thinges be hard to be iudged euen so of this difficultie commeth this diuersitie of Iudgementes ¶ Howe chaunceth it that many which be estemed men of verie good Iudgement be surprised with the loue of foule and ill fauored women It may be that they haue marked a certeine beautie in them which doeth not appeare outwardlie In like maner Painters and Musitians haue iudgement of draughtes and accordes wherof none doe take heede but suche as haue skill in the same ¶ Wherfore be they whose bellies be couered with heare so geuen to women Lecherie doeth procede of the heate of the raignes wherof doe ryse great vapors which engendre the heare of the bellie the aboundaunce of the heare of the bellie doeth signifie the heate in the generatiue partes ¶ Doe you thinke the discouering of Loue to be the cause sometime that a man obteineth not his desier That chaunceth many times by reason that such women doe loue their honestie very muche ¶ Is the trauell greater in secret and conceled loue then in that which is discouered and open Without doubte there is greater paine in concealed loue bycause a man can not euent the heart of loue conceaued which by comunicating and counseling with some other may be made more confortaâ—le and easie ¶ Whether is more constant in loue the man or the woman The man â–ª being bothe of bodie and spirit more firme in all affaires And naturallie he is more constant and of better perswacion in loue ¶ Wherof commeth it that he which loueth is moost commonlie beloued That peraduenture maie come bycause our spirites can not resist the amorouse shottes which doe procede of the swete lookes that Louers doe continuallie cast one vpon another Or els we will saie that it is the propertie of nature to couple and ioyne like to like and to skatter and diuide the thinges which haue no proportion together ¶ Wherfore do men saie that to Neese is a good signe in the facte and dede of Loue Bycause it commeth of the braine which is as it were the litle Cauan and withdrawing place of all the senses And it semeth that all the senses doe agree and geue their assent to the sentence and conclusion of Louers ¶ Wherof commeth it that secret loue is more burning and feruent then that which is discouered and open That chaunceth bycause the secret Louer hath no meane of ease and rest to lett out the fyre that doeth consume him the vertue of Loue being of meruelouse force and strength and so not able to atteine the thing which he loueth best is vnto him greater trauell and paine then yf he inioyed it or might discouer it to his frende for his comforte ¶ Whether were it better that there were loue or no loue I beleue it to be better that there were loue for somuch as it bringeth vnto vs more good effectes then euill and to my minde and opinion Plato agreeth who making a definicion of Loue doeth saie that it is nothing els but a desier to get and obteine a faier and beautifull thing ¶ Thinke you that one maie be in loue with an other onely vpon fame and report Yf Loue be wont to place himselfe in the chamber of our mindes by entrie through the gates of our eyes who doubteth but likewise he may enter by the dores of our eares to harborough him selfe in our vnderstanding Boccacio in his Decamerone and Plutarche be of the same opinion Example hereof may be senâ— by the historie of the Duchesse of Sauoie and the Lorde Iohn of Mendozza which may be redde in the Pallace of Pleasure aforesayd ¶ What doeth incite a man more to vertue eyther honor or the desire that he hath to please the thing he loueth I doe not iudge or thinke that Loue doeth serue for a spurre to pricke men to vertue supposing that a man desireth it for none other purpose but to enioye it ¶ Wherof commeth it that diuerse women haue remained longe time without louing any person and afterwardes haue burned with loue I saye that the vertue of the Planetes haue wrought it for in this vniuersitie of thinges nothing doeth moue it selfe that doeth not take his fyrst motion of the planetes ¶ Who loueth moost feruentlie the hardie or the Coward It is the bolde and hardie for the coward commonlie dareth not aduaunce him selfe foorth to proue his fortune ¶ Are ye not of this opinion that he which is more liuelie and of spirite more excellent is lesse content with one Loue alone Yes truely and that is accustomablie sene amonge men and women for why to content him selfe to loue in one place is an acte of pusillanimitie and of smal hart and corage which is the cause that my mystres doth not content her selfe with a thousand seruantes ¶ Which is greatest paine to get and obteine the loue of one or to mainteine the same being gotten To mainteine it after my iudgement because of the great inconstancie of women which doe sone fill and satisfie them selues and are quickelie angrie and soone wearie lightly found and sone forgotten verie slipperiâ— Cattaâ—l ¶ Who is more easie to be perswaded that they are beloued the man or the woman The man and that maie be clerelie sene for Ladies neyther by long seruice great giftes or otherwise can perswade them selues to be beloued but euermore they be readie to replie that a man doeth dissemble and counterfaicte the trueth ¶ What doeth certifie the woman that she is loued The perseuerance in Loue. ¶ Is there no other signe then perseuerance To be Ialouse of them and to geue liberallie yf perchaunce they be couetouse as in dede they be for the moost parte ¶ Why is Loue painted by some in forme of a Shepherd Bycause they which pursue and followe loue be more lyker beastes then men ¶ Which hath greatest force in man hatred or Loue I wolde saie that the passion of Loue should be greatest And why man through hatred neuer killed him selfe which men doe often times through extremitie of Loue. ¶ Is Loue blinde as he is painted The vulgare and common loue is blynd but the celestiall loue is not but with great dexteritie it openeth and discouereth the greatest secretes ¶ Why be they that haue small legges more subiect to loue then others That procedeth of the aboundaunce of seede that maketh them so Lecherouse which thing commeth ordinarilie to those whose inferior parts of the bodie receiue no great nourishment Bicause all that which Nature taketh from the nether partes is by Nature conuerted into superfluitie and seede Therfore we should rather haue demaunded why men greatlie giuen to lecherie haue for the moost parte so small and slender legges ¶ Wherof doeth it come that Louers haue so litle knowledge of the imperfections of their Ladies One great mocion doeth lette an other Euery Louer then beyng troubled in spirite the iudgement of his sence is impeached and letted in suche wise as he remeineth blind in the thing which he
of nature they cannot make the ramme to butt ¶ Wherof commeth it that men compare the state of louerâ— to a shippe vpon the sea For the great daungers wherin they dayly be ¶ What would a trewe Louer do being a farre of when he seeth the shippe wherein his Ladye is to bee in daunger of drowning He would make vowes to Loue and with ioyned handes beseche him to saue her though it coste him a Taper so bigge as the maste of the Ship to offer to his Godhedde ¶ wherin hath the Louer greatest pleasure In the contentacion of the bodie or of the minde In the contentacion of the bodie the bodie beyng the true obiecte of Loue. And sith it is so when a woman beginneth to ware hoare heared geue her a blowe vpon the tayle with thy foote and let her goe ¶ Why doe we loue the bodie so muche beyng but â—arthe and corruptible We loue it because we can not alwaies haue it Can the loue of the bodie and of the sprite agree together or whether be they contrarie They be contrarie and one against the other ¶ I would knowe whether the bodie alone might content the Louer Not yf he be vertuouse gentle and of a good Nature ¶ When a woman answereth nothing to the request made vnto her is it a signe that she agreeth thervnto Sometimes yea sometimes no wherof a man can grounde no certeine iudgement yf he pursue no further ¶ Wherfore doo yong women loue perfumes so muche They be al Uenus children And the Greke Poetes affirme that Uenus neuer departed from any place without leauing an exquisite perfume behinde her for witnes of her presence Besides this all perfumes and good odors doo eyther open the appetite or els prouoke Uenus ¶ Wherfore doe men compare the beautie of a woman to a flower Bycause it is soone come and soone gone ¶ Why doe men fayne that Loue liueth among floures Bycause that floures giue continuall hope of fructe And euen so doth Loue for he nourisheth and enterteineth his seruantes continuallie with hope trusting to inioy at the last the fructe longed for ¶ Of two Louers which shall we esteme more to be fauored him from whom his Ladie shall take awaie a nosegaie and put it in her bosome or him to whom she shall giue a nosegaie that she her selfe did weare The properties of women is to take and not to geue I saie then that he shalbe best beloued to whom she shall geue the nosegaie ¶ Of what coulor should women be moost desired I would desire them to be of the coulor wherwith men paint vertue which is redde but men doe desire the pale and yet they them selues desire to be redde ¶ Of whom haue women learned to close their eares against the supplications of poore Louers Of the Serpent Aspis which is deaffe and venemouse ¶ Wherfore doe men saie that a woman hath the looke of a Serpent and the eye of a Basilisque By reason of the great subtiltie and crafte wherwith they vse to entrappe and drawe men to their loue ¶ Be Herbes medicinable for loue Yes I haue sene thexperience therof at Mantuâ— a citie in Italie albeit Ouid crieth out that loue can find no remedie in herbes ¶ Wherfore is the life of a louer not beloued compared to hel He that made such comparison dyd it by good iudgement ¶ Thinke ye that women be the greatest goodnes that is in all the worlde They that iudge and esteme so be blind and haue placed their sences on earthly thinges but they whose mindes be directly bent on high woulde saye the contrary ¶ Is there greter swetenes then bitternes in amorouse death Bitternes in all thinges doth surmount and passe all swetenes and specially in loue ¶ Why do women generally hate warre Bycause it retayneth men and thereby are depriued of their seruice and intertainement ¶ Do louers liue in more peace and quietnes being nere or farre of They liue better in peace a farre of that I canne speake by good experience for it is not long ago that I being seruaunt to a Lady of Placentia a citie in Italie she assured me to haue proued in her self my saying and it is not yet three wekes that a Lady whom I serue with all deuotion sayd the like to my great griefe and sorowe ¶ Must we be ceremoniouse in loue All trewe louers liue in loue with fidelitie and integritie of heartâ— without any ceremonies ¶ Is it more pleasure to loue or to be beloued I beleue to loue considering that it commeth and procedeth of a free and franke action and dede ¶ Who is better content the bridegrâ—me or the bride when they embrace eche other The bride and that it is so ye shall see them continuallie ryse vp merie and ioyfull in the morning What signified the auncient Poetes by causing the girdell of verginitie to be vnknitte at mariages What elles but that the bride muste chaunge her estate and signifieth that she was vntyed that is to saie made free to this end that like a good huswife she should not be slouthfull but goe about her house and looke to all partes of the same ¶ Which is best maried the mayde taken perforce or the man whom she loueth In the acte of mariage will ruleth and not force ¶ Is Loue a thefe what is he accustomed to steale He is a thefe and a great robber of hartes ¶ Doe you thinke it theft to robbe by meane of beautie Is there any greater thefte Is not beautie the cruellest Tyrant that is ¶ Wherein doeth the beautie of women resemble the spring times For that it doeth soone passe a waie and perishe ¶ Wherfore be all thinges more disposed to loue in the spring time then in any other season Bycause that then the humors doe moue them selues and the bloud doeth waxe hotte ¶ What is the greatest happines that man can haue in loue To possesse and plaie with his louer without Ialousie or suspicion ¶ The eyes of the Ladie haue they suche force vpon the harte of the Louer as the beames of the Sunne haue vppon thinges on earthe Yea doubtles yf the lookes be amorouse otherwise it is cleane contrarie ¶ The time imployed about Loue is it well bestowed or is it loste Yf a man bestowe his loue well he loseth nothing but doeth ratheâ— gaine ¶ Is loue subiect to time as all other creatures be Loue is free and is in propertie aboue time ¶ What is the greatest pleasure that a true Louer can feele To thinke that he is borne to serue and please his Ladie ¶ Be our hartes drawen by an amorouse woman as the Cloudes by the winde Caecias Iron by the Adamant and strawe by Awmbre There is farre greater force in the drawinges and inticementes of women ¶ Maie Loue be well called and tearmed an Enchaunter and Magician His effectes be supernaturall and therfore to be estemed a Magician and more then a Magician ¶ Wherfore haue certeine wise
of Loue Shame and feare ¶ Who be they that doe not let to serue Loue although they be otherwise pressed with affayres Lustie and coragiouse hartes which in despite of busines doe not passe to suffer them selues to enter the yoke of Loue. ¶ What be the paines of Loue Hurtes and woundes more then deadlie that is desires full of rage extreme trauell exile and banishmente greuouse martirdome and pryde intollerable ¶ What is the meate of perfecte Louers Sighes and teares ¶ Wherwithall do they make sacrifice to Loue With cleane hartes which are not spotted with any couetousenes ¶ Who be the messengers of Loue Pleasure Trauell swete bitter warre Peace life and deathe ¶ What are the causes of Louers sicknesses Hart breakinges hurtful fastings the hungre of Loue trembling quiuering and continuall trauels secrete dolors the extremitie of vexations and great watchinges ¶ which are the benefites of Loue Playes stepe beddes pleasures rest tranquilitie contentation aboundaunce peace refreshinges and other reioysinges ¶ Who be most secret in loue men or women Women be moost secret no doubte bicause they speake lesse then men a thing likely to be true but seldome sene Is the benefite greater by beyng secret in Loue or the hurte by too muche speaking I thinke the hurte surmounteth ¶ Thinke you that by the dexteritie of the sprite men may knowe the secretes of Louers The holie Scripture doeth witnes that the harte of man cannot be knowen and that god alone doeth knowe the same ¶ Why be the secretes of loue so easely kepte For the great swetenes that men fynde in them ¶ Is it better to loue them that be faier or them that be secret Without doubt the secret wise are more worthie to be loued for beautie is of litle continuaunce ¶ Howe should men kepe them selues secret in loue They must take hede that they passe not oftentimes by their Louers houses or often followe their haunte but waite vntill Fortune presente apte occasion ¶ Howe should our pleasures be measured They ought to agree with our age with our estate with the time and place where we be ¶ What should be the faithfull seruice of a Louer It ought to be necessary and voluntarie with the hart and the life ¶ What meaneth it that women for the moost part doe loue them that haue slowe vnsetled heddes and contemne others which haue more amiable qualities They doe esteme perhaps that they shalbe better beloued and serued of those meaner spiretes because they haue not suche knowledge as the other which are of more vnderstanding then they ¶ Howe many sortes of beauties be there Three one in the bodie the other doth consist in the accorde and harmonie of the voyce the thirde in vertue ¶ Howe may they be comprehended The first by the eyes the second by the eares the thirde by the vnderstanding And men may also inioye the perfection of beautie by sight by hearing and by thought ¶ What meane the Poetes when they fayne of Circes that she with her sorceries did chaunge and transforme al them that taried with her into beastes They would signifie by that metamorphose no other thing but the wanton and lassiuiouse allurementes of Circes wherwith deteyning all those that fell into her handes she so farre forth made them equall to brute beastes that vtterly they forgat their true estate of manhood ¶ From whence come the paynes that men suffer in this earthly and vulgare Loue They procede of that that we desire things which we can not alwaies haue at our will and mindes ¶ Do ye thinke that desire of beautie doeth hinder the reste and quietnes of men No for that desire is not of any thinge Corporall ¶ Wherfore do men attribute arrowes and fyre vnto Loue To shewe howe ardent and full of dolor his passions be ¶ Why is Loue painted naked Bycause that all the actes and dedes of Louers be suche that they can not be hidden nor dissembled ¶ What is the greatest blindnes in Loue To loue her whom we thinke can not be contented with the loue of one ¶ Whether do ye esteme greatest the beautie or the foulnes of those that can not content them selues with the loue of one The foulenes is farre greater ¶ What deserue they to be loued or hated In my Iudgement they should be hated and eschewed as the plague ¶ Which is the greatest spurre that prouoketh a man to doe well and honorablie The presence and fauour of his Ladie ¶ To what thing is the seruitude of Loue like To the seruice of Princes ¶ Howe should a man behaue himselfe amonges Ladies As in the courte amonges Princes and great estates to witte that he must be bolde and hardie ¶ Is it very true that he muste nedes be bolde and full of audacitie After my opinion no but according as a man may vse him selfe I saye yea Notwithstanding I suppose that in the court and traine of Princes and in the seruice of Ladies men ought rather to marche in the steppes of humilitie and reuerence then in to much hardines and presumption ¶ Which be the noblest hartes They whom loue disdaineth not to warme with his sacred heate ¶ Wherfore do sume loue many persons at once and yet do not vse to disclose the same Noble mindes take great pleasure to do so but to tell and shewe it it is but losse and shame ¶ Is it true which men say that yf one be in loue with another he then beareth affection to all those thinges which resemble the thing he loueth That is to true for they be in loue euen with thinges that be dombe and without sence with pictures and ingrauen thinges and suche lyke yf they shew any remembraunce of the thing they loue ¶ What is the true gage of Loue A pure and cleane harte ¶ Why doe women very oftentimes blame or disprayse their Louers To thintent that other shoulde praise them thereby to double their pleasure ¶ Who hath the more liuely spirite and better memorie the man or the woman The man not after the saying onely of the Philosophers but also of holy Scripture ¶ Who hath the better iudgement of the amiable partes the man or the woman The man as beyng indued with the nature of a more highe vnderstanding and a spirite more subtill ¶ May we loue the thing that doeth turne vs to dishonor I thinke not ¶ What is the greatest recompence that a woman can make vnto a man To reueale vnto him her secretes and finally to make him Lorde and maister of her bodie and of all her thoughtes FINIS ¶ NATVRAL QVESTIONS and the Ansvvers THE II. BOKE WHerfore is not Chese made of beasts that be tothed on bothe sydes Bycause theyr milke will not curde or creame ¶ Wherfore do men caste Smallage into Pondes Bycause Smallage doeth serue Fyshe for a medecine and also they delight to eate the same ¶ Wherof commeth it that Dogges neuer loue to eate of the tayle or of the
content himselfe with his owne acte and dede of Chiualrie For he that doeth beste is worthie of greatest praise And he that runneth best for his Ladies sake is best worthie to inioye her ¶ Wherfore do amorouse Ladies impute that to fortune which chaunceth contrarie to their hartes desire Bycause they like rashe creatures without due consideracion esteme al thinges to be ruled and gouerned by Fortune ¶ Is it loue to loue the Image of a woman It is not loue but rather rage and madnes ¶ What be they that loue by a certeine destenie and influence They that can geue no reason or any cause of their loue ¶ Doe ye thinke it to be true that the Goddes were Louers You must knowe that the olde and auncient Poetes were great diuines and speaking of one thing they signifie another True it is that ther be diuerse well learned that can not abide poeticall allegories which after my iudgement haue no great reason on their side ¶ Wherfore was Paris desirouse to see the three Goddesses naked when he was appointed arbitrator of their beauties To geue better iudgement by viewing the proporcion of their bodies O how many faier beautiful be ther in outward apparaÌ„ce which vnder their sumptuouse garmentes and crimson robes be full foule and ill fauored that if Peter Grubbe of Belchelianger or Ioanne Stubbes of Norton follie viewed them naked as Paris did the Goddesses they would runne home for the next gemman or Iustician of peace to interteigne them for they would scarce vouchsafe ¶ Thinke you that the beauties of Ladies is a commendable argument to dispute of Wherfore not seing y t the wisest haue written beautie to be a gift of God ¶ What moued the auncient to saie that Loue is a lorde ouer goddes and men Bicause all that which is made eyther in heauen or in earth is made for Loue. Remember what the Philosopher saieth All thinges do moue that men do loue and desire ¶ Which is moost to be feared the bowe of Loue the mase of Hercules or the sworde of Mars The bowe of Loue and speciallie when he shoteth his Arrowes of Leade But not so much when he shoteth his arrowes of gold and syluer ¶ Howe is it possible that women should haue faces of Angelles and heddes of deuilles Be not Deuilles called Angelles in holie write Reade the scriptures and ye shalbe resolued ¶ Doe you thinke that a Louer maie be enchaunted by the sight of his Ladie If Shepe after the minde of Uirgill by a looke mait be charmed how much more may delicate Loue be subiect to enchauntmentes ¶ Can women by any celestiall influence be made better or more rigorouse toward their louing seruantes The Mathematiques Astrologiens and Magicians by diuerse and many experiences and peremtorie reasons affirme the same in such wise as I dare not affirme the contrarie ¶ How can the fyre of Loue not participant with any other element inflame our hartes It is onely a maner of speaking verye common to Latinistes called Netaphora ¶ Wherof commeth the loue of two which doe equallie loue eche other Some thinke that it commeth of their conuersacion and mutuall familiaritie other of Angelles and spretes assigned to eche man And other of the concurrantes and conformitie of the planetes ¶ Wherof procedeth the rare beautie of women Some doe saie that it commeth of the temperature of the elementes other doe tell reasons more excellent ¶ Why did Euripides saie that Loue was like a Tragedie Bycause that Loue is euermore accompanied with heauines with complaintes and with a harde and bitter ende ¶ Is there any difference betwene the grace of a woman and her beautie or whether they be all one I beleue that there is a difference for the one hath a greater force then the other to cause a man to be content and satisfied ¶ Whether is it a greater auenture to get the grace of a faier woman or els to recouer it if it were lost It is a greater acte to recouer it as I beleue women being of their owne nature disdainefull and stoute in their opinion ¶ Howe maie a man doe to obteine and gett the fauor of an other Some doe saie by merite some other by fortune other doe impute it to the conformitie of Nature and some to attribute the same to influence or destenie ¶ Whether of these three qualities be beste to obteine the grace of women Beautie Riches or Learning They which be faier desire to haue faier seruantes Riche those that haue wherwithall and the learned loue them that be learned But moost commonlie riches is best liked of women for their mainteinaunce although with wise women learning is of greatest price Is it possible that a Louer maie see continuallie the things that he loueth That chaunceth to those speciallie that be not touched with Loue that is to wit which can represent to them selues those which be absent by cogitacions ¶ Howe maie the harte of a louer liue that is not beloued He maie liue verie well considering that it is more pleasure to loue as I haue at other times affirmed then to be beloued ¶ Maie a man establishe lawes to Louers I thinke not but yet I will not denie that they which loue by a certeine gifte of nature or chaunce fatall Lawes maie be established whervnto they maie subdue them selues ¶ Is there any thing in the worlde that maie retire draw an amorouse man from the thing that he loueth Onlie disdaine maie withdraw him more then any other thing ¶ Why doe the auncient painte Cupido to force him selfe to pluck a braunche of Palme out of the hand of an other Cupido In auncient bookes there is remembraunce made of two Cupidoes the one chast the other lasciuiouse and dishonest The chast is he that doth stronglie bynd bring him that is lasciuiouse dishonest into subiection ¶ Howe can a louer die in himselfe and liue in an other This is cleare that the harte is more where he loueth then where he geueth life ¶ Wherfore be the angers of Louers of so litle continuaunce Bycause they are angrie for trifles and thinges of nothing ¶ Howe many sortes of Louers be there Two sortes the one after Plato celestiall and the other vulgare and terrestiall ¶ How commeth loue in vs by iudgement or by destenie Most often by iudgement for diuerse times men iudge before they â—oue ¶ Is there any pleasure in the world that surpasseth the con tentacion of Louers No for why the seed commeth from all partes of the bodie 〈…〉 which causeth an vniuersall pleasure throughout all the bodie Wherfore do men esteme women to be an euill like to the fire and to the sea Bycause there is no day but that by women euils do come and infinite misfortunes ¶ Which procedeth most from women swetenes or bitternes For one swetenes comes a Sea of sharpe sower bytternes ¶ When be louers most vexed and offended with theÌ„selues When by a certein default
men painted Loue with his eyes vnbounde To shewe that nothing is hidde from him and that there is no crafte vnknowen vnto him wherof he hath not the counterpoiz ¶ Doe ye beleue that a trewe louer doeth thinke that he may merite the grace of his Ladie by his seruice All true louers doe iudge and esteme their Ladies to be of inestimable price and valour otherwise they coulde not be induced to loue them And yf it be so howe can a Louer be so arrogant to thinke that for a litle dured trauell he can get suche fauor ¶ Wherof was Loue made He was composed of pleasure and displeasure ¶ Wherfore be women compared to Proteus Bycause of their great inconstancie ¶ Tell me yf it were possible for Louers to chaunge them selues into many and diuerse formes as Proteus did In what forme were it best for them by wishing to remaine with their Ladies I would aduise them to become Satyres which haue their tayles harde and stiffe continuallie ¶ Wherof procedeth so many Bawdes Bicause many desire to depend of other rather then of them selues ¶ Howe is it possible for poore Louers to ende their trauels By dispaire neuer to be fortunate in Loue or neuer to enioye theffecte therof ¶ Why be yong hores commonlie olde bawdes To cause other to feele the pleasure which they whilom did feele them selues Or elles bicause they would that all other were like them selues that they might haue no cause wherof to be ashamed ¶ Ought she to be called a bawde which doeth the message without taking of money I saye that she doeth not deserue to weare that hoode considering it procedeth of pure pitie which she taketh vpon the weakenes and fragilitie of other ¶ What qualities ought one to haue to be a perfect bawde They muste sometimes be discrete and haue a respect to thinges sometimes they muste be importunate foreseing well speaking and that they maie and can consider both the time and condicions of the persons ¶ Falling into the handes of a pitilesse woman what were best to doe To absent him selfe from her and to passe ouer into some other countrie Or elles to haue her daylie before his eyes and to take occasion of trauell The surest thing is to absent him selfe farre of ¶ I desire to knowe yf the ordonaunces of Loue be reasonable or not The principall ordonaunces of Loue are that they loue equallie and that betwene the Louer and his Ladie there be nothing hidden And thus I esteme the ordonaunces of Loue to be verie reasonable seing that he vseth suche qualitie in thinges vnequall ¶ Doeth Loue vse his lawes with equitie or with rigor He that vnderstandeth them wel shal fynd that Loue continuallie hath vsed and doeth vse his ordonaunces with great equitie ¶ Be not the lawes of Loue subiect to other lawes The lawes of Loue be soueraigne aboue all other ¶ Are they contrarie to the lawes of Nature No they be rather conformable vnto them and be as it were one thing ¶ Maie Loue be called an excellent Phisician Nay rather a hurter of men for howe can he take vpon him the title of a Phisician that can not heale any other woundes but those that he him selfe maketh ¶ Of what power is the Scepter of Loue Able to make them liberall hardie and pacient that will followe his trace ¶ Yf loue procede of Idlenes howe can the same make men ingeniouse and wittie Loue hath alwaies done and yet doeth great miracles and therfore for him to do that is no great meruell ¶ Howe may Louers be moost truelie tearmed fooles or wise men I will call them wise yf they haue well set and placed their loue and by louing do not lose them selues Fooles I will also esteme them yf they loue the thing without reason measure that is not worthie to be beloued ¶ Wherof ryseth Ialousie It commeth to some of the feare that they haue to lose the thing that they moost loue To others to see that which they loue to loue another ¶ Who is moost Ialouse the man or the woman and which of them hath greatest occasion The woman is moost Ialouse but the man hath the greater occasion the reason therof and the cause I will kepe silent for this time ¶ Is the Ialouse person blinde or hath he a good iudgement to foresee If Ialousie be moderate it sharpeneth both the iudgement and sight in such wise as it seeth and knoweth all But yf it excede it is more confuse and blynde then a Moule ¶ Whom doth Ialousie become or whom doth it not become Ialousie is not comelie in him that hath experience of the faithfulnes of his Ladie but Ialousie is not vncomelie in him that is a newe Louer ¶ Thinke you that where loue is great there Ialousie may be great also Many doe thinke the contrarie bycause that the vehemencie of loue doeth so transport the person that he is neuer seperated from the thinge that he loueth ¶ Were it good for them that be Ialouse to dye without cause in that rage What should they feare more It should be well imployed ¶ Wherof commeth Ialousie Of enuie and loue ¶ Is the Ialouse man without iudgement Not alwaies considering that moost commonlie the scapes of Ladies are discouered and he is verie blinde that can not perceiue them ¶ What is the propertie of Ialousie It is to serue to a thousand deathes to prepare embushmentes for the honor of Ladies and to mingle in the middest of other pleasures poysones mischiefes and hatredes Doe ye thinke that Loue doeth onelie intrappe the light and tender hartes I doe thinke that it intrappeth all and there is none that is able to shut the gate against him ¶ Is it possible that a noble sprite for a small matter may be entrapped I beleue that it maie for euerie gentle spirite for eche litle trifle is inflamed whose noble and gentle mynd is subiect to Loue. ¶ Is it sufferable to falsifie faithe in loue Why not â—ith it is nourished onely with discept treason and falshod ¶ Is the seruice of Loue more troublesome then others In effect it is more weightie and troublesome but in will much more easie to be disgested ¶ What is it that pacifieth Louers in their greatest trauell It is Hope ¶ Wherfore doe they faine loue to be tyed to a piller of Iasper with a chayne of Diamonde and Topace dipped in the flodde Lethe To prouoke women to be pudike and chaste and to turne their eyes from the wanton allurementes which their louers be vse toward them ¶ Should the ingrate or vnkinde woman be beloued No because there can not be founde a worse vice then ingratitude Wherfore we ought to deme her hollie transformed into the nature of brute beastes ¶ Which is the trewest seruice in loue A stedfast and a constant faithe ¶ The Louer that is loued is he a seruant or a maister He is rather a seruant then a master for so muche as
the mightie and to treade vnder fete the simple ¶ Why haue the Auncientes praised temperaunce aboue all thinges Bicause temperaunce increaseth the pleasure that may be had in delectable thinges ¶ Why is the Idle and delicate life to be blamed Bicause with pleasure it bringeth a thousand sorrowes ¶ Why did the Auncientes so much commend the rural life Bicause it is the mystres of frugalitie diligence and Iustice. ¶ Why is a Iester or Parasite so displeasaunt Bicause they haue but one songe oftentimes reciting their lies and gestes ¶ Wherof commeth it that the Egiptians dyd cutte of the skymce before their members To kepe them more cleane ¶ What was the beste thing which they of olde time thought they had receued of their goddes Uertue whiche is of it selfe a sufficient rewarde in suche wise as hâ— that possesseth it maie esteme himselfe riche as inioying the moste speciall part of all goodnes Fortune geueth place to vertue and obeyeth her in all pointes whersoeuer she becommeth she can not be robbed nor loste by fyer nor by water she is clere and euerlasting and whosoeuer dieth for her can neuer die but goeth to eternall glorie ¶ Who be they that in dede are estemed happie in this world They that can lyue and dispatche their affaires without daunger and in reste to liue in honour ¶ Which is the firste point to atteyne wisedome For a man to knowe him selfe and the more difficulte it is the more profitable ¶ In what sort should a man behaue him selfe in other mens affaires In suche sorte as he forget not his owne ¶ Whilest we be yong what thinge ought we moost to remember That one daie we shalbe olde ¶ What is he that lyueth well He that bosteth not him selfe therof ¶ After what sorte ought the Ignoraunce of youthe to be corrected By the wisedome of the olde ¶ What is he that is braue in dede He that can exalte him selfe ¶ What is the propertie of a gloriouse man Rather to abhorre death then to desire lyfe ¶ Howe doeth vertue encrease Through perilles and aduersitie ¶ Howe may one auoide aduersitie By pacience ¶ Howe should we preserue our goodes and become subiect to the inconstancie of Fortune In geuing them to our frendes and in making participation therof amonges those that would vs good ¶ To whom is Pouertie noysome To him that suffreth not the same paciently ¶ What is the sause that apperteyneth to trauell That is Reste ¶ Why is Fortune painted blind Bicause she blindeth her pursuers ¶ What thing is verie easie to be gotten and very harde to be kepte Good fortune ¶ What is he that is free in dede He that doeth not heastely yelde himselfe to his affâ—ctions ¶ What is it that maketh an euill man To muche Libertie ¶ What ought he to learne aboue all thinges that desireth to reigne and gouerne To susteine Enuie with great courage ¶ What is that which most of all doth ouerthrowe Princes The poyson of Flatterie ¶ Howe be true Frendes gotten With Fidelitie and lyke duetie ¶ What is that which so seldome is founde together to reste in one person Beautie with chastitie wisdome and richesse youth and continencie age without Ialousie ¶ What is that which men call wine It is the deathe of the memorie poyson for man corruption of beawtie and vertue and the flower of age ¶ What is he that can not speake He that knoweth not howe to holde his peace ¶ Where is it moost speciallye requisite for a man to holde his peace At the Table ¶ What is the true Image of man The speache ¶ What kinde of men is moost to be hated Those which vse reproche ¶ To whom ought not a man to do good Neither to olde men nor to yong children bicause yonge children doe forget good tornes done vnto them before they come to the age of knowledge and olde men do forget them by and by ¶ What maner of life liueth man without learning The life of a deade man or of suche a one that liueth in darkenes ¶ What thinges be those that sturre vs moste to vertue The loue of glorie and feare of blame ¶ Howe maie true glorie be nourished By doing muche and speaking litle ¶ Howe do common welthes begin to increase and florishe They increase by vnitie and ouerthrowe by discention ¶ What is the most expedient remedie in thinges that we can not recouer Utterly to forget them ¶ What moued Thales Miletius to saie that the goddes hard all thinges And that all thinges was replenished with their diuinitie To make men more continent and better contented with their estate ¶ Wherfore dyd Hieron demaund of Simonides what thinge God was and at euery time he toke a great pause to make him answere To declare that God was infinite and incomprehensible ¶ What moued Themistocles to saye that he was contented to â—orget all that he knewe and to remember nothing Bicause the troubles which a man hath in his memorie be greater then the mirthes and ioyes ¶ Wherfore is it better according to the opinion of Themistocles to geue the doughter in mariage to a poore man being honest then to a riche man of ill conditions Bicause it is better to mary a man without money then money without a man ¶ Wherfore did Socrates refuse the defence that Licias the Orator had done for him Bicause it semed to be to delicate and wanton And to Philosophers all manlye thinges do apperteine ¶ Wherfore did Socrates being demaunded whether Archelaus the sonne of Perdicas was happie or not answere that he had neuer spoken vnto him Bicause by conference and communication with him he might haue knowen whether he had bene a man learned and of good iudgement deâ—ing onely suche men to be happie ¶ Whiche is the shortest waye for a man to atteyne vnto glorie To be suche a one as a man would haue him selfe to be estemed â–ª ¶ What kinde of sause is beste Hongre ¶ What maketh drinke to relishe beste Thirste caused by moderate exercise ¶ What caused Solon to saye when he was demaunded of Piâ—istratus the tyraunt why he spake so boldely and malepartly vnto him that he reposed his truste in his age Bicause he cared no longer to liue being so nere deathe ¶ Wherfore did not Solon in his Booke of lawes ordeine a punishment for them that did kill their fathers Bicause he thought no suche wickednes could be committed And so by those lawes he would not commit in memorie anye suche thinge to his people ¶ What is it that mainteineth common welthes Penaltie and rewarde ¶ Wherfore would not Anaxagoras when he was a dying be borne and caried into his countrie Bicause he knewe that in all places the waye was all one to passe into a nother lyfe ¶ What mente the same man Anaxagoras to saye when newes was brought him of the death of his sonne Good newes frende ê™ he for nowe I knowe that my sonne was a mortall man To
the tune of Nero so many Musitians Bicause subiectes do alwaies geue their mindes to that which pleaseth their Prince ¶ Wherin did Vespasian most declare his wicked nature Bicause he surrendred the greatest offices into the handes of the greates Bribers that afterwardes he might haue their goodes confiscat ¶ Why did the Persians ordeine that he which procured to establishe newe lawes amonges them should be put to death That they might alwaies conâ—inue in their olde customes ¶ Howe may the Iuste and vniust be knowen By lawe and not by nature ¶ What is the foundation of Lawes Uertue ¶ Howe did Chrysippus painâ—e Iustice In forme of a virgin hauing a seuere graue and fearefull countenaunce and yet neuerthelesse honorable Shamefast humble and full of maiestie ¶ What is Nobilitie without vertue It is a thing stuffed with pride and violence ¶ Shewe me I pray you what thinges are contrarie vnto vertue and which are like therevnto The contrarie of wisdome is folishnes and the like to it is subtiltie The contrarie of Constancie is inconstancie and his like is obstinacie Strength hath for his contrarie feoblenes of harte and hardines for his like Iniustice is contrarie to Iustice but crueltie is kinne to Iustice. ¶ Why would not Plato returne home to his citie although he was greatly required thervnto by the people Bicause they would not vnderstand iuste and reasonable causes and bicause he could not gette them by any meanes to acknowledge the same ¶ What is Innocencie It is a certeine nature so well ingrauen in the harte of a man that it â—â—useth him that he can not nor may not do hurt to any man ¶ What is he that worthelie deserueth to be called happie He that goeth about moost of all to resemble God ¶ Which be the vertues that do conduct or bring vs to heauen Charitie fayth hope pietie Religion and godlines ¶ What thinges are contrarie to them Hatred incredulitie despaire impietie Hippocresie and wickednes ¶ Which are the morall vertues Prudence Iustice strength temperaunce magnanimitie magnificence liberalitie stoutnes of corage mekenes innocencie continencie grauitie fidelitie and Shamefastnes ¶ Which be the vices that are contrarie to the saide vertues Imprudencie Iniustice furie intemperaunce pride vaine glorie couetousnes fearefulnes choler noysomnes incontinencie rashenes infidelitie and boldenes ¶ Is vertue the soueraigne goodnes it selfe or the way to atteyne therevnto It is the Laddre to clyme therevnto ¶ May vices be tourned into vertues and vertues into vices by the varietie of the time places and customes or not Yea considering the diuersitie that is amonges the people in their maner of liuinges ¶ Maye a yonge man be wise Wisedome commeth not but by a longe space ¶ Nobilitie doeth it procede of vertue Yea and of nothing elles ¶ What is requisite in an Historie That it declare first the Counsels and after the deede and thirdely the issue called of the latin Aucthors Euentum ¶ Why were lawes established To bridle the wickednes of our mindes ¶ Which is the moste daungerouse Ignoraunce Not to knowe God and afterwardes not to knowe himselfe ¶ May a Capteine ouercome Fortune with prudence Uerye hardlie câ—nsidering that Fortune is by the Poetes made a goddesse and placed in heauen ¶ Why is vertue so muche to be beloued or imbrased Bicause she is conformable to reason ¶ Why ought not wise men to feare deathe but rather to desire the same Bicause that this our lyfe is nothing els but a prison ¶ What Poetes are to be eschewed and chased Those that write onely to please and delight the cares and to corrupt youthe ¶ Wherin consisteth the force of an armie Some saye that it resteth in counsell others in the fortune of the Capteine some saye that it consisteth wholie in the hartes of the Souldiors others in strong holdes and some that the Souldiors be well armed and appointed ¶ What warres be lawefull Those that be made to obteyne peace ¶ Why was Octauian the Emperour estemed happie Bicause he reigned in peace .lvi. yeres ¶ Is it a fable or Historie that Gyges by vertue of a ringe that he had was made king of Lydia If it be true that Polycrates the Tyraunt by reason of a stone called a Sardone did auoide all daungers and yf it be credible that Appollonius did lyue a hundred and thirtie yeres alwaies as it were at the floure of his age by vertue of .vii. ringes that Iarcas gaue him and yf a man may beleue the two ringes forged by Moyses the one for loue the other for obliuion and yf the ringe of Bactus be true this historie of Gyges may also be beleued ¶ Why did they prepare Arkes and Pageantes of triumphe at Rome To sturre men to vertue ¶ What was the true meaning of the three Sirenes They were three harlotes which with deceiptes and with swetenes of their voice vsed to deceiue those that wer geuen to banquets pleasure ¶ Why was the Temple of Diana of Ephesus erected Some thinke that it was built by the will of God some saye that it was for religion or for the pryde of men ¶ Why is it saide that worldly pleasure is like to a Labâ—rinth or mase Bicause the entrye therof is easie but the comming out very harde ¶ Why did Nature make Mercurie To make Alchimistes fooles and couetouse men poore ¶ Whereof procedeth it that the Philosophers of our time are for the most couetouse and of euell life and maners They tourne vertue into vice because they see princes to make nowe no accompte of those that be vertuouse ¶ Whereof procedeth the credite that Flatterers haue of Princes Princes for the most part be great louers of theÌ„selues and therfore do loue those y t do praise theÌ„ in which point they do resemble certaine beastes which can scarce see at none daies and in y â— darke their eyes be very â—iere ¶ Whereof commeth it that dogges do alwaies barke at those that be ill apparelled ragged and torne like beggers Those are the dogges of the Cities accustomed only to see people richly and well apparelled and contrarywise the Countrye dogges do neuer barke at any peasant or begger ¶ Why is wine forbidden women in some countries Bicause it prouoketh lechery a thing very vncomely in women â–ª ¶ What meaneth this prouerbe Take away the light and euery woman is of like conditions Perhaps bicause they would be all nought if shamefastnes did not let theÌ„ ¶ Wherof commeth it that for the moste parte the learned haue very euil sight It commeth of the paper which they do oftentimes handle for there is nothing more hurtfull to the sight then whitenes Or els we mighte rather saye that muche Studie doeth coole the partes of the bodie speciallye those which are colde by nature as the braine the stomacke and hindreth digestion in such wise that by euel digestion Fleame ingendreth in the bodie and stoppeth the cundith then the eyes as partakers of suche passions are debilitated ¶