules that Demigod that Monsters conquered and Fiends Had for his foes theeues and Loue that warre made against him Die did be for pure loue who the pride of the
me than is this thy offence Command me louing thee with thee and with thy fault dispence Iudge then of this strange crueltie that it should me constraine To loue and honour him who is the Author of my baine So we the feeble sicke man see through senselesse fond desire What is th' occasion of his death to couet and require So I arrested by proud Loue am forst iniuriously Alack the while to honour thee who laughst to see me die Thee must I like and follow still despite of my poore hart Although void of all honestie and friendly Loue thou art Still for thy sake I languish must in death with great disease Yet I my selfe count happie since I doe it thee to please The Gods forget as I forgiue thee from mine inward soule And neuer may they for my death as faultie thee controule As willingly I thee forgiue as to my death I goe For being dead thou then too late my constancie shalt knowe Well maist thou haue a fairer friend but faithfuller was neuer Who as she seru'd thee whilst she liu'd in death shee 'le loue thee euer But thou great Cupid rightfull Iudge reuenge my cause aboue On her who traiterously hath stolne from me my heart and loue Plague her that makes me pine away example let her bee To Louers all how they take heede to vse such treacherie Plague her that hath my Louer stolen my louely NVMIDOR And let her feele like punishment as I haue felt ore sore Ah let her not who loyall Faith so shamefully doth soile Raise Trophees of my ouerthrow nor triumph in my spoile Thus Flora prated and sigh't thus wailde the heauie Shepheardesse Was neuer Nymph or Maiden borne that felt such deepe distresse In wailing and in weeping she did spend the day and night And the remainder of her life in sorrow sans delight And now she wearie is of life life doth her vex and grieue A greater Corsie hath she not than that she thus doth liue She doth resolue to die forthwith and yet she faine would chuse The gentlest and the easiest way her soule from corpse to loose For to dispatch her selfe with sword it was too fierce and fell The fire displeased her and the rope to her was horrible To fling her selfe downe from some Rocks high top she had desire But being there the height thereof did make her to retire Vpon the Seaish banke she stood minding therein to lep But raging waues did her afright from drowning they her kept As we behold amaz'd to stand the doubtfull traueller Not knowing which way for to take by reason of great feare Vnskilfull which path for to trace beset most dangerously Which he alreadie seemeth in his minde to view with eie On euery side with Theeus who all the passages about Haue laid so as he knoweth not how from thence to get him out So Flora doubtfull and yet full of corsiues and of paine Knoweth not what death were best to chuse though she would die full faine She musing lookes now here now there she runneth euery houre About the woods and wisheth that some beast might her deuour O that we should ill wish our selues oftentimes we wishing woe Vnto our selues it lights on vs poore Flora found it so No wisedome t is the Gods to punish vs to put in minde Too soone they can if so they please to plague vs iust cause finde Meane time Loue at this Shepheardesse doth smile and at her griefe Who more she doth her woes bewaile the more she wants reliefe His glorie he embellisheth by reason of her care And his victorious Chariot with the same doth make more faire But leauing her still languishing we will againe returne To Numidor who missing her doth waile as fast and mourne He seekes and searcheth euery where for Flora he doth call But yet no voice but Ecco shrill doth answere him at all Ecco doth onely answere him with wast and fruitlesse sound He heares her name but Floras selfe can no where yet be found Like as the Hart that louing Deare when he his prettie Hinde Runnes round about in euery place with flying pace to finde Now seeketh her amongst the Rocks and then the woods among Then in the Forrests there by Foords and Riuers all along And finding still to misse her then seekes in some hollow Caue To see if there her companie as fortunate he may haue And wearie now with seeking her he downe lieth in some place Sighing full sore for want of her whom he longs to embrace So doth our Shepheard who was now with seeking her being tirde Wailes his hard hap not her to finde whom he so much desirde So much he wailes as hardest Rocks grieue that so much he seekes And pittious Ecco when he sighes in recompence now weepes Each thing seemd to their power as though they succour to him brought Onely did Flora want alas for whom so much he sought Flora for whom he sought whom yet he could not once entreate That she vouchsafe would to his cries to answere and to speake Flora who power had ouer him him to commaund alone Whose death and life lay in her hands for her thus did he mone And now into his troubled braine did many fancies come One while he thinkes some God of woods with her away is runne Or that some other Satire ruffe hath drawne her to some cane And there against her will doth minde his will on her to haue Another while he doubteth sore lest in this vncoth wood Some sauadge beast hath seazde on her and spilt her harmlesse blood Or else he feares she him will haue no more vnto her mate But rather meanes some Louer now into her grace to take Thus doth he languish comfortlesse to see his hard estate And in a manner doth begin to grow as desperate What hopefull is that he reiects no ioy he entertaines But as a man carelesse of helpe he wretchedly remaines As is a guiltie person brought before the Iudge seuere Conuicted fore him for his fault which proued is most cleare His conscience telling him of his offence and his amisse And for to proue the same before him his sharpe witnesse is Which when he findeth shame and griefe doth so his sinnes confound As he his life not to respect nor to regard is found So wofull full of heauie care this haplesse Shepheard was And so he Flora had not lost for life he did not passe But hauing lost her he did thinke his heart and soule was gone And therefore comforted he would not he of any one Yet he no sooner breath had tooke but that he nerethelesse For all his toyling gan to seeke and search for her afresh He prieth into euery bush through groues he looketh all Andrunnes so fast as oftentimes through hast he downe doth fall Trough brambles sharpe through bushes and through hedges he doth passe Through thicke and thinne and all to finde his long sought dearest I asse Like to the Deare that chased is
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
will neuer suffer any iniurie to be done vnto that which it loueth neither can it rightly be termed Loue but rather furious rage if it be cause of any such wrong But I pray thee tell me what is it that thou wouldest haue of me wouldest thou that in sauing thee I should vtterly vndoe my selfe or wouldest thou haue that thy contentment should be built and founded vpon the ruines of my discontentments and dishonour I cannot tell neither know I what thy meaning is and yet this good conceit haue I of thee that I am perswaded thou harborest no such bad thought within thee and therefore let me intreate thee that thou wilt be content since I grieue at thy distresse and that I would most willingly ease thee of thy paine if possible I could so it did not stand with the losse of mine honour Then if thou louest mee I doe not thinke thou wouldest suffer me to endure such an inestimable dammage Consider well of this matter and thou shalt finde that I can no way pleasure thee as thou desirest and as I my selfe couet vnlesse I would ouerthrow my estate for euer Of two euils the least is to be chosen It is farre better to cure a little hurt betimes then standing obstinate therein permit the same to grow to be incurable and so to die Therefore shew now the loyall affection which thou hast alwaies protested to haue borne me insatisfying thy selfe with these mâ—â—e honest reasons without seeking any more by sauing thâ— selfe to be the cause of my fall and vtter ruine but if this will not content thee then must I needs 〈…〉 lust and not modest Loue that is in thee and that as a â—â—orcalleneâ—ne thou â—â—â—est about to vndoe me and therefore haue great cause to feaâ—e thee vnto thy rash 〈…〉 without going about to excuse me vnto thee any way but to flie from then as from a deadly foe Hauing so said she held her peaâ—e seeming to be much troubled in her minde as I might casily gather by her colour which did often goe and come in her face and yet these speeches so much pleased me as I was confounded therewithall as I knew not what to say Neuer was that alluring song of the daughters of Acholous more charming neither the loue potion of subtill Circes more swept and pleasant then that was No heart were it neuer so hard but her tongue was able to mollifie it being of power to take downe and make gentle the proudest minde that euer man bare And now I made account I was sufficiently satisfied for all my trauailes past and that I had a full and large recompence for all my former aflictions in that it had pleased my Ladie to conâ—â—â—â— my meaning with so great fauour whereupon I presumed to replie thus vpon the suddaine Vertuous and peerlesse Diana what testimonie haue I euer giuen you and how haue I euer carried my selfe towards you but that my Loue was alwaies chaste and modest If so why then should you now mistrust me Alas if I be now chaunged my miseries being so wretched as they are and that you thinke I am worse then I haue bene why then doe you not quickly pronounce the sentence of Death against mee without permitting me to liue any longer No no my desires were neuer others then thine Neuer did I thinke to disobey thy commandements nor offer iniurie vnto thine vntainted honour rather shall this bodie of mine be swallowed vp by wilde and sauage beasts and thinke not I beseech you otherwise of me but that I would take reuenge vpon mine owne proper selfe for your honours sake if through my default it should happen to receiue the least hurt or dammage that may be Nay should I goe about but to crosse thee in thy will and not doe as thou biddest I should thinke the worse of my selfe as long as life shall last whilest liuing so I would commit it no life but rather worse then death it selfe Sufficient enough and too much am I pleased for my paines enough am I recompenced for my trauailes and am satisfied at the full for all my labours past seeing thou hast so much vouchsafed to abase thy worthy selfe in striking a Saile so lowe as to speake to me so much thine inferiour Onely this onely small boone let me intreate of thee which by thy facred Vertue by thy rate prudencie by thy excellent wit and by thine exquisite beautie I shall desire thee not to denie that is to giue meleaue to kisse thy faire and victorious hand which shall content me as much as if I were Monarch of the whole vniuersall world the remembrance whereof shall make the rest of my daies to proue most happie and fortunate Aduise you then if this my prayer be iust and ciuill which if it be so then graunt me so much grace But if not thy will be fulfilled thy pleasure be done and thy desire be accomplisht euery way It is the first that euer I begd and it shall be the last that euer I will craue Thus did I boldly put forward my selfe vrging my Mistris with great vehemencie for the same who stood still studying vpon the matter a while whilest she blushed like the damaske Rose in May I in the meane time houered betweene hope and scare halfe dead and halfe aliue to heare what she would answere who in the end replied thus Ah Shepheard how easie a matter is it to finde a small thing that may hurt much and how quickly may we obtaine and purchase that which hapneth most to our displeasures afterward This naturall appetite of ours which inuiteth vs to desire so many things which we imagine to finde sweet and pleasing passeth away as doth a flash of lightning in the aire leauing vs neuer a whit the richer nor the more contented then we were before What profit doth that pleasure bring vnto Louers which they so earnestly couet to enioy but a most heauie and sad repentance when it is once gon and past Things that are vertuous ought to be desired alone because they last and not such as are mortall weake and fraile although they seeme sweet at the first beginning This which thou demandest of me will doe thee no good and though perhaps thou supposest thou shalt feele some shadow thereof yet will it so soone vanish and be gone as thou shalt not haue leisure to haue so much as a true tast thereof Ah Arcas Arcas diddest thou but know how much this honour is recommended vnto vs what great care and heed there is giuen vnto vs to accompanie it and how much we are bound and obliged to looke most narrowly and straightly vnto the same I verily belieue thou wouldest not wish me that I should breake the least duetie belonging vnto the conseruation thereof not for all the liuing in the world But perhaps thou wilt say it is very true and yet I answere that he that offendeth in any small matter is suspected to be culpable of greater
beheld so perfect a beautie but farre more blessed if being depriued of her you likewise depriue your selues of all light O royall Recluse that shalt enioy the companie of my Diana Ah why am not I transformed into thee what shall I doe or what shall become of mee whither should I goe or what should I say and what can I hope for that may please me in this world Too long haue I liued since the longer I liue the more my paiâ—e increaseth Dispatch then forlorne and forsaken Shepheard seeing thou art exiled from what thou most of all didst delight in whilst yee mine Eyes who of late serued to contemplate so diuine a countenance shall now stand me in stead to raine downe bitter teares and thou my Tongue who of late wert an instrument to commend such rare and diuine vertues shalt serue me now to lament their losse and bid them all Adien Must I then bid Adieu vnto those golden locks which serued as bands to tye my heart must I bid Adieu to those faire and daintie tresses curling in cirkles and wauing with the winde resembling those of the Paphian Goddesse shall I neuer see you more after you are inclosed within those vnooth walls Must I needs bid Adieu vnto that goodly and spacious Forhead smooth as Gette and free from euerie wrinkle and frowne that For head whereas all Vertue lodgeth the seat of Iustice and receit of all Chastitie Must I needs languish and pine away without seeing you any more Oh vnhappie day of my byrth ô miserable my chaunce and vnfortunate the time wherein I liue Must I needs bid Adieu vnto those thinne and slender Eye-lids the foes of care and enemies vnto griefe descending vault-wise like a fine Arche of Ebonie delightfull to behold but farre more pleasant to touch Is it possible I can liue and not see you I cannot Now woe is mee I cannot needes must yee take my life away my sorrowfull life must you take away with you But chiefly you faire Eyes must I needs bid you Adieu my two glorious Sunnes haue you resolued neuer to shine more and must I needs still liue in darknesse O Saphire Eyes the throne of LOVE the bright lamps of Chastitie the lodges of vertue true mirrours of honest maiestike modestie must I needs beforsaken of you Cruell as you are you first inflamed my hart rauishing the same whilst it consumed with the fire of desire yet thinke not for all this that I will leaue you your glaunces shall be my guides and your lookes the pathes wherein I will trace I can no more lose or leaue you then the Traueller can walke in the thick darke wood without the light of the day O faire Mouth and must I needs bid thee Adieu wo is me shall I neuer see thee more Ah sacred Mouth wherin my soule reposed the happie chaire of my chaste Desires resembling a garden of Musk roses and Cloue gilly-flowers from whence proceeded so many wise and hunnie speeches charming our â—indes as the great Priest of Thracia did the stones and Trees with the sound of his bewitchitching Harpe shall it be said I shall neuer see you more it cannot be Arcas shall neuer be seene to ioy in this world when he is depriued of the heauenly sound of thy Harmonious voyce And yee faire louely Cheekes shall I bid you Adieu Cheeks vermillion without cunning or painting whose naturall Die is the Lillie sweetly mixed with the Damask-rose neuer can I part from you without parting from life all Ah beautious Brests must I needs bid you Adieu where reposed the nine Muses with their sage brother Brests more faire then Summers day and far more white then Mountain snow sweet lobby of vertue it selfe and pleasant prison of my intangled heart Neuer shall I be able to bid you Adieu sooner must my dayes be shortned and my wretched selfe cut off before my time appointed In the meane space liue thou my peerlesse Saint in all happines full of ioy and freed from all annoy liue to be honoured both of Gods and men Adieu for euer and a day the light of my soule life of my minde farewell Adieu my gratious sweet chaste vertuous and religious Mistris Heauens graunt thee all happinesse according vnto thine owne contentment whilst I take my course to die despite of the maleuolent starres that haue so long prolonged my life But yet before my death leaue yee mine Eyes some teares to accompanie in weeping so manie faire and goodly Nymphes who as well as your selfe mourne for the losse of their best Gonernesse and yet it is not for braue and generous mindes to shead teares but rather for base Cowards weake Women and little powling Children Cato when hee died neuer wept at all so wee without lamenting will giue vp the Ghost it shall suffice that the goary droppes of my purple blood shall be in stead of salt teares Too much haue I sighed and sobbed too much haue I wailed and wept and ouermuch haue I lamented and cryed out And yet before my fatall houre approach I will leaue some pittious signes of my griese behinde mee that the world may see after my death how rare and constant my loue hath alwayes bene Herevpon I made an ende of my speech falling downe through very faintnesse all along vpon the grassie ground whilest holding mine armes acrosse as a token of my gricuous cares and lifting vp mine eyes towardes the heauens I began afresh to weepe most bitterly That done I began to apprehend so liuely a passion of exceeding bitter sorrow that the very conceit thereof made mee to sownd and so for a long time I lay as it were berest of all my senses At the last I reuiued and therewithall rose vp when taking my knife I engraued in the Rocke these mournfull Verses following Vnto the soundlesse Vaults of Hell below I le waile noy griefes remedilesse amaine Whilst frightfull Ghosts as pittifull shall shew And Fliâ—tie Rocks remorse take of my paine Yea Death it selfe my bitter paines shall know To witnesse that my life in noy hath laine For Louers true can neuer die indeed Whose loyall hearts a beanenly fire doth feed My Course beeing layd along within my Graue Shall shew his teares his torments and his loue And for his minde did neuer change nor waue Farre brighter then the Sunne the same shall prone By him the picture of his Lady he shall haue Which he being dead afresh shall make him mone Like to the fire in ashes contred Which though at shew no flame yet is not dead LOVE is not tarn'de by Death but still doth liue Although that life doth flit and passe away Then Lady thinke not though by death thou grieue My bodie that thou LOVE canst make decay As long as Fancie â—oth thy beautie driue Into my soule No this will bide for eye Within my heart thy beautie printed is LOVE in my Tombe to harbor will not â—â—isse Thinkst thou
I le leaue to loue thee being dead When thy faire portraiture reuiues my sight If mortall voice from Tombes haue some men lead Restoring vnto them their senses right Then how much more ought LOVE be houonred Whom then the greatest Gods is more of might Then think not though my Corse in Vault thou see That from thy loue as thou wouldst I am free Below in Monument still shalt thou heare How I will sigh for without soule thy Fire Shall hold mee vp whilst liuing I 'le appeare Being dead as fore my death I did desire Nor deadly pangs thereof will I once feare Nor part from thee as thou wouldst faine require For in thy life so cruell th' ast not beene But in my Death as loyall I 'le be seene Yet is my Fortune better farre then thine For without breach of Faith as thou hast done I shall haue leaue to plaine of sorrow mine Thou thinkst in killing mee a Martyrdome More tedious then before mee to assigne But th' art deceiu'd a wrong Race hast thou runne For whilst I liu'd thy Rigour was my bane But now being dead I freed am from the same Death then both thee and mee preserues from ill Thee that no more thy Beautie I molest Mee that I feele not now thy cruell will O happie Death that two desires hath blest Then let mee die thy minde for to fulfill Yet first I will this Rock shall be possest Of this my dolefull verse true witnesse How vndeseru'd I brought was to distresse For though to die it shall mee mickle please Yet must I grieue at thy lost Companie Then Rocks Caues Woods Groues Springs and greenie Leaze Witnes you all LOVE Arcas made to die To noyse this in the world doe neuer cease If I report shall where as dead I lie How all of you although by Nature wilde Yet then my Mistris are more meeke and milde No sooner had I engrauen these Verses but that I got me vp vnto the toppe of the same Rock minding to cast my selfe downe into the swelling Seas when vpon the suddaine an other new conceit came into my braine which was to see if I could deuise a meane how I might restore Diana againe not onely vnto my selfe but also vnto the other Nymphs who as well as I sore lamented the losse of her departure Wherevpon I knowing that she would not be perswaded by any reasons whatsoeuer to be reclaimed or altered from her first determination I went and sought out her Friends and Parents vnto whome I bewrayed the intention of their faire daughter perswading them with all the earnest speeches I could by all the liuely reasons as might be deuised that they should not in any wise permit her to haue her will therein They hearing mee tell so straunge a Tale were wonderfully amazed and daunted therewith For Diana neuer meant to haue made them priuie in this her secret businesse promised mee that they would so worke as they would if they could crosse her in this her resouled purpose they themselues being much vnwilling she should take vpon her any such Austere and Melancholike course Wherevpon I being glad that they iumped with mee in opinion hauing receiued hearty thankes from them for my kinde Intelligences came away wonderfullie well pleased in that I had spedde so well And not long after they tooke so good an order as the faire Nymph although very much against her will was constrained to obey their hests and giuing ouer her former resolution liuing amongst vs as shee had vsed before But alas as hee that buildeth goodly houses oftentimes erecteth his graue it being his chaunce to be slaine therein Euen so I thinking to prolong mine owne life framed mine owne proper death and ouer throwe For my Mistris who before time was wont still to vse mee kindely shewing me good countenance when she saw me although for the most part shee was sadde and heauy in her minde because shee was barred from her most wished for Designe came at the length to know that I onely was the chiefe cause that her Parents had so much hindered and crossed her against her will As that Maister who bearing great affection vnto one of his seruants particularly both hateth and detesteth the same man after he findeth how hee is run-away and hath robbed him of his goods and Treasure Euen so no sooner came these dismall newes vnto her cares but that suddainly she began to alter her minde towardes mee hating mee vnto death yea and that in so cruell a manner as shee beganne now to loath mee a thousand times more then euer she had loued me before Wherevpon shee vowed in her minde to be reuenged vpon me imagining and deuising in her selfe how she might best doe it But alas what need had she to haue troubled herselfe so much For shee needed no other to execute this spitefull malice towards me then her owne poore selfe Thus we see how chaungeable and vncertaine the fortunes of Louers are in their Loues For one morning I finding her alone beganne as I was wont to salute her when shee presently looking as redde as any â—â—re with extreame choller began thus to requite my kindnesse O cruell and vngratefull wretch out of my sight if thou meanest that I shall liue Is this the reward for so many curtesies as thou hast receiued at my hands to seeke most Traitreously to hinder mee in my sacred and religious intention Away I say and out of my sight for I forbid thee my presence and thinke or else It shall goe hardly with me but that I will most grieuously plague thee for thy vnthankfull and leaud dealing In the meane while I commaund thee vpon paine of death that thou neuer presume to come againe before me Cruell vngratefull false-harted and wicked Creature as thou art that hast thus requited mee with euill for good most iniuriously opposing thy selfe against my most iust and godly desires And hauing so said away she flung swelling for very rage and anger and not so much as once staying to heare what answere I could make in mine owne defence That woman whom her husband hath taken tardie as guiltie of some hainous facultie is not halfe so heauie sorrowfull neither so confounded with feare and shame as I was then Long did I stand stone still as if my feete had growne vnto the ground neither was I able or had the power to open or lift vp mine eyes so much had grieâ— seazed vpon me as I thought verily I should haue dyed as then in that place In the ende comming vnto my selfe againe and remembring the more then cruell threatnings of my dread Mistris without wailing any more or bethinking me of any other deuise how to excuse my selfe I ran vp vnto the toppe of the Rocke vpon which I had bene so often before That done I closed both mine eyes flinging my selfe downe from thence into the maine Sea resoluing to drowne me within the bottome of the same No sooner was I in the water but I began to repent mee of my rash enterprise whilst the feare of death being not farre off so terrified and affrighted mee as I beganne to swimme most lustily in the waues to saue my life Thus as I was tumbled and tossed too and fro by the churlish Surges a certaine Shippe by great good fortune sailed by the Marriners and Sailers whereof being moued with pittie tooke mee vp by a rope being verie heauie and sadde as you may well suppose And within a while after whether it were by reason the inward griefe I conceiued for my Ladies vnkindnesse or because of the great paine and labour which I had taken in swimming I know not but I fell to be most extreamely sicke in the Shippe vpon the suddaine They doubting least I would die as those who were very vnwilling to haue any diseased folks in their vessell although forie for the same yet forced and as it were halfe against their wills set me on land in this desart leauing me some victualls to liue vpon vntill better foretune should happen In the end I recouered my health againe and am miserable ARCAS confined to fiue in this comfortlesse wildernesse and depriued the company of my deare Mistris for euer my comfort is that my dayes will soone be shortned and that I haue not long to liue And thus good Father haue you heard the true dolefull discourse of my more then wretched misfortunes which will neuer end vntill my life shall part from this his vnwelcome mansion I doubt I haue troubled you in being ouer long but alas it was sore against my will for sooner if I could would I haue sinisht the same Not a whit answered the olde Magitian for you rather haue pleased mee very much and I like your discourse maruailous well And God I pray comfort you for great need haue you thereof But it is now very neere night Let vs then goe replied the Shepheard seeing I haue now set downe and reported the restlesse liues the pittifull complaints and the most lamentable kindes of such as haue loued FINIS Nec morte moritur Amor. LONDON PRINTED BY THOMAS Creede dvvelling in the old Change neere old Fishstreete at the Signe of the Eagle and Childe 1610.