pitie mine own dere Antiochus dooeth deserue Who beyng constrained can none otherwise doe But to be silent in loue is a moste euident signe of a noble and rare vertue Dispose thy minde therefore to helpe my soonne For I assure thée that if thou dooe not loue the life of Antiochus Seleucus life muste needes bee hated of thee He can not bee hurte but I likewise must be hurted The wise Phisicion seyng that his aduise came to passe as he thought before and that Seleucus was so instant vpon hym for the healthe of his sonne the better to proue his minde and his intencion spake vnto hym in this wise It is a common saiyng my moste dradde soueraigne Lorde that a man when he is hole cā giue to hym that is sicke and weake verie good counsaile You perswade me to giue my welbeloued wife to another man and to forgo her whom I moste feruentlie doe loue and in lackyng her my life also must faile If you doe take from me my wife you take with her my life Doubtfull it is my lorde if Antiochus pour sonne were in loue with the Quene Stratonica your graces wife whether you would bée so liberall vnto hym of her as you would that I should bee of myne I would it were the pleasure of the Goddes sodainlie answered Seleucus that he were in loue with my best beloued Stratonica I sweare vnto thee by the reuerence that I haue alwaies borne to the honourable memorie of my father Antiochus and my graundfather Seleucus and I sweare by all the sacred Goddes that frelie and forthwith I would render my wife into his handes although she be the dearest beloued vnto me in suche wise as all the worlde should knowe what the duetie of a good and louyng father ought to bée to suche a sone as my intirely beloued Antiochus who if I bée not deceiued is moste worthie of all helpe and succour Alas this his greate vertue in concealing that notable passion as an earnest affection of loue is it not worthie to be consecrated to eternall memorie Is he not worthie of all helpe and comforte Dooeth he not deserue to be pitied and lamented of all the whole worlde Truly he is worsse then a cruell enemie naie he is rather more fierce and vnnaturall then a sauage beast that at suche moderate behauiour as my sonne vseth will not take compassion Many other woordes he spake manifestlie declaryng that he for the healthe of his soonne would not onelie sticke to bestowe his wife but also willinglie his life for his preseruacion Wherefore the Phisicion thought it not good any lōger to kepe secrete the thyng but tooke the king a side and saied vnto hym in this wise The healthe of your soonne my dere Lorde and soueraigne is not in my handes but the same resteth in you and in your wife Stratonica whom as I by certaine signes doe manifestlie knowe he ardētly doeth loue Your grace now doeth knowe from hencefor the what to doe if his life be dere vnto you And tellyng the kyng the maner of suche loue he ioyfully toke his leaue The kyng now doubted but of one thyng whiche was howe to perswade his sōne to take Stratonica to wife and how to exhorte his wife to take his sonne to husbande But it chaūced for diuerse causes that easelie inough he perswaded thē bothe And perchaunce Stratonica made a good exchaūge by takyng a yong man to forsake him that was old After Seleucus had made the accorde betwene his wife and his soonne he caused all his armie to assemble whiche was verie greate To whō he saed in this maner My dere and louyng souldious whiche sithe the death of Alexander the great haue with me achieued a thousande glorious enterprises I thincke it méete and conuenient that ye be partakers of that whiche I purpose to bryng to passe Ye do knowe that vnder myne Empire I haue .lxxij. kyngdomes that I beyng an old man am not able to attende so greate a charge wherfore louyng companions I purpose to deliuer and ridde you frō grief of idlenesse and my self frō trouble and toile reseruyng to me onelie so muche as lieth betwene the Sea and the riuer Euphrates All the rest of my dominions I giue to my soonne Antiochus vpon whom in mariage I haue bestowed my wife Stratonica whiche thing ought to contente you bicause my will and pleasure is suche And whē he had tolde them the loue sicknes of his sonne and the discrete deuise of the gentle Phisician in the presence of a his armie the mariage was celebrated betwene Stratonica Antiochus Afterwards he crouned thē bothe Kyng and Quene of Asia and with royall pompe and triumphe the desired mariage was consummate The armie hearyng and séeyng these thinges verie highlie cōmended the pietie of the father towardes his sonne Antiochus then continued with his welbeloued wife in ioye and quietnesse liuyng together in great felicitie This was not he that for matters of Aegipte did make warres with the Romanes But he that onelie inferred warres vpon the Galatians whiche out of Europa passed into Asia but of which countrie he chased them and ouercame thē Of this Antiochus came Seleucus whiche was father of Antiochus surnamed the greate that attēpted verie notable warres against the Romanes and not his greate graundfather that maried his mother in lawe Finallie this Seleucus of whom I recompte this historie by giuyng his wife to his sonne did accomplishe a miraculous acte and worthie in deede of sempiternall remēbraunce and greatlie to bee commended therefore who although he had achiued infinite victories ouer his enemies Yet there was none of them all so greate as the victorie of hym self and his passions For certainly Seleucus did vanquishe his owne appetites depriuyng hymself of his wife whom he loued and estemed aboue all thynges in the worlde Of the straūge beastlie nature of Timon of Athenes enemie to mankinde with his death buriall and Epitaphe ¶ The .xxviij. Nouell ALL the beastes of the worlde dooe applie themselfes to other beastes of their kinde Timon of Athenes onelie excepted of whose straūge nature Plutarche is astonied in the life of Marcus Antonius Plato and Aristophanes doe reporte his merueilous nature bicause he was a manne but by shape onelie in qualities he was the Capitall enemie of mankinde whiche he confessed francklie vtterlie to abhorre and hate He dwelte alone in a litle cabane in the fieldes not farre from Athenes separated from all neighbours and companie he neuer went to the citie or to any other habitable place excepte he were constrained He could not abide any mannes companie and conuersacion he was neuer seen to goe to any mannes house ne yet would suffer them to come to hym At the same tyme there was in Athenes an other of like qualitie called Apemantus of the verie same nature different from the naturall kinde of manne and lodged likewise in the middest of the fieldes On a daie thei twoo beyng alone together
to bee simple and voide of guile would haue framed a platte for suche treason saied to the olde woman Receiue the letter at the doore but in any wise let hym not come in and I will accomplishe the contentes The olde woman whiche thoughte onely but to receiue the letter betwene the doore was astoned when the keper who giuyng her a blowe with his foote vpon the stomacke threwe her backewarde where she laie more then a quarter of an houre without speking or mouing And then thei thre entryng the chaumber in greate rage with their Pistolettes in their handes founde the twoo miserable louers starke naked who seyng themselfes surprised in that state were so sore a shamed as Eue and Adam were when their synne was manifested before God And not knowyng what to dooe reposed their refuge in waimentyng and teares but at the verie same instaunt thei bounde the armes and legges together of the poore gentleman with the choller 's of there horfse whiche thei broughte with them of purpose And then the Lorde commaunded that the twoo maides whiche were in the Castell and the reste of the seruauntes should bee called to assiste them to take example of that faire fighte And all the meane people beyng gathered in this sorte together the Lorde tournyng hym self vnto his wife saied vnto her Come hither thou vnshamefaste vile and detestable whore like as thou hast had a harte so traiterous and vnfaithfull to bring this infamous Ruffian in the nighte into my Castell not onely to robbe and dispoile me of myne honoure whiche I preferre and esteme more then life but also whiche is more to be abhorred to infringe and breake for euer the holie and precious bande of Mariage wherewithall we be vnited and knitte together Euen so I will euen forthwith that with these thyne owne handes with whiche thou gauest me the firste testimomonie of thy faithe that he presently shal bee hanged and strangled in the presence of all menne not knowyng how to deuise any other greater punishemente to satisfie thyne offence then to force thée to murder him whom thou haste preferred before thy reputacion aboue mine honour and estemed more then thine owne life And hauyng pronounced this fatall Iudgemente he sent one to seke for a greate naile of a Carts which he caused to bee fastened to the beame of the chamber and a ladder to bee fetched and then made her to tye a Coller of the order belongyng to Theues and male-factours aboute the necks of her sorowfull louer And bicause she alone was not able to do that grieuous and waightie charge he ordained that like as the olde woman had been a faithfull minister of his wiues loue so she should putte her hande in performyng the vttermoste of that woorke And so these twoo wretched women were by that meanes forced to suche extremitie that with their owne handes thei strangled the infortunate Gentleman with whose death the Lorde not yet satisfied caused the bedde the clothes and other furnitures wherevpon thei had taken their pleasures past to be burned He commaunded the other vtensiles of the chāber to be taken awaie not suffryng so muche strawe as would serue to couche of twoo Dogges to be lefte vnconsumed Then he saied to his wife Thou wicked woman emonges all other moste wicked For so muche as thou hast had no respecte to that honourable state where vnto Fortune hath aduanced thée beyng made by my meanes of a simple damosell a great Ladie and bicause thou haste preferred the lasciuious acquaintaunce of one of my subiectes aboue the chaste loue that thou oughtest to haue borne to me my determinacion is that from henceforthe thou shall kepe continuall companie with hym to the vttermoste daie of thy life bicause his putrified carcase hath giuen occasion to ends thy wretched bodie And then he caused all the windowes and doores to be mured and closed vp in suche wise that it was impossible for her to goe out leauyng onelie a litle hole open to giue her breade and water appoinctyng his Stewarde to the charge thereof And so this poore miserable woman remained in the mercie of that obscure and darcke prison without any other companie then the deade bodie of her louer And when she had continued a certaine tyme in that stinckyng Dongeon without aire or comfort ouercome with sorrowe and extreme paine she yelded her soule to GOD. The loue of Alerane of Saxone and of Adelasia the Daugther of the Emperour Otho the thirde of that name Their flight and departure into Italie and how they were knowen agayne and what noble houses of Italie descended of their race ¶ The .xliiij. Nouell THe auncient Histories of Princes aswell vnder the name of King as of the title of Duke which in time past dyd gouerne the Countrey of Saxone doe reporte that Otho the seconde of that name which was the first Emperour that lawfullye raigned after the Empire ceassed in the stock of Charles the great had of his wife Matilde daughter of the King of Saxone one sonne which succeded him in that Imperial crowne called Otho the thirde who for his vertuous education and gentle disposition acquired of all men the surname of The loue of the Worlde The same Emperour was curteous and mercifull and neuer to any mans knowledge gaue occasion of grief to any person he did good to euery man and hurt no man likewise he thought that that kingdome was well gotten and gotten was better kept if the King Prince or Ruler thereof did studie and séeke meanes to be beloued rather than feared sith loue ingendreth in it selfe a desire of obedience in the people And contrarywise that Prince which by tyrannie maketh himselfe to be feared liueth not one houre at rest hauing his conscience tormented indifferently both wyth suspition feare thinking still that a thousād swords be hanging ouer his head to kill and destroy him Otho then vnder his name of Emperor couered his clemencie with a certayne swéete grauitie and Princely behauiour Who notwithstanding declared an outwarde shewe of his courtesie to make swéete the egrenesse of displeasure which they féele and taste that be subiect to the obeysaunce of some new Monarchie Man being of his owne nature so louing of himselfe that an immoderate libertie semeth vnto him swéeter more iust and indurable than auctorities rightlie ordayned the establishment wherof semeth to represent the onely gouernement of that first King which from his highe throne giueth being and mouing to all things That good Emperour then knowing very well the malice of men who although he was a good man of warre hardie of his handes and desirous of glory yet moderated so well the happie successe of hys enterprises that his grace and gentlenesse principally appeared when he had the vpperhande for that he cherished and well vsed those whome he had subdued vnder his obedience his force and felicitie was declared when he corrected and chastised rebels and obstinate persons which wilfully would proue the
I haue referred to them that be able with better stile to expresse the authors eloquence or vntill I adioyne to this another to me if none other in the meane time doe preuent me which with all my heart I wishe and desire bicause the whole works of Boccaccio for his stile order of writing grauitie and sententious discourse is worthy of intire provulgation Out of Bandello I haue selected .vij. chosing rather to follow Launay and Belleforest the French Translators than the barren soile of his owne vaine who being a Lombard doth franckly confesse himselfe to be no fine Florentine or trim Thoscane as eloquent and gentle Boccaccio was Diuers other also be extracted out of other Italian and French authors All which I trust be both profitable and pleasant and will be lyked of the indifferent Reader Profitable they be in that they disclose what glorie honor and preferment ech man attayneth by good desert what felicitie by honest attempts what good successe laudable enterprises doe bring to the coragious what happie ioy and quiet state godly loue doth affect the Imbracers of the same Profitable I say in that they doe reueale the miseries of rapes and fleshly actions the ouerthrow of noble men and Princes by disordered gouernement the tragicall endes of them that vnhappily doe attempt practises vicious and horrible VVilt thou learne how to behaue thy selfe with modestie after thou hast achieued any victorious conquest and not to forget thy prosperous fortune in the glorious triumphe of the same by committing a fact vnworthy of thy valiaunce read the first Nouell of the valiant Romane Horatius VVilt thou vnderstand what dishonor and infamie desire of libidinous lust doth bring read the rape of Lucrece VVilt thou knowe what an vnkind part it is vnnaturallie to abuse the state of thine owne countrie read Martius Coriolanus VVilt thou learne what fruit is reaped of wicked lust to dispoile virgins and maydes of their greatest vertue see the historie of Appius Claudius and sir Didaco the Spanish knight Desirest thou to knowe how closely thou oughtest to kepe the secretes of honorable mariage peruse the historie of Candaules Dost thou couet to be aduertised what is true felicitie read of king Craesus and the wise man Solon Hath the Lady Gentlewoman or other of the feminine kind desire to behold a mirroure of Chastitie let them read ouer the Nouelles of the Lady Panthea of the Duchesse of Sauoie of the Coūtesse of Salesburie of Amadour and Florinda Is the noble man affected to vnderstande what happie ende the vertue of Loialtie and fidelitie doth cōduce the Earle of Angiers may be to him a right good example VVill Gentlemen learne how to prosecute vertue and to profligat from their minde disordinate Loue and affection I referre them to the historie of Tancredi and to Galgano of Siena Is not the marchaunt contented with his goodes already gotten but will nedes goe seke some other trade Let him note and consider the daungers wherein the aduenturer Landalpho was Is he disposed to sende his factor beyonde the seas aboute his affaires let him firste bid him to peruse Andreuccio and then cōmaund him to beware of Madame Floredelice If the yeoman intendeth to be carefull of his businesse meaning to reape that he hath sowen in due time let him take heede howe he repose any trust in friendes and kinnesmen lest in haruest he be deceyued which Aesopes Larke doth pretelie note If the Artificer will not faithfullie deale according to the trust reposed in him I woulde not wish him to suffer that which Bindo did but aduisedlie to reade the historie and trustelie to accomplish that he taketh in hande If scornefull speach or flouting sport doe flow in ripe wittes and lauish tongues of womankinde let them beware they doe not deale with learned sorte least Master Alberto with Physicke drougues or Philenio with Sophist arte do staine their face or otherwise offend them with the innocencie of their great Graundmother Eue when she was somoned frō Paradise ioy If the pore mayden of base birth be aduaunced by fortunes grace to high estate let her fixe in minde the Lady of Thurin Finallie for al states and degrees in these Nouelles be set forth singuler documents and examples right commodious and profitable to them that will vouchsafe to reade them Plesaunt they be for that they recreate and refresh weried mindes defatigated eyther with painefull trauaile or with continuall care occasioning them to shunne and auoyde heauinesse of minde vaine fantasies and idle cogitations Pleasaunt so well abrode as at home to auoyde the grief of VVintersnight and length of Sommers day which the trauailers on fote may vse for a stay to ease their weried body and the Iourneors on horseback for a chariot or easier meane of trauaile in stead of a merie companion to shorten the tedious toile of wearie waies Delectable they be no doubt for all sortes of men for the sad the angrie the cholerike the pleasaunt the hole and sicke and for all other with whatsoeuer passion rising eyther by nature or vse they be affected The sad shall be discharged of heauinesse the angrie and cholerike purged the pleasaunt maintayned in mirth the whole furnished with disporte and the sicke appaised of griefe These Nouelles then being profitable and pleasant histories apt and meete for al degrees I trust the indifferent Reader of what complection nature and disposition so euer he be will accept them in good part although perchaunce not so set forth or decked with fine and eloquent stile as this age more braue in tongue than maners doth require and doe pray thee to receyue them into thy curteous handes with no lesse good will thoughe not with like regard than Alphōsus king of Aragon did Quintus Curtius out of whome be some of these selected VVho vpon a tyme being sicke at Capua receyuing at the handes of diuers Phisitians many medicines in his greatest fitte called for the historie of Quintus Curtius In whome hauing great delight for his eloquent description of the gestes and factes of king Alexander when he was restored to health sayde Farewell Auicen Adieu Hipocrates and other Phisitians wellcome Curtius the restitutor and recouerie of my health VVhereby he declared what pleasure he had in the exercise and reading of histories not contempning for all that the honorable science of Phisick which in extremities he holesomely vsed VVhat commoditie and pleasure histories doe yeld to the diligent serchers and trauailers in the same Tullie in his fift boke De finibus bonorum et malorum ad Brutum doth declare who affirmeth that he is not ignoraunt what pleasure and profit the reading of histories doth import And after he hath described what differēce of cōmodity is betwene fained fables liuely discourses of true histories concludeth reading of histories to be a certayne prouocation and allurement to moue men to learne experience If Tullie then the prince of Orators doth affirme profite and pleasure to be
by fortune bee denied hym yet he doeth excell him bicause he neuer hath experience of thē he liueth in good prosperous helth he neuer feleth aduersitie he doeth nothing that is wicked he is a father of good childrē he is indued with formosttie beautie who if besides al those things he die welt It is he whō you demaunde that worthely maie be called blessed happy For before he die he can not be called blessed But fortunate he maie bee termed For to obtein al whiles you be a liuyng mā it is impossible For as one countrie is not able to serue it self with all comodities but hauing one it lacketh an other Yet the same countrie that hath moste comodities is the beste And as a mans bodie hauing one prefecciō is not perfect bicause in hauing one he lacketh an other Euē so he that hath most vertue is indued with greatest nōber of the aforesaied comodities so quietly departeth his life he in mine opinion is worthie to be intitled with the name of a king A mā must expect th ende of euery thing whervnto it tendeth For God plucketh vp by the rootes many men to whō he hath giuen abundance of welth treasure Craesus misliking the wordes of Solō suffred him to depart saiyng he was a foole that measured present pleasures no better After whose departure the goddes begā to bend their indignaciō displeasure vpon him bicause he thought himself the happiest of al men Long time after Craesus receiuyng corage cōfort frō Apollo at Delphos Attēpted warrs against Cyrus king of Persia. Who in those warres was ouerthrowen and taken prisoner after he had raigned .xiiij yeres and was broughte by the Persians to Cyrus Then Cyrus caused a stacke of woodde to be piled vp and Craesus fettered with giues was sette vpon the same Who then remēbryng the saiyng of Solon that no liuyng man was blessed or in all poincted happie cried out in lamentable wise O Solon Solon Solon whiche Cyrus hearyng caused his interpreters to demaūde of him what the same Solon was Craesus with muche difficultie tolde what he was and declared all the talke betwene hym and Solon Whereof when Cyrus heard the reporte he acknowledged hymself to be also a man and sore repented that he went aboute to burne hym whiche was equall vnto hym in honor and richesse confessyng nothyng to bee stable and certaine in the life of man Wherevpon he commaunded the fire to be taken awaie whiche then began to flame And so with muche a do he was deliuered Then Cyrus asked hym who gaue hym counsaill to inuade his countrie to make his frēde his foe Euen my self saied Craesus through vnhappie fate by the perswasiō of the Grekishe GOD whiche gaue me counsaill to make warres vpon thee For there is no man so madde that had rather desire warre then peace For in peace sonnes hurte their fathers but in warres fathers hurte their children But that these thinges be come to passe I maie thanke the Deuels good grace Afterwards Cyrus interteigned hym verie honorablie and vsed his counsel whiche he founde very holsome good Of a father that made suite to haue his owne soonne putte to deathe ¶ The .viij. Nouell THere was a man borne in Mardus whiche is a Countrie adioynyng vnto Persia called Rhacon that had seuen children The yongest of theim named Cartomes afflicted diuerse honest menne with greate harmes and mischifes For whiche cause the father began to reforme hym with wordes to proue if he would amende But he litle waiyng the good discipline of his father It chaunced vpon a time that the Iustices of the countrie repaired to the Sessions in that Toune where the father of that childe did dwell Who takyng his sonne and bindyng his handes behinde hym brought him before the Iudges To whom he remēbred by waie of accusacion all the mischiefes whiche his soonne from tyme to tyme hadde committed and desired the Iudges that he might bee condēpned to die The Iudges amased at that request would not them selues giue sentence against hym but brought bothe the father and the soonne before Artaxerxes the kyng of Persia In whose presence the father stil persisted in the accusacion of his sonne Why q the kyng canste thou finde in thy harte that thyne owne soonne should be putte to death before thy face Ye truely q the father For at home in my garden when the yonge Lactuse beginne to growe I cutte of the bitter and sower stalkes from the same For pitie it were the mother Lactuse should sustaine any sorowe for those bastarde and degenerate shrubbes Whiche beyng taken awaie the prospereth and encreaseth so greate swetenesse and bignes Euen so O kyng if he be hanged that hurteth my whole familie and offendeth the honest conuersacion of his brethren bothe my self shal bee increased and the reste of my stocke and ligneage shall in like sorte prospere and continue The Kyng hearyng those woordes did greately praise the wisedome of Rhacon and chose hym to bee one of his Iudges speakyng these wordes before the multitude He that dare thus seuerely iustly pronounce sentence vpon his owne childe doubtles he will shewe hymself to bee an incorrupt and sincere Iudge vpon the offences of other Then the kyng deliuered the yonge man from that present fault threatenyng hym with moste cruell death if after that tyme he were apprehended with like offence Water offred of good will to Artaxerxes the kyng of Persia and the liberall rewarde of the kyng to the giuer ¶ The .ix. Nouell THere was a certaine Persian called Sinaetas that farre from his owne house mette king Artaxerxes and had not wherewith to present him For it was an order emonges the Persians instituted by Lawe that euery man whiche mette with the king should giue hym a present Wherefore the poore man bicause he would not neglecte his duetie ranne to a Riuer called Cyrus taking vp bothe his handes full of water spake to the kyng in this wise I beseche God that your maiestie maie euermore raigne emonges As occasion of the place and myne abilitie at this instant serueth I am come to honour your maiestie to the intente you maie not passe without some presente For whiche cause I giue vnto you this water But if your grace had ones incamped your self I would goe home to my house for the best and derest things I haue to honour your maiestie withall And peraduēture the same shall not be muche inferiour to the giftes whiche other now dooe giue you Artaxerxes delighted with this chaunce saied vnto hym Good followe I thanke thee for this present I assure thee the same is so acceptable vnto me as the most precious gift of the worlde First bicause water is the best of all thynges then bicause the Riuer out of the whiche thou diddest take it dooeth beare the name of Cyrus Wherefore I commaunde thee to come before me when I am at my Campe. When he had spoken those wordes he
the Duchesse made into Spaine he sawe him euer more nere her than any other of her gentlemen And after that the Lorde of Mendozza had demaunded of him by what meanes he entred the towne Upon his aunswere he perceyued that he was a man of good experience and well affected to the seruice of his Maistresse that durst hazard his lyfe in such wise to obey her desire Incontinently Maister Appian deliuered vnto him the Duchesse letter Which when he had readde he retired into his chambre with Maister Appian hauing his face all bedewed with teares And bycause that the letter did importe credite he prayed Maister Appian to declare his charge Who sayde vnto him My Lady the Duchesse which is at this day the most afflicted Princesse vnder the coape of Heauen commendeth her selfe vnto your honour and doth humbly beseche you not to be offended for that at her last being in Galisia she departed without accomplishing her promise made vnto you Praying you to impute the fault vpon the importunitie of the Duke her husband Whō being constrayned to obey she could not satisfie the good will that she bare vnto you Then he began to declare in order howe the Earle of Pancalier was enamoured of her and not being able to obtaine his desire caused his Nephewe to hide him vnder her bed and how he had slaine him with his owne handes Finally the imprisonment of the Duchesse and the iudgement giuen against her Whereof the Lorde of Mendozza was greatly astonned And when he had heard the whole dyscourse he began to conceyue some euill opinion of the Duchesse Thinking it to be incredible that the Earle of Pancalier woulde so forget himselfe as to murder his owne propre Nephew and adopted sonne to be reuenged of a selie woman Neuerthelesse he dissembled that which he thought in the presence of Maister Appian and sayde vnto him Appian my friende if mine aduerse Fortune did not speake sufficiently for me I could tell thée here a long tale of my miseries But the séest into what extremitie I am presently reduced in sort that I am vtterly vnable to succor thy maistresse I my self still attending the houre of death And all that which presētly I am able to doe for thée is to set thée at libertie from the perill prepared for vs. And without longer talke he caused a hote skirmish to be giuē to his enemies to set Appian at large who being issued forth made certayne of his men to conduct him to place of suretie Appian seing no way for Mendozza to abandon his city for peril of death prepared for him and his thought his excuse reasonable And to attempt some other Fortune he vsed suche diligence that he in short time was retourned to Thurin where hauing cōmunicated the whole matter to Emilia she went strayght to the Duchesse to whome she sayde Madame God giue you the grace to be so constant in your aduersities as you haue occasion to be miscontented with the heauie newes that Appian hath brought you And then she began to recount vnto her the mysfortune of Mendozza the thraldome wherevnto his enemies had brought him and for conclusion that there was no hope of helpe to be expected at his handes Which when the Duchesse vnderstoode she cryed out Oh poore vnhappy woman amongst all the moste desolate and sorrowfull Thou mayst well now say that the light of thy life from henceforth beginneth to extinguish and growe to an ende séeing the succour of him vpon whome depended thine assuraunce is denyed thée Ah ingrate Knight Now knowe I right well but it is to late that of the extreme loue that I haue borne thée sprong the first roote of all mine euill which came not by any accident of Fortune but from celestiall dispensacion and diuine prouidence of my God Who nowe doth permit that mine Hipocrisie and counterfayt deuotion shall receyue condigne chastisement for my sinne And then Emilia seing her so confounded in teares sayde vnto her Madame it doth euill become a great and wise Princesse as you hitherto haue euer bene reputed for to torment her selfe sith that you know howe all the afflictions which we receiue from heauē be but proues of our fidelitie or as your selfe confesseth by your complayntes to be iust punishment for our sinnes Nowe then be it the one or the other you ought to fortifie your self against the hard assault of your sorrow And to remitte the whole to the mercy of God who of his aboundant grace will deliuer you of your trouble as he hath done manye others who when they thought themselues forsaken of al help and caused certayne drops of his pitie to raine downe vpon them Alas deare heart quod the Duchesse how easie a matter it is for one that is hole to comfort her that is sick But if thou feltest my griefe thou wouldest helpe me to complaine So grieuous a matter it is vnto mée with lyfe to lose myne honour And I muste confesse vnto thée that I sustayne a very cruell assault both against death and lyfe and I cannot eyther with the one or with the other haue peace or truce in my selfe Ne yet doe knowe howe to dissemble my sorrow but that in the ende the same wil be discouered by the fumes of mine ardent sighes which thinking to constrayne or retaine I doe nothing else but burie my selfe wtin mine owne body Assuring thée that greater is one drop of bloud that swelleth the heart within than all the teares that may be wept in the whole life without Wherfore I pray thée leaue me a litle to complaine my dolor before I goe to the place from whence I shal neuer retorne Emilia that willingly would haue sacrificed her selfe to redeme the Princesse from perill not being able any longer to endure the harde attempte where with pitie constrayned her heart was forced to goe forth and to withdraw her self into another chamber where she began to lamēt after so straunge manner that it semed it had bene she that was destened to death Whiles that these Ladies cōtinued thus in their sorowes the Knight Mendozza take no rest by day or night ne ceassed continually to think vpon the misfortune of the Duchesse And after that he had well considered the same he accused himself for fayling her at that her gret néede saying Now do I wel know that I am for euer hereafter vtterly vnworthy to beare armes or to haue the honorable title of a Knight sith the same order was giuen vnto me with charge to succour afflicted persons specially Ladyes whose force onely consisteth in teares And yet neuerthelesse I like a caitise haue so shamefully neglected my duety towardes the chiefe person of the worlde to whome I am greatly bounden that I dye a thousand times that day wherin I thinke vpon the same It behoveth me then from henceforth to establish new lawes to my deliberation and that I breake the gate of myne auncient rigor louing much better to die in honor pore
if you had séene the numbre of shotte which by the space of .xij. houres were bestowed so thick as hayle vpon euery parte of the Forte you might haue iudged what good will the Scottes did beare vnto me and my people And for my selfe I am assured that if I had made proufe of that which you say and submitted my selfe to their mercie my bodie nowe had bene dissolued into dust The king astonned with so sage wise an aunswere chaunging his minde went towarde the Castle where after interteignement and accustomed welcome he began by little and little to féele himselfe attached with a newe fier Which the more he labored to resist the more it inflamed And feling this newe mutacion in himselfe there came into his minde an infinite nūbre of matters balancing betwene hope and feare sometimes determining to yelde vnto his passions sometimes thinking clerely to cut them of for feare least by committing himselfe to his affections the vrgent affayres of the warres wherwith he was inuolued should haue yll successe But in the end vanquished with Loue he purposed to proue the heart of the Countesse and the better to attayne the same he toke her by the hande and prayed her to shewe him the commodities of the Forteresse Which she did so well and with so good grace interteigning him all that while with infinite talke of diuers matters that the little griftes of Loue which were scarcely planted began to grow so farre as the rootes remayned engrauen in the depth of his heart And the King not able any longer to endure suche a charge in his minde pressed with griefe deuised by what meanes he might enioy her which was the cause of his disquiet But the Countesse seing him so pensife without any apparaunt occasion sayde vnto him Sir I doe not a little maruell to sée you reduced into these alterations For me thinke your grace is maruellously chaunged with in these two or thre houres that your highnesse vouchsaued to enter into this Castle for my succour and reliefe in so good time that al the dayes of my lyfe both I and mine be greatly bounde vnto you as to him which is not onely content eliberallie to haue bestowed vpon vs the goodes which we possesse but also by his generositie doth cōserue and defende vs from the incursions of the enemie Wherein your grace doth deserue double praise for a déede so charitable But I cannot tell nor yet deuise what should be the occasion that your highnesse is so pensife and sorrowfull sithe without great losse on your part your enemies vnderstanding of your stoute approch be retired which ought as I suppose to driue away the melancolie from your stomack and to reuoke your former ioy for so muche as victorie acquired without effusion of bloude is alwayes moste noble and acceptable before God The King hearing this Aungelles voyce so amiably pronouncing these wordes thinking that of her owne accorde she came to make him mery determined to let her vnderstand his griefe vpon so conuenient occasion offred Then with a trembling voyce he sayde vnto her Ah Madame howe farre be my thoughtes farre different from those which you doe thinke me to haue I féele my heart so opprest with care that it is impossible to tell you what it is howheit the same hath not bene of long continuance being attached there withall since my comming hither which troubleth me so sore that I cannot tell wherevpon well to determine The Countesse seing the King thus moued not knowing the cause why was vncertayne what aunswere to make Which the king perceiuing sayde vnto her fetching a déepe sigh from the bottome of his stomack And what saye you Madame therevnto can you giue me no remedie The Coūtesse which neuer thought that any such dishonestie coulde take place in the kings heart taking things in good part sayde vnto him Syr I know not what remedie to giue you if first you doe not discouer vnto me the griefe But if it trouble you that the Scottish king hath spoyled your countrie the losse is not so great as wherewith a prince so mighty as you be néede to be offended sithens by the grace of God the vengeance lyeth in your hand and you may in tyme chasten him as at other times you haue done Wherevnto the king seing her simplicitie answered Madame the beginning of my grief riseth not of that but my wounde resteth in the inwarde parte of my heart which pricketh me so sore that if I desire from henceforth to prolong my lyfe I must open the same vnto you reseruing the cause thereof so secrete that none but you and I must be partakers I muste nowe then confesse vnto you that in cōming to your Castle and casting downe my head to beholde your celestiall face and the rest of the graces wherwith the Heauens haue prodigally endewed you I haue felt vnhappie man as I am such a sodayne alteratiō in all the most sensible partes of my bodie that knowing my forces diminished I can not tell to whome to make my complaint of my libertie lost which of long time I haue so happyly preserued but only to you that like a faythfull keper and onely Treasorer of my heart you may by some shining beame of pitie bring againe to hys former mirth and ioye that which you desire in me and by the contrarie you maye procure to me a life more painefull and grieuous than a thousand deathes together When he had ended these wordes he helde his peace to let her to speake attending none other thing by her aunswere but the laste decrée eyther of death or lyfe But the Countesse with a grauitie conformable to her honestie honor without other mouing sayde vnto him If any other besides your grace had bene so forgetfull of himselfe to enter in these tearmes or to vse suche talke vnto me I knowe what shoulde be myne aunswere and so it might be that he shoulde haue occasion not to be well contented but knowing this your attempt to procéede rather from the pleasantnesse of your hearte than for other affection I will beleue from henceforth and persuade my selfe that a Prince so renowmed and gentle as you be doth not thinke and much lesse meane to attempt any thing against myne honour which is a thousand times dearer vnto me than lyfe And I am persuaded that you doe not so little estéeme my father and my husband who is for your seruice prisoner in the hands of the French men our mortall enemies as in their absence to procure vnto them suche defamation and slaunder And by making this request your grace doth swarue from the boundes of Honestie very farre and you doe greate iniurie to your fame if men shoulde know what tearmes you doe vse towards me In like manner I purpose not to violate the faith which I haue giuen to my husbande rather I intende to kepe the same vnspotted so long as my soule shall be caried in the Chariot of this
to all thinges good and vertuous hoping therby to attayne the fame of a moste perfect Lady to be counted worthy the interteignement of such a seruant Amadour being arriued at Barsalone was banketted of the Ladyes after the olde maner but they finding him so altered and chaunged thought that Mariage coulde neuer haue had such power vpon man as it had ouer him For he séemed then to disdayne those things which sometime he greatly desired and specially the Coūtesse of Palamons whom he dearely loued coulde deuise no meanes to make him goe alone home to his lodging Amadour tarried at Barsalone so little while as he coulde bicause he might not come late to the place where he should winne and achieue honour And being arriued at Saulse great cruell warres was comenced betwene the two kings which I purpose not to recite ne yet the noble enterprises done by Amadour whose fame was bruted aboue the rest of his companions The Duke of Nagyeres arriuing at Parpignon had charge of two thousād men and prayed Amadour to be his Lieutenant who with that band serued so wel that no crie was hearde in all the skirmishes other than Nagyeres It chaūced that the king of Thunis which of long time had warre with the Spaniardes vnderstanding how the kings of Spaine and Fraunce were together by the eares at Parpignon and Narbone thought that in better time he could not anoy the king of Spaine Wherefore he sent a great number of Foysts and other vessels to robbe and destroy those frontiers which were yll guarded kept They of Barsalone séeing a number of Shippes passe before the Towne aduertised the king that was at Saulse who imediatly sent the Duke of Nagyeres to Palamons And when the Shippes perceyued that the place was well guarded they made as thoughe they woulde passe further But aboute midnight they retourned and landed so many men that the Duke of Nagyeres was taken prisoner Amadour which was very vigilant hearing al arme presently assembled so many men as he coulde and defended himselfe so well that the force of his enemies a long time coulde not hurt him But in th ende knowing that the Duke of Nagyeres was taken prisoner and that the Turkes were determined to burne the Citie of Palamons and then to fier the house which he strongly had forced against them he thought it better to render him selfe than to be cause of the losse of so many good souldiors as were in his bande and also by putting himselfe to raūsome he hoped in time to come to sée Florinda Thē he submitted himself to a Turke called Derlyn the gouernor of the king of Thunis who conueyed him home to his maister where he was well enterteigned and better kept For they thought that hauing him in their handes they had gotten the onely Achilles of Spaine In this sorte Amadour continued almost the space of two yeares in the seruice of the king of Thunis Newes came into Spaine of this ouerthrow wherof the friends of the Duke of Nagyeres were very sorrowfull But they that loued the honor of their countrie thought Amadour to be the greatest losse The brute whereof was noysed in the house of the Countesse of Arande where at that tyme the pore Gentlewoman Auenturade lay very sore sicke The Countesse suspecting very muche the affection that Amadour bare vnto her daughter which he suffered and dissembled for his vertues sake called her daughter aside and tolde her the pitious newes Florinda which could well dissemble sayde vnto her that it was a great losse for all their house but specially she pitied the state of his pore wife bicause at that time she was so sore sick But seing her mother wepe so bitterly she let fall some teares to kepe her companie least through to much dissimulation her loue might be discouered After that time the Countesse spake to her many tymes but she could neuer perceyue by her countenaunce any cause of certayne suspicion I will leaue to speake of the voyages the prayers the supplications and fastings whiche Florinda did ordinarily make for the safegard and prosperitie of Amadour who incontinently so sone as he was arriued at Thunis sente newes to his friendes and by a sure messanger aduertized Madame Florinda that he was in good health and hope to retourne Which newes was to the pore Lady the only meanes to releue and ease her sorrow And doubte ye not but the meanes of writing was vtterly debarred from Amadour whereof Florinda acquited her self so dilygently that by her letters and epistles he receyued gret consolation comfort The Countesse of Arande receyued cōmaundement from the King to repaire to Sarragosa where he that tyme was arriued And there she founde the yong Duke of Cardonne making sute to the King and Quéene for mariage of her daughter The Countesse vnwilling to disobey the king agréed thinking that her daughter being very yong had none other affection but that she had When the accord was concluded she sayde vnto her daughter that she had chosen her that match which she thought best worthy to ioyne with her person Her daughter séeing that in a thing already done it was to late to take counsell sayde vnto her that God was to be praysed in all things And séeing her mother so farre alienated from her intent she thought it better to shew her selfe obedient than to take pitie vpon her selfe And to comforte her in that sorow she vnderstode that the Infant Fortune was at the point of death But before her mother or any other person she shewed not so much as one signe or token thereof strayning her selfe so muche that the teares by force retiring to her heart did cause the bloud to issue forth at her nose in such abundance that her lyfe was in present daunger And to recouer her of that dysease she was maried vnto him for whose sake she had rather haue chaunged her lyfe for presente death After the mariage Florinda wente with her husbande into the Duchie of Cardonne and with her Auenturade to whome she secretly made her complaint aswell of her mothers rigor as also of the sorrowe she conceyued for the losse of the sonne of the Infant Fortune But of her griefe for Amadour she spake neuer a worde but by waye of comforting her This yong Lady then determined to haue God and respect of honor before her eyes and so well to dissemble her griefes that none should at any tyme perceyue that she misliked her husbande In this sorte Florinda passed a long tyme liuing a lyfe no lesse pleasant than death The report whereof she sent to her good seruant Amadour who vnderstanding her great loue and well disposed heart and the loue she bare to the Infant Fortune thought that it was impossible she could liue long lamented her state more than his owne This griefe augmented his paine of imprisonment wishing to haue remained a slaue all the dayes of his lyfe so that Florinda had had a
bothe for in either campes there were three brethren of age and valiaunce semblable The brethren that were in the Romane campe were called Horatij the other Curiatij Wherevpon a cōbate was thought meete betwene these sixe persones After the Romanes had vsed their solempne maners of consecratyng the truces and other rites concerning the same either partes repaired to the combate Bothe the armies stoode in readines before their campes rather voide of presente perill then of care for the state of either of their Empires consisted in the valiautce and fortune of a fewe Wherefore their mindes were wonderfully bent and incensed vpon that vnpleasaunt sight The signe of the combate was giuen The thre yong men of either side dooe ioigne with furious and cruell onsette representing the corages of twoo battelles of puissaunt armies For the losse consisted in neither those thre but the publique gouernemente or common thraldome of bothe the cities and that was the future fortune which thei did trie and proue So sone as the clashyng armure did sounde at their firste incountrie and their glitteryng swordes did shine an incredible horror and feare perced the beholders and hope inclining to neither partes their voice and mindes were whist and silent But after thei were closed together not onely the mouyng of their bodies and doubtfull weldyng and handlyng of their weapons but blooddie woundes appered twoo of the Romanes fallyng doune starke deade one vpon an other but before the three Albanes were sore hurt Whereat the Albane hoste shouted for ioye The Romane Legions were voide of hope amazed to see but one remain against thrée It chaūced that he that liued whiche as he was but one alone an vnmeete matche for the rest euen so he was fierce and thought hymself good inough for them all Therefore to separate their fight he fleeth backe meanyng thereby to giue euery of them their welcome as thei followed Whē he was retired a good space from the place where thei fought lookyng backe he sawe them followe a good distance one from an other and one of them was hard by him vpon whō he let driue with greate violence And whiles the Albane hoste cried out vpon the Curatij to help their brother Horatius had killed his enemie and demaunded for the seconde battaill Then the Romanes incoraged their chāpion with acclamations and shoutes as fearfull men be wont to doe vpon the sodaine and he spedeth hymself to the sight And before the other could ouertake hym whiche was not farre of he had killed an other of the Curatij Now thei were equallie matched one to one but in hope and strengthe vnlike For the one was free of wounde or hurte cruell fierce by reason of double victorie the other fainct for losse of bloodde and wearie of runnyng with pantyng breath and discomfited with his brethrens slaughter slaine before hym is now obiected to fight with his victorious enemie whiche was no equall matche Horatius reioysing saied twoo of thy brethren I haue dispatched the thirde the cause of this battaill I will take in hande that the Romanes maie bée lordes of the Albanes Curiatius not able to sustaine his blowe fill doune and liyng vpon his backe he thruste hym into the throte with his sworde whiche dooen he dispoiled hym of his armure Then the Romanes in a great triumphe and reioyse interteigned Horatius and their ioye was the greater for that the feare of their ouerthrowe was the nerer This combate beyng ended the Albanes became subiecte to the Romanes and before Metius departed he asked Tullus if he would cōmaunde hym any further seruice Who willed hym to keepe the young souldiours still in interteignemente for that he would require their aide againste the Verētes The Armie dissolued Horatius like a Conquerour marched home to Rome the three spoiles of his enemies beyng borne before hym The saied Horatius had a sister whiche was espoused to one of the Curatij that were slaine who meetyng her brother in the triumphe at one of the gates called Capena and knowyng the Coate armure of her paramour borne vpō her brothers shulders which she wrought and made with her owne handes She tore and rente the heare of her hedde and moste pitiouslie bewailed the death of her beloued Her brother beyng in the pride of his victorie taking the lamētacion of his sister in disdainfull part drewe out his sworde and thruste her through saiyng these opprobrious woordes Auaunte with thy vnreasonable loue get thee to thy spouse Hast thou forgotten the death of thy twoo brethren that bee slaine the prosperous successe of thy victorious brother chieflie the happie deliueraunce of thy countrie Let that Romane woman what soeuer she bee take like rewarde that shall bewaile the death of the enemie Whiche horrible facte seemed moste cruell to the fathers and people For whiche offence he was brought before the king whom he deliuered to be iudged accordyng to the lawe The lawe condempned him Then he appealed to the people In which appeale P. Horatius his father spake these wordes My doughter is slain not without iust desert whiche if it were not so I would haue sued for condigne punishment to be executed vpō my sōne accordyng to the naturall pietie of a father Wherfore I beseche you dooe not suffer me whom you haue seen in time past beautified with a noble race and progenie of children now to bee vtterly destitute and voide of all together Then he embrased his sonne emonges them all and shewed the spoiles of the Curatiens saiyng Cā you abide to see this noble champion O ye Romanes whom lately ye behelde to goe in order of triumphe in victorious maner to lye now bounde vnder the gibet expecting for tormētes of death Whiche cruell and deformed sight the Albanes eyes can not well be able to beholde goe to then thou hangman and binde the hādes of hym who hath atchieued to the Romane people a glorious Empire Goe I saie couer the face of him that hath deliuered this citie out of thraldome and bōdage Hang him vpon some vnhappy trée and scourge hym in some place within the Citie either emonges these our triumphes where the spoiles of our enemies doe remaine or els without the walles emonges the graues of the vanquished Whether can ye dauise to carrie hym but that his honourable and worthie actes shall reuenge the villanie of his cruell death The people hearyng the lamentable talke of his father and seyng in hym an vnmoueable mynde able to sustaine all aduersitie acquited hym rather through the admiracion of his vertue and valiance then by Iustice and equitie of his cause Suche was the straicte order of iustice emonges the Romanes that although this yong gentilman had vindicated his countrie from seruitute and bondage a noble memorie of perfecte manhode yet by reason of the murdre committed vpon his owne sister thei were very straict and stacke of grauntyng hym pardon because thei would not incorage the posteritie to like inconuenience nor prouoke
Icilius. All which doynges beeyng viewed and marked by Appius in a greate furie ascended the consistorie Then M. Claudius the plaintife began to renewe his sute and before the father could make aunswere to that plea Appius gaue sentence that the maide was bonde whiche sentence semed so cruell that it appalled the whole multitude And as Claudius was laiyng handes vpon the virgine Virginius stepped to Appius and said I haue betrouthed my doughter to Icilius not to thee Appius My care in the bringyng of her vp was to marrie her and not to suffer her to be violated and defloured Is it your maner like sauage and cruell beastes indifferentlie thus to vse your libidinous affections I cannot tell whether the multitude here present will supporte this enormitie but I am sure the armed souldiors and suche as carrie armure will not suffer it Marcus Claudius beyng repulsed by the womeÌ„ and aduocates that were present silence was proclaimed by the Trumpet Then Appius began to declare how he vnderstoode that all the night before that certaine companies were assembled within the Citie to excite and moue sedicion For whiche cause he came with armed menne not to hurte any man that was quiete but accordyng to the aucthoritie of his office to bridle and represse those that were troublers of the publike state Wherefore goe Sergeant q he make roume emonges the multitude that the maister maie enioy his seruaunt Whiche woordes he thundred out with greate furie and therewithall the multitude gaue place leauing the poore Puselle to be a praie to the enemie Her father seyng that he was voide of succour and helpe to defende the innocencie of his doughter spake to Appius in this sorte I firste dooe beseche thee Appius if I haue vsed any vnreasonable woordes againste thee to pardon me and to impute the same to the fathers grief and sorowe Suffer me I praie thee to examine the Nonrsse in the presence of the wench of the whole circumstance of this matter to the intent that if I bee but a supposed father I maie departe hence with quiet conscience satisfied and contented Virginius hauyng license to talke to his doughter and Noursse departed a side into a place called Cloacina where the shoppes be now called Taberne Nouae and pluckyng a sharpe knife from a Bocher that stoode by he thruste the same to the hart of his doughter saiyng By this only meanes doughter I can make thee free and loking again towardes the Iudgement feate he saied This bloodde Appius I consecrate and bestowe vpon thee Whiche doen with his sworde he made waie to passe through the throng to conueigh hymself out of the citie Then Icilius and Nnmitorius tooke vp the deade bodie and shewed it to the people who cried out vpoÌ„ the wickednesse of Appius bewailyng the vnhappie beautie of that faire maiden and deplored the necessitie of the father The women exclamed in lamentable wise saiing Is this the condicion and state of them that bring foorthe children Bee these the rewardes of chastitie With suche like pitifull cries as women are wont to make vpon suche heauie and dolorous enentes Virginius beeyng arriued in the campe whiche then was at the mounte Vicelius with a traine of fower hundred persones that fledde out of the citie shewed to the souldiours the blooddie knife that killed his doughter whiche sight astonied the whole Campe in so muche as euery man demaunded what was the cause of that sodain chaunce Virginius could not speake for teares but at length he disclosed vnto them the effecte of the whole matter and holdyng vp his handes towardes the heauens saied I beseche you deare companions doe not impute the wickednesse of Appius Claudius vpon me ne yet that I am a parricide and murderer of myne owne childreÌ„ the life of my deare doughter had been more acceptable to me then myne owne life if so bee she might haue continued a free woman and an honest virgine But when I sawe she was ledde to the rape like a bondewoman I considered that better it were her life to be lost then suffered to liue in shame wherfore my naturall pitie was conuerted to a kinde of crueltie And for mine owne part I doe not passe to liue loÌ„g after her if I thought I should not haue your helpe and succour to reuenge her death Consider that your selues haue doughters sisters and wiues think not therefore that the fleshly desire of Appius is satisfied with the death of my doughter And the longer that he dooeth continue in this securite the more vnbridâ—led is his appetite Let the calamitie of an other be a sufficieÌ„t documeÌ„t for you to beware like iniuries My wife is deade by naturall fate and constellacion and bicause my doughter could continewe no longer in honeste and chaste life death is befallen vnto her whiche although it bee miserable yet the same is honourable There is now no place in my house for Appius to satisfie his filthy luste And I will faile of my purpose if I doe not reuenge the death of my doughter with so good will vpon his fleshe as I did discharge the dishonour and seruitude of her from his violente and crnell handes This succlamacion and pitifull complainte so stirred the multitude that thei promised all to helpe and relieue his sorowe Whervpon the whole Campe were in a mutine and marched in order of battaile to the mouÌ„te Auentine where Virginius perswaded the souldiours to chose ten principall capitaines to bee heade and chief of that enterprise whiche with honourable titles of the field should be called Tribuni And Virginius hymself beyng elected the chief Tribune saied these woordes to the souldiours I praie you reserue this estimacion which you conceiue of me vntill some better tyme and apter occasion aswell for your commoditie as for my self The death of my doughter wil suffer no honour to be pleasaunte or welcome to me duryng my life Moreouer in this troubled state of the Common wealthe it is not méete for them to be your gouernours that be subiecte and occurant to enuie and reproche if my seruice shal be profitable vnto you wheÌ„ you haue thus created me a Tribune it shall be no lesse commodious if I doe still remaine a priuate manne When he had spoken those woordes thei chose tenne Tribunes And like as the Campe at the mounte Auentine was prouoked and stirred to this sedicioÌ„ euen so by meanes of Icilius and Nomitorius before remembred the armie then beyng against the Sabines began to reuolt and made the like nomber of Tribunes whiche in arraie of battaile marched through the citée at the gate Collina with banner displaied to ioyne with the caÌ„pe vpoÌ„ the mount Auentine And when bothe the campes were assembled thei those out twoo emonges the twentie Tribunes to bee their generalles called M. Oppius and Sextus Manilius The Senate carefull and pensife for these euentes eftsons assembled but no certaine determinacion was agreed vpon At length thei concluded that Valerius and Horatius
shall I dooe Panthea to render thankes to Cyrus for you and me What other thyng saied Panthea but to indeuour your self to be suche a trustie frende to hym as he hath been towardes you Then Abradatas went to Cyrus and when he sawe hym he tooke hym by the right hande and saied For the pleasures that you haue doen me O Cyrus I haue no more to saie but that I assure my self vnto you as your frende your seruaunt and confederate And what soeuer I see you desire I shall imploye my self to the vttermoste of my power to aide and helpe you in the same To whō Cyrus said I accept you and for this tyme dismisse you to goe and suppe with your wife Then you shall againe bee placed in my Lente with your frendes and myne And when Abradatas sawe the preparacion of Cyrus that he made against his enemies he addressed to make prouision for hymself His wife Panthea had made of her treasure a Curate and an helmet of gold and likewise his vambraces and had furnished the horsses of the Chariot with brasen barbes When Cyrus had made diuers oracions for the incoragyng of his armie and had taken order how all thynges might prosperouslie succede diuidyng his Capitaines into seuerall battailes appoinctyng euery of thē their charge Abradatas shewed hymself verie braue and martiall in his Chariot Who being aboute to put on a linen breast plate accordyng to his Countrie maner his wife Panthea brought him an armure of golde and a Purple goune doune to his feete after Robe fashion and a Crimsen skarfe These thynges had she priuelie wroughte for her housbande knowyng the measure of his harnesse whiche when her housbande sawe he marueiled and saied to Panthea Wife haue you not defaced your Iewels to make me this armure Truely saied Pāthea I haue a more precious Iewell then this For if you seme to other as you doe to me you are my dearest Iewell In saiyng thus she armed him and would that no manne should haue seen her for the teares distilled doune her chekes Abradatas being in the fronte of the armie armed after this maner appered a gallante and braue capitaine whose nature and complexion agréed to his comelinesse And takyng the raines of the Chariot in his handes he prepared hymself to mounte vp Then Panthea all other beeyng commaunded to stande backe saied Truely Abradatas if there be women that esteme their housebandes more then their owne liues I thinke you knowe that I am one of thē Therefore what néede I to expresse euery particulare thing My factes as I thinke doe perswade you more then woordes And thus indeuouryng my self towardes you our mutuall loue is suche that I had rather be buried quicke with you beyng a noble manne then to liue in shame I esteme you with the beste and my self not as the worst Greate thankes we owe to Cyrus for his Princelie interteignemente of me beyng a captiue and chosen for himself not like a prisoner with shame but frée without spot or blemish to mine honor And vsed me as though I had been his brothers wife And after Araspas departed from him whiche had the custodie of me I promised hym that if he would giue me leaue to send for you that you should become more loiall and assured to hym then euer Araspas was Abradatas delited with her chaste communicacion tenderly laiyng his hande vpon her heade Looking vp to heauen made this praier O moste mightie Iuppiter graunt that I maie shewe my self an housbande mete for Panthea and a frende worthie of Cyrus who hath so curteouslie dealt with vs. Thus speaking at the entrie of the Chariot seate he went vp to the same when he was set doune the gouernour of the Chariot made fast the seate Panthea hauyng nowe nothyng to embrase kissed the Chariotte seate And he wente forthe But Panthea followed hym priuelie till he tourned and spied her to whom he saied Bée of good comforte Panthea A dieu and farewell Then her Eunuches and women conueighed her to her owne Chariot coueryng the same with curteines Cyrus after the battaile and victorie had againste Craelus called diuers of his menne vnto hym and demaunded if thei sawe Abradatas For I maruell said he he cometh not vnto me now For before the battell many tymes he appered in my presence Wherevnto one of his menne answered The cause is sir that he is not a liue For he was slain in the battaile as he inuaded the Aagiptians The rest of his cōpanie excepte his owne souldiours fledde from hym when thei sawe him incountre with the Aegiptian battaile And whē he was deade his wife Panthea tooke hym vp laied him in her owne wagon conueiyng him to a certaine place by the Riuer Pactolus And thei saie that her Eunuches dooe digge a graue to burie him His wife sitteth vpon the grounde apparrelled with those furnitures that he did weare leanyng her heade vpon her knees With whiche woordes Cyrus was driuen into greate sorowe strikyng himself vpon the thigh and by and by mounted vpon his horse And taking with him M. horsemen he went to mourne for his frende Abradatas More ouer he commaunded Gadatas and Gobryas to carrie the fairest apparrell thei could gette to his good and honest frende that was deade and to assemble his orē and horse and all his beastes and cattell wheresoeuer thei were that thei might be sacrificed to Abradatas But when he sawe Panthea sittyng vpon the ground and the deade corps liyng by her he wept for sorowe and saied Alacke good woman thou trustie and faithfull wife doest thou thus depart and leaue vs alone And with those wordes he toke her by the rght hand and therwithall was presented the deade hand of Abradatas whiche the Aegiptiās in the battell had cut of whiche when Cyrus sawe he then lamented more then he did before And Panthea cried out Who comforted by Cyrus kissed the deade hand laiyng the same againe in his place so well as she could and saied Thus it is chaunced Cyrus but why doe you beheld the deade bodie This I knowe q she he hath suffred for me beyng none of the lest aduentures whiche he hath hazarded for my sake And perchaunce Cyrus he would haue doen no lesse for you For I exhorted hym like a foole as I was to attempt this enterprise that he mighte haue shewed hymself a frende of worthie remembraunce But he obeied that request not onelie for my sake but to pleasure you He hath valiauntlie bestowed his life and is deade and I vnhappie caitife that gaue him first counsaile doe sitte heare aliue But Cyrus for a certaine space holdyng his peace powred furthe abundance of teares and then saied This gentleman Ladie Panthea hath a commendable ende for he died in victorie But take these furnitures and adorne hym therewithall For Gobryas and Gadatas were come with goodlie and verie excellent apparell Then he saied be sure he shal be honoured with greater thinges then these A
feede of the smallest birdes And rust consumeth Iron There is nothyng so firme that is not in perill of the weake What haue we to doe with thee Wee neuer touched thy lande What thou art and from whence then commest is it not lawfull for vs to to be ignoraunte that liue in the waste wooddes We can not be subiecte to any manne and we desire not to rule Wee haue certaine giftes peculiar vnto vs because thou shalte not be ignoraunte of the state of our nacion The yoke of Tren the Plough the Dart and the bowle Those thinges we vse bothe with our frēdes and againste our enemies Unto our frendes wee giue the fruictes gotten with the labour of our oxen And with them in our Bowle we sacrifice wine to the Goddes Our enemies we strike with the Dart a farre of and with the speare nere at hande After that sorte in time past we ouercame the kyng of Scythia and afterwardes the kyng of Media and Persia and the waie was open vnto vs into Aegipt But thou whiche doest boaste that thou art come to persecute Theues art the common thefe of all nacions wherevnto thou makest thy repaire The Countrie of Lydia thou haste taken Thou hast enioyed Syria Thou doest possesse Persia and the Bactrianes be vnder thy power Thou dooest goe into India And now thou extendest thy vnstable and gredie handes vpon our cattall What nede haste thou of those riches whiche doe make thee so hungrie Thou art the first of all men whiche with sacietie hast gotten famine that the more thou haste the more gredelie thou couetest after thynges thou hast not Doest thou not remember how long thou hast slicked about Bactria And whiles thou goest aboute to bryng them in subiection the Sogdians beginne to reuolte Thus warre dooeth growe vnto thee of thy victorie For bee thou neuer so great and puissant ouer other yet there be none that can induce to be gouerned by strangers Passe now Tanais thou shalt perceiue what breadth it beareth and yet thou shalt neuer ouertake the Scithians whose pouertie is swifter then thy armie whiche carieth the spoile of so many nacions For when thou shalt thinke vs to be farre of thou shalte see vs within thy campe with like swiftnesse we folowe and flee awaie I heare that our desertes voide places be mocked by the Greke prouerbes we couet rather those desertes and places vnhabited then cities and plentifull soiles Therfore holde faste thy fortune for she is tickle and can not bee holden against her will Folowe thou the counsaile that is good specially whiles the tyme doeth serue Bridle thy felicitie and thou shalt rule it the better Our coūtrie mē saie that Fortune is without feete and that she hath onely handes and winges but whē she stretcheth forth her hand she will not suffer her winges to be touched Finally if thou be a God thou oughtest to giue benefites to mortall menne and not to take awaie the commodities thei haue alredie but if thou be a man consider that thou art alwaie the same that thou art It is foolishe parte to remember those thinges and to forget thy self Those people that fele not thy warres thou maiest vse as thy frēdes For frendship is moste firme and stable emonges equall and those seme to bee equall that haue not vsed force violence emonges themselues Beware thou take thē not for thy frēdes whom thou doest subdue and bring in obedience There is no frendship betwene the maister and the seruaunte and in peace the lawe of armes is obserued Beleue not that the Scythians doe binde frendship with any othe For thei make their othe by obseruacion of faithe The maner of the Grekes is to iustifie their factes by inuocacion of their Goddes to witnesse But wee knowe that Religion consisteth in faithe her self Thei whiche doe not renerence to men doe begile the Goddes Thou haste no nede of hym to be thy frende of whose frendship thou stādest in doubt Thou haste vs as kepers of Asia and Europa For wee should touche the Countrie of Bactria were it not for Tanais whiche deuideth vs. And beyonde Tanais al is ours so farre as Thracia and the fame is that Thracia bordreth vpon Macedonia wee beyng neighbours to bothe thy dominions chose now whether then wilte haue vs frended or foes These were the woordes of the Scythians Howbeit these homelie and plaine aduertisementes could not diuerte kyng Alexander frō his intended enterprise and accordyng to his desired successe he ouercame them The wordes of Metellus of marriage and wiuyng with the praise and dispraise of the same ¶ The .xiiij. Nouell IN the presence of many learned men of Rome Metellus surnamed Numidicus for his victories and triumphe ouer Iugurtha Kyng of Numidia a Countrie in Africa In the tyme of his office of Censor made an Oracion beiwe the Romane people of mariage of wines vpon occasion that he hymself by diuers of his frēdes was perswaded to that state Against which he vsed many vehement inuectiues and termes which Aulus Gellius omitteth for that he was loth to offende when reporte thereof should be bruted the nice cares and louing mindes of the matrones and dames of that Citie Knowyng well that bothe thei and their successours would not forgette reprochefullie to combate with his spirite and shadowe when thei were not able beyng preuented by earthly vermine by any meanes to impeche his corps in tombe fast closed and buried But when I doe remember how the same was saied and also noised emonges a bande of Heathen soules whose mindes for want of godlie skill could not digest suche hainous blastes as sounded in a tyme prophane wherein no sacred voice of christian lore was breathed vnto redemed flocke I call to minde that now I may in tyme of grace righte frankelie write without offence to humble state of matrone kinde in these oure daies inspired with spirite of humble harte whose eares no tauntyng talke can griue Wherefore with blushles face and vnstaied penne I meane the woordes of that well learned wighte in open audience to pronounce and by this booke to suche elected sort for to declaire But leth for to offende as one wel bet in mariage schole I must a paena culpa forgiuenes craue lest some shreude Heathen dame for other doubt I not doe frō her graue Al'Arme crie out And then to fight with buried ghostes my manhode will not serue but by and by with postyng legges and fliyng faste for to retire But doubtes here bee brought foorthe where doubting cause is none Gellius therefore in persone of the vnmaried knight in woordes right fewe this sentence of the maried state doeth vtter and proclame O ye Romanes if we could be without wiues then all wee should wante that griefe But bicause nature hath so prouided that neither with them wee can liue and passe our tyme conuenientlie nor yet by any meanes be without thē satisfied we ought rather to make preparacion for perpetuall health
whiche is a great shame and selaundre to the world in these daies proofe whereof is euident enough for that the vertues past haue forsaken the present sorte whiche liue in the ordure and filth of all vices But to procede in that whiche I haue begonne although vpon lust occasion I haue a litle more digressed then I thought I saie that the foresaide Guglielmo Borsiere was honored visited of the gentelmen of Genoua who making his abode for a certen time in the Citie and hearinge tell of the misery and couetousnes of M. Ermino had great desire to sée him M. Ermino hearinge tell that this Guglielmo Borsiere was an excellent man hauinge in him although a couetouse man some sparke of gētilite he receiued him with frendlie woordes and good countenaunce entring into communication with him of diuers and sundrie matters and in talking brought him with certen other Citizens to one of his houses whiche was very faire and newe where after he had shewed him his house he saide vnto him Oh M. Guglielmo you that haue séene and hearde many thinges can you shewe vnto me any newe deuise neuer séene before that I may cause the same to be painted in my hall To whome M. Guglielmo hearinge his fonde talke answered Sir I cā shewe you nothing but that whiche hath béen knowen before excepte Nesinges or suche like But if it please you sir I will gladly teache you one whiche I thinke you neuer sawe M. Ermino gladde to here of that saied I praie you sir tell me what it is not thinckinge he would haue made that answere To whom maister Guglielmo redely saied Cause the figure of Liberalitie to be painted At which answere maister Ermino was so sodenly ashamed that he was forced to chaūge his minde in a maner cleane contrary to his accustomed vse and saied Maister Guglielmo I will cause the same to be painted in such wise as neither you nor any man elles shall haue occasion iustlie to obiecte the same againste me And from that time foorthe suche was the force of that taunte he was the moste liberall and bountifull Gentleman that dwelt in Genoua and one that honoured straungers and Citizens more then euer any did in his time Master Alberto of Bologna by pleasant answeare made a Gentlewoman to blushe which had thought to haue put him out of countenaunce in tellinge him that he was in loue with her ¶ The .xxxij. Nouell NOt many yéeres paste their was at Bologna a notable Phisician renoumed through out the whole worlde called Master Alberto who beinge olde almost lx yeeres of age had suche an excellent witte that although naturall heate was expired in his bodie yet he disdained not to conceiue some amorouse flames of loue Seinge at a banket a very faire gentlewoman a widowe called as some saie Madonna Margherita de Ghisiheri she pleased his fancie so well that he fixed her so fast in the siege of his remembrance as if he had béene a younge man of ripe and youthly yeeres In suche wise as that night he coulde take no reste if the daie before he had not seene the faire and beautifull face of this faire gentlewoman For whiche cause sometimes a foote and sometimes on horsebacke as he thought best he continually vsed to passe before her lodginge whiche was the cause that she and diuerse other gentlewomen did marke thoccasion of his ofte passinge to and fro that waie And many times they lested and dalied amongest them selfes to sée a man of suche yeeres and experience to be in loue thinckinge that the displeasant passion of loue coulde fallen no holde but in the fonde mindes of younge people and no where else Wherefore Master Alberto daylie passinge to and fro by the house of that gentlewoman it chaunced vpon holy daie that she sittinge with other dames before her dore and seinge Master Alberto a farre of cominge towardes them they all determined curteousely to receiue him and reuerently to salute him and afterwardes merely to talke and sport of his loue whiche accordingly they did The gentlewomen risinge vp they brought him into a Courte of aire freshe and pleasant where they caused to be brought foorth excellente wines and comfites and in the ende with many cheerefull nd pleasaunt woordes they asked him howe it was possible he coulde be in loue with that faier gentlewoman specially sithens many faire and trimme yongemen did loue her Master Alberto perceiuinge himselfe touched and gesled at very honestly answered with smilyng countenaunce Mastres No wise man what so euer he be ought to maruel why I am in loue chiefely with you bicause your beautie woorthines dothe well deserue the same And although that naturally the forces whiche be incident to exercises of Loue doe finde in olde men good will therefore is not in them depriued nor the iudgement in knowlege in that which ought to be beloued But bicause they haue more knowledge then yonge men therfore by nature thei better know the qualitie of Loue. The hope that moueth me an old man to loue you that is so well beloued of yonge mē is this I haue many times béene conuersant in places where I haue seene gentlewomen for there collation and pleasure after dinner oftentimes to eate lupines and lekes and albeit that in the leke there is nothing good yet the hedde thereof is less hurtefull and most pleasant to the mouthe whereof generally through a folish lust ye holde the hedde in your hande and chawe the leaues whiche not only be cuel and nought but also be of an ill fauored smell and fauour And what doe I know mistres if in the choise of your frendes ye doe the like Whiche if ye doe no doubt it is I whom you haue chosen and haue forsaken all other This gentlewoman sometime ashamed and blushing with the rest saide Master Alberto you haue full well and curteousely paied vs home and answered our presumptuouse obiection Notwithstanding I doe estéeme and accepte your amitie loue as I ought to regarde the loue of a wise and honest personage And so mine honestie and honour saued all that I haue to doe you pleasure assuredly is at your cōmaundement Therewith all Master Alberto rose vp thanckinge the gentlewoman and with muche sporte and pleasant talke takinge his leaue of the company departed In this maner the gentlewoman giuinge ouer her scoffes and tauntes whereby she thought to put Master Alberto out of concept was ouercome her selfe Where of I in the name of Panfilo Filostrato and Dioneo by way of intreatie doe beseech ye Ladies Pampinea Fiāmerta Philomena and other gentlewomen to beware howe ye doe contriue your hollie day talke by waste of wordes issuing forth your delicate mouthes in carpinge gaudinge and iestinge at yonge gentlemen and specially olde men and Master Alberto of Bologna that for loue like the grene stalkes or graie he dres of lekes doe desire to sauer your mouthes and by honest recreacion and pleasure to gratefie your comely
theÌ„selfes to keepe and defende that none within the Pinnas excepte he would be shot through was able to escape Then retiryng into their skiftes with helpe of the Tide thei approched Landolpho his barke which without any great difficultie in a smalle space thei tooke with all the companie not losyng so muche as one manne And cariyng Landolpho aborde one of their cockes and all within borde his litle Pinnas thei soncke the same and all the Mariners kepte Landolpho sufferyng him not to haue about him any kinde of armure not so muche as an haberion The next daie the winde chaunged and the shippes hoisted vp sailes toward Leuant and all that daie prosperouslie sailed on their voiage But vpon the closyng of the night a storme rose again and separated the twoo shippes one from an other And by force of the winde it chaunced that the Shippe wherein poore Landolpho was strake with greate violence vpon a sande in the Islande of Cephalonia And as one would throwe a glasse against a wall euen so the shippe opened and fill in peces whereby the sorowfull Mariners that stoode aboue the seas beyng couered with gooddes coaffers and planckes of the shippe that swaÌ„me aboue water whiche chaunceth many tymes in suche like accidentes the night beyng darke the billowes goyng high and â—â—â—â—â—â—ble suche as were able to swimme began to take holde of those thinges whiche Fortune gaue vnto theÌ„ Emonges whoÌ„ wretched Landolpho seyng death before his face whiche he so greatlie desired and so many tymes craued the daie before rather then to retourne home in that poore estate was afraied and taught holde of a borde amonges the reste trustyng it might chaunce that God would pardon hym of drownyng and sende hym some refuge for his escape And as he was horsebacke and fletyng vpon a plancke so well as he could driuen here and there with the sea and winde he helde fast the fame till it was daie light whiche when he perceiued he looked aboute hym and sawe nothyng but the cloudes the Seas and a coaffer swimmyng aboue water whiche was driuen so nere hym that it made hym many tymes to feare that it would bee his ouerthrowe And the nerer it came the more he laboured to putte it backe so well as he could with his hande although his force and power was gone But how so euer it chaunced a gale of winde blewe out of the skies and strake the coaffer againste the borde wherevpon Landolpho was who by that meanes driueÌ„ backe was forced to giue ouer the plaÌ„ck and with a billowe was beaten vnder the water and afterwardes remountyng a lofte againe he swamme more through feare then force And seyng the borde caried a farre of from hym fearyng lest he should not bee able to fasten the same again he drewe toward the coafer whiche was nere inough vnto him And laiyng his breast vpon the couer thereof he made it goe so right as he could with his armes And in this maner driueÌ„ by the sea now here now there without eating as hauyng not wherewithall and drinkyng more then he would he continued all that daie and night folowing not knowyng where he was for he sawe nothyng but sea The nexte mornyng either by the will of God or through the windes force LaÌ„dolpho whiche was then transformed into a Sponge holdyng faste with bothe his handes the brimme of the coafer like as we se theÌ„ that feare to bee drouned dooe take holde of the nexte thyng that cometh to hande arriued at the shore af the Isle of Corfu where by fortune a poore woman was scowryng her vessell with Sande and salte water who seyng hym drawe nere and perceiuing in him no forme or fashion of a man was afraied and criyng out ranne backe He not able to speake and se but verie litle could saie nothyng but as the Sea droue hym nere the shore the woman discried the likenes of a coafer and beholdyng the same more aduisedlie sawe at length his armes vpon the same and therewithall his face merueilyng with her self who it should be wherfore moued with compassion she went into the sea a litle waie whiche then was calme and catchyng hym by the heare The pluckte him and the coafer to lande And with muche a doe vnfolded his armes that were about the coafer causyng her maide that was with her to carrie the coafer vpon her bedde And she bare hym to lande like a litle childe whiche dooen she put hym into a hotte house and with warme water by frotting and rubbyng hym his naturall heate and other his senses loste began to come againe into their former course And when he sawe tyme she toke hym out cherishing and comforting him with wines and brothes and so well as she could made him at length to recouer his force in suche wise that he knewe where he was Then the woman deliuered hym his coafer whiche she had saued and hadde hym to seke his aduenture And thus this good wife delte with Landolpho Who litle estemed the coafer but yet he considered that it could not be of so small valour but that it was able to beare his charges for certaine daies But feelyng it light he was cleare voide of hope to haue any succour and relief thereof Neuerthelesse when the good wife was out of the doores he brake open the same to see what was within where he founde many precious Iewelles some bounde together and some lose wherin he had pretie skill And knowyng theÌ„ to be of greate value giuyng thankes to God whiche had not yet forsaken hym was wholie recomforted Howbeit for so muche as in a litle space he had been twise cruellie distressed and tormented by Fortune fearyng the third tyme he thought that it was nedefull for him to take hede how to dispose his thinges in sauftie till he came home to his owne house Wherefore hauing bestowed those precious iewelles in certaine ragges and cloutes so well as he could he saied to the goodwife that he had no neede of the coafer but if she would giue hym a bagge he would bestowe the same vpoÌ„ her Whiche the good wife willinglie did And Landolpho giuyng her so greate thankes as he could for the kindnes whiche he had founde at her handes tooke his leaue and imbarking himself he passed to Branditio and froÌ„ thence froÌ„ place to place till he came to Tranj where finding diuers of the Citie wherein he dwelte that were Drapers he was apparelled of them in a maner of Gods sake to whom he tolde the discourse of all his fortune except the coafer who leÌ„t hym a horse and sent diuers in his companie to bryng hym home to Rauello And when he was in sauftie arriued he thanked God that had brought hym thither where he searched his bougette with more leasure then he did at the firste and founde that he had many stones of so great valoure that selling them at price reasonable for lesse then thei were worthe his substaunce did
amount to so muche more then it was when he departed from his house And when he had founde the meanes to dispatche and sell his iewelles he sent to Corfu a good pece of money to the woman that tooke hym out of the sea to recompence the kindnesse that he had founde at her handes and the like to them of Tranj that had giuen hym apparell the rest he tooke to hymself and would be no more a marchaunt but liued at home in honeste estate to the ende of his life Andreuccio of Perugia being come to Naples to buy horsse was in one night surprised with three merueious accidētes All whiche hauyng escaped with with one Rubie he retourned home to his house ¶ The .xxxvi. Nouell THere was at Perugia ae yong man called Andreuccio di Pietro a Horssecorser who vnderstāding of a horse faire at Naples did put fiue hundred Crounes in his pursse and neuer traueiling before from his owne house wente thither with certaine other marchauntes arriuyng at Naples vpon a Sondaie at night The nexte mornyng accordyng to the instructions giuen him by his hosse he went to the faire where he viewed and sawe many horsse whereof diuers did verie well like hym and demaunded their prises but with none he could agrée of price And to shewe himself a right well able man to paie for that he bought many tymes like a dolle and foole as he was he drewe out his pursse stuffed with crounes in the presence of them that passed to and fro It chaunced that a yonge womā of Scicilia whiche was verie faire but at euery mannes commaundement and that for litle hire passed by as he was shewyng his pursse not marked or perceiued by Andreuccio who sodainlie saied to her selfe What is she in all this toune that should be like vnto me if al those crounes were mine And so passed forth There was with this yonge peate an olde woman a Scicilian also who so sone as she espied Andreuccio forsoke her cōpanion and ran affectuouslie to imbrace hym Whiche the yonge woman perceiuing not speakyng a woorde she gaue good heede to that thei saied Andreuccio tournyng himself to the olde woman immediatlie knewe her and reioysed muche that he had so happelie mette her whom after greate gratulacions and many welcomes she promised to visite at his lodgyng whiche doen she departed from Andreuccio and he retourned to buy his horsse howbeit that morning he bought none at all The yonge dame whiche hadde firste seen this pursse and marked the acquaintaunce betwene the olde woman and hym to assaie by what meanes she might gette that money or at least some parte thereof subtellie asked the olde woman what manne that was of whence what he did there and how he knewe her To whom the old woman particularlie recoumpted her whole acquaintaunce how she dwelt of long tyme in Scicilia with his father and afterwardes at Perugia And likewise she tolde her when he retourned and for what cause he was come to Naples This iollie wenche wholy informed of Andreuccio his parentes and of their names made a plat and foundacion by subtill and craftie meanes how to obtaine her purpose And when she was come home to her house she sent the olde woman about businesse for that daie bicause she might not retourne to Andreuccio She had dwellyng with her a pretie girle well noseled and broughte vp in doyng of arrantes whom about euenyng she sent to the lodgyng of Andreuccio to make inquirie for him where by fortune she chaunced to finde hym standyng alone at his bostes doore whō the girle did aske if he knewe not an honest mā of Perugia called Andreuccio di Pietro that hosted there Yes my girle quod he I am the same manne Then she tooke hym a side and saied vnto hym Sir there is a gentle woman of this Toune that would gladlie speake with you if it wer your pleasure Whiche when Andreuccio hearde by and by he called to mynde and semed to hymself that he was a goodlie yange manne of persone and that without doubte the same woman was in loue with him bicause in al Naples he thought there was none so proper a striplyng as hymself Whom incontinentlie he answered that he would waite vpon her demaunding whē he should come and to what place To whom she made answere Euen when it pleaseth your sir. For my maistresse attēdeth at home for you Andreuccio vpō that without any woorde spoken to his hoste whether he was gone saied to the wenche Goe thou before and I will followe And the girle did conducte hym to her maistres house whiche dwelt in a streate called Malpertugio a name shewyng the honestie of the streate where she dwelte But he knowyng and suspectyng nothyng thought the place to be right honest that he went vnto and the wife likewise honest and good and boldlie entred the house the wenche goyng before And moūting by the staiers This yonge gristle called her maistresse saiyng vnto her that maister Andreuccio was come Who redie at the vpper steppe seemed as though she attended for hym This Ladie was fine and had a good face well apparelled and trimmed after the best maner Who seing maister Andreuccio at hande descended twoo steppes of the staiers with her armes open to imbrace hym foldyng the same aboute his necke and paused a certaine space without speakyng and woorde as though greate loue and earnest affection enforced her so to doe Then wepyng she kissed his face and with a voice halfe vttered betwene howlyng and speakyng she saied vnto hym O Andreuccio myne owne dere harte moste hartelie well come Andreuccio merueilyng at those tender woordes all amased answered Gētlewoman and you also wel founde out Afterwardes she toke him by the hand and conueied hym vp into a parlour and from thence without further talke into a chamber whiche was al perfumed with Roses with flowers of Orenges and other swete smelles where he sawe a bedde wel furnished diuers sortes of apparell placed vpō presses accordyng to the maner of that countrie and many other faire and riche ornamentes By reason whereof Andreuccio whiche was but a freshewater Souldiour thoughte that she had been a greate Ladie And thei twoo sitting together vpon a chest at her beddes féete She began thus to saie vnto hym Andreuccio I am assured you dooe greatlie wonder at these faire woordes this curteous interteignement and at the teares whiche I lette falle And no meruaile althoughe you doe not knowe me and peraduenture neuer heard tell of me before But I will declare vnto you a thyng more strasige and merueilous then that is And to tell you plaine I am your owne sister and I saie vnto you that sith it hath pleased my Lorde God to shewe me so muche grace and fauour that I doe now se one of my brethren before I die although I desire to see them al I care not when he dooe call me from this wretched woride I am so in spirite comforted and releued And
was marching vp the highest parte of the Citie by chaunce he sawe twoo men before hym with a lanthorne light in one of their handes comyng towardes hym for auoidyng of whō bicause he feared that it was the watch or some other ill desposed persones he hidde hymself in an old house harde by But thei as of purpose wente to the verie same place Where one of them dischargyng hymself of certaine instrumentes of yron whiche he bare vpō his backe bothe of them did viewe and surueie those yrons debatyng of diuers thinges touchyng the same and as thei were talkyng togethers one of them said what meaneth this I smell the foulest stenche that euer I felt in all my life And whē he had saied so he lifted vp the Lanthorne and espied miserable Andreuccio couchyng behinde the wall being afraied asked who it was Andreuccio helde his peace But thei approchyng nere him with their light demaunded what he made there so filthely arraied To whom Andreuccio rehersed the whole aduenture as it chaūced Who consideryng the cause of that misfortune saied one to an other this no doubt was doen in the house of Scarabone Butta Fuoco and tournyng towardes Androuccio one of them saied vnto hym Good manne although thou hast loste thy money yet thou hast greate cause to praise God that it was thy chaunce to falle and not to entre again into the house For if thou haddest not fallen assure thy self that when thou haddest been a slepe thy throte had been cutte and so with thy money shouldest haue lost thy life But what auaileth it now to wepe and lamente For thou shaite so sone plucke the starres out of the elemente as euer recouer one penie of thy losse And without doubt he will kill thee if he vnderstande that thou make any woordes thereof When thei had saied so and had giuen hym that admonicion thei cōforted hym in this wise Good felowe we doe lament thy state And therefore if thou wilte ioyne thy self with vs about an enterprise whiche we haue in hande we warraunte thee thou shalte gette a great deale more then thou hast lost Andreuccio like one in extreame despaire was contente The date before was buried one Messer Philippo Minutulo an Archebishoppe of Naples in riche pontificalles and ornamentes with a Rubie vpon his finger that was worthe fiue hundreth Ducattes of golde whom thei purposed to robbe and dispoile telling Andreuccio the whole order of their intente who more coueitous then well aduised went with them And going towardes the greate churche Andreuccio his persume began so sente verie stronge wherevpon one of them saied Is it not possible to deuise awaie that this shitten beaste maie washe hymself in some place that he stincke no more thus filthelie Yes quod the other There is a pitte here harde by ouer whiche there hangeth a pulley and a greate bucket where we maie presently washe hym When thei were come to the pitte thei founde the rope hangyng still vpō the pulley but the bucket was taken awaie wherefore thei thought beste to tye hym to the rope and to lette hym doune the pitte to washe himself And that when he was washed he should wagge the rope and thei would hoiste hym vp again Whiche thei did But it chaunced that whiles he was thus clensyng himself in the pitte The watche of the citie because thei swette and the nighte was verie hot being drie thirstie came to the pitte to drincke The other twoo perceiuyng the watche at hande left Andreuccio in the pitte and ranne awaie The watche whiche was come thither to drinke perceiued not those twoo that were fledde And Andreuccio beyng still in the bottome when he had clensed hymself beganne to wagge the rope The watche sittyng doune by the pittes side caste of their clokes and laied doune their halbardes and other weapons and began to drawe vp the rope thinkyng that the bucket full of water was tiede to the same When Andreuccio was haled vp to the brincke of the pitte he forsoke the rope and cast hymself with one his handes vpon the side of the same When the watche sawe that thei for feare ranne awaie so faste as thei could without speakyng any worde Whereof Andreuccio did meruaile very muche And if he had not taken good holde he had fallen again doune to the bottome to his greate hurte and peraduenture not without perill of his life Notwithstandyng beyng out of the pitte and findyng halberdes and other weapons there whiche he knewe well his fellowes brought not with them he then began muche more to wonder But betwene feare and ignoraunce of that whiche happened complainyng hymself of his harde Fortune without touchyng of any thing he determined to goe from thence and wente he could not tell whether But as he was departyng from that place he mette his fellowes retiryng backe to drawe hym vp And when thei perceiued hym alredie haled out of the pitte thei were wonderfully abashed and asked who drewe hym out Andreuccio made answere that he could not tell rehearsyng to them in order what had chaunced and of the thynges he founde without Thei vnderstandyng the matter laughed and tolde hym again the cause wherfore thei ranne awaie and what thei were that drewe hym vp And without further talke beyng then about midnight thei repaired to the greate churche Into the whiche thei easely entred And wente to the Tombe whiche was of Marble verie huge and weightie The couer whereof beyng verie greate with their crowes of yron and other tooles thei lifted it vp so farre that one man was able to entre whiche doen one asked an other who should goe in Not I quod one and not I quod the other No nor I quod Andreuccio Thother twoo hearyng Andreuccio saie so stepped vnto hym saiyng Wilte thou not goe in By the faithe we owe to God if thou goe not in we will so beate thee with one of these yron barres that thou shalte neuer sturre againe out of this place Andreuccio beeyng made their common ridyng foole greatly fearyng when he heard them saie so went in And when he was in the graue he saied vnto hymself These good felowes doe make me goe in bicause thei would deceiue me For when I haue giuen them all that is here and I redie to come out thei meane to runne awaie to saue them selfes and to leaue me behinde without any part therof Wherefore he purposed first to take his owne porcion to hymself And remembryng the Rynge of great valour whereof thei tolde hym so sone as he was in the graue he pulled it of from the Archbishops finger and putte it vpon his owne And afterwardes taking the Crosse the Miter and the Gloues dispoiling hym euen to his shurt he gaue them all saiyng That there was nothyng els But thei pressyng vpon hym that there was a Ring behinde willed hym throughly to make serche for it howbeit he still answered that he could not fiude it And bicause he would make thē tary
soonne Perotto went into Wales not without greate labour and paine as one neuer accustomed to traueile on foote Where dwelte one other of the kyng of Englandes Marshalles that was of greate aucthoritie and kept a noble house To whose court the Erle and his sonne oftentymes repaired to practise begge their liuyng where one of the Marshalles sonnes and other gentlemennes children doyng certaine childishe sportes and pastymes as to runne and leape Perotto began to entermedle hymself emonges them who in those games did so excellently well as none was his better whiche thyng diuers tymes the Marshall perceiuing and well pleased with the order of the childe asked of whence he was It was told him that he was a poore mannes soonne whiche many tymes came thither to begge his almose The Marshall desiryng the childe the Erle whiche praied vnto God for nothyng els liberally gaue hym vnto hym although it gréeued hym to departe from hym The Erle then hauyng bestowed his sonne and his doughter determined no lōger to tarry in Englande but so well as he could he passed ouer into Irelande and when he was arriued at Stanford he placed hymself in the seruice of a man of armes belōging to an Erle of that countrie doing all thinges that did belong vnto a seruing man or page not knowen to any mā he cōtinued there a long time with great paine and toile Violenta named Gianetta that dwelte with the Ladie at London grewe so in yeres in beautie in personage and in suche grace and fauour of her lorde and Ladie and of all the rest of the house and so well beloued of all them that knewe her that it was meruailous to sée All men that sawe her maners and countenaunce iudged her to be worthy of greate honour and possessions by reason whereof the Ladie that receiued her of her father not knowyng what she was but by his reporte purposed to marrie her honourablie accordyng to her worthinesse But God the rewarder of all mennes desertes knowyng her to be a noble woman and to beare without cause the penaunce of an other mannes offence disposed her otherwise and to the intente that this noble gentlewoman might not come into the hādes of a man of ill condicion it must be supposed that that whiche came to passe was by Goddes owne will and pleasure suffred to be dooen The gentlewoman with whom Gianetta dwelt had but one onely sonne by her husbande whiche bothe she and the father loued verie dearly as well because he was a soonne as also that in vertue and good merites he greatly excelled For he surpassed all other in good condicions valiaunce goodnesse and beautie of personage beyng about sixe yeres elder then Gianetta who seeyng the maiden to bee bothe faire and comely became so farre in loue with her that he estemed her aboue all thinges of the worlde And bicause he thought her to be of base parentage he durste not demaunde her of his father and mother to wife But fearyng that he should lose their fauour he kepte his loue secrete whereby he was worse tormented then if it hadde been openly knowen And thereby it chaunced through Loues malice he fill sore sicke For whose preseruacion were many Phisians sente for and thei markyng in hym all signes and tokens of sickenes and not knowyng the disease were altogether doubtfull of his health whereof the father and mother tooke so greate sorowe and grief as was possible and many tymes with pitifull praiers thei damaunded of hym the occasion of his disease To whom he gaue for answere nothyng els but heauie sighes and that he was like to consume die for weakenesse It chaunced vpon a daie there was brought vnto hym a Phisicion that was verie younge but in his science profoundlie learned and as he was holdyng hym by the poulces Gianetta who for his mothers sake attended hym verie carefully entred vpon occasion into the chamber where he laie sicke and so sone as the yonge gentleman perceiued her and that she spake neuer a worde or made any signe or demonstracion towardes hym he felt in his harte to arise his moste amourous defire wherefore his poulces beganne to beate aboue their common custome whiche thyng the Phisicion immediatly perceiued and merualled stādyng still to se how long that fitte would continue Gianetta was no soner gone out of the chamber but the beatyng of the poulces ceased wherfore the Phisicion thought that he had founde out some parte of the gentlemannes disease and a litle while after seming to take occasiō to speake to Gianetta holdyng hym still by the armes he caused her to be called in and she incontinently came but she was no soner come but the poulces beganne to beate againe and when she departed the beatyng ceased Whervpon the Phisicion was throughly perswaded that he vnderstode the effecte of his sicknes and therewithall rose vp and takyng the father and mother aside saied vnto them The health of your sonne doeth not consist in the helpe of Phisicions but remaineth in the handes of Gianetta your maide as I haue perceiued by moste manifest signes whom the yonge man feruently dooeth loue And yet so farre as I perceiue the maiden doeth not knowe it you therefore vnderstande now what to doe if you loue his life The gentleman and his wife hearyng this was somewhat satisfied for so muche as remedie mighte bee founde to saue his life athough it greued them greatly if the thing wherof thei doubted should come to passe which was the marriage betwene Gianetta and their soonne The Phisicion departed thei repaired to their sicke soonne the mother saiyng vnto hym in this wise My soonne I would neuer haue thought that thou wouldest haue kept secrete from me any parte of thy desire specially seyng that without the same thou dooest remaine in daūger of death For thou art or ought to bée assured that there is nothyng that maie be gotten for thy contētacion what so euer it had been but it should haue been prouided for thée in as ample maner as for my self But sith thou haste thus doen it chaūceth that our Lorde God hath shewed more mercie vpon thée then thou hasle doen vpō thy self And to th ende thou shalt not die of this disease he hath declared vnto me the cause of the same whiche is none other but the great loue that thou bearest to a yonge maide wherso euer she bee And in deede thou oughtest not to bée ashamed to manifest thy loue bicause it is meete and requisite for thyne age For if I wist thou couldest not loue I would the lesse esteme thee Now then my good sonne be not afraied franckly to discouer all thyne affectiō Driue awaie the furie and thought whiche thou hast taken whereof this sickenes commeth And comfort thy self Beyng assured that thou shalt desire nothyng at my handes that maie be doen for thy contentacion but it shall bee accomplished of me that loueth thee better then myne owne life and
Take order in the mean time that all my noble menne the Baschats and the principall of my menne of warre bee assembled together to morowe in the middes of the greate halle of my pallace This determinacion finished the Emperor went into the Greke and reioysyng hymself all that daie and mighte with her he made more of her then euer he did before And the more to flatter her he dined with her and commaunded that after diner she should adorne her self with the moste precious Iewelles and decke her with more sumptuous apparel then euer she did weare before Whervnto the poore wenche obeied not knowyng that it was her Funerall apparell On the other side Mustapha vncertaine of the Emperors mynde at the hower appoincted caused all the nobilitie to bee assembled in the hall euery of them merueilyng what moued the Emperour so to doe sithens he had so long tyme shutte vp hymself without shewing his persone abrode Beyng thus assembled and euery manne talkyng diuersly of this matter accordyng as their affection serued beholde the Emperor entred into the pallace leadyng the Greke by the hande who beyng adorned otherwise then she was wonte to bee was accompanied and garnished with beautie so rare and excellente that she resembled rather an heauenlie Goddesse then a humaine creature The Turke came into the hall after that the lordes had made their reuerence accordyng to their wonted maner holdyng still the faier Greke by the left hāde he stode stil in the middest of the holle then lokyng furiously rounde aboute hym he saied vnto them So farre as I vnderstande all ye dooe mutine and grudge bicause I beyng vanquished with Loue can not separate and withdrawe my self daie nor nighte from the presence of this Greke But I dooe knowe none of you all so continente and chaste in Loue that if he had in his possession a thyng so rare and precious so amiable and beautie so excellente but before he could forgette her and giue her ouer he would three tymes be well aduised What say ye to the matter Euery of you shall haue frée libertie secretly to tell me your mynde But thei rapt with an incredible admiracion to see so faier a thyng saied that he had with greate reason passed his tyme with her Wherevnto the barbarous cruell Prince answered Well now then I will make you to vnderstande that there is no earthlie thyng that can binde vp or captiuate my sences so muche but that from hence forthe I will followe myne anncestours hauyng the glorie and valiaunce of the Ottomans so fixed in my breast that nothyng els but death is able to blot it out of my remembraunce Those wordes finished incontinently with one of his handes he catched the Greke by the heare of the heade and with his other hande he drewe out his falchion from his side and foldyng his handes aboute the golden lockes of her heare at one blowe he strake of her bedde to the great terrour of them all When he had so dooen he saied vnto them Now ye knowe whether your Emperor is able to represse and bridle his affectiōs or not Within a while after meanyng to discharge the rest of his cholere he addressed a Campe of fower score or an hundred thousande men with whom percyng Boussine he besieged Belgrade where Fortune was so cōtrary vnto hym that he was put to flight and loste there a notable battaile against the Christians vnder the conducte of Ihon Huniades surnamed le Blanc who was father of the worthie and glorious kyng Mathie Coruin A Ladie falsely accused of adulterie was condemyned to be deuoured of Lions the maner of her deliuerie and howe her innocencie beyng knowen her accuser felt the paines for her prepared ¶ The .xlj. Nouell IN the countrie of Aquitane there was sometime a lorde whose landes and lorshippes laie betwene Limosine and Poictou and for the antiquitie of his house was renowmed bothe for bloodde and wealthe emonges the chief of all the Countrie Beyng allied in kinred with the beste and had full accesse and fauour aswell in the houses of the auncient Dukes of Guienne and Countes of Poictou as in the royall Courtes of the Frenche Kynges This Lorde whom Bindello the aucthour of this historie affirmeth to be Signor de la Rocca Soarda but the translator and augmentator of the same in Frenche called Francois de Belle Forest leaueth out his name for good respecte as he allegeth kepte a greate Courte and liberall householde and singularlie delighted after the maner of the Frenche nobilitie in huntyng specially in hawkyng His house also was had in greater admiracion the rudenesse and ignoraūce of that tyme was suche bicause he had gotten beastes of straunge Countries chieflie Lions wherein he had greate pleasure aswell for the rarenesse of that beast in Fraunce as for a certaine generositie that he knewe to bee in the same whiche resembled the magnanimitie and courage of noble men whose mindes and spirites dooe not esteme thynges that be vaine and cannot be affraied in doyng of thinges wherevnto honour is offred for rewarde This Lorde maried a Ladie the doughter of one his neighbours a woman worthie for suche a husbande whose beautie was suche as there was none comparable vnto her whiche the more increased for that she was indued with perfite vertue and furnished with so good behauiour that right good mindes and wittes should bee occupied naie rather put to their shiftes to decide whether gift were greatest either the exquisite workemanship of her excellyng beautie or whether Nature had imploied all her cunnyng to frame a bodie to appere before menne miraculous or els her honest port her good grace curtesie and graue mildnesse accompanied with vertue not vulgare or common to many mē whiche made his ladie to shine like the glistering Planet of Mars emonges other the wanderyng starres In suche wise as the verie sauage and brute were formed with splendent fame to praise her to be suche a woman whose equall thei neuer knewe to bee in all their Countrie who made the house of her husbande glorious and hym a contented manne to beholde suche a Starre to lie by his side whiche suffised to illustrate and beautifie a whole countrie by her onely presence and to nobilitate a race although the bloodde of auncestours did faile for the accomplishement of their perfection Suche is the great force of Uertue whiche not onely did aduaunce her aboue them that dooe her imbrase but rather did cōstraine the enuious to haue her in admiracion But these admiratours and praisers of Uertue dooe not vse suche indeuour for the merites whiche thei attribute to the thyng rather thei imploie their onely industrie to gather some profite of her and then followyng the nature of the dogge doe retourne to their vomite and bestowe their venime hidden in their Serpentes breaste As it came to passe and was euidente in a certaine manne that was Stewarde of this noble mannes house truely a verie happie house aswell for
gret force of a Princes arme iustly displeased and to others what fauor a King coulde vse towardes them whome he knewe to be loyall and faythfull giuing cause of repentance to them which at other times had done him displeasure And to say the truth he might be placed in the ranke of the most happie Princes that euer were if the priuate affaires of his owne house had so happyly succeded as the renowme which he wanne in the science of warfare and in the administration of the common wealthe But nothing being stable in the lyfe of man This Emperour had in him that thing that diminished the glorye of his wisedome and resembling an Octauius Augustus the vnhappie successe of his owne house did somewhat obscure the fame of his noble factes and those insolent doings serued vnto him as a counterpoyse to prosperous Fortune which may be easily perceyued by the progresse and continuation of this Historie This good Prince had one daughter in whome Nature had distributed hir giftes in such wise that she alone might haue vaunted hir selfe to attaine the perfection of all them which euer had any thing worthy of admiration were it in the singularitie of beautie fauour and courtesie or in her disposition and good bringing vp The name of this fayre Princesse was Adelafia And when this Ladie was very yong one of the children of the Duke of Saxone came to the Emperours seruice whose kinsman he was This yong Prince besides that he was one of the fayrest and comlyest gentlemeÌ„ of Allemaigne had therewithal together with knowledge of armes a passing skill in good scieures which mitigated in him the ferocitie bath of his warlike knowledge and of the nature of his Countrey His name was Alerane who seing himselfe the yongest of his house and his inheritaunce verie small indeuoured to conciliate euery mannes fauoure and good will to remoue his owne fortune and to bring himselfe in estimation with the Emperour where in all thinges he imployed so well his indeuoure that through his worthinesse he wanne comendation and report to be the moste valiaunt and stoutest gentleman in all the Emperours court which prayse did greatly coÌ„mende the tendernesse of hys yong yeares and was therewithal so sober and of so gentle spirit that although he excelled his companioÌ„s in al things yet he auoided cause of offence shewing himselfe familiar amongs all the Courtyers Euery maÌ„ which is a great matter rather praysed him and loued him and he thought himself most happie that by any meanes coulde fashion himselfe to imitate the vertue the made Aleranes name so renowmed And that which made him fuller of admiracion and brought him in fauour with his Lorde and Maister was that vpon a daye the Emperor being in an assemble in the middes of a laund and in a desert place it chaunced that a Beare issuing out of her caue was assayled of hunters the fierce beast auoiding the toyles and flying the pursute of the dogges came with great vehemencie spéede from a mountayne and was vpon the Emperour â—or he was ware separated from his company and without his sworde But Alerane by good fortune was at hande who more carefull for the safety of his Prince than for his owne life encountred with the Beare and killed him in the presence of the Emperour and many other All which beholding to their great astonishment the dexteritie and hardinesse of Alerane at those small yeares for then he was not aboue the age of .xvij. the Emperour imbrasing him did highly comende him telling them that were by that hys lyfe was saued chiefly by Gods assistaunce and next by the prowesse of Alerane The newes hereof was so bruted abrode that there was no talke but of the valiaunce and stoutnesse of this yong man of warre which caused faire Adelasia moued by naturall instigation and with the opinion and report of the vertue towarde in that yong Prince to feele a certayne thing I can not tell what in hir minde which inflamed her senses heart And she had no soner cast her eyes vpon Alerane but Loue which had prepared the ambushe so pearced her delicate breast that he tooke full possession of her in such wyse that the Princesse was so strangely in loue with the yong Prince that she neuer founde pleasure and contentation but in that which was done or sayde by her louer whome she accompted the chiefe of all the men of his time In this burning heate she felt the passions of loue so vehement and his pricks so sharpe that she coulde not euaporate the cloudes which darkened her spirites and continually tormented her minde And albeit that the little occasion which she sawe for their comming together in time to come did dissuade her from pursuing the thing which she most desired yet the tirant Loue shewed himselfe very extreme in that diuersitie of thoughtes and varietie of troubles which vexed the spirite of the Princesse For she coulde not so well dissemble that which honor age commaunded her to kéepe secrete but that Alerane which was as we haue already fayde well expert and subtile perceiued the inwarde disease of Adelasia Moreouer there was betwene them a naturall conformitie and likelyhode of condicions which made them to agrée in equall desires to féede of lyke meates their passionate mindes were martired with equall sorrowe and payne departed aswell in the one as in the other For Alerane by taking carefull héede to the lookes which the Princesse continually did stealingly cast vpon him saw the often and sodayne chaunges of colour wherein sometimes appeared ioy which by and by did ende with infinite number of sighes and with a countenance agreable to that which the heart kept secrete and couert wherby he assured himselfe vnfaynedly to be beloued which caused him to do no lesse for satisfaction of such like merite and desert done by Adelasia but to beare vnto her like affectioÌ„ forcing her by all diligence and seruice to continue still that good will toward him yelding himself as a praie to the self same loue Who ruling thaffections of the Princesse as braue and pleasaunt as she was made hir sorowfull and pensife and altered hir in such wise that shée thought the company wherein she was did impeach her ioye which she iudged to conceyue like pleasure that she did when at libertie and alone she reuolued her troubles and fansted her contentation in her minde Alerane on the other syde slept not but as though he had receyued the first wounde by the hands of the blinde little archer Cupide ceassed not to think of her whose Image ordinaryly appeared before his eyes as engrauen more liuely in his minde than any forme may be insculped vpon metall or marble And yet neyther the one nor the other durste discouer the least passion of a great number which oppressed their besieged hearts and which suffered not to liue in any rest this faire couple of loyall louers that durste not manifest their loue The eyes alone
disinherited than to liue puissant vnhappie a cowarde Wherfore let fortune worke her will Sithens the Duchesse did forsake her countrie to come to sée me in her prosperitie I may no lesse doe nowe but visite her in her aduersitie Pressed and solicited inwardly wyth this newe desire determined with him selfe hap what hap might to goe to her rescue And hauing giuen order to all that was necessarie for the defence of the Citie putting his confidence in the fidelity of those that were within caused all his Captaines to be called before him Whome he did to vnderstand howe he was determined to goe seke succour to leuie the siedge of his enemies During which time he constituted his nere kynsman his lieutenaunt generall and the next morning before the day appeared he gaue a great al arme to his enemies wherin he escaped vnknowen Being mounted vpon a Ienet of Spaine and perceiuing him self out of all perill he toke post horse and made suche expedition that he arriued at Lyons where he prouided himselfe of the best armoure that he could get for money and of two excellent good horsses whereof one was a courser of Naples And hauing gotten a certaine vnknowen Page tooke his waye to Thurin where being arriued he lodged him selfe in the subvrbes demaunding of his host if their dwelt any Spaniards in the towne who made him answere that he knewe none but one which was a good olde religious father that for the space of .xx. yeares was neuer out of Thurin a man of vertuous life and welbeloued of all the Citizens and had the charge of a certayne conuent Neuerthelesse his lodging was apart from his brethren to solace him selfe and to auoyde the incommoditie of his age The Knight hauing learned of his hoste the place were this good father dwelled went with diligence betimes in the morning to sée him and sayde vnto him in the Spanish tongue Father God saue you I am a Spaniard comen hither into this countrie for certayne mine affaires towardes whome you might doe a charitable déede if it would please you to suffer me to remaine with you for foure or fyue dayes onely crauing nothing els but lodging For my seruaunt shall prouide for other necessaries which the good father willingly graunted much maruelling at his goodly personage And whiles the Seruaunt was gone to the towne to bye victuals the good father demauuded of him of what countrey in Spaine he was which the knight frankly confessed And the fatherly man then hauing his face all be sprent wyth teares sayd Praysed be the name of God that he hath giuen me the grace before I die to sée so great a Lorde in my poore house of whom I am both the subiect and neighbor And then he began to tell him how for deuotion he had forsaken hys natiue countrey and had bestowed himselfe there the better to withdrawe him from worldly vanitie Neuerthelesse he sayde that he knew his father his mother his graundfather Desiring him to vse his house at commaundement where he should be obeyed as if he were in his owne And thē the Lorde of Mendozza sayde vnto him that he was departed from Spaine of purpose to sée Fraunce and there to make his abode for a time And the passing by Lyons one aduertised him of the infortunate chaunce of the Duchesse whom if he thought to be innocent of the crime whereof she was accused he would defende her to the sheading of the last droppe of his bloude Neuerthelesse he woulde not hazarde his lyfe or soule to defende her if he knewe she were culpable Which words the good man greatly allowed saying vnto him My Lorde touching her innocencie I beleue there is at this daye no man liuing but her selfe and the Earle her accuser that can iudge But of one thing I can well assure you that we here doe déeme her to be one of the best Princesses that euer raigned in thys countrie specially for that aboute a yeare past she went on foote to S. Iames with such denotiō and humility that there was no man but pityed to sée her so mortified for her soule health And to combate with the Earle of Pancalier you séeme vnto me very yong For besides the continual exercise that he hath alwayes had in armes he is withall estemed to be one of the strongest readiest and moste redoubted knightes of all Lombardie The victorie notwithstanding is in the hande of God and he can giue it to whome he pleaseth Which he made manifest in the yong infant Dauid against the monstrous Giant Golias To whome the knight aunswered Father I haue deuised a waye howe to prouide against the scruple of my cōscience touching the doubt conceyued by me whether the combat that I shall take in hande against the Earle of Pancalier be iust or not which is that I vnder the colour of confession might vnderstande of the Duchesse the truth of the matter And so likewyse if you think good I maye cause my head and beard to be shauen apparelling my selfe in such habite as you doe weare we may easily as I think with the leaue of her kéepers go into the Duchesse chamber to exhort her to pacience for about this time of the yeare the day is expired Whervnto the good Father without any great difficulty consented aswell for respect of hys good zeale as for hys reuerent dutie to the nobilitie of the stock wherof she came And so all things prouided they went togither towards the Castle of the Duchesse And he that then had séene the Knight Mendozza in hys Fryers apparell woulde vnethes haue discerned him to be so great a Lorde as he was For besides the dissembled gestures and countenaunces wherewith he knewe right well howe to behaue him selfe he was so leane and pore aswel for the care of the battaile he lost and ouerthrowe of his people as for the myssehay of the Duchesse and the perill of hys life at hande by reason of the combate betwene the Earle and him that he resembled rather a holy Sainct Hierome mortified in some desert than a Lorde so noble and valiant as he was Arriued at the Castell the olde father addressed himself to the Guarde and sayde Masters bycause the time for the death of the miserable Duchesse doth approche we be come hither to giue her suche spirituall comfort where with God hath inspired vs hoping that he wil this day giue vs the grace to induce her to dye paciently to the intent that by losse of the body her soule may be saued Whervnto they accorded willingly and caused the chambre to be opened vnto thē Those which were wich her in the chamber went forth incontinentlie thinking that the Gouernoure had caused those good fathers to come to heare the last confession of the poore Duchesse who was so sorrowefull and pensife that she was forced to kepe her bed which came very wel to passe For the knight Mendozza being nere to her bed with his face towardes
his quarel and the reward of his fight semed to redouble his force For euen then when euery mā thought that power must néedes fayle him it was the houre wherein he did best behaue himselfe In such sorte that hys enemie not being able any longer to endure hys puissaunte strokes being wounded in diuers partes of hys body did nowe no more but defende himselfe and beare of the blowes which were bestowed without intermission vpon al the partes of his bodie Which the Spanish knight perceiuing desirous to make an ende of the combat made so full a blowe with all his force vpon the top of his helmet that he wounded his heade very sore Wherwithall the heart of the Earle began very much to faynt and staggering here there like a dronken man or troubled in his senses was constrayned to fall downe from his horse And then the Lorde of Mendozza dismounting himselfe and taking holde vpon the corps of his shield plucked it so rudely to him that he ouerturned him on his other side Then with the pomel of his sword he did so swetely bumbast him that he made his helmet to flie of his head And serting his foote vpon his throte made as though with the point of his sword he wold haue killed him saying Counte the houre is now come that thou must go make an accompt with God of thine vntrouth and treason which thou hast cōmitted against the Duchesse Ah sir knight quod the Earle haue pitie vpon me and kill me not I beseche thée before I haue a little bethought me of my conscience Uillayne quod the Spaniarde if I had any hope of thine amendement I would willingly giue thée delay of lyfe But being a traytor as thou art thou wilt neuer ceasse to afflict innocents Neuerthelesse if thou wilt acknowledge thy fault publikely and require pardon of the Duchesse I will willingly leaue thée to the mercy of the Duke although that if I did obserue the rigour of the lawe I shoulde cause thée presently to receyue the payne prepared for the Duchesse To whome he obeyed for safegarde of his lyfe and knéeling on his knées before the Duchesse in the presence of all the people made a long discourse of his loue towardes her of the repulse that she gaue him and that for reuenge he ayded himselfe with his Nephewe thinking to ouerthrowe her chastitie Finally how he had slayne his Nephew to induce the Duke to iudge her to be culpable of the adulterry And then tourning his face towardes the Duchesse sayde vnto her Madame it behoueth me to confesse that the losse of thys one lyfe is to little to paye the tribute of the curelesse fault that I haue cōmitted against you Yet sith it is so I besech you by preferring pitie and mercy before the rigor of your iustice you will permit that I may liue yet certayne dayes to make a viewe of my lyfe paste and to prouide for the scruple of my conscience Then new ioye approched to garnishe the spirite of the Duchesse and both the soule and the heart began to shewe themselues ioyful in such wyse that she was a long tyme wythout power to speake did nothing else but ioyne her handes lift vp her eyes to Heauen saying O Lorde God praysed be thy holy name for that thou hast caused the bright beames of thy diuinitie to shine vpon the darknesse of my sorrowfull lyfe enforcing so well the minde of thys traytour the murderer of mine honor by the prickes of thy rigorous iustice openly to acknowledge before all men the iniurie that he hath done me And without speaking any more words she torned her face for feare lest she shuld make him any other answere Then all the people began to laude and magnifie God and to sing Psalmes for ioy of the deliueraūce of their Duchesse who was brought backe and reconducted into the citie with so great triumph as if she had made a seconde entrie Whilest these things were a doing the deputies for the suretie of the campe caused the wounded Earle to be borne to prison The knight Mendozza stale secretely away and after that he had in the nexte village dressed certaine smal woūds that he had receiued in the combat he toke his way to Spaine In the meane tyme the Duchesse caused him to be sought for in euery place but it was not possible to knowe any more newes of him than if he had bene neuer sene Wherat being grieued beyonde measure she made her mone to Emilia to know wherfore he should so absent himselfe from her Madame quod Emilia he is sure some French knight or else it may be some kinsman of your owne who is come out of Englande into these partes for certaine other affaires And fearing least he should be stayed here will not be knowen reseruing the manifestacion of himselfe til another tyme more apte for his purpose Let him be what he may be sayde the Duchesse for so long as my soule shall remayne wythin my bodye I will doe him homage during my life For the which I am so duely bound debtour vnto him as neuer subiect was to his soueraigne Lord. In this time whilest these matters went thus at Thurin the Duke of Sauoie who was Lieutenant general for the King agaynst the Almaines encountering with his enemies in a skirmishe by fortune was slayne Whereof the King of Englande being aduertised and specially of the deliuerie of his sister desirous to haue her about him sente for her to marry her agayne and to leaue vnto her the entier gouernement of his houshold And to grateste her at her first arriuall he gaue the rule of his daughter vnto her which was of the age of .xvi. or .xvij. yeares wyth whome by certayne meanes there was a mariage practized for the Prince of Spaine Let vs nowe leaue the Duchesse to liue in honor with her brother and retorne we to the Lord of Mendozza who being arriued néere vnto his citie vnderstode incontinently that they which had besiedged it had leuied their campe For that they of the towne had so well done their endeuour that not onely their enemies were not able to enter But also they had in a certaine skirmish taken the Lord Ladulphe their Chieftaine prisoner who was yet to that presente deteined bicause meanes were made for peace to be concluded on all sides Neuerthelesse they durst doe nothing without him Whereat the Lorde of Mendozza being replenished with great ioye to see hys affaires prosper so well in all partes entred the citie And the articles of the peace communicated vnto him he founde them very profitable for him And being cōcluded approued by him he began to solace himself in his owne house without taking care for any thing saue onely from thenceforth to thinke by what meane he might go to sée the Duchesse and recount vnto her the issue of his affaires But fortune prepared him a more readie occasion than he thought of For the King of
mortall body And if I should so farre forget my selfe as willingly to commit a thing so dishonest your grace ought for the loyall seruice of my father and husbande towarde you sharpely to rebuke me and to punishe me according to my deserte For this cause moste dradde soueraigne Lord you which are accustomed to vanquishe and subdue other be nowe a conquerour ouer your selfe and throughly bridle that concupiscence if there be any vnder the raines of Reason that being quenched and ouercome they may no more reuiue in you and hauing liuely resisted the first assaultes the victorie is but easie which shall be a thousand times more glorious and gainefull for you than if you had conquered a kingdome The Countesse had scarce made an ende of her tale but one came to tell them that the Tables were couered for dinner the King well fedde with Loue dyned for that tyme very soberlye and not able to eate but vpon amorous dishes did caste his lokes inconstantly here and there and still his eyes threwe the last loke vpon that part of the table where the Countesse satte meaning thereby to extinguishe the boyling flames which incessantly did burne him howbeit by thinking to coole them he further plondged himselfe therein And wandering thus in diuers cogitations the wise aunswere that the Countesse made like a vaunte curreur was continually in his remebrance and was well assured of her inuincible chastitie By reason wherof seing that so harde and enterprise required a longer abode and that a heart so chaste could not so quickly be remoued frō purpose careful on the other side to giue order to the waightie affaires of his realme disquieted also on euery side throughe the turmoile of warres determined to depart the next day in the morning reseruing till another tyme more conuenient the pursute of his Loue. Hauing taken order for his departure in the morning he went to seke the Countesse and taking his leaue of her he prayed her to thinke better of the talke made vnto her the day before but aboue all he besought her to haue pitie vpon hym Wherevnto the Countesse answered that not onelye she prayed God incessantly to giue him victorie ouer his outwarde enemies but also grace to tame that carnall passion which did so torment him Certaine dayes after that King Edward was arriued at London which was the place of his ordinarie abode the Countesse of Salesburie was aduertised that the Earle her husbande being out of prison consumed with griefe sicknesse died by the way homewardes And bicause they had no children the Earledome retorned to the King which first gaue the same vnto him And after she had lamented the death of her husbande the space of many dayes she retourned to her fathers house which was Earle of Warwicke And for so muche as he was one of the Kinges priuie Counsell and the most part of the affaires of the realme passed by his aduise and counsell he continued at London that he might be more nere vnto the Kinges person The King aduertized of the comming of the Countesse thought that fortune had opened a way to bring his enterprise to desired effecte specially for that the death of her husbande and the witnesse of his earnest good will would make her more tractable The king seing all thing as he thought to succede after his desire began to renewe his first affections séeking by all meanes to practise the good wil of the Countesse who then was of the age of .xxvi. yeares Afterwardes he ordayned many triumphes at the Tilte and Torney Maskes Momeries feastes banquets and other like pastimes wherat Ladies accustomably doe assemble who made much of them all and secretely talked with them Notwithstanding he could not so well disguise and counterfait his passions but that he still shewed himselfe to beare beste good will to the Countesse Thus the king coulde not vse suche discretion in loue but that from his secret fier some euident flames did issue out But the Countesse which was a wise and curteous Lady did easely perceyue how the king by chaunging the place had not altered his affection and that he still prosecuted his talke begon at Salesberic She despising all his amorous countenaunces continued her firme and chaste minde And if it chaunced that sometimes the king made more of her than discretion required sodainly might haue bene discried a certaine palenesse in her face which declared the little pleasure that she toke in his toyes with a certayne rigor appearing that yelded to the king an assured testimonie that he laboured in vaine Neuerthelesse she to cut of all meanes of the Kings pursute kept still her fathers house shewing her self in no place where the king might sée her The king offended seing himselfe depriued and banished her presence whome he estemed as the comfort of his lyfe made his secretarie priuie to the whole matter whose fidelitie he had wel proued in matters daungerous with minde to pursue her by other way if it chaunced that she persisted in her wonted rigor and refusall Howbeit before he proceded any further sith he could not secretely talke with her he purposed to sende her a letter the Tenor whereof insueth MAdame if you please by good aduise to consider the beginning of my Loue the continuance of the same then the last issue whervnto it is brought I am assured that laying your hand vpon your heart you will accuse your self not onely of your curst and froward stomacke hitherto appearing but also of that newe ingratitude which you shewe vnto me at this houre not contented to be bathed plondged by you in the missehap of my payne paste but yet by a newe onset you abandon your felfe from my presence as from the sight of your mortall enemie wherin I find that heauen and al his influences doe cry out for mine ouerthrow wherevnto I doe agrée since my lyfe taking no vigor and increase being onely sustained by the fauour of your diuine graces can not be maintained one onely minute of a day without the liberall helpe of your swéetenesse and vertue beseching you that if the heartie prayers of any mortall tormented man may euer haue force and power to moue you to pitie it may please you miraculously to deliuer from henceforth this my poore miserable afflicted mynde eyther from death or martirdome He that is more yours than his owne Edwarde the desolate King of Englande The letter written with his owne hand and sealed with his seale he commaunded the Secretarie to goe to the Countesse at her fathers house and secretly to deliuer the same which he did And the Countesse hauing read and perused it sayde to the Secretarie My frende you shal tell the king that I doe beseche him most humbly to send me no more letters or messages touching the matters wherof he hath written For I am in such wise resolued in the aunswere which I made him in my Castle that I will persist immutable to the ende
bicause I am going about certayne affaires very requisite and necessary to be done Then sayde sir Stricca At least wise drincke with me before you depart but giuing him thankes he bad him fare wel Maister Stricca seing that he could not cause him to tarry toke hys leaue and retourned into his house Galgano gone from Maister Stricca sayd to himselfe Ah beast that I am why did not I accept his offer Why should shamefastnesse let me from the sight of her whome I loue better than all the worlde besides And as he was thus pensife in complaints his spaniells sprong a Partrich whereat he let goe his Hauke and the Partrich flying into sir Stricca his garden his Hauke pursued and seassed vpon the same Maister Stricca and his Lady hearing that pastime ran to the garden window to sée the killing of the Partrich And beholding the valiant skirmish betwéene the foule and the Hauke the Lady asked whose Hauke it was Her husband made aunswere that he knewe well ynough the owner by the goodnesse and hardinesse of the same For the owner of this hanke quod he is the trimmest and most valiant gentleman in all Siena and one indued with best qualities The Lady demaunded what he was Maister Galgano sayde her husbande who euen nowe passed by the gate and I prayed him very earnestly to supper but he woulde not be intreated And truely wyse he is the comeliest gentleman and most vertuous personage that euer I knewe in my lyfe With those words they went from the window to supper And Galgano when he had lured his Hauke departed away The Lady marked those words fixed them in minde It fortuned within a while after that sir Stricca was by the state of Siena sent in ambassage to Perugia by reason whereof his Lady at home alone so sone as her husband had taken his iourney sent her most secret and trusty maide to intreat Maister Galgano to come and speake with her When the message was done to Galgano if his heart were on a merie pinne or whether his spirites dulled with continuall sorrow were againe reuiued they knowe that moste haue felt the paynefull pangues of Loue and they also whose fleshe haue bene pearced with the amorous arrowes of the little boy Cupide He made aunswere that he woulde willingly come rendring thanks both to the maystresse and maid the one for her paine the other for her good remembrance Galgano vnderstanding that sir Stricca was gone to Perugia in the euening at conuenient time repaired to the house of her whose sight he loued better than his owne eyes And being come before his Lady with great submission reuerence he saluted her like those whose hearts doe throbbe as foretelling the possessiō of good tournes and benefits after which with long sute and trauaile they haue aspired wherewith the Lady delighted very pleasauntlie toke him by the hand and imbracing him sayde Welcome myne owne swéete Galgano a hundred tymes I say welcome And for the tyme with kisses making truce with their affections the Lady called for confictes and wine And whē they had dronk and refreshed themselues the Lady toke him by the hand and sayde My swéete Galgano night beginneth to passe away and the tyme of sléepe is come therfore let vs yelde our selues to the seruice and commaundement of our very good Lady Madame Cytherea for whose sake I intreated you to come hither Galgano aunswered that he was very well contented when it were her pleasure Being within the chamber after much pleasant talk louing discourse betwene them the Lady did put of her clothes and went to bed Galgano being somewhat bashfull was perceyued of the Lady vnto whom she said Me think Galgano that you be fearefull and shamefast What do you lacke Do I not please you Doth not my personage content you Haue you not the thing whiche you desire Yes Madame sayde Galgano God himselfe could not do me a greater pleasure than to suffer me to be cleped within your armes And reasoning in this sorte he put of his clothes also layde him selfe by her whom he had coueted and desired of long tyme. Being in the bed he sayde Madame I beséech you graunt me one request What is that Galgano quod she It is this Madame sayd Galgano I do much maruell why this night aboue all other you haue sent for me considering how long I haue loued you and although I haue prosecuted my sute by great expence trauaile yet you wold neuer yelde before this time What hath moued you now thus to doe The Lady answered I will tel you sir. True it is that not many dayes a go passing by this house with your Hauke on your fiste my husbande tolde me that so sone as he sawe you he wente out to méete you of purpose to intreat you to supper but you would not tarrie Then your Hauke pursued a Partrich euen into my garden and I seing the Hauke so egrely seassing vpon the same demaunded of my husbande whose Hauke it was He tolde me that the Hauke did belong to the most excellent yong man of all Siena and that he neuer in all his lyfe knewe a gentleman better accomplished with all vertues and good qualities and there withall gaue vnto you singuler praise and commendacion Whervpon hearing him in such wise to praise you and knowing right wel your affectionat minde and disposicion towardes me my heart attached with loue forced me to send for you that I mighte hereafter auoyde disdaine and other skornefull demeaner to impeach or hindre your loue And this briefly is the cause Is this true sayde Galgano Most certayne and true answered the Lady Was there no other occasion No verely sayde the Lady God defend quod Galgano that I should recompence the curtesie and good will of so noble a gentleman as your husband is with reproch villanie Is it méete that good tournes shuld be requited with vnkindnesse If euer man had cause to defende the honor of his vnknowen frende cause haue I right good and apt For now knowing such a frende that would by vertuous reportes haue aduaunced me to higher matters than whereof I am in possession shoulde I rewarde with pollucion of his stocke and wife No no Lady My raging sute by Loue is by vertue quenched Uertue onely hath staunched the flames of vile affections Séeke another frende to giut thy lecherous mynde Finde out some other companion to coole thy disordinate loue Shall I be disloyall to him that hath bene faythfull vnto me Shall I be Traytor to him that friendly hath commended me What can be more required of humane hearts or more desired of manlike minde but will full bente and fixed to doe him good that neuer erst by iust desert deserued the same With which wordes sodainely he lept out of the bed And when he had furnished him selfe agayne with his apparell he also put vpon him vertuous frendship and toke his leaue of the Lady neuer after
to deuise some meanes in th ende to knowe the truth and decréed a constitucion that for the space of .xx. dayes no fresh meate should be solde in Venice At which decrée all the Citie merueyled Afterwardes he caused a very fayre fatte Calfe to be solde seassing the price of euery pounde at a Fiornio which amounteth to a French Crowne or there aboutes and wylled him that solde it to mark thē that bought it Thinking with himselfe that he which is a Théefe is licorous of mouth and will not stick to giue a good price although it cost him a French crowne for euery poūd Making proclamation that he which would buye any fleshe meate shoulde resort to the market place where was to be solde All the Marchaunts and Gentlemen repayred to buye some of the Ueale and vnderstanding that euery pounde woulde not be solde vnder a French Crowne they bought none at all This Calfe and the price was bruted in all places and came to the knowledge of the mother of this yong man who sayd vnto her sonne I haue a minde to eate some of the Ueale nowe solde in the market Ricciardo aunswered Mother make no hast to buye it but first let it be cheapened by other at length I will deuise a meane that you shall haue it For it is not wisedome for vs to be the first that shall buye the same The mother lyke an ignoraunt vnskilfull woman was importunate to haue it The sonne fearing that his mother woulde sende for some of the Ueale by other caused a Pye to be made prepared a flagon full of wyne both which were intermixed with things to cause sléepe taking bread the sayde pye and the flagon of wyne when it was night putting on a counterfait beard and cloke went to the stall where the Ueale was to be solde which as yet was whole vnbought And when he had knocked at the shop dore one of the Guard asked who was there To whom Ricciardo sayd Can you tel me wher one Ventura doth kéepe his shoppe of whome one of them demaunded what Ventura I know not his surname sayde Ricciardo that I would he had bene hanged when I came first to dwell with him why who sent thée sayd one of the guard his wife quod Ricciardo and had me cary him this meate aud wine for his supper But I pray you sayde Ricciardo let me leaue the same with you till I goe home to know better where he kepeth his stall And maruell not I pray you why I knowe not where his shop is for it is not long sithens I came to dwell in this citie And so leauing behinde him the pye and the bread with the flagon of wyne he made hast to depart and told them that he would come againe by by When he was gone one of them toke the flagon and dranke and afterwards gaue it to his companion and sayde Drinke for thou neuer diddest taste of better wine in al thy life His cōpanion drank and merily cōmuning of this matter they fell a sléepe Ricciardo loking in at a hole of the dore séeing them a slepe went in and toke the calfe and caried it home whole as it was sayde to his mother Holde mother there is your lust cut it out And by and by she cut out a great pece The Duke so sone as he heard that the calfe was stolen the maner howe did wonder very much and determined yet to know what he was And caused a hundred poore people to come before him and taking their names he sayd vnto thē Get ye to al the houses in Venice vnder colour to begge almes And marke if you sée in any house fleshe dressed or any pece at the fyer which if you doe ye must be importunate in begging till they giue you eyther fleshe or broth And he among you all that shall bring me the first newes I will giue him .xx. Crownes These beggers dispersed themselues into euery corner of the citie demaunding their almes amongs whome one of them asked his almes at the house of Ricciardo and approching nere espied openly fleshe at the spitte and asked a morsell thereof for goddes sake to whom the vndescrete woman seeing that she had plentie gaue a litle pece The poore man thanked the good wife and prayed God to saue her life And as he was going downe the steppes of the dore Ricciardo met him with the fleshe in his hande Wherewithall astonned he willed him to retourne in againe and sayde he would giue him more The begger gladde of that wente in againe whome Ricciardo caried into his chamber and when he was within he strake suche a full blowe vppon his heade with an axe that he kylled him and threwe him into a Iakes shutting the dore after him In the euening these poore men retourned to the Duke according to their promise and sayde howe they could fynde nothing The Duke called thē by their names and compting them founde one lesse than the number whereat he maruelled And after he had well aduised with himselfe what should become of him that lacked he sayde Certaynly the poore man is slaine Then causing the Councel to be assembled he declared what he had done and yet sayd that it were méete the party were knowen Wherevnto one of the Senators sayde Your grace hath duely made searche by the belly and mouthe to finde out this verlet I thinke it now necessary that triall be made by Lecherie which commonlye accompaneth licorous mouthes Then it was concluded that the moste riotous and lecherous yong men such as the Duke had in greatest suspicion to the number of .xxv. shoulde be warned to appeare before him which accordinglye was done amongs whom was this Ricciardo These yong Roysters assēbled in the Palace euery of them maruelled wherfore the Duke had caused thē to come thether Afterwarde the Duke commaunded .xxv. beddes to be made in one of his great chambers to lodge euery of the sayde .xxv. persons by himself and in the middes of the chamber he commaunded a riche bedde of estate to be sette vp and furnished where was appoynted to lie his owne daughter which was an exceding faire creature And in the night when these yong men were layed in their beddes many gentlewomen attendant vpon the Lady came in to bring her to her lodging And her Father deliuered to her a sawser full of black die or stayning and sayde vnto her If any of these yong men that doe lie here by thée doe offer to come to thy bedde loke that thou mark him in the face with this stayning colour that he may be knowen At which wordes all the yong men maruelled and therefore durst not attempt to goe vnto her but sayde one to another Surelye this commaundement of the Duke hath some secrete mysterie in it Notwithstanding Ricciardo determined about midnight to go to her bed And when the candle was out being awake of purpose he rose vp and went to the
loue with her sent him a letter by an olde woman whereby she aduertized him that his beautie and good behauior so puissantlie did gouerne her affections that she coulde take no rest by night nor daye for the earnest loue that she bare him Wherefore she prayed him if it were his pleasure to come and speake with her Philenio receyuing that letter and perusing the contents thereof not considering the deceite prepared for him ne yet any longer remembring the iniuries past was more ioyfull and glad than euer he was before Who taking penne and paper answered her againe that he for his parte suffred no lesse tormentes for her sake yea and in respect of Loue that he loued her farre better than she did him and at al times when she pleased he woulde be at her commaundement to do her seruice The aunswere readde and oportunitie founde Simphorosia caused him to come home to her house and after many false sighes she sayde vnto him My deare frende Philenio I knowe none other in all the worlde that hath brought me into this state and plight wherein presently I am but you bicause your beautie good grace and pleasant talke haue so set my heart on fier that I féele it to kindle and burne lyke drie woode Which talke mayster Scholler hearing thought assuredly that she consumed for loue of him This pore Nodgecock contriuing the time with swéete and pleasant wordes with his dareling Simphorosia the tyme approched that he should goe to bed with his faire Lady who sayd vnto him My swete frend Philenio abide a while and let vs make some banket and collation and taking him by the hande she caried him into her closet adioyning where was a table ready furnished with exquisit conficts and wines of the best This Gentlewoman had made a composition in the wine to cause this yong Gallant to slepe for a certayn time Phileneo thinking no hurt toke the cup and filled it with the wine and dranke it vp at one draught His spirites reuiued with this refreshing after he had bene very wel perfumed and washed in swete waters he went to bed and within a while after this drink began to worke and the minion slepte so soundely that Canon shot or the greatest gonnes of the world were not able to wake him Then Simphorosia perceyuing the drinke beginne to worke called one of her sturdy maides that wel vnderstode the game of this pageant Both whiche carying this pore sléepy Scholler by the féete and armes and opening the dore very softly they faire well bestowed him in the middest of the streate a good stones cast of from the house where he lay all night But when the dawning of the day did appeare or an houre before the drinke lost his vertue and the pore Sot began to wake thinking that he had bene a bed with the Gentlewoman he perceyued himselfe brechlesse and in his shirte more deade than alyue through the colde that he had endured by lying starke naked vpon the earth The pore wretch was not able to helpe him self so much as with his armes legges and could not stand vpō his féete without great paine notwithstanding through creping and sprawling he got home to his house vnsene of any man and prouided so well as he could for recouery of his health And had it not bene for his youth which did helpe him at that instant his sinewes had bene benommed for euer In the ende hauing attained his former health and the state wherin he was before he stil remembred the iniuries past and without shewing any signe of anger or ill will made as though he loued them all thrée better than euer he did before and sometime semed to be in loue with the one and sometime with the other They againe for their parte nothing mistrusting the malice of Philenio set a good face on the matter vsing amorous chere and countenaunce towardes him but when his back was tourned with mockes and floutes they toke their pleasure He bearing in his brest secret despite was stil desirous with his hand to marke them in the face but he like a wise man wayed the natures of women and thought it woulde redound to great shame and reproche if he did them any hurt And therfore restraining the heate of his choler did let them alone And yet by deuising and practising how he might be euen with them and reuenged he was in great perplexitie Uery shortly after it chaunced that the scholler had deuised a meane easely to satisfie his desire so sone as he had determined vpon the same Fortune also therevnto was fauorable Who hired in the citie of Bologna a very faire house which had a large hall and commodious chambers and purposed to make a great and sumptuous feast and to inuite many Ladyes and gentlewomen to the same Amongs whome these thrée were the first that should be bidden which accordingly was done And when the feast day was come the thrée Gentlewomen that were not very wise at that instant repaired thither suspecting nothing In the ende a little to recreate the gentlewomen and to get them a stomake attending for supper time the scholler toke these his thrée louers by the hande and led them friendelie into a chamber somewhat to refreshe them When these thrée innocent women were come into the schollers chamber he shut fast the dore and going towardes them he sayde Beholde the time is come for me to be reuenged vpon you wicked and curssed creatures and to make you suffer the penaunce of the torment wherwith ye punished me for my great loue The gentlewomen hearing those cruell wordes rather dead than aliue began to repent that euer they had offended him and besides that they curssed themselues for giuing credit vnto him whome they ought to haue abhorred The scholler with a fierce and angry countenaunce commaunded them vppon paine of their lyues to strippe themselues naked Which sentence when these thrée Goddesses hearde they beganne to looke one vppon another wéeping and praying him although he woulde not doe it for their sakes yet in respect of his owne curtesie and naturall humanitie that he woulde saue their honor aboue all things This Gallant reioysing at their humble pitifull requestes was thus courteous vnto them that he would not suffer them to stande with their garments on in his presence The women casting themselues downe at the Schollers féete wept bitterly beseching him that he woulde haue pitie vpon them and not to be the occasion of a slaunder so great and infamous But he whose heart was hardened as the Diamond sayde vnto them that this fact was not worthy of blame but rather of reuengement The women dispoyled of their apparell and standing before him so frée from couering as euer was Eue before Adam appeared as beautifull in this their innocent state of nakednesse as they did in their brauerie in somuch that the yong Scholler viewing from top to toe those fayre and tender creatures whose
make any signe or semblance And kept that fier couered within his brest vntill his Master was ridden out of the towne and that his maistresse was at euensong at Sainct Florentines a church of the castle farre from her house Who now being alone in the house began to ymagine how he might attempt that thing by force which before by no supplication or seruice he was able to attaine For which purpose he brake vp a borde betwene his maystresse chamber and his But bicause the curteyns of his maister and maystresse bed and of the seruauntes of the other side couered and hid the walles betwene it could not be perceyued nor yet his malice discried vntill suche time as his maistresse was gone to bed with a little wenche of .xij. yeares of age And so sone as the pore woman was fallen into her first sléepe this varlet entred in at a hole which he had broken and so conueyed himselfe into her bed in his shirte with a naked sworde in his hand But so sone as she felt him layed downe by her she lept out of the bed going about to persuade him by such possible meanes as was mete for an honest woman to doe And he indued with beastly Loue rather acquainted with the language of his Mulets than with her honest reasons shewed himself more beastly than the beasts with whom he had of long time bene comiersant For séeing her so ofte to runne aboute the table that he coulde not catche her and also that she was so strong that twise she ouercame him in despaire that he shoulde neuer inioy her a liue he gaue her a great blowe with his sworde ouer she raynes of the backe thinking that if feare and force coulde not make her to yelde her selfe yet payne and smarte should cause her Howbeit it chaunced cleane contrarye For like as a good man of armes when he séeth his owne bloude is more chafed to reuenge himselfe vpon his enemies to acquire honor euen so the chaste hearte of this woman did reenforce and fortefie her courage in double wise to auoyde and escape the hands of this wicked varlet deuising by al meanes possible by fayre wordes to make the varlet to acknowledge his fault But he was so inflamed with fury that there was no place in him to receyue good coūcel And eftsones with his sword gashed her tender body with diuers and sundry strokes for the auoyding whereof so fast as her legges could beare her she ranne vp and downe the chamber And when through want of bloud she perceyued death approche lifting vp her eyes vnto heauē and ioyning her handes together gaue thanks vnto God whom she termed to be her force her vertue her pacience and chastitie humbly beseching him to take in good parte the bloude which by his commaundement was sheadde in honor of that precious bloud which from his owne sonne did issue vpon the Crosse wherby she did beleue firmely stedfastly that all her sinnes were wiped away defaced frō the memorie of his wrath and anger and in saying Lorde receyue my soule which was derely bought and redemed with thy bounty and goodnesse she fel downe to the ground vpon her face where the wicked villayne inflicted her body with manifolde blowes And after she had lost her speache and the force of her body this moste wicked and abhominable varlet toke her by force which had no more strength and power to defende her selfe And when he had satisfied his cursed desire he fledde awaye in suche hast as afterwardes for all the pursute made after him he could not be founde The yong wenche which lay with her for feare hid her self vnder the bed But when she perceyued the villayne departed she came vnto her maistresse and finding her speachelesse and without mouing she cried out of the window vnto the nexte neighboures to come to succour her And they which loued her and estéemed her so well as any woman in the Towne came presently vnto her and brought diuers Surgeons with them who finding vpon her body .xxv. mortall woundes they did so muche as in them laye to helpe her But it was impossible Howbeit she lay one houre without speache making signes with her eyes and handes declaring that she had not lost her vnderstanding being demaunded by the priest of the fayth wherein she died and of her saluation she aunswered by such euident signes that her speache and communicacion coulde not declare it better howe that her trust and confidence was in the death of Iesus Christ whom she hoped to sée in the celestiall city and so with a ioyful countenaunce her eyes erected vp to the heauēs she rendred her chast body to the earth and her soule to her creator And when she was shrowded ready to the buriall as her neighbours were attending to follow her to the church her pore husbād came home and the first sight he saw was the body of his deade wife before his dore whereof before that instante he had no newes And when he vnderstode the order of her death he then doubled his sorrow in such wise that he was also like to die In this sorte was this martir of Chastitie buried in the Church of S. Florentine where all the honest dames and wiues of the city endeuored themselues to accompany her to honour her with such reuerence as they were able to do accompting themselues most happye to dwell in that Towne where a woman of such vertuous behauiour did dwel The folish and wanton persons séeing the honour done to the dead body determined from that time forth to renew their former life and to chaunge the same into a better A King of Naples A King of Naples abusing a Gentlemans wyfe in the ende did were the hornes himselfe ¶ The Lj. Nouell IN the citie of Naples in the time of King Alphonsus in whose raigne wantonnesse bare chiefest sway there was a gentleman so honest beautifull and comely as for his good conditions an olde Gentleman gaue to him his daughter in mariage which in beautie and good grace was comparable to her husbande The loue was great betwéene them till it chaunced vpon a shoruetide that the King went a masking into the citie where euery man endeuoured himself to interteigne him the best he coulde And when he came to this gentlemans house he was best receyued of any place in all the towne aswel for banketting as for musical songs and the gentlewoman the fairest that the King sawe in al the citie to his contentation And vpon the ende of the banket she sang a song with her husband with a grace so good that it greatly augmented her beautie The King séeing so many perfections in one body conceyued not so great pleasure in the swéete accordes of her husband and her as he did howe to deuise to interrupt breake them And the difficultie for bringing that to passe was the great amitie that he saw betwéene them Wherfore he bare in his heart that
he neuer saw a better in his lyfe You haue reason sayde the king And I beleue that if a gentleman were determined to kill me and did knowe the force of myne armes and the goodnesse of my heart accompanied with this sword he would be twice well aduised before he attempted the enterprise Not withstanding I would accompte him but a cowarde we being alone without witnesses if he did not attempt that which he were disposed to doe The Counte Guillaume with bashfull and astonned countenaunce answered Sir the wickednesse of the enterpâ—ise were very great but the folly in the execucion were no lesse The King with those wordes fell in a laughter and put the sworde into the skaberd againe And hearing that the chase drew nere him he made to the same so fast as he could when he was come thether he sayde nothing of that which had passed betwéene him and the Counte verely thought that Counte Guillaume althoughe that he was so strong and stoute a gentleman as was in that tyme yet he was no man to doe so great an enterprise But the CouÌ„te Guillaume fearing to be bewraied or suspected of the facte next day morning repayred to Robertet the Secretarie of the Kings reuenewes and sayd that he had well wayed the giftes and annuities which the king woulde giue him to tarrie but he perceyued that they were not sufficient to interteigne him for halfe a yere that if it pleased not the king to double the same he should be forced to depart praying the sayd Robertet to knowe his graces pleasure so sone as he coulde who sayde vnto him that he himselfe coulde without further commission coulde disbirsse no more vnto him but gladlie whithout further delaie he would presentlye repayre to the king which he did more willingly bicause he had séene the aduertisements of the Gouernor aforesayde And so sone as the king was awake he declared the matter vnto him in the presence of MoÌ„sier Trimouille and Monsier Bouiuet Lord Admirall who were vtterly ignorant of that which the king had done To whom the king sayd Loe ye haue bene miscontented for that I woulde not put away the Counte Guillaume but now ye sée he putteth away himselfe Wherefore Robertet tell him that if he be not conteÌ„t with the state which he receyued at his first entrie into my seruice wherof many GeÌ„tlemen of good houses would think themselues happy it is mete that he seke his better fortune and tell him that I woulde be loth to hinder him but wil be very well contented that he seke where he may liue better accordingly as he deserueth Robertet was so diligent to beare this aunswere to the Counte as he was to present his sute to the king The Counte sayde that with his licence he woulde gladly goe forthwith And like one that feare forced to departe was not able to beare his abode .xxiiij. houres And as the King was sitting downe to dinner fayning to be sorye for his departure but that necessitie compelled him to lose his preseÌ„ce he toke his leaue He went likewise to take leaue of the kings mother which she gaue him with so great ioye as she did receyue him being her nere kinsman friende Then he went into his Countrie And the king séeing his mother and seruants astoned at that his sodayne departure declared vnto them the Al Arme which he had giuen him saying that although he was innoceÌ„t of the matter suspected so was his feare great ynough to depart from a maister with whose condicions hitherto he was not acquainted A straunge punishment A punishment more rigorous than death of a husband towarde his wyfe that had committed adultery The Lvj. Nouell KIng Charles of Fraunce the .viij. of that name sent into Germany a Gentleman called Bernage Lorde of Cyure besides Amboise Who to make spéede spared neyther day nor night for execution of his Princes commaundement In such wise that very late in an euening he arriued at the castle of a Gentleman to demaunde lodging which very hardly he obtayned Howbeit wheÌ„ the gentleman vnderstode that he was the seruaunt of such a king he prayed him not to take in ill part the rudenesse of his seruaunts bicause vpon occasion of certaine his wiues friendes that loued him not he was forced to kepe his house so straight At what tyme Bernage told him the cause of his iourney wherein the Gentleman offered to doe to the King his Maister al seruice possible Leading him into his house where he was feasted lodged very honorably When supper was ready the Gentleman conueyed him into a parler well hanged with fayre Tapistrie And when the meate was set vpon the table he perceyued a woman comming forth behinde the hanging which was so beautifull as might be sene sauing that her heade was all shauen and apparelled in Almaine blacke After both the Gentlemen had washed water was brought to the gentlewoman who when she had washed she sat downe at the table without speaking to any man or any word spokeÌ„ vnto her The Lord Bernage beholding her wel thought her to be one of the fayrest Ladies that euer he sawe if her face had not bene so pale her countenaunce so sad After she had eaten a little she called for drink which one of the seruants brought vnto her in a straunge cup. For it was the head of a dead man trimmed with siluer Whereof she drancke twice or thrice When she had supped and washed her handes making a reuerence to the Lorde of the house she retourned behinde the hangings without speaking any worde Bernage was so muche amazed at that strauÌ„ge sight that he waxed very heauie and sad The gentleman that marked him sayd vnto him I sée wel that you be astonned at that you saw at the table But seing your hnoest demeanor I wil not kepe the thing secret froÌ„ you bicause you shall not note that crueltie to be done without gret occasion This gentlewoman which you sée is my wife whome I loued bettter than any gentleman could loue his wife In such sort that to marry her I forgat all feare and brought her hither in dispite of her parents She likewise shewed vnto me such signes of loue that I attempted a thousand wayes to place her here for her ioy and myne where we liued a long tyme in suche rest and contentation that I thought my selfe the happiest Gentleman in Christendome But in a iourney which I made which to attempt mine honor forced me she forgot both her selfe her conscience and the loue which she bare towardes me and fell in loue with a Gentleman that I brought vp in this house which vpon my returne I perceyued to be true Notwithstanding the loue that I bare her was so great that I had no mistrust in her til such tyme as experience did open myne eyes and saw the thing that I feared more than death For which cause loue was tourned into furie and dispaire in suche wise that I
Gentleman assured him that he neuer thought it and howe they which had sowen that rumor had wickedly belied him Wherevnto his companion aunswered I knowe well ynough that Ialosie is a passion so intollerable as loue it selfe And when you shall conceyue that opinion of Ialousie yea it were of my selfe I shoulde doe you no wrong for you your selfe shoulde not be able to kepe it But of one thing which is in your power I haue occasion to complayn and that is bicause you would concele from me your maladye sith there was no passion or opinion which you conceyued that before this time you kept secrete frō me Likewise for my own part if I were amorous of your wife you ought not to impute it as a fault vnto me bicause it is a fier which I beare not in my handes to vse at my pleasure But if I kepe it to my selfe from you indeuour to make your wife knowe it by demōstracion of my loue I might then be accōpted the wicked frend that euer liued And for me I assure most you that she is an honest a good woman and one that my fansie dothe lest fauor although she were not your wife of all them that euer I sawe But now sithens there is no occasion I doe require you that if you perceyue any suspiciō be it neuer so little to tell me of it bicause I woulde so vse my selfe as our friendeship which hath indured so long might not be broken for a woman And if I did loue her aboue any thing in the world yet surely I woulde neuer speake worde vnto her bicause I doe esteme our friendship aboue any other thing His companion swore vnto him very great othes that he neuer thought it praying him to vse his house as he had done before Whervnto he answered Sith you will haue me so to doe I am content But I pray you if hereafter you doe conceyue any simstre opinion of me not to dessemble the same which if you doe I will neuer continue longer in your companye In processe of time liuing togither according to their custome the maried gentleman entred agayne into more suspicion than euer he did commaunding his wife to beare no more that countenance towardes him that she was wont to do Which commaundement she tolde to her husbands companion praying him after that time to forbeare to speake vnto her for that she was commaunded to doe the like vnto him The Gentleman vnderstanding by wordes and by certayne counternaunces that his companion had not kept promise he sayde vnto him in a great choler To be ialous my companion is a thing naturall But bicause thou diddest sweare vnto me by othes not to dissemble with me I can by no meanes forbeare any longer For I did euer think that betwéene thy heart mine there could be no let interrupcion but to my great griefe and without any fault on my part I doe sée the contrarie For as muche as thou art not onely verye ialous betwéene thy wife and me but also thou wouldest dissimulate and couer the same so that in the ende thy maladie and diease hath continued so long that it is altered into a mere malyce and like as our loue hath bene the greatest that hath bene séene in our time euen so our displeasure hatred is now most mortall I haue done so muche as lieth in me to auoide this inconuenience but sith thou hast inspected me to be an ill man and I haue still shewed my selfe to be the contrarie I doe sweare and therewithal assure thée by my fayth that I am the same thou thinkest me to be and therefore from hence forth take hede of me For since suspiciō hath separated thée from my loue and amitie dispite shall deuide me from thine And albeit that his companion woulde haue made him beleue the contrarie and that he mistrusted him nothing at all yet he withdrewe his part of his moueables and goodes that before were commō betwéene them so that nowe both their hearts and goodes were so farre separated as before they were vnited and ioyned together In suche wise as the vnmaried Gentleman neuer ceassed till he had made his companion Cockold according to his promise A Miracle at Lyons The simplicitie of an olde woman that offered a burning candle to Saint Iohn of Lyons The. Lix Nouell IN the Church of sainct Iohn at Lyons there was a very darke chappell and within the same a Tombe made of stone erected for great personages with pictures liuely wrought and about the same tombe there doe lie many worthy gknihts of great valiance Upon a hot esommers day a souldior walking vp and downe the Church had great delight to slepe and beholding that darke chappel which was colde and fresh of ayre thought to goe slepe vpon the Tombe as other did besides whome he layed him downe to slepe It chaunced that a good old woman very deuout came thether when the souldior was in the depth of his slepe And after she had sayde her deuotions with a waxe candle in her hande she would haue sticked the same vpon the Tombe and repairing nere the place where the souldior lay desirous to sicke it vpon his forhead thinking it had bene of stone the waxe would not cleaue The olde woman which thought the cause that her candle woulde not sticke was the coldnesse of the Image went about to warme the forhead with the flame of the candle to make it cleaue But the Image which was not insensible began to cry out whereat the pore woman was so afrayd that lyke one straught of her wittes she brake into exclamation crying A miracle A miracle They within the Church hearing an outcry of a miracle ranne in heapes as thoughe they had bene mad some to ring the belles and some to sée the miracle And the good wife brought them to sée the Image which was remoued Whereat many began to laughe But diuers priestes could not so content themselues but determined greatly to estéeme that Tombe therof to get money Of a Doctor of the Lawes A Doctor of the lawes bought a cup who by the subtiltie of two false verlets lost both his money and the cup. ¶ The. Lx. Nouell TO conclude our number of Nouels I haue thought good gentle reader to bring in place a Doctor and his wife to giue thée a mery farewell bicause thou hast hitherto so friendly and paciently suffred thy self to be stayed in reading of the rest Wherfore with a pleasant Valete et Plaudite in a short merie tale which discloseth the subtiltie of two false knaues to begile a pore Doctor and his wife I meane to end And therfore do say that in the citie of Bologna in Italie there was a worshipfull Doctor of the Law called Maister Florien which in other thinges sauing his profession was but filthie beastlie and of so ill behauiour as none of his facultie the like Who by sauing of many crustes had layed vp