ouer the riuer of Tybre arriued at Rome in sauftie whiche beyng redemaūded by Porsenna wer sent backe againe The kyng driuen into a wōderfull admiracion for the desperate and manly enterprises doen by the Romane nacion retourned the maiden home againe to Rome In whose honour the Romanes erected an Image on horsebacke placed at the vpper ende of the strete called Sacra via And so peace was concluded betwene Porsenna and the Romanes Martius Coriolanus goyng about to represse the common people of Rome with dearth of Corne was banished For reuengemeut whereof he perswaded Accius Tullius Kyng of the Volscians to make warres vpon the Romanes and he hymself in their aide came in his own persone The citie brought to greate miserie the fathers deuised meanes to deliuer the same and sent into the Volscian campe the mother the wife and children of Coriolanus Upon whose cōplaintes Coriolanus withdrewe the Volscians And the Citie was reduced to qiuetnesse ¶ The .iiij. Nouell IN the yere that Titus Geganius Publius Minutius were Consuls when all thinges were quiet abrods and dissensiō at home appeased an other greate mischief inuaded the citie Firste a dearth of victuals by reason the lande was vntilled by the peoples departure then a famine suche as chaunceth to the besieged whiche had brought a greate destruccion of people had not the Consuls forséen the same by prouision in forren places Thei sent purueiors into Scicilia but the malice of the cities adioynyng staied the prouision that was made a farre of The Corne prouided at Cumas was staied for the goodes of Tarquinius by Aristodemus the tirant whiche was his heire The next yere folowyng a great masse of corne was transported out of Scicile in the tyme of the Consuls M. Minutius and A. Sempronius Then the Senate consulted vpon the distribucion of the same vnto the people Diuers thought that the tyme was then come to bridle and oppresse the people whereby thei might recouer those priuileges that were extorted from the fathers Emonges whiche Martius Coriolanus a yong gentleman was the chiefest who beyng an enemie to the Tribune aucthoritie said these wordes If the people will haue victualles and corne at that price whereat it was assised and rated in time past then it is mete and necessarie that thei rēder to the fathers their aunciente aucthoritie and priuilege For to what purpose be the plebeian Magistrates ordeined For what consideracion shall I suffer my self to bee subiugated vnder the aucthoritie of Sicinius as though I were conuersant emonges theues Shall I abide these iniuries any longer to continue then is necessarie I that could not suffer Tarquinius the kyng shall I be pacient with Sicinius Let Sicinius departe if he will let him drawe the people after hym the waie yet is open to the sacred hill and to the other mountaignes Let them robbe vs of our Corne whiche thei tooke awaie from our owne lande as thei did thrée yeres passe let them inioye the victualles whiche in their furie thei did gather I dare bée bolde to saie thus muche that béeyng warned and tamed by this present penurie thei had rather plowe and till the lande then thei would suffre the same to be vncultured by withdrawyng thē selues into Armure It is not so easie to bée spokē as I thanke it maie with facilitie bée brought to passe that vpon condicions the prices of victualles should be abated the fathers might remoue the aucthoritie of the Tribunes and disanull all those lawes whiche against their willes were ratefied and confirmed This sentence seemed cruell to the fathers and almoste had set the people together by the eares who would haue torne hym in péeces had not the Tribunes appoincted a daie for his apparance Wherevpon their furie for that tyme was appeased Coriolanus seyng the peoples rage to encrease and consideryng that thei should bée his Iudge when the daie of his apparance was come he absented hymself and for lacke thereof was condempned Then he fledde to the Volscians of whom he was gently interteigned and lodged in the house of Accius Tullius the chief of that citie and a deadly enemie to the Romanes Upon daily conference and consultacion had betwene theim thei consulted by what sleight or pollicie thei might comence a quarrell againste the Romanes And bicause thei doubted that the Volscians would not easely bee perswaded therevnto beyng so oft vanquished and ill intreated thei excogitated some other new occasion In the meane time T. Latinius one of the plebeian sorte perceiuyng that the Romanes went about to institute great pastimes conceiued a dreame wherin he sawe Iuppiter to speake vnto hym and saied that he liked not the towardnesse of those games and in case the same were not celebrated with greate roialtie and magnificence thei would ingender perill to the citie whiche dreame he declared to the Consuls Then the Senate gaue order that the same should bée addressed with great pompe triumphe wherevnto through thinstigacion of Accius a great nomber of the Volscians resorted But before the plates begonne Tullius accordyng to the compacte agréed vpon betwene hym and Coriolanus secretly repaired to the Consuls and takyng theim a side declared that he had to saie vnto them a matter iouchyng the publike wealthe of their citie vtteryng these woordes I am forced against my will to signifie vnto you a matter concernyng myne owne subiectes and countrie men I come not to accuse them for that thei haue alreadie admitted any thyng but I come to giue you a premonicion left thei should perpetrate some occasion contrary to the order of your citie The disposition of my countrie men is more inconstant then I would wishe whiche we haue felte to our greate losse and decaie The cause of our securitie at this presente is rather suffered by your patience then by our desert Here bée at this instaunte a greate multitude of Volscians Here be games prepared and the citie throughly bent to beholde the same I dooe remember what was doen vpon like occasion in this citie by the Romane youthe I tremble to thinke what maie be rashely attempted wherefore I thought good bothe for your own sakes and for auoidyng of displeasure to foretell you of these thinges And for mine own parte I purpose immediatly to returne home bicause I will auoide the daunger perill that maie chaunce by my presence When he had spoken those wordes he departed The Consuls immediatly recompted the request of Accius to the Senate who more estemyng the personage from whēce the same did procede then the matter that was spoken determined to prouide a remedy for the same and immediatly caused the Volscians to auoide the citie sendyng officers about to commaunde theim to departe that night vpon whiche sodein commaundemente at the first thei began to meruaile what should be the cause And afterwardes thei conceiued a greate grief and offence for that vnneighbourly enterteignement And as thei wer passyng out of the citie in a long traine Tullius beyng vpō
in this order but their substaunce lefte them by their father was verie muche consumed And their reuenues not able to maintaine their expences began to decrease wherevpon thei were faine to morgage and sell their inheritaunce in suche wise as in the ende thei grewe to extreme pouertie And then penurie did opē their eyes in like sort as before richesse had closed them vp For which cause Lamberto vpon a daie did call his other twoo brethren vnto hym and tolde them of what honour their father was to what value his richesse did amounte and now to what pouertie thei wer come through their disordinate expences giuyng them counsaill so well as he coulde that before miserie did growe any further vpō them by sellyng that whiche was left thei should goe their waie Whiche thei did And without leaue taken of any man or other solempnitie thei departed from Florence and taried in no place before thei were arriued in Englande Where takyng a litle house in the citie of London thei liued with litle expences and began to lende out their money to vsurie Fortune was so fauourable vnto them by that trade that in fewe yeres thei had gained a verie notable some of money whiche made them one after an other to retire againe to Florence with their substaunce where thei redemed a greate parte of their inheritaunce and bought other lande and so gaue themselues to mariage continewing neuerthelesse in England their money at interest Thei sente thither to be their factour a yonge manne their nephewe called Alexandro And thei three dwellyng still at Florence began againe to forget to what miserie their inordinate expences had broughte them before And albeit thei were charged with housholde yet thei spente out of order and without respecte And were of greate credite with euery Marchaunte whose expences the money that Alexandro many tymes did sende home did helpe to supporte for certaine yeres whiche was lente out to diuerse gentlemen and Barons of the countrie vpon their Castelles Manours and other reuenues whereof was receiued an incredible profite In the meane tyme the three brethren spent so largelie that thei borowed money of other fixyng all their hope from Englande It chaunced contrary to the opinion of al men that warres happened betwene the kyng of England and one of his sonnes whiche bredde muche diuision in that Countrie some holdyng of one part and some of an other By meanes whereof all the manours and morgaged landes were taken awaie from Alexandro hauyng nothing whervpō any profite did rise But daily trustyng that peace should be concluded betwene the father and the sonne And that all thynges should be surrendred aswell the principall as the interest he determined not to departe the countrie The three brethren whiche were at Florrence not limityng any order to their disordinate expences grewe daily worsse and worsse But in processe of tyme when all hope was past of their recouery thei lost not onely their credite but the creditors desirous to be paied were faine to sende thē to prison And bicause their inheritance was not sufficient to paie the whole debt thei remained in prison for the rest And their wiues and childrē were dispersed some into the countrie and some hether and thither out of order not knowing how to do but to abide a poore miserable life for euer Alexandro whiche of long tyme taried for a peace in Englande and seing that it would not come to passe considering with hymself that ouer and besides his vaine abode for recouery of his debtes that he was in daunger of his life he purposed to retourne into Italie And as he traueiled by the waie alone and departed from Bruges by fortune he perceiued an Abbot clothed in white in like maner about to take his iourney accompanied with many Monkes and a greate traine hauyng muche cariage and diuers baggages before After whom rode twoo olde knightes the kinsmenne of the kyng with whom Alexandro entred acquaintance by reason of former knowledge and was receiued into their companie Alexandro then ridyng with thē frendly demaunded what Monkes thei were that rode before with so greate a traine and whether thei wente To whom one of the knightes answered that he whiche rode before was a yonge gentle man their kinsman which was newlie chosen Abbot of one of the best Abbaies in Englande And bicause he was verie yonge and not lawfull by the decrees for suche a dignitie thei went with him to Rome to obteine of the holie father a dispensacion for his age and for a cōfirmacion of that dignitie But thei willed hym to disclose the same to no manne And so this newe Abbot riding sometymes before and sometymes after as we see ordinarilie that lordes doe when thei trauell in the countrie It chaunced that the Abbot perceiuyng Alexandro ridyng besides him whiche was a faire yonge manne honest curteous and familier who at the first meting did so merueilouslie delight him as any thing that euer he sawe in his life and callyng hym vnto hym he began familierlie to talke and asked what he was from whence he came and whether he went To whom Alexandro declared liberallie all his state and satisfied his demaūde offryng vnto hym although his power was little all the seruice he was able to dooe The Abbote hearyng his curteous offer and comelie talke placed in good order consideryng more particulerlie the state of his affaires and waiyng with hym self that albeit his traine was small yet neuerthelesse he semed to be a gentleman and then pitiyng his mishappes he recomforted hym familierlie and saied vnto him that he ought daily to liue in good hope For if he were an honeste manne God would aduaunce him again not onelie to that place frō whence Fortune had throwen hym doune but also to greater estimacion praiyng him that sithēs he was goyng into Thuscane whether he likewise went that it would please him to remaine in his compaine Alexandro thanked hym humblie of his comfort and said vnto him that he was redie to imploie hymself where it should please hym to cōmaunde The Abbot thus riding into whose minde newe thoughtes entred vpon the sight of Alexandro It chaūced after many daies iourneis thei arriued at a village that was but meanlie furnished with lodgyng The Abbot desirous to lodge there Alexandro intreated hym to lighte at the Inne of an hoste whiche was familiarly knowen vnto him and caused a chamber to be made redie for hymself in the worste place of the house And the Marshall of the Abbottes lodgynges beyng alredie come to the Toune whiche was a manne verie skilfull in those affaires he lodged all the traine in that village one here an other there so well as he could And by that time the Abbot had supped night was farre spente and euery man repaired to his bedde Alexandro demaūded the host where he should lie To whom the hoste made answere Of a trouthe Maister Alexandro I knowe not for you see that all my
theÌ„selfes to keepe and defende that none within the Pinnas excepte he would be shot through was able to escape Then retiryng into their skiftes with helpe of the Tide thei approched Landolpho his barke which without any great difficultie in a smalle space thei tooke with all the companie not losyng so muche as one manne And cariyng Landolpho aborde one of their cockes and all within borde his litle Pinnas thei soncke the same and all the Mariners kepte Landolpho sufferyng him not to haue about him any kinde of armure not so muche as an haberion The next daie the winde chaunged and the shippes hoisted vp sailes toward Leuant and all that daie prosperouslie sailed on their voiage But vpon the closyng of the night a storme rose again and separated the twoo shippes one from an other And by force of the winde it chaunced that the Shippe wherein poore Landolpho was strake with greate violence vpon a sande in the Islande of Cephalonia And as one would throwe a glasse against a wall euen so the shippe opened and fill in peces whereby the sorowfull Mariners that stoode aboue the seas beyng couered with gooddes coaffers and planckes of the shippe that swaÌ„me aboue water whiche chaunceth many tymes in suche like accidentes the night beyng darke the billowes goyng high and â—â—â—â—â—â—ble suche as were able to swimme began to take holde of those thinges whiche Fortune gaue vnto theÌ„ Emonges whoÌ„ wretched Landolpho seyng death before his face whiche he so greatlie desired and so many tymes craued the daie before rather then to retourne home in that poore estate was afraied and taught holde of a borde amonges the reste trustyng it might chaunce that God would pardon hym of drownyng and sende hym some refuge for his escape And as he was horsebacke and fletyng vpon a plancke so well as he could driuen here and there with the sea and winde he helde fast the fame till it was daie light whiche when he perceiued he looked aboute hym and sawe nothyng but the cloudes the Seas and a coaffer swimmyng aboue water whiche was driuen so nere hym that it made hym many tymes to feare that it would bee his ouerthrowe And the nerer it came the more he laboured to putte it backe so well as he could with his hande although his force and power was gone But how so euer it chaunced a gale of winde blewe out of the skies and strake the coaffer againste the borde wherevpon Landolpho was who by that meanes driueÌ„ backe was forced to giue ouer the plaÌ„ck and with a billowe was beaten vnder the water and afterwardes remountyng a lofte againe he swamme more through feare then force And seyng the borde caried a farre of from hym fearyng lest he should not bee able to fasten the same again he drewe toward the coafer whiche was nere inough vnto him And laiyng his breast vpon the couer thereof he made it goe so right as he could with his armes And in this maner driueÌ„ by the sea now here now there without eating as hauyng not wherewithall and drinkyng more then he would he continued all that daie and night folowing not knowyng where he was for he sawe nothyng but sea The nexte mornyng either by the will of God or through the windes force LaÌ„dolpho whiche was then transformed into a Sponge holdyng faste with bothe his handes the brimme of the coafer like as we se theÌ„ that feare to bee drouned dooe take holde of the nexte thyng that cometh to hande arriued at the shore af the Isle of Corfu where by fortune a poore woman was scowryng her vessell with Sande and salte water who seyng hym drawe nere and perceiuing in him no forme or fashion of a man was afraied and criyng out ranne backe He not able to speake and se but verie litle could saie nothyng but as the Sea droue hym nere the shore the woman discried the likenes of a coafer and beholdyng the same more aduisedlie sawe at length his armes vpon the same and therewithall his face merueilyng with her self who it should be wherfore moued with compassion she went into the sea a litle waie whiche then was calme and catchyng hym by the heare The pluckte him and the coafer to lande And with muche a doe vnfolded his armes that were about the coafer causyng her maide that was with her to carrie the coafer vpon her bedde And she bare hym to lande like a litle childe whiche dooen she put hym into a hotte house and with warme water by frotting and rubbyng hym his naturall heate and other his senses loste began to come againe into their former course And when he sawe tyme she toke hym out cherishing and comforting him with wines and brothes and so well as she could made him at length to recouer his force in suche wise that he knewe where he was Then the woman deliuered hym his coafer whiche she had saued and hadde hym to seke his aduenture And thus this good wife delte with Landolpho Who litle estemed the coafer but yet he considered that it could not be of so small valour but that it was able to beare his charges for certaine daies But feelyng it light he was cleare voide of hope to haue any succour and relief thereof Neuerthelesse when the good wife was out of the doores he brake open the same to see what was within where he founde many precious Iewelles some bounde together and some lose wherin he had pretie skill And knowyng theÌ„ to be of greate value giuyng thankes to God whiche had not yet forsaken hym was wholie recomforted Howbeit for so muche as in a litle space he had been twise cruellie distressed and tormented by Fortune fearyng the third tyme he thought that it was nedefull for him to take hede how to dispose his thinges in sauftie till he came home to his owne house Wherefore hauing bestowed those precious iewelles in certaine ragges and cloutes so well as he could he saied to the goodwife that he had no neede of the coafer but if she would giue hym a bagge he would bestowe the same vpoÌ„ her Whiche the good wife willinglie did And Landolpho giuyng her so greate thankes as he could for the kindnes whiche he had founde at her handes tooke his leaue and imbarking himself he passed to Branditio and froÌ„ thence froÌ„ place to place till he came to Tranj where finding diuers of the Citie wherein he dwelte that were Drapers he was apparelled of them in a maner of Gods sake to whom he tolde the discourse of all his fortune except the coafer who leÌ„t hym a horse and sent diuers in his companie to bryng hym home to Rauello And when he was in sauftie arriued he thanked God that had brought hym thither where he searched his bougette with more leasure then he did at the firste and founde that he had many stones of so great valoure that selling them at price reasonable for lesse then thei were worthe his substaunce did
Take order in the mean time that all my noble menne the Baschats and the principall of my menne of warre bee assembled together to morowe in the middes of the greate halle of my pallace This determinacion finished the Emperor went into the Greke and reioysyng hymself all that daie and mighte with her he made more of her then euer he did before And the more to flatter her he dined with her and commaunded that after diner she should adorne her self with the moste precious Iewelles and decke her with more sumptuous apparel then euer she did weare before Whervnto the poore wenche obeied not knowyng that it was her Funerall apparell On the other side Mustapha vncertaine of the Emperors mynde at the hower appoincted caused all the nobilitie to bee assembled in the hall euery of them merueilyng what moued the Emperour so to doe sithens he had so long tyme shutte vp hymself without shewing his persone abrode Beyng thus assembled and euery manne talkyng diuersly of this matter accordyng as their affection serued beholde the Emperor entred into the pallace leadyng the Greke by the hande who beyng adorned otherwise then she was wonte to bee was accompanied and garnished with beautie so rare and excellente that she resembled rather an heauenlie Goddesse then a humaine creature The Turke came into the hall after that the lordes had made their reuerence accordyng to their wonted maner holdyng still the faier Greke by the left hāde he stode stil in the middest of the holle then lokyng furiously rounde aboute hym he saied vnto them So farre as I vnderstande all ye dooe mutine and grudge bicause I beyng vanquished with Loue can not separate and withdrawe my self daie nor nighte from the presence of this Greke But I dooe knowe none of you all so continente and chaste in Loue that if he had in his possession a thyng so rare and precious so amiable and beautie so excellente but before he could forgette her and giue her ouer he would three tymes be well aduised What say ye to the matter Euery of you shall haue frée libertie secretly to tell me your mynde But thei rapt with an incredible admiracion to see so faier a thyng saied that he had with greate reason passed his tyme with her Wherevnto the barbarous cruell Prince answered Well now then I will make you to vnderstande that there is no earthlie thyng that can binde vp or captiuate my sences so muche but that from hence forthe I will followe myne anncestours hauyng the glorie and valiaunce of the Ottomans so fixed in my breast that nothyng els but death is able to blot it out of my remembraunce Those wordes finished incontinently with one of his handes he catched the Greke by the heare of the heade and with his other hande he drewe out his falchion from his side and foldyng his handes aboute the golden lockes of her heare at one blowe he strake of her bedde to the great terrour of them all When he had so dooen he saied vnto them Now ye knowe whether your Emperor is able to represse and bridle his affectiōs or not Within a while after meanyng to discharge the rest of his cholere he addressed a Campe of fower score or an hundred thousande men with whom percyng Boussine he besieged Belgrade where Fortune was so cōtrary vnto hym that he was put to flight and loste there a notable battaile against the Christians vnder the conducte of Ihon Huniades surnamed le Blanc who was father of the worthie and glorious kyng Mathie Coruin A Ladie falsely accused of adulterie was condemyned to be deuoured of Lions the maner of her deliuerie and howe her innocencie beyng knowen her accuser felt the paines for her prepared ¶ The .xlj. Nouell IN the countrie of Aquitane there was sometime a lorde whose landes and lorshippes laie betwene Limosine and Poictou and for the antiquitie of his house was renowmed bothe for bloodde and wealthe emonges the chief of all the Countrie Beyng allied in kinred with the beste and had full accesse and fauour aswell in the houses of the auncient Dukes of Guienne and Countes of Poictou as in the royall Courtes of the Frenche Kynges This Lorde whom Bindello the aucthour of this historie affirmeth to be Signor de la Rocca Soarda but the translator and augmentator of the same in Frenche called Francois de Belle Forest leaueth out his name for good respecte as he allegeth kepte a greate Courte and liberall householde and singularlie delighted after the maner of the Frenche nobilitie in huntyng specially in hawkyng His house also was had in greater admiracion the rudenesse and ignoraūce of that tyme was suche bicause he had gotten beastes of straunge Countries chieflie Lions wherein he had greate pleasure aswell for the rarenesse of that beast in Fraunce as for a certaine generositie that he knewe to bee in the same whiche resembled the magnanimitie and courage of noble men whose mindes and spirites dooe not esteme thynges that be vaine and cannot be affraied in doyng of thinges wherevnto honour is offred for rewarde This Lorde maried a Ladie the doughter of one his neighbours a woman worthie for suche a husbande whose beautie was suche as there was none comparable vnto her whiche the more increased for that she was indued with perfite vertue and furnished with so good behauiour that right good mindes and wittes should bee occupied naie rather put to their shiftes to decide whether gift were greatest either the exquisite workemanship of her excellyng beautie or whether Nature had imploied all her cunnyng to frame a bodie to appere before menne miraculous or els her honest port her good grace curtesie and graue mildnesse accompanied with vertue not vulgare or common to many mē whiche made his ladie to shine like the glistering Planet of Mars emonges other the wanderyng starres In suche wise as the verie sauage and brute were formed with splendent fame to praise her to be suche a woman whose equall thei neuer knewe to bee in all their Countrie who made the house of her husbande glorious and hym a contented manne to beholde suche a Starre to lie by his side whiche suffised to illustrate and beautifie a whole countrie by her onely presence and to nobilitate a race although the bloodde of auncestours did faile for the accomplishement of their perfection Suche is the great force of Uertue whiche not onely did aduaunce her aboue them that dooe her imbrase but rather did cōstraine the enuious to haue her in admiracion But these admiratours and praisers of Uertue dooe not vse suche indeuour for the merites whiche thei attribute to the thyng rather thei imploie their onely industrie to gather some profite of her and then followyng the nature of the dogge doe retourne to their vomite and bestowe their venime hidden in their Serpentes breaste As it came to passe and was euidente in a certaine manne that was Stewarde of this noble mannes house truely a verie happie house aswell for
olde Earle which neuer thought that a request so vniust and dishonest would haue procéeded oute of the mouth of a King with frank and open hart offred that liberall graunt The king then thinking that he had sounded the depth of the Earles affection chaunging colour his eyes fixed on the ground sayde vnto him Your daughter the Countesse of Salesburie my Lorde is the onely medicine of my trauayles whome I doe loue better than my owne life and doe féele my selfe to inflamed with her Heauenly beauty that without her grace and fauour I am not able hereafter to lyue for thys consideration syth you desire to doe me seruice and to preserue my lyfe I praye you to deale so with her that she with compassion may looke vpon me Crauing this request at your handes not without extreme shame considering aswell your honorable state as your auncient merites imployed vpon me and my progenitoures But according to your modestie and accustomed goodnesse impute the faulte vpon amorous loue which in such wise hath alienated my libertie and confounded my heart that now ranging out of the boundes of honor reason I féele my selfe tormented vexed in minde Wherby I am prouoked to make this request and not able to expell the mortal poyson out of my heart which hath diminished my force intoxticated my sense and hath depriued my minde from all good counsell that I can not tell what to do but to séeke to you for helpe hauing no kinde of rest but when I sée her when I speake of her or think vpō her And I am at this present reduced into so pitifull state that being not able to winne her by intreaties offers presents sutes ambassages and letters my onely and last refuge and assured port of all my miseries resteth in you eyther by death to ende my lyfe or by force to obtayne my desire The Earle hearing the vneiuile and beastlye demaunde of his soueraigne Lorde blushing for shame and throughlie astonned filled also with a certayne honest and vertuous disdayne was not able to dissolue his tongue to render a worthy aunswere to the afflicted Prince Finally lyke one awaked from his deade sléepe he sayde vnto him Sir my wittes fayle my vertue reuolteth my tongue is mute at those words that procéede from your mouth wherby I fele my self brought into two so straunge and perillous poyntes that passing eyther by one or other I muste néedes fall into very great daunger But to resolue my selfe vpon that which is moste expedient hauing giuen vnto you my fayth in pledge to succour and helpe you euen to the abandoning of honor and lyfe I will not be contrarie to my wordes And touching my daughter for whom you haue made request I will reueale vnto her the effect of your demaunde yet of one thing I muste tell you sir power I haue to entreate her but none at all to force her Inoughe it is that she vnderstande of me what heart and affection you beare vnto her But I doe maruell yea and complayne of you pardon me most dradde soueraigne and suffer me without offence to discharge my griefe before your presence rather than to your shame and myne eternall infamie it should be manifested and published abrode by other I saye that I maruell sir what occasion moued you to commit such reproch in my stocke bloude and by an acte so shamefull and lasciuious to dishonor the same Which neuer disdayned to serue both you and yours to the vttermost of their powers Alas vnhappy father that I am is this the guerdon and recompence that I and my children shal expect for our trusty and faithfull seruices Oh sir for Gods sake if you liste not to be liberal of your owne seke not to dishonour vs and to inflict vpon our race suche notable infamie But who can loke for worse at the hands of his mortall and cruell enemie It is you euen you it is most noble Prince that doth rauishe my daughter of her honor dispoyle me of my contentation ye take from my children hardinesse to shewe their faces from all our whole house the auncient fame and glory It is you that hath obscured the clearenesse of my bloude with an attempt so dishonest and detestable that the memorie thereof shall neuer be forgotten It is you that doth constraine me to be the infamous minister of the totall destruction of my progenie and to be a shamelesse Pandarus of my daughters honor Thinke you sir that you meane to helpe and succoure me when others shal attempt to obiect before my face this slaunder and reproch but if your self doe hurte me where shall I hereafter seke reliefe and succour If the hand which ought to helpe me be the very same that doth giue me the wound where shall the hope be of my recouerie For this cause may it please your Maiesty whether iustlie I doe make my complaynt and whether you giue me occasion to aduaunce my cryes to the heauens your selfe shall be the Iudge For if like a Iudge in dede you doe giue ouer your disordinate affectiō I then appeale to the iudgement of your inuincible mynde accomplished with all curtesie and gentlenesse On the other side I doe lamente your Fortune when I thinke vpon the reasons which you haue alleaged and the greater cause I haue to complayne bicause I haue knowen you from your youth and haue alwayes déemed you at libertie and frée from suche passions not thrall or subiect to the flames of Loue but rather giuen to the exercise of armes And nowe seing you to become a prisoner of an affection vnworthy your estate I can not tell what to thinke the noueltie of this sodayne chaunce semeth to be so straunge Remember sir that for a little suspicion of adulterie you caused Roger Mortimer to be put to death And being skarce able to tell it without teares you caused your own mother miserably to die in prisō And God knoweth how small your accusacions were and vpon howe light ground your suspicion was conceyued Doe not you knowe how wonderfully you be molested with warres and that your enemies trauell daye and night to circumuent you both by sea lande Is it now time then to giue your selfe to delightes to captiuate your minde in the pleasures of Ladies Where is the auncient generositie nobilitie of your bloud Where is the magnanimitie valour wherewith you haue astonned your enemies shewed your selfe amiable to your friendes and wonderful to your subiects Touching the last point wherby you threaten that if my daughter doe not agrée to your desire you will forcibly enioy her I will neuer confesse that to be the fact of a valiaunt and true king but of a vile cowardly cruell and libidinous tyraunt I trust it be not the pleasure of God that nowe at the age you be of you will begin to force Gentlewomen that be your humble subiectes which if you do this Iland shal lose the name of a Realme and hereafter