THE TUDOR TRANSLATIONS EDITED BY W. E. HENLEY XIX CERTAIN TRAGICAL DISCOURSES OF BANDELLO TRANSLATED INTO ENGLISH BY GEFFRAIE FENTON ANNO 1567 With an Introduction by ROBERT LANGTON DOUGLAS VOLUME I LONDON Published by DAVID NUTT IN THE STRAND 1898 Edinburgh : T. and A. CONSTABLE, Printers to Her Majesty p/\ LI BRAKY UNIVEKS1TV Ol (JA ///)/ SANTA BAUliAitA Z \/, TO GEORGE MEREDITH THESE ESSAYS IN AN ART WHEREIN HIS ACHIEVEMENT HAS MADE HIM ILLUSTRIOUS INTRODUCTION ASARI, in a well-known passage, tells the story of the artistic awakening of the young Niccolo Pisano. The youth, he says, was at work one day in the Duomo at Pisa, when his attention was arrested by certain pieces of antique sculpture, ' spoils of marbles, 1 which the Pisan fleet had brought from Greece. It was, he would have us believe, the contemplation of these works of long-dead masters that led the sculptor's apprentice to become the exponent of a new manner in art, the inaugurator of a great artistic movement. Modern critics have laboriously demonstrated the impro- bability of this story. They have shown that there are strong reasons for believing that it is one of those myths that owe their preservation to the credulity of the Aretine artist. And yet, whether it be a myth or not, it enshrines an eternal truth. In the form of allegory, it describes a natural process which is continually being repeated in the history of human civilisation ; and, whatever its origin vii INTRO- DUCTION The Renaissance Insatiable curiosity of the men of Renaissance GEFFRAIE FENTON'S may be, it is of value as a representation of what actually occurred in Italy in the course of the three centuries that followed the birth of the Pisan sculptor. That great movement of human thought which we call the Renaissance had, as has often been explained, a dual character. It consisted both of a return to antiquity and a return to nature. The one movement was the necessary outcome of the other. The inevitable effect of the intelligent contemplation of the rediscovered works of classical antiquity upon the men of that age, was that it filled them with an insatiable curiosity, a consuming thirst for new knowledge. For it is a function of the true artist to 'plant eyes 1 in men, to stimulate their powers of observation by revealing to them, here and there, things hitherto unperceived by them, and, at the same time, to fill them with a desire to put to test the new capacities with which, through his instrumentality, they have become endowed. In Italy at the time of the Renaissance, this phenomenon was to be seen everywhere. Men went out from libraries and museums to look upon the world with new eyes, to discover there, not only things which their dead teachers had taught them to see, but much also that the sculptors and poets of Greece and Rome were themselves incapable of perceiving. And in regard to nothing did these men of the Renaissance display a more avid curiosity than about man himself. Not only were they eager to learn all that it was possible to know about the personages of classical antiquity ; they were anxious, also, to view the men around them as they really were, and not in relation to an eccle- siastical system. They were especially interested in all viii TRAGICALL DISCOURSES exhibitions of that quality of 'virtue 1 which the study of INTRO- the classics had taught them to prize. DUCTION Full of the inspiration of new ideas, with new senses ( Virtue* opened to them, painters and poets, historians and diarists, physiologists and philosophers, dramatists and novelists, sought to express what they saw and felt, and to satisfy in some measure the cravings of their fellow-countrymen. Of all these classes of workers, none appealed to a larger audi- ence than the novellieri. In every town in Italy there sprang The novellieri up writers who professed to relate stories of real life ; and, everywhere, their works were eagerly read by the people. As the movement of the Renaissance spread, the same insatiable curiosity began to show itself on all sides, with the result that the novelle of Italy soon found countless readers in France, and Spain, and England. Most of Bandello's tales were rendered into French by Francois Frai^ois de de Belleforest, and his collection of Histoires Tragiques Be Ueforest passed through many editions. Geoffrey Fenton, William Geoffrey Painter, and other Elizabethans translated these novels out Fe p ton and of French into English, -and in Ascham's day volumes of p a ^ nter Italian love-stories were to be found 'in every shop in London,' where they commanded a ready sale. They at once exercised a profound effect upon the de- Our debt to velopment of our dramatic literature. It was not merely the novellieri that the dramatists found in them suitable material for romantic tragedy. To the Italian novelists they owed a deeper debt than that. The contemplation of these vivid pictures of the free and passionate life of the Italians strangely stirred their senses, and made their sluggish Northern blood course more quickly through their veins. b ix GEFFRAIE FENTONS INTRO- In reading the novelle they became filled with a sense of DUCTION the vast and terrible possibilities of human existence which they had never known before. And thus, ultimately, a powerful stimulus was given to the imaginative reason. Nay, more ! these volumes of novels, finding their way into every house, helped to prepare an audience for the dramatists. Thus it was that the novella, which, as Symonds says, * struck the keynote of the Renaissance in Italy,' had so potent an influence on the most characteristic product of the English Renaissance the Elizabethan drama. Matteo Amongst the novellieri of the cinque-cento Matteo Bandello Bandello stands pre-eminent. No other Italian writer of that age had a wider influence outside his own country : none was more popular amongst Englishmen. All the best stories in the second tome of Painter's Palace of Pleasure were taken from him, whilst Fenton's Tragicall Discourses is entirely composed of translations of his tales. These * forreine reapportes ' were soon known to all classes of our countrymen. Every one had heard the tragical histories of Rhomeo and Giulietta, of the Countess of Celant, and of the Duchess of Malfi. II Matteo Bandello was born at Castelnuovo, 1 a little town situated in a fertile plain, ' near where the Scrivia pours its limpid waters into the Po.' The air of the place, he tells us, is as temperate as in any part of Lombardy, and ' its ' inhabitants,' he adds, ' are remarkable for their healthiness * and longevity.' He came of a noble family which claimed 1 Bandello, Novelle, Parte prima, Novella 23. See ed. Londra (Livorno), I79I-93. vol. ii. p. i$4,etsef. TRAGICALL DISCOURSES descent, but apparently without sufficient reason, from a INTRO- Gothic chieftain, a certain Bandelchil, a follower, it was DUCTION said, of Theodoric. In the year 1495, when he was in his fifteenth year, the young Matteo was placed under the care of his uncle Vincenzo, 1 who was at that time prior of the Vincenzo Dominican monastery of Santa Maria delle Grazie at Milan. Bande U He was that prior, so tradition says, whose portrait Leonardo painted for the head of Judas, because of his tiresome importunity. Nevertheless, whatever his faults may have been, Vincenzo was a popular ecclesiastic, revered by the members of his order, and on terms of friendship with most of the great Italians of his time. He was distinguished both as an administrator and as a controversialist, and his treatise on the doctrine of the Immaculate Conception is still quoted by theologians. 2 At Milan, Matteo found himself at once in an environ- Bandello at ment that was congenial to one of his pleasure-loving Mllan temperament. The city, at that time larger than either London or Paris, and more wealthy than any other in Italy, was the seat of the most brilliant court in Europe. Its citizens were firm believers in the precepts of 'the libertine The luxurious school of Cyrene ' ; and, until the storm of foreign invasion llf f of the scattered their lieta brigata, life was for them one perpetual pageant. They were for ever courting new impressions of pleasure. Rich and novel things were brought to the city from the ends of the earth, from the New World and from farthest Ind. Artists and literary men, mimes and singers, flocked thither, attracted by the munificence of that ill-fated i Leandro Alberti, De viris Illustribus ordinis Praedicatorum, 1517, lib. i. fol. 47, et seq. 2 Pusey, Second Eirenicon, p. 372. xi INTRO- DUCTION Lodovico il Moro Bandello's descriptions of Milanese society GEFFRAIE FENTON'S Maecenas of the cinque-cento, Lodovico il Moro. Pre-eminent amongst those to whom the Duke extended his patronage was the great Leonardo himself; and with him the young Bandello became acquainted in the years 1497 and 1498, when the Master, at the bidding of il Moro, was engaged in painting his cenacolo in the refectory of the Dominican house. The Church of Santa Maria had been much resorted to by Beatrice d'Este ; and in the month that followed her death her inconsolable husband caused a hundred torches to be kept alight there, and a hundred masses to be said for the repose of her soul. Lodovico himself was a frequent visitor at the monastery, and its prior was in high favour at court. Vincenzo's young nephew, therefore, with his agreeable manners and pleasant voice, soon became a popular figure in Milanese society. In his novels he has left us more than one picture of the free, luxurious life of the people of the city. He tells us much of their sumptuous banquets and of their trains of chariots overlaid with gold, ' worthy of an emperor's triumph.' He never tires of descanting upon the beauty of the ladies of Milan and the splendour of their apparel. ' When one of these appears at a palace door, it * is,' he declares, 'as though one looked upon the Assump- ' tion in the city of Venice.' Moreover, these fair dames were not less complaisant than beautiful. They were, he admits, not niggardly of their charms, but rather were 'much disposed to love and to be loved. 1 What wonder was it, then, that the youth of the place followed the oft-quoted Horatian maxim, and gave themselves up to 'dulces amores'; riding 'on barbs and jennets splendidly caparisoned from palace to palace ' ; after the manner of xii TRAGICALL DISCOURSES the bee that goes about from flower to flower, drawing INTRO- sweetness out of loveliness ? DUCTION, The young friar was indeed no ascetic, and it was not long before he put into practice the lessons taught in this school of Circe. It was in 1505 that Bandello first became The school a lover. In the summer of that year he set out for Rome, * Circe where he intended to join his uncle, who had then become General of the Dominican order. On his way thither he halted for a considerable time at Florence, staying at the Convent of Santa Maria Novella ; and it was whilst he was in that city that he fell in love with a young girl named Violante, whose charms of character and person he celebrated Bandello's in many sonnets. Bandello was a convinced Platonist, and first ^ ove it would not be fair to place too literal a construction on all the expressions to be found in his verses. Nevertheless, as he has himself told us, in one of his tales of illicit passion, that he had trodden the whole labyrinth of love, we do him no injustice in assuming that not all of his attachments were of that order popularly styled Platonic. His love for Violante was the great passion of his life. He never tired of singing of her grace and loveliness, of her rosy lips, of her fair hair, of her eyes that were like clear shining stars. 'She was so beautiful that heaven itself was jealous of her.' For one short year he enjoyed her love, and then The death of she was suddenly taken from him. 1 But the remembrance of her beauty haunted him throughout a long life. 2 ' Thou 1 Bandello, Rime, tratte da un codice della R. Biblioteca di Torino, e pubblicate per la prima volta, dal Dott. L. Costa, Torino, 1816, Sonetto xxxvi. p. 56. Sonetti ex. (p. 171) and cxli. (p. 213) also have reference to Violante's illness and death. 2 Bandello, Canti xi. de le Lodi de la S. Lucretia Gonzaga di Gazuolo, etc., Reboglio, Agen, 1545, Canto vi. : INTRO- DUCTION The death of Vincenzo Bandello Bandello's first book A favourite of fortune GEFFRAIE FENTONS ' hast traversed, 1 he says to himself in his old age, ' many ' seas, countries, and rivers ' : ' E sempre le Viole furon teco, Perche il tuo cor se ne portare seco.' He was with his uncle in Calabria when the news of Violante's death reached him. The shock was so great that the young friar became seriously ill ; but he revived some- what after that his royal friend, Beatrice of Aragon, full of pity for his distress, had administered to him a crushed emerald and other costly remedies. He was still far from well when another great calamity overtook him. His uncle Vincenzo, who had been to him as a second father, died, postquam paucis diebus cegrotavit. Robbed at once of his patron and his dear mistress, Matteo returned to Milan bearing a heavy heart in a sick body. He seems to have sought for distraction in political and literary pursuits. At any rate, in 1508 he went on a mission to the Court of France, and in the following year he published his first book, a Latin version of a novel by Boccaccio. It was not long before his fortunes again took a favourable turn. He was one of those beings to whom the capricious goddess * displays even more than her accustomed mobility.' Now she showers upon him blow after blow. Now she makes his life all that he could wish it to be. But, on the whole, he must be regarded as singularly fortunate. He lived a variegated, dramatic life, full of incident and adventure. He was on terms of intimate friendship with the most beautiful and most cultured women of his age. He was brought into direct contact with its most notable per- sonages, its princes and statesmen, its poets and painters, xiv TRAGICALL DISCOURSES its philosophers and savants, its historians and strategists, its INTRO- hierarchs and heresiarchs, its buffoons and courtesans. Francis D U C TI O N the First and Lodovico il Moro, Bembo and Castiglione, Vittoria Colonna and Margaret of Navarre, Leonardo da Vinci and Luigi Alamanni, Guicciardini and Machiavelli, Giovanni delle Bande Nere and Prospero Colonna, Isabella of Mantua and Veronica Gambara, J. C. Scaliger and Aldo Manuzio, Calcagnino and Gonnella, Isabella da Luna and Caterina di San Celso all these knew the popular Dominican, and nearly all had the pleasure of hearing from his own lips one of his inimitable tales. * His whole life was a novella," 1 a story full of life and movement. He is especially to be envied, in that, whilst still a young man, he found what his true function was. It was a Bandello woman, an intimate friend of his, Ippolita Sforza, the wife d | scovers of Alessandro Bentivoglio, and grand-niece of Lodovico il vocation Moro, who helped him to make this discovery. Until he knew her, and for some little time after, he was regarded by the public as a brilliant young member of the order of Preachers ; he was known primarily as a learned and eloquent rhetorician. But at the time that he was an inmate of the Bentivogli palace at Milan it became clear to him that his true role was that of a raconteur rather than that of a preacher, that it was to be his part to amuse rather than to teach his generation ; although, like some novelists of our own day, he seems to have thought, sometimes, that an artist might take upon himself the office of a moral or religious teacher without injury to his art. Ippolita Bentivoglio was a remarkable woman in an age Ippolita that produced many remarkable women. We can under- entlv g" xv GEFFRAIE FENTON'S INTRO- stand something of her charm as we look upon her grave, DUCTION SW eet face, painted by Luini on the eastern wall of the church of the Monastero Maggiore in her native city. Possessed herself of high intellectual qualities, she devoted some of her great wealth to the patronage of artists and men of letters. She became strongly attached to Bandello, and in her house he found a pleasant refuge and congenial society. There, too, he was brought into contact with persons like the Countess of Celant and the Duchess of Malfi's ill-fated husband, whose tragical histories he after- wards gave to the world. It was at the request of his patroness that he first began to write down the novelle that he had himself told, or had heard told, in her house. His fidelity to the Sforza faction ultimately made it expedient for Bandello to quit Milan. Driven from the city by political discords, he took refuge at Mantua, where he enjoyed the friendship of Isabella d'Este. There, sur- rounded again by a lieta brigata of artists and poets, of lords and ladies, he often discoursed of affairs of love, and won admiration by his skill as a narrator. So far did he succeed in gaining the esteem of the great Duchess, that, when certain ' envious malignants ' x complained to the General of his order of the too great freedom of the Dominican's walk and conversation, Isabella at once took up his defence, and despatched to his superior an extraor- dinary document, 2 in which she testified to the religious and modest life of her friend, and extolled his innumerable virtues. How Bandello was revered and beloved in his own 1 Bandello, Novelle, Parte terza, Novella 42. See ed. cit. , vol. viii. p. 76. 3 Luzio, I Precettori d'Isabella d'Este, Ancona, 1887, p. 45. xvi Bandello at Mantua Isabella d'Este TRAGICALL DISCOURSES day is shown in the eulogies of him written by Leandro INTRO- Alberti 1 and J. C. Scaliger ; by the high value that DUCTION J. J. Scaliger set upon Bandello's appreciation of his father ; as well as in the allusions that are made to him by other contemporary writers. It has been left to squeamish critics of later ages to pour abuse upon the name of this genial writer to whom literature owes so much. In the year 1520 Bandello returned to his beloved Milan. The sack of He spent five uneventful years there ; and then a great disaster Milan : befell him. In the sack of the city that followed upon the manuscr j p t g battle of Pavia, his father's house was burnt down, and the lost precious manuscripts of his novette were lost. After some years of wandering, he became secretary to Cesare Fregoso, a Cesare condottiere, and a member of a noble Genoese family, whose Fre g so wife, Costanza Rangona, was a connection of Bandello's old Costanza friends the Gonzagas. Fregoso, who at that time was in the service of the Venetian Republic, bore a somewhat ill name, as may be seen from the Venetian State papers ; 2 but, cruel and unscrupulous as he was in his public life, he seems to have been beloved, and even respected, by many honourable men. 3 Brought up at the Court of France, amidst all his treacheries and tergiversations he remained true at heart to his adopted country, and was always loved and trusted by its sovereign, Francis i. A born conspirator, he ran many serious risks in the cause of France, and it was in her service that he ultimately met with his death. 1 Leandro Alberti, op. cit., fol. 137 and fol. 132. 2 Calendar of State Papers, Venetian, I534-I554> Nos. 413, 428, 431,456. 3 Uberti Foliete, Clarorum Ligurum Elogia, Romse, 1574, p. 126. Paolo Giovio, ed. 1572, vol. ii. p. 84 ; and several passages in Bandello's novels and J. C. Scaliger's poems. c xvii Garda and Verona GEFFRAIE FENTON'S INTRO- Bandello troubled himself but little with the political affairs DUCTION which occupied his patron. He had ' found himself,' and he Bandello at wished only to be allowed to live his own life. Through the generosity of Fregoso, he was now able to live * a se e alle Muse.' He held converse with his friends on the shore of that beautiful lake of which Virgil and Catullus sang, and which was described in Bandello's own day by that master of Italian prose, Jacopo Bonfadio. At the same time, Platonist as he was, he took a singular delight in the more material pleasures which Fregoso provided so liberally for his friends. In the prefaces to some of his novels he speaks enthusiastically of the ' Lucullian banquets ' that the con- dottiere was accustomed to give at Garda, in a castle of his which had once belonged to the Scaligers. But at length Bandello's quiet was again disturbed. Fregoso, who had all along been in secret communication with the French Court, suddenly deserted his Venetian employers, and again publicly entered the service of France. He accepted a command in Piedmont, and, so Morosini tells us, took with him some of his Veronese friends, much to the wrath of the Republic. For nigh on two years Bandello lived in a manner which left him little leisure for his favourite pursuits. Throughout two campaigns the story of which was told by his own friend Ferron, 1 and, with fuller detail, by Guillaume and Martin du Bellay 2 he accompanied his patron, bewailing amongst the hills and valleys of Pied- 1 Arnoldi Ferroni, Burdigalensis, De rebus gestis Gallorum, Lutetiae, 1555, lib. viii. 2 Du Bellay, Les me"moires de Mess. Martin du Bellay et de Mess. Guillaume du Bellay, Paris, 1569. See books vii. and viii. xviii The war in Piedmont TRAGICALL DISCOURSES mont the loss of his accustomed ease. At last a respite INTRO- came from wandering. On the conclusion of the Truce of DUCTION Nice, Bandello went with Fregoso to Castelgiuffredo, the Castel- seat of Luigi Gonzaga, where were Costanza Fregoso and her & lu " re ^ sister Ginevra, as well as a beautiful young girl, an orphan, named Lucrezia, whom Bandello had known as a ' bambo- Lucrezia lina ' in the house of her father. Gonzaga There again the novelist lived * to himself and the Muses.' He resumed once more the composition of his tales, and wrote several sonnets and canzoni. He also acted as tutor to 'la divinissima Lucrezia, 1 reading with her the poetry of Greece and of Rome. His young pupil was beautiful, intelligent, and sympathetic ; and Bandello, old as he was, became very much in love with her. She stood only second in his affections to his dead Violante, whom, he declared, she strongly resembled. This pleasant sojourn at Castelgiuffredo came to an end all too soon. In July 1540 1 Costanza Fregoso went to Castiglione for change of air. Her husband, who was in ill-health, followed her there immediately ; and whilst they were away, the lady of the castle, Costanza's sister Ginevra, died suddenly. A few days later Lucrezia Gonzaga and her sister returned to the family seat at Gazuolo, leaving Bandello 4 pieno d'amarissima doglia.' Thus was this happy company sadly broken up. But all these changes were but preludes to a greater mutation, a tragedy which altered the whole subsequent course of Bandello's life. In June 1541, Cesare Fregoso, i Ronckini, Lettere d'uomini illustri conservate in Parma nel R. Archivio di Stato, Parma, 1853, vol. i. pp. 67-89. xix INTRO- DUCTION Fregoso's assassination Costanza flies to France The chateau of Bazens Bandello's bird The cure of Cabalsaut GEFFRAIE FENTON'S when on his way to Venice as an ambassador from the French Court, was assassinated near Pavia by certain soldiers from that place, at the instigation of the Marquis of Vasto, the Imperial Governor of Milan. 1 On hearing the terrible news, the widowed Costanza herself went to Venice. But she was soon compelled to fly that city; as the authorities of the Republic discovered that her husband had again played them false, and had been one of the prime movers in a plot by means of which the most intimate secrets of the Ten were revealed to French statesmen. Thereupon Costanza made her way to France, accompanied by her faithful secretary Bandello, and threw herself on the compassion of the King. In recognition of Fregoso's services, Francis made her the best reparation in his power. Through his liberality she was enabled to live in almost royal state at the castle of Bazens near Agen, in the midst of a district which, so Reclus tells us, is the most fertile in all France. In that pleasant retreat above the valley of the Masse she was visited by Margaret of Navarre and other great personages connected with the Court. Her house was always open to poets, artists, and scholars, and she entertained lavishly the aristocracy of the province. There the happy novelist spent much of his time in his library, cheered, as were Catullus and Verlaine, by the constant companionship of another ' blithe poet,' a sweet-songed bird 2 whom he dearly loved. He directed, too, the education of the sons of his patroness, and for a time held the cure of Cabalsaut, a village near to Bazens. 1 Du Bellay, ed. cit. , book ix. pp. 274, 275. 2 Julii Cczsaris Scaligeri, Poemata omnia, ed. 1621 ; Farrago, p. 162. XX TRAGICALL DISCOURSES It was not the first time that Agen had played an im- INTRO- portant part in the history of those connected movements DUCTION of which that called the Renaissance was merely the cul- Agen minating one. For from Agen had gone forth that monk Raymond, 1 afterwards Archbishop of Toledo, who was, Raymond, in the twelfth century, one of the chief promoters of the Archbishop study of the scientific works of Aristotle, and to whom Joannes Avendeath dedicated his translation of the ' Logic ' of Avicenna. To Agen, four centuries later, came J. C. J. C. Scaliger Scaliger, who first sought to re-establish the authority of Aristotle in the world of letters. He had already been living there for some years when Costanza Fregoso first took up her residence at the old episcopal palace near that city. Having met Bandello at Mantua, he became a regular visitor to Bazens ; and, notwithstanding his inordinate vanity, this genial, learned farceur seems soon to have won the affection of the lady of the chateau. Indeed, Scaliger, although a sexagenarian, professed himself to have fallen a victim to Costanza's beauty, and he sang the charms of his mature mistress in many a stilted verse. To her he dedicated his ' Thaumantia, 1 his ' Lacrymae,' his ( Nova Epigrammata, 1 and other of his works. Although Scaliger held in con- tempt all 'porci clerici,' he became strongly attached to Bandello. He not only wrote poetical panegyrics of the novelist : he also composed verses in honour of the ladies whom his Platonist friend had honoured with his love. In fact, during their years of companionship at Agen, the two 1 Francisco de Pisa, Historia de Toledo, Toledo, 1617, Primera Parte, lib. iv. cap. 3, p. 166. Charles Jourdain, Recherches sur les Traductions d'Aristote, Paris, 1843, p. 108. xxi INTRO- DUCTION Two aged amorists Bandello Bishop of Agen The recovery of the lost manuscripts Bandello's novels published The death of Bandello ' Vivete lieti! GEFFRAIE FENTON'S old men seem to have passed a considerable portion of their time in scribbling love-poems, the one in Latin, the other in Italian ; for at that time Bandello was busy preparing for the press his * Canti ' in praise of the divine Lucrezia, which were published at Agen in 1545. Five years later Bandello was raised to the episcopate. He accepted the see of Agen with the intention of holding it only until his pupil Ettore Fregoso was ready to take it, and most of his duties were performed by Jean Valier, bishop of Grasse. There is evidence, however, in the local archives l to show that Bandello really exercised his office, although for the most part he continued to live to himself and the Muses. Some time before he was made a bishop, Bandello had been gladdened by the almost miraculous recovery of the manuscripts which had been lost in the sack of Milan. Thus encouraged, he resumed the preparation of his novels for the press, and in 1554 the first three volumes of his collection were published by Busdrago of Lucca. The fourth and last volume did not see the light until twenty years later, long after the death of its author. Of the closing years of Bandello's life but little is known. He died about 1562, having resigned his see some years before in favour of Giano, the eldest son of his patron; and he was buried in the church of the Jacobins at Agen, at the foot of the high altar. The last words that he addressed to the public were, ' Live merry ! ' t Vivete lieti ! ' In those words he summed up a great part of his philosophy. i It is as curious that none of Bandello's many biographers have taken the trouble to consult the archives of the dtpartemtnt of Lot-et-Garonne, as that, with one single exception, they have all been content to copy down, without further inquiry, the marvellous blunders of Mazzuchelli. XX11 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES It was a fitting farewell speech from the lips of one who had INTRO- done so much to amuse his age. DUCTION III Much that is irrelevant and futile has been written in regard to the licentiousness of Bandello's tales and the profligacy of the generation for whom they were composed. It is well-nigh impossible for us to arrive at anything like a just and adequate judgment upon the moral state and acts of the men of a race and an age unlike our own. If it be ever desirable to attempt to do so, such a task should only be entered upon by one who has undergone a special training, and who has a certain rare habit of mind. Unfor- tunately the vast majority of modern pronouncements on subjects of this kind have been as worthless as they have been impertinent ; for they have been the utterances of men who, whilst possessing in some cases high literary gifts, have lacked the most necessary qualification for their self- conferred office. These so-confident judges have failed to realise that 'nothing man has projected from himself is ' really intelligible except at its own date, and from its ' proper point of view in the never-resting " secular process." ' They have shown themselves to be lacking in that ' historic ' sense, which, by an imaginative act, throws itself back ' into a world unlike one's own, 1 and estimates everything belonging to it ' in its connection with the age from which it proceeded.' Although Bandello's own defence of his stories is quite Bandello's clear, and up to a certain point reasonable enough, his con- defence tentions have been seriously misunderstood and misrepre- xxiii GEFFRAIE FENTON'S INTRO- sented. He had endeavoured, so he tells us, to write true DUCTION histories of events which had actually occurred, many of them within his own time. He had sought to make a per- manent addition to the materials of that science of human action of which every wise man is a student. He had described, he admits, ' unhonest and vicious deeds ' ; but, like Milton, he believed that ' the knowledge and survey ' of vice is, in this world, necessary to the constituting of ' human virtue.' Nay, more : although he had not, in most cases, composed his stories with any directly didactic purpose, but merely to amuse, yet in relating them he had, he con- tended, taken care to condemn vice and to uphold goodness to admiration ; he had always clearly pointed out the punish- ments that ultimately overtake the wicked, as well as the happiness and glory that are the sure reward of right conduct. The art of Whether Bandello succeeded in exercising a salutary Bandello moral influence upon the readers of his stories is, of course, an open question ; but there can be no doubt of his success in realising his literary aims. He gave to the world vivid pictures of social life, as it was at the very centre of in- tellectual and artistic progress in one of the most important epochs of human history. Bandello and In some not unimportant points he strongly resembles our first great English novelist. Like Defoe, after having been trained to fulfil the office of a preacher, he devoted some of his best energies to the composition of profane stories. Like Defoe, too, he occasionally showed, in his novels, a regrettable tendency to revert to his original vocation. Like Defoe, 'he was never gravelled for lack of matter, and had no nice ideas about manner.'' Both xxiv TRAGICALL DISCOURSES novelists had 'a natural infirmity of homely, plain writing/ INTRO- Both, too, in spite of many faults of style, had, in an AUCTION extraordinary measure, the power of imparting verisimi- Bandello's litude to a story. Such popularity as Bandello won for ' himself in his own country was almost entirely due to the possession of this quality. Living amongst a people who have always been so keenly alive to the importance of manner, he ever showed too little regard for it. His sentences were often awkward. His vocabulary was un- chastened. His whole mode of expression lacked grace and distinction. And yet he never fails to make the events he is describing appear real to the reader. His style had, as D'Ancona says, ' la grande efficacia representativa. 1 His success was largely due to his adherence to a line of Bandello and conduct which many distinguished critics in his own day ^ e P u " sts thought to be unjustifiable. He persisted in telling his stories in his own rough northern speech. 1 * I am not a ' Tuscan, 1 he says, ' but a Lombard, a descendant of the ' Ostrogoths. Were the Tuscan language natural to me, ' I would gladly use it, for I know it to be chaste and ' beautiful, but I cannot now attempt to use a language ' not my own. 1 With his friend Castiglione 2 he believed that a man who has anything to say will express it best in his own native tongue; and that out of it he will gather his own vocabulary, adding here and there strong and graceful words of foreign origin. Like him, too, he held that a language, if it is living, is perpetually changing, 1 Bandello, Novelle, Parte prima, Dedica ad Ippolita Sforza Bentivoglio ; ed. cit., vol. i. pp. 4, 5. Also Parte terza, II Bandello ai lettori ; ed. cit., vol. vii. p. 9. 2 Castiglione, II Cortegiano, Lettera dedicatoria, ii. d xxv GEFFRAIE FENTON'S INTRO- and that it is folly in a writer to heed too much the DUCTION censures of purists and pedants. So to the last he con- tinued to express himself in the Lombard idiom, and did not scruple to use the racy colloquialisms of the ordinary conversational speech of the day whenever it suited his purpose. IV Francois de Belleforest A protege of Queen Margaret Belleforest and Mon- taigne Amongst the literary coterie that Costanza Fregoso gathered round her at the castle of Bazens was to be found, no doubt, a young poet of the province, named Francois de Belleforest, a protege of her friend the Queen of Navarre. He was the son of a soldier of fortune, a man of noble family, who had died young, leaving his wife in straitened circumstances. She sought to give her boy a good education, and was much helped in her efforts by Queen Margaret. At the age of seven or eight years Fran9ois left home, and was nurtured in the royal palace. ' The tenth Muse ' inspired him with that love of novelle which clung to him throughout his life. To her influence, too, may be traced the intolerable prolixity of his style and his tiresome habit of moralising. His patroness destined the boy for the law; and he was sent, whilst still very young, to the famous college at Bordeaux, where he had for his teachers Muret and George Buchanan, and for one of his fellow-students a certain indolent youth who bore the name of Michel Eyquem de Montaigne. Like the young Montaigne, he subsequently became, a student at the great legal school of Toulouse. Whilst there he grew weary of the dryness of his legal studies, and, renouncing the idea of becoming a lawyer, he determined to devote xxvi TRAGICALL DISCOURSES himself to the profession of poetry. He was not without INTRO- certain valuable literary qualities, and, had he taken pains ] to improve himself in his art, he might have attained to a Belleforest respectable position as a maker of verses. But he was a vain, ^ self-satisfied youth, gifted with a fatal fluency of expression, poetry who spent his time in ladies' boudoirs, and was ready to believe all that his feminine admirers were pleased to say about his otiose productions. And so it happened that such natural gifts as he had remained undeveloped. He was, in fact, one of those unhappy beings who are without any power of self-criticism, and to whom the severer dis- cipline of the world's great school comes too late to be of any service. After quitting Toulouse, he wandered about from chateau to chateau in his native province, living, as his friend Du Verdier tells us, 1 ' parmi les delices de la noblesse, a courtiser 1 et faire des vers Francoises pour plaire aux dames et ' demoiselles.' It was during this period of his life that he resided at Agen, and acted as tutor in the household of a Belleforest certain M. de Nort, a staunch Catholic himself, but at the at head of a family which gave more than one champion to the Protestant cause. In the Histoires Tragiques he has left us a description of the city as it appeared to him at that time. 2 * It was, 1 he says, ' a veritable coupe-gorge, full of ' thievish financiers, voluptuous priests, and lewd young ' students of the law, who robbed women of their honour 1 Antoine du Verdier, Bibliotheque des Auteurs Franfois ; ed. de Rigoley dejuvigny, Paris, 1772-73; torn. iii. p. 608. 2 Belleforest, Histoires Tragiques, Rouen edition, 1604 ; torn. vi. pp. 204-6. xxvii INTRO- DUCTION Belleforest goes to Paris The Pleiad The Histoires Tragiques GEFFRAIE FENTON'S ' and the poor of the fruits of their labour, passing their 4 time in chambering and wantonness.' Tired at last of his wandering life, which brought him but little wealth, Belleforest determined if possible to win fame and fortune in the capital. When he reached Paris the constellation of the Pleiad was in the ascendant. The young Commingeois became a part of that nebula of minor stars that clustered round the seven greater lights of that galaxy of poets. He was admitted to the friendship of Ba'if and Dorat, as well as of Ronsard himself. Unfortun- ately, genius, if it be a disease, is not a zymotic one, and Belleforest could not succeed in imparting to his verses that subtle charm that characterised the work of his friends. He was, in fact, one of the poetasters of Ronsard's school described by Mr. Pater, in whom ' the grace of the master ' lapsed into affectation, his learning into pedantry, his 1 exotic fineness into a trick. 1 Like Ronsard, he was a zealous champion of Mary Queen of Scots ; and when, owing to a change of paymasters, George Buchanan from being her sycophant became her slanderer, 1 Belleforest defended the queen against 4 les calomnies faulces et impositions iniques' of his old tutor and hers. Belleforest's early prose writings met with a better recep- tion than his verse had done. The Histoires Tragiques passed, as has been said, through several editions, and was eagerly read throughout France. In the preparation of the i Belleforest, ' L'innocence de la tres illustre, tres chaste, et debonnaire Princesse, Madame Marie, Royne d'Ecosse,' Lyons, 1572 ; a reply to George Buchanan's ' Detection, ' published under the initials F. B. xxviii TRAGICALL DISCOURSES first volume, Belleforest had as collaborator the historian INTRO- Pierre Boistuau de Launay ; but out of the one hundred and DUCTION twenty-five novels of the complete collection, all but six were translated or written by Belleforest himself. His history of the nine kings of France who had borne the name of Charles the least inaccurate, and the most readable, too, of all his works gained for him the post of historic- Historio- grapher of France. grapher of France But though, for a time, fortune flattered him with delusive hopes, the success that he sought never came to him. His entire lack of the qualifications required to fill properly the office he held became patent to every one, and he was soon deposed from it. The later volumes, too, of the Histoires Belleforest's Tragiques did not have quite the same success as the fal1 earlier ones. Belleforest gradually sank lower and lower, until at last the petted darling of the ladies of Guienne, the friend of princes and nobles, became a mere publisher's hack, slaving away with pathetic perseverance to get bread for his household. Of such literary qualities as he had once possessed, the only one that survived was his extraordinary fecundity. He had, said one of his contemporaries, 'les moules a faire les livres. 1 He tried his hand at all kinds of literary work ; and, in the course of a few years, he pro- duced no less than eighty volumes, all equally devoid of distinction. He engaged in tuition to eke out his scanty literary earnings, and also made persistent efforts to secure the help and patronage of the wealthy and the great. With this end in view, he wrote fulsome eulogies of several persons holding high positions in the state. But the king and his courtiers turned a deaf ear to the appeals of the poor xxix GEFFRAIE FENTON'S INTRO- Commingeois poet. Charles may, as Mr. Pater believed, have DUCTION k een sincere in his reverence for literature; but, except in the case of Ronsard, he was never liberal in his treatment of literary men. 1 ' Les poetes,' he said, ' resembloient, en ' certaines choses, aux genets et autres genereux chevaux * qu'il fault nourrir sans engrosser, a fin qu'ils ne deviennent * pores.' Belleforest's position became more and more hope- less as he advanced in years. At length he was so hard driven by poverty, that he stole the fruits of another man's labour to sell it for bread : he was guilty of the most fla- grant plagiarism. By nature an honourable gentleman, this offence weighed upon his conscience, and on his death-bed he sent for Andre Thevet, the man whom he had injured, and, in the presence of witnesses, he earnestly begged his forgiveness. To the end of his life he remained loyal to his affection for novelle. Excepting his verse, it was the only literary work that he did con amore. His seven volumes of His- toires Tragiques contained some novels entirely by his own hand ; and in those that were professedly translations he by no means literally adhered to the original. These tales of his were no mere hack-work. He had his own views as to how a story ought to be told, and he sought with much effort to realise his artistic ideal. Unfortunately that ideal was an utterly false one, and he shamefully marred some of Bandello's best tales. Belleforest had a very poor opinion of the bishop's style, which was much too direct, simple, and unadorned for the courtier-poet. He 1 Belleforest, Les Chroniques et Annales de France; ed. Paris, 1600, p. 648. XXX The Histoires Tragiques Belleforest's style TRAGICALL DISCOURSES therefore set to work to ' embellish ' the novelle by inserting INTRO- classical allusions, and similes taken from natural history; DUCTION by introducing here and there an inane poem or a turgid speech ; by besprinkling all the text with precious phrases. Moreover, being, like his first patroness, a most intoler- able prig, he was fond of interrupting the narrative to deliver himself of trite little aphorisms and moral commonplaces. Thus, a brisk, amusing story he sometimes transformed into a tediously dull one by his impertinent embellishments. Nevertheless, so strong, and so universal, was the passion for novelle, that his Histoires Tragiques became widely popular, notwithstanding his faults as a narrator. V The early volumes of Belleforest's translations happened Geoffrey to fall into the hands of a young Englishman, Geoffrey Fenton Fenton, a kinsman, it is said, of the Dudleys and the Cecils, who for a time was resident in Paris. It is probable that he had come to France in the train of that lover of Italian culture, Sir Thomas Hoby, whose career as an ambassador was cut short by death in the autumn of 1566. Fenton came of an old Nottinghamshire family, of no great wealth though with powerful connections; and, like many young men of his class, he left his ancestral home to follow the career of a soldier of fortune. Of his early history but little is known. It has been asserted, and with some show of reason, that, in his youth, he visited the Court of Spain and some of the great Italian cities. At any rate, in the year 1567 we find him living in Paris, an eager student of the Fenton in literatures of France and Italy. And it was whilst he was Paris xxxi GEFFRAIE FENTON'S INTRO- residing there that he spent some of his ' voyed hours ' in DUCTION * forcynge certeyne Tragicall Discourses oute of theyr French The Tragicall ' tearmes into our Englishe phrase. 1 There were strong practical reasons which led Fenton, at the age of twenty-eight, to devote himself to literature. Having wandered in his youth 'in the laborinth of sensualitie," he had by that time ' founde the falte ' of his own life. He had broken, at last, ' the slepe of his longe follye," 1 and had * retired to amendment of lyfe.' Ambitious and hopeful in spite of present misfortune, he determined to obtain for himself a position in the world, and took for his own the confident motto, 4 Mon heur viendra.' He was shrewd enough to see that any well-bred and comely young man, possessed of ability and judgment, might hope to win the smiles of the queen ; and that literary success was one of the surest avenues to her favour. To literature, therefore, he determined to devote himself; and, with excellent judgment, he dedicated this his first book to one of Elizabeth's most The Lady intimate friends, a lady who had lost her beauty through Mary Sidney h er devotion to her sovereign, the mother of that Astrophel who was * the President of all nobleness and chevalree.' Twelve years later, when the goal which he had striven to reach was then looming near, when he was, as it were, almost on the threshold of the royal chamber, and was about to be admitted to his sovereign's closest confidence, he dedicated his crowning work, his translation of Guicciardini's Storia The Queen tfltalia, to Elizabeth herself. In the preface to the Tragicall Discourses, as well as in several of the interpolations in the text of them, he tells us of the many troubles that pressed upon him in his early manhood. He bewails ' the mobilitie xxxii TRAGICALL DISCOURSES of fortune' and his own penuriousness. He complains of INTRO- the fickleness of some 'light, inconstant dame' who, 'for AUCTION ' the respect of present pleasure, was unmindful of her ' absent frende.' Yet more bitterly does he upbraid his own kinsmen for their heartless neglect of him. ' Frendes Fenton ' nowe a dayes,' he exclaims, * resemble the raven or hungry n eglecte 7 J J his kinsmen ' kyte, who never flyeth but towardes the place where they ' hope to fynde some thinge to praye upon. So the frendes ' of our age be fled so far from the virtue of true frendshipp, ' that they will not onely refuse to restore hym whome God ' and nature hath bounde them to susteine, but also make ' no conscience to disclaim the name of a kinsman to the ' nearest allye they have, and that without any cause, on- ' lesse you will impute it to the want of equall welthe.' His own experience, he tells us, moves him ' to make a chalenge ' to some in England ; and he wishes that ' his power were as indifferent to pleade ' with the chief offender as he has 'juste reason to put hym in remembraunce of his fault.' For Fenton the years that followed the publication of the Tragicall Discourses were full of literary effort. Besides Fenton's translating some theological treatises, in which he displayed otlier w <> rks the vigour of his Protestantism, he published, in 1572, a monstrously dull book, a translation from the French, entitled ' Monophylo, a philosophical discourse and division of love, 1 as well as another volume, which consisted of a collection of passages taken chiefly from Guevara's works, and to which he gave the title of Golden Epistles. His last literary performance was that translation of Guicciardini's History of which mention has already been made. Fenton was now no longer without powerful patrons. e xxxiii INTRO- DUCTION Fenton deserts literature for politics Fenton appointed Secretary in Ireland Spenser GEFFRAIE FENTON'S His kinsmen had ceased to treat him with coldness ; and, although his twelve years of work as an author and trans- lator had brought him but little wealth, he had won for himself many friends who were willing to use their influence on his behalf. Sir Henry Sidney and his wife, the learned Lady Hoby, Walsingham and Pelham, his brother Edward and the great Burghley all in some way or other lent him their aid. But more than that, he had succeeded in gaining the confidence of the queen herself. And now, having used literature as a means to win royal favour and to obtain for himself a position in the world, when he had attained his object, like a successful parvenu he kicked down the ladder by which he had risen. He turned his back upon author- ship, and devoted his undivided energies to the more profit- able trade in which his friends and kinsmen had found him employment. It was in the summer of 1580 that Fenton, 1 through the intervention on his behalf of Burghley and Walsingham, obtained the post of Secretary to the new Lord Deputy of Ireland, Lord Grey de Wilton. In the train of Lord Grey there was another, and more distinguished, servant of the Muses, Edmund Spenser, who, in his great work, has left us allegorical representations of some of the Englishmen who held office in Ireland in his own day. How near to the truth are these ideal portraits of Ireland's rulers he can best estimate who knows the stories of their glorious deeds as told by some of the heroes who shared in them. Only i The details of Fenton's political life are to be found in the Calendar of State Papers, Ireland, the Carew Papers, and the Lismore Papers, second series, ed. by Rev. A. B. Grosart. xxxiv TRAGICALL DISCOURSES one who has patiently read through the Irish State Papers INTRO- can realise fully how unlike to the gentle knights of DUCTION Spenser's allegory were these cruel, squalid place-hunters Ireland's who battened on the wretched Irish ; how far removed were . . .-, these mercenary sycophants from the Arthegalls and Sir century Guyons of the Faerie Queene. Their own letters and despatches reveal to the full their cruelty, their falsity, their meanness. In them we see the fiendish delight taken by such brave gentlemen as Captain Thomas Woodhouse and Sir Richard Bingham in the butchery of half-armed, starving men and helpless women and children. 1 We see honourable personages continually employed in secretly traducing rival sycophants, and in sending private accusa- tions against their colleagues to the queen's ministers in England. Friend betrays friend ; comrade spies on com- rade : almost any one of the rascal crew is ready to sell his soul for a piece of gold. Their lust for loot is insatiable. Each one of them is continually begging for wardships, con- fiscations, and sequestrated parsonages. And how wildly they rage when one of the pack, stronger or more cunning than the rest, carries off some quarry before their eyes ! The best that can be said for Fenton is, that he did not sink quite so low as some of his rivals. To him, as to the rest, notwithstanding all his high-sounding phrases, the pursuit of politics was primarily a metier. But, hireling as he was, he was neither lacking in gratitude, nor in a certain kind of i Calendar of State Papers, Ireland, 1586-8, Sept. 29, 1586, Woodhouse to Fenton; also in same vol., Byngham's discourse to Burghley, Oct. 6, 1586; and a letter of Sir William Herbert's, Oct. 20, 1588. See also the Burkes' ' complaints,' in the next volume, Nov. 20, 1 589. XXXV Fenton wins the queen's confidence GEFFRAIE FENTON'S INTRO- loyalty to his employer. He was intelligent enough, too, to DUCTION S ee that whilst an impostor might, for a time, obtain the Elizabeth favour of the queen by pandering to her vanity or her amorousness, such triumphs were but short-lived. Her keen intuitiveness, her thorough knowledge of human nature, and, above all, her masculine common-sense, prevented her from being long the dupe of a deceiver. He therefore set to work to establish himself in her confidence ; and he was so far successful, that in the end the queen came to trust to him as the most reliable source of information in regard to Irish affairs. ' Whoever was Lord Deputy in Ireland, 1 says one of his biographers, 'he continued to be Elizabeth's * counsellor there ; as a man upon whom she depended, from ' whom she took her notions of the state of affairs, whose ' credit was not to be shaken by the artifices of any faction ' whatever.' His position was indeed a powerful one ; but it is difficult to see how any honourable gentleman could have played the part that he did for nigh upon three An informer decades. Throughout this time it was his practice to keep a close watch upon the actions of his colleagues and pro- fessed friends, and to send secret information of their con- duct to his sovereign and her chief ministers. He was about their path continually, and spied out all their ways. Their hasty words, their slightest omissions of duty, their petty peculations, were all noted down by her Majesty's * faithful servitor,' and were reported to her or her chief ministers. 'He was,' said his contemporaries, 'a moth in the garment,' ' a flee in the bed,' of all the lord deputies of that time. By no means a precisian in his own practice, he was, like many of his school, extremely censorious of the xxxvi TRAGICALL DISCOURSES conduct of others, and did not use with moderation and INTRO- charity the extraordinary powers which he possessed. Con- DUCTION sequently, although he was discreet and secret in his manner of communicating information to the Court, men soon began to suspect him, and he came, ultimately, to be more deeply Hatred of and universally hated than any other officer of the queen Fenton in Ireland. But although his enemies were ceaselessly at work, they were unable to deprive him of his unique position, and twice only did they succeed in winning even a temporary advantage over him. Fenton's first reverse occurred in 1587. Teuton's first In January of that year, Sir John Perrot, knowing that P ei d f ' malicious tongues ' were continually speaking evil of him to those in authority, in his eagerness for revenge was guilty of an act of injustice which caused Fenton some humiliation and suffering. The Lord Deputy caused his enemy to be arrested, carried through the streets of Dublin on a market- day, and thrust into the common gaol. The queen took up the case of her servant, ordered her hot-headed brother to release Fenton immediately, and bade him forbear that hard kind of proceeding in like case thereafter. From that time until the end of the reign, Fenton's power remained unim- paired. The queen herself wrote to him some years later, saying that it was in him that she reposed her trust * to receave her privatest dispatches. 1 But after her death his enemies had an opportunity which Fenton's they did not fail to take advantage of. Full of insular pre- second P eriod ... . _ _ ofhumilia- judices, hating and despising both French and Spaniards, Italians and Irish, Fenton, in his official communications, had been especially bitter in his abuse of the Scots. ' They xxxvii GEFFRAIE FENTON'S INTRO- ' are,' he declared, 'a needy and beggarly race, and full of DUCTION ' treachery.' He was averse to introducing them into Ulster to supplant the rebel Irish. ' Dogs,' said he, ' will not eat dogs' flesh.' Towards the close of the queen's reign, he wrote more than once to Cecil denouncing James himself as a treacherous ally, alleging that he secretly endeavoured to keep Ireland in sedition, that he was in league both with the rebels and with Spain, and that all ' his fair semblances to her Majesty' were but 'Scottish dissimulation.' It was therefore only natural that when James came to the throne the Secretary was fearful that he might lose his position. Of his colleagues in Ireland, as many as could get away hurried across the Channel, laden with all the money they could scrape together, and full of slanderous tales of each other, to bribe and lie their way into royal favour. Those who, perforce, had to remain behind paid some friend or patron to look after their interests at Court. From the highest to the lowest, as Fenton himself admitted, they * were ' diligent to send out to seek the star risen in the North, and 4 to carry myrrh and frankincense to it ; every one seeking a 1 St. Peter to lead him to Christ.' Fenton professed to Cecil that he 'reposed only on him to give him way to his Majesty's good opinion and favour ' ; but at the same time he sent over his servant to buy the support of other power- ful courtiers. His emissary managed the matter badly. According to Fenton, he sought aid from the wrong persons, and ' followed the vanity of his own mind,' instead of adher- ing closely to his instructions. In short, his mission was entirely unsuccessful. Cecil, moreover, seems to have taken umbrage at the xxxviii TRAGICALL DISCOURSES Irish Secretary's double-dealing. At any rate, he thought INTRO- that it would be unwise to show too great favour to one DUCT I ON who had said so many bitter things about the Scots king ; and consequently he did not exert himself on his friend's behalf when Fenton's enemies, seeing their opportunity, endeavoured to get him deposed from his office. In writing at this time to his son-in-law Robert Boyle, Fenton says that ' had he had more of worldlye meanes he might have . . . kept his position intact.' But as he had not sufficient of 'this wicked transitory trash' to bribe effectively, his traducers gained a partial victory over him. He was compelled to share his office of Secretary with Sir Richard Coke. For some time the old man continued to address piteous appeals to Cecil to help him to regain his former position. He reminded him of his long years of faithful service. In order to disprove the charges of peculation and bribe- taking that were persistently directed against him, he sent the Minister c a true collection of all his worldly estates in England and Ireland.' He said that he had 'always honoured and followed Cecil with an upright heart,' and besought him not to allow him * to be so unworthily over- ' thrown, through the malice of his enemies, in his aged ' years.' He told him that he was ready again to play his old part, and to keep Cecil and the king privately informed as to the true state of affairs in Ireland. For a long time his petitions were unanswered ; but in the Fenton re- end he received the reward of his importunity. In 1604 stored to his his office was regranted to him for life; and a few years later we find Salisbury writing to his ' verie loving friend ' xxxix period of moderation GEFFRAIE FENTON'S INTRO- in the old intimate strain, and telling him that whatever DUCTION 'information he should at any time imparte, touching his ' Majesty's service, should be used in the way he desired.' To the last, Fenton adhered to the principles he gave expression to in the Tragicall Discourses. To the last he advocated repressive measures against the * dyabolicall secte of Rome.' In his despatches from Ireland he laments the want of a rack in England, and advocates the torturing of Irish prisoners. Like all fanatics, he believed at heart that the end justifies the means, and we find him urging Cecil to employ ' underhand means ' for removing troublesome chief- Fenton's brief tains, such as Florence MacCarthy Mor. Nevertheless, there was a time when even Fenton was dimly conscious of the folly and wickedness of the English rule. We find him telling Cecil, in 1596, that the sores of Ireland are too far gone to be cured with sharp medicines. We find him condemning 'the unworthy looseness of the soldiery,' and touched by 'the pitiful cry of the starving people.' He recognises that without ' framing the Irish first to love her Majesty ' and her government, it was ' vain to expect that they would preserve in duty and affection.' 'Force,' he declares, ' is no remedy. It hath done no good these three years.' He recommends some milder way of pacification. For the time he stands out in shining contrast to blood- thirsty ministers of the gospel, such as Loftus, Daniel, and Lyon, who were continually imploring the government to draw the sword on this rebellious and stiff-necked people who would not, in spite of fines and imprisonments, come to Protestant conventicles to hear the Word of God preached. But the improvement was only momentary, xl Force no remedy TRAGICALL DISCOURSES After the failure of the negotiations with Tyrone in 1597 INTRO- and 1598, Fenton hardened his heart again. He was dis- DUCTION gusted at the ' arrogance ' of the Irish leader in daring to Fenton ask that the people might have * liberty of conscience.' He heart a commonly the hartes of suche as hee fyndes ydle and leaste occupyed with vertue. Ah ! spiteful disdayne of kynred, and unnaturall malice of a brother ! In what sorte have I de- served this harde pennance at thy hande, to depryve me of the thinge wherin I tooke moste pleasure ? Wherein hath the curteyse Livio offended the ; if not that his honestie excedes thy rude disposition, and vertue giveth cause of shame to thy wicked will ? Or, peradventure, thou disdainest his just merit; for that he is better favored in al companies 118 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES then thyselfe ? And is it reason that thy consente confirme DISCOURSE my affection ? Why sholde my advancement depende uppon II thy good will ; or the choice of my husbande aske councell of thy consente ? Shall I be subjecte to hym who hathe no authority e over me but by an encrochement of yeres, for that he is the eldest son of my father ? Hathe he any pryviledge that waye to govern my will, or geve lawes to my fancie ? Nothinge lesse : for my father hath alreadie paste iti accorde betwene Livio and me. But you wyll saye, peradventure, " under a condicion." A simple article, I con- fesse ; whiche also is of no force, if the partie bee voide of pretence or prejudice. And wherin shall it be prejudiciall or proffitable to him, if Livio be my husbande ? Seinge it belongeth to my father to depart with my dowery and por- cion of mariage, and my husbande to dispose it without interuption, so longe as hee is a member of lyfe. What weakenes is this in a father to be governed whollye by the breath of his son (whose unjuste malice, rather then argument of reason, makes him renounce the worde of his honour) in a case touchinge the quiett and consolacion of her who ought to be no lesse deare unto him then her tyrannouse brother ; who, when he hath exposed the uttermoste effecte of his spite, and that I am to be bestowed in an other place by his appointment, it shall appeare whether his commaunde- mente be as currante over mee then as his malice rageth without measure or reason at this present ; protestinge by the height of the heavens that none other then hee to whom I have pawned my faieth, shall enjoye the chaste acquaint- ance of th 1 infortunat Camilla ? No ! Livio is myne, what wrong so ever they do to our vertuese love, whiche so longe as I live shal be indyssoluble in me ; beinge redye, withall, to refuce no thinge that may advance the consommacion of the mariage betwene me and him, without whom I fele an ympossibylitie to live. 1 Wherewith her passion grewe to suche a vehemencie, that her laste wordes ended with the course of longer breathe ; in such sorte that shee slyded soddainly from the seat wher she sate, and fell grovelinge uppon the ground, resigning with a dollorous skryke the use of vitall ayre. Albeit the expedition of diligence in her 119 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE woman procured with much ado a retorne of life ; and with II such consolacion and offer of hope as shee colde preferre, shee won her to go to bedde ; where, albeit the viewe of the wronge and discurtesye of her brother seamed for a tyme to staie the course of sleepe, yet in the often repeticion of her sorowes appeared a litle of quiette, whiche closed her eyes, and cast her into a slomber, wherin she seamed to beholde standinge afore her th' ymage of her Livio, halfe deade, em- brasing her with a pale and hydeous regarde ; which forced her to suche a feare, that she brake soddainely oute of her dredefull sleape, spendinge the reste of the wearye nighte in pytifull complaintes. Wherin certeinly she had raison ; for that in that dreame, or rather misticall vision, was fygured the desaster whiche not longe after overwhelmed theim both. Neyther oughte wee to fynde it strang if th 1 apprehensions appearing in our slepe do geve us warninge of the good or evill happeninge unto us ; for that wee have certeine recordes which justefye the same in the person of Brutus one, Brutus, hee whiche was vanquished in the feldes of warned of his Pharsalemo (whether he were awake or in the depthe of his oyerthrowem sleepe) seamed to see in his tente a terrible shappe of a certaine sprite pronouncinge his overthrow. Besides th' authorytie of naturall reason movethe us to confesse that, as the ympression of a greate feare, or longinge desyer of any- thinge, do presente often tymes aifore the eyes of our mynde (the bodie beinge in reste) the ymage of that whiche we love or feare ; so also the sprit that is voyde of passion, or at point to fall into some perilous accident, encountreth com- monly in his sleape the thinge which hee wisheth not to happen, and abhorreth to remember when his eyes have dis- missed the drowsy humour of slepe. For Camilla desiered nothinge lesse then the death of her Lyvio ; and yet, not longe after the presage or forewarn inge of her dreadefull vysion, she only witnessed the effect, assistinge his funeral with her presence in the tombe, as wel as she was willynge to admit his companie in the secret bedd of their infortunat mariage. Livio, for his part, was not voide of passion on the behalfe of the frowarde successe of his busynes. Albeit, seinge he colde no way bribe the good will of fortune, hee 120 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES resolved to geve place to her presente malice, and in attend- DISCOURSE ing the benefytt of a better tyme, to practise Claudio by II circumstance and mediation of his neare frendes. Albeit, felinge in the meanwhile an intolleracion of love, with con- tynuall increase of desier to coll the flower of his affection, and taste of the pleasant jewyste of the grape which quencheth the thirste of the loyall lover, he ymparted his paine and request to his ladye, in a letter of this substance : ' Seinge there is no justice, good ladye, to supporte the con- Lyvyo writeth sent to your owne disquiet, and suffer me to lyve in passion to Camilla, without comparaison, methinke you do wronge to th' indif- frent contentment of us both. For if you desyer my death, you nede use no other minister for fatall execution then the alarams of dollor which I encounter daily by your meanes ; but if you have care of my quiett, and greve no lesse with th 1 imposicion of my mortal torment, why make you suche conscience to yelde me consideration of the honeste zeale I beare you, seing the same dothe also ymporte a speciall con- tentment to yourselfe ? You knowe what is alredie passed betwene us ; neyther are you ignorante of the small respect your parentes use towardes you. Wherwyth, if the mutuall consente conclude the mariage, you ought also to under- stande, that, neyther the tyrannye of the one, nor wante of corage in the other, hath power to wythholde you from that which you are bound to performe, nor hinder me to enjoye the benefyt of my desert. Wherin I appeale to the torch of your conscience, with request to consider in what sort you will advise mee, to th' ende that, by th' assistance of your councell, I maye the better carye over the greatnes of my extremetie ; which, as it is divided into spedie releefe or presente dispaire ; so, seinge I am of force to passe by the one, I doubt of which of the two to make my moste proffyt. For, albeit the firste hath power to performe the full of my felycity ; yet, in attendinge th 1 effect, I consume in a flame of burning desyer. And the other, if it ymporte a present abridgment of my tormente by untymely deathe, yet in the verye acte consists a spot of dishonour to myselfe, and an everlastinge surname of crueltie to her in whose ballance waigheth th'indyffrent Q 121 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE sentence of the lyfe or deathe of the moste desolate and II loyall LIVID.' Camilla whyche desired nothing lesse then to delay the desire of her servant, for that herselfe labored of the same disease retorned the messengier with no other aunswer then that, at after dinner, she would visitt Cornelia ; when, also, shee wold satisfie his maister by mouth, for that she feared the subteltie of her brother wolde intercepte her letters. Where with th' infortunat Livio, not knowyng the thred of mischiefe which Fortune was now spynnynge for him, entred into such solace that the chamber wherein he walked seamed to litle to conteine hys present gladnes ; the rather for that he ymagined that hys mistresse woulde now dismysse all excuses and impedimentes to th' effect of hys longe desyer, seynge there wanted nothynge to consommate the mariage, but solemne publicacion. In whiche passion of joye, he sup- plied the tyme in attendinge the commynge of his ladye The propertie with singynge and softe musicke ; accordyng to the nature of the swan o f the swan, who, the nearer she draweth to the ende of her >emge neare d es ti n y, the pleasanter note she synges, bathinge and prun- inge herselfe in the purest streame she can fynde, to th 1 ende to do honor to her funerall fate. And as he ymagined thus to be at the point to arrive in the subburb of his paradise, behold ! the approche of the goddesse of his devocion and deare mistres Camilla, with her chambriere, who, as she was alredye privye to the whole practise, so she used her com- panie nowe to avoyde suspicion, imparting the same to Livio, to th' ende he nede not distruste her presence, yf by chaunce they entred into parley touchynge any secret matche where neded not th 1 assistance of manye wytnesses. And being thus in armes together, God knoweth if anye sorte of kysses or other follies in love were forgotten ! Wherin, as it is a common experience that neither bytt nor bridle is hable to governe the furye of love when we be at point to enjoye the pleasures we desyer, so there appered suche an indifferent vehemencie of appetit betwen theim, that at th' instant they made plat or begynnyng of that whiche the same evenynge gave ende to the pleasure and lyfe of 122 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES theym both. Wherof, Camilla, as more hoate in desyer, or DISCOURSE lesse hable to beare the burden of her burnyng affection, pre- n vented the request of Lyvio, and made plaine the first entrey and path to both their mishappes, saying that, ' for as much as our consentes have concluded a mariage, and that in the breache of our promisse appeareth a perentory prejudice to our consciences, that we seale th" 1 articles of the contract wyth a full consommacion of the secret ceremonies in mariage ; bothe to take awaye all occasion of offence, and also to mortifye the malice of my brother, maugre his harte. Wherin, 1 sayth she, ' beinge fully persuaded of youre con- sente to my proposition, and for that in cases of love delayes Delaies be and longe consultation bee hurtefull, and sturre up causes of hurtefull in displeasure to the hartes of suche as be striken with the same cases of love * disease wherof the contrary e, the reste of oure humaine affaires require a maturitie of councel, to th 1 ende the suc- cesse may aunswer the expectation of the parties so I wishe you to attende the benefyt of time this evenynge : I meane, at the hower of supper, when men are gyven leaste to suspi- cion, you faile not to come in as secret maner as you can to the gardeine gate, wher my woman shal be readye to con- veighe you into my chamber, to th 1 ende we maye there take advise of that which we have to do. 1 Wherunto Livio was not curious in consent, and lesse unmindeful to yelde her the choice of a thousande thankes for offringe the priviledge which he doubted to demaunde ; givynge her assuraunce to use suche exact wisdome in the conveyghe of so secret a misterie, that Argus himselfe, if he were upon earth, shold not descrye his comming, and much lesse any be pryvye to the daunce but such as performed the rounde. Wherin he was not deceaved; for as he was the firste, so shee failed hym not at the cloase, and bothe theyr miseries of equall qualitie in the ende. Like as it happenethe often times that those amarous bargaines redoundes to the harmes of suche as bee the parties; who, albeit, do alledge a certaine respect of honestie in theyr doinges by pretence of mariage, yet God, beinge the judge of their offence, will not suffer the wronge to the obedience of their parentes in concludyng privye con- tractes unpunished, and that wyth suche a penaunce as the 123 DISCOURSE II The kinge of the Huues died in the excesse of pleasure with his wife the firste nighte of their mariage. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S remembrance is notorious in all ages. But now to our Livio, who, neyther unmindeful of the hower, and lesse for- getfull to kepe appointement, attyreth himselfe for the pur- pose in a nighte gowne girt to hym, with a paire of shoes of felte, leaste the noyse of his feete shoulde discover his goinge; and, for a more honor of his mistres, he forgat not his per- fumed shyrte, spidered with curious braunches accordinge the fansie of his ladye, with his wrought coyffe poudred with diverse drogues of delicat smell. Wherewith, he stealeth in as secret maner as hee can to the gate of ap- pointement, where he founde the guide of his love ; whome hee embrased, as well for the service he founde in her, as also in that she resembled the beautye of his mistres Camylla, who, after she had taken her nightes leave of her father and brother, with search that every man was in his place of reste, retireth to her chamber with such devocion as commonly they thatfynde themselves in semblable j orneye to worke th 1 effect of such like desir ; where, encountering her infortunat servant, it was concluded to imploye no time in vayne rever- ence or idle ceremonies, but in a moment they entred their fatal bed together ; where, after certaine amarous threates, and other folyes in love (servyng as a preamble to the part they ment to playe) Livio entred into the unhappye pageant of his fatal and last pleasure. Wherin he chaffed himselfe so in his harnesse, and was so greedie to cooll the firste flower of the virginitie of his Camilla, that, whether the passion of joye prevailynge above the force of the hart, and th 1 inner partes, smothered with heate, coulde not assiste th' enterprise accordynge to their office, or that he exceded nature in surfettinge upon his pleasant banquet, he founde himselfe so sharplye assayled wyth shortnes of breath, that his vitall forces began to faile him in the middest of the combat. Like as not longe since it happened to Attalus, the cruell king of the Hunes; who, in the firste nighte of his infortunat mariage in Hungarye, enforced himself to so greate a corage in the pleasaunt encounter wyth hys newe wyfe, that hys dead bodye (founde in her armes the nexte mornynge) witnessed his excesse and glottenouse appetitin the skirmishe of love. Whyche also myghte bee the bane of thys 124 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES Livio; who, respectynge no measure in drinkynge of the DISCOURSE delicat wyne, no more then yf it had bene but one banquet II dressed for hym in the whole course of his lyfe, was so over charged with desyre in that pleasaunt skirmishe, that the conduites of lyfe, stoppynge uppon a soddaine, barred to adde fourther strengthe to hys gredye appetyt. Where- uppon, he became without mocion or feelinge in the armes of Camylla ; who, feelynge hym without sence, and that he Livyo died seamed more heavy and rude uppon her then affore, dowted of the like, in a trothe; wherin, also, she was fully satisfyed by the lyght of *e armes of j.i ji u- i! u j u i. u x u his Camilla, the candle, which she caused her chambenere to brmge to the bedde syde; where, vewynge the dead bodye of him whom she loved no lesse then herself, and judgyng the cause as yt was in deede, entred ymedyatly into suche a mortall passion of dollour, that, albeyt she woulde have exposed some woordes of compassion on the behalfe of the pyte- full accident, yet, feelyng a generall dymynucion of force thorowe all her partes by th 1 ynundacion or waves of soddaine sorowe, she founde her tonge not hable to supplye the desyer of her hart, whych, wyth the consent of the reste, loathynge the use of longer lyf, resigned her borowed tearme to the fates ; fallynge at th 1 instant without sence or feelynge uppon the dead body of hym whom shee accompted a dutie to accompanie in the other worlde, as well as she delyted in hys presence durynge their mutuall aboade in thys miserable valey. A happye kynde of deathe, yf wee had not to consyder the perill whyche attendes suche wretches as, having no meane to performe th' effect of their pleasure but by unlafull stealthe, are so franke for the shortnes of their tyme, that, in satisfynge the glot of their gredye appetit, they make no conscience to sacrifise ther owne lyfe. But yf wee passe furthe in the viewe of these offences, we shall fynde a derogacion of the honour and integretye of the mynde, with a manifest prejudice and hazarde to the healthe of the sowle : whyche makes me of opinion, that yt is the most miserable ende that maye happen to manne ; the rather for that the chyefest thynge whyche is regarded in the pursuet of that enterprise, is to obeye the sommance of a bestely and unbridled luste of the fleshe. Wherein I wishe oure frantike 125 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE lovers, whoe (makynge contemplacion uppon causes of love) II accomptes yt a vertue to ende their lyves in thys lascivius bonde of pryvye contract, to refrayne that whyche is so in- different hurtefull bothe to the sowle and body ; seynge theire death is not onelye without argument of desperation, but also their sowles moste sewer to receive the guerdon of civil morder; whyche we oughte to feare and eschewe as neare as wee can, afore the sequestration of the earthelye substance from the part of divinitie whych wee partycipat with God. And what contentement or glorye soever they reappose in thys monstrous abrydgement of nature, repre- hendynge theym of desloyaltie whyche do the contrarye, yet their acte merites none other name then the title of brutalitie ; neyther can I thinke but their opynion is guided by some sprite or humor of frantyke folly e. Lyke as yt is not the part of a Christian (as the Appostle affirmeth) to prefer the fyckle pleasures of the flesh, whych are of shorter moment then the though tes of a man, afore the feare of God, recke of our life, and care to present our sowles without spot afore the troane of mercie in the daye of generall accompte, when all thoughtes shal bee deciphered and no falte unpunyshed. The poore girle-of-the-chamber to the dead Camilla, seynge thys fatall misterye, wyth the distresse she was in for that she was a companion of the conspiracye, thinkyng to give ende and playe the laste acte of the tragedye, serched about the chamber for some glave, or sword, or other thinge apte to make the minister of her blody intent. And, being deceaved that way, she had no other meane to playe doble or quit, but with impetuosity of dollor. Wherein, she raged with such dolefull skryches, that the brute of her complaint awaked the whole house. Whereof, the firste that entred the chamber of funeralles was the tyraunt Claudio ; whoa, albeyt was trT only cause of this dolorous massacre, yet, in place of confessyng his falte, or yelding sorow to the losse of such ii loiall lovers, he grewe in more rage by the viewe of the dead body of Livio. Whereof, as he would willingly have committed a newe morder, saving that he sawe him without respiration are argument of lyfe, so, his anger being torned into wodnes, and rage into furye, 126 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES he wreaked his collor upon the poore girle ; to whome he DISCOURSE gave iii or iiii estockados with hys dagger thorowe the bodye, n and slonge ymediatlye oute of the chamber, to the greate amaze and terrour of hys unfortunat father, who, seynge hys house full of morders, and hys sonne committed oppen slaughter in the person of the innocent gyrle, coulde not so governe his passion of dolour but he seamed more ready to passe that waye then desyrous to enjoy longer life. Albeit, beyng kepte from doynge force agaynst himselfe by certaine hys servantes that were there, he uttered som part of hys inwaerde gref by open exclamation agaynst hys owne mis- fortune, inveighynge chyeflye agaynst the inordinat will of hys daughter, with advise to all fathers to kepe a steddye ey uppon their slypprye youthe. Wherein, he commended unto theym the example of hys owne follye in favouryng so much the fonde appetit of hys daughter that he gave leave to her libertye to excede the viewe or persewte of his eye ; accusyinge chieflie the impedyment he gave to the mariage, seyinge that in the same appeared the perentory ruin of hys house, continuall desolation to hys olde yeres, and in the ende to leave hys goodes and lyvynge to straungers for want of an heire of his bodye. For that, havynge but ii children, the one was already dead, and the other no lesse worthe, by the mortall violence he had used upon the innocencie of the mayd ; who, after that surgeants had somwhat stayed the bledyng of her woundes, con- fessed the contract and circumstance of the love, whereof you have harde a particular declaracion. Whiche rather encreased the dule of th 1 olde man then gave moderacion to his sorowe ; whyche, notwithstandynge, by the perswacions of hys neighbours, and constraint of necessity (whych as a vertue giveth pacience perforce to all extremeties) he dys- missed in outeward showe, and disposed hymself to the funerall obsequies in as solemne manner as he cold ; erect- ynge a tombe of marble in Sainct Francys' churche, wherin were shryned the bodies of the ii lovers, as dead at one time and by one occasion, to the greate regreat of the whole towne : wherein, everye one was so indifferentlye passioned wyth sorowe, that a man should hardly have hard any other 127 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES DISCOURSE tunes then publike exclamacion against the crueltie of II Claudio. By whyche generall complaint, together with the depositions of the mayde (who dyed within three dayes after her hurtes), Dom Ramyro Catalano, governor of Cesenna under Cesar Borgia, began to enter into tearmes of compas- sion of the behalfe of the ii dead lovers and mortall anger against Claudio ; for that his cruelty was the cause of the death of the ii only flowers and peragons in Italy. Wherin, he purseued so vehemently the rigour of his office and equity of justice that Claudyo lost his head secretly within the castel, for feare of mutine or tumulte of his frendes. This was the miserable ende of the love and lif of the ii Sisennois; wose death and discorse of amarous traffique, for that it doth not exced the remembrance of our time, I have presented as a familiar example affore the eyes of our youth, to th" ende that every one, respecting the duty of his own indevor, may use the misery of this precedent as a paterne to prevent the like myschief in themselves. Wherin, also, as we may note that love is but a rage or humor of frantike follye, derived of ourselves, and converted to our owne harme by th 1 indiscrecion that is in us, so the nexte remedy to withstand that furye is to encounter him under th' enseigne of raison, and flee the occasions whyche weaken the mynde wythout travell and bringe the bodye in the ende to the theatrye of execution. Wee are also warned here to temper the delites wee possess with suche measure that, forgettynge the blyndenes of Livio, we maye eschewe the horrour of hys acte, with de- testation of the folye he used in the glott of his unlawfull pleasure. 128 DISCOURSE III A YONG LADY in MYLAN, after she had longe abused the vertue of her youthe and honour of maryage with an unlawfull haunte of divers yonge gentlemen, becoms an unnaturall morderer of the frute of her wombe, for that shee was forsaken of hym who gatt her wyth Chylde. R 129 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE III THE ARGUMENT ACCORDING to th' oppinion of the wise Demosthenes, there is no one vertue that hath made more famous the fathers of former time thenne the gyft of cyvill curtesy, neyther is nature more glorifyed in the ympes of her creation then in that we dispose our selves and doings according to the disposicion of the clymat whiche shee hath appointed to governe our accions and thoughtes ; respecting chiefly to refraine from violacion of inno- cent blodde, which in al ages hath restored a name of great clemencie to diverse, albeit, touching other effectes, they were ambycius tyrantes, and cruell enemyes to their owne common- wealthe. Whiche unnatural crueltie, also, as it hath bene, and is, of such detestacion amongest the rudest companions of the world, that the verye barbarians have alwaies had in horror the wickednes of suche as pursewed the queste of guiltles blodde, and toke awaye the life of him that had not committed offence, so they have alwaies had in honour the vertue of suche as soughte to extirppe the roote of tyranical furies borne for the ruine and destruction of man ; like as, among the Romaine em- prours, Nero, Calygulus, and Commodus ; amongest the straung nacions, Phalaris, Alexander, Phereus, Dyomedes, and the cursed Numylysyntha, Quene of Thracia, who, after she had miserably murdered an ynnocent mother, committed semblable crueltie upon the childe within her bellye. Wherof, albeit the horrour was greate, yet was it nothinge in respect of the hellish e acte of a lady of oure tyme, happyninge not in the Antropophogans, Scythya, or amongeste Canybales or Amazones, aunciente mor- derers of their children, but in the harte and middest of Europe, and in one of the most faire and riche provinces of the world ; where aforetime hath bene kepte an Academia or generall scoole to instructe all nacions for the honeste and vertuous direction of their lives, but of late was founde there a gentle- woman, degeneratinge frome th' instincte of her secte, which exposed effectes of more crueltye thenne earst hath bene noted by any writers of any age : whereof the discourse followethe at large. 130 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES AVINGE then to treat upon tragicall affayres, procedynge of unnaturall luste, with lasyvius disposition, the onlye mais- ter pocke and chief fountayne from whence distylleth all poysned humors of infection, overflowinge at lengthe the channel of his quiett cours with unrewelye waves of inor- dinat cruelty, I meane here to presente unto you the trewe pattorne of a seconde Medea, in the person of a yonge ladye, borne and wantonlye bredd up in the ryche and populus cytie of Mylleyne ; whom, bycause myne author seames to christen by a contrary tytell, to avoyde all occasions of myslykes whiche other ladyes (bear- inge the lyke name) myght unjustly fall into by the lavishe mouthes of the malycyous sorte, I think it good also to passe under tearmes of lyke scylence her parentes and hus- bande, to th" 1 ende that their vertue (meryting a better mede then to beare the blame of the detestable lyfe of there wycked daughter) come not also in question amongest such diabolos as have their tounges alwayes typped with the mettall of malycyous slaunder. This Pandora then (borow- inge her name of the qualytye of her unchaste and crewell conversacyon) gave manyfest signes, during the tyme of her infansye, of her future disposition, arguinge the poysined clymatte, whiche, firste gettynge domynion over the yonge yeares of her grene understanding, dyrected after the whole seaquel of her life by the dyal of a cursed constellacion, Badde argu- makinge the latter remaynder of her yeres subjecte to a m ^ nt in a thousande ylls and perentory inconveniences. For she was yong woman - disdaynfull without respect, spytefull without measure, honge altogether full of the fethers of folyshe pryde, so wholly e gyven to wallowe in dilycarie that she detested al exercises of vertue, and so drowned in the fylthye desyre of the fleshe that, afore shee had attayned to the full of for- tene yeres, she became such a banqueroupte of her honour that a poore page, the sonne of a simple artyficer, noryshed 131 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE in the house of her father for charitie sake onlye, crept so III farr into her creditt, that, with small sute, hee gayned the use of the ile whiche ought to bee invincyble in unhonest sorte. Wherin, notwithstandinge, after hee hadde once ramppyred himselfe, fyndinge the soyle no lesse fertyle then to be tylled with easye travell, he founde, also, no lesse famylyarytie in the owner ; who feasted him so frankly with the pleasaunte jeweste and precious commoditie of her ilande, not earste inhabyted by straungers, that his common exer- cise was to kepe her companie every night alone in her chamber, leaste the Leutyns and daungerous bogbeares, appearinge by visions in the night, shoulde put her in feare, or kepe her from sleape. This was one chiefe delyght wherin she toke pleasure in the prime time of her age, an undoubted kalender, suer, of the noble actes to be expected in this ympe as her yeres grewe to greater nomber, and her desier of more maturytye. Which wicked exercise is suffi- cyent of itselfe to untye the tunges of bacbyters, styrringe up the malyce of certeine Pololugos, redye alwayes upon one simple occasion, or for the falte of one, to reprehende the honour of all dames, if the vertue of you chast ladyes weare not only hable to confute all their suborned reasons of reproche, but also, by the cleare integrety of your conversa- cion, to charme the mouth of the slaunderer from inveygh- inge synister meanes agaynste anye of the noble secte femenyne, so muche commendable and to bee honored of all men. This yonge pupill and prentyse of Venus, although shee lystned with small trayninge to the lewre of Cupido, yet used shee, notwithstandinge, such care in the conveyghe of her folyes that the best eyes in her fathers house weare to blynd to beholde the amorous traffique which passed betwene the page and her ; neyther was she doughted (where soever shee came) to be preferred to the firste place in the bedroll of pewer virgins; although (as you have hard) she had payd the fyrste frutes of her virgynytie to one no lesse unworthy of th' offering then to enjoye the pos- session of so deare ajewell, beinge already vowed to another by them that by most ryght ought to dispose of it. And Her parentes. who maye see here as in a glasse their greate neglygence and TRAGICALL DISCOURSES lyttle care in th 1 education of their children, preferrynge DISCOURSE rather to pamper them in pleasure, wyth to large a skope in HI lybertye (the chiefeste meane to seduce yonglyngs not yet confirmed in rypenes of discression) then to restrayne th 1 appetyte of ther foolyshe will ; whiche doth not onely make theim bodyes subjecte to all sensuall prostytucyon, but also subvertes the honor of their whole house wherof they toke there begynninge. This Italian impe and honest Pandora, weary e even nowe of the company e of her page who, be- lyke, was not hable to quenche the luste of his unsaciable mystresse began, with famylyer glaunces of her eye and other secret regardes of good wyll, to practyse a seconde league of societie, concludinge a newe bargayne of love wyth a yonge gentylman, lustye and likelye everye waye to per- forme th' expectacion of her desyre ; who, also, for his first endevor, founde the meanes to corrupt her governesse with certeine peces of golde, armes (suer) sufficient enoughe of Money is themselves to batter the walls of the strongest and beste hable to defended fortresse that this daye is under the pole of heaven ; " atter the *^ st rondos "t which, also, was the kaye (as the poetes fayne) that opned f or tresse Jupiter the dore of the brazen tower wherin the fayre under heaven. Danae, daughter of Acrises, was curyously enclosed. This second lover, thinking to cooll the firste flower of the may- denhed of Pandora (beinge yet scars xvi yeres of age) began to doubt of the case when hee founde the waye alreadye beaten, and the entrye so easye without resistance. Albeit, contentinge himselfe with his present fortune, beinge dryven notwithstandinge to drinke the lees of the vessel which the page had gaged to his hande, and sucked out the sugred jewse of that grape, he fayled not to court her with a con- tynuall haunte of his companye, in suche sorte that his chiefe exercise and tyme was employed in the supplye of her gredy desyre ; untyll at laste, beinge cloyed for want of chaunge of dyotte, or wearye with so longe huntinge one kynde of chase, or (peradventure) not hable any longer to mainteyne the skirmysh for want of fresh supplyes, he began to suborne divers meanes to purchase his departure. Wherin, with th 1 assystance of a fewe fayned importunytyes, hee prevayled only with this excuse, that, being captayne of 133 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE certeyne bands of footmen, it behoved him (he sayde) for III greate respectes, to visitte his charge with expedicion. Wherewith, with small sute, hec gatte leave and wente his wave, resigning the forte whiche hee had so long battered, to the guard of an olde and rich gentylman dwellinge in the same cytie ; who, doatinge more upon the bewtie of Pandora thenne notinge deligentlye her disposition, maryed her, after longe intercession to her frendes : a mache farr un- mete considering th' inequalitye of their yeres. For he, bear- ing the burden of fifty winters upon his backe, his former moysture and strength converted into watrye humors of weaknes, scars hable to sustayne nature, who at those yeres, also, sommons all men to declyne, seamed farr unhable to encounter in singler combate with her, that had not yet sene th' uttermost daye of eyghtene yeres. Albeit being maried, although his lott was to take other mennes leavings, yet he myslyked not his choyse ; but being mounted upon a common hackney, he thought himselfe well horsed, and as one not very scrupulous, or lyttell skylled in suche kind of housekeping, he toke her for a pure virgyn : a thinge not much to be merveyled at, seinge the daily accedentes in the like affayres, and specyally the subtyll charmes and sundrie legerdemaynes, wherof such Dermopteras or letherwynged huswyves, as Pandora, have no small store, to cover their faultes, and make theym seme maydenlike (although they have alreadie playd the dydopper) that the clearest eyes had nede of spectacles, and the wiseste wyttes want sleyght, to dyserne their conning. And now this newe maryed dame, gettinge firste the upperhande of her olde husbande, made her seconde endevore to have the whole conveygh of all the househoulde doinges, whereby her commaundement was only currant, and she, houldinge the rayne of her lybertie in her owne hand, mighte haunte and use what place for recreacion she lyste at her pleasure. Neyther forgatt she so to brydel goodman hornsbye (her husbande) with obedience, that, without his controlmente or suspicion, Monsieur le Page (who gave the firste penie of her honestie) had free accesse unto her chamber, wher he paide his own arreareges, and also helped to supply the colde corage of the olde knight ; 134 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES who, as he rather encreased her appetyte then satisfyed her DISCOURSE desire, so his good wil, perad venture, was more then his m power hable to perform. And as the page had thus eftsones placed himselfe in the possession of his former pray, it chaunced that a yong gentillman, banished from Rome for certeine forged conspiracies incensed against him, fled to Myllan ; wher, lodging right over the pallais of Pandora, beheld easely the amorous glees of his neighbour, who toke singuler pleasure to be requited with the like regards ; and seing her fayre, yong, and disposed to al recreacions of plea- sure, began to prefer her love, first by the pitifull regarde The order of of his countenaunce, painted full of arguments of dule, and * fearefull after by certenie secrete sighes declaringe (after th' Ytalyan ciog^^^g 8 ' maner) the ardent flame of affection, not ceassinge continu- affection, allye to burne his harte in the desier of her bewtie. And, omittinge no meane which mought move her to take com- passion of his peyne, hee forgat not to passe divers times afore her lodginge, with a lute or other musicke of soft melodie ; wherunto, also, he accorded his phyled voyce with notes of pleasant twne, and that with suche a grace of great delight that the swete noyse of his hermony seamed a thou- sand times of more entysinge melodye then the heavenly jonkinge of the nytyngal. Wherwith, in shorte tyme, he kyndled a fyre in the harte of this yong wanton, toward whome he nedde not have used such cyrcumstance or longe ceremonye, seinge that of herselfe (if his sute had not inter- cepted her) shee had prevented his meaninge in takinge upon her th 1 office of the clyent, beinge onlye geven to raunge and ravyn for the satisfyinge of her inordynat luste, desyrous to chaunge her acquaynted soyle for the freshe harbage of grene pasture. Wherwith, one eveninge (her husbande beinge from home) this Romain lover, called Can- didio locundo, made his walke in solemne maner under her chamber wyndowe, playing of his lute with a voyce of suche masquid musycke, myngled with outewarde showes of dolor in his face, and poudred fynely with sundrye syghes of pityful disposition, that it seamed of suche straunge opera- cion to the harte of Pandora, beinge alreadye throughlye daunted with the desyre of him that soughte but to deceyve 135 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE her, that, beinge nowe no lenger hable to kepe her eares III shutt from the voice of the crafty charmer, desired him to enter. Wherunto (as the subtill fouler, pyping all the daye in the bottom of the hedge tyll he hath allewred to his bushe the birde hee chieflye desyreth) he agreed, I am sure, with more contentment of the offer then dyfficultye to be entreated. And, being arived in the haven of his desyre, God knoweth with what devocion they offered to the goddesse of pleasure, celebrating the banquet with all dyshes of dyly- cacye. Wherwith th 1 ympudente Pandora forgat not to feaste him so frankly with shamefull encounters on her parte, that, with lyttell sute and lesse intreatye, he entred commons in the place whiche the olde John thought to be reserved severall to himselfe, and with small conynge gave her check- mate that stode slenderlye upon her guarde, lothynge even now her incontynencie that so easelye yelded her honestie in praye to whosoever woulde pursue it. Wherin, certeynly, he had good reason. For, of al the degrees of unhappye creatures, that, without the consente of womanlye shame, do wyckedlye transgresse the sacred lawe of chastitye, they ought chieflye to use some respect of honestye, that are admitted into the inviolable order of matrimony e; and if their desteny be incident to so evil a fortune as to enter into societie with a secret frend besydes their husbande (a thynge notwithstandynge forbidden by the worde of God, and lesse tollerable by the possytive lawes of the worlde) yet ought they (I saye) be so confirmed in theyr unlawfull affec- tion towarde their second pewmate, that their amitye maye seame of perpetuitye and without chaunge ; neyther ought they be so carelesse in the choyse of their extraordinary consort as their own doings afterwards may make them worthelye to be laughed at. Which, indede, is the just reward for such as seme so ligt of their seale that they shott of without eyther mache, flint, or pouder; and of whose folyshe and unshamfull lyghtnes, precedes the argu- ment of so many comodies and enterludes played in open stage not so much to the confusion of themselves and Slaunder. parentes, as open scandall to their husbands and houses for ever. Wherof the family er example is to be noted in the 136 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES sequel of this Pandora, who was not only in short time DISCOURSE utterly detested of that Remain, but also a common jestinge- III stocke, and pointed at, by his meanes, of al men, for her rashe familiaritye used towards hym ; who, not long after the fyrst foundacion of this frendship, was cald home from exile by Leo de Medicis, their soveraigne vycar of the Sea of Rome, perdonyng his offence, and restorynge the use of his former lybertye. At whose departure (unlocked for) Pandora entred into no small passion of dolour, not for any fervent affection or love whiche she bare to her Remain frende, but because his sodaine goinge awaye lefte her voyde of all lycours to quenche the burnynge flame of the gredy goote of her unnatural concupiscens ; and chiefly because Monsieur le Page began, also, to waxe cold in the combat whiche he had wonte to maintayne wythe suche courage. But Fortune here was so friendlye to the fulfyllynge of her licencious appetit, that she (styring up a freshe supplie of her desyre) presented in the listes a yong knight of Myllan called Cesar Parthonope; who, by chaunce, hyrynge the lodging of the late Remain succeded hym also in desyre and diligence. For he, at the fyrste vewe, regardynge the flateringe beautye of this Alcyne Her bewtie. his neyghbour, suffered himselfe unadvisedly to slyppe into the snares of love, honorynge that in his harte with true sinceritie as a deare jewel whiche his predecessour worthelye hated wythe dewe detestacion. And entrynge here into the pagant of love, his firste was to gyve som outwarde argu- ments of his inwarde affection, wherin he began to make many pale-walkes afore her gate, rovynge wyth his eyes at her chamber-windowes (accordyng to the amorous order of the vayne Spanyard) utterynge, by the dolefull vewe of his troubled countenaunce, the greate and secrete desyre quarelynge inwardlye wyth his unrulye thoughts. But what ? Nede a man use polycie wher slender sute wyll pre- vayle? Or who wyll bend his battery to that fortresse, wherof the captayne demaundes parly, and sues for composi- tion ? And, besides, when the vaile of shame is once removed from our eyes, what let is there to staye the sensual course of our bestly appetits ? And they that suffer the raine of reason to slacke, or wholly to slip out of their hands, semes S 137 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE as transformed in a moment, and so weakned touching the III lively mocions and forces of the spirit, that the exterior provocacions and appetit of desyre prevails wholy above the inwarde resistance and accions of the soule. Lyke as this glotton and impudent Pandora; who, seing her somtimes saluted with a pleasant eye of her new neighbour, forgot not to requit him with such wanton glaunces, and of suche open understandynge, that the knyght, dowbtynge not of the successe of his interprise, assured himselfe alredy of the victorye. Wherin he was somwhat holpen by the hand of fortune; who, providing a jorney for the husband of Pandora, touchinge th 1 execution of a commission in a forein countrye, kept hym absent in those affaires the space of a yere or more. Wherin, Parthonope forgot not to use th'oppor- tunitye of so convenient a time ; and being ignorant withal of the greate libertie of his mistres who drew him on al this whyle by fine traines, to th 1 end to make him more eager of bit had no waye to unfold the cause of his passion but by a letter, which he made the messenger of his grefe and soliciter of his desyre in this sorte : Parthonope ' The curious Artificer and coninge worke-woman Dame writteth to Nature, I see wel (good madam) was not so careful to worke randora. y OU | n ner seme }j e frame of all perfections, as the powers divine and disposers of the daungerous and loftye planets (assisting her endevour with certaine peculier ornaments of their speciall grace) weare redye to open their golden vessell of precious treasur, powring by great abundance their heavenly gifts upon you, striving (as it semes) whiche of them for th' encrease of his glory shold dispose himself most liberally on your behalf. Like as (according to the poetes) they contended of olde for the adorning by several ornaments the late Pandora, whom, for all respects, they agreed to be the odd ymage of the world, but specially for beautie; which if it dazeled the eyes of the gods, shining as a twinkling starr in th' elements above, yours I thinke was reserved as a torch of glistring flame to give light to the creatures of the midel world. Wherof (for my part) vewing with to ardent affection the sundry celestial ornaments imparted to you by 138 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES the gods, with the percinge beames of rare beautie gyven DISCOURSE you for your dowrie of Nature, I doubt whether mine eyes III (dimmed altogether with admiracion) wil first crie out for the losse of their former sight, or my whole bodie (plunged in the passion of affection) wil accuse the heart with the rest of th' inwarde senses for consentinge so easely to cause of their disquiet: wherin my lyfe wayeth indiferentlye in the ballance of a thousand annoy es, and mine auncient libertie, in the meane whyle, kept close in an extreme captivitye. Albeit, measuring your heavenly shape, with th'utwarde showe of singuler curtesye that semes to occupye al your partes, I can not resolve of any crueltie to consiste in you ; neither can I judge (by the argument of your beauty) but that my captivitie shal be spedely converted into a happie deliverie ; like as, also, my hope half assureth me, triumphinge with honor over the doubtfull object of my thought, to tast at your hands of the pleasaunt frutes of the thinge I chiefly desyre: which is (in accepting me as your servant and secret frend) to admit me into such place of pitye, as the dewe merit of my unfayned service deserves by justice. Wherin your act shal seme no lesse meritorious afore the throne of the hyghe goddesse, then honorable wyth generall fame for ever in the worlde, for relevynge him, who, without your assistance (being wholy transformed to th' appetite of your wyll) fyndes the burden of lyfe of suche uneasye tollera- cion, that the leaste repulse of his sute at your hands, imports his fatal summonce, to resigne the tearme of his borowed yeres in this worlde. Neither doth he desyre to have the fruicion of his earthly dayes any lenger, then imploye the same withal humilitie in the service of you ; whome his hart hath alredy pronounced the soverein ladye of his lyfe, wherof, you only maye dispose at your pleasure. Your unfayned CESAR PARTHONOPEE.' Whiche letter he delivered unto his page, experienced alredye in the conveye of like affaires, who (accordinge to the sharp passion of his maister) used th' expedicion of time in the dispatch of his charge, whereuppon depended the recovery of his soveraine. But she being alredy (as you 139 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE have hard) enamored of the knyght, who was the first that III wooed her with arguments, felt even now, by the discours of this letter, such encrease of affection, pinching so extremly Of true love, withe desyre to see him, that, without all order of womanly discrecion she imbraced the page in the behalf of his maister, gyvinge him this aunswere, to require his maister not to doubte to come to her house. ' Wherof, 1 saith she, ' I also desier him, to th' end I may be resolved by the breth of his own mouth of that which I yet doubte touching the report of the letter.' Wherin she preferred vehement importuni- ties, shewinge the boye whiche waye he shoulde bringe hym to her chamber ; ' where,' saith she, ' I wil attend his com- ming this evening. 1 Wherwith the page returned, discoursing point by point the successe of his embassage to the dolorous knight; who, revived by the gladsome newes of his boye, but chieflye by the shorte appointment resolved upon by his mistresse, cast of at th" instant th'apparell of dule, dispos- inge himselfe every waye to performe th 1 expectacion of the charge, committed unto him by the mouth of her whose commaundement he woulde not transgresse, though his lyfe should incurre the hazard of a thousand perilles. And put- ting himselfe in as seamelye order as he thought good, went (only with his page) in solemne maner to visit the saint ; who was of herselfe more redye to graunt freelye then the pylgrym to demaunde by petition, and who, attending his commyng with more desier to ease the passion of the patient, in quenching the fervent rage of her unsaciable appetit, then he for his part had cause to yelde adoration to so detestable a shryne, was withdrawn all alone into her chamber, where he founde her coyfed for the nonst onely in a nyghtgowne, and attire for the night redie to go to bed. Which, with the naturall shewe of her livelye beautye, set out to the most advantage by the shining light pf the wax candels, drove the knight at the first into such astonishment, that the use of his spech was converted into scilence, and his eyes onely occupied in beholding the rare beauty of her who was utterly unworthie to weare so precious a Jewell of nature. Albeit, expulsing at last the fever of his dombe traunce, with kyssyng her white and delicat handes as his 140 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES firste entre into a further matter, proposed the cause of his DISCOURSE comming in this sort : * I may, by good reason, accompt III myselfe more in the favor of fortune, then any gentilman that ever was incident to any good hap, seing (good madam) that besides th 1 assistance of the place, I am also preferred to a convenient meane to unfold unto you at large the smothered griefe preserved hetherunto (to my great payne) in th' utermost parte of my intrailles ; whiche longe sins had sought a vent to burst out in open flame, if the dewe of the hope of that favor whiche now I finde in you, had not served as a necessary licour of comfort to delaye the raginge heat of the furnaise. For otherwise, good madame, I assure you, the smal experience I have to digest the bitter pylles of love, had offered my lyfe an untimely sacrifise to death. And nowe, seing by tn 1 intercession of fortune, and greate curtesie of your good ladyship, I am not only sprinkld with the water of new consolation, but also arived before th 1 oracle to whom I have so long desyred to present the earnest penie of my humble service, I besech you (sayth hee) not witthout teares and sighes of pytiful disposition, open the windows of your pytye, and let fall the swete showers of compassion upon this torment, dealing so extremely with me without seassing; whiche, because you shal not thinke to be of lesse passion then the words of my mouth seme troubled in utteryng the secret sorow of my hart, looe ! here I am become, in your presence, the pytifull solyciter of min owne cause."" Wherewith Pandora, who hetherto had loved but only to satisfye her inordinat lust, and seynge with all th' importunities of her clyent, all to be sprinkled with the teares of his eyes, requited him with like arguments of kyndnes ; and feling now within her hart certain mocions assayling the secret of her thoughts with unfained affection towarde her loyall Parthonope, coulde not any lenger dis- simull that which she chiefly desired, but imbracing hym with sundry signes of assured familiaritye, sayde unto him, more for maners sake then otherwise : ' I marvaile, syr, that, being Pandora armed with so smale experience, you cane so clarkly discouers alloweth the of th 1 effects of love, whose misteryes are not so plainly to j" e( l ueste of be reveiled by anye, as by those that have taken degree in 141 GEFFRAIE FENTONS DISCOURSE his skoole. And wel coulde I impute that to your rashnes, III whiche by your letters you have tearmed a crueltie in me ; for your sute hath not ben of such continuance, as it may crave sentence in poste, nor your travaile so painfull as the reward ought to folow with suche hoat expedition. Albeit as you feele your owne hurt (not escapinge peradventure without some panges of affection,) so you must thinke the martyredom is not peculyar to one, but dividyng himselfe into a lyke simpathia of passion, hath wayed us both in th 1 indifferent ballance of affection. For if love hathe buylte his bowre in the botome of your harte, I must confesse unto you, syr, that I draw under the yoke of his awe, neyther is my torment anythyng inferior to yours. Wherof I had long (eare this) gyven you understandyng, by plaine prac- tise, if the vaile of shame (a comen enemye to the amorous enterprises of us women) had not covered mine eyes, and closed my mouth with feare, that I durst never (whylest my husband was at home) caste forth suche baytes of the greate good will I have borne you, sins you weare our neigh- bour, wherby you might perceive wyth what loyaltie I have chosen and adopted you th'only owner of my hart, and wyth whom I wishe to passe the remainder of my lyfe, with suche pleasure and contentement, as is necessary for the solace of twoe true lovers.' Whiche last wordes (for the more assuraunce of the bargaine) she forgot not to scale with sondry sortes of kysses and other homlye trickes of familiaritie, wherby the knight being absolutlye resolved of that whyche earste hee douted began to take possession of her mouth, adorynge her eyes wyth lookes of lovynge ad- miration, and, passyng in order to her whyt necke of the colour of the fresh e lylye, came at laste to beholde her bare brestes, semynge lyke twoo litle hyls, or mountaynes, environnynge a rosye valleye of most pleasaunt prospect, whiche he forgat not humbly to honor wyth the often print of his mouthe. And passynge some space in these amorous traffiques wyth a thousand other sleights of folye^ wherof our vayne lovers have no lacke when they seme to dispute of pleasure wyth contentement of desyere, they entred the lystes of their singuler combat, in a faire feelde bed, redye TRAGIC ALL DISCOURSES dressed for the purpose ; where Parthonope, encounterynge DISCOURSE his pleasante enemye wyth no lesse force and corage of his m part then she had grounded experience to wythstande his malice in suche exploits, entred the breach, whych so many had made assaltable to his hande. And beinge in possession of the commen place of Pandora, she founde hym so valyaunt in th' affaires of her desyer, that in respect of the loftye corage of this newe champyon, she accompted al the rest but children that earst had traded wyth her in the lyke traffique. Wherfore, from th'instaunt, she gave him such assured place in her frendship, that hangynge wholy upon the shoulders of Parthenope, she had no quiet in her mind but when her eyes weare occupied in beholdyng his presence. Neither was he (for his part) voyd of lyke affection ; for, beinge enchaunted with the charmes of this venemous basile, he imployed his time to court her continually with his com- panye, defying al felicities in the world, but that which he semed to receive by the felowship of Pandora ; to whom alon he yelded all devocion with great humilitie. But this plea- sure, being of slipper continuance, stale awaye with the shortnes of time, their great amitie converted into indigna- cion and spitfull revenge. Yea ! their mutuall societie, sealed with all assuraunce of affection in their harts, was, by and by, so separated and utterly e dissolved, that it was never hable to returne to his former unitye. For, sone after the league of this new frendship, behold the page, sumwhat refreshed by the absence of two or three monethes from his mistres, repaires to his olde exercise ; wherin he founde no worse intertainement, at the bountifull hand of Pandora, then when he fyrst tylled the soyle of so fertil an ile. Neyther woulde she for all this lose the company of her new champyon Parthonope, but, using the order of level coyle, she feasted them both indiferentlye of the dishes of one kynd of banquet, and reserved to herselfe a chaunge of dyet at her pleasure. But the Myllannoys, notyng her dis- loyaltie, entred into divers disposition of collor, somtime determined, for the revenge of the wrong which he seamed Companion of to receive, to kyl his corrivall, and manifest by open bed, or lieu publication th 1 inordinate lubricitie of his ladye. Whiche 143 DISCOURSE III Whore- monger. Marcyauo diswadeth his frende from Pandora. GEFFRAIE FENTONS he had performed accordingly, if naturall curtesye, with the regard of the honor which he held, had not prevayled above his just cause of indignation in that behalfe. Wherin, albeit he dismissed the revenge, yet coulde he not escape th 1 extreme passion of jelosie; whych so prickt him at the quicke, takyng awaye his desier of reste, and, in place of th'appetit of slepe, filled his head full of hollowe dreames and vayne visions, being in short time so transformed with fantasie, that there rose question of his sodayne alteration amongest divers his familyar frendes ; wherof one, called Eucyo Marciano, no lesse deare unto him by aproved frendshippe then by the lawe of faythfull allyaunce and auncyente dissente, who not ignoraunte in the maladye of his kynsman, disposed himselfe to cure the disease and mortefye the cause with one medicyne. And beinge whollye privye to the practise of th' insacyable palliard Pandora, by the reporte of our late Romaine locunde, costed this knyght one daye as he walked all alone in a gallarye of his lodginge, reprehendinge his rashnes in this sorte : ' Yf I had as manye meanes to cure your disease (good cosin) as I am thorowlye perswaded of the cause of your sicknes, I woulde convert the grefe I fele in your behalfe into spedye endevor to releve your distresse. Ah las ! what unhappye trade of late have you entred into, that so removes your senses out of their sege of reason, transforming the livelye colloure of youre face into a complexion of palenes, youre minde continuallye occupied in solitarye thoughtes, and wholye chaunged into a disposition contrarye to your aunciente order ? Do you thinke that I am eyther ignorante of your passion or of the league of love concluded of late betwene th 1 unchaste Pandora and you ? Ah ! good cosin, I lamente not so muche your presente desaster, as I feare the fal of future inconveniences, like to thunder uppon you, if God prevente not the ylls which threaten you by takinge you out of the handes of that tyranous shee wolfe ; whose poyson is of more perylous infection thenne that which dystilled from the breath of the fyrste Pandora, whom the two Greke poets do affirme to brewe the first vessel of venemous lycor that ever came into the world. Ah las ! if reason would 144 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES suffer you as wel to deserne the doinges and detestable life DISCOURSE of this open hypocryt even from the yeares of her infansye, ni as your follye is content to leade you to lysten to her cursed lore, you would not onlye seme satisfyed with the pleasure whiche hetherunto you have received, but also abhore the gredye apetyte of hers, so geven to hunte after contynuall chaunge. Neyther dismaye you at all, if the pleasure whiche you count peculiar to your selfe, bee imparted to another, far unmete to mache with you in that or anye other condicyon. For he whom you suspect to supplye the place of your absence, was the fyrst that tilled the craggye ground e of your insacyable mystres, gathering the first frutes of her virginytye. Which, notwithstanding, might be dispensed withal by reasonable tolleracion, if the nomber of them (besides) weare not infynet, that have alreadye battered the fort wherof you thinke yourselfe lyvetenant and only possessor.' (Rehersinge here in order the bedroll of those that she had admitted for her unlawfull bedfelowes.) Wherof, Parthonope, bowing a willing eare to the tale of his kynsman, was dryven into no small merveile at the pretye discours of the noble actes of this valiant souldyer of Venus. But Martiano, although he sawe argumentes of remors in the hart of his cosin, yet he thought his disease was not utterlye cured unlesse the cause were also taken awaye : wherfore, pursuing his intent with vehement per- swasions, he requested him at last to leave those traffyques of love, and speciallye in case of adultery. ' For ' (saieth he) * they do not only dimynyshe the honour, age, renome, and welthe of him that foloweth them, but also they are hurte- full to the health of the soule, forbydden speciallye by the mouthe of God. And for your parte (me thinke) it were Callinge. better to marye sum honeste gentylwomanne of your own calabre, susteyninge the honor of your house with passing the rest of your yeres in mutual socyetye with your lawfull wife, then, in consuming the best time of your age, to depend wholy upon the pleasure of a shamelesse and commen doxeye; who, when she hath sucked out the grene jewse of your youth, will not stycke (I warrant you) to procure the ende of your dayes with some miserable and untimly death. T 145 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE You are not ignorante, besides, I am sure, of the authorities III of divers histories, noting the great nomber of straung in- conveniences, but specially perpetual infamy, which followeth as a d we rewarde to their travel who, not regarding the dred commaundemente of God, and helthe of their soule, do defile the maryage bed of their neighbour, wherin for my part th'offyce of the frendshipe noryshed of long time betwen us, together with the respect of indissoluble con- sangwinytie, moves me, not only to expose my advice so liberally towards you, but also to present unto you this last request with semblable importunytye that, as wel for the commoditye of your selfe as consolacion of those who wishe youre advancement, you wil abandon the haunt of this barrayn, and woman void of al vertue ; whose wicked dis- position argues many wayes to late a repentaunce for you, if in short time you dispatch not your hande of her acquaint- ance. 1 Wherwith, dischardging the true part of a deare frend, he so conjured his kinsman, that, conferring his report with trT argument of lightnes he had alreadie noted in his mistres, he detested alreadie the remembrance of her beastly conversacion ; and, because he woulde disclaime her acquayntance, companye, and effection which earst he bare her, at one instante he removed his lodginge to the further part of the cytie, where, within short time, he maryed a yong gentilwoman, daughter to one Eusebio loviall, no lesse vertuous, honest, chast, and curtuous, then the other proud, crewell, spightfull, and lascyvious ; leaving, notwithstanding, his cast concubyn, Pandora, byg beliyed of his doing ; who, noting not only his long absens from her, with the change of his lodging, but also that he was sodainly maryed, and she unware of his intent, wrapte the colloricke humors whiche assayled her for the presente, in a letter; wherin she was no nigard to spytte franklye the poison of her stomake, in uttringe at large the conseyts of her minde againste the disloyaltye of her perjured lover, as it pleased to tearme him. And being signed and sealed, she delivered it to a messenger convenient for the conveighe of suche embassage, with charg to performe the dispatch with ex- pedicion ; which, accordinglie, was accomplished. For her 146 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES maide Fynea, who earst had bene collcaryor in th 1 amorous DISCOURSE affaires of Pandora, finding the knight in the companie of HI his kinsman Martiano, delivered him the letter of her mistris, importing this or the like effecte : 4 The onlye experience of thy traiterous practise (Oh ! Pandora parjured Parthonope !) is not only sufficient of it selfe to writeth to sturre uppe the juste exclamacions of al women againste the " arthon P e - infidelitie in menne, but also hath sowenne suche seedes of perpetual slaunder in their attemptes of love hereafter, that thy desloyaltie towardes me (registred for ever in the re- membrance of our secte) will hynder trT enterprises of others, whose intentes (tending peradventure to a more sinceritie of affection) deserve not to be repulsed by the merite of thy detestable falshod. And truly, for my part, I colde never have thoughte that faithe, purifyed thorowe the ryvers of so manye teares, confirmed by the witnes of a thousande sighes, and lastelye (for a more assuraunce) sealed with so manye othes, had had so smal harbor in the hartes of men now a dayes, if the profe of thy unhoneste dealinge had not argued it unto me with suche familiar example in myselfe that, alas ! I curse (by good right) the constellacion that firste consented to my nativitie and unhappie procreacion, in sufferinge me to be governed by so harde a destynie, or deceived by the moste untrue and faithles sycophant that ever offred service to any pore gentlewoman. Albeit, if I had not bene so liberall to prostitute mine honoure for satisfyinge thy unchaste desyer, my conscience had bene easelye dispensed with all for the pennance of so greate a falte, my harte free from presente passion, and I apte enoughe to forgett the, whose stronge charmes of extreme love have so enchaunted my senses, and made me subject to thy remembrance, that the small time of thy absence is no lesse grevous unto me, then thy presente abuse geves mee juste cause to crye oute openly of thyne inordinat crueltie. Alas ! is this the guerdon of th" unfained love I bare the ? Is thy dispocition so unnaturall, to retorne the precious meritte of mine honoure with so unthankefull a meede of undeserved discurtesye ? Have I loved the so entierlie, pre- 147 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE ferringe the moste deare above all men in th 1 intralls of my III harte, to be deprived of thy companie when I expect to reape the frutes of pleasure with everlastinge contynuance of our societie? Must I now abandon the fruicion of thy presence, being whollie resolved in thy affection, and when I crave thy soccour by greate necessetye? Thou are ignor- ante alas ! in the case of my extremetie, neyther was thou ordeyned to beare part of the pinching panges whiche I feele in my wombe, preceding of the cursed seedes sowen by the in the bottom of my bellie, stirring even nowe in the partes of my tender sides with suche tormente, that onlye I pore wretche do beare the pennaunce of the falte dewe to us both. Yf the viewe of thy former pleasure, wherewith thou haste bene earst so franklie feasted at the bowntifull handes of thy Pandora, can not move the to compassion of her present freffe, spare at least to spil the blood of thyne owne liknes, erived of the dropps of the moste precious jewice in the ; who harbored (as thy gueste) in the secrete corners of my tender flankes, takes daily norriture with increase of life by the vitall inspiracion of nature, and whose innocencie (if I dye by thy crueltie) will not faile in th' other worlde to summone the afore the highe troane of justice, wher I ex- pect the juste revenge of th 1 undeserved wronge, wherwith (contrarye to the nature of loyall lovers) thou rewardest her, that earste loved the not so derelie as nowe she perse- cutes the with mortall hate, even untill the laste houre of her life. PANDORA.' The firste viewe of this letter was of harde disgestion to Parthonope ; who, albeit the feare which he hadde that Pandora wold mordure (as she did indede) the frute con- geiled of the substaunce of theim bothe in her intralles presented a certeine remorse afore the eyes of his conscience, yet, because she woulde never afore let him understande that she was with childe, hee thoughte it was but a newe meane to allure him eftesones to the trafficke of her affaires. Wher- upon, using as litle regarde to the contentes of the letter as he made smal accompte of her that write it, dispatched the messenger with this short aunswere : ' Thou shalte ' (sayeth 148 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES he) 'declare to thy mistrys that if she had heretofore DISCOURSE ymparted to me th' effect of thy presente message, she would m have disposed of mee and my frendeshippe at her pleasure, but nowe, seinge shee craves my assistaunce by necessitie, I committe her to the meede of her owne follie.' Whereof Pandora, beinge advertised by the heavie reapport of her Fynea, who also alledged dispaire eftsones to recover the frendshippe or companie of the knighte, entred furthwyth into suche dispocition of malencollie, wyth ymagynacions of revenge, that, convertinge th 1 appetite of her aunciente love into an humor of deadlie hate, doubted whether shee shoulde use force againste her selfe, for the spite of the villainy he had don to her, or persecute hym unto deathe whose life shee utterly detested. And waveringe thus in contrarietie of opinions, she soughte to appease somwhat the furye of her presente dolloure, by recordynge her greefe with these lamentable tearmes : ' Alas ! ' (saithe shee) ' if this bee the rewarde of true Pandora loyaltie, what assuraunce maye wee reappose in constancie ? exclaimeth. Or what meede to bee expected in the vertue of suche un- fained frendshippe, as I professed to this unthankeful and perjured knighte? Have I refused the service of so many gentlemenne, offringe franklie to employe their times under the becke of my commaundemente, to make my affection subjecte to one, who, havinge alreadie cooled oute of me the frutes of his desyer, smiles nowe at my simplicitie, and laughes to see mee languishe in dule ? Ah ! why were the eyes of my mynde so dymmed with the myste of fonde zeale that I colde not consider the common malice of menne now a dayes; who, preferring their humble service wyth all kinde of othes, dienge a thousande times a daye for oure sakes, yea ! offringe their lyves to all kinde of perill, doo seame to remeine prisonners in the ward of oure good will, untill their fayned ymportunyties, prevailynge above the weake resistance of us poore wretches, do place theime in the possession of their desyer? And, beinge once made lordes over that whyche onely colde commaunde theym afore, God knowethe howe sone they revolte, torninge their fervente affection into a contempte of our fragilitie ! If I had as carefullie caste all 149 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE argumentes, of future disquiet, as I was readie to open myne III eares to the sugred breathe of his charmes, I hadde eschewed the evill wyth the cause ; neyther hadde I stande (as I do no we) ready e to enter into the harde pennaunce of my former follie. Ah ! moste unthankefull Parthonope ! howe canste thou soo easelye forgette her who was no nigarde in satysfyenge thy desyers, and whose bewtie thou seemedeste earste to have in no lesse admiracion thenne if I hadde beene sente from above for th' only solace of thy lyfe ? Hath thy presente crueltie prevailed whollie above the glory of thyne aunciente vertue ? Or haste thou utterlie dismissed the re- membraunce of thy othe, and protestacion of faythe, whyche oughte to call thy conscience to a remorse, forcinge a per- formaunce of thy promisse ? Whereof, also, 1 (sayeth shee) castynge her waterie eyes down to her bigge bellie, * thou hast lefte mee a pawne, whyche, witnessinge no lesse thy disloyaltye agaynste mee thenne advowching the frende- shippe thou haste founde at my handes, oughte to knocke at the dore of thy conscience for some consideracion of pitie towardes her, whome wythout cause thou doste shamefullie abuse. Oh ! unhappye and wretched ladye that I am, in what companye canne I showe my heade, wherin the bignes of my bellie (bringing the blodd of shame into my face), will not accuse me of treason towardes my husbande, beinge so longe tyme absente ? What wronge dothe the worlde to my wickednes, if every man salute me by the name of a common and arraunde strompette, who, defacinge her aunciente honour and house wyth the lascivious exercise of adulterous abuse, deserveth to be registred in the slaunderous boke of black defame with a crowne of infamy for ever ? Wherunto, like as thy subtil practises (Oh ! caytyfe knyghte !) hath advaunced me ; so thy tyrany in the end shal take awaye the life of Herselfe and those ii who oughte to be farre more deare unto the, then the child thou seamest to accompte theim. 1 Wherwith, fallinge into with in her. alteracions of more furye, she began a cruell warre with her faire haires, printinge her nailes (without respecte) in the rosye dye of her faire face, bedewinge her bossome and skirtes of outwarde garmentes with the droppes of teares distilling from her cristal eyes, and entringe thus into the 150 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES pageant of rage, had here plaied the laste acte of the tragedie DISCOURSE in executinge herselfe, if the presence of Fynea had not pre- III vented the facte ; who, stirringe upp rather the appitit of revenge in her mistrys, then mynistringe perswacions to patience or moderation in her dollor, incensed her by all the wicked devises shee colde yraagyne, to wreake her juste anger uppon the villainous bodye of him that so synisterlie procured her passion of undeserved dule. Whereunto, albeit Pandora gave diligent eare, with desyer to put her advise into execution, yet, havinge not utterlie drayned her stomake of all complaints, renewed eftsones her exclamacion in this sort : ' Ah ! sayeth she why was not I traded in the magicall Medea and sciences of the Colchose Medea or th' Yytalyan Circe, whose Virce, ii great esses. conninge (workinge mervailous in the like affaires) hath lefte e an ymortalitie to their names to al ages. Certainly if the heavens had revealed unto me any skil in the misterie of their artes, eyther sholde Parthonope be myne, or els woulde I raine the shower of vengeance uppon him, and her that enjoy eth the mede of my merite, with suche ympetu- osytie, that the sequeile of the world sholde have no lesse cause to cronicle my doinges, then they seame commonly to confirme and allow th'actes of the ii former enchaun- teresses. And thou, Fynea, sholdest have me to forgett him, in whose love I doate, although I wishe nothing so muche as his utter destruction. And now do I see the due rewarde of my former unchaste conversacion, for the fervente affec- tion whiche I beare him, doth now yelde me doble usurye of the wanton libertie wherin I have lived hetherunto ; neyther shall I be enjoyned to other penance for my falte then a loathesome dispaire which attendes (if I do not recover him whom I have lost, or have spedye meanes to revenge the wrong he hath don me) to cut in sunder the strings of my life. Wherfore, beyng resolved in some parte to folowe thy advise, so muste I also use thy traveile in th' execution of my first attempte, whiche is that thou goe furthwith to the vale of Cammonika in the contrey of Bressiant, which (as they saye) is not without great stoare of conninge sorcerers ; amongest whom it is necessarie that thou learne (what so 151 DISCOURSE III Pandora sendes her mayd to practise with the witches of the vale. Nether cer- teintie nor assurance in the art of enchantyng. God suffred the magicions of Egypte to worke wonders in the sight of Pharao. ever it coste) some enchauntement of so greate vertue, that it maye not onely restore me eftesones to the frendship of hym whome I thynke hath utterly forsaken me, but, by the conj uracion of theyr charme, have power to remove the vaile of his affection from hys newe wyfe, that, makyng no more accompte of her, he maye from hensfurth. dissolve the league of amytie betwene them for ever. Wherein, if the effect of my desyer bee furthered by a successe of thy diligence, assure thy selfe, thy traveil shall be so thankefully imployed, that, chrystennynge the hensfurth by the name of my syster, there shalbe neither riches nor commoditye anye waye proper or due unto me, whiche shall not be common to us both. 1 Fynea, who was not so readie to obey her mystres in this develishe enterprise, as gyven of her selfe to bee a fyt minister of evill, discending with expedicion into the vale of Camonika, gat, by the helpe of those sprites and lymmes of the Devill inhabytynge that hellishe yland, certayne flowers gathered in the waine of the moone, with droagues, and other tromperie of witchecrafte, requisite for conjurers and suche as occupye the pernicious trade of enchauntynge. All whiche legerdemaines and devises of Sathan, were as availeable to the furthering of th' enterprise of Pandora as there is certentie or assuraunce in th' opperacion of that darke and hellishe science, what invocation so ever they make of the name of God ; who, beyng the father and author of all troth, wyll never have the triumphant glorye of his name polluted wyth the cursed ceremonies of suche ydolatryes, neyther wyll he bowe downe his eares to the peticion of such diabolical! devynours, who, practisynge to seduce the simple sorte wyth charmes of sorceries, do preferre the absolute destruction of theyr owne soule. And trulye th' almightye (whose judgementes are inscrutable) is content somtyme to suffer those conjurers and enchaunters (the veray officers of hel) as wel for the scourge of our synnes as to manifeste theyr owne infidelitie, to worke many greate and incredible wounders as we reade of the magicians in Egypte before Pharao ; th 1 enchaunteresse stirrynge up the sprit of Samuell in the presence of Saule, kinge of the Hebrues ; and Simon, the cojurer, honored as a God of the folishe prince and 152' TRAGICALL DISCOURSES people of Rome to th'ende the faythfull flocke (strengthened DISCOURSE and confirmed, by the grace of the holye sprite) maye glorye III in theyr assured belyef in the true God, by the peremptorye fal of those infedels, together wyth all suche as unhappelye lysten to theyr pernicious doctrine. Here Pandora, seynge all her devises (accompanyed with a crooked fortune) retourne a successe contrary to her mean- ynge, began to enter into a newe passion of suche rage and dispaire, that she had even nowe dismissed the residue of her dayes by the fatall dome of her owne handes, yf she had not bene eftsones inter upted by Fynea, who, for th 1 appeasinge of her present dule, preferred unto her the ayde of a graye frier, a greate ghostly father in that cytie, whom she affirmed to have wroughte mervelous effectes by the healpe of certeine distilled waters, tempered wyth the jewice of stronge hearbes, growynge secretlye within the intrailles of the earthe, the nature of hidden stoanes and mettals, pouders and seedes not knowen to manye, wyth diverse suffumigacions incident to witchecrafte : and who, in deede, was noted to have bestowed more of hys tyme in the studie of that darke arte and philosophie of Sathan then in tourninge over the sacred volumes of holye scripture and testament of the Lorde, whiche oughte to bee the only exercise of .those that are cladd The studye in the habite of religion. of scripture Beholde ! here an example of greate vertue in oure Abbaye ?^ . f , , . * -. . & . i i i , J c th exercise of men ; who, beinge appareilled in a simple habite in signe of ^ e re iigious. humilitye, doe carye the devill in the cowle of theyr hoodes, and who (accordynge to Saint Augustin) beinge the chiefe pillors that susteine supersticion, are also the greatest frendes Abbaies the to ydolatrie, dimnynge the puritie of religion (which they chiefest oughte to honor and professe with sincere ymitacion) with a j^^teine* cloude of suche darknes of the devises of the devill, that superstion th'onlye vapour of theyr poysoned infection is hable to cor- andydolatrye. rupte the whole ayre wyth a contagiouse pestilence. Howe shoulde the ignoraunt bee guided in the righte waye to salvacion, if they whiche oughte to open the lyght of the gospell do give manifest examples of errours ? Or how can the glorye of God bee renoumed amongest men, if they, whiche, standynge in the pulpit of truth, and ought sin- U 153 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE cerelye to preache the lawe of the Lorde, do converte theyr III dutie towardes the true religion into practises of nygro- mancie and tearmes of invocation of devils ; unprofitable membres certeinlye, deservinge rather to bee utterlye weded out of the common-welth, then (norrished in the idle trade of an abbaye lownde) to be suffred (under the vaile of god- lynes and devocion) to practise haynous conspiracies againste God and man ? But what ? doe I medle thys parte of my historye wyth th' office of the preacher, to whorne it chiefelye belongeth to treat uppon the sondrye abuses committed Abbayes and daylye in nonries, and other lyke tenementes of Babylon ? nonries tene- To this holye father, then, commes Pandora with a counten- mentes or aunce all cladd wyth sorowe, declarynge the circumstaunce of her love passed, the cause of her present passion, with the whole discourse of her former lyfe hitherunto, cravynge (wyth greate intercession in the ende) th' assistance of his arte, for moderation in the martiredome which she endured by the fervent affection she beare to the knighte. Freares bee The freare (notwithstanding his vowe and straite othe of covetous. his order) had not his conscience so armed wyth the vertue of charitye, nor his handes so cleane washed from the covetous desyer of fylthie gaine, but he received certeine peces of golde of Pandora, whome he persuaded shoulde buye certeine drogues and other necessaries, whiche he thought convenient to the makynge of hys diabolicall confection. But, to be shorte, theis charmes and deceitfull perfumes of the freare were of equall operation in this enterprise to the hearbes and other healpes, lately gathered in the vale Camonika by the woman of Pandora ; who, seinge herselfe utterly defyed of fortune, in receivynge semblable successe in all her magicall devises, expectynge withall a spedie retourne of her hus- bande, determinde to avenge the desloyaltie of her lover upon the frute sturryng in her owne wombe being nowe vi monethes since she conceived thinkyng she sholde never be voyde of desyer to see Parthonope, or at leaste to revenge his treason, untill she had utterlye extirped the rootes of that seede whiche he had sowen in the soile of her tender sydes. Oh crueltie more then barbarous ! Is it possible that a gentelwoman of so tender yeres, derived of honest 154 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES parentage, norrished in civilitie, and, that whyche more is, DISCOURSE a Christian, borne in the harte of Europe, shold so muche m forget the feare of God and regarde to his lawes, as, in aug- mentynge the haynous faulte of the wronge alredye don againste her husbande by so many and unchaste adulteries, to committ in the ende an execrable effusion of the bloode derived of the droppes of her owne substance ? Oh ! howe cursed and unhappye is the condicion of them that, declin- ynge (for wante of grace) from the pathe of reason, do suffer theimselves to bee ledd by the lyne of fleshlye appetyt, the chiefest meane that makes us forgett God and all good Suggestion order. For this Pandora, desyrous to cover her faulte, albeit of the fleshe not hable to hide her bigge bellye, assayed to destroye the make f " s , .! u \ i/ i* T. j it. sonest forget creature (movynge within her) by crushynge her sydes wyth Q O( J greate force, drynkynge cawdels made for the nonst, and swallowinge diverse other pouders of such strong confection, that theyr vehement operation within her, had bene able to prevaile above the strengthe of the highest complexion of the worlde. Albeit, seynge her expected successe of this beastelye pollecye was also denied her, she devised a laste meane for the accomplishment of her enterprise, whiche the veraye ennemy of nature (I am sewer) woulde abhorre to ymagine; which was that seyng she coulde not be delyvered by the assistaunce of sorceries, purgacions, nor other pollecie whyche the arte of enchauntynge was hable to lende her she resolved (as a bloddie boocher of her owne bloud) to A develishe brake the bed of th 1 infant within her entrails, and drive it p evi e of out of her wombe by veray force. Wherein she was assisted by Finea, who, accordynge to the commaundement of her mystresse, carriynge a sylver basyn into the highest torret in the house, wente thether immediatlye bothe together; where, after the doares were shott on all sides, Pandora, with a troubled countenaunce, all pantinge for the horrour of the acte which she ment to execute, beholdynge her bellye with serpentine eyes sparklynge with flames of furie, sayed unto her mayde : * Like as, alas ! thou knowest, Finea, howe ex- tremelye I am delte withall at the handes of the thrise wretched Parthonope, who (without anye respect to the paine which I endure) hath utterly disclaimed mine acquaint- 155 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE ance, wyth lesse regarde to preserve the seedes whyche he III hathe grafted and lefte growinge within me, even so thou arte not ignoraunt of th' indevour I have used to reclaime hym, and rampyer myselfe eftsones in his favor ; wherof the one is no lesse unlikelye then the other daungerous. And, beynge spyted of fortune, heaven and earthe seame also to bende the force of theyr malice againste mine at- temptes. Albeit I coulde somwhat moderate the extremetie of my passion, yf the viewe of my greate bellye dyd not renewe the rage of my fever; wherein I dye a thousande tymes, havynge anye thyng afore mine eyes that eyther representeth his licknes, or moveth any cause of remem- braunce of that detestable wretche, who (as I hope) shall never take pleasure in any child of his engendred in the bodye of Pandora. And as I have assayed diverse wayes (as thou knowest) to discharge me of this burden, wherin I have nothynge prevayled, because my destenie contends against my endevor, even so, beynge not hable any longer to conceile my faulte, nor cover my wombe swelled with the wycked sede of his generacion and seynge withall my hus- band is now upon the point of his returne I am determined to commit my life to extreme perill; to th'ende to dispatche me of this burden, which I hate as much as other women take pleasure to beare and bryng forth with so great con- tentement. And, if I coulde as largelye commande over him as I have power to worke the spyte of his wrong uppon the pawne he hath lefte within me, I assure thee these handes should make no lesse straunge anotomy of his carcas, then I mean forthwith, in thy presence, to dismember the monster which, by his acte, I tele stirre in the inner partes of my raines.' Wherein Finea, hearing this develish resolucion, preferred persuasions to the contrarie, alledgynge that the horror were to great that a mother shoulde become the tyrannous murdresse of herselfe and childe at one instant. 4 And ' (saith she) ' touchinge your being with child, there be The evil is meanes inough to kepe it secret without using any crueltye, in killynff th' innocent creature, which ought not to beare the where coun- J & ., . , /. i , . , . , , ,^, i , . > , , -.v cell takes penaunce or the faulte of the father. 1 usn ! tush ! saith place. this she wolfe and merciles Medea, ' that evil is but light 156 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES where counsel takes place. Do awaye these persuasions and DISCOURSE dispose thyselfe to assiste me ; for otherwise thou shalt see m me dye in thy presence, and then thy preachynge shalbe in vayne to her that is absolutly resolved to pursue the ende of her meanynge.' ' What is it then that I shall doe?' saith Finea. To whom (as a cruell Megera comminge out of the hollow and darke places of th' infernal valleys) she enjoyned her this fyrst charge : ' Get thee upp,' saith she, ' upon that high coffer there, and I wil spred my bellye alonge upon the grounde, with my backe upwarde. And so, wyth all thy force, thou shalte leape upon my reynes ; whych I hope wil be a meane to open an issue for this cursed burden whiche is so grevous for me to carye. Wherin, if thou use th' utter- most of thy force, thou shalte restore me to spedye contente- ment ; but if thou spare to employe thy whole strength, thow shalte prolonge my paine, drivynge me to make myne owne handes the ministers of my meanynge.' Finea, not lykyng greatly the charge of suche commission, and muche lesse the execucion in so horrible a maner, althoughe the terrour of the fact troubled her for a tyme, yet, beynge of longe tyme acquainted wyth the condicions and crueltye of her mystres, mounts upon the highe chest, leapinge seaven or eyghte tymes together upon the backe of Pandora, wyth suche impetuositie, that anye man woulde have thought that so many blowes, wyth the heavye swaigh of all her bodye, had bene hable to have broken the bones of her backe and dispatched the mother and childe together. But all these traffickes beynge in vayne, prolonged but the payne of Pan- dora; who, doublyng her rage wyth this repulse of her enter- prise, entred into devises of more mischiefe and tyraunie not almost to be talked of. What hart alas ! is so endurated wyth the mettall of hardnes, but the horror of this hellishe crueltye, wyll move it to destil drops of bloud? What countenaunce so assured that cane wythhold hys teares, or not shrinck at the tyranous disposition of this lyonesse ? Or what heares wyll not stande up at the tragicall discours of this strange kynde of chylde bearynge ? Truelye, I knowe that vertuous ladyes (sprinkled wyth the dewe of pytie) wyll not onelye tremble at the remem- 157 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE braunce of the inordinate crueltye of this cursed mother, but III also open the conduits of their compassions, weping on the behalfe of the torment wherin unnaturally she plunged the innocent impe which nature had formed of the substance of herselfe ; who, converted from the shape of a woman into the disposition of a devel, raginge without measure, that she coulde not be delivered, howled out at laste with a hor- rible crye full of impietye and blasphemye in this sorte : ' Seynge ' (sayth she) ' that both God and the devell denie me their assistance, I will (in spyghte of their powers) ryd me of thee, oh ! cursed and execrable creature. 1 Wherwith, possessed wholye with the spirit of furie, having her eyes sonke into her head, her stomake panting, and her face all full of black bloud, by the vehemencie of the conflicte which she had indured, began to leape with al her force from the toppe of the coffer down to the ground, brosing her sides with her handes and playinge on the drum with her fystes upon her great bellye, with such huge blowes that, felyng even now the lytel creature within her removed from his place, redye to drope oute of her wombe, called for the socors of Finea, who standynge in place of a midwyfe, received (in a silver basyn) an infant male, unlawfullye con- ceyved, bedewed as yet wyth the wet soddes of his wicked mother, sprauling and breathing with a litell ayre of lyfe : whiche doloros spectacle, movyng Finea to present compas- sion, drive her into teares of great dule ; as well that for she sawe so fayre a creature driven out of his habitacion before his due terme, and without the consent of nature, as also to see it redie to be layed upon the polluted alter of immolations, for an offering to the devill, afore it weare washed and purified thorowe the sacred sacrement of bap- tisme. Oh ! horrible and execrable condicion of an Italian, who, being fostered in the myrie vale Camonycka, amongst the wyches and cursed enchaunterers, socked there the vice of her nurce wyth the mylke of her pappe. Albeit, I coulde make comparison of the like crueltie executed in the greatest Paris. cytie of Fraunce by a gentil woman of that contrye, who, beinge newly delivered of the burden of her bellye, made a beastlye sacrifice of it in the fyre, and that wyth the consent 158 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES and in the presence of the detestable pallyard * that begat it, DISCOURSE deservynge both to be invested with the tytell of cursed III parentes and blodye bochers of the sedes congealed of theyr *\-y| lore _ owne substaunce, savynge that the ende of this infortunat maister. infant was more tragicall, and the doings of his mother more detestable ; who, excedinge the brutall crueltye of the wolfe, tygresse, or lyonesse, ravenynge amongest the flocke of lytell lambes in the fatt and fertyll feldes of Libia, seinge her thus discharged of her burden began also to dysmysse the greatnes of her dolor, and, beholdinge with her eyes (shyninge lyke the blase of two torches with the flame of furye) the new- borne creature sprawling in the basyn began to whett her tethe, shakinge her heade with horrible regards, prognosti- catinge the laste acte of the rage whiche she hadde yet to playe ; saying unto Finea : * Dost thou not see howe this lyttel beaste resembles alreadye the image of his parjured father? Beholde now, I praye the, his countenaunce and marke the sondry liklehods that even now appeare in his face, arguing undoubtedly that (if lyfe woulde geve leave to his inclynacion) his detestable disposicion woulde be nothinge inferyor to the villanie of him whose trayterous disloyaltye hath made me (as thou seest) the cursed mynister of in- ordynat creweltye. And if I had the lyke power over him that is the cause of this unnatural passion, I would assuredlye enjoyne him such penaunce, that his juste chastysment shoulde import a terror to all traytors that hereafter shoulde seke to seduce anye ladye by sugred words. 1 Wherewith, bendinge her lokes towardes the lyttell impe (hastinge to his ende by the seconde conflicte hee hadde endewred by hys mother and her mayde afore his eyes weare unsealed to see the light of this worlde) she wished eftsones the presens of Parthonope. * Upon whome ' (sayth shee) ' syth I am unhappelye denyed to wreake my vengaunce in suche sorte as I woulde, at leaste I will content myselfe for the tyme to see the ponyshed in the place of him whose pycture thow rightlye presentes, as a trewe patorne shaped of the masse of his substance. And, seinge thy destinye is to incurre the penaunce due to thy father, the payne of thy execucion shalbe nothinge inferyor to the meryt of his execrable fait. Wherin, 1 sayth shee, 159 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE c arme yourselves (oh ! my handes) with corage, and shrinke HI not to bee the mynisters of the ponishiment which ray tongue hath pronounced ! Rejoyce, oh my harte ! in the effusion of his blodd, whose death brings repose to the long passion of thy dolors ! And you, mine eyes, laughe your full, to se the dismembringe of him whome I mean to offer as a sacrafyse of vengaunce on the behalfe of Parthonope, whose remembraunce (with the blodde of his son) I will pre- sentlye rote out of my minde for ever ! ' Certenlye, good ladyes, my harte, abhorring no lesse the remembraunce of this bychfoxe, then my spirite, trebled with tremblinge feare at the contynaunce of her creweltye, gives such impedi- ment to my penne that it is scarce hable to discribe unto you the laste act of her rage : wherin this lymme of th' in- fernal lake, not worthye any longer to beare the name of a woman, procedinge to th'ende of her enterprise, takes up her sonne with her bloodye and murderinge handes, whom, without all compassion, and contrary to the order of a Christian, she beates with all her force againste the walles, paintinge the postes and pavements in the chamber with the blodde and braynes of the innocent creature newe borne. Wherwith, not yet contented nor satisfyed in her rage, she takes in eyther of her handes one of the tender legges of the child now deade, and, deviding them as the bocher joynts his lambe or yonge goate which he layes upon his staulle to be sould, fell of a sodayn laughter in signe of the greate pleasure she toke in this execution, wishing, notwithstanding, to enter into the same exercise with him of whom this de- formed carrion (as she tearmed this dismembred infant) toke his firste beginninge. Here, if I shoulde preferre the perti- culer discours of the exploits of this second Medea and execrable monster of our time, I could not escape (I am sure) without the secret grudges of some, who, havinge made large sale of their honor at to lowe a price, and getting in like sort the byt of f ran tike jalosye betwen their teth, do stodye nothing but the art of reveng. Albeit because the vertue of honest and chast ladies shal shine the clearer by the darke eclipse of such common enemyes of the whole secte femenyne, I wil yet treat of the tyrany of this Pandora, who 160 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES reserved the extreame pointe of her Jewishe creweltie until DISCOURSE the last act of her tragedye. For, marteringe the dead m childe, and treadinge it under her fete, she thrust her hande under his shorte rybbes, and taking out his hart gnawed it (as a bych of Hercania) betwene her teth into littell morsels, saying that shee hoped one daye to provyde the like banquyt for Parthonope, whiche shoulde confirme the quyet she felt in the present death and destestable execucion of his image and likenes. And, having her hand yet dyed with the blodd of this guiltles impe of nature, shee cold not be ryd of the im- portunat devil that possessed her, until she had brought the ryver of her rage unto th' extreme brinke of tyrannye, neyther could her harte be brought to appeasement so longe as her eyes fed upon the viewe of the deade infant. Wherfore, call- inge in a great mastyphe cur, she gave him (by pecemeale) the members of her childe, an act suer of no lesse detestacion afore the high throne of God then to be abhorred of all the world. Ah las ! have th 1 Ytalyan mothers no other tombes for their children, then to bury them in the belly of a dogge ? Be these the teares wherewith they accompany e them into the shrouding shete ? Is this the curtesy of Italye, or a creweltie derived of the barbarous nacion ? But how cold she expose other frewtes outwardly then according to the nature of the spirite which possessed her within? For the devill, beinge seased of her hart, made her body and other members the mynisters of her wil : which God doth often- tymes suffer, as wel for the due correction of haynous faults as also for an example and terror of all offenders in the like affayres. I am lothe, good ladyes, to passe any further in the pur- sute of this dolorous tragedye; because (your eyes alredy wearyed with wepinge) methinke, I see also, your eares offer to close themselves against the report of this Pandora, whose only offence had bene enough to staine your whole secte with perpetual infamie, if the pure chastitie of so many of you offred not to confute the slaunder by your vertue only. Neither can the impudente and wicked liffe of suche double curtails (as shee was) impayre th 1 estimacion of them that, wyth th 1 intente of pure integritie, do rather give X 161 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES DISCOURSE suck to their honor with the milke of simplicytie, then, being III Italyonated with all subteltyes, trustinge onlye in the humor of their owne braine, do fall at laste into the common slaunder of all the worlde. For a famylyar profe wherof I leave you to skanne the order and doinges of this Pandora, who, wax- inge nowe somewhat colde in her former passions of frensye and rage, began to be pinched with the panges incydente commenlye to all women in the paynfull travell of childe bearinge. Wherof, goinge to bed, shee caused certeyn baynes to be provided ; wherin washinge herselfe, the next daye (beinge hallowed and a feaste of great solempnytye) she was caryed in a rych coche to vysitt the companie of other ladyes, amongest whome she was not worthye to kepe place, being the shamefull bocher of her own blood and wicked ennemy to the life of man. Herein is to be noted the destruction of a woman banished the pallays of reason ; together with the due mede of their merytt, who, for the respect of a lyttell pleasure, (of no more contynuance then a moment) do put their honour upon tearmes of infamye, and their soules in hazard of everlast- inge tormente. Here the adulterers maye see howe justelye God ponysheth their infydelytie, and breach of othes to- wardes their husbands. Let also the yong ladyes and lyttel girls learne to direct the cours of their youth by the con- trary of this example ; and, beinge once registred in the boke of maryage, let theim stand upon their guard for falling into the like folies. For ther is nothing com- mitted in secret, but in the end it bursts out to a common brute : which our savior Christ affyrmeth by the mouthe of the prophet, sainge, that what so ever is done in the darkest corner of the house shalbe published in the end in open audience. And he who sekes moste to conceile his faulte, is not onlye (by the permission of God) the [ first opner of the same, but also beares the badge of shame afore the face of the world, and standes in daunger of grace in the presence of him from whom no secret canne be hydde. 162 DISCOURSE IV AN ALBANOYSE Capteine, beinge at the poynte to dye, kylled his wyfe, because no man should enjoye her beawtie after his deathe. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE IV Jelosye ex- cedes al the tormentes in the worlde. THE ARGUMENT IT may seame to some that delighte in the reporte of other men's faltes, with respect rather to take occasion of synister exclamacion then be warned by their evils to eschewe the like harmes in themselves, that I have bene to prodigall in notinge the doinges and lives of diverse ladies and gentlewomen declin- inge by misfortune from the path of vertue and honour, only to sturre up cause of reproche and leave to confirme their fonde opinion. Albeit, as their errour appereth sufficiently in the integretye of my meaninge, so I hope th' indifferent sort will geve an other judgement of my entente ; the rather for that I have preferred these discourses, both for the proffit of the pre- sent glorye of them that bee paste, and instruction of suche as bee to come ; seing withal they discover more cause of rebuke and vices more heynous in men, then any we finde committed by women. And albeit the historye last recyted hath set fourth in lyvely collours the furye and madd dispocition of a woman forced by disloyaltie, yet if a man maye any waie excuse synne, it maye in some sorte be dispensed withall, or at leaste with more reason then the tyranous execution followinge, committed by a man without occacion; where a certaine jelousye sprong of an unjuste myslyke (as she thought) is readie to cover the falte of Pandora. For what is he so ignorante in the passions of love that will not confesse that jelosye is an evill excedinge all the tormentes of the world, supplantinge oftentymes bothe wytt and reason in the moste wise that be, specially when appeareth the lyke treason that Pandora pers waded herselfe to receive by him that forsoke her. But for th' other, how can he be acquited from an humor of a frantike man, who, without any cause of offence in the world, committes cruel execution upon his inno- cente wife, no lesse fayre and fournished in al perfections, then chast and verteous without comparison. Neyther is joylowsye 164 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES the cause of morder, considringe that the opynion is no sooner DISCOURSE conceyved then there followeth (as it were) a distrust of the partye jy that thinkes to receive the wronge, with an indifferent desyer to theira both to stande upon their gard, in sort lyke ii enemyes workinge the mutuall destruction the one of the other. Whereof, leaving the judgement to theim that be of good stomake to disgest all kindes of meates, or can carye a traine to bukle with the fumes of everye brothe that is offred theim, I have here to expose unto you a myserable accident, happening in our tyme, whiche shall serve as a bloddy skaffolde, or theaterye, wherin are presented such as play no partes but in mortal and furious tragideies. URINGE the sege and miserable sacke of Modona (a cytye of the Mores, confyning upon the sea Peloponese, not farr from the straite of Ysthmyon, by the whiche the Venetians conveighe theire great traffique and trade of marchandise) Baiazeth, th' emperour of the Turkes, and great grand- father to Sultan Solyman who this daye governeth the state of th'oriente, used so many sortes of inordinat cruelties in the persecution of those wretches whom fate, with extreme force of his warr, had not onlye haban- doned from the soyle of their ancient and naturall bode, but also (as people ful of desolation and voide of succour every waye) forced them to crave harbor of the lymytrophall townes adjoyning their countrey, to shroude ther weary bodyes, bledinge still with the woundes of their late warre, and overcome besides wyth the violence of hungar and cold ii common enemies that never faile to followe the campe of Hunger and miserie. And as in a generall calamitie everie man hath his colde, 2 fortune, so, amongest the unhappie crewe of these fugitives common f 11 t ii. ii enemies and creatures full ot care, there was one gentleman no lesse attendinge noble by discente then worthelye renowmed by the glorye of the campe his own actes ; who, accompting it a chyefe and principal of miserie. vertue to withstande the mallice of fortune with magna- 165 DISCOURSE IV In everye mischiefe for- tune beareth the greatest swaighe. No man within the daunger of fortune but suche as lake assurance in vertue. Vertue yeldes good frutes to such as embrace her unfaynedly. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S nimitie of mynd, thought it not also the office of a noble hart to yeld to the sentence of adversitie, or geve any place to the injurie of present time, consideringe that, in everye distresse, Fortune beareth the greatest swaighe; whose mallice is neyther of perpetuitie, nor yet to be feared of such as have their harts armed with assurance in vertue. For as she is no lesse un- certaine of herselfe then her doinges full of mutabilitie, so, accordinge to th 1 advice of the philosopher, she is to be used with suche indifferencie of all estates, that wee neade neyther laugh when she smyles, nor feare when she threates. Neither hathe she anye to followe the chariot of her victorie but the caitiffe or cowarde, and suche as are denied the assistaunce and benifet of trewe vertue. This gentleman (whom mine author termeth by the name of Pierro Barzo) wearie even nowe with drawinge the heavie yocke of harde exile, left the rest of his contrymen and companions of care complaininge their mutuall myseries together, and retired to the ryche and populous cytie of Mantua ; where his cyvell governmente, and prudent behavior (accompanied with a singuler dexteritie in exploytes of armes, and other exercises of chevalrye, arguinge th' unfayned noblenes of his mynde) gave suche a shewe of his vertue, that he was not onlye in shorte tyme intertained of the Marques and governour there, but also made generall of the whole armie of footemen. Where, enjoyinge thus the benefyt of his vertue who commonly yeldes no lesse successe to suche as imbrace her with true ymytacion, and treade the pathe of her loare with semblable sinceritie of mynde he had there with him at the same instante his wyfe, beinge also of Modona, derived of no lesse nobilytie then he, and nothinge inferiour in all gyftes of nature and ornamentes of vertue. For touchinge her bewtie, seaming of suche wonderfull perfection that it was thoughte nature was dryven to the ende of her wittes in framinge a pece of so great excellancie, they dowted not to geve her therby the tytle of the faire Helene of Grece. Nether was she lesse meritorious for her vertues ; being blessed therwith so plentifully at the handes of th 1 Almighty, that it was doubted to the writers of that tyme whether God or nature deserved the greatest prayes in forminge so perfecte a crea- 166 TRAGIC ALL DISCOURSES ture. If this were a consolation and singuler contentment DISCOURSE of the pore Modonoyse waighinge earste in the ballance of IV his unhappy e fortune, denied anye more to enjoye the fre- dome of his contrye, dryven by force from the auncient succours and solace of his frendes, wandringe in wooddes and deserte places unknowne, and (that whiche worse is) lefte onely to the mercie of hunger and coulde, with expec- tation to fall eftesones into the handes of hys enemyes ; and nowe to bee taken from the malice of all theis miseries and restored to a place of abode, richesse and entertainement sufficient for sustentation, to beare office and authoritie amongeste the best, and rampierd besydes within th" 1 assured good will and opinion of the chiefe governor of a contreye I appeale to th' opinions of those who earst have changed their miserable condicion, or state of adversytie, with the benefyt and goodnes of the lyke fortune. Or if, againe, he had cause to rejoyce and make sacrifice to his fortune, that had gyven hym a wyfe, noted to be the odd image of the worlde for beautye, behaviour, courtesey, and uprighte dealyng, constant wythout cause or argument of dishonesty, and that (whiche is the chiefest ornement and decoracion of The chiefest the beautie of a woman) to bee of disposition readye to obeye vertue in a her husbande, yeldinge hym suffraintye with a deutifull w ^- s ^P 6 obedience, with other vertues that made her an admiration ner husband. to the whole multitude, and her lyfe a spectacle to the ladyes of our age to beholde and imitate the like vertues I leave it to the judgement of that smal number of happy men who (by a speciall grace from above) are ordeined to enjoye the benefyt of so rare and precious a gyfte. This couple, thus rejoycinge the retourne of happy lyfe, resigned withall their teares of auncient dule, and embraced the gyfte of present time, with intent to spend the remaineder of their yeres in mutual consolacion and contentement of mynde. Wherein they were assisted wyth a second blessyng of God ; who, for the increase of theyr new comfort, sent them a doughter, who in beautye, vertue, and all other gyftes of grace, dyd nothynge degenerate from the patterne and mould from whence she was derived. Wherof she gave great showes as nature seamed to increase her yeres and 167 DISCOURSE IV Fortune is alwayes jalouse of the ease of man. The malice of the world rageth most upon widows and fatherles children. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S conferme her in discrecion. But what assuraunce is ther in the pleasure of people, seinge the worlde hitselfe is ap- pointed his date, whiche he can not passe ; or why shoulde we repose a perpetuitye in our worldlye afaires, seinge that both theyr continuance and confidence endes wyth the lengthe of tyme? And Fortune, who is alwayes jelouse of the ease of man, and not content to let us lyve longe in quiet, is alwayes laying her ambushe, devisyng howe to interrupte oure felicitie. And as she is blinde of herselfe, and lesse certeintie in her doinges, so she forgettes not to discover her conspiracies when we leste thinke of her, and invade us when we accompte us moste sewer of her frend- shippe. Wherof she gave a manifest declaration in the person of this faire ladye ; from whome she toke her deare husband in the flower of his yeres, and she not yet con- fermed in age and discretion hable to beare and withstande th'ordinarye assaultes of the worlde. Whiche she founde also of more uneasye tolleracion, as wel for the fervent zeale and affiance whiche lawe of kynde dyd bynde her to beare to her late spouse and loyall husbande, as, also, for that she sawe herselfe lefte amongest the handes of straungers, farre from her parentes and frendes, voyde of refuge in her owne countrye, and withoute a heade to defende her from the malice of men, whiche commonlye rageth wyth more ex- tremytie againste weake and desolate widowes and pore fatherles orphanes then againste theim that are hable to withstande their malice, and represse theyr violence wyth equall power. And, albeit she was lefte to her owne lybertye to lyve as she lyste, (as you have harde) and not yet felyinge the burden of xx wynters (an age fyt to en- gender susspicion of the evell disposed) yet, havinge no lesse care to prevent the malice of slaunder then to kepe in entyer the small revenue lefte unto her by her husbande, she toke order wyth her domesticall affaires accordyng to her present fortune. And so, dismissing her ordinarye traine of servantes, retyred to a brother of hers, whiche dwelte also in the same towne ; wher, after the funerals of her dead husbande were performed with sufficient teares and dueties appertaynynge, she qualifieth some what her dule for him that was dead, 168 with the dayly view of her yong doughter (the lyvely ymage DISCOURSE of her father), soraetyme also excercisinge the indevor of the iv nedle (a recreacion moste convenient for widowes and all r j^ ie use O f honeste matrones) never beinge seene abrode but of holye the nedle a and great festival! dayes, when she wente in devoute maner convenient to the churche to here the divine service of God ; beinge JJJ 6 1 * 6 ^ 1 ' unhappelye espied (for all that) of an Albanoys captaine, O f women. a noble gentelman thereabout, havinge for the credit of his vertue and valiantnes in armes the charge of certayne troopes of horsemen ; who, glauncynge at unwares uppon the glysterynge beames of her beautie, became so desyrous eftsones to encounter the same, that, with the often viewe of her stately personage and generall fame of her many vertues, he became so in love with her, that (for spedye ease of his present griefe) he was dryven to put his request upon tearmes ; makynge fyrste his sighes and sadde countinance, his sollitary complexion of face often gyven to chaunge, his dolorous state and pityfull regardes of the eye when he was in her companye, forced nowe and then to abandon the same because he could not kepe hym frome teares, his often gretynge her wyth salutations in amarous order, courtyng her nowe and then wyth letters, dyttyes, and presentes of great pryce, wyth a thousande other vayne importunityes whych love dothe ymagine to animate his soldiours, his chiefest ministers to bewraye hys intente and solicite his cause. Whereof the effecte retourned no lesse frustrate, then the devise yt selfe oughte to seam vayne in the eye of all wise men : for she whose harte coulde not be earste perced wyth the malyce of her former fortune, nor be brought to stowpe to the lure of adversitye, thoughte it a greate faulte to let love or folye make anye breache, wher so many hoate assaultes and causes of dispayre had bene valiauntlye resysted and utterly repulsed. For profe wherof, beinge wholly wedde as yet to the remembrance of her deade husband, she woulde neyther admitt hys clyentes, nor gyve audience to his embassadours, but dismissed bothe the one and the other with semblable hope : whiche broughte the captayne in suche case, that it seamed to hym a harder matter to compasse the good wyll of his ladye, then to Y 169 DISCOURSE governe an armye or to plante a battrye wyth the advauntage IV of the grounde and place. Neither was he hable to with- drawe his affection or mortifye the fyer newly burst oute to flame ; because the remembraunce of her beautye, the often viewe of her vertue enlarged by the generall fame of all men, together wyth the noblenes of her race enrolled in the recordes of antiquitye, presented a more desyere in hym wyth care to obtayne her, and aggravated his griefe in beinge repulsed of that whiche his harte hadde alredye vowed to honor tyll the extreme date of hys dayes. Neyther had he the face eftesones to attempte her of hymselfe, and muche lesse to desyste from the purseute of hys desyere ; but, beynge at the pointe to incurre the hazarde of dispayre, beholde ! love preferred a newe and moste sewer meane, wyllynge hym to crave the assistaunce of her brother ; who, beynge hys deare frende and companion in armes in the servyce of diverse princes afore tyme, he made no lesse accompte of his furtheraunce, then yf he had alredye gotten hys frendshippe. Wherfore delaying no moment of tyme, but plying the ware whilest the water was warme, he accoasted the yong man at a convenient tyme and roved The captain at hym in thys shorte sorte : ' It is, my deare frende and to his frende. compagnion, a vertuous disposition to be readye in well doyng, and easye to assiste honeste requestes : whiche to your nature hathe bene alwayes no lesse peculiar then to me nowe a courage in so honeste a case to crave your ayde. Neyther can the vertue of true frendshippe more lyvelye appeare, or th' office of assured frendes more amplye bee discerned, then in makynge the greffe of the one common to Th' office of bothe, and beare the gyfte of tyme and fortune indiffer- true frend- entlye wyth mutuall affection and lyke zeale on bothe wh^ 6 ' 't partes. Wherein, for my parte, I woulde I had as good consistes. meane to make declaracion of my true harte towardes you, as of longe tyme I have vowed to be yours to the utter- moste of my power, and you no lesse desyer to doo me good then your diligence, and assistance of frendshippe, is moste hable to stande me in steade in my present case, of no lesse importance then the verye safegarde of my lyfe. 1 Which laste wordes made the Modonoyse replye with lyke 170 franke offer of mynde, protestynge unto hym by the fayth DISCOURSE of a soldiour, that, if ever he felte anye mocion in hymselfe iv to doe hym the least good of the worlde, his desyer was double to requite it ; proferinge herewith, for a further shewe of his good meaninge and declaration of fayth, to racke his powre on his behalfe, so farre fourth as eyther lyfe, lyving, or honour, woulde beare him. But he whose desyer tended not to things impossible, nor soughte to maintaine warre againste the heavens, reapposinge muche for himselfe in the offer of his frinde, thought the conquest was halfe wone when he had promissed his assistaunce. And because ther lacked nothing but to utter his griefe, he tolde him that the thynge he desyered woulde bringe advauncement to them bothe. ' And because,' saith he, ' I will cleare the doubte whiche seames to trouble you, you shall understande that the beautye, gyftes of grace, and other honest partes in your syster, have so inchaunted my senses, that, havyng aired ye loste the use of my former lybertie, I can not eftesones be restored without the spedye assistaunce of her good will : neyther have I other powre of myselfe, or consolation in my present extremitye, then suche as is derived of the hope which I have hereafter to enjoye her as my lawfull wyfe. For, otherwayes, I am as voyde of foule meanynge to worke her dishonnor for the fervent love I beare her, as free from intente to procure so greate a spot of infamie to the house whiche norrished you both in so great honour. And, to be plaine with you, the glymerynge glances of her twinklynge eyes, together with a princely majestie which nature hath lente her above the rest of the dames of our dayes, hath made my hart more assalt- able and apte to admitt parley, then eyther the noyse of the canon or terrour of the enemye, howe greate so ever they have appeared, have hertofore feared me : whiche makes me thinke that ther is eyther som celestial or divine mysterie shrowded under the vayle of her beautye, making me therby yelde her honor in hope of preferment ; or els, by the angry consent of my cursed destines, it is shee that is appointed to paie th 1 interest of my former lybertie, in transformynge my auncient quiet into a thousand anoyes 171 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE of uneasye tolleracion. And, albeit I have hetherto reserved IV the maydenhed of my affection, and lyved no lesse free from th'amarous delites or desyers of women, yet being nowe overtaken and tyed in the chaines of true affection, I had rather become captive, and yelde myselfe prisoner in the pursute of so fayre a ladye, then to have the honor of the greatest victorye that ever happened to captayne, by prowesse, or pollicie, or dynt of cruell sworde of his valiaunt soldiours. Wherfore, as your authoritie wyth your syster, is rather to commaunde then entreat, and by the frend- shippe whiche hath remeined indissoluble betwene us from the begynnynge, never gyvynge place to any peryll what so ever it were, I conjure you, and as my last requeste beseche you, to ayde me herin so farfurth as your diligence maye seame to woorke my desyer to effecte.' Wherunto the Modonoyse replyed wyth greate thankes for the honor he offred hym and his syster, whome he halfe promised alredye to frame accordynge to his expectation, promisinge hymselfe a greate good happ, not onely in entryng into allyaunce wyth so noble a gentleman, but also that he shoulde be the worker of the same. Wheruppon embracynge eche other the one glad to see so happy a successe lyke to folowe his busines, the other no lesse joyfull to have so fytt a meane to manifest his frendshipp towardes his frende departed with semblable contentement ; the one to his lodging with a thousand hammers in his heade till he sawe the effecte of his dryfte, the other with no lesse griefe of minde till he had performed the expectation of his charge. Wherein, he began immediatlye to practise wyth hys syster, whome he founde of a contrary opinion, excusynge herselfe wyth the care she had of her doughter, whome, she sayed, she would neyther leave alone, nor commit herselfe to the order and governement of straungers, at whose handes there is as great doubte of good entratye, as small helpe or hope of amende- ment, beinge once made their vassall and subject by lawe of maryage. ' Besides (syr),' saith she, not without some teares, * it is not yet a yere synce I lost hym, whom if I loved by awe beinge onlyve, I oughte with no lesse duety to honor after his death. Neyther colde I avoyde the juste murmure 172 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES and ordinary suspicion of the people, yf I should seame DISCOURSE more hastye to yelde my affection to another, then readye IV to perform my duetye and ceremonies of dule to him that is dead ; and that within the yere afore the funerall be fully ended. The widowes lyfe is also pure of itselfe, bounde to no care nor controlement of any, and so acceptable before God, that th 1 apostle doubteth not to accompte her amonge the number of the religious, yf, after she have once tasted of mariage and restored agayne to her lybertie, she content herselfe wyth the fyrste clogge or burden of bondage, lyvinge after in ymitacion of true vertue. Besides the holy man Sainct Augustin diswadeth all wydowes eftesones to marie, advisinge theim to mortifie suche mocions as the fleshe is apte to sturre uppe and norrishe, by contemplacion, and prayer, and true sinceritie of lyfe; saynge further that they are accompted afore God amongest the nomber of chaste and pure virgins. And because it may bee, per- ad venture, th 1 oppinion of some, that the burden of widowed is grevous and almost intolerable unto me presuming the same rather by the green es of my youth (not yet confirmed in rypnes of yeres and discretion) then upon any good or assured grounde to justifye theyr opinion I assure you I feele myselfe so plentifully assisted with the spirite of grace, that I doubte no more to withstande all temptations and vaine assaultes which the wicked instigations of the flesh may here after minister unto me then heretofore in tender yeres, when nature denied anye such mocion to stur in me, I lived free and voyde of such provocation. And for end, good brother, my hart, devininge diverslye of the successe of this mariage, threatneth a further mischiefe to fall upon me, and to late a repentance for you that is the unfortunat causer of the same. 1 Here her brother, knowing it a fault in all women to here themselves well spoken of, and yet a chiefs meane to wynne theim to fede their humour with flattering praies, began to joine with her in commendacion of her honestie, affirmynge her chaste conversation to bee no lesse meritori- ous since she was wydowe then her pure virginitie generally allowed and praysed of all men afore she was maried. ' Which is the chifest cause, 1 saied he, ' that the captayne desiereth in 173 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE honest sorte to possess you/ But touching any sinister suc- IV cesse that might follow this sacred league of lawfull matri- monye as she seamed to predestinate within her selfe he ministred persuacions to the contrary, alledginge the same to be a superstitious follye attributed to the auncientes of olde tyme, to calculat their good or ill successe by the tunes or charme of byrdes, or somtime by the sodaine encounter of beastes, or suche men as they loked not for, arguing the same to bee such absolut signes of il lucke that commonly they wolde refraine from theyr affayres al that day. ' And touching the murmur and suspicion of the people, whose tongs although they be naturally tipte with the metal of slaunder, yet ought you as litell,' saith he, ' feare their malice, as care for their grudge ; consideringe your acte is no lesse acceptable afore God, then tollerable by the positive lawes of man. Neither can they but judge well of your doinges, and like better of your choyce, seinge you are woede with great importunyties, and wone by one that is of your owne qualitie and nothinge inferior to you in vertue or noblenes of race. But if you sticke of any ceremonies which you have yet to perform to him that is deade, youre errour is greater thenne you maye j ustefye, and your wisedome lesse then is necessarye in suche a case : neyther is the voice of the multitude in that respecte of suche contynaunce, but tyme can take it awaye, and a wonder lasteth not for ever. And, for my parte, I hope you wil conferre my presente meaninge in this matter with the longe experienced fayth and affection whiche heretofore you have noted in me. Besides, I colde not avoyde th 1 imputation of a monster and enemy to nature, if I shold not bee as carefull of your quiet as of my own life ; praying you for ende, and as my laste request, to reapose your selfe whollie uppon my faythe, and frendshippe and fidelytye of him who honoreth you with no lesse then his lyfe and al that he hath.' Wherwith he so muche prevailed over his obedyent syster, that she, beinge unhappely overcom with his vehement importunyties, condis- sended very willingly to his unfortunat request : which after became the perentory destruction of the pore wydow, leaving to late and myserable a repentance to her brother. 174 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES Albeit, afore I precede to the ceremonies of her unfor- DISCOURSE tunat mariage, I thoughte good to tel unto you in this place iv th'oppynion of mine author touchinge the dyvynacion of the spirite of man ; ' who ' (saythe hee) ' albeit, by a secret Touchinge instincke and vertue of the mynde, is hable some times to dyvynacion presage that will fall, and the soule (beinge devine of itselfe) of the dothe also prognosticate dyversly of the future chaunces and chaunges of thinges; yet the bodye (beinge the house or harborer of the mynd) framed of the substance of claye, or a thing of more corruption, doth so prevayle and overcome the qualytyes and gyftes of the mynde, in casting a myste of darkenes afore our understandinge, that the soule is not only barred to expose the frutes of revelacion, but also it is not beleved when she prognosticates a trothe. Neyther is it in the power of man to shone or shrinke frome that whiche the foreknowledge of the highest hath already determined upon us, and much lesse to prevent or withstande the sen- tence of hym whose dome is as certeine as himselfe is truthe. Wherein, because I am sufficiently justefyed by th 1 authori- ties of diverse histories, as wel sacred as prophane, I will not stande here to enlarge the proofe with copy of examples, but referr you to the readinge of the sequeile of this woful ladye, who, although her fate was reveyled to her afore, yet was she denied to shone the destenye and sharppe judgement whiche the heavens were resolved to thunder uppon her. 1 But nowe to our pourpose. TrT agrement thus made betwene the fayre Greke ladye and Don Spado, the valiant capteine, ther lacked no thing for consomacion of the mari- age but th" 1 assistance of the rites and auncient ceremonies appoynted by order of holly Churche ; whiche the capteine forgat not to procure with all expedicion of tyme. And, for the more honour and decoracion of the feaste, he had ther the presence of the Marques of Mantua, beinge there, not so much for the honour of the brydegroome, as to testefye to the open face of the world the arnest affection he beare to her fyrst husbande Barzo, whom he accompted no lesse deare unto hym for credytt and truste, then the nearest frende of his blod. But nowe this Albanoys enjoyeng thus the frutes of his desier, colde not so wel brydel his present pleasure, nor 175 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE conceile the singuler contentment he conceived by the encoun- IV ter of his new mystres, but, in publike show, began to prate of his present felicitye ; arguinge the same to be of greater moment, then if he had ben frankly restored to the tytle and dygnitie of a kingdom e; geving Fortune also her peculiar thankes, that had kepte this good torne in store for him, saying that she cold not have honored him with a greater preferment then to put him into the possession of her who was without a second in al Europe. But as in every thing excesse is hurtful, bringinge with it a doble discomoditie I meane both a sourfet to the stomake by the pleasure we delite in, and a jelouse loathing of the thing we chiefly love and hold most dere so the extreme and superfluitye of hoate love of this fonde husbande towards his wife, began, within the very month of the mariage, to converte itselfe into a contrary The propertie disposition, not much unlike the loving rage of the she ape of a she ape towardes her yonge ones ; who, as the poetes do affirme, he^oinT^ doth use to chuse among her whelpes one whom she loves ons. best, and keping it alwaies in her armes doth cherish and loll it in such rude sorte that, or she is ware, she breketh the boanes and smothereth it to death, killing by this meanes with overmuch love the thing which yet wold live if it were not for th 1 excesse of her affection. In like sort this Alban- oyse, doating without discrecion uppon the desyer of his newe lady, and rather drowned beastely in the superfluitie of her love then waighing rightly the meryte and vertue of true affection, entred into such tearmes of fervent jelowsie, that every fle that wafteth afore her made hym sweate at the browes with the suspicion he had of her bewty. Wherin he suffered himselfe to be so much subject and overcome with the rage of this follie, that, according to the jelowse humor of th' Ytalyan, he thoughte every man that loked in her face, wente aboute to grafte homes in his forehed. Oh ! smal discrecion and lesse wisedome, in one that ought, with the shappe and forme, to merite the name and vertue of a man ! What sodaine chaung and alteracion of fortune seames nowe t 1 assayle this valiant captein, who earst loved loyallie within the compas of raison, and now, doating without discrecion, thinketh himselfe one of the forqued ministeres of Corn- 176 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES waile ! And, albeit I must confesse unto you that the more DISCOURSE rare and precious a thing is of itselfe, the more diligence and iv regarde ought we to use to preserve and kepe it in good estate ; yet a wise and chast woman being one of the rarest things of the world and special gift of God, ought not to be kept in the mew, nor garded with curious and continual wach, and much lesse atended upon with the jelouse eyes of Argus : for like shee that waigheth her honor and life in indifferent ballance, not meaning to exchange the one but with the losse of the other, is not easely corrupted by any sugred traine of flattering love, so the restraint of the lyberty of womenne, together with a distruste procedinge of none occasion, is the chiefeste meane to seduce her that ells hath vowed an honeste and integrety of lyfe even untill the ende of her naturall dayes. And in vaine goeth hee aboute to make his wife honest, that eyther lockes her in his camber or fylles his house full of spyes to note her doinges, consider- inge the just cause he gyves her hereby to be revenged of the distruste he hath of her without occasion ; seinge with al the nature of some women is to enlarge their libertie that is abridged theim in doinge the thinge they are forbidden, more in disspyte of the distruste of their folyshe husbandes, then for any appetyt or expectacion of other contentment to themselves. Neyther hath this folyshe humor of jelowsy so much power to enter into the hart of the vertuous and wise man ; who neyther wyll give his wife such cause to abuse herselfe towardes hym, nor suspect her wythout great occa- syon, nor yet gyve judgement of any evill in her, withoute a sewer grounde and manifest proofs. And yet is he of suche governemente for the correction of such a falte, that he had rather cloke and disgest it with wisedome then make publication with open ponishement in the eye of the slaunder- ous worlde. By whiche rare patience and secret dissimula- tion, he dothe not onely choke the mouth of the slaunderor, buryinge the faulte with the forgetfulnes of the facte, but also reclaymes her to an assured honestie and fayth here- after, that earst had abused him by negligence and yl for- tune. But he which pennes his wife in the higest vaulte of his house, or tieth a bell at her sieve because he may heare Z 177 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE whether she goeth, or when he takes a long jorney paintes a IV lambe of her bellie, to know if she plaie false in his absence these sleightes, I saye, do not only deceive him that deviseth theym, but also gives him for his travell the true title of coockeholde. In like sorte, what greater sign or argument can a man geve of his owne follie, then to beleve that to be true, which is but doutfull, and yeldinge rashelye to the resolution and sentence of his owne conceites, thinks his wife as light of the scare and apt to deceive him, as he is readie to admit synister suspicion; which precedes but of an ymperfection in hymselfe, judginge the disposition of an other, by his own complexion. Which was one of the greatest faltes in this valyante Albanoyse ; who, fearing even nowe that which he nede not to dowte, began to stande in awe of his owne shadow, perswadinge himselfe that his wife was no lesse liberall of her love towards others then to him, and that the benefit of her bewtie was as common to straungers as to himselfe. Albeit, the good ladye, espyeng well enough the greefe of her, husband, was not ydle, for her parte, to studie the meanes to please him, and also to frame her life in such wise every waye, that her chaste and discrete governement towardes hym mighte not only remove the vaile of his late suspicion, but also take awaye the thicke miste of frantike jelowsie that put him in suche disquiet, and made him so farre excede the lymites and bondes of discrecion. Albeit, her.honeste endevor herein received a contrarye eff'ecte ; and as one borne under a crabbed constellacion, or ordeined rather to beare the malice of a froward desteinye, she colde not devise a remedie for his disease, nor any hearbe to purge his suspicious humor ; but the more she sought to prefer a show of sinceritie and honestie of life, the more grew the furye and rage of his perverse fancie, thinking the compainye and fellowship of his wife to be as indifferente to others as peculiar to himselfe. What life were like to the maried mans state, or pleasures semblable to the joyes of the bedde, if either the one or the other might be dispensed with all from the furye of frantique jellowsie ? Or amongest a thousand inconveniences which 178 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES only the marled man doth fynde, what greater mischiefe DISCOURSE maye be more for the dissolution of the mutuall tranquilitie IV of them bothe, then where the one loves unfaynedlie, and the other is doubtfull without cause ? But the ease and quiet of men are of so small a moment, and their common pleasures so enterlarded with an ordinarye mishappe, that ther is as smal hold of the one, slippinge away with the shortnes of tyme, as undowted assurance to have the other a common gueste, and haunt us in all our doinges, not leaving us till he hath sene us laide in the pit and longe bedde of rest. Wherof I have here presented you a litle proofe in the picture and person of this selly Albanoyse ; who, beginnynge as you have harde to enter into some tearmes of jellowsie wyth his wife with whome, notwithstandynge, he had con- sumed certeine monethes in such pleasures as mariage doth allowe began to grow more fervant in that furye thenne either his cause did require or wisedom ought to suffer. Wherwith, setting abroch the vessel of that poyson, forgat not for hys fyrste endevor to dogge the doinges of hys wife with secret spies in every corner, to abridge her libertie in foinge abrode, and barr the accesse of any to come to her ; epinge, notwithstandinge, no lesse watche and warde abowte her chamber thenne the good soldiour uppon his trenche, or circumspecte capteine uppon the walles of hys fortresse : whyche broughte the selly ladye into such sorow, that the state of the caytife and slave of the gallye, bounde to his ore with a chayne of unreasonable biggnes, or hee that by harde sentence of the lawe dothe lye miserablie at. the bottom of a pryson all the dayes of his lyfe, seamed of more easie regarde thenne the harde condition of her presente state. Albeit, true vertue hathe suche operation and effecte of herselfe, that howe True vertue grevouslye so ever the worlde dothe persecute her, or seke to wi ^ alwayes crucifye her wyth the malice of menne, yet canne they not so accordinff to kepe her under by anye force they canne devise, but certeine t h e g 00 dnes streames and sparkes wyll burste oute nowe and thenne, and of the thing, showe herselfe at laste, as shee is hable to wythstande the violence of any mortall affliction. Whereof an effecte ap- peares here in the sequeile of this Greke ladye ; who, notinge the disposition of her husbande, overcharged wyth a mad 179 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE humor of wrong conceites, gave judgemente ymedyatlye of IV his disease, and beynge not hable utterlye to expulse his newe fever, studied by her indevor to inferr a moderacion of his passion. Wherin, for her part, she forgat not to make pacience her chiefest defence, agaynst the folish assaultes of his wilful follies ; not only requitinge his extraordinary rage and fits of furie wyth a dutifull humylitye and obeiience of a wife, but also ceassed not to love him no lesse then her honour and dutie bounde her therunto ; hopinge, with th' assistance of some conveniente tyme, and her discrete behavior towardes hym, both to take awaye the disease, and mortifye the cause of his evill. She seamed neyther to repre- hend his falte openly, nor with other tearmes thenne argued her great humilitie ; and for herselfe, howe evill so ever he intreated her, she gave an outwarde showe of thankefull contentmente. And when it was his pleasure to shutt her close in a chamber, as a birde in the cage, shee refused not his sentence, but, embrasinge the gifte of her presente fortune, toke suche consolation as the harde condition of her case wolde admitt ; givinge God thankes for his visitation, and cravinge with like intercession to have her husbande restored to the use of his former wittes. Albeit, all these dutifull showes of obedience, and pacient disgesting of his unnaturall discourtesies, together with a rare and redie disposition in her to frame herselfe whollie to th' appitit of his will, pre- vailed no more to enlarge her liber tie, or redeme her from the servile yoke of close ymprisonement, then to reclayme his hagarde mynde to th' understandinge of reason, or restore the traunce of his frantique humor ; raging the more (as it seamed) by the incredible constancye he noted in this mirror of modestie, obedience, wisedome, and chastetie : whose example, in theym all deserves certeinlye to be graven in pillers of eternetie, and honge upp in tables of golde, in every pallace and place of estate, to th' ende that you ladyes of oure tyme, maye learne, by ymitacion of her order and governement, to atteine to the like perfection of vertue : whiche she lefte as a speciall patterne to you all; to th' end, also, that if any of you, by like misfortune, do fal into the daunger of semblable accidentes, you may learne 180 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES here th' order of your governement, in the like affaires, and DISCOURSE also to suppresse the rage of jelowsie, rather by vertue then i\r force ; which commonly is the foundacion of skandale and slaunder, devorcemente and violacion of mariage, wherupon doth consequently ensue civil discencions, and utter sub- vercion of houses of antiquitie. But nowe to the place of our historic. This frantique Albanoyse and jelouse capteine being one of the traine of the Lord James Trivoulse, a great favorer of the faction of Gebalyno in Italye, and at that tyme governor of the duchie of Millayne, under the Frenche Kinge Loys, the thirde of that name whether it were to make a further proffe, of the pacience of his wife, or by absence to mortefye and forgett his fonde opinion conceived without cause, retired upon a soddaine to Newcastel, the court and ordenarie place of abode, of the sayd Lord Tryvoulse. Which, albeit was of harde disgestion, to the ladie for a time, yet, being not un- aquainted with such chaunces, and no prentise in the prac- tise of her husbande, retired to her auncient patience, and contentment by force, dyssimling with a new greefe and secrete sorowe, this newe discourtesie, to th 1 ende that her waspishe husbande should take no exceptions to her in any respect, but fynde her in this as the former stormes, bent wholly to obey th 1 appetit of his will, and not to mislike with that he fyndes necessarye to be don. This Trivoulse hadde not spente many monethes in Fraunce, but there was commenced informacion agaynste him to the king, that he was revolted from the Frenche and become frende to the Swytzers, and sworne to their seigneurye and faction. Wherwyth, ymediatlye, Fame (the Fame the common carier of tales) filled all eares of Milan, and the common province there about ; with this further addicion, that the king for that cause, had sent him headles to his grave. Albeit as Fame is rather a messenger of lyes, then a treasure of truthe, and rather to be harde then beleved, so this brute, beinge not true in the laste, did ymporte a certeine credit in the fyrste ; for Tryvoulse, not liking to live in the dis- pleasure of his prince, abandoned his charg and came into Lumbardy, wher, beinge sommoned by the messenger of 181 DISCOURSE deathe, gave place to nature and dyed ; who, beinge the IV onely maister and meynteynor of the Albanoyse capteine, whilest hee lived, colde not easely be forgotten of him after his death. For, after his departure was past the general doubte of the people, and eche voice resolved that he was laide in hys grave, Don Capitaino Spado, resolved whollye into teares, seamed here to pass the mistery of a newe traunce ; whiche, with the freshe remembraunce of his auncient harme, and greene wounde of unworthie jelowsye, bledynge yet in his minde, broughte hym in that case, that he neyther desyred to live, nor doubted to die, and yet in dispaire of theim both. His solace of the daye was con- verted into teares, and the howers of the night went awaye in visions and hollowe dreames. He loathed the companye of his frendes, and hated the thynges that shoulde susteine nature. Neither was he contented with the presente, nor cared for the chaunce of future tyme. Which sodaine alter- acion in straunge maner, drive his carefull wife into no lesse astonishemente then she had cause. And being ignoraunt of the occasion, she was also voide of consolation ; which doubled her greefe, till tyme opened her at laste a meane to communicate familiarly wyth him in this sorte : ' Alas ! syr ' (sayeth she) ' to what ende serve these pininge con- ceites, forcinge a generall debilytie thorow al your partes ? Or why do you languishe in griefe without discoverynge the cause of your sorowe to suche as holde your health no lesse deare then the sweete and pleasant taste of their owne lyfe ? From whence commes this often change of complexion accompanied with a disposition of malencolicke dompes arguing your inward and fretting care of minde ? Why staye you not in time the source of your skorching sighes, that have alredye drayned your bodye of his wholsome humors appointed by nature to give sucke to th'intrals and inward partes of you ? And to what ende serveth this whole river of teares, flowinge by such abundance from your watery eyes almost worne awaye with weeping? Is your greefe growen great by continuance of time, or have you conceived some mislike of newe ? Yf your house be out of order in any sorte, or that want of dutie or diligence in me procureth 182 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES your grudge, declare the cause, to th 1 ende the faulte maye DISCOURSE be reformed in me, and you restored to your auncient order iv of quiet, and we both enjoye a mutuall tranquilitie as apper- teineth. 1 But he that labored of an other disease then is incident commonly to men of good governement, absolved her of all faultes, or other mislikes he founde in the state of his house, or other his affaires committed to her order, and lesse lacke of her diligence to make declaracion of her dutie to th 1 utermoste. ' But alas ! ? saith he (with a depe sighe derived of the fretinge dolour of his minde, and doubled twise or thrise within his stomacke afore he coulde utter it) ' what cause of comfort or consolation hath he to lyve in this world, from whom the malice of destenie hath taken the chiefeste pillor of his life ? Or to what ende serveth the fruicion or interest of longer yeres in this vale of unquietnes, when the bodie abhorreth alredie the longe date of his abode heare ? Or why shold not this soma, or masse of corruption, whiche I received of the world, bee dismissed to earth, and my soule have leave to passe into the other worlde, to shonne this double passion of present torment whiche I feele by the deathe of my deare frende ? Ah ! my deare ladye and loyall wife, my griefe is so great, that I dye to tell you the cause, and yet the veray remembrance presents me with treble torments. Wherin, I must confess unto you, that since the death of the late Lorde Ihon Tryvulso, I have had so lytle desyer to live, that all my felicitie is in thinking to die, neyther can ther be any thinge in the world more accept- able to me then death ; whose hower and time, if they were Albeit death as certeine as himselfe is moste sewer to comme in the ende, is most cer- I could somwhat satisfye the great desyer I have to die, and J eme yet ^ he j j. J.L. f .!! / 1 1 i nower and moderate the rage of my passion in thinking of the shortnes t j me O f h; s of the dome that should give ende to my dyeng ghost and comming is unrulye sorowes together. Besides, waighing th 1 infinite uotknowen. miseries of our time, (accompanieng us even from the wombe of concepcion) with the reaste and reapose which dead men do finde, and knowing withall how muche I am in the debte of him that is dead, I can not wishe a more acceptable thinge then the spedie approche and ende of my dayes, to th 1 ende that, being denied the viewe of his presence here, I 183 DISCOURSE IV The ladye comfortes her husbande. Death the messenger and minister of God. The grave is the house of reste. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S may folow him in th 1 other world; where, participating indiferently such good and evil as falleth to his share, I may witnes with what duetiful zeale and affectioned harte I sought to honor and serve hym in all respects." 1 But the ladye, that sawe as farre into the disease of her husbande, as his phizicion into his uryne, knowynge well enoughe that he dyd not languishe so muche for the desyer of hym that was dead as the ticklishe humour of jelowsye troubled hym, was content to admit his coollours (howe fyne so ever they were) as well to preferr her dutie to th' uttermoste, as also to avoyde imputacion or cause of suspicion on her parte. Wherwith, entring into tearmes of persuacion, she added also this kynde of consolacion folowinge : ' More do I greve, sir,' sayth she, * wyth the small care you seame to take of yourselfe then the tearmes of your disease do trouble me, consideringe the same precedes of so slender occasion, that the veray remembrance of so great an oversight ought to remove the force and cause of your acci- dent. Admit your griefe were great indeede, and your disease of no lesse importance, yet ought you so to bridle this wilful rage and desyere to dye, that, in eschewing to prevent the wyl and set hower of the Lorde, you seeke not to further your fatall ende by usynge unnaturall force against yourselfe, making your beastly will the blodye sacri- fize of your bodie ; whereby you shalbe sewer to leave to the remeinder of your house, a crowne of infamie in the judge- ment of the worlde to come, and put your soule in hazarde of grace afore the troane of justice above. You knowe, syr, I am sewer, that in this transitorye and paineful pilgrimage, there is nothinge more certeine then death, whom, albeit wee are forbidden to feare, yet oughte wee to make a certeine accompt of his comming : neyther is it any other thinge (according to the scripture) then the minister and messenger of God, executynge his infallible wil upon us wretches, spar- inge neyther age, condicion, nor state. It is he that geves ende to our miserie heare, and saffe conduyte to passe into the other worlde. And assone as we have taken possession of the house of reste, he shooteth the gates of all annoye againste us, fedinge us (as it were) with a swete slomber, or 184 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES pleasant sleepe, untill the last sommonce of generall resurrec- DISCOURSE tion. So that, syr, methinkes they are of the happie sorte, iv whome the great God vouchesafeth to call to his kyngdome, exchangynge the toiles, and manifolde cares incident to the creatures of this worlde, with the pleasures of his paradise and place of reapose that never hath ende. And touchinge your devocion to him that was dead, with vaine desyer to visit his ghoste in the other worlde, persuadynge the same to procede of a debte and dutifull desyer that you have to make yet a further declaracion of your unfained minde towardes him, I assure you, (syr) I am more sorye to see you subject to so great a follie then I feare or expect the effecte of your dreame, for as it seames but a ridle, procedinge of the vehemencie of your sicknes, so I hope you will directe the sequeile by sage advise, convertinge the circumstance into ayre, without further remembrance of so foolish a matter. Wherin also I hope you wyll suffer the wordes of the scripture to direct you ; who, allowinge small ceremonies to the dead, forbides us to yelde any debte or dutie at all to suche as be alredie passed out of the worlde, and muche lesse to sacrifyze ourselves for their sakes upon their tombes A ceremonie (accordynge to the supersticious order of the barbarians in amongest the olde time, remeinyng at this daye in no lesse use amonge barba " ans to .1 i L\_ J ' 11 \ J v .1 . i .1 sacrafise the people 01 the weste worlde) but rather to have their themselves vertues in due veneracion, and, treadynge in the steppes of uppon the their examples, to imytate theyr order with like integretye tombes of of lyfe. And for my parte' (saith she) dyenge her gar- * hei rdeade mentes with the droppes of her waterye eyes, ' provynge to late what it is to loase a husbande, and to forgett hym whome bothe the lawe of God and nature hathe gyven me as a seconde parte of myselfe, to lyve wyth mutuall contente- ment untyll the dissolucion of oure sacred bonde by the heavye hande of God, am thus farre resolved in my selfe, protestynge to performe no lesse by Hym that lyveth, that yf the furye of your passion prevaile above your resistaunce, or your disease growe to suche extreame tearmes that wyll not be otherwayes aunswered but that you muste yelde to hys sommonce and dye, I wyl not lyve to lament the losse of my second husbande, nor use other dule in the funerall AA 185 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE of youre corps, then to accompanye it to the grave in a IV sheete or shroode of like attire. For youre eyes shall no sooner cloase their liddes, or lease the lyght of this worlde, then theis handes shalbe readye to performe the effecte of my promisse ; and the bell that gy veth warnyng of your last hower, shall not ceasse his doleful knil, til he have published with like sound the semblable ende of your deare and lov- ynge wyfe.' Whose simple and franke offer here (openynge a most convenient occasion for her wylfull husbande to dis- close the true cause of hys disease) prevailed so muche over his doubtefull and waverynge mynde, that, dismissing even then his former dissimulacion, he embraced her, not without suche abundance of teares and unruly sighes, that for the tyme they tooke awaie the use of his tounge. Albeit, beinge delivered of his traunce, and restored to the benefit of his speche, he disclosed unto her the true cause and circum- staunce of his greefe in this sorte : * Albeit, since the time of my sicknes ? (saith he) ' you have seene what distresse and desolation have passed me, wyth fyttes of straunge and diverse disposition, merveilynge no lesse (I am sewer) from what fountaine have flowed the symptomes of so rare a passion, wherein also your continuall presence and viewe of my weake state is sufficientlye hable to recorde the whole discourse of my disease, yet are you neyther partaker of my payne, nor privye to the principall causes of so straunge an evill. Neyther have I bene so hardie to discover theim unto you, because I have ben hetherto doubtful of that whereof your laste wordes have fullye absolved me. And nowe, being weakened with the wearines of tyme and sicknes, in suche sorte as nature hath ridd her handes of me and gyven me over to the order of death who is to spare me no longer but to utter these laste wordes unto you I accompte it a special felicitie in my harde fortune, that, in th" 1 oppenynge of the true causes of my grefe, I may cloase and scale up the laste and extreame tearme of my lyfe. And, because I wil cleare in few wordes the misterie which seames to amaze you, you shall note that there be iii onely ministers and occasyons of my disease; whereof the firste (and of leaste importance) is for the death 186 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES of my late lorde and maister, Don Ihon Tryvoulso, whereof DISCOURSE you are not ignorant ; the second (excedinge the firste in IV greatnes of grefe and force againste me) is to thinke that the rigour of my destinies, and violence of sicknes, yeldynge me into the handes of death, will dissolve and breake by that meanes, the league of longe and loyall love whiche from the beginnynge my harte hath vowed unto you; but the thirde and laste (of a more strange qualitie then eyther of the reste) is to thinke that when I am dead, and by time worne out of your minde, another shal enjoye the sweete and pleasaunt benefit of that devine beautie of yours, whiche oughte to serve but for the dyet of the gods, the simple viewe whereof seames hable (yf it were possible) to make me suffer the martiredome of ii deaths. 1 Whereunto she replied with persuacions to drive hym from his fonde devise, profer- ing herselfe eftesones to dye for companye wherin (callynge the majestic of the Highest to witnes) she protested againe that, if he wolde not be reclaimed from his desyer to dye within a veray shorte moment of tyme, she woulde bee as redye to yelde death his tribute as he. All whiche she in- ferred (I thinke) rather to feede the tyme, then of intent to performe the effecte of her offer, havinge the lyke opynion of her husbande, whome she thoughte alwayes to have suche power to represse the evill sprite that possessed hym, that he woulde not become the unnaturall morderer of hymselfe, and muche lesse execute the lyke rage on her. But alas ! the infortunat ladye brewed heare the brothe of her owne bane, and spon the thredd of her owne destruction, for fallynge nowe unhappelye into the malice of her destenie, thinkyng nothinge lesse then of the secret ambushe of mortal! treason her husband had layed for her, went unhappelye to bed wyth hym the same nighte ; where, for his parte (pre- feringe in his face a shew of fayned contentement and con- solation to the eye) he forced a further quiete of mynde by the joye he ymagined in the acte he ment to do, but chieflye for that he had devised howe th 1 innocent ladye (throughe the rage of his villainy) sholde bee forced to an effecte of her f e t c he his promisse. For the spedie execution wherof, they had not dagger to kyll bene longe in bedd together, but he rise from her. faynynge his wyfe. 187 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE a desier to performe the necessitie of nature in the closset or IV chamber of secretes ; his erraund in dede being to fetche his dagger, which (without makyng her privye) he conveyed under the bolster of his bed, beginnynge even then to pre- ferre a preamble afore the parte he ment to playe. For, fallinge from his former complaintes of sicknes, he retired into tearmes of extreme frenezy and madnes, brainge out such groanes and sighes of hideus disposicion, with owlynge, cryeng, and foaminge at the mouth, like one possessed with an evill sprit, that who had seene his often change of coollor and complexion in his face, his ghastly regardes arguinge ententes of desperacion, and his eyes (flaming with furye) sonke into his head, with the order of his passion every waye, mighte easely have judged the desyer of his harte to be of no smal importance, and the thynge he went about neither common nor commendable. Wherein he was assisted with iii enemies of diverse disposicions, love, jealousie, and death : the least of the whiche is sufficient of himselfe to make a man chafe in his harneys, and take away the courage of his hart in the middest of the combat. For the one presented a certaine feare by reason of the horrour of the acte ; the other sewed (as it were) for an abstinence, or at least a moderacion, of the crueltie he had commenced against his innocent wif ; but the third, being the beginner of al, and excedinge the rest in power, wolde not dismisse him from the stage till he had playd th 1 uttermost acte of his malicious tragedie. Marke here (good ladyes) the desolation of this unfortunat gentlewoman, and dispose yourselves to teares on the behalfe of hir distresse. Wherin, certeinlye, you have no lesse reason to helpe to bewaile her wretched chaunce, then juste occasion to joyne in generall exclamation againste the detestable acte of her tyrannous husband ; who, disclayminge even nowe his former state and condition of a man, retires into th 1 abite of a monster, and cruell enemye to nature ; and in convert- inge the vertue of his former love, and remembrance of the sondrie pleasures he had heretofore receyved of his deare and lovynge wyfe, into present rage and unnaturall furye (far excedinge the savage and brutishe maner of the tiger, 188 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES lyon, or libarde, bredd in the desertes of Affrike, the common DISCOURSE norsse of monsters and creatures cruell without reason) iv whettyng his teeth for the terrible suggestion of the devill, who at th 1 instante put into his hande the dagger ; where- with, after he had embraced and kissed her, in such sorte as Judas kissed our Lorde the same night he betraied him, he saluted her with ten or xii estockados, one in the necke of Here he another in diverse partes of her bodye, renewynge the con- killeth his flict with no lesse nomber of blowes in her head and armes ; w ? ' and because no parte shoulde escape free from the stroke of his malice, he visyted her white and tender legges, with no lesse rage and furye then the rest. Wherewith, beholdinge in her diverse undoubted argumentes of death, began the lyke warre wyth hymselfe, usinge the same meane and minis- ters with his owne handes, enbrewed yet with the bloode of his innocent wyfe ; shewyng (notwithstandyng this horrible part and acte of dispaire) diverse and sondrye signes of speciall gladnes and pleasure in his face, wherin he con- tynued till the laste and extreame gaspe of lyfe chieflie for that he sawe him accompanied to death with her whome he was not hable to leave behinde hym on lyve, and who, beinge overcharged (as you have harde) with the nomber of woundes, the violence whereof (prevailinge farre above the resistance of lyfe) did presse her so muche with the hastie approche of death, that the want of breath abridged her secret shryft and confession to God, with lesse leasure to yeld her innocent soule (wyth humble praier) into the handes of her Redemer, and commende the forgevenes of her synnes to the benefit of his mercie. Only she had respyte (with great ado to speake) to give order that her bodie mighte be layde in the tombe of her firste husbande, Signeur Barzo. But the cursed and execrable Albanoys (so whollie pos- sessed with the devill that the gyfte of grace was denied him) abhorred to the laste mynute of his lyfe the remem- brance of repentance; for, laughinge (as it were) at the fowlenes of the facte even untill life left him senceles and voyde of breathe, he commended his carkes to the gredie jawes of ravenous wolves, serving also as a fyt praie for the venemous serpentes and other crepinge wormes of the earthe, 189 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE and his soule to the reprobate socyetie of Judas and Cayne, IV with other of th' infernall crewe. The worthie ende of this wicked wretche argueth the juste rewarde of the evill disposed and suche as are un- happelie dropped out of the favor of God, the ordenarye successe of those enterprises that are begon without the consente of wisedom or raison, but chiefly th'effectes and fortune of such as (blinded with the vaile of their owne wil and dymned with the myste of follye) do reapose so muche for theim selves in the opinion of their owne witte, that, detestinge good councell and advise of the wise, doo credit onlye the conceite of their owne fancie, whiche (as a blinde guide) doth leade them into infynit miseries and laborinth of endles annoye, where there is no dispense of their follie, but losse of libertie, perpetual infamie, and sometime pun- ishemente by untimely deathe. Whyche, as they bee worthie rewardes for suche as doat so much in their owne wisedome that they accompte the same hable of it selfe to comprehend the whole globe, or compasse the worlde ; so the wise man, affore he entreth into any enterprise of waight (beinge care- full for the conveyghe of the same) dothe not onlye compare the ende wyth the beginning, and cast the sequiel and circumstance everye waye, but also, entringe (as it were) into hymselfe, hee makes a view of that which is in hym ; and for his better assistance, he will not refuce the advise of his frends, by whiche meanes he is sewer to reape the rewarde of his traveil with treble contentmente, and seldom is he punished with to late a repentance. Herewith, also, A comparison th 1 example of the wise maryner doth in like sorte advise derived of us; who, comming by fortune or violence of wether upon an h" h t} 16 unknowen coaste, doth straightway sounde and trye the wise mariner depth of the river by his plommet and lyne, neyther will or shipmaister he let fall his anker onlesse he be sewer of the fyrmenes of doth use. the grounde; whiche, if it do faile him, yet is hee to wyth- stande the malice of daunger by kepinge the chanell whiche yeldes hym water enoughe: so if this wretched Albanoys hadde made a view of himselfe and his forces, afore he became subject to the humor of jalouse suspicion, or if he had given correction to his falte in tyme, and suffred reason 190 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES to suppresse the rage of his follie afore he was growen to DISCOURSE tearmes of madnes, he had enjoyed his ladie at pleasure, iv lyved yet in quiet, and prevented the fowle note of infamie wherewith the gates and posternes of his house wil be painted, till th' extreme date of the world ; and eschewed the peril of dampnable dispair in killing himselfe, with like violacion and bloddie slaughter of his innocent lady. Whose death, with the straungenes in execution, being once knowen to the multitude, it is to be wondered what generall dule and desolation were in all partes of the citie, how al estates and degres of people spared no sortes of teares nor other dollerous tunes ; bewailinge her misfortune, with several grudges at the malice of her destinies, that, in such cruel maner, toke from amongest them the person of her whose vertues and other ornamentes of God and nature served as a special mirror or lokinge glasse to al ages. Wherin, certeinlie, they had great reason ; for a lady or Giftes which gentlewoman equal with her in conversacion everye way I ought to meane chast without argument of dishonestie, devowt and a PPe are * yet hatinge supersticion, bowntiful without wasteful prodi- womant galitie, wise without vaine vaunting, so obediente towardes her husbande as was necessarie, and lastlie lackinge the furniture of no good vertue can not be to much honored in her life, nor worthely renoumed after her death ; as wel for that such rare gifts are no lesse meritorious for the vertues that be in theim, then that they serve as special allurementes to provoke younge ladies and gentlewomen (desyrous of like glory e) to y my tat th' example and vertues of them whose due fame is hable to excede the length of time and ly ve after deathe ; who hathe no power but over our Death hath corrupte soma, or masse of fleshe, beinge barred to medle n power but wyth the felicitie of the mynde, to whome only the title of v r our perpetuitie is due wythout exception. And as her life and y ' deathe ymporte severall vertues, and deserve semblable com- mendacion (the one for that shee never made showe of mislike, what wronge so ever hee wroughte her ; the other in that shee failed not to honor him til the laste hower of his life) so may you also descerne therein ii severall exaumples : the one to warne the lighte and harebrained husbandes not 191 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES DISCOURSE easelie, or for smal occasions, to enter into suspicion with IV their wyves ; whom they ought to love and honoure no lesse thenne theimselves; the other to presente unto the ladyes of oure tyme the due rewarde of wysedome, obedience, and chastetie, which be the thinges that make this Greeke lyve after her deathe, beinge worthelye invested wythe the wreathes of honoure amonge all the ladies of that contreye. 192 DISCOURSE V SONDRYE PERILLS, happeninge to a yonge Gentleman of Myllan in the pour- sewte of his Ladye. BB GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE V THE ARGUMENT BECAUSE I have already in diverse places sufficientlye deciphered the forces of love, and what effectes he exposeth having once brued the cuppe of the pleasant poison of our sensual appetyt whereon whosoever syppeth, swaloweth justelye the rewarde of such follies I may the rather be dispensed wythall eftsones to reitterate in this place that whiche earste hathe bene in- ferred touchinge the awe whiche that passion hathe over the hartes of those whose destenie yeldes theim subjecte to so greate an evill. Beinge bolde withall to note as a principle or Love precedes rule of generalitie, that that infection precedes rather of the of the corrup- corrupcion of our owne nature then of the perfection of the same, cion of our Albeit some vaine philosophers are not ashamed to advowche owne nature. ^ s k e g mn i n g o f the moste perfect partes that are in the spirite of man ; wherin I see neyther authoritie to allowe their saing, nor reason to confirme their opinion, onles they will make it meritorious for th' indiscretion and follies whiche appeare in theim that participat with such passion. For a familiar testy- monie wherof I have preferred this historic folowing, not only affirminge my former protestacion touchinge the disordinat effectes of love, but also to justefye the opynion of him who makes no difference betwene the devise of love and raginge fyttes of frenezy or one posseste with a wicked spirite. For here you maye see a gentleman of Myllan (to enjoy a presence and pleasure of his lady) refuseth not to commit himselfe to manifold daungers, with diverse perillous encounters ; whereof the one seamed no lesse mortal then the other, and everye one threatening the end of his life by present morder. Albeit his felicitie defended him from harme, and the perill passed makes him dread a future plunge. 194 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES OT longe after Maxymiliarfs force, by the guide of evill fortune, and wante of good governmente in himselfe, hadde lost the state and seigneurye of Millan, there happened no lesse desolation to the un- happie faction of the Gebelyns ; when the power and pollecie of the great Trivolso did not only abandon their naturall soyle and place of abode, dryvinge theym from the possession of their worldlye porcions, but also persecuted their wretched state with suche creweltie, that they were readie to yelde to the somonce of dispare, if it had not bene for a simple proffer of a certeine hope they reaposed in th' assistance of th 1 emprour Maximilian ; who, more willing then hable to restore their desolation, pursewed the revenge of their wronge wyth a puissant armye even untill the walls and gates of Millan ; where he receyved suche hoat repulses by the valyaunte en- counters of Charles, Duke of Burbon (thenne viceroye or deputie to the Frenche kynge) that, paintynge the gates wyth the blod of hys capteines, and leaving the deade bodyes of hys people in witnes of his beyng there, the majestie retorned wythe more commendacion for hys good meanynge thenne fame or glorye of the victorie, leavyng the miserable stradyates (bathed in the teares of their seconde sorowe) to the guide and governemente of their Fortune ; who seamed at laste to enter into suche compassion of their miserie, that shee restored the greateste parte not only to the libertie of their contrey and societie of former habyta- cion, but also to th'use of their goodes and revenues usurped by the enemie. The rest shee devided into diverse corners of Christendom. Som went to Trent, and were sworne the subjectes of Francis Sforce, Duke of Bary : other founde place of abode in the kingdom of Naples. To some she gave passeporte to attempte the devocion of the wholly vicar of Rome ; and the rest repaired to Mantua. Amongest whiche crewe or laste company was one Cornelio (upon whom this 195 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE historie maketh his chiefest discourse), whom, albeit Fortune V had made partaker of her malice amongest the reste of his contreymen, yet hys mynde, grudging with th'injurye of fate, loste nothing of her entyer and vertue. For notvvith- standinge hee was of the race of the Sforcians, and chiefest enemeye to the usurped governement and prowde behavior of the Frenchemen wythin Millan, and that hee had lefte amongeste theim his inheritance and goodes to confiscacion, yet was he assisted wyth so fyne a polecye and great indevor of his mother, that he had sufficient exhibicion to meinteyne his auncient porte and callinge. And as the statelie viewe and feyture of his complexion and lyms, presented a speciall conninge of nature, lackynge besides no gyfte or qualitie due to a gentleman, and pestered, wythall, wyth no more yeres then were conveniente for the decoracion of so seamly a bewtie; so, being the chiefe courtier that hawnted the companie of ladyes, and no lesse welcome amongest the loftie dames of Millan afore the subvercion of their societie by the crueltie of the Frenchemen, hee made a choise of one from amongeste the reste, whom he failed not to court wyth a contynual proffer of his service, and other offices of humanitie prescrybed in the skole of love, untill he thought himselfe sufficientlye rampierd in the intralls of her hart, and left her no lesse willinge to yelde a perticipa- cion of affection then himselfe passioned wyth desyer to pursewe the quest and conquere her bewtie. Her name was Plaudina, equall to him in the height of estate, and nothing inferior in the golden giftes and ornamentes of nature. And albeit she had newlie made a proofe of the maried man's pastyme, and offred the flower and first frutes of her vir- ginitie upon th 1 alter of wedlocke ; yet the youngnes of her yeres (defending her bewtie from al argumentes of alteracion or chaunge) wolde not suffer the hoat and often encounters of her husbande, to ympare any waye the glasse or precious dye of so rare a perfection. Wherein as she was noted the odd peragon of Italy, as wel for that respecte as other orna- mentes of majestic incydente to honor, so the commendacion of these vertues seamed not so fyt an instrument to advance her fame and glorye, as presente meanes to procure treble 196 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES passion to the new disquiet of Cornelio ; who greved not so DISCOURSE muche wyth the sentence of adversitie, as cryed out of the V lawe of nature and malice of his presente fortune : for that the one had geven hym a harte to love, and libertie to chuse, and the other, being his guide in the toile and travell of his sute, toke hym awaye when hee attended to reape the frutes of his harveste. But that whiche broughte more oyle to his matche, and kindled the coales of freshe disquiett, was that, albeit he knewe himselfe to be reciprocallie loved, or at leaste nere the good wyll of his ladye, yet was he voyde of meanes and mynisters to solicite hys cause, or bewraie that whyche hee durste not discover other thenne th'amarous regardes and glaunces of the eye, wyth certeine sighes and Secret secret wringing of the hande, and kisses gotten by stealthe solicitors of in corners. Whiche albeit argued a likelihod and simpaihya a ff e ^^ T Q f of affection, ympartinge an equalitie of desyer to the hartes the harte. of theim both, yet the one being afraied to geve the charge, and the other ashamed to resigne without an alaram, seamed both plonged indifferentlye in a passion of doubt and feare, untill love (whose affaires can not well bee dispatched without th' assistance of a thirde) quarellinge with the simplicitye of Cornelio, presented him with a messenger con- veniente for the conveighe of their buysines. For there was a pore swaine, sometime serving as a drudge to the mother of Cornelio, and nowe preferred to his ladye Plaudina in the rowmthe of her wagyner or coache dryver, whose office as it was alwayes to go by the doare of her coache when her pleasure was to visyt places of solace and take open ayre in the feldes, so reaposinge muche for himselfe in the fidelitie of his slave (thinking to enjoyne a greater credit to th'autho- rytie of his small office) admitted him in his hart the aptest collcarier betwene hym and his ladye. Wherfore, after he had conjured him by feare and faire promisses to advowe his diligence to th 1 uttermoste, wyth no lesse secrecye then wisedom, and convenient expedicion at al tymes, he made a firste proofe of his pollecie and fyne conveighe of his charge, in the delyverye of a letter whiche he willed him to presente unto Plaudina ; th' inward affection and disposition of whose hart, as hee measured by the messages of her eyes, so he 197 Cornelio writeth to Plaudyna. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE preferred his service and boarded her good wil with these V tearmes : ' If it were not, good madam, that every e state and condicion of man were subject to his peculyar desaster, and that the noble hart (made of a delicat mettal) is more full of affections, and apte to enclyne to the loare of love, then the reste of the rude and barbarous people, I woulde thinke that the passion whiche pinchethe suche as do love, were a skourge and due correction sente from above, for a chastismente of their loftye and wanton ymagynacions. But seinge it is moste sewer that nature hath put a certeine difference betwene the dispositions of her creabures, wyth a desier to pursewe the sommonce of her instigacion accord- inge to the priviledge of their degree, it is not in our power to disclaime th' instructions of such a guide, nor degenerat from th 1 instinct of that destenie geven us in oure concep- tion. Wherin, as the noble mynde, loathinge the enterpryse of base or vile condicion, delites in suche conquestes as yelde moste fame or commendacion, so you oughte not to mer- vaile if the glymeringe beames of your rare bewtie, paynted by devine arte in the forefronte of your face, the adoracion wyche all men yelde to youre singler vertues, wyth other semely perfections and gyftes of majestie gyven you by the heavens for a dowry above the rest, have made me strike saile of my former lybertie, wyth franke resignacion of my harte and dearest parte in me to the disposicion of your mercye. Neyther have I any cause at all to mislike the sentence of my fate, or grudge wyth the lot of my present choice, yf the respecte of my unfained love and sincere loyaltye maye move you to paye the tribute of my service with an assuraunce of semblable affection. Wherein, because both daunger and distance of our abodes, denienge the tongue to do his office, barreth us also to use the benefytt of mutuall conference, I humbly crave (good madam) an absolute resolution, by our letters, of that which the secret signes and messengers of love, do not only put me in hope, but importes a warrantie of the conquest of your good wyll. Wherein, yf I maye be assisted with the goodnes of the heavens, and consent of Fortune, so farfurth as the same maye make me meritorious of your favour, and that the 198 The eyes be the secret signes and mesengers of love. TRAGICALL DISCOURSES meritt of my service maye bee measured with a graunte of DISCOURSE your good wil, there shall no peril withstande the proffer of V my lyfe to do you pleasure, nor any occasion or chaunce, whether it be accidental or proper, have power to breake the vowe which my harte hath alredie sworne to dye and lyve in the service and contemplacion of youre beautie. Neyther shall any ladye in this corner of the world have more cause to joye in the choice of her servant then the peragon Plaudina ; whose hande I kysse with greate humilitye, and honour the remembrance of her name with no lesse sinceritie, being absent, then desyerous to yelde my homage with due adoracion to the presence of so faire a creature. Yours, more then his owne, CORNELYO.' The ladye being darted afore with the desyer of Cornelio (and wold gladly have entred the listes and gyven the onset, if it had not bene for the respect of her honour) was nowe so wounded to the quicke, that she fel into tearmes of com- mendacion of her chaunce, blissynge the goodnes of her fortune, that had not onely planted her affection in so highe a place, but (yeldynge her rewarde wyth semblable glee) hath made her the mystres of hym whom her hart had alredye chosen and admitted into undoubted favor, whiche she confirmed eftesones with such tearmes of gratulation and arguments of present gladnes, that, yf the remorce of shame and reputacion of her honor hadde not bene impedimentes to the desyer of her harte, cloasinge her mouth againste the present conceytes of joye in this newe societie, she had im- mediatlye dismissed the messenger with absolute assurance to performe the request of him that sent hym. Wherof, albeit shame seamed to abridge the expedicion, and offer causes of staye for the time, yet, wantynge force to mortifye altogether the humour of ragyng desyer, she was driven to gyve place to the provocation of love, who devestinge her of honest shamfastnes, whiche oughte to be the chiefe habite and decoracion of the beautie of greate ladyes, willed her to deferre no lenger the thynge she had alredye vowed ; and seynge the injurie of present tyme denied her to satisfye hym as she woulde, at leaste to yelde hym suche contente- 199 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE ment as she maye. Wherfore takynge pen, ynke, and paper, V she replied to his letter wyth this aunswere : Plaudyna aunswereth the letter of her servant. ' The circumstaunce of your present letter (syr) seames to argue an excepcion against the frendly lookes and glaunces of mine eyes. Wherin, albeit I coulde note a greate simpli- citie and want of discrecion in him that constreth the regardes of a ladye (cast at unwares) to the commoditye of hymselfe, in wynninge the good will of her that meaneth nothing lesse then to make them the ministers of love, yet, beinge more ready to content you therin then curious of mine owne behaviour, I am to acquite you of imputacion that waye, and convert the note of that follie to the oversight of myselfe. And, albeit the pleasant encounter of mine eys, seaming more liberal on your behalf, with a familiaritie more then ordinarie to al men, may persuade a certein difference I have put betwen the frendship of you and respect of any other, with desyer to embrace you above any one creature ; yet was I of opinion that your sondrye vertues and reputa- tion of honor, would not suffer you to chalenge me for the firste faulte, or to converte theis regardes of simple and colde favor into suche consequence, as to attempte the viola- tion of that which mine honor grudgeth to lose, and the vowe of faith to my husbande forbiddes to depart withall. Notwithstanding, I yelde you no lesse thankes for your curte- sye then you seame to gyve commendacion to my beautie and other gyftes you note in me, accomptinge the same of greater price, by the value and estimacion you make of them. Neither wil I refuse the proffer of your present frendship, which (as I hope) is voyde of intent to prejudice mine honor. So let it suffise you that I am not only contented to admit you into favor, but also determined to hold you no lesse deare then the tendrest part of myselfe. And because letters (beinge incident to manye casualties) are commonly the fyrst dis- cloasers of the secretes of lovers, my advise is that hensfurth you staye not only the diligence of your pen in sealing such great importance within a dissemblyng pece of paper, but also be contented to commit the whole conveighe of our busines to the credit of this bringer ; who is to yelde you 200 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES salutacion on the behalf of her, who, joyeng no lesse in the DISCOURSE unitye of this frendship, then hating the thing that maie y seame hurteful to the consommacion of the same, doth wishe your constancie of no longer continuance then you shal fynde cause of credit in the loyaltie of your unfayned ' PLAUDINA.' The report of this letter preferred such a possibilitie and likelihode of good lucke to the Myllanoys, that, dismissing even now al arguments of former doubte, he determined to accepte the offer of his fortune and pursue the benefit of present time. Wherin he was so furthered by the diligence of the minister and messenger of their love, that theare seamed to want (for the fynall complote of theyr buysynes) but only the consent of convenient tyme and place : which had folowed accordingly, yf, for the more assurance of the bargaine, they had brybed the good wyll of the blinde goddesse ; whom, as the poetes have christened by the name of Dame Fortune, Fortune a gy vinge her charge over the change and alteracion of things, blind goddes. so she is not so inconstant of herselfe, as readye to manifest her mutabilitie when the wretches of the worlde seame to reapose moste assurance in her frendship. And as the pleasant apple, mustering with delicate glee upon the heyght of the highest spraise, is blowen down with the leaste poffe of winde that breathes, and so oppressed wyth the violence of the fal, that the frute is quyte taken awaye in the middest of his glorye ; so the ease and quiet of man is favored wyth so small a moment of time, and subject to so manye chaunges, that we oughte neyther esteme (so greatlye as we do) the tikle pleasures of so small abode, nor judge assurance in suche uncerteine vanities. Seing, withal, the same is of suche malicious disposicion, that when we have laied the fundation of oure pleasure and prosperitie, with full per- suacion to enjoye oure quiet without controllement, it is then that Fortune discovereth her ambushe, and invadynge us, at unwares, wyth the furye of her malice, paieth our former pleasure wyth an interest of treble desolacion, that fayleth not to attende us even untill our fatall daye of reapose. Wherof you maye note a familyar proffe in the GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE sequeile of this Cornelio, who, beinge uppon the point to V taste of the delicat frutes in love, and embrace hys ladye with suche contentement as lovers do commonlye wishe and seldome encounter, beholde ! the malice of the Frenchemen began to rage wyth suche extremitie againste the lynage of the Sforcians (whereof he was one of the chiefest) that he was dryven to avoyde the present daunger of hys lyfe, wyth a soddaine fleight and secrete stealynge oute of the towne. Wherin he was so hoatlye pursued with th" 1 extremitye of his perill, that beyng barred anye leasure to communicate wyth hys dearest frends, and lesse time to impart his mishap to his lady, or once salute her with a simple farewell : which seamed not so grevous to himselfe, as of treble dolour to the sorowfull Plaudina; who, distillynge no small nomber of teares on the behalfe of the soddain departure and absence of her deare frende, and restored at laste to a moderation and patience by force, began to cast the circumstaunce of his daunger. Wherin she ymagined all suche doubtes as eyther hope or feare coulde put in her head ; somtime per- suadynge he should be overtaken and oppressed by the waye, and by and by she feared leaste he were betrayed into the handes of his enemies, by the malice of such as he put in truste with his life. Wherin she was no lesse doubtefull of the one, then in dispaire of th' other, and in such per- plexitie with the conceite of them both, that she seamed no lesse passioned for the time then if the enemies of her frende had cut her Cornelio in peces afore her face. And as she wolde have dismissed theis tragicall conceites of doubte and feare, and retired to a quiet, wyth expectation of better fortune, she was sodainly assailed with a seconde alarame in her hart, which mortifyenge all care of the well doinge of her absent Cornelio, preferred a vehement desyer not onely to recover hym (wherin appeared a greate impossibilitye) but also, wishinge to bee a companyon of his jorney, and The use of partaker of his miserye, she seamed to expose a franke offer her bodye. of that whiche earste she was ashamed and made conscience to graunt. And as she was voyd of al comfort in this calamitye, savinge that the often remembrance of her frende, seamed to restore some litle contentement ; so, ymagininge 202 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES that the breath of the ayre wolde cary the Eccho of her DISCOURSE complaintes into the eares of hym that was gon, she saluted v his absence with theis tearmes : ' All thinges ought to be hatefull to the eares which Plaudina seame hurteful to the quiet of the mynde ; and yet one chiefe lamenteth the consolation wee fynde in miserye is to recorde the circum- f^nd^ith staunce of our misfortune ; neither can that grief be of greate complaint importance, whose cause is of small moment. But alas ! againste her what sorow is semblable to the separacion of frendes ? Ah ! own e mis- Cornelio, what auncient grudge procureth this newe mislike, fortune - or what offence have I don of late, that makes me meritorious of this greate discurtesye ? Wyl thou paye the merite of my frendshypp wyth so unthankefull a trybute, and abuse th 1 expectacion whiche all man had of thy vertue ? Haste thou plyed me to th 1 appetit of thy wyll, and nowe deter- mined to leave me in the greatest distresse of desyer to enjoye thee ? Or canst thow use so small regarde to the desolate state of thy sorowfull Plaudina, as, leavynge her bathed in the teares of underserved dule, to steale awaye, wyth oute the comfort of one simple adieu ? What nedest thou have doubted to communicate wyth her who hath alwayes reserved an equall care of thy savetye and her owne lyfe ? And yf the love thou haste vaunted to bere me, had bene matched wyth an unfained meanynge of continuance and constancie, the feare of the enemy had not prevented thy comminge to me : for love alas ! defyeth the malice of Loveestemeth daunger, and perill is the thynge that leaste troubleth the no daunger. harte that is trulye affectionate. What comfort in my present miserie, or expectation of future redresse, beinge out of hope eftesones to reclaime hym that receyved but nowe the sentence of continuall exile ? How am I plunged in a passion of double extremetie ; neyther content to disclaime my affection, and lesse hable to dismisse the remembrance of hym that is the cause of my wo ! I fynde nowe (alas ! to soone) howe justelye we women maye exclayme againste nature ; who, framynge us of a brickie moulde, apte to yelde and easye to be wonne, hath enjoy ned us withall a certeine vehemencie of affection, pearsynge the harte wyth desyer, in suche sorte as, being once thorowlye coyffed wyth love, we 203 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE are not onelye forsaken, when we wishe chieflye to embrace V the object of cure appetit, but also are subject to abyde all sortes of revenge of the ordinary e rigour of men. And what rigour or wronge have I offred the, oh ! Cornelio, wherof I have not felte the firste apprehencion ? For, forcyng my selfe to yelde the contentement, I spared not the proffer of myne honour to purchasse thy frendshipp, and in gyvinge the assuraunce of my good wyll, I have spotted the renowme of my former reputacion. Whereof, the bloode of shame puttes me in remembraunce wyth grudge at so greate a faulte ; and thy conscience is my present witnes of my unfayned loyaltye. Neyther wyll the flatterynge lynes of thy sondrye letters conceile this discurtesye, nor the messenger and fayth- full solicitour of oure love forgette to reproche the of uncon- stant behavyour to thy loyall Plaudina ; who, feelynge now what it is to lacke the societye of hym, whome the harte hath chosen to' love, is equallie pinched wyth the panges of suche as, plunged in the passion of desyer, do wishe that they wante, and lacke the thynge they chieflye woulde have; whereby they seame to norishe lyfe wyth the onely breath of a simple and colde hope. But why am I so pertiall on myne owne behalfe, in disclaimynge againste the discurtesye of hym, who peradventure deserveth not theis tearmes of blame ? Or why doe I not rather respect the true cause of his departure, sturred up (as it seameth) by the necessitye of the tyme, forcinge hym to habandon his parentes, con- treye and revenue, onles he wolde quenche the thirste of his enemyes wyth the abundance of his blood, and appease theyr malyce wyth the price of his heade ? Certeinlye the vertues and gyftes of Cornelio acquite hym of all argumentes of inconstancie : neyther can a bodye of so rare perfection harbor suche dyssemblynge disposicion. But as the desyer- Thedesyerous ous harte is seldome at rest, so the doubtfull mynde is harte is dreadefull of deceite, and, quarellynge continuallye with his seldom at good hap or synister fortune, is alwayes in ymaginacion what doubtefull judgement to resolve uppon the condition of his owne estate. mindesdreede So my case is of no lesse perplexitie; for, wafting indifferently alwayes betwene happie chaunce, and evil successe, I fele myselfe deceite. double passioned, somtime moved to rejoice my good hap, 204 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES in being loved of so honest, curteous, and noble, a gentle- DISCOURSE man as Cornelio, and by and by dryven to inveighe againste V my evill fortune, that hath put suche distance and seperacion of cure bodies when we weare at point to performe the con- sommacion of our acquaintaunce. And, albeit the common chaunces of this worlde resemble a confection made of hony and gall, and that the banquettes of love beinge garnished with dishes of both sortes, will us to make choice wyth deliberacion alledgynge that the pleasure is not so great, as the repentaunce and penaunce of harde disgestion yet I thinke the vertue to performe the vowe of the harte takes awaye the greatnes and haynous disposicion of the faulte. Wherefore seinge my hart hath made his choice, and the reste of my partes resolved to performe the quest, I wyll not onelye dismisse all doubtes of the assurance of his good wyll, but studye to excede hym in affection ; devisinge the meanes from hensfurth, to make hym feele the force of my goodwill, with the desyer I have to knitt an indissoluble unitye of the ij mindes, whose bodies are forced to lyve in seperation by the malice of the worlde, and angrie dome of my fortune.' Here, yf Plaudina inveighed onely upon ij pointes of her desaster, the one for the soddaine departure of her frende, and the other for the doubte she seamed to put in the assuraunce of his love, it is to bee thoughte that Cornelio had cause of treble complaint, both to be driven to save his lyfe by cowardlye flighte, to steale awaye in suche secret and scilent maner, as only his guide was pryvie to his goinge, and also to bee distressed with such shortnes of time, that he was barred to seame thankeful to his ladye with a simple farewel, whiche was sufficient to sturre up her jelous humour againste hym. But that whiche exceded the rest in greatnes of greef was that he had no man of trust to carye her newes of his being, and muche lesse durste he communicat his buysynes wyth any straunger. Neyther had he hope to be advertised of the accurrantes of Myllan, nor meane to make reaport of his owne estate at Mantua ; for that he durst not discover the place of his present abode there. Wherefore cryeng out of the constellation and clymat of his destynies, he complained of his unhappie case in this sorte : 205 DISCOURSE V The com- plaint of Cornelyo beinge in exile. His mistres. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S 'Yf my offence were as greate, as my punyshmente is grevous, I wolde thinke no submission worthie of my place, nor my falte meete to be dispensed withall ; or if I had as justlye deserved this wronge, as I am sewer to suffer the smarte, I had no reason to commence cause of complaint agaynste the malice of the world, and muche lesse accuse the iniquitye of present tyme; nor yet crye out of the synister disposition of Fortune, to whom as the poetes seame to attribute some power over our worldly affaires (bestow- inge their indevor therin I thinke) rather to feede the time and ymagynacions of the people with a shape or figure of an unconstante creature, then wyth intente to perswade a credit in so senceles an ymage. So I am also perswaded by the present experience of her inconstancie, that she is not so liberall to geve as readye to take awaye, and lesse hable to contynue the felicitie wherwyth she seames to flatter the conceite of the simple. For whom she hath brought to beleve in her, she makes many times more desirous of glory, then hable to receive it. Wherin who maye more justely exclaime agaynste her mobylitie then the unhappie Cornelio ; whom (being favored with the offer of a reciprocal affec- tion, and at the pointe to be put in the possession of his desyer) shee hath not only taken the praie out of my mouthe, but comitted me wyth cruelty, into the vale of extreme desolacion ? Of what moment are the greatness of princes, or to what end serves honor or highe callinge, seinge bothe the one and the other are subject to confucion, and readye to yelde at the leaste poffe of winde that bloweth from a contrary shoare ? Yet if I were a simple cytizen or companion of meaner callinge, th'ennemie wolde neyther watche my doings wyth so manye eyes, nor pursewe my deathe by publike or pryvate invacion, and I suffered to live as free from the troubles and tumultes of the worlde, as farre from any care or accompte of the doings of great men ; where nowe alas ! th' only heighte of my estate, tipped wyth the tytle of honor, depryveth me of th 1 use of my contrey, societie of my frendes, and contemplacion of the thinge I holde no lesse deare thenne the healthe of my soule. But if any thinge colde stoppe the covetous humour of man, and everye 206 one (contente wyth the lot of his porcion) would cease to DISCOURSE invade the dominion of an other, kinges shoulde sytt sewer v in their troanes, and the pallais of princes voide of suspicious feare and care. And then (myne owne Plaudina) shoulde not I live wythout the companie of the, and thou have cause to doubt the firme constancie of thy servant ; whose reputacion of honor and fay the toward es his prince, denieth hym for the presente, to honor the wyth the dutye whych thy vertues deserve. And, albeit it is no lesse follye then tyme loste to travel in dispite of Love and Fortune, whyche bothe have conspired my destruction, and joyned in consente to kepe mee frome enjoyenge the favor of her who merites the service of one more noble and worthie every way then I ; and because no distance shal dissolve my affection, nor dymynishe the leaste braunche of good will, nor yet time herselfe have power to overtreade the vertue of my faythe I will so dispose of the reste of my life, as the same shall make absolute declaracion of the unfained constancie of my mynd, wyth the sincere vowe of loyaltie, whiche I have sworne and dedicated to the service of her devine bewtie, even untill the laste and extreme seperacion of my soule and bodie. Wherin, because adversatie is rather subject to many miseries then apte to admit any consolation, and that the goodwill of fortune comes rather at unwares then won by speciall sute, I wyl, perforce, contente myselfe wyth the gyfte of presente time, and, usinge the remembrance of my mistres as a speciall moderation of the hardnes of my exile, so honor th'ymage and picture of her bewtie, painted alreadie in tK'intralls of my harte, that th'only remem- brance and inward viewe of my deare Plaudina shall norishe the remeinder of my miserable daies, wyth no lesse content- ment being absent then I toke pleasure in the regarde of her glistring eyes, and the rest of her delicat proporcion, at such time as my good fortune was content to geve me the glee of her presence.' Wherein, albeit hee spente cer- teine time, wyth ymagynacion that his ladye harde the crye of his complaintes, and gave judgemente of his syde, for th' assurance of his loyaltie, yet he forgat not to hawnte the companies of the dames of Mantua, refusinge to resemble in 207 DISCOURSE V The order of a desolate lover. The desier of a desperat lover. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S any wise the order of those shaded lovers, who, brought up in the skoole of one Romanto Tristano, or leadinge th 1 erraunte and obscure lyfe of Amydes, do fill the ayre full of their dollorous sighes, and sekynge to recorde their passions in the depe and hidden caves of the earthe, delyte not in the place and good felowshippe of good hawnte; neyther are they at any time so well in quiet, as when they feele their desolate bodies shrowded under the shade of solitarye places, or when, by longe ranginge the wildernes and deserte landes, they fynde by chaunce some odd her- mitage, farr from the use and ordynary habitacion of men, where fedynge only upon the hoalsomnes of the ayre, and ymagynacion of their owne conceite, they pyne awaye in expectation that some good aungell or oracle wyll appeare unto theim wyth the message of good newes, or els the fatall sentence of their lyfe. As those kynde of tortles or domesticall fooles, degeneratinge from the planet that governeth th 1 inclynacion of true lovers (whose complexion ought not to be dymmed wyth the darkenes of desolate places) do seame to have their consepcion from under the angrye and crabbed constellacion of Saturne, wishinge wil- linglie that their ladies were converted into the shape of Nymphes, whom the poetes faine to wander and dwell in the thickest covert of the woddes, to thfende that none but they shoulde enjoye the glaunce and viewe of their bewtie; so the true and loyal lover (armed wythe unfayned as- suraunce of his vowe) doubts not to advance himselfe in the presse of moste repaires, thinkinge he can geve no greater proofe or declaracion of hys constancie to his mistres then to withstande th 1 ymportunities and alarms of other. Which you may note in this Cornelio, who, visiting the assemblies and metings of the ladies of Mantua, was marked ymediatly of one of the chiefest ladies of the citie, and regarded wyth so good an eye that fallinge extremely in love wyth the vertues and other dexterities of the banished knight, she embraced hym so straitelye in the intrals of her harte, that, uppon th 1 instante, she had forgot the honor and reputacion of her state, wyth the vaile of shame (which ought to seele the eyes of great ladies and correcte the humor of their 208 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES fonde appetit) in executing th' office of a shamefull clyent, DISCOURSE in a cause whiche she neyther ought to have solicited, and V muche lesse condiscended unto, by force of any ymportuni- ties howe great soever they were, if it had not bene for th"" assistance of an olde neighbour of hers ; who, under- standinge the disease of her mistrys, promissed her diligence to procure the remedye with expedicion. Wherein she omitted no oportunitye as occasion was geven : for, attendinge the offer of convenient time, she founde the meanes to encounter Cornelio one morninge all alone in a churche, at whom she roaved in this sorte : 4 The condition of nobilitye consistes not so muche in the The firste title and surname of honor, as in the commendacion and metinge of eff'ecte of true vertues appearinge in a grafte discended of so "SSi^n 8 i- ui i i A j j.u i. ii,- / \j.uo. i with Cornelio. noble a stocke. And the greatest thinge (syr) that makes a valyante man knowen to the worlde, and preserveth the renowne of his reputacion in entyer, is not to refuce th 1 occa- syon and offer of his fortune, geven him for th 1 increase of his felicitie. Neyther can any man more abuse th 1 excellente giftes and goodnes of nature, then to contemne th' instinct and pryviledge whyche she hathe geven him for the decora- cion of his estate.' The gentleman, somewhat astonied wyth the soddayne encounter of his neighbour, seamed to marveile no lesse at the retorike of th' olde Marmotta, then muse what myghte be th 1 intent of such formal protestacion. Wherwyth, for his parte, havinge no great leasure to devise for his aunswere, cold not replie but wyth tearmes of curtesye in this sorte: 'Yf at unwares my tonge hath stolen a libertie, in talkynge the thynge that hathe offended the eares of you or any other, or by like oversighte have don that whyche your disposition can not brooke nor the law of curtesye allowe, wyth the consente of your opinyon, I am rather to be pardoned by course then punished by justice. For that suche offences, beinge common and naturall, seame rather to precede of ignorance then of th 1 instigacion of malice, or corrupcion of the mynde. Wherin as your judge- mente is no lesse equall then my innocencye meritorious, so, if it wyll please you to reveale the chiefe pointes of my falte, you shal see the hardenes of the penaunce, with treble DD 209 DISCOURSE satisfaction of the wronge, shall take awaye the foulnes of V the fact/ Which kinds of curteys replie liked not a litle the eares of the messenger ; who, accoraptinge him worthie to enjoye the good will of the greatest ladie of a contrey, gave judgement of the victorie wyth ende of th 1 enterprice. Wherin, notwithstandinge, she was no lesse deceaved, then shame, with the respect of her callinge, oughte to have cloased her mouthe from solycitinge so badd a case. For, albeit she discovered point by poynte the cause of her cominge, with a peculyar commendacion and praise of the ladie that sent her (forge ttinge not to decypher artyfyciallie her sondrye properties and many giftes of nature, but chieflye her unfained affection, with readie offer and con- formetie of that whereof lawe of kinde makes all men not only desierous, but studie to wyn by longe sute and service- able diligence) yet wantinge force to shake the walls of so sewer a fortresse, her arte seamed also insufficient to per- swade the mynde of Cornelio ; who, albeit was of opynion and knew well enough, that the wisedom was no lesse in acceptinge th' offer of a good adventure then the follie of doble moment to refuce the preferment of fortune, yet was he so whollie resolved in the loyall love of his ladye at Millan, whose only and simple remembrance restored suche a remorce of the vowe whiche his harte had alredye sworne on her behalfe, that he seamed more willinge to embrace the last and fatal dome of his lyfe then desyerous to abuse the least point of his dutie and service unto her. And, albeit the desyers wee feele sturre in us, ymporte no other thinge then a certeine mirror, or lokinge glasse, receivinge the darke ympressions whych our appetites present unto us ; and that they whiche ymagyn whole castells of constancie, with protestacion never to fainte in the vowe they have made, do no other thinge thenne give occasion to writars to bewtyfye their histories with the circumstaunce of their follie, with suche a blowe and open mockerye in the ende, that they sticke not to describe their vaine and fonde humor uppon publike stage in the hearinge of all the worlde yet am I of opynion, that as the garmente that is fyt for every man is well framed for no man, so the harte 210 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES that is as apte to declyne as the appetit is readie to sommon, DISCOURSE is neyther meritorious of favor in any sort, nor meete to v kepe place in the rancke of the vertues chieflye where hee refuseth th'objecte of his owne choice. Neyther is it pos- sible that two sonnes geve lighte to the worlde at one instante, nor once conveniente for the mynde of one man to embrace th'ymage or figure of more then one saint. Wherein th 1 example of Cornelio, callinge us to th'ymyta- cions of the like vertue, serves also to confute th' opposicions of certeine covetous ladies nowe adaies ; who, rather gredie of glorie thenne hable to deserve it, do not stick e to whet their wittes and inveighe synisterly againste trTin- constancie of men, transporting the whole title and honor of true loyaltie to themselves, as though there remained no sparke nor showe of that vertue in the hartes of men ; who, as they were the firste partakers of that gifte, so the con- stante order of their doinges and lyves (being founde for Men more the moste parte the longest in breath) do argue them no constant then lesse worthie of that perfection, then hable to excede that w flatteringe crew of flickeringe creatures; who, in robbinge us of that which we deserve by juste title, doe seame to bewtifye theimselves wyth the merite of other mens vertues. But, because the eares of al women can not brooke the hear- inge of a troth, and that the pursewte of this quarrell (arguinge a more daunger in th' adventure, then gaine in the victorye) mighte set abroache the faltes of some of our contrey women, I am contente to geve theim that they will have by force, and retiringe to the place of my historic, declare unto you the aunswer of Cornelio to the messenger : * I am sorye ' (saieth he) ' the large honor and liberall offer Cornelyo whyche you seame to presente unto me on the behalfe of aunswerethe your lady and mystrys is of a more highe momente thenne the baude - eyther I am worthie to possess, or hable to requite wyth equall merite. Wherein, because the harde condition of my presente state seames my chiefest enemye to soo greate a prefermente, I doubte howe to seame thankefull to her and satisfye the tyme both together. Albeit as thinges ympos- sible are not to bee pursewed, and offences forced of neces- sitie are moste meritorious of pardon, so, beynge not hable GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE to aunswere her expectacion in counterchaunge of affection, V I am onlye to racke the litle talente that is lefte me to so highe a pyn, that onlye she shall dispose of my honor and lyfe, wyth all that I have in the worlde, at her pleasure ; whyche it maye like her to use as a supplie of the present dutie and service she demaundes at my hande. Onely beinge at this presente not the maister of myselfe, nor the use of my harte in mine owne possession, my sute is that shee rather blame the wronge whiche time offreth to us bothe, then note me of any disdayne in refusinge the frendshippe of her who merites more then I am hable to performe. For if my harte were as free from forreine and former bondes as shee deserveth to be served, and that my affec- tions did not excede th 1 ordenary ympressions whiche assaile the mynde of man, assure youre selfe shee shoulde not lyve longe unsatysfyed to her contentment, and muche lesse have cause to enter into suspection of jeleous disdaine in me for retorning the offer of that which maye serve for a present to the greatest prince in Italy. Neyther will I so much abuse the proffer of her acquaintance or cause of your comminge, as eyther her liberal offer, or vehemencie of your importunities on her behalf, shal move me to resolve a worse opynion, or more slender credyt, on the honour or honestie of her that sente you ; desyeringe you for end to preferr my excuse accordinge to th' integretie of the same, with this further addicion and humble requeste, that she bee as bolde to employe me in any other respecte, no lesse amplye, and so far furthe as my honor and lyfe will ex- tended ' More honestlie ' (saithe the messenger) ' colde you not refuce the offer of that whyche earste was never pre- sented to any, and muche lesse so neare the poynte to make a price of so precious a marchandise. Neyther do I thinke you worthie of the title of that courtesye whereof you are commended, nor yet am I of mynde that youre harte is capable of the noble vertue of love; seynge the renowne and honor of her, whose bewty only hath the greatest princes of Italye in awe, canne make no breache nor enter. And who woulde seame of so slender judgemente (onlesse hee hadde quite disclaimed the order of reason) that, beinge TRAGICALL DISCOURSES proffered frelie that whiche princes can not get by any sute, DISCOURSE and not onely desyered, but pursewed wyth greate instance, v wolde let slippe the gyft of so good a fortune, and make chippes of the frendshippe of so faire and curteous a ladye ? Wyth what face dare you visyt hereafter th 1 assemblies of greate dames, havinge committed so greate a falte on the behalfe of her whose goodwill you do not deserve, if her curtesye did not call you to that preferment? Are you of opynion that the merite of your bewtie and other pro- porcion excedes the honore and heighte of her that woeth you ? Ymagyn the same to bee of suche force, that it is hable to drawe ladyes to doate of you even unto death e, woulde you become so harde-harted as to encrease your glorye, wyth th'exployt of so great crueltie? If you bee subjecte to soo fonde a humor, you mustes nedes bee in- cydente to the j uste revenge which the god of love is readie to thonder upon such as seame to holde his loare in skorn- ful contempte. Whereof as I have harde mo examples then my skill is hable to reveile in good order, being never trained in the torning over of volumes and histories; so I wishe chieflie the plage of Narcissus maye put you in remembrance Narcissus of your present oversighte, leaste in disdaininge the frend- dpateth upon shippe of such as excell yourselfe every way, you doate uppon * s wne th' ymage of your owne shadowe, and by that meanes yelde treble usurye to the wronge you offer her whose loyall affec- tion deserveth a better rewarde then the retorne of a repulse of so small ymportance. 1 Wherwith, Cornelio, cuttinge of the reste of her waspishe discourse, desyered her to presse him wyth no greater ymputacion, then his offence deserved. ' For ' (saieth he) ' in tearminge me unworthie of the title of curtesye, and that my hart is to harde to admit the impres- sion of love, you rather slaunder me by ignorance then accuse me by justice; seinge the onlye force of love hath forced alreadie a vowe of my affection and harte to a ladie of Millan, whose presence albeit the iniquitie of fate hath taken from me for a time, yet shall the only remembrance and inwarde regarde of her bewtie and tertue, suffice to minister sufficient moderacion and chiefe compfort during the angry dome of my hard exile. Neyther shal the force GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE of any enchantment, and much lesse the charme of any V , intysing perswacion, prevaile so far over mee as once to make mee transgresse the leaste point of my confirmed loyaltie. Wherin, as the salemandre lyves in the flame, so wyll I pyne away and consume by peecemeale in the passion of true love, til the angrye fates, ceassinge to wreake their malice upon me, do place me in the possession of the due meede of my merite. 1 Here this olde enchauntresse (understandinge the circum- stance and full of his disease, and that his harte was so thorowlie lymed with the bewtie of his ladie at Millan that it denied th 1 impression of her offer wherein albeit there appered an ympossibilitie to wythdrawe, or at leaste to procure moderacion to the vehemencie of his affection yet, beinge no lesse loath to take a foyle in her enter- prise then desyerous to performe her charg to th 1 uttermost, wyth intent to retorne the messenger of absolute contente- ment or undowted dispair) thoughte not to leave hym till shee hadde syfted and tryed every synowe and vaine of his disposicion. And havinge but one pece of retoricke re- mayninge, she boolked it out, under a covertely kinde of reprehending his folie, in this sorte : ' Are you one of that vaine crue ' (saithe she) ' and archfooles of the worlde, that, striving to bende the bow of loyal lovers, do make a glorie Constancie. of a thing as requisite in love, as cowardnes or wante of courage in the soldiour meinteining skirmish against the enemie? Do not you thinke that a woman of indifferent judgement will not rather laughe at such folye in her servant then allowe his fonde constancie, begon without reason, and kepte with so small discrecion? And, albeit it is glorye of a ladye to be onely embraced and dearly beloved, and that they have (as it were by a speciall instinct of nature) a desyer above all creatures to be the only possessours of the hartes of their lovers, do you not thinke, for all that, that they give not leave and libertye to theyr servantes to make a seconde choyce or chaunge of mistres, to th' ende they maye be thorowly resolved of the loyaltye of their servante, and he discerne the true difference betwene the affections of bothe his ladies? And sewer that hart 214 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES is wroughte of strange mettal, and the sprite of slender DISCOURSE capacitie, that, beinge bounde (as it were) to a taske, is sub- v jecte only to one simple desyer, without power to bestow his regardes in more places then one. Admit constancie to be as greate a vertue as you make it, and that the faith in love is to be kepte withoute violacion, I praye you, in ask- ing you one question by frendshipp, let me be aunswered by the veray touch and reaport of your conscience. What assurance have you of equalitye or semblable affection at the handes of your mistrys of Myllan, whom you have more reason to doubte then cause to beleve? Do you thinke that you are only beloved, or that beinge punished by exile, without greate hope eftesones to recover you, she can continue as faythfull for her parte, as you seame foolishe in beinge the slave and subject of an ymage or shadowe of a thynge so farre hence ? No ! no ! do awaye theis toyes of small substance, and let my experience, Seigneur Cornelyo, prescribe you one chief and generall rule, that no woman beinge once disposed to love, and havinge the object of her fancie taken out of her presence, is so hable to represse the humour of desyer, or correct th 1 instigacion of her appetit, as it is eyther in her power to disclaime at her pleasure, or degenerat from that wherin she hath a facilitie by nature ; but as one spoiled of all resistance and arguments of vertue, she ceasseth not to followe the queste of her licencious in- clinacion, till she have founde freshe supplie to enter the lystes, and paye th' arrerages of hym that first conquered the place. Women be neither equall wyth saintes nor like unto angels, neyther are they made of other mettal then suche as is distilled of th"* imperfections of yourselves; and, Women de- in place of priviledge or free dispence from the passions of rived of the love, I affirme theim to excede all other creatures in the vehemencye of that impression, and chieflye where the effect doth not followe th 1 assurance of the worde. For as the drawinge glaunces of the eye, and pleasaunt platt of the tongue, is rather an earnest penny of the bargaine then a ful consommacion of th 1 aggrement, so the hungrye appetit of the hart affected is never satisfyed to his contentement, till he have tasted of the delicate frute growynge in the 215 V Faith to be observed where the desyer is performed. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE middest of th" 1 orcharde and paradise of love ; whiche onely concludes and knyttes up the reste of th 1 imperfect bargain. Wherin as I must confesse unto you, that both the lawe of loyaltye is to be observed, and faith kepte invyolable, where we fynde an unitie of affection and full effect of our desyer; so to bestowe love in the ayre, and Ivye without hope of the thing that is wished, I accompte it rather the part of a madman then office of one that hath his wittes at commandment. Nether doth the ende of suche pynyng con- ceites importe other consequence, then a loathsom wearines and unnatural hate of lyf, with continuall expectation to dye, and an everlastinge remembrance of hys follye after hys death. And for your parte, comparynge the symptomes of your present passion with th' unlikelihod I see to have spedie ende of youre martirdom, you bringe in remembrance the miserable state of the simple sparowhake ; who, beinng hooded to take away her wildnes, syttes all the day longe beckinge upon her Jesses and whettinge her beake uppon the pearche, rather in dispaire then certein of the comming of her keper. Let me pearce that harde harte of yours with perswacions of reason, and seame not so rashe in refusinge the goodnes of Fortune who albeit is accompted an enemy to moste menne, yet is she also frendlie to some and ymagyn that once in the course of your lyfe she kisseth your cheke, and holdeth her lappe open with an offer of a good torne, whiche, if you refuce, is not to be reclaimed eftesones by any arte or pollecie. Convert your affection founded upon such slipper substaunce, and no lesse incertaine of his due mede, into a ballance of equall frendshippe and harte of semblable honor and vertue; and exchang at last these languishinge conceites that tormente your pynynge sprite for a pleasure no lesse precious then of great merite, who is no lesse readie then willing, and more apte to offer then you hable to receive. Cease, hensfoorthe, to love uppon credyt, and crye out of the shadowe or figure of a thinge that hathe neyther eares to heare your complainte nor meanes to releve your distresse ; and thinke that the glorye of love consistes not in the simple desyer of the mynde, nor in the foolishe provacacions of our vaine conceites, but, pass- 216 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES ing further, the pleasante rewarde and tryumphe of that DISCOURSE victorye, consisteth in the consommacion of the worke; V wythout the whiche, love seameth no other thinge then a bare platt or table, wherupon the painter maye drawe what proporcion hee lyste ! And truely as there is no manne happie in love, nor hathe cause to vaunte of the victorye, but hee that encountrethe th'objecte of hys desyer; soo mee thinketh a manne shoulde not love that hee hathe not, nor desyer the thynge that is utterlye unknowen unto hym. I saye thus muche, syr, because youre resolute affection towardes youre ladye of Myllan seamethe rather to argue ann humour of frenzye then vertue in love, and vaine opinion then true effect ; advisinge you for ende to have a care of yourselfe and speciall regarde to this laste request of myne, that is, in leavyng the shryne to honor the sainct, and to cloase your mouthe from gapinge after that you can not get, as the unquiet dogge in the night that barketh at the shadowe of the moone. 1 The oration of this bawde seamed suche musicke to the eares and mynde of Cornelio, that he rather wished a con- tinuance of her jargon then an abridgement of her tale ; but seynge she gave ende to her discourse, with expectation to heare hys replye, he dysmissed her with this shorte aunswere : ' Albeit your present repeticion of th' abuse in Cornelio love (seaminge in some respect to bee assisted bothe with givethhis rayson and justice) dothe discover diverse faltes in sondrye women (wherof, as you say, the most part deliteteth as much to ronne ryot and seeke a chaunge of pasture, as the other takes pleasure in the vertue of true constancie), yet oughte wee to use suche an integretie betwene the good and evill that the faltes of the wicked do not deface the renowme of theym that deserve but well. And, as you saye, it is harde for a manne to love that he hathe not, so I note no lesse rashnes in you to give judgement of the thinge you knowe not but by examinacion. For I am fullie perswaded, that no distance of places, nor adversitie of times, have power to dyminishe, and much lesse dissolve, th 1 affection of her, whose presence I hope hereafter to enjoye with no lesse pleasure, then her absence seames now to gyve me cause EE 217 GEFFRAIE FENTONS DISCOURSE of annoye. And, albeyt I have not yet tasted of the frute V whiche all lovers do wyshe, and fewe happen to fynde, yet dare I accompte my selfe as depelye in the favor of my absent mistrys as the best of that happye companie. And suche weakelinges as accompte no vertue in love but in th 1 encounter of their lascivius desyer, and can not rest satisfied except they crop the hearbe of pleasure, are alwayes founde more liberall in wordes then constant in love, and more hoat in the begynnynge then hable to continue to the end. Neyther do I see any experience to the contrary, but that the passion whiche I suffer ought rather too beare the true title of love then the surname of a simple desier, seynge the delite I take in the remembrance of her beautie is no lesse pleasure unto me then if I had alredye performed and tasted of the delicat effect of love ; which I am deter- mined to attende, tyl eyther the goodnes of a better fortune restore me to my desert, or the force of death give end to my desolacion; willing you herewith to correct your judge- ment, and cesse to inveyghe againste her, whose constancie and vertue only defaceth the usurped comendacion of the most of your corrupte sect. For the rest, the justice of my cause (I hope) wil make my excuse tollerable in the opinion of her that sent you ; and for your paines I can but yelde you the choice of a thousande thankes.' Wherewith, mother retrician tooke her leave and retired, with lesse contente- ment in her bad successe then assured hope to prevaile in the beginning, towards her Mantuan lady; to whom re- counting eftesones the particularities of her discourse with Cornelio, she concluded that he, beyng limed with another bushe, had no power to make a graunt of his good wil with- out a special pasport from Millan ; ' where ' (saith she) ' he hath lefte both body and hart, and appereth here but in the likenes and shape of a figure without sence or feelyng, and lesse hable to ad mitt the preferment of honor or proffer of reason.' Which albeit seamed greatly to grudge the con- science of the lady, chiefly for that she was intercepted of that which she accompted no lesse sewer then the articles of her crede or to be beleved, yet, waighing the reasons of his excuse with the raging oversight of herselfe in indifferent 218 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES ballance, she made of necessitie a vertue and retired to a DISCOURSE pacience parforce, forgetting not to punish her falte with the v pennance of repentance, and comend to the skies the incom- perable loialty of Cornelio, with no lesse gratulation on the behalf of her that had choice of so constant a servant Plaudyna. who, for her part, also, at this while, was in no lesse care of his wel doyng then busily occupied in devise how to recover his presence and requite the passion of his painful torment, which he chiefly desyred and justely deserved. Wherein as she for her part wyshed no lesse to embrace hym then he meritorius to possess her; so, albeit there passed cer- taine letters betwene theim, seaminge rather to doble the desier of theim both then yeld moderation to the passion of eyther of theim, yet she founde the meanes to coaste the malice of her fortune with a contrarye sleyghte, by pro- curyng to her husbande a jorneye of xx or xxx dayes traveil. Whereupon, she dismissed imediatly a corrior to Cornelio with the reaport of the newes in this letter folowing : ' Albeit (sir) Calamitie of her owne nature is so quarelous Plaudyna that she ceasseth not to assaile th' afflicted with continual advertiseth sommonce of perentorye dispaire, yet oughte we not re- f^r lover of ,5 J r A c the departure appose so slender an assurance in the assystance 01 vertue O f herhus- as eyther to make a marchandise of the goodnes of our for- band, tune, and much lesse sell the hope of future filicitie, nor yet utterlie despaire of the benefyt of time ; who, as she is thankeful enoughe to suche as suffer her with pacience, so hathe she presentlye entred into suche compassion of our mutuall distresse, that, somonyng my husbande with a jorney of a monethes travel in forreine affaires, she hath opened us a most sewer meane to meete and rejoice together without daunger. Wherein, as all suche seldome proffers of frendshypp ought to be no lesse welcome when they come then they seame of tickle aboade when we have theim; so, if you wishe to be resolved of that which you doute, and have no lesse care of your owne contentement, my advise is you embrace the benefyt of so convenient a time; persuadyng yourselfe that if you were here, I wold communicate with you more liberally then I dare discourse by letter; and 219 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE onelye yourselfe is of creditte to serve as a secretorye in V affaires of such secret importance. Whereof you maye conster the meaninge without great studie. Only ymagyn that Fortune is not suche a nigarde of her frendship as spitefull yf her offer be refuced, and Time so disdaineful that she will not tarye a moment above her stynte. Yours without change, PLAUDINA.' Yf thies newes were welcome to Cornelio, I leave yt to the judgement of that amarus ere we, who seame so resolute and simple in their love that their lyfe is onely prolonged by a desyred daye but when they see an approche of their liberty, with licence to quenche their hungry myndes with the fode they chieflye wishe to feede uppon. God knoweth the small regarde they have to honor, and lesse respect to the dutie of their conscience ; and with what slender advise and lesse time, they make the poore husbande a rampier of homes to defend his forhead from the shott of th'enemie! Wherin, sewer, their delite is not so great, and glorie of so foule a conquest of suche comendacion, as she worthie of treble tormentes, who, for the glott of her fylthie desyer, and satisfyenge their founde ymportunities, dothe make no con- science to defile the mariage bedd of her husbande, take awaye the renowne of her former estimacion, deface the glorie of her auncestors, and leave besides a title of villan- ous reproche uppon her children and posteritie; of whose reputacion shee oughte to bee more carefull then my n de- full to satisfie the gredye appetit of her owne pleasure, or folyshe pursuete of their filthie love. And from this foun- taine of execrable abuse distilleth also the sondrie sortes of unnaturall divisions happening at this daye betwen noble houses and men of meaner discentes ; the children detest- ynge the father, and the father abhorringe theim whome he thinkes to bee none of his, and one brother persecutinge an other with no lesse mortality of hate then if they were common enemies of forreine contreys. For the bed being once stained, the blod mixed, and the law of mariage abused, yt muste nedes follow that the frute procedynge of suche seedes can neyther degenerate nor bee without 220 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES corruption. Neyther can the son yelde honor or dutie to DISCOURSE him whom nature denieth to bee his father. Wherein, V albeit I have somewhat exceded the compasse of my com- mission, yet I am so persuaded of th 1 indifferencie of those fewe ladyes whiche fele theimselves toched with this shorte dygression, that they will not grudge with this parable of their falte ; seyng truthe marcheth under oure enseygne, readye to advoche and witnes the circunstance of my allega- cions. Which, like as I inferred, rather to advise you to eschew the lyke evil then for any derogacion of your honor, so yt maye like you al to excuse my reasons by th 1 integrety of the cause, and pardon me by justice; retiringe now with semblable pacience to the sequeile of our Cornelio, who, construinge the wordes of the letter accordyng to the mean- ing of the writer, ymagined by and by th' importance of th 1 affaires she had too communicate with hym. Wherein, albeit love moved hym on the one side to performe the desier of hys ladye, yet Reason on the other part required hym to be careful of his owne savetie, and not to buy a taste of his slypper pleasure with the price of his lyfe. * For' (saith shee) 'if you go to Myllan, and be discovered by anye of the Frenche race, or frendes of theyr faction, your daunger wilbe to great to escape, and you shal come to too late a repentance of your follie. 1 Wherefore, ballancinge indifferently betwene doute and feare, with desier to use this occasion, leaste he myghte seame unthankefull to the good- will and requeste of his mistres, he imparted the whole circunstance to one Delio, a deare frende of hys, of whom (beyng pryvye from the begynnynge to his amarus practise) he demaunded earnestly a speciall assistance of good councell, touchynge th" 1 absolution of his present doute. Thys Delio, havinge trodden alredy the whole laborinth of love, and knewe by experience what an elne of suche follies was worthe, gave as ryghte a judgement of the disease of hys frende, as yf he had felte the movynge of his poises, or tried the disposition of his water againste the son in an urynall. Wherein he failed not to discharge th 1 office of a true frende in assaynge to remove th 1 occasion and mortefye the yll, with thies perswations : 221 GEFFRAIE FENTONS DISCOURSE ' Like as,"* sayth he, ' small scares require slender medecins, V and great greves are wont to try th' utter moste of the arte Delyo per- f phizicke ; and that the wise and experienced phizision, suadeth Cor- afore he undertake to cure the disease of hys patient, or nelyo not to gi ve certaine j udgement of his recoverye, doth not only go to Millan. exam j ne t n > occasion of his greif, but makes also his firste indevour to take awaye and mortifye the cause, afore he disclose the skil and hidden misteries of his arte; so the maladie of love, being nothing inferior to the ragyng oppres- sion of the burnyng fever (who desyereth alwayes thinges that be hurtefulle, and escheweth the necessarie preservatives of health) is neyther to bee cured, nor delte withall in anye sorte, onlesse the pacient wil suffer the circumstance of his disease to be syfted to th 1 uttermost, and abide an incysion of the scare even to the quicke ; to th 1 ende that by th 1 opera- cion of the Cataplame whiche shalbe ministred to you, you dispayre not of recoverye (althoughe there appeare diverse lykelihodes of daunger) nor I broughte to answer for my frendshipp, whiche I proteste to be without spot of dishonest intent. And as it is no lesse necessarie for hym that is sicke to reapose a speciall credit in his phisicion then the minister of medecins to bee of exquisite skyll (for that the opinion and conceite of his connynge, importes a greate consolation to the mynde of hym that is sicke) so you muste neyther denie the vertue of my medecine to worke his force, nor doubte of any thing I meane to tell you ; for the tale can woorke small effecte where the reaporter is of slender credit. Ther- fore, afore I sifte you any further, I requeste you onely of one thing, as moste chief and necessarye to prevent the present peril whiche attendes you : I meane that, in chaungynge your affection, you wyll also dismisse and breake the resolu- cion wyche I knowe your harte hath alredye determined. The disposicion and exterior apparance of youre counte- naunce, argue a wonderful 1 devocion you have to visitte your oracle and saint at Millan ; whiche also I coulde well admitte, if I sawe not in the ende of that vayne pilgrymage, a harde pennance accompanied with more perils then ever happened to the son of Anchises, undertakynge to visitt th 1 infernall valleyes by the guide of his Sybilla. You 222 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES knowe well enough your banyshment from Myllan preceded DISCOURSE of rebellion ; and that your offence is so haynous in the V conceite of the majestic theare, that onelye the price of your heade can make the attonement and quenche the rage of his wrath. And, seinge the sleighte of your enemies and malice of fortune have dogged you and your doinges so nearely since your comming to Mantua, that you have not spoken or don a thinge of suche councell but Fame hath discovered your intent and made your adversaries partakers of your meaning, it behoveth you to thinke that of late she is not become so wel affected towards you, as she can or will con- ceile this last and most perillous resolution. Besides, in what sorte could you disguise your selfe that your sondrie secret markes wold not bewraye you, or what waye have you to passe where you are out of knowledge of al men ? And admit your owne sleighte and pollecie were hable to prevayle above the malice of your fortune, in defending you from the daunger of the waye and diverse ambushes of your enemyes, are you so persuaded of th' assurance of your Plaudina, that you wil commit your life and losse of honor to the fained faith of a deceitefull woman, and that without a proffe of her constancie ? Yf the miste of fonde affection doth so much dim your eyes, and gifte of present understandinge that you are not hable to discover the legerdemaines of lighte women, let my experience warne you to beware of the subtill sleightes and fyne allurementes of so venemous a serpente. What can you tell whether this traine she hath made be a stale to betraye you, and committ you to the mercye of your enemye ? Or peradventure she hathe sente for you, because she seeth an impossibilitie in th 1 enterprice, and rather to brynge you in daunger then of intent to yelde satisfaction to your desyer. But lett us conster her mean- inge to the best, with ymaginacion that her faith is without corruption, and that she is no lesse desyrous to see you then you (assotted upon her beautie) seame reddye to run thorow the fyer of a thousande perils, only to content her ; will you by so vayne a pleasure, that is of lesse moment or abode then the thoughte of a man, at so deare a price as the losse of your honor and lyfe ? Remember that the end of that 223 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE enterprise can not be good, whose begining is not founded V uppon discrecion, and sequell governed by the rule of raison : neyther can you more greatlye deface the auncient renowme of your honor, nor leave a greater spot of reproche to your house and frendes that live after you, then to conclude and ende the course of your life, in the purseute of so dishonest a queste. And your enemy es can not so lardgelie triumphe in your overthrowe and deathe, as your frendes have cause to lamente that your owne rashenes and follie were the only furtherours of the fatall bane of your lyfe. Whereof, the contrary parte, yf, being cut in peces in the service of some noble prince, or yelde to the loare of nature in som valiant exploit or enterprise of warr, you shold not only aggravate the praise of your lyfe passed with the glorie of an honorable death, discarge your frendes and succession of al imposicions of villanous infamie, but also force your enemyes to a con- version of their malice into a general comendacion of your vertue and undouted faith towardes your prince. Besides, if you will wayghe the mortall plages threatened in the gospell to be thondered upon th'adulteror and suche as contaminat the maried mans bedd, or rightly measure the penaunce of the falte with the foulnes of the fact, you shal not only judge with me that there is no lyfe more damp- nable afore God, nor deathe more skandalus to the worlde, then to be overthrowne in the combat whiche of ryghte is due to bee parformed by another; but also that there is more vertue and ease in sufferance, then profit or pleasure in hast, or comoditie in rashe execution. But, yf the power of the fleshe, prevailynge above your resistance, hath sturred up this humor of hoat desier, whiche seames to presse you so far that you make no conscience to exchange your former glorie for a title or surname of a fylthie adulterer, go not so far to seke your destruction, seing Mantua presentes you with sufficient choice and change of releif, better cheape, and with less peril, then the hazarde of reputation or losse of lyfe. 1 This charme of Delyo seamed so to enchante and drive reason into the waveringe mynde of the Myllanois, that hee tooke respite to replie till the nexte morninge, thanking him notwithstanding of his frendlie advertisementes, whiche 224 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES (saith he) have so unseeled the eyes of my mynde that I DISCOURSE fynd myselfe now hable to discerne that whych love wold V not suffer me earste to perceive, and muche lesse to feare or doubte. Wherewith, retiringe to his lodginge, hee passed the nighte in the onely contemplacion of his fancie : wherein appered suche warr and contrarietie of thoughts, with figures of hollowe conceites, that the desyer and course of slepe, was whollie converted into an humor of uncerteine ymagynacions. And if, by chaunce, his eyes offred to cloase their liddes, and sommon the reste of the partes to the quiet reapposed in sleepe, the remembrance and care of his buysynes, inter- ruptinge the office of the eyes, presented eftsones a new conflict and seconde supplie of his passion ; in such sorte as, beyng to weake to resiste the alaram, he yelded to the stronger parte, whiche was the maisterles appetit of sensu- alitie ; and, holdinge more deare the pleasures of the fleshe then the savegarde of his life, determined to take the forde, and trye if fortune wolde performe asmuche as shee seamed to promise by a flatteringe hope (whych appeared in his ydle braine) to embrace his mistres without daunger ; ympartinge the nexte daye his resolucion to his deare frende Delyo. To whom saith he : ' Because perils are commonly made greater by reapport then founde daungerous in th' adventure, Perills be and that all likelehodes seldom or never do happen, the greater in valyant ought not to feare the thinge that is doubtfull, nor P ort then . j j a.u i * i- j XT ii_ A. daungerous m dread the simple movmge of a shadowe. Neyther is there ^> adventure. glorie of the victorie, but where th 1 adventure excedeth th 1 expectacion of men. Wherfore I am perswaded to geve a charg of the good will of fortune, and take my jorney towardes Millan, tomorow ; wher I bee sommoned wyth the writ of my destynies, or malicious dome of unhappye fortune by death. Myllan wyll serve me as well of a tombe as eyther Mantua or other santuarie of the worlde. Neyther can I make a better declaracion of my fayth towardes my mistres then in defyenge the feare of so many perills, to appeare more readie to obey her commaundemente then curious and carefull of myne owne life : whyche I accompte ymploied with no lesse justice on her behalfe then honor to myselfe, if the same be put to extreme tormentes and utterlie FF 225 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE executed in the place wher the view of her own eyes may V bee th 1 indifferent judges betwene my firme constancie and small dissymulacion. Neyther can I leave her a more precious pawne of myne indissoluble love, then, beinge cut in peces in the pursewte of her service, to leave the walls and posterns of her pallais painted, and all to besprent, with the bloode of the most loyal servant and frend that ever bare name to do honor or service to any of that noble sect.' ' Your desperat resolucion ' (saith Delyo) * excedinge all th 1 experi- ence I have harde or redd of any that have bene possessed with the like infection, argueth the unbridled humor of love to be a kynde of rage, a thousand times more straunge and lesse reasonable then eyther the burning fever, or frantike maladie of suche as are affected with the fury of frenzye. For what greater follie, or rather desperacion, can be noted in the madman then to ronne headlong in to the middest of the fyer, or commit himselfe unarmed to the mercie of the glaves and sharp swords of his enemie ? ' How may a man tearme this same amarus rage, and effect of smal reason and lesse discrecion, which accompanie suche as make themselves a praie to their proper sensualitie, if not some spirite or lymne of Sathan, sent to torment us in making us th 1 abhomynable workmen of such miracles of mischiefe ? And he that sayth that love procedeth other wayes then of ourselves, seameth rather to mocke the truth then hable to justefy his argument by approved authorities; seing the mischief is derived of our- selves, and norished of the corruption of our nature, whose wicked force prevaileth so much over the gifte of our under- standing, and darkeneth the vertue of the spirit, that wee are denied to se, and muche lesse to treade, the pathe of our dutie, honestie, or conscience. But th'amarous crew of fryvolus lovers now a dayes, eyther to support their dampnable enter- prises with a boulster or showe of a newfounde vertue, or to set a more braverie of their doinges then eyther reason or conscience will allow, or rather to make their secte favored with a fame or name of perpetuitie, have devised to christen their follie by the name of sincere and true loyaltie ; whiche they also forget not to confirme by the title of constancie ; as thoughe without the hazarde of the soule, and absolute 226 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES destruction of the bodie, suche execrable villenies and abuses DISCOURSE of men colde beare the name, or be registred in the boke, y of vertue. Wherin albeit I cold bee assisted with infinities of examples both familiar and aunciente, yet, because such discourse wold rather seame tedious then thankful to the guiltie mynds of a nomber of our contreymen, I am content to dismisse al antiquities, and pursewe my allegacion with th" 1 authorytie of this Cornelio ; who, rather enchaunted then ravished with the remembrance of his ladye and suggestion of his own follie, tolde Delio for ende, that if all the waies betwen Mantua and Myllan were strewed or pitched with rasors, and everye gate and windowe decked with the doble cannon readie charged to salute hym at his cominge, yet, making litle or none accompte of these mortal perils in respect of the dutie he seamed to owe to his deare Plaudina, he failed not to begyn to perform the sommonce of her letter the next morning : when, with ij servants no lesse strange to him, then unknowen to al men, and himselfe attyred in the wede of a marchant traveller, he departed Mantua at the opening of the gates. And marching no lesse spedelie then by secrete and unknowen pathes, he measured his time according to th' importance and danger of his enter- prise, in such sort as he gat within the walls of Myllan at the verie last glymmer and cloasing of the evening : wher, refus- ing the house of his mother, because the prospect, opening upon the pallais of hys chiefeste enemye, seamed more apte to discover, then hable to hyde hys being ther, he addressed to a deare frende of his, called Messieur Ambrosio, where beyng let in, in the darkest of the evenyng, he was lodged in a lowe chamber, joyned as a pendle to th' uttermost corner of the house, most convenient to worke his secret misterye. His first indevor after his saffe arryval at Millan, was to send for an appoticarye whose fidelitie he had earst proved in the enterchaunge and conveighe of diverse letters betwene his ladie and hym ; who, not so much amazed to see hym whom he loked not for as glad of his comminge for the con- tentement of Plaudina, assured hym of the departure of her husbande. His second diligence appeared in th 1 expedicion he used to advertise his mistrys of his commynge ; whom he 227 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE requested by a letter, under the conduit of this colcarior, to V appoint a convenient leasure, that he might speake to her in secret. c For ' (saith he) ' the conference I have to impart with you, is of other importance then to be debated in the hearyng of witnesses, and much lesse recorded by anye then the only presence of ourselves. 1 The ladye, althoughe she desired nothyng so muche as the presence of her servant, whose only comyng seamed almoste to make her excede the bondes of reason for joye, yet was she semblablie traunced in a passion of dreedefull conceites and doubtfull feare : the one for that she feared the malice of the Frenchemen, the rather because they extended weekelye a privye searche uppon all the houses and places whych they judged frendes to Cornelio; the other and chiefe cause of her dollor was, for that by the wronge datyng of her letter, she failed of the daye of the departure of her husbande ; whereby she had not only procured to hym a more daunger then neded, but also abused his adventure in beyng not hable to give so longe a time to their pleasures as he justelye deserved and they bothe desired. Notwithstandyng, she retorned the messenger with a gentle aunswere, wherein, above all other thinges, she gave singler comendacion to his firme loyaltie, and no lesse falte to her owne follie and rashenes ; whyche, because she woulde not onelye excuse, but also countervaile, or rather excede, wyth a recompence to his contentacion, she willed hym by the messenger to passe by the gate in the attire of a masquer, where she woulde attende his commynge about x or xi of the clocke the same evenynge, resolvyng uppon a certeine watche word or other secret in- structions whereby she mighte discerne hym from the reste of his felowshipp. Yt is to bee thoughte Cornelio did neyther mislike the message, and muche lesse forgett the hower of appointmente, nor yet seame a cowarde in this chiefest exployte of his adventure. I am rather of opinion, that his foolishe rashenes dyd so much excede the vertue of the minde, that yf the whole garrison of the Frenchemen had bene encamped in the streete, and redie to receyve hym uppon the pointe of their pickes, he woulde rather have accepted the offer of present death then lost so good an 228 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES occasion to encounter a simple glaunce or glee of his greate DISCOURSE frende ; who, no lesse mindefull of her promisse then readie v to performe it wyth a double diligence, in hope to enjoy e an interest of suche pleasure as love yeldes to suche as Fortune makes happie and hable to receive, attended hys commynge at the place and hower of accorde. And as she was one of the best courtiars, passinge the rest of the traine and troupe of ladies in beautie, behaviour, and other giftes of flatterynge showe ; so was she more courted wyth the continual haunts and companie of the gentlemen and princes of Italy then any other of what degre so ever she were ; in such sorte as, at the instante and present approche of her servant, she was devisinge familiarlye with diverse gentlemen of the citie ; who, seing this masque noblie mounted after the Spanishe order, make their staye afore Plaudina. And she, for her part, accepting their curtesye with a countenaunce more thankeful then of ordinarie, judged his embassage to the ladye to neede neyther secret witnes nor publike audience. Wherfore, not ignorant in th 1 office of humanitie, and because their presence shold seame no impediment to the proffit or pleasure of another, they toke leave of Plaudina resigning the campp and capteine to the marchant straunger; whom, yf they had knowen, they would suerlie have rated the penny worthes of that praye at to deare a price for him to have caried away without a gage or pawne no lesse pretious then his lyfe. Here, althoughe the fortune of Cornelio had blessed him Cornelio with doble felicitie at one instant, bothe in avoydynge the astonied in place of companie and yelding hym large viewe of the the presence f . . J . > J . ' . , 01 his ladye. presence ot his mistreys without mterupcion, yet love seamed to sturr up suche alteracions and diversaty of amaze within him that the use of his tonge was not only taken away, and the reste of his partes retired to a quyveryng feare, but also his eyes were so resolved in the gredy gaze of her bewtie, that, in place to do her honor with any devise or show of hys dutie by wordes, he broughte her in terror with the viewe of his dombe behavior ; resembling rather the ghastly figure of Zelio Polino, whom the poetes, fayning to be enchaunted by his wyfe, do affirme that for the pennance of his offence and abuse towardes her, he is bounde upright 229 DISCOURSE V Cornelio speketh to his ladye. Lyfe. Plaudina re- plieth to her servant. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S agaynst a wall with a gag in his mouthe, without licence or libertye to speake til she pul the pegge from betwene his jawes. So Cornelio, albeit he was an orator sufficient enoughe, and specially in disputation of love, yet founde he here hys tongue so punished with the pennance of Polino, that he colde neither pleade for hymself at lardge, nor yet playe the parte of a stotting solicitor ; till the longe viewe of her proporcion of majestie unseelyng hes eyes, lent hym also a countercharme to take away the misterie of his hiddeus traunce, with comission to make a breache of his scilence, and restore hym to th" use and libertie of his tonge, whyche he exposed as a tryall of his newe benefit in this sort : ' Yf all the giftes and good tomes whiche Fortune ever bestowed uppon suche as received frendship or favor at her hande were here presented unto me, with licence and libertie to chuse whiche I wolde have, I doute whether I colde pike oute one of suche a nomber, that were hable to countervaile the greatnes of my present encounter, or if they al had power to yelde me such contentement as I fynde in the con- templacion and regarde of your devine bewtye. And, for your parte, good madam, what greater proff can you have of the honor and service, with unfayned loyaltie, I have longe vowed unto you then, for the only respect of the dutie I owe you, to see me comitt that which is, and oughte to bee, moste deare to al men, to the hazarde of a thousande perilles. Wherein, notwithstandyng, yf the god of my destynies hath aggreed to toche me with the malice of hys dome, and publishe my sentence of death in this place, I excuse hym of present rigour for that he hath deferred me hetherunto and accomptes great justice in this fatal execu- tion, seyng youre self shal be judge with what integretie I have served you since the first vowe and mocion of my affec- tion. 1 Wherunto Plaudina replied : ' Yf you thinke you so depelie in the debte of Fortune, for the simple offer of so small a frendshypp, I accompte my selfe no lesse bounde to yelde her doble sacrafyze of semblable thankesgyvyng ; not for that she hath added so greate a daunger to the declara- cion of your goodwill, (whereof I never dowted) but because in grauntynge us a mutuall accesse and presence together, 230 TRAGIC ALL DISCOURSES I maye (thoughe not so amplye as I wolde, and as you have DISCOURSE deserved, yet in some parte) yeelde you the meede of so V greate a merit. Yf you accompte the pleasure in death (happenynge in the pursute of this adventure) peculiar to yourselfe, you doo wronge to the sincere love and loyall affection of youre deare Plaudina; who, resolved to passe under the same sentence, will neythe excede you in lengthe of lyf, nor gyve you anye place in firme constancie of mynde. Neyther doo I greatlye feare the threates of present daunger, considerynge your auncient felicitie, whyche hathe alwayes delyvered you in anye your attemptes what diffi- cultie soever appered in theim. Onelye I quarrell with myne owne follye in mystakynge the daye of the departure of my husbande; and greve no lesse with th' yniquitie of presente tyme, who, envyeng (as yt seames) our amarus enterprise, is readie to abridge the course of our desyered pleasure, wyth a soddaine retourne of hym whom I wishe Her husband, without eyes in th" 1 uttermost ende of th 1 orient. Notwith- standynge, as the faultes preceding from rashe oversight or ignorance are rather excusable then meritorious of free pardon, so, althoughe I have offended grevously, yet do I not dispaire of mercie, consideryng that, besides the confes- sion of the faulte, I yelde me to suche pennance as shall please you to enjoyne me; which, also, you shall fynde me readie to performe, if, at the firste hower after this midnight, you comme hether in as secret a maner as you can, and striking but once uppon the clapper of the wicket, cure Janiquetta (whom you know hath bene heretofore a messenger of our love) shall open the gate and conveighe you into a place of pleasant torments ; where, yf you fynde youre selfe greved with anye wronge I have don you, you may paye the revenge with such interest as you thinke good.' Wherewith, albeit Cornelio grudged at the spedie retourne of the goodman, yet, convertyng the passion of those heavy newes into a conceite of present gladnes for the franke and liberall consent of his ladye, he contented hymselfe with the offer of hys tyme and fortune, and yeldyng a lowe reverence to hys loftye Plaudina, retired in haste to his lodgynge; where, attendynge the approche of his hower of appointe- 231 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE ment, wyth no lesse devocion then the papistes in Fraunce V performe their ydolatrous pilgrimage to theyr ydoll Sainct Tronyon, uppon the Mont Auyon besides Roan, or our supersticious catholikes of England of late dayes to the holye Roode of Chester, or ymage of our Ladye at Walsing- ham, he seamed to attire himselfe for the bed as thoughe he woulde not sturre out of his chamber that nyghte. By whiche semblance or dissimuled showe, he dismissed the company e that was with hym, shuttynge the windowes and doares of his lodgynge, tyll the deade tyme of the nyghte, sommonynge all sortes of people to reste, seamed to putt hym in remembraunce of hys promisse and the thynge he chiefly desyered to performe ; so that, arminge himself only with sieves of male, and a naked rapiour under his mantell, he marched towards the pallais of Plaudina, wythe more haste then good speede, and lesse assuraunce of savetye then likelihod of good lucke. For, as he accompted himselfe no lesse free from all daungers then farre from any occasion or offer of perill, so Fortune, displayinge the flagge of her malice, encountred hym soddainely with a desaster ex- cedynge his expectation ; whereby she warned hym (as it were) of the ambushe of future evils whiche were readye to discover themselves. And albeit this firste accidente was nothinge in respect of the other straung mischiefes which she ceassed not to thonder uppon hym, one in the necke of another, afore the ende of his enterprise, yet it oughte to have sufficed to have revoked, and made hym cross saile, from the pursute of so bad an adventure; seinge withal there appeared neyther reason in the attempt, nor honestie in the victorye. But who doubteth that the luste of the bodye is not the chiefest thinge that infecteth the minde wyth all syn ; and that the beautie of a woman dothe not onely drawe and subdue the outwarde partes, but also levyeth suche sharpp assaultes to the inwarde forces of the mynde not sewerly rampierd in vertue, that they are not onely denyed to eschewe suche thinges as bee undoubtedly hurte- full bothe to the bodye and soule, but also drawen to desyer that which they ought not to ymagine, and much more abhorre to do as a thynge of greate detestation ? Besides, TRAGIC ALL DISCOURSES love is of so venturous a disposicion, sturryng up such DISCOURSE corage in the hartes of those champions whome he possesseth, v that he makes theim not onely unmindefull of all daungers, L ove ma k es a but also to seame hable to passe the lymittes of the son, man valiant, wyth power to excede the bondes of Hercules and Bacchus. or rather Neyther makes he anye thinge unlawfull, whiche he thinketh J*" 1 ^ 6 11 ii i j. J.L i i hardie. reasonable, nor gyveth glone to that enterprise whiche is not accompanied with infynitie of perills. But as the wise man wisheth all estates to deliberat at large afore the devise bee put in execution, yeldyng no difference of rewarde, with a successe of semblable and equall effecte, to hym that rashely crediteth th 1 advise of hymselfe, and suche as committ theyr bodyes and doinges to one stroake of fortune ; so are we warned, by th 1 authoritye of the same principle, to examyne the circumstaunce of our enterprises, and caste the good and evill that maye happen wyth so sewer and steddye a judge- ment that there can no daunger so soone appeare, but we maye bee assisted wyth the choice of ii or iij remedies to represse hym. Wherein, if Cornelio had bene as throwly instructed as he seamed altogether infected with the humour of follye, he neded not have fallen into suche daunger as he doubted least, nor dispaire of that whiche he seamed to desyer moste, and muche lesse assailed, even in the begyn- nynge and brunt of hys buysynes, wyth that soddaine feare, whiche earst he was not hable to ymagine, and nowe as un- lykely and unprovided to shon. For as he attended the comming of Janiqueta to open the doare, beholde ! there ronge in his eares a greate brute or noyse of the clatteringe of naked weapons and men in harneys, seaminge (as it was indeede) a set fraye betwene ij enemies in the ende or corner of the same streete, which was so hoatlye pursued, that one of the skirmishers, beinge hurte to the death, brake out of the presse, and, fleinge towardes the place where Cornelio stoode, fainted and fell downe dead at his feete, even as the maide opened the wicket to take hym in. Whiche was not so secretlye don, but the eyes of certeine neighbours, beholdynge the fraye oute of their windowes, discovered the goinge of Cornelio with a nacked sworde in his hande. Whereupon followed the alarme to the innocent lover, as GG 233 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE you shall heare herafter. But beinge within the courte, and V the gates shotte againe, he was leed by the litle Darioletta of their love, into a garderobe, or inner gallery, till the servantes were retired to reste ; who, for the most parte, laye out of the house that night, beinge busye in visiting the banquettes abroade, accordynge to the epicure order of sondrye contreys in Christendome durynge the season of An order not Shroftide, when diverse gluttons delite in nothing but to do necessarie for sacrifyce to their belly. And having the reste sewerly a ^iTJ 11011 locked in their chambers, and all occasions of suspicion or feare eyther prevented or provided for (as they thought) Plaudina sent for her servant into her chamber, thinking to worke th' effect of both their desyers, and plante the maried mans badge in the browes of her husbande being absent. But here they made their reckoning without their ost, and were forced to rise from the banquet rather with increase of appetyt then satisfied with the delicat dishes they desyered to feede upon. For as they had newly begon the preamble to the parte they ment to plaie, and entred into th'amarous exercise of kissinge and embrasinge eche other whereof neyther the one nor th 1 other hadde earst made assaie together beinge at the pointe to laye their handes to the last indevor and effect of love (which the Frenchemanne calleth Le don (Pamoureuse mercy) they harde a greate noyse and horley-borley in the streete, of the farde and chiefe officers of the watche ; who, fyndinge the eade bodye at the doare of Plaudina, began to make such inquisition of the murther, wyth threatenynge charge to understande the manner and cause of his deathe, that, amongest the neyghbours whyche behelde the fraie, there was one affyrmed that, at the same instant that the broyle was moste hoat, he sawe a tall yonge gentleman let in at the gates of Plaudina, with a sworde in his hande, armed on the armes wyth sieves of male. Wherupon the capteine of the watche beganne to bounce at the doare, as thoughe his force hadde bene hable to beate downe the walls ; wyth suche a rowte and companye of Frenchemenne assistynge hys angrye indevor, that bothe the one and the other of oure lovers seamed indiffrentely passioned wyth semblable feare 234 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES the one dowtyng thys soddayne sturre and uproar of the DISCOURSE Frenchmen to be rather a pryvye searche to entrappe him V then an inquirendum for the murdor, wherof he was no less ignorant then innocent ; the other dispairing no lesse of the delyvery of her frende, yf he fell once unhappelye into the handes of th" 1 ennemye, then doubtynge the dyscoverye of her owne dishonestie, beinge knowen to conceile a stranger in the secret corners of her house. Wherein havying, albeit, but bad choice of meanes to avoyde suche ii threatenynge evills, and lesse tyme to take councell of their present perill, yet, beyng of opynion that in the savetye of the one con- sisted the sewertye of theyna bothe, shee used the pollicie of the wise maryner or shypmaister, who, in the furye of a storme wil not sticke to prevent the destruction of the whole with the losse of the lesser parte, and, bestowynge his wares of precius value in the sewrest romethes of his shyp, makes no conscience in suche an extremety to expose the reste to the mercie of th' angrye waves : so knowynge that, yf Cornelio were not discovered, the matter woulde neyther growe to suspicion, and muche lesse to daunger or cause of feare, she willed hym to mounte into the middest of a narrowe chymney ; where, beynge denied scoape to sytt or leane sometimes for his ease, the litlnes of the place gave hym onely licence to stande uprighte upon a barr of yron, rammed with stoane and morter in bothe sydes of the chymney ; where, havynge his sworde drawen in his hande, he resembled th 1 ymage of some Jupiter holdynge a thonder- bolte betwene hys fyngers, readye to throwe at suche as, disquietynge hys sleepe, do hunte the litle cryckettes chirp- ynge in the walles and crevisses in the earthe. And herselfe, as more hardye, or rather readye of wytt in extremeties, dis- A woman cendes to the court wyth all the keyes of her howsse in her m readye hande, amongest the rude watche ; where, after she had ^manin founde the capteine, she forgatt not to fordge sondrye extremeties. causes of grudge against his discurtesye, reprehendynge his inorderly dealynge with many waspishe wordes ; but chiefly for that at so indecent an hower, and unseamelie order, he soughte to abuse the reputacion of her husbande, in breakyng open the doares of his pallays and that in his 235 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE absence. Wherewith, albeyt her complaint seamed to im- V porte a semblance of justice, with no lesse reason on her behalfe, yet the neyghbour or firste accuser, advowchynge eftesones his confession, forced the capteine (half agaynste his wil) to follow the searche. Whereuppon, he had the keyes delivered, with libertie to ransecke eche corner and cabynet of the house at his pleasure. Wherein he omitted neyther diligence in execution, nor pollicye in the searche. For there was no coffer escaped without his bottom torned upwarde : everye bedd and bolster was tryed with the point of a sharpp dagger ; and no benche nor hollowe place apte to hyde a tennes ball was dispenced from the malice of thies rakehells of the watche. But when the Frenchemen in armor came into the chamber where our Cornelio was rammed up in the tewell of a chymney, God knoweth whether he wished hym at Mantua with hys frende Delio or no ! And you lovers that have passed the lyke straites maye better judge his passion then I hable to reaport the misterie : but, methynkes I heare hym curse, and comitt to the devil, both love and all hys practises. And beynge in continuall expectacion that some roostye halbarde shoulde bee throste upp into the chymney where he stoode, I thynke at that instante he powred oute more prayers to God for his deliverie then ever afore hee made requestes or peticions to hys ladie to enjoy her beautie. Neyther ys it lyke that his appetit continued, or his amarus humor, so fervent as hys desyer greate to be further frome the place of suche daunger. Albeyt as yt is a generall rule that one evil never cometh alone, so this feare was not so greate as the future pen- nance of harde disgestion. Neyther had he scarce tyme to take breathe afore he was assailed with a seconde misfor- tune. For, understandynge the watche to bee retired, and the whole guarryson of th'ennemies without the gates, wheruppon (beyng at the point to discend from his smoaky pavillion, as one that accompted himself past the feare of fortune) beholde ! the goodman alyghted at the doare; who, fyndynge the streetes pestered with people in armor, hys doares open, with hys house confused and all thynges out of order, was no lesse astonied then he had cause, and yet 236 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES not so abashed at the straungenes of the thynge as hys DISCOURSE wyfe in doble dispair of meanes to avoyde thys seconde in- V convenience. Albeyt as increase of perill, sturrynge upp a freshe supplie of shyftes, pearseth the uttermoste corner of the wittes, so Plaudina, standyng betwene the present offer of open shame and the malice of a most unhappye fortune, was dryven to retire to the benefitt of that gyfte whiche the philosopher attrybutes in comon to al women, sayinge that, in an extremety, the witt of a woman is so muche at com- maun dement, that she is as sewer of a shyfte as certaine of her lyfe. And makynge of necessitie a vertue, she used suche artificial sleighte in bleiring the eyes of the good- man John her husband, that he allowed greately the honest diligence of his wyfe, and blamed altogether th" 1 abuse of the capteyne whome he threatened to requyte with semblable curtesye. Wherin, as she dowted nothing of the tractable nature of her simple husbande (beyng glad notwithstandyng to have so smothly appeased the humor of his just anger), so she accompted herselfe neyther free from cause of feare, nor quite deliverd from distresse, till she had made a meane to manifest the comming of her husbande to her lover in the chymneye ; whom, as she knew to be passed the feare of the Frenchemen, so, dowting he wold dread no further daunger, but discende ymediatly from his frozen mewe, toke her goodman by the hande and led hym from place to place where the watche had lefte al thynges out of order, bring- ing hym at last into the chamber where Cornelio stoode, like a crowe in a gutter, or an oracle to give aunswer to suche as are desyerus to bee resolved of dowtefull demaundes. And albeit the vyolence of the frost with the nyppynge season of the wynter had so pinched al his partes with ex- tremety of cold, together with the passion of feare which he felte duringe his abode in hys narrow castell or cage of small ease, that the pennance he indured seamed rather to excede the haynous respect of his offence then a sufficient punishment for his falte (beyng only a desyer, and no vyolacion, nor act don) yet the veraye voice of her husbande restored hym to suche treble perplexitie, that he seamed to feele th' approche and uttermost summonce of hys fates, and 237 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE passe thorowe the laste traunce and passion of lyfe. For, V beynge escaped from the daunger he feared most, he sawe hymself subject to th' adversatye he dowted leaste. Wherin, also, as the present viewe of hys seconde perill renewed a lyvelye remembrance of hys daunger paste, presentyng more ympedymentes to hys delyverye then meanes or wayes to Necessetie escape, so, yf yt were not that necessitie geveth corage to geveth cprag t ne f a i n t stomacke, and dispaire bryngeth often tymes a cause of & ood h P e ' I tn y nke ( in defyenge all the delayes and dallyenges of fortune) he had at that instant abridged the pursute of his amarus enterprise, and naturall course of his owne lyfe, by showynge a tomblinge caste from the topp, or greeselye rooff, of his grymie pallais. But Plaudina had doble reason in her devise; both to advertise her lover (as yt were in a visyon) that, albeit he was bounde to too longe a devocion in so unseamelye a temple, yet he shoulde not dispair of the goodnes of a better fortune, and, also, not to seame jalous of her indevor and dili- gence in the redresse of his case, for that she colde not (with- out great argument of suspicion) habandon the companie of her husbande, till she had got him to bed. Wherein, not- withstandyng, her pollecie was no lesse frustrate, and she eftesones deceived, then the poore ymage in the chemney assailed with the malice of a third mischiefe : for her hus- bande, beynge in bed in hys owne cabynet, commaunded ii of his men that had attended him in his jorney to lye in the chamber wher Cornelio had passed the mistery of so many trances; which, albeit Plaudina resisted to th 1 utter- most she cold do, yet (mauger her hart) the authority of the goodman prevailed. Albeit, dowting the cold villains (rydyng all day in the frost) wolde have made a fier in the chymney, and either sacrafised the sainct, that ment nothing lesse then to become a burnt offringe, or smothered as an innocent that deserved not suche purgatorye, she gave speciall charge not to light so much as a candle within the chimney. For the rest, she prayed that the god and patrone of true lovers wold take such compassion of his present distresse, that if he denied him for that time the due guerdon of his rare and firme loyalty, yet, at the leaste, hee wolde graunte 238 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES him dispence and saffe conduit to passe thorow the pikes of DISCOURSE his infortunat dangers. And as she was thus in earnest V contemplacion to the majestic of the blinde god of Love for the safe delyverye of her frende, wyth no lesse care how to redeme him from the fylthye dongeon of the hollowe chymney wythout the raunsom of publike reproche to her- selfe and doble daunger to hym ; and he, also, for his parte, tyering of a patience perforce, with some hope and likelihod of good lucke notwithstandynge (for that alreadie he had escaped suche iii hoat skirmishes of Fortune, whom he judged now to have drawen the thred of her spite to an ende), beholde ! the alaram of the iiii assalte, more vyolent then any of the rest, and excedinge theim all in absolute argumentes of perentory perills. For the justice, not satys- fyed of the morder, and harpinge still uppon the confession of him that first opened the presumpcion, sent hym in the garde of certeine officers to the Lord Momboyer, chiefe of the senat afore whom he had advowched (with new othe) the perticularyties of his former deposicion ; wherupon was enjoyned eftesones a straite commandement to the justice to make a seconde searche in the house of Plaudina ; who, if she were now more amazed then afore, and almost at point to yeld to dispair, it is to be thought pore Cornelio had no lesse cause of disquiet: for that, yeldinge himself alreadie dys- covered by his enemies, he judged the new broyle and clatter- ing of rostye halbardes, to be messengers sente by the judge to apprehende him. Wherein his opinion was the rather confirmed ; for that, assone as they were within the house, and afore the good man colde make himselfe readie to meete theim, they made no staie till they came to the chamber of the selly hous-dove in the chymney ; wher fynding by evill happ a case with dagges, and other weapons of suspicion, brought thether by the ii servantes sleping in their owne misfortune, rather wearye with their longe jorneye then likely to commit a morder, they condemned theim by and by as guiltie of the fact. Wherwyth, omittinge no rigour of their office, they coppled the ii innocentes together in a scarffe of hemp. Wherin, as the goodman made hast to come to the reskew of his men, he was encountred by the 239 DISCOURSE V The doubte- full mynd is rather apt to beleve the worste then credyt thinges that bee true. GEFFRAIE FENTON'S way by certeine sergeants or crymynall officers ; who, arrest- ing him as prysoner on the behalfe of the kinge, ledd hyra captyffe to the castell amongest the rest of his miserable servantes. Neyther colde hee bee suffred to commence matter for his own justifycacion, nor have indifferencie in excusing th'innocency of his men; such was the rage of these rakehells and officers of hel, who are commonly more prest to oppresse innocencie by vyolence then readie to doo justice sincerelie, accordynge to theyr othe and dutie. Here, although Fortune began to change complexion, and moderate somwhat her angry e clymat towardes our sorowful lovers, by lockyng the husband wyth the moste of his ser- vantes in close pryson, yet this happie torne of her wheele unloked for, seamed such a myst to the mind of Cornelio, that he was not hable to descerne that which his hart dyd dyvyne, nor beleve that fortune, upon such a soddaine, cold convert her angrie and wrathful humor into suche spedie compassion. Neyther cold the conceites of his doubtfull harte geve other judgement, then that the laste retire and departure of the guarde was rather a vision or dreame then a thing of effect. Such bee the ordynary allaroms appointed to quarrell with the doubtfull mynd ; who, in an extremetie, is alwaies more apt to ymagyn the worst then hable to beleve, or geve credyt to, thinges that bee true. And when daunger and peril occupie the place, confydence is often torned into feare ; and feare is of such force that it doth not only denie us to use councel in our evill, but makes us (for the moste part) to refuse the thinge that shoulde be our most save- garde. Wherein the poore Cornelio seamed no lesse pas- sioned then afore, and assailed rather with doble dispair then hable to admit any simple proffer of hope ; in such sorte as, devisinge to what to vowe himselfe, he put his speciall and chiefe confidence at laste in his praiers to the greate God ; whom he desyered above all thinges, with teares, to defend his deare Plaudina from any note of infamie or shame by his meanes ; and for himselfe, if his glasse were now run out, and the dome of his extreme destynies colde bee no longer de- ferred, that at the leaste hee would, by the hand of some aungell and other vertue of great miracle, bestow him in 240 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES some soile unknowen, afore the fates had ful power to DISCOURSE execute the uttermost of their rigorous commission ; pro- v testing, notwithstandinge, that if he might bee despensed withall for this one fait, never to be founde so forgetfull of himselfe hereafter, if God and nature weere content to seele him an assurance of the race and yeres of Nestor. Plaudina, on th 1 other syde, seamed indyffrentlye passioned betwene dissembled sorow and assured gladnes, a forced grudge and an unfained joye ; grevinge in the one, for th 1 imprisonement of her husband, whose innocencye shee knew dyd warrant his delyverie, and rejoy singe in the other, for that, contrary to her expectacion, Fortune had made the way open, and geven her consent for the consommacion of the banquet with her languishinge lover ; whose safe and happie perservacion seamed more to delite her thenne the remembrance of the hard and wrongful ymprisonement of her husband greved her. Neyther was she so carefull to redeme him from captivitye as readie wyth great devocion to geve Love and Fortune their peculyar thankes : the one, for that, in preserving his champions from the malice of daunger and marke of open shame, he seamed to restore the felde, and assist theim with saccour, whenne they dispaired most of consolacion ; the other, for that, contrary to her nature and custume, she had torned their manifold afflictions into a pleasure more precious and acceptable then al the desasters of the whole worlde seamed grevous or hurtfull. In which passion of joye shee mounted into the chamber of Jacke of the clockhouse; who, resembling a red heyring dryed in the smoake agaynst the beginning of the next Lent, attended her comming wyth no lesse devocion then the Jews expect their Messias. And, albeit, the approch of present joye, forcinge some teares in remembrance of the feare passed, seamed for the time to take away the use and libertie of her tongue, yet she cut of the trance of that pleasant sorowe, without th 1 assistance of any speciall countercharme other then that whych preceded of a vehement desyer to be- hold and speake wyth her frende in the chymney. Wherfore, after she had dryed and drained the wet humor of her waterie eyes, and dismissed all argumentes of former dule, she retired HH 241 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE to her auncient complexion of joy, and calling with a smyling V voice to him in the topp of the rooffe, willed him to discend hardly from his dark troane and theatric of hell : * wher ' (sayth she) ' if God had not devised the meane of your de- lyverie, and seamed willing that you shold receive the due guerdon of your loyaltie, in consenting to commit my hus- band to prison, you had stil remeined there, norished with the vapour of the moone, longer then eyther I wold have wished or had bene necessarie for your health.' Here, albeit Cornelio was sufficiently perswaded of the voice of his ladie, and that he knew all the house to be voyed of suspicion or cause of further daunger, yet the remembrance of his perill passed presented such a feare to fall eftsones into the like perplection, that hee neyther beleved that which hee harde, nor durst forsake his habytacion on highe, til he was som- moned the second tyme by his Plaudina ; who, by the help of her woman, reared a lather to the top of the loft where the grymy roode stode ; who, beinge discended and in the presence of his ladie, seamed no lesse amased then those deso- late or, rather, dronken creatures, who, wandring the night by unknowen waies, do thinke theimselves guided by the vision of some ill spirit. And the wanton ladie, on th 1 other syde, seing the ghastlie astonishement of her frende, not much unlike in complexion to the chymney swepers cominge out of the yle of Bergamasqua, cold not so moderat her pre- sent gladnes, but, burstinge into a soddaine laughter, shee seamed to crucifye the remembrance of the tragedie passed wythe the singler contentment she toke in beholdinge her Cornelio, dyed (as it were) in the smotheringe tanfat of hyddeous collours. And, albeit, (you lovers) who, for a simple glee and respect of favor of your ladies, have earste bene sprinkled with the water of semblable affliction, and (after getting th* upper hand of your fortune) possesse the presence of your dames in such oglye and deformed attire, canne best j udge of the present case of Cornelio : I meane whether hee hadde more cause of shame then astonishmente, juste anger against hys fortune, or reason to exclaime his mishappe, chieflie for that he found himself so brave a com- panion in the lothsom badge or lyverye of the chymneye ; TRAGICALL DISCOURSES and whether he had so greate courage to communicate wyth DISCOURSE his Plaudina, resembling the blacke knight or feryman of v Zenoloz, as he showed hymselfe valyant in th 1 attempte of an enterpryse of so great adventure. Yet th 1 authorytie of my historye advoucheth thus farre of his doinges at that tyme, that, notwithstandinge the malice and diversitie of all his mishapps, with the perfumed figure and greeselie show of himselfe, he neyther loste corage to demaunde the due meede and hyer of his daungerous traveile, nor forgat to do sacra- fise to his Fortune for the retorn of her frendshippe ; affirm- inge there that they dyd her wronge that christenned her by the name of cruell, and suche no lesse abused her that tearmed her by the title of an unrightuous or rigorous judge, consideringe she doth but justice sometime to checke or chasten our offences, and we no reason to pleade for our selves but by appelacion to the pryviledge of her favor. ' Neyther is she cruell for ever, nor so maliciouslye bente in the begynning, but shee is hable and will use moderacion in her angrie moode, and restore us in the end to treble con- tentacion. And likewise ' (sayth hee) ' as the poore travellour in a strange contrey, havynge once passed diverse light perills and daungers of no great ymportaunce, is not only made stronger to encounter greater inconveniences, but also re- stored to a mervelous contentment and quiet of minde, when, without daunger, hee may enjoye his rest, and record his perills paste. Even so Fortune this night hathe geven us an experience of diverse desasters, bothe to use her advertise- mente as a speciall armour to resyste th'assaltes of sem- blable accidents hereafter, and also to confirme our affections with a stronger or undoubted unytie ; makinge the pleasures of our love of greater price and moment after so sharp stormes of raging tempestes. And what is hee that is worthie to taste of the delites and pleasures of the worlde, that is not hable to disgeste one simple pill of bitter con- fection. Neyther dothe hope dekaie but with the ende of life ; and the vertue of a most true and invincible loyaltie is never frustrate nor voyed of his rewarde. And tochinge the stormes paste, my deare Plaudina,' sayth he, ' like as it is a chiefs consolacion to a man in calamytie to knowe his mis- 243 GEFFRAIE FENTONS DISCOURSE happ, so there is also a speciall corapfort that fblloweth the V remembrance of the evills whiche wee have alredie suffred, and a treble contentmente beinge permitted to recorde theim wythout daunger. And hee that is desierous to bee crowned with the garland and glorie of victorie, must not feare the malice of perill nor hazarde of lyfe ; for who contemneth death, escapeth his malice ; but such as feare and flee from hym, do often fal into his daunger. Neither is there lesse fame in the valyant adventure then in the fortunat victorie. And, for my parte, if my lyfe had ended in th' assalte of any of these distresses, the same had not exceded a simple obla- tion of my dutie towardes you ; whiche also had followed wyth no lesse expedicion then I had great desyer to geve you so unfayned a she we of my service, if in the verye act had not appeared a manifest derogacion and cause of infamie to your honor/ Wherwith meaninge yet to prolonge his dis- course, hee was interupted with the replie of Plaudina ; who, more desyerous to taste of the pleasures to come then will- inge eftsones to prefer a second view of the mischieves passed, wished hym to dismisse the remembraunce of their former perils, and seame more willyng to embrace the gyfte of pre- sent time. ' For there is not so greate consolacion in the recorde of our miserie past, as cause of worthie annoye, if we seame unthankefull to the newe offer or gyfte of oure for- tune. And albeit,' sayth she, some what smylinge, ' that your boldnes was more then deserved praise, yet your feli- citye, you see, hath defended you from perill ; and the rashnes of the valyaunt is often times tourned into an encrese of his glorye, with double contentment not loked for. 1 Wherwith embracinge her Cornelio, she helped to disfornishe hym of his loathsom attire. And, after he had purify ed his grymye bodye in ij or iij baines, made for the purpose by the cham- briere whilest they were in discourse, they entred together the lystes in a faire feelde bed readye dressed, armed onely with naked weapons : where it is no lesse harde for the igno- raunt to j udge their encounters, then impossible for th' absent to witnes who wan the price of the battayle. Onelye I leave the sentence of them both to the resolucion of you (my lordes) that have or wolde bee speciall stiklors in such a combat. 244 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES But thus muche I maye ymagine without offence, that the DISCOURSE innocent hornsbye, in the castell founde not so muche v pleasure in his prison, as Cornelio toke delite, beinge the lieutenant of his bedd, in dauncinge the maried mans rounde without other musicke then the instrument of his wyfe. Which both, triumphynge indiffyrentlye over the infortunat and miserable birde in the cage, and ratinge the pleasures of the rest of that nighte, with an ad- vauntage of vij or viij dayes more, at what interest they thought goode, forgat not to dob hym that was absent, Knighte of the forqued order of Vulcan. And albeit Fortune shewed heare a marvellous partialitie and conninge in the conveigh of this buysines, (I meane to advaunce the attempte of the lover, by the oppression and unjust captivitie of the innocent husbande) yet was not her favor to cleare, but there appeared a threatenyng sommonce of spedie change ; for that the goodman beinge justifyed with in vj or vij dayes tryall, was redemed from prison. Whose delyverie was not so acceptable to himself as displeasant to his ij corrivals : whereof the one, feedyng hym with the revercion and leavynge of another man, gave hym onely the possession of a shapp and bodye of a woman wythout a hart ; and the other, wearye or cloyed with the toile of one kinde of exercise, or not hable any longer to mainteine the skirmishe without freshe supplies, or fearynge, peradventure, the torne of his Fortune (who never yeldes us pleasure without a sharp repentaunce in the ende, if we prevent not her dome by dis- crecion) was as willynge to resigne the forte as at the first he seamed desyerous to enter the breache. Wheruppon, resolvynge upon an other time for the further consommacion and complot of their felicitie, they departed, not without signes of secret sorowe, appearynge by the teares standing in their eyes the one to her husbande (who, wearynge by ignorance a forqued garland, made of the leaves of the tree wherof an other had coolled and cropped the frute, was content with that he founde, and rejoysed in his happy encounter) ; the other, not without great daunger, retired to Mantua ; where, takynge more pleasure in the repeticion of his perils passed then desyrous (without better advise) to 245 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES DISCOURSE reitterate, or undertake againe, the lyke adventure, he dis- V coursed the whole to his frende Delio; who for his parte, rejoysynge more in the saffe retorne of his frende then com- mending his wisdom in th 1 attempt of so rashe and perillous an enterprise, exclaimed against the detestable rage and furye of love : which, as al antiquities do affirme to be of more force, and infection, then al the ruberbe of Alex- andria or Antycyria is eyther hable to heale or delaie the least furie of so uncurable a poyson ; so the familiar experi- ence of this age, justifiyng the protestacion of former time, doth yeld us such diversities of examples, touching the raging disposition of that frantike humour, that we ought not only to shon the aire of such a pestilent plage (no les then the mariner that goth a loofe, and giveth place to, the harde rockes in the daungerous occean), but also to stande so sewerlye upon our guarde, that we seame not once to lysten to th 1 intisynge sommance, or lewer, of so execrable corrup- cion : who, once takynge possession of the sensible partes within us, besides that he ceasseth not to interrupte our quiett wyth continuall torment and passion, stretcheth yet his power so farr, that he bringes us in case, not only to commit our ly ves to manifest perils, forgett the dutye of our conscience, with breache of the commaundement of God, but also (to satisfye the appetit of wanton lubricitie) he makes us corrupt the puritie of the soule with the spott of abhom- inable adulterye, a syn most apte of all other to incense the vengeance of God against us. Whereof we have sewer prooft' in the destruction of Sodom and Gomorra, wyth diverse other con treys and common welthes which e he hath plaged and brought to ruyne for the onely lycencious ly vyng of the people. 246 DISCOURSE VI THE VILLENNIE of an ABBOT in seking to seduce a mayde by force, and her vertue in defendyng her honor against him and his companyons of traison. DISCOURSE VI THE ARGUMENT LIKE as all ages, from the firste foundacion of the primytive churche, are voide of recorde or remembrance of so greate diversitie in religion as the wickednes of our presente time doth present unto us, so th' oppynions at this daye are not so differente one from an other as th' abuse of the Babylonian or dyabolicall secte of Rome appeares so plainely in their detest- able trade of livinge, that their owne villanie and frutes of corruption discovereth to the dymmest eyes that be, howe farr they are from the pathe of sincere and true doctrine ; and yet, marching unworthelie amongeste the troope of the faithful, are not ashamed to arrogatt unto theim selves the title of th' anoynted of the Lorde, wyth protestacion that they only beare the badge of true Christianytie. Wherin, albeit it agreeth not with the taske I have taken in hande eyther to argewe or move question because bothe the one and the other belonges to the office of the theologian, or devine of learninge and authoritie yet, seinge a daylye encrease of their disorder, wyth a slacke endevour of suche as (havinge authorytie to expose unto theym the rodd of reformacion) seame rather pertiall on their behalfe, then readie (accordinge to their dutie) to yelde due punishment to their detestable errour, I maye without offence bowlte out myne opynion touchinge their abhominable trade of lyfe, beinge confirmed chiefelie therein wyth infynite examples of lascivious exploites, and other inordinat trade of lyvinge, in the parsones of such as make semblable profession. And truly as we do but righte to yelde a dutifull reverence to such as be true prelates and pastours of the litle flocke dispersed thorow the worlde, together with a generall zeale to th' order of theim that bee called to the sacred sanctuarie ; evenso we commit offence, in myne opinion, in belevinge that there is anye honor or commendacion at all due to theim whose lives expose more argumentes and proves of infamie then the moste vile and swearinge ruffyan that ever did service to th' impudente curti- 248 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES san of Rome. Neither is it a seamlye honor or ornamente for DISCOURSE the Church of God to see a prelatte, puffed upp with vanitie, VI jettinge up and downe the streetes uppon his footeclothe, attended upon as a satrapas with a traine of dashbucklers or squaringe tospottes, and hym selfe pinked and razed in th' attire of a yonge bridegrome ; with hys heare curled by art, fallinge in lockes, as it were by appointment, uppon his forheade, with more curyositie then an olde ydoll or ymage of Venus ; perfum- ing the streetes with the smell of muske and amber, whiche he hath conyngely inclosed in the seames of his garmentes. Be- sides what example of vertue is it, to see one of our reverend religious fathers and governours of coventes, more geven to courte the dames with requestes of sensualitie, then to torne over the leaves of the New Testament, or other sacred institu- cions left unto us by Christe and his disciples ; and emploie more studie in devise to seduce and subborne their neighbors wives and doughters, then to visit their diocesse and defende the sely shepe against the malice of the raveninge wolfe seking to devoure the fewe that be left ? Is he worthy to be admitted to feede the flocke, or beare the title of Christes shepherd, that lyves in more adultery, fornycation and dronkenes, then he that makes an only profession of suche evil all the daies of his life ? Or how is he hable to reclaime such as be out of the waye to salvacion that detesteth the scripture, delites in wicked- nes, and preferres absolute examples of the most perentory synne that can bee ? Whereof th' Ytalyan Bandell hath drawen a most true and lyvelye pattorne in the person of a Neapoli- taine abbott ; whiche I have accompted of necessitie to prefer amongest my volume of discourses, as well to the confucion of hym selfe and such as resemble him in condicion, as to geve worthie glorie to the vertue of a pure virgyn who had her honor in such reputacion, that she sought rather to end her daies in the defence of her chastetie thenne to commit the use of her bodie to the fleshly will of an abbot, more full of villanie thenne perticipatinge with th' office and dutie of a true Christian. II 249 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S A discripcion of Naples according to the cronicles of Tuskan. Diverse Eng- lishe gentle- men enter- teined there at this daye. LL men, whose experience by travaile is a wytnes of the singularities of Italye and Spaine, are of opinion I am sewer, that Naples is one of the most riche, pleasante, and populus cities in Europe ; bothe for the beautie and fartilitie of the countreye rounde aboute, the magnifical plat and scituacion of the towne, prospectinge with open casementes uppon the heyghte of the highe sea Tyrenum, and also the warlyke garrison of gentlemen of al contreis, lyenge there for the defence of the frontiers, with the civill disposicion of the people inhabitynge the sayde paradise. There maye you see a plaine and pleasant champaine, yeld- ynge a wonderfull solace, wyth her delicate aire breathing uppon suche as use the feildes for wholesome recreation, and noresheth besides all chases of delite necessarie for th 1 exer- cise of nobilitie. And he that wysheth to be pryvie to the pleasure of solitarie places, maye see there the wonderfull arts and industrie of nature, declared in the conveigh of litle hilles or pendells of the earthe, hangynge (as it were) by a frame of geometrye, beawtified on all partes, with an infinitie of orenges, lemons, and other trees odiferous, yeldynge a comoditie and pleasure peculiar to the towne, and generall benefitt to the whole countrey, and straungers passynge that waye, as well by th 1 intisinge savour of that trees, as sugred taste of the frute. The bottoms of which deliteful groves do discover certeine valleis, no lesse ryche in fruteful graftes and plantes of straung kindes, then the champion, yeldynge a plentiful increase of corne of al sortes ; where the meadowe, also, cladd with his grene garmente at al tymes of the yere, is honge continuallie with a tapestrie of all coolors of hearbes and flowers, with other liverie of dame Flora ; who assystes this heavenly glee in the valleys, with the joystes of sondrie cleare springes, yeldynge at all tymes of the daye a temperat dewe, to take awaie the vehement heate of the son ; in suche sorte as the straungers passinge by, imparting 250 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES of the ayre and wholsomnes of the place by the breathe of a DISCOURSE milde zephir, are drawen thether by d elite, and forced to VI repose and refreshe their weary bodyes for a tyme with the solace, whereof those places yelde an indifferent plentie to al men. Besides, he that is desierous to be pertaker of the merveiles of nature, hidden in th" 1 intralles of the earthe, let hym take a boate and visit the ylandes ; where, amongest the wonders that Pozzollo bringes furthe, he shall see the hott poddells, from whence distille the baines, so necessarie for the health of man, with the pubbling-troughe or cave of Sibilla, by which, as the poetes fayne, Eneas made his entrey in discendyng into hell to speake with his father. There apperes also a remembrance of th 1 artificial laborynth of Dedalus, with the sumpteous palleys of the Romaine Lu- cullus ; whose lodgyngs, with so many crooked turnings and windinges every waye, chapells, and places of solitarie resorte, excedyng (accordynge to the poetes) the computation of man, were swallowed in a momente in the devowrynge throate of Tyrenum, by a soddaine trembling or shakyng of the earth, commonly called an earthequake. Finally, he shalbe there presented, with the secret and most sure lodgings, builded by nature in the belly of the harde rockes, with other wonders in suche infinite nomber, that onely that place yeldes plea- sure sufficient to fede the eye and mynde of man, with more delite then the whole remainder of Europe is hable to fur- nish. Wherein, I am chiefely moved to note you a parti- cular discription of this paradise, to th^end that, as the places of solemne and solitary regarde do commonly mortefie in men all occasions of wanton exercise, so the planet that governeth those plattes of earthly pleasure, pricking forward our effeminate dispocision, sturreth up the humor of las- civius luste, with an inclinacion more readie to performe the fraile suggestion of the flesh, then provide for the health of the devyne parte of the mynde, which is the sowle. Neyther is our present age so plentiful of vertue or vertuouse eff'ectes but the view of our auncestors lives past gives us sufficient cause to blushe and be ashamed, in that we are founde so weake in th'ymytacion of their exploites and exercises of vertue. Wherin, besides an infinitie of examples procedyng 251 GEFFRAIE FENTONS DISCOURSE of the wickednes of our time, I maye be bolde to continue VI myne opinion with a familiar experience of an abbot of Naples; whose younge discrecion, equall to the grenes of his yeres, made hym no lesse insufficient to govern the state of his vocation, then unable everye waye to discharge th'offyce wherein he was invested by othe and habitt of religion. For havyng also the consente of noble race (whereof he was discended) to favor the wilfull appetites of his unbridled youthe, he toke more delite to assyste the exercises of nobilitie (I meane in makynge one at all manner of daunses, masques, momeries, dressed for the honour of ladies with covered faces, and other recreations of pleasure, convenient onely for the courtyer) then to sitt in the chap- ter-house uppon reformations of hys monkes, or to ymploye any parte of hys tyme in the studie of the sacred volumes of the churche. He was also admitted a necessarye compagnion to some of the governours and capteines there, for that he kepte an ordynarye table, and free diot for gentlemen; beynge a thynge most acceptable to the Spanyarde, who at hoame kepeth hym within the compasse of thyn and sober chere, and abrode is nothynge inferiour to the devourynge Almayne, resemblynge by that meanes the sparynge order of the nigardes of olde tyme, in their drye and hungrye ban- quettes. And to the sinne of thys excesses in delicate fare, he added an offence no lesse hainous and moste unseamely for any of his callynge, devidynge the daye into howers, and howers into ymitacion of pleasures. Some tyme he was sene in the streetes in trT attire of a galland or younge courtiour. Some tyme he visited the hauntes and assemblies of ladies, courtyng suche of theym as he founde to give moste eare to his ydle talke ; neyther respectyng the opynion that passed of his lightnes, touchynge the violacion of the hollye order of hys profession, nor the dishonor he dyd to the house from whence he discended, but gloried rather in that he colde so artifi- ciallye performe the partes of aPhilantos, or flatteryng lover, then, in revelyng the misteries of the scrypture, to seame to ymitate the true simplicitie of lyfe of hys vertuous pre- decessours in that place. Whereuppon followed ymediatly a declaracion of the vile frute of so vicius a lyfe. For as 252 TRAGIC ALL DISCOURSES Monsieur le Moyne passed one daye in great braverye uppon DISCOURSE hys footeclothe thorowe the fayrest streete of Naples, ex- VJ posyng a riche showe by reason of the glee of the gold smithes shoppes, he glaunced, by chaunce, uppon one of the faireste women (as he thoughte) harbored at that tyme within the walles. And followynge the pursute of her beautye, wy th a gredye gase of hys eye, maugre hys harte, he was forced to a soddayne staye ryghte over agaynste the place where shee was. Whyche tyme of abode, his eyes forgat not to imploie in takyng large measure and viewe of her proporcion every waie ; makinge such reaporte to the harte and rest of the interiour partes that in one momente he became assailed with that wherin he was ignoraunt for experience, and lesse assisted with necessarie resistaunce ; feelyng within him a hoat warre betwene the sencesible partes of reason, and sensuall provocation of the flesh, with a presente captivitie of his auncient quiet by the common Love a com- enemie of the ease of man, which we call properly the pas- mon enemy sion of love ; who, at this first encounter, rampired hymselfe t( i ease so strongely within the inward partes of this younge abbott that he onelye governed his thoughtes, and disposed his doinges altogether by his discretion ; ceassinge not to flatter his fonde humour wyth instinctes of vaine conceits, til he broughte hym to the stage to play the last acte of the comedie, where he received the due guerdon of his follye, with open shame and rebuke of the multitude. And when tyme sommoned this religious fondlynge to departe from the viewe of his newe mistres, he seamed in no lesse paine then if there had bene presente incision made into his intrailes, to cut in sender the stringes where upon hys harte is staide, or that (accordynge to the poetes) he felte the egle of Promo- theus peckinge uppon his liver. The girle was the doughter of a goldsmith, no lesse deare to the father then extremelye beloved of her mother, both for her beauty and promptnes of wit, and, also, for that in her young yeres appeared suche argumentes and signes of vertue that she was noted the paragon and patorne of all degres of her tyme for womanly behaviour, and nothyng inferiour to the best touching the chast order and honest conveighe of her lyfe, wherewith she 253 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE beautifyed the meane discente of her parentes, and lefte a VI rare example to the ladyes of greater callynge, who thinke their renowme sufficientlye confirmed by the height and honor of their house, without puttinge to the accion and effects of vertue ; which in dede, as it is the badge true nobilitie, so it hath also authoritie to make noble the meanest discent that is. And truly as the vaine woman exalteth her selfe, like to the birdes, whose naturall lightnes conveighe theim to the starres (I meane, takes pleasure in the abundance of her riches, preferreth the magnificencie of her house, ymagininge her beautie to be worthie to sytt in the highest theatrey of the world) so the wise woman is glorified only in the gifte of sincere and pure simplicitie, wyth a wonderfull care to kepe her name without spott, and the course of her life so uprighte that the malice of evill tounges maye have no power to enter, and muche lesse perce with any worthie slaunder. But nowe to our Gansaldo and amarous abbot, who, bathing in the lake of his follies, thought as greate ympossibilitie to retire or dismisse this firste alaram, or sommonce of love, as to comprehende all the water of th' occian within a litle urynall. Neyther wold he dispose hymself to trie the force of any resistance ; but determined (at what price soever it wer) to ymparte his passion to the girle ; which he ymagined would move in her a consent of reciprocall affection. Herein the opinion of the poet is justify ed, sayinge, that lovers reapose a certeintie in dreames and proclayme a sewer victorie of th r uncerteine object of their fancie. Like as this fonde abbot, being lymed with a simple looke or glaunce at unwares, doth pro- misse himselfe the conquest of the pray, against whom he hath as yet used neyther force nor pollicye, and much lesse dressed any ambushe. He forgat not every day in the weke to make his purmenado on horsebacke in the streete wher dwelt the saint to whom he had vowed such solemne devo- cion. Wherin for a more glorie of him selfe, and the rather to seduce the maide, hee appeared in severall attire and chaunge of horse, twise or thrise a day, not forgettinge in passing by the house of the goldsmith to take measure of the doare, glaunce upon the windowes, and perce with the draw- 254 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES ing regards of his eye thorow every crevise of the wa], to DISCOURSE th' end hee myghte encounter a seconde viewe of her whose VI fyrst regard had ministred unto him the brothe of infection. And if fortune were content at any time to geve him a syght of her, whether it were at the doare or out of the window, or in other place which denied him favor or libertie to speake to her, I thinke he forgat not to expose arguments of his grefe, by the pitiful regards of his countenance, wanton torninge of the eye, and other messengers of his passion, arguing the torment he endewred for the desier he had to do her service. He understode at last, by secret inquisition, what churche her mother haunted for the performing of her prayers, and that her doughter was her only companion in these devocions ; whither also hee directed his pilgrymage ; and, dissymulinge with God, hee plaide th' ypocrite, in con- vertinge his regards from th 1 alter or place of levacion to beholde the bewtie of the goldsmithes daughter the saint to whom his hart yelded most honor ; making of the house of prayer the shop or forge to frame iniquitie ; exceding in this respect the barbarouse abuse of the Etheniques Turkes and infidells, who geve more reverence to their mosques, wher God is blasepheimed and his Son abjured, then the Christians now a dayes to the temples and houses dedicated to the Lord to performe the ministracion of the sacraments, with open publicacion of the wil of our Saviour Christ ; whom, wyth Saint Paule, we ought to pray for the subvercion of Babilon, and restauracion of the true Church, dispersed into divers corners of the world by the malice of the pope and his wicked disciples ; wherof this abbot, being not the least in authoritie, was nothing inferiour to the most abhominable in al vices. Wherof he gave sufficiente proofe in two offences of equall detestacion; the one in seking to deflowre a mayde contrarye to the othe of hys religion, the other in abusinge the house of God, as a place of bawdye practise to performe th 1 effecte of hys cursed devise ; beinge more devowte in courtinge the ladies of Naples thenne curious to reforme th 1 abuses of his ydle covente. But the girle, notinge th' in- constant order of prayer in our reverende father Gonsaldo, together wyth hys wanton regards, full of lasciveous desyer, 255 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE ymagined by and by wyth what yron the gentleman was VI shod, and to what sainct hee would gladlye offer his candell. Wherefore, thinkinge it noo breache of good manner to playe mock-hally-day wyth such a maister foole, gave hym skoape now and thenne to behold her at large ; and to beat the hammer more depe into his head, would requite his amarous glaunce wyth a semblable glee, and sodaynly retire and vanish out of hys sight wyth an angry farewel, as though shee disdayned his wanton offer ; wyth intente, notwith- standynge, to shonne hys voyce and place of presence no lesse then th' incounter of any venemus beaste, fearinge to reapose eyther credytt in hys honestie, or so much assurance in her owne pudicitie, as to open her eare to the charme of a frivolous lover, or who thinkes it no offence to take awaye the puritie of a mayde : whom wee maye compare to the red rose, desiered of every one, so longe as the morning dewe mainteineth hym in odyferous smell and pleasaunt coollor, but when the force and heate of the son hath mortyfied hys oryent hew, and converted his naturall freshnes into a withered leafe, the desier to have it dekaieth wyth the bewtie of the thynge. Evenso shee that hath once morgaged the flower of her virginitie, is not only despised of hym to whom shee hath bene so prodigal of that whych shee oughte to make a moste precious Jewell, but also in common con- tempte wyth all men, what showe of dissembled curtesye soever they presente unto her. Wherof the mistres of Gon- saldo was nothing unmindfull, who, preferringe the honor and reputacion of chastetie, affore all the respecttes of the worlde, seing wythall that the blinde abbot persewed more and more hys amarous quest, prevented hys expedicion by making her a straunger to his presence, shonnynge all places of his repaire, and, to take awaye all occasions that myghte geve increase to his desyer, shee forbeare to visit the churches, onelesse it were at suche howers as they were voyde of other companie ; and yet wyth suche regarde, that shee made (as it were) a privy searche in all the corners and quyers of the temple, to prevent his subteltie in dressinge some ambushe to invade her uppon a soddaine. And if by chaunce he saw her and saluted her in the streetes, shee crossed saile on the 256 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES other side, and closed her eyes as agaynst some hurtfull DISCOURSE encownter, yelding hym no other countenance then she VI mighte have avowched to the most infydell in the uttermost Ilandes of Tartaria. Whych brought the sely freare into suche mortall perplexitie, that dispaire beganne to appeare, wyth th'approche of sondrye perentorie diseases, chiefly for that the hyer of his earnest love was retorned with sondry sorts of crueltye and disdaineful repulses ; occupyinge his brayne with suche contrarietie of thoughtes, that he was voide of councell to what saint to vow himselfe, or upon what wood to make his arrowes ; seinge he was neither hable to mortifye, nor use moderacion in, his passion, and muche lesse was assisted with any meane to communicate the greatnes of his greefe to her, whose beautie had made hym the slave of follie. Wherein, albeit he sawe a vanitie to use the office of a Dariolleta, or bawde for that the vertue of the maide argued a detestation of suche embassadors, and to write to her appeared a great difficultie, for that she was alwayes in the presence of her mother, who, usinge the vertue of her doughter as a solace of her olde yeres, was no lesse carefull of her honestie then belonged to so precious a Jewell yet, feelynge a continuall agravation of desyer, wyth a flatterynge offer of love to rewarde hym in the ende with the praye of his purseute, he determined to suborne a shameles mesenger to bewraye his shameful intente; and therefore put his requeste upon tearmes in a letter of this effecte : ' Yf my The abbot destenies had don execution uppon my bodye when firste writeth to they broughte me to the viewe of your beautie, I had not his mistres - ben a presente experience of your crueltye, nor you th' occa- sion of my unworthie torment. For if death by nature had prevented the begynnynge of my love, I had ben free from the force of passion, discharged of all mortall greefe, and you dispensed withal from the imputation and cause of a double ill : the one to abuse the vertue of your selfe and do wronge to the renowme of al women by preferring effectes of rigour; the other in disdaynynge the service of him, whose life and death payseth indifferently in the ballaunce of your good- will ; dissemblynge also not to see the circunstaunce of my love, to drive me to desperacion, and at the point to use KK 257 GEFFRA1E FENTONS DISCOURSE unnaturall force againste myselfe. Howe often, alas ! have VI I made you privye to th' inwarde affection of my mynde, by the outwarde regardes and glaunces of my exterior partes ! Howe often have you acknowledged the same by argument of semblable glee, and immediatly denied the whole by a sod- daine showe of angrie complexion ; eyther disdayning utterly th' offer of my service, as one unworbhie to enjoye the prefer- ment of your favor, or dalyenge wyth my earnest sute, to geve increase to my passion ! I have often bene upon the waye to disclose unto you by mouth the thinge wherin your hart hath alreadie geven judgement of my mean- ing, albeit the desier not to offend e you any waye hath staide th 1 expedicion of my intent, suspendyng my grefe till the greatnes of the same hath forced a presente vent, with this simple requeste : that as fearinge to ymparte the full of so great a matter to so uncerteine a messenger as a pece of paper, so it may please you to geve me credit of my conference, wher only ourselves may be witnesses of that whych I have to discover and am no longer hable to con- ceile. Wherin, if there be any bonde of consideracion in great ladyes, on the behalfe of the offer of their inferiours, ymagin how justly I deserve well of you ; and wyth what reason you oughte to passe a graunte of so small a favor to hym who is no lesse liable (as you know) to procure your advauncement wyth what porcion of wealthe your selfe shall thinke good, then ready e to performe all such thinges as you shall but ymagine and wishe to be don. Wherof I sende you a confirmacion herewith, sealed with the othe of my religion, and with protestacion of the faythe and life of your moste loyall and desolate servante, GONSALDO.' He had no soner written this letter, but he was in mynde eftsones to commit it into morsells, or to make it a sacrafice to the fyer, dispairing belike of the successe, till at laste Love. the blind guide and fyrst author of his follie, reprehend- inge his want of corage, renforced hym to a forwardnes, per- swading hym that the beginning was good, and argued a sequeile of contentacion. ' The rather, 1 saieth he, ' for that the tender yeres, wyth small discrecion, preferreth an ignor- 258 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES ance in the girle of your meaning. And seing accesse and DISCOURSE conference be denied, the nexte pollicie is, to use th 1 advan- VI tage of writinge, whyche declareth th' effect of that whyche is painted in the outwarde regardes of the face. The wordes of your letter may also importe such a charme, that her present rigour may be converted into spedie compassion; for as there is conning in enchauntyng, so the misterie can not be wrought without the assistaunce of words. 1 Which foolishe suggestion restored the abbot to a hope. And makyng conscience to commit the conveigh to the creditt of anye of his covent, for that he doubted their wisdome in performinge so secret an embassage, used th 1 expedicion by one of the vallettes of his chamber ; whom, after he had put in remembraunce, of th'auncient favors he had used on his behalfe, and howe much he reaposed for hymselfe in the assurance of his fidelitie, he said he was nowe to imploye his faythe and diligence in a busynes of no lesse value then the price of his life. 'Wherin,' sayeth he, 'albeit thou maiest conster some part of my meaning by the circum- staunce of the late chaunge and alteracion thou haste noted in me, judgyng, perad venture, the same to precede of some amarous humour, yet, althoughe I consente and make good the conceite of thy fancie in that surmise, thow, nor all the devinours of the worlde, can name her, who (as thou seest) hath made me the slave of her beautie. This is the secret wherin I am to make a last experience of thy in devour and wisedome ; to make a presente of theis letters to her, who hath not yet vouchesaffed to lende me the use of one simple regarde of favor to qualifye the heate of my burnynge mar- tyrdom.' Wherewith he told him the name of his mistres, the streete and signe wher her father dwelte, with straite com maundement in the ende not to omitt any moment or offer of time that might seame to further the execution of his charge. The vallet, glad to have so good a meane to make declaration of his loyal zeale towardes his maister, admitted the enterpryse, and gave hym assurance of his diligence, willyng him in the meane while not to loase corage. ' For that, 1 saith he, ' there is no fortresse so wel defended, but at length it is rendred by composicion, or won by assaulte.' GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE Wherewith the abbot departed to his chamber, flatter- VI inge himselfe with the promisse of his man, who, desirous to relive the distresse of his maister, added such diligence to the dispache of his commission that the nexte daie he founde the meanes to accoste Parolyna, occupyed al alon in her meditacions in the churche; where, presenting himself afore her with more assurance then the passioned abbot, gave her the reverence of his countrey, and desiered her not to dismay, if, upon so small acquaintance, he discharged so boldlye the parte of a familiar messenger. ' Wherein, 1 sayeth he, ' if there be offence, I preferr (good madam) for my ex- cuse my lord and maister.' Upon whose behalfe, he craved so muche favour as to reade his letter; which, after he had kissed wit great humilitye, offred to the chaste mayde : who, knowyng the messenger, for that she had seen hym often follow the traine of Gonsaldo, gave judgement also of the cause of his commynge. Wherefore she did not only refuse it ; but also, with certeine tearmes of reproche, re- tourned hym with an answer contrarie to th 1 expectation of hym selfe and contentment of hym that sent hym. * What, 1 sayeth she, ' doth your maister accompte me of such simpli- citie, that I have not longe since discerned th 1 intent of his follie ? Doth he thinke that I am any other then one that settes as deare a price of mine honor as the best ladye in Italy? Or is he of opinion that the respect of his authoritie, or greatnes in degree, can force me the rather to a remorce on the behalf of his wicked meaning ? No ! no ! tel him I have neither to do with hym, and lesse cause to accepte his letters. Neyther oughte he to addresse such embassages to me ; who can, nor will not, be thankefull to any in love, but such as my parentes shall give me in lawful mariage. Is this his masque of holynes, to cover so greate a villanie under the habit or shroude of simplicitie ? What argument of vertue is this in him, whose office is to prescribe prin- ciples of honest lyfe? Can he discharge the othe of his religion in seking to corrupt the puritie of virgins and ex- pose an example of the greatest villanie that is ? Let hym besiege the forte that is as gladde to yelde as he readie to sammon ; and bestowe his charmes and letters uppon those, 260 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES whose regarde and care of honor is equall to the malice of DISCOURSE his meaning. And, for your part, let it suffice you that I VI pardon your first follie; and ceasse hensfurthe to precede any further, least you be payde with the monie ordeyned to discharge the hyer of suche messengers. 1 Wherewith she flonge oute of the churche, and, not without some passion of juste anger, repaired to her fathers house, not ympartynge anye parte of th 1 accident to any one of her parentes, trust- ynge that as her desier and intente was to live in the trade of an honest woman, so God woulde assiste her vertuous re- specte, and defende her chastetie agaynst the malice of the wycked. She douted to discover the case to her mother, for feare some slaunder woulde have followed: neyther durste she imparte it to th'olde man, leaste in complainynge of the wronge, his povertie hadde beene founde to weake to contende agaynste th 1 authoritie of th 1 abbot, and by that meanes to have beene worse delte withall then eyther he de- served or she desiered ; but leaving an example to al women, to use like modestie in semblable distresses, shee committed her selfe and cause to the protection of the heavens. By this time the valiant messenger of Gonsaldo was retorned to his maister, communicatinge not onelye the perticulari- ties of his aunswere, the disdaine she showed to his letters, and small accompte she seamed to make of the offer of his good wil, but also perswaded to correct the humour of his appetite, and dismisse the remembrance of her beautie, bestowinge his affection uppon some such as hathe more dis- crecion to yelde hym consideracion, then the folish doughter of a simple artisan. Which reaport, albeit brought an in- crease of doble passion to the martiredom of the poore abbot : bothe for that the termes of her aunswere argued an agravacion of her creweltie, and absolute dispaire here- after to enjoy the benefit of her good wil. Yet he had the gift to dissimule th 1 inward panges of his grefe with a wonderfull patience, converting his humour of fretting mallencolie into tearmes of sorowful exclamacion, in this sorte : ' Ah ! ' saith he, ' I see wel thou arte ignorant in the Th' exclama- forces of love, who is not easely suplanted after he hath cion of the once conquered the rampier of the harte. Neyther arte abbot - 261 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE thou privie to the operacion of his pilles ; who, differynge VI from the nature of other passions, assailynge the mynde of man, doe make us desyer that we can not gett, and love the thynges whiche hate us mortallye. And is not this a sufficient experience of the perversitie of women, seinge the more I indevour to preferr my service to my cruell Parolyna, the lesse accompte she makes of myne offer ; and the more I languishe in desyer, the greater pleasure takes she in my martiredome ; that I wishe, alas, that some oyle of holye thombe, mighte presently close mine eyes againste the lighte of this world, or els the vertue of some happie enchauntment, distillinge from the arbour and pot of som Elysea, mighte with spede remove the vaile of her rigour, and sturr up an humor of compassion to the reliefe of my painefull tormente. I see thy advise is justified every waye by reason, and when I dispose my selfe to followe thy councel, I feele within me (I know not what) which forceth my wil wyth constrainte to purseue the sommance of mine appetite, in suche sorte that the voice whiche uttered the repulse hath also pronounced the fatall sentence of my lyfe. 1 Wherin he had yet preceded, but that the panges of inwarde sorowe, compellynge the conduites of waterye humours to discover theim selves, forced a vente at his eyes in greate abundance of teares ; whiche, drownynge the wordes of furder discourse in his mouth, moved his vallet also to equal dolor; who, notwithstandinge, preferred suche consolacion to his maister as sorowe woulde give hym leave to utter, with a franke offer to pawne his lyfe, with the rest of his worldlye porcion, to redeme the quiete of the abbott, and put hym in possession of her whome he accompted the sufferayne cataplame for his mortall disease. Wherewith he conforted eftesones the selye Gonsaldo ; who, tellynge hym that after he had gott the consent of convenient tyme and oportunitie, he woulde somon hym to an effect of his promisse, dismiss- inge therewith his faithfull servant, and retirynge hymselfe to a simple comforte in this laste resolucion, for certeine dayes forbeare to visit the streetes, churches, or other places, where afore he was wonte to make his offeryngs and pur- menadoes ; thinkynge in shonnyng the places of her repaire 262 TRAGIC ALL DISCOURSES and presence, he shoulde at laste force a forgetfulnes of her DISCOURSE beautie. Wherein, notwithstandynge, he seamed to sprinkle VI water uppon hoate cinders, and brought more oyle to his matche : and all hys traveile therin sturred upp a fresh e supplie of drawing baites, movinge an encrease of desyer, wyth augmentacion of his follie, whiche after he assaide to putt in execution. For the more he wente aboute to roote oute the remembrance of her beautye, the more suerly dyd love imprinte her picture in the bottome of his harte, with provocation not to give over the queste, but precede in the pursute of so pleasant a praye. In the daye the whole cloisture or circute of his abbaye cold skarcelye comprehende the sondrie ymaginations of hys braine : and his bed in the nighte presented hym wyth as muche reste as he that is bounde to treade continually the laborinth of endles toile. Wherin, ravinge thus in a passion of contrariety e of thoughtes, he accused hym selfe of cowardnes, for that the offer of so fainte a resistance, made hym retire his force, without gyvyng a more hoate assaulte to the place he ment to conquere. Wherewith, remembryng howe often he had harde, that women, what desyer so ever they have of theim selves to be thankeful to him that courts theim with the offer of love, yet take they, notwythstandynge, a singler pleasure to be assailed with importunities intermedled with a lytle constrainte or force, determined to imploye th 1 uttermost of his forces, and to paye hym selfe (maugre her resist- aunce) the hier of his traveile wyth the moste precious Jewell or treasure she had, at suche tyme as Fortune would gyve hym the favour of a convenient tyme and place to levy the last alaram ; thynkynge, with the advantage of his pollicie, to compell her to treade the daunce which she never mente to practise if not in lawfull mariage. Here you maye note a familiar experience, that he that is in love, albeit he be blynde touchinge the knowledge of reason, yet, for the de- vise and execution of a follye, he hath more eyes then he whome the poetes affirme to have an hundreth lightes for the garde of Jupiter's cowe. For that this folishe Abbot, attendyng daiely an offer of commoditie and advantage of tyme to gyve a charge uppon his plainsante enemye at 263 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE unwares, used suche diligent watch to discrye her doinges, VI that he was made privie to the certeine hower wherein she was determined to attende upon her parentes to a fearme or graunge they had, not the moste parte of a league from the citye. In whiche oportunitye and offer of thankefull tyme, the blinde abbott reaposed a singler commoditie of his cause : for that, as you have harde, he determined to invade her wyth an ambushe at unwares, and so ravishe her out of the handes of her parentes by mayne strengthe. Whereunto he added an effecte, without regarde to the slaunder whiche attended so wicked an enterprise, or th 1 abuse he committed againste the order of his religion, and muche lesse the esti- macion and honor of the house whereof he was discended. Let this experience suffice to confute the opinion of the most of our lovers nowe a dayes ; who, makynge a god of the ydoll of love, do not lett to give hym place amonge the moste perfect and heroicall vertues that are; affirm- ynge that all civilitye and curteys behaviour amongest men is derived of the discipline taughte in his skoole. Let the effect of his rage, I saye, declare his disposicion, and be the equall judge whether he be an indifferent evill or a pertiall vice. For, settynge your partycular affections aparte, I knowe you wyll confyrme myne opinion thus farre, that he whiche you cal love, and woulde that we honor hym wyth a tytle of a god, and give him a power more then humaine, is no other thinge then a brutall passion of the minde, derived of that parte whiche nature hath made comon to us with beastes, touchynge sensualytie ; and he which laboreth in the disease of that follie is in no other degree then he that is possessed with the spirite of fransie and desperation. Looke in the seconde booke of the Kynges, and tell me what planett or spirite governed Amnon, the son of David ; who, doatyng uppon the beautie of hys owne sister, made no consience to deflower her, and take awaye her chastetie. Whiche horrible acte woulde have procured terrour to the moste mortall enemye, both for the horror and detestacion of the syn, and also for the honor and reverence which all men oughte to gyve to the chastetie of a mayde. The prince of Sichem, being extremely enamored uppon the 264 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES beautie of the doughter of Jacob, dyd it suffice hym onely DISCOURSE to love her, in honeste sorte ? Did he staye hym selfe uppon VI your masqued and dyssymuled loyaltie ? No ! he dyd that which is judged tollerable to you al, and woulde be comon to moste of you, yf the rigour of the lawes had you not in awe, and preferred a feare of tormentes and worthy punish - mentes he ravished her by force. Whereuppon followed the ruyne of hym selfe and subversion of his people. For ende, yf there be any one amongest you that absteyneth from lyke violacion, I thinke (sewer) he is not stricken with th 1 extremetie of love, but that hys mynde hath tasted but a simple impression of that follie ; seyng that he that is touched to the quycke, can hardly refraine from execution of like villainies. Amongest whom, notwithstandyng, I com- prehende not th 1 integretie of them whose wills tende to do honor to the hollye bedd of mariage, without violacion (for that I am perswaded those affections precede frome above, and approved by God hym selfe) but I inveighe againste their unhoneste desiers, who respect nothing but the pleasure in that wherein Mars and Venus strove for the maisterie, at suche tyme as Vulcan discovered theyr naked bodies : which I can not terme so properly in our vulgare phrase, as the Frencheman includes in thies three wordes, Le don tfammireuse mercy ; the delite whereof dekayinge with the ende of th 1 act, maketh theym loath the thing wherin earste they tooke singler pleasure. Here you may see also a worthie example in this maister abbott, who, of a pastour and shepherde of the hearde, becomes a devowrer of the principal shepe in his flocke ; and leavinge th' abit and attire of religion, is invested th" accotre- mentes of a villaine and dysposicion of a barbarus tyrant, that hathe neyther knowledge of God, nor feare of hys lawes. Wherein my conscience wolde serve me to use a further dis- course, touchyng th" 1 abuses in theis ypocrytes, savynge that (God be praysed !) our realme is happely purged of suche filth, and replenished with a plentiful! crewe of th 1 undowted and faithfull mynisters of Godes worde. Neyther will I troble my historic with the sondry enormities and practises of hell whyche I noted in some religius houses in Fraunce, duryng my being there, because my theame at this tyme is LL 265 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE not to treate of th' abuses in their religion ; ney ther am I VI assisted with sufficient time ; for that yf I should but abridge their disorders into a tenthe parte, the volume wold excede the bignes of the bible. Wherfore it shall suffice me to desier God in my praiers to remove the vaile of their darkenes in tyme, leaste their iniquitie procure hym to thonder lyke desolation uppon theym as he dyd uppon the children of Israeli, when they forsoke hym, and bowed downe to ymages, whereof their owne handes were the carpenters. And nowe to the sequeyle of Don Gonsaldo, who, harp- ynge onely uppon the strynge of hys damnable resolucion, imparted th"* enterprice to his man, who (as you have harde) engaged his faithe to be the minister of hys wil in what respect he thoughte good to ymploye hym. And havynge eftesonnes preferred a repeticion of his promisse wyth an assurance by othe of th 1 uttermoste he was hable to do, th 1 abot told him that, within fewe dayes, his mistres went to performe a banquett with her father and mother oute of the citie. 'To whome, 1 sayeth he, 'seynge I have forgott no experience or importunitie whiche humanitie can devise, and seynge that in the enjoyinge of her beautie consistes the continuance or diminucion of my dayes, I am determyned to retire to the benefit of my laste refuge ; whyche is to employe th' uttermoste of my forces, in usynge her by mayne en- cownter, uppon the waye betwene the towne and her fathers graunge in the countrey. Wherin, as thou hast alredye assured me of thy helpe by the othe and religion of thy faithe, so thou muste straine thyselfe to procure a further ayde of suche companions as thou accomptes necessarye to assiste th' expedicion ; to th' ende that, when the matter shal be broughte to the tryall of force, we be not founde to weake in the dispatche of our entreprise ; whyche, albeit maye importe unto the, and suche as thou shalte subborne for thy companions in this case, bothe a grudge of conscience, and feare to fall into the rigour of the lawes, yet thou arte not ignorante that th 1 authoritie of my profession is sufficient to dispense and absolve the synne, and my power hable to prevaile above th"* extremitie of j ustice, in this, or any other respecte, of what importance soever it appeare. Neyther 266 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES will I sticke to deffraye the whole plate and treasure of my DISCOURSE abbeye in defence of the quarrell agaynste the whole state VI and senate of Naples." 1 Wherwith he dismissed his manne, who with the pleasante platt of hys tounge, and prodigal! promises of liberall hyer, was furnished ymediatlye of hys trayterus crewe to betraye th 1 innocent mayde ; who, for her part, seing Gonsaldo hadde discontynued hys mosters in the strete, and hawnte to the churche where she is wonte to performe her devocion, thoughte he hadde also disclaymed the vehemencie of his passion, with intente no more to pursue her. Wherein as she accompted her selfe moste free from perill, so she founde an approche and offer of daunger whych affore she was not hable to ymagyn. For that th 1 abbott, beynge advertised by hys espiells of the daye and hower when the mayde shoulde go into the countrey, measured so ryghtlye his tyme with the momente of her departure, that, some one or two howers affore, he somoneth his conspiratours, and goeth oute of the towne, not in his frears weede or attire of his profession, but disguised in suche sorte, as he was not knowen to any but the ministers of his intente; whom he bestowed in ambushe, in an unknowen coverte, joynyng to the path by the whych the goldsmith and his doughter shold passe ; who, thynkynge uppon nothynge but the plaisante regardes whyche the freshe and grene feeldes dydd yelde, and muche lesse ymagenynge anye secrett practise or villanie conspired againste them, entred with greate delite into the pathe of their misfortune. For neare unto Naples there ronneth a litle river, discendynge from certeine rockes, givynge necessarye moysture to the valley neare the towne, whiche the poete Sanazaro in hys Archadia calleth Sebeth, devydynge her selfe into two armes harde under the walls : whereof the one, fallynge into certaine pipes of lead, becomes serviceable by the arte of man to th" 1 inhabitantes of Naples ; the other, stretchy nge to ward es the champaine, refresh eth as she passeth the mead owes and cornefeldes adjoyninge, with the dewe of her silver streames, and in the ende, yeld- inge tribute to the greate flude Thetys, fauls with a softe noise into the sea, who receiveth her with an embrasyng worthie for so plaisante a neyghbour. Over which river is ^ 267 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE builded a bridge, passible for horse and man, called Mada- VI lyne bridge, shrowded with the branches and longe spraies of certeine willowes, growynge on eyther side the broke, the commoditie of whych straite, with th 1 advauntage of the place offred theim selves (as it were) to assiste the enterprice of th' abbot in tlT incounter of his pleasant enemy ; who, disposed to more joye then her weary parentes, went alwaies affore theim, supplieng the time ana tediousnes of their travaile, with sondrye plaisante devises. And as the heate of the day, with th 1 exercise of her body in goinge, had sett a broche the vaines of good blod through all her parts; wherby, to the pure complexion and white of her face, was added an orient die of red, so her heare, of the coollor of amber, curled by nature, and fallinge in lockes uppon her forhead, covered as then with an escarfion of the fashion of Pyemount, gave suche an increase to her beautie, that, wyth the helpe of the shade and shadowe of the tres, pauisinge the vyolence of the son, with the glee of the pleasante streame assistinge the naturall white and redd in her face, her eyes glistering as the cleare starres in the loftie skie, made her seame nothinge inferiour to the perfection of her whom the poetes have crowned wyth the title of a goddesse and quene of bewtie. Wherin, if this braverye of Parolina gave greate delite to the olde yeres of her parentes, who knewe the argumentes of youthfull joye whyche appeared in their daughter where but recreacions to mortefye in theym the wearines of the waye, it was nothinge in respecte to the pleasure of Gonsaldo; who, beholdinge the bewtie of his mistres, resemblinge afar of one [of the nimphes, affirmed by Ovide to attende the goddes Diana goinge on huntinge, felt in him selfe a newe increase or supplie of desier, in such sorte that if hee had but the flea in his eare afore, it is nowe that he standes uppon thornes till he have geven a charge uppon the praye whiche seames so plesant of taste. And swearinge by the god of hys religion, not to lose the benefit of so sweate a morsell, began to encorage his men to dispose theym selves to performe the cause of theyr com- ming ; warninge theym, notwithstandinge, in speciall sorte, to absteine from vyolence agaynste the mayde. ' And albeit,' 268 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES sayeth hee, * the father is unarmed of any weapon, savinge DISCOURSE his shorte wood knife, yet I am sewer, he will put himselfe VI in endevor to reskowe his daughter. Wherefore, whilest some are graplinge wyth the girle, the rest maye kepe the olde man occupied wyth terror and wordes of threatening feare. 1 Wherwyth, he cried to th' assalte. When ymediatly th' ambushe discovered theym selves, and in a moment en- vyroned the selly maide on al partes, with theyr swordes drawen, offringe to laye handes upon her and carie her to their maister. The miserable parents seinge theym at pointe to departe wyth the only pillor and proppe of their old yeres, ymagyning th 1 attempte to ymporte an effecte of greate mischiefe, retired to th' ordinarie armes and defenses of age, which were pitifull cries ; which the villaines appaised yme- diatly wyth threates of present death if they would not cease their doleful brute. And, for a more terror to the selly goldsmith, some of theim helde the pointe of hys sworde to his throate ; who, notwithstanding, kept his daughter faste in his armes. And the mother would not bee dissevered from her childe, desieringe the traitors to discharge their crueltie uppon her and geve her daughter the favor of a safe libertie. But the more the desolate parentes filled their eares with requestes of compassion, the lesse pitie appered in the tyrantes, and greater desier grew in the ravynous abbot. What harte colde refrayne to distil droppes of blode on the behalfe of the desolation of these three wretched creatures; the father out of breathe and halfe dead wyth the force of skrichinge cries ; the mother equall pertaker of his desaster and exceding her husband in sorow ; the maide, more assured then her parentes in the conflicte of this misfortune, was at the pointe to use force agaynste her selfe, rather then to falle into the handes of th' execucioners of her pudicitie ? I am sewer never a ladie of you all, reading this dollorous discourse, can abstaine from tearmes of detestacion agaynst the infamous and disordered desier of this disciple of Sathan ; neyther conceile th 1 argu- ment of compassion, seinge the virginitie of this mayde hangyng by so slender a fyllet, and readie to be offred, by compulcion, uppon the alter of fylthye ymmolacion, to glot 269 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE the lascivious thurst of this ravynous apostat; who, masqued VI in a visorne and wede of simplicitie, supported also by a coollour of fayned devocion, studieth nothinge but to pray upon the honor of widowes, abuse the absence of the maried man by corrupting hys wife, and subborn by inorderly meanes to seduce the chastetie of maides. But now to our Parolyna ; who, as shee knewe the cause of this alaram to precede of her onlye, and, seinge the force of th' assailantes, had committed alreadie her parentes as it were into sewer warde of their power, and finding withall an ympossibilitie in her selfe to resiste the strengthe of the rest, determyned yet to supplie the defence of her honor wyth the benefit of a vertuous and valyaunt pollicie. Wherfore, chaunginge in a moment the amazed glee of complexion in her face into a regarde of assured joye, addressed her to th' abbot, wyth request that, afore she performed th' effecte of his desier, he wolde lende her his sworde. ' For no other entent,' saith she, ' but that my handes only may chasten the rigour of mine olde father, whose crabbed age, ignorante of civilitie, hathe beene hitherto th'only ympediment and staie of my goodwill to yelde you the hier and consideracion of your love ; assuringe His letter. you that, upon the receite of the fyrst assurance of your affection towards me, I got the consent of my mother to be thankefull in sorte you required mee. And nowe if he should live, and witnes the consomacion of both our desiers, hys contynuall complaintes wold procure grevous punish- ment of th' offence, to the open slaunder of us both.' Wherwith th'olde man gyving undoubted credit to the dyssymuled discourse of hys daughter, the rather for that he noted no difference in her countenance and famyliar con- ference to th' abbot, cried out againste th' iniquitie she used to his honeste life passed, and present wrong she did to the vertue of his hoarie yeres ; and, not knowing the meaning or misterie of her pollicie, forgat no termes of reproche or rigorous rebuke against his chast doughter. Of whose good will, Gonsaldo, beinge more then halfe assured, both for the small regarde she used to the threatning wordes of her father, and also the flattering tearmes of consent by her owne mouth, no lesse glad of the victorie then if he had 270 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES alreadie passed the offer of al perills, performed the request DISCOURSE of her who desiered nothing lesse then the death of her VI father and life of th' abbot. And putting his naked sworde into the hand of the coragious girle, ofFring withal to em- brase her, as though the conquest wer alreadie performed, she flonge from hym in great rage, willing him to retire as he made accompte of his life. 'For,' sayth she, 'thou counterfeit ypocryte, yf thou offer eftesones to laye thy ravenouse handes upon me, thyne owne sworde shall geve the blowe of deadlye vengaunce to the fatall course of thy cursed dayes. 1 Wherupon, she addressed her to her father halfe dead of a frettinge anger, and purging hys collerike conceites agaynste her, tolde him he was not the father of a doughter that would justefie the glorie of his life passed wyth small vertue, and much lesse further his death by th* infamous renowme of her life ; neyther do the thinge, eyther by accords or compulcion, that should have power to sturr up the blodd of shame in his face in what companie soever he came. ' But, 1 sayth shee, ' the mightie hande of God, restoringe thy weake age to a doble strengthe, and me to a perfecte skill in the use of this sworde which I have conquered of our common enemy, shal defende our honor agaynste the force of these rakshells, who seke to deprive me of the Jewell of my reputacion.' Wherwith, she florished here and there, bestowinge her blowes with such skill to the disavantage of her enemye, that who hadde sene her desperat dealing wyth the sworde, would have judged that shee hadde bene traded in the only exercise of armes all the dayes of her life. Whiche stroke such soddaine corage and joye into the dead hart of her olde father, that he advowed his life in the honest quarell of his doughters chastetie ; and likewise the careful mother gave assistance to the magnanimite of her childe, accordinge to her feble force ; whyche so occupied the place for a tyme that th n olde man, and the two ympes derived of the blodd of th'auncient Amazons, laide so harde to the charge of the monke and his souldiours, that in one instant the whole ambush of traitors was out of breathe. But Gonsaldo, knowyng by this laste deceite of the maide that there was neither love 271 GEFFRAIE FENTON'S DISCOURSE nor frendly meanynge in her, began to convert his affection VI into an humor of fury, commaundinge the sworde to bee taken out of the handes of the new champian, wyth ex- presse charge, notwithstanding, to use no violence agaynste her. Whewyth the medley grewe ymediatlye soo hoate on bothe sides, that the father, to defende the honor of hys daughter, used no care to his owne savegard ; and the daughter, to prevent the violence of her bodie, was desperat of her life. The abbot on th 1 other syde, seinge there was no waye to prevent his perill but by the overthrowe of his enemyes, gave ende to the conflicte by th 1 extremitie of force, leavinge the aged parentes on grownde maymed and halfe deade with the number of mortall woundes. But the daughter, lightly hurte in the arme, seinge that the wante of strength wolde yelde her prisoner at last to the enemye of her honor, thinkinge nothinge lesse, notwithstanding, then to satisfie his desier any way then by her deathe, used the benefit of her fortune and at unwares reached Gonsaldo a greate blowe thwarte the face, making a blodie podell, or bayne for flees in the sommer, uppon the nose of mayster abbot. Wherwith, holdinge the pointe of her sworde in her hande, cryinge uppon th'aide of th' almightie to whom, according to the shortnes of her tyme, she commended the healthe of her soule she leapte from above the bridge into the cristal waves of the cleare Zebete, chosinge rather to builde her tombe within the bellye of some fyshe or monster of the sea, then to yelde a forcible offring of the firste frutes of her virginitie to the polluted ymage, or ydoll, of the Synagoge of Babylon. But God, not willinge as yet to deprive the worlde of so rare a mirror of vertue, gave her such force agaynste the rage of the streame, that she kept breath til certeine passengers, leaping into the river, re- covered her wyth diligence of swymminge, and brought her on live to the shore ; deserving better the benefit of longer life then the papistical monke, who, seing the ende and successe of his enterprise, retired into his abbaie wyth his skorched face, wythout showing hymself any more in the stretes of Naples upon his sturring jennetts, for the love of his lady. 272 TRAGICALL DISCOURSES The parentes and the maide, after they were a little re- DISCOURSE freshed and restored to their sences in the felde, wer caried VI to the towne ; where every man, wondringe indifferently at their vertue and valyantnes in so great a peril, gave speciall commendacion to the chastetie of Parolyna ; for that she desired rather to die in the devouring flodd then to burne quike in the skorchynge flames and fyer of whoredome ; wherunto the wickednes of the abbot had almost brought her. And sewer it is to such maydes, to whom we ought to erect pillers, and grave their vertue in monumentes of eterni- tie ; and not to companie of unperfecte and folishe women, who, besides their beautie, had never any thinge worthye of commendacion. For the respecte of whose weaknes, I have chiefly preferred this discourse ; wherein, as they maye note in this Parolyna an acte no lesse valiaunt then in the moste assured soldiour that ever bare armes, so they ought to for- beare to glorifye them selves in the glorie of her chastetie ; and, by studyng to ymitate her vertue, to leave no force unproved which may serve to gard the honor and renowme of their name, and conquere the wanton delytes of the fraile fleshe; assuringe theym selves that God ympartes a wonderfull strengthe and constancie of mynd to suche as be chast in dede, and the vertue of whom consisteth not only in th'outwarde argumentes, but is sewerly rampierd within the strongest part of their harte. Like as in the mynd of this; to whom, as you see, th' almighty gave force to vanquishe, wyth mayne hande, the wicked enemye of her honor. MM 273 EDINBURGH T. & A. CONSTABLE Printers to Her Majesty 1897 from which it was borrowed. Univers Soutt Libr