Linguistic DNA - Concept Modelling Demonstrator

Word A	Word B	Word C	Word D	Occurrence	Frequency Band	MI	MI Band	Prominent
cause_n	common_a	great_a	time_n	1,430	5	3.2096	3	false

ID	Title	Author	Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication)	STC	Words	Pages
A08838	The palace of pleasure beautified, adorned and well furnished, with pleasaunt histories and excellent nouelles, selected out of diuers good and commendable authors. By William Painter clarke of the ordinaunce and armarie; Palace of pleasure. Vol. 1	Painter, William, 1540?-1594.	1566 (1566)	STC 19121; ESTC S110279	360,745	608

confirmed And for that purpose certaine officers wer appoincted called Decemuiri with soueraigne aucthoritie and power to reduce the same into writyng whiche were thought mÃ©ete and profitable for the common wealth The principall and chief of whiche nomber was Appius Claudius who committed no lesse filthie fact then was doen by Tarquinius for the rape of Lucrece The said Appius conceiued a libidinous desire to rauishe a yonge virgine the doughter of one Lucius Virginius then a capitain in the warres at Algidum a manne of honest and sober life whose wife was also of right good behauiour and their children accordingly brought vp and instructed Thei had betrouthed their doughter to one L. Icilius of the order of the Tribunes a manne of greate stoutnesse and tried valiance in the cause of the people This yong maide beyng of excellent beautie Appius at the firste began to woe by giftes and faire promises but when he sawe that she was impregnable he deuised by wicked and cruell pollicie to obteine her committyng the charge of that enterprise to one of his frendes called Marcus Claudius who went about to proue and maintaine that the maide was his bond-woman and in nowise would giue libertie to her freÌ„des to haue tyme to answere the processe made in that behalfe thinkyng by that meanes in the abseÌ„ce of her father he might at his pleasure enioye her As the virgine was goyng to schole in the Forum thesaid Claudius the minister of mischief laied handes vpon her claimed her to bee his bondwoman for that she was borne of a seruile woman and commaunded her to folowe hym The maide bÃ©eyng afraied was amazed and the Nursse that waited vpoÌ„ her cried out Wherevpon the people ran out of their doores to knowe the cause of that sturre Claudius seyng the maide like to be rescued by the multitude that was assembled said that there was no neede of that hurlie burlie for that he attempted nothing by force but that he was able to proue by lawe Wherevpon he cited the maide to appere her frendes promised that she should accordyng to the lawe make her apperance beyng come before the consistorie where Appius sat in iudgement Claudius began to tell a tale and processe of the cause whereof Appius beyug the deuiser vnderstoode the effect The effecte of the tale was that the maide was borne in his house and was the doughter of his owne bondwomaÌ„ who afterwardes beeyng stolen awaie was caried to the house of Virginius and supposed to bee his childe whiche thyng he saied he was well able to proue and would referre the iudgement of his cause to Virginius hymself vnto whom the greater part of his iniurie did appertaine In the meane tyme he saied that it was meete the maide should followe her master wherevnto the aduocates of the maide replied and saied that Virginius was absent about the affaires of the Common wealthe but if he were aduertised of the matter thei knewe well he would bee at home within twoo daies after wherefore thei saied that it were againste equitÃ©e and Iustice that processe and suite should bee made for claime of children in the absence of the parentes requiryng them to deserre the suite till the retourne of the father Appius not regardyng the iustice of the case to the intent he might satisfie his owne luste and pleasure ordeined in the meane tyme that Claudius the assertor and plaintife should haue the kepyng and placyng of the maide till the father wer returned Againste whiche wrong many did grudge although none durste withstande it But as fortune chaunced immediatly after that decrÃ©e and order was so pronouÌ„ced Publius Numitorius the maides vncle by her mothers side and Icilius her beloued were comen home vpon whose retourne incontinently Icilius approched nere to Appius and being put backe by the Sergeant he cried out a loude in these woordes Thou oughteste to put me backe from hence O Appius with a sworde that thou mightest without let enioye the thyng thou wouldest haue kept close and secrete It is I that dooe purpose to marie this maide who I doubt not is right honest and chaste and also a pudique and pure virgin Wherfore call together thy Secgeantes and cause the roddes and ares to be made prest and redie For I assure thÃ©e the spouse of Icilius shall not remaine out of her fathers house No although thou hast taken awaie from the Romane people their Tribunes aide and appeales whiche be twoo stronge fortes and holdes of their common libertie Is aucthoritie giuen thÃ©e libidinously to abuse our wiues and childreÌ„ Excercise thy crueltie behind our backes and vpon our liues if thou liste so that thou dooe not contaminate and defile the the vertue of chastitie Wherevnto if thou inferre any damage or iniurie I will for myne owne part and for the loue of my beloued crie out for the aide of the Romanes that he present and Virginius shall doe the like of the souldiours in the quarrel of his owne doughter And al we together wil implore for the succour of the goddes and menne And truste to it that thou shalt not enioye thy purpose before some of vs haue lost our liues Wherefore Appius I aduise thee take hÃ©ede in time For when Virginius doeth come he will seke remedie to defende his doughter and will knowe in what condicion and sorte she is ordred if she bee referred to the seruitude of this man And for my parte my life shall soner faile in defending her libertie then my faithe to her betrouthed Appius perceiuyng the constancie of Icilius and that the people was in a greate mutine and sturre differred the cause of Virginia till the nexte daie whose frendes hoped by that tyme that her father would be at home wherefore with all expedicion thei addressed messengers vnto hym into the campe for that the saufgarde of his doughter consisted in his presence In the meane time the Assertor required the maide offeryng to put in sureties the like offer made Icilius of purpose to contriue and spende the tyme till the arriuall of Virginius The multitude of their owne accordes helde vp their handes promisyng to become suretie for Icilius vnto whom he gaue thaÌ„kes wepyng for ioye to sÃ©e their kinde behauiour and saied I thanke you moste hartely my beloued frendes to morowe I will vse your frendely offer but at this present I haue sureties sufficient WhervpoÌ„ Virginia was bailed Then Appius repaired home and wrote to his frendes in the campe that in nowise thei should giue Virginius leaue to come to Rome whiche vngracious deuise came to late and tooke none effecte Wherevpon Virginius retourned home and in poore and vile apparell repaired into the Forum after whoÌ„ followed a greate nomber of matrones and aduocates Then he began to require them all of succour and aide alledgyng that he was a souldiour and one that aduentured hymself for the saufgarde and defence of theÌ„ all with suche like perswasions to the multitude Semblable wordes were vttered by

in his shirt fel downe at the Presidents fete crauing pardon his wife on the other side began to wÃ©epe To whome the President sayde For so much as the thing which thou hast done is suche as thou maist well consider that I cannot abide my house for thÃ©e in this sort to be dishonored the daughters which I haue had by thÃ©e to be disaduauÌ„ced and abased Therfore sayd he leaue of thy wÃ©eping and marke what I shall doe And thou Nicolas for that was his Clarks name hide thy self here in my closet and in any wise make no noyse when he had so done he opened the dore and called in his olde seruant and said vnto him Diddest not thou warrant and assure me that thou wouldest let me sÃ©e my Clark and wife in bedde together And vpon thy wordes I am come hither thinking to haue killed my wife and haue found nothing to be true of that which thou diddest tell me For I haue searched the chamber in euery place â— I will shew thÃ©e And with that he caused his seruant to loke vnder the beddes and in euery corner And when the seruant founde him not throughly astonned he sayd to his maister Sir I saw him goe into the chamber and out he is not gone at the dore And so farre as I can sÃ©e he is not here Therefore I thinke the Diuell muste nÃ©edes carrie him away Then his maister sayde vnto him Thou art a very villaine to set suche diuision betwene my wife and me wherefore I doe discharge thÃ©e from my seruice for that which thou hast done me I will pay thÃ©e thy duty with the aduantage Therefore get thÃ©e hence and take hede that thou doest not tarrye in this towne past .xxiiij. houres The President for that he knewe him to be an honeste and faythfull seruant gaue him fiue or six yeares wages and purposed otherwise to preferre him When the seruant with ill will and weping teares was departed the President caused his Clarke to come out of his Closet And after he had declared to his wife and him what he thought of their yll behauiour he forbad them to shewe no likelyhode of any such matter and commaunded his wife to attire and dresse her selfe in more gorgeous apparel than she was wont to weare and to haunt and resorte to company and feastes willing the Clarke to make a better countenaunce of the matter than he did before but whensoeuer he rounded him in the eare bad him to departe he charged him after the coÌ„mauÌ„dement not to tarry .iiij. houres in the town And when he had thus done he retourned to the pallace as though there had no such thing chaunced And the space of .xv. dayes contrarie to his custome he feasted his friendes and neighbours and after the banket he caused the ministrels to play to make the Gentlewomen daunce One daye seing that his wife did not daunce he commaunded his Clarke to take her by the hande and to leade her forth to daunce who thinking the President had forgotten the trespasse paste very ioyfully daunced with her But when the daunce was ended the President fayning as though he would haue commaunded him to doe some thing in his house badde him in his eare to get him away and neuer to returne Now was the Clarke very sorowful to leaue his Ladye but yet no lesse ioyfull he was that his lyfe was saued Afterwardes when the President had made all his friendes and kinsefolkes and all the couÌ„trie beleue what great loue he bare to his wife Upon a fayre day in the moneth of May he went to gather a sallade in his garden of such herbes that so sone as she had eaten of them she liued not past .xxiiij. houres after whereof he counterfayted such sorrow as no man could suspect the occasion of her death And by that meanes he was reuenged of his enemy and saued the honor of his house I wyll not by this Nouell sayd Emarsuitte prayse the conscience of the President but herein I haue declared the light behauior of a woman and the gret pacience prudence of a man Praying you good Ladies all not to be offended at the truth If al women quod Parlamente that loue their Clarkes or seruauntes were forced to eate such sallades I beleue they would not loue their gardens so wel as they doe but would teare and pluck vp all the herbes both roote and rinde to auoyd those things that by death might aduaunce the honor of their stocke and ligneage If sallades be so costly q Hircan and so daungerous in May I will prouoke appetite with other sawses or else hunger shal be my chiefest Of a Ialous Gentleman A Gentleman of Perche suspecting iniurie done vnto him by his frende prouaked him to execute and put in proufe the cause of his suspicion Â¶ The Lviij Nouell BEsides the cuntry of Perche there where two Gentlemen which from the tyme of their youth liued in such great and perfecte amitie that there was betwÃ©ene them but one heart one bed one house one table and on purse Long time continued this perfecte friendship betwÃ©ene whome there was but one will and one worde no difference in eyther of them In so much as they not only semed to be two brethren but also they appeared in al semblances to be but one man One of them chaunced to marry Notwithstanding they gaue not ouer their friendship but perseuered in their vsual amitie as they were wont to doe And wheÌ„ they happened to be strayned to straight lodging the married gentleman would not sticke to suffer his friende to lye with him and his wife But yet you ought for friendship sake to consider that the married man lay in the middes Their goodes were common betwene them that for al the mariage no cause did hinder their assured amitie But in processe of tyme the felicitie of this world which carieth with it a certayne mutabilitie could no continue in the house which was before right pleasaunt and happie For the married man forgetting of the faithfull fidelitie of his friend without any occasion conceyued a great suspicion betwÃ©ene him and his wife from whoÌ„ he could not dissemble the case but sharpely tolde her his mynde She therewithall was wonderfully amazed Howbeit he commaunded her to doe all thinges one thing excepted and to make so muche of his companion as of himselfe Neuerthelesse he for bad her to speake vnto him except it were in the presence of many All which she gaue her husbandes companion to vnderstand who woulde not beleue her knowing that he had neyther by thought or dÃ©ede done any thing whereof his companion had cause to be offended And likewise bicause he vsed to kepe nothing secrete from him he told him what he had sayd praying him to tell him the truth of the matter bicause he purposed neyther in that ne yet in any other thing to giue occasion of breach of the amitie which of loÌ„g time they had imbraced The maried

so many tymes for his sake to fetche so many sighes and with suche sweete woordes to bidde hym bet of good there aud that if he wanted any thyng to tell her and praied hym with pleasaunt wordes to call for that he lacked and that for his sake she would gladlie accomplish his desire who doubteth I saie but he was merueilouslie tormented with a thousande cogitacions now conceiuyng hope and by and by dispaire and still concludyng with hymself rather to die then to manifest his loue And if it be a grief to all yonge men bee thei neuer of so meane and base coÌ„dicion in their youthlie tyme to lose their life what shall we thinke of Antiochus that beyng a yongman of freshe and flourishyng age the sonne of a riche and mightie kyng that looked if he might escape after the death of his father to be heire of al did willingly craue death of that small disease I am assured that his sorowe was infinite Antiochus then beaten with pitie with loue with hope with desire with fatherly reuerence and with a thousande other thynges like a ship tossed in the depe seas by litle and litle begaÌ„ to growe extremelie sicke Erasistratus that sawe his bodie hole and sounde but his minde greuouslie weakened and the same vanquished with sundrie passioÌ„s After he had with hymself considered this straunge case he for coÌ„clusioÌ„ fouÌ„de out that the yong man was sicke through loue for none other cause Moreouer he thought that many tymes wise and graue menne through Ire hatred disdaine malinconie and other affections could easilie faine and dissemble their passions but loue if it be kept secrete doeth by the close kepyng thereof greater hurte then if it be made manifeste And albeit that of Antiochus he could not learne the cause of his loue yet after that imaginacion was entred into his hedde he purposed to finde it out by continuall abode with hym and by greate diligence to obserue and marke all his actions and aboue all to take heede to the mutacion of his poulses and wherevpon their beatyng did alter This deliberacion purposed he sat downe by the bedde side and tooke Antiochus by the arme and helde him fast where the poulses ordinarily doe beate It chaunced at that instant that the quene Stratonica entred into the chamber whom so sone as the yonge man sawe coÌ„myng towarde him sodainlie the poulce whiche were weake fÃ©eble began to reuiue through mutacion of the blood Erasistratus fÃ©elyng the renforcyng of the poulce and to proue how longe it would continewe moued not at the commyng of the Quene but still helde his fingers vpoÌ„ the beatyng of the poulces So long as the Quene contiuned in the chamber the beatyng was quicke and liuelie but when she departed it ceased the wonted weaknes of the poulces retourned Not long after the quene came againe into the chaÌ„ber who was no soner espied by Antiochus but that his poulces receiued vigor and begaÌ„ to leape and so still continued WheÌ„ she departed the force and vigor of the poulce departed also The noble Phisicion seyng this mutacion and that still it chaunced vpoÌ„ the presence of the Quene he thought that he had founde out the occasion of Antiochus sickenesse But he determined better to marke the same the next daie to be more assured The morowe after Erasistratus sat doun againe by the yonge gentleman and toke hym again by the arme but his poulce made no mocioÌ„ at all The king came to se his sonne and yet for all that his poulses were still And beholde the Quene came no soner in but sodainlie thei reuined and yelded suche liuelie mouyng as if you would haue said yonder is she that setteth my harte on fire Beholde where she is that is my life death Then Erasistratus was well assured and certaine that Antiochus was feruently inflamed with his mother in lawe but that shame constrained hym to conceale the hotte firebrandes that tormented hym and to keepe them close and secrete Certified of this opinion before he would open the matter he considered what waie were best to giue knowledge therof to kyng Seleucus And when he had well debated of this matter he deuised this waie He knewe that Seleucus loued his wife beyonde measure and also that Antiochus was so dere vnto hym as his owne life Wherevpon he thus saied vnto the kyng Noble Seleucus thy sonne is affected with a grieuous maladie and that whiche is worse I deme his sickenesse to bee incurable At whiche wordes the sorowfull father began to vtter pitifull lameÌ„tacion and bitterlie to complaine of Fortune To whom the Phisicion saied If it please yon my lorde to vnderstande the occasion of his disease This it is The maladie that affecteth and languisheth your soonne is Loue and the loue of suche a woman whiche excepte he enioye there is no remedie but death Alas quod the Kyng weepyng with bitter teares and what woman is she but that I maie procure her for hym whiche am kyng of all Asia and maie with intreatie money giftes or other pollicie whatsoeuer make her obediente and willyng to my soonnes requeste Tell me onelie the name of the woman that I maie prouide for my soonnes healthe yea though it cost me all my goods and realme to if other wise she can not bee gotten For if he die what shall I doe with my kyngdome Wherevnto Erasistratus answered If it like your grace your soÌ„ne is in loue with my wife but bicause that loue semeth vnto him discoÌ„uenient he dareth not to manifest the same for shame but rather wisheth to die then to opeÌ„ his minde Howbeit I by certaine euident signes doe wei perceiue it When Seleucus heard these woordes he saied O Erasistratus thou beyng so worthie a man to whom fewe in goodnesse and humilitie be comparable so dere and welbeloued of me and beareth the bruite to be the verie hauen and harborough of wisedome wilt thou not saue my sonne whiche is a yonge man now vpon the floure of his youth and most worthie of life for whom the Empire of all Asia is worthelie reserued O Erasistratus the soonne of thy frende Seleucus is thy kyng who through loue and silence is at the poineted death thou seest that for modestie and honestie sake at this his laste and doubtfull passage he had rather chose to die then by speakyng to offende thee and wilte thou not helpe hym This his silence this discrecion that his reuerence whiche he sheweth ought to moue thee to coÌ„passion Thinke my welbeloued Erasistratus that if he loue ardently that he was forced to loue For vndoubtedlie if he could not loue he would do the best he could not to loue yea and all his endeuour to resist it But who is able to prescribe lawes to Loue Loue I knowe not onelie forceth men but also commauÌ„deth the immortall Goddes and when thei bee not able to resist him what can mannes pollicie preuaile Wherfore who knoweth not what

to fayle her and that her fete and handes were caught in suche captiuitie that she could neyther run away nor yet defend herselfe knew none other remedie but to proue if he had yet remayning in him any griftes of the former loue that for the honor therof he might forget his crueltie Wherfore she sayde vnto him Amadour if now you doe accompt me for an enemie I besech you for the honestie of the loue which at other times I haue found planted in your heart to giue me leaue to speake before you doe torment me And when she sawe him reclining his eare she pursued her talke in this wise Alas Amadour what cause haue you to seke after the the thing whereof you shall receyue no contentation inflicting vpon me suche displeasure as there can be no greater You haue many tymes proued my will and affection in the tyme of my youthfull dayes and of my beautie farre more excellent than it is nowe at what tyme your passion might better be borne with and excused than nowe In suche wise that I am amased to sÃ©e that you haue the heart to torment me at that age and greate debility wherwith I am now indued I am assured that you doubte not but that my will minde is such as it was wont to be Wherefore you cannot obtayne your demaunde but by force And if you sawe how my face is arraied you woulde forget the pleasure which once you receyued in me and by no meanes would forcibly approche nere vnto me And if there be left in you yet any remnantes of loue it is impossible but that pitie may vanguishe your furie And that to pitie and honestie whereof once I had experience in you I doe make my plainte and of the same I doe demaund grace and pardon to thintent that according to your persuasion and good aduise you maye suffer me to liue in peace honesty which I haue determined during my life And if the loue which you haue borne me be coÌ„uerted into hatred that more for reuengement than affection you doe purpose to make me the most vnhappy wight of the worlde I assure you you shall not be able to bring your intent to passe besides that you shall constrayne me against my determination to vtter and reueale your villany disordinate appetite towards her which did repose in you an incredible affiance by discouering whereof thinke verely that your life cannot continue without perill Amadour breaking her talke sayde vnto her If I die for it I wil presentlie be acquieted of my torment But the deformitie of your face which I thinke was done by you of set purpose shall not let me to accomplishe my will For since I can get nothing of you but the bones carcasse I wil holde them so fast as I can And when Florinda sawe that prayers reason nor teares coulde not auaile but that with crueltie he woulde nÃ©edes followe his villanous desire which she had stil auoided by force of resistance she did helpe her selfe so long til she feared the losse of her breath and with a heauy and pitious voice she called her mother so loude as she coulde crye who hearing her daughter calling with such rufull voyce began gretly to feare the thing that was true Wherfore she ranne so fast as she could into the warderobeâ— Amadour not being so nere death as he sayd he was left of his hold in such good time as the Lady opening her closet founde him at the dore and Florinda farre ynough from him The Countesse demaunded of him saying Amadour what is the matter Tell me the truth Who like one that was neuer vnprouided of excuse with his face pale and wanne and his breath almoste spente sayde vnto her Alas Madame in what plight is my Lady Florinda I was neuer in all my life in that amase wherein I am now For as I sayde vnto you I had thought that I had inioyed part of her good will but now I know right well that I haue nothing at all I thinke Madame that sith the time she was brought vp with you she was neuer lesse wise and vertuous than she is but she is very daungerous and squeimish in speaking and talking and euen now I woulde haue loked vpon her but she woulde not let me And when I sawe that countenaunce thinking that it had bene some dreame or vision I desired to kisse her hand according to the fashion of the countrie which she vtterly refused True it is Madame I haue offended her wherof I craue pardon of you but it chauÌ„ced only for that I toke her by the hande which I did in a maner by force kissed the same demaunding of her no other contentation But she like one as I suppose that hath sworne my death made an outery for you as you haue heard for what cause I know not except that she were affrayde that I woulde haue forced some other thing Notwithstanding Madame what so euer the matter be I protest vnto you the wrong is mine and albeit that she ought to loue all your honest seruants yet fortune so willeth that I alone the most affectioned of theÌ„ all is clearelye exempt out of her fauour And yet I purpose still to continue towardes you her the same man I came hither beseching your good grace and fauour sithens that without my desert I haue lost hers The Countesse which partelye beleued and partelye mistrusted his talke went vnto her daughter and demaunded of her wherefore she cried out so loude Florinda aunswered that she was affrayd And albeit the Countesse subtilly asked her of many things yet Florinda would neuer make other answere for that hauing escaped the hands of her enemie she thought it punishment ynough for him to lose his labor After that the CouÌ„tesse had of long time coÌ„muned with Amadour she left him yet once againe to enter in talke with Florinda before her to sÃ©e what couÌ„tenauÌ„ce she would make him To whoÌ„ he spake few words except they were thanks for that she had not coÌ„fessed the truth to her mother praying her at least wife that seing he was dispossessed out of her heart she would suffer none other to receiue his place But she answering his former talke sayd If I had had any other meanes wherwith to defend my self from you than by crying out she shoulde neuer haue heard me and of me you shall neuer heare worse except you doe constrayne me as you haue done and for louing any other man you shal not nÃ©ede to feare For sith I haue not founde in your heart which I estemed the moste vertuous in all the worlde the good successe that I desired I will neuer beleue hereafter that vertue is planted in any man And this outrage shal make me frÃ©e from all passions that Loue can force and in saying so she toke her leaue The mother which behelde her countenaunce could suspect nothing and after that tyme she knew wel that her daughter bare

well doers in their glorie and triumphe to perpetrate thynges vnlawfull Sextus Tarquinius rauisheth Lucrece who bewailyng the losse of her chastitie killeth her self Â¶ The seconde Nouell GReate preparacion was made by the Romanes against a people called Rutuli who had a citie named Ardea excellyng in wealth and richesse whiche was the cause that the Romane kyng beyng exhausted and quite voide of money by reason of his sumptuous buildynges made warres vpon that countrie In the tyme of the siege of that citee the yong Romane gentlemen baÌ„queted one an other emonges whom there was one called Collatinus Tarquinius the sonne of Egerius And by chaunce thei entred in communicacion of their wiues euery one praisyng his seuerall spouse At length the talke began to growe hotte where vpon Collatinus said that wordes wer vaine For within fewe howers it might be tried how muche his wife Lucrecia did excell the rest wherfore q he if there be any liuelihod in you Let vs take our horse to proue whiche of our wiues doth furmouÌ„t WherevpoÌ„ thei rode to Rome in poste At their coming thei found the kynges doughters sportyng themselfes with sundrie pastymes From thence thei went to the house of Collatinus where thei founde Lucrece not as the other before named spendyng the time in idlenes but late in the night occupied and busie emonges her maides in the middes of the house spinning of Wolle The victorie and praise wherof was giuen to Lucretia who when she sawe her husbande gently and louingly interteigned hym curteously biddyng the Tarquinians welcome Imediatlie Sextus Tarquinius the sonne of Tarquinius Superbus that tyme the Romane kyng was attached and incensed with a libidious desire to construprate and defloure Lucrece When the yong gentlemen had bestowed that night pleasantlie with their wiues thei retourned to the Campe. Not long after Sextus Tarquinius with one man returned to Collatia vnknowen to Collatinus and ignoraunte to Lucrece and the reste of her houshold for what purpose he came Who beyng right hartely interteigued after supper was conueighed to his chamber Tarquinius burnyng with the loue of Lucrece after he perceiued the housholde to bee at reste and all thynges in quiet he with his naked sworde in his hande goeth to Lucrece beyng a slepe and kepyng her doune with his lefte hande saied Holde thy peace Lucrece q he I am Sextus Tarquinius my sworde is in my hande if thou crie I will kill thee The gentlewoman beyng sore a fraied newlie awaked out of her slepe and seyng iminent death could not tell what to doe Then Tarquinius confessed his loue and began to intreate her and therewithall vsed sundrie menacyng woordes by all meanes attemptyng to make her quiet when he sawe her obstinate and that she would not yelde to his requeste notwithstandyng his cruell threates he added shamefull and villanous woordes saiyng That he would kill her and when she was slaine he would also kill his slaue and place hym by her that it might be reported she was slain beyng taken in adulterie She vaÌ„quished with his terrible and infamous threat His fleshly and licencious enterprise ouercame the puritie of her chast harte whiche doen he departed Then Lucrece sente a poste to Rome to her father and an other to Ardea to her housbande requiryng them that thei would make speede to come vnto her with certaine of their trustie frendes for that a cruell facte was chaunced Then Sp. Lucretius with P. Valerius the soonne of Volesius Collatinus with L. Iunius Brutus made haste to Lucrece Where thei founde her sittyng verie pensife and sadde in her chamber So sone as she sawe theim she began pitiouslie to weepe Then her housebande asked her whether all thynges were well vnto whom she saied these woordes No dere housebande for what can bee well or safe vnto a woman when she hath loste her chastitie Alas Collatine the steppes of an other man be now fixed in thy bedde But it is my bodie onely that is violated my minde God knoweth is gililes whereof my death shal be witnesse But if you be men giue me your haÌ„des and trouthe that the adulterer maie not escape vnreuenged It is Sextus Tarquinius who beyng an enemie in stede of a frende the other night came vnto me armed with his sworde in his hand and by violence caried a waie from me and tooke to himself a pestiferous ioye Then euery of theÌ„ gaue her their faith and comforted the pensife and languishyng ladie imputing the offence to the aucthor and doer of the same affirmyng that her bodie was polluted and not her mynde and where consente was not there the crime was absent Wherevnto she added I praie you consider with your selues what punishment is due for the malefactour As for my parte though I clere my self of the offence my bodie shall feele the punishemente for no vnchast or ill woman shall hereafter take example of Lucrece Then she drew out a knife whiche she had hidden secretly vnder her kirtle and stabbed her self to the harte Whiche doen she fell doune grouelyng vpon her wounde and so died Wherevpon her father and housebande made greate lamentacion and as thes were bewailyng the death of Lucrece Brutus plucked the knife out of the wounde whiche gushed out with abundance of blood and holdyng it vp saied I swere by the chaste blood of this bodie here deade and I take you the immortall goddes to witnesse that I wil driue and extirpate out of this Citie bothe L. Tarquinius Superbus and his wicked wife with all the race of his children and progenie so that none of them ne yet any others shall raigne any longer in Rome Then he deliuered the knife to Collatinus Lucretius and Valerius merueilyng at the straungenesse of his woordes And from whence he should conceiue that determinacion Thes al swore that othe And folowed Brutus as their capitaine in his conceiued purpose The bodie of Lucrece was brought into the markette place where the people wondred at the vilenesse of that facte euery maÌ„ coÌ„plainyng vpon the mischief of that facinorous rape committed by Tarquinius Wherevpon Brutus perswaded the Romanes that thei should cease from teares and other childishe lamentacions and take weapons in their handes and shewe themselues like men Then the lustiest and moste desperate persones within the citie made theimselues presse and readie to attempt any enterprise And after a guarrison was placed and bestowed at Collatia diligente watche and warde was kepte at the gates of the citie to the intent the kyng should haue no aduertismente of that slurre The reste of the souldiours followed Brutus to Rome WheÌ„ he was come to Rome the armed multitude did beate a meruellous feare throughout the whole citie but yet because thei sawe the chiefeste personages goe before that thought that the same enterprise was not taken in vaine Wherefore the people out of all places of the citie ran into the marketplace Where Brutus complained of the abhominable Rape of Lucrece committed by Sextus Tarquinius whervnto

ambiguous and doubtfull causes therefore I will neither consume tyme in accusyng hym before you froÌ„ whose crueltie ye haue by force defended your selues nor yet I will suffre hym to ioyne to his former wickednesse any impudente answere for his defence Wherefore Appius all those thinges whiche he wickedly and cruelly one vpon an other thou haste dooen these twoo yeres paste I dooe frÃ©ely forgiue thee But if thou canste not purge thy self of this one thing that against the order and forme of Lawe thou thy self beyng Iudge wouldest not suffer the freman to enioye the benefite of his freedome during the processe made of seruitude I will presently commaunde thee to prison Appius Claudius beyng now a prisoner and perceiuyng that the iuste complaintes of Virginius did vehemeÌ„tty incite the people to rage and furie and that the peticions and praiers of his freÌ„des in nowise could mollifie their hartes he began to conceiue a desperacion And within a while after slewe hymself Spurius Oppius also an other of the Decemuiri was immediatly sent to prison who before the daie of his iudgemeÌ„te died The reste also of that order fled into exile Whose goodes were confiscate Marcus Claudius also the Assertor was condempned howbeit Virginius was contented he should be banished the citie and then he fled to Tybur Thus vpon the filthie affeccion of one nobleman issued parricide murder rebellion hatred depriuyng of magistrates and greate mischiefes succedyng one in an others necke Wherevpon the noble and victorious citie was like to be a praie to forren nacions A goodlie documente to men of like callyng to moderate themselues and their Magisterie with good and honeste life thereby to giue incouragemente of vertue to their vassalles and inferiours who for the moste parte doe imitate and followe the liues and coÌ„uersacion of their superiours Canduales kyng of Lydia shewyng the secretes of his wiues beautie to Gyges one of his Guarde was by counsaile of his wife slaine by the said Gyges and depriued of his kyngdome Â¶ The .vj. Nouell OF all follies wherwith vaine men be affected the follie of immoderate loue is most to be detested For that husband whiche is beautified with a comely and honeste wife whose rare excelleÌ„cie doeth surpasse other aswell in lineamentes proporcion and feature of bodie as with inwarde qualities of minde if he can not retaine in the secrecie and silence of his breast that excellyng gifte and benefite is worthie to be inaugured with a laurell croune of follie Beautie eche man knoweth is one of natures ornamentes by her wisedome ordeined not to enter in triumphe as victours vse vpon gaine of victorie with brauerie to ostentate their glorie by sounde of Shalme Dromme but thankfully for the same to proclaime the due praise to the aucthour of Nature For there is nothyng more fraile and fadyng then the luryng lookes of Dame beauties eyes altogether like the flaryng Marigolde floure whiche in the moste feruent heate of the Sommers daie doeth appere moste glorious and vpoÌ„ retire of the nightes shadowe appereth as though it had neuer been the same And therefore he that conceiueth reioyse in her vncertaine state is like to hym that in his slombryng dreame doeth imagine he hath founde a perelesse iewell of price inestimable besette with the glistering Diamonde and perfectly awaked knoweth he hath none suche If God hath indued a man with a wife that is beautifull and honest he is furnished with double pleasure suche as rather thankes to hym then vaine ostentacion is to bee remembred Otherwise he doateth either in Ielosie or openeth proude vauntes thereof to suche as he thinketh to be his moste assured frendes What ioye the sequele thereof doeth bryng let the historie insuyng reporte Candaules kyng of Lydia had a merueilous beautifull gentlewoman to his Quene and wife whom he loued very dearly and for that greate loue whiche he bare her thought her the fairest creature of the world Beyng in this louing concept he extolled the praise of his wife to one of his guarde called Gyges the sonne of Dascylus whom he loued aboue all the reste of his housholde and vsed his counsaile in all his weightie causes with in a while after he saied vnto Gyges these woordes It seemeth vnto me Gyges that thou doest not greatly beleue the woordes whiche I speake vnto the of the beautie of my wife but because eyes be better witnesses of thynges then eares thou shalte see her naked With these wordes Gyges beyng amased cried out saiyng What wordes be these sir kyng me think you are not well aduised to require me to viewe and beholde the ladie my maistres in that sorte For a woman seen naked doeth with her clothes put of also her chastitie In olde tyme honest thinges were deuised for mannes instruction emonges whiche was vsed this one thing That euery man ought to behold the thinges that were his owne But sir I doe beleue assuredlie that she is the fairest woman in the worlde wherfore desire me not to thynges that bee vnlawfull In this sorte Gyges replied and yet feared lest some dauÌ„ger might happen vnto hym Whom Candaules encouraged saiyng Be of good there and be not afraid that either I or my wife goe aboute to deceiue thee or that thou shalte incurre any daunger For I will take vpon me so to vse the matter as she by no meanes shal knowe that thou haste seen her I will place thee behinde the portall of our chamber When I goe to bed my wife commonlie dooeth followe And she beyng in the Chamber a chaire is sette redie vpon whiche she laieth her clothes as she putteth them of Which doen she sheweth her self a good tyme naked And when she riseth from her chaire to goe to bedde her backe beyng toward thee thou maiest easilie conueighe thy self out againe but in anywise take heede she doe not sÃ©e thee as thou goest out Wherevnto I praie thee to haue a speciall regarde Gyges seeyng that by no meanes he could auoide the vaine requeste of the kyng was redie at the tyme appoincted Candaules about the hower of bedde tyme went into the Chamber and conueighed Gyges into the same and after the Kyng the Quene followed whom Gyges behelde at her goyng in and at the puttyng of her clothes When her backe was towardes hym as he was goyng out she perceiued hym The Quene vnderstanding by her housbande the circumstance of the facte neither for shame did crie out ne yet made countenance as though she had sÃ©en Gyges but in her minde purposed to reuenge her husbandes follie For emoÌ„ges the LydiaÌ„s as for the most parte with all other nacions it is coumpted a greate shame to sÃ©e a naked man The gentlewoman counterfaited her grief and kepte silence In the mornyng when she was redie by suche of her seruauntes whom she moste trusted she sent for Gyges who thought that she had knowen nothyng of that whiche chauÌ„ced For many times before he vsed to haue accesse to the quene when he was

by fortune bee denied hym yet he doeth excell him bicause he neuer hath experience of theÌ„ he liueth in good prosperous helth he neuer feleth aduersitie he doeth nothing that is wicked he is a father of good childreÌ„ he is indued with formosttie beautie who if besides al those things he die welt It is he whoÌ„ you demaunde that worthely maie be called blessed happy For before he die he can not be called blessed But fortunate he maie bee termed For to obtein al whiles you be a liuyng maÌ„ it is impossible For as one countrie is not able to serue it self with all comodities but hauing one it lacketh an other Yet the same countrie that hath moste comodities is the beste And as a mans bodie hauing one prefeccioÌ„ is not perfect bicause in hauing one he lacketh an other EueÌ„ so he that hath most vertue is indued with greatest noÌ„ber of the aforesaied comodities so quietly departeth his life he in mine opinion is worthie to be intitled with the name of a king A maÌ„ must expect th ende of euery thing whervnto it tendeth For God plucketh vp by the rootes many men to whoÌ„ he hath giuen abundance of welth treasure Craesus misliking the wordes of SoloÌ„ suffred him to depart saiyng he was a foole that measured present pleasures no better After whose departure the goddes begaÌ„ to bend their indignacioÌ„ displeasure vpon him bicause he thought himself the happiest of al men Long time after Craesus receiuyng corage coÌ„fort froÌ„ Apollo at Delphos AtteÌ„pted warrs against Cyrus king of Persia. Who in those warres was ouerthrowen and taken prisoner after he had raigned .xiiij yeres and was broughte by the Persians to Cyrus Then Cyrus caused a stacke of woodde to be piled vp and Craesus fettered with giues was sette vpon the same Who then remeÌ„bryng the saiyng of Solon that no liuyng man was blessed or in all poincted happie cried out in lamentable wise O Solon Solon Solon whiche Cyrus hearyng caused his interpreters to demauÌ„de of him what the same Solon was Craesus with muche difficultie tolde what he was and declared all the talke betwene hym and Solon Whereof when Cyrus heard the reporte he acknowledged hymself to be also a man and sore repented that he went aboute to burne hym whiche was equall vnto hym in honor and richesse confessyng nothyng to bee stable and certaine in the life of man Wherevpon he commaunded the fire to be taken awaie whiche then began to flame And so with muche a do he was deliuered Then Cyrus asked hym who gaue hym counsaill to inuade his countrie to make his freÌ„de his foe Euen my self saied Craesus through vnhappie fate by the perswasioÌ„ of the Grekishe GOD whiche gaue me counsaill to make warres vpon thee For there is no man so madde that had rather desire warre then peace For in peace sonnes hurte their fathers but in warres fathers hurte their children But that these thinges be come to passe I maie thanke the Deuels good grace Afterwards Cyrus interteigned hym verie honorablie and vsed his counsel whiche he founde very holsome good Of a father that made suite to haue his owne soonne putte to deathe Â¶ The .viij. Nouell THere was a man borne in Mardus whiche is a Countrie adioynyng vnto Persia called Rhacon that had seuen children The yongest of theim named Cartomes afflicted diuerse honest menne with greate harmes and mischifes For whiche cause the father began to reforme hym with wordes to proue if he would amende But he litle waiyng the good discipline of his father It chaunced vpon a time that the Iustices of the countrie repaired to the Sessions in that Toune where the father of that childe did dwell Who takyng his sonne and bindyng his handes behinde hym brought him before the Iudges To whom he remeÌ„bred by waie of accusacion all the mischiefes whiche his soonne from tyme to tyme hadde committed and desired the Iudges that he might bee condeÌ„pned to die The Iudges amased at that request would not them selues giue sentence against hym but brought bothe the father and the soonne before Artaxerxes the kyng of Persia In whose presence the father stil persisted in the accusacion of his sonne Why q the kyng canste thou finde in thy harte that thyne owne soonne should be putte to death before thy face Ye truely q the father For at home in my garden when the yonge Lactuse beginne to growe I cutte of the bitter and sower stalkes from the same For pitie it were the mother Lactuse should sustaine any sorowe for those bastarde and degenerate shrubbes Whiche beyng taken awaie the prospereth and encreaseth so greate swetenesse and bignes Euen so O kyng if he be hanged that hurteth my whole familie and offendeth the honest conuersacion of his brethren bothe my self shal bee increased and the reste of my stocke and ligneage shall in like sorte prospere and continue The Kyng hearyng those woordes did greately praise the wisedome of Rhacon and chose hym to bee one of his Iudges speakyng these wordes before the multitude He that dare thus seuerely iustly pronounce sentence vpon his owne childe doubtles he will shewe hymself to bee an incorrupt and sincere Iudge vpon the offences of other Then the kyng deliuered the yonge man from that present fault threatenyng hym with moste cruell death if after that tyme he were apprehended with like offence Water offred of good will to Artaxerxes the kyng of Persia and the liberall rewarde of the kyng to the giuer Â¶ The .ix. Nouell THere was a certaine Persian called Sinaetas that farre from his owne house mette king Artaxerxes and had not wherewith to present him For it was an order emonges the Persians instituted by Lawe that euery man whiche mette with the king should giue hym a present Wherefore the poore man bicause he would not neglecte his duetie ranne to a Riuer called Cyrus taking vp bothe his handes full of water spake to the kyng in this wise I beseche God that your maiestie maie euermore raigne emonges As occasion of the place and myne abilitie at this instant serueth I am come to honour your maiestie to the intente you maie not passe without some presente For whiche cause I giue vnto you this water But if your grace had ones incamped your self I would goe home to my house for the best and derest things I haue to honour your maiestie withall And peradueÌ„ture the same shall not be muche inferiour to the giftes whiche other now dooe giue you Artaxerxes delighted with this chaunce saied vnto hym Good followe I thanke thee for this present I assure thee the same is so acceptable vnto me as the most precious gift of the worlde First bicause water is the best of all thynges then bicause the Riuer out of the whiche thou diddest take it dooeth beare the name of Cyrus Wherefore I commaunde thee to come before me when I am at my Campe. When he had spoken those wordes he

whiche is a great shame and selaundre to the world in these daies proofe whereof is euident enough for that the vertues past haue forsaken the present sorte whiche liue in the ordure and filth of all vices But to procede in that whiche I haue begonne although vpon lust occasion I haue a litle more digressed then I thought I saie that the foresaide Guglielmo Borsiere was honored visited of the gentelmen of Genoua who making his abode for a certen time in the Citie and hearinge tell of the misery and couetousnes of M. Ermino had great desire to sÃ©e him M. Ermino hearinge tell that this Guglielmo Borsiere was an excellent man hauinge in him although a couetouse man some sparke of geÌ„tilite he receiued him with frendlie woordes and good countenaunce entring into communication with him of diuers and sundrie matters and in talking brought him with certen other Citizens to one of his houses whiche was very faire and newe where after he had shewed him his house he saide vnto him Oh M. Guglielmo you that haue sÃ©ene and hearde many thinges can you shewe vnto me any newe deuise neuer sÃ©ene before that I may cause the same to be painted in my hall To whome M. Guglielmo hearinge his fonde talke answered Sir I caÌ„ shewe you nothing but that whiche hath bÃ©en knowen before excepte Nesinges or suche like But if it please you sir I will gladly teache you one whiche I thinke you neuer sawe M. Ermino gladde to here of that saied I praie you sir tell me what it is not thinckinge he would haue made that answere To whom maister Guglielmo redely saied Cause the figure of Liberalitie to be painted At which answere maister Ermino was so sodenly ashamed that he was forced to chauÌ„ge his minde in a maner cleane contrary to his accustomed vse and saied Maister Guglielmo I will cause the same to be painted in such wise as neither you nor any man elles shall haue occasion iustlie to obiecte the same againste me And from that time foorthe suche was the force of that taunte he was the moste liberall and bountifull Gentleman that dwelt in Genoua and one that honoured straungers and Citizens more then euer any did in his time Master Alberto of Bologna by pleasant answeare made a Gentlewoman to blushe which had thought to haue put him out of countenaunce in tellinge him that he was in loue with her Â¶ The .xxxij. Nouell NOt many yÃ©eres paste their was at Bologna a notable Phisician renoumed through out the whole worlde called Master Alberto who beinge olde almost lx yeeres of age had suche an excellent witte that although naturall heate was expired in his bodie yet he disdained not to conceiue some amorouse flames of loue Seinge at a banket a very faire gentlewoman a widowe called as some saie Madonna Margherita de Ghisiheri she pleased his fancie so well that he fixed her so fast in the siege of his remembrance as if he had bÃ©ene a younge man of ripe and youthly yeeres In suche wise as that night he coulde take no reste if the daie before he had not seene the faire and beautifull face of this faire gentlewoman For whiche cause sometimes a foote and sometimes on horsebacke as he thought best he continually vsed to passe before her lodginge whiche was the cause that she and diuerse other gentlewomen did marke thoccasion of his ofte passinge to and fro that waie And many times they lested and dalied amongest them selfes to sÃ©e a man of suche yeeres and experience to be in loue thinckinge that the displeasant passion of loue coulde fallen no holde but in the fonde mindes of younge people and no where else Wherefore Master Alberto daylie passinge to and fro by the house of that gentlewoman it chaunced vpon holy daie that she sittinge with other dames before her dore and seinge Master Alberto a farre of cominge towardes them they all determined curteousely to receiue him and reuerently to salute him and afterwardes merely to talke and sport of his loue whiche accordingly they did The gentlewomen risinge vp they brought him into a Courte of aire freshe and pleasant where they caused to be brought foorth excellente wines and comfites and in the ende with many cheerefull nd pleasaunt woordes they asked him howe it was possible he coulde be in loue with that faier gentlewoman specially sithens many faire and trimme yongemen did loue her Master Alberto perceiuinge himselfe touched and gesled at very honestly answered with smilyng countenaunce Mastres No wise man what so euer he be ought to maruel why I am in loue chiefely with you bicause your beautie woorthines dothe well deserue the same And although that naturally the forces whiche be incident to exercises of Loue doe finde in olde men good will therefore is not in them depriued nor the iudgement in knowlege in that which ought to be beloued But bicause they haue more knowledge then yonge men therfore by nature thei better know the qualitie of Loue. The hope that moueth me an old man to loue you that is so well beloued of yonge meÌ„ is this I haue many times bÃ©ene conuersant in places where I haue seene gentlewomen for there collation and pleasure after dinner oftentimes to eate lupines and lekes and albeit that in the leke there is nothing good yet the hedde thereof is less hurtefull and most pleasant to the mouthe whereof generally through a folish lust ye holde the hedde in your hande and chawe the leaues whiche not only be cuel and nought but also be of an ill fauored smell and fauour And what doe I know mistres if in the choise of your frendes ye doe the like Whiche if ye doe no doubt it is I whom you haue chosen and haue forsaken all other This gentlewoman sometime ashamed and blushing with the rest saide Master Alberto you haue full well and curteousely paied vs home and answered our presumptuouse obiection Notwithstanding I doe estÃ©eme and accepte your amitie loue as I ought to regarde the loue of a wise and honest personage And so mine honestie and honour saued all that I haue to doe you pleasure assuredly is at your coÌ„maundement Therewith all Master Alberto rose vp thanckinge the gentlewoman and with muche sporte and pleasant talke takinge his leaue of the company departed In this maner the gentlewoman giuinge ouer her scoffes and tauntes whereby she thought to put Master Alberto out of concept was ouercome her selfe Where of I in the name of Panfilo Filostrato and Dioneo by way of intreatie doe beseech ye Ladies Pampinea FiaÌ„merta Philomena and other gentlewomen to beware howe ye doe contriue your hollie day talke by waste of wordes issuing forth your delicate mouthes in carpinge gaudinge and iestinge at yonge gentlemen and specially olde men and Master Alberto of Bologna that for loue like the grene stalkes or graie he dres of lekes doe desire to sauer your mouthes and by honest recreacion and pleasure to gratefie your comely

where it maie chaunce that you neuer vnderstoode so muche before this tyme I will tell you the whole discourse So it is that Pietro my father yours dwelte of long time wherof it is possible that you haue heard report at Palermo where through the goodnesse and frendlie behauior of hym there be yet some remaining that did beare hym singular good will and frendship But emonges other whiche loued him moffe my mother which was a gentlewoman and then a widowe without doubt did loue him best In such wise that she forgettyng the loue of her father and of her brethren and the loue of her owne honour and reputacion thei dealed so together that thei begatte me and am here as you see Afterwardes when your father and mine had occasion to departe from Palermo he retourned to Perugia leauing my mother behinde and me his yong doughter neuer after that so farre as I knowe caring either for my mother or me wherof if he were not my father I would blame him very muche coÌ„sidering his ingratitude towardes my mother Albeit he ought to vse towardes me so muche affection fatherlie loue as to his owne doughter being come of no kitchin maide ne yet of any basewoman For my mother otherwise not knowyng what he was did commit into his handes moued of mere loue bothe her self and all that she had But what Thynges ill dooen and so long tyme paste are more easie to be reprehended then amended Thus the matter went he left me a litle infant at Palermo where when I was growen to yeres my mother whiche was riche gaue me to wife to one of the house of Gergenti a gentleman of greate honestie and reputacion who for the loue of my mother and me retourned to dwell at Palermo where greatlie sauoryng the faccion of the Guelphi he began to practise a certaine enterprise with our kyng Charles whiche being knowen to Kyng Federic before the same enterprise could take effecte we were forced to flie out of Scicilia At what tyme I had thought to haue been the chiefest Ladie that euer was in that Island wherefore taking with vs suche fewe thinges as we were able to carie fewe I maie well call them in respecte of theÌ„ we possessed and leauyng our houses and pallaces we came vnto this citie Where we founde kyng Charles so benigne towardes vs that he hath recompenced parte of our losses whiche wee susteined in his seruice For he hath giuen vs possessions and houses with good prouision of housholde to my husbande and your brother in lawe as you now sÃ©e and perceiue And in his maner I doe remaine here where swete brother I thaÌ„ke God and not you that at this presente I sÃ©e you and therewithall she tooke hym aboute the necke wepyng tenderly and then kissed his face againe Andreuccio hearyng this tale spoken in order and digested from poinct to poinct with good vtterance wherof no worde stucke betwene her teeth or was impeached by default of tongue And remembryng how it was true that his father dwelte at Palermo knowyng also by hymself the maner of yonge menne whiche in their youthe be prompt and willyng to loue and seyng her tender teares her imbracynges and honest kisses thought al that she had spoken to bÃ©e moste certaine and true And after she hadde doe on her tale he answered in this wise Madame you maie not thinke vnkindnesse if I dooe meruaile at this for that in verie dÃ©ede I haue no acquaintance of you no more then if you had neuer been borne But whether my father hath spoken of you or of your mother at any tyme truely I doe not now remeÌ„ber but so muche the more I dooe reioyce that I haue founde a sister here as I trust bicause I am here alone And certainly I knowe none so honourable but you maie seme agreable vnto hym so well as to me which am but a poore marchaunte howbeit I doe beseche you to tell me how you did knowe that I was in the citie To whom she answered This mornyng a poore woman whiche oftentymes repaireth to my house gaue me knowledge thereof bicause of longe tyme as she tolde me she did dwell with your father at Palermo and at Perugia And bicause I thought it more conuenient and mete to bid you home to myne owne house then to seke you in an other mannes I thought good to sende for you After these woordes she began in order to inquire of the state of his parentes callyng them by their proper names wherevnto Andreuccio made answer that now he perceiued he had better cause to giue credite vnto her woordes then before Their discourse and talke of thynges beyng long and the weather hot she called for Greke wine and Comfittes and made Andreuccio to drincke Who after the banquette destrous to departe to his lodgyng for it was about supper time she by no meanes would suffer him but makyng as though she were angrie saied vnto hym Oh God I see now moste euidently that you doe make litle accompt of me beyng your owne sister whom you neuer sawe before and in her house where vnto you ought to resort when so euer you come to towne And will you now forsake the same to suppe in an Inne But of trouth you shall not chose but take part of my supper And although my husbande bee not at home whereof I am right sorie yet you shal knowe that his wife is able to make you some good there To whom Andreuccio not knowyng well what to saie els made this answere I do loue you as I ought to loue a sister But if I go not to mine Iune I knowe thei will tarie for me all this night before thei goe to supper to my greate reproche and shame Praised bee God quod she then I haue seruauntes to aduertise your hoste that you be here with me to the intent he shall not tarie for you But pleaseth you sir to dooe me this greate curtesie that I maie sende for your companions hither to beare you companie that afterwardes if you will nÃ©edes depart ye maie goe all together Andreuccio answered that he would sende for none of his companie that night but for so much as she was so importunate he hymself was right well contente to satisfie her requeste Then she made as though she had sente to his Inne to giue worde that thei should not tarie for him And after muche communication supper was placed vpon the table serued in with many deuises and sundrie delicates abundantlie and she with like sleightes continued the supper till it was darke night And wheÌ„ thei rose from the table Andreuccio made hast to departe but she would not suffre hym tellyng hym that Naples was a Towne so straight of orders that none might walke abrode in the night and specially strauÌ„gers And that like as she had sente woorde howe thei should not tary for hym at supper euen so she had doen for his bedde All whiche Andreuccio beleuyng and

takyng pleasure that he was with his sister deceiued though he were of his false belief was well contented to tarie Their talke and communicacion after supper was of purpose dilated and protracted and one part of the night beyng spent she left Andreuccio in his chaÌ„ber goyng to bedde and a litle boie to waite vpon hym to see that he lacked nothing and she with her women went into an other chaÌ„ber The tyme of the yere was verie hotte wherefore Andreuccio beyng alone striped hymself and laied his hose and dublette vnder his beddes head and desirous to goe to the priuie he asked the boie where it was who poinctyng to the doore in a corner of the chamber saied vnto hym Goe in there Andreuccio saufly went in and chaunced by Fortune to sette his foote vpon a borde whiche at bothe endes was lose from the Ioiste wherevpon it laie by reason wherof the borde he tombled doune into the Iakes God so loued hym that in the fall he receiued no hurt although it were of a good heigth sauyng he was unbroined and arraied with the doÌ„ge of the place wherof the Iakes was ful Whiche place to the intent you maie the better vnderstande what is saied and what shall folowe euen as it was I will describe vnto you There was in a litle straighte entrie as many tymes we see betwene twoo houses certain bordes laied vpoÌ„ twoo Ioistes betwene the one house and the other Upon whiche was placed the seate of the priuie one of whiche bordes was the same that fill downe with Andreuccio who now beyng in the bottome of the Iakes sorowfull for that sodain chaunce cried out to the boie for helpe But the boie so sone as he heard that he was fallen went in to tell his maistres who by and by ran into his chamber to seke for his clothes and when she had founde them and in the same his money whiche Andreuccio like a foole without mistrust still caried about hym she now possessed to thyng for whiche she had before laied the snare in fainyng her self to bee of Palermo and the doughter of one of Perugia And caryng no longer for hym she straight waie shutte faste the priuie doore whereat he went forthe when he fell Andreuccio seyng that the boie would not answere began to crie out a loude but all was in vaine wherfore suspecting the cause and beginnyng somewhat to late to vnderstande the deceipte he leapte ouer a litle wal which closed that place froÌ„ the sight of the streate And when he was in the open streate he wente to the doore of the house whiche he knewe well enough makyng a noise rapping harde and long at the doore but it was in vaine For whiche cause he began to complaine and lament like vnto one that manisfestly sawe his misfortune saiyng Alas in how litle tyme haue I lost fiue hundred crounes and a sister And after many other wordes he began againe to bounse at the doore and to crie out He rapped so long and cried so loude that he waked many of the neighbours there aboutes whoÌ„ not able to suffer that noise rose out of their beddes and emoÌ„ges others one of the maides of the house faining her self to be slepie loked out at the windowe and saied in greate rage What noise is beneath Oh said Andreuccio do ye not knowe me I am Andreuccio the brother of madame Floredelice Thou haste dronke to muche me thinketh q she maide go slepe come again to morow I knowe none called Andreuccio nor yet do vnderstand what thou meanest by those foolishe woordes get thee hence good man and lette vs slepe I praie thee Why quod Andreuccio dooest thou not heare me what I saie Thou knowest me well inough if thou wilte but if the Scicilian kindred bee so sone forgotten Giue me my clothes whiche I haue lefte behinde me I will goe hence with al my harte Whereat the maide laughed and saied I thincke the man is in a dreame and with that she tourned her self and shutte faste the windowe Andreuccio now sure and certaine of his losses attached with incredible sorrowe conuerted his anger into rage thought to recouer by anoiaunce that whiche he could not gette with faire wordes Wherefore takyng vp a bigge stone he beganne againe with greater blowes to beate at the doore Whiche wheÌ„ many of the neighbours that before were waked out of their slepe and risen did heare thinkyng that it was some troublesome man that fained those wordes to anoye the good wife of the house and all thei likewise troubled with the noise lookyng out of their windowes beganne to rate hym with one voice like a sorte of Curres of one streate whiche dooe baule and barke at a straunge Dogge that passeth by saiyng This is to muche shame and villanie to come to the houses of honest womeÌ„ at this tyme of the night and to speake suche fonde woordes Wherefore good man gette thee hence for Goddes sake and let vs slepe If thou haue any thing to doe with the good wife come againe to morowe and disquiet vs no more to nighte With whiche wordes as poore Andreuccio was somewhat appeased one that was within the house a Russian that kept the good wife whom Andreuccio neuer sawe nor heard before looked out of the windowe and with a bigge and horrible voice demaunded who was beneath Whereat Andreuccio liftyng vp his heade sawe one that so farre as he could perceiue seemed to bee a large rubber with a blacke bearde and a sterne visage lokyng as though he were newlie risen from bedde full of slepe gaping rubbing his eyes Whom Andreuccio answered in scarfull wise saiyng I am the good wifes brother of the house But the Russian interrupting his answere speaking more fiercely then at the firste saied I knowe not who thou arte but if I come doune I will so codgell and bombaste thee that thou shalt not be able to sturre thy self like an asse and dronken beaste as thou art whiche all this night wilte not suffer vs to slepe And with these wordes tourning hymself aboute he shutte the windowe Diuers of the neighbors which knewe better the condicions of that terrible Russian speakyng faire to Andreuccio saied vnto hym For Gods sake good man departe hence in tyme and suffer not thy self to be slaine gette thee heÌ„ce quod an other and say not but thou haddest warning Where Andreuccio appalled with the Russians woordes and sight moued likewise by the counsale of the neighbors that spake to hym as he thought in charitable wise toke his waie to retourne to his Inne the sorowfullest man that euer liued and in greatest despaire for losse of his money Turning that waie wherin he was guided by a litle girle the daie before and anoyed with the stenche that he felte aboute hym desirous to goe to the sea side to washe hym he declined so muche of the left hand takyng the waie vp to the streat called La Ruga Catellana and as he

curteous demaunde gaue her .v. C. poundes and so many faire and costly Iewels whiche almoste amounted to like valer For whiche the gentlewoman more then contented gaue moste hartie thankes to the Countesse who departed from the gentlewoman and retourned to her lodging The gentlewoman to take occasion from the Counte of any farther repaire or sendyng to her house tooke her doughter with her and went into the couÌ„trie to her frendes The Counte Beltramo within fewe daies after beyng reuoked home to his owne house by his subiectes hearyng that the Countesse was departed froÌ„ thence retourned The Countesse knowynge that her housband was gone from Florence and retourned into his countrie was verie glad and contented and she continewed in Florence till the tyme of her child bedde was come and was brought a bedde of twoo soones whiche were verie like vnto their father and caused theÌ„ carefullie to be noursed and brought vp and wheÌ„ she sawe tyme she toke her iourney vnknowen to any manne and arriued at Monpellier and restyng her self there for certaine daies hearyng newes of the Counte and where he was and that vpon the daie of all Sainctes he purposed to make a great feast and assemblie of ladies and knightes in her pilgrimes wÃ©ede she wente thither And knowyng that thei were all assembled at the pallace of the Counte redie to sitte doune at the table she passed through the people without chaunge of apparell with her twoo sonnes in her armes And wheÌ„ she was come vp into the hall euen to the place where the Counte was fallyng doune prostrate at his feete wepyng saied vnto him My Lorde I am thy poore infortunate wife who to thintent thou mightest returne and dwel in thine owne house haue been a great while beggyng about the worlde Therefore I now beseche thÃ©e for the honour of God that thou wilt obserue the condicions whiche the twoo knightes that I sent vnto thÃ©e did commaunde me to doe for beholde here in myne armes not onelie one soonne begotten by thÃ©e but twaine and likewise thy Kynge It is now tyme then if thou kepe promis that I should be receiued as thy wife The Counte hearyng this was greatly astonned and knewe the Kynge and the children also thei were so like hym But tell me q he howe is this come to passe The Countesse to the great admiracioÌ„ of the Counte and of all those that were in presence rehearsed vnto them in order all that whiche had bÃ©en doen and the whole discourse therof For whiche cause the Counte knowyng the thynges she had spoken to be true and perceiuyng her constaunt minde and good witte and the twoo faier yonge boies to kepe his promisse made and to please his subiectes and the Ladies that made sute vnto him to accept her from that time forthe as his lawfull wife and to honour her abiected his obstinate rigour causyng her to rise vp and imbraced and kissed her acknowledgyng her againe for his lawfull wife And after he had apparelled her according to her estate to the great pleasure and contentacion of those that were there and of all his other frendes not onely that daie but many others he kepte greate chere and from that tyme forthe he loued and honoured her as his dere spouse and wife Tancredi Prince of Salerne caused his doughters louer to be slaine and sente his harte vnto her in a cuppe of golde whiche afterwardes she putte into poisoned water and drinkyng thereof died Â¶ The .xxxix. Nouell TAncredi Prince of Salerne was a curteous Lorde and of a geÌ„tle nature had he not in his age imbrued his handes with his owne proper bloud It chaunced that this prince in al his life time had but one onely doughter but he had been more happie if she had neuer been borne That doughter he loued so well as a father could loue his childe and for the tender loue he bare her he was not able to suffer her to bee out of his sighte And could not finde in his harte to marie her although she had many yeres passed the tyme that she was mariage able notwithstandyng in the ende he gaue her to wife to one of the soonnes of the Duke of Capua with whom she continued no long tyme but was a widowe and then retourned vnto her fathers house againe This Ladie was verie faire and comely of bodie and face as any creature could be yonge lustie and more wise peraduenture then a woman ought to be And thus dwelling with her louing father she liued like a noble Ladie in greate pleasure And seing that her father for the loue he bare vnto her had no minde or care to marie her againe and also she thinking it skarce honest to require him therevnto deuised with her self secretly if it were possible to retain some valiaunt man to bÃ©e her louer And seyng many gentlemen and others frequentyng her fathers court as wÃ©e commonlie sÃ©e in the Courtes of Princes and markyng the behauiour and order of many emonges all there was a yonge man one of her fathers seruauÌ„tes that liked her well whose name was Guiscardo of verie base birthe but in vertue and honeste condicions more noble then the reste and many tymes when she sawe him she wonderfully delited in him alwaies praisyng his dooynges aboue all others The yonge manne not hauyng good consideracion of hymself perceiuyng her feruente affeccion so fixed his minde that he disposed the same vppon nothyng elles but to loue her One louing an other secretly in this sort and the ladie verie studious to finde occasioÌ„ that she might talke with hym unwillyng to commit the secrecie of hre loue to any manne she imagined with her self a new deuise to giue him knowledge therof And wrote a letter signifiyng vnto hym what he should dooe the nexte daie and how he mighte vse hymself to come to talke with her then puttyng the letter into the Cane of a rede she gaue it vnto Guiscardo in sportyng wise and saied Thou shalt this night make a paire of Bellowes for thy seruaunt wherwith she maie kindle the fire Guiscardo tooke it thought that she did not giue it vnto him without some speciall purpose whervpon he went to his chamber and loking vpoÌ„ the Cane perceiued it to be hollowe and openyng it founde the letter within whiche she had written And when he had well perused it vnderstandyng the tenour and effecte thereof he thought hymself the happiest manne in the worlde and began to put hymself in redinesse to mete with his Ladie by suche waies and meanes as she had to hym appoincted There was in a corner of the princes pallace a Caue longe tyme before made vnder the side of a hille whiche Caue receiued light by a certaine vente made by force within the saied mountaine and bicause the same was not frequented and vsed it was ouer growen with busshes and thornes Into whiche Caue was a discente by a secrete paire of staiers that was in one of the lowest chambers of the

gret force of a Princes arme iustly displeased and to others what fauor a King coulde vse towardes them whome he knewe to be loyall and faythfull giuing cause of repentance to them which at other times had done him displeasure And to say the truth he might be placed in the ranke of the most happie Princes that euer were if the priuate affaires of his owne house had so happyly succeded as the renowme which he wanne in the science of warfare and in the administration of the common wealthe But nothing being stable in the lyfe of man This Emperour had in him that thing that diminished the glorye of his wisedome and resembling an Octauius Augustus the vnhappie successe of his owne house did somewhat obscure the fame of his noble factes and those insolent doings serued vnto him as a counterpoyse to prosperous Fortune which may be easily perceyued by the progresse and continuation of this Historie This good Prince had one daughter in whome Nature had distributed hir giftes in such wise that she alone might haue vaunted hir selfe to attaine the perfection of all them which euer had any thing worthy of admiration were it in the singularitie of beautie fauour and courtesie or in her disposition and good bringing vp The name of this fayre Princesse was Adelafia And when this Ladie was very yong one of the children of the Duke of Saxone came to the Emperours seruice whose kinsman he was This yong Prince besides that he was one of the fayrest and comlyest gentlemeÌ„ of Allemaigne had therewithal together with knowledge of armes a passing skill in good scieures which mitigated in him the ferocitie bath of his warlike knowledge and of the nature of his Countrey His name was Alerane who seing himselfe the yongest of his house and his inheritaunce verie small indeuoured to conciliate euery mannes fauoure and good will to remoue his owne fortune and to bring himselfe in estimation with the Emperour where in all thinges he imployed so well his indeuoure that through his worthinesse he wanne comendation and report to be the moste valiaunt and stoutest gentleman in all the Emperours court which prayse did greatly coÌ„mende the tendernesse of hys yong yeares and was therewithal so sober and of so gentle spirit that although he excelled his companioÌ„s in al things yet he auoided cause of offence shewing himselfe familiar amongs all the Courtyers Euery maÌ„ which is a great matter rather praysed him and loued him and he thought himself most happie that by any meanes coulde fashion himselfe to imitate the vertue the made Aleranes name so renowmed And that which made him fuller of admiracion and brought him in fauour with his Lorde and Maister was that vpon a daye the Emperor being in an assemble in the middes of a laund and in a desert place it chaunced that a Beare issuing out of her caue was assayled of hunters the fierce beast auoiding the toyles and flying the pursute of the dogges came with great vehemencie spÃ©ede from a mountayne and was vpon the Emperour â—or he was ware separated from his company and without his sworde But Alerane by good fortune was at hande who more carefull for the safety of his Prince than for his owne life encountred with the Beare and killed him in the presence of the Emperour and many other All which beholding to their great astonishment the dexteritie and hardinesse of Alerane at those small yeares for then he was not aboue the age of .xvij. the Emperour imbrasing him did highly comende him telling them that were by that hys lyfe was saued chiefly by Gods assistaunce and next by the prowesse of Alerane The newes hereof was so bruted abrode that there was no talke but of the valiaunce and stoutnesse of this yong man of warre which caused faire Adelasia moued by naturall instigation and with the opinion and report of the vertue towarde in that yong Prince to feele a certayne thing I can not tell what in hir minde which inflamed her senses heart And she had no soner cast her eyes vpon Alerane but Loue which had prepared the ambushe so pearced her delicate breast that he tooke full possession of her in such wyse that the Princesse was so strangely in loue with the yong Prince that she neuer founde pleasure and contentation but in that which was done or sayde by her louer whome she accompted the chiefe of all the men of his time In this burning heate she felt the passions of loue so vehement and his pricks so sharpe that she coulde not euaporate the cloudes which darkened her spirites and continually tormented her minde And albeit that the little occasion which she sawe for their comming together in time to come did dissuade her from pursuing the thing which she most desired yet the tirant Loue shewed himselfe very extreme in that diuersitie of thoughtes and varietie of troubles which vexed the spirite of the Princesse For she coulde not so well dissemble that which honor age commaunded her to kÃ©epe secrete but that Alerane which was as we haue already fayde well expert and subtile perceiued the inwarde disease of Adelasia Moreouer there was betwene them a naturall conformitie and likelyhode of condicions which made them to agrÃ©e in equall desires to fÃ©ede of lyke meates their passionate mindes were martired with equall sorrowe and payne departed aswell in the one as in the other For Alerane by taking carefull hÃ©ede to the lookes which the Princesse continually did stealingly cast vpon him saw the often and sodayne chaunges of colour wherein sometimes appeared ioy which by and by did ende with infinite number of sighes and with a countenance agreable to that which the heart kept secrete and couert wherby he assured himselfe vnfaynedly to be beloued which caused him to do no lesse for satisfaction of such like merite and desert done by Adelasia but to beare vnto her like affectioÌ„ forcing her by all diligence and seruice to continue still that good will toward him yelding himself as a praie to the self same loue Who ruling thaffections of the Princesse as braue and pleasaunt as she was made hir sorowfull and pensife and altered hir in such wise that shÃ©e thought the company wherein she was did impeach her ioye which she iudged to conceyue like pleasure that she did when at libertie and alone she reuolued her troubles and fansted her contentation in her minde Alerane on the other syde slept not but as though he had receyued the first wounde by the hands of the blinde little archer Cupide ceassed not to think of her whose Image ordinaryly appeared before his eyes as engrauen more liuely in his minde than any forme may be insculped vpon metall or marble And yet neyther the one nor the other durste discouer the least passion of a great number which oppressed their besieged hearts and which suffered not to liue in any rest this faire couple of loyall louers that durste not manifest their loue The eyes alone

feared to thinke which was to haue her one day for friende if the name of spouse were refused Thus tormented wyth ioye and displeasure wandering betwene doubt and assurance of that he hoped The self same day that Adelasia practised with Radegonde for the obtayning of her ioy and secret ministerie of her Loue he entred alone into a garden into which the Princesse chambre had prospecte and after he had walked there a good space in an Alley viewing diligently the order of thÃ© fruitfull trÃ©es of so diuers sortes as there be varietie of colours with in a faire meade during the vedure of the spring time and of so good and sauorous taste as the hearte of man coulde wyshe He repaired vnder a Laurel trÃ©e so well spredde and adorned with leaues about which trÃ©e you might hane sene an infinit number of Myrtle trÃ©es of smell odoriferous and swÃ©ete of Oringe trÃ©es laden wyth vnripe fruite of pliable Mastickes and tender Tameriskes And there he fetched his walkes along the thick grene herbs beholding the varietie of floures which decked beautified the place wyth their liuely and naturall colours He then rauished in this contemplation remembring her which was the pleasure and torment of his minde in sighing wise began to say O that the heauens be not propitious and fauourable to my indeuors Sith that in the middes of my iolities I fele a newe pleasaunt displeasure which doth adnihilate all other solace but that which I receyue throughe the Image paynted in my heart of that diuine beautie which is more variated in perfection of pleasures than this paradise and delicious place in varietie of enamell and paynting although that nature and arte of man haue workemanly trauailed to declare and set forth their knowledge and diligence Ah Adelasia the fairest Lady of all faire and most excellente Princesse of the earth Is it not possible for me to fÃ©ede my self so well of the viewe and contemplation of thy heauenly and Angelicall face as I do of the sight of these faire and sundrie coloured floures May it not be broughte to passe that I may smell that swete breath which respireth through thy delicate mouthe bÃ©eing none other thing than Baulme Muske and Aumbre yea and that which is more precious which for the raritie and valor hath no name euen as I doe smell the Roses Pincks and Uiolets hanging ouer my head franckly offering themselues into my handes Ah infortunat Alerane there is no floure that ought to be so handeled nor sauor the swetenesse whereof ought not to be sented without desert merited before Ah Loue Loue that thou hast fixed my minde vpon so highe thinges Alas I feare an offence so daungerous which in the ende will brÃ©ede my death And yet I can not wythdrawe my heart from that smoke of Loue although I would force my selfe to expell it from me Alas I haue read of him so many times and haue heard talk of his force that I am afrayd to borde him and yet feare I shall not escape his gulfe Alas I knowe well it is he of whome is engendred a litle mirth and laughing after whiche doeth followe a thousande teares and weapings which for a pleasure that passeth away so sone as a whirle winde doth gyue vs ouer to greate repentance the sorrow wherof endureth a long time and sometimes his bitternesse accompanieth vs euen to the graue The pacients that be taynted with that amorous feuer althoughe continually they dye yet they can not wholy sÃ©e and perceiue for al that the defaut and lacke of their life albeit they doe wish and desire it still But alas what missehap is this that I do see the poyson that causeth my mischief and do know the way to remedie the same and yet neuerthelesse I can not or will not recouer the help Did euer man heare a thing so strange that a sick man seking help and finding recouery shoulde yet reiecte it Saying so he wepte and syghed so piteously as a little chylde threated by his mother the nourice Then roming vp and down vpon the grasse he sÃ©emed rather to be a man straught and bounde wyth chaynes than like one that had his wittes and vnderstanding Afterwardes being come againe to himselfe he retourned to his first talke saying But what am I more wise more constant and perfecte than so many Emperors Kinges Princes and greate Lordes who notwithstanding their force wisedome or richesse haue bene tributarie to loue The tamer and subduer of monsters and Tirants Hercules vanquished by the snares of loue did not he handle the distaffe in stead of his mighty mace The strong and inuincible Achilles was not he sacrificed to the shadowe of Hector vnder the color of loue to celebrate holy mariage wyth Polixena daughter to King Priamus The great Dictator Iulius Caesar the conqueror of so many people Armies Captaines and Kings was ouercome with the beautie and good grace of Cleopatra Quene of Egipt Augustus his successour attired like a woman by a yeoman of his chamber did he not take away Liuia from him that had first maried her And that coÌ„mon enemie of man and of all curtesie Claudius Nero appeased yet some of his furie for the loue of his Lady What straunge things did the learned wise and vertuous Monarch Marcus Aurelius indure of his welbeloued Faustine And that great captaine Marcus Antonius the very terror of the Romaine people and the feare of strange and barbarous nations did homage to the childe Cupido for the beautie of QuÃ©ene Cleopatra which afterwardes was the cause of his whole ouerthrowe But what meane I to alledge remember the number of louers being so infinite as they be Wherfore haue the Poets in time past fayned in their learned and deuine bokes the loues of Iupiter Appollo Mars but that euery man may knowe the force of Loue to be so puissant that the Gods theselues haue felt his force to be inuincible ineuitable Ah if sometimes a gentleman be excused for abassing himselfe to Loue a woman of base birth and bloude why should I be accused or reprehended for loning the daughter of the chiefest Prince of Europe Is it for the greatnesse of her house and antiquitie of her race Why that is al one betwene vs two toke his originall of the place whereof at this day my Father is the chiefe and principall And admit that Adelasia be the daughter of an Emperoure Ah Loue hath no regarde to persons houses or riches rather is he of greater commendation whose enterpryses are moste famous and haute gestes extende their flyght farre of Nowe resteth then to deuise meanes howe to make her vnderstande my payne For I am assured that she loueth me sauing that her honoure and yong yeares doe let her to make it appeare more manifest But it is my propre duty to make request for the same considering her merites and my small desertes in respect of her perfections Ah Alerane thou must vnlose that tongue which

great amitie that he beareth me that if I did but fauorably behold him fyue or sixe times with plesaunt lokes adding thervnto a few kisses he would hazard a thousand lyues for my sake if he had them to content me And forasmuch as I know him to be a diligent man learned and of great reputation and one that may stande vs to great steade in this businesse I thought good not to coÌ„ceale or kepe from your knowledge my aduise herein The Duchesse vnderstanding all this pretie discourse so apte for her affections rauished with great ioy embraced hard Emilia and sayd vnto her Emilia my deare friende if thou diddest know in what wise I doe esteme thÃ©e and what I meane in tyme to come to bestow vpon thÃ©e I am wel assured albeit thou hast hitherto sufficiently shewed thy good will yet thou wilt hereafter doe me great pleasure promising thÃ©e by the fayth of a Princesse that if our enterprise doe wel succÃ©ede I wil not vse thÃ©e as a seruant but as my kinswoman and the best beloued friend I haue For I hold my self so satisfied wyth that thou hast sayd vnto me that if Fortune be on our side I sÃ©e no maner of impediment that may let our enterprise Goe thy way entertaine thy Phisitian as thou thinkest best for it is very expedient that he be a party and for the rest let me alone For neuer was ther any Lazar that better could dissemble his impotency thaÌ„ I know howe to counterfayt to be sicke The Duchesse being departed from Emilia began to plaine her selfe bitterly fayning sometime to fele a certayne payne in her stomacke sometyme to haue a disease in her head in such sort that after diuers womanly playntes propre to those that fele themselues sicke she was in the ende constrayned to lay her selfe downe and knewe so wel how to dissemble her sickenesse that after she had certaine dayes kept her bed there was much doubt of her health And during this time Emilia had layed so many amorous baytes to fÃ©ede her Phisitian that he which knewe very wel the most happy remedies for the body coulde not nowe finde any to heale the malady of his owne minde Emilia hauing noseled Maister Appian with amorous toyes began to make him vnderstand the originall of the Duchesse sickenesse the effectes of her passion the order that she had vsed during the furious course of the same Adding thervnto for conclusion that if he would kÃ©epe the matter secrete and ayde them with his counsell she would by and by promise him mariage by wordes for the present tyme and that from thence forth she would neuer denie him any fauour or priuitie That onely reserued which no man can honestly demaund til the mariage be solempnized in the face of the Church In witnesse wherof she kissed him with great affection The Physitian more eased there withall than if he had sene his Hippocrates or Galen raysed agayne fro death promised rather to lose his life thaÌ„ she should want his help And for the better beginning of this enterprise they went presently to visite the Duchesse In whom they found her pulse so to beate the tongue so charged the stomake so weakned by a continual suffocation of the matrice that the pacient was in very great perill of death Whervnto euery man did easly giue credite for the reputation and great experience of the Phisician And master Appian hauing coÌ„maunded al the chaÌ„bre to be voyded made the Duchesse to vnderstand in few words how it behoued her to gouerne her self And the better to cloke her cause he brought her at that instant a little perfume by receyuing the sauour wherof she shoulde often tymes fall into certayne lyttle Soundings and by often vsing the perfume it would eate away her colour for a time that it shoulde sÃ©eme as though she had not gone out of her bed in half a yeare Neuerthelesse it should doe her no other displeasure that in thrÃ©e or foure dayes with certayne other drugges he would restore her colour as liuely as it was before Which the Duchesse lyked best of any thing in the world And they thre togither played their parts so wel the the common brute throughout at the citie was that the Duchesse would dye The Duke being aduertised of these things caused al the Phisitians of Thurin to assemble to prouide for the health of the Duchesse Who being come togither with the Duke into her bedchaÌ„ber a little after she had receyued Master Appians perfumes and seing her to sowne diuers times before them were in great dispayre of her health And after they had somwhat debated the matter with Master Appian not knowing whervpon to resolue they sayd vnto the Duke that it behoued him to prouide for her soule for that they saw in her the ordinarie tokens and messangers of death The poore Duke being sorrowfull beyonde measure for that he loued the Duchesse entierlie sent for the Suffragane of the Byshop of Thurin a maÌ„ of very holy life to thintent he might giue her good councel To whom she confessed her selfe with a voyce so fÃ©eble that it sÃ©emed to be more than halfe dead Her talk was not long but yet she made him beleue that nature failed her and that by little and little she drewe towardes her ende Desiring him to haue her in remeÌ„braunce and her poore soule in his orisons and prayers The Suffragane being gone the Duke and others with a great number of Gentlemen and Ladies went into the chambre But she began then to enter into so greate rauing that euerye bodye was afeard of her And after that she had tossed her self in her bed lyke a senselesse creature her speache fayled her Wherat those present striken with no small wonder thinking the soule would strayght wayes haue departed the body some of them cryed vpon her Madame remember Iesus some other sainct Barbara But wylie Emilia more priuy of her counsel than the rest taking her tenderly by the arme cried vpon her with a loud voice Madame call vpoÌ„ sainct Iames who hath so often succoured you in your aduersities And with that the Duchesse awaked as it were out of a heauy slÃ©epe and rowling her eyes to and fro wyth a straunge trembling of al her members began to pronounce with an interrupted voyce O glorious Apostle in whome from my tender youth I haue euer had my stedfast trust and hope be now mine intercessor in this cruell assault of death to Iesus Christ. And I make a vowe nowe to thÃ©e that if I may recouer my health I will my selfe in person goe honour thy sacred body in the proper place where it reposeth And hauing ended her fayned Prayer she couÌ„terfayted a slÃ©epe and so continued the space of .ij. or .iii. houres which caused all the companye to withdrawe themselues except the poore Duke who would not depart from her vntill she waked and in the meane time ceassed not to pray to God for the health of his loyall

to all thinges good and vertuous hoping therby to attayne the fame of a moste perfect Lady to be counted worthy the interteignement of such a seruant Amadour being arriued at Barsalone was banketted of the Ladyes after the olde maner but they finding him so altered and chaunged thought that Mariage coulde neuer haue had such power vpon man as it had ouer him For he sÃ©emed then to disdayne those things which sometime he greatly desired and specially the CouÌ„tesse of Palamons whom he dearely loued coulde deuise no meanes to make him goe alone home to his lodging Amadour tarried at Barsalone so little while as he coulde bicause he might not come late to the place where he should winne and achieue honour And being arriued at Saulse great cruell warres was comenced betwene the two kings which I purpose not to recite ne yet the noble enterprises done by Amadour whose fame was bruted aboue the rest of his companions The Duke of Nagyeres arriuing at Parpignon had charge of two thousaÌ„d men and prayed Amadour to be his Lieutenant who with that band serued so wel that no crie was hearde in all the skirmishes other than Nagyeres It chauÌ„ced that the king of Thunis which of long time had warre with the Spaniardes vnderstanding how the kings of Spaine and Fraunce were together by the eares at Parpignon and Narbone thought that in better time he could not anoy the king of Spaine Wherefore he sent a great number of Foysts and other vessels to robbe and destroy those frontiers which were yll guarded kept They of Barsalone sÃ©eing a number of Shippes passe before the Towne aduertised the king that was at Saulse who imediatly sent the Duke of Nagyeres to Palamons And when the Shippes perceyued that the place was well guarded they made as thoughe they woulde passe further But aboute midnight they retourned and landed so many men that the Duke of Nagyeres was taken prisoner Amadour which was very vigilant hearing al arme presently assembled so many men as he coulde and defended himselfe so well that the force of his enemies a long time coulde not hurt him But in th ende knowing that the Duke of Nagyeres was taken prisoner and that the Turkes were determined to burne the Citie of Palamons and then to fier the house which he strongly had forced against them he thought it better to render him selfe than to be cause of the losse of so many good souldiors as were in his bande and also by putting himselfe to rauÌ„some he hoped in time to come to sÃ©e Florinda TheÌ„ he submitted himself to a Turke called Derlyn the gouernor of the king of Thunis who conueyed him home to his maister where he was well enterteigned and better kept For they thought that hauing him in their handes they had gotten the onely Achilles of Spaine In this sorte Amadour continued almost the space of two yeares in the seruice of the king of Thunis Newes came into Spaine of this ouerthrow wherof the friends of the Duke of Nagyeres were very sorrowfull But they that loued the honor of their countrie thought Amadour to be the greatest losse The brute whereof was noysed in the house of the Countesse of Arande where at that tyme the pore Gentlewoman Auenturade lay very sore sicke The Countesse suspecting very muche the affection that Amadour bare vnto her daughter which he suffered and dissembled for his vertues sake called her daughter aside and tolde her the pitious newes Florinda which could well dissemble sayde vnto her that it was a great losse for all their house but specially she pitied the state of his pore wife bicause at that time she was so sore sick But seing her mother wepe so bitterly she let fall some teares to kepe her companie least through to much dissimulation her loue might be discouered After that time the Countesse spake to her many tymes but she could neuer perceyue by her countenaunce any cause of certayne suspicion I will leaue to speake of the voyages the prayers the supplications and fastings whiche Florinda did ordinarily make for the safegard and prosperitie of Amadour who incontinently so sone as he was arriued at Thunis sente newes to his friendes and by a sure messanger aduertized Madame Florinda that he was in good health and hope to retourne Which newes was to the pore Lady the only meanes to releue and ease her sorrow And doubte ye not but the meanes of writing was vtterly debarred from Amadour whereof Florinda acquited her self so dilygently that by her letters and epistles he receyued gret consolation comfort The Countesse of Arande receyued coÌ„maundement from the King to repaire to Sarragosa where he that tyme was arriued And there she founde the yong Duke of Cardonne making sute to the King and QuÃ©ene for mariage of her daughter The Countesse vnwilling to disobey the king agrÃ©ed thinking that her daughter being very yong had none other affection but that she had When the accord was concluded she sayde vnto her daughter that she had chosen her that match which she thought best worthy to ioyne with her person Her daughter sÃ©eing that in a thing already done it was to late to take counsell sayde vnto her that God was to be praysed in all things And sÃ©eing her mother so farre alienated from her intent she thought it better to shew her selfe obedient than to take pitie vpon her selfe And to comforte her in that sorow she vnderstode that the Infant Fortune was at the point of death But before her mother or any other person she shewed not so much as one signe or token thereof strayning her selfe so muche that the teares by force retiring to her heart did cause the bloud to issue forth at her nose in such abundance that her lyfe was in present daunger And to recouer her of that dysease she was maried vnto him for whose sake she had rather haue chaunged her lyfe for presente death After the mariage Florinda wente with her husbande into the Duchie of Cardonne and with her Auenturade to whome she secretly made her complaint aswell of her mothers rigor as also of the sorrowe she conceyued for the losse of the sonne of the Infant Fortune But of her griefe for Amadour she spake neuer a worde but by waye of comforting her This yong Lady then determined to haue God and respect of honor before her eyes and so well to dissemble her griefes that none should at any tyme perceyue that she misliked her husbande In this sorte Florinda passed a long tyme liuing a lyfe no lesse pleasant than death The report whereof she sent to her good seruant Amadour who vnderstanding her great loue and well disposed heart and the loue she bare to the Infant Fortune thought that it was impossible she could liue long lamented her state more than his owne This griefe augmented his paine of imprisonment wishing to haue remained a slaue all the dayes of his lyfe so that Florinda had had a

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