Having finished his letter thus amorously, he remembered himself; and although PHILIPPO stayed for him in the garden, yet he stepped once again to his standish, and wrote under this following

sonnet.

Natura nihil frustra.

On women Nature did bestow two eyes,

Like Hemian's bright lamps, in matchless beauty shining,
Whose beams do soonest captivate the wise

And wary heads, made rare by Art's refining.
But why did Nature, in her choice combining,
Plant two fair eyes within a beauteous face,
That they might favour two with equal grace?

Venus did sooth up Vulcan with one eye,
With th' other granted Mars his wished glee:
If she did so, whom Hymen did defy,
Think love no sin, but grant an eye to me;
In vain else Nature gave two stars to thee:
If then two eyes may well two friends maintain,
Allow of two, and prove not Nature vain'.

Natura repugnare belluinum.

After he had ended this sonnet, he went and shewed them to Seignior PHILIPPO, who liked well of his passionate humour, and desired nothing more than to hear what answer his wife would make to these amorous poems; therefore, that he might grant LUTESIO the fitter opportunity to deliver them, he took a skiff, and went with sundry other gentlemen, his familiars, to solace himself upon the waters.

In the meanwhile LUTESIO, who was left alone by himself, began to enter into the least disposition of a jealous man, that

This sonnet is absurdly conceited and far-fetched; nor is its structure legitimate.

would hazard the honour of his wife, to content his own suspicious humour, and whet on a friend to a feigned fancy, which in time might grow to an unfeigned affection: so that smiling to himself, he began thus to murmur in his mind. "Is not he worthy to find that seeks, and deserveth he not many blows that craves to be beaten? Sith PHILIPPO will buy the buck's head, is he not worthy to have the horns? and seeing he will needs have me court his wife in jest, were it not well if he might have the cuckow in earnest? Knows he not, that frumps amongst friends grow at last to open anger? that pretty sportings in love end oftentimes in pretty bargains? that it is ill jesting with edge tools, and of all cattle worst caviling with fair women? for beauty is a bait that will not be dallied with. But I love him too well, and I honour the lady too much, to motion such a thought in earnest: though he be foolish, I know her too honest to grant love to the greatest monarch of the world."

66

While he was thus musing with himself, PHILOMELA came into the garden with two of her waiting women, who seeing LUTESIO in a dump, thought he was devising of his new love: whereupon she stepped to him, and began to ask him if he proceeded in his purpose. Ay, Madam," quoth he, " if I mean to persevere in life,” and with that the water stood in his eyes: whether it was that he had an onion in his napkin to make him weep, or that he had sucked that special quality from his mother, to let fall tears when he list, I know not; but she perceiving he watered his plants, began somewhat to pity his passions, and asked him if yet he had made the motion. No, Madam," quoth LUTESIO, "but here I have written her my mind, and please it you, you shall be my secretary, both to read my letter, and see her name, for I know you will conceal it."

PHILOMELA, desirous to see what lady it was LUTESIO was in love withal, as Natura mulierum novitatis avida, took it very kindly

at LUTESIO's hands that he would participate his secrets unto her, and promised not only to be silent, but to yield her opinion of the hope of his success; so she took the letter and promised the next morning to give it him again, and so they fell into other chat, talking of sundry matters, as their present occasions did minister, till at last PHILOMELA, with child to see the contents of the letter, took her leave and went into her closet, where unripping the seals, she found lines far unfitting to her expectation.

As soon as she saw LUTESIO's love was meant to her, she rent the paper in a thousand pieces, and exclaimed against him in most bitter terms, vowing her Lord should be revenged upon him for this intended villainy, or else he should refuse her for his wife. Thus alone while she breathed out most hard invectives against him, yet at last, that she might aggravate her husband's displeasure the more against him, she gathered up the pieces, and laying them together, read them over, where, perceiving his passions, and thinking them to grow from a mind full of fancy', having somewhat cooled her choler, she resolved not to tell her husband, lest if he should kill LUTESIO she might be thought the occasion of the murder, and so bring her unblemished honour in question; and therefore she took paper and ink, and wrote him this sharp reply.

PHILOMELA TO THE MOST FALSE LUTESIO,

WISHETH WHAT HE WANTS HIMSELF.

IF thou wonderest what I wish thee, LUTESIO, enter into thine own want, and thou shalt find, I desire thou mightst have more honour and less dishonesty; else a short life and a long repentance.

1 This contest between the indignation of virtue and the intoxication of flattery is naturally drawn.

E

I see now that hemlock, wheresoever it be planted, will be pestilent; that the serpent with the brightest scales shroudeth the most fatal venom; that the ruby, whatsoever foil it hath, will shew red; that when nature hatcheth vicious, nurture will never make virtuous.

Thou art like, LUTESIO, unto the hyssop, growing in America, that is liked of strangers for the smell, and hated of the inhabitants for the operation, being as prejudicial in the one, as delightsome in the other so thou in voice art holden honest, and therefore liked, but being once looked into, and found lascivious, thou wilt grow into as great contempt with thy familiars as now thou art honoured amongst strangers. Hadst thou none answerable to thine appetite but PHILOMELA? nor none to wrong but PHILIPPO? Canst thou wish me so much harm, or owe him so little friendship; I honouring thee so kindly, and he loving thee so dearly? How canst thou love the wife that betrayest the husband? or how shall I deem thou wilt prove constant in love that art false in thy faith, and to such a friend, who, next myself, counteth thee second in his secrets? Base man, that harbours so bad a thought, ransack thy thoughts and rip up the end of thy attempt! and then, if that shame hath not utterly abandoned thee, thou wilt for fear of shame leave off thy lust, and grow into more grace'.

Tell me, LUTESIO, (and if thou speakest not what thou knowest I defy thee,) wherein hast thou seen me so light, or have my gestures been so lewd, that thou shouldest gather hope to gain thy love? Hath Venice suspected me for a wanton? Hath Italy deemed me dissolute? Have I granted unto thee, or to any other, extraordinary favours? Have I been froward to my Lord, or by any wanton

tricks shewed the wrack of my chastity? If any of these blemishes have disgraced me, speak it, and I will call for grace and amend them, but never a whit the more befriend thee: for whereas I honourably thought of LUTESIO, unless I find thy humour changed, I will aim at thy dishonour, and proclaim thee an enemy to ladies, 'cause thou art a friend to lust.

Ah, LUTESIO! I would sooner have deemed the seas should have become dry, the earth barren, and the sun without light, than thou wouldest have sought to violate the honesty of PHILOMELA, or blemish the honour of PHILIPPO. PHILIPPO's wealth is at thy will, his sword at thy command, his heart placed in thy bosom; he reserveth of all that he hath for thee, save only me to himself; and canst thou be so unkind to rob him of his only love, that owes thee so much love? Judge the best, and I hope that I imagine truth, thou doest it but to try me. If it be so, I brook it with the more patience, yet discontent thou shouldst trouble mine eyes with a wanton line; but if thy passionate humour be in earnest, it contents me not to deny thee, but to defy thee; I proclaim myself enemy to thy life, as thou art envious of mine and my husband's honour.

I will incense PHILIPPO to revenge with his sword what I cannot requite with words; and never live in quiet till I see thee die, infamous traitor as thou art. Unless thy grace be such, to cease from thy treachery, come no more in my husband's house, lest thou look for a dagger in thy bosom; feed not at my table, lest thou quaff with Alexander thy fatal draught! To be brief, love not PHILOMELA, if thou mean to live, but look up to heaven ; become penitent for thy fond and foolish passions; let me see repentance in thy eyes, and remorse in thy actions; be as thou hast been, a friend to PHILIPPO, and a favourer of mine honour; and though thou hast deserved but meanly, yet thou shalt be welcome heartily, and whatsoever is past, upon thy penitence, I will pardon,