Page:The Palace of Pleasure, Volume 3 (1890).djvu/92

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Rhomeo and Iulietta.

THE TWENTY-FIFTH NOUELL.

The goodly Hyſtory of the true, and conſtant Loue between Rhomeo and Ivlietta, the one of whom died of Poyſon, and the other of ſorrow, and heuineſſe: wherein be compryſed many aduentures of Loue, and other deuiſes touchinge the ſame.

I am ſure that they which meaſure the Greatneſſe of Goddes workes accordinge to the capacity of their Rude, and ſimple vnderſtandinge, wyll not lightly adhibite credite vnto thys Hiſtory, ſo wel for the variety of ſtraunge Accidents which be therein deſcribed, as for the nouelty of ſo rare, and perfect amity. But they that haue read Plinie, Valerius Maximus, Plutarche, and diuers other Writers, do finde, that in olde time a great number of Men and Women haue died, ſome of exceſſiue ioy, ſome of ouermutch ſorrow, and ſome of other paſſions: and amongs the ſame, Loue is not the leaſt, whych when it ſeazeth vppon any kynde and gentle ſubiect, and findeth no reſiſtaunce to ſerue for a rampart to ſtay the violence of his courſe, by little and little vndermineth, melteth and conſumeth the vertues of naturall powers in ſutch wyſe as the ſpyrite yealdinge to the burden, abandoneth the place of lyfe: which is verified by the pitifull, and infortunate death of two Louers that ſurrendered their laſt Breath in one Toumbe at Verona a Citty of Italy, wherein repoſe yet to thys day (with great maruell) the Bones, and remnauntes of their late louing bodies: an hyſtory no leſſe wonderfull than true. If then perticular affection which of good right euery man ought to beare to the place where he was borne, doe not deceyue thoſe that trauayle, I thincke they will confeſſe wyth me, that few Citties in Italy, can ſurpaſſe the ſayd Citty of Verona, aſwell for the Nauigable riuer called Adiſſa, which paſſeth almoſt through the midſt of the ſame, and thereby a great trafique into Almayne, as alſo for the proſpect towards the Fertile Mountaynes, and pleaſant valeys whych do enuiron the ſame, with a great number of very clere and lyuely fountaynes, that ſerue for the eaſe and commodity of the place. Omittinge (biſides many other ſingularities) foure Bridges, and an