_Who so dooth run to Hæmon arts, I dub him for a dolt, And giveth that which he dooth plucke from forhead of a colt: Medeas herbs will not procure that love shall lasting live, Nor steeped poison mixed with ma- gicke charms the same can give. The witch Medea had full fast held Jason for hir owne, So had the grand witch Circe too } Ulysses, if alone } With charms mainteind & kept might be } the love of twaine in one. } No slibbersawces given to maids, to make them pale and wan, Will helpe: such slibbersawces marre } the minds of maid and man, } And have in them a furious force } of phrensie now and than._ } ♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦ ♦Philtra, slibbersawces to procure love.♦ _Viderit Aemoniæ si quis mala pabula terræ, Et magicas artes posse juvare putat._ ♦_Ovid. lib. de remedio amoris, 1._♦ _If any thinke that evill herbs in Hæmon land which be, Or witchcraft able is to helpe, let him make proofe and see._ ♦_Ab. Fleming._♦ These verses precedent doo shew, that _Ovid_ knew that those beggerlie sorceries might rather kill one, or make him starke mad, than doo him good towards the atteinement of his pleasure or love; and therefore he giveth this counsell to them that are amorous in such hot maner, that either they must enjoy their love, or else needs die; saieng: _Sit procul omne nefas, ut ameris amabilis esto:_ _Farre off be all unlawfull meanes thou amiable bee, Loving I meane, that she with love may quite the love of thee._ ♦_Englished by Abraham Fleming._♦ The seventh Chapter. _It is proved by more credible writers, that love cups rather ingender death through venome, than love by art: and with what toies they destroie cattell, and procure love._ But bicause there is no hold nor trust to these poets, who saie and unsaie, dallieng with these causes; so as indeed the wise may perceive they have them in derision: let us see what other graver authors speake hereof. _Eusebius Cæsariensis_ writeth, that the poet _Lucretius_ was killed with one of those lovers poisoned cups. _Hierome_ reporteth that one _Livia_ herewith killed hir husband, whome she too much hated; and _Lucilla_ killed hirs, whome she too much loved. _Calisthenes_ killed _Lucius Lucullus_ the emperor with a love pot, as _Plutarch_ and _Cornelius Nepos_ saie. _Plinie_ & _Josephus_ report, that _Cæsonia_ killed hir husband _Caligula Amatorio poculo_ with a lovers cup, which was indeed starke poison. _Aristotle_ saith, that all which is beleeved touching the efficacie of these matters, is lies and old wives tales. He that will read more arguments and histories concerning these poisons, let him looke in _J. Wier De Veneficiis_.