loueth ¶ Why doe louers so often breake their faith and promis one to an other Youth aboundeth in heate and is subiect to diuerse and many thinges and can not staie it selfe in one thought wherby it procedeth that the auncientes haue made Uenus the mother of Loue whom many Louers do followe ¶ Doe ye thinke that by Magique arte the heart of an obstinate woman maie be mitigated to condiscend to the pleasure of a Louer All they that haue written of Naturall thinges affyrme the same The Diuines saie contrarie And I in the diuersitie of opinions in so great men dare not declare mine owne ¶ Is it possible that a couetouse man may become amorouse The forces of Loue haue alwaies beene more braue and fine then those of couetousnes So I beleue that Loue can not onelie make the Couetouse liberall but also prodigall for as the couetouse haue had no measure to get goodes so they may haue as litle to spend them yf they thinke that by money they maie inioye the thing that they loue ¶ Wherfore haue men more libertie then women to loue in moe places then one Take modestie shamefastnes and feare from women and ye take awaie their life which chaunceth not to man ¶ Wherfore be Louers continuallie readie to demaund the hartie good will of them that they loue The harte is the feate of desire and of all knowledge all which be readie to obey the thing that it loueth the ymage wherof representing it selfe pleasant before the eyes of Louers doeth rauishe from them both the hart and the principall partes And therof it commeth that being as it were robbed of them selues and oppressed with intollerable bondage they require with all importunitie to be restored and placed in their intire and former estate ¶ Wherof commeth it that commonlie we suffer our selues to be allured to loue thinges wherof there is no hope to atteine vnto That is for lacke of knowledge of the beginninges of Loue the which are light and litle And although that all hope is cut of and taken from vs to inioye the swete embracementes which Loue doeth promis Neuertheles the beautie of the thing beloued doeth delight vs and the remembraunce therof doeth occupie the braine Suche passions haue bene called of our elders domâ—ne desires bycause they doe still and stealinglie possesse the hart vnware and by litle and litle take increase And our reason should not be hindred yf it were susteined by hope ¶ Wherfore be all the ioyes of Louers vncerteine Bycause in loue there doe dailie chaunce diuerse casualties as suspicion Ialousie feare angre Peace refuse disdaine ¶ Why is Loue compared to a Darke laberinth or Maso Bycause the entrie and comming in is easie and the goyng out impossible ¶ Wherfore doe men compare loue to a Crocodill The nature of a Crocodill after the mind of those that haue written of natural thinges is to followe those that flye from him and to flye from them that doe followe him And so is it with Loue. Therfore I geue councell that who soeuer will inioy theffecte of his desires that he be not to sharpe and egre to pursue and followe his Ladie ¶ Beleue ye that Loue good iudgement maie be together I beleue no for then the foule and deformed should neuer be beloued But we see not onelie the contrarie to happen but which is worst those that be the vilest indewed with moost treason and least loyaltie and faith howe foule so euer they be are moost commonlie best beloued Wherof commeth it that diuerse which loued feruentlie to haue some comfort did soudenlie lose that great heate of loue All vehement loue doeth not longe continewe for within a while the spirite hath leasure to examine it selfe and to retourne to due vnderstanding thinking vpon all thinges that might violate and corrupt the same wherby the sensuall appetites be by this meanes restrained ¶ Why doe men call loue bothe flame and fyre It is not possible better to expresse howe insupportable a thing it is considering the heate of the desires which it ingendreth in the hartes of his seruantes and the tirannie that he vseth towardes those whiche are vnder his power whom he bringeth to ruine and consumeth like fyre without any pitie ¶ What is the cause that Louers take pleasure to retourne so often to those places where they haue had ioye and solace of their loue Bycause in so doing they conceiue Ioye and the memorie of that which they moost loue doeth refreshe them And yt semeth then that this remembraunce doeth double the pleasure alreadie receiued ¶ Why are men rather amorouse then women For that they are of hoter complexion and their spirites more quicke and prompte ¶ Why be wemen more firme and stedfast in loue then men Bycause thinges which of them selues be colde be lesse subiect to mobilitie and inconstancie then those that be hotte ¶ Wherof commeth it that women be more easelie perswaded to be loued then men Bycause they esteme them selues muche more then there is cause ¶ But why be they angrie or why doe they frowne and lower when men saie they be foule or olde Foulenes moost commonlie commeth of age and age is the high waie to death which naturallie doeth anoye and displease all persons ¶ Wherfore is it saide that the coughe and the passion of Loue can not be kept secret They be two thinges of great force for the coughe troubling the bodie can scantlie be concealed or hidden Loue is a passion proceding of a certeine fyer which by the eyes is discouered and manifesteth it selfe by the coulor of the face and by all the actes of a Louer it maie be comprehended and knowen so that without great paine and difficultie it can not be hidden ¶ From whence do the amorouse send forth so many sighes Their continuall thoughtes sende all the heate to the harte wherof it commeth that necessarilie it is conuenient for them to respire and breath of which respiration sighinges be forced wherby the coldnes of the ayer is drawen to temper the inwarde heate That maie also ryse of the consideration of the time lost of the detestation that commeth of lecherie of the vâ—â—inision of honor reputacion and finallie that the successe of dishonest loue is tragicall noysome furiouse and miserable ¶ Wherfore haue the auncient painted loue holding floures in one hande and fyshe in thother To shewe that Loue is a lorde bothe of Sea and lande ¶ Thinke you that loue doeth yelde greater force corage and strength to him that doeth combat and fight in the presence of his Ladie There is nothing more certeine And for this cause was brought in and ordeined the braue and lustie companie of the errant and wandering knightes to geue pleasure to Ladies by Iustes and turneis ¶ Who receiueth moste contentacion the victoriouse and louing knight or the gentlewoman for whom he hath fought The knight as I suppose ought to be best contented as hauing cause to
digestion through being to much distracte hither and thither and plonged in affections of Loue. ¶ Why did the auncientes painte Loue with a window or a gate in his stomacke wherin were written these two wordes Farre of and at hand To show y t he which is a Louer must loue aswel in absence as in preseÌ„ce ¶ But why was he painted bare hedded To shew that betwene Louers ther should be nothing couered or hidden ¶ Wherfore do some paint Loue with the face of a man and not of an Infant To shew that a louer ought to be constant as very men be and not like the brutishe ¶ I desire to knowe wherfore the notable painter Zeuxis did painte him with a grene robe Bycause Louers lyue in continuall hope and grene doeth signifie no other thing then hope ¶ But why doeth he sett vpon the borders of his Robe these wordes Deathe and Lyfe Bycause that true Loue dureth both in lyfe and also after deathe and breaketh neuâ—r for any accident that may happen ¶ And wherfore did Appelles painte him with these wordes written in his forhedde Springe time and Sommer To showe that in Loue there is both prosperitie and aduersitie which are represented by those two seasons ¶ Wherfore do they geue him winges Bicause the desires of Louers do tend alwaies to highe thinges ¶ Wherfore do they make him a childe Bycause that whosoeuer doeth geue him selfe to loue hath no vnderstanding for moost commonlye he loseth for a thing of nought matters weightie and of great Importaunce ¶ What moued thinhabitauntes of Cipres to paint Loue hauing a Turkie bowe behind his backe and his Arrowes before It was because that loue hath a custome to wounde all them that he meteth And bycause that he secretly doth the same they place the Turkie bowe behinde his backe ¶ Wherfore be his arrowes neuer blunt but sharpe Bicause they should wound the better and enter more depely for they make him sore to feele that is wounded with them ¶ Howe commeth it that women howe dissolute or whorishe soeuer they be their bodies being vncouered do hide their priuie partes That commeth of a naturall shamefastnes or it is bicause that suche partes are filthy yll fauored to looke vpon and without any proportion Howe commeth it that one loke is more hurtefull to Louers and woundeth them more then any touching or talke That is because loue taketh his beginning of loking ¶ Why doe Louers waxe so soone pale and leane The passions of the minde doe bringe the bodie to a poore estate ¶ What is the cause that the game of Loue doeth prouoke man sometimes to slepe and sometimes to watche If it be vsed excessiuelie it hindreth slepe for the partie euacuated and made foeble by suche excesse his spirites be diminished and moued by disquieting of the brayne whervpon slepe is interupted but when the spirites be quiet and at rest then the braine is cooled and therof riseth slepe the nourice of Nature ¶ Wherof commeth it that this pastime and play doeth often times expel from vs al melancolie and heauines of minde I will shewe you with the seede there is extruded certeine adust and burning vapors which bredeth in vs heauines and melancholie Afterwardes man beginneth to waxe pensife because he hath loste and seperated from his bodie the thing that nourished his members ¶ Wherof commeth it that Postes Ryders weuers and generally they which be accustomed to great agitation of the body be more lecherouse then other Mouing doeth heate the reynes and the vessels of generation Trauell also doeth open the conduictes where the seede doeth passe and is not to be doubted but colde doeth cause the humors to be in a maner vnmoueable letting the seede from comming to the generatife partes ¶ Wherof commeth it that men of hotte stronge and good complexion absteining from copulation with women do commonly fall into the fluxe or haue the yealowe Iaundesse or be troubled with immoderate colere Men with their seede do auoyde certeine corrupt humors the which remayning in the bodie be conuerted eyther into colere or elles into the yealowe Iaundesse ¶ What is the cause that Harlottes and whores doe stincke so rammishe Bicause they seldome reteine their seede which beyng out of the Matrice doeth corrupt and stincke ¶ Is it lawfull for a louer to take his pleasure with any other besides his owne Ladie I answere no. Neuerthelesse his Ladie beyng absent and can not inioye her he may haue libertie to vse another yf she resemble his owne in suche perfection as she may be tearmed a seconde Ladie but not in any wise to fyxe his harte vpon her He then I say that vseth suche a one in his Ladies absence is the rather to be excused but neither of them is to be admitted in my iudgement yf he meane to deserue the tytle of a true Louer ¶ Tell me then what thing is Loue It is a passion that doth blind the sprites remoueth the vnderstanding taketh all the memorie awaie causeth ruine and losse of goodes maketh a man weake and is the enemie of youthe and the deathe of olde age the mother of all vices the receptacle of peâ—sife mindes a thing without â—eason without order and stabilitie and the whirlepoole of mannes libertie ¶ What is a woman of her selfe A beaste vnperfecte geuen to ten thousand passions and pleasures abhominable to be thought wel of So that yf men would doe as they ought to do they wold not follow them nor pursue them with other desire or appetite but as things ineuitable which necessitie doth constrein theÌ„ to vse ¶ Wherfore be there so fewe women that can content them selues to loue one Bicause a woman is nothing but Lecherie inâ—aciable And for this cause she careth neyther for number nor for any thing that is honest so that he be able to couer her skinne he is welcome ¶ What is the cause that Loue beyng discouered commeth seldome to perâ—ection For the lettes that commeth therby ¶ Why haue olde men the repulse of yonge women Bicause they haue not wherwithal to ease them where it Itcheth ¶ Why do women counte them beastes that be ouer curious and diligent to serue them Bycause they knowe themselues vnworthie of suche seruice ¶ Is it true that men saye when one kisseth two mouthes one of them must nedes stincke I beleue so yf he loue perfectly ¶ Howe commeth it that Louers are more suspiciouse then other Bycause their mindes be continually troubled ¶ Why is it so noysome for a riche woman to suffer trouble Riches ingendreth pride and insolencie ¶ Where do noble mindes commonly mete together Where the fayrest Ladies be ¶ What is required in a perfect Louer To feare and reuerence aboue all thinges the mighty power of Loue and to referre or reporte to him of all his thoughtes and desires ¶ Howe do men come to the fruicte of Loue By hope and perseueraunce ¶ What thinges are contrary to the kingdome
of Loue Shame and feare ¶ Who be they that doe not let to serue Loue although they be otherwise pressed with affayres Lustie and coragiouse hartes which in despite of busines doe not passe to suffer them selues to enter the yoke of Loue. ¶ What be the paines of Loue Hurtes and woundes more then deadlie that is desires full of rage extreme trauell exile and banishmente greuouse martirdome and pryde intollerable ¶ What is the meate of perfecte Louers Sighes and teares ¶ Wherwithall do they make sacrifice to Loue With cleane hartes which are not spotted with any couetousenes ¶ Who be the messengers of Loue Pleasure Trauell swete bitter warre Peace life and deathe ¶ What are the causes of Louers sicknesses Hart breakinges hurtful fastings the hungre of Loue trembling quiuering and continuall trauels secrete dolors the extremitie of vexations and great watchinges ¶ which are the benefites of Loue Playes stepe beddes pleasures rest tranquilitie contentation aboundaunce peace refreshinges and other reioysinges ¶ Who be most secret in loue men or women Women be moost secret no doubte bicause they speake lesse then men a thing likely to be true but seldome sene Is the benefite greater by beyng secret in Loue or the hurte by too muche speaking I thinke the hurte surmounteth ¶ Thinke you that by the dexteritie of the sprite men may knowe the secretes of Louers The holie Scripture doeth witnes that the harte of man cannot be knowen and that god alone doeth knowe the same ¶ Why be the secretes of loue so easely kepte For the great swetenes that men fynde in them ¶ Is it better to loue them that be faier or them that be secret Without doubt the secret wise are more worthie to be loued for beautie is of litle continuaunce ¶ Howe should men kepe them selues secret in loue They must take hede that they passe not oftentimes by their Louers houses or often followe their haunte but waite vntill Fortune presente apte occasion ¶ Howe should our pleasures be measured They ought to agree with our age with our estate with the time and place where we be ¶ What should be the faithfull seruice of a Louer It ought to be necessary and voluntarie with the hart and the life ¶ What meaneth it that women for the moost part doe loue them that haue slowe vnsetled heddes and contemne others which haue more amiable qualities They doe esteme perhaps that they shalbe better beloued and serued of those meaner spiretes because they haue not suche knowledge as the other which are of more vnderstanding then they ¶ Howe many sortes of beauties be there Three one in the bodie the other doth consist in the accorde and harmonie of the voyce the thirde in vertue ¶ Howe may they be comprehended The first by the eyes the second by the eares the thirde by the vnderstanding And men may also inioye the perfection of beautie by sight by hearing and by thought ¶ What meane the Poetes when they fayne of Circes that she with her sorceries did chaunge and transforme al them that taried with her into beastes They would signifie by that metamorphose no other thing but the wanton and lassiuiouse allurementes of Circes wherwith deteyning all those that fell into her handes she so farre forth made them equall to brute beastes that vtterly they forgat their true estate of manhood ¶ From whence come the paynes that men suffer in this earthly and vulgare Loue They procede of that that we desire things which we can not alwaies haue at our will and mindes ¶ Do ye thinke that desire of beautie doeth hinder the reste and quietnes of men No for that desire is not of any thinge Corporall ¶ Wherfore do men attribute arrowes and fyre vnto Loue To shewe howe ardent and full of dolor his passions be ¶ Why is Loue painted naked Bycause that all the actes and dedes of Louers be suche that they can not be hidden nor dissembled ¶ What is the greatest blindnes in Loue To loue her whom we thinke can not be contented with the loue of one ¶ Whether do ye esteme greatest the beautie or the foulnes of those that can not content them selues with the loue of one The foulenes is farre greater ¶ What deserue they to be loued or hated In my Iudgement they should be hated and eschewed as the plague ¶ Which is the greatest spurre that prouoketh a man to doe well and honorablie The presence and fauour of his Ladie ¶ To what thing is the seruitude of Loue like To the seruice of Princes ¶ Howe should a man behaue himselfe amonges Ladies As in the courte amonges Princes and great estates to witte that he must be bolde and hardie ¶ Is it very true that he muste nedes be bolde and full of audacitie After my opinion no but according as a man may vse him selfe I saye yea Notwithstanding I suppose that in the court and traine of Princes and in the seruice of Ladies men ought rather to marche in the steppes of humilitie and reuerence then in to much hardines and presumption ¶ Which be the noblest hartes They whom loue disdaineth not to warme with his sacred heate ¶ Wherfore do sume loue many persons at once and yet do not vse to disclose the same Noble mindes take great pleasure to do so but to tell and shewe it it is but losse and shame ¶ Is it true which men say that yf one be in loue with another he then beareth affection to all those thinges which resemble the thing he loueth That is to true for they be in loue euen with thinges that be dombe and without sence with pictures and ingrauen thinges and suche lyke yf they shew any remembraunce of the thing they loue ¶ What is the true gage of Loue A pure and cleane harte ¶ Why doe women very oftentimes blame or disprayse their Louers To thintent that other shoulde praise them thereby to double their pleasure ¶ Who hath the more liuely spirite and better memorie the man or the woman The man not after the saying onely of the Philosophers but also of holy Scripture ¶ Who hath the better iudgement of the amiable partes the man or the woman The man as beyng indued with the nature of a more highe vnderstanding and a spirite more subtill ¶ May we loue the thing that doeth turne vs to dishonor I thinke not ¶ What is the greatest recompence that a woman can make vnto a man To reueale vnto him her secretes and finally to make him Lorde and maister of her bodie and of all her thoughtes FINIS ¶ NATVRAL QVESTIONS and the Ansvvers THE II. BOKE WHerfore is not Chese made of beasts that be tothed on bothe sydes Bycause theyr milke will not curde or creame ¶ Wherfore do men caste Smallage into Pondes Bycause Smallage doeth serue Fyshe for a medecine and also they delight to eate the same ¶ Wherof commeth it that Dogges neuer loue to eate of the tayle or of the
DELECTABLE demaundes and pleasaunt Questions with their seuerall Aunswers in matters of Loue Naturall causes with Morall and politique deuises Newely translated out of Frenche into Englishe this present yere of our Lorde God 1566. Imprinted at London in Paules Churchyarde by Iohn Cawood for Nicholas Englande Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum To the Studiouse and vvell disposed youthe of Englande THE learned Poete Horace myndinge to bestowe the trewe prise of wisedome vpon him that is most worthy saieth that he by good right doeth deserue the same which can best skil how to knitte and ioyne profite and pleasure together For those two thinges be as it were vncoupleable forsamuch as the gods as Hesiodus doth witnes would that profitte were dailie accompanied with sweate and trauell and that commonlie thend of pleasure is sower and bitter He therfore of good righte is to bee tearmed a passinge good workeman which can with such â—astnes of coÌ„sent incorporate vnite them as thone maie stil interchaungeably ensue and rise of thother To which entent notwithstanding their diuersitie of opinions thauncient Philosophers altogether endeuored sieking euery one after his veyne in suche sorte to pollishe and beautifie that most excellent porcion of vs the minde as prepared the better to receaue the print of vertues seale we mought in this race of frailtie climbe to some degree at least of trewe happines and sound felicitie But bicause the name of vertue is of suche maiestie as at the firste vewe it would dashe and dismaie her firste and feble beholders certaine Philosophers castinge asyde their frostie beardes and other such ceremonies of Philosophicall showe with louing care to cherishe and mainteine those soft and gentle minds that could not yet wel broke the pain full bruntes of scollerlike customes haue deuised certein pleasant confections as it were wherwith to sauce and sweten the studie of Philosophie handling eche parte therof so familiarlie that the most wild and haggard heades were oftetimes reclaimed to harken follow their holsome Lessons And so the phrigian fabler Aesope geuing fained speche and conference of talke to creatures vnreasonable vnder cloke and color therof lefte vnto the reasonable most necessary preceptes of all humanitie and morall dewtie â–ª The like hath bene from time done by a number of noble Poetes who in their fabled forgeries yf they be well marked haue vttered all maner of most depe and profound learning I speake not of the Comike writers who pretending but sport by pretie contriuement of partes and persons teache howe to beare our selues towardes all sortes and specially to shonne the cosining trappes of those that are numbred amonges the vilest kynde of people Which selfe same fruite is also to be gathered of these our common plaies and showes which grounded after a sort vpon the rules of Philosophie do whet and sharpen the wittes of the lokers on euen as the Barriers Tilte Torney wrestling leaping or running do by vse streÌ„gthen the â—â—mmes and frame the bodie better and more abâ—e to discharge when neede shall earnestly require their office of armes In respect wherof hauing fallen into my handes of late a certeine Frenche booke the woorke sure of some learned and Skilfull writer driuing principallie to the like good purpose deemed it could not bee but labour worth to spende some vacaunt daies in teaching it to speake our mother english tonge Especiallie for that in full perusing thesame I founde he had so handsomlye by waie of question couched together the moste behoueable pointes of all Philosophie as to the diligent reader mought nedesly bring with it exceding riche encrease bothe of profitte and pleasure The rather truely bicause in order of his treatise not intermedling with the particuler dewtie of any calling or estate he generallie concludeth of matter not impertinent to all degrees So that leauing the rawenes of thinfant and childishe yeres to the care and correction of their nourses and scholemasters beginneth to shape his fyrste preceptes to the best aduauntage of that age which as it is most disposed to the vanities of loue so moste likelie to be abused miscaried by thesame may here in some part lerne to knowe and eschewe the tempting deceiptes of that Boy she godde and his blinde disciples From thence leadeth he vs into the darke storehouse of natures secretes where with open eies perusing the weke condition of the world and worldely thinges yea and of vs our selues for whose sake they were principallie ordeined maie remaine therof both more mindefull and thankefull to our creatour Lastely he bringeth vs to the fountaines of good nurture teaching not onely in priuate cases of our owne liues and houses but in common welthe matters also to geue suche verdict of thinges incident as amonges the wise and sagest gouernors shal make vs estemed not altogether ignoraunt or emptie of good vnderstanding All which thinges although it is not vnknowen maie by the lerned be picked out of the works of thold autentike Clarkes yet for so much as falleth not to al men such opportunitie as wherby to rake vp their so huge infinite volumes it is to be hoped the greatest number those specially whose good spirite moueth rather to geue their leasured howres to some vertuouse exercise then to ydle and for the mooste parte dispraisable games will with suche equitie vse and constre this englishing of these brief collections as of a labour louingly vndertaken bothe for their delectable recreation of minde and profytable helpe of studie wherevnto bee wished vniuersallie moost happie successe tyll for the further benefite of them that fauour the reading of the Scriptures which truthe to saye all men aboue all thinges ought to fauour shall herevnto also be annexed the like Questions of diuinitie ryght pleasaunte familier and moost necessarie QVESTIONS OF LOVE AND THE Ansvvers WHEROF doeth it come that Ruffians Iesters and common Dauncers be lesse subiecte to Loue then other That may come by the continuall familiaritie that suche men haue with women in whom they haue no pleasure for respect of loue or whose familiaritie doeth make Loue lothesome or out of taste ¶ What is the cause that he that loueth feruently is soone angrie Because the sprites and humors of Louers be verie hote and boyle continuallie ¶ How commeth it to passe that an amorouse woman is so curious to be finely appareled and decked She doeth it to increase and set foorth her beautie therby to subdue and drawe those vnto her that be moost beautifull and desirous to Loue. ¶ But why be rough and hearie men more prone and disposed to the amorouse battell of Loue then other Bycause they abound and be more full of humors then other ¶ What hath moued certeine Greke Poetes to saie that Loue is the moost excellent amongest all the heauenly goddes It is perchaunce because there is no Philosopher that doeth teache the maner of mans life â—o well as he or maketh man more practique or quicke sprited ¶ But why
content himselfe with his owne acte and dede of Chiualrie For he that doeth beste is worthie of greatest praise And he that runneth best for his Ladies sake is best worthie to inioye her ¶ Wherfore do amorouse Ladies impute that to fortune which chaunceth contrarie to their hartes desire Bycause they like rashe creatures without due consideracion esteme al thinges to be ruled and gouerned by Fortune ¶ Is it loue to loue the Image of a woman It is not loue but rather rage and madnes ¶ What be they that loue by a certeine destenie and influence They that can geue no reason or any cause of their loue ¶ Doe ye thinke it to be true that the Goddes were Louers You must knowe that the olde and auncient Poetes were great diuines and speaking of one thing they signifie another True it is that ther be diuerse well learned that can not abide poeticall allegories which after my iudgement haue no great reason on their side ¶ Wherfore was Paris desirouse to see the three Goddesses naked when he was appointed arbitrator of their beauties To geue better iudgement by viewing the proporcion of their bodies O how many faier beautiful be ther in outward apparaÌ„ce which vnder their sumptuouse garmentes and crimson robes be full foule and ill fauored that if Peter Grubbe of Belchelianger or Ioanne Stubbes of Norton follie viewed them naked as Paris did the Goddesses they would runne home for the next gemman or Iustician of peace to interteigne them for they would scarce vouchsafe ¶ Thinke you that the beauties of Ladies is a commendable argument to dispute of Wherfore not seing y t the wisest haue written beautie to be a gift of God ¶ What moued the auncient to saie that Loue is a lorde ouer goddes and men Bicause all that which is made eyther in heauen or in earth is made for Loue. Remember what the Philosopher saieth All thinges do moue that men do loue and desire ¶ Which is moost to be feared the bowe of Loue the mase of Hercules or the sworde of Mars The bowe of Loue and speciallie when he shoteth his Arrowes of Leade But not so much when he shoteth his arrowes of gold and syluer ¶ Howe is it possible that women should haue faces of Angelles and heddes of deuilles Be not Deuilles called Angelles in holie write Reade the scriptures and ye shalbe resolued ¶ Doe you thinke that a Louer maie be enchaunted by the sight of his Ladie If Shepe after the minde of Uirgill by a looke mait be charmed how much more may delicate Loue be subiect to enchauntmentes ¶ Can women by any celestiall influence be made better or more rigorouse toward their louing seruantes The Mathematiques Astrologiens and Magicians by diuerse and many experiences and peremtorie reasons affirme the same in such wise as I dare not affirme the contrarie ¶ How can the fyre of Loue not participant with any other element inflame our hartes It is onely a maner of speaking verye common to Latinistes called Netaphora ¶ Wherof commeth the loue of two which doe equallie loue eche other Some thinke that it commeth of their conuersacion and mutuall familiaritie other of Angelles and spretes assigned to eche man And other of the concurrantes and conformitie of the planetes ¶ Wherof procedeth the rare beautie of women Some doe saie that it commeth of the temperature of the elementes other doe tell reasons more excellent ¶ Why did Euripides saie that Loue was like a Tragedie Bycause that Loue is euermore accompanied with heauines with complaintes and with a harde and bitter ende ¶ Is there any difference betwene the grace of a woman and her beautie or whether they be all one I beleue that there is a difference for the one hath a greater force then the other to cause a man to be content and satisfied ¶ Whether is it a greater auenture to get the grace of a faier woman or els to recouer it if it were lost It is a greater acte to recouer it as I beleue women being of their owne nature disdainefull and stoute in their opinion ¶ Howe maie a man doe to obteine and gett the fauor of an other Some doe saie by merite some other by fortune other doe impute it to the conformitie of Nature and some to attribute the same to influence or destenie ¶ Whether of these three qualities be beste to obteine the grace of women Beautie Riches or Learning They which be faier desire to haue faier seruantes Riche those that haue wherwithall and the learned loue them that be learned But moost commonlie riches is best liked of women for their mainteinaunce although with wise women learning is of greatest price Is it possible that a Louer maie see continuallie the things that he loueth That chaunceth to those speciallie that be not touched with Loue that is to wit which can represent to them selues those which be absent by cogitacions ¶ Howe maie the harte of a louer liue that is not beloued He maie liue verie well considering that it is more pleasure to loue as I haue at other times affirmed then to be beloued ¶ Maie a man establishe lawes to Louers I thinke not but yet I will not denie that they which loue by a certeine gifte of nature or chaunce fatall Lawes maie be established whervnto they maie subdue them selues ¶ Is there any thing in the worlde that maie retire draw an amorouse man from the thing that he loueth Onlie disdaine maie withdraw him more then any other thing ¶ Why doe the auncient painte Cupido to force him selfe to pluck a braunche of Palme out of the hand of an other Cupido In auncient bookes there is remembraunce made of two Cupidoes the one chast the other lasciuiouse and dishonest The chast is he that doth stronglie bynd bring him that is lasciuiouse dishonest into subiection ¶ Howe can a louer die in himselfe and liue in an other This is cleare that the harte is more where he loueth then where he geueth life ¶ Wherfore be the angers of Louers of so litle continuaunce Bycause they are angrie for trifles and thinges of nothing ¶ Howe many sortes of Louers be there Two sortes the one after Plato celestiall and the other vulgare and terrestiall ¶ How commeth loue in vs by iudgement or by destenie Most often by iudgement for diuerse times men iudge before they â—oue ¶ Is there any pleasure in the world that surpasseth the con tentacion of Louers No for why the seed commeth from all partes of the bodie 〈…〉 which causeth an vniuersall pleasure throughout all the bodie Wherfore do men esteme women to be an euill like to the fire and to the sea Bycause there is no day but that by women euils do come and infinite misfortunes ¶ Which procedeth most from women swetenes or bitternes For one swetenes comes a Sea of sharpe sower bytternes ¶ When be louers most vexed and offended with theÌ„selues When by a certein default
of nature they cannot make the ramme to butt ¶ Wherof commeth it that men compare the state of louerâ— to a shippe vpon the sea For the great daungers wherin they dayly be ¶ What would a trewe Louer do being a farre of when he seeth the shippe wherein his Ladye is to bee in daunger of drowning He would make vowes to Loue and with ioyned handes beseche him to saue her though it coste him a Taper so bigge as the maste of the Ship to offer to his Godhedde ¶ wherin hath the Louer greatest pleasure In the contentacion of the bodie or of the minde In the contentacion of the bodie the bodie beyng the true obiecte of Loue. And sith it is so when a woman beginneth to ware hoare heared geue her a blowe vpon the tayle with thy foote and let her goe ¶ Why doe we loue the bodie so muche beyng but â—arthe and corruptible We loue it because we can not alwaies haue it Can the loue of the bodie and of the sprite agree together or whether be they contrarie They be contrarie and one against the other ¶ I would knowe whether the bodie alone might content the Louer Not yf he be vertuouse gentle and of a good Nature ¶ When a woman answereth nothing to the request made vnto her is it a signe that she agreeth thervnto Sometimes yea sometimes no wherof a man can grounde no certeine iudgement yf he pursue no further ¶ Wherfore doo yong women loue perfumes so muche They be al Uenus children And the Greke Poetes affirme that Uenus neuer departed from any place without leauing an exquisite perfume behinde her for witnes of her presence Besides this all perfumes and good odors doo eyther open the appetite or els prouoke Uenus ¶ Wherfore doe men compare the beautie of a woman to a flower Bycause it is soone come and soone gone ¶ Why doe men fayne that Loue liueth among floures Bycause that floures giue continuall hope of fructe And euen so doth Loue for he nourisheth and enterteineth his seruantes continuallie with hope trusting to inioy at the last the fructe longed for ¶ Of two Louers which shall we esteme more to be fauored him from whom his Ladie shall take awaie a nosegaie and put it in her bosome or him to whom she shall giue a nosegaie that she her selfe did weare The properties of women is to take and not to geue I saie then that he shalbe best beloued to whom she shall geue the nosegaie ¶ Of what coulor should women be moost desired I would desire them to be of the coulor wherwith men paint vertue which is redde but men doe desire the pale and yet they them selues desire to be redde ¶ Of whom haue women learned to close their eares against the supplications of poore Louers Of the Serpent Aspis which is deaffe and venemouse ¶ Wherfore doe men saie that a woman hath the looke of a Serpent and the eye of a Basilisque By reason of the great subtiltie and crafte wherwith they vse to entrappe and drawe men to their loue ¶ Be Herbes medicinable for loue Yes I haue sene thexperience therof at Mantuâ— a citie in Italie albeit Ouid crieth out that loue can find no remedie in herbes ¶ Wherfore is the life of a louer not beloued compared to hel He that made such comparison dyd it by good iudgement ¶ Thinke ye that women be the greatest goodnes that is in all the worlde They that iudge and esteme so be blind and haue placed their sences on earthly thinges but they whose mindes be directly bent on high woulde saye the contrary ¶ Is there greter swetenes then bitternes in amorouse death Bitternes in all thinges doth surmount and passe all swetenes and specially in loue ¶ Why do women generally hate warre Bycause it retayneth men and thereby are depriued of their seruice and intertainement ¶ Do louers liue in more peace and quietnes being nere or farre of They liue better in peace a farre of that I canne speake by good experience for it is not long ago that I being seruaunt to a Lady of Placentia a citie in Italie she assured me to haue proued in her self my saying and it is not yet three wekes that a Lady whom I serue with all deuotion sayd the like to my great griefe and sorowe ¶ Must we be ceremoniouse in loue All trewe louers liue in loue with fidelitie and integritie of heartâ— without any ceremonies ¶ Is it more pleasure to loue or to be beloued I beleue to loue considering that it commeth and procedeth of a free and franke action and dede ¶ Who is better content the bridegrâ—me or the bride when they embrace eche other The bride and that it is so ye shall see them continuallie ryse vp merie and ioyfull in the morning What signified the auncient Poetes by causing the girdell of verginitie to be vnknitte at mariages What elles but that the bride muste chaunge her estate and signifieth that she was vntyed that is to saie made free to this end that like a good huswife she should not be slouthfull but goe about her house and looke to all partes of the same ¶ Which is best maried the mayde taken perforce or the man whom she loueth In the acte of mariage will ruleth and not force ¶ Is Loue a thefe what is he accustomed to steale He is a thefe and a great robber of hartes ¶ Doe you thinke it theft to robbe by meane of beautie Is there any greater thefte Is not beautie the cruellest Tyrant that is ¶ Wherein doeth the beautie of women resemble the spring times For that it doeth soone passe a waie and perishe ¶ Wherfore be all thinges more disposed to loue in the spring time then in any other season Bycause that then the humors doe moue them selues and the bloud doeth waxe hotte ¶ What is the greatest happines that man can haue in loue To possesse and plaie with his louer without Ialousie or suspicion ¶ The eyes of the Ladie haue they suche force vpon the harte of the Louer as the beames of the Sunne haue vppon thinges on earthe Yea doubtles yf the lookes be amorouse otherwise it is cleane contrarie ¶ The time imployed about Loue is it well bestowed or is it loste Yf a man bestowe his loue well he loseth nothing but doeth ratheâ— gaine ¶ Is loue subiect to time as all other creatures be Loue is free and is in propertie aboue time ¶ What is the greatest pleasure that a true Louer can feele To thinke that he is borne to serue and please his Ladie ¶ Be our hartes drawen by an amorouse woman as the Cloudes by the winde Caecias Iron by the Adamant and strawe by Awmbre There is farre greater force in the drawinges and inticementes of women ¶ Maie Loue be well called and tearmed an Enchaunter and Magician His effectes be supernaturall and therfore to be estemed a Magician and more then a Magician ¶ Wherfore haue certeine wise
men painted Loue with his eyes vnbounde To shewe that nothing is hidde from him and that there is no crafte vnknowen vnto him wherof he hath not the counterpoiz ¶ Doe ye beleue that a trewe louer doeth thinke that he may merite the grace of his Ladie by his seruice All true louers doe iudge and esteme their Ladies to be of inestimable price and valour otherwise they coulde not be induced to loue them And yf it be so howe can a Louer be so arrogant to thinke that for a litle dured trauell he can get suche fauor ¶ Wherof was Loue made He was composed of pleasure and displeasure ¶ Wherfore be women compared to Proteus Bycause of their great inconstancie ¶ Tell me yf it were possible for Louers to chaunge them selues into many and diuerse formes as Proteus did In what forme were it best for them by wishing to remaine with their Ladies I would aduise them to become Satyres which haue their tayles harde and stiffe continuallie ¶ Wherof procedeth so many Bawdes Bicause many desire to depend of other rather then of them selues ¶ Howe is it possible for poore Louers to ende their trauels By dispaire neuer to be fortunate in Loue or neuer to enioye theffecte therof ¶ Why be yong hores commonlie olde bawdes To cause other to feele the pleasure which they whilom did feele them selues Or elles bicause they would that all other were like them selues that they might haue no cause wherof to be ashamed ¶ Ought she to be called a bawde which doeth the message without taking of money I saye that she doeth not deserue to weare that hoode considering it procedeth of pure pitie which she taketh vpon the weakenes and fragilitie of other ¶ What qualities ought one to haue to be a perfect bawde They muste sometimes be discrete and haue a respect to thinges sometimes they muste be importunate foreseing well speaking and that they maie and can consider both the time and condicions of the persons ¶ Falling into the handes of a pitilesse woman what were best to doe To absent him selfe from her and to passe ouer into some other countrie Or elles to haue her daylie before his eyes and to take occasion of trauell The surest thing is to absent him selfe farre of ¶ I desire to knowe yf the ordonaunces of Loue be reasonable or not The principall ordonaunces of Loue are that they loue equallie and that betwene the Louer and his Ladie there be nothing hidden And thus I esteme the ordonaunces of Loue to be verie reasonable seing that he vseth suche qualitie in thinges vnequall ¶ Doeth Loue vse his lawes with equitie or with rigor He that vnderstandeth them wel shal fynd that Loue continuallie hath vsed and doeth vse his ordonaunces with great equitie ¶ Be not the lawes of Loue subiect to other lawes The lawes of Loue be soueraigne aboue all other ¶ Are they contrarie to the lawes of Nature No they be rather conformable vnto them and be as it were one thing ¶ Maie Loue be called an excellent Phisician Nay rather a hurter of men for howe can he take vpon him the title of a Phisician that can not heale any other woundes but those that he him selfe maketh ¶ Of what power is the Scepter of Loue Able to make them liberall hardie and pacient that will followe his trace ¶ Yf loue procede of Idlenes howe can the same make men ingeniouse and wittie Loue hath alwaies done and yet doeth great miracles and therfore for him to do that is no great meruell ¶ Howe may Louers be moost truelie tearmed fooles or wise men I will call them wise yf they haue well set and placed their loue and by louing do not lose them selues Fooles I will also esteme them yf they loue the thing without reason measure that is not worthie to be beloued ¶ Wherof ryseth Ialousie It commeth to some of the feare that they haue to lose the thing that they moost loue To others to see that which they loue to loue another ¶ Who is moost Ialouse the man or the woman and which of them hath greatest occasion The woman is moost Ialouse but the man hath the greater occasion the reason therof and the cause I will kepe silent for this time ¶ Is the Ialouse person blinde or hath he a good iudgement to foresee If Ialousie be moderate it sharpeneth both the iudgement and sight in such wise as it seeth and knoweth all But yf it excede it is more confuse and blynde then a Moule ¶ Whom doth Ialousie become or whom doth it not become Ialousie is not comelie in him that hath experience of the faithfulnes of his Ladie but Ialousie is not vncomelie in him that is a newe Louer ¶ Thinke you that where loue is great there Ialousie may be great also Many doe thinke the contrarie bycause that the vehemencie of loue doeth so transport the person that he is neuer seperated from the thinge that he loueth ¶ Were it good for them that be Ialouse to dye without cause in that rage What should they feare more It should be well imployed ¶ Wherof commeth Ialousie Of enuie and loue ¶ Is the Ialouse man without iudgement Not alwaies considering that moost commonlie the scapes of Ladies are discouered and he is verie blinde that can not perceiue them ¶ What is the propertie of Ialousie It is to serue to a thousand deathes to prepare embushmentes for the honor of Ladies and to mingle in the middest of other pleasures poysones mischiefes and hatredes Doe ye thinke that Loue doeth onelie intrappe the light and tender hartes I doe thinke that it intrappeth all and there is none that is able to shut the gate against him ¶ Is it possible that a noble sprite for a small matter may be entrapped I beleue that it maie for euerie gentle spirite for eche litle trifle is inflamed whose noble and gentle mynd is subiect to Loue. ¶ Is it sufferable to falsifie faithe in loue Why not â—ith it is nourished onely with discept treason and falshod ¶ Is the seruice of Loue more troublesome then others In effect it is more weightie and troublesome but in will much more easie to be disgested ¶ What is it that pacifieth Louers in their greatest trauell It is Hope ¶ Wherfore doe they faine loue to be tyed to a piller of Iasper with a chayne of Diamonde and Topace dipped in the flodde Lethe To prouoke women to be pudike and chaste and to turne their eyes from the wanton allurementes which their louers be vse toward them ¶ Should the ingrate or vnkinde woman be beloued No because there can not be founde a worse vice then ingratitude Wherfore we ought to deme her hollie transformed into the nature of brute beastes ¶ Which is the trewest seruice in loue A stedfast and a constant faithe ¶ The Louer that is loued is he a seruant or a maister He is rather a seruant then a master for so muche as
Romanes clothed or armed according to their estate The wise man in a long gowne the souldior armed as Horatius Cocles in a goodly armure and Accius Nauius that excellent Southsayer in a longe gowne ¶ Of whence sprange the infamie of Perillus he being suche an excellent maker of ymages and pictures Because he applied al his cunning in making of a Bull of brasse therwith to please the cruell minde of Phalaris the Tiraunt wherein were rosted and executed those whom it pleased the Tiraunt that the crye of the executed person within was like to the lowinge of a Bull. But he was well paide for his labor for the Tirant marking that execrable deuise caused the saide Perillus to taste the first fruites of his workmanship ¶ Whervnto serueth Musicke To exercise the minde as the fence playe and dauncinge are proper exercises ¶ What was the cause that Pericles did obteine victorie against Nicias The knowledge in Astrologie For Pericles foreseing an eclips of the Sonne aduertised his people therof But Nicias hauing no knowledge in the saide science was with his Armie verie sore troubled and appalled ¶ What caused Driopas the Athenian to establishe this lawe That whosoeuer had conceaued any euill opinion of God shuld haue his hedde cut of Bicause there is no worse thing then to haue an euill opinion of him which hath made and mainteineth all thinges ¶ What maner of thinge is Religion It is the true knowledge of goddes owne seruice ¶ Wherfore did Alcibiades reiect all kinde of Musike sauing when he was at the Table at his meales Bicause Musike prouoked him to conceiue delight familierlie to talke at the Table ¶ A straunge Question wherof I would fayne be resolued One Stesichorus lying in his cradle a Nightingale lighted on his mouthe and songe vpon the same It was a presage that Stesichorus should proue an excellent singer ¶ What profite bringeth Musike to him that hath delight in the same It sharpeneth the sprite not onely to knowe the harmonie of the voice but also it maketh the person to haue a better iudgement to indite eyther in rime or prose ¶ What is true Philosophie The knowledge of goodnes and howe to liue well ¶ Howe many partes hath Philosophie Three wherof one consisteth in the knowledge of the vniuersall nature of thinges the other in the knowledge of man and the thirde in mutuall talke Which partes be well allowed by the Philosopher Plato ¶ Howe happened it that Numa Pompeius being a man of meane state and conditions arriued to the degree of one of the Romane kinges Religion was the cause in such wise as all that he spake and sayd by reason of his holines was thought to procede from the goddesse Egeria with whom he laie as the Romans helde opinion ¶ Wherfore was Tullus Hostilius another of the Romane kinges soudenlie stroken with a flashe of lightning For that he made not his sacrifices to Iupiter in suche deuocion and ceremonies as did apperteine ¶ For what occasion were Uirgines in olde time more estemed then they be at this present Bicause they were supposed to be indued with the spirite of prophesie which manifestlie did appeare by those maydens called Sibillae ¶ Howe chaunceth it that Virgil hath praised Aeneas â–ª with this Epitheton In signem pietate virum Commending him onely for his pietie towardes the Goddes Bicause Religion and pietie conteine in them all kinde of vertues ¶ What caused the Poetes to vse so many fictions and inuentions To allure men to abandon their barbarouse conditions and brute behauiors and to tourne them selues to vertue and her exercises ¶ What was the cause of the deathe of Ciâ—na Bicause he was cruell towardes his souldiors and constreined them to fight perforce and by compulcion ¶ What is Pacience A voluntarie suffraunce in thinges difficult for loue of honor and profi◠¶ What is constancie It is a vertue which conserueth good counsell and maketh a man perseuer in honorable dedes ¶ What is Opinion It is a staie fixed eyther in dede or worde which maketh vs obstinatelye to followe our fansie althoughe it be without reason onely to be superior in all controuersies ¶ What is Iustice After the minde of the Aunciente Poetes it is a celestiall vertue powred downe from God into our sprites that we might the better honor loue and sanctifie him as aucthor of all thinges and therfore Princes were for good respect called of Homere Iupiters scholers ¶ What is the propertie of Iustice To loue and honor God aboue all thinges and our neighbour as our selfe ¶ Howe many kindes of Iustice be there Foure that is to saie Diuine Naturall Ciuill and Iudiciall ¶ Of what thinges is the world gouerned By rewarde and punishment ¶ What is deuine Iustice It is that which maketh vs to acknowledge god to be our creatour the beginning and ende of all thinges and him of whom all creatures receiue lyfe without participation of mortall thinges ¶ What is naturall Iustice It is all waies one in all men and varieth nothing through the diuersitie of Regions and Nacions being alwaies conuenable to Nature And as diuine Iustice sheweth the dewtie towardes God euen so naturall Iustice is subiect to the satisfaction of nature The disciples of Socrates affirmed that naturall Iustice is a knowledging of good iuste thinges and agreable to naturall reason which thing whosoeuer doeth vse shall become good of him selfe ¶ What is Ciuile Iustice It is apperteining to a Prince or Magestrate whose office is to prouide that the people be wel ruled and gouerned and that no harme be done vnto the place wherof he hath the rule ¶ What is Iudiciall Iustice That consisteth in being reasonable to all men and to discerne the iuâ—â—e 〈◊〉 the vniuste ¶ What is properlie the nature of a wicked man To be harde cruell and vnwilling to receiue good counsell to reioyce at other mens euill to suffer no man paciently to be angrie to here them to be praised suche as not onely haue done them pleasure but also those which be vtterly vnknowen vnto them Suche were Pirron and Eraclitus Philosophers Tymon of Athens Marius Coriolanus Phocion Lucius Crassus which was slaine by the Persians Cato Scipio the great and Caligula ¶ Why were Aâ—hilles and Sylla reprehended for their victories Bicause they were cruell and insolent towardes their Enemies when they had ouercome them The contrary did Cesar Alexandre Hanniball Anâ—onius Aegesilaus all which wer greatly praised for their victories ¶ Before whom is it lawefull for a man to vaunt him selfe of well doyng Before the valiaunt or before them that knowe him not or haue smale knowledge what vertue is ¶ Why was Meteâ—lus despised For being to muche desirouse to haue surpassed Sertorius to whom notwithstanding he was noâ— comparable in valiaunce ¶ Howe ought a man to vse the goodes of Fortune That they may become subiect to man and not man to them folowing the verse of Horace Et mihi res