had loved dear
Angelica the fair, and for her sake
About the world in nations far and near,
Did high attempts perform and undertake;"

he is a very dastard, a coward, a block and a beast, that will not do as
much, but they will sure, they will; for it is an ordinary thing for these
inamoratos of our time to say and do more, to stab their arms, carouse in
blood, [5448]or as that Thessalian Thero, that bit off his own thumb,
_provocans rivalem ad hoc aemulandum_, to make his co-rival do as much.
'Tis frequent with them to challenge the field for their lady and mistress'
sake, to run a tilt,

[5449] "That either bears (so furiously they meet)
The other down under the horses' feet,"

and then up and to it again,

"And with their axes both so sorely pour,
That neither plate nor mail sustain'd the stour,
But riveld wreak like rotten wood asunder,
And fire did flash like lightning after thunder;"

and in her quarrel, to fight so long [5450]"till their headpiece, bucklers
be all broken, and swords hacked like so many saws," for they must not see
her abused in any sort, 'tis blasphemy to speak against her, a dishonour
without all good respect to name her. 'Tis common with these creatures, to
drink [5451]healths upon their bare knees, though it were a mile to the
bottom, no matter of what mixture, off it comes. If she bid them they will
go barefoot to Jerusalem, to the great Cham's court, [5452] to the East
Indies, to fetch her a bird to wear in her hat: and with Drake and Candish
sail round about the world for her sweet sake, _adversis ventis_, serve
twice seven years, as Jacob did for Rachel; do as much as [5453]Gesmunda,
the daughter of Tancredus, prince of Salerna, did for Guisardus, her true
love, eat his heart when he died; or as Artemisia drank her husband's bones
beaten to powder, and so bury him in herself, and endure more torments than
Theseus or Paris. _Et his colitur Venus magis quam thure, et victimis_,
with such sacrifices as these (as [5454] Aristaenetus holds) Venus is well
pleased. Generally they undertake any pain, any labour, any toil, for their
mistress' sake, love and admire a servant, not to her alone, but to all her
friends and followers, they hug and embrace them for her sake; her dog,
picture, and everything she wears, they adore it as a relic. If any man
come from her, they feast him, reward him, will not be out of his company,
do him a