yet haue I vowed my selfe to the contrary as constant to my Mountgramet as euer that fayre Dido was to her Vlisses and rather shall the running streames of Exanthoes recoyle or the world turne to a Chaos whence it came then will Calipolis once falcifie her faith to Mountgramet Solinar frying in loue like the Salamander in Aetnas flames taking her by the hand beganne as followeth By your leaue Mistris giue me leaue to reply Windes often vary and who resembles them but women Baltager breathing it out like a Braggart thus said Sirra who gaue you authoritie to make comparisons t were not amisse to make thee eate thy words or with my ponyard thrust them downe thy throate Whilst thus they were at controuersie trying each others title in loue Fredericke King of Denmarke being lately come to the Court of Fraunce accompanied with King Lewis fortuned to behold this heauie aspect wondring what it should prognesticate insomuch that entring somewhat neerer King Lewis began in this manner Base pesants auoyde our presence and get you packing With that they both departed with mickle sorrow fetching many a heauy sight but marke what after happened Loue that respects no difference of state kinled such flames in Fredericks breast that hanging downe his heade towards the earth not a merry word for a million he stood all a mort Then Lewis whose loue did ballance Fredericks affection plucking vp a small courage from a conquered hart taking Frederick by the hand fell to these words It seemes my Lord the blinded boy hath played the wagge with you in loue at the first looke if he haue escaped Lewis thou art stung Can beautie bring you to such a bane that is but a bauin blast Hebay blossoms that open with the dew and shut with the sunne Roses garded with prickles flowers subiect to the Northerne blasts the beautifull blossoms in Parthia that perish in their prime or the apples of Tantalus that touched turne to ashes the comly skinne that clothes the hatefull Snake the Box tree whose leafes are alwaies gréene and the seedes poyson abollish this fond determination extend the Tyrant out by force for entring at the eye it harbors at the hart loue is more perrilous then precious affording delight with desire but death with deniall Lewis beeing wringed with the same shoe was presently strooke with a contrary obiect in thys manner In amour il ny ade fauta why rage I beyond reason she is beautiful and therefore worthy to be loued shée is comely and deserues to be accounted on How now Lewis hath loue turned thy launce to a Poets penne to paynt out thy passions is Armour turned to amor What is Mars able to resist Iupiter and not to with stand beauty is it Venus must were the Target and Mars the distaffe Omphale handle the Club and Hercules the Spindell must Alexander crouch and Campaspe looke coy this verifies the old prouerbe to be true women will rule in loue howe euer men are lustie in courage no dignitie is able to resist Cupids deitie Loue enters by seeing women and works not by hearing their words therefore seeing Cupid must be obeyed I am content to bow Nullis herbis amor est medicabilis So fetching a sigh began to say my Lord there is one thing on the suddaine greatly troubles me which is this that both you and I shoulde ioyne our harts in such vnlooked for passions Not so my Lorde sayd Fredericke I hope you doe but iest Iest said he nay would I did then were my griefes the lesse Nere grieue my Lorde quoth Frederick for sith the cause is such to ioyne our harts in such a simpathy all enuy set aside let vs agree to yeelde to each others fortune in our choyce Content sayde Lewis and wh◠so ere befall shake handes my Lorde and Fortune thriue a◠all Thus after much prattle they concluded that Lewis should giue her the first onset who taking her by the hand beganne as followeth Mistres of my harts sole affection brighter then siluered Luna or Sol amidst his Horizon shee whom the Gods hath appointed to ransack my entralls and robed me of my hart it were enlesse to rehearse the inward griefe I haue sustayned since I fixed mine eyes on that admirable Comet whose beautifull rayes staineth stately Iuno in Samos or Diana in Delos Minerua in Athens It were vaine to boast of Sibillas beautie or Egipts fayre Isius Cassandra Troyans pride bright Penelope or Romish Cornelia Sabo shunne to shewe thy face Lucrecia lurke Hebe blush Sephronia stoope Sapho knéele and Laura yéeld the pride of beauty to this blazing lampe whose rayes hath kinled fire in my breast Calipolis hauing listened to the Syrens song and cloyed her eares with the praises of her beautie armouring herselfe with the plated coate of constancie in this maner broke him from his vaine similitudes I beséech your Maiestie if the earnest entreatie of a poore Merchants wife may molifie your hart or the teares of a constant Spouse may desire your fauour vpon my knées grant me liberty to speake for a womans tongue is her best defence quoth she Lewis that was so stung with loue that had she asked his Diademe it could not haue béene denied granted her liberty who framed her spéech in this sort Dread Soueraigne the scandalist reproch that can befall a woman is to bée stayned with the infamous blotte of disloyaltie and more welcome to me is the newes of death then the name of Concubine to a King were it the Monarch of the world and more quoth shée what might Mountgramet thinke of mée how would the Quéene your bedde-mate looke on mée to see a Pesant borne possesse the place of a Princes Pardon dread King your request extends to such defamation that I rather desire death then lyfe if it stand not with your liking vnlesse you extinguish this laciuious loue and set me at liberty King Lewis being impatient because perplexed in minde to heare such a cooling carde began as followeth Heauenly Iuno quoth he Dianas branch fedde with Pallas paps it forceth not what Isabella saith what Mountgramet coniectures Lewis is a King and may commaund and more to requite thy loue if Isabella die I le gyrt thy temples with a Diadem brighter thē the morning starre more precious then the Carcanet the Emerald Rubie or the Carbuncle the Onix Saphir and the Christolet the Topace Iasper and the Adamant Calipolis not respecting these large proffers cut him of in this manner quoth she who liues to weare a dead mans shooes I haue heard it saide may gaule his féete with going bare-foote Lewis replied admit sayd he I make thée Quéene and banish Isabella I sayd she so to gaine a Crowne might heape a thousand cares vpon my head therefore swéete Prince quoth shée were it to beare Atlas burden on my backe to roule the restlesse stone with Siciphus I would rest at your commaund rather then to impeach my honest name with any title of
ships against wind or tide Ichnemon a little worme ouer-comes the Elephant the Viper slayes the Bull the Weasell the Cockatrice and the weakest Waspe stingeth the stoutest man of war The height of heauen is taken by the staffe the bottome of the Sea sounded with lead the farthest Coast discouered by Compasse the secrets of Nature searched by wit the Anatomy of man set out by experience and the abuses of women discouered by their dissembling therefore resolue thy selfe Calipolis shall dye I le 〈◊〉 the Author to deuise her death thou the factour to performe the déede Maister quoth Anthony I knowe women in qualities reâ—â—mble an arrow which getting liberty with wings is carried beyond our reach kept in the Quiuer it is still at commaund or a dog let him slip and he is straight out of sight but hold him in a lease and hee neuer stirres or a Colt giue him the bridle and he flings at liberty but rane him hard and you may rule him or a shyp hoyse the sayles and it runnes on head let fall the Anchor and all is well He runnes farre that neuer turnes and a fault pardoned procures the offender from working displeasure All these similitudes mixed with sighes salt teares could not in any case alter Mountgramets intent so the one resolued she should die the other constrained to commit the déed I will rest and come to the poynt Calipolis accompanied with Anthony had not gone past a mile out of the Citty but Anthony hammering a thousand dispaires in his head procured by her intended death burst foorth into teares Calipolis turning aside her head espyed the teares trickling downe his chéeks Who amazed at the sight desired to know the cause Who fething a heauy sigh and wiping away those streames of teares began as followeth Mistris quoth hee I am forced by nature and loue to disclose to you the sum of my Maisters secrets which are to this effect He eyther suspecting or told some tatling tale touching disloyalty a blemish to marriage rites hath solemnly sworne that nothing should serue nor pardon passe but the losse of your life pay raunsome for so foule a deede And none but I the vnhappiest of all creatures am commaunded to be the instrument of your death therefore good Mistris quoth hee forgiue me though I commit the fact that am giltlesse of the fault Calipolis could no longer abide but burst foorth into these speeches Vnfortunate Calipolis on whom the sun of Fortune neuer shone but Plannets ruled by retrogard aspects Dissembling Ianus didst thou betray me with a Iudas kisse to mount mee to thy chayre of state and now displayes displeasure with the worldâ— sole hate Wherein did I offend Mountgramet in my constancie which hee hath wrested to disloyalty Heauens will witnes my giltlesse hart I thought that no man lyuing equalled Mountgramet in my harts affection so did I loue him well and faithfully for which I am rewarded most vnthankfully Cruell Destinies that determines the end of dayes with such reproch Let any lyuing creature but once obiect and say I did commit the least tytle of defamation to my nuptiall rites and then I rather wish death to pay the raunsome of that misdéed then pardon in hope of after mends But is it Mountgramets minde Calipolis should dye Perhaps it was yet now it may be turned Hard-harted man wherein haue I offended thée in resembling the constant Diamond though thou accountest me a dissembling Demaphou or a Wether-cock that turnes with euery wind Vnnaturall man doost thou weigh downe my good will with vntimely death or present mee with a ponyard that perfumes thée with Roses Whence springs these frantick seats of bedlam iealousie Why should he menace death to her that well deserues What néeds these vaine ambages it is the Fates decrée and they haue swore my death the cruell Destinies haue cut my twisted thred and brought my former blisse to fatall bale Dissembling fortune that smilest at my fall After she had vttered these playnts she desired him to finish the end of her dayes Who hearing the swéete soule willing to receaue the stroke of death began as followeth Mistris quoth he should I commit so foule a deede it were death to my selfe the flying fowles will disclose my villany yea my guilty conscience will bewray my selfe Therefore good Mistres quoth he of two euils the least is to be chosen alter your attire change your state and try your fortune in some forraine Land Perhaps the Fates being thwarted in theyr déeds may turne their frownes to a friendly smile and grace you vnexpected fauours Such is the rigour of my Maisters setled malice that to craue mercy were bootelesse and to séeke for lyfe were labour lost in vaine Therefore to escape the heauy stroke of your vntimely â—eath and my discharge of promise and also displeasure of the Almighty change your attire alter your state become like a Page to get safe passage ouer the Sea shroud your life vnder the wings of Fortune and though it be distresse yet account of it aboue an vndeserued death After hée had vttered these spéeches the teares distilling like Nilus downe her chéekes and after a thousand thanks she gaue him a kindly salute and committed her fortune to the Fates She had not gone a mile after her departure from Anthony but she framed this wofull farewell Calipolis farewell to Fraunce FRaunce with teares adue Mountgramet is vnkind I was to him so true as man could wish in mind But now I proue in vaine I did loue for nothing I am regarded Woe is me alas how comes it to passe my loue should be so rewarded Fond iealous man whence springs this same Thou seekes my discredit staineth my name Heauens will witnes aright I loued Mountgramet so That nothing could content my sight but that which he would doe But all was in vaine though I did remaine so iealous a head had he That had I beene fleeting it seemes by his greeting he could not more suspected me Vnnaturall man why didest thou so Mistrust without cause and nothing didst know Fie on thee false in hart I loued thee ouer-well Though thou doost cause my smart and makes my hart to swell Fie on thee froward crabed and vntoward that condemnes without crime She needs not to mend that nere did offend in all her dayes and time Vnkind in thy loue I breath thee adew This hard-harted dealing will cause thee rew Yeeld Phoebus teares amaine come groane yee Graces three The louing wight is slaine in hart the more pitty Some obscure cloud fayre Phoebe shroud whilst I depart from Fraunce Be darke the day that vnseene I may be bewayle my haples chaunce All pleasures past I must forsake All the glories once I did in pleasure take She hauing ended this Dittie committed her fortunes to Neptune ship and wind seruing for the purpose with which I le rest and come to King Lewis who being passionate fell to these speeches Ah
Lewis ouer-cloyed griefes will cause thy hart to burst hadest thou first dyed when first thou gazedst on the Bassalisk then hadst thou perished before desire begunne but now begunne I heere expect but death nay worse then death Deniall of that Saint in whom I haue shrowded my affection that Goddesse whom I in heart adore Could I but gayne her loue then Lewis were thrise blessed aboue all yea but I feare she wil not loue why Lewis is a King therfore may coÌ„maund Foolish man abollish this fond determination trampell loues branches vnder thy féete least they sproute vp to thy heart bridell thy affection for entering at the eye it harbors at the hart and hauing â—â—oke good hand-fast it indangers the whole body That Ciceâ—â—es tongue cannot preuaile nor Circes charmes Calipsoes inchauntments Archimedas circles Rhombus rifraffe bee a medicine for that malady Fond man whilst thou sits drawing of Mathematicall fictions the enemy stands with a sword at thy breast and he that talketh much and dooth little is like to him that sayles with a side winde and is borne with the tyde to a wrong shore After he had bewayled his passions and could not abollish that fond determination hee pulled out a letter charging his Page to poste with it vnto Calipolis where nowe I le rest and come to King Fredericke who had kindled such hote coales as al the water in the world coulde not quench who vttered these spéeches wrapt in a world of woes consumed in a Laborinth of cares Poore soule I tosse I tumble too and fro one while I think on this another while I pause on that and so twixt hope and dread I liue though liuing die and loue is the cause of this calamitie Fickle Fortune still froward vnto me desembling fauors with so kinde a friend fancie is entertained at my hart affection lodgeth in thys tender breast delayes deludeth mee from my deere delight and loue is cause of all this cruel spight Imps of reuenge yée fatall sisters thrée come Atropos vntwist my thread in twayne and by your Destinies come worke mée thys despight robbed of the swéet that rauished my soule I starue with Mydas and thirst with Tantalus burning like the vnquenchable flames of Aetna ouerflowing like Nilus in thy loue I search I séeke and yet I cannot gaine and loue alas hath wrought mée all this paine Whilst hee was thus breathing out his passions came the Page with the Letter who questioning with the boy after certaine communication had shewed King Fredericke the Letter who looking on the superscription opened the same and ouerlooked the secrets therein which tended to this effect The Letter SWéet Goddesse of my harts sole affection brighter in beauty then Auroraes blush that beautifies the siluered skyes fayrer in glory then the turkish Carbuncle or the rar shyning Christolit from whose inchaunting face a thousand charmes descends thorowe the imperiall Orb and makes men liue a subiect vnto loue no sooner had my eyes beheld Dame Natures workes and with the Eagle gazed against the sunne but loue had giuen such a brauado to my breast as nought but death can alter my affection Therefore know sweete Saint that the sting of a Hornet is to be healed a pricke with the bone of a Dolphyn is healed by musick but he that is wounded with the Scorpion must be healed by the same Therefore sweete deeme not of my loue otherwise then I deserue for I haue heard it sayd there is more content in a Countrey Cottage then a Kings Pallace Solinus the Turkish Emperor made more account of a poore milke-mayde then the King of Hungaries Daughter Diogenes commended one in a home-spunne gray gowne more then one that shyned in silken robes alluding to the Lapidarians that choose not stones for beauty but vertue the Diamond is bright yet a deadly poyson the glorious coate hides the venemous Snake the gréenest trées the fuller of Caterpillers the Bassaliske lurketh in the clearest fountaine the sweetest wine the most filthy dregs the fuller of beauty the flower is the emptier of vertue resembling the beautifull Roses in Barbary that perrish in the prime or the hearb Soli that being croped looseth both colour and vertue the apples of Tantalus that touched turne to ashes But to be briefe swéete loue you know my estate to be restlesse such is louers content and if thou hast reason to deeme of snow by the whitenes or trees by the blossomes thou mayst easily perceaue by the furrowes in my face which deciphers the sorrowes of my soule that thou art she yea thou art onely she is mistresse and commaunder of my heart my Diadem and all I haue Were it to win thy loue and make thee Empresse of the world I would vndertake the taske with Alexander Thus restlesse flowing in the tempestious seas of my loue I rest at your friendly liking the procurer of my life or your deniall the finisher of dayes Yours for euer though neuer Lewis King of Fraunce Fredericke hauing read the Letter vnderstood the lines and marking the meaning of euery minnom began in this manner deliuering the Letter backe to the Page and commaunding him to make spéed Amorous man thys kinde writing shewes thy interior affection the painting of these fine phrases deciphers an inward dissembling What Kings are to gaze at starres and not to stumble on stones Stay Fredericke therein thou pinchest thy selfe by the elbow Medium tenere tuissimum est the meane is sweete melody strings high stretched eyther soone cracke or quickly grow out of tune Attempt not with Phaeton least thou drowne with Icarus a homely place harbors more content then a Kings Court Vertue is not shrowded vnder beauties wings it is often shadowed with the home-spunne coate Fonde Fredericke what hast thou done eaten with the Deare against the winde or yéelded with the Harts in Calabria that knowing Dictanum poyson still bruse it with greedines or grazed against the bowe till thou art striken with the boult Hast thou sored with the Eagle against the Sunne till thou art dazeled Foolish man thy rash dooing is more preiudiciall then thy forward affection Thou hast made thy friend thy foe encurred Lewis his displeasure by ouer-looking his secrets Whilst hée was thus solitary vnloding his secrets came the Page back who brought worde of Calipolis death which heauie tyding was such a corrosiue to Fredericks hart that taking his pen in hand after hée had vttered these lines folowing hee framed a mournfull Dittie of her death and so béeing wardly gréeued he departed from Fraunce Héer 's heapes of newes vnto a wounded hart Calipolis in whom I ioyed most is dead Dead is that ioy wherein I tooke delight Fled is delight and sorrow takes the place Sorrow gins to harbor at my hart Hart swels with vnexpected greefes Greefe is begunne all pleasure bids adiew Adiew to worlds content on earth Earth all earthly ioyes are fled my hart And care hath compast euery little part And more to adde