gratious and ingenious vayle then vnder rhe colours of your visitation proffers ingenuities and courtesies E. I seeke nothing else but to confirme the same by some new signe of the obseruance of my seruice and auncient deuotion A. True friends may well suffer many accidents but not alienate their friendship E. Our amity hath taken such deepe root and strong foundation in my heart as neither distance of place nor length of time can neuer shake it A. I am little able in any thing but onely in loue the which is such that as the soule is immortall so is it immortall as also is the occasion thereof E. And I may well doe as any other man doth change state but not thought vary in Fortune but not in affection change the world but not my soule nor my heart A. Such is mine also E I am so perswaded but you must conceiue that as of nothing nothing comes so whatsoeuer is brought forth cannot be nourished without some meanes and hereupon friendship wauers vnder the burden of a long silence and therefore if it haue taken deepe root it displaces it selfe by diuers meanes that is with visitations letters with salutations and true complements A. But I would rather thinke with benefits E. These remaine not in euery bodies power neither can we alwaies ensnare a mans heart with liberalities but rather with courtesie amourous actions and other such like offices A. True loue acts best and complies least doth much and speakes little E. And how can the operations thereof be acceptable when it operates without the grace of complement A. The operation adornes it selfe and sets forth all E. True loue is neuer reputed by doing much so that with the hands the tongue ioyne and with the tongue the heart A. I yeeld vnto you in all things but in loue but herein I am neuer satisfied E. Loue is like the scab or itch which from him that hath eyes cannot be concealed and therefore it is no meruaile though my affection haue found it in you A. You are full of loue and courtesie E. And you are full of loue and replenish me with all ioy A. Your loue towards me can frame no other words then those which it selfe speakes E. I speake euen from my heart for to speake with Art sweet breuity fained crouchings and perfumed kissing of the hand I bequeath and yeeld them to the louers of the Court to Knights and Romancers with their Ladies and Mistresses A. Although I be not gold of the Refiners yet as you see I am not of any other mettall but whatsoeuer I am I am altogether sincere pure and not the Philosophers stone so much dreamt vpon E. With the delicious bait of loue you euen rauish me beyond my selfe and with the perpetuall loue of being bound vnto you which is the happy extasie desired of you and fortunate bond that makes me happy A. Interest doth not carie mee away sir I giue my selfe to my friends and am not sold with the price of loue with which I contend to buy them with a large and bountifull hand E. That vertue sir which makes you to demerit the selfe same makes you meritorious of loue and of euery ones esteeme A. The like sir doth yours so as you need no meanes to make your selfe beloued or estimable because your selfe sufficeth and is able by this meanes to make amiable and estimable whomsoeuer you loue E. I being like a troubled and blacke spring I finde in my selfe nothing but loue and fidelity the which I wholly impart vnto you A. You talking vnto mee sir with that part wherewith you loue me you cannot but speake louingly E. Your words doe flow from Platoes schoole where loue is the Philosopher and Philosophie the louer A. I pray you suffer me to be a schoâ—ler in such a schoolle of loue euen as in all other disciplines I take you for a Doctor E. I perceiue you will confound me with wit and dexteritie but yet I le confound you with loue A. This is an excellent course of subduing without fight E. In all reason one must speake with a Louers tongue where there is great correspondencie of loue A. I liue wholly yours sir and ouercome he that will I le neuer change my hiew E. Your sweet words doe not onely discouer you for a louer but also to be amiable and nothing but loue A. He whose minde is full of loue can speake no words but such as are able to inamour euery one E. Euen as out of a troubled minde there comes nothing but inke and vncleanenesse which conuerts into the sweat of anguish so a minde full of loue produceth nothing but loue A. Euery effect is like to his cause from liuely fire there can proceede nothing but flame E I loue you certainly and loue you vndoubtedly from my heart A. I will onely say and speake little in respect of my obligation and bond euen mine owne minde is yours and to the end this may appeare vouchsafe to be mine in some part E. To the end that suspition entering fidelity may not be expelled I will say that I being likewise yours one liueth by another and the other by one A. I first loued you because you were vertuous but now I loue you out of a reciprocall mutuall loue E. At first you loued mee without knowledge which was not a loue of grace and fauour but now loue mee for fauour and gratitude thus I loue you but yet much more by reason of your higher demerit A. Your loue howsoeuer I preserue in the store-house of my heart for the nourishment of my soule and I will esteeme it for a great part of mine owne life E. I should acknowledge my selfe but too much bound if this obligation were not a making of mee yours by necessitie whereas I am yours by naturall affection A. My obligation is the greater by how much I am farre off from deseruing the same E. Your words doe euen sparkle from the Anuill of loue I know them by their temper and sound A. Sir vvith your pleasing conceites you still make open and plaine vnto me the way of Loue. E. The wound of Loue breaths forth oftentimes amorous heate but the vvound of the breast breathes forth sweete and amorous affection A. Sir vvith your ingenious accents you doe so beate and reuerberate on my stonie vvit as you send certaine sodaine sparkles of Loue the vvhich the more ardent they are the more they remaine depriued of splendor and brightnesse E. It delights me much that thus one thing after another you recreate me vvith your diuine wit A. To measure another mans demerits out of our owne curtesie and to behold them with the spectacles of affection maketh the most contemptible flyes to appeare Elephants and so on the contrary E. By the light of your vertues I hope I shall not so easily stumble A. I make no doubt but you are proud with your tongue to commend mee as you are ready to
is imprinted in our hearts neyther is it eyther learned or taught but euen in humane hearts without any maister Nature of her selfe doth print it with her owne hand and when shee commandeth heauen must obey much more this lower earth Let vs therefore follow Nature and let vs loue the Sunne goes downe and shines againe so short a light is quickly coucht and hid eternall night hasts on eternall sleepe and man hath no truer ioy then louing A. Let others pursue the delights of Loue if so in Loue a man may finde delight I shall no doubt finde pleasures far more firme E. Oh sir you know not yet what force loues fire hath in an humane breast which is a breast of flesh and not of stone as yours seemes to me to be A. I know too much and therefore iustly say Pittie is but crueltie to one that is more cruell then all others E. A sweete but cruell yoake of seruitude Loue surely is Afflictions past and perils seeme but sweet they sauour all things to the Louers taste A. The Louers state is doubtlesse very hard for let him turne him round about and hee shall heare nothing which doth not both daunt terrifie him and a Louers hope is nothing else but when one euill is past to expect a greater E. Will you liue so sloathfully without content the man that loues onely knowes delight A. One safety Louers haue which is despaire for hopes doe for the most part vndoe them and they liue wretched in misery they haue vaine hopes and yet most certaine griefes with doubtfull performance in their promises neyther doth any man lend his helping hand to the tossed and perplexed minde of a louer E. Loue onely is a most quiet peace without all molestation which Loue can kill and heale Loue with delights doth prick and then annoint a wound of Loue will cure the darts deepe wound A. Death is the onely medicine for the heart and yet that loue is most quicke which from affliction springs neuer let him vaunt that I am one of his nor out his kingdome let him set his foote E. Loue turnes bitter things into sweete and teares to ioy sweete angers and sweete peace as sweete disdaines sweete ill sweete griefe and burden that is most light sweete speech and sweetly heard with outward eare when from her mouth it comes and in her eyes is read A. Each one the paine feeles of his louing well and eyther loue or death his pennance is Loue hath euer beene an enemie vnto man and therefore the Poet saith oh happie man so in my death this plague reach not so farre as to infect darke hell E. Vexe not your selfe the sweete tempers the sower for Loue it selfe doth heale the wound of Loue but more if onely once your selfe might taste the thousand part of all those endlesse ioyes which doth the louing heart beloued againe then grieuing you would sigh and say I doe account all the time to be lost that is not spent in Loue oh yeeres now fled and gone How many widdow-nights how many solitarie dayes haue I spent in vaine that might haue beene employed in this vse which is more sweet the oftner it is replyed A. When riuers shall both sigh and turne vnto their fountaines or Wolues shall flye from Lambes or the gray-hound from the fearefull Hare when Beares shall loue the sea or the Dolphin the Alpes and when from Plants sighes may be heard then to be a Louer I will be content E. Will you be so cruell vnto your selfe as to denie so high contentment vnto your selfe in taking from her the labour of denying it you A. I call her an enemie whom you call a louer and that briefe content a great pennance E. There is in Loues necessitie no Law me let my Mistresse entertaine after short prayers and seruice short or peace or truce restoring both our hearts A. Ah it is a false sweete flitting good The treacherous world can giue vnto a man That doth in it repose his confidence Wherein no peace is nor stabilitie E. T is a prouerbe olde loue him that loues againe A. The youthfull heart enamoured Now smiles then weepes now feares then is secure And when he would not doth repent his fault But farre from loue remou'd from torments all E. I doubt some pleasing enuie doth you tempt A. We cannot thinke this to be enuies case seeing deere is the loue that gets both heart and gold and doe you not remember the saying a Louer mony-lesse no other seemes then like a scholler without bookes a Pilot without skill a Fencer blinde a Warriour without Armes E. That whore may goe to the Hospitall that prostitutes her selfe and will not scrape For little pleasure he suffers great paine that lets his Bagpipe out vpon credite who ere thou wert that first didst learne teach to sel proud loue accursed be thy state thy buried ashes and thy bones so cold and towards them inhumane be all men not saying passing by remaine in peace the raine them wet and let the winde them scatter Heards tread on them with feet vncleane and strangers eke for thou didst first corrupt Loues true Nobilitie thou his sweet delights didst bitter make Loue mercenarie Loue seruant vnto gold a Monster huge most sauage and more terrible then either earth or waues of Sea brings forth why crie I thus in vaine let each one vse those armes by nature graunted vnto him for greater safetie so the Hart may runne the Lyon vse his pawes the foamie Boare his tuskes in women beautie and comelinesse are force and Armes wherewith to ouercome We because we vse not to our good this violence Nature hath made vs apt to offer violence rapines to commit A. Admit that women were an hell a fire a flame most visible to such a perill would you expose your selfe E. What ere she were gentle were she faire more bold I would be goe more readily then the wounded Hart doth to the fountaine cleare I would not feare midst fire flame to goe yea into hell or yet in hell to liue if hell may be where things so faire are seene to taste that which once tasted oft inuites to tast so my liking there for to possesse as it might ready be vnto my will A. Who can finde good except he seeke it out and danger t is that thing for to finde out which may well please yet torments enough containing griefe enough in fading ioyes I know not whether the great bitternesse that a man seruing and louing feeles lamenting dispairing may fully sweetned be by a present ioy but if more deere it is and if good doth after euill sweeter taste of Loue I le neuer require this greater happinesse Let him in this sort others happy make I haue already wept and burnt enough let others haue their share I not desire that which must cost our sinfull soules so deare E. Loue will enforce him that is cold in
will A. He that is farre off cannot enforced be and all wounds neuer so great remotion cures E. Who languisheth in loue A. Who seares or flies away E. What booteth flight from him that winged is A. Growing loue hath but shortwings and scarcely they hold him vp neither displayes he them in flight E. Man sees not when Loue gins to grow and when he sees he 's great and takes his flight A. No if before hee neuer saw him grow Loue finally doth but consume our time or loue our soule doth first consume and waste and thus your euils haue no remedie but after martirdome a cruell death E. Seeing you a courser or swift dogge would be I tell you from my heart I doe protest that when I shall see you to call for helpe I will not moue one step to afford you ayde one finger one word nor one onely eye-brow A. Doe what you please let Loue vse all his Art I sweare hee shall neuer obtaine my heart E. You are more worthy of pittie then of enuie you hold my my counsailes now I see in scorne vse at my reasons iest but time will come when you will repent not to haue followed them for then you vvill auoyde those Christles vvherein now you looke your selfe not so deformed to behold A. Loue shall no more torment me as before I neuer heard nor saw a stranger thing more foolish passion cruell and importunate then that of Loue As frost to plants and scorching heat to flowers haile to the corne and vvormes vnto the seede nets vnto Harts and lyme vnto the birdes so Loue an enemie to man hath alwayes beene And he that called him fire vvell vnderstood his nature vvicked and perfidious for if we looke on fire how faire it seemes if it we touch how cruell the vvorld hath not a more cruell Monster then it it deuoures as a wilde beast and as fire it burnes and vvastes and flieth like the vvinde and vvhere hee sets but his imperious foot all force must yeeld and other power giue place No otherwise Loue if thou it doest behold in two faire eyes or in the tressed lockes oh how it pleaseth seemes and doth allure vvhat ioy it breathes and peace it promiseth but if too neare you draw and tempt it much so as it spread and gather further force no Tyger hath Hircania nor yet Libia a Lyon so cruell or pestiferous Snake that vanquish or yet equall can his crueltie More cruell then hell or yet then death it selfe to pittie enemie of wrath then instrument In fine of Loue Loue quite depriued E. Loue 's like a knife which if you take in that part vvhere for humane vse the hand it holdes the vser it doth good but take it by the edge it oft brings death A. The Bee 's but little yet with his little sting he troublesome and grieuous wounds doth make but what is lesse then little God of Loue In times each moment he creepes in and 's hid in euery little space now vnder the shaddow of the eye-browes then amidst the little Frizels of a faire haire otherwhiles vvithin little dimples that sweet smiles often frame in a faire cheeke And yet so great so mortall and so deepe his vvounds are and eke so remedilesse Alas a Louers bowels nought are else but all wounds and bloudy sight most cruell Loue yea more then cruell and impious E. Alas man doth not oftentimes see all The law most sure vvith which Loue His Empire gouerneth eternally Is not hard nor crooked and his workes Are full of prouidence of misterie WhoÌ„ others wrongfully condemne oh with what Art And by wayes how vnknowne he leades A man to be happy and amid'st ioyes On the top and height of all contentment In Paradise of loue he placeth him When he at bottome thinkes himselfe of ill Wherefore from loue no errour doth proceede A. Oh goodly age of gold not because the riuers ranne with milke and the Woods distilled honey not because the earth yeelded her fruits not being cut vp with the plough and serpents had neither malice nor poyson nor the world did not yet feare poyson nor sword Not because no thicke cloud did then display his vaile but in an eternall spring-time which now doth burne and freese the skie euen smiled in continuall serenitie and light neither did the strange vessell then bring warre or ware to forraine shoares Not in any of these respects but onely because that vaine title without any subiect that Idoll of errour and of deceite that proud and idle sound that vnprofitable subiect of flatteries titles and deceites that which by the vaine vulgar was afterwards called honor Then was he not a Tyrant ouer our mindes but afterwards when he grew to tyrannize ouer our Nature for the vvicked Tyrant of our Nature did not then mingle his sorrowes amongst the sweet contents of the amorous flockes Neither was his hard law yet knowne to those soules inured to liberty But a most happie and golden law engrauen by Nature What liketh is lawfull They held fidelity for a law Then amongst flowers and brookes mixing entertainments with vvhisperings and whisperings vvith kâ—sses clasping close together Louers had then their hearts in their words The naked virgin dâ—scouered her fresh Roses which now keepe hidden vnder a vaile Thou honour first didst couer and stop vp the fountaine of delights denying vvater to amorous thirst Thou taughtest faire eyes first to be retired in themselues and to keepe their beauties secret from others Thou drawest into the net the lockes formerly dispersed in the ayre thou mad'st all sweet and amorous gestures seeme skittish and froward Thou puttest a bridle on vvords and Art on steps now thy false reason vvhich Winters amongst the cloudes of sence hath shut vp heauen from our sight Moreouer thou vvicked Impe didst couer vvith thy filthie delights the soules beautie and didst shew a vvay how to nourish the thirst of desires vvith coy countenances loosing afterwards the raynes to secret impunities and so like an extended net vnder flowers and scattered leaues thou concealest vvanton thoughts vvith holy and demurish gestures thou valewest 〈◊〉 goodnesse by apparance and the life by an artificiall â—orme neither caâ—â—st thou but takest it for honour that Loue be stollen so it may be hidden in secret It is therefore thy vvorke onely O honour that that is now theâ—t vvhich formerly vvas the free gift of Loue. And thy noble and famous deedes are no other but our miseries and laments And to conclude it is most true that honestie briefly is become no other then an Art of seeming honest and honestie is growne an humane subtiltie for there is no such secure theft of Loue of no so closely coucht as that vvhich lies hid vnder the vaile of fained honestie And a vvoman vnaccompanied and slightly guarded is too vveake a defence against youthfull heat E. The vvorthie vvell-borne minde scornes to haue any more trustie guardian ouer her then her owne honour
I meane a faire woman which commeth to meete vs. A. Oftentimes so much the vvorse by how much the more faire a bad augurie of a bad thing God helpe vs. E. What doe you feare it may be such a gracious encounter A. What faithfull soule vvould not feare feeling his bloud tickle in euery small veine Therefore Dauid saith Turne away mine eies that they see not vanitie and Salomon Turne away mine eies from a faire woman E. They kill the liuing and reuiue the dead But be merrie for she is not lesse faire then courteous ha ha doe you behold her A. I doe indeede looke vpon her but with an honest minde and standing farre off To stand farre off from my extreamest losse E. What I thinke you haue alwaies had an amorous breast and perswading my selfe that not onely in the Theoricke but rather in the Practick you know what a thing Loue is I am determined in my selfe to demand of you what it should be to the end that I might be able to moderate my selfe in the Labirinth thereof A. A man can hardly expect the true definition of Loue from a false and olde Louer alreadie vvaxen gray in the troubles of the vvorld and not in vvomens loue Notwithstanding I will tell you according to Orpheus and others that Loue is a great GOD rather as Diuine Petrarch sayth the triumpher ouer the other Gods a God aboue all Gods Hence with Tasso in his Amintas Not onely a God Oth'woods or of the common sort of Gods But mongst the celestials a most potent one Who oftentimes makes fall from Mars his hand The bloudy sword and Neptune forceth eke That Maker of the earth his trident for to leaue And thundring Iupiter his lightnings all forsake And others for breuity I omit E. Euripides addeth yet that Loue is the most auncient God of all the rest and most pleasing to mortall men therefore others called it youthfull tender and delicate A. And Ansimacus answereth that good loue is concord but bad discord Zeno called it the God of friendship peace and concord and Picus Athaneus affirmeth that the Auncients haue made him a great God and farre off all filthinesse E. I remember that I haue reade that the Athenians did erect the statua of Loue in their vniuersitie dedicated to Pallas to note that he was a most wise God and that those of Samos haue consecrated a Schoole vnto him and they call his feast the feast of liberty A. Theâ—phrastus painted out Loue with two bowes one of the which he is said to vse in good fortune and the other in killing the vnhappy and vnfortunate louers E. Socrates and Plato concluded that loue was rather a great Diuell then a great God and that it was not faire like the other Gods nor yet eternall but a meane betwixt the faire and foule things and betwixt the mortall and immortall from whence others defined it to be a desire of fairenesse and because euery desire presupposeth a priuation I may say that it was depriued of faire things A. Mee thinkes Aristofanes in his Pythagorista said very well teaching that loue was excluded from the counsell of the other Gods as seditious and a disturber of the peace and that in scorne his winges were cut off that hee might no more returne into heauen but was forced to dwell amongst the men of the world men of wickednesse and villanie like himselfe E. The Phisitians call it a certaine infirmitie which as others is often cured by fasting drunkennesse and letting of bloud A. The naturall Philosophers call it the first affection of matter vvhich being imperfect and vvithout forme desireth perfection and forme E. Aristophanes reciteth in his Fables that men by the anger of Iupiter vvere disioyned and euery one brought into halfe which halfe seeketh alwayes to vnite it selfe vnto the other part and so be made perfect A. If vvee would imitate Lucretius wee should call it a desire of being transported the louing desiring to passe into the thing loued and Hiorotheus calleth it a certaine in-bred vertue by vvhich the superiour things haue the prouidence of the inferiour and the inferiour lift themselues vp to the superiour and being made equall ioyne themselues E. Some iudge Loue to be a stretching forth by vvhich the good vvill extendeth it selfe towards the thing beloued and desired A. Others call it that first suffering and that first pleasure which wee haue when the thing wee desire commeth to our sight and delighteth vs. E. Plotinius said that it was an action of the soule that desired what is good and Dante a gentle heart and vvee vvill say that Loue is the same Pâ—trarch saith sometimes one thing sometimes another A. Bembus a gracious and free-vvill and Hanniball of Ferara a great perturbation of the minde stirred vp by a knowne beautie by a certaine hidden conformitie of Nature that the louing hath vvith the thing loued resoluing vvith a desire of vniting themselues in faire and perfect Loue. E. And not farre from the purpose did the Knight Guirinus paint it out saying A rare and wonderfull Monster of humane And diuine aspect Blinde in sight in wisedome also mad In sense and vnderstanding In reason and desire the confus'd aspect Wherefore to goe no farther we will content our selues with the Plantonicall sentence and his followers they holding Loue to be a wonderfull God faire a louer of good and honestie of his owne nature And another added that Loue was that vvhich giueth peace and tranquillitie to the Sea quietnesse to the vvindes a secured bed to the creatures it remoueth clownishnesse reconcileth discord vniteth friendship enduceth good vvill exterminateth vvildnesse maketh to liue againe the dead mindes comforteth the wearied spirits restoreth the famished soules and doth not onely make happie the vvhole life but also rendereth it perfectly blessed vvherefore vvee vvill conclude vvith Diogenes Areopagita that Loue is a good circle perpetually reuolued from good to good But that vvee may haue a new definition what doe you call it A. Although heretofore in my vnguided age Loue did onely binde mee vvith such a burning knot and more then cruell hit mee vvith so deepe a vvound that it set me for a marke for the arrowes as snow to the Summer Sunne or as vvaxe to the fire or like a cloude in front of an impetuous vvinde so that I vvas become not lesse vvearie then hoarse louing turning hoping demaunding pittie and ayde from my Mistresse vvho fained her selfe cruell in vvhom outwardly there appeared no commiseration euery vvoman well borne hauing by nature shamefastnesse but not cruelty wherefore if much be consumed by her beauty she like a Bee hurting dieth and if to the naturall feare there be ioyned good manners and honestie blushing to giue a certainty desireth that the Louer choose rather to die valiant then a coward And vse in greater enterprises greater boldnes For Shamefastnesse holdeth in weake Loue But is a weake bridle of a potent Loue. The vvoman
desiring that our delight be also our theft our rauishing and not her gift and if the Louer see a Gentlewoman flâ—e let him know that shee flieth not as a Doe but as a Dame to the end shee may at a time more opportune at better ease and in a place more commodious be catched clipped and embraced vvhich femine Art I not yet knowing in first my beginning so vnwarily I did remaine wailed with Loue that with the Poet I might truly say I finde not peace and yet I cannot warre I feare yet hope I burne yet still am Ice I soare towards heauen yet still remaine on earth I nought retaine yet all the world embrace Such one hath me in prison that neither opes nor shuts She neither makes me hers nor yet she lets me goe Loue doth not kill me and yet giues me life It neither will I liue nor yet be gone from hence I see yet want my eyes I haue no tongue and crie And seeke my end and yet I call for ayde I hate my selfe and others I desire I feed with griefe and laugh when I lament Both life and death displease me equally Mistresse in this estate I liued for your sake In which state perseuering for a great vvhile in that affliction whets on the vnderstanding I grew so vvarie in amorous exercises that Philosophizing most amorously within my selfe I miserably began to vaunt vvith the Poet saying thus to my selfe I know how the heart is from it selfe disioyn'd And would conceale all griefe though prickt it be I know the serpent lurketh mongst the grasse Twixt two I wake and sleepe as serpents doe Not languishing yet languish I and die I can a friend choose out and know full well How a Louer is transform'd into his loue Midd'st sighes profound and laughters very short I haue beene forc'd to change my will and hiew And also life my soule from hurt disioyn'd A thousand times a day my selfe I change My fire I follow where so eu'r she flies To burne farre off and freeze full hard neere hand In fine a little sweet with great bitternesse Loue doth repay But at last opening my eyes and discerning though too late all that past my vvhole force being vnited and knit together about my heart and subiugating my sence to my vnderstanding and to right reason euery inward ill gouerned feminine affection as also shaking off from my necke the vnhappie yoake of Loue. I said of a seruant thou art now become free neuer mayest thou hereafter be a vassall to blinde Loue nor a seruant to an instable vvoman and choose rather to dye then to vndergoe seruitude so that I may say Loue came vpon me but conioyned me not to himselfe and herevpon growing old in hatred I could better define it then Loue yet notwithstanding for your satisfaction I wil say thus much that Loue is no other then a passion that gouernes the heart and by that which I haue concluded Loue is all in all though in truth it be nothing because none can be bound except hee will himselfe and therefore the Poet saith Loue reasons bridle no wayes doth respect And he that sees is vanquisht by the will E. But if it be not Loue as you say what then is that which so pricketh humane hearts and so if Loue it be who and what manner of thing is he whether good or bad if good whervpon comes hee to be so cruell and mortall and if bad how comes all his torments to be so sweete and if it be in our power and that we burne but out of our owne wils from whence grow our complaints and lamentations and if a louer complaine whether he will or no to what end are these complaints A. Herevpon you know that Loue is a liuing death and a delightsome voluntary and vnuoluntarie euill for out of the first consent the louer feeding himselfe with vaine hopes and and perseuering in this consent hee suffers voluntarily and so suffering contrary to his expectation he suffers against his owne will and therefore if hee complaine hee complaineth wrongfully yet neuerthelesse not to leaue you altogether doubtfull I will adde thus much That as the kindes of loue are different from their meanes and end so wee may easily iudge which is each one in particular as for diuine Loue and the loue of our neighbour I leaue the definition thereof to Diuines and Cannonists although I can briefely shew you that one is the loue of honour and the other a loue or desire of some good but the loue of louers is a passion that inclines the louer to the person beloued or an inward affection that alwayes produceth diuers effects towards the beloued obiect and therevpon a learned man said Iactor crucior agitor stimulor in amoris rota nullam mentem animi habeo vbisum ibi non sum And another the louer is neuer without the lamentable passions of Loue vaine desires vncertaine hopes foolish cogitations vrgent sorrowes anger disdaine furie teares despights follies wreakes iealousies reuenges with a thousand other vanities and therefore not without some reason was Loue painted in forme of a foolish and vaine boy naked in his simplicitie winged in his flight from all best contentments blind-fold in his reprochfull conuersation and in briefe as a God not that he is such an one indeed there being but one onely God but in that man suffering himselfe wholy to be gouerned by passion he is altogether subiect to the same and obeyes the same as his God who in spight of his teeth gouernes him and rules him at his pleasure And hereupon the Poet in his triumph of Loue faineth such men to be bound and Loue to be their Conductor nay their God and the number of them to be greater that follow sense then of those that follow reason and vnderstanding because Where Loue triumphes true vertue conquereth not Such not being able with their outward force to testifie this flame where inward vertue and wisedome is wanting the Poet addes Gainst whom nor shield nor helmet doth preuaile And afterward to shew their great number Innumerable mortals round about And who these be imitating amorous Ouid Otia si tollas periere Cupidinis artes He thus deciphered him Loue That borne he was of humane idlenesse Nourisht with pleasant and delightfull thoughts The onely Lord of people fond and vaine And Tasso Content thou liuest O Thyrsis more then euer and yet liu'st idlely And loue from idlenesse doth alwayes spring And Caualiere Guirinus O Goddesse and yet Goddesse thou art none Except of people idle blinde and vaine Who with mindes vnpure Religion foolish and prophane Altars and Temples to thee consecrate E. Though all this be most true yet me thinks a man is worthy to be excused for doe but obserue how the sight of that proud woman that comes toward vs doth excite one questionlesse she is very faire nay More faire I thinke her then the
sighes that the mother of furie and tempest the World may well her call and not a woman or the life of man in her tongue such flattering words shee hath and in her lips a certaine friendly grinne but in her bosome a rasor and deceite and with her gestures sweete and countenance she doth more then Circe or Medea did by Art and with her Sirens voyce in her harmonies she brings asleepe the mindes most vigilant A woman leaueth no Art vntride How in her nets the Louer she may catch Neyther with all nor yet the selfe-same meanes She obserues but with time changes gesture countenance Sometimes as modest she shewes retyred lookes Then she reuolues it amorous full of desire With some the spur shevseth the bridle with others she adoperates Euen as in loue she sees them quicke or slow If one she see that would retire his soule From her loue and in distrust hastens his thoughts away She casts vpon him a louing smile and in sweete rowlings Casteth her eyes ioyfull and faire vpon him And thus such slow and timerous desires She forward spurs heartning the doubtfull hope And thus enflaming amorous wils She melts that snow that causeth frozen feare To another who his disdaines doth boldly intimate Conducted by the captaine rash and blinde Of her sweete words and eyes she sparing is Stirring vp in them both feare and reuerence Yet in disdaine wherewith her brow is chargde Some beame of pittie doth at sometimes shine So as he feares but may no wayes despaire And the prouder she more his desire may be Sometimes shee will retire her selfe apart Her gestures fainde her count'nance counterfaite As sorrowfull and teares into her eyes She often drawes and after driues them in And by these artes in meane while to lament A thousand simple soules she doth inuite And in the fire of pittie darts of Loue She tempers with such strong armes how can the hart but perish Then as she fled from all her former thoughts And meant to stirre vp new conceiued thoughts Towards her louers her steps she moues and wordes Adorning and clothing her brow with chearefulnesse And like a double Sunne she sends forth beames From her faire face and heauenly smiles Vpon the thicke clouds of griefe and those obscure Which gathered were before about her breast But while thus she sweetly speakes and smiles With double ioyes inebriating sense Euen from the heart their soules she doth diuide Not formerly invr'd to such exceeding ioyes Ah cruell Loue who equally dost kill With honey or hemlocke that thus dispensed is Mongst vs and thy medicines and euils Equally at all times to vs mortall are Midst diuers tempers thus in frost and fire In smiles and teares betweene pale feares and hopes She enforceth all their condition and thus a sport Deceitfull woman seemes to take of them If any then with fearefull trembling sound Doth dare his torments to decipher out She faines her selfe in loue rude and vnexpert And not to see the soule laid open to her words Or else her eyes bashfull and bending downe Shee colours and adornes with fained honestie So she conceales her rigid frosts Vnder the Roses that her lookes doe couer Euen as in the morning houres more fresh We see Aurora in her springing time The rednesse of disdaine together comming forth With modestie with which she all doth mingle confound But if she first perceiue in humane gesture He goes about to discrie her kindled flames Then shee him shuns and flyes againe she will Giue him meanes of speech in an instant take it from him againe And so the whole day she leads him in vaine error When weary and deluded at last she takes it away againe And so like an hunter he remaines who in the euening Looseth the steps of his pursued game These are the Arts wherewith a thousand soules She doth by stealth take and entangle Yea the steps they are whereinto she hales him And makes him seruant vnto cruell Loue. What meruaile then though fierce Achilles stout Was a pray to Loue Theseus or Hercules And he that girt his sword for Iesus sake Were sometimes ensnar'd in wicked womans toyles E. Be it as it will a woman loues and would be beloued and if in Loue shee be foolish or ioyneth Art with Loue this she doth out of a naturall instinct A. She loues indeed but how In an instant shee loues and vnloues and vnderstand no childe so ready is to change his will nor dust nor feathers cannot lighter be no Spring in seasons so vnpleasant is as a woman toward her Louer vnstable is Woman is a creature deceitfull garrulous shee wils and nils and foolish is that man who trusts in her for woman surely is no other thing then impious flattery fraud and wicked deceipt And alwayes shee is by nature mouable wherefore I know that in this amorous state a womans hart doth not perpetuate If hard shee seeme it is but to deceiue most cruell Loue woman wicked and cruell more then a beast oh how her name of woman here befits borne onely for preiudice how much he saw and knew that it imposed The woods hide Serpents Lyons and fell Beares within their verdure and shee within her breast hides hatred all impietie and disdaine and as I said by nature shee is more mouable then chaffe in winde more then the tops of the bending eare of corne The enterprise I had rather vndertake to tame an Heyfer Tyger or a Beare then to loue a stiffe and mutable disposition feminine E. In very short space she is angry and in as short well pleased A. She burnes and freezeth at her owne free will perfidious and vnchaste sometimes a louer otherwhiles an enemie for of a mind so much vnconstant the loue I lightly esteeme and lesse her disdaine and if her loue be vaine as vaine is the disdaine of her hard heart Woman that is euer reasons enemie the onely framer of bad stolne actions the soules corruption Load-starre to men and of this foolish world And from whence proceedes all this but because shee is nothing but lyes from top to foote And why all lyes but because shee is a gulph without bottome and neuer can be satisfied E. Pittie on her that in courtesie deserues pittie our life is here too short to be past ouer in one onely loue men surely are too auaritious be it their defect or else their crueltie towards women of their fauours kinde women so much the dearer are so much more acceptable by how much more fresh and beautifull Take from them beautie and fresh youth like the emptie Bee-hiues they remaine without combes without honey and as contemned withered trunckes and yet others know not how nor cannot auoid so many incommodities And very much different from the condition of man is that of miserable woman The older a man becomes the perfecter he growes if beautie faile wisedome he purchaseth whereas in them with beautie and with youth by which
who made a common Stewes of his Palace and the foole himselfe was apparrelled like an harlot vsing looking-glasses both before and behind that so he might more compleatly behold all venereous gestures and actions E. Peraduenture this beast vvas trayned vp in the practise of those infamous fashions and to put in vre the diuersitie of propostitutions of that miserable vvretch pictured of Aretine A. Proculus the Emperour lost no time in these ceremonies who in fifteene dayes got with childe an hundred Sarmatian women E. What say you to Circus maximus vvho besides the finding out of twelue seuerall vvayes to vse a vvoman gaue vnto whores priuiledges exemptions and stipends out of the publique Treasurie A. But who euer was so vanquished by folly and madnesse as they that were the best wisest and most perfect being honored and reputed of foolish men for Gods E. Haue you heard of him that was called Ioue because in euerie thing he did helpe how hee conuersed with Europa of Mars with Venus and of a thousand others contaminated with the same vice to vvhom notwithstanding they built great Temples erected statues raised Altars and offered vp infinite sacrifices A. Of these men I speake the which notwithstanding the law Mahumetan farre excels for it permits to any one at the same time many wiues E. Hereunto you may adde that their women hauing a desire to company with a man couering their heads and countenance with a vaile and taking a rod in their hand they goe into the Market or some other publique place where hauing viewed and obserued one that by reason of his robustious nature and other circumstances is likely in part to satisfie their lustfull appetite striking him on the shoulder she departs hence and then he followes her and enters into her house for the rest he is very doltish which doth not know the rest A. A law questionlesse both carnall and brutish vvho furthermore would not blush to be perswaded that the glory of the due obseruers of this law shall be that being made immortall and incorruptible naked men and naked women shall be orderly set at a Table all of a piece of most pretious Diamond and endlesly long in the most excellent parâ—â—oue the heauens where embracing one another as if they were alwaies in their last act of generation they shall enioy a perpetuall ioy E. The tearmes and bounds of such a Religion doe not iumpe with the bounds of policie this opinion being directly contrarie to all science and confuted by all liuely reason and doctrine A. But vvhat say you of your Italy to whom the Crowne of Courtezanes and Wagtailes is readily yeelded concealing the rest for modestie which peraduenture hath somewhat an hotter smell E. It 's but foolish to obserue others and ouersee ownes selfe to condemne other mens defects iustifie his owne faults we are all of one lumpe we trot all with one pace and about the more or the lesse heauens hauing laid vpon vs the influence of Iupiter Venus raigning in vs it 's but vaine to dispute A. It 's true but their women are so greedie of men that fearing they should faile them they studie with all the Art of painting and colours to allure euery one E. Where greatest wit raignes there also raignes greatest Art you neede not doubt but they haue closets and studies full of perfumes boxes drawers gally-pots vialls posnets pipkins ladels spoones plates platters egge-shelles full of diuers oyles sundrie plaisters and liquors with white Lead sublimated strange allomes sugar-plate of the flower of christals refined Borace crums of bread distill'd vinegar beane water iuyce of Lemonds made in pomatum with the whites of egges oyle of Tartar oyle of Talco Reubarb Sulphur Perls water Lye of lime to colour the haires vvith a thousand other dusts and Artes to stiffen their kirles on the Temples and to adorne their foreheads A. But call you not to minde the errour formerly mentioned that while wee crie out with open mouth against Italy vvee forge our selues O Lord vvhere 's our Semi-goddesse out of question we haue lost her E. If we speake no doubt she is not silent see what a while shee hath beene talking with that Cittizen iudge well A. Nay I doe very well for to thinke the best we can of such like people is to thinke the worst E. The lesse you speake the better I vnderstand you I must needes talke with her I le dispatch presently A. You returne quickly but with what conscience could you kisse her E. Common custome is no sinne A. It is no scandale nor so reputed but yet in truth it may be a sinne and so much the rather because it is a nearer act then sight wherein according to truth wee may with desire and consent sinne though no effect follow E. Your meaning is that sinnes of vvill and of act are of the same kinde but how dare you blame the courtesie of a kisse which tooke originall in Italy the Italians likewise hauing learned it as Histories report of the Troiane women vvho being fled from the ruines of Troy and being in a port neare to Rome they were obserued that to pacifie their husbands they did louingly and tenderly kisse them A. To whom the more is granted the lesse must needes be also they were husband and wife E. You must conceiue that a woman may graunt to her Louer not onely pleasant smiles familiar and secret discourse wittie quipping and ieasting and touching vvith the hand but also with farre greater reason shee may discend likewise to a kisse A. A kisse being the coniunction both of soule and bodie the danger is great that sensuall loue will encline more to the body then the soule and therefore I iudge it to be very dangerous the which you suppose not in the reasonable louer who though he knowes the mouth to be a part of the body yet by it the words come forth which are the soules interpreters as also that inward breath which also is called soule and therefore he desires to vnite his mouth with that of his beloued Mistresse by a kisse and this to no dishonest end but onely he perceiuing that this coniunction is an opening of a passage to their soules which being transported with a feruent desire one of the other alternatiuely they come by this means to be infused the one into the body of the other intermixing themselues after such a manner that each of these two soules and one alone of these two thus composed may gouerne as it were two bodies and amongst such this kisse may be tearmed rather a coniunction of soule then of body because there consists so great power in it as it drawes to it selfe the other soule and separates it in a manner from the owne body hereupon honest Loue demaunds a kisse as a meanes of vnion vvith the other soule and therefore they say that Plato be diuinely enamoured hee affirmed that in kissing his soule came to his very lips readie to