Alcilia Philoparthens louing Folly. Wherevnto Js Added Pigmalions Image. With The Loue of Amos and Lavra. And also Epigrammes by Sir I. H. and others. Neuer before imprinted |
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Loues Accusation at the Iudgement-seate of Reason,
wherein the Authors whole successe in his loue is couertly described.
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 | Alcilia |  |
Loues Accusation at the Iudgement-seate of Reason, wherein the Authors whole successe in his loue is couertly described.
In Reasons Court, my selfe being Plaintiffe there,Loue was by processe summon'd to appeare.
That so the wrong which he had done to mee
Might be made knowne; and all the world might see,
And seeing, rue, what to my cost I proued,
While faithfull, but vnfortunate I loued.
After I had obtained audience,
I thus began to giue in euidence.
The Authors Euidence against Loue.
Most sacred Queene, and Soueraigne of mans heart,Which of the minde doest rule the better part:
First bred in Heauen, and from thence hither sent
To guide mens actions by thy regiment;
Vouchsafe a while to heare the sad complaint
Of him that Loue hath long kept in restraint:
And as to you it properly belongs,
Grant Iustice of my vndeserued wrongs.
Since first this wretch, sent from the neather hell,
To plague the world with new-found cruelties,
Vnder the shadow of two Christall eyes,
Betraid my sense; and as I slumbring lay,
Felloniously conuay'd my heart away,
Which most vniustly he detain'd from me,
And exercis'd thereon strange tyrannie.
Sometime his manner was to sport and game;
With Bry'rs and Thornes to rase and pricke the same;
Sometime with Nettles of desire to sting it;
Sometime with Pinsons of despaire to wring it:
Sometime againe, hee would annoynt the sore,
And heale the place that hee had hurt before;
But hurtfull helps, and ministred in vaine,
Which serue'd onely to renue my paine.
For after that more wounds hee added still,
Which pierced deepe, but had no power to kill.
Vnhappy med'cine, which instead of cure,
Giues strength to make the patient more indure!
But that which was most strange of all the rest,
My selfe being thus twixt life and death distrest,
Oft times when as my paine exceeded measure,
Hee would perswade mee that the same was pleasure.
My trauell, rest; and all my sower, sweet;
My wounds, but gentle strokes: whereat he smil'd,
And by these sleights my carelesse youth beguil'd.
Thus did I fare, as one that liuing dy'd;
(For greater paines I thinke hath no man try'd,)
Disquiet thoughts, like Furyes, in my brest
Nourish'd the poyson that my spirits possest.
Now griefe, then ioy, now warre, then peace vnstable:
Nought sure I had, but to be miserable.
I cannot vtter all, (I must confesse,)
Men may conceiue more then they can expresse.
But to be short, (which cannot be excus'd,)
With vaine illusions Loue my hope abus'd,
Perswading me J stood vpon firme ground,
When vnawares my selfe on sands I found.
This is the poynt which most I doe inforce,
That Loue without all pitty or remorse
Did suffer me to languish still in griefe,
Void of contentment, succour, or reliefe:
And when I look'd my paynes should be rewarded,
I did perceiue that they were nought regarded:
For why (alas) these haplesse eyes did see,
Alcilia lou'd another more then mee:
My Hope, my Loue, and Fortune thus were crost.
Proceeding further, Reason bad me stay;
For the defendant had something to say.
Then to the Iudge, for Iustice loud J cride,
And so I paused, and Loue thus replide.
Loues Reply to the Author.
Since Reason ought to lend indifferent eares.Vnto both parts, and iudge as truth appeares:
Most gracious Lady, giue me leaue to speake,
And answere his complaint, that seekes to wreake
His spight and malice on me without cause,
In charging me to haue transgress'd thy Lawes.
Of all his Follies he imputes the blame
To me poore Loue, that nought deserues the same:
Himselfe it is that hath abused me,
As by mine answere shall well proued be.
Fond youth, thou knowst what I for thee effected,
(Though now I finde it little be respected)
I purg'd thy wit which was before but grosse,
The mettall pure I seuer'd from the drosse:
And did inspire thee with my sweetest fire.
That kindled in thee courage and desire.
Which cumber mens imaginations
With auarice, ambition, or vaine-glory,
Desire of things fleeting and transitorie.
No base conceit, but such as Powers aboue
Haue knowne and felt, J meane th'instinct of Loue:
Which making men all earthly things despise,
Transports them to a heauenly Paradise.
Where thou complain'st of sorrowes in thy heart,
Who liues on earth but therein hath his part?
Are these thy fruits? Are these the best rewards
For all the pleasing glances, slye regards,
The sweet stolne kisses, amorous conceits,
So many smiles, so many faire intreats,
Such kindnesse as Alcilia did bestow
All for my sake, as well thy selfe doest know?
That Loue should thus be vsed it is hatefull,
But all is lost that's done for one vngratefull.
Where he alledgeth that hee was abus'd,
In that he truely louing was refus'd:
That's most vntrue, and plainely may be tride:
Who neuer ask'd, could neuer be denide.
But he affected rather single life,
Then yoke in Marriage, matching with a wife.
Poore loue (God wot) that pouertie impaires:
Worldly respects Loue little doth regard;
Who loues, hath onely loue for his reward.
He meriteth a Louers name indeede
That casts no doubts, which paine suspicion breede,
But desperately at hazard throwes the Dice,
Neglecting due regard of friends aduice;
That wrestles with his Fortune and his Fate,
Which had ordain'd to better his estate;
That hath no care of wealth, no feare of lacke,
But venters forward, though he see his wracke;
That with Hopes wings, like Icarus, doth flye,
Though for his rashnesse he like fortune trye;
That to his fame the world of him may tell,
How, while hee soar'd aloft, adowne he fell.
And so true Loue awarded him this doome,
In scaling heauen, to haue the Sea his Tombe:
That making shipwracke of his dearest fame,
Betrayes himselfe to pouertie and shame:
That hath no sense of sorrow, or repent;
No dread of perils farre, or imminent,
But doth preferre before all pompe or pelfe,
The sweet of Loue, as dearer then himselfe:
Would make way through to compasse his desire.
For which he would (though heauen and earth forbad it,)
Hazard to lose a Kingdome, if he had it.
These be the things wherein I glory most,
Whereof this mine accuser cannot boast:
Who was indifferent in his losse or gaine,
And better pleas'd to faile then to obtaine.
All quallified Affection Loue doth hate,
And likes him best that's most intemperate.
But hence proceedes his malice and despight,
While he himselfe barres of his owne delight.
For when as he Alcilia first affected,
Like one in shew thou little loue respected,
He masqu'd disguis'd, and entertain'd his thought,
With hope of that which he in secret sought:
And still forbare to vtter his desire,
Till his delay receiu'd her worthy hire.
And well we know what Maides themselues would haue
Men must sue for, and by petitions craue.
But he regarding more his wealth then will,
Had little care his fancie to fulfill.
Yet when he saw Alcilia lou'd another,
The secret fire which in his brest did smother,
If Temperance had not allay'd the same:
Which afterward so quench'd he did not finde
But that some sparke remained still behinde.
Thus when time seru'd hee did refuse to craue it,
And yet enuy'd another man should haue it:
As though faire Maids should waite at yong mens pleasure,
While they, twixt sport and earnest, loue at leasure.
Nay, at the first, when it is kindly proffer'd
Maides must accept, lest twice it be not offer'd:
Else though their beauty seeme their good t'importune,
Yet may they lose the better of their fortune.
Thus as this fondling coldly went about it,
So in the end he cleerely went without it:
For while hee doubtfull seem'd to make a stay,
A Mungrell stole the Maidens heart away:
For which though he lamented much in show;
Yet was he inward glad it fell out so.
Now Reason, you may plainely iudge by this,
Not I, but he the false dissembler is:
Who while fond loue his luke-warme bloud did feede,
Made signe of more then he sustain'd indeede:
And fill'd his Rimes with fables and with lyes,
Which without passion he did oft deuise.
That pittied him, thinking hee lou'd too much,
And with conceit rather to shew his wit,
Then manifest his faithfull loue by it.
Much more then this could I lay to his charge,
But time would faile to open all at large.
Let this suffice to shew his bad intent,
And proue that Loue is cleare and innocent.
Thus at the length, though late, he made an end,
And both of vs did earnestly attend
The finall iudgement Reason should award,
When thus he gan to speake With due regard
The matter hath beene heard on eyther side,
For Iudgement you must longer time abide:
The cause is waightie and of great import,
And so she smiling did adiorne the Court:
Little auail'd it then to argue more:
So I return'd in worse case then before.
| Alcilia | |