I will not endanger any of their liues because their parents and friends being sensible of such losses may seeke reuenge perhaps to their owne ruine and some following scourge to my indiscretion For I consider daughter that I haue neighbours who scarsely loue me and of whom in time I may right my selfe hauing receiued by their meanes great wrongs iniuries Also I make no doubt but to manage your loue-sute with discretion and set such a pleasing proceednig betweene them as neyther shall beget any hatred in them towards me nor yet offend them in their affections pursuite till fortune may smile so fauourably vpon some one man to reach the height of both your wished desires Siwalde was thus determinately resolued to let his daughter liue at her owne discretion without any alteration of her continued seueritie perceiuing day by day that many came still to request her in mariage he could not giue her to them all nor make his choise of any one least all the rest should become his enemies and fall in quarrell one with another Onely this therefore was his ordination that among such a number of amorous suters he onely should weare the Lawrell wreath of victory who could obtaine such fauour of Serictha as but to looke him in the face This condition seemed to bee of no meane difficulty yea and so impossible that many gaue ouer their amorous enterprize whereof Serictha was wondrouslie ioyfull seeing her selfe eased of such tedious importunitie dulling her eares with their proffered seruices and foppish allegations of fantasticke seruitude such as ydle-headed Louers do vse to protest before their Mistresses wherein they may beleeue them if they list Among all them that were thus forward in their heate of affection there was a young Danish Lord named Ocharus the sonne of a Pirate called Hebonius the same man who hauing stolne the Sister vnto King Hunguinus and Sister to Siwalde affiancing himselfe to her was slaine by King Haldune and by thus killing him enioyed both the Lady and the kingdome of the Gothes also as her inheritance This Ocharus relying much on his comelinesse of person wealth power and valour but aboue all the rest on his excellent and eloquent speaking bestowed his best endeauour to obtaine Serictha notwithstanding the contemptible carriage of the rest towards him whereupon preuailing for his accesse to the Princesse and admitted to speake as all the other did he reasoned with her in this manner Whence may it proceede Madam that you being the fairest and wisest Princesse liuing at this day in all the Northerne parts should make so smal account of your selfe as to denie that which with honour you mâ—y yeeld to them as seeke to doe you most humble seruice and forgetting the rank you hold doe refuse to deigne them recompence in any manner whatsoeuer seeking onely to enioy you in honourable marriage Perhaps you are of opinion that the gods should become slaues to youâ— beauty in which respect men are vtterly vnworthy to craue any such acquaintance of you If it be so I confesse my selfe conquered But if the gods seeke no such association with women and since they forsooke the World they left this legacy to vs men I thinke you couet after none but such as are extracted of their blood or may make vaunt of their neere kindred and alliance to them I know that many haue wished and doe desire you I know also that as many haue requested you of the King your Father but the choyce remaineth in your power and you being ordained the Iudge to distinguish the merit of all your Sutors me thinkes you doe wrong to the office of a Iudge in not regarding the parties which are in suite to sentence the deseâ—t of the best and brauest and so to delay them with no more lingering I cannot thinke Madam that you are so farre out of your selfe and so chill cold in your affection but desire of occasions equall to your vertue and singular beauty doe sometime touch you feelingly and make you to wish for such a man answerable to the greatnesse of your excellency And if it should be otherwise as I imagine it to be impossible yet you ought to breake such an obstinate designe onely to satisfie the King your Father who can desire nothing more then to haue a Sonne in Law to reuenge him on the Tyrant of Swetia who as you well know was sometime the murtherer of your Grand-father Hunguinus and also of his Father If you please to vouchsafe me so much grace and fauour as to make me the man whom your heart hath chosen to be your Husband I sweare vnto you by the honour of a Souldier that I will vndergoe such seruice as the King shall be reuenged you royally satisfied and my selfe aduanced to no meane happinesse by being the onely fortunate man of the World Gentle Princesse the most beautifull daughter to a King open that indurate heart and so soften it that the sweete impressions of loue may be engrauen therein see there the loyall pursuite of your Ocharus who to saue his life cannot so much as winne one looke from his diuine Mistresse This nicenesse is almost meerely barbarous that I wishing to aduenture my life prodigally in your seruice you are so cruell as not to deigne recompence to this duty of mine with the least signe of kindnesse that can be imagined Faire Serictha if you desire the death of your friendly seruant Ocharus there are many other meanes whereby to performe it without consuming him in so small a fire and suffering him there to languish without any answere If you will not looke vpon me if my face be so vnworthy that one beame of your bright Sunnes may not shine vpon it If a word of your mouth be too precious for me make a signe with your hand either of my happinesse or disaster If your hand be enuious of mine ease let one of your women be shee to pronounce the sentence of life oâ— death because if my life be hatefull to you this hand of mine may satisfie your will and sacrifice it to the rigour of your disdaine But if as I am rather perswaded the ruine of your seruants be against your more mercifull wishes deale so that I may perceiue it and expresse what compassion you haue of your Ocharus who coueteth nothing more then your daily hearts ease and contentment with a priuiledge of honour aboue other Ladies All this discourse was heard by Serictha but so little was shee moued therewith as shee was farre enough off from returning him any answer neither did any of the Gentlewomen attending on her euer heare her vse the very least word to any of her amorous sollicitors nor did shee know any one of them but by speech onely which droue them all into an vtter despaire perceiuing no possible meanes whereby to conquer her The Histories of the Northeâ—ne 〈…〉 deâ—â—are that in those times the rapes of women were not much 〈…〉 and such
and honoured and yet by thee is vtterly despised More cruell art thou then any sauage Beast thus to vexe and torment mee in such mercilesse manner What greater extreamity couldst thou inflict on me if I had bin the destruction of all thy Kindred and lefte no one man liuing of thy race I am verily perâ—waded that more cruelty cannot be vsed against a Traitor who was thâ— subuersion of an whole Cittie then this tyranny of thine roasting me thus in the beames of the Sun and suffering my body to be deuoured with Elies without so small a mercie as to giue mee a little coole water which murtherers are permitted to haue being condemned by Iustice and led to execution yea Wine also if they request it But seeing thou art so constant in thy pernitious resolue as neither thine owne good Nature nor this lamentable sufferance in me are able to alter thee I will prepare my self for death patiently to the end that Heauen may be mercifull to my soul and reward thee iustly according to thy cruelty Which words being ended she withdrew her selfe towards the middest of the Tarras despairing of escaping vvith life from the heates violence and not once onely but infinite times beside among her other grieuous extreamities she was ready to dye with drought bemoaning incessantly her dolorous condition By this time the day was well neere spent and night beganne to hasten on apace when the Scholler immagining that he afflicted her sufficiently tooke her Garments and wrapping them vp in his mans Cloake went thence to the Ladies house where he found Ancilla the Waiting-woman sitting at the doore sad and disconsolate for her Ladies long absence to whom thus he spake How now Ancilla Where is thy Lady and Mistris Alas Sir quoth she I know not I thought this morning to haue found her in her bed as vsually I was wont to do and where I left her yesternight at our parting but there she was not nor in any place else of my knowledge neyther can I imagine what is become of her which is to me no meane discomfort But can you Sir say any thing of her Ancilla said he I would thou hadst bin in her company and at the same place where now she is that some punishment for thy fault might haue falne vppon thee as already it hath done on her But beleeue it assuredly that thou shalt not freely escape from my fingers till I haue iustly paide thee for thy paines to teach thee to abuse any Gentleman as thou didst me Hauing thus spoken hee called to his seruant saying Giue her the Garments and bid her go looke her Lady if she will The Seruingman fulfilled his Masters command and Ancilla hauing receyued her Ladies cloaths knowing them perfectly and remembring withall what had bin said she waxed very doubtfull least they had slaine her hardly refraining from exclaiming on them but that greete and heauie weeping ouercame her so that vppon the Schollers departing she ranne in all hast with the garments towardes the Tower Vpon this fatall and vnfortunate day to Madame Helena it chanced that a Clowne or Countrey Peazant belonging to her Farme or Dairy house hauing two of his young Heyfers wandred astray and he labouring in diligent search to finde them within a while after the Schollers departure came to seeke them in Woods about the Tower and notwithstanding all his crying and calling for his beasts yet he heard the Ladies greeuous moanes and lamentations Wherefore he cryed out so lowd as he could saying Who is it that mourneth so aloft on the Tower Full well she knew the voyce of her peazant and therefore called vnto him and sayd in this maner Go quoth she I pray thee for my Waiting-woman Ancilla and bid her make some meanes to come vp hither to me The Clowne knowing his Lady sayde How now Madame Who hath carried you vp there so high Your Woman Ancilla hath sought for you all this day yet no one could euer haue immagined you to bee there So looking about him he espyed the two sides of the Ladder which the Scholler had pulled in sunder as also the steppes which he had scattered thereabout placing them in due order againe as they should bee and binding them fast with Withies and Willowes By this time Ancilla was come thither who so soone as shee was entred into the Tower could not refrain from teares complaints beating her hands each against other and crying out Madam Madam my deare Lady and Mistresse Alas Where are you So soone as she heard the tongue of Ancilla she replyed so well as she could saying Ah my sweet Woman I am heere aloft vppon the Tarras weepe not neyther make any noyse but quickely bring me some of my Garments When shee heard her answer in such comfortable maner she mounted vp the Ladder which the peazant had made very firme and strong holding it fast for her safer ascending by which meanes she went vp on the Tarras Beholding her Ladie in so strange a condition resembling no humane body but rather the trunke of a Tree halfe burned lying flat on her face naked scorched and strangely deformed shee beganne to teare the lockes of her owne hayre rauing and raging in as pittifull manner as if her Ladie had beene quite dead Which storming tempest Madame Helena soone pacified entreating her to vse silence and helpe to put on her garments Hauing vnderstood by her that no one knew of her being there but such as brought her cloathes and the poore peazant attending there still to do her any seruice shee became the better comforted entreating them by all meanes that it might bee concealed from any further discouery which was on eyther side most faithfullie protested The poore Clowne holpe to beare downe his Lady vppon his backe because the Ladder stood not conueniently enough for her descending neither were her limbes plyable for her owne vse by reason of their rifts and smarting Ancilla following after and being more respectiue of her Lady then her owne security in descending missing the step in the midst of the Ladder fell downe to the ground and quite brake her legge in the fall the paine whereof was so greeuous to her that she cried and roared extraordinarily euen like a Lyon in the desert When the Clowne had set his Lady safe on a faire green banke he returned to see what the waiting woman ayled and finding her leg to be quite broken he caried her also to the same banke there seated her by her Lady who perceiuing what a mischance had hapned and she from whom she expected her onely best helpe to bee now in far greater necessity her selfe shee lamented exceedingly complaining on Fortunes cruel malice toward her in thus heaping one misery vpon another and neuer ceasing to torment her especially now in the conclusion of all and when shee thought all future perils to be past Now was the Sun vpon his setting when the poore honest country-man because darke night
late for the safety of my life Titus on the other side said Noble Praetor this man as thou seest is a stranger heere and was found without any weapon fast asleepe by the dead body thou mayst then easily perceiue that meerely the miserable condition wherein he is hath made him desperate and he would make mine offence the occasion of his death Absolue him and send me to the Crosse for none but I haue deserued to die for this fact Varro was amazed to obserue with what earnest instance each of them stroue to excuse the other which halfe perswaded him in his soule that they were both guiltlesse And as he was starting vp with full intent to acquaint them a yong man who had stood there all this while and obserued the hard pleading on either side he crowded into the Barre being named Publius Ambustus a fellow of lewd life and vtterly out of hopes as being debauched in all his fortunes and knowne among the Romaines to be a notorious theefe who verily had committed the murder Well knew his conscience that none of them were guilty of the crime wherewith each so wilfully charged himselfe being therefore truely toucht with remorse he stept before Marcus Varro saying Honourable Praetor mine owne horrid and abominable actions haue induced me thus to intrude my selfe for clearing the strict contention betweene these two persons And questionlesse some God or greater power hath tormented my wretched soule and so compunctually solicited me as I cannot chuse but make open confession of my sinne Here therefore I doe apparantly publish that neither of these men is guilty of the offence wherewith so wilfully each chargeth himselfe I am the villaine who this morning murdered the man in the Caue one of no greater honesty then my selfe and seeing this poore man lie there sleeping while we were diuiding the stolne booties betweene vs I slew my Companyon because I would be the sole possessor As for Noble Lord Titus he had no reason thus to accuse himselfe because is a man of no such base quality let them both then be deliuered and inflict the sentence of death on me Octauius Caesar to whom tydings was brought of this rare accident commanding them al three to be brought before him would needs vnderstand the whole History in euery particular as all had happened which was substantially related to him Whereupon Octauius pleased them all three the two noble friendes because they were innocent and the third for openly reuealing the very truth Titus tooke home with him his friend Gisippus and after he had sharpely reproued him for his distrust and cold credence of his friendship he brought him to Sophronia who welcomed him as louingly as if he had bin her naturall borne brother bemoaning his hard and disastrous fortune and taking especiall care to conuert all passed distresses into as happy and comfortable a change fitting him with garments and attendants beseeming his degree both in Nobility and vertue Titus out of his honourable bounty imparted halfe his lands and rich possessions to him and afterward gaue him in marriage his owne Sister a most beautifull Lady named Fuluia saying to him beside My deare friend Gisippus it remaineth now in thine owne election whether thou wilt liue liue here still with me or returne backe to Athens with all the wealth which I haue bestowed on thee But Gisippus being one way constrayned by the sentence of banishment from his natiue City then againe in regard of the constant loue which he bare to so true and thankefull friend as Titus was concluded to liue there as a loyall Roman where he with his Fuluia and Titus with his faire Sophronia liued long after together in one and the same house augmenting daily if possible it might be their amity beyond all other equalizing A most sacred thing therefore is cordiall amity worthy not onely of singuler reuerence but also to be honoured with eternall commendation as being the onely wise Mother of all magnificence and honesty the Sister of Charity and Gratitude the enemy to hatred and auarice and which is alwayes ready without attending to be requested to extend all vertuous actions to others which she would haue done to her selfe Her rare and diuine effects in these contrary times of ours are not to be found between two such persons which is a mighty fault and greatly checketh the miserable couetousnesse of men who respecting nothing but onely their particular benefit haue banished true Amity to the vtmost confines of the whole earth and sent her into perpetuall exile What loue what wealth or affinity of kindred could haue made Gisippus feele euen in the intyrest part of his soule the feruent compassion the teares the sighes of Titus and with such efficacy as plainely appeared to make him consent that his faire elected Spouse by him so dearely esteemed should become the wife of his Companion but onely the precious league of Amity What Lawes what threatnings what feares could cause the yong armes of Gisippus to abstaine embraces betaking himselfe to solitary walkes and obscure places when in his owne bedde he might haue enioyed so matchlesse a beauty who perhaps desired it so much as himselfe but onely the gracious title of Amity What greatnesse what merits or precedence could cause Gisippus not to care for the losse of his kindred those of Sophronia yea of Sophronia her selfe not respecting the dishonest murmurings of base minded people their vile and contemptible language scornes and mockeries and all to content and satisfie a friend but onely Diuine Amity Come now likewise to the other side What occasions could compell Noble Titus so promptly and deliberatly to procure his owne death to rescue his friend from the crosse and inflict the pain and shame vpon himselfe pretending not see or know Gisippus at all had it not bin wrought by powerfull Amity What cause else could make Titus so liberall in diuiding with such willingnesse the larger part of his patrimony to Gisippus when Fortune had dispossest him of his owne but onely heauen-borne Amity What else could haue procured Titus without any further dilation feare or suspition to giue his Sister Fuluia in marriage to Gisippus when he saw him reduced to such extreame pouerty disgrace and miâ—ery but onely infinite Amity To what end doe men care then to couet and procure great multitudes of kinred store of brethren numbers of children and to encrease with their owne monyes plenty of seruants when by the least losse and dammage happening they forget all duty to Father Brother or Master Amity and true friendship is of a quite contrary nature satisfying in that sacred bond the obligation due to all degrees both of parentage and all alliences else Saladine the great Soldan of Babylon in the habite of a Merchant was houourably receiued and welcommed into the house of Signior Thorello d'Istria Who trauelling to the Holy Land prefixed a certaine time to his Wife for his returne backe to her againe wherein
commendable life that being a Notarie he held it in high disdaine that any of his Contractes although he made but few should be found without falshoode And looke how many soeuer hee dealt withall he would be vrged and required thereto offering them his paines and trauaile for nothing but to be requited otherwise then by money which prooued to bee his much larger recompencing and returned to him the farre greater benefit Hee tooke the onely pleasure of the world to beare false witnesse if hee were thereto entreated and oftentimes when hee was not requested at all Likewise because in those times great trust and beleefe was giuen to an oath he making no care or conscience to be periured greatly aduantaged himselfe by Law suites in regard that many matters relyed vpon his oath and deliuering the truth according to his knowledge He delighted beyond measure and addicted his best studies to cause enmities scandals between kindred and friends or any other persons agreeing well together and the more mischiefe he could procure in this kind so much the more pleasure and delight tooke he therein If he were called to kil any one or to do any other villanous deede he neuer would make deniall but go to it very willingly and diuers times it was wel knowen that many were cruelly beaten ye slainc by his hands Hee was a most horrible blasphemer of God and his Saints vpon the very least occasion as being more addicted to choller then any other man could be Neuer would he frequent the Church but basely contemned it with the Sacraments and religious rites therein administred accounting them for vile and vnprofitable things but very voluntarily would visit Tauernes and other places of dishonest accesse which were continually pleasing vnto him to satisfie his lust and inordinate lubricitie Hee would steale both in publike and priuate euen with such a conscience as if it were giuen to him by nature so to do He was a great glutton and a drunkarde euen till he was not able to take any more being also a continuall gamester and carrier of false Dice to cheate with them the verie best Friendes he had But why do I waste time in such extent of words When it may suffice to say that neuer was there a worse man borne whose wickednesse was for long time supported by the fauour power and Authoritie of Monsieur Musciatto for whose sâ—ke many wrongs and iniuries were patiently endured as well by priuate persons whom hee would abuse notoriously as others of the Court beeweene whom he made no difference at all in his vile dealing This Master Chappelet being thus remembred by Musciatto who very well knew his life and behauiour he perfectly perswaded himselfe that this was a man apt in all respects to meete with the treachery of the Burgundians whereupon hauing sent for him thus he beganne Chappelet thou knowest how I am wholly to retreate my selfe from hence and hauing some affaires among the Burgundians men full of wickednesse and deceite I can bethinke my selfe of no meeter a man then Chappelet to recouer such debts as are due to me among them And because it falleth out so well that thou art not now hindered by any other businesse if thou wilt vndergoe this office for me I will procure thee fauourable Letters from the Court and giue thee a reasonable portion in all thou recouerest Master Chappelet seeing himselfe idle and greedy after worldly goods considering that Mounsieur Musciatto who had beene alwayes his best buckler was now to depart from thence without any dreaming on the matter and constrained thereto as it were by necessity set downe his resolution and answered that hee would gladly doe it Hauing made their agreement together and receiued from Musciatto his expresse procuration as also the Kings gracious Letters after that Musciatto was gone on his iourney Master Chappelet went to Dijon where he was vnknowne well neere of any And there quite from his naturall disposition he beganne benignely and graciously in recouering the debts due which course he tooke the rather because they should haue a further feeling of him in the ende Being lodged in the house of two Florentine brethren that liued on their monies vsance and for Mounsieur Musciattoes sake vsing him with honour and respect It fortuned that he fell sicke and the two brethren sent for Physicions to attend him allowing their seruants to be diligent about him making no spare of any thing which gaue the best likelyhood of restoring his health But all their paines proued to no purpose because he honest man being now growne aged and hauing liued all his life time very disordredly fell day by day according to the Physicions iudgement from bad to worse as no other way appeared but death whereat the brethren greatly greeued Vpon a day neere to the Chamber where the sicke man lay they entred into this communication What shall we doe quoth the one to the other with this man We are much hindered by him for to send him away sicke as he is we shall be greatly blamed thereby and it will be a manifest note of our weake wisedome the people knowing that first of all we gaue him entertainement and haue allowed him honest physical attendance and he not hauing any way iniuried or offended vs to let him be suddenly expulsed our house sicke to death as he is it can be no way for our credit On the other side we are to consider also that he hath bin so badde a man as he will not now make any confession thereof neither receiue the blessed Sacrament of the Church and dying so without confession there is no Church that wil accept his body but it must be buried in prophane ground like to a Dogge And yet if he would confesse himselfe his sinnes are so many and monstrous as the like case also may happen because there is not any Priest or Religious person that can or will absolue him And being not absolued he must be cast into some ditch or pit and then the people of the Towne as well in regard of the account we carry heere which to them appeareth so little pleasing as we are daily pursued with their worst words as also coueting our spoile and ouerthrow vpon this accident will cry out and mutiny against vs Beholde these Lombard dogs which are not to be receiued into the Church why should we suffer them to liue heere among vs In furious madnesse wil they come vpon vs and our house where peraduenture not contented with robbing vs of our goods our liues will remaine in their mercy and danger so that in what sort soeuer it happen this mans dying heere must needs be banefull to vs. Master Chappelet who as we haue formerly saide was lodged neere to the place where they thus conferred hauing a subtle attention as oftentimes we see sicke persons to bee possessed withall heard all these speeches spoken of him and causing them to be called vnto him thus hee spake
that God doe take your blessed and well disposed soule to his mercy will it please you to haue your body buried in our Conuent Whereto Master Chappelet answered I thanke you Father for your good motion and sorry should I be if my friends did bury me any where else because you haue promised to pray to God for me and beside I haue alwayes carried a religious deuotion to your Order Wherefore I beseech you so soone as you are come home to your Conuent preuaile so much by your good meanes that the holy Eucharist consecrated this morning on your high Altar may be brought vnto me for although I confesse my selfe vtterly vnworthy yet I purpose by your reuerend permission to receiue it as also your holy and latest vnction to this ende that hauing liued a greeuous sinner I may yet at the last die a Christian These words were pleasing to the good olde man and he caused euery thing to be performed according as Master Chappelet had requested The two Brethren who much doubted the dissembling of Chappelet being both in a small partition which sundered the sicke mans Chamber from theirs heard and vnderstood the passage of all betweene him and the ghostly Father being many times scarcely able to refrain from laughter at the fraudulent course of his confession And often they said within themselues what manner of man is this whom neither age sicknesse nor terror of death so neere approaching and sensible to his owne soule nor that which is much more God before whose iudgement he knowes not how soone he shall appeare or else be sent to a more fearefull place none of these can alter his wicked disposition but that he will needes die according as he hath liued Notwithstanding seeing he had so ordered the matter that he had burial freely allowed him they cared for no more After that Chappelet had receiued the Communion and the other ceremonies appointed for him weaknesse encreasing on him more and more the very same day of his goodly confession he died not long after towards the euening Whereupon the two Brethren tooke order that all needefull things should be in a readinesse to haue him buried honourably sending to acquaint the Fathers of the Conuent therewith that they might come to say their Nigilles according to precedent custome and then on the morrow to fetch the body The honest Friar that had confessed him hearing he was dead went to the Prior of the Conuent and by sound of the house Bell caused all the Brethren to assemble together giuing them credibly to vnderstand that Master Chappelet was a very holy man as appeared by all the parts of his confession and made no doubt but that many miracles would be wrought by his sanctified body perswading them to fetch it thither with all deuoute solemnity and reuerence whereto the Prior and all the credulous Brethren presently condiscended very gladly When night was come they went all to visit the dead body of Master Chappelet where they vsed an especiall and solemne Nigill and on the morrow apparrelled in their richest Coapes and Vestiments with books in their hands and the Crosse borne before them singing in the forme of a very deuoute procession they brought the body pompeously into their Church accompanied with all the people of the Towne both men and women The Father Confessor ascending vp into the Pulpit preached wonderfull things of him and the rare holinesse of his life his fastes his virginity simplicity innocency and true sanctity recounting also among other especiall obseruations what Chappelet had confessed as this most great and greeuous sinne and how hardly he could be perswaded that God would grant him pardon for it Wherby he tooke occasion to reproue the people then present saying And you accursed of God for verie least and trifling matter hapning will not spare to blaspheme God his blessed Mother and the whole Court of heauenly Paradise Oh take example by this singular man this Saint-like man nay a verie Saint indeede Many additions more he made concerning his faithfulnesse truth integrity so that by the vehement asseueration of his words wherto all the people there present gaue credible beleefe he prouoked them vnto such zeale and earnest deuotion that the Sermon was no sooner ended but in mighty crowds and throngs they pressed about the Biere kissing his hands and feete and all the garments about him were torne in peeces as precious Reliques of so holy a person and happy they thought themselues that could get the smallest peece or shred of anie thing that came neere to his body and thus they continued all the day the body lying still open to be visited in this manner When night was come they buried him in a goodly Marble tombe erected in a faire Chappell purposely and for many dayes after following it was most strange to see how the people of the country came thither on heapes with holy Candles and other offerings with Images of waxe fastened to the Tombe in signe of Sacred and solemne Vowes to this new created Saint And so farre was spread the fame and renowne of his sanctity deuotion and integrity of life maintained constantly by the Fathers of the Conuent that if any one fell sicke in neede distresse or aduersity they would make their Vowes to no other Saint but him naming him as yet to this day they do Saint Chappelet affirming vpon their Oathes that infinite miracles were there daily performed by him and especially on such as came in deuotion to visit his shrine In this manner liued and died Master Chappelet du Prat who before he became a Saint was as you haue heard and I will not deny it to be impossible but that he may be at rest among other blessed bodies For although he liued lewdly and wickedly yet such might be his contrition in the latest extreamity that questionlesse he might finde mercie But because such things remaine vnknowne to vs and speaking by outwarde appearance vulgar iudgement will censure otherwise of him and thinke him to be rather in perdition then in so blessed a place as Paradice But referring that to the Omnipotent appointment whose clemencie hath alwayes beene so great to vs that he regards not our errors but the integrity of our Faith making by meanes of our continuall Mediator of an open enemy a conuerted sonne and seruant And as I began in his name so will I conclude desiring that it may euermore be had in due reuerence and referre we our selues thereto in all our necessities with this setled assurance that he is alwayes readie to heare vs. And so he ceased Abraham a Iew being admonished or aduised by a friend of his named Iehannot de Cheuigny trauailed from Paris vnto Rome And beholding there the wicked behauiour of men in the Church returned backe to Paris again where yet neuerthelesse he became a Christian. The Second Nouell Wherein is contained and expressed the liberality and goodnesse of God extended to the Christian Faith THE
and not returne him any answer The Lady with a modest blush much condemned this folly in him that his couetousnesse should serue as a cloake to couer any vnfitting speeches which her chaste eares could neuer endure to heare neuerthelesse being to obey her Husbands will shee promised to doe it and followed him downe into the House to heare what the Magnifico would say Againe he there confirmed the bargaine made with her Husband and sitting downe by her in a corner of the Hall farre enough off from any ones hearing taking her curteously by the hand thus he spake Worthy Lady it appeareth to me for a certainty that you are so truly wise as you haue no doubt a long while since perceiued what vnfained affection your beauty farre excelling all other womens that I know hath compelled me to beare you Setting aside those commendable qualities and singular vertues gloriously shining in you and powerfull enough to make a conquest of the very stoutest courage I held it vtterly needlesse to let you vnderstand by words how faithfull the loue is I beare you were it not much more feruent and constant then euer any other man can expresse to a woman In which condition it shall still continue without the least blemish or impaire so long as I enioy life or motion yea and I dare assure you that if in the future World affection may containe the same powerfull dominion as it doth in this I am the man borne to loue you perpetually Whereby you may rest confidently perswaded that you enioy not any thing how poore or precious soeuer it be which you can so solemnely account to be your owne and in the truest title of right as you may my selfe in all that I haue or for euer shall be mine To confirme your opinion in this case by any argument of greater power let me tell you that I should repute it as my fairest and most gracious fortune if you would command me some such seruice as consisteth in mine ability to performe and in your courteous fauour to accept yea if it were to trauaile thorow the whole world right willing am I and obedient In which regard faire Madame if I be so much yours as you heare I am I may boldly aduenture and not without good reason to acquaint your chaste eares with my earnest desires for on you onely dependeth my happinesse life and absolute comfort and as your most humble seruant I beseech you my dearest good and sole hope of my soule that rigour may dwell no longer in your gentle brest but Lady-like pitty and compassion whereby I shal say that as your diuine beauty enflamed mine affections euen so it extended such a mercifull qualification as exceeded all my hope but not the halfe part of your pitty Admit miracle of Ladies that I should die in this distresse Alas my death would be but your dishonour I cannot be termed mine owne murtherer when the Dart came from your eye that did it and must remaine a witnesse of your rigour You cannot then chuse but call to minde and say within your owne soule Alas what a sinne haue I committed in being so vnmercifull to my Magnifico Repentance then serues to no purpose but you must answere for such vnkinde cruelty Wherefore to preuent so blacke a scandall to your bright beauty beside the ceaselesse acclamations which will dogge your walkes in the day time and breake your quiet sleepes in the night season with fearefull sights and gastly apparitions houering and haunting about your bed let all these 〈◊〉 you to milde mercy and spill not life when you may saue it So the Magnifico ceasing with teares streaming from his eyes and siâ—hes breaking from his heart he sate still in exspectation of the Ladies answere who made neither long or short of the matter neither Tilts nor Tourneying nor many lost mornings and euenings nor infinite other such like offices which the Magnifico for her sake from time to time had spent in vaine without the least shew of acceptation or any hope at all to winne her loue Moued now in this very houre by these solemne protestations or rather most preuailing asseuerations she began to finde that in her which before she neuer felt namely Loue. And although to keepe her promise made to her husband shee spake not a word yet her heart heauing her soule throbbing sighes intermixing and complexion altering could not hide her intended answere to the Magnifico if promise had beene no hinderance to her will All this while the Magnifico sate as mute as she and seeing she would not giue him any answere at all he could not chuse but wonder thereat yet at length perceiued that it was thus cunningly contriued by her husband Notwithstanding obseruing well her countenance that it was in a quite contrary temper another kinde of fire sparkling in her eye other humours flowing her pulses strongly beating her stomack rising and sighes swelling all these were arguments of a change and motiues to aduance his hope Taking courage by this tickling perswasion and instructing his minde with a new kinde of counsell he would needes answere himselfe on her behalfe and as if she had vttered the words he spake in this manner Magnifico and my friend surely it is a long time since when I first noted thine affection towards me to be very great and most perfect but now I am much more certaine thereof by thine owne honest and gentle speeches which content me as they ought to doe Neuerthelesse if heretofore I haue seemed cruell and vnkinde to thee I would not haue thee thinke that my heart was any way guilty of my outward seuerity but did euermore loue thee and held thee dearer then any man liuing But yet it became me to doe so as well in feare of others as for the renowne of mine owne reputation But now the time is at hand to let thee know more clearely whether I doe affect thee or no as a iust guerdon of thy constant loue which long thou hast and still doest beare to me Wherefore comfort thy selfe and dwell vpon this vndoubted hope because Signior Francesco my husband is to be absent hence for many dayes being chosen Podesta at Millaine as thou canst not chuse but heare for it is common through the Country I know for my sake thou hast giuen him thy goodly ambling Gelding and so soone as hee is gone I promise thee vpon my word and by the faithfull loue I beare thee that I will haue further conference with thee and let thee vnderstand somewhat more of my minde And because this is neither fitting time nor place to discourse on matters of such serious moment obserue heereafter as a signall when thou seest my crimson skarfe hanging in the window of my Chamber which is vpon the Garden side that euening so soone as it is night come to the Garden gate with wary respect that no eye doe discouer thee and there thou shalt finde me walking and ready to
elected Lady had all the glory of his best endeauours perseuering so long in this opinion as now it passed absolutely for currant Thus seemed he now as a meere stranger to her whose house before he familiarly frequented yet as a neighbour gaue her the dayes salutations according as he chanced to see her or meete her It came to passe that it being now the delightfull Summer season when all Gentlemen and Gentlewomen vsed to meete together according to a custome long obserued in that Countrey sporting along on the Sea Coast dining and supping there very often Ricciardo Minutolo happened to heare that Madam Catulla with a company of her friends intended also to be present there among them at which time consorted with a seemely traine of his confederates he resorted thither and was graciously welcommed by Madam Catulla where he pretended no willing long time of tarrying but that Catulla and the other Ladies were faine to entreate him discoursing of his loue to his new elected Mistresse which Minutolo graced with so solemne a countenance as it ministred much more matter of conference all coueting to know what shee was So farre they walked and held on this kinde of discoursing as euery Lady and Gentlewoman waxing weary of too long a continued argument began to separate her selfe with such an associate as shee best liked and as in such walking women are wont to doe so that Madam Catulla hauing few females left with her stayed behind with Minutolo who suddenly shot foorth a word concerning her husband Philippello of his louing another woman beside her selfe She that was ouermuch iealous before became so suddenly set on fire to know what shee was of whom Minutolo spake as shee sate silent a long while till being able to containe no longer shee entreated Ricciardo euen for the Ladies sake whose loue he had so deuoutly embraced to resolue her certainely in this strange alteration of her Husband whereunto thus he answered Madam you haue so straitly coniured me by vrging the remembrance of her for whose sake I am not able to denie any thing you can demand as I am ready therein to pleasure you But first you must promise me that neither you or any other person for you shall at any time disclose it to your Husband vntill you haue seene by effect that which I haue tolde you proueth to be true and when you please I will instruct you how your selfe shall see it The Lady was not a little ioyfull to be thus satisfied in her Husbands follie and constantly crediting his words to be true shee sware a solemne oath that no one aliue should euer know it So stepping a little further aside because no listening eare should heare him thus he beganne Lady if I did loue you now so effectually as heretofore I haue done I should be very circumspect in vttering any thing which I imagined might distaste you I know not whether your Husband Philippello were at any time offended because I affected you or beleeued that I receiued any kindnesse from you but whether it were so or no I could neuer discerne it by any outward apparance But now awaiting for the opportunity of time which he conceiued should affoord me the least suspition he seekes to compasse that which I doubt he feares I would haue done to him in plaine termes Madam to haue his pleasure of my wife And as by some carriages I haue obserued within few dayes past he hath solicited and pursued his purpose very secretly by many Ambassages and other meanes as indeede I haue learned from her selfe and alwayes shee hath returned in such answers as shee receiued by my direction And no longer agoe Madam then this very morning before my comming hither I found a woman messenger in my House in very close conference with my Wife when growing doubtfull of that which was true indeede I called my Wife enquiring what the woman would haue with her and shee tolde me it was another pursuite of Philippello Fighinolfi who quoth shee vpon such answers as you haue caused me to send him from time to time perhaps doth gather some hope of preuailing in the ende which maketh him still to importune me as he doth And now he aduentureth so farre as to vnderstand my finall intention hauing thus ordered his complot that when I please I must meete him secretly in an house of this City where he hath prepared a Bath ready for me and hopeth to enioy the ende of his desire as very earnestly he hath solicited me thereto But if you had not commanded me to hold him in suspence with so many friuolous answers I would long ere this haue sent him such a message as should haue beene little to his liking With patience Madam I endured all before but now me thinkes he proceedeth too farre which is not any way to be suffered and therefore I intended to let you know it whereby you may perceiue how well you are rewarded for the faithfull and loyall loue you beare him and for which I was euen at the doore of death Now because you may be the surer of my speeches not to be any lies or fables and that you may if you be so pleased approue the trueth by your owne experience I caused my Wife to send him word that shee would meete him to morrow at the Bathing-house appointed about the houre of noone-day when people repose themselues in regard of the heates violence with which answere the woman returned very iocondly Let me now tell you Lady I hope you haue better opinion of my wit then any meaning in me to send my wife thither I rather did it to this ende that hauing acquainted you with his treacherous intent you should supply my wiues place by sauing both his reputation and your owne and frustrating his vnkind purpose to me Moreouer vpon the view of his owne delusion wrought by my wife in meere loue to you he shall see his foule shame and your most noble care to keepe the rites of marriage betweene you still vnstained Madame Catulla hauing heard this long and vnpleasing report without any consideration either what he was that tolde the tale or what a treason he intended against her immediately as iealous persons vse to doe she gaue faith to his forgerie and began to discourse many things to him which imagination had often misguided her in against her honest minded husband and enflamed with rage suddenly replied that shee would doe according as he had aduised her as being a matter of no difficulty But if he came she would so shame and dishonour him as no woman whatsoeuer should better schoole him Ricciardo highly pleased herewith being perswaded that his purpose would take the full effect confirmed the Lady in her determination with many words more yet putting her in memory to keepe her faithfull promise made without reuealing the matter to any liuing person as shee had sworne vpon her faith On the morrow morning Ricciardo went to an
brothers Inne finding foure persons standing at the gate attired in mourning whereat he maruelled not a little knowing himselfe to be so transfigured both in body and habite farre from the manner of common vse at his parting thence as it was a difficult matter to know him he stept boldly to a Shooe-makers shop neere adioyning and demanded the reason of their wearning mourning The Shoo-maker made answer thus Sir those men are clad in mourning because a brothers of theirs being named Thebaldo who hath beene absent hence a long while about some fifteene dayes since was slaine And they hauing heard by proofe made in the Court of Instice that one Aldobrandino Palermini who is kept close prisoner was the murtherer of him as he came in a disguised habite to his daughter of whom he was most affectionately enamoured cannot chuse but let the World know by their outward habites the inward affliction of their hearts for a deede so dishonourably committed Thebaldo wondered greatly hereat imagining that some man belike resembling him in shape might be slaine in this manner and by Aldobr andino for whose misfortune he grieued maruellously As concerning his Mistresse he vnderstood that shee was liuing and in good health and night drawing on apace he went to his lodging with infinite molestations in his minde where after supper he was lodged in a Corne-loft with his man Now by reason of many disturbing imaginations which incessantly wheeled about his braine his bed also being none of the best and his supper perhaps somewhat of the coursest a great part of the night was spent yet could he not close his eyes together But lying still broade awake about the dead time of night he heard the treading of diuers persons ouer his head who discended downe a paire of stayres by his Chamber into the lower parts of the house carrying a light with them which he discerned by the chinkes and crannies in the wall Stepping softly out of his bed to see what the meaning hereof might be he espied a faire young woman who carried the light in her hand and three men in her company descending downe the stayres together one of them speaking thus to the young woman Now we may boldly warrant our safety because we haue heard it assuredly that the death of Thebaldo Elisei hath beene sufficiently approued by the Brethren against Aldobrandino Palermini and he hath confessed the fact whereupon the sentence is already set downe in writing But yet it behoueth vs notwithstanding to conceale it very secretly because if euer hereafter it should be knowne that we are they who murthered him we shall be in the same danger as now Aldobrandino is When Thebaldo had heard these words hee began to consider with himselfe how many and great the dangers are wherewith mens minds may daily be molested First he thought on his owne brethren in their sorrow and buried a stranger in steed of him accusing afterward by false opinion and vpon the testimony of as false witnesses a man most innocent making him ready for the stroke of death Next he made a strict obseruation in his soule concerning the blinded seuerity of Law and the Ministers thereto belonging who pretending a diligent and carefull inquisition for trueth doe oftentimes by their tortures and torments heare lies auouched onely for â—ase of paine in the place of a true confession yet thinking themselues by doing so to be the Ministers of God and Iustice whereas indeede they are the Diuels executioners of his wickednesse Lastly conuerting his thoughts to Aldobrandino the imagined murtherer of a man yet liuing infinite cares beleagured his soule in deuising what might best be done for his deliuerance So soone as he was risen in the morning leauing his seruant behinde him in his lodging he went when he thought it fit time all alone toward the house of his Mistresse where finding by good fortune the gate open he entred into a small Parlour beneath and where he saw his Mistresse sitting on the ground wringing her hands and wofully weeping which in meere compassion moued him to weepe likewise and going somewhat neere her he saide Madam torment your selfe no more for your peace is not farre off from you The Gentlewoman hearing him say so lifted vp her head and in teares spake thus Good man thou seemest to me to be a Pilgrim stranger what doest thou know either concerning my peace or mine affliction Madam replied the Pilgrime I am of Constantinople and doubtlesse am conducted hither by the hand of Heauen to conuert your teares into reioycing and to deliuer your Father from death How is this answered shee If thou be of Constantinople and art but now arriued here doest thou know who we are either I or my Father The Pilgrime discoursed to her euen from one end to the other the history of her Husbands sad disasters telling her how many yeeres since shee was espoused to him and many other important matters which wel shee knew and was greatly amazed thereat thinking him verily to be a Prophet and kneeling at his feete entreated him very earnestly that if hee were come to deliuer her Father Aldobrandino from death to doe it speedily because the time was very short The Pilgrime appearing to be a man of great holinesse saide Rise vp Madam refraine from weeping and obserue attentiuely what I shall say yet with this caution that you neuer reueale it to any person whatsoeuer This tribulation whereinto you are falne as by reuelation I am faithfully informed is for a grieuous sinne by you heretofore committed whereof diuine mercy is willing to purge you and to make a perfect amends by a sensible feeling of this affliction as seeking your sound and absolute recouery least you fall into farre greater danger then before Good man quoth shee I am burthened with many sinnes and doe not know for which any amends should be made by me any one sooner then another wherefore if you haue intelligence thereof for charities sake tell it me and I will doe so much as lieth in me to make a full satisfaction for it Madam answered the Pilgrime I know well enough what it is and will demand it no more of you to winne any further knowledge thereof then I haue already but because in reuealing it your selfe it may touch you with the more true compunction of soule let vs goe to the point indeede and tell me doe you remember that at any time you were married to an Husband or no At the hearing of these words shee breathed foorth a very vehement sigh and was stricken with admiration at this question beleeuing that not any one had knowledge thereof Howbeit since the day of the supposed Thebaldoes buriall such a rumour ran abroade by meanes of some speeches rashly dispersed by a friend of Thebaldoes who indeede knew it whereupon shee returned him this answere It appeareth to me good man that diuine ordinatiuation hath reuealed vnto you all the secrets of men and therefore I
am determined not to conceale any of mine from you True it is that in my younger yeeres being left a widow I entirely affected an vnfortunate young Gentleman who in secret was my Husband and whose death is imposed on my Father The death of him I haue the more bemoaned because in reason it did neerely concerne me by shewing my selfe so sauage and rigorous to him before his departure neuerthelesse let me assure you Sir that neither his parting long absence from me or his vntimely death neuer had the power to bereaue my heart of his remembrance Madame saide the Pilgrime the vnfortunate young Gentleman that is slaine did neuer loue you but sure I am that Thebaldo Elisei loued you dearely But tell me what was the occasion whereby you conceiued such hatred against him Did he at any time offend you No trulie Sir quoth shee but the reason of my anger towards him was by the wordes and threatnings of a religious Father to whom once I reuealed vnder confession how faithfully I affected him and what priuate familiarity had passed betweene vs. When instantly he vsed such dreadfull threatnings to me and which euen yet doe afflict my soule that if I did not abstaine and vtterly refuse him the Diuell would fetch me quicke to Hell and cast me into the bottome of his quenchlesse and euerlasting fire These menaces were so preuailing with me as I refused all further conuersation with Thebaldo in which regard I would receiue neither letters or messages from him Howbeit I am perswaded that if he had continued here still and not departed hence in such desperate manner as he did seeing him melt and consume daily away euen as Snowe by power of the Sunne-beames my austere deliberation had beene long agoe quite altered because not at any time since then life hath not allowed me one merry day neither did I or euer can loue any man like vnto him At these wordes the Pilgrime sighed and then proceeded on againe thus Surely Madam this one onely sin may iustly torment you because I know for a certainty that Thebaldo neuer offered you any iniury since the day he first became enamoured of you and what grace or fauour you affoorded him was your owne voluntary gift and as he tooke it no more then in modesty might well become you for he louing you first you had beene most cruell and vnkinde if you should not haue requited him with the like affection If then he continued so iust and loyall to you as of mine owne knowledge I am able to say he did what should moue you to repulse him so rudely Such matters ought well to be considered on before hand for if you did imagine that you should repeate it as an action ill done yet you could not doe it because as he became yours so were you likewise onely his and he being yours you might dispose of him at your pleasure as being truely obliged to none but you How could you then with-draw your selfe from him being onely his and not commit most manifest theft a farre vnfitting thing for you to doe except you had gone with his consent Now Madam let me further giue you to vnderstand that I am a religious person and a pilgrime and therefore am well acquainted with all the courses of their dealing if therefore I speake somewhat more amply of them and for your good it cannot be so vnseeming for me to doe it as it would appeare vgly in another In which respect I will speake the more freely to you to the ende that you may take better knowledge of them then as it seemeth hitherto you haue done In former passed times such as professed Religion were learned and most holy persons but our religious professours now adayes and such as coueâ— to be so esteemed haue no matter at all of Religion in them but onely the outward shew habite Which yet is no true badge of Religion neither because it was ordained by religious institutions that their garments should be made of narrow plaine and coursest spun cloth to make a publike manifestation to the world that in meere deuotion and religious disposition by wrapping their bodies in such base clothing they condemned and despised all temporall occasions But now adayes they make them large deepe glistering and of the finest cloth or stuffes to be gotten reducing those habites to so proude and pontificall a forme that they walke Peacock-like rustling and strouting with them in the Churches yea and in open publike places as if they were ordinary secular persons to haue their pride more notoriously obserued And as the Angler bestoweth his best cunning with one line and baite to catch many fishes at one strike euen so do these counterfeted habite-mongers by their dissembling and crafty dealing beguile many credulous widowes simple women yea and men of weake capacity to credit whatsoeuer they doe or say and herein they doe most of all excercise themselues And to the end that my speeches may not sauour of any vntruth against them these men which I speake of haue not any habite at all of religious men but onely the colour of their garments and whereas they in times past desired nothing more then the saluation of mens soules these fresher witted fellowes couet after women wealth and employ all their paines by their whispering confessions and figures of painted feareful examples to affright and terrifie vnsetled and weake consciences by horrible and blasphemous speeches yet adding a perswasion withall that their sinnes may be purged by Almes-deedes and Masses To the end that such as credit them in these their dayly courses being guided more by apparance of deuotion then any true compunction of heart to escape seuere penances by them enioyned may some of them bring bread others wine others coyne all of them matter of commoditie and benefit and simply say these gifts are for the soules of their good friends deceased I make not any doubt but Almes-deedes and prayers are very mighty and preuailing meanes to appease heauens anger for some sinnes committed but if such as bestow them did either see or know to whom they giue them they would more warily keepe them or else cast them before Swine in regard they are altogether so vnworthy of them But come we now to the case of your ghostly father crying out in your eare that secret mariage was a most greeuous sinne Is not the breach thereof farre greater Familiar conuersation betweene man and woman is a concession meerely naturall but to rob kill or banish any one proceedeth from the mindes malignity That you did rob Thebaldo your selfe hath already sufficiently witnessed by taking that from him which with free consent in mariage you gaue him Next I must say that by all the power remaining in you you kild him because you would not permit him to remaine with you declaring your selfe in the very height of cruelty that hee might destroy his life by his owne hands In which case the Law
hung downe the head in his bosome weeping as abundantly as if it had beene a childe seuerely disciplinde On the other side Ghismonda hearing the speeches of her Father and perceiuing withall that not onely her secret loue was discouered but also Guiscardo was in close prison the matter which most of all did torment her shee fell into a very strange kinde of extasie scorning teares and entreating tearmes such as feminine frailety are alwayes aptest vnto but rather with height of courage controling feare or seruile basenesse and declaring inuincible fortitude in her very lookes shee concluded with her selfe rather then to vrge any humble perswasions shee would lay her life downe at the stake For plainely shee perceiued that Guiscardo already was a dead man in Law and death was likewise as welcome to her rather then the depriuation of her Loue and therefore not like a weeping woman or as checkt by the offence committed but carelesse of any harme happening to her stoutly and couragiously not a teare appearing in her eye or her soule any way to be perturbed thus shee spake to her Father Tancrede to denie what I haue done or to entreate any fauour from you is now no part of my disposition for as the one can little auaile me so shall not the other any way aduantage me Moreouer I couet not that you should extend any clemency or kindnesse to me but by my voluntary confession of the truth doe intend first of all to defend mine honour with reasons sound good and substantiall and then vertuously pursue to full effect the greatnesse of my minde and constant resolution True it is that I haue loued and still doe honourable Guiscardo purposing the like so long as I shall liue which will be but a small while but if it bee possible to continue the same affection after death it is for euer vowed to him onely Nor did mine owne womanish weaknesse so much thereto induce me as the matchlesse vertues shining cleerely in Guiscardo and the little respect you had of marrying me againe Why royall Father you cannot be ignorant that you being composed of flesh and blood haue begotten a Daughter of the selfe same composition and not made of stone or yron Moreouer you ought to remember although now you are farre stept in yeeres what the Lawes of youth are and with what difficulty they are to be contradicted Considering withall that albeit during the vigour of your best time you euermore were exercised in Armes yet you should likewise vnderstand that negligence and idle delights haue mighty power not onely in yong people but also in them of greatest yeeres I being then made of flesh and blood and so deriued from your selfe hauing had also so little benefit of life that I am yet in the spring and blooming time of my blood by either of these reasons I must needs be subiect to naturall desires wherein such knowledge as I haue once already had in the estate of my marriage perhaps might moue a further intelligence of the like delights according to the better ability of strength which exceeding all capacity of resistance induced a second motiue to affection answerable to my time and youthful desires and so like a yong woman I became amorous againe yet did I striue euen with all my vtmost might and best vertuous faculties abiding in me no way to disgrace either you or my selfe as in equall censure yet I haue not done But Nature is aboue all humane power and Loue commanded by Nature hath preuailed for Loue ioyning with Fortune in meere pitty and commiseration of my extreme wrong I found them both most benigne and gracious teaching me a way secret enough whereby I might reach the height of my desires howsoeuer you became instructed or perhaps found it out by accident so it was and I denie it not Nor did I make election of Guiscardo by chance or rashly as many women doe but by deliberate counsell in my soule and most mature aduise I chose him aboue all other and hauing his honest harmelesse conuersation mutually we enioyed our hearts contentment Now it appeareth that I hauing not offended but by loue in imitation of vulgar opinion rather then truth you seeke to reproue me bitterly alleaging no other maine argument for your anger but onely my not choosing a gentleman or one more worthy Wherein it is most euident that you doe not so much checke my fault as the ordination of Fortune who many times aduanceth men of meanest esteeme and abaseth them of greater merit But leauing this discourse let vs looke into the orignall of things wherein wee are first to obserue that from one masse or lumpe of flesh both we and all other receiued our flesh and one Creator hath created all things yea all creatures equally in their forces and faculties and equall likewise in their vertue which vertue was the first that made distinction of our birth and equality in regard that such as had the most liberall portion thereof and performed actions thereto answerable were thereby termed noble all the rest remaining vnnoble now although contrary vse did afterward hide and conceale this Law yet was it not therefore banished from Nature or good manners In which respect whosoeuer did execute all his actions by vertue declared himselfe openly to be noble and he that tearmed him otherwise it was an errour in the miscaller and not in the person so wrongfully called as the very same priuiledge is yet in full force among vs at this day Cast an heedfull eye then good Father vpon all your Gentlemen and aduisedly examine their vertues conditions and manner of behauiour On the other side obserue those parts remaining in Guiscardo and then if you will iudge truly and without affection you will confesse him to be most noble and that all your Gentlemen in respect of him are but base Groomes and villaines His vertues and excelling perfections I neuer credited from the report or iudgement of any person but onely by your speeches and mine owne eyes as true wirnesses Who did euer more commend Guiscardo extolling all those singularities in him most requisite to be in an honest vertuous man then you your selfe haue done Nor neede you to be sorry or ashamed of your good opinion concerning him for if mine eyes haue not deceiued my iudgement you neuer gaue him the least part of praise but I haue knowne much more in him then euer your words were able to expresse wherefore if I haue beene any way deceiued truly the deceit proceeded onely from you How will you then maintaine that I haue throwne my liking on a man of base condition In troth Sir you cannot Perhaps you will alleadge that he is meane and poore I confesse it and surely it is to your shame that you haue not bestowne place of more preferment on a man so honest and well deseruing and hauing beene so long a time your seruant Neuerthelesse pouerty impaireth not any part of noble Nature but
wealth hurries it into horrible confusions Many Kings and great Princes haue heretofore beene poore when diuers of them that haue delued into the Earth and kept Flockes in the Feld haue beene aduanced to riches and exceeded the other in wealth Now as concerning your last doubt which most of all afflicteth you namely how you shall deale with me boldly rid your braine of any such disturbance for if you haue resolued now in your extremity of yeeres to doe that which your younger dayes euermore despised I meane to become cruell vse your vtmost cruelty against me for I will neuer entreate you to the contrary because I am the sole occasion of this offence if it doe deserue the name of an offence And this I dare assure you that if you deale not with me as you haue done already or intend to Guiscardo mine owne hands shall act as much and therefore giue ouer your teares to women and if you purpose to be cruel let him and me in death drinke both of one cup at least if you imagine that we haue deserued it The King knew well enough the high spirit of his Daughter but yet neuerthelesse he did not beleeue that her words would proue actions or shee doe as shee saide And therefore parting from her and without intent of vsing any cruelty to her concluded by quenching the heate of another to coole the fiery rage of her distemper commanding two of his followers who had the custody of Guiscardo that without any rumour or noyse at all they should strangle him the night ensuing and taking the heart forth of his body to bring it to him which they performed according to their charge On the next day the King called for a goodly standing Cup of Gold wherein he put the heart of Guiscardo sending it by one of his most familiar seruants to his Daughter with command also to vse these words to her Thy Father hath sent thee this present to comfort thee with that thing which most of all thou affectest euen as thou hast comforted him with that which he most hated Ghismonda nothing altered from her cruell deliberation after her Father was departed from her caused certaine poysonous rootes hearbs to be brought her which shee by distillation made a water of to drinke suddenly whensoeuer any crosse accident should come from her Father whereupon when the messenger from her Father had deliuered her the present and vttered the words as he was commanded shee tooke the Cup and looking into it with a setled countenance by sight of the heart and effect of the message shee knew certainly that it was the heart of Guiscardo then looking stearnely on the seruant thus she spake vnto him My honest friend it is no more then right and iustice that so worthy a heart as this is should haue any worser graue then gold wherein my Father hath dealt most wisely So lifting the heart vp to her mouth and sweetly kissing it shee proceeded thus In all things euen till this instant being the vtmost period of my life I haue euermore found my Fathers loue most effectuall to me but now it appeareth farre greater then at any time heretofore and therefore from my mouth thou must deliuer him the latest thankes that euer I shall giue him for sending me such an honourable present These words being ended holding the Cup fast in her hand and looking seriously vpon the heart shee began againe in this manner Thou sweete entertainer of all my dearest delights accursed be his cruelty that causeth me thus to see thee with my corporall eyes it being sufficient enough for me alwayes to behold thee with the sight of my soule Thou hast runne thy race and as Fortune ordained so are thy dayes finished for as all flesh hath an ending so hast thou concluded albeit too soone and before thy due time The trauailes and miseries of this World haue now no more to meddle with thee and thy very heauiest enemy hath bestowed such a graue on thee as thy greatnesse in vertue worthily deserueth now nothing else is wanting wherewith to beautifie thy Funerall but onely her sighes teares that was so deare vnto thee in thy life time And because thou mightest the more freely enioy them see how my mercilesse Father on his owne meere motion hath sent thee to me and truly I will bestow them frankly on thee though once I had resolued to die with drie eyes and not shedding one teare dreadlesse of their vtmost malice towards me And when I haue giuen thee the due oblation of my teares my soule which sometime thou hast kept most carefully shall come to make a sweete coniunction with thine for in what company else can I trauaile more contentedly and to those vnfrequented silent shades but onely in thine As yet I am sure it is present here in this Cup sent me by my Father as hauing a prouident respect to the place for possession of our equall and mutuall pleasures because thy soule affecting mine so truely cannot walke alone without his deare companion Hauing thus finished her complaint euen as if her head had been conuerted into a well-spring of water so did teares abundantly flow from her faire eyes kissing the heart of Guiscardo infinite times All which while her women standing by her neither knew what heart it was nor to what effect her speeches tended but being moued to compassionate teares they often demanded albeit in vaine the occasion of her sad complaining comforting her to their vtmost power When shee was not able to weepe any longer wiping her eyes and lifting vp her head without any signe of the least dismay thus shee spake to the heart Deare heart all my duty is performed to thee and nothing now remaineth vneffected but onely breathing my last to let my ghost accompany thine Then calling for the glasse of water which shee had readily prepared the day before and powring it vpon the heart lying in the Cup couragiously aduancing it to her mouth shee dranke it vp euery drop which being done shee lay downe vpon her bed holding her Louers heart fast in her hand and laying it so neere to her owne as she could Now although her women knew not what water it was yet when they had seene her to quaffe it off in that manner they sent word to the King who much suspecting what had happened went in all haste to his Daughters chamber entring at the very instant when shee was laide vpon her bed beholding her in such passionate pangs with teares streaming downe his reuerend beard he vsed many kinde words to comfort her when boldly thus shee spake vnto him Father quoth she well may you spare these teares because they are vnfitting for you and not any way desired by me who but your selfe hath seene any man to mourne for his owne wilfull offence Neuerthelesse if but the least iot of that loue doe yet abide in you whereof you haue made such liberall profession to me let me
obtaine this my very last request to wit that seeing I might not priuately enioy the benefit of Guiscardoes loue and while he liued let yet in death one publike graue containe both our bodies that death may affoord vs what you so cruelly in life denied vs. Extremity of griefe and sorrow with-held his tongue from returning any answer and shee perceiuing her end approaching held the heart still closed to her owne bare brest saying Here Fortune receiue two true hearts latest oblation for in this manner are we comming to thee So closing her eyes all sense forsooke her life leauing her body breathlesse Thus ended the haplesse loue of Guiscardo and Ghismonda for whose sad disaster when the King had mourned sufficiently and repented fruitlesly he caused both their bodies to be honourably embalmed and buried in a most royall Monument not without generall sorrow of the subiects of Salerne Fryar Albert made a young Venetian Gentlewoman beleeue that God Cupid was falne in loue with her and he resorted oftentimes vnto her in the disguise of the same God Afterward being frighted by the Gentlewomans kindred and friends he cast himselfe out of her Chamber window and was hidden in a poore mans House on the day following in the shape of a wilde or sauage man he was brought vpon the Rialto of Saint Marke and being there publikely knowne by the Brethren of his Order he was committed to Prison The second Nouell Reprehending the lewd liues of dissembling hypocrites and checking the arrogant pride of vaine-headed women THE Nouell recounted by Madam Fiammetta caused teares many times in the eyes of all the company but it being finished the King shewing a stearne countenance saide I should much haue commended the kindnesse of fortune if in the whole course of my life I had tasted the least moity of that delight which Guiscardo receiued by conuersing with faire Ghismonda Nor neede any of you to wonder thereat or how it can be otherwise because hourely I feele a thousand dying torments without enioying any hope of ease or pleasure but referring my fortunes to their owne poore condition it is my will that Madam Pampinea proceed next in the argument of successelesse loue according as Madam Fiammetta hath already begun to let fall more dew-drops on the fire of mine afflictions Madam Pampinea perceiuing what a taske was imposed on her knew well by her owne disposition the inclination of the company whereof shee was more respectiue then of the Kings command wherefore chusing rather to recreate their spirits then to satisfie the Kings melancholy humour shee determined to relate a Tale of mirthfull matter and yet to keepe within compasse of the purposed Argument It hath been continually vsed as a common Prouerbe that a bad man taken and reputed to be honest and good may commit many euils yet neither credited or suspected which prouerbe giueth mee very ample matter to speake of and yet not varying from our intention concerning the hypocrisie of some religious persons who hauing their garments long and large their faces made artificially pale their language meeke and humble to get mens goods from them yet fower harsh and stearne enough in checking and controuling other mens errours as also in vrging others to giue and themselues to take without any other hope or meanes of saluation Nor doe they endeauour like other men to worke out their soules health with feare and trembling but euen as if they were sole owners Lords and possessors of Paradice will appoint to euery dying person places there of greater or lesser excellency according as they thinke good or as the legacies left by them are in quantity whereby they not onely deceiue themselues but all such as giue credit to their subtile perswasions And were it lawfull for me to make knowne no more then is meerely necessary I could quickly disclose to simple credulous people what craft lieth concealed vnder their holy habites and I would wish that their lies and deluding should speed with them as they did with a Franciscane Friar none of the younger Nouices but one of them of greatest reputation and belonging to one of the best Monasteries in Venice Which I am the rather desirous to report to recreate your spirits after your teares for the death of faire Ghismonda Sometime Honourable Ladies there liued in the City of Imola a man of most lewd and wicked life named Bertho de la massa whose shamelesse deedes were so well knowne to all the Citizens and won such respect among them as all his lies could not compasse any beleefe no not when he deliuered a matter of sound truth Wherefore perceiuing that his lewdnesse allowed him no longer dwelling there like a desperate aduenturer he transported himselfe thence to Venice the receptacle of all foule sinne and abhomination intending there to exercise his wonted bad behauiour and liue as wickedly as euer he had done before It came to passe that some remorse of conscience tooke hold of him for the former passages of his dissolute life and he pretended to be surprized with very great deuotion becomming much more Catholike then any other man taking on him the profession of a Franciscane Cordelier and calling himselfe Fryar Albert of Imola In this habite and outward appearance hee seemed to leade an austere and sanctimonious life highly commending penance abstinence neuer eating flesh or drinking wine but when hee was prouided of both in a close corner And before any person could take notice thereof hee became of a theefe Ruffian forswearer and murtherer as formerly he had beene a great Preacher yet not abandoning the forenamed vices when secretly he could put any of them in execution Moreouer being made Priest when he was celebrating Masse at the Altar if he saw himselfe to be obserued by any he would most mournefully reade the passion of our Sauiour as one whose teares cost him little whensoeuer hee pleased to vse them so that in a short while by his preaching and teares he fed the humours of the Venetians so pleasingly that they made him executour well neere of all their Testaments yea many chose him as depositary or Guardion of their monies because he was both Confessour and Councellor almost to all the men and women By this well seeming out-side of sanctity the Wolfe became a Shepheard and his renown for holinesse was so famous in those parts as Saint Frances himselfe had hardly any more It fortuned that a young Gentlewoman being somewhat foolish wanton and proud minded named Madam Lisetta de Caquirino wife to a wealthy Merchant who went with certaine Gallies into Flanders and there lay as Lieger long time in company of other Gentlewomen went to be confessed by this ghostly Father kneeling at his feete although her heart was high enough like a proud minded woman for Venetians are presumptuous vaine-glorious and witted much like to their skittish Gondoloes she made a very short rehearsall of her sinnes At length Fryar Albert demanded of her whether
in mine owne Countrey as now I am in yours I would as forwardly confesse my selfe your friend as here I must needes fall short of any such seruice but euen as you shall please to command me But plainely and without all further ceremonious complement I must agree to whatsoeuer you can request as thinking you to be more iniured by me then any great wrong that I haue sustained Concerning the young Damosell remaining in my House shee is not as many haue imagined either of Cremona or Pauia but borne a Faentine here in this Cirie albeit neither my selfe shee or he of whom I had her did euer know it or yet could learne whose Daughter shee was Wherefore the suite you make to me should rather in duty be mine to you for shee is a natiue of your owne doe right to her and then you can doe no wrong vnto mee When the Gentlemen vnderstood that the Mayden was borne in Faenza they maruelled thereat and after they had thanked Iacomino for his curteous answer they desired him to let them know by what meanes the Damosell came into his custody and how he knew her to be borne in Faenza when he perceiuing them attentiue to heare him began in this manner Vnderstand worthy Gentlemen that Guidotto of Cremona was my companion and deare friend who growing neere to his death tolde me that when this City was surprized by the Emperour Frederigo and all things committed to sacke and spoile he and certaine of his confederates entred into a House which they found to be well furnished with goods but vtterly forsaken of the dwellers onely this poore Mayden excepted being then aged but two yeeres or thereabout As hee mounted vp the steps with intent to depart from the House she called him Father which word moued him so compassionately that he went backe againe brought her away with him and all things of worth which were in the House going thence afterward to Fano and there deceasing he left her and all his goods to my charge conditionally that I should see her maried when due time required and bestow on her the wealth which he had left her Now very true it is although her yeeres are conuenient for mariage yet I could neuer find any one to bestow her on at least that I thought fitting for her howbeit I will listen thereto much more respectiuely before any other such accident shall happen It came to passe that in the reporting of this discourse there was then a Gentleman in the company named Guillemino da Medicina who at the surprizal of the City was present with Guidotto of Cremona and knew well the House which he had ransacked the owner whereof was also present with him wherefore taking him aside he saide to him Bernardino hearest thou what Iacomino hath related yes very wel replyed Bernardino and remember withall that in that dismall bloody combustion I lost a little Daughter about the age as Iacomino spake he Questionlesse then replied Guillemino shee must needes be the same young Mayden for I was there at the same time and in the House whence Guidotto did bring both the girle and goods and I doe perfectly remember that it was thy House I pray thee call to minde if euer thou sawest any scarre or marke about her which may reuiue thy former knowledge of her for my minde perswades me that the Maide is thy Daughter Bernardino musing a while with himselfe remembred that vnder her left care shee had a scarre in the forme of a little crosse which happened by the byting of a Wolfe and but a small while before the spoyle was made Wherefore without deferring it to any further time he stept to Iacomino who as yet staied there and entreated him to fetch the Mayden from his house because shee might be knowne to some in the company whereto right willingly he condiscended and there presented the Maide before them So soone as Bernardino beheld her he began to be much inwardly moued for the perfect character of her Mothers countenance was really figured in her sweete face onely that her beauty was somewhat more excelling Yet not herewith satisfied he desired Iacomino to be so pleased as to lift vp a little the lockes of haire depending ouer her left eare Iacomino did it presently albeit with a modest blushing in the maide and Bernardino looking aduisedly on it knew it to be the selfe same crosse which confirmed her constantly to be his Daughter Ouercome with excesse of ioy which made the teares to trickle downe his cheekes he proffered to embrace and kisse the Maide but she refusing his kindnesse because as yet shee knew no reason for it he turned himselfe to Iacomino saying My deare brother and friend this Maide is my Daughter and my House was the same which Guidotto spoyled in the generall hauocke of our City and thence he carried this child of mine forgotten in the fury by my Wife her Mother But happy was the houre of his becomming her Father and carrying her away with him for else she had perished in the fire because the House was instantly burnt downe to the ground The Mayden hearing his words obseruing him also to be a man of yeeres and grauity shee beleeued what he saide and humbly submitted her selfe to his kisses embraces euen as instructed thereto by instinct of nature Bernardino instantly sent for his wife her owne mother his daughters sonnes and kindred who being acquainted with this admirable accident gaue her most gracious and kind welcome he receiuing her from Iacomino as his childe and the legacies which Guidotto had left her When the Captaine of the City being a very wise and worthy Gentleman heard these tydings and knowing that Giouanni then his prisoner was the Son to Bernardino and naturall Brother to the newly recouered Maide he bethought himselfe how best he might qualifie the fault committed by him And entring into the Hall among them handled the matter so discreetly that a louing league of peace was confirmed betweene Giouanni and Menghino to whom with free and full consent on all sides the faire Maide named Agatha was giuen in marriage with a more honourable enlargement of her dowry and Grinello with the rest deliuered out of prison which for their tumultuous riot they had iustly deserued Menghino and Agatha had their wedding worthily sollemnized with all due honours belonging thereto and long time after they liued in Faenza highly beloued and graciously esteemed Guion di Procida being found familiarly conuersing with a young Damosell which he loued and had beene giuen formerly to Frederigo King of Sicilie was bound to a stake to be consumed with fire From which danger neuerthelesse he escaped being knowne by Don Rogiero de Oria Lord Admirall of Sicilie and afterward married the Damosell The sixth Nouell Wherein is manifested that loue can leade a man into numberlesse perils out of which he escapeth with no meane difficulty THe Nouell of Madam Neiphila being ended which
wife and for her he had presumed in that manner closely was he kept in prison till the next morning When he came into the Kings presence and there boldly iustified the goodnesse of his cause Restituta likewise was sent for who no sooner saw her deare Loue Guian but shee ran and caught him fast about the necke kissing him in teares and greeuing not a little at his hard fortune Hereat the King grew exceedingly enraged loathing and hating her now much more then formerly he did affect her and hauing himselfe seene by what strange meanes he did climbe ouer the wall and then mounted to her Chamber window he was extreamely impatient and could not otherwise be perswaded but that their meetings thus had beene very many Forthwith he sentenced them both with death commanding that they should be conueyed thence to Palermo and there being stript starke naked be bound to a stake backe to backe and so to stand the full space of nine houres to see if any could take knowledge of whence or what they were then afterward to be consumed with fire The sentence of death did not so much daunt or dismay the poore Louers as the vnciuill and vnsightly manner which in feare of the Kings wrathfull displeasure no man durst presume to contradict Wherefore as he had commanded so were they carried thence to Palermo and bound naked to a stake in the open Market place and before their eyes the fire and wood brought which was to consume them according to the houre as the King had appointed You need not make any question what an huge concourse of people were soone assembled together to behold such a sad and wofull spectacle euen the whole City of Palermo both men and women The men were stricken with admiration beholding the vnequalled beauty of faire Restituta the selfe same passion possessed the women seeing Guian to be such a goodly and compleat young man but the poore infortunate Louers themselues they stood with their lookes deiected to the ground being much pittied of all but no way to be holpen or rescued by any awaiting when the happy houre would come to finish both their shame and liues together During the time of this tragicall expectation the fame of this publike execution being noysed abroade calling all people farre and neere to behold it it came to the eare of Don Rogiero de Oria a man of much admired valour and then the Lord high Admirall of Sicily who came himselfe in person to the place appointed for their death First he obserued the Mayden confessing her in his soule to be a beauty beyond all compare Then looking on the young man thus he saide within himselfe If the inward endowments of the mind doe paralell the outward perfections of body the World cannot yeeld a more compleate man Now as good natures are quickly incited to compassion especially in cases almost commanding it and compassion knocking at the doore of the soule doth quicken the memory with many passed recordations so this noble Admirall aduisedly beholding poore condemned Guion conceiued that he had somewhat seene him before this instant and vpon this perswasion euen as if diuine vertue had tutured his tongue he saide Is not thy name Guion di Procida Marke now how quickly misery can receiue comfort vpon so poore and silly a question for Guion began to eleuate his deiected countenance and looking on the Admirall returned him this answere Sir heretofore I haue been the man which you spake of but now both that name and man must die with me What misfortune quoth the Admirall hath thus vnkindly crost thee Loue answered Guion and the Kings displeasure Then the Admirall would needs know the whole history at large which briefly was related to him and hauing heard how all had happened as he was turning his Horse to ride away thence Guion called to him saying Good my Lord entreate one fauour for me if possible it may be What is that replyed the Admirall You see Sir quoth Guion that I am very shortly to breathe my last all the grace which I doe most humbly entreate is that as I am here with this chaste Virgin whom I honour and loue beyond my life and miserably bound backe to backe our faces may be turned each to other to the end that when the fire shall finish my life by looking on her my soule may take her flight in full felicity The Admirall smyling saide I will doe for thee what I can and perhaps thou mayest so long looke on her as thou wilt be weary and desire to looke off her At his departure he commanded them that had the charge of this execution to proceede no further vntill they heard more from the King to whom hee gallopped immediately and although hee beheld him to be very angerly moued yet he spared not to speake in this manner Sir wherin haue those poore young couple offended you that are so shamefully to be burnt at Palermo The King told him whereto the Admirall pursuing still his purpose thus replyed Beleeue me Sir if true loue be an offence then theirs may be termed to be one and albeit it did deserue death yet farre be it from thee to inflict it on them for as faults doe iustly require punishment so doe good turnes as equally merit grace and requitall Knowest thou what and who they are whom thou hast so dishonourably condemned to the fire Not I quoth the King Why then I will tell thee answered the Admirall that thou mayest take the better knowledge of them and forbeare hereafter to be so ouer-violently transported with anger The young Gentleman is the Sonne to Landolfo di Procida the onely Brother to Lord Iohn di Procida by whose meanes thou becamest Lord and King of this Countrey The faire young Damosell is the Daughter to Marino Bolgaro whose power extendeth so farre as to preserue thy prerogatiue in Ischia which but for him had long since beene out-rooted there Beside these two maine motiues to challenge iustly grace and fauour from thee they are in the floure and pride of their youth hauing long continued in loyall loue together and compelled by feruency of endeared affection not any wil to displease thy Maiesty they haue offended if it may be termed an offence to loue and in such louely young people as they are Canst thou then find in thine heart to let them die whom thou rather oughtest to honour and recompence with no meane rewards When the King had heard this and beleeued for a certainty that the Admirall told him nothing but truth he appointed not onely that they should proceede no further but also was exceeding sorrowfull for what he had done sending presently to haue them released from the Stake and honourably to be brought before him Being thus enstructed in their seuerall qualities and standing in duty obliged to recompence the wrong which he had done with respectiue honours he caused them to be cloathed in royall garments and knowing them to
descended from the window and the other Ambassadours with him running in among the Sergeants to embrace his Sonne and casting his owne rich Cloake about his whipt body entreating them to forbeare and proceed no further till they heard what command he should returne withall vnto them which very willingly they promised to doe Already by the generall rumour dispersed abroade Phineo had vnderstood the occasion why Pedro was thus punished and sentenced to be hanged wherefore accompanied with his fellow Ambassadours and all their attending traine he went to Signior Conrado and spake thus to him My Lord he whom you haue sent to death as a slaue is a free Gentleman borne and my Sonne able to make her amends whom he hath dishonored by taking her in mariage as his lawfull Wife Let me therefore entreate you to make stay of the execution vntill it may be knowne whether she will accept him as her Husband or no least if she be so pleased you offend directly against your owne Law When Signior Conrado heard that Pedro was Sonne to the Lord Ambassadour he wondered thereat not a little and being somewhat ashamed of his fortunes errour confessed that the claime of Phineo was conformable to Law and ought not to be denied him going presently to the Councell Chamber sending for Signior Amarigo immediately thither and acquainting him fully with the case Amarigo who beleeued that his Daughter and her Child were already dead was the wofullest man in the World for his so rash proceeding knowing very well that if shee were not dead the scandall would easily be wipt away with credit Wherefore he sent in all poast haste to the place where his Daughter lay that if his command were not already executed by no meanes to haue it done at all He who went on this speedy errand found there Signior Amarigoes seruant standing before Violenta with the Cup of poyson in his one hand and the drawne Rapier in the other reproaching herewith very foule and iniurious speeches because shee had delayed the time so long and would not accept the one or other striuing by violence to make her take the one But hearing his Masters command to the contrary he left her and returned backe to him certifying him how the case stood Most highly pleased was Amarigo with these glad newes and going to the Ambassadour Phineo in teares excused himselfe so well as he could for his seuerity and crauing pardon assured him that if Theodoro would accept his Daughter in mariage willingly he would bestow her on him Phineo allowed his excuses to be tollerable and saide beside If my Sonne will not mary your Daughter then let the sentence of death be executed on him Amarigo and Phineo being thus accorded they went to poore Theodoro fearefully looking euery minute when he should die yet ioyfull that he had found his Father who presently moued the question to him Theodoro hearing that Violenta should be his Wife if he would so accept her was ouercome with such exceeding ioy as if he had leapt out of hell into Paradise confessing that no greater felicity could befall him if Violenta her selfe were so well pleased as he The like motion was made to her to vnderstand her disposition in this case who hearing what good hap had befalne Theodoro and now in like manner must happen to her whereas not long before when two such violent deathes were prepared for her and one of them she must needes embrace shee accounted her misery beyond all other womens but shee now thought her selfe aboue all in happinesse if she might be wife to her beloued Theodoro submitting her selfe wholy to her Fathers disposing The mariage being agreed on betweene them it was celebrated with great pompe and sollemnity a generall Feast being made for all the Citizens and the young maried couple nourished vp their sweete Son which grew to be a very comely childe After that the Embassie was dispatched at Rome and Phineo with the rest was returned thither againe Violenta did reuerence him as her owne naturall Father and he was not a little proud of so louely a Daughter beginning a fresh feasting againe and continuing the same a whole moneth together Within some short while after a Galley being fairely furnished for the purpose Phineo his Sonne Daughter and their young Son went aboard sayling away thence to Laiazzo where afterward they liued long in much tranquility Anastasio a Gentleman of the Family of the Honesti by louing the Daughter to Signior Paulo Trauersario lauishly wasted a great part of his substance without receiuing any loue from her againe By perswasion of some of his kindred and friends he went to a Countrey dwelling of his called Chiasso where he saw a Knight desperately pursue a young Damosell whom he slew and afterward gaue her to be deuoured by his Hounds Anastasio inuited his friends and hers also whom he so dearely loued to take part of a dinner with him who likewise saw the same Damosell so torne in peeces which his vnkind Loue perceiuing and fearing least the like ill fortune should happen to her shee accepted Anastasio to be her Husband The eighth Nouell Declaring that Loue not onely makes a man prodigall but also an enemy to himselfe Moreouer aduenture oftentimes bringeth such matters to passe as wit and cunning in man can neuer comprehend SO soone as Madam Lauretta held her peace Madam Philomena by the Queenes command began and saide Louely Ladies as pitty is most highly commended in our Sexe euen so is cruelty in vs as seuerely reuenged oftentimes by diuine ordination Which that you may the better know and learne likewise to shun as a deadly euill I purpose to make apparant by a Nouell no lesse full of compassion then delectable Rauenna being a very ancient City in Romania there dwelt sometime a great number of worthy Gentlemen among whom I am to speake of one more especially named Anastasio descended from the Family of the Honesti who by the death of his Father and an Vnkle of his was left extraordinarily abounding in riches and growing to yeeres fitting for mariage as young Gallants are easily apt enough to doe he became enamoured of a very beautifull Gentlewoman who was Daughter to Signior Paulo Trauersario one of the most ancient and noble Families in all the Countrey Nor made he any doubt but by his meanes and industrious endeuour to deriue affection from her againe for hee carried himselfe like a braue minded Gentleman liberall in his expences honest and affable in all his actions which commonly are the true notes of a good nature and highly to be commended in any man But howsoeuer Fortune became his enemy these laudable parts of manhood did not any way friend him but rather appeared hurtfull to him so cruell vnkind and almost meerely sauage did she shew her selfe to him perhaps in pride of her singular beauty or presuming on her nobility by birth both which are on her blemishes then ornaments in a woman especially when
so obstinately scornfull and proud but likewise al the women of Rauenna being admonished by her example grew afterward more kinde and tractable to mens honest motions then euer they shewed themselues before And let me make some vse hereof faire Ladies to you not to stand ouer-nicely conceited of your beauty and good parts when men growing enamored of you by them solicite you with their best and humblest seruices Remember then this disdainfull Gentlewoman but more especially her who being the death of so kinde a Louer was therefore condemned to perpetuall punishment and hee made the minister thereof whom she had cast off with coy disdaine from which I wish your minds to be as free as mine is ready to do you any acceptable seruice Frederigo of the Alberighi Family loued a Gentlewoman and was not requited with like loue againe By bountifull expences and ouer liberall inuitations he wasted and consumed all his lands and goods hauing nothing left him but a Hawke or Faulcon His vnkinde Mistresse happeneth to come visite him and he not hauing any other foode for her dinner made a daintie dish of his Faulcone for her to feede on Being conquered by this his exceeding kinde courtesie she changed her former hatred towardes him accepting him as her Husband in marriage and made him a man of wealthy possessions The ninth Nouell Wherein is figured to the life the notable kindnesse and courtesie of a true and constant Louer As also the magnanimous minde of a famous Lady MAdame Philomena hauing finished her discourse the Queene perceiuing that her turne was the next in regard of the priuiledge granted to Dioneus with a smiling countenance thus she spake Now or neuer am I to maintaine the order which was instituted when we begannâ— this commendable exercise whereto I yeeld with all humble obedience And worthy Ladies I am to acquaint you with a Nouell in some sort answerable to the precedent not onely to let you know how powerfully your kindnesses do preuaile in such as haue a free and gentle soule but also to aduise you in being bountifull where vertue doth â—â—stly chalâ—nge it And euermore let your fauours shine on worthy deseruers without the direction of chaunce or Fortune who neuer bestoweth any gift by discretion but rashly without consideration euen to the first she blindly meets withall You are to vnderstand then that Coppo di Borghese Domenichi who was of our owne City and perhaps as yet his name remaineth in great and reuerend authority now in these dayes of ours as well deseruing eternal memory yet more for his vertues and commendable qualities then any boast of Nobility from his predecessors This man being well entred into yeares and drawing towards the finishing of his dayes it was his only delight and felicity in conuersation among his neighbours to talke of matters concerning antiquity and some other things within compasse of his owne knowledge which he would deliuer in such singular order hauing an absolute memory and with the best Language as verie few or none could do the like Among the multiplicity of his queint discourses I remember he told vs that sometime there liued in Florence a yong Gentleman named Frederigo Sonne to Signior Philippo Alberigho who was held and reputed both for Armes and all other actions beseeming a Gentleman hardly to haue his equall through all Tuscany This Frederigo as it is no rare matter in yong Gentlemen became enamored of a Gentlewoman named Madam Giana who was esteemed in her time to be the fairest and most gracious Lady in all Florence In which respect and to reach the height of his desire he made many sumptuous Feasts and Banquets Ioustes Tiltes Tournaments and all other noble actions of Armes beside sending her infinite rich and costly presents making spare of nothing but lasâ—ing all out in lauish expence Notwithstanding shee being no lesse honest then faire made no reckoning of whatsoeuer he did for her sake or the least respect of his owne person So that Frederigo spending thus daily more then his meanes and ability could maintaine and no supplies any way redounding to him or his faculties as very easily they might diminished in such sort that he became so poore as he had nothing left him but a small poore Farme to liue vpon the silly reuenewes whereof were so meane as scarcely allowed him meat and drinke yet had he a Faire Hawke or Faulcon hardly any where to be fellowed so expeditious and sure she was of flight His low ebbe and pouerty no way quailing his loue to the Lady but rather setting a keener edge thereon he saw the City life could no longer containe him where most he coueted to abide and therefore betooke himselfe to his poore Countrey Farme to let his Faulcon get him his dinner and supper patiently supporting his penurious estate without suite or meanes making to one for helpe or reliefe in any such necessity While thus he continued in this extremity it came to passe that the Husband to Madam Giana fell sicke and his debility of body being such as little or no hope of life remained he made his last will and testament ordaining thereby that his Sonne already growne to indifferent stature should be heire to all his Lands and riches wherein hee abounded very greatly Next vnto him if he chanced to die without a lawfull heire hee subsistuted his Wife whom most dearely he affected and so departed out of this life Madam Giana being thus left a widow as commonly it is the custome of our City Dames during the Summer season shee went to a House of her owne in the Countrey which was somewhat neere to poore Frederigoes Farme and where he liued in such an honest kind of contented pouerty Hereupon the young Gentleman her Sonne taking great delight in Hounds and Hawkes grew into familiarity with poore Frederigo and hauing seene many faire flights of his Faulcon they pleased him so extraordinarily that he earnestly desired to enioy her as his owne yet durst not moue the motion for her because he saw how choycely Frederigo esteemed her Within a short while after the young Gentleman became very sicke whereat his Mother greeued exceedingly as hauing no more but he and therefore loued him the more entirely neuer parting from him either night or day comforting him so kindly as shee could and demanding if he had a desire to any thing willing him to reueale it and assuring him withall that if it were within the compasse of possibility he should haue it The youth hearing how many times shee had made him these offers and with such vehement protestations of performance at last thus spake Mother quoth he if you can doe so much for me as that I may haue Frederigoes Faulcon I am perswaded that my sicknesse soone will cease The Lady hearing this sate some short while musing to her selfe and began to consider what shee might best doe to compasse her Sonnes desire for well shee knew how long a time Frederigo
Serpent I purpose with my vtmost hatred and as an ancient enemy to all such as thou art to make my reuenge famous on thee I am not ignorant that whatsoeuer I haue already done vnto thee cannot properly be termed reuenge but rather chastisement because reuenge ought alwayes to exceede the offence which as yet I am farre enough from For if I did intend to reuenge my wrongs and remembred thy monstrous cruelty to me thy life if I tooke it from thee and an hundred more such as thy selfe were farre insufficient because in killing thee I should kill but a vile inhumane beast yea one that deserued not the name of a Woman And to speake truely Art thou any more or better setting aside thy borrowed haire and painted beauty which in few yeares will leaue thee wrinkled and deformed then the basest beggarly Chamber-stuffe that can bee Yet thou soughtest the death of a Gentleman and Scholler as in scorne not long since thou didst terme me whose life may hereafter be more beneficiall vnto the world then millions of such as thou art to liue in the like multiplicity of ages Therefore if this anguish be sensible to thee learne what it is to mocke men of apprehension and amongst them especially such as are Schollers to preuent thy falling hereafter into the like extremity if it be thy good lucke to escape out of this It appeareth to me that thou art verie desirous to come downe hither on the ground the best counsell that I can giue thee is to leape downe headlong that by breaking thy necke if thy fortune be so faire thy life and lothsome qualities ending together I may sit and smile at thy deserued destruction I haue no other comfort to giue thee but only to boast my happinesse in teaching thee the way to ascend that Tower and in thy descending downe euen by what means thy wit can best deuise make a mockery of me and say thou hast learned more then all my Schollership could instruct thee All the while as Reniero vttered these speeches the miserable Lady sighed and wept very grieuously the time running on and the Sunne ascending higher and higher but when she heard him silent thus she answered Vnkinde and cruell man if that wretched night was so greeuous to thee and mine offence appeared so great as neither my youth beautie teares and humble intercessious are able to deriue any mercy from thee yet let the last consideration mooue thee to some remorse namely that I reposed new confidence in thee whē I had little or no reason at all to trust thee and discouered the integritie of my soule vnto thee whereby thou didst compasse the meanes to punish me thus deseruedly for my sinne For if I had not reposed confidence in thee thou couldst not in this maner haue wrought reuenge on me which although thou didst earnestly couet yet my rash credulitie was thy onely helpe Asswage then thine anger and graciously pardon me wherein if thou wilt be so mercifull to me and free me from this fatall Tower I do heere faithfully promise thee to forsake my most false and disloyall friend electing thee as my Lord and constant Loue for euer Moreouer although thou condemnest my beauty greatly esteeming it as a trifle momentary and of slender continuance yet such as it is being comparable with any other womans whatsoeuer I am not so ignorant that were there no other reason to induce liking thereof yet men in the vigour of their youth as I am sure you think your selfe not aged do hold it for an especiall delight ordained by nature for them to admire and honour And notwistanding all thy cruelty extended to mee yet I cannot be perswaded that thou art so flinty or Iron-hearted as to desire my miserable death by casting my selfe headlong downe like a desperate madde woman before thy face so to destroy that beuty which if thy Letters lyed not was once so highly pleasing in thine eyes Take pitty then on mee for charities sake because the Sunne beginneth to heate extreamely and as ouer-much colde that vnhappy night was mine offence so let not ouer-violent warmth be now my vtter ruine and death The Scholler who onely to delight himselfe maintained this long discoursing with her returned her this answere Madame you did not repose such confidence in me for any good will or affection in you towards me but in hope of recouering him whom you had lost wherein you merit not a iot of fauour but rather the more sharpe and seuere infliction And whereas you inferre that your ouer-rash credulity gaue the onely meanes to my reuenge Alas therein you deceiue your selfe for I haue a thousand crochets working continually in my brain wherby to entrap a wiser creature then a woman yet veiled all vnder the cunning cloake of loue but sauced with the bitter Wormewood of hate So that had not this hapned as now it doth of necessity you must haue falne into another but as it hath pleased my happy stars to fauour mee therein none could prooue more to your eternall scandall and disgrace then this of your owne deuising which I made choise of not in regard of any ease to you but onely to content my selfe But if all other deuises els had failed my pen was and is my preuayling Champion where with I would haue written such and so many strange matters concerning you in your very dearest reputation that you should haue curst the houre of your conception wisht your birth had bin abortiue The powers of the pen are too many mighty wherof such weake wits as haue made no experience are the lesse able to vse any relation I sweare to you Lady by my best hopes that this reuenge which perhappes you esteeme great and dishonourable is no vvay compareable to the vvounding Lines of a Penne which can carracter downe so infinite infamies yet none but guilty and true taxations as will make your owne hands immediate instruments to teare the eyes from forth your head and so bequeath your after dayes vnto perpetuall darkenesse Now concerning your lost louer for whose sake you suffer this vnexpected pennance although your choise hath proued but bad yet still continue your affection to him in regard that I haue another Ladie and Mistresse of higher and greater desert then you and to whome I will continue for euer constant And whereas you thinke the warme beames of the Sunne will be too hot and scorching for your nice bodie to endure remember the extreame cold which you caused mee to feele and if you can intermixe some part of that cold with the present heat I dare assure you the Sun in his highest heate will be far more temperate for your feeling The disconsolate Lady perceiuing that the Schollers wordes sauoured of no mercy but rather as couering her desperate ending with the teares streaming downe her cheekes thus she replied Wel Sir seeing there is no matter of worth in me whereby to deriue any compassion from
the whole history from the originall of his vnbeseeming affection to her in regard she was a worthy mans wife and consequently how all had happened to the instant houre to the no meane admiration of all the hearers adding withall Now Gentlemen quoth he if you varry not from your former opinion and especially Signior Nicoluccio Caccianimico this Lady by good right is mine and no man else by any iust title can lay any claime to her All sate silent without answering one word as expecting what he intended further to say but in the meane while Nicoluccio the parents and kindred but chiefely the Lady her selfe appeared as halfe melted into teares with weeping But Signior Gentile starting vp from the Table taking the Infant in his arme and leading the Lady by the hand going to Nicoluccio thus spake Rise Sir I will not giue thee thy wife whom both her kindred and thine threw forth into the street but I will bestow this Lady on thee being my Gossip and this sweet Boy my God-sonne who was as I am verily perswaded begotten by thee I standing witnesse for him at the Font of Baptisme and giue him mine owne name Gentile Let me entreat thee that although she hath liued here in mine house for the space of three monethes she should not be lesse welcome to thee then before for I sweare to thee vpon my soule that my former affection to her how vniust soeuer was the onely meanes of preseruing her life and more honestly she could not liue with Father Mother or thy selfe then she hath done here with mine owne Mother Hauing thus spoken he turned to the Lady saying Madame I now discharge you of all promises made me deliuering you to your Husband franke and free And when he had giuen him the Lady and the child in his armes he returned to his place and sate downe againe Nicoluccio with no meane ioy and hearty contentment receiued both his wife and childe being before farre from expectation of such an admirable comfort returning the Knight infinite thankes as all the rest of the Company did the like who could not refraine from weeping for meere ioy for such a strange and wonderful accident euery one highly commending Gentile such also as chanced to heare thereof The Lady was welcommed home to her owne house with many moneths of Iouiall feasting and as she passed through the streets all beheld her with admiration to be so happily recouered from her graue Signior Gentile liued long after a loyall friend to Nicoluccio and his Lady and all that were well-willers to them What thinke you now Ladies Can you imagine because a King gaue away his Crowne and Scepter and an Abbot without any cost to himselfe reconciled a Malefactor to the Pope and an old idle-headed man yeelding to the mercy of his enemy that all those actions are comparable to this of Signior Gentile Youth and ardent affection gaue him a iust and lawfull title to her who was free by imagined death from Husbands Parents and all friends else she being so happily wonne into his owne possession Yet honesty not onely ouer-swayed the heate of desire which in many men is violent and immoderate but with a bountifull and liberall soule that which he coueted beyond all hopes else and had within his owne command he freely gaue away Beleeue me bright Beauties not any of the other in a true and vnpartiall iudgement are worthy to be equalled with this or stiled by the name of magnificent actions Madame Dianora the Wife of Signior Gilberto being immodestly affected by Signior Ansaldo to free her selfe from his tedious importunity she appointed him to performe in her iudgement an act of impossibility namely to giue her a Garden as plentifully stored with fragrant Flowers in lanuary as in the flourishing moneth of May. Ansaldo by meanes of a bond which he made to a Magitian performed her request Signior Gilberto the Ladyes Husband gaue consent that his Wife should fulfill her promise made to Ansaldo Who hearing the bountifull mind of her Husband released her of her promise And the Magitian likewise discharged Signior Ansaldo without taking any thing of him The Fift Nouell Admonishing all Ladies and Gentlewomen that are desirous to preserue their chastity free from all blemish and taxation to make no promise of yeelding to any vnder a compact or couenant how impossible soeuer it may seeme to be NOt any one in all the Company but extolled the worthy Act of Signior Gentile to the skies till the King gaue command to Madame Aemillia that she should follow next with her Tale who boldly stepping vp began in this order Gracious Ladies I thinke there is none heere present among vs but with good reason may maintaine that Signiour Gentile performed a magnificent deede but whosoeuer saith it is impossible to do more perhaps is ignorant in such actions as can and may be done as I meane to make good vnto you by a Nouell not ouerlong or tedious The Countrey of Fretulium better knowne by the name of Forum Iulij although it be subiect to much cold yet it is pleasant in regard of many goodly Mountaines Riuers and cleare running Springs wherewith it is not meanly stored Within those Territories is a City called Vdina where sometime liued a faire and Noble Lady named Madame Dianora Wife to a rich and woorthie Knight called Signior Gilberto a man of very great fame and merite This beautiful Lady beeing very modest and vertuously inclined was highly affected by a Noble Baron of those parts tearmed by the name of Signior Ansaldo Gradense a man of very great spirit bountifull actiue in Armes and yet very affable and courteous which caused him to be the better respected His loue to this Lady was extraordinary hardly to bee contained within any moderate compasse striuing to bee in like manner affected of her to vvhich end she wanted no daily solicitings Letters Ambassages and Loue-tokens all prouing to no purpose This vertuous Lady being wearied with his often temptations and seeing that by denying whatsoeuer he demanded yet he wold not giue ouer his suite but so much the more importunatly stil pursued her began to bethinke her selfe how she might best be rid of him by imposing some such taske vpon him as should bee impossible in her opinion for him to effect An olde woman whom hee imployed for his continual messenger to her as shee came one day about her ordinary errand with her she communed in this manner Good woman quoth she thou hast so often assured me that Signior Ansaldo loueth me aboue all other Women in the world offering me wonderfull gifts and presents in his name which I haue alwayes refused and so stil wil do in regard I am not to be woon by any such allurements yet if I could be soundly perswaded that his affection is answerable to thy peremptory protestations I shoulde perhaps be the sooner wonne to listen to his suite in milder manner then hitherto I
often times hast thou beene angry Oh Sir said Maister Chappelet therein I assure yee I haue often transgressed And what man is able to forbeare it beholding the dayly actions of men to be so dishonest No care of keeping Gods commaundements nor any feare of his dreadfull iudgements Many times in a day I haue rather wished my selfe dead then liuing beholding youth pursuing idle vanities to sweare and forsweare themselues tipling in Tauernes and neuer haunting Churches but rather affecting the worlds follies then any such duties as they owe to God Alas Sonne quoth the Friar this is a good and holy anger and I can impose no penance on thee for it But tell me hath not rage or furie at any time so ouer-ruled thee as to commit murther or manslaughter or to speake euill of any man or to doe any other such kinde of iniurie Oh Father answered Maister Chappelet you that seeme to be a man of God how dare you vse any such vile words If I had had the very least thought to doe any such act as you speake doe you thinke that God would haue suffered me to liue These are deedes of darknesse fit for villaines and wicked liuers of which hellish crue when at any time I haue happened to meete with some one of them I haue said Goe God conuert thee Worthy and charitable words replied the Friar but tell me Sonne Didst thou euer beare false witnesse against any man or hast spoken falsly or taken ought from any one contrary to the will of the owner Yes indeede Father said Maister Chappelet I haue spoken ill of another because I haue sometime seene one of my neighbours who with no meane shame of the world would doe nothing else but beate his wife and of him once I complained to the poore mans parents saying that he neuer did it but when he was ouercome with drinke Those were no ill words quoth the Friar but I remember you said that you were a Merchant Did you euer deceiue any as some Merchants vse to doe Truly Father answered Maister Chappelet I thinke not any except one man who one day brought me money which he owed me for a certaine piece of cloath I solde him and I put it into a purse without accounting it about a moneth afterward I found that there were foure small pence more then was due to me And neuer happening to meete with the man againe after I had kept them the space of a whole yeare I then gaue them away to foure poore people for Gods sake A small matter said the Friar truly payed back again to the owner in bestowing them vpon the poore Many other questions hee demaunded of him whereto still he answered in the same manner but before he proceeded to absolution Maister Chappelet spake thus I haue yet one sinne more which I haue not reuealed to you when being vrged by the Friar to confesse it he said I remember that I should afford one day in the weeke to cleanse the house of my soule for better entertainement to my Lord and Sauiour and yet I haue done no such reuerence to the Sunday or Sabaoth as I ought to haue done A small fault Sonne replied the Friar O no quoth Maister Chappelet doe not terme it a small fault because Sunday being a holy day is highly to be reuerenced for as on that day our blessed Lord arose from death to life But quoth the Confessour hast thou done nothing else on that day Yes said he being forgetfull of my selfe once I did spet in Gods Church The Friar smiling said Alas Sonne that is a matter of no moment for wee that are Religious persons doe vse to spet there euery day The more is your shame answered Maister Chappelet for no place ought to be kept more pure and cleane then the sacred Temple wherein our dayly sacrifices are offered vp to God In this manner he held on an houre and more vttering the like transgressions as these and at last began to sigh very passionately and to shed a few teares as one that was skilfull enough in such dissembling prankes whereat the Confessour being much mooued said Alas Sonne what aylest thou Oh Father quoth Chappelet there remaineth yet one sinne more vpon my conscience whereof I neuer at any time made confession so shamefull it appeareth to me to disclose it and I am partly perswaded that God will neuer pardon me for that sinne How now Sonne said the Friar neuer say so for if all the sinnes that euer were committed by men or shall be committed so long as the World endureth were onely in one man and he repenting them and being so contrite for them as I see thou art the grace and mercy of God is so great that vpon penitent confession he will freely pardon him and therefore spare not to speak it boldly Alas Father said Chappelet still in pretended weeping this sinne of mine is so great that I can hardly beleeue if your earnest prayers doe not assist me that euer I shall obtaine remission for it Speake it Sonne said the Friar and feare not I promise that I will pray to God for thee Master Chappelet still wept and sighed and continued silent notwithstanding all the Confessors comfortable perswasions but after hee had helde him a long while in suspence breathing forth a sighe euen as if his very heart would haue broken he saide Holy Father seeing you promise to pray to God for me I will reueale it to you Know then that when I was a little boy I did once curse my Mother which he had no sooner spoken but he wrung his hands and greeued extraordinarily Oh good Son saide the Friar doth that seeme so great a sinne to thee Why men doe daily blaspheme our Lord God and yet neuerthelesse vpon their hearty repentance he is alwayes ready to forgiue them and wilt not thou beleeue to obtaine remission for a sinne so ignorantly committed Weepe no more deare Sonne but comfort thy selfe and rest resolued that if thou wert one of them who nayled our blessed Sauiour to his Crosse yet being so truly repentant as I see thou art he would freely forgiue thee Say you so Father quoth Chappelet What mine owne deare Mother that bare me in her wombe nine moneths day and night and afterwards fed me with her breasts a thousand times can I be pardoned for cursing her Oh no it is too haynous a sinne and except you pray to God very instantly for me he will not forgiue me When the religious man perceiued that nothing more was to be confessed by Master Chappelet he gaue him absolution and his owne benediction beside reputing him to be a most holy man as verily beleeuing all that he had said And who would not haue done the like hearing a man to speake in that manner and being vpon the very point of death Afterward he saide vnto him Master Chappelet by Gods grace you may be soone restored to health but if it so come to passe