Orlando furioso in English heroical verse, by Sr Iohn Haringto[n] of Bathe Knight.

THE LIFE OF ARIOSTO BRIEF∣LY AND COMPENDIOVSLY GATHERED OVT OF SVNDRIE ITALIAN writers, by IOHN HARINGTON.

* 1.1THose that performed anie notable worke in their liues, either for the profite of their countrey, or for the aduancement of learning, or in any other thing that hath made them worth the talking of af∣ter their deceasses, haue for the most part both bene recorded in the Histories of their times, and also had their names eternized by spe∣ciall Treatises written of their liues; by which the ensuing ages might know their country, their parentage, their time of birth, their education, their disposition, their actions, and their end: Whether it be that men are willing to prosecute their deserts with a thankfull remémbrance after their deaths, as it were for a kind of recompence of their trauell in this life, whether for the incouragement of those that liue, to make them by vertue hunt after fame. Neither onely haue men of good deserts bene praised for their vertues, but also the wicked haue bene blazed for their faults, that those whom desire of fame cannot allure to well do∣ing, yet feare of shame and ignominie, may terrifie from leud actions. In both which kinds, diuerse haue employed their pennes, both in former ages and now of late, to the great good and delight of the studious reader.* 1.2 Witnesse Plutarks liues called his Paralels, comparing the notable men of Rome and Greece: Suetonius booke of the twelue Caesars: anothers after him of ten Emperours (excellently written in Italian): And of our owne countrie and in our owne language, the Mirrour of Magistrates, in which the life and fall of many great persons is very well set downe, and in a good verse. Now (as I say) this being a common cu∣stome, and as it were a due reward to men of good desert, no maruell if this Poet, whose

worke hath bene acceptable to so many thousands, haue also found this fauour to haue his life written, which hath bene done by three Italians that I haue read, namely Giero∣lam, Porro of Padoa, Gierolamo Garofala of Ferrara, and by Simon Fornari of Rheggio: out of whose three reports I haue gathered this compendious treatise, to satisfie such as are desirous to know who this Ariosto was, whom I haue so greatly extolled in my Apo∣logie, as a benefactor of all studious mindes, and on whose worke I haue employed so much time, to put it into English verse, and to bestow so many notes as I haue done vpon the expounding of his Allegories, and whatsoeuer else I iudged fit for the readers of weaker ca∣pacities.

First therefore you must know,* 1.3 that the house or name of the Ariosti came first out of Bologna, (not as some haue vainely surmised deriued of the Aristij or Ariouisti) for yet their name is remaining in Bologna in good account and reckning, and was long since of that reputation for gentrie and wealth, that Margues Obyso the third of the house of Este, thought it no disparagement to him to marrie a wife out of that stocke, called Lippa Ariosta. This Ladie was of excellent beautie and wit, and bringing with her vnto Ferra∣ra some of the Ariosti of her kin and followers, by her fauour and countenance, they so well fethered their nests in Ferrara in her life, that they held euer since the account of Gentlemen of the better sort: But (admit their familie were of good reckning before) yet the excellencie of this famous man we now treate of, by the consent of all that write of it,* 1.4 hath greatly increased the account and credit thereof. His fathers name was Ni∣cholas Ariosto, and both his father and vncles bare offices in their countrey of good va∣lew, his mothers name was Aria of the house of Malagutsie in Reggio,* 1.5 as appeareth in one of his Satyres where he nameth her. Now though this Lodowike Ariosto were his fathers eldest sonne, yet he had foure brothers and fiue sisters, the names of his bro∣thers himselfe set downe in his second Satyre, Charles, Alexander, Galasso, and Gabriell, where also he complaineth that Mercurie was no great friend to his house,* 1.6 meaning that their wealth was but small, because none of them had vsed to increase it by traf∣ficke or merchandize. Now though his father were a man of good reckning, as ha∣uing bene in his youth a companion of Duke Borso, and after that an officer to Duke Her∣cules, in a good place, namely his Maiordomo, which I take to signifie as much as great master or steward of his house, and often employed as Ambassadour from him to the Pope, and to the king of France, and consequently receiued of him great preferments, as well in dignities, as reuenewes and fees, yet it seemeth that he liued euer so at the vt∣termost of his abilitie, that he pursed vp little to the increase of his stocke, and thereby left his heire no verie rich man.* 1.7 But to speake of the sonne of whom I chiefly intend my discourse, certaine it is that from his verie childhood, he shewed great tokens of forward∣nes in all studie, but specially in Poetrie, in so much that his father yet liuing, he trans∣lated the tale of Pyramus and Thisbee into verse, making in a manner a Comedie of it, and so caused his brothers and sisters to play it. Howbeit his father being vtterly vn∣learned, and rather regarding what studie would be most profitable to be followed by his sonne, then what his nature and inclination did best serue him to, compelled him to studie the ciuill law, in which hauing plodded some yeares verie displeasantly, and with no great proofe, at last he left it vtterly, and fell to more sweete studies; for the barbarousnesse of the phrase agreed not with the sharpnes of his conceit, in so much that he writeth of himselfe (though rather pehaps of his modestie, then that it was so)

Passar, vent' anni mi trouaua, e vopo Hauer di Pedagogo, ch'a fatica Inteso haurei quel che tradusse Esopo.

That is to say, that being twentie yeare old, he had need of a schoolamaster to conster

Esopes fables; though I see not how that could be, considering that being verie young, they say he made and openly pronounced an Oration in Latine, that gaue euen then great hope of him: the best likelihood is, that when his father set him to the Law, which he had no minde vnto, that then he lost his Latine againe, which is soone done, and so was glad to fall to it freshly, after he came to mans estate, which he did verie studious∣ly, reading manie bookes, and especially Horace, whom he studied so thorowly, that he was able to expound diuers hard and obscure places in his Odes, which were then not vnderstood, and it is obserued, that when Leo the tenth was Pope, both his holinesse and diuers great Prelates in Rome fauored him greatly, euen in that respect. Thus as I said, his naturall inclination carrying him chiefly to Poetrie, he gaue himselfe to reade those Poets that were of best account, both in Latine and Italian, as his worke well shewes, in his oft and excellent imitations of them, and his gift was such, that though his youngest brother Gabriel wrote reasonable well, and by meanes of a lamenesse he had, gaue himselfe wholly to studie, yet he came so farre short of him, that there was no comparison: so that as one said of Tully, Satis est non modo in vna familia, sed in vna ciuitate esse vnum Rhetorem; it is enough to haue one good Orator not onely in a fa∣mily, but euen in a whole Citie: So one may say of Ariosto, it is enough that all Italy had one so excellent a Poet. Yet he was often woont to lament as before him Petrarke, and before them both Ouid is noted to haue done, that his father still draue him from Poetrie, as that verse witnesseth,

Abi lasso, quando hebbi al Pegaseo melo L'eta disposta, e che le fresche guancie, Non si videan auchorfiorir, d'vnpelo Mio padre mi caccio con spiedi e lancie Non che con sprom, a volger testi e chiose. Em'occupo cing anni in quelle ciancie.

But to proceed, when he had prettilie entered himselfe in Poetrie, and was of the age of foure and twentie, his father departed his life, and as I in part noted before, left him no rich man, whether that the inheritance was deuided among all the brothers, as in some places of England and Wales, the custome of the Gauell kinde alloweth, or that his liuing stood most vpon offices and fees that dyed with him: but thus they write, that he was then greatly perplexed with the charge of so great a familie, and with bestowing his sisters, and prouiding for his brothers, that he was euen readie to haue giuen ouer all his studie, had not the emulation that he had with a Gentleman of his owne name and kinne, called Pandolfo Ariosto, still renewed in him his former disposition: but in processe of time this Pandolfo dyed, with which his friend and cosin were greatly discouraged, and for a time againe discontinued, but yet so as the world before that time had some conceit of his sharpenesse of wit, and of his gift in well writing: In the end being toward thirtie yeares old, he was for his good parts entertained into the seruice of Don Hippolito Cardinall of Este,* 1.8 a great fauourer of learning and good witts, and one that kept continually in his court great store of excellent learned men, among whom Ariosto was receiued in verie honoura∣ble sort: and yet to this time he had not written any worke of fame, but some few Son∣nets: forbearing belike to write till he were well stuffed with matter; as wise buil∣ders beginne not their buildings till they haue brought their Lime and stone and timber in place, left one should stay for the other. At his very entrance into this Cardinals ser∣uice, he determined, as it should seeme, to make some Poem, finding his strength to serue him to it, and though he could haue accomplished it very well in Latine, yet he chose rather

his natiue tongue, either because he thought he could not attaine to the highest place of praise,* 1.9 the same being before occupied by diuerse, and specially Virgil and Ouid, or be∣cause he found it best agreed with his matter and with the time, or because he had a desire (as most men haue) to enrich their owne language with such writings as may make it in more account with other nations: but the first of these was the true cause indeed, for when Bembo would haue disswaded him from writing Italian, alledging that he should winne more praise by writing Latine, his answer was, that he had rather be one of the princi∣pall and chiefe Thuscan writers, then scarse the second or third among the Latines: adding, that he found his humor (his Genius he called it) best inclining to it. Wherefore going for∣ward with that resolution, of all the Poems that were then in that kind in manner of history (they were called Romanzi, which in French signifieth briefe notes of occurrents) he chose Boyardo,* 1.10 vpon whose worke he would ground, both because he said Boyardos worke was fresh in euery mans minde, as also because he would shunne the bringing in of new names, and of new matter, which he thought would be nothing so pleasant vnto his countri∣men, as that of which they had some tast alreadie, and yet withall a desire to know fur∣ther of being by Boyardo left vnperfect. Thus (as I said) he began this worke of his en∣tituled Orlando Furioso, being about the age of thirtie yeares, and being entred into the seruice of Cardinall Hippolito, howbeit he did not so wholly giue himselfe either to rea∣ding, for the inriching of his owne wit, or to writing, for the pleasure and profit of others, that he withdrew himselfe from such honorable seruices as he was called to.* 1.11 For when Pope Iulio the second had intended to make warre vpon the Duke of Ferrara (whose bro∣ther Cardinall Hippolito was) master Lodowicke Ariosto was chosen as a most fit man to go of Ambassage to him,* 1.12 to pacifie his wrath; the which busines he managed so well, that he wan great reputation of wisedome and discretion at his returning: Howbeit, it was not long after his returne, but that the forenamed Pope, being indeed a man of an vnquiet spirit, and giuen all to the warres, leuied a great power against the Duke, and shipped ma∣ny of his souldiers, to send them ouer Poe the great riuer that runnes by Ferrara, these were met by the forces of the Duke vpon the water, and in that seruice Ariosto himselfe de∣meaned himselfe verie valiantly,* 1.13 and tooke one of the best shippes and best stored with victuall and munition in all the fleete. But these armies being dissolued, the Duke thought good once againe to send to pacifie that same ouer terrible Prelat; and euerie man shun∣ning the office, knowing the furious nature of Iulio, Ariosto againe for the seruice and safetie of his countrie,* 1.14 aduentured to go, indeed an exceeding aduenture, for neither were the wayes safe in time of warres to go so weakely guarded; neither was that Popes displea∣sure supportable where he placed the same; yet through both these dangers he waded, and presented himselfe to the Pope; but finding by some priuie intelligence, that the place was too hot for him,* 1.15 he gat home againe with great perill to haue mard all his fine in∣uention, with the losse of that head from whence it came. For this seruice notwithstan∣ding he was greatly both praised and fauoured. Now when things after by the good suc∣cesse of the Duke, grew to more quiet, then he also betooke him to his quiet studies, & con∣sequently did proceede in his excellent Poem: But sodainly, when he had made so much thereof, as gaue great hope to all men, that it would proue an excellent peece of worke, he happened to fall into the Cardinals displeasure, by meanes that he refused to go with him into Hungarie,* 1.16 which though the said Cardinall tooke verie displeasantly; yet knowing the valew of the man, and his worth, he would not disgrace him openly, though he wan∣ted no enemies to feed and further that ill conceit in him; which master Lodowicke fin∣ding, was so greatly discouraged, that he intermitted his writing many yeares: and to mend the matter, one taking occasion of this eclipse of the Cardinals fauour, put him in suit for a peece of land of his ancient inheritance, which was not onely a great vexa∣tion to his minde, but a charge to his purse, and trauell to his bodie; for vndoubtedly, the clattering of armour, the noise of great Ordenance, the sound of trumpet and drumme,

the neying of horses do not so much trouble the sweete Muses, as doth the brabling of Lawyers, the paltering of Attorneys, and the ciuill warre or rather most vnciuill disa∣greeing of forsworne Iurors. Thus was good master Lodowike interrupted of his course of writing fourteene whole yeares, euen to the death of the Cardinall; after which time he had, or rather he tooke to himselfe more libertie or leisure to follow his owne humor and priuate studie, and in processe of time finished to great perfection that, which he had begun with great expectation.* 1.17 Yet did the Duke Alfonso allure him by all means he could to his court, vsing him like a companion rather then like a seruant, and offering him great offices and preferments if he could haue made him serue him in ordinarie; but he louing his libertie more then any preferment, refused both his and other great offers of great Princes and Cardinals, as also of Pope Leo the tenth, a great fauourer of learning and good wits, of all whom notwithstanding he receiued many graces, and some good giftes; but for countries sake, and of his gratefull nature he was euer relying of the Duke of Ferrara; and finding that the Duke did delight in his writings, and speci∣ally in fine Comedies,* 1.18 he made fiue: La Casseria, I suppositi, la Lena, el Nigromante, la Scholastica: but of this last he made but three actes, and it was finished by his bro∣ther Gabriel. These Comedies the Duke did so highly esteeme, that he built a verie sumptuous stage in a faire large hall at Ferrara, of purpose for a place to haue them plaide and represented in his court: and he vsed other great tokens of fauour to him, but specially (which is indeed the onely true token of fauour in a Prince) he gaue him great rewardes, enabling him thereby to build a conuenient house in Ferrara, with a delicate garden to it, in which he vsed often to sit and walke, and make verses, and writing diuers other both wittie and pleasant discourses, or translations out of French or Spanish,* 1.19 with such felicitie and good grace in the Italian, that his doings were in great account with all the Princes of Italy, and they sent him manie giftes for copies of them: but office of charge he was exceeding loth to take, saying, that he would not sell his libertie for the best Hat in Rome, meaning a Cardinals Hat; further he would confesse of himselfe that he was variable in his desires, and in his disposition, and there∣fore would be tide to nothing.* 1.20 For his dyet he was verie temperate, and a great enemie of excesse and surfetting, and so carelesse of delicates, as though he had had no perseuerance in the tast of meates, in so much as one day a friend of his in sport, caused a Muskite to be set before him in steed of a Partrich, but by mistaking of the seruingmā that set it on the boord, another Gentleman happened to tast it, and so the iest was discouered, and he writeth of him∣selfe in one place,

Io non ho troppo gusto de viuande, Che Scalco sia, fui degno esser almondo Quando viuean gli huomiuni di grande.

That is to say, that his tast was not delicate, and that he was fit to haue liued in the world when they fed on Akornes: howbeit, for women I cannot so much praise his tempe∣rance, for he is noted to haue had dishonest companie with one Alexandra,* 1.21 though some say he was married to her priuilie, and durst not be acknowne of it for feare to leese some spirituall liuings that he had, which were not lawfull to be held by a mar∣ried man,* 1.22 but howsoeuer it was, his two sonnes were counted but base borne, though both of them prospered reasonable well in the world, their names were Virginio and Gian Battista, Virginio became a spirituall man, and his father surrendered some of his liuings vnto him, the other became Captaine of a band of the Dukes, and a man of good account with the Duke. Also there was a Ladie called Genewra a faire and modest La∣die, whom he made great profession of loue vnto, but whether he enioyed her or no, it is not knowne, and therefore we may imagine the best: he fell in loue with one (whe∣ther

that were this Genewra or no, I know not,) in Florence in the house of Vestucci, a kins∣woman of his, finding her one day dressing of a core like an armour for one of her sonnes, a∣gainst he should go into the great shew that they haue there on midsomer eeue (as they were wont to haue here in London,) whereupon he made that comparison in the 54. stanse of the xxiiij. booke of Orlando Furioso, of the wound that the noble Zerbino Pince of Scot∣land, had receiued of Mandricardo:

The Prince so eager was he felt no smart, Yet ran the blond out of his brest amaine, And of his armour all the former part, With crimsen streame of bloud it did distaine: So haue I seene her hand, that to mine hart Hath bene a cause of anguish great and paine, When she a purple seame or flowre hath drawne, In siluer kirtle, or in sleeue of lawne.

Also his prettie fantasticall beginning of the fiue and thirtith Canto in the first and second staffe, with the first and second and third of the sixteenth Canto, do proue that he was sub∣iect to that passion of loue, but withall, that his loue was placed vpon women of good worth and of great modestie. Now though I dare not excuse him in this so great a fault, yet partly in respect he was vnmarried, partly because these white diuels haue such a temp∣ting power vpon the earth, me thinkes I should easily obtaine a pardon for him, of all you that reade this short discourse of his life.* 1.23 But omitting this one peccadilio, in all his other proceedings he was verie modest, and iust, and affable, and verie graue and discreet, as he well approued, when after the death of Leo the tenth, he was (though halfe against his will) employed by the Duke, as a Lieutenant or high shreeue, in the countrie called Grassignana, being then full of factions and diuisions, which he so orderdly gouerned, and so well quieted, that he left them all in good peace and concord, leauing among them a ve∣rie good report of his wisedome and equitie, and winning not onely the loue of the better sort, but also a wonderfull reuerence of the wilder sort of people, and a great awe euen in robbers and theeues: as appeared one day by a chance that happened to him in the time of that forenamed office. For as he rode one day with fiue or sixe horses, in one of the most licentious and disorderly parts of the countrie,* 1.24 he was to passe neere Rhodea by a compa∣nie of armed men that lay dispersed in the shade, and by meanes of the dissention and fal∣ling out of two men of some reckening in that countrey, called Domenico Morotto, and Philippo Paechione, there were dayly diuers ryots and outrages committed thereabout vpon the passengers by su ch kinde of men, so as he rode by them not without some doubt to haue bene assaulted: but being past them about a stones cast, the chiefe of the companie demaunded of his man that rode hindermost, what his masters name was, he told him Master Lodomke Ariosto, whereupon straight the partie armed as he was, ran after him; Ariosto stayed his horse seeing him come after him, doubting in his minde to what purpose he came, but when he came nearer, he craued pardon of him, that he had not done his dutie vnto him in his going by, shewing him how he was Philippo Pacchione, desiring his acquaintance, and offering to be at his commaundement with all humilitie and courtesie.

Not long after this, hauing occasion about some matter of his office, to haue some con∣ference with one of the principall Gentlemen of Lucca, and appointing the same Gen∣tleman to meete him at a towne called San Pellegrino: at his comming thither, he found not onely the said Gentleman there ready to attend him, but also diuers others: with La∣dies and gentlewomen that came of purpose to see him, drawne by the sound of his lear∣ning and wit, where they feasted him and entertained him verie noblie, euerie one striuing

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who could do him most countesie. Immediatly after this commission of his was expi∣red, he was earnestly dealt with to haue bene Ambassadour to Pope Clement, but he would by no meanes accept it. At his comming home giuing himselfe still to writing, the Duke intreated him to translate the Menecmie of Plautus into Italian,* 1.25 which he did with so fit phrases of speech, and so agreeable to the Italian tongue, that it was not coun∣ted among the least of his praises: and as for all the others Comedies of his making, they were of such estimation, that they were often represented vpon the stage, and for the most part by Gentlemen, in so much that Don Francesco of Este, that was after Marques of Massa, the first time that the Lena was plaid, to grace it the more, rehearsed the Prologue thereof himselfe in publike.

One of his Comedies called Casseria, he beganne in the life time of his father (though he intermitted it many yeares after) and one prettie accident they haue noted about it, which shewes his notable gift that he had to apply to imitation in his Poetrie, all that might with good iudgement be vsed in it.* 1.26 It fortuned his father one day grew into some choler with him, and rebuked him verie sharpely, and with a long speech and many words, for some matter that he laid to his charge, imputing to him verie great blame for it, and all the while he made him no answer, but gaue him full scope and libertie to take his pleasure with him: soone after his brother Gabriel, when his father had turned his backe, began to reason with him vpon the same subiect, and to lay to his charge the same arguments; but he easily re∣suted him, and with verie good and sound reasons rustified his doing. Why then? (quoth his brother) what ment you, you did not satisfie my father at the first, as you might easily haue done with so reasonable an answere? In troth (said Lodowike Ariosto to tell you true, I was thinking of Erofilos part in my Comedie I haue begunne of Casseria, and me thought my fathers speech to me, was so fit to be assigned to that part of an old man chiding his sonne, that I forgat while I was thinking to make such a part in sport, that I heard such a part plaid in earnest.* 1.27 In making his Furioso, he would rise sometime at one or two of the clocke in the morning, when he lay at his friendes houses, as well as when he was at home, and then he would cause an old seruant of his one Iohn de Pescia to bring him pen and inke, and so would write many verses when he found himselfe well disposed to it, and then he had a great pleasure to reade them to his friends, both Gentlemen and faire Ladies, among whom by the pleasantnesse of his wit and his good grace, he was euer well accepted.* 1.28 The Duke of Ferrara tooke him for so good a companion, that when he rode any iourney, he would desire to haue him with him, and atidle times he tooke great pleasure to haue him reade to him, as well other bookes as his own, he had so good a grace in reading, and so sweete a pronunciation), and yet not delighting to heare himselfe (a fault that many other haue bene noted of) but alwayes giuing a spirite to that which he read, whether it were his owne writing or other mens, and as he himselfe could pro∣nounce verie well,* 1.29 so was it a great penance to him to heare other pronounce ill, that which himselfe had written excellent well. In so much as they tell of him, how com∣ming one day by a Potters shoppe that had many earthen vessels readie made to sell on his stall,* 1.30 the Potter fortuned at that time to sing some staffe or other out of Orlando Furioso, I thinke that, where Renaldo requesteth his horse to carrie for him, in the first booke, the 32. staffe:

Ferma Baiardo mio: Deh ferma il piede Che l'esser senza te troppo minuoce.

Or some such graue matter fit for a Potter, but he plotted the verses out so ilfauouredly (as might well beseeme his dustie occupation) that Ariosto being, or at least making sem∣blance to be in a great rage withall, with a little walking sticke he had in his hand, brake diuers of the pots; the poore Potter put quite beside his song, and almost

beside himselfe, to see his market halfe mard before it was a quarter done, in a pitifull sowre manner, between railing and whining, asked what he meant to wrong a poore man that had neuer done him iniury in all his life: yes, Varlet, quoth Ariosto, I am yet scarce euen with thee for the wrong thou hast done me here afore my face, for I haue broken but halfe a dozen base pots of thine, that are not worth so many halfe pence; but thou hast broken and man∣gled a fine stanza of mine worth a marke of gold.

He built (as I partly touched before) a pretie couvenient house,* 1.31 and being demaunded why he did not build it in more stately manner, considering what sumptuous pallaces, what stately porches, what goodly fountaines he described in his Furioso: he answered, that words were cheaper layd together then stones. Vpon the front of his doore he wrote a verse, that few of the builders of this latter age can truly write, or at least if they could, I would say their houses were strongly built indeed, for more then the third heire:

Parna, sed apta mihi, sed nulli obnoxia, sed non Sordida, parta meo sedtamen are domus.

That is to say:

This house is small, b••t sit for me, but hurtfull vnto none, But yet not sluttish, as you see, yet payd for with mine owne.

One fault in his building was, he would often set vp and pull downe many parts thereof, and he would say of himselfe, that he vsed his house as he did his verses, mend them so much, that he mard them quite. For indeed, as a tree planted in an orchard, if it be once or twise well pickt and pruned, it doth further the growing of it, but if a man be euer sid∣ling about it, it will leese the naturall beautie, and hardly keepe life: so is it with one of his stanzes or staues, as we call them, at the first conceiuing of it, one may mend that which he shall sodainly set downe, but if one will still be turning and wresting of it, he may make it leese the grace it had at the first. But what fault soeuer himselfe did finde with his owne Verses, certaine it is that to all the great Princes of Italie they were most acceptable, as witnesseth the diuers great and honourable gifts they gaue him, as namely a pension of twentie pound by the yeare in Millan with an office to it giuen him by Hyppolyto, many sutes graunted him by the Duke of Ferrara, with great rewards from Pope Leo the tenth, from Cardinall Farnese, from Cardinall Bybiena, and chiefty from Marquesse Vasto, and diuers other meaner stares that for breauities sake are omitted. And because now I would also draw to an end, I will a little runne ouer that the hath bene sayd, with somewhat that hath bene forgotten, and so conclude, beginning from his birth.* 1.32 He was borne the yeare 1474, in the Castle of Rheggio, his father being then gouernour of the Castle, it stands in Lombardie; he was tall of person, of complexion melancholy, giuen much to studie and musing, and would therewith sometime forget himselfe, he was of colour like an Oliue, somewhat townie in his face, but faire skinned otherwise, his haire was blacke, but he quickly grew bold, his forehead was large, his eye-browes thinne, his eye a little hollow but very full of life and very blacke, his nose was lar ge and hooked, as they say the Kings of Persia were, his teeth passing euen and white, his cheeks but leane, his beard very thin, his necke well proportioned, his shoulders square and well made, but somewhat stopping, as almost all that looke much on bookes in their youth are inclined to be, his hand somewhat drie, and a little bow-legged. His counter∣feit was taken by Tytiano that excellent drawer so well to the life, that a man would thinke yet it were aliue; he was honoured with the Lawrell by the hands of the renowned Em∣perour Charles the fist, in the yeare 1532, which was a yeare before hee dyed. Now for his disposition as we haue partly touched before, he was of nature assable, not proud, ta∣king lesse vpon him then others did yeeld vnto him, yet putting vp no knowne iniurie not of his betters; somewhat amorous in his youth, very secret, passing studious, by na∣ture

fearefull vpon the water, and therefore when hee went out of a shippe at any time he would see others go before him, vsing that saying, De puppo neunssimus exi: though for mine owne part I see no great reason for it. Further, he was not very venturous on horse-backe, for they say he would light at every place of danger, though others rode o∣uer it. He loued not to go much abroad out of his owne countrey, in so much as he writes in one of his Satyres,

Che vuol Andare a torne, a torne vada Vegga Ingleterra, Vngheria, Francia e Spagna, Ame piace habitar lamia contrada Vista ho Thosana, Lombardia Romagna Quel monte che diuide, e quel che serra Italia, e vn mare e l'altro che la bagna Questo mi basta, il resto della terra Senza mai pagar l'hoste, andro cercando Con tolomeo, sia il mondo in pace e in guerra.

To this effect in English:

Who list to ride about, about may ••ide, * 1.33See England, Vughery, and France and Spaine; I loue in mine owne country still to bide, In viewing which, I sure haue taune some paine. Thoscan, Romagna Lombardie, beside The hils that Italie close, and diuide, Suffiseth me, the rest of all the maine With Tolomey to search and eu'ry cost, In peace or warre, and neuer pay mine host.

For his workes, I haue touched them before; as for the fiue Cantoes that follow Furioso, I am partly of opinion they were not his, both because me thinke they differ in sweetnesse of slile from the other, and beside it is not likely that a man of his iudgement, hauing made so absolute a peece of worke as his Furioso is, and hauing brought euery matter to a good and well pleasing conclusion, would as it were marre all againe, and sent them all by the eares, and bring Rogero into the Whales bellie, and Astolfo with him for compa∣nie, that a little before were conquerours of the world, and vumatchable for courage and learning: but to proceed to his end, he liued til he was 59 yeares old, and toward his latter end he grew sickly, and by much Physicke marred his stomacke, his sicknesse grew first as they write by meanes of ill digestion, he being a grosse feeder, and not chewing his meate well, so that in the end it weakned him very much. That very night that he sickned and tooke his bed, there happened a great mischance, that was (in the opinion of most men) a presage of his death. The goodly Hall that Alfonso had beautified with the most sumptuous Stage that had bene seene in Ferrara, (purposely for Ariostes Comedies) was fiered by mischance, and consumed a great part of the Dukes pallace beside. Now if fire (as one Artimedorus writeth) betokeneth same and greatnesse, then this vnfortunate fire fortuning at such a time as it did, may yet serue as a meane to enoble the more this famous mans death: and as Co∣mets are said to foreshew the death of Princes, so this terrible fire lasting so many dayes as it did, might be thought to foretell his death, chiefly since it consumed that worke that was built for his great same and honour. He tooke his sicknesse not onely patiently but euen chearfully, affirming that he was willing to die, and so much the rather because he heard that the greatest Diuines were of opinion, that after this life we should k now one another, affirming to his friends that were by, that many his friends were departed, whom he had a very great desire to visite, and that euery houre seemed to him a yeare till he might see them. In fine, he dyed in Ferrara the eight of Iuly, 1533, and though he were worthy of all honor,

yet this was all the honour he had done at that time, that the Monkes of S. Benet buried him in their Church (and contrary to their custome, which is neuer to go to burials) went with him to his buriall, and that there was scarce a man that could write, but did honor him with an Epitaph, his bones were after taken vp by one Sygnor Augustino, and layd in a very faite tombe, with his statue from the girdle vpward, in the forenamed Church of S. Benet. And now to close vp this whole discourse of his life, with the greatest prayse, hee was a most cha∣ritable and honest man, as appeared both by his great care he had of his aged mother (whom also he speakes of often in his Satyrs and other writings (saying in one place.

L'eta di cara madre, mi percuote, De pieta il cuore.

And also by this example that is recited of him, of an aged Priest that hauing three or foure fat benefices, was in great doubt to be poysoned for greedinesse of them, by some that had the next Aduowsons, and in respect of the great honestie of M. Lodowike Ariosto, he chose him before all his owne kinne or friends with whom he would soiorne, as himselfe bosteth, and indeed it was a good boost,

Mane di voi ne de pui giunti a lui D'amicitia fidar unqua sivolle Io di fuor cutti scielto vinco fui.

To conclude, his learning, his good behauiour, his honestie, made him both beloued of all good men in his life, and bewayled of all honest men in his death, so as me thinke rea∣ding ouer his life, I could find in my heart to wish (sauing for some very few things) Sie mihi countingat viuere fisq, mori.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Who are wor∣thie to haue their liues written.
• * 1.2

  Plutarksliues. The xij. Cesars. The x. Empe∣rours. The Mirour of Magistrats.
• * 1.3

  Ariosto his pa∣rentage.
• * 1.4

  His father.
• * 1.5

  His mother.
• * 1.6

  His brothers
• * 1.7

  His towardnes in his child∣hood.
• * 1.8

  His seruice of Cardinall Hippolito.
• * 1.9

  Why he wrote not in Latine
• * 1.10

  So did Virgil by Homer for the same cause
• * 1.11

  His imploy∣ments.
• * 1.12

  His ambassage
• * 1.13

  His seruice by sea.
• * 1.14

  His second am∣bassage.
• * 1.15

  His danger to haue bene put to death.
• * 1.16

  His troubles.
• * 1.17

  His sauour & credit with dis••••so.
• * 1.18

  His Comedies he made.
• * 1.19

  His felicitie in translating out of Spanish & other tongs
• * 1.20

  His reperance in diet.
• * 1.21

  His mariage doubtfull.
• * 1.22

  His sonnes ba∣stards.
• * 1.23

  Another peece of seruice in Grassignana.
• * 1.24

  Loue of the people of all sorts.
• * 1.25

  Menecmi of Plantus.
• * 1.26

  A prety ch̄ace.
• * 1.27

  An early riser.
• * 1.28

  A good copa∣nion vpon the way.
• * 1.29

  His good pro∣nunciation.
• * 1.30

  A prettie tale how he vsed a Potter.
• * 1.31

  His manner of building.
• * 1.32

  He was borne 1474.
• * 1.33

  His writings do shew he had great skill in Cosmography.