opening the trap-door which was so fitly made and covered with cloath that it made not the least crack he went up into the Ladies Chamber between the bed and the wall and without any regard to the obligation which he made her nor to the illustrious family of which she was descended and without demanding any leave or making reverence to her he lay down close unto her who sooner found her self in his arms then perceived his comming But she being a lusty woman did wrest her self out of his arms and asking him who he was began to strike and bite and scratch him insomuch that he was constrained for fear she should cry out to stop her mouth with the coverlet which was impossible for him to doe for when she saw that he spared nothing of all his strength to procure her shame she spared nothing of her own to defend her self and as lowd as she could she called for her Lady of Honour an antient and wise Woman who lay in her Chamber who presently in her Smock made hast unto her Mistresse when the Gentleman found that he was discovered he had so great a fear to be known who he was that as fast as he could he went down the same way he came up and as great as his hope was before and desire to be entertained so great a grief and despair possessed him to find himself return'd in that sad condition He found his Glasse and the Candle upon the table and looking on his face bleeding with the scratches which she had given him and the blood dropping on his short which had discoloured the gold he began to say O beauty thou hast now well rewarded me according to my merit for through thy vain promises I have attempted a thing which is impossible and which it may be instead of augmenting my contentments may be the doubling of all my sorrows being assured that if she should know that against the promise I have made her I have enterprised this folly I should lose all the respect and familiar frequentation which no man hath with her more than my self To gain the love of her heart I should not by force have attempted to have surprized her fair body but by my service and humble patience have attended untill that Love became victorious for without it all the virtue and force of Man have no power at all In this manner he passed away the night in complaints tears and sighs which cannot be number'd In the Morning beholding his face so torn he counterfeited that he was sick and not able to endure the light untill the Princes were gone from his House The Lady who remained victorious being confident that there was not a man in her Brothers Court who durst have attempted so lewd an enterprise but he only who assumed the boldnesse to declare his love unto her did assure her self that it was he who endeavoured so much to work her shame and with her Lady of Honor sought every place and corner of the Chamber to find which way it could be and when she could not discover any thing she spoke unto her in a great choler Assure your self that it can be no other but the Master of the house and in the morning I will make such a complaint to my Brother of him that his head shall be the witnesse of my Chastity Her Lady of Honour seeing her in this resolution spake unto her Madam I am very sensible of the Love which you have unto your Honor to increase which you will not spare the life of one who hath too much hazarded it through the force of that love he bears you but oftentimes we think to increase that which we diminish Wherefore I beseech you Madam that you would vouchsafe to represent unto me the truth of the fact and when the Lady had given her an account of it all along her Lady of Honor said unto her You assure me then that he received nothing but blows and scratches from you The Lady made answer Nothing else I dare assure you and if he meet not with a good Chirurgion I do beleeve that on to morrow the marks will be apparent Madam since it iâ—slo said her Lady of Honour it seems to me that you have more occasion to praise God than to resolve with you self to be revenged of him for you ought to beleeve since he hath so great a heart to make such an enterprise the despite he hath to have failed in it is more grievous to him than any Death that you can give him If you desire to be revenged on him let him alone to Love and Shame which know better how to torment him than you or any Instigations of your Honor. Take heed Madam to fall into an Inconvenience such as is his own for instead of enjoying the greatest pleasure that possibly he could desire he hath received the greatest shame that possibly a Gentleman can indure So you Madam thinking to increase your Honour do go the next way to diminish it For if you will make a complaint you will make that publick which now no Man knows for you may be sure that for his part he will not reveal it unto any And whe Monsieur your Brother shall perform that Justice which you demand and the poor Gentleman shall come to suffer death the Report will run that he would have to doe with you according to his pleasure and the greatest part will say That it is a strange thing for a Gentleman to make such an enterprise if the Lady had not given him some great occasion her self You are fair and young and merry in all Company there is not any in this Court who doth not observe the daily respects of Love which you vouchsafe this Gentleman you suspect who will not judge that if he hath made such an attempt it is not without some fault on your side And your Honour which untill now hath always gone with an advanced head shall be disputed of in every place where this story shall be repeated The Lady understanding the good reasons of her Lady of Honour did apprehend that she spake the truth and that justly she should be blamed especially by reason of the familiar love that she was pleased to shew unto him She therefore demanded of her Lady of Honour what she should do who said unto her Madam since you are pleased to receive my counsell and do observe the affection from whence it comes it seems to me that you ought to entertain a perfect joy in your heart that the most handsom and most accomplished Gentleman that I have seen knew neither by love nor force to dispossesse you of your Chastity And for this Madam you ought to humble your self before God and to acknowledge that this is not by your virtue for many great Ladies who have led a life more austere than your self have been humbled by Men lesse worthy to be loved than himself And moreover you ought to take heed to
swear unto him that it should be performed and desired him with confidence to demand it Whereupon he said unto the Mother of the young Lady I do beseech you that you would give her in my arms whom you do promise shall be my Wife and that you do command her to embrace and kisse me The young Lady who was not accustomed to such familiarities did make some difficulty of it but her Mother expresly did command her seeing he had lost both the understanding and the force of a living Man On that Command the Daughter did advance her self upon the bed of the poor sick Gentleman and said unto him My old Friend I pray you to be frolick The poor Gentleman sanguishing in his extreme weaknesse stretched forth his arms despoyled of flesh and blood and with all the force of his body embraced the Cause of his Death and kissing her with his pale and cold lips did hold her close unto him as long as possibly he could and said unto her The love which I have born unto you hath been so great and virtuous that Mariage excepted I never desired of you any other happinesse than what I now enjoy for the event whereof and in this possession of it I with joy shall commend my Spirit unto God who being himself perfect love and charity doth know the greatnesse of my love and the honesty of my desires beseeching him having now my desires in my arms that he would receive my Spirit into his arms And speaking those words he took her again into his arms and with so much vehemence that his weak heart could not endure the strength of his love which was immediately immediately abandoned of all the faculties of life for his Joy was so much dilated that the seat of the Soul failed which did fly to her Creator And although the poor body continued a long time without liâ—e and therefore could no longer possesse the rich prise it so lately gained yet the love which the young Lady had till then concealed did now so violently declare it self that the mother of the living and the servants of the dead had much to do to separate the union and were at last enforced to pull the living almost dead from him who was already dead whom they did honourably interr but the greatest triumph of his obsequies were the tears the sighs and the complaints of the poor young Lady who declaâ—ed her self as much after his death as she concealed her self in his lâ—fe and now as it were satisfied for the injury she had done him And since as I have heard it reported the Husband that was given her to take off from himself thoughts of melancholy could never be entertained with any true joy or comfort of heart You may see here Gentlemen what before you would not believe by my words This Example is sufficient to make you confesse that a true and perfect love being too long concealed or misprised doth bring us as low as death There is none of you who know not the friends and kinred both of the one side and the other wherefore you need not to make any doubt of it and there is no man who hath made experience of it but will believe The Ladies hearing it had every one of them tears in their eyes But Hircan said unto them This is the veryest fool that ever Theaâ—d speak for tell me on your own credit is it likely or reasonable that we should die for women who are made for us and that we should be afraid to ask them what God hath enjoyned them to give unto us I speak not for my self nor for any man here that is married for I have enough of a woman or rather more than will serve my turn but for those only who are in necessity who in my opinion are but fools to be in fear of those whom they ought to make afraid Do you not observe the sorrow which this young Lady suffer'd for her folly for since she imbraced a dead body a thing repugnant to Nature she would not have refused his living body if he had shewed as great boldnesse living as dying be moved pitty Neverthelesse said Oysilla The Gentleman in this made an excellent Remonstrance of the love and civility he did bear her for which he shall be commended throughout the whole world for to find chastity in an amorous heart is a thing more divine than belonging unto man Madam said Saffredant to confirm the opinion of Hircan from whom I differ noâ— I must intreat you to believe me that Fortune doth assist the bold spirit and that there is no man if he be beloved by a Lady but if he can but wisely and affectionately follow his sute will in the end receive all that which he demandeth or at the least in part But Ignorance and a faint heart do cause men to â—ose many brave adventures and then they ground their losse upon the virtue of their Mistresse whom they never did attempt for never was there a place that hath been gallantly assaulted but it hath been taken I do much worder at you two said Parlament that you dare maintain this discourse Surely those whom you have loved have either not held you long or the assault bath been made on so advantagious a place that you think all Women alike Madam said Saffredant As for my self I am so unfortunate that I have no reason to make any boast but I impute not my misfortune to any virtue of the Ladies but to my own defects in having either not wisely begun oâ— too rashly prosecuted my Design and I will allege the old Romant of the Rose instead of many Doctors which saith we are merry Girls and Boys no doubt all alike the Boys for the Girls and the Girls for the Boys Wherefore I do believe that if love be once in the heart of a woman the man may arrive unto his ends if he be not sottishly overseen Parlament said And if I shall tell you of a Lady of a gallant personage that did love and was sollicited and importuned and neverthelesse deported her self most virtuously and was victorious over her own body and her friend will you say that a true thing is impossible Yes said he You are hard of Faith said Parlament if you believe not this example Dagoucin said unto her Madam since I have proved by example the virtuous love of a Gentleman even unto death I must intreat you if you do know any like unto it in the honour of some Lady that you will be pleased to rehearse it for the end of this days journey and you need not fear to be too long for we have yet time enough to speak of many honest Subjects Since the last lot falls to my share said Parlament I will hold you in a long discourse for my History is so good so fair and so true that it seems long unto me until I make you partakers of it and that you know it as well as
no lesse wit than beauty did direct him so discreetly that he came into her Chamber on the hour she assigned where he found her lying alone in a very rich Bed and as he made hast to put off his cloaths to go into the Bed to her he heard a great noise at the door of people speaking to one another and of swords clashing against the walls The Lady with a Countenance half dead said unto him At this minute is both your Life and my Honour in the greatest Danger that possibly can be for too well I understand that my Brothers are seeking you out to kill you Wherefore I intreat you to conceal your self under my Bed for when they cannot find you I shall have a just occasion to be angry with them by reason of this alarm which without Cause they have given The Gentleman whose noble heart did always scorn the base effects of Fear replyed unto her And who are your Brothers that they should make me afraid If the whole Generation of them were together I am confident that they would not stand against the point or the edge of my Sword wherefore lie still in your Bed and let me alone to guard your Door Immediatly he clapped his cloak about his arm and took his Sword in his hand and opened the Door to find those Swords more neer him which made so great a noise The Door being opened he beheld two Chambermaids who with two swords in either hand did occasion the Alarm they said unto him Monsieur Pardon us for we have received Commission from our Mistresse to do as we have done but you shall have no other hinderance or disturbance by us The Gentleman seeing they were two Maids did wish all the Devils in Hell take them both and shutting the Door on the faces of them he made all the speed he could to the Ladies Bed whose frights had no ways diminished his love and forgetting to ask her the reason of that skirmish he thought on nothing but to satisfie his desires And perceiving that the Day approached he intreated her to tell him wherefore she had done him so ill an office by holding him so long in delayes and also what was the meaning of the Enterprise of the two Chambermaids the last night She laughing made answeâ— to him My Resolution was never to love again which from my Widdowhood I had a long time observed but your civil Deportment from the first hour wherein you spake unto me at the Banket hath made me to alter my purpose and I began at that instant to love you as much as you could love me It is true that Honour which in all my actions hath been my guide would not permit that Love should cause me to do any thing whereby my Reputation might suffer but as the Hart wounded to Death doth think by changing of place to change the malady he beareth along with him so did I remove from Church to Church thinking to flie from him whom I carried in my heart who hath now proved his love to be so perfect that the Agreement is made and Honour doth accord with Love But to the end that I might be the more assured to commit my heart my love to an absolute Man I was willing to make this last proof by my Chambermaids assuring you that if either for fear of your life or any other regard I had found you so timorous and so tame as to have hid your self under my Bed I was resolved with my self to rise and to withdraw my self into another Chamber without ever seeing you again But because I have found you courteous and lovely and more full of Spirit and courage than it was reported to me that fear cannot enter into your heart nor make cold that love which you bear unto me I am resolved to continue with you untill the end of my dayes being confident that I cannot put my Life and Honour in a surer hand than in his who I believe hath not his equal in all Virtues And as if the Will and Desires of Lovers were immutable they did promise and swear unto one another to perform that which was not in their power to perform which was a perpetual Love which cannot continue in the hearts of Men as those Women know who have made trial of it and how long those Resolutions do endure And therefore Ladies you should take heed of us as the Buck if he had understanding would of the Hunter For our Glory Felicity and Indeavour is to see you surprized and to take that from you which is more dear unto you than life it self How now said Hircan unto Guebron How long ago is it since you have been a Preacher I have known the time that you have maintained another Doctrine It is true said Guebron I do speak now against that which I have practised heretofore all the whole Course of my life but because I have teeth so weak that I cannot eat Venison my self I would advertise the poor Does to beware of the Hunters to make some recompence in my old age for the sins I have committed in my youth We thank you Guebron said Nomerfide for that which you have counselled us to our profit but we do now perceive our selves to be a great deal too young for you for it appears that in your Youth you gave not the same exhortations to her whom you loved which is a sign that now in your age you do neither love us nor your self neither would you willingly suffer us to be loved by any other Howsoever we think our selves to be as wise and virtuous as she whom so long you followed and courted in your Youth But it is alwayes the Glory of the gray beard and those that walk with a staff to think themselves more wise than those who do come after them Nomerfide said Guebron it is very well when the Deceit of some of your Servants shall by experience teach you to understand the subtilty of Men you will then believe what now I have spoken to be truth Oysilla said to Guebron It seems to me that the Gentleman whom you so much commend for Courage ought to be praised more for the violence of his love which is a Power so strong that it will make the greatest Cowards in the world to enterprise that which the most valiant would think and think of again before they would undertake it Saffredant said unto him Madam It seems to me that if this French Gentleman esteemed not the Italians to excell more in their words than in their deeds he might have some great occasion for fear He had so indeed said Oysilla were it not for that fire in his heart which consumed his fear If you find not his Courage commendable enough said Hircan give us an account of some one else who is more worthy of praise To speak the Truth said Oysilla the Gentleman was to be praised but I can give you an instance of One in the
ey of Faith we are in danger from being Ignorants to become unbelieving Philosophers For Faith only doth represent unto us causeth us to receive that Good which a carnal man cannot apprehend See you not said Longaren that the Ground not husbanded doth produce many herbs and trees although they are unprofitable which sheweth unto us the good desire of it and the promise it doth make that it will bring forth good fruits when it shall be sowed and weeded So the heart of Man which hath no other understanding but by things visible will never arrive unto the love of God but only by the sowings of his holy word in the heart for the Ground of the heart is of it self barren and cold and almost lost to all hope And this is the Cause said Saffredant that the greatest part of Men are deceived who look not but only on exterior things and despise that which is most pretious and is lodged within If I could speak Latin well said Simontault I would allege unto you what St. John saith That He who loveth not his Brother whom he hath seen how can he love God whom he hath not seen for by things visible we are drawn to the love of things invisible Shew us the Man said Emarsuite that is so perfect in that love Et laudabimus eum There are some said Dagoucin who love so purely and so perfectly that they had rather die than to think one thought against the Honours or the Consciences of their Mistresses and would so carry it that neither their Mistresses themselves nor any other should perceive it They said Saffredant are of the Nature of the Cameleon who lives on the Air. For I am of a belief that there is not a Man in the world who doth not desire to declare his Love and to be assured that he is beloved and there is no Feaver of Love so violent but suddenly will slack when we come to know the contrary I will speak it of my self I have seen such Miracles made evident I beseech you said Emarsuite to take my place and to give us an account of some one who hath been raised from Death to Life by finding his Mistress to act contrary to that which he desired I am so afraid said Saffredant to displease Ladies to whom I have been and ever shall be a Servant that without their expresse Command I durst not give any account unto them of their Imperfections but to shew my obedience I will not conceal the truth A Gentleman unexpectedly is recovered of the malady of Love finding his Mistresse too severe unto him in the Arms of her Horse-Keeper The Tenth Novell IN the Country of Dauphine was a Gentleman called Signior de Ryant who belonged to the House of King Francis the first of that Name and was as honest and as fine a Gentleman as could be looked on He was a long time servant to a Lady that was a Widdow whom he so much loved and reverenced that for the fear he had to lose her favour he durst not importune her for that which he so much desired And being handsom himself and worthy to be beloved he firmly believed that which she had often sworn unto him which was that she loved him better than all the Gentlemen in the world and if she were put to it to do a Gentleman a courtesie it should be for him onely as being the most accomplished Man that she knew and did entreat him to rest himself contented with it without transgressing that honest love assuring him That if she knew that he pretended to any thing more and would not be contented with reason that he should lose her Love and all The poor Gentleman not onely contented himself with it but conceived himself to be a happy Man to have gained the heart of that Lady whom he believed to be so virtuous It will appear tedious unto you to repeat the discourse of their love and the long frequentation which he had with her and the voyages which he made to see her But in the conclusion this poor Martyr being in so pleasant a Fire that the more he burn'd the more he would burn did search after all means to augment his Martyrdom One morning a fancy did possesse him to take Post to see her whom he loved better than himself and esteemed above all the Women in the world Being arrived he entred into the Court and demanded where she was answer was made That she was but just come from Vespers and was gon into the Garden to compleat her Devotions whereupon he alighted from his Horse and took his course directly to the Garden where it was told him that she was In the way he did meet with some other of her servants who informed him That she was walking all alone in a long Allee in the Garden wherupon he began more than ever to hope that he should meet with some happy Fortune and as leisurely as possibly he could he pursued his design thinking to find her in most private Retirements And being come to a long Arbor of plashed Trees it being the most pleasant and most delightful place that Art or Nature ever did contrive he suddenly entred in as one who thought long till he had seen her whom he loved At his first Entrance he found her in the Arms of the Horse-keeper of the House as loathsom and as nasty a fellow as she her self was fair and lovely I will not in this place undertake to declare unto you the Indignation that poffessed him which was so great that in one moment it had power to quench the fire which so long had burned And being filled with as much despite as he was before with love he said unto her Madam Much good do 't you This day for your discovered Incontinence I am recovered and delivered from a perpetual perplexity occasioned by the rare Honesty which I conceived to be in you And without any other Farewell he departed from her with greater speed than he came The poor Woman made no other answer to him but only covered her face with her hands It was fit indeed that because she could not cover her shame she should cover her eyes that she might not see him who saw her now too clearly notwithstanding her long dissimulation Wherefore I beseech you Ladies if you have not a desire to love perfectly do not dissemble with an honest man nor seek to displease him for your own glory for Hypocrites are payed in their own Coin and God doth favour those who do love intirely It is well said Oysilla you have given us a good one for the conclusion of this dayes work And were it not that we have sworn to speak the Truth I could not believe that a woman of Estate as she was could be so wicked as to forsake an honest Gentleman for such an ugly Varlet Alas Madam said Hircan If you knew the difference betwixt a Gentleman who all his life-time hath born arms
answer to him What was the occasion that moved you to put my poor Sister who was one of the most virtuous women that ever lived to so ignominious a death and so barbarously to act your Murder as under the prerence of lying with her to strangle her with the Cord of the Bed The Gentleman understanding these words being more dead than alive did say unto him Is it possible Have you seen your Sister in that Estate as you inform me When the other Brother did assure him of it he proceeded and said But what was the Reason that did cause you to forsake your House Whereupon he told him what the wicked Frier had done at which his Brother was much amazed and being sorry at the heart that against all reason he had assaulted him he demanded pardon of him The Gentleman replyed unto him Although you have done the Injury it is I who have the punishment for I am so sorely wounded that I believe I shall not escape with life His Brother-in-law did endeavour the best that possibly he could to help him upon his Horse which being done he did bring him gently to his house where the next morning he died His Brother-in-law confessed before all his Friends and Kinsmen that he was the only occasion of his Death And to satisfie Justice he was counselled to addresse himself to King Francis the first of that Name to demand pardon of him Wherefore having honourably interred the Husband Wife and Infant he repaired on Good Friday to the Court to purchase his Remission and obtained it by the sollicitation of Mr. Francis Oliver who was then Chancellor of Alençon and since for his great Virtues chosen by the King to be Chancellor of France Ladies I believe that understanding this most true History there is not any of you here but will beware and beware again how you lodge such people in your houses and be assured that there is no poyson more dangerous than that which is most concealed Do you not think said Hircan that this Husband was a very Fool to bring such a gallant to Supper and to sit near to such a fair and virtuous Lady I have known in my time said Guebron that there was not a House in our Country in which there was not a Chamber set apart for these Friers but now they are so well known that they do fear them more than before they loved them It seems to me said Parlament that a Woman being in bed unlesse it were in case of necessity to administer the Sacrament unto her there ought not to come either Frier or Priest into her Chamber and when I send for any of them you may well judge me to be in a very dangerous condition If all the world were as severe as you said Emarsuite the poor Priests would be worse than Excommunicated being to be deprived of the sight of Women Take no care for that said Saffredant for it will never come to passe No said Simontault It is they who by marriage do tie us unto Women and by their wickednsse do attempt again to untie the knot and tempt us to break the Oath which we have made unto them It is great pity said Oysilla that they to whom are committed the Administration of the Sacraments should play thus fast and loose they deserve to be burned alive But let us proceed and see who shall have the voice of Oysilla I give it said she and the Speakers place with it to Dagoucin for I perceive him to enter into a Contemplation which as it seems to me doth promise to give us some good account Although I neither can nor dare speak said Dagoucin what I think I will nevertheless give you the Account of One to whom Cruelty first brought loss and afterwards advantage For although Love doth esteem himself so great and mighty that he will go stark naked and it is a thing at the first troublesom unto him and afterwards insupportable to be covered yet it so falls out that they who oftentimes to obey his counsel have advanced too soon to discover themselves have been found to be but bad Merchants as it happened â—â—o a Gentleman of Castile whose History I will give unto you The fine Invention of a Gentleman to declare his love unto a Queen and what became of it The Fourth Novell IN the Court of the King and Queen of Castile whose Names shall not be expressed there was a Gentleman so exquisit in his Complexion and proportion of Body and the sweetnesse of Condition that in all Spain there was not an Equal to him Every one had his Virtues in admiration but admired more the strange Conditions of him for it was never known that he loved or served any Lady and although there were in the Court so great and so fair a number of them that they were able to melt the very Ice it self yet not any of them had the power to captivat the heart of this Gentleman whose Name was Elisor The Queen who was a Lady of great Virtue but not altogether exempt from the Flame which the lesse it is known the more it burneth observing this Gentleman who courted not any one of all the Ladies in her Court did much wonder at him and one day demanded of him If it were possible that he did love so little as he did make the world to believe He made answer to her that if she could see his Heart as well as his Countenance she would not propound that question to him She desiring to know what it was that he would confesse did presse him so much that he acknowledged to her that he did indeed love a Lady and the most virtuous one in all Christendom She used all her power by Intreaties and Commands to understand who it was but she could not learn it of him Whereupon seeming to be angry with him she did swear That she would never speak vnto him more if he would not give her the Name of that Lady whom so much he loved at which he was so much perplexed that he was constrained to professe unto her That he had rather die than confesse unto her who it was but seeing that he should be deprived of her respects and favour if he should not acknowledge the Truth unto her which was so honest that it could not be taken in ill part by any he said unto her in a great fear Madam I have neither the force nor the boldnesse to declare it to you but the first time that you go a hunting I will shew you her be you assured that you will believe her to be the fairest the most accomplished Lady in the world This answer being made the Qâ— did go a hunting sooner than she was accustomed and Elisor being advertised of it did prepare himself to wait upon her and had caused to be made a great Mirror of Christal in the fashion of a Corslet and having buckled it to his Brest he did cover it with a
you an Account of one concerning whom I my self may serve for Witnesse and I have often heard it affirmed that how much the more that Virtue in a weak and seeble subject is assaulâ—ed by a strong and powerful Contrary by so much she is the more admirable and doth shew her self more clearly to be such as indeed she is for it is no wonder at all that the strong Man doth defend himself from the strong but that the feeble hath the Victory is the greatest glory in the world To understand aright the persons of whom I am to speak I shall peradventure do some little wrong to the truth as also that I shall cloath their story in so poor a Dresse that none will regard it Howsoever the Accomplishments of the young Maid by whom such worthy things were done do inforce me to declare them The Continence of a young Maid against the obstinate and amorous Sute of one of the greatest Lords of France and the happy Successe which the Damsell did obtain The second Novel IN one of the greatest Towns of Tourain there did dwell a Lord of a great and honourable house who had there his education from his Infancy I will make no mention in this place of the perfections the grace and beauty and the great virtues of this young Prince I shall only exhibite to you that France had not his equal Being at fifteen years of age he took more pleasure to ride and to hunt than to behold the beauties of Ladies One day when he was at Church he fixed his eyes upon a young Maid who in her Infancy had been brought up in the Castle where he lived and after the death of her Mother her Father did remove to another place whereupon she did goe to Poictou with her Brother This Maid whose name was Frances had a Bastard Sister whom her Father loved very well and married her to the chief Butler of this young Prince who did esteem as well of her as of any in his House The Father died and left unto Frances for her portion all the demeans and houses which he had in this great Town Wherefore after her Fathers death she removed from Poictou unto this place where her Estate was and because she was but 16 years of age unmarried she would not live alone in her own house but agreed for her bord with her Sister who was the Butlers Wife The young Prince observing this Maid to be very lovely being of a brown hair but of a clear complexion and having a carriage that did transcend her Estate for she seemed rather a Princesse than the Daughter of a Citizen he a long time with a stedfast eye did look upon her and being never in love before did find in his heart an unaccustomed heat and retiring into his Chamber he did enquire after her whom he saw in the Church and remembred that it was she who in her infancy was accustomed to come unto the Castle to play with his Sister and acquainted his Sister with it His Sister did send for her and made her very welcom desiring her that she would take the pains to come often to her which she did as often as there were any Marriages or publick Meetings where the young Prince would behold her with such a greedy eye that he did begin to love her intirely and because he knew shew was but of mean parentage he hoped easily to obtain that which he desired but having not the means to speak unto her he sent unto her a Gentleman of his Chamber to sollicite her for him But she who was as wife as she was young and feared God did allege unto him that she could not believe that his Master who was so gallant and so accomplished a Prince would so undervalue himself as to look upon a Creature so imperfect as her self especially seeing in the Castle where he had his residence there were so many great and beautiful Ladies she therefore conceived that what he did speak was from himself and not from the commandment of his Master When the young Prince had understood this answer Love which always doth grow more strong where it finds most resistance did make him more hotly to pursue his enterprise Whereupon he did write a Letter to her desiring her that she would believe that whatsoever this Messenger did say unto her did proceed from himself She who very well could both read write did read the Letter all over to which whatsoever entreaty the Gentleman did make she would return no answer at all affirming that it did not belong to a Person of so base a condition as her self to write unto such a Prince as he was but did beseech him not to suppose her so weak as to believe that he had so good an opinion of her as to bear any love unto her and if he thought by reason of her poor estate to have her at hs pleasure he did much deceive himself for she had as honest a heart as the greatest Princesse in Christendom and esteemed no treasure in the World comparable to her Honour and her Conscience She humbly besought him that he would not hinder her to preserve that treasure for should she die she would never alter her resolution The young Prince did not find this answer to be agreeable unto him neverthelesse he continued passionately to love her and failed not every day to be present at the Masse in that Church to which she repaired and all the while that Masse was saying he perpetually addressed the Devotion of his eyes to that fair image which when she perceived she changed her place and repaired to another Church not to avoid the sight of him for she had not been a reasonable creature if she had not taken pleasure to look upon him but she was afraid to be seen by him for since she conceived her self not worthy to be beloved by him in the way of Honour and Marriage she would not that it should be by the way of folly and of pleasure and whenever she saw any place in the Church where she might seat her self the Prince would fit as close by her as possibly he could which made her to goe from Church to Church to hear Masse dayly and to the furthest Churches that possibly she could and when any great marriages were solemnized at the Castle she did forbear to be present at them and although the Sister of the Prince did invite her she would always excuse her self by some indisposition or other The Prince perceiving that he could not have that accesse nor speak unto her as he desired did aid himself by his Butler and promised him many great rewards if he would assist him in this affair The Butler did promise to doe the utmost of his indeavour as well to please his Master as for the profit which he hoped to receive from him and every day he did give an account unto the Prince of what she both said and did and
conceived with himself that it was the only and last expedient he could use And seeing there was no remedy he did seek her out so diligently that at the last he did find her in a company and place where she could not avoid him and he did chide her much for her harsh and rigorous usage of him and for her leaving of her Brorhers house She made answer to him That she knew no place more dangerous than that and that he was much beholding to his Butler who served him not only with his Body and his Goods but with his Soul also and his Conscience The Prince perceiving there was no remedy resolved with himself to force his passion and to importune her no more neverthelesse all his life afterwards he had her in high esteem A Servant of the said Prince observing the honesty of this Maid did court her in the way of marriage to which she would not consent without the leave and commandment of the Prince to whom she had given up all her affection which the Prince was acquainted with and with his good will the marriage was concluded in which she lived all her life afterwards with great reputation and the young Prince did inrich her with dayly benefits Ladies what shall we say to this have we hearts so low as to make our Servants our Masters Seeing this Virgin could not be overcome neither by love nor importunities I must beseech you that by her Example we may become victorious over our selves for it is the most noble victory that we can obtain I doe lament said Oysilla that such virtuous acts were not in the time of the old Historiographers for they who so much extolled their Lucretia would let their pens sall from their hands and have altered their Subjest to have described all along the Virtues of this Virgin which I do find to be so great that I should bardly have believed them were it not for the solemn Oath which doth oblige us to speak the truth I find not her virtues to be such said Hircan as you declare them for oftentimes we have seen sick men whose Palats are out of tast to refuse good and whotsom Diet and to feed on that which is naught and hurtfull And so it may be that this Maid was in love with some one else which made her to despise Nobility Parlament made answer Her life and her death did sufficiently manifest that she never during the whole course of her life had a better opinion of any man living than of him whom she loved more than her life but not more than her Honour Remove from your fancy that fond humour said Saffredant and understand from whence that word Honour is derived so far as it belongeth unto Women For it may be that those Who speak so much of it doe not know the Intention of the word Know then that in the beginning before Dissimulation was too common amongst Men and Women love was so full of life and strength that Hypocrisie had no place and they were most praised who most truly loâ—ed But when Decript and Avarice had seized upon their hearts they did drive both God and Love out of them and in their place entertained the love of themselves Hypocrisie and Dissembling And Women perceiving that they had not in their hearts the virtue of true Love and that the Name of Hypocrisie was so odious amongst Men they did give it the sirname of Honour so that those who had not in them that true and honourable Love did pretend that their Honour did forbid them to do this or that and have made thereby so cruel a law that even some Women who would love perfectly do Dissemble esteeming Virtue to be Vice But they who are of a good understanding and of a sound Judgement do never fall into such errours for they do know the difference betwixt light and darknesse and that true love consisteth in this to show the chastity of the heart which cannot live but by true love and will not seek for false Honour from the vice of Dissimulation Nevertheless I have heard said Dagoucin that the most private Love is the most commendable Private said Simontault and concealed from the eys of those that judge not aright but which is clear and known enough unto those two at least whom it doth concern I so understand said Dagoucin and I believe that this Virgin did love more violently because she did not declare it unto any Whatsoever she did said Longaren we ought to look upon her Virtue which to overcome her own heart was the greatest of all virtues and the occasions and temptations which she had being consider'd I do sâ—y that she ought to be accounted a most excellent Virgin If you esteem said Saffredant the greatnesse of Virtue by the mortification of our selves the young Lord was more commendable than she whether you look upon the greatnesse of the love which he did bear unto her or his power and the opportunities and the means he might have had yet neverthelesse he would not offend the rule of true love which makes the Prince and the Poorest Creature to be equal and doth use no other means but what Honesty doth permit There are many said Hircan who would not have done so Indeed he was highly to be esteemed said Longaren having overcome the common Imperfection of Men for he who can do evil and doth it not is a happy Man To this purpose said Guebron you cause me to think of one who had a greater fear to offend the eyes of Men than God his Honour or his Love I pray you said Parlament will you be pleasid to rehearse that Account unto us for the performance whereof I do give you my voice There are divers said Guebron who believe that there is no God or if there be a God they do conceive him to be so far from them that he can neither see nor understand the works they do and although he doth see them they do think he is so tame or so unmindfull of them that he will not punish them and that he takes no Care of the things that are done on Earth And of this opinion was a Lady whose Name for the honour I do bear unto her Family I will change and I will call her Camilla She was often heard to say that He or She who had nothing to do but with God only were happy if in the mean time they could preserve the reputation of their Honour entire from the eyes of the world but you shall perceive that neither her Wisdom nor her Hypocrisie could guard her but the mystery of her Lust was revealed as you shall find by this History the truth whereof I will give you all along excepting the Names of the Persons and the places both which shall be changed The Hypocrisie of a Lady of the Court was discovered by the misdemeanours of her Loves which she thought cunningly to have concealed The Third Novel IN a fair
did love art dead Thy heart so pure and undefiled could not without death endure to understand the Vice which was in me your friend O my God wherefore didst thou create me a Man having a love so light and a heart so ignorant Why didst not thou rather create me a little dogg who so faithfully did know to serve his Mistresse Alas little Dog the joy which thy barking brought unto me is now turned into perpetual mourning because by my means another was admitted to hear thy voice But so it is dear friend that neither the Love of the Dutchesse nor of any Woman in the World hath caused me to change my affections although she oftentimes hath importuned me to it But ignorance overcame me thinking for ever to preserve your Love but this ignorance cannot excuse me for I have revealed the secret of my friend I have falsified my promise which is the only cause that I see you dead before my eyes Shall death be lesse cruel to me than to your self who only for Love have put an end to your innocent life I must believe shall I believe that death will not vouchsafe to touch my unfaithful and accursed heart for a dishonourable life and the memory of my losse through my own default is more insupportable than ten thousand deaths Woe is me my friend If any one either through malice â—r misfortune had been so cruel as to kill you I should readily have put my hand upon my Sword to have revenged you It is no reason therefore that I should pardon the murtherer who was the occasion of your death and by a more unrighteous act than to have killed you with a Sword If I knew any more wicked Executioner than my self I would desire him to see Justice performed on your treacherous friend O Love By the ignorance of loving I have offended thee and wilt not thou relieve me as thou didst her who inviolately did keep all thy Laws Is it nor reason that by the like honest means I doe end my life It is and most reasonable it is that it be done by my own hand and since with my tears I have bathed your face and with my Tongue I have required pardon of you nothing now remains but that with my own hand I doe render my body like unto yours and that my Soul do follow wheresoever yours is gone before me knowing that a virtuous and an honest love can have no end either in this world or in the World to come And immediately rising from the body as a man transported and out of his sense he drew his Sword and fixing the pummel of it against the Wall and the point of it against his Brest he with great violence did drive it quite through his body and falling down he took his Sweet-heart in his arms and did kisse and imbace her with such affection that he seemed to be more surprized by love than by death The Damosel observing him to draw his Sword did immediately run forth to cry out for help The Duke hearing the cry and doubting some sad accident had befallen those whom he most intirely loved was the first that came into the Wardrop and beholding this lamentable spectacle he endeavoured to take off the Gentleman from the body of the dead Lady if it were possible to save him but he held his Sweet-heart so fast in his arms that he could not sever him from her with all the strength he had until he was quite dead himself Neverthelesse understanding that the Duke did speak unto him and demanded who was the occasion of it he did lift up his head and looking furiously upon him he made answer Your Tongue Sir and my own and bowing down his head again he immediately dyed his face being close joyned to that of his Friends The Duke desiring to be thoroughly informed with all the particulars of this Tragedy did command the Damosel to declare at large unto him whatsoever she had seen or heard which she did all along without sparing any thing whereupon the Duke perceiving that he was the Original of all this Evil did throw himself upon the two dead Lovers and with great Lamentation craving pardon of them for his offence he oftentimes did kiss them rising from them in a fury he drew out the sword froÌ„ the dead body of the Gentleman And as a wild Boar being wounded by a Lance doth run with resistlesse violence at him who made the thrust so the Duke did addresse himself to her who had wounded him quite through his Soul He found her dancing in the Hall and more frolick by farr than she was accustomed to be conceiving that in some measure she had revenged her self upon the Niece of the Duke In the middle of the Dance the Duke did lay hold on her and said unto her you promised not to reveal the Secret upon the forfeit of your life And your life shall answer for your trespasse and speaking those words he took her by her Headgeer and sheathed the sword in her Body at which all the Company were so amazed that they conceiv'd the Duke was bereaved of his Senses Having thus put a violent period to the Life of his Dutchesse he called together his Friends and his Servants and did declare unto them the lamentable and most virtuous story of his Niece and the great Injury that his Wife had done her which caused many tears in all the standers by The Duke afterwards commanded that his Wife should be buried in an Abbey which he had founded and caused a fair Sepulcher to be builded where the bodies of his Niece and of the Gentleman were interred together and an Epitaph was laid upon the Monument declaring the History of their loves and their Tragical Deaths The Duke afterwards did undertake a Voyage against the Turks and God so prospered him that he atchieved great honours and gained large Revenues And on his Return finding his eldest Son able to manage the Government of his Estate he did put on the habit of Religion in the same Abbey where his Wife and the two Lovers were buried where devoutly he passed away the Remainder of his life Ladies this is the History which you have intreated me to declare unto you and which I perceive by your eyes that you have not received without compassion From hence methinks we ought to take an Example to have a care not to fix too much our affections on men For how honest and virtuous soever the love may seem to be in the beginning yet for the most part it goes off with an unpleasing Farewell And moreover you may read that Saint Paul would not that married people should set altogether their affections on one another for by how much the more our hearts are ingaged in a terrestrial Love by so much the lesse they are addicted to the Love of Heaven and spiritual things and the more noble and the more virtuous the Love is the more difficult it is to break
the bonds And this Ladies doth excite me to intreat you that every hour you would demand of God his Holy Spirit that your hearts may be inflamed on his Love and that you may find no difficulty in the hour of Death to forsake that which too much in the world you loved If their love was so virtuous said Hircan as you describe it what was the reason that it was kept so secret Because said Parlament the malice of Men is such they will not believe that a great Love as such as this was can ever be joyned with honesty for they judge of virtuous Men and Women according to their own passions and for that occasion it is requisite that if a virtuous Woman doth please to entertain a virtuous Friend she must discourse secetly with him if she intends to discourse long with him for the Honour of a woman is as apt to be disputed on for loving according to the Laws of Virtue as to the unruly instructions of Vice for we judge not but only according to apparence You say something indeed said Guebron but when the secret comes to be revealed we judge not oftentimes so bad as there is occasion for I do confesse it in some cases said Longaren and therefore the best course is not to love at all We will appeal from that Sentence said Dagoucin for if we thought Ladies were without love we could wish our selves without life We understand that they only live to be beloved and although it sometimes doth fall out that they doe misse of this love yet hope doth sustain them and doth cause them to perform a hundred thousand honourable actions until old age doth change their honest desires into more sanctified resolutions They who would deprive us of the Love of Women must take Arms and Honour from Men and make them all Merchants and instead of acts of Chivalry must make it their only businesse to heap up riches If it were not then for Women said Hircan you will say that we were miserable and wretched as if Men had no hearts but what Women do give unto them But I am of a contrary opinion do believe that there is nothing which doth more abate the heart of Man than too much to love Women and to frequent their conversation And for that occasion it is that the Hebrews were forbid to go unto the warrs in that year wherein they were married for fear that the love of the Wife should draw him from those dangers which there he is bound to undergo For my own part said Saffredant I find no great reason in that Law for there is nothing that can make a Man sooner to goe out of his House than to be married for the Warrs without doors are always more grateful and more tollerable than that within and I do believe that to give a desire to men to travel into forein Countreys and not slothfully to amuse themselves at their own fires they ought to marry It is true said Emarsuite that marriage doth take from them all care of their own houses for being married they trust altogether to their Wives and they think on nothing themselves but on the purchase of Honour being confident that their Wives at home will take care enough for their profit In whatsoever sense you will render it said Saffredant I am very glad that you are of my opinion But all this while said Parlament you discourse not of that which is most considerable which is why the Gentleman which was the occasion of this most unhappy accident did not die of meer sorrow as well as the young Gentlewoman who was innocent Nomerfide made answer to her It is because that women do love better and more faithfully than Men. No said Simontault It is because the jealousie and the desire of Women do make them believe that which they have no reason to believe and the Wisedom of Men doth direct them to seek after the Truth only which being rightly understood doth show the greatnesse of their hearts as is apparent by this Gentleman who having understood that he was the occasion of the death of his Sweet-heart did make it remarkable how much he did love her without sparing his own life Howsoever said Emarsuite she died for true love for her faithfull and loyal heart could not endure to be so unexpectedly betrayed It was not Love but Jealousie said Simontault which would give no place to reason and because she did believe that Evil to be in her friend which indeed was not as she thought it was her death was constrained by an excesse of grief for it lay not in her power to help it but the death of her friend was voluntary and of his own accord after he knew the injury he had done her The Love must needs be great said Nomerfide which caused so great a sorrow You need not fear at all said Hircan that you will ever die of that Feaver And as much I dare undertake for you said Nomerfide you will never kill your self after you have known your offence Parlament doubting their debate might prove to her expence did smiling say unto them It is enough that two already have been dead for Love let Love let you two alone And hark this is the last time that the Bell rings in to Vespers Will you go or no Speaking those words the Company all did rise and did repair to the Evening Song not forgetting in their good prayers the soules of true Lovers for which the Monks of their own accord did sing their Hymn De profundis And afterwards as long as Supper did continue they had no other discourse but of Madam Du Verger and having for a pretty while passed away their time in such Conference they did all retire into their Chambers and did put an End to the Accounts of the seventh day The End of the seventh Journall The Eighth Dayes Iournal of the Novells of the Queen of NAVARRE The Preface THe Morning being come they sent to understand in what a readiness their Bridge was and understood that within two or three dayes it would be finished which did nothing please some of the Company who from their hearts desired that the Work would last longer that the contentment might contitinue which they received in that happy company And seeing they had but two or three days at most they were resolved not to lose that time and desired Madam Oysilla to administer unto them the Spiritual pasture of their Souls as she had been accustomed to do which accordingly she did and held them longer than was usual for before that they departed one from another she desired to put an end to her readings on Saint John in which she did so well acquit her self that it seemed â—he Holy Ghost full of Love and Sweetness did speak by her Mouth And all of them being inflamed with that Holy fire did repair to hear high Masse After Dinner talking together on the Journal of the Day
be not of so delicate a complexion as your self so it is that the love which he bears to me doth so much content me that I prefer it above any other thing The Gentleman said unto her Madam If it were so you should not pitty me for I know well that the honest love of your heart would give all contentment if it sound the like love in the heart of the King but God hath so appointed it that not finding in him that which you expected you should not make to your self any God on earth I doe confesse unto you said the Queen that the love I bear him is so great that the like cannot be found in any other heart but my own Pardon me Madam said the Gentleman you have not yet sounded the love of all hearts for I dare professe unto you that such a one doth love you whose affection is so great an insupportable that yours in comparison of his would appear nothing at all And because he finds the love of the King to decrease towards you and his own most infinitely augmented if it be agreable to you you shall be recompensed for all your sufferings The Queen as well by his countenance as by his words did begin to understand that what he spake did proceed from the bottom of his heart and did consider with her self it was long since that he first professed service to her with such affection that he became melancholy therewith which at first she conceived to be occasioned by his wife but now she firmly believed that it was for the love of her And thus the virtue of Love which can make it self to be perceived when it is not counterfit doth also make it self certain of that which is hid from all the world And looking on the Gentleman who was more lovely than her own Husband finding that he was forsaken by his wife as she was by the King being possessed with despite and Jealousie of her Husband and incited by the love of the Gentleman she began to speak with tears and sighes O my God! And can vengeance then force that from me which no Love could ever do The Gentleman who well understood the sense of her words made answer Madam Sweet is his Vengeance who instead of killing an Enemy doth give life to a perfect friend It appears to me that it is now high time that Truth and a just and reasonable love should take from you that sottish love which you bear to him who loves not you Chase from you that sordid fear which cannot have a Mansion in a heart great and noble Let us lay aside Madam the greatnesse of your Estate and regard that you and my self are the most laugh'd at Man and Woman in the world betrayed by those whom most perfectly we have loved Let us revenge our selves Madam not so much to render them their deserts as to satisfie Love which on my part cannot any longer be sustained without Death And I beleeve if you have not a heart more hard than a flint or diamond that it is impossible for you not to feel some sparks of that fire which so much the more increaseth in me as I endeavour to conceal it And if that pity on me who die for the love of you cannot incite you to love me at least let the pity which you ought to have on your self constrain you to it who being so absolutely perfect do deserve to be the Mistresse of the hearts of all the gallant Men in the world and are undervalued and forsaken by him for whom you have disdained all others The Queen hearing these words was so transported that she was afraid to shew by her countenance the trouble of her spirit leaning on the â—rm of the Gentleman did go with him into a garden neer unto her Chamber where a long time she walked without speaking one word to him The Gentleman seeing her half vanquished when they were come to the end of an Alley where none could descry them did by effect declare that love unto her which so long a time he concealed and thus with delight they both fulfill'd their vengeance the passion whereof before was so unsupportable to them They determined there between them both that as often as he repaired to his Country house and the King should come from his Palace into the Town to her that immediately he should come about and return to the Palace to the Queen And thus deceiving the deceivers they were all four partakers in that pleasure which two of them thought to have had alone by themselves The agreement being made they returned the Queen to her Chamber in the Palace and the Gentleman to his house both of them with such content that they had forgot all their former distractions And the fear which before possessed them that the King was with this Gentlemans wife was now turn'd into a desire to have it so which was the cause that the Gentleman more often than he was accustomed did repair unto his Village which was but half a mile from the City and as soon as the King understood of it he did not fail to give a visitation to his Wife and when ever night drew on the Gentleman did constantly come into the Palace to the Queen to perform the Office of the Kings Lieutenant but so privatly that never any did perceive it This course of life continued a long time but the King being a publick person could not so well dissemble his love and many honest men took great pity on the Gentleman for the naughty boyes would make horns at him behind his back in sign of Mockery which he understood well enough but this mockery was so pleasing to him that he as highly esteemed of his Horns as of the Crown of the King who one day his Wife being with him could hardly contain themselves from laughing out-right they both beholding the head of a Stagg which was nailed up in the House of the Gentleman the King said the head was very suitable in that place The Gentleman who had as good a heart as himself presently after the Kings departure did write upon the head To porto le corna chi ascundo vede ma talle porta chi nolo crede The King not long afterwards returning to his house did observe the writing on the head of the Stagg and demanded of the Gentleman the reason of it who made answer unto him If the secret of the King be concealed to the Stagg I see no reason that the secret of the Stagg should be declared to the King But you may content your self he said that those who carry horns do not all show theÌ„ beaming forth from their head for some of theÌ„ are so pleasant that they will not unbonnet any Man and he doth bear them lightest who thinketh that he hath none at all The King understood by these words well enough that he knew something of his own affairs but never suspected the love between the
entertain no more discourses of love with him because there are too many who the second time have fallen into dangers which they bad avoided the first Madam remember that love is blind and blinds us in such a manner that when we think the path most sure it is oftentimes most slippery And Madam it seems to me that you ought not to make the least show of what in this case hath happened to you either to himself or to any other and if he shall yet speak any thing to you concerning it do you pretend that you know nothing at all to avoyd two dangers the one of the vain glory of the victory you have obtained the other in taking pleasure in remembering things so pleasant to the flesh some the most chaste have enough to do to keep themselves from feeling some heats thereof although they fly from the temptations as fast as possibly they can And to the end Madam that he might not think by this hazard that he hath done something which may be agreeable to you I shall advise you that by degrees you will remove your self and your accustomed familiarityes from him to the end he might understand how much you despise his follies and how great your goodnesse is which is contented with the victory which God hath given you without demanding any vengeance on him And Madam God give you the grace to continue the honesty which he hath put in your heart and understanding that all blessings come from him to love and serve him better than you have been accustomed to do The Lady intended to put in practice the counsell of her Lady of Honour and slept with as much comfort as the Gentleman did keep himself awake with sadness The next morning the Lord prepared to be gone and asked for the Gentleman it was told him that he was struck with so sudden a sicknesse that he could not endure to see the light nor any Man to speak to him whereat the Prince was very sorry and would have gone to see him but being informed that he was asleep he was unwilling to awake him and without saying Adieu unto him he departed from his house taking his Wife and Sister with him who understanding the excuses of the Gentleman not to see the Prince nor the Company at his departure did hold her self assured that it was she who had brought this dangerous Indisposition on him because he duist not shew the marks which she had given him And although his Master the Prince sent often to him to come to Court yet he would not return untill he were well healed of all his hurts but only that which Love Despite had printed in his heart When he was returned to Court and found himself before his victorious Enemy it was not without blushing on her part and he who was accustomed to be the most spiritfull in all the Court was so amazed that oftentimes before her he held down his head wherefore she was fully assured that her former suspition was true and by little and little she estranged her self from him though not so closely but he perceived it well enough but he durst take no notice of it for fear of suffering worse and kept afterwards that love of his concealed in his heart with that patience of Restraint as he deserved Ladies Here you may behold what ought to give a great fear to those who presume on that which pertains not to them and it ought to be an example of incouragement to Ladies to behold the virtue of this young Lady and the good Counsel of her Lady of honour If any one of you shall chance to be in the like condition the remedy is already given It seems to me said Hircan that the Gentleman of whom you have spoken had so faint a heart that he was not worthy of that Lady for having such an opportunity he ought not either for young or old to let fall his enterprise And I might well say that his Heart was not full of Love since the fear of death and shame found so much room therein Nomerfide replyed unto him what would you have the poor Gentleman do seeing he had two women against him Do said Hircan why he ought to have killed the old one and when the young one was with him alone she had been half overcome Kill him said Nomerfide would you make a murderer of a Lover If you are of that opinion one might well fear how he falls into your hands If I had you so far said Hircan I should account my self dishonour'd if I came not to the end of my intentions Whereupon Guebron said Do you think it such a strange thing that a Princesse â—rought up in all the ways of Honour should be so difficult to be surprised by one man you ought then much more to marvel at one poor woman who escaped from the hands of two men Guebron said Emarsuite I give you my voice to speak the fifth Novel Since you have chosen me said Guebron to be that party I will tell you a History which I know to be true for I have made inquisition of it at the place where it was done and by that you shall understand that all the wit and virtue of woman is not altogether in the heads and hearts of Ladies nor all love and artifice in those of whom we do oftentimes esteem more highly than they are A Beat-mans wise escaped from two Friers who would have forced her and play'd her part so well that their sin was discovered to all the world The fifth Novell IN the Port of Couloon hard by Niort there was a Boat-mans Wife who night and day did nothing else but ferry over passengers It fell out that two gray Friers of Niort did passe the River with her alone and because it is one of the longest passages in all France to keep themselves in action they courted the woman in the way of Love she made them such an answer as did become her but they who were not weary for any long travel they had on the way nor cold by any disâ—â—mper of the water nor ashaâ—ed at the denial of the woman did both determine by â—â—â—mselves to take her by force and if she made any complaint they threatned to throw her into the River she being as wise and cunning as they were foolâ—h and malicious said unto them I am not so hard hearted as I have made you think for I pray you only to grant me two things you shall then understand that I have a greater desire to obey you than you have to entreat me The Friers did swear unto her by their St. Francis that she should not ask that thing which they would not perform to have that of her which they desired In the first place I require of you said she that you swear and promise to me that neither of you will declare what shall be done to any man living to which most willingly they did swear Secondly
any other and was so intimate with her that she concealed not from her her most private thoughts and declared to her all tho love which she did bear to the Son of the Infant Fortunate and she who did hope to gain him intirely did speak of him incessantly and on any Discourse where mention was made of him she would with delight take hold of it and a long time entertain it Amadour after his Marriage with Avanturade stayed not above one moneth with this Company but was constrained to return to the War where he continued above two years without seeing of his Wife who kept alwayes with her with whom she was brought up During this time Amadour did often write unto her but the greatest part of his Letter was Commendations to Florinda Avanturade did not fail to show the Letters to Florinda who returned him thanks for it and sometimes with her own hand would signifie as much unto him in the Letters which Avanturade answered which was the occasion that made her Husband more carefull to write more often unto her But in all this Florinda knew nothing but only that she loved and respected him as her own Brother This was the Intercourse of Letters betwixt Amadour and Avanturade and Amadour who in the space of five years had hardly seen Florinda two whole moneths yet neverthelesse his Love in despite of absence did continually encrease But now the time was come that he made a voyage to see his Wife and found the Countesse of Arand a great way from the Court. For the King of Spain was gone to Vandelusia and had taken with him the young Count of Arand who already did begin to bear arms His Mother the Countesse was retired to a House of pleasure which she had upon the Frontires of Arragon and Navarre she was very joyfull to see Amadour returned who almost for three years together had been absent He was very welcom to them all and the Countesse of Arand commanded that he should be entertained as her own Son As long as he was with her she declared to him the whole state of her affairs and committed the greatest part of the Government of her House to his discretion He gained so great an estimation that in all places thereof wheresoever he came they opened the doors unto him believing him to be so able and so wise a personage that in all things they did put their confidence in him as if in some Saint or Angel Florinda for the love which she did bear to his Wife and to himself did give great respect unto him in all the places wheresoever she did see him not knowing any thing of his Intention wherefore she minded not what countenance she gave him for her heart felt not any heat of a violent passion but onely she received a great contentment when she was near Amadour and no other thought of love possessed her Amadour to avoid the Judgement of those who are experienced in the looks of Lovers in comparison of others was in a great perplexity For when Florinda came familiarly to speak unto him as one who thought no hurt the fire concealed in his heart did so violently inflame it that do what he could his colour would rise in his checks and the sparkles of Desire would fly from his eyes And to the end that in their daily conversation it might not be discerned he pretended to court a very fair Lady called Paulina a Lady who in her time was esteemed so beautifull that few men that ever saw her did escape her bonds This Paulina understanding how well Amadour had deported himself at Barcelona and Perpignan insomuch that he was beloved by all the most beautifull and virtuons Ladies of that Country and above all by the Countesse of Palamons who in beauty was esteemed the chiefest in all Spain told him That she much pityed him that after so many great fortunes he had married so ill-favoured a woman Amadour apprehending by those words that she had a desire to remedy her own necessity did entertain her with the best Language that possibly he could thinking by making her to beleeve a pretence that she should serve to be a coverture for the truth but she being cunning and experienced in love was not contented with words but conceiving to her self that his heart was not satisfyed with her Love she doubted lest he did not make her serve for a cloak only whereupon she did so closely observe him that her eyes were always fastened upon his but he did so well dissemble it that she could not make any certain judgment of any thing but only had an obscure suspition which was a great torment to this Gentleman But Florinda who was ignorant of all those Jealousies did speak oftentimes before Paulina so familiarly to Amadour that he put himself to an extraordinary task to command his eys against his heart And to prevent the falling into an Inconvenience speaking one day to Florinda and leaning both upon the Window he said unto her Madam I beseech you that you will be pleased to advise me which is the best to speak or to die Florinda readily made answer to him I shall alwayes advise my friends that it is best to speak and not die for a few words may be mended but life being lost can never be recovered You shall promise me then said Amadour that you shall neither be offended nor be astonished at the words I shall speak untill you shall understand the end for which I speak them She replyed to him Speak what you please for if you shall astonish me no man else shall recover me to my senses I assure you He then began to speak Madam I have not yet expressed unto you the great affection which I bear you for two Reasons First That I intended by my long service to give you an experience of it and Secondly because I doubted you would conceive it to be an unpardonable arrogance to addresse my self unto you who were I a Prince as your self yet the loyalty of your heart would not suffer any other but he who hath taken possession of it the Son of the Infant Fortunate to hold any discourse of Love with you But Madam as in great wars Necessity doth constrain us to make a wast of our own goods and oftentimes to spoil the Corn in the blade that the Enemy may make no advantage of it so have I made an adventure to hazard the fruit which in time I did hope to gather that neither your nor my Enemies might make to themselves any profit by our Damage Understand Madam that since you were scarce twelve years of age I have been so devoted to your service that I have never ceased from searching out the means to obtain your favour and for that occasion I married her whom I thought that you loved best And understanding the love which you bear to the Son of the Infant Fortunate I have endeavoured to serve and honour him as you
House of the Countesse of Arand I will leave unto you to imagine what was the discourse which Amadour and Florinda had between themselves and of the complaints they made of the sorrows they had suffered in the absence of one another After a floud of tears from Florinda's eyes for the grief she entertained as much that she was married against her heart as that she had lost him whom so intirely she did love and was out of hope ever to see him alive again she resolved with her self to take comfort in the love and the assurance which she had of Amadour which neverthelesse she durst not declare unto him but he who debated with himself what to do did lose neither time nor occasion to make her understand how great was the love which he did bear unto her Just on the time as she was almost gained to receive him not as a servant but for her best and most assured friend there fell out a wonderfull Accident For the King on some businesse of great Importance did immediately send for Amadour for which his Wife did take so great a grief that in hearing of the News she swouned away and falling down the stairs on which she stood she hurt her self so grievously that she never did rise up again Florinda who in her Death did lose all her comfort did make so great a Lamentation as she could do who found her self destitute both of her Friends and Kinred and Amadour took it as much to heart for on the one side he lost one of the most honest Women that ever lived and on the other he lost the means ever to be able to see Florinda again by reason whereof he fell into so great a sicknesse that he thought that immediately he should die The old Dutchesse of Cardona did visit him uncessantly and alleged to him some Reasons from Philosophy to cause him with Patience to endure that Death but nothing would serve for if Death on the one side did torment him Love on the other did encrease his Martyrdom Amadour observing that his wife was interred and that the Goverour had sent for him and that it was impossible to pretend an excuse to continue where he was entertained such a despair in his heart that he thought he should have lost his life with his understanding Florinda who was in a desolation her self to comfort him did come unto him one day after dinner to administer unto him the best words of comfort that she could hoping thereby to abate the greatnesse of his grief assuring him that in what place soever he was she would find the means to see him and oftner than he conceived And because he was to be gone the next morning and was for the present so weak that he did keep his bed he did beseech her that after every one was departed from him she would be pleased to give him a visit in the Evening which she accorded to being ignorant that the extremity of Love doth know no reason and he who saw no hope left ever to see her again whom for so long a time he had served and who never had received any entertainment from her but what you have heard was so assaulted with his love a long time dissembled and with despair that did present unto him that it was almost impossible for him to see her again that he did resolve with himself to play with her either Double or Quit either to lose all or to win all and in one hour to pay himself with that which he thought he had so well deserved For this purpose he commanded that the Curtains should be drawn close about his bed that those who came into the Chamber might not see him and complained far more than he was accustomed to do insomuch that those of the House did think he could not live four and twenty hours longer In the Evening after every one had been with him Florinda at the request of her own Husband did repair unto him deliberating with her self the more to comfort him to declare unto him her affection and that she would love him altogether and none but him as far as her honour would permit and sitting in a chair near to the tester of Amadours bed she did begin to comfort him by weeping with him Amadour seeing her filled with lamentation thought that in that trouble of her mind he could most easily arrive to the end of his intention and rising up in his bed Florinda thought that he was in some extasie being too far spent and with all the eyes of sorrow began to look upon him who kneeling on his knees did say unto her And must I for ever lose the sight of you and speaking those words he did let himself fall into her arms just like a man that swouned away Poor Florinda did imbrace him and held him up a pretty while doing the uttermost of her desires to comfort him but this Physick which she gave him to amend his grief did render his power more strong for in counterfeiting himself half dead and speachless he began to search after that which the honour of Women doth forbid to be found When Florinda perceived his ill intention she could not believe it and remembring the most civil and vertuous discourse that had always passed betwixt them she said unto him What is it you would have But Amadour fearing to hear her words which he knew would be no other but chast and honest returned no answer at all but pursued his intention with all the force he had whereat Florinda being amazed suspected that he was our of his wits and would rather have conceived any thing of him than that he attempted to dishonor her Wherefore she spake aloud and called unto a Gentleman whom she knew to be in a Chamber hard by whereat Amadour being throughly amazed did throw himself upon the bed and that so suddenly that the Gentleman believed that he had been dead Florinda who was risen up from the chair said unto him Go quickly and bring hither some good Vinegar which the Gentleman did who being departed Florinda began to say unto him Amadour what folly hath possessed your understanding And what is that which you thought and would have donâ— Amadour who by the force of Love had lost all his reason did say unto her Doth so long a service as is mine deserve to be rewarded with such a cruelty Florinda replyed And where is now the Honour concerning which so many times you have preached to me O Madam said Amadour It seems to me impossible to love your Honour more perfectly than I have done For when you were to marry I knew so well to master my heart that you never understood my Desires but now since you are marryed and your Honour may be concealed What wrong do I do unto you to demand that of you which is my own for by the force of love I have gained you He who first had your heart was so cold a Suiter
to your body that he deserved to lose both together He who doth now possesse your body is not worthy to have your heart wherfore neither is your Body his nor can it properly appertain unto him But I Madam for the continued space of five or six years have endured so much love and travel for you that you cannot be ignorant that both your heart and your body do pertain to me for which I have so often hazarded my own And if you think to defend your self by Conscience be you assured that those who have proved the power of Love will lay all the blame upon you who have so ravished my liberty from me and by your divine perfections blinded my understanding that for the time to come not knowing what to do I am constrained to be gone from you without any hope of ever seeing you again Neverthelesse you may be most confident that in any part of the World wheresoever I shall be whether it be on the Sea or on the Land or in the hands of my most cruel Enemies you shall have my heart which shall continue for ever yours And if before my departure I could have that assurance from you which my great love doth merit I should be made strong to endure with patience the affliction of my long absence And if you please not to grant me my request you will quickly hear it spoken that your cruelty hath given me an unhappy Death Florinda being transported with as much sorrow as amazement to hear these words to proceed from him of whom she had never the least suspition did reply in tears unto him And woe is me now Amadour Are these the effects of the virtuous Discourses which from my Youth hither to we have had together Is this the Honour of Conscience which so oftentimes you have counselled me rather to die than to abandon Have you forgotten the great Examples you have instanced to me of so many excellent Ladies who have resisted that foolish Love Have you forgotten the neglect which you your self have had of light and inconstant Ladies I cannot beleeve O Amadour that you should be so far from your self or that God your Conscience and my Honour should be all dead in you But if it be accordingly as you speak I blesse the Divine goodnesse which hath prevented the mischief into which I headlong was falling by shewing me by your words your heart of which I was so much ignorant for having lost the Son of the Infant Fortunate not only by being married my self unto another but because I found and sufficiently understood that he loved another Lady and seeing my self married to one whom I cannot love and that let me do what I can he cannot be agreeable unto me I considered and intirely resolved with my self to love you with all my heart and affections grounding my love upon the Virtue which I have found in you and which by your means I have in some measure attain'd my self which is to love my Honour and my Conscience more than my life To this rock of Honour I am come where I was confident I should find a most sure foundation but in one moment Amadour you have shewn me that in the place of a Rock sure as I thought and beautifull the foundation of the building is upon loose and uncertain Sands or upon a soft and ruinous Bogg And although I had already begun a great part of the building where I resolved to have made my perpetual residence you on the sudden have overthrown it Wherefore you ought by degrees to forsake all hopes which you have promised to your self of me and to resolve with your self that in whatsoever place you see me not to court me at all either by words or countenance And be not so vain to hope that I either can or will ever change my thoughts I speak them to you with so much sorrow that it is impossible it should be greater but if I had proceeded so far as to have sworn unto you perfect love I do well perceive my heart to be such that it would have been dead within me in this rupture although the amazement that is upon me to be deceived by you is so great that I am confident it will render my life either short or dolorous And on these words I do bid you Adieu for ever I will not here undertake to tell you the grief which entred into the heart of Amadour hearing these words for it is not only impossible for a pen to expresse it but for a heart to conceive it unlesse it be such a heart who by experience hath found the like And observing on that â—â—el conclusion that she was going away he did stay her by the arm knowing very well that if he should not take from her again that evil opinion of him which he had caused her to entertain he should lose her for ever wherefore he said unto her with the most dejected countenance that he could put on Madam Through the whole travels of my life I have desired to love a virtuous Lady and because I have found so few I thought good to make experience to see if by your virtue you were as worthy to be esteemed as you are to be loved which now I understand for certain and I thank God who hath put it into my heart to love such great perfection beseeching you to pardon that foolish and presumptuous enterpise and the rather because it turns to your honour and to my great contentment Florinda who by him did begin to understand the subtility of men as she was difficult to believe the Evil in which he was so she was more difficult to believe the Good in which he was not did say unto him I would to God that you did speak the truth but I am not so ignorant but the estate of Mariage in which I am doth make me clearly enough to understand that a blind and a violent passion did make you to do that which you have done for if God had suffered me to let loose my hand I am sure enough that you would have gone away with the bridle Those Signior Amadour who make it their businesse to follow virtue must not tread in that path in which you would go But it is enough that heretofore I have lightly believed any Good in you it is now time that I should know the truth which doth deliver me from you And speaking those words she departed out of the Chamber and did weep away that night finding so great a grief in this change that her heart had enough to do to sustain the assaults of sorrow which love had given her For although according to her Reason she resolved never to love him more yet he heart which now was not subject to the rules of Reason would not consent unto it wherefore being not able to love him lesse than she was accustomed to do and knowing that love was the occasion of that defect she determined with
to have suffered us to discourse together and I do assure you that I had rather dye than change my affection into worse having loved you with so honest and so virtuous a love and purchased that of you which during my life I ought to defend And because that in seeing you I cannot endure that hard patience as not to speak unto you and because in not seeing you my heart which never can be empty will be filled with despair which will make my end unfortunate I am resolved and have a long time been to put my self in a religious house not but that I know very well that in all Estates a man may be saved but to have the more leisure to contemplate the divine bounty which I do hope will have pity on the faults of my youth and will work a change in my heart to love spiritual things as well as temporal and if God shall give me the grace to arrive to the knowledge of the Religion my devotions shall incessantly be imployed to pray unto God for you beseeching you by that love so firm and loyal which hath been betwixt us two to remember me in your prayers and to beseech our Lord to give me as much patience in not seeing you as he hath given me content in seeing you And because I hoped all my life to have enjoyed you in marriage which honour and conscience do permit I am contented that I had that hope although I must now lose it and because I cannot receive the entertainment from you which belongs unto a Husband yet at the least in bidding farewell unto you vouchsafe me the entertainment of a Brother and give me leave to kisse you Poor Paulina who had been always too severe unto him understanding the extremity of his grief and the honesty of his request that in so great a despair he would content himself with a thing so reasonable without giving any answer to him did throw her arms about his neck and weeped with so much bitternesse and fainting of heart that her words her understanding and her force failed her and she swouned away between his arms and the pity thereof accompanied with his love and sorrow did cause him to do the like Insomuch that one of her companions seeing her to fall down on the one side and him on the other did call out for help and by force of remedies did revive them Paulina who was desired to dissemble her affection was ashamed that she had shewed her love to be so violent Neverthelesse the pity she had on the poor Gentleman did serve her for an excuse being not able to endure the word that did bid her farewell for ever she did go away presently her teeth as shut up as her heart entring into her chamber as a dead body without a Soul she fell down upon her bed and passed away that night in such complaints and lamentations that her servants believed she at once had lost her parents and all her kinred and friends and whatsoever was of comfort to her upon Earth In the morning she in her prayers recommended to our Saviour the Gentleman that was her friend who after he had distributed amongst his Servants the poor fortunes he was master of and taken with him a certain sum of silver he did forbid any of his people to follow him and repaired all alone to a Religious house to demand the habit being resolved with himself never to put on any other The Warden of the Covent who had seen him before did think at first that it was but a Fable or Mockery for in all the Countrey there was not a Gentleman that shewed lesse respect unto a Grey Frier than himself for he had in him all the knowing virtues and graces that could belong unto a Gentleman But after he had understood his words and observed his tears falling like Rivers from his eyes being not ignorant from whence the source proceeded he courteously did receive him and not long afterwards seeing his perseverance he gave him the habit of a Frier which he did put on with great Content The Marquesse and the Marchionesse being advertised of it did find it so strange that not without great difficulty they could believe it Paulina to shew her self not subject unto the tyranny of Love did dissemble it as well as possibly she could insomuch that every one told her That she quickly had forgot the great affection of her loyal Servant She continued thus five or six moneths without making any other Remonstrance during which time there was shewed unto her a Song by one of the Religious Men which her Servant had composed presently after he had put on his religious habit the Song is in Italian and common enough Which when she had perused and read it all over going into the Chapel by her self she wept so abundantly that she dewed all the paper with her tears and were it not for a fear she entertained that she should shew her self more affectionate than became her she had immediatly gone into some Hermitage with a resolution never to see again any creature in the world but the Discretion which she had did constrain her for a short time to dissemble it And although she had taken a resolution altogether to renounce the world she pretended the contrary and kept her countenance so reserved that being in Company there appeared nothing of that Melancholly to which she had abandoned her self She carried this Resolution covered in her heart five or six moneths shewing her self more joyful than she was accustomed to be But one day waiting upon her Mistresse to hear the High Masse after that the Priest was come out of the Vestry to go unto the great Altar her poor Servant who was yet in the year of his Probationership did serve at the Eucharist and carrying two little bottles covered with white Silk in either hand was the first that presented himself having his eyes fixed on the Ground When Paulina saw him in that habiliment in which his Gracefulnesse and Beauty was rather increased than diminished she was so troubled and astonished that to cover the blushes which took possession of her cheeks she began to cough Her poor Servant who did better understand that sound than the Bel of the Monastery durst not turn aside his head but passing along by her he could not govern his eyes from beholding that Object to which so long they had been accustomed and looking on Paulina he was so inflamed anew with the fire which he thought had been almost extinguished that beyond his ability endeavouring to conceal it he fell down all along before her And the fear which he had that the Cause of his Misfortune should be discovered he made an Excuse that the Pavement of the Church which was broken just in that place was the occasion of his fall When Paulina understood that the change of his habit had not changed his heart and that it was so long since he took
the fire which had consumed them he understood that the boy was too hard for him and immediately did acquaint the Queen with it The Bastard after this time did never imploy â—his little Page any more but sent an old Servant which he had who forgetting the fear of death threatned by the Queen to any whosoever they were that should be taken in that affair did promise his Master that for all those threatnings he would deliver his Letters unto Rolandine And when he was come into the Castle where she was he addressed himself to a Door at the foot of the stairs where all the Ladies were to passe but one of the Grooms who had seen him elsewhere did presently know him and acquainted one of the Officers of the Queen with it who immediatly came to apprehend him The old Servant of the Bastard being wise and advised observing that a far off they looked upon him did turn himself toward the wall as if he would make water and did tear the Letter into as small pieces as possibly he could and threw them behind the door Immediately he was apprehended and searched all over and when they could find nothing about him they did put him to Interrogatories upon his oath if he brought not any Letters using all rigors and perswasions that possibly they could to make him to confesse the Truth but neither by premises nor by threatnings could they draw any confession from him The Report thereof was made unto the Queen and some of the Company did give advise that it were necessary to look behind the door neer unto which he was taken which was done accordingly and the pieces of the Letters were found for which they sought Immediatly the Confessor of the King was sent for who having put the pieces in order upon the Table did read the Letter all along in which the truth of the marriage so long dissembled was perfectly understoood for the Bastard in many places of it did call her his Wife The Queen who deliberated not with her self to cover the fault of her kinswoman as she ought to doe did raise a great noise and commanded that by all means the poor man should be enforced to confesse the truth of the Letter alleging to him that he could not deny it but all the perswasions they could use and the remonstrances they could make could prevail nothing with him nor change him from his first resolution Those who had the charge of him did bring him to the Bank of a River and did put him into a sack saying that he had lyed against God and the Queen and against the proved truth But he who had rather lose his life than accuse his Master did desire that he might be allowed a Confessor and having satisfied his Conscience as well as he could he said unto them Sirs Tell my Master the Bastard that I commend unto his care the lives of my Wife and of my Children for with a good heart I lay down my own for his service And do with me now what you please for you shall never force one word from me that shall be against my Master Immediatly to put him into a greater fear they did throw him being in the Sack into the water crying out unto him If thou wilt speak the Truth thou shalt be saved but seeing that he would confesse nothing they did draw him out and made a Report of his Constancy to the Queen who immediatly replyed That neither the King her Husband nor her self were so happy in a Servant as was this Bastard who had not wherewith to recompence him and did what she could to disswade him from his service but he would never he said be inforced to abandon his Master Neverthelesse It being his Masters desire he was afterwards admitted into the service of the King where he lived well and happily The Queen after she understood the Truth of the Marriage by the Letter of the Bastard did send to seek out Rolandine and with an angry countenance did oftentimes instead of Cozen call her wicked and unfortunate Creature She shewed her the Dishonour that she had done her Fathers house and to all her Kinred and to her self also to be married without her knowledge and consent Rolandine who a long time did know the little affection which the Queen did bear unto her resolved to answer her with the like and because the Queen was wanting in her love she was resolved there should be no place in her own heart for fear for she knew that this Rebuke given to her before so many Personages did not proceed from any love but only to procure her shame as being one whom she took more pleasure to reproach than grief to see her to transgresse She therefore with a countenance as joyfull and assured as the Queen had shewed an angry and a troubled one did say unto her Madam If you know not your own heart to be such as it is I will represent unto you the ill will which along time you have born unto Mounsier my Father and to my self but you know it so well that it cannot be strange unto you though all the world should doubt it and for my self Madam I have a long time perceived it to my great prejudice For if it had pleased you to grace me as much with your favour as you have done those who are not so near unto you as my self I had been married to your honour and my own but you have left me as one forgotten in your good opinion insomuch that all the good Matches which I might have had are passed from me by the negligence of my Father and by the little esteem which you have had of me by reason whereof I do find my self so forlorn that if my health had permitted me to take upon me the condition of a Nun I had most willingly put on that religious habit to free my self from those continuall afflictions which your rigour hath imposed upon me In this despair it was my fortune to find out him who was of as good and as great a Family as my self He hath a long time loved and courted me but you Madam who never pardoned me for the least fault nor commended me for the greatest good although by experience you do know that I am not accustomed to maintain any discourse of love or of the vanities of this world and that I was altogether retired from it being resolved to lead that life which was most religious doe now find it strange that I should speak unto a Gentleman as unfortunate as my self in whose love I neither desired nor sought for any thing but only some relaxation of my spirit Of which when altogether I beheld my self to be frustrated I did enter into such a despair that I had as great a resolution to procure some case unto my self as you had a desire to take it from me And not long after we entred into a discourse of marriage which was consummated by
lesse to believe Elisor hearing this cruell Commandment doubted on the one side that if he should stay she would remove him from her presence and on the other side hoping that the Event would speak better for him than her words he did accept the Command and said unto her Since I have lived seven years without any hope at all having concealed this fire now it is known unto you I shall bear and passe away these seven years to come with more patience But Madam in obeying your Commandment by which I am deprived of all the happinesse I have in the world what hope will you give me at the end of seven years when you have found me to be your faithful and your loyal Servant The Queen taking a ring from off her finger did say unto him Behold this Ring which I do give you Break it in the middle and you shall keep one half thereof and I the other to the end that if the length of time shall take away from my memory the knowledg of your face I may know it by that half part of the Ring which you shall keep Elisor did take the Ring and did break it in two pieces and gave one part thereof to the Queen and kept the other himself and taking his leave of her more dead than those who have render'd up their souls he departed to his Lodgings to take order for his journey which he performed in such a manner that he sent all his train from the Court to his own House and did travel himself attended but with one servant into a place so solitary that not any of his Kinred or his Friends for the space of seven long years did know where he was or heard the least tidings of him The life he did lead during that time and the afflictions he endured by reason of his absence cannot be known howsoever those that perfectly do sove cannot but in some measure be acquainted with them At the full end of seven years just as the Queen was going to hear Masse a Hermit with a great beard came unto her who kissing her hand did present her with a Petition which on the sudden she did not take the pains to look on although she was accustomed with her own hands to take all the Petitions that were presented to her how poor soever they were that did present them When the Masse was half said she opened the Petition and in the fust place found inclosed in it that part of the Ring which she had given unto Elisor whereat she was transported with as much Joy as Amazement and having read what was contained in the Petition she suddenly commanded her Almoner to bring the Hermit to her who had presented that Petition The Almoner did seek him every where but he could hear no tidings of him but only that he was seen to take horse but which way he did go it was impossible to be known The Queen did read the Petition over and over attending the answer of her Almoner and found also a Letter inclosed in it most excellently penned the substance whereof was to shew the strange effects which time had produced in renewing and resining the affections and changing a Love Temporal into a Love Spiritual and Eternal This Epistle was not read without many tears and a great amazement accompanyed with a grief incomparable For she thought that the losse she received in a servant full of so perfect love ought to be esteemed so great that neither all her Exchequer nor the Kingdom it self could take from her the title of being the most poor and most miserable Lady in the world because she had lost that which no treasure could redeem And having heard Masse she returned unto her Chamber and by her self alone did make so great a lamentation as her Cruelty did deserve And there was neither Mountain Rock or Fortest whither she did not send to find out this Hermit but he who had taken him from her hands did preserve him from falling into them again and did receive him into Paradise so that in this world she could hear no more tidings of him By this Example no Servant ought to confesse that which can do him no good and may assuredly hurt him And much lesse Ladies ought you by reason of your Incredulity to demand a proof so dissicult that in having it you may lose the life of your Servant Truly Dagoucin said Guebron I have heard that Lady highly commended as the most virtuous Princesse in the world who imposed this task upon her servant as a proof of his Fidelity but now I shall believe her to be the most foolisâ— and the most cruel that ever was Neverthelesse in my opinion said Parlament she did him no great wrong to make a proof of him for seven years if he loved so much as he professed for men are so accustomed to dissemble that before we trust them if at all we must trust them we cannot make too long a proof of them Ladies said Hircan are now a great deal more wise than heretofore they were for in seven dayes proof they have now as much assurance of a Servant as they had heretofore in seven years And yet there are some in this Company said Longaren who seven years together have been courted and have endured all the proofs of the Harquâ—buse and yet their love could never be obtained They ought then said Simontault to be number'd in the rank of the sormer times for in these dayes they are not to be received Howsoever it was said Oysilla the Gentleman was much obliged to the Lady by whose means he was reclamed from the vanity of Terrestrial love and wholly devoted his heart to God He met with an extraordinary happinesse said Saffredant to sind God on the Highways for seeing the affliction he had on him I do much wonder that he did not give himself to the Devil Why then when you are ill intreated of the Ladie you do love said Emarsuite do you wish the Devil take you A thousand and a thousand times said Saffredant but the Devil seeing that all the forments in Hell cannot make me more miserable than the torments wherewith she afflicts me will not vouchsafe to take me knowing well enough that there is no Devil so insupportable as a Lady that is loved and will not love again If you are of that opinion said Parlament to Saffredant if I were as you I would never have any thing to do with any Woman My assection to the Sex hath been always such saith Saffredant and my Error so great that I hold my self thrice happy to serve there where my service is most undervalued For the treachery and cruelty of Women cannot overcome the love which I bear unto them But I pray tell me in your Conscience Do you commend that Lady for her so great rigor Yes said Oyfilla for I believe that she would neither love nor yet be loved If she had that resolution said Simontault
wherefore did she give him such a promise to entertain him after the seven years were passed I am of your opinion said Longaren for those who for love will not return love again will give no occasion of love to those that bear love unto them It may be said Nomerfide that she loved another who was in deserts far inserior to this honest Gentlemen and that she left the better for the worse Upon my credit said Saffredant I conceive that hereby she made good provision for her self to take him in an hour when she had left off the other whom peradventure at that present she loved better I see very well said Oysilla that the more we examine and debate upon this Subject the more those who will have all things go on their side will take occasion to speak the worst of us that possibly they can wherefore Dagoucin I request you to give your voice to some one I do give it said he to Longaren being assured that she will acquaint us with some grateful novelty and will not to speak the Truth forbear either Man or woman Since you do esteem me to be so impartial said Longaren I will assume the hardinesse to acquaint you with the Fortune which happened to a very great Prince who in virtue surpassed all others of his time Understand withall that the thing which we ought least to use but in the case only of extreme Necessity is Dissimulation It is a Vice both vile and infamous especially amongst Potencates and Princes in the mouths and countenances of whom Truth is far more becomming than in any other person But there is no Frince so great although he hath all the honours and the riches that he can desire who is not subject unto the Empire and the Tyranny of Love insomuch that the more noble the Prince is and of greater spirit the more Love delighteth to make him to stoop under his powerful hand for that wanton and glorious little God doth take no care of small or common things and his Majesty doth make it his exercise every day to do wonders as to make weak the strong and to make strong the weak to give understanding to the ignorant and to take it away from the wise to savour passions and to destroy reason and all his delight is in such changes And because Princes are not exempt from love no more are they from the extremity into which the servitude of Love doth throw them And therfore by force they may be permitted to use Dissimulation hypocrifie and fiction which are the means to overcome their Enemies according to the Doctrine of Master Iohn de-Moon And since in such an act the Condition of a Prince is pardonable which in no other act is to be allowed because it layes them open to Disrepute I will in this place give an account unto you of the Inventions of a young Prince by which he deceived those who are accustomed to deceive all the world The subtilty which a great Prince used to delight himself in the Company of the Wife of an Advocate of Paris The Fifth Novell IN the City of Paris there was an Advocate more esteemed than nine Men of his profession and by reason of his great sufficiency being sought after by all he was the richest man of all those of his Robe who finding that he had no children by his first Wife did hope to have issue by his second And although his Body was old and dryed up yet his heart and his hope were not dead wherefore he did choose to wife a young Geutlewoman of the City of about eighteen or nineteen years of Age very fair and of a delicat complexion whom he loved and tendred as much as possibly he could but she had no more Children by him than he had by the former which at the last did much trouble her Wherefore her youth which was not suitable to Melancholy did cause her to seek out recreations in other places than in her own house and she repaired oftentimes to Feasts and Dancings but she always deported her self so civilly that her Husband could not entertain any bad opinion of her For she was alwayes in the company of those in whom he had great confidence Being one day invited to a Marriage there was present a great Prince who in rehersing the account did for bid me to use his name But I may well say unto you that he was so brave a Prince and of such a Grace that the like was never seen before in France nor ever I do believe will after him be seen again This Prince beholding this young Gentlewoman whose eys and whose Countenance did incite him to affect her did come unto her and did court her with such fine language that she her self was much taken with him and it and did not conceal from him that for a long time she had that love in her heart for which he did intreat her and that he should not take pains to perswade her to that to which at the first sight Love had made her to consent The young Prince by the courage of Love having obtained that happinesse the purchase whereof did well deserve a longer time he thanked the blind little God who so much favoured him And after that hour he so well followed his affair that they did both agree upon the means how they might come together without the observation of any The place and time being agreed upon the young Prince did not fail to come and to preserve the honour of the Gentlewoman he did come disguized but by reason of the dissolute boyes who did run up and down the streets in the night by whom he would not be known he took some Gentlemen with him to attend him And in the entrance into the street where she lived he did dismisse them saying to them If you hear no noise at all within this quarter of an hour you may retire into your own lodgings and about three or four hours hence fail not to expect me in this place again This they did accordingly and hearing not any noise they withdrew themselves into their own Chambers The young Prince did directly take his Course to the House of his Advocate and found the Door open as it was promised him But going up the stairs he did meet with her Husband by reason whereof he was more seen than he desired Neverthelesse Love which giveth understanding and boldnesse in the greatest necessities did so dispose it that the young Prince came directly to him and said Monsieur the Advocate You know the confidence which I and all those of my House do repose in you and that I do esteem you to be one of the best and most faithfull Servants that I have I was willing to come privatly to you to visit you as well to recommend my affairs unto you as to desire a Cup of your wine for I stand in need of it and not to acquaint any whomsoever that I am here for
that according to my imperfection I will not cease to bear you that affection which shall become a Woman fearing God and her own Honour but this affection can never be fully made known unto you until your Heart be capable of the patience which a virtuous Love doth command And for the present Sir I do know what Language I am to hold with you Howsoever you may assure your self that you love not so well your own Good Person or Honour as I do love it Signior Avanes being daunted did make a little pause and taking new Courage he did humbly beseech her That to give him an assurance of what she spake she would be pleased to kiss him But she refused it affirming that for so vain a thing she would not break the Custom of her Countrey As they were in this Debate her Husband did come in to whom Signior D' Avanes said My Father I do perceive my self to be so much obliged to you to your good Wife that I must beseech you that for ever you will repute me to be your Son which the good Man most willingly did consent unto And in the assurance of this love I do intreat you said Signior D' Avanes that I might kisse you Immediately the good Man kissed him and Signior Avanes said unto him If it were not for fear to offend the Law and Custome of the Country I would do as much to my Mother your Wife The Husband hearing that did command his Wife to kisse him which she did without making any appearance to be either willing or unwilling because her Husband did command her Immediatly the fire which her words before did begin to kindle in the heart of the poor Signior did vehemently increase by her kisse so much desired and at first so cruelly refused This being done Signior D' Avanes repaired to the King his Brother in the Castle where he told many fine stories of his Voyage to Montserrat and understood that the King his Brother was preparing to go to Olly and Tassares and considering with himself that the Journey would be long he was surprized with a great sadnesse which constrained him to resolve before his departure to make an essay whether this virtuous Lady did bear him more good will than she seemed to do wherupon he took up his lodgings in a house of the City and in the same street where she lived The house being old ruinous and made of Wood about midnight he did set it on fire whereupon the Cry was so great throughout the City that it came to the house of the rich man who comming to the window demanded what the businesse was it was answered to him that there was a great fire at the House of Signior D' Avanes He immediatly repaired thither with all his people and found the young Signior in the middle of the street in his shirt having pity on him he took him in his Armes and covered him with his Gown and conveying him to his house with all the speed that possibly he could he said to his Wife who was in bed Sweetheart I give you here this prisoner to keep use him as you would use my self And as soon as ever he was departed Signior D' Avanes who would willingly be intreated by her as if he were her Husband did lightly leap into the bed hoping that the occasion and the place would aler the resolution of that virtuous Woman but he found it otherwise for as soon that on one fide he leapt into the bed she made hast out of it on the other and throwing her night Gown on her she came up to the head of the bed and said unto him How now Monsieur do you believe that any opportunities can alter a chast heart You may assure your self that as Gold is proved in the furnace so is a chast heart in the midest of all temptations by which oftentimes it is proved to be more strong and virtuous and doth grow more cold by being assaulted by the most violent hears Wherefore rest your self assured that if I had any other will than what I have represented to you I could not fail to find means to make you know the injury you would doe me which not desiring to use I doe account them nothing But I must desire you if you would have me to continue the affection which I do bear unto you that you would remove far from you not only the will but also the very thought to find me otherwise than I am During this Discourse her Maids came in to whom she gave a command to bring her a Collation of all manner of Confects But he at that time was sensible neither of hunger or thirst with such a desperation was he possessed that he had failed in his enterprise he was afraid that the demonstration which he had made unto her of his passionate love might be an occasion to deprive him of all familiarities with her for the time to come Her Husband having given order for the extinguishing of the Fire was now returned and intreated Monsieur D' Avanes that he would stay in his House for that night which he consented to But the night was passed away in such a manner that his Eyes were more exercised in weeping than in sleeping And early in the morning he came to their bedside to bid them Farewell and kissing the Lady he readily found that she had more pity of him than ill will towards him for his offence and this was a new coal which over and above was added to the fire of his Love After Dinner he did set forth with the King to Trassares but before he took Horse he did once more repair to the House of his Father and Mother to bid them Adieu who after the first Commandement of her Husband did make no more difficulty to kisse him than if he had been her own Son But you may be sure that the more that Virtue did forbid her to reveal her hidden flame by her eyes and by her countenance the more it did increase and become insupportable insomuch that being no longer able to endure the War which Love and Honour had made in her Heart which neverthelesse she had determined with her self never to demonstrate having lost the comfort both of seeing and hearing him for whom she lived she was surprized by so violent a Feaver occasioned by a continual melancholly that the outward parts of her body became cold although she burned incessantly within The Physicians in whose hands the health of men doe always depend did begin to doubt of her recovery by reason of her great oppilation which did render her so melancholy and counselled her Husband to advise her to make her peace with the Physician of her Soul The poor Husband who most intirely loved his Wife was oppressed with so extream a sorrow by reason of those words that to comfort himself he did write to Signior D' Avanes beseeching him to take the pains to come
and see him hoping also that his sight would conduce something to the health of his Wife Signior D' Avanes having received the Letter did make no delay at all and came in Post to the House of his Father At the entrance into the house he found the Men servants and the Maid servants making so great a lamentation as the losse of so good a Mistresse did deserve whereat the Signior was so amazed that he stayed at the door like a man in a trance the good old man his Father seeing him did make hast to imbrace him and began to weep so abundantly that he was not able to speak one word He brought him into the Chamber where his Wife was who turning her languishing eyes towards him did give him her hand and drawing him with it towards her with all the strength she had she imbraced him and kissing him again and again did make a marvellous complaint and said unto him O Sir the hour is now come that all dissimulation must cease and that I must confesse the truth which I have so much indeavoured to conceal from you It is that if you for your part have born any love to me you may believe that my love hath been altogether as great as yours but my affliction hath surpassed yours because I have taken such pains to conceal it against my own heart For Sir you are to understand that God and my Honour did not permit me to declare it to you fearing that I should add that unto you which I had a desire to diminish But know Sir that the word of Denyal which I have so often spoke unto you hath done me so much prejudice to pronounce it that it is the occasion of my death with which I am well contented since God hath made me so happy that neither the violence nor the excesse of my love hath blemished at all my conscience or reputation For with a far lesse Fire than is mine there hath been far greater and more noble structures ruined But now I shall depart contented that before I die I shall declare my affection to you to be equal unto yours nothing excepted but that the honour of men and women are not alike I shall desire you Sir for the time to come that you will enforce your self to make no addresses but to the most noble and most virtuous Ladies for in their hearts do dwell the strongest passions and are alwayes most wisely managed and the Grace Beauty and Civility which is in you will not permit that you shall be fruitlesse And I beseech you so to remember me and to think of my constancy as that you will not impute that unto cruelty which is to be attributed to Honour Conscience and Virtue which ought a thousand times to be more dear unto us than life it self Now Sir I shall bid you farewell and commend you to the good man whom you vouchsafe to call Father and who is my Husband to whom I must beseech you to declare the truth what you know of me that he might throughly understand how much I have loved God and himself and I must beseech you to forbear to come any more before my eyes for the few hours I have to live I will altogether imploy them in the meditation of the promises which God hath made unto me before the Creation of the World and speaking these words she gave him the last kisse and imbraced him with all the force of her feeble arms Signior D' Avanes who had his heart within him as surprized with compassion as was hers with the Agony of Death being not able to speak one word unto her did withdraw himself from before her and threw himself upon a Bed which was in the next Chamber where oftentimes he swouned away Not long after the Lady called for her Husband and having made many honest remonstrances unto him she did recommend unto him the care of Signior D' Avanes assuring him that next unto himself he was the person whom she best loved in the World And kissing her Husband she did bid him adiew Immediatly afterwards she commanded that the Sacrament of the Altar should be brought unto her and after that the Unction which she received with great joy as being assured of her Salvation And finding that her eyes began to grow dim and all her strength to fail her she did speak aloud her In manus At that Cry Signior D' Avanes did rise from the bed and looking compassionatly on her he came in a sweet sigh to render his Soul unto her as she was rendring her Soul unto God to whom she was going and when he perceived that she was dead he did run to the dead body to which being alive he durst not approach but in fear and imbraced it and kissed it in such a manner that with much difficulty they did take her from between his Arms her Husband was much astonied at it for he never perceived that he did bear such an affection to her and saying to him Sir It is too much they both retired from her And having made a long lamentation the one for the Death of his Wife the other for the Death of his Friend Monsieur D' Avanes did give him an account at large of the whole course of his Love and that to her Death she never made any signe unto him but what did expresse Severity and an obstinate Chastnesse whereat her Husband being more contented than ever did double his grief for the losse of her and continued all his life afterwards in doing good services to Signior D' Avanes who was then not above eighteen years of Age. After this he departed to the Court where he continued divers years without seeing or speaking to any Woman in the world and he did wear mourning apparel two years together for her Ladies you may here observe the difference betwixt a wise woman and a foolish who do shew distinctly by themselves the different effects of love by which one of them received a death commendable and glorious and the other did lead a life loose and infamous For as the Death of a holy Man or Woman is pretious before God so the Death of a Sinner is as displeasing Truly Saffredant said Oysilla you have rehearsed to us as pleasant a History as I have ever heard and he who knew the persons as well as my self would find it yet more pleasant for I have never seen a braver Gentleman nor of a greater Gracefulness than the said Signior D' Avanes Do you think said Saffredant that a wise and a young Woman to dissemble her love which the counsel of Nature doth admit that she should bear to so desireable a Gentleman should ever suffer her self to dy for denying her self that pleasure of which so violently she desired the content covertly and he openly If she had such a desire said Parlament she had place and occasion enough to declare it to him but her Virtue was so great that she would
her Husband did give him many wounds with the poynado so that the Frier desired pardon and confessed the Truth of all his wickednesse The Gentleman although he might would not kill him but intreated his Wife to go home to his House and bring some of his servants to him and to bring a little Wagon with them to convey himself to his House with more ease which she did The Frier being despoyled of his habit which he had polluted with so much blood and lust did run in his shirt and his shorn head towards his own Covent But the servants of the Gentleman did overtake him as they were going to their Master to assist him to bring away the Wolf which he had taken and did dragg him to his house who did cause him to be brought before the Justice of the Emperor in Flanders before which Court he confessed his villany and it being found by his Confession and proof made by the Commissaries there present that a great number of Gentlewomen and beautifull Maids had been brought into that Monastery by the same Art as this Frier would have brought this Gentlewoman It was ordered That the said Monastery should be examined and despoyled of those beautiful Larcenies and that in the perpetual memory of this Crime the Monks should be all shut up and be burned with the Monastery By this it may appear that there is nothing more cruel than Love when it is grounded upon Vice as there is nothing again more commen dable than Love when it doth dwell in a virtuous heart Ladies I am very sorry that the truth of these Accounts doth not lead us as much to the commendations of Friers as it doth unto their prejudice for it would be a great pleasure to me in the respect of the love which I do bear unto their Order to know any one of them who would give me a just cause to praise them But we have sworn so much to speak the truth that after the report of Men so worthy to be believed I am constrained not to conceal it assuring you that when the Friers of these times shall do any act worthy of memory I will endeavour to set it forth far better to their Glory than I have given you the account of this Truth unto their Infamy In good carnest Guebron said Oysilla Behold here a Love which ought to be called Cruelty I doe wonder said Simonâ—ault how this Frier had the patience seeing this Gentlewoman in her smock and in a place where he himself was Master that he did not take her by force He had not so sudden a stomack said Saffredant but was a true Gormandizer for through the desire which he had to be-glut him self with her all day long he would not make any stay â—ow to take a tast of her It is not so said Parlament for you are to understand that every Man who is furious is also timorous and the fear which surprized him that his prey should be taken from him did cause him to take away that Lamb as a Wolf doth a sheep to seed upon it with more appetite at his own leisure I cannot believe said Dagouâ—in that he did bear any love unto her or that Love could ever inhabit in a heart so barbarous However it was said Oysilla I do beseech God that as he was punished so the like enterprizes may alwayes meet with the like chastisement But to whom will you give your voice To you Lady said Guebron for you will be sure to give us some good Account Since it comes to my turn said Oysilla I will give you a memorable account which happened in our times and of which she her self was an ey-witnesse who did acquaint me with it I am sure that you are not ignorant that Death is the end of all our Miseries and therfore putting an end unto our miseries it may be called our Felicity and sure Repose for the greatest misery that a man can have is to desire Death and to be deprived of it and of the means to enjoy it The greatest punishment which can be given to a Malefactor is not Death but to afflict him with a perpetual torment so great it makes him to desire it and so little that he cannot obtain it just as a Husband did deal by his Wife as you shall hear by this following story The punishment more rigorous than Death which a Husband inflicted on his Wife having taken her in Adultery The second Novell KIng Charls the Eighth of that Name did send into Germany a Gentleman called Bernage Lord of Cyure neer unto Ambois whose diligence was so remarkable in his Masters service that he travelled both day and night One evening he arrived very late at the Castle of a Gentleman where he demanded lodging which with great difficulty was at last granted Neverthelesse when the Gentleman understood that he was the Servant of so great a King he did go forth to meet him and did beseech him not to be discontented at the rudenesse of his people for by reason of some kinred of his Wives who intended ill unto him he was enforced to keep his Gate shut Immediately Bernage acquainted him with the occasion of his Legation in which the Gentleman did offer him all service that possibly he could in the behalf of the King his Master and brought him into his House where he did lodge him and gave him honourable entertainment The hour of Supper being come the Gentleman did lead him into a Parlor hung round with very rich tapestry where as soon as the meat was upon the Table he did behold a Lady of a most excellent beauty to come forth from behind the Arras her head was shaven all over and the rest of her body cloathed with Blacks of Almaign After the Gentleman had washed with Monsieur Bernage water was brought to the said Lady who having washed her hands did sit down at the end of the Table and spake not to any one nor any one to her Signior Bernage did often look upon her and she seemed to him to be the most beautiful Lady that ever he beheld but only that she looked pale and withall was very sad After she had eaten a little she demanded Drink which a Servant did bring her in a wonderful vessel for it was the scull of a dead Man the edge whereof was round about tipped with silver The Lady did drink twice or thrice in it and after she had supped and washed her hands she made a low Reverence â—o the Master of the House and returned again from whence she came without speaking any word Bernage was so amazed to see a thing so strange that he became very sad and pensive The Gentleman perceived it and said unto him I observe very well that you are astonished at what you have seen at this Table but because of the civility which I have found in you I will not conceal from you the occasion of it that if in me there be
Devil will leave her and in this I must beseech you to do as much for me as lies in your power The Confessor did reply unto him my Son All things are possible to the true believer And doe you assuredly believe that the goodnesse of God refuseth not any who in faith demandeth mercy of him My Father I doe verily believe it said the Gentleman Assure your self also my Son said the Frier that he both can doe it and he will doe it and that he is no lesse powerful than merciful Let us therefore goe in the power of Faith to resist that roaring Lion and pluck from him the prey which is redeemed by the bloud of his Son Jesus Christ The Confessor having spoken these words the Gentleman did bring him into the Chamber where his Wife was laid upon a Truckle-bed who was so much amazed to see him verily believing that it was he who had beaten her that she did grow into a wonderfull Rage as might appear by her countenance but by reason of the presence of her Husband she did look down with her eyes and did not speak one word Her Husband said unto the Holy man As long as I am with her the Devil doth not torment her but as soon as ever I am departed from her do you sprinkle holy-water on her and you shall quickly see how the evil spirit will play his pranks Having spoken those words he did leave the Preacher alone with his Wife and stayed himself behind the Arras to observe their Countenances When she beheld that there was no man with her but the Confessor she did begin to cry out as a woman inraged and out of her sense and called him Villain Murderet and Impostor The Frier for certain believing that she was possessed with an evil Spirit did attempt to take her by the Head to say his Oraisons over it but she did so scratch him and so bite him that she enforced him to stand further off who perpetually sprinkling her with his holy-water did number Oraisons upon Oraisons When her Husband perceived that he had done his Duty he came into the Chamber and gave him many thanks for the pains that he had taken as soon as ever she perceived her Husband she held both her hands and her tongue and did forbear all Injuries and Maledictions and standing in aw of him she gently did kisse the Crosse But the Holy Man who before did see her so much transported did firmly believe that at his prayer our Saviour had cast the Devil out of her and departed praising God for so great a Miracle The Husband seeing his Wife well chastised for so foolish a phantasie did conceive it not to be sit to declare unto her what he had done for he contented himself to have overcome her violent affection by his wisdom and that he had put her into such a condition that she now detested her own folly and mortally hated that which before so indiscreetly she had loved And after this having abandoned all Precisenesse she devoted her self altogether to her Husband and followed her businesse better at home than she did ever before in all her life Ladies by this you may understand the Discretion of a good Husband and the Frailty of a Woman that was esteemed of a devout and honourable life I do believe that when you do behold your selves in this Mirror instead of trusting in your own strength you will learn to return to him in whose hand all Honour is enclosed I am very glad said Parlament that you are become a Preacher to Ladies and should be yet more glad if you would but continue in this good discourse unto all those with whom you hold communication As often said Hircan as you please to give ear unto me I am consident that I shall not speak otherwise It is as much as to say said Simontault that when these Ladies are not present you will speak in another sense That shall be said Parlament as he himself pleaseth but for my own content I shall believe that he will never speak otherwise Nevertheless the Example he hath alleged will serve to convince those who believe that a love spiritual cannot be dangerous which appears to me to be the most dangerous of all others It is true said Oysilla that to love an honest Man and one fearing God ought not to be a thing we should despise for we should love none but such Madam said Parlament I must beseech you to believe that there is nothing more foolish nor more easie to be deceived than a woman who hath never been in love For Love of it self is a passion which taketh possession of the heart before we are advised of it and this passion is so pleasant that if it can be so far assisted by Virtue as to put on her cloak it will not without much difficulty be discovered untill some Inconvenience shall ensue thereby What Inconvenience can arise said Oysilla to love a Man of worth and Honour Madam answered Parlament There are many Men esteemed Men of Honour towards Ladies but to be so much a Man of Worth towards God that a Lady may love him and reserve both her Honour and her Conscience I do believe is near unto a wonder and very rare to find And those who are confident there are such and that there are many of them will find themselves at the last to be deceived and they have entred into a Love under the Notion of God the events whereof doth lead them to the Devil for I have seen too many who under the Colour of Piety have entertained a Love from whence in the end they would have willingly retired but could not because the honest Coverture of it did keep them in a fond subjection For a vitious Love doth of it self defeat it self and cannot be lodged in a virtuous heart but a virtuous Love is that which carryeth with it nets of silk so finely woven that we are innocently taken in them before we do perceive them If it be as you speak said Emarsuite there would never any Woman love a Manâ— but your Law is too severe to be observed by any I know it very well said Parlament but for all that I will not leave off to desire every Woman to be contented with her own Husband as I am with mine Emarsuite who by that word did believe that she her self was understood changing her colour did say unto her You ought to judge that every one hath as good a heart as you your self and not to believe that you are more perfect than all others Well well said Parlament that we may enter no further into this Discourse Let us know unto whom Hircan will give his voice I do give it said he to Emarsuite that she may be reconciled to my Wife Since then it comes to my turn said Emarsuite to make all equal I will spare neither Man nor Woman and I will make trial if I cannot overcome your heart once
love only which she did hear unto her Children and I doe believe it And doe you find any great patience in this woman said Nomerfide to put fire under the bed where her Husband was afleep Yes said Longaren for when ever she saw the smoak about him she awaked him and peradventure it was in that only that she committed the greatest fault for to such Husbands Fire and Cinders are the best admonitions Longaren you are too cruel said Oysilla you have not so lived with your Husband No said Longaren for God be praised I had no such occasion but instead of complaining of him I shall grieve all the remnant of my life that I have lost him But if you had such a Husband said Nomerfide what would you have done with him I doe believe said Longaren that I should not have loved him so well but that I should have killed him first and afterwards my self for to die after such a vengeance had been a thing more agreeable unto me than to live loyal with one that is disloyal For ought that I can see said Hircan you only love your Husbands for your selves if they are good according to your desire you doe love them but if they commit the least fault in the world they have lost the labour of all their week for one Saturday And this is the reason that you will be Mistresses but for my part I am resolved and if all Husbands would be but of my mind It is reason said Parlament that the man should goveru us as our Head but not that he should forsake us or intreat us â—udely God said Oysilla hath given so good an order â—oth to the man and to the Wife that if it be not abuâ—â—d I doc believe marriage to be the most delightful â—nd the most sure estate that is in this world and I am â—â—nfident that all those who hear me whatsoever they â—â—etend to the contrary doe think my thoughts and peradventure more than my self and by how much the man is said to he more wise than the woman he shall by so much be the more grievously punished if the fault doth proceed from him But having discoursed enough let us see to whom Dagoucin will give his voice I doe give it said he to Longaren You have done me said she a great pleasure therein for I have an account that is worthy to follow yours and because we are now upon the praise of the virtuous patience of Ladies I will shew you one examrle more commendable than any that hath been yet recited and so much the more to be esteemed in that she was only the Wife of an ordinary Citizen who for the most part are not bâ—ed up so virtuously as those of the Gentry or in the Court are The memorable Charity of a Woman of Tours towards her Husband who was a whoremaster The eighth Novel IN the City of Tours ther was the wife of a Burgess a fair and an honest woman who was not only beloved for her Virtues but highly esteemed by her own Husband who following the frailty of men that are weary to feed always on good bread did become amorous of a Dairy maid he had and oftentimes would travel into the Country to see how his Dairy thrived where he would constantly stay two or three days and when he returned to Tours he would be so full of the Morphy that his poor Wife and all the Doctors of that City had enough to doe to recover him and as soon as ever he was on his leggs and well again he failed not to return to his Dairy where for a short pleasure he did forget all his former weaknesses His Wife who above all things did love the life and the health of her Husband observing him ordinarily to return in this weak Estate did repair her self unto the Dairy where she found the young Woman whom her Husband loved to whom with an unclowded and most pleasant Countenance without the least shew of discontent or choler she said That she knew very well her Husband came oftentimes to see her and that nothing troubled her but that she did not use him well for he alwayes returned unto her full of fâ—intnesse and a discoloured Infirmity The young Wench as well for the reverence she did bear unto her Dame as constrained unto it by the force of the Truth did not deny the fact but required pardon of her Her Dame desired to see the Bed and the Chamber in which her Husband being there was accustomed to lodge which she found so cold so dampish and so musty that she had great Compassion on him wherefore immediately she did send for a good Bed and Curtains and Valance correspondent to it as also for pillows sheets and coverlets She also caused the chamber to be hung with Tapestry and sent in fair bowles and good dishes in which her Husband might eat and drink she sent in also a pipe of good Wine and Confects and other Restoratives and desired the Dairy-maid that she would not send back her Husband any more unto her so full of his former Morphy Her Husband being all this while at Tours and not knowing what his Wife had done thought long to return unto his Dairy as he had been accustomed to do whither being come he much wondred to see all things there in so good order and much mote when the Maid did give him Wine to drink in a great Bowl of Silver He demanded of her How she came by those Goods The poor Maid melting into tears told him That his Wife had sent them who taking compassion of her ill usage of him when he was there had sent in all those moveables into the house and desired her at her departure to have a great Care of his health The Husband observing the great Goodnesse of his Wife and that she had returned him so many good offices for all the bad ones which he had performed to her esteeming his Fault as great as was her Virtue did give a sum of money to the Dairy-maid and desired her for the time to come to live in the reputation of an honest Servant and returning to his Wife he confessed his trespasse unto her as also that without that incomparable goodnesse and sweetnesse of her disposition it was impossible for him to forsake the life he lived After this they lived together in great peace and he altogether abandoned his former Incontinence Believe me Ladies that there are few Husbands whom the Patience and the Love of their Wives cannot gain at the last unlesse they have hearts more hard than a stone which the water maketh soft and hollow by the length of time Behold said Parlament a Woman without a heart and without wit what would you have her do said Longaren she hath put that in practise which God hath commanded to do good unto those who do evil I do believe said Hircan that she was in love with some Frier who in penance did command
her to send those moveables to emertain her Husband in the Country that during his residence there he himself might have the oportunity to be as well entertained by her in the City Go too said Oysilla you shew too much the malice of your heart to judge ill of a good act I do rather believe that she was so mortified in the love of God that she look care for nothing more than for the health and safely of her Husband It seems to me said Simontault that be had more occasion to return unto his wife when be was cold in his Country house than when he was so well provided foâ— For ought that I see said Saffredant you are not of the opinion Madam of the rich Man of Paris who would not put off his cloaths when he lay with his Wife son fear of getting the Morphey but when in a cold winters day he did go to see his Maid in the fields without shoes on his feet or his Bonact on his head he was never sick at all although his Wife was a handsom woman and his Maid but an ill-favoured and a dirty slut Have you not heard said Guebron that God is always savourable to Lovers Fools and Drunkards It may be that this Burgess alone was all three of them himself By that you would conclude said Parlament that God doth not favour the chast the sober nor the wise They who can aid themselves said Guebron do not need to be aided by any other For he who hath said that he is come to cure the sick and not those who are sound is come by the law of his Mercy to help our insirmities and to break the arrests of the rigor of his Justice and he who doth think himself wise is a fool before the face of God But to end our Sermon to whom will Longeren give her voice I doe give it said he to Saffredant I hope then said Saffredant to shew you by example that God doth not favour Lovers For Ladies although it hath been heretofore affirmed that the Vice of Love is common both to Women and to men yet the invention and the artifice is always more ready in a woman than in a man as I shall demonstrate to you by this example A good invention to drive away an evill Spirit The ninth Novel A Lord of Grignaux who was a Cavalier of Honour to Anne Queen of France and Dutchesse of Brittany returning to his house from whence he had been absent two years and more did find his Wife removed to another place and not in the Castle where he left her and enquiring of the occasion it was told him that the Castle was haunted with a Spirit which did so torment them that none could endure to stay in it Monsieur de Grignaux who was not afraid of Hobgoblins made answer that if it was the Devil himself he was resolved to see what it was and took his Wife with him All the night he burned great Candles to discover the Spirit more plainly and having kept himself a long time awake and heard nothing at all he fell asleep But immediately he was awaked by a great blow that was given him on his cheek and he heard a voice crying Revigne Revigne which was the name of his Grand-mother He therefore called to his Wife who was in bed with him to light more Candles for the others were all burned out but she durst not rise Not long after Signior Grignaux did plainly perceive that something was drawing away the Coverlet from him and he heard a great noise of Tables and Trenchers and Dishes that did fall down in the Chamber which did continue until the break of day The Signior was more troubled that he had lost his Rest than surprized with any fear of the Spirit On the night following he did resolve with himself to take hold of the Spirit and not long after he was in bed he counterfeited as if he had suorted extremely did keep his hand open close unto his face Having in this manner attended the Spirit he at last perceived something to come near him wherefore he did begin to snort as loudly as he did before and the Spirit growing too saucy with him did give him a good sound blow on the face Signior Grignaux having his hand prepared did immediatly take fast hold on the hand that struck him and cryed out to his Wife I have the Spirit by the hand who immediarely did rise and bringing the Candle more near unto him they did find that it was their Chamber-maid who did lie in their own Chamber who trembling down upon her knees did demand pardon and promised to confesse the truth unto them which was that the Love which she had born for a long time to one of his Servants in the Castle did tempt her to undertake this goodly mystery to drive both Master and Mistresse from thence to the end that they two to whom the whole charge of the House was committed might have the opportunity to make better chear which they did when they were alone by themselves Monsieur de Grignaux who was a blunt and a rough man did command that they should both be punished with stripes and be taught to remember the ill Spirit as long as they lived which being done accordingly they were both discharged the Castle and by this means the House was deliverd from all trouble of those evil Spirits which before for two years together had played their pranks in it Ladies It is a strange thing to consider of the wonderful effects of the puissant God of Love who taking all fear from women doth prompt them to endure all tryals to arrive to the end of their own Desires And as this Invention in the Chambermaid was to be blamed so the good understanding of her Master is to be commended who knew very well that a Spirit goes forth and returns no more Truly said Guebron Love at this time did not favour the Groom not the Chambermaid but seems to confesse that the good Understanding of the Master was more effectual Howsoever said Emarfuite the Chambermaid by this Invention did live a long time wholly at her own pleasure Wicked is that Pleasure and most Unhappy said Oysilla which is grounded upon Sin and doth end in shame and punishment It is true Madam said Emarsuite but many people take pains and grief enough to live uprightly and in all their lives have not so much sense of pleasure as these two in this Account I am of that opinion said Oysilla that without peace of Conscience it is impossible to have any perfect pleasure Say you so said Simontault the Italian hath a Proverb That the greater the sin is it is always the more pleasant Truly said Oysilla they who do affirm that Tenent are Devils themselves Wherefore let us leave off this Dispute and know to whom Saffredant will give his voice To whom should I give it said he since every one hath spoken their
that she would have no Supper of such Viands again and that she resolved to live in such a manner that he should not be the Butcher of her second Husband for she could hardly be induced to believe that he would pardon another having shewed himself so mercilesse to him whom he loved best in the world And although she was but weak and unable to revenge her own Cause yet her Hope was in HIM who is the true Judge and who will suffer no Sin to passe unpunished to whose only love she would devote her self during her life in that Hermitage which she did accordingly for she never departed thence until the day of her Death untill her Soul departed from her Body living with such patience and austerity that after her Death every one did run thither as to the Seat of a Saint and so great a Ruine did fall upon her Brothers House that of six Sons which he had not one remained alive but all of them dyed most miserably and in the end the Inheritance was devolved as you heard in my other Account upon his Daughter Rolâ—ndine who succeeded in the Prison which was made for her Aunt Ladies I pray to God that this Example may be prefitable to you that none of you may have a desire to marry for your own pleasure without the consent of those â—o whom you do ow obedience for Marriage is an Estate of so long a Continuance that it ought not lightly to be undertaken nor without the Consent of our best Friends and Kinred And it cannot at the best be so well managed but it will undoubtedly bring with iâ— as much pain as pleasure In good faith said Oysilla if there were neither God nor Law to teach fools to be wise this Example is sufficient enough to instruct them to bear more reverence to their Parents and Kinred than to marry at their own pleasure Madam It is so said Nomerfide that she who hath one good day in a year is not unfortunate throughout all her life She had a long time the pleasure to see and to discourse with him whom she loved better than she loved her self and after that she had the delight of the Marriage-bed without any trouble or remorse of Conscience And I esteem that Contentment to be so great that it seems to me it doth exceed the sorrow it brought with it You will say then said Saffredant that Women do receive more pleasures to ly with their Husbands than they do receive grief to to see them killed before their eyes That is not my in tention said Nomerfide for I should then speak against the Experience which I have of married Women but I conceive that so great and extraordinary a pleasure as to marry that man whom we love best in the world is more greatly to be esteemed than to lose him by death which is a common calamity So it is said Guebron if it were by a natural death but this here spoken of was too cruel for it is very strange to me seeing this Signior was neither her Father nor her Husband but her Brother only and moreover that she was of full age and that the Laws doe permit the Daughters to marry whom they please how he durst execute such a cruelty I do find it not strange at all said Hircan for he killed not his Sister whom so perfectly he did love but the young Gentleman whom he cherished and brought up as his own Son and loved as his own Brother and having preferred him and inriched him in his Service the Gentleman ought to have been content and not to have sought his Sister in marriage which nothing at all did pertain unto him The Honour and pleasure said Nomerfide is not usual for a Gentleman who is but a Servant to marry a Lady of so great a Family And if the death be strange the pleasure must be new also and so much the greater that it hath the opinion of all wise men to affirm it and the contentment of a heart full of love to aid it and the repose of the Soul to attend it which is a quiet Conscience seeing God is not offended with it And as for that death which you say was cruel it seems to me that it being inevitable the speediest death is the best for we all know that of necessity we must passe through Nature to eternity And I esteem them most happy who stay not any long time in the Suburbs and from the felicity which only in this world can be so called do in an instaet fly unto that which is eternal What do you call the Suburbs of death said Simontault Those said Nomerfide who have had many tribulations in Spirit those who have been a long time sick those who by the extremity of corporal or Spiritual griefs are come so far as to despise death and to complain that their last hour comes too slowly These are they who have already passed through the Suburbs of Death and have lodged in those Inns in which there is more noise than rest It was impossible but that this Lady must lose her Husband by death but in losing him by the choler of her Brother being exempted from seeing him sick or bedrid and exchanging the joy she had to be with him into the love and the service of God she might well call her self happy Do you make no reckoning said Longaren of the disgrace which she received and of her tedious imprisonment I do believe said Nomerfide that a Man or Woman who absolutely doe love according to the Commandment of God do know neither shame nor dishonour but when they alter or diminish from the perfection of their love for the glory to love truly doth not know nor is it capable of disgrace And as for the imprisonment of the Body I do believe this Lady had such an inlargement of her Soul which was united to God and to her Husband that she was hardly sensible where she was but esteemed her solitude to be the greatest liberty for they who cannot behold that which they love have no other happinesse but incessantly to think upon iâ— And that confinement is never streight where the Soul is free and the thoughts can exercise themselves at their own preasure There is nothing more true said Simontault than that which Nomerfide doth declare but he who by his fury made that separation may truly be called guilty and unhappy for he at one and the same time offended both God and Love and Honour In good earnest said Guebron I do much wonder at the different loves of women and do well observe that those who have the most love have the most virtue and that those who have the least do indeavour by dissimulation to counterfeit themselves to be virtuous It is true said Parlament that a Heart honest to God and Men doth love more sincerely than that which is vicious for it feareth not that we may sound the depth of its intention I have
in whatsoever they do say or do to supplant our female simplicity would find themselves a great way off from their Hope I pray you Nomerfide said Guebron let me give you my voice that we may hear from you some Account to that purpose I will rehearse unto you one said Nomerfide as much to the commendation of true Lovers as yours have been to the dispraise of foolish Women Of two Lovers who subtilly did enjoy their Loves and of the happy issue thereof The fourth Novell IN the City of Paris there were two Citizens of a considerable Estate the one a Lawyer the other a Mercer who for a long time did bear a great affection to one another by the means whereof the Son of the Lawyer called James a young Man and a fine Companion did oftentimes frequent the Mercers house in pretence of the Love that was shewed to his Father but it was indeed in love to the fair Daughter of the Mercer whose Name was Frances And James did make his addresses so effectual to her that he knew he was no less beloved than he did love But in the time of this Courtship the War began in Provence by reason of the Invasion of Charls of Austria and James was enforced to follow the War to serve according to the Estate in which he was In the beginning of these Wars his Father dyed the News whereof did convey a double affliction to him the one was for the loss of his Father the other was for the inconvenience which that losse brought with it which was that on his return he should be deprived of the opportunity of seeing his Sweet-heart so often as he hoped to have done Neverthelesse in a short process of time the one was forgotten and the other increased for as Death is a thing natural and more natural to the Father than to the Children so grief by little and little of it self doth wear away But Love instead of conveying death unto us doth bring us life by the propagation of Children who doe render us immortal which is one of the most principal motives to increase our desires James being returned to Paris had no other thought or care than to put himself again into the train and the vulgar frequentation of the Mercers house where under the umbrage of his former love he might traffick with his dearest merchandise On the other side during his absence Frances was sollicited and courted by diverse as well for her beauty as for her wit and understanding and also because she was fully marriageable although her Father was not forward to seek out a Husband for her whether it were through covetousnesse or a provident desire to have her richly placed she being his only Daughter And this conduced nothing at all unto her Honour for tongues now a days are proâ—e to slander and detraction when no occasion is administred and especially if it be upon any thing which concerns the Chastity of Maid or Woman This her Father understood who was neither blind nor deaf to the vulgar chat nor would he be like those Fathers who instead of censuring Vice in their Wives or Children do provoke them to it for he did keep her so short that even those who came unto her as Suters only could hardly be admitted to see her although she was always in hâ—r Mothers Company I need not to ask you if this were not very grievous to James to endure being not able in his understanding to resolve himself what was the reason that she was guarded with so much severity and finding no occasion for it he could not tell what certainly to conclude upon but did waver betwixt Love and Jealousie At the last he was resolved with himself come what would of it he would know the reason But first of all to understand if she were of the same affection as she was before he did so often goe and come where she used to resort that one Morning hearing Masse in the Church and being very near unto her he perceived by her countenance that she was no lesse glad to see him than he was to see her and knowing also that her Mother was not so strict over her as her Father he took one day the boldnesse as it were unexpectedly seeing them goe from their House unto the Church to accost them with a familiar and vulgar complement and not too expressely to declare himself that he might better arrive to the end of his Design The end of the year approaching in which his Father died he determined with himself to leave off his mourning and to put himself into such a habit as might become the honour of his Ancestors and acquainted his Mother with it who did like it very well desiring with all her heart to see him well married because she had no more Sons and but one Daughter who was already married and very richly and moreover she did inure her heart to the Love of virtue by the infinite Examples of other young Gentlewomen of her age who either did advance themselves or at least shewed themselves worthy of the Family from whence they were descended There was nothing more to doe but to consider in what shop they might best provide themselves His Mother said unto him James I think it most expedient to goe to my Husbands Compeeire Master Peters who was the Father of Frances for said she he it one of our Friends and will not deceive us That word much pleased her Son and he greedily swallowed it neverthelesse he said unto his Mother we will buy it there where we can find our best Market but because he was an acquaintance of my Fathers I am content to goe thither in the first place The Agreement was made and one morning the Mother and the Son did go to Mr. Peters house who received them with many expressions of respect as you know few Shop-keepers are unprovided in that kind A great variety of whole pieces of Silks were laid open upon the board and they might chuse what they pleased but they could not agree upon the price which James did on purpose because he could not see the Mother of his Sweet-heart and at last they were going without buying any thing at all to try what they could do in another place But James did like nothing so well as what he cheapned at his Sweet-hearts Fathers house whither some hours afterwards they returned They found then her Mother within who did give them the best welcom in the world and after the words of course which are accustomed in such shops the Wife of the Mercer being more hard to deal with than the Mercer himself James said unto her You are grown Lady very hard see what it is to lose a good Father Now we cannot be known here and with that he made an apparence as if he wept and wiped his eys in the remembrance of the dear Father which he lost but this was only to play his own cards the better The
was but whatsoever prayer she could make or reasons she could allege nothing would mollifie his heart nor overcome the heady resolution he had taken with himself to be revenged on her for without answering his Wife one Word he withdrew himself from her as fast as he could and forgetting God and the honour of his House without any form of Justice he most cruelly caused the Maid to be apprehended I will not in this place undertake to describe unto you the perplexity of the Dutchesse which was such that a Lady of Honour and of a good spirit ought to have who on the obligation of her faith did see her to die whom she desired to preserve But much lesse may the lamentations of the poor Gentleman be represented who was his Servant and failed not to use the utof his endeavour as much as it was possible for him to doe to save the life of the Maid offering to lose his own life for her but it would not be accepted and no pity could touch the heart of the Duke who knew no other felicity but to revenge himself of those whom he hated In this manner was the innocent Maid put to death by this cruel Duke against all Law of honesty to the great grief of all those who knew her See here Ladies what are the effects of malice when power is joyned unto it I have heard it spoken said Longaren that the greatest part of the Italians I say the greatest part for no doubt there are some honest men amongst them as in all other Nations are subject to their Vices in which none do exceed them but I though that Vengeance and Cruelty had not been so predominant as upon every small occasion to give so cruel a death Saffredant smiling did say unto her Longaren you have given us a true Account of one of the three Vices I would fain know what are the other two If you do not know them already said Longaren I will tell them you but I am confident you are not to learn what they are By your words said Saffredant you would make me a very vicious Man Not by deeds said Longaren but in knowing the filthinesse of Vice you can better than another know how to avoid it Wonder not said Simontault at their cruelty for those who have travelled into Italy will tell you such incredible things of them that this in the comparison will appear but a little Sin or no Sin at all Believe me said Guebron when Rivoli was taken by the French there was an Italian Captain who was esteemed to be a Gentleman who seeing one dead who was not his Enemy in particular but only took part against the Gibelins did tear his heart out of his belly and rosting it upon the Coals did greedily devour it and some present demanding of him what tast it had he made answer that he never did eat a sweeter or a more voluptuous morsel And not content with this goodly Act he killed the Wife of the Dead Man and tearing her young child out of her belly being almost ready to be delivered did dash it into pieces against the walls and afterwards filled the two Bodys of the Husband and Wise with Oats and threw them to his Horses to seed on How do you think he would have used this Girl whom he had suspected to have done him a displeasure It might well be affirmed said Emarsuite that the Duke was very much afraid that his Son should have married poorly and that was the reason that he would not suffer him to have a Wife according to his own mind You are not to doubt said Simontault that the Nature of them is to love that more than Nature which was only created for the use of Nature Behold said Longaren the second Sin which I would have represented to you for we all know well enough that to love money beyond the use of it for which it serves which is only to aid us in our necessities is to make an Idol of it Parlament added that Saint Paul had not forgot their Vices nor the vices of those men who think they do surpasse and excell all others in wisdom and humane reason in which they do confound themselves because they render not to God the glory which is due unto him Therefore God who is jealous of his Honour hath renderd them more insensible than Beasts who believed they had more sense than all other men and by their lusts against Nature they do show that they are delivered up to a reprobate sense Longaren interupted her in her discourse and said this is the third Sin to which the greatest part of the Italians are subject In good earnest said Nomerfide I take an extraordinary delight to hear this discourse for since those Spirits which we esteem to be the most subtle and the greatest Discoverers do endure such a punishment as to be more sencelesse than beasts We ought to conclude that those who are humble and dejected in their beauty as I my self am shall be filled with the wisdom of Angels and with the grace of God I assure you answered Oysilla I am not far from your opinion for no man is more ignorant than he who thinks he knows something I never said Guebron saw a mocker but he was mocked nor a deceiver but he was deceived nor a vain glorious person but he was humbled You do make me to remember an Imposture said Simontault which if it had been an honest one I would willingly have recited It is no great matter said Oysilla for since we are met here to speak the truth be it of what quality it will I do give you my voice to speak it Since the place is given to me said Simontault I must take it and will give you an Account thereof The Slovenly Breakfast prepared by an Apothecaries man for an Advocate and a Gentleman The second Novel IN the City of Alençon in the time of Charles the last there was an Advocate named Anthony Bachet an honest man and a great Lover of a good Breakfast in a Winters morning One day sitting very early at his door he observed a Gentleman to passe by who was called Monsieur de Tyrelier who by reason of the great Frost which was that morning was come a foot from his own house into the City to dispatch some businesse and he had put on a long Coat furred with Fox-skins When he beheld the Advocate who was of his own complexion he told him that he had been in the Town almost two hours and already done all his businesse and that nothing remained but to goe to some place of resort to find out a good Breakfast The Advocate made answer to him that the Breakfast was easily to be found but then he must pay for it And taking him by the Arm he said unto him Let us goe my Companion we may possibly find one fool or another who will pay the shot for us both By fortune there was
wanting we must borrow something of Hypocrifie just as we do when we wear Pantofles to make us appear a little higher than we are and doth it not do well howsoever that we can find a way to cover our imperfections To tell you what I think said Hircan it were better sometimes to shew some imperfection than peremptorily to cover it with the mantle of Virtue It is true indeed said Emarsuite that a Garment borrowed doth as much dishonour him who is enforced to return it as it did him credit when he did wear it And there hath been that Lady to my knowledge alive who to cover a small fault hath fallen into a greater I do suspect said Hircan who it is you speak of wherefore at the least doe not name her And why so said Guebron I do give you my voice but upon a condition that after you have recited your Account you will declare the Name and we will all swear unto you never to make any reiteration of it I do promise you that I will said Emarsuite for there is nothing but may be spoken of with Honour The personal diligence of a Prince to remove an importunate Lover The third Novel KIng Francis the first of that name having retired himself into a most pleasant Castle with a small Retinue as well to solace himself with the pleasure of hunting the Buck as to repose himself from the troubles the noise of the City had in his Company a Pr. as wise as virtuous as gallant a man as any in the Kings Court He had espoused a Lady who had none of the greatest beauties but he did love her as well as a Husband could love a Wife And reposed so great a trust in her that if by chance he did take an affection to any other he did not conceal it from her knowing that she had no other desire but what was his The Prince did fall in love with a Lady that was a Widdow who had the reputation to be one of the fairest Ladies that could be looked upon and if the Prince loved her well his Wife did love her no lesse than he and did oftentimes invite her to eat and to drink with her finding her so wise and so honest that instead of being sorry that her Husband loved her she was glad with all her heart to see him to addresse himself to so fair a Creature filled with Honour and Virtue This love continued long insomuch that the Prince imployed himself in his own person in all the affairs of this Lady as if she had been his own Wife and the Princesse his Wife did do no lesse But because she was so exceeding beautiful many great Lords and Gentlemen did court her and were importunately sollicitous to obtain her favour some for love only and some for gifts for besides her beauty she was very rich Amongst others there was a young Gentleman who did follow her so close that he failed not to be in her Chamber every morning when she made her self ready and every evening when she undressed her self to goe to bed and as long as possibly he could he stayed with her all the day which pleased not the Prince for he thought that a Man of so poor a condition and of so rude a deport did not deserve that civil and gratious entertainment of which in private he often made Remonstrances to the Lady But she who was the Daughter of a Duke did excuse it saying That she without distinction did speak to all the World by reason whereof her love was the more concealed seeing that she did speak as much to one as to another At the end of half a year this Gentleman did court her in the way of marriage and did follow his sute with so much diligence that more for importunity than for any love she did promise him that she would accept him for her Husband intreating him that he would not declare it until her Daughters were all married After this promise the Gentleman without any fear of Conscience did goe at all hours into her Chamber when he pleased and there was but one Gentlewoman belonging to her Chamber and but one Gentleman that did know of the Contract they had made The Prince observing that the Gentleman did grow more and more familiar in the house of her whom so much he loved did take it so ill that he could not forbear thus to impart his jealous heart unto the Lady I have always loved your Honour as if you were my own Sister and you doe know the honest discourses with which I did always entertain you and the contentment which I received to love a Lady so wise and so virtuous as your self but I doe find that another who doth not deserve it hath by his importunity gained that which against your approbation I would not desire and this is an affliction not to be endured by me and will prove no lesse dishonourable to your self I doe acquaint you with it because you are young and beautiful and until now have lived in the height of reputation which every day will sink lower lower and being lost will not be easie to be regained And although he is no ways to be compared to you in Birth or Fortunes and much lesse in Authority Knowledge or Gracefulnesse it would be better far that you should marry him than to make all the world to suspect you Wherefore I beseech you to tell me truly if you are determined to love him for I will not have him to be my Companion and am resolved to leave you to him for altogether and I will by degrees withdraw my self from that familiar love which I have born unto you The poor Lady did begin to weep fearing to lose his love and did swear unto him that she had rather die than espouse that Gentleman of whom he did speak but she said that he was so importunate that she could not hinder him from comming into her Chamber on the hour when all the rest were accustomed to enter Of those hours said the Prince I doe not speak at all for I can then come in as well as he and every one may see what you doe But I am Informed that he finds admission into your Chamber after you are in bed a thing which I do find so strange and which comes so quite crosse unto me that I must tell you that if you continue that life and you doe not declare him for your Husband you will be one of the most dishonoured Women that ever was She made unto him all the Oaths that possible she could that she did not esteem him either for a Husband or a Friend but for an importunate Man as he was Well said the Prince since it is so that he is so much troublesome unto you I will take a course to prevent it How said she will you cause him to be put to death No no said the Prince but I will give him to understand that he
themselves The Gentleman demanded of her wherefore she did laugh so and desired her that she would make him a partaker of her joy She made answer to him Sweet-heart I am such a fool that I laugh at my own shade and for all the intreaties he could make or use he could never get any other answer from her This is that story which you did cause me to remember when you made mention of that great Lady who loved the Sweet-heart of her Husband In good troth said Emarsuite If my Chambermaid should have served me so I would have rose and stung the Candle in her face You speak too terribly said Hircan but what would you think if your Husband and the Chambermaid should have set themselves against you and should have beaten you soundly for you should make no reckoning of a kisse Howsoever his wife might have done better to have made no noise at all but have let them take their recreation together It might peradventure have cured him of his Malady No said Parlament she was afraid that the end of that Recreation would have made him more weak than he was before She was none of those said Oysilla of whom our Saviour speaks We have made our lamentation unto you but you have not weeped We have sung but you have not danced for when her Husband was sick she wept and when he was joyful she laughed And so all women of worth and honour ought to partake both of the Good and of the Evil and the joys and the sorrows of their Husbands and to love obey and serve them as the Church doth Jesus Christ It were requisite then said Parlament that our Husbands were to us as Jesus Christ is towards his Church So we are said Saffredant and if it were possible we would endure as much for Jesus Christ died but once for his Church and we die every day for our Wives Die said Longaren In my opinion you and the other good Husbands who are here do not look as if you were such dying men I can give you a reason for that said Saffredant It is because our Valour is tryed which our shoulders do feel having so often born the Corslet If you were put to it said Emarsuite to wear arms but one moneth and to lie on the cold and the hard Ground you would have a good desire to return to the beds of your own wives and to make much of that of which you do now complain But I have heard it spoken that all things can be endured but ease and we know not what Repose is until we have lost it The good Woman said Oysilla who laughed when her Husband was joyous had much to do I warrant her to go thorough with it I do believe said Longaren that she loved her own ease better than she loved her Husband for it seemeth she took not any thing to heart whatsoever he did No for with a good heart she took that said Parlament which might have been prejudicial to the health and the Conscience of her Husband When you speak in this place of Conscience said Simontault you do make me laugh for he would not have done what he did if he thought his wife would have taken it to heart and I do not see which way the Conscience can be much prejudiced for a kisse It would not be amisse said Nomerfide that you had such a wife as he had who after her Husbands death did manifest that she loved his Money better than her Conscience I do desire you said Saffredant that you would rehearse unto us that Novel for which I do give you my voice I did not determine said Nomerfide to account unto you so short a History but because it hath relation to the subject on which we have discoursed I will recite it to you The Subtilty of a Spanish woman to defraud the Friers of the last Testament of her Husband The fifth Novel IN the City of Saragossa there lived a Merchant who seeing his death to approach and that he could no longer keep the Goods which he had gotten it may be with a bad Conscience he thought to satisfie his sin by giving away all to the poor without any regard that after his decease his Wife and his Children should die with hunger and when he had ordered all things in his House he said it was his last Will that a good Spanish Jennet which he had and was indeed all his goods that were worth any thing should be sold at the greatest rate that could be and that the Money should be distributed unto the begging Friers desiring his Wife that when ever the breath were out of his Body she would not fail to sell the Horse and distribute the Money according to his Will The burial being past and the first tears wept his Wife who was no more a fool than the Spaniards are accustomed to be did repair unto her Servant who as well as her self did understand the last Will of her Husband and said unto him It seems to me that I have lost too much already in losing my Hushand whom so much I loved without losing any more of my goods but so it is that I would not be disobedient to his charge but doe the best I can to satisfie his will according to his intention For the poor Man who in his life as you know well enough would not so much as spare one Crown for the greatest necessity hath after his death given a round sum to the poor Friers thinking it to be a Sacrifice that will be acceptable to God wherefore I am advised to doe that which at his death he did bequeath and which is more than he could give himself if he had lived but fifteen days longer and by so doing I will provide for the necessities of my Children But I must so carry it that none in the World shall know any thing of it And when her Servant had faithfully promised to keep secret what was to be done she said unto him You must go sell his Horse and if any shall ask you what is the price of it you shall say one Ducket but I have a good Cat an excellent Mouser which you shall sell let me see I for ninety nine Duckets and so the Cat and the Horse shall make in all just one hundred Duckets at which price my Husband would have sold the Horse alone The Servant did readily accomplish the commands of his Mistresse and walked the Horse up and down the Market holding the demure Cat under his arms A Gentleman who had seen the Horse before and had a great mind to buy him passing that way demanded of the Servant at one word to give him the price of him The Servant made answer one Ducket Do not mock me honest friend said the Gentleman I assure you Sir said the Servant you shall give me for it one Ducket and no more But Sir I must tell you that you must buy the Cat with it
are not exempt from being tempted with avarice which is the occasion of so many Evils Nay rather of so much goods said Saffredant for the two thousand Duckets which the old Woman gave the Friers out of her Treasury were goods enough to make them merry And the poor Girl her Daughter who had so long stayed for one Husband might now by this means have two and be better enabled to dispute the truth of all Complexions You entertain always the worst thoughts that may be said Oysilla for in your own opinion all women are of your own temper Madam by your leave said Saffredant I did not care if they were provided they were as easie to be contented as we Men are You speak against the Truth said Oysilla for I am consident there is not a woman here amongst us but knows the contrary and moreover you speak directly against the sense of the Account just now rehearsed which was to shew the ignorance of poor woman and the subtilty and the sin of those whom we do commonly believe to be better Men than all others for you shall find that neither the good Woman nor her Daughter did any thing of their own heads but submitted their desires unto the Counsel of their Confessor Howsoever there are some women so difficult to please said Longaren that in their own opinions they do deserve to have Angels for their Husbands and that is the reason said Simontault that so oftentimes they do find Devils especially those Women who not relying on the Grace of God do trust altogether to their own apprehensions or are slattered to a conceit by others to find in this world that felicity which is not given nor can come from any but from God only How now Simontault said Oysilla I thought you had not known so much Madam said Simontault I am sorry that you conceive me to be no better experienced for through my defect of knowledge I perceive that you entertain a bad opinion of me but for all that by your leave why may not I perform the office of a Frier since a Frier hath performed the office of such a Man as I am Fy fy Do you call it an office said Parlament to deceive Women in doing so out of your own mouth you judg your self If I should deceive a hundred thousand of them said Simontault I should not be reveng'd for the torments which but from one of them I have received I know well enough said Parlament that oftentimes you do make your complaint against Ladies yet neverthelesse we see you jocund and in so good liking that we cannot believe you suffer so much as you say you do But the Author of the fair Lady doth affirm that from bad promises no good can be expected to ensue You do allege a notable Doctor said Simontault who is not only stubborn and churlish himself but also makes them all to be so who do read and follow his Doctrine So it is said Parlament that his Doctrine is more profitable to young Women than any Doctrine that I know But said Simontault If Ladies were without mercy we might set up our Horses in our Stables and let our Armor rust upon our walls and think on nothing but our Country affairs I pray tell me if it be for the honour of a Lady to have the Name to be without pity without Charity without Mercy Without Love and Charity said Parlament she must not be but the word of Mercy doth sound so strangely in the ears of Ladies that they cannot use it without some offence unto their Honours for Mercy properly is to grant that favour which is demanded and we know well enough what is the favour which Men do desire Be not displeased Madam said Simontault there are some Men so reasonable that they desire only but good words You cause me now said Parlament to remember him who did content himself with a Glove I would fain know said Hircan who was that gracious Servant and for that cause I do give you my voice It will be a pleasure to me said Parlament to repeat it to you for the story is full of Honesty A ridiculous account of a Lord of England who on his Habiliments did wear the Glove of a Lady The Seventh Novell KIng Lewis the eleventh did send the Earl of Montmorancy as his Ambassador into England who was there so well entertained that the King and all his Nobility did love and highly esteem him and many of them did communicate unto him their private affairs to have his Counsel therein Being one day at a Banquet which the King had made there sate next unto him a Lord descended of most noble Parentage who did wear a Ladies Glove made fast on his Brest as if it were for a Favour it was wrought all over with gold and on the joynts of the fingers there were many rich Diamonds Rubies Emraulds and Pearls insomuch that the Glove was valued at a very great price The Earl of Montmorancy did so often look upon it that my Lord perceived that he had a desire to know the reason wherfore he was in so gallant an equipage and because he conceived that it would conduce much to his honour he began to speak unto him I do perceive you do find it strange that I have so gorgeously accoutred a poor glove I have a great desire to acquaint you with the occasion of it for I conceive you to be so worthy a Man â—nd so knowing what the passion of Love is that if I have done well I know you will praise me if not you will excuse Love who doth carry a great Command over all noble hearts You must understand That during all my life I have loved a Lady that I do love her and will love her after my death And because my heart had more boldnesse to addresse it self on a time and place unto her than my tongue had to speak unto her I stayed seven years without daring to make any semblance at all unto her knowing that if she perceived it I should lose both the means which I had so often to frequent the place where she was by the reason whereof I entertained as much fear as love But one day being in the field and looking on her such a beating of my heart did take me that I lost both my Colour and all my Countenance which she very well perceived and asked me How I did I made answer to her That it was an insupportable Grief of my heart She who thought that it was a Malady of another sort than Love did shew her self to have pity on me which made me to beseech her to put her hand upon my heart to see how violently it did beat which she did more for charity than for love And puting her hand which was gloved upon my heart my heart did so beat and torment iâ— self that she perceived I did speak the Truth Immediatly I did press her hand as close as I could
another for sufficient for the day is the sorrow thereof without so much as taking the least care for to morrow It is necessary sometimes said Oysilla to enquire after things which may concern the honour of a House to give some Order therein but not to pass any evil Judgment upon persons for there is none but doth sometimes fail Many great incoveniences have come to divers men said Guebron for being too inquisitive after the faults of their Wives I pray you said Longaren if you can give us any Example that you would not concâ—al it from us I can give you a memorable instance of one said Guebron and because you will have it I will in this place exhibite it unto you A Citizens Wife of Paris did abandon her Husband to follow a Chanter and afterwards counterfeiting her self to be dead he caused her to be buried The tenth Novel IN the City of Paris there was a Man of so good a disposition that he made it a point of Conscience to believe that another Man was in bed with his Wife although that he himself had seen it This poor Man espoused a Wife of so loose a government that it was impossible to be mote which he himself would never perceive but did intreat her as if she had been the best Woman in the World One day when King Lewis the twelfth did come to Paris this Woman did forsake her Husband to follow a Chanter who was one of the Musicians in the Chappel of the King and when she saw that the King was departed out of the City of Paris she resolved with her self come what would of her Husband to follow the Chanter wheresoever he did goe The Chanter was very glad of it and did bring her unto a house he had not far from Blois where they did live a long time together The poor Husband could not be at rest and searched every place round about the City for his Wife and at the last it was told him that she was gone away with the Chanter He who had a great mind to recover the lost sheep whom he had not looked to so well as he ought did write unto her several Letters intreating her to return unto him which if she would he would take her still to be a good Woman but she who did take so much pleasure to hear the Charm of the Charmer that she had forgot the voice of her Husband did make no reckoning of his Letters and but mocked at them at the which her Husband being much moved did send the Chanter word that he would complain to the Church and demand Justice of the Cleegie if he would not return his Wife unto him The Woman fearing that if she should come once into the hands of Justice the Chanter and her self would have enough to do did think of a remedy worthy of her invention and feigning her self to be sick she sent for some of the chiefest Women of the City to come unto her and visit her which willingly they did hoping that her sicknesse would withdraw her from her wicked course of life and every one made unto her the best Remonstrances that possibly they could and she counterfeiting her self to be most grievously sick did seem to weep and to acknowledge her sin insomuch that all the Company had pitty on her and did firmly believe that what she did speak did proceed from the bottom of her heart Wherfore seeing her so much dejected in Spirit and so repentant they did the best they could to comfort her saying that God was not so severely terrible as many Sinners did rashly propound unto themselves and that he never refused mercy to any who from their hearts being touched with the grievousnesse of their offences did desire it and speaking those words they sent for a holy Man to confesse her On the next morning the Curat of the place did resort unto her to administer the holy Sacament which she received with so many devout apparences that all the good Women of the City who were there present did weep to see her penitence praising God whose goodnesse did take pity of so poor a Creature pretending she could live no longer the extream Vnction was brought unto her by the Curat which she received with many good signs for to the conjecture of the standers by she could hardly speak or draw her breath she for a pretty while so continued and then by little and little she seemed to them to lose her sight her hearing and all her other senses whereat they all began to cry out Jesus And because that night drew on and many of the Women had a long way to go home they did all depart They were no sooner out of the Doors but word was brought them that she was dead wherefore every one saying their De profundis did return to their houses The Curate demanded of the Chanter in what place he would have her buried who made answer to him That she gave order her self to be buried in the Church-yard whither he would have her carried in the time of night One of the Maids of the House did put a shrowd on that unhappy body and took a special care not to hurt it And thus with many burning Torches she was carried to the Grave which the Sexton had made for her And when the Hearse passed by their Houses who assisted to see the Unction on her they came all again out of their Houses and did accompany the dead Body to the grave where they and the Priests left her but the Chanter did not go with them For when ever he saw the Company departed and that they were gone a good way off he and his Chambermaid did with all speed digg open the Grave from whence he took his Friend more alive than ever and secretly brought her unto his house where he kept her a long time concealed Her Husband who followed her and had served a Processe against the Chanter did come as far as Bloys to demand Justice and sound there by the attestation of all the good Women of the City that his Wife was dead and buried who did all acquaint him with the good end she made at which the honest man was very joyfull and believed that the Soul of his Wife was in Paradise And being glad that he was well rid of so insatiate a Creature he returned with great contentment unto Paris where he married a handsom a young and an honest Woman and which is worth all a good Houswife by whom he had many children and lived with her fourteen or fifteen years But Fame which can conceal nothing doth at last bring to her Husbands ear that his Wife was still alive and lived with the ungracious Chanter which the poor Man for a time dissembled as well as he could as if he had known nothing of it desiring with all his heart that it might prove untrue but his Wife who was a very wife woman being advertised of it also was surpriyed
with so great a sorrow and anguish of mind that she was almost dead with the extremity thereof And if it were possible her conscience and honour being preserved she would willingly have dissembled her fortune But that was impossible For the Rumor thereof being spread abroad the Church did begin to look after them and gave order at first that the good Man and his Wife should live asunder until the truth of the fact was more fully known Whereupon the poor Man to his great grief was constrained to abandon his good Wife to seek after his bad one and came to Bloys a little after that King Francis the first of that Name was made King in which City he found Qu. Claudia and Madam the Regent before whom he made his complaint demanding her whom with all his heart he desired not to have seen but it must be so whether he would or no for which he had the pity of all the Inhabitants And when his Wife was presented to him she a long time would maintain that it was not her Husband but some Impostor which he also if possibly he could would have believed with all his heart She being more sorrowful than ashamed did professe openly That she had rather die than return to Paris with him at which he was much discontented But the Ladies before whom she did express her self so boldly did so much condemn her that she returned with him and they so preached to the Chanter and followed what they preached with so many uses of Reproof and Terror that he was constrained to advise his Sweet-heart to go home with her Husband and to assure him that he would visit her no more And thus being discountenanced on all sides the poor unfortunate Woman was constrained to go with her Husband by whom she was far better used than she deserved Ladies You may observe from hence that if at first this Husband had been but vigilant of his Wife he had never been robbed of her for a purchase well guarded is hardly lost and it is abundance that makes a Thief It is a strange thing said Hircan that Love should be so strong where it is most unreasonable I have heard it spoken said Simontault that it is easier to dissolve a thousand Marriages than to separate the Loves of a Priest and his Lemman I do easily believe it said Emarsuite for they who so often doâ—ty others in Mariage do know of themselves so well to tamper with the kuott that nothing but they and Death can dissolve it And since the Doctors do affirm that the spiritual language is the most excellent of all it doth by consequence fall out that the spiritual Love also doth surpasse all other Loves It is a thing said Dagoucin which I know not how to pardon in Ladies to forsake an honest Husband or a Friend for a Priest be he never so handsom or so civil I must beseech you said Hircan that you would forbear to speak or to censure our Mother the Church but to believe that it is a great pleasure to Women fearful and secret to sin with those who when ever they have don can absolve them of them sins for there are divers who are more ashamed to confess a sin than to commit it You speak of those only said Oysilla who have not the fear of God and who believe that secret things shall not one day be revealed before the Angels in Heaven But I have this opinion of those Women that they desire not so much Confession as the Confessours for the Enemy hath so blinded them that they seek rather to be in a place most covert and secure than to be absolved of their Evil of which they are not touched with the least Remorse Nay said Saffredant they are so far from Remorse that they conceive themselves to be more holy than other Women and I am confident there are some who think themselves much honour'd to persevere in such Loves You speak of some only said Oysilla and it appears that you know something of them Wherefore I shall desire you that to begin our Journal to morrow you would inform us of something which you know of this Subject for this is the last time that the Bell doth tole and hark the Saints Bell doth now ring in all to Vespers You might also have observed that at the end of the sixth Novell of this day the Religious men did all depart from the shade of yonder hedge and left us to our selves to compleat our Histories Having spoke those words all the Company did rise and repaired to the Church where they found that the Monks did attend their coming and having heard Vespers they supped altogether entertaining one another with excellent discourse Supper being ended they delighted themselves with walking in the meadow according to their custome and afterwards every one did go to rest in their several lodgings to have the better Memory for the next day The end of the sixth Days Work of the Novels of the Queen of Navarr The Seventh Days VVork of the Novells of the Queen of NAVARRE The Preface IN the Morning Madam Oysilla failed not to administer to them the saving food of their Soules which she had gleaned in reading of the Acts and Virtuous Deeds of the glorious Martyrs and Apostles of Jesus Christ as they are declared by Saint Luke telling them That what she read there did inflame her with a devout desire to see the happy condition of those times and to lament the Iniquity of these And when she had sufficiently read and expounded the beginning of that excellent Book she desired them to repair to the Church with her in the same Vnion as the Apostles did make their prayers and to demand Grace of God which is never refused to those who do in faith desire it This holy Counsel was well approved by all and they came into the Church just as the Mass of the holy Spirit did begin which seemed to conduce much to their present purpose which made them to give ear unto it with more than ordinary devotion and afterwards at Dinner all their Discourse was concerning the happy lives of the Apostles in those Primitive times in which they took so much delight that it seems they had forgot what they had been accustomed to do in the Afternoon of which Nomerfide being the youngest did advise them and said Madam Oysilla hath so long deteyned us with Discourses of Devotion that we have let pass the accustomed hour to retire us for the preparation of our Novells Her words were the occasion that all the Company presently did arise and having made a little stay in their Chambers they failed not to meet all together in the Meadow as they had done on the dayes before And being set one by one Madam Oysilla said to Saffredant Although I am assured that you will speak nothing that shall tend to the advantage of Women yet I must desire you that you will rehearse that
from the place wherein he was to which he did give the most virtuous answers that were possible for him to return But the poor Gentleman at last perceiving that his heart began to soften into compassion at the abundance of those tears which rained down from her fair eyes as one that saw Love that hard-hearted little Archer to level at his heart again and make a new and a more deadly wound with his Golden Arrow did betake himself to his best refuge his Heels and as fast as possbly he could he did fly at once both from Love and his late Mistresse and being resolved to live no more under their Tyranny he found he had no other way to overcome them but by flight When he had locked himself in his Chamber being unwilling she should depart from him without knowing his resolution he did write unto her two or three words in Spanish the substance whereof I have found to be so significant that I will not render them to you in French because I will not diminish the gracefulnesse which they doe carry with them in the Spanish Tongue He did send them by a little Novice newly entred into the Monastery who did find her still remaining in the Chapel and transported with such an extremity of despair that if it had been lawfull for her to make her self a Frieresse she would have still continued there But perusing the Paper which contained these words Volunto don venesti anima mi qui en las tristas vides es la mia considering with her self that she was abandoned of all hope she concluded it was her safest way â—o believe his Counsel and the Counsel of her friends and returning to her house she did lead a life as melancholy as he did live an austere one in the House and Habit of Religion Ladies you do here observe what vengeance this Gentleman did take on the coynesse of his Mistresse who thinking to make a further trial of him did throw him into the bottom of despair insomuch that when she was willing she could never recover him Truly said Nomerfide I am even sorry at the heart that he did not abandon the formality of his Habit to espouse her I do believe that it would have proved a lawful and a happy marriage I protest unto you said Simontault I do suppose that he did very wisely in it for he who doth well consider with himself the burthen of Marriage will find it to be more troublesome by far than an austere Religion And he who was so much weakned with disciplines and fastings was afraid to take upon him such a change which should continue all his life In my opinion said Hircan she committed a great wrong to so feeble a man to tempt him unto marriage which is a task great enough for the strongest man in the World but if she had propounded a discourse unto him of Love without any other obligation but of Affection there was no Cord in that which might not be broken nor knot which might not be untyed And seeing to take him out of Purgatory she would put him into Hell I do affirm that he had great reason to refuse her In good earnest said Emarsuite there are too many who thinking to do better than all others do oftentimes worse and clean contrary to that which they thought to have done You make me to remember said Guebron the Story of an old Woman much to this purpose who in her Devotions did clean contrary to what she intended whereupon there did arise a great tumult in the Church of Saint Iohn at Lyons I must desire you said Parlament that you would lake my place and give us the Account My Account said Guebron shall not be so long nor so pittiful as was that which Parlament related The simplicity of an antient Woman who presented a lighted Candle to Saint John of Lyons and fastned it to the Forehead of a Souldier who was fallen asleep on one of the Sepulchers and what ensued thereupon The fifth Novel NEar unto the Church of St. John at Lyons there was a very dark Chappel and before it a Sepulcher made of Stone on the top whereof there was cut the proportions of great personages and round about the Sepulcher were the pourtraicts of many Men who were pourtayed sitting in their Armour A Souldier one day walking in the Church in the time of Summer when it was extremely hot being weary with travell had a great desire to sit down and sleep and observing the Chappel to be both dark and cool did resolve with himself to take a nap at the Sepulcher and sate down amongst those of his fraternity who were pourtrayed sleeping in their Armour It came to passe that a good old Woman who was very devout did come unto the Sepulcher when the Souldier was fast asleep and after she had said her Devotions holding a Candle in her Hand she would have fastned it to the Sepulcher and finding the Man who was asleep to be next unto her she did put it to his Brow to have it stick there but the wax would not cleave fast to that stone the poor old Woman thinking the coldnesse of the Image to be the occasion of it did begin to heat his Brow with her Candle that it might take hold and stick more fast unto it but the Image who was not insensible began aloud to cry out whereat the poor Woman was much amazed and in a greater fear than was the Souldier did cry our a Miracle a Miracle insomuch that all those who were in the Church did run out unto them Some made hast unto the Belfry to ring the Bells others to behold the miracle The good Woman who for fear did run away as fast as ever she could did bring many along with her to behold the complaining Image who was removed and gonâ— before she came which gave a just occasion to many to laugh but some of the Priests could not be so contented but determined with themselves to pick some profit out of it by crying up the miracle and giving a more reverend estimation to the Sepulchre You ought therefore Ladies to take heed to what Saints you do devote your Candels Is it not a strange thing said Hircan that on whatsoever Subject they do imploy themselves Women do always evil Is it ill done said Nomerfide to carry Candles unto Sepulchers Yes said Hircan when they set the foreheads of Men on fire with them for no Good Act can properly be said to be Good if it be attended with Evil. Was not a little Candle a goodly present besides which she brought to offer to God God regards not said Oysilla the value of the present but the heart of him who doth present it It may be that poor Woman had a greater love to God than those who do offer great torches for as the Gospel affirmeth she gave out of her Necessity But I believe not said Saffredant that God who is the Soveraign
before they began to distrust that on this day they were not so well able to discharge their tasks wherefore the better to prepare themselves they did every one retire into their own Chambers untill the hour came that they were to go from their Chamber into the Fields to deliver one by one their accounts there upon the green carpets of the grasse where already they found that the Monks were come and behind the neighbouring hedge had taken their places in the expectation of them When every one of them were sat It was demanded amongst them Who should begin Saffredant said You have given me the honour to begin two Journals It appears to me that we should wrong the Ladies if one of them should not begin this Madam Oysilla replyed we are like then to stay long enough for ought that I can see before we can agree upon the person for my part said Dagoucin if the question had been propounded to me I should have given my voice again to Saffredant And I said Nomerfide should have given mine to Parlament for I am so much accustomed to obey that I know not how to command All the Company did agree to what Nomerfide did say and Parlament did thus begin Ladies Our Accounts hitherto delivered have been so full of gravity that I could wish the Accounts of this day might be as full of delight to which they all gave consent and Parlament did begin THE NOVELLS Of Queen MARGARET A woman being sick and at the point of death did grow into such a passion seeing her Husband did kiss her Chambermaid that by the Extremity of her Rage she was restored to her health The first Novel of the Eighth dayes Account IN the City of Amboise there lived a Sadler whose name was Borihaudier who was Sadler to the Queen of Navarre He was a Man of whose Nature if one might judge by the complexion of his face that he was a greater Servant to Bacchus than to the Priests of Diana He had espoused a Woman of good fortunes and good reputation and who governed her Family and Children very discreetly whereat her Husband was much contented One day it was told him that his Wife was fall'n very sick on the sudden and was in great danger of Death whereat he seemed to be as sorrowfull as possibly a man might be and in great diligence did make hast to her relief he found her in that desperate condition that she had more need of the Priest to confesse her than of the Physician to cure her and therefore he made for her the greatest lamentation in the world And the better to represent it he spake faintly and with a hollow accent in the throat as did the dying woman his Wife and that Painter must be a good workman who could lively set forth the sadness of his look and countenance After that he had done her all the services that possibly he could she commanded that a Crucifex should be brought unto her which the good man perceiving he did cast himself upon the bed thinking his Wife past all hopes of Recovery he cryed out and fumbling with his tongue did expostulate O God! what shall I do I shall lose my poor Wife what shall become of me wretched and unhappy man with divers other complaints At the last when he perceived that there was no body in the Chamber but his dying Wife and a young Chambermaid beautiful enough and in good liking he called her softly to him and said unto her Sweet-heart I am even dying my self to see thy Mistresse to be a dying Woman I know not well what to say or what to do but onely to recommend my self to thee and to desire thee to take care of my house and Children Here take the keys which are hanging by my side and look well to my Houshold for I shall not be able to look after them any more The poor Girl being touched with compassion to hear those words did comfort him what she could and did beseech him that he would not fall into so great a Despair for if she must lose her Mistresse she hoped she should not lose her good Master also He made answer to her Sweet-heart it is impossible for I find my self to be but a dying Man See how the cold sweat stands upon my Brow put your Cheek unto mine and your Lip to my Lip And speaking those words he did thrust his hand into her Brest whereat the Maid begun to make some difficulty but he desired her to put away all fear for if she hoped for his recovery she must come nearer to him and with those words he did take her in his Arms and did throw her on the bed His Wife who had no other Company but the Crucifix and the Holy water and had not spoken in two days before did begin with her weak voice to cry out as loud as possibly she could Ah Ha! what do you doe I am not dead as yet and threatning them with her hand she said unto them You wicked Creatures I am not yet dead Her Husband and the Chambermaid hearing of her voice did immediately rise but she was so extremely incensed against them that her choler consumed all the moisture of her Catarrhe by the abundance whereof she before ratled in the throat not colud speak a word but now she did give them all the opprobrious terms that possibly she could devise And from that minute she began to recover and perpetually afterwards did reproach her Husband for the little love he did bear unto her By this Ladies you may observe the Hypocrifie of Men and that for a little pleasure they will forget all the pains and the sorrows that their Wives endure What will you say said Hircan if he heard it spoken that is was the only remedy that his Wife could possibly have for her recovery for seeing that by his good usage he could not mend her he would make an experience if the contrary could do any good upon her of which it appears he made an excellent proof And I do much wonder that you being a Woman should be so unadvised as to declare against the Condition of your Sex who amend more by spite than love Without all doubt said Longaren such a despite would cause me not only to come out of my Bed but of my Grave also to be revenged on such a Husband What wrong said Saffredant did he do her to comfort himself a little after he thought that she was dead For it is known well enough that the bond of Matrimony doth continue no longer than life and the knot is then untyed But how untyed said Oysilla the obligation of the Oath is of no effect any more but a good heart would always preserve the obligation of love He had quickly enough laid aside his mourning who could not attend until his Wife had passed away her last breath But that which I find most strange said Nomerfide is that seeing both
before him than for himself The Shepherd who understood his necessity as well by hearing as by seeing him did take him by the hand and brought him into his poor House where with small bushes he dried him as well as the poverty of his Chimney would permit On that Evening God brought thither this old Monk who did direct him in the way to our Ladies at Serrance assuring him that he should find better Lodging there than in any other place and should meet with an antient Woman called Oysilla who would be his Companion in his Travels When all the Company heard him speak of the good Lady Oysilla and the gentle Cavalier Simontault they were transported with an exilience of Joy praising the Creator who in contenting himself with the Servants had preserved their Masters and their Mistresses and above all Parlament was the devoutest in her praises for a time there was in which she esteemed him for her most affectionat servant And having diligently enquired concerning the way to Serrance although the good old Man did report it to be very difficult yet they could not forbear to put it to the adventure and the next morning they did set forth in so good order and equipage that they wanted for no accommodation For the Abbot did furnish them with the best horses that were in Lovedoon and with good riding suits and great store of provision and with honest Gentlemen to be their Companions and guides over the Mountains having travelled which in great labour and sweat and more on foot than on horsback they arrived at our Ladies of Serrance The Abbot although he was a man churlish enough did not dare to refuse to give them intertainment by reason of the fear he had of Seigneur du Bear by whom he knew that they were well beloved he therefore looked upon them with the best Countenance he could and took them with him to see the good Lady Oysilla and the Gentleman Simontault So great was the joy of all this Company being so miraculously assembled that the night seemed but short unto them to praise God for the mercy bestowed on them on the morning having taken a little rest they did resort to hear Masse and to receive the holy Sacrament of Communion by which all Christians are united into one beseeching him who had brought them together by his bounty to put a good end to their travells to his glory After dinner they sent to know if the waters were any thing diminished and on the return of the Messenger hearing that they were rather encreased and that it would be a long time before they could travell with any assurance they determined with themselves to make a bridge between two Rocks which did stand very near to one another where yet the planks are to be seen and are of use to those that travel by foot and coming from Cleron will not pass by the Gane The Abbot who was glad that they were at that cost because the number of Pilgrims and Country Travellers did encrease did provide them with workmen But his avarice would not permit him to pay one penny towards the work it self and because the workmen did all affirm that they could not finish the bridge in 10 or 12 days the whole Company as well both of the Gentlemen as of the Ladies began to be much perplexed But Parlament the wife of Hircan who was never seen either heavy or melancholy having asked leave of her husband to speak did say to the antient Lady Oysilla Madam I do much wonder that you who have so great experience and are in the reputation of a Mother amongst Women do not find out some pastime to mitigate the sorrows which we doe bear about us during our long aboad in this place for if we have no exercise pleasant and virtuous we shall be in danger to fall sick The young widdow Longeren did add unto her words and said Nay which is worse we shall grow burthensom to one another which is a sicknesse uncurable for there is not one of us if he looks upon his loss who hath not an occasion of excessive sadnesse Emarsuite replyed in smiles unto her Every one hath not lost her husband as you have and for the losse of our Servants we ought not to despair for we may recover them time enough Howsoever I do joyn in opinion with you to have some pleasant exercise to passe away the time as delighfull as we can The Company saith Nomerfide hath advised very well for she said That if she were but one day without some Pastime she should be dead on the next All the Gentlemen did accord to the counsell and besought Madam Oysilla that she would be pleased to order that which they had to do who made answer My Children you demand a task of me which I find very difficult for me to do which is to shew unto you that Recreation which can divert you from your sorrows for having through all the travails of my life sought out a Remedy for it I never could find but one which is the reading of the Holy Bible in which is found the true and perfect joy of the Mind from whence the Repose also and the health of the Body doth proceed And if you shall demand of me what Receit it is that keeps me so sound and unperplexed in my old age It is That as soon as ever I am up I take into my hands the holy Scripture and read it beholding and with my self contemplating the will of God who hath sent his Son into the world for us to declare the good News by which he doth promise Remission of sins and satisfaction for all offences by the gift which he hath given us by his Love Passion and his Martyrdom This Consideration doth administer so much joy unto me that I take my Psalter and as humbly as possibly I can I sing with my heart and pronounce with my voice the blessed Psalms and Hymns which the Holy Ghost composed in the heart of David and of other Authors The Contentment which I receive froÌ„ hence doth do me so much good that all the sorrows which the day can bring unto me do seem to me to be so many Benedictions seeing that I have him in my heart by faith who hath born them for me In the like manner after Supper I retire my self to give some food to my Soul by reading some godly Book and in the Evening having recollected with my self whatsoever I have done in the time of the day I demand pardon of God for my faults and giving him thanks for his mercies I take my rest in his love fear and peace being aâ—med and assured against all Dangers that can approach me Behold my Children the Recreation to which for a long time I have devoted my self having searched all things and found no other coutentment for my spirit I am confident that if every morning you would lay forth one hour in reading and afterwards
Novell IN the City of Ambois there dwelled a Keeper of Mules who served the Queen of Navarre Sister to King Francis the First of that Name who was brought to Bed of a Son at Blois to which place the Keeper of the Mules repaired to be payed for his Quarters service His Wife continued still at Ambois and lodged not far from the Bridge Her Husband had a servant who for a long time did love her so desperately that one day he could not contain froÌ„ speaking to her but she who was a most virtuous Woman did reprove him so severely threatning that her Husband should beat him and put him away that after that time he durst not speak to her any more nor make any countenance of Love but kept that fire concealed in his heart Untill that on a time his Master was gon out of Town and his Mistresse was at the Vespers at St. Florentines a Church belonging to the Castle of the City and a great way from her own house Being alone it came into his head to enjoy that by force which by no prayer or service he could obtain whereupon he did break down a board which was the partition betwixt his Mistresse Chamber and that wherein he lay but because there was a hanging cloath neer to the Bed of his Master and Mistresse which did cover the walls so well that the rupture which he made could not be perceived his malice and treachery was not discovered untill that his Mistresse was in bed with a Girl she kept of about twelve years of age As the poor woman was in her first sleep her servant came in his shirt only into her bed through the whole made in the wall and had a sword drawn in his hand But as soon as she perceived him to draw near unto her she leaped out of the Bed and used all tho reasons and perswasions to him as it was possible for a good Woman to deliver but he who was transported with a Bestial desire and did understand better the language of Mules than her honest Remonstrances did shew himself more brutish than the Beasts with whom so long time he conversed for observing that she did run round the Table and that he could not take hold of her and withall that she was so strong that twice together she got off from him growing into a despair ever to enjoy her alive he gave her with his sword a great blow upon the back conceiving to himself if neither fear nor force could make her to yeeld that pain should effect it But it proved contrary to his expectation for as a gallant Soldier seeing his blood is more inflamed to revenge himself on his Enemies and to purchase honour so her chast heart did doubly inforce her to run and to flie from the hands of this wicked villain and oftentimes at some distance she would hold him in the best discourse she could to see if by any means she could reduce him to the acknowledgement of his offence but he was inflam'd with such a furie that there was no place in him to receive good counsell insomuch that he gave the poor Woman many wounds more which to avoyd she always ran from him as long as her leggs were able to carry her and when by the great effusion of her blood she found that Death approached joyning her hands together and lifting her eyes to Heaven she gave thanks unto God the God of Power Virtue Patience and Chastity and besought him to accept of her blood which by his appointment was shed in reverence and obedience to that of his Sons in whom she most assuredly did beleeve that all her sins were washed and wiped away from the Memory of his Anger And speaking Lord receive my Soul which by thy mercy hath been redeemed shee fell on her face upon the Earth where the bloody Miscreant did still print more wounds on her body and when she had lost both her speech and the strength of her body the Villain seised upon her by force who no longer could defend her self and having satisfied his reprobate concupiscence he fled away so hastily that for all the Hue and Cryes that did follow him he could never be heard of more The young Girle who lay with this poor woman being overcome with fear did hide her self under the bed but when she saw that the Man was gone she came unto her Mistresse and found her without speech or motion whereupon she cryed to the neighbors out of the window to come to her assistance They who did love and as much respect her as any woman in the City did immediatly come to her and brought with them two Chirurgions who found that she had on her body five and twenty mortal wounds they did what they could to keep that little life that was left in her but it was impossible Yet she continued languishing away for the Space of a whole hour without speaking any word making signs with her eyes and hands by which she shewed that she had not lost her understanding Being asked by a Church-man of the Faith in which she dyed and of her Salvation she made answer by signs so evident that her words could not more manifestly declare that her confidence was in the Death of Jesus Christ whom she hoped to behold in his coelestial City and thus with a joyfull countenance lifting up her eyes to heaven she surrendred her chast Body to the Earth and her Soul to her Creâ—tor Being taken up and a shrowd cast on her her Body was no sooner brought down to the Door of her house attending the coming of the Company to her burial but behold her poor Husband did arrive who first saw the dead Body of his wife at the Door of his house before he had heard the melancholy news of her death And having understood the occasion of it he had double reason to lament which he did in such a manner that he almost had lost his life Thus this Martyr of Chastity was carried to her burial into the Church of Saint Florencin where all the good women of the City did not fail in their endeavours to accompany her and did honour her as much as possibly they could esteeming themselves most happy to be of that City in which so virtuous a woman lived The foolish and light Huswives beholding the honour that was done unto her did resolve with them selves to change their wanton lives You have heard Ladies a true History which ought to make our hearts more circumspest to guard this honorable Virtue of Chastity And we that are descended of noble Families ought even to die for shame to find in our hearts that sensuality to avoid which a poor Mule-Keepers wife did not fear so cruell a Death Alas How many are there who esteem themselves good women and yet never understood what it is to resest unto Bloud Wherefore we ought to exercise our selves with repentance and humility for the Graces of God are not given
unto us for our nobleness or our riches but according to the pleasure of his Bounty who is no accepter of persons and who chooseth whom he pleaseth For those whom he chooseth he doth honour with his virtues and doth crown them with his glory and oftentimes he maketh choice of base things to confound those which the world esteems to be high and honourable Therefore as he himself saith let us not rejoice in our greatness but in this that our Names are written in the Book of Life There was not a Lady in the Company that had not tears in her eyes in compassion of the lamentable and glorious Death of that poor Woman Every one resolved with themselves that if the like fortune should befall them they would imitate the same Martyr Madam Oysilla observing that the Time did passe away in the many praises of this dead Woman did say to Saffredant If you speak not something to make the Company laugh I do not see any amongst you who can forget the fault I have committed which is to make you weep Wherefore I give you my voice Saffredant had a desire to speak some good thing which might be agreeable to the Company and above all to one of them how soever some wrong was done in regard that there were some more antient and more experienced than himself who should have spoke before him Nevertheless his lot being such he had rather dispatch it now for there were more to come of good speakers and the longer he stayed the more his Account would appear lesse pleasing A King of Naples abusing the Wife of a Gentleman did in the end carry the Horn himself The Third Novell LAdies said Sassredant Because I have oftentimes wished my self to be a companion of his Fortune of whom I am now giving you an account I shall tell you That in the City of Naples in the time of King Alphonsus whose Lust was the Scepter of his Realm there was a Gentleman so gallant goodly and attractive that for his perfections an antient Gentleman gave him his Daughter in Marriage which in Beauty and sweetnesse of Disposition was nothing inferiour to her Husband The Love between these two was great untill that wanton time when the King in a Masque did go amongst the Houses of the Great Ones of his Kingdom where every one did strive to give him the greatest entertainment that they could and when he came into the house of this Gentleman he was more magnificently received than in any other place as well by Collations as by Songs and Musick and by the most beautifull Lady that ever he beheld who at the end of the Feast did bear a part in a Song with her Husband which she did with so much grace that it did encrease her beauty The King beholding two perfections in one body took not so much pleasure at the mutuall according of the Husband and the Wife as he took care how to dissolve it He found the difficulty to perform it was in the united affection which he observ'd betwixt them Therefore he carried in his heart his passion as closely as possibly he could but to comfort it in part he made many Feasts to all the Lords and Ladies of Naples at which this Gentleman and his Wife were never forgotten And because that we do willingly believe that which we see it seemed to him that the fair eyes of this Lady did promise him some Good to come if the Presence of her Husband did give no hinderance to it and to make tryall if this conjecture of his were true or not he gave her Husband a Commission to go to Rome for fifteen dayes or three weeks and as soon as he was gon his Wife who never before was deprived of the sight of him made many great laments for which she was comforted by the King as often as he could by his perswasions and by his presents Insomuch that at last she was not only comforred but contented also with the absence of her Husband and before the three weeks were expired that her Husband should return she was so amorous of the King that she was as much grieved at the return of her Husband as she was at his going from her And that she might not lose the presence of the King she did conclude with him that when her Husband did goe unto his Houses in the Country she would acquaint him with it who then with assurance might come unto her and so secretly that no man whom she feared more than her own Conscience could have any notice of it In this hope the Lady remained very joyfull and when her Husband was come home she gave him such good entertainment that although he understood that in his absence the King made very much of her yet he could not receive it into his belief But in the processe of time the fire so hard to be concealed did by degrees begin to shew it self insomuch that her Husband began to have a strong suspition of her and did keep over her so strict a watch that he was almost assured of the Truth But by reason of the fear that did invade him that he who had done him this injury would do him a greater if he should make it known he tesolved with himself to dissemble it for he believed it to be safer to live though with some discontent than to hazard his life for a Woman that had forfeited her love Neverthelesse in this despite he resolved to render the like unto the King if it were possible And knowing that Love doth assail those most of all who have a heart great and honourable he assumed the boldnesse one day talking with the Queen to tell her That he did extremely pity her that she was no better beloved of the King her Husband The Queen who had understood of the familiarity of the King and his Wife made answer I cannot enjoy Honour and Pleasure together I know very well that I have the Honour of which another receives the Pleasure and she that hath the Pleasure cannot enjoy the Honor which I have He who understood sufficiently upon what account those words were spokē replied to her Madam Honour is born with you for you are of so high-born an extract that to be Queen or an Empress doth not augment your nobility but your beauty grace and sweetness doth deserve so much pleasure as she who hath taken that from you which belongs unto you doth doe more wrong to her self than you she for a little glory which turns into her shame doth lose as much pleasure as you or any Lady in the Land can enjoy and I can tell you Madam that if the King would but put the Crown from off his head I am confident he had no advantage above me in giving content unto a Lady being sure that to satisfie so gallant a personage as your self he ought to change his complexion into mine The Queen in laughter made answer to him Although the King
Queen and himself for the Queen seemed to be the more contented with the life of her Husband wherefore they lived a long time in familiarity both on the one side and on the other untill that old age did put a period to it Ladies Behold here a History which I willingly represent unto you for Examples sake that when your Husbands do give you the Horns of a Goat you may present them with the Horns of a Stagg Emarsuite laughing began to speak I am well assured Saffredant that if you doe love as much now as heretofore you have done you would endure to wear Horns as great as any Oak to give one where you do fancy but now since your hairs grow white it is high time to give a respite to your desires Madam said Saffredant Although that all Hope is taken from me by her whom I did love and the Heat of Love by Age yet my good will continues still but because you have reproved me for so unblamable a desire I give you my voice to speak the fourth Novell that we may see if you can disprove me by any Example True it is that during this discourse one of the Ladies in the Company began to laugh out-right knowing that she who took up Saffredant for these words was not so well beloved by him as that for her sake he would suffer either horns or shame or damage And when Saffredant perceived that she who did so laugh did understand him he did contain himself being very well contented and gave Emarsuite leave to speak who began in this manner Ladies To the end that Saffredant and this fair Company may understand that all Ladies are not like to this Queen of whom he hath spoken and that the rash and unadvised do not always arrive at their own ends as also to conceal the opinion of a Lady who judged the Despite to fail in the Enterprise to be worse than Death I will give you the account of an History in which I will not name the persons because it is so fresh in Memory that I am afraid I shall displease some of her Kinred who are not far from me The rash Enterprise of a Gentleman to incounter a Princess of Flanders and the hurt and shame which he sustained The fourth Novell IN Flanders there was a Lady of so good a House that the could not be of a better she was a Widdow and had had two Husbands but no children by them living During her widdo whood she lived privately in her Brothers House by whom she was very well beloved who was a great Lord and Husband to one of the Daughters of the King This young Prince was much addicted to his pleasures hunting hawking and other pastimes and to the Company of Ladies and such sports as youth is prone unto He had a very perverse Lady to his Wife to whom the Pastimes of her Husband were no way pleasing whereupon he took his Sister to live with him who was of a merry heart and the best Company that could be neverthelesse very wise and provident There was in the house of this Lord a Gentleman whose Greatness Bounty and sweetnesse of Disposition did surpasse all his Companions This Gentleman seeing the Sister of his Master to be alwayes merry and of a lively disposition did resolve with himself that he would try whethor the propositions of an honest Friend would be displeasing to her or no which he did accordingly but received from her an answer quite contrary to her countenance and although her answer was such as became a Princesse and a Lady of unquestionable honour yet seeing him so lovely and in other things so noble she easily pardoned his boldnesse and told him that she would not be displeased as often as he should speak unto her but desired him to make no more words concerning such a purpose which he promised to doe being afraid to lose the happinesse and the honour to converse with her Neverthelesse at last his affection did so encrease that he forgot the promise which he had made unto her not that he intended to court her any more with words for he had too often to his experience found the wise and grave answers which she gave him but he conceived with himself that if he could get her at a place of advantage that she who was a Widdow young lusty and of an excellent complexion might possibly take some pity on him and on her self also To arrive to this end he told his Master that he had neer to his own house a very fair Chace and if he pleased to repair thither to kill three or four Bucks in the month of May he could not see better sport The Lord as well for the love he did bear unto the Gentleman as for the pleasure of the Chace did grant him his request and did go along with him to his house which was a very fair one and in good order he being the richest Gentleman that was in that Country He lodged the Lord and his Lady in one body of the house and over against them her whom he loved better than himself The Chamber was so well hung with Arras and so well matted that it was impossible to perceive the trap-door which he had made betwixt the Bed and the Wall which descended into that Room where his Mother lay who was an antient Lady and troubled with a weaknesse in her eyes and because she had the cough being afraid to disturb the Lady who lay above her she changed her chamber for that of her Sons and every evening that old woma did carry Confects to the Lady for her Collation in which service this Gent did assist her who being much beloved by her Brother and of his most privat counsels was not refused to be present every morning at the Princesses and at her rising up and every night at their lying down where he saw daily an occasion to augment his affection Insomuch that one Evening having kept this Lady up so late that sleep seizing on her eys did force him from her Chamber he retired to his own and when he had taken the most gorgeous and perfumed shirt that he had and a night cap so well accoutred that nothing could be wanting to it looking in his glass he thought unto himself that there was no Lady in the world who could refuse so lovely gallant and so proper a personage Wherefore promising to himself a happy issue of his Enterprise he repaired to his bed where he intended to make but a short stay for the desire and the hope he entertained to possesse a place in one more honourable and pleasant As soon as he had sent forth all his people he did arise to shut the door after them and a long time did listen if in the Chamber of the Lady which was directly above his own he could hear any noise and when he could assure himself that all was quiet he began his sweet travels and by degrees
him that when he was gone he might take what he left This being agreed upon and the hour come the Master made all the hast he could to be with his Chambermaid as he thought but his Wife who at that present had renounced the Authority to Command for the Pleasure to Serve had placed her self in her room and received her Husband not as a marryed woman but feigned the countenance of a striving and an astonished Girl and did deport her self so well that her Husband did not perceive her I cannot represent unto you which of these two thought themselves the most happy either the Husband who thought he had deceived his Wife or the Wife who had deceived her Husband who when he had continued with her not according to his desire but according to his power for he was an antient Married Man he departed from her and found his Companion far more young and lusty than himself and told him in a great joy That he had found in the Wardrobe one of the best Robes that ever he did see His Companion made answer to him You know the promise made betwixt us Go then quickly said the Master for fear she may rise of her self or my Wife having need of her may call her His Companion did repair immediatly to her and found there the self-same Chambermaid whom the Husband had mistook who thinking him to be her own Husband did not refuse unto him the thing which he demanded I understand here to Demand for to Take for he durst not speak unto her He continued with her far longer than her Husband which made the Woman much to marvell for she was not accustomed to have such night-work howsoever she had patience comforting her self with the Lecture which she resolved to read unto her Husband on the day following and at the mocks which he should receive from her About the break of day the Man did rise from her and going out of the bed being frolick with her he took from her the Ring which she did wear on her Thumb with which her Husband had espoused her a thing which the Women of that Countrey do preserve with great superstition and do much honour the Women who keep the said Ring to their Deaths And on the contrary if by Misfortune they do lose it they are dis-esteem'd as having given their Faith to another besides their Husbands She was highly contented that he took it from her supposing to her self That it would be a most sure witnesse to him of the trick she had put upon him When the Companion was returned to the Master he said unto him And well How is it He made answer to him That he was of his opinion and if he had not feared the approach of the day he had still continued with her And thus they went afterwards both together to take their rest as patiently as they could In the morning as they were dressing themselves the Husband observed the Ring which his Companion had on his finger as like as could he unto that which on his Mariage he gave unto his Wife When he understood by him that he had taken it from the finger of his Chambermaid he was much amazed and began to beat his head against the walls and to cry out O the Virtue of God! I have made a Cuckold of my self my self knowing nothing at all To comfort him his Companion said unto him It may be in the Evening your Wife gave it her to lay up for her The Husband repaired straight to his House where he found his Wife more lovely to look on more gorgeous in her apparell and more joyfull of heart than she was accustomed to be as both rejoycing to have saved the conscience of her Chambermaid and to have made triall to the utmost what her Husband was able to perform without losing any thing but the sleep of one night Her Husband seeing her with so glad a Countenance said to himself If she knew her good Fortune she would not make me so welcom and talking to her of divers subjects he took her by the hand and observed that she had not that Ring on her finger which never before came off it Whereupon he was like a man altogether transported and demanded of her in a trembling voice What have you done with your Ring She being glad that he had begun the subject on which she desired to continue the Discourse said unto him O you most wicked amongst Men from whom do you think that you had taken it You do believe confidently enough that it was from my Chambermaid for the love of whom you have expended twice as much of your goods and more than ever you have bestowed on me The last night on the first time that you came to lie with her I judged you so greedy and amorous of her that it was impossible to be more but after that you were gone away suddenly return'd again it seem'd to me that you were a very Devil without either order or measure Fond and wicked as you are I think with your self what a blindnesse did possesse you so much to praise my body and my plumpnesse with which so many years you have had your sport without making any great esteem of it It was not the beauty nor the delicious plumpnesse of your Chambermaid which you found so agreeable to you but an infamous sin and a reprobate concupiscence which did inflame your heart and did render your understanding so dull that into that fury in which lust had thrown you in your desire of your Chamber-maid I doe believe that you would have taken a she goat a coif on her head for a handsome maid It is now time my Husband to correct your self and to be conrented with me acknowledging me to be yours and a woman of integrity and to consider what you have done thinking that I am a poor well-meaning creature That which I have done hath been to retire and withdraw you from your misfortunes that in our age we may live together in love and quiet of Conscience For if you will continue in your passed course of life I had rather separate my self from you than from day to day to see before my eyes the ruine of your Soul your Body and your Fortunes But if you please to acknowledge your errors and resolve with your self to live according to the will of God and to follow his Commandements I will forget all your former faults as I beseech God to forget my Ingratitude that I love him not as I ought to do Who was now amazed and on the brink of despair it was the poor husband to see that his wife so lovely chast and courteous should be forsaken by him for one who did not love him and which is worse to be so unfortunate as to make her a sinner without her knowledge and another to partake of that pleasure which was only for himself wherfore he bequeathed to himself the Horns of perpetual mockery
my self And although I am no eye-witnesse of it yet it hath been repeated to me by one of my greatest and most entire friends in the world to the praise and honour of her whom he most affected in the world who conjur'd me that if ever I should come to give any others an account of it that I would change the names of the persons The story I dare assure you is all true the Names the Places and the Country only excepted The Love of Amadour and Florinda wherein is contained many great subtilities and dissimulations and the admirable chastity of Florinda The Tenth Novell IN Aragon in the County of Arand there was a Lady who although very young was the widdow of the Count of Arand she had by him one Son and a Daughter called Florinda The said Lady did bring up her Children in all virtues and honourable exercises which belong to Lords and Ladies insomuch that her house was accounted to be one of the most honourable in all Spain She resorted oftentimes to Toledo where the King of Spain did keep his Court and when she came to Saragossa which was not far from her own house she stayed long with the Queen and was as highly esteemed in her Court as any Lady could be Upon a time according to her custome repairing to the King who was then in Sarragossa in his Castle of Iuissur this Lady in her way passed by a village which belonged to the Viceroy of Catalonia who stirred not from the frontires of Perpignan by reason of the great wars which were then betwixt the King of France and himself but at that time there was peace insomuch that the Vice-roy with all his Captains were come to do reverence to the King The Vice-roy understanding that the Countesse of Arand did passe through the Land of his Jurisdiction did go to meet her as well for the antient love he did bear unto her as for the honour of being a Kinswoman of the Kings The Vice-roy had in his company many gallant Gentlemen who by the long exercise of their arms had acquired so much Fame and Honour that those thought themselves happy that could see them and enjoy their company Amongst others there was one called Amadour who although he was not of above eighteen or nineteen years of age had so assured a grace of Deportment and so excellent an understanding that amongst a thousand he was thought most worthy to govern a Kingdome It is true that his understanding was accompanied with so great and so sweet a beauty that there was not any ey which conveyd not down to the heart a more than ordinary pleasure to behold him and so excellent a discourse did accompany his exquisite beauty that it could not be known to which to give most honour either to the gracefulnesse of his beauty or the excellency of his elocution But that which made him most esteemed was his height of Courage the fame whereof was increased by his youth for in many places he made so many gallant demonstrations of it that not only Spain but also France and Italy did highly esteem his virtues for in all the wars wherein ever he was he was always prodigal of his blood and proud of danger and when his own Country was in peace he did seek out Forein wars and was beloved and esteemed both by his Friends and Enemies This Gentleman for the love of his Captain was now in this land where the Countesse of Arand was arrived and beholding the beauty and gracefulnesse of her Daughter who was not then twelve years of age he thought with himself that she was the most fair and most accomplished creature that ever he beheld and if he could but obtain her favour he should be more satisfied than with all the pleasures and profits that he might receive from any other After he had a long time looked upon her he determined with himself to love her whatsoever impossibility there was on the contrary both in regard of the Illustrious Family from whence she was descended and the tendernesse of her age which as yet could not understand his Courtship Against these fears he fortisied himself with hope and promised to himself that at the last Time and Patience would bring a happy end unto his labours From that time Gentle love who without any other occasion but freely by his own force had entred into the heart of Amadour did promise him favour and opportunity to arrive unto the end of his desires and to provide for the greatest difficulties which was the distance of the Country where he lived and the small occasions he had to see Florinda he determined but against the first resolution he had taken to marry one of the Ladies of Barcelona or of Perpignan amongst whom by reason of the Wars he was so conversant that he seemed rather to be a Catalonian than a Castilian although he was born not far from Toledo and was descended of a rich and honourable family but because he was but a younger Brother he had no great patrimonies to inherit So it was that Love and Fortune seeing him abandoned of his Kinred did determine to make a Master-piece of him and by the means of his Virtues gave him that which the Laws of his Country did deny him He was singularly experienced in the feats of War and so well beloved by all Lords and Princes that he oftentimes refused their gifts which he never took any thought to demand The Countesse of which I told you did come accordingly unto Sarragossa and was magnisicently entertained by the King and all the Court The Governour of Catalonia came oftentimes to visit her and Amadour never failed to accompany him for the pleasure he received to speak unto Florinda And that he might better understand himself and what Company did frequent unto the house he addressed himself to the daughter of an antient Cavalier called Avanturade who was one of the next neighbors She from her Youth had been brought up with Florinda insomuch that she knew all which was hidden in her heart Amadour as well for the honesty he found in her as for that she had three thousand Duckets to her portion did resolve to entertain her as that person whom he would espouse to which she did lend a willing ear but because he was but poor and the Father of the Damfell rich she thought that he would never agree unto the Marriage unlesse it were by the means of the Countesse of Arand Wherupon she addressed her self to Florinda and said unto her Madam You have seen the Castilian Gentleman who oftentimes doth here speak to me I do believe what he doth pretend which is to take me in Mariage You know what a father I have who will never give way unto it if he be not sollicited to it by Madam the Countesse and your self Florinda who loved the Maid as her self did assure her that she would take that affair upon her and lay it as neer her
from him according to his Counsel but also that there was some ill opinion which was an Adjunct to it One afternoon going with her to hear Vespers in the Monastery he said unto her Madam with what countenance do you look upon me Florinda made answer With such a one I think as you would have me Amadour suspecting what she meant and the better to find out the Truth said unto her Madam I have prevailed so much by my daily Indeavours that Paulina hath no longer any suspition concerning you She replyed to him You cannot do better for your self and for me for in doing a Pleasure to your self you do Honour to me By these words Amadour was assured that she believed that he took a pleasure to be in communication with Paulina whereat he was so passionate that he could not contain himself but in a great choler said unto her Madam It is well begun to torment your Servant for I never suffered any trouble that was more afflicting to me than the constraint to speak unto her whom I love not And because that which I have done for your service is taken in another sense I will speak no more unto her let come what will come and to the end to dissemble as well my indignation as I have done my contentment I will retire unto some other place untill this Fancy of yours be passed over But I hope I shall receive some news from my Captain to return unto the wars where I will so long continue that you shall understand that not any in the world but your self could have detained me in this place and in speaking those words without attending any answer he immediately departed and she remained alone so sad and so disconsolate that it was impossible to be more Love now being beaten by a contrary wind did begin to shew his overcoming power insomuch that she acknowledged the Injury and immediatly did write to Amadour and besought him that he would be pleased to return which some days being expired when his great choler was abated he did accordingly I know not in this place how to undertake to give you the least account of the words that passed betwixt them to break this jealousie but he did gain the day insomuch that she promised him that she would never believe any more that he loved Paulina and withall that she would remain assured that it was a Martyrdom insupportable to him to speak either to Paulina or to any other unlesse it were to do her self service After that love had overcome this present suspition and the two Lovers did begin to take more delight than ever to converse together there arrived intelligence that the King of Spain had commanded all his Army into Saulce He therefore who was accustomed to be the foremost failed not to be present where honor was to be purchased but true it is it was with some grief of heart which he was not accustomed to feel as well to be deprived of his delight as for fear that he should find some great change at his return because that he saw Florinda was courted by great Princes and Lords and was now arrived to the age of fifteen years He considered with himself that if in his absence she should be married he should have no more occasion to see her unlesse her mother the Countesse of Arand were pleased so far to honour his wife as to make her her Companion And he so well ordered this affair among all her friends that both the Countess Florinda promised him that into whatsoever Country she was married his wife Avanturade should go with her And although the question was that Florinda should be married into Portugal it was resolv'd howsoever that his wife should never abandon her In this assurance but not without an unspeakable grief Amadour departed and left his wife with the Countesse When Florinda after the departure of her Servant did find herself to be alone she exercised her self in all good and vertuous imployments hoping thereby to attain the honour of the most absolute Lady in that age and to be reputed worthy to have such a Servant Amadour being arrived at Barcelona was feasted by the Ladies as he was accustomed heretofore but they found him so much changed that they thought that Marriage could never have such power upon any as it had upon him for he seemed unwilling to look on those things which heretofore he delighted to behold and the Countesse of Palamons her self who had so intirely loved him could not find any means to perswade him to go so far as her own house with her Amadour made as little stay at Barcelona as possibly he could for the Hours seemed tedious to him until he were in the place where honour might be obtained Being atrived at Saulce there began a great and crucl war betwixt the two Kings of which I will give you no account in this place nor of the brave at chievments which Amadour performed for if I should give you a just account of them it would make a large Volume But you may understand that he was more renowned than all his Companions The Duke of Naygueres not long after came to Perpignan and brought with him two Thousand men and desired Amadour to be his Licutenant who with that Brigade did so well his Devoir that in all the skirmishes there were none other cryed up but the Naygueres It so fell out that the King of Tunis who for a long time made War with the Spaniards understanding that the Kings of France and Spain were in War one with another upon the Frontires of Perpignan and Narbon conceived that he never in a better season could do a displeasure to the King of Spain he therefore sent a great number of Frigots and other Vessels to pillage and destroy that which they should find to be ill guarded upon the confines of Spain They of Barcelona observing a great Fleet to passe by them did advertise the King of it who was then at Saulce and immediatly commanded the Duke of Naygueres to march with all speed to Palamons When the Turkes understood that the place was so well guarded they pretented to sail beyond it but upon the hour of midnight they returned and laid so many of the Defendants upon the ground that the Duke of Naygueres being surprised by his Enemies was led away prisoner Amadour who was very watchfull heard the Alarum and on a sudden did draw into a body as many of his Souldiers as he could and defended himself so well that the whole power of his Enemies could not for a long time be prejudicial to him But in the end understanding that the Duke of Naygueres was taken and that the Turks were resolved to set Palamons on fire and to burn him in the house where he defended himself against them he thought it safer to surrender himself than to be the cause of the destruction of so many gallant Souldiers who were in his Company and
City whom in the night he went to court when his Wife was asleep Amongst others there was a most beautifull and virtuous Lady who was Sister to a Gentleman whom the Duke loved as himself and to whom he gave so much authority in his House that his word was obeyed and feared as that of the Dukes and he had no secret in his heart which he declared not unto him Insomuch that he might well be called his second Self The Duke observing his Sister to be so accomplished a Lady and that he had not the means to declare the love which he did bear unto her having sought all wayes that were possible for the effecting of it at last addressed himself to the Gentleman whom so intirely he did affect said unto him If there were any thing in the world my Friend which I would not do for you I should be affraid to declare unto you my thoughts and much more to desire you to be ayding to me in them but I bear you so much good will that if I had Wife Mother or Daughter that might conduce to save your Life I would rather imploy them all in it than to suffer you to die in torment and I believe that the Love which you bear to me is reciprocal to mine And if I who am your Master do bear such an affection to you I presume that you do not bear any lesse to me Wherefore I will declare one secret to you the concealment whereof doth keep me in this estate wherein you see me of which I can look for no amendment but onely by Death or by the service which you may do me The Gentleman observing the Reasons of his Master and that his face in earnest was bathed in tears had so great a compassion of him that he said unto him Sir I am your Creature all the Fortunes and Honours I enjoy do proceed from you you may speak to me as to your friend being assured That all which lies in my power is in your own hands Incontinently the Duke began to declare unto him the love which he did bear unto his Sister which was so great and violent that if by his means he had no redresse he found he could not live long for he knew by experience that neither Letters nor Prayers nor Presents could prevail upon her Wherefore he conjured him If he loved his life as deerly as his life was beloved by him that he would find a means to procure him that benefit which without him he concluded it was impossible to enjoy The Brother who loved his Sister and the honor of his House more than the pleasure of the Duke did endeavour to make him some Remonstrance to the contrary beseeching him in all other ways to imploy him but to excuse him onely in this thing it being too cruel and too unnatural to him to purchase the dishonor of his own bloud that neither his heart nor his Honour could comply with this Command The Duke enflamed with an anger insupportable did bite his nails and made reply unto him in great fury It is no matter seeing I find in you no respects of Friendship to me I know what I have to do The Gentleman understanding the cruelty of his Master was struck into a fear and said unto him Sir Because it is your pleasure I will speak unto her and I will give you an account of her answer to me The Duke answered departing from him As you make much of my life 〈◊〉 will I of yours The Gentleman understood well â—nough what he did mean by those words and absâ—â—ted himself a day or two from the Duke to consider what he had to do On one side there was presented to him the Obligation which he owed to his Master and the benefits and the Honours which he had received from him On the other side his thoughts reflected on the Honour of his House the honesty and chastity of his Sister and the assurance he had that she would never consent to so foul a Motion if she were not surprized by deceit or by force Wherefore having taken these Premises into his consideration he concluded That he would rather die than be the Author of so ill an Office to his Sister who was one of the most virtuous Ladies in all Italy He was rather obliged he did judge to deliver his Countrey from such a Tyrant who by force would stain the Honour of his Family He was assured besides that unlesse the Duke was dead the life of himself and of his Sister were absolutely lost Wherefore without so much as speaking one word unto his Sister he determined with himself to save his own life and by the same way to revenge the shame which was intended to be brought upon her At the end of two dayes he addressed himself to the Duke and told him how he had practised with his Sister who but not without great difficulty did consent unto his pleasure which she hoped should be kept secret seeing none but himself who was her own Brother had any knowledge of it The Duke who desired this News did easily believe it and imbracing the Messenger did promise him whatsoever he would demand and desiring him that it might quickly be put in execution they agreed between themselves upon the day If the Duke were not high with hopes and Joyes I will leave it to you to judge When he saw the night so much desired to approach in which he promised himself to have the Victory over her whom he thought invincible he withdrew himself betimes from his Court having none in his Company but this Gentleman alone and forgot not to take along with him a Night-cap and a shirt perfumed in the best manner as possibly it might be And taking his opportunity in the Evening he did go along with this Gentleman to the Lodging of this Lady where he came into a Chamber very richly prepared The Gentleman assisted him to put off his cloaths and helped him into Bed saying to him Sir I will now go and setch her my self unto you who will not enter into this Chamber without many blushes but I hope before the Morning she will be assured of you In this manner her left the Duke and did go into his own Chamber where he found but one of all his Servants to whom he said Have you the heart to follow me into a place where I will revenge my self on the greatest Enemy I have in the world His Man not knowing what he would do said unto him Yes Sir and it were the Duke himself Immediatly the Gentleman did take him with him who on the sudden had not the leisure to take any other Aâ—ms but a Ponyard only which he had always about him When the Duke did hear him comming conceiving that he had brought her along with him whom he loved so intirely he opened the Curtain and his eyes to behold her and to receive her into his arms whom so long he expected
but instead of beholding her from whom he hoped to have the preservation of his life he beheld the precipitation of his death which was a drawn sword which the Gentleman had in his hand with which he struck at the Duke with all his force who was in his shirt and being without arms but not without heart defended the blow with the Bed-cloaths and taking hold of the Gentleman about the body said unto him Is this the fulfilling of the promise which you made me And seeing he had no other weapon but his teeth and nails he did bite the Gentleman on the pulse of his hands and with the strength of his arms did so long defend himself that they both fell down between the Wall and the Bed The Gentleman who began to be overborn by him called to his servant who sinding the Duke and his Master so tyed together that he knew not which of them to choose did dragg them both by the feet into the middle of the Room and with his Poynard did cut the throat of the Duke who defended himself until the losse of bloud did render him so feeble that he could make no more opposition Then the Gentleman and his Servant did carry him into the bed where with many blows and thrusts of the Ponyard they did over-act their Murder Afterwards having drawn close the Curtains they did both depart and shut up the dead Body in the Chamber When the Gentleman saw himself victorious over his Enemy by whose death he thought to procure the Liberty of the Publick he conceived that his work was imperfect if he did not as much to five or six more of those who were next in power to the Duke And to put his hand to the work he told his Servant that he should go for them one after another and do with them as he had done with the Duke But his Servant who was not of any great heart or courage said unto him Sir Methinks you have done well enough already for one time and that you should rather think of saving your own life than of taking more lives away from others for if we should stay to do as much to every one of them as we have done unto the Duke the day would discover our enrerprize before we should have put any period to it although we should have found them all without defence The Gentleman whose evill conscience did render him fearful did beleeve his Servant and taking him along with him he addressed himself to the Bishop in whose Custody were the charge of the Keys of the City and the Command of the Post-horses The Gent. said unto him I have this Evening received News that my Brother is on the point of Death I have been to demand leave of the Duke to go unto him who hath granted it Wherefore I desire you to command the Posts to let me have two good horses and the Porter of the City to open the Gates unto me The Bishop who esteemed his intreaty no lesse than the Commandement of the Duke with whom he knew he was most gracious did give him incontinently a Ticket by virtue whereof both the Gates of the City were opened to him and the Post-horses suddenly provided accordingly as he desired And instead of seeing his Brother he took his way directly to Venice where he caused the bitings which the Duke had given him to be healed and not long after he travelled into Turkey In the Morning the Servants of the Duke found it very long before he came forth and did attend his return for they suspected that he was gone to see some Lady But seeing the morning far spent and they could hear nothing of him they began to look for him in every place The poor Dutchesse who began to affect him most intirely understanding that they could not hear any News of him waâ— in a great perplexity But when the Gentleman whom so well he loved could be heard of no more than himself they resorted to his house to seek him our and finding some drops of bloud at his Chamber door they did enter into his Chamber and found not any there to give them the least Intelligence but their suspition increasing they followed the tracts of the bloud and came to the Door of the Chamber where the Duke was which they found locked and having broken open the Door they found the place full of bloud and drawing the Curtains they found the body in the Bed asleep to wake no more You may imagine what Lamentation his poor Servants made who carryed his dead body into the Palace whither the Bishop came and informed them how in the time of night the Gentleman in great diligence departed under pretence to see his Brother By which it most clearly did appear that it was hewho did commit that Murther And it was also proved That his poor Sister did never hear the least word of any thing who although she was astonished at the sad news she heard yet it increased her love unto her Brother who had delivered her from so cruel a Prince the Enemy of her Chastity by the apparent hazard of his own life And continuing more and more her Progresse in all virtues although she was poor for her House and all her goods were confiscated she found good friends rich Kinred in Italy by whom being assisted she lived a long time in great and good reputation Ladies here you see what may make you fear that little God who taketh delight to torment Princes as well as Beggars and the mighty as well as the feeble and who doth render them so blind that they lose God and their Conscience and at last their own lives And Princes and those who are in authority may well be afraid how they displease those who are inferiours to them for there is none so weak but he can do hurt when God will take vengeance upon a sinner nor so great that can guard himself from his Enemy when he is under his power This History was much listned to by all the Company but it produced great diversities of Judgement for some maintained that the Gentleman had done his duty in saving his own life and the honour of his Sister as also in delivering his Country from a Tyrant Others were of another mind and affirmed that it was a great Ingratitude in the Gentleman to put him to death who had bestowed upon him so many benefits and honours The Ladies said that he was a good Brother and a virtuous Citizen The Men professed the contrary and that he was a Traitor and a wicked Servant It would be requisite in this place to allege the reasons on both sides but the Ladies according to their Custom did speak as much by passion as by reason assirming that the Duke was worthy of Death and that happy was the hand that did give the blow wherefore Dagoucin perceiving the great contestation that he had made amongst them did say unto them For Gods sake
hearing of his lamentable and Christian death changed the roughnesse of her language with which she thought to have entertained him at his return into tears and sighes in which her Husband did keep Company with her being thus sadly disappointed of his hopes in his Journey to Jerusalem I cannot here forget That a Damosel who lived with this Gentlewoman whose Name was Joan and loved the Gentleman that was given to the Captain better than the loved her self on the same morning that the Captain and the Gentleman were slain did come unto her Mistresse and told her That she had seen him in her sleep last night whom so well she loved cloathed all in white who was come unto her to take his Farewell of her being on that day to go into Paradise with his Captain But when she found that her Dream was true she made so great a lamentation that her Mistresse had enough to do to comfort her Some moneths afterwards the Court removed into Normandy of which Province the Captain was whose Wife never failed to come to do Reverence to Madam the Mother Regent And to be presented to her she addressed her self to that Gentlewoman whom her Husband so much loved And attending the hour in which they were to go unto the Church to hear Mattens the old woman began to praise and to lament her Husband and amongst other discourses she said unto her Madam My misfortune is greater than ever did befall any woman for just at the time that he began to love me better than ever he did before God took him from me And speaking those words she shewed her the Ring which she had upon her fingers as the token of his perfect love which was not without many tears at which the Lady though she was sensible enough of the old Womans grief had so great a desire to laugh especially since her deceit produced this good that she was unable to present her to Madam the Regent but gave her to another and retired her self into the Chapel where having laughed her fill she passed away the defire she had to laugh any more Ladies It seems to me that they unto whom such gifts are presented should desire to do works that may come to so good an end as this Gentlewoman did for they only by experience do find that good Deeds do redound to the joy of the Doers And we ought not to accuse this Gentlewoman of Deceit but to esteem of her good Intentions who converted that into a Benefit which of it self is worth nothing Will you say so said Nomerfide Is a fair Diamond of two hundred Crowns price worth nothing I dare assure you that if it had fallen into my hands neither his Wife nor any of his Kinred should ever have seen it again There is nothing better to any one self than that which is given The Captain was dead No man knew any thing of it Upon my word you have reason for it said Hircan for there are some women who to shew themselves more excellent than others do some works apparently against their Natures for we all know well enough that there is nothing more covetous than a woman and yet their Glory doth oftentimes exceed their Avarice which doth inforce their hearts to do those things which they would not And I believe that she who forsook the Diamond was not worthy to wear it Hola Hola said Oysilla I do suspect I know the Gentlewoman I do beseech you therfore not to condemn her before you see her Madam said Hircan I do not condemn her but if the Captain were as virtuous as you say he was she had been honoured to have had such a Servant and to have worn his Ring but it may be that one lesse worthy to be beloved did take so fast hold on her finger that his Ring could not come on Truly said Guebron she might well have kept it because there was not one who knew any thing of it How is that said Guebron Are all things lawfull to those that love because no man knows of them Take my word for it said Saffredant I never saw any mis-deed punished but only foolishness for there is neither Murderer Thief nor Adulterer but let him be as cunning as he is wicked that was ever either condemned by Justice or reproved amongst Men but oftentimes their subtilty is so great that it doth blind them so that they become fools and as I have said only the fools and not the vicious are punished You may speak what you please said Oysilla God only can judge of the heart of that Lady but as far as I can conjecture I do find the Deed most honourable and virtuous And to debate no more upon it I pray you Parlament to give your voice to some one I give it most willingly said she to Simontault for after these two sad Novells he will give us one you may be sure of it that will not make us weep I thank you said Simontault for in giving me your voice you do not now as lately call me pleasant which is a word I love not and to revenge myself on you I will demonstrate that there are women who make a great appearance that they are wondrous chast to some and for a time but the event doth show them to be as they are as you will find by this Story which is undoubtedly true The Subtilty of a Lover who under the pretence of a true Friend did gather of a Lady of Milan the fruit of his passed labours The Fourth Novell IN the Dutchie of Milan in the time when the great Master Châ—umont was Governor there was a Gentleman called Signior de Bonninet who afterwards for his virtues was made Admiral of France and was highly esteemed at Milan by the great Master and by all the world for the rare parts that were in him He was often invited to the Banquets where the chiefest of the Ladies met by whom he was better beloved than ever Frenchman was as well for his Beauty Gracefulnesse and Language as for the great Name he had in Arms being second therein to none of his Time One day being in a Mask he did lead in the Dance one of the most brave and most beautifull Ladies that were in that City and when the Hoboyes ceased he did alwayes discourse unto her of Love which he could better do than any other but she would make no answer to him but oftentimes to interrupt him in his Discourse and to give a stop to his desires she would assure him That she neither did nor ever would love any but her Husband and would by no means seem to understand him At this answer this refused Gentleman would not desist and vigorously prosecuted his sute untill the Middle of Lent But for all his endeavours he found her firm in her resolutions neither to love him nor any else which he could hardly beleeve seeing the hard favour and course deportment of her Husband and the excellent beauty
and since you perceive some sparkles you ought to fly the danger of that fire which already is burning in one heart that perceives it not Truly said Hircan your Laws are too severe and if women according to your advice would be rigorous whose sweetnesse is so powerfull we would also change our intreaties and complements into subtilties and forcings The best way which I see said Simontault is that every one should follow his own nature and without dissimulation should declare whether he loved or loved not I would to God said Saffredant that such a Law could bring with it as much honour as it would pleasure But Dagoucin could not contain himself from laughing and said They who had rather die than have their desires known will never accord to your ordinance Die said Hircan that Cavalier is yet to be born that would die for such a publick thing But let us leave off this discourse of Impossibility and observe to whom Simontault will give his voice I wil give it said Simontault to Longaren for I have observed her to talk a little to her self and I believe she is studying to give us some good account being accustomed out of the goodnesse of her nature to speak the truth whether the Subject be on Men or Women Because said Longaren you esteem me to be so impartial I will reâ—â—at a History to you which although it be not so much to the praise of Women as I would have it yet you shall find they have as stout hearts and as great understandings and as good as those of Men and if my Account be something long you must have patience A Lady of the Kings Court perceiving her self disdained by her Husband who made love to another did by the like love revenge her self The Fifth Novell IN the Court of King Francis the first there was a Gentleman whose name I know so well that I will not here give it to you He was but poor having hardly five hundred Livres in yearly Rents but so beloved of the King for the virtues with which he was accomplished that by his means he espoused so rich a Lady that a great Lord might well be contented with her fortunes And because she was not yet of age for a husband he entreated one of the greatest Ladies of the Court to take her to her which very willingly she accorded to This Gentleman was so courteous and so lovely that all the Ladies of this Court did very much esteem him and amongst others one whom the King loved who was not so young nor so beautifull as his own wife and for the great love which he did bear unto this Lady he did make so small an accompt of his own wife that he hardly lay with her one night in a whole year and which was more grievous to her he would never so much as speak unto her nor shew her the least sign of love And although he ranted it with her Estate he allowed her so small a part out of it that she was not apparelled as pertained to a Gentlewoman of her birth nor as she desired whereupon the Lady with whom she was did oftentimes reprove the Gentleman telling him your wife is fair rich and of a great descent and you make no reckoning of her which her infancy and youth hath yet endured but I am afraid that when she shall behold her self fair and great that her glasse and some one who loves you not will remonstrate her beauties to her so little esteemed by you and she may by despight do that which she durst not doe if she were assured of your love The Gentleman who had his heart elsewhere did but laugh at her and for all her instructions did not forbear to continue that course of life he led But after the space of two years or thereabouts his wife began to be one of the most handsome Ladies in all France insomuch that she was accounted the Non-pareill of the Court and the more worthy she perceived her self to be beloved the more she grieved to see her Husband to make no reckoning of her insomuch that she contracted so great a melancholly that for all the exhortations of the Lady with whom she lived she seemed to be a creature given up to despair And having studied all the means that possibly she could to be complacent to her Husband she thought with her self that it was impossible for him to love her seeing she loved him so entirely and could not find out any reason to be given for it unlesse he were in love with some one else and entertained some other fancy in his apprehension which she enquired after with so much subtilty and dexterity of Circumspection that she found out the truth and that every night he was so taken up in courting another Lady that he forgot his Conscience and his Wife And after she was certain of the life he did lead she so wholly abandoned her self to grief that she cloathed her self all in black and would not resort to any Feasts or Sports which the Lady perceived with whom she lived and did what she could to withdraw her from her melancholly thoughts but it was not possible for her and although her Husband was often advertised of it he was more ready to encrease than to redresse her sorrows You know Ladies that Grief foregoeth Joy and also that Grief by Joy doth come to an end Wherfore it fell out upon a day that a great Lord a near kinsman to the Lady who was as a Guardian to this Gentlewoman often did frequent the house having understood of the strange manner of life of this yong Gentlewoman with her husband taking pity of her did endeavor to comfort her in discoursing with her he found her so wise lovely that he desired to have a place in her affection far more than to discourse with her of her husband unles it were to demonstrate to her the small occasion she had to love him This young Lady perceiving her self forsaken of him who ought to love her and on the other side to be loved and courted by so great and gallant a Prince did conceive her self thrice happy to be entertained in his good opinion And although she had alwayes a great desire to preserve her honour yet she took so great a pleasure to discourse with him and to perceive her self to be beloved by him that she was noted for it This love continued a certain time until the King himself perceived it who esteemed so well of the Gent. that he would not permit that any dishonour should accrew unto him Wherefore he very earnestly entreated the Prince to remove his love from her and told that if he did still continue it he should be very ill pleased at it The Pr. who preferred the favor of the. K. to all the beauties of the Ladies of the world did promise him that in obedience to his commands he would abandon his enterprise and on that Evening
her petticoat and her night-gown that was next to her hand and seeing that three or four of her Maids were all asleep she did go to the Chamber door and asking who was there she was answered by his Name whom she had sent for and whom so passionately she loved but to be more assured she opened the little Wicket saying If you are he that you do say you are give me your hand I shall readily know it And when she had taken her Husband by the hand she immediatly knew him and shutting suddenly the Wicket she began to cry out Ah Monsieur It is your hand Her Husband did answer her in a great Rage It is the same hand which is the pledge of the love and promises betwixt us wherefore fail not to come when I shall send for you And speaking those words he departed to his Lodging and she returned into her Chamber rather dead than alive and spake aloud unto her Women Rise my Friends you have slept too much for me for in thinking to deceive you I have been deceived first of all my self And speaking those words she swouned away in the middle of the Chamber The poor women did all rise at her cry so astonished to see their Mistresse as dead and lying on the ground and to hear those words she did speak that they knew not what to do but only to run for Remedies to revive her And when she had recovered speech she said unto them This Hour you see me my friends the most unfortunate creature upon the Earth and repeated to them all her fortune desiring them to be ready to perform their last service to her for she reckned her life as lost They indeavouring to comfort her behold one of the Grooms of her Husbands Chamber by whom he commanded to acquaint her incontinently to repair unto him She embracing two of her women began to weep and to lament desiring them that that they would not let her go for she was sure never to return again But the Groom of the Chamber assured her to the contrary and that upon the hazard of his own life he would undertake that she should receive no Ill. She seeing that there was no resistance did put her self into the arms of the Groom and said unto him Friend Since it must be so carry this unhappy body unto Death and being overcome with sorrow she was carried away by the Groom into his Masters Lodging at whose feet the poor Lady trembled down saying Sir I beseech you to have pity on me and I will swear unto you by the faith which I owe to God that I will tell you the truth of all Immediatly he said unto her as a Man transported And I vow unto you you shall tell me the truth of all and on those words commanded all his Servants to be gon And because he knew his wife to be religious he believed that she would not forswear her self if she did swear upon the Crosse wherefore he brought her a very fair one which he had borrowed and there being none present but themselves he made her swear upon the Crosse that she should tell him the plain truth of that which he demanded But she who had already passed over the first apprehensions of Death took heart and resolved with her self to conceal nothing from him seeing she was to die but so as not to reveal any thing that might bring any danger to the Gentleman whom she loved And having heard divers questions which he made unto her she made answer Sir I will not justisie my self nor make lesse unto you the Love which I have born unto the Gentleman of whom you have suspition but I have a desire to acquaint you with the occasion of that Love Sir you are to understand that never any Woman did love her Husband with such an entire affection as I have loved you for since I have been first married to you there never entred into my heart the love of any but of your self alone you know that in my Nonage my Parents would have married me to a personage of a far nobler Family than your self but they could never make me give the least consent unto it from the hour that you first spake unto me for I stood most firm against their perswasions for you without regarding your poverty or the Remonstrances which they made And you cannot be ignorant of the hard use which ever since I have received from you and how you have loved and esteemed me which hath brought so much sorrow and affliction on me that had it not been for the Lady under whose Government you did put me I had been sunk into the Bottom of Despair But in the end observing my self to grow into Age and to be esteemed to be beautiful by all the world but your self I began so vigorously to feel the Injury which you did me that the love I did bear unto you was turned into hatred and the Desire to please you into vengeance And in that resolution a Prince courted me who to obey his King more than his Love did love me on the same time when I began to feel some comfort and releasment from my torments by the honest love I did bear unto him And in leaving him I found this Gentleman who needed not to be intreated to love me Howsoever his Beauty his sweet Deportment and his Virtue did deserve to be sought after and esteemed by all women of a good understanding At my request and not his own he loved me and with so much honesty that never in his life he required any thing of me contrary to honour And because the little love which I have cause to bear unto you did give me the occasion to keep neither faith nor loyalty with you yet the love which I do bear unto God alone and to my honour hath hitherto preserved me from doing any thing for which I should either stand in need of Confession or of the fear of shame I will not deny unto you that as often possibly I could I have gone to speak with him in a Wardrobe pretending to go to my Devotions for I never trusted either Man or Woman for the managing of that affair I will not moreover deny but that being in a place so private and free from all suspition I have kissed him with a better heart than ever I kissed you but I desire no mercy of God if there were ever any other familiarities betwixt us or if ever he sollicited me for other by any hot Importunities or if ever my own heart had any desire thereunto although I was so glad to see him that it seemed to me that I could have no greater pleasure nor happinesse in the world And you Sir who are the only Cause of my misfortune will you take vengeance for a Deed which for so long a time you have given me the Example an Example which hath out-gon me in this that what you have done hath been without Honour
her chamber with her Governesse where all the time her Companions were at dinner and supper she had the leisure to speak unto him whom so intirely she affected and by how much their time by constraint was made more short by so much their words did come from them with a more great affection for they did steal time to maintain their discourse as a thief doth steal a pretious creasure But this meeting could nor be kept so secret but one of the Grooms did observe the Bastard constantly to enter into the chamber upon the days when Rolandine did keep her fasts and at last it was known to all and to the Queen herself who was thereupon so passionate that the Bastard after that check durst never to enter again into the chamber of the Maids Neverthelesse not to lose the happinesse to converse with her whom so much he loved he often pretended to take a journey out of Town and on the Evening would return to the Church or to the Chapel at the Court in the habit of a Friar or a Monk so well disguised that it was impossible for any one to know him and to the same Church or Chapel Rolandine with her Governess did not fail to come to entertain him He observing the great love which she did bear unto him was not afraid to speak unto her Madam you know the danger into which I do put my self for your service and the Queens prohibitions that you should speak no more unto me You know also too well what a Father you have who careth not to whom he shall espouse you you have refused so many good matches I must confesse I am but a poor man and that you may marry a Gentleman with a fortune far greater than my own but if love and good will be to be esteemed a treasure I ought to be accounted the richest man in the world God hath indued you with a great estate and you are in a possibility to have yet a far greater if I could be so happy as that you would vonchsafe to choose me for your Husband I would all my life be both a Husband a Friend and a Servant to you and if you should take one equal to your self which is very hard to do he would become your master and would more regard your goods than your person and altogether making it his imployment to be conversant in your estate aâ—d to receive the Rents and profits thereof he would not be observant to your self as you do desire The desire I have to give you this contentment and the fear which doth surprise me that you cannot enjoy it with any other doth cause me to beseech you that at once you will make me happy and your self the most satisfied woman that ever was Rolandine hearing these words which she had resolved with her self to speak unto him with an assured countenance did make answer to him I am very glad that you have begun this disscourse which a long time I had thought to have propounded my self unto you Those two last years since I had more perfect knowledge of you I have thought and thought again and examined within my self all the reasons which I could invent either for you or against you And at the last resolving with my self that I would take upon me the estate of Marriage it was time I conceived that I should begin to make choice of him with whom I believed I should live best with most peace of mind I cannot find any one be he never so handsom so rich or so great that my heart my spirit do so well accord with as your self I know that in marrying you I shall not offend God but do that which he commandeth And as for Monsieur my Father he hath so little sought after my Good nay he hath so much refused it that the Law will give leave that I may marry without him although it lies in his power to dis-inherit me Yet let me have but that which belongs unto me in marrying such a Husband as you are I shall esteem my self to be the richest Woman in the world As for the Queen my Mistresse I ought not to make it a point of Conscience to displease her to obey God for she did not forbear to hinder me of that comfort in my youth which I should have enjoyed But that you may understand that the love which I do bear unto you is founded upon Virtue and Honour you shall promise faithfully unto me that although I do accord unto this marriag that you shall not undertake the consummation of it until my Father be dead or until I have found a means to procure his consent unto it To this the Bastard most willingly did ingage himself on these promises they did give to one another a ring in the obligation of marriage and kissed each other in the Church before the Face of God whom they took to be the witnesse of their promises and afterwards during the society of their loves there was no other familiarity betwixt them but a kisse only This little contentment gave great satisfaction to the hearts of those two perfect lovers and they lived a long time in this assurance without being discovered by any And there was no place where Honour might be gained to which with great contentment this Bastard did not goe being confident that he could never be poor or miscrable being blessed by God in so happy and so rich a Wise who in his absence did so well preserve her perfect love that she took not the least delight in any man in the world And although that diverse did demand her afterwards in marriage she made no other answer to them but that having stayed so long without a Husband she was now resolved never to marry This answer was given and understood by so many that it came at last to the ear of the Queen who demanded of her what was the reason of it Rolandine made answer That it was to obey her for she understood well enough that she never desired that she should be married to any who should not honourably provide for her and to her own content and that Age and Patience had instructed her to content her self with the Estate in which she was And evermore when they discoursed with her concerning Marriage she did return the like answers When the Wars were ended and the Bastard entertained again at the Court she never had any conference with him before any but repaired alwayes to the Church to hold Discourse with him there under the colour of Confession for the Queen had forbid both him and her to talk together upon pain of Death unlesse it were in some great Company But the Honesty of Love which knows no prohibition was more ready to find means to bring them to speak together than all their Enemies were prepared to prevent them and under the habit of all the religious Orders they could devise they entertained their honest love untill
mutual promises and by the Ceremony of a Ring Wherefore Madam it seems to me that you do me a great wrong to call me wicked seeing that in so great and perfect a love I could find occasion if I would to doe evil which I do forbear for there hath been never betwixt him and my self any other privacy but to kisse only hoping that God would so blesse my undertakings that before the publick celebration of my marriage I should gain the heart of my Father to consent unto it I have neither offended God nor my Conscience For I have attended unto the age of thirty years to see what you and Monsieur my Father would doe for me having preserved my youth in so much chastity that no man living can in the least manner reproach me And by the counsel of that reason which God hath given me seeing my self growing into age I determined with my self to espouse one according to my own heart nor to satisfie the concupiscence of my eyes for you know he is not handsom nor the desires of the flesh for I doe hope he is not carnally given nor to satisfie my ambition or the pride of this life for he is but poor and unadvanced but I look purely and sincerely upon the Virtue the Honesty and the Graces that are in him for which all the world commends him and on the great love which he bears unto me which doth cause me to hope that I shall find comfort and good use with him and having well considered with my self all the good and all the evils that could arrive unto me by him I have taken that part which did seem to be the best unto me and which I have looked up in my heart these two years and more which is to lay out all the remainder of my life in his company And I am determined to hold this resolution so firm that all the torments I can endure be it death it self shall never cause me to startle from this resolution Wherefore Madam Be pleased to excuse that in me which is most excusable as your self no doubt doe well understand and give me leave to live in that peace which I doe hope to enjoy with him The Queen beholding her countenance so constant and finding her words so true could not answer her according unto reason but continuing her choleâ—ick and reproachful words did begin to weep and said unto her Wicked and stubborn as you are who instead of humbling your self before me and of repenting of so great a fault doe assume the boldnesse to speak so peremptorily in the justification of it without so much as one tear in your eye whereby you shew the obstinacy and the insensiblenesse of your heart But if hâ— King and your Father would take my counsel they should send you into another place where you should be constrained to speak words of another sense Madam said Rolandine because you accuse me of speaking too boldly I am resolved to hold my peace if that you are not pleased to give me leave to speak and answer you When she had received commandment to speak she said unto her Madam Far be it from me to speak boldly and without reverence to you who are my Mistresse and the greatest Princesse in Christendom I have not the least thought so to doe but because I have no Advocate to plead for me but the truth only which I my self do know I am bound to declare it without fear hoping that when it is well understood by you you will not esteem me to be such as you call me I fear not that any mortal creature understanding how I have carried my self in the affair I am charged with should condemn me for it for I know that God and my Honor are not offended in it And but be pleased to consider what it is that makes me to speak without fear It is an assurance that he who sees my heart is with me and since I have so great and so just a Judge for me I should offend if I should fear those who are subject to his Judgement And wherefore then Madam ought I to weep since neither my conscience nor my honour do any ways reprove me for this fact and that I am so far from repentance that 〈◊〉 I were to begin it again I would do no otherwise than what I have done But you Madam have a great occasion to weep as well for the many great injuries which you have done me from my first youth hitherto as for that which you do me at this present in rebuking me for a fault before all the world which ought more to be imputed to you than to my self If I had offended God the King you my Parents or my Conscience I should appear very obstinate if I should not melt in repentance for so great a fault But for a good cause which is just and holy and which alwayes carried with it an honourable report unlesse you have too much undervalued it and made it an offence which sheweth the desire you have to deprave me to be greater than your endeavour to preserve or advance the honour of your house and kinred I have no reason to weep at all But Madam since it doth please you I will not contradict it For albeit that you inflict upon me what punishment you please I shall take no lesse pleasure without reason to suffer it than you shall take without reason to command it Wherefore Madam doe you and my Eather give order what shall be the torment I am to endure for I know he will not be wanting to you and I shall be glad at least that for my punishment only he doth altogether follow your will and having been negligent for my good yet it being your desire that he is ready for my evil to be obedient to you But I have a Father in Heaven who I am confident will give me as much patience as I see there are afflictions prepared by you for me and in him alone I have perfect confidence The Queen being full of anger and in dignation to hear those words to proceed from her did command that she should be taken away from before her and put in a chamber by her self where not any should be permitted to speak unto her but they took not her Governesse from her by the means whereof she acquainted the Bastard with the whole progresse of her fortunes and desired to be informed of him what she ought to doe who conceiving that his Imployments in the Kings service were of some value to render him acceptable unto him did with all diligence repair unto the Court and finding the King in the fields he acquainted him with the truth of the fact and besought him that he would doe him being a poor Gentleman so great a pleasure as to appease the Queen and be a means that the marriage might publickly be solemnized The King made no other answer to him but only demanded Do you assure me that
Coat of black Frize richly imbroydered with Gold and Silver purle He was mounted on a black Horse richly trapped with all the gallant furniture that belonged to a Horse The trappings were all covered with Gold and with a Morresk work enamell'd with black His Cloak was of black Silk on the shoulder thereof was a badge most curiously wrought and adorned with precious stones where he had for a Devise Love covered by force His sword and his poynado were no lesse beautifull and set forth with as rich devices To be short he was compleat cap a pei'd and most remarkable when he was on horsback and knew so well to manage his Horse that all those who did observe him neglected the recreation of hunting to observe the Courses and Corvettoes which he made Having in those Courses brought the Queen unto the place where the Nets were pitched he alighted from his Horse and came to assist the Queen as she was alighting who stretching forth her arms unto him he opened his Coat and taking her in his arms did shew her his Corslet where the Mirror was and said unto her Madam I beseech you to behold your self in it and without attending any answer he did set her softly on the Ground The Hunting being ended the Queen returned to the Castle without speaking one word to Elisor but after Supper she sent for him and told him That he was the greatest Lyar that she ever knew for he had promised her faithfully to shew that Lady in the Chace unto her whom he most loved which he had not performed wherefore she resolved with her self not to esteem him any more Elisor fearing that the Queen had not understood what he had said unto her did make answer That he had performed what he promised for he had not only shewed her the woman but that part of her which he loved best The Queen pretending not to understand him did reply unto him That she did not remember that he had shewed any one of her Ladies to her It is true said Elisor But what did I show unto you as you were alighting from your Horse Nothing said the Queen but only a fair Glass upon your Brest And what did you behold in that Mirror said Elisor I saw nothing but my own face said the Qu. Elisor said unto her then Madam in obedience to your Commandment I have fulfilled my promise for there shall be never any other representation in my heart but that which you saw upon my Brest it is that only whom I love reverence adore not as a Woman but as a Goddesse upon Earth into whose hands I do put both my Life and Death beseeching you that my most entire and absolute affection which was all my Life as long as I concealed it may not prove my Death by my discovering it And if I am not worthy to be regarded and accepted as your Servant at least permit that I may live as I have been accustomed to do upon the Contentment I have to behold you my heart having been so bold to chuse so high so perfect and so Majestick a place for the foundation of its love of which I can have no other satisfaction but to know that my love is so great and absolute that I am contented only to love although I am not be beloved again And if it doth not please you by the knowledge of my great love to have me more agreeable to you and to affect me more than heretofore at the least take not my life from me which consisteth in the happinesse I have to see you as I have been accustomed to do If you please to look upon me with more rigor you will have one servant lesse and lose the most affectionate one which you ever had or ever can have The Qu. whether to shew her self what she was not or else all along to make more trial of the love which he did bear unto her or whether she loved some other Servant whom she would not leave for him or else to reserve him untill he whom she had loved had done some fault and then afterwards to receive him into his place did speak unto him with a countenance neither angry nor yet contented Elisor Being ignorant of the authority of Love I do not demand of you what folly did betray you into so great so high and so dangerous a humor as to be in love with me for I know that the heart of Man is so little at Mans Commandement that he cannot make it either to hate or to love as he himself would But because you have so well declared your mind I desire to know how long it is since you first did begin to love me Elisor observing her to smile upon him and that she inquired after his Malady did well hope that she would vouchsafe some remedy unto him but beholding on a sudden her countenance to change again he was struck with a fear thinking himself to be before a severe Judge who was ready to pronounce sentence upon him Howsoever he took the confidence to assure her that his love had taken a deep root in his heart ever since his childhood but it did not burn within him to make him feel the pain thereof but the last seven years and he said he could not properly call it a pain but rather a Malady which gave such a contentment that the recovery from it was Death Since it is so said the Queen that you have laboured in so great a trial I ought to be no more light to believe it than you have been to expresse it wherefore if it be as you say I will make such a proof of it that afterwards I shall have no reason to doubt it and this proof being made I shall esteem you to be such unto me as you your self do swear you are and I knowing you to be such as you say you shall find me to be such as you desire Elisor besought her to make what proof of him she pleased for there was nothing so difficult that should not be very easie to him to obtain that great happinesse that she might know and be assured of the affection which he did bear unto her and besought her to command him that which she would have don She said unto him Elisor If you do love me as much as you affirm I am assured that to enjoy my favour nothing can be too hard for you Wherefore I command you by all your desires to have it and your fears to lose it that without seeing me any more you do depart the Court to morrow and retire into some place where you may not hear from me nor I have any tidings of you for seven following years You who have already passed seven years in this love do know in your self that you love me When I have had the like expecience of it for seven other years I shall know and believe that which your words cannot make me to understand much
my Damnation before you Gentlemen and before you my Brother that never any Man hath touched me any more than you And speaking those words she received the Body of our Lord. The Master of the Request and the Almoner hearing those words departed with great Amazement believing that amongst such Protestations no Dissimulation could have place and made report thereof unto the King perswading him to believe that which they believed But he who was wise having thoroughly considered of it did cause them to repeat again unto him the words of the Oath and having well weighed them he said unto them She hath taken her Oath upon the Sacrament that never any Man hath touched her any more than her own Brother And I do believe it for a Truth that she is big with child by her Brother and would cover her sin with that dissimulation for we who believe in Jesus Christ already come ought not to expect any other wherefore they shall both suffer and be burned for their most horrible and blasphemous attempts And doe you but put the Curat in Prison I am confident that he will confesse the Truth This was performed according to his Commandement but not without the great offence of the People that so holy a man should so unjustly suffer The Priest had not been long under custody but he confessed his wickednesse and that he had counfelled his Sister to speak those words and to carry her self in so confident a posture as she did to cover the life which they did lead together not only by a light Excuse but also by a blasphemous one that they might be honoured by all the world And when it was objected to him how he could be so prophane as to take the body of the Lord to inforce her to swear upon it He made answer That he was not so bold and that the bread which he gave her was not consecrated The Report hereof was made unto the Count of Angoulesin who commanded that Justice should be executed on the Frier accordingly as belonged to such a blasphemous Imposter A little respite whereof there was untill his Sister was brought to bed who in the space of a few weeks was delivered of a lusty Boy and not long after they were both burned whereat the people were wonderfully amazed having under a religious mantle seen so horrible a Monster and under a life so holy and so commendable so detestable a Vice to reign Ladies You may here behold that the faith of this good Count was not overcome by signs nor exterior miracles knowing well enough that we have but one Saviour who in saying Consummatum est hath shewed that he left no place for any other to be his Successor in the work of our Salvation I promise you said Oysilla it was a great presumption under an extreme hypocrisie to cover so enormous a sin with the mantle of Religion and pretendings to the Holy Spirit I have heard said Hircan that those who under the Colour of the Kings Commission do exercise cruelties and tyrannies are doubly punished because they cover their Injustice with the Royal Justice So you may see that hypocrites although they prosper for a while under the covert of Religion yet so it is that when God shall take off that mantle he doth discover and set them open stark naked to all the world and then their nakednesse and enormities are found as loathsom as their Coverture was honourable There is nothing more pleasant said Nomerfide than to speak truly what the heart doth think It is the way indeed to grow fat said Longaren and I believe that you speak your opinion according to your Condition Why I will tell you said Nomerfide I do observe that Fools unlesse you kill them do live longer than those who are wise and I can find no other reason for it but because they do not dissemble their passions if they are angry they do strike if they are joyful they do laugh when those who do believe themselves to be wise do dissemble their Imperfections with the poyson whereof their heart is all over infected I do believe said Guebron that you speak the truth and that Hypocrisie whether it be towards God towards Men or towards Nature is the Cause of all the Evils which we suffer It would be a brave thing said Parlament if our hearts were so filled with Faith as to believe on him who is all Virtue and all Joy and that we might all and altogether enjoy him and freely communicate that Joy to one another That will be in the hour said Hircan when there shall be no more flesh on the Bones of Men. So it is said Oysilla that the Spirit of God which is stronger than Death can mortifie our hearts without any change of our body Madam said Saffredant you speak of the gift of God which is not common to Men. It is to those only who have Faith said Oysilla But because this cannot be understood by those who are carnal let us know to whom Simontault will give his voice I do give it said he to Nomerfide for because she hath a merry bea rt her discourse cannot be melancholy In good troth said Nomerfide because you have a desire to laugh I will give you the occasion And to shew you how much Fear and Ignorance are prejudicial to us and that the want of a good understanding is oftentimes the occasion of great trouble I will acquaint you with what happened to two Friers of Niort who by their ill understanding of the language of a Butcher had almost killed themselves by the only violence of their fear Two Friers too curious to listen to what did not belong unto them were so well recompenced for their vain curiosity that they thought they both should have dyed The fourth Novell THere is a Village betwixt Niort and Fo rs called Grip which belongeth to the Signiory of Fors. One day it fell out that two Friers comming from Niort did atrive very late in this village of Grip and lodged in the house of a Butcher and because betwixt their Chamber and their Hosts there was but a thin board ill nayled they had a great desire to listen to what the Husband did speak unto his Wife being in Bed together and they came up so close unto them that they both laid their ears directly against the Bedstead where their Host and his Wife lay who not suspecting the vigilance of his Guests did talk in private to his Wife of what belonged to his profession and said unto her Sweet-heart to morrow I must rise betimes to see my two Grey Friers whom I intend to kill and to sell them in the Market to make my profit of them And although by those words he did mean his two Hoggs whom he called Grey Friers so it was that the two poor Friers who heard that resolution did interpret that it was meant by them and in great fear and trembling they attended the break of
the Day One of these Friers is very fat and the other lean enough The fat one would have confessed himself to his Companion and told him That the Butcher not having the fear of God before his eyes did make no more account to cut his throat than if he had been an Oxe or any other Beast And because they were locked up in their chamber and had no other way down but must passe thorough the Chamber of their Host they both did collect unto themselves that they were sure enough to be killed and did both of them recommend their Souls unto God But the younger of them who was not alltogether so overcome with fear as his Companion did say unto him That since the Door was locked up they must assay to escape out of the Window and come what will there could come nothing to them worse than Death To this the fat Frier did consent The younger of them opened the Window and observing it was not very high from the ground he did leap lightly down and ran away as fast and as far as ever he could He being gone and not staying for his Companion the corpulent Frier did attempt the danger but the weight of his body did constrain him to lye where he fell for instead of leaping he fell down so heavily that he much bruised his Legg When he beheld himself forsaken of his Companion and that he was disabled to follow him he looked round about him to find where he might hide himself but he could discover no place but a Piggssty only to which he did creep as well as he could and opening the door to go into it two Hoggs did run out and escaping grunted their gratitude to him The poor Frier did possesse himself of their place and intended when ever he heard the noise of any Travellers that passed that way to call unto them and crave their assistance But as soon as day appeared the Butcher took into his hand his two great knives and desired of his Wife to keep him company to kill his two fat hoggs When they came unto the Stie where the Frier did hide himself he opened the door and cried aloud come forth my gray Fiers come forth this day I shall both eat and sell of your Puddings The Frier being startled and not able to stand on one legge did hop out of the Stie the length of four feet with the other and cryed out Mercy Mercy as loud as ever he could And if the Frier was surprized with a great fear much more was the Butcher and his Wife for they verily believed St. Francis was angry with them because they gave the name of a Frier unto a Hogg they therefore kneeled down before the poor Frier and demanded pardon of Saint Francis and his Religion so that on hoth sides the Frier cried and called for mercy of the Butcher and the Butcher and his Wife on the other side cried as loud for mercy to the Frier insomuch that they were above a quarter of an hour in this agony of fear before they could understand one another At last the Frier perceiving that the Butcher did intend no harm did declare unto him the cause wherefore he did hide himself in the Hoggs-Stie whereupon their fear was immediatly dissolved into an abundant Argument of laughter which had been greater but the poor Frier who had his Legg sorely hruised by reason of his great pain could not goe along with them in their mirth the Butcher therefore did lead him to his house where he continued until he was well recovered His Companion who did forsake him in his greatest need did run all night long and in the morning came unto the house of Signior de Fo rs where he complained of this Butcher who as he verily believed had killed his Companion because he found he did not follow him Signior de Fo rs did immediately send to the Village of Grip to understand the truth which being known he found there was no argument of grief and immediatly he made an Account therof to his Mistresse Madam the Dutchesse of Angoulesm Mother to King Francis the first of that name Ladies you may from hence observe that it is not good to listen to a secret to which we are not called or give a false interpretation to the words which another man doth speak Did not I know well enough said Simontault that Nomerfide would not make us weep but heartily to laugh in which I find that every one of us have had their share And how comes it about said Oysilla that we are inclined to laugh at folly and not so much as to smile at any thing that is well and wisely done The reason is said Hircan because it is more agreeable unto us and neer of kin unto our Nature which of it self is never wise and every one affects that which is like unto it self and this makes the Fools to be addicted unto Folly and the Wise unto wisdom But I believe there is neither wiseman nor Fool that can restrain from laughter at the hearing of this Account There are some said Guebron who have their hearts so addicted to the Love of Wisdom that say or doe what you will you can never make them langh for they have so moderate a Joy and Contentment in their hearts that no accident can move them who be they said Hircan Guebron made answer The Philosophers of former times whose joyes and sorrows were never perceived so great a virtue they esteemed it to overcome themselves and their own passions I doe approve of it as well as they to overcome a vicious passion said Saffredant but to strive against a natural property which doth no hurt to any it seems to me to be impertinent Howsoever you judge it said Guebron others did esteem it a great virtue It is not so much because they were wise men said Saffredant but because they had no occasion to testifie their grief or joy and therefore it was rather an apparence than an effect of Virtue Howsoever you shall find said Guebron that they reproved all Vices and so Diogenes himself trampled with his feet on Platoes bed because it was adorned with more than ordinary accoutrements and to shew how much he despised the vain-glory and the avarice of Plato he said thus doe I tread upon the pride of Plato But you doe not speak all said Saffredant for Plato suddenly replied unto him It was true that he did tread upon it but with far greater pride than his own for Diogenes undervalued and despised all neatnesse in a vain and dogged affectation of Simplicity To speak the truth said Parlement it is impossible that the victory of our selves should be obtained merely by our selves nor can we goe about it without a marvellous presumption which is the Vice that every one ought to hate for from it death first proceeded and is the ruine of all Virtues Did I not read this morning to you said Oysilla that they who
thought themselves more wise than other men and by the light of Reason attained to some knowledge of the Creator yet attributing this glory to themselves and not to him from whence it was derived thinking that by their own labour they had gained this knowledge have becom not only more ignorant and unreasonable than other men but more se sual than beasts For erring in their minds they have attributed that unto themselves which belongeth unto God alone and have manifested their errors by the abuse of their bodies perverting the order of their Sin as St. Paul doth write unto the Romans There is none of us said Parlament but by that Epistle may confesse that all actual and outward sins are the fruits of the inward infidelity which the more covered it is with gifts and miracles it is so much the more dangerous to pluck away Of both Sexes said Hircan we men are more near unto Salvation than you Women for not dissembling our fruits you may easily know the root but you who dare not put forth your fruits to the open view and doe make so many gallant appearances cannot without much difficulty discover the root of your arrogance and presumption which doth grow up under your fair coverture I must confesse said Longaren if the word of God had not by the application of our faith shewed us the infidelity hidden in our hearts we should be all prone to fall into some visible offence And thrice happy are they whom Faith hath so humbled that they have no need to prove theiâ— natural corruptions by exterior effects But let us see said Simontault from whence we have digressed for in discoursing first of great follies we fell into Philosophy and from thence into Divinity Let us leave these Disputations to those who can better argue them and let us know to whom Nomerfide will give her place and voice I do give it said she to Hircan but I shall intreat him to be favourable to the honour of Ladies You could never intreat me said Hircan in a better time for the History which I have prepared is framed on purpose in obedience to your desires By this you shall confesse that the Nature of Men and women is of it self inclined to all Vice if it be not preserved by the bounty of him to whom the honour of all Victory is to be imputed And to abate the confidence you have when you do speak of your own Honours I will shew you an undoubted President The Endeavour and Success of a wise Husband to divert the Love which his Wife did bear unto a Preacher The fifth Novell IN the City of Pampelona there lived a Lady who was esteemed to be as virtuous as she was fair and to be the most chast and the most devout Woman in all that Country She intirely loved her Husband and was so obedient to him that he reposed all his confidence in her This Lady did incessantly follow the Divine Service and the Sermons She perswaded her Husband and her Children to hold that resolution as well as her self who was then about 30 years of age at which time women are accustomed to leave off the Name of fair to be reputed Grave On Ash-Wednesday which is the first day of Lent this Lady did repair to the Church to hear something for the tribulation of the Flesh where she heard a Sermon preached by a Frier who was esteemed by all the world to be an honest Man by reason of his great austerity and abstinence of life which did render him both pale and lean but not so altogether but for all that he was handsom enough and a good Companion This Lady in great Devotion did hearken to the Sermon having her eyes fastned in contemplation of this venerable person and her ear and all the faculties of her undestanding were taken up altogether in attention to him wherefore the sweetnesse of his words did enter into her ears and dived down into her heart and the beauty and grace of his countenance did so surprize her eyes and so depserately did invade her Spirit that she was like a transported Creature The Sermon being ended she diligently attended where he was to say Masse at which she assisted and took the ashes from his hand which was as slender as her own and white as the ashes themselves The devout Lady did more regard his hand than the ashes he did give her did most assuredly believe that such a spiritual love whatsoever pleasure she apprehended in it could never hurt her conscience she never failed a day to repair unto the Sermon did take her Husband along with her both the one the other did give so great a Commendation to the Preacher that both at bed and at board they had almost no other Discourse but of him only And thus the fire under the title of spiritual did become so carnal that being lodged and burning in her heart it did set all the body of this poor Lady into a flame And as she was but slow to perceive it so she was prone to be inflamed and first found the contentment she received in that passion before she knew that she was subjected to it And thus being in every part surprized by her grand Enemy Love she no longer resisted any one of his Commandements but the greatest trouble was that her Physician who was to cure her was ignorant of her disease wherfore having put away all fear which she ought to have enterrained to shew her folly before so wise a Man and her imperfections before so absolute and so virtuous a Preacher she undertook by writing to discover the love which she did bear unto him which at the first she did as gently as she could and delivered the Letter to a little page with Instructions how to behave himself in this service and above all she did give him a special commandement that he should be most carefull that her Husband did not see him as he did passe unto the Friers The Page going on directly in his way did passe through a street where his Master by chance was sitting in a shop The Gentleman seeing him did step forth out of the shop to see which way he did go and the Page perceiving him being amazed at it did hide himself in a house His Master being startled thereat did follow him and taking hold of him by his arm he demanded of him whither he was going and perceiving that the Excuses he did make were to no purpose and that he had an affrighted countenance he threatned to beat him foundly if he did not tell him whither he was going The poor Page said unto him Wo is me Sir If I shall tell you my Mistresse will kill me The Gentleman suspecting that his Wife had made a Market without his knowledge of it did assure the Page that he should receive no harm if he would confesse the truth but be well rewarded and withâ—â—â— that if he told him a ly
most beautifull and bravest personage amongst all the Ladies of Flanders On the departure of this great Assembly this Countesse of Aiguemont did return to her own House and the time of Advent being come she sent to the Covent of Friers to demand a good Preacher and a Man of a godly Conversation as well to preach as to confesse her self and all her Company The Warden of the Friers did make choice of the most worthy in his Covent to perform this office in regard of the great benefits he had received from the House of Aiguemont and that of Pienne of which this Lady was and being more desirous than all others to gain the good Esteem and the Love of great Houses he did send the most remarkable Preacher which he had in the whole Covent who the Advent did his duty very well and gave the Countesse great Content The time being come in which the Countesse would receive her Creator she did send for her Confessor and was confessed in her Chapel the door being locked that the Confession might be the more private which being ended she resign'd her place to her Dame of Honor who being confessed did send her Daughter to passe under the handâ— of this goodly Confessor who after she had confessed to him all that she knew he found something as well by her Complexion as Confession which gave him the desire the boldnesse to impose upon her a penance which was not usual He therefore said unto her My Daughter your Sins are so great that to give satisfaction for them I impose this penance on you to wear my Cord on your naked Body The young Gentlewoman who would not be disobedient to him did reply Give it me my Ghostly Father and I will not fail to wear it Nâ— my good Child said the Frier you must not put it on with your own Hands It is necessary that my hands must first of all tye it about you and after wards absolve you 〈◊〉 all your sins The young Gentlewoman beginning to weep did tell him Tâ—â—â— she did not know what to think of that penance Say you so said the Pâ—eacher Are you a Heretick that you refuse the penance which God and our holy Mother the Church doth ordain I do use Confession said the young Gentlewoman as the Church doth command me and would willingly doe penance and receive absolution but I would not that you should put your hands upon my naked body for in that manner I shall refuse your penance Then said the Confessor I can never give you absolution On these words the Damosel did rise from her knees having her Conscience much troubled for she was so young that she was afraid she had sinned in refusing to doe what her Confessor had enjoyned her The Countesse of Aiguemont having received Corpus Domini her Dame of Honour desiring to be made partaker of it after her did demand of her Daughter if she were ready her Daughter weeping made answer No for she was not yet confessed and what did you so long then with the Preacher said the Mother her Daughter made answer nothing at all for refusing the penance which he imposed upon me he refused also to give me absolution Her Mother so discretly enquired of her what penance it was that at the last she understood the whole manner of it and causing her to confesse unto another they received the Eucharist both together As soon as the Countesse was returned from the Church her Dame of Honour did complain unto her of the Preacher at which she was possessed with equal sorrow and amazement having before entertained a very good opinion of him The novelty of the penance did turn her anger into laughter but her laughter did put on that authority as to command the Frier to be taken and beaten in her kitchin where by the force of Rods he confessed the Truth and being tyed hand and foot she sent him afterwards to the Warden of the Covent desiring him that for the time to come he would send more honest men to preach unto her the Word of God Ladies Consider with your selves if in so honourable a house as this they were not afraid to declare their follies what do they do in poor places where they ordinarily do make their requâ—sts and where the opportunities are so easily presenâ—ed to them that it is a miracle young women do escape without a scandal And this Ladies doth occasion me to intreat you that you would turn your bad Esteem of them into Compassion and to ponder with your selves that he who can thus blind the heart of Friers will not spaâ—e the hearts of Ladies when he shall make them his subjects We may here see said Oysilla a good wicked Frier to be religious a Prtest and a Preacher and yet to use such villany on so great a Fâ—stâ—val and in the Church under the pretence of Confession which are all Circumstances that do aggravate the Sin And what of all this said Hircan Do you think that Friers are not men and to be excused as well as we especially this Frier who in the Night-time saw himself all alone with so fair a young Gentlewoman Certainly said Parlament if he had thought on the Nativity of Jesus Christ which was at that time represented he could not have had so wicked a desire You do not observe his method said Saffredant for he would begin with the Incarnation before he did come to the Nativity Neverthelesse he was faulty enough seeing upon so high a day and on so fair a Creature he would have committed so foul a sin In my opinion said Oysilla the Countesse did give him such a punishment that his Companions may take Example by it But it is worth your observation said Nomerfide if she did well to bring a Scandal upon him and if it had not been better that she had privatly reproved him than thus openly to have divulged his fault I do believe said Guebron it had been indeed the best Course for we are commanded to reprove our Neighbour in private before we do declare his faults to any or to the Church it self for when a Man is become once shameless he is not without great difficulty brought to amendment and I am of opinion that it is Shame as much as Conscience that retireth many Men from Sin We must therefore said Parlament practise that Counsel of the Gospel to one another but not to those who preach one thing and who do another for we ought not to be afraid to scandalize those who do scandalize others And it seems to me to be a meritorious work to make them to understand themselves to be such as they are that we may take heed of their seducings and teach young Maids to do so too who are not alwayes so well advised But to whom will Hircan give his voice Because you do ask me I will give it to your self said Hircan Since you give it unto me said Parlament I will give
Wooâ—â—ss and that almost before she can perceive that she is gone astray Howsoever it is said Parlament I should never love that man who would make so great a separation betwixt my Husband and my self as to make him beat me for blowes make love to sly away Yet neverthelesse as I have heard so cunningly these Impostures do carry themselves when they would have a poor Woman at advantage that I do believe it is more danger to give ear unto them privatly than publickly to receive blowes from their Husband who if it were not for such busie pretenders would be good enough To speak the truth said Dagoucin the trains they have laid are on every side so many that it is not without cause to fear them although in my opinion that Person who is not fearful or suspitious is worthy of praise Neverthelesse said Oysilla we ought to suspect the evil which we would avoid for it is better to suspect the Evil which is not than foolishly by not believing it to fall into the Evil which is For my part I never saw a Woman deceived in being slow to give credence to the words of Men but I have heard of many that have been ruined by giving too ready a belief to their false protestations wherefore I affirm that the Evil which can arrive cannot be too much suspected by those who have the charge both of Men and Women and Cities and Estates for be the watch never so strictly observed and be there never so many eyes imployed yet Forgeries and Treasons will abound The Shepheard that is not vigilant is every way deceived by the subtilty of the Fox and the cruelty of the Wolf And yet so it is said Dagoucin that a person that is suspitious can never entertain any absolute friendship and love hath been oftentimes estranged if not separated by suspition only If you can render us any Example of it said Oysilla I will give you my voice I know one and so true a one said Dagoucin that you will take Delight to hear it Ladies I will tell you what it is that doth most easily break true Love It is when the assurance of Love doth bâ—gin to give place unto suspition for as to believe a friend is the greatest honour can be done unto him so to doubt of him is the greatest dishonour can befall him by that suspition we begin to esteem him otherwise than we would he should be which is the cause that many great friendships are dissolved and Friends made Enemies as you shall find by this Account which I have now in hand to exhibite to you A Gentleman of Percha unjustly suspecting the love of his Friend did provoke him unwillingly to put in practise the Cause of his Suspition The seventh Novell IN the Country of Percha there were two Gentlemen who from the time of their first Infancy did continue in so great and an entire a love that betwixt them there was but one heart one house one bed and one table They along time did live in this perfect Amity enjoying one thought and one will you might see indeed a distinction of persons but they lived together not only as two Brothers but as if that both of them had made but one entire Man The one of them was married yet did not discontinue for all that to maintain his old Love and daily to live with his Companion as he had been accustomed to do And if at any time in their Travels they wanted a second Bed his friend did lie in the same Bed with himself and his Wife It is true enough that at that time he himself did always lie in the middle Their Goods were also in common It was not Marriage that could hinder the establishment of their love Nevertheless in the progress of time the felicity of the world which is subject to mutability could not any longer continue in this House which was indeed too happy and in too permanent a condition for the Husband forgetting the assurance which he had in his Friend without any occasion at all did entertain a great jealousie of his Wife and him He did not dissemble it to his Wife and did acquaint her with the unpleasing tydings whereat she was much astonished for he had commanded her in all things but in one to make as much of his Companion as of himself and now he expresly did forbid her to speak unto him unless she were in some publick Company She took the opportunity to acquaint the Companion of her Husband with it who did not believe it knowing well enough that he never thought nor did any thing whereat his Companion should be afflicted And being accustomed to conceal nothing from him he did acquaint him with what he understood desiring him that he would not conceal the truth from him for he would not either in that or any other thing give him an occasion to break that love with so long they had entertained The Gentleman that was marryed did assure him that he had never any such thought and that they who brought this Information to him were most wicked lyars His Companion told him I know well enough that Jealousie is a passion as insupportable as Love and if you should be surprized with it yet I would do you no Injury at all for I know it is a passion that grows so upon a Man that he cannot help it But of one thing which lies in your power to help I find I have just reason to complain which is that you conceal this passion from me seeing heretofore there was not that thing which you would conceal from me I will say as much of my self If I were amorous of your Wife you ought not to impute it unto me as any great Iniquity for it is a fire which I hold not in my hand to do with it according to my own pleasure but if I should conceal it from you and endeavour to make your Wife acquainted with it I should be one of the wickedest Companions that ever was For my part I do assure you that albeit she is an honest and a virtuous Gentlewoman yet were she not your Wife I do not know any Woman that I have a less Fancy to But although there be no occasion for it I desire you if you but harbour the least scruple of suspition that possibly may be that you would acquaint me with it to the end I may give such Order that our love which hath so long continued may not be dissolved for a Woman for if I loved her above all Creatures in the World yet I would never speak any more unto hrr because I doe prefer your love above all others His Companion did swear unto him by the greatest Oaths that could possibly be imagined that he never had any such thought and desired him to make use of his house as he was accustomed to doe His Friend made answer to him because it is your desire I will doe it but I must
fashion of a Collar they came to attend the Countesse as she was going to Church who when she beheld them so strangely accoutred began to laugh and said unto them From whence come these dolorous people Madam said Astillon We your poor slaves and prisoners are come to do you service The Countess making a semblance as if she knew nothing at all did say unto them You are not my prisoners neither can I understand what occasion you have to do service to me more than to any other whereupon Valtebron advanced himself more near unto her and said Since we have fed so long on your Bread we should be ungratefull Madam if we should not do you service She did put so good a countenance upon it pretending to understand nothing at all that she thought with her bold dissimulation to have amazed them but they followed their process so closely that she perceived that the businesse was discovered Wherefore incontinently she did find an expedient to deceive them for she who had lost her honour and her Conscience would not receive the shame which they thought to have brought upon her who but as one who preferred her pleasure above all the honour of the world did make nothing of what they said and did not alter her Countenance at all at which they were all astonished seeing that they had brought upon themselves that shame which they thought to have done to her Ladies If you find not this History able enough to make you understand that there are Women as subtle and as wicked as Men I will look out some others for you Howsoever it seems to me to be sufficient to demonstrate to you that a Woman having lost her shame is a hundred times more bold and more ready to do evil than a Man There was not a Woman in all the Company who heard this History but made as many signes of the Cross as if at that present before their eyes they had seen all their Enemies in Hell But Oysilla said Ladies Let us humble our selves when we do hear of such horrible things for a Woman forsaken by God doth render her self like unto him with whom she joyneth For as they who do adhere to God have his Spirit with them So they who adhere unto the Devil have always with them the temptations of the Prince of Darkness And there is nothing so Bestial as a Woman destitute of the Spirit of God Why what had this poor Lady done said Emarsuite I can find nothing I only hear a story of Men who vaunted of their prison I am of opinion said Longaren that it is no lesse pain and trouble for a man in this kind to conceal his good fortune than it is for them to obtain it for there is no hunter but sounds his horn at the fall of the Game nor Lover but doth glory having gained the Victory over his Mistresse Loe here an opinion said Simontault which before the inquisition it self I will maintain to be heretical for there are more men by far than Women that can keep Secrecies and I do know very well that there may be some found who had rather have no good cheer at all than that any body should understand it And the Church as a good Mother hath ordained Priests who are men to be Confessors and not Women because they can conceal no secrets It is not for that occasion said Oysilla but because Women are so great Enemies to Vice that they would not so easily give absolution as Men and would be far more austere in their injunctions of penance If they would be as severe in their penances said Dagoucin as they are in their answers they would make Sinners rather to despair than they would lead them to Salvation Wherefore the Church hath provived well in all things Howsoever I cannot excuse those Gentlemen who did boast so much of their Prison for there was never any Man that received honour by speaking ill of Women Because the Act was common amongst them all said Hircan in my opinion they did well to comfort one another But they ought not to have confessed it said Guebron for their own honour for the Books of the Round Table do teach us that it is no point of honour in Chivallry to beat one who is not worth any thing I do much wonder said Longaren that this poor Lady did not die for shame before these Prisoners Those who have once lost it said Oysilla do hardly or never recover it again unlesse it be those whom a violent Love hath made to forget it and I have seen many of those to recover their lost shame I believe said Hircan that you have seen those to return who have never set foot forward for an entire love in a VVoman is very hard to find I am not of your opinion said Longaren for I know there have been some who have loved until death I have such a desire to hear that Novelty said Hircan that I doe give you my voice to find that Love in Women which I thought had never been But when you have heard it said Longaren you will believe it and confesse that there is no passion so violent as that of Love And as it makes us to undertake things almost impossible to purchase a little contentment in this life so more than any other passion it inforceth Him or Her who have lost the hope of their desire as it will appear unto you by this History One in love having been let blood received the gift of Mercy by which he died and his Sweet-heart killed her self for the losse of him The tenth Novel IT is not yet a full year since there was a Gentleman in the City of Cremona named Monsieur John Peter who a long time had loved a Lady who lived near unto his house but in the purchase which he made did not receive the Answer he desired although she did love him with all her heart At which the poor Gentleman was so perplexed that he retired into his own Chamber and determined with himself no more in vain to seek after that the pursuit whereof did consume his life and indeavouring to divert his fancy and affection he did keep within some dayes without seeing the Lady whom he loved by reason whereof he did fall into so extreme a melancholy that it quite altered his Complexion His Kinsman caused the Physicians to come unto him who finding his complexion to be turned yellow did judge it to be an opilation of the Liver and did prescribe him Medicines for his Recovery The Lady who had been so rigorous unto him knowing well enough that his Disease came only by her denials did send unto him an old Woman in whom she trusted and did command her to acquaint him from her that since she found by experience that his love was true and not counterfeit she was resolved to accord unto him in all those things which for so long a time she had refused She had found
for which I will have ninety and nine Duckets The Gentleman thought it was but reasonable and in ready money laid down one Ducket for the Horse and ninety nine for the Cat accordingly as he demanded and took away with him his Merchandise The Servant on the other side brought home the money to his Mistresse who was so joyfull at it that she fayled not to give the Ducket at which price the Horse was sold to the begging Friers as her Husband had ordained and reserved the rest to provide for her self and her Children Give me your advice now was she not more wise than her Husband and had as great a care of her own Conscience as of the profit of her Children I do believe said Parlament that she loved her Husband well for seeing that on his death-bed he had but ill considered of his own affairs she who did know his intentions did know also to give the best interpretation of it for the advancement of his Children for which I do commend her for her wisdom â—ow said Guebron do you not esteem it a great fault to fail to perform the Will of the dead So I should said Parlament provided the Testator were in good sense Do you think said Guebron that he was not in perfect memory to bestow his goods on the Church and on religious men I do not think it to be an error said Parlament when a man doth distribute to Beggers what God hath given into his hands but for a married man to give away all that he hath at his death and to leave his Family not long afterwards to perish for hunger I do not approve it and in my opimon it would be more acreptable to God if he had taken more care of the poor Orphans whom he loft behind him who having nothing wherewith to feed themselves and being oppressed with poverty would oftentimes curse the memory of their Father instead of blessing him when they shall find themselves to pine away for hunger for God who knoweth the hearts of Men cannot be deceived and will not only judge according to works but according unto Faith and Charity who do derive themselves from him Wherefore is it then said Guebron that covetousnesse at this day is so rooted in all estates of the World that the greatest part of Men have not the leasure to think of the distributing of their Goods untill they do find themselves to be assayled by death and that they must give up their accounts to God I do believe that they do so settle all their affections upon their riches that if they could carry them away with them they would most willingly do it but there is an hour in which our Saviour will make them more grievously to feel their punishment than in the hour of death for then whatsoever they have done all the time of their lives be it good or evil shall in an instant be represented before their eys it is the hour in which the Books of our Consciences shall be opened and where every one shall see the Good and â—vil which he hath done for the wicked Spirits will omit nothing which they will 〈◊〉 represent unto a sinner either to tempt him to a presumption that he hath lived well and holily or to throw him into a desperation of the Mercies of God to the end that he may turn aside out of the right way If you know any History said Nomerfide that is to this purpose I intreat you Hircan if you think us worthy of it that you would rehearse it to us I will with all my heart said Hircan and although it will be â—â—pleasing to 〈◊〉 to repeat a story to you to the disadvantage of any man yet seeing we have not 〈◊〉 either Kings or Dukes or Earls or Barons there ought noâ— offence to he taken if we put any others into the rank amongst so many noble personages for we do know that there are good men in all Estates and that the good ought not to be prejudiced by the bad Let us â—â—ave off therefore this discourse and give a beginning to our History One Frier fraudulently did marry another Frier who was one of his Companions to a fair young Gentlewoman for which they were both afterwards severely punished The sixth Novel A French Lady so journing in Padua it was there â—old her that there was a Frier in the Bishops Prison and demanding the occasion of it because she sound that every one did talk of it in mockery she was informed that this Frier an antient Man was a Confessor to a very noble and a devout Lady who was a Wâ—ddow and had but one Daughter whom she loved so entirely that she thought it no trouble not pains at all to heap up wealth to provide a round sum for her portion And finding that she did begin to grow into age she was in a continual care to look out a good Huband for her who might live with her in peace and quiet that is to say who was a Man of as good a Conscience as she was esteemed to be And because she heard a foolish Monk preach that it were better to doe ill by the Counsel of the Doctors of the Church than to doe well against the inspiration of the Holy Ghost she addressed her self to a Frier who was a Confessor an antient Man and a Doctor in Divinity being esteemed to be a good liver throughout all the City who assured her that if his Counsels or his prayers could prevail he would not fail to provide for the comfort of her self and of her Daughter And when she had often and earnestly intreated him to choose a Husband for her Daughter and such a one whom a Virgin loving God and her Honour ought to wish for He made answer to her that first of all by fasting and prayers he would implore the Holy Spirit that God would be pleased to conduct him in what he had to do and he then doubted not to find such a Husband for her Daughter as she desired and having put her into this comfort the Frier departed and considered by himself what he had to do and because he understood by the Lady that she had gathered together two thousand Duckets which she had in a readinesse to give unto him who should be her Daughters Husband and that she would take upon herself the care and charge of them both furnishing them with house moveables and all accommodations he considered with himself that he had a young companion a handsome and a likely man on whom he would bestow the young Gentlewoman and a house with all the furniture and an assured maintenance during his life and resolved to keep the two thousand Duckets for himself to satisfie his ardent avarice After that he had spoken with his Companion about it they both immediatly accorded and he returned to the old Lady and said to her I doe undoubtedly believe that God did send unto me his Angel Raphael as he did
unto it and said unto her Ah Madam Receive the heart which will break through my Brest to leap into your hand from whom I doe hope for Grace Life and Mercy which now constrains me to declare unto you that love which for so long a time I have concealed from you for neither you nor I are Masters of that puissant God When she understood the words which I did speak unto her she found them very strange and would have drawn back her hand but I did hold it so fast to my heart that at last although she plucked away her cruel hand yet the gentle Glove stayed behind And because I had not then nor had ever since any greater familiarity with her I have fastned this Glove near unto my wounded heart it being the most propper Plaster which I could give unto it And I have adorned this Glove as you see with all the fairest Rings and the most pretious things which are in my possession and I will not leave it for the Kingdom of England for there is nothing in the World which doth me more good than to feell it near my Heart The Earl of Montmorancy who had rather kisse the Hand than love the Glove of a Lady did much extol him for his gerat honesty and assured him that he was the truest Lover that ever he beheld and seeing he made so much of so little what would he have done he told him if he had received a greater favour from her than a Glove It may be he would have dyed through the excesse and violence of his Joy My Lord did readily acknowledge what the Earl of Montmorancy said not suspecting that he did speak it out of mockery If all Gentlemen in the World were of my Lords honesty Ladies might well repose their confidence in them seeing it would cost them no more than the losse of a Glove I know so well the Earl of Montmorancy of whom you speak said Guebron that I am confident he would not have lived in that torment and if he would have been contented with so little he would never have received those great fortunes which he hath enjoyed by Love for the old Song says The Amorous Coward is unsuccesseful Do you think said Saffredant that the poor Lady did not discreetly draw back her hand when she found his heart to beat so violently for she might think with her self that he would have dyed and there is nothing in the World which Women doe hate more than to touch the dead If you had so much haunted the Hospitals as you have done the Taverns said Emarsuite you would not have spoken those words for you shall find Women there to bury the dead which is an office that Men oftentimes as hardy as they pretend themselves to be are afraid to perform It is true said Simontault that there are none who do penance but do clean contrary to that in which they have taken pleasure as the Gentlewoman whom I have seen in a great house in this Kingdom who to satisfie for the pleasure which she had to kisse one whom she loved was seen in a morning four hours together to kisse the dead body of a Gentleman who was slain the day before whom she loved no lesse than the other whereby it was known that she did penance for her passed pleasures We may see said Oysilla how all the good deeds which Women do receive a sinister interpretation amongst Men. I am of opinion that neither the dead nor the living ought to be kissed if God bad not commanded it As for my self said Hircan I do care so little for kissing any Woman but my own that I shall willingly accord to all the Laws that shall prohibit it only I shall pitty young people from whom you would take that little contentment and nullifie the Commandment of Saint Paul who doth give us order that we should kisse in osculo sancto If you were such a Man as Saint Paul said Nomerfide we should find it by the operation of that Spirit which did speak in him You had rather said Guebron doubt of the Truth of the Holy Scripture than fail in one of your petty Ceremonies We do not therefore doubt of the Truth of the Holy Scripture said Oysilla because we do not believe your Fables There is no Woman here but knoweth well enough what she ought to believe and what she ought to doe which is not to doubt of the truth of the Word of God but to give no belief to the vanities of men who would turn us aside from the truth I am of a firm belief said Simontault that there are more Men deceived by Women than Women by Men for the little Love which they bear to us doth keep them from believing the truth and the great Love which we do bear to them doth make us to repose confidence in their falshoods and their slatteries insomuch that we are deceived before we do suspect our selves to be so I believe said Parlament that you have heard the Complaint of the Fool who was deceived by his own folly for your Discourse is of so small authority that iâ— had need to be fortified by Example wherefore if you know any one I will give you my Place to account it to us And think not that for one word or two we will be subject to believe you but in listning to you to speak evil of us our Novels shall find no prejudice at all Since I have the place said Simontault I will rehearse unto you my History A Lady of the Court did pleasantly revenge her self of her Servant for his Love The eighth Novell IN the Court of King Francis the first there was a Lady of a gallant Spirit who by her civility gracefulness and good language had gained the hearts of many Servants with whom she knew very well to passe away the time for her Honour being reserved she entertained them all so pleasantly that they knew not what to think of themselves for those who were most assured were in some despair and those who wer most desperat did take some â—ssurance Neverthelesse making sport with all the rest she loved one of them intirely whom she called Cosin which gave a colour to his better entertainment But as there is nothing permanent their love oftentimes did turn into Discontent and not long afterwards they would renew their affections more than ever insomuch that almost not any of the Court were ignorant of it One day this Lady as well to make him understand that she took not so much delight in any thing as to put him to some perplexity for whose Love she had endured so much she contrived with her self to give him better respects than ever she had done heretofore Wherefore he who neither in Arms or in Love did want for boldnesse did begin vigorously to purchase that which so often he in vain had desired and she protending that out of meer pity she was no longer able to deny him
promised For as when he was in choler there was no man living that durst assault him so without some great occasion that did provoke him he had rather die himself than commit a murder if his Honour had not constrained him to it In the like manner without an extreme force of Love which begetteth blindnesse in virtuous men he had rather die than defile his marriage bed by a depraved appetite to another which was the cause that his wife did so much respect and love him observing so stayed an honesty to dwell in such a tendernesse of youth And she demanding of him how he could excuse himself seeing that Princes oftentimes are much incensed against those men who do not praise and follow that which they themselves do love he made answer That a wise Man hath always a sicknesse or a Journey in his sleeve to assist himself with at the time of great necessity Wherefore some four or five days before I am to goe I am determined to counterfeit my self to be very sick in which excuse the sadnesse of your countenance will much advantage me Behold said his Wife a good and a holy Hypocrisie I will not fail to put on the saddest and most disconsolate look that possibly I can for they who can avoid the offence of God and the anger of their Prince are said to be happy Creatures Accordingly as they determined they performed and the King was very sad to understand by the Wife the sicknesse of her Husband which lasted but a little for by reason of the intervention of some great affairs the King did forget his pleasure to follow his Duty in the Government of the Kingdom and departed out of Paris And one day afterwards having in his memory the design which was not put in practise did say unto the young Prince What fools were we to go so soon out of Paris without seeing the four Maids who as it was assured me were the fairest in my Kingdom The young Prince being then present made answer I am very glad of it that you did fail for during my sicknesse I had a great fear that I alone should lose my part in the adventure having spoke those words the King did never suspect the dissimulation of the young Signior who afterwards was more beloved by his Wife than he was before Parlament did immediatly begin to laugh and could not forbear from speaking And she might have loved him yet better if he had made this refusal for the love of her alone but in what manner soever it was the Gentleman was commendable enough It seems to me said Hircan it is no great praise for a Man to preserve his Chastity for the love which he doth bear unto his Wife for there are so many reasons for it that in a manner he is constrained to do it First of all God doth command him Secondly his oath doth oblige him And lastly Nature which is satisfied is not so subject either to temptation or desire as is necessity But the free love whish a Man doth bear unto his Mistresse of whom he receiveth no delight at all nor other contentment but to see her and to speak unto her and instead of good words from her doth oftentimes receive a churlish answer when this Love is so loyal and firm that for no adventure whatsoever can arrive it can be changed I say this is Chastity not only praise-worthy but miraculous It is no miracle at all said Oysilla for where the heart doth resolve and devote it self there is nothing impossible to the body Not to the bodies said Hircan which are already angelized I speak not of those said Oysilla who by the Grace of God are altogether transformed into him but of those which we see here on earth amongst Men and if you please but to take notice of them you shall find that those who have devoted all their heart and all their affections to attain unto the perfection of sciences have not only forgotten the pleasure of the flesh but even those things which are most necessary for the sustenance of life as to eat and to drink for so long as the Soul is active within the Body the flesh doth remain as it were insensible And from hence it comes to passe that those who love beautiful and virtuous Ladies do receive such a full contentment of Spirit to behold them and to hear them speak that the flesh is as it were appeased and taken off from all the heat of her desires And those who cannot feel those contentments are sensual and carnal and being overburthened with the weight and frailty of their flesh do not well know whether they have in them a Soul or no. But when the Body is subject to the Spirit it is as it were insensible to the imperfections of the flesh insomuch that the earnest study of the Soul in the strength of contemplation hath rendred Men insensible I have known a Gentleman who to give a demonstration that he hath loved a Lady more than any other hath held his naked fingers in the flame of a Candle his Companions standing by and looking stedfastly on the Lady he not stirring his hand at all did burn his Fingers to the very Bone yet nevertheless affirmed that he was not sensible of any pain In my opinion said Guebron the Devil whose Martyr he was should have made a Saint Laurence of him for there are some in whom the fire of love is so great that they will not fear that which is lesse in violence But if a Lady should have desired me to endure so much for her I should certainly have demanded some great recompense or drawn off my fancy to some other who would have been more merciful to me You would then said Parlament have your own will after that your Mistresse had hers like a Gentleman at Valence in Spain of whom a Commander who was a brave Souldier did not long since give me an account Madam I beseech you said Dagoucin that you will take my place and be pleased to relate it to us for I do presume it is a good story Ladies said Parlaâ— hata according to this Account you ought to look again aâ— again on that which you do refuse and never thnd that time without variation will be always the same but knowing how subject the present time is unto change you would take order for the time to come A Gentleman being disdained for an Husband did take upon him the orders of a Grey Frier by reason whereof his Sweet-heart not long afterwards did undergo the same punishment The fourth Novel IN the City of Valence there was a Gentleman who for the space of five or six years did love a Lady so absolutely that during that time neither the Honour nor the Conscience of either of them was prejudiced for it was his intention to have her to his Wife which seemed to their friends on both sides to be very reasonable for he was very handsome rich
to me were true you would not find such a difficulty in it as to declare unto me her name but I believe the guilt of your offence doth secretly torment you The Gentleman being much provoked with these words and inforced also by the love which he did bear unto the Duke did determin with himself to speak the truth being consident that his Master was a Man so full of Virtue that he would not for any thing reveal the secret Wherefore kneeling down before him with hands joyned which he did lift up unto him he said Sir The obligation which I do bear unto you is such that it doth prevail upon me more than any fear of Death for I doe see you deluded by such a fancy and false opinion of me that I am determined to confesse that which no torment could draw from me beseeching you for the honour of God to swear unto me upon the faith of a Prince and of a Christian that you will never reveal the secret which since you are so pleased I am constrained to speak unto you The Duke immediately by all the Oathes that he could devise did oblige himself unto him that he would never discover the least notion thereof to any Creature in the world neither by word deed nor countenance The Gentleman holding himself assured on the multiplyed Oathes of so virtuous a Prince did begin to lay the foundation of his misfortune to come in confessing to him Sir It is now seven years since having known your Niece to be a Widdow I have endeavoured to obtain her favour And because I was not of a birth great enough to espouse her I was contented that she was pleased to acknowledge me for her Servant And God hath hitherto permitted that our Love hath been so wisely managed that neither Man or Woman but only She and my self hath known any thing of it unlesse it be You into whose hands I do commit my Life and Honour beseeching you that you would keep it private and to have Madam your Niece in no lesse esteem than heretofore for I do believe that under Heaven there is not a more accomplished or a chaster Creature Who was a glad Man now It was the Duke for knowing the incomparable Beauty of his Niece he did not doubt but that she was more agreeable to him than his Wife but being not able to collect how so great a Mystery could be carryed without a Second he did intreat him to acquaint him how he could come to the sight of her The Gentleman thereupon did declare unto him That the Chamber of his Niece did butt forth into the Garden and on that night when he was to wait upon her the little door of the Garden was left open through which he came and walked on foot until he heard a little Dogg bark which the young Lady his Niece had left on purpose in the Garden when all her Women were gone out of it and that on the barking of that Dogg being presently admitted he had the happinesse to discourse with her all that night and at parting they would agree upon the night when he was to return again wherein without making any dilatory excuses they would never fail to meet The Duke who was the most curious Man in the World and who in his Youth knew wisely enough how to carry his Loves as well to satisfie his suspition as to understand the particulars of so strange a story did intreat him to take him along with him the next time that he did addresse himself unto her and to give him then not the respects of a Master but of a Companion The Gentleman seeing the Duke did so presse him did accord unto it of which the Duke was more glad than if he had gained a Kingdom and dissembling that he would he for a hight or two in his Wardrobe did cause two horses to be made ready the one for himself and the other for the Gentleman and they travelled far that evening to arrive at his Nieces house The Gentleman caused the Duke to enter into the Garden at the little Door and desired him that entring into the house he would be pleased to stay behind the skreen where he might perceive if he had spoke the truth unto him or nor They were no sooner entred into the Garden but immediatly a little Dogg did bark and the Gentleman did go directly towards the house and the young Lady did not fail to meet him in the way and having saluted and unbraced him she said unto him That she was afraid he had been sick it was so long since she last saw him and speaking those words they entred into the House and the Duke privatly did follow them in the dark for there was no light in the Room and understanding the whole Discourse of their chast love he was satisfied beyond his desires and made no long stay there for the Gentleman told the Lady that he was constrained to return sooner than he was accustomed to do because that morning the Duke did intend very early to go on hunting and of necessity he must attend upon him The Lady who loved honour more than pleasure would not stay him for the greatest thing which she esteemed in her chast and honest love was that it was kept secret from the observation of the World Much about one of the clock in the morning the Gentleman departed and the Duke undiscovered by the young Lady did goe out before him and they took horse and returned from whence they came and oftentimes in the way the Duke did swear unto the Gentleman that he had rather die a thousand times than reveal the Mystery of his Love and he afterwards did so much respect him and did put such a confidence in him that there was none in all the Court that was in greater favour The Dutchesse was much incensed at it and continued her complaints against the Gentleman But the Duke did forbid her to speak any more unto him concerning that Subject for he was throughly satisfied with the truth thereof and said that he was so contented thereat that he did believe the Lady whom he loved was more amiable than her self That word did leave such an impression and did so deeply wound her heart that she fell into a malady greater than before The Duke did dayly resort unto her to visit her and to comfort her but it was impossible unlesse he would disclose unto her who that Lady was who was so much beloved And she so much importuned him to know who it was that the Duke going out of the Chamber did say unto her if you will not let me be at quiet I must depart from you Those words did increase the malady of the Dutchesse who pretended that she did feel her child to stir within her at which the Duke was so glad that to manifest his love and joy he did goe to bed to her And making use of that minute in which she found him most
amorous of her she turned from him to the other side and said unto him Sir since you bear no love to me nor to the Infant with which I goe let us perish both together And with those words she poured forth such an abundance of toars and made such a lamentation that the Duke was much afraid that she would lose the fruit of her Womb. Wherefore taking her in his Arms he desired her to acquaint him with what she did desire and assured her that he would conceal nothing from her Ah Sir said she and sobbed as she spake what hope have I that you will doe any thing for me that is difficult when you deny me the most easie and the most reasonable request in the World which is to tell me who is the Sweet-heart of the most ungrateful Servant you ever had I did once believe that you and I had but one heart But now I find that you doe use me as a stranger for those secrets which ought to be revealed unto me are by you concealed and kept from me as if I were your greatest Enemy Call Sir to mind how many secrets and businesses of the greatest importances have you imparted to me and which of them have you ever understood that I have disclosed You have made so great an experience of my good will equal unto yours that you ought not mistrust me for I am more yours than my own And if peradventure you have taken an Oath that you will not reveal the secret of the Gentleman to any in acquainting me with it you cannot break your Oath for I neither am nor can be any other than your self I have you in my heart I do hold you in my arms I carry your Infant in my womb in whom you live again and yet I cannot enjoy your love as you have mine but the more loyal and faithful I am to you the more cruel and perverse you are to me that a thousand times a day I do desire by a sudden Death to deliver your Infant from such a Father and my self from such a Husband which I hope shortly to perform because I do find that you prefer an unfaithful Servant before your Wife and such a Wife as I am to you and before the life of a Mother and to the fruit of her womb which is so little regarded by you being not able to obtain that of you which I desire to know Speaking those words she imbraced and kissed her Husband wetting his face with her tears and breathed forth such sighes that the poor Prince who was afraid to lose his Wife and his Child at once did determine with himself to acquaint her with the truth but withall he did swear unto her That if she revealed it to any creature in the world she should be sure to die and by no other hand but his own To which she condiscended and accepted of the punishment Whereupon the poor deceived Husband did account unto her all that he had seen from the beginning to the end whereat she seemed to be very much contented although her heart was surprized with an intolerable anguish Neverthelesse for fear of the Duke she did dissemble her passion as well as possibly she could Not long after the Duke made a great Feast at his Court to which he invited all the Ladies of the Countrey and amongst others his Niece where Dinner being ended Dancing did begin and every Lady did endeavour to set forth her self in the best manner that she could but the Dutchess who was tormented to behold the great beauty and the gracefulnesse of her Niece could take no Delight an all much lesse could she forbear from making her spitefull fury to appear For after that Dancing was ended having called all the Ladies together she caused them to sit down near unto her and did begin to Discourse unto them concerning the Affairs of Love And observing that her Niece was silent and did speak nothing at all she said unto her with a heart inflamed with Jealousie And you my fair Niece Is it possible that your Beauty can be without either Friend or Servant Madam she replyed My Beauty looks not after such a purchase for since the Death of my Husband I desire no other Sweet-hearts but only his children with which I am well contented Fair Niece Fair Niece the Dutchesse replyed to her in an extreme Indignation Fair Niece Fair Niece There is no Love so secret but may be discovered nor little Doggs so well taught and brought up to the hand whose Barking may not be understood Ladies I leave it to you to imagine how great a sorrow on those words surprized the heart of the poor young Lady finding a thing that had been kept so close to be so openly declared to her Dishonour Her Honor so carefully guarded and so unfortunately lost did greatly torment her but most of all did the strong suspition she entertained that her Friend had failed in his promise which she thought he never would have done unlesse for the Love of some Lady more beautifull than her self to whom the extremity of his Love did foolishly perswade to declare this effect Her Virtue neverthelesse was so great that for all this apprehension she made no apparence of discontent and smiling did make answer that she did not understand the language of Beasts and in this wise dissimulation her heart was so overburthened with sorrow that she was constrained to rise up and passing by the Chamber of the Dutchesse she entred into a Wardrop where the Duke walking in the Gallery did behold her to goe in When the poor Lady thought she was in a place where none could either soe or hear her she did throw her self upon the bed with so great a violence that a damosel who was sat in a corner of the room to sleep was awakened at it and did rise up to see who it might be But finding it was the Niece of the Duke who thought she had been alone she durst not speak unto her but gently listned to the complaint she made The poor Lady with a voice half dead did begin in these words to lament her self O unfortunate that I am What are the words which I have heard what an arrest of death have I understood by them What a sentence to condemn me have I received O thou the most beloved that ever was Is this the reward of my chastity and of my honest and virtuous love O my heart why didst thou make so dangerous a choice to take for the most loyal the most unfaithful for the most honest the most crafty for the most secret the loudest Detractor in the World Wo is me Is it possible that a thing hid from the Eyes of all Men should be revealed to Madam the Dutchesse Alas poor little Dog the only means of my long and virtuous love it is not thou that hast discovered me but he who hath a voice more barking than a Dog and a heart more ungrateful than
any beast He it is who contrary to his oath and promise hath revealed the happy life which without any prejudice to any we have a long time lived O my friend my friend whose only love is entred into my heart with whose life my own hath been woven must it now come to passe that in declaring you my mortal Enemy my Honour must be carryed away by the winds my body crumble into ashes and my Soul for ever depart to its last place of residence What was the beauty of the Dutchess so inchanting that it hath had the power to transform you as somtimes had that of Circe Hath she made you of virtuous to become vicious of good wicked of a Man a Beast a cruel Beast O my Friend my Friend although you have failed in your promise made to me yet I will keep my promise made to you which is that I will never see you again after the divulgation of our Love and being no longer able to live without your presence I do willingly accord to the extreme sorrow which I feel and for which I will provide no remedy neither by Reason nor Physick for Death only shall put an end to it which shall be more pleasant to me than to continue in the World without a Friend without Honour and without Contentment Neither Death nor the War hath deprived me of my Friend neither Lust nor Rage have taken from me my Honour neither Deviation nor Demerit of my own hath made me to lose my Contentment but the cruelty of treachery which hath caused the most obliged of all Men to become the most ingratefull Alas Madam the Dutchesse What pleasure was it unto you when by mockery you did upbraid me with my little Dogg Go on as you have begun and continue to delight your self with that happinesse which doth belong to me alone You make your sport at her who by wisely concealing and who by virtuously loving did promise to her self to be exempted from all mockery O how hath this word contracted my heart How hath it made me to look red with shame and pale with jealousie Wo is me my heart my heart I do feel you can hold out no longer Love unadvisedly or treacherously made known doth consume you with Fire Jealousie and the Injury you have received do freez you with Ice and with Grief and Indignation kils you not permitting the least consolation to arrive Alas for thee O my Soul who by too much adoring the Creature hast forgot the Creator Thou must return again into the hands of him from whom vain Love hath ravished thee Take Confidence O my Soul thou shalt find God a better Father than thou hast found him a Friend for whom thou so often hast forgot God O my God my Creator who art the true and only Friend by whose Grace the love which I have born unto my Friend hath been stained with no Vice unlesse by too much loving him I beseech thee of thy infinite mercy to receive the Soul and Spirit of her who doth truly repent that she hath so much disobeyed thy first and most just Commandement And for the merit of him whose Love is incomprehensible be pleased to excuse that fault which too much love hath caused me to commit for in Thee alone I have perfect Confidence And adieu my false Friend whose Name without the Effect hath broken my Heart Having spoke those words she did fall down from the Bed upon the Ground and her colour waxed pale and her lips blew and an universal coldnesse seized on every part of her Body At that instant the Gentleman who did love her came into the hall and seeing the Dutchesse dancing with the other Ladies looked every where up and down where his Mistresse was and not finding her he did repair into the Chamber of the Dutchesse near unto which he found the Duke walking in the Gallery who conjecturing what his thoughts were did whisper him in the ear and said Your Sweet-heart is gone into yonder Wardrobe I am afraid she is not well The Gentleman demanded of him that he would be pleased to give him leave to wait upon her to which the Duke was easily intreated As soon as he was entred into the Wardrobe he found that she was even ready to breath forth the last breath of her life and falling down on his knees he imbraced her and said unto her O my dear Love How do you do What will you forsake me The poor Lady hearing the voice which so well she knew did begin a little to recover her colour and opening her eyes she looked stedfastly on him who was the occasion of her Death But so looking on him Love and Despite did so violently increase upon her that with a pittifull sigh she rendred her Soul to God The Gentleman more dead than she that was dead did demand of the Damosel How that Extremity seized upon her who all along did account unto him the words which she had heard her speak whereupon he immediately perceived that the Duke had revealed the Secret to the Dutchesse and was transported with so great a fury that imbracing the Body of his Sweet-heart he did along time bedew it with his tears and at last said Wo is me the most treacherous most wicked and the most unfortunate Man in the world How is it come to passe that the punishment of my Treason is not fallen on my self but on her who is innocent O why did Heaven spare me Why did not Thunder check my Tongue in that hour when I first revealed our most secret and most virtuous Love Why did not the Earth open her self Why did it not devour this unadvised Breaker of his Faith Be thou punished O my tongue as was the tongue of the rich Glutton in Hell O my heart be thou perpetually torn in pieces by Eagles as was the heart of Titius O Dear Sweet-heart the most unfortunate misfortune of all misfortunes is befallen me Thinking to have preserved you I have lost you thinking to see you live a long time with content I imbrace you discontented and dead O thou the most loyal and the most faithfull Woman that ever was I shall by all be condemned to be the most inconstant disloyal and the most unfaithful man in the world I might complain of the Duke in whose promise I so much trusted hoping by that to give a longer continuance to our happy life but alas I might know that no man could keep my secret better than my self The Duke had more reason to impart it unto his Wife than I to impart it unto him I can accuse none but my self of the greatest disloyalty that ever was committed by a Lover I had better by far be thrown into the River accordingly as the Duke did threaten that thou my dear friend mightst be preserved alive and I gloriously might have died in observing the laws which true love commandeth but breaking them I remain alive and thou who most perfectly
her self to satisfy her love and to love him with all her heart but withall to be no wayes forgetfull of her honour In the morning Amadour departed sick and sad as I have told you neverthelesse his heart which was so great that the World could not shew an equal to it did not suffer him to despair but did give him a new intention to enjoy the presence of Florinda and again to be entertained in her favour Wherefore repairing to the King of Spain who was at Toledo he made it his way to go by the Countesse of Arands to whom he came one Evening very late and found the Countesse very sick by reason of the sorrow which she had for the absence of her Daughter Florinda When she beheld Amadour she kissed and embraced him as if he had been her own Son as well for the love she 〈◊〉 bear unto him as for the Love which she conceived he did bear unto Florinda concerning whom she very sollicitously did demand He informed her the best that possibly he could but did not acquaint her with all the Truth and confessed unto her the love betwixt Florinda and himself which Florinda had always concealed desiring her that he might hear from her as often as she could and that she would be pleased to send for her for the more speedy recovery of her own health In the morning he departed and having dispatched his affairs with the Queen he advanced to the Wars but so sad and so changed in his complexion that the Ladies Captains and all those who had been accustomed to his Company did not know him He was altogether cloathed in black and by the outward mourning which he made for his wife he concealed the inward mourning of his heart In this manner Amadour lived three or four years without returning to the Court. And the Countesse of Arand hearing it spoken that Florinda was so extremely altered that it would grieve any one to behold her did send for her hoping that she would be joyfull to come to her but it fell out to the contrary for when Florinda understood that Amadour had declared to her Mother the love that was betwixt them she was in a wonderfull perplexity for on the one side she saw her Mother did esteem so highly of him that if she should acquaint her with the truth Amadour would receive some great displeasure which she would rather die than be the occusion of for she thought her self able enough to punish him for his follies without any assistance of her friends On the other side she feared That in dissembling the evil which she knew she should be constrained by her Mother and by her friends to continue her Discourses and to make much of him by which she was afraid that she should fortifie him in his Presumptions But seeing that he was far remote she made an apparence of being willing to it and sometimes did write unto Amadour when the Countesse did command her but they were such Letters that it was easie to be perceived that they did proceed rather from obedience to her Mother than good will to him Wherefore Amadour was as much grieved at the reading of them as he was accustomed to rejoice at those Letters which heretofore were sent him At the end of two or three years after so many admirable atchievments in the Wars that all the Paper in Spain was not able to contain them he entertained a strange invention not to gain the heart of Florinda for he held that for lost but to obtain another victory over her He did cast behind him all the Counsel of Reason and fear of Death it self to the danger whereof he did so manifestly expose himself The Debate being discussed and concluded he prevailed so much upon the Governour that he was deputed by him to go unto the King concerning some enterprize to be made upon Locat which he adventured to communicate to the Countesse of Arand before he declared it to the King to take her counsel therein he came in Post into the County of Arand where he knew that then Florinda was and sent privately a friend of his to the Countesse of Arand to acquaint her with his comming beseeching her That she would be pleased to keep it secret and that at night he would have some conference with her without the knowledge of any one besides The Countesse being very joyfull of his comming acquainted Florinda with it and sent to her to prepare her self in the Chamber of her Husband to the end that she might be ready when she should send for her and when every one else were withdrawn Florinda who yet was not delivered from her first fear made an apparence to her Mother to do as she commanded but betook her self to her Devotions and did commend her self to God beseeching him to preserve her heart from all inordinate affections and considering with her self that Amadour had often praised her beauty which was not much diminished although she had been a long time sick she determined that it was better to commit an injury upon her beauty than by her means to suffer that the heart of so brave a Man should burn in so loose a fire Wherefore she took a great stone which she found in the Chapel and gave her self so great a blow on the face that her mouth her nose and her eyes were all hurt and bruized with it And because it might not be suspected that she her self had done it when the Countesse her Mother sent for her she fell down at the door of the Chapel upon a great stone and crying out aloud the Countesse came her self to her relief and found her in that pitifull estate Her face was immediately dressed which being done the Countesse did bring her into her own Chamber and did intreat her to repair into her Cabinet to entertain Amadour until such time as she could get cleer of the Company that was with her which accordingly she did thinking that there were some of his servants with him but finding her self all alone and the Doâ—e shut upon her she became as sorrowfull as Amadour was content thinking that either by love or by force he should now enjoy that which he had much desired Having entertained her with a short Discourse and found her in the same mind as he left her and that she had rather die than change her opinion he said unto her Madam I vow unto you the fruit of my labour shall not be taken from me for a scruple and since that Love Patience and humble Prayers can nothing prevail upon you I will not spare by force to obtain that which if not had will procure my Death when Florinda saw his face and eyes so much changed and that the best Complexion in the world did grow red as fire and that most sweet and pleasant look did become so horrible and furious that the fire seem'd to sparkle forth from his eyes which burn'd in his heart And when
in that fury with one of his strong hands he had taken fast hold of both her weak and delicate ones she seeing that all the defence that she could make did fail her and that both her hands and her feet were held in such captivity that she could neither fly nor defend her self and knew not what remedy to find unlesse it were to see if any little root of his first love remained in the honour of which he might forget his cruelty she said unto him Amadour If now you are an Enemy unto me I must beseech you for the honesty of the love which at other times I have found in your heart that you will first hear me before you will torment me When she perceived that he began to give ear unto her following her Discourse she said unto him Alas Amadour What occasion doth transport you to look after a thing of which if enjoyed you can receive no Content and which will bring unto me the greatest sorrow that possibly I can have You have had such experience of my good will unto you since the time of my Youth and of my greatest Beauty for which your passion might find some excuse that I do much wonder that in my greater age and this Deformity into which Misfortune hath now brought me you have the heart and desire to torment me I am assured you know that my Will is the same which it hath been accustomed to be so that you cannot have unlesse it be by force that which you do demand And if you observe but how my face is martyred in the forgetting the beauty which you have seen in it you would no longer have a desire to come neer me and if there doe as yet remain any relicks of love in you it is impossible but that your pity should overcome your sury And to that pity and honesty which I have so often found in you I do addresse my complaint and do desire their protection to the end that according to their better counsels you would permit me to live in peace and honesty which I have resolved to doe But if the love which you have born unto me is converted all into hate and if rather for vengeance than affection you will make me the most wretched woman in the world I do assure you that it shall not be so and that you will inforce me against my resolution to declare your cruelty and inordinate appetite to her who doth conceive so well of you and in that apprehension you may assure your self that your life will be in danger Amadour breaking off her Discourse said unto her If I must die I care not I will be immediately freed of my torment and the deformity of your face which I believe was done by your own Will shall not hinder my will for if I could have nothing but your bones only I would keep them alwayes with me When Florinda saw that neither her prayers reasons nor her tears could work any Impression upon him and that so great a fury did pursue his wicked desires that she no longer could make resistance she ayded her self with a remedy which she feared as much as the losse of his life and with a sad and pitifull voice called to her Mother as lowd as possibly she could who hearing her daughter to cry unto her in such a manner had a marvellous great fear of that which was probable enough and did run as fast as her legs could carry her into her Wardrobe Amadour who was not so ready to die as he pretended did let go his Prize in so good a time that the Lady opening her Cabanet did find him at the door and Florinda standing a good way from him The Countesse demanded of him Amadour what is the matter tell me the Truth He who was never unprovided of an Excuse with a pale Countenance said unto her Madam Into what a Temper is Madam Florinda brought I was never so amazed as at this present I thought that I had some part in her affection but I have nothing lesse It seems to me Madam that since the time she was brought up under you she was never lesse wise nor virtuous than now she is She was accustomed to make no conscience to speak or to look on any and now I would but only look on her and she would not permit me and when I beheld her face not thinking it was so altered I demanded to kisse her hand according to the fashion of the Country she altogether refused me Madam It is true that I have done her wrong for which I demand pardon of you It was that I took her hand by force and kissed it demanding no other contentment of her but she who as I believe hath determined my death cried out unto you as you did hear I cannot tell for what unlesse she entertains a fear that I had other desires about me than indeed I have Neverthelesse Madam in whatsoever manner it be I dow avow the Injury to be mine for although she ought to love all your good Servants yet Fortune hath so ordered it that I alone and the most affectionate of them all am turned out of her favour Neverthelesse I will alwayes continue most faithfull both to you and her And I must beseech you Madam that you will be pleased to continue me in your good opinion since without any demerit of mine I have lost hers The Countesse who in part did believe and in part did suspect what he alleged did goe unto her Daughter and said unto her Wherefore did you call upon me with so lowd a voice Florinda made answer Because I was struck with a sudden fear and although the Countesse did put many Interrogatories to her concerning Amadour both at this present and many times afterwards yet she never would make any other answer to her for seeing that she had escaped out of his hands she thought him sufficiently punished having hindred his enterprize After that the Countesse had a long time spoken to Amadour she suffered him before her to speak unto Florinda to observe what Countenance he carried to her to whom he spake but little but only thanked her because she confessed not the truth unto her mother and besought her that since he had lost his place in her affections that no other might be possessed in it To the first she made answer That if she had known any other means to defend her self from him but her voice only her voice should never have been heard neither by her Mother nor any other To the second she desired him never to fear that she would love any other for since she had not found in the heart of that Man whom she esteemed to be the most virtuous in the world that Good which she expected she would never be induced to beleeve that it can be in any others This Misfortune she said should be a Help unto her to preserve her self ever in liberty from those passions which Love doth
him too late both by his laughter and his voice was strook into an amazement with the shame she had brought upon her self and called him a thousand times wicked Traytor and Impostor and would have thrown her self out of the Bed to look out a knife to have killed her self because she was so unfortunate to have lost her Honour with one whom she loved not and who to be revenged of her might divulge her shame throughout the world But he held her in his arms and by sweet words did assure her That he loved her more than he did whom she loved and that he would conceal that which touched her Honour that she never should receive the least discredit which the poor Lady believed and understanding the Invention which he had contrived to obtain her and the difficulties he went through to accomplish it she did swear unto him That she did love him better than the other who knew not how to conceal a Secret And moreover whereas there was a false report raised on the French she now knew to the contrary and that they were more wise constant and discreet than the Italians wherefore she would now differ from the opinion of her own Nation to comply with them But she did heartily entreat him that for a time he would forbear to appear at any Feast or Meeting where she was unlesse it were a Mask only for she knew well enough that she should have so many blushes upon her cheeks that her Countenance would declare it to all the world This he promised to perform and also entreated her That when his Friend should come about two hours hence that she would make him good cheer and by little and little withdraw her self from him Of which she made a great difficulty but because it was his desire she at last consented to it And taking his Farewel of her he did leave her so satisfied that she could have been well contented to have had him to have stayed longer with her After that he rose and had dressed himself he made hast out of the Chamber and left the door half shut and half open as he found it And because it was almost two a-clock after midnight he entertained a fear that he should find the Gentleman in the way he retired himself a little into a private corner on the top of the stairs where not long afterwards he observed the Gentleman to passe by and to enter into the Ladies Chamber whereupon he himself repaired directly to his own Lodging to take some repose after his nights travels which he did and did not rise untill it was past nine of the clock in the morning at what time the Gentleman came to him who never failed to give him an account of his Fortune which was not now so good as he hoped it would have proved For he told him That when he came into the Chamber of the Lady he found her out of Bed and in her Night-gown having a great Feaver on her her pulse beating very violently her face all on fire and a great sweat running down her face wherefore she did immediatly intreat him to return from whence he came for fear that she should be inforced to call unto her Maids to come to her assistance so violent was her distemper insomuch she said that she had more need to think of Death than Love and to talk rather of God than of Cupid Howsoever she was very sorry for the hazard into which he had put himself for the love of her because she had no power to make him in this world any requital for his true love being ready to be gone into another At this he was so sad and so astonished that his Fire and his Joy were converted into Ice and Sorrow and so immediatly he departed In the morning on the break of Day he sent to be more surely informed of her health and found for certain that she was in an extreme Indisposition and multiplying his complaints for her he wept so abundantly that it seemed his Soul was comming out with his tears Boninet who had as great a desire to laugh as the other to weep did comfort him the best that possibly he could and told him That things of a long continuance did alwayes meet with an untoward beginning and that Love did a little draw back but to come on with the greater force and to make the Delight more gratefull And on these words they departed The Lady for a certain time did keep her Bed and on the recovery of her health she bid Adieu to her first Servant and grounded it on the fear which she had of Death and the Remorse of her Conscience and continued her familiarities with Signior Boninet the continuation of whose Love according to the Custom was as the Beauty of the Flowers of the Fields It seems to me my Ladies that the subtilties of this Gentleman did equal the hypocrisie of the Lady who having so long counterfeited her self a virtuous woman did at the last declare her self a Fool. You may speak what you will of women said Emarsuite but that Gentleman acted a wicked part for suppose the Lady had a Friend must another circumvent him by his policy You may assure your self said Guebron that such Merchandises can never be better sold but to those that offer most and to those Buyers who come last and give the greatest price Never believe that those who in this nature do court Ladies do endure any great pain for the love of them No no it is only for the love of themselves and for their own pleasures On my credit said Longaren I do believe you for to declare the truth unto you all those Gentlemen which ever yet courted me began all their Complements on my behalf pretending to desire my Life my Good my Honor but the end was only for themselves and for their own pleasure and their own glory therefore it is the safest course to take leave of them at the first part of their Sermon for when we come to the second it is not so much honour to refuse them seeing that Vice when it is once known is refusable of it self It behooveth then said Emarsuite that as soon as ever a Man doth begin to open his mouth we must refuse him without knowing what he would say Parlament answered My Companions you must not understand it so for you know well that at the first words a Lady should not seem to understand any thing neither after he hath declared himself should she much lesse believe him but when he comes to swear and adde oath unto oath it seems to me that it is the best course for a Lady to forsake him then at his climbing of the Hill before he hath have to come down unto the Valley Shall we believe 〈◊〉 said Nomerfide that they love all for ill Is it not a sin to judge our Neighbor You may believe as you will said Oysilla but you ought to be in fear
be the Cause that she should be unfortunately married to another but with much patience attended the happy hour to espouse her himself in which he is much to be commended To speak the truth said Oysilla they were both of them worthy of blame and the Third also who was their Go-between and an Adjunct in this Violation of Chastity Do you call that a Violation said Saffredant when two parties are so well accorded Can there be a better Marriage than that which is celebrated by Lovers This is the occasion of the Proverb that Marriages are made in Heaven And it is not to be understood of forced Marriages not of those which are made for the lucre of money and which have been approved because the Father and the Mother have given their Consent unto them You may speak what you please said Oysilla but it is necessary that in this we must acknowledge an obedience to our Parents and in the defect of Father and Mother we ought to have Recourse to our next Kinred For otherwise if it were permitted to all to marry themselves according to their own pleasure How many cornuted Marriages would there be Do you believe that a young Man or a Girl of twelve or fifteen years of Age being married together do understand what doth belong unto them He who with a stedfastâ—ey shall look upon the occasion of the Contempt of all Marriages shall find that there are at least as many of those whose Events are unfortunate that have passionately been begun by Lovers as of those which have been carried on by force Wherefore let young people who know not what doth belong unto themselves first examine and prove what without Consideration they have begun and by little and little they will discover those errours which will occasion them to enter into a greater emazement On the other side the most part of those Marriages which are made by compulsion do proceed from the experience of those who have more sight and judgement than those whom most nearly it doth concern insomuch that when they come to the years of discretion to be sensible of the Good which they did not understand they will then both acknowledge it and imbrace it with a more distinct acceptance and with a far greater affection But Madam said Hircan you make no mention at all that the Maid was of a good Age and marriageable and understood well enough the Iniquity of her Father who would not have the Maidenhead of his Daughter to be lost because he would have his Crowns to be saved And do you not know that Nature of her self is the most provident Huswife This Maid loved she was beloved she knew of her self what she had to do and was old enough to remember the Proverb Those who refuse do afterwards repent All these things put together with the prompt execution of the Wooer did not give her the leisure to withstand him You have heard also in this Account that presently afterwards it was to be discovered by her face that there was some remarkable change which peradventure was occasioned by the sorrow which she entertained that she had no more leisure to judge whether the thing that was done was good or evil for she did not with any great unwillingnesse draw back from giving consent to the second Assault For my part said Longaren I cannot excuse her but must approve of the faith of the young Man who governing himself by the Laws of Honesty would not abandon her especially since he had made her such as she was In which he seems to me to be worthy of the highest Commendation especially if we consider the depraved Corruption of Youth in these present times Howsoever for all this I cannot so excuse him for the first fault but if I look upon the Maid I must accuse him of a Rape and if I look upon her Mother I must accuse him of subornation No no said Dagoucin Here is no place at all either for Rape or Subornation It was done on all sides with pure consent as well on the Mothers side who did not hinder it as on the Daughâ—ers who did like so well of it that she did not complain All this proceeded said Parlament out of the great good Nature and Simplicity of her Mother who under the title of good neighbourhood without so much as thinking of it did bring her Daughter to the Butchery Not to the Butchery but to her marriage said Simontault insomuch that this simplicity was profitable to the Maid If you have any Account in readinesse said Nomerfide I do give you my voice to recite it to us I will not fail said Simontault but upon condition that the Ladies shall promise me not to weep And Ladies they who will affirm that your subtility doth exceed that of Men will have enough to do to produce such an Example to prove it as I now am going about to account unto you to prove the contrary in which I intend not only to declare unto you the great cunning and dissimulation of a Husband but withal the greater Simplicity and Goodnesse of his Wife A Husband chastising his Chambermaid did deceive the Simplicity of his Wife The fifth Novel IN the City of Tours there lived a man of a subtle and a sharp understanding who was the maker of the Tapistry for the late Duke of Orleans Son to King Francis the first and although by the injury of sickness he became deaf yet he had nothing at all diminished in his understanding for he was the most experienced man alive in his profession and in other things you shall hear how ready he was to assist himself He was married to a good Woman of good fortunes with whom he lived in great peace and comfort He was afraid to displease her and her endeavour was to obey and please him in all things but for all the good love he did bear unto her he was withall so charitable that oftentimes he gave that unto his neighbours which did belong unto his Wife although he carried it as secretly as possibly he could He had in his house a Chambermaid a Wench of a delicate complexion of whom he was very amorous and neverthelesse fearing that his Wife should take notice of it he often made an apparence to his Wife to rebuke and chide her telling her Mistresse that she was the laziest Slut that ever he saw and that he did much wonder that she did not beat her And speaking one day of whipping and chastising little Children he said unto his Wife it would be a good Almes to give such stripes to your lazy Girl whom you keep but then it must not be with your hand for your hand is too weak and your heart too pittiful I doe believe if she should feel the weight of my hand we should be far better served by her than we are The poor Woman who thought no hurt at all desired him that he would put in execution what he said
confessing that she had neither the heart nor the strength to beat her Her Husband who willingly accepted of this Commission did put on the Face of a cruel Beadle and provided himself with Rods of the smallest twigs that possibly he could find and to manifest the great desire he had to shew no mercy he did put them into urine so that the poor Woman took more pity of her Chambermaid than she had suspition of her Husband The Day of Innocents being come her Husband did rise yery early in the morning and did go up into the Garret where the Chambermaid was all alone and there he did chastise her but in anotâ—â—â— manner than he told his Wife The Chamber-maid began to weep abundantly but it would not serve her turn Neverthelesse for fear his Wife should surprize him he took the Rods and did so lay on with them upon the posts of the Bed that he did break and split them to pieces and so brought them to his Wife saying Sweet-heart I do believe she will remember Innocents day as long as she doth live and going upon some occasion out of doors the Chambermaid observing that her Master was gone forth she did come unto her Mistresse and kneeling down with both knees she told her That her Husband had done her the greatest wrong that ever was done to a poor Chambermaid Her Mistresse believing that it was by reason of the Rods and the stripes which she thought her Husband had given her did not permit her to end her Complaints but said unto her My Husband hath done well in it for I have been with him every day this Moneth and more to intreat him to it and if he hath made you to endure that which you would not I am very glad of it you ought to take it as it comes from my self and to believe that he hath not taken half so much pains with you as he ought to have done The Chambermaid perceiving that her Mistresse did approve what was done did believe that it was not so great a Sin as she did perswade her self to be and the rather because that she who was esteemed to be so good a Woman was the occasion of it wherefore she durst not talk to her any more concerning it And her Master observing his Wife to be as well contented to be deceived as he was to deceive her did determine with himself to content her in this kind more often and gained so much the heart of his Chambermaid that she would weep no more at any such chastisements This life he continued a long time and his Wife perceived nothing at all At last the great Snows came and her Master as he often before had given his Maid chastisement upon the green grass so he would now give it her upon the Snow also One morning before any one else in his House was stirring he took her with him having nothing on her but her smock only and laying her down he stretched forth her hands and her leggs to make a Crucifix upon the Snow and afterwards exercising themselves with flinging Snow-balls on one another he forgot not the sport of chastisement which a good Woman one of his Neighbors observed looking out at a Window whose prospect was directly into that his Garden Her Intent was only to see what Weather it was but discovering so hot an Exercise in so cold a Morning she was so angry at it that she resolved with her self to acquaint her Neighbor with it to the end she might be no more abused by so bad a Husband nor so untoward a Maid Her Husband having performed all his Recreations looked up to see if no body did observe him and perceived his Neighbours Wife looking out of the window for which he was very sorry but he whose profession it was to give a good Colour to any work did contrive with himself which way so well to shaddow this that his Neighbour might be as well deceived as his Wife and going to Bed again he was no sooner warm but immediately he caused his Wife to rise and in her smock did lead her into the same Garden into which he had brought his Maid and plaid with her along time in the Snow and at the last did give her the same Chastisement as he gave his Chamber-maid and afterwards they did both go to Bed again Some three hours afterwards when this good Woman did go to Masse her Neigbour being a good friend of hers did not fail to be there also and out of the great zeal which she had to her she desired her that she would put away her Chambermaid without asking her any further for what cause for it was enough that she knew her to be a naughty and a dangerous baggage The good Woman refused to doe it unlesse she were informed upon what grounds her neighbour had entertained so bad an opinion of her who in the end did account unto her all what she had seen that morning in the Garden betwixt her and her Husband The good Woman could not forbear from laughter and said unto her Alack a day my good friend it was my self Say you so replied her neighbour She had nothing on her but her Smock only and it was about five or six a clock in the morning The good Woman made answer in good troth Gossipp it was my self The other not willing to be contradicted proceeded in her observations First said she I did see them to throw Snow and to play together with one another afterwards he did put his hand to her Brest and after that to another place as closely as possibly could be The good Woman laughing out right did assure her that it was none but her self Say not so said the other I did see him upon the Snow to doe such and such a thing which in my opinion is not fair nor honest Why Neighbour said the good Woman will you not believe me I have told you often enough already and must tell you again that it was my self and none else I did all this as you speak of with my Husband I pray you to take no offence at it for you know we are bound to please our Husbands Her Neighbour seeing she could not prevail upon her to believe it did return to her own house more desirous to have such a Husband than to make any more complaints against him Her Husband being returned his Wife did acquaint him Word for Word with what her Neighbour told her He said unto her You may see by this Sweet-heart if you were not a good Woman and of a good understanding we had long agoe been separated from one another but God I hope will preserve us in our Love to his Glory and our Contentment Amen Sweet-heart said the good Woman I do hope that on my part you shall find no fault Ladies He will hardly be believed who after this History will affirm that there is such a subtilty in Women as in Men nevertheless without