their corporall oath to be content with that verdicte Rosamond should set downe which amongest them all to choose for hir husband he to possesse hir and the rest to departe quiet Uppon this they were resolued and sworne and Rosamond set vpon a scaffolde to take viewe of all the King charging hir to take one and quoth he if it bée my selfe swéete heart I will not refuse thée Here Rosamond dying all hir face with a Uermillion blush stoode and viewed all the King in his pompe commaunded all the Realme and asked her if she woulde be a Quéene and weare a Crowne but she thought ouer high desires had often hard fortunes and that such as reached at the toppe stumbled at the roote that inequalitie in marriage was ofte enemy to Loue that the Lion howsoeuer yoked would ouerlooke al beasts but his phere and therefore the meane was a merry song Beautie though she is but a flash and as soone as that withers the King is out of his bias I must be loathed and he must haue another lemman Then she looked lower amongest the Lords and considered how swéete a thing wealth was that as riches was the mother of pleasure so want and pouertie was a hatefull thing yet quoth she all is but trash I shall buy Gold too déere in subiecting my selfe to so high a husband for if I anger him then shall he obiect the basenesse of my birth the newenesse of my parentage and perhappes turne me home into my former estate then the higher was my seate the sorer shall bée my fall and therefore will I content me with meane desires as I was borne to lowe fortunes Thus she surueyed them all séeing many braue youths and lusty Caualiers that were there present for hir loue But as she looked round about hir a farre off on a hill sawe she Alexis sit with his pipe laide dawne by him his armes folded as a man ouergrowen with discontent and vpon his arme hung a willow garland as one in extreme dispaire to be forsaken séeing so many high degrées to snare the thoughts of his Rosamond his lookes were such as Troilus cast towards the Gréekish tents to Cressida suing for fauour with teares and promising constancie wyth coutinuall glaunces so sate poore Alexis expecting when Rosamond should breathe out the fatall censure of his dispayring fortunes Rosamond séeing hir louer thus passionate comforted him thus She tolde the King that she had taken a generall view of al the Thessalians that Loue with hir alluring battes had presented hir with many shews of Beautie and Fortune had there sought to inuegle hir with the enticing promises of dignities but sir quoth she my parents are base my birth low and my thoughts not ambitious I am neither touched with enuie nor disdaine as one that can brooke superiours with honor and inferiours with loue I am not Eagle flighted and therefore feare to flie to nigh the Sunne such as will soare with Icarus fall with Phaeton and desires aboue fortunes are the forepointers of déepe falles Loue quoth she is a queasie thing and great Lordes hold it in their eies not their hearts and can better drawe it with a penseil then a passion Helena shall be but a hang-by when age â—its in her forehead Beautie is momentanie and such as haue onely loue in their lookes let their fancies slip with time and kéepe a calender of their affection that as age drawes on loue runs away Séeing then high estates haue such slipperie fancies let honors and dignities goe Venus holdes the néedefull but not necessarie and welcome the meane estate and the Shepheards loues who count it religion to obserue affection and therefore séeing I must choose one and of al these but one yonder â—its the lord of my loue and that is the young Shepheard Alexis With that he started vp and the King and all the rest of the company looked on him and sawe him the dapperest swaine of all Thessalia being content to brooke the choice of Rosamond for that they were bounde thereto by othe and promise all accusing Loue that had made so faire a creature looke so lowe Well home went the King with his traine and Alexis a proude man garded with the Shepheards went towards the house of Sydaris where with great feasting the match was made vp Alexis remaining thus the possessor of the fairest Nymph of Thessalie went to his cottage determining with himself when the wedding day should be As thus he was about to resolue it chaunced that Loue and Fortune armed themselues to giue poore Rosamond the frumpe and that on this manner Alexis going one day abroad met with a shepheards daughter called Phillida a maide of a homelie hue nutbrowne but of a wittie and pleasant disposition with hir he fell in chat and she to tell you the truth with her Alexis fell in loue In loue did Alexis fall with this nutbrowne Phillida that he quite forgote his â—â—ire Rosamond and Phillida perceiued that she had wonne the faire shepheard lefte not to inuegle him with hir wit til she had snared him in that Alexis could not be out of hir sight which at last came to the eares of Rosamond but she incredulous would not beléeue nor Alexis confesse it till at last Sydaris espied it and told it to his daughter wishing hir to cast off so inconstant a louer But Loue that was setled in the centre of hir heart made hir passionate but with such patience that she smothered the heate of hir sorrowes with inward conceit pining away as a woman forlorne till on a day Alexis ouerdoating in his fancies stept to the Church and marryed him selfe to Phillida which newes for certaine brought vnto the eares of Rosamond she cast hir selfe downe on hir bedde and passed away the whole day and night in sighs and teares but as soone as the Sunne gaue light to the worlde she leapt from hir couch and began to wander vp and downe the fieldes mourning for the losse of hir Alexis wearied at last with tracing through the fieldes she sate hir downe by Tempe and there wrote these mournful verses Hexametra Rosaemundae in dolorem amissi Alexis Tempe the Groue where darke Hecate doth kâ—ep hir abiding Tempe the Groue where poore Rosamond bewailes hir Alexis Let not a tree nor a shrub be greene to shew thy reioicing Let not a leafe once decke thy boughes and branches O Tempe Let not a bird record hir tunes nor chaunt any sweete Notes But Philomele let hir bewaile the losse of hir amours And fill all the wood with dolefull tunes to bemone hir Parched leaues fill euery spring fill euery fountaine All the meades in mourning weede fit them to lamenting Eccho sit and sing dispaire i'the vallies i'the mountaines All Thessaly helpe poore Rosamond mournefull to bemone hir For sh'is quite bereft of hir loue and left of Alexis Once was she likte and once was she loued of wanton Alexis Now is she loathed and now is she
comfort giue And Tytirus thy loue shall liue Or with a piercing frowne replie I can not loue and then I die For louers nay is louers death And heartbreake frownes doth stop the breath Galate at this arose And with a smile away she goes As one that little carde to ease Tytir paind with Loues disease At hir parting Tytirus Sighed amaine and saied thus Oh that women are so faire To trap mens eies in their haire With beauteous eies Loues fires Venus sparkes that heates desires But oh that women haue such hearts Such thoughts and such deepe piercing darts As in the beauty of their eie Harbor nought but flatterie Their teares are drawne that drop deceit Their faces Kalends of all sleight Their smiles are lures their looks guile And all their loue is but a wile Then Tytir leaue leaue Tytirus To loue such as scornes you thus And say to Loue and women both What I liked nowe I do loath With that he hied him to the flockes And counted Loue but Venus mockes The Gentleman hauing read ouer this Ode helde it as a treasure and went home as frée from Loue as Tytirus was from affection wondering what this poore pilgrime should be that had giuen him such enigmaticall precepts and praying that his fortune might be answerable to his qualities Wel leauing him thus frée from his passion againe to Philador who wandering homewardes mette with many aduentures and sawe many sights that had made him for to wonder at the follies of the worlde at the last he came within the sight of his fathers house the which he no sooner sawe but it was such a piercing obiect to his eie striking such remorse to his heart that he sate him downe and melted into teares thinking on the prosperity of his former estate and the miserie of his present fortunes as thus he sate in a déepe passion lifting vp his eies he saw where his aged Father was walking in the pastures to take the aire although his aduerse fall were a meanes to make him bashful yet the sight of his father kindled so the fewell of nature in him that imboldned he arose vp and went towards him in those robes of distresse that he was banished out of his Inne And when he came neare naked and poore he went to his father and falling flat vpon the ground saide Father I haue sinned against heauen and against thée I am no more worthie to be called thy sonne Olde Rabby Bilessy looking in his visage and séeing it was his sonne Nature that hath neuer such dead cindars but there be Quaedam scintillulae certaine sparkles of secrete affection beganne to draw remorse into his face pity into his heart and teares into his eies that throwing downe his staffe he stepped to his sonne and fell on his necke wéeping bitterly and yet with such an extasie as the storme pretended both ioy and sorrow the one for his hard fortunes the other for his happy recouery Philador séeing his father thus passionate tooke heart a grasse and on his knée began thus Philadors submission to his father at his returne I Know not sir what insinuation to vse for your fauor so many so monstrous are the number of my follies nor can I pleade any excuse the distresse of my present fortunes are so manifest onely submission must sue to nature for a pardon and my repentant sorrowes put in plea for some fatherly remorse Ah the wanton desires of youth why they be like to the giddinesse of rauening Hawkes that bate at the sight of euerie bush and the prime of yong age is as the flowers of the Pine trée that are glorious to the sight but vnsauourie and without smell Uanitie is the maske wherein it marcheth and follie is the Page that waits attendance vpon the actions of youth so that all his affects are slippernes and the effects ful of preiuditiall disparagement had I regarded the graue Aphorisms of your aduised counsaile on the golden preceptes deliuered from the experience of your yéeres or the swéete actions that drop as balme from the siluer trâ—sses of your haire neyther had my fall béene such my distresse so great nor my fortune so miserable fooles are they which say bought wit is best espetially if it be rated at my prise Counsaile is the swéete conserue and aduise the purest antidote happiest is he that is ware by other mens harmes and such most miserable that are wise by their owne woes Piscator ictus sapit But hard is his hap that flies from the viper for hir sting that hateth the Tarantala for that he hath felt hir venome and infortunate is that man that can anotomise miserie by his own distresse Ah father had I reuerenced my God as I honored my goddesse and offered as many Orisons to his deity as I powred out passions for hir beauty theâ— had I bin graced with as many fauours as I am crossed with misfortunes But I thought he had not séen my faults and therefore went forward in hue I thought their faces to be Adamants their beauties to be like the spots of deuouring Panthers had I déemed them to be preiudiciall Syrens had I beléeued what I was foretold Philador had béene lesse miserable more fortunate But I counted their beauties metaphisicall their qualities diuine their proportions heauenly themselues Angelles I thought as the Phenix had none but pretious fethers as the Myrrh trée hath no caterpillers as the Topas hath no operatioÌ„ but excellent so I thoght women to be such perfit creatures as had nothing in them but supernaturall But at last I found the preceptes of Rabby Bilessy to bée authentical that as the Sinamon trée though it hath a swéet barke yet it hath bitter leaues the Pirite stone though it haue one vertue hath twenty preiudiciall operations so womeÌ„ though they were neuer so beautifull yet were they the painted continents of flattery of deceit inconstancie and the very guides that leade men vnto the pernicious labyrinth of endlesse distresse Had I thought prodigalitie superfluous excesse my coffers had béene full of Crownes and my heart void of cares but I counted expense the empresse of a gentleman and gifts the thing that graced a traueller as Traian numbred not that day amongest the date of his life wherein he had not done something worthy of memorie so I did hold that Nefanda dies wherein I did not triumph in magnificall prodigalitie Tush I did thinke come to be called currant à currendo golde why I held it as drosse and counted it the déepest dishonor to be counted frugall Par symonia why quoth I it is palâ—â—y and spaâ—ing it is the badge of a pesant The Chaldes in their Hierogliphickes described a Gentleman with his hand alwayes open meaning that to giue was heroicall And Tâ—tus the Emperour said giue if thou wilt bée woorthy the worldes monarchy I counted Cyancynatus the Dictator a foole for his frugality I discommended the small diet of Caâ—â—s Fabritius and
The eldest straying backe a little before she sate made this reply I am glad sir if any waies we haue wrought you content but sir I pray you thinke it not a common fauour that we vse to euerie straunger thus to beare him companie for our custome is to attend belowe and to be séene little aboue especially altogether in such equipage if your fortune be better then the rest then say you came in a luckie houre but we are not so blinde but we can discerne of cullours and though they be both christallaine yet discouer a Diamond from a Saphir and so sir I will take you this night for mine Hoast with that she and both her sisters sate downe to supper Philador séeing these thought on the thrée Goddesses that appeared to Paris in the vale of Ida and though he were passing hungry with long trauaile yet had fedde his eyes with beautie as well as he did his stomacke with delicates so that euery sense for supper time was occupied When he had well victualed himselfe and that his belly beganne to be full he thought to try their wits with chat and therefore began thus Now Gentlewomen doe I finde the olde Prouerbe true better fill a mans belly then his eye for your sauorie vituals hath staied my stomacke but mine eye restlesse takes such gréedie suruey of your beauties as I feare by long looking he will surfet but I am in good hope if I should fall loue-sicke I might finde you fauourable Physitions It is sir quoth the eldest a daungerous disease and we haue little skill in herbes yet in what we might we would séeke to ease your maladie with weomens medecines I pray you quoth Philador let me aske you all a question without offence you may sir quoth the eldest if it be not offensiue and how if it be quoth Philador then pardon sir quoth she if we be as lauish to reply as you to demaund Howsoeuer you take it quoth Philador then this it is I pray you faire Ladies are you all maides at this they blusht and the Eldest made answere they were And so quoth Philador long may you not continue for feare any of you should die with her virginitie and leade Apes in hell but it is no matter maides or not maides Bene vixit qui bene latuit Caute si non Caste. The Cat may catch a mouse and neuer haue a bell hanged at her eare what néedes the hand a Taber when he meanes to catch the Hare I beléeue and holde it for a principle that you are all maides now then let me craue so much fauour at your handes as to tell me if you were to chuse husbandes at your owne voluntarie and it stoode in your frée election what manner of husbandes would you chuse I quoth the Eldest would haue one that were beautifull the second saide wittie the youngest valiant We haue nothing to doe quoth Philador after supper and therefore may it please you seuerally to shewe mee the reasons that doe induce you to this choyce The Gentlewomen agréed to this and the eldest began thus The discourse of the eldest sister I Hope sir quoth she you expect no Rhethoricall insinuation nor no curious Circumquaque to fetch my exordium in with figures onely you consider I am a woman and therfore looke for no more but bare reasons without Sophistrie or eloquence Such Philosophers generally as haue written de sensu as Aristotle and other Naturalistes or such Physitions as by anotomizing haue particularly set downe the partes of man affirme that the sight is the most pure quickest and busiest of all the senses and therefore most curious in the choice of his obiect and so precious a sense it is that nature to comfort it made all thinges vpon the face of the greene because the sight aboue all delighteth in that cullour The eye being the suruayour of all exteriour obiects pleaseth himselfe in those that are most beautifull and coueteth that euery superficies be faire and pleasing commending it straight to the phantasie as a thing of worth For in flowers it alloweth with fauour of the fairest as the Carnation the Rose the Lyllie and the Hiacynth In trées the eye liketh of the tail Cedar before the low Béech and prayseth the stature of the Oake before the smalnesse of other plantes So in stones the Diamond is preferd before the flint the Emerauld before the Marble and the Saphir highlier estéemed for the hue then the Porphuer for his hugenesse and so by consequence in humanie creatures loue being of all the passions in man the most excellent allotteth her selfe to the eye of all the partes the most pure thinking that the fight will be soonest imiâ—agled with the fayrest and what fairer thing can there be then beautie so that loue bringing a beautifull creature presentes it to the eye and that liking it for the propertie conueyes the affect thereof to the heart and there is knit vp the simpathie of desires By these premises sir then I inferre that the eye is loues Cator and who so pleaseth his eye contenteth his affectes then why should not I choose a beautifull man to my husband whose exquisite perfection euery way may content my fancie for if the eie finde any blemish in deformitie straight loue begins to waxe colde and affection to take his farewell A beautifull man why he is a pearle in a womans eye that the lyneaments of his feature makes her surfet with delight and there can be no greater content then to enioy a beautifull and comely personage and in my opinion by so much the more are well proportioned men to be loued by how much the more they excell she deformed In all things the perfection of the inward qualities is knowen by the exteriour excellence the rose being the fairest of flowers hath the most precious sauour the brightest Diamonde the most déepest operation the gréenest herbe the most secret vertue nature hath euer with a prouident foresight harboured the most excellent qualities in the most beautifull carkasse Diogenes had a deformed bodie so had he a crooked minde Paris welfauoured and full of courtesie Thirsites ill shapen and none sayth Homer full of more bad conditions Achilles comely and courteous if then sir the more a man be beautifull the more he is vertuous Gratior est pulchro vâ—niens è corpore virtus Let me haue for my husbande such a one as may content mine eye with his â—â—â—utie and satisfie my sight with his proportion The discourse of the second Sister I Can not denie quoth the second but beautie is a precious thing and Metaphusicall as being diuinely infused vppon man from aboue but yet he that commended it most writt vpon it this distichon Forma bonum fragile est quantúmque accedit ad annos Fit minor spatio carpitur ipsa suo The fayrest Rose hath his canker the brauest braunch his Caterpillers the brightest sunne his clowde and the greatest beautie his blemish
bodie for thou art here almost famished and sittest eating of husks with the hogs whereas the meanest of thy fathers seruants his hynd Mercenaries hath bread enough to eate and thou sittest and féelest the extremitie of hunger What shall I doe shall I home will my father vouchsafe of such a prodigall sonne who in so short a time hath consumed so large a portion can he looke on him with fauour that hath committed such folly or receiue him into his house that hath despised his counsaile Ah why not Philador loue is more vehement in descent then in ascent nature will pleade for me if nurture condemne me fathers as they haue frownes to chastice so they haue smyles to pardon as they can lowre so they can laugh and they are as readie to forgiue as thou to be penitent Then will I home to my father and say to him father I haue sinned against heauen and before thée am no more worthie to be called thy sonne make me as one of thy hired seruantes with this hee fell into bitter teares and in this resolution continued and taking leaue of his master hied him home towardes the lande of Hauilath by the way trauersing many Countries and noting the maners of men he sawe howe folly had wrapt many in the snares of weomens beauties amongest the rest one day as he lay in a thicke to shrowde him from the heate of the sunne hearing a great noyse he heard the complaint of a forsaken louer who exclaymed against y e crueltie of weomen that denyed to grant loue for loue and grew so far into passions that pulling foorth his rapier there he resolued both to ende his loue and his life As he was readie to haue fallen on his sworde Philador stept out of the thicke and caught hould of him the Gentleman turning his head and séeing such a poore snake to hinder his attempt thought to check him with a frowne but Philador vsed these spéeches vnto him Sir maruaile not that so meane a man hath dared to stay you from so bad a déede for to this I am compeld by manhood desperation is a double sinne and finall impenitence hath no remission There is no happe past hope and therefore bewray your griefe perhaps I may perswade with reason or relieue with counsaile measure me not by my ragges ne estimate not my present fortunes but thinke as the fowlest wéedes hath oft the most vertuous operation so the hoode makes not the Monke nor the apparell the man but I may sooner apply a medicine for your meladie then a séemelier Physitian The Gentleman hearing such a sensible induction did straight coniecture that whatsoeuer his present estate was his nourture had béene good and there looking him in the face and leaning on his rapier he beganne to discourse vnto him how long time he had béene a votarie vnto Venus and a seruant vnto loue that he was snared in the beautie of a yong Damsell who the more she perceiued him passionate the lesse she was pittiful and by how much the more he sought to shew manifest signes of his affection by so much the more she made little regard of his fancie in so much that wearied with loue and séeing no hope of fauour he thought with a momentarie death to ende those passions wherein still to linger were worse then any death At this Philador sell into a great laughter and after into these tearmes what quoth hée art thou so madde to die for loue or so fonde to grieue thy selfe at the frowne of a woman I tell thée sir quoth he if thou knewest howe Fortune fauours thée and howe the starres agrée to make thée happie thou wouldest count thy selfe not the most miserablest but the most fortunate of all men ah my friend diddest thou as well as I knowe the effectes of loue and the wyles of women thou wouldest say O me felicem quantis me periculis fortunae mea eripuit If she be faire whom thou louest first consider that beautie is a flower to day fitte for the eye to morrowe withered and to be cast into the fornace that loue which growes from such a fading obiect is momentarie and subiect to euery accident besides beautie bringes with it suspition feare and gelosie séeing euerie mans eye will féede on a faire face and euerie mans thought will séeke to be partner in thy fancies and how weake vesselles weomen be especially if they be beautifull I referre thée to Helena and Cressida But thou saiest she is coy ah my friend weomens faces are not y e Christals of truth nor their wordes Gospell what she hates in outwardly shée likes inwardly and what she thrustes away with one finger she will pull againe with both her handes but as long as thou fawnest vpon her she will be froward but be but a litle absent and she wil wish thy presence weomens thoughts are like babies fancies that will and will not proffer them meate and they refuse it offer it to an other and they crie after it so weane thou thy selfe but from hir for a while and frequent the companie of some other as faire as she and so eyther shalt thou drawe her on to be fonde or else by such absence shake off thine owne follie But suppose loue and fortune fauour thée that thou hast her loue diddest thou knowe what a worlde of woes thou doest enter into by taking a wife thou wouldest say fie on loue and farewell to weomen Be she neuer so faire thou shalt finde faultes enough in her face shortly to mislike and besides the fairest flower hath oft the most infectious sauour the Cedar is beautifull but beares no fruite the Christolite of an orient hue yet of a deadly operation and so in the fairest proportion shalt thou finde oft the least perfection and the swéetest face the most preiudiciall qualities Who was fayrer then Venus but such a wanton as shee would neuer want one Clytemnestra beautifull but a giglot I tell thée sir they are sullen and be Morosae as was Zenia the wife of Antisthenes or scouldes as she that ouer-ruled Socrates or froward as Marpesia deceiptfull flattering contentious sicke with the puffe of euerie winde and lowring at the shewe of euerie storme These vices are insident by nature though they séeme neuer so vertuous by nourture Penelope had furrowes in her brow as well as she had dimples in her chinne Artemisia could frowne as well as shee could smile and Lucrece though she were chast yet she could chyde Sir beléeue me I speake it by experience if thou marrie one faire and dishonest thou weddest thy selfe to a worlde of miseries if thou marriest one beautifull neuer so vertuous yet thinke this thou shalt haue a woman therfore in despight of Fortune a necessarie euill At this period the passionate Gentleman put vp his Rapier into his sheath and tolde Philador his medecine had somewhat eased his maladie and his counsaile mittigate the force of his dispayring passions in so
sayd Aâ—athocles was base-minded that drunke in earthen vessels But for Lucullus I commended his sumptuous fare and the prodigall thoughtes of â—ulinus Thus did I glorie in excesse and thought not that measure was a merry meane While thus I flowed in the conceit of my folly I had many that like trencher â—â—es waited vppon my person more for the hope of my pursse then for any perfect loue And as the Doues flâ—cke where the house is faire so where the câ—rrion is thither such hungry Eagles resorte I can best compare them vnto empty Uesselles that haue lâ—wde soundes to painted sheathes that haue rustiâ—â—â—des vnto glorious flowers that haue no smell and so they pretend much friendship and containe nothing but superficiall flatterie For as soone as by drawing too oâ—te the well waxed drie that my pursse beganne with so many purging glisters to waxe not onely laxatiue but quite emptie then these insinuating hangbies flew away like vapours and left me vnto the déepe fall of my fortunes This experience hath poore Philador bought with much sorrowe and this Witte hath hée purchased with great Repentance in so much that the loathsomnesse of my faultes is more then the pleasure of my follies and the hate of such vanities is greater then the desire of such vices 〈◊〉 thou graunt pardon vnto him that is penitent haue remorse vpon him that groaneth vnder the burthen of his sinnes let thine eie beholde mée and thy heart pittie the extreamitie of my distâ—esse And if my offences be so great that thou wilt not entertain me as a sonne yet make me as one of thy hired seruants Rabby Bilessy hearing the penitent passion of his sonne felte nature pleading for the reconciliation of so sorrowfull a Pilgrime and therefore folding his armes about his necke and wetting his chéekes with teares he made this fatherly reply Rabby Bilessy his comfortable answere to his sonne I tell thée Philador quoth he though I haue teares in mine eies yet I haue ioy in my heart these droppes are not signes of sorrowes but instances of content I conceiue as much pleasure in thy penitence as I reaped gréefe at thy disobedience Ah Philador haddest thou followed thy fathers counsaile thou haddest not tasted of this care and my preceptes suncke into thy heart these misfortunes had not béene rewardes of thy follies But to rubbe the sore afresh by recounting thy offences is but to make thée more passionate and me déeper perplexed Therefore omitting all matters that are past hoping these protestations are not present sorrowes but continuall penitence I admit thée into former fauor forgiuing and forgetting the follies of thy youth With that lifting vp Philador he imbraced him afresh couered him in a newe robe but with a garment of blacke as a man mourning at his hie faults and lowe fortunes and so carried him home to his house where he commaunded all his seruantes to make preparation for a solempne feast which was done with all dilligence Sophonos being from home and at his returne hearing of this had his face full of frowns and his heart of griefe that such a prodigall vnthrift shâ—ulde so soone be reconciled and so boldelie entertained in so much that discontent he sate him downe at the doore and woulde not come in Newes was brought vnto Rabby Bilessy that Sophonos was malecontent With that the olde man stumbled out of the doores and comming to his sonne perswaded him to thinke nothing if hee gratiously accepted of his penitent brother Sophonos wyth a lowring countenaunce made him this answere Sophones to olde Rabby Bilessy Why sir quoth he haue I not reason to frowne when I sée you so fond and to be deepely discontent when I see you so diuers in your actions one while with Diogenes to exclaime against pride anâ— straight with Aristippus to â—et in surcoats of golde aged thoughtes should haue but one period and the resolution of gray haires ought always to be pereÌ„ptory hath not Rabby Bilessy inueighed against the follies of youth and doth he not now mainetaine it in his owne son hath he not said that a prodigall man is like to a floud that ouer floweth which inforceth preiudice to the whole plains and now he welcoms him with feasting that hath spent all in riotous expence What is this but to foster follie and to nurse vp vice I speake not this as enuying my brothers reconciliatioÌ„ but that Sophonos hath deserued more grace and yet hath found lesse fauor Ah sonne quoth Rabby Bilessy hast thou not heard that inexpected chaÌ„ces are most welcome that losses recouered are most swéet that nature likes best seldoms séene Ah Sophonos and art thou angry then with thine olde father for entertaining his son that was lost and is found that was dead and is aliue again for welcoming home of Philador that returns backe poore but penitent crossed with ill fortunes but careful for his faults distressed but vowed to deuotion his mind hath altered with a strange Metamorphosis he hath Sophonos bought wit and now will beware better late then neuer Nunquam seâ—a est ad bonos mores via Then my sonne if thou be sonne to Rabby Bilessy and béest as kind as I am naturall â—eme and welcome home with me thy brother Philador gréete him with fauours as I haue done with teares be as glad to sée him come home as thou werte sory to sée him depart and for thy courtesie thou shalte haue his brotherly loue and my fatherly blessing With that Sophonos was content and his olde Father carried him in and then Sorphonos as kindly as his stomacke woulde suffer entertained Philador and then frolickely they went to feasting Olde Rabby reioicing at the great change of his sons manners in that he went foorth ful of vanity and returned home tempered with grauity al the company were pleasant and a feast it could not be without musike the shepheards they came in with their Timbrelles and Cimballes and plaide such melodie as the Countrie then required amongst them all one swaine slept foorth and as they sate reuiued them with this song The song of a countrie Swaine at the returne of Philador THe silent shade had shadowed euery tree And Phebus in the west was shrowded lowe Ech hiue had home her busie labouring Bee Ech bird the harbour of the night did knowe Euen then When thus All things did from their wearie labourlinne Menalcas sate and thought him of his sinne His head on hande his elbowe on his knee And teares like dewe be drencht vpon his face His face as sad as any Swaynes might bee His thoughts and dumpes befitting well the place Euen then When thus Menalcas sate in passions all alone He sighed then and thus he gan to mone I that fed flockes vpon Thessalia plaines And bed my lambes to feede on Daffadill That liued on milke and curdes poore shepheardes gaines And merry fate and pyp'd vpon a pleasant hill Euen then When thus I sate secure and fear'd not fortunes ire Mine eyes eclipst fast blinded by desire Then loftie thoughts beganne to lift my minde I grudgd and thought my fortune was too lowe A shepheards life twas base and out of kinde The taulest Cedars haue the fairest growe Euen then When thus Pride did intend the sequell of my ruth Beganne the faultes and follies of my youth I left the fieldes and tooke me to the towne Fould sheepe who list the hooke was cast away Menalcas would not be a countrie clowne Nor shepheards weedes but garments farre more gay Euen then When thus Aspiring thoughts did followe after ruth Beganne the faultes and follies of my youth Mâ—iutes were silke my talke was all of state â— stretcht beyound the compasse of my sleeue The brauest Courtier was Menalcas mate Spend what I could I neuer thought on griefe Euen then When thus I lasht out lauish then beganne my ruth And then I feit the follies of my youth I cast mine eye on euery wanton faâ—e And straight desire did hale me on to loue The louer like I prayd for Venus grace 〈◊〉 â—he my mistresse deepe affects might moue Euen then When thus Loue trapt me in the fatall bandes of ruth Beganne the faultes and follies of my youth No cost I spar'd to please my Mistresse eye No time ill spent in presence of her sight Yet oft we froundâ— and then her loue must dye But when she smyl'd oh then a happie wight Euen then When thus Desire did drawe me on to deeme of ruth Beganne the faultes and follies of my youth The day in poems often did I passe The night in sighes and sorrowes for her grace And she as fickle as the brittâ—e glasse Helde sunshine showers within her flattering face Euen then When thus I spied the woes that weomens loues ensueth I sawe and loath the follies of my youth I noted oft that beautie was a blase I saw that loue was but a heape of cares That such as stoode as Deare doe at the gase And sought their wealth amongest affectious thares Euen such I sawe Which hoat pursute did follow after ruth And fostered vp the follies of their youth Thus clog'd with loue with passions and with griefe
sonne packe thée foorth with as manie vertues as thou canst beare thou shalt disourthen them all and returne home with as many vices as thou canst bring Therefore rest thée from that foolish desire to trauell and content thée at home with thine olde father in quiet All these perswasiue principles of the old Rabby could not disswade Philador from the intent of his trauels but that he replied so cunningly and so importunately that the olde man was faine to graunt and bade him prouide him all things necessarie for his iourney Philador was not slacke in this but with all spéede possible did his indeuour so that within shorte time he had all things in a readinesse at last the day of his departure came and then his father bringing foorth in coine great store of treasure deliuered it vnto his sonne as his portion and then sitting downe with his staffe in his hand and his handkercher at his eies for the olde man wept he gaue his sonne this farewell Rabbi Bilessies farewell to his sonne Philador NOw my sonne that I must take my leaue of thée and say farewell to him that perhaps shall fare ill yet before we part marke and note these fewe precepts which thy father hath bought with mâ—ny yeares and great experience First my Sonne serue God let him be the author of all thy actions please him with prayer and pennance least if hee frowne he confound all thy fortunes and thy labours be like the droppes of raine in a sandy ground Then forward let thine owne safetie be thy next care and in all thy attemptes foresée the end and be wise for thy selfe Be courteous to all offensiue to none and brooke any iniurie with patience for reuenge is preiudiciall to a Trauailer â—â— and passed vp into the continent almost a whole day without discrying either towne village hamlet or house so that wearied he allighted and walked a foote downe a vale where he descryed a Shepheard and his wife sitting kéeping flockes he of shéepe she of Kids Philador glad of this bad his men be of good cheare for now quoth he I haue within ken a countrie swayne and he shall direct vs to some place of rest with that he paced on easely and séeing them sit so me together and so louingly he thought to steale vpon them to sée what they were doing and therefore giuing his horse to one of his boyes he went afore himselfe and found them sitting in this manner The description of the Shepheard and his wife IT was néere a thickie shade That broad leaues of Beach had made Ioyning all their toppes so nie That scarce Phebus in could prie To sée if Louers in the thicke Could dally with a wanton tricke Where sate this Swayne and his wife Sporting in that pleasing life That Corridon commendeth so All other liues to ouer-go He and she did sit and kéepe Flockes of Kids and foulâ—es of shéepe He vpon his pipe did play She tuned voyce vnto his lay And for you might her Huswife knowe Uoyce did sing and fingers sowe He was young his coat was gréene With weltes of white seamde betwéene Turned ouer with a flappe That breast and bosome in did wrappe Skirtes side and plighted frée Séemely hanging to his knée A whittle with a siluer chape Cloke was russet and the cape Serued for a Bonnet oft To shrowd him from the wet aloft A leather scrip of collour red With a button on the head A Bottle full of Countrie whigge By the Shepheards side did ligge And in a little bush hard by There the Sheapheards dogge did ly Who while his Maister gan to sléepe Well could watch both Kides and shéepeâ— The Shepheard was a frolicke swayne For though his parrell was but playne Yet doone the Authors soothly say His cullour was both fresh and gay And in their writtes playne discusseâ— Fayrer was not Tytirus Nor Menalcas whom they call The Alderléefest Swayne of all Séeming him was his wife Both in line and in life Faire shée was as faire might bée Like the Roses on the trée Buxsane blieâ—â— and young I wéene Beauteous like to Sommers Quéene For her chéekes were ruddie hued As if Lyllies were imbrued With drops of bloud to make thée white Please the eye with more delight Loue did lye within her eyes In ambush for some wanton pryse A léefer Lasse then this had béene Coridon had neuer séene Nor was Phillis that faire may Halfe so gawdie or so gay She wore a chaplet on her head Her cassacke was of Scarlet red Long and large as straight as bent Her middle was both small and gent. A necke as white as Whales bone Compast with a lace of stone Fine she was and faire she was Brighter then the brightest glasse Such a Shepheards wife as she Was not more in Thessalie PHilador séeing this couple sitting thus louingly noted the concord of Countrie amitie and began to coniecture with himselfe what a swéete kinde of life those men vse who were by their birth too lowe for dignitie and by their fortunes too simple for enuie well he thought to fall in prattle with them had not the Shepheard taken his pipe in his hand and beganne to play and his wife to sing out this Rondelay The Shepheards wiues song AH what is loue is it a pretie thing As swéete vnto a Shepheard as a King And swéeter too For Kinges haue cares that waite vpon a Crowne And cares can make the swéetest loue to frowne Ah then ah then If Countrie loues such swéete desires do gaine What Lady would not loue a Shepheard swayne His flockes once foulded he comes home at night As merry as a King in his delight And merrier too For Kinges bethinke them what the state require Where shepheards carelesse Carroll by the fire Ah then ah then If countrie loues such swéete desires gaine What Ladie would not loue a shepheard swaine He kisseth first then sits as blyth to eate His creame and curds as doth the King his meate And blyther too For Kinges haue often feares when they do suppe Where Shepheards dread no poyson in their cuppe Ah then ah then If countrie loues such swéete desires gaine What Ladie would not loue a shepheard swaine To bed he goes as wanton then I wéene As is a King in dalliance with a Quéene More wanton too For Kinges haue many griefes affectes to mooue Where Shepheards haue no greater griefe then loue Ah then ah then If countrie loues such swéete desires gaine What Ladie would not loue a shepheard swaine Upon his couch of straw he sléepes as sound As doth the King vpon his beds of downe More sounder too For cares cause Kinges full oft their sléepe to spill Where wearie Shepheards lie and snort their fill Ah then ah then If country loues such swéete desires gaine What Ladie would not loue a Shepheard swayne Thus with his wife he spendes the yeare as blyth As doth the King at euerie tyde or syth And blyther too For Kings haue warres and
broyles to take in hand When shepheards laugh and loue vpon the land Ah then ah then If countrie loues such swéete desires gayne What Ladie would not loue a shepheard swayne The Shepheards wife hauing thus ended her song Philador standing by thought to interrupt them and so beganne to salute them thus My friends quoth he good fortune to your selues and welfare to your flockes being a straunger in this Countrie and vncooth in these plaines I haue stragled all this day wearie and thirstie not hauing discryed towne or house onely your selues the first welcome obiectes to our eyes may I therefore of courtesie craue your direction to some place of rest I shall for such kindnesse requite you with thankes The Shepheard starting vp and séing he was a Gentleman of some calling by his trayne put off his bonnet and answered him thus Sir quoth he you are welcome and such courteous straungers as your selfe haue such simple swaynes at commande with your lookes in greater matters then direction of wayes for to that wee are by courtesie bound to euerie common Trauailer I tell you sir you strooke too much vpon the South and so might haue wandered all day and at night haue béene glad of a thicket for this way there is no lodging but whereas me thought you sayde you were wearie and thirstie first take my bottle and taste of my drinke scorne it not for we Shepheards haue heard tell that one Darius a great King being dry was glad to swincke his fill of a shepheards bottle hunger néedes no sauce and thirst turnes water into wine this we earne with our handes thrift and this wee carowse of to ease our hearts thirst spare it not sir theres more mault in the floore Philador hearing the shepheard in such a liberall kinde of phrase set his bottle to his head and drunke a heartie draught thinking it as sauorie as euer he tasted at home in his fathers house well he dranke and hee gaue the shepheard thankes who still went forward in his prattle thus now that you haue quencht your thirst for the way it is so hard to finde as how charely soeuer I giue you direction yet vnlesse by great fortune you shall misse of the way and therefore séeing it is night I will leaue my wife and my boy to fould the flackes and I my selfe will guide you on to the view of a towne Philador gaue him a thousand gramercies and excepted his gentle proffer and the shepheard hee telling his wife where to fould went with Philador and as they past downe the way there was a piller erected whereupon stood the picture of a Storke the young one carrying the olde and vnder was ingrauen this motto in Gréeke 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Philador demanded of the Shephearde what this picture ment marry â—ir quoth he it is the representation of a Lombe for here was buried a lustie young shepheard whose name was Merador who hauing a father that was so old as he could not goe was so kinde to his olde syre that he spent all his labours to reléeue his fathers wants nourishing him vp with such fare as his flockes could yéeld or his penny buy and when the man would couet to take the ayre euen to this place from his lodge would Merador bring him on his shoulders resembling they say herein the Storke who when she sées the damme is so olde she cannot fly the young takes him on his backe and carries him from place to place for foode and for that Merador did so to his father after his death they buried him here with this picture It was well done quoth Philador but if I be not gréeuous in questions what monument is that which standeth on yonder hill our way lies by it quoth the shepheard and then I will tell you it In the meane time looke you here quoth he and with that he shewed him a stone lying vpon the ground whereupon was ingrauen these words Non ridet periuria Amantum Iupiter Here was buried a shepheard who in this place forswearing his loue fell mad and after in this place slew himselfe and was here buried whereupon in memorie of the fact the shepheards erected this monument as a terrour to the rest to beware of the like treacherie By this they were come to the hill where Philador saw a Tombe most curiously contriued with stately architecture as it séemed some cunning caruer had discouered the excellence of his workemanship vpon it stoode the picture of a woman of wonderfull beauty naked only her haire trussed vp in a caull of gold and one legge crossing an other by art to shadowe that which nature commandes be secret in her left hand she held a heart where out issued droppes of bloud in her right hand she held a piller whereon stoode a blacke Swan and the old verse written about Rara Auis in terris nigróque simillima Cigno Philador séeing by the beautie of the Tombe that it was some monument of worth demaunded of the shepheard who was buryed there at this the shephearde stayd and with a great sigh beganne thus I will tell you sir quoth hee here was intombed the faire Thessalian mayde so famozed in all writinges vnder the name of Phillis for loue she dyed and sith it is a wonder that weomen should perish for affection being as rare a thing as to sée a blacke Swanne they haue placed her here houlding a black-Swanne with the poesie and sith we haue yet a mile and more to the place whether I meane to bring you I will rehearse you the course of her life and the cause of her death and so the shepheard beganne thus The Shepheards tale HEre in Thessaly dwelled a shepheard called Sydaris a man of meane parentage but of good possessions and many vertues for he was holden the chiefe of all our Shepheards not onely for his wealth but for his honest qualities this Sydaris liued long without any issue that he meante to make a sisters sonne he had his heire but Fortune that ment to please the olde man in his age euen in the winter of his yeares gaue him by a yong wife a yong daughter called Rosamond which as she was a ioy to the olde Shepheard at her birth so she grewe in processe of time vnto such perfection that she was the onely hearts delight that this olde man had Rosamond went with hir fathers shéeepe to the fielde where she was the Quéene of all the shepheards being generally called of them all Diana as well for hir beauty as hir chastitie hir fame grewe so great for the excellencie of hir feature that all the Shepheards made a feast at Tempe to sée the beautie of Rosamond where all the Thessalonian Uirgins met decked in the royaltie of their excellencie al striuing to excéed that day in outward perfection gallant they were and glorious wanting nothing that Art coulde adde to Nature filling euery eie with admiration but still they expected the comming of Rosamond
insomuch that one Alexis a young Shepheard who was the paragon of all proportions aboue the rest saide that when Rosamond came she coulde not bring more then she shoulde finde as he spake these wordes in came olde Sydaris and after him his daughter who séeing such a company of bonny lasses and Countrie swaines in their brauerie bewraied her modesty with such a blush that all the beholders thought that Luna Tytan had iustled in hir face together for preferment euery eie at hir presence stoode at gaze as hauing no power to drawe themselues from such an heauenly obiect wrapt their looks in the tramels of hir lockes and snared them so in the rarenesse of hir face that the men wondered and the women hung downe their heades as being eclipsed with the brightnesse of so glorious a Comet But especially Alexis he poore swaine felt in him a newe fier and such vncoth flames as were not wâ—nt to broile in his breast yet were they kindled with such delight that the poore boy lay like the Salamander and though he were neuer so nigh the blaze of the bauine yet he did not Calescere plus quam satis As thus all gazed on hir so she glaunced hir lookes on all surueying them as curiously as they noted hir exactly but at last she set downe her period on the face of Alexis thinking he was the fairest and the featest swaine of all the rest Thus with lookes and chearing and much good chat they passed away the day till euening came and then they all departed Sydaris home with his Rosamond and euery man else to his cottage all talking as they went by the way of the beautie of Rosamond especially Alexis who the more highly commended her by howe much the more he was déepely in loue with hir The affectes of his fancie were restlesse and his passions peremptorie not to bée pacified vnlesse by hir perswasiue arguments and therfore did Alexis finde sundry occasions to walke into the fields of Sydaris to méete with Rosamond ofte would he faine he had lost one of his Ewes to séeke amongest the shéepecotes of Sydaris and if Fortune so fauoured him that he met with Rosamond then his piteous lookes his glaunces were glased with a blush his sighes his silence and euery action bewrayed the depth of his passion which Rosamond espying smiled at and pittied and so farre grewe into the consideration of his affects that the thoughts thereof waxed in hir effectuall for she began to loue Alexis and none but Alexis and to thinke that wanton Paris that wooed Enone was not like to hir Alexis insomuch that on a day Alexis méeting with her saluted her with a blush and she abashed yet the swaine imboldened by Loue tooke her by the hand sate downe and there with sighes and teares bewrayed his loues she with smiles and pretty hopefull answers did comfort him yet so as she helde him in a longing and doubtfull suspence part they did she assureâ— of hir Alexis he in hope of his Rosamond and many of these méetings they had so secrete that none of the Shepheards suspected any loue betwéene them Yet Alexis on a day lying on the hill was saide to frame these verses by Rosamond Hexametra Alexis in laudem Rosamundi Oft haue I heard my liefe Coridon reporte on a loue day When bonny maids do meet with the swaines in the vally by Tempe How bright eide his Phillis was how louely they glaunced When fro th' Aarches Eben blacke flew lookes as a lightning That set a fire with piercing flames euen hearts adamantine Face Rose hued Cherry red with a siluer taint like a Lillie Venus pride might abate might abash with a blush to beholde hir Phoebus wyers compard to hir haires vnworthy the praising Iunoes state and Pallas wit disgracde with the graces That gracde hir whom poore Coridon did choose for a louemate Ah but had Coridon now seene the starre that Alexis Likes and loues so deare that he meltes to â—ighes when he sees hir Did Coridon but see those eies those amorous eielids From whence flie holy flames of death or life in a moment Ah did he see that face those haires that Venus Apollo Basht to beholde and both disgracde did greeue that a creature Should exceed in hue compare both a god and a goddesse Ah had he seene my sweete Paramour the taint of Alexis Then had he saide Phillis sit downe surpassed in all points For there is one more faire then thou beloued of Alexis These verses doe the Shepheards say Alexis made by Rosamond for he ofte times sung them on his Pipe and at last they came to the eares of Rosamond who tooke them passing kindely for swéete wordes and high praises are two great arguments to winne womens willes insomuch that Alexis stoode so high in her fauour that no other Shepheard coulde haue any good looke at hir hand At the last as Fame is blab and Beautie is like smoake in the straw that can not be concealed the excellencie of Rosamond came to the Courte where it was set out in such curious manner and desciphered in such quaint phrases that the King himselfe coueted to sée hir perfection and therefore vppon a day disguised him selfe and went to the house of Sydaris where when he came and sawe the proportion of Rosamond he counted Fame partial in hir prattle and mans tongue vnable to discouer that wherein the eie by viewing might surffet he that was wel skilled in courting made Loue to hir and found hir so prompt in wit as shée was proportioned in body insomuch that the King himselfe was in loue with her The Noble men that were with him doated vpon hir and each enuied other as iealous who should court her with the most glaunces but all in vaine her heart was so set vppon Alexis as she respected King nor Keisar in respecte of hir Countrie Paragon in so much that the King returned home with a flat denyall This caused not his Noble men to cease fro their sutes but they daily followed the chase insomuch that the house of Sydaris was a second court some offred hir large possessions for hir dowrie other as great reuenues some were caualiers and men of great value Thus euery way was she hanted with braue men that poore Alexis durst not come néere the sight of the smoake that came out of the chimney past all hope of his Rosamond thinking women aymed to be supremes that they prise gold before beauty and wealth before loue yet he houered a farre off while the Courtiers fell together by the eares who shoulde haue most fauour in so much that there arose great mutinies Wherevpon the King fearing some manslaughter would grow vpon these amorous conuents and that Rosamond like a second Helena would cause the ruine of Thessalie thought to preuent it thus he appointed a day when all the Lords Knights and Gentlemen with the countrie swains of his land should méet and there before him take
Helena had a skar Leda a wenne Layes a spott in her brow and none so faire but there is some fault but graunt all these be graces as Paris called Helens skar Cos amoris yet at length she looking in a glasse sight to sée age triumphant in her forehead There is none so faire but the sunne will parch the frost nippe the least sicknesse will change or the least exteriour preiudice blemish and then where is loue that growes from the pleasure of the eye vaded and vanisht and turned to a colde mislike But giue me that which is permanent that féedeth the eare with delight and increaseth with age and that is wit farre excelling beautie for by how much the more the interiour senses are more precious and thâ— giftes of the minde more excellent then the exteriour organes and instruments of the bodie by so much the more is wit to be preferred before the outward proportion of lineaments wit is a simpathie of those perfections that growes from the minde and what can delight a woman more then to haue a man full of pleasant conceites wittie answeres and eloquent deuises were not the Philosophers for their wits fellowe companions to Kinges Ouid that was the grand-master of loue wanne he not Corinna more with his wit then his beautie yes wée find that as the herbes are more estimated by the inward vertue then the outward collour so the glories of the minde are more then the glosses of the bodie the Cedar is beautifull yet lesse vaiued then the crooked Synamond for that men measure the proâ—ite more then the proportion wéedes are gathered for their operâ—tion not for their outward excellence and such stones whose secret nature worketh most are worth most and so in men Cicero was not so anuable but he was eloquent and that pleased Terentia Vlysses whom Homer so highly commendes in his Odissea wounded Ciâ—ces not with his beautie but with his wisedome in so much that hee is called facundus Vlysses How swéete a thing is it when euery word shall as a harmony â—all in a cadence to please the eare euery sillable weighed with a pleasant wit either turned is a graue sentence or a pleasant â—est hauing that salem ingenij which intangleth more the all the curious features in y e world Pallas helpt Pariâ— more then Venus or else Helena had still remayned in Gréece Mercurie was fame in all Amours to be Iupiters messenger to wiâ—ch more with his wit then he could do with his Dietie Therefore séeing wisedom is so pleasing a thing if euer I marry God send me a witty husband The discourse of the third sister YOu haue saide well sisters quoth the youngest to haue made a good choice both to please the eare and the eie in electing wit and beautie as two obiects fit for such excellent senses but yet to féede my fancie giue me a man of valour a Souldier a Caualire one that with his sworde dare mainetaine right and reuenge wrong What is it for me to pinne a faire meacocke and a wittie miskiâ—p on my â—â—éeue who dare not answere with their swordes in the face of the ennemy Shall I braue mine ennemy with beautie or threaten him with wit He will then either thinke I bring him a faire foole or a wise Coward Was it the wit of Alexander that won him so much fame or his courage Was it Caesars penne or his sworde that installed him Emperour Paris gote Helena but who defended hir Hector When the Gréekes lay before â—roâ— might not Andromache stand on the walles and sée Hector beating Achylles to his tent with more honour then Helena Paris â—etting in his silkes Yes and therefore she rested her whole estate in his prowesse and saide Tu dominus tu vir tu mihi fraier eris The Oake is called Arbor Iouis for the strength the Eagle king of Birds for his courage the Lion for his valour the Diamond is estéemed for the hardnesse and men estéemed for their magnanimitie and prowesse Hercules was neither famoused for his beautie nor his wit but his valiant resolution made him Lorde of the worlde and louer of faire Deianira Thesus was a Souldier and therefore Ledas daughter first liked him and rewarded him with her virginitie Tush Venus will haue Mars to be hir paramour Loue careth not for cowards faint heart neuer wonne faire Lady a man is the marke all wée aime at and who is a man without valour Therefore a Souldier for my money or else none Philador hearing them discourse so wittely beganne to 〈◊〉 and iumpte in with them thus Gentlewomen so mary heads so many censures euery fancie liketh a sundry friend and what is an Antidote to one is an Aconitoâ— to another you like a faire man you a wise you a valiant but tell mée what if there came in a man indued with wealth who like to Mydas could turne al to gold with a touch should he be thrust out for a wrangler or might he not rather displace beauty disgrace wit and put downe valour I speake this for that I haue heard them say that womens eyes are of the nature of Chrisocoll that wheresoeuer it méeteth with gold it mingleth with it and their hearts like the hearbe Aurifolium that if it be not rubbed with golde once a yeare it dirth I knowe sir quoth the yongest the conclusion of this induction you would with these enigmaticall allusions prooue that women are couetous and care more for an ounce of giue me then a pound of heare me I deny it not sir but wealth and women would be Relatiues and therefore sir in our choice Quod subintelligitur non deest when my sister chose a beautiful man she meant he should be rich and when the second spake of wit she vnderstoode wealth and thinke you me so simple sir that I woulde haue a beggarly Souldier No no sir whether hée be beautifull wise or valiant let this stand for a principle Si nihil attuleris ibis Homere foras Gramercy for that swéete wench quoth Philador giue vs one cuppe of claret more in vino veritas I sée women are no liers they will tell trueth in those matters that require no conceited secrecie so he drunke to them all and for that it was late in the night they all tooke their leaue of him and went to bedde Philador once being alone beganne to commende his fortune that had brought him to so good a lodging where with thrée such wittie Wenches he might make his dinners and suppers with pleasant chat philosophica conuiuia but especially he highly had in his thought the excellencie of the youngest being already ouer the shooes in a little loue forsooth taking but a little sléepe for his newe entertained fancie The nexte morning he vp very early and bade the Gentlewomen good morrow with a cuppe of hipocras and after calling the youngest aside where he courted hir a great while and at the first found hir coy but at the last they
ended with such a courteous close that he commanded his horses to be put to grasse intending for a time there to make his residence The Gentlewomen séeing the foole caught thought to be quicke Barbers and therefore spared for no good cheare and the more daintely they fared the more he thanked them so it might content his young Mistresse on whose fauour depended his whole felicitie he was not content in gluttonie to spend his patrimonie but sent for such copesmates as they pleased who with their false dice were oft sharers with him of his crownes Thus sought they euerie way to disburden him of that store with which he was so sore combred Tush his purse was well lyned and might abide the shaking and therefore as yet hée felt it not The young Courtesan his Paramour thinking all too litle for her selfe beganne as though she had taken care of his profite to wish him séeing he ment there to make some aboad to liue with a lesse charge and cassier some of his men which Philador séeing it would spare him somewhat and to please his Mistresse fancie and for his owne profite put them all out of seruice but one boy The Seruingmen séeing the vaine of their young Maister were sorrie that hee tooke that course of life to be ouer-ruled with women but his will stood for a law and though it were neuer so preiudiciall yet would he be peremptorie and therefore they brookt their discharge with patience but one of them that before time had serued his father hearing what farewell olde Rabbi Bileisi gaue him thought to take his leaue with the like adew and so being solitarie with his Mistresse at his departure he tolde him thus Sir quoth he I sée well if Vlisses stops not his eares the Syrens will put him to shipwracke if he carrie not Moly about him Circes will inchaunt him and youth if he bush not at beautie and carrie antidotes of wisedome against flatterie follie will be the next Hauen he shall be in I speake this by experience as séeing the Syrens of this house following your eares with harmony that will bring you to split vpon a rocke and here I finde be such Circes as will not onely transforms you but so inchant you that you will at last buy repentance with too déere a price Ah Master doe you not remember the precepts that your father gaue you especially against women nay chiefely against such weomen as these whose eyes are snares whose words are charmes whose hands are birdlime whose deceipt is much whose desires are insatiable whose couetousnes is like the Hidaspis that the more it drinkes the more thirstie it is whose conscience is like a Pomice stone light and full of hoales whose loue is for lucre whose heart is light on your person whose hand heauie on your purse being Uultures that will eate men aliue Ah master be not blinded with a Courtezan there are more maydes then maulken if you will néeds be in loue loue one and marry so shall you haue profite and credite if not lie not here in a consuming laborinth the idle life is the mother of al mischiefe it fretteth as rust doth yron and eateth as a worme in the wood till all perish Liue not here Maister without doing somewhat Mars himselfe hateth to be euer on Venus lappe he scorneth to lie at racke and maunger Consider how the Caldes haue set downe in their writings that from the first creation of the world idlenes was had in hatred and man was commaunded to satisfie his thirst with his hands thrift Adam tilled the earth and fed himselfe with his labours Iuball exercised Musike and spent his time in practising the simpathy of sundry soundes Tubalcaine did worke in mettalles and was a graner in brasse Noe hauing the worlde before him for his inherâ—â—ance yet planted Uineyardes tush all the holy Israelites liued by their labours and men hated to haue an houre idlely spent Traian numbred not that day amongst the date of his life which he had wholy consumed in idlenesse If then this lasciuious kinde of life be so odious shake off these Calipâ—es trauell with Vlysses sée countries and you shall as he did returne to Ithaca with credite Be a Souldiour winne honour by armes a Courtier winne fauour of some King with seruice a Scholler get to some vniuersitie and for a while apply your booke sit not here like Sardanapalus amongest women be not bewitched wyth Hercules to spinne by Omphales side leaue all yet may yée stop before you come to the bottome but if you be so besotted that no counsaile shall preuaile I am glad that I may not sée your future misfortunes Although these words of his man driue him into a dumpe and made him call to remembraunce his fathers farewell yet did he so doate on his yong loue that he bade his man be iogging and so went downe into the parlour to shake off melancholy with company Thus did Philador lie in the fire and dally in the flame and yet like the Salamander not féele the fire for this is an olde theologicall action Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati He counted fornication no sinne and lust why he shadowed that with loue he had a vaile for euery vanitie till that he might sée day light at euery hole While thus he liued in his iollitie there fell a great dearth in the land corne was scant and the poore were oppressed with extreame penurie and in such sorte that they dyed in the stréetes Philador heard by the chapmen how the market went and might perceiue by the crie of the poore what famine was spread throughout the whole Countrey but hée had gold and want could not wring him by the â—ingar the blacke Oxe could not treade on his foote and therefore he stopped his eares and prooued halfe mercilesse onely his care was to spend the day as deliciously as hée thought the night delightfull hauing euer his paramour in his presence whose finger was neuer farre from his pursse tush all went vpon whéeles till on a day looking into his coffers hée found a great want and sawe that his store was in the waining whereupon he put away his boy and solde his horses he had enough of him selfe and too many by one This yongsters pursse drewe lowe but as long as hée let angelles flie so long they honoured him as a god But as all thinges must haue an ende so at last his Coffers waxed empty and then the post beganne to be painted with chalke The score grewe great and they waxed wearie of such a beggarlie guest Whereuppon on a day the eldest of them tolde him that either hée must prouide money or else to furnish him of a newe lodging for there was a great dearth thoroughout the whole countrie victualles were deare and they coulde not pay the Baker and the Brewer with chalke Upon this hée went vnto his truncke and all his rich apparell and iewelles walked to the Broakers and for
is no wealth lefte they are all lost thy Golde is flowne and they are fiedde thus â—â—ore man sittest thou comfortlesse and friendlesse hauing haught witte too deare and onely gotten this verse for all thy golde Nullus ad amissas ibit amiâ—â—◠〈◊〉 Thus as Philador sate debating with him selfe of his former Fortunes and present miserie such melancholy entred into his thoughts that he feared to fall in dispaire and therefore rose vp and went trauelling into the Countrie passing ouer thrée or foure dayes without any soâ—â—e that he was almost famished till at last it was his good happe to méete a citizen that had a farme in the countrie him Philador humbly saluted and desired him of seruice the Citizen looking earnestly vpon him séeing he had a good face pâ—ttied the extremitie of the poore yong man and answered him thus My friend quoth he thou â—éeest there is a generall dearth ouer the whole Countrey and many perish through peâ—â—â—â—ie â—â—od is so scant that our seruants are readie to famish and therefore euerie man coueteth to make his charge lesse yet for that I pittie thy youth and fauor â—y personage I will place thée in a farme house of mine hard by adioyning where thy labour shall be to féede my swyâ—e wherein if thou shewest thy selfe 〈◊〉 thy recompence shall be the greater Philador glad of this with teares in his eyes for ioy made this answere Master quoth he peâ—â—â—ie is a sore pinch and I thinke there is no sharper sling then necessitie therfore doubt not of my labour for I will take any paines to please and brooke any toyle to content and so I beséech you to fauour me as you shall finde me dutifull With that the Citizen tooke him into seruice and sent him to his farme house where Philador kept the swyne but himselfe had verie hard fare in so much that for extreame hunger he eate the huskes with the hogges yet had not enough to satisfie his stomack Sitting downe at last and séeing the hogges féede hauing a huske in his hande he wept and blubbered out these passionate complaintes Ah hunger hunger the extreamest of all extremes now do I sée that high desires haue low fortunes that thoughts which reach at starres stumble at stones that such as gase at the heauens fall on the earth that pride will haue a fall and euery fault is punisht with the contrarie Ah Philador thou that of late didst swimme in gluttony art now pinched with penurie thou that didst inuent what to eate hast not now any thing to eate thine eye could not be contented with meane cates that now demisheth for want of any fare where be thy dainties thy excesse thy wines thy delicates all past with Philexenus through thy throat and thou left to eate huskes with swine in the déepest extremitie of hungar ah miserable Philador how art thou Metamorphosed where be thy costly abyliments thy rich roabes thy gorgeous attyre thy chaines thy ringes Omnia vanitas they are â—allen to the Lombard left at the Brokers and thou here â—ittest poore and naked brooking this miserie as patiently as thou diddest spend thy goods riotously But now Philador enter into consideration of thy hard happe and sée into the cause of thy frowarde Fortunes What shall I attribute it to my natiuitie and say the Planets did calculate as much at my birth no there is no necessitie in their influence the starres determine but God disposeth tush Sapiens dominabitur Astris What then shalt thou accuse ah nothing but the folly oâ— my youth that would neither accept of aduice nor vouchsafe of counsaile Loue Philador loue ah no shadowe not vanitie with the vale of vertue not loue but lust brought me to this bane wanton affectes forced me to this fall and the pleasure of mine eye procured these bitter passions Beautie ah beauty the bane that poysoneth worse then the iuyce of the Baaron Beautie the Serpent that infecteth worse then the Basiliske Beauty the Syren that draweth vnto death Beautie that leadeth youth captiue into the laborinth where resteth that mercilesse mynotaure But rather fond man that delightest in such a fading flowre in such a manifest poyson in such an open preiudice The Déere knoweth Tamariske to be deadly and will not brouse on the branches the mouse hateth the trappe the Bee hemlocke the Serpent the Oliphant but man runneth gréedely after that which worketh his fatall disparagement Ah Philador did not thy father forewarne â—hée of weomens beautie did he not say they were Adamants that drew Panthers that with their painted skinnes doe alâ—ure if my sonne quoth he thou surfetst with their beautie thou drinkest Aconitum and so doest perish Tush but I little regarded his precepts but now haue I bought his axiomes with déepe repentance now doe I finde that their faces are painted sepulchres whereas their mindes are tombes full of rotten bones and serpents their browes containe like the Diamant vertue to reléeue and poyson to kill their lookes are like Calendes that can determine no certaintie but as the leafe of the Liquonico when it lookes most moyst is then most drie so when they smyle they imagine deceipt their laughters are tempered with enuie and reuenge Ah Philador what are weomens vowes wordes written in the winde what are their promises carracters figured in the ayre what are their flatteries figures grauen in the snowe which are blowen with the winde or melted with the Sunne what are their loues like the passage of a Serpent ouer a stone which once past can neuer be séene They will promise mountaines and performe moul-hilles saye they loue with Dido when they fayne with Cresida and followe Demophon with Phillis when they are more stragling then Luna they haue teares at commaunde as the Crockadile to betray and smyles at voluntarie to bewitch as long as thou hast gould they are horse-leaches and will not out of thy bosome but they hatâ— an emptie purse as the Hiena doeth the sight of a man and will flie from thée when thou art poore as the fowle from the Faulcon Ah Philador mightest thou be the last who were intrapt by their loue it were well happy wert thou to be an instance to all other gentlemen nay might young youth bridle their follies by thy fall they would ere day say to themselues Faelix quem faciunt aliena pericula cautum But alas Philador Troilus fortunes could not make others feare the like foolish ende Though Theseus bought Helens loue déere yet Paris would not be warned but brought her home to Troy so thou art but one Swallowe and makest not sommer and yong gentlemen will say thy folly will not be euery mans fortune but when repentance shall couer theÌ„ with a Mourning Garment then they will say had I wist is a litle too late But Philador why sitst thou here discoursing against loue against womeÌ„ against beauty leaue theÌ„ as refuse things too low for thy lookes and prouide for thy
much that his hoat loue was waren a little colde and the heate of his fancie was qualified with the lenatiue plaisters that grew from his experience aduice Therefore sir quoth he as the Date trée is not knowen by the barke but by the bloomes and the precious balme not by his cullour but by the operation so the outward shew did not alwaies manifest the inward man but the effects of his vertues and therefore not measuring your parentage by your present estate nor your calling by your aduerse fortune I first as one that coueteth not to be vngratefull render thankes for your Patheticall preceptes and séeing you haue kindely reléeued me with your counsayle as Terence wisheth Remeate adiuuabo I will supply your want with my wealth and change your Fortunes with my possessions so that what I haue in treasure shall be parted betwéene vs with a friendly proportion Philador gaue him great thankes for his courteous proffer and tolde him that such vrgent haste of his iourney called him away as no alteration of his fortune howe beneficiall so euer might stay him My way quoth he is long and my wearinesse great I haue many places to tread and many thoughts to meditate vpon I goe laden with much sorrow and little hope yet dispaire I must not for though my miseries be many and my friendes few yet do say in my selfe to salue my passion O passi grauiora dabit Deus his quoque finem Therefore sir if my counsaile haue done you any comfort or my wordes béene so effectuall as to mittigate your affects thinke loue hath brought me to these Fortunes and therefore beware of the like follies for he that shunnes Scilla and falles into Charibdis that will accuse Circes for an inchauntresse and yet wed himselfe to Calipso that thinkes he may shake off fancie for a moment and entertaine loue for a moneth shall tread vpon glasse and worke himselfe into a laborinth of ouerwéening fooleries The sunne waxeth low and my Inne is farre hence therefore must I leane you and yet quoth he because I sée you are willing to learne take this scrowle as a president how to eschewe much preiudice the only fauour that I request is that you will be as readie to deliuer precepts of vertue as I haue bâ—ene to set downe axiomes to you with that he gaue him a paper soulded vp and shaking him by the hande bad him farewell The Gentleman with great courtesie bad him adew and so they parted Philador towardes his fathers and he towards his lodging yet longing to sée what was in the scrowle he sate him downe and vnfoulded it where he found these strange Aphorismes The Contents of Philadors scrowle Ouidius Hei mihi quod nullis Amor est medicabilis herbis Loue is a thing I know not of what it commeth I know not from whence it groweth but vnknowen whereof goeth we know not whether and beginneth and endeth I knowe not which way yet a passion full of martyrdome miserie griefe and discontent hauing pleasures but tempered with paines and a short delight mixed with a long repentance The Hidaspis hath a faire skinne and a swéete breath but his sting is fatal gaze not too much least thou attempt to touch and so perish The Crockadile wéepes but then she worketh wyles for her teares pretende reliefe but intende destruction rue not her sorrowes least when she reioyceth thou repentest The Syrens fits and singes in a calme bay but her seate to â—â—uironed with rockes beware of her melodie for if it please the eare it pincheth the heart When the Tigre hideth her clawes then she menaceth for her pray sée either her claw open or hould her at thy rapiers point The eye of a Basiliske is as bright as a stone but as preiuditiall as a thunder-bolte whilest thou lookest with delight it woundeth with death holde thine eies from such obiects least thou become an abiect Cyrceâ— amongst all hir potions had one most swéete and that turned men to asses taste not of that without before thou chaw on Moly The Hiena will fawne on thée and smile but if thou folow hir she leades thée to a demie full of Serpentes either shunne hir flatteries or weare the horne of a Hart that driues away infectious vermine There are no Hawkes sooner manned then they of India none eate more and flie lesse while she is full gorged she kéeps the fist but kéepe hir lowe and she proues rauening either be not a Falconer or beware of such foules Giue a Cammell store of prouender and she will strike thée with hir foote beate hir and she will knéele till thou gettest vpon hir backe for such a beast weare a cudgell then wheÌ„ thou séest it hir lift hir héele thou maiest strike If these Aphorismes be too enigmaticall become a Louer and experience will quickely set thée downe a comment but if thou canst find them out and be philosopher to thy selfe The Gentleman read these obscure principles and perceiued they all tended to the discouerie of womens qualities wherefore he helde them most pretious but looking vpon the page there he perceiued certaine verses which were these Philadors Ode that he left with the despairing louer When merrie Autumne in hir prime Fruitefull mother of swift time Had filled Ceres lappe with store Of Uines and Corne and wickle more Such needeful fruites as do growe From Terras bosome here belowe Tytirus did 〈…〉 A gawdy Chaplet on her head A Chaplet that did shrowd the beames That Phoebus on hir beautie streames For Sunne it selfe desired to see So faire a Nymph as was shee For viewing from the East to West Faire Galate did like him best Hir face was like to Welkins shine Christall brookes such were hir eine And yet within those brookes were fires That scorched youth and his desires Galate did much impaier Venus honour for hir faireâ— For stately stepping Iunos pace By Galate did take disgrace And Pallas wisedome bare no prise Where Galate would shew hir wise This gallant girle thus passeth by Where Tytirus did sighing lie Sighing sore for loue straines More then sighes from louers vaines Teares in eie thought in hart Thus his griefe he did impart Faire Galate but glaunce thine eieâ— Here lies he that here must die For loue is death if loue not gaine Louers salue for louers paine Winters seuen and more are past Since on thy face my thoughts I cast When Galate did haunt the plaines And fed her sheepe amongst the swainesâ— When euery shepheard left his flockes To gaze on Galates faire lockes When euery eie did stand at gaze When hart and thought did both amaze When heart from body would asunder On Galates faire face to wonder Then amongst them all did I Catch such a wound as I must die If Galate ofte say not thus I loue the shepheard Tytirus â— Tis loue faire nymph that doth paine Say Galate oft smile and saie Twere pitty loue should haue a naie But such a word of