Bannatyne Club > Philotus

20 OF PHYLOTUS
tresse, accordyng to your owne contentment, as I am hartely sorie to con-
sider your greef, and do well perceiue the iuste occasion you haue to com-
plaine.
Ah my Brisilla, saied Philerno, I am as hartely sorie in your behalf, and
peraduenture doe vnderstande somethyng, whiche your self dooe not yet
knowe of, whiche will greeue you verie sore. But first Brisilla, let me aske
you this question, dooe you knowe my father, or naie.
No sure (quoth Brisilla) I haue no maner of knowledge of hym, neither did
I knowe, whether you had any father aliue, or naie, but now by your owne
reporte, and as straunge it was to me, to heare the wordes, whiche my Fa-
ther vsed to me this dale, when he brought you home, for that I neuer vn-
derstoode before, that he went about a wife.
Philerno was verie glad to heare these newes, because it serued so muche
the better for his purpose : and therefore saied as followeth.
This tale that I minde to tell you (my Brisilla) will seeme more straunge
then all the reste, and yet assure your self, it is nothyng so straunge as true,
and therefore giue eare to that I mynde to sale : Doe you not thinke it
verie straunge in deede, that the one of vs should bee made bothe mother
and daughter to the other, and that our fathers, whiche be now so diescrepit
and olde, should bee so ouer haled, with the fuiie of their fonde and vnbridel-
ed affections, that to serue their owne appetites, thei force not with what
clogges of care, thei comber vs that be their louyng daughters, but haue con-
cluded betwene them selues a crosse Marriage, and so in deede it male well
be tearmed, that will fall out so ouerthwarte to our behoofes, who beyng
now in our yong and tender yeres, and should bothe of vs bee made the
dearlynges of twoo old men, that seekes to preferre their owne lust, before
their childrens loue, and measure their fierie flames of youth, by the ded
coles of age, as though thei were able with their cold and rare imbracementes,
to delaie the forces of the fleshe, whose flames doeth excede in these our
grene and tender yeres, and as muche possible for vs to cotinue in likyng, as
flowers are seen to agree with Froste, but in plaine tearmes (my Brisilla)