When sommers force is past, and winter sets in foote,
The hart and strength of hearbs and trees is nourisht by the roote.
The frostes and froward blasts doth nip the naked spray,
The sommer liverie of the bowes with colde is worne away;
Yet lives such rootes in hope that Phaebus glimering beames
Will once dissolve syr Hiems force, his frostes and ysie streames,
And lend reliefe at length, when he their lacke should see,
With coates of leaves to cloth their armes, fit garments for a tree.
Even so both hope and dread doth wage continuall fight,
Dear dame, in me whose sommers joy you raisde with friendly sight,
But love, unlookt (God wot) to yoke my wanton yeares,
Straight usde his force, and base desart consumd my joy with feares.
It raysed frostes of scorne, my fire to overthrowe,
This chaungd the sommer of your sight to winter of my woe:
Yet fled my heart to hope, who saintly feedeth me,
Your pittie passeth poore estate, where faythfull love you see,
He shewes by secrete signes your vertues every one,
And sayes your beautie breedes no pride, that brueth all my mone.
But maugre friendly hope, base hap with me doth strive,
Who weares my flesh with withered feare, how so my hart doth thrive;
Which is the very cause why I these colours weare.
The ground of hope bewrayes my heart, the gards my desperate feare:
But if with graunt of grace my griefes you meane to quite,
Both hope and dread shall soone be chaungd to colours of delight.
Roberto Rinaldo .
These verses were reasonably liked, both for that they were done of the souden, and that they somewhat answered the demaunde; and yet this proffered love to Giletta bred no suspicion, for that every one thought Rinaldo, on so good occasion, could not otherwise choose but proffer some shewe of loving service. After many had thus commended the redinesse of Rinaldos wit, by profe of this invention, at the length (quoth Giletta halfe smyling) Maister Rinaldo, you have clearkly answered my question; and nowe, knowing your cunning, I may haply set you a worke in matters of more importance. Rinaldo (glad of this commendation) made answere, her causes could never wearie him, for that he had both left his own and al other businesse of purpose to do her service. The musicke now (a while) commaunded them from prattle, and the gallants addressed them selves to dauncing, where Rinaldo, to make amendes for his other nights negligence, requested to leade maistresse Giletta the measures. Giletta, although at the first made the matter coy, yet, won by importancie, accepted his courtesie. Rinaldo, somewhat incouraged by hope, bestowed him selfe to the best liking he could, and (to report the truth) with the perfection of arte he made full satisfaction for his former disorder. The dauncers, nowe wearied with heate, applied themselves unto more cooler pastimes, and Rinaldo and Giletta went to take the ayre at a window, where Giletta, to bewray her knowledge of his verses, used these speaches.
In good fayth (although against my will) I see it is my fortune to be acquainted with your secretes, so that before mistrusting, that I am most assured of by your passionate verses, which (by fortune) I found, I perceive that the late mistaking of your love inraged you; yet for that they appertaine not unto me, and that ye shall remove your anger from me (if you wil stay my returne) I will fetch them, and make restitution, assuring you that I neyther have, nor will, reveale the knowledge of them to any alive. To stay her departure, quoth Rinaldo, (softly distrayning her hand) Since my fortunes were so evill to lose them, for that seeing an impossibilitie of hap, I would have concealed my harme, I am glad my fortune is so good that they light into her handes, to whom in right they belong, unto whose power (with vowe of continuall service) I subject my life, living, and libertie. Maistresse Giletta, raking up her conceived love, in the ashes of secrecie, thus answered: If I were so simple to be bewitcht with shadowes, your intising words might, no doubt, worke spoyle of mine honour. In the chiefest hope of my wel doing, quoth Rinaldo (disturbing her tale) you have truly described my present condition: for being rest of heart, the only stay of life, and dying through despaire, I am in no better state then a shadow. Well, quoth Giletta, since your wit serves you to flourish on every worde figuratively spoken, I will deliver the rest of my minde in more plaine speaches. First, I must confesse my inabilitie and unworthinesse to entertaine such a servant: then, graunt your wisdome to be such that you will not bestowe your able service, but where you see sufficient abilitie for your well deserving zeale to have deserved hyre. Nowe, to your verses: I thus muche conceive, that to colour that, your none colour bewrayes, I meane your love, else where bestowed, for that I (unhappily) ministred some speaches of mistrust, to dymme mine eyes with a vaine flourish, til time fits your better fortunes you use this fonde profession of love. Thus much I gather, both by your wordes and workes, and thus much I had thought to have delivered in, in embassage, unto this teltale paper (making shew of the letter she had written); but knowing (quoth she) letters to be very blabs, I am glad opportunitie so serves that I may deliver in wordes both what I thinke of you and your suite. With this she put up her letter againe, I thinke for that she woulde not discomfort Rinaldo with the sharpnesse thereof, who faine would have fingered the same, onely to have bestowed his skill in answere. But to shew his able force to incounter her in wordes, In deed, quoth he, letters are but to be used in necessitie, and yet, where griefs can not otherwise be uttered, necessarie instruments; but I find this benefit in my bondage, that if I were both hard of tong and pen, my flaming sighes, my frosen teares, my wan lookes, and withered fleshe, would witnesse with what devotion I served: which zeale, through my chaunging colour by you noted, I not a litle joyed, and I no lesse sorrowed you would not take notice to what saint I used this devotion, when as Rinaldo calleth heaven and earth to witnesse, that neyther beautie, braverie, or any other inticement, joyned with the credite of the greatest lady in all Italie, could subject his libertie, til Gilettas vertue, matcht with matchlesse beautie, reacht the pitch that stoupt his mounting thoughts, to whom, and for whom, he useth this suite, and suffreth these sorowes. Giletta, seeing the continuance of his vehemencie, was pretily well persuaded of his loyaltie, in so muche as, after a number of other proffers and defences, In hope (quoth she) of your readie dutie, I admit you my servant, with promise to measure your rewarde beyond desart. Rinaldo, glad of this conquest, after double vowe of faythfulnesse, reverently kissed his mistresse hand, and for that time committed her a Dio .
I will now overleape what a number of sowre and sweete thoughtes fead these unfained lovers: one while they were distempered with dread; anon quieted with hope; now desierous with secrete vowe to warrant eache other love; straight hindered by some unfortunate accident, still meashed in the snares of miserie, till time, that eyther (without conditions) might gage the other loyaltie, fayth, and constancie, provided this wished opportunitie, which was: On a day the Lord Sonfago, father to the late rehearsed bride, to perfect the glory of the sayde marriage, inuited the Lorde of Bologna, and his sonne in law, with other of their friendes and allies, unto his castle; at whiche place Rinaldo, with the rest of the ruffling youth, on smal warning and lesse bidding, as ordinarie visitors of such pastimes, presented them selves. The dinner solemnly ended, every one was addrest unto the sport most agreeable to his or their fancie: some fell to dauncing, some to putting of purposes, and such voluntarie prattle: but Rinaldo and his Giletta, otherwise affected then to listen to those counterfet contentments (to find opportunitie to discourse of more serious matters) with a chosen companie, conveyed them selves unto one end of the great chamber, where Rinaldo, to passe the time in reporting the straunge effects of love, (playing on a lute) soung the following invention:
The hart and strength of hearbs and trees is nourisht by the roote.
The frostes and froward blasts doth nip the naked spray,
The sommer liverie of the bowes with colde is worne away;
Yet lives such rootes in hope that Phaebus glimering beames
Will once dissolve syr Hiems force, his frostes and ysie streames,
And lend reliefe at length, when he their lacke should see,
With coates of leaves to cloth their armes, fit garments for a tree.
Even so both hope and dread doth wage continuall fight,
Dear dame, in me whose sommers joy you raisde with friendly sight,
But love, unlookt (God wot) to yoke my wanton yeares,
Straight usde his force, and base desart consumd my joy with feares.
It raysed frostes of scorne, my fire to overthrowe,
This chaungd the sommer of your sight to winter of my woe:
Yet fled my heart to hope, who saintly feedeth me,
Your pittie passeth poore estate, where faythfull love you see,
He shewes by secrete signes your vertues every one,
And sayes your beautie breedes no pride, that brueth all my mone.
But maugre friendly hope, base hap with me doth strive,
Who weares my flesh with withered feare, how so my hart doth thrive;
Which is the very cause why I these colours weare.
The ground of hope bewrayes my heart, the gards my desperate feare:
But if with graunt of grace my griefes you meane to quite,
Both hope and dread shall soone be chaungd to colours of delight.
Roberto Rinaldo .
These verses were reasonably liked, both for that they were done of the souden, and that they somewhat answered the demaunde; and yet this proffered love to Giletta bred no suspicion, for that every one thought Rinaldo, on so good occasion, could not otherwise choose but proffer some shewe of loving service. After many had thus commended the redinesse of Rinaldos wit, by profe of this invention, at the length (quoth Giletta halfe smyling) Maister Rinaldo, you have clearkly answered my question; and nowe, knowing your cunning, I may haply set you a worke in matters of more importance. Rinaldo (glad of this commendation) made answere, her causes could never wearie him, for that he had both left his own and al other businesse of purpose to do her service. The musicke now (a while) commaunded them from prattle, and the gallants addressed them selves to dauncing, where Rinaldo, to make amendes for his other nights negligence, requested to leade maistresse Giletta the measures. Giletta, although at the first made the matter coy, yet, won by importancie, accepted his courtesie. Rinaldo, somewhat incouraged by hope, bestowed him selfe to the best liking he could, and (to report the truth) with the perfection of arte he made full satisfaction for his former disorder. The dauncers, nowe wearied with heate, applied themselves unto more cooler pastimes, and Rinaldo and Giletta went to take the ayre at a window, where Giletta, to bewray her knowledge of his verses, used these speaches.
In good fayth (although against my will) I see it is my fortune to be acquainted with your secretes, so that before mistrusting, that I am most assured of by your passionate verses, which (by fortune) I found, I perceive that the late mistaking of your love inraged you; yet for that they appertaine not unto me, and that ye shall remove your anger from me (if you wil stay my returne) I will fetch them, and make restitution, assuring you that I neyther have, nor will, reveale the knowledge of them to any alive. To stay her departure, quoth Rinaldo, (softly distrayning her hand) Since my fortunes were so evill to lose them, for that seeing an impossibilitie of hap, I would have concealed my harme, I am glad my fortune is so good that they light into her handes, to whom in right they belong, unto whose power (with vowe of continuall service) I subject my life, living, and libertie. Maistresse Giletta, raking up her conceived love, in the ashes of secrecie, thus answered: If I were so simple to be bewitcht with shadowes, your intising words might, no doubt, worke spoyle of mine honour. In the chiefest hope of my wel doing, quoth Rinaldo (disturbing her tale) you have truly described my present condition: for being rest of heart, the only stay of life, and dying through despaire, I am in no better state then a shadow. Well, quoth Giletta, since your wit serves you to flourish on every worde figuratively spoken, I will deliver the rest of my minde in more plaine speaches. First, I must confesse my inabilitie and unworthinesse to entertaine such a servant: then, graunt your wisdome to be such that you will not bestowe your able service, but where you see sufficient abilitie for your well deserving zeale to have deserved hyre. Nowe, to your verses: I thus muche conceive, that to colour that, your none colour bewrayes, I meane your love, else where bestowed, for that I (unhappily) ministred some speaches of mistrust, to dymme mine eyes with a vaine flourish, til time fits your better fortunes you use this fonde profession of love. Thus much I gather, both by your wordes and workes, and thus much I had thought to have delivered in, in embassage, unto this teltale paper (making shew of the letter she had written); but knowing (quoth she) letters to be very blabs, I am glad opportunitie so serves that I may deliver in wordes both what I thinke of you and your suite. With this she put up her letter againe, I thinke for that she woulde not discomfort Rinaldo with the sharpnesse thereof, who faine would have fingered the same, onely to have bestowed his skill in answere. But to shew his able force to incounter her in wordes, In deed, quoth he, letters are but to be used in necessitie, and yet, where griefs can not otherwise be uttered, necessarie instruments; but I find this benefit in my bondage, that if I were both hard of tong and pen, my flaming sighes, my frosen teares, my wan lookes, and withered fleshe, would witnesse with what devotion I served: which zeale, through my chaunging colour by you noted, I not a litle joyed, and I no lesse sorrowed you would not take notice to what saint I used this devotion, when as Rinaldo calleth heaven and earth to witnesse, that neyther beautie, braverie, or any other inticement, joyned with the credite of the greatest lady in all Italie, could subject his libertie, til Gilettas vertue, matcht with matchlesse beautie, reacht the pitch that stoupt his mounting thoughts, to whom, and for whom, he useth this suite, and suffreth these sorowes. Giletta, seeing the continuance of his vehemencie, was pretily well persuaded of his loyaltie, in so muche as, after a number of other proffers and defences, In hope (quoth she) of your readie dutie, I admit you my servant, with promise to measure your rewarde beyond desart. Rinaldo, glad of this conquest, after double vowe of faythfulnesse, reverently kissed his mistresse hand, and for that time committed her a Dio .
I will now overleape what a number of sowre and sweete thoughtes fead these unfained lovers: one while they were distempered with dread; anon quieted with hope; now desierous with secrete vowe to warrant eache other love; straight hindered by some unfortunate accident, still meashed in the snares of miserie, till time, that eyther (without conditions) might gage the other loyaltie, fayth, and constancie, provided this wished opportunitie, which was: On a day the Lord Sonfago, father to the late rehearsed bride, to perfect the glory of the sayde marriage, inuited the Lorde of Bologna, and his sonne in law, with other of their friendes and allies, unto his castle; at whiche place Rinaldo, with the rest of the ruffling youth, on smal warning and lesse bidding, as ordinarie visitors of such pastimes, presented them selves. The dinner solemnly ended, every one was addrest unto the sport most agreeable to his or their fancie: some fell to dauncing, some to putting of purposes, and such voluntarie prattle: but Rinaldo and his Giletta, otherwise affected then to listen to those counterfet contentments (to find opportunitie to discourse of more serious matters) with a chosen companie, conveyed them selves unto one end of the great chamber, where Rinaldo, to passe the time in reporting the straunge effects of love, (playing on a lute) soung the following invention:
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