[5524] “Hyacinthino bacillo
        Properans amor, me adegit
        Violenter ad sequendum.”

       “Love hasty with his purple staff did make
        Me follow and the dance to undertake.”

And ’tis no news this, no indecorum; for why? a good reason may be given of it.  Cupid and death met both in an inn; and being merrily disposed, they did exchange some arrows from either quiver; ever since young men die, and oftentimes old men dote—­[5525]_Sic moritur Juvenis, sic moribundus amat_.  And who can then withstand it?  If once we be in love, young or old, though our teeth shake in our heads, like virginal jacks, or stand parallel asunder like the arches of a bridge, there is no remedy, we must dance trenchmore for a need, over tables, chairs, and stools, &c.  And princum prancum is a fine dance.  Plutarch, Sympos. 1. quaest. 5. doth in some sort excuse it, and telleth us moreover in what sense, Musicam docet amor, licet prius fuerit rudis, how love makes them that had no skill before learn to sing and dance; he concludes, ’tis only that power and prerogative love hath over us. [5526]"Love” (as he holds) “will make a silent man speak, a modest man most officious; dull, quick; slow, nimble; and that which is most to be admired, a hard, base, untractable churl, as fire doth iron in a smith’s forge, free, facile, gentle, and easy to be entreated.”  Nay, ’twill make him prodigal in the other extreme, and give a [5527]hundred sesterces for a night’s lodging, as they did of old to Lais of Corinth, or [5528] ducenta drachmarum millia pro unica nocte, as Mundus to Paulina, spend all his fortunes (as too many do in like case) to obtain his suit.  For which cause many compare love to wine, which makes men jovial and merry, frolic and sad, whine, sing, dance, and what not.

But above all the other symptoms of lovers, this is not lightly to be overpassed, that likely of what condition soever, if once they be in love, they turn to their ability, rhymers, ballad makers, and poets.  For as Plutarch saith, [5529]"They will be witnesses and trumpeters of their paramours’ good parts, bedecking them with verses and commendatory songs, as we do statues with gold, that they may be remembered and admired of all.”  Ancient men will dote in this kind sometimes as well as the rest; the heat of love will thaw their frozen affections, dissolve the ice of age, and so far enable them, though they be sixty years of age above the girdle, to be scarce thirty beneath.  Jovianus Pontanus makes an old fool rhyme, and turn poetaster to please his mistress.

[5530] “Ne ringas Mariana, meos me dispice canos,
        De sene nam juvenem dia referre potes,” &c.

       “Sweet Marian do not mine age disdain,
        For thou canst make an old man young again.”

They will be still singing amorous songs and ditties (if young especially), and cannot abstain though it be when they go to, or should be at church.  We have a pretty story to this purpose in [5531]Westmonasteriensis, an old writer of ours (if you will believe it) An.  Dom. 1012. at Colewiz in Saxony, on Christmas eve a company of young men and maids, whilst the priest was at mass in the church, were singing catches and love songs in the churchyard, he sent to them to make less noise, but they sung on still:  and if you will, you shall have the very song itself.