giue To louing man that here on earth doth liue This great good turne which I on hir pretende Of my conceites the full desired ende Proceedes from thee O cruell mystres mine Whose froward heart hath made me to resigne The full effect of all my libertie To please and ease thy fonde fickle fansie My vse of speach in silence to remaine To euery wight a double hellish paine Whose faith hadst thou not wickedly abusde No stresse of paine for thee had bene refusde Who was to thee a trustie seruaunt sure And for thy sake all daungers would endure For which thou hast defaced thy good name And there vnto procurde eternall shame I That roaring tempest huge which thou hast made me felt The raging stormes whereof well nere my heart hath swelt By painefull pangs whose waltering waues by troubled skies And thousand blastes of winde that in those seas do rise Do promise shipwracke sure of that thy sayling Barke When after weather cleare doth rise some tempest darke For eyther I or thou which art of Tygres kinde In that great raging gulfe some daunger sure shalt finde Of that thy nature rude the dest'nies en'mies be And thy great ouerthrow full well they do foresee The heauens vnto my estate no doubt great friendship shoe And do seeke wayes to ende and finish all my woe This penance which I beare by yelding to thy hest Great store of ioyes shall heape and bring my minde to rest And when I am at ease amids my pleasaunt happes Then shall I see thee fall and suarlde in Fortunes trapes Then shall I see thee banne and cursse the wicked time Wherin thou madest me gulpe such draught of poysoned wine By which thy mortall cuppe I am the offred wight A vowed sacrifice to that thy cruell spight Wherefore my hoping heart doth hope to see the daie That thou for silence nowe to me shalt be the praie I O blessed God most iust whose worthy laude and praise With vttered speach in Skies aloft I dare not once to raise And may not wel pronoūce speak what suffrance I sustain Ne yet what death I do indure whiles I in life remaine Take vengeance on that traitresse rude afflict hir corps with woe Thy holy arme redresse hir fault that she no more do soe My reason hath not so farre strayed but I may hope and trust To see hir for hir wickednesse be whipt with plague most iust In the meane while great hauinesse my sense and soule doth bite And shaking feuer vexe my corps for grief of hir despite My mynde now set at libertie from thee O cruell dame Doth giue defiance to thy wrath and to thy cursed name Proclamyng mortall warre on thee vntill my tongue vntide Shall ioy to speake to Zilia fast wepyng by my side The heuēs forbid that causelesse wrōg abrode shold make his vaūt Or that an vndeserued death forget full tombe shoulde haunt But that in written boke and verse their names should euer liue And eke their wicked dedes should die and vertues still reuine So shall the pride and glorie both of hir be punisht right By length of yeares and tract of time And I by vertues might Full recompense therby shall haue and stande still in good fame And she like caitife wretche shall liue to hir long lasting shame Whose fond regarde of beauties grace contemned hath the force Of my true loue full fixt in hir hir heart voide of remorse Esteemed it selfe right foolishely and me abused still Vsurping my good honest faith and credite at hir will Whose loyall faith doth rest in soule and therin still shall bide Vntill in filthie stincking graue the earth my corps shall hide Then shal that soule fraught with that faith to heuēs make his 〈◊〉 And rest amōg the heuenly rout bedeckt with sacred aire paire And thou for thy great crueltie as God aboue doth know With rufull voice shalt weepe and waile for thy great ouerthrow And when thou wouldest fain purge thy self for that thy wretched No kindnesse shal to thee be done extreme shal be thy mede dede And where my tongue doth want his will thy mischief to display My hande and penne supplies the place and shall do so alway For so thou hast constrainde the same by force of thy behest In silence still my tong to kepe t' accomplishe thy request Adieu farewell my tormenter thy friend that is full mute Doth bid thee farewell once againe and so he ends his sute He that liueth only to be reuenged of thy cruelty Philiberto of Virle Zilia like a disdainfull woman made but a iest at the letters and complaints of the infortunat louer saying that she was very well content with his seruice And that when he should performe the time of his probatiou she should sée if he were worthy to be admitted into the felowship of them which had made sufficient proofe of the order and rule of loue In the meane time Philiberto rode by great iourneys as we haue sayd before towards the goodly and pleasant Countrey of Fraunce wherein Charles the seuenth that time did raigne who miraculously but giue the French man leaue to flatter speake vvel of his ovvne Countrey according to the flattering and vaunting nature of that Nation chased the English men out of his lands and auncient Patrimonie in the yeare of our Lord. 1451. This king had his campe then warfaring in Gascoine whose lucke was so fortunate as he expeld his enimies and left no place for thē to fortifie in the sayd Countrey which incouraged the king to folow that good occasion and by prosecuting his victorious fortune to profligat out of Normandie to dispatch himself of that enimy into whose handes and seruitude the Coūtrey of Guiene was rightly deliuered and victoriously wonne and gottē by the Englishmen The king then being in his Campe in Normandie the Piedmont Gentleman the Lord of Virle aforesayd repaired thereunto to serue him in his person where hée was well knowne of some Captaines which had séene him at other times and in place where worthy Gentlemen are wont to frequent and in the Duke of Sauoyes court which the Frenchmen did very much 〈◊〉 bicause the Earle of Piedmont that then was Duke of Sauoy had maried Iolanta the second daughter of Charles the seuenth These Gentlemen of Fraunce were very much sory for the misfortune of the Lord of Virle and knowing him to be one of the brauest and lustiest men of armes that was in his time within the Country of Piedmont presented him before the King commending vnto his grace the vertue gentlenesse and valianee of the man of warre Who after he had done his 〈◊〉 according to his duetie which he knew ful well to doe declared vnto him by signs that he was come for none other intent but in those warres to serue his maiesty whom the king heard and thākfully receiued assuring himself and promising very much of the 〈◊〉 Gitlemā for respect of his personage which was comely
which secretely they thought was about to escape away giuing them straight charge that by no meanes they shoulde returne without hir When the 〈◊〉 drew neare the shippe Poris bent him self to encourage the mariners to hoyse by saile againe and to make way with their oares into the sea if it were possible to auoide the imminent and present danger to saue the life of him selfe his wife children then he erected his handes vp vnto the heauens to implore the healpe and succor of the Gods which the stoute Gentlewoman Theoxena perceiuing and manifestly séeing the daunger wherein they were callyng to hir mynde hir former determinate vengeance which she ment to do and beholding 〈◊〉 in his prayers she prosecuted hir intente preparing a poysoned drinke in a cuppe and made redie naked swordes All which bringyng forth before the childrens face she spake these words Death alone must bée the reuēge of your siely liues whervnto there be two wayes poison or the sworde Euery of you choose which ye list to haue or of whether of them your heart shall make the frankest choyse The Kings crueltie and pride you must auoyde Wherfore dere children be of good 〈◊〉 raise vp your no ble courage ye the elder aged boyes shew now your selues like men and take the sword into your handes to pierce your tender hearts but if the bloudie smart of that most dreadfull death shal feare and fright your gréene and vnripe age then take the venomed cuppe and gulpe by sundrie draughts this poisoned drinke Be franke and lusty in this your destenied death sith the violence of Fortune by sea doeth let the lengthning of your life I craue this request of choise and let not the same rebound with fearful refuse of this my craued hest Your mother afterwardes shal passe that straight wherof she prayeth hir babes to bée the poastes yée the vaunt currours and shée with your louing 〈◊〉 shall ende and finishe Philips rage bent agaynst vs. When shée had spoken these wordes and 〈◊〉 the enimies at hand this couragious dame the 〈◊〉 of the death egged prouoked these yong 〈◊〉 childrē not yet wel resolued what to do with hir encharmed words in such wise as in the ende some dranke the poison and other strake them selues into the bodie and by hir commaundement were throwen ouer boorde not altogether dead and so she set them at libertie by death whom tenderly she had brought vp Then she imbracing hir husbande the companion of hir death both did voluntarily throw them selues also into the sea And when the Kings espials were come aboorde the ship they found the same abandoned of their praye The crueltie of which fact did so moue the cōmon people to detectation and 〈◊〉 of the king as a generall cursse was pronounced against him his children which heard of the Gods aboue was afterwardes terribly reuenged vpon his stock 〈◊〉 This was the end of good Poris and his stout wise Theoxena who rather than she would fall into the lapse of the Kings furie as hir father Herodicus and hir other husbande did chose violently to die with hir owne handes and to cause hir husbands children and hir owne to berieue them selues of life which although agaynst the louing order of naturall course and therefore that kinde of violence to be abhorred as horrible in it selfe yet a declaration of a stoute minde if otherwise she had ben able to reuenge the same And what coward heart is that that dare not vpon such extremitie whé it séeth the mercilesse ennimie at hand with shining blade redie bent to strike the blowe that without remedie muste ridde the same of breath specially when it séeth the trembling babe naturally begotten by his owne kinde and nature before the face imploryng fathers rescue what 〈◊〉 heart dare not to offer himself by singular fight though one to twētie either by desperate hardinesse to auoide the same or other anoyance aduenture what he can which in Christians is admitted as a comely fight rather than with that Pagane dame to doe the death it selfe But now returne we to describe a facte that passeth all other forced déedes For Theoxena was compelled in a maner thus to do of méere constraint to eschue the greater torments of a tyrants rage and thought it better by chosen death to chaunge hir life than by violent hands of bloudie butchers to bée haled to the slaughter But this Hidrusian dame was wearie of hir life not for that shée feared losse of life but desperate to think of Fortunes 〈◊〉 staye which 〈◊〉 Fortunes darlings would regarde in time they would foresée their slippery hold A Gentlewoman of Hidrusa ¶ A Straunge and maruellous vse which in olde time was obserued in HIDRVSA where it was lawfull with the licence of a Magistrate ordeined for that purpose for 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and woman that list to kill them selues The nynth Nouell BAndello amongs the company of his 〈◊〉 telleth this Historie and in his owne person speaketh these woords If I should begin to tell those things which I sawe in the time that I sailed alōgs the leuāt seas very tedious it would be for you to heare and I in reporting could not tell which way to ende bicause I saw and heard things right worthy to be remembred Notwithstanding for satisfaction of diuers that be my frendes I will not sticke to reherse some of them But first of all one straunge custom which in the Romans time was vsed in one of the Ilandes of the sea Aegeum called Hidrusa in these dayes by the trauailers called Cea or Zea and is one of the Ilandes named Ciclades whilome full of populous and goodly Cities as the rumes thereof at this day do declare Ther was in old time in that Iland a very strange lawe and ordinaunce which many hundred yeares was very well and perfectly kepte and obserued The Lawe was that euery person inhabitant within the sayde 〈◊〉 of what sexe and condition so euer béeing thorough age infirmitie or other accidents wearie of their life might choose that kinde of death which liked them best howbeit it was prouided that the partie before the dooing of the same shoulde manifest the cause that moued hym therevnto before the Magistrate elected by the people for that speciall purpose which they ordeyned bycause they sawe that diuers persons had volūtarily killed themselues vpon triflyng occasions and matters of little importance accordyng to whiche lawe very many men and women hardily with so mery chere went to their death as if they had gone to some bankette or mariage It chaunced that Pompeius Magnus that dreadfull Romane vetwene whō and Iulius Caesar were foughte the greatest battailes for superioritie that euer were Pompeius I say sailing by the sea Aegeum arriued at Hidrusa and there goyng a land vnderstode of the inhabitants the maner of that law and how the same day a woman of great worship had obteined licence of the Magistrate to poison hir selfe Pompeius hearing tell hereof
and wel proportioned and therfore represented some force and great dexteritie and that which made the king the better to fantasie that gentlemā was the report of so many worthy mē which extolled euen to that heanēs the prowesse of that Piedmont knight Wherof he gaue assured testimony in that assault which that king made to deliuer 〈◊〉 the chief Citie defense of all 〈◊〉 in the yeare of our Lord. 1451. wher Philiberto behaued himself so 〈◊〉 as he was that first that moūted vpon that wals by his dexteritie inuincible force made way to the soldiers in the breche wherby a litle while after they entred sacked the enimies driuing thē out of that Citie wherin not long before that is to say 1430. that Duke of Somerset caused loane that Pucelle to be burnt The King aduertised of that seruice of the dūbe Gentleman wold recōpense him according to his desert and bicause he knewe him to be of a good house he made him a Gentlemā of his chābre and gaue him a good pension promising him moreouer to cōtinue his liberality whē he shold sée him prosecute in time to come that towardnesse of seruice which he had so haply begon The dūbe Gentleman thanking the king very hūbly both for that present princely reward for promise in time to come lifted vp his hād to heauē as taking God to witnesse of the faith which inuiolable he promised to kepe vnto his Prince which he did so earnestly as hardely he had promised as well appered in a skirmish betwene that French their auncient enimies the English men on whose side was the valiāt hardy Captain the Lord Talbot who hath eternized his memory in the victories obtained vpon that people which sometimes made Europa Asia to trēble appalled the monstrous warlike Countrey of Affrica In this conflict the Piedmont knight ioyned with the lord Talbot against whō he had so happy successe as vpō that shock 〈◊〉 he ouerthrew both man horse which caused the discōfiture of that English mē who after they had horssed again their captain 〈◊〉 amain leauing the 〈◊〉 bespred with dead bodies and bludshed of their cōpaniōs This victory recouered such 〈◊〉 boldnesse to that Frēch as from that time forth the English mē began with their places and forts to lose also their hearts to defēd themselues The king excedingly wel cōtented with the prowesse valiāce of the dumbe gentlemā gaue him for seruice past the charge of v. C. men of armes indued him with some possessions attending better fortune to make him vnderstand howe much the vertue of valiance ought to be rewarded cherished by Princes that be aided in their necessitie with the diligence of such a vertuous Noble Gentleman In like manner when a Prince hath something good in himself he can do no lesse but cherish that which 〈◊〉 himself by Princely conditions sith that vertue in what so euer place it taketh roote can not choose but produce good frute that vse wherof far surmounts them all which aproche that place where these first séedes were thrown Certaine dayes after the king desirous to reioyee his Knights and Captaines that were in his train and desirous to extinguish quite the wofull time which so 〈◊〉 space helde Fraunce in fearful silence caused 〈◊〉 triumph of Turney to be proclaimed within the City of Roane wherin the Lord of Virle was déemed and estemed one of the best which further did increase in him the good wil of the king in such wise as he determined to procure his health and to make him haue his speache againe For he was very sory that a gentleman so valiāt was not able to expresse his minde which if it might be had in councel would serue the state of common wealth so well as the force and valor of his body had til then serued for defense and recouery of his places And for that purpose he made Proclamation by sound of Trumpet throughout the Coūtreis aswel within his owne kingdome as the regions adioyning vpon the same that who so euer could heale that dumbe Gentleman shold haue ten thousande Frankes for recompense A man might haue then séene thousandes of Physitians assembled in field not to skirmish with the English mē but to combate for reward in recouery of the Pacients speache begon to make such warre against those ten thousand Franks as the King was afraide that the cure of that disease could take no effect and for that cause ordained furthermore that who so euer would take in hande to heale the dumbe and would not kepe promise within a certaine prefixed time shold pay the sayd summe or for default thereof should pledge his head in gage A man might then haue séene those Physicke maisters aswell beyond that Mountaines as in Fraunce it self retire home againe bléeding at the nose cursing with great impiety their Patrones Galen Hypocrates and Auicen and blamed with more than reprochful words the Arte wherwith they fished for honor and richesse This brute was spred so far and babbling Fame had already by mouth of Trumpe published the same throughout the most part of the Prouinces Townes and Cities neare and far off to Fraunce in such wise as a man wold haue thought that the two yong men which once in the time of the Macedonian warres broughte tidings to Vatinius that the King of 〈◊〉 was taken by the Consull Paulus Emilius had bene vagant and wādering abrode to cary newes of the Kings edicte for the healing of the Lord of Virle Which caused that not only the brute of the Proclamation but also the credite and reputation wherin the sayd Lord was with the French King came euen to Montcall and passed from mouth to mouth til at length Zilia the principall cause thereof vnderstoode the newes which reioysed hir very much séeing the firme amitie of the dumbe Lord and the sincere faith of him in a promise vnworthy to be kept for so much as wher 〈◊〉 and feare beare swinge in hearts of men religion of promise specially the place of the giuen fayth giueth ouer his force and reuolteth and is no more boūd but to that which by good will he would obserue Now thought she thought nay rather she assured hir selfe that the Gentleman for all his wrytten letter was so surprised with hir loue and kindled with hir fire in so ample wise as when he was at 〈◊〉 and therfore determined to goe to Paris not for desire she had to see hir pacient and penetenciarie but rather for couetise of the ten thousand Frāks wherof already she thought hir selfe assured making good accompt that the dumbe Gentleman séeing himself discharged by hir of his promise for gratifying of hir wold make no stay to speak to the intent she might beare away both the 〈◊〉 and money which all others had 〈◊〉 till that time Thus you sée that she whome honest amitie and long seruice could little induce to
greatest blame and discōmendation amongs men euen so gentlenesse kindnesse ought to bear that title of a most cōmēdable vertue And as the Thebans were accused of that crime for their great captaines Epaminondas Pelopidas The Plateens contrarywise were praised for their solemn obseruation of the Grekes benefits which deliuered them out of the Persians bondage And the Sicyonians beare away the price of eternal praise for acknowledging the good turnes receiued of Aratus that deliuered them frā the crueltie of the tyrants And if Philippo Maria duke of Milan deserued eternall reproch for his ingratitude to his wife Beatrix for the secrete killing of hir he being enriched with hir goodes and treasures a barbarous turke borne in Arabia shall carie the praise from him who being vanquished in Arabia by Baldouine king of Hierusalem and he and his wife taken prisoners and hys treasures fallen into the handes of that good king issued of the Loraine blood Neuerthelesse seing that the Christian had deliuered him and restored againe hys wyfe woulde not be vanquished in magnificence and 〈◊〉 much lesse beare the name of an vnkinde prince but rather when Baldouine was ouercome of that infidels and being retired within a certain citie that Admirall of Arabie came to him in the night and telling him the deuise of his cōpanions conueyed him out of the 〈◊〉 was his guide vntil he saw him frée peril I 〈◊〉 alleaged that premisses bicause the history which I purpose to recite aduoucheth two examples not vulgare or cōmon the one of very great loue the other of such 〈◊〉 ceptaciō and knowledging therof as I thought it pitie the same should lurke from the acquaintaunce of 〈◊〉 Englishe men And that they alone should haue the 〈◊〉 thereof which vnderstande the Italian tongue supposing that it shall bring some frute and commoditie to this our English soil that eche wight may frame their life on those which in straunge Countreys farre from vs haue liued vertuously without reproche that might soile or spot their name In Siena then an auncient and very noble Citie of Toscane which no long time past was gouerned by hir Magistrates and liued in hir own lawes and liberties as the Lucquois Pisans and Florentines doe were two families very rich noble and the chiefe of the Citie called the Salimbenes and Montanines of the race stocke whereof excellent men in their common wealth haue descended very good and experte souldiers for 〈◊〉 of armies Those two houses in the beginning were so great friends and frequented such loue and 〈◊〉 as it séemed they had bene but one house 〈◊〉 daily vsing eche others companie and banketting one another But Italy in all times being as it were a store house of troubles and a very marte of sedition bandes and parcialities specially of ciuill warres in euery Citie it could not be that Siena should alone enioy hir libertie in peace and accorde of Citizens and vaunt hir self to be frée frō knowledge of particular debate For of warres she had good experience against the Florentines who by long remembrance haue done what they could to make hir subiect vnto them Nowe the cause of that discorde rose euen by them which kept the Citizens in vnity and concord and was occasioned by those y. houses the noblest most puissant of their cōmon wealth It is not vnknowne to any man that antiquitie ordained it to be peculiar for nobilitie to traine vp the children of noble houses in hunting aswell to bolden nosel them in daūgers as to make them strong and accustomed in trauail to force them shun the delicate life and great idlenesse which accōpany honorable houses and those of gentle bloud for somuch as by the pursute of beasts sleights of war be obserued the hounds be the square battell the greihoundes be the flanquarts and wings to folow the enimy the horsman serueth to giue the chace when the game spéedeth to couert the hornes be the trumpets to sound the chase and retire for incouragement of the dogges that run To be short it séemeth a very campe in battail ordeined for the pleasure and passetyme of noble youth Neuerthelesse by huntyng diuers missefortunes doe arise and sundry daungers haue happened by the same Meleager lost his life for the 〈◊〉 of the wylde bore of Callydonia Cephalus lost his life for killyng his deare beloued Procris and Acastus was accursed for murderyng the Kings sonne of whome hée was the Tutour William Rufus one of our Englyshe Kyngs the sonne of the Conqueroure was slaine with an arrowe in the Newe forrest by a French gentleman called Walter Tyrel as he was pursuing the harte Other histories reporte dyuers perils chanced in hunting but yet the same worthie to be cherished frequented and vsed by good aduise and moderate passetyme So the hunting of the wylde Bore defiled the Citie of Siena with the bloode of hir owne Citizens when the Salimbenes and Montanines vpon a daye in an assembled companie incountring vpon a greate and fierce bore toke hym by force of men and beastes When they had done as they were banketting and 〈◊〉 of the nimblenesse of their dogs eche mā praising his owne as hauing done best there rose great 〈◊〉 amongs them vpon that matter and procéeded so farre as foudly they began to reuile one another with words and from taunting termes to earnest blowes wherewith diuers in that skirmish were hurt on both sides In the end the Salimbenes had the worsse and one of the principall 〈◊〉 in the place which appalled the rest not that they were discoraged but attending time and season of reuenge This hatred so strangly kindled betwene both parts that by little and little after many combates and ouerthrowes of either side the losse lighted vpō the Montanines who with their welth and richesse were almost brought to nothing and thereby the rigour and choler of the Salimbenes appeased none being able to resist them and in space of time forgot al iniuries The Montanines also that remained at Siena liued in quiet without chalenge or quarell of their 〈◊〉 uersaries howbeit 〈◊〉 talke and haunt of others company vtterly surceased And to say the truth there were almost none to quarell withall for the whole bloud and name of the Montanines rested in one alone called Charles the sonne of Thomas Montanine a yong inā so honest and wet brought vp as any then in Siena who had a sister that for beautie grace curtesy and honestie was comparable with the best in all Thoscame This pore yong Gentleman had no great reuenue for that the patrimonie of his predecessors was wasted in charges for entertainment of souldiers in the time of the hurly burly and debates aforesaid A good parte also was confiseate to the chamber of Siena for trespasses forfaitures committed with the remayne he sustained his familie and indisserently maintained his porte soberly within his own house keping his sister in vecent and moderate order The maiden
Angelica by the hand they went into that hall from thence into his chāber which was furnished according to that state riches of a Lord he being one of the welthiest chiefe of the citie of Siena When they were set downe all the 〈◊〉 gone 〈◊〉 Charles began to say to Salimbene these wordes You may not thinke it straunge sir Salimbene if against the lawes customes of our commō wealth I presently do call you for knowing the band wherwith I am boūd vnto you I must for euer cōfesse count my self to be your slaue bōdman you hauing done a thing in my behalf that deserueth the name of Lord master But what vngrateful man is he that wil forget so great a benefit as that which I haue receiued of you holding of you life goods honor this mine own sister that enioyeth by your meanes the presence of hir brother hir rest of mind not losing our noble reputation by the losse prepared for me through vnrighteous iudgement you hauing staid the ruine both of hir me and the rest of our house kin I am right glad sir that this my duetie seruice is boūden to so vertuous a gentleman as you be but excéeding sory that fortune is so froward contrary vnto me that I am not able to accomplishe my good will and if ingratitude may lodge in mind of a néedie Gentleman who hath no helpe but of himself and in the will of his chast sister and minde vnited in two persōs onely saued by you duetie doeth require to present the rest and to submit al that is left to be disposed at your good pleasure And bicause that I am well assured that it is Angelica alone which hath kindled the fire of desire and hath caused you to loue that which your predecessours haue deadly hated that same sparke of knowledge which our misery could not quenche with all his force hath made the way and shewed the path whereby we shall auoide the name of ingrate forgetfull persons that same which hath made you liberal towards me shal be bountifully bestowed vpō you It is Angelica sir which you sée present héere who to discharge my band hathe willingly rendred to be your owne submitting hir selfe to your good will for euer to be youres And I which am hir brother and haue receiued that great good wil of hir as in my power to haue hir wil do present the same leaue hir in your handes to vse as you would your owne praying you to accept the same to consider whose is the gift and from wheuce it cometh and how it ought to be regarded When he had sayd so Montanine rose vp and without further talke went home vnto his house If Anselmo were abashed at the Montanines arriuall and 〈◊〉 at the Oration of Charles his sodaine departure was more to be maruelled at and therwithall to sée the effect of a thing which he neuer hoped nor thought vpon He was excéeding glad ioyful to sée himself in the cōpany of hir whome he desired aboue all things of the world but sory to sée hir heauy sorowfull for such chaunce He supposed hir being there to procéede rather of the yong mans good gentle nature than of the maidens will liking For which cause taking hir by the hād holding hir betwene his armes he vsed these or such like words Gentlewomā if euer I had felt knowne with what wing that varietie lightnesse of worldly things do flie the gains of incōstant fortune at this present I haue séene one of that most manifest profes which semeth to me so 〈◊〉 as almost I dare not beleue that which I sée before mine eyes I knowe well that it is for you and for the seruice that I beare you that I haue broken the effect of that hatred which by inheritaunce I haue receiued against your house and for that deuotion haue deliuered your brother But I sée that fortune will not let me to haue the vpper hand to be the conquerer of hir sodaine pangs But you your self shal sée euery mā shall know that my heart is none other thā noble my deuises tend but to the exploit of all vertue gentlenesse wherfore I pray you said he kissing hir louingly be not sad doubt not that your seruaunt is any other now hauing you in his power than he was whē he durst not discouer the ardēt loue that vexed him held him in féeble state ful of 〈◊〉 and thought you also may bée sure that he hath not had the better hand ouer me ne yet for his curtesie hath obteined victorie nor you for obeying him For sith that you be mine and for such yelded and giuen to me I wil kéepe you as hir whom I loue esteme aboue al things of the worlde making you my companion and the only mistresse of my goodes hearte and will Thinke not that I am the friende of Fortune and practise pleasure alone without vertue It is modestie which commaundeth me and honestie is the guide of my conceites Assure you then repose your comfort on me for none other thā Angelica Montanine shall be the wife of Anselmo Salimbene and during my life I will bée the friende the defender and supporter of your house At those good newes the drousie and wandering spirite of the faire Siena mayde awaked who ending hir teares and appeasing hir sorow rose vp and made a very lowe reuerence vnto hir curteous friende thanking him for his greate and incomparable liberalitie promising all seruice duetie and amitie that a Gentlewoman ought to bear vnto him whō God had reserued for hir spouse and husbande After an infinite numbre of honest imbracements and pleasant kisses giuen and receiued on both parts Anselmo called vnto him one of his Auntes that dwelled within him to whome hée deliuered hys newe conquest to kéepe and spedily without delaye hée sent for the next of his kinne and dearest friends and being come he intreated them to kéepe him companie in a very vrgent and weightie businesse he had to do wherin if they shewed them selues diligent in hys request doubtfull it is not but he addressed spéede for accomplishmēt of his enterprise Then causing his Aunt and welbeloued Angelica to come forth he caried them not without their great admiration to the pallace of Montanine whither being arriued he and his companie were wel intertained of the sayde Montanine the brother of faire Angelica When they were in the hall Salimbene sayd to his brother in law that shold be Senior Montanine it is not long sithens that you in companie of my faire Gentlewoman here came home to speake with me desirous to haue no man priuie to the effect of your cōference But I am come to you with this troupe to disclose my mind before you al to manifest what I purpose to do to the intent the whole world may know your good honest
excéeding faire crown of Gold apt and mete for the 〈◊〉 head Afterwards when he saw time conuenient he 〈◊〉 that in the market place of the Citie a pearche should be erected and 〈◊〉 with tapestrie Arras 〈◊〉 other costly furnitures suche as Princes palaces are 〈◊〉 decked withall Thither with sound of 〈◊〉 he caused the Falcon to be conueyed where the King 〈◊〉 ded one of his noble men to place the Crowne vpon his head for prise of the excellent pray atchieued vppon the Egle. Then he caused the hangman or common executioner of the Citie to take the Crowne from the Faucon and with the trenchant sworde to cut of his head Upon these contrary 〈◊〉 the beholders of this sight were amazed and began diuersly to talke thereof The King which at a window stoode to beholde this fact caused silence to be kepte and so loude opened his Princely voice as he was well hearde speaking these wordes There ought good people none of you all to 〈◊〉 and grudge at the present fact executed vpō the Faucon bicause the same is done vpon good reason and iust cause as by processe of my discourse you shall well perceyue I am persuaded that it is the office and duetie of euery magnanimous prince to know the valor and difference betwene vertue and vice that all vertuous actes 〈◊〉 thie attempts may be honoured and the contrary 〈◊〉 punished otherwise he is not worthy of the name of a King and Prince but of a cruell and traiterous tyrant For as the Prince beareth the title by principalitie and chief so ought his life chiefly to excell other whome he gouerneth and ruleth The bare title and dignitie is not sufficient if his condicions and moderation bée not to that supreme state 〈◊〉 Full well I knew and did consider to be in this dead Faucon a certaine generositie and stoutnesse of minde ioyned with a certaine fierce 〈◊〉 and nimblenesse for which I crowned and rewarded hir with this golden garland bicause of the stoute slaughter which she made vpon that mightie Egle worthie for that 〈◊〉 and prowesse to be honoured after that solemne guise But when I considered how boldly and rashely she assailed and killed the Egle which is 〈◊〉 Quéene and maistresse I thought it a part of iustice that for hir bolde and vncomely act she shoulde suffer the paine due to hir 〈◊〉 For vnlaufull it is for the seruaunte and vnduetifull for the subiecte to imbrue his handes in the bloud of his soueraigne Lord. The Faulcon then hauing slaine hir Quéene and of all other birdes the soueraigne who can with reason blame me for cutting of the Falcons head Doubtlesse none that hath respecte to the quiete state betweene the Prince and subiect This example the 〈◊〉 alleaged against Ariobarzanes when they pronoūced sentence And applying the same to him ordeined that first Ariobarzanes for his Magnanimitie and liberall Curtesie should be crowned with a Laurel Garland for the generositie of his minde and excéeding curtesie but for his great emulation earnest endeuour and continuall 〈◊〉 to contende with his prince and in Liberalitie to shew him selfe superior 〈◊〉 the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 spéech vttered against him his hed ought to be striken of Ariobarzanes being aduertised of this seuere 〈◊〉 he purposed to sustain the 〈◊〉 darte of Fortune as he had endured other bruntes of that enuious inconstant Lady and in suche maner behaued and directed his 〈◊〉 and countenance as no signe of choler or dispaire appeared in him onely pronouncing this sentence with ioyful 〈◊〉 in the presence of many Glad I am that at length there resteth in me so much to be liberal as I employ my life and bloud to declare the same to my soueraigne Lorde which right willingly I meane to do that the world may know that I had rather lose my life than to saint and giue ouer in mine 〈◊〉 liberalitie Then calling a Notarie vnto him he made his will for so it was lawful by the Persian lawes and to his wife and daughters he increased the dowries and to his kinsfolk and frends 〈◊〉 bequethed diuers riche bountifull legacies To the King he 〈◊〉 a great numbre of most precious Jewels To Cyrus the Kings sonne and his by mariage bisides a great masse of money he bequeathed all his armure and 〈◊〉 with all his instrumentes for the warres and his whole stable of horsse Last of all he ordeined that if perhaps his wife shoulde be founde with childe and broughte to bed of a Sonne he should be his vniuersall heire But if a woman childe to haue the like dowrie that his other daughters had The rest of his goods and cattell he gaue indifferently to all iii. equally to bée deuided He prouided also that all his 〈◊〉 according to their degrée should be rewarded The day before he shoulde be put to death according to the custome of Persia his praises and valiant factes as well by Epitaphes fixed vpon 〈◊〉 as by 〈◊〉 were generally sounded 〈◊〉 the Realme in suche wise as eche wight 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 him to be the moste liberall and noble personage that was in all the Countrey and in the borders 〈◊〉 vpon the same And if there had not bene some enuious persones néere the King which studied and practised his ouerthrow all other would haue déemed him vnworthy of death Such is the enuie of the maliciously disposed that rather than they would sée their equals to be in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with the Prince than them selues studie and deuise all policie either by flatterie or false 〈◊〉 to bring them in discredite or to practise by false accusation their vtter subuersion by death or vanishement But whiles 〈◊〉 was disposing his things in order his wife and daughters with his friends and 〈◊〉 were affected with great sorow day and night complaining for the heauie 〈◊〉 of that noble Gentleman The eight day 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 for the lawe allowed that space to the condemned for disposition of their things a skaffolde was made by commaundement of the King in the middes of the Market place all couered with blacke 〈◊〉 and an other righte ouer against the same with purple and 〈◊〉 where the King if he 〈◊〉 in the mids of the Judges should sitte and the inditement redde iudgement by the Kings owne mouth declared shoulde be executed or if it pleased him discharge and assoile the condemned And the King vnwilling to be present gaue to one of the 〈◊〉 Judges his full power and authoritie But yet sorrowfull that a Gentleman so noble and valiant his father and 〈◊〉 in lawe should finishe his life with a death so horrible would néedes that morning be presente him selfe at that execution as well to sée the continent and stoute ende of Ariobarzanes as also to take order for his deliuerie 〈◊〉 the time was come Ariobarzanes by the 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 was brought vnto the Skaffolde and there apparelled in riche 〈◊〉 the Laurell Crowne was set vpon his head and so continuing for a certaine space the
〈◊〉 and of Queene SOPHONISBA his wife The seuenth Nouell IF men wold haue a fore cōsideration of their own things doings before they doe attempt that same or else premeditate and studie the scope and successe therof I doe verely beleue that a 〈◊〉 wold 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 themselues 〈◊〉 into so many gulfs of miseries 〈◊〉 as they doe specially noble men Princes who oftentimes doe excell in temeritie rashnesse by letting the raines of their owne lusts to farre to 〈◊〉 at large wherin they doe plunge and 〈◊〉 themselues to their great preiudice dishonor as teacheth this goodly History ensuing which affirmeth that there was a prince 〈◊〉 Massinissa the sonne of Gala king of Massezali 〈◊〉 people of Numidia and 〈◊〉 with the Carthaginians in Spaine against the Romanes hauing first 〈◊〉 honorably against king Syphax in Numidia it chaunced that Gala his father died vpon whose death his kingdom was inuaded and occupied by other wherfore susteining 〈◊〉 the surges of aduersitie and diuersly combating with his ennimies sometimes getting parte of his kingdome and sometimes 〈◊〉 and many times molesting both Syphax the Carthaginians was in diuers cōflicts like to be taken or slaine With these his 〈◊〉 impacient of no pain and trouble he became very famous and renowmed that amōgs the people of Affrica he acquired the name and title of a valiant and puissant souldier and of a politique and prouident Capten Afterwards he was generally wel beloued of the Souldiers bicause not like the kings sonne or a prince but as a priuate souldier and companion his conuersation and vsuall trade of life was amongs them calling euery mā by his propre name 〈◊〉 and estéeming them according to their desert obseruing neuerthelesse a certaine comelinesse of a Superiour This Massinissa by means of one Syllanus being in Spayne priuely entred acquaintance 〈◊〉 with that Scipio which afterwardes was surnamed Affricanus and who in those dayes with the authoritie of Proconsul in that prouince victoriously subdued the Carthaginians The same Massinissa entred league with the Romanes and inuiolably so long as he liued obserued 〈◊〉 with the Romane people and left the same to his children and posteritie as an inheritance When the Romanes began warres in Affrica spedily with that power he was able to make he repaired to his old friend Scipio within a while after Syphax being ouerthrown in battel takē Massinissa Laelius was sent to take the chief 〈◊〉 of that kingdom which somtimes wer king Syphax owne called Cirta In that Citie remained Sophonisba that wife of Syphax daughter to Hasdrubal of Giscon who had alienated hir husband from the Romanes with whome he was in league and by hir persuasions he went to aide and defend the Carthaginians Sophonisba perceiuing that the ennimies wire entred the Citie of Cirta and that Massinissa was going towards the Palace 〈◊〉 ned to méete him to proue his gentlenesse and curtesie whereupon in the middes of the souldiers throng which were alredy entred the Palace she stoutly thrust boldly looked round about to proue if she could espy by some signes and tokens the personage of Massinissa She amōgs that prease perceiued one whose apparel and armure and the reuerence done vnto him séemed vnto hir that without doubt the same was the king And therefore incontinently 〈◊〉 dawne before him and pitiously began to speake in this maner For so much O puissant Prince as selicitie and good fortune but specially the fauor of the Gods immortall haue permitted that thou shouldest recouer thine auncient kingdom descended vnto thée by right and lawfull inheritaunce and therwithall hast taken and vanquished thine ennimie and now hast me at thy will 〈◊〉 pleasure to saue or spil I poore wretched miserable womā brought into bōdage from Quéenelike state whilom leading a delicate life in Princely court accompanied with a royall traine of beautifull dames and now at shy mercifull disposition doe humbly appeale to thy mercie goodnesse whose Princely maiestie comfortable aspect chereth vp my woful heart to looke for grace and therfore 〈◊〉 bolde thus to presume with moost hūble voice to implore and crie out beséeching thée to reach me hither thy victorious hāds to kisse and salute This Lady was a passing faire gentlewoman of flourishing age and comely behauiour none 〈◊〉 vnto hir within the whole region of Affrica And so much the more as hir pleasant grace by amiable gesture of complaint did increase so much the heart of Massinissa was delited who being lusty and 〈◊〉 youthly age according to the nature of the Numides was easily intrapped and tangled in the nettes of Loue. Whose glutting eyes were neuer ful nor fiery hart was 〈◊〉 in beholding and wondring at hir most excellent beautie not foreséeing therefore or takyng héede of the daungerous effect of beauties snares his hearte was so fiercely kindled with 〈◊〉 swinging flames of loue that causing hir to rise he exhorted hir to prosecute hir supplication who then began to procede as foloweth If it may be lauful for me thy prisoner and bondwoman O my soneraigne Lord to make request and petition I most hūbly do beséech thée by thy royal maiestie wherin no long time past we were magnificently placed in so Kinglike guise as thou art nowe and by that Numidicall name common vnto thée and my husbande Syphax and by the sauing Gods and patrons of this Citie who with better fortune and more ioyfull successe do receyue thée into the same thā expelled Syphax out frō thence it may please thy sacred state to haue pitie on me I require no hard and difficult thing at thy handes vse thine imperiall gouernement ouer me such as lawe of armes and reason of warre require Cause me if thou wilt to pine in cruel prison or do me to such death with torments as thou list to vse The sharp fierce and cruell death that any wight can 〈◊〉 or Perillus Bull shall not be dreadfull vnto me but more deare and acceptable than 〈◊〉 life in pleasures led For no death shal be refused of me rather than to be rendred into the proud hands of the most cruel Romanes Rather had I 〈◊〉 the trust of a natiue Numide borne with me in Affricke soile than the faith of straungers kinde I know ful well that thou dost know what curtesie a Carthaginian daughter of Hasdrubal shal surely loke for at that Romans hāds whose mind is fearful of nothing more thā of their pride glory intollerable If thou my Lord haddest sisters of 〈◊〉 owne or daughters of thy royal bloud brought forth think that they may chaūce if fortune frown to slide into the pit of aduerse lucke so well as I am now Of that forme Fortunes whéele is made which we 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sée to be 〈◊〉 turning and diuers that now peace and now warre it promiseth now good now euill it thretneth now mirth now sorow it 〈◊〉 nowe aduauncing 〈◊〉 now tumbling downe the clymbers vp Lette Syphax be a cleare
liuely example to thée which could neuer finde any 〈◊〉 stay vnder the Moones globe He was the mightiest and the richest 〈◊〉 that raigned in Affrica and now is the most miserable vnluckie wight that liueth 〈◊〉 lande The Gods graunt that I be no prophete or 〈◊〉 of future euill whose omnipotencie I deuoutlye beséech to suffer thée and thy posteritie in Numide and most happily to raigne Uonchsafe then to 〈◊〉 me from the Romanes thraldome which if thou be not able safely to bring to passe death vnto me shall bée most hartily welcome In speaking those words she toke the Kings right hand and many times swéetly kissed the same And then hir teares turned into pleasant cheare in such wise as not onely the minde of the armed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince was moued to mercie but 〈◊〉 wrapped in the amorous nets of the Ladie whereby the victour was subdued by the vanquished and the Lorde surprised of his captiue vnto whom with treÌ„bling voice thus he answered Make an end O Sophonisba of thy large complaint abandon thy conceyued feare for I will not onely ridde thée from the Romanès handes but also take thée to my 〈◊〉 wife if thou therwith shalt be content whereby thou shalte not leade a prisoners life but passe thy youthfull dayes and 〈◊〉 age if Gods doe graunt thée life so long as Quéene vnto a King wife vnto a Romane frende When he had sayd so with wéeping teares he kissed and embraced hir She by the 〈◊〉 signes gestes and interrupted 〈◊〉 comprehending that the mind of the Numide King was kindled with feruent loue the more to inflame the same she behaued hir selfe in such pitiful plight as the beastly hearts of the Hircane Tigres woulde haue bene made gentle and dispoiled of all fierceness For againe she fel downe at his féete and kissed the armed sabbatons vpon that same bedewing them with hir warme teares And after many sobbes and infinite sighes comforted by him she sayd O the glorie and honor of all the Kings that euer were bée or shall be hereafter O the safest aide of Carthage mine unhappie countrey without desert and nowe the present and most terrible astonishment If my hard fortune and great distresse after so greate ruine might haue bene relieued what greater fauore what thing in all my life coulde chaunce more and fortunate vnto me than to bée called wife of thée O I blessed aboue all other women to haue a man so noble and famous to husband O mine aduenturous and most happie ruine O my moste fortunate miserie that such a glorious and incomparable mariage was prepared for me But bicause the Gods be coÌ„trary vnto me and the due ende of my life approcheth â—easse from henceforth my deare soueraigne Lorde to kindle againe in me my hope half dead or rather consumed and spent bicause I sée my selfe wrapped in a state that in vaine against the pleasures of the Gods I go about to molest thée A great gift and to say the truthe a right great good turne I make accompte to haue receiued of thée if myne owne death I should procure that dying by thy meanes or with thy handes which were more acceptable I should escape the feare of the Romanes thrall all and subiection and this soule deliuered of the same should streight way passe into the Elysian fieldes The final scope of this my humble playnt is to rydone from the handes handes the Romanes whose thraldome to suffer I had rather die The other benefit which thou dost frankly offer to me poore wretche I dare not desire much lesse require the same bicause the preseÌ„t state of my mishappe dareth not presume so high But this thy pitie and compassion ioyned with louing regard and mind toward me mightie Ioua with all the other Gods rewarde and blesse thy gotten kingdome with long raigne enlarging the same with more ample boundes to thine eternall renoum and praise And I do not only render humble thankes for this thy kinde and louing enterteinmeÌ„t but also yelde my selfe thine owne so long as life gouerneth this caitife corps of myne These wordes were pronounced with such effecte as Massinissa was not able for pitie to hold his teares which watred so his comely forme as the dewe therof soaked into his tender heart and not able a long time to speake at last thus he sayd Gyue ouer O my Quéene these cares and thoughts drie vp thy cries 〈◊〉 plaints make an ende of all these dolorous sutes and reioyce that frowarde Fortune hath changed hir mind the Gods no doubt with better successe will perfourme the rest of thy liuing dayes Thou shalt heÌ„ceforth remain 〈◊〉 Quéene wife for pledge whereof the sacred Godheadâ— I call to witnesse But if perchauÌ„ce which the thuÌ„dring mightie God aboue forbid that I shall bée forced to render thée the Romanes prisoner be well assured that on liue they shal not possesse thée For credit and accomplishment of this promisse and in signe of his assured faith he reached his right haÌ„d to Sophonisba and led hir into the inner lodgyng of the Kyngs Palace where afterwarde Massinissa with him self considering how he might perform his promised faith â— ered and troubled with a thousande cogitations séeing in a manner his manifest ouerthrow and ruine at hande prouoked with mad and temerarious loue the very same day in open presence he toke hir to wife solemnizing that mariage which afterwards 〈◊〉 vnto him great veration trouble meaning by the same to haue discharged Sophonisba froÌ„ the Romanes rule order But when Laelius was come and heard tell therof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and chased with 〈◊〉 wordes coÌ„maunded Massinissa to send his new maried wife as the bootie and praie of the Romanes together with Syphax to their Captaine Scipio Notwithstanding vanquished with the supplications and teares of Massinissa referring the matter wholly to the iudgement of Scipio he dispatched Syphax with the other prisoners and bootie to the Romane campe and he himself remained with Massinissa for the recouerie of other places of the Kingdome minding not to returne before the whole prouince were brought vnder the Romane subiection In that meane time Laelius gaue 〈◊〉 vnto Scipio of the successe of Massinissa his mariage Who knowing the same to be so hastily celebrated was maruellously offended troubled in minde much maruellyng that Massinissa would make such post hast before the comming of Laelius Yea vpon the very first day of his entrie into Cirta that hée would 〈◊〉 that vnaduised wedding the greater was Scipio his displeasure towards Massinissa for 〈◊〉 the loue which he had conceiued of that woman was vnsemely and dishonest wondering not a little that he could not finde out some Ladie within the region of Spaine of 〈◊〉 beautie and 〈◊〉 to please and content his honest and commendable intent wherfore he iudged Massinissa his 〈◊〉 to be done out of time to the preiudice and great decay of his honor estimation 〈◊〉 like a wise and
Gods of comforte The affaires be so manifold and businesse so graue and weightie which we haue to doe with diuers countreyes that scarce wée haue time to eate and space to take any rest the Roman Princes hauing still by auncient custome both lacke of tyme and commonly wante of money And bicause that they which haue charge of common wealths to the vttermost of their power ought to be frends to traficke of marchandise and enimies of heaping treasure togethers Princes haue so many people to please and so greate numbre of crauers that if they kepe any thing for them the same shall rather 〈◊〉 a spice of theft than of prouidence To take away an other mans goodes truly is a wicked part but if it bée permitted to accumulate treasure and money together better it were to take it out of the Temples than to defraude the people For the one is consecrated to the immortall Gods and the other to the poore Commons I speake this right honorable Fathers to put you in remembraunce and also to aduise you that you take good héede to the goodes of the Common welthe howe they be dispended howe gathered together howe they be kept and how they be employed For ye ought to vnderstande that the goodes of the Common wealth be committed to you in trust not to the ende ye shoulde enioy them but rather by good gouernement to vse them We do heare that the walles be readie to sall the towers in decay and the temples be come to great ruine wherof we be not a little offended and you ought also to be ashamed for so much as the damages and detrimentes of the Cōmon welth we ought either to remedie or else to lament Ye haue written vnto me to know my pleasure whether the Censors Pretors Ediles shold be 〈◊〉 chosen and not perpetuall as hitherto they haue bene and specially you say that the state of the Dictator which is the greatest and highest dignitie in Rome is onely 〈◊〉 sixe moneths To that I answere that we are well contented with that aduise For not without cause and iust reason our predecessours did 〈◊〉 the firste Kings of Rome and ordeined that the Consuls shoulde yerely bée chosen in the common wealth Which was done in consideration that he whiche had perpetuall gouernement many times became insolent and proude And 〈◊〉 that the charges and offices of the Senate should be yerely to auoide daunger which if they should be perpetuall there might ensue great hurte and damage to the Common wealth For if the Officers being yerely chosen be good they may be continued And if they bée euill they may be chaunged And truely the officer which knoweth that vpon the ende of euery yeare he must be chaunged and examined of his charge he wil take good hede to that which he speaketh and first of all will wel consider what he taketh in hande The good Marcus Portius was the fyrst that caused the Officers of the Romane Common wealthe to thée thus visited and corrected And bycause that these Almayne warres dee still increase by reason that the Kyng Deceball wyll not as yet bée brought to obedience of the Romanes but rather goth about to occupie and winne the Kingdomes of Dacia and Polonia I shall be forced through the businesse of the warrs so long continuing to deuise and consult here vpon the affaires cōcerning the gouernemēt of the cōmon welth of Rome For a lesse euill it is for a Prince to be negligent in matters of warre than in the gouernement of the common wealth A prince also ought to thinke that he is chosen not to make warres but to gouerne not to kill the enimies but to roote out vices not that he go in person to inuade or defend his foes but that he reside and be in the cōmon welth not to take away other mens goodes but to do iustice to euery mā for somuch as the prince in that warres can fight but for one and in the publike wealth he cōmitteth faults against a numbre Truly it liketh me wel that from the degrée of Captains men be aduaūced to be Emperors but I thinke it not good that Emperours do descend to be Captains considering that the realme shal neuer be in quiet whē the Prince is to great a warrior This haue I spokē Fathers cōscript to the intēt ye may beleue that I for my part if these warres of Almayne were to begin I beyng at Rome it were impossible that I should be brought vnto the same for that my principall intent is to be estemed rather a good gouerner of a common wealth than a foreward Captain in the field Now then principally I commend vnto you the veneration of the Temples and honor of the Gods bicause Kings neuer liue in suretie if the Gods be not honored and the Temples serued The last words which my good Lorde Nerua wrote vnto mée were these Honour the Temples feare the Gods maynteine Iustice in thy Common wealth and defende the poore in so doing thou shalte not bee for gotten of thy friende nor vanquished by thy ennimies I do greatly recommende vnto you the vertues of 〈◊〉 and Fraternitie for that you know that in great cōmon wealthes greater hurt and damage do ciuile and neighborly warres bring vnto the same than those attempted by the enimies If parents against parentes and neighbours againste neighbours had not begon their mutuall hatred contencion neuer had Demetrius ouerthrowen the Rhodes neuer had Alexander conquered Thyr Marcellus Syracusa Scipio Nuimantia I recōmende vnto you also the poore people loue the Orphanes and fatherlesse children support and help the widowes beware of quarels and debates amongs you and the causes of the helplesse fée that ye maintaine and defende bicause the gods did neuer wreake more 〈◊〉 vengeance vpon any than vpon those which did ill intreat and vse the poore and nedie And many times I haue heard my lorde Nerua say that the Gods neuer shewed them selues so rigorous as against a mercilesse and vnpitiful people Semblably we pray you to be modest of wordes pacient to suffer ware in your forme of life For a great fault it is and no lesse shame to a gouerner that he praise the people of his cōmon wealthe and gyue them occasion to speake euill of him And therfore they which haue charge of the cōmon welth ought rather to repose trust in their workes than in their words for so much as the citizens or cōmon people do rather fire their iudgement vpon that which they sée than on that which they heare I woulde wishe that touchyng the affaires appertinent to the Senate they might not know in you any sparke of ambicion malice deceipt or enuie to the intent that the iust men might not so much complaine of the commaunding of the common wealth as vpon the entertainement and profite of the same The Empire of the Grekes and that of the Romanes were euer contrary as well in armes and lawes
to be so pure and perfecte as of a lumpe of dead lothsome flesh he hath reuiued so fair and fresh as you sée but to the intent you may more plainly vnderstand how it is come to passe I wil open the same in few words And beginning at the day when he fell in loue with hir he particularly told them what had 〈◊〉 til that time to the great maruell and admiration of them that heard him and then he added these words By meanes whereof if your minde be not chaunged within this little time specially maister Nicholas of good right she is my wife and none by iust title can claime hir Wherunto none at al made answer loking that he shold haue procéeded further In the meane while Nicholas and the rest that were there fell into earnest weping But maister Gentil rising from the borde and taking in his armes the little childe and the gentlewoman by the hand went towards Nicholas and sayd vnto him Rise vp sir gossip I doe not restore vnto thée thy wife whom thy frends and housholde did cast into the strécte but I wil giue thée this gentlewoman my gossip with the litle childe that is as I am assured begotten of thée for whome at the christening I made answer and promise and called him Gentil and do pray thée that she be no lesse estéemed of thée for being in my house almost thrée moneths than she was before For I swere by the almighty God who made me in loue with hir peraduenture that my loue might be the cause of hir preseruation that she neuer liued more honestly with hir father mother or with thée than she hath done in company of my mother Whē he had sayd so he returned towards the gentlewoman and sayd vnto hir Mistresse from this time forth I discharge you of the promise which you haue made me and leaue you to your husband franke and frée And when he had bestowed the gentlewoman and the childe in the fathers armes he returned to his place againe Nicholas ioyfully receiued his wife childe for the which so much the more he reioysed as he was furthest of from hope of hir recouerie rendering innumerable thankes to the Knight and the rest who moued with compassion wept for company greatly praising master Gentil for that act who was commended of eche man that heard the reporte thereof The Gentlewoman was receiued into hir house with maruellous ioy And long time after she was gazed vpon by the Citizens of Bologna as a thing to their great wonder reuiued againe Afterwards maister Gentil continued still a friend vnto Nicholas and vnto his wife and children Of M. Thorello and Saladine ¶ SALADINI in the habite of a Marchaunt was honourably receiued into the house of master THORELLO who went ouer the sea in companie of the Christians and assigned a terme to his wife when she should marry againe He was taken and caried to the SOVLDAN to be his Falconer who knowing him and suffering him selfe to be knowne did him great honour Maister THORELLO fell sicke and by Magique Arte was caried in a night to PAVII where he found his wife about to mary againe who knowing him retourned home with him to his owne house The. xx Nouel VEry comely it is sayeth Cicero in the secōd boke of his Offices that Noble mens houses should 〈◊〉 bée open to Noble guests and straungers A saying by the honourable and other estates to bée fixed in sure remembraunce and accordingly practised For hospitalitie housholde intertainment heapeth vp double gain cōmoditie The guest it linketh and knitteth in fast band of perfect friendship common familiaritie disport of minde pleasant recreation the poore néedy it féedeth it cherisheth it prouoketh in them deuout prayers godly blessings seruice in time of nede Hospitalitie is a thing so diuine as in the law of Nature and Christ it was wel and brotherly obserued Lothe disdained not to receiue the Angels which were straungers vnto him and by reason of his common vse thereof and their friendly interteinement he and his houshold was deliuered from the daunger of the Citie escaped temporal fire and obteined heauenly rewarde Abraham was a friendly host to straungers and therefore in his olde dayes and in the barrein age of his wife Sara he begat Isaac Ietro albeit he was an Ethnicke and vnbeleuing man yet liberally intertained Moyses maried him to Sephora one of his daughters The poore widow of Sarepta interteined Helias and Symon the Currior disdained not Peter nor Lydia the purple silke woman Paule and his felowes Forget not Hospitalitie saythe the sayde Apostle Paule for with the same diuers haue pleased Angels by receiuing them into their houses If Paule the true preacher of eternall health hath so commended keping of good houses which by the former terme we cal hospitalitie then it is a thing to be vsed amongs those that be able to mainteine the same who ought with liberall hande frankly to reache bread and victuals to their acquaintance but specially to straungers which wandering in forein places be use◠vnable to helpe them selues and peraduenture in such néede as without such curtesie doe perishe For the further amplification of which vertue what shall I néede to remember straunge and prophane Histories as of Cimon of Athens who was so famous in the same as the tyrant Crytias when he wished for the riches of the Scopades the victories of Agesilaus forgatte not also to craue the liberalitie of Cimon Pacuuius also the Prince of Campania so friendly entertained Annibal as when his sonne to do the Romanes a good turne woulde haue killed him as he sate at supper was stayde by his fathers request whom he made priuie of his intent before they sate downe Pacuuius had he not more regarded the office of hospitalitie than the safetie of his countrey might full well by that murder haue defended the same from the destruction wherunto afterwards it fell Homere reporteth that Menelaus fighting a combat with Paris of Troy made inuocation and prayer vnto the Gods that he might be reuenged vpon him for the rape of his wife Helena to thintent the posteritie hearing of his punishment might feare to polute friendly houshold interteinment Wherfore sith hospitalitie hath bene thus put in vse in elder time practised in all ages and the poluters of the same detested and accurssed and hath notorious commodities incident vnto it I déeme it so worthie to be frequented in noble men and all degrées as their palaces and great houses should swarme with guests and their gates clustring with whole multitudes of the poore to be satisfied with relief Such hath bene the sacred vse and reuerent care of auncient time Such hath bene the zealous loue of those whose fieldes and barnes closets and chestes haue bene stored and stuffed with worldely wealth that comparing that golden age glistering with pietie and vertue to these our worsse than copper days cancred with all corruption we shall
the time is come to make you certenly beleue what my marchandise is as I tolde you when I departed 〈◊〉 you that it might come to passe Master Thorello hearing those woordes began to be bothe ioyfull and ashamed ioyfull for that he had entertained such a guest ashamed that his fare and lodging was so simple To whome Saladine sayd master Thorello 〈◊〉 it hathe pleased God to send you hither thynke from henceforth that you be Lorde of this place and not I and making great chéere and reioysing one with an other he caused him to be cloathed in royall vestures and brought him into the presence of all the Noble men of his country and after he had rehersed many things of his valor and commendation commaūded him to be honoured as his owne person of all those which desired to haue his fauor Which thing euery mā did from that time forth but aboue the rest the two Lords that were in company with Saladine at his house The greatnesse of the sodein glory wherin master Thorello sawe him selfe did remoue out of his minde his affaires of Lombardie and specially bicause he hoped that his letters shold trustely be deliuered to the hands of his vncle Now there was in the camp of the Christians the day wherein they were taken by Saladine a Gentleman of Prouince which died and was buried called master Thorello de Dignes a man of great estimation wherby master Thorello of Istria knowne throughout the whole army for his nobility and prowesse euery mā that heard tell that master Thorello was dead beleued that it was master Thorello de Istria and not he de Dignes by reason of his taking the truth whether of them was deade was vnknown Wherfore many Italians returned with those newes amongs whome some were so presumptuous as they toke vpon them to say and affirme that they sawe him deade and were at his burial Which knowne to his wife his friends was an occasion of very great and inestimable sorow not only to them but to all other that knew him Uery long it were to tell in what sort and how great sorow heauinesse and lamentings hys wife did vtter who certaine moneths after she had continually so tormented hir self and when hir griefe began to decrease being demaunded of many great personages of Lombardie was counselled by hir brothers and other of hir kin to mary againe Which thing after she had many times refused in very great anguishe and dolor finally being constrained thereunto she must néedes folow the mindes of hir parents But yet vpon condition that the nuptials shold not be celebrate vntill such time as she had performed hir promise made to master Thorello Whilest the affaires of this Gentlewoman were in those termes at Pauie and the time of hir appoyntment within eight dayes approched it chaunced that master Thorello vpon a day espied a man in Alexandria which he had séene before in the company of the Ambassadors of Genoua going into the galley that was bound with them to Genoua wherefore causing him to be called he demaunded what voyage they had made and asked him when they arriued at Genoua To whome he sayd Syr the Galley made a very ill voyage as I heard say in Creta where I remained behinde them for being néere the coast of Dicilia there arose a maruellous tempest which droue the galley vpon the shoare of Barbarie and not one of them within borde escaped amongs whome two of my brethren were likewise drowned Master Thorello giuyng credite to the woords of this fellow which were very true and remembring him selfe that the terme which he had couenaunted with his wife was almost expired and thinking that they could hardly come by the knowledge of any newes of him or of his state beleued verily that his wife was maried againe for sorow wherof he fel into such melancholy as he had no lust to eate or drinke and laying him downe vpon his bed determined to die which so soone as Saladine who greatly loued him did vnderstand he came to visite him and after that he had through instant request known the occasion of his heauinesse and disease he blamed him very muche for that he did no sooner disclose vnto him his conceipt And afterwards prayed him to be of good chéere assuring him if he would so to prouide as he should be at Pauie iust at the terme which he had assigned to his wife and declared vnto him the order how Master Thorello geuing credit to the woords of Saladine and hauing many times heard say that it was possible and that the like had bene many times done began to comfort him selfe and to vse the cōpany of Saladine who determined fully vpon his voyage and returne to Pauie Then Saladine commaunded one of his Necromancers whose science already he had well experienced that he should deuise the meanes how master Thorello might be borne to Pauie in one night vpon a bed Whereunto the Necromancer answered that it should be done but that it behoued for the better doing thereof that he should be cast into a sléepe And when Saladine had giuen order therunto he returned to master Thorello and finding him fully purposed to be at Pauie if it were possible at the terme which he had assigned or if not to die sayd thus vnto him Master Thorello if you doe heartily loue your wife and doubt least shée be married to an other God forbyd that I should stay you by any manner of meanes bicause of all the women that euer I sawe she is for maners comely behauiour and decent order of apparell not remembring hir beautie which is but a fading floure me thinke most worthy to be praysed and loued A gladsome thing it wold haue bene to me sith fortune sent you hither that the tyme which you and I haue to liue in this world we might haue spent together and liued Lordes of the kingdome which I possesse if God be minded not to doe me that grace at least 〈◊〉 sith you be determined either to die or to returne to Pauie at the terme which you haue appointed my great desire is that I might haue knowne the same in time to the intēt you might haue bene conducted thither with such honor and traine as your vertues do deserue Which sith God wil not that it be brought to passe and that you will néedes be there presently I will send you as I can in manner before expressed Wherunto master Thorello said Sir the effect bisides your woordes hath done me sufficient knowledge of your good will which I neuer deserued that which you told me I can not beléeue so long as life is in me and therefore am most certaine to die But sith I am so determined I beséeche you to do that which you haue promised out of hand bicause to morrow is the last day of the appointmēt assigned to my wife Saladine said that for a truthe the same should be done And the next
day the Souldan purposing to send him the nyght following he caused to be made redy in a great hall a very fair and rich bed all quilted according to their manner with veluet and clothe of gold and caused to be laide ouer the same a Couerlet wrought ouer with borders of very great pearles rich precious stones which euer afterwardes was déemed to be an infinite treasure and two pillowes sutelike vnto that bed that done he commaunded that they should inuest master Thorello who nowe was 〈◊〉 with a Sarazineroabe the richest and fairest thing that euer any man saw vpon his head one of his longest bands wreathen according to their māner being alredy late in the Euening he and diuers of his Barons went into the chamber wher master Thorello was and being set downe bisides hym in wéeping wise he began to say Master Thorello the time of our separation doth now approche and bicause that I am not able to accompany you ne cause you to be waited vpon for the qualitie of the way which you haue to passe I must take my leaue here in this chāber for which purpose I am come hither Wherefore before I bid you farewel I pray you for the loue and friendship that is betwene vs that you do remēber me if it be possible before our dayes do end after you haue giuen order to your affaires in Lombardie to come againe to sée me before I die to the end that I being reioyced with your second visitation may be satisfied of the pleasure which I loose this day for your vntimely hast trusting that it shall come to passe I pray you let it not be tedious vnto you to visite me with your letters and to require me in things wherein it may like you to commaunde which assuredly I shall accomplishe more frankly for you than for any other liuing man Master Thorello was not able to retaine his teares wherefore to staye the same he answered him in fewe woordes that it was impossible that euer he should forget his benefites and his worthy friendship extended vpon him and that without default he wold accomplish what he had commaūded if God did lend him life and leysure Then Saladine louingly imbracing kissing him pouring forth many teares bad him farewell and so went out of the chamber And all the other Noble men afterwards tooke their leaue likewise of him departed with Saladine into the hall where he had prepared the bed but being already late and the Necromancer attending and hasting his dispatch a Phisitian brought him a drinke made him beleue that it would fortifie strengthen him in his iorney causing him to drinke the same which being done within a while after he fell a sléepe and so sléeping was borne by the commaundement of Saladine and layde vpon the faire bed whereupon he placed a rich and goodly crowne of passing price and valor vpō the which he had ingrauen so plaine an inscription as afterwards it was knowne that the same was sent by Saladine to the wife of master Thorello After that he put a King vpon his finger whych was beset with a Diamonde so shining as it séemed like a flaming torche the value whereof was hard to be estéemed Then he caused to be girte about him a sworde the furniture and garnishing whereof coulde not easily he valued and bisides all this he hong vpon his 〈◊〉 a Tablet or Brooche beset wyth stones and Pearles that the like was neuer séene And afterwards he placed on either of hys sides two excéeding great Golden basens full of double Ducates and many Cordes of Pearles and rings girdles and other things to tedious to reherse wherewith he bedecked the place about him Which done 〈◊〉 kissed him againe and wylled the Necromancer to make hast Wherefore incontinently master Thorello and the bed in the presence of Saladine was caried out of sight and Saladine taried still deuising and talking of him amongs his Barons Master Thorello being now laide in S. Peters Church at Pauie according to his request with all his Jewels and habillimēts aforesaid about him yet fast a slepe the Sexten to ring to Mattens entred the Churche with light in his hand and chauncing sodenly to espie the rich bed did not only maruell thereat but also ran away in great feare And when the Abbot and the Monkes saw that he made suche hast away they were abashed and asked the cause why he ran so fast The Sexten tolde them the matter Why how now sayd the Abbot Thou art not suche a Babe ne yet so newly come vnto the Churche as thou oughtest so lightly to be afraide But let vs goe and sée what bugge hath so terribly frayed thée And then they lighted many Torches And when the Abbot and his Monkes were entred the Church they sawe that wonderfull rich bed and the Gentleman sléeping vpon the same And as they were in this doubt and feare beholding the goodly Jewels and durst not goe néere the bed it chaunced that master Thorello awaked 〈◊〉 a great sighe The Monkes so soone as they saw that and the Abbot with them ran all away crying out God help vs our Lord haue mercy vpon vs. Master Thorello opened his eyes and plainely knew by looking round about him that he was in the place where he demaunded to be of Saladine whereof he was very gladde and rising vp and viewing particularlye what he had about him albeit he knew before the magnificence of Saladine now he thought it greater and better vnderstoode the same than before But séeing the Monkes run away and knowing the cause wherefore he begā to call the Abbot by his name and intreate him not to be afraide For he was master Thorello his Neuewe The Abbot hearing that was dryuen into a greater feare bicause hée was accompted to be deade dyuerse moneths before but afterwards by diuerse arguments assured that he was master Thorello and so often called by hys name making a signe of the Crosse he went vnto him To whome master Thorello sayd Whereof be you afraide good father I am aliue I thanke God and from beyond the Sea returned hither The Abbot although he had a great bearde and apparelled after the guise of Arabie crossed him selfe againe and was well assured that it was he Then he tooke hym by the hand and sayd vnto him as foloweth My sonne thou art welcome home and maruell not that we were afraid for there is none in all this Citie but doth certainly beleue that thou art dead In so much as madame Adalietta thy wife vāquished with the prayers and threates of hir friendes and kin against hir will is betrouthed againe and this day the espousals shall be done For the mariage and all the preparation necessary for the feast is ready Master Thorello rising out of the rich bed and reioysing with the Abbot all his Monks prayed euery of them not to speake one word of his comming home vntill he had done
other to honour and loue 〈◊〉 for euer But we haue digressed too long from oure Historie and therfore retourning to the same againe I say that 〈◊〉 the guide of master Philippo was fully determined to bestow hir fauor vpon hym For besides that the Quéene 〈◊〉 estéemed his loue it séemed that all thyngs were vnited and agréed to sort his enterprise to happy successe The Quéene 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 Gouernesse 〈◊〉 Paola 〈◊〉 Caualli a 〈◊〉 of Verona verie 〈◊〉 graue aduāced to that calling by Madonna Bianca Maria Sforza the wife of the Emperour Maximilian whome 〈◊〉 Anne required 〈◊〉 to procure for hir such 〈◊〉 in the Thoscane language and other Italian workes as were to be founde bicause hir disposition was to be 〈◊〉 and familiar in that tongue and employed great diligence to learne and exercise the same wherein she attained such 〈◊〉 as all Italians coulde very well vnderstande hir Now as the good lucke of master Philippo would haue it he that day went to the Courte alone continually 〈◊〉 if it were possible at all times to be in presence of the 〈◊〉 Whome so soone as Madonna Paola espied bicause she familiarly knew hym she went vnto him and sayd My welbeloued friend master Philippo bicause the 〈◊〉 hath great delight to lerne our tongue and therein alreadie hath 〈◊〉 good towardnesse as by hir common speakyng of the same you may perceyue this mornyng at 〈◊〉 vprising shée gaue mé a great charge to procure for hir certaine Italian Rithmes who besides those bookes in that tongue alreadie printed gladly desireth to sée some trymme deuises of dyuerse learned 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that make in oure time specially 〈◊〉 minde is earnestly disposed vpon rithmes cunningly 〈◊〉 wherof I thinke you haue some store by reason of your delight in that exercise Wherefore I thought to repaire vnto you and doe heartily pray you to make 〈◊〉 Maiestie partaker ofsuch as you haue wherein you shall do hir great and gratefull seruice and I shal remain 〈◊〉 bound vnto you besides that I do purpose when I present them vnto hir to make hir priuie that I receiued them at your handes which bicause of the loue shée 〈◊〉 to our nation she wil fauourably accept and the same no doubte when oportunitie serueth liberally rewarde Master Philippo in 〈◊〉 wise thanked the gentlewomā and sayd that he was sorie he was not able better to satisfie hir request bicause in that 〈◊〉 he had small store of such desired things neuerthelesse he would make diligent search to get so many as were possible to be founde either amongs the Gentlemen that folowed the Court or else where they were to be gotten In the meane time he sayd that he woulde deliuer those few he had and wold bring them vnto hir that night And praying hir to commende him to the good grace and fauour of hir maiestie he toke his leaue and wente straight to his lodging where diligently he began to searche among his writings the gladdest man in the worlde for that occasion offered and founde amongs the same diuers rithmes which he thought vnworthie to passe into the handes of so great a Lady sauing the thirde Rithme or Chapter as we commonly call it made by a notable Doctor of the lawes and excellente Poet called M. Niccolo Amanio of Crema who no doubt for making of vulgar rithmes therby expressing the amorous affections of Louers was in our time without comparison And bicause the same was so apt for that purpose of master Philippo his loue as could be desired he wrote the same faire being in dede a very faire writer in a shéete of paper which soundeth to this 〈◊〉 Quanto piu cresce Amor l'aspro tormento c. The more O Loue thy bitter pangs augment Melting by times my sad accensed spreete The more to burne I feele my selfe content And though eche day a thousande times I fleete Tvvixt hope and dreade all dolour yet and smart My glorious proofe of enterprise makes svveete The fire so high vvhich kindled hath myne hart As by loues flames none euer had I knovv So loftie source of heate in any part Svveete then my torments are svvete is my vvoe Svvete eke of loue the light svvete the conceyte From so high beames fallen in my breast groe Such povver of porte such maiestie most gret I tremble to beholde and do confesse My lotte to base so vvorthy a blisse to get But Will herein my Reason doth suppresse And those faire eyes vvhere loue hym selfe nie lies Armed vvith lookes of ioy and gentlenesse Lokes that vpliftes my soule aboue the Skies And in each coast all cloudes expelling cleane Do teache ten thousande pathes to Paradise My Goddesse braue Angclicall Sirene Fairenesse it selfe Dame Beauties sacred heire What mountes of ioy may match my happy peyne Whose scaling hope hovv so ensue dispeire Leues vaūt of thoughts vvhich once so highly flevv As honour all that earth besides doth beare Comparde to this but baggage vvere to vevv When Master Philippo had written out these verses immediatly he returned to the court and caused Madonna Paola to be called vnto him by one of the Gromes of the Chamber to whome he sayde Mistresse Paola I haue brought you a ditie that is very trim prety which I pray you deliuer to the 〈◊〉 and I will do what I can to get other Mistresse Paola tooke them and wente into the chamber and finding the 〈◊〉 alone sayd vnto hir Madame this mornyng ye commaunded me to get you some Italian Rithmes and vpon inquirie I haue receiued these 〈◊〉 verses of maister Philippo secretarie to the Lord Andrea Borgo who hath promised to bring me other The 〈◊〉 hearing hir speake those wordes smiling receiued the paper and read the same the sense wherof she liked very wel thinking that master Philippo had bene the compositor of the same and that of purpose he had made them for hir whereby shée was oute of doubt that it was she that master Philippo so feruently loued and the better hir opinion was confirmed bicause some of the wordes tended to the state of hir personage And considering the valor of his minde she blamed Nature for that in a mā so basely borne she had sowen séede that brought forth such a Gētlemanlike and noble hart greatly to hir selfe praising the yong man Then she conferred the whole matter with hir cousin 〈◊〉 Marie which was a wise and comely Ladie and vpon that loue they vsed many discourses more and more esteming the yong gentleman 〈◊〉 Anne determined when conueniently shée might to rendre to maister Philippo for his great loue condigne rewarde and studying still howe to requite his curtesie euer when she saw master Philippo she vsed him with hir wonted chere grateful salutation which thing only euery honest gētlemā ought to 〈◊〉 that is indued with reason at that hands of a princesse so noble worthy as a rewarde sufficient that inequalitie of the parties considered Wherof master Philippo
auncient libertie and displeasant to the Senatours and 〈◊〉 to sée them selues depriued of the soueraintie of Iustice and of the authoritie they had to 〈◊〉 all the Citizens yet for al that was he indued with so good qualities and gouerned so well his principalitie as that which at the beginnyng was termed Tyrannie was receiued as iust domination and that whiche was supposed to be abused by force semed to be done as it wer by lawful succession And they counted them selues happy when they saw their luck to be such as their common wealth must néedes obey the aduise and pleasure of one Prince alone to haue a soueraine lorde so wise so vertuous and so ful of curtesie Who albeit in other things he shewed him selfe praise worthie noble and of gentle kynde yet vanquished he him selfe in him selfe and in the rest of his perfection by that indifferent iustice which made him wonderfull by reason hée denied the same to none and in no one iote shewed him selfe parcial to any which thought by him to be supported in their follies And that which was more to be wondred in hym augmented the praise of his integritie in iudgement was that he punished in an other the thyng which by reason he oughte to haue pardoned and remitted he beyng attainted well beatē with that disease But the good Lord applied to reason to time to the grauitie of the fact and qualitie of the offended persones For where the greatnesse of the déede surpasseth all occasion of pardon and mercy the Prince Iudge or Magistrate ought to dispoile and put of his swetest affections to apparel himself with rigor which reacheth the knyfe into the hande of him that ruleth of purpose that so priuate familiaritie do not in the ende raise in the subiects heart a contempt of their superiours and an 〈◊〉 licence lawlesse to liue at their pleasure Now the thing which I meane to tel consisteth in the proofe of a rare and exquisite prudence which seldome or neuer harboureth in yong age the heates wherof can not but with great difficultie féele the coldnesse and correction of reason And likewyse the causes from whence wisdomes force procéedeth doe rest in long experience of things wherby men waxe old in ripenesse of witte and their déedes become worthy of praise Then Duke Alexander ordred so wel his estates and kept such a goodly and plentifull Court as the same gaue place to no Prince of Italic how great or rich so euer it was and that he did aswell for his owne garde honor as to shew the natural stoutnesse of his corage not vsing for all that any insolencie or vnséemely dealing against the haynous and auncient enimies of his house Amongs this goodly troupe of courtiers which ordinarily folowed the Duke there was a Florentine gentleman very néere the Duke and the best beloued of them all This yong Gentleman had a Manor hard by Florence where he was very well stately lodged which caused him many times to forsake the Citie with two of his companions to recreate him self in that pleasant place It chaunced vpon a day he being in his fieldish house bisides the which there was a Mill the master whereof had a passing faire daughter whome the sayd Gentleman did well marke and behold and with hir became straungely in loue in whome also appeared some Noble port that excéeded the bloud and race whereof she came But what The heauens be not so spare distributers of their gifts but sometimes diuide them with the least measure and at other times in equall weight or greatest heape to them that be of basest sort and popular degrée so well as to the greatest men and of most noble race Rome sometimes hath séen a bondman and slaue sometimes a runnagates sonne for his wit and corage to beare the scepter in his hand and to decide the causes of a lofty people who already by reason of his sleights and practises began to aspire the Empire of the whole world And hée that wythin our Fathers remembrance desireth to know what that great Tambarlane of Tartarie was the astonishment and ruine of all the 〈◊〉 partes shall well perceiue that his originall sorted from the vulgar sort from the basest place that was amongs all estates wherby must be confessed that the goodnesse of nature is such and so great that she wil helpe hir nourice children whatsoeuer they be the best she can Not that I meane to inferre hereby but that the bloud of predecessors with the institution of their posterity much augmēteth the force of the sprite and accomplisheth that more sincerely whereunto nature hath giuen a beginning Now to come to our purpose this yong Courtier taken and chained in the bandes of loue 〈◊〉 clogged with the beauty and good grace of that Countrey wench 〈◊〉 the meanes how he might inioy the thing after which he hoped To loue hir he demed it vnworthy of his degrée And yet he knew hir to be such by report of many as had a very good wit tongue at wyll and which is more estemed a Paragon and mirror of chast life modesty Which tormented this amorous Mounsier beyōd mesure and yet chaunged not his affection assuring himself that at length he shold attaine the end of his desires and glut his vnsatiable hunger which pressed him frō day to day to gather that soote and sauorous frute which louers so egerly sue for at maydens handes of semblable age to this who then was betwene xbj and. xvtj. yeres This louer did to vnderstand to his companions his griefe and 〈◊〉 who sory for the same assayed by all meanes to make him forget it telling him that it was vnséemely for a Gentleman of his accompt to make himself a 〈◊〉 to that people which would come to passe if they knew how vndiscretely he had placed his loue that there wer a number of fair honest gentlewomen to whom conuenably with great contentation he might addresse the same But he which much lesse saw than blind loue him selfe that was his 〈◊〉 he that was more 〈◊〉 of reason aduise than the Poets faine Cupido to be naked of apparel wold not heare the good counsel which his companions gaue him but rather sayd that it was lost time for them to vse suche words for he had rather die and to indure all the mocks scoffs of the world than lose the most delicate pray in his minde that could chaunce into the handes of man adding moreouer that the homelinesse rudenesse of the Countrey had not so much anoyed his new beloued but she deserued for hir beauty to be compared with the greatest Minion and finest attired gentlewoman of the City For this maiden had but the ornament and mynionnesse which nature had enlarged where other artificially force and by trumperies vsurpe that which the heauens denie them Touching hir vertue let that passe in silence sithēs that she quod hée sighing is too chast
for the olde mannes woords hauing in hand his desired spoile cōmaunded his men to marche before with the maiden leauing behinde the pore olde man which thundred against them a thousand 〈◊〉 and cursses threatning and reuiling them by all the termes he could deuise desirous as I thinke to haue them turne backe to kill him But therunto they gaue so little héede as when hée demaunded to leaue his daughter behinde them to whom the amorouse courtier addressing himself began to make much of hir and kisse hir assayed by all meanes with pleasant words and many swéete promisses to comfort hir but that pore wench knowing ful wel that they went about to play the butchers with hir chastity and shamefastnesse and to commit murder with the floure of hir virginity 〈◊〉 to cry so piteously with dolorous voice as she wold haue moued to compassion the hardest harts that euer were except the same which craued nothing more thā the spoile of that his swetest enimy who hir self detected blasphemed hir vnhappy fate and constellation When she saw hir vertue ready to be spoiled by one who not in mariage ioyned went about to violat and possesse the same knew that afterwards he wold vaunt himselfe for the victory of such a precious price Alas sayde she is it possible that the soueraigne iustice of God can abide a mischief so great and curssed and that the voice of a pore wretched 〈◊〉 maide cannot be heard in the presence of the mighty Lord aboue Why may not I now rather suffer deathe than the infamie which I sée to wander before mine eyes O that good old man my déere and louing father how farre better had it bene for thée to haue slaine me wyth thy dagger betwene the hāds of these most wicked théeues than to let me goe to be the enimies pray of my vertue thy reputation O happy a hundred hundred times be ye which haue already passed the ineuitable tract of death when ye were in cradle and I pore vnhappy wēch no lesse blessed had I bene if partaker of your ioy where now I rest aliue to féele the smart and anguish of that death more egre to support than that which deuideth the body soule The Gentleman offended with those complaints began to threaten that hée wold make hir forget that hir disordered behauioure saying that she must change an other tune and that hir plaints were to no purpose amongs them which cared not or yet were bent to stay vpon those hir womanishe teares lamentations and cries The poore Mayden hearing that and séeing that she dysparckled hir voyce into the aire in vaine began to holde hir peace whych caused the Louer to speake vnto hir these woordes And what my wench do you thynke it now so 〈◊〉 or straunge if the heate of loue that I beare to you forceth me to vse such violence Alas it is not malice or euill will that causeth me to doe the same it is loue which cā not be inclosed but must néedes manifest his force Ah that you had felt what I do suffer and indure for loue of you I beleue then you wold not be so hard hearted but haue pitie vpon the griefe whereof you should haue proued the vehemencie Whereunto the maide answered nothing but teares and sighes wringing hir armes and hands somtimes making warrevpon hir fair hair But all these feminine fashions nothing moued this gallāt and lesse remoued his former desire to haue hir which he atchieued in dispite of hir téeth so soone as he arriued at his owne house The rēnant of the night they lay together where he vsed hir with all such kinde of flattering and louing spéeche as a louer of long time a suter could deuise to doe to hir whome at length he did possesse Now all these flattering follies tended only to make hir his owne to kepe hir in his Countrey house for his pleasure She that for hir age as before is sayd was of condition sage and of gentle minde began subtilely to dissemble and faine to take pleasure in that which was to hir more bitter than any Aloes or woode of Myrrha and more against hir heart than remembraunce of death which still she wished for remedy of hir griefe and voluntarily wold haue killed hir self like a Lucrece if the feare of God and dreadfull losse of body soule had not turned hir minde and also hoped in God that the rauisher should repaire the fault which hée had committed and beare the penaunce for his temeritie wherof she was no whit deceiued as well ye shall perceiue by that which immediatly doeth follow Nowe whilest the rauisher 〈◊〉 his pleasure with his rape the miserable father made the aire to sounde with his complaints accusing fortune for letting the whorish varlet so to passe wythout doing him to féele the lustinesse of his age and the force that yet reasted in his furrowed face and corpse withered with length of yeares In the end knowing that his plaintes curses and desire were throwne forthe in vaine perceiuing also his force vnequall to deale with such an enimy and to get againe by violence his stolne daughter or to recouer hir by that meanes wherby she was taken away hée determined the next day to go and complaine to the Duke and vpon that determination hée layd him downe to sléepe vnder the trées which ioyned to the fountaine where sometimes the Courtier had talked with his daughter And séeing that the element began to shew some bryghtnesse interpaled with coulours of White Yealow and Red signes preceding the rising of fresh Aurora started from his slepe toke his way to Florence whither he came vpō the opening of the City gates Then going to the Pallace of the Duke he taried vntil he saw the Prince goe forthe to seruice The good man seing him of whom he attended to receiue succoure fauour and iustice began to freat and rage for remembrance of his receiued wrong and was ashamed to sée himself in place not accustomed albeit it grieued his heart wyth hardy speache to presume in presence of so many yet the iust anger desire of vengeance emboldned him so much as kneling vpon his knées before the Maiestie of the Duke aloud he spake these woords Alas my soueraigne Lord if euer your grace had pitie vpon a desolate man and ful of dispaire I humbly beséeche the same that nowe you do regard the misory which on euery side assaileth me Haue pity vpon the pouerty of that vnfortunate olde man against whome one hath done such wrong as I hope by force of your vertue and accustomed iustice you wil not leaue a sinne so detestable without deserued punishment for respect of mischiefs that may insue where such wickednesse shal be dissembled and suffred without due correction Saying so the greate teares ran downe his grislye beard and by reason of his interrupted sighes and continuall sobbes the panting of his stomake might easily haue bene perceyued all
riueld for age and Sunneburned with heate and continuall Countrey trauaile and that which moued most the standers by was the ruefull looke of the good olde man who casting his lookes héere there beheld eche one with his holow dolorous eyes in such wise as if hée had not spoken any woord hys countenaunce wold haue moued the Lords to haue compassion vpon his misery his teares wer of such force as the Duke which was a wise man and who measured things by reasons guide prouided with wisedome and foreséeing not without timely iudgement wold know the cause which made that man so to make his playnt and notwithstāding assailed with what suspition I know not would not haue him openly to tel his tale but leading the olde man aside he sayd vnto him My friend 〈◊〉 that gréeuous faultes and of great importance ought grieuously and openly to be punished yet it chaunceth oftentimes that hée which in a heate and choler dothe execution for the guilt although that iustly after hée hath disgested his rage at leasure hée repenteth his rigor and ouer sodaine seueritie offense being natural in man may sometime where slander is not euident by milde and mercifull meanes forget the same without infringing or violating the holy and ciuil constitutions of Lawmakers I speake thus much bicause my heart doeth throbbe that some of my house haue done some filthy fault against thée or some of thine Now I would not that they openly should be slaundered and yet lesse pretend I to leaue their faultes vnpunished specially such as by offensiue crime the common peace is molested wherein my desire is that my people doe liue For which purpose God hath constituted Princes Potestates as shepheards and guids of his 〈◊〉 to the end that the 〈◊〉 fury of the vitious might not destroy deuoure and scatter the impotent 〈◊〉 of no valoure if it be forsaken and left forlorne by the mighty armes of Principalities and Monarchies A singuler modesty doubtlesse and an incredible example of clemency in him whome his Citizens thought to be a Tyrant and vniust vsurper of a frée Seigniorie who so priuely and with such familiaritie as the friend could wishe of his companion hearkened to the cause of a poore Countrey man and moreouer his modesty so great as hée would it not to be knowen what fault it was or else that the offenders should publikely be accused offering for all that to be the reuenger of the wrong done vnto the poore and the punisher of the iniurie exercised against the desolate a woork certainly worthy of a true christian Prince which establisheth kingdomes decayed conserueth those that be rendring the Prince to be beloued of God and feared of his Subiects The pore olde man seing the Duke in so good minde and that accordingly hée demaunded to knowe the wrong done vnto him the name of the factor and that also hée had promysed hym his helpe ryghtfull correction due vnto the deserued fault the good olde man I say conceiuing courage recited from point to point the whole discourse of the rape and the violence done vpon his poore vertuous daughter 〈◊〉 claring besides the name and surname of those which accompanied the Gentleman the author of that conspiracy who as we haue already sayd was one that was in greatest fauor with the Duke who not withstanding the loue that he bare to the accused hearing the vnworthinesse of a déede so execrable said As God liueth this is a detestable facte and well deserueth a sharp and cruell punishment Not withstanding 〈◊〉 take good héede that you doe not mistake the same by accusing one for an other for the Gentleman whome thou haste named to be the rauisher of thy daughter is of all men déemed to be very honest and doe well assure thée that if I finde thée a lyer thy heade shall answer for example to eche false accuser and slaunderer in time to come But if the matter be so true as thou hast sayd I promise thée by the faith I beare to God so well to redresse thy wrong as thou shalt haue cause to be throughly satisfied with my iustice To whome the good old man thus answered My Lord the matter is so true as at this day he kéepeth my daughter like a cōmon strumpet in his house And if it please your highnesse to send thither you shall know that I doe vse no false accusation or lying wordes before you my Lord and Prince in presence of whome as before the minister and lieuetenant of God man ought not to speake but truely and religiously Sith it is so sayd the Duke get thée home to thy house where God willing I will be this day at dinner but take hede vpon thy life thou say nothing to any man what so euer it be for the rest let me alone I will prouide according to reason The good man almost so glad for his good exploit as the day before hée was sorowfull for his losse ioyfully went home to his homely house Countrey cabaue which he 〈◊〉 to be made ready so well as hée could attending the comming of his deliuerer succor support and iudge who when he had heard seruice commaūded his horsse to be sadled for sayd he I heare say there is a wilde Boare haunting hereby so wel lodged as is possible to sée we will goe thither to wake him from his sléepe ease and vse that passe time til dinner be redy So departing frō Florence he rode straight vnto that Mil where his dinner was made ready by his seruauntes There he dined very soberly and vsing fewe wordes vnto his companie sate still all pensiue musing vpon that he had to doe For on the one side the grauitie of that 〈◊〉 moued him rigorously to chastise him which had committed the sante with all crueltie and insolencie On the other side the loue which he bare him mollifying his heart made him change his minde and to moderate his sentence The Princes minde thus wandering betwéene loue and rigor one brought him worde that the Dogs had rousde the great est Hart that euer he sawe which newes pleased him very much for by that meanes he sent away the multitude of his Gentlemen to follow that chase retaining with him his most familiar friends and those that were of his priuy and secrete councell whome he would to be witnesses of that which he intended to doe and causing his hoast to come before him he sayd My friend thou must bring vs to the place wherof this morning thou toldest me that I may discharge my promise The Courtiers wōdred at those words ignorant wherunto that same were spoken but the good man whose heart lept for ioy as already féeling some great benefit at hand and honour prepared for the beautifying of his house séeing the Duke on horsse backe ran bisides him in steade of his Lackey with whome the Prince helde much pleasant talke all along the way as they went togither 〈◊〉 they had
ioy should not long continue in the house of the Countie according to the cōmon saying He that looketh not before he leapeth may chaūce to siumble before he sleapeth For the Lorde of 〈◊〉 being retired home into his daleys of the Sauoy mountains began to looke aboute his businesse and perceiued that his wife surpassed al others in light behauior and vnbrideled desires whereupon he resolued to take order and stop hir passage before she had won the fielde and that frākly she shold go séeke hir ventures where she list 〈◊〉 she would not be ruled by his aduise The foolish 〈◊〉 séeing that hir husband well espied hir fonde and foolish behauior and that wisely he wente about to remedie the same was no whit astonnied or regarded his aduise but rather by forging cōplaints did cast him in the téeth somtimes 〈◊〉 hir riches that she brought him somtime she thwited him with those whō she had refused for his sake with whō farre of the liurd like a sauage beast amid that mountaine deserts baren dales of Sauoy tolde him that by no meanes she minded to be closed and shut vp like a tamelesse beast The Counte which was wise would not breake the Ele vpon his knée prouidently admonished hir in what wise a Lady ought to estéeme hir honor how the lightest faults of noble sorts appered mortall sinnes before the people That it was not sufficiēt for a Gitlewomā to haue hir body chast if hir spech were not according the minde 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 outward semblāce the conuersatiō not agreable to the secrete conceipts of minde I shall be ful sory swéete wife sayd the Counte to giue you any cause of discōtentation for wher you shal be vexed and molested I shal receiue no ioy or plesure you being such one as ought to be the second my self determining by gods grace to kepe my promise vse you like a wife if so be you do regarde me as you ought to doe your husband For reason wil not that the head obey 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 indeuor their relief succor if thei shew not thēselues to be such as depend vpon the helth life of it The husband being the wiues chief ought to be obeyd in 〈◊〉 which reson requireth and she referring hir selfe to the pleasure of hir head 〈◊〉 him to whom she is adioyned to do and assay all trauaile and paine for hir sake Of one thing I must nedes accuse you which is that for a trifle you frame complaint and the mynde occupied in follie lusteth for nothing more than vaine things those that be of litle prosite specially where the pleasure of the body is only considered but 〈◊〉 mind which foloweth reason dissembleth his griefes with words ful of wisedom in knowing much 〈◊〉 not withstanding a subtile and honest ignorāce but I may be much deceiued herin by thinking the a womā fraught with 〈◊〉 opinions may recline hir eares to what so euer thing except to the which deliteth hir minde plea seth 〈◊〉 desires framed in hir foolish fātasie Let not this speach be straunge vnto you for your wordes vttered without discretion make me vse this language More ouer you shal do me plesure a gret good turn to your self if you take hede to my request and thereby folow mine aduise The Coutesse which was so fine malicious as the 〈◊〉 was good wise dissembling hir grief and couering the venome hidden in hir mynde began so well to play the hypocrite before hir husbande and to counterfaict the simple dame as albeit he was right politike yet he was within hir snare intrapt and flattered him with so faire words as she wonne him to go to Casal to visite the landes of hir inheritance We see wherunto the intent of this false woman tended and what checkmate she ment to giue both to hir husband and hir honour wherby we knowe that when a woman is disposed to gyue hir selfe to wyckednesse hir mynde is voide of no malice or inuention to bring to ende any daunger or perill offred vnto hir The facts of one Medea if credite may be giuen to Poets and of Phaedra the woman of Theseus wel declare with what beastly zeale they began and ended their attemptes The Eagles flight is not so high as the foolish desires and conceipts of a woman which trusteth in hir owne opinion and treadeth out of the tract of dutie and way of wisedome Pardon me good Ladies if I speake so largely and thinke not that I meane to display any other but such as forget the degrée wherin their auncestours haue placed them and digresse from the true path of those which haue immortalized the memory of them selues and of their husbands and the houses also wherof they came I am very loth to take vpon me the office of a slanderer and no lesse do meane to flatter those whome I sée to their greate shame offende openly in the sight of the worlde But why shoulde I dissemble that which I know your selues woulde not conceyle if in conscience ye were required therunto It were extreme follie and 〈◊〉 to decke and clothe vice with the holy garment of vertue and to call that Curtesie and Ciuilitie whiche is manifest whooredom Let vs terme eche thing by his due name let vs not blot and deface that which of it selfe is faire and pure let vs not also staine the renoume of those whom their owne vertue do recommende This gentle Countesse beyng at Casal making much of hir husbande and kissing him with the kisse of treason and of him being vnfainedly beloued and cherished not able to forget his sermons and much lesse hir owne filthy life seeing that with hir Counte it was impossible for hir to liue and glut hir lecherous lust who in dede was the true possessor of the same determined to runne away and séeke hir aduenture for the bringing to passe wherof she had already taken order for money the interest growing to hir dayly profite at Millan And hauing leuied a good summe of Ducates in hande vntill hir other rents were readie she fled away in the night in companie of certaine of hir men which were priuie to hir doings Hir retire was to Pauie a Citie subiect to the state Duchy of Millan where she hired a great and princely pallace and aparelled the same according to hir estate and traine of hir husband and as hir owne reuenue was able to beare I leaue for you to thinke what buzzings entred into the Countes hed by the sodaine flight of his wife who wold haue sent and gone him selfe after to séeke hir out and bryng hir home againe had he not well considered and wayed his owne profite and aduantage and knowing that hir absence would rid out of his head a fardell of suspicions which he before conceiued was in the ende resolued to lette hir alone and suffer hir remaine in what place soeuer she was retired from whence he neuer mynded to
shame or feare can make them blush which was the cause that this Ladie continuing still in hir mischiefe so much pradised the friends of him whom she desired to kil and made such fit excuse by hir ambassades as he was cōtent to speak to hir and to heare hir iustifications which were easy inough to doe the iudge being not very faultie She promised and swore that if the fault were proued not to be in him neuer man should sée Bianca Maria so lōg as she liued to be other than a friend and slaue to the Lord Ardizzino wholly submitting hir self vnto his will and pleasure See how peace was capitulated betwene the two reconciled louers and what were the articles of the same the Lord of 〈◊〉 entring possession againe of the Fort that was reuolted and was long time in the power of another But when hée was seased againe the Ladie saw full wel that hir recouered friend was not so hard to please as the other was and that with him she liued at greater libertie Continuing then their amorous daunce and Ardizzino hauing no more care but to reioyse himselfe nor his Ladie but to cherish and make much of hir friend behold eftsones the desire of bloud and wil of murder newly reuiued in that new Megera who incited I know not with what rage 〈◊〉 to haue him flain which refused to kill him whome at this present she loued as hir self And he that had inquired the cause therof I think none other reason could be rendred but that a brainelesse head and reasonlesse mind thought most notable murders mischief were easy to be brought to passe and so strangely to procede in disordred lusts which in fine caused miserable shame ruine with the death of hir self him whom she had stirred to that fact boldening him by persuasion to make him beleue vice to be vertue gloriously cōmēded him in his follies which you shal hear by reading at lēgth that discourse of this history Bianca Maria séeing hir self in ful possession of hir Ardizzino purposed to make him the chief executioner of the murder by hir intended vpon Gaiazzo for that doing wherof one night holding him betwene hir armes after she had long time dalied with him like a cunning mistresse of hir Art in the end weauing training hir treasō at large she said thus vnto him Syr of lōg time I haue bene desirous to require a good turne at your hands but fearing to trouble you therupon to be denied I thought not to be importunat albeit that mater toucheth you yet did I rather hold my peace thē to here refusall of a thing which your self ought to profer the same cōcerning you Madame said hir louer you know that matter néede to be hainous of great importance that I shold denie you specially if it cōcerne the blemish of your honor But you say the same doth touch me somewhat néerely therefore if abilitie be in me spare not to vtter it I will assay your satisfaction to the vttermost of my power Syr said she is the Counte of Gaiazzo one of your very frends I think answered Valperga that he is one of that surest friends I haue and in respect of whose friendship I will hazarde my self for him no lesse than for my brother being certaine that if I haue néede of him he will not faile to do that like for me But wherfore do you aske me that questiō I wil tel you said that traitresse kissing him so swetely as euer he felt that like of any woman for somuch as you be so deceiued of your opinion and frustrate of your thought as he is wicked in dissēbling that which maliciously lieth hiddē in his heart And briefly to say that effect Assure your self he is the greatest most mortall enimy that you haue in that world And that you do not thinke this to be some forged tale or light inuention or that I hard the report therof of some not worthy of credit I wil say nothing else but that which himself did tell me whē in your absence he vsed my cōpany He sware vnto me without declaratiō of that cause that he could neuer be mery or his mind in rest before he saw you cut in pieces shortly would giue you such assault as all that dayes of your life you shold neuer haue lust or mind on ladies loue And albeit thē I was in choler against you and that you had ministred some cause reason of hatred yet our first loue had takē such force in my heart as I besought him not to do that enterprise so lōg as I was in place wher you did remain bicause I cānot abide wtout death to sée your finger ake much lesse your life beriued frō you 〈◊〉 which tale his eare was deaf swering stil protesting that either he wold be slain himself or else dispatch that Counte Ardizzino I 〈◊〉 not quod she ne wel could as thē aduertise you therof for the smal accesse that my scruāts had vnto your lodging but now I pray you to take good héede to your self to preuēt his diuelish purpose for better it were for you to take his life than he to kil and murder you or otherwise work you mischief you shal be estemed the wiser man he pronoūced a traitor to seke that death of him that bare him such good will Do thē according to mine abuise before he begin do you kil him whereby you shall saue your self and doe the part of a valiant Knight bisides that satisfying of the minde of hir that aboue al pleasures of the world doth chiefly desire the same Experience now will let me proue whether you loue me or not and what you will doe for hir that loueth you so dearly who openeth this 〈◊〉 murder aswell for your safetie as for lengthening of the life of hir which without yours cannot endure 〈◊〉 this my sute O friend most deare and suffer me not in sorowful plight to be despoiled of thy presence And wilt thou suffer that I shold die and that yōder 〈◊〉 traiterous and vnfaithfull varlet should liue to laugh me to 〈◊〉 If the Ladie had not added those last woords to hir foolish sermon perchance she might haue prouoked Ardizzino to folow hir Counsell but 〈◊〉 hir so obstinately bent in hir request and to prosecute the same with such violence concluding vpon hir own quarel his conscience throbbed and his mind measured the malice of that woman with the honestie of him against whome that tale was tolde who knew his friend to be so sound and trustie as willingly he wold not do the thing that should offend him therefore wold giue no credit to false report without good apparāt proofe For which cause he was persuaded that it was a malicious tale made to please his Ladie deuised by some that went about to sowe debate betwéene those two friendly Earles Notwithstanding vpō further pause not to
make hir chafe or force hir into rage he promised the execution of hir cursed will thanking hir for hir aduertisement and that he would prouide for his defense surety And to the intent that she might thinke he went about to performe his promise he tooke his leaue of hir to goe to Milan which he did not to folow the abhominable will of that rauenous mastife but to 〈◊〉 the matter to his companion and direct the same as it deserued Being arriued at Milan the 〈◊〉 Citie of Lombardie he imparted to Gaiazzo from point to point the discourse of the Countesse and the 〈◊〉 she made vnto him whē she had done hir tale O God sayd the Lord Sanseuerino who can beware the traps of such whoores if by thy grace our hands be not forbidden and our hearts and thoughts guided by thy goodnesse Is it possible that the earth can bréede a mōster more pernicious than this most Pestilent beast This is truely the grift of hir fathers vsurie and the stench of all hir predecessors villanies It is impossible of a Bite to make a good Sparhauk or Tercel gentle This 〈◊〉 no doubt is the daughter of a vilain sprōg of the basest race amongs the common people whose mother was more fine than chaste more subtile than sober This mynion hath forsaken hir husband to erect bloudy skaffoldes of murder amid the Nobles of Italy And were it not for the dishonor which I should get to soile my 〈◊〉 in the bloud of a beast so corrupt I wold feare hir with my téethe in a hundreth thousand pieces How many times hath she entreated me before in how many sundrie sorts with ioyned hāds hath she besought me to kill the Lord Ardizzino Ah my companion and right well beloued friend shold you think me to be so traiterous and cowarde a knaue as that I dare not tel to thē to whom I beare displeasure what lieth in my heart By the faith of a Gentleman sayd Ardizzino I would be sory my minde should 〈◊〉 on such a follie but I am come to you that the song might sound no more wtin mine eares It behoueth vs then sith God hath kept vs hitherto to auoid the air of that infection that our braines be not putrified and from henceforth to flie those bloudsuckers the schollers of Venus for the goodnesse profit and honor that youth 〈◊〉 of them And truely great honor wold 〈◊〉 to vs to kill one an other for the only pastime and sottish fansie of that mynion I haue repented me an hundred times when she first moued me of the deuise to kill you that I did not giue hir a hundred Poignaladoes with my dagger to stop the way by that example for al other to attempt such but cheries For I am wel assured that the malice which she beareth you procedeth but of the delay you made for satisfaction of hir murderous desire wherof I thank you and yeld my self in al causes to imploy my life and that I haue to do you pleasure Leaue we of that talke sayd Gaiazzo for I haue done but my duety and that which eache Noble heart ought to euery wight doing wrong to none but proue to helpe and doe good to all Which is the true marke and badge of Nobilitie Touching that malignant strumpet hir own life shal reuenge the wrongs which she hath gone about to 〈◊〉 on vs. In meane while let vs reioyce and thinke the goods and richesse she hath gotten of vs will not cause hir bagges much to strout and swell To be shorte she hath nothing whereby she may greatly laughe vs to scorne except our good entertainment of hir both night and day 〈◊〉 peouoke hir Let other coine the pens henceforth to fill the coafers for of vs so farre as I see she is deceyued Thus the two Lordes passed for the their time and in all companies where they came the greatest part of their talke and communication was of the disordered life of the Countesse of Celant the whole 〈◊〉 rang of the sleights and meanes she vsed to trappe the Noble men and of hir pollicies to be rid of them whē hir thirst was stanched or diet grew lothsome for wāt of chaunge And that which griued hir most an Italian 〈◊〉 blased forth hir prowesse to hir great dishonor whereof the copy I cannot get and some say that Ardizzino was the author For it was composed whē he was dispossessed of pacience And if she coulde haue wreaked hir will on the Knights I beleue in hir rage she would haue made an 〈◊〉 of their bones Of which hir two enimies Ardizzino was the worsie against whom hir displeasure was the greater for that he was the first with whome she entred skirmish Nothing was more frequent in Pauie than villanous 〈◊〉 and playes vpon the filthy behauior of the Countesse which made hir ashamed to 〈◊〉 out of hir gates In the end she purposed to chaunge the aire and place hoping by that alteration to stay the infamous brute slaunder So she came to Milan wher first she was 〈◊〉 with state of honor in honest fame of chast life so long as 〈◊〉 Hermes liued and then was not pursued to staunche the thirst of those that did ordinarily draw at hir fountaine About the time that she departed frō Pauie Dom Pietro de Cardone a Scicilian the bastard brother of that Coūte of Colisano whose lieutenant he was their father slaine at that battail of Bicocca with a band of 〈◊〉 arriued at Milan This Scicilian was about the age of one or two twenty yeres somwhat black of face but well made and sterne of countenāce Whiles the Coūtesse soiorned at Milan this gentleman fell in loue with hir and searched al means he could to make hir his friend to enioy hir Who perceiuing him to be yong a nouice in skirmishes of loue like a Pigeon of the first coate determined to lure him and to serue hir turne in that which she purposed to doe on those against whome she was outragiously 〈◊〉 Now that better to entice this yong Lord vnto hir fātasy and to catch him with hir bait if he passed through the streat and saluted hir sighed after the maner of the 〈◊〉 roming before his Ladie she she wed him an indifferent mery countenance and sodainly restrained that cheere to make him 〈◊〉 the pleasure mingled 〈◊〉 the soure of one desire which he could not tel how to accomplish And the more faint was his hardinesse for that hee was neuer practised in daltance and seruice of Ladie of so great house or calling who thinking that Gētlewoman to be one of the principall of Milan was strangely vered tormented for hir loue in such wise as in that night he could not rest for fantasing and thinking vpon hir and in that day pased vp downe before the doore of hir lodging One euening for his disport he went forth to walk in 〈◊〉 of another gentleman which wel could play
vpon the Lute desired him to giue awake vnto his Ladie that then for iealousie was harkening at hir window both the sound of the instrument and the words of hir amorous Knight wher the gētleman soong this song THe death with trenchāt dart doth brede in brest such il As I cannot forget the smart that therby riseth stil. Yet ne erthelesse I am the ill it self in dede That death with daily dolours depe within my breast doth brede I am my mistresse thrall and yet I doe not kno If she beare me good will at all or if she loue or no. My wound is made so large with bitter wo in brest That still my heart prepares a place to lodge a careful guest O Dame that bath my life and death at thy desire Come 〈◊〉 my mind wher facies flames doth burn like Ethna fire For wanting thee my life is death and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And finding fauor in thy sight my dayes are happy heere Then he began to sighe so terribly as if already she had gyuen sentence and definitiue Judgement of his farewel disputed with his felow in such sort with opinion so assured of his contempt as if hée had bene in loue with some one of the infants of Sp 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which cause he begā again very pitifully to sing these verses THat God that made my soule knowes what I haue felt Who causeth sighes and sorowes oft the sely soule to swelt Doth see my torments now and what I suffer still And vnderstands I tast mo griefs than I can shew by skill He doth consent I wot to my ill hap and woe And hath accorded with the dame that is my pleasant foe To make my boyling brest abound in bitter blisse And so bereue me of my rest when heart his hope shall misse O what are not the songs and sighs that louers haue When night and day with swete desires they draw vnto their graue 〈◊〉 grief by friendship growes where ruth nor 〈◊〉 raines And so like snow against the sunne thei melt away with pains My dayes must finish so my destnie hath it set And as the candle out I goe before hir grace I get Before my sute be heard my seruice throughly knowne I shal be laid in tombe full lowe so colde as Marble stone To thee faire Dame I cry that makes my senses arre And plātest peace 〈◊〉 my brest then makes sodain war Yet at thy pleasure still thou must my sowre make sweete In graunting me the fauor due for faithfull louers meete Which fauor giue me now and to thy Noble minde I doe 〈◊〉 Galley slaue as thou by proofe shall finde And so thou shalt release my heart from cruell bandes And haue his fredome at thy wil that yelds into thy handes So rendring all to thee the Gods may ioyne vs both Within one lawe and league of loue through force of constant troth Then shalt thou mistresse be of life of limme and all My goodes my golde and honour loe shall so be at thy call This gentle order of loue greately pleased the Lady and therefore opened hir gate to let in the 〈◊〉 Lorde who séeyng himself fauoured beyond all hope of his Ladie and cherefully intertained and welcommed wyth greate curtesie stoode so stil astonnied as if he had bene fallen from the cloudes But shée whyche coulde teache hym good maner to make him the minister of hir mischiefe takyng him by the hande made him sitte downe vpon a gréene bedde besydes hir and séeing that he was not yet imboldened for all he was a souldier she she wed hir selfe more hardie than he and first assayled him wyth talke saying Syr I praye you thinke it not strange if at this houre of the night I am bolde to cause you enter my house béeyng of no greate acquaintaunce with you but by hearyng your curteous salutations And we of this countrey be somwhat more at libertie than they in those partes from whence you come Besides it liketh me well as I am able to honor strange gentlemen and to retaine them with right good willing heart sith it pleaseth them to honor me with repaire vnto my house so shall you be welcome stil when you please to knocke at my gate which at all times I will to be opened for you wyth no lesse good will than if ye were my natural brother the same with all the thinges therein it maye please you to dispose as if they were your owne Dom Pictro of Cardonne well satisfied and contented with this vnlooked for kyndnesse thanked hir very curteously humbly praying hir besides to dayne it in good parte if he were so bolde to make request of loue and that it was the onely thyng which hée aboue all other desyred moste so that if shée woulde receyue hym for hir friende and seruaunt shée shoulde vnderstand him to be a Gentleman whiche lyghtly woulde promise nothing excepte the accomplishment did followe she that sawe a greater onset than shée looked for answered hym smilyng with a very good grace Syr I haue knowne very many that haue vouched slipperie promyses and proffered lordly seruices vnto Ladies the effecte wherof if I myght once sée I would not thinke that they coulde vanishe so soone and consume lyke smoake Madame sayde the Scicilian yf I fayle in any thyng whichs you commaunde mée I praye to God neuer to receyue any fauour or grace of those Curtesies whyche I craue If then quod shée you wyll promyse to employe youre selfe aboute a businesse that I haue to doe when I make requeste I wyll also to accepte you for a friende and graunt such secrecie as a faythfull louer can desyre of hys Ladye Dom Pietro whyche woulde haue offered hym selfe in Sacrifice for hir not knowyng hir demaunde toke an othe and promysed hir so lightly as madly afterwardes he did put the same in proofe Beholde the preparatiues of the obsequies of their first loue the guages of a bloodie bedde the one was prodigal of hir honoure the other the tormenter of his reputation and neglected the duetie and honor of his state which the 〈◊〉 wherof he came commaunded hym to kepe Thus all the night he remained with Bianca Maria who made him so wel to like 〈◊〉 good entertainement and imbracementes as he neuer was out of hir companie And the warie Circes fained hir selfe so farre in loue with him and vsed so many toyes gametricks of hir filthie science as he not onely esteemed him selfe the happiest Gentleman of Scicilia but the most fortunate wight of al the world and by biubing of hir wine was so straungely charmed with the pleasures of his faire mistresse as for hir sake he wold haue taken vpon him the whole ouerthrow of Milan so well as 〈◊〉 of Cumes to set the Citie of Rome on fire if Tyberius Gracchus the sedicious woulde haue gyuen hir leaue Such is the maner of wilde and foolish youth as which suffreth it self to be caried beyond the boundes of
began somewhat to moderate that heat 〈◊〉 acknowledge all the exhortations which he had made to be 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 purpose And then determined to put them in proofe and to be present 〈◊〉 at all the feasts and assemblies of the citie without bearing affection more to one woman than to another And continued in this manner of life 〈◊〉 or 〈◊〉 months 〈◊〉 by that meanes to quench the sparks of auncient 〈◊〉 It chanced then within 〈◊〉 dayes after about the feast of Christmasse when feasts bankets most commonly be vsed and maskes according to the custome frequented And bicause that Anthome Capellet was the chief of that familie and one of the most principal Lords of the Citie he made a banket and for the better solempnization of the same inuited all the noble mē and dames at what time ther was the most partof that youth of Verona The family of the Capellets as we haue declared in that beginning of this History was at variance with the 〈◊〉 which was the cause that none of that family repaired to that banket but onely the yong Gentleman Rhomeo who came in a 〈◊〉 after supper with certain other yong Gentlemen And after they had remained a certaine space with their visards on at length they did put of the same and Rhomeo very shamefast withdrew himself into a corner of the Hall but by reason of the light of the torches which burned very bright he was by by known and loked vpon of the whole company but specially of the Ladies for bisides his natiue beautie wherewith nature had adorned him they maruelled at his audacitie how he durst presume to enter so secretly into that house of those which had litle cause to do him any good Notwithstanding the Capellets 〈◊〉 their malice either for the honor of the company or else for respect of his age did not misuse him either in word or déede By meanes whereof with frée liberty he behelde and viewed the ladies at his pleasure which he did so wel and with grace so good as there was 〈◊〉 but did very well like the presence of his person And after hée had particularly giuen iudgement vpon the excellency of each one according to his affection he saw one gentlewoman amongs the rest of surpassing beautie who although he had neuer séene hir tofore pleased him aboue the rest attributed vnto hir in heart the 〈◊〉 place for all perfection in beautie And feastyng hir incessantly with piteous lookes the loue which he bare to his first Gentlewoman was ouercomen with this new fire which tooke such norishement and vigor in his heart as he was able neuer to quench the same but by death onely as you may vnderstande by one of the strangest discourses that euer any mortal man deuised The yong Rhomeo then féelyng himselfe thus tossed with this new tempest could not tel what coūtenaunce to vse but was so surprised and chaunged with these last flames as he had almost forgotten him selfe in suche wise as he had not audacitie to enquire what shée was 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 bent hym selfe to féede his eyes wyth hir 〈◊〉 wherewyth he moystened the swéete amorous venom which dyd so empoyson him as hée ended his dayes with a kynde of moste cruell death The Gentlewoman that dydde put Rhomeo 〈◊〉 suche payne was called Iulietta and was the daughter of Capellet the maister of the house where that assemblie was who as hir eyes dydde roll and wander too and fro by chaunce espied Rhomeo whiche vnto hir séemed to be the goodliest Gentleman that euer shée sawe And Loue which lay in wayte neuer vntyl that tyme assailing the tender heart of that yong Gentlewoman touched hir so at the quicke as for any resistance she coulde make was not able to defende hys forces and then began to set at naught the royalties of the feast and felt no pleasure in hir hart but when she had a glimpse by throwing or receiuing some sight or looke of Rhomeo And after they had cōtented eche others troubled hart with millions of amorous lokes whiche oftentymes interchangeably encountred and met together the burning beames gaue sufficient testimonie of loues priuie onsettes Loue hauing made the heartes breach of those two louers as they two sought meanes to speake together Fortune offered them a very 〈◊〉 and apt occasion A certaine lorde of that troupe and company tooke Iulietta by the hande to daunce wherein shée behaued hir selfe so well and with so excellent grace as shée wanne that daye the price of honour from all the maidens of Verona Rhomeo hauyng foreséene the place wherevnto she minded to retire approched the same and so discretely vsed the matter as he found the meanes at hir returne to sit beside hir Iulietta when the daunce was finished returned to the very place where she was set before and was placed betwene Rhomeo 〈◊〉 other Gentlemā called Mercutio which was a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 gentlemā very wel beloued of all men and by 〈◊〉 of his plesāt curteous behauior was in al 〈◊〉 wel intertained Mercutio that was of audacitie amōg maidēs as a lion is among lābes seased inçōtinently vpon the hande of Iulietta whose hands wontedly wer so cold bothe in winter sommer as the mountain yee although the fires heat did warme the same Rhomeo which sat vpon the left side of Iulietta seing that Mercutio held hir by the right hand toke hir by the other that he might not be deceiued of his purpose straining the same a litle he felt himself so prest with that newe fauor as he remained mute not able to answer But she perceiuing by his change of color that the fault proceded of very vehemēt loue desiring to speake vnto him turned hir selfe towards him with 〈◊〉 voice ioyned with virginal shamfastnesse intermedled with a certaine bashfulnesse sayd to him Blessid 〈◊〉 the hour of your nere aproche but minding to procéede in further talke loue had so closed vp hir mouth as she was not able to end hir tale Wherunto the yong gentleman all rauished with ioy and contentation sighing asked hir what was the cause of that right fortunate blessing Iulietta somwhat more emboldned with pitiful loke and smiling countenance said vnto him Syr do not maruell if I do blesse your comming hither bicause sir Mercutio a good time with frosty hand hath wholly frosen mine and you of your curtesie haue warmed the same again Wherunto immediatly Rhomeo replied Madame if the heauēs haue bene so fauorable to employ 〈◊〉 to do you some agreable seruice being repaired 〈◊〉 by chaunce amongs other Gentlemen I estéeme the same well bestowed crauing no greater benefite for satisfaction of all my contentations receiued in this worlde than to serue obey and honor you so long as my life doth last as experience shall yeld more ample proofe when it shall please you to giue further assay Moreouer if you haue receiued any heat by touche of my hand you may be well assured that those flames
be dead in respect of the liuely sparks and violent fire which sorteth from your faire eyes which fire hath so fiercely inflamed all the most sensible parts of my body as if I be not succored by the fauoure of your diuine graces I doe attend the time to be consumed to dust Scarse had he made an end of those last words but the daunce of the Torche was at an end Whereby Iulietta which wholly burnt with loue straightly clasping hir hand with his had no leisure to make other answere but softly thus to say My deare friend I know not what other assured witnesse you desire of Loue but that I let you vnderstand that you be no more your owne than I am yours being ready and disposed to obey you so farre as honoure shall permit beséeching you for the present time to content your selfe with this answere vntill some other season méeter to Communicate more secretely of our affaires Rhomeo séeing himself pressed to part with the companie and for that hée knewe not by what meanes hée might sée hir againe that was his life and death demaunded of one of his friends what she was who made answer that she was the daughter of Capellet the Lord of the house and maister of that dayes feast who wroth beyond measure that fortune had sent him to so daungerous a place thought it impossible to bring to end his enterprise begon Iulietta couetous on the other 〈◊〉 to know what yong Gentleman hée was which had so courteously intertaigned hir that night and of whome she felt the new wounde in hir heart called an olde Gentlewoman of honor which had nurssed hir and brought hir vp vnto whome she sayd leaning vpon hir shoulder Mother what two yong Gentlemen be they which first goe forth with the two torches before them Unto whome the olde Gentlewoman tolde the name of the houses whereof they came Then she asked hir againe what yong Gentleman is that which holdeth the visarde in his hande with the Damaske cloke about him It is quod she Rhomeo Montesche the sonne of your Fathers capitall enimy and deadly 〈◊〉 to all your kinne But the maiden at the only name of Montesche was altogither amazed dispairing for euer to attaine to husband hir great affectioned friend Rhomeo for the auncient hatreds betwene those two families Neuerthelesse she knew so wel 〈◊〉 to dissemble hir grief and discontented minde as the olde Gentlewoman perceiued nothing who then began to persuade hir to retire into hir chamber whome she obeyed and being in hir bed thinking to take hir wonted rest a great 〈◊〉 of diuers thoughts began to enuiron trouble hir minde in such wise as she was not able to close hir eyes but turning here there fātasied diuerse things in hir thought sometimes purposed to cut of the whole attempt of that amorous practise sometimes to continue the same Thus was the poore pucell 〈◊〉 with two contraries the one comforted hir to pursue hir intent the other proposed the imminent perill whervnto vndiscretely she headlong threw hir self And after she had wandred of long time in this amorous Laberinth she knew not wherupon to resolue but wept incessantly and accused hir self saying Ah Caitife and miserable creature from whence doe rise these vnaccustomed trauailes which I 〈◊〉 in minde prouoking me to loose my rest but infortunate wretch what doe I know if that yong Gentleman doe loue me as hée sayeth It may be vnder the vaile of sugred woords hée goeth about to steale away mine honoure to be reuenged of my Parents which haue offended his and by that meanes to my euerlasting reproche to make me the fable of the Verona people Afterwards sodainly as she condempned that which she suspected in the beginning sayd Is it possible that vnder such beautie and rare comelinesse disloyaltie and Treason may haue their siedge and lodging If it be true that the face is the faithfull messanger of the mindes conceit I may be assured that hee doeth loue me for I marked so many chaunged coloures in his face in time of his talke with me and sawe him so transported and bisides himself as I cannot wishe any other more certaine lucke of loue wherin I will persist immutable to the 〈◊〉 gaspe of life to the intent I may haue him to be my husband For it may so come to passe as this newe alliance shall 〈◊〉 a perpetuall peace and amitie betwene his house and mine Aresting then vpon this determination still as she saw Rhomeo passing before hir Fathers gate she shewed hir self with mery countenance and 〈◊〉 him so with looke of eye vntill she had lost his sight And continuing this manner of life for certain dayes Rhomeo not able to content himself with lookes daily did beholde and marke the situation of the house and one day amongs others hée espied Iulietta at hir chamber window bounding vpon a narow lane right ouer against which Chamber he had a gardeine which was the cause that Rhomeo fearing discouery of their loue began then in the day time to passe no more before the gate but so soone as the night with his browne mantell had couered the earth he walked alone vp and downe that little streat And after he had bene there many times missing the chiefest cause of his comming Iulietta impacient of hir euill one night repaired to hir 〈◊〉 and perceiued through the brightnesse of the Moone hir friend Rhomeo hard vnder hir window no lesse attended for than he himself was waighting Then she secretely with teares in hir eyes and with voyce interrupted by sighes sayd Signior Rhomeo me thinke that you hazarde your persone too much and commit the same into great danger at this time of the night to protrude your self to the mercy of thē which meane you little good Who if they had taken you would haue cut you in pieces and mine honor which I estéeme dearer than my life hindred suspected for euer Madame answered Rhomeo my life is in the hād of God who only cā dispose the same 〈◊〉 if any man had sought meanes to berieue me of life I should in the presence of you haue made him known what mine abilitie had 〈◊〉 to defend that 〈◊〉 Notwithstanding life is not so deare and of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ̄ vnto me but that I could 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 the same for your sake and although my 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ben so great as to be dispatched in that place yet 〈◊〉 I no cause to be sory therefore excepte it had bene by loosing of meanes the same to forgoe the way how to make you vnderstand the good will and duety which I beare you desiring not to conserue the same for any commoditie that I hope to haue therby nor for any other respect but only to loue serue and honor you so 〈◊〉 as breath shal remaine in 〈◊〉 So soone as he had made an end of his talke loue and pitie began to sease vpon the heart of Iulictta and leaning hir head vpon hir 〈◊〉
of his Parents and alies were committed and after he had well aduised beholden many wounded hurt on both sides he sayd to his companions My friends let vs part thē for they be so flesht one vpon an other as they wil all be 〈◊〉 to pieces before the game be done And saying so 〈◊〉 thrust himself amids the troupe and did no more but part the blowes on either side crying vpō them aloud My friends no more it is time henceforth that our quarel cease For bisides the prouocation of Gods iust wrath our two families be slaunderous to the whole world and cause this common wealth to grow vnto disorder But they were so egre and furious one against the other as they gaue no audience to Rhomeo his councel and bent themselues to kill dismēber and teare eche other in pieces And the fight was so cruell and outragious betwene them as they which looked on were amased to sée them endure those blowes for the ground was al couered with armes legges thighs and bloud wherein no signe of cowardnesse appeared and maintained their fight so long that none was able to iudge who had the better vntill that Thibault cousin to Iulietta inflamed with ire and rage turned towards Rhomeo thinking with a foine to run him through But he was so well armed and defended with a priuie coate which he wore ordinarily for the doubt hée had of the Capellets as the pricke rebounded vnto whom Rhomeo made answer Thibault thou maist know by the pacience which I haue had vntill this present time that I came not hither to fight with thée or thine but to 〈◊〉 peace and attonemēt betwene vs and if thou thinkest that for default of corage I haue failed mine endeuor thou doest great wrong to my reputation And impute this my suffrance to some other perticular respect rather than to wāt of stomake Wherfore abuse me not but be content with this great effusion of bloud and murders already committed and prouoke me not I beséeche thée to passe the bounds of my good wil mind Ah Traitor sayde Thibault thou thinkest to saue thy self by the plot of thy pleasant tong but sée that thou defend thy selfe else presently I will make thée féele that thy tong shall not garde thy corpse nor yet be the buckler to defend the same from present death And saying so he gaue him a blowe with such furie as had not other warded the same he had cut of his head from his shoulders And the one was no readier to lend but the other incontinently was able to pay againe for he being not only wroth with the blow that he had receiued but offended with the iniurie which the other had done began to pursue his enimie with such courage and viuacitie as at the third blow with his sweard he caused him to fall backewarde starke deade vpon the grounde with a pricke vehemently thrust into his throte which he followed till his swearde appeared through the hinder parte of the same by reason whereof the conflict ceased For bisides that Thibault was the chief of his companie he was also borne of one of the Noblest houses within the Citie which caused the potestate to assemble his Soldiers with diligence for the apprehension and imprisonment of Rhomeo who séeing yl fortune at hand in secrete wise conueyed him self to Frier Laurence at the Friers Franciscanes And the Frier vnderstanding of his facte kept him in a certaine secrete place of his Couent vntil Fortune did otherwise prouide for his safe going abrode The brute spred throughout the Citie of this chaunce done vpon the Lord Thibault the Capellets in mourning wéedes caused the dead body to be caried before the signory of Verona so well to moue them to pitie as to demaund iustice for the murder before whome came also the Montesches declaring the innocencie of Rhomeo and the wilful assault of the other The Counsel assembled witnesses heard on both parts a straight cōmaundement was giuen by the Lord of the Citie to giue ouer their weapons and touching the offense of Rhomeo bicause he had killed the other in his owne 〈◊〉 he was banished Verona for 〈◊〉 This cōmon misfortune published throughout the Citie was generally sorowed and lamented Some complained the death of the Lord Thibault so well for his dexteritie in armes as for the hope of his great good seruice in time to come if he had not bene preuented by such cruell death Other bewailed specially the Ladies and Gentlewomen the ouerthrow of yong Rhomeo who bisides his beautie good grace wherwith he was enriched had a certaine naturall allurement by vertue whereof he drew vnto him the hearts of eche man like as the stony Adamant doth the cancred iron in such wise as the whole nation and people of Verona lamented his mischance but aboue al infortunate Iulietta who aduertised both of the death of hir cosin Thibault and of the banishment of hir husbande made the aire sound with infinite numbre of mornefull plaints and miserable lamentations Then féeling hir selfe too much outraged with extreme passion she went into hir chamber and ouercome with sorow threw hir self vpon hir bed where she began to reinforce hir dolor after so strange fashion as the most constant would haue bene moued to pitie Then like one oute of hir wittes she gazed héere and there and by Fortune beholding the window whereat Rhomeo was wont to enter into hir chamber cried out Oh vnhappy windowe Oh entry most vnlucky wherein were wouen the bitter toyle of my former missehaps if by thy meanes I haue receiued at other times some 〈◊〉 pleasure or transitorie contentation thou now makest me pay a tribute so rigorous and painefull as my tender body not able any longer to support that same shall henceforth open the gate to that life where the ghost discharged from this mortall burden shall séeke in some place else more assured rest Ah Rhomeo Rhomeo when acquaintance first began betwéene vs and I reclined mine eares vnto thy suborned promisses confirmed with so many othes I wold neuer haue beleued that in place of our continued amitie and in appeasing of the hatred of our houses thou 〈◊〉 dest haue sought occasion to breake the same by an acte so vituperious and shamefull whereby thy fame shall be spotted for euer and I miserable wretch desolate of spouse and companion But if thou haddest bene so greadie after the Capellets bloud wherefore didst thou spare the deare bloud of mine owne heart when so many times and in such secrete place the same was at the mercie of thy cruell handes The victorie which thou shouldest haue gotten ouer me had it not bene glorious inough for thine ambitious mind but for more triumphant solempnitie to be crowned with the 〈◊〉 of my dearest kinsman Now get thée hence therefore into sonte other place to deceiue some other so vnhappy as my selfe Neuer come againe in place where I am for no excuse shall héereafter take holde
for that science thought that the verie pouertie of the mayster Apothecarye woulde make hym wyllyngly yelde to that whych he pretended to demaunde And after hée hadde taken hym aside secretely he sayd vnto hym Syr if you bée the mayster of the house as I thynke you be beholde here Fiftie Ducates whych I gyue you to the intent you delyuer me some strong and 〈◊〉 poyson that within a quarter of an houre is able to procure death vnto hym that shall vse it The couetous Apothecarie entised by gayne agréed to hys request and saynyng to gyue hym some other medicine before the peoples face he spéedily made ready a strong and cruel poyson afterwardes hée sayd vnto hym softely Syr I 〈◊〉 you more than is needefull for the one halfe in an houres space is able to destroye the strongest manne of the worlde who after he hadde receyued the poyson retourned home where he commaunded his man to depart with diligence to Veronna and that he should make prouision of candels 'a tynder boxe and other instrumentes méete for the openynge of the graue of Iulietta and that aboue all things he shoulde not faile to attende hys commyng besides the Churchyarde of S. Frauncis and vpon paine of life to kéepe his intente in scilence Which Pietro obeyed in order as his master had commaunded hym and made therin such expedition as he arriued in good tyme to Verona taking order for all thinges that were commaunded him 〈◊〉 in the meane whyle beyng solicited wyth mortall thoughtes caused incke and paper to be broughte vnto hym and in fewe wordes put in writing all the 〈◊〉 of his loue the mariage of hym and Iulietta the meane obserued for consummation of the same the helpe that he hadde of Frier Laurence the buying of his poyson and last of all his death Afterwardes hauing finished his heauie tragedie hée closed the letters and sealed the same with his seale and directed the Superscription thereof to hys father and puttyng the letters into his pursse he mounted on horsebacke and vsed suche diligence that he arriued vppon darke night at the Citie of Veronna before the gates were shut where he found his seruant tarying for him there with a Lanterne and instruments beforesayd méete for the openyng of the graue vnto whome hée sayde Pietro helpe mée to open this Tombe and so soone as it is open I commaunde thée vpon payne of thy lyfe not to come néere me nor to stay me from the thyng I purpose to doe Beholde there is a letter which thou shalt present to morow in the morning to my father at hys vprisyng which peraduenture shall please him better than thou thynkest Pietro not able to imagine what was his maisters intent stode somewhat aloofe to beholde his maisters gestes and 〈◊〉 And when 〈◊〉 hadde opened the vaulte Rhomeo descended downe two 〈◊〉 holdyng the candell in his hande and beganne to beholde wyth pitifull eye the body of hir which was the organ of his lyfe and washt the same with the teares of his eyes and kyst it tenderly holding it harde betwene his armes and not able to satisfie him selfe wyth hir 〈◊〉 put his fearefull handes vpon the colde stomacke of Iulietta And after he had touched hir in manye places and not able to féele any certaine 〈◊〉 of lyfe he drewe the poyson out of his boxe and swalowyng downe a greate quantitie of the same cried out O Iulietta of whome the worlde was vnworthie what death is it possible my heart coulde choose out more agreable than that whiche it suffereth hard by thée What graue more glorious than to bée buried in thy tombe What more woorthie or excellente Epitaph can bée vowed for memorie than the mutuall and pitifull sacrifice of our lyues And thinking to renue his sorowe his hearte began to frette thorough the violence of the poyson which by litle and little assayled the same and lookyng aboute hym espyed the bodie of the Lorde Thibault lying nexte vnto Iulietta whyche as yet was not altogether putrified and speakyng to the bodye as though it hadde bene alyue sayde In what place so euer thou arte O cousyn Thibault I moste heartily doe crye thée mercy for the offense whyche I haue done by depriuyng of thy lyfe and if thy ghost 〈◊〉 wyshe and crye oute for vengeaunce vpon mée what greater or more cruell satisfaction canste thou desyre to haue or henceforth hope for than to sée hym which murdered thée to bée empoysoned wyth hys owne handes and buryed by thy syde Then endyng hys talk feling by litle and litle that his life began to faile falling prostrate vpon his knées with féeble voice hée softly said O my Lord God which to redéeme me didst 〈◊〉 from the bosome of thy father tokest humane flesh in the wombe of the virgine I acknowledge and cōfesse that this body of mine is nothing else but earth and dust Then seased vpon with desperate sorow he fell downe vpon the body of Iulietta with such vehemēce as the heart faint and attenuated with too great torment not able to beare so hard a violence was abādoned of all his sense and naturall powers in such fort as the siege of his soule failed him at that instant and his membres stretched forth remained stiffe and colde Frier Laurence which knew the certaine time of the pouders operation maruelled that he had no answere of the letter which he sent to Rhomeo by his fellow Frier Anselme departed from S. Frauncis and with instruments for the purpose determined to open the graue to let in air to Iulietta which was redy to wake and approching that place he espied a light within which made him afraid vntill that Pietro which was hard by had certified him that Rhomeo was within had not ceased there to lament and complaine the space of half an houre And then they two were entred the graue finding Rhomeo without life made such sorow as they can well conceiue which loue their deare friend with like perfection And as they were making their complaints Iulietta rising out of hir traunce and beholding light within the tombe vncertaine whether it were a dreame or fantasie that appeared before hir eyes comming againe to hir selfe knew Frier Laurence vnto whom she sayd Father I pray thée in the name of God 〈◊〉 perfourme thy promise for I am almost deade And then Frier Laurence concealing nothing from hir bicause he feared to be taken through his too long abode in that place faithfully rehearsed vnto hir how he had sent Frier Anselme to Rhomeo at Mantua frō whome as yet he had receiued no answer Notwithstanding he foūd Rhomeo dead in the graue whose body he pointed vnto lying hard by hir praying hir sith it was so paciently to beare that sodaine misfortune that if it pleased hir he wold conuey hir into some monastery of women where she might in time moderate hir sorow and giue rest vnto hir minde Iulietta had no sooner cast eye vpon the dead corpse of
presence of that honourable assemblie cōceiued courage and crauing licence of the Duke to speake with mery countenance and good vttrance began thus to say hir minde Most excellent Prince and ye right honorable lordes perceiuing how my deare husband vncomely and very dishonestly doth vse himselfe against mée in this noble companie I do thinke maister Girolamo Bembo to be affected with like rage minde against this gentlewoman mistresse Lucie his wife although more tēperate in wordes he do not expresse the same Against whom if no replie be made it may séeme that he hath spoken the trouthe and that we by silence should séeme to condemne our selues to be those moste wicked women whom he alleageth vs to be Wherfore by youre gracious pardon and licence moste honourable in the behalfe of mistresse Lucie and my selfe for our defense I purpose to declare the effect of my mind although my purpose be cleane altered from that I had thought to say beyng now iustly prouoked by the vnkinde behauiour of him whome I doe loue better than my selfe which had he bene silent and not so rashly runne to the ouerthrow of me and my good name I wold haue conceiled and onely touched that which shoulde haue concerned the purgation and sauegard of them both which was the onely intent meaning of vs by making our hūble supplication to your maiesties Neuerthelesse so so farre as my féeble force shall stretch I will assay to do both the one and the other although it be not appropriate to our kinde in publike place to declame or yet to open such bold attempts but that necessitie of matter and oportunitie of time and place dothe bolden vs to enter into these termes wherof we craue a thousād pardons for our vnkindely dealings and rēder double thanks to your honors for admitting vs to speake Be it knowne therfore vnto you that our husbandes against duetie of loue lawes of mariage and against all reason do make their heauie complaints which by by I wil make plaine and euident I am right well assured that their extreme rage bitter heartes sorow do procéede of y. occasions The one of the murder wherof they haue falsly accused thē selues the other of iealosy which grieuously doth gnawe their hearts thinking vs to be vile abhominable womē bicause they were surprised in eche others chāber Concerning the murder if they haue soiled their hāds therin it appertaineth vnto you my lords to rēder their desert But how can the same be layd to our charge for somuch as they if it wer done by thē cōmited the same without our knowlege our help coūsel And truly I sée no cause why any of vs ought to be burdened with that outrage and much lesse cause haue they to lay the same to our charge For méete it is that he that doth any vnlawful act or is accessarie to the same shold suffer that due penaltie seuere chastisement accordingly as the sacred lawes do prescribe as an example for other to abstein from wicked facts But herof what néede I to dispute wherin the blind may sée to be none offense bicause thanks be to God Maister Aloisio liueth which declareth the fond cōfession of our vngitle husbands to be cōtrary to trouth And if so be our husbāds in dede had done such an abhominable enterprise reason and duetie had moued vs to sorowe and lament them bicause they be borne of noble blood and be gentlemen of this noble citie which like a pure virgin inuiolably doth cōserue hir laws customs Great cause I say had we to lamēt them if like homicides murderers they had spotted their noble blood with such fowle 〈◊〉 therby deseruing death to leaue vs yong womē widowes in woful plight Now it behoueth mée to speake of the iealoufis they haue conceiued of vs for that they were in ech others chāber which truly is the doubtful knot scruple that forceth al their disdaine griefe This I knowe well is the naile that pierceth their heart other cause of offense they haue not who like men not well aduised without examination of vs and oure demeanour bée fallen into despaire and like men desperate 〈◊〉 wrongfully accused themselues But bicause I may not consume words in vain to stay you by my long discourse from matters of greater importāce I humbly beséech you right excellent prince to cōmaunde them to tel what thing it is which so bitterly doth tormēt them Then the Duke caused one of the noble men assistant there to demaund of them the question who answered that the chiefest occasion was bicause they knew their wiues to be harlots whō they supposed to be very honest for somuch as they knew them to be such they conceiued sorow and grief which with suche extremitie did gripe thē at that heart as not able to sustain that great infamy ashamed to be sene of mē wer induced through desire of deth to cōfesse that they neuer did Mistresse Isotta hering thē say so begā to speke againe turning hir self vnto them Were you offended then at a thing which ye thought incōueniēt not mete to be done We then haue greatest cause to cōplaine Why then 〈◊〉 husbande went you to the chamber of mistresse Lucie at that time of the night What had you to do there what thyng thought you to finde there more than was in your own house And you master Girolamo what cōstrained you to forsake your wiues bed to come to my husbands wher no man euer had or at this present hath to do but him self were not that shetes of the one so white so fine neat swéet as the other I am moste noble Prince sorie to declare my husbands folie and ashamed that he should forsake my bed to go to an other that did accompt my selfe so wel worthy to entertaine hym in myne owne as the best wife in Venice and now through his abuse I abstaine to shewe my selfe amongs the beautiful and noble dames of this Citie The like misliking of hir selfe is in mistresse Lucie who as you sée may bée numbred amongs the fairest Either of you ought to haue ben cōtented with your wiues not as wickedly you haue done to forsake them to séeke for better bread than is made of wheate or for purer golde than whereof the Angel is made O worthy dede of yours that haue the face to leaue your owne wiués that be comely faire honest to séeke after strange carrion O beastly order of men that can not content their lust within the boūdes of their owne house but must go hunt after other women as beasts do after the next of their kinde that they chaunce vpon What vile affection possessed your harts to lust after others wife You make complainte of vs but wée with you haue right good cause to bée offended you ought to be grieued with youre owne disorder and not with others offense and this youre affliction paciently to beare bycause you wente about
abandon all that I haue yea therwithall hazard mine honor for his saluation But what Shal I disdaine bountifully to imploy my self al the endeuor of my friends for his deliuery No no my Lords if I had a thousand liues so many honors at my commaundement I wold giue them al for his relief and comfort yea if it were possible for me to recouer a fresh x. C. M. liues I wold so frankly bestow them all as euer I desired to liue that I might enioy mine own Aloisio But I am sory and euer shal be sory for that it is not lawful for me to do more for him thā that which my smal power and possibilitie is able For if he shold die truly my life could not endure if he were depriued of life what plesure should I haue to liue in this world after him wherby most honorable righteous iudge I beleue before the honest not to lose any one iote of mine honor bicause I being as you may sée yong woman a widow desirous to mary againe it is lawful for me to loue and to be beloued for none other intent whereof God is the only iudge but to attaine a husband according to my degrée But if I should lose my reputation and honor why should not I aduenture the same for him that hath not spared his owne for my sake Nowe to come to the effect of the matter I doe say with all duetifull reuerence that it is an accusation altogither false and vntrue that euer master Aloisio came to my house as a Théefe against my will For what nede he to be a thefe or what would he doe with my goodes that is a lorde and owner of xx times so muche as I haue Alas good Gentleman I dare depose and guage my life that he neuer thoughte much lesse dyd any robberie or thing vnlawfull wherewith iustly he may be charged But he repaired to my house with my consent as a louing and affectionate louer the circumstance whereof if it be duely marked must aduouch the same to be of trouthe infallible For if I had not giuen him licence to come how was it possible for him to conuey his ladder so high that was made but of ropes and to fasten the same to the iaume of the window if none within did helpe hym Againe how could the window of the chamber be open at that time of the night which is still kept shut if it had not bene by my consent But I with the helpe of my mayde threwe downe to him a litle rope whervnto he tied his ladder and drew the same vp and making it so fast as it could not vndo and then made a signe for maister Aloisio to come vp But as bothe our ill fortune wold haue it before I could catch any hold of him to mine inestimable grief and hearts sorrowe he fell downe to the ground Wherfore my lordes I beséeche your honours to reuoke the confession wherein he hath made him selfe to be a thefe And you maister Aloisio declare the trouth as it was sith I am not ashamed in this honorable assemblie to tel the same Behold the letters my lords whiche so many times he wrote vnto me wherein hée made sute to come to my speach and continually in the same doth call me wife Behold the ladder which till nowe did still remaine in my chamber Beholde my maide which in all mine affaires is as it were myne owne hande and helper Master Aloisio being here vppon demaunded of the Lords of the articles which she in hir tale had recited cōfessed them all to be true who at the same instant was discharged The Duke greatly commended them both hir for hir stoute audacitie in defense of an innocent Gentleman and him for his honor and modestie séeking to preserue the fame and good reporte of the Gentlewoman Whiche done the Counsell disassembled and brake vp And the friendes of bothe the parties accompanied them home to the house of mistresse Gismonda where to the greate reioyce and pleasure of al men they were solemnely maried in sumptuous and honorable wise and maister Aloisio with his wyfe liued in greate prosperitie long time after Mistresse Lucia and mistresse Isotta at the expired time were deliuered of two goodly sonnes in whome the fathers toke great ioy and delight Who with their wiues after that tyme lyued very quietly and well one louing an other like naturall brethren many times sporting among them selues discretely at the deceipts of their wiues The wisedom of the Duke also was wonderfully extolled and cōmended of all men the fame whereof was increased and bruted throughout the region of Italy And not without cause For by hys prudence and aduise the dominion of the state and Common wealth was amplified and dilated And yet in the ende béeing olde and impotent they vnkindely deposed hym from his Dukedome The Lorde of Virle ¶ The Lorde of VIRLE by the commaundement of a a faire yong widow called ZILIA and for his promyse made the better to attaine hir loue was contented to remaine dumbe the space of three yeares and by what meanes he was reuenged and obtained his sute The. xxvij Nouel THey that haue passed the most parte of their youth in humain folies and haue rather followed the vanities of fooles insensate louers in matters of loue and that the contemplation of heauenly things or else of those that here on erth may giue some entrie for man to attayne glorie and honor of his name they I say shall serue me for witnesses to confirme the opinion of long time rooted in the fansies of men which is that the beautie and comely fauor of a woman is the very true naturall Adamant that can be found sith the same stone for a certain attractiue power and agreable qualitie therin inclosed doth not better draw the iron than the woman doth by a certain hiddē force which resting vnder the alluremēt of hir eye draweth vnto it that hearts affectiōs of men which hath made many beléene that the same onely essence was sent to vs below to serue both for mens torment and ioy together But yet there is an other thyng of greater wonder it is not to heare tel that Paris for sooke Troy to go visite Helena in Grece that Hercules had giuen ouer his mace to handle the 〈◊〉 at the cōmandement of a woman or that Salomon was sotted in his wisedom to dalie with those that made hym a volūtarie slaue But that a woman of whom a man had receiued no fauour and curtesie at all had forgotten hir owne duetie to hir seruant if it séeme not straunge I can not tell what to call wonderfull or maruellous if defense of speach for loue is not déemed such wherby man is different from brute beastes for reason is altogether refused by louers and notwithstanding oure fathers haue séene the example of that vertue no long time past in the person of a Gentleman very wise and
It chaunced in this time that a knight of 〈◊〉 the vassall of King Mathie for that he was likewise king of that countrey borne of a noble house very valiant and well exercised in armes fel in loue with a passing faire Gentlewoman of like nobilitie and reputed to be the 〈◊〉 of all the countrey and had a brother that was but a poore Gentleman not luckie to the goods of fortune This Boemian knight was also not very rich hauing onely a castle with certaine reuenues 〈◊〉 which wer 〈◊〉 able to yeld vnto him any gret maintenance of liuing Fallyng in loue then with this faire Gentlewoman he demaūded hir in mariage of hir brother with hir had but a very litle dowrie And thys knight not wel forseeing his poore estate broughte his wife home to his house there at more leisure cōsidering that same begā to fele his lack penurie how hardly scant his reuenues wer able to maintein his port He was a very honest gentle person one that delited not by any meanes to burden fine his tenants cōtenting himself with the reuenue whiche his auncesters left him the same amounting to no great yerely rent Whē this gentlemā perceiued that he stode in nede of extraordinarie reliefe after many diuers cōsiderations with himself he purposed to folow the court to serue king Mathie his souerain lord master there by his diligence experience to seke meanes for abilitie to sustain his wife him self But so great feruent was that loue that he bare vnto his lady as he thought it impossible for him to liue one houre 〈◊〉 hir yet iudged it not best to haue hir with him to the court for auoiding of further charges 〈◊〉 to courting ladies whose delite 〈◊〉 plesure resteth in the toys tricks of the same that cānot he wel auoided in poore gētlemē without their names in the Mercers or Drapers Iornals a heauy thing for them to consider if for their disport they like to walk that stretes The daily thinking thervpon brought that poore Gentlemā to great sorow heauinesse The lady that was yong wise discrete marking the maner of hir husband feared that he had some 〈◊〉 of hir Wherfore vpon a day she thus said vnto him Dere husband willingly wold I wish desire a good turne at your hand if I wist I should not displease you Demaund what you will said the knight if I can I wil gladly performe it bicause I doe estéeme your satisfaction as I doe mine owne lyfe Then the Ladie very sobrely prayde hym that he wold open vnto hir the cause of that discontenment whiche he shewed outwardly to haue for that hys mynde and behauiour séemed to be contrary to ordinarie custome contriued day and night in fighes auoidyng the companie of them that were wont specially to delight him The Knight hearing his ladies request paused a while and then sayd vnto hir My welbeloued wyfe for so much as you desire to vnderstand my thoughte and mynde and whereof it commeth that I am so sad and pensife I will tell you All the heauynesse wherwith you sée me to be affected dothe tend to this ende Fayne would I deuise that you and I may in honour lyue together according to our calling For in respect of our parentage our liuelode is very poore the occasion whereof were our parentes who morgaged their lands consumed a great part of their goods that our auncesters left them I daily thinkyng herevpon and conceiuing in my head diuers imaginations can deuise no meanes but one that in my 〈◊〉 séemeth best which is that I go to the Court of our souerain lord Mathie who at this present is inferring warrs vpon the Turk at whose hāds I do not mistrust to receiue good 〈◊〉 being a most liberal prince and one that estemeth al such as be valiant and actiue And I for my parte will so gouerne my selfe by Gods grace that by deserte I will procure suche lyuyng and 〈◊〉 as hereafter we may liue in our olde dayes a quiet life to our great stay and comfort For although Fortune hitherto hath not fauored that state of parētage wherof we be I doubt not with noble courage to win that in despite of Fortunes teeth whiche obstinately hytherto shée hath denied And the more assured am I of thys determination bycause at other tymes I haue serued vnder the Lorde Vaiuoda in Transsyluania against the Turk where many times I haue bene required to serue also in the Courte by that honorable Gentleman the Counte of Cilia But when I dyd consider the beloued companie of you dere wife the swéetest companion that euer wyght didde 〈◊〉 I thought it vnpossible for mée to forbeare your presence whych if I should do I were worthy to sustayne that dishonour which a great number of carelesse Gentlemen doe who followyng their priuate gayne and will abandon their yong and faire wyues neglecting the fyre whyche Nature hath instilled to the delicate bodyes of suche tender creatures Fearing therwithall that so soone as I shoulde depart the lustie yong Barons and Gentlemen of the countrey woulde pursue the gayne of that loue the price wherof I doe esteme aboue the crowne of the greatest emperour in all the worlde and woulde not forgoe for all the riches and precious Iewels in the fertile soilt of Arabie who no doubte woulde 〈◊〉 together in greater heapes than euer dydde the wowers of Penelope wythin the famouse graunge of Ithaca the house of wanderynge Vlisses Whyche pursuite yf they dydde attayne I shoulde for euer hereafter bée ashamed to shew my face before those that be of valour and regarde And this is the whole effect of the scruple 〈◊〉 wife that hindreth me to séeke for our better estate and fortune When he had spoken those woords 〈◊〉 held his peace The Gentlewoman which was wise and stout perceiuing the great loue that hir husbande bare hir when he had stayed himselfe from talke with good and mery countenaunce answered hym in thys wise Sir Vlrico which was the name of the Gentleman I in like manner as you haue done haue deuised and thought vpon the Nobilitie and birth of our auncestors from whose state and port and that without our fault and crime we be farre wide and deuided Notwithstanding I determined to set a good face vpon the matter and to make so much of our painted sheath as I could In déede I confesse my self to be a woman and you men do say that womens hearts be faint I féeble but to be plaine with you the contrary is in me my heart is so stoute and ambitious as paraduenture not méete and consonāt to power and abilitie although we women will finde no lacke if our hearts haue pith and strength inough to beare it out And faine wold I support the state wherin my mother maintained me Now be it for mine owne part to God I yeld the thanks I can so moderate and stay
hostesse pleasantly disposing him selfe to myrth and recreation he went to bed where ioy so lightned his merrie head as no sléepe at all could close his eyes suche be the sauage pangs of those that aspire to like delights as the best reclaimer of the wildest hauke coulde neuer take more payne or deuise 〈◊〉 shiftes to man the same for the better atchieuing of hir praie than dyd this braue Baron sustaine for bryngyng his enterprise to effecte The nexte day early in the morning he rose dressyng hymselfe with the swetest parfumes and putting on hys finest sute of 〈◊〉 at the appointed houre he went to the castell and so secretly as he could according to the Ladies instruction he conueyd himselfe vp into the chamber 〈◊〉 he founde open and when he was entred he shutte the same The maner of the dore was such as none within coulde open it without a 〈◊〉 and besides the strong locke it had both barre and 〈◊〉 on the outside with such fastening as the diuel him self being locked within coulde not breake forth The Ladie which wayted harde by for his 〈◊〉 so soone as she perceiued that the dore was shutte stepte vnto the same and bothe double locked the dore and also without she barred and fast bolte the same carying the 〈◊〉 away with hir This chamber was in the hyghest tower of the house as is before sayde wherein was placed a bedde with good furniture the wyndow wherof was so high that none could loke out without a ladder The other parts therof were in good and cōuenient order apt and mete for an honest prison When the Lorde Alberto was within hée satte downe wayting as the Jewes doe for Messias when the Ladie according to hir appointement should come And as he was in this expectation building castles in the ayre and deuising a thousande Chimeras in his braine beholde he hearde one to open a little wicket that was in the dore of that chamber which was so straight and litle as scarcely able to receyue a loafe of bread or cruse of wine vsed to be sent to the prisoners He thinkyng that it had bene the Ladie rose 〈◊〉 and hearde the noyse of a little girle who loking in at the hole thus sayd vnto him My Lord Alberto the Ladie Barbara my mistresse for that was hir name hath sent me thus to say vnto you That for so much as you be come into this place by countenaunce of Loue to dispoyle hir of hir honour she hath imprisoned you like a théefe according to your deserte and purposeth to make you suffer penance according to the measure of your offense Wherfore so long as you shal remaine in this place she mindeth to force you to gain your bread and drinke with the art of spinning as pore women do for sustentation of their liuyng meanyng thereby to coole the heate of your lustie youth and to make you tast the sowre sause mete for them to assay that go about to robbe Ladies of their honour she bad me lykewise to tell you that the more yarne you spin the greater shal be the abundance and delicacie of your fare the greater paine you take to gaine your foode the more liberall she will bée in distributing of the same otherwise she sayth that you shall fast wyth breade and water Which determinate sentence she hath decréed not to be infringed broken for any kinde of sute or intreatie that you be able to make When the maiden had spoken these wordes she shut the portall dore and returneo to hir Ladie The Baron which thought that he had ben comen to a mariage did eate nothing al the mornyng before bicause he thought to be enterteined with better daintier store of viandes who nowe at those newes fared like one oute of his wittes and stoode still so amazed as though his leggs woulde haue failed him and in one moment his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 to vanish and his force and breath forsoke him and fel down vpon the chamber 〈◊〉 in such wise as he that had behelde him wold haue thought him rather dead than liuing In this state he was a greate time after wards somwhat cōming to him selfe he could not tel whether he dreamed or else that the words wer true which the maiden had sayd vnto him In the end séeing and being verily assured that he was in a prison so sure as birde in Cage through 〈◊〉 and rage was like to die or else to lose his wittes faryng with hym selfe of long time lyke a madde man and not knowing what to do passed the rest of the day in walkyng vp and down the chamber rauing stamying staring cursing and vsing words of greatest villanie lamenting and bewailyng the time and day that so like a beast and 〈◊〉 man he gaue the attempt to dispoile the honestie of an other mans wife Then came to his 〈◊〉 the losse of al his landes and goodes which by the 〈◊〉 authoritie were put in comprimise then the shame the scorne and rebuke whyehe hée shoulde receyue at other mens handes beyonde measure vexed hym and reportē bruted in the Court for that it was impossible but the whole worlde should know it so grieued hym as his 〈◊〉 séemed to be strained with two sharpe and bityng nailes the paines whereof forced hym to lose his wittes and vnder standyng In the middes of which pangs furiously vauting vp and down the chamber he espied by chaunce in a corner a 〈◊〉 furnished with good 〈◊〉 of flare and a spindle hangyng therevppon and 〈◊〉 with choler and rage hée was aboute to spoyle and breake the same in pieces but remembring what a harde weapon Necessitie is hée stayed hys wysdom and albeit hée hadde rather to haue contriued hys leysure in noble and Gentlemanlyke passetyme yet rather than he woulde be idle hée thoughte to reserue that Instrument to auoyde the tedious lacke of honest and familiar companie When supper time was come the mayden returned agayn who opening the Portall dore saluted the Baron and sayde My Lord my mistresse hath sente mée to visite your good Lordshyp and to receyue at youre good handes the effecte of youre laboure who hopeth that you haue spoonne some substanciall webbe of thréede for earning of your supper which béeing done shall be readily brought vnto you The Baron full of rage furie and felonious moode if before he were fallen into choler now by protestation of these wordes he séemed to transgresse the bounds of reason and began to raile at the poore wench scolding and chiding hir like a strumpet of the stewes faring as though he would haue beaten hir or done hir some 〈◊〉 ther mischiefe but his moode was stayed from doyng any hurt The poore 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 by hir 〈◊〉 in laughing wise sayd vnto him Why my lorde do you chafe rage against me Me thinks you do me wrong to vse such reprochful words which am but a seruant and bounde to the commaundement of my mistresse Why sir do you not know that a
handes and for acknowledgyng the fauour that presently I doe receiue whereby I maye make my vaunt to 〈◊〉 the seruaunte of hir that is the fairest moste curteous and honest Gentlewoman on thys syde the Mountaynes As hée hadde ended those woordes they came to couer for supper where they were serued so honourably as if they hadde bene in the Court of the Monarch of Spayne After supper they wente to walke abroade alongs the 〈◊〉 syde besette with wyllowe trées where bothe the beautie of the tyme the runnyng 〈◊〉 the charme of the naturall musicke of byrdes and the pleasaunt murmure of the tremblyng leaues at the whistelyng of the swéete Westerne wynde moued them agayne to renew theyr passetyme after dynner For some dydde gyue them selues to talke and to deuise of 〈◊〉 matter some framed nosegayes garlandes and other pretie poesyes for theyr friendes Other some dyd leape runne and throwe the barre In the end a great lord neighbor to Dom Diego whose name was Dom Roderico knowing by his frends coūtenance to what saint he was vowed perceiuing for whose loue 〈◊〉 feast was celebrate toke by 〈◊〉 hand a gentlewoman that sate nexte to faire Gineura and 〈◊〉 hir to daunce after a song whervnto she béeing pleasaunt and wyse made no great refusall Dom Diego failed not to ioyne with hys mystresse after whom folowed the reste of that noble traine euery of them as they thought best Now the Gentlewoman that beganne to daunce song thys song so apte for the purpose as if shée hadde entred the hearte of the enimie and mystresse of Dom Diego or of purpose hadde made the same in the name of hir whome the matter touched aboue the rest Who may better sing and daunce amongs vs Ladies all Than she that doth hir louers heart possesse in bondage thrall The yong and tender feblenesse Of mine vnskilfull age Wherof also the tendernesse Doth feeble heart assuage Whome beauties force hath made to frame Vnto a louers hest So soone as first the kindled flame Of louing toyes increst Who may better sing and daunce amongs vs Ladies all Than she that doth hir louers heart possesse in bondage thrall I haue assayed out to put The fier thus begoonne And haue attempted of to cut The threede which loue hath spoonne And new alliance faine would flee Of him whome I loue best But that the Gods haue willed mee To yelde to his request Who may better sing and daunce amongs vs Ladies all Than she that doth hir louers heart possesse in bondage 〈◊〉 So amiable is his grace Not like among vs all So passing faire is his face Whose hue doth staine vs all And as the shining sunny day Doth eu'ry man delight So he alone doth beare the sway Amongs eche louing wight Who may 〈◊〉 sing and daunce amongs vs Ladies all Than she that doth hir louers heart possesse in bondage thrall Why should not then the fairest dame Apply hir gentle minde And honor giue vnto his name With humble heart and kinde Sith he is full of curtesie Indewd with noble grace And brest replete with honestie Well knowne in eu'ry place Who may better sing and daunce amongs vs Ladies all Than she that doth hir louers heart possesse in bondage thrall If I should loue and serue him than May it be counted vice If I retaine that worthy man Shall I be demde vnwise I will be gentle to him sure And render him mine aide And loue that wight with heart full pure That neuer loue assaide Who may better sing and daunce amongs vs Ladies all Than she that doth hir louers heart possesse in bondage thrall Thus the most sacred vnitie That doth our hearts combine Is voide of wicked flattery The same for to 〈◊〉 No hardned rigor is our guide Nor follie doth vs leade No Fortune can vs twaine deuide Vntill we both be deade Who may better sing and daunce amongs vs Ladies all Than she that doth hir louers heart possesse in bondage 〈◊〉 And thus assured certainly That this our loue shall dure And with good lucke hope verely The same to put in vre The sowen sedes of amitie Begon betwixt vs twaine Shall in most perfite vnitie For euermore remaine Who may better sing and daunce amongs vs Ladies all Than she that doth hir louers heart possesse in bondage thrall This song delited the minds of many in that company and principally Dom Diego Gineura who felt themselues tickled without laughing notwithstanding the maiden reioysed to hear hir self so greatly praised in so noble a company specially in that presence of hir friend who had no lesse pleasure by hearing the praises of his beloued than if he had bene made Lord of all Aragon She for all hir dissembled countenaunce vsed openly could not hide the alteration of hir minde without sending forth a sodain chaunge of colour that increased that fair goodly taint of hir face Dom Diego seing that mutation was so ioyful as was possible for thereby he knew and iudged himself assured of the good grace of his mistresse therfore wringing hir finely by the hands sayd vnto hir very soberly 〈◊〉 What greater pleasure my louing wench can there happen vnto your seruaunt than to sée the accomplishmēt of this Prophetical 〈◊〉 I assure you that in al my life I neuer heard musike that delited me so much as this therby do vnderstand that good wil of the Gentlewoman which so curteously hath discouered yours towards me the faithful seruice wher of you shall sée me from hence forth so liberall as neither goods nor life shal be spared for your sake Gineūra who loued him with al hir heart thanked him very hūbly and prayed him to beleue that the song was not vn truly soong and that without any fail she had therby manifested al the secrets of hir minde The daunce ended they sate them downe round about a cleare fountaine which by silent discourse issued from an high and moisty rock enuirōned with an infinite numbre of Mapletrées Poplers Ashes To which place a page brought a lute to Dom Diego wherupō he could play very wel made it more pleasātly to sound for that he accorded his fayning voice to the instrument singing this song that foloweth That I should loue and serue also good reason doth require What though I suffre lothsome grief my life in woe to wrappe The same be thonely instruments of my good lucke and happe The foode and pray for hungry corps of rest th' assured hire By thought wherof O heauy man gush forth of teares great store And by by reioyst againe my driery teares do cease Which guerdon shal mine honor sure in that triumphāt peace The summe whereof I offer now were it of price much more Which I doe make withall my heart vnto that blessed wight My proper Goddesse here on earth and only mistresse dere My goods and life my brething gost within this carcase here I vow vnto that maiestie that heauenly
the 〈◊〉 of the State To whom the other answered None other hath caused thy deliuerance O Montanine but a certaine person of the worlde whose name thou mayst easily gesse to whome I gaue an acquittance of thyne imprisonment but not of the iuste summe bicause hée gaue me a thousand Ducates for a thousande Florens and woulde not receiue the ouerplus of the debt which I am readie to deliuer thée with thine acquittaunce I haue not to doc with the money sayd Charles onely I pray you to tel me the name of him that hath done me this great curtesie that hereafter I may acknowledge hym to be my friende It is sayd the Chamberlain Anselmo Salimbene who is to be commended and praised aboue all thy parents and kinne and came hither very late to bring the money the surplusage wherof behold here it is God forbid said Montanine that I should take away that which so happily was brought hither to rid me out of pain and so wēt away with his acquittāce his mind charged with a nūbre of fansies for the fact done by Salimbene Being at home at his house he was long time stayed in a déepe consideration desirous to knowe the cause of that gentle parte procéeding from him whose whose parentes and auncesters were the capitall enimies of his race In the end like one risyng from a soūd sléepe he called to minde that very many times he had séene Anselmo with attentiue eye and fired looke to beholde Angelica and in eying hir very louingly he passed euery day before their gate not shewing other countenaunce but of good will and with friendely gessure rather than enimies face saluting Angelica at all tymes when he met hir Wherfore Montanine was assured that the onely loue of Salimbene towards his sister had caused that deliueraunce concluding that when the passion doth procéede of good loue seazed in gentle heart and of noble enterprise it is impossible but it muste bring forth the maruellous effectes of vertues gallantise of honestie and curtesie and that the spirite well borue can not so muche hide his gentle nourture but the fire must flame abrode and that which séemeth difficult to be brought to passe is facilitie and made possible by the conceipts and indeuors so wel imployed and not common to a minde that is not seuered from villanie wherfore in the ende not to be surmounted in honestie ne yet to beare the marke of one that vnthankfully accepted good turnes he determined to vse a great prodigalitie vpon him that vnder the name of foe had shewed himselfe a more faithful friend than those that bare good face and at néede were furthest off from afflic ted Montanine who not knowing what presēt to make to Salimbene but of himselfe aud his sister purposed to 〈◊〉 his minde to Angelica and then vpon knowledge of hir will to performe his intent For which cause vnderstāding that his gracious enimie was gone into the coūtrey he thought wel to consider of his determination and to breake with hir in his absence the better to execute the same vpon his next returne to the citie No called Angelica aside and beyng bothe alone together he vsed these or such like wordes You know deare sister that the higher is the fall the more daungerous it is and greater griefe he féeleth that doth fall from high than he that tumbleth downe from place more low and of lesser stéepenesse I speake this bicause I cal to mind the condition nobilite and excellēcie of our ancesters the glorie of our race and riches of all our house which constraineth me many times to sigh sheade a streame of teares when I sée the sumptuous palaces that were the homes and resting places of our fathers and grand fathers when I sée on al parts of this Citie the Armes and scutcheons painted and imbossed bearing the mark of the antiquitie of our house and when I beholde the stately marble tombes and brasen monumentes in diuers our temples erected for perpetual memory of many knights and generalls of warres that sorted forth the Montanine race chiefly I neuer enter this great palace the remnant of our inheritāce and patrimonie but the remembrance of our auncesters so glaunceth ouer mine heart as an hundred hundred times I 〈◊〉 for death to thinke that I am the post alone of the miserie and decay fallen vpon the name and famous familie of the Montanines which maketh me thinke our life to be vnhappie being downe fallen from such felicitie to féele a miserie moste extreme But one thing alone ought to cōtent vs that amid so great pouertie yl luck ruine abasement none is able to lay vnto our charge any thing vnworthie of the nobilitie the house wherof we be descēded our life being conformable to the generositie of our predecessors wherby it chaunceth that although our poore estate be generally knowne yet none can affirme that we haue forligned that vertue of them which vertuously haue liued in oure race If so bée 〈◊〉 haue receiued plesure or benefit of any man neuer disdained I with al duetie to acknowlege a good turne stil shunning the vice of ingratitude to soile the reputation wherin hitherto I haue passed my life Is ther any blot which more spotteth the renoume of man than not cōfessing receiued benefites and pleasures perfourmed in oure necessitie You knowe in what perill of death I was these fewe dayes past through their false surmise which neuer 〈◊〉 me and home almost miraculously I was redemed out of the hangmās hāds the cruel sentence of the vnrighteous magistrate not one of our kyn offring thēselues in dede or word for my defense which forceth me to saye that I haue felt of my kin which I neuer thought haue tasted such cōmoditie at his hāds of whō I neuer durst expect or hope for plesure relief aide or any cōfort I attēded my deliuerāce by sute of those whō I counted for kin friends but the same so soone vanished as the necessitie perill wer present So pressed with wo and forsaken of frēds I was affrayde that our aduersaries to remoue all feare and suspition in tyme to come would haue purchased my totall ruine procured the ouerthrowe of the Montanines name by my death and approched end But good God from the place wherof I feared the dāger the calme arose which hath brought my bark to the hauē of helth at his hāds where I attended ruine I haue tasted affiāce sustentation of mine honor life And plainly to procede it is Anselmo Salimbene the son of our ancient capital enimes that hath shewed himself the very loyal faithfull friende of our familie and hath deliuered your brother by paimēt to the State the summe not of a thousand Florēs but of a thousand ducats to raūsom the life of him who thought him to be his most cruel aduersarie O Gētlemās heart in dede gentle minde whose rare vertues do surpasse all humaine vnderstanding Friendes
come again and seing that his eyes were open beholding hir intentiuely with that countenaunce of a man half in despaire she said vnto him For so much brother as I sée fortune to be so froward that by no meanes thou canst auoid the cruell lot which laūcheth me into the bottome of mortall misery and that I must aduenture to folow the indeuors of thy minde and obey thy will which is more gentle noble than fraught with reason I am content to satisfy the same and the loue which hitherto thou hast born me Be of good chéere and doe with me my body what thou list giue and presēt the same to whome thou pleasest Wel be thou sure that so soone as I shall be out of thy hands and power I wil be called or estéemed thine no more and thou shalt haue lesse authoritie to stay me from doing the deuises of my fantasie swearing protesting by the almighty God that neuer mā shall touch Angelica except it be in mariage and that if he assay to passe any further I haue a heart that shall incorage my hāds to sacrifice my life to the chastitie of noble dames which had rather die than liue in 〈◊〉 of dishonesty I will die a body without 〈◊〉 and the minde voide of consent shall receiue no shame or filth that can soile or spot the same In saying so she began againe to wéepe in suche aboundance as the humor of hir braine ranne downe by the issue of bothe hir eyes Montanine albeit sorowfull beyōd measure to sée his gentle chast sister in such vexation heauinesse reioysed yet in his mind that she had agréed to his 〈◊〉 which presaged the good lucke that afterwardes chaunced vnto him for his liberall offer Wherfore sayd he to Angelica I was neuer in my life so desirous to liue but that I rather choose to die than procure a thing that shold turne thée to displeasure and grief or to hazarde thine honor and reputation in daunger or perill of damage which thou hast euer known and shouldest haue stil perceiued by effect or more properly to speake touched with thy finger if that incomparable and rare curtesie and liberalitie of Salimbene had not prouoked me to require that which honestly thou canst not giue nor I demaunde without wrong to thée and preiudice to mine owne estimation and honoure But what the seare I haue to be déemed ingrate hath 〈◊〉 me forget thée and the great honesty of Anselmo maketh me hope yea and stedfastly beleue that thou shalt receiue none other displeasure but to be presented vnto him whom at other times we haue thought to be our mortall enimy And I thinke it impossible that he will vse any villany to hir whom he so feruently loueth for whose sake he feareth not the hatred of his 〈◊〉 disdained not to saue him whom he hated and on whome he might haue bene reuenged And for so much sister as the face commonly she weth the signe and token of the hearts affections I pray 〈◊〉 by any meanes declare no sad countenaunce in the presence of Salimbene but rather chéere 〈◊〉 thy face dry vp the aboundance of thy teares that he by séeing thée ioyfull and mery may be moued to 〈◊〉 his curtesie and vse thée honestly being satisfied with thy liberalitie and the offer which I will make of our seruice Here may be séene the 〈◊〉 of two diuers things duety combating with shame reason being in contention with himself Angelica knew and confessed that hir brother did but his duetie and that she was boūd by that same very bond On the other side hir estate and virginal chastitie brake the endeuors of hir duety and denyed to doe that which she estéemed right Neuerthelesse she prepared hir self to folow bothe the one and the other and by acquiling the duetie to hir brother she ordained the meane to discharge him of that which he was bound to his benefactor determining neuerthelesse rather to die than shamefully to suffer hir selfe to be abused or to make hir lose the floure which made hir glister amongs the maidens of the citie to deface hir good faute by an acte so villanous But that speciall rare vertue was more singular in hir than was the continencie of Cyrus the Persian King who fearing to be forced by the allurements of the excellent beauty of chast Panthea would not suffer hir to be brought into his presence for feare that he being surmounted with folish lustes should force hir that by other meanes could not be persuaded to breake the holy lawes of mariage and promised Faith to hir husband For Salimbene hauing in his presence and at his commaundement hir whome aboue all things he loued would by no meanes abuse his power but declared his Gentle nature to be of other force and effect than that of the afore said king by reading the successe of this historie you shall perceiue After that Montanine and his sister had vttered many other words vpon their determination and that the faire maiden was appeased of hir sorow attending the issue of that which they went about to begin Anselmo was come home out of the Countrey whereof Charles hauing intelligence about the second houre of the night be caused his sister to make hir ready and in companie of one of their seruaunts that caried light before them they came to the lodging of Salimbene whose seruaunt séeing Montanine so accompanied to knock at the gate if he did maruel I leaue for you to think by reason of that displeasure hatred which he knew to be betwene the two families not knowing that which had already passed for the beginning of a finall peace of so many controuersies for which cause so astonned as he was he went to tel his master that Montanine was at the gate desirous secretely to talke vnto him 〈◊〉 knowing what cōpany Charles had with him was not vnwilling to go downe 〈◊〉 two torches to be lighted came to his gate to entertaine them to welcome the brother and the sister with so great curtesie friendship as he was surprised with loue séeing before his eyes the sight of hir that burned his heart incessātly not discouering as yet the secretes of his thought by making hir to vnderstād the good will he bare hir and how much he was hir seruaunt He could not tel wel whether he was incharmed or his eyes daselled or not well wakened frō 〈◊〉 when he sawe Angelica so amazed was he with the straungenesse of the fact and arriuall of the maiden to his house Charles séeing him so confused and knowing that the great affectiō he bare vnto his sister made him so perplexed besides himselfe said vnto him Sir we would gladly speake with you in one of your chambers that there might be none other witnesse of our discourse but we 〈◊〉 together Salimbene which was 〈◊〉 with ioy was able to make none other answere but Go we whether you please So taking his
tattling talke of our secrete follies Moreouer I would 〈◊〉 very glad to doe what pleaseth you so the same may be without slaunder For I hadde rather die than any should take vs in our priuities and familier pastimes let vs be contented with the pleasure that the 〈◊〉 of our ioy may graunt and not with suche contentation as shall offend vs by blotting the clerenesse of our 〈◊〉 names Concluding then that time of their new acquaintaunce which was the next day at noone when that Lieutenant did walke into the Citie they ceased their talk for feare of his enteruiew Who vpon his returne doing reuerence vnto his Lord tolde him that he knewe where a wilde Boare did haunt if it pleased him to sée the passetime Whereunto the Lord Nicholas fayned louingly to giue eare although against his will for so much as he thought the same hunting should be a delay for certaine dayes to the enioying pretended and assured of his beloued But she that was so muche or more esprised with the raging and intollerable fire of loue spedily found meanes to satisfie hir louers sute but not in such manner as was desired of either parts wherefore they were constrained to defer the rest vntill an other time This pleasaunt beginning so allured the Lord of Nocera as vnder the pretence of hunting there was no wéeke that passed but he came to 〈◊〉 the warrener of his Lieuetenaunt And this order continuing without 〈◊〉 one little suspition of their loue they gouerned themselues wisely in the pursute thereof And the Lord Nicholas vsed the game and sport of Hunting and an infinite number of other exercises as the running of the King and Tennis not so muche thereby to finde meanes to enioy his Ladie as to auoide occasion of iealosie in hir husband being a very familiar vice in all Italians the cloke wherof is very heauie to beare and the disease troublesome to sustaine But what Like as it is hard to beguile an 〈◊〉 in the accoumpt of his money for his continual watch ouer the same and slumbering slepes vpon the bokes of his reckenings and accompts so difficult it is to deceiue the heart of a iealous man and specially when he is assured of the griefe which his heade hath conceiued Argus was neuer so cléere eyed for all his hundred eyes ouer Iupiters lemman as those louers be whose opinions be yll affected ouer the chastitie of their wiues Moreouer what foole or Asse is he who séeing suche vndiscrete familiaritie of two louers the priuie gestures and demeanors without witnesse their stolne walkes at vntimely houres sometimes their embracemēts to straight and common before seruaunts that wold not doubt of that which most secretely did passe True it is that in England where libertie is so honestly obserued as being alone or secrete conuersation giueth no cause of suspition that same might haue 〈◊〉 borne withall But in Italie where the parents themselues be for the most part suspected if there had ben no fact in déede cōmitted that familiaritie of the Lord Nicholas with his Lieutenantes wife was not suffrable but exceded the bounds of reason for so much as the cōmoditie which they had chosen for pos sessing of their loue albeit the same not suspitious animated them afterwards to frequent their familiarity disport to frākly without discretiō which was that cause that fortune who neuer leaueth that ioyes of mē without giuing therunto some great alarm being enuious of the mutual delights of those 〈◊〉 louers made that husbād to doubt of that which he wold haue dissēbled if honor could so easily be lost wtout reproch as bloud is shed with out peril of life But that mater being so cleare as the fault was euidēt specially in the party which touched him so neare as himself that Lieuetenaūt before he wold enterprise any thing and declare what he thought 〈◊〉 throughly to be resolued of that which he sawe as it were 〈◊〉 in a cloude and by reason of his conceiued opinion he dealt so warely and wisely in those affaires was so subtill an espiall as one day when the louers were at their game and in their most straite and secrete embracements he viewed them coupled with other leash than he would haue wished and colled with straighter bands than reason or honesty did permit He saw without being séene wherin he felt a certaine ease and contentment for being assured of that he doubted purposed to ordeine a sowre refection after their delightsome banket the simple louers ignoraunt by signe or 〈◊〉 that their enterprises were discouered And truely it had bene more tollerable and lesse hurtful for the Lieuetenaunt if euen then he had perpetrated his vengeaunce and punished them for their wickednesse than to vse the crueltie wherwith afterwards he blotted his renoume and foiled his hands by Bedlem rage in the innocent bloud of those that were not priuie to the folie and lesse guiltie of the wrong done vnto him Now the captaine of the Castell for all his dissimulation in couering of his griefe and his fellony and treason intended against his soueraigne Lord which he desired not yet manifestly to appeare was not able any more from that time forthe to speake so louingly vnto him nor with suche respecte and reuerence as he did before which caused his wife thus to say vnto hir louer My Lord I doubt very much least my husbād doth perceiue these our cōmon practizes secrete familiar dealings that he hath some hāmer working in his head by reason of the countenaunce vnchéereful entertainment which he sheweth to your Lordship wherfore mine aduise is that you retire for a certain time to Foligno In the meane space I wil marke 〈◊〉 if that his alteration be conceiued for any matter against vs and wherfore his wōted lokes haue put on this new alteration chaūge All which when I haue by my espial and secrete practise sounded I will spéedily aduertise you to the ende that you may prouide for the safegarde of youre faithfull and louyng seruaunt The yong Lorde who loued the Gentlewoman with all hys hearte was attached with so greate griefe and dryuen into such rage by hearing those wicked newes as euen presentely he woulde haue knowen of his Lieuetenaunt the cause of his diswonted chéere But weyghing the good aduise which his woman had gyuen hym paused vpon the same 〈◊〉 hir to doe what she thought best By reason wherof giuing warning to his seruantes for his departure he caused the Lieutenaunt to be called before him vnto whom he sayd Captain I had thought for certaine dayes to sport and passe my time but hearing tel that the Duke of Camerino commeth to Foligno to debate with vs of matters of importance I am constrained to departe and do pray you in that meane time to haue good regarde vnto our affaires and if any newes 〈◊〉 chaunce to aduertise the same with all expedition Sir sayd the Captain I am sorie
foloweth The Captaine then hauing sente his message and being sure of his intent no lesse than if he already had the brethren within his hold vpon the point to couple them together with hys wife to sende them all in pilgrimage to visite the faithfull sorte that blason their loues in an other worlde with Dido Phyllis and suche like that more for dispaire than loue bée passed the straictes of death caused to be called before him in a secrete place all the souldiers of the Fort and such as with whome he was sure to preuaile to whom not without sheading forth some teares and she wyng heauie countenance he spake in this maner My Companions friends I doubt not but ye be abashed to sée me wrapt in so heauie plight and appeare in this forme before you that is to say bewept heuy panting with sighes and al contrary to my custome in other state and maner than my courage and degrée require But when ye shall vnderstande the cause I am assured that the case which séemeth strange to you shall be thought iust and right and so wil performe the thing wherein I shall employe you Ye knowe that the first point that a Gentleman ought to regarde consisteth not onely in repelling the 〈◊〉 done vnto the bodie but rather it behoueth that the fight begyn for the defense of his honor which is a thing that procedeth from the mind and resorteth to the bodie as the instrument to worke that which the spirite appointeth Now it is honour for conseruation whereof an honest man and one of good courage feareth not to put himself in al perill and daunger of death and losse of goodes referryng himselfe also to the guarde of that which toucheth as it were oure owne reputation In suche wyse as if a good Captaine doe suffer hys souldier to be a wicked man a robber a murderer and 〈◊〉 exacter he beareth the note of dishonor albeit in all his doings he gouerneth hys estate after the rule of honestie dothe nothing that is vnworthy his vocatiō But what he being a head vnited to such mēbres if the partes of that vnited thing be corrupt and naught the head must needes beare that blot of the faulte before referred to the whole bodie 〈◊〉 sayd he sighing what parte is more nere and dearer to man than that which is giuen vnto him for a pledge and comfort during his life and which is conioyned to be bone of his bone and flesh of his flesh to breath forth one minde and thinke with one heart and equall will It is of the Wife that I speake who being the moytie of hir husbande ye ought not to muse if I say that the honour of the one is the rest of the other and the one infamous and wicked the other féeleth the troubles of such mischief and the wife being carelesse of hir honor the husbands reputation is defiled and is not worthie of praise if he suffer such shame vnreuenged I must Companions good friends here discouer that which my heart would faine kepe secrete if it were possible and must reherse a thing vnto you which so sone as my mouth woulde faine kepe close the minde assayeth to force the ouerture And loth I am to do it were it not that I make so good accompt of you as ye being 〈◊〉 to me with an vnseparable amitie will yeld me your cōfort and aide against him that hath done me this villanie such as if I be not reuenged vpon him nedes must I be the executioner of that vengeance vpon my self that am loth to liue in this dishonor which all the days of my life without due vltion like a worme wil torment and gnaw my conscience Wherfore before I go any further I would knowe whether I might so well trust your aide and succour in this my businesse as in all others I am assured you wold not leaue me so long as any breath of life remained in you For without such assurance I do not purpose to let you know that pricking naile that pierceth my hearte nor the griefe that greueth me so nere as by vttering it without hope of help I shall open the gate to death and dye withont reliefe of my desire by punishyng him of whome I haue receyued an iniurie more bloodie than any man can doe The Souldiers whyche loued the Captaine as theyr owne lyfe were sorie to sée him in suche estate and greater was their dolour to heare woordes that tended to nothyng else but to furie vengeance and murder of himselfe Wherefore all with one accorde promised their healpe and maine force towardes and agaynst all men for the bringyng to passe of that which he dyd meane to require The Lieutenant assured of his men conceyued hearte and courage and continuing hys Oration and purpose determined the slaughter and ouerthrowe of the thrée Trinicien brethren for that was the surname of the Lordes of Foligno who pursued hys Oration in this manner Know ye then my companions and good frendes that it is my wife by whom I haue indured the hurt losse of mine honour and she is the partie touched and I am he that am moste offended And to the ende that I doe not holde you longer in suspence and the partie be concealed from you which hath done me this outrage Ye shal vnderstande that Nicholas Trinicio the elder of the thrée lordes of Foligno and Nocera is he that against al right and equitie hath suborned the wife of his Lieutenant and soiled the bed of him wherof he ought to haue ben the defēder the very bulwarke of his reputation It is of him my good frendes and of his that I meane to take suche vengeaunce as eternall memorie shall displaye the same to all posteritie and neuer lords shall dare to doe a like wrong to myne withoute remembrance what his duetie is which shall teache him how to abuse the honest seruice of a Gentleman that is one of hys owne traine It resteth in you bothe to holde vp your hande and kéepe your promise to the end that the Lorde Nicholas deceiuyng and mockyng me may not trust put affiance in your force vnto which I heartily do recommende my self The Souldiers moued and incited with the wickednesse of their Lord and with the wrong done to him of whome they receyued wages swore againe to serue his turne in any exploit he went about and required him to be assured that the Trinicien brethren shoulde be ouerthrowne and suffer deserued penance if they might lay hands vpon them and therfore willed him to séeke means to allure them thither that they might be dispatched The Lieutenāt at these words renuing a chéerefull countenaunce and she wing himselfe very ioyful for such successe after he had thanked his souldiers and very louingly imbraced the chiefest of them reuealed his deuised pollicie hoped shortly to haue them at his comaundement within the Fort alleaging that he had dispatched two messangers vnto them and
those to whome he did owe all honoure and reuerence And do assure you that if he had 〈◊〉 below as he was vpon the rampire of the walles they hadde torne him into so many pieces as he had made gobbets of the Lord Nicholas bodie But séeing that they could not take him they went about to séeke the deliueraūce of them whome they thought to be yet aliue and one of the chiefe of the Citie in the name of them all shortly briefly answered him thus If malice did not well discouer it self in the sugred and traiterous composition of thy woordes O Captaine it were easie inough for an inconstant people bent to chaūge and desirous of innouations to heare and do that which such a traitor and flatterer as thou art doest propose but we hauing 〈◊〉 time indured nothing of the 〈◊〉 that sauoreth of tiranny cruelty or excesse we were no lesse to be accused of felonie than thou art guiltie of rebels crime by seasing vpon the persones of thy Lords if we should yelde credit to thy serpents hissing or lend aide to thy traiterous practise thou gost about against them who by innobling thée are traiterously bereued of that which concerned their reputation and greatnesse We 〈◊〉 an honest people and faithfull 〈◊〉 We will not be bothe wicked and vnhappy at once without cause expel our heads out of our common wealth when they shall perpetrate the mischiefs which thou hast alleaged for example Upon suche 〈◊〉 and straunge facts we shall take newe aduise and Councell To be short thou shalt pleasure vs to set our Lords at libertie and thou like a wise man shalt doe thy duetie and satisfie a people which easily can not indure that a subiecte doe wrong to those to whom he oweth 〈◊〉 And feare not to receiue any euill of them nor yet to feele anoyaunce for we will take vpon vs by honest meanes to craue pardone for thy fault how hainous so euer it be But if thou continue thine 〈◊〉 be sure that the Lord Conrade shall be aduertised and with al our power we shall succour him by force to let thée féele the nature of treason and what reward is incident to the practizers of the same The Captaine 〈◊〉 he was abashed with that answere and saw that it would not be well with him if he did not prouide speady 〈◊〉 and order for his affaires aswell for the comming of the Lord Conrade as of the brother of the Duke 〈◊〉 tolde the Citizens that within thrée or 〈◊〉 dayes he wold giue them a resolute answer and so it might be 〈◊〉 vnto their willes and dcliuer them whome he had in holde This gentle answer did nothing stay the Citizens for the accomplishment of that which they thought 〈◊〉 to doe knowing also that the gallant had not commenced that comedie but for other toyes which his 〈◊〉 head had framed for a further intended mischiefe for which cause they assembled their Councel and concluded that one should ride in poste to the Lord Conrade the third and remnaūt of the brethren that he might come to take order for the deliuerance of Nicholas and Caesar whom they thought he had reserued stil a liue in captiuitie The Nocerines shewed this curtesie not but that they wold gladly haue bene at liberty if the way had bene better troden aswell for the little trust they reposed in the Captaine who they thought would be no more gentle and faithful than he shewed himself to be loyall to his masters as for that Conrade was wel beloued of the Lordes his neighbors and specially of the imprisonned Duke and his brother Braccio Montone who had the Italian men of warre at his pleasure that the Noble men would assist him with all their power Wherfore they cōsidered that their fairest best way for auoiding of factiōs was to kepe themselues trustie true and by not hearkening to a traitor to bind their soueraigne Lord with such duety and obedience as the vnkindest man of the world wold cōfesse and acknowledge for the consequēce of a mater of such importāce The seditious captaine on the other side voide of hope and in greater rage thā 〈◊〉 was before persisted in his follie not without foreséeing howe he might saue himselfe which he had pollitikely brought to passe if God had not shortned his way by paiment of vsurye for his wickednesse and by the very diligence of them in 〈◊〉 he reposed his trust the manner and how immediately 〈◊〉 follow So soone as he had giuen ouer the Councell of the Citizens and a little bethought him what he had to do he called before him two yong men whome aboue all others he trusted best To these yong men he deliuered all his Golde Siluer and Jewels that they might conuey the same out of the iurisdiction of his Lords to the intent that when he sawe himselfe in daunger he might retire to the place where those gallants had before caried his furniture and moūting them vpon two good stéedes he let them forthe at the posterne gate praying them so soone as they could to returne aduertisement of their aboode and that spedely he wold send after them his children and the rest of his 〈◊〉 telling them that he specially committed his life and goodes into their handes and that in time and place he would acknowledge the benefite done vnto him in that distresse The two that were thus put in trust for sauegarde of his things promised vnto him Golden hilles and miracles but so soone as they hadde lost the sight of their master they deuised another complette and determined to breake faith to him which was forsworne and who made no conscience not onely to reuolt but also 〈◊〉 to kill his soueraigne Lordes They thought it better to ride to 〈◊〉 to tell that Lord Conrade the pitifull ende of his brethren and the imprisonment of the Duke of Camerino than to seke rest for him whome God permitted not to be saued sor his heinous sinne already committed and for that which he meant to do vpon his wife For all the diligence that the Nocerines had made yet were the Lieuetenauntes men at Treuio before them and hauing filled the 〈◊〉 of Conrade with those heauy newes and his eyes with teares his mind with sorow sprite with desire to be reuenged as Conrade was about to mount on horseback with the traine he had the Citizens were arriued to disclose the imprisonmēt of his brethren To whom Conrade made answere I wold to God my friends that the tirant had bene contented with the litle cruelty wherof you speake for then I wold find the meanes to agrée the parties vpon that knowledge of their variance But alas his malice hath passed further hath beastly slaine my brethren but I sweare by the almightie God that if he giue me life I wil take such and so cruell vengeaunce on him as he shall be a glasse to all his like to sée the punishmēt of a fault
this time of the night to take vpon me without daunger to bring him to his Palace Wherfore said the King Wherefore quod you bicause the Marshes be so daungerous as in the day time if one knowe not well the way the 〈◊〉 be he neuer so strong and lusty may chaunce to sticke fast tary 〈◊〉 for gage And I wold be sory if the King were héere that he shold fall into my perill or sufler anoyance therwithal wold deme my self vnhappy if I did let him to incur such euil or incōbrance Mansor that delighted in the cōmunication of this good mā and desirous to know the cause that moued him to speake with such affection sayd vnto him And why carest thou for the life health or preseruation of our king What hast to do with him that art so sory for his state and carefull of his safety Ho ho sayd the goodman doe you say that I am careful for my prince Uerily I loue him a hundred times better than I do my self my wife or children which God hath sent me and what sir doe not you loue our Prince Yes that I doe replied the King for I haue better cause than thou for that I am many times in his company and liue vpon his charge and am entertained with his wages But what 〈◊〉 thou to care for him Thou knowest him not he neuer did thée any good turne or pleasure nor yet thou nedest not hope henceforth to haue any pleasure at his hands What sayd the fisher man must a Prince be loued for gaine and good turnes rather than for his iustice curtesie I sée wel that amongs you master Courtiers the benefits of kings be more regarded and their gifts better liked than their vertue and nobility which maketh them wonderful vnto vs and ye do more esteeme the gold honor and estates that they bestow vpon you than their health and sauegarde which are the more to be considered for that the King is our head and God hath made him suche one to kepe vs in peace and to be careful of our states Pardon me if I speak so boldly in your presence The King which toke singulare delite in this Coūtrey Philosopher answered him I am not offended bicause thy woords aproche so neare the troth but tel me what benefit hast thou receiued of that king Mansor of whome thou makest suche accompte and 〈◊〉 so wel For I cannot thinke that euer he did thée good or shewed thee pleasure by reason of thy pouerty and the little furniture within thy house in respecte of that which they possesse whom he loueth and fauoreth and vnto whome he she weth so great familiaritie and benefite Doe 〈◊〉 me sir replied the good man for so much as you so greatly regard the fauoures which subiectes receiue at their Princes handes as in déede they ought to doe What greater goodnesse 〈◊〉 or benefite ought I to hope for or can receiue of my King being suche one as I am but the profit and vtilitie that all we which be his vassalles doe apprehend from day to day in the iustice that he rendreth to euery wight by not suffering the puissant and riche to suppresse and 〈◊〉 the feeble and weake and him that is 〈◊〉 of fortunes goodes that indifferency be maintained by the officers to whome he committeth the gouernment of his prouinces and the care which he hathe that his people be not deuoured by exactions and intollerable tributes I do esteme more his goodnesse clemency and loue that he beareth to his subiects than I doe all your delicates and ease in following the court I most humbly honor and reuerēce my king in that he being farre from vs doeth neuerthelesse so vse his gouernment as we féele his presence like the Image of God for the peace and vnion wherein we through him doe liue and enioy without 〈◊〉 that little which God and fortune haue giuen vs. Who if not the King is he that doeth preserue vs and defend vs from the 〈◊〉 and pillages of those Theues and Pirates of Arabie which make warre and inuade their neighbors and there is no frend they haue but they wold displease if the King wisely did not forbio preuent their villanies That great Lord which kepeth his Court at Constantinople and maketh himselfe to be adored of his people like a God brideleth not so muche the Arabians as our King doeth vnder the Protection and sauegarde of whome I that am a pore Fisher man do ioy my pouertie in peace and without 〈◊〉 of théeues do norish my little familie applying my selfe to the fishing of Eeles that be in these diches and fenny places which I cary to the market townes and sell for the sustenaunce and féeding of my wife and children and 〈◊〉 my selfe right happy that returning to my cabane and homely lodge at my pleasure in what so euer place I do abide bicause albeit farre of from neighboures by the bene 〈◊〉 and diligence of my Prince none staye my iourney or offendeth me by any meanes which is the cause sayd he lifting vp his hāds and eyes aloft that I pray vnto God and his great Prophet Mahomet that it may please them to preserue our King in health and to giue him so great happe and contentation as he is vertuous and debonaire and that ouer his ennimies flying before him 〈◊〉 may euermore be victorious for norishing his people in peace and his children in ioy and Nobilitie The King séeing that deuout 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 and knowing it to be without guile or 〈◊〉 would gladly haue discouered himself but yet willing to reserue the same for better oportunitie he sayd vnto him For somuch as thou 〈◊〉 st that king so wel it is not impossible but those of his house be welcome vnto thee and that for thy Mansors sake thou wilt helpe and doe seruice to his Gentlemen Let it 〈◊〉 you replied he that my heart is more inclined to the King than to the willes of those that serue him 〈◊〉 hope of preferment Now being so affectionate to the King as I am thinke whither his housholde seruaunts haue power to commaund me and whither my willing minde be prest to doe them good or not But me thinke ye néede not to stay héere at the gate in talke being so wet as you be wherefore vouchsafe to come into my house which is your own to take such simple lodging as I haue wher I wil entreat you not according to your merite but with the litle that God and his Prophet haue departed to my pouertie And to morow morning I wil conduct you to the Citie euen to that royal Palace of my Prince Truely answered the King albeit necessitie did not prouoke me yet 〈◊〉 honestie deserueth wel other reputation than a simple Countrey man and I do thinke that I haue profited more in hearing thée speake than by hearkening to the flattering and 〈◊〉 tales of Courting triflers which daily imploy thēselues to corrupt the eares
tourne but his greatest fame rose of his clemencie and curtesie In such wise as he shewed hym selfe to be gentle and fauourable euen to them whome he knewe not to loue him otherwise than if he had bene their mortal enimie His successors as Augustus Vespasianus Titus Marcus Aurelius Flauius were worthily noted for clemencie Notwithstandyng I sée not one drawe néere to great courage and gentlenesse ioyned with the singular curtesie of Dom Roderigo Viuario the Spaniarde surnamed Cid towarde Kyng Pietro of Aragon that hyndred his expedition againste the Mores at Grenadoe For hauyng vanquished the 〈◊〉 King and taken hym in battell not only remitted the reuenge of his wrong but also suffered hym to goe without raunsome and toke not from him so much as one forte estéeming it to be a better exploite to winne such a king with curtesie than beare the name of cruell in putting hym to death or seazing vpon his lande But bicause acknowledging of the poore and enriching the small is more cōmendable in a Prince than when he sheweth himselfe gentle to his like I haue collected thys discourse and facte of Kyng Mansor of Marocco whose children by subtile and fained religion Cherif succéeded the sonne of whome at this day inioyeth the kingdoms of Su Marocco and the most part of the 〈◊〉 confinyng vpon Aethiopia This historie was told by an Italian called Nicholoso Baciadonne who vpon this accident was in Affrica and in trafike of marchandise in the land of Oran situated vpon the coast of that South seas and where the Geneuois and Spaniards vse great entercourse bicause the countrey is faire wel peopled and where the inhabitaunts although the soile be barbarous lyue indifferent ciuilly vsing greate curtesie to straungers and largely departyng their goodes to the poore towards whome they be so earnestly bente and louing as for their liberalitie and pitifull alinesse they shame vs Christians They mainteyne a greate numbre of Hospitalls to receyue and intertaine the poore and néedie which they doe more charitably than they that be bounde by the lawe of Iesus Christe to vse charitie towardes their brethren wyth that curtesie and humaine myldnesse These Oraniens delight also to recorde in writing the successe of things that chaunce in their tyme and carefully reserue the same in memorie whiche was the cause that hauyng registred in theyr Chronicles which be in the Arabie letters as the moste parte of the Countreys do vse thys present historie they imparted the same to the Geneuois marchauntes of whome the Italian Author confesseth 〈◊〉 haue receyued the Copie The cause why that Geneuois marchaunt was so diligent to make that enquirie was by reason of a citie of that prouince built through the chaunce of this Historie and which was called in theyr tongue Caesar Elcabir so much to say as A great Palace And bycause I am assured that curteous mynds will delight in déedes of curtesie I haue amongs other the Nouells of Bandello chosen by Francois de Belleforest and my selfe discoursed thys albeit the matter be not of great importance and greater thyngs and more notorious curtesies haue bene done by our owne kings and Princes As of Henry the eyght a Prince of notable memorie in his progresse in to the Northe the xxxiij yeare of his raigne when he disdained not a pore Millers house being stragled from his traine busily pursuing the Hart and there vnknown of the Miller was welcomed with homely chere as his mealy house was able for the time to minister and afterwards for acknowledging his willing minde recompenced him with dainties of the Courte and a Princely rewarde Of Edward the thirde whose Royall nature was not displeased pleasauntly to vse a 〈◊〉 Tanner when deuided from his company he mette him by the way not farre from Tomworth in Staffordshire and by cheapening of his welfare stéede for stedinesse sure and able to cary him so farre as the stable dore grewe to a price and for exchaunge the Tanner craued 〈◊〉 shillings to boote betwene the Kings and his And whē the King satisfied with disport desired to shew himself by sounding his warning blast assembled al his train And to the great amaze of the pore Tanner when he was guarded with that 〈◊〉 he well guerdoned his good pastime and familiare dealing with the order of 〈◊〉 and reasonable reuenue for the maintenaunce of the same The like examples our Chronicles memory and report plentifully doe auouche and witnesse But what this History is the more rare and worthy of noting for respect of the people and Countrey where seldome or neuer curtesie haunteth or findeth harboroughe and where Nature doth bring forth greater store of monsters than things worthy of praise This great King Mansor then was not onely the temporall Lord of the Countrey of Oran and Moracco but also as is saide of Prete Iean Bishop of his law and the Mahomet priest as he is at this day that 〈◊〉 in Feze Sus and Marocco Now this Prince aboue all other pleasure 〈◊〉 the game of Hunting And he so muche delighted in that passetime as sometime he would cause his Tentes in the midde of the desertes to be erected to lie there all night to the ende that the next day he might renewe his game and 〈◊〉 his men of idlenesse and the wilde beastes of rest And this manner of life he vsed still after he had done iustice and hearkened the complaintes for which his subiectes came to disclose thereby their griefes Wherin also he toke so great pleasure as some of our Magistrates doe seke their profite whereof they be so squeymishe as they be desirous to satisfie the place whereunto they be called and render all men their right due vnto them For with their bribery and sacred golden hunger Kings and Princes in these dayes be yll serued the people wronged and the wicked out of feare There is none offense almost how villanous so euer it be but is washed in the water of bribery and clensed in the holly drop wherewith the Poetes faine Iupiter to corrupt the daughter of Acrisius faste closed within the brasen Toure And who is able to resist that which hath subdued the highest powers Now returne we from our wanderings This great King Mansor on a day 〈◊〉 his people to hunt in the not marish fenny Countrey which in elder age was farre off from the Citie of Asela which the Portugalles holde at this present to make the way more frée into the Isles of Molncca of the most parte whereof their King is Lord. As he was attentife in folowing a Bear his passe-time at the best the Elementes began to darke and a great tempest rose such as with the storme violent wind scattred the train far of from the King who not knowing what way to take nor into what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 retire to auiode the tempest the greatest the he felt in all his life would wyth a good wyl haue ben accōpanied as the Troiane 〈◊〉 was
when being in like pastyme and feare hée was constrayned to enter into a caue wyth his Quéene Dido where he perfourmed the ioyes of hys vnhappie mariage But Mansor béeyng withoute companie and withoute any Caue at hande wandered alongs the Champayne so carefull of his life for feare of wylde beastes which flocke together in those desertes as the Curtiers were 〈◊〉 for that they knewe not whether their Prince was gone And that which chiefly grieued Mansor was hys being alone without a guide And for all he was well mounted he durste passe no further for feare of drownyng and to be destroyed amiddes those Marshes whereof all the countrey was very full On the one side he was frighted with thunderclaps which rumbled in the aire very thicke terrible On the other side the lightning cōtinually flashed on his face the roring of the beastes appalled him the ignorāce of the way so astoonned him as he was afraid to fal into the running brookes which the outragious raines had caused to swel rise It is not to be doubted that orisons and prayers vnto his great prophet Mahomet were forgotten whether he were more deuout than when he went on pilgrimage to the Idolatrous Temple of Mosqua Hée complayned of yll lucke accusyng Fortune but chiefly hys owne follie for giuing himselfe so much to hunting for the desire whereof he was thus straggled into vnknowen Countreyes Sometimes he raued and vomyted his gall agaynst his gentlemen and houshold seruants and threatned death vnto his garde But afterwardes when reason ouershadowed his sense he sawe that the time and not their negligence or litle care caused that disgrace He thought that his Prophet had poured downe that tempest for some Notable sinne and had brought him into suche so daūgerous extremity for his faults For which cause he lifted vp his eyes and made a thousand Mahomet mowes and Apish mocks according to their manner And as he fixed his eyes a lost vp to the heauens a flashe of lightning glaunced on his face so violently as it made him to holde downe his head like a little childe reproued by his master But he was further daunted and amazed when he sawe the night approche which with the darknesse of his cloudy mantel stayed his pace from going any further brought him into such perplexitie as willingly he wold haue forsaken bothe his hunting and company of his seruauntes to be quitte of that daunger But God carefull of good minds with what law so euer they be trained vp and who maketh the sunne to shine vpon the iust and vniust prepared a meanes for his sauegarde as ye shall heare The Africane King being in this traunce and naked of all hope necessity which is the clearest thing of sight that is made him diligently to loke about whether he could sée any persone by whom he might attaine some securitie And as he thus bent himselfe to discry all the partes of the Countrey he saw not farre of from him the glimpse of a light which glimmered out at a little window whereunto he addressed himself perceiued that it was a simple cabane situate in the middest of the sennes to which he approched for his succor defense in the time of that 〈◊〉 He reioysed as you may think and whither his heart lept for ioy I leaue for them to iudge which haue assayed like daungers how be it I dare beleue that the sailers on the seas féele no greater ioy whē they ariue to harborough thā the king of Marocco did or when after a Tempest or other perill they disery vpon the prowe of their shippe the brightnesse of some cliffe or other land And this king hauing felt the tempest of winde raine haile lightening and Thunder claps compassed round about with Marshes and violent streames of little rieurs that ran along his way thought he had found a Paradise by chauncing vpon that rusticall lodge Now that Cotage was the refuge place of a pore Fisher man who liued and susteined his wife and children with Eeles which he toke alongs the diches of those déepe and huge Marshes Mansor when he was arriued to the dore of that great palace couered and thacked with Réede called to them within who at the first would make no answer to the Prince that taried their cōming at the gate Then he knocked again and with louder voice than before which caused this fisher man thinking that he had bene some Rippier to whom he was wont to sel his ware or else some straūger strayed out of his way spedily wēt out and séeing the King wel mounted and richly clothed and albeit he toke him not to be his soueraigne Lord yet he thought he was some one of his Courtly Gentlemen Wherefore he sayd what fortune hathe driuen yeu sir into these so desert and solitary places and such as I maruel that you were not drowned a hundred times in these streames and bottomes whereof this Marrish and 〈◊〉 Countrey are full It is the great God answered Mansor which hath had some care of me and will not suffer me to perish without doing greater good turnes better déedes than hitherto I haue done The kings cōming thither séemed to Prognosticate that which after chaunced and that God had poured downe the tempest for the wealth of the Fisher man and commodity of the Countrey And the straying of the King was a thing appoynted to make voyde those Marshes and to purge and clense the Countrey Semblable chaunces haue happened to other Princes as to Constantine that great besides his Citie called New Rome whē he caused certaine Marshes and Diches to be filled vp and dryed to build a faire and sumptuous Temple in the honor and memory of that blessed Uirgin that brought forth the Sauior of the world But tel me good mā replied Mansor cāst thou not shew me the way to the Court and whether the King is gone for gladly if it were possible would I ride thither Uerely sayd the Fisher man it will be almost day before ye can come there the same being x. leagues from hēce Forsamuch as thou knowest the way answered Mansor doe me so great pleasure to bring me thither be assured that besides the that good turne for which I shall be bound vnto thée I wil curteously content thée for thy paines Syr sayde the pore man you séeme to be an honest gentleman wherfore I pray you to light and to tary héere this night for that it is so late and the way to the Citie is very euill and combersome for you to passe No no said the King if it be possible I must repaire to the place whither the King is gone wherefore doe so muche for me as to be my guide and thou shalt sée whether I be vnthankefull to them that imploy their paines for me If King Mansor sayd the Fisher man were héere himselfe in person and made the like request I would not be so very a foole nor so presumptuous at