of such a pleasant prisoner exchanged loue for golde But note hereby what force the puritie of minde vnwilling of beastly 〈◊〉 doth carie in it self A simple woman voide of helpe not backed with defence of husbandes aide doeth bring a mightie captaine a strong and loftie lubber to enter into a caue and when she sawe hir best aduauntage thacked him with stones vntill he groned forth his 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Suche is the might and prowesse of chastitie No charge too burdenous or weightie for such a vertue no enterprise too harde for a mynde so pure and cleane Ariobarzanes ¶ ARIOBARZANES great Stuarde to 〈◊〉 king of Persia goth about to excede his soueraine Lord and maister in curtesie wherin be conteined many notable and pleasaunt chaunces besides the greate pacience and loyaltic naturally planted in the sayd ARIOBARZANES The fourth Nouell AQuestion is moued many times among learned men and Gentlemen addicted to the seruice of the Courte whether cōmendable déede or curteous and gentle fact done by the gentlemā or courtier towardes his soueraigne lord ought to be called Liberalitie Curtesie or rather Bād and Duetie Which question is not proponed without greate reason For so much as eche man doth know that a seruant doe what he can for his maister or lette him imploye the vttermoste of his indeuour all the labour and trauaile he bestoweth all trouble and daunger which he susteineth is too litle yea and the same his verie bounden duetie Haue wée not red of many and knowen the lyke that to gratifie their prince and maister haue into a thousand dangers and like numbre of deaths aduentured their owne proper liues Marcus Antonius that notable orator being accused of incest and brought to the iudgement seat his accusers required that his seruant shoulde be called for bicause he bare the candell before his maister when he went to do the dede who séeing his maisters life death to depend vpon his euidence vtterly denied the fact and notwithstanding that he was whipped racked suffred other cruel torments would rather haue lost his life than accuse betray his maister I could alleage and bryng forth in place the example of Mycithus the seruant of one Anaxilaus Messenius the fidelitie of the seruantes of Plotinus Plancus the faithful maiden called Pythias that waited vpon Octauia the chast Empresse and wife of that Monster Nero with diuers other but that I thinke they bée to the learned well knowen and of the simple the vertue of seruants fidelitie is greatly liked and commended But if the faithfull seruant knowe that his deserts do gain the grace and fauor of his maister 〈◊〉 trauailes what pains ought he to suffer to maintain his reputation and to increase the fauour obtained For as the common 〈◊〉 and wise saying reporteth That the vertue is no lesse to conserue Frendship gotten than the wisedome was great to get and winne the same Other there be which do contrarily contend and with very strong arguments do force to proue that al which the seruant doth besides his duetie and beyonde the obligation wherin he is bounde to his maister is and oughte to be termed Liberalitie whiche is a matter to prouoke his patrone and maister to deuise new benefites for his seruant And that at all times when a man doth his duetie and seruice appointed by his mayster executing the same with all diligence and industrie requisite ther vnto that then he 〈◊〉 to be rewarded Which is not to be discommended For no true and honest seruaunt will refuse any trauaile for commoditie of his maister 〈◊〉 yet discrete and wise maister will leaue the same 〈◊〉 according to that porcion of abilitie wherwith he is possessed But leauing questions and disputation aside procéede we to that which this Nouell purposeth I say then that there was in the kyngdome of Persia a kyng called Artaxerxes a man of moste noble minde and of great prowesse in armes This was he which first being a priuate man of armes not hauing as yet obteined any degrée in the field killed Artabanus the last king of the Arsacides whose souldier he was recouered the Persian kingdom which was then in the Macedonians 〈◊〉 on by the deth of Darius which was vanquished by Alexander the great the space of 538. yeares This noble gētleman hauing deliuered al Persia created King kept a princely court wherin were many magnificent facts and vertuous déedes exercised and done and he himself most noble in all his affaires besides the titles which he worthily wanne in many bloudie battels was estéemed thoroughout the east part of the worlde to be the most liberall and magnanimous prince that in any age euer raigned In feastes and bankets he was an other Lucullus royally intertaining strangers that repaired to his court This king had in his court a Senescall or stewarde named Ariobarzanes whose office was that when the king made any pompous or publike feast to mount vpon a white Courser with a Mace of golde in his hand and to ride before the Esquiers Sewers for the Kings owne mouthe and those that bare the Kings meate in vessell of golde couered with fine naperie wrought and purled with most beautiful workmanship of silk golde This office of Senescall was highly estemed and cōmonly wont to be giuen to one of the chiefest Barons of the Realme Wherfore this Ariobarzanes besides that he was of moste noble Lignage and incomparable riches was the most curteous and liberall knight that frequented the Court whose immoderate expence was such as leauing the mean wherin al vertue consisteth by reason of his outrage which many times he vsed he fell into the vice of prodigalitie Whereby he séemed not only in curteous déedes to compare with the King but also contended to excéede and surpasse him One day the King for his disport and recreation called for the Chesseborde requiring Ariobarzanes to kéepe him companie Which game in those days amongs the Persians was in greate vse and estimation in such wise as a cunning gamster at that pastime was no lesse commended and honored than among vs in these dayes an excellent Drator or famous learned man Yea and the very same game in cōmon vse in the Courte and noble mens houses of oure tune no doubt very commendable and mete to be practised by all states degrées The King and Ariobarzanes being set down at a table in the great hall of the Palace one right against an other accōpanied with a great number of noble personages and Gentlemen looking vpon them and marking their play with great silence they began to encountre one an other with the Chessemen Ariobarzanes whether it was that he played better than the king or whether the king 〈◊〉 no héede to his game or what soeuer the occasion was he coursed the King to such a narrow straight as he could not auoide but within ii or iij. draughts he muste be forced to receiue the Checkemate whiche the King perceiuing and considering
the time is come to make you certenly beleue what my marchandise is as I tolde you when I departed 〈◊〉 you that it might come to passe Master Thorello hearing those woordes began to be bothe ioyfull and ashamed ioyfull for that he had entertained such a guest ashamed that his fare and lodging was so simple To whome Saladine sayd master Thorello 〈◊〉 it hathe pleased God to send you hither thynke from henceforth that you be Lorde of this place and not I and making great chéere and reioysing one with an other he caused him to be cloathed in royall vestures and brought him into the presence of all the Noble men of his country and after he had rehersed many things of his valor and commendation commaūded him to be honoured as his owne person of all those which desired to haue his fauor Which thing euery mā did from that time forth but aboue the rest the two Lords that were in company with Saladine at his house The greatnesse of the sodein glory wherin master Thorello sawe him selfe did remoue out of his minde his affaires of Lombardie and specially bicause he hoped that his letters shold trustely be deliuered to the hands of his vncle Now there was in the camp of the Christians the day wherein they were taken by Saladine a Gentleman of Prouince which died and was buried called master Thorello de Dignes a man of great estimation wherby master Thorello of Istria knowne throughout the whole army for his nobility and prowesse euery mā that heard tell that master Thorello was dead beleued that it was master Thorello de Istria and not he de Dignes by reason of his taking the truth whether of them was deade was vnknown Wherfore many Italians returned with those newes amongs whome some were so presumptuous as they toke vpon them to say and affirme that they sawe him deade and were at his burial Which knowne to his wife his friends was an occasion of very great and inestimable sorow not only to them but to all other that knew him Uery long it were to tell in what sort and how great sorow heauinesse and lamentings hys wife did vtter who certaine moneths after she had continually so tormented hir self and when hir griefe began to decrease being demaunded of many great personages of Lombardie was counselled by hir brothers and other of hir kin to mary againe Which thing after she had many times refused in very great anguishe and dolor finally being constrained thereunto she must néedes folow the mindes of hir parents But yet vpon condition that the nuptials shold not be celebrate vntill such time as she had performed hir promise made to master Thorello Whilest the affaires of this Gentlewoman were in those termes at Pauie and the time of hir appoyntment within eight dayes approched it chaunced that master Thorello vpon a day espied a man in Alexandria which he had séene before in the company of the Ambassadors of Genoua going into the galley that was bound with them to Genoua wherefore causing him to be called he demaunded what voyage they had made and asked him when they arriued at Genoua To whome he sayd Syr the Galley made a very ill voyage as I heard say in Creta where I remained behinde them for being néere the coast of Dicilia there arose a maruellous tempest which droue the galley vpon the shoare of Barbarie and not one of them within borde escaped amongs whome two of my brethren were likewise drowned Master Thorello giuyng credite to the woords of this fellow which were very true and remembring him selfe that the terme which he had couenaunted with his wife was almost expired and thinking that they could hardly come by the knowledge of any newes of him or of his state beleued verily that his wife was maried againe for sorow wherof he fel into such melancholy as he had no lust to eate or drinke and laying him downe vpon his bed determined to die which so soone as Saladine who greatly loued him did vnderstand he came to visite him and after that he had through instant request known the occasion of his heauinesse and disease he blamed him very muche for that he did no sooner disclose vnto him his conceipt And afterwards prayed him to be of good chéere assuring him if he would so to prouide as he should be at Pauie iust at the terme which he had assigned to his wife and declared vnto him the order how Master Thorello geuing credit to the woords of Saladine and hauing many times heard say that it was possible and that the like had bene many times done began to comfort him selfe and to vse the cōpany of Saladine who determined fully vpon his voyage and returne to Pauie Then Saladine commaunded one of his Necromancers whose science already he had well experienced that he should deuise the meanes how master Thorello might be borne to Pauie in one night vpon a bed Whereunto the Necromancer answered that it should be done but that it behoued for the better doing thereof that he should be cast into a sléepe And when Saladine had giuen order therunto he returned to master Thorello and finding him fully purposed to be at Pauie if it were possible at the terme which he had assigned or if not to die sayd thus vnto him Master Thorello if you doe heartily loue your wife and doubt least shée be married to an other God forbyd that I should stay you by any manner of meanes bicause of all the women that euer I sawe she is for maners comely behauiour and decent order of apparell not remembring hir beautie which is but a fading floure me thinke most worthy to be praysed and loued A gladsome thing it wold haue bene to me sith fortune sent you hither that the tyme which you and I haue to liue in this world we might haue spent together and liued Lordes of the kingdome which I possesse if God be minded not to doe me that grace at least 〈◊〉 sith you be determined either to die or to returne to Pauie at the terme which you haue appointed my great desire is that I might haue knowne the same in time to the intēt you might haue bene conducted thither with such honor and traine as your vertues do deserue Which sith God wil not that it be brought to passe and that you will néedes be there presently I will send you as I can in manner before expressed Wherunto master Thorello said Sir the effect bisides your woordes hath done me sufficient knowledge of your good will which I neuer deserued that which you told me I can not beléeue so long as life is in me and therefore am most certaine to die But sith I am so determined I beséeche you to do that which you haue promised out of hand bicause to morrow is the last day of the appointmēt assigned to my wife Saladine said that for a truthe the same should be done And the next
an other Lady a widow also that was very rich and so wel allied as any in all the land This Lady had a sonne whom she caused to be trained vp so wel in Armes and good letters as in other honest exercises proper and méete for a Gentleman and great Lord for which respect she had sent him to Barcelona the chiefe Citie of all the Countrey of 〈◊〉 Senior Dom Diego for so was the sonne of that widow called 〈◊〉 so well in all things that when he was 〈◊〉 yeares of age there was no Gentleman of his degrée that did excell him ne yet was able to approche vnto his perfections and commēdable behauior A thing that did so wel content that good Lady his mother as she could not tell what countenaunce to kéepe to couer hir ioy A vice very commen to fonde and folish mothers who flater them selues with a shadowed hope of the future goodnesse of their childrē which many times doth more hurt to that wanton and wilfull age than profit or aduauncement The persuasion also of such towardnesse full oft doth blinde that sprites of youth as that faults which folow the same be far more vile thā before they were wherby the first Table made in his first coloures of that imagined vertue cā take no force or perfection and so by incurring sundry mishaps the parent childe commonly eskape not without equall blame To come againe therefore to our discourse it chaunced in that time that the Catholike king deceased Philippe of Austrich which succéeded him as heire passing through Fraunce came into Spaine to be inuested and take possession of al his seigniories and kingdomes which knowen to the Citizens of Barcelona they determined to receiue him with such pompe magnificence and honor as duely appertaineth to the greatnesse and maiestie of so great a Prince as is the sonne of the Romane Emperour And amongs other things they prepared a triumphe at the Tilt where none was suffred to enter the listes but yong Gētlemen such as neuer yet had folowed armes Amongs whome Dom Diego as that Noblest person was chosen chiefe of one part The Archduke then come to Barcelona after the receiued honors and Ceremonies accustomed for such entertainment to gratifie his subiects and to sée the brauery of the yong Spanish Nobilitie in armes would place himself vpon the skaffolde to iudge the courses and valiance of the runners In that magnifique and Princely conflict all mens eyes were bent vpon Dom Diego who course by course made his aduersaries to féele the force of his armes his manhode and dexteritie on horsebacke and caused them to muse vpon his towarde 〈◊〉 in time to come whose noble gests then acquired the victory of the campe on his side Which moued King Philip to say that in al his life he neuer saw triūph better handled and that the same séemed rather a battell of strong hardy men than an excercise of yong Gentlemen neuer wōted to support the dedes of armes trauaile of warfare For which cause calling Dom Diego before him he sayd God graūt yōg Gentleman that your ende agrée with your goodly beginnings hardy shock of 〈◊〉 done this day In memory wherof I wil this night that ye do your watch for I mean to morow by Gods assistance to dub you knight The yong gentlemā blushing for shame vpō his knees kissed the Princes hāds thanking him most hūbly of the honor and fauor which it pleased his maiestie to do him vowing promising to do so wel in time to come as no mā shold be deceiued of their conceiued opinion nor the king frustrate of his seruice which was one of his most obedient vassals subiectes So the next day he was made Knight receiued the coller of the order at the handes of King Phillip who after the departure of his prince which toke his iourney into Castille retired to his owne 〈◊〉 house more to sée his mother whōe long time before he had not séene than for desire of pleasure that be in fieldes which notwithstāding he exercised so well as in end 〈◊〉 perceiued 〈◊〉 in townes cities to be an imprisōment 〈◊〉 respect of that he felt in Countrey As the Poets whilom fained loue to shote his arrows amid that 〈◊〉 forrests fertile fields sea coasts shores of great riuers and fountaine brinkes and also vpon the tops of huge and high Mountaines at the pursute of the sundry sorted Nymphes and 〈◊〉 dimigods déeming the same to be a meane of libertie to folow loues tract without suspition voide of company and lothsome cries of Cities where 〈◊〉 enuy false report and ill opinion of all things haue pitched their camp and raised their tents 〈◊〉 contrariwise frākly and without dissimulation in the fieldes the friend discouering his passion to his Mistresse they enioy the pleasure of hunting the naturall musike of birds and somtimes in pleasant herbers 〈◊〉 with the murmur of some running brookes they communicate their thoughts beautifie the accorde and vnitie of louers and make the place famous for that first witnesse of their amorous acquaintance In like manner thrice foure times blest 〈◊〉 they there who leaning the vnquiet toile that ordinarily doeth chaunce to them that abide in Cities do rendre 〈◊〉 y of their studies to the Muses whereunto they be most minded 〈◊〉 Dom Diego at his owne house loued cherished of his mother reuerenced and obeyed of his subiects after he had imployed some time at his study had none other ordinary pleasure but in rousing the Déere hunting the wilde Bore run the Hare somtimes to flie at the Heron or fearfull Partrich alongs the fields Forrestes pondes and stepe Mountaines It came to passe one day as hée Hunted the wilde Mountaine Goate which he had dislodged vpon the Hill toppe he espied an olde Harte that his dogges had found who so ioyfull as was possible of that good lucke followed the course of that swift and fearefull beast But suche was his Fortune the dogges lost the foote of that pray and he his men for being horssed of purpose vpon a fair Iennet could not be followed and in ende loosing the sight of the Déere was so farre seuered from companie as hée was vtterly ignoraunt which way to take And that which grieued him most was his horse out of breth skarse able to ride a false galloppe For which cause he putte his horne to his mouthe and blewe so loude as he could But his men were so farre off as they could not heare him The yonge Gentleman being in this distresse could not tel what to doe but to returne backe wherin he was more deceiued than before for thinking to take the way home to his Castle wandred still further off from the same And trotting thus a long time he spied a Castle situated vpon a little Hill wherby he knew himself far from his owne house Neuerthelesse hearing a certaine noyse of hunters thinking they had bene his people resorted
the same the matter most specially therin comprised treting of courtly fashions and maners and of the customes of loues galantise and the good or yll successe thereof bicause you be an auncient Courtier and one of the eldest Traine and suche as hath ben imployed by sundrie our Princes in their affaires of greatest weight and importance and for that your self in your lustiest time euer bred and brought vp in Court haue not bene vnacquainted with those occurrents If I should stande particularly to touch the originall of your noble Ancestrie the succession of that renoumed line their fidelitie for graue aduise and counsell your honourable education the mariage of a mighty King with one of your sisters the valiant exploites of your parentes against the French and Scots the worthie seruice of your self in field whereby you deseruedly wanne the order of Knighthode the trust which hir Maiestie reposeth in you by disposing vnder your charge the Store of hir Armure and your worthie preferment to be Maister of hir Armarie generall If I shoulde make recitall of your carefull industrie and painfull trauell sustained for answering hir Maiesties expectation your noble cherishing of the skilfull in that Science your good aduauncement of the best to supplie the vacant romes your refusall of the vnworthie and finally of your modest and curteous dealings in that office I feare lacke of abilitie and not of matter would want grace and order by further circumstaunce to adde sufficient praise Yea although my self do say nothing but reserue the same in silence to auoide suspect of adulation the very Armure and their furnitures do speake vniuersall testimonie doth wonder and the Readinesse of the same for tyme of seruice doth aduouche Which care of things continually resting in your breast hath atchieued suche a timely diligence and successe as when hir Maiesties aduersarie shall be ready to molest she shal be prest by Gods assistance to defend and marche But not to hold your worship long by length of preamble or to discourse what I might further say eyther in fauour of this Boke or commendation of your selfe I meane for this instant to leaue the one to general iudgement and the other to the particular sentence of eche of your acquaintaunce Humbly making this only sute that my good will may supplie the imperfection of mine abilitie And so with my heartie prayer for your preseruation to him that is the Author of life and health I take my leaue From my poore house besides the Toure of London the fourthe of Nouember 1567. Your moste bounden William Painter ¶ A Summarie of the Nouels ensuing ¶ The Hardinesse and conquestes of diuers stoute and aduenturous Women called Amazones the beginning continuance and end of their raigne and of the great iourney of one of their Quéenes called Thalestris to visit Alexander the great and the cause of hir trauaile Nouel j. Fol. 1. ¶ The great pietie and continencie of Alexander the great and his louing interteinement of Sisigambis the Wife of the great Monarch Darius after he was vanquished Nouel ij Fol. 5. ¶ Thimoclia a Gentlewoman of Thebes vnderstanding the couefous desire of a Thracian Knight that had abused hir and promysed hir mariage rather for hir goodes than Loue well acquited hirselfe from his falsehode Nouel iij. Fol. 9. ¶ Ariobarzanes great Stewarde to Artaxerxes King of Persia goeth about to excéede his soueraigne Lord maister in Curtesie wherein are conteyned many notable and pleasant chaunces besides the great pacience and loyaltie naturally planted in the sayd Ariobarzanes Nouel iiij Fol. 11. ¶ Lucius one of the Garde to Aristotimus the Tyranne of the Citie of Elis fell in loue with a faire Maiden called Micca the daughter of one Philodemus and his crueltie done vpon hir The stoutenesse also of a noble Matrone named Megistona in defense of hir husband and the Common wealth from the tyrannie of the sayd Aristotimus and of other acts done by the subiects vpon that tyrant Nouel v. Fol. 32. ¶ The maruelous courage ambition of a gentlewoman called Tanaquil that Quéene wife of Tarquinus Priscus the fift Romane King with hir persuasions and pollicie to hir husband for his aduauncement to the kingdome hir like encouragement of Seruius Tullius wherin also is described the ambitiō of one of the two daughters of Seruius Tullius the sixt Romane King and hir crueltie towardes hir owne naturall father with other accidents chaunced in the new erected Common wealth of Rome specially of the laste Romane King Tarquinus Superbus who with murder attained the kingdome with murder mainteined it and by the murder and insolent life of his sonne was with all his progenie banished Nouel vj. Fol. 40. ¶ The vnhappy ende and successe of the loue of King Massinissa and of Queene Sophonis ba his Wife Nouel vij Fol. 49. ¶ The crueltie of a King of Macedon who forced a Gentlewomā called Theoxena to persuade hir children to kil poison themselues after which fact she and hir husband Poris ended their life by drowning Nouel viij Fol. 59. ¶ A strange maruellous vse which in olde time was obserued in Hidrusa where it was lawfull with the licence of a Magistrate ordeyned for that purpose for euery man and woman that lyst to kyll them selues Nouel ix Fol. 62. ¶ The dishonest loue of Faustina the Empresse and with what remedie the same was remoued and taken away Nouel x. Fol. 65. ¶ Chera hidde a treasure Elisa going about to hang hir selfe and sying the halter about a 〈◊〉 found that treasure and in place therof lefte the halter Philene the daughter of Chera going for that treasure and busily searching for the same sounde the halter where with all for dispaire shae woulde haue hanged hir selfe but forbidden by Elisa who by chaunce espied hir she was restored to part of hir losse leading afterwards a happie and prosperous life Nouel xj Fol. 67. ¶ Letters of the Philosopher Plutarch to the noble and 〈◊〉 Emperour Traiane and from the sayde Emperour so Plutarch the like also from the sayde Emperour to the Senate of Rome In all whiche bée conteyned Godly rules for gouernement of Princes obedience of Subiects and their dueties to Cōmon wealth Nouel xij Fol. 76. ¶ A notable historie of thrée amorous Gentlewomen called Lamia Flora Lais cōteining the sutes of noble Princes and other greate personages made vnto them with their answeres to diuers demaunds and the maner of their death and funeralls Nouel xiij Fol. 123. ¶ The life and gestes of the most famous Quéene Zenobia with the Letters of the Emperoure Aurchanus to the sayde Quéene and hir stoute aunswere therevnto Nouel xiiij Fol. 89. ¶ Euphimia the King of Corinths daughter fell in loue with Acharisto the seruaunt of hir father and besides others which required hir to mariage she 〈◊〉 Philon the King of Pelponesus that loued hir very feruently Acharisto conspiring against the King was discouered tormented and put in prison and by meanes of
caused the other dames to bury those two bodies in one graue O how happy famous had these two sisters ben if they had not bene the daughters of so wicked and cruell a father But parentes offence on Childrens trespasse oughte not to deface the vertuous déedes of their posteritie Two Romane Queenes ¶ The maruellous courage and ambition of a Gentlevvoman called TANAQVIL the Quene wife of TARQVINVSPRISCVS the fifth Romane King with hir persuasions and pollicie to hir husbande for his aduauncement to the kingdome hir like encouragement of SIRVIVSTVLLIVS wherin also is described the ambition of one of the. ij daughters of SERVIVSTVLLIVS the sixt Romane King and hir crueltie towards hir ovvne naturall father with other accidents chaunced in the nevv erected common welth of Rome specially of the last Romane Kyng TARQVINVS SVPERBVS who with murder atteined the kingdom with murder mainteined it and by the murder and insolent life of his sonne was with all his progenie banished The sixt Nouell ANcus Marcius being that fourth King after Romulus the first builder of that Citie there came to dwell in Rome one Lucumo a lustie gentleman rich and desirous of honour who determined to continewe his habitation there Thesame Lucumo was the sonne of one Demaratê° a Corinthian who for sedition fled his owne countrie dwelt in 〈◊〉 amongs the stock of the Tarquines and after he was maried he begat two sonnes one of them was this Lucumo and the other was called Arnus Lucumo was heire to his father for that Arnus died before leauing his wife gret with childe The father not knowing that his daughter in lawe was with childe gaue nothing in his will to his Nephewe for which cause the childe was called Arnus Egerius Lucumo being the sole heire of his father maried a noble woman named Tanaquil and bicause the Thuscans could not abide to sée a straunger growe to abundance of welth and authoritie she despised hir owne country rather than she would suffer hir husband in any wise to be dishonoured Wherfore she deuised to forsake the Tarquinians to dwel at Rome where she thought among that honorable sorte and newe rerected state that hir husband being stout and valiant should attaine some place of resiance For she called to remembraunce that Tatius the Sabine Numa borne of the stock of Curetes and Ancus brought forth by a Sabine woman all strangers did raigne and became noble and mightie Thus ambition and desire of honour easily doeth persuade any deuise Wherfore carrying with theÌ„ al their substance they repaired to Rome It chaunced when they came to Ianiculum as he and his wife were sitting in a Wagon an Eagle hoouering hir wings ouer Lucumo sodenly toke away his cappe which done she soared ouer the wagon with great force then she retourned againe as though she had bene commaunded by some celestiall prouidence aptly placed his cappe againe vpon his head and then soared away vp into the element Tanaquil conceiuing this act to be some Augurie or Prophecie being cunning in that knowledge as commonly all the people of Hetruria be imbraced hir husband and willed him to be of good chere and to expect great honour And as they were ymagining and consulting vpon these euents they entred the Citie and when they had gotten a house for him and his familie he was called Tarquinins Priscus His riches and great wealth made him a noble man amongs the Romanes and through his gentle entertainement and curteous behauiour he wanne the good willes of many in so much as his fame and good report was bruted throughout the palace At leÌ„gth he grew in acquaintance with the King him selfe who séeing his liberall demeanor and duetifull seruice estéemed him as one of his familiar and nere srends and both in his warres and also at home he imparted to him the secrets of his counsell and hauing good experience of his wisedom by his last will and testament appointed him to be tutour of his children Ancus raigned xxiiii yeres a man in peace and warre in policie and valiance with any of his predecessours comparable His children were very yong and for that cause Tarquinius was more instant to summon a parliament for creation of a king When the day was come he sente the yong children abroade a hunting and then ambiciously presumed to demaunde the kingdome being the first that euer attempted the like For the better conciation and obteining of the peoples good will he vttered this Oration I doe not presume to require a straunge or newe thyng that was neuer before put in practise nor yet am the first but the third straÌ„ger and foraine borne that affected and aspired to this gouernmeÌ„t For which consideration there is no cause why any man ought to muse or maruell more than behoueth It is euidently knowen that Tatius not onely being a stranger but also an ennimie was made Kyng Numa also was made King being altogether a foraine stranger borne not through his owne request but rather voluntarily accited and called therevnto by the Romanes but for my parte after I was able to gouerne my self I repaired to dwell at Rome with my wyfe my children and all my substance where I haue spent the chiefest porcion of my life specially after it was mature and able to execute ciuile magisterie which I chose rather to bestow at Rome than at home in myne owne countrey I haue lerned the Romane rites and lawes as wel such as be mete to serne abroade in the warres as also necessarie to bée practised at home at the hands of mine olde maister Ancus Martius your late king a maister right worthie and famous in all pointes to bée followed I shewed my selfe an humble and obedient subiecte to the King and in friendeship and familiaritie towarde others I contended with the Kyng him selfe When hée had spoken those wordes which in déede were very true with the whole consent of the people hée was saluted King And as all things succéeded his Noble requeste euen so after hée was settled in his Kyngdome hée gaue hym selfe to 〈◊〉 the common wealth Hée chose an hundred graue persons whiche he called the Fathers of the lesser countries He warred firste with the Latines and 〈◊〉 the Citie of Appiolas who bryngyng from thence a greater spoyle and bootie than was looked for ordeined richer and more gorgeous Playes than any of hys predecessoures Hée builded certayne Galleries and other places of assemblie aboute the Forum hée walled the Citie rounde about with stone And as he was doing these things the Sabines interuented him vpon the 〈◊〉 in so much as they were passed the Kyuer of Anienes before the Romane hoste was in a redinesse Whiche was an occasion of greate feare and stirre at Rome In the 〈◊〉 after the battailes were ioyned betwéene them bothe a cruell and blouddie slaughter was committed the victorie fallyng to neyther parte Then the Romanes sought meanes to renue their force by addyng to their armie a further
bande of horsmen Wherefore Tarquinius sente to the Rammenses Titienses Luceres To the bandes that Romulus had conscribed hée added other new troupes of horsemen purposing that the same should continue in memorie of him after his death And bicause Romulus dyd the same without aduise of the Southsayers one Accius Nauius the notablest Prophecier in those daies withstoode that constitution 〈◊〉 that it was not lawsull for him eyther to appoint a newe order or to alter the olde except the birdes and auguries did assent thervnto Wherwith the king was displeased deluding that science said Go to M. Sothsayer tell me now quod he is it possible to bring that to passe which I haue now conceiued in my minde Yea quod the Southsayer if you tel me what it is Then quod Tarquinius I haue deuised that thou shalt pare thine owne skin with a Raser Therfore take this knife doe as thy birdes doe portend and signifie And as it was reported he pared his own skin in déede In memory wherof an Image of Accius was erected with his head 〈◊〉 After that time there was nothing attempted without those auguries Notwithstanding Tarquinius procéeded in his constitution and added to the Centurias an other number for that 1800. horsemen were conteined in the thrée Centuriae The later addition was called also by the same name which afterward were doubled into vj. Centurias Whē his numbre was thus increased once againe he ioyned battel with the Sabines who by a notable pollicie recouered a great victorie And bicause the Sabines doubled a freshe onset without any order of battell or good aduisement they were ouerthrowen and then constrained to make peticion for peace The citie of Collatia and the Coūtrie confining vpon the same was taken from the Sabines The Sabine warres being in this sortended Tarquinius in triumphant maner 〈◊〉 to Rome At that time a prodige and miraculous 〈◊〉 chaunced to be séene in the Palace The head of a childe whose name was Seruius Tullius lying a sléepe in the palace was séene to burne The king was brought to sée that miracle And as one of his seruants was going to fetch water to quēch the fire he was staid by the Quene who commaunded that the childe should not once be touched vntill he awaked of himselfe And so soone as he rose from sléepe the fire vanished Then she tooke hir husband aside and said doe you sée this childe whom we haue verie basely and negligently brought vp I assure you sir said she he wil be the only safegard and defender of this our doubtfull state and will be the preseruer of our houshold when it is afflicted Wherefore let vs make much of him that is like to be the ornament and a worthie stay to all our familie After that they had accompted him amongs the number of their children traded him vp in those Arts which excite all good dispositions to aspire vnto honoure the pleasure of the Gods appeared in short time For the child grew to a royal behauior in so much as among all the Romane youth there was none more méete to mary the daughter of Tarquinius This Seruius Tullius was the sonne of one Seruius Tullius that was a Captain of a towne called Corniculum at the apprehension whereof it chaunced that the sayd Tullius the father was 〈◊〉 leauing his wife great with child the mother being a captiue and bonde woman was deliuered of hir childe at Rome in the house of Priscus Tarquinius After Tarquinius had raigned xxxviij yeres the yong man began to growe to great honor and estimation aswell with the king himself as also with the Fathers Then the Romanes conceiued a hateful indignation against the king for that he being put in trust to be the Tutor gouernor of Ancus children displaced them from their right inheritance and specially for that he himself was a stranger fearing also that the kingdom should not return againe to the election of themselues but degenerat and grow into seruile bondage They also called to remembrāce that the Citie continewed one hundred yeres after the sublation of Romulus an intier kingdome within one Citie and that it was a shame for them to suffer a bondman borne of seruile kind to possesse the same and would rebound to their perpetual ignominie hauing the progenie of Ancus aliue to suffer the same to be open to straungers and bōdmen Wherfore they determined to defend the griefe of that iniurie and to be reuenged rather vpon Tarquinius than vpon Seruius In fine they committed the execution of that fact to two shepherds chosen out for that purpose Who deuised this pollicie Before the entrie into the Palace they fell togither by the eares vpon which fray all the kings officers assembled and repaired thither to know the cause of their falling out when they were parted they appealed to the king with such exclamation as they were heard to the Palace Being called before the king both of them fell to brawling and one of thē striued of purpose to hinder the tale of the other The kings sergeant rebuked them commaunding them to tel their tales in order Whē they were a litle quieted one of thē beginneth to discourse the tale And as the king was attentife to heare the plaintif the other toke vp a hatchet threw it at the king and leauing the weapon sticking in the wound they conueied themselues out of the dores Those that waited vpon the King made hast to relieue him and the sergeants followed to apprehende the malefactors With that a hurlie burlie rose amōgs the people euery man maruelling what the matter shoulde be Tanaquil commaunded the palace gates to be shut and séeketh remedie to cure hir husbande as though some hope of life had bene remaining When hope failed of his recouerie shée called Seruius before hir which maried hir daughter and shewed vnto him hir dead husbande holding him fast by the right hande shée intreated him that he would not suffer the death of his father in lawe to be vnreuenged to the intent he might not be ridiculous to the traitours saying to him further these words If thou be a man of thy hands O Seruius the kingdom is thine and not theirs which thus cruelly by the hands of other haue committed this abhominable facte Wherefore put forth thy selfe and the Gods be thy guide For they did portende this noble head to be the Gouernour of this citie at such time as they circumfused the same with a fire descendyng from aboue Let that heauenly 〈◊〉 excite thy courage Be throughly awaked We being straungers sometime haue raigned Thinke and consider what thou art not from whence thou camest If the strangenesse of the case doe affray thée my counsel from time to time shall relieue thée The crie and stirre of the people being vnmesurable that one could scarse heare an other Tanaquill opened the windowes that had their prospect to the new way for the King dwelt at the temple of
liuely example to thée which could neuer finde any 〈◊〉 stay vnder the Moones globe He was the mightiest and the richest 〈◊〉 that raigned in Affrica and now is the most miserable vnluckie wight that liueth 〈◊〉 lande The Gods graunt that I be no prophete or 〈◊〉 of future euill whose omnipotencie I deuoutlye beséech to suffer thée and thy posteritie in Numide and most happily to raigne Uonchsafe then to 〈◊〉 me from the Romanes thraldome which if thou be not able safely to bring to passe death vnto me shall bée most hartily welcome In speaking those words she toke the Kings right hand and many times swéetly kissed the same And then hir teares turned into pleasant cheare in such wise as not onely the minde of the armed and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Prince was moued to mercie but 〈◊〉 wrapped in the amorous nets of the Ladie whereby the victour was subdued by the vanquished and the Lorde surprised of his captiue vnto whom with treÌ„bling voice thus he answered Make an end O Sophonisba of thy large complaint abandon thy conceyued feare for I will not onely ridde thée from the Romanès handes but also take thée to my 〈◊〉 wife if thou therwith shalt be content whereby thou shalte not leade a prisoners life but passe thy youthfull dayes and 〈◊〉 age if Gods doe graunt thée life so long as Quéene vnto a King wife vnto a Romane frende When he had sayd so with wéeping teares he kissed and embraced hir She by the 〈◊〉 signes gestes and interrupted 〈◊〉 comprehending that the mind of the Numide King was kindled with feruent loue the more to inflame the same she behaued hir selfe in such pitiful plight as the beastly hearts of the Hircane Tigres woulde haue bene made gentle and dispoiled of all fierceness For againe she fel downe at his féete and kissed the armed sabbatons vpon that same bedewing them with hir warme teares And after many sobbes and infinite sighes comforted by him she sayd O the glorie and honor of all the Kings that euer were bée or shall be hereafter O the safest aide of Carthage mine unhappie countrey without desert and nowe the present and most terrible astonishment If my hard fortune and great distresse after so greate ruine might haue bene relieued what greater fauore what thing in all my life coulde chaunce more and fortunate vnto me than to bée called wife of thée O I blessed aboue all other women to haue a man so noble and famous to husband O mine aduenturous and most happie ruine O my moste fortunate miserie that such a glorious and incomparable mariage was prepared for me But bicause the Gods be coÌ„trary vnto me and the due ende of my life approcheth â—easse from henceforth my deare soueraigne Lorde to kindle againe in me my hope half dead or rather consumed and spent bicause I sée my selfe wrapped in a state that in vaine against the pleasures of the Gods I go about to molest thée A great gift and to say the truthe a right great good turne I make accompte to haue receiued of thée if myne owne death I should procure that dying by thy meanes or with thy handes which were more acceptable I should escape the feare of the Romanes thrall all and subiection and this soule deliuered of the same should streight way passe into the Elysian fieldes The final scope of this my humble playnt is to rydone from the handes handes the Romanes whose thraldome to suffer I had rather die The other benefit which thou dost frankly offer to me poore wretche I dare not desire much lesse require the same bicause the preseÌ„t state of my mishappe dareth not presume so high But this thy pitie and compassion ioyned with louing regard and mind toward me mightie Ioua with all the other Gods rewarde and blesse thy gotten kingdome with long raigne enlarging the same with more ample boundes to thine eternall renoum and praise And I do not only render humble thankes for this thy kinde and louing enterteinmeÌ„t but also yelde my selfe thine owne so long as life gouerneth this caitife corps of myne These wordes were pronounced with such effecte as Massinissa was not able for pitie to hold his teares which watred so his comely forme as the dewe therof soaked into his tender heart and not able a long time to speake at last thus he sayd Gyue ouer O my Quéene these cares and thoughts drie vp thy cries 〈◊〉 plaints make an ende of all these dolorous sutes and reioyce that frowarde Fortune hath changed hir mind the Gods no doubt with better successe will perfourme the rest of thy liuing dayes Thou shalt heÌ„ceforth remain 〈◊〉 Quéene wife for pledge whereof the sacred Godheadâ— I call to witnesse But if perchauÌ„ce which the thuÌ„dring mightie God aboue forbid that I shall bée forced to render thée the Romanes prisoner be well assured that on liue they shal not possesse thée For credit and accomplishment of this promisse and in signe of his assured faith he reached his right haÌ„d to Sophonisba and led hir into the inner lodgyng of the Kyngs Palace where afterwarde Massinissa with him self considering how he might perform his promised faith â— ered and troubled with a thousande cogitations séeing in a manner his manifest ouerthrow and ruine at hande prouoked with mad and temerarious loue the very same day in open presence he toke hir to wife solemnizing that mariage which afterwards 〈◊〉 vnto him great veration trouble meaning by the same to haue discharged Sophonisba froÌ„ the Romanes rule order But when Laelius was come and heard tell therof 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and chased with 〈◊〉 wordes coÌ„maunded Massinissa to send his new maried wife as the bootie and praie of the Romanes together with Syphax to their Captaine Scipio Notwithstanding vanquished with the supplications and teares of Massinissa referring the matter wholly to the iudgement of Scipio he dispatched Syphax with the other prisoners and bootie to the Romane campe and he himself remained with Massinissa for the recouerie of other places of the Kingdome minding not to returne before the whole prouince were brought vnder the Romane subiection In that meane time Laelius gaue 〈◊〉 vnto Scipio of the successe of Massinissa his mariage Who knowing the same to be so hastily celebrated was maruellously offended troubled in minde much maruellyng that Massinissa would make such post hast before the comming of Laelius Yea vpon the very first day of his entrie into Cirta that hée would 〈◊〉 that vnaduised wedding the greater was Scipio his displeasure towards Massinissa for 〈◊〉 the loue which he had conceiued of that woman was vnsemely and dishonest wondering not a little that he could not finde out some Ladie within the region of Spaine of 〈◊〉 beautie and 〈◊〉 to please and content his honest and commendable intent wherfore he iudged Massinissa his 〈◊〉 to be done out of time to the preiudice and great decay of his honor estimation 〈◊〉 like a wise and
toke the poysoned cuppe and said vnto the messanger Giue the king thy maister right humble thankes in my behalfe and say vnto him that I receiue and drinke this poyson with a will so good as if he had commaunded me to enter in triumph with Laurell garlande ouer mine ennimies For a better gift a husband can not giue to wife than accomplishment of assured faith the funeralls whereof shall be done with present obsequie And saying nothing else vnto the Messanger she toke the cuppe and myngling well together the poyson within she vnfearfully 〈◊〉 it vp And 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 had dronke the same she deliuered the messanger his cuppe againe and layed hir selfe vpon hir bed commaūding hir Gentlewomen in comely wise to couer hir with clothes and without lamentation or signe of Feminine minde shée stoutly waighted for approching death The Gentlewomen which waited vpon hir bewaited the rufull state of their 〈◊〉 esse whose plaints and schriches were heard throughout the palace wherof the brute and rumor was great But the good Quéene vanquished with the strong force of the poyson remained not long before she died The Messanger returned these heauie newes vnto Massinissa who sorowfully complained the losse of his beloned wife in such wise as many tymes hée was like to kill him selfe that his soule might haue accompanied the ghost of hir which was beloued of hym aboue all the deerest things of the worlde The valiaunt and wise captaine Scipio vnderstanding hereof to the intent Massinissa shoulde not commit any crueltie against himselfe or perpetrate other vncomely déede called hym before him and comforted him with the swéetest wordes he could deuise and friendly reproued him for the little faith and trust that he had in him The next day in the 〈◊〉 of all the arinie he highly commended him and rewarded him with the Kingdome of Numidia giuing hym many rich iewels and treasures and brought him in great estimation amōgs that Romans which the Senate and people of Rome very well approned and cōfirmed with most ample priuileges attributing vnto him the title of King of Numidia and frend of the Romanes Such was the eude of the vnhappie loue of kyng 〈◊〉 and the faire and unluckie Quéene Sophonisba Poris and Theoxena ¶ The crueltie of a King of 〈◊〉 who forced a Gentlewomā called THEOXENA to persuade hir children to kill and poison them selues after which facte she and hir husband PORIS ended their life by drovvning The. viij Nouell BUt sith wée haue begon to treat of the stoutnesse of certaine noble Quéenes I will not let also to recite the Historie of a like vnfearefull dame of Thessalian lande called Theoxena of right noble race the daughter of Herodicus prince of that cūtrey in the time that Philip the sonne of Demetrius was king of Macedone tolde also by Titus Liuius as two of the former be This lady Theoxena first was a notable exāple of 〈◊〉 vertue afterwardes of rigorous crueltie For the said King Philip hauing through his wickednesse first murdred Herodicus and by succession of time cruelly done to death also the husbands of Theoxena and of Archo hir natural sister vnto either of them being widowes remaining a sonne afterwardes Archo beyng maried againe to one of the principall of their countrey named Poris of him she had many childrē But when she was dead that sayd ladie Theoxena hir sister who was of heart more cōstant and stoute than the other stil refused the second mariage although sued vnto by many great lordes and princes at length pitying hir nephewes state for scare they shold fal into the handes of some cruell stepdame or that their father would not bring them vp with such diligence as till that time they were was contented to be espoused again to Poris no lawe that time knowen to defend the same to the intent she might traine vp hir sisters children as hir owne That done she began as if they wer hir own to intreate and vse them louingly with great care and 〈◊〉 wherby it 〈◊〉 appeared that she was not 〈◊〉 againe to Poris for hir own commoditie and pleasure but 〈◊〉 for the welth and gouernement of those hir sisters children Afterwards Philip king of Macedon an vnquiete Prince determining to make new warres vpon the Romanes then throughout the worlde famous and 〈◊〉 for their 〈◊〉 fortune 〈◊〉 not onely the chief and noble men but almost all the auncient inhabi 〈◊〉 of the Cities along the sea coast of Thessalia and their whole and entier families into Peonia afterwards called Emathia a countrey farre distant from the sea giuing their voided cities for the Thracians to inhabite as most propre and faithfull for the Romains warres which he intended to make and hearing also the 〈◊〉 maledictions pronoūced against him by the banished people and vniuersally by all other thoughte hée was in no good suretie if he caused not likewise all the sonnes of them whome a little before he had 〈◊〉 to be put to death Wherfore he commaunded them to be taken and holden vnder good garde inprison not to do them all to be 〈◊〉 at once but at times now one and then an other as 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Theoxena vnderstanding the 〈◊〉 of this wicked and cruell King and well remembring the death of hir husband and of him that was husband to hir sister knew wel that hir sonne and nephew 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 be demaunded and greatly 〈◊〉 the Kings wrath and the rigour of his Guarde if once they fell into their handes to defende them from shame and crueltie sodeinly applied hir minde vnto a straunge deuice For shée durst to say vnto hir husband their fathers sace that sooner 〈◊〉 would kill them with hir owne handes if otherwise she coulde not warraunt 〈◊〉 than suffer them to bée at the will and power of King Philip. By reason wherof Poris abhorring 〈◊〉 erecrable crueltie to comforte his wife and to saue his children promised hir secretely to transporte them from thence and caried them himselfe to certain of his faithful friends at Athenes which done without long delay he made as though he would go from Thessalonica to Aenias to be at the 〈◊〉 of certaine sacrifices which yearely at an appointed time was done with great ceremonies to the honour of Aenêas the 〈◊〉 of that citie where spending the time amongs other in solemne bankets the. iij. watch of the night when euery mā was a slepe as though he woulde haue returned home to his countrey with his wife children priuily he embarketh him selfe and them in a shyppe hired of purpose to passe into Euboea and not to 〈◊〉 to Thessalonica But his entent was cleane altered chaunged for his shippe was no sooner vnder saile but at that instant a contrarie winde and tempest rose that brought him backe againe in despite of their labour and all the endeuour they were able to doe And when daye light appeared the Kyngs garrison descried that shippe and manned out a boate to bring in the same
other I will carrie with me to Rome not as prisoner but as hostage pledge from thée The prisoners which thou haste of ours shal bée rendred in exchange for those which we haue of thyne without ransome of eyther parts And by théese meanes thou shalt remaine honored in Asia and I contented will retorne to Rome The Gods bée thy defense preserue our mother the citie of Rome from all vnhappie fortune The Quéene Zenobia hauing reade the letter of the Emperour Aurelianus without feare of the contentes incontinently made such answere as followeth Zenobia Quéene of Palmyres and Ladie of all Asia and the kingdomes thereof to thée Aurelianus the Emperour helth and consolation c. That thou doe intitle thy selfe with the Emperour of the Romanes I do agrée but to presume to name thy selfe lorde of the East kingdomes I saye therein thou doest offende For thou knowest well that I alone am Lady Regent of all the Orient the onely dame maistres of the same The one part wherof descended vnto me by lawfull inheritaunce from my predecessors and the other part I haue wonne by my prowesse and dedes of armes Thou sayest that if I rendre obedience vnto thée thou wilt doe me greate honor To that I answere that it were a dishonest part of me and a déede moste vniust that the Gods hauing created Zenobia to comaunde all Asia she should nowe begyn to be slaue thrall vnto the citie of Rome Semblablie thou sayest that thou wilt gyue and leaue me all the golde siluer and other riches which I haue Whervnto I answer that it is a wicked and fonde request to dispose the goodes of another as they were thine owne But thine eyes shall neuer sée it ne yet thy handes shal touch it but rather I hope in the Gods aboue to bestow and crye a larges of that which thou haste at Rome before thou finger that which I haue possesse in Asia Truely Aurelianus the warres which thou makest against me and thy quarell bée most vniust before the supernall Gods and verie vnreasonable before men and I for my part if I haue entred or doe take armes it is but to defend my selfe and myne Thy comming then into Asia is for none other purpose but to spoyle make hauocke of that which an other hath And thinke not that I am greatly afrayde of that name of Roman Prince nor yet of the power of thyne huge armie For if it bée in thy handes to gyue battell it belongeth onely to the gods to giue eyther to thée or me the victory That I remaine in field it is to me greate fame but thou to fight with a widdowe oughtest truely to bée ashamed Ther be come vnto myne ayde and Campe the Persians the Medes the Agamēnonians the Irenees the Syrians and with them all the Gods immortall who bée woont to chastice such proude princes as thou arte and to helpe poore widows as I am And if it so come to passe that the Gods doe permit suffre my lucke to bée such as thou doe bereue me of life and dispoile me of goods yet it wil be bruted at Rome and published in Asia that the wofull wight Zenobia was ouerthrowne and slaine in defense of hir patrimonie and for the conseruation of hir husbandes honor Labor no more then Aurelianus to flatter and pray me nor yet to threaten me require me no more to yelde and become thy prisoner nor yet to surrender that which I haue for by doing that I can I accomplish that I ought For it will be saide and noysed through the world may it so come to passe as Fortune doe not fauor me that if the Empresse Zenobia bée captiue she was not yet vanquished The sonne which thou 〈◊〉 to carie with thée to Rome truely that request I cannot abide and much lesse doe meane to 〈◊〉 the same knowing full well that thy house is stored full of manyfolde vices where myne is garnished with many notable Philosophers Wherby if I leaue vnto my children no great heapes of goodes yet they shal be well taught and instructed For the one halfe of the day they spende in Learnyng and the other halfe in exercise of Armes For conclusion of thy demaunde and finall answer thervnto I pray thée trauell no more by letters to write vnto me ne yet by ambassage to spende any 〈◊〉 talke but attend vntill our controuersie bée decided rather by force of armes than by vttered wordes The Gods preserue thée It is said that Aurelianus receiuing that answere did reioyce but when he had redde it hée was greatly offended which incontinently hée made to bée knowne by gathering together his Campe and besieging the Citie wherin Zenobia was And Aurelianus wroth and outraged with that answere although his armie was werie and halfe in dispaire by reason of the long warres yet hée vsed suche diligence and expedition in the siege of that place as the 〈◊〉 was taken and the citie rased which done the Emperour Aurelianus retourned to Rome carying wyth hym Zenobia not to doe hir to death but to tryumphe ouer hir At what tyme to sée that noble Ladie goe on foote and marche before the triumphing Chariot bare 〈◊〉 charged wyth that burden of heauie chaūce and hir two children by hir side truly it made the Roman Matrons to conceiue great pitie being well knowen to all the Romanes that neither in valo rous dedes nor yet in vertue or chastitie any mā or woman of hir time did 〈◊〉 hir The dayes of the triumph being done al the noble Ladies of Rome assembled and repaired to Zenobia and vsed vnto hir greate and honorable enterteinement giuing hir many goodly presents and rewardes And Zenobia liued in the companie of those noble matrones the space of x. yeares béefore she dyed in estimation like a Lucrecia and in honor lyke a Cornelia And if Fortune had accompanied hir personage so well as vertue and magnanimitie Rome had felt the egrenesse of hir displeasure and the whole world tasted the swetenesse of hir regiment Euphimia of Corinth ¶ EVPHIMIA the King of 〈◊〉 daughter fell in loue with ACHARISTO the seruant of hir father and besides others which required hir to mariage she disdained PHILON the king of PELOPONESVS that loued hir 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 ACHARISTO conspiring against the king was discouered tormented and put in prison by meanes of 〈◊〉 deliuered The king promised his daughter and kingdome to him that presented the heade of ACHARISTO EVPHIMIA so wrought as he was presented to the King The King gaue him his daughter to wyfe and when he dyed made him his heyre ACHARISTO began to hate his wyfe and condemned hir to death as an adulteresse PHILON deliuered hir vpon the sute of hir subiects she is cōtented to marie him therby he is made king of Corinth The. xv Nouel COnstancie in Honeste loue beyng a perfect vertue and a precious ornament to the beloued indewing 〈◊〉 besides ioy and contentacion
riueld for age and Sunneburned with heate and continuall Countrey trauaile and that which moued most the standers by was the ruefull looke of the good olde man who casting his lookes héere there beheld eche one with his holow dolorous eyes in such wise as if hée had not spoken any woord hys countenaunce wold haue moued the Lords to haue compassion vpon his misery his teares wer of such force as the Duke which was a wise man and who measured things by reasons guide prouided with wisedome and foreséeing not without timely iudgement wold know the cause which made that man so to make his playnt and notwithstāding assailed with what suspition I know not would not haue him openly to tel his tale but leading the olde man aside he sayd vnto him My friend 〈◊〉 that gréeuous faultes and of great importance ought grieuously and openly to be punished yet it chaunceth oftentimes that hée which in a heate and choler dothe execution for the guilt although that iustly after hée hath disgested his rage at leasure hée repenteth his rigor and ouer sodaine seueritie offense being natural in man may sometime where slander is not euident by milde and mercifull meanes forget the same without infringing or violating the holy and ciuil constitutions of Lawmakers I speake thus much bicause my heart doeth throbbe that some of my house haue done some filthy fault against thée or some of thine Now I would not that they openly should be slaundered and yet lesse pretend I to leaue their faultes vnpunished specially such as by offensiue crime the common peace is molested wherein my desire is that my people doe liue For which purpose God hath constituted Princes Potestates as shepheards and guids of his 〈◊〉 to the end that the 〈◊〉 fury of the vitious might not destroy deuoure and scatter the impotent 〈◊〉 of no valoure if it be forsaken and left forlorne by the mighty armes of Principalities and Monarchies A singuler modesty doubtlesse and an incredible example of clemency in him whome his Citizens thought to be a Tyrant and vniust vsurper of a frée Seigniorie who so priuely and with such familiaritie as the friend could wishe of his companion hearkened to the cause of a poore Countrey man and moreouer his modesty so great as hée would it not to be knowen what fault it was or else that the offenders should publikely be accused offering for all that to be the reuenger of the wrong done vnto the poore and the punisher of the iniurie exercised against the desolate a woork certainly worthy of a true christian Prince which establisheth kingdomes decayed conserueth those that be rendring the Prince to be beloued of God and feared of his Subiects The pore olde man seing the Duke in so good minde and that accordingly hée demaunded to knowe the wrong done vnto him the name of the factor and that also hée had promysed hym his helpe ryghtfull correction due vnto the deserued fault the good olde man I say conceiuing courage recited from point to point the whole discourse of the rape and the violence done vpon his poore vertuous daughter 〈◊〉 claring besides the name and surname of those which accompanied the Gentleman the author of that conspiracy who as we haue already sayd was one that was in greatest fauor with the Duke who not withstanding the loue that he bare to the accused hearing the vnworthinesse of a déede so execrable said As God liueth this is a detestable facte and well deserueth a sharp and cruell punishment Not withstanding 〈◊〉 take good héede that you doe not mistake the same by accusing one for an other for the Gentleman whome thou haste named to be the rauisher of thy daughter is of all men déemed to be very honest and doe well assure thée that if I finde thée a lyer thy heade shall answer for example to eche false accuser and slaunderer in time to come But if the matter be so true as thou hast sayd I promise thée by the faith I beare to God so well to redresse thy wrong as thou shalt haue cause to be throughly satisfied with my iustice To whome the good old man thus answered My Lord the matter is so true as at this day he kéepeth my daughter like a cōmon strumpet in his house And if it please your highnesse to send thither you shall know that I doe vse no false accusation or lying wordes before you my Lord and Prince in presence of whome as before the minister and lieuetenant of God man ought not to speake but truely and religiously Sith it is so sayd the Duke get thée home to thy house where God willing I will be this day at dinner but take hede vpon thy life thou say nothing to any man what so euer it be for the rest let me alone I will prouide according to reason The good man almost so glad for his good exploit as the day before hée was sorowfull for his losse ioyfully went home to his homely house Countrey cabaue which he 〈◊〉 to be made ready so well as hée could attending the comming of his deliuerer succor support and iudge who when he had heard seruice commaūded his horsse to be sadled for sayd he I heare say there is a wilde Boare haunting hereby so wel lodged as is possible to sée we will goe thither to wake him from his sléepe ease and vse that passe time til dinner be redy So departing frō Florence he rode straight vnto that Mil where his dinner was made ready by his seruauntes There he dined very soberly and vsing fewe wordes vnto his companie sate still all pensiue musing vpon that he had to doe For on the one side the grauitie of that 〈◊〉 moued him rigorously to chastise him which had committed the sante with all crueltie and insolencie On the other side the loue which he bare him mollifying his heart made him change his minde and to moderate his sentence The Princes minde thus wandering betwéene loue and rigor one brought him worde that the Dogs had rousde the great est Hart that euer he sawe which newes pleased him very much for by that meanes he sent away the multitude of his Gentlemen to follow that chase retaining with him his most familiar friends and those that were of his priuy and secrete councell whome he would to be witnesses of that which he intended to doe and causing his hoast to come before him he sayd My friend thou must bring vs to the place wherof this morning thou toldest me that I may discharge my promise The Courtiers wōdred at those words ignorant wherunto that same were spoken but the good man whose heart lept for ioy as already féeling some great benefit at hand and honour prepared for the beautifying of his house séeing the Duke on horsse backe ran bisides him in steade of his Lackey with whome the Prince helde much pleasant talke all along the way as they went togither 〈◊〉 they had
betwene sir Vlrico and them might procéede disclosing vnto him in few words the effect of all their talke which frankly was graunted by the king But the Barons added a Prouiso that when they hadde wonne their wager the Knight by no meanes should hurt his wife and from that time forth shold giue ouer his false opinion that women were not naturally giuen to the sutes and requests of amorous persones The Boeme Knighte who was assured of his wiues great honesty and loyall fayth beleued so true as the Gospell the proportion and qualitie of the image who in all the time that he was far off neuer perceiued the same to be either pale or blacke but at that tyme lookyng vpon the image he perceiued a certaińe yealow colour to rise as he thought his wife was by some loue pursued but yet sodainly it returned againe to his naturall hewe which boldned him to say these wordes to the Hungarian barons Ye be a couple of pleasant and vnbeleuing Gentlemen and haue conceyued so 〈◊〉 opinion as euer men of your callyng did but sith you procede in your obstinate follie and wil nedes guage all the lands and goodes you haue that you bée able to vanquishe my wiues honest and chast hearte I am contented for the singular credite which I repose in hir to ioyne with you and will pledge the poorelyuing I haue for proofe of mine opinion and shal accomplish all other your requests made here before the maiesties of the King and Quéene And therefore 〈◊〉 it 〈◊〉 youre highnesse sith this fonde deuise can not be beaten 〈◊〉 of their heads to giue licence vnto those noble men the lords Vdislao and Alberto so wer they called to put in proofe the merie conceipt of their disposed mindes wherof they do so greatly bragge and I 〈◊〉 your good grace and fauoure am content to agrée to their demaundes and we answered the Hungarians doe once againe affirme the same whiche we haue spoken The Kyng wylling to haue them gyue ouer that strife was intreated to the contrary by the Barons whervpon the King perceiuing their follies caused a decrée of the bargaine to be put in writing either parties interchaungeably subscribing the same Whiche done they tooke their leaues Afterwardes the two Hungarians beganne to put their enterprise in order and agréed betwene themselues Alberto to be the first that shoulde aduenture vpon the Lady And that within 〈◊〉 wéekes after vpon his retourne the Lorde Vladislao should procéede These things concluded 〈◊〉 all furnitures for their seuerall iorneys disposed the Lorde Alberto departed in good order with two 〈◊〉 directly trauailyng to that castle of the Boeme knight where béeing arriued hée lyghted at an Inne of the towne adioyning to the castle and demaunding of the hoste the conditions of the Ladie hée vnderstode that she was a very faire woman and that hir honestie and loue towardes hir husbande farre excelled hir 〈◊〉 Which wordes nothing 〈◊〉 the amorous 〈◊〉 but when he hadde pulled of his bootes and richely 〈◊〉 hymselfe he repaired to the Castle and 〈◊〉 at the Gates gaue the Ladie to vnderstande that he was come to sée hir Shée whiche was a curteous Gentlewoman caused him to be brought in and 〈◊〉 gaue hym honourable intertainement The 〈◊〉 greatly mused vpon the beautie and goodlinesse of the Ladye singularly commendyng hir honest order and behauiour And beyng sette downe the yong Gentleman sayde vnto hir Madame moued with the 〈◊〉 of your surpassing beautie which now I sée to be more excellent than Fame with hir swiftest wyngs is able to carie I am come from the Court to view and sée if that were true or whether lying brutes had 〈◊〉 their vulgar talke in vaine but fyndyng the same 〈◊〉 more fine and pure than erst I dyd expect I craue licence of your Ladyshyp to conceiue none 〈◊〉 of this my 〈◊〉 and rude attempte and herewithall he began to ioyne many trifling and vaine words which daliyng suters by heate of lustie blood be wont to shote forth to declare thē selues not to be spechlesse or tong-tied Whiche the Lady well espying spéedily imagined into what port his 〈◊〉 barke would arriue 〈◊〉 in the ende when she sawe his shippe at roade began to enter in pretie louyng talke by litle and litle to incourage his fonde attempt The Baron thinkyng he had caught the Eele by the taile not well practised in Cicero his schoole ceased not 〈◊〉 to contriue the 〈◊〉 by makyng hir beléeue that hée was farre in loue The Ladie wearie God wote of his fonde 〈◊〉 and amorous reasons and yet not to séeme scornefull made hym good countenance in such wise as the Hungarian two or thrée dayes dydde nothing else but procéede in vayne pursute Shée perceyuing hym to bée but a 〈◊〉 of the fyrste coate deuysed to recompense hys Follies wyth suche enterteynemente as duryng all hys lyfe hée shoulde kéepe the same in good remembraunce Wherefore not long after faynyng as thoughe hys greate wysedome vttered by cloquente talke hadde 〈◊〉 hir shée sayde thus vnto hym My 〈◊〉 the reasons you produce and youre pleasaunt gesture in my house haue so inchaunted me that impossible it is but I must 〈◊〉 agrée vnto youre wyll for where I neuer thoughte duryng lyfe to stayne the puritie of mariage bedde and determined continually to preserue my selfe inuiolablye for my husbande 〈◊〉 Noble grace and curteous behauioure haue I saye so bewitched mée that readie I am to bée at youre commaundement humbly 〈◊〉 youre honor to beware that knowledge hereof maye not come vnto mine husbands eares who is so 〈◊〉 and cruell and loueth me so dearely as no doubt he will without further triall either him self kil me or otherwise procure my 〈◊〉 to the intent none of my house may suspect our doings I shal desire you to morow in the morning about nine of the clocke which is the 〈◊〉 time of your repaire hither to come vnto my castle wherin when you bée entred spéedily to mount vp to the chamber of the highest 〈◊〉 ouer the dore wherof ye shall fynde the armes of my husbande entailed in marble and when you be entred in to shut the 〈◊〉 fast after you and in the meane tyme I wil waite and and prouide that none shall molest and trouble vs and then shall bestowe our selues for accomplishement of that which your loue desireth Now in very déede this chamber was a very strong prison ordeined in auncient time by the progenitours of that territorie to imprison and punish the bassals and tenants of the same for offenses and crimes committed The Baron hearyng thys liberall offer of the Ladie thinking that he had obteyned the summe of all his ioye so gladde as if he had conquerēd a whole kingdome the best contented man aliue thankyng the Ladie for hir curteous answere departed and retourned to his Inne 〈◊〉 knoweth vpon howe mery a pinne the hearte of thys yong Baron was sette and after he had liberally banketted his hoste and