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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 | A Small Treatise betwixt Arnalte and Lucenda Entituled The Evill-intreated Lover, Or The Melancholy Knight |  |
Yerso's Answer to Arnalte's Challenge.
Arnalte , I thy challenge have receiv'd,And by the Lecture the Contents perceiv'd
And eke according unto what you say,
If so be it that Fortune lead the way,
And that th'event doe prove as advantagious,
As thy affronting words doe seeme outragious.
I shall account, if such good hap you have,
My selfe your vassall, and submissive slave,
Tendring to thee the name and worthy praise
Of a brave Victor, give thee up the Bayes.
But soft, but soft, this current that doth run
Within your braine, so strongly I will turne
Another way, and quite divert its course:
For in my hands you shall not finde lesse force,
Than I doe relish that thy words doe taste
Of base aspersion, and black-mouth'd disgrace:
Prate on, prate on, for as I may repute,
It's you must babble, I must execute.
Thus shall thy arrogance and swelling pride,
Because that strangers, and moreo're beside
Thy Friends and Kindred scarcely shall bemoane
What I inflict upon thee, no not one,
Since 'twere injustice if thou should'st not feele
The Death you merit, from my pointed Steele;
That by that death thou might'st receive a true
And just chastisement, as to thee is due.
Thou do'st prepose unto the end that my
Transgressions may be knowne perspicuously,
I should remember of the mutuall love
Frequent betwixt us, how we dayly strove
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Loving each other as we lov'd our eyes;
Trusting in which thou did'st communicate
Thy secrets to me, and thy private state.
True, I confesse't, nor in the least will I
Paliate dissemble, or the truth deny,
For so I should the bounds of truth transgresse,
And injure reason, and all vertuousnesse.
Thus if thou hadst not publickly disgrac't
My honour basely, in some private place
I would have satisfi'd thee, and at large
Have clear'd my selfe of ought layd to my charge.
And sure I am that after that you should
Have heard me speake, Arnalte then you would
Have reckon'd me rather for to be
Thy loyall friend, than faithlesse unto thee:
Since more for safety of thy health and life,
Than for my pleasure I have ta'ne to wife
The faire Lucenda, hoping then thereby
To end thy torments and thy miseries:
For seeing that thou wert not like to live
Any long while, but subject still to grieve,
I held it for the best to act and doe
What I have done, unto the end that you
Having no future hope, might'st strive to gaine
Thy former strength and pristine health againe.
But since th'intents doe justly justifie,
Or else condemne one worthy for to dye,
Vnto my thoughts I doe myselfe referre,
For I am sure my love did never erre:
Yet since the truth ought sooner for to be
Maintain'd by actions, than loquacity,
The judgment shall surcease untill the day
Of Execution Phœbus shall display.
Then shalt thou see what thou had'st gain'd, if that
Thou hadst not prated this reproachfull chat;
And what thou'st lost, since thou hast wronged me
By the aspersions of thy obloquie:
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It shall be judg'd, and very plainely try'd.
But since with thee I would not much dispute,
But purpose fiercely for to execute,
I doe advise thee that thou shalt recant,
And eate thy words as a base recreant:
Which to accomplish, I select and chuse
The proper Armes that men at Armes use;
We will be arm'd as men at Armes be,
A cap, a pe, compleat in each degree:
Onely our right Armes they shall be excepted,
For they shall naked be, and quite detected.
Our Launces equall, each two Swords apiece,
Our Horses barb'd with Front-stalls, Crannets, these
The weapons are, now when you will, you may
Appoint the field, the houre, and the day;
For by the ayde of him who ought to be
Judge 'twixt my wrongs and thy partiality,
I hope to slay thee, or to winne the field,
And Victor-like enforce thee for to yeeld.
| A Small Treatise betwixt Arnalte and Lucenda Entituled The Evill-intreated Lover, Or The Melancholy Knight | |