cottage we gladly accept your countrie fare we wil thankfullie receiue your directions wil be néedlesse for we wander thus vp and downe to light on some cottage where I and my wife with this our seruant may dwell for we purpose to buy some Farme and a flock of shéep to become shepheards meaning to liue low content vs with a countrie life for I haue heard some say that they drink without suspition sléepe without care And if this double fauour do procéed froÌ„ you then in requitall of your courtesie first we beséech Iupiter Xenius the patron of hospitalitie and protectour of strangers to blesse our labours prosper our attempts and enrich your store with hoped plentie next we vow by that bright lamp heauens ornament that if fortune as she is neuer stable raise vs froÌ„ so low an ebbe to the wonted height of our good hap we will remunerate your kindnes with most ample recompence Alexis such was the Shepheards name séeing maiestie in their lookes grauitie seated in disguise royaltie suted in base attire gathered by these probable coniectures that they could be of no meane degrée mooued therefore with a déeper remorse he courteouslie intreated them to repaire to his â—â—mple lodging and remaine there till fortune should conuert her frownes into fauours protesting that though he could not entertaine them as the qualitie of their condition required yet he would supplie in good will the disabling defects of his low estate and for the buying of a Farme quoth he ye come in good time for my Landlord intends to sell both the Farme hill and the flocke I keepe and cheape ye may haue them for readie mony which wrought such chéerefulnes in their hearts that they yéelded him millions of thanks and accompanied him to his house Into which when they entred they found it not gorgeously embost yet gailie trimmed not courtlie yet comely though homely yet handsome and they were kindlie welcomed by Alexis wife who gréeted them with a merrie countenance being by her husband certified of their fortunes The next morne they lay long in bed as wearied with the toile of vnaccustomed trauaile but as soone as they got vp they resolued there to set vp their rest by the help of Alexis swapt a bargaine with his Landlord and so became maisters of the Farme of the flock her selfe putting on the attire of a Shepherdesse and Lysimachus of a yong swaine both estéemed famous amongst the Shepheards of Arcadia Liuing thus iointly together they began to be as Ciceronicall as they were amorous with their hands thrift coueting to satisfie their hearts thirst to be as diligent in labours as they were affectionate in loues so that the parish wherein they liued so affected them for the course of their life that they were counted the very mirrours of a Democraticall methode Liuing thus in a league of vnited vertues fortune enuying their prosperitie raised vp one Maechander to race beate down if it were possible the firme foundation of their faithfull building and biding together For this Maechander glauncing his gazing eyes on the blazing beautie of Varrona receiued so deepe an impression of her perfection in his heart that immediately he fixed his fancie vpoÌ„ her comely corps And being the chief ruler of the citie he perswaded himself that there was none in that town so stout but would stoupe at his lure nor any so faire but would faine imploy theÌ„selues to pleasure him but one the other side the renowned vertue of Varrona came to his mind which perswaded an impossibilitie to his purpose and floating thus betwéene hope and despaire he entred into these tearmes O miserable wretch that I am to whom shall I addresse my complaints Is it the heauenly power gods of loue that haue depriued me of my senses shewed their dunne working in me Or is it the hellish hags and spirits of spight that bereaued me of reason executed their crueltie on me Is it loue that leadeth me to this lust or is it hate that haleth me to this hurt mischiefe No no the Gods guide vs to goodnes the furies of hell they force vs to filthines neither doth that any way deserue the name of loue which bringeth such torment to my troubled minde that all the diuels in the world could not performe the like But see my rashnes why am I so blindly bold beastly to blaspheme against that which proceeds altogether from nature which nature hath imparted to all men and which I ought to follow without repining or resisting for so long as I follow nature as my guide I cannot doe amisse séeing nature hath taught vs to loue why should I not rather proue her precepts then rebuke that which by natures lore is allowed And touching torment of mind or other inconuenience that it bringeth is it all able to impaire the least comfort which I shall enioy in embracing my Varrona Is it not méete that he which would reape should sowe he that would gather frute should plant trees he that would reach the swéete rose should now and then be scratched with the sharpe briers I meane is it méet if I purpose to possesse so proper a peece as Varrona is that I should eschew labours or refuse any perrill in the pursute thereof And herevpon he determined to follow the furie of his fancie what pangs or danger soeuer he thereby indured hauing resolued many waies in his mind how he might aspire to his purpose at length he resolued vpon this to institute a sumptuous banket whereto he inuited the chiefe of the citie amongst whom Lysimachus his wife Varrona were not forgotten the onely authours of the feast Now for the more â—oyall receiuing of his guests he met them at the entrie into his pallace and gaue them this gréeting Faire Ladies as I am right ioyfull of your presence so am I no lesse sorrowfull for the paines you haue taken in vndertaking so great a iourny this darke and mistie euening for the which I must account my selfe so much the more beholding to you by how much greater your labour was in coÌ„ming and by how much lesse your cheere shall be able to counteruaile it now you are come And taking Varrona by the hand he said softlie vnto her I pittie the paines of these gentlewomen the lesse for that you were in their company whose piercing eyes as celestiall starres or heauenly lamps might serue for â—ights in the darke whose sweete face might perfume the aire from all noysome smells which might annoy them beholding your liuely looks perfect shape they might take such delight that the wearinesse of the way could nothing molest or grieue them Varrona hearing her selfe so greatly praised of so great a personage as he was could not keepe the roses red out of her alablaster cheekes thinking no serpentine malice to lie hid vnder these mâ—rrie sugred words she gaue him this courteous answere If sir the company had
then wondred they at the rarenesse of her courtesie then they admired her passing good graces then were they amazed at the specialitie of her fine behauiour theÌ„ the twinckling of her eies did so dimme their lesser lights that they could neither sustaine to behold her or abstaine froÌ„ beholding her This Uirgin or rather Goddesse euery day vsed to view the plaines wherein her fathers shéepe were kept as it hath bene alreadie mentioned in a skarlet peticoate defending her face from the heate of the Sunne with no other vaile but with a garland made of boughes and flowers which attire became her so gallantly as that she séemed to be the Goddesse Flora her selfe for beautie On a day as Lysimachus sat amongst the shrubs by chance fixing his eies on the glorious obiect of her face he noted her treâ—ies in such sort that whereas heretofore he was a contemner of Venus was now by the wilie shaft of Cupid so intangled in the perfectioÌ„ beauteous excellencie of Varrona as now he swore no benigne Planet but Venus no God but Cupid no exquisite Deitie but Loue. Being thus fettered with the pliant perswasions of fancie impatient in his new affections as the horse that neuer before felt the spurre he could not bridle his new conceiued amours but before he came to Procyons house where daily he did continue he endured such a Metamorphosis in his mind that he was constrained to crosse himselfe with these or the like contrarieties But stay what newe motions are these Lysimachus what heauie conceits what dumpish thoughts possesse thée what strange and vnacquainted fits disquiet thée what furie what fiend torments thée by whome where when did it come Lysimachus Ah Varrona Varrona heauenlie Varrona and nothing but Varrona why how now hast thou so long escaped the snares of beautie and must thou now tast of the baite hast thou gazed on so many faces none but this could fit thy fancie accompanied heretofore so many gallants yet none could please thée descried so many behauiours viewed so many vertues and none could delight thée none could entice thée yea but stay Lysimachus runne not too fast least thou loose thy breath wade not too farre sith thou art sure to sinke yéeld not to loue as thou louest thy life kill it in the roote or breake it in the bud beware of the blossome as thou tenderest thy safetie Thou hast bene alwaies accompted the despiser of fancie and wilt thou now be noted the desirer of beautie thou which hast trod Venus vnder thy feete wilt thou wrap therein thy heart earst reiecting them as sluttish ragges and now regarding them as the garments of a Goddesse But Varrona Oh swéete Varrona the very patterne of Uertue beauties liuely grace the onely Idea of Iupiters dreame and paragon of natures perfection By this time he was come home and casting himselfe immediately on his bed on a suddein started as one in an extasie surprised with the notable view of some rare singularitie or drowned as it were in a déepe sea of surpassing delight and wholy contemplating the substance of Varrona which he alreadie most curiously had shadowed in his heart he began to fall into a slumber but loue impatient of delaies and controlment bestowed a sharpe arrow vpon him to aggrauate his sore that alreadie was vncurable which made him with a new supplie redouble his griefs with this passionate part I sée there is no stopping of the streame but to force the greater flowing no killing the vine by cuting it the repressing of Cupids rage is the more to kindle affection Ah cursed Cupid ah vniust dieitie the restrainer of libertie the maister of follie the ouerthrow of honestie a ruine of youth an arch nemie to the whole world hast thou none to pricke none to poison but poore Lysimachus then would I he were not Lysimachus or else as he hath bene Lysimachus But alas must I needs shake hands with libertie and bid fréedome farewell must my quiet weale become a malecontented warre must my pleasures be passions my songs sighes and sobs my mirth melancholy my moderate thoughts amorous conceits Then farewell discretion where desire diuelleth farewell wit if will beare sway and farewell counsaile if loue be the Lawier But why doest thou argue with loue seeing thou hast not thy loue assay rather to enioy thy loue so that any tâ—ay thou 〈◊〉 ease thy loue Ah but whom doe I loue Varrona easie to be wonne if she were not Varrona But infortunate Lysimachus if he winne not Varrona yea but what hope caÌ„st thou haue of her amitie with whome as yet thou hast no acquaintance Cease therefore to furmise that which surpasseth thy sense die rather with desire then liue for disgrace for well maist thou loue Varrona but neuer be liked of Varrona Lysimachus hauing thus tented his wound and finding the hurt so desperate yéelded his maymed mind as a patient to be cured by Varronas onely mercie perswading himselfe that there was none so daintie none so loftie and none so cruel but loyaltie with constancie might make them courteous Houering in this hope he began to take heart a grace assuring himselfe almost of that gaine that was not so lightly gained but when he mustered in his conceits how Varrona was discended how womens ears are not their tuchstones but their eies and how a drâ—m of honour weighs downe a pound of wit how their hearts reacheth to the pulses of their hands and let a man rub that with gold and t is hard but they will prooue his hearts gold he was presently driuen into such dampes and being as it were in a laborinth of thoughts was faine to cease thinking At the last comming to himselfe he tooke it not amisse if the next day he walked abroad to sée if the fields would further his desires or minister some matter to mittigate his maladie but comming into the aire the agâ—e of loues disease began to shaâ—e him afresh and made him sometimes hot sometimes cold sometimes in hope and sometimes in feare and thus at euerie step in a contrarie thought he heard the Nightingale record in her song as he surmised his passionate sorrowes and applying his tune to her note he began to beare his part Should I accuse mine eies that boldly gazed On that faire obiect not to be obtained Or blame the worth in Europe wonder blazed That them to looke and me to loue constrained Eyes for excuse alleadge preuailing reason Heart in extreames on fancies wrong exclaimed Hopes Sun shine clowded like obscurest season Yeelds to dispaire at my misfortunes aymed Nature too lauish outward graces planted Vertue too friendly inward bounties sowed Yet those faire eyes of courteous lookes are scanted And Angels hue on tygers thoughts bestowed Tush loue with griefes which did oppresse me fore Is cause that I my death like life deplore When Lysimachus had warbled out those words and wrested the confideration of Varronas disposition Venus willing to bestow vpoÌ„ him the
he made himselfe messenger of so vaine a matter yet considering it came from that worthie shepheard she vouchsafed it and wished the messenger in the euening to come for an answere Varrona immediately vpon her man Toxeus departure pervsed it a thousand times and a thousand times kissed it till at last wrapping it in a white silke scarfe she gaue it a place amongst her iewels of price very glad therefore that Lysimachus had giuen the onset she determined to counterbuffe him in this manner Varrona to Lysimachus health WHen I read kind Lysimachus thy Letters and spied thy loues I blusht at mine owne thoughts and sorrowed at thy fortunes I search not the cause of thy loue for it sufficeth me thou doest loue if it lay in me either to grant thy desire or satisfie thy passions Thy comelinesse Lysimachus knockes at the closet of my heart thy exquisitie feature sue for their maisters libertie thy loyaltie enters pele mele with my thoughts and giueth a sore assault to my setled resolution all these put in their pleas doe purchace fauour for young Lysimachus But Vesta hard hearted Vesta that makes her virgins pliant to her owne properties commaunds that I shut mine eares against such alluring Syrenâ— I count my selfe greatlie fauoured with the loue of so worthie a swaine and ouer will Varrona couet to prooueds thankfull as he affectionate onely in loue pardon me for that I neuer mean to fall into that predicament Wade not therfore where the foord hath no footing barke not with the wolues of Syria against the Moone looke not to climbe to Olympus way not at impossibilities but pacific that with patience which thou canst not obtaine being passionate If thou thinkest these denialls be but words of course and perswadest thy selfe that women will be first coy and then courteous as the marble that drops of raine doe piere thou shalt sweete heart deeply deceiue thy selfe and highly wrong me In a word I wish quiet to thy thoughts and an end to thy loues Thine euer but in loue Varrona Varrona hauing thus ended her letter she deliuered it to Toxeus who sending him spéedely to Lysimachus lodging 〈◊〉 him very melancholy and all God wâ—t was about Varrona Lysimachus hauing receiued the letter entered into his Chamber and read the contents No sooner had he viewed and reuiewed ouer her cruell determination but in a great extasie of minde he cried out Dulcior est mors quà m amor and with that slinging out of his Chamber he fell into bitter and extreame sorrowes Procyon grieuing at his friends hard fortune sought with plausible perswasions to appease his furious melancholie wishing him whatsoeuer Varrona wrote still to thinke her a woman that would one while thrust out fancie with a finger and streight entertaine loue as a friend that either time or his constancie would make her stoope to the lure of his desires Thus sought the Shepheard to wrest him from his passions but in vaine for her answers confirmed with such perswasâ—â—e determinations so quietted the conceit of his hope that going melancholie to his bed loue left him to his quiet slumbers which were not long for as soone as Phoebus shaking his deawie lockes on the mountaines had posted from the watry cabbin of Nereus summoning plow swames to their handie labour Lysimachus rose and with Procyon went into the fields where vnfolding their Sheepe they sate them downe vnâ—eâ— on Oliue trée both of them diuersly affected Lysimachus ioying in the excellencie of Varrona and Procyon sorrowing for the griefes which Lysimachus susteined not quiet in thought till he might heare of his health As thus both of them sate in their 〈◊〉 they might espie where Varrona with her two Gentlewomen tript amongst the lawnes At this sodaine spectacle as a man metamorphosed he lightly sprang from the groand desiring to salute the sole mistres of his thoughts wherefore willing the Shepheard to expect his returne he boâ—ded her with this kind of gréeting giuing her likewise the Boniorno thus Gentle Nymph all hayle and as prosperous be you in your enterprises as you happie in content If I be blunt in discouering my affections and 〈…〉 loquence in â—uelling out my loues I appeale to the 〈◊〉 of veritie which moweth no subtiliâ—â—eâ— to 〈◊〉 my selfe therefore 〈◊〉 your 〈…〉 with 〈…〉 and 〈…〉 Varrona that before I saw you I knew not loues cumber but held affection as a toy not as a maladie vsing fancie as the Hiperborej do their flowers which they weare in their bosomes all day and cast them into the fire for fuell at night I liked all because I loued none and who was most faire on her I fed mine eyes but as charilie as the Bée that as soone as she hath suckt hony from the Rose streight flies to the Marigold Liuing thus at my owne list I wondred at such as were in loue and when I read their passions I tooke them only for poems that flowed from the quicknes of their wit not the sorrowes of the heart But now faire Nymph loue hath taught me such a lesson that I must confesse his deitie and dignitie as there is nothing so pretious as beautie so there is nothing more piercing then fancy For since my eye tooke a curious suruey of your excellence I haue béen so fettered with your beautie and vertue as swéete Varrona Lysimachus without further circumstance loues Varrona I could point out my louely desires with long ambages but seeing in many words lies mistrust and that truth is euer naked let this suffice for countrie wooing Lysimachus loues Varrona and none but Varrona Although these words were most heauenlie harmonie in the eares of the Nymph yet to séeme coy at the first courting and to disdaine loue howsoeuer she disdained loue she made him this replie Ah Lysimachus though I séeme simple yet am I more subtile then to swallow the hooke because it hath a painted bait as men are wise so women are warie specially if they haue that wit by others harmes to beware Do we not know Lysimachus that mens tongues are like Mercuries pipe that can inchaunt Argus with an hundred eyes and their words as preiudiciall as the charmes of Circes that transformed men into monsters If such Syrens sing we poore women had â—â—de stop our eares least in hearing we prooue so foolish hardie 〈◊〉 to belieue them and so perish in trusting much and suspâ—â—ting little Lysimachus Piscator ictus sapit he that hath bene once poisoned and afterwards feare not to bowse of euery potion is worthie to suffer double penance Giue me leaue to mistrust though I do not condemne Lysimachus is now in loue with Varrona he a Shepheard of meane parents she a Lady of great parentage he poore she honourable Can loue consist of contrarieties Will she Faulcon pearch with the â—atresse the Lion harbour with the Wolfe Will Venus ioyne roabes and rags together or can there be a sympathie betweene a King and a begger Then Lysimachus how can I
beléeue that loue should vnite our thoughts when fortune hath set such difference betweene our degrees But thou likest of Varronas beawtie Men in their fancie resemble the Waspe which scornes that flower froÌ„ which she had fetcht her wax playing like the inhabitaÌ„ts of the Iland Tenerifa who wheÌ„ they haue gathered the sweet spices vse the trées for fewell so men hauing glutted theÌ„selues with the faire of womens faces hold them for necessarie euils and wearied with that which they séemed so much to loue cast away fancie as children do their rattles and loathing that which so deeplie before they liked especially such as take loue in a minute and haue their eyes attractiue like iet apt to entertaine any obiect are as readie to let it slip againe Lysimachus hearing how Varrona harpt still on one string which was the doubt of mens constancie he brake off her sharp inuectiue thus I grant Varrona quoth he many men haue done amisse in proouing soone ripe and soone rotten but particular instances infer no generall coÌ„clusions and therfore I hope what others haue faulted in shall not preiudice my fauours I will not vse sophistrie to coÌ„firme my loue for that is subtilitie nor long discourses least my words might be thought more then my faith but if this will suffice that by the trust of a Shepheard I loue Varrona and woe Varrona not to crop the blossomes reiect the trée but to consummate my faithfull desires in the honourable end of marriage At this word marriage Varrona stood in a maze what to answere fearing if she were too coy to driue him away with her disdaine if she were too courteous to discouer the heate of her desires in a dilemma thus what to do at last this she said Lysimachus euer since I saw thée I fauoured thée I cannot dissemble my desires because I sée thou dost faithfully manifest thy thoughts in liking thée I haue thée so far as my honour holds fancie still in suspence but if I knew thée as vertuous as thy actions do pretend and as well qualified whereof you make demonstration the doubt should be quickly decided but for this time to giue thée answer assure thy selfe thus I will either marrie with Lysimachus or still liue a virgin with this they streined one anothers hand He hauing his answer gaue a curteous adew to them 3. but specially to Varrona so playing loth to depart he went to Procyon who all this while attended his comming vnto whom Lysimachus made a true relation of all those things which passed betwéene them aduertising him of the lenitiue remedies which she applied vnto his maladious spirit whom we will for a time permit to meditate on his singular expectations and returne vnto Syllanus Varronas father He hauing intelligence of the secret méetings which these two louers daily vsed being excéeding much displeased vpoÌ„ a day as he walked into his Garden by chance he met with Varrona accompanied with diuers Gentlewomen whom saluting very gratiously he passed by them and taking his daughter by the hand walking aside with her into an open gréene walke fell into this talke with her Why huswife quoth he are you so idle tasked that you stand vpon thornes vntill you haue a husband are you no sooner hatched with the Lapwing but you wil run away with the shel on your head soone pricks the tree that wil prooue a thorne and a girle that loues too soone wil repent too late What a husband why the maydes of Rome durst not looke at Venus temple till they were 30 nor went they vnmasked till they were maried that neither their beauties might allure other nor they glance their eyes on euery wanton Egipt is plagued with a dearth I tell thée fond girle when Nilus ouerfloweth before his time the trées that blossome in February are nipped with the frosts in May vntimely fruits had neuer good fortune yong Genile-women that are wooed and wonne ere they be wise sorrow and repent before they be old What 〈◊〉 thou in Lysimachus that thine eye mâ—st choose and thy heart must fancie Is he beautiful why fond girle what thy eye liketh at morne it hateth at night loue is like a hauen but a blaze and beautie how can I better compare it then to the gorgeous Cedar that is onely for shewe and nothing for profit to the apples of Tantalus that are precious in the eye and dust in the hand to the starre Artophilax that is most bright but fitteth not for any compasse so yong men that stand vpon their outward portrayture I tell thee are preuidiciall Demophoon was fayre but how dealt he with Phillis Aeneas was a braue man but a dissembler all but little worth if they be not wealthie And I pray thee what substance hath Lysimachus to endue thée with hast thou not heard that want breakes amitie that loue which beginneth not in gold doth end in beggerie that such as marrie but to a faire face tie themselues oft to a soule bargaine And what wilt thou doe with a husband that is not able to maintaine thée buy forsooth a dram of pleasure with a pound of sorrowe and a pinte of content with a whole tunne of preiudiciall displeasures But why doe I cast stones in the ayre or breath my words into the wind when to perswade a woman from her will is to rowle Sisyphus stone or to tie a head-strong girle from loue is to tie furies againe infetters Therefore huswife as you tender my affection I commaund you to surcease those vaine and idle matters which please me as much as the stinging of a waspe and shall profit you as little as fire to coole your thirst And with that in a rage he flung away not admiting her replie Varrona perceiuing her fathers good will thus alienated from her fearing a further inconuenience did in humilitie submit her selfe to his disposing not vsing any longer her accustomed walkes Which Lysimachus perceiuing mused greatly what should become of his loue somewhile he thought she haâ— taken some word vnkindly and had taken thâ— pet then he imagined some new loue had withdrawne her fancie or happilie she was sicke or detained by some great buâ—â—nesse of Syllanus These 〈◊〉 â—id Lysimachus cast into his head who hauing loue in his heart proued restlesse and halfe without patience that Varrona wronged him with so long absence for loue measures euery minuit and thinkes houres to be daies and dayes to be monethes till he feeds his eies with the sight of his desired obiect Thus perplexed liued poore Lysimachus while on a day siting with Procyon in a great duâ—pe he was crediblie informed by Toxc us of those sorrowfull accidents at which being sodainely surprised with griefe and string his eyes on the starrie concaue began thus in their presence to vtter passionate coÌ„plaints not limiting his lamneÌ„ts with distinct clauses for his moane admitted no methode Iniurious heauens quoth he hath your influence effected this misfortune iniust
made no better prouision for lights and other things necessarie then such as you speake oâ— they might soone haue slipt into the mire but as I perceiue by your words you are disposed to iest and be merrie so I am content for this once to be made the instrument thereof thereby to ease some part of the paines which you are like to take in receiuing such troublesome guests as we are and for our cheere you neede take no thought for it shall be so much too good for vs by how much lesse we haue deserued any at all your hands After this amorous encounter he caused the company to sit downe to the banquet and so disposed the matter that Varrona sat at the table right ouer against him whereby he freely â—ed his eyes on that meat which coÌ„uerted rather to the norishment of sicknes then to wholesome humors of health For as the finest meats by one in extremitie of sicknes resolue not to pare blood to strengthen the bodie but to watrish humours to feed the leuer and disease so though her face and lookes were fine and swéet and brought delight to all the beholders eies yet to him they wrought onely torment vexation of mind And notwithstanding he perceiued her beauty to bréed his bane and her lokes to procure the losse of his libertie that as the Cocatrice by sight only slaieth so she by curteous countenance only killed wounded his heart yet would he not refraine his eyes from beholding hir but according to the nature of the sickly patient which chiefly desireth that which most of all is forbidden him he so incessantly threw his passionate glaunces towards her that his eyes were altogether bleared with her beautie and she also at the length began to perceiue his louing looks towards her which made her looke pale in token of the little pleasure she tooke in his toyes of the great feare she had least some other shuld mark them wherby her good name might come in question The banquet being ended euery one of theÌ„ prepared themselues to heare a stage play which was theÌ„ readie to be performed But Maechander being able to play but one part which was of a poore distracted louer determined to goe forward with the tragedie alreadie begun betwéene Varrona and him and séeing her set out of her husbands sight placed himselfe by her and entered into reasoning with her to this purpose If faire Varrona this simple banquet had bene so swéet and pleasant to your séemely selfe and the rest as your sight is delightfull to me I am perswaded you would not haue changed your chéer for Nectar and Ambrosia which the Poets faine to be foode of the gods but séeing there was no cause of delight in the one the other containeth that in it which may coÌ„tent the Gods theÌ„selues I shal desire you in good part to accept the one and courteously to accept me worthy to enioy the other And though I haue not heretofore by dutifull seruice manifested vnto you the loyaltie of my loue yet if my poore hart could signifie vnto you the assaults which it hath suffered for your sake I doubt not but that you would confesse that by force of loue I had woon you were worthy to weare you For albeit by humane lawes your husband onely hath interest in you yet by natures lawes which being more ancient ought to be of more authoritie he ought to enioy you which ioyeth most in you which loueth you best endureth most paine for your sake And for proofe of natures lawes may it please you to consider the qualitie of the she wolfe who alwaies chooseth that wolfe for her make who is made most leane and foule by following her besides that my tytle marcheth vnder the ensign of iustice which is a vertue giuing to euery one according to his deserts that the reward of loue is onely loue againe I know you are not ignorant For all the Gods in the world are not able to requite good will the one belonging to the mind the other incident to the bodie but from the equitie of my cause I appeale to your good grace fauour and at the barre of your beautie I humbly hold vp my hands meaning to be tryed by your owne courtesie my owne loyaltie minding to abide your sentence either of coÌ„sent vnto life or denial vnto death Varrona hearing this discourse looked one while read for shame another while pale for anger neither would disdain let her make him answer nor grief giue her leaue to hold her peace but staÌ„ding in a maze betwéene silence and speaking at length she brake of the one and burst out into the other in this sort If sir your banquet had bene no better then this your talke is pleasant vnto me I am perswaded the dishes would haue bene taken whole from the table without touching but as the one was far better theÌ„ the company deserued so the other for a far worse woman might more fitly haue séemed if your sweet meat haue such sower sawce the next time you send for me I will make you such an answere as was made to Craterus the Emperour by Diogenes when he sent for him to make his abode with him in his court who answered he had rather be fed at Athens with salt then to liue with him in all delicacie so for my part I promise you I had rather be fed at home with bread water theÌ„ pay so déerly for dainty dishes Touching the paines you haue endured for my sake I take your words to be as false towards me as you wold make my faith towards my husbaÌ„d But admit they were true séeing I haue not bin the cause of theÌ„ I count not my selfe bound in conscience to counteruaile them only I am sory they were not bestowed on some more worthie your estate and lesse worthie an honest name then my selfe which being the chiefe riches I haue I meane most diligently to keepe The interest which cauellingly you claime in me as it consisteth of false premises so though they were true yet the conclusion which you infer thereof followeth not necessarilie For were it so that your loue were greater towards me then my husbands which you cannot induce me to beléeue yet séeing he by order of lawe hath first taken possession of me your title succeeding his your succession sute must néeds be cold naught for as your selfe saith of lawes so of titles the first are euer of most force and the most ancient of most authoritie Your woluish example though it shew your foxely braine yet doth it in force no such proofe to your purpose but that by my former reason it may be refelled for that the wolfe is free from the proper possession of any but therein truly you obserue decorum in vsing the example of a beast in so brutish a cause for like purpose like proofe like man like matter Your manly marching vnder the
difficult to be by him accomplished which hardly enterpriseth it With that he tooke a Lute in his hand and played a note to a dittie which he sung as followeth Valentines Song I would thou wert not faire or I were wise I would thou hadst no face or I no eyes I would thou wert not wise or I not fond Or thou not free or I not so in bond But thou art faire and I cannot be wise Thy sunlike face hath blinded both mine eyes Thou canst not be but wise nor I but fond Nor thou but free nor I but still in bond Yet am I wise to thinke that thou art faire Mine eyes their purenesse in thy face repaire Nor am I fond that doe thy wisedome see Nor yet in bond because that thou art free Then in thy beautie onely make me wise And in thy face the Graces guide mine eyes And in thy wisedome onely see me fond And in thy freedome keepe me still in bond So shalt thou still be faire and I be wise Thy face shines still vpon my cleared eyes Thy wisedome onely see how I am fond Thy freedome onely keepe me still in bond So would I thou wert faire and I were wise So would I thou hadst thy face and I mine eyes So would I thou wert wise and I were fond And thou wert free and I were still in bond With these and such like sayings encouraging himselfe he purposed to pursue his purpose and sayled not daily to attend vpon his mistresse with all dutie and diligence sought all occasions he could to let her vnderstand his loyal loue and great good will towards her which she perceiuing disdayned not to acknowledge by her amiable and courteous countenance towards him wherewith he held himselfe as well satisfied as if he had bene made Monarch of the whole world And though he were oft determined in words to present his sute vnto her yet when it came to the point he should haue spoken feare of offending her altogether disappointed his purpose and made him mute in the matter which he minded to vtter But at length perceiuing that delay bred danger for that she had many other suters and féeling by experience that as fire the more it is kept downe the more it flameth vp so loue the more he sought to suppresse him the more fiery forces within him he expressed he beganne to set feare aside and to force a supply of courage in his faint heart and séeing his mistresse fit in the presence alone he entred into reasoning with her in this manner Madam for that I sée you without company I am the bolder to presume to prease in place whereof though I be altogether vnworthy yet am I willing to supply it and if my company may content you as well as your sight satisfieth me I doubt not but you will accept it in good part and so much the lesse I hope my cōpany shall be cumbersome vnto you for that you are busied about nothing whereto my presence may be preiudiciall And verily when I consider the common course of life which your swéet selfe and other maydes of your estate leade me thinkes it is altogether like the spending of your time at this present which is with your leaue be it spoken idly vnfruitfully without pleasure without profit And if my credit were such with you to craue beléefe for that which I shal speake I would not doubt but to perswade you to another trade of life more commendable to the world more honorable amongst all men and more acceptable in the sight of God For beléeue me I pittie nothing more then virgins vaine pittie who thinke they merit reward for liuing chastly when in déed they deserue blame for spending their time so wastly Sir said she as your company contenteth me well enough so your talke liketh me but a little for though I must confesse I sit at this present without doing any thing yet in my fancie it is better to be idle then ill imployed as your selfe is now in reprehending that state of life which excelleth al others as farre as the Sunne doth a star or light darknesse and wherin I meane for my part to passe the pilgrimage of this my short life if either God dispose me not or my friends force me not to the contrary God forbid Madame said he you should continue your time in any such trifling trade of life which indéed is to be counted no life at all as the Grecian Ladies can truely testifie who as Homer reporteth reckon their age from the time of their marriage not from the day of their birth and if they be demaunded how old they be they begin to number from their marriage and so answere accordingly for then onely say they we begin to liue when we haue a house to gouerne and may commaund our children and our seruants Tush said the Ladie this is but the sentence and proper opinion of our peculiar people who perchance by nature of their countrie or otherwise are more desirous of husbands then other neither is it any more reason that we should be tied to their example then they bound to follow our virgin Vestals or other who consume the whole course of their life without contaminating their corps with the company of man Nay rather said he without receiuing their perfection from men according to the opinion of Aristotle But Madame I did not produce that example as necessarie for all to follow but as profitable to prooue and shew what base account they made of virginitie which you so highly estéeme of But to leaue particular opinions and come to generall constitutions and customes I meane both naturall humane and diuine lawes and you shall sée them all to make against you And first if you consider natures which in the doings of creatures without reason are plainely set downe you shall behold no liuing wight in the world vniuersall but that so soone as by age they are apt thereto applie themselues to that life whereby their kind may be conserued and number increased Behold the high flying Falcon which soareth so high in the aire that a man would thinke she should neither stoupe to lure or lust yet she is no sooner an Entermurer or at the farthest a white Hawke but that of her owne accord she commeth to the call of the Tersell-gentle her mate Likewise the Doe which flingeth so fréely about the woods as though she made no account of the male yet she is no sooner a forressister but that she seekes the societie of the Bucke Yea if it would please your seemely selfe to enter into the consideration of your owne nature or if your courtesie would déeme me worthie to haue the examination of your secret thoughts I doubt not but you would confesse your selfe to feele a fierie force of that naturall inclination which is in other creatures which being so you must graunt to deale vnnaturally in resisting that motion which cannot be ill or idle because nature hath
the pietie towards your parents and the duetie of a daughter towards her father so vtterly forgotten that you will prefer the loue of an vnthrift before my displeasure and to please him care not to offend your parents who trauaile to bestowe you vpon one worthie your estate and ours No neuer thinke Valentine shall inioy you with my good will and neuer take me for your father if you graunt him your assent thereto Fuluia hearing this cruell conclusion of her father Hermodius with bashfull countenance and trembling tongue framed her answere in this fourme I beséech you good father not to thinke me so gracelesse a childe as once to imagin much lesse to do any thing which may heape your heauinesse or hasten your death the least of which two would be more bitter vnto me then death For if it please you to vnderstand I haue not granted my good will to any vnlesse yours be thereto gotten Neither haue I as you sée preferred the loue of an vnthrift before your displeasure But as I cannot let that noble Gentleman Valentine to loue me so can I not to confesse the truth but loue him mary in heart onely for my bodie as you gaue it me so shall you haue the disposing of it And as I faithfully promise you by the loue which of duetie I owe you that I will neuer haue any husband without your approbation so I humbly begge of you for the affection which by nature you beare me that you will neuer force me to any without my good liking For if for the transitorie life you haue giuen me you make me pay so déerely as to be linked with one against my will I must néedes count it a hard peniworth and well may I wish that neuer I had béene borne I beséech you Sir consider the inconueniences alwayes incident to those marriages where there is more respect of money then of the man of honours then of honestie of goods then of affection of the parties each to other What strife what iarres what debate at bed and at boord at home and abroade about this about that neuer quietnes with contentation neuer merrie countenance without countersaiting neuer louing déeds without dissimulation And whence but from this rotten roote springeth so many dishonest women so many euill liuing men Is it not the loathing of neuer liked lips that maketh women stray from their husbands to strangers And is it not either the difference of yeeres or the diuersitie of manners or disagreement of natures that maketh the husband forsake the wife and follow other women And where are any of these differences or inequallities betweene the married but where the force of friends not libertie of loue linketh them together These things by your wisedome considered I trust as you restraine me from one whom I loue so you will not constraine me to any whom I loue not in so doing doubt not but you shall find in me modestie meetâ— for a mayd vertue fit for a virgin dutie beseeming a daughter and obedience becomming a child Her father hauing mildly heard her modest talke told her he meant not to force her to any but would prouide her a husband whom he doubled not should like her better euery way then Valentine did and therefore willed her to race out of her minde the liking which she had conceiued of him and so gaue her leaue to depart And being in her Chamber she began to deuise all the meanes she could to â—oose out of her heart the loue which she bare vnto Valentine and reuoked to her memorie her fathers displeasure and her owne preferment with many other discommodities that way arising But nothing preuailed for as the bird caught in sinne the Deare in a soyle the more they striue the faster they sticke so the more diligentlie she laboured to get out of the laborinth of fancie the more doubtfully was she therein infricated and as â—ne climbing on high his féete fasting and he in danger to fall more firmely fastneth his hold then before he did so Loue seeing himselfe readie to be dislodged out of her brest tooke such sure hold and fortified himselfe so stronglie within her that no vigour was of force sufficient to fetch him from thence Which the good Gentlewoman perceiuing thought best for her case and quiet to yéeld the summons of loue to be disposed at his pleasure wherein no doubt she had reason For as the swift running streame if it be not stopped runneth smoothly and without noise but if there be any damme or loâ—ke made to stay the course thereof it rageth and wareth and swelleth aboue the banks so Loue if we obey his lore and yéeld vnto his soueraignitie dealeth with vs gentlie and like a louing Lord raigneth ouer vs but if we withstand his â—orâ—e and seeke to stay the passage of his power he rageth ouer vs like a cruell tyrant Which this Gentlewoman as I said perceiuing without any more resistance determined in her heart to loue Valentine onely and euer Now Valentine notwithstanding the angrie looke of the father the frowning face of the mother and the strange counterfait countenance of the daughter followed his suite so effectuallie vsed such apt perswasions to the maide and in short time insinuated himselfe so farre into her familiaritie that her parents lowred not so fast but she allured as much and thought she receiued no other contentation in the whole world but in his companie which her parents perceiuing and besides dreading the Kings displeasure thought as good by their consent to let them goe togither as by seueritie to kéepe thâ—m asunder whom the Gods séemed to ioyne togither and so much the rather they were induced thereto for that they sawe their daughter so affected to Valentine that the hearing of any other husband was hatefull and vnto her hurtfull And hereupon the marriage was concluded and consummated and to this bargaine only the fancie of Valentine forced him Now behold the nature and condition of fortune for she hauing saiued these men namely Valentine and the two rogues a long while with roses 〈◊〉 now to whip them with nettles and hauing presented them with the brightnes of her fauours now she crost them with many frownes They that did thinke themselues the most fortunate amongst men may now account theÌ„selues the most distressed of all men For they hauing carelesly floated in the seas oâ— voloptuousnes and retchlesly reigned in the lazie seas of lawlesse libertie where they fed on nought but loosenes and liceutiousnes whereby most prompt to wickednes were wrapt in the performance of most desperate designements For one of them named Delfridus was by the furies of hell so set on fire in libidiâ—ous lust towards his mistres Fuluia that he sought all the meanes possible to win her to his wicked will not much vnlike Maechander aboue mentioned the other called Insolainder was so instigated on with arrogancie that he daily aucupated after the destruction of him who was the cause