aliue For being matched so It did not only grieue her that Shée was compeld to go So farre away from Gorbin but The thing that nipte her nere Was that she feard she neuer should Haue séene her louer deare Once being pâ—ried from the place In all her life againe And hereupon she willing was And would bene very fayne To scape the King her fathers handes And liude with Gerbin aye She beate her braynes deuising meanes By stealth to runne away Likewise the knight was cloyd with care And liude a wofull man Her mariage knowen his valiant brest To throbbe and ake began Was neuer wight in greater woe Nor angry moode than he At length when care was somewhat past He thought his helpe to be And only ayde to rest in force Wherefore he did entend By strength of hand to win his lone When so the king should send Her home vnto her husbandes reahne Loue had possest him so As he the Princesse to enioye Through fire and floudes would goe The king of Tunise hauing heard Some inckling of good will That was betwixt the knight and her And doubting of some ill That Gerbin would pretend befides Well knowing that he was A valiant wight and one that did Full manly prowesse passe When time was come to send the quéene Vnto her husbands land By letters which he sent hée let King William vnderstand His meaning and his full inteent And did request beside To haue assurance at his hands That he would so prouide That not a man within his Realme Should hinder his pretence Nor Gerbin make resistance when He sent his Ladie thence The hoarie graue Cicilian king That loden was with age And wist not of his daughters idue Nor yet Gerbinos rage Nor déeming that the kings demaunde Did tend to such effect Did frankly yeld his sute as one That did no ill suspect And for assuâ—ance of the fame To rid the prince of feare He sent his Gentlet for a pledge That things confirmed were Who hauing such assurance made Let builde a mightie barks In Carthage Haueâ— and did riâ— The same with earnst carke And finely finisht vp the ship In minde without delay Vnto Granata by the Seas To send the Quéene away He wanted nothing saue the time To complish his intent Meane while the wantâ—n Princes that Knew her father ment And smelling out his purpose causde Her man in poast to goe Vnto Palermo couertly To let Gerbino knowe Both of the Ladieâ— late contract And that by ship shée must Within a while to Granat got To serue her husbands lusâ— Wherefore tell Gorbine if he hée The man in deed quoth shée And such a valiant Knight at armes As he hath bragd to mée And often boasted of himselfe Or beare me halfe the loue He made in wise he knowes my minde I shall his courage proue The messenger that had the charge Did as the Quéene had wild And made returne to Tunise when He had her hest fulfild When Gerbin had receiude the newes Both of her going thence And also that his Granstre gaue His gloue for their defence That should coâ—â—ey the Princesse home Vnto her husbands land He doubtfull woxe and wist not what Was best to take in hand But waying well the Ladies wordes Whom he did most imbrace To make a proofe of faithfull loue In such a doubtfull case Vnto Messina streight he went And there two Gallies made And armde them well with valiant men And skilde in Rouers trade And to Sardinia did conuey Him selfe and all his route Entending there to make his stay And linger thereabout Till time the Quéen by shipping came Which was within a space For why Gerbino had not long Continude in the place But that he might perceiue aloofe One vnder saile that came And had but slender gale he knew It streight to be the same Wherin the Quéene his mistresse went The Gods would haue it so For at that instant slender was The winde that there did blow Then quoth Gerbino to his mates If you be valiant men As I haue thought you all to bee And doe account you then There is not one among you all I dare auowe but earst Hath béen in loue or presently With Cupids shaft is pierst And certainely withouten loue Within the breast of man No goodnesse growes as I doe déeme Nor any vertue can And if you loue or euer did Then lightly may you gesse The great desire and burning loue That doth my heart oppresse I doe confesse I am in loue And Cupid causer was That I procurde you hither now To bring my will to passe And vndertake this present toyle The yonder ship you see And in the ship doth rest a dame The only ioy of mée And eke besides my Ladie deare Whom I would haue so faine Great wealth there is to quit your toiles An easie thing to gaine Small fight no doubt will serue the turne If you will play the men Which bootie if wée may atchieue My mates assure you then I only will the Ladie gaine That is my only care As for the goods I am content Among your selues to share Wherefore my friends attempt the fight Let courage neuer faile The Gods you sée are willing that We should the ship assaile You see she hath no gale to goe She can not passe away Fight fréely all the spoyle is yours You shall be made to day There néeded not so many wordes Their willing hearts to win For why encountring ratâ—er than Their liues they would haâ—â— bin The bootie bred the great desire They thought his tale too long The gréedie lust of pray did pricke Those lustie Lads along Wherefore as soone as he had told His tale the trumpets blewe And euery man his weapon caught And to the oares they flewe And to the shipwarde on they weat With all the speede they might The men aboord that see them come Preparde them selues to fight For why they could not scape away The Gallies were so neare And eke the winde so slender was To cause the ship to steare When Gerbin did approch the barke He wild the chiefest men That were the guides and rulde the ship To come aboord him then Vnlesse they ment to fight it out The Sarizens that saw Both who they were what they would Said that they brake the law Which earst the Prince of Cicill made Vnto their Soueraigne and To make the mattir plaine they shewde The Gantlet of his hand Loe here King Williams Glone quoth they Behold it here in sight This is your Pasport nought yée get Vnlesse it be by sight Gerbino hauing earst descride The beautie of the dame Aloft the Poope began to frie And melt with greater flame Than euer he had done before For then her feature séemde Farre fresher than in all his life The lustie louer déemde And there upon inraged thus By beautie of the Quéene He gaue his froffing answere when He had the Gantlet séene Good faith quoth hée I neede no gloue My
kingly crowne For iustiâ—e is the chiefe and only thing That is requirde and lookte for in a king Wherefore what Peeres and Princes once haue wild No subiecs should endeuour to vndoe For kings will looke to haue their bestes fulfild And reason good that it should aye be so As beastes obey the leftie Lyons looke So meane estates must puysant Princes brooke Ill fares the barke amid the broyling seas Where euery swayne controlles the maisters skill And each one stires at heline him selfe to please And folowes not the cunning Pylots will So realmes are rulde but badly where the base â—ill checke the chiefe that sit in highest place The Argument to the seuenth Hystorie AMerchaÌ„ts daughter loude her brothers boy That kept the shop of linage basely borne Which grome became the damsels only ioy Whereat the brothers tooke no little scorne That he who was a youth of no account Presumde vnto their sifters bed to mount So deepely sanke disdaine within their brest As nought saue death their malice might assuage Those stately merchants mought not be at rest Till time they had dispatcht the sillie page Wherefore they all with one consent agreed To murther him so they did in deede Whose absence long did grieue the teÌ„der maide That wept the dayes spent the night in teares Not knowing where he was nor why he stayde It so fell out in fine the ghost appeares Amyd her dreame of him that so was slaine And bid her stint her teares that were in vaine He wried his wounds he shewde the shameful He told the traytors treason the traine That wroght his bane wheÌ„ce their malice rose blows And where his mangled carkasse they had laines Which proces tolde he vanisht out of sight The wench awoke a heauie wofull wight To trie the truth of what her vision spake She got a mate of trust and on she hide Vnto the place a perfect view to take VVhere after search the body she espide The body of her friend so lately dead VVhose hmmes she buried bearing thence the head VVhich head she plasht within a Basell pot VVell couered all with harden soyle aloft Her daily vse was to lament his lot That so was slayne she wept and sorrowed oft So long vntill her brothers stole away The Basell pot wherein her louer lay This second griefe compared to the furst That she poore wench had suffred for hir friend Increast her cares and made her hart to burst VVhose life did whole vpon the pot depend The merchants when they sawe their sister ded For feare of lawe in poste their countrey fled OF yore within Messyna dwelt Thrée brothers marchant men Left wealthie by their fathers death Who died by fortune then This marchant had beside his sonnes A daughter very young Elizabeth by name in whom With beautie nurture sprong Which nymph as nature furnisht had With séemely shape to view So in her tender breast a troupe Of honest maners grew Which gifts of course are wont to cause Good liking and good will But yet for all these vertues rare This virgins lucke was ill Or els her brothers cruell were For she was ripe to wed And yet without a married mate Her lustie prime shée led It fortunde so at selfe same time This damsels brother had A yonker that did keepe the shop A very handsome lad Lorenzo was the prentise name To whom they gaue the charge Of shop and warchouse all was his To buie and sell at large This ympe being verie neate and frim Of person and of wit And passing pleasure in deuise A man for follie fit By gesture and demeanure set This damsels heart on fire Who but Lorenzo with the wenchâ— He was her chiefe desire When thus the virgin livde in loue This prentise did perceiue By noting her from day to day He then began to leaue His forraine haunt at game abroade And only bent his breast To loue of her of whom he saw Himselfe so sure possest Thus lyking grew from lesse to more The faggot equall was That burnt within these loners breasts And brought the match to passe For why there were not many dayes Before the wench and he Gaue full assurance of good will It might none other be Ech felt the fruite of former gripes Ech louer found such swéete In Venus ioyes as sundrie times At pointed place they méete And sport as the maner is Of wanton Cupids crue That more respect the present toyes Than troubles that ensue And thus in play they spent the time But loue giues such a flame As few or none haue reason howe To quench or hide the same For why the light bewraies it selfe Vnto the lookers flight So farde it by these louers two For on a certaine night As shée good wench was hasting to Lorenzo where he lay Her eldest brother chaunst to sée And tract her on the way And knew for certaine that she went Vnto the prentise bed But like a wittie man he held His peace and nothing sed Although it was a death to him So foule a fact to knowe Yet reason and good nature did Perswade this marchant so As after sundrie doubtfull thoughts That wandred in his hed He was content to hold his tong And so he went to bed I leaue to descant of his dreames But sure I scarce beléeue He slept at case who sawe a sight That so his heart did greeue When morning came stars did start The man that saw the déed The night before rose vp and gate Him to the rest wich spéede And tolde his brothers what had hapt And after long deuise And counsell had vpon the case Because their sisters vice Should purchase them no open shame Nor yet their linage blot They purposde so to deale in things As though they wist it not Vntill such time as fortune serude Without mistrust or blame To rid away the partie that Had doone them all the shame Meane while they bore a merie face And shew of friendly heart To outward sight vnto the man That plaide so vile a part The better to reueuge the wrong For that an open foe Is easie to be voyded when His lookes his rancour shew Which made them laugh in wonted wne With him that had defilde Their sifter till such time as they The leacher had begilde Which hapned in a little space For being in this glée The brothers did deuise to take Their horse and ride to sée The countrie for a day or twaine And as the Prouerbe goes The moe the mertier is the feast And thereupon it rose They prayed Lorenzos companie For sport and solace sake Who though would gladlie stay at home His wonted myrth to make With her that was his only ioy Yet graunted his consent To goe abroade suspecting no Such mischiefe as they meant These merchants and the prentise thus Their prauncing Ienates tooke And brauely out of towne they rode In all the hast to looke A place wherein to doe the déede I meane Lorenzos
shée That you conuey him hence in hast If you be ruld by me Cause him to trauaile in affayres Concerning Merchants trade For that perhaps by absence from The maide he may be made To quite forget his wanton loue And put her out of minde And make some other better choyce Abroade the boy shall finde A wench that is descended well To linke himselfe withall No doubt I séehem fullie bent By loue to hazard all The tutors liked well the tale The mother widow told And made her promise presently To doe the best they could By counsell and by good aduise And thereupon they sent Amessenger vnto the ympe That to the warchouse went And wild the boy to come away Who being come in place The one began to speake him thus With milde and friendlie face My sonne fith you are past a childe I would your wit allow If you would somewhat looke about Vnto your prosite now And see your selfe where all goe right That doth concerne your gaine We that your tutors are agrée If you will take that paine That you to Paris trauaile ther To stay a certaine space For there your father whilst he liude In banke your wealth did place Euen there your chiefest traficke lyes And eke besides the same You shall your selfe to manners good And better fashion frame By lodging in so trim a towne Where lustie gaisants be There shall you store of Gentlemen And brauest Barons sée And hauing learned their good grace And markt their vsage well You may returne you home againe Among your friends to dwell The boy did note his tutors tale That did perswade him so And brieflie made answere that He did not minde to goe To Paris for he thought he mought Aswell in Florence stay As any one what néede he then To trauaile thence away The sages being answerde thus Vnto the widdow went And tolde the mother how her sonne The wilfull wag was bent The matrone mad to beare the newes Spake not a word at all Of Paris matters but foorthwith Vnto his loue did fall Controuling him for roysting rule And for his baudie life And did not let to tell him how He meant to take a wife But as the mothers manner is For euery bitter checke Shée gaue her sonne a honie sop And hung about his necke And flattred him againe as fast And did the boy entice By all the friendly meanes she might To follow their aduise The mother widow preached had Vnto her sonne so long Of this and that and in his eare Had sung so swée te a song As for a yéere to trauell well The boy perswaded was To stay in Fraunce and so his time In forraine Realme to passe I leaue the taking of his horse I write not of his woe I passe of purpose all his plaints His countrie to forgoe I doe omit his bitter teares At time of his remoue For those to déeme that haue assaide The pangs of pensiue loue I write not of the mothers griefe To bid her sonne farewell For that her selfe was pleasde withall And likt his voyage well To Paris when this gallant came Loue gaue the charge anew Vpon his heart the fight was fierce A greater fancie grew Within his bosome than before The absence from her face Might not delay the hoâ—â— desire That had this youth in chace And thus the boy that meant at first But for a yéere to stay Full two yéeres out in burning loue In Fraunce at Paris lay Which time expyrde inwrapped more In flakes of fancies flame Than when he went from Italy He backe to Florence came And being there arrivde he heard His auncient friend was sped A certaine Curten maker hapt This wench meane while to wed Whereat he greatly greeued was And vexed out of erie But séeing that there was no choice Nor other meanes to trie He purposde with himselfe a truce His sorowes to expell But at the length he had espide Where did this damsell dwell And found her standing at her dore Then grew this youth in heate And as enamored wights are wont He gan the streetes to beate Both vp and downe both to and fro He vsed oft to stalke Before the Curten makers house In hope by often walke That she wanld pitie of his paines And eke his torment rue He verliy presumde that shée Her Girolanus knewe But fortune fell not out aright Shée knew the man no more Than one whom earst shée neuer sawe In all her life before Or if shee did remember him At least shée made in wise She wist not who the Marchant was So coy shée kest her eyes On Girolamus passing by Yet he would neuer leaue His wonted walke in hope at last Same fauour to receaue Deuising all the meanes he might To bring the wife againe In minde of him who was her loue Her strangenesse bred his paine It gréeude the Marchant to the guts That he was so forgote In fine he purposde with himself His feuer was so hote To speake with her although it cost The loosing of his life And héerevpon instructed by The neighbours where the wife Whom he entirely loude did dwell Hée watcht his season so That when the husband and his spouse With other neighbours mo Were walkt abroade to kéep the watch He slilie did conuey Himselfe into Saluestras house And being there he lay Behinde the Curtaines â—ie the bed Vnspide of any man The Curtain maker and his wife Returned home began To take their rest in wonted wise The man was sound a sléepe As soone as he was laid in couche Then gan this youth to créepe Vpon his knées vnto the side Whereas Saluestra lay And hauing softly plast his handes Vpon her pappes gan say What are you swéeting yet a sléepe With that the wife dismaide Would haue exclaimde as women wont In such like sort afraide Saue that the Marchant presently Her friendly thus bespake Alas my Déere exclaime not now You néed no thought to take For I aâ—â— Girolamus he That tender your estate She hearing that said all afraid What make you here so late Good Girolanus get you hence Those youthfull yéeres are spent Wherein it was our hap to loue That time good faith I ment Then lawfull was the thing we did But now you sée that I Am otherwise bestowde and matcht I must not now apply My liking but to him alone Wherefore I pray quoth shée For loue of God depart this place Your purpose may not bée For if my husband wist you héere Put case none other ill Ensude thereof yet this be sure I should haue chiding still Your being here would bréede debate And purchase deadly strife Whereas with him as now I leade A iollie quiet life I am his darling well belodde When Girolanus had Both heard and noted all her talke Hée woxe excéeding sad His heart was pierst with pensiue woe To he are the tale shée tolde Then gan hée wrie his former loue And all his flame vnfolde Declaring her that distance had Not
although your bones on rocks do roue A letter begun to a Gentlewoman of some account which was left of by means of the aduise of a friend of his who said she was foresped YOur beautie madame made mine eye to like your fare And now my hart did cause my hand to sue to you for grace The ground of my good wit by feature first was cast Which your good noble nature hath for euer sealed fast When psants be surely pight than lightly will they proue No trée can take so déep a â—oote as grifts of faithfull loue If I had feared disdaine or thought that hawtie pride Had harbourd in that brest of yours which is the pecocks guide Then should I not haue durst these verses to indite But waying well your curteous kind I tooke the hart to write In hope that Venus gifts are matcht with Pallas goods And that true frendship floures wil spring of blasing beauties buds For seldom shal you find a dame of your degrée And of such features but hir lookes and maners do agrée Which if in proofe I find as I presume I shall Then happy others but I compt my fortune best of all And to expresse my ioy my hands I mean to clap As who would say loe I am he that haue this blessed hap Let not my hopes be vaine in your hand lies my life And if you list to cut my throte you haue the fatall knife For wholy on your lookes and mercy stayes the thréed That holds my lims togither now the gods haue so decréed I am your bounden thrall and euer mean to be I will not change my choice c. To his friend not to change though iealousie debarre him hir company CHange not thy choyce my déere stand stable in good will Let ancient faithful loue appeete betwixt vs louers still A wisdom friends to win as great a wit againe A gotten friend that faithfull is in friendship to retaine Thou seest how hatred hewes the chips of our mischance And iealousie doth what it may the Viper to aduance Whose prying eyes are prest to hinder our intent But malice oft doth misse his marke where two good wils be bent So carefull Argus kept the faire well featured cowe Whose watchful eies fol soldome slept according to his vowe And yet at length he lost his head and eke his hire For Mercury his cunning crost to further Ioues desire So curst Acrisius closde the mayden in the mewe Where he assuredly supposed to kéepe the virgin true Yet Danac did conceaue within the secret towre And did in lap receiue the god that fel in golden showre Way what good wil he beares that liues in such distrust He fares as doth the wretch that feares his golde and lets it rust Whose hungry heaping minde for all his looking on Is oft abusde and made as blinde as any marble stone I craue but your consent when time and place agrée And that you wil be wel content to yelde your selfe to me Who euer wil regard the honor of your name And looke what pleasure may be sparde wil only craue the same No checke shall taint your chéekt by proofe of open acte I neuer wil vnwisely séeke to haue your credit crackte My loue excels his lust my fancy his good wil My trueth doth farre surmount his trust my good deserts his il Wherfore my deare consent vnto my iust request For I long sith haue loued you wel and euer meant you best So shal you haue my heart stil redy at your call You cannot play a wiser part then cherish such a thrall To his frend not to forget him WHere liking growes of lust it cannot long endure But where we finde it graft on loue there frend ships force is sure Where wealth procures good wil when substance slides away There fancy alters all by fittes and true loue doth decay Where beutie bindes the band and feature forceth loue With crooked age or changed face there frendship doth remoue No one of these my deare that fickle thus doe fade Did bend my brest or forst thy frend to follow Cupids trade But méere good wil in déede not graft on hope of gaine I lovde without regard of lust as proofe hath taught you plaine I way no wauering wealth I force not of thy face No graunt of pleasure prickes me on thy person to embrace No hope of after hap ingenders my good wil I lovde thée when I saw thée first and so I loue thée stil Wherfore requite with care the man that meanes you so It lies in you to yeld him ease or plague his hart with woe You were not bred of rockes no marble was your meate I trust I shal so good a dame to loue me best intreate You know I beare the blame your selfe are nothing frée He loues me not for louing you nor you for louing me Consider of the case and like where you are lovde It is against your kidde to please where you are so reprovde His frendship is in doubt you stand assured of me He hates vs both I cannot loue the man that hateth thée His frantike words of late bewraide his folly plaine Assure your seife he loues you not his glosing is for gaine Which purpose being brought to his desired passe The sotte wil shew himselfe a beast and prooue a wayward Asse By reason rule his rage by wisdome master wil Embrace your frend in spite of him that meanes you no good wil. A time in time may come if gods wil haue it so When we each other shalinioy to quite each others woe Which time if time agrée to pleasure vs withall Our honie wil the swéeter séeme that we haue tasted gall Till when vse womans wit therein you know my minde I neuer was nor neuer wil be found your frend vnkinde A vowe of Constancie FIrst shal the raging flouds against their course runne By day the moone shal lend her light by night the golden sunne First fickle fortune shall stand at a stedy stay And in the sea the shining starres shal moue and kéepe their way First Fish amid the ayre shal wander to and fro The cloudes be cléere in beuty eke the cole excéede the snowe First kinde shal alter all and change her wonted state The blind stal sée the deafe shal heare the dumbe shal fréely prate Before that any chaunce or let that may arise Shal be of force to wrest my loue or quench in any wise The flame of my good will and faithful fancies fire Saue cruel death shal nothing daunt or coole my hote desire Desire that guides my life and yeldes my hart his foode Wherfore to be in presence stil with thée would doe me good Which presence I presume thou neuer wilt deny But as occasion serues so thou to frendship wilt apply Til when I giue thée vp to good and happy chaunce In hope that time to our delights wil séeke vs to aduance Adue deere frend to thée that art my only ioy More faire
last all thinges that fortunde tho There was no shift Nastagio meant it so I leaue to descant of their daiutie fare Set bankets-made by Courtiers lacke no cates We may presume the seruire there was rare Because the board was virond round with states So much the more because his mistresse came VVhom hée had sound so ioy and queint a dame VVhen second course was servde in order rowine Euen then the blooddie Tragedie began The Sewer set the meate no sooner downe But by and by was heard of euery man A yelling noise that Echode in the skies The wofulst sound that man might well deuise VVhereat ech one that sate at meate did muze Demaunding who that wretched wight should bée And asaing what should meane that sodain newes They heard a voyce but coulde no creature sée They vaunst themselues stood mée bolt vpright Because they would the sooner haue the sight VVithin a while ech one might plainly viewe A naked Nymph with mastiues by her side And eke an vgly knight that did pursue And posting on a Croyden Ienate ride It was not long before they proched neere The place where as was held this royall cheere VVherein among the gazing guests she flewe Exclaiming there for ruch with open armes with that regrece and tender pitie grew within their breastes to rescue her from harmes To whom the knight cryde let alone the maid Reciting that which he before had said He shewde at large both who the partie was And did vnfold the cause of all her woe And why the sentence of the Gods did passe In cruell sort vpon the mayoen so Which pocesse made them muze and marueile much She as none durst the knight or curres to touch Then he behaude him as he did of yore Slashing the Lady with his fauchion fell The dogs receivde their pittance as before who fed vpon the heart and likte it well As many men and viomen as did view This wofull sight and both the parties knew And eke the houses whence they did descende And wist the cause of all this cursed case But now sir Guye for faithfull loue was shend And how the cruell maiden wanted grace with one consenting minde lamented so As out brast teares in witnesse of their woe VVhen that the knight had vsde the matter thus In blooddie sort as you haue heard it told Amongst themselues the feasters gan discusse And diuersly debate from young to old From first to last what lately hapned there Toucht all with dread but most that dame did fear VVhom good Nastagio lovde and tendred much Because she thought within her guiltie minde That her in chiefe this tragedie did teuch For foule disdaine and being so vnkinde To him who for good will deserued ruth And could atchieue but scorne for all his truth Then first of all resorted to her thought what rockie heart and brasen breast she bare The courteous Knight her loue that dearly bought And who for her had langstuisht long in care And hereupon as there shée sate in place Shée thought herself the wench that was in chase Full sore she feard her flanks thought shée sawe Her friende pursne her on his fretting steed And how he did his wrathful weapon draw To take reuenge of that her cursed deed And meant besides his hungrie hounds to fill with flesh of her for want of due good will So passing was her dread as then there grewe A déepe desire within her mellow breast Her louing friend in gentle wise to rewe VVhereby her selfe might purchace quiet rest And scape the scourge and penance for her pride Bestowde on him who déepe in fansie fride VVhen finisht was this feast and royall cheare And euery guest returned backe again Vnto her home Euphymia did appeare Tormented sore and vext with monstrous paine Tâ—e sodaine feare of what shée saw of late Had planted in Loue in place of former hate The silent time that others doe bestowe From heauie cares and troubles of the day To quiet sléepe did bréed this Ladies woe VVho might not chase those déepe conteites away No wished winke could enter in her eye Vnto her pillow fansie sate so nie VVhen day drew on and Phoebus with his waiue Had cleard the pole and darknesse put to slight She felt a fresh supply of pleasant paine And wept the dayes as shee had watcht the night Nastagio stacke so firmely in her breast As for her life shée could not compasse rest Wherefore shée calles a chamber maid of trust A wittie wench and one that knew her good And told her that in all the hast she must Vnto Nastagios tent in Classy wood To let him wit that if he would vouchsaue Her honest loue he might his purpose haue For shée was fully bent without delay To stoupe vnto his will if so it were His pleasure then with spéed to come away The maid departs and being entred where Nastagio was shée told her mistresse minde From point to point as dutie did her binde All haile good sir quoth shée in luckie houre And blessed time I viewe thy louely face Mine vnexpected comming to thy boure And preassing here thus ouerbold in place Is by my ioyfull newes to wright thy case Whose noble minde in loue hath melted long As to thy pains so to thy open wrong Sufficeth now thy sad and solemne cheare Discharge those cankred cares that fret thy mynde Lay sorrow quite aside which thou too deare Hast bought by means my Mistresse was vnkindâ— Pluckt vp thy spirites hencefoorth be sure to finde As great good liking at my Ladies hand As thou wouldst wish she means thy frend to stand And for a proofe of what I vtter now Loe the lines that flatly do vnfolde Her yelding necke that to thy yoke doth bowe With such good will as may not well be talde So faire a frend is worth her weight in gold Thus much by mouth my mistresse wild me say Therest I iudge this paper â—ill bewray The Ladies Letter of pittie to her afflictd friend to whom she had been cruell AS thou wilt muze to reade so I might blush to write These lines of loue who for good will haue fed thee with despite And from the day when thou becamst a thrall in loue Could neuer spare one sparke of grace that was for thy behoue Till now both cleane against mine honour and mine vse A Ladie and a mayden both I sende thee termes of truce But listen well vnto the tale that I shall tell Ere rashly thou my kindnesse deeme and thinke I vse thee well For Lions seldome sewe vnto the sillie sheepe No porter to their captiues crouch whom they in chaines doe keepe Few Ladies of estate few Dames of hie degree Doe bow vnto their vassals willes as I doe now to thee But knowe that though I write the wordes of great good will Yet I regarde mine honour aye and kéepe my countnance still No lust procurde my lynes my credite to impaire No fleshie fitte my fancie forst to speake
with thy friendes reioyce Thou seest how I do sue to whom thou for suedst grace Sith I doe pitie thy distresse to hight thy dolefull case Dispatch without delay treade torments vnder foote That mirth within thy mourning minde may take the deeper root The banquet latelie made where I beheld my chéere And marckte thy moode from point to point in whome did plaine appeare A kinde and constant heart not bolstred vp with gyle Enflamde my liuer so with loue as I was forst to smyle And had by outward shewes bewraied thée my good will Saue that my mother present was who markt my countenance still I sawe when we approcht the tent amid the wood How all thy guests reioyst thée but t was I that did thée good My presence bred delight with thy blooming brest And to dissemble liking thou didst welcome all the rest I markt at table how thou shlie cast thine eie On me askance and caruedst too my mother by and by As who would say behold the meate I meant to thée I am enforst to giue it here least they my fansie sée And when I raught the wine and dranke my thyrst to quell In self same péere how thou would pledge I yet remember well I saw when after meat wée parted home againe How all thy former frolicke fit was quickly changde to paine My comming brought thee blisse my parture made thée pine My beatie for the time enflamde and heat that heart of thine I saw what wilt thou more my presence was thy life And how mine absence set thy wits at cruell warre and strife Then sith thine eyes are bent to féed vppon my face And that the want of my good will hath made thée runne this race I rew thée now at last I pitie thy distresse I yéeld that thou the castle of thy comfort now possesse I am no Lions whelpe I suckt no Tigers teat In spoyle of such as sewde for loue delight I neuer set I neuer pleasure tooke in forcing foe to death Much lesse my tender heart wil brooke to stoppe Nastagios breath Time giues assurance good of thine vnfained trust Thou bearst no treason in thy brest thou hast no lechers lust Whom sithence I haue tride in loue so perfect true To quit thy faith I am thy friend reseruing honour due If marriage loue thou meane then franke consent I giue To yeeld thée vp Dianas bowe and loue thée whilst I liue In Iunos ioyfull yoke to ioyne and draw with thee It likes me well there rests no more but that my frends agree Small sute shal serue the turne for if they doe not yéeld Then I my selfe enright thee with the conquest of the fielde My selfe do kéepe the key where lies the iewell which Is thy delight and onely ioy whom thou desirst so much But no mistrust I haue thy motions are so good Thy flocke and state so noble as thou shalt not be withstood Wherefore O makelesse men set all delayes aside Thy Ladie loues and is content to be thy bounden bride Retire thou retthlesse wight whose lingring woundeth twaine Two noble hearts shall thinke them blest when thou returne againe These wordes I wrote in bed where oft I wisht for thée Mine honour bids me pawse at that as yet it must not be Farewell with Nestors yéeres God sende thée happie daies Remember thou that louing mindes can broke no long delaies Alas for thée I die ten thousand times a day My fits be fierce my griefe is great wherefore dispatch away I wish thée Daedals wings or Perseus praunsing stéed Or els the Cart that Phaeton rulde but better farre to speed In heart I am thy wife if that content thy will Once more adeu thy lingring long thy faithfull friend will spill Thy long beloued in RAVENNA EVPHYMIA Guerra ei mio stato dira e di duol piena Vegghio penso ardo piango EFtsoone replyde the knight with friendly face With gladsome heart trembling tong for ioy Faire Nymph quoth he thy comming to this place Delights me much and quits my great annoy The thing whereto thou saist I shall aspire Is that which long Nastagio did desire Thy message likes my minde excéeding well And sith thy Ladie deales so friendly now With me her thrall forget not thou to tell That by the Gods I make a solemne vow Not to abuse her honour or defile Her noble name by any wanton wile My purpose is in good and godly sort To take her to my lawfull wedded wife And so vnto the Lady make report I sweare my selfe her husband during life Doe giue mg Loue this Amathiste from mée As pledge that I ere long with her will bee And for thy paines loe here a slender summe But better this than no reward at all I meane to friende thée more in time to come Farewell faire swéete accept my guerdon small The maid had money thanks and leaue to part Whose answere made her Ladie light of heart And thereupon withouten longer stay Vnto her friendes shée brake her whole intent As touching marriage and withall did pray With willing mindes that they would giue consent Vnfolding her effection to the man And how in heart that onely course she ran The aged parents of this willing wight Perceiuing how their daughters minde was set And knowing eke the fansie of the knight Triumpht for ioy and thought it sinne to set Such honest loue or hinder marriage bande The short is this they wedded out of hand A marriage day no sooner gone and paste There were not in Rauenna man wife If you had fitted all from first to last In greater glée that wasted all their life She shewde heâ— selfe not halfe so hard before But being matcht she loude him ten times more And not alone this one good turne befell Nastagio through this sodaine forced feare But diuers moe that there about did dwell Bepitied those that louing hearts did beare And such as for good will had rigour showen No more for foes but louers would be knowen The Lenuoy THrice happie those I deeme aboue the rest That ground good will and sixe affection so As in the end it fall out for the best Not broken off by fortune nor by foe Seedes wâ—â—ely sowen will prosper well and growe But where aduise and wholsome counsel wants Trees may not proue they perish in the plants Who makes his choice to loue in tender age And scornes the skill of such as tune hath taught And headlong runnes at riotin his rage Is like the birde in net by fowler caught Bringing himselfe and all his wealth to naught It cannot be but such as counsel scorne Must needes at length be vtterly forlorne The sicke that leathes to listen to his cure And seekes no meane his maladie to cease To die the death for lacke of helpe is sure The carelesse man is full of wretchednesse â—o raging loue brings balefull end vnlesse The patient plie and lend a bending eare Vnto his friend that willes to forbeare VVhich
seldome when in frantike youth is found In case of loue vvhere pleasure strikes the stroke They hate the plaister that should heale the vvound And like the beast runne willing to the yoke That with his straightnesse sundrie times doth choke The least aâ—oy that fraile defires bestow Is wracke of wealth if quite the carcasse goe Yea diuers times goodes life and al decayes Through foolish luste and wanton witlesse wil So many be the dristes and double waies That craftie dames doe put in prattise still As some they sotte and other some they kill They little force how raging louers rewe So they themselues in peace the pageant vewe Not much vnlike the wilie witted boy That tiles his trappe to take the subtile foxe Who clappes his handes and makes the greatest ioy When he pecceiues fale Raynard in the stockes And for his labour giues ten thousand mockes So craftie Dames contented are to lute Men on to loue but scorne them being sure Their pranking beauties pricke them on to pride Their feitured limmes bedeckt with natures die Makes them followe rigour for their guide And ouerlookes their friendes with haughtie eye Who for their loues are euen at point to die Without regarde of spoyle or of expence Deeming them selues quite cleare of all offence As in this processe plaine is set to viewe Wherein a heauie mistresse playde her parte Right well content to let Nastagio rewe And for good will to reape disdaine and smarte That loude her from the bottome of his hearte Who though were ritche and noble by descent Yet might not make her marble minde relent By lingring loue she made his monie mealte As waxe doth weare against the slaming fire Through her disdaiue outragiously he dealt Vasting his wealth to compasse fond desire A great deale more than reason did require She was the cause for had not fancie bene He would more neare vnto his profite seene But vvomens beauties bleare the clearest eyes Their feeble force makes vveake the vvisest vvittes Their limber chaines the sturdie Champion ties The grauest sage is thrall to louing fitts The rockiest brest vvith bolt Cupido hittes And vvho so thinkes to scape most cleare avvay Is soonest caught and makes the longest stay I coulde accompte Cupido for a God When I respect his puissance and his might If in his shaftes he were not found so odde But would in case of liking deale aright And force faire daines their louers to requite But commonly vvhentmen in tansie burne Then womens hartes are most vnapt to turne When man doth rage his Ladie lies at rest When he laments she liues at quiet ease She coldely loues when he doth fancie best And when she powtes yet he must seeke to please And make faire wether in the roughest seas Yea and perhaps at last when all is done As farre to seeke as when he first begonne As proues this noble man who hauing spente No slender summes in seruice of his loue And barde himselfe by racking of his rent Yet could by no desert good lyking moue In ruthlesse brest no pitties plantes might proue Till feare of harmes her late repentance wrought She could to clothe by no deuise be brought But when in fine this bloody broile she sawe And plainely vewde amid the open groue The Ladies plagues then was she pincht with awe Of like successe then little Cupide stroue Within her bulke because that she had woue The web that wrought Nastagio all his woe And thereupon she lette to be his foe Then fell she flatte to fansie out of â—ande Than sent she messege to bewray her mynde Then did she let Nastagio vnderstande How that she meant no more to be vnkinde But willing was her selfe in matche to binde Whereby vve see that sundry things are done By force of feare vvhich vvit had neuer vvonne But sure good vvill of feare that takes his grounde But badly proues a fansie forst in harte Full lightly fades and seldome vvhen is sounde With euery heate t is ready to departe It doth resemble colours made by arte The franke consent in loue t is euer best Whom meere affection breedes in yeelding brest Faire Ladies beare with what I vtter here Concerning women and their deepe disgrace I gyrde the coye I leaue the curteous cleare And this I say Who favvnes vpon the face Of any dame and reapes a scornefull grace Were she as braue as Paris Ladie vvas For louing so he proues himselfe an Asse Who serues a sot and bovves at euery becke Without the guerdon that to loue is devve And playes his game at chesse to gayne a checke Deserues the mate that doth the checke enfevve Because he scornes his mischiefe to eschevve And she that hath a perfite friend to trust Deserues a plague if she be found vnâ—ust You stately Dames that peacocklyke do pace Through pride abusing such as are your thralls Enforcing them for lacke of better grace Vnto their bane which sundrie times befalles Not finding lalue to cure their griefull galles Euphymias plagues imprinte in hee defull mynde And looke for like if you be found vnkynde Ama chitama Minor paena Tantall ne linferno Pate che chi di donna sta al gouerno The Argument to the second Hystorie NIcocrates a cruell tyrant flewe Sir Fadimus who had vnto his wife One Aretafila of gallans hewe And after hauing reft the husbaÌ„ds life Did wedde this dame who though were made a queene Might not forget the murther she had seene No loue deuise no iewels fet from farre Could so reclaime this noble Ladies minde But that she would aduenture him to marre Who slevv her knight whereat she so repinde By poisoned drinke she meant to do the deede But that was found it might not vvel succeede The tyrants mother Caluia tygreleeke Procurde her plagues and torments diuersly For that the Queene to slay her sonne did socke But vvisely she did slacke this crueltie And made him thinke her sirupe vvas to proue Where she might forte in him a greater loue Which shift allovved she more in credit grevv The king forgaue but she could not forget But once againe deuisde a drifte anovve VVhich as she thought might lightly haue no let The king a brother had a vvifull vvight Bente all to loue and he Leander hight This Ladie bare by Fedimus of yore A daughter faire vvhom she by practise sought To couple with Leander euermore Which macht at leÌ„gth with much ado was wroght Then all the mothers skil and daughters drifte Was by this youth the king froÌ„ crown to lifte By day the Queen the daughter did perswade The wife by night did play her part so well As in a while these two Leander made To vndertake to rid this tyrant fell No dew regard of bloud no care of kinde Could stay the fact this Princoxe was so blinde The king was slaine by cruell brothers hande The realme releast of such bloudie foe Leander then did gouerne all the lande The hope was great that matters wel
to her he loued best Whom he without offence had put to cruell paine Wherefore within a space the king began to loue againe And fansie her as fast deuising sundry shiftes To winne her olde good will he gaue her many goodly gifts She could not want the thing the tyrant had in store Who then but Aretafila whom he had rackt before And she that was full wise by countnance and by the are Did make as though she did embrace and helde the tyrant deare But still in store she kept within her wrathfull minde Remembrance of reuenge till she fit time and place might finde And in her head she cut the patterne of his paine How if occasion servde she mought auenge her husbande slaine By Fedimus she bare whilste he yet liuing was A daughter that for honest life and beautie braue did passe And so befell it that the king a brother had Leander namde a wilfull youth and eke a wanton lad Much giuen to the loue of light alluring dames To whom as to a byting fish a bayte this mayden frames To take him by the â—â—ppe by sorcerie she wrought And cuppes that cause a man to loue whereby this youth she brought Into her subtil net thus was Leander caught By loue deuises that the Quéene vnto her daughter taught This damsel hauing woonne Leander to her lure So traynde him on as she at last the Princesse did procure The tyrant to request to yéelde him his desire As touching mariage of the Mayde that set his minde on fire Who when Leanders loue and purpose vnderstoode To Aretafila to breake the same he thought it good She willing was thereto as one that wrought the wile Nicocrates perceiuing that denying it a while Yet graunted at the length not willing to be seene An enemie vnto the mayde the daughter of the Quéene When all good willes were got the mariage day drew neare Vntill Leander wedded was he thought it twentie yéere To make the matter thord I leaue for you to scan Both of the maydens rich attyre and iewels of the man I leaue the musike out I let the banket go I speake not of the noble men that were at wedding tho I write not of the wine nor of the daintie cates Assure your selues there waÌ„ted naught that fitted royal states When wedding day was done the wife to chamber went And after her Leander came where they in pleasure spent The night as custome is and maried folkes do vse And selfe same pleasure night by night from that day forth ensues The lately wedded wise behaude her selfe so well That still Leander tén times more to doting fansie fell Which when she vnderstâ—de a wench of wily witte To set her purpose then abroch she thought it passing fit A fyled tale she framde and thus begun to speake Mine own quoth she the great good wel I beare you makes me breake My minde and meaning nowe The carke and care I haue Is causer that I will you from your brothers sword to saue Your life whilste yet you may you sée his monstrous miude And how his hatefull tyrants heart is all to blood inclinde You know his cruell déedes I shall not néede recite The sundry men that he hath slaine vpon a meere despight You viewe the gorie ground where yet the bodies lie You sée how tyrant like he deales you sée with daily eye Such vndeserued deathes as wo it is to tell In my conceite if you should séeke his spoyle you did but well It were a worthie déede and well deseruing prayse To murther him and reaue his realme that so his subiects slayes To rid your natiue soyle of such a monster may Not onely gaine immortall fame that neuer shall decay But winne you such good will in countrie and in towne As by the meanes thereof you may attaine the royall crowne Which now your brother weares against the peoples will Who would no doubt elect you prince if you the tyrant kill To quit so good a turne and noble deede withall But if you let him raigne a while I feare at last you shall Repent your long delay your state is neuer sure As long as he the mouster lines he will your bane procure What thraldome like to yours howe wretched is your life Haue you forgotten how you sude to him to take a wife Fie shame Leander fie I greatly disalow That you who are his brother should vnto your brother bow Put case he owe the crowne is that a cause that you May not go marry where you list but must be forst to sue So like a boy for leaâ—â— to choose your selfe a make Oh that I were a man I would enforce the beast to quake Leander if you loue or make account of me Bereaue the monster of his life my mother longs to sée The slaughter of her so that siue my father earst VVith these her wordes Leander felt his heart so throughly pearst As vp from bed he flew with minde to murther bent To sucke his brothers blood ere long this wilfull marchant ment Leander had a friend whom he did loue as life Callde Danicles to whom he rode and tolde him what his wife Had willde him take in hande wherein his ayde he must In whom especially he did repose assured trust Leander with his friend when time and place did serue Nicocrates the tyrant slue as he did well deserue And hauing done the déed achieude the kingly Crowne He strake the stroke and ruler was and gouernde all the towne Thus he in office plaste puft vp with princely might Not forcing Aretafila his mother law awhit Nor any of hir blood once hauing got the raigne Did all the worlde to vnderstande by that his high disdaine That he his brother slue for rancour and despight Not for desire his Countrey soyle from tyrants handes to quight So loath some all his lawes so straunge his statutes were Such folly in his roysting rule as made the people feare Their former foe to haue bene raysde to life againe VVho was not many dayes before by this Leander slaine VVhen Aretafila sawe howe the game did go And that Leander in his sway did vse the matter so And proudly rulde the realme estéeming her so light VVho hoped by his brothers death the countrie had bene quight Releast of tyrants rage when she perceiude I say Howe haughtily his heart was bent she meant her part to play In ridding of the realme of such a cruel king That kept his subiects so in awe and vnder yoke did wring A fresh report was blowne of one Anabus bred In Libie lande a Martial man that all his life had led In face of foraine foes with him this wily dame Did practise and such order tooke as he with army came Leander to subdue who being nigh at hand With mightie troupe of warlike wights to ouercom the laud The Quéene his mother lawe as one that were dismaide To worke her wile Leander â—alâ— and thus to him shée said Loe here good sonne
that shée Should leaue that fonde and foolish trade But saw it booted not Did make no more adoe but hid Away the Basill potte Which when she hapt to come againe And not to finde it there Full earnestly began to craue The same with many a teare And being barde thereof begon To wexe diseasde and all Her sicknesse time for nothing but The Basill potte did call Her brothers not a little muzde To heare her strange request In crauing of the potte and ther. Vpon did thinke it best To sée the same and make a search Who hauing powred out The earth that was within the potte Est soone espyde a cloute And in the cloth the head inwrapte So freshe and fayre to vewe As it to be Lorenzos head By curled he are they knewe Which set them in a sodaine dumpe And made them greatly dread The murther would be brought to light By reason of the head And hereupon they hid the skull And layde it in a graue And from Messina went by stealth Them selues from death to saue Entending being fled the towne If they might passe vnspide From thence in poste vpon the spurte To Naples straight to ride And thus I leaue the merchant men Their iourney forth to take Who after sped I wote nere howe But thus an ende I make The silly wench amid her griefe Did neuer leaue to crye To haue the Basill pot againe But when shée did espie That all her calling was in vayne Her teares did neuer blin To issue from her cristall eyes Till timy the harte within For very anguish brast in twaine Then Clotho came to rid The mourning Damsell of distresse And brake her vitall thrid Loe here the lotte of wicked loue Behold the wretched end Of wilfull wightes that wholy doe On Cupides lawes depend Vn puoco dolce multo amaro appaga Lenuoy If all the earth were paper made to write And all the Sea conuerted into ineke It would not serue to shew Cupido might No head can halfe his bloudy Conquests therske Vnto his yoke he forceth euery wight No one away dares for his life to shrinke Who most contends the widest wound receaues For Cupid then by force his freedome reaues The sage who sayde that loue exceeded all Pronounst the troth and spake as we do fynde He wist full well that euery wight was thrail Vnto the God that feadreth is and blinde No Poet him but Prophet may we call For that of loue so derely he definde For Cupid with a looke doth wound moe hearts Then thousand speares or thousand deadly dartes Which Caesar sawe who fundrye Realines subdude Whereby his faine did reach the stately startes For when that he fayre Cleopatra vewde He fell to loue for all his ciuill warres In aged brest his youthfyll wounds renewde Where Cupids scourge had left him sundry scarred That learned Marcus so rendwinde for wit For Faustine fayre was rid with louing bit Eake Annybal of Carthage manly wight That past the Alpes to come to Italy Whose puissance put the Romane hoast to flight For all his force and prudent pollicy Did stoupe to loue surprisde with deape delight Of one a wench bred vp vnciuillâ—y And many moe as fierce as he in fielde Cupido forst with tender bowe to yeelde And not alone this Archer masters man But by this power doth pierce the golden skies And there subdues the greatest now and than Such subtill driftes the Godhead doth deuise As when that Ioue lodde Leda like a Swan And prickt his plumes to please his Ladies eyes Another time became a milke white Bull And all to steale away a countrie Erull Who hath not hearde how Phebus Daâ—hne lovde Bow mightie Mary was bound in Vulcans chaine And eke how Ioue his greatest cunning provde When be became a galden showre of rayne Endymion he was passingly belovde Of Phebe who with him had often laine On Latinus hyll the gastly God of hell Pluto him selfe did like Prolerpine well May Neptune boast or vaunt aboue the rest Dyd he not loue as other Gods haue done Hath Cupid neuer rasde his rockie breast Could he for all his waues dame Venus shunne No he hath been by pangs of loue opprest The water nymphs his godhead oft haue wonne No storme could stint nor frosen flood remoue Nor water wast his flames of burning loue To banish him no wile or wit anailes No heart so hard but melts as doth the waxe To cure his wound all learned Phisicke failes It burnes the breast as fire consumes the flaxe The fort of force must yeeld when loue assailes Ech rebels mind with lingering siege he sacks No towre so high no castle halfe so strong But loue at last will lay it quite along And looke who once is tangled in his net And beares his badge fast fixed in his brest By no deuise or gile away may get But foorth he must and march among the rest By nature so the law of loue is set As none hath will or power from him to wrest No griefe so great no toyle or trouble such That faithfull louers thinke to be too much No counsell giuen by friend no feare of foe No rulers rod no dread of threatning law No wracke of wealth nor mischiefe that may grow Can cause the wight that loues to stand in awe As flattly doth this former story show Where you a wench so deepe in fansie saw As naught saue death might bring her woes to end When she had lost her faitfull louing friend Wherefore this wrong was great they did this maide The brothers were a litle not too blame That would the weneh from fixed fansie staid And thought by force to quench her kinâ—â—ed flame Loues heate is such it skornes to be delaide With greater ease you may a Tiger tame Than win a wight whose liking once is set Either to forgoe a friend or to forget Amor vineâ— ogni cosa The Argument to the eight Historie VVHen Aristotimus did strike the stroke In Elyesus and did weld the Mace As King alone so heauie was his yoke That subiects thought themselues in wofull cace For greedie gustes that gapt for giltles blood Were best esteemde and most in fauour stood Ech villaine vile that vaunted of his vice Ech loathsome leacher longing for his lust Was mounted vp and held in hiest price Sinne sate at bench extortion counted iust The best might bear no palme whilst he did rain He banisht some some with sword were slain Till Gods at last detesting murthers done Iucenst the hearts of sundrie noble wights For due reueÌ„ge vnto his realm to ron where matchte with suche as were his housholde knights VVith one consent this blooddy beast they slew Amid the Church for Gods themselues to view The woful Queen the murthring moÌ„ster wife By fame assurde of dolefull husbands death To flee the force bereft her selfe of life Enuying that her foes should stop her breath Two Ladies eke the daughters of the king Had leaue to die who hung
had beheld She watred straight her eyes And out alasse to Stramba and Lagina lowde she cries The louers left the déep discourse And to the place they runne Where as so late this chaunce befell And deadly déed was done Ariuing there and sinding dead The weauer in the grasse And more than this perceiuing how His body swollen was And séeing all his face bespaugde With spots as black as cole And that in all the body was Not any member whele Then Stramba cried out aloude Oh vile vnthriftie wench what hast thou done why hast thou giuen Thy friend a poysoned drench What meanst thou by this déed of thine Which words were spoke so hie That all the neighbours heard the same That were the dwellers by And in they pressed all in hast Into the garden where The showte was made and being come They found the body there Both void of life and fouly swolue An valy sight to sée And finding Stramba shedding teares And blaming her to be The only cause of Pasquines death The wench vnable eke For verie griefe of heart a worde In her defence to speake Though shée in déed were not the cause Yet they that came to view Did apprehend the girle and thought That Strambas wordes were true When thus the wench arested was Shée wrong and wept a pace And so from thence was brought before The common Iudge his face Vnto the pallace where hée dwelt The maidens accusers were Excéeding earnest in the case Both Stramba that was there With Pasquine as his faithfull friend And other moe beside That came into the garden when The faithfull virgin cride And hereupon the Iustice fell To question of the fact Debating with the witnesses Who hauing throughlie rackt The matter and not finding her As giltte of the déede Nor any proofe of malice that Might from the maide procéede As touching murther of the man Hée thought it good to stay His iudgement and himselfe to goe Where dead the carkasse lay To view the partie and the place To beace the matter out For all the other euidence Might not remoue the doubt Within his head the Iudge conceivde In this so strange a case The men that knew the garden brought The Iustice to the place Where Pasquines carkasse puffed lay And strouting in such wise As made the Iudge himselfe am azde Hée could not well deuise How such a mischiefe might bée done Which made him aske the maide Symona how the murther hapt To whom the virgin said Renowmed Iustice after talke Betwixt this man and me Hée stept aside vnto the bed Of Sage that here you sée And with a leafe thereof he rubd His gummes as I do nowe And therewithall shée tooke a leafe To shew the Iustice how Her friend had done and this quoth she He did and died than Whereat this Stramba and the rest That records were began To scorne and laugh in presence of The Iudge and earnestly Made sute that fire might bée fet Wherein the wench to trie To féele the penance of her fact Which like a wicked wretch She had deuisde shée earned death That would her friend dispatch The virgin wofull for the death Of him that latelie died And fearefull at the earnest sute Which Stramba made beside Thus hauing rubd her tender iawes With Sage before them all Without suspect of such mishap Bereft of life did fall Vnto the ground where Pasquine lay And in like sort did swell From louely lookes to loathsome limmes A monstrous chaunce to tell And thus to shew the meane how earst Her louer lost his breath This sillie giltlesse wench her selfe Euen there did die the death O happy soules whose hap it was In one ielfe day to laue So faithfully and in selfe day The pangs of death to proue And happter had you both ybin If you had had the grace Some other where to spent the time And not within that place But farre more blessed are yée nowe If in this death of yours You loue ech other as in life Your likings did endure But thou Symona happiest art For ending so thy dayes If we that liue may iudge aright And yeeld the dead their praise VVhose innocent and giltlesse ghost Dame Fortune did denie By Strambas false surmised proofs VVithout iust cause to die I count thée treble blest of God For Fortune found I say A meane for thée by selfe same death That rid thy friende away To set thee frée from misreports And slaunder that did growe And gaue thée leaue by losse of life Vnto thy loue to goe The Iudge that saw this sodain chance And all others eke That present were amazed stood And wist not what to speake Or to comecture in the cace The wisest tongues were domme At last the Iudge as soone as hée Was to his senses comme Thus said by this it doth appeare The Sage that here you sée Infected is and venim strong Though Sage by nature be A very soneraigne holesome hearbe The proofe hath made it plaine But for because we will be sure It shall not hurt againe Do delue it vp and burne it here It may offend no more The Gardner therewithall was come Who digd it vp before The Iudge and all the standers by He had not parde the ground Farre in but that the cause of both Those louers banes he founde For vnderneath this bed of Sage The fellow that did dig Turnd vp a toade a loathsome sight A worme excéeding big The toade was of a monstrous growth Then euery man could tell And iudge the cause of that mishap Which both those friends befell Then could they say the venomd worme Had bealchd his poyson out And so infected both the roote And all the bed about Where grewe the Sage that bred their deaths Then sawe they playne the cause And reason why the weauer dyde By rubbing of his lawes They made no more adoe but forst The gardner by and by To make a fyre to burne the Sage And eke the Toade to frie That was the cause of double spoyle The Iudge had nought to say When this was done but parted home The people went their way Straight Stramba and his other mates That gaue in euidence Against Symona brought a Beare And bare the bodies thence So vgly swollen as they lay Vnto Saint Paules and there Within one Tombe did burie both For of that Church they were Lenuoy AS noble mindes to loue are kindly bent And haughty harts to fancie homage yeelde As upâ—â— makes the stoutest states relent And martiall men that daunt the foe in fielde So meanest mates are masht within the net That wily loue to trappe his trayne hath set What Prince so prowde what King for al his crown What sage so sadde or solemne in his sawes What wight sowise but Cupid brings him downe And makes him stoupe to nature and her lawes Both poore and rich doe loue by course of kinde The proofe whereof in all degrees we finde That Hector sterne that stroue to mayntayne Troy And
I did meane no ill Two things in chéefe did moue me thus to write And made me déeme it none offence at all First Ouids works bedeckt with déepe delight Whom we of Poets second best doe call I found him full of amours euery where Each leafe of loue the title eke did beare Then next I liued in place among the moe Where fond affection bore the chéefest sway And where the blinded archer with his bow Did glaunce at sundry gallants euery day And being there although my minde were frée Yet must I séeme loue wounded eke to be I sawe how some did séeke their owne mishap And hunted dayly to deuoure the hookes That beuty bayted and were caught in trap Like wilfull wights that fed on womens lookes Who being once entangled in the line Did yelde themselues and were content to pine Some other minding least to follow loue By haunting where dame Venus darlings dwelt By force were forst Cupidos coales to prooue Whose burning braÌ„ds did make their minds to melt So as they were compeld by méere mischaunce As others did to follow on the daunce Some eke there were that groapt but after gaine That faynd to frie and burne with blooming heate Of raging loue and counterfetted paine When they God wot had slender cause to treate But all was done to make their Ladies déeme How greatly they their beuties did estéeme And then O gods to vew their gréeful chéeres And listen to their fonde lamenting cries To see their chéekes déepe dented in with teares That day and night powred out from painful eyes Would make a heart of marble melt for woe That sawe their plights did their sorowes know And all for lacke of ruthe and due remorse Their cruel Ladies bore so hard a hand And they poore men constraynd to loue perforce And fruitlesse cleane to sowe the barrain sand That vnto me who priuiâ— was of all It was a death and grieued the to the gall Then for my friends as diuers loued me well Endite I must some light deuise of loue And in the same my friends affection tell Whom nothing mought from beauties bar remooue My pen must plead the sillie Suters case I had my hire so he mought purchase grace Some otherwhile when beautie bred disdaine And feature forst a pride in hawtie brest So as my friend whs causelesse put to paine And for good will might purchace slender rest Then must my quill to quarels flatly fall Yet kéep the meane twixt sweete and sower brall Somtimes I must commeÌ„d their beauties much That neuer came where any beautie lay Againe somwhiles my mates would haue me tutch The quicke bicause they had receiued the nay And thus my pen as change of matter grew Was forst to grief or els for grace to sue Thus did I deale for others pleasure long As who could well refuse to do the like And for my self somtimes would write among As he that liues with men of war must strike I would deâ—lise a Sonet to a dame And all to make my sullen humor game So long I wrote so oft my friends did sue So many were the matters as at last The whole 〈…〉 Then to the presse they â—â—st in all the hast Mauger my beard my mates would haue it â—o Whom to resist it was in vaine you know These causes forst my harmeles hand to write And no desire I had to treate of ill Who doth not know that youthfull heads delight Sometimes to shewe the queintnes of their quil But pardon Lordings what is past and done I purpose now a better race to runne I meane no more with loues deuise to deale I neuer wil to wanton Venus bowe From Cupids court to Pallas I appeale Iuno be iudge whom I doe honor now Hie time it is for him to blow retreate And leaue to loue whom selfe rod now doth beate Wherfore goe wanton trusse vp all your trash Fancy farewel to grauer gods I goe Then loue and Venus cleane my hands I wash Of vayne desires that youth enrageth so Vertue doth farre surmount such filthy vice Amend my mates or els you know the price Vtile consilium est saeâ—as extinguere flammas Qui non est hodie cras minus aptus erit FINIS
she be a noble Dame in déede Shée pleasure takes to view a manâ—â—e knight In armour â—lad bestriding of his stéed And doth detest the base and coward wight For that the valiant will defend her fame When carpet squires will hide their heads withshame Thus wasted he the day in Loue deuice And spene the nights with costly musikes found In hope at length this virgin to entice To salue his â—ore and care his couert wounde Nothing was left in any point vndone VVhereby the loue of Ladies might be wonne By letters he vnfolder all his fittes By message eke imparted all his paine His moiumfull lines beâ—â—aid his mazed wits His songs of loue declarde his passions plaiue The rockiest heart aliue it would haue movde To sée how well this noble man had loude Yet eruell shée when he had done and saide The most he might to moue her stonie heart To like of him might not at all be waide For shée was struck with Cupids Leaden dart Whose chilling cold had bound her bowels so As in no wise she could abridge his wo. But how much more the louer made his mone Suing for ruth and well deserued grace The more shée sate vnmoued like the stone Whom waues do beat but wag not from his place Either beauties pride or stately flocke did force This haughtie dame from pitie and remorce Shée rigorouslie refusde and tooke disdaine So much as once to yéeld him friendlie cheare Who for her sake had bid such bitter paine As any tender heart would bléed to heare And in reward of all his friendship past Shée gaue him leaue to spoile himselfe at last Wherto through déep dispaire his mind was beÌ„t In hope thereby to end his wretched woe Because he saw her malice not relent Who for good will became his deadlie foe For in such cuse aye death is counted light Where men may not enioy their sweete delight His wilfull hand was armde with naked knife And euen at point to giue the fatall stroke By short dispatch of loathed lingring life To ridde his wearie neck of heauie yoke But life was swéete and he to liue would leaue The Dame from whom he might no ruth receiue When Fansie saw his raging humour cease And Reason challenge rule and charge againe Whereby his fond affection woulde decease And hée be quit of all his former paine To kéepe him in and hold his louer fast She gaue him Hope to come by loue at last Thus diners thoughts did soiourne in his brest Sometimes he meant himselfe with sword to slay An other time to leaue to loue was best Some other while affection bare the sway VVas neuer man belowe the starrie skie So loth to liue and yet so woe to die For why in life he found himself a thrall Vnable aye to compasse his delight And yet by death there was no hope at all For then he was assurde to loose her quight So neither life nor death might ease his minde That by the Gods was thus to loue assignde VVhilst thus Nastagio sought his owne decay By liquorous lust his friendes and nearest kinnâ— Perceiuing how his wealth did wast away And that his bodie pinde and waxed thinne Did diuers times their friendly counsell giue That from Rauenna he abroade should liue For change of place perhaps wold purchase helth And absence cause his foolish fancies weare They did not leaue to tell him how his wealth And all things els consumde and melted there But scornefull he did scoffe their good aduise And had their grauest wordes in slender price As louers wont who fancie nothing lesse Than speeches tending all to their auaile Not much vnlike the lame for whose redresse When counsell commes they lightlie turne their taile Loathing to lend an eare to holsome lore Of such as seeke to salue their lingring sore Yet they like friends would neuer blin or stint To shew him meanes to better his estate VVhereby As often drops do pearce the flint So they at length by many speeches gare His frée consent to trauell for a space To trie what chaunce would hap by change of place Judge you that loue and can discerne aright How great annoy departure bredde in minde To him that loude a passing proper wight Though not belovde now must leaue behinde The idoll that was shrinde within his brest Whose rife remembrance lowde him little rest But yet away for promise sake he would All needfull things were ready for the saius Both cates and coyne with plate of beaten gold And for his better comfort kinsmen came Who ioyed to see him part away from thence VVhere she abode that causâ— his lewde expence To foâ—â—aâ—nâ— coast Nastagio now was bent But not resolode what speciall place to see Eyther Flounders France or Spaine I think he ment For that these seates of ciuile nature be To make it short hée tooke his horse in peast And so departs the soyle he fansied most They had not trauailde farre before they came Vnto a place that from Rauenna stood Three miles or thereaboue the village name VVas Classye there Nastagio thought it good To make aboâ—de for ease and solace sake VVherefore he pight his tent and thus bespoke In thank you friends quoth hée with all my hart I hold my selfe indebted for your paine Now here you may if so you list depart And to Rauenna shape returne againe For I and mine will respite here a spare I like the seate and fancie well the place Here doe I meane to make assured stay Vntill the rufull Gods doe ease my woe And Capide chase my sorowes cleane away I purpose not a foote from hence to goe Lo here I pledge my faith to come no more Vnto the soyle where I receiude my sore VVhich promise if I hold you haue your willes VVho gaue aduise and counsell to the same There restes no more your pensine friend fulfils A beauie charge to flee so faire a Doine As to my doâ—â—ne there are not many moe To match with her whose beautie breedes my woe But well content I am aâ— your request To liue exilde in manner as you see I will â—o more procure mine owne burest By louing her that leatâ—es to pitte me And hauing thus at full doclard his minde They tooke their leaues he pausde and staid binde Thus he al plasure lodge did banket more And led his life at greater libertie Than in Ranenna he had done of yore Hée did excéede for courtly iolitie There wanted no delight that youth doth craud VVhich he for coyne or any cost might haue And whylom as his auncient custome was For diuers of his friendes he vsde to send In gladsome ioyes the wearie day to passe VVhereby no loue care might his ease offend VVas neuer wight that liude in greater glée Nor spent his time in brauer sort than hée VVhen May with motly robes began his raigne A lustie time for euery louing lad Nastagio pondering in his busie braine The slender hyre that he receiued
Nastagio faire But seeing how in seas of sorow and distresse Thy body bathde for loue of me I could not doe no lesse But seeke to salue thy harmes by pitying thine anoy VVho to possesse my liked limmes bereft thy selfe if ioy I saw howe for my sake thou wasted hadst thy welth And planting battrie to my fort wert retchlesse of thy health Deuising how to raze the bulwarke of my brest And scale the walles of my good will whom thou didst fancie best I plainly did perceiue as Louers soone will see Howe thou forsookest thy natiue soyle and all for loue of me Quite carelesse of thy coyne thy friendes and yeerely rents Not forcing stately builded bowres nor gallant garish rentes Which when I flatly found from fansie to procéede Although thou thoughtst me ouerproud I pitied thée in déede Yea Ioue shall be my iudge when thou beganste to sewe And in Rauenna wert inragde and first to liking grewe Thy courtly grace was such so comly was thy corse And all thy partes so pleasde mine eyes as I had had remorse And bended to thy bowe saue that I dreaded guiles My fearefull youth hid me beware of mens mistrustfull wiles Who faine to frie in loue and melt with fansies flames When their deuise is only how by craft◠to compasse dames I reade in auncient bookes how Iason playde the Iew And to the Queene that savde his life in fine was found vntrue Not forcing her a figge who for his sake forwent Both aged syre and tender babes and crowne by due descent Againe I calde to minde how false Aeneas fled And left the curteous Carthage dame fast sléeping in her bed Whose bountie earst had bounde by det and due desart VVhen weatherbeaten he arrvide this trayterous Troyans hart Then Theseus came to thought and pranking Paris eake VVho like vnfaithfull fickle men their sworne vowes did breake Fayre Oenons wofull writ can witnesse of the tone Thother from Ariadna fled and left her post alone VVith sundrie suters mo who being bound to loue Saunce quarell good or matter why their likings did remoue Renouncing to their shames those Ladies who did rewe Their base estates and did relieue the men they neuer knewe These partes procurde my pawse And wilde me to beware Least I by giuing rash consent to loue were trapt in snare My loue was like to thine I fryde with egall fire But nature helpes vs to conceale the sparkes of our desire Kinde aydes vs to conuey our fittes in finer wise For honours sake than men who shew their fancies by their eyes VVhich if we Ladies did Defame would ring her bell And blaze out armes in colours base although we meant but well You men like Marchants are that set their wares to showe VVhereby to lure the lookers eyes that by your wyndowes goe And sundrie times in steade of right and costly clothes You vtter trash and trifling stuffe which euery chapman lothes But we like Goldsmithes deale that forge their plate within VVhose hammers plie the Anuil aye and yet no working seen No smoke nor smoother flies for any to beholde Vntill the rude vnperfite masse be brouhht to burnisht golde We worke but all within our hammers are not heard We hotly loue but kéepe it close for feare our match be marde For who esteemes the mayde or holdes the virgin pure That standes a stale for euerie guest and stoupes to euerie lure Yea be she maide or wife if once her lookes be light And that in sundrie suters tales she place her deepe delight Downe is her cre dite cut with hatchet of mishap Her hooour hewde in peeces straight by meane of open lap O Goddes what griefe were this vnto a noble minde How would it vexe an honest Nymph whose credite clearely shynde For offer of goood will with meaning not amisse To beate the badge of Helen or of Creside for a kisse Then ought not we I pray that noble maydens are So guide our tender steppes of state as vertue may prefarre And place vs in the ranke that is for Ladies dewe Should we lende light beliefe to loue or euery futer rewe So might we reape the crop of care and foule defame VVhere earst we neuer meant to sowe the sinfull séedes of shaine I write not this of all that louing suters bee Or in such sort as though I thought the like deceit in thée As earst in Iason was or in the wandring Prince And sundrie other Lordings mo that haue bene louers since One Swallow is no signe that Sommer time is come No more must all Cupidos knightes be cast because of some Birdes are not plumde alike yet all birdes in kinde So men are men but yet in some more fickle partes we finde I counte thée no such one as lightly will remoue Thy lingring sute my long delayes confirme thy faith in loue VVhom sith I finde so firme and stedfast in desire As neither lowring lookes nor lacke can make thee once retyre Or folter in thy fayth which thou hast vowde to me Proceede in loue but hast thée home that I thy face may sée Plucke vp thy manly minde and sprites forspent with woe Drie vp the deaw that from thine eyes and drearie chéekes do flow Doe barbe that boysterous beard that ouergrowes thy face Either cut or kembe thy feltred lockes to mende thy manly grace Put on thy golden gyte and former fresh aray Bestride thine auncient stately stéede and quickly come away Backe to Rauenna ride euen there to purchase ioy Where thou ere this the more my blame hast liude in great anoy Forgo thy solemne walkes bandon Classie wood Leaue off to leade thy life in lawndes imbrace thy townish good Thou art no vowed Monke in Cloyster close to dwell No Aucker thou enioynde with Beads to hyde in simple Cell But thou a comelie knight in field a Martial man And eke in time of peace a wight that rule Rauenna can Whefore as I enforst thy bale and causelesse care And was the onely the that made thée mourne and languish thare So good Nastagio nowe let me reuoke thée thence That hande that did the harme ere this nowe vse in thy defence I shot I must confesse the dart that gaue the dynt For which lo here the blesseful balme thy deadly griefes to stint Surceasse thy wofull plaintes discharge thy darke dispaire The golden beames of my remorse shall cleare thy cloudy ayre VVhen angry faowning foes encounter in the fildes VVith murdering mindes the stronger slaies when once the weaker yéeldes Vp goes the wrathfull sworde into his sheath againe The yéelding of the tone doth cause that neuer a man is slaine If weakest thus may winne by stouping to the strong In combate fell for life and death thou doest mee double wrong That hold in virgins hand thy bale and eke thy blisse And am thy Quéene and only ioy and frankly offer this If thou my kindnesse scorne and rather makste the choyce To spill thy gallaunt prime in plants than
that see how this beast did runne A wicked race and woxe his mothers foe Note how the heauens made leuell yet at last And plagude by dâ—ath his blooddy dealings past Aut sero Aut citius The argument to the third Historie GEntile loude one Nicoluccios wise Faire Catiline a matrone graue and wife Whom to corrupte sith he might not deuise He parted thence to leade a grauer life For she was bent to scorne such masking mates As houerd still about her husbands gates Within a while this Nicoluccio His Ladie great with childe was forst to ride In haste from home and leaue her there as guide Whome sodayne griefe assaylde by fortune so As Phisicke friends and all that sawe the chance Did yelde her dead she lay in such a traunce The senslesse corse was to the Church coÌ„ueide And buried there with many a weeping eye The brute was blowne abrode both farre nye Reporte once spread is hardly to be stayde Gentile hearing how the matter went His Ladies losse did bitterly lament At length when teares had well dischargde his woe And sorrowe slakte a friend of his and hee Tooke horse rode by night that none might see Whether they ment or wherabout to goe To Church he came dismounted from his horse He entred in and vp he tooke the corse With full intent to dallie with the dead Which he in life by suite could neuer winne He colde he kist he handled cheeke and chinne He left no limme vnfelte from heele to ehad So long he staide at last the infant steerd Within her wombe whereby some life appeerde By fellowes helpe he bore the body thence Home to his aged mother where she dwelt Who moude to ruthe with her so frendly delt As to reuiue her sparde for expence She could not vse her owne with greater care So choyse her cheere so daintie was hir fare VVhen time was come for nature to vnfolde Her coferd ware this dame was brought a bed And by Gentiles meanes had happily sped And he forthwith a solemne feast did holde VVhere to the husband both the wife and boy Sâ—rrendred were to his exceeding ioye BOlogna is a towne of Lumbardie you know A citie very brauely builte and much set out to shewe Where as in auncient dayes a famous knight there dwelde Who for good giftes and linage both all others farre excelde A man commended much Gentile was his name This worthy gallant fell in loue by fortune with a dame That Catilina hight one Nicoluccios wyfe A passing faire and featurde wenche and ledde an honest life And loude her husband so as she did little waye The frendship of enamored youthes nor ought that they could say This Gentleman that sawe the Ladies faithfull breast And how he might by no deuice to him her fansie wrest Nor enter in her grace whom he did loue so well Nor by good seruice gaine good will to déepe despaire he fell And hereupon vnto Modena he retyrde And bore an office in the towne as one there to desyrde It fortunde on a time when Nicoluccio rode From home as touching his affaires and that his wife abode A thrée myles off the towne where he had buylte a graunge To make her mery with her friendes and eke the ayre to chaunge Then being great with childe not many wéekes to goe This Lady had a great mishap as here my pen shall showe A griefe I wote not what with such a sodayne force And monstrous might befell the dame and conquerde sore her corse As in the Ladies limmes no sparke of life appéerde And more than that an other thing there was that most discheerde Her kinsfolkes then in place for such as had good sight And skill in Physike déemde her dead and gaue her ouer quight And thereupon her friends that wiste howe matters went By her report in time of life and howe that she had spent Not full so many monthes as giue a babée breath And make it vp a perfect childe when once they sawe her death Not making farther searche in case as there she laye Vnto a Church not farre from thence the carkasse did conuay And gaue it there a graue as Ladies vse to lye The bodie being buried thus a friende of his did hye Him to Gentile straight to tell him of the newes Who though was fardest froÌ„ her grace yet could none other chuse But sorrowe at her death When greatest gréefe was past And that he had be thought awhile thus out he brake at last Loe Lady lo quoth he nowe art thou dead in graue Nowe Madame Catilina I who during life could haue Not one good frendly looke nor sweete regarding eye VVill be so bolde to steale a kisse as you in coffin lie Nowe booteth do defence you cannot now resist VVherefore assure thée Lady nowe thou shalt be sweetely kist Howe dead soeuer thou arte nowe will I take delight And â—â—uing tolde his tale the day withdrewe and made it night Then taking order howe he mought that none might sée Dispatche and goe vnto the place his trustie freud and hee Vpon their geldings mounte and neuer made a staye Vntill they came vnto the Church where dead the Ladie laye Where being lighted off their horses in they goe And vp they brake the coffyn straight and he that loude her so Laye by the Ladies side and clapte his face to hers And lent her many a louing kisse and bathde her breast with teares Lamenting very sore But as we daily sée The lust of man not long content doth euer long to bée Proceeding farther on but moste of all the rest The fonde desire of such as are with raging loue possest So he that had resolude no longer there to staye But doe his feate and home agayne thus to himselfe gan saye Oh sith I nowe am here why should I idle stande Why doe not I this breast of thine imbrace and féele with hande I neuer after this shall touch it so againe Nor neuer mynde Gentile thus proceeding in his vaine Into her bosome thrust his hande beneath her pappe And staying there a little space did féele a thing by happe Within her wombe to wagge and beat against her brest VVhereof at first he woxe amazde but after repossest Of wittes and sense againe a further triall hee Did make and then he found the corse not thorough dead to bee Though little were the life yet some he knew for trouth To rest within the Ladies limmes wherefore the gallants both From out the coffyn tooke this lately buried corse And vp they leapte in all the poast and layde her on the horse Before the saddle bowe and home in haste they ride Both to recouer life againe and fearing to be spyde Thus closely was she brought within Bologna walles Vnto Gentiles house where he vpon his mother calles Requesting her to helpe the case required haste His mother being graue and wyfe receiude the corse as fast As she good matron mought which déede of pitie done Both
that ought him first and gaue him off in grief Or he that pitied him in paine and holpe him to relief And if the maister who so cruelly did deale In time of sicknesse will the man that did his seruant he ale To yéelde him vp againe where he by lawe and right May well with-hold the seruant whom he holpe in wretched plight The gentlemen among themselues debated harde But drewe in one selfe string at length the matter was refarde To Nicoluccio who because he could full well Discerne of matters and his tale in skilfull order tell Should giue the verdit vp He highly did commend The vse of Persia with the rest concluding in the end VVhich was that he whom first this silly soule did serue Of right could lay no lawfull clayme full ill he did deserue A maisters name that when his seruant was at worst VVould turne him off and let him lie but he that when the furst Had played this cruell parte did curteously entreate The sicke and outcast ayding him with Phisicke and with meate He mought by law and righte no preiudice at all Done to the first enioy the man and him his seruant call Then all the other guestes that at the banquet were Affirmde the same that Nicoluccio had pronounced there The knight who moude the case as one that was content VVith such an answere and the more for that with him it went Concluded that he thought as all the other saidé And now quoth he I thinke that I sufficiently haue stayde Now time it is that I performe my promise made In that I meant to honour you as is the Persians trade VVith that he calls to him a couple of his friendes Familiar and of greatest trust whom he in message sendes Vnto the Ladie that was clad in braue araye VVithin a chamber willing hir that she would come her way To cheere his Royall guestes with presence of her selfe The Ladie taking in her armes that litle puling else That was so lately borne came in and thother too Attending on her and as earst Gentile willde her doe She sate her downe beside a guest a Noble man And then the Knight that made the feast his processe thus began Loe Lordings here beholde the thing whereof I spake This is the iewell whereof I such great accompt doe make And euer doe entend of nothing else so much I force as this now iudge your selfes where it be worthy such Regard as I bestowe marke euery member well With that the states to honor of this featurd Ladie sell And praisde her very much affirming to the Knight That sinne it were not to esseeme so fayre and braue a wight The guestes begonn◠to gaze and some there were in place That would haue sworne that she had ben the very same she was Saue that they knew that she was buried long agoe But most of all the other guestes that Nicoluccio The husband of the Dame this louely Lady eyde And when Gentile did by chanuce and fortune steppe aside As one that had desire to question with the Dame No longer able to withhold demaunded whence she came Where she a stranger were or els in Bologne borne The Lady knowing who it was should she not bene forsworne Would to her husband tolde and opened all the case But to discharge her promise made she helde her peace with face As modest as she mighte Some other asked where That little pretie boy was hers which she at breast did beare And other did demaund where she were ought allyde Or were Gentiles daughter deare she not a word replide With that the feaster came your iewel sir quoth some That sate at borde is passing faire but is too séeming dombe VVhat is she so in déede whereto Gentile said It yéeldes no slender token of her vertue that she staid And helde her tong as now Declare quoth they to vs VVhat Dame she is to which request Gentile answearde thus I will with all my heart declare the truth quoth he If you vntill the whole discourse be told will promise me Not once to moue a foote but euery one to kéepe His place whereto they all agréed and gan to swe are by déepe And very solemne othes to complishe his request The table being taken vp the kéeper of the feast Sate by the Ladies side and thus began to tell This woman is the seruant true that serude her master well Of whom I spake right now when I your iudgements craude This is the seruaunt ilbeloude that when she had behaude Hir selfe in eache respect as fitted such a one VVas shaken off and turnd to grasse in stréetes to make her moane VVhom I to pitie moude did succour as I might And by my care and handie helpe from present death did quight And mightie God that sawe the great good heart I bare Restord her from that loathsome corse vnto this bewtie rare But to the ende you may more plainely vnderstand How these aduentures me befell I purpose out of hand In short discourse to shewe and open all the case Then gan he to vnfold his loue and how he sude for grace Vnto this worthy dame whose bewtie pearst his brest And passed so from point to point vnripping all the rest Distinctly from the first which made the hearers muse To listen to this long discourse of strange and wondrous newes And hauing tolde the whole as I before haue pende Both how he loude and how she died thus closde he vp the ende Wherefore my Lordes quoth he vnlesse you haue of late Ychangd your thoughts minds anew since you at table sate And chiesly you and points to Nicolnccio she Whom here you view of right is mine and only due too me No lawfull tittle may or rightfull clayme belayde To chelenge her from me againe was no man there that sayde A woorde but all were still to heare those matters paste And for desire to learne the rest and what he meant at laste Good Nicaluccio and all the rest beside That present were and eake the dame no lunger could abdie But out they burst in teares and wept for pities sake With that Gentile standing vp the little babe did take And bare betwixt his armes and led the Ladie eke By one hand to her husbandwarde and thus began to speake Stand vp good Gossup mine I doe not héere restore To you your wife whom both her friends and yours refusd before And as an outcast scornd but frankly giue this dame My Gossup and her little childe that of her bedie came To thée for this of troth I know the babe is thine Begot by thee I christened it it beares this name of mine And is Gentile calde and my request shall bee That through thrée months this Ladie hath béen soiornesse with me Thou wilt no lesse estéeme of her or worse good will Bestow on her than though shée had with thee continued still And by that selfe same God which foreed me to beare Such loue as by that loue to
saue her life to thée I sweare That neither with her friends nor with thy parents shée No not with thée her spouse she coulde in greater suretie be As touching honest life than with my mother deare Assure thy selfe shée neuer was abusde nor tempted héere This processe being tolde Gentile turnde him rounde Vnto the Ladie dame quoth he you know I had you bounde By faith and lawfull oath I quit you héere of all And set you frée aboorde againe and goe againe you shall To Nicoluccio and with that both wife and brat To Nicoluccios handes he gaue and downe Gentile sate The husbande did receiue his wife with willing hande And eke the babe and how much more he in dispayre did slande Of hauing her againe whom hee accounted dead The greater was his ioy and mirth when he so happily sped In recompence whereof he yeelded to the Knight Gentile for his great good turne the greatest thankes he might And all the rest beside that were to pitie moude Gentiles nature did commend hée dearely was beloude Of all that heard the case and feasted there that day Thus will I leaue the matron and her sonne at home to stay These matters ended thus ech guest his horse did take And parted from Gentiles house that did the banket make Home rode the man and wife vnto their grange with spéede The cheare which was at her returne and welcome did excéede The people maruailde much that shée who buried was Cuuld liue againe and euer as shée through the stréetes should passe In Bolyne men did gaze and greatly view the dame And from that day Gentile still a faithfull friend became To Nicoluccio and the parents of his wife VVhom hee by vertue of his loue had raisde from death to life Lenuoy VNbrideled yonth is prickt to pleasure aye And led by lust to tollow fanâ—â—es fyts Vnsaufull heads runne retchlesse on their way Like wylfull coltes that broken haue their bats Not lookyng backe till foultring foote doe faile And all consumde that was for their auaile Vnhappy they by scathe that purchase skyll And learne too late how youth dyd lead awrie Vnluckie men for wit that follow wyll And foule delights in golden prime apply More wisedome were ech one to wed a wife Than marryed daines to lure to lewder life For though that nature let vs runne at large And all things made by kynde to common vse Yet man must lende an eare to ciuill charge That points a baine for euery foule abuse And bids beware pollute no marriage bed Without offence let single life be leed As honest loue by custome is allowde Both law and reason yeelding to the same In single wyghts so parties being vowde To marryage yoke assaulted are with shame Both God and man such sluttysh sutes detest The lawfull loue is euer couâ—ted best Which makes me blame Gentiles rash assault On Carilina fayre from former vowe Whom he pursude to tharge with heauie fault And sought to linne to make this matron bowe Yet grace at last preuailde in both so well As shee stayd chaste and he to vertue fell His foule dessre his lewde and lustfull mynde Was cause of lyfe and wrought a double pleasure This bâ—ried danâ—e in pit to death had pynde Had he not lâ—ude and like her out of measure Thus â—â—l sometime is cause of good successe And vvicked meanings turne to happines Had some rash yinpe beene in Gentiles case So farre inflamde wyth Beaurie of a danie And after that had had so fyt a place To worke his will and done a deed of shame I doubt inee much hee would haue reapt the frule By leaue of force of all hys paynefull sute Here all were blest the mother well reuiude The infant borne the matron full of ruth Thrice happy he for bring so truly winde Gentile worthie praise for ioyall truth All louers may hereby example take And learne of him blind fansies to forsake The argument to the fourth Historie TWo Knightes did linke in League of great goodwill At length the one corrupts the others wife And traitourlike procurde her vnto ill Which vile abuse bred deadlie hate and strife And was the cause this leacher lost his life For why the Knight to whome this wrong was wrought This tratour slue when he full little thought The murther done he gaue his Cooke the hearte Of him that had conspirde this filthie feate And made him dresse it curiouslie by arte And gaue his wife the same at night to eate VVho fed thereof and thought it passing meate But when she knew the heart the hap and all She loathde to liue and slue her selfe by fall Quid non cogit amor VVHilome in Prouance were as they that knew the same Doe make report two Courtly knightes both men of worthie fame Ech knight his Castle had well furnisht euery way With store of seruants at a becke their pleasures to obey The tone Rossilion calde a bold vndaunted knight The second egall to the first sir Guardastano hight VVho being men at armes and passing well approude For valiant courage in the fielde like faithfull brothers loude They dayly vsde to ride to Turneies both yfeare To tilt to iust and other feates perfourmde with sworde and speare Their garments eke agréee and were of egall sise To shew the concorde of their mindes vnto the lookers eys And thus though either knight his seuerall maner held And either ten myles at the least from others Castle dwelde Yet hapneth it at last that Guardastano fell In liking wyth Rossylions wife and loude her verie well A dame of beautie braue renowmed very much Whose featurde face and goodly grace the knight so neere did touch As hee reiected quight the faith he should haue borne Her husband and his trustie friend that was his brother sworne Hée vsde his gestures so vnto this gallant dame At sundrie times that she at length his friend in loue became And liked well the knight and so began to place Her fansie as shée nought so much did tender or imbrace As Guardastanos loue Shee euer lookt when he Would frame his humble sute and craue her secrete friende to be Which fortunde in a while for he bewraide his case And she lesse wise than wanton streight did yéeld the Louer grace There neaded flender force so weake a fort to winne For she as willing was to yeelde as he to enter in And thus for twice or thrice the lustie louers delte In Venus sport whose frying hartes with Cupids coles did melte But in this loue of theirs they did not vse so well The matter but the husband did the smoke by fortune smell Of that their silthy flame who highly did disdaine That such outrage and soule abuse his honour should distaine Whereby his former loue to mortall hate did growe And then he purposde with himselfe to slay his deadly foe That fowlie so abusde a Knight that gaue him trust Meane while came tidings that in France the Lystes were made The Trump
proclaymde the tilte Rossilion out of hande To Guardastano Castle sent to let him vnderstand The newes and eake withall did will his man to say That if he would the morrow next vouchsafe to come away Vnto his house they would conclude vpon the case Full friendly Guardastano did the messenger imbrace And told him that he would if God did lende him life The morrow night come ouer to Rossilyon and his wife Which answere when the knight receiued had he thought The tuncapprocht wherein to slay the traytor knight that wrought Such salfehoode to his friend I leaue you for to scanne The thousand thoughts the broken sleeps and fancies of the man That such a murther meant and ekes the knightes desire Who thought it long besore he came in place to quench his fire When morning came the knight well armed from foote to crest Tooke horse and had a friend or two whom he did fancie best Well mounted on their steades they had not ryd a myle Before they came vnto a wood a place to worke their wile There lay he close in wayte within the cops whereas Full well he wist that Guardastan of very force must passe There hauing staide awhile a farre he might discry The Knight vnarmde with other two that rode vnarmed by As one that feard no fraude nor any force at all VVHen that Rossilyon did perceiue him iust against the stall VVhere he on horsebacke sate full ready for the chase A vallie fit to worke his feate with grimme and gastly face He sets his spurres to horse and put his launce in rest And gallopt after crying loude thou knight and trayterous gest Now be thou sure to die in penance of thy fact And with the word he strake him through the shieuered launce it cracke Against the broken bones and thorough pearst his corse Vnable Guardastano then for to resist the force Or once to speake a word fell downe vpon the blowe And presently gaue vp the ghost the speare had spoyld him so With that his friends amazed and very much in doubt What this should mean stood still a space at last they turnd about Their nagges and sparde no spurres vnto the Castle ward Of Guardastano whence they came feare made them gallop hard When thus Rossilion sawe his foe bereft of life He left the saddle and withall drewe out a shoulder knife And ript me vp the brest of him that murdred lay Which done with egrehands he pluckt the trembling bea rt away Wherein the treason lodgde and hauing there by chance Or els of purpose skilles not which the pendant of his launce He wrapt it vp therein and willd his man to looke Vnto the carriage of the same the heart his seruant tooke Then hauing straightly chargd that none should dare to say A word of that which they had séeme and he had done that day He mounted on his horse and in the euening rode Vnto his Castle backe againe and there the knight abode His wife that hard him say that Guardastano came That night to suppe with him at home and looked for the same Did wonder at his stay and being one dismayde How hapt that Guardistano commes not now good syr she saide To whom the knight replyde be sent me word right now He could not come to day good fayth his let I doe allowe The Lady wofull woxe and lowring gan to looke Rossilyon lighted from his horse sent one to call the Cooke VVho being come in place take here quoth he this heart I slue a Bore of late by haâ— herein bestow your arte Do make some daintie dishe according to your skill And serue it vp in filuer place dispatch you know my will The cooke receiude the heart and made a running messe Of meate thereof as men are wont that curious cates can dresse He minst it very small not sparing any cost For why the knight his maister did alow him with the most VVhen time of eating came Rossilyon sate him downe And eake the Lady who for lacke of Guardastan did frowne The meate was brought to borâ—e than he that ganne to thinke Vpon his murther lately done could neither eate nor drinke At length the cooke sent vp that other messe of meate But he as one that had no liste did will his wife to eate And set the dayntie dishe for her to feede vpon The Lady somewhat hungrie fell vnto the cates anon And felt it very swéete which made her féede the more She rid the dishe and thought it had bene of a sauage Bore Rossilyon when he sawe her stomacke was so good And that the meate was all consumde the dishes emptie floode How thinke you wife quoth he how like you of your meate Good sir quoth she I like it well I had good liste to eate No wonder quoth the knight by God although this cheare Do wel content thée being dead in life thou thoughtst it deare The Lady hearing this stoode still as one dismaydâ— Vpon the wordes when pause was past vnto the knight she sayde VVhy what is that good sir which you haue giuen me To sup withall who answerde thus I doe protest to thée The foode whereof thou fedst was Guardastanos heart Whome thou didst so entierly loue and playdst the harlots part Be bold it is the same this knife his belly ripe And from the rentes with these my hands the traytors heart I stript And crackt the strings in twayne to ease my heart of woe That could not rest contented but by murthring such a foe The Lady when she heard that Cuardastan was flayne Whom she had loude to aske where she lamented were in vayne Coniecture of her cares imagine her distresse It last quoth she thou cruell knight I can not tearme thée lesse Hast playd a wicked part and done a curs◠〈…〉 In flaying of a 〈…〉 man O bloudy 〈…〉 fact A wight that word not me t was I that earned death If any did deserue at all the losse of vitall breath T was I that did the deed I loude I doe protest And did of worldlie men account that worthie knight the best How might he death deserue who loyall was to thée But mightie Gods it is your will and pleasure now I see That these so noble cates the heart of such a wight In chiualrie that did excell a passing courteous Knight As Guardastano was shoulde be my latter meale And that I should with baser meates no more hereafter deale Wherefore good faith quoth she I doe not loath my foode And therewithall vppon her legges the louing Lady stoode Before a windowe that was full behinde her féete And sodainly from thence she fell into the open stréete Which déede no sooner done the window was so hie But out of hand her breath was stopt and so the dame did die With carkasse all to crusht by reason of the fall The knight her husband séeyng this who was the cause of all Stoode like a man amazde and then misliked sore Both of the Ladies losse
beare the Of Lombards chunst to light In Italy and there Two hundred yéeres and somewhat more The only rule did beare Throughout that realme which we Now Lombardie do call Vntill such time as Charles the Great Had dispossest them all And draue them theuce by force And meane of knightly might What time I say it was their lot In Italy to light One Alboine was their chiefe A man of monstrous wit And valiant in the feate of armes For martiall practise sit This Alboin ere his came To Italy had slain Ring Cunimundus and bereft Hina of his princely raigne And not content with death Nor hauing helly full Of noble blood cut off his bead And of the clouen skull Did make a quaffing cup Wherein he tooke delight To bouse at boorde in token of His pompe and former fight This Cunimundus had A daughter passing faire Rosmunda hight that was his ioy And should haue bene his heire If he had kept his crowne And not bene conquered so But being slayne his daughter was A captiue to his foe This Captaine kept her thrall And ment it all her life Till loue at last this Lumbard forst To take her to his wife When marriage day was past And he to battell fell And conquering of Italie He loude his wife so well As she might neuer parte But like a warlike dame She euer logde in open campe Where so her husband came Who sundrie cities tooke And conquerde many a towne By force of sworde and Lyonlike Went ramping vp and downe Vntill at length he came To Pauoy where of olde As in the chiefest place of all The kings their courte did holde When full thrée yéeres and more This Lumbarde there had layne Vnto Verona he remoude With all his princely trayne And presently preparde A solemne banket there To seast his frendes and others that Of his retinue were Amids which princely cheere And royall feast the king Did will the wayter on his cup That he to boorde should bring The mazare that was made Of Cunimundus head And hauing it in presence there Where he with wyne were sped Or else by malice moude I wote neare what to thinke But hauing it in place he gaue His Quéene the cuppe to drinke The cuppe her fathers skull O wilfull witlesse acte Which no man well aduisde would do But one that were distracte The Quéene perceiuing this In mockage to be ment Of Alboyne as it was in déede And sawe his lewde entent And how he skofte the king Her father in the same Was stuft with raging rancour streight And blusht for verie shame In sorte that all hir loue Which she had borne before Vnto her husbande grewe to hate She loathde him tenne times more Than euer she had loude Or fansted any wight And thereupon resolude to doe A mischiefe if she might And to reuenge by death Of Alboyne monstrous man Her father Cunimundus bloud Loe here the broyle began For Rosmonde all in rage Consulted with a péere Ermigio calde a courtly wighte This noble man to stéere To murther of the Prince I leaue her wordes vnpende This noble hearing whereunto Her long discourse did tende Declarde the Quéene his mynde And vttred his conceite And said Parradio was the man That must dispatche the feate Without whose helpe quoth he I wote neare what to say I thinke him such a one as dares Such ventrous parts to play Your grace were best to proue If he consent you shall Not fayle of me but stande assurde To haue me at a call Forthwith the Quéene did cause Parradio to appeare Who after sundrie offers made And wordes of courtly cheare To moue him to the spoyle Of Alboyn thus replyde In vayne your grace doth goe aboute To haue the king destroyde By these my giltlesse handes That day shall neuer be I truste the world shall neuer proue So foule a fact by me As to procure the death And murther of the king Of treason vile to haue a thought To practise such a thing Leaue off your lewde entente Or séeke some other wight To worke your feate I neuer yet In slaughter tooke delight The Ladie hearing this Hnd hauing earnest zeale To worke her will reiecting shame Bethought her howe to deale There did at selfe same time Vpon the Quéene awayte A proper wenche of comely grace Full fitte to make a bayte To take such louing woormes And hang them on the hooke Whose greatest pleasure is vpon A courtly dame to looke This gallant likte her glee Her gesture and her face And by deuice did bape at last To purchace priuie grace Meane whyle the subtile Quéene That found this louers haunt And knew he daily plyde her mayde Thereby to make her graunte And yelde him his desire Thus thought it best to worke In selfe same place where they did méete In secrete sorte to lurke As though it were the wenche With whome he would debate And so perhaps she might both checke And giue the foole a mate Which hapned so in déede For on a certaine day The Quéene to compasse this her crafte Put on her maydes aray And in the wonted place Where they did vse to talke Bestowde her self When night was come Forth gan this gallant walke And to the standing came Where lay this lodged doe Whome he had thought to be the mayde But it was nothing so Streight he in wonted wyse As custome was of yore Pronounste his painted termes of loue And flattred moâ—â— and more Bewraying all his thoughtes And ripping vp his harte Vnto the wenche for so he deemde And playde the Louers parte Ten thousande wordes he spake And tending all to loue Whome after all his long discourse The Quéene did thus reproue Parradio doest thou knowe With whome thou standest here Who thus replyde in louing wyse Yea that I doe my deare And namde the selfe same mayde Who was his friende in déede With whom he had conferrde of loue In great good hope to spéede What sir you are beguilde I am not she you wéene No seruing mayde assure thy selfe I am quoth she a Quéene And Rosmond is my name Nowe doe I knowe thy minde And priuie am to all thy guyle Thou shalt be sure to fynde Of me a mortall foe Nowe make thy choyce of twayne Where thou wilt spoyle the king my spouse Or thou thy selfe be slayne For this outrage of thine Which thou hast done to me Leaue off delayes dispatche with spéede It may nane other be Parradio hearing this And pondring in his thought To howe extreme a poynt by wyle Of Rosmond he was brought Resolude to slay the Prince And ridde him of his lyfe And for the better working of His feate did vse the wyfe The diuelish Queenes deuise And Don Armigios ayde And in this sorte these wicked folkes The cruel pageant playde The king as custome was Because the day was hotte To take a nappe at after noone Into his chamber gotte Where being softely layde The place was voyded strayte And eurte groome
grewe But he at length most likelie to subdue VVhen Sarizens saw the force of blooddie foe And that they must surrender vp the dame Maugre their might needs their charge forgo VVhat for despite and vvhat for verie shame Aud partly to discharge themselues of blame They kild the Queene Gerbino looking on And threvve her out for fish to feed vpon To venge vvhich deede and cursed cruell acte He slue them all not leauing one aliue VVith fire and svvord the Sarizens he sackt For that they durst so stouthe vvith him striue And did his loue of life and light depriue Yet backe againe to Cicill I le retyrde Missing the marke vvhich he had long desyrde VVheÌ„ nevves vvas brought vnto the aged king The Grandsire hovv his nephevv vvilfullie Had broke the league and done a heinous thing Committing spoile and shamefull Piracie Although he loude Gerbino tenderlie Yet did adiudge him to the death because He did prefer his lust before the lavves King William by report of such As dwelt within his lande VVho second Prince of Cecil held The Scepter in his hand Two babes hâ—got vpon his Quéene A male that Ruggier hight And eke a daughter Custance cald A Dame of beautie bright This Ruggier whilst his father liude By fortune had a Sonne Gerbino namde of whom this tale Especially doth runne VVho by his Grandsyre nonrisht vp And nurtred from a boye At length became a proper man And was the Princes ioye His courteous nature wonne renowne His valiant courage knowne Not only in Cicilia was But brute abroad had blowne The fame thereof to foraine realmes His praise doth passe the boundes Of all the I le where he was bred And in Barbaria soundes VVho to the Ring of Cycill payde Their tribute money then VVhich great renowne of Gerbins name Vnto the eares of men Was brought that euery one extolde His vertues to the skye Who but Gerbinâ— all abrode Whose fame like his did flie Among the rest that heard reporte Of Gerbin was a dame The daughter of the king of Tunise I wotte not well her name But as the men that sawe her vaunte Shée was the fairest hewde And trimmest shapte that euer kinde Had cast or creature vewde Whose body-was no brauer deckte With louely limmes without ThaÌ„ was her mynd with maners fraught And vertues round about This Lady hearing noble men Oft reasoning of renowne That Gerbin wanne by worthy déedes And how his fame did drowne That chiualry of all the rest And that his courage was So great as he inmanly feates All other knightes did passe Delighted very much therein Shee likte the talke so well And stood so long deuising of Hâ—â— prowesse that shée fell To like Gerbino though vnséene Shée felt her brest to frie With fancies flame and was of him Enamord by and by So that it did her good at harte To heare of Gerbines fame And tke her selfe among the rest To publish out the same As willing as shée was before To beare of others talke So glad this Lady woxe at last To haue her toung to walke The playnest proofe of great good will That lurking lyes in brest For when the minde doth like the mouth Can neuer be at rest And on the other side as fast This peerlesse Princesse fame Was noysde abroad and so in fine To Cicill I le it came There was hir beautie bruted much As other where beside So long till Gerbin through reporte Of his fayre Lady fride And felt himselfe enlaste in loue And tangled in the net That willie Câ—pid earst to take His louing Lady see This heate did â—aily grâ—â—â— to morâ— Within the gallantes brest And did torment him so within That he to purchase rest Deuisde an honest lawfull skuse To parte from Cicill I le And gat him leaue to trauâ—â—le vnâ—â— Tunise for a while Vpon desire to seâ— the dame Whose fansie bound him thrall And gaue in charge vnto his fyende And folkes he went withall As much as euer lay in them To further his intent As euery one should thinke it best And tell her what was ment Of Gerbines parte and how he loude Enduring bitter payne For her and from the noble Quéene To bring him newes againe Of whom those men that had the wit To handle matters well Went Merchant like vnto the court Fine iewels there to sell Which they of purpose brought from hon And Ladies vse to bye As rings and stones and carkenettes To make them please the eye And by this practise in they gotte Within the Pallace gate And made their shew and marchaÌ„tlike In euery pointe they sate To spye a time to moue their sute Vnto the noble Dame Who in a whyle that they had bene In place by fortune came And twharted where Cicylians sate Vpon desire to sée Such iewels as might like her best Now here began the glée For one that had a fyled tong And durst his tale to tell And looke a Ladie in the face Vnto his purpose fell And after reuerence done began To say in sobre sorte That Gerbin willd him to repaire Vnto her fathers courte To sée and to salute her grace Whom he did tender more Than all the Ladies on the earth That he had séene before Her loue had pierst his noble brest And cleft his manly harte And he was well contented with The stroke of Cupides darte Both he and all the wealth he had Was hers to vse at will Requesting her to take in worth Gerbinos great good will I can not pen the tale he tolde So well in euery place As he perhaps pronounst it then The gesture giues the grace But this you may assure your selfe He dealte so orderly As néeded for the Princesse did Receiue him thankfully And did accept his message well With answere to the same That as Gerbino burnt in loue So shee did frâ—e in flame And felte as hot a coole as hée Within her tender brest If inward loue by secretache And griping might be gest And to thend het former talke Vnfayned might appeare Shée sent Gerbino such a ring As shée did holde most deare A iewell of no slender prieè The value did excell This message being vorne him backe Did like the Louer well The token highly was estéemd No richesse mought haue pleasde His fansie halfe so well as that For why his smarte was easde And after that he sundrie tymes Sent freindly lynes of loue And tokens to the Princesse by The man that first did moue The sute and brake the matter vp Deuising how he might And ment him selfe to talke with her If fortune fell aright But matters being at this hande And luckely begonne Deferring off from day to daye The thing that should bene done Whilst Gerbin melted with desire His Lady to imbrace And she againe did long asmuch To sée her louers face It so befell the king of Tunise His daughter spowsed had Vnto the Prince of Granate which Did make the Lady sad She woxe the wofulst dame
death They had not iourneied farre before Whey came vnto a Heath Besides the way a desert where No trauell was in dre And being brothers there alone They thought themselues as sure As needed to dispatch a man That no such force did feare The short is thus they made no wordes But slue Lorenzo there Mine author writes not of his wounds But reason giues it so That in reuenge of his abuse Ech brother had a blow Whose body thus bereft of life They buried in such sort As no man saw the fact nor none Could euer make report The Prentise slaine the carkasse laide In graue the warchant men Vnâ—â— Messyn â—hence they came Returned backe agen And to dissemble this their déede They bruted all abrode That lately in affayres of theirs The youth Lorenzo rode And trauaild touching marchants gain Which made the tale the more Of credite for because he vsde To doe the like before Elizabeth at last that saw The lingring of the man And that he staid beyond his time To languish fore began And as the custome is of loue To déeme ech houre a day Ech day a yéere ech yéere an age When louers are away So shée that thought his absence long And livde in bitter paine Did question with her brothers of His comming home againe Demaunding when the time was set And when the day would be That shée Lorenzo safe returnd From forreine coast should see To whom her brother thus replide With countenance curst and grim What doest thou meane to question thus Hast thou to doe with him For whom thou doest demaund so oft Good faith vnlesse thou leaue These termes in time thou shalt from vs An answere fit receaue And well agréeing to thy déedes Which bitter gyrde did nip This silie maide as she eftsoone Began to byte her lip And wore the wofulst wench aliue Nor after durst to make The like demaund againe for him That suffered for her sake But spent the day in doleâ—â—ll plaints And sobde in secrete wise The bitter torment of her breast Brast out and bathde her eyes With sundrie showres of trickling teares Distilling by her face She often cald him by his name And wild him home a pace Lamenting much his long delay Whom shée did loue so well Whilst thus the maiden stoode on termes Vpon a night it fell That after manie hartie sighes And sundrie cryes For lacke of Lorenze slumber came And shut her aking eyes Who was no sooner falne a sléepe But dreames began to grow Within her raging retchlesse braine Then séemd to open shew Her murthred friend to stand in place VVith vsage pale and wan And chakes with buffets blown out The garments of the man Were all to rent his robes were ragâ— And as the wench did gesse Lorenzo in her dreame bespake Her thus Thy deepe distresse O faithfull friend I well perceiue I see my long delay Doth cause thy cryes for my returne In grief thou pynste away My absence is the cause of care Thou doest accuse thy friend Of longring and thy beauy playnts A sée can haue no end Wherefore I say dry vp thy teares That flowe like floudes of rayne Lament no more I cannot come Though I would nere so fayne For why the day thou sawste me last Was ender of my life Thy brothers whilst I rode with them Slewe me with sodaine knife And therewithall he shewde the place Where dead his body lay And willd her wéepe for him no more And vanisht so away The wench awâ—oke and credite gaue Vnto this dreame of hers Which made her to bemoyst her face And bosome all with teares Full bitterly shée did bewayle The murther of her loue When morning came Phebus beames The darkenesse did remoue Not daring to disclose the thing Vnto her brothers shée Did mynde to goe vnto the place Of purpose there to sée Where that her dreame wer true or no Which troubled her the night And being that this Damfell was At libertie and might For pleasure wander out and home In company of one A woman frend that wonted was To walke with her alone And priuy was of all her déedes As rathe as she might rise With mother nurse she gate her out And to the heath shée hyes Where by couiecture lay the coarse Of him that murthred was As sone as they ariued there She scrapt away the grasse And swéepte the parched leaue aside And where at first she founde The hardest soyle and stoniest bancke Began to delue the grounde Shée had not digged any depthe But lighted by and by Vpon her louers wofull corse Vnwasted that did lye And vncorrupted in the graue Whereby the mayden knew That all the vision which she sawe The night before was true Whereat shée waylde and wept a good But knowing that the place Was farre vnfit for sighes and teares Which could not right the case Shee would haue gladly borne away The carkasse to haue layde It in a decent tom be at home Saue that shée wanted ayde Wherefore she drew me out a knife Wherewith away she swapte Her louers head and vp the same In linnen cloth shée lapte And couered vp the corse agayne And gaue the head to beare Vnto the nurse her trustie frend That was of purpose theare Shée tuckt it in her apron close As women vse to doe And so vnséene from thence vnto Messina home they goe Where being come and entred to Her chamber with the head Shée shut the doore and on the same So long her teares did shed Vntill with bryne shée all besprent It as it lay in place And now and then among her cryes Shée all bekist the face Which done shée tooke an earthen pot Wherein she vsde to sette Her Basill or her Parsely séede The best that shée mought gette Whereto in foldes of silken lawne She put Lorenzos skull And after that with garden soyle She pourde the pitcher full And strewde her finest Basill séede About alofte the same From whence like Orenge water sinell Or Damaske roses came And daily after that she sate Imbrasing of the Canne And culling of it in her armes As though it were the man Whom she entirely loude before And after kissing then She would to teares and sighing sobbes From sighes to teares agen Continuing so vntill such time As shée had watred all The Basill with the dreary droppes That from her face did fall So that at length by tract of time Or grossenesse of the ground By reason of the rotting head The Basill did abound And gaue a passing pleasant smell The wench did neuer leaue This folly till the neighbours chanste Her practise to perceiue Who when her brothers muzed that Her bewtie did decay And that into her hollow browes The eyes were suncke away He spake then thus we stand assurde It is her daily gise To goe into the garden where The Basil pot it lyes And there to wéepe in wofull wise A wretched wench to see The brothers when they heard the tale And hauing willd
auengde Not make your eyes so blinde But rather if so be there is No nay but they must die Giue leaue at my request that they Their proper strength may trie Let them make choice vpon their death And scape your handie force Whereto they all agréed in one But no man tooke remoise It irckt them that the tyrants blood Shouldst rest so long vnshed There were appointed for the noueâ— That both the Ladies led Into an tuner lodging where When they arriued were The eldest sister like a Dame Vndaunted voyde of feare From off her waste did loose the scarâ—e That girt her loynes about And bid her yonger sister doe The like with courage stout Then to a rester of the house Their girdles both were tide The knots and all were fitly made To cause the silke to slide Who so had viewde those virgins then He would haue thought that they had not intended by and by Such break neck game to play Their faces were so fresh to fight Their eyes did neuer stare Their tungs pronounst their tales as though Their hartes had felt no care Their outward gesture shewde a ioy More rather than distresse When thus I say the knots were knit To do the feate the lesse Of both the Ladies tooke the elder Sister by the hand Requesting her that shée as then So much her friend would stand As first to let her die the death And play her part before To whom the elder answered thus As neuer heretofore I haue denyde thée Sister aughte In all my life So now Euen at my death I am content Vnto thy will to bow Thou shalt haue leaue to let me liue Till thou be dead and gone But that which gréeues me most of all And giues me cause of mone Is that I liue to see thy death before my losse of life The yonger Ladie thereupon Without a farther strife Conuaid her head into the scarfe The other standing there Gaue counsell so to place the knot Just vnderneath the eare As lightly she might loose her breath And rid her selfe of paine The yonger followed her aduise An easie death to gaine A wofull thing for me to write And loathsome eke to you Deare Ladies who to passe their time Shall hap my book to view To thinke that two such virgins borne And bred in Princely blisse Should be inforst in fine to make So hard a choyce as this But as the auncient Prouerbe goes Perforce obaies no law The crabbed carters whip will cause A stately steed to drawe The yonger sister thus hereft Of life the elder came And cut the girdle of the beame To hide her sisters shame As well as shée good Ladie might Then was her part to play Who putting on that other scarfe About her necke gan say Vnto Megesten noble Dame When thou shalt see me ded For honours sake vnto thy kinde Sée thou my carkasse led In place that is for maidens méete Let not my body lie Despoyld of robes to naked shew And view of euerie eye And with her saying downe shée slipte And by her bodies pease Though light it were did stop her pipes And so shée dyde with case The Lenuoy THose realmes right happy are where princes rainge That measure out by vertue all their deedes Abhorring with their vassals blood to staine Their sacred hands and gore their kingly weedes The subiects there with willing harts obay And Peeres be safe from fall and foule decay But out alas where awfull Tyrants hold In haughtie crucil hands the royall powre And mischiefe runnes by office vncontrolde There aye the great the lesser sort deuoure By daylie proote ech one may daily see That such as rulers are such subiects be Vnlesse the law forbid the lewde to sinne Vnlesse the Prince by rigor vices quell Disorders will by sufferance soone rush in Who striues not then in mischiefe to excell By nature man vnto the worst is bent If holesome statutes stay not his entent A hangrie wight is hardly harde from food The kindled straw is seldome when put out A Cyrant that hath tasted once of blood With much adoe forbeares the fillie rout So sweete is sinne as once from vertue fall And thou art lightly lost for good and all No looking backe no bending foote about No feare of fall for mauy a mischiefes past No ill reuockt no dreed of any doubt Till God by heapes powre downe his plagues at last As by this verse is planily set to view No matter tainde but auncient storie true Who would by might haue maintained Iuzios lust That â—ewe the childe before the fathers face Whaâ— King would wincke at matter so vniust Or fauour muffian in so foule a case The fact was vile and dreadfull vengeance dewe Vnto a Prince that such disorder knewe To bolster vice in others is a blame For such as may by power suppresse the deed But crowned kings incurre the greatest shame When they themselues on Subiects flesh do feede For Lions take no pleasure in the blood Of any beast vnlesse they bee withstood And when such states so fouly doe offend Not they alone doe bide the bitter scurge But subiects are for rulers vices shend Is when the Sea doth yeeld to great a surge The lesser brookes doe swell aboue their boundes And ouerflow like floods the lower grounds Lyacon lewde that fed on strangers blood Although himselfe were he that God forgate Yet causer was that loue with sodaine blood Drownde all the world saue 〈◊〉 and her mate Thus one ill yeere may worke ten thousands woe God hates yll kings and doth detest them so As heere we see this vgly Tyrants wife And giltlesse broode that neuer did offend Raunsomde the fathers faultes by losse of life And he him selfe was brought to wretched end Wherefore let Peeres and states vprightly stand Least they and theirs be toucht by Gods owne hande For he that guydes the golden globe aloft Bekoldes from hie and markes the deedes of man And hath reuenge for euery wicked thought Though he forbeare through mercy now and than He suffereth long but sharpely payes at last If we correct not our misdoings past He spares no more the Monarke than the Page No more the Reysars than the countrie Clownes He fauours not the auncieut for their age He cuts off Kings for all their costly Crownes No royall roabes no scepter no deuice Can raunsome those that fauour fylthy vice The Argument to the ninth Hystâ—rie SYâ—â—ona lilet of Pasquine passing well And he did frie as fast with egal slame In sorte as on a time these louers fell To make a match of purpose for the same With one coâ—â—ent where time and place was set This louing couple in a garden met There 〈◊〉 to other vttered their deuise To salue the fores that fancy fixt in brest They kist they â—olâ—d thus neither part was nice To take the time of both vvas compted best Amid their glee vvas Pasquines hap to spie A bed of sage that there vvas grovving by
Whereof he pluckt a leafe to rubbe his iawes And presently fell dead vpon the deede The vvech exclamde whose soden crie did cause The neighbours by to come avvay vvith speede The man vvas founde there senselesse as he lay And she boâ—â—â— vvench as captiue borne avvay The 〈…〉 the iurie vvas in place The 〈…〉 for triall of the truth The Iudge vvas there vvho hearing all the case And hauing of the filly mayden ruth For â—itie pausde and to the garden vvent To learne the troth and scan of her intent Symona straight vnto the border ranne Where grew the Sage pluckt a leafe or twaine And therewithall to frote her gummes began As one that would bene quit of murther faine Lo thus quoth she my Lord did he before And thus was all I sawe him doe no more And with the word before the Iudge his face The giltlesse maide fell groueling on the ground And there she died before them all in place And then the cause of both their banes was found The tale ensues which more at large doth tell Both of their loues and how their deathes befell THe fame of Florence is so great That simple men do knowe The brute thereof by true report Where dwelt not long agoe A virgin fresh and fayre to viewe A iolly lusty dame As any was in all the towne Symona was her name Whose beautie though were very braue And kende had done as much For her as she mought well request Yet for tune seemde tolgrutche And malice at her featurd shape For as the same did passe Euen so her father of the meane And basest order was A man not hauing welth at will The stately mistresse chaunce Would not voutchsafe from lowe estate This miser to aduaunce And hereupon the fathers want With whom it went so harde Of force constrainde the mayde to get Her liuing by the carde And whéele and other like deuice As selly maydens vse With handy worke shee wonne her bread She could none other chuse Who though to earne her meat drink In spinning spent the day Yet in this beggers brest of hers A Lordlike hart there lay That durst adventure to assay The force of Cupides flame For by the iestures and the talke Of one that daily came Vnto the house where she abode A passing pleasant lad One of her owne estate for wealth That of his mistresse had Both wool and yarne to spin and twist The wench Symona fell In fancy with this merry Gréeke And lykt the weauer well The virgin by his swéete regardes Was entred very farre And masht within the net of loue But yet she did not dare To further on that first attempt She fryde with secret fyre Of Pasquine thus the youth was tearmd Whom she did so desire But euer as she twisted had A thréed vpon the whéele A thousand scalding sighes she fette The silly wench did feele Them whotter farre than any flame Thus issuing from her brest And euer as she went about She thought vpon the guest That brought the wool to haue it wrought The spinning bredde the spight The thréedes did make her minde the man When be was out of fight And shall we déeme the weauer whom The mayden loude so well Quite voyde of wanton huniors no For he to liking fell And likewise eake as carefull woxe As was the louing trull To see that thée did well dispatch And spinne his mistresse wooll As though the making of the cloth All wholly did depend And only of Symonas thréed Which made him not to sende But often come him selfe to sée How she her whéele applyde He neuer vsde to goe so ofte To any place beside And thus the one by making meanes The other by desire She had to be thus sude vntoo It hapt he felt a fyre Vnwonted flaming in his brest And she had shifted feare And shame aside which still before Her chiefest iewels were And hereupon they ioyntly fell Each other well to léeke Both parties did so well agrée Small néede it was to séeke Which of them both should first assayle Each fancyde other so As by each others face each friend Each others heart did know And thus from day to day it gâ—ewe And still enkindled more The flaming loue which she to him And he Symona bore Vntill at length this Pasquine prayde The mayden earnestly To worke such way and meanes to come Vnto a garden by Where he would tarrie her in place Vntill such time she came For that the garden was a plotte Conuenient for the same And méerely voyde of all suspect There might they talke their sill Symona like a gentle wench Did graunt him her good will One holyday at after noone Her father to deceiue Symona came with solemne sute Requesting him of leaue To goe vnto saint Gallus Church To fetch a pardon there The selly aged syre agréed Whose eye the mayd did bleare For hereupon another wench Lagina cald and she Vnto the garden went where they Had poynted him to bée But Pasquine ere they came was there And brought with him a mate Cald Stramba Puccio was his name This Stramba he should prate And with Lagina chatte of loue The matche was pointed thus And whilst these two grosse louers did Their matters so discesse Vnto the farther end of all The garden Pasquine went And with Symona there conferde As touching his entent Heare leaue I Ladies both the talke Which Stramba did deuise Vnto his late acquainted lasse Presume his tale was wise For as Cupido whets the tongue So doth he sharp the braine Of those that loue and earnest are Their Ladies to attaine And though perhaps this fellow wer Not come of gentle kinde Yet being matcht with on he likt Perhaps coulde tell his minde For fansie makes the foolish wise And compasse in his hed By what deuice he may atchieue His liked Ladies bed To Pasquine turne we now againe Who as I said of late Was stept aside of purpose with His minion to debate There was where he did sit by chance Conferring of the case A goodly bordered bed of sage Euen full beside the place Where as this louing couple coapt In secret sport and play Who hauing long with merrie talke Consumde the time away And made appointment eke to meete Another day againe To banquet with Symona there To féele a farther vaine This Pasquine to the sage resorts Whereof a leafe he strips To rub his teeth and gummes withall Hée put it twixt his lips And so began to touch his téeth And therewith all did say That Sage was very good to freat The filthie flesh away That stucke betwixt his hollow téeth Within a while that he Had practisde thus vpon his gummes His countnance gan to be Quite altred from the former forme And after that a space That thus his visage swolne was Vnto an vglie face He lost the vse of both his eyes And of his spéech beside And so at length in sodaine sort This louing weauer dide Which when Symona
slewe with-sword full many a â—reekish knight For al the warrâ—s yet loude â—ndronâ—ene With her he â—eâ—t in her he tooke delight His manly bâ—est that force of foe withstoode Was razde by loue his Curage did no good Vlisses â—â—ie for all his wilie wit Was lodgde in loue by Cyices sugred cuppe â—lato deuine whose stue the Starres dyd hit With learnedlips of Venus sauce did suppe His graue precepts stoode him in slender sted Whome lawe of kinde in lincke of fancie led Fell Dâ—onyse with Alexander great Duke Iason â—ariâ— â—irâ—hus Pompey take And he whome Dydo did so well entreate That to the curreous Queene his vowe did breake Yea soue him selfe Apollo Marâ— and all To Venus bowde each one was Cupids thrall The noblest Nimphes that euer were aliue The queyntest queenes the force of fancie felt The dayntiest dames durst not with loue to striue The haughtiest harts had Cupid made to mete Medea Phillis Helen Phedra flerce Crcuâ—a Oeuon Lucrece loue did pierce Laodamie Hermyon Hypsiphill Curst Cliremnestra Brisies Deyanire Semyramis and Progne prone to kill With Mirthâ— Biblis lust to loue did stirrée And thousands moe of whome the Poetes tell Prouokt by loue to flaming fancy fell Which sith is so I may with better face A pardon craue of you that Ladies be For dringing here a homely wenth in place And ranking her with danies of gallant glee Who sith did rage in fancie as the rest Why should she not be plast among the best Put case her byrth was base her linage lowe Herparynts poore her liuelod bare and shin Sith Cupid did his golden shaft bestowe Vpon her brest when liking entred in Let her receiue the guerdon that is dewe To faithfull loue and march with Cupids crewe Where leaue is lowed for each one to contend Where markes are made the cunningst hand to trie Without reproofe each one his bowe doth bend And arrowes there without contrâ—lement she Likewise sith loue at rendon roues his dartes We ought not scorne the meanest louing hartes When Cresus brings his gorgeous giftes in hand And slay an oxe to offer to the goddes A groome with gote by him may baldly stand In holy Church they little count of odd es Eâ—e minde is all that makes or marres the thing A Carter loues as whotly as a King The Argument to the tenth Historie AMerchants sonne that Girolanus hight Of tender age in great good liking fell VVith one Saluestra a damsell faire and bright A taylers daughter who there by did dwell The aged father did and left the boy Abounding welth his heyre and only ioy The carefull mother doubting least her sonne VVold make his choice marie with this maide Dispatcht him thence to Paris there to wonne Vntill his heate and humor were delaide To please his friends away this yonker rode And there a space vnwilling made abode Retires in fiue to Florence backe againe VVhen mothers feare doubts were layde aside His auncient loue aye sticking in his brayne But ere he came the wench was woxe a bryde VVhich greude him sore he wist not how to deale At last deuisde into her house to steale VVhere being plast vnwist of any wight He stayde his time till husband fel on sleepe Then out he gate defenst with darke of night And softly to Saluestras bed did creepe He sighde he sued he pleaded there for life In hope to had his pleasure of the wife But al for nought his winde did shake no come The womans will was bent another way VVhich when he found as one that was forlorne He wist not how to do nor what to say His griefe was such as by Saluestras side He laide him downe and there for sorow dyde The husbaÌ„d wakes the wife bewrayes the case The corse was streight conueyde away by night When morow came the beare was brought in place The graue was cast the body lay in sight The mother mournd and many matrons moe Bewayl the chaunce of him that died so Among the rest that present were to viewe This heauie hap Saluestra stoode as than She sawe her friend whom she vnkindly slewe And therewithall to rewe his death began So deepely sanke remorse into this dame As downe she fell and dyde vpon the same AS auncient men report there dwelt A Merchant man of yore In Plorence who by traficke had Increast his stocke to more Than any of his race had done A very wealthy wight Who on his wife begate a sonne That Girolamus hight And after time the babe was borne The father chaunst to die But as it bape be made his will Before and orderly Disposde his goods as men are wont The carefull mother then A widow left with good a duise And apde of loarned men The tutors of this merchants sonne Both vsde the infant well And gaue such eye vnto his stocke As nought to damage fell This childe as common order is Did vse to sport and play Among the other neighbors babes To driue the time away And as the childrens custome is Some one among the rest To fancy most euen so this boy Did like a mayden best A Taylers daughter dwelling by They daily vsde to méete With sundrie other babées moe Amid the open shreete This liking in their tender yéeres Shot vp and grew to more Euen as their liâ—â—s encreast by age The sparke which loue before Had kindled in his wanton brest Did growe to greater fire And Girolamus in his heart The mayden did desire Their daily custome came to kinde And looke what day that he Had past without the sight of her He thought it lost to be And that which set the flaxe on fire And bred the hoter flame Was that the boy did well perceiue The mayden ment the same And likte aswell of him againe The mother when she sawe This matter worke began to checke And kéepe the wagge in awe And whipt him now and then among But when she did perceiue The stubborne stripling set her light And that he would not leaue Those wanton trickes vnfit for youth She wexe a wofull daâ—e And to the tutors of her sonne This pensiue widowe came As one that of that reabtres thorne An Orenge trée would fayne Haue made because his stocke was great But all her toyle was vame And to the sages thus she said Vngracious graffe my sonne Scarce fourtéene yéeres of age as yet Already hath begonne And entred in the suare of loue The wagge begins to frie With one Saluestras liking lust A taylours daughter by So that vnlesse we wise by deale And warely seeme to watch At length perhaps this foolish else Will with the mayden match And make a rash contract with her Which if should happen so From that time foorth I should not liue A merrie day I knowe Or if he should consume and wast With thought or pine away To sée her matcht some other where Then woe were me I say Wherefore to voyde this present ill I thinke it best quoth
hundred sobbes For euery teare a score This brute no sâ—â—er out of Church Among the people came But out of hand per husband hearde The tidings of the same Who as I said was gone among The men to lend an eare And hearken what report there went Of them that died there Then like a louing husband that Imbrast Saluestra well From sobbing sighes to trickling teares For her misfortune fell And waild her ddath no little time And after that to some That were in place declard by night How Gyrolam did come Vnto his house through burning loue Which he Saluestra bore And tolde the tale from point to point As I haue pend before Where at the audience wofull woxe That vnderstood the case Then taking vp the carkasse of The wife that lay in place And hauing knit the shrowding shéete As common custome is They layd her body on the beare And set her side to his Thus hauing wept vpon the dead In proofe of inward paine And buried both together home The people went againe See lucke whom loue was not of force Aliue to linke in one Death found the meanes to couple close Within a marble stone Lenuoy VVHether stars doe stir good lykyng from aboue By hidden force and couert power deuyne Or câ—aunce breede câ—oyce leades vs on to loue â—nd fancy falses as fortune list assigne I cannot iudge nor perfectly defyne But this I know ouce let it ghther roote And to remoue it then is slender boote Let sicknes grow let cankers worke theyr wyl Seeke not at first their malyce to suppresse Scorne wholsome helpe doe floute at physikes sail In hope thy greefe wyl swage and vvaren lesse And thou at last shalt neuer haue redresse Diseases more admitte no cunning cure The cause by tyme is fastned on so sure When fire to once crept yn among the shaw And flame hath raught the rotten roose on hye T is hardly quencht hys fury hath no law It seldome sinkes tyl all on ground do ly The way to help is busily to ply The matter fyrst before it grow too far When steedes are stolne t ys bootles doores to darre Euen so it fares when fancy blowes the cole Of frend â—ipfâ—â—st and sâ—ts abroach good will I man may ympes with ease from loue controle Whilst feare dot force them stoupe to parents wyl But let them run their race at ryot styl And not rebukte by reason at the fyrst Along they go let parents doe their worst Too late comes salues to cure contyrmed sores When loue is linkt and choyce is chayned tast You may as soone plucke trees vp by the rootes As breake the knot or sunder promise past The tackle hangs so sure vnto the Mast When shypâ— from shore haue hopste vp all their saâ—les To bend about againe it little vailes So statelie is the stroke of Cupids bow So fell his force so huge his heauie hand No striuyng serues no shift to shun the blow No might nor meane his Godhead to withstand Who fastest runnes sinks deapest in the sands Wherefore I wish that parents giue consent And not repine when mindes to match are bent For barre the sick whom Feuer doth molest To drinke his fill gis thirst will be the more Restraine thy Ienates course thy bridle wrest The beast becouimes farre fiercer than before Where streames be stopt there riuers most doe rore Downe goe the banks and ouer flowes the flood Where swellyng waters feele themselues withstood No trauayle serues to sunder louing heartes No absence breedes in friendes forgetfull mindes The farther of that dely from other parts The botter ech his flaming fancie findes Who striues to stop doth most enrage the wynds No louer true but beares within hys brest The shape of her whom he doth fancie best As thunder showres whom weather calmes againe Gyue greater drought and helpes along the string By meanes of heate mixt with the blomiing raine So safe returne of absent friende doth bring Increase of loue and faster streames the spryng Respect of birth of state or ought beside Stops not the boat that driues wuh such a tide A folly then for parents to restraine For lucres sake their children â—th we see That both theyr care and labour is in vaine And sundrie times a thousand tiles there bee That doe ensue when they will not agree As in this tale the Florentine doth showe The great mishaps by such restraint that grow Could mothers threates or tutors taunts reucke This Marchants minde or make him alter loue Could Parris pleasure once this youth prouoke His auncient friend from fancie to remoue Yea though it were a thing for his behoue No backe he came the selfe same man he went He chaungde the ayre but not his first entent And loue to helpe him onward od his race Assisted with deuise and subtile sleight Eke Venus taught him how to come in place And shrowded him in cloudie cloke of night Whereby he might approch to his delight But all for nought The game that he pursude Was caught before and thence his haue ensude So Pyramus in Babylon of pore Faire Thisbe loued but parents disagreed They might not match but prisoned were therefore Yet loue at length this faithfull couple freed The time was set the place and all decreed When foule mishap bereft them both of life Who slue themselues with one vnluckie knife Had pitie lodge within Saluestras brest Would she haue forst so true a man to die Who chargde with loue and thousand woes distrest Did hazard life to presse in place so me Vnto a dame that with her spouse dyd lie O blooddie Beare nay rather Tygers whelp That would refuse her auncient friend to helpe O marble mynde O stayne of womans stocke Not fed with un â—e of kindly nurses pappe But hewed with toole out of some ruthles rocke And layd withyn some Lionesses lap Couldst thou alow thy frend so hard a hap As by thy syde amid his sute to see Him dâ—e the death and all for loue of thee Draw hether dames and read this bloody fact Note wei the fruite of frovvardnes in loue Peruse the plague of her that pyty lackt See how in that she pleasd the gods aboue Example take your xygoâ— to remous And you that are Cupydos knyghts taâ—e heede Bestovv no more good wil then shalde need Renounce the loue of such as are forsped Forgoe those frends vvhâ—m law forbids to lyke Courte no mans wyfe embrace no maryage bed Leaue of your luste by others harines to seeke No such good vvyl can last aboue a vveeke Looke vvhen you thynke your selues in cheefest pryce They set you by vvhylst others throvv the dyce When once regard of honor lyes asyde When credyt is respected nought at all Then shame ensues and follovves after pride From vertue then to fylthy vice they fall And to allure they vse a pleasant call And beyng once entangled in the tvvyg To make you fat they â—eede you vvith a fyg For one delyght ten
snow againe Meane while yet maist thou make accōpt that I doe stil remember thée In Russia where I leade my life and long againe at home to be No force shall cause me to forget or lay the care of loue aside Time is the touchstone of good will wherby my meaning shal be tride If I might haue conueid my lines vnto thy hands it would haue easde My heauy heart of diuers doubts my message might my minde appeasde But friend indure this long delay my selfe wil come when time shal serue To tell thée newes and how I fare meane while stand fast do not swerue Presume that as I was thine owne euen so I doe continue still I stnow hir not whose beautie shall remooue or change my first good will Thy face hath pierst my brest so farre thy graces este so many bée As if I would I cannot choose but loue and make account of thée To a faire gentlevvoman false to hir friend VVIthin the garden plot of thy faire face Doth grow a graffe of diuers qualities A matter rare within so little space A man to find such sundry properties For commonly the roote in euery trée Barcke body boughes bud leafe and fruit agrée First for the roote is rigor in the brest Creason the trée that springeth of the same Beautie the barcke that ouer spreds the rest The boughes are braue and climing vp to fame Braules be the buds that hang on euery bowe A blossom fit for such rootes to allowe Loue is the leafe that little time endures Flattrie the fruit which treasons tree doth beare Though beauties barste at first the eie allure Yet at the last ill will the worme doth weare Away the leafe the blossoms boughes and all And rigors roote makes beauties buds to fall Par essere ingrata Non sarai amata A farewell to a craftie deceitfull Dame AS he that lothes the powders smel must neuer prease where Gunners bée So he that hates a double daine must neuer haue to do with thée For craft I sée is all thy care thy smoothest lookes betoken guiles In womans wombe thou féedst a foxe that bites thy friend on whom he smiles Had Nature wist thy déep deceits before thy birth I thinke that kind To saue thy name and ease thy friends had seald thine dies and kept thée blind For what is she that beares a face of greater trust and more good will Yet who is she that hath a heart more prone to pay the good with ill Thy beautie Ied me on to loue thy lookes allured my looking eyes Thy doubleuesse now bréeds despaire thy craft doth cause my wofull cries I could requite dissembling loue and gloze perhaps as well as you But that I take but small delight to change mine ancient friends for new Yet will I not be sotted so as stil to let my loue to losse I better know what mettall is than to exchange the gold for drosse Good will is euer woorth good will if both the ballance egall bée But sure too massie is my loue to make exchange of loues with thée Wherfore I say vnknit the knot wherwith thy loue was falsly tide Thou lackst a graine to make vp weight men say good measure neuer lide Go séeke some other to deceiue too wel I know thy craftie call My mouth is very well in taste to iudge the hony from the gall That you are gall I may auow for hony hath no bitter tast The wine of your good will is spent you kéep ths dregs for me at last Wherfore I do renounce the caske I leaue the lées for other men My hap was ill my choice was worse I yéeld you vp to choose agen Spare to speake Spare to speede MY Spencer spare to speake and euer spare to spéed Vnlesse shou shew thy hurt how shall the Surgeon know thy néed Why hath a man a tongue and boldnesse in his brest But to bewray his mind by mouth to set his hart at rest The fisherman that feares his corke and coard to cast Or spred his net to take the fish wel worthy is to fast The forrestman that dreads to rouse the lodged Bucke Bicause of bramble brakes deserues to haue no hunters lucke Where words may wingood wil and boldnesse beare no blame Why should there want a fare of brasse to bourd the brauest dame Vnlesse thou cast thy lure or throw hir out a traine Thou seldome shalt a Falcon or a Tassell gentle gaine Though lookes betoken loue and makes a shew of lust Yet spéech is it that knits the knot whereto a man may trust Assure thy selfe as he that feares caliuer shot Can neuer come to scale a fort or skirmish woorth a grote So be that spares to speake when time and place are fit Is sure to misse the marke which else he were in hope to hit Giue him an iuie leafe in stead of pipe to play That dreads to bourd a gallant dame for feare she say him nay Where venture is but small and bootie very great A coward knight will hazard there in hope to worke his fea◠Wherfore when time shall serue my Spencer spare to blush Fall to thy purpose like aman and boldly beat the bush Who so accounts of losse doth seldom gaine the game And blushing cheeke be often hard for feare of after shame No doubt a Lady doth imbrace him more that dares To tell his tale than such a one that of his language spares Deceit is dreaded more and craft doth rifer raigne In one that like an image sits than him that speaketh plaine Yea though thy mistresse make as though she loued no wine Remember Aesops Foxe that was too lowe to reach the vine Take this for certaine troth the best and brauest bowe Will stoupe if so the cause be good thou knowest my meaning now Experience hath no péere it passeth learning farre I speake it not without my booke but like a man of warre Wherfore be bold to boord the fairest first of all Aye Venus aides the forward man and Cupid helps his thrall Wearie of long silence he breakes his mind to his mistresse NOt much vnlike the horse that féeles himself orprest With weightie burthen on his backe doth long to be at rest So I whose boiling brest with fansies floud did flow Had great desire my great good will with painting pen to show To ease my wofull hart of long endured paine And purchace quiet to my mind whom loue welnie hath slaine Beléeue my words deare dame dissembling is a sinne Not mine but thine these many days my captiue hart hath bin But shame and coward feare the louers mortall foes Would neuer condescend that I my meaning should disclose Till now at length desire my wonted ease to gaine Did bid me sue for grace and said I should not sue in vaine For as thy beautie is farre brauer than the rest So bountie must of force abound within thy noble brest Oh séeke not thou to shed or sucke of yéelding blood
Alas I thinke to murther me would do thée little good Whom if you séeme to rue as I do hope you will In prayse of your good nature then my hand shall shew his skill Lo here in pawne of loue I vowe my selfe to thée A slaue a seruant and a friend till dying day to bée He vvisheth his dreames either longer or truer SHort is the day wherein I doe not thinke of thee And in the night amid my sleepe thy face deare dame I see The dreame delights me much it cuts my care away Me thinkes I kisse and clip thée oft the rest I blush to say Who happy then but I whilest sléepe and slumber last But who alas so much a wretch as I when sleepe is past For with the sliding sleepe away slips my delight Departing dreames doe driue away thy countnance out of sight And then in place of glee in glydes a crew of care My panting hart laments that I do féele my bed so bare For thou that wert the cause of comfort art not there And I poore silly wofull man in sobs the night do weare Then curse I cankred chance that made me dreame of thée And fansie fond that fed it selfe with dreames that fained bée Thus weares away the night consumde in carefull paine Those restlesse banners beating still vpon my busie braine Then drawes the dawning on I leaue my couch and rise In hope to find some pleasant toy that may content mine eyes But out alas I can not sée so faire a sight That can my heause hart relieue and daintie cies delight Each beautie that doth blaze each visage that I see Augments my care in causing me to long and looke for thee Thus waste I all the night in dreames without desire Thus driue I on my dayes in loue that scalds like scorching fire Yet well content therewith so that at my returne Thou pitie me who for thy sake with Cupids coles do burne I am the Turile true that sits vpon the trée And waile my woe without a make and onely wish for thée Vnable by long and hard trauell to banish loue returnes hir friend VVOunded with loue and piercing déep desire Of your faire face I left my natiue land With Russia snow to slacke mine English fire But well I sée no cold can quench the brand That Cupides coles enkindle in the brest Frost hath no force where friendship is possest The Ocean sea for all his featefull flood The perils great of passage not preuaile To banish loue the riuers do no good The mountains hie cause Cupid not to quaile Wight are his wings and fansie flies as fast As any ship for all his sailes and mast The riuer Dwina cannot wash away With all his waues the loue I beare to thée Nor Suchan swift loues raging heate delay Good will was graft vpon so sure a trée Sith tranaile then nor frost can coole this fire From Mosqua I thy frend wil home retire That he findeth others as faire but not so faithfull as his frend I Sundry sée for beuties glosse that with my mistresse may compare But few I finde for true good wil that to their frends so frendly are Looke what she saies I may assure my selfe thereof she wil not faine What others speake is hard to trust they measure all their words by gaine Her lookes declare her louing minde her countnance and her heart agrée When others laugh they looke as smooth but loue not halfe so wel as she The gréefe is hers when I am grypte my fingers ache is her disease With me though others mourne to sight yet are their hearts at quiet ease So that I marke in Cupids court are many faire and fresh to sée Each where is sowen dame beuties féede but faire and faithfull few there bée Trauailing the desert of Russia he complayneth to Eccho vvith request that she comfort his afflicted state YOu hollow hilles and vallies wide that wonted are to yelde againe The latter cause of louers cries resound and help me to complaine Repeate my piteous pensiue plaints recite my tale when I haue done Howle out ye hilles and let me heart my voice among your rockes to run It wil delight my dazed sprites when I report my mistresse name Amid my plaint to heare the hilles at euery call to call the same Good Eccho shew me thy good will is no man here but thou and I Take vp my tale as I lament and say Alas as I doe crie Was neuer man that did enioy a better dame then I haue done But now Alas she is alacke helpe Eccho helpe I am vndone Besides mine absence from her sight another doth possesse my place And of my haruest sheares the sheaues helpe Eccho helpe lament my case I know not when I shal returne or when to see that swéete againe For out alas she is away good eccho helpe to ease my paine But nought I sée it doth auaile thy talke encreaseth but my woe It irkes me to recite her name and misse the saint I honor so Wherefore sith bootlesse be complaints and clepings cannot right my case I bid thée Eccho here adew I will goe seeke to sée her face The face that Paris would haue chose if he had séene her in the mount Good faith the lady Venus had béen had as then in small account And as for Pallas and the third I meane the mighty Iunos grace I know right wel they would haue hid themselues and neuer prest in place For nature made hir not to match but to excéede and passe the rest Thrice happy he that can attaine her loue and to be liked best He craues his mistresse to accept his wryting being otherwise insufficient to vvinne good liking from her AS many are the meanes to fall in fancies frame So diuers be the driftes of men for to atchieue the same For some to winne their loues and purchase priuy grace With curious tonges like carpet knights doe pleade a fained case And all to please the eares and mate their mistresse minde Of this and that they tell their tales as they fit leasure finde Some other wanting chatte not hauing words at wil With nimble ioynts and fingering fine on Lutes doe shew their skil By sugred sound to winne their ladies to their loue With earnest care those wanton wights Apollos practise proue And such as skilfull are in daunsing doe desire To practise that whereby to sit their fronions harts on fire Whose breast is swéete to eare he straines his voice to sing The reby vnto his gréedy lust his mistresse minde to bring The martial man at armes to muster doth delight And loues to shew his helmed head before his Ladies sight In hope to purchase praise and after praise some grace For vvomen loue a valiant man that dares defend their case Thus each one doth attempt and puts the thing in â—re That fittest is to gaine good will so Faulkners vse the lure But I vnhappy wight that can doe nought of these How
might I doe or what deuise my mistresse minde to please Where neither tongue can talke nor finger frame with Lute Nor footing serue to dauner alas how should I moue my sute Not pleasant is my voice vnable to delight I can doe nought vnlesst it be with pen to shew my plight I only can in verse set out a dame to showâ— And on a wel deseruing frend a frendly praise bestow Thus must I hunt for loue wherefoe good Lady then In lieu of other finer skilles accept my ragged pen. Let me by writing win what others doe by arte And during life you shal assure you of a louing hart No vertue shal be lodgde within your curteous brest But I wil blaze the same abroad as brauely as the best And as for beuties praise I wil procure that fame Shal sound it out so loud that all the world shal read thy name So as by louing me you shal haue loue againe And eke the harts of thousands me for you good wil attaine I neuer was mine owne sith first 〈◊〉 your face Nor neuer wil but euer yours if you wil rue my case The meane is best THe fire doeth frye the frost doeth fréese the colde bréedes care the heate doeth harme The middle point twixt both is best nor ouer-cold nor ouer-warme I dreame it not the happy life the néedie beggers bag to beare Ne yet the blessed state of all a mightie Kaisars crowne to weare That one is cloied with sundry cares and dies ten thousand times a day That other still in danger goes for euery traitors hand to flay The highest hill is not the place whereon to build the stately bower The deepest bale it is as ill for lightly there doth rest the shower The failing ship that kéepes the shore vpon the rocke is often rent And he that dentures out too farre and tries the stream with waues is hent For there the winâ— doth worke his will there Neptunes churlish imps â—o raign The middle way is safe to saile I mean the mean betwixt the twain So that the meane is best to choose not ouer hie nor ouer lowe Wherfore if you your safetie loue imbrace the meane let mounting goe To his friend Edward Dancie of Deceit DAncie deceit is rifer now a day Then houest dealing vertue is but vile I sée dissembling beares the bell away Craft hath a cloke to couer all his guile And vnderneath the same a knife doth lurke When time shall serue a shamefull spoile to worke Each man almost hath change of faces now To shift at pleasure when it may auaile A man must giue no credit to the browe The smoothest smiling friend will soonest faile No trust without a triall many yéeres All is not gold that glistringly appeeres Who so shall make his choice vpon a man To loue and like must warily looke abouâ— A faithfull friend is like a coleblacke Swan We may not trust the painted sheath without Vnlesse good lucke continue at a stay Farewell thy friends like foules they flie away Of the right noble L. VVilliam Earle of Pembroke his death THough betters pen the praise of him that earned fame Yet pardon men of meaner skill if they attempt the same Good will may be as great in simple wits to write In commendation of the good as heads of déeper sight Wherfore among the rest that rue this Earles want My selfe will set my Muse abroach although my vaine be scant This Realme hath lost a lampe that gaue a gallant show No stranger halfe so strange to vs but did this Noble know His vertues spred so farre his worthy works so wide That forrain princes held him déere where so he was imploid Whose wit such credite won in countrey seruice still That Enuie could not giue the checke nor rancor reaue good will He euer kept the roume that prince and fortune gaue As curteous in the countrey as in court a Courtier braue To low and meanest men a lowly mind he bore No hawtie hart to stoute estates vnlesse the cause were more But than a Lions hart this dreadfull Dragon had In field among his foes as fierce as in the Senate sad Had Pallas at his birth for Pembroke done hir best As nature did then Pembroke had surmounted all the rest For though that learning lackt to paint the matter out What case of wright so weightie was but Pembroke brought about By wit great wealth he wonne by fortune fauour came With fauor friends and with the friends assurance of the same Of Princes euer praisd aduaunst and staid in state From first to last commended much in honors stoole he sate Beloued of Henry well of Edward held as déere A doubt whether sonne or father loued him best as might appéere Quéene Mary fele a want If Pembroke were away So greatly she affied him whilest the did beare the sway And of our péerelesse Quéene that all the rest doth passe I néed not write she shewd hir loue whose Steward Pembroke was Sith such a noble then by death our daily foe Is reft this realme why do we not by teares our sorowes show Why leaue we to lament why kéepe we in our cries Why do we not powre out our plaints by condites of the eies Our noble prince our péeres both poore and rich may rue And each one sorow Pembroke dead that earst him liuing knew Yt ioy in one respect that he who liued so hie In honors seat his honor saued and fortunde so to die Which stocke of noble state sith cruell death hath reft I wish the branches long to bud that of the roote are left And prosper so aliue as did this noble trée and after many happy dayes to die as well as hée Finding his Mistresse vntrue he exclaimeth thereat SVnne cease to shine by day restraine thy golden beames Let starres refuse to lend their light let fish renounce the streames Sea passe thy kindly bounds set ebbe and flood aside Brasse leaue to grow yet gallant plants depart with all your pride Bend Tyber backe againe and to thy spring returne Let firie coles begin to fréeze let I se and water burne Wolues leaue to slay the Lambs hounds hunt the Hare no more Be friend to foules ye hungry haukes whom ye pursude before For kind hath altred course the law that nature set Is broken quite hir orders skornd and bands in sunder fret Loue is accounted light and friendship forced nought My selfe may well proclaime the same that loue hath dearly bought I fortund once to like and fansie such a dame As sundry serud but none atchieud hir feature wan hir fante Long sute and great desnet with triall of my truste Did make hir fansie me againe she found me persâ—â— iust But ere I felt the blisse that louers do attaine I bode a thousead ecuâ—ll ficâ— ten thousand kinds of paine Till ruth by reason grew and rigor layd apart On me she did bestow hir loue that best deserued hir hart Then mirth gan counter prise the
treason that Iugurtha and the Iew Doest far excell and from thy friend withholdst thy fauour dew O traiterous of thy troth of all good nature bare Loe here of my poore wounded hart the gash cut in by care I sée thou séest my sore and yet thou wilt be blind Thou stopst thine eares and wilt not hear the griefs that I do find ¶ Where is become thy loue and ancient great good will That earst was borne where 's that desire that forst thée to fulfill Thy pleasures past with me in cabbin where we lay What is become of those delights where is that sugred play Where 's all that daliance now and profers proudly made Where 's those imbrasings friendly where is that blessed trade And signs of perfit loue which then thou putst in vre And which for any gift of mine mought yet right well endure ¶ Full shadowlike they shift and can no longer bide Like dust before the wind they flie your other mate doth guide And strikes so great a stroke he wrests your wits as round As flittering leaues that from the Ashe or pine are shaken dowue Full lightly womans loue is altred euermore It may not last there is exchange continually in store And reason For by kind a woman is but light Which makes that fansie from hir brest is apt to take hir flight ¶ I had good hope at first when hap did me assure To like of thée that this thy loue was planted to endure I neuer feard a fall on ground that lay so gréene Where path was plaine for me to passe and bottom to be seene I doubted no decay nor feard-no after smart Thy beautie did me not despaire thy lookes assured thy hart But who beléeues the lookes of any of your race May soone deceiue himselfe There lies no credite in the face Well fith thy froward mind doth like to heare my mone And mine vnhappy planet giues consent that I alone Without thy loue shall liue and lacke the lampe of light To cleare mine eies that far excels all other stars in sight Vnto the hawtie skies and people here below I will my griping griefs expresse and surge of sorowes show In hope that direfull death with dreadfull dart of force Will couch my carease in the graue and there conuey my corse Yet ere I die receiue this Swan-like song To ease my hart and shew thine open wrong O Wauering womans will that bends so soone about Why doest thou so reuolt in hast and shutst thy friend without Against the law of loue O thrise vnhappy hée That doth beléeue thy beauties beames and lookes of gallant glée For neither thraldom long that I poore wight abode Nor great good will by sundry signs and outward gesture shewed Had force to hold thy hart and kéep thée at a stay No good desart of mine might stop that would of force away Yet of this cruel lotte and fel mischance I finde Nor know no cause but that thou art sprong out of womans kind I iudge that Nature and the Gods that gouerne all Deuisde this wicked shameles secte to plague the earth withall A mischiefe for vs men a burden bad to beare Without whose match too happy we and too too blessed were Euen as the Beares are bread the Serpent and the Snake The barking Wolfe the filthy flie that noysome flesh doth make The stinking wéede to smell that growes among the graine Euen so I thinke the Gods haue made your race vs men to paine Why did not kinde foresée and nature so deuise That man of man without the help of woman mought arise As by the art of hande of apples apples spring And as the pearetrée graft by kind another peare doeth bring But if you marke it wel the cause is quickly seene It is for that thou Nature art a woman though a Quéene O dames I would not wish you peacocklike to looke Or puft with pride to vaunt that man of you his being tooke For on the bryar oft a gallant Rose doth grow And of a stincking wéde an herbe or floure fresh to shew Ye are excessiue proude stuft vp with stately spite Voyd of good loue of loyall trueth and all good counsel quite Rash cruel causlesse curst vnkinde without desert Borne onely for the scourge of him that beares a faithful hart I rather wish to die then liue a vassaile stil Or thrall my selfe vnto a dame that yeldes me no good wil. The wormes shal sooner féede vpon my happy hart Within my graue then I for loue of you wil suffer smart Adue déere dames the gastly ghostes of hel Shal plague your bones that gloze and loue not wel To his cruel mistresse GEue loosers leaue to speake let him that féeles the smare Without controlment tel his tale to ease his heauy hart To thée proude dame I poynt who like the beast of Nile By teares procurest thy frend to loue and flaiest him all the while By wéeping first to winne and after conquest made To spoyle with spite those yelding impes that follow Cupids trade Condemnes thy cancred kinde more glory were for thée To ransacke none but rebel harts and let the rest goe frée Kinde wist not what she wrought when she such beuty lent Vnto those gallant limmes of thine to monstrous mischiefe bent For either fowler face she would haue yelded thée Or better moode and milder minde to make remorse of me Thou bearest two burning brands below those browes of thine And I the brimstone in my brest which makes my hart to pine Eche lowring looke of yours Irets farther in my hart And nips me néerer then the force of any other dart And to increase my care thou makest thy beutie more An oyle God wotte vnto my fire no salue to case my sore If thou a woman were of ruth and due remorse Thou wouldst allow me loue and not so proudly plague my corse I sue for mercy now with hands lift vp on hie Which if I misse I am assurde within fewe dayes to die And if I may not haue the thing I would enioy I pray the Gods to plague thée as they did the dame of Troy I meane that Creside coy that linkt her with a Gréeke And left the lusty Troyan Duke of all his loue to séeke And so they wil I trust a mirror make of thée That beuties darlings may beware when they thy scourge shal sée I neuer meant thée wel in all my life before But now to plague thy foule abuse I hate thée ten times more For reason willes me so my frends to loue and serue And cruel Ladies like thy selfe to wish as they deserue Hencefoorth if any limme of mine perhap rebel And thée whom I of right should loth doe loue or fancie wel I quite renounce the same he shall no more be mine To vse or stand in stead then I doe purpose to be thine And thus I make an end of loue and lines at once The frounce consume the flesh of her that féedes vpon my bones
amisse Experto credere tutum est A gentlewomans excuse for executing vnlawfull partes of loue EArst Sylla tooke no shame for Minos sake Hir father Nysus purple pate to sheare Medea for the loue of Iason brake The bands of kind and slew hir brother deare Forwent hir worthy Sire and kingly crowne And followed him the rouer vp and downe For Theseus when in Labirinth he lay In dread of death the monster was so nie Faire Ariadna did deuise a way To saue his life vnlesse that Ouid lie And yet the beast hir brother was in déed Whom Theseus slue and sprang of Minos séed At siege of Troy whilest Agamemnon fought Aegistheus wan Quéene Clitemnestras hart So as when he returnd and little thought Of death this dame began to play hir part She slew the prince to folow former lust And thought the fact to be excéeding iust Faire Phyllis slew hire selfe vnhappy dame Through loue and did not Dydo do the like For Prince Aeneas who to Carthage came When he was forst by showres the shore to séeke What more vnkindly parts can man deuise Than Quéens for loue their honors to despise◠Now iudge my case my fault vprightly scan Déeme my desart by this it may be gest I am by nature made to loue a man As Sylla Phyllis Dido and the rest If they and I haue done amisse for loue Let kind be blamd that thereunto did mooue The wisest men as farre as I can see Haue been enthrald through loue as well as we Amor vince ogni cosa Of his Constancie WE way not waxe for all his gallant hew Bicause it vades and melts against the fire We more regard a rocke of marble blew For that no force doth cause it to retire The builder makes his full account that it Will firmly stand at a stay and neuer flit So may you swéete be sure that my good will Is no good will of waxe to waste away When fond desire of fansie hath his fill My loue is like the marble for his stay Build thereupon and you shall surely find No blast of chance to change my stedfast mind Blacke shall you sée the snow on mountains hie The fish shall féed vpon the barren sand The sea shall shrinke and leaue the Dolphins dry No plant shall prooue vpon the sencelesse land The Tems shal turne the Sunne shal lose his light Ere I to thée become a faithlesse wight I neither am nor meane to bee None other than I seeme to thee The Authors Epilogue LO here the end of all my worke behold the thréed I drew Is wrought to cloth accomplisht now you sée this slender clew A peece God wot of little price scarce woorth the Readers paine And in mine owne conceit a booke of barren verse and vaine I blush to let it out at large for Sages to peruse For that the common custome is in bookes to gape for newes And matter of importance great which either may delite By pleasure or with sad aduise the readers paynes requite But this of mine so maymed is for lacke of learned stile And stately stuffe as sure I shall the readers hope beguile Who doth expect some rare report of former ancient déedes Or new deuice but lately wrought that breatheth yet and bléedes But truely none of both in these my verses is to finde My slender ship hath kept the shore for feare of boystrous winde I bore my simple sayles but lowe I dreaded sodaine showers Which sundry times from hauty skies the puisant ruler powers I durst not stir amid the streame the chanel was too déepe Which made me haue the more regard about the bankes to kéepe It is for mighty hulkes to dare aduenture out so farre And barkes of biggest sise and such as builded be for warre I write but of familiar stuffe because my stile is lowe I feare to wade in weighty works or past my reach to rowe Which if I should the Reader might as boldly blame my quil As now I trust he shal accept my shew of great good wil. Though diuers write with fuller phrase and farre more hawty stile And burnish out their golden bookes with fine and learned file Yet meaner Muses must not lurke but each in his degrée That meaneth wel and doth his best must wel regarded be Though Nilus for his bignes beare away the greatest name Whose seuēfold stream hath gaind the gulfe of such a lasting fame Yet must not lesser lakes be lost nor had in vile account That serue for vse and ease of man though Nilus doe surmount Great Alexander mighty was and dreadful in the warre Yet that 's no cause why Rome should not of Caesar boast as farre The Planets are the pride of heauen and chéefest lampes of light Yet other starres doe yelde a shew and helpe to cléere the night Likewise though diuers write in verse and doe excéeding wel The remnant must not be refusde because they doe excell Ill may we misse the slender shrubs for all the princely Pine No more we scorne the baser drinkes though most we way the wine Which makes me hope that though my Muse doth yelde but slender sound And though my Culter scarcely cuts or breakes the marble ground Yet sithens that I meant with verse to féede the Readers eyes And to that purpose bent my braines these fancies to deuise I trust he takes it wel in worth and beares with what he findes And thereunto the Reader aye the writers trauaile bindes Which if he doe I haue my hire who happy then but I That wrote this worke for grateful men to vewe with thankfull eye And so I giue the congée now with wish that this my booke Be such as may thy sprites delight that hapnest here to looke Ill were my fortune if in all this treatise as it standes There should be nothing worth the vew when so it comes to hand Roscarockes warrant shal suffise who likle the writing so As did embolden me to let the leaues at large to goe If il succéede the blame was his who might haue kept it backe And frendly tolde me that my booke his due deuise did lacke But as it is loe there it goes for euery one to vew The man that each ones humor pleasde as yet I neuer knew Sufficeth if the courtly sort whose doome is déepe in déede Accompt it ought with baser wits I care not how it spéede The courtier knowes what best becomes in euery kind of case His nature is what so he doth to decke with gallant grace The greatest clarkes in other artes can hardly doe the léeke For learning sundry times is there where iudgement is to séeke The Authors excuse for writing these and other fancies with promise of grauer matter hereafter LOrdings allow my light and lewde deuise And Ladies ye that are of greatest state Beare with my bookes imputing nought to vice That I haue pende in youth nor now of late My prime prouokt my hasty idle quil To write of loue when