Gentleman assured him that he neuer thought it and howe they which had sowen that rumor had wickedly belied him Wherevnto his companion aunswered I knowe well ynough that Ialosie is a passion so intollerable as loue it selfe And when you shall conceyue that opinion of Ialousie yea it were of my selfe I shoulde doe you no wrong for you your selfe shoulde not be able to kepe it But of one thing which is in your power I haue occasion to complayn and that is bicause you would concele from me your maladye sith there was no passion or opinion which you conceyued that before this time you kept secrete frō me Likewise for my own part if I were amorous of your wife you ought not to impute it as a fault vnto me bicause it is a fier which I beare not in my handes to vse at my pleasure But if I kepe it to my selfe from you indeuour to make your wife knowe it by demōstracion of my loue I might then be accōpted the wicked frend that euer liued And for me I assure most you that she is an honest a good woman and one that my fansie dothe lest fauor although she were not your wife of all them that euer I sawe But now sithens there is no occasion I doe require you that if you perceyue any suspiciō be it neuer so little to tell me of it bicause I woulde so vse my selfe as our friendeship which hath indured so long might not be broken for a woman And if I did loue her aboue any thing in the world yet surely I woulde neuer speake worde vnto her bicause I doe esteme our friendship aboue any other thing His companion swore vnto him very great othes that he neuer thought it praying him to vse his house as he had done before Whervnto he answered Sith you will haue me so to doe I am content But I pray you if hereafter you doe conceyue any simstre opinion of me not to dessemble the same which if you doe I will neuer continue longer in your companye In processe of time liuing togither according to their custome the maried gentleman entred agayne into more suspicion than euer he did commaunding his wife to beare no more that countenance towardes him that she was wont to do Which commaundement she tolde to her husbands companion praying him after that time to forbeare to speake vnto her for that she was commaunded to doe the like vnto him The Gentleman vnderstanding by wordes and by certayne counternaunces that his companion had not kept promise he sayde vnto him in a great choler To be ialous my companion is a thing naturall But bicause thou diddest sweare vnto me by othes not to dissemble with me I can by no meanes forbeare any longer For I did euer think that betwéene thy heart mine there could be no let interrupcion but to my great griefe and without any fault on my part I doe sée the contrarie For as muche as thou art not onely verye ialous betwéene thy wife and me but also thou wouldest dissimulate and couer the same so that in the ende thy maladie and diease hath continued so long that it is altered into a mere malyce and like as our loue hath bene the greatest that hath bene séene in our time euen so our displeasure hatred is now most mortall I haue done so muche as lieth in me to auoide this inconuenience but sith thou hast inspected me to be an ill man and I haue still shewed my selfe to be the contrarie I doe sweare and therewithal assure thée by my fayth that I am the same thou thinkest me to be and therefore from hence forth take hede of me For since suspiciō hath separated thée from my loue and amitie dispite shall deuide me from thine And albeit that his companion woulde haue made him beleue the contrarie and that he mistrusted him nothing at all yet he withdrewe his part of his moueables and goodes that before were commō betwéene them so that nowe both their hearts and goodes were so farre separated as before they were vnited and ioyned together In suche wise as the vnmaried Gentleman neuer ceassed till he had made his companion Cockold according to his promise A Miracle at Lyons The simplicitie of an olde woman that offered a burning candle to Saint Iohn of Lyons The. Lix Nouell IN the Church of sainct Iohn at Lyons there was a very darke chappell and within the same a Tombe made of stone erected for great personages with pictures liuely wrought and about the same tombe there doe lie many worthy gknihts of great valiance Upon a hot esommers day a souldior walking vp and downe the Church had great delight to slepe and beholding that darke chappel which was colde and fresh of ayre thought to goe slepe vpon the Tombe as other did besides whome he layed him downe to slepe It chaunced that a good old woman very deuout came thether when the souldior was in the depth of his slepe And after she had sayde her deuotions with a waxe candle in her hande she would haue sticked the same vpon the Tombe and repairing nere the place where the souldior lay desirous to sicke it vpon his forhead thinking it had bene of stone the waxe would not cleaue The olde woman which thought the cause that her candle woulde not sticke was the coldnesse of the Image went about to warme the forhead with the flame of the candle to make it cleaue But the Image which was not insensible began to cry out whereat the pore woman was so afrayd that lyke one straught of her wittes she brake into exclamation crying A miracle A miracle They within the Church hearing an outcry of a miracle ranne in heapes as thoughe they had bene mad some to ring the belles and some to sée the miracle And the good wife brought them to sée the Image which was remoued Whereat many began to laughe But diuers priestes could not so content themselues but determined greatly to estéeme that Tombe therof to get money Of a Doctor of the Lawes A Doctor of the lawes bought a cup who by the subtiltie of two false verlets lost both his money and the cup. ¶ The. Lx. Nouell TO conclude our number of Nouels I haue thought good gentle reader to bring in place a Doctor and his wife to giue thée a mery farewell bicause thou hast hitherto so friendly and paciently suffred thy self to be stayed in reading of the rest Wherfore with a pleasant Valete et Plaudite in a short merie tale which discloseth the subtiltie of two false knaues to begile a pore Doctor and his wife I meane to end And therfore do say that in the citie of Bologna in Italie there was a worshipfull Doctor of the Law called Maister Florien which in other thinges sauing his profession was but filthie beastlie and of so ill behauiour as none of his facultie the like Who by sauing of many crustes had layed vp
discourse whiche setteth before your eyes what ende the fonde loue of them ordinarelie haue whiche without reason not measuryng their owne abilitie doe suffer themselfes to be guided and ledde into their sensuall lustes and appetites For ill successe faileth not in a beginnyng the grounde whereof abhorryng reason is planted and laied vpon the sandie foundacion of pleasure whiche is shaken and ouerthrowen by the least winde and tempest that Fortune can bluster against suche buildyng Didaco and Violenta Didaco a Spaniarde is in loue with a poore maiden of Valencia aud secretely marieth her afterwardes lothyng his firste mariage bicause she was of base parentage he marieth an other of noble birthe His first wife by secrete messenger praieth his companie whose request he accomplisheth Beeyng a bedde she and her maide killeth hym She throweth hym into the streate she in desperate wise cōfesseth the facte before the Magistrates and is put to death ¶ The .xlii. Nouell THere is no manne but doeth knowe that Valencia is at this daie the chief and onely Rampar of Spaine the true seate of Faithe Iustice and Humanitie And emōges all the rare and excellent-ornamentes that citie is wel furnished with so trimme Ladies and curteous gentlewomen as thei knowe how to baite and féede yonge men with foolishe daliaunce and idle passetyme So that if there be any beetle hedde or grosse persone the better to allure and prouoke him to those follies thei tell hym by a common Prouerbe that he must goe to Valencia In this citie there was in old tyme as it is at this daie a verie auncient stocke and familie called Ventimiglia out of whiche be descended a great nomber of riche and honorable knightes Emonges whom not longe tyme passe there was one named Didaco verie famous and renowmed to be the moste liberall and familer gentleman of the citie who for wante of better businesse walked vp and doune the citie and so consumed his youth in triūphes maskes and other expences common and apt for suche pilgrimes addressing his loue indifferently to all women without greater affection to one then to an other and continued that order till vpon an holy daie he espied a yong maide of smal yeres but of verie exquisite beautie whiche maiden sodainly castyng her eye vpon hym so pearced the knight Didaco with her looke that from that tyme forthe she entred more nere his harte then any other And after he had wel marked her dwellyng place he many tymes passed and repassed before the doore to espie if he might gette some looke or other fauour of her that began alredie to gouerne the bridle of his thoughtes and if it chaunced that the gentlemanne behelde her she shewed herself curteous and amiable indued with grace so good that he neuer departed ill contēted out of that streate The gentleman continuyng certaine tyme in those vanities was destrous to know a farre of what she was of what lineage and of what vocacion And after he had curiously serched out all her originall he vnderstoode by diuers reporte that she was a Goldsmithes doughter whose father was dedde certaine yeres before hauyng no more but her another aliue and twoo brethren bothe of their fathers occupacion Notwithstandyng of life she was chaste honeste defamed with none although she was pursued of many Her outwarde beautie did not so muche sette her forthe as her grace and order of talke who although brought vp in a citizens house yet no ladie or gentlewoman in the Citie was comparable to her in vertue and behauiour For from her tender yeres she was not onely giuen to her nedle a méete exercise for maides of her degrée but also was trained vp to write and reade wherin she tooke so great pleasure that ordinarilie she carried a boke in her hande whiche she neuer gaue ouer till she had gathered some fruicte thereof This knight hauing receiued that first impression of the valor and vertue of Violenta for that was her name was further in loue then before and that whiche added more oile to the matche was the continuall lookes wherwith she knewe how to delight him and with them she was so liberall that so oft as he passed through the streate she shotte them forthe so cruelly that his poore harte felyng it self so tormēted could not indure that newe onset By reason whereof thinkyng to quenche the fire that by litle and litle consumed hym he would attempt her chastite with giftes letters and messengers whiche he continued the space of halfe a yere or more Wherevnto Violenta giuyng no place in the ende he was constreined to assaile her with his own presence and one daie findying her alone at the doore after he had made a verie humble reuerence vnto her he saied Maistresse Violenta consideryng your order and the colde regarde that you haue to my letters and messages I doe remember the subtiltie that is attributed to the Serpente who with his taile stoppeth his eares bicause he will not heare the woordes whiche hath power to constraine hym to doe against his wil which hath made me to leaue to write vnto you to desire specially to speake vnto you that myne affectuous accentes my sorowfull wordes and feruente sighes might certefie you better then Paper the rest of my passion beleuyng verely that if the heauie sounde of my greuous complaintes maie come to your eares thei will make you to vnderstande a parte of that good and euill whiche I feele continually in my harte although the loue whiche I beare you be suche that I can not giue suche liuelie experience outwardly beyng but litle in comparison of them whiche maie be séen within And pronouncyng those wordes there followed so many teares sobbes and sighes that thei gaue sufficiēt testimonie that his tongue was the true and faithfull messenger of his harte Whereof Violenta somewhat ashamed with a constaunte grace said vnto hym Senior Didaco if you dooe yet remember your life past and mine honestie whiche peraduenture you haue thought either rude or cruell I doubte not that you haue any cause to maruaile of my presumpcion and to attribute that to vice whiche is familier with vertue For although that you haue sollicited me to loue you by an infinite nomber of letters and messages yet it is so that followyng the nature of maides of my degrée I haue neither allowed them nor yet cōdempned thē as where vnto accordinglie I haue made none answere not for despite or contempte but to lette you knowe more certainlie that by fauoryng your enterprises I should increase your grief whiche can receiue none ende by the waie you pretēde For although that I haue made the first proofe vpon my self and therfore of reason I ought to lamente them whiche bee in semblable paine yet I will not let slippe the bridle in suche wise to my passion that myne honestie shall remaine in an other mannes power and so it maie bée at the mercie and curtesie of them who not knowyng how dere
her what she had doen. To whom Violenta answered Ianique is thou hast made a good beginnyng to our enterprise I likewise for my parte haue not slepts For I haue deuised that wee muste prouide for a strong roape whiche wée will fasten to the heddes hedde and when he shal bee a slepe I will cast the other ende of the rope to thée ouer thwarte the bedde that thou maieste plucke the same with all thy might and before thou beginnest to pull I will with a knife cutte his throate wherefore thou must prouide twoo great kniues whatsoeuer thei cost but I praie thée let me alone with doing of the fact that I maie dispatch him of his life whiche alone did make the first assault to the breache of mine honour Ianique knewe so well howe to prouide for all that was requisite for the execution of their enterprise as there rested nothyng but oportunitie to sorte their cruell purpose to effecte The knight six Didaco at the hower appointed tolde his newe wife that he must goe into the coūtrie to take order for the state of his lande and that he could not retourne till the next daie in the mornyng Which she by and by beleued And the better to couer his facte he caused twoo horsse to d ee made redie and rode for the whē the clock strake iiij And when he had riden through a certaine streate he saied to his manne whiche was went to serue his turne in loue matters cary my horse to suche a man out in the Countrie and tarrie there all this daie and to morowe Mornyng come seeke me in suche a place when I am gone from the house of Violenta In the meane time set my horsse in some Inne For in any wise I will haue no manne knowe that I dooe lie there whiche dooen the maister and the seruaunte went twoo seuerall waies The knight beyng come to the house of Violenta he found Ianique tariyng for hym with good deuocion to vse hym accordyng to his desert and conueied hym to the chamber of Violenta and then she retourned aboute her businesse The knighte kissed Violenta and badde her good morrowe askyng her howe she did Whom Violenta answered Sir Didaco you bid me good morrowe in woordes but in déede you goe to prepare for me a heauie and sorowfull life I beleue that your minde beareth witnes of the state of my welfare For you haue brought me to suche extremitie that you sée righte well how nothyng els but my voice declareth me too bee a woman and therewithall so féeble a creature as I still craue and call for death or for pitie although bothe of th one and of the other I am not heard at all And yet thinke not Didaco that I am so farre out of my wittes to beleue that the cause of my writyng the letter was for hope that you remembryng my bitter paines your owne hainous crime I could euer moue you to pitie For I am perswaded that you will neuer cease to exhauste and sucke the bloodde honor and life of them that credite your trumperies and deceiptes as now by experience I knowe by my self with suche deadly sorowe that I still attende and loke for the sorowfull ende of my life Didaco seyng hee thus afflicted fearyng that her cholere would further inflame beganne to cull her and to take her now into his armes tellyng her that is Mariage with the doughter of Vigliaracuta was cōcluded more by force then his owne will and minde bicause thei pretended to haue a gifte of all the lande and gooddes he had in succession after his father was dedde which if thei did obteine by lawe he should be a begger all the daies of his life and that the same was dooen to prouide for the quiet state of them bothe and nowithstanding he had maried an other wife yet he purposeth to loue none but her and meante in tyme to poison his wife and to spende the rest of his life with her And thus sewyng to remedie his former fault by surmised reportes chaunting vpō the cordes of his pleasaūt tongue he thought with Courtlike allurementes to appease her whiche had her wittes to well sharpened to be twise taken in one trappe howbeit for feare of driuyng hym awaie and to lose the meane to accomplishe that whiche she intended she saied vnto hym with forced smilyng Sir Didaco although you haue so ill vsed me in tyme paste that I haue no greate cause to beleue your present wordes yet the loue that I beare you is so rooted in my harte that the faulte muste bee very greate whiche should remous the same in consideraciō whereof I will constraine my self to beleue that your woordes bee true vpon condicion that you will sweare and promis to lie with me here ones or twise in a wéeke For me thinke that if I mighte at tymes inioye your presence I did remaine in some part of your grace and fauour and should liue the beste contented woman a liue Wherevnto he willingly agreed with a greate nomber of other like protestacious prompte and redie in them whiche meane deceipt But if the poore miserable woman had perced the same in the depthe of her harte and had credited all that he spake no doubte he would haue chaunged his mynde Thus either partes spente the daie in colde and dissembled flatteries till darke nighte with his accustomed silence did deliuer them the meane to exercise their cruell enterprise So sone as supper was dooen Didaco and Violenta walked vp and downe together talkyng of certaine common matters till the knight pressed with slepe commaūded his bedde to be made redie It neded not thento inquire with what diligence Violenta and Ianique obeied that requeste in whom onely as thei thought cōsisted the happe or mishappe of their enterprise To whom bicause Violenta might shewe her self more affectionat went firste to bedde and so sone as thei were laied Ianique brewe the curteines and tooke awais Didaco his sworde and makyng as thoughe she had a thing to doe vnder the bedde she fastened the rope and taked vp the fire whiche was in the chimney cariyng a stoole to the beddes side and laieth vpon thes ame twoo greate kechin knifes whiche doen she put out the candle and fainyng to goe out of the chamber she shut the doore and wente in againe And then the poore infortunate knight thinking that he was alone in the chāber with Violenta began to clepe and kisse her wher vnto she made no refusall but desirous to renewe his olde priuate toles she peased hym of all loue that he bare vnto her to kepe troce for twoo or thrée howers for that the night was long inough to satisfie his desires affirmyng that it was impossible for her to wake bicause fiue or sixe daies before by reason of her griefes she had not slept at all notwithstanding she saied that after her sixtie sléepe she would willinglie obeye him Whervnto the gentleman was easely perswaded
did thoffice of the handes and tongue as trusty secretaries and faythfull messangers of the effectes of the minde That which kindled she fler most was their frequent talke together which was but of common matters without vtterance of that which the hart knew wel ynough and whereof the eyes gaue true testimonie A passion truely almost intollerable for a yong Princesse aswel bycause she neuer had experience of like sorrow as for hir tender age and yet more for a naturall abashmēt and shame which with the vayle of honor doth serue or ought to serue for a bridle to euery Lady couetous of fame or like to be the ornament or beauty of her race Adelasia then floting in the tempestuous seas of her appetites guided by a master which delighteth in the shipwracke of them he carieth vanquished wyth an immoderate rage of loue tormēted with grief vnspeakable offended with hir owne desires being alone in hir chāber began to complayne her sorrowes and sayde Ah what passion is this that is vnknowen vnto me that ingendreth an obliuion of that which was wont to delight and content me From whence commeth this newe alteration and desire vnaccustomed that solitary being alone is the rest argument of my troubles What diuersities and alterations be these that in this sorte do poyse weygh my thought Ah Adelasia what happy miserie doest thou finde in this frée prison where pleasure hath no place tyll the Enemies haue dysquieted the lyfe with a Million of paynfull and dangerous trauayles What is this to say but that agaynst the nature of maydens of my yeares I will not or can not be quiet day nor night but to take my repaste and féeding vpon cares and thoughtes Alack I thought then to finishe my sorrowes griefes when being alone I began to frame the plot of my torments and paynes with so many formes deuises in my fansie as I doe make wishes and requests vpon the thing I loue and esteme aboue all vpon which all mine affections doe depende and take their beginning What is this to say but that my maydes do offend me when with discrete wordes they goe about to diuert me from my follies and pleasaunt noysom thoughtes Wherefore should not I take in good part that care which they haue of my helth and the paine which they take to remember me of my torment Alas they know not wherein consisteth the force of mine euil and muche lesse is it in their power to remedie the same Euen so I would haue none other playster but him that hath giuen me the wound nor none other meate but the hunger that drieth me vp I craue none other comforte but the fire which burneth me continually the force whereof pearceth the sucke and marie within my bones Ah Alerane Alerane the floure and mirror of all prowesse and beauty It is thou alone the liuest in me of whome my minde conceyueth his hope and the harte his nourishment Alas that thy worthinesse should be the ouerthrowe of mine honor and thy perfection the imperfection of my lyfe Ah Loue Loue howe diuersly thou dealest with me For seing mine Alerane I am attached with heate in the myddes of yce that is full colde In thinking of him I doe both rest and trauaile continually Nowe I flée from him and sodaynely agayne I desire him In hearing him speake the suger and hony that distilleth from his mouth is the contentmēt of my minde till suche time as his words appeare to be different from my desire For then ah Lord my rest is conuerted into extreme trauaile the hony into gall and wormewood more bitter than bytternesse it selfe the hope of my minde is become despaire so horrible that the same onely will bréede vnto me if God haue not pitie vpon me shorte occasion of my death After these wordes she rested a long time without speaking a worde with hir armes a crosse and hir eyes eleuate on high which ranne downe like a riuer of teares and semed to be so rauished that a man would haue iudged her rather a thing without life than a creature sensible and labouring for lyfe til recouering her spirites againe as comming from an Extasie and sounde she began hir plaintes againe in this sort What must such a Princesse as I am abase my selfe to loue her owne subiecte yea and her kinnesman and specially not knowing yet how his mynde is disposed Shall I be so vnshamefast and voide of reason to surrendre my self to any other but to him whome God and my fortune hath promised to be my espouse Rather death shall cut of the threde of my yeares than I will contaminate my chastity or that any other enioy the floure of my virginitie than he to whom I shal be tied in mariage Ah I say and promise muche but there is a tormenter in my minde which dealeth so rigorously with my reason that I cannot tell where vpon well to determine I dare not thinke which also I ought not to do that Alerane is so folish to despise the loue of one that is the chiefest of the daughters of the greatest Monarches of the worlde and much lesse that he should forget himself in such wise to forsake me hauing once enioyed the best dearest thing that is in me whereof I meane to make him the only and peaceable possessor Truly the vertue gētlenesse and good nuriture of Alerane doe not promise suche treason in him and that great beautie of his cannot tell how to hide such rigor that he will refuse one that is one of the most deformed and ill fauored creatures and which loueth him with suche sinceritie that where she shall lose the meanes to enioy him there shall feele euen forthwith the miserable end of her sorowful dayes And then againe she helde her peace tossed and turmoiled with diuers thoughtes fleting betwene hope and feare by and by she purposed to deface from her heart the memorie of Loue which already had taken to faste footing and would not be separated from the thing which heauen himself seemed to haue prepared for the perfectiō and glorie of his triumphe Loue then constrayned her to resolue vpon her last determination Then continuing her talk sighing wtout ceasing she sayd Chaunce what may to the vttermost I can but wander like a Uagabonde and figitiue with mine owne Alerane yf he will shewe me so muche pleasure to accepte me for his owne For sure I am the Emperour wil neuer abide the mariage which I haue promised and sooner wil I die than another shal possesse that which Alerane alone deserueth hauing a long time vowed and dedicated the same vnto him And afterwardes let them report what they lift of the bolde and folish enterprises of Adelasia when my heart is contented and desire satisfied Alerane enioieth her that loueth him more than her self Loue verily is not liable to the fansie of the parents nor yet to the will euen of them that subiugate themselues to his
forest where his father dwelled Wherevnto the yong man readily and with al his heart obeyed Thus the Lord Gunfort for so was Aleranes cosin called accompanied with his little cosin and many other gentlemen wente toward the place where the Colliar Princes remained And when they were néere the craggie caue the lodging of Alerane the whole company lighted of their horse and espied him busie about the lading of his coales to sende to Ast. For the arriuall of the Emperor to Sauonne stayed Alerane from going thither himself by reason his conscience stil grudged for his fault committed against him Alerane seing this goodly company was abashed as though hornes had sodenly growen out of his head and yet the sight of his sonne richely furnished and in the company of Gunfort his cosin did more astonne him For he suspected incontinently that he was dyscouered and that the Emperour had sent for him to be reuenged of the fault so long time committed And as he had imagined diuers things vpon his hard fortune wtin his fansy His sonne came to embrace him vpon his knées to kisse his hands with an honest and hūble reuerence saying to Gunfort Sir this is he of whom I told the Emperor of him I toke my being This is my father All this while the good father embraced his sonne very hard and wéeping for extreame ioy sayd vnto him Alas my sonne if thy comming be so happy vnto me as it is ioyfull yf thy newes be good prosperous which thou bringest thou doest reuiue thy father halfe dead and from lamentable dispaire thou doest replenish and fill him with such hope that one day shall be the staye of his age and the recouery of his greatest losses The sonne not able to abide the discourse of his parents affaires could not comprehend any thing at the pitiful meting but stode still so astonned as though he had bene fallen from the cloudes Now during this time that the father and the sonne thus welcomed one another Gunfort toke hede to all the countenaunce and gestures of Alerane There was no part of the Colliers body that he forgat to viewe and yet remembring the voyce of his cosin and séeing a wound that he had in his face was sure that it was he And then with hys armes stretched forthe he came to clepe Alerane about the necke whom he made to loke redde with his warme teares saying Ah Alerane the presente torment now but in time past the pleasaunt rest of our race What Eclipse hath so long obseured the shyning sunne of thy valiant prowesse Why hast thou cōcealed so long time thy place of retire frō him which desired so much thine aduaūcement Hast thou the heart to sée the teares of thy cosin Gunfort running downe from his eyes vpon thy necke his armes embracing thée with such loue and amitie that he cannot receyue the like except he be something moued by thée in séeing thy louing entertaynement Wilt thou deny that which I knowe by a certayne instincte and naturall agrement which is that thou art Alerane the sonne of the duke of Saxone and so renowmed through out al Germany Doest thou pretēd through thine owne misfortune so rooted in thy heart by liuing in these wildernesse to depriue thy sonne of the honor which the heauens and his good fortune haue prepared for him Ah cruell and pitilesse father to suffer thy progenie to be buried in the tombe of obliuion with eternall reproche O vnkinde kinsman toward thy kindred of whome thou makest so smal accompt that wilt not vouchsafe to speake to thy cosin Gunfort that is come hither for thy comfort and the aduaūcement of thy familie Alerane sore ashamed aswell for the remembrance of his auncient fault as to sée himself in so pore estate before the Emperours gallants answered Gunfort saying My Lorde and cosin I beseche you to beleue that want of desire to make my complaynt vnto you and lacke of curtesie to entertayne you haue not made me to forget my duety towardes you being aswel my nere kinsman as suche a one to whome I haue done wrong and very great iniury by offending the Emperour But you doe know of what puissance the prickes of conscience bé and with what worme she gnaweth the hearte of them which féele themselues culpable of crime I am as you sayde the present missehap of our house for the opinion that the Emperour hath conceiued of my folly and shal be the rest if you will doe me so much pleasure to ridde me of this miserable life both of you and of the minde of a father iustly displeased against hys daughter and the quiet of a Prince offended with his subiect For I sweare vnto you by my faith that I neuer so muche desired lyfe as I now doe couet death for that I am assured that I being dead my pore companion and welbeloued wife shall liue at her ease enioying the presence and good grace of her father What meane you so to say answered Gunfort The Emperour is so well pleased appeased that he hath sworne vnto me to receiue you as his sonne in lawe and my Lady your wife as hys deare beloued daughter whome I pray you to cause to come before vs or to signify vnto vs where she is that I may do reuerence vnto her as to my Princesse soueraigne Lady William was all amased and almost besides himselfe hearing this discourse and thought he was eyther in a dreame or else inchaunted till that Alerane called his wife by her proper name who was so appalled to heare the word of Adelasia that her hart was sodainly attached with terror and feare when she sawe so great a company about her husband And then her sonne came to do his duetie not as to his mother onely but as to the daughter of an Emperour the wife of a Prince of Saxone She agayne embraced and kyssed him although she was surprised with feare shame and so moued with that sodaine sight that she had much a doe to kepe her selfe from faynting and falling downe betwene the armes of her sonne and thought that she had passed the place where Gunfort was who going towarde her after his reuerence and dutie done made her vnderstand the charge he had the good will of the Emperor which determined to receyue her agayne with so good order and entertainment as might be deuised Which earneste wordes made them to resolue vpon the prouse of fortune and to credite the promises that Gunfort made them in the Emperours behalf Thus they forsoke the caue their coates and fornaces to reenter their former delightes and pleasures That night they lodged at a village not far frō the forrest where they carried certayne dayes to make apparell for these straunge Princes and so well as they coulde to adorne and furnish Adelasia who being of the age almost of .xxxiiij. or .xxxv. yeares yet manifested some parte of the perfection of that deuine beautie and modest
passion so couerte as he possibly coulde But partly for his owne solace and comfort he feasted all the Lordes and Ladyes of Naples where the gentleman and his wyfe was not forgotten And bicause man willingly beleueth that he doth sée he thought that the lokes of that gentlewoman promised vnto him some grace in time to come if the presence of her husband were not let thervnto And to proue whether his coniecture were true he sent her husband in commission to Rome for .xv dayes or thrée wéekes And so sone as he was gone his wyfe which hitherto had not felte any long absence from her husband made great sorrow for the same wherof she was recomforted by the King many times by swéete persuasions by presentes and giftes in suche sorte that she was not onely comforted but contented with her husbandes absence And before the thrée wéekes were expired of his returne she was so amorous of the King that she was no lesse sorrowful of his comming home than she was for his departure And to the intent the Kings presence might not be lost they agréed together that when her husbande was gone to his possessions in the countrie she should send worde to the King that he might haue safe repaire vnto her and so secretly that his honour which he feared more than he did the fact might not be impaired Upon this hope this Ladies heart was set on a merie pinne And when her husband was come home she welcomed him so well that albeit he knewe howe the King made much of her in his absence yet he would not beleue it But by continuance of time this fier that could not be couered by little and little began to kindle in suche wise that the husband doubted muche of the truth and watched the matter so néere that he was almost out of doubt But for feare leaste he whiche did the wrong shoulde doe him greater hurts if he séemed to knowe it he determined to dissemble the matter For he thought it better to liue with some griefe than to hazarde his lyfe for a woman which loued him not Not withstanding for this displeasure he thought to be euen with the king if it were possible And knowing that many times despite maketh a woman to doe that which Loue can not doe specially those women that haue honorable hearts and stoute stomakes was so bolde without blushing vpon a day in speaking to the Queene to say vnto her that he had pitie vpon her for that she was no better beloued of the king her husband The Quéene which heard tell of the loue betwene the king and his wife I can not quod she both inioy honor and pleasure together I know well that honor I haue whereof one receyueth the pleasure and as she hath the pleasure so hath not she the honor that I haue He which knew wel by whome those wordes were spoken sayde vnto her Madame honor waited vpon you euen at your birth For you be of so good a house that to be a Quéene or Empresse you can not augment your nobilitie but your beautie grace honestie hath deserued so much pleasure as she that depriueth you of that which is incident to your degrée doth more wrong to her selfe than to your person For she for a glory that hath turned her to shame hath there withall lost so much pleasure as your grace or any Lady in the realme maye haue And I may say vnto you Madame that if the king were no king as he is I thinke that he could not excell me in pleasing of a woman Being sure that to satisfie such a vertuous personage as you be he might exchange his complexion with mine The Quéene smiling answered him Although the king be of more delicate and weaker complexion thā you be yet the loue that he beareth me doth so muche content me that I esteme the same aboue all thinges in the worlde The gentleman sayde vnto her Madame if it were so I woulde take no pitle vpon you for I knowe wel that the honest loue of your heart woulde yelde vnto you great contentation if the like were to be found in the king But God hath foresene and preuented the same leaste enioying your owne desire you woulde make him your God vpon earth I confesse vnto you sayde the Quéene that the loue I beare him is so great that the like place he could not finde in no womans heart as he doth in muse Pardon me Madame sayde the Gentleman vnto her if I speake more frankely your grace hath not sounded the depth of eche mans heart For I dare be bolde to saye vnto you that I knowe one that doth loue you in suche wise whose loue is so great that you loue in respect of his is nothing And for so muche as he séeth the Kings loue to fayle in you his doth grow and increase in suche sorte that if your loue were agreable vnto his you should be recompensed of all your losses The Quéene aswell by his words as by his countenaunce began to perceyue that the talke proceded from the bottom of his hart and called to her remembrance that long time he had endeuored him self to do her seruice with such affection as for loue he was growen to be melancolike which she thought before to come through his wiues occasion but nowe she assuredly beleued that it was for her sake And thus the force of Loue which is well perceyued when it is not fayned made her sure of that which was vnknowen to all the worlde And beholding the gentleman which was more amiable than her husband and séeing that he was forsaken of his wife as she of the king pressed with despite and ialousie of her husbande and prouoked with loue of the gentleman beganne to say with finger in eye and sighing sobbes O my god must vengeaunce get that at my hand which Loue can not do The gentleman well vnderstanding her meaning aunswered Madame vengeance is swéete vnto him which in place of killing his enemy giueth life to a perfect frende I thinke that it is time that trouth shoulde remoue from you the folish loue that you beare vnto him which loueth you not And that iust and reasonable loue shoulde expell frō you the feare which neuer can remayne in a noble vertuous heart But nowe Madame omitting to speake of the greatnesse of your estate let vs consider that we be both man woman the most deceyued of the worlde and betrayed of them which we haue most derely loued Let vs now reuēge our selues Madame not onely to render vnto them as they haue deserued but to satisfie the loue whiche for my parte I can no longer beate except I shoulde die And I thinke that if your heart be not harder than Flint or Diamont it is impossible but you must perceyue some sparke of fier which increaseth more than I am able to dissemble And if pitie of me which dyeth for your loue doth not moue you to loue me
the sparkes which flewe out of his eyes And to the intent that through long frequentation none might espie the same he interteigned a very fayre Lady called Paulina a woman in his time accompted so faire that few men which beheld her could escape her bonds This Lady Paulina vnderstanding how Amadour vsed his loue at Barselone Parpignon how he was beloued of the fayrest honest Ladyes of the coūtrie aboue all of the Countesse of Pallamons which in beautie was prised to be the fayrest in all Spaine of many other sayde vnto him That she had great pitie of him for that after so many good fortunes he had maried a wife so foule and deformed Amadour vnderstanding well by those wordes that she had desire to remedy her owne necessitie vsed the best maner that he coulde deuise thinking that in making her beleue a lie he should hyde from her the truth But the subtile and wel experimented in loue contented not her selfe with talke but perceyuing right well that his hearte was not satisfied with her loue doubted that he coulde not serue his Lady in secrete wise therefore marked him so nere that dayly she had a respect and watch vnto his eyes which he coulde so well dessemble that she was able to iudge nothing but by darke suspicion not without great payne and difficultie to the gentleman to whom Florinda ignorant of all their malice did resorte manye times in presence of Paulina whose demeaner then was so familiar that he with maruellous payne refrayned his lokes against his heart and desire And to auoide that no inconuenience should ensue one day speaking to Florinda as they were both leaning at a windowe sayde these wordes Madame I beseche you to tell me whether is it better to speake or to die Wherevnto Florinda answered readily saying I will still councell my friends to speake and not to die For there be fewe wordes spoken but that they may be amended but the life lost cannot be recouered Promise me then sayde Amadour that not onely ye will accept those words which I will saye but also not to be astonned or abashed till ye heare the ende of my tale To whom she answered Say what it please you for if you doe affraye me none other shall assure me Then he began to saye vnto her Madame I haue not yet bene desirous to disclose vnto you the greate affection which I beare you for two causes The one bicause I attende by my long seruice to shewe you the experience thereof The other for that I doubted you woulde thinke a great presumption in me which am but a poore gentleman to insinuate my selfe in place whereof I am not worthye And althoughe I were a prince as you be the loyalty yet of your heart wil not permit any other but him which hath already taken possession the sonne I meane of the Infant Fortune to vse any talke of loue with you But Madame like as necessity in time of great warre constrayneth men to make hauoke of their owne goodes and to consume the gréene corne that the enemy take no profit and reliefe therof euen so do I hazard to aduaunce the frute which in time I hope to gather that your enemies mine may inioye thereof none aduauntage Knowe ye Madame that from the time of your tender yeares I haue in such wise dedicated my selfe to your seruice that I ceasse not still to aspire the meanes to achieue your grace and fauour And for that occasion I did marry hir whō I thought you did loue best And knowing the loue you beare to the sonne of the Infant Fortune I haue indeuored my selfe to serue him as you haue sene And all wherein I thought you did delight I haue accomplished to the vttermoste of my power You doe sée that I haue gotten the good will of the Countesse your mother of the Earle you brother and of all those that doe beare you good will In such sort as in this house I am estemed not like a seruaunt but as a sonne And al the labour which I haue sustayned these fiue yeares past was for none other cause but to lyue all the dayes of my lyfe with you And vnderstande you well that I am none of those which by these meanes doe pretend to receyue of you any profite or pleasure other than that which is good and vertuous I doe knowe that I can neuer marry you and if I could I would not to withstand the loue that you beare vnto him whome I desire to be your husbande likewise to loue you in vicious sorte like them that hope to recompence their seruice with the dishonor of their Ladies I am so farre of from that affection that I had rather be dead than to sée you by desert worthy of lesse loue and that your vertue shoulde by any meanes be diminished for any pleasure that might happen vnto me I doe pretende and craue for the ende and recompence of my seruice but one thing Which is that you woulde continue my loyall and faithfull maystresse that you will neuer withdrawe from me your good grace and fauour and that you will maintayne me in that estate and degrée wherin I am Reposing your trust and fidelitie in me more than in any other making your selfe so assured of me that if for your honor or any cause touching your person you stand in néede of the lyfe of a Gentleman the same shall right willingly be employed in your seruice In like maner all things vertuous and honeste which euer I shall attempt I beseche you to thinke the same to be done onely for the loue of you And if I haue done for Ladyes of lesse reputation than you be any thing worthy of estimation be you assured that for suche a maystresse as you are my enterprises shall increase in suche sorte that the things which I found difficult and impossible shall be easelie for me to accomplishe But if you do not accept me to be wholly yours I determine to giue ouer armes and to renoūce valiance bicause it hath not succoured me in necessitie Wherefore Madame I humblie beseche you that my iust request may not be refused sith with your honour and conscience you cannot well denie the same The yong Lady hearing this vnaccustomed sute began to chāge her colour and to cast downe her eyes lyke an amased woman not withstanding as she that was wise and discrete sayde vnto him If Amadour your request vnto me be none other than it is wherefore haue you discoursed vnto me this long oration I am afrayde that vnder this honest pretence there lurketh some hidden malice to deceyue the ignoraunce of my youth in such wise that I am in great perplexitie how to make you aunswere for to refuse the honest amitie which you haue offered I shall doe contrarie to that I haue done hitherto which haue reposed in you more truste than in al the men of the world My conscience or mine honor can
of the chaire sayd vnto him Goe quickely and fetche me some good vineger Which the gentleman did Then Florinda began to saye vnto him Amadour what follie hath inchaunted your wisedome And what is that which you woulde haue done vnto me Amadour that through the force of loue had lost al reason sayd vnto her Doth my long seruice merite a recompence of such crueltie And where is the honesty then sayde Florinda which so many times you haue preached vnto me Ah Madame sayde Amadour I beleue it is impossible your selfe more faythfully to loue your owne honor than I doe For when you were vnmaryed I coulde so well subdue my heart and affection that you did neuer vnderstande my will and desire And nowe that you be maryed to the intent your honor may be in couert what wrong doe I to aske that which is mine owne For by force of loue I haue wonne you He that first inioyed your heart hath so yll followed the victorie of your body that he hath deserued to lose altogether He that possesseth your bodie is not worthy to haue your heart wherefore your bodye is none of his ne yet he hath no title in the same But I Madame these fiue or sixe yeares haue susteyned such paynes and trauel for your sake that you are not ignorant but to me appertayneth both your bodye and heart for whose sake I haue vtterly forgotten mine owne And if you can finde in your heart to defende me frō my right doubte ye not but they which haue proued the forces of Loue will laye the blame vpon you which hath in this sorte robbed me from my libertie and with your heauenlye graces hath obscured my senses that not knowing hereafter what to doe I am constrayned to goe withoute hope for euer yto sée you againe Notwithstanding warrant your selfe that in what place so euer I am you shall still possesse my heart which shall continue yours for euer be I vpon the lande or water or betwene the handes of my moste cruell enemies But if I had before my departure the suretie of you which the greatnesse of my loue deserueth I shall be strong ynough paciently to beare the griefes of long absence And if it please you not to graunt me my request you shall shortlye heare tell that your rigor hath rendred vnto me a most vnhappy and cruel death Florinda no lesse astonned than sorie to heare such words procéede from him of whome she neuer had any suche suspicion weping sayde vnto him Alas Amadour is this the meaning of those vertuous wordes which sithens the beginning of my youth ye haue vttered vnto me Is this the honor of the cōscience which you haue many times persuaded me rather to die than to lose the same Haue you forgotten the good examples recyted vnto me of vertuous dames that haue resisted foolish Loue And is this the contempt which ye daylie made of Ladyes that were foolish vaine I can not beleue Amadour that you are so madde that God your owne cōscience and mine honor shoulde be altogether oute of your minde and memorie But if it so be as you saye I doe prayse the goodnesse of God which hath preuented the mishap that now I am fallen into in shewing me by your wordes the heart which I did not know For hauing loste the sonne of the Infant Fortune who not onely is maryed into another place but also loued another and I nowe maryed to him which I cannot loue I thought and determined wholly with all mine heart and affection to loue you founding the same vpō that vertue which I knewe to be in you which loue by your meanes onely I haue conceyued and therfore did more esteme my honor and conscience than mine owne life Upon assurance of this stone of honestie I am come hither thinking to builde a moste sure foundacion But Amadour in one moment thou hast declared that in place of a pure foundacion thy building is reared vpon a light sande and vnconstant ground or else vpon a filthy and foule quamire And where I began to erect a good part of the lodgings of this building hoping to dwell there for euer sodainly thou hast ouerthrowen the whole Wherefore you must immediately breake in sunder the hope and credit that euermore you haue founde in me and determine that in what place soeuer I be not to séeke after me eyther by wordes or countenaunce And doe not thinke that I can or will at anye time hereafter chaunge mine opinion which wordes I speake with great sorrowe and griefe But if I had made an othe of this perfect amitie and loue I knowe mine heart would haue dyed vpon this breache although the astonishement in that I am deceyued is so great that I am well assured it will make my lyfe eyther short or sorrowfull And therefore I bidde you farewell and that for euer I purpose not to tell you of the sorrow which Amadour felt by hearing these wordes Bicause it is impossible not onely to write them but also to think them except it be of such as haue had experiēce of the lyke And seyng that vpon this cruell conclusion she woulde haue gone away he caught her by the arme knowing wel that if he did not remoue that yll opinion which by his owne occasion she had conceyued he should lose her for euer Wherefore he sayde vnto her with a verye faynt there Madame all the dayes of my lyfe I haue desired to loue a woman endued with honestie and vertue And bicause I haue founde so fewe I would fayne haue tryed whether your person had bene worthy of estimacion and loue whereof nowe I am well assured and humblie doe prayse God therfore bicause mine heart is addressed to suche perfection beseching you to pardon this fond and bolde enterprise sith you do see that the ende doth redounde to your owne honor and contentation Florinda which began to know the malice of men by him like as she was harde to beleue the euill where it was euen so she was more difficile to credit the good where it was not and sayde vnto him I praye to God your wordes be true Yet I am not so ignorant but that the state of mariage wherein I am hath made me euidentlie to perceyue that the strong passion of blinde loue hath forced you to this attempt For if God had losed my hande I am wel assured you would not haue pluckt backe the bridle They that attempt to séeke after vertue will not take the waye that you doe But this is sufficient if I haue lightlie beleued any honesty in you it is time for me nowe to know the truth that I may ridde my selfe from you And in saying so Florinda went out of the chamber and all the night long she neuer left wéeping who felt such great griefe in the alteracion that her heart had much to doe to sustaine the assaults of sorrowe the loue had made For although reason thought neuer to loue
soonne Perotto went into Wales not without greate labour and paine as one neuer accustomed to traueile on foote Where dwelte one other of the kyng of Englandes Marshalles that was of greate aucthoritie and kept a noble house To whose court the Erle and his sonne oftentymes repaired to practise begge their liuyng where one of the Marshalles sonnes and other gentlemennes children doyng certaine childishe sportes and pastymes as to runne and leape Perotto began to entermedle hymself emonges them who in those games did so excellently well as none was his better whiche thyng diuers tymes the Marshall perceiuing and well pleased with the order of the childe asked of whence he was It was told him that he was a poore mannes soonne whiche many tymes came thither to begge his almose The Marshall desiryng the childe the Erle whiche praied vnto God for nothyng els liberally gaue hym vnto hym although it gréeued hym to departe from hym The Erle then hauyng bestowed his sonne and his doughter determined no lōger to tarry in Englande but so well as he could he passed ouer into Irelande and when he was arriued at Stanford he placed hymself in the seruice of a man of armes belōging to an Erle of that countrie doing all thinges that did belong vnto a seruing man or page not knowen to any mā he cōtinued there a long time with great paine and toile Violenta named Gianetta that dwelte with the Ladie at London grewe so in yeres in beautie in personage and in suche grace and fauour of her lorde and Ladie and of all the rest of the house and so well beloued of all them that knewe her that it was meruailous to sée All men that sawe her maners and countenaunce iudged her to be worthy of greate honour and possessions by reason whereof the Ladie that receiued her of her father not knowyng what she was but by his reporte purposed to marrie her honourablie accordyng to her worthinesse But God the rewarder of all mennes desertes knowyng her to be a noble woman and to beare without cause the penaunce of an other mannes offence disposed her otherwise and to the intente that this noble gentlewoman might not come into the hādes of a man of ill condicion it must be supposed that that whiche came to passe was by Goddes owne will and pleasure suffred to be dooen The gentlewoman with whom Gianetta dwelt had but one onely sonne by her husbande whiche bothe she and the father loued verie dearly as well because he was a soonne as also that in vertue and good merites he greatly excelled For he surpassed all other in good condicions valiaunce goodnesse and beautie of personage beyng about sixe yeres elder then Gianetta who seeyng the maiden to bee bothe faire and comely became so farre in loue with her that he estemed her aboue all thinges of the worlde And bicause he thought her to be of base parentage he durste not demaunde her of his father and mother to wife But fearyng that he should lose their fauour he kepte his loue secrete whereby he was worse tormented then if it hadde been openly knowen And thereby it chaunced through Loues malice he fill sore sicke For whose preseruacion were many Phisians sente for and thei markyng in hym all signes and tokens of sickenes and not knowyng the disease were altogether doubtfull of his health whereof the father and mother tooke so greate sorowe and grief as was possible and many tymes with pitifull praiers thei damaunded of hym the occasion of his disease To whom he gaue for answere nothyng els but heauie sighes and that he was like to consume die for weakenesse It chaunced vpon a daie there was brought vnto hym a Phisicion that was verie younge but in his science profoundlie learned and as he was holdyng hym by the poulces Gianetta who for his mothers sake attended hym verie carefully entred vpon occasion into the chamber where he laie sicke and so sone as the yonge gentleman perceiued her and that she spake neuer a worde or made any signe or demonstracion towardes hym he felt in his harte to arise his moste amourous defire wherefore his poulces beganne to beate aboue their common custome whiche thyng the Phisicion immediatly perceiued and merualled stādyng still to se how long that fitte would continue Gianetta was no soner gone out of the chamber but the beatyng of the poulces ceased wherfore the Phisicion thought that he had founde out some parte of the gentlemannes disease and a litle while after seming to take occasiō to speake to Gianetta holdyng hym still by the armes he caused her to be called in and she incontinently came but she was no soner come but the poulces beganne to beate againe and when she departed the beatyng ceased Whervpon the Phisicion was throughly perswaded that he vnderstode the effecte of his sicknes and therewithall rose vp and takyng the father and mother aside saied vnto them The health of your sonne doeth not consist in the helpe of Phisicions but remaineth in the handes of Gianetta your maide as I haue perceiued by moste manifest signes whom the yonge man feruently dooeth loue And yet so farre as I perceiue the maiden doeth not knowe it you therefore vnderstande now what to doe if you loue his life The gentleman and his wife hearyng this was somewhat satisfied for so muche as remedie mighte bee founde to saue his life athough it greued them greatly if the thing wherof thei doubted should come to passe which was the marriage betwene Gianetta and their soonne The Phisicion departed thei repaired to their sicke soonne the mother saiyng vnto hym in this wise My soonne I would neuer haue thought that thou wouldest haue kept secrete from me any parte of thy desire specially seyng that without the same thou dooest remaine in daūger of death For thou art or ought to bée assured that there is nothyng that maie be gotten for thy contētacion what so euer it had been but it should haue been prouided for thée in as ample maner as for my self But sith thou haste thus doen it chaūceth that our Lorde God hath shewed more mercie vpon thée then thou hasle doen vpō thy self And to th ende thou shalt not die of this disease he hath declared vnto me the cause of the same whiche is none other but the great loue that thou bearest to a yonge maide wherso euer she bee And in deede thou oughtest not to bée ashamed to manifest thy loue bicause it is meete and requisite for thyne age For if I wist thou couldest not loue I would the lesse esteme thee Now then my good sonne be not afraied franckly to discouer all thyne affectiō Driue awaie the furie and thought whiche thou hast taken whereof this sickenes commeth And comfort thy self Beyng assured that thou shalt desire nothyng at my handes that maie be doen for thy contentacion but it shall bee accomplished of me that loueth thee better then myne owne life and
crueltie towardes her he thought by the destruction and slaughter of Guiscardo to coole her burnyng loue And therefore commaunded twoo of his seruauntes that had Guiscardo in kepyng without any noise to strangle hym the next night and afterwardes pluckyng his harte out of his bodie to bryng it vnto him who did as thei were commaunded And the nexte daie the kyng caused a faier Cuppe of golde to bee brought vnto hym wherein he laied the harte of Guiscardo whiche he sente by one of his familer seruauntes vnto his doughter and commaunded hym when he presented the same vnto her to saie these woordes Thy father hath sent thee this present to comforte thy self with the thyng whiche thou doest chieflie loue as thou hast comforted hym of that whiche he loued moste Gismonda not amoued frō her cruell determinaciō caused to be brought vnto her after her father was gone venemous herbes and rootes whiche she distilled together and made water thereof to drincke sodainly if that came to passe whiche she doubted And when the kynges seruaunt was come vnto her and had deliuered his presente he saied as he was commaunded Gismonda tooke the cuppe with a stoute countenaunce coueryng it so sone as she sawe the harte and vnderstoode the wordes she thought verely that it was the harte of Guiscardo wherefore beholdyng the seruaunt she said vnto him Truely it behoueth that suche a harte as this is should bée intombed in no worsse graue then in gold whiche my father hath moste wisely doen. Afterwardes liftyng the cuppe to her mouthe she kissed it saiyng I haue in all thynges euen vnto this time being the last ende of my life alwaies founde the tender loue of my father towardes me but now I knowe it to bée greater then euer I did before And therefore in my behalfe you shall render vnto hym the last thankes that euer I shall giue hym for so greate a presente After those woordes tourning her self towardes the cuppe whiche she helde fast beholdyng the harte she saied thus Oh sweete harborough of my pleasures cursed be the crueltie of hym that hath caused me at this tyme to looke vpon thée with the eyes of my face it was pleasure enoughe to sée thée euery hower emonges people of knowledge and vnderstanding Thou hast finished thy course and by that ende whiche Fortune vouchsaufed to giue thée thou art dispatched and arriued to the ende wherevnto all men haue recourse thou hast forsaked the miseries and traueiles of this worlde and hast had by the enemie hymself suche a sepulture as thy worthinesse deserueth There néedeth nothyng els to accomplishe thy funeralle but onely the teares of her whom thou diddest hartely loue al the daies of thy life For hauing whereof our Lorde did putte into the heade of my vnmercifull father to sende thée vnto me and truely I will bestowe some teares vpon thée although I was determined to die without sheadyng any teares at all stoutlie not fearfull of any thyng And when I haue powred them out for thée I will cause my soule whiche thou hast heretofore so carefully kept to be ioyned with thine For in what companie can I trauell more contented or in better saufgarde in places vnknowen then with thy soule Truely I am well assured that it is yet here within that hath respecte to the place aswell of his owne pleasures as of myne beyng assured as she who is certaine that yet he loueth me that he attenddeth for my soule of whom she is so greatly beloued When she had thus saied she began to let fall as though there had béen a fountaine in her hedde so many teares that it was a miracle to beholde her oftētymes kissyng the dedde harte Her maidens that stode aboute her vnderstoode not what harte that was nor wherevnto these wordes did tende but beyng moued with compassion thei all wept pitifullie demaunding although in vaine the occasion of her sorowfull plaintes and comforted her so well as thei could Who after she had powred for the sufficient teares lifted vp her hedde and when she had wiped hereyes she saied Oh louyng harte all my duetie is fulfilled towardes thée hauyng now nothyng to doe but onely to yelde forthe my ghoste to accōpanie thine And this saied she caused the glasse of water whiche she had made the daie before to bee brought vnto her and poured it out into the cuppe where the harte laie all bained with a multitude of teares whiche she puttyng to her mouthe without feare dronke vp all And that dooen went into her bedde with the Cuppe in her hande tossyng her bodie as decently as she could vpon the same holdyng the harte of her dedde frende so nere as she could vnto her owne hart Her maidens seyng this although thei knewe not what water it was that she dranke sente woorde to the kyng who fearyng that whiche happened incontinently wente doune into his doughters chamber where he arriued euen at that instaunte that she had cast her self vpon the bedde and beyng come to late to succour her with swete wordes be began seing her in those pangues to wepe bitterlie To whom his dougther saied Father kepe in those vndesired teares and bestowe them not vpon me for I desire them not who euer sawe manne besides you to bewaile the wilfulnesse of his owne facte Howbeeit if there dooe yet reste in you any sparke of that loue whiche you haue alwaies borne towardes me graunte me this last requeste that although you were not contented that I should liue secretly and couertly with Guiscardo yet at lest cause our bodies to be openly buried togethers where it pleaseth you to bestowe them The anguishe and sorowe would not suffer the prince to answere one worde for weping And then the Ladie perceiuyng her ende approche cleped and strained the dead harte hard to her stomacke saiyng Farewell swete harte in God for I am goyng to hym And there withall she closed her eyes and lost her senses departyng out of this dolorous life In this manner sorowfullie ended the loue of Gismonda and Guiscardo as you haue heard whom the Prince after he had wept his fill and taken to late repentaunce for his crueltie caused honorablie to be buried and intombed bothe in one graue not without greate sorowe of all the people of Salerne Mahomet one of the Turkishe Emperours executeth curssed crueltie vpon a Greke maiden whō he toke prisoner at the winning of Constantinople ¶ The .xl. Nouell IF you dooe euer make any proofe or triall to knowe of what trampe the arrowes of Loue bee and what fruicte thei bryng to them that doe vse and practice the same I am assured you shal bee touched with some pitie when ye vnderstande the beastlie crueltie of an Infidell louer towardes his Ladie He of whom I will declare the historie is Mahomet not the false Prophete but the greate graundfather of Solimā Ottoman Emperour of the Turkes whiche raigned at that time He it is that to the shame and eternall infamie
made and instructed in his trumperie leauing the poore lorde with a hamer workyng in his hedde that he was like to run out of his wittes So greate is the furious force of the poison of Ialosie which ones hauyng dispersed the venime ouer the harte and intrailes of men the wiseste sort haue lost the due discrecion of their wittes In the mornyng aboute the hower that the amourous foole ignoraunte wherefore he wente in should issue out of his maistresse chamber the Stewarde rauished with inexplicable ioye and gladnesse like to the pleasure of hym that had attained the somme of his desires called his Lorde to see that heauie and dolorous sight The good gentleman perceiuyng the report to be true and thinking that she had vsed the foole to be her bedfelow was like to haue died for sorowe or els to haue torne in peces that vnhappie sotte innocente of the euill suspected by the Lorde who durst not so muche as thinke to dooe suche a wicked facte In the ende giuyng place to reason he caused the poore foole to be apprehended and put in the bottome of a dongeon and beyōde measure was offended with his wife for that he thoughte the simplicitie of the imprisoned wretch had not the face to demaunde the question and therefore did verely beleue that it was she that had induced him to doe the dede to satisfie her vnbrideled and filthie lust and therefore caused her to be shut vp within a darke and stinckyng prison not meanyng to sée her or to heare her speake for her iustification ne yet would suffer that any man should take vpon him to stande in her defence to bring witnesse of her innocencie For saied he replete with wrathe and anger I dooe better beleue that whiche I haue séene and knowen by myne owne presence then your woordes vaine reasons and complaintes of no good grounde and effect as founden vpon her that hath to muche forgotten herself and her duetie towardes me Moreouer vanquished with the Cholere not without cause truely of a husbande that thought hymself by her onely meanes deceiued and betraied sente worde to the poore captiue that she should then prouide for her soules healthe sithe he was determined the very same daie to make her plaie a Tragedie more cruell then that was pleasaunte whiche she had alredie doen with her beloued in extrudyng her to bee deuoured of his Lions whiche were the ministers for the execution of the Iustice ordeined againste her as though she had béen the moste lasciuious and detestable woman that euer the earth brought forthe The faser and innocente Ladie knowyng the humour and cholere of her housband and likewise seing contrarie to right order of all Iudgemente that she could not bée heard or suffred to make answer passed through the rigorous law of him that thought her to be an Adulteresse And could not tell what to doe but to lamēt her ill fortune gushing forth teares in suche abundaunce that the moste part of her attire were wett and bedewed with the same then fortestyng her self in the hope of the mercifull hande of almightie God the father of all consolacion who neuer forgetteth them whiche with intire faithe doe call vpon hym and appeale to the succour of the holie and precious name of his sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour she with compunction of harte and sincere deuocion suith ioyned handes and knées vpō the graund addressyng her eyes to the heauens praied in this wise Alas my God I dooe knowe and confesse that the multitude of my synues doe surpasse the sea sandes am not ignoraunt that this vnhappie tyme is chaunced vnto me for the punishemente of my forepassed offences Notwithstandyng Lorde accordyng to thy greate goodnesse haue no respecte vnto my demerites and wickednesse whereof my life is full but rather extende thy fauour and mercie vpon thy poore creature whose innocencie thou whiche art the searcher of mennes hartes doest well vnderstande and knowe I doe not desire prolongacion of my miserable life onely maie it please thée O God for thy goodnesse and instice sake to saue myne honoure and to graunte that my husbande maie se with what integritie I haue alwaies honoured the holy bande of Mariage by thée ordeined to thintent he maie liue from henceforthe quiet of this inspicion conceiued of me and that my parentes maie not sustein the blot of ignominie whiche wil make them blushe when thei shall beare reporte of my life past She beyng in these contemplacions and holie praiers preparyng her self to receiue death her husband caused her to be conueied into the Parke of Liōs whiche beyng straunge and terrible at the first sighte did merueillously affraie her but remembryng how innocente she was puttyng her hope in God she wente thither with suche constauncie and courage as if she had been ledde to some ioyous banquet and the people which neuer heard tell before of suche a kinde of death was assembled in greate multitude tariyng to sée the ende of that execucion and talkyng diuersly of that sodaine Iudgemente praied all with one voice for the preseruacion of their ladie of whose chastitie thei were alredie right well assured Nowe as thei attended for the time of execucion the Ladie was placed in the mid of the Parke not without teares and sighes of the Assistauntes who murmured at the remembrance of the horror of a sight so furious The innocent Ladie knéeled doune vpon her knées and bothe by gesture and merie countenaunce shewed how ioyfully she went to suffer that whiche she had neuer deserued Then recōmending her soule to God for whose saluaciō she stedfastly hoped she pronounced this praier a loude O my Lorde God whiche diddest ones deliuer Daniel from a daūger like to this whervnto the false accusaciō of the wicked haue wrongfully cast me hedlong And diddest discharge Susanna from the slander of the peruerse and adulterous Iudges pleaseth thée pitifully to beholde thy poore creature Pardon O Lorde forgiue I humblie beseche thee the simplicitie of my deare husbande who dealeth thus with me rather through the circumuencion of deceiptfull cauillyng slaunderers then by his owne malice and crueltie Receiue O my GOD and mercifull father Receiue my soule betwene thy besse handes whiche thou hast redemed by the bloodde sheddyng of thy soonne Iesus vpon the Tree of the Crosse. As she had ended these woordes she sawe the Lions come for the rampyng and bristleyng vp their heare stretchyng foorthe their pawes with roaryng voice cruelly lookyng rounde about them Of whom the Ladie thought to be the present praie But the goodnesse of God who is a iust Iudge and suffreth his own elect to be proued to the extremitie of purpose to make their glorie the greater and the ruine of the wicked more apparaunt manifested there an euident miracle For the Lions beyng cruell of nature and that tyme hungrie and gredie of praie in lieu of tearyng the Ladie in péeces to gorge their rauening paunche thei fill to lickyng and fawnyng
out of her wittes saiyng Alas alas what paine and trouble what vnmeasurable tormentes suffreth now my poore afflicted minde without comfort or consolacion of any creature liuyng What dure and cruell penaunce doe I susteine for none offence at all Ah fortune fortune the enemie of my felicite and blisse thou haste so depriued me of all remedie that I dare not so muche as to make any manne knowe or vnderstande my mishappe that the same might be reuenged whiche beyng dooen would render suche contentacion to my mynde that I should departe out of this worlde the best contented and satisfied maiden that euer died Alas that the goddes did not graunte me the benefite that I might haue come of noble kinde to thintent I might haue caused that traiterous ruffien to féele the grieuous paine and bitter tormentes whiche my poore harte susteineth Ah wretched caitife that I am abādoned and forlorne of all good fortune now I doe sée that with the eyes of my mynde whiche with those of my bodie daseled and deceiued I could not sée or perceiue Ah cruell enemie of all pitie doest thou not knowe féele in thy minde the heauie and sorowful sounde of my bitter plaintes Understandest not thou my voice that crieth vengeaunce vpon thée for thy misdeede Can not thy crueltie in nothyng be diminished seyng me dismembred with the terrour of a thousande furious martirdomes Ah ingrate wretche is this now the rewarde of my loue of my faithfull seruice and myne obediēce And as she thus bitterly tormented her self her mother and brethren and her maide whiche was brought vp with her from her tēder yeres went vp to the chamber to Violenta where thei foūde her then so deformed with rage and furie that almost she was out of their knowledge And when thei went about to reduce her by all meanes possible from those furious panges and saw that it nothing auailed thei left her in the keping of the old maiden whō she loued aboue any other And after the maiden had vttered vnto her particularly many reasons for the appeasyng of her grief she tolde her that if she would be quiet a little while she would goe and speake to the knight Didaco and make hym to vnderstande his fault And would with discret order so deale with him that he should come home to her house therfore she praied her to arme her self againste this wickednes to dissemble the matter for a time that hereafter she might vse vpon hym iust reuenge No no Ianique answered Violenta the offēce is very small and light where counsaill is receiued and albeit that I cānot chose but confesse thy counsaill to be very méete yet there wanteth in me a mynde to followe it that if I did féele any parte in me disposed to obeye the same I would euen before thy face separate that mynde frō my wretched bodie For I am so resolued in the malice and hatred of Didaco that he can not satisfie me without life alone And I beleue the Goddes did cause me to be borne with myne owne handes to execute vengeaunce of their wrathe and the losse of myne honour Wherefore Ianique if frō my youth thou diddest euer loue me shewe now the same to me by effect in a matter whervnto thy helpe is moste necessary for I am so outraged in my mischief that I doe enuie the miserablest creatures of the worlde remainyng no more in me to continue my life in wailyng and continuall sighes but the title of a vile and abhominable whore Thou art a straunger and liuest here a beastly life ioyned with continuall labour I haue twelue hundred crounes with certaine Iewelles whiche that false traitour gaue me whiche bée predestinated by the heauens for none other purpose but to paie them their hire whiche shall doe the vengeaunce vpon his disloyall persone I dooe put the same money now into thy handes if thou wilt helpe me to make sacrifice with the bodie of poore Didaco But if thou dooest deny me thy helpe I will execute the same alone and in case he doe not die as I doe intende he shal be murdred as I maie For the first tyme that I shall sée hym with myne eyes come of it what will his life shal bee dispatched with these twoo trembling handes whiche thou seest Ianique seyng her maistresse in these termes and knowing her stoute nature indued with a manly and inuincible stomacke after she had debated many thynges in her mynde she determined wholie to impose her self for her maistres in that she was able to doe Moued partly with pitie to sée her maistresse dishonored with a defamed mariage and partely prouoked with couetousnesse to gaine so greate a somme of money whiche her maistresse did offer if she would condiscende to her enterprise thinking after the facte committed to flee into some other countrie And when she was throughly resolued vpon the same she imbraced Violenta and saied vnto her Maistresse if you will bee ruled by me and giue ouer the vehemence of your wrathe and displeasure I haue founde a waie for you to bee reuenged vpon Didaco who hath so wickedly deceiued you And albeeit thesame can not bée doen secretly but in the ende it must be knowen yet I doubt not but the cause declared before the Iudges and thei vnderstandyng the wronge he hath doen you thei will haue compassion vpon your miserie who knowe right well that alwaies you haue been knowen an estemed for a very honest and vertuous maiden And to the ende that you be informed how this matter maie bée brought to passe firste you muste learne to dissemble your grief opēly and to faine your self in any wise not to be offended with the newe Mariage of the knight Then you shall write vnto hym a letter with your owne hande lestyng hym thereby to vnderstande the paine that you suffer for the greate loue you beare hym and then ye shall humbly beseche hym sometimes to come and visite you And sithe that froward fortune will not sufixe you to bee his wife yet that it would please hym to vse you as his louer that you maie possesse the seconde place of his loue sithe by reason of his newe wife you can not inioye the firste Thus that deceiuour shal bee begiled by thinkyng to haue you at his commaundement as he was wont to doe And beyng come hither to lie with you wée will handle hym in suche wise as I haue inuented that in one night he shall lose his life his wife and her whom he thincketh to haue for his louer For when he is a bedde with you and fallen into his first sléepe wée will sende hym into an other place where in a more sounder slepe he shall euerlastynglie continue Violenta al this tyme whiche fedde her blooddie and cruell harte with none other repasie but with rage and disdaine began to bee appeased and founde the counsaill of Ianique so good that she wholie purposed to followe thesame And to begin her
lawes And besides that I shal not be alone amongst princesses that haue forsaken parents and countries to folow their loue into straunge Regions Faire Helena the Greke did not she abandon Menelaus her husband and the rych citie of Sparta to follow the faire Troian Alexander sayling to Troie Phedria and Ariadne despised the delicates of Creta lefte their Father a very olde man to go with the Cecropian Theseus None forced Medea the wise furious Lady but Loue to depart the Isle of Colchos her owne natiue country with the Argonaute Iason O good God who can resist the force of Loue to whome so many kinges so many Monarches so many wise men of all ages haue done their homage Surely the same is the only cause that compelleth me in making my self bold to forget my duety towards my parents and specially myne honor which I shall leaue to be reasoned vpon by the ignorant people that considereth nothing but that which is exteriourly offred to the view of the sight Ah how much I deceyue my selfe make a reckning of much without myne hoste And what knowe I if Alerane although he doe loue me wyll lose the good grace of the Emperour and forsake his goodes and so it may be to hazarde his life to take so pore and miserable a woman as I am Notwithstanding I will proue fortune death is the worst that can chaunce which I accelerate rather than my desire shall lose his effect Thus the faire and wise Princesse concluded her vnhappy state And all this time her best friend Alerane remayned in great affliction beyond measure and felte suche a feare as cannot be expressed with wordes only true louers know the force altogether like to that wherof the yong Prince had experience and durst not discouer hys euyll to her that was able to giue him her allegeance much lesse to disclose it to any deare friende of his into whose secrecie he was wont to commit the most part of his cares which was the cause that made him fele his harte to burne like a litle fier in the middes of a cleare riuer and sawe himself selfe ouerwhelmed within the waters hotter than those that be intermixed with sulphure do euaporat and send forth ardent smokes in an AEthna hill or Vesuue mountayne The Princesse impacient to endure so long could no longer kepe secrete the flames hydden within her without telling and vttering them to some whom her minde liked best and there to render them where she thought they toke their essense and being casting away all shame and feare which accustomably doth associat Ladies of hir estate and age One day she toke secretely asyde one that was her Gouernesse named Radegonde a Gentlewoman so vertuous wise and sober as any other that was in the Emperoures courte who for her approued manners and chaste life had the charge of the bringing vp and nourishing of Adelasia from her Infancie To this Gentlewoman then the amorous Princesse deliberated to communicate her secretes and to let her vnderstand her passion that she might finde some remedie And for that purpose they two retired alone within a closet the pore louer trembling like a leafe at the blast of the weasterne winde when the sunne beganne to spreade his beames syghing so strangely as if hir body and soule would haue departed sayde thus The trust which dayly I haue had in that naturall goodnesse which appeareth in you my mother and welbeloued Lady ioyned with discretion and fidelitie wherwith all your actes and affaires be recōmended do presently assure me and make me bolde in this my trouble to participate vnto you my secretes which be of greater importance without comparison than any that euer I tolde you persuading my selfe that the thing which I shall tell you whatsoeuer it be be it good or ill you will accepte it in suche wise as your wysedome requireth and to kepe it so close as the secrete of suche a Lady as I am doth deserue And that I may not holde you long in doubte what it is knowe ye that of late the valor prowesse beauty and curtesie of senior Alerane of Saxon hath founde suche place in my hearte that in despite of my selfe I am so in loue with him that my life is not deare vnto me but for his sake my hearte taketh no pleasure but in his glory and vertue hauing chosen him so vertuous a Prince for my friend and one day by Gods sufferaunce for my laweful spouse and husbande I haue assayed a thousand meanes so many wayes to cast him of to blot him out of my minde But alas vnhappy caytife Fortune is so frowarde and so vnmercyfull to my endeuour that the more I labour and goe about to extinguish in me the memorie of his name and commendable vertues so muche the more I do enlarge and augnient them the flames of which loue do take such increase that I do little or nothing estéeme my life without the enioying the effecte of my desire and the tast of such licor which nourishing my hope in pleasure may quench the fier that doth consume me Otherwise I sée no meanes possible but that I am constrayned eyther to lose my good wittes whereof already I felte some alienation or to ende my dayes with extreme anguishe and insupportable hearts sorrowe Alas I knowe well that I shal lose my time if I attempt to pray the Emperour my father to giue me Alerane to my husbande syth he doth already practise a mariage betwene the King of Hungarie and me And also that Alerane although he be a Prince of so noble bloud and so honorable house as the Saxon is yet is to base to be sonne in law to an Emperour In these my distresses it is of you alone of whome I loke for ayde I counsayle being certayne of your prudence and good iudgement and therfore I pray you to haue pity vpon me haue remorse vpon this immoderate passiō that doth torment me beyond measure Radegonde hearing Adelasia disclose this talke wherof she would neuer haue thought was so confounded and astoned that of long tyme she could not speake a word holding her hed downe reuoluing thousand diuers matters in her minde knew not wel what to answere the Princesse Finally gathering her spirits vnto her she answered her with teares in her eyes saying Alas Madame what is that you say Is it possible that the wisest vertuons and most courtcots Princesse of Europa could suffer her selfe in this sort through her onely aduise to be transported to her owne affections and sensual appetites Is it wel done that you seing in me a discretion and modestie doe not imitate the puritie therof be these the godly admonicions which heretofore I haue giuen you that you will so lightly defile your fathers house wyth the blot of infamie and your self with eternall reproche Would you Madame that vpon th ende of my yeares I should begin to betray my Lorde the Emperoure who hath committed to my
feared to thinke which was to haue her one day for friende if the name of spouse were refused Thus tormented wyth ioye and displeasure wandering betwene doubt and assurance of that he hoped The self same day that Adelasia practised with Radegonde for the obtayning of her ioy and secret ministerie of her Loue he entred alone into a garden into which the Princesse chambre had prospecte and after he had walked there a good space in an Alley viewing diligently the order of thé fruitfull trées of so diuers sortes as there be varietie of colours with in a faire meade during the vedure of the spring time and of so good and sauorous taste as the hearte of man coulde wyshe He repaired vnder a Laurel trée so well spredde and adorned with leaues about which trée you might hane sene an infinit number of Myrtle trées of smell odoriferous and swéete of Oringe trées laden wyth vnripe fruite of pliable Mastickes and tender Tameriskes And there he fetched his walkes along the thick grene herbs beholding the varietie of floures which decked beautified the place wyth their liuely and naturall colours He then rauished in this contemplation remembring her which was the pleasure and torment of his minde in sighing wise began to say O that the heauens be not propitious and fauourable to my indeuors Sith that in the middes of my iolities I fele a newe pleasaunt displeasure which doth adnihilate all other solace but that which I receyue throughe the Image paynted in my heart of that diuine beautie which is more variated in perfection of pleasures than this paradise and delicious place in varietie of enamell and paynting although that nature and arte of man haue workemanly trauailed to declare and set forth their knowledge and diligence Ah Adelasia the fairest Lady of all faire and most excellente Princesse of the earth Is it not possible for me to féede my self so well of the viewe and contemplation of thy heauenly and Angelicall face as I do of the sight of these faire and sundrie coloured floures May it not be broughte to passe that I may smell that swete breath which respireth through thy delicate mouthe béeing none other thing than Baulme Muske and Aumbre yea and that which is more precious which for the raritie and valor hath no name euen as I doe smell the Roses Pincks and Uiolets hanging ouer my head franckly offering themselues into my handes Ah infortunat Alerane there is no floure that ought to be so handeled nor sauor the swetenesse whereof ought not to be sented without desert merited before Ah Loue Loue that thou hast fixed my minde vpon so highe thinges Alas I feare an offence so daungerous which in the ende will bréede my death And yet I can not wythdrawe my heart from that smoke of Loue although I would force my selfe to expell it from me Alas I haue read of him so many times and haue heard talk of his force that I am afrayd to borde him and yet feare I shall not escape his gulfe Alas I knowe well it is he of whome is engendred a litle mirth and laughing after whiche doeth followe a thousande teares and weapings which for a pleasure that passeth away so sone as a whirle winde doth gyue vs ouer to greate repentance the sorrow wherof endureth a long time and sometimes his bitternesse accompanieth vs euen to the graue The pacients that be taynted with that amorous feuer althoughe continually they dye yet they can not wholy sée and perceiue for al that the defaut and lacke of their life albeit they doe wish and desire it still But alas what missehap is this that I do see the poyson that causeth my mischief and do know the way to remedie the same and yet neuerthelesse I can not or will not recouer the help Did euer man heare a thing so strange that a sick man seking help and finding recouery shoulde yet reiecte it Saying so he wepte and syghed so piteously as a little chylde threated by his mother the nourice Then roming vp and down vpon the grasse he séemed rather to be a man straught and bounde wyth chaynes than like one that had his wittes and vnderstanding Afterwardes being come againe to himselfe he retourned to his first talke saying But what am I more wise more constant and perfecte than so many Emperors Kinges Princes and greate Lordes who notwithstanding their force wisedome or richesse haue bene tributarie to loue The tamer and subduer of monsters and Tirants Hercules vanquished by the snares of loue did not he handle the distaffe in stead of his mighty mace The strong and inuincible Achilles was not he sacrificed to the shadowe of Hector vnder the color of loue to celebrate holy mariage wyth Polixena daughter to King Priamus The great Dictator Iulius Caesar the conqueror of so many people Armies Captaines and Kings was ouercome with the beautie and good grace of Cleopatra Quene of Egipt Augustus his successour attired like a woman by a yeoman of his chamber did he not take away Liuia from him that had first maried her And that cōmon enemie of man and of all curtesie Claudius Nero appeased yet some of his furie for the loue of his Lady What straunge things did the learned wise and vertuous Monarch Marcus Aurelius indure of his welbeloued Faustine And that great captaine Marcus Antonius the very terror of the Romaine people and the feare of strange and barbarous nations did homage to the childe Cupido for the beautie of Quéene Cleopatra which afterwardes was the cause of his whole ouerthrowe But what meane I to alledge remember the number of louers being so infinite as they be Wherfore haue the Poets in time past fayned in their learned and deuine bokes the loues of Iupiter Appollo Mars but that euery man may knowe the force of Loue to be so puissant that the Gods theselues haue felt his force to be inuincible ineuitable Ah if sometimes a gentleman be excused for abassing himselfe to Loue a woman of base birth and bloude why should I be accused or reprehended for loning the daughter of the chiefest Prince of Europe Is it for the greatnesse of her house and antiquitie of her race Why that is al one betwene vs two toke his originall of the place whereof at this day my Father is the chiefe and principall And admit that Adelasia be the daughter of an Emperoure Ah Loue hath no regarde to persons houses or riches rather is he of greater commendation whose enterpryses are moste famous and haute gestes extende their flyght farre of Nowe resteth then to deuise meanes howe to make her vnderstande my payne For I am assured that she loueth me sauing that her honoure and yong yeares doe let her to make it appeare more manifest But it is my propre duty to make request for the same considering her merites and my small desertes in respect of her perfections Ah Alerane thou must vnlose that tongue which
so long time hath ben tied vp through to much folish and feareful shame Set aside the feare of perill whatsoeuer it be for thou canst not imploy thy self more gloriously than vpon the pursuit of such a treasure that séemeth to be reserued for the fame of thy minde so highly placed which can not attayne greater perfections except the heauens do frame in their impressions a seconde Adelasia of whom I think dame nature her self hath broken the moulde who can not shake of Alerane from the chiefest place in whom he hath layd the foundation of his ioy that he hopeth to finde in loue During these complaynts Radegonde that saw him rauished in that extasy coniecturing the occasiō of his being alone caused him to be called by a Page who hearing that was surprised with a newe feare intermixt with a secret pleasure knowing very wel that she being the gouernesse of his Lady vnderstode the greatest priuities of her hart hoping also that she brought him gladsome newes and setting a good chere vpon his face all mated and confused for troubles past he repayred to the Lady the messanger who was no lesse ashamed for the tale that she must tell than he was afeard and dombe by sight of her whom he thought to bring the arreste and determination eyther of ioye or displeasure After curtesie and welcoms made betwene them the Lady preambled a certayne short discourse touching the matter to doe the Saxon prince to vnderstand the good wil harty loue of Adelasia towarde him praying him that the same might not be discouered syth the honor of his Lady did consist in the secrecie therof assuring him that he was so in fauour with the Princesse as any true and faythful louer could desire to be for his contētation I leaue to your consideration in what sodaine ioy Alerane was hearing such gladsome newes which he loked not for thought he was notable to render sufficient thankes to the messanger and much lesse to extolle the beauty and curtesie of his Lady who wythout any of his merites done before as he thought had him in so good remembraunce Beséeching moreouer Redegonde that she would in his name doe humble commendations to his Lady and therewyth to confirme her in the assurance of his perfect good wil and immutable desire euerlastingly at her commaundement onely praying her that he might say vnto Adelasia thrée words in secret that she might perceyue his heart and sée the affection wherewith he desired to obey her all the dayes of his life The messanger assured him of all that he required and instructed hym what he had to doe for the accomplishment of that he loked for which was that the nexte day at night she would cause him to come into her Warderobe which was adioyning to the Chamber of his Ladye to the ende that when her maydes were abrode he might repaire to the place where he might easly visite his maystresse and say vnto her what he thought good The compact thus made the Lady retourned to the Princesse that wayted with good deuotion for the newes of her beloued And hearing the report of Radegonde she was not contented that she should make repeticion of the same twice or thrice but a million of times and euen till night that she slepte vpon that thought with the greatest rest that she had receyued in a long time before The morrowe at the houre that Alerane should come Adelasia fayning her selfe to be yll at ease caused her maydes to goe to bed making her alone to tarry with her that was the messanger of her loue who a little while after went to séeke Alerane which was a building of Castels in the ayre fantasying a thousand deuises in his minde what might befall of that enterprise he went about notwithstanding he was so blinded in folly that without measuring the fault which he cōmitted he thought vpon nothing but vpon the presente pleasure which semed to him so great that the chamber wherein he was was not sufficient to comprehende the glory of his good houre But the Princesse on the other parte felte a maruellous trouble in her minde and almost repented that she had so hardely made Alerane to come into a place vndecent for her honor and at a time so inconuenient Howebeit seing that the stone was throwen she purposed not to pretermitte the occasion whiche being balde can not easely be gotten agayne if she be once let slip And whiles she trauailed in these meditations and discoursed vpon that she had to doe Radegonde came in leading Alerane by the hande whom she presented to the Princesse saying to her with a very good grace Madame I deliuer you this prisoner whome euen now I found here betwene your chambre and that wherin your maydes do lye now consider what you haue to do Alerane in the meane time was fallen downe vpon his knees before his sainct wholly bente to contemplate her excellent beauty and good grace which made him as dumbe as an Image She likewise beholding him that made her thus to erre in her honestie forced throughe shame and loue coulde not for beare to beholde him the power of her minde wholly transferred into her eyes that then yelded contentation of her heart which she so long time desired In the ende Alerane taking the hands of Adelasia many times did kisse them then receyuing corage he brake of that long silence and beganne to say thus I neuer thought Madame that the sight of a thing so long desired had bene of such effect that it would haue ranished both the mind and body of their propre duties and naturall actions if nowe I had not proued it in beholding the diuinitie of your beauty most excellent And truely Madame Radegonde did rightly terme this place here my prison considering that of long time I haue partly lost this my liberty of the which I féele now an intire alienatiō Of one thing sure I am that being your prisoner as I am in dede I may make my vaunt and boaste that I am lodged in the fairest and pleasauntest prison that a man can wishe and desire For which cause Madame be well aduised howe you doe vse and entreat your captiue and slaue that humbly maketh peticion vnto you to haue pitie vpon hys weakenesse which he wyll accepte a grace vnspeakeable if of your accustomed goodnesse it may please you to receyue him for yours for that from henceforth he voweth and consecrateth his life goods and honour to your commaundemente and seruice And saying so his stomake panted with continuall sighes and from his eyes distilled a riuer of teares the better to expresse and declare the secret force that made him to vtter these wordes Which was the cause that Adelasia embracing him very louingly sayde vnto him I know not Lord Alerane what prison that is where the prisoner is in better case than the prison of whom he termeth himselfe to be the slaue considering that I fele in me such a losse
for a certayn time which dyspleased William nothing at all bycause he should remaine harde by his Parentes who were very carefull for his well doing vtterly ignorant where he was become And notwithstanding a hope what I know not made them expect of their sonne some good fortune in time to come who was now growen great and of goodly perfection one of the most valiant souldiours that were in the wages and seruice of his Maiestie Which very brauely he declared in a combate that he fought man to man with an Almaine souldior that was hardy big made feared of all men whom neuerthelesse he ouercame in the presence of the Emperor his graundfather Who I knowe not by what naturall inclamation dayely fixed his eye vpon that yong Champion began to beare him more good wil than any other in his courte which was an occasion that an auncient Gentleman seruing in the Princes court ftedfastly beholding the face behauiour countenance of William semed to sée a picture of the Emperor when he was of his age which was more exactly viewed by diuers other that were broughte vp in their youth with Otho Wherof being aduertised he caused the yong man to be called forth of whome he demaunded the names of his Parentes and the place where he was borne William that was no lesse curteous humble and wel manered than wise valiant and hardy kneled before the Emperor with a stout countenance resembling the nobilitie of his Auncestours answered Most sacred and renowmed Emperor I haue nothing whereof to render thankes to fortune but for the honour that your maiestie hath done vnto me to receiue me into your noble seruice For the fortune and condition of my parentes be so base that I blushe for shame to declare them vnto you Howebeit being your humble seruant and hauing receyued fauour of your Maiestie not commonly employed your commaundemente to tell you what I am I will accomplish aswel for my bounden duty wherwith I am tied to your maiestie as to sastisfie that which it pleaseth you to commaunde me Be it knowen therefore vnto your Maiestie that I am the sonne of two poore Almaines who flying their owne country withdrew themselues into the deserts of Sauonne where to beguile their hard fortune they make coales sel them to sustaine and relieue their miserable life In which exercise I spent al my childehode although it were to my great sorrowe For my heart thought Sir that a state so vile was vnworthy of my coragious minde which dayly aspired to greater thinges and leauing my father and mother I am come to your seruice to learne chiualry and vse of armes and mine obedience saued to your maiestie to finde a waye to illustrate the base and obscure education wherein my parents haue brought me vp The Emperor seing the curteous behauiour of the yong mā by this wise answere remembring the similitude of his face which almost resembled them both suspected that he was the sonne of Alerane and of his daughter Adelasia who for feare to be knowen made themselues Citizens of those deserts albeit that William had tolde him other names and not the proper appellations of his father and mother For which cause his heart began to trobbe and felt a desire to sée his daughter and to cherish her with like affection as though he had neuer conceyued offence and displeasure He caused then to be called vnto him a gentleman the nere kinsman of Alerane to whom he sayde with merie countenaunce and ioyful there You doe knowe as I thinke the wronge and displeasure that your cosin Alerane hath done me by the rape and robbery committed vpon the person of my daughter you are not ignoraunt also of the reproche wherewith he hath defiled al your house committed a felonie so abhominable in my court and against mine owne person which am his soueraigne Lorde Notwithstanding sith it is the force of Loue that made me forget him til this time rather than desire of displeasure I am very desirous to sée him and to accept him for my sonne in law and good kinsman very willing to aduaunce him to that estate in my house which his degrée and bloude doe deserue I tell you not this without speciall purpose For this yong souldiour which this day so valiantly and with such dexteritie vanquished his aduersary by the consent of al men which haue knowen me from my youth doth represent so well my figure and lineaments of face which I had whē I was of his age that I am persuaded and doe stedfastly beleue that he is my Neuew the sonne of your cosin Alerane and my daughter Adelasia And therfore I will haue you to goe with this yong man into the place where he shall bring you and to sée them that be his parents bycause I purpose to doe them good if they be other than those whom I take them But if they be those two that I so greatly desire to sée doe me so much pleasure as I may satisfie my heart with that contentation swearing vnto you by the crowne of my Empire that I will doe no worse to them nor otherwise vse them than mine owne proper person The gentleman hearing the louing and gentle tearmes of the Emperor sayde vnto him Ah Sir I render humble thanks vnto your Maiestie for the pitie that you haue vpon our dishonored race and ligneage of Saxone dedecorated and blemished through Aleranes trespasse against you I praye to God to recompence it we being vnable and to giue you the ioy that you desire and to me the grace that I may doe some agreable seruice both in this and in al other things I am readie Sir not onely to goe seke my cosin if it be he that you thinke it is to carry vnto him those beneficial newes which your Maiestie hath promised by worde but rather to render him into your handes that you may take reuengement vpon him for the iniurie that he hath done to the whole Empire No no sayde the Emperour the desired time of reuengement is past and my malice agaynst Alerane hath vomited his gal If in time past I haue thrifted to pursue the ruine and ouerthrowe of those two offenders nowe I goe about to foresée and séeke their aduauncement and quiet considering the long penaunce they haue taken for their faulte and the fruite that I see before mine eyes which is such that it may by the smell and fragrant odour thereof supporte the weakenesse and debilitie of my olde yeares and constraineth me by the vertue therof to haue pitie vpon his parentes which through their owne ouerthrow haue almost vtterly consumed me Those wordes ended the good Prince gaue euident testimony of desire to sée his only daughter by the liuely colour that rose in his face and by certaine teares rūning downe along his heard that began to ware graye Then he caused William to come before him and commaunded him to condude the gentleman to that part of the
corrupt humoure of those that haue a feauer which taking his beginning at the heart disperseth it self incureably through all the other sensible parts of the body whereof this present historie giueth vs amplie to vnderstande being no lesse maruelous than true Those that haue read the auncient histories and Chronicles of Spaine haue sene in diuers places the occasion of the cruell ennimitie which raygned by the space of .xl. yeares betwene the houses of Mendozza and Tolledo families not only right noble and auncient but also most abundant in riches subiectes and seigniories of all the whole realme It happened one day that their armies being redy to ioyne in battaile the Lord Iohn of Mendozza chief of his army a man much commended by al histories had a widowe to his sister a very deuout Lady who after she vnderstode the heauy newes of that battayle falling downe vpon hee knées prayed God incessauntly that it woulde please him to reconcile the two families together and to make an ende of so many mischiefes And as she vnderstode that they were in the chiefest of the conflict and that thers were a great number slaine on both partes she made a vowe to God that if her brother retorned victorious from the enterprise she would make a voyage to Rome on foote The ouerthrow fell after muche bloudshead vpon them of Tolledo Mendozza brought away the victorie with the lesse losse of his people Wherof Isabell aduertised declared vnto her brother the vowe that she had made Which semed very straunge vnto him specially howe she durst enterprise so long a voyage on fote and thought to turne her purpose howbeit she was so importunate vpon him that in the ende he gaue her leaue with charge that she shoulde goe well accompanyed and by small iourneyes for respect of her health The Lady Isabell being departed from Spaine hauing trauersed the moūtaynes Pirtenees passed by Fraunce went ouer the Alpes and came to Thurin where the Duke of Sauoye had then for wife a sister of the King of England who was bruted to be the fairest creature of the weast partes of the worlde For this canse the Lady Isabell desired greatly in passing by to sée her to knowe whether truth did aunswere the great renowme of her beautie Wherin she had Fortune so fauorable that entring into Thurin she found the Duchesse vpon her Coche going abrode to take the ayre of the fields Which the Lady Isabell vnderstanding stayed to beholde her being by fortune at that present at the dore of her Coche And then with great admiration considering the wonderfull beautie of that princesse iudging her the chiefest of beautie of al those that she had euer séene she spake somewhat loude in the Spanish tongue to those of her companie in this manner If God would haue permitted that my brother and this Princesse might haue married together euery man might wel haue sayde that there had bene mette the most excellent couple for perpectiō of beautie that were to be founde in all Europa And her wordes in dede were true For the Lorde Mendozza was euen one of the fairest Knights that in his time was to be founde in al Spaine The Duchesse who vnderstode the Spanish tongue very well passing forth beheld all that company And fayning not to vnderstand those wordes thought that she surely was some great Lady Wherfore when she was a litle past her she sayde to one of her Pages Mark whether that Lady and her company goe to their lodging and say vnto her that I desire her at my retourne to come and sée me at my castell which the Page did So the Duchesse walking a long the riuer of Poo mused vpon the words spoken by the Spanish Lady which made her not long to tarry there but toke the way back againe to her Castell where being arriued she founde the Lady Isabell who at the Duchesse request attended her with her company And after dutifull reuerence the Duchesse with like gratulacion receiued her very curteouslye taking her a parte and demaunding her of what prouince of Spaine shee was of what house and what Fortune had brought her into that place And then the Lady Isabell made her to vnderstand from the beginning the occasion of her long voyage of what house she was The Duchesse vnderstanding her nobilitie excused her selfe for that she had not done her that honour which she deserued imputing the fault vpon the ignorance that she had of her estate And after diuers other curteous communication the Duchesse would néedes knowe whervnto the wordes tended that she had spoken of her and of the beautie of her brother The Spanish Lady somewhat abashed sayde vnto her Madame yf I had knowen so muche of your skill in our tongue as nowe I doe I would haue bene well aduised before I had so exalted the beauty of my brother whose prayse had bene more commendable in the mouth of some other Yet thus muche I dare affirme without affection be it spoken as they that knowe him can report that he is one of the comliest gentlemen that Spaine hath bred these .xx. yeares But of that which I haue spoken touching your beautie if I haue offended muche a doe shall I haue to gette the same pardoned bycause I cannot repent me nor say otherwise except I should speake contrarie to truth And that durst I enterprise to be verified by your self if it were possible that Nature for one quarter of one houre onely had transported into some other that which with right great wonder she sheweth now in you Whervnto the Duchesse to th ende she would séeme to excuse her prayse answered with a litle shame fastnesse which beautified much her liuely colour saying Madame if you continue in these termes you wil constraine me to think that by changing of place you haue also changed your iudgement For I am one of the least to be commended for beautie of al this lande or else I wil beleue that you haue the beautie and valor of my Lorde your brother so printed in your minde that all that which presenseth it self vnto you hauing any apparance of beauty you measure by the perfection of his And at that instant the Lady Isabell who thought that the Duchesse had taken in euill parte the comparison that she had made of her and her brother somwhat in choler and heate therewythal sayde vnto her Madame you shal pardon me if I haue so muche forgotten my selfe to presume to compare your beautie to his Whereof if he be to be commended yet I may well be blamed being his sister to publish the same in an vnknowen place But yet I am well assured that when you shal speake euen with his enemies that yet besides his beautie they will well assure him to be one of the gentlest and best condicioned gentlemen that liueth The Duchesse seing her in these alterations and so affected to the prayse of her brother toke gret pleasure therin and willingly would haue
passion and that he coulde not long prolong his lyfe without the fauoure of her good grace who onely was the very remedy of his euill The Duchesse pestred with suche like talke sayde vnto him Sir Countie me think you ought to haue satisfied your self with my first refusall wythout further continuance in the pursuing of your rash enterprise Haue you forgotten the place that you kepe and the honor whervnto my Lorde the Duke my husband hath exalted you Is this now the loyall reward that you rendre vnto him for creating you his Lieutenant ouer all his landes and seigniories to demaunde the preheminence of his bed Assure your selfe for finall warning that if euer hereafter you shal againe fal into lyke error I sweare vnto you by the fayth of a Princesse that I will make you to be chastised in suche sorte as all semblable Traytors and disloyall seruaunts shall take example The Earle seing him selfe refused and thus rebuked and in doubt that the Princesse would make her husband to vnderstand his enterprise vpon his retourne chaunging this great loue into an hate more than mortall determined whatsoeuer should come thereof to inuent all meanes possible vtterly to destroy the Duchesse And after that he had fansied diners things in his minde he deuised by the instinct of the diuell to cause one of his Nephewes being of the age onely of xviij or .xx. yeares which was his heire apparant for that he had no children one of the fayrest and best condicioned Gentlemen of all Thurin to sort that deuilish attempt to purpose m And finding opportunity one day he sayde to the yong man that depended wholly vpon him these wordes Nephewe thou knowest that all the hope thou hast in this worlde lyeth in me alone making accompt of thée as of my childe And for that it pleased God to giue me no children I haue constituted and ordeined thée my sole and onely heire with ful hope that from henceforth thou wilt accompt thy self most bounde vnto me and therefore obedient in all thinges which I shall commaunde thée specially in that which may be moste for thine aduauncement The Duke as thou knowest is absent old and croked and at al houres in the mercy of death through daungers of the warres Nowe if he should chaunce to dye my desire is to mary thée with some great Lady Yea and if it were possible with the Duchesse her selfe which God knoweth what profit it would bring both to thée and thine in my iudgement an easie matter to compasse yf thou wilt despose thy self after my counsell or at least wyse if thou canst not come to the title of husband thou mayst not fayle to be receiued as her friend Thou art a comely Gentleman in good fauor with the Duchesse as I haue oftentimes perceyued by her communication albeit that holding fast the bridle of her honor she hath bene afrayd hitherto to open her selfe vnto thée Spare not my goods make thy selfe braue from henceforth whatsoeuer it cost and be diligent to please her in al that thou mayst and time shall make thée know that which thy tender yeares hath hitherto hidden from thée The poore yong man giuing sayth to the vnfaythfull inuentions of his vncle whom he counted as his Father began ofte to frequent the presence of the Duchesse and shamefastlye to solicite her by lookes and other offices of humanitie as nature had taught him continuing that order by the space of a moneth Which perceyued by the Duchesse she was diligent for her part to accept the honest affectionate seruice that the yong man daylie did vnto her and shewed vnto him likewise a certaine courteous fauor alwayes more than to the reste of the Pages aswell for the birthe and beautie where withall nature had enriched him as for that she fawe him enclined to doe her seruice more than the rest not thinking of anye dishonest appetite in the yong man nor of the malice of his vncle who hauing none other felicitie in the world but in reuenge of the Duchesse his enimie not able to beare the cruel vengeaunce rooted in his heart determined to play double or quitte And calling hys Nephewe before him he sayde vnto him My childe I doe perceiue and sée that thou art one of the most happiest gentlemen of all Europe if thou knewest how to followe thine owne good luck For the Duchesse not onely is amorous of thée but also consumeth for earnest loue which she beareth to thée But as thou knowest women be shamefast and would be sued vnto in secrete and doe delight to be deceyued of men to th ende it might séeme howe with deceit or force they were constrayned to graunt that vnto them which of their owne mindes they woulde willingly offer were it not for a little shame fastnesse that withdraweth thē And thereof assure thy selfe for I haue oftentimes experimented the same to my great contentaciō Wherfore cre dit my Councell and folow mine aduise And thou thy self shalt confesse vnto me before to morrow at this time that thou arte the happyest man of the worlde I will then that this night when thou séest conuenient time thou shalt conuey thy selfe secretely into the chamber of the Duchesse and to hide thy selfe a good way vnder the bedde for feare of being perceyued by any creature where thou shalt remaine vntill an houre after midnight when all men be in the depth of their sléepe And when thou perceiuest euery man at rest thou shalt closely rise and approching the Duchesse bedde thou shalt tell what thou arte and I am sure for the earnest loue which she beareth thée and for the long absence of her husbande she will courteously receyue thée betwene her armes feast thée with such delicate pleasures as amorous folke doe their louers The simple yong man giuing fayth to the wordes of his vncle that was honored as a King thinking perhaps that it procéeded by the persuasion of the Duchesse followed his commaundement and obeyed wholly his trayterous and abhominable request And oportunitie founde accomplished from point to point that which his cruell vncle had commaunded who a little before midnight fearing least his treason should be discouered tooke with him thrée Counsellors and certayne other of the Guarde of the Castle Whervnto as Lieutenant to the Duke he might both enter issue forth at all times when he lift and without declaring hys enterprise went straight to the portal of the Duchesse chambre knocking at the dore sayd that the Duke was come Which being opened he entred in with a number of lightes accompanied with the Guarde hauing a rapier ready drawen in his hande like a furious man besides himselfe began to loke round about and vnder the bed of the Duchesse from whence he caused his owne propre Nephewe to be drawen To whom without giuing him leasure to speake one word for feare lest his mischief should be discouered he sayd O detestable villaine thou shalt dye and there
the city and calling one of the Guard sayd vnto him Good fellowe I pray theée goe bidde the Counte of Pancalier to prepare hym selfe to mayntaine the false accusation which he hath made against the Duchesse of Sauoie And further tell him that there is a knight here that will make him to denie that accusation before he part the fielde and wil in the presence of all the people cut out that periured tong which durst commit such treason against an innocent Princesse This matter was in a moment published throughout al the citie in such sorte that you might haue séene the Churches full of men and women who prayed to God for the redemption of their maistresse During the time that the Guard had done hys Ambassage the Lorde of Mendozza went towardes the piller where the accusation was written attēding when the accuser should come forth The Earle of Pancalier aduertised hereof began incontinently to féele a certayne remorse of conscience which inwardly gript him so néere that he endured a torment like to very death And being vnable to discharge himselfe thereof would willingly haue wished that he had neuer committed the same Neuerthelesse to the intent he might not séeme slacke he sent worde to the knight that he should write his name vpon the piller to whome Mendozza made aunswere that he might not knowe his name but the combat he would make him fele before the day went downe The Earle of Pancalier made difficultie at the combat if first and formost he knew not the name of him with whome he should haue to doe The matter well aduised it was clearely resolued by the Iudges that the statuts made no mention of the name and therefore he was not bounde therevnto but that the statute did expresly fauor the defendant gyuing vnto him the election of the armour and semblablie it was requisite that the person accused should be brought forth in the presence of the two Champions Which things vnderstanded by the Earle albeit that he trusted not his quarell yet making a vertue of necessitye and not vnlearned in the order of such conflictes forthwith armed himselfe and came into the place ordayned for the campe where he found his enemy armed in a black armour in token of mourning Immediatly after they sent for the Duchesse who ignoraunt of the matter wondered much when she vnderstode there was a knight in the fielde armed all in blacke séeming to be a noble man that promised some greate matter by hys dexteritie and bolde countenaunce and woulde also maintaine against the Earle of Pancalier his accusation to be false The pore Duchesse then not being able to imagine what he should be greatly troubled in her minde and comming forth of the Castle was conducted in a litter couered with blacke cloth accompanied with more than two hundred Ladyes and damsels in semblable attyre vnto the place where the Iudges the people and the two Knightes were who did but attende her comming And after they had wayghted her going vp to a little stage ordained for that purpose the Deputies for the assurance of the campe demaunded of her these wordes saying Madame For that you be accused of adulterie by the Earle of Pancalier here present and the custome requireth that you present a Knight with in the yeare and day by force of armes to trie your right are you determined to accept him that is here present and to repose your self vpon him both for your fault and innocencie The Duchesse aunswered that she committed all her right into the mercy of God who knewe the inward thoughts of her hearte and to the manhode of the Knight albeit she thought that she had neuer séene him And when she had ended those words she fell downe vpon her knées then lifting vp her eyes all blubbered with teares towardes heauen she sayd O Lord God which art the very veritie it self and knowest the bitternesse that I féele in my heart to sée my selfe falsly accused shewe forth nowe the treasure of thy grace vpon me wretched Princesse And as thou diddest deliuer Susanna from her trouble and Iudith from Holosernes deliuer me from the hande of a Tirant Who lyke a Lion hungrie for my bloude deuoureth both mine honour and life And hauing made an ende of her prayer she remained vnmoueable as if she had bene in a traunce And nowe the Knight Mendozza offended to sée the Earle to praunce his horse vp and downe the campe making him to vaute and leape with a countenaunce very furious sayde vnto him Traitoure Counte bycause I am certayne that the accusation whiche thou hast forged against this Princesse is inuented by the greatest villanie of the world I doe maintaine here before al these people that thou hast falsely accused her that thou liest in thy Throte in al that thou hast contriued against her and that the hast deserued to be put into a sacke to be cast into the riuer for that murder that thou hast cōmitted vpon thy Nephewe the innocent bloud of whome doth now cry for vengeāce to be taken for thy sinne before god And scarce had he made an ende of his words but the Earle answered him with a meruellous audacity Infamous villaine which hidest thy name for feare lest thy vices shuld be knowē thou art now fouly deceiued by thinking to warrant her who hath offēded against the Duke her husband by her whoredome adulterie And for that thou hast parled so proudely and wilt not be knowen I can not otherwise think but that thou art some one of her ruffians And therfore I do mayntaine that thou thy self doest lye that thou deseruest to be burnt in the same fyre with her or else to be drawen wyth foure horsses by the crosse pathes of this towne to serue for an exāple in the worldes to come not only for all lasciuious Ladies Dāsels but also for such mischeuous whoremongers as be lyke to thy selfe Incontinently after the Harraulde of armes began to make the accustomed crye and the Knightes to put their Launces in their restes they let run their Horses with such violence that ioyning themselues their shieldes their bodyes and heades togither they brake their staues euen to their harde Gauntlets so roughlye that they fell both downe to the grounde without losing neuerthelesse the raynes of the bridles But the heate of the heart and desire to vanguish made them readily to get vp againe hauing cast away the troncheons of the staues layde handes on their swordes and there began so straunge and cruell a sturre betwéene them that they whiche were the beholders were affighted to sée them able to endure so muche For they were so fleshed one vpon another and did so thick bestow their strokes without breathing that the lookers on cōfessed neuer to haue séene any combat in Piemonte betwene two single persōs so furious nor better followed than that of the Earle and of the Knight Mendozza But the Spanish Knight encoraged with the Iustice of
Ladyes to imbrace Constancie as to imbolden thē in the refusal of dishonest sutes for which if they doe not acquire semblable honor as this Lady did yet they shall not be frustrate of the due rewarde incident to honor which is fame immortall praise Gentlemen may learne by the successe of this discourse what tormentes be in Loue what trauailes in pursute what passions lyke ague fittes what disconueniences what lost labour what playntes what griefes what vnnaturall attemptes be forced Many other notorious examples be contayned in the same to the great comforte and pleasure as I trust of the well aduised reader And althoughe the aucthor of the same perchaunce hath not rightly touched the propre names of the Aucthors of this tragedie by perfect appellations as Edward the thirde for his eldest sonne Edward the Prince of Wales who as I reade in Fabiā maried the Countesse of Salesburie which before was Countesse of Kent wife vnto sir Thomas Holand whose name as Polidore sayth was Iane daughter to Edmund Earle of Kent of whome the same Prince Edward begat Edward that dyed in his childish yeres Richard that afterwards was King of England the seconde of that name for that she was kinne to him was deuorced whose sayd father maried Phillip daughter to the Earle of Henault had by her .vij. sonnes And AElips for the name of the sayd Countesse being none such amongs our vulgare termes but Frosard remēbreth her name to be Alice which in dede is common amongs vs and the Castle of Salesberic where there is none by that name vpon the Frontiers of Scotland albeit the same Frosard doth make mention of a castle of the Earle of Salesburies giuen vnto him by Edward the thirde when he was Sir William Mountague and maried the sayde Lady Alice for his seruice and prowesse againste the Scottes and Rosamburghe for Roxboroughe and that the sayde Edward when he sawe that he could not by loue and other persuasions attayne the Countesse but by force maried the same Countesse which is altogether vntrue for that Polydore and other aucthors doe remember but one wyfe that he had which was the sayde vertuous Quéene Phillip with other like defaultes yet the grace of the Historie for al those errors is not diminished Wherof I thought good to giue this aduertisement And waying with my selfe that by the publishing hereof no dishonour can redound to the illustre race of our noble Kinges and Princes ne yet to the blemishing of the fame of that noble king eternized for his victories and vertues in the auncient annales Chronicles and monuments forren and domesticall bicause all natures children be thrall and subiect to the infirmities of their first parents I doe with submission humblie referre the same to the iudgement and correction of them to whome it shall appertaine Which being considered the Nouell doth begin in this forme and order THere was a King of Englande named Edward which had to his first wyfe the daughter of the Counte of Henault of whom he had children the eldest wherof was called also Edward the renowmed Prince of Wales who besides Poictiers subdued the french men toke Iohn the French King prisoner and sent him into England This Edward father of the Prince of Wales was not onely a capitall enemie of the French men but also had continuall warres with the Scottes his neighbours and seing himselfe so disquieted on euery side ordayned for his Lieutenant vpon the frontiers of Scotland one of his captaynes named William Lorde Montague To whome bicause he had fortified Roxboroughe and addressed manye enterprises agaynst the enemies he gaue the Earledome of Salesburie and married him honorablie with one of the fairest Ladies of England Certayne dayes after King Edwarde sent him into Flaundres in the companie of the Earle of Suffolke where Fortune was so contrarie that they were both taken prisoners by the French men and sent to the Louure at Paris The Scottes hearing tell of their discomfiture and howe the marches were destitute of a gouernour they spéedely sent thether an armie with intent to take the Countesse prisoner to raise her Castle to make bootie of the riches that was there But the Earle of Salesburie before his departure had giuen so good order that their successe was not suche as they hoped For they were so liuely repelled by them that were within that not able to indure their furie in steade of making their approches they were constrayned to goe further of And hauing intelligence by certayne spies that the King of Englande was departed from London with a great armie to come to succour the Countesse perceyuing that a farre of they were able to doe little good they were fame shortly to retire home agayne to their shame King Edward departed from London trauayling by great iourneyes with his armie towardes Salesberic was aduertized that the Scottes were discamped and fled agayne into Scotland Albeit they had so spoyled the Castle in many places that the markes there gaue sufficient witnesse what their intente and meaning was And althoughe the King had thought to retourne backe agayne vpon their retire yet being aduertized of the great battrie and of the hote assault that they had giuen to the Castle he went forth to visit the place The Countesse whose name was AElips vnderstanding of the kings comming causing al things to be in so good readinesse as the shortnesse of the time could serue furnished her selfe so wel as she could with a certaine numbre of Gentlewomen and souldiers that remained to issue forth to méete the King who besides her naturall beautie for the which she was recommended aboue al the Ladies of her prouince was enriched with the furniture of vertue and curtesie Which made her so incomparable that at one instant she rauished the heartes of al the Princes Lordes that did beheld her in such wise that there was no talke in all the armie but of her graces and vertue and speciallie of her excellent and surpassing beautie The king hauing made reuerence vnto her after he had wel viewed al her gestures and countenaunces thought that he had neuer séene a more goodlier creature Then rapt with an incredible admiration he sayde vnto her Madame Countesse I doe beleue that if in this attire and furniture wherein you now be accompanied with so rare and excellent beautie ye had bene placed vpon one of the rampiers of your Castle you had made more breaches with the lookes beames of your sparkling eyes in the harts of your enemies than they had bene able to haue done in your Castle with their thundering Ordinaunce The Countesse somewhat shamefast and abashed to heare her selfe so greatly praysed of a Prince so great began to blushe and taint with roseall colour the whitenesse of her alablaster face Then lyfting vp her bashefull eyes somewhat towards the king she sayd vnto him My soueraygne Lorde your grace may speake your pleasure But I am well assured that
if you had séene the numbre of shotte which by the space of .xij. houres were bestowed so thick as hayle vpon euery parte of the Forte you might haue iudged what good will the Scottes did beare vnto me and my people And for my selfe I am assured that if I had made proufe of that which you say and submitted my selfe to their mercie my bodie nowe had bene dissolued into dust The king astonned with so sage wise an aunswere chaunging his minde went towarde the Castle where after interteignement and accustomed welcome he began by little and little to féele himselfe attached with a newe fier Which the more he labored to resist the more it inflamed And feling this newe mutacion in himselfe there came into his minde an infinite nūbre of matters balancing betwene hope and feare sometimes determining to yelde vnto his passions sometimes thinking clerely to cut them of for feare least by committing himselfe to his affections the vrgent affayres of the warres wherwith he was inuolued should haue yll successe But in the end vanquished with Loue he purposed to proue the heart of the Countesse and the better to attayne the same he toke her by the hande and prayed her to shewe him the commodities of the Forteresse Which she did so well and with so good grace interteigning him all that while with infinite talke of diuers matters that the little griftes of Loue which were scarcely planted began to grow so farre as the rootes remayned engrauen in the depth of his heart And the King not able any longer to endure suche a charge in his minde pressed with griefe deuised by what meanes he might enioy her which was the cause of his disquiet But the Countesse seing him so pensife without any apparaunt occasion sayde vnto him Sir I doe not a little maruell to sée you reduced into these alterations For me thinke your grace is maruellously chaunged with in these two or thre houres that your highnesse vouchsaued to enter into this Castle for my succour and reliefe in so good time that al the dayes of my lyfe both I and mine be greatly bounde vnto you as to him which is not onely content eliberallie to haue bestowed vpon vs the goodes which we possesse but also by his generositie doth cōserue and defende vs from the incursions of the enemie Wherein your grace doth deserue double praise for a déede so charitable But I cannot tell nor yet deuise what should be the occasion that your highnesse is so pensife and sorrowfull sithe without great losse on your part your enemies vnderstanding of your stoute approch be retired which ought as I suppose to driue away the melancolie from your stomack and to reuoke your former ioy for so muche as victorie acquired without effusion of bloude is alwayes moste noble and acceptable before God The King hearing this Aungelles voyce so amiably pronouncing these wordes thinking that of her owne accorde she came to make him mery determined to let her vnderstand his griefe vpon so conuenient occasion offred Then with a trembling voyce he sayde vnto her Ah Madame howe farre be my thoughtes farre different from those which you doe thinke me to haue I féele my heart so opprest with care that it is impossible to tell you what it is howheit the same hath not bene of long continuance being attached there withall since my comming hither which troubleth me so sore that I cannot tell wherevpon well to determine The Countesse seing the King thus moued not knowing the cause why was vncertayne what aunswere to make Which the king perceiuing sayde vnto her fetching a déepe sigh from the bottome of his stomack And what saye you Madame therevnto can you giue me no remedie The Coūtesse which neuer thought that any such dishonestie coulde take place in the kings heart taking things in good part sayde vnto him Syr I know not what remedie to giue you if first you doe not discouer vnto me the griefe But if it trouble you that the Scottish king hath spoyled your countrie the losse is not so great as wherewith a prince so mighty as you be néede to be offended sithens by the grace of God the vengeance lyeth in your hand and you may in tyme chasten him as at other times you haue done Wherevnto the king seing her simplicitie answered Madame the beginning of my grief riseth not of that but my wounde resteth in the inwarde parte of my heart which pricketh me so sore that if I desire from henceforth to prolong my lyfe I must open the same vnto you reseruing the cause thereof so secrete that none but you and I must be partakers I muste nowe then confesse vnto you that in cōming to your Castle and casting downe my head to beholde your celestiall face and the rest of the graces wherwith the Heauens haue prodigally endewed you I haue felt vnhappie man as I am such a sodayne alteratiō in all the most sensible partes of my bodie that knowing my forces diminished I can not tell to whome to make my complaint of my libertie lost which of long time I haue so happyly preserued but only to you that like a faythfull keper and onely Treasorer of my heart you may by some shining beame of pitie bring againe to hys former mirth and ioye that which you desire in me and by the contrarie you maye procure to me a life more painefull and grieuous than a thousand deathes together When he had ended these wordes he helde his peace to let her to speake attending none other thing by her aunswere but the laste decrée eyther of death or lyfe But the Countesse with a grauitie conformable to her honestie honor without other mouing sayde vnto him If any other besides your grace had bene so forgetfull of himselfe to enter in these tearmes or to vse suche talke vnto me I knowe what shoulde be myne aunswere and so it might be that he shoulde haue occasion not to be well contented but knowing this your attempt to procéede rather from the pleasantnesse of your hearte than for other affection I will beleue from henceforth and persuade my selfe that a Prince so renowmed and gentle as you be doth not thinke and much lesse meane to attempt any thing against myne honour which is a thousand times dearer vnto me than lyfe And I am persuaded that you doe not so little estéeme my father and my husband who is for your seruice prisoner in the hands of the French men our mortall enemies as in their absence to procure vnto them suche defamation and slaunder And by making this request your grace doth swarue from the boundes of Honestie very farre and you doe greate iniurie to your fame if men shoulde know what tearmes you doe vse towards me In like manner I purpose not to violate the faith which I haue giuen to my husbande rather I intende to kepe the same vnspotted so long as my soule shall be caried in the Chariot of this
olde Earle which neuer thought that a request so vniust and dishonest would haue procéeded oute of the mouth of a King with frank and open hart offred that liberall graunt The king then thinking that he had sounded the depth of the Earles affection chaunging colour his eyes fixed on the ground sayde vnto him Your daughter the Countesse of Salesburie my Lorde is the onely medicine of my trauayles whome I doe loue better than my owne life and doe féele my selfe to inflamed with her Heauenly beauty that without her grace and fauour I am not able hereafter to lyue for thys consideration syth you desire to doe me seruice and to preserue my lyfe I praye you to deale so with her that she with compassion may looke vpon me Crauing this request at your handes not without extreme shame considering aswell your honorable state as your auncient merites imployed vpon me and my progenitoures But according to your modestie and accustomed goodnesse impute the faulte vpon amorous loue which in such wise hath alienated my libertie and confounded my heart that now ranging out of the boundes of honor reason I féele my selfe tormented vexed in minde Wherby I am prouoked to make this request and not able to expell the mortal poyson out of my heart which hath diminished my force intoxticated my sense and hath depriued my minde from all good counsell that I can not tell what to do but to séeke to you for helpe hauing no kinde of rest but when I sée her when I speake of her or think vpō her And I am at this present reduced into so pitifull state that being not able to winne her by intreaties offers presents sutes ambassages and letters my onely and last refuge and assured port of all my miseries resteth in you eyther by death to ende my lyfe or by force to obtayne my desire The Earle hearing the vneiuile and beastlye demaunde of his soueraigne Lorde blushing for shame and throughlie astonned filled also with a certayne honest and vertuous disdayne was not able to dissolue his tongue to render a worthy aunswere to the afflicted Prince Finally lyke one awaked from his deade sléepe he sayde vnto him Sir my wittes fayle my vertue reuolteth my tongue is mute at those words that procéede from your mouth wherby I fele my self brought into two so straunge and perillous poyntes that passing eyther by one or other I muste néedes fall into very great daunger But to resolue my selfe vpon that which is moste expedient hauing giuen vnto you my fayth in pledge to succour and helpe you euen to the abandoning of honor and lyfe I will not be contrarie to my wordes And touching my daughter for whom you haue made request I will reueale vnto her the effect of your demaunde yet of one thing I muste tell you sir power I haue to entreate her but none at all to force her Inoughe it is that she vnderstande of me what heart and affection you beare vnto her But I doe maruell yea and complayne of you pardon me most dradde soueraigne and suffer me without offence to discharge my griefe before your presence rather than to your shame and myne eternall infamie it should be manifested and published abrode by other I saye that I maruell sir what occasion moued you to commit such reproch in my stocke bloude and by an acte so shamefull and lasciuious to dishonor the same Which neuer disdayned to serue both you and yours to the vttermost of their powers Alas vnhappy father that I am is this the guerdon and recompence that I and my children shal expect for our trusty and faithfull seruices Oh sir for Gods sake if you liste not to be liberal of your owne seke not to dishonour vs and to inflict vpon our race suche notable infamie But who can loke for worse at the hands of his mortall and cruell enemie It is you euen you it is most noble Prince that doth rauishe my daughter of her honor dispoyle me of my contentation ye take from my children hardinesse to shewe their faces from all our whole house the auncient fame and glory It is you that hath obscured the clearenesse of my bloude with an attempt so dishonest and detestable that the memorie thereof shall neuer be forgotten It is you that doth constraine me to be the infamous minister of the totall destruction of my progenie and to be a shamelesse Pandarus of my daughters honor Thinke you sir that you meane to helpe and succoure me when others shal attempt to obiect before my face this slaunder and reproch but if your self doe hurte me where shall I hereafter seke reliefe and succour If the hand which ought to helpe me be the very same that doth giue me the wound where shall the hope be of my recouerie For this cause may it please your Maiesty whether iustlie I doe make my complaynt and whether you giue me occasion to aduaunce my cryes to the heauens your selfe shall be the Iudge For if like a Iudge in dede you doe giue ouer your disordinate affectiō I then appeale to the iudgement of your inuincible mynde accomplished with all curtesie and gentlenesse On the other side I doe lamente your Fortune when I thinke vpon the reasons which you haue alleaged and the greater cause I haue to complayne bicause I haue knowen you from your youth and haue alwayes déemed you at libertie and frée from suche passions not thrall or subiect to the flames of Loue but rather giuen to the exercise of armes And nowe seing you to become a prisoner of an affection vnworthy your estate I can not tell what to thinke the noueltie of this sodayne chaunce semeth to be so straunge Remember sir that for a little suspicion of adulterie you caused Roger Mortimer to be put to death And being skarce able to tell it without teares you caused your own mother miserably to die in prisō And God knoweth how small your accusacions were and vpon howe light ground your suspicion was conceyued Doe not you knowe how wonderfully you be molested with warres and that your enemies trauell daye and night to circumuent you both by sea lande Is it now time then to giue your selfe to delightes to captiuate your minde in the pleasures of Ladies Where is the auncient generositie nobilitie of your bloud Where is the magnanimitie valour wherewith you haue astonned your enemies shewed your selfe amiable to your friendes and wonderful to your subiects Touching the last point wherby you threaten that if my daughter doe not agrée to your desire you will forcibly enioy her I will neuer confesse that to be the fact of a valiaunt and true king but of a vile cowardly cruell and libidinous tyraunt I trust it be not the pleasure of God that nowe at the age you be of you will begin to force Gentlewomen that be your humble subiectes which if you do this Iland shal lose the name of a Realme and hereafter
sorrowe The nightes and dayes were all one to him for he coulde take no reste giuing ouer vse of armes administration of iustice hunting and hauking wherein before that time he had great delight And all his study was many tymes to passe and repasse before the gate of the Countesse to proue if he might attayne to haue some sight of her And things were brought to so pitifull state that within fewe dayes the Citizens and other gentlemen began to perceyue the raging loue of their Prince euery of them with common voice blaming the crueltie of the Countesse that was vnmaried who the more she proued the king inflamed with her loue the more squeymishe she was of her beautie The Peres and noble men seing their king reduced to such extremitie moued with pitie and compassion began secretely to practise for him some with threatnings some with flatteries persuasions some went to the mother declaring vnto her the eternall reste and quiet prepared for her al her friendes if she woulde persuade her daughter to encline to the kings minde and contrarywise the daunger iminent ouer her head But all these deuises were in vaine for the Countesse moued no more than a harde rocke beaten with diuers tempestes Notwithstanding at length seing that euery man spake diuersly as their affections did leade them she was so troubled and penfife in heart that fearing to be taken and that the king vanquished with his strong passion by successiō of time would vse his force and violently oppresse her founde meanes to gette a great sharpe knife which she caryed about her secretly vnder her gowns of purpose that if she sawe her self in peril to be defloured she might kill her selfe The Courtyers offended with the martirdome of their Maister and desirous to gratifie him and to seke meanes to do him pleasure conspired all in general against the Earles familie letting the king to vnderstand that it were most expedient sith that things were out of hope to cause AElips to be brought to his Palace to vse her by force Whervnto the king being dronke in his owne passion did willingly agrée Notwithstanding before he passed any further for that he faythfullye loued the Countesse he determined to aduertise the mother of the Countesse of that whiche he intended to doe and commaunded his Secretarie to goe séeke her with diligence and without concealing any thing from her knowledge to instructe her of the whole The Secretarie finding the mother of the Countesse sayd vnto her Madame the King hath willed me to say vnto you that he hath done what he can and more than his estate requireth to wynne the grace and Loue of your daughter but séeing that she hath despised his prayers disdained his presence and abhorred his griefes and complaintes knowing not what to doe any more his last refuge is in force letting you to vnderstande hereof to the intent that you she may consider what is to be done in this behalfe For he hath determined whether you will or no to fetch her out openly by force to the great dishonour slaunder and infamie of al your kinne And where in time past he hath loued fauored the Earle your husbande he trusteth shortly to make him vnderstande what is the effecte of the iuste Indignation of such a Prince as he is The good Lady hearing this sodaine and cruel message was astōned in such wise that she thought how she saw her daughter already trained by the heares of the head her garments haled and torne in pieces with a rufull and lamentable voyce crying out to him for mercy For this cause with blubbering teares trembling for feare she fell downe at the Secretaries féete straightly imbracing his knées sayd vnto him Maister Secretarie my deare and louing frende Beseche the King in my name to remember the paine and seruice done vnto him by mine Anncestors Intreate him not to dishonour my house in the absence of the Earle my husbande And if you be not able by your persuasion to molifie his harde heart desire him for a while to take pacience vntill I haue aduertised my daughter of his wil and pleasure whome I hope so to persuade that she shall satisfie the kings request When she had made this answere the Secretarie declared the same to the King who madde with anger Loue was contente and neuerthelesse commaunded his gentlemen to be in a readynesse to seke the Countesse In the meane time the mother of faire AElips went to her daughters chamber and after she had commaunded all her maydes which accompanied her to withdrawe themselues out of the chamber she began in fewe wordes to recite vnto her the message done vnto her by the Secretary Finally with sobbing sighes she sayde vnto her The dayes haue bene deare daughter that I haue séene thée to kéepe thy state amonges the chiefest of all the Ladyes of the Realme And I haue counted my selfe happie that euer I did beare thée in my wombe and thought by meanes of thy beautie vertue one day to sée thée to become the ioy and comfort of all thy frendes But now my cogitacions be tourned cleane contrarie thorowe thyne vnluckie fate Now I thinke thée to be borne not only for the vniuersall ruine of all our familie but also which grieueth me most to be an occasion and instrument of my death and the desolation of al thy frends But if thou wilt somewhat moderate thy rigor all this heauinesse shortly shall be tourned into ioy I or our King and soueraigne Lorde is not onely in Loue with thée but for the ardent affection and amitie that he beareth vnto thée is out of his wittes and nowe doth conspire againste vs as thoughe we were Traitors and murderers of our Prince In whose handes as thou knowest doth rest the lyfe honor and goodes both of thy selfe and vs all And what glory and tryumphe shall be reported of thée to our posteritie when they shall knowe that by thy obstinate crueltie thou hast procured the death of thyne olde father the death of thy hore headed mother and the destruction of thy valiant and coragious brethren and dispoyled the rest of thy bloude of their possessions and abilitie But what sorrowe and griefe will it be to sée them wander in the worlde like vagaboundes banished from their liuings and remaine in continuall pouertie without place and refuge in their miserie who in steade of blessing or praysing the houre of thy birth will cursse thée in their mynde a thousande times as the cause of all their ouerthrowe and yll fortune Thinke and consider vpon the same deare daughter for in thée alone consisteth the coseruation of our liues and hope of al our frendes This lamentable discourse ended the afflicted Coūtesse not able any longer to resist that pangue but that her heart began to waxe so faynt that with her armes a crosse she fel downe halfe dead vpon her daughter who seing her without mouing and without any apparaunce of
say whether of them merited greatest honor eyther his grace his beauty or his excellente tong but that which brought him into best reputation was his great hardinesse whereof the common report and brute was nothing impeached or stayed for all his youth For in so many places he shewed his maruellous chiualcie that not onely Spaine but Fraunce and Italie did singularlie commend and set forth his vertue bicause in all the warres wherein he was presēt he neuer spared himself for any daūger And when his countrie was in peace and quiet he sought to serue in straunge places being loued and estemed both of his frends and enemies This Gentleman for the loue of his Captayne was come into that coūtrie where was arriued the Countesse of Arande and in beholding the beautie and good grace of her daughter which was not then past .xij. yeares of age he thought that she was the fayrest moste vertuous personage that euer be sawe and that if he coulde obtayne her good will he shoulde be so well satisfied as if he had gayned al the goods and pleasures of the world And after he had a good while viewed her for all the impossibilitie that reason could deuise to the contrary he determined to loue her although some occasion of that impossibilitie might rise through the greatnesse of the house whereof she came for want of age which was not able as yet to vnderstand the passiōs of loue But against the feare thereof he armed himselfe with good hope persuading with himselfe that time aud pacience woulde bring happy ende to his trauayle And from that time gentle Loue which without any other occasion than by his owne force was entred the hearte of Amadour promised him fauour helpe by all meanes possible to attayne the same And to prouide for the greatest difficultie which was the farre distance of the Countrie where he dwelt and the small occasion that he had thereby any more to sée Florinda he thought to marrie against his determinatiō made with the Ladies of Barlelone and Parpignon amongs whom he was so conuersant by reason of the warres that he séemed rather to be a Cathelan thā a Castillan although he were borne by Tolledo of a riche and honourable house but bicause he was a yonger brother he inioyed no great patrimonie or reuenue Not withstanding Loue and Fortune séeing him forsaken of his parents determined to accomplishe some notable exployte in him gaue him by meanes of his vertue that which the lawes of his coūtry refused to giue He had good experience in factes of warre and was so wel beloued of all Princes and Rulers that he refused many times their goodes as a man that wayed not the same The Countesse of whome I spake arriued thus at Sarragossa was very well interteigned of the king and of his whole Court The Gouernor of Cathalogne many times came thither to visite her whō Amadour neuer fayled to accōpany for the only pleasure he had to talk with Florinda And to make himselfe to be knowen in that company he went to Auenturade which was the daughter of an old Knight that dwelt hard by the house which from her youth was brought vp with Florinda in such familiar sorte that she knew all the secrets of her hart Amadour aswel for the honesty that he found in her as for the liuing of thrée thousand Ducats by the yere which she shoulde haue to her mariage determined to giue her such interteignemēt as one that was disposed to marry her Whervnto the Gentlewoman did willingly recline her eare And bicause that he was pore and the father of the damosel rich she thought that her father would neuer accorde to the mariage excepte it were by meanes of the Countesse of Arande Wherevpon she went to Madame Florinda and sayde vnto her Madame you sée this Castillan Gentleman which so oftentimes talketh with me I doe beleue that his pretence is to marry me You doe know what a father I haue who will neuer giue his consent if he be not persuaded therevnto by my Lady your mother you Florinda which loued the damosell as her selfe assured her that she would take vpon her to bring that matter to passe with so earneste trauayle as if the case were her owne Then Auenturade brought Amadour before Florinda who after he had saluted her was lyke to fall in a sowne for ioy and although he were compted the moste eloquent person of Spaine yet was he now become mute and dumb before Florinda wherat she maruelled much For albeit she was but. xv yeares of age yet she vnderstode that there was no man in Spaine that had a better tongue or a more conuenable grace than he And seing that he sayde nothing vnto her she spake vnto him in this wise The same which is bruted of you sir Amadour through out the whole countrie of Spaine is such that it maketh you knowen and estemed in this companie and giueth desire and occasion to those that know you to imploy themselues to doe you pleasure Wherefore if there be any thing wherin I may gratifie you vse me I beseche you Amadour that gased vpō the beautie of that Lady was rapt and surprised not wel able to render thankes vnto her And although Florinda maruelled to sée him without aunswere yet she imputed the same rather to bashfulnesse than to any force of loue and departed without any further talke Amadour knowing the vertue which in so tender yeares began to appeare in Florinda sayde vnto her whom he purposed to marry Doe not maruell though my talke doe fayle before Madame Florinda for the vertues and wise wordes hidden in that yong personage did so amase me that I wist not what to say But I pray you Auenturade quod he which knoweth all her secretes to tell me if it be otherwise possible but that she hath the heart of all the Lordes and Gentlemen of the Court for they which knowe her and doe not loue her be stones or beasts Auenturade which then loued Amadour more than all the men in the world and would conceale nothing from him sayde vnto him that Madame Florinda was beloued of the whole world but for the custome of the coūtrie few men did speake vnto her And quod she as yet I sée none that make any semblance vnto her but two yong Princes of Spaine which desired to marry her whereof the one is the sonne of the Infant Fortune and the other of the Duke of Cadouce I pray you thē quod Amadour to tel me which of them as you thinke doth loue her best She is so wise sayd Auenturade that she will confesse or graūt her loue to none but to suche as her mother pleaseth But so far as we can iudge she fauoreth much better the sonne of the Infant Fortune thā the Duke of Cadouce And for that I take you to be a man of good iudgemente this day you shall haue occasion to iudge the truth For the
him agayne yet the heart which is not subiect vnto vs would not accord to that crueltie For which consideracion she loued him no lesse than she was wont to doe and knowing that loue was the cause of that faulte she purposed for satisfaccion of Loue to loue him with all her hearte and yet throughe obedience and fealtie due to her honor she thought neuer to make other semblance In the morning Amadour departed in this sorte troubled as you haue heard neuerthelesse his coragious heart entred not in dispaire but renued a fresh hope once againe to sée Florinda and to winne her fauour Then he toke his iourney towards the court of Spaine which was at Tolledo taking his way by the Countesse of Arande where late in an euening he arriued and founde the Countesse very sicke for the absence of her daughter Florinda When she sawe Amadour she kissed and imbraced him as if he had bene her owne childe aswell for the loue she bare vnto him as for the lyke which she doubted that he bare to Florinda of whome very earnestly she inquired for newes who told her the best that he could deuise but not the whole truth and confessed vnto her the loue betwéene Florinda and him which Florinda had stil conceled kept secrete praying her ayde to bring him agayne into her fauour and the next morning he departed And after he had done his businesse with the Quéene he repaired to the warres so sadde and chaunged in all his conditions that the Ladyes Captaines and all they that were wonte to kepe him companie did not know him His apparel was all black mourning for the death of his wyfe whereby he couered the sorrowe which was hid in his heart In this wise Amadour passed thrée or foure yeares before he returned to the Court. And the Countesse of Arande which heard tell that Florinda was so sore chaunged that it would haue moued any mans heart to beholde her sente for her hoping that she would haue come but her expectatiō was frustrate for when Florinda vnderstode that Amadour had told her mother the good wil betwene them and that her mother being so wise vertuous giuing credit to Amadour did beleue his wordes she was in meruellous perplexitie bicause of the one side she saw that her mother did esteme him so wel that if she declared vnto her the truth Amadour might conceyue some displeasure Which thing she had rather dye than to doe wherefore she thought her selfe strong ynough to chastise him of his folly without helpe of her friends On the other side she perceyued that by dissembling the euill which she knew by him she shoulde be constrayned by her mother and her friendes to speake vnto him and to beare him good countenaunce whereby she feared his euill opinion would be the more encoraged But seing that he was far of she passed the lesse of the matter And when the Countesse her mother did commaund her she wrote letters vnto him but they were suche as he might wel gather that they were written rather vpon obedience than of good will the reading whereof bred sorrow vnto him in place of that ioye he was wont to cōceyue in her former letters Within the terme of two or thre yeares after he had done so many noble enterprises that all the paper of Spaine could not contayne them he deuised a newe inuention not to winne and recouer the hearte of Florinda for he déemed the same quite lost but to haue the victorie ouer his enemye sithens she had vsed him in that sort and reiecting all reason and speciallye feare of death into the hazarde whereof he hasted himselfe he concluded and determined his enterprise in suche sorte that by reason of his behauiour towardes the Gouernor he was deputed sent by him to treate with the king of certayn exploites to be done at Locates sparing not to impart his message to the Countesse of Arande before he tolde the same to the king to vse her good aduise therin And so came in poste strayght into the Countie of Arande where he had intelligence in what place Florinda remayned and secretly sent to the Countesse one of his frends to tel her of his comming to pray her to kepe it close and that he might speake with her that night in such secret wise as no man might haue knowledge thereof The Countesse very ioyful of his coming told it to Florinda sent her into her husbandes chamber to put of her clothes that she might be ready when she should sende for her after euery man was gone to bed Florinda which was not yet well boldened by reasō of her former feare making a good face of the matter to her mother withdrewe her selfe into an orato rieor chappel to recōmend her selfe to God praying him to defend her hart from all wicked affection considered howe often Amadour had praysed her beautie which was not impaired or diminished although she had bene sick of long time Wherfore thinking it better to doe iniurie to her beautie by defacing it than to suffer the heart of so honeste a personage by meanes thereof wickedly to be inflamed she toke vp a stone which was within the Chappell and gaue her selfe suche a great blow on the face that her mouth eyes and nose were altogether deformed And to the intent no man might suspect what she had done when the Countesse sent for her in going out of the Chappell she fell downe vpon her face vpon a great stone and there withall cried out so loud that the Countesse came in and found her in that pitious state who incontinently dressing her face and binding it vp with clothes conueyed her into her chamber and prayed her to goe into her closet to enterteigne Amadour til she were weary of his cōpanie Which she did thinking that there had bene some body with him But finding him alone and the dore shut vpon her Amadour was not so wel pleased as she was discontented Who nowe thought eyther with loue or force to get that which he had so long tyme desired And after he had spoken a fewe wordes vnto her and founde her in that minde he left her and that to die for it she woulde not chaunge her opinion desperately he sayde vnto her By God Madame the fruit of my labour shall not be thus taken from me for scruples and doubtes And sith that Loue pacience and humble desires can not preuaile I will not spare by force to get that which except I haue it will be the cause of my destruction When Florinda sawe his face and eyes so altered that the fayrest die and colour of the worlde was become so red as fyer and his most pleasaunt and amiable loke transformed horrible and furious that very hote burning fyer séemed to sparkle within his heart and face and in that furie with one of his strong fiftes he griped her delicate and tender handes On the other side she séeing all her defences
to fayle her and that her fete and handes were caught in suche captiuitie that she could neyther run away nor yet defend herselfe knew none other remedie but to proue if he had yet remayning in him any griftes of the former loue that for the honor therof he might forget his crueltie Wherfore she sayde vnto him Amadour if now you doe accompt me for an enemie I besech you for the honestie of the loue which at other times I haue found planted in your heart to giue me leaue to speake before you doe torment me And when she sawe him reclining his eare she pursued her talke in this wise Alas Amadour what cause haue you to seke after the the thing whereof you shall receyue no contentation inflicting vpon me suche displeasure as there can be no greater You haue many tymes proued my will and affection in the tyme of my youthfull dayes and of my beautie farre more excellent than it is nowe at what tyme your passion might better be borne with and excused than nowe In suche wise that I am amased to sée that you haue the heart to torment me at that age and greate debility wherwith I am now indued I am assured that you doubte not but that my will minde is such as it was wont to be Wherefore you cannot obtayne your demaunde but by force And if you sawe how my face is arraied you woulde forget the pleasure which once you receyued in me and by no meanes would forcibly approche nere vnto me And if there be left in you yet any remnantes of loue it is impossible but that pitie may vanguishe your furie And that to pitie and honestie whereof once I had experience in you I doe make my plainte and of the same I doe demaund grace and pardon to thintent that according to your persuasion and good aduise you maye suffer me to liue in peace honesty which I haue determined during my life And if the loue which you haue borne me be cōuerted into hatred that more for reuengement than affection you doe purpose to make me the most vnhappy wight of the worlde I assure you you shall not be able to bring your intent to passe besides that you shall constrayne me against my determination to vtter and reueale your villany disordinate appetite towards her which did repose in you an incredible affiance by discouering whereof thinke verely that your life cannot continue without perill Amadour breaking her talke sayde vnto her If I die for it I wil presentlie be acquieted of my torment But the deformitie of your face which I thinke was done by you of set purpose shall not let me to accomplishe my will For since I can get nothing of you but the bones carcasse I wil holde them so fast as I can And when Florinda sawe that prayers reason nor teares coulde not auaile but that with crueltie he woulde néedes followe his villanous desire which she had stil auoided by force of resistance she did helpe her selfe so long til she feared the losse of her breath and with a heauy and pitious voice she called her mother so loude as she coulde crye who hearing her daughter calling with such rufull voyce began gretly to feare the thing that was true Wherfore she ranne so fast as she could into the warderobe◠Amadour not being so nere death as he sayd he was left of his hold in such good time as the Lady opening her closet founde him at the dore and Florinda farre ynough from him The Countesse demaunded of him saying Amadour what is the matter Tell me the truth Who like one that was neuer vnprouided of excuse with his face pale and wanne and his breath almoste spente sayde vnto her Alas Madame in what plight is my Lady Florinda I was neuer in all my life in that amase wherein I am now For as I sayde vnto you I had thought that I had inioyed part of her good will but now I know right well that I haue nothing at all I thinke Madame that sith the time she was brought vp with you she was neuer lesse wise and vertuous than she is but she is very daungerous and squeimish in speaking and talking and euen now I woulde haue loked vpon her but she woulde not let me And when I sawe that countenaunce thinking that it had bene some dreame or vision I desired to kisse her hand according to the fashion of the countrie which she vtterly refused True it is Madame I haue offended her wherof I craue pardon of you but it chaūced only for that I toke her by the hande which I did in a maner by force kissed the same demaunding of her no other contentation But she like one as I suppose that hath sworne my death made an outery for you as you haue heard for what cause I know not except that she were affrayde that I woulde haue forced some other thing Notwithstanding Madame what so euer the matter be I protest vnto you the wrong is mine and albeit that she ought to loue all your honest seruants yet fortune so willeth that I alone the most affectioned of thē all is clearelye exempt out of her fauour And yet I purpose still to continue towardes you her the same man I came hither beseching your good grace and fauour sithens that without my desert I haue lost hers The Countesse which partelye beleued and partelye mistrusted his talke went vnto her daughter and demaunded of her wherefore she cried out so loude Florinda aunswered that she was affrayd And albeit the Countesse subtilly asked her of many things yet Florinda would neuer make other answere for that hauing escaped the hands of her enemie she thought it punishment ynough for him to lose his labor After that the Coūtesse had of long time cōmuned with Amadour she left him yet once againe to enter in talke with Florinda before her to sée what coūtenaūce she would make him To whō he spake few words except they were thanks for that she had not cōfessed the truth to her mother praying her at least wife that seing he was dispossessed out of her heart she would suffer none other to receiue his place But she answering his former talke sayd If I had had any other meanes wherwith to defend my self from you than by crying out she shoulde neuer haue heard me and of me you shall neuer heare worse except you doe constrayne me as you haue done and for louing any other man you shal not néede to feare For sith I haue not founde in your heart which I estemed the moste vertuous in all the worlde the good successe that I desired I will neuer beleue hereafter that vertue is planted in any man And this outrage shal make me frée from all passions that Loue can force and in saying so she toke her leaue The mother which behelde her countenaunce could suspect nothing and after that tyme she knew wel that her daughter bare
he neuer saw a better in his lyfe You haue reason sayde the king And I beleue that if a gentleman were determined to kill me and did knowe the force of myne armes and the goodnesse of my heart accompanied with this sword he would be twice well aduised before he attempted the enterprise Not withstanding I would accompte him but a cowarde we being alone without witnesses if he did not attempt that which he were disposed to doe The Counte Guillaume with bashfull and astonned countenaunce answered Sir the wickednesse of the enterpâ—ise were very great but the folly in the execucion were no lesse The King with those wordes fell in a laughter and put the sworde into the skaberd againe And hearing that the chase drew nere him he made to the same so fast as he could when he was come thether he sayde nothing of that which had passed betwéene him and the Counte verely thought that Counte Guillaume althoughe that he was so strong and stoute a gentleman as was in that tyme yet he was no man to doe so great an enterprise But the CouÌ„te Guillaume fearing to be bewraied or suspected of the facte next day morning repayred to Robertet the Secretarie of the Kings reuenewes and sayd that he had well wayed the giftes and annuities which the king woulde giue him to tarrie but he perceyued that they were not sufficient to interteigne him for halfe a yere that if it pleased not the king to double the same he should be forced to depart praying the sayd Robertet to knowe his graces pleasure so sone as he coulde who sayde vnto him that he himselfe coulde without further commission coulde disbirsse no more vnto him but gladlie whithout further delaie he would presentlye repayre to the king which he did more willingly bicause he had séene the aduertisements of the Gouernor aforesayde And so sone as the king was awake he declared the matter vnto him in the presence of MoÌ„sier Trimouille and Monsier Bouiuet Lord Admirall who were vtterly ignorant of that which the king had done To whom the king sayd Loe ye haue bene miscontented for that I woulde not put away the Counte Guillaume but now ye sée he putteth away himselfe Wherefore Robertet tell him that if he be not conteÌ„t with the state which he receyued at his first entrie into my seruice wherof many GeÌ„tlemen of good houses would think themselues happy it is mete that he seke his better fortune and tell him that I woulde be loth to hinder him but wil be very well contented that he seke where he may liue better accordingly as he deserueth Robertet was so diligent to beare this aunswere to the Counte as he was to present his sute to the king The Counte sayde that with his licence he woulde gladly goe forthwith And like one that feare forced to departe was not able to beare his abode .xxiiij. houres And as the King was sitting downe to dinner fayning to be sorye for his departure but that necessitie compelled him to lose his preseÌ„ce he toke his leaue He went likewise to take leaue of the kings mother which she gaue him with so great ioye as she did receyue him being her nere kinsman friende Then he went into his Countrie And the king séeing his mother and seruants astoned at that his sodayne departure declared vnto them the Al Arme which he had giuen him saying that although he was innoceÌ„t of the matter suspected so was his feare great ynough to depart from a maister with whose condicions hitherto he was not acquainted A straunge punishment A punishment more rigorous than death of a husband towarde his wyfe that had committed adultery The Lvj. Nouell KIng Charles of Fraunce the .viij. of that name sent into Germany a Gentleman called Bernage Lorde of Cyure besides Amboise Who to make spéede spared neyther day nor night for execution of his Princes commaundement In such wise that very late in an euening he arriued at the castle of a Gentleman to demaunde lodging which very hardly he obtayned Howbeit wheÌ„ the gentleman vnderstode that he was the seruaunt of such a king he prayed him not to take in ill part the rudenesse of his seruaunts bicause vpon occasion of certaine his wiues friendes that loued him not he was forced to kepe his house so straight At what tyme Bernage told him the cause of his iourney wherein the Gentleman offered to doe to the King his Maister al seruice possible Leading him into his house where he was feasted lodged very honorably When supper was ready the Gentleman conueyed him into a parler well hanged with fayre Tapistrie And when the meate was set vpon the table he perceyued a woman comming forth behinde the hanging which was so beautifull as might be sene sauing that her heade was all shauen and apparelled in Almaine blacke After both the Gentlemen had washed water was brought to the gentlewoman who when she had washed she sat downe at the table without speaking to any man or any word spokeÌ„ vnto her The Lord Bernage beholding her wel thought her to be one of the fayrest Ladies that euer he sawe if her face had not bene so pale her countenaunce so sad After she had eaten a little she called for drink which one of the seruants brought vnto her in a straunge cup. For it was the head of a dead man trimmed with siluer Whereof she drancke twice or thrice When she had supped and washed her handes making a reuerence to the Lorde of the house she retourned behinde the hangings without speaking any worde Bernage was so muche amazed at that strauÌ„ge sight that he waxed very heauie and sad The gentleman that marked him sayd vnto him I sée wel that you be astonned at that you saw at the table But seing your hnoest demeanor I wil not kepe the thing secret froÌ„ you bicause you shall not note that crueltie to be done without gret occasion This gentlewoman which you sée is my wife whome I loued bettter than any gentleman could loue his wife In such sort that to marry her I forgat all feare and brought her hither in dispite of her parents She likewise shewed vnto me such signes of loue that I attempted a thousand wayes to place her here for her ioy and myne where we liued a long tyme in suche rest and contentation that I thought my selfe the happiest Gentleman in Christendome But in a iourney which I made which to attempt mine honor forced me she forgot both her selfe her conscience and the loue which she bare towardes me and fell in loue with a Gentleman that I brought vp in this house which vpon my returne I perceyued to be true Notwithstanding the loue that I bare her was so great that I had no mistrust in her til such tyme as experience did open myne eyes and saw the thing that I feared more than death For which cause loue was tourned into furie and dispaire in suche wise that I
haue proued that mischiefe and am yet in the greatest excesse and pangues of my disease I féele alas a diuersitie of anguishes a Sea of troubles whiche tormente my minde yet I dare not discouer the occasiō seing that the thing which is the cause of my grief to be of suche desert that my seruice past all that is to come is not able to giue the proofe if one speciall grace and fauor doe not inlarge the litle power that is in me to counteruaile the greatenesse and perfection of that cause whiche thus doeth variat and alter bothe my thoughtes and passions Pardon me madame if I doe speake obscurely for the confusion of my mynde maketh my wordes correspondent to the qualitie of the same Notwithstandyng I will not kepe silente from you that whiche I dooe suffre and muche lesse dissemble what passiō I indure beyng assured aswel for your vertue gentlenes that you moued with compassion will succour me so much as shal lie in you for preseruacion of the life of hym that is the best and moste obedient seruaunt emōges them all that doe you humble seruice The Ladie whiche neuer thought of the wickednesse whiche this insensate man began to imagine answered him very curteously I am sory truely for your mishappe and doe merueile what should be the effecte of that passion whiche as you saie you fele with suche dimunicion of that whiche is perfecte and accomplished in you For I doe sée no cause that ought to moue you to so straunge infirmitie whereof you tolde me wherwith I had alredie found fault although you had said nothyng I would to GOD I knewe whiche waie to helpe you aswel my lorde my husbandes sake who I am sure doeth beare you good will as for the honestie which hetherto I haue knowen to be in you which as I thinke all men resemblyng you for vertue and good condicions doe deserue that accōpt and consideracion He that thought her alredie to be taken in his nettes seyng so faire a waie open and cleare to disclose that whiche he had kept couert so long tyme in the depth of his harte answered Ah madame are ye ignoraunt of the forces of Loue how much his assaultes can debilitate the liuelihode of the bodies and spirites of men Knowe ye not that he is blinde and naked not caryng whether he goeth manifestyng hymself there where occasion is offred Alas madame if you haue not pitie vpon me and doe not regarde that whiche I doe suffer for the loue of you I knowe not how I am able to auoide Death whiche will approche so sone to cutte of and abridge my yeres as I shall vnderstande a refusal of that whiche the extreme Loue that I beare you madame forcethe me to require whche is to receiue a newe seruice of your aunciente and faithfull seruiture who inflamed by the bright beames of your diuine face knoweth not now how to chaunge the affeccion muche lesse to receiue helpe but of that place where he receiued the pricke Excuse madame I beseche you my rashenesse and pardon my follie accusyng rather either your celestiall beautie or els that tiraunt Loue who hath wounded me so luckelie that I esteme myne euill fortunate and my wounde happie sithe by his meane my thoughtes and cogitacions doe onely tende to doe you seruice and to loue you in myne harte whiche is the Phenix of the faireste and moste curteous ladies within al our Prouince Alas that excellencie whiche thus maketh me your seruasit shall one daie be my ruine if by your good grace speakyng it with wepyng teares you doe not fauor hym whiche liueth not but to obeie you and whiche lesing your good grace will attempte to depriue hymself of life whiche being depriued through your crueltie will goe to complaine himself of his bolde attempt and also of your rigor emonges the ghostes and shadowes of thē that be alredie dedde for like occasions The chaste Ladie was so rapt of wittes for the straungenes of the case and for the grief whiche she conceiued to sée the vnshamefast hardinesse of the varlette that she could not tell how to make hym answere But in the ende breakyng silence and fetchyng a great sighe from the bottome of hec harte her face slained with a fresh Uermilion rudde whiche beautified her colour by reason of disdaine conceiued against this impudent Orator she answered hym verie seuerely O God who would haue thought that from a hart nobly brought vp and deriued from an honourable race a villanie so greate could haue taken roote and spryng vp with suche detestable fruicte What maister Stewarde Haue ye forgotten the duetie of a seruaunt towarde his lorde and maister Haue ye forgotten I saie the duetie of a vertuous gentleman well nourished and trained vp towarde suche and so greate a Ladie as I am Ah These and Traitour that thou art Is this the venime whiche thou kepest so couert and secrete vnder the swetenesse of thy counterfaicte vertue A vaunte varlette a vaunte Goe vtter thy stuffe to them that be like thy self whose honour and honeslie is so farre spent as thy loialtie is lighte and vaine For if I heare thee speake any more of these follies bee assured that I will mortifie that ragyng flame whiche burneth thy light beleuyng harte and will make thée feele by effecte what maner of death that is wherein thou reposeste the rest of thy trauell As this deceued Oratour was framyng his excuse and aboute to moderate the iuste wrathe of his Ladie displeased vpon good occasion she not able to abide any more talke saied further And what signes of dishonestie haste thou séen in me that moue thée to perswade a thing so wicked and vncomely for myne estate yea and so preiudiciall to me to my frendes the house of thy maister my lorde and spouse I can not tell what it is that letteth me from causyng thée to bée caste for the emong the Lions cruell and capitall enemies of adulterie emonges thē selfes sithe thy pretence is by violatyng my chastite to dishonor the house wherevnto thou owest no lesse then all the aduauncemente thou haste from the taste whereof thou haste abandoned Uertue the best thyng wherewith thou were affected Auoide now therefore let me heare no more of this vpon paine of thy life otherwise thou shalt féele the rewarde of thy teinerite and vnderstande the bitternesse of the litle pleasure whiche I haue conceiued of thy follies So the good ladie helde her peace reseruyng in her harte that whiche should be her helpe in tyme and place howbeit she said nothyng hereof vnto her husbande aswell for raisyng offence or slaunder as for prouokyng her husbande against him whiche susteined the punishement himself sithe that this refuse did more straungely pinche hym more nere at the harte then euer the Egle of Caucasus whereof the Poetes haue talked so muche did tier the mawe of the subtil these Prometheus And yet the vnhappie
steward not contentented with the mischief cōmitted against the honor of his maister seing that it was but lost time to cōtinue his pursute and that his gaine would bee no lesse then death if she accordyng to her promised threates did thereof aduertise her husbande beyng a cholerique manne and light of belefe and bicause the saied Stewarde for suche an enterprise had receiued a simple recompence although correspondent to his desert premeditated worsse mischiefes more noisome then the firste He was in doubt whether it were better for hym to tarry or to depart sithe twoo thinges in a maner were intollerable for hym to suffer For he could not forsake the house where from his cradle he had béen finelie broughte vp the Lorde whereof made muche of hym as of his owne persone On the other side he knewe that so longe as the Ladie was aliue he could haue no maner of ioye or contentacion For that cause conuerting extreme loue whiche once he bare to the Ladie into cruell hatred vnsemelie for a brutall beast and into an insaciable desire of reuenge he determined to addresse so strong an ambushe trained with suche subteltie that she was not able to escape without daunger of her life and honor whereof she declared her self to be so carefull Alas what blindnes is that whiche captiuateth the wittes and spirite of hym that feedeth hymself of nothyng els but vpon the rage of fantasticall despite and vpon the furie of despaire Doe we not se that after Reason giueth place to desired reuenge of wronge thought to be receiued man dispoyleth hymself of that whiche apperteineth to the kinde of man to put on the fierce nature of the moste brute and cruell beastes to runne hedlong without reason toward the place where the disordinate appetite of affections doeth conducte hym Whereof I will not aduouche any other example but of this Traitour who passionated not with Loue but rather with rage and furie ceaseth not to espie al the actions and behauiour of his Ladie to the intente he might bryng to ende his deuised treason against her that thought perchaunce no more of his folies but honestlie to passe the tyme with her deare and wel beloued husbande Truely if this Ladie had béen of the disposicion of some women that care not to moleste their husbandes for the firste Flie that buzzeth before their eyes conceiuyng a friuelous and sodaine opiniō of their chastitie not so muche asiailed or to sharpelie defended chauntyng glorious Hympnes and high praises of their victorie certainlie she had not tombled her self into the daunger wherevnto afterwardes she fill Not for that I will blame them that doe reueale to their husbande 's the assaultes whiche thei receiue of importunate suters that doe assaie to deflower their Chastite Yet I will saie that Mosdestie in the same as in euery other humaine actiō is greatly to be required sith that suche a one by thinkyng to extolle her honour and honestie and to make proofe of her chastite rendreth the same suspicious and giueth occasion of talke to the people that is more apt and redie to slaunder and infamie then by good reporte to praise them whiche by vertue doe deserue commēdacion bringyng the life and fame of her husbande to suche extremitie that it had béen better vertuouslie to haue resisted the force of Loue and the flatteryng sute of suche Louers then to manifest that whiche mighte haue been kept secrete without preiudice of either partes And truely that woman deserueth greater glorie which of her self defendeth her honestie and quencheth the flames liuely kindled in the hartes of other with the coldnesse of continencie by that meanes vanquishing twoo then she doeth whiche manifesting the vice of an other discloseth as it were a certain apparaunce of her frailtie and the litle reason wherewith she is indewed to vanquishe hym that confesseth to be her seruaunt and whose will dependeth at her commaundement And when the whole matter shal be rightly iudged she that reuealeth the imperfecciō of a Suter sheweth her opinion and minde to be more pliant to yelde to his requeste then indewed with reason to abandon pleasure and to reiecte the insolencie of the same sithe that Reasons force doeth easely vanquishe the lighte affeccions of the sensuall partie which ones ingrauen in their fantasie doe make the senses of those women so inconstant as thei perswade themselfes to bée puissaunt and mightie that all thinges be and rest at their will and pleasure Retournyng now then to our former discourse the Stewarde so laboured with might and maine till he had founde meanes to bee reuenged of the receiued refusall with suche subtiltie and Deuelishe inuencion as was possible for manne to deuise whiche was this Emong the seruauntes of this greate lorde there was one no lesse yonge of witte and vnderstandyng then of age And albeit that he was faier and comelie yet so simple and foolishe as he had muche a doe to tell the nomber of sixe This foole by reason of his folly and simplicitie was the onely sporte and passetyme of the Lorde and Ladie The Ladie many tymes tooke pleasure to talke with this maister foole to bring hym into a choler and chaufe thereby to prouoke laughter And therefore all the housholde vsed to call hym in mockerie My Ladies darelyng In whom the Lorde tooke singuler pleasure and delight estemyng hym so well as any of the other seruauntes The malicious Steward seyng the familiaritie of the Ladie with the fole like one that had alredie catched his praie within his snares began also to make muche of that yonge Cockescome in suche wise as he had broughte hym into suche fooles paradise that he might make hym doe and saie what he list Who seyng hym so diligent to his desire one daie tooke hym a side and after he hadde whittled hym well he saied vnto him Dicke I can tel thée a knacke that thou shalt make my Ladie laugh well but thou muste saie nothyng till she dooe perceiue it The poore Idiot glad to please his maistres was desirous to knowe what it was promised to dooe what so euer he would bidde hym Thou most said the Stewarde in the euenyng before she goe into her chamber hide thy self vnder her bedde and tary there till it bee an hower or twoo before daie and then I will tell thee what thou must doe This platte deuised the foole the same euenyng executed the deuise of his Deuelishe counsailour who seyng his desire to take effecte went to an olde gentleman that was of greate honestie and vertue for whiche he was of all men so well knowen that thei estemed his worde so true as the Gospell To that gentleman this craftie villaine full of poison and malice wholy bente to mischief tolde and reported the fact not as it was in déede but to the greate preiudice dishonour of the Ladie giuyng hym to vnderstande how muche she had forgottē her self that without the feare of God reuerence of her
make any signe or semblance And kept that fier couered within his brest vntill his Master was ridden out of the towne and that his maistresse was at euensong at Sainct Florentines a church of the castle farre from her house Who now being alone in the house began to ymagine how he might attempt that thing by force which before by no supplication or seruice he was able to attaine For which purpose he brake vp a borde betwene his maystresse chamber and his But bicause the curteyns of his maister and maystresse bed and of the seruauntes of the other side couered and hid the walles betwene it could not be perceyued nor yet his malice discried vntill suche time as his maistresse was gone to bed with a little wenche of .xij. yeares of age And so sone as the pore woman was fallen into her first sléepe this varlet entred in at a hole which he had broken and so conueyed himselfe into her bed in his shirte with a naked sworde in his hand But so sone as she felt him layed downe by her she lept out of the bed going about to persuade him by such possible meanes as was mete for an honest woman to doe And he indued with beastly Loue rather acquainted with the language of his Mulets than with her honest reasons shewed himself more beastly than the beasts with whom he had of long time bene comiersant For séeing her so ofte to runne aboute the table that he coulde not catche her and also that she was so strong that twise she ouercame him in despaire that he shoulde neuer inioy her a liue he gaue her a great blowe with his sworde ouer she raynes of the backe thinking that if feare and force coulde not make her to yelde her selfe yet payne and smarte should cause her Howbeit it chaunced cleane contrarye For like as a good man of armes when he séeth his owne bloude is more chafed to reuenge himselfe vpon his enemies to acquire honor euen so the chaste hearte of this woman did reenforce and fortefie her courage in double wise to auoyde and escape the hands of this wicked varlet deuising by al meanes possible by fayre wordes to make the varlet to acknowledge his fault But he was so inflamed with fury that there was no place in him to receyue good coūcel And eftsones with his sword gashed her tender body with diuers and sundry strokes for the auoyding whereof so fast as her legges could beare her she ranne vp and downe the chamber And when through want of bloud she perceyued death approche lifting vp her eyes vnto heauē and ioyning her handes together gaue thanks vnto God whom she termed to be her force her vertue her pacience and chastitie humbly beseching him to take in good parte the bloude which by his commaundement was sheadde in honor of that precious bloud which from his owne sonne did issue vpon the Crosse wherby she did beleue firmely stedfastly that all her sinnes were wiped away defaced frō the memorie of his wrath and anger and in saying Lorde receyue my soule which was derely bought and redemed with thy bounty and goodnesse she fel downe to the ground vpon her face where the wicked villayne inflicted her body with manifolde blowes And after she had lost her speache and the force of her body this moste wicked and abhominable varlet toke her by force which had no more strength and power to defende her selfe And when he had satisfied his cursed desire he fledde awaye in suche hast as afterwardes for all the pursute made after him he could not be founde The yong wenche which lay with her for feare hid her self vnder the bed But when she perceyued the villayne departed she came vnto her maistresse and finding her speachelesse and without mouing she cried out of the window vnto the nexte neighboures to come to succour her And they which loued her and estéemed her so well as any woman in the Towne came presently vnto her and brought diuers Surgeons with them who finding vpon her body .xxv. mortall woundes they did so muche as in them laye to helpe her But it was impossible Howbeit she lay one houre without speache making signes with her eyes and handes declaring that she had not lost her vnderstanding being demaunded by the priest of the fayth wherein she died and of her saluation she aunswered by such euident signes that her speache and communicacion coulde not declare it better howe that her trust and confidence was in the death of Iesus Christ whom she hoped to sée in the celestiall city and so with a ioyful countenaunce her eyes erected vp to the heauēs she rendred her chast body to the earth and her soule to her creator And when she was shrowded ready to the buriall as her neighbours were attending to follow her to the church her pore husbād came home and the first sight he saw was the body of his deade wife before his dore whereof before that instante he had no newes And when he vnderstode the order of her death he then doubled his sorrow in such wise that he was also like to die In this sorte was this martir of Chastitie buried in the Church of S. Florentine where all the honest dames and wiues of the city endeuored themselues to accompany her to honour her with such reuerence as they were able to do accompting themselues most happye to dwell in that Towne where a woman of such vertuous behauiour did dwel The folish and wanton persons séeing the honour done to the dead body determined from that time forth to renew their former life and to chaunge the same into a better A King of Naples A King of Naples abusing a Gentlemans wyfe in the ende did were the hornes himselfe ¶ The Lj. Nouell IN the citie of Naples in the time of King Alphonsus in whose raigne wantonnesse bare chiefest sway there was a gentleman so honest beautifull and comely as for his good conditions an olde Gentleman gaue to him his daughter in mariage which in beautie and good grace was comparable to her husbande The loue was great betwéene them till it chaunced vpon a shoruetide that the King went a masking into the citie where euery man endeuoured himself to interteigne him the best he coulde And when he came to this gentlemans house he was best receyued of any place in all the towne aswel for banketting as for musical songs and the gentlewoman the fairest that the King sawe in al the citie to his contentation And vpon the ende of the banket she sang a song with her husband with a grace so good that it greatly augmented her beautie The King séeing so many perfections in one body conceyued not so great pleasure in the swéete accordes of her husband and her as he did howe to deuise to interrupt breake them And the difficultie for bringing that to passe was the great amitie that he saw betwéene them Wherfore he bare in his heart that