Thou Hony-suckle of the Hathorne hedge, Vouchsafe in Cupids cup my heart to pledge; My hearts dear blood, sweet Cis is thy Carouse, Worth all the Ale in Gammer Gubbins house. I say no more, affairs call me away, My Fathers horse for provender doth stay. Be thou the Lady Cressetlight to me, Sir Trolly Lolly will I prove to thee. Written in hast, farewel my Cowslip sweet, Pray let’s a Sunday at the Ale-house meet.

Your most grim Stoiks, and severe Philosophers will melt away with this passion, and if Atheneus bely them not, Aristippus, Apollidorus, Antiphanes, &c. have made love songs and Commentaries of their Mistress praises, Orators write Epistles, Princes give titles, Honours, what not? Xerxes gave to Themistocles Lampsacus to find him wine, Magnesia for bread, and Myunte for the rest of his diet.

The Persian Kings allotted whole Cities to like use, hæc civitas mulieri redimiculum præbeat, hæc in collum, hæc in crines, one whole city served to dress her hair, another her neck, a third her hood. Assuerus would have given Esther half his Empire, and Herod bid Herodias ask what she would, she should have it.

Caligula gave an 100000 sesterces to his Curtisan at first word to buy her pins, and yet when he was solicited by the Senate, to bestow something to repair the decayed wals of Rome for the Common-wealths good, he would give but 6000 sesterces at most.

Dionysius that Sicilian tyrant rejected all his privy Councellors, and was so besotted on Mirrha his favourite and Mistress, that he would bestow no office, or in the most weightiest business of the kingdome do ought without her especial advice, prefer, depose, send, entertain no man, though worthy and well deserving, but by her consent; and he again whom she commended, howsoever unfit, unworthy, was as highly approved.

Kings and Emperours instead of Poems, build Cities; Adrian built Antinoa in Ægypt, besides Constellations, Temples, Altars, Statues, Images, &c. in the honour of his Antinous. Alexander bestowed infinite sums, to set out his Hephestion to all eternity.

Socrates professeth himself loves servant, ignorant in all arts, and sciences, a Doctor alone in love matters, & quum alienarum rerum omnium scientiam diffiteretur, saith Maximus Tyrius his sectator, hujus negotii professor, &c. and this he spake openly, at home, abroad, at publick feasts, in the Academy, in Pyræo, Lycæo, sub Platano, &c. the very blood-hound of beauty, as he is stiled by others.

But I conclude there is no end of Loves Symptomes, ’tis a bottomless pit. Love is subject to no dimensions; not to be survayed by any art or engine: and besides I am of Hædus mind, no man can discourse of love matters, or judge of them aright, that hath not made tryal in his own person, or as Æneas Sylvius adds, hath not a little doted, been mad or love-sick himself. I confess I am but a novice, a Contemplator only,

Nescio quid sit amor nec amo——

I have a tincture; for why should I lye, dissemble or excuse it, yet homo sum, &c. not altogether inexpert in this subject, non sum præceptor amandi, and what I say, is meerly reading, ex aliorum forsan ineptiis, by mine own observation, and others relation.