Some are so curious in this behalf, as those old Romans, our modern Venetians, Dutch and French, that if two parties clearly love, the one noble, the other ignoble, they may not by their laws match, though equal otherwise in years, fortunes, education, and all good affection.  In Germany, except they can prove their gentility by three descents, they scorn to match with them.  A nobleman must marry a noblewoman:  a baron, a baron’s daughter; a knight, a knight’s; a gentleman, a gentleman’s:  as slaters sort their slates, do they degrees and families.  If she be never so rich, fair, well qualified otherwise, they will make him forsake her.  The Spaniards abhor all widows; the Turks repute them old women, if past five-and-twenty.  But these are too severe laws, and strict customs, dandum aliquid amori, we are all the sons of Adam, ’tis opposite to nature, it ought not to be so.  Again:  he loves her most impotently, she loves not him, and so e contra. [5839]Pan loved Echo, Echo Satyrus, Satyrus Lyda.

       “Quantum ipsorum aliquis amantem oderat,
        Tantum ipsius amans odiosus erat.”

“They love and loathe of all sorts, he loves her, she hates him; and is loathed of him, on whom she dotes.”  Cupid hath two darts, one to force love, all of gold, and that sharp,—­[5840]_Quod facit auratum est_; another blunt, of lead, and that to hinder;—­fugat hoc, facit illud amorem, “this dispels, that creates love.”  This we see too often verified in our common experience. [5841]Choresus dearly loved that virgin Callyrrhoe; but the more he loved her, the more she hated him.  Oenone loved Paris, but he rejected her:  they are stiff of all sides, as if beauty were therefore created to undo, or be undone.  I give her all attendance, all observance, I pray and intreat, [5842]_Alma precor miserere mei_, fair mistress pity me, I spend myself, my time, friends and fortunes, to win her favour, (as he complains in the [5843]Eclogue,) I lament, sigh, weep, and make my moan to her, “but she is hard as flint,”—­cautibus Ismariis immotior—­as fair and hard as a diamond, she will not respect, Despectus tibi sum, or hear me,

[5844]  ------“fugit illa vocantem
Nil lachrymas miserata meas, nil flexa querelis.”

What shall I do?

       “I wooed her as a young man should do,
        But sir, she said, I love not you.”

[5845] “Durior at scopulis mea Coelia, marmore, ferro,
        Robore, rupe, antro, cornu, adamante, gelu.”

       “Rock, marble, heart of oak with iron barr’d,
        Frost, flint or adamants, are not so hard.”

I give, I bribe, I send presents, but they are refused. [5846]_Rusticus est Coridon, nec munera curat Alexis_.  I protest, I swear, I weep,

[5847]   ------“odioque rependit amores,
Irrisu lachrymas”------

“She neglects me for all this, she derides me,” contemns me, she hates me, “Phillida flouts me:”  Caute, feris, quercu durior Eurydice, stiff, churlish, rocky still.