University of Virginia Library

The Argument.

In Grecian soyle two brothers born there is,
they father haue Agenetos, whose blis,
In happie time the children had attainde:
the father died, and valiant sons remainde.
The eldest sonne he Kenedoxus hight,
the other namde Pesistratus, they fight
With auncient foes, who Tetimetians callde,
were (caitifs al) to martial brothers thralde:
And conquest got, the brothers fal to strife,
for spoile of foes, wheron ech seckes the life
(In pointed place) of other to suppresse:
Pesistrate conquerour departs, & in distresse
He brother leaues, whose fatal woūd he thought
with cursed blade his cruel hād had wrought
Wheron into Italian partes he flies,
and wel retainde, a seemely Ladie spies,
Whom louing long, the ioyful man at last
his Ladies loue attainde, his dollors past.
From ruling roome then Kenedox deprivde
in natiue soile, to Tarent towne arivde,
Where brother was: of treason he accusde
the Louers both: and Champion not refusde,
In combat fought: the Kenedox was slaine,
and louers thus were rid from former paine
Then Champion dead, was Pesistrate exild
frō Ladies sight, whose chaunged robes beguild
His foes despight: thē proclamatiō made
that Pesistrate to proper soile should vade,
He there ariude prepard a valiant hoste,
wherewith returnde into Italian coast.
He slew the fo in open chalengde fight,
that erst had wrought the troubled man such spight
And Lady woonne, he tooke hir to his mate,
and livde at ease, and dyde in happie state.

The Historie of Pesistratus and Catanea.

In fertile fruitefull happye soyle
which Grecia hath to name,
And pleasant Appollonia lande
contained in the same,
There flourished the courtly race
of Aganetians kind,
Which stained euery hauty bloud
in valure of the minde:
And in the midst, when flickering fame
had spred hir selfe to praise,
To Aganetians did amount
more happy golden dayes.
For when Aganetos, the cheefe
of Aganetians rout,
Began to leaue his youthful yeares,
proceeding to misdoubt:
So fortune fauored his case,
that he posseste the gaine,
Whose want, had long dismayd his sense
and causde him to complaine.
And from Veronia, whom he chose
to be his matched mate,
There did proceede two goodly imps,
which glorified his fate.
And after his decease, when death
incroched on his yeares,
They did renue their fathers fame,
and had not then their peeres.
For when the perilous dispatch
of childish age was spent,
In no misorder, but in vse
which daungers doth preuente
And they approcht vnto the time
when season doth indue
The sense with reason, and the wights
which reason do insue,
These youthful Knights did tracke the steeps
that sire had trod before,
In such an ample valiant sort,
as they could do no more.
One Kenedoxus, the other eke
he Pesistratus high,
The yongest last whose fame my pen
doth purpose to indite,
Who chiefly through his valure great,
so satisfied the sire,
That Pesistratus to prefer
the father dyd desire.
And therefore when as crooked age
did onerate his backe,
And he opprest with faint disease,
did feele of force the lacke,
He cals to him these brothers twayne,
who present thus he sayde:
(But to the elder first his speeche
and meaning he conuayd:)
Thou Kenedoxus knowest wel
the Aganetians fame,
And to be Aganetians heire
thou lookest for the same:
And since it is thy right, my sonne,
I graunt thou shalt inioy
The very same, without my let,
disturbance or anoy:
But oh my welbeloued babes,
consider in your braine,
Now I haue labored for your wealth
and for your propre gaine,
In seeking to suppresse the foes
which gape for the dispoyle
Of Aganetians, vnto whom
I alwayes gaue the foyle.
I meane the Tetimetians, they,
who burne in furies fire,
To haue on Aganetians bloud
the ful of their desire.
But what conflicts and combates fierce,
it needes not to be showne,
Hath bin betwixt my selfe and them,
for it is wel yknowne.
Now this is my request my sonnes,
your prowesse may vphold
The fame, which Tetimetians haue
so derely to me sold,
For wel I do perceiue, bycause
there is two springals sprong
From Tetimetians, you shall feele
their wrath ere it be long:
And therefore warily prouide,
and manfully pretend,
In al their fierce assaults your selues
with courage to defend:
Wherof, not only you shal reape
immortall happy praise,
But also gaine a quiet state,
attaining to the stayes
Which nere your predecessors could
before you yet possesse.
But euer, for your sakes, haue liued
in werisome distresse:
And for bycause your stomacks might
in no wise seeme to faile,
Nor once your harts, in your defence
and quarel for to quaile,
I will declare to you, the cause
from whence began this strife.
Which hath indured, euer since
the entrance of my life.
When Turkish nation did assay
our Appollonia soyle,
To bring the same vnto decay,
and to a shameful foyle,
Tetimetians auncester by craft
and treason did conspire,
Unto the Turkes against the same,
for priuie prouling hire:
Which, when your graundsire Aganes
perceiued to be so,
How Tetime by treason wrought,
and was so geeat a fo
Against his natiue countrey (movde
by nature to the same)
He brought before the armed rout,
this Tetimes to shame:
For there in open audience he
his treason did discry,
Which done he offred to approue
the matter by and by,
Wheras in open sight, by force
this Tetimes he slew,
And after slayne, his trayterous corps
vpon a dunghil drewe.
Which when the chieftaines viewed wel
of Aganes his might.
And how the traytour he had slayne
in maintenance of right.
They al consented and agreed,
your graundsire should possesse
Tetimes heritage, wherein
he tooke a firme release,
And Aganetians euer since
haue so inioyde the same,
Wheron the Tetimetians most
their malice do proclayme.
Thus know you al the ful effecte
(my children) of the case,
And therfore seeke you to insew
your graunsters former rase.
But vnto thee Pesistratus,
with fatherly consent,
I giue my blisse, as much as of
a father may be meant:
And wil thee only, to maintayne
the Aganetians fame,
And to reuenge these foes dispight,
vnto their further shame:
And whatsoeuer either of you
by force of foes attayne,
I wil it do redownd to thee,
as for a rightful gaine.
And so be stint, and gushing teares
proceeded from his eyes
Upon his brest, like dropping dewes
descending from the skyes:
And force did faint, and wauering life
was vp and downe ytrost,
Til at the last in happy time
he yelded vp his ghost.
But, when to brothers did appeare
their fathers mourneful death.
With roaring voyce and shryking cryes,
and sighs and sobbing breath,
And woful houlings, plaintes, and teares,
and piteous mones, they spend
Their youthful dayes, in ruful sorte
vnto a paineful ende.
But in a season, when the rage
of burning did aslake.
(Wherby the boylings did delay)
they did begin to make
The rich and solemne funerals,
(according to the vse)
Of fathers carkasse, meete for earth,
which done without abuse,
With al things incident therto,
the brothers, though dismayd
Through death of sire, yet did deuise
how eche thing might be stayd:
But Pesistratus, cheefely movde
by nature to the same,
To brother Kenedoxus, thus
his speeche began to frame:
Though we vnhappy haue great cause
with teares vs to complaine,
Yet season (brother) seemes to craue
we should therfore refraine,
And though it be both natural
and duety we do so,
Yet is it needeful to surmise
on furies of our fo:
And therfore, sorow set a side,
and pensiuenesse from hart,
Let lustye blouds of Aganes
be bold to do their part,
In seeking to maintaine the fame,
the honor and renowne,
Which Aganetians heretofore
haue gayned, as a crowne,
Wherin you seazed, must possesse
the profits of their toyle,
And therefore most had neede to care
herein, and most to moyle:
And I, as duety doth me binde,
and fathers sweete request,
To maintnance of my brothers wealth,
am alwayes ready prest.
And though our father now deceast,
is so for euer gone,
Yet let our fathers streite preceptes
be alwayes thought vpon:
And since his greatest charge was this,
that we, deuoyde of blame,
Should maintaine auncestors renoume,
and put our foes to shame,
As needful now, let mutual braynes
suppose vppon the case,
That we may both auoyde our payne,
and beautifie the rase
Of former Aganetians, who
haue vsde their former care,
That we successors vnto them,
may likewise partly beare
The fruiteful flower of their fame:
thus doing may we say,
Our auncestors haue wel begonne,
and we haue made the slay:
But otherwise, if we should slacke
our dueties to prefarre,
They should not be so much a fame
to vs, but we a scarre
To them, and those which shal insue
of Aganetians blood,
Who after vs, may rightly say,
wee neuer did them good.
'Tis true, quoth Kenedoxus then,
I graunt to your desire,
And gentle brother to these things,
I willingly aspire:
And therefore, as our fathers wil,
of you so likewise I
Do craue, these matters to dispose,
and I shal nought deny,
But vrge my trauel, to pursue
the force of your aduise,
From whence I doubt not, but the proofe
of profit wil arise.
And thus these brothers do conclude
their talke, and now begin
To follow the effectes therof:
whom I wil leaue herein,
And vnto Tetimetians rage
my penne and I must bende,
For to discry the mind at large,
and matter they intende.
The Tetimetians waying well
how euery thing doth stand,
And how Agenetes is dead,
and they of stronger hand,
And how the brothers be the chiefe
of Aganetians route,
Wheron they gather lesse suspect
or motion of misdoute,
In fell and furious ranckrous rage
so fiercely they abound,
That now in haste, but al in wast,
they hope straight to confounde
The Aganetians, and proceed
in wrathfulnesse and ire,
By sundry shiftes and secret craftes
to worke the sayde desire.
But Anteres, the principall
of Tetimetians, he
Pervsing better of the case
than al the rest could see,
Amongst the midst, began with voyce
amounting, thus to say:
My friendes and Neuews, be attent
to that I shal display:
The Aganetians (as you knowe)
the quarel do defend,
And we desirous of reuenge,
the quarel do extend:
Now, since the quarel is our owne,
and that we seeke our fame,
We ought to chalenge them, as so
we get no further shame:
And therefore note what I intend,
I haue (as you do knowe)
Two sonnes proceeded from my loynes,
who daily seeme to grow
And to increase in prowes great,
and these shal chalenge those,
I meane the brothers, which discend
from parties of our foes,
In meete appointed place to proue
that Tetimes was slayne
By treason false, of Aganes,
who falsly did it faine,
And if the brothers do consent
to come in poynted place,
And dare presume to meete my sonnes
and looke them in the face,
Wee wil ordaine the chiefest strength
of al our noble bloud,
To helpe my sonnes, if ought should chaunce
to them more worse than good:
And by this meanes, as by a shift
when they are present there,
We shal the Aganetians all
suppresse, deuoyde of feare.
To this, the Tetimetians glad,
were very wel agreed.
And therefore, shortly to conclude,
it briefly was decreed
Of al the Tetimetian route,
that chalenge should be made
Of Tetimetian brothers, who
consenting, causde to vade
A verlet dight in posting haste,
to Aganetians trayne,
Who did informe them of this thing,
and then returnde againe.
But none amidst the valiant route
of Aganetians, more,
Than Aganetian brothers ioyde,
to heare of this before.
For it was chiefly that they wisht,
and therfore did prouide
Eche requisite and needful thing
for the appointed tide.
And not vnlike to Lions fierce.
who rage for wante of pray,
They burnd and boylde in furies fire,
til the appointed day,
The which approcht, the furious youthes
be mette in foresaide field,
With barbed horse and steely cotes,
and blade and speare and shield,
And after course of rankrous talke,
with staffe in steady wreast,
Eche youth appointed, for his foe
is now alredy prest.
And traiterous Tetimetians they,
as erst they did deuise,
Were in ambushment priuie hid
in secret, so likewise
The Aganetians eke, vnknowne
did closely couche in place,
Where they suspecting of their foes
and of the foresaide case
Did lie, their nephewes to defend,
if reason should assaile
To worke them mischiefe, wherein much
their watching did preuaile:
For when eche youthful knight had met
and buckled with his foe,
Like thunder ratling in the skies
which tumbleth to and fro,
At last the Tetimetians force
began to fainte and faile,
The which when Aganetians spide,
more fiercely did assayle
Their foes, with ouercharging thwackes
til Tetimetians route
Espying those their nephewes fare,
in hast did rushe them out
From bushes, like to buskling boares,
vpon the brothers twayne
Of Aganetian kind, and thought
the brothers to haue slayne:
But Aganetians likewise hid,
as furiously do meete,
From couert bushes, these theyr foes,
in their defence to greete,
And now begins the stirre a newe,
for euery man doth straine
Himselfe with al his force and might,
to put his foe to paine,
But most surpassing all the rest,
the prowesse, and renowne
Of Pesistratus did excell,
who so suppressed downe
The rage of Tetimetians pride,
that through his Martial might
And manly courage, to conclude,
they put their foes to flight.
And then in better peace, than earst
when they sustaynde anoy.
They did retyre, with happy heartes
and stomackes stuft with ioy,
But woe to Fortunes tickle wheeles,
who seemeth to aduaunce.
When with hir froward kicking heeles
she charmeth a mischaunce:
Thou blubbered blind and bleared eyde,
thou fond and fickle foole,
Thou thrice and thriee accursed Wench,
thou girle of Momus schole,
Why doth thy sausie finger touch
these manly Martiall knightes?
Why doest thou so infect these youthes
with thy impoysned spightes.
Art thou not thrall: not thrall ywis:
doth fortune eche thing guide?
Why then, alas, attend to heare
of this vnhappy tide.
The Aganetians thus returnde
from former feareful broyle,
The conquest got, by knightly force
in giuing foes the foyle,
In season after sweete repast
receiued, they deuise
And mutually consented now,
they purpose to surmise,
How that the spoyle they haue obtaynd
of foes, may parted bee
Amongst themselues, and herevpon
they seeke for to agree.
But when as Kenedoxus viewde
this purpose and intent,
In hope to haue the whole himselfe
and all the rest preuent.
With forced voyce and fyled song,
and hawtie glozing stile,
He movde his speech as thus, and cravde
attentiuenesse a whyle:
You valiant impes and worthy limmes
of Aganetians rase,
Considering what you do intend
and purpose in this case,
I thinke my selfe the boldlier may
proceede for to declare
Such certaine things, as to be showne
both good and needeful are.
You know, of Aganetians I
by duety do retaine
The landes and lordships, which by right
to me the heyre remaine:
And now by cause we haue of foes
by force possest a spoyle,
Wherein, more landes we purchaste haue
contained in this soyle,
It seemeth requisite to mee,
that I possesse the same,
Bycause thereby it may enlarge
the Aganetians fame.
For if our lands should be disperst
and not in one mans vse,
In tract of time it would returne
vnto our owne abuse:
And therefore note what I shal say,
let me the lande possesse,
And what your partes amount vnto,
I will the same addresse
With ready paiments into golde,
how answere you to this?
None answerde but Pesistratus,
who sayde it were amis
That he should seeme so to incroche
vpon the same, whose right.
Was due to him by Sires bequest,
if foes were woon by fight.
Which when the Aganetians wayd.
remembring it for true,
That by the fire it was disposde
for Pesistratus due,
With one accord they did consent,
that Pesistratus, he
Should it enioy, as fathers wil
hath graunted it to be.
But Kenedoxus movde to wrath,
with swelling face for ire,
Did brast out these vnseemely words,
and no wise would aspire:
What value more hath bin resinde
from Pesistratus part?
Or manly prowesse, than of me
and of my willing hart?
Or why should such vnequal dole
be offred for my paine?
Since I my care, as much as he,
haue vsde for to maintaine
The Aganetians worthy fame,
whose worthiest heire am I,
And therefore hold it greatest skorne,
that you should so denie
To render me my rightful due,
or strongly to withhold,
My proper right, it likewise seemes,
my brother is to bolde:
Not bolde, quoth Pesistratus then,
in seeking for mine owne,
But you to bolde in wresting mine
as it is well yknowne.
Which wordes when Kenedoxus heard,
with hautie spitefull hart
He left them all, and rancrous ful
did furiously depart.
Repairing to his chamber, where
deuoid of quiet rest,
His raging braynes vnbridled boyle
in fierce Alectos brest,
And fuming in the furious fits
which madnesse intertaine,
As one distraught of sense and wittes,
he puts himselfe to paine,
In raging for to seeke reuenge
in most despightful wise
On Pesistratus, whose disease
he ceaslesse doth deuise.
But Aganetians musing much
at Kenedoxus rage,
And Pesistratus seeing it,
desirous to aswage
The same, with leaue requested, hies
to Kenedox in hast,
Where as approcht, his brother spies
to mumble very fast
Unto himselfe with rayling voyce
on Pesistratus, who
Perceiuing Kenedox, as madde
to raile vppon him so,
Had entring, thought by gentle words
to molifie his ire,
But Kenedoxus seing him,
auoyde and come no nyer
Quoth he, for (villaine) I will seeke
as much thy great defame,
As thou hast sought, in open sight
of frendes to worke my shame.
Yet Pesistratus (curteous knight)
replide to him againe
With gentle kind of humble speech,
and sought for to refraine
Himselfe from wrath: but Kenedox
so furiously was bent
Against Pesistratus, that fraught
with fierce and fell intent,
He drewe from secret sheath, as wo[illeg.],
his desprate testie blade,
Wherwith on Pesistratus, hee
so fiercely did inuade,
That had not Pesistratus stept
from chamber dore in hast,
His curteous heart of brothers blade
had felt th'vnsauerie tast.
But Pesistratus viewing this,
with Rapior had in hand,
Returnd againe to brothers face
his rigor to withstand:
And movde by this occasion iust
to anger, caitife vile
(Quoth hee) wouldst thou in brothers blood
so cowardly defile
Thy filthy fistes? and art thou meant
to seeke thy friendes decay?
If so, in a conuenient place
and on appointed day
Agree to get reuenge, and seeke
thy quarell to renue,
And I this blade in traiterous bloud
of thine shal there imbrue:
Wherewith eche partie did consent
in poynted place to meete.
And when the season was approchte,
as time doth swiftly fleete,
These youthes are met, prouided both,
according to the time,
With speare and shield, and bloudy blade,
to tell eche others crime,
Not with the tong, but Martial fist,
in such vnfriendly sort,
As eche did iudge his foe, no friend,
or for to play in sport:
But now began the broyle so hot,
that who had seene the blowes,
The deadly thrustes, the desperate foynes
that eche to other showes,
The battring bangs, and thumping thwacks
that eche to other lent,
With stayned fielde, of brothers bloud
so carelessly dispent,
He would haue ieast surmysde, that these
should naturall brothers be,
But rather friendes of Cerberus kynde,
or impes of Hels decree:
So furious fiersly did they deale,
without remorse of life,
Or nature, but respecting nought
saue cause of former strife,
Like Tigres fastening on their pray,
the sought eche others death,
Til both had laboured with such paine
that they were out of breath:
And then they breathd and fought afresh,
and breathde and fought agayne,
And neuer stint, til at the last
there came with might and maine
A great connent of armed knightes,
who had in forrest by
Bin chasing, through their martial feates
a dragon monstrous hie,
And of proportion wonderful,
who long had brought to spoyle
The corne and cattel therabout
contayned in their soyle.
And when the knights had from a farre
espide these brothers fell,
Eche so assaulting others life
with bloudy blade to quell:
With pricking spurre, they forward forst
their bodies to be borne.
And when approcht, they viewde the knights
so batterd, taggde and torne
With dint of sworde, it was no boote
to bid them forward hie
To part the foes, for it was done
in twinckling of an eye.
But Kenedoxus what through heate
and want of breathing winde,
And what through faintnesse of his wounds,
be to the earth declinde
As dead, for Pesistratus had
impierst with cruel thrust,
His shoulder through, whom when he viewd
to grouel in the dust
His heany hart was so agast
and he in dumpes dismayde,
Bycause he thought his brother dead,
that thus with teares be sayde:
O lucklesse wight, oh cursed youth,
and hath this this my fist
My brother slayne? and shal I liue?
no, no, I wil vntwiste
My vital knotte, and this the knife,
which wrought my brothers death,
Shall likewise pierce my cruel hart,
and stop my vitall breath.
And therewithal in desprate moode
he set the hilts on ground,
And thought with point of piercing knife
to take his latest wound:
But present knightes withdrew his hand
from that vntimely acte,
And sought how to perswade hym now,
(since finisht is the fact)
The he departe from natiue soyle
into some forraine place,
Whereas, deuoyde of further feare
and daunger, he may passe
His life in safetie, both from foe
and peril of the lawe:
To which Pesistratus agreed,
when he the daunger saw,
That woulde ensue vppon his case
if he were bent to stay,
And therefore speedily prepares
and takes his ready way
To secret place, where he might hide
his woful head a space,
Til season that he may conuey
his steps to further place.
But there arriued, woful man,
his troubles so increase,
And he so vexed is in griefes,
which no wise he can cease,
That al addrest to mourneful chere,
his cares he doth discus,
The which prouokte his forced penne,
in verse to vtter thus:
Oh heauie hart dismaid,

To the tune of Damon & pythias

oh stomacke stuft with paine,
Oh woful wight, oh cursed wretch,
why shouldst thou not complaine?
Art thou in pleasant state,
or hast thou cause to ioy?
No no, thy fates are frounst in feares,
come death and ridde my ceasles anoy,
Oh cruel carelesse wretch,
doest thou deserue thy life,
Since thou thy gentle brothers breast
hast pearst with cursed knife?
VVhat meanest thou to liue?
and wilt thou life enioy?
No no, thy fates are frounst in feares,
come death and ridde my ceasles anoy
You fatal sisters all,
you twisters teare my threede,
VVith fatall knife my fatal knott
to share in hast proceede.
For I vnhappie wretch
am cleane exilde from ioy,
And liue in woes, in griefes, and feares,
come death and ridde my ceasles anoy
And then the wretched heauy wight,
doth spende the tedious tyme
In plaintes and teares, and vexing griefes,
bewayling former crime,
In such a mourneful sorte, as who
had seene the man in feares,
To scald his pleasaunt youthful chekes
with such excesse of teares,
His heauy hart would yearning, melt
to heare his woful mones,
Whose griefes might moue the fixed starres
or mollifie the stones.
And yet (vncessant) doth he frounse
his hart in these his woes,
Regarding nought but wished graue
his carcase to inclose:
Whom, so dismayde in drousie dumpe
amidst his cares I leaue,
And now to Kenedoxus state
my quil I must bequeaue.
Oh heauy case, ambition should
be cause of such anoy,
That mutual bloudes should be disperst
and so deuoyde of ioy:
Oh haplesse chance, vnhappy thrice,
how fel is greedie rage,
That it should pester so the partes,
which reason can not swage?
Alas alas, ambition was't
that kindled al this fire?
And was't ambition which addrest
the brothers so to ire?
And was't ambition from the whence
this greuous case so grew?
Ambition was it, wherfore harke
what did thereof insue.
Pesistratus for feare thus fled,
within a certaine space
When dumpes auoyded, vital course
returnde to proper place,
Then Kenedoxus did reuiue,
and musing very much
To see so great conuent of knightes,
full fraught with former grutch,
His body raised from the ground
in hast with desperate blade:
As one distraught of reasons sense
he fiercely did inuade
The knightly troope there present, who
dismaide to see the same,
Yet wisely pondring that to strike
it would be to their shame,
Intreated often him to cease,
pronouncing vowes, that they
Were all his friendes, and minded least
to seeke for his decay.
Which waying, he perceyuing eke
the man not present there,
On whom he sought reuenge, and what
more cause he had to feare,
Soone stayde his handes, and gently then
he gan for to request,
What cause compeld their presence there,
to be in armour drest.
Who aunswerd, certifying him
of al the former case:
And how his brother they had sent
into a forreine place,
Bycause they feared he was dead,
supposing it for best
He should depart, than there to liue
in daunger and vnrest:
But oh the dolor that redoundes
to Kenedoxus hart,
Impleating euery vaine with griefe
or rather deadly smart,
When first he vnderstood the same,
yet quickly was it layde,
For gayne and ranckour did perswade
so much, that soone he stayd
Therefrom, bycause hys greedie hart
had now the thing attaind,
I meane the landes for which so much
of trauaile he sustaind:
Yet further thinking of the thing
when he perused well,
And saw that Pesistratus had
the conquest as it fell,
Bycause that he was left as dead:
oh how did ranckour rage
In broyling breast, as poysned fire
whych floodes may not asswage:
So fiercely freting did the fume
of choler frame his ire,
That if by suffraunce he might had
the ful of his desire,
He would for anger haue destroyed
himselfe in desperate minde,
Such was the scorneful pride wherto
hys stomacke was inclinde.
And twixt these passions, dolour so
attempting him, quoth he,
And is he fledde, and doth he thinke
to skape and to be free
By flight? no, no, though he suppose
I am a senslesse corse,
Ere it be long he shall abide
and throughly feele my forse.
And therwithall a spightfull vow
in solempne wise he made,
That tyme should nere content his harte
till he with deadly blade
Had pierced Pesistratus sides,
whose then effused blood
Should onely tend for to suffise
his ire and do him good.
Oh frendlesse frettes of hautie wrath,
O impe of serpentes kinde,
How could thy stomacke so desire,
thy brothers life to blinde?
What rest lesse rage assaulteth thee,
what strange disguised sort
Of diuelish Gods, constraine thy wil
such lewdnesse to support?
Thy brother doth complaine, to thinke
of thine vnhappy fate
And his vnkindnesse, thinking him
in more vnhappy state.
And with excesse of piteous teares,
and blubberings, sighes, and cryes:
The lothsome tedious tyme he weares,
in a most mornefull wise.
And not so much for his exile,
as doubt of thy misfare,
Yet thou accursed, onely sekst
and dost employ thy care
To bring thy brother to his ende,
regarding nature nought,
Nor yet the concord which by right
of brother should be sought.
Oh woful hearing, what a thing
is this, that such a knight
As Pesistratus, fraught with grace,
with vertues, and with might,
Who long may liue in quiet rest:
to do his country good:
Should so by ranckrous spight be forst,
to flee from natiue brood?
The cause of mone is very much.
and it disturbes me stil:
Yet now compeld to leaue my teares,
I must ordaine my quill
To further thy deserued fame,
Pesistratus thou kinde,
Whose praise I wish were printed plaine
in euery bodies minde.
The hautie pride of ranckrous rage,
turmoyling thus in breast
Of Kenedox, when spiteful wordes
by tract of time were ceast,
Associated with the route,
of foresayde hunters trayne,
He is arriued at pallace where;
he wonted to remaine:
And he no sooner seysed had
his footesteps in the towne:
But it was rifely blowne abrode,
and spred for true renowne
That Kenedoxus was approcht,
and almost dead through wounds,
The which as by report to al,
so likewise it resoundes
Unto the hearing of his freindes
and kinsmen, who agast,
With speedy trauel did prouide
to visite him in hast:
And present viewing how the wight
was dyed in his bloud,
Wherein he wallowed as a beast:
bycause they vnderstoode
Nothing of former case, as how,
Pesistratus had sped
His brother so: nor how for feare
of daunger he was fled:
With musing much they did demaund,
of his vnlucky fare:
To whome the circumstance of all
did Kenedox declare,
Which vttred in dispightful sorte
and in a raging wise,
With blasted face and stamping feete:
his kinsmen did surmise,
And wisely pondred of the case:
which well pervsing, they
Perceivde that Kenedox was cause
of this vnhappy fray,
Wheron they chiefly did repute
to Kenedox the blame,
Who fiercely fuming more in frets
did rage to heare the same:
And they aggreued for to thinke
of Pesistratus exile,
Were euen as fiercely bent againe
to rough and raging stile.
Wheron eche partie was displeasde:
for Kenedox was mad,
To see his brothers case bewaylde
when he the worser had:
And they lamenting, {rued} the time
that they had lost the wight,
I meane Pesistratus, whose helpe
was all their chiefest might:
And therupon such taunting checkes
and wordes from euery side
Proceded forth, that greeued they
no longer would abide
With Kenedox, but curst his pride,
and iudgde him for their foe:
As likewise he no otherwise
of them esteemde but so.
And thus departed they, whom now
as cause addrest to ire:
So cause to Pesistrate doth moue,
my pen for to retire,
The only reaper of the praise,
and gainer of the fame:
Which this my simple rude discourse,
indeuors to proclame.
Who thus by fortune forst to hide,
his head in little space:
Prouided wel for to conuey,
himselfe to further place.
For as it fel, a vessel riggde,
and redy drest to ride,
Towards Italian coastes, was there
the very selfe same tide
That he arriued at the place,
wherto before he fled:
Whereof the woful man was glad,
that he so wel had sped,
And therefore briefly did conclude
with sailer for his hire:
The which agreed with prosperous winde,
and tide to their desire.
They set aloofe, and hoysed sayles,
and daunst amidst the seas,
With easie, calme, and pleasant streames
at their desired ease.
But Pesistratus he alas,
for all these foresaide things:
Could not vnwrap him selfe from cares,
or such pernitious stings
As troubled him through former fact,
but ceaslesse did lament
His curssed crime, which with excesse
of teares be did repent.
Yet at the last when fansies fill,
he tumbled had in braine:
He somwhat left for to distil
his teares, and to complaine,
And gathered stomacke, as behoues
a man in such a case:
For to retaine, though with much paine,
as Pesistratus was.
And therfore he auoyding greefes,
and setting cares apart:
Considering what was requisite,
with courage fraught his hart,
And craued aid with crouching knees,
of mightie loue his hand:
Desiring comfort might preuaile
his dolour to withstand.
Which prayers made, as one renewd,
and now no more anoyde:
He felt his burdened hart more light
and cleane of cares deuoyde.
And therefore thanking mighty Ioue
for sodaine such reliefe,
He cleane forsakes his drousie dumpes
and doth disdaine his griefe:
And with a cheereful brayne prouides
hys voyage to forecast,
Supposing of the things to come,
and not of matters past.
And seekes to recreate his sense,
and to refreshe his minde,
With spending tyme in pleasant sort
and sportes of comely kinde.
Wherto Aurore and Tytan both
do seeme for to agree
With pleasaunt golden glittering rayes
whych mutual splendant bee.
As eke the siluer surging streames,
which likewise seeme to play
In pleasant sort with Titans beames
which beutifide the day.
And thus the season seeming fit,
in tract of time at last,
With helpe of Zephyrs gentle breath,
their iourney ouerpast.
They arrivde in {consanes} of
Italian partes with ease,
Where as approcht, Pesistratus
doth safely leaue the seas,
And takes his way to certaine place,
where he was bent to bide,
Till season that he might deuise
a maister to prouide,
Whom he might serue, supposing so
to spende his tedious dayes:
Yet hoping wel in tract of time
to finde some other wayes
To purchase credite, wherby he
might happier fate attaine:
Where inpervsing thus, he thought
to vse therin his paine.
Alas what cause thou woful wight
hast thou to make thy mone?
How canst thou brooke? to serue a knight,
since thou thy selfe was one
Of woorthy fame, and prowesse more
in Gretia soyle containd:
How may thy nusled custome bee
by neede so much restraind:
How canst thou frame thy selfe to crou[illeg.]
since crouching vnto thee,
It was thy duetie to receiue
the crouch of cap and knee?
How canst thou suffer for to leaue,
the silken robes of thine:
And now thy tender corps, to weedes
of basenesse to refine?
How canst thou gnaw of refuse bones,
when wont it was thy trade,
To feede of sweetest sauouring meates,
that ioyly iunckets made?
How canst thou beare the taunting check
of maisters common vse:
Or how can stomacke be content,
to liue in such abuse?
How mayst thou brooke the felowship,
of simple seruile kinde:
Or how mayst thou forbeare so much,
for to subdue thy minde:
Since all the routes of courtly traine,
were seruile vnto thee,
And redy prest to execute
the wil of thy decree?
Howe mayst thou frame to weare in ste
of golden linked chaine,
About thy necke, in bondage yoke,
of seruitude and paine?
Yes yes, thou canst, thy gentle hart
is voide of hautie pride:
And thou as wel canst ease deny,
as it hath thee denide.
And take thy fortune as it fals,
thou canst forbeare the same:
Wherfore I shall addresse my pen,
thy vertues to proclame.
And thys my verse though not as wel,
as faine I do desire,
Bycause it wrought in Plutos forge
is tride with scarce good fire,
Yet shal indeuor to proceede,
to paint thy further prayse
In ful effect, who so wil heare,
though not with hautie praise.
Pesistratus in former plight,
and place abiding stil,
Expecting for a seruice such
as might content his wil.
Considering of his doubtful state,
and case, perceiued playne
That there to stay, it were a thing
but frustrate and in vaine.
And therefore he departed thence,
where first he did ariue:
Well hoping of a fitter place,
where better he should thriue:
And as he trauelde, fortune so
by fauour brought to passe,
That wandring witlesse vp and downe,
not knowing where he was:
There dwelt an auncient Hermite by,
in Sabels all yclad,
With hoary beare, and countnaunce graue,
of gesture very sad,
Whom Pesistrate espying soone,
prepared for to meete:
And after met in curteous wise,
and maner did he greete:
And after greeted, did disclose,
the summe of all his care,
Requiring Sire to haue remorse,
to hys vnlucky fare:
Desiring further that he would
vouchsafe to entertaine
Him in his seruice, wherein he
did vow to vse his paine.
To whom with gentle speech the Sire
did curteously reply,
That he was bent to liue alone,
as likewise so to die:
But viewing both the seemely shape,
the countenaunce and the grace
Of Pesistrate, in tract of time
when he had paus'd a space:
My Sonne (quoth he) I pittie much
the cause of thine anoy,
And would to god my power could streetch,
to worke thy further ioy:
But if my simple cottage may
suffise thee for to please,
And to remaine with me my sonne,
thou thinke it for thine ease,
My hart contented is to graunt,
therin thy whole request:
As likewise for to pleasure thee,
in ought else am I prest.
For which Pesistratus did thanke
a thousand times the Sire,
That he vouchased so to graunt
the thing he did require.
And thus a punie Hermite he
become, they did repayre
Unto their little cottage by,
auoyding open aire.
Where as refection taken they
as earst returne to walke
Againe: and then the Sire begins,
in former wise to talke.
Demaunding Pesistratus, why
he left his natiue soile:
Who blanke to speake, yet fearing least
he purchase should a toyle,
Deuisde a shift: and as he thought
to speake, in boysterous haste
A Lion fierce with stamping feete
who therby had bin crast,
Came flinging fiersly towardes them,
with open roaring voice
And gaping mouth and staring eyes,
and fearefull thundring noise.
Whom when they spide, the father feard,
began to cry: Oh knight,
Thou hast deceiued me, wheron
the Saints do beare me spight,
But Pesistratus wel aduisde,
preparde his sword and shielde,
The whych in iorney he had borne,
and brought into the field.
And with a courage met the beast,
in such a rigorous sort,
That plaine by force, he set his tayle
on ground, for al hys port.
And further fiersly so attempt,
that with his testy blade
He spils in twayne his hart, before
recouery could be made.
And whilst so manfully be dealt,
the chasers folowing fast,
Were present come, who viewing this,
were wondrously agast.
This only one durst so assault,
the best whych they before
Durst not inuiron or attempt,
without at least a skore.
And feared sire, when he so sawe,
the valiantnesse of hart
In Pesistrate, began to cry,
S. George is of our part.
And with a thousand yelded thankes
he gratified his paynes
Desiring pardon for his wordes,
when erst he, did complaine.
And Pesistratus thus attaind,
the conquest of the beast:
Which after was the chiefest cause,
that set his hart at [illeg.]
For in the route of the conuent
of chasers, was a knight
Of prowesse great, and valure like,
who Pecipater hight:
He bare the most and chiefest sway
in countries therabout,
But chiefly in Tarentum towne
a citie voyde of doubte:
Because it florisht through the meanes
of Pecipater, who
Beholding Pesistrate his fight,
hys strength and courage so,
Was mou'd with inward burning zeale
of fauour to retaine:
As though his loue were ready prest
to quite Pesistrates paine.
And therefore, when othe victory
by Pesistrate attainde,
Eche turmoyle cast the caging beast,
by force was so restrainde.
Wyth comely grace on coursors corps.
he Pesistrate doth meete:
Whom wyth aboundant curtesie,
the gentle knight did greete,
And after salutations made
to him and to the sire,
He doth of Pesistratus straight,
with frendlynesse require,
By what aduenture he was driuen
to meete the chased beast?
Who did enforme him of eche thing,
and aunswere his request,
With no lesse grauitie than words,
in seemely order set,
And gesture courtly, comely grace
and comelinesse as great,
Which Pecipater noting well
and liking, did deuise
In semblant sort, to vtter that
his fansie did surmise
To craue, which was in fellowship
Pesistrate to retayne:
Whose peerelesse prowesse be esteemde
eche mortal wightes to staine.
In season therfore fitte assignde,
he moues with pleasant stile,
His frendly wordes, and thus saide he,
it were a great exile.
My friende Pesistratus that we
by happy fortune met,
Should part, whose presence neyther cause
nor season seemes to let:
But not so much exile, as griefe
and dolour vnto mee,
Who should esteeme thy presence left,
my selfe not to be free.
But thral to care, such is the zeale
that stirreth my desire
To craue thy presence, wherfore yelde
to that I do require.
I can not chuse saide Pesistrate,
but very well suppose
Of al the profred friendship which
so friendly you disclose.
But yet the basenesse of my birth,
and barenesse of my state,
And rudenesse of my persone, seeme
vnfitte for such a mate,
Which be the motions that compel
me boldly to deny
(My pardon cravde) for to assent
thus to presume so hie,
As match the mate, whose bondage may
beseeme my seruile kinde
More better farre, than for to yelde,
to your desirous minde.
Yet Pecipater could not be
suffised with the same,
Nor iudged the abasing of
himselfe to be defame:
But was importunate the more
to haue him to agree:
Wherto Pesistratus wyth thankes
did yeld, when he did see
The gentle valure that was shrinde
in Pecipaters brest,
And ioyde in hart to thynke his state
was setled at such rest:
That where as earst an exilde wight,
he wandred vp and downe,
He now a rulers mate hath reapt
by fortune such renowne,
And thus agreed, they do repayre
with sire to cottage by,
Where as a while they did prouide,
their weary lymmes to lye
At more of ease, and then refresht,
with taken leaue of Sire,
Unto Tarentum whence they came
they buskled to retire.
Wyth whom Pesistrate worthy knight
departing: toke his leaue
Of foresayde Sire, whose wish the like
to god did hym bequeaue.
And now ech praunser ready prest,
with ech thing furnisht fit:
As tracking trappers, saddels trimme,
and large restrayning bit:
The lusty valiant youthful knightes,
proceede with stamping pace
And portly gesture, towardes that
the sayd desired place,
And mouing talke of hunters trade,
they reason of their game,
Wherby Pesistratus was knowne
as expert in the same,
As present any, whereon eche
did iudge and deeme his race,
More rather rightly to proceed
of royall bloud than base.
Whose comely countenaunce pleased so
eche wight, that eche man thought
Himselfe a happy mate, that fate
had such companion brought.
But Pecipater happiest hee,
esteemde amongst the rest
Himselfe, that what he chiefest sought,
such fortune had addrest:
And thus eche partie well content,
such friendlynesse doth flowe
From euery side, that Pesistrate
lets foresaide sorrowes go:
And only now deuiseth he
their curtsies to requite:
And thus whilest tract of time by stealth,
had taken proofe of flight,
And they approched had their pace,
vnto Tarentum nie,
Pecipater a varlet sendes
before, for to discry
The conquestes wonne, and that hys wil
was eche man should prepare
Against hys presence seemely showes,
their conquestes to declare.
Which message done by varlet, was
prouided in the towne:
For triumphe eche thing redy fitte
pretending great renown:
As valiant route of armed knights,
with glistering helmes and shieldes:
And blazing banners set aloft,
in turrets, fortes, and fieldes,
And trumpets sounding vp triumph,
and drummes pretending fame:
And iangling belles with Musikes arte,
wel placed in the same.
And diuers well deuised toyes,
and sundry pleasant sightes,
Attendant ready for the fame
of these triumphant knightes.
And al the chiefe and nobles there,
assembled were likewise
In decent order for the nonce,
eche thing was so precise,
Amidst the which, the royal race
of Pecipaters blood,
The hiest roome and worthiest place
possessing: seemely stood,
Their worthy kinsman to salute
wyth such aduised prayse,
As doth behoue for worthye wyght
which hath deserued prayse.
Whych was so passing pleasant sight,
as could be wisht no more:
For both of lusty youthful knightes,
and glittering dames such store,
Were present, as in Tarent towne,
the like was neuer sene:
Nor yet in all Italian costes,
no better could haue bin.
Yet most surpassing all the rest,
in beauties beames as farre,
As glittering glee of Phebes forme,
furmountes the twinckling starre.
Was present one, a certaine dame,
who Catanea hight,
The sister to Pecipater,
a peerelesse gemme by right:
For seemely such she was, as though
shee framed were in molde:
With equall grace, so equal matcht,
as tong may not vnfolde.
Here beauty, blazing more in sight,
within hir angelike face,
Than in the skies, the golden rayes
of Tytans raumping race.
Such perfect feature firmely fixt
within hyr secret frame:
As though by right, dame Nature scornde.
she chalendge endlesse fame,
With curteous countenaunce, comely corps,
and portrature demure,
So rare that Gods might seeme to bow
hir fansie to procure.
And so indude in euery point,
with natures speciall giftes,
As though shee onely perfect wrought,
eche else by fayned shiftes.
This Nimphe with al the foresayde route,
now ready do remaine:
Expecting for the presence of
hir brother and his trayne.
And viewing thus at last, she spies
the knightes approched nie:
Wheron eche thing prouided proues
his prowes for to trie:
For trumpets sound, and shalmes recorde,
and cornets quiuer fast,
To gratifie the conquerors
with sweete saluting blast.
And euery thing reioycing, seemes
to make a pleasant tide.
Wherein the seemely knightes be come.
and they arriued ride
In decent order, prauncing fast,
on corps of comely steede:
Which satisfide eche eyesight well,
his fansie for to seede:
For first the youthfull valiant knights,
conducting praunst before,
In seemely ranke and portly grace
as doth behoue therfore,
And then Pecipater in midst,
with Pesistrate proceedes,
By certaine signe pretended wel
the proofe of eche mans dedes:
For Pecipater had a head
of wylde and tusked Bore,
Which he hymselfe by force had slayne,
transported him before:
And Pesistrate of Lyon fierce,
the great and grislie ded
Which he had slaine, as erst was sayde,
before hys courser led.
And thus in Tarent stretes arivde,
the people al reioyce,
To see such valiant sight, wheron
was moude so great a noyse,
As though with thāks they wold haue rais'd
the Conquerours to skies,
So glad the people for their praise,
did moue such lofty cryes.
But euery wight that marked well,
Pesistratus his grace,
His feautred limmes so sightly set,
and pight in equal place,
As though the Gods had all agreed
to frame of earthly molde,
In humaine forme a wondrous worke,
for nature to beholde:
Not little musing, praised much
his valure in their minde:
Whose peere in euery poynt they iudge,
a man should neuer finde.
And stil proceeding forwarde thus,
at last they came to place,
Wheras remainde the royal troupe,
of Pecipaters race.
To whom they vsde reuerence such,
as like was vsde againe,
With modest countnance, to the route
of Pecipaters traine.
But when Pecipater hymselfe,
with Pesistratus was
Therto approcht who then had seene
the curtesie did [illeg.]
From part to part, he would haue thought
Minerua had indude:
Their seldome seene behauioure there,
with none such gestures viewd.
So courtly countnaunce did vnfolde
the meanings of the minde:
Pretending outwardly wherto
the senses were inclinde:
And after salutations thus
concluded, to the praise
Of Pesistrate Pecipater
to Catanea sayes:
If one surpassing other eche,
a peerelesse may be hight:
This youth possest wyth carest giftes,
deserues the name by right:
Indude with courage, fraught with truth
abounding ful of fame.
And natures gift is so seldome seene
as fewe retaine the same.
Wheron hys person greeting well,
to Pesistrate she saide:
His presence welcome, thrise and thrise,
but silly he dismaide
To viewe the seldome beuties blaze
appearing in hir face,
And eke hir [illeg.] protrature,
and correspondent grace:
As spite of wits [illeg.] fraught did stande,
infected at the hart:
With Venu and poisned point
of Cupides fiery dart:
And had no power to moue his speech,
his tong was so restraind:
Nor render thanks his nummed sense
was so in secret painde.
Yet pausing time returning strength,
such harte thanked quoth he,
I yelde and wish, as by my tong
they may not vtterd be.
Which well shee weyed, marking eke,
how course of bloud did change,
Is likewise wistly viewd his vaynes,
in panting wise to raunge:
Yet all the rest suspected least
therof, but onely waide
The comely answere which to hir,
in seemely wise he sayde.
For which in minde eche did commend
hym much, pretending so
In curteous wise as he could deeme,
in presence none a foe:
And then in one conuent they went
to Pecipaters place,
There for to vse such meete repastes,
as fitted for the case.
And Catanea she alone
with Pesistrate did walke,
Who by occasion movde, did vse
such sober friendly talke,
As either partie liked well,
wheron their stomackes flame
In mutuall loue, and Cupides fire,
proceeding in the same,
In zealous wise, though that vnknowne
it was to either, how
The others hart to eithers wil,
was redy for to bow.
And thus eche trapped in the snare,
of sodaine seemely sight,
Theyr fansies feeding on the baites,
of further loues delight.
When voyage finisht, they are come
to Pecipaters place,
Ech gift well greeted as behoues,
such curtsie for the case,
And Pesistrate lyke welcom'd: they
perseuer further still,
Wyth filed tong, and pleasant stile,
to please ech others wil.
Tyl such time as season did
their appetites require,
With natures nourishment to feede
their natural desire.
The which approcht, prouided wel,
such delicates they haue,
Of euery commendable kinde,
as hart no more might craue.
It were a folly therfore that
I further should pretend:
For to describe their sumptuous feast,
and to afrustrate ende.
Bycause in few words may it serue,
the whole for to disclose:
It was as delicate and fine,
as fansie might suppose.
This matter [illeg.] I wil
proceede for to proclame
This Pesistratus worthy prayse,
and Cataneas fame.
Of whom my purpose toke in hand,
with pen for to endite
Their sodaine loue, and constant faith
to set in open sight.
When feast was finisht, and the day
intending to his ende:
Sir Titan leaues his splendant streames,
a while for to extende.
The guestes with rendring harty thankes,
be redy to repayre,
Eche to hys home, as cause did moue
their presence to be there.
And Catanea with them bent,
in likewise to departe
Hir brother left (who wisht hir yet
to stay wyth willyng hart,)
Did minde to wend to dwelling place,
where wonted she remainde,
Of vncle hyrs, who from her youth,
in vertues had hir traynd
To present age, yet not forgot,
she takes desired leaue,
Whom Pecipater to the Gods
tuition did bequeaue.
And then to Pesistrate the frames
hir speach in gentle wise:
Well wishing to his person health,
and so the homeward hies.
But who had seene the countenance of
Pesistratus when he,
Perceiud he must forgo the sight,
which most he craude to see.
He would haue thought the silly man,
were redy prest to dye:
His heauy dolefull gestures so
his sorowes did discrie.
Which she perceyuing, could not chuse
but blush and was abasht.
Wherby hir ruddie rising bloud,
in countnance fully flasht
At first: but afterwarde hir hart
for sorrow waxing colde.
No bloud at all hir paled face,
by any meanes could hold.
And thus the louers at the last
departing, heauy cheare,
Did force eche of [illeg.] inward thought
at large for to appeare:
Though certaynly it was not knowne,
to eche: of others loue,
Bycause experience had not tride,
in season it to proue:
But ioy my happy fate to thinke,
of curtesie I finde
Of you, and long to see the day,
whereby may be resignde
Some part of recompence for this,
your friendly friendship found:
Which well I may suppose in none
more amply to abound.
And when the place auoyded thus,
of guestes no more remainde,
But Pesistrate, whose heauy hart,
was so by griefe restrainde,
From comfort cleane, Pecipater,
espying him alone,
Demaundeth why he was so sad,
and seemed for to mone:
The whom sayd Pesistrate, my Lord
I haue no cause to waile:
Nor yet occasion that with greefe
my stomacke should assaile.
The recompence already done,
(quod Pecipater) is:
And therefore friend Pesistratus,
surmise no more of this.
But thinke: as Saintes do witnesse beare,
that for to do thee good,
I minded am in thy behalfe,
to spend my proper bloud:
If therfore that thou shouldst misdoubt
hereof, what might be sayde:
But that I should with teares lament
the same, and so he slayd
To speake: and Pesistrate he led
from thence to chamber by,
Which was prouided for the nonce,
his weary limmes to lye.
Where Pecipater further did,
hys friendlinesse protest,
Desiring him therefor his case
to vse his quiet rest.
For which Pesistratus did thanke,
both with his mouth and minde,
Hys gentlenesse a thousand times,
and then to couche declinde.
And Pecipater did depart:
but when a little space
Pesistratus had line on bed,
reuoluing of his case,
He was so vexed silly man,
that nothing could appease
Or once asswage his sorowes, but
increasing hys disease,
He thinkes of Catanea, who
hath so in fetters yokt
His louing heart, that all his ioyes
to thraldome are prouokt.
And he supprest to bondage like,
and so the miser lies
Bewayling such his wretched fates,
with sundry plaintife cries.
And when he thinkes, how much vnlike
he is to get reliefe:
The more in doubt and deepe dispaire
increaseth still his griefe:
And thus dismaid, in diuers dumps
he lyes, and woful wight
Dyspaires, and yet he hopes, but feares
least time should worke despight.
And wrapped in the dulled drouse,
which fortune hath assignde
Unto his pay, a thousand thoughts
surmising in his minde:
His turmoylde wits inforced so,
his sorowes to discusse,
Did vrge hys faultring tong at last
with paine to vtter thus:
Ah wretch, what friendlesse fates be thine,
thou curssed catife thrise:
How feltst thou fortunes froward force?
how do thy cares arise?
How canst thou suffer such anoy?
how maiest thou more forbeare
Such griping greefe, wyth pinching pangs
so vehemently to teare
Thy hart in sunder? yelde thy knife
from thy vnhappy hande,
To rid thee from such vexed life,
thy dolors to withstand,
For banished from natiue soyle,
thou liv'st an exile here,
And yet art bridled with the yoke
of pensiuenesse and feare,
Tormented with the sodaine sights,
and trapped in the snare,
Of one who skornes thy loyall loue,
and least regardes thy care.
Alas what therefore shouldst thou do,
but to thy death consent:
Since fortune doth, and season least
to thy releefe relent?
Wo worth the curssed time when breath.
was yelded vnto thee
In mothers wombe, would poyson had
more rather bin thy fee.
Wo worth the tyde, when to the world,
of mother thou wast borne:
Would then thy childish tender limmes,
had bin to tatters torne.
Wo worth the foode that euer since,
thy nature hath sustainde.
Wo woorth the nursse that from mishap,
thy youthful age restraind.
To worth the craking cradle which
was rocked for thine rase:
Would eche disport had bin addict
thy humor to displease.
Wo worth that ere thou wast aduaunst
in natiue propre soile:
Would God thy brothers handes had giuen
to thee thy latest foyle.
Wo woorth the curssed fist which wrought
thy brothers fatall paine.
Which was the cause that brought thee here,
and moues thee to con plaine.
Wo woorth the vessel whych conueyd,
thy corps to present place:
Neptunus crase his seemely sides,
and all his sailes deface.
What should I cursse and further say,
to rid me of my smart:
But death dispatch my lothed life,
and furie brast my hart.
But brainlesse foole why cursse I thus
my selfe, and cry out so:
More seemely were it that I blist
my selfe, and curst my fo,
Who is the cause of all this griefe,
and worker of my paine:
Why should I not with taunting tong,
hir wily baites disdaine,
Which hath my senses so deceiude,
and yelded such anoy,
Unto my pay, that in despaire
I liue deuoyde of ioy.
Oh Pesistrate, art thou to learne,
of womens wonted willes?
Art thou to knowe, that sooner none
the sheep, than Foxe begiles?
Art thou vnskilfull of the trade
of womans wanton lure?
Hast thou not hard what fond conceites,
their practisde slights procure?
Yes, yes, renue to memorye
their ticklenesse of will:
Their poysned lookes, their fained grace,
their counterfaited skil,
I trow thou needst not to be taught,
their practise is so playne:
That women all by kinde are bent,
and nature, for to fayne.
For if she view the personage, which
doth please hir in hir mind.
Then seekes shee to display hir snares,
as in familiar kind.
And if consenting he pretend,
[illeg.] vse hir in likewise,
Euen seemes she coy, and stranger streight
and is as much precise.
If humble he, then hauty she,
and seemes to scorne his sute:
But if he coy, then hateth she,
and frowning standeth mute.
And if intrapped, he bewayle
to hir his carefull fate.
She seemes to muse, what loue should mean
and laughes at his estate.
But if she loue, and he dispise
to put the like in vre:
Then labors she by suttle slights,
his fansie to procure.
Which got, she seemes for to reiect,
regarding nought at all:
But ioyes and iudgeth it a sport,
to purchase him a fall,
Shame therfore so to set thy minde,
on such despised toyes,
Which hinder wealth, and moue defame,
and breede thee such anoyes.
And settle wits to such aduise,
as may prouide thee rest:
From louely fits for reason seemes
such fondnesse to detest.
Suppose the Lady whom thou lou'st
were ment for to requite
Thy loyal loue with loue againe,
were this thy cheefe delite?
Forgettest thou the vnfaithfulnesse
of Helen, who forsoke
Hir spoused Menelaus, and
to Paris hir betoke?
Or falsed faith of Cresseda,
whom Troylus serued long
Remember how these fickle dames,
did worke their louers wrong:
And let the griefes of Troylus,
and Cresseds wauering minde,
Be warning to thy louing fits,
least like requite thou finde.
And seeke in time to bridle will,
least after some repast
Of pleasure had, thy griefes renue
a thousande times as fast.
What say I, should I leaue my loue
and Catane forsake?
Or should my fansie cease so soone,
or seruice thus aslake?
And should I now despise the dame,
whom earst my zelous hart
So lov'd, that for hir sake it could
sustaine eternall smarte?
No, no, the fire shall loose his might
the sunne his golden glee,
And heauens their hew, before such thought
surmised be of mee:
For curteous nature, gentle grace,
and seemelynesse abounds,
So rifely, as to euery eare
it famously resoundes:
With feature such as Venus shee,
hir selfe may not compare,
Or once presume in equal sorte
hir vertues to declare.
Nor Dian for hir chastitie,
to match hir virgins race,
Nor once Minerua vouchsafe wil
to set hir selfe in place,
Not onely this, but eke of hye
and famous stocke shee springs,
Wherto as reputation like,
dame Fame dayly forth brings:
Since therfore thus she wanteth nought.
that fansie may require,
How mad man I from such a dame,
to bridle my desire:
And how to blame for to reproch
the comely courteous kinde
Of women, since such heauenly giftes
they do possesse in mind.
But oh alas, accursed wight,
why thinke I of hir hue:
What doth it bote hir worthy state
or birth for to renue?
What doth the lodged vertues in
hir tender gentle brest
Prouoke my ioy, or noble byrth,
intend to worke my rest?
No whit at all, but those things most
compel me to misfare,
And depely drowne me in misdoubt,
and dubble all my care.
For since she wanteth nought at al,
the which I seeme to craue.
But doth possesse eche nedefull gift,
that more she may not haue:
The more inferiour do I seme
to hir, whose royall grace
My simple byrth in scorning sort
may utterly deface.
And do dispaire when eche respect,
I ponder in my minde:
As thinking of hir hauty state:
how basely mine inclynde.
For where she come of noble line,
doth liue with honored name,
I silly wretch in exile state,
do purchase nought but shame:
And she determind, at hir case
doth liue in wished ioy?
I poorely spend the troublous time,
misdoubting more anoy.
Alas, alas, why thinke I then
of this, since playne I see,
Hir birth, hir state and vertues rare
so vnfit for my degree?
Or why presume I so to match
my selfe wyth royall race,
Why? wel I may presume, bycause
I liue in hope of grace.
In hope of grace? why blynded foole,
doth grace grow from disdaine?
No skorne of hope: yes skorne of force
in hautie harts remaine:
In hauty harts I do agree,
but in a gentle brest
Doth fauor flow, and hautie skorne
is vtterly supprest.
But is thy Lady lowly such?
yea certesse: can loftie state
Agree to match with simple slaue
and make decay his mate?
Yea Cupid forceth Keysars bende,
and layeth Princes pride:
Yet knowst yu not thy Ladyes minde,
bycause thou hast not tryde.
Then trye I wil: how darst thou trye?
my hope prouokes me so,
What cause of hope hast thou? beware
thy hope is most thy foe.
Hir outwarde shape is cause inough,
my hope for to maintaine:
Through sightly bait the silly fish
receiues his latest baine:
Alas then death to thee I yeeld:
thus sayde the woful wretch,
And therwithall his lothed limmes
he gan abrode to stretch:
And through his greefe the sincking smarte
that sucked through his vaines
Distild the water to his hart
which so increast his paines,
That silly senses ouercome
he fainteth to the ground:
And dampish humor lothsome life
inclosed in a swound
In time when vitall course redound
according to his kinde:
His sprites reuivde, but yet his griefes
were printed in hys minde.
And raising then himselfe againe
vpon his toused bed,
He layes his weary limmes to muse,
and rest his heauy hed.
But rest disdaynes his furious frets,
and hope doth scorne his helth:
And nought doth happen to his hope
that might renue his welth.
And thus in painful plight the time
maintaines his lingring life:
He wishing only vital twist,
were cut by fatall knife,
And hauing no disport ne cause
of comfort in his care:
The more he striues, the more hee is
intangled in the snare.
And therefore patiently perforce
he takes his chaunced fate:
And wallowes in his woes as doth
behoue a louers state:
And then he thinkes of Catane,
supposing of hir grace:
Whose comely countnaunce minding wel,
his fansie sees hir face,
And ponders of hir friendly lookes,
as [illeg.] seemely cheere:
And doth imagine of hir shape,
as though she had bene there,
In present sight he printed so
hir feature in his thought,
As if Apelles through his Arte,
hir picture had ywrought.
Then dreames his humor, that he makes,
to Cresside his complaint,
And shewes his cause and case, as how
hir beautie did attaint
His simple senses at the first,
which streight subdued were,
Unto hir yoke, as seruile slaues
to harme, to hope, and feare.
And now the passing pangs, that hee
sustayned for hir sake,
He tels, and how his diuers doubts,
do cause his hart to quake.
And then he sues and craues for grace,
to purchase at hir hande
His ful request, for to be losd
from bondage and hir band.
And then he thinkes his Lady seemes
some fauor for to showe,
But out of this amaze his wits
reuiude, when he doth know
That only fansie fedde his feare,
and no such thing to bee
As he ymaginde in his harte,
or thought his eye should see.
The griesly griping gulfes and rage,
that broyled in his brest:
And qualming coldes did so agreeue,
and worke him such vnreast,
The siely wretch his vitall course
distempered, he declynd,
As one, who to the heauens againe
his spirits had resinde.
And stil, as ofte as he reuivd,
he faynted downe againe.
And thus the thrice vnhappy man
was turmoyld in his payne,
Whilest lucky fortune draue, by chance,
Pecipater to please,
Where Pesistratus was diseasde
and [illeg.] in such case.
Whom viewing he with shriking cryes
did moue so hye a voyce,
That Pesistrate from former traunce,
reuyued through the noyse.
To whom Pecipater did strayne
his wofull speech, and sayd:
Alas, Pesistratus my friend,
what ceasles cares vpbrayde
Thy youthful race, that vexed thus,
thou spendst thy woefull dayes,
In ceaslesse plaintes, in mones and teares,
and seekes no other wayes
For to auoyde the cause of griefes?
whence commeth this thy care?
What thing doeth cause? what wight hath wrought
thy dul vnlusty fare?
And so he stint, and skalding teares
distilling on his brest,
Pesistrate sayde. let not my greefes
be cause of thine vnrest
My Lord: for ten times cursed I,
haue forsing cause to waile,
Yet not for present cause whiche should
my woful hart assaile:
But thinking on such matters past
as in my country done,
My vanquisht stomacke much displeasde
was so by dolour won,
The which inforst me to complayne:
nought els my Lord surmise,
But let this serue (quoth Pesistrate)
your fansy to suffise.
By thys excuse was he dissolvde,
that nought should moue his griefe,
But matters past, and therefore seekes
to yeelde him some reliefe,
As might intend for to expel
Pesistrats thoughtfull care.
The which allurde his heauy hart
to somewhat better fare.
Yet though a little were decreast
the torments of hys payne,
The countenance of Catane,
was buried in his braine:
And thus he frounst amidst his thought
and feeding fansies fyl.
I leaue a whyle, and shal resigne
to Catane my quyll.
Whose drowsy dumps, whose dainty douts,
whose fickle fits, whose feares,
Whose grisly goulfes and piteous playntes,
whose sobbes, whose sighes and teares,
To paynt at large, you Furies teach,
you Nimphes dispose my style,
Apollo guyde, Minerva minde
my mazed muse a whyle,
Departed from hir brothers place,
arriued when she was
Where she remaynde, in secret wise
to closet dyd she pas,
Where all alone, surmising of
the matters past of late,
She gan to muse, how Pesistrate
by sodayne bappie fate,
Should meete hir brother as he did:
and musing thus in thought,
By Cupides force, in fansies fire,
attend what thing was wrought.
Forsaking to respect the chaunce,
perusing in her minde
Pesistrats comelynesse, she thought
in what a courteous kinde
He did salute hir, when at first
she viewd his friendly face.
And how in sodaine sort, his bloud
did course from place to place.
And thus respecting of his change,
hir fansie did consent,
That if he lovde, the like of hir
for euer should be meant.
For why? pervsing eche respect
that nature had bestowde,
She sayd in minde, in Pesistrate
that al these vertues flowde.
And thinking of his portlynesse,
shee could not but suppose
His comely gesture to excel:
and thus hir thoughts arose
So long as til at last insnarde,
like little fishe on hooke,
Who long hath playd with pleasant bayte
and in the ende is tooke,
She is restraind, hir freedome lost,
and had no power to starte,
But firmely vowd and fixed hath
to Pesistrate hir harte.
And thus consented to this new
and firie zelous loue,
From whence no power she could attayne
hir fansie to remoue,
She toombled hir diseased corps
on couch, to ease hir minde?
To whom Mercurius, Sopor hath
in sodayne sorte resinde:
And strykin with the drousie rodde,
the winged fellow showes
To hir in dreame Pesistratus,
whose countenaunce wel she knowes,
Of whom she thought she did receiue
a ring of purest golde,
With bloudy letters therein gravde,
the which when she did hold,
Did seeme to blede excessiuely,
and al hir fist defilde,
Wherein, Mercurius fled away
and Sopor cleane exylde,
She waking straynd hir slender throte
in such a piteous wise,
As well I deeme hir sighs and sobbes
did pierse the hyest skyes:
Yet seing that it was but dreame,
contented somewhat more
She stayd a whyle, but knowing wel
the fearefulnesse before,
Her passions then beginne a new,
and ceasles she complaynes,
With heauy mones & trikling teares
increasing double paynes,
And gan of eche especiall poynt
to ponder and surmise,
As of the ring, and of the bloud,
but nought she could deuise
That might maintayne the token good
of bloud that did distil,
Wheron not able for to rule
hir selfe, nor guyde hir wil,
Through vexing griefe hir carefull thought
suppressing senses force,
She lyes in traunce as though distraught
of lyfe, like senselesse corse:
And when as vitall course returnd,
in former plight she spendes
The time renewd, and ceasseth not,
but earnestly she sendes
Hir sobbes and sighes from laden hart:
yet after season past,
When tract of tyme delayed had
the fiercenesse of the blast,
Wherby the stomacke more at ease
was somewhat more at rest:
She pondring further of the thing,
began much to detest
The former rashnesse of hir loue,
accompting it a shame,
That erste hir tickle will was bent
to such deserued blame:
Wheron for griefe that such abuse
had blinded wandring wits,
Hir tong was movde amidst the rest
of these hir diuers fittes,
To paint despight, in such a sorte
with scorneful taunts conuayde,
As might suffise for fansies case,
and thus the Lady sayde:
If reason ought for to perswade
the foolishnesse of wil,
Or wise forcast to teach the trade
that doth ingender yll,
Or counsell leade the weakling wittes,
whom knowledge doth not guide,
Or else experience shew the proofe
of matters to be tride,
How much vnwise accursed I,
whom neyther reason led,
Nor yet forcast could make auoyde
the daungers may be bred,
Nor counsel moue for to beware,
Nor by experience past
Aduise my selfe, but haue agreed
in such a sodaine hast
To fix my foolish fansie faste
on such a doubtful wight.
Who for his fault in natiue soyle,
hath hyther made his flight,
Or else, for wante of succour there,
is glad to vse his payne.
In forreyne partes, as toyling wretch
to get his hyred gaine?
Or witlesse wench, and couldst thou thus
consent to exile slaue,
And purchase payne vnto thy pay,
bewitched dost thou raue?
Suppose the infamy, the shame,
the pouertie, the care,
The fal, the losse of former fame,
the ruinous misfare
That were addicted to thy case
if matcht to such a mate,
Thou wert content to yeelde thy selfe
to his abased state:
And thinke how might thy kinred scorne
thy will, and yelde thee blame,
As also how thou shouldest deserue
and reape reports defame.
Might it not rightly bee replyde,
thy fondnesse was thy fall?
And would not thy abuse be scornde
and mockt, yes certes of all.
Why then, disdaine such foolishnesse,
and set thy selfe at rest,
Auoyde such shame, forecast thy cares
and case, for this is best:
And let such cause of thyne anoy
be furthest from thy thought,
Least stomacke woon, thou shouldest to late
repent the thing were wrought.
And then she pausde, and then agayne
in new reuoluing minde,
How much is scorneful tong (quoth shee)
to scornefulnesse inclind?
Why blame I so the seemeliest Knight
that earthly globe contaynes?
Or why presume I to reproch
wyth tong which nought restraynes,
But vomits al his venime out,
Pesistratus, whose grace,
Whose comely corps and seemely porte
discries hys loyal race.
Why name I hym an exyle slaue,
whom gesture doth bewray
For to proceede from princely lyne,
and season doth display
No slaue, but for his manhode tryde
a worthy valiaunt Knight,
As hath appearde by prowesse provde
of late in open sight?
And why a toyling wretch cal I,
the noble youth with shame?
Whose honored acts I may perceiue
to yelde hym hauty fame.
Unhappy tong, restraine such talke,
thinke (hart) with happy ioy,
If thou wert lovde as thou dost loue,
would banish thy anoy:
And such disgracing lay apart,
suppose what seemely hew
Pesistrate beares, his comely corpse
and grace doth now renew:
Whose feature passeth al the Gods,
and wit Appollo staines,
And whose especial planted giftes
abound in natures vaynes:
Thou knowest his gesture doth excel,
his personage eke doth passe
Eche wights, since taken life thou viewdst,
or ere in Tarent was:
And further, needes thou must confesse
his manhoode to be rare:
And is not this sufficient then,
synce al these vertues are
In him so plast, to moue thy minde,
and stirre in fansies fyre
Such zeale, as then to yelde thy selfe
to him and his desire?
Thinke how accordaunt in this yeares
and fit in eche degree,
Saue present welth in likely place,
the wight doth seeme to thee:
And wel pervsing thou mayst knowe
that riches is the least,
And vainest thing by due to bee
accounted for the best:
And whether wouldst thou be content,
to spend thy lingring dayes.
With crooked wretch, whose onely wealth
and riches were his stayes,
Or liue with seemely adorned wight.
whose youthful yeares possesse
Sufficient skil to yelde thee ease,
and purchase wealthes increase?
Whereon she stayde a whyle, and then
in feeding fansie still,
Why do I thus restrictly note
with such a speciall wil,
The worst of his estate? and why,
suppose I of his want,
Or thinke of ought he lacketh, since
his vertues be not scant?
No, no respect reiected cleane,
I shall adioyne my hart
And zelous loue to Pesistrate,
for euer not to start:
And whether hatred do assayle
our state, or fortune frowne,
Or scorne indeuor to suppresse
our fame, and pul it downe,
Or want prouoke vs for to beg,
my hart shall stil consent,
To fele what Pesistrate doth fele,
and neuer shall repent:
And though that fortune be our foe,
yet shal report display,
That faythful louers livde in linke
and did in one decay.
And therewithal as though in deede,
their loues had bin supplyde,
If euer (quoth she) Pesistrate,
it otherwise be tryde,
Than that I euer shal perfourme
my fixed fayth to thee,
The furies feare my tender flesh,
and poyson be my fee.
But when the pausing time in tract
had set in plainer sight,
Hir former fits, she pondring eke
the lacke of hir delight,
Bycause she was vncertaine of
such certaine loue agayne
From Pesistrate, as she did yelde,
oh how she did complaine:
Accursing both dame natures arte,
who had employde hir eyes
To worke throw sight such sodayne griefes,
as eke with careful cryes
So curst the time, that euer breath
hir carkas had iclad,
And season, wherby maintenance
of lingring life was had:
And then hir griefes increased so,
and she was bound to payne,
That hauing not sufficient strength
hir dolours to restraine,
Hir feeble limmes were forst to faint,
and prostrate on the grounde
The Lady laye, stil dumps were fled
and vital course redound:
And then renewde, like passion doth
hir toused wits compel,
For to recorde hir cause of cares,
which to hir case befel:
Wherin she further pondring, did
peruse how folly lead
Hir tickle wil wheron hir griefes
was erst the more ybread?
And thinking thus, as one prouokt,
not able to withholde
Such earnest motion, for hir ease
with tong she did vnfolde
Hys altered minde and changed dumps,
which forst hir thus to say:
None but my selfe vnhappy wretch
is cause of my decay?
For tis my folly that allures
my griefes, bycause in vayne
I hope, come therefore wished death,
and ryd me of my payne.
Alas if doubt should make beware
the doubtful, wherfore then
(O Catane) dost thou not doubt,
whose doubt is dispayre cleane?
Or why dost thou ascertayne so
thy selfe to haue in holde
Pesistrates hart, as he hath thine,
what maketh thee so bolde?
Thou knowst yt youth doth minde affaires
that tende to purchase fame,
And not such ioyes to thinke vpon,
thou thrise and thrise to blame.
Why then should not thy selfe the like
indeuor set aside,
Such folly cleane, as seemes by right
thy rudenesse to deryde?
And this so sayde, she did declyne
to drousie couch, where as
A thousand sobs and sighes aryse,
and sundry thoughts do passe
From greued carkas to the skyes,
whom moning thus a whyle
I leaue, and to Pesistratus
I shal resigne my style.
That woful wight, who like wise vext,
(as erst was sayde) remaynes
In midst of his aboundant griefes,
wherein he stil complayns.
And thus, the louers liue in lacke
of that they most desire,
And mutual both vncessant burne
in Cupids paineful fire:
Whom for a space the season moues
my verse for to refraine,
Til season such as season shal
inforce my pen agayne
To leaue the state of Kenedox
and doings to discry,
Wherto now season craues I should
my present pen apply.
This when the Lady finisht had,
reuovlde in mazed muse,
Why rather did I not (quoth she)
at first seeme to refuse
Hys proffred seruice, and to coy
to make the matter strange,
Wherby I might prouoke his loue
more hotter for to range:
Than thus to shew thy selfe so bound
vnto the wight againe,
Declaring for his wished loue
my former forcing paine?
Wherto she pausing did reply,
that faithful harts should frame
Eche thing so faithfull, as it should
deserue no ioy of blame.
And so content, with softned waxe
the letters she doth seale,
And kissed them: to secrete brest
of hirs, she doth repose
The same, whilst seruant were approcht
at due appointed tyde,
Who present come to that intent,
and of the Lady spyde,
Receyvde the letters, with aduise
of foresayde time and place,
Whereas both met, the louer might
determine ful, the case:
And with a thousand greetings sent
vnto the worthy wight,
The seruant homewards did repayre
apace, and meets the Knight,
To whom he yeeldes the paper sent,
as also doth discry,
The pointed place and present tide
wherto he should apply
His iorney made, but oh the ioyes
the happy man conceivde.
When these thus luckie newes he had
and letters were bequeavde,
I deeme the Gods had no such cause
or motions to be glad,
As in that ten times blessed time
the ioyful man he had.
It were therefore but frustrate, that
I further should pretende
His happy haps for to discribe,
or fansies to extende,
Since heauenly powers can scarse comprise,
I deeme, the wondrous ioyes,
That fed his fansie with delightes
of sundry pleasaunt toyes,
Wherein he spent the altered time,
till Titan had resinde
Hymselfe to west, and left the clokes
of pitchy clouds behind,
And then againe recoursed was,
and had his streames displayde
In open East, on fertile earth,
and gladful light conuayde,
Wherin the Louers lothsome couch
forsaken, do prepare
To meete in happy pointed place,
and gorgeously they are
In silken robes of costly price
arayde and redy prest,
As louers such as for the nonce
their seemely sightes addrest,
And after iourney, are aryvde
to foresayde ioyful place,
Whereas the Knight his Lady met,
doth kisse and then imbrace.
Whom likewise she a hundred times
rekist and kist againe,
And he requited euery one
by one, yet toke no paine.
That who had seene the seemely sight
of louers there so blazde
With comely corps and princely port,
he wondring would (amazde)
Have musde, that nature could haue made
such artificiall show,
Or that such imps of heauenly hewe
from earthly globe should grow.
And thus the louers ruld the time
to their desired ioye,
And made discourse of al their haps,
and blist, that banisht ioye,
They had attaynde to happy wish:
til seasons tickle trade
Approchte, of force (against their wils)
departure must be made.
Wherein, with parting kysse they past,
appointing time renewde,
When there in present place againe
eche other might be viewde:
And at departure, fixed fast
their eyes for to beholde
Eche others presence wistly markte,
so vttrance did vnfolde
Of louely vse, eche louing hart
as long as time would lette,
Uppon eche others comely corps
their eyesights to bee sette.
And thus departed, both yclad
in like adorned hewes,
They spend the time at wished ease,
as stil the time renewes,
And often thus they vsde to meete,
and long their ioyes retainde,
Til at the last, oh cursed case,
their customes were restraynde
By villayne seruant Antropos,
whose long disguised guyle
Hath now at last attempted, wrought
the louers ioyes exile.
Come come, Alecto therefore, thou
vnhappy caytyfe, teache
My drousie verse, the diuelishe wyles
of this vnhappy wretch,
Whose rankrous hart deuising long
to worke Pesistrats payne,
Had now a little conuenient time
to charme his poysnous baine.
For when the villayne had supposde
what snare he might inuent,
Thus bring priuy to the chiefe
of all their whole intente,
And pondring what displeasure might
to Pesistrate aryse.
If that his secrete loue were knowne,
the miser did deuise
How to disclose to vncle of
Catanea the same,
With further forged tale, that might
ingender greater blame.
Wheron approcht to Phetratus
hir vncle, so he hight,
With tale prepared for the nonce,
thus vttred he his spight:
Sir Phetratus, the earnest zeale
I beare to thy estate,
And eke the length of long successe
I wish vnto thy fate,
Hath made me boldly to presume,
my trauell to addresse,
As for a wacking vnto thee:
least treason should suppresse
Thy quiet wealth; and vnderstand,
that Pesistrate is bente,
Conspired with Catanea,
who yeelded hath consent,
Ere it be long to seeke thy death
and reue thy vital life,
Eyther by pampered poyson, or
by secret bloudy knyfe.
For as by chaunce I musing sate
alone in secrete place,
I herde these two, presuming thus
vpon the traytrous case,
And Pesistratus (holding in
his armes Catanea) say,
I would not haue this toy my loue
no whit at al, dismay
Thy doubtful head, for nought I care
for Phetratus consent,
But haue deuised wel inough,
the mischiefs to preuent
That he may worke, to let our loue:
from hence not far remayns,
A Grecian seely man, who liues
in ceaslesse extreeme payns
Through sicknesse, whiche hath long supprest
his wished health, and hee
Of late for hyre of certayne summe,
did willingly agree
For to begin in poysned cup
to Phetratus, whereby
Both he himselfe and Phetratus,
through poyson dronke should dye:
The seely man to gaine of golde
so vehemently desires,
To leaue vnto his simple sonne,
and gladly he aspires
To dye, bycause his paines extreeme
so vext the weried wight,
That voyde of health he can attaine
to rest ne day ne night.
And by this meanes, our greatest foe
shal soone dispatched be,
And we attayne to happy day
the which we long to see.
This sayde Pesistrate, and I heard
Catanea replie,
That it was politikely thought,
aduising him to try
The subtil feate in present space,
and not for to delay
But do it in as speedy hast
as possible he may.
This with mine eares I heard sir knight,
and wil auow the same
Upon my body to the death
vnto the traitors shame:
And that you may for certaine know
my former talke as true,
I heard the Louers point the place
and time for to renue
Their traytrous will: vnto which place
if you with armed rout
Proceede, there may you cleane dissolue
the causes of your dout.
And apprehend the traytors both
at ease, deuoyde of feare,
Where you should do but to desert
if that with poynt of speare
You pearsed Pesistratus sides.
Thus had the caytife told
His forged tale, and now a space
doth tatling tong with-hold,
To heare what Phetratus woulde say,
whose answere thus was made:
Oh grisly griping gulfes of griefe,
that stomacke do inuade:
Is exile slaue Pesistratus
so cowardly disposde
To worke my death, before he dare
to haue his grutch disclosde?
And is Catanea so bente
to seeke hir vnckles spoyle,
Whose long regarde hath had respect
to hir suspected foile?
And hath she chosen for hir mate
a slaue, whose like abuse
As this, hath causde the wandring wight
hys countrey to refuse?
Wel, wel, for Pesistratus grutch
and Catanes dispite,
By saintes I vow, with present death
I shall them both requite:
And since the lawes of this our soile
be thus, that who so layes
To others charge conspiracie,
must answer those assayes
(Bycause he wanteth witnesse) first
with solemne othe to sweare,
That witnesse to be sincere, iust
and true, that he doth beare:
And then to bow no further grutch
or spite, to cause the same,
But only for his conscience sake,
deuoyd of euery blame:
And last, that he confirme the proofe
therof, with manhode tride
In courtly combate, him against
of whom it is denide:
I doe aduise thee Antropos,
the trial to withstand
With manly courage and my selfe
shal ready prest at hand
Giue aid to thee, if succoure neede,
and all the slaues defie
In thy behalfe, wherein by Saints
I meane to liue and die.
And I intend as thou hast sayde,
the louers for to meete
In pointed place, whose curtesie
I shall so friendly greete,
As both of them to lode with chaines
til Proclamation made
Of their conspiracie, thou shalt
approue with manly blade,
(Gainst who so one, that doth approch)
thy sayings to be true:
Wherein I hope the wished death
of Traytours we shall view.
This sayd, lefte Phetratus to speake,
whom Antropos a space
Forsoke, till season did require
that vnto pointed place
They should aspire, for to beholde
the louers: but the cares
Of Phetratus, and woes to tel,
and how he doleful fares
Through his conceiued griefes, it doth
I deeme eche wit surpasse,
The grieuous dolors of his harte,
so passing painful was,
To thinke that Catane should seeke
his death, whose cheefest paine
Was alwayes bent from tender age
the Lady to restraine
For eche mishap: and thus the wight,
complained, til such time
As ranckours rage disswaded had
the man to muse of cryme,
And now to presuppose reuenge,
the which he did deuise.
But midst of all these tossed thoughts,
it could not once aryse
To him, that tale of Antropos,
should fainde or forged be,
But stil his fansie he informde,
that he should shortly see
The proofe of al for to be true,
as Antropos had sayde:
And thus the wilfull wretched wight
remayned so dismayde,
Till time againe that Antropos
returnde, who present is
At season such, wherin they should
if that they would, not nis
Of louers sight, straight hye in hast
with euery thing addrest
Therto, whereon the wights prouide
to haue ech purpose prest,
And then they marcht in secret sort,
and at the last drew nye
Unto the place, where Louers were,
whom there they might discry,
Inioying so their presence, as
the vse of Louers secte
Doth take delight in likely case,
but nought they did suspect
(Alas) the mischiefe that did lurke,
whereon deuoyde of feare,
They stil imbrast and sweetly kyst
in lurkers presence there.
Who cursed wretches, at the last
in rigour rushed out,
And toke the Louers al agaste,
suspecting no such dout.
And bound as traitours them they led
as Antropos deuisde,
To presence of Pecipater,
who at the first surmisde
Some spited grutch, and fainde abuse,
whereon with frowning face,
How dare you villains all (quoth he)
in such disguised grace,
Conduct my sister to my sight?
what haynous fault is done?
To whom Sir Phetratus replyde
what treason was begon,
And how that Antropos discryde
the same, who was content
Uppon his body to approue
gainst who (that durst) was bent
For to deny the truth therof,
(that) Pesistrate had sought
With Catane, hir vncles death
in secret to haue wrought)
Which when Pecipater had heard,
considering what their vse
And custome was: he would not seeme
to moue no more abuse,
Bycause that iustice should take place,
and least his partial wil
Should cause the people to suspecte,
some further cause of yl.
By teares distilling from his brest,
and sighes from heauy hart
Proceeding fast, the woful man
from thence doth streight depart
To secret chamber, where his griefs
so plenteously abound,
That seely man in desprate minde,
he tumbles on the ground,
As though distraught of wittes, his payne
ingendred such his smart:
And he supposing of these haps,
was vexed so in hart.
And thence the woful louers were
to seueral prisons led,
Wheras on hard Alectos food,
their heauy harts are fed,
Bewayling their accursed fates,
that spighte should so preuayle
To worke their deaths, whose mutual wils
did neuer once assayle
To do no yl, but only bent
their constant loue to frame,
For loyal proofe, did nere deserue
this thryce vnhapppie shame.
And only looking for the time
of death, deuoyd of ioye,
With mournful tunes and painful plaints
bewayling thir anoy,
They spende the drousie doleful daye,
as ready prest to pyne,
Through pinching sorrowes, whom a while
I forced to resine
Unto their griefs, must now apply
my trauel to pursue
The cares of Pecipaters case,
whose sorrowes eke renue,
And be vncessantly so vext
that stil he woful lyes.
Bewayling Pesistratus woes
with sundry plaintiue cries,
Accursing fortunes tickle trade,
as eke the villains spight,
Whose accusation had defast
the fame and credit quite,
Not onely of Pesistratus
and of his Sisters state,
But also of him selfe, whose wealth
depended on their fate.
Which well he waying, was inforst
with heauy hart to plaine,
And was not able vexed man,
his dolours to restraine:
But after long pervsing of
his griefes, he payned sayde:
Oh blinded foole, what fond conceits
hath made thee thus dismaide?
Dost thou not know thy proper lawes
be so, that who accusde
Of other is, by cause himselfe
by custome is refusde
To fight in proper his behalfe,
he must a champion haue,
Whose hand victorious must intende
the accuzeds life to saue?
And why dost thou not then prepare
more rather to prouide,
In these the Innocents defence,
to haue thy manhood tride,
Than for to grieue thy pined hart
in such a paineful guyse,
Which neither doth pretende thy ease,
their helpe, nor thee for wise?
Go rather to the wretched wight
Pesistratus, and learne
If that he gilty be or no,
by whom thou maist discearne
With equall eye, the likelyhoode
thereof, and maist dispose
Thy deedes accordingly, which thought,
he presently arose,
And went in haste vnto the mewe
where Pesistrate remaynde.
Whose person seene, the gladful man
had thought that he [illeg.] gainde
A happy pray, and then he sayde,
my friend, alas I wayle,
To see thy wretched case so much
in hart, that tong doth faile
To vtter what my meaning is:
but faithful friend disclose
Unto thy friend, if guilty thou
or innocent in those
So bainous faultes be, yea, or no,
that to thy charge are layd?
To which so spoke, Pesistratus
againe replying, sayde,
That as the mighty Ioue of heauen
his recompence should make,
They sought no creatures death, nor harme,
nor once did vndertake
Such minded mischeefe or pretence:
and then he opened all
The matter to Pecipater,
as how that eche was thrall
To others loue, long tract of time
before {that} it was knowne.
And by what lucklesse meanes, at last
their zealous loue was showne.
As, how that vnto Antropos
his secrets be discride,
By whom the letters first were sent,
and matters all were tride,
Yet to none other end at al,
but only touching loue,
And nothing else was euer ment,
as wel the letters proue.
And how the villaine, priuie to
the place of their resort,
His forged tale hath now at last
confirmd in such a sorte.
Bicause that in the pointed place
the louers both were found,
Who meaned nothing, but to shew
the fruites that did abound
From louely stomackrs, as like case
of louers doth frequent:
This sayde, wel quod Pecipater,
doubt not I shal preuent
His spitful grutch, so much as shal
apply to him the shame,
That he had thought to both of you,
by forged tale to frame,
And then bequeauyng Pesistrate
to Gods, he did depart
From thence at somewhat better ease,
and with more lighter hart
Than erst, when thither he approcht,
and then to prison hide
Wheras the woful Catane
his dolefull sister layde:
Of whom the matter asked, he
like aunswer had againe,
As did agree to Pesistrats,
wherby he iudged playne
The louers to be innocent,
and that the fayned lye
Of villayne Antropos was false,
as he might wel espye:
Wheron Catanea left, the wight
his sorrowes fled away,
Did to his home repaire, wheras
the longing man did stay
Til season such as poynted time
was present come, when as
The accused wights (their dungeons left)
to place of death should passe:
Where if they had no Champion prest,
their liues for to defend,
They must prepare with harts addrest
to take their latest ende.
He then supposing to proceede
in their behalfe to fight,
And with the villain Antropos,
to straine his ventured might,
And so content, til season that
to stay he liues in hope.
And when in space the tract of time
had compassed his scope,
And that the proclamation made
before, for poynted tyde:
The time expyrde (as time in hast
without respect doth glyde)
The season is approcht, the accusde
are from the prisons brought
To forsayd place, wheras their deaths
of hangman must be wrought,
Except that Champion were addrest
their doubted liues to saue,
By conquest got: who happy wights,
a valiaunt Champion haue,
The which vnknowne to them appears,
in Sabels armour dight,
And settled wel on barbed steede,
doth offer for to fight
With villayne Antropos, whose guyle
had done extortious wrong,
He sayde, to Innocents, as he
would proue ere it were long:
And therewithal Sir Antropos
doth enter into listes,
And with a Lyons face he sayth,
what caytife here resists
The certaine witnesse I do beare,
and saw with propre eyes?
To whom quoth Pecipater, I
it is who wel espyes
Thy forged accusation false,
and shal performe the same
Upon thy carkas, spight of force,
to thy deserued shame,
Thou villaine slaue (quoth Antropos)
wilt thou in the defence
Of Traytours, venture to withstand
my rygorous sharpe dispence?
And darest thou (replyed he)
presume to meete my force
In quarell false, as shal be provde
vpon thy caytife corse?
Yea sayde the one in spight of thee,
a quarel iust vpholde
And Mauger thee (the other quoth)
suppresse thy pryde so bold:
Wherin the Heralds sownd displayd
the Coursers meete with speares
In settled restes, that trunchions burst,
the peeces pat their eares,
And then with glauering blades the blowes
were delt in such a wise,
That harnesse patde, the parings mount
aloft into the skies,
And sparkels beaten from their sides,
the Targets strong are torne;
The bars vnbound, the helmets hard
by force asunder shorne,
The steely linkes vnbeaten, bounst,
and thus the mortal fight,
Now quauming the accused harts
now making stomacke light,
The one he thinketh of reuenge,
on Pesistrate, wherby
With Serpents rage in finisht hast
he lets the blowes go flye:
To other striuing for to saue
his friendes from foes dispight,
Like Lyon fierce he yeeldes againe
the blowes with forcing might,
And thus the aduersaries so,
had made their partyes good,
That they had dyde the stained ground
with their diffused bloud,
So long, til at the last the knights
thus straining manly strength,
Pecipater had pierst the sides
of Antropos at length,
And so courageously pursude
his foe with desperate blade,
That downe fell Antropos to earth,
his fatal wound so made:
Whom Pecipater straight supprest
with foote, and from the ground
With valiant stroke he made his head
from conquered corps rebound.
Wheron with strained loftie voice,
the people movde such cries,
That through their hie conceiued ioyes
they shakt I thinke the skies.
And now the louers were so glad,
as though their liues renewd.
Their happy state with heauenly ioyes
and pleasures were indude,
But little deemed Pesistrate
the riddance of his paine
To come by death of Kenedox
his brother, that was slaine.
Whereon they cravde to see the face
of viliant him, that so
Had saued their liues, and maintaind truth
and vanquished the foe.
And when his helmet laide aside
the louers sawe to be
Pecipater, and people viewd
and knew that it was hee,
Oh how the people vaunst his fame,
and ioyed to see their Lorde
So valiant Knight, and yelded prayse
to him with one accorde,
As though their voices would haue raisde
the man from mortal case,
To hiest heauens for his desert,
amongst the Gods to place:
And so the louers ioyd in hart,
requiting endlesse thankes
For his aboundant curtesie,
and manly Martial prankes:
That it doth farre excel my power,
to paint in proper wise,
I therefore yeeld it to conceit
of eche man to deuise.
But when the turmoile ceassed was,
and so the spite restrainde
Of raging foe, eche hoping hart
by manly proofe sustaind:
Pecipater the conquerous knight,
with comely courtly grace
Proceedes to Pesistrate, and doth
with seemely armes imbrace,
Whom he with gesture like requites
so courteously displayde,
That they that viewde the {seemely} sight,
were so in hart dismaide,
That teares by force distilling downe
for ioy from seers eyes:
Their fame of gentle gesture streight
amongst the thickest hyes:
And then his sister greeted like,
she likewise greets againe,
That wondrous was it to beholde,
how erst in desperate paine,
And now inioyes the altred time
they spend in happy plight,
With easy harts, vnburdend brests,
and cause of al delight.
And thus when outwarde vttrance had
declarde eche ioyful minde,
Eche man auoides the present place
vnto his home assinde,
And conquerous knight, with Louers doeth
proceede with courtly traine,
Through Tarents streetes, vnto the place
whereas he should remaine,
Who when he passed through the towne
receiude such yelded fame,
As eke the Louers for their truth
that to behold the same,
The tops of houses laden were,
and streets and stalles so fillde,
And windowes deckt with peoples prease
as nere or very sild,
Was like conuent in Tarent towne,
the people were so glad
Of constant Louers saued life,
as eke bycause they had
Unto their Lord so valiant wight
as Pecipater was,
Who with the louers and his traine,
as stil though streetes they passe,
At last arriued at the place
of Pecipater, they
With ioyful hart into his house
do presently conuey
Themselues, where pausde a little space
Pecipater doth straine
To Pesistrate his voice, and thus
he sayde: thy griefe my payne
It is Pesistratus, my friend,
and what thou dost forbeare,
I likewise feele, be it wo, be it wealth,
be it losse, anoy or feare.
Wherefore I craue thy curtesy,
to yelde such like respect,
To my good wil, as it regards
thy selfe, as one elect
Unto my selfe for faithful friend;
as partly hath appearde
By venture lately for thy sake,
where rather I aspyrde
To dye with thee, than liue deuoyde
of presence thyne: wherfore
Know friend Pesistratus, I do
repute thy friendship more
Than succour of the mightiest Prince
or Mahomet aliue
Whose hate were able to deuise
my honour to depryue.
Since therefore that thou dost suppose
it for thy happiest ioy,
Thy greatest wealth and riddance best
from cause of al anoy,
For to retaine Catanea
my sister vnto thee,
My worthy friend Pesistratus,
I willingly agree,
Unto the same, and what so else
of me thou shalt request,
To graunt thy sute at all assayes
I am as ready prest:
And since thou knowest the spittful grutch
of Phetratus, beware
Therof, and take aduise least thou
incur a further care:
For I forcast and see it well,
that when that I deceast
My sister clayms my ruling roome.
(hir right) she shal supprest
By currish caytife Phetratus,
then stoope to euery yoke,
Wherto hir carelesse vncle shal
the wretched wench prouoke:
And thou shalt likewise be so vsde,
as wel I knowe, it shal
(If that thou do not wel prouide)
attaine thy latest fall.
Harke therefore, oh my Pesistrate,
attend what I shal say,
If that thou liuest for to see
my death, without delay
Possesse my place in present hast,
as into thy due right
By Catane thy spouse, and hold
the same by Martial might:
For if the caytife Phetratus
haue once his entry made
Before thou canst attaine thereto,
then knowe I, cruel blade
Shal worke the death of both of you,
or else your vtter spoyle,
Wherby the pray shal be his owne,
and yours shal be the foyle.
Thus sayde Pecipater, and then
he ceast for to apply
His tong to further speech, to whome
did Pesistrate replie,
With thankes his gentlenesse
requited, that his wil
Should bee with executed care
performed to the fil:
And after other course of talke,
the louers did require
Their mariage shortly to be made,
vnto the which desire
Pecipter consented streight,
wheron it was agreed
At pointed time (which shortly was)
that nuptials should with speed
Prepared bee: and thus (their ioyes
increasing happy wights)
They did expect the wished time,
and spend in much delights
The ioyful tyde, til season that
for which the louers stayde:
Which time they hoped wel should now
no longer be delayde.
But wo, alas, to fortunes wyles,
whylest thus they fed on ioye,
And were perswaded that they had
auoyded al anoy,
Unhappy case (their cares renewd)
they suffer greater griefes,
Than al the former time, when state
was voyde of all reliefs.
For Phetratus accursed wight,
supposing what defame
Had growne to him through late abuse
vnto his vtter shame,
Began with rancour for to grutch
at wealth of their estate,
Since that himselfe was thralled so
to such abased state:
And gan deuise, that if he could
allure it to such passe,
That Pecipaters life were refte,
that then the nuptials was
Preuented, wherby he might then
as ruler worke his list
Upon the louers, when as none
his pleasure durst resist:
And thus the wretch supposing long,
perseuering in his thought,
At length deuised by this meanes
to haue his purpose wrought,
Which was to hyre some carlesse slaue
with poyson to beguile
Pecipater, and thinking thus,
when he had pausde a whyle
He calde to mind a certayne wretch
that to him selfe retaynd,
Whose disposition fit he knewe
to haue these matters faynde:
To him in presence he discryde
the summe of al his minde,
Who soone agreed, and was content
to do what he assynde.
And to conclude, when thus they had
decreede on poynted tyde,
The place, and by what secrete meanes
the treason should be tryde,
The wicked seruant did prepare
his medicine to frame,
The which so pampered, as he would,
when he had done the same,
In secret sorte he did conuey
himselfe vnto the place
Wheras Pecipater did vse
to sit in iudgements case,
Where he impoysned the seate
with his infection strong,
And euery other thing that did
vnto the seate belong,
And then in hast retyred home:
and when the approched day
Was come, when Pecipaters vse
was for to take his way
To forsayde place, wheras he did
the controuersies cease
Of common wealth, & did mayntayne
the course of publike peace,
When as (alas) the worthy wight
had sitte a whyle in seate,
He gan in such a heated wise
in euery part to sweate,
That they that sawe the valiant so
distempered, thought the route
Of people to haue causde the same,
wheron they caryed out
Their Lorde into the open ayre,
and there the woful wyght
With deadly disagreeing colde
streight struck, in open sight
Unto the heauens resinde his ghost,
hys carkas left on ground,
Wheron was movde so great a noyse
and such a piteous sounde,
That well I deeme the earth did shake
withal and rolling skyes
Were out of common course declinde
through such their mourneful cryes:
The which when Phetratus had heard,
and knowing it to bee
His purpose, wrought as though ye wretch
had only come to see
The cause of rumor, with a route
of thousand caytifes there,
He present was bycause of doubte
and his suspected feare
That people would accused hym,
wheras with outward shewe
He so lamented, that noue would
had iudged him the foe
Of Pecipater, for he ragde
as though the wretched mad
Had bin for grief: when God did know
the cursed was as glad
Of his successe in mischiefe wrought,
as he that had restrainde
With Martial fist, a vanguisht hoste,
or summes of golde had gainde.
And then he so persuaded with
the people, that at rest
The body was conuayde from thence
with euery thing addrest
For funerals in solemne wise:
and when the season cravde
That carkasse should be layde in earth,
eche thing was so behaude,
That least, the people did suspect
that Phetratus had wrought
The death of Pecipater, or
such thing he would haue sought
Whereon they suffred him to rule,
til season that they might
More better know to whome the same
were incident by right.
But oh the deadly pinching pains
and greeuous grisly smarte
That bannished the louers ioyes,
and gript them at the hart,
When woful wretches they so sawe
the increase of ceaslesse care
Through worthy Pecipaters death,
which causde their mournful fare
That they vncessantly bewaylde
with tears their fickle fate,
Wel knowing that dispight would cleane
suppresse their quiet state,
As woful wights to them it fell,
it did as they did feare:
For when the villayne Phetratus
did see, that for to beare
Authority he suffred was,
now minding to dispight
The louers, seeing eke the time
so apt, that wel he might
Indeuor his malicious wiles,
to worke their vtter thrall,
The wicked man to counsel doth
the chief and Nobles cal
Of his dominion, vnto whom
in presence thus he sayde.
As I my Lords, so likewise you
I know are much dismayde
Through cause of Pecipaters death,
and since a great defame
It were to vs, if slightly we
should ouerpasse the same,
I craue your curtesies to heare,
and hearing well to way
What thing as touching this, I am
disposed now to say:
You know how that the exile man
Pesistrate, hath attainde
The loue of Catane, whose wil
would wisely be restrainde,
For how that Kenedox accusde
Pesistrate, it is plaine
With reasons proofe, that he should seeke
through priuie impoisned baine
My death: and note you wel of this,
that he that hath so sought
My death, whose death no whit at al
could pleasure him in ought
Would likewise seeke the death of him
(Pecipater I meane)
Whose death would yeelde him title suche
wherto the wretch might leane
Through Catane, for to possesse
the roume which he supplide,
Wheron I do presume, that he,
if it were throughly tride,
Were only woorker of his death,
through hope of forsayd gayne:
I therefore do aduise you, that
the wretch do not remayne
In these our partes, but that exilde
he be, wherby we shal
Both Catane the dame reserue
from such a shameful fall
As shee would get, if to the slaue
the Lady matched were,
And eke auoyde such rumors, as
the people would arere.
And so he stint to speake: and they
with one accorde agreed,
That Pesistrate, as he hadde sayde,
should be exild, with speede.
Wheron for Pesistratus they
did send by verlet streight,
To whom in presence they declard
the important cause of weight,
And there commaunded him, that then
without a more delay,
As man exilde, from present place
hee toke his ready way
To forraine parts informing eke
that if that he were found
Upon such day, in any place
of their Italian ground,
That he should dye: wheron the wight
began his iourney made
With heauy hart in mourneful plight,
and presently doth vade
Tarentum lest, as wandring wretch
into a Forrest by,
Whereas he stayes his lothed limmes
a while at ease to lie.
And when his musing braines had tost
the losse of former ioyes,
And that his fansie fixly fed
vpon a thousand toyes,
At last, he pondering the cause
of cares that so befel
Unto his pay, his griping greefes
so greeuously did quell
His hauty courage, that by force
his fainting limmes declinde,
That woful lay, as though he were
a body reft of minde,
Until a space that season had
restord the course againe
Which did reuiue his vital sense:
and then in greater paine
Than erst, the wretch bewaild, wherein
vnto his dolors {yokt},
Through painful fits, his faultring tong
to speake was thus prouokt.
Alas what wretch doeth greater greefes
sustaine, than I abide?
Or whose estate is more than mine
by fortunes spite defide?
Or whose excesse of troubles, teare
his paineful pinched hart
So much, as my vncessant cares
do worke my deadly smarte?
In propre soyle I sometime liude
a man of great renoune,
And now like slaue in forreyne partes
I am suppressed downe
And sometime haue I in my ioyes
aduaunst my selfe with fame,
But now accurssed in my griefes
I liue with exile name.
And woe to fortunes spiteful trade.
a ioyful louer late
I was, and Lady had, but now
to vacabonds a mate:
Alas, alas, and wilt thou then
(Pesistratus) delay
To worke thy death? wilt thou abide
to see an other day?
Thou hast no cause of hope at al,
for thou hast Lady left,
And thus exilde, art from hir sight
for euer cleane bereft.
And likewise bannisht from thy ioyes:
for how canst thou delight
In any thing, since voide thou art
of Cataneas sight:
And canst thou now forbeare, to liue
like seruile slaue againe.
In toyling trade and skorned state?
and canst thou so restraine
Thy noble nature, when as erst
deuoyde of eche anoy.
Thou didst in ten times happy time
thy Ladies loue inioy?
No, no, thy louing hart may not
indeuor for to pant
In vital sort, if that thou shouldst
thy Ladies presence want.
Why therfore lingrest thou to stop
(quoth he) thy vital breath?
And therewithal the desperate man
did draw from secrete sheath
His blade, wherwith the wretched men:
to make his woful ende,
But that the mighty God of heauens
did happy succoure send:
For by good chaunce, in Forest was
a sheephearde seeking there
A strayed sheepe which he had lost,
who hapned nere
Unto the place where Pesistrate
complaind, and secrete he
Behinde a thicket standing, did
the forsayd matter see:
Who ran to Pesistrate in hast,
as so he was disposde
To take his death: and on his knees
the sheepheard thus disclosde:
Oh seemely Knight, auoid this act,
and suffer not thy fist
To do thy death, let manly hart
thy forcing pangs resist:
Wouldst thou condemne thy spiritual soule
for matters that be vaine?
Or dost thou deeme that such thy death
would rid thee of thy paine?
No Lord, it would ingender more
such matter as thou knowst,
Skorne therefore this, and do disdaine
such matter as thou shewst:
And worthy Knight, let courage quaile
the causes of thy care,
And time, no doubt, shal bring againe
to thee thy ioyful fare:
And though that thou exiled art
from present land, wherin
The cheefest comforts do consist,
yet let thy stomacke win
Thy victory from doubts dispayre,
and do as I shal say,
Since that thou meanest not from hence
thy presence to conuay,
But here wouldst liue, bycause thou maist
by some aduentured wise
Thy Ladies seemely face beholde,
for fansies fears suffise,
Get shepheardes weeds of simple kinde,
with tarboxe, dogge and hooke,
And other things that ought to be
of shepheards vndertoke:
And so disguisd, thou mayst vnknowne
remaine in quiet ease,
And vnderstand thy Ladyes state,
which stomacke shal appease:
And I pretending openly
thy fellowe mate, shal be
Thy humble seruant to commaund,
in ought to pleasure thee.
Which sayde of shepheard, Pesistrate
did curteously requite
His good aduise, and thanking Ioue
for sodaine such delite,
Agreed to al the shepheard had
declard, and did deuise
In euery poynt (as he had sayde)
himselfe so to disguise:
And to conclude, departed thence
to silly cottage by
Of shepheards, where the forsayd feat
they purposed to try.
And thus Pesistratus, become
a shepheard, and bedeckt
With such accordant robes as doth
belong to shepheards seckt:
As boode on head, and hooke in hand,
and fastned dogge by side,
And budget, tarbor, and such tooles
of shepheards lusty pride:
In such his office for a space
I leaue, and shal intend
To Catane my simple stile,
who (woful wench) doth spende
The lothsome time in ceaslesse mones,
bewayling spiteful fate,
That so such sundry sorowes should
oppresse hir hauty state:
And thinking that Pesistrate had
like faithlesse fayning Knight
Forsaken hir, for doubted feare
of Phetratus despight,
Bycause she knew not, how exilde
he was through the consent
Of nobles (so in secrete was
it kept of the conuent)
Nor howe he could not take his leaue
of hir, bycause in hast
He was compeld to take his way:
The Lady doth so wast
For pining greefe, that wonder 'twas
to see how she was changde
From former hewe, in vexed brest
hir doleful dolors rangde
In such a wise, and euery day
the Lady would defame
The Knight in such reuyling sort
vnto his caused blame,
In open presence vnto such
as would to hir attende,
That pitie was it to beholde,
how to a paineful ende
She liues in earth: and ceaslesse so
she spent the ioyous dayes,
And curst the Knight, and stil complains
hir griefes and neuer stayes,
But many times in desperate mood{s}
indeuours with hir knyfe
To splyt hir tender hart in twayne,
and reue hir selfe of lyfe.
And al these passions she sustaynde,
bycause she only thought
That Pesistrate had faynde, in al
that he before had wrought,
And bad bin fled, forsaking hir,
whom woful woman thus
In griefes I leaue: and gladly shal
indeuor to discusse
The happy chaunce that now befel
vnto their ceaslesse ioyes,
And yelded wished ease to them,
auoyding al anoyes.
VVhen long the Aganetians had
in Appollonia soyle
Remaynde, without a gouernour
that should defend their foyle,
They waying how that ought they had
of Pesistratus heard
(To be in Italie) agreed
to haue it not defeard,
But that in presente hast there should
a posting verlet vade,
By whom in Italie there shoulde
be proclamation made,
In all the chiefe and famous townes,
conteyned in that land,
(As wel as in the farthest coastes,
so also neare at hand)
That Kenedoxus was deposde
from Aganetians right,
And that the Aganetians will
was bent, that worthy Knight
Pesistratus, if so disposde
he were, should now possesse
Their lands and Lordships, as the heyre,
whose right they do confesse
It is, and after such consente
the verlet, ouerpast
The surging seas, in happy time
arriued hath at last
Italian partes: and there by chaunce
he traueld vp the way,
Whereas Pesistrate keeping sheepe
did silly shepheard stay:
Of whom the varlet, passing by,
demaunded if he knewe
A straunger, who Pesistratus
was hight, yea, God indew
The man with many more good gifts,
I know the Knight ful wel,
(Quod Pesistrate,) and in the towne
of Tarent doth he dwel.
And then the messenger declarde
the cause, why he was sente
Into those partes, and told the whole
of forsayd his intent.
And after course of common talke,
the shepheard thankt, he hies
In hast from thence, and Pesistrate
surmising, wel espies
That Aganetians in distresse
were ouer chargde with foes,
Whereon aduisde, in present hast
the happy man he goes
To fellow shepheard and declares
the whole that hapned had,
Who hearing of the lucky chaunce
was simple man much glad,
That such vnlooked for successe
allotted to the pay
Of Pesistrate, who shephearde left,
doth take his ready way
In former costlye roabes yclad
(his shepheards weedes resinde
For shepheards vse) to natiue soyle,
wheras by prosperous winde
And lucky ship, in season short
arivde, he forward wends
To Appollonia, and from thence
a friendly letter sends
Unto the Aganetians, who
in solemne wise do meete
Their worthy kinsman, whow likewise
Pesistratus doth greete
With trickling teares from eyes distild,
wheron the ioyful knights
In happy state togither spend
the time in all delights:
And then informing Pesistrate
of foes dispiteful rage,
The valiant knight doth study much
their fiercenesse to asswage,
By whose aduise and wise forecast
they gaue their foes the foyle,
And then did rest in quiet ease
and gouernde wel their soyle.
Of whom the Ruler Pesistrate
assynde by one accord
Of Aganetians whole consent,
he liues a noble Lorde,
And after space that his estate
was quietly disposde,
To Aganetians present al
the valiant knight disclosde
With long oration, how his fates
in Italy befel,
And how in happy state a space
in Tarent he did dwel,
And how the spight of villaine one
had wrought him such anoy,
And diuers times exylde his haps
from cause of chaunced ioy,
And then declaring of the Dame
Catanea, he shewes,
Hir noble state and hauty bloud:
which Fama no more blowes
Of duty than of hir desert:
whose loyal loue attainde
Of him he tolde, and how by spight
the same was stil restrainde
From his effect, whereon he craude
the Aganetians ayde
And patience, that an army might
to Tarent be conuayd,
Wheras the towne besiegde, he would
obtayne his proper right,
Which was the Lady, spite of foes
in open chalengd fight:
Or else with army ouercome
by force their hauty pride,
And suffer not one foe aliue
in Tarent to abide.
To which request, it was agreed
of Aganetians all,
With Pesistrate to liue and die
to rise and likewise fal.
Then in hast {every thing} prepard,
and al things ready prest,
With warlike nauies they ariude
at Tarent, there do rest.
And after wise aduise, agreed
to send to Tarent streight
A Herault dight, for to declare
the important cause of weight,
Who with his message wel preparde,
did hast, without delay,
To Phetratus, to whom approcht,
the Herault did display
That Pesistrate not little skornes
the fond disdaineful pride
And open wrong that he had done
to him, as should be tride
Upon his body, if be dare
in combate stand to proue
The same, as by his propre lawes
and custome doth beboue
He should: or else with armies force
he would the Tarents spoyle
As neuer towne before that time
receiued such a foyle:
Which message done, it was replide
of Phetratus, that death
Should be his pay, and he with blade
would stop his propre breath
Before that once he would deny
in combate for to fight
With Pesistrate: whereon he sayd
to Herault, that he might,
Pesistrate tel, that he was mente
incombate for to trye
Against the traytour, that he did
like faithlesse caytife lye,
To say that he had open wrong
bycause he was restrainde
From Catane, for neuer hee
hir loyal loue retainde:
And then, as there the custome was,
with solemne oth he sware,
That iust his quarel was and that
therin no cauels are.
And then the day appointed, when
the combat should be fought,
The Herault hyes to Pesistrate,
and tels how eche thing wrought,
And how that Phetratus agreed,
in combate to mayntaine
His quarel good, as he would proue,
(he sayde) vnto his paine:
For which expected time he stayes.
But oh the great reliefes,
Catanea (happy) did conceyue,
auoyding al hir griefs,
When thus she sawe the constancie
of Pesistrate, I deeme
The woman thought hir ioyes so great
as she should Goddes seme.
And when the time appointed nowe
approched is, when knife
Of manly knight must yelde him fame,
and end the deadly strife:
The Lady hath hir roome in place
wheras the combate must
Be fought. Where preasing from the midst
of rout, the foes do thrust
Their martial bodies vnto fight
in ratling armour, set
On barbed steed and then the booke
of solemne swearing fet,
The aduersaries both do vow
this quarel to be good,
And then the Knights with setled spear
do seeke eche others bloud,
And meete with such a thundring noyse
as thunder claps from skye,
Wherin ech body borne from steede
with buckling forst to flye,
They rise again, and with their blades
so diuersly dispend
Their friendlesse blowes, yt from their sides
they fyery sparkles send
With whizing blaze, in such a sorte
as wondrous 'twas to sight,
To view the desperate dole of force,
and fiercenesse of their fight,
But at the last the courage of
sir Phetratus did quaile,
The which espyed of Pesistrate
so faintly for to faile,
Renewde with sight of Ladies grace
his strength did so abounde,
That with a valliant stroke from corps
he draue his head to ground.
And then the people movde their shootes,
and caps did cut the ayre,
And happy man Pesistrate had
obtainde his Lady fayre,
Whose mutual ioyes did so excell,
as farre it doth exceede,
Of any hart to be comprisde:
and through his martial deede,
He wan the peoples fauor so,
that euery wights consent,
That he should raigne in Tarent towne
was very wel content:
Wherby aduaunst to hauty fame,
the Louers both at rest,
The right of mariage had) inioyde
theyr loues, and (cares supprest)
Did spend their dayes in ceaslesse ioyes,
and died in quiet peace:
Whose like successe in loyal loue
the mighty Ioue increacee.