L thy loue have straind a note too high in loue. I offend nature as repugnant to my father, whose displeasure I haue purchast to please thee; I haue giuen a finall farewell to my friends, to be thy familiar; I haue lost all hope of preferment, to confirme the simpathie of both our desires: ah Francesco, see I come thus poore in apparell, to make thee rich in content. Now, if hereafter (oh, let me sigh at that, least I be forced to repent too late), when thy eye is glutted with my beautie, and thy hotte loue prooued soone colde, thou beginst to hate hir that thus loueth thee, and prove as Demophon did to Phillis, or as Aeneas did to Dido; what then may I doo, reiected, but accurse mine owne folly, that hath brought mee to such hard fortunes? Giue me leaue, Francesco, to feare what may fall; for men are as inconstant in performance as cunning in practises.' She could not fully discourse what she was about to vtter; but he broke off with this protestation. 'Ah Isabel, although the windes of Lepanthos are euer inconstant, the chriseroll euer brittle, the polype euer changeable, yet measure not my minde by others motions, nor the depth of my affection by the fleeting of others fancies; for as there is a topace that will yeeld to euerie stamp, so there is an emerald that will yeeld to no impression. The selfe same Troy, as it had an Aeneas that was fickle, so it had a Troylus that was constant. Greece had a Piramus as it had a Demophon; and though some haue been ingrateful, yet accuse not al to be vnthankful; for when Francesco shall let his eye slip from thy beautie, or his thoughts from thy qualities, or his heart from thy vertues, or his whole selfe from euer honouring thee, then shal heauen cease to haue starres, the earth trees, the world elements, and euerie thing reuersed shall fall to their former chaos.' "Why, then,' quoth Isabel, to horsebacke, for feare the faith of two such louers be impeached by my fathers wakefull iealouzie.' And with that (poore woman) halfe naked as she was, she mounted, and as fast as horse would pace away they post towards a towne in the said countrey of Britaine called Dunecastrum." Fregoso, rising early in the morning, is half distracted at Isabel's escape. 66 Whereupon in a despayring furie he caused all his men and his tenaunts to mount them, and to disperse themselues euerie one with hue and crie for the recouerie of his daughter, he himself being horst, and riding the readie way to Dunecastrum. Where he no sooner came, but fortune meaning to dally with the olde doteard, and to present him a boane to gnaw on, brought it so to passe that, as he came riding downe the towne, he met Francesco and his daughter comming from the church; which although it picrete him to the quicke, and strainde euerie string of his heart to the highest noate of sorrow, yet he concealed it till he tooke his inne; and then stumbling as fast as he could to the Mayors house of the towne, he reuealed vnto him the whole cause of his distresse, requiring his fauour for the clapping vp of this vnruly gentleman; and to make the matter the more hainous, hee accused him of felonie, that he had not onely, contrarie to the custome, bereft him of his daughter against his wil, but with his daughter had taken away certaine plate. This euidence caused the Mayor straight, garded with his officers, to march downe with Fregoso to the place where Isabel and her Francesco were at breakfast, little thinking, poore soules, such a sharp storme should follow so quiet a calme." Francesco is conveyed to prison, and Isabel to the Mayor's house; and Fregoso, "as a man carelesse what should become of them in a straunge countrey," rides back to his home. After many days the Mayor, perceiving that the charge of felony was groundless, procures the consent of his brethren to set Francesco free. Taking Isabel with him, he goes to the gaol, and tells his prisoner, that "he was content to set him at libertie, conditionally Francesco should giue his hand to be answerable to what hereafter in that behalfe might be obiected against him. These conditions accepted, Francesco was set at libertie; and he and Isabell, ioyntly together taking themselues to a little cottage, began to be as Cyceronicall as they were amorous; with their hands thrift coueting to satisfie their hearts thirst, and to be as diligent in labours as they were affectionate in loues: so that the parish wherein they liued so affected them for the course of their life, that they were counted the very myrrours of a democraticall methode; for hee being a scholler, and nurst vp in the vniuersities, resolued rather to liue by his wit than any way to be pinched with want, thinking this olde sentence to be true, that wishers and woulders were neuer good housholders; therefore he applied himselfe to teaching of a schoole, where by his industry he had not onelie great fauour, but gote wealth to withstand fortune. Isabel, that she might seeme no lesse profitable than her husband careful, fel to her needle, and with her worke sought to preuent the iniurie of necessitie. Thus they laboured to mainetaine their loues, being as busie as bees, and as true as turtles, as desirous to satisfie the worlde with their desert as to feede the humours of their owne desires. Liuing thus in a league of vnited vertues, out of this mutuall concorde of confirmed perfection, they had a sonne answerable to their owne proportion; which did increase their amitie, so as the sight of their young infant was a double ratifying of their affection. Fortune and loue thus ioyning in league to make these parties to forget the stormes that had nipped the blossomes of their former yeers, addicted to the content of their loues this conclusion of blisse. After the tearme of fiue yeares, Seigneur Fregoso hearing by sundry reports the fame of their forwardnesse, howe Francesco coueted to be most louing to his daughter, and she most dutifull to him, and both striue to exceede one an other in loyalty, glad at this mutual agreement, hee fell from the fury of his former melancholic passions, and satisfied him selfe with a contented patience, that at last he directed letters to his sonne in lawe, that he should make repayre to his house with his daughter. Which newes was no sooner come to the eares of this married couple, but, prouiding for all things necessarie for the furniture of their voyage, they posted as fast as they coulde towards Caerbrancke; where speedily arriving at their fathers house, they found such friendly intertainement at the olde mans hand, that they counted this smile of fortune able to counteruaile all the contrarie stormes that the aduerse planets had inflicted vpon them." "It so chanced that Francesco had necessarie businesse to dispatch certaine his vrgent affaires at the chiefe city of that iland, called Troynouant : thither, with leaue of his father, and farewell to his wife, he* departed after they were married seuen yeeres. Where after he was arriued, knowing that he should make his abode there for the space of some nine weeks, he solde his horse, and hired him a chamber, earnestlie endeuouring to make speedie dispatch of his affaires, that he might the sooner enioy the sight of his desired Isabel; for, did he see any woman beautiful, he viewed her with a sigh, thinking howe farre his wife did surpasse her in excellence; were the modesty of any woman well noted by her qualities, it greeued him hee was not at home with his Isabel who did excell them all in vertues." "As thus his thoughts were diuided on his businesse and on his wife, looking one day out at his chamber windowe hee espied a young gentlewoman which looked out at a casement right opposite against his prospect, who fixed her eies vpon him with such cunning and artificiall glaunces, as she shewed in them a chaste disdaine and yet a modest desire. Where, by the way, gentlemen, let me say this much, that our curtizans of Troynouant are far superiour in artificiall allurement to them of all the world; for although they haue not the painting of Italie, nor the charms of France, nor the iewelles of Spaine, yet they haue in their eies adamants that wil drawe youth as the jet the strawe, or the sight of the panther the ermly their looks are like lures that will reclaime, and like Cyrces apparitions that can represent in them all motions; they containe modesty, mirth, chastity, wantonnes, and what not; and she that holdeth in her eie most ciuility, hath oft in hir heart most dishonestie, being like the pyrit stone that is fier without and frost within." : "This courtisan, seeing this countrey Francesco was no other but a meere nouice, and that so newly that, to vse the old prouerb, he had scarce seene the lions, she thought to intrap him and so arrest him with her amorous glances that shee would wring him by the pursse: wherevpon euery day shee would out at hir casement stand, and there discouer her beauties." Francesco "when his leisure serued him, woulde, to make proofe of his constancie, interchange amorous glaunces with this faire curtisan, whose name was Infida; thinking his inward affections were so surely grounded on the vertues of his Isabel that no exterior proportion could effect any passion to the contrary: but at last he found by experience, that the fairest blossomes are soonest nipt with frost, the best fruite soonest touched with caterpillers, and the ripest wittes most apt to be ouerthrowen by loue. Infida taught him with her lookes to learne this, that the eie of the basiliske pierceth with preiudice; that the iuice of celidonie is sweete, but it fretteth deadly; that Cyrces cuppes were too strong for all antidotes, and womens flatteries too forceable to resist at voluntarie: for she so snared him in the fauours of her. face that his eie beganne to censure partially of her perfection, insomuch that he thought her second to Isabel, if not superiour. Dallying thus with beautie as the flie in the flame, Venus, willing to shewe how forceable her influence was, so tempted with opportunitie, that as Francesco walked abroad to take the ayre, he met with Infida gadding abroad with certaine hir companions, who like blazing starres shewed the markes of inconstant minions; for she no sooner drew neere Francesco, but dying her face with a vermillion blush, and in a wanton eie hiding a fained modesty, shee saluted him with a lowe courtesie. Seigneur Francesco that coulde well skill to court all kinde of degrees, least he might then be thought to haue little manners, returned not only her courtesies with his bonnet, but, taking Infida by the hand, beganne thus. Faire mistresse, and if mine eie be not deceiued in so bright an obiect, mine ouerthwart neighbour, hauing often seene with delight, and coueted with desire to be acquainted with your sweete selfe; I cannot now but gratulate fortune with many thankes that hath offered such fit opportunitie to bring me to your presence, hoping I shall finde you so friendly as to craue that wee may be more familiar.' She that knewe howe to entertaine such a young nouice made him this cunning replie. Indeede, sir, neighborhoode craues charitie, and such affable gentlemen as your selfe deserues rather to be entertained with courtesie than reiected with disdaine. Therfore, sir, what priuate friendship mine honour or honestie may affoord, you aboue all (that hitherto I haue knowne) shall commaund.' 'Then, mistres,' quoth hee, 'for that euery man counts it credite to haue a patronesse of his fortunes, and I am a meere straunger in this citie, let mee finde such fauour that all my actions may be shrowded vnder your excellence, and carrie the name of your seruant, ready, for requitall of such gratious countenaunce, to unsheath my sworde in the defence of my patronesse for euer.' She that had her humour fitted with this motion, answered thus, with a looke that had beene able to haue forced Troylus to haue beene trothlesse to his Cressida. How kindly I take it, Seigneur Francesco, for so I vnderstand your name, that you proffer your seruice to so meane a mistresse! the effectual fauours that shall to my poore abilitie gratifie your curtesie, shall manifest how I accompt of such a friend. Therefore, from henceforth Infida intertains Francesco for her seruant.' 'And I,' quoth he, 'accept of the beauteous Infida as my mistresse.' Upon this they fell into other amorous prattle which I leaue off, and walked abroad while it was dinner time; Francesco stil hauing his eie vpon his new mistresse, whose beauties he thought, if they were equally tempered with vertues, to exceede all that yet his eie had made suruey of. Doating thus on this newe face with a new fancie, hee often wroong her by the hand, and brake off his sentences, with such deepe sighes, that she perceiued by the weathercocke where the winde blewe; returning such amorous passions as she seemed as much intangled as he was enamoured. Well, thinking, now that she had bayted her hooke, she woulde not cease while she had fully caught the fish, she beganne thus to * * while] i. e. till. lay the traine. When they were come neere to the city gates, she stayed on a sodaine, and straining him hard by the hand, and glauncing a looke from her eies, as if she would both shew fauour and craue affection, she began thus smilinglie to assault him. 'Seruant, the lawyers say the assumpsit is neuer good where the partie giues not somewhat in consideration; that seruice is voide where it is not made fast by some fee. Least, therefore, your eie should make your minde variable, as mens thoughts follow their sights, and their lookes wauer at the excellence of new obiects, and so I loose such a seruant; to tie you to the stake with an earnest, you shall this day be my guest at dinner. Then, if heereafter you forget your mistresse, I shal appeale at the barre of loyaltie, and so condemne you of lightnes.' Francesco, that was tied by the eies, and had his hart on his halfpeny, could not deny her, but with many thanks accepted of hir motion; so, that agreed, they went all to Infidaes house to dinner where they had such cheere as could vpon the sodaine be prouided; Infida giuing him such friendly and familiar intertainement at his repast, as wel with sweet prattle as with amorous glances, that he rested captiue within the laborinth of hir flatteries." In a short time the arts of Infida have complete success: she "so plied Francesco with her flattering fawnes that, as the yron follows the adamant, the straw the jet, and the helitropion the beames of the sunne, so his actions were directed after her eie, and what she saide stoode for a principle, insomuch, that he was not onely readie in all submisse humours to please her fancies, but willing for the least worde of offence to draw his weapon against the stoutest champion in al Troynouant. Thus seated in her beauty, hee liued a long while, forgetting his returne to Caerbrancke." "Wel, his affaires were done, his horse solde, and no other businesse now rested to hinder him from hying home, but his mistresse; which was such a violent deteyner of his person and thoughts, that there is no heauen but Infidaes house; where although hee pleasantly entred in with delight, yet cowardly he slipt away with repentance. Well, leauing him to his new loues, at last to Isabell, who daily expected the comming home of her best beloued Francesco, thinking euery houre a yeare till she might see him in whome rested all her content. But when (poore soule) she coulde neither feede her sight with his presence, nor her eares with his letters, she beganne to lower, and grew so discontent that she fell into a feuer. Fortune, that meant to trie hir patience, thought to prooue hir with these tragicall newes: it was tolde her by certaine gentlemen her friends, who were her husbands priuate familiars, that he meant to soiorne most part of the yeere in Troynouant; one blunt fellowe, amongest the rest, that was playne and wythout falshoode, tolde her the whole cause of his residence, howe hee was in loue wyth a most beautifull gentlewoman called Infida, and that so deepely that no perswasion might reuoke him from that alluring curtizan. At this Isabell made no accompt, but tooke it as a friuolous tale, and thought the woorse of such as buzzed such fantasticall follies into her eares: but when the generall report of his misdemeanours were bruted abroad throughout all |