CHAPTER IX
The messenger had not tarried above three days, when as Wagner had trussed up his baggage, and was now ready to depart, when on the third day at night he caused his boy Artur Harmarvan (who was the son of a wealthy boor, witty above many, and praised for his notable waggery: his father dwelt at Malmesburg a town hard by Wittenberg in Saxony in high Dutchland, with whom Wagner being acquainted had obtained him of his father to serve him, and he to be taught of Wagner), him he caused to go to divers scholars of his acquaintance, to sup with him at his departure, who being invited to this hated farewell, came speedily, where they had a banquet and other courtesies which in such a time both custom and laws of their fellowship do prescribe: In the supper time the scholars moved many questions, and amongst the rest, one desired the Pursuivant to describe unto them his Lord and master, for they heard say that the Duke Alphonsus was a marvellous qualified Gentleman: The Pursuivant not willing to refuse their request told them that seeing their demand proceeded of a common good zeal, he could not but wrongfully refuse to satisfy: notwithstanding the truth might be better known of another than of him, when duty bids to be partial, if any defect might breed partiality, but so much as I will tell you, the enemy will not disdain to affirm: And there he told them the very stature, proportion, and particular lineaments, concluding that he shewed the uprightness of his mind by the proportion of his body, and keeping in his outward shape, the virtue which philosophers would have kept in the mind. There he told them the feature of his countenance, the colour of his hair, eyes, face, cheeks, etc. He told them his stature, favour, and strength, which was such, that with pure cleanness of his force, he hath foiled a gentleman in wrestling, who beside whiteness of body, was very firm without affection, not as some do which in performing anything will with such a ridiculous sourness act it, as if the force of the body must be personated upon the Theatre of his face: He declared unto them that the gifts of his mind were such as then he could not for the number reckon up, but even as occasion should serve might meet with them, being all such as were more ready to be admired than imitated, as if all virtues were gathered in him together, magnanimity, magnificence, affability, modesty, etc., briefly (he said) there were in him all those Graces, which adorn the subject with the title of Virtuous. He likewise recounted unto them his studies, unto which he accommodated himself at vacant hours, were partly the Poetry. A Poem of his he said he had by chance gotten (and by greater chance had it there at that instant) which he had made in praise of his excellent Lady when he was but of young years, his Father living, I dare say he would not for ten thousand florins have it seen, being such a one as on a dreaming passion he had let fall from his pen, and of many the most abject, but such as this is deserves commendations, because a Prince made it, but if you saw his real devices, you would then say they were Prince-like. And then he read it, which I was loath, my good friends, either to translate or translated to present it here, for that it was not worthy your censure, considering the nice buildings of Sonnets nowadays, but according to Ariosto’s vein you shall find it very conformable, as also for that I knew that if I should have left it out, it would have been more wished for than now admired. Yet for that I prefer your well-known good wills afore any vain fear, take this with the rest, if they be any with such favour, as if I were by you at the reading.
A mio solemente amandona
Madonna: Donna non parelia.
L’Angelico sembiante e quel bel volte,
Fal’odio, el’ira va in oblivione,
Ch’a l’ etc.
Thus have I harshly Englished them verbally.
Angellike semblaunce beauties ornament,
Whose Vertue quels all wrath and rancor deepe,
Whose life Heauens grace and death would monument
Vertue thy life aie.[66]
How many wounded hearts thou makst to tremble,
And I of many one cannot dissemble,
How farre into in that eie-sore.
So were thy beauty but deseruing praise,
So were thy beauty but as feminine,
Then could my quill his straine so high arrayse,
Then could with it compare the masculine,
Thy beauty praise thy bounty past diuine,
No straine no quill such wonderments assaies,
Then Poets pen shall to thy power his power resigne.
What words may wel expresse such excellence,
No humane thought thy beauties may comprise
And wordes may tell all humane insolence
All humane words and witte thy gifts surprise.
To satisfie my selfe in my pretence,
Our pen vnto the heauens must wander hence.
And fill it selfe with dew of heauenly Sapience.
And I my life shall to your hands resigne,
Which liue to serue a humane Sainct so past deuine.
Se dacolei.
Che poco ingegno adhor adhor mi lima.
This Sonnet was ended with as much praise as it began with desire, and one of them copied it out, and so it was made common to the rest, and made a good sort of them Poets, rectifying their gross conceits, with so sweet a matter. He told them that this was but a preparative to wondering in respect of his choice makings. Then he shewed them this Epigram, which he made when as before the Duke his Father, a brace of fair English Greyhounds fell down at the Hart’s heels stark dead (the Hart also lying not above six yards off dead too) with chasing, having outstripped the rest of the dogs above half a mile.
Then he reckoned unto him the delight he took in Limning, and shewed them very many fine devices of his own handiwork. The scholars singularly delighted with the view of the reliques of so great a Prince, approved by silence that excellency which by speech they could not. In fine there he reckoned up enough to be praised, and peradventure more than was true, but not more than is desired. There he set forth with great and ardent Emphasis other qualities, as his skill and hardy demeanour at the Tilt tourney, how he could manage the sturdy steed, leap, run, vaunt, dance, sing, play on divers Instruments, and talk with amiable speech amongst fair Ladies which we call courting, in all his actions full of gentle familiar affability, still reserving to himself the due honour belonging to his personage. He concluded in fine that he was the most qualified Prince and absolute Gentleman that day in all Christendom: saying if they knew his humanity, justice and liberality, you would say in him were all humanity, justice and liberality; And as the greatest thing that the world can shew is beauty, so the least thing that is to be praised in him is beauty, you would say no less than I have spoken could be in his person, if you did but see him. Thus far the digression came in the commendations of this Alphonsus, which truly I was weary of, fearing the great insufficiency of the description, but yet he had not done. I would to God (quoth he) you would come to Vienna and I promise you such lodging and entertainment, that next to the sight of him should be worthiest of your thanks. Wherefore you shall not sorrow that your friend Wagner departeth unless you will seem to envy rather his felicity than his departure. I would we were even all of us as we sit at the Table in the Duke’s Court, and here again with a wish, and herewith there knocked one at the door, Wagner craftily feigning that he himself would rise to see him that knocked so, desiring them all to sit still in any case, and opening therewith the door, there entered two young Lords of Tergeste and Moravia, bearing torches, and next there came the Duke of Austrich, as they thought, and Wagner talked with him bare-headed (the Pursuivant, thinking verily it had been his Master, would have done his duty unto him, but that the rest hindered him): on his head he wore a little Hat of blue velvet, with a rich band of pearl, stone and gold, and a long white feather, his cloak of blue velvet, round guarded with gold lace, edged with Orient pearl, and betwixt the gards oylet[67] holes whereout hung by small silk threads long bugles, all the sleeves in the like order: by his side a golden-hilted Rapier, and on his Rapier his hand, his Buskins of the fine Polonian leather, richly embroidered on the turnings down with costly Goldsmith’s work, all his apparel whatsoever most beautiful and princely, he had no sooner passed by (which was not until he was distinctly viewed of them) but that Wagner spake unto them in such manner: saying that that Honourable, this man’s Lord had sent for him, whose commandment I will in no wise repugn. Wherefore I beseech you to take it as you would my greatest advancement. This his description of his feature, judge how rightly he hath said, for my part I confess that they are rather less than the truth, than not as he hath reported, and herein to satisfy you the more, I have caused my spirit Akercocke to take his shape upon him.
Now (quoth he) it is time to depart, but because it shall be the last night of our meeting, none of you shall depart, for I have lodging enough for you all, and for you shall not be forgetful of Wagner when he is gone, let every man wish his woman, and so to bed my masters. They began all to laugh merrily, not as hoping or wishing, but as if they had heard a merry purpose, and therefore they laughed because it was merry, and such mirth they always liked of. Wagner was almost angry, and yet for that he was almost, he was not angry, sending out a great oath as the Prologue of his Comedy, bidding his Boy go prepare their beds and chambers, and bid them wish whom they would, he would their wishes should be performed. Then rose up one of the scholars persuading himself of Wagner’s earnest, and yet doubting, because he feared he was not in earnest. Why (quoth he) if you mean in very deed, my friend Kit, I would I had such a woman, I believe beside herself there is none fairer then the fairest in this town. Why weenest thou I jest (quoth Wagner), go thy ways, yonder she is upon pain of my head, and so it was indeed: then everyone strove who should wish first, and he that wished last had his first wish, so everyone took his Damsel and for that night departed to their beds, who are witnesses of that night’s great pleasures, and in the morning they arose wishing that every morning were the morrow of such a night. Every one gat him a Hackney, and brought him on the way a day’s journey, where they with great grief left him, who rode till he came to Vienna, and they till they arrived at Wittenberg. Thus still you see these Pot-meetings are ended amongst these puffed-cheeked Hannikins[68] with bed dalliances, rightly describing their lives most bestial and Epicure-like.
Footnotes
[66] The Letters were worn out in this place.—[Translator’s Note.]
[67] Eyelet.
[68] German Hänschen.