hree
Amorous dames was Lamia, who was in the tyme of King Antigonus,
that warfared in the seruice of Alexander the Great, a valyant
gentleman, although not fauored by Fortune. Thys kynge Antigonus
left behynde hym a sonne and heyre called Demetrius, who was
lesse valyaunt, but more fortunate than his father, and had bene
a Prynce of greate estimation, if in hys youthe hee had acquyred
frendes, and kept the same, and in hys age had not ben gyuen to
so many vices. Thys King Demetrius was in loue with Lamia, and
presented hir wyth rich giftes and rewardes, and loued hir so
affectionately, and in sutch sort, as in the loue of his Lamia
he semed rather a fole than a true louer: for, forgetting the
grauity and authoritye of his person, hee dyd not onelye gyue
hir all such things as she demaunded, but besides that hee vsed
no more the company of his wyfe Euxonia. On a tyme Kyng
Demetrius asking Lamia what was the thing wherewyth a woman was
sonest wonne? "There is nothing," answered shee, "whych sooner
ouercommeth a Woman, than when she seeth a man to loue hir with
al hys hart, and to susteyne for hir sake greate paynes and
passyons wyth long continuance and entier affection, for to love
men by collusion, causeth afterwards that they be mocked."
Agayn, Demetrius asked hir further: "Tell me, Lamia, why doe
diuerse Women rather hate than loue men?" Whereunto she
answered: "The greatest cause why a Woman doth hate a man, is,
when the man doth vaunt and boast himselfe of that which he doth
not, and performeth not the thing which he promiseth." Demetrius
demaunded of her: "Tell me, Lamia, what is the thing wherewith
men doe content you best?"--"When wee see him," sayde she, "to
be dyscrete in wordes, and secrete in his dedes." Demetrius
asked hir further: "Tell me, Lamia, how chaunceth it that men be
ill matched?" "Bycause," answered Lamia, "it is impossible that
they be well maryed, when the wife is in neede, and the husbande
vndiscrete." Demetrius asked hir what was the cause that amitye
betwene lwo louers was broken? "There is nothing," answered she,
"that soner maketh colde the loue betwene two louers, than when
one of them doth straye in loue, and the Woman louer to
importunate to craue." He demaunded further: "Tell me, Lamia,
what is the thinge that moste tormenteth the louing man?" "Not
to attayne the thing which he desireth," answered she, "and
thinketh to lose the thing whych he hopeth to enioy." Demetrius
yet once agay