A Small Treatise betwixt Arnalte and Lucenda Entituled The Evill-intreated Lover, Or The Melancholy Knight Originally written in the Greeke Tongue, by an unknowne Author. Afterwards Translated into Spanish; after that, for the Excellency thereof, into the French Tongue by N. H. next by B. M. into the Thuscan, and now turn'd into English Verse by L. L. [i.e. Leonard Lawrence] a well-wisher to the Muses |
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Arnalte's Challenge to Yerso.
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 | A Small Treatise betwixt Arnalte and Lucenda Entituled The Evill-intreated Lover, Or The Melancholy Knight |  |
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Arnalte's Challenge to Yerso.
Yerso , because that every one may knowTh'ignoblenesse, I doe intend to show,
How faithlesse that thy lying drifts have beene,
With which in secret I've abused beene:
Therefore in publicke I will manifest
Vnto the world thy base perfidiousnesse;
Because henceforth thy punishment may be
A president unto eternity.
And for to punish justly thy offence,
Th'uncourteous actions, and base insolence,
I hope to vanquish, and to overcome
Thee with my hands; as also with my tongue
To use such words as shall thee quite defame,
And overthrow thee to thy utter shame.
But to the end that none may thee excuse,
Your selfe shall judge how you have me abus'd:
Revolve unto thy selfe and call to mind
How long its since unfeigned love did binde
So strict a league betwixt us, that we swore
To be companions, faithfull evermore.
Remember too, how for a long while we
Have mutuall beene, with seem'd fidelity,
Bearing a love so pious to each other,
That as two brethren we lov'd one another.
By which conjunction thinking that thou wert
Faithfull and loyall, of a noble heart;
My inward thoughts I have to thee reveald,
My private secrets I have not conceal'd.
And amongst many th'affection that I bare
Vnto Lucenda, in perfections rare,
In which thou didst uphold me, promising
For to assist me, that I might her winne:
Oh then thou spakst even as an impious slave,
For that thou mightst defraud me: Sir you have
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You were content to further my request,
Plything thy faith, that albeit that she
Thy Lady were, that yet for love of mee
Thou wouldst refraine to serve her, that I might
Purchase th'injoyment of my sweet delight;
Which I beleev'd so long, untill th'event
Did shew the issue of thy bad intent:
For closely jugling thou hast tane to wife
My dearest Mistris, dearer than my life,
The right usurping, with the recompence
Of all my travailes, contrary to sence:
By doing which, thou art not onely growne
My enemy, but likewise art thy owne:
At which I marvaile, and doe wonder much,
For well I know thy knowledge it is such,
That thou art witting, how that vertue, and
The workes of friendship doe united stand:
Yet ne'rethelesse before thou wouldst take heed,
Thou hast committed this ignoble deed,
Soyling thy honour, spotting of thy fame,
Blasting by treason thy renowned name,
Waxing so differ'nt from the noble parts,
And worthy vertues, lodg'd within the hearts
Of thy fore-fathers, as unto the sight
The blacke doth vary from the purest white.
But to the end that thou maist speedily
Receive disgrace for thy base treachery:
I let thee know, (perjur'd as thou art)
That I will slay thee, and transpierce thy heart
With those same weapons that you shall allot,
And cut in two the Gordian knitted knot
Of thy base life, casting thee forth the field,
Or else inforce thee humbly for to yeeld
Thy selfe my prisoner, causing thee confesse
Th'ignoble action of thy wickednesse:
For Iove assisting, with my hands and thy
Perfidious, base, dishonest villany
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And base affronts which thou hast offer'd me:
Therefore appoint what Armes we shall use,
As 'tis the custome, send me no excuse:
For having heard thy Answer, I'le assigne
The Field, the day, and meet thee at the time.
| A Small Treatise betwixt Arnalte and Lucenda Entituled The Evill-intreated Lover, Or The Melancholy Knight | |