forwardes as till then vnable to abyde The other not so muche inflamed obserued the amorous termes being bashefull and remayning behinde as you â—â—â— So that then she that ran loued most most oughtâ—o be loued againe Discrete Gentlewoman The Quene to the GeÌ„tlewoman maketh answer sayd the Quéene true it is that excessiue loue taketh away the sight and euery other due perseuerance in things that are ought of his nature but not in those that belong vnto him the which as he increaseth so grow they Then howe greater quantitie of loue is found in any one so much the more feare as wée said at the first is there also founde And that this is true the cruell heart of Biblis doth manifest the same vnto Biblis vs who howe much she loued was séene by the sequele therof For she seing hir self abandoned and refused had not the audacitie to discouer hir selfe with hir propre wordes but writing she disclosed hir vnsitting desire Likewise Phedra many times gaue the attempt Phedra and Hippolito to go to Hippolito to whom she thought boldly to speake and to tel how much she loued him but the wordes she had to vtter no sooner came into hir mouth but they stayed vpon hir tong and there died Oh howe fearefull is the persone that loueth Who Alcides hath ben more mightie than Alcides to whom satisfied not yâ— victorie of humaine things but also he gaue him selfe to beare vp the heauens and not withstanding was lastly so enamoured not of a woman but of a yong wenche a slaue which he had gained as fearing hir commaundemeÌ„ts did lyke an humble subiect or seruant euen the very basest things Also Paris in Paris what he durst not attempt neyther with eye nor tong with his finger in the presence of his loue wryting first hir name with wine that had ben spilt wrote after I loue thée How farre passing all these doth Pasiphe bring vs a due exaumple of feare the which Pasiphe without any reasonable intendement yea without vnderstaÌ„ding durst not so much as expresse hir desire to a beast but with hir propre handes gathering the soft grasse endeuoured hir self to make him benigne vnto hir oftentimes decking hir selfe at the glasse for to please him and to kindle him in the like desire that she was in to the ende he might attempt to seke that which she durst not demaunde It is not méete for a Shame prescribeth the honour of Ladies woman enamoured neither for any other to be proÌ„pt and ready forasmuch as the great shamfastnesse onely which ought to be in vs doth remaine as the guarder of our honour We haue the voyce among men and the trouth is so to know better how to hide the amorous flame than they do and nothing else engendreth this in vs but the gret feare the which doth rather occupie our forces than those of men Howe many hath there ben of them and peraduenture we haue knowen some which many times haue caused themselues to haue bene bidden to the ende thereby they might haue atchieued to the amorous effects the which willingly woulde rather haue bidden the bidder before he them if due bashefulnesse and feare had not detained them and not only that but euery time that No is scaped their mouthe they haue had in their mindes a thousande repentyngs saying from their hearts a thousand times Yea. There remaineth then the like scelerate fire on the behalfe of Semiramis Semiramis and Cleopatra Cleopatra the which loued not but sought to quiet the rage of their wanton willes and the same beyng quieted they after remeÌ„bred not them selues the one of the other Wise marchauntes vnwillingly doe aduenture at one time all their treasures to the hasard of Fortune and yet notwithstanding they care not to graunt hir som smal portion the which if they happen to lose yet doe they féele no griefe of minde at all The conclusion of the Queene vpon the sixt question for the same The yong woman therfore that embraced your brother loued him but a little and that little she committed to Fortune saying This GentlemaÌ„ if I may hereby get him it is wel but if he refuse me there shall be no more but let him take an other The other that abode all bashefull forasmuch as she loued him aboue all others she doubted to put so great loue in aduenture imagining lest this peraduenture shuld displease him he so refuse hir that hir griefe should be then such and so much as she should die therof Let therfore the second be loued before the first ¶ The seuenth Question proposed by GALEONE A Cleare Sunne beame piercing thorowe amongst the gréene leaues did strike vpon the aforesayde Fountaine and did rebound the light therof vpon the faire face of the adorned Quéene who was thereby apparelled with that colour wherof the heaueÌ„s maketh shew when as both the children of Latona from vs hiddeÌ„ with their starres onely giueth vs light and besides the splendour it brought to hir face it did so lighten the place as among the fresh shade it yelded a maruellous luster to the whole company Further what time the reflected raye did extende euen to that place where the Laurell crowne on hir head on the one side the golden tresses on the other dyd determine It so entermingled there among with twinings not artificial as at the first sight one woulde haue sayde that there had issued forth amoÌ„g the gréene leaues a cleare flame of a burning fire which did spread in such sort as the aburne haires wer easily séene to the standers about Galeone that was peraduenture sooner or better awares of this maruellous sight thaÌ„ any of the rest being set in circle ouer against the Quéene deuided only with the water did very intentiuely behold the same almost as though he cared for nothing else so that he moued not his mouth to the question that was nowe come to his turne To whome the Quéene therfore hauing now both kept silence a good space as eke coÌ„tented the witty Gentlewoman thus sayd The only desire peraduenture of the thing which thou beholdest stayeth thée Tell what is the occasion that holdeth thée thus appalled as in following the order of the rest thou speakest not It is onely as we beleue yâ— gazing at our head as if ye had neuer séene the same before Tell vs first and after as the other haue propounded euen so propound you At this sodain voice Galeone lift vp his mind replete with swéete thoughtes somwhat comming to him selfe as what time he is wont to do that thorow a sodain feare doth breake his golden sléepe and thus sayde Most noble and renoumed Quéene whose worthinesse it shoulde be impossible for me to declare my minde was so wrapped in gracious thoughtes when as I did so firmely loke at your heade as in beholding the bright raye streaming into the freshe fountaine and rebounding vpon your face me thought there
to discerne whether of them hir beautie had most inflamed And as she in like sorte had a good space beheld them not making greater semblaÌ„ce to the one than to the other they betwene themselues began to reason of hir and among the other wordes that I vnderstoode of their talke was that eche one sayde that hée was hir best beloued and for proofe thereof either of them alleaged in the furtherance of himself diuers gestures then before done by the yong woman And they thus remaining in this contention a long time being now thorowe many words at daggers drawing they acknowledged yâ— herein they did very euill bicause in thus doing they wrought hurt and shame to them selues and displeasure to the woman Wherfore moued of an equall agréement both two went to the mother of the maide who was also at the same Feast and thus sayd vnto hir That forsomuch as aboue all other women of the worlde either of them best liked hir daughter and that they were at contention whether of them was best liked of hir it would therefore please hir to graunt them this fauour â–ª to the end no greater inconuenieÌ„ce might spring therof as to will hir daughter that she either by worde or déede would shewe whether of them shes best loued The intreated GentlewomaÌ„ sâ—â—ling thus aunswered Willingly And so calling hir daughter to hir sayd â–ª My 〈…〉 daughter eche one of these preferreth the loue of thée aboue the loue of himselfe in this contention they are whether of them is best beloued of thée and they séeke of me this fauour that thou either by signes or words resolue them herein Wher as loue is ther peace ought to be And therefore to the end that Loue from whome all peace and goodnesse ought alwayes to spring bréede not now the contrary content them in this and with semblable curtesie shew towardes which of them thy mynde is most bent The yong damsell sayd It liketh mée right well And so beholding them both a while she saw the one of them to haue vpon his head The Loued giueth cause of argument to hir louers a faire garlande of fresh floures and yâ— other to stand without any garlande at all Then she that had likewise vpon hir head a garlande of gréene leaues first tooke the same from hir head and set it vpon his that stode before hir without a garland And after she toke that which yâ— other yong man had vpon his head and set the same vpon hirs and so leauing them shée returned to the Feast saying that she had both performed the commaundement of hir mother as eke their dâ—sire The yong men being thus left returned also to their former contention ech one affirming that she loued him best And he whose garlande shée tooke and set vpon hir head sayde Assuredly she loueth me best bicause she hath taken my garland to none other ende but for that what myne is pleaseth hir and to giue occasion to bée beholding vnto me But to thée she hath giuen hirs as it were in place of hir last fare well â–ª vnwilling that like a countrey girle the loue which thou bea 〈…〉 hir be without requital and therfore lastly she giueth thee that garlande thou haddest â—â—eriâ—â—d The â—â— her replying with the contrary thus answered Truly sheloweth that â—hine is better than thée and that may be sene in taking therof And me she loueth better than what myne is in as muche as she hath gyuen me of hirs â–ª And therefore it is no to 〈…〉 of hir last deserued gift as thou affirmest â–ª but rather a beginning of amitie â—â—d loue â–ª A gifte maketh the receiuer a subiecte to the giuer and bicause shée pâ—â—aduenture vncertaine of me to the ende she might be more certaine to haue me hir subiect wil binde me iâ— perhapâ—â— were not bounde vnto hir before to bée hirs by gift But how mayst thou thinke if â—he at the first â—ake away from thâ—â— that â—uer she may vouchesafe to giue thée and thus they abode a long time coÌ„tending and in the end departed without any definition at all Now say I most puissant Quéene if you shoulde bée demaunded of the laste sentence of such a contention what woulde ye iudge The faire Lady somewhat smiling turned towardes Philocopo hir eyes sparkâ—ing with an amorous light and after a soft sigh thus made answere Most noble youth The Queenes iudgement vpon the question proper is your question And truely as very wisely the yong woman behaued hir selfe so eche one of the yong men right well defended his cause â–ª But bicause ye require what we lastly will iudge therof thus we make you answere It séemeth vnto vs so it ought to séeme to eche one that taketh good héede that the woman had in hate neither yâ— one nor the other but to kéepe hir intent couert dyd two contrary actes as apeareth and not without occasion And to yâ— end she might get more assured the loue of him whom she loued as not to lose the loue of the other whom she hated not it was but wisely done But to come to our Question which is to whether of the two greatest loue was shewed We saye that she loued him best and he chiefest in hir fauour to whome shée gaue hir garlande and this séemeth to be the reason What so euer man or woman that loueth any person â–ª eche one thorowe force of the loue they heare is so strongly bound to the person loued that aboue al other things they desire to please the same neither to bynde him or hir more stroÌ„gly that thus loueth néedeth either gifts or seruices and this is manifest And yet we sée that who so loueth though he endeuour him selfe sundry wayes is not able to make the person loued in any sorte benigne and subiect vnto hym whereby he may bryng it to his pleasure and so with a more hold face demaunde his desire And that this is in suche sorte as we say the inflamed Dido with hir doings doth Dido very well manifest the same vnto vs who burning in the loue of Aeneas so long as it séemed hir neither Aeneas with honours nor with gifts able to winne him had not the courage to attempt the doubtfull waye of asking the question So that then the yong woman sought to make him most beholding vnto hir whom she best loued And thus we say that he that reâ—â—yned the gift of the Garlande was hir best beloued As the Quéene become silent Philocopo answered Discrete Lady greatly is your answere to be coÌ„mended Philocopo replieth to the Queneâ— but for all that you doe bring me into a greate admiration of that ye haue defined touching the propounded question bycause I woulde haue iudged rather the contrary For so much as generally among louers this was the wontâ—d custome that is to desire to 〈…〉 vppon them 〈…〉 Iewell or some other thing of the persons loued to th ende that most times they
witte and power to bring to effecte And truely when she vnderstode the same of that I desired she made me a gracious gift the which as I had receiued and receiuing it at what time it pleased me me thought none by a greate way to haue a life comparable to myne in gladnesse only one thing pricked me that I coulde not make hir beleue how perfectly I loued hir Further than this she perceiuing me to loue hir as I sayd passed lightly for me But the Gods that will graunt no worldly good turne without some bitternesse to the ende that the A goodly sentence heauenly may be the better knowen by consequent the more desired to this they gaue me an other corsey without comparison noisome that is that it hapned one day as I abode with hir all alone in a secret place séeing without being againe séene who passed by espied a propre yong man and of a pleasant countenance to come along by vs whom she behelde as I perceiued with a fixed eie and being past she fette a pitifull sigh the which I espying sayde Alas do you so soone repent as that ye now sigh for the loue of an other She whose face was thorowe this occasion painted with a new rudde swearing by the power of the high Gods began with many excuses to endeuor hir self to make me beleue the contrary of that which I had conceiued thorowe the sigh but all was to no purpose bicause she kindled my heart with an anger so exceding fierce as she made me then almost ready to chide with hir but yet I withhelde me therfrom And certainely it wil neuer out of my minde but that she loueth him or some other better than me and all those persuasioÌ„s the which at other times heretofore she vsed for my helpe that was that she loued me better than she did any other I nowe esteme them all in contrary imagining that she hath fainedly sayde and done all that she hath heretofore wrought wherby I endure intollerable griefe neither doth any comfort at all preuaile therin but bicause shame often times doth bridle the wil I haue rather to sorrowe me than glad me I doe not continue my bitter griefe so as I make any apparaunce therof but briefly I am neuer without cares and cogitations the which bring me far greater annoy than I willingly would Lerne then to beare the lesse griefs since thou séest the greatest with a valiant minde borne of me To whome I answered that as it semed to me his grief although it wer great was no wayes to be compared to myne He answered me the contrary and thus we abode in a long contention and in the ende parted without any The quenes iudgement vpon this fift question diffinition Wherefore I pray you that ye wyll say your iudgement hereof Yong Gentleman sayd the Quèene great is that paine of yours and greate wrong doth the damsell committe in not louing you But yet at al times your grief may by hope be eased the which happeneth not to your companion bicause that since he is once entred in suspect nothing is able to draw it away Therfore continually whilest Loue lasteth he sorroweth without coÌ„fort So that in our iudgement greater séemeth the griefe of the iealous than that of the vnloued Louer Then said Clonico The contrary opinion of Clonico Oh noble Quéene since you saye so it playnely appeareth that you haue alwayes bene loued againe of him whome you haue loued by occasion whereof ye hardely knowe what my payne is Howe may it appeare that iealousie bryngeth greater griefe than is that I féele forsomuch as the iealous possesseth that he desireth may in holding the same take more delight therof in one houre than in a long time after to féele any paine thorowe want thereof and neuerthethelesse he may thorow experience abandon such ielousie if it happen that this iudgemeÌ„t be found false But I being kindled with a fiery desire how much yâ— more I sée my selfe farre off from the attaining thesame so much the more I burne and consume my self assaulted of a thousande instigations neyther is any â—â—perience able to helpe me therein bycause thorowe the often reprouing hir and finding hir euery houre more sharpe I liue desperate Wherefore your answere séemeth contrary to the truth bycause I doubt not but that it is much better to hold wyth suspition than to desire with teares That amorous flame that doth shine in our eyes and that euery houre doth adorne our sight with the greater beautie doeth neuer consent replied the Quéene that we loue in vaine as The Quene replieth you affirme but for al that it is not vnknowen to vs how great and what maner of payne that is both of the one and the other and therefore as our answere hath bene confirmable to the truth â–ª one thing we wil shewe to you It is manifest that those things which most do hynder the quiet of the minde are cares the whiche are some of them come to a merrie ende so some we sée to ende with great sorrowe wherof how much more the minde is repleate so muche the more hath it of griefe and chiefliest when as the same are noisome and that the iealous haue more store therof than haue you is manifest bicause you héede nothing else but only to get the good will of the damsel whome ye loue the which not being able to attaine is to you a griefe most grieuous but yet it is certayne that it may easly come to passe to attaine the same at one instant not thinking thereof forsomuch as womens heartes are inconstant bysides peraduenture she loueth you not withstanding to proue if you also loue hir she sheweth the contrary and so perhappes wyll shewe vntill suche time as she shall be well assured of your loue so that with these thoughtes hope can mitigate vnfained griefe but yâ— iealous hath hys mind full fraught of infinite cares agaynst the which neyther hope nor other delyght can bring comfort or ease the paine For he standeth intentiue to giue a Lawe The effectes of Iealousie to the wandring eyes the which his possessor can not giue He will and doth endeuour himselfe to giue a Law to the féete to the hands and to euery other act of his Mistresse He will be a circuÌ„spect knower both of hir thoughts and of hir myrth interpreting euery thing in euill parte towardes him selfe beleuing that eache one desireth and loueth hir whome hée loueth Likewise he imagineth euery word that she speaketh to be twaine full of disceite And if he euer committed any detractioÌ„ towards hir it is death to him to remeÌ„bre it imagining to be by yâ— like meanes deceiued He wil with coniectures shut vp the ways of the aire of the earth And briefly the heauens yâ— earth birds beastes euery other creature that he thinketh doth hinder his deuises And to remoue him froÌ„ this hope hath no place bicause in
euill with the Troians that those of Cassandra â–ª were not heard of Paris He maketh likewise his subiects to forget and despise their good fame the which ought to remayne to vs all on earth after our deathes as an eternall heire of our memorie And how much these aforsaid did contemne the same Aegistus maye suffise for an example Although Scylla wrought no lesse hurt thaÌ„ Pasiphe Is not he the occasion that breaketh sacred bondes of the promised pure faith Yes truely what had Ariadna done to Duke Theseus wherby contaminating the matrimoniall bandes and giuing himselfe and his promised faith to the windes he shoulde abandon hir poore miser among the desert rockes A little pleasure in gasing in yâ— eyes of Phedra was occasion to celerate so much euill and of such requitall for the receiued honor In him also is found no law and that it is true may be sene by the doings of Tereus who hauing receiued Philomena â–ª from hir pitifull father and carnally knowen hir made no stay to contaminate the most holy lawes matrimonially coÌ„tracted betwene him and Progne the sister of Philomena This also calling and causing himself to be called a God occupieth the reasons of the gods Who could euer fully with words shew the iniquitie of him He to speake briefly leadeth them that follow him to all euils and if by happe his followers do any vertuous act which happeneth very feldome with a vicious beginnyng they beginne it desiring thereby to come very quickly to the desired end of their lothsâ—m willes the which may be rather sayd vices than vertues forsomuch as that is not to be héeded only which man doth but with what minde it is doone and so according to the will of the worker to repute the same vicious or vertuous bicause that neuer of an euill roote sprang a good trée nor from an euill trée good fruite This Loue then is leude and naught and if he be naught he is to be fled And who yâ— flieth things euill of consequent foloweth â—he good and so is both good vertuous The beginning of this loue is none other thing than feare the sequele is sinne and the ende is griefe and noy it ought then to be fled and to be reproued to feare you to haue him in you bicause he is violent neither knoweth he in any of his doings to vse measure and is altogether void of reason He is without al doubt yâ— destroyer of the minds yâ— shame anguish passion griefe plaint of yâ— same neuer coÌ„senteth that the heart of whom that lodgeth him be without bitternesse who will then praise that he is to be followed but fooles Truly if it were lauful we would willingly liue without him but of such an harme we are to late awares and therefore it is conuenient for vs since we are caught in his nettes to follow his life vntil what time as that light which guided Aeneas out of yâ— dark waies flying yâ— perillous fiers may appeare to vs guide vs to his pleasures ¶ The eight Question proposed by a faire Gentlewoman named POLA. ON the right haÌ„d of Galeone was set a fayre Gentlewoman whose name was Pola pleasant and yet vnder an honest couerture who after the Quéene bleÌ„t thus began to saye O noble Quéene ye haue domed at this present that no person ought to folowe this our Lord Loue I for my part consent therevnto but yet since it séemes to mée impossible that the youthfull race both of men and women should be runne ouer without this benigne Loue I gather at this present setting apart by your leaue your sentence that to be enamoured is léefull taking the euill doing for due working And in following the same I desire to know of you whether of these two womeÌ„ Of what degree one should chose his louer ought rather to be loued of a yong maÌ„ both two pleasing him alike either she that is of noble bloude and of able kinsefolke and copious of hauing much more than the yong man or the other that is neither noble nor riche nor of kinâ—folkes so abounding as is the yong man To whom the Quene thus made answere Faire GentlewomaÌ„ admitting the case that The Queenes aunswer both man and woman ought to follow Loue as you haue before affirmed we giue iudgemeÌ„t that in how much the woman is richer greater and more noble than the yong man of whatsoeuer degrée or dignitie he be of euen so she ought to be rather preferred to the loue of a yong man than ought she that hath any thing lesse than he bicause mans mynde was created to follow high things And therfore he must séeke rather to aduance than any ways to imbace him self Further there is a common prouerbe which sayth The good to couet better t is Than to possesse that bad is Wherfore in our iudgemeÌ„t thou art better to loue yâ— most noble with good reason to refuse the lesse noble TheÌ„ said pleasant Pola â–ª Noble Quéene I would haue giuen an other iudgement if it had ben to mée The contrary opinion of Pola with hir reasons of this question as ye shall heare We all naturally doe rather desire short and briefe than long and tedious troubles and that it is a lesse and more briefe trouble to get the loue of the lesse noble than of the more noble is manifest Then the lesse ought to be followed for as much as the loue of the lesse may be said to be alredy wonne the which of the more is yet to get Further many perills may folow to a man louing a woman of a greater coÌ„dition than him self is of neither hath he lastly therby any greater delight than of the lesser For we sée a great woman to haue many kinsfolkes and a great family and them all as diligent héeders of hir honour to haue an eie vnto hir so that if any one of them happen to espie this loue therof may folow as we haue already sayde great perill to the louer the which of the lesse noble can not so lightly come to passe and these perils eche one as he is able ought to flie for as much as who that receiueth harme is sure therof who that hath done it laâ—gheth him after to scorne saying he spâ—edeth well where he liketh there let him loue yet dieth he more than once But how â–ª that once hapneth where and for what occasion besides eche one ought to take good héede it is very credible that a Gentlewoman will lightly estéeme of him for that she will desire to â—â—â—e one more noble or greater than hir self and not one inferiour to hir selfe wherby seldom or neuer he shal attaine his desire But of the lesser shal happen the contrary bicause that she will glory to be loued of such a louer and will endeuour hir selfe to please him to the ende to nourishe Loue and yet if this were not â–ª the power of the louer onely myght be able
without feare to being to passe to fulfill his desire Wherfore I gather that the lesse noble ought to be preferred in loue before the more noble Youre iudgement deceiueth you sayde the Quéene to the faire Gentlewoman bicause Loue is of this nature that how much yâ— more one loueth so much the more he desireth to loue And this maye be séene by them The Quenes olution vpon the eight question that thorowe Loâ—e féele the greater griefe the which although it trouble them not a little yet loue they coÌ„tinually the more Neither doeth any one from his heart although he make great apparance in wordes desire therof a spéedie ende Then as small troubles are sought for of the slouthefull of the wise things that are attained with moste trouble are helde most deare and delightful And therfore in louing the lesse woman to get hir shuld be as you say little trouble and the loue both little and short should be folowed as though one in louing would desire to loue lesse lesse which is contrary to the nature of Loue as we haue sayd But in louing the greater that is gotten with trouble happeneth the contrary bicause â–ª that as in a thing dearely gotten with trauaile is reposed all diligence to the well héeding of the gained Loue euen so is she euery houre the more loued the longer doth continue the delight and pleasure thereof And yet if ye will say that all the doubte is of their kinsmen we wil not deny it for this is one of the occasions Wherfore it is a trouble to haue the loue of one of these great women But notwithstandyng the discrete in such cases procéede by a secrete way And we doubt not but that the honor both of the greatest and meanest woman is by some of their kinsfolkes according to their power loked vnto in such sort as a fole may come to an euill aduenture louing aswel in a base as in a noble stock But what shall he be the The cruelty of Pisistratus will passe Pisistrato in crueltie hauing offended theÌ„ which loued his without forethinking that which he should afterwardes haue done to those that had had the same in harte â–ª In saying also that louing a greter woman then himselfe he shall neuer bée able to come to the ende of his desire bicause the woman coueteth to loue one greater than hir selfe and therfore will make of him no estimation at all ye shewe your selfe to be ignorant that the meanest man in The meanest man of better condition than the noblest woman what beloÌ„geth to natural vertues is of greater and better condition than the noblest woman of the world Whatsoeuer maÌ„ she then desireth she desireth him yâ— is of greater and better coÌ„dition than hir self bicause the vertuous or vicious life maketh many tymes the meane great and the great meane In as much therfore as any woman shall bée solicited by any man in â—ue sorte euen so without doubt she shall yeld to his desire though the great with more trouble than the meane For we sée the softe water with a continuall fall to breake and pierce the hard stone and therfore let none despaire to loue For so much goodnesse shall follow him that loueth a greater woman than hymselfe The Quene concludeth that we should rather loue the more noble woman than the lesse noble as he shall endeuour him selfe to please hir to haue decent qualities the companie of noble personages to be ornate of swete talk bolde in enterprises and splendant in apparell and if he shall attain to greater glorie the greater delight shall he haue of minde likewise he shall be exalted with the good report of the people and reputed of a noble mynde Let him therefore followe the most noble as we haue already sayd ¶ The ninth Question proposed by FERAMONTE Duke of Montorio NExte vnto pleasant Pola sat FeramoÌ„te duke of Montorio who after the Quéene had sayde thus began I consente that it be conuenient to loue the ye haue alredy fully answered this GentlewomaÌ„ to hir question And that a man ought to loue rather a more noble womaÌ„ than a lesse noble than hymself may very wel be yelded vnto thorow yâ— sundry resons by you shewed touching the same But forasmuch as there are sundry GentlewomeÌ„ of sundry sorts attired Whether is to be chosen in louing either the wife the widowe or the maide with diuersities of habites that as it is thought do diuersly loue some more some lesse some more hotly and some others more luke warme I desire to vnderstande of you whether of these thrée a yong man to bring his desire to a most happy ende ought soonest to be enamoured of either of hir that is maried or of the maide or of the widow To whome the Quéene made this aunswer Of the thrée the one that is the The Queenes answere maried woman oughte in no wise to bée desired bicause she is not hir own neither hath libertie to giue hir selfe to any and therfore either to desire hir or to take hir is both to commit an offence against the diuine lawes as also against the lawes naturall and positiue the offending wherof is to heape vpon our selues the diuine anger and by consequent heauie Iudgement Howbeit who that gropeth not his conscience so farre inwardly doth oftentimes spéede better in louing hir than of any of the other two either maide or widowe in as muche as he although such loue sometimes be with greate perill is to haue the effect of his desire And why this loue may diuers times bring the louer to his desire sooner than the loue of the others this is the reason It is manifest that in how much more the fyer is blowen so muche the more it flameth and without blowing it becommeth dead And as all other things thorowe much vse doe decay so contrarywise lust the more it is vsed yâ— more it increaseth The widow in that she hath ben a long time without the like effect doth féele the same almost as though it had neuer ben and so is rather kindled with the memorie therof than with any concupisceÌ„ce at all The mayde that yet hath no skill thereof neyther knoweth the same but by imagination desireth as it were one luke warme and therfore the maried woman kindled in such passions doth more than any of the others desire such effectes What time the maried are wont to receiue from their husbands oultragious wordes or dedes wherof willingly they would take reueÌ„ge if they might there is no way left more redier vnto them than in despite of their husbandes to giue their loue to him by whome they are allured to receiue the like And although it be expedient that such maner of reuenge be very secrete that no shame grow thereby neuerthelesse are they yet content in their myndes Further the always vsing of one kind of meate is tedious and wée haue oftentimes séene the delicate meates left for
Howe so If this man with all his wit came for the safetie of the Gentlewoman ought hée for his desert to be reiected God forbid it shoulde so be If he knewe not the same so soone as the other this was not thorow negligence for if perhappes he had knowen it before the other he would haue ruÌ„ne to that which he toke discretely for the last remedy wherof rewarde iustly ought to folow the which rewarde ought to be the loue of the Gentlewoman if rightly she sée vnto him and yet you say the contrarye God defende from your mynde aunswered the Quéene that vice come to a good ende merite the The 〈…〉 solution â—â— the x. question same rewarde that vertue done to the like ende meriteth but rather in as much as vice deserueth correction so no worldly deserte can iustly satisfie vertue Who shall denie vs to beleue although we can not manifest the same with apparant reason but that the last Knight as enuious of the good turne he saw prepared for the other was moued to such an enterprise to the ende to disturbe the same and not for the loue he bare to the Gentlewoman and yet his deuice failed him He is a foole that vnder the colour of an enimie doeth endeuour him selfe to the ende to receiue recompeÌ„ce to helpe an other Infinite are the wayes wherby it is possible enough for vs to shewe at the first with open frendship the loue that one of vs beareth towardes the other without shewing our selues as enimies and after with coloured wordes to make shew to haue profited That which we haue sayd may now suffise you for aunswere whome olde age more than any thing else ought to make discrete And we beleue yâ— when your minde shall haue duely disgested these things ye shall not find our iudgemeÌ„t guileful but true to be folowed And so she held hir peace ¶ The eleuenth Question proposed by a Gentlewoman named GRACE THere folowed after hym a GeÌ„tlewoman of cheare very mylde whose name was Grace assuredly the name was consonant to hir nature whâ—e wyth an humble and modest voyce beganne these wordes It is come to my tourne Oh moste vertuous Quéene to propounde this my Question the which to the ende the time that now approcheth to our lasâ— feasting may be swetened with the newe beginning thereof bée onely spente in talke I shall briefly propouÌ„d yâ— which willingly if it wer leful for me I wold passe ouer â–ª but yet not to pretermit the limits of your obedience neither the order of the rest I shall propounde this Whether is it great delight to the louer to sée his loue present or not seeing hir to thinke amorously on hir My gracious Grace said yâ— Quene we beleue that muche more delight is taken in thinking Whether is greater pleasure to a Louer to see the present or to thinke on the absent than in beholding bicause in thinking on the thing loued all yâ— sensitiue spirites do then graciously féele a maruelous ioy and as it were do content their inflamed desires with the delight only of yâ— thought But this happeneth not in the beholdyng bicause yâ— onely the visible spirite féeleth ioy and the others are kindled with suche a desire that they are not able to endure and so remaine vanquished and that visible spirite somtime taketh so great pleasure that of force The iudgement of the Queene he is constrained to withdraw him selfe back remaining vile and altogether vanquished Then doe wée gather hereof that greater delight is to thynke than to beholde That thing which is loued answered the Gentlewoman how much yâ— more it is séene so much the more it delighteth and therefore I beleue that greater delight bringeth the beholding than doth the thynking bicause euery beautie at the first pleaseth thorowe the sight thereof and so after thorowe the continuall sight suche pleasure is confirmed in the mynde as therof is ingendred Loue and those pleasures that spring from him No beautie is so much loued neither for any other occasion than to please the â—yes to content the same Then in séeing they are coÌ„tented in thinking to sée the desire increaseth so that more delight foeleth he that is contented than doeth hée that desireth to contente hym selfe Wée may see and knowe by Laodomia how muche more the present sight thaÌ„ the absent thought doth delight Laodomia and Prothesilaus bicause wée are to thinke that hir Prothesilaus neuer departed froÌ„ hir thought neither yet was she euer séene disposed to other than to melancolie refusyng to decke and apparell hir selfe with hir costlye garments The which thing in séeing him neuer happened For what time she abode in his presence she was mery gracious and alwayes ioyfull and trimly attired What more manifest testimony wil we haue than this that the gladnesse is not greater of the sight than of the thought Bicause that thorow the exteriour doings that may be comprehended which in the heart is hiddeÌ„ The Quéene then thus made answer The quenes solution of the .xi. question defining that the thought is to be preferred before the looke Those thinges both delightful and noysome that approche most nere to the mynde bring more annoye and more ioy than do those farre off from the same And who doubteth but that the thought abideth in yâ— minde and that the minde is not from the eye although thorow the particuler vertue of the mynde they haue their sight that it is conuenient for them by sundry meanes to render their proportions to the animate vnderstanding Hauing then in the minde a swéete thought of the loued in that acte which the thought bringeth in that together with the thing loued it séemes the louer to be Then he séeth the same with those eyes to whome nothing no not of a long distaÌ„ce may be hiddeÌ„ Then he speaketh with hir whoÌ„ he loueth and peradueÌ„ture with piteous stile telleth the annoyes sustained for hir sake Then it is lawfull for him without feare to embrace hir Then doth he according to his desire maruelously glad himselfe with hir Then doth he holde her wholly at his pleasure the which in beholding happeneth not bicause yâ— sight onely at first taketh pleasure wtout passing further And as we say Loue is timorous feareful and in beholding doeth make the hearte tremble in such sorte as it leaueth neither thought nor spirite in his place For many with the loÌ„g beholding of their ladies lose those their natural forces remain vanquished and many not being able to moue stande like posts The effecies of fond amorous lookes other some in tangling and trauersing their legges fall to the grounde â–ª Others therby lose their speache by sight we knowe many other like things to haue happened the which all should haue ben very acceptable to them to whome as we haue sayde they haue happened if they had not happened at all howe then bringeth that thing delight that shall
sooner come to hir perfect roūd nesse but that he at vnwares cōmitted a fault for the which was adiudged him perpetuall exile from this Citie whervpon he dreading death is departed hēre without hope euer to returne I sorowfull woman aboue all others more now inflamed than euer am without him left both dolefull and desperate By occasion wherof I sorrow me and that thing that most increaseth my sorrow is that on euery side I sée the way hard from being able to folow him Think therfore now whether I haue cause to plaine me or no. Then sayde I and this other why sorroweth she The seconde hindred by ielousie soroweth hir hap and she answered This my sister likewise as I is enamoured of an other and of him againe loued aboue measure And to the ende her desires should not passe the amorous pathes without tasting some part of delight many times she hath endeuoured hir selfe to bring them to effecte and contrary to hir deuise Iealousy hath alwais occupied and broken the way and bicause she could neuer attain thervnto neither sawe howe to be able so to do shée thus distressed is thorow feruent loue consumed as ye may wel think if euer ye were in loue Seing we were then here all alone we began to reason of oure misfortunes and knowing the same farre greater than these of other womē we could not withhold from teares but with wéeping sorowed our lucklesse lots as ye might wel perceiue To heare this of them it grieued me greatly so that I encountred them with such wordes as séemed me most profitable for their comforte so departed frō thē Many times after reuoluing in mynd their griefs and somtimes bethinkyng me whether of the same shuld be the greater at one time I agréed to y◠of the one at another time I yelded to y◠of the other the sundry reasons wherewith as it séemeth me eche one hath to lamente hir will not suffer me to stay vpon any one wherevpon I remaine here in doubt May it therefore please you that by you may be opened this errour in telling me whether of these two infortunate louers séemed to sustaine the greatest griefe Great was the sorrow of either of them The Quene decideth the question aunswered the Quéene But considering aduersitie to be most grieuous to hir that hath tasted prosperitie we esteeme that she that hath lost hir loue féeleth the greatest griefe and is of Fortune greatliest offended Fabritius neuer bewept the chaūces of Fortune Fabritius Pompey Medea Iason But that Pompey did is a thing very manifest If swéete things were not tasted the sowre shuld be yet vnknowen Medea neuer knewe according to hir own saying what maner a thing prosperity was whilest she was in loue but beyng forsaken of Iason bewailed hir aduersitie Who will euer lament for that he hath not had not one but will rather desire Longano of contrary opinion to the Quene it It is déemed therefore that of the two women the one wept for griefe the other for desire It is very hard for me gracious Lady to thinke that which you affirme sayde the yong Gentleman forsomuch as who y◠hath his desire of any desired thing ought much more to content his mynde than who that desireth and can not fulfill his desire Further nothing is more light to lose than what hope promiseth not hereafter to yelde There ought to be vnmeasurable grief where as y◠not being able to bring egal willes to effect doth hinder From thence lamentatiōs take place from thence thoughts and troubles do spring bicause if the willes were not egall of force the desire should want But when as louers sée them selues in presence of that they desire and can not attaine thervnto then do they kindle sorrow them much more than if that they would haue were farre from them Tantalus And who I pray you torments Tantalus in Hel but onely the Apples and the Water for that how much more néere they bende swell to his mouth so much the more afterwardes in flying the same they increase his hunger Truly I beleue that who hopeth for a thing possible to bée had can not attaine thervnto thorowe contrary resisting impedimentes féeleth more griefe than who that bewaileth a thing loste and irrecuperable Then sayde the Quéene The Quenes solutiō of the i◠question your answere woulde haue folowed very well where youre demaunde should haue bene of an olde griefe although to that also might be said thus to be possible thorowe forgetting the griefe to shorten the desire in the desired things where as continuall impediment is séene not to be able to attaine them as in those lost wherin Hope doth not shewe vs that wée shoulde euer haue them againe But wée doe reason whether of them sorrowed most when you saw them sorrowing wherfore folowing the propoūded case we wil giue iudgemēt that she felt greater grief that had lost hir louer without hope to haue hym againe putting the case that it be an easye matter to lose a thing impossible to haue agayne neuerthelesse it was to be sayde who loueth well forgetteth neuer than the other who if we loke well might hope to fulfill that hereafter that heretofore she was vnable to performe For a greate lessner of griefe is hope It had force to kepe chast and to diminish the sorrowes of the lingryng long lyfe of Penelope ¶ The thirde Question proposed by a yong Gentlewoman ON the right syde of Longano sate an excellent faire Gentlewoman and verie pleasant who as she perceiued that Question by the Quéene determined thus beganne with a swéete talke to say Most renoumed Quéene your eares graunte hearing to my wordes And first by those Goddes whome you worship and next by the power of our pastime I pray you that ye will giue to my demaund profitable counsell I as you know being descended of noble Parentes was borne in this City and was named with a very gracious name although my surname being Cara presenteth me grateful to the hearers and as by my face it may appeare I haue receyued from the Gods and Nature a singuler gift of beautie the which in folowing my propre name more thā my surname I haue adorned with an infinite pleasauntnesse shewing my selfe benigne to whom that is delighted to behold the same by occasion whereof many haue endeuoured themselues for their pleasure to occupie my eyes against al whom I haue withstode with strong resistance holding a stable heart agaynst their assaultes but bicause it séemeth to me vnléefull that I onely shoulde pretermit the lawes kept and obserued of all others The Gentlewoman praieth to be resolued whether ought sonest to be loued eyther the Strong ▪ the Liberal or the Wise that is not to loue being loued of many I haue determined to become enamored and setting apart many séekers of such loue whereof some do excell Midas in riches some other passe Absalō in beauty
other some in curtesie according to the common reporte of all are more splendent than any other I haue of al these chosen thrée Of whom eche one pleaseth me alike Of the which thrée the one of bodily force as I beleue would excell the good Hector hée is at euery proofe so vigorous and strong The curtesie and liberalitie of the seconde is such that as I thinke his fame doth sounde thorowe eche pole The third is al full of wisedome so yâ— he surmounteth all other wise men aboue measure But for that as ye haue heard their qualities are diuers â–ª I doubt whether of them to take finding in the antique age ech one of these to haue diuersly the courages of women and of yelding men as of Dianira Hercules of our Clitemnestra Aegistus and of Lucretia Sextus â–ª Counsel me therfore to whether of them sonest with least blame and greatest suretie I ought to giue my selfe The pleasant Quéene hauing heard the purpose of this GeÌ„tlewoman The queenes aunswere thus made answere There is neuer a one of the thrée that doth not worthily merite the loue of a faire and gracious Lady but bicause in this case I am not to fight against Castels or to giue away the kingdomes of greate Alexander or the treasures of Ptholome but that only that Leue and Honour are with discretion a long time to be kept the which are maintained neither by force nor curtesy but onely by wisedome We say that both you and euery other woman ought rather to giue hir loue to a wise man The reply of the Gentlewoman than to any of the rest Oh how diuers is my iudgement from yours answered the propouÌ„ding Gentlewoman To me it séemeth that eche one of the others were sooner to be taken than the wise this séemeth to be the reason Loue as we sée is of that nature as multiplying his force in one hearte euery other thing he banisheth out thence retaining that for hys seate and mouing it after according to his pleasure wherevnto no foresight is able to resist but that it is coÌ„uenient for them to folow him by whome it is as I haue said gouerned And who doubteth that Biblis Biblys knew it not to be euil to loue hir brother Who wil gaine say that it was not manifest to Leander that Leander he mighte drowne in Helespont in his fortunate time if he cast him selfe therein And none wyll deny that Pasiphe knew not a man to be more faire thaÌ„ a Pasiphe Bul and yet they ech one ouercome with an amorous pleasure râ—â—â—â—ting all knowledge folowed the same Then if it haue power to take knowledge from she learned takyng away the wittâ— from the wyse they shall haue nothing lest but if from the strong and curteous it shall take away the little witte they haue it shall yet increase them in their vertues and so they shall become more than the wise enamoured Further Loue hath this propretie it is a thing that can not long be hidde and in reueling himself he is wont oftentimes to bring greuous perils wherunto what remedy shall the wise giue that hath nowe lost his witte He shall giue none at all but the strong that vseth his force can helpe in a perill both himselfe and others The curteous thorowe his curtesie shall with grateful beneuolence winne the myndes of many whereby he may be both holpen and considered and others also for his sake Sée now what it is to be of your iudgement She was by the Quéene answered The quenes last sentence â–ª to the thirde question vnto thus If ther were such a one as you speake of who shoulde then be wise not one But if hée whome you propounde wise and enamoured of you shuld be made a foole he is not to be takeÌ„ The Gods forbid that that wherof you speake shoulde come to passe And yet wée will not denie but that the wyâ—e know the euill and do it but for al that we wil say that they thereby lose not their witte forasmuch as what time it pleaseth them with the reason thei haue to bridle their willes they will reduce them selues to their accustomed witte guiding their motions in a due and straight ordre And in this maner their loue shal be altogether or at the least a long time kepte secrete and that without any doubtfull diligence the which shall not happen to one of little witte be he neuer so strong or curteous And yet if perhappes it do happe that such loue be discouered a wise man will with a hundred foresightes shut vp the eyes and vnderstanding of the tattlers therof and shal prouide a safetie both for his owne honour as for the honour â—f his loued Lady â–ª And if néede of safetie be the helpe of the wiâ—e can not faile That of the strong becommeth lesse And the friendes that are gotten by Liberalitie are accustomed in aduersitie to shâ—â—ke away What is she of so lyttle discretion that is brought to such a iumpe as hath néede of manifeste helpe oâ— that if hir loue be disclosed séeketh fame in hauyng loued a Strong or Liberall man I beléeue there is none Rich. Let the wise then be soonest loued â—oping that he must be in eche cause more profitable than any of the rest ¶ The fourth Question proposed by MENEDON The GentlewomaÌ„ by hir countenaunce seemed coÌ„tent when Menedon syttyng next vnto hir sayde â–ª Most high and noble Quéene nowe is it come to my tourne to propound my question here in your presence â–ª First Menedon telleth a tale Wherfore by your licence if in my talke I shal wade very long yet during the same I shal first of all of you and next of the standers about pray pardon Bicause ye can not be made fully to vnderstand that which I intende is propounde vnlesse a tale that peraduenture shall not be short doe precede the same and after those wordes thus she began to say In the countrey where I was borne I remember there was a noble knight sâ—nnouâ—ting riche the whiche loued in most loyall louè a noble Gentlewoman borne likewise there whome hée tooke to wise Of whome being as she was exceding faire an other knight called Tarolfo a Knight was enamored of a Ladie Tarolfo was after enamored and with so great good will loued hir as he sawe nothing he more desired than hir And in sundry sortes now with passing by before hir house now iusting now at the barriers now with the often sending hir messangers peraduenture promising hir greate giftes whereby she might know his intent and now with other like feates he indeuoured him selfe to purchase hir loue All which things the Lady closely supported without giuing signe or good aunswere to the knight saying to hir self When as this knight shall espie that he can haue neither answere ne yet good couÌ„tenance of me perhappes he wil forbeare any further either to loue me or to giue
And therefore desirous to be in his former estate he rendred them all to him by whâ—me they were gyuen Pouertie is the refused rich sa goodnesse vnknowen a flier of prouocations Pouertie highly estemed in times past the whiche was of Diogenes fully vnderstoode As much suffiseth pouertie as Nature requireth He liueth safe from euery disceite that pacieÌ„tly approcheth therewith neither is he disabled to attaine to greate honours that as wée haue sayde vertuously liueth therewith and therefore as Thebane reiected this allurement he was not liberall but wise So gracious he was to Tarolfo in that it pleased him to giue the same rather to hym than to an other where as hée might haue bestowed the same vppon many others Then to conclude the Knight was more liberal that graunted his honour than any of the others And thinke this one thing that the honour he gaue was not to be againe recouered the which happeneth not in many other things as of battailes prowesse and others like For if they are at one tyme lost they are recouered at an other and the same is possible â–ª Therefore this maye suffise for answere vnto youre demaunde ¶ The fift Question proposed by CLONICO AFter the Queene became silent Menedon satisfyed a worthy yong gentleman called Clonico that fat next to Menedon thus began to saye Most mighty Quéene this gentlewomans tale hath bene so excellent and therwithall so long as I in what I may shall briefly shewe vnto you this my â—onceipt to the ende the rest may the better at their more leasure say theirs Then for as much as I although very yong knew the life of the subiects of our Lorde Loue to be replete with many cares and sundry pyning prouocations yet with small delight I haue long tyme as I was able fled the like rather eschewing than commending them which follow him And although I was sundry times tempted yet with a valiant minde leauing the pitched snares I alwayes resisted But bicause I being not strong enough coulde no wayes resist that force wherevnto Phoebus was vnable to gainstand Cupide hauing taken heart to bring mée into the number of his thralles was taken before I knewe howe For one day being allured abrode thorow the fresh renued time walking all merry for my delight gathering of shell fysh vpon the salte Sea bankes it happened as I tourned mine eyes towardes Foure yong damsels in a Barke vpon the Sea the glittering waues I soddaynely sawe a little Barke comming towardes me wherin with one only marined were foure yong Gentlewomen so faire as iâ— was a maruellous thing to behold yâ— beauty thei séemed to haue They nowe being approched somewhat néere vnto me and I not hauing as yet turned mine eye from them sawe in the middest of them an excéeding great light wherin as my estimation gaue me me thought I sawe the fygure of an Angell very yong and so faire as I neuer behelde thing more fairer whome as I thus eyed me thought he said vnto Clonico attanited of Loue. me with a voice farre discrepant from ours O yong foole persecuter of our power and being therwith arriued I am come hither with foure yong damsels let thy eye make â–ª choise of hir for thy maistresse that best liketh thée I when I heard this voice abode all appalled and deuised both with eye and heart to auoyde that which heretofore I had many times fled but all was bootelesse for the strength of my legs sayled me byside he had bowe wyngs to ouertake me quickly wherevpon I in gazing among them espied one so faire so benigne of cheare and so piteous of semblaunce as I imagined to make choise of hir as of a singuler maystresse saying to my selfe This damsel presenteth hirselfe so humble to my eyes as assuredly she will neuer become enimie to my desires as many others haue bene to theÌ„ whome I haue in beholding full of troubles alwayes scorned but she shall rather bée a chaser awaye of my annoyes and hauing thus thought I forthwith answered The gracious beautie of that yong damsell that O my Lord sitteth on your right hand makes me desire to be both to you and hir a most faithfull seruant I am therefore ready to obey your will do with me as shall best like you I had not ended my tale but yâ— I felt my left side wounded The. ij shaftes of Loue are different with a shining shaft shot from the bow which he bare as me thought yâ— same was of gold And assuredly I saw him as he turned towardes hir to strike hir with an other of leade And thus I being in this sort taken abode in yâ— snares I had of long time fled This yong damsel hath and doth so much content mine eye as all other pleasure is very scarce in comparison of this The which she espying of long time shewed hir selfe content but after that she knew me to be so taken with this delight as noâ— to loue hir was a thing impossible incontinent shée discouered hir guile towards me â–ª with an vndeserued disdaine showing hir selfe in apparance a most cruell enimie alwayes turning hiâ— eye the contrary way as she happened to espie me â–ª and with wordes on my part vndeserued alwayes dispraising me by ocâ—asion wherof I haue in sinâ—â—ry sortes endeuoured my selfe both with prayers and humilitie to appease hir crueltie â–ª but beyng vnable I oftentimes bewéepe and lament this my hard fortune neither can I any wayes withdraw me from Clonico an vnbeloued Louer louing hir but rather how much the more I finde hir cruell so much the more me thinketh the flame of hir pleasure doth set my sorowful heart on fire â–ª As I thorowe thâ—se occasions one day being all solitarie in a garden bewailed my happe with infinite sighes accompanied with many teares there came vpon me a singuler friend of myne to whâ—m part of my griefs were discouered who with pitifull wordes began to comfort me yâ— best he could but I giuing thervnto no eare at all answered him that my miserie exceded all others Whervnto he made me this answer A maÌ„ is so much yâ— more miserable sayde he as he either malieth or reputeth himself a miser but assuredly I haue greater cause to lament than hast thou I then al angry turned towards him with a disdainfull loke saying And how Who can haue greter cause thaÌ„ I Do not I for good seruice receiue euil recompence Is not my faithful loue rewarded with hatred So that any may be as sorrowfull as I but more he can not bée Truly sayd my friend I haue greater cause of grief A Louer infected with ielousie reciteth to Clonico the good entertainement of his Lady than hast thou and heare how It is not vnknoweÌ„ to thée but yâ— I haue of long time yet doe loue a Gentlewoman as thou knowest neither was there euer any thyng that I thought might pleasure hir which I gaâ—e not my selfe with all my
and sharpe Duke in battaile a most humble and pleasant Louer It makes the gréedie and couetous liberall and curteous Medea the most carefull hider of hir arte after she felt his flames liberally yelded hir selfe hir honour and hir artes to Iason Who makes men more diligent to high attemptes than he And what he can do beholde by Paris and Menelaus Who furthereth forwardes the angry fiers more thaÌ„ doth he He sheweth vs how oftentymes the anger of Achilles was quieted thorowe the swéete prayer of Polixena He aboue all others maketh men couragious and strong Neither know I what greater example may be giuen vs than that of Parseus who for Andromaca made a maruelous proufe of his vertuous force He decâ—eth al them that are by him apparelled with excellent qualities with ornate talke with magnificence and with pleasauntnesse He I say bestoweth vpon all his subiectes finenesse and gentlenesse Oh how many are the good thinges which procede froÌ„ him Who moued Virgill Who Oâ—â—de Who the other Poets to leaue of theÌ„selues eternall fame in those their holy verses the which if he had not bene should neuer haue comen to our eares but he What shal we say further of his vertues but that he was able to giue such a swéetenesse to Orpheus harpe as after that he had called to that sound all the woodes standers about and made the running streames to stay to come into his presence in milde peace the fierce Lions togethers with the faint hearted Hartes all other beastes he made likewise the infernall furies quiet and gaue rest and swéetenesse to the troubled soules and after al this the sounde was of such vertue as he attained to haue againe his lost wife Then is he not the chaser away of honour as you say neyther the giuer of vnsitting troubles nor the prouoker of vices nor the disposer of vaine cares nor the vnworthy vser of the libertie of others So yâ— euery one of whom he maketh none accompt and is not as yet his seruaunt ought with all their wit and diligence to endeuour and to occupy theÌ„selues in the attaining the fauour of such a Lord and to become his subiect since through him he becommeth vertuous That which pleaseth the Gods and men of greatest streÌ„gth ought likewise to please vs. Let such a Lord therfore be loued serued and liue alwayes in our myndes Greatly deceiueth thée thine opinion said the Quéene and it is no maruell bicause as farre as we vnderstand thou art so far enamoured as none the like and without doubt the iudgement of the enamoured is méerely false bicause as they haue lost the sight of the eyes of their minde so haue they banished reason as their vtter enimy And for this cause it shall be conuenieÌ„t that we against our wil speake of Loue the which greueth vs since we be his subiects But yet to plucke thée froÌ„ thine error we shall turne our sileÌ„ce to a true report and wil therfore that thou know that this Loue is nothing else than an vnreasonable will sprong of a passion thorowe wanton pleasure that is opened to the eyes nourished with idlenesse by the memorie and thoughts of foolish myndes and many times in how much it multiplieth it taketh away the inâ—eÌ„t of him in whom it abideth froÌ„ things necessary disposeth yâ— same to things vnprofitable But bicause yâ— thou thorow exaÌ„ple giuing dost endeuor thy selfe to shew yâ— all goodnesse all vertue doth procede froÌ„ him we will procede to yâ— disproufes of thy proufe It is no part of humilitie vniustly to bring to a mans self that which belongeth to an other but rather an arroganâ—ie and an vnsitting presumption The which thing Mars whome thou makest thorowe loue to become humble assuredly vsed in taking away from Vulcan Venus his most lauful wife And without doubt this humilitie that appeareth in the face of louers doth not procede of a benigne heart but taketh roote from guile and deceipt neither makes this loue the couetous liberall but when as such abundance as thou layest to haue bene in Medea doth abounde in the heart and doth depriue the same of the sight of minde and most foolishly is become prodigall of things heretofore dulâ— estâ—â—ed deare and not giuing the same with measure but vnprofitably casting them away beleueth to please â–ª displeaseth Medea nothyng wise of hir prodigalitie in short time repented very much without vtilitie and knew that if she had modestly â–ª vsed those â—ir dere gifts she should not haue comen to so vile an ende And that soliciting that purchaseth or worketh hurt to the soliciters as it seemeth to vs ought not any ways to be sought for â–ª for much better it is to stand idle than worke harme although that neither the one nor the other is to be praysed Paris was a solicitour to his owne distruction if he behelde the ende of his soliciting Menelaus as reason was became diligent not for loue but to recouer his honor lost as eche discrete person ought to doe Neither yet is this loue a meane to mitigate anger but the benignitie of mind the brâ—nt being past that induceth it makes it to become nothing remitteth the offence against whome it is angry And yet louers and discrete persons were wont at the prayers of the persone loued or of some friende to forgiue offences to shew them selues curteous of that which coste them nothyng and to make the crauers therof beholdyng vnto them And in this sort Achilles many times shewed him selfe to expell from him this coÌ„geled anger Likewise it séemes that this makes men couragious and worthy But therof I can shew you the contrary Who was a man of greter valour than Hercules and yet being enamoured became vile and forgetfull of his force so that hée did spin thréede with the womeÌ„ of Iole Assuredly in thinges wherin occurreth no daunger a most hardy people are the enamoured and wherin daunger hapneth they shew them selues in apparaunce hardy and put them selues forward neither doth loue but little wit allure them so to do to the ende they may after haue glory in the sight of their loues although it hapneth very seldome bicause they doubt so much the losyng of the person loued that they are rather content to be helde â—â—le of little courage than to giue them selues to perill And yet we doubte not but this Loue reposeth all swéetnesse in Orpheus harpe We agrée that it is true that thou haste shewed that truely in generall loue ladeth the tongs of his subiects with such a swéetenesse with so many entiâ—ements â–ª as they many times would therby make the stones turne vp side downe so yâ— to entice is not only the propretie of wauering and inconstant men but of vile men Howe shall we say that such a lorde ought to be followed thorowe the good propretie of the follower Assuredly he in whom he abideth maketh wise and profitable counsels to be despised For it was
the grosse turning afterwardes vnto the same againe what time the appetite hath ben satisfied of the others But bicause as wée haue sayd it is not lawfull thorowe any vniust occasion to desire that which is an other mans we wâ—ll leaue the married to their husbandes and take of the others wherof a copious numbre our Citie doeth set The widow is to be loued before the maide before our eyes And we wold in bestowing our loue rather séeke the widows than the rude maides grosse for such a misterie and that are not without greate trouble the whiche in widowes néedeth not made able to a mans desire Further if maydes loue they knowe not what they desire and therefore they doe not follow with an intentiue mynde the steps of the louer as do the widowes in whom now the antique fier taketh force maketh them to desire that which thorowe long abuse they had forgotten so that to come to such effect they to late bewéepe the loft times and the solitarie long nightes the which they haue passed in their widowish beds These are therfore as it séemeth vnto vs rather to be loued of them in whome is the libertie to submit them selues to others than any of the reste Then aunswered Faramonte The contrary opinion of Faramonte Moste Excellent Quéene what ye haue sayde of the maried I had determined in my minde that so it ought to be and now hearing the same froÌ„ you I am the rather assured thereof But touchyng the maides and widowes I am of the contrarie opinion bicause setting the maried aparte for the reasons by you alleaged it séemeth vnto me that the maide rather than the widow ought to be desired for as much as the loue of the maide séemeth more firme and assured than that of the widow For the widow without doubt hath already loued one other time before and hath séene and felt many things of Loue knoweth what shame may follow therof and therefore knowing these things better than the maide loueth faire and softly and doubting and not louyng firmely desireth now this now that and knoweth not to whether for hir most delight and greatest honour to linke hir selfe for sometimes she wil neither the one nor the other so that deliberation doth wauer in hir mynde neither is the amorous passion able to take there stabilitie but to the maide these things are altogether vnknowen And therefore as â—he persuadeth The constancie of maides in loue hir selfe with good aduisement that of many yong men she greatly pleaseth one so without further examination she maketh choise of him as of hir louer and to him onely disposeth hir loue not knowing how for his pleasure to shew any contrary act neither is there for the more sure tying of the louer any newe deliberation by hir sought forth touching hir loue so that she is then pure at the will and pleasure of him that simply pleaseth hir and quickly disposeth hir wounded heart him onely to serue as lord The which thing as I haue already sayde hapneth not of the widowe therfore is the other the rather to be followed Further with more efficacie yâ— maide tarieth those things that neuer any one of hir sorte hath séene heard or proued And yet she desireth more to sée heare and proue them than who that hath many tymes both séene heard and proued them and this is manifest Emong the other occasions for the which our life doeth greatly delight vs and is desired to be long is for to sée newe things such as we haue yet neuer séene before And also for to sée thyngs moste new we haue a great delight to runne with a diligeÌ„t pace to that which we aboue all other things do endeuour our selues to flie that is death the last ende of our bodies The maide knoweth not that delightfull coniunction thorow the which we come into the worlde and yet is it naturall to euery creature thorowe a desire to be drawen thervnto Further she many times hath heard from them that know what maner a thing it is howe much swéetenesse doth consist therin the which with wordes haue giuen fier to the desire and therfore drawen of nature and of a desire to proue the thing of hir not as yet proued doth thorowe the wordes which she hath hearde desire boldly with a kindled heart this concourse And with whom is it presumed to be had but onely with him whome shée hath already made lorde of hir mynde This heate shall not be in the widowe bycause hauing once proued and felte what maner a thing it was she is thereby prouoked thereunto So that the maide then shall loue more and be more diligent thorowe the reasons aforesaid to the pleasure of hir Louer than the widowe To what ende shall we then wade any further in séeking that the maide ought not rather The Quenes solution vpon the nynth question to be loued than the widow You said yâ— Quene reason well and very well you defende your iudgement But yet we wil shew you with apparant reason howe you likewise ought to holde the same opinion that we hold of this coÌ„tention if with a straight eye ye loke to the nature of Loue. Thus in the Maide as in the widow so in the widowe as in the Maide we sée him to be firme strong and constant and that this is true Dido and Adriana with their doings haue left vs an eâ—aumple And where as this loue is neither in the one nor the other none of the aforsaid operations will therof folow Then is it conuenient that eche one of them doe loue if we will haue that to follow wherof both you and I haue alredy talked And therfore in louing either maide or widow without going about to séeke whether of them doth most discretely enamour as we are certain of the widow Maides ought not to loue but in respect of mariage we shall shew you how the widowe is more diligent to the pleasure of the louer than is the maide For doubtlesse among those things that a woman estéemeth deare aboue the rest is hir virginitie and this is the reason bycause therin consisteth all the honor of hir following life And without doubt she shall neuer be so much vrged forwardes to loue as she shall not willingly be courteous therof but yet to him only to whome she beleueth to be coupled â–ª as wife thorowe the matrimoniall lawe And therfore we go not about séeking for this for there is no doubt but that who will loue to marry ought rather to loue the maide than the widowe bicause she shall be slow and negligent in giuing hir selfe to him that loueth hir not if she knowe it to that effecte Further maides are generally fearful neither are they subtile enough to finde the wayes and meanes whereby they may take the stollen delightes But the widowe of these thinges maketh no doubt at all bicause that she already hath honorably giuen that which
the other tarieth to giue and being without the same doubteth not in giuing hir selfe to an other that token which may accuse Whereby afterwardes she becommeth the more aduenturous bicause as is said the chiefest occasion that bringeth doubt is not in hir besides she knoweth better the secrete wayes and so putteth them in effect In that which you say that the maide as desirous of a thing which she neuer proued maye be made more diligent to this than the widowe that knoweth what maner a thing it is therof the contrary Maides do not at the first time for their delight runne to such effect although the thing that delighteth the oftener it is séene heard or felte the more it pleaseth the more carefull is euery one to follow the same bicause it is then more noysom than plesant to theÌ„ This thing wherof we reason doth not folow the order of many other things yâ— once or twice being séene are afterwards no more desired but rather the oftener it is put in effecte with so much the more affection it coueteth to returne and more desireth he yâ— thing whom it pleaseth than doth he whom it ought to please and hath not as yet tasted therof Wherfore the widowe forasmuch as she giueth least and is best able to giue she shall be the most liberall and yâ— more sooner thaÌ„ the maide that must giue the dearest thing she hath Also the widow shal be sooner drawn as we haue shewed than the maide to suche effects For the which occasion let the widowe be rather loued than the Maide ¶ The tenth Question proposed by ASCALIONE IT was conuenient that Ascalione who in circle sat next vnto the Duke Feramonte shuld now propound and therfore thus hée sayde Most excelleÌ„t Quene I remeÌ„bre that there was heretofore in this our citie a faire and noble GeÌ„tlewoman left the widow of a worthie husband the which for that hir maruellous beautie was of many a noble yong Gentleman beloued And of those many there were two Gentlemen couragious knightes eche one in what he could did endeuour him selfe to attain hir loue And whilst this continued by chaunce it hapned that an vniust accusation was brought against hir by certain of hir kinsfolkes before the Magistrate and after by false euidence proued thorowe the which vntrue processe she was condemned to the fier But bicause the conscience of the Iudge was perplexed for that it séemed him as it were to knowe the vniust proufe he was willing to commit hir life to the Gods and to Fortunes happe and so tied such a condition to his giuen sentence as after the Gentlewoman should be ledde to the fier if any knight coulde be founde the which woulde combate in the defence of hir honor agaynst him that would maintaine the contrary and shoulde happe to ouercome she should then be frée and if the coÌ„trary to be burned according to the domed senteÌ„ce Two Knightes amorous of one Gentlewoman did in sundry wise shâ—w their loue As the condition was vnderstoode of hir two Louers and by chaunce sooner knowen to the one than to the other He which knewe the same soonest forthwith toke him to his armour mounted on horsbacke and came into the fielde gainsaying him that would come maintaine the death of the Gentlewoman The other that somewhat later than the first vnderstode of this sentence and hearing how that the knight was already in fielde in hir defence neither that there was thâ—n place for any other to goe thither in that enterprise and therfore not knowing herein what to do became very sorowfull imaginyng that thorowe his slacknesse he had lost the loue of the loued GentlewomaÌ„ and that the other iustly had deserued the same whilest he thus sorowed his missehap he bethought him that if he before any other should go armed into the fielde saying that the Gentlewoman ought to dye â–ª and so suffer him selfe to be ouercome he might thereby cause hir to escape and so according to his deuice he put the same in effecte The Gentlewoman hereby escaped and was deliuered from peril So that then after certaine dayes the first knight went vnto hir and recommended him selfe vnto hir putting hir in remembrance howe that hée to preserue hir from death had a fewe dayes past offred him self to the perill of death and thankes be to the Gods and to his forces he had deliuered both hir and him selfe from so hard an happe Whervpon it would please hir according to his desert to giue hir loue the which aboue all things he had alwayes desired Afterwardes with the like prayers came the seconde Knight saying that for your sake I haue hasarded my life and bycause you should not die suffred my selfe to be ouercome whervpon I haue purchased to my selfe eternall infamie wheras I contrarywise with incountring your suretie and willing to vse my force might haue ben able to haue gotten the honor of the victory The Gentlewoman thaÌ„ked eche one of them very benignely promising them both due recompence for the receyued seruice And now they beyng departed she abode in great doubt to whether of them she should the rather giue hir loue to the first or to the seconde and therof prayeth counsell of you on whether of them ye wold say that she ought soonest to bestowe the same We The Queenes iudgement vpon the contrary doings of the â—â— Knightes déeme sayde the Quéene that the first is to be loued and the last to be left bicause the first vsed force and shewed his assured loue in diligent sorte gyuing him selfe to euery perill that might happen thorow the future battaile euen vnto the death whereby it myght very well haue folowed forasmuch as if such a battail to be done against him had ben as lefull to any of the enimies of the Gentlewoman as it was to the louer he had ben in perill of death for hir defence neyther was it manifest to him that one should come against him that would suffer him selfe to be ouercomen as it happened The last truely went well aduised not to die neither to suffer the Gentlewoman to die Then forasmuch as he put least in aduenture he meriteth to gaine the lesse Let the first then haue the loue of the faire Gentlewoman as the iuste deseruer thereof Ascalione sayd O moste prudent Quéene what is that you say Doth not one time suffise to be rewarded Ascalion contrarieth the Quene â–ª for well doing without crauing further deserte Truely yes The first is well requiâ—ed with being of euery one honoured for the receyued victorie and what greater rewarde nedeth he than honour the rewarde of vertue the receyued honour did suffise for a greater matter than he did And he that with all his witte came well aduised ought he to be vnrecompenced and further he to be of euery one euil spoken of hauing nothing lesse than the first holpen the gentlewoman to escape Is not the witte to foresée euery bodily force
willingly be fled We confesse that if it were possible to beholde without feare it should be a greate delight But yet litle or nothing without the thought the which without the bodily sighte pleaseth very muche And that that whereof we haue spoken may come to passe thorow the thought it is manifest that yea and muche more For we finde that men with thought haue passed the heauens tasted of the eternall peace Than more delighteth the thought than the syght And if ye say that Laodomia was melancolie with thinking we doe not denie it but yet it was rather a dolorous than an amorous thoughte that dyd trouble hir She as it were a diuiner to hir owne harme alwayes doubted the death of Prothesilaus stil was thinking theron contrary to those thoughts wherof we reason which thorow that doubt coulde not enter into hir but rather sorowing thorow this occasion as reason was she shâ—wed a troublesome heauy loke ¶ The twelfth Question proposed by PARMENIO PArmenio sat next to thys Gentlewoman and withoute attendyng further as the Quéene had lefte thus began â–ª Most mighty quene I was of long time companyon with a young Gentleman to whome that hapned which I intend to shew He as much as any man could loue a woman loued a fayre yong Gentlewoman of our citie gracious gentle and very rich both of wealth parents she eke loued him for ought that I to whom his loue was discouered could vnderstande This Gentleman thâ—n louing hir in most secrete sorte fearing that if it should bée bewrayed that he shoulde no wayes be able to speake vnto hir to the ende therfore that he might discouer his intent and be certified likewise of hirs he trusted no one that should attempt to speake of this matter yet his desire inforcing hym hée purposed since that he could not bewray him selfe vnto hir to make hir vnderstande by some other that which he suffred for hir sake And bethynkyng hym many dayes by whom he might most closely signifie vnto hir that his intent he sawe one day a poore olde woman wrinkled and of an orenge tawnie colour so despiteful to beholde as none the like the which being entred the house of the yong woman to aske hir almesse followed hir forth of the doore and many tymes after in like sorte and for like occasion he sawe hir returne thither In this woman his heart gaue him to repose his whole trust imagining that she should neuer be had in suspicion and that she might fully bring his desire to effect therfore calling hir to him he promised hir most great giftes if she woulde helpe him in that which he should demaunde of hir She sware to doe hir endeuour to whome this Gentleman then discouered his mynde The olde woman departed and after a whyle hauyng certified the yong woman of the loue that my coÌ„panion bare hir him likewise howe that she aboue all other things of the worlde did loue A gentlemaÌ„ a gentlewoman and an olde woman were taken by the brethren of the gentlewomaÌ„ him she deuised how this yong maÌ„ should be secretly one euening with yâ— desired woman so he going before hir as she had appointed she guided him to this yong gentlewomaÌ„s house wherin he was no sooner entred than thorow his misfortune yâ— yong woman yâ— olde and he were all thrée found taken togithers by the brethren of the yong woman compelled to tell the trouthe of that they made there who confessed the whole matter as it was These brethreÌ„ for that they were the frendes of this yong Gentleman and knowing that he as yet had attained nothing that might redouÌ„de to their shame wold not do him any harm as they might haue done but laughing sayd vnto him in this sort Thou art now in our hands hast sought to dishonour vs and for that we may punishe thée if The Gentleman codemned to lye with the yoÌ„g and olde woman eyther of them a yeare we will of these two wayes sée that thou take the one either that thou wilt we take thy life from thée or else that thou lie with this olde woman and this our sister either of them one yere swearing faithfully that if thou shalt take vpon thée to lye with either of them a yeare and the first yere with the yong woman that as many times as thou shalt kisse or haue to do with hir as many times shalt thou kisse haue to doe with the olde woman the second yeare And if thou shalt take the first yere yâ— olde woman looke how many times thou shalte kisse and touche hir so many times likewise and neither more nor lesse shalt thou do the like to the yong woman the second yeare The yong man listening to the sentence and desirous to liue sayde that he woulde lie with these two two yeares It was graunted him But he remained in doubt with whiche of them he shoulde first beginne either with the yong or with the olde Whether of them would you giue counsell he shoulde first for his moste consolation begyn withall The Quéene and The Quene decideth the xij question likewise the whole company somewhat smiled at this tale and after she thus made answere According to our iudgement the yong Gentleman ought rather to take the faire yong woman than the fowle olde bycause no present good tourne ought to be left for the future neither yâ— euill to be taken for the future good bycause we knowe that we are vncertaine of things to come and in doing the contrary hereof many haue alredy sorowed to late and if any haue praised himselfe herein not Dutie but Fortune hath therin holpen him Let the faire therefore be firste taken Ye The contrary opinion of Parmenio make me greatly to maruell sayde Parmenio séeing that the present good ought not to be lefte for the future to what end then is it conuenient for vs with a valiant mynde to followe and beare worldly troubles where as we maye flie them if it were not thorowe the future eternall kingdomes promised to vs thorowe hope It is a maruellous thing that such a shocke of people as are in the worlde all moyling to the ende at one time to taste of rest and being able to rest before trouble should remaine so long while in such an errour as trouble after rest were better than before It is a thing very iuste as it séemeth to me after troubles to seke rest but to desire to rest without trouble in my iudgement ought not to be neither can it bring delight Who then will giue counsell to any that he lie first with a faire Gentlewoman one yeare the which is the onely rest and ioy of him that must lie with hir in shewyng him after that there must folowe so great anoy and vnpleasant life as he must in euery act wherin he abode with the yong woman haue to do as long with a lothsome old womaÌ„ Nothing