And loue no fault comitts in swearing more than troth.”
The thoughts are, as expressed in Italian,—
“Se ben l’amante assai promette, e giura,
Non si da pena à le sue voci infide,
Anzi Venere, e Giove se ne ride.
l’Amoroso spergiuro non si cura.”
To such unsound morality, however, Shakespeare offers strong objections in the Friar’s words (Romeo and Juliet, act iii. sc. 3, l. 126),—
“Thy noble shape is but a form of wax,
Digressing from the valour of a man;
Thy dear love sworn, but hollow perjury,