nd pardons it withal, as grave [5182]Plato gives out; of
all perjury, that alone for love matters is forgiven by the gods. If
promises, lies, oaths, and protestations will not avail, they fall to
bribes, tokens, gifts, and such like feats. [5183]_Plurimus auro
conciliatur amor_: as Jupiter corrupted Danae with a golden shower, and
Liber Ariadne with a lovely crown, (which was afterwards translated into
the heavens, and there for ever shines;) they will rain chickens, florins,
crowns, angels, all manner of coins and stamps in her lap. And so must he
certainly do that will speed, make many feasts, banquets, invitations, send
her some present or other every foot. _Summo studio parentur epulae_ (saith
[5184]Haedus) _et crebrae fiant largitiones_, he must be very bountiful and
liberal, seek and sue, not to her only, but to all her followers, friends,
familiars, fiddlers, panders, parasites, and household servants; he must
insinuate himself, and surely will, to all, of all sorts, messengers,
porters, carriers; no man must be unrewarded, or unrespected. I had a
suitor (saith [5185]Aretine's Lucretia) that when he came to my house,
flung gold and silver about, as if it had been chaff. Another suitor I had
was a very choleric fellow; but I so handled him, that for all his fuming,
I brought him upon his knees. If there had been an excellent bit in the
market, any novelty, fish, fruit, or fowl, muscatel, or malmsey, or a cup
of neat wine in all the city, it was presented presently to me; though
never so dear, hard to come by, yet I had it: the poor fellow was so fond
at last, that I think if I would I might have had one of his eyes out of
his head. A third suitor was a merchant of Rome, and his manner of wooing
was with [5186]exquisite music, costly banquets, poems, &c. I held him off
till at length he protested, promised, and swore _pro virginitate regno me
donaturum_, I should have all he had, house, goods, and lauds, _pro
concubitu solo_; [5187]neither was there ever any conjuror, I think, to
charm his spirits that used such attention, or mighty words, as he did
exquisite phrases, or general of any army so many stratagems to win a city,
as he did tricks and devices to get the love of me. Thus men are active and
passive, and women not far behind them in this kind: _Audax ad omnia
foemina, quae vel amat, vel odit_.

[5188] _For half so boldly there can non
Swear and lye as women can_.

[5189]They will crack, counterfeit,