so euer you haue wronged forgeeuing and desiring of all the worlde forgiuenesse When you come to take your Othe sweare that you receiued Baptisme by vertue whereof you are a Christian in which Fayth you determine to liue and die and which quarell you do most willingly offer your present body to mainteyne against your aduersarie who not satisfied with the desolution of your body will also with tempting and frightfull suggestion seeke the destruction of your soule Presently will your aduersarie come foorth and sweare full of hopefull assurance that you are the childe of Adam and subiected vnto Death Which ransome for the remedie of original sinne it pleased Christ the sonne of God by taking on him our humanitie him selfe to pay And as the warie Champion when he beginneth to fight will as neare as he can take his aduantage of the Sunne so likewise be you circumspect so to appeare within the Listes that you be no way offensiue to the glistering of the diuine goodnesse The Iudge of this your Combat shalbe the euerliuing Righteousnesse and therefore looke that you be vnto him fearefully Obedient firmlie and constantlie Beleeuing in him with a true Worship and adoration of his sacred name That shalbe vnto you a strong Shielde of defence against all whatsoeuer inconuenience and with such a securitie any feeblenesse is strong and forcible If you finde your selfe ouertaken with any sodaine faintnesse confusion or amazement of your senses flie presently to the blessed refuge of his infinite and endlesse Mercy wherein assure yourselfe you shall finde all refreshing contentment and quiet consolation of your vnrestfull senses for who so in that passage of Terror forgeteth not but remembreth with due honor and reuerence his maker and redeemer can neuer be ouerthrowen or vanquished such is his owne promise witnessed in the holy Scriptures which we must firmely and stedfastly beleeue And withall note this that the first steppe to true Life is a godly Death Be not rashe in your fight but mooue yourselfe with a wel aduised and leisurely Resolution See that you employ well your blowes strike not any of them vainely at the winde and then though your breath chaunce to faile you feare not for if you obserue these precepts of mine I assure you the Glory of the day shalbe yours But first for a sure safe conduct and protection against all mischieues I would haue you reuerently to receyue the blessed Sacrament of Christ his supper and so shall you be assured to conquer your enemie at whose sight be not terrified or amazed but with a patient magnanimitie obey your good Angell whom God hath appointed for your garde I haue now no more to say but if you do beleeue effectually follow these my counsells you shalbe eternally safe if not you will incurre the daunger of a double death both in bodie and soule Thus did the reuerend Hermite with zealous instructions teach me the way to euerlasting life when yet in my minde did arise a new doubt and question which but for feare to haue bin accōpted ouer-curious I would haue entreated him to explane vnto me which hee perceyuing willed me not to be dismayed but boldly and freely to vtter my conceipt Whereuppon I earnestly entreated him to tell me if there were not any certaine signes or tokens to foreknow the time that Atropos should appoint for triall of this combat Debilitie sayd he will shortly send you warning hereof by his messengers and Accident likewise by his But as I tolde you before there is in this no certentie for they perchance will take you so short and so of a sodaine that you shall haue no leysure to put on your armour The best therefore is to haue a watchfull eye and to be euer redy The first Vant-currors that commonly will bring you tidings hereof wilbe your eyes when you must be fayne to supply their decayed sight with Spectacles For nothing more euidently foresheweth the nights approching darknesse then the dayes decreasing cleernesse Your eares likewise when they must be furred and stopt with cotten may serue in steede of an Alarum bell or Trumpet to sommon you to present your selfe vnto the fielde Your head also and your handes like trustie seruants will by their feeblenesse and trembling giue you warning of your approaching danger Neither will your legs once so well proportioned and with such delicate streightnesse supporting the stately burthen of your so much beloued body be behind hereof to giue you aduertisement when they must craue the assistance of a staffe to performe their office The decaying of these limmes senses and members is an assured token that you cannot long holde out Therefore still I aduise you as neere as you can to seeke with your soule those ioyes that will neuer faile nor corrupt as for the body the ende thereof is corruption and the truest repose the graue Besides these rehearsed messengers there are thousands of griefes sickenesses woundes mischances and infirmities that will serue for heralds to sommon and chalenge you to this deadly point and sorowful passage you speake of Herewith the aged father ending his discourse tooke his leaue of me and departed leauing me though greatly comforted with his encouragements instructions yet sorowfull and heauie for his departure But seeing there was no other remedie gathering together in my memory all these passed discourses I arose and determined to write truely and sincerely the passages and aduentures of my life euen as I had felt and passed them and thereuppon I made this litle treatise which I hope will finde gentle acceptance though the stile be barren especially of all those that beare vertuous mindes and are according to the title of this litle booke true Resolued Gentlemen To them I offer it in charitable loue hoping that the vertue of my honest meaning shall ennoble the poorenesse of my guift Heauie thoughtes and most iustly conceaued griefe moued me first to beginne it now it is ended I beseeche the almightie that comfort profite and contentment may betide those that shall reade it I haue and in my iudgement not without some reason adorned it with the title of the true Resolued Gentleman whose aduentures I beseech you well to note that do vouchsafe the reading heereof for euen such wilbee the course of your encountres such the ende as heere vnder the name of an other you see represented For in fine all worldly pompe Beautie magnificence and what els soeuer the world hath goodly or admirable turneth to rottennesse and corruption and Death enemie to nature equalleth scepters with mattocks and king with beggers Once againe I beseeche you accept this litle Treatise in good parte if not for the worth thereof yet for his sake Qui taunt ha suffert Who so much hath suffred La Marche This Tretise was first written in French by Sir Olyuer de la Marche in the yeere of our Lord. 1483. A briefe explanation of some
consisteth in fruitfully reading the sacred volume of the holy Scriptures the precious workes of those godly Doctors Fathers whose blessed pennes haue diuinely prescribed vnto vs the way of perfect repentance and vertuous perfection teaching vs nothing but that which still we ought to contemplate with the eyes of our mynde that is to lyue and die well For there is not any thing vnder heauen so happelesse heauie and miserable as for a soule sleeping carelesly in sinne to approch the dolorous passage of Death Of this desirable place I speake off the walles were all round about trimmed with Delight The Portal at which you entred figured foorth nothing but Pleasure The Dytches were secure deepe and well trenched curiously wrought in great conformitie by Good exercise The Chappel was of Zeale the Windowes of Charitable Loue the Gate wherein was the entrance and going foorth of Heedefulnesse and the Bridge of Industrious Trauaile The Vanes and Streamers of the house were of Pleasure which glystering aloft shewed all the passers by that there was the schoole and practise of Vertue and Learning No Idlenesse dared to approch this blessed Mansion for Diligence was the Porter Onely Emulation is suffered to enter who there serueth as a spurre to Vertuous operation In fine the time there bestowed is in the onely learning and exercise of that heauenly philosophie whereto whosoeuer arriueth may well be accounted happie and blessed That I was desirous to enter into this blisfull place no man needeth to doubt but in the end seeing the gates did not of themselues open vnto me I was bould to goe vnto the porter with earnest entreatie that I might by his fauour meanes be suffered to enter To which he answered this house said he which is the very Perfection of studie and enemy of ignorance is not to be dallied withall or to be entred with sportfulnesse and scorne For within it is enclosed the Treasure of life and the Riches of the Worldes wisedome it is kept and gouerned by a beautifull Princesse whom it hath pleased the highest to blesse with a Happy euer-during youth shee neuer changeth estate liuing free from deaths subiection her proper name is Memorie of all the worlde highly honored and esteemed From her are deriued all the chiefe pleasures wherewith Olde age is honored whom through wisedome and experience shee ennobleth with regard and worship Where shee is enterteined shee neuer breedeth weerinesse making him blessed with whom shee pleaseth to harbour Some there are whom shee flieth though they labour neuer so earnestly to be acquainted with her for in her operations is so great strange a secret of nature that neither Socrates nor Plato noral the deepe pearcing wits of the passed Philosophers haue bin able to define whence or how this corruptible body of ours is beautified with so pure and excellent an ornament as this of Memorie But for my part I do verily beleeue without any doubt or question that this being so singular a good procedeth onely from the miraculous working of God and not from any setled habite or ingrafted guift of nature for as the soule hath by God her habitation domicile appointed her in the body so hath Memorie hers in the soule it selfe whence she springeth vsing her qualities and operations And seeing the soule is an inuisible peculiar frame and workmanship of God as a sparke of his diuinitie It foloweth then also that my Ladie and Mistresse must needes be a seuered work of God alone without hauing any relation to Nature 〈…〉 Her excellence nobilitie and byrth considered and withall the notable comforts and sweete sauouring vertues that she in her selfe conteyneth she hath euer bin of all wise men honored in high degree as one of the chiefest beauties and ornaments of lyfe Since I first came acquainted with her seruice I haue bin in stead of her seruant as it were her gardian My name is Diligence and I continually accompanie her in respect of the vehement loue I beare vnto vertuous studie whose true perfection without her helpe is not to be obteyned The onely way to see her perfectly is through Vertuous industrie first by exercising our mindes to learne and know and then fastly to reteine that which we haue once learned and knowen But because I see you are arriued to this vncomfortable soyle of Olde Age taking compassion of your weakened forces I will accomplish your desire hoping somewhat therewith to refresh and comfort the languishing of your spirites Whereupon being by this industrious Porter brought to the presence of Memorie I was of her saluted with a most pleasing and gentle behauiour Her attire was sumptuous and rich embrodered in meruailous art by Cogitation rounde about strangely presenting vnto my view a large course and historie of Time both past and present And withall the more to subtilize my remembrance she made me smell to a Garlande of Knowledge which she ware whose excellent and delicious odour did so refresh the vigour of my senses that me thought I was not halfe so earthly as before After some few conferences I requested her to fauour me with the sight of her librarie which I imagined could not be but rare magnificent But she briefly answered me that whosoeuer determined to studie there may not vse any other bookes or lessons then such as Remembrance yeeldeth him for it were labour lost and meere vanitie for old men to begin first then to studie Their exercise ought rather to be in well keeping and reteyning that which before time they had seene and learned and therewith in shewing the fruites of their wysedome to recreate them selues and to counsell others But now tell me sayd she what is the thing that you do demaunde of me you shall finde me redy to yeelde you satisfaction Being comforted with her courteous and gentle language I did without delay acquaint her with the circumstances of my aduenturous enquest telling her how that my thought-fulnesse had instantly mooued me to visite the forest of Atropos which voyage I had now resolued and withall to enter in single combat with eyther of the two famous Champions Debilitie or Accident to whose garde the place is committed beseeching her earnestly to tell me if she had heard read or founde in any ancient bookes writinges or recordes hidden figures or long remembrance of times that any of these Champions had bin put to the foyle by any of those worthy men that at sundry ages haue liued so puissant and conquering in their times For yf any one had at any time or in any age vanquished them I woulde not doubt but by Gods assistance to goe as farre as he that had gon farthest But in fine howsoeuer the matter shoulde goe I tolde her that I was resolued to winne eyther glorie with my sworde or with my body death Memorie hauing with attention heard my speaches I will not sayd she smilingly enterteine you with long discourses but geuing
husband was occasion both to him and her selfe of direfull and violent deathes and Accident hereof the onely executioner See heere the cruel poniardes wherewith in the heigth of his greatnesse most glorious Caesar hauing vanquished all publique enemies was by a priuate conspiracie of his dissembled freendes stabbed murthered in the senate house Accident did strangely bring him to this tragical end as most plainely the Romane histories do make manifest See heere the fatall Box wherein faithlesse Antipater kept the virulent poison wherwith he murthered admirable Alexander king of Macedone and conquerour of the worlde See heere the great and mightie trunchon of that deathfull speare wherewith fierce Achilles slew magnanimous Hector bulwarke of Troy and terror of the Grecians This was againe the fatall bow and stedie directed arrow wherewith effeminate Paris the firebrand of his country vnmanfullie reuenging the death of his noble brother traitorously to death wounded the glorie of the Grecian armie when full of ragefull loue he nothing lesse then death suspected This was the vnhappie sworde wherewith the honorable head of great Pompey was cut off by the vniust commaundement of the periured Egiptian traitor staining therewith his owne glorie and ouerthrowing the piller wherevpon Romes greatnesse was propped See heere the enuenomed ring out of which fearelesse Hanniball tooke his last draught of deadly poyson the greatnesse of his inuincible minde choosing by his owne handes rather to die then to yeld to any the least thought of captiuitie cursing as he died the head and kingdome of the disloial Bithinian Prince for hauing violated the lawes of hospitalitie See heere the bloodie Iaueline wherewith great king Agamemnon by the wicked consent of his detestable wife was trecherouslie slaine by Aegistus Ten yeeres had he warred in Asia commaunding all the vnited forces of the Grekish princes and lastly hauing burnt and razed Troy returning victoriously home in steede of glorious reposefull happinesse with hope of which he flattered him selfe was thus by Accident requited See here the well sharpned Cimitarre which guyded by the delicate hande of faire Iudith did deuide the brisled head of sleeping Holofernes from his huge giantlie carkas Great was the ioy of this deede vnto the Israelites and great was herein the successe of Accident This is the Hammer and therewith ioyntly the Nayle wherewith vertuous Iabel ended the vnworthie life of wicked Syzara geuing therewith ioy to the people and glorie to the greatnesse of Accident These were the fatall Lances of the two young Theban Princes Polinices and Etheocles either of which through ambitious desire to raigne did bereaue the other both of life and raigne whose bodyes as while they liued did harbour deuided and disagreeing soules so did their flames after death when with pompous solemnitie they were to be burned refuse to ioyne This was the sharpe piercing dagger wherewith dissembling Ioab mortallie to death wounded credulous Abner while he helde him in his armes embraced with a cheerefull disguysed shew of gladnesse This was the well directed Stone and this the farre reaching Sling out of which the feeble hande of young Dauid guyded it to the fall and death of great and puissant Golyas who alone was a terrour to the whole Israelites This was the well imployed Halter wherein proude Aman was strangled for endeuoring with damnable entent to murther and destroy the chosen and beloued people of God whereby the vertuous Queene Hester procured great honor to Mardocheus and executed in Aman the mighty power of Accident We had not visited the fourth part of this place so many so strange and so diuerse were the instrumentes that Accident vsed to surprise mens liues withall when the good Hermite withdrew me from thence willing me not to forget but mindfully to consider of those his reliques which I had seene Being thence departed when I began with perfect iudgement to consider of the thinges which I had viewed though the strangenesse and varietie of them were somewhat delightful yet coulde I not but feele a great tendernesse and perplexitie in my minde to consider that so many great and excellent men had been by Accident so cruelly murthered and made away some euen at such instantes as the vayne frailtie of this deceauing worlde did promise vnto them a stable and firme estate in all glorie happinesse and contentment withall it was a griefe vnto me that I had not seene the rest which remayned the which in apparance was ten thousande millions of times more then that which I had seene But withall I wondred much that among so many remarkable trophees of Accidents victories I had not seene any of his companion Debilitie which my freendly Hoast perceiuing tolde me that if I did at my returne repaire vnto him he woulde likewise satisfie mee therein and make me acquainted with the wonderous puissance of Debilitie As for now he chieflie desired to prepare me against the violence of Accident as being of the two the more cruel and sodaine and then he discoursed vnto me of many great and mighty Princes that he had at vnawares surprised and murthered some tasting of delicious meates some riding and managing of proude horses some geuing audience to sutors some riding in triumph to the capitoll some by sea some by lande some by fire some by fall of houses some by thunder some by earthquakes some in dauncing some in singing yea and some fast embraced in the armes of their beloued mystres euen in the pleasingest action of their Loue. Herewith the aged Father being loth to retaine me any longer from my intended voyage with tearefull eyes embracing me recommended me vnto God willing me not to be vnmindfull of his counsails and withall requested me at my returne if I did escape with life to come visite him which promising him to do I presently put on my armour and taking the Lance of Good gouernment which he had geuen me I leapt a horsebacke and went foorth on my iorney I had not long trauailed when I entred into a vallie that did directly leade me to a plaine which in appearance seemed to be aboue measure great and spatious This plaine I speake of is called Time which though it be large farre extended yet scarcely doth the passenger come vnto it when he is alredie beyonde it and the nature thereof is such that pleasure contentment do passe through it so vnconstantly and with such swiftnesse that they leaue in celeritie the winds behinde them I was no sooner come thither but my Horse whose name as before I tolde you was Desire tooke so strongly the head that do what I could I was not able to stay him till he had brought me farre beyonde the middle of the playne where striuing to restraine his course I might espie before me a fierce Champion that seemed in guyse of skilfull warriour to bid me battaill His armour was of Trauaile
the ende of my pretences was pleased to assist me with his gracious goodnesse so that I went on the right way to accomplish my faith and promise which I had geuen vnto Age and such was the haste I made to be at my iourneys end that I found my selfe arriued in the Countrey of Feeble olde Age before I my selfe knew how There the earth trembled and euery thing seemed to be a quagmire The ayre was darke and mistie the smelles noysome the grounde barren yeelding miseries in steede of fruite and the rentes that there were gathered was griefe and anguish There groweth not any tree that beareth either fruite or flower all is full of barren briers and withered thornes There is not any meate of good taste nor herbe yeelding iuise in fine it is a destroyed parte dry fruitlesse and consumed in the which there is not any nouriture or verie litle and that mingled with care and sorow The fountaines there are of sufferance the brokes of bitternesse The Moones brightnesse and the Sunnes glistering is there obscured with darkenesse and fogs The sweetest songs accustomably vsed in this barren desert are sorowfull complaintes of time misspent and for good things passed that can not be recouered The longer a man lingreth there the lesse repose he findeth euerie thing yeeldeth griefe and Infirmitie is there enthronized as princesse and regent of the whole territorie Health hath no entrie but is thence perpetually banished comfortable mirth appeareth not being suppressed by fretting Melancholy one of the cheefest Lordes of this desert A small iourney from thence lieth an Iland of diseased infirmitie whose proper name is Decrepitude where health died making griefe and sorow his executors bequeathing vnto them all his rightes and possessions I haue not as yet bin there but I am comen so neere that the verie ayre thereof maketh al the ioyntes and members of my body to shake and tremble Iudge then what effect it will worke in him that shalbe therein landed and ariued Thence being once entred there is no departing till the soule doe free it selfe from out the encombred bodies prison aspiring to a better habitation But which of all is strangest such is the miraculous working and vigor thereof that from the extremitie of Olde Age it constreineth men againe to returne vnto the verie extremities of Childehood then the which what wonder can be greater Feeblenesse is there so strong that it taketh from Strength absolutely his beeing The eyes brightnesse being of mans life the chiefest comfort is there in such sort turned to obscuritie and dimnesse that it scarcely seeth any thing at al and yet that litle is in such imperfect dazeling maner that all the things discerned seeme to be but images of death No benefit is so great that it can yeeld soundnesse of health or comfort and euerie litle euill is so efficient that it easily becommeth mortall each litle griefe offendeth deadly without resistance as in a rendred ouerthrowen Countrey where life hath nothing but onely the name and apparance I know this Decrepite estate to be a thing fearefull vnto fleshe yet surely it is a great benefite of God by whose goodnesse the vertuous and patient bearing thereof may be a great meane to our saluation which of his endlesse mercie I beseech him that we may all obteine But to come backe to my discourse being once in this vnpleasant desert of Olde Age I coulde not finde any path gate way or issue to get out vnlesse I woulde enter into that of Decrepitude and therefore I enterteined my selfe the best that I could in that health lesse prouince in which after I had a litle romed vp and downe I espied sundry people both men and women that did busie them selues in the practise of strange and cosening sleightes some to hide and dissemble their yeeres filled vp the wrinkled furrowes of their face with payntinges some died their heades and beards with waters of their owne mingling some pulled quite out the gray heares that appeared in them thinking so to rid them selues of those hatefull messengers of decaying life But Olde Age would not consent vnto such falsenesse protesting against them that they laboured in vayne for there is no possibilitie of turning backe one iot from that degree of his acquaintance and subiection whereto they are once arriued Being once withered and decayed with Age to florishe and waxe greene againe is not graunted to any mortal creature The ende of such deuices and endeuours tendeth in fine to nothing but to filling of the Churchyardes But leauing this discourse because it breedeth melancholie Olde Age as I tell you had so entangled me that though I woulde feine haue gotten out of his iurisdiction yet coulde I not by any meanes finde any way or passage which at the first mooued me to be very heauie and sorowfull and that the rather because I saw my youth vnrecouerable and my griefe remedilesse But euen as the poore seely birde newly inclosed within the prison of his Cage doth for a time at the first sullenly lament the losse of his abridged libertie till at last seeing the bootelesnesse of his sorow he beginneth to comfort him selfe with thinking of his sweete for passed pleasures as of the delightfull trees and sweetely smelling bryers wherein he had harboured the pleasant chirping of his litle louely companions with whom he had conuersed and such his other recreations and pastimes whilest he enioyed the freedome of the fieldes and euen with those thoughts of comfort forgetteth his melancholy and falleth sweetely a singing so fareth it with me who though my present estate mooued me to heauinesse and sorow yet considering the necessitie thereof and with all my many passed youthfull pleasures I framed my minde to a contentment and so began to trauayle and searche each part and coast of the countrie through to see yf I coulde finde any part or corner therof exempted from the generall barrennesse of the rest to th'ende I myght there passe away my time with lesse griefe Hauing trauayled awhile I happened of a sodayne to espie therein a place so full of goodlinesse and riches that I could not refraine from wonder in beholding it Within the same was a lodging of inestimable worth called Good aduenture Then first began I to perceyue the falsenesse of the worldes common opinion which is that there is not in Olde age any pleasure whereas surely there is a thing called Studie in whose vertuous exercise a vicelesse Youth passed ouer doth manifest the contrary But you must vnderstand that I meane not the fond studie of vaine worldly trifles but rather that which teacheth vs to scorne and contemne the brickle and howsoeuer faire guilded yet soone defaced alurementes of this world and so to liue and die that our soule once freed from the mortall bandes of our heere-soone perishing body may through the merits of our Sauiour attaine to euerlasting blessednesse and rest This I speake of
is the marshall of her field Her K. at armes Wilfulnesse his coate armour of Vnrespect her chauncelor Instability and his diuine Let no man trust The lystes are of Sorowes enclosed with Heauinesse her pauilion of Clamours her banners and streamers there wauing all of Plaints and Wailings her neerest attendants are Bitternesse Despite and Villanie On the defendants side was his pauilion embrodered round about with Heroicall bounty High valour and beautified with infinite streaming banerolls and flags of Honor his King at armes was Welbeloued the paynting of his bawdricke and coate armour was all garnished with Vertuous prowesse crowned with True Nobility Wilfulnesse in his Ladies name proclamed Silence cōmanding vpon peine of great penalties that none should with any good or euill signe or with any other meanes assist either of the combatters And after proclamation seeing generall silence commaunded the champions to begin the fight and to shew their force Debilitie first entred bringing with him two mightie sharply steeled weapons the one of Persecution the other of a Remedilesse consumption His vpper garment or coate-armour had figured in it the Carkas of a dead Man miserably pined away bare and without flesh hanging only togeather by the bones yeelding a sight full of ghastfulnesse and horror On the other side came foorth a most honorable Defendant beautified with the glorious armes of Burgundie Honour both wayted vpon him and was his guyde This was the most excellent Prince of great and famous memorie so highly for his vertues honored and loued Philip of Burgundie of all our Westerne worlde the greatest Duke his right hande was armed with a Lance of Stayed aduice The fayre enameled bosse of his guylded Target represented the Great prayse the many Freendes and powerfull dominions that he possessed Nothing was about him but witnessed Trueth Bounty Constancie and Courage And finally his Mace was of Firmenesse against all aduersities Debilitie was neuer at any time fuller of feare then now at the constant behauiour of this gallant enemie and therefore threw at him a farre off a dart headed with so Manie troubles that it had bin able to haue daunted and ouerthrowen the greatest courage liuing But the gentle Duke opposed him selfe with so Quiet Vnblemished a minde that it made in him no breach at all rather did he with his Lance of whose temper I tolde you before geue his enemie so vertuous an encounter that he made him to stagger Each of them shewed the vttermost of his valour striuing in this hard and cruel combat whether of them should be superior Debilitie let flie at the Duke with his Pollax of Persecution the Duke betoke him selfe to his Mace of Firmenesse and so auoyded the blow So that as the fight was fierce and vehement so was it in a maner doubtfull betweene them Memorie seemed to hope that the Duke should escape victorious But the Destinies were against it and the Eternall ordinance of the Almightie For in the ende Debilitie thrust the noble Duke into the Lungs with a deadly Consumption assayling him besides with many a fierce blow of other infirmities so that though he were him selfe exceedingly weeried and foyled yet farre greater was the Defendants extremitie of whom to make a finall ende gathering togeather all his force he strake with so violent a Catarre that downe fell the magnanimous Duke breathlesse and with him the glorie of our age Atropos in so heauie a case all the hartes of the beholders els throbbing and their eyes weeping made no other reckoning then as it were a Maygame ful of laughter and scorne no whit at all respecting his great honor estate and alliance nor the worldes generall sorow for the losse of so excellent a Prince The Heralds at armes laide ouer the dead bodie a rich embrodered Herse garnished rounde about with workes of Glorie and thence conueyed the same vnto the noble Mansion of Memorie where with sacred Obits and sumptuous Funeralls it was most solemnly enterred as for his blessed soule I trust in Gods mercie that it is now glorified with celestiall ioyes free from hauing hence foorth any more to do eyther with Debilitie or Accident Scarce were these mournefull Obsequies ended when we might heare a new rumor and noyse of two freshly arriued Champions The first was Accident who in terrible gesture presented himselfe armed and fierce on horsebacke in the fielde His Horse was caparasoned with Arrogance neuer tempered his Lance of Vnhappinesse his Harnesse of Ire his Sword with which he hath ouerthrowen millions of men of Ouerweening boldnesse and his Mace with which he vsually ouerturns those that are in best liking with themselues of Fortune Out comes against him like Mars or Hercules enraged great Charles of Burgundie the most feared aduenturous Prince that liued in his age who alwayes made Reason attende vpon his Wil which yet neuer was vnuertuous though to him selfe some times domageable His Courser was Fiersenesse euerie peece of his Armour tempered in True courage his Lance of High endeuour his Sworde of Mindes greatnesse and his Dagger of Incredible munificense And surely yf we will rightly iudge of this worthy Prince there was not any vertue that he had not in perfection neither was there any vice with which the nobilitie of his minde was spotted vnlesse selfewill and ouer-greatnesse of courage be to be called vice Where this feelde was fought was neither tent nor pauilion but only shrubbes brushes The encounter began with great clashing and noyse of armour Great was the furie of either Champion and great the fiersenesse of their first onset either of them deadly and despitefully desiring the destruction of the other Accident like a tempest or whirlewinde with such vnresistable puissance so encountred the Duke three times that he ouerthrew him to the ground and yet vndid him not for still in his greatest disgrace vndismayed he made head againe with greater and more reuengefull resolution then before Yet such was the hurt of these vnfortunate encounters that not only the Duke but his whole house estate countrey was thereby greatly weakoned But now was the fight growen to that heate of furie betweene them that it amazed the beholders The Duke being full of magnanimous wrath resolued to die or to be victorious spared no meanes or wayes he might to greeue his aduersarie who strake him a mightie blow with his Pollax of Conspiracie geuen him by Fortune therewith to ende the lyfe of him whom manly and equall vertue neuer coulde haue vanquished Yet still the fearelesse Duke mainteined valiantly the place though Fortune and all the worlde els had forsaken him till at last Accident with vnworthy handes doubling a downright blow vpon him bare him for whom the earth while he liued was too litle slaine and sencelesse to the earth who as all his life time he had bin great and incomparable so was his valorous ending euen to his hatefullest enemies admirable God
from sorow But returning to my discourse at the ende of the combat when I had seene the death of these three my so dearly honored soueraignes my eyes being drowned with teares and my soule with sorow vnwilling to ouer-liue so great a desastre I pulled downe my beuer and dreadlesse and carelesse what might happen nor looking nor fearing who came against me I rushed into the listes defying my aduersaries to come both or one or how they listed or dared Memorie seeing me thus altred feared least I had bin troubled with some passion of Despaire and therefore willed me to recommende my selfe vnto God which I did and constantly attended the comming of my aduersaries But by and by came vnto me a felow like a Heralde of litle stature with a blazon of prolongation his name was Sommons Great Atropos saith he that heere gouerneth hath commaunded me to tell thee that thy houre is not yet come and therefore willeth thee to stay till thou be called which shall not be long first In the meane time rest contented for there are now many other combats to be determined of greater worth and among the rest especially of fiue famous aduenturers whose names and particularities I desiring him to recount vnto me though sayd he some of these be things to come and the secretes of the destinies are not to be reuealed yet for this once I will satisfie thy request Know then that these fiue dismall conflictes I speake off heere to be tryed are such that the onely thinking of them breedeth an astonishing terrour both to Atropos and her Champions who hearing of the victorious conquestes that are and shalbe by these excellent aduenturers atchiued are fore-possessed with an incredible feare and amazement I will therefore tell thee first what each of the aduenturers is and then how prepared and armed they will come to this the last combat that euer they shall make And do not thinke that I do fable with thee in telling thee of things to come for I doe certeinly assure thee that the euent shalbe as I doe tell thee for Atropos is well acquainted with the Destinies who haue discouered the whole vnto her But because it greeueth me exceedingly to see thee so sorowful and sad I would yeeld willingly some comfort to thy perplexed minde And this assure thy selfe the heauens doe neuer denie consolation to the comfortlesse and distressed As for the three ended princes whose vntimely deaths haue brought thee to such excessiue and immoderate sorow and these other with the particularitie of whose combats I haue promised to acquaint thee they shall leaue behind them such and so noble a succession that their losse shalbe to the whole worlde restored But especially the great English Monarch who among the rest of his royal issue shal leaue one so excellent a daughter so highly of the heauens blessed that besides the glorifying of the frozen poles and the fiery equinoctials with the trophes of her inuincible armes such shalbe the worldes wonder and admiration of her vertue that the greatest kings princes and estates of the worlde shall thinke it the greatest happinesse that may befall them to be shrowded vnder the faire spreading wings of her Imperious gouernment some of them falling downe at her sacred feete and flying into her realme for refuge as to an vnblemished Azyle and inuiolable sanctuarie But now to enterteine thee no longer with circumstances know that the first which in these listes is by Atropos so fearefully expected is the great and mighty princes Dōna Isabella Queene and enheritrix of Castile Her am I ere long time ouerpasse to sommon to the aduenture of this passage to which as euery mortall creature is subiect so shall shee not be disobedient but presently come into the field armed and accompanied as followeth Shee shalbe mounted vppon a triumphall Chariot accompanied with innumerable vertues contending betweene them selues which of them shoulde haue the chiefe possession and presidence within the royall harbour of her thoughts They shall attende on eache side of her Chariot singing in her honour immortall prayses Fayth and pure Zeale shalbe her Chariots guyde Foure Horses exceeding the snow in whitenesse therein denoting her puritie shall draw the same their names Wisedome Religion Hope and Charitie all being blessings and especiall graces of the highest her armour shalbe of Magnanimitie her Helmet of good Counsayle assisting her in gouernment The Sworde she shalbe gyrt withall shalbe of an accustomed vertue of hers called Natural Pitie the which she shall employ put in vre against Crueltie Her Speare shalbe of good Desart steeled with a head of hating Errour all her workes and cogitations being thereunto incessantly bent and directed her Shielde of Honestie and her Coat-armour of Aucthoritie before which vayne Pleasure and worldly Vanitie neuer dare appeare Vpon her arriuall her King at armes called Gouernment shall proclayme all the particularities of her estate name condition and cause of coming Presently will weerilesse Accident come foorth armed with a new and fryghtfull Harnesse of Amazement his Shielde of Dispayre therewith to bereaue the defendant of all hope to escape his Dart of Crueliie his battle Axe of Impossibilitie whose blow no soundnesse of health nor vigorousnesse of force shalbe able to withstande his Sworde shalbe of Passion his Dagger of Sorow And thus furnished shall he begin the combat halfe dismayed at the vertue fame and estate of so great an enemie onely encouraged by the perswasion of Furie that still incenseth him forwarde The gentle Princesse seeing him come shall presently dismount off her Chariot and with a well resolued constancie attende him opposing against his fiercenesse her Speare of good Desart But inexorable Accident no whit at all thereof esteeming shall in such sort vexe and pursue this noble Ladie that notwithstanding all the defence of her infinite vertues he shall in the ende depriue her of lyfe and the worlde of his chiefe ornament So that heere shall be seene the ende of the mightie and puissant Queene the very thought whereof forepossesseth my minde with griefe But so firme and vnuanquished shall her vertue be that it shall perpetually retayne her name and memorie in lyfe in despite of Atropos that gaue her death Fame and Glorie shall geue her Sepulture and though her body be by death vanquished yet with a farre more worthy conquest shall her ioyfull freed soule by the grace of Gods goodnesse winne eternall rest in the heauens At the ende of this wofull conflict shall a noble and heroyicall aduenturer present him selfe in the lystes by name great Philip heyre to Austria Burgundie to which by mariage with Donna Iohanna daughter to Ferdinande and the late remembred Q. Isabelle he shall adioyne the riche and mightie kingdome of Spayne Sicily Arragon and Naples Accident vnderstanding the arriuall of this matchlesse Prince shall presently mount vpon a fresh Courser called Outrage his Armour shalbe of cruell Chaunce of a
But then twise wounded Accident enraged and betweene feare and furie desperate shall strike the triumphant King so cruel a blow with his Sworde of Distemperature that though styll remayning in courage inuicible yet shall he in his health and strength finde him selfe greatly impayred Neuerthelesse drawing the weakenesse of his body vp to the worthynesse of his mynde he shall enforce him selfe styll to mainteyne the fight tyll traytor Debilitie mercilesse like a preuayling cowarde shall while the King contendeth with Accident powre downe vpon him with all his violence so vnreliueable a blow of remedilesse Sicknesse that the neuer-before yeelding Prince shall now seeing such he knoweth to be the diuine pleasure with a quiet yet magnanimous resolution couering him selfe with his Target enrich the earth with the noble burden of his fallyng body and the heauens with his freed soule empouerishing onely the worlde whose griefe for his losse shalbe such as though the greatest pyller thereof being gone it coulde not but attende a speedie ensuing downefal and ruine But herewith as Sommons woulde haue proceeded in his wofull hystorie I feeling my very soule ouerburdened with an insupportable greatnesse of sorow entreated him to spare my alredie enough miserable eares and not to afflict them with hearing of further tragedies but yf euer he would do me pleasure then to shorten the time of my prolonged combat For alas what shoulde I miserable wretch that I am desire to lyue or wherein should life be sweete vnto me seeing the glorious lights of the worlde so soone extinguished no vertue no wysedome no loue no honour no beautie no conquest no nobilitie no goodlinesse no scepter no force no prayer being able to stay the stryking hand of vnmercifull DEATH Whereunto Sommons replying I had thought fayd he to haue reuealed vnto you two future Combats more of two great and Princely aduenturers The one of the most valourous and towardly young Prince of the worlde eldest sonne and successor to this great Englysh King The beames of whose sayre rising Sunne shall no sooner begin to glimmer in our Orizon but they shall warme the whole worlde with his loue The other of his eldest daughter lykewise succeding him in the royall Diademe who wereby Accident both soone depriued of their lyues and dispossessed of their thrones But seeing thee alredie of apprehensiue of forow and afflicted with such extremitie of passion I will forbeare to perplex thy eares with any farther griefe yet woulde not I haue thee to repine at the diuine ordinance For though the Almightie in his secrete iudgement shall thinke good to depriue the worlde of these most excellent Princes yet shal he not leaue it altogeather desconsolate and abandoned For he shal blesse the perished Princes with successors of such worthinesse that lyke true heyres as wel of the Vertues as Crownes of their predecessours they shal afresh brighten the worldes obscured face and with the goodly shyning of their wel deserued glorie returne the estate thereof into the former blisfulnesse But aboue all the rest so shall he ennoble the memorie of the late Englysh Monarch with so excellent and glorious a DAVGHTER that in her alone shalbe seene vnited all the seuerally dispersed Vertues that made so glorious the forenamed Princes in so much that all the worlde with one agreeing consent shal proclayme her to be the most admirable Princesse that euer lyued And which is a thing not of the lightest consideration but perchaunce one of the greatest wonders that euer any age hath seene In her onely shal not Fortune contende with Vertue but contrarie to her nature lyke a submisse and willing Handmayde attende vpon her noble desires constantly effecting them yea sometimes in things most rare and marueylous Likewise there shalbe so sweete a consent so fit a proportion betweene the great richesse of her minde and the fayre ornaments of her body that as the one shal atteine to the height and perfection of fortitude wisedome temperance iustice and all other diuine vertues wherewith a royall minde should be garnished so shall the other in goodly lyneamentes and beautifull features so without all degree of comparison surmount the rest of her sex that the worldes eye shal neuer more beholde a sweeter and more louely obiect as being in deede Delitiae humani Generis singular in her selfe and excellent beyonde al comparison And to make vp the full poynt of her happinesse as she shal both in rules of gouernment and vertue of gouerning serue to all Christian Princes as an excellent Paterne and example preseruing her Subiectes in a quiet estate full of reposefull blessednesse when round about her some through the tyranous exactions of their Prince and some through the vnskilful gouernment of their Prince and some through his negligent and contemptible loosenesse shall murther them selues with mutuall woundes and be torne within them selues to peeces As she I say shall by her princely care and prudent foresight maynteine her Subiectes in this calme securitie of vntroubled peace so shal they againe with so quiet and unmurmuring a course of faythful obedience loue and honour her that she if euer any Prince shalbe blessed in her Subiectes and they yf euer any Subiectes blessed in their Prince But which is strangest comming to the royal Diademe in the fayre youthful spring of her virgins yeeres she shall finde the estate of her Realme diuided in faction differing in religion and through the troubles of the late preceeding gouernement exceedingly discontented All which incōueniences being by the vnfortunate successe of the former gouernment wherein the Sworde was more employed then the Scepter styrred vp and in apparance tending to some feareful and dangerous issue she shal with the sweete breathing gale of her well tempered Mildnesse so pacifie alay and vtterly extinguish that she shal reduce her Subiectes from the deepest degree of constreyned feare to the highest pytch of faythful loue and duetiful obedience that euer Prince was honored withal Neither shall her inuincible armes in iustly vndertaken Warres abrode be lesse glorious vnto her then this her admirable Peace and iustice in ciuill gouernment at home Neyther shall be most warlike nations of Europe onely as Spayne Portugall France Scotlande and Irelande but euen the remotest regions and concealed partes of either Tropique the frozen Poles and the middle burning Zone be constreyned to bow vnto the victorious Englishe Enseignes nothing being more rife in the mouthes of men yea as well of the farthest Indians and sauage people as of the proude neighbouring nations then the name of great ELIZABETH written in the blood of those that resist and the pardoned lyues of those that yeelde of all victories the fayrest register and best enduring monument To recount vnto you the seuerall egregious victories that shee shall giue both by sea and land to the most fierce and warlike nations that then shall possesse the world were fitter for the large relation of a Chronicle then this my short
discourse But this I assure you they shalbe such as I know not whether any antiquitie can bring forth the like In fine her Kingdome shalbe the secure Hauē of Afflicted Princes her Purse the royall maintenance of Distressed Kings and her powerfull Armes the yoking bridle of Ambitious Tirants As for the Princely magnificence of her Court her well expressed iudgement in the election of graue and honorable Counseylors her well employed rewardes on those that shalbe Vertuous and of merite her bountifull liberalitie and gratious enterteinment of Strangers her learning languages and skilfulnesse in royall knowledge of such artes and secrets as to her estate are fitting so vnable is my feeble speeche to aspire vnto the heigth of their worthynesse that forbearing to speake of things so farre aboue my reach I know no better way then to couer them vnder the vaile of silence leauing the large campe of her prayses to the excellent writers of that age wherein shee shall floorish her rarenesse being such that she shall with the highnesse of her vertue drawevp as the heate of the Sunne doth vapours from the earth the excellent wittes of her time to so high a pitch that the following ages among millions of other noble workes penned in her praise shall as much admire the writer but farre more the subiect of the fairie Queene as euer former ages did Homer and his Achilles or Virgill and his Aeneas such worthy rare and excellent matter shall her matchlesse and incomparable vertue yeelde them to ennoble their pennes to immortalize their fames As for me hauing now made you acquainted with the former Combats of which I made you promise though I haue in their recital perchaunce seemed somewhat prolixe yet yf you wil consider the perticularitie of the mentioned Princes I feare you shall rather haue occasion to blame my breuitie Hauing now as I say satisfied your desire and that truely without abusion or deceipt I wil now take my leaue of you because Atropos standeth in neede of my seruice As for your Combat neuer trouble your selfe with vrging it farther for I wil doubt you not sommon you thereunto in time and therefore I would wish you euen now to make yourselfe redie seeing the houre thereof cannot be but at hande At the ende of these speeches he tooke his leaue of mee and departed leauing mee in a strange confusiō betweene sorow of that which was past wonder of that which was to come my onely comfort being to thinke of that fortunate and golden age wherein the branches of these deceassed Princes shal liue especially that excellent matchlesse Empresse of the Ocean Herewith Memorie that had all this while attentiuely listened vnto these passed tragicall discourses seeing me still perseuer in my pensiuenesse vsed her best endeuours to comfort me and requested me seeing I had such prolongation and respite of time graunted me to returne and to take my lodging with her whyther she would cause the olde hermite Vnderstanding to be sent for of whom I might take good and firme counsayle against the doubtfull issue of this dangerous Combat which now of necessitie was shortly to betide me I willingly accepted her gentle offered enterteinement and turning my Horse was contented to folow her By the way she perceiuing my minde to be ouer-pressed with heauie and melancholy thoughtes endeuoured to remooue me from those sorowfull apprehensions by recording vnto me many passed pleasing Histories and allegories moralizing them all vnto my good and comfort So that passing on the way without tediousnesse we were soone arriued at her mansion whither Vnderstanding the good Hermite was sent for who redie and duetifull at her commandement was in my Chamber at my bedside so soone as the dawning of the next morning appeared I exceedingly reioyced at his comming because I knew him to be a counsayler voyde of al fraude and ful of vertuous consolation graue in his iudgement and sounde in his aduise God be thanked for his goodnesse that gaue me happinesse to haue his acquaintance and grace to bende my minde to folow the direction of his counsayles After many mutuall congratulations betweene vs he began to instruct me with many lessons all teaching the way how to liue and die well in which two onely poynts consisteth all the height and excellence of wisedome First quoth he who so euer he be that is to combat either within List Barrier or Steccada he ought well to consider as well the qualitie of his owne forces as of those of his enemie and according thereunto to make his prouision of furniture and defence For rashly to enter vnprouided vnto so great an enterprise as it coulde not be but to the body dangerous so it woulde be to the soule doubtfull of which whosoeuer maketh a carelesse accompt may well be tearmed miserable and vnhappie And although that whosoeuer is honorably chalenged to single combat may make choyce of his weapons besides certaine other priuiledges that he hath both of time and place yet such is the necessitie and streight limitted condition of this your fight and Atropos your aduersarie so full of dishonorable aduantages that he will not geue you so much as warning when or where he meaneth to assayle you whether by water or by land whether in desart or in playnes whether in your bed or vppon your horse but perchaunce euen surprise you of a sodaine when you shalbe prouided neither of weapon nor defence able to auaile you Considering therfore the neere approching time of your combat and withall the entrapping stratagems and cautelous wily aduantages of your aduersarie I would wishe you in time to make prouision accordingly and that with such warie and heedefull circumspection that no sodainnesse be able to ouertake you which if you will follow these my instructions I doubt not but you shall easily performe with your endlesse honor and welfare First let al your Harnesse be tempered in true Repentance so fastly forged and beaten with the hammer that no deadly sinne be able to teint them nor ougly vice haue power to pierce thē Let your Vamplate be firmely steeled with a firme resolued purpose to perseuer in Well-dooing seeking in all your actions with a true religious zeale the seruice and glorie of God Let your Vambraces be of Vertuous Magnanimitie in not yeelding to fraile worldly pleasures and your Gantelets of perfect Charitie shewing the liuelinesse of your faith in the operation of your workes Aboue all let your Headpeece be of Temperance which though it be in the worlde a vertue rarely founde and litle set by yet it is a iewell most pretious and will in this enterprise highly stande you in steede Let your Cuisses be of patient Suffering your Poldrones of Diligence and your Greues of labour to do Well In this maner armed and all the peeces of your Armour combined togeather in Fayth such and so sure wilbe your foundation bearing the blessed signe of the