Be not then so wayward, so covetous, so distrustful, so curious and nice, but let’s all marry, mutuos foventes amplexus: Take me to thee, and thee to me, to morrow is St Valentines day, let’s keep it Holiday for Cupids sake, for that great God Loves sake, for Hymens sake, and celebrate Venus Vigil with our Ancestors for company together, singing as they did,

Cras amet qui nunquam amavit, quique amavit, cras amet. Ver novum, ver iam canorum, ver natus orbis est, Vere concordant amores, vere nubunt alites, Et nemus coma resolvit &c. Cras amet, &c.

Let him that is averse from marriage read more in Barbarus de re uxor. lib. 1. cap. 1. Lemnius de institut. cap. 4. P. Godefridus de Amor. lib. 3. cap. 1. Nevisanus lib. 3. Alex. ab Alexandro, lib. 4. cap. 8. Tunstall, Erasmus tracts in laudem matrimonii, &c.

and I doubt not but in the end he will rest satisfied, recant with Beroaldus, do penance for his former folly, singing some penitentiall ditties, desire to be reconciled to the Deity of this great God Love, go a pilgrimage to his Shrine, offer to his Image, sacrifice upon his Altar, and be as willing at last to embrace marriage as the rest:

There will not be found, I hope, No not in that severe family of Stoicks, who shall refuse to submit his grave beard, and supercilious lookes to the clipping of a wife, or disagree from his fellowes in this point. For what more willingly (as Varro holds) can a proper man see then a fair wife, a sweet wife, a loving wife? can the world afford a better sight, sweeter content, a fairer object, a more gracious aspect?

Since then this of marriage, is the last and best refuge, and cure of Heroicall love, all doubts are cleared, and impediments removed; I say again, what remaines, that but according to both their desires, they be happily joyned, since it cannot otherwise be helped. God send us all good wives, every man his wish in this kinde, and me mine!

And God that all this world hath ywrought, Send him his Love that hath it so deere bought.

If all parties be pleased, aske their Banes, ’tis a match. Fruitur Rhodanthe sponsa, sponso Dosicle, Rhodanthe and Dosicles shall goe together, Clitiphon and Leucippe, Theagines and Chariclia, Poliarchus hath his Argenis, Lysander Calista, (to make up the maske) Potiturque sua puer Iphis Ianthi.

And Troilus in lust and in quiet, Is with Creseid, his own heart sweet.

And although they have hardly past the pikes, through many difficulties and delayes brought the match about, yet let them take this of Aristenetus (that so marry) for their comfort: After many troubles and cares, the marriages of Lovers are more sweet and pleasant.

As we commonly conclude a Comœdy with an wedding, and shaking of hands, lets shut up our discourse, and end all with an Epithalamium.

Feliciter nuptis, God give them joy together. Hymen O Hymenæe, Hymen ades o Hymenæe! Bonum factum, ’Tis well done, Haud equidem sine mente reor, sine numine Divum, ’tis an happy conjunction, a fortunate match, an even couple,

Ambo animis, ambo præstantes viribus, ambo Florentes annis,——

they both excell in gifts of body and mind, are both equal in yeares, youth, vigor, alacrity, she is fair and lovely as Lais or Helena, he as another Charinus or Alcibiades,

—— ludite ut lubet & brevi Liberos date. ——

Then modestly go sport and play, And lets have every year a boy.

Goe give a sweet smel as Incense, and bring forth flowers as the Lilly: that we may say hereafter,

Scitus Mecastor natus est Pamphilo puer.

In the mean time I say,

Ite, agite O juvenes, non murmura vestra columbæ, Brachia non hederæ, neque vincant oscula conchæ.

Gentle youths go sport your selves betimes, Let not the Doves outpass your murmurings, Or Ivy clasping armes, or oyster kissings.

And in the morne betime, as those Lacedæmonian Lasses saluted Helena and Menelaus, singing at their windowes, and wishing good successe, do we at yours:

Salve O sponsa, salve felix, det vobis Latona Felicem Sobolem, Venus dea det æqualem amorem Inter vos mutuò; Saturnus durabiles divitias, Dormite in pectora mutuò amorem inspirantes, Et desiderium! ——

Good morrow Master Bridegroom, and Mistris Bride, Many fair lovely Bernes to you betide! Let Venus to you mutual love procure, Let Saturne give you riches to endure. Long may you sleep in one anothers armes. Inspiring sweet desire, and free from harmes.

Even all your lives long,

Contingat vobis turturum concordia, Corniculæ vivacitas ——

The love of Turtles hap to you, And Ravens yeares still to renew.

Let the Muses sing (as he said;) the Graces dance, not at their weddings only but all their daies long; so couple their hearts, that no irksomnesse or anger ever befall them: Let him never call her other name then my joy, my light, or she call him otherwise then sweet-heart. To this happinesse of theirs, let not old age any whit detract, but as their yeares, so let their mutual love and comfort increase. And when they depart this life,

—— †concordes quoniam vixere tot annos, Auferat hora duos eadem, nec conjugis usquam Busta suæ videat, nec sit tumulandus ab illa.

Because they have so sweetly liv’d together, Let not one dye a day before the other, He bury her, she him, with even fate, One houre their soules let jointly separate.

Fortunati ambo si quid mea carmina possunt, Nulla dies unquam memori vos eximet ævo.

Atq; hæc de amore dixisse sufficiat, sub correctione, quod ait ille, cujusque melius sentientis. Plura qui volet de remediis amoris, legat Iasonem Pratensem, Arnoldum, Montaltum, Savanarolum, Langium, Valescum, Crimisonum, Alexandrum Benedictum, Laurentium, Valleriolam, è Poëtis Nasonem, è nostratibus Chaucerum, &c. with whom I conclude,

For my words here and every part, I speak them all under correction, Of you that feeling have in loves art, And put it all in your discretion, To intreat & make diminution Of my language, that I you beseech: But now to purpose of my rather speech.