the syght of her So Galleo her vncle ledde her to a castell of his owne not farre thence and when y e brute of this dead came to the heryng of the kynge he callyd for his armure and sownyd trompettes and causyd all the men of his courte to be armyd many of the citie And when Lereauo saw that of necessite it was tyme for hym to get oute of the towne in to the feldes then he comfortyd his men with swete and hardy woordes And all wayes in his reculynge he defendyd the multitude of his enemyes with a valiante harte and to kepe an honest maner in his reculynge he went in good order and not with so great haste as the case requiryd Thus lesyng some of his men and sleyng of many of his enemyes he came thither where he had left al theyr horses So suche order as he had sette before was well and truely kepte and so without perel he his lept vpoÌ„ theyr horses the which was hard to haue ben done if he had not wysely prouidyd the remedy therof before hand Then the horsemen put before them theyr foremeÌ„ and toke the way to Suria fro whence they cam And when Lereano saw .iii. bandes of the kynges aproche nere hym then he wente oute of the waye and conductyd so wisely his company by wayes of a vauntage that he scapyd with as great honour in his reculynge as he hadde wonne in the fightynge so he enteryde agayne in to the towne of Suria withoute losse of any of his men which was greate meruayll for the kyng was ther in propre person with .v. M. men of armes who was inflamyd with ire and so beset the towne about in purpose not to depert thence till he had taken vengeance of Lereano when Lereano saw how he was besegyd he sette his men lyke a wyse man of warre to the walles where as was most feblyst parte there he sette most defence and where as he myght best issue out in to the feld there he sette such men as were mete for that purpose and there as he fearyd other crafte or treasone there he sette such as he trustyd best Thus he vsyd hym selfe lyke a wyse capitayne The kyng thynkyng to bryng his enterprice to an ende coÌ„maundyd to fortefy his campe and to prouyde for all thynges necessary perteynynge to a campe royall as engyus bastides and bulwerkes to beat the citie with artilery and made greate dykes that none shuld issue oute when the kynge saw so longe tariynge at this siege his ire encreasyde for he hadde thought to hade taken Lereano by reasone of famyne and for all that he saw the towne ryght stronge yet he determynyd to sawte it the whiche he prouyd with suche fercenes that they within had great nede to put to theyr strength and dilygence to resiste Then Lereano went visytyd his men with a C. men suche as were deputyd for that purpose and euery where he saw any fyghtyng he euer encoragyd them and where as he saw valiantnes he praysed them and where he saw any euyll order he founde remedy Fynally the kynge caused to sowne the retrayte with losse of many of his knyghtes specially of the yonge lusty courteers who euer sekyth for perelâ—s to wynne therby glory Lereano at the same assaulte was hurte in the face and also loste many of his princpal men This assaulte past the kyng gaue other .v. assaultes within the space of iii. monethes so that in maner men beganne to fayle on bothe parties so that Lereano was doubteous of that enterprice how be it in his wordes and countenance nor in his deades nothynge of feare coulde be aspied so that y e corage of the capitayne incoragyd all the other capitayns and then to gyue corage to his men suche as were lefte he sayde to them as folowith ¶ Lereano to his company CErtaynly syrs as ye be but fewâ— in noÌ„ber so our strength is not greate I haue doubte in our enterprice accordyng to our euyll fortune but in that vertue is estemyde more then is greate nomber and consyderynge your noble deades passed I thynke I shuld haue more nede of good fortune then of greate noÌ„ber of knyghtes wherfore alonely in you is all my hope and syne our helthe is in our handes aswell for the sustentacion of our lyues as for the glory of good fame we ought valiaÌ„tly to fyght now y e case is offeryd vs orels to leue the profyt of our enherytance to them that wold disheryte vs. Thus we shulde be vnhappy if for feare faynte corage we shuld lese our herytage therfore lette vs fyght to delyuer our blude fro shame and dishonour and my name fro enfamy this day lette vs make an ende of our lyues orels conferme our honours lette vs defende our selfe and not to be shamyd for greater is the rewarde of vyctory then the occasions of perel This paynefull lyfe that we lyue in I know not why we shulde somoche desyre it the daies therof are but shorte and longe in trauayll y â— which for feare increseth not nor for hardynes shorteth not for when we be borne our tyme is lymyted the whiche we shal not passe thereby feare is subdued hardynes lawded we can not put our fortune in a better state then to hope of an honourable deth O glorious fame O couetyse laudable the auerise of honour wherby is ateyned greatter deades then this of ours is lette vs not feare the greate company that is in the kinges campe for at the fyrste encounter the weke â—hall fyrst fyght and ouercome them â—hey shall abashe the multitude the small nombre wyll enforce themselfe by vertue many thynges dryueth vs to be hardy bountie and vertue byndeth vs and iustice enforseth vs necessitie shall rewarde vs wherfore we ought not to feare for theyr is nothynge that shulde cause vs to dye Syrs all these reasones that I haue sayde is but superflew to enforce our strenght Syn we haue it naturally but I will say to you that in euery tyme our hartes onght to be occupied in noblenes our handes in deades of armes and our thoughtes in good workes good wordes amonge company as we do now I â—eceue equal glory aswel for the amorous good wyll that ye shew me as for the deades of armes that ye haue done and bycause I se our enmyes prepayre them to fight we be constrayned to leue our talkyng euery man to gette hym to his charge and defence ¶ The auctor LEreano was auÌ„swerd of his knightes w t greate constance and corage of harte whereof he thought hym selfe ryght happy that he hadde suche men in his company so euery man went to his defence where as they were apoyntyd and then anone they hard the trompettes blowe and wihtin shorte space there came to the walles a.l. M. men and began fresly to gyue assaulte Then Lereano shewed his vertue and by reasone of theyr defence the kynge thought they within
I defyre the when y u hast seen myne aunswere remember the fame reuome of her that hath sent it of this I hertely desyre the for often tymes suche fawors are publyshyd for some hath more regard to the victory then to honour of them that she with suche fauour And whether it were better for me to be blamyd for crueltie or to be spotted or defamyd for beyng to piteous I reporte me to thy selfe yet to gyue the some remedy I vse now the contrary thou hast that thou desyrest I that I feare I requyre the to turne wynde and kepe secrete my letter in thy remembrance for if thou do beleue it then it nede not to be seen for that I haue wryten yf it were sene it shuld be thought that I loue the and yf thou be leue the reasons that I haue saydeâ— to be spoken rather by dissymulacioÌ„ then of trouth then arte thou begyled in that beleue for yt is clene contrary for surely I say them rather with a piteous entenscioÌ„ then w t any amorous ententâ— And to cause the to beleue this I wold further extende my wordes yf I hadde leysour But to put the in to none other suspeccion I make an ende of my letter and to th entent that my warkes shulde receyue a iust rewarde thus wyll I endure my lyfe dayes ¶ The auctor WHen I hadde receyued this letter of Laureola I departyd to go to Lereano thynkyng then to haue with me some company to ayde me in the glory of myne ambassade to encorage therby Lereano I callyd then to me y â— grettest enemyes y t we had before as coÌ„tentacioÌ„ hope rest pleysour myrth and comforte I toke these with me for feare that y e kepers of the prisone wolde resist defende me the entre Wherfore I thought to go in ordre of batayl and when I came to the heyght of an hygh hyll I had a syghte of the pryson then I dysplayed my baner all of grene so that our enemyes toke them to y e flyght in suche wyse that he that fledde fastyst thought to be next the ieoperdye And when Lereano harde this grete rumour not knowyng what it was he came to a wyndow of the towre and spake more with wekenes of spirite then with hope of socour and when he saw me comyng in batayll w t suche a goodly company then he knew what the mater ment what for his feblenes for his sodeyn ioye loste his fealyng and fell downe in a trance in the howse where he was And when I came to y e steyres wheron I was wont to mount Rest auauncyd to marche on before who gaue clerenes chasyde away all the darkenes of the towre and when I came to hym sawe hym in that mortall maner I feared I came sone inough to wepe and to late to gyue hym remedy Then with great dylygence hope stept to hym cast a lytle water of comeforte in his face and therwith he returnyd agayne to hym selfe and the better to strength hym I delyuered hym Laureolas letter And all the season that he redde it all suche as I brought with me procured for his helth Myrth gaue ioy to his harte rest comfortyd his spyrytes hope brought hym in to good remembrance ContentacioÌ„ cleryd his eyen Comeforte restoryd his helthe and strength Pleasure quyckenyd his vnderstandyng they treatyd hym in suche wyse that when he hadde redde ouer the letter he was all hole as though he hadde neuer felte passyoÌ„ and when he saw that my dylygence gaue hym lyberte he toke me often tymes in his armes offeryng hym selfe to be myne and thought that but a small rewarde for the deseruyng of my seruyce His offers were to me in suche maner that I wyst not how to aunswer hym as I ought to haue done accordyng to his degre and after that many thynges were passyd bytwene hym me he determyâ—ed to go to the courte and fyrst we went to a towne of his and taryed there a certayne season to recouer his strength and to newe aparell hym agaynst he shuld go to the courte And when he saw his tyme he set forth on his iourney And when his comyng was knowen in the courte many great lordes and yong courtyaers went to receyue hym but he toke more consolacion of his secrete glory then of all the open honour that was done to hym Thus he was nobly accompanyd to the palace and his duetie done to the kyng he kyst the hand of Laureola wherein was many thynges to be notyd and specyally to me who knew the mater bytwene them The one was ouercome with trybulacion the other faylyd colour He wyst not what to say nor she to aunswere suche force hathe the passyons of loue alwayes it draweth the wyt dyscrecioÌ„ downe vnder his baner y â— which I saw there by clere experyence And though that no man saw ther demanour nor hadde no suspecte bytwene them yet Persio sonne to the lorde of Gania behelde them and was as farre in loue as Lereaon was And by reasone that all gelous suspecte disordereth all thynges secrete he regarded ouer ther wordes coÌ„tenauÌ„ces in so moch y t he gaue full credeÌ„ce to his own suspect gaue not alonely fayth to y t he saw y â— which was nothyng but also beleuyd it surely in his imagynacioÌ„ with y t euyl thought of ielosy w tout deliberacyoÌ„ or couÌ„sayll he fydyng the kyng in a secrete place sayd to hym affermyng y t Laureola Lereano louyd to gether how that he hadde seen them together dyuerce nyghtes when the kynge was a bedde sayng how he shewyd this for the honour and seruyce that he bare to the kyng The kynge then beyng sore troubelyd w t those newes was in great doubte and studyed long or he was determynyd to aunswere And after he had slept on y â— mater he bileued Persius sayeng to be true consyderyng his vertue and auctoryte he wolde shew no thyng but of trought Then the kyng determynyd what he wolde doo and therupoÌ„ he sent his doughter Laureola in to a towre in to a prysone and then sent for Persio commaundyd hym to accuse Lereano of treason accordyng to his lawes of the which coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„t he was sore abashyde but the heate of the busynes enforsyd hym to grauÌ„te it TheÌ„ he acceptyd the kynges coÌ„manÌ„dement and sayde howe he thankyd god that he was offeryd suche a case y t his handes myght bere wytnes of his bounte vertue and bycause that in Macedonia suche deades were accustumed to be done by wrytyng not in the kynges presence by wordes therfore Persio sent a wrytyng to Lereona w t suche reasons as ensue ¶ Persius writtyng to Lereano Syn that of good workes procedeth vertuous renome and fame it is a iuste thynge that euylnes be chastysed to th entent that vertue maye be maynteynyd and with great dylygence bounte ought to be exaltyd So
sawe before me on the most highest place of y e mountayne a tower so hygh that me semyd it atteynyd to the heuyn Hit was made by suche artifice that of the strangnes therof I began to meruayll I ioyned my selfe to the foote therof The tyme offeryd me more to feare then to regard or note it beholding the strange ouerage newelte of the edefice The fundacioÌ„ wheron it was foundyd was of a stone clere and stronge of nature wherupoÌ„ was reysed .iiii. great pillers of violet marble so fayre and so hygh beyonde the comon forme that it was meruayll how they were systeynyd Aboue the whiche was fabricate a tower iii. square the most strongest that could be deuised on euery square therof on y e height there stode an humayn Image made of metall paynted w t theyr owne colours one tawny a nother blacke the thirde gray eche of them holding a chayne in theyr handes made of great force And on the heyght of the tower ther was a pynacle full of great clerenes light comyng fro a raye of light issuyng out of the tower I harde .ii. watches who neuer seaced but still wakyd Of these thynges greatly I mernayled could not tell what to thynke or to say Thus beyng in great dought and confusionâ— I sawe ioynynge to the marbell a stayre mountyng to the gate of the tower wherof the entre was so darke that to mount vp semyd impossible how be it I deliberyd wyllynge rather to go to my perdicyon in mountyng then to saue my self with tarieng Thus takyng harte I began to mouÌ„te and when I was vp .iii. steppes I found a dore of Iron the which satisfied me rather to tast w t my handes then to attayne therto by syghte by reason of y â— darknes that I was in And when I came to the gate I founde ther a porter of whome I demaundyd licens to entre He aunswered how he was content so that fyrst I shuld leue behynde me myne armure I grauntyd hym to leue suche as I bare customably vpon me Then he sayd My ffrend it aperith well that of the vsage custome of this house thou knowest but lytleâ— The armoure that I demaunde and those that it behoueth the to leue are suche as the harte is wonte to be defendyd withall fro heuynes sorowe as are hope rest contentacion for to haue those condicions ther may none ioy of the demaunde that thou desyrest And when I knew his entension withoute any further aduyse I aunswered assâ—â—ryd hym that I was come thyther with out any of those armours TheÌ„ he grauÌ„tyd the openyng of the gate so with greate trauaill and sore trouble I aryuyd to the height of the tower where I found a nother porter who demaundyd of me as y e other dyd And when I had made hym lyke aunswere he gaue me place to entre Then I went all the length of the tower and enteryd in to a halle where in y e myddes therof stode a chayre brennynge full of fyre in the whiche satte he who made to me the request and causer of my perdicion And myne eyen were so chargyd w t regarding of this ouerage my tonge was so oppressed that I could demaund no questioÌ„ of all these meruails And as I regardyd them I sawe the .iii. chaynes that the Images held on the height on y â— tower were fast tyed about this poore captyue prysoner who alwayes brent and neuer consumyd Then I saw two sorowful women theyr faces ful of wepynges and dolours They ordeyned to sette on his hed with greate crueltieâ— a crowne full of sharpe poyntes of steale without pyte persyng his hed to the brayne Also ther was a blacke morion vestured in yelowe who came often tymes w t a great fawchon to strike hym and euer I saw how the pacient receyued the strokes with a shelde subtilly iâ—suyng out of his hedde the which couered hym to the feete I saw other .iii. seruauÌ„tes ryght diligent who brought hym meate on a blacke cloth and with great fury gaue him mete of bitter tast And on the one syde of the table I sawe an olde man syt in a chaire lenynge his hedde in one of his handes lyke a man solitary in thought pensyfenes All these thynges I could scant se for the darkenes of the towre but by reason of a clere shynynge lyght that issuyd out of the prisoners harte which gaue clere lyghte ouer all And when this prisoner saw me so astonyd to se thinges of suche mystery And that he saw tyme to pay me w t his wordes though he were not in my det yet to gyue me some rest solacious comforte with his discrete reasons medlyd with piteous wepynges he began to say in this maner The prisoner SOme parte of my harte I shall discouer as I oughte to do for the sorowe that I haue of the accordyng to thy deserte how be it thou seist well that in my trybulacioÌ„ I haue no powre to feale any other mans euil myne owne is so great I pray the take for satisfactioÌ„ not that I do but that I desire of thy comyng hyther I ame the cause I ame he whome thou sawest led as a prisoner bycause of the tribulacioÌ„ that thou arte in thou knowest me not Torne agayne to thy spirites and take rest and quyet iudgement to th entent thou mayst be ententyue to that I wyll say Thy comyng was to remedy me my wordes shall be to aduertyse y â— who I ame I shall shew the and of the mysteryes that thou hast seene I shall infourme the. The cause of my prison I wold thou knewdest and I requyre the to delyuer me if it be in thy puissaunce knowe for certayne I ame Lereano sonne to duke Guerro whome god perdon of the duches Colerea my byrthe was in this realme where thou arte present named Macedonia my fortune ordeynyd that I became amorous of Laureola doughter to kynge Guallo who at this present tyme reygneth whoÌ„ I shuld rather haue fledde fro then to haue fallen in to the trace of loue and specially in so hygh a place but as the fyrst mouynge maye not excuse me in stede of forsakynge therof by reason I haue confermyd it by good wyl Also loue hath vanquyshed me brought me in to this howse namyd the Castell of loue who neuer perdonyth for he seing displayed the vailes of my desyre hathe broughte me in to y e state that thou seist me in and to the entent thou shuldest the better note and marke the fundacion of this and of al that thou hast sene thou shalt know that the stone wheron the pryson is foundyd is my fayth who determineth vtterly to suffre the dolour of this payne for the welth of his euill The great pyllers that are assysted to this stone ary my vnderstandynge my reason my memory my wyll whom amours commaundyd to apere before his presence or he wolde gyue
entent that with good wyll thou shuldest bere it to her I wyll begynne it in thy presence wherof the mater shal be as folowith ¶ The letter of Lereano to Laureola Syn that the sepulture is the rewarde of all myne euels I ame redy now to receyue it beloue that deth shall not dysplease me for he is of small wytte that abhorryth that thyng y t gyueth libertie but one thyng dyspleaseth me that is in dyeng I shal lose all my hope euer to se you agayn the whiche sore greueth me It may be sayd in so shorte a space as I haue ben your seruant how shuld I so sone lose my puyssance ye ought not to meruail therat for y e hope that ye haue brought me in and smalle comeforte with my greate passyon suffyseth to put away to destroy greater force then myne yet I can not beleue that ye are cause therof without your workes do certifie the same but alwayes I haue beleuyd that your coÌ„dycyon piteous shulde surmouÌ„t your obstynate wyl but sin ye wyll that my life shal receue this domage y e faute therof is myne owne mysfortune I am sore abasshyd that ye sorow not in your selfe your owne ingratitude I haue gyuen you my liberte intyerly haue gyueÌ„ you my harte nothyng retaynyng to my selfe for all that I can haue no rewarde of loue yet I desyre to serue you Who wold thynke that ye shulde dystroy that thyng that is your owne certaynly ye are your owne enemy with oute ye fynde some remedy to saue me This ye onght to do orels ye coÌ„demne your selfe for my deth perdycyon can not profyght you But I desyre that ye wold sorowe for myne euyll yet yf your sorow shuld do you any payne then I desyre it not syn that lyuyng I neuer dyd ye seruyce It were no ryght that dyeng I shuld cause you to haue trouble They that loke agaynst the sonne y e more they regard it the blynder they be And so the more I remember your fayrenes the blynder is myne vnderstandyng This I say to th entent that of this my rude wrytyng ye shuld haue no meruayll for in the hard case that I ame in accordyng to my wyll I am better dysposed to ende my lyfe then to make any reasones yet I wolde that thyng that ye ought to regarde were so orderyd that ye shuld not occupye your vnderstandyng on a thyng so fayre fro your condycioâ— yf ye consent that I shall dye bycause ye wold haue it publyshed ye haue the power to slee meâ— then be ye euyll cousayled for without hope your beautie hath sertyfyed me therof And if ye esteme my deth to be good bycause I ame not worthy to receyue your grace the whiche I haue â—â—â—pyd to wynne by reasone of my true fayth the which I lese for lacke of deseruyng and w t this thought I thynk to suffre all my payne And if it seme to you that the paynes that I endure for your sake can not be remedyed with oute offence to your honor Thyuk that I wyll neuer desyre y e thyng that shuld torne you to blame what profyght shuld any thyng do to me that shuld be euyll to you Allonely I desyre your aunswere for my fyrst last reward to be brefe I requyre you syn ye make an ende of my lyfe yet at lest honor my deth for in the place where as the desperate sowles becometh yf ther be any welth There I desyre to feale none other ioy but y t ye wyll honor my dede bones that I may ioy a lytle with that great glory ¶ The auctor THe wordes and letter of Lereano finyshed In stede of wordes mynâ— eyen were satysfyed with greate wepyng so withonte power to speke I departyd thynkynge my iudgement y t it shuld be the last tyme that I had any hope to se hym agayn alyue And as I was on my way I wrote a superscâ—ypcion vpon the letter to th entent that Laureola shuld be in doubt fro whence it came And when I came in to her presence I delyuered her the letter who beleuyng that it had come frome some other persone receyuyd it and began to rede it And all the season that she was redyng I regardyd styll her vysage when she hadde made an ende I saw well she was sore troubelyd as though she had sufferyd a great euyll yet the regardyng of her turbacyon excusyd not my trouble Then to assure my selfe I demaundyd of her other questyons no thyng concernyng to that purpose And to delyuer her selfe fro company y t whych in suche case is perelous lesse that the manyfest mutacions discouer not the secrete thoughtes of the harte Therfore she withdrew her selfe a parte and all that nyghte she was without spekyng of any word to me as tuchyng that purpose And the next day she sent for me shewed me many vertuous resons to dyscharge her selfe fro any thyng consentyng to release y e payne of lereano howbeit she sayd y t she thought great inhumanite to lese suche a man as Lereano for so small a pryce as in wrytyng of a letter how be it in the redyng of his letter I take but smal pleasour Therfore here I haue wrytten a letter not w t so pleasant and swet wordes as be in his reasons for who so euer here the wordes in this my letter may well knowe y t I haue lytle studyed in the arte of eloquence So for shamefastnes sodenly her face was inflamyd and as sodenly agayne pale she was so sore alteryd and shorte wyndyd that in maner she brethed for y e deth her harte voyce so sore trymbled that her dyscrecion could not enforce her selfe to speke therfore her aunswere was shorte and also the place requyred no lenger tyme. So she toke me the letter and kyst her hand and I receyuyd it The tenour wherof ensuyth ¶ The letter fro Laureola to Lereano THe deth that thou lokest for by reasone of thy payne I haue rather deseruyd it yf I shulde put my wyll to thyne but that is not so for this my wryttyng is more to redeme thy lyfe then to satisfy thy desyre what shulde it profytte me to accomplysh it for yf I were accusyd therof I coulde haue no wytnes to salue me but alonely my pure entensyon which is so pryncypall a pertye that his wordes shulde not be taken nor beleued And with this feare I haue put to my hande to this paper my harte mynde beyng in heuyn makyng hym iudge of my mynde to whome the trouthe of all thynges is manyfest knowen The cause why y â— I doubtyd to aunswere the was bycause withoute my condemnacion thou canst not be assoyled as thou mayst well se for though no creature know of this letter but thy selfe the berer yet I know not what iudgement any of you may make vpon me though it be but good yet I ame spottyd with y e suspecte therof Therfore
at one tyme then to deserue so many dethe So the kyng in purpose to punysh y e innocensy of Laureola by reasone of the treasone of the false wytnes ordeynyd y t his doughter Laureola shuld haue the sentence of iustyce The whiche when it came to the knowledge of Lereano he was ther with nere oute of his wytte and wiâ—h great fury and passion desperate determynyde to go to the courte to delyuer Laureola and to slee Persyo orels to lese his owne lyfe in the quarell And when I saw hym wyllyng to folow that fantasye wherin was more perell then hope Then I desyryd hym to worke sagely and so by reasone of the alterasyon that he was in he was in a great perplexite And when I saw hym stande in suche a dysmayde trance I thought then to serue hym with my counsayll to th entent he shuld not do that thyng in haste wherby to repent hym after And consyderynge the way that I thoâ—ght moste sure I sayd to hym thus ¶ The auctor to Lereano SIr I desyre you to be dyscrete to th entent that I may prayse your wytte that ye may so deale to remedy your euyll that ye may be ioyfull as I desyre and praysed as ye deserue This I say for the sage pacience that thou shuldest shew in the tyme of thyne aduersyte for though I se well y e thyne vnderstandyng be occupyed w t passion yet thou shuldest consyder what thou wylt do and with what dyscrete knowledge Thou shuldest rather folow my symple counsayll then to put to execucion thy foresayde wyll Thus thou shuldest do by thyne owne naturall in tysemente Moche haue I studyed on that thou oughtest to do in this thy greate fortune And accordyng to my power iudgement The fyrst thyng to accomplysh it for the to take reste the lack therof trowblâ—th the in thy present case And after myne opynion thy fyrste determynacioÌ„ shal be the laste to put to execucion for as thyne enterprice is great and weyghty accordyng ther to demuer delyberacion shulde be determynyde or yt were executyd all wayes in a thyng doughtfull The most surest way wolde be taken And yf thou be disposede to slee Persyo or to delyuer Laureola Fyrste thou muste coÌ„syder by what wayes thou mayste do it skape away with both your honours for her honour is more to be estemyd then the lyfe For yf thou caâ—ste not accoÌ„plyshe thyne enterpryce thou shalte leue her coÌ„dempnyd and thy selfe dyshonouryd Thou knowyst that men workyth and fortune iudgith And if thynges passe well then they be praysed yf they fortune euyll then they be dyspraysed and taken for euyll If y u delyuer Laureola thou shalte be callyde valyant yf thou assay and fayle then y u shalt be reputyd a fole Cary here a .ix. dayes for then shal be y â— execusioÌ„ of the sentence agaynst Laureola In the meane seasone let vs proue assay all other remedyes that any hope is in And if we fynde no remedy in that then execute thyne entent though thou lese thy lyfe therby yet it shal be to thyne honour and fame One thynge thou shuldeâ—te prouyde for or thou begynne I putte case thou haddeste now broken the prisone taken oute therof Laâ—reola and caryed her away into thyne owne lande yet she shulde be condempnyd and reputyd culpable and wher soeuer thou shuldest sette her yet she shuld suffre payne the which then shuld be gretter euyll then y e fyrst Therfore the best way as semeth me is to do after this maner I wyll go in thy name to Galleo brother to the quene who for parte desyreth y e delyuerance of Laureola asmoche as thy selfe doste And I shall shewe hym what is thyne entent and desyre hym to the entente he sholde bere no charge nor blame that he wold be redy with a certayn nomber of men the same day that thou shuldest do thyne enterpryce that yf thou fortune to gette Laureola oute of prisone Then to put her in to his handes in the presence of eury man in wytnes of his ignorance and of thy clennes and so he to receyue her tyll the kyng haue prouyd the trouth in euery thyng and to kepe her in his castell wherby this busines may come to a good ende but as I haue sayde this way muste be y e laste shote ancre Therfore fyrste I wyll go to the court and speke with the cardynall of Gaula and w t other lordes prelates that I can fynde ther. And I shall desyre them to speke to y e kyng desyryng hym to grant Laureola her lyfe And yf we fynde no remedy in this then I wyll desire the quene that she with all other ladyes honest women of her courte and of the citie to go to the kyng and desyre perdone for her doughter To whose wepynges and peticions I can not beleue that pitie shal be denyed And yet if that can not auayll then I shall cause Laureola to wryte to the kyng her father certyfyeng hym of her innocency and if all these wayes wyll not serue then shall I offre to the kyng that thou shalt fynde a persone that shall do deades of armes agaynst those .iii. false witnesses and if none of these wayes can preuayll Then proue thy strength and therby peraduenture thou shalte fynde y e pitie in the kynge that thou sekeste for But yet or I deperte me thynkyth y u shuldest wryte to Laureola in strengthyng of her feare with suertye of her lyfe The whiche thou mayste well do syn heuyn dysposith that is wrought vpon the erthe it can be none other wyse but that god wyll receyue y e wepynges of innocentes and thy iuste petycions ¶ The auctor SO Lereano swaruyde no poynt fro myne aduyse bycause he thought it the moste sure way for the expedicion of his purpose Howbeit his harte was not sure for he doughâ—yd lest the kyng in his ire shuld haue gyuen sentence vpon Laureola or the day came How be it by the lawes of the lande she shulde haue .ix. dayes respyght Though his harte fearyd this it was no meruaill for they that be true louers all y t is contrary to them they lightely beleue it And that they desyre most they thinke them selfe therof most vncertayne How be it he concludyd to write to Laureola with greate dought that she wold not recyue his letter The tenour wherof was as folowith ¶ The letter of Lereano to Laureola RAther wolde I put my handes to rydde myne owne life then to begyn to write yf I knewe that my workes were cause of your prisone asmoch as myne euyll fortune is y e which is to me so contrary y t it can not cause me to dye well w toute I may saue you The whiche I purpose to do And if I dye in that quarell ye shal be delyueryd quite oute of presone and then I clene rydde fro all my mysaduentures and so the deth of one shal
be cause of .ii. liberties I requyre you take me not as your enemy for any thing that ye suffre syn my merites are nat the cause but rather it is myne euell fortune And ye may well beleue that though your dolours be neuer so great yet I fele more torment in y e thinkyng vpon them then ye do in the suffrynge Wolde to god that I hadde neuer knowen you and yet therby I shulde haue lost the sight of you the which to me is the gretest welth of this worlde I shulde haue ben ryght happy and I hadde neuer sene nor harde of the dolour that ye suffre and I ame so accustumyd to lyue in heuynes that I ame fayne to take counsaill for your cause but in the payne y t I fele now I take no counsayl nor I haue no rest nor my harte can not be quyt for the payne that ye suffre Feare not the deth for my propre handes shal saue you therfro I shall serche all the remedies that I cane fynde to apeace y e kynges ire And if y t faylle trust in me that for your liberte I shall deale in such wyse that as long as the world endureth there shal be remembrance and ensample of hardy valiantnes For this that I say is no great thyng to be done for besilde your excellent valeure The cruell Iustice of your presone causeth my hardynes who caÌ„ resist my strength syn I haue it by your meanes What thing is it that the harte dare not enter price your beaute being fixed therin Ther is allonely but one euyll in your saluasion the which may be bought w t an easy pryce accordyng to your deserte that is losynge of my lyfe And though I so do it is but a smalle losse so it may delyuer you With my good hope strengh your febleâ—es for and ye shuld sette your thoughtes vpon al ieoperdes ye myght sone therby ende your life wherby .ii. greate inconuenientes shuld ensue The fyrst and principall is your deth The .ii. is I shuld theÌ„ be preuatyd fro the gretest honour that any man myght haue as in that I shulde not then saue you Lady beleue in my wordes and trust my promyse do not as some other women do to take great feare for a small cause If your femynyne condycion accuse you with feare Then lete your discrecion strength you agayne which ye may well do by myne assurance and bycause this that I say shal be wel prouyd Therfore I requyre you beleue me I wryte not to you at length as I wold do but I shall proue to further your lyfe ¶ The auctor WHyle Lereano wrote his letter I made me redy to deperte and receyuyd his letter and made all the dylygence that I coulde tyll I came to the courte and dyd my deuour that in me was to haue spoken with Laureola to haue gyuen her some comeforte but I was denyed to se her Then I was enfourmyde of the chamber wher she laye wher was a wyndow with a great grate of irone And at nyghte I came thyther wrappyd the letter together and sette it on a spere poynte so with moche trauaill I dyd cast the letter in at the wyndowe in to her chamber and y e next mornyng I came thyder agayne and saw the wyndow open and I saw wher Laureola stode but the latyse was so thycke y t I cowlde haue no perfyght syght of her Fynally I aprochyd nerer to the wyndowe and when she saw me marchyng for by y e wyndowe She cast sodenly oute a letter withoute spekyng of any worde bycause of the prease that was nere hande And as I was goyng away she sayd Take there the reward of the pite that I haue shewed and by cause her kepers were nere aboute her I durst make none aunswere but her wordes dyd put me in to suche passion that who so hadde folowyd me by the trace of my wepynge myght well haue found me out The tenour of her letter folowith ¶ Laureolas letter to Lerea I Cannot tell the Lereano how to aunswer and where as euery man lawdith pite and reputith it for a vertue and in me it is taken for a vice And accordyng therto I ame chastysed I do as I ought to do accordynge to pitie I haue as I deserue accordyng to my mysfortune For surely thy fortune nor thy workes is no cause of my presone nor I complayne not of the nor of none other persone lyuynge but alonely vpon my selfe who to kepe the fro the deth charge my selfe culpable howbeit this compassyon that I haue of the is more paynefull then charge I do remedy as innocent and yet I ame punyshed as culpable How be it moche more pleasyth me this presone beynge withoute errour then to be at liberte infectyd therw t. And though yt be paynefull to suffre yet I ame easyd agayne that I haue not deseruyd it I ame she that amonge all lyuynge creatours ought leste to lyue without the kynge saue me I hope vppon no thinge but deth for yf thou delyuer me or any of thyne in what so euer maner it be I shal be dolorous And yf thou do not remedye me I ame sure to dye and yf thou delyuer me and take me awaye I shal be condempned as culpable Therfore I requyre the to trauayll to saue myne honoure and fame rather then myne lyfe for the one muste ende and the other wyll endure As I haue sayde serche to apeace the furour of the kynge my father for otherwyse I can not be saued without the destruction of myne honour How be it I remytte all to thy good counsayle and adnyse Thy wysdome can chose the beste waye thou mayste se the rewarde that I haue for the fauoure that I haue shewed the. I ame put in prisone where as murderers were wonte to be kepte and I ame tyed with cheynes and with sharpe tormentes my tendre flesshe is tormented and with force of armes I ame kepte as though I hadde the force and power to skape awaye Thus delicate is my sufferynge and my paynes so cruell that besyde y e sentence of deth my father myght otherwyse haue takeÌ„ vengeance vpon me then to suffre me to dye iu this cruell prisoÌ„ I haue great meruayle how of suche a cruell father shulde issue so pacyente a doughter yf I shulde be lyke hym in condicion I shulde not feare his iustice syn he wyll do it so vniustely As to that touched Persio I wyll make none aunswer bycause I wyll not defyle my tongue as he hath done my fame and renowne I had rather he wolde reuoke and denye his wordes that he hath sayde rather then he shuld dye for them but what so euer I say determyne thy selfe as thou lyste thou mayest not erre in that thou wylte do ¶ The Auctour Ryghte dowtious I was when I hadde receyued and redde the letter sent fro Laureola to Lereano whether I shulde sende it to Lereano orels kepe it styll
can be in no suretie And the thyng that most greuith me is iâ— gyuyng sentence agaynst me ye do iustice against your owne honour the wiche all wayes shal be recoâ—dyd more for the cause then for iustice in it selfe My blode shall occupye but a small place but your crueltie shal sprede ouer all the yerth ye shal be callyd the cruell father and I the doughter innocent For syn god is iuste he shall clere my trouth for I shal be lefte w t oute faulte when I haue receyuyd the payne of dethe ¶ The Auctor WHen Laureola had endyd her letter she sent it to the kynge by one of her kepers who loued and fauoured her in suche wyse y t he wolde gladly she had bene at her libertie for he was asmoche moued te pytie her as to obey the kinges comaundement And when the kynge hadde receyued y e letter and redde it he coÌ„maunded streygthly that the berer therof shulde auoyde his presence And when I saw that then newly agayne I cursed my mysaduenture thought that my tormente was so great that it occupied my harte in dolour yet my mynde forgat not to do y t I ought And though I hadde more space to endure payne rather then to fynde remedy yet then I wente and spake with the lorde Gawlo her vncle and shewyd hym how Lereano was determynyd to take Laureola perforce out of presone wherfore I desyred hym to be redy with a certayne nombre of men that when Lereano hadde taken her oute of presoÌ„ then he wold delyuer her to his power to sette her in sauegarde Because that if Lereano shulde cary her away with hym it shulde veryfy the wytnes of the false accusers And bycause that y e deth of Laureola was as dere to hym as to the quene his suster he aunswered me sayde how he was content therwith And when his wyll and my desyre were confyrmable together then I depertyd secretly bycause that or any brute were made y e dead myght be executyd sodeÌ„ly And when I came to Lereano I shewyd hym all that I hade done and of the small effect therof And then I delyuered hym Laureolas letter and what for the compassion of the wordes therin and with the thoughtes that he determyned to do his harte therwith was so oppressyd y t he wist not what aunswere to make me He wepte for compassion any coulde not refrayne his ire and was sore discomefortyd by reasone of his euyll fortune and yet he hopyde accordyng to iustice When he thought to reskew Laureala he was ioyfull And agayne when he doughtyde to brynge it aboute his harte changyde Fynally leueng al doubtes knowyng the aunswere of Galleo then he began to study what waye to accomplishe his enterprice And lyke a wyse knyghte well prouydyde whyle I hadde ben in the courte he had assemblyd to gether of his own seruaÌ„tes .v. C. men of armes without knowledgyng of any of his kynne or frendes Some peraduenture wolde haue agreyd with hym with discrete consideracion suche as were made priuy Some of them sayd y e kyng dyd euil And some sayd it was a ieopdous enterprice and perilous to accomplysh Therfore to exchew al such incoÌ„uenieÌ„ts he thought to execute his dead alone w t his owne men So the day before that Laureola shuld haue bene iudged Lereano callyd before hym all his seruantes and sayde to them how the good vertuous men were more bounde to feare theyr shame then the perell of theyr lyues Also sayenge how yet lyueth the fame of them that be passyd by reasone of theyr deades that they haue done And he desired them that for couetyse of worldly goodes y e whiche shall haue an ende that they shulde not for that lose the glory of them that liueth perpetually And he desyred them to haue in theyr memory the rewarde of well dyeng he shewyd theÌ„ what folyshnes it was to feare deth And in theyr so doyng he promysed them great gyftes rewardes And when he hadde made to them a long sermon then he declaryd y e cause that he sent for them and all they with one voice proferyd to lyue and dye with hym And when Lereano saw theyr good wylles he thought hym selfe then well accompanyd and so depertyd in the nyght and came in to a valey nere to the citie ther he taryed all the nyght and infourmyd his meÌ„ what they shulde do He apoyntyd one capitayne with a. C. men of armes that they shuld go streyght to the lodging of Persyo and to slee hym and asmany as dyd resyst them Then he apoyntyde other .ii. capitayns with eche of them .l. footemen to go vp the two principall streates goyng to the presone where as Laureola was `coÌ„maundyng them that when they came to the preson then they to torne theyr faces to the citie warde kepe defende that no person shulde entre in to the castell vntyll suche tyme as he with other .iii. C. men came to take oute Laureola And the capitayne that he hadde coÌ„maundyd to sle Persio he chaâ—gyd hym that when he had done to come and mete with hym at the presoÌ„ and they to defende the passage yf any came to entre in to the castell whyle he were taking oute of Laureola And all this thus agreyd coÌ„cluded when the gates were opened in the â—ornynge sodenly he and all hys men entered in to the citie and euery capitayneâ— toke hede to his charge The capitayne that had the charge to sle Persio executed his coÌ„maundemente for he slew Persio all other that were in his way to lette hym Ther Persio endyd his myserable lyfe and Lereano went to the preson and what with the furour of his ire with the vertue of his force fought so fercely with the kepers of the presone and slew so many that he could not get for dede bodyes but with moâ—he payne But as iâ— al peâ—els the bountie encrea seth by force of armes So by clene force he came in to the preson wher as Laureola was and there he toke her with as greate seremony and honour as thought hit hadde bene in tyme of peace he knelyd downe to the yerth and kylâ— her hande lyke the doughter of a kynge and with that present turbacion she stode without strenght so that she coulde not moue her selfe Her harte dismayd her colour faylyd litle parte of any lyfe was lefte in her Then Lereano tooke and caryed her oute of prisone and then mette with Galleo her vncle accordynge to his promyse who came thyther with a certayn nomber of men and there in the presence of euery man Lereano delyueryd Laureola in to his handes and still his men fought against them that came againste hym but he set Laureola vpon an hakeney that Galleo had ther redy and agayne kyste her hande and then went to ayde his men that were styll fyghtyng and still he regardyd after Laureola till he hadde loste
hade loste neuer a maÌ„ This assaut endured fro y â— myddes of the day tyll it was nyght the which depertyd them there were slayne hurt of them withoute a .iii. M. and asmany of them within so that Lereano hadde lefet no mo with hym but. C.l. persones and yet by his contenance he semyd as though he had loste neuer a man how be it he was inwardly sory for them that he had loste All that nyght he buryed the dede bodyes and praysed and lawdyde the valiantnes of them that were lefte alyue and gyuing no lesse glory to them that were dede then to them that werâ— a lyue The next day at the relyefe in the morenynge Lereano determynyd that .l. of his menne with hym shulde issue oute and syt vpon a lodgyng that ioynede to the walles perteynynge to a kynnesmans of Persyos Lereano dyde this bicause the kynge shuld not thyâ—ke that he lacked men And this he dyde with ferme boldnes and so brente the sayde lodgynge and sleu many such as made defence And as god wolde in the same busynes there was taken one of them that hadde accusyde Laureola he was brought to Lereano and was put to payne till he was causyd to shewe all the trouth of the hole mater and so he confessed the hole circuÌ„stance of the mater And when Lereano was enfourmed of the trouth he sent hym to the kynge besechynge hym to dyscharge Laureola fro all blame and to do iustice vpon them for the payne that they haue caused Laureola to endure And when the â—yng knew the certaynte he was ryght gladde and thought it was reason that he requiryd and to make shorte proces The kinge dyd iustice vpon y â— .iii. falcâ— wytnesses accodynge to theyr desertes then incontynent he reised vp the siege and reputyd his doughter Laureola discharged Lereano withoute fawte and so went to his citie of Suria then sente for Laureola by y e grettest lordes of his court and she was brought with equall houour acordynge to her deseruynge and was ioyfully receuyd of the kyng of the quene who wepte for ioy and there the kinge discharged her fro blame and the quene kyst her and all other seruyd her Thus the payne passed was turned to great ioy present Then the kyng sent to Lereano coÌ„maundyng hym not to come to his court till he had apeased y e kynnesmen frendes of Persio the whiche coÌ„maundement he receyued w t greate sorow bycause he mighte not se Laureola And when he saw none other remedye he felte hym selfe in a strange maner and seynge hym selfe depertyd fro her He lefte the workes of chyualry and retourned agayne to his olde amorouse thoughtes and trowbles desyryng to know what case Laureola was in He desyrede me to fynde some honest maner how he myght se speke w t her and yet his desyre was so honest that he desyryd not to speke with her in suche wyse that any suspecte shulde be layde to her of the whiche he deseruyde to haue had great thanke And I who was glade to folowe his desire deperted fro hym and went to Suria and when I came there and had kyste Laureolas hande then I shewyd her Lereanos desyre And she aunswered me and sayde that in no wyse she wolde speke with hym for dyuerce causes that she alledgyde And though she was not content to grauÌ„t me at that tyme yet euer after as often as I myght speke with her I made styll my supplycacion and fynaly at laste she aunswerede me sayde ons for all that if I spake any more to her in that mater she wolde be vtterly displeasyd with me And when I harde her aunswere and saw her displeasure then I went to Lereano with greate heuynes and dolour and when I had shewyd hym how it was then he began newly to complayne and sorowe for hys mysaduenture so that with oute doubt he was in the condicion to haue dispayred And when I saw that yet to entertayne hym I sayde counsaylyd hym to write agayne to Laureola recordynge therin what he hadde done for her and maruaylynge of her change seynge she had rewardyd hym before with her writynge Then he aunswered and sayde how he was well content to write but not to recite therin any thyng that he had done for her the which he sayd was nothynge accordynge to her deseruynge Nor also he sayd he wolde make no remembrance in his letter of any rewarde y t he had receyuyd of her For he sayd the lawe of loue defendeth any suche thynge to be wryten What satisfacion shulde I receue therby for the greate perell that myght fall yf the letter were sene Thus not tochynge those maters I wyll wryte to Laureola The tenour of his letter folowith ¶ The letter fro Lereano to Laureola FAyre lady Laureola accordyng to your vertuous pytie synne ye know my passion I can not beleue but y t ye wyll coÌ„sente to my demaunde syn I desyre nothynge that shall be to your dishonour seinge ye knowe myne euill why do you dought withoute reason I dye ye know that great payne occupyeth so myne harte that I feale the euill and can not shewe it yf ye take it for good that I shuld dye thynking to satisfye me with the passion y t ye gyue me syn it procedeth fro you hit is the grettest welth that I can hope for and iustely I shall take it for the ende of my reward yf ye iudge me vncourteise in y t I shulde not be content with that ye do to me gyuinge me cause of so gloriouse thoughtsâ— yet blame me not for though the wyll be satisfyed The vnderstanding maketh quarell and yf my dolour do pleace you bycause I neuer dyd you seruice that might atteyne to the heighnes of your deseruyng wheÌ„ I remeÌ„bre these thynges many mo I thynke y t bycause that ye wyll not grauÌ„te my supplycacion bycause I can do nothynge that shuld deserue it yet hardynes hath causyd me to hope vpon mercy not according to my deseruing but according to your bountie that may gyue it And I thynk that your vertue coÌ„passyon pitie shulde ayde me bycause they be agreable to your condycion When a man hathe any busynes with a greate personage thynkyng to attayn to haue grace fyrste he must wynne the good wylles of the seruauntes wherby a man lightely shall come to his entent But as for me I can fynde no remedye I haue done my deuour to serche for ayde whome I haue found alwayes ferme stable for all they haue requyred you to haue mercy vpon me y e sowle bycause he sufferet hand the lyfe bycause it suâ—teyneth the harte bycause it endureth the vnderstandynge bycause it feleth And syn ye wyll gyue no reward for all these in that they desyre and by reasone haue deseruyd I ame the moste vnfortunat of all other vnhappy The water refressheth the yerth but my wepynges can not molefye your