ABSTRACT
There was in the citie of Rome a noble senatour named Fulvius, who sent his sone called Titus, beinge a childe, to the citie of Athenes in Greece (whiche was the fountaine of al maner of doctrine), there to Ierne good letters, and caused him to be hosted with a worshipfull man of that citie called Chremes. This Chremes hapned to have also a sone named Gisippus, who nat onely was equall to the said yonge Titus in yeres, but also in stature, proporcion of body, 'favour, and colour of visage, countenaunce and speche. The two children were so like, that without moche difficultie it coulde nat be discerned of their propre parentes, whiche was Titus from Gysippus, or Gysippus from Titus. These two yonge gentilmen, as they semed to be one in fourme and personage, so, shortely after acquaintaunce, the same nature wrought in their hartes suche a mutuall affection, that their willes and appetites daily more and more so confederated them selfes, that it semed none other, whan their names were declared, but that they hadde onely chaunged their places, issuinge (as I mought saye) out of the one body, and entringe in to the other. They together and at one tyme went to their lerninge and studie, at one tyme to their meales and refection; they delited bothe in one doctrine, and profited equally therein; finally they to gether so increased in doctrine, that within a fewe yeres, fewe within Athenes mought be compared unto them. At the laste died Chremes, which
TheGovemour wasnatonlytohissone,butalsotoTitus,causeofmochesorowe andhevinesse.Gysippus,bythegoodesofhisfather,wasknowen tobeamanofgreatsubstaunce,wherforetherewereoffredtohym greatandrichemariages.Andhethanbeingeofripeyeresandof anhabileandgoodlyparsonage,hisfrendes,kynne,andaliesexhortedhymbuselytotakeawyfe,totheintenthemoughtincrease hislygnageandprogenie.Buttheyongeman,havingehishartall redyweddedtohisfrendeTitus,andhismyndefixedtothestudieof Philosophic,fearingethatmariageshuldebetheoccasiontosever hymbothefromthoneandthother,refusedofIongetymetobe perswaded;untillatthelast,partlybytheimportunatecallynge onofhiskynnesmen,partlybytheconsentandadviseofhisdere frendeTitus,thertobyotherdesired,heassentedtomarysuche oneasshuldelykehym.Whatshallnedemanywordes?Hisfrendes foundeayongegentilwoman,whicheinequalitieofyeres,vertuous condicions,nobilitieofblode,beautie,andsufficientrichesse,they thoughtwas.forsucheayongemanapteandconvenient.Andwhan theyandherfrendesuponthecovenauntesofmariagewere throughlyaccorded,theycounsailedGysippustorepayreuntothe mayden,andtobeholdehoweherparsonecontentedhym.Andhe sodoingefoundeherineveryfourmeandcondicionaccordingeto hisexpectationandappetite;wherathemocherejoysedandbecame ofheramorouse,insomocheasmanyandoftentymesheleavinge Titusathisstudiesecretelyrepayreduntoher.Natwithstandyng theferventlovethathehadtohisfrendeTitus,·atthelastsurmountedshamefastnes.Wherforehedisclosedtohimhissecrete journayes,andwhatdelectacionhetokeinbeholdingetheexcellente beautieofherwhomhepurposedtomary,andhowe,withher goodmanersandsweteentretaynement,shehadconstrainedhym tobeherlover.Andonatymehe,havyngewithhymhisfrende Titus,wenttohislady,ofwhomhewasresceyvedmostjoyously. ButTitusfurthwith,ashebeheldesohevenlyapersonageadourned withbeautieinexplicable,inwhosevisagewasmosteamiablecountenaunce,mixtewithmaydenlyshamefastnesse,andtherareand sobrewordes,andwellcouched,whicheissuedoutofherpratie mouthe,Tituswastheratabassht:d,andhadthehartethrough percedwiththefirydarteofblindeCupide.Ofthewhichewounde theanguisshewassoexcedingeandvehement,thatneitherthestudy ofPhilosophic,neythertheremembraunceofhisderefrendeGysippus,whosomochelovedandtrustedhym,couldeanythingewithdrawehymfromthatunkyndeappetite,butthatofforcehemust loveinordinatelythatlady,whomhissaidfrendehaddeterminedto mary.Allbeitwithincrediblepayneshekeptehisthoughtessecrete,
