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
THE MOST EXcellent Historie of Lysimachus and Varrona daughter to Syllanus Duke of Hypata in Thessalia Wherin are contained the effects of Fortune the Wonders of affection and the conquests of incertaine Time By I. H. R. Sectantem grandia nerui Deficient animusque LONDON Printed by Thomas Creede 1604. TO THE RIGHT Honourable Henry VVriothesly Earle of Southampton and Baron of Titchfield I. H. wisheth encrease of all vertuous and Honourable resolutions REport Right Honourable that hath enobled your singular and manifold vertues by nature and fortune to the Worldes recommendation hath induced mee to thrust into the open light this my abortiue issue to be shrowded vnder the shadowe of your Lordships winges the fruite of some idle houres sith after many thoughts I could not excogitate any more pleasing recreation whereon I might bestow times of leysure The argument I confesse is of too base consequence to procure your liking or deserue your allowing Neuerthelesse the force of dutie and zeale possessing the chiefest portion of mine interests ouerrule my thoughts and resolutions in hazarding the entertainment thereof at your fauourable courtesie and construction And if I may perceiue that your Lordship affoords the countenance to grace my papers with the demonstration of the extreamest degree of good liking I shall be emboldned to raise my Muses note that now yeelds harsh musick to an higher key a fairer fruite of my better ordered vacant houres and manifest my dutie to your Honour in some matter of greater import then a superficiall toy But fearing to grow offensiue through tediousnes I commit this simple work to your Lordships patronage and your Honour to the Almighties protection for the preseruation of which I will pray continually I ende Your Lordships most firmely deuoted in all seruiceable endeuours I. H. To the Gentlemen Readers GEntlemen I haue written the Historie of Lysimachus and Varrona a worke attempted to winne your fauours but to discouer mine own ignorance in that raunging in a large field of copious matter and being engulphed in an Ocean of conceit I lye there ouerwhelmed If my methode be nothing pleasant yet presuming vpon your curtesies I doubt not but you will smoother it vp with patience and the vertue of your affectioÌ„ I trust will stand in the front as a stroÌ„g fort of defence to shield me from the descanting verdits of such vnfriendly Readers which conceiting the Authors entent amisse may wrest his meaning by wrong coÌ„iectures and from the sowre censures of the ouer-curious Moralists of our age which glory to be tearmed the new vprearers of the long agoe confuted Stoicall Apathy Howsoeuer the case standeth I looke for no praise for my labour but pardon for my good will it is the greatest reward that I dare aske and the least which may be offered I desire no more I deserue no lesse Thus Gentlemen committing these my labors to your friendly view and submitting my selfe to your curteous censures I end wishing to you all seuerall good fortunes Farewell I. H. R. Verses in praise of the Booke COme see this worke that is but slily wrought Take but this simple trauaile in your view As in a mirrour there is deeply taught The wanton vices of proud fancies crew There is depainted by most curious art How loue and folly iumpe in euery part This little Pamphlet more conceit combines Then wanton Ouid in his art did paint And sharper Satyres are within his lines Then Martiala sung proud Venus to attaint Sith then his art doth plainly yeeld such gaines Read it and thanke the Author for his paines Ro. Bacchus YE English gallants stoupe and gather bayes Make Coronets of Floraes proudest flowers As gifts for him for he must haue the praise And taste the deawes that high Parnassus shewers As hauing leapt beyond old Ouids straine In taunting Louers for their fruitlesse paine Tho Talkinghame Gentleman THE MOST EXcellent Historie of Lysimachus and Varrona Daughter to Syllanus Duke of Hypata in Thessalia IN Thessalia when Nature hath made the soyle proude with the beawtie of Floras riches as though she meant to wrap Teilus in the glorie of her vestments there dwelled a Magnifico a man of most honorable parentage whome Fortune had graced with many fauours and Nature honoured with sundrie exquisite qualities so beawtified with the excellencie of both as it was a question whether Fortune or Nature were more prodigall in desciphering the riches of their bounties This Knight thus enricht with vertue and honour surnamed Syllanus had to ioy him in his age a daughter of great beawtie so exquisite in her exteriour feature as no blemish might eclipse that which Nature had bestowed in her lineaments This Damsell whose name was Varrona dayly vsed to trauerse the plaines wherein her fathers shéepe were kept partly to preuent inconueniences which through idlenesse might haue annoyed â—â—â—â—ealth and partlie to ply the care of her fathers folds for shâ— knew that the eyes of the maister fáedes the cattell which with such diligence was performed as that she seemed with labour to enter 〈◊〉 against want and with her hands thrift to preoccupaie her hearts griefe 〈◊〉 thus dayly the walks of Thessalia the Shepheards not a little delighted at the view of so excellent an obiect held their eyes fortunate when they might behold her feature accounting him happie that could lay his flocks néerest vnto her walks Amongst these that fed their thoughts on her fauours there was one called Lysimachus a yong youth that had the pride of his yéeres triumphing in his countenance a man whose parentage though it were worshipfull yet was it not indued with much wealth insomuch that his wit was better then his reuenewes and his industrie more beneficiall then his substance This Lysimachus trauailing amongst the lawnes no sooner had a glaunce of her beawtie but set downe his staffe resoluing either to perish in so swéete a laborinth or in time happily to stumble out with Theseus In which extasie he shall remaine till we haue described the cause why he left Macedonia his natiue countrey and the perilous euents which hapned during his voyage hither into Thessalia This youth was one of the sonnes of Alexandro who hauing passed the prime of his youth in sundry battailes against Astolpho king of Lydia at last as the date of time hath his course grew aged his haires were siluer hewed and the map of his age was figured on his forehead in such sort as that all men might perceiue his glasse was run and that nature of necessitie challenged her due Alexandro that knewe the tearme of his life was now expired hauing two sonnes by his wife Olympias the very pride of his forepassed yéeres thought now seeing death by constraint would compell him to leaue them with wholesome admonitions and louing perswasions for the increasing of their ensuing amitie to distribute in their portions the substance of his wealth for the countercheck of pouertie All which being done to the end that they might not forget
ye can cunningly closely thus conuay vnto the officers the tenour of your minds I will â—o highly gratifie you as neuer afterwards ye shal be found to exercise your old occupation These hell hounds glaâ— of this large proffer promised to venter aioynt but they would further him in his enterprise whereupon he dispatcht them away whose minds were so fixed on this liberall condition that they be stirred their stumps till they came vnto the towne where notice of their aduertisement being taken assisted by the Magistrate they made to the wood who no sooner were come within the reach of Valentines eye but puffing blowing as though all would haue split againe he posted vnto them charging theÌ„ vpon their alleageance they bore to their soueraigne Lord their King that they should not spare to execute the rigour of the lawe vpon his brother who estéeming gold sufficient honour became so deafe against my fathers philosophicall harmonie and made more value of profit then of vertue as to the end that he might strip me out of my possessions came rushing in and laid such violent hands vpon me as had not the sight of your approaching hither terrified his vnnaturall stratagem he had ere this bereaued me of life Whereupon séeing his notorious villanie which so long lay hid in the ashes of pretended simplicitie thus discouered and after this sort detected for his better securitie betooke himselfe to his héeles whome if you follow downe along this vale towards my house he cannot possiblie escape your hands Fortune that saw how Lysimachus valewed not her deitie but held her power in scorne thought to haue about with him and brought the matter to passe thus Lysimachus as his vsuall maner was walked before his brothers house in a valley betwéene two high mountaines topt with trées of maruellous verdure whereby ran a fountaine pleasant as well for the murmur of the streames as for the swéetnes of waters with his Boare-speare vpon his neck where hauing stroken a Déere and but lightly hurt he packed downe by the groue in great hasle expecting his fall from whence he might espie his brother accompanied with a crue of armed men following him amazed at this sight as he stoode gazing his nose on a sodaine bled which made him coniecture as it was indéede that there was some dangerous euent pretended As soone as they were come within his reach Valentine commanded the officers without further examination to carry him to prison Lysimachus smiling both at the enuious treacherie and cowardize of his brother brookt all the iniuries of fortune with patience Lying in prison all night the next morning as soone as the day brake taking a Cytterne in his hand he warbled out this mournefull Sonnet Lysimachus Sonnet that he made in prison YOu restlesse cares companions of the night That wrap my ioyes in folds of endlesse woes Tire on my heart and wound it with your spight Since Time and Fortune prooues my vtter foes Farewell my hopes farewell my happie dayes Welcome sweet griefe the subiect of my layes Mourne heauens mourne earth your seruant is forlorne Mourne times and howers since bale inuades by bowre Curse euery tongue the place where I was borne Curse euery thought the life which makes me lowre Farewell my hopes farewell my happie dayes Welcome sweet griefe the subiect of my layes Yet drooping and yet liuing to this death I sigh I sue for pittie at his shrine Whose mightie power can quicklie comfort breath And make my selfe thus not in woes to pine Farewell my hopes farewell my happie dayes Welcome sweet griefe the subiect of my layes Meane while my sighes yeeld truce vnto my teares By them the winds increase and fiercely blow Yet when I sigh the griefe more plaine appeares And by their force with greater power doth glow Farewell my hopes farewell my happie dayes Welcome sweet griefe the subiect of my layes Fortitèr ille facit qui miser esse potest Hauing thus chaunted ouer his Sonnet he heard the prison doore open whereupon he grew passing melancholie and not without cause for the Iayler certified him that the Burgomasters of the towne were assembled in the common hall to heare how he could cléere himselfe of the accusations which were laid to his charge At this Lysimachus taking heart of grace being imboldned with his innocencie he boldlie went with the officers vnto the hall with whom as the nature of man is desirous of nouelties came a great prease of people to heare the matter throughlie canuased When Lysimachus was thus brought before the barre Valentine his brother who had suborned these retchles roagues solemlie to depose that they saw him preiudicially bent began his inuectiue thus I am sory graue citizens and inhabitants of Idoniana that this day I am come to accuse my brother Lysimachus whose vertues hitherto haue woon him many fauours and the outward shew of his good qualities hath been highlie applauded of all men but my conscience constraineth me not to conceale such hainous sinne and the rigour of the law chargeth me not to smother vp so great an offence without rebuke This considered I am forced to discouer a wicked déede that this Lysimachus hath committed and that is this It chanced as I walked solitarie downe my woods to see if any of my Ewes and Lambs as it is my ordinarie custome were stragled downe to the strond to browze on sea Iuie whereof they take especiall delight to féede that my brother hauing concealed a secret resolution of some desperat plot and could no longer hide fire in the flaxe nor oyle in the flame for enuie is like lightning that will appeare in the darkest fog and séeing now opportunitie answerable to the performance of a mischiefe thought best not to let it slip but assaulted me with such violence redoubling his stroakes with such courage that had not the arriuall of the officers been speedie my death had been sodaine For proofe hereof these men pointing to the bâ—ggars shall heere before you all make present deposition and with that he reacht them a Bible whereon being sold vnto sinne and sworne to wickednes they swore that Lysimachus was most preiudicially bent At which oath the people that were Iurors in the cause belieuing the protestations of Valentine and the depositions of the roages presentlie found him guiltie and Valentine and the rest of the Burgomasters gaue wagement that he should the next day at the Market place loose his head As soone as Lysimachus heard the censure he appeald for no mercy nor abasht any whit as one dâ—sirous of fauour but liâ—ting vp his eyes to heauen only said thus O God which seest the secrets of all hearts knowest all things before they come to passe which discernest the very inward thoughts and trieâ—t the hearts 〈◊〉 Thou knowest that my brother hath slandered me with 〈◊〉 me whereof I was neuer guiltie that he hath produced these 〈◊〉 men by a sinister subordination to periure themselues
in the middest of his talke told him that to dallie with suspected friends was with the Swans to sing against their death and that if some had intended any such secret mischiefe it might haue 〈◊〉 better brought to passe then by 〈◊〉 the conspiracie therefore he did ill to misconsture of his good meaning 〈◊〉 his intent was to hinder murther not to become a murderer and to coÌ„firme his promise if it pleased him with his wife to flâ—â— out of Arcadia for the safegard of his life he would goe with him and if then he found not such a practise to be pretended let his imagined treacherie be repayed with most monstrous torments Lysimachus hearing the solemne protestation of the seruant attributed credit thereto willing him to abide at his house a day or two that thereby the man which should accomplish this stratageme being discouered he might with more securitie auoide the ensuing danger Now when the 〈◊〉 was growne by many houres aged Conscionato who had giuen Lysimachus to vnderstand of this intended purpose might espy where his fellow Christophero do mala mente came posting to his house amaine which thing after Lysimachus had knowne aiming himselfe for the purpose as hauing a sword obscured by the couerture of his cloake walked downe a groue which Christophero perceiuing and séeing none néer for his succour with his cutlax violently rushed vpon him but Lysimachus hauing euermore an eye vpon him with facilitie auoided the blowe and with such courage threw him to the ground falling vpoÌ„ his chest with so willing a waight that Christophero yéelded nature her one and Lysimachus the victorie He forthwith informed the chiefe officers of the cittie of these accidents who examining very effectually the matter found Maechander a duating leacher wherupon they not only amersed him a great fine to be paid to Lysimachus and Varrona but put him for euer after from bearing any office in that cittie Thus where these two louers deliuered from their enemies and reckoned now famous for their vertues through all Arcadia This strange euent spread abroade through all the countrie and as same flies swift and farre so at length it came to the eares of Syllanus who hearing by sundry reports the same of their forwardnesse how Lysimachus coueted to be most louing to his daughter and she most dutifull to him and both to striue to exceed one another in loyaltie and glad at this mutuall agreement he fell from the furie of his former melancholy passion and satisfied himselfe with a contented patience that at last he directed letters to his sonne in law that he should make repaire to his house with his daughter Which newes was no sooner come to the eares of this married couple but prouiding for all things necessarie for the furniture of their voiage they posted as fast as they could to the sea coast Where taking shippe and hauing a prosperous gale in a day and a night they were set on shore in Thessalia who spéedily arriâ—ing at their fathers house found such friendly entertainment at the old mans hand that they counted this smile of fortune able to counteruaile all the contrarie stormes that the aduerse Planets had inflicted vpon them Syllanus for the safe recouery of his daughter surprised with exceeding great ioy wait the last end of his liues legeÌ„d Lysimachus after the death of his father in lawe was created Duke of Hypatae and being willing to recompence old Procyon of a shepheard made him a knight Toxeus was preferred into the kings seruice being substituted Captain of his guard and because I will not blot from your thoughts the remembrance of all those actions Conscioanato by act of parliament was made BaroÌ„ of Cypera their farme in Arcadia made sure to Alexis Et haeredibussuis in perpetuuÌ„ These two louers thus floating in the top of louers gallantise transtreated the sea of their life in so peaceable a calme turning all their actions with the swéet consents of mutuall amitie that they were accounted the onely presidents of married gouernment What should I say they liued a mirrour to men a wonder to women and a maze to all which when it changeth expect for newes Now to close vp this comicall Catastrophe with a tragicall stratageme I will relate vnto you the historie of Valintine brother to Lysimachus and the fortunes of those two suborned villaines as in the beginning hereof I promised The Historie of Valentine and the two Beggars VAlentine vtterly forgetting the abuses which he had offred his brother thought himself so surely seated as no sinister chance or dismal influence might remoue She that is coÌ„stant in nothing but inconstancie began in a faire skie to produce a tempest thus It fell out as he frequented the court of Diocles King of Macedonia that he fired his eyes on the face of a noble gentlewoman named Fuluia daughter of Hermodius And as the mouse mumpeth so long at the baite that at length she is taken in the trap so he bit so long at the baite of her beautie that at length he was caught in Cupids snare And on a time as she was at cardes in the presence chamber this youth Valentine stood staring in her face in a great studie which Fuluia perceiuing to bring him out of it prayed him to reach her a bowle of wine which stood vpon a cupboord by and as he approached therewith to the place of her presence his senses were so rauished with the sight of her swéete face that he let the bowle fall â—oorth of his hands and retiring back with séemely shamefastnes went for more and being come therewith she thanked him for his paines saying I pray God that the fall of the wine hinder not my winning and bring me ill luck for I know many that cannot away to haue salt or drinke or any such like thing fall towards them Madame said Valentine I haue often heard it disputed in Schooles that such as the cause of euery thing is such will be the effect and séeing the cause of this chance was good I doubt not but the effect will follow accordingly and if any euill doth ensue thereof I trust it will light on my head through whose negligence it happened Fuluia answered as I know not the cause so I feare not the effect and in déede as you say hitherto you haue had the worst of it for that thereby you haue béen put to double paines If that be all said he rather then it shall be said any euill to haue ensued of this chance I will perswade my selfe that euery paine which you shall put me to shall be double delight and vnto me treble contentation You must vse quoth she then great eloquence to perswade you to such an impossibilitie Oh if it please you said he there is an Oratour which of late hath taken vp his dwelling within me who hath eloquence to perswade to a farre greater matter then this If said she he perswade you to things no more behoofefull for