affirme, that their will is weake, by suffering it so easily to be ouercommed by him: To saie, that Loue with mightie violence doth shoote mortall and venemous ar∣rowes, is to include that their harts are too secure & carelesse, when that so willing∣ly they offer themselues to receiue them. To say, that Loue doth streightly capti∣uate their soules, is to inferre, that there is want of iudgement and courage in them, when at the first bruntes they yeelde; nay when sometimes without any combate they surrender their libertie into their enimies hands: and finally all the enterpri∣ses which they tell of Loue, are nothing else but matter of their miseries, and argu∣ments of their weakenes. All which force and prowesse admit to be his, yet are they not of such qualitie, that they deserue any praise or honour at all. For what courage is it to take them prisoners, that are not able to defend themselues? What hardines to assaile weake and impotent creatures? What valour to wounde those that take no heede and thinke least on him? What fortitude to kill those that haue alreadie yeelded themselues? What honour with cares to disturbe those, that are mery and ioyfull? What woorthie deede to persecute vnfortunate men? Truely faire Shep∣herdesse, they that would so much extoll and glorifie this Cupid, and that so greatly to their cost serue him, should (for his honour) giue him better praises. For the best name that amongst them all he gets, is to be but a cowarde in his quarrels, vaine in his pretences, liberal of troubles, and couetous in rewards. Al which names, though of base infamie they sauour, yet are those woorse which his affectionate seruants giue him, calling him fire, furie, and death, terming (Louing) no better then to burne, to destroy, to consume, and to make themselues fooles, and naming themselues blinde, miserable, captiues, madde, inflamed, and consumed. From hence it comes, that generally all complaine of Loue, calling him a Tyrant, a Traytour, vnflexible, fierce and vnpitifull. All Louers verses are full of dolour, compounded with sighes, blotted with teares, and sung with agonies. There shalt thou see suspicions, there feares, there mistrustes, there iealousies, there cares, and there all kindes of paines. There is no other speech amongst them but of deathes, chaines, darts, poysons, flames, and other things which serue not but to giue torments to those, that em∣ploie their fancies in it, and feare when they call vpon it. Herbanius the Shepherde famous in Andolozia, was troubled too much with these termes when in the barke of a Poplar, with a sharp bodkin, insteed of his pen, in presence of me wrote these verses following.
HE that in freedome iets it proude and braue,
Let him not liue too carelesse of himselfe:
For in an instant he may be a slaue
To mighty Loue, and serue that wanton elfe:
And let that hart, that yet was neuer tamed,
Feare at the last by him to be inflamed.
For on that soule that proudly doth disdaine
His heauie lawes, and liues with loftie will,
Fierce Loue is woont t’inflict a cruell paine,
And with most sharpe and dire reuenge to kill:
That who presumes to liue without his power,
In death he liues tormented euery hower.
O Loue, that dost condemne me to thy iaile,
