THE SONG

     THE CHORUS SUNG BY ALL THE REST OF THE COMPANY

 

     If Love were free from Jealousie,

       No Lady living,

       Had lesse heart-greeving,

     Or liv'd so happily as I.

 

  If gallant youth

    In a faire friend, a woman could content,

  If vertues prize, valour and hardiment,

    Wit, carriage, purest eloquence,

    Could free a woman from impatience:

  Then I am she can vaunt (if I were wise)

  All these in one faire flower,

  Are in my power,

    And yet I boast no more but trueth.

  If Love were free from jealousie, etc.

 

  But I behold

  That other Women are as wise as

    Which killes me quite,

  Fearing false sirquedrie.

    For when my fire begins to flame

    Others desires misguide my aim,

  And so bereaves me of secure delight.

  Onely through fond mistrust, he is unjust:

    Thus are my comforts hourely hot and cold.

  If Love were free, etc.

 

  If in my friend,

  I found like faith, as manly minde I know;

    Mistrust were slaine.

    But my fresh griefes still grow,

  By sight of such as do allure,

  So I can thinke none true, none sure,

    But all would rob me of my golden gaine.

  Loe thus I dye, in jealousie,

    For losse of him, on whom I most depend.

  If Love were free, etc.

 

  Let me advise

  Such Ladies as in Love are bravely bold,

    Not to wrong me, I scorne to be controld.

  If any one I chance to finde,

  By winkes, words, smiles, in crafty kinde,

    Seeking for that, which onely mine should be:

  Then I protest, to do my best,

  And make them know, that they are scarsly wise.

 

      If Love were free from jealousie,

        I know no Lady living,

        Could have lesse heart-greeving,

      Or live so happily as I.

 

  So soone as Madam Flammetta had ended her Song; Dioneus, who sate by

her, smiling said. Truly Madam, you may do us a great courtesie, to

expresse your selfe more plainly to us all, least (thorow ignorance)

the possession may be imposed on your selfe, and so you remaine the

more offended.

  After the Song was past, divers other were sung beside, and it now

drawing wel-neere midnight, by the Kings command, they all went to

bed. And when new day appeared, and all the world awaked out of

sleepe, the Master of the Houshold having sent away the carriages;

they returned (under the conduct of their discreet King) to

Florence, where the three Gentlemen left the seven Ladies at the

Church of Santa Maria Novella, from whence they went with them at

the first. And having parted with kinde salutations, the Gentlemen

went whether themselves best pleased, and the Ladies repaired home

to their houses.

 

 

                                   - THE END -

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