conceite that place their liking on the foundation of beauty and to be counted men of great iudgement that in their desires séeke to covnite themselues to such an excellency for may not he which enioyeth a beautifull Lady boast that he possesseth at command by spending a few yéeres in wooing some part of his liuing in expences his dayes quiet in sighs his nights sléep in teares by these toyes and a few other passions he possesseth himselfe of that creature which the graces and nature had studied many ages to make excellent yet there be some such satiricall copes-mates that spare not to raile against them calling them the imperfection of nature saying beauty is vanity and the signe of little honesty noting women as waspish froward deceitful toyish light sullen proud inconstant discurteous cruell and what not such as can afford them no better spéeches I would haue either made Euenuches or Esseni or plaine Asses neuer to be fauoured of women but to be accounted as stoicall companions vnfit to attend on such beautifull and vertuous creatures for in my opinion swéete and simple soules they be pleasant open harted far from deceit God wote as bearing all their owne secrets both graue and yet hauing many mad and merry tricks to pleasure men humble lowly submitting themselues to what their friends will lay vpon them constant as neuer to be turnd from their opinions kind enough and to be short as full of excellent qualities as the precious stone Silex is full of secret vertue and this right mighty Gods is my opinion of women The Gods smiled at this censure of Arion and wished him if he could to proue it with an instance as Orpheus did the contrary Arion laying by his instrument and the Gods being silent he told his tale to this effect Arions Tale. AFter that Right mighty Gods the Pirats had heaued me ouer boord that being receiued vpon a Dolphins back I was safely transported to Loyath the King glad of my arriuall as honoring me for that I was counted the most perfect musition in Thece and musing at the strangenes of my fortunes to make his péeres and princes of his land partakers not only of my melody but of the wonder he proclaimed a generall feast not of volentary but vpon commaund that all Dukes Earles Barrons Knights and other Gentlemen should with their wiues and children for the more magnificence be present which strickt Edict was so straightly obeyed of all that at the day appoynted none failed to be present there appeard in the Kings Pallace such troups of Lords and Ladies as might with their glorious brauery ouercharge the eye with pleasure To these the King presented me clad in my rich robe with mine instrument euen as I sate on the Dolphins back with the whole discourse of my fortunes wherat they were all driuen into a wandring admiration after long gazing on me as at a man reserued to some higher or more hatefull destiny they sate downe in the great Hall to dinner beeing placed by the King him selfe and his Sonne who then playde the Marshall of the Hall the yong Prince whose name was Philomenes giuing greatest attendance where hee sawe the fairest Ladies as hauing his eye drawn rather with beauty then chiualry at last he espied a lampe that lightned all the rest or rather disgraced them as Phebe dooth the little fixed Starres for so farre she surpast the other Ladies in excellency as she did in dignity and by birth she was daughter to Pelopidas the Duke and great commaunder in Corinth this Lady whose name was Argentina was so faire as touching the faultles mixture of vermillion flourisht vpon Iuory so full of fauor for the perfect proportion of the linaments whereupon this natiue colour was ouer-dasht that nature had made beauty abcolute and beauty made Argentina the most excellent Philomenes séeing so heauenly a Nimph stoode staring on her face as at a wonder gazing so long that Venus séeing Ceres and Bacchus honored all the rest thought to arrest the yong Prince for her attendant so that leuelling Cupids arrow aright and wishing the boy to draw home she pierst Philomenes so deepe that hee shrunk start at the suddaine prick which this inuenomed arrow had tainted him with feeding thus his eye his fancy his thoughtes with contemplation hee lost his stomacke to gorge with the Camelion on the ayre sure was that messe where Argentina sat to haue what attendance the Prince could grace them with but their seruice was so broken and so ill sewed that either they must coniecture the Prince to bee no cunning seruitor or els that his hart was on his halfe-penny well dinner beeing doone and the tables taken vp Arion fell to his musick and the cheefe Ladies to the measures Philomenes ringleader of the rout singled out the Lady Argentina who blushing to sée the young Prince make choise of her aboue the rest gaue such a glorie to her face that Philomenes all on fire at the sight had almost forgotte the time of the measure but calling his wits together he led formost till the musick ceast then wringing her by the hand he whisperd to her thus I see Madam that all these Lords and Ladies present frolicke themselues as fitting the time and feeding my Fathers delightful humor my silly selfe onely excepted who thys day giuing mine eyes leaue to banquet on your beautie commanded my stomacke to fast and pray that my heart which had surfetted on the excellencie of loue might finde a curteous Phisition now swéete saint it resteth in your fauour whether I shall triumph as the most happiest or sorrow as the most miserable The musick called on to an other measure so that Philomenes was interrupted forced to tread his taske but as soone as the musicke gaue breathing time Argentina beginning her exordium with a blush made Philomenes this aunswer It seemeth sir that tis a mery time your honor is so well disposed to bee pleasant singling out a cunning musition the simplest plaine song that your descant might séeme the more refind It behoueth such as my self to brook y e frumps of a Prince to take them for fauours for Kings wordes may not offend if in wrath much lesse in iest might your handmaide dare to reply in my opinion howsoeuer your eyes haue banquetted your sight is neuer the worse nor they the more satisfied for your harts surfeite I will bee beadwoman with your stomack not in fasting but pray that your Phisition may prooue such as would fit your desires but my Lorde to your last clause it is vnlikely your mirth dependeth of my fauour whose fauour cannot profit nor disfauour preiudice but taking it in iest as your honor profferd it I pray you for my part my Lord to be as merry as you please The instruments sounded and forward must Philomenes who wisht Arions strings might crack that his melody ended he might proceed in his prattle As soone as the
thée no like a Princesse that were captiue but euen as a Quéene that is sole mistres and soueraigne of my affections thy beauty hath cōquered that hart which had made conquest of thy Country subdued him who before womans feature neuer vanquished then Argentina take pitty of him that for thy loue is so passionate consent that I may enjoy thée as my paramour and thou shalt be honourd as shée that is best loued of the King of Sycilia I could Argentina y ◠seest obtaine by force what I sue for by intreatie but I couet rather to possesse my selfe of thy louely consent then by constraint yéeld therefore what I request and héere before the Lords of Sycilia I promise to grant whatsoeuer thou shall commaund so it touch not my Crowne nor thy Husbande though to the danger of my person fréely without exception Argentina as one nothing dismaid returnd him this answere I not deny Marcion thou hast subdued Corinth and deposed the King which I attribute rather to his bad fortunes then thy prowesse or chiualrie but in all thy conquest thou shalt neuer boast thou hast conquered either Philomenes or hys wife Argentina séeing we are only ouercom not vanquished in that both of vs remaine contented and kéepe our minds vntoucht thou art inchaunted with my loue no Marcion but perhaps thou art fed with lust neuer hope that Argentina will minister any meanes to appease the flame although thou shouldst inforce her to consent by the most extreame torments Philomenes liues so long wil loue not thée but him whom I vowed to be true vnto for euer yet thy last condition hath somwhat perswaded me that if thou graunt what I request I will consent not only to be thy paramour but thine for euer the king was so glad of this that he iterated with an oath to performe her demauud then this it is quoth Argentina Tomorrow morning thou shalt shut thy selfe into a secret place wherof my selfe wil kéepe the key there for thrée dayes thou shalt fast without tasting any thing so aslake hunger or thirst this time thou shalt pray to the Gods for the remission of our sinns which we shal offend in by breach of matrimony then at the terme of thrée days thou shalt fréely take the vse of my body before thou eat any meat otherwise if thou faile but as much as Proserpina to taste a graine of the pomgranet thou shalt neuer after question me of loue thus doo and I grant to like thée or els here is my head let that pay my raunsom Marcion was so setted in her beauty that he thought it nothing to vndertake this taske and therfore promised before his Lords to fast three daies and then to lye with her before he eat any meat or els neuer to motion her any more of loue whereupon the next day the Princesse shut him vp till the date was expired in which thrée dayes he felt such torments such pinching hunger and extreme thirst that he cursed loue and exclaimed against beauty as a charme y t made men senceles willing to giue for one crum the Diadem of Corinth well the terme expired all the Nobles were assembled sat in the great hall expecting what euent shold fall either of y e kings fast or of Argentinas request at last Argentina sent the key to one of the Lords that the king might come into the Hall whether she presently would repaire the Lord went to the chamber doore and no sooner put the key to the lock but Marcion started vp and cryed for meat the Lord vnlockt and saw the king glance at him with such a fierce looke that he was afraid and started back villaine quoth Marcion hast thou brought me any meat and with that running as a mad man into the hall flinging in fury among the Lords Why Gentiles quoth he sit you héere without meat why are not the tables spread doo I allow such niggardly allowance or wil you famish him that fostereth you all At this he was in a rage Argentina apparailed in her richest robes came pacing that she looked more like an Angell then a mortall creature insomuch that euery eye directed their glaunces at so heauenly an obiect except Marcion who at her sight sat as a man greatly amated hauing her mayde followe her with a dish of meat crumd Argentina with a smiling countenance taking him by the hand sayd thus Redoubted Conquerour according to promise I am come in the presence of these Lords to offer my self subiect to your highnes plesure ready to goe whither your grace shal conduct me Marcion at this cried out thinkst thou Argentina that famisht men haue minde on beauty or is hunger to be satisfied with loue no no tis true Marcion Sine Cerere baco friget Venus reason could not subdue lust but fasting hath set it on a non plus but what is that the mayde carries meat my Lord quoth she for your honour after and with that she blusht Marcion no sooner heard her name meate but he leapt to the mayde puld away the dish saying farwel fond loue and welcome that wherof one morsel is worth a monarchy Argentina giue me leaue to eate for thou hast conquered Marcion in his own folly and with that he fell to his meat wherwith after he had somewhat appeased his hunger sitting him in his seat royal he began to parle with his Lords of Argentinas pollicy highly extolling the constancy of so true a wife and so far entred into consideration of the chaunce of fortune and fall of Princes that rising from his throne he went and embraced and kist Argentina not only praising her for her redy inuention to perswade him from his vanity but for her sake sent for her husband and yéelded him his Crowne and his Kingdome and liuing his sworn friend returned home into Sycilia NO sooner had Arion ended his tale but Mars taking opportunity said we sée by this euent that as women haue their vanities whereby to be checked so they haue their vertues redounding greatly to their praise beeing both affable and constant although that single instance of Orpheus his Lidia did inferre the contrary And so quoth Apollo would Venus serue for an instance if you mean of constancy for no doubt if you may be iudge al beauty shal be vertue all women shal be Saints now quoth Iupiter Apollo by your leaue to take Mars his part we oft rightly to think of women seeing so oft we seeke their fauors speak to them by intreaties for their loues otherwise we should proue our selues very ingrate to beat thē with rods that feast vs with banquets to proffer them Scorpions that giues vs no worse then their own selues Liuely spokē quoth Mercury but Iuno likes you neuer the better for this flattery as supposing you haue sued to more then contented her or becommed you but in my opinion Arions tale paints out a paragon a matchles mirrour as wel for constancy as the other for cruelty these extremes therfore infer no certain cōclusions for they leaue a mean betwéene both wherein I think the nature of women doo consist neither so cruel but they wil grant nor so constant but they will yeeld rather oft-times proue too curteous then too vnkind Sée quoth Mars how péeuishly you conclude to taunt them still of vnconstancy well Mercury quoth he thou art subtill canst by thy fallacions prooue what thou wilt but yet this I set down for mine own opinion that women the more beautiful they are the more curteous the more constant y e fuller of excelent qualities and rather vertues and by the Riuer of Stycks I swere and with that he rose in a choller this I will approoue against him that dare maintaine the contrary though not with my pen yet my sword at this the Gods smild and Mars in such a rage clapt his hand on the boord that I awoke not knowing what became of the Gods or of Arions soule only I remembred their tales BEing thus awakt I lookt about mee and still sate my Shepheard how now good fellow quoth I haue I not taken a lusty nap thy Pipe sounded so swéetly and there I had such a dreame as I would not haue lost for much for I hope it wil after more profit me then all my iourny I haue past to Erecinus I am glad quoth the Shepheard my pipe did thée so much pleasure and if thy slumber hath presented thée any visions note them for al dreames that men sée in Erecinus prooue true and with that standing vp me thought he had wings on his head shoulders and féete he bad me farwell tooke his flight then I knewe it was Mercury Whereupon calling to mind the occasion of my iourney I found that either I had lost loue or loue lost me for my passions were eased I left Erecinus and hasted away as fast as I could glad that one dreame had rid me of fancy which so long had fettred me yet could I not hie so fast but ere I could get home I was ouertaken with repentance FINIS Robert Greene.
Pilgrim quoth the Shepheard this is to sitte on the toppe of Venus wheele these bitter sauces be her cheefest delicates and these painted Sepulchers her richest trophies Thou seest I sit neere Erecinus and therfore speake by experience thou saiest to Venus thou art in loue thou wouldest faine haue a wife frō Alcidalion looke before thou leape pry into Venus Cofers and sée what chaffer she prouides for her chapmen I haue counsayled now rests it in thee either to followe it with a momentary sorrowing content or to forsake it with a perpetuall pleasing mislike Hearing the cunning experienced swaine to discourse so roundly of the matter I imagined either he had beene in loue or an enemie to Venus so that I demaunded of him if he would not haue men loue at all Yes quoth he so they count Dianas virgins not Venus wantons I replied she had very few or none hee aunswered had shée more suters shee woulde prouide more maydes but Venus spying them passe towards her Pallace layeth such snares to intangle such traps to intice such charmes to bewitch such dangers to preiudice that none or very few ariue at Dianas mantion and such as doo come thither halfe maimed Then quoth I you conclude peremptorily against Venus and her crue and very hardly against women Hearing me say so he tooke me by the hande softly whispering in mine eare Pilgrim I may say to thée Wiues be they neuer so watcht they will Maides be they neuer so bashfull they wish and widdowes bee they neuer so coy they would take me not generally Pilgrime quoth hée and with that sitting downe he tooke his pipe in his hand and plaid so sweetly that like Argus at Mercuries melodie I fell on sleepe No sooner had Morpheus shut mine eyes but I fell into a dreame mee thought I was ledde from Erecinus by Mercury alongst the galupin or siluer paued way of heauen to the hie built house of Ioue there woulde I haue gazde at the gorgious buildings but my guide was in haste and conducted me into the great Hall wher Iupiter and the rest of the Gods were at a banquet no sooner was I entred amongst them but Mercury sprinkled me with water which made me capaple of their diuine presence so y t I sat stil looking on their persons and listning to their parle at last me thought blunt Vulcan that sat at y e lower end of the boord although Venus aboue sat opposite to Mars beganne thus roughly to breake silence I cannot mighty Gods but smile to thinke that when my wife and her blind Sonne the one with her boxe of beauties the other with his quiuer of Arrowes passe abroade to shewe their Deities what number of poore perplexed men as Patients come to haue cure of their hurts some in their eyes that haue gazed with the Phylosopher agaynst too bright a Sunne and such are blind some that with Vlisses haue not stopped their eares but haue listened the Syrens and they complaine of their hearing some in their harts and those bewraies their passions by their grones none comes without gréefe nor returne throughly cured so that I suppose either the wounds are very perilous or my wife a bad Surgion Truth quoth Iupiter but what number of women come hether Multitudes quoth Vulcan Apollo smoothly and yet with a smile demaunded if they were as bad to cure as men No quoth Vulcan for be the wound neuer so déepe tis perfectly cured in twelue houres eyther my wife is more friendly to Women or their sores more easie to salue No quoth Mercury it is because their loues are like a mans breath against bright stéele which scarse lighteth on before it leapeth off or like wood wet in Allom water which lieth in the fire and waxeth hot but neuer burneth their harts resemble a Pumice stone light which way soeuer you turne it full of starting holes that if fancy steale in at the one he can step out at the other or els quoth Iupiter their harts haue no holes at all but as firme as flint that neither fancy nor loue can enter for Venus teacheth them extremities eyther to fawne be too fond or to be too coy and too stubborne which causeth so many to put vp inuertiues against her Least of all quoth the Goddesse in a great chafe hath Iupiter cause to accuse women of cruelty if not I appeale to Iuno at this all the company smiled and Ioue was silent well quoth Apollo leauing these quips seeing we haue met to be merry if it please you to allow of my motion to make vs some musicke I will raise vp the Ghosts of Orpheus and Arion two famous in their times for their instruments and greatly experienced in Loue as béeing great trauailers and with that conuersing the greatest Potentates in the world who often are as full of loues as they are of dignities these shall please vs with harmony and discourse either what they thinke or what they haue heard of womens Loues To this all the Gods gladly agréede and Mercury was sent in Post to Pluto for these two Musitians scarse had I thought Mercury had béene out of the Hall before I saw enter with this winged God the Ghosts of Orpheus and Arion so liuely to the eye and so well trussed in their apparell as they séemed perfectly such as they were when they liued vpon earth Orpheus after that he had doone due reuerence to the Gods especially to Apollo tuning his instrument without any more commaund as if his seruice should be saluery hée daintily toucht the Cordes with a sweete stroake and to a melodious tune sung this Ditty Orpheus Song HE that did sing the motions of the starres Pale colour'd Phaebus borrowing of her light Aspects of planets oft oppos'd in iarres Of Hesper Henchmen to the day and night Sings now of Loue as taugh by proofe to sing Women are false and loue a bitter thing I lou'd Euridicae the brightest Lasse More fond to like so faire a Nymph as she In Thefaly so bright none euer was But faire and constant hardly may agree False harted wife to him that loued thee well To leaue thy loue and choose the Prince of hell Theseus did helpe and I in hast did hie To Pluto for the Lasse I loued so The God made graunt and who so glad as I I tunde my Harpe and shee and I gan goe Glad that my loue was left to me alone I looked back Euridicae was gone She slipt aside backe to her latest loue Vnkinde shee wrong'd her first and truest Feere Thus womens loues delights as tryall proues By false Eurydycae I loued so deere To change and fleete and euery way to shrinke To take in loue and lose it with a winke SCarse had Orpheus ended his song but Iupiter thinking not to let so faire a ball fall to the grounde tooke opportunitie thus by the hand This present Dittie of Orpheus tendeth to our forepassed discourse as though the Fates had
resting in this estimation with the King preferment was no meanes to quiet his minde for loue had wounded so deepe as honour by no meanes might remedy that as the Elephants can hardly bee haled from the sight of the Wast or the Roe buck from gazing at red cloth so there was no obiect that could so much allure the wauering eyes of this Thracian called Acestes as the surpassing beautie of the Princesse Lydia yea so déepely he doted that as the Camelion gorgeth herselfe with gazing into the ayre so he fedde his fancie with staring on the heauenly face of his Goddesse so long dallying in the flame that he scorcht his wings in time consumed his whole body Beeing thus passionate hauing none so familiar as he durst make hee fell thus to debate with himselfe Is it Alcestes loue that troubles thee why thou art a Souldiour sworne to armes not to Armour to incounter foes in the féelde not to courte Ladies in the Chamber Hercules had almost performed his twelue labours ere he durst find leysure to loue and thou art scarse acquainted with Mars but thou seekest to be priuate friend to Venus away fond foole to thy Speare and Shielde manage thy horse though héere in a peaceable Countrey let not Bées hiue in thy Helmet rust inblaze the figure of sloath on thy Armour or loue call thee her milksoppe by whom warre it selfe hath approoued martiall hast thou forgotte that which thou suckest out of thy Nurses teate that to loue is to loose and fancie bee it neuer so charie is meere folly for loue how soeuer it bee is but a Chaos of cares and fancie though neuer so fortunate hath her crosses for if thou inioy the beauty of Venus thou shalt finde it small vantage if thou get one as nice as Minerua thou mayst put thy winnings in thine eye if as gorgious as Iuno thy account being cast thy sums will be rated with losse yea be shée chast be shée vertuous be shée curteous constant rich renowned honest honourable yet if thou be wedded to a woman thinke thou shalt finde in her sufficient vanity to counteruaile her vertue assure thy selfe neuer to liue lesse without disquiet nor die before thou haue cause to repent which Craterus the Emperour noted when wishing that some sinister misfortune might befall his foe he prayed vnto the Gods he might be married in his youth and dye without issue in his age accounting mariage by this wish farre more full of preiudice then of pleasure This yea all this Acestes thou knowest to be true but suppose it were not is there not sufficient to disswade beside seest thou not or hath fancy cast such a maske before thine eyes that thou wilt not sée that her beauty as it is excellent so it is high seated both in the dignity of her parentage the selfe conceite of her mind to be gazed at and so honored not to be reacht at and so enioyed thou séest she is little liberall of her lookes much lesse prodigall of her loue she couets rather a God then a man thē amongst men think she wil aime at the highest or sit still as she is Pride in her greatest pompe sits inthrond in her eyes and disdaine in her lookes that if she glaunce to so low as Acestes it is rather to grace him with a smile then to shew him any fauour beside fortune hath opposed her selfe to thy aspiring thoughts in that thy good will hath not yet deserued any such guerdon thy desire is farre aboue thy desert and the poore stay of a wandring Knight farre vnfitte for the Princely state of worthy Lidia But suppose she were pricked in the same veine and that Venus would friendly instill some drops of her inchaunted water to mollifie her hart yet y e Duke her Father will neither condiscend to her mind nor consent to my motion nay if he should but heare of such reckles folly as he hath wrought my promotion so hee would worke my confusion and in troth Acestes not without cause for art thou so voyde of vertue or vowde to vice as to requite his liberality with such disloyalty to returne the trust which hee reposeth in thée with such treachery Tush Loue is aboue Lord or law friend or faith where Loue buddeth no Maister is made account off no King cared for no friend feared of no duty respected but all things done according to the quality that is predominant Hast thou béene a Souldiour and dreamest thou of such doubts are the courtings of Venus more perrillous then the incounters of Mars or the deniall of a Lady worse then the daunt of a foe no Acestes be not faint harted as the North Ilands where the people Iberi dwell foster no venemous beast nor the Sea called Mare mortuum feedeth no Fish so are there no Cowards suffered to arriue at Paphos she is but a woman and therefore to be wone Then sound on the march aske not of what degrée she is but where she is these words Acestes carry emphasis and are more fit for a Souldier then for a Louer for loue is quesie and if it be ouer-strained cracketh at the first wrest enduring in this doubt he sat downe déepely ouercharged with melancholy passions that as he which eateth of the Goord Nutte loseth his memory and as the Elephant féeding on the Helytropian becommeth sleepy so Acestes fell into a drowsie kind of contemplature that to auoide such cogitations as combred his minde hee got him selfe into a Gallery which was built betweene the Turrets of the house and there sette himselfe downe as halfe in a traunce Loue that tooke pitty of this patient so fauourd him that he had not sat long in his dumps but that Lidia came thither all alone to be solitary who séeing Acestes sitting thus sadly slumbring determined for her owne recreation to be a little plesant with him and therfore awakened him thus Why how now Acestes is it your custome in Thracia to vse slumbers after meat for Phisick or is it some melancholy impression that thus amateth your sences trust me at the first I called to remembrance the picture that Zerxsis drew of Endimion lying vpon the mount of Erecinus who leaning his head on his hand his eyes shutte as one in a dreame yet had his face so bedued with distilling teares as his outward plaints did sufficiently bewray his inward passions and so Acestes in this thy solitary dump didst thou resemble Endimion both in countenance and colour that had teares fallen from thine eyes as thou wert in a traunce I had happily demaunded how Phebe had vsed thee So apalde was Acestes at this sodaine presence of Lidia that hee sat still as a man depriued of his sences till at the last gathering of his wittes together he start vp and his due reuerence done he made this answere I think Madam that melancholy is not particuler either to person or place but that being a complexion it followeth oft-times the quality
eares of a woman to heare my cries and not the hart of a woman to pitty my case Ah Lidia he that loued thee for that hee loued thee must die he that sounded thy praises in sundry Prouinces him hast thou pinned and pined vp till those armes are bare from flesh that in many battailes bruted thy fame I will not curse thou art Lidia nor exclaime at my last date thou wert my loue nor pray for reuenge sith at my death my patience shall giue my soule the better passage But fondly how short a time haue I to speak and yet how foolishly I speake to name my earthly Goddesse when I shoulde pray to my heauenly God the one hath consumed me the other must saue mée now comes the touch my hart yeeldes to him that framed it now the last bitter sweete pang of death endes what the malice of man hath inflicted and so falling downe he died As soone as I perceiued hee was dead not yet content with reuenge I caused his body to be hang'd in chaynes that the world might see the trophée of my crueltie The manner of his death beeing knowne the Nobles and specially the Commans began to murmure that so braue a warriour who had made foure Kingdoms tributories to Lidia shoulde so ingratefully perrish through y e malicious disdaine of a woman yea so farre it pierced into the hart of Selidon great Duke of our realme that suddainly causing a mutiny he summond most of the Nobles told thē such a tirant was too heauy for them to beare to be short the Nobles agréed the Commons of their free will came in flocks to reuenge so that he had quickly leauied an Armie of an hundred thousand men and entred into the Castle tooke mée and my Father prisoners whom hee commaunded to be famished in the same place where Acestes ended his life there without remorse we dyed they tooke downe the body of Acestes and buried him with princelie funerals and ouer his tomb for that he attempted the reuenge they crowned Solydor King of Lidia AS soone as she had ended her tale she fell to her wonted cryes and shrikes not answering to any question so that I left the place and returned backe with my Harp Orpheus hauing thus discoursed Iupiter asked Venus how the liked of the tale marry quoth shée as of one that Orpheus tells comming out of Hell nothing preiudicial to my Dietie sith shee was enemy to loue and of so austere chastitie it rather toucheth Iuno or Diana the one stately in her lookes the other too chary in her thoughts for my part so I dislike of her disdainfull crueltie as if I might haue censured if possible it might haue béene shee shoulde haue had a more bitter death vppon earth and a more pinching paine in hell Truth quoth Mercurie for perhaps the paine is not so great to remaine in the fogge as the remembrance how faire once shee was and nowe to haue all smeared with the smoake I think when Venus was a maid she was more charie of her face then her maidenhead and more warie of her beauty then her honestie These quippes quoth Mars are digressions but leaue Venus and talke of Lidia whose life was so strickt whose hart so opposde to loue whose thoughtes so full of pride and disdaine as her instance serueth rather to bée produced for a wonder then for example to condemne women sith the world I thinke containes not one so bad Apollo smiling said Well taken Mars for you owne aduantage women must be pleasde and Venus will frowne if she be not flattered Vulcan sits fast a sléepe or else I would not haue spoake so broad before but to drink down all the frumps Ganimede quoth he fill in Nectar so the Gods from disputing fel to carowsing and then Arion tuning his instrument began to warble out this Ditty The Song of Arion SEated vpon the crooked Dolphins back Scudding amidst the purple coloured waues Gazing aloofe for Land Neptune in black attended with the Tritons as his slaues Threw forth such stormes as made the ayre thick For greefe his Lady Thetis was so sick Such plaints he throbd as made the Dolphin stay women quoth he are harbours of mans health Pleasures for night and comforts for the day what are faire women but rich natures wealth Thetis is such and more if more may be Thetis is sick then what may comfort me Women are sweets that salue mens sowrest ills women are Saints their vertues are so rare Obedient soules that seeke to please mens wills such loue with faith such Iewels women are Thetis is such and more if more may be Thetis is sick then what may comfort me With that he diu'd into the Corall waues To see his loue with all his watry slaues The Dolphin swam yet this I learned then Faire women are rich Iewells vnto men ARion hauing ended his Ditty Apollo sayde this falls out fitte for Orpheus hauing made the diuision of a womans nature to be either too cruel or too curteous Arion standeth in his song as well to defend as he to oppose accounting women the wealth of nature and farre more profitable then Orpheus saies they are preiudiciall therfore if it please the rest of the Gods we'le heare what Arion censures of that sexe they gladly agreed and Apollo commaunded him to shewe his opinion where-vpon Arion began thus No sooner right mighty Gods had nature in her curious moulde formed the counterfeite of Beauty but looking vpon her workmanship shee fell in loue with that metaphysicall excellency as Pigmalion did with the perfection of his owne Art which may assure vs that it is most exquisite wherein curious nature taketh such extreame delight this glorious Idea drawne out from the secret temper of the graces nature bestowed more prodigally vpon women then men as creatures more worthy and excellent the richest gold hath the rarest colour the purest stones are most cleare the sweetest Flowers most pleasing to the eye and women as the purest quintissence circolated from all other liuing things are therefore the most beautifull and faire yea in their own sex beauty is the touchstone of vertue and y e fairer a woman is the fuller of good conditions for such as nature hath either slipt ouer with negligence or made in her melancholy so that they are ill fauoured and deformed eyther in face or body such I holde as a principle to be counted stigmaticall as noted by nature to be of a bad constitution then must we confesse that beauty is excellent as the pride of nature deuine as fetcht from the Gods glorious as the delight of the eye pleasing as the content of the hart and to be estéemed aboue all things as the very couer and superficies vnder which vertue lyes hid if then men séeing such heauenly obiects such swéet Saints haue their eyes fixed their minds fettered their thoughts inchanted with their loues are they to be blamed or not rather to be thought of Heroicall
her Mother to whom he deliuered Argentina thus Madam here I deliuer your daughter as safe as I receiued in outwarde appearance but how I haue schoold her time will make trial perhaps we haue strooke the match and therfore let the Lorde Pelopidus prouide a good dowrie and with that he went his way when the matter comes to that effect my Lord you shall haue a dukedome with her at that the Prince turnd back and said thats mine already and her Father is like to bee my subiect and so to holde his liuing in cheefe the Dutchesse smilde thus they parted But leauing Philomenes to the King his Father who hauing noted as narrowly as his sonne the beauty of Argentina had great lyking of the Lady so that he made inquirie of those which were Pelopidus neerest neighbours what disposition the virgin was of they all affirmed to the King that shee was so vertuous humble curteous and adorned with such excellent qualities as the fourme of her life was a methode wherby other Gentlewomen did direct their actions The King hearing this resolued in his minde there coulde not be a fitter match for his Sonne whervpon determining to break with the yong Prince as he was in this humor hée met Philomenes whom he tooke aside and began to question him as concerning Argentina whether hee could fancy the Lady or no. Philomenes afraide the King had espyed their loues made answer that he neuer tooke such narrow view of her that he could yéeld his iudgement with affection then doo qd the King and giue me within two daies an answer and so he departed Philomenes ioyfull of this no sooner met Argentina but he told what motion his Father had made but to make a smal haruest of a little crop Philomenes at the two daies end so answered his Father that the King breaking with the Duke it was concluded that the end of the feast should be the beginning of y e marriage which was such a ioy to the nobles to see their yong Prince allied in his owne Land that they deuised newe Iustes and pastimes continuing the feast many dayes to their great ioy and the Louers most happy content The mariage and the feast thus finished the Nobles departed Pelopidus leauing his daughter thus honorably espoused took this leaue the maried couple staying still with the old King in his Court who being of great age liued not long after but paide his debt vnto nature so that Philomenes was crowned King of Corinth Liuing thus happily with his wife Argentina thinking his degrée too high for Fortune to preiudice it so fell out that Marcion the King of Sycilia hearing that his ancient enemy Philomenes father was dead thought to try what mettall was in the sonne to proue if he were as valiant and fortunate as his father therfore he leauied a great Army prouided a great fléete to saile to Corinth which was no sooner rigged but he imbarqued his men and as soone as wind weather woulde permit sailed towards Corinth where arriuing in a Desert place as politick to land without any great resistāce he vnshipt his men and all his furniture for war and letting his Nauie ride in the road hee marched forward into the maine land vsing as one y t intended a conquest fire sword Philomenes hearing by Postes how Marcion was landed with a mighty Hoast and had spoiled many of his prouinces started vp summoning his Lords about him raised a mighty hoast such as neuer King of Corinth dyd before him and with thē marched to meet with Marcion whom he incountred by the Riuer y t runneth by the great plaines called the Corinth downes then pitching his pauilion he intrenched his Army and so had Marcion fortified his lying thus a while at last by Heralts they resolued vpon a day of battaile which once come both the Armies rangd they ioynd battaile so furiously the one to cōquer the other to defend Philomenes hart made one with equitie the other with dispaire that a long while y e fight was doubtfull till at last fortune allotted the best to Marcion in such sort that the fielde was his the Corinthians most slaine some fledde the King valiantly fighting taken prisoner Marcion triumphing in the victory marched forwardes to the Citty leading Philomenes as his Captiue comming to the gates y e Cittizens yéelded vp the keyes he as a valiant conquerour entred passing into the pallace found there the Queene all blubbred with feares as a woman almost sencelesse whom he comforted and committed to y e custodie of one of his Duke seated thus victoriously in Corinth he not onely disgraded the King from all dignitie but disrobing him commanded that he should be turnd out of the pallace and that he should not be reléeued vpon paine of death but if he would haue any thing to satis-fie his thirst he should gette it with his handythrift Philomenes not abashed at this doome intreated the King to be good to his wife and so went and became a labourer for day wages contented with this fortune Marcion the next day sent for the Queene who although forlorne with teares yet nothing her narrowly hee found her the fayrest creature that euer yet in his life he had viewed so that hée fell extreamly in loue with her and offered her what lyberty or pleasure shee would haue courting her with many faire promises and amorous conceits but all in vaine for shee was resolued whatsoeuer fell life or death y t none to her but her loue Philomenes Marcion captiuated in her beauty was restlesse féeling such strange vncouth passions that at last he fell into these termes What fond motions Marcion are these that disturbe thy mind what childish thoughts vnfit for a king a souldier nay for one that hath conquered both a Crowne and kingdom thou camst from Sycilia to be victor heere thou art arriued not vanquished thou hast beaten Philomenes in battaile art brought vnder by his wife in loue thy resolution was to terrifie thy foes with thy sword so thou hast don but faine to please a woman with thy tongue by this fond foolery I may note y t Venus frowne is of more force then the weapons of Mars that affections are harder to be supprest then enemies to subdue that loue is aboue King and keiser where Cupid commaunds there dignity hath no priuiledge to withstand then Marcion yéelde sue and intreat but whom the wife of Philomenes thy captiue rather commaund her and what shee will not yeelde by intreaty take by constraint in so dooing should I reape infamy and forced loue is neuer swéete no Marcion allure her with wealth promise she shal be thy paramore to seat her next thy selfe in thy kingdome women are won with fauors and there is none so chast but time and gifts may intice In this resolution he sent for Argentina beganne thus to deliuer his minde vnto her Thus seest Argentina how I haue fauourd