Book XI, Chapter 67

YEE heard how she his Letter read, whilst Stafford was in place,
Which hauing read, shee stoode as if astonished a space.
Her blusshing, and vn-blusshing, made that Stafford doubted whether
It pleased, or displeased: which, the troth to say, did neither.
Varietie of Men to court a Woman is her pride,
Than which their Vanitie of Men is nothing lesse espyde.
What are to vs, but common hutts, those common hopes they giue,
If then their Loue doth dye to vs, when ours to them doth liue?
They Nero-like sing Troy, when Rome by them is set on fier,
Iest at our earnest. Let vs now to Elenor retier.
More modest she thā such (though most, in Mēs behalfe, might better)
And comes, quoth she, from Mandeuil this ill-come-welcome letter?
Beleeue me, Stafford, ill it comes that sayes a cause in me,
That from his Natiue home he should thus selfe-exiled be.
If amorous Hopes, or Hopes vnheld, to him from me had past,
I had indeed bin guiltie, as too forward, or not fast.
But to the Cause, Effect, and all, not-guiltie, doe I pleade:
His Loue is Newes, mine to despairewhat was it him should leade?
Our Court (I will not wrong the Man, nor flatter him a whit)
Can hardly shew another-such for Person, Prowse, and Wit.
But as for me (setting a-part my Birth, to which, or any
So borne, our State is interest) what am I more than Many?
If beautious now (here let me chide his Indiscretion, who
Farre from a Meane of it so meane doth make so much adoe,
And least perhaps he should haue glib'd, a vertue doth not note,
Whēce loue shuld spring, which makes me gesse he doth not loue but dote)
If beautious, as I sayd, what els is Forme but vaiding Aire?
Yea oft, because assaulted oft, it hurteth to be faire.
And were not my Descent, and I a Fauorite in Court,
My common Forme, vnheeded then, might passe without report.
But, were my wishes mine, the Court by me should be the lesse:
So much it hath of Vanitie, and painfull Idlenesse.
Since such is he, and of my selfe my selfe but so esteeme,
Himselfe by Silence, me he wrong'd, disdainfull me to deeme.
I could be angrie, were he here, with him for erring so,
Disdaine (the Volgars Fault) is not in Gentrie found, I troe.
But feare he did, and wisely too (for God forbid that I,
Vnworthie that I am, should haue indanger'd him to dye)
The Kings displeasure: Or, perhaps, vnpossible he thought
My loue should equall his, or I a trans-Marine be wrought.
But if he intertain'd such thoughts, there also did he erre:
Loue is a lordly Feast, he writes, and I the same auerre.
For if (not rashly though, I hope) vpon my Choice I stand,
My hand shall neuer giue my heart, my heart shall giue my hand:
Yea, so I liue with whom I loue, what care I in what Land?
With Women is too vsuall now Theirs, and themselues to sell
For Ioynters, by Indenture, with imperious Men to dwell,
And he doth her, and she doth him, with his, and hers vpbrayde:
But that I chiefly match for loue shall, when I match, be sayde.
Good Daies beget, bad Daies trie Friends, nor him a friend esteeme,
Whom firme, as to thy selfe thy selfe, thou darest not to deeme,
Say some: But Mandeuil, I see, of you accompteth so,
As of his firme and choycest Friend, then, least I tedious groe,
I tell thee, Stafford, next to one, is Mandeuil the Man
I could haue loued, but I loue, whom not vn-loue I can.
Yeat if you aske me whom, or where, that one beloued is,
I cannot answer whom, or where, yeat am, and will be his.

Madame, quoth Stafford, yet your speech hath head, nor foote, nor Middle,
Not naming him, you end a Sphynx, and tie me to a Riddle.
Well, friend you are to Mandeuil, nor foe (she sayd) to me:
The greene-Knight, Victor at the Iusts a few yeares past, is he.
In sooth, quoth Stafford, if for him be resolute your Choyce,
Chuse not againe, with you for him consort I also Voyce.
Nor thinke, in that I him prefer, I Mandeuil reiect:
Friendship may brooke Triplicitie, and shall in this respect.
For your owne sake, and for his sake (than Mandeuil no lesse
My Friend) I shall (his Soules desire) you of that Knight possesse.

Almost an Extasie of Ioy her from her selfe did seuer,
Hearing of him, for whom her heart did hunt, and els should euer:
And though she did obserue his soone Reuolt from friend to friend,
And him thereof had tacht, weare not her priuate Cause to end,
Yeat was she silent touching it, and modestly pursewes,
In Quest of her beloued Knight. But tarrie yet that Newes,
First Burrough, Ienkinson, and what by them was done pe[…]use.