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 to the Traveller.
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 | A Small Treatise betwixt Arnalte and Lucenda Entituled The Evill-intreated Lover, Or The Melancholy Knight |  |
Arnalte to the Traveller.
My Missive ended, I my Sister caus'dTo come unto me, who as sorry was
To see my hurts, as she was glad that I
Had gain'd the honour and the victory:
Yet howsoever it did grieve her much
That Yerso's chance did fall out to be such.
Then at her comming I did straight repeate
My resolution, and I did intreate
Her to advise me; then did she reply,
She wondred at my bold audacity:
Yet howsoe're, since it might expiate
The influence of my prodigious fate,
She tooke my Letter, and away she hy'd
Vnto Lucenda, who no sooner spy'd
My Sister, but sh'intreated her to be
At those same Nuptials that were caus'd by me.
My Sister then she knew not what she meant,
But afterwards she saw it by th'event:
For at that time her friends and kindred were
Assembled all for to conduct and beare
Her company to a religious house,
Which she had chose to celebrate her vowes,
And to reside the remnant of her dayes,
Singing sad Dirges and lamenting Layes.
My Sister then arrived at that time,
Desir'd to see th'event of their designe,
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My Sister following to observe their ends)
Being arriv'd, and to the covent come,
There tooke the Order of a hooded Nunne.
But 'cause till then my Sister could not finde
A sit convenience for to shew her minde,
Taking occasion by the fore-top, she
'Gan shew Lucenda what was sent by me:
But she no sooner heard my name, but from
My faithfull Sister in a rage she flung,
Calling the Abbesse, to whom she did relate,
She was not enter'd through her arched gate
Into her house, for to consent that she,
Who was the Sister of her enemy,
And mortall foe, should have the liberty
To importune her with her urgency.
Which when my Sister heard, she speedily
Departed thence, and home to me did hye,
Striving t'obscure and to paliate
The sad report of my most cruell fate:
Yet ne'rethelesse distrust did soone detect
Her fained fictions, which I did suspect.
Ah where's that Lover that e're had the like
Disgrace, and crav'd not thin-chop'd death to strike
Him to the heart? which I had soone obtain'd,
Had not my friends perforce my life maintain'd.
Thus hope fled from me, nor no meanes was left
To comfort me, of joy I was bereft:
Then knowing not where to have refuge, I
Turn'd to great Iove, whom most submissively
I did beseech with prayers, for to daigne
His gracious pitty to redresse my paine,
But for my sinnes and former wickednesse,
He gave no eare unto my sad request:
Thus gaining no ease, neiher from Iove above,
Nor of the world, or of the blind-god Love,
I did resolve to goe unto some place
So solitary, that being there, my face
No mortall man should e're behold againe,
There to condole my torment & my paine.
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Her tender heart, as if some horrid sight
Had stood before her; thus amazed she,
Weeping extreamely hasted unto me,
Casting her selfe there prostrate on the ground,
Then at my feet these words she did propound.
| A Small Treatise betwixt Arnalte and Lucenda Entituled The Evill-intreated Lover, Or The Melancholy Knight | |