thē dispair to be intreated according to the iustice of my merit Ah Geniuera god forbid that thy bewtie haue power to send so many tormentes and punishmentes to my yelded hart as the tre wherupon thou takest thy name hath prickes to anoye them that touche it and bitter in disgestion to such as make a tast of the Iewse Ah paragon and only praise of bewtie sewerly the fearefull hare whych thy dogges tare in peces afore thy face this eueninge was not more martired by the bloudy Iawes of thy greyhoundes then my harte is tormented and deuided into dyuersatie of opynions vppon the affection whyche I beare the wherein alas as I knowe not whether thou wilt admit me worthy of they seruice or hast already paste a graunte of thy loue to an other more worthye of fauor then the loyal Dom Diego So yet I may be bolde to vaunte vpon thys ympossibilitie that no mā is hable to approche thunfayned sinceritye of my harte determyned rather to geue place to the sentence of my deathe then to dysmysse the leaste part of the dutie I haue vowed to thy bewtie whole outwarde showe promiseth an inwarde vertue that I cannot dispaire to possesse in the ende the due méede of my loyaltie til whych tyme I wyll praye onlye vppon the foode of exspectacion wyth assured intente for my parte not onlye to abandon all other ympressions or desiers but such as shall seame to fauor the honor and seruyce I haue already sworne but also to endeuor by extreme diligence to make my selfe worthye of the goodwill of the fairest Lady that thys daye is shrewded vnder the globe or circuit of heauen wherwyth after he had consumed certeine ho wers in reauyng and raginge vppon hys amarus complot and that he had sufficiently swete at the browes wyth the force and vehemencye of his passion he founde the chiefeste medecyn for moderacion of hys gréefe to communicate vnto her the pointes of hys good wyll wyth desyer he had not only to serue her but also from henseforth to accept in good part such sentence as she shall thinke good to pronounce of hys life or deathe and to do nor say any thyng but suche as shal be awarded him by the dome of the faire Geniuera who for her parte also was not voyde of passion nor dispensed from semblable tormente for offring to performe the ceremonies of the night she was demed to close her eyes yet knewe not the cause that hindred the course of slepe by which meanes making a laborinth of her riche and faire feldbed she was no less assailed with contrariety of conceites then her languishing seruant wherfore finding the burdē of affectiō to excede the grenes of her yeres not yet assisted w t any discrecion or experiēce in loue dytermined to allow the resolucion of the knight if he ymparted the same either by subtil signes or secret conference This was thexercise of that nighte of bothe the louers equall in desier and yet the one ignorant of the others greffe wastinge indifferently in sighes and wishes as apprentises of the thinge wherin those that begyn be alwayes most hoat and such as contynue gaine skill by longe practise and yet the best experienced of al are voyde of resistance against such an euill and lacke gouernement in the conueigh of so hurtfull a case The morninge had no soner discouered her glorious beames and the messēger of the son somoned the loathsom night to retire but the weary knight left his restles bedd with intent to take leaue of his hostesse and chalenge the skoape of the larg feldes to record enterteine hys amarus thoughts in retorning to hys mothers house wherin notwithstanding he founde a staie of his meaning by the honest ymportunitie of tholde lady who with more intreatie then was nedefull to so willyng a gueste won hym easely to determyn hys taryenge till dynner till whyche tyme he founde a supplye of exercise wyth her companie and conference of her daughter in whom he saw contynual cause to aggrauat his affection and doble occasion to encrease hys desier in such sorte as his astonyed countenance and broken aunsweres ymporting most oftē the cōtrary of their demaunds showed sufficiently y e troble war in his mind which albeit y e subtil Geniuera cōstrued according to a troth yet her simple mother imputed it to an honest shame want of audacitie in y e gentlemā for y t he had not much haunted y e cōpany of ladyes wherin as they spente the most part of the morning without notwithstāding that Dom Diego had the hart to discouer the leaste part of his promise of y e night so y t hower of dinner sōmoned them to breake their discourse performe y e due to thappetit of nature wyth suche delicate sumpteouse fare as the good lady had prouided in declaracion of y e hartie zeale she bare to her guest who after dinner failed not in humble sorte to be thankfull to his hostes with assuraunce that albeit he was not hable to requite her curtesse with equall consideracion yet his goodwill at all tymes sholde be nothinge inferior to the greatnes of her merit wherewith he addressed the rest of hys dutie to her daughter whose bewtie as you sée had made so great a wound in hys harte that the remembrance remayned till the last hower of hys lyfe and as he kissed her hande with intente to decipher that whych he had ymagined all the night he became so amazed wyth thympedimente he felte in his tongue with straunge diuersatie in all hys sences that he seamed no lesse ashamed of his present weaknes in that place then afore he was fullie resolued to discharge there solucion and meaninge of hys hart whych albeit gaue some cause of litle astonishment to the younge Lady yet she founde indifferente occasion of pleasure and pitie in hys passion for that as y e one proceded by her meanes so she felt a motion in conscience to expose the other for the relefe of hym who suffred for her sake wherefore with a trobled regarde tempered with sufficiente argumentes of affection on her behalf she brake his dome traunce with these words I wish sir sayth she that you might fynde asmuch pleasure in your passion as the same hath ymparted equall gréefe to others and that your future absence may pinche you with no lesse annoye then your present departure leaueth me desyerus to enioye a longer tyme of your presence whyche philosophye not loked for of the knight did not only dismysse his scilence and vntye the charme of hys tongue but also renforced hym to an audacitie to yelde her thankes for the compassion she vsed to hys distres with addicion that onely he was happie aboue all the worlde to be partaker of so liberal a wishe but chiefly to heare her in tearmes of desier touchinge hys presence whych wyth hys lyfe and al that he had he bound ther by othe to be preste
parswacions he cold ymagyn with thanks to the yong man equal to the greatnes of the honor whtche he offred in seking to be his son in law Theis newes were no soner ymparted to our ii louers but it is to be thoughte they escaped not without sondrye alarams of mortall grefe whiche had dismissed their passions with the ende of their lynes if it had not bene for the offer of a simple hope wherupon they grounded a new consolaciō for y t they exspected at length a remorce in tholde man by reason of his promisse to iustefye the contract alreadie passed betwene theim two wherof CAMILLA as pinched wyth a grudge of more wronge then thother for that she sawe the vniuste malice of her brother was thonly staie of theffecte of her determynacion entred into a passion of suche frettinge conceites tempered wyth a mortall hate to CLAVDIO an indissoluble zeale to her seruante and a iuste dispite agaynst the debylitie of her father that she was at the point to vse force agaynst her selfe and aduance theffect yf their malice by her vntymely death wherein because she woulde not discouer openly that which was not yet douted of any shee retired to a moderation in her greefe till the firste parte of the eueninge beyng spent the desier of sleepe somoned euery man to wythdraw hymselfe to his lodginge when she in her chamber wyth thonly company of her womā began to burst out into newe termes of complainte cursing the hower of her birthe accusinge the weaknes and wante of corage in her father but chiefely enueihed againste thunhappie arryuall of her brother in thys sorte What iniustice or crueltie is this of the heauens to giue vs a harte to chuse and libertie to loue one of equall desyer and semblable will and then to bar vs the priuiledge of that fredom in not makinge a perfection of that whych nature hath sett abroche in vs by the communyon and coniunction of our thoughtes is it reason the bodye be more respected then the mynde in that the harte and inwarde partes making a choice of affection sholde not haue authorytie to sommon the bodye as their subiecte to obey thinstinctes and suggestions of the spirite nature sewer doth abuse her reputacion in this case to coyfe her creatures with thattyre of loue makynge a mutuall consente in both parties and then to denie the consommacion of the thinge her selfe did fyrst begyn in vs from whence comes thiniquitie of that lawe which alloweth a father for his pleasure only and with out iustice to force an inclynacion of his children to that which is neither necessarye nor conueniente for theim is it not sufficient alas that we yelde theym honoure with the tribute of our dutie and seruice that wee giue soccour to their olde yeres and attempte nothing without their consent but that wee muste be subiect to a further tyrannye in performinge the sentence of their thraldom althoughe it dyffer whallye from our will and choice And if mariage be a free coniunction dependinge vppon an vnytie or conformetie of both partes how can I refuce that wherof is passed alredye a confirmacion or admit other husband thē hee to whom I ham bounde by vowe of consente A H this is one of the frutes of tyrannouse loue to worke the effecte of a consente betwene vs withoute leauinge vs a meane to brynge the same to perfection or suffer vs to consider whether the parties knitt together by vnytie of affection in spirite might also be assisted with a coniunction of the bodies without offence to god or the worlde but what why do I enter into tearmes of iustice wyth hym who is no way partaker of reason and who is so soddaine and vncerteine in his enterprises that he neyther takes aduise afore he strike nor vseth leasure to delyberat or foresee the successe of any thing he beginneth for as he is naked and without eyes so is hee boyde of iudgement and vnconstante in all his doings assailinge commonly the hartes of suche as hee fyndes ydle and leaste occupyed with vertue Ah spiteful disdayne of kynred and vnnaturall malice of a brother in what sorte haue I deserued this harde pennance at thy hande to depryue me of the thinge wherin I tooke moste pleasure wherein hath the curteyse LIVIO offended the if not that his honestie excedes thy rude disposition and vertue giueth cause of shame to thy wicked will or paraduenture thou disdainest his iust merit for that he is better fauored in al companies then thy selfe And is it reason that thy consente confirme my affection why sholde my aduancement depende vppon thy good wyll or the choice of my husbande aske councell of thy consente shall I be subiecte to hym who hathe no authoritye ouer me but by an encrochement of yeres for that he is the eldest son of my father hath he any pryuiledge that waye to gouerne my will or geue lawes to my fancie nothinge lesse for my father hath alreadie paste thaccorde betwene LIVIO and me but you wyll saye paraduenture vnder a condicion a simple article I confesse whiche also is of no force if the partie bee voide of pretence of preiudice And wherin shall it be eyther preiudiciall or proffitable to him if LIVIO be my husbande seinge it belongeth to my father to depart with my dowery and porcion of mariage and my husbande to dispose it without interuption so longe as hee is a member of lyfe what weakenes is this in a father to be gouerned whollye by the breath of his son whose vniuste malice rather then argumēt of reason makes him renownce the worde of his honour in a case touchinge the quiett and consolation of her who ought to be no lesse deare vnto him then her tyrannouse brother who when he hath exposed the vttermoste effecte of his spite that I am to be bestowed in an other place by his appointment it shall appeare whether his commaundemente be as currante ouer mée then as his malice rageth without measure or reason at this present protestinge by the height of the heauens that none other then hee to whom I haue pawned my faieth shall enioye the chaste acquaintance of thinfortunat CAMILLA no LIVIO is myne what wrong soeuer they do to our vertuese loue whiche so longe as I liue shal be in dyssoluble in me beinge readye withall to refuce no thinge that may aduance the consommacion of the mariage betwene me and him without whom I fele an ympossibilytie to liue wherwith her passion grewe to suche a vehemencie that her laste wordes ended with the course of longer breathe in such sorte that shee slyded soddainly from the seat wher she sate and fell grouelinge vppon the grounde resigning with a dollorous skryke the vse of vitall ayre albeit the expedition of diligence in her womā procured with much ado a retorne of life and with such consolacion and offer of hope as shee colde preferre shee won her to go to bedde where albeit the
thenne viceroye or deputie to the frenche kynge that paintynge the gates wyth the blod of hys capteines and leauing the deade bodyes of hys people in witnes of his beyng there the maiestie retorned wythe more commendacion for hys good meanynge thenne fame or glorye of the victorie leauyng the miserable sâ—radyates bathed in the teares of their seconde sorowe to the guide and gouernemente of their fortune who seamed at laste to enter into suche compassion of their miserie that shee restored the greateste parte not only to the libertie of their contrey and societie of former habytacion but also to chuse of their goodes and reuenues vsurped by the enemie the rest shee deuided into diuerse corners of christendom som went to Trent and were sworne the subiectes of Francis Sforce Duke of Bary other found place of abode in the kingdom of Naples to some she gaue passeporte to attempte the deuocion of the wholly vicar of rome and the rest repaired to MANTVA amongest whiche â—â—ewe or last company was one CORNELIO vpoÌ„ whom this history maketh his chiefest discourse whom albeit fortune had made partaker of her malice amongest the reste of his contreymen yet hys mynd grudging with thiniurye of fate loste nothing of her entyer and vertue for notwithstandinge hee was of the race of the SFORCIANS and chiefest enemye to the vsurped gouernement and prowde behauior of the frenchemen wythin MILLAN and that hee had lefte amongeste theim his inheritance and goodes to confiscacion yet was he assisted wyth so fyne a pollecye and great indeuor of his mother that he had sufficient exhibicion to meinteyne his auncient porte and callinge And as the statelie viewe and feyture of his complexion and lyms presented a speciall conninge of nature lackynge besides no gyfte or qualitie due to a gentleman and pestered wythall wyth no more yeres then were conueniente for the decoracion of so seamely a bewtie So being the chiefe courtier that hawnted the companie of Ladyes and no lesse welcome amongest the lostie dames of MILLAN afore the subuercion of their societie by the crueltie of the frenchemen hee made a choise of one from amongeste the reste whom he failed not to court wyth a contynual proffer of his seruice and other offices of humanitie prescrybed in the skole of loue vntill he thought himselfe sufficientlye rampierd in the intralls of her hart and left her no lesse willinge to yelde a perticipacion of affection then himselfe passioned wyth desyer to pursewe the quest and conquere her bewtie her name was PLAVDINA equall to him in the height of estate and nothing inferior in the golden giftes and ornamentes of nature And albeit she had newlie made a proofe of the maried mans pastyme offred the flower first frutes of her vir gynitie vpon thalter of wedlocke yet the youngnes of her yeres defending her bewtie from al argumentes of alteracion or chaâ—ng wolde not suffer the hoat and often encounters of her husbande to ympaire any waye the glasse or precious dye of so rare a perfection wherein as she was noted y e odd peragon of Italy aswell for that respecte as other ornamentes of maiestie incydente to honor So the commendacion of these vertues seamed not so fyt an instrument to aduance her fame and glorye as presente meanes to procure treble passion to the new disquiet of CORNELIO who greued not so muche wyth the sentence of aduersitie as cryed out of the Lawe of nature and malice of his presente fortune for that the one had geuen hym a harte to loue and libertie to chuse and the other being his guide in the toile and trauell of his sute toke hym awaye when hee attended to reape the frutes of his harueste but that whiche broughte more oyleto hys matche and kindled the coales of freshe disquiett was that albeit he knewe hym selfe to be reciprocallie loued or at leaste nere the good wyll of his ladye yet was hée voyde of meanes and mynisters to solicite hys cause or bewraie that whyche hee durste not discouer other thenne thamarous regardes and glaunces of the eye wyth certeine sighes and secret wringing of the hande and kisses gotten by stealthe in corners whiche albeit argued a likelihod and SIMPATHYA of affection ympartinge an equalitie of desyer to the hartes of theim both yet the one beinge affraied to geue the charge and the other ashamed to resigne without any alaram seamed bothe plonged indifferentlye in a passion of doubt and feare vntill loue whose affaires can not well bée dispatched without thassistance of a thirde quarellinge with the simplicitye of Cornelio presented him with a messenger conueniente for the conueighe of their buysines for there was a pore Swaine sometime seruing as a drudge to the mother of CORNELIO and nowe preferred to his Ladye PLAVDINA in the rowmthe of her wagyner or coache dryuer whose office as it was alwayes to go by the doare of her coache when her pleasure was to â—isyt places of solace and take open ayre in the feldes so reaposinge muche for himselfe in the fidelitie of his slaue thinking to enioyne a greater credit to thauthorytie of his small office admitted him in his hart the aptest coll carier betwene hym and his Ladye wherfore after he had contured hym by feare and faire promisses to adâ—owe his diligence to â—huttermoste wyth no lesse secrecye then wisedom and conuenient expedicion at al tymes he made a firste proofe of his pollecie and fyne conueighe of his charge in the delyuerye of a letter whiche be willed him to presente vnto PLAVDINA thinward affection and disposition of whose hart as hee measured by the messages of her eyes so he preferred his seruice boarded her good wil w t these tearmes If it were not good madam that euerye state and condicion of man were subiect to his peculyar desaster and that the noble hart made of a delicat mettal is more full of affections and apte to enclâ—yne to the loare of loue then the rest of the rude and harbarous people I woulde thinke that the passion whyche pinchethe suche as do loue were a skourge and due correction sente from aboue for a chastismente of their lostye and wanton ymagynacions but seinge it is moste sewer that nature hath put a certeine difference betwene the dispositions of her creatures wyth a desier to pursewe the sommonce of her instigacion accordinge to the priuiledge of their degrée it is not in our power to disclaime thinstructions of such a guide nor degenerat from thinstinct of that destenie geuen vs in oure conception wherin as the noble mynde loathinge the enterpryse of base or vile condicion delites in such conquestes as yelde moste fame or commendacion So you oughte not to meruaile if the glymeringe beames of your rare bewtie paynted by deuine arte in the forefronte of your face the adoracion whyche all men yelde to youre singler vertues with other semely perfections and gyftes of maiestie gyuen you by the heauens for a dowry aboue
wyth so small a moment of time and subiect to so many chaunges that we oughte neyther esteme so greatlye as we do the tikle pleasures of so small abode nor iudge assurance in suche vncerteine vanities seing withal the same is of suche malicious disposicion that when we haue laied the fundation of oure pleasure and prosperitie with full perfuacion to enioye our quiet without controllement it is then that fortune discouereth her ambushs and inuaoynge vs at vnwares wyth the furye of her malice paieth our former pleasure wyth an interest of treble desolacion that fayleth not to attende vs euen vntill our fatall days of reapose whereof you maye note a familyar proffe in the sequeile of this CORNELIO who beinge vppon the point to taste of the delicat frutes in loue and embrace hys Ladye with suche contentement as louers do commonlye wishe and seldome encounter beholde the malice of the Frenche men began to rage wyth suche extremitie againste the lynage of the SFORCIANS whereof he was one of the chiefest that he was dryuen to auoyde the present daunger of hys lyse wyth a soddaine fleight and secrete stealynge oute of the towne wherin he was so hoatlye puriued with thextremitye of his perill that beyng barred anye leasure to communicate wyth hys dearest frends lesse time to impart his mish ap to his lady or once salute her with a simple farewell which seamed not so greuous to himselfe as of treble-dolour to the sorowfull PLAVDINA who distillynge no small nomber of teares on the behalfe of the soddain departure and absence of her deare frende and restored at laste to a moderation and patience by force began to cast the circumstaunce of his daunger wherin the ymagined all suche doubtes as eyther hope or feare coulde put in her head somtime persuadynge he should bee ouertaken and oppressed by the waye and by and by she feared leaste he were betrayed into the handes of his enemies by the malice of such as he put intruste with his life wherin she was no lesse doubteful of the one then in dispaire of thother and in such perplexitie with the conceite of them both that she seamed no lesse passioned for the time then if the enemies of her frende had cut her CORNELIO in peces afore her face And as she molde haue dismissed theis tragicall conceites of doubte feare and retired to a quiet wyth exspectation of better fortune she was sodainly assailed with a seconde alarame in her hart which mortifyenge all care of the well doinge of her absent CORNELIO preferred a vehement desyer not onely to recouer hym wherin appcared a greate impossibilitye but also wishinge to bée a companyon of his iorney and partaker of his miserye she seamed to expose a franke of that whiche earste she was ash amed and made conscience to graunt as she was voyd of al comfort in this calamitys sauinge that the often remembrance of her frende seamed to restore some litle contentement so ymagininge that the breath of the ayre wolde cary the Eccho of her complaintes into the eares of hym that was gon she saluted his absence with theis tearmes All thinges ought to be hatefull to the eares which seame hurteful to the quiet of the mynde and yet one chiefe consolation wee fynde in miserye is to recorde the circunstaunce of our misfortune neither can that grief be of greate importance whose cause is of small moment but alas what sorow is semblable to the separacion of frendes Ah CORNELIO what auncient grudge procureth this newe mislike or what offence haue I don of late that makes me meritorious of this greate discurtesye Wyl thou paye the merite of my frendshypp wyth so vnthankefull a trybute and abuse therspeaarion whiche all men had of thy vertue haste thou plyed me to thappetit of thy wyll and no we determined to leaue me in the greatest distresse of desyer to enioye thée or canst thow vse so small regarde to the desolate state of the sorowfull PLAVDINA as leauynge her hathed in the teares of vnderserued dule to steale awaye wyth oute the comfort of one simple adieu What nedest thou haue doubted to commununicate wyth her who hath alwayes reserued an equall care of thy sauetye and her owne lyfe And yf the loue thou haste vaunted to bere me had bene matched wyth an vnfained meanynge of continuance and constancie the feare of the enemy had not preuented thy comminge to me for loue alas defyeth the malice of daunger and perill is the thynge that least troubleth the harte that is trulye affectionate What comfort in my present miserie or exspectation of future redresse beinge out of hope eftesones to reclaime hym that receyued but nowe the sentence of continuall exile How am I plunged in a passion of double extremetie meyther content to disclayme my affection and lesse hable to dismisse the remembrance of hym that is the cause of my wo I fynde nowe alas to soone Howe iustelye we women mave exclayme againste nature who framynge vs of a brickle moulde apte to yelde and easye to be wonne hath enioyned vs withall a certeine vehemencie of affection pearsynge the harte wyth desyer in suche sorte as being once thorowlye coyffed wyth loue we are not onelye forsaken when wée wishe thieflye to embrace the obiect of oure appetit but also are subiect to abyde all sortes of reuenge of the ordinarye rigour of men And what rigouro wronge haue I offred the Dh CORNELIO wherof I haue not felte the firste apprehencion For forcyng my selfe to yelde the contentement I spared not the proffer of myne honour to purchasse thy frendshipp and in gyuynge the assuraunce of my good wyll I haue spotted the renowme of my former reputacion whereof the bloode of shame puttes me in remembraunce wyth grudge at so greate a faulte and thy conscience is my present witnes of my vnfayned loyaltye neyther wyll the flatteryng lynes of thy sondrie letters conceile this discurtesye nor the messenger and faythfull solicitour of oure loue forgett to reproche the of vnconstaunt behauyour to thy loyall PLAVDINA who feelynge now what it is to lacke the societye of hym whome the harte hath chosen to loue is equallie pinched wyth the panges of suche as plunged in the passion of desyer do wyshe that they wante and lacke the thynge they chieflye woulde haue whereby they seame to norishe lyfe wyth the onely breathe of a simple and colde hope But why am I so pertiall on myne owne behalfe in exclaimyng againste the discurtesye of hym who peraduenture deserueth not theis tearmes of blame or why doe I not rather respect the true cause of his departure sturred vp as it seameth by the necessitye of the tyme forcinge hym to habandon his parentes countreye and reuenue onles he wolde quenche the thirste of his enemyes wyth the abundance of his blood and appease theyr malyce wyth the price of his heade certeinlye the vertues and gyftes of CORNELIO acquite hym of all argumentes of
theym full of all infection it is nothing to the power of the sensuall appetit whyche once taking possession of our inwarde partes god knoweth what frutes it bringes furth formyng vs in a frame of brutalitie nothing inferior to thinsensible sorte accordinge to the Greke orator saieng that when a man giueth hymselfe to the pleasures of the fleshe be makes exchange of thexcellencie whyche he participates wyth thymage of god and becomes of forme and likenes to a beast wythout vnderstanding wherin also the wise king of the Hebrues amongest his sondrie sainges of wisedome willes vs to remember that the lipps of a whore be swete distillinge droppes of honnye but thoperacion excedes the bitternes of gawle and is more sharp then the sworde that cuttes with two edges warning euery man to shon that sugred euill as a pestilent ayre for that saith he the man that escapeth such passages besides that his life is fre from infynitie of daungers leaues an honorable remembrance of his vertue to all posterities And albeit the great romaine Capteine Scipio Affricanus chiefe vanquisher of thenemies of his contrey hath left an ymmortalitie of his name by his dexteritie in armes and arte of warr yet is his glorye no lesse by the contynencye hee vsed towarde a princesse of Spayne taken prisoner amongest others in one of his battels whose bewtie albeit seamed of force to allure the most staide and assured harte that was and he fryenge in the flame of youthe not exceding the twenty and fourth yere of his age did not only absteine from vyolacion of her bodie with semblable inhibicion to al his capteynes but also retorned her with pompp due to her estate to her husband whō also he dismissed into libertie wythout raunsom or other exaction wheruppon the Spanishe prince Indibile so embraced thallyance of Rome that he onely assisted not longe after thempire in the conquest of spaine The great Alexander albe it he was more giuen to sensualitie then stoode wyth the honor of so worthie a prince yet forbare he to do wronge to the chastetie of the mother and wife of the great Monarke Daryus albeit they being his prisoners their honor and life were also at his dispocicion only he had not suche credit in his owne continencie as the Romaine Scipio for that he durste not once come where they were for feare their bewtie wold force him to a forgetfulnes of noble vertue where thaffrican hadde alwaies conuersacion and conference with the spanishe Lady in his tent And because we maye be holde to entermedle the renolome of our owne time with the glorie of antiquitie Let vs geue no lesse commendacion to Frances Sforze sometime Duke of Myllan a man of singler fame for a Captein of our tyme who according to the chronicles of Italy was presented with a younge maide of rare and exquisite bewtie by a soldiour of his whiche reserued her life at the saccage of a Towne he had won by assalte and albeit he was younge ful of wanton humors and nothing degenerating from thytalyan inclynacion touching the desier of the fleshe yet beinge at the point to assaile the castle of her honor vpon her humble peticiō for the sauegard of her chastetie he deliuered her wythout any wronge to her virginitie all which examples as I must confesse to deserue euerlasting memorie they that haue vsed such vertuous abstinence meritorious of ymmortall commendacion yet I can not compare their doinges with the vertu of hym who thorowly gauled with the arowes of loue hauing longe courted a young and faire damesell tasted of euery passion whiche may any way pinche the harte of him that is plunged in affection and desyeringe nothinge but the rewarde of loue which giues ende to thamarous sorowes after he had spente manye nightes in hollowe dreames consumed the daies in incerteine ymaginacions wepte sighed and otherwaies tormented hym selfe in the pursewt of his mistres when his desier was of greatest force and his hope redie to conuert it self into dispaire being sewed vnto and hauyng power ouer her who earst might haue commaunded him and al that was his checked the humor of his former appetit and dismissed her without the losse of the least iote of her honor whose example me thinkes makes blushe all other which earste haue beene preferred as pattornes of coutynencie for that in ouercommyng him selfe he did not only refraine to laye hands vpon her who yelded the vse of her honestie rather by necessitie then prouocacion of affection but also embrasinge her rare assurance in vertue releued her wante no lesse plentifully then if she had bene his sister bred in the wombe wherin him selfe was conceiued of suche one do I meaue to discourse in the historie following as more vertuous and worthie of praise then either Scipio Alexander or Sforce wherein notwithstanding I refer the Judgement to such as haue van quished the force of affection by semblable vertue LVCHYN IS LONGE IN loue wyth a simple mayde whom he woeth and cannot wyn by any passion hee endureth at laste necessetie yeldeth her into his handes vvhen he doth not onlye refuse to abuse her body but also takes order to susteine her and supplie her wantes no lesse amplie then if shee had bene his syster THe recordes of antiquitie monumentes in IEYNE making a perticular discription of diuers accedentes happening to the noble house of Vynaldo haue left a special note of one Luchyn being of the remeynder of that race who succeding his parentes in patrymonie and possession was nothing inferior in al respectes of honor and vertue and exceded theym all in liberall disposicion and gifte of bowntie detesting the nigardlike order of the Ienoways who gasping more of tene then they get meat do cōmonly rise frō the table with an appitit make cleane their téeth when they fil not theyr bellie like as also the hungrie spanyarde who being at hoame can liue of a litle but feding of an other mans trēcher his throate seames as wide as the deuowring awstrich is hable to match the gredieste flemyng and greatest epicure in Almayne He being thus thonly heir of his house reauing alreadie amōgest y e massye bagges of his father who left him the keyes of his goldē coffers set a broach ymediatly y e frank dispositiō of his liberal hart opening al y e gates of his pallaice denied y e repaire of none wherby he somoned in short time a lustye train of gāllandes glory of youth more apt to hunt y e chasse of his spoile then likely to preserue his patrymonie whom as one not much ouercharged with care to kepe that he had nor couetous in desier to augment the legaicie and leauing of his father he vsed as his chiefe and familiar companions in the pursewte of his pleasure I meane in the practise of exploites of chiualrye on horsebacke wrastlinge leapinge and other exercises of actiuitie wyth a thousande chaunges of recreacions of delite and
pastimes incidente to younge gentlemen who fyndinge the care of the worlde hurtfull to their younge and tender inclynacion and hauing wherwith to susteine their prodigall vaine do passe the shorte tyme of their greene yeres in the only ymytacion of pleasure wherin this younge heire of VYVALDO tooke such large penny worthes and was assisted wyth so long a tyme that he seamed to lacke nothing to make hym appeare happie in thys worlde but a dispence from aboue to defende hym from the daungerous snares and prison of loue who albeit is blinde and of smal force yet is he ordeined to interrupte the ease of men with a speciall grudge and common hatred to thexcesse of felicitie in our youth And because there is nothinge on earth that is contynual ly happie and that it is necessarie to knowe the causes why we are of the world I meane to be touched sometime wyth a change of our fortune and passion of hard disgestion aswel as wée séeke to tast of the delicates of ease and wallowe in contynual pleasure So I thinke that euen as couetousnes and gredie desier is thordynarie torment and contynual bourreau that trobles the mynd of thold man Euenso loue is an impression of disquiet which nature hath sowen in the harts of younge men both to restraine in tyme the raginge follie of youth and accordinge to the order of the pinchinge frost killinge the buddes of certeine trees and flowers that appeare duringe the violence of his tyme to chasten the abuse of their long pleasure wyth a rebuke of no lesse sharpe disposicion then almost insupportable for the tendernes of their discretion whiche loue beinge blinde of hymselfe seames also to 〈◊〉 smal regard in y e disposition of his affaires with lesse discrâ—â—â—oÌ„ in knitting thaffectioÌ„s of those vnhappie wretches whiche he bringes to drawe vnder the yoke of his awe whereof our age swarmes with examples whiche I am contente to dismisse for this time by reason of y e superfluitie of the same referr you to the sequile of this Luchin who dandled as it were vpon the lappe offollye and serued with nothinge but dishes of delit â—â—â—â—â—are could not beare so euen a hand vpoÌ„ the bridle of his affectioÌ„s but or he wiste he let slipp the steddie raigne of his libertie became extremely in loue with a simple maide whose beautie he accompted of more price then her selfe or parentes noble by discente or other speciall assistance of fortune And albeit his personage and liuyng with thestimation of other gyftes whiche nature had lente him aboue the reste seamed sufficiently hable to make hym meritorious of fauor of the beste Ladie of a countrey yet loue hauyng neither respecte to his race nor regarding his greatnes did close his eyes from the viewe of such as were hable to answere him in equalitye of discente vertue and conuerted his harte and affection to the contemplacion of a simple maide whose name albeit is not of such veneration as Camylle and Lucretia whose high titles onlye do importe a certeine semblance and creditt of honestie in the person of a publike curtisan yet her chastetie with womanly gouernement deserueth no lesse coÌ„mendacion then the most approued of auncient time for being the doughter of a pore man she grudged not with the porcion of pouertie but thought it a principall vertue to embrace the lott of her state with thankeful contentement be carefull to releue the harde condicon of her parentes with the honest endeuor of her handes she made not her beautye a looking glasse for the worlde but studied to be worthie of so precious a Iewell she woulde not suffer her bodie to be pampred with delicacye leaste her mynde sholde be subiecte to thinfection of euil nor giue any place to thalarmes of the fleshe leaste the same should preuale aboue her resistance being of the age of fyftene or sixtene yeres her modestie was of no lesse admiracion seruing as a lanterne to light all the ladies of Ieyne then her beautie without a seconde hable to allure the best assured of a countrey whose firste viewe and simple regarde brought suche suddaine astonishement to the loftie minde of this Luchyn that after he had conferred the secrett misterie which nature had hiddeÌ„ in her face with the special gifte of seamely behauior bestowed vppon her by God his harte seamed enchaunted eyes as lymed with the glaunce of her lookes not hable to wythdrawe their regardes from the contemplacion of so perfecte a beautie whiche was not set out to the sale by any artifyciall meanes of paintynge or assistance of pouder or other vaine experience of diuers of oure counterfaite masquers nowe a dayes neyther did she seame to preferr any suborned brauerie for th aduancement of so precious a dowrye either by superfluous frizilation of the heare twincklinge of the eye wrynginge the lip or wrestinge the chyn minsynge or measurynge her pace as thoughe her ioyntes were oute of tune or tyed together wyth pointes or other lewde Iestures deuised by the curtisan and practised as a principle and chiefe grace at this daye by diuers of our delicatt and wanton dames who not waighing the due merite of so precious an ornameÌ„t lesse worthie to weare so rare a badge of nature do abuse the goodnes of theim both in conuertting the onely gifte of God into a detestable meane to agrauate synne And receiuing thus the first somoÌ„ce of loue whose arrowes being fethered with the wing of infection do leaue the harte wounded with a burnyng desier to pursue thinstigacion of our appetit he founde himselfe to weake to abide any more alarams albeit striuing a litle at the first to defende his libertie with y e intent to aunswere appeale to thuttermost of his forces he brewed the broth of his owne â—ale renewed y e torment of his passioÌ„ in such sort y t there were fewe dayes in y t wherin he performed not his pale walke afore the lodging of his faire Ianiquette whom if by any aduenture his roauing eyes did spie at y e doare he forgatt not to salute with no lesse humylitie then if she had bene one of the greateste ladies in Ieane courting her besides with a low reuerence other offices of dutiful ciuilitie in no lesse reuerend maner then if he had presented his seruice to the greatest princesse of Italy whiche also driue the girle into some amaze as one not exsperienced in the order of such amarus gretinges and lesse vsed to be saluted by any gentleman equall in callinge or coÌ„dicioÌ„ to Siegneur Luchyn whose fame as it was great both by y e authoritie he bare in y e Citie reputacion of his liuing wyth other giftes and ornamentes of nature So it driue her into doble astonishment to conster the meaning of his newe courtesie albeit leauing y e diuinacioÌ„ of his intent to a time of more leasure she retired to the vertue of her good norriture for y
her olde neighbour with lesse exspectacion to heare that whyche she ymagyned least enquired her opynion My aduise saith shée I knowe will driue you into some amase at the firste as a thinge neyther conuenient for myne age nor seamely for my callynge and disagreing wholly from myne auncient order and custome of doynge albeit yf thou make a care of thy proffitt thowe wilte not sticke to pursue the benefitt of thy fortune neyther will my councell ymporte suche preiudice for the presente as the sequeile in shorte tyme yelde the a tribute of treble proffitt I haue hard of late that there is a young gentleman in this towne so extremely in loue and desierous of thy beautie that he accomptes nothinge so deare as the thinge that maye lyke the and yeldeth detestacion to that which thou loathest neither wolde he spare the massie store of his treasure or large reuenue of his liuinge nor sticke to make the perill of hys life the price of thy good will and fauor with this addicion also that if thou wilte make hym the maister of his request and passe a graunte of that he requires to prouide the mariage to thy contentacion with the dowrie of a thousande doocates whereof I haue comission to make the assurance me thinkes a falte don in secrett is halfe perdoned and one offence bringes no custome of synne wherefore vse thy discrecion and thynke that tyme will dispatches the of hym when thou maiste reatorne home loaden with the spoile of his richesse and Iewells Here Ianiquette suppressing the iust cause of her anger with a meruelous modestie not commonly séene in one of her calling and bringing vpp seamed for the only respect of the old yeres of her neighbour to close her mouthe from open exclamacion agaynste her lewde abuse and aunsweringe wyth more moderacion then thimportance of her wronge required replied in thys sorte What villanye can be greater then to make a common merchandise of that whiche ought not to be boughte but by vertu or what disposicion of more detestacion in any christyen then for a woman to make a sale of her honor and measure so precious a Iewell by the price of her proffit Do you thinke that eyther the view of riches or Iewels or prodigall offers w t large promisses are hable to do more then the long offer of seruice wyth general commendacion of the giftes that be in hym whyche hath suborned you to preferr this embassage or who is she of so villenus a nature to with stande the sondry alarames of teares wyth pitifull somonce of so many sighes and yelde at lengthe to the detestable heralte of all corruption No no if I had liked the bargaine my consent had come fréely without the earneste pennye of filthye mariage whych you seame to prefer with an offer of a dowrie confirmed by an assurance or warrantie of your cōmission is it possible that yeldinge hym the flower of my virginitie to make a profession of true frendshippe to anye other but that the blodde of shame will renewe the remembrance of my former falte sewer if he preuaile so farre and wyn that point of mee the place shal be seuerall to hymselfe and the breach not entred by any other neither shal he tryumphe longe in the victorye nor I liue to Lament the losse for as it is the true propertie of a pure maide to defend that ornament to thuttermost gaspe of her breath and if by destenie the force of the oppresser preuaile aboue her strength to persecute hym to deathe with the losse of her owne life so if I be not hable to performe the one these handes shal be the bloodye ministers of the other to the greate contentement of me open shame of him that shal suruiue for it is long since I was perswaded that an honest death is the renowme of the life passed for y e rest to thend the present wrōg you haue don me maye serue hereafter to state y e course of your rashenes in the like affaires with promisse protestatiō to procede no further in like dishonestie I pray you perswade your selfe that if you conclude knitt vp the latter remeinder of your yeres in the practise of abhominable indeuours the commendacion of your lyfe passed wil be conuerted into the title of a common bawde swearyng vnto you for my parte by the fayth of a pure virgin that if it were not for the respecte of the honestie I haue hitherto noted in you honor that I owe to the olde yeres and vertue of your age I wolde so publishe your doinge that your presente message shoulde reproche you in what companie so euer you comme Wherewith she so choaked her olde neygbor that was not so misticall in the conueigh of suche trades as diuers of our chandellors and supersticious basket bearers in London who not onely make a profession of baudrie but liue by the filthye gaine procedynge of that art and hauynge nothynge to replye desiered Ianiquetta to pardon her alledginge that the care and compassion she had of her pouertie procured those tearmes rather then any desyer to seduce her and so departynge with her short shame lesse proffit made particular relacion of her successe to the amarus Luchyn who hearinge the sentence of dispaire seamed no lesse passioned with present dollor then if he had bene sharpelye assayled wyth a fitt of the burnynge feauer he entred straighte waye into the pageante of a madd man pasinge his chamber wyth vncerteine steppes and throwing his armes a crosse vppon his breast with his eyes directed to the heauens began to ymagyn howe to passe the misterye of this traunce whiche soddaine scilence serued chiefly as a speciall supplie to restore the warre with contraryetye of hys thoughtes for the more he wente aboute to extirpp the remembrance of his mystres and committ her to vtter obliuion the more he made hym selfe subiect to her beautye and grafted more strongelye the rootes of affection in the bottome of his harte And sewer it is no small matter for a man that is in loue pursewing the good will of his Ladye wyth contynuall importunityes the space of two or three yeres and receyue nothynge but the offer of a vaine and vncerteine hope whiche féedes the mynde wyth suche suggestions and argumentes of good successe that euery repulse seames to present a flatterynge fauor and the breath of euerye rigorous worde importes an intisinge allurement vntil dispaire blowing the retraite of that warre do publishe his commission to dismisse all hope and likelyhood of future success The large feldes enuyronnynge the greate citie of Ieyne seamed to lacke skoape and compasse to comprehende the multitude of thoughtes wyth diuersitie of ymaginacions that euen nowe occupied the head of Luchin who exclaymynge vppon the haggarde disposition of his mistres forgatt not also to forge cause of complaint againste loue for that as a blynde guide he had ladd hym into the bottomles golphe of fancie and
or like effecte God forbidd that any part of my bodye sholde refuce to condiscende to that whiche my harte hath alredye vowed touchinge my humble seruice on your behalfe good madam whose onely beautye ceassynge not to mainteine continuall quarel with mine auncient quiet hath restored me to so general and mortal a passion that without the present dewe of pitie distillynge from the spedie consente of your fauor I doubte whether nature is hable any longer to giue norriture to the feble partes of my weary corps And seinge the intent of my affection is not onely boyde of all dissembling and flatteringe abuses in the vertue of true loyaltie but also ymportes a meaninge and humble request of lawfull mariage I craue hereby a confirmacion of your good will touchinge the same to th ende that wyth the consente of your fauor I may march with more assurance to demaunde you of your father I nede not prefer the honor and nobilitie of my house to moue you to indifferent consideracion of me seinge your selfe can decipher sufficiently the particularities of my whole discente neither put you in remembrance of thauthoritie whiche of longe hathe bene due to mine auncestors in this publike weale for that you are not ignorante of anye parte of the same all which if they lacke force to moue you to iust compassion dispose your selfe good Lady to the viewe of my present martirdom and measuringe the iustice of my merit wyth the greatnes of my gréef to sende the messenger of spedie consolacion to hym who pyning in his laborinth of vnfayned loyaltie attendes the happie newes of your consent and in the meane while doth humblie kisse the hande of the paragon Carmosyna Your loyall seruante Antonio Perillo The girle not earst accustomed to receiue such embassages seamed to prefer some litle astonishment at the first view of the letter not for that she misliked the contentes but to preuent cause of suspicion in her whom she neded not haue dowted if she had bene priuie to the resolute league betwene her newe seruant old gouernes who also for her part forgat not here to applie the cataplame of her promise for commending the sondrie good partes of the gentleman perswaded her that it was an effecte of vertue to aide thaffliction of such as suffer distres and that her honestie cold no way stād in awe of slaunder in requiting a most loyall and vnfayned loue with reciprocal affectiō besides saith she in the allyance consistes a decoracion and increase of honor to al your house wherwyth indeuoring yet to sporr her who of her self was sufficiently bent to ronne that cariare wrested at last not only an equall loue in the girle but also a confirmacion of the same by a letter whych she retorned vnto hym vnder thies tearmes Aswel by the roundnes of your letter Sir as relacion of my gouernes I vnderstande the franke offer of your vnfayned frendshipp wherin as the iustire of your meritt moueth me to expose thuttermost of the consideracion that my power is hable to performe so I greue that any restrainte shold be an ympediment to y e liberal recompense of the large honor you offer me by my parentes from whom albeit muste procede the chief and principal aunswere to your demaunde for that the yoke of dutifull obedience kepeth the graunt of my good will vnder the awe of their consentes yet seynge the vehemencie of your loue which hath deuyded himselfe into a simpathia or equalitie of affection in vs both reaposing muche for my selfe in thintegretie of your meaninge I wishe my father wold rather admit your presēt request then delibrate vpon the choise of other husband for me wherfore my aduise is you giue a charge of his good will wyth suche tearmes as you accompt most conueniēt to fede the humor of angry old men therpedicion wherof I commit to the vehemente suggestion of your inward desier whiche without the consente of my parentes I can not satisfye otherwayes then wyth a simple zeale wherof I send you herewith tharticles of assurance sealed wyth thunfayned faith of youre most deare and loyall Carmosynae The operacion of this aunswer seamed of suche force in the hart of Antonio that he ymagined he embrased at thinstante the faire Carmosna perswading alredie a resolute consomacion of the bargaine by old Minio her father to whō with more hast then good spede he declareth the next morninge the honor and honest loue he bare to his doughter with desier that he wold admit him for his son in lawe wherein his expectacion was not onely frustrat for that the replye of the marchante seamed to excede the compasse of his conceite but also ymported tearmes of reaproch reprehending his disordred youthe aduised him that affore he went about to marie to learne some trade to redeme his possession or elles procure such compotente porcion as mighte both susteyne hym selfe and familie and also preuente the miseries of olde-age yf god blessed hym with so longe a tyme in this world for saith he I will not cōmit my doughter to any but such as hauyng sufficient to menteine her estate is also careful too encrease that whyche god and fortune haue ymparted vnto theim neither shall the respect of your pleasure moue me to condiscende to the misery of her whome you saye you loue for I wishe rather to see the iuste destruction of th one then thindifferent desolacion of you bothe meruetlinge also that loue hath sturred vp this requeste in you seinge that yf you honored Carmosina in suche sorte as you saye you wolde also be carefull of her aduancement but as I see and knowe well enoughe that the wanton instigacion of a folishe appetit so moueth you to make a demaūde of that which shame and raison forbidde you not onely to pursewe but also perswades you to exclude vtterlie oute of your remembraunce so lett thyes fewe wordes suffice for a resolute aunswere that the viewe of your vnthriftie life hetherunto with the nedefull condicion of your presente estate makes you vnworthie and vnhable to enioye her whom otherwayes you sholde haue founde me no lesse willing to haue ioyned in cōsente then you desierons to demaunde her in sorte of honest mariage Thies laste wordes and aunswere not loked for of tholde marchant broughte no small perplexitie to our pore Perillo who by the vehemencye of his passion was forced to abandon the place and retire to his lodginge where with tunes of greate dollour he entered into a suruoye or viewe of his former lyfe in this sorte Ys it possible saith he that pouer tie shall brynge me in contempte and kepe from me the vse of the thinge whereof I made so sewer accompte or is the remembrance of the ydle exercises of my wanton youth past the onelye ympediment to this newe alliance with Minio what reason hath he to denie me y e title of his son in lawe much lesse to heare me skarce speake
one of his frendes by whose helpe he recouered both fauor and mariage of his cruel mistrys Histo 13. Fol. 265. The ende of the Table A vvitnes or cronicler of tymes a caÌ„dle to the trothe the life of the memorie the maister of a mans life and the reaporter of all antiquityes Iucundi acti labores Nescire quid antequam natus sis acciderit est semper esse puerum Lyuye Histories a librarie or store house of knovvledg Executed for religion in Fraunce by the Emperor Seuerus in the yere 178. Hannyball forced a passage for his armi through the Alpes Ingratitude the chiefeste ennemy to the honor of nobilitye Children do commonly rather excede their fathers in vice then resemble them in ver 〈◊〉 â–ª Ytaly a store house for mutinies Thexercise of hunting is both pleasant and profitable The proffit in huntinge The daunger of a prince in Iermanye in hunting A courte of peynall forfeitures or coÌ„demnatioÌ„ for money The frutes which true vertue exposeth All things are subiect to chaunge Deathe the due hyer of vnnaturall conspiracye A kinde of curtesye or amarus gretiÌ„g in Italye Hope is a chiefe comforte in affliction An vngodlie Lavve The taste of life pleasante to all men The couetous minde is neuer in quiet according to the vvordes of thappostle God the highe iudge Salymbyno debateth vvith himself touching the deliuerye of his ennemie Yt is more easye to conquer by clemencie then by crueltie Parentâ—s The noble harte soonest enclined to loue Montanyno seketh to re quit the good torne of his enemye Fortune not to be holden against her vvil and god is bound to no time Height of estate ought not to alter the goodnes of nature The Athenians punished vnthaÌ„kfulnes by death The ansvver of Augelyqua to her brother Loue hathe povver to vvorke a facilitie in that vvhiche all men thinke ympossible Venus Angeliqua falleth into a sound Angeliqua consenteth to her brothers requeste Montanyn to Seigneur Salymbyno Fortune accordinge to the poetes is the change and alteration of the vvorld ly affayres Salymbyn to his frendes so the mariage of Angeliqua Vertue firme and not subiect to chaÌ„ge The noble mynde inuincible agaynst fortune King Cyrunorished and brought vp in the contreye Romulus brought vp amonge shepherdes Of vnlavvfull vvinning of the father coÌ„mes iust losse to the sonne The romains respected more the vertuous pouertie then allovved the rich man conuerted into vice Loue make vs more apte to desier then hable to attaine Mariage the first thing vvherin christ glorified himself by miracle In the choice of our vvife vvee ought to respect the vertue and gyftes of the mind and not the riches or exterior beautye Aduersitie is necessary for that it makes vs parfect The vertues in loue in a noble minde Sondry vertues in loue Loâ—e is an humor of infecâ—â—on deriued of the corrupte partes in our selues Loue. VVords haue force to further the effecte of anye thinge Desert soyles be harbors mete for solitary persons The coÌ„plaint of Lyuyo The Cameleon is norished by the breath of the ayre Cicero Cornelya to her brother The ansvver of Cornelyo to his sister Ho bearethe his misery beste that hideth it most It is necessary to knowe the impersectious of the worlde 〈◊〉 the true messengers of the dollor of the harte The disease of Loue contrary to the disposition of other griues The coÌ„plaint of Camylla Liuio at the poiÌ„t of death speaketh to his misters Quintus Scipio The complainte of Camilla Loue is naked and vvith out eyes Brutus vvarned of his ouerthrovve in his sleepe Lyuyo vvriteth to Câ—mil lâ— The propertie of the svvan beinge neare her deathe Delaies be hurtefull in cases of loue The kinge of the hunes died in the excesse of pleasure vvith his vvife the first night of their mariage Livyo died of the like in the armes of his Camilla Badde argumeÌ„t in a yong vvoman Her parentes Money is hable to batter the strongest fortresse vnder heauen The order of a fearefull louer in disclosing his affection Slaunder Her bevvtie Parthonope vvritteth to Pandora Of true loue Pandora allovveth the requeste of her louer Companion of bed or lieu tenaunt VVhoremonger Marcyano disvvadeth his frende from Pandora Callinge Pandora vvriteth to partho nope Pandora exclaimeth Herselfe and the child vvith in her Nedea and Circe 2 great enchannteresses PaÌ„dora seÌ„des her mayd to practise vvith the vvitches of the vale Net her certaintie nor assuraÌ„ce in the art of enchaÌ„tyng God suffred the magicions of Egypte to vvorke vvonders in the sight of Pharao The studye of scripture ought to bee thexercise of the religions Abbaies the chiefest pillors that men teine superstion and ydolatrye Abbayes and Nonries tenementes of Babylon Freares bee couetous Suggestion of the fleshe makes vs sonest forget God A deuelish of deuise of Pandora The euill is but light vvhere councell takes place Paris Whoremaâ— â–ª mâ—â—ster Ielosye excedes al the tormentes in the vvorlde Hunger and colde 2. coÌ„moÌ„ enemies attendinge the campe of miserie In euery mischiefe fortune beareth the greatest svvaighe No maÌ„ vvith in the daunger of fortune but suche as lake assurance in vertue Vertue yeldes good frutes to such as embrace her vnfaynedly The chiefest vertue in a vvise is to be obedient to her husband Fortune is alvvayes Ialouse of the ease of man The malice of the vvorld rageth moste vpoÌ„ vvidovvs and fatherles children The vse of the nedle a conuenient exercise for any degree of vvomen The Captain to his frend Thoffice of true frendship vvhere in it consistes Touchinge dyuynacion of the mynd The propertie of a she ape in embrasing her younge on s Fiue vertue vvill alvvayes yeldes frutes according to the goodnes of the thing 〈◊〉 the coÌ„mon catyer of tales Albeit death is most certeine yet the hovver and time of his coÌ„ming is not knovven The Ladye comfortes her husbande Death the messenger minister of God The graue is the house of reste A ceremonie amongest the barbarians to sacrifise theÌ„selues vppon the tombes of their deade frâ—ndes The captaine riseth to fetche his dagger to kyll his vvyfe Here he killeth his vvyf A comparisoÌ„ deriued of the pollicie vvhiche the vvise mariner or shipmaister doth vse Giftes vvhich ought to appeare in an honest vvoman Deathe hath no povver but ouer our bodye Loue Procedes of the corrupcion of our ovvne nature Secret solicitors of the invvard affection of the harte Cornelio vvriteth to plaudyna The eyes be the secret signes and mesengers of loue Plaudyna aunsvvereth the letter of her seruant Portune a blind goddes The 〈◊〉 her bodye Plaudina menteth the absence of her freÌ„d vvith complaint 〈◊〉 gainste her ovvne misfortune Loue estemeth no dauÌ„ger The desyerous harte is seldom at rest and doubtefull mindes dreede alvvayes deceite The complaint of Cornelyo beinge in exile His mistres The order of a desolate louer The desier of a desperat louer The firste metinge of the baude vvith Cornelio Men more constant then vvomen Cornelyo aunsvverethe the
By toyling trade the trifling wares which they for money sel Then why should Fenton feare to purchace prayse of men To whom he fraÌ„ckely gyues the gift of this his pleasant pen If he his busye browe haue beate for our auayle And for our pleasure taken paynes why should his guerdon fayle No gredye golden fee no Iem or Iewell braue But of the reader good reporte this writer longes to haue No man of meanest witt no beast of slender brayne That thinckes that such a volume great is wrought with slender pain The thinge it selfe declares what toyle he vndertooke Ere Fentons curious fyle could frame this passing pleasant booke The Frenche to Englishe phrase his mother language hee The darcke to lighte the shade to sonne hath brought as you may see The learned stories erste and sugred tales that laye Remoude from simple common sence this writer doth displaye And what before hee tooke his painfull quyll to write Did lurcke vnknown is playnelie now to be disternd in sight Nowe men of meanest skill what Bandel wrought maye vew And tell the tale in Englishe well that erst they neuer knewe Discourse of sundrye strange and Tragicall affaires Of louynge Ladyes haples haps theyr deathes ad deadly cares And dyuers thinges beside wherby to flee the darte Of vyle deceytefull Cupids bowe that woundes the louers harte Synce this by Fentons meane and trauayle thou doct gayne Good reader yeld hym earned prayse and thanckes for taken paine Then I that made this verse shall thincke as well of the As Fentons worke doth well deserue accompted of to be PETER BEVERLEY IN PRAISE of the translator RYfe is the rule that blames the Idell mynde The ground as great that blaseth trauels gayne Eache tonge can tell a vvorld of vyces kynd And Scacred lynes appoints offences payne But Fenton shovves in svvete and sugred stile What pleasaunt bayte doth eache state beguile What carelesse youth that sees the toylyng Ant But shames to vveare his goulden tyme in vayne VVhose tender lymmes in sommer tyme do haunt The frutfull felds to rest in Borias Rayne VVhen she doth sucke the svvete of heruest toyle And fynds in frost relefe in dryed soyle The slender store that sum do novv possesse VVhose idell boones did loth in youth the lode To those that lyue suffyseth to expresse The loytring child in age knovves no abode But as the shippe tost vvith the byllovv greate So he doth yelde him selfe to fortunes threte VVhat pride deserues vvhat is blacke hatreds hiere VVhat enuye theft vvhat is the mysers mede In fyne vvhat fovvle offence vvhat fact so dire But scripture shovves his rights if thou list rede VVherby each may both shunne the vilest sinne And learne such lyfe as lasting Ioye doth vvinne But Fentons frame hath vvouen an other vvebbe His paynfull penn hath died a straunger hevve He tels vvhen vvitt is in his lovvest ebbe And vvarns the Shunne the bayne that coms by vievve VVhich so doth chaunge the sence of euery vvight That from a man to beast it tournes him quitt As vvhen the mynd through vvant of reasons rayne Vnbridled yelds to fond affections force And feding still the hart vvith amours vayne Conuert each part vnto a sencles cors VVherin he lyues so odde from right and lavve As mountayn beare that prayes deuoyd of avve And subiect thus vnto svvete folyes lore If vvishe he vvinne he shovves vvhat sovver svvete The pacient suckes vvhat bytter blisse in store He heapes vvhen age vvith iudgment iust shall mete VVhen profe shall saye of all vnhappyest vvight That reapest care in lyevv of hopte delight But if disdayne shall quyt him vvith dispyght And yeld him loth for long desired grace Then stabbing glayue the desperat brest must smyte Or frantycke vvyse runne out a sauage race Thus if of gladd or sad he happ the gayne Both haue this end in loue nought is but vayne VVhich reckles race to bring in vvisdoms guyde And for to raine vvith bytt of better skill My paynfull frend did this discours prouide As brake to breake affections lavvles vvill Gyue Fenton then but freuts of his desert And gather thou that best maye please thy hart P. B. The argument I Meane nothere to increase the merueile of menne withe a particular description of the sumptuous buildinges of Princes the magnificall scites and scituations of greate mens houses nor restore to memory the wounderfull pollecies and artificiall deuises of oure Auncestoures in making plats and firme fondacions of Castels and Cities in the bottom of the sea and muche lesse trouble you withe a reaporte of their ingenious trauaill in castinge downe hils and makynge Craggy mountaynes flat with the face of the earthe or forcing stonie Rockes with places here to fore impassible to oppen and make waye to their huge armies but I haue in presente intente to discouer vnto you the meruellous effects of loue which excedinge the opynion of common thynges seames more straunge then the curious construction and frame of any Pallais for necessitie or pleasure threatrie or place of solace buylded by art or industrie of man or other stately Court what sqware quadrante or triangle forme so euer it conteines or other misticall worke yeldinge cause of wonder to the vniuersitie of the earthe seing that a mortal grudge grounded vppon greate spite confirmed withe the continuance of a longe time and pursued extremelye wythe bloddye persecution and vnnaturall crueltie is not onely conuerted vpon a sodaine into perfecte frendeshippe but also by an effecte and operation of loue made so indissoluble that no future accidente or synister deuise of enemyes could once make a breache and muche lesse vtterly dissolue the league of amity so happely begon and sewerly knite together by the vertue of affection whyche wee call commonlye the passion procured by loue wherunto is also added alike effecte of a thankefull mynde arguing vnto vs whythe a famyliar example that as ingratitude is the greatest vice y e raynes in the disposition of man and principall ennemy to the honor of nobilitie soo the contrary deserueth by iustice the tytle of the moste precious vertue y t is wherein as the Thebans were shamefully reproched for the respect of their greate Capttaines Epaimy nondes and Pelopides so the Plateons on the contrarye were worthely renounâ—ed for the large recompence and consideracion they vsed to the benefyte of the Greekes who deliuered them from the seruitude of the Persians like as also the Sycyoniens weare yet the crown of eternal comendacion for the thankefull returne of the curtesye of Aratus by whome they were frankely taken oute of the handes of cruell tyrantes if the acte of Philip Marya late Duke of Myllan deserueth detestacion for the vnnaturall crueltye he committed vppon the person of his wife who albeit was equall in nobilitie exceded him in the giftes of fortune and large possessions of indifferente beaw tye to content a reasonable man nothinge inferior to the beste Ladye of the countrye in
frende PROCRIS The notable Philosopher ACAST hauing thonly Credite for education of the heir apparaunt of his prince and honouring albeit the childe with more then an ordinarye affection yet hunting on a tyme among the deserts of that contreye contrary to the wil of the king for that he was warned by a prophecy of the death and distruction of his sonne in castynge a darte at the boare slewe hym whom hee loued asmuche or more then himselfe besides for a familiar profe of my allegation in this case yt is not yet viij yeres since y e countie Palatine one of y e chiefe princes of GERMANY being lost of hys companye in pursewing the chasse of a fierce boare was ouerthrowen horse and man and in daunger to be deuoured by the furye of the beaste if by good chaunce hys ryder with ij freshe dogges had not ben at hand to preuent his perill so likewise by the hunting of a wilde boare grewe the bloddy quarel betwne theses ij houses for hauing one day by force and pollycie of men and dogges kylled one of the greatest boares About SYENNA in the particular cōmendatiō which euery man gaue to the doughtines of his dogge there began to kindle a kinde of mislike in the hartes of the twoo younge Lordes whiche with the heate of the wine wherein they goolled without regarde after their trauaill and the bloudde beinge chaffed with the presse and nomber of termes of reproche bolked out at laste to cruell blowes whiche without respect of personnes seamed so to occupye the place for the tyme that besides a nomber that were hurte on bothe parts the SALIMBINS hadde the worste for that one of theyr chiefe was lefte for dead in the fielde where with the fraye discontinued for that time and euery man retired the MONTANINS not gladd of the victorye for that theye doubted a reuenge and the SALIMBINS contented by force with theyr present fortune attendynge notwithstandynge thassistaunce of a better tyme to redeme the bloude of theyr kynsman not wyth equall losse of their enemy but with vtter ruine and subuersion of the whole house of their aduerse parte whiche they fayled not accordingly to performe with suche hoate expedicion and power that after diuerse publike skermishes and priuate combats with indecent murders the contrary parte hauinge consumed the moste parte of their rente and reuenewe in meintainynge garrisons to withstande theyr malyce within the compasse of no longe tyme they hadd brought to extreme depopulatiō the whole kindred of the MONTANINS excepte one younge Gentleman named CHARLES who findynge himselfe to weake to resyste any longer the rage of his aduersaries retired to a contentement by force and gaue place to their furie and they also fyndynge the fielde abandonned without any to make head against them dismissed their angrye humor and layde asyde their bluddye weapons beinge dolled with the heauye and mortall blowes vppon theyr conquered enemies This Charles and laste remainder of the house of MONTANINO being appointed by destenie to lyue yet in spite of his enemies stirred not out of the towne of SIENNA where as a solitary man in the presse of his aduersaries he liued without eyther salutyng or hauntynge the place of theyr repaire beinge fauored notwythstandynge of the moste parte of the Cytie for that after so many broyles and horley borleys of warre which with the fiske had conuerted the greatest parte of his porcion and inheritaunce into nothynge he lyued notwithstanding of that lytle whiche fortune had lefte him in honest sorte meintainynge a traine accordynge to the state and condicion of his lyuynge hauynge in the house with hym the companye of his syster whiche the gods seamed to reserue not onelye for his speciall consolation in so greate a calamitie but also in rest oryng theyr house to hys auncient entier and beinge to buylde agayne a newe and perfecte frendshipp vppon the fyrste fondacion and confirme eftesones by her vertue a perpetuitie of indissoluble amitie betwene her brother and the house of his extreame aduersary her name was ANGELIQVA whose speciall ornamentes of nature and peculiar gyftes of God chalenged not onlye an equalytye but a degre aboue the beste and greatest Dames of that Countrey so seamed she iustelye meritorious of that name with cut doinge wronge to anye because her wisdome womanlye behauiour with humble curtesye made suche declaracion of her honestye and vertue that they whyche hated theyr house and detested the remembraunce of their Race could not close their mouthes from her due commendacion nor forbeare to wishe that theyr doughters and children were of semblable disposition suche is the operacion and force of true vertue in the hartes of suche as embrace her with vnfayned sinceritie exposinge in lyke sorte suche frutes as seame wondrous in the eye of worlde and excede the common imaginacion of men by reducinge the confusion of kindreds into an entier of euerlastynge amytie and of a mortall enemy to make a most assured frende whereof they that doubte of the goodnes of so greate a gyfte maye be satisfyed by the present of proffe this Angeliqua who so fedd the eares of the cytie with the generall Brute cōmendacion of her vertue that in one moment he which earst was chiefe and captaine of the warre against theim and seamed inuincible against all the ayde and assistaunce they could procure is nowe become a slaue and most subiect to the viewe and contemplation of her beautie in suche sorte as by litle litle he grew into termes of extreme affection and vndowted zeale towardes her whose name he hated earst no lesse then the Cankered styng of the cruell Cockatrice wherin as the humor of his loue seamed to excede the ordinarie impressions of men in that case So he neyther was hable to resiste the hoate sommaunce of his newe appetit nor kepe warre any tyme with the suggestion of his sodayne desire but as one that felt hymselfe striken with the thonderbolt of his destynie gaue place to his sentence and entred into deuise with himselfe what waye too vse to wynne the encounter of hys fancie The remembraunce of the late wronge he had done theim seamed a great impediment to his purpose neyther had he the meane to demaunde her in mariage Whose teares were skarce drye in bewailyng the desolation he hadd so lately thondred vpon al their house the simple view and recorde wherof preferred iust cause of dispaire to obtaine the good will of her brother wherwith feling a daily increase of his passion with continuall diminution and vnlikelyhod of meanes to releue his tormēt specialy for that he had imprisoned his liberty where no raunsome could serue to redeme it and that loue had bounde hym to so harde a pennaunce that the only pleasure he had in life was to thinke vpon her whome dispaire denied him to reclaime by anye meanes he began to curse thee first cause of the quarell and wyshe the huntyng of the boare hadd neuer ben tollerable in Italy
forcynge an incredible furye to the angrye disposition of the sea seame vnhable to sturre the harde rocke or stonye montayne where vppon it followeth that as the greatnes of fortune wyth glee of infynite riches doo lifte vppe and make swell the harte of a villaine or one of base condicion So the synister chaunge of estate nor anye malyce or ministers of pouertye can embase or make stowpe the greatenes of corage in theym that are wroughte in a contrary frame or made of other stuffe then the vulgare sorte for they kepe alwayes a maiestie of theyr originall and obserue in suche sorte thinstincte of the bloode whereof theyr auncestors were made noble and gaue theym sucke of the veray milke of vertue that what dispites or malicious somonce soeuer fortune doth sende theim the temperat argument of modestie in their complexion and countenaunce wyth true effect operation of true vertue of their mind do sufficientlye argue their condicion in defyinge the threates of the worlde makes absolute declaration that vnder the vaile of suche miserie is shrowded a harte deseruinge better allowance then the aduersatie whiche tormentes theym Herein consistes the whole glorye of the youthe of the PERSIANS and MEADES who albeit were norished and broughte vppe amongeste the heardmenne of their parentes yet gaue they place to no contrey in magnanymytie of mynde And who hath exceded or bene equall in generosytie or noble corage of harte to ROMVLVS the firste founder of the prowde cytie of Rome yet was hée assisted with no better educacion or trayninge vppe thenne in caues and cabynettes of shepherdes and suche as inhabyte the playne and deserte fieldes for the garde of their cattell all whyche I haue preferred vnto you my Lords Ladyes as a special prepratiue to the peculiar praise and commendacion of the vndowted noblenes of mynde of SIGNEVR CHARLES MONTANYN and his syster who wythoute preiudice or wronge to anye maye well be tearmed the peragon for bewtie and mirroer of honeste and chaste behauioure aboue all the Ladies annd gentlewomen in oure common wealthe whose house as you knowe hathe bene so oppressed wythe contynual persecucion that onely they two are the laste remeyndoures of their whole race standinge also not longe since at the pointe of extreme ruyne and vtter subuersion for euer yet the ympocision of suche straunge miseryes colde neyther moue any dymunicion of corage nor staye of desyer to expose an effecte of that vertue and bowntie whyche nature hathe appointed to occupie the hartes of theym that bée true noble wherein as I sée some iustice to exclaime againste the crueltie of our auncestors for that the only respecte of a smal broyle happeninge by chaunce hathe moued them to thonder a most mortal vengance of this so auncient and vertuous a stocke So for my part being pryuie to mine own conscience with remembrance of the wise admonicion of the graue philosopher saying that as of vnlawfull winninge of the father comes iuste losse to the sonne soo hee that makes himselfe a tyrante by force becomes oftentimes a slaue by Iustice I thinke it necessarye not onelye to blowe the laste retraite of all grudge betwene vs but also worke the effecte and confirmation of a future amytie for euer hereafter And if the view of thauncient quarrels and mutunies of former time do staye your consente to present compassion of their case yet let not the honest trade of lyfe ciuill behauiour and modest disposition of this brother and syster depart without the due mede and hyer of their vertue neyther let vs suffer their place in the senate to bee emptie or voyde of supplie that earste hathe bene furnished with the presence of the moste noble and wise men of our cytie to th ende that our example may serue as a precedent to the future tyme in that thonlye respecte of vertue and not ryches makes vs restore the dekayed stockes of our common wealthe wherein also we shall iustelye deserue the title of our highe discente from the puissant and mightie emprours of Rome who gaue euer more honour to the vertuous pouertie then regarde or commendacion to the richeman conuerted into vice or abhominable indeuours But nowe because I sée you alredie sorowearyed with the lengthe of a lingrynge suspence desyerynge to knowe the cause of thys greate commendaciou of the MONTANYNS with request to abridge my tediouse discourse if you will lende me yet a litle liberty to speake with patience to heare the chiefe poyntes of my protestation the spedie ende of my tale shal restore present quiet and contentment to your trobled myndes It is longe since I muste confesse and yet th offence is neyther mortal nor falte so hainous but it may be forgiuen that the beauty with other parts of perfection in the faire Angeliqua here presente so rauished my sences and robbed me of my libertie at one instant that thonly exercise whych occupyed my head daye and nighte for a longe tyme was the sondrye deuises I ymagyned to discouer vnto her my martiredome wherin I fedd the hongry humor of my affection with such alarams and contraryetie of conceites that hauinge by thys meane loste the necessary appetite of the stomake and vsual desyer of sleepe I felte suche a diminucion of nature and lyuelye force thorowe all the partes in me that I was presented at one tyme wyth the choice of two moste perillous euils in the worlde the one to dye afore my tyme by suffocacion of pynnynge dollour or els to yelde to a depriuation of my sences and gyfte of vnderstandinge for euer wherein I was also pursued wyth the readye assistaunce of perplexed dispaire for that I saw no meane to make that seame easye wherein I iudged so greate an impossibilitye chieflye by the grounded quarels of oure ij houses whereby albeit the warre seames ended and the grudge halfe appaised betwene vs yet was I of opinyon that there remeined an equall desyer in the hartes of vs both neyther to wishe well the one to the other and muche lesse to absteine from further slaughter when so euer a newe occasion shoulde eftesones fall oute neyther coulde theis mortall impedimentes argue sufficient raison to diminish min affection but sturred vp rather a treble increase of desyer accordynge to the passioned minde enchaunted with loue who makes suche as he possesseth more apte to desyre then hable to attayne to the effect of that whiche they wishe preferrynge alwayes a simple likelihode in that wherin appereth an absolute impossibilitye to th ende to afflicte theyr miserable lyues wyth continuall annoye but as theis extremeties had filled my head full of dispaire and committed me to a continuall carefulnes of minde because I coulde neither staye the course of my affection nor encounter the obiect of my desyer beholde fortune entred into compassion of my state assistynge me wyth so readye a medecine for my greate disease that when I was voyde of all expectation or hope
then the pomppe of wanton delytes wherewith princes and other great Ladies are respected serued honored and some time courted by a crew of veneryan carpet knights with diuers ymportunyties and vnseamely requests of loue who as he is an humor of infection deriued of y e corrupt partes in our selues and yet coÌ„mon to vs all by nature so is he chiefly furthered in therecution of his euil by an vsuall frequentacion and hawnte of parties whereof maye bee noted a moste famyliar experience in this LYVIO who during the practis of the two girles toke such viewe of the bewtie and behauiour of CAMâ—LLA seing her only go and come to the chamber of his syster that he began to sipp of the Cuppe of affection no lesse then DIDO kyssing CVPIDO vnder the figure semblance of the litle ASCANIVS son to the valiant ENEAS neyther coulde he be so constant to repulse this first apprehensioÌ„ but maugre his hart he yelded to the somonce of his affection and at the first assalt surrendred the fortresse to him that offred the warr who at the first entry made himselfe lord ouer the free partes of this prisoner rampired him selfe so stronly within thinteriour of his mynd that he was not onely in one instaÌ„te the gouernour of his thoughts but also directing his whole doings by y e diall of his descretion fedd hym onely wyth the vnsauerye Iewice of tormente and contynuall passion in suche sorte as not knowinge whether hee shoulde encounter a retorne of reciprocall glee hee seamed to loue vppon credytte takinge pleasure in interteynynge his vncerteyne thoughts and vaine delite of his flatteryng fancy where in hee had hadde some reason if the conference of CACAMILLA had kindled the coles of this affection in his mind for that as I haue sayde frequentacion bredeth first the desyer so wordes haue force to further theffecte of diuerse thynges whiche otherwaies we colde neuer bringe to passe or if he had bene aunswered wyth a SYMPATHIA or equalitie of frendshipp by her on whose behalfe he comytted such fond ydolatrye but what when a man hath once set a broch the humor of his follie he accomptes it a great symplicitie to desist afore he haue performed euery effecte and suggestion of the blynde guide that gouerneth his vnrulye wil for this yonge Pigeon of the first plume hatching in the secret of his mind that whiche he durst not discouer toke singler pleasure in the repetycion of the delite which he desiered ymagining that CAMILLA had cropped of the same herbe whereof hee had swallowed both the leafe and roote and that shee was no lesse zelous on his behalfe then he y e slaue forced and enchanted by the vertue of her glisteringe beawtie wherein as deserte and solytarie soyles bee harbors moste conuenyente for suche as be occupied wyth passion so hee beganne by lytle and litle to disclayme all companye and places of assemblie and accompted his greatest felycitie to discourse wyth his thoughtes in the open barraine feldes wher onely the ayre did witnes his dollor and the birdes partakers of hys hollowe sighes wherin walkyng one day amonge the rest a long a Coppies or Groue of short wode norished by y e moisture of two or thre pleasante chanelles distilling from certeyne Rockes builded by nature vpon the hight of the mounteynes whych fauoured his dolful complainte with an ECCHO of semblable dule he exposed an effect of his passion in these sorowfull termes what angrye dome of the godds or sinyster permission of the fates is this sayth he which depriuyng my harte of his auncyente lybertie hath made a transport of my thoughtes vpon thymage of a beawtie that resemblethe the clearenes of the heauens and eclipsethe what soeuer is perfecte or fayre vppon earthe frome whence procedes thys newe authorytye whyche commanndinge the strongeste parte in me seameth to force a desier to wishe that wherof myne eyes haue alreadie giuen iudgement touchinge the bewtye of thonely mistres of my thoughtes what soddayne alteration is this to transforme my libertie into a seruile thraldome and yet of more delite and contentement then if I were pronounced thonely soueraine and Lord of the whole patrymonie Alas I thinke thaccidente excedynge the compasse or computacion of nature ympartes his power title with the celestial authorityes aboue for myne eyes do daylye fede vpon the presence of CAMYLLA andene ountreth a contynuall viewe of her companye but the true effecte of that whiche is parfecte vnder the corporal vaile can not bee discerned but by figure force of ymagynacion the which rauishinge my sences hath made me the slaue of her who liuynge without subiection or touch of passion may peraduenture conuerte the SYMPTOMES of my present greefe into a conceyte of litle or no regarde wyth adisdayne of thoffer of my affection To what ende sholde I endeuor to gather the frute when the leaues will graunte me no fauour or who will bende his deuocion towarde the shryne if the sainte close the gates of compassion agaynste him in like sorte what pleasure haue I to embrase a shadowe when the bodye disdaineth my homage and offer of seruice oneles there be a felycitie in the life of the CAMELEON liuinge with the breath or ayre of the Skies for in fearinge to discouer my grefe I haue cause to dispaire of the remedie and in fedinge onely vppon vaine and vncertaine ymaginacions I am to expecte no other contentment but such as distilleth from the fountayne of such simple fauours that now I find theim the happiest kinde of creatures to whom nature hath ymparted such rude shappe and grosse vnderstandynge that they cannot in any sorte receaue thimpressions of loue where we alas that are deryued of a more delicate molde and enioyned to a generositye of spirite aboue the reste are barred the beuefyt of all felycitye in admittinge as a principall pleasure y e thing which tormentes vs more mortallie then if we were persecuted with all thafflictions of the worlde Herein appeares the folye and wante of discretion in man doatinge vpon the vanities and passions whiche of hym self hee plantes in hym selfe without foreseinge howe vnhable hee is to restore his quiete after hee bee once attainted with the humour of suche corruption But what may any one man be assisted with speciall priuilege in that which nature hath made common to vs all I meane is it in the power of any to procure dispence from the daunger of loue or staye the coles kindled in our intrailes to burst into blase or open flame no no for of a million that haue fallen into the snares and perils of affection I haue not knowen anye one that hath disposed of hym selfe and thoughtes other wayes then accordynge to the discretion of hym that sekes to mortifye our quiet and triumphe in the seruilitye of vs wretches yet for my parte seinge there is no euill in embrasing things that be faire for that according to
so in vnderstandynge the cause I hope you wylexcuse me of effectes of other folly then suche as nature hath enioyned in generaltie to all men and to cut of your suspence and absolue your troubled mynde of all doubte you shall vnderstande that the force of loue depriuinge myne aunciently berty hath also transposed my former quiet solace of mynde into these mournynge and pynynge regardes whiche you note in me neyther can I be restored to the state which you wishe without the assuraunce of that which I desire whiche is the good wyll of her to whome loue hath be gyuen so large power ouer me And as euery medecine is measured by the greatnes of the disease and the lyght hurte is easelye healed without tryinge the exquisite skill of the Phisicion so my gréefe beinge grounded vpon great consequence doth not onely assaile me withall sortes of passions and panges of sorowe but also denyeth to brooke the operacion of other remedie but suche as is distilled from the earbe that first infected me it is not the offer of smal harmes that makes me so hurtefull to my self and hateful to my frendes nor the subiect of tryflynge annoye that sturres vp theis sighes and solytarie disposition in me it is alas for beautye her felfe that I suffer eye the veray patterne and goddesse of all perfection hath made me so forgetfull of my selfe that I seame a straunger to my deare frendes neyther haue I other power of my selfe then suche as is imparted vnto me by her whose picture I cary so lyuely in my minde CORNELIA altogether ignorant in the force of affection and by reason of the gréenes of her yeres voyed of experience in tournynge ouer the volumes of loue coulde not but smyle for the firste at thei argon or discourse of her brother albeit notinge his perpleritie she let fall also certaine teares on the behalfe of his desolate state and seynge hym wholly conuerted into contemplation of a vision iudged it an effecte of pitye to gyue ayde to his distresse whereupon she desired eftsones in mery sorte to knowe the goddesse of his de◠ocions to the ende sayth she that I may yelde her honor for youre sake and seinge you dare not presente her your requeste I maye enter into the office of an intercessour and praye for your delyuerye neyther nede you doubte to disclose her to me nor dispayre of my dilygence and readye indeuour to do you good onles you be so farr spente wyth Ialous passion that you feare I wyll rausshe her from you or preuente the desier of your pleasure in beinge in loue with her my self you abuse y e loyaltye of my meaning and I doe wronge to exacte so farre vpon rour secret imagination I am cōtente sayth he you I est candtake pleasure in the eusll whiche I suffer so that you will performe the effecte of your promisse whiche you maye the rather accomplishe by the credit you haue with her who is the onely cause of my tormente whereof after she had giuen hym a seconde assuraunce by othe and protestation of faythe he tolde her not withoute a freshe supplie of sorowe that it was CAMILLA to whom his libertie was captile and in the ballance of whose compassion wayghed indifferently the lycence of longer life or sentence diffinitiue of presente death desierynge her for ende to make her priuie to the paine he indured and with all to procure spedie moderacion of his gréefe or els to awarde the writte of fatall somonce to hym that is not hable to féede the vaine of lyfe without the foode of her speciall fauour The gyrle delityng still in the amarous discourse of her brother willed hym to take harte at grasse and makynge exchaunge of his solytarle order to a wake out of his dreame of dompes and reuoke his disposition of auncient cherefulnes leaste his mistres loathing his thyn and wearishe lookes be affraide to graunt loue to a Stoane or suffer her selfe to be embrased by one in who me is neither present delite nor likelihod of future pleasur Ah sister saith hee how your libertie of tounge argueth your small experience in cases of loue whose delites consiste in teares sighes and dolorous complaintes wherein as suche as be moste constante of all make declaration also of effecte of suche loyaltie in takinge pleasure to recorde their sorowe with tunes of lamentable note so in exposinge the contrarie we discouer at vnwares the slender affection we beare to the thynge we desier and for my parte I fele no lesse pleasure by ymagination when I see with the eyes of my mynde the beautie and other perfections of my deare CAMILLA then you whiche neuer tasted of the apprehension of this frée constrainte whiche the destenie of loue hath appointed to attend vpon me I am glad saith she to be warned in this sorte to eschewe the lyke euill in my selfe and sorie to note the experience of so great an inconuenience in you but seing you are so sewerly rampired in your folye that thoffer of persuasion is hatefull vnto you I am contente you féede vpon suche ease as you finde and take pleasure in the simple contemplacion of the ymage of your Saint for for my parte I had rather haue an hower of reste disposinge my selfe to slepe assone as my head the pillow be met then lye with mine armes of crosse regardynge the course of the starres and builde castelles in the ayre or be troubled in dremyng of the dissolution of the worlde and then to baptise suche impediments and enemies of reste by the name of the pleasures of loyall louers with addition that it is a peculiar glorie gyuen them frō aboue by the inuisible goddesse it is a pore repaste God knoweth for an emptie stomake to féede only of wishes and satisfye his thurste with drinkinge of an emptie cuppe or restore heate to the benommed partes by a cold chymney or satisfye the desieringe minde with simple contemplacions wherewith she retired with intent to trye the nexte daye whether CAMYLLA had any vaine that stretched to satisfye the desier of her brother whome she lefte with more argument or consolation then afore by reason of the hope he reaposed in her diligence Here was a double offence in LIVIO both to force his syster to an enterprise indecent for her honor and age and also to prefer her to be the DARIOLETTA of his loue opening as it were the way of voluptuous pleasure to al youth y t which is to much enclined that way by the corruptiō of our own nature without that we nede thassistāce of art to supplie our defaultes in so vnhonest an ercercise albeit our blindnes is so great in things of such foly that in respectinge only y e present we neuer feare y e fal of future incōuenience til being serued with y e writ of present penāce we fynde to lytle leasure to repente so greate offences and albeit accordyng to Aristotle it is necessarie to be priuie
her bead in a litle cabynett ioyninge to the lodginge of LIVIO who by the thinnes of the wall which only deuided their chambers was pertaker of the leaste worde that was spoken in the lodgynge of hys sister whose greuous groanes forced by the violence of a burnynge feuer gaue such increase to the daunger of LIVIO that he was at point to yelde to the laste alaram of life if the sicknes of his sister had not broughte the spedye remedye of hys dysease for CAMILLA astonied without measure that she neyther mette CORNELIA at the churche sawe her at the gate nor wyndowe nor any assemblye what soeuer learned so much by inquisicion that she was aduertised of the mortall daunger of LIVIO together wyth thertremitye of hys syster who yf they were not reskewed by greate merueyle were at poynte to be shrined together at one instante in theyr fatall tombe Here CAMYLLA began to recante her auncient creweltye for in ceassynge any longer to dissimule her secrett affection to her LIVIO and the sorowe shee suffered for thafâ—â—iction of hys syster she seamed to purifie the wronge shee hadde donne to theym bothe thorowe a ryuer of affected teares distillynge by suche aboundance from her watery eyes that she seamed at the poynte to visitt the purgatorye of thother woorlde to doo penaunce for the twoe euilles whereof she confessed her selfe to bee thonlye occasion wherein after she hadde spente certainne howers in publicke complainte whose dollour seamed of force to moue the heauens to teares and staye the course of the sonne fealynge still an increase of passion by the vehemencye of loue shee was constrayned to abandon the place and performe the reste of her exclamacion agaynste her crueltie all alone in her chamber with thys tearmes What furye or force infernall is thys whyche shakyng the fortresse and most constante parte in me hathe made me in one moment yelde to that wherin I haue bene hitherto inuincible is it possible alas that that whyche I iudged a dissembled passion in thys infortunat Gentleman shoulde torne to a true effecte of vndowted faith confirmed by the power of that whiche we call loue in the hartes of men why haue not I considered that the horse whyche is of noble corage will be gouerned by the shadowe of a Rodde where the dull beaste is skarcely sturred with the princkyng of the spurres the fearefull dogge doth also barke more then bite and depest riuers do ronne with leaste noyse so nature hathe imparted a peculiar instinct to the noble minde not only to be more delicate in diet and ardante in affection but also to embrase the obiecte of their fancie with a more vehemencie of desite and passion then the rest of the rude and grosse sorte who are not worthy to be partakers of the misteries in true loue Ah LIVIO LIVIO howe doo I feele a mocion of that whych I can not tearme other wayes then a free force without constrainte and a dollour without cause of complainte for I am possest with an euill wherein I take pleasure and feeles an experience of a paine without the which I thinke the lyfe of man can hardely be sustained and yet my mynde wauereth in suche dredefull conceites that I feare to make declaracion of that which bothe law of loue and dutie of my conscience bindes me to expose for the solace and relyefe of thy presente affliction but alas the renoume of myne honeste name is so deare vnto me that I wyshe rather to embrase the extreme panges of death then giue one symple occasion of discredit to mine auncient vertue for that as mans wisdome is hable to supplie y e losses of all other thinges so it is not only vnfurnished of meanes to restore the forfait of our honestye but also voyde of arte to couer the falte of so greate an offence but is it a iuste imputation or worthye falte when in our busynes wee respecte vertue and concludes the ende of our enterpryse wyth an honeste meanynge ys it not a deede of compassion to gyue soccours to hym that standes in watter vpp to the throte and at the pointe to peryshe for want of help what can we do lesses then be careful to recouer hym who offereth hys lyfe in the sacrefise of affection for our sakes who can iustly tearme our doynges by the title of offence when we yelde a mutual amitye to hym that pursueth our goodwill wyth a respecte and intente of lawfull mariage no no CORNELIA thowe shalte not lose thy brother nor I the companie of so deare a frende for lacke to aunswere in reciprocal wil to him who with the peril of his life coÌ„ceiles the argument of hys sorow Ah most constant loyall LYVIO seyng the reputacion of myne honour denieth me accesses and coÌ„ference with the and y e shame doth close my mouthe from discouerynge the secret of my good meaning towardes y e take courage discharg thou thoffice of a bolde soliciter to her that is no lesse readye to graunte then thou meritorious to haue and dispoiled alreadye of all hagarde crueltie is not onely prest to reknowledge the honour whyche thou offreste me but also whollye framed to the POSTEY and appetit of thy will and nowe do I fele that againste the force and power of loue the strongest resistaunce is to weake neyther is the whole worlde of sufficient strength to put to vtteraunce the soldiours whome he preferreth in the feylde whereof who is a more late experience then my selfe who earste defyinge hys malice am nowe to attende vpon the chariott of hys triumphe and yeld me prisonner to hym who beyng hither unto my bondman hathe nowe made me the slaue of his importunat requestes And seynge the sentence is alredye paste and confirmed by the voice of my destymes why do I conceile my passion in the myddest of a thousande flames whiche tormentes me within or why do I dissemble that I desire moste or retire myne eyes from the view wherein they chieflye delite why do my feete staye to transporte thys body to the place where the harte hath already taken possession wherwith she determyned the spedye consolation of LYVIO wyth no other drogue or confection then a free consente of her loue yf the same were eftesoones demaunded and there vppon collored her goynge to hys logynge to see CORNELIA whome as shee founde in her bedde wythe more argumentes of deathe then apparance of lyfe by reason of a generalle weakenes whyche hadde mortyfyed the whole strengthe of her body so she hadde not spent in any wordes in the consolation of her companion but LIVIO smellynge as it were the presence of hys ladye asked hys syster who was wyth her who aunswered that onely CAMYLLA kepte her companye wherewith forcing a supplie of courage in his fainte harte with intente to knowe the fynall areste of his lyfe or death began to plede wyth hys absent mistres in this sorte Yf there be any hope in extremetye or expectacion of
with a chaste kysse of her seruant and frendlye farewel to CORNELIA she retireth to her fathers Palais leauynge her louer well lightned of all his cares sauyng of a necessarye meane to sounde the good will of the olde REINALDO wherin notwithstandynge he vsed suche expedicion of diligence that afore hymselfe could enioye the benefyt of perfect health he procured certaine auncient Gētlemen his neare parents to performe his reqneste to thold niā whom they solicited with suche instance in sorte of mariage that he admitted theyr offer and confirmed the bargaine with theis wordes that onely LIVIO shoulde be the firste that should renounce the bale albeit saith he because of thinfirmitie of mine age I vse the cōsent of my son in all my affaires of importance so I craue onely your patience in the fynall conclusion of the mariage til his retourne frō Rome at which time only your selues shal name the day of consommation in this aunswere albeit appeared an impediment to the performance of the mariage for that as you haue harde CLAVDIO enuyed the state of LIVIO which argued a difficultie in him to approue shallyance yet CAMILLA vnderstanding the resolution of both their parentes gaue as sewer iudgemente of the mariage as if it had bene alredie published in the churche and therupon began to enlarge her familiar hawnte and repairs to LIVIO whom if she embrased afore with earneste zeale it was nothinge in respectt of the vehemencie of her present affection which also deuyded hymselfe into such a SYMPATHIA and equalitie of loue in theim bothe that it spredde abrode by indiffrent braunches in bothe their hartes like as the morninge son in the easte giueth by litle and lytle contynuall encrease to his beames comforting the creatures vppon earth And in this often enterviewe together LYVIO enioyenge nowe his auncient health and dexterytie of body being one daye amongest the rest with his lady in the cham ber of his syster toke his lute and songe a ditie whiche hee had made of their reciprocall passion wyth suche contentemente to hys CAMILLA that she desired hym eftesones to repaite it in semblable note aswel for the delyte of the tune which he performed with a voice to her contentacion as also the subtill stile and fyne conueighe of the matter arguinge a conclucion of that which they bothe wished wyth equall appitit seinge that as their continuall haunt and frequentacion together gaue increase to their desyer so they were both of opynion that loue colde not beare the title of perfecte affection if theffect of that whych was indiffrently wished of theim both did not make perfect the thyng which hithervnto was debated but by wordes other wayes that whiche was passed betwene theim beinge but a naked loue whithout effecte other then certeine delicate kysses whyche serued rather to kyndle the coales of desyer then quenche the flame alredye burning within their intralls seamed but a simple platte or playne table whiche the conninge painter hath smothed for the nonst to drawe some ymage of exquisytt skille wherein being ouercharged with intolleracion of desyer and fynding thabode of CLAVDIO longer thenne they ymagined they passed vnhappely a pryuye contracte betwene shem selues with erspectaciō to consomat the ful of y e matter with a due hyer of y e paines they indured indiffrently in attendinge an effecte of their pleasure at the retorne of CLAVDIO from Rome But here fortune began to presente her selfe vppon the stage as one that wil be knowen to beare a swaighe in the good happe or infelicitie of man and vs of suche vnconstante and malicious regard towardes vs that when we thinke we bee paste the feare of all perill and trodden all desasters vnder our féete it is then that we fynd least assurance in the thinges wherein we reapposed our chiefest pleasure and in the turninge of her weale is figured the alte racion of oure wordlie affaires I meane by a conuersion of thinges which earste seamed pleasant and delicat into a taste ercedinge the bitternes of gal in such sorte that often tymes wée fynde deathe of more easye burden then wée are hable to beare the panges whiche ordenarilye attende the flatteries of this vncerteine FORTVNE whom the Poetes and painters not wythout cause haue drawen in y e picture of a blynd woman standing vppon a tickle staie of an vnconstant globe or bowle representinge thereby her fragilitie and how blind lye she guides the thinges of y e world what authorities colde inferr to exclaime agaynst her mobylitie if it were not for the shortnes of tyme and that I wil not cloye your memory wyth so tedious a discourse howe manye haue wee féene at the point to enioye a monarkye kingdom or siegneury who when they leaste thought of commutacion or change haue loste their honoure expulsed their estates and at laste ended their lyues by a miserable death Who haue redde the sixte booke of VALERIVS MAXIMVS may iustefye my opynion by thexample of QVINTVS SCIPIO a valiant capteyne and consull in Rome who longe tyme hauinge fortune at commaundement was seene in a moment cut in morselles seruinge as vnworthie foode to the rauenouse beastes issuinge oute of the sauage desarts RADAGASO sometime king of the GOTHES for all thassuerance he reapposed in his inuincible armye as he thought was not expempted frome the dome of inconstante and mortall destynie for that his people slaine his capteines fled and he taken prysoner passed vnder the sentence of an infamous deathe by STILICON generall of tharmye at that time for themprour HONORIVS wyth other infynit proffes of antiquitie wherwith it is no neede to fyll my paper seinge the domesticall accedentes and like chaunces happeninge amongest our neighboures at hoame do giue sufficient testymonye and faithe of that whiche wee go aboute to proue And nowe beinge vpon the discourse of LIVIO and his vnfortunat CAMILLA who albeit were ney ther princes nor gouernors of kingdomes yet beinge in the paradise of their pleasure and at the pointe to performe the last acte of their delytes encountred in one moment a chang and synister subuercion all contrarye to the appointmente whiche they had resolued vpon their future mariage And sewer it is an argumēt of the greatest folly that can bée to promisse our selues an assurance of thinges whiche depende vppon the will and dispocition of an other vppon whiche the yssue is also most vncerteine for that differing frō vs in coun cell and ymaginacion they are also without care in what sort wée take their iudgement seinge they depende no waye vpō vs nor our fancy like as it happened to these .ii. infortunat louers for CLAVDIO nowe retorned and not likinge any way thallyance betwene LYVYO and sister wrought so muche with his father who sawe not but by the eyes of his son nor attempted any thinge wherinto CLAVDIO added not the conclusion that REINALDO renounced the words of his former consent pacifyenge the parents of LIVIO by the beste
of the vessel which the page had gaged to his hande and sucked out the sugred Iewse of â—f that grape he fayled not to courte her with a contynuall â—â—aunte of his companye in suche sorte that his chiefe exerâ—â—ise and tyme was employed in the supplye of her gredy deâ—yre vntyll at last being cloyed for wante of chaunge of dyâ—â—tte or wearye with so longe huntinge one kynde of chase â—r peraduenture not hable any longer to mainteyne the skirâ—ysh for want of fresh supplyes he began to suborne diuers â—eanes to purchase his departure wherin with thassystance â—f a fewe fayned importunytyes hee preuayled only with his exense that being captayne of certeyn bands of footmen â—t behoued him he sayde for greate respectes to visitte his charge with expedicion wherwith with small sute hée gatte leaue and wente his waye resigning the forte whiche hee had so long battered to the guard of an olde and rich gentylman dwellinge in the same Cytie who doatinge more vpon the bewtie of PANDORA thenne notinge deligentlye her disposytion maryed her after longe intercession to her frendes A mache farr vnmete considering thinequalitye of their yeres for he bearing the burden of syftye wynters vpon his backe his former moysture and strength conuerted into watrye humors of weaknes scars hable to sustayne nature who at those yeres also sommons all men to declyne seamed farr vnâ—able to encounter in singler combate with her that had not yet sene thuttermost day of eyghtene yeres albeit beinge maried although his lott was to take other mennes leauings yet he myslyked not his choyse but being mounted vpon a common hackney he thought himselfe well horsed and as one not very scrupulous or lyttell skylled in suche kind of housekeping he toke her for a pure virgyn a thinge not much to be merueyled at seinge the daily accedentes in the like affayres and specyally the subtyll charmes and sundrie legerdemaynes wherof such DERMOPTERAE or letherwynged huswyues as PANDORA haue no small store to couer their saultes and make theym seme maydenlike althought they haue alreadie playd the dydopper that the clearest eyes had nede of spectacles and the wiseste wyttes want sleyght to dyserne their conning and now this newe maryed dame gettynge firste the vpperhande of her olde husbande made her seconde endeuore to haue the whole conueygh of all the househoulde doinges whereby her commaundement was only currant And she houldinge the rayne of her lybertie in her owne hand mighte haunte and vse what place for recreacion she lyste at her pleasure neyther forgatt she so to brydel goodman hornsbye her husband with obedience that with out his controlmente or suspicion Monsieur le page who gaue the firste earnest penie of her honestie had free accesse vnto her chamber wher he paide his own arreareges and also helped to supply the colde corage of the olde knight who as he rather encreased her appetyte then satysfyed her desire so his good wil peraduenture was more theÌ„ his power hable to perform And as y e page had thus eftsones placed him selfe in y e possession of his former pray it chaunced that a yoÌ„g gentillman banished from Rome for certeine forged conspiracies incensed against him fled to MYLLAN wher lodging right ouer the pallais of Pandora beheld easely the amorous glees of his neighbour who toke singuler pleasure to be requited with y e like regards seing her fayre yong disposed to al recreacions of pleasure begaÌ„ to profer her loue first by the pitiful regarde of his countenaunce painted full of arguments of dule and after by certenie secrett sighes declaringe after Thytalyan maner the ardeÌ„t flame of affection not ceassinge continuallye to burne his harte in the desier of her bewtie and omittinge no meane which mought moue her to take compassion of his peyne hee forgat not to passe diuers times afore her lodginge with a lute or other musicke of soft melodie wherunto also he accorded his phyled voyce w t notes of pleasaÌ„t twne that with suche a grace of great delight y t the swete noyse of his hermony seamed a thousande times of more entysinge melodye then the heauenly Ionkinge of the Nytyngal wherwith in shorte tyme he kyndled a fyre in the harte of this yonge wanton toward whome h nedde not haue vsed such cyrcumstance or longe ceremonye seinge that of her selfe if his sute had not Intercepted her shée had preuented his meaninge in takinge vpon her thoffice of the clyent beinge onlye geuen to raunge and rauyn for the satysfyinge of her inordynat luste desyrous to chaunge her acquaynted soyle for the freshe harbage of grene pasture wherwith one eueninge her husbande being from home This romayn louer called CANDIDOIOCVNDO made his walke in Solomne maner vnder her chaÌ„ber wyndowe playing of his lute with a voyce of suche masquid musycke myngled with outwarde showes of dolor in his face poudred fynely with sundrye syghes of pityful disposition that it seamed of suche straunge operacion in the harte of PANDORA beinge alreadye throughlye daunted with the desyre of him that soughte but to desceyue her that beinge now no lenger hable to kepe her eares shutt from the voice of the crafty charmer desired him to enter wherunto as the subtill fouler pyping all the daye in the bottom of the hedge tyll he hath allewred to his bushe the birde hee cheflye desyreth he agreed I am sure with more contentment of the offer then dyficultlye to be intreated and being ariued in the hauen of his desyre god knoweth with what deuocion they offered to the goddesse of pleasure celebrating the banquet with all dyshes of dylycacye wherwith thympudente PANDORA forgat not to feaste him so frankly with shamefull encounters on her parte that with lyttell sute and lesse intreatye he entred commons in the place whiche the olde John thought to be reserued seuerall to himselfe and with small conynge gaue her checkmate that stode slenderlye vpon her guarde lothinge euen now her incontynencie that so easelye yelded her honestie in praye to whosoeuer woulde pursue it wherin certeynly he had good reason for of al the degrées of vnhappye creatures that without the consente of womanlye shame do wyckedlye transgresse the sacred lawe of chastitye they ought chieflye to vse some respect of honestye that are admitted into the inuiolable order of matrimonye if their desteny be incideÌ„t to so euil a fortune as to enter into societic with a secret frend besydes their husband a thynge notwithstandynge forbidden by the worde of God and lesse tollerable by the passytiue lawes of the world yet ought they I saye be so confirmed in theyr vnlawfull affection towarde their second pewmate that their amitye maye seame of perpetuitye and without chaunge neyther ought they be so carelesse in the choyse of their extraordinary consort as their own doings afterwarde may make theÌ„ worthely to be laughed at which in dede is y e iust reward for such as seme so ligt of their seale that
depended y e recouery of his soueraine but she being alredy as you haue hard enaâ—ored of the knyght who was the first y t wooed her with arguments felt euen now by y e discours of this letter such encrease of affectioÌ„ pinching so extremely y e desyre to sée him that without all order of womaÌ„ly discrecion she Imbraced the page in the behalf of his maister gyuinge him this answere to require his maister not to doubte to come to her house wherof saith she I also desier him to th end I may be resolued by y e breth of his own mouth of y t which I yet doubte touching the report of the letter wherin she preferred vedement importunities she winge the boye whiche waye he shoulde bringe hym to her chaÌ„ber where saith she I wil attend his coÌ„ming this euening wherwith y e Page returned discoursing point by point y e successe of his embassage to y e dolorous knight who reuiued by the gladsome newes of his boye but chieflye by the shorte appointmeÌ„t resolued vpoÌ„ by his mistresse cast of at thinstant thapparell of dule disposinge himselfe euery waye to performe thexspectation of the charge coÌ„mitted vnto him by the mouth of her whose commaundement he would not transgresse though his lyfe should incurre the hazard of a thousand perilles putting himselfe in as seamelye order as he thought good went only with his page in solemne maner to visit the saint who was of her selfe more redye to graunt fréelye then the pylgrym to demaunde by petition and who attending his commyng with more desier to ease the passion of the patient in quenching the feruent rage of her vnsaciable appetit then he for his part had cause to yelde adoration to so detestable a shryne was withdrawn all alone into her chamber where he found her coyfed for the nonst onely in a nyght gowne attire for the night redie to go to bed which with the naturall shewe of her liuelye beautye set out to the most aduantage by the shining light of the wax candels droue the knight at the first into such astonishment that the vse of his spech was conuerted into scilence his eyes onely occupied in beholding the rare beauty of her who was vtterly vnworthye to weare so precious a Iewell of nature albeit expulsing at last the feuer of his dombe traunse with kyssyng her white delicat handes as his firste entre into a further matter proposed the cause of his coÌ„ming in this sort I may by good reason accoÌ„pt my selfe more in the fauor of fortune then any gentilmaÌ„ y t euer was incideÌ„t to any good hap seing good madam that besides thassistaÌ„ce of the place I am also preferred to a conuenient meane to vnfold vnto you at large the smothered greife preserued hetheruÌ„to to my great payne in thutermost parte of my intrailles whiche longe sins had sought a vent to burst out in open flame if the dewe of the hope of that fauor whiche now I finde in you had not serued as a necessary licour of comfort to delaye the raginge heat of the furnaise for otherwise good madame I assure you the smal experteÌ„ce I haue to disgest the bitter pylles of loue had offered my life an vntimely sacrifise to death and nowe seing by thinter cessioÌ„ of fortune and greate curtesie of your good Ladyship I am not only sprinkled with the water of new consolation but also ariued before thoracle to whome I haue so long desyred to present the earnest penie of my humble seruice I besech you sayth hee not witthout teares and sighes of pytiful disposition open the windows of your pytye let fall the swete showers of compassion vpon this torment dealing so extremely with me without seassing which because you shal not thinke to be of lesse passioÌ„ theÌ„ the words of my mouth seme troubled in vtteryng the secret sorow of my hart looe her I am become in your presence the pytifull solyciter of min owne cause where with Pandora who hetherto had loued but only to satisfye her inordinat lust seynge with all thimportunities of her clyent all to be sprinkled with the teares of his eyes requited him with like argumeÌ„ts of kyndnes and feling now with in her hart certain mocioÌ„s assayling the secret of her thoughts with vnfained affectioÌ„ towarde her loyall Parthonope coulde not any lenger dissimull that which she chiefly desired but imbracing hym with sundry signes of assured familiaritye sayde vnto him more for maners sake then otherwise I maruaile syr that being armed with so smale experience you cane so darkly discouers of theffects of loue whose misteryes are not so plainly to be reueiled by anye as by those that haue taken degree in his skoole and wel could I impute that to your rashnes whiche by your letters you haue tearmed a crueltie in me for your sute hath not ben of such continuaunce as it may craue sentence in poste nor your trauayle so painfull as the reward ought to folow with suche hoat expedition albeit as you féele your owne hurt not escapinge peraduenture without some panges of affection So you must thinke the martyredom is not peculyar to one but diuidyng himselfe into a lyke SIMPATHIA of passion hath wayed vs both in thindiferent ballance of affection for if loue hathe buylte his bowre in the botome of your harte I must confesse vnto you syr that I draw vnder the yoke of his awe neyther is my torment any thyng inferior to yours wherof I had long eare this gyuen you vnderstandyng by plaine practi se if the vaile of shame a comen enemye to the amorous enterprises of vs women had not couered mine eyes and closed my mouth with feare that I durst neuer why lest my husband was at home caste forth suche baytes of the greate good will I haue borne you sins you weare our neighbour wherby you might perceiue wyth what loyaltye I haue chosen and adopted you thonlye owner yf my hart and wyth whom I wyshe to passe the remainder of my lyfe with suche pleasure and contentement as is necessary for the solace of twoe true louers whiche last wordes for the more assuraunce of the bargaine she forgot not to seale with sundry sortes of kysses and other homlye trickes of familiaritie wherby the knight being absolutlye resolued of that whyche earste hee douted began to take possession of her mouth adorynge her eyes wyth lookes of louyng admiration and passyng in order to her whyt necke of the colour of the freshe Lylye came at laste to beholde her bare brestes semynge lyke twoo little hyls or mountaynes enuironnynge a rosye valleye of moste pleasaunt prospect whiche he forgat not humbly to honor wyth the often print of his mouthe And passynge some space in these amorous traffiques wyth a thousand other sleights of folye wherof our vayne louers haue no lacke when they seme to dispute of pleasure wyth contentement of desyere they entred the lystes of their singuler combat in
bodye being the house or harborer of the mynd framed of the substance of claye or a thing of more corruption doth so preuayle and ouercome the qualytyes and gyftes of the mynde in casting a myste of darkenes afore our vnderstandinge that the soule is not only barred to expose the frutes of reuelacion but also it is not beleued when she prognosticates a trothe neyther is it in the power of man to shone or shrinke frome that whiche the foreknowledge of the highest hath already determined vpoÌ„ vs much lesse to preuent or withstaÌ„d the sentence of hym whose dome is as certeine as himselfe is truthe wherein because I am sufficiently sustefyed by thauthorities of dyuerse histories aswell sacred as prophane I will not stande here to enlarge the proofe with copy of examples but referr you to the readinge of the sequeile of this woful ladye who although her fate was reueyled vnto her afore yet was she denied to shone the destenye and sharppe iudgement whiche the heauens were resolued to thunder vppon her But nowe to our pourpose thagrement thus made betwene the fayre greke Ladye and don SPADO the valiant Capteine ther lacked nothing for consemacion of the mariage but thassistance of the rites and auncient ceremonies appoynted by order of holly churche whiche the capteine forgat not to procure with all expedicion of tyme and for the more honour and decoracion of the feast he had ther the presence of the marques of MANTVA beinge there not so much for the honour of the brydegrome as to testefye to the open face of the world thearnest affection he bare to her fyrst husbande RARZO whom he accompted no lesse deare vnto hym for credytt and truste then the nearest frende of his blod But now this albanoys enioy eng thus the frutes of his desier colde not so wel brydel his present pleasure nor conceile the singuler contentment he conceiued by the encounter of his new mystres but in publike show began to prate of his present felicitye arguinge the same to be of greater moment then if he had ben frankly restored to the tytle and dygnitie of a kingdome geuing fortune also her peculiar thanks that had kept this good torne in store for him saying y t she cold not haue honored him with a greater preferment then to put him into the possessioÌ„ of her who was without a second in al Europe But as in euery thing excesse is hurtful bringinge with it a doble discomoditie I meane both a sourfet to y e stomake by the pleasure we del ite in a Ielouse loathing of y e thing we chiefly loue and hold most dere so the extreme and superfluitye of hoate loue of this fonde husband towards his wife began w tin the very month of the mariage to conuert it selfe into a coÌ„trary disposition not much vnlike the louing rage of the she ape to wards her yongeones who as y e poetes do affirme doth vse to chuse amoÌ„g her whelpes one whoÌ„ she loues best kepiÌ„g it alwaies in her armes doth cherish loll it in such rude sorte that or she is ware she breketh the boanes and smothereth it to death killing by this meanes with ouermuch loue y e thing which yet wold liue if it were not for thexcesse of her affectioÌ„ in like sort this ALBANOYSE doating without discracion vppon the desyer of his newe lady rather drowned beastely in the superfluitie of her loue theÌ„ waighing rightly the meryte vertue of true affectioÌ„ entred into such tearmes of feruent Ielowsie y t euery fle that wasteth afore her made hym sweate at the browes with the suspicion he had of her bewty wherin he suffereth him selfe to be so much subiect ouercome with y e rage of this follie that according to the Ielowse humor of thytalyan he thoughte euery man that loked in her face wente aboute to grafte hornes in his forehed Oh smal discrecioÌ„ and lesse wisedome in one that ought with y e shappe and forme to merite the name vertue of a maÌ„ what sodaine chaung alteracioÌ„ of fortune seames nowe tassayle this valiaÌ„t captein who earst loued loyallie w tin the compas of raisoÌ„ now doating without discrecion thinketh him selfe one of the forâ—ued ministeres of cornwaile albeit I must coÌ„fesse vnto you y t y e more rare precious a thiÌ„g is of it selfe y t more diligeÌ„ce regarde ought we to vse to preserue kepe it in good estate yet a wise and chast womaÌ„ being one of y e rarest things of the world special gift of god ought not to be kept in y e mew nor garded w t curious continual wach much lesse atended vpoÌ„ w c y e ielouse eyes of Argus for like as shee y t waigheth her honor life in indiffereÌ„t ballance not meaning to exchange the one but w t the losse of the other is not easely corrupted by any sugred traine of flattering loue so y e restraint of y e lyberty of womenne to gether with a distruste procedinge of none occasion is the chiefeste meane to seduce her that ells hath vowed an honeste and integrety of lyfe euen vntill the ende of her naturall dayes And in vaine goeth hee aboute to make his wife honest that eyther lockes her in his camber or fylles his house full of spyes to note her doinges consideringe the iust cause he gyues her hereby to be reuenged of the distruste he hath of her with out occasion seinge with al the nature of some women is to enlarge their libertie that is abridged theim in doinge the thinge they are forbidden more in disspyte of the distruste of their folyshe husbandes then for any appetyt or expectacion of other contentment to themselues neyther hath this folyshe humor of Ielowzy so much power to enter into the hart of the vertuous and wise man who neyther wyll giue his wife suche cause to abuse her selfe towardes hym nor suspect her wythout great occasyon nor yet gyue iudgement of any euill in her withoute a sewer grounde and manifest proofe and yet is he of suche gouernemente for the correction of such a falte that he had rather cloke and disgest it with wisedome then make publication with open ponishement in the eye of the slaunderous worlde by whiche rare patience and secret dissimulation he dothe not onely choke the mouth of the slaunderor buryinge the falte with the forgetfulnes of the facte but also reclaymes her to an assured honestie and fayth hereafter that earst had abused him by negligence and yl fortune but he which pennes his wife in y e higest vaulteof his house or tieth a bell at her sleue because he may heare whether she goeth or when he takes a long iorney paintes a lambe of her bellie to know if she plaie false in his absence these sleightes I saye do not only deceiue him that deuiseth theym but also giues him for his trauell the true title of coockeholde in like sort what
the rest haue made me strike saile of my former lybertie wyth franke resignacion of my harte and dearest parte in me to the disposicion of your mercye neyther haue I any cause at all to mislike the sentence of my fate or grudge wyth the lot of my present choice yf the respecte of my vnfained loue and sincere loyaltye maye moue you to paye the tribute of my seruice with an assuraunce of semblable affection wherein because both daunger and distaunce of our abodes denienge the tongue to do his office barreth vs also to vse the benefytt of mutuall conference I humbly craue good Madam an absolute resolution by your letters of that which the secret signes and messengers of loue do not only put me in hope but importes a warrantie of the conquest of your good wyll wherein yf I maye be assisted with the goodnes of the heauens and consent of fortune so farfurth as the same maye make me meritorious of your fauour and that the meritt of my seruice maye bée measured with a graunte of your good wil there shall no peril withstande the proffer of my lyfe to do you pleasure nor any occasion or chaunce whether it be accidental or proper haue power to breake the vowe which my harte hath alredie sworne to dye and lyue in the seruice and contemplacion of youre beautie neyther shal any Ladye in this corner of the world haue more cause to ioye in the choice of her seruaÌ„t then the Peragon Plaudina whose hande I kysse with greate humilitye and honour the remembrance of her name with no lesse sinceritie being absent then desyerous to yelde my homage with due adoracion to the presence of so faire a creature Yours more then his owne Cornelyo The Ladye being darted afore with the desyer of Cornelio and wold gladly haue entred the listes and gyuen the onset if it had not bene for the respect of her honour was nowe so wounded to the quicke that she fel into tearmes of commeÌ„dacion of her chaunce blissynge the goodnes of her fortune that had not onely planted her affection in so highe a place but yeldynge her rewarde wyth semblable glée hath made her the mystres of hym whom her hart had alredye chosen and admitted into vndoubted fauor whiche she confirmed eftesones with such tearmes of gratulation and arguments of present gladnes that yf the remorce of shame and reputacion of her honor hadde not bene impedimentes to the desyer of her harte cloasinge her mouth againste the present conceytes of ioye in this newe societie she had immediatlye dismissed the messenger with absolute assurance to performe the request of him that sent hym wherof albeit shame seamed to abridge the expedicion and offer causes of staye for the time yet wantynge force to mortifye altogether the humour of ragyng desyer the was driuen to gyue place to the prouocation of loue who deuestinge her of honest shamfastnes whiche oughte to be the chiefe habite and decoracion of the beautie of greate Ladyes willed her to deferre no lenger the thynge she had alredye vowed seynge y e iniurie of present tyme denied her to satisfye hym as she woulde at leaste to yelde hym suche contentement as she maye wherfore takynge pen ynke and paper she replied to his letter wyth this aunswere The circumstaunce of your present letter syr seames to argue an excepcion against the frendly lookes and glaunces of mine eyes wherin albeit I could note a great simplicitie want of discrecion in him that constreth the regardes of a Ladye cast at vnwares to the commoditye of hymselfe in wynninge the good will of her that meaneth nothing lesse then to make them the Ministers of loue yet beinge more ready to content you therin then curious of mine owne behauiour I am to acquite you of imputacion that waye and coÌ„uert y e note of y e follie to the ouersight of my selfe And albeit the pleasant encounter of mine eys seaming more liberal on your behalf with a familiaritie more theÌ„ ordinarie to al men may persuade a certein differeÌ„ce I haue put betwen the frendship of you respect of any other with desyer to embrace you aboue any one creature Yet was I of opinioÌ„ that your sondrye vertues reputation of honor would not suffer you to chalenge me for the firste faulte or to conuerte theis regardes of simple and colde fauor into suche consequence as to attempte the violation of that which mine honor grudgeth to lose and the vowe of faith to my husbande forbiddes me to depart withall notwithstanding I yelde you no lesse thankes for your curtesye then you seame to gyue commendacion to my beautye and other giftes you note in me accomptinge the same of greater price by the value and estimacion you make of them neither wil I refuse y e proffer of your present frendship which as I hope is voyde of intent to preiudice mine honor so let it suffise you that I am not only contented to admit you into fauor but also determined to hold you no lesse deare then the tendrest part of my selfe And because letters being incident to manye casualties are commonly the fyrst discloasers of the secretes of louers my aduise is that hensfurth you staye not only the diligence of your pen in sealing such great importance within a dissemblyng pece of paper but also be contented to commit the whole conueighe of our busines to the credit of this bringer who is to yelde you salutacion on the behalf of her who ioyeng no lesse in the vnitye of this frendship then hating the thing that maie seame hurteful to the coÌ„sommarioÌ„ of the same doth wishe your constancie of no longer continuance then you shal fynde cause of credit in the loyaltie of your vnfayned Plaudina The report of this letter preferred such a possibilitie likelihode of good lucke to the Myllanoys that dismissing euen now al argumeÌ„ts of former doubte he determined to accepte the offer of his fortune pursue y e benefit of present time wherin he was so furthered by the diligence of the minister and messenger of their loue that theare seamed to want for the fynall complote of theyr busynes but only the consent of conuenient tyme place which had folowed accordingly yf for the more assurance of the bargaine they had bryâ—ed the good wyll of the blinde goddesse whom as the Poetes haue chrtstened by the name of Dame Fortune gyuinge her charge ouer the change and alteracion of things so she is not so inconstant of her selfe as readye to manifest her mutabilitie when the wretches of the worlde seame to reapose mest assurance in her frendship And as the pleasant apple mustering with delicate glée vpoÌ„ the heyght of the highest spraise is blowen down with the least poffe of winde that breathes and so oppressed wyth the violence of the fal that the fruts is quyte taken awaye in the middest of his glory so the case and quiet of man is fauored
time yet shall the only remembrance and inwarde regard of her bewtie and vertue suffice to minister sufficient moderaciō chiefe cōpfort during y e angry dome of my hard exile neyther shal y e force of any enchauntment and much lesse y e charme of any intysing perswacion preuaile so far ouer mée as once to make mée transgresse the leaste point of my confirmed loyaltie wherein as the Salemandre lyues in the flame so wyll I pyne away and consume by péecemeale in the passion of true loue til the angrye fates ceassinge to wreake their malice vpon me do place me in the possession of the due méede of my merit Here this olde enchauntresse vnderstandinge the circumstance and full of his disease and that his harte was so thorowlie lymed with the bewtie of his Ladie at MILLAN that it denied thimpression of her offer wherein albeit there appered an ympossibilitie to wythdrawe or at leaste to procure moderacion to the vehemencie of his affection yet beinge no lesse loath to take a foyle in her enterprise then desyerous to performe her charg to thuttermost wyth intente to retorne the messeger of absolute cōtentmēt or vndowted dispair thoughte not to leaue hym till shee hadde Syfted and tryed euery synowe and vaine of his disposicion and hauinge but one pece of retoricke remayninge shée boolked it out vnder a couertely kinde of reprehending his folie in this forte are you one of that vaine crue saith she archfooles of the world that striuing to bende y e bow of loyal louers do make a glorie of a thing as requisite in loue as cowardnes or wāte of courage in the soldiour meinteining skirmish against the enemie do not you thinke that a woman of indifferent iudgement will not rather laughe at such foyle in her seruant then allowe his fonde constancie begon without reason and kepte with so small discrecion And albeit it is glorye of a Ladye to be onely embraced and dearly beloued that they haue as it were by a speciall instinct of nature a desyer aboue all creatures to be the only possessours of the hartes of their louers do you not thinke for all that that they giue not leaue and libertye to theyr seruantes to make a seconde choyce or chaunge of mistres to th ende they maye be thorowly resolued of the loyaltie of their seruante and he discerne the true difference betwene the affections of bothe his Ladies And sewer that hart is wroughte of strange mettal and the sprite of slender capacitie that being bounde as it were to a taske is subiect only to one simple desyer without power to bestow his regardes in more places then one admit constancie to be as greate a vertue as you make it that the faith in loue is to be kepte withoute violacion I praye you in asking you one question by frendshipp let me be aunswered by the veray touch and reaport of your conscience what assurance haue you of equalitye or semblable affection at the handes of your mistrys of Myllan whome you haue more reason to doubte then cause to beleue Do you thinke that you are only beloued or that beinge punished by exile without greate hope eftesones to recouer you she can continue as faythfull for her parte as you seame foolishe in beinge the slaue and subiect of an ymage or shadowe of a thynge so farre hence no no do awaye theis toyes of small substance and let my experience Seigneur Cornelyo prescribe you one chief and generall rule that no woman beinge once disposed to loue and hauynge the obiect of her fancie taken out of her presence is so hable to represse the humour of desyer or correct thinstigacion of her appetit as it is eyther in her power to disclaime at her pleasure or degenerat from that wherin she hath a facilitie by nature But as one spoiled of all resistance arguments of vertue she ceasseth not to followe the queste of her licencious inclinacion till she haue founde a freshe supplie to enter the lystes and paye tharrerages of hym that first conquered the place Women be neither equall wyth saintes nor like vnto angels neyther are they made of other mettal then suche as is distilled of thimperfections of your selues and in place of priuiledge or frée dispence from the passions of loue I affirme theim to excede all other creatures in the vehemencye of that impression and chieflye where the effect doth not followe th assurance of the worde for as the drawinge glaunces of the eye and pleasaunt platt of the tongue is rather an earnest penny of y e bargaine then a ful consommacion of thaggrement so the hungrye appetit of the hart affected is neuer satisfyed to his contentement till he haue tasted of the delicate frute growynge in the middest of thorcharde and paradise of loue whiche onely concludes and knyttes vp the reste of thimperfect bargain wherein as I must confesse vnto you that both the lawe of loyaltye is to be obserued and faith kepte inuyolable where we fynde an vnitie of affection and full effect of our desyer so to bestowe loue in the ayre and lyue without hope of the thing that is wished I accompte it rather the part of a mad-man then office of one that hath his wittes at cōmaūdemēt nether doth the end of suche pynyng cōceites importe other cōsequence then a loathsom wearines and vnnatural hate of lyf with continuall exspectation to dye and an euerlastinge remembrance of his follye after hys death And for your parte comparynge the SYMPTOMES of your present passion with thunlikelihod I sée to haue spedie ende of youre martirdom you bringe in remembraunce the miserable state of y e simple sparowhake who being hooded to take away her wildnes syttes al y e day longe beckinge vpon her Iesses and whettinge her beake vppon the pearche rather in dispaire then certein of the comming of her keper let me pearce that harde harte of yours with perswacions of reason and seame not so rashe in refusinge the goodnes of fortune who albeit is accompted an enemy to moste menne yet is she also frendlie to some and ymagyn that once in the course of your lyfe she kisseth your cheke and holdeth her lapppe open with an offer of a good torne whiche if you refuce is not to be reclaimed eftesones by any arte or pollecie Conuert your affection founded vpon such slipper substaunce and no lesse incertaine of his due mede into a ballance of equal frendshippe and harte of semblable honor and vertue and exchange at last these languishinge conceites that tormente youre pyninge spirite for a pleasure no lesse precious then of great merite who is no lesse readie thē willing more apte to offer then you hable to receiue cease hensfoorthe to loue vppon credyt and crye out of the shadowe or figure of a thinge that hathe neyther eares to heare your complainte nor meanes to releue your distresse and thinke that the glorye of loue consistes not in the
simple desyer of the mynde nor in the foolishe prouocacions of our vaine conceites but passing further the pleasante reward and tryumphe of that victorie consisteth in the consommacion of the worke wythout the whiche loue seameth no other thinge then a bare plat or table whervpon the painter maye drawe what propercion hee lyste And truely as there is no manne happie in loue nor hathe cause to vaunte of the victorye but hée that encountrethe thobiecte of hys desyer soo mee thinketh a manne shoulde not loue that hee hathe not nor desyer the thynge that is vtterlye vnknowen vnto hym I saye thus muche Syr because youre resolute affection towardes youre Ladye of MYLLAN seamethe rather to argue ann humor of frenzye then vertue in loue and vayne opinion then true effect aduisynge you for ende to haue a care of your selfe and speciall regarde to this laste request of myne that is in leauyng the shryne to honor the sainct and to cloase your mouthe from gapinge after that you can not get as the vuquiet dogge in the night that barketh at the shadowe of the Moone The Oration of this bawde semed suche Musicke to the eares and mynde of CORNBLIO that he rather wished a continuance of her iargon then an abridgement of her tale but seynge she gaue ende to her owne discourse with exspectatioÌ„ to heare hys replye he dysmissed her with this shorte aunswere albeit your present repeticion of thabuse in loue seaminge in some respect to bee assisted bothe with rayson and Iustice dothe discouer diuerse faltes in sondrye women wherof as you say the most part deliteteth asmuch to Ronne ryot and seeke a chaunge of pasture as the other takes pleasure in the vertue of true constancie yet oughte wee to vse suche an integretie betwene the good and euill that the faltes of the wicked do not deface the renowme of theym that deserue but well and as you saye it is harde for a manne to loue that he hathe not so I note no lesse-rashnes in you to giue iudgement of the thinge you knowe not but by examinacion for I am fullie perswaded that no distance of places nor aduersitie of times haue power to dyminishe and much lesse dissolue thaffection of her whose presence I hope hereafter to enioye with no lesse pleasure then her absence seames now to gyue me cause of annoye And albeyt I haue not yet tasted of the frute whiche all louers do wyshe and fewe happen to fynde yet dare I accompte my selfe as depelye in the fauor of my absent mistrys as the best of that happye companie and suche weakelinges as accompte no vertue in loue but in thencounter of their lasciuius desyer and can not rest satisfied except they crop the hearbe of pleasure are alwayes founde more liberall in wordes then constant in loue and more hoat in the begynnyng then hable to continue to the end neyther do I see any experience to the contrary but that the passion whiche I suffer ought rather too beare the true title of loue then the surname of a simple desier seynge the delite I take in the remeÌ„brance of her beautie is no lesse pleasure vnto me then if I had alredie performed and tasted of the delicat effect of loue which I am determined to attende tyl eyther the goodnes of a better fortune restore me to my desert or the force of death giue end to my desolacion willing you herewith to correct your iudgemeÌ„t and cesse to inueyghe against her whose constancie vertue only defaceth the vsurped comendacion of the most of your corrupte sect for the rest the iustice of my cause I hope wil make my excuse tollerable in the opinion of her that sent you and for your paiues I can but yelde you the choice of a thousande thankes wherewith mother retrician tooke her leaue and retired with lesse contentemeÌ„t in her bad successe then assured hope to preuaile in the beginning towards her MANTVAN lady to whom recounting eftesones y e particularities of her discourse with CORNELIO she coÌ„cluded that he beyng limed with an other bushe had no power to make a grauÌ„t of his good wil without a special pasport froÌ„ MILAN where saith she he hath lefte both body hart and appereth here but in the liknes and shape of a figure with out sence or feelyng and lesse hable to admitt the preferment of honor or proffer of raison which albeit seamed greatly to grudge the conscience of the lady chiefly for that she was intercepted of that which she accompted no lesse sewer then the articles of her credear to be beleued yet waighing y e reasons of his excuse with y e raging ouersight of her selfe in indifferent ballance she made of necessitie a vertue retired to a pacience parforce forgetting not to punish her falt w t the pennance of repeÌ„taÌ„ce comend to y e skies the incoÌ„perable loialty of CORNELIO with no lesse gratulation on the behalf of her y t had made choice of so constant a seruant who for her part also al this while was in no lesse care of his weldoyng then busily occupied in deuise how to recouer his presence requite the passion of his painful torment which he chiefly desyred iustely deserued wherein as she for her part wyshed no lesse to embrace hym then he meritorius to possesse her So albeit there passed certaine letters betwene theim seaminge rather to doble the desier of theym both then yeld moderatioÌ„ to the passion of either of theim yet she found the meanes to coaste the malice of her fortune with a contrarye sleyghte by procuryng to her husbande a iorneye of xx or xxx dayes traueil wherevpon she dismissed imediatly a corrior to CORNELIO with the reaport of y e newes in this letter folowing Albeit sir calamitie of her owne nature is so quarelous that she ceasseth not to assaile thafflicted with continual sommonce of perentorye dispaire yet oughte we not reappose so slender assurance in the assystance of vertue as eyther to make a marchandise of the goodnes of our fortune muche lesse sell the hope of future filicitie nor yet vtterlie dispaire of the benefyt of time who as she is thaÌ„â—eful enoughe to suche as suffer her with pacience so hathe she presentlye entred into suche compassion of our mutuall distresse that somonyng my husbande with a iorney of a monethes trauel in forreine affaires she hath opened vs a most sewer meane to meete and reioyce together without daunger wherein as all such seldome proffers of frendshypp ought to be no lesse welcome when they come then they seame of tickle aboade wheÌ„ we haue theim so if you wish to be resolued of y e which you doute and haue no lesse care of your owne contentement my aduise is you embrace the benefyt of so conuenieÌ„t a time persuadyng your selfe that if you were here I wold communicate with you more liberally then I dare discourse by letter and onelye yourselfe is of creditte to
serue as a secretorye in affaires of suche secret importance whereof you maye conster the meaninge without great studie only ymagyn that fortune is not such a nigarde of her frendship as spitefullyf her offer be refuced time so disdaineful that she 〈◊〉 tarye a moment aboue her stynte Yours without change Plaudgna Yf thies newes were welcome to CORNELIO I leaue yt to the iudgement of that amarus crewe who seame so resolute and simple in their loue that their lyfe is onely prolonged by a desyred daye but when they see an approche of their liberty with licence to quenche their hungry myndes with the fode they chieflye wishe to feede vppon god knoweth the small regarde they haue to honor and lesse respect to the dutie of their conscience and with what slender aduise and lesse time they make the poore husbande a rampier of hornes to defend his forhead from the shott of thennemie wherein sewer their delite is not so great and glorie of so foule a conquest of suche comendacion as she worthie of treble tormentes who for the glott of her fylthie desyer and satisfyenge their founde ymportunities dothe make no conscience to defile the mariage bedd of her husbande take awaye the renowne of her former estimacioÌ„ deface the glorie of her auncestors and leaue besides a title of villanous reproche vppon her children and posteritie of whose reputacion shee oughte to bee more carefull then myndefull to satisfie the greedye appetit of her owne pleasure or folyshe pursuete of their filthie loue and from this fountaine of execrable abuse distilleth also the sondrie sortes of vnnaturall diuisions happening at this day between noble houses and men of meaner discentes the children detestynge the Father and the father abhorringe theim whom he thinkes to bee none of his and one brother persecutinge an other with no lesse mortality of hate then if they were coÌ„mon enemies of forreine contreys for the bed being once stained the blod mixed and the law of mariage abused yt muste nedes follow that the frute procedynge of suche seedes can neyther degenerate nor bee without corruption neyther can the son yelde honor or dutie to him whom nature denieth to bee his Father wherein albeit I haue somewhat exceded the compasse of my coÌ„mission yet I am so persuaded of thindifferencie of those fewe Ladyes whiche fele theimselues toched with this shorte dygression that they will not grudge with this parable of their falte seinge truthe marcheth vnder oure enseygne readye to aduoche and witnes the circunstance of my allegacions which like as I inferred rather to aduise you to eschew the lyke euil then for any derogacion of your honor so yt maye lyke you al to excuse my reasons by thintegrety of the cause and pardon me by iustice retiringe now with semblable pacience to the sequeile of our CORNELIO who construinge the wordes of the letter accordyng to the meaning of the writer ymagined by and by thimportance of thaffaires she had too communicate with hym wherein albeit loue moued hym on the one side to performe the desier of hys ladye yet reason on the other part required hym to be careful of his owne sauetie and not to buy a taste of his flypper pleasure with the price of his lyfe for saith shee if you go to MYLLAN and he discouered by anye of the frenche race or frendes of theyr faction your daunger wil be to great to escape and you shal come to too late a repentance of your follie wherefore ballacinge indifferently betwene doute and feare with desier to vse this occasion leaste he myghte seame vnthankefull to the good will and requeste of his mistres he imparted the whole circunstance to one DELIO a deare frende of hys of whom beyng pryuye from the begynnynge to his amarus practise he demaunded earnestly a speciall assistance of good councell touchynge thabsolution of his present doute thys DELIO hauing â—rodden alredy the whole laborinth of loue and knewe by experience what an â—lne of suche follies was worthe gaue as ryghte a iudgement of the disease of hys frende as yf he had felte the mouynge of his polses or tried the disposition of his water againste the son in an vrynall wherein he failed not to discharge thoffice of a true frend in assaynge to remoue thoccasion and mortefye the yll with thies perswations Like as sayth he small sâ—ares require slender medecins and great greues are want to try thutter moste of the arte of Phizicke and that the wise and experienced Phizision afore he vndertake to cure the disease of hys patient or giue certeine iudgement of his recouerye doth not only examine thoccasion of his greif but makes also his firste indeuour to take awaye and mortifye the cause afore he disclose the skil and hidden mistories of his arte So the maladie of loue being nothing inferior to the ragyng oppressioÌ„ of the burnyng feuer who desyereth alwayes thinges that be hurtefull and esche weth the necessarie preseruatiues of health is neyther to bée cured nor delte with all in any sorte onlesse the pacient wil suffer the circumstance of his disease to be Syfted to thuttermost and abide an incisyon of the soare euen to the quicke to th ende that by thoperacion of the Cataplame whiche shal be ministred to you you dispayre not of recouerye althoughe there appeare diuerse lykelihodes of daunger nor I brought to aunswer for my frendshipp whiche I proteste to be without spot of dishonest inteÌ„t And as it is no lesse necessarie for hym that is sicke to reapose a speciall crecredit in his Phisicion then the minister of medecins to bee of exquisite skyll for that the opinion and conceite of his connynge importes a greate consolation to the mynde of hym that is sicke so you muste neyther denie the vertue of my medecine to worke his force nor doubte of any thing I meane to tell you for the tale can woorke small effects where the reaporter is of slender credit therfore afore I Sifte you any further I requeste you onely of one thing as moste chief and necessarye to preuent the present peril whiche attendes you I meane that in chaungynge your affection you wyll also dismisse and breake the resolucion whyche I knowe youre harte hath alredye determined The disposicion and exterior apparance of youre countenaunce argue a wonderfull deuocion you haue to visitte your oracle and saint at MILLAN whiche also I coulde well admitte if I sawe not in the ende of that vayne pilgrymage a harde pennance accompanied with more perils then euer happened to the son of AVCHISâ—S vndertakynge to visitt th infernall valleyes by the guide of his SYâ—ILLA You knowe well enough your banyshment from MILLAN proceded of rebellion and that your offence is so haynous in the conceite of the maiestie theare that onelye the price of your heade can make the attonement and quenche the rage of his wrath and seinge the sleighte of your enemies and malice of fortune haue dogged you and your doinges
their peculyar thankes the one for that in preseruing his champions from the malice of daunger and marke of open shame seamed to restore the felde and assist theim with soccour whenne they dispaired most of consolacion the other for that contrary to her nature and cus tume she had torned theirmanifold afflictions into a pleasure more precious acceptable thē al y e desasters of y e whole worlde seamed greuous or hurtfull in which passion of ioye shée mounted into the chamber of Iacke of the clockhouse who resembling a red heyring dryed in the smoake agaynst the beginning of the next lent attended her comming wyth no lesse deuocion then the Iews exspect their MESSIAS and albeit the approch of present ioye forcinge some teares in remembrance of the feare passed seamed for the time to take away y e vse and libertie of her tongue yet she cut of y e traunce of that pleasant sorowe without thassistance of any special counter-charme other then that whych proceded of a vehement desyer to behold and speake wyth her frend in the chymney wherfore after shée had dryed and drained the wet humor of her waterie eyes and dismissed all argumentes of former dule she retired to her auncient complexion of ioy and calling with a smyling voire to him in the topp of the rooffe willed him to discend hardly from his darke troane and theatrie of hell wher sayth she if god had not deuised the meane of your delyuerie and seamed willing that you shold receiue the due guerdon of your loyaltie in consenting to commit my husband to pryson you had stil remeined there norished with the vapour of y e moone longer then eyther I wold haue wished or had bene necessarie for your health Here albeit CORNELIO was sufficiently perswaded of the voice of his Ladie and that he knew all the house to be voyed of suspicion or cause of further daunger yet the remembrance of his perill passed presented such a feare to fall eftsones into the like perplection that hée neyther beleued that which hée hard nor durst forsake his habytacion on highe til he was sommoned the second tyme by his PLAVDINA who by the help of her woman reared a lather to the top of the loft where the grymy roode stode who being discended and in the presence of his Ladye seamed no lesse amased then those desolate or rather dronken creatures who wandring the night by vnknowen waies do thinke theimselues guided by the vision of some ill spirit And the wantō ladie on thother syde seing the ghastlie astonishement of her frend not much vnlike in cōplexion to the chymney swepers cōminge out of the yle of BERGAMASQVA cold not so moderat her present gladnes but burstinge into a soddaine laughter shée seamed to crucifye the remembrance of the tragedie passed wyth the singler contentment shée toke in beholdinge her CORNELIO dyed as it were in the smotheringe tanfat of hyddeous collours And albeit you louers who for a simple glée and respect of fauor of your Ladies haue earste bene sprinkled with the water of semblable affliction and after getting thupper hand of your fortune possesse the presence of your dames in such oglye and deformed attire canne best iudge of the present case of CORNELIO I meane whether hée hadde more cause of shame then astonishmente iuste anger against hys fortune or reason to exclaime his mishappe chieflie for that he fonnd himself so braue a companion in the lothsom badge or lyuerye of the chymneye and whether he had so greate courage to cōmunicate wyth his PLAVDYNA resembling the blacke knight or feryman of ZENOLOZ as he showed hymselfe valyant in thattempte of an enterpryse of so great aduenture yet thauthorytie of my historye aduoucheth thus farr of his doinges at that tyme that notwithstandinge the malice and diuersitie of all his mishapps with the perfumed figure and gréeselie show of himselfe he neyther loste corage to demaunde the due méede and hyer of his daungerous traueile nor forgat to do sacrafise to his fortune for the retorn of her frendshippe affirminge there that they dyd her wronge that christenned her by the name of cruell and suche no lesse abused her that tearmed her by the title of an vnrightuous or rigorous iudge consideringe she doth but iustice sometime to checke or chasten our offences and we no reason to pleade for our selues but by appellacion to the pryuiledge of her fauor neyther is she cruell for euer nor so maliciouslye bente in the begynning but shée is hable and will vse moderacion in her angrie moode and restore vs in the end to treble contentacion And like wise sayth hée as the poore trauellour in a strange contrey hauynge once passed diuerse light peperills and daungers of no great ymportaunce is not only made strōger to encounter greater inconueniences but also restored to a meruelous contentment quiet of minde whē w tout daunger hée may enioye his rest and record his perills paste Euen so fortune this night hathe geuen vs an experience of diuerse desasters bothe to vse her aduertisemente as a speciall armour to resyste thassaltes of semblable accidents hereafter and also to confirme our affections with a stronger bonde or vndoubted vnytie makinge the pleasures of our loue of greater price and moment after so sharp stormes of raging tempestes And what is hée that is worthie to taste of the delites and pleasures of the worlde that is not hable to disgeste one simple pill of bitter confection neyther dothe hope dekaie but with the ende of life and the vertue of a most true and inuincible loyaltie is neuer frustrate nor voyed of his rewarde and tochinge the stormes paste my deare PLAV DINA saith he like as it is a chiefe consolacion to a man in calamytie to knowe his mishapp so there is also a speciall compfort that followeth the remembrance of the euills whiche wée haue alredie suffred and a treble contentmente beinge permitted to recorde theim wythout daunger and hée that is desierous to bée crowned with the garland and glorie of victorie must not feare the malice of perill nor hazarde of lyfe for who contemneth death escapeth his malice but such as feare and flée from hym do often fal into his daunger neither is there lesse fame in the valyant aduenture then in the fortunat victorie And for my parte if my lyfe had ended in thassalte of any of these distresses the same had not exceded a simple oblation of my dutie towardes you whiche also had followed wyth no lesse expedicion then I had great desyer to geue you so vnfayned a shewe of my seruice if in the verye act had not appeared a manifest derogacion and cause of infamie to your honor wherwith meaninge yet to prolonge his discourse hée was interupted with the replie of PLAVDINA who more desyerous to taste of the pleasures to come then willinge eftsones to prefer a second view of y e mischienes passed wished hym to dismisse the remembraunce of their former
of his religion and muche lesse the estimacion and honor of the house whereof he was discended Let this experience suffice to confute the opinion of the most of our louers nowe a dayes who makynge a God of the ydoll of loue do not lett to giue hym place amonge the moste perfect and heroicall vertues that are affirmynge that all ciuilitye and curteys behauiour amongest men is deriued of the discipline taughte in his skoole let the effect of his rage I saye declare his disposicion and be the equall iudge whether he be an indifferent euill or a pertiall vice for settynge your partycular affections aparte I knowe you wyll confyrme myne opinion thus farre that he whiche you cal loue and woulde that we honor hym wyth a tytle of a God and giue hym a power more then humaine is no other thinge then a brutall passion of the minde deriued of that parte whiche nature hath made comon to vs with beastes touchynge sensualytie and he which laboreth in the disease of that follie is in no other degrée then he that is possessed with the spirite of fransie and desperation looke in the seconde booke of the kynges and tell me what planett or spirite gouerned AMNON the son of DAVID who doatyng vppon the beautie of hys owne sister made no consience to deflower her and take awaye her chastetie whiche horrible acte woulde haue procured terrour to the most mortall enemye both for the horrour and detestacion of the syn and also for the honor and reuerence which all men oughte to gyue to the chastetie of a mayde The prince of SICHEM being extremely enamored vppon the beautie of the doughter of Iacob dyd it suffice hym onely to loue her in honeste sorte dyd he staye hym self vppon your masqued and dyssymuled loyaltie no he dyd that which is iudged tollerable to you al and woulde be comon to the moste of you yf the rigour of the lawes had you not in awe and preferred a feare of tormentes and worthy punishmentes he rauished her by force wherevppon followed the ruyne of hym selfe and subuercion of his people for ende yf there be any one amongest you that absteyneth from lyke violacion I thynke sewer he is not stricken with thextremitie of loue but that hys mynde hath tasted but of a simple impression of that follie seynge that he that is touched to the quycke can hardly refraine froÌ„ execution of like villainies amongest whom notwithstanding I coÌ„prehende not thintegretie of them whose wills tende to do honor to the hollye bedd of mariage without violacion for that I am perswaded those affections procede frome aboue and approued by god hym selfe but I inueigh againste their vnhoneste desiers who respect nothing but the pleasure in that wherein Mars and Uenus stroue for the maisterie at suche tyme as vulcan discouered theyr naked bodies which I can not terme so properly in our vulgare phrase as the frencheman includes in thies three wordes Le don damoureuse mercy the delite whereof dekayinge with the ende of thact maketh theym loath the thing wherin carste they tooke singler pleasure Here you may see also a worthie example in this maister Abbott who of a pastour and shepherde of the heard becomes a deuowrer of the principal shepe in his flocke and leauinge thabit and attire of religion is inuested with thaccotrementes of a villaine and dysposicion of a barbarus Lyrant that hathe neyther knowledge of God nor feare of hys lawes wherein my conscience wolde serue me to vse a further discourse touchyng thabuses in thies ypocrytes sauynge that God be praysed our realme is happely purged of suche filth and replenished with a plentifull crewe of thundowted and faithfull mynisters of godes worde neyther will I troble my historie with the sondry enormities and practises of hell whyche I noted in some religius houses in fraunce duryng my being there because my theame at this tyme is not to treate of thabuses in their religion neyther am I assisted with sufficient time for that yf I should but abridge their disorders into a tenthe parte the volume wold excede the bignes of the bible wherfore it shall suffice me to desier God in my praiers to remoue the vaile of their darkenes in tyme leaste their iniquitie procure hym to thonder lyke desolation vppon theym as he dyd vppon the children of Israell when they forsoâ—e hym and bowed downe to ymages whereof their owne handes were the carpenters and nowe to the sequeyle of Don Gonsaldo who harpynge onely vppon the strynge of hys damnable resolucion imparted thenterprice to his man who as you haue harde engaged his faithe to be the minister of hys wil in what respect he thoughte good to ymploye hym and hauynge eftesonnes preferred a repeticion of his promisse wyth an assurance by othe of thuttermoste he was hable to do thabot told him y t within few dayes his mistres went to performe a banquett with her father and mother oute of the citie to whome sayeth he seyinge I haue forgott no expeperience or importunitie whyche humanitie can deuise and seynge that in the enioyinge of her beautie consistes the continuance or diminucion of my dayes I am determyned to retire to the benefit of my laste refuge whyche is to employe thutter moste of my forces in vsynge her by mayne encownter vppon the waye betwene the towne and her fathers graunge in y e countrey wherin as thou hast alredye assured me of thy helpe by the othe and religion of thy faith so thou muste straine thy selfe to procure a further ayde of suche companions as thou accomptes necessarye to assiste thexpedicion to th end that when the matter shal be broughte to the tryall of force we be not founde to weake in the dispatche of our entreprise whyche albeit maye importe vnto the and suche as thou shalte subborne for thy companions in this case bothe a grudge of conscience and feare to fall into the rigour of the lawes yet thou arte not ignorante that thauthoritie of my profession is sufficient to dispense and absolue the synne and my power hable to preuaile aboue thextremitie of iustice in this or any other respecte of what importance so euer it appeare neyther will I sticke to deffraye the whole plate and treasure of my Abbeye in defence of the quarrell agaynste the whole state and senate of NAPLES wherwith he dismissed his manne who with the pleasante platt of hys tounge and prodigall promisses of liberall hyer was furnished ymediatlye of hys trayterus crewe to betraye thinnocente mayde who for her part seing GONSALDO hadde discontynued hys mosters in the strete and hawnte to the churche where she is wonte to performe her deuocion thoughte he hadde also disclaymed the vehemencie of his passion with intente no more to pursue her wherein as she accompted her self moste free frome perill so she founde an approche and offer of daunger whych affore she was not hable to ymagyn for that thabbott beynge aduertised by hys espiells of the daye and
of that captiuitie for a more straite and extreme abridgement of libertie you committ the remeindor of your florishyng youth to the mercy of the Mantuans whose heades are the cōmon fordge whereupon the humour of frettynge Ielousye doth alwaies beate weare it not better good madame that we who approache neare the brauerie of Fraunce enioying a natural participacion of the ayre and libertie of that contreye shold lyue and be resident together then in refusinge thoffer of so greate a commoditye to make a seconde proffe of the curtesie of an Ytalian who is not so suspicious as cruell apte to synister conceites without iuste cause and who can not breake thinstinct whiche nature hath giuen hym not only to doubte of the honestie of his wife be she neuer so vertuouse but also to kepe her so shorte with strait imprisonment that she shall neyther be suffred to visit her frendes abroade nor admitt any accesse at hoame besides what will be the common brute of the world if not that thonly awe and feare of the Ladye Marquesse hath forced you to mary her son in lawe neyther wil they haue other opinion of your doinges but as a pupill or one standynge in awe of her tutour wherein you abuse the libertie whiche the lawe hath giuen you in suffringe your selfe not only to bée gouerned but also forced by suche as haue no reason to rule you nor authoritie to commaunde you whiche title with his sequeile of a thousand incōueniences and annoyes as I wishe you to eschewe chiefly for the respect of your owne contentemit quiett of lyf so in preuenting so present and yminent a perill dispose your self good lady to embrace the gifte of a better time and ymagyn that fortune hath here sente her messenger not only to present you with an offer of preset pleasure but also an assured warrante and confirmacion of continuall contentement euen vntill thextreme daye and date of your lyfe wherin for my part beyng voyde of solicitors I am come as you see in person to pleade for grace on mine owne behalf preferrynge vnto you a consideracion of the longe and honeste loue I haue borne you sommoning your conscience also by iustice not to be vnthankeful in the guerdon of so due a meritt You knowe my estate is voyde of necessetie or lacke of any welthe neyther are you ignorant I am sewer of my large power possession in Scauoye both whyche as I hope will defende me from charge or note of couetuse desyer in sekyng the graunte of your fauour so I laye theim also afore you as witnesses to aduouche thusmuche further on my behalfe that thonlye respect of your beautie with other giftes of rare consequence in you haue sturred vpp my affection with desyer to do you seruice and craue good will in sorte of honest and lawfull mariage and Albeit I coulde yet haue thassystance of a thousande other reasons to iustyfie thusmuche of me yet reapposing muche for my self in thintegretie of my cause I commende vnto you the present viewe of an vnfained experience and comit my selfe whollie to thindifferencie of your iudgement for yf my passion were not vehement and my tormēt continual without comparaison or yf my requeste had neyther reason nor iustice on his syde I had but righte yf I were retorned with a repulse of my dissembled sute receiue the due hyer of a deceitful mynde but seing my demaund standes vppon tearmes of simplicitie voyed of treason importinge an vnfained effecte semblable to the dollorous regardes of my complerion and seing withal I come accompanied with sincerity vndowted entēt of honest dealing that I cānot take day with my passion but by the consent of your good will regarde I besech you the merite of my faith and measure the meede according to thequitie of my deserte resolue an equal difference good madam betwene the deserte of hym that vnder the vaile of the power and authoritis of an other dothe seke to conquere your good will with intent to keepe you in continuall captiuitie and the iust merite of me who respectyng only your beautie and vertue hath vowed mine honor and lyf to the continuall contemplacion of the same with this further vowe to lyue dye the seruant and slaue of the least of your commaundements let the vehemency of my affection with the vowe and intent of vnfained loyalty precure you but to a iuste remorse and indiffrent consideracion of me regarde I beseche you thembassadour which is loue hymself who in conuertinge myne auncient libertye into a present captiuitie and awe of your beautie hath forced also suche a vehemencie of zeale in me that yf my cause retorne with an effect contrarye to the hope which hetherto hath only preserued me you will come to too late a repentance of your crueltie by my death shal be witnessed thintegretie and honest hart which I bare to my onely mistrys and most faire ladie Blanche Maria who notyng the roundenes of therle with the dollorus regardes of face accompanieng his complaint gaue iudgemēt of the simplicity of his loue renewing besides in her mind the misery of her laste mariage with the natural Ialousie of al Italians seamed not only to mislike of her rash graunt to the marquesse but also to prefer a special likyng to the present offer of the Scauonian to whom she replied that albeit y e sondrie benefits of the Ladie marquesse had bounde her to a thankefull consideracion to her power that she was almost as loath to offend her as displease her self yet she had not engaged her libertie so far but she reserued one point to stande her self in stead what neede so euer she had for in the choice of our husbands saith she we ought to respect a fre wil cōsent of our selues and not to obserue thappetite of an other or constrained thereunto by straungers seyng that as thinstitucion of god doth gyue theim vnto vs for companions without seperacion so yt is our partes to consider at large afore we resolue of the choice to th ende that in breakyng so holye a ceremonie we seame not vnworthie of so sacred and highe a participacion But for my part sir yf yt were not to auoyde the grudge of suspicion in the wicked sorte with the pertiall and poysoned bable of malicius tounges I assure you I would liue without a seconde assaye of the curtesye of an other husbande protestinge vnto you with vnfained vowe that if I thought that he whom my destenies haue reserued for my nexte consorte wolde represent eyther in qualitie or condicion circunstance or effect the doinges of hym that is dead the bale sholde be broken from thinstant and the bargaine reuoked what earnest or assurance so euer is giuē of it I thanke you for your aduertisement with treble tribute for the honour you do me in desyeringe a composicion of mariage betwene vs promissing you in simple consideracion of the same with the small
expedicion for that wythin some xviii or xx dayes after VALPERGO had taken possession and entred the forte of the countesse there arryued at PAVYA SEIGNEVR SANSEVERINO earle of GAIAZO whose promptenes of wit and perfection of bodie and membres with a valyant corage of the harte as they made his name and renowme excede all other betwene that the mountes so thys desloyal Aleyne cruel Medea had no soner takē a simple view on him w t a flickering glance of her vncertein eye but she felt a mociō of vehemēt zeale sturr and kindle within her whiche within shorte tyme grewe to tearmes of suche certeine affection that she which earste had dalyed with all men becomes now to doate vppon this new earle and that in such sorte that yf fortune wold not award present compassion and loue lende her a spedie meane to recouer thobiect of her desier she seamed not only to enter the tormentes of dispair but also to make smal accompte of the vse of longer lyfe iudging by thexterior and outewarde promises of this younge Lorde that it was only he that seamed sufficient to quenche the thurste of her greedie appetit wherfore she began to dispatche her handes of her first frend Valpergo with whom from that instant she did not onlye refuse to speake but also shonninge all places of his presence and repaire wold not sticke sometime to shott her gates against hym whych he colde not disgest without certeine iniurious wordes and tearmes of reproche whereuppon she grounded a grudge of suche mortall enimitie and spite againste him that her mynd reteined a remembrance of the quarrell till her malice had procured his death wherof the discourse followeth in his place desiering as yt seamed thacquaintāce of therle Gainzo aswel for her assistāce in thexcucion of theffect of her presēt spite against Valpergo as for the respect of true affection wherein as she was whoattlye called vppon by ij earnest solicitours loue and reuenge the one sewinge for a consommacion of her wicked deuise the other prickyng her with desier to procure theffect of her newe affection wyth the seconde earle to whom albeyt she displayed suche manyfeste sygnes of good wyll as eyther the arte of loue coulde imagyne or her wanton and idle brayne deuise yet seynge so slender a replye on his parte withe an encrease of her burning appetite she thought it necessarie to put spurs to his dull disposicion makinge no conscience to become the shameles clyent in a cause wherin the most vile and simple woman that is suffreth her selfe to be sewed vnto with no small adoo wherein beinge voyde of meanes to vse mutuall conference she makes this litle letter the messenger of her vnseamelie request The respect of the place and estimacion whiche I holde syr I am sewer will putt you in some amaze at the firste viewe of theis lynes vndoubted messengers of my harte seing that in preferring the lewde suggestiō of my vnrulie fancie afore the due regarde and consideracion of modestie whiche oughte to accompanie all Ladies of honor I make requeste of that whose simple remembrance makes me blushe at so greate an abuse But yf you consider the commission of loue who sommoneth rather by commandement then requeste with suche a generall awe ouer all estates and peculiar authoritie to punishe vs women with vehemencye of affection in desyeringe the thinges whiche nature hath forbidden vs to attempte you will not onelye dispense with my rashe follye but dispose your selfe to take awaye or at leaste diminish the greatnes of my present passion whiche as it was founded at fyrst vppon the generall fame of your vertues so the often viewe of your rare perfection of person since your repaire to Pauya hath forced suche an increase of zeale with aggrauacion of my desyer that if my destenie denye me a spedye supplye of reléefe or fortune forbide you to come and visitt my longyng estate your crueltye shall mortifye my passion and giue ende to my lyfe together wherein seinge loue hath fauored you wyth the victorie and conqueste of her who earste had power to vanquishe all men showe your selfe no lesse willynge to embrace the benefytt then worthie of the glorye and deferr not syr to expose effectes of pitie on the behalfe of her who lyueth onely vnder the mercie of a simple hope whiche yf the retourne of your resolucion do make frustrate and conuerte my desyer into ayre the same shall also pronounce the fatall ende of the vnhappie and your moste loyall Blanche Maria. This embassage with further commission by the mouth of the bringer sturred vp no smal alteracion in the mynde of the younge earle chieflye for that he sawe hymselfe pursued with a franke offer of that whiche yf the affectioned zeale he bare to his deare frende and companion the Lorde Valpergo had not stayed thattempte he had soughts longe since to obteine And albeit he iudged it neyther tollerable by humanitie nor thoffice of a gentleman to supplant the pleasure of his frende and marche in the steppes of his praye yet being charmed as it were with the vehement wordes of the letter with opinion that the discurtesie were to greate to abuse the liberal offer of so faire a Ladye gaue place to the sommonce and wente immediatlye to her house where fyndynge her voyede of all companie in her bedd chamber sawe small occasion to preferr halfe the circumstance and courtlike wooing wiche Seigneur Valpergo vsed for that both the one and the other after certeine intisinge kisses and other drawyng allurements performed on both partes disposed themselues tomake present sacrifyce to the goddesse of loue in putting an effect to the thyng which they both thirsted to accomplish with equalitye of desyer which amarous practise continued betwen them certeine monethes in such sorte that therle was so assotted became so ydolatrous on her behalfe that he performed no deuocion to other saint sauing the vnseamely shryne of his new mynion who also seing him stāde in water to the chin whollie subiect to the yoke of her awe determined to kepe a harde hande of the bridle with intent to make hym the bloddye executioner of her detestable deuise against her former louer Valpergo whose felicitie defended him eyther frō the peril of that imaginacion or els God wold not yet gyue leaue to her wickednes for that her hope was deceiued touching any help or assistance of her newe frend for Valpergo seing himself not onely dispossessed of the loue of his Ladye but dishonored by her mouthe wyth diuerse wordes of reproche in hys absence iudged it no grudge of conscience to mynister semblable reuenge on her behalfe the rather for that she was bothe the authour of the euyll euill first breaker of her faithe without cause and now the begyner of the quarrell of slaunder wherefore departynge from PAVIA he painted her dishonestie vppon euerie poste he passed by blasynge her armes with suche base and vile coollours and in suche
the cause to procede of the sinister subornation of the Countesse Blanche Marie whose lyfe and trade accordyng to the discourse you haue alredy harde he ymparted at large to the DVKE and reste of the councell she beynge aduertised of the whole had tyme and libertie to flee but god whyche is iuste would not that her wickednes shoulde bée assisted with anye longer date seynge that if she had liued her malice woulde also haue raged vppon therle GAIAZO who by good chaunce was at that tyme out of the towne The nexte daye shée was sente into an other prison in the towne to auoyde conference betwene Dom Pierro and her whereof there was more cause of feare then néeded for that vppon the firste examination she confessed the whole conspiracie trustynge belyke in I can not tell howe manye her thousande crownes where with shée hoped to corrupte the gouernour or suche as bare authoritie vnder him wherin her exspectation was no lesse frustrate then her destinies seamed wearie to fauour her with longer lyfe for the offer of her crownes was hatefull to the vpryghte ministers of instice and other meanes of medyacion hadde no place in the senate for that she was iudged to bée taken oute of prison the seconde daye after the morder and loase her head in the place of publicke execution in the meane while the capteines of the armye purchassed the lyfe of the bastarde of CARDONO and sente hym with diuers letters of comendacion to themperour who for the respecte of hys experience and practis in warre aduaunced him to a charge conueniente for his skil And albeit the laste arreste and sentence diffinitiue of the miserable countesse was communicated vnto her to th ende she mighte put her selfe in readines to passe the dreadfull iourney of deathe yet seamynge to repose muche for her selfe in th' assistance of her coffers she neyther dismayed at the newes nor disposed her self any waye toward God vntill the sergeantes criminall taking her out of her dongeon in the castell led her to the fatall theatrie in the market place where was erected a faire skaffolde to playe the laste acte of her tragedye vppon there y e wretched Ladye entred into open confession of her faltes and former lyfe in the hearyng of the multitude desiring God vpon her knées wyth greate effusion of teares not to deale with her according to her deserts but that she mought enioye the benefytt of his mercye and that he woulde not argue agaynste her for yf he iudged her accordinge to her iniquities shée was not hable to abyde it and so desyering the people to preferr their prayers on her behalf for her better assistance of y e spirit of grace in her perillous passage which she had to parforme she renounsed nature by the deadly blow of the sword of execution whiche toke awaye the head from the parnicious bodie of her who in her life neuer founde any wickednes whyche shee dyd not onelye ymbrace but excede wyth ymitation and increase with further vylanye nor was acquaynted with any vertue whyche she dyd not abuse or conuert into an agrauacion of synne a goodlye example suer for the youth in oure tyme seynge that the greatest parte launsynge indifferentlye into the gulphe of all abhominacion are gouerned onelye by the transport of their vaine foolysh conceits without hauing respect to the suÌ„dry mischefes impositions of shame which fayle not to attend the end of suche exercises for yf the Lord of Cardonne hadd not bene rescowed by th' assistance of a good fortune and taken out of the handes of distresse by speciall ayde of thother Captaynes it may be easely iudged what miserie had thundered vpon him by geuinge himselfe in praye to the flatteringe appetit of a lighte and foolishe woman who seamed to yelde him more glée or fauor for the satisfieng of her own lust and to performe her malicious deuise then for any respect of loyaltye or true loue Indiferent care of his honor or honest regard to her own estimation and trewlye as hys misfortune is great that bestoweth his affectioÌ„ vpoÌ„ a whore for that he is incident to a thousande inconueniences So his folye is no lesse that perswades himselfe to be beloued of a common doxie seinge their amytie continueth no longer then they reape eyther pleasure or profit neyther are they so inconstant in loue as voyde of measure in Imaginacion of mischiefes wherin for that our plentiful time yeldes vs choyse of examples and sorte of familyar experience I am content to abridge the Iustification at this tyme for that to maintain continuall argument of morders or affaires full of peril is often hurtful to the quyet mynde desiring somtime a pleasant recreacion from affliction no lesse then the pylot or weary mariner couets a present calme and appeasement of angrye EOLE after they haue bene longe forwearyed in contending against the malice of their fortune amonge the perillous strayghts of thunquiet occean And albeit the corruption of our owne nature is so great that we take more delight to heare a discours or beadroll of folyes then in reportes enterlarded with admonicions full of reason and wysedom yet am I perswaded that suche as haue their mindes typped wyth vertue caÌ„not be so peruaâ—â— nor voyde of good disposition as the other wretches whose lyues bearynge the badge of infamie makes theim also sequestrated from the reste of the good sort wherin we ought to be fullye resolued that there is no Hystorie howe full of pleasant delyte so euer it appeare which yeldes not with all wholsomme Instructions to dyrecte oure lyues neyneyther ought we to be soscrupulous or ful of curiositie As eyther to condemne or mislike the pleasaunt comodye for that it is not painted with y e serenety of the Stoickes seing the volumes of prophaned records scripture it self do note vnto vs the lyues of sundre vicious parsons not for that we shoulde enter into tearmes of grudge againste the reaport of suche auncient antiquitie nor dispose our selues to the imitation of the like vices but rather in vewynge the strange and greuous punishment whiche ordinarily hath ouerwhelmed suche sin to learne and labor to directe our lyues by the contrary of their examples whiche is one respecte that made me put my penne in exercise to prefer this historie to our vulgar tonge to thend also that the frayle youth of our countrie that folowe the damnable path of iniquitie maye sée howe sewer they are to féele the heauye hand of God who blesseth the good sorte wyth a plentyfull gyft of his grace and punisheth the wycked with sundrye sortes of affliction FINIS The argument WE sholde not neede so muche thassistance of foreine recordes nor reporte of aunciente histories excedinge the compase of our age and memorie if we were as carefull to note thaccydentes of our own time as we seame curious in admiracion of rare things whose glorious antiquitie with parcialitie of fame settes a more price of thindeuor of others theÌ„
possession of him that desired nothing so much as to enioye the pillage of so precious a praye albeit she fisshed afor the nete made her reckoning without her hoast for assone as shée comes to the cottage of Iulya and began to enter into the preamble of her embassage openynge with all the bore of her marchandise Iewels the mayde abhorring no lesse the company of y e bawde then lothing the sight of y e ministers of corrupciō could not so bridle her humor of iust anger but interrupting her bablyng discourse shée seased in hast vpon y e Iewls other presents which without respect of their valew she cast into the middest of the strete imparting the like curtesie to the lewde bringer whom shée toke by the sholders and thrust out of her house with threats that yf shée aduentred eftesones to come thither she would present her with her message affor the Ladye marquise who hated suche trolls and corrupters of youth as a pestilence or worse infectiō sayng besides y t he y t sent her gaue sufficiēt profe of his follie in seking to seduce her by money and presents y t toke no pittie of his teares former complaints of dolor neyther was he lesse vyle to thincke to buye her with money that ys not to be solde but by the price of vertue then she detestable afor God and the worlde that mesureth her honor by the price of her profit warnyng her as for all hensfurth to desist for feare of the reward of shame and he to rest contented with the wrong he had alredy don without pressing her any further to put his falte punishment in publicacion which last threates stroke such a feare into the hart of the olde hag with a present dispaier to preuaile any waie in the pursute of her quest that being only glad to escape so wel the danger of her deferuing she retired in hast to the seely Ferraroys to whome in place of good newes or plesant reporte of her successe she mynistred perswacions to correct hys fancye and forgett to loue suche one as makes no accompte of hys seruice willing him withal to plant hys affection in some better soyle vpon suche one as were not brutishe or voyd of reason to requyt the meryt of his seruice for saieth she thies beasts impes whithout wit or order of ciuilitie do also lack discresion to consider in cases of loue or yelde the due méede of true affection neither can they degenerat from the climat of their base discent or do other thinge then suche as the wilfull loare of their follie doth lead them vnto and beyng fauored as it were of nature with the gyfte of a certen beautie whiche bringes them in estimacion amongest men they are so assotted in the humor of selfe will that they seme rather to abuse the benefyte of so precious a Iewel then worthie to weare so rare an ornament and for this sayeth she that will not be moued with prayer nor present nor anye deuise serue to reclaime her haggard mynd seaming but to quarrel wyth all offers of curtesie I cannot thyncke but it ys some hard rocke conuerted in the shappe of a woman or fygure of beautie to become the tyrranouse tormenter of them that vnhappely are sommoned to serue her wherfore seing I am denied to assist you by my trauaile accordynge to my promyse I praye you lett me aduise you to stoppe the course of affection and choke the chanell of your loue affore yt ouerflowe the hope of recouery and cease any longer to féede the humor of your passion with the remembrance of her that semes to take pleasure in youre gryef well well sayth the dolorous louer I woulde I coulde as easely forget as you are apte to perswad or that you had thusmuch aduised me afore you gaue me assuraunce of relyef by youre dylygence but chyefly I wish that I hadd eschued the yll when I admitted the cause then had I reserued my lybertye liued free from passion voyd from vnacquainted ertremyties and not lamēt to late in thys sort myne owne disaster nor stande neadē to communicate wyth you who selleth youre aduise for money and makes youre trauayle the marchaunt of fylthye gaine albeyt seynge want of discresion hath styrred vp this error and the folly of youth preuayled aboue the force of wisdom I muste be dryuen to make of necessytye a lawe and geue place to y e sentēce of my presēt fortune greuing not withstādynge that the frendshyppe and vndouted zeale of affection which I bare her shold reape the fruts of rigour and receue the meryite of their vertue at the handes of crueltie at the least I wil not so dispair but that the argument of a future hope shall kepe me in breathe and expectyng the benefytt of a better time I wil comitt my selfe to the gouerment of pacience who as I haue harde is the onely tuche stone to trye a man that ys fallen into termes of affliction But here the galland semed rather to féede the tyme then bynd himselfe to performe theffecte of his owne wordes neyther mente he to suffer hys last resolution to passe for currant money muche lesse to content hym selfe with his cardes seyng he lyked not his game and seing he colde not preuaile by pollicye nor wyn the fort by somonce or offer of composicion he determined as his laste helpe to vse the vttermoste of hys forces and performe hys conquest what so euer yt cost him But thusmuch by the waye ther ys nogreate enterprice to what ende so euer it tende whether yt bée guided by vertue or conducted by vice whose effecte can aunswere therpectacion of thinuentour onlesse ther be a roumthe reserued for a thirde to perticipate therein aswel for the erpedicion of the cause as suer conueyghe of the mysterye soo thys vallet of chamber resolued absolutely in the pursuete of hys queste imparteth the discourse of hys loue passed hys synyster successe in the same hys dyuerse assalttes too the forte and hys fundrie and sharpe repulses too a dashbuckler of the bushops who made no more conscience to bee a minister of euil then y e outlawes of shooters hil vse curtesie in stripping our marchauntes and after send them to London with penyles budgettes he forgate not also to make him preuye to hys laste resolucion crauyng therein the assystaunce of hys fryndeshyppe in suche sorte as vppon thynstant he made hym aduowe the same to thuttermoste of his power onelye sayeth he deuise the waye and my diligence shall declare the zeale I bere thee with the desire I haue too place thée in the bosome of thy felicitie yt were a follie saieth this desperat louer to reiterate the order of my former deuises and to present her eftesones with offices of curtesie it were but time lost onlie there restes to offer her the racke I meane to oppresse her with force neyther doo I care what peny worths be made of my life so
suspicion not refusynge diuerse tymes in the absence of the knighte to enter the bedd chamber and consulte wyth her vppon her pillowe wherein he exacted vppon the honest libertie giuen hym by the goodman for that one daye during hys absence the aduocatt vnder cooler to councell the Lady in certaine affaires touchynge the commoditie of her husbande came to her beddsyde where he behelde her in other sorte then he is wonte to vysytt the cases of lawe for her husbande neyther hadd age so altered her complexion but there appered follie in all partes of her face with other intisinge glées shrowded vnder the lyddes of her allurynge eyes whyche with his libertie of frée accesse and her contentement to admitt hys compaine forced the rather an affection in the proccurer in whome also as shée noted certaine dextereties no lesse hable to performe the buysynes of the bedd then to followe the processe of lawe so shée dyd not only allowe his amarus glauÌ„ces with interest of equal glée on her part but also as one whollie deuested of thattyre of shame made no conscience to discouer that part of the bodie whyche nature hathe forbidden to bée séene of anye and all women of honest parte oughte to kepe from the sighte and knowleadge of man whych shée accompained also with such lasciuius regardes of wanton countenance that the dymmest eyes that bée in loue myghte easelie discerne the pathe of her entent and iudge with what fethers her arrowes wolde slye wherein also TOLONYO no lesse experienced then the best forgat not to féede the humor of her meaning wyth speciall tearmes of reproche against the weakenes of tholde man condemnynge hym as moste vnworthie to enioye the benefytt of her beautie and muche lesse to taste in any sorte of the pleasure or delicatt proporcion of thys Alcyne who to further the forwardnes of her doctour added thiâ—s tearmes of complaint to the wordes of hys former reproche howe ryghtelye maye shée tryumphe with treble felicitie in this worlde who delytinge to embrace her husbande participateth indiffrentlie with the solace of outward ioye and pleasure of secrett contentement the remembraunce of whose happie state alas yeldes me double cause of exclamacion agaynste the debilitie of my aged knyghte bothe for that hys weaknes denyeth force to furnyshe the sportes of the bed and I in the heate of desyer to wyshe and not fynde the chiefeste pillor of my consolacion yf I hadd not earste Sipped of the cupp of sugred delite the desyer had dekaied because I hadd no taste of the pleasure where the viewe of former solace increaseth my present thurste and can not bée satysfyed or yf nature colde broache an other vessell of strengthe in my wythered husbande or restore a freshe heate to hys dekaied partes my loathesome life wold resume eftensones cause of perfect contentement I in the meane wile shold do wronge to accuse his present weaknes what is my passion thinke you Seigneur Tolonio prouyng perforce the wante of courage in my husbande with the extreme desyer in my selfe he hathe no other care then too momble hys mornyng prayers and Pater noster in the night whilest I poore sowle halfe starued attend a seconde froste or colde compfort in hym whyche rather mortefyeth my desyer then satisfyeth in any sorte the vehemencye of myne appetytt and yf sometime I séeke to force a mocion in hym with indeuour to gyue lyfe to his dead sprites I am aunswered with hollow groanes and excuses of age that alas my thurste is rather increased then desyer satisfyed I forced to féede of suche drye banquettes with no lesse grudge and gréeff of mynde then I shoulde take singler pleasure in the companye of one worthie of me and hable to furnyshe at full thappointement due in mariage all whyche the doctour was no lesse gladd to heare then desyerus to knowe the intent of the discourse whyche he pursewed in iestinge sorte saying I am content madame you make A tryal in this sort of my loyalty towards you your house albeit I am so persuaded of the corage of your husbande y t notw tstanding any impedimeÌ„t by age he is sufficieÌ„tly hable to dispatch y e affaires of the most likelye and lustie gentlewoman in your traine suche saith she as knowe nothing but by oponion imagination do commonly iudge at pleasure vpon matters of importance where they that haue felte the effectes and made an experience of euerye point maye resolue accordynge to a troth wherin your ignorance acquites you for this tyme of imputacioÌ„ touching the loftines of my husbande whoÌ„ as you at vnwares accoÌ„pte a chaÌ„pyon of suche courage y t there is no harnesse whiche he is not hable to pearce so the longe prooff I haue had of his worthines may warraunte you the contrarye of such conceites commendynge vnto you withall the compassion of my distresse with desyer to procure some spedie meane of delyuerye or release from this loathsome torment wherewith maister aduocat began to excuse hym of any entent to increase her griefe what construction so euer she made of his former wordes protestyng wythal that the offer of death should bée more acceptable vnto hym then the simple remeÌ„brance to do her the leaste euill in the worlde if she sorowed in the prooffe of a badd husband his gréefe was no lesse in the veraye viewe of her languishynge state that I wishe madame saith he that my indeuor might discharge you of paine or the spoile of my lyfe and all that I haue of the worlde confirme your quiet accordyng to the consent of your owne minde then should you sée whether your Tolonyo woulde put any difference betwene pleasant promises whiche euery man can make and assured effect whiche few men performe with this further experience yf it please you to employe me to excede euery one of your domesticall traine in yeldyng to the sommonce of your commaundement albeit it importe the sacrifice of my lyfe or dissolutioÌ„ of honor both which I accoÌ„pte happely preferred yf they end in the pursewte of your seruice wherewith he seased vpon one of her delicate handes whiche he forgat not to honor with the often printe of his mouth in sondry sortes of kysses whiche as they argued thuttermost of his further entent so she furthered an expedicion of thindifferent desyers of theim both in grasping his hand with no lesse affection theÌ„ he did amarus homage to al her tender parts with this shorte question in smylynge order yf the goodnes of your fortune Seigneur Tolonio the synister guide of my destines accompanied with the mocion of loue wold giue you as muche power ouer me as you seame desierous to enioye my fauor howe would you accompte of suche preferment or what iudgement woulde you set of her liberall offer who neyther respectyng life nor regard to honor is here to leaue you her harte in gage and her bodye to the vse of your pleasure Ah madame saith this amarous Cyuilyan howe
so litle a vaile whose begynninge as it proceded of a superfluytie of founde humors raginge withoute reason or guide of vertue so the contynuance wyll ymporte but a discredit to your calling and the end yeld you neyther content meÌ„t nor commendacion wherfore I pray you suffer th assurance of my vertue to worke her force who in correctinge the ronning appetit of your follie wyll make you mayster of your selfe and let not so vaine a thinge as the simple glaunce of bewtie which is more apte to declyne then hable to indure preuaile aboue your aunciente estimacion of honor nor draw you wythout the lymittes and bondes of your callinge for for my parte I haue inclosed myne honor and life together in one vessell wyth intent to make a presente of theym bothe at one instant to hym whom I beseche maye take awaye your traunce and restore you to your entyer and defende mée at all tymes from thinuasion of so pernicious an enemye What sayth he not wythout some argument of collor do I seame altogether vnworthy of your fauor or am I not likely to performe thoffer of my seruice both the one and the other Quod Ianiqneta for I oughte not nor wyll not passe a graunt of my good wyll to any but suche as the Lawe of the Churche and consente of my frendes shall enioyne me to marie neither can you do agreater wrong to your own estimacion then in embasing your greatnes to becom the seruant of so pore a mayde as I And albeit you were contented to make an equallitie and indifferent distribucion of the greatnes of your estate wyth the litle estymacion that for tune hath preferred me vnto yet the grudge of my coÌ„science quarrelling with the foulnes of y e act wil neither suffer me to admit your offer nor conseÌ„t to your request desiring you for end to exchang your intent and make a present of your seruice to some other that knoweeth how to requit so great a courtesie better then I for I neyther like your phrase nor circunstance and muche lesse determyn to spende any loÌ„ger tyme with you wherewith albeit he began eftesones to replie with y t offer of his flowers which she refuced she whipped into the house and shoot the doare vppon the nose of her amarus clyent who became so amased with the soddaines of the facte that he seamed as one newe fallen out of the clowdes or dreamyng of the disolucion of the world at last being past the misterye of his trauÌ„ce he repaired to his house with his head full of proclamacions where entringe into a warr of newe deuises he seamed to doble his tormente not hable to ymagyn the meane to wyn the good will of the mayde who seamed no lesse harde to be plied then the sharpeste and most steape rockes vpon all the coaste of spaine loue had so infected hym with desier to enioye her that he coulde haue perswaded hym selfe to haue maried her yf it had not bene for the ympedyment of his parentes whose displeasure he knewe wolde stretche so farre that they wolde not sticke too destroye the mayde to th ende the note of such a facte mighte be vtterly extirped and rooted out of the remembrance of all ages besides thestimacion of hym selfe appered also as a staie to his meanyng and the authoritie he bare in the citie of no lesse effecte to diswade him and yet the poison that first infected him preuailing aboue the force of any perswacions presentinge hym eftesones a newe hope to cool the maydenhead of Ianiquette declared vnto him that both she and her parentes were the children of pouertis and that there was no dore so stronge but a golden keye myghte open his locke nor fortresse of such strength but he wolde yelde to thoffer of monye wherefore restored to a freshe hope with the offer of this new deuise and desierus to see what thies ministers cold do by their art he addressed him to one of his neighbors of no lesse familiaritie then great trust w t Ianiquette whom he so coniured with the charme of his pleasant tounge certeine peces of gold that marched betwene theim that shée promised to become the solicitor of his cause and giue such a charge to the maide that she sholde not finde suche conning to confute her raisons as she seamed valliant in the repulse of thassaltes of her louer who because his messeinger shold not departe vnarmed at all pointes he willed her to be no nigarde of large promisses offrynge wholl mounteines of golde siluer or Iewells or any other thinge of what price so euer it were that seamed any waie hable to perce her and make her plyable to his desier and if she be assailed saith he with the comon feare that trobles all women I meane yf she doute the swelling of her bellye assure her that I will not onely mary her to her conteÌ„tacion but make her porcion worthe a thousande doccates his neyghbour albeit her arte was not to deale in messages of loue and that shée estemed greatly the chastetie of maydes yet comparinge the pouertie of Ianiquette with his present promisse to releue it gaue hym eftesones a seconde assurance of her diligence with protestacion to make her strike sayle and comme vnder hys lee wherein shee was deceiued for neyther his large promisses nor presentes of greate price coulde perswade her and much lesse thoracion of the messenger who vttered the cause of her comming in this sorte Recordyng my girle the harde condicion of thy presente state I fynde the same more subiecte to a clymatt of longe contynuance then in hope or apte to be reliued by any industrie of thy parents who albeit haue he retofore enioyed the goodnes of fortune and borne a porte of honeste callynge yet thowe seeste they are nowe in the daunger of desolatioÌ„ and fallen so farre into the mallice of pouertie that they wante meanes not only to supplie the needy disposicion of their owne lyfe but also to preferr the to aduauncemente due to thy deseruyng I greue no lesse also to see the flower of thy youth slyp away by such stealthe and the pyninge misery of thy pareÌ„ts to be an impedimeÌ„t to the prefermeÌ„t of thy beauty which albeit is honored of a noÌ„ber w t the offer of marriage yet wheÌ„ thei haue sifted thy state tried to thutermost the small inheritance and simple dowrie of thy father they do not only disclayme their sâ—te but seame to departe and breake of as thoughe they were infected with some contagius disease of your house wherefore seinge the dispaire in thy parentes habilitie takes awaye all hope of assistance at their handes or by their meanes and that fortune once in the course of our life dothe put into our handes the offer of a good torne yf thowe wilte repose thy selfe vppon my aduise I will sett the in better state then euer was the beste of thy house the maide dowtynge no trayson in
whych beinge drayned from the bottome of hys bellie ascended to the vppermost partes to fynd out their naturall issue to th ende that wyth the retire of these drayninge humors his life might also vanishe as in a slomber or quiet qualme whych moued such a pitie in his neighboure on the behalfe of his dollor that she was forced to kepe him company with semblable kindnes offeringe eftsones her helpe vnder these tearmes Albeit saith she the regarde of myne honestie with thestimacion of the place which I holde without blushinge amoÌ„gest the troupes of honor and dames of great calling in this Citie do forbidd mée the enterprise of any thinge that myne honor can not broâ—â—e yet the sorowefull sommonce of your last complainte tempred wyth so manye tunes of dolefull note hathe filled me so full of compassion on your behalfe that I will not dowt to laie my conscience to gage for the redresse of your present affliction wherein if you will giue me the charge of my commission tellinge mée what it is that I shall do for you you shall sée my endeuor shal be no lesse frankelye emploied for you then I knowe by the viewe of mine owne eyes that your passion is simple and withoute all dissimulation onely there restes that I know what she is to whom you haue auowed so large a deuotion for I promisse you to salute her so amplie with the reaport of your loyaltie and seruice whiche I knowe you owe to her that is the mistres of your harte that oneles her mouth be vtterlye out of taste and thappetit of curtesie cleane taken from her she shal not refuce thoffer of your good will which I thinke is without a seconde in any place of the worlde And trulye albeit diuerse women nowe a dayes haue good cause to inueighe by complaintes against the disloyaltye of men yet this Ladye whome you seme to honour so muche hathe neyther cause to mislike her choice nor reason to refuce the consent and offer of your seruice where of as the earthe semes a verye nigarde to brynge furthe and norishe so fewe of your disposition so it can not be chosen but pure loyaltye for lacke of harbor within the hartes of moste men muste retire and seke her a newe habitacion within the delicate intrailes of vs women who embracynge no lesse that vertue wyth deare affection then desyerous to expose vnfained frutes of the same are accompted to be cladde in the habite of crueltie yf we séeme to stande vppon our garde and expulse thassaulte of that friuolus and fleshelye crewe of vaine louers who profferinge theyr seruice vnder a masque of fayned teares sighes of double deceite with other courtelyke importunytyes do bende the pollecie of all their practises to none other ende then to abuse the fauor whiche they fynde at theyr handes that vnhappelye committe their honor to the kepinge of those Sycophantes and common enemies to the renowme of all Ladies Ah good madam sayth he although my lytle hablenes denies me sufficient meanes to measure the rewarde of your franke offer accordynge to the meritt of your great curtesie yet beholde heare a soldiour and gentleman bounde to be no lesse prodigall of his lyfe and spende the deareste dropp of his blodd in your seruice then you seme liberal of your estimation for the appeasyng of his greff and seyng your promisse is so farr past by wordes of confirmation to do your beste for me as the same ymportes an assured hope of spedie helpe to comme by our meanes the chiefest thyng that I committ to your frendshipp is to deliuer a letter froÌ„ me to Madame ZYLIA whose beautie hath alredye made suche a breache into my harte and brued the broth of the tormente which you sée I suffer that onelesse I be spedie releued I do not se but that y e thre fattals weary with drawing furthe the spindell of my lif will ymediatly cutt a sonder y e twiste whiche hanges onely by the hope of your succours in purchasyng me fauor with her that hath made me captiff in the prison of her commandement wherwith the faithfull burgoise beynge very sorie that so honeste a gentleman had sowen the séedes of his good will in a soile of so bad increase bringing furth but frutes of crueltie assaied to take the worme out of his nose in vsing perswacions to remoue his phaÌ„tasie but he that was alredie resolued in his mishap detested all councell and shoote his eares from the wholesome aduise of the wise matrone who doutyng that he wold conster her wordes contrarye to her meanyng in thinkinge that she inferred exhortacions to purchase a releace of her promisse willed hym to write his letter and she wolde not only deliuer it but also bring hym a reaporte of that which sholde be sente hym for aunswere whereby saieth she you shall see the litle gaine and lesse easse that will followe the meritt of your painefull trauell ymployed in the seruice of so vnthankful a woman with whom seynge I am thorowely acquainted and her disposicion no stranger vnto me I meane not to praâ—ise in any other sorte then to discharge y e part of a messeÌ„ger in deliuering your letter which yf you haue not alredie made I will attende your leasure to thend to performe my promisse wherewith he thanked her as apperteined and beynd alone in hys chamber sommoned all hys wittes together to deuise his letter which semed to be written in thies or like tearme Yf my dysease good madame were deryued eyther of the shaking or burnyng feuer Catterres Apoplexies or any other hurtefull influence incidente commonly to annoye the partes of mannes bodye I woulde reasorte too the councell of Phisicke and vse the discipline of wholsome dyot but wher my presente passion procedes only of the feruente affection I beare you thextremitie of the same denyes also to be cured by anye other remedie then the happye encounter of that which is thoriginall cause of my gréeff wherin albeit I halfe assure my selfe rather to receiue spedie ease and ende of my tormente by the fatall domme of death then abridgment of my dollors or consolacion in my distresse by any indeuour or affection reciprocall of you yet am I so lynked in the laborinth of loue that I am denied euery waye to take truce with my vnrulye desiers and lesse hable of my selfe to reuoke the vowe of my vnfayned deuocion to your rare and heauenle beautie in whome consistes the propper Cataplasma of my disease Alas vnder what crabbed constellacion was I conceiued or what cruell destenye directes the course of my yeres seing that in the glorie of my youthe and pryme time of myne age I am at one instante threatned of the heauens made subiecte to the malice of loue and readye to incurr the perilus daunger of dispaire for wante of hope to drawe furthe the length of my dayes to thuttermost date of my life whiche I thynke was formed first by nature and coÌ„tinued
enchauntement procedyng of the beautie of women bothe pleasant and hurtefull to men seames too bee typped with a certeine vertue of delite drawing the fondlinges of the worlde to bee in loue with the cause of their owne distruction So I am of oppinon also that yt is a kinde of punishemeÌ„t whiche God hath appointed to plage and torment vs for our offences that waye seynge that the most of vs now a dayes syppynge of the cupp of that infection do conuert the remembrance and care whiche wée oughte to haue of thestimacion of vertue into a speciall affection towardes oure fonde fancies séekinge our felicitie and quiet in the tombe wherein is shrowded the topp and roote of all our my shapps Besides vertuouse and chaste Ladyes are not so simple nor voide of discrecion but they beholde affarr of and are pryuye to the meanyng of thies franke offers of seruice and loyaltie sett out fynelie with diuerse coollours of fayned vertue not doutynge also that suche masqued louers disfer nothynge from the venemous skorpion whose poison lyeth altogether in her taile for that the ende of such loue argues a subuercion of the renowme and former vertues of a man whych of falleth out rightelie in y e sequeile of this Virey who thinking to haue made a greate conquest in the victorie of free conference with his vnkynde mistrys is nowe vppon the waye to her pallais or rather pathe of hys owne misfortune with more contentement I am sewer then hertofore he hathe receiued disquiett by his former torment And beinge now in the base courte of herl odgyng he found her in a lowe hal attended vppon with one gentlewoman only where after certeine cold gretinges entermedled with a countenance of counterfaite ioye on her parte she slented at his sicknes with thies tearmes yf euerye euill were as mortal in deède as yt is made by reapport a sleighte salue colde not so soone cure so great disease nor vnproued medecins worke suche meruelous operacions in so shorte a tyme speciallye vppon so daungerous a greeff as yours Seigneur Virley seamed to bée by the reaport of al men vnto me whiche shall serue me as an vndouted experience hereafter that the passions of men bée of no longer aboade then the subiect of their affectioÌ„ appeares before their eyes neyther bée they other thinges then certeine mirroiers or lookinge glasses wherein albeyt are represented the veray licknes or fygure of theime that beholde theime yet takyng awaye the obiect or cause and the forme vanisheth also as the poff of winde passinge along the straite of a plaine or déepe valleye Ah madame saith he how easye yt is to deuise of my disease and harde for me to hope for remedye at youre hande that doutes of the greatnes of my passion and easlye may he prefer either mirth or sorowe at hys pleasure whose mind is free from conceits of dout or dispayre where theharte truelye passioned dreades to make declaracion of eyther of theim least in excedyng in the one or seaminge to muche a nigard of the other the showe of eyther of theim bringe his sute or honest intent in Iâ—lewse suspicion with theym in whom onely resteth the Cataplama of his sore so that I accompte hym now the most infortunat man whose state is vnhapelye broughte vnder the awe of suche two mortal extremeties and for my parte yf I were as frée from thextreame pointes of affection as you seame farre from reason to doute of the greatnes of my gréeff I coulde with better will allowe your discreditt in the faythe and inconstancye of menne but alas hee that is caughte with the snares of true loue canne beholde no other figure nor make other liknes thenne of the true cause of hys affection the picture whereof remeyneth for euer within the sewrest part of the hart whiche in deede as you saye is the true mirroer wherein appereth not a fayned shadowe fadyng with the forme but a contynuall viewe and remeÌ„brance of her by whome wée lyue in suche heauenly contemplacioÌ„ in whych dyol or lokyng glasse I haue ympryn ted y e true effect of the thing which by vertue ofdue meritt ought to restore streÌ„gth to my preseÌ„t weaknes dealing so extreamelie w t me from the first tyme of this contemplacion that thonly offer of hope to restore in th ende my dekayed partes hathe hetherunto preuented theffect of vtter destruction to euery pece and member of my bodie And touching thargumentes of healthe whiche you note in me I am to yeld you alone all homage and honour for the same for that the fauor whiche I fynde in thys present appointement and conference with you hathe sturred vpp thys glee of good lykyng thorow all my partes with more contentement of the happy encounter theÌ„ my former gréeues gaue me cause of extreme dystresse and yet my martirdome hath neyther bene so small nor secrett but the whole worlde hathe witnessed my panges and you also myghte haue beleued theyme yf eyther the sorowe of my selfe or reapport of such as tooke pitie of me had bene of creditt with you whereof also I am yet to endure a more harde share yf yt maye bee ymagyned by any braine so that the same were hable to force a remorse in you on my behalfe for the greatest felicity I haue in this worlde is to haue the fauor of any coÌ„maundement at youre hande what perill soeuer yt ymportte to th ende my diligence and readie indeuor to do you seruice therein or other your affaires what so euer maye iustefye the vowe of my vnfained hacte towardes you like as also I perswade my selfe to bee reysed from a hundreth thousande deathes together when I ymagyn but a simple compassion in you touchynge the torment I suffer for youre beautie wherein yf euer I hadde reason to take pleasure by a delite whyche nature hathe wroughte in the thynge I am sewer alredie to haue hadd my parte of a thousande annoies by the regards of crueltie I haue found in you â—â—â—â—el at last good ladie the comission of former torments ceasse hensfurth to plage him that is readye in the place to comitt hys bodie to any sacrafy ce for the ransome of your fauour what moueth you alas to a discreditt or doute of my payne wyth opynion that my passion is dyssembled lett the sondrye sortes of teares heretofore distilled on the behalfe of youre discurtesye so many dayes broughte to end with continuall sorow and nyghtes drawen out at lengthe with drayninge sighes ye the present viewe of my pale and ghastelye ghost perswade you of the contrarye with assurance of my vndowted loyaltie for euer wherewith he behelde her not without a vente of soddayne teares trycklynge alonge hys cheekes and shee for her parte regarded the earthe wyth a face full of dysdaine as yt seamed whyche notwithstandynge he construed to a proffitt of hys sute pursewynge the same eftesones in this sorte Ah madame haue you the hart to deface the glorie of that deuyne
this Ladie distressed on euery side if not to retire into teares dropping with streames of present sorow in the remembrāce of her former crueltie ▪ ah vnhappye and thryswretched Ladye that I am saith she broughte to due desolacion and punishment by shame for an effecte of crueltie excedinge the barbarous disposicion of the Lurke or Moare or other infidell withoute religion or faith in séekinge alas to deceiue an other I am fallen into the daunger appointed to giue ende to my lyfe Was it not sufficient for me to be warned of the reuenge of mine enemye by myne owne rigour vsed towardes hym but that I muste attempte his curtesie and willinglie fal into the malice of hym who triumphinge in the spoiles of mine honor gothe about also to take from me my lyfe mortifye my renowme for euer Why fel I not alas into the Iawes of som wilde beaste in passing the alpes or threw my selfe hedlong from the topp of some craggie mountaine whereby I shold haue preuented the stroake of his malice who séekes to make me a wounder to the multitude for attemptinge a thinge which restes whollie at the wil and pleasure of him whom I had so haynously offended Ah Seigneur Virley howe can you bestowe suche colde consideracion on the pleasures wherein I haue bene so liberall on youre behalfe or what moueth these regardes of disdaine with desyer to haue the lyfe of her who if euer she offended hath alredie performed the pennaunce of her falte and what offence is so greate whiche is not satisfyed with amendes for the trespas which if I haue not alreadye aunswered let my teares make good the reste of your rigorous sentence Imagin Seigneur Virley What a vertue it is to forgiue where the extremetye of reuenge is the fowlest vice that occupieth the harte of man And for your parte as you haue made your selfe knowen to the worlde by your continuall felicitie in all your affaires so sticke not to make an encrease of your glorye by preuentynge the perill of her who lyinge prostrate afore your knées bathinge the same in the sooddes of her sorowfull teares dothe also kysse your feet in signe of repentance of her former follye Ah lett me not dye for my simplicitye nor min honor put to sacrifise as a reuenge of the litle wronge whiche I confesse my chastetie hath don you take not alas so cruell vengeance vppon so small an offence neyther suffer the blodd of my life to quenche the thurst of your malice that haue alredie payed treble tribute in respect of my falte wherewith meanynge yet to continue in tearmes of complaint the sergeaunt Cryminall wyth authoritie from the Kyng arested her to prison whether she wente with small constraint as wearye alredye with the view of her present miserye and loathynge the vse of longer lyfe hauynge loste the chiefe support of the same But the knighte pinched with some remorse touchinge the passion of his deare Zilya thinkynge her sufficiently punished for so small offence wente immediatly to the kynge to whome in the hearing of his Lordes he makes discourse of his loue passed the crueltie of Zilya in bindynge hym to a vowe of scilence for iij. yeres and the present reuenge he hath taken of her discurtesye wyth humble request in the ende to moderat the rigour of his iustice both to her and others that were in prison for his recouerye seing saith he the same depended either vppon her that bounde me to that charge or els vppon thassistance of time which at last woulde haue dissolued my dome fraunce by thaccomplishment of the thinge whiche my fayth bounde me to performe The kynge merueiled not alitle to heare so straunge a historye reioysyng notwithstandynge in the happie retourne of his speche and giuing singler commendacion to the loyaltye of his knighte condemned presentlye the crueltie and couetousnes of the widowe vppon whome hadd folowed execution accordinglye yf it had not béene preuented by the speciall intercession of Seigneur Virley who takynge her out of prison accompanied her certeine dayes iourney aswell to showe her the kynges liberalitye in diuerse townes and holdes whiche he had bestowed vppon hym as also to satisfye his appetitt at the full with the frutes whereof he had fealte earste so pleasant a taste wherewith also she dyd not muche mislike for that the prooff of suche fauor vnlooked for tooke awaye the payne of her late imprisonement iustelye deserued besides her late dispair of life made her doble thankeful to the author of her libertie which she embrased with more cōtentemēt then when she knewe not what it was to loase the pleasant taste of frée lyfe wherein maye be noted an experience of the dealing of fortune who kepes in stoare like punishment for all suche as reaposyng to much for them selues in their owne force do defye that litle which they accompte to consiste in others and in respect of their owne power do condemne the authoritye which other men haue if a vaine glorye and conceite of a chastetye inuincible had not deceiued this Ladye or a desyer of couetous gaine blaired her eyes it had bene harde to haue iudged her incontinencie whiche appeared both in her franke familiaritie towards y e passioned knight and also in gredie desyer to fyll her pursse carye awaye the praise from all other that vndertooke thenterprise and yet as you sée her gaine hath giuen a dishonest title to her name for euer with an occasion to thenemies of women to crie out of the whole secte but there is no reason that the falte or follye of one shoulde impaire in anye sorte the nobilitie of so manye vertues and honest Ladyes whose chastetie and honest conueigh of life defendes them againste the crueltie and couetousnes of this ZYLIA and suche as resemble her in any sorte who after certeine dayes of recreation with her louer retireth into Pyemount where she drewe furth the remeinder of her yeres in continuall grudge and frett of conscience with firme perswacion euer after that the force of man is nothinge where God doth not worke by his grace without whose assistance we can neyther learne that which is good nor defende our selues from the daunger of any euil like as also if we want that guide in our doing our workes smellynge of nothinge but the corrupcion of our owne nature make vs seame not muche vnlike the loathsom swine wallowinge in a dortye or moddie poodle to encrease her fylthynes FINIS The argument A According to the lattyne adage euerie vice how perilous soeuer it appeare hath power to work in some degre thopperacion of a special vertu for albeit the sondrie enormities growing daily amongest vs by the vnbridled humor of oure affection which we commonly cal loue argue the same to bee a passion of moste daungerous and peruerse corrupcion yet we haue experience of wonderfull effectes of vertuous modestie wrought by that common euill as the whoremonger and adulteror reduced to a repentance and
moderacion in his pleasures the tyran and morderor moued to compassion touching the cause of thin nocent and the vnthrift reclaymed to an honest staie of lif whiche makes me of opynion that this passion giuen vs by nature albeit it be an infection of it selfe yet it serues also as a contrepoison to driue out another venym according to the propertie of the Scorpion which of her selfe and in herself carieth the sting of mortal hurte and oyntmeÌ„t of spedie remedie thoccasioÌ„ of preseÌ„t death and meane to preserue life not meaning for all this to perswade that it is of necessitie we make our selues subiect altogether to this humor of good and euill disposicioÌ„ nor allow them that willingly incurr the perill of such fre ymprisonment but placinge it for this tyme amongest thinges of indifferent tolleracion because he neither seamed blind nor void of discrecioÌ„ on the behalf of those whose eraÌ„ples I meane to prefarr in this historie I maye boldlie aduoche that which we call affection to be a passion resembling in som respect the condicion of true amytie and yet not muche vnlike for the moste parte the generall euill whiche the Grecians â—al Philautia and we tearme by the title of loue or vaine flatterie of our selues chiefly when we see any so frently to his desiers that to satisfye the inordinat thruste or glot of his gredie appetit he forgettes hothe honor and honestie with the respect and duetie of his conscience besides what ymages of vertue curtesie or bowntiful dispocision soeuer our louers do ymagyn in theim whom they serue dymming the eyes of the worlde wyth a miste of dissembled substance as thoughe the cause of their liberall offer of seruice were deriued of an intent of honest frendshippe yet their trauailes that way concludes we se with other end for that they hunt only the chase of pleasure procedinge of the viewe of an exterior bewtie wherin their meaninge is sufficiently manifeste in the sugred oracions discourses of eloquent stile which those amarus orators seme to prefer when their mindes occupied whollie in the contemplacion of their mistresses do commit the praise of the perfection in their Ladies to the filed fordge of their fine tongue in which what other thing do they more chiefly commend then a deuyn misterie or conninge worke of nature painted with a dy of white or redd in her face A delicate tongue to dilate of matters of fancie an entysinge countenance with a grace and behauiour equal with the maiestie of a princes al which as they argewe the vanitie of him that reapose delite in such fondnes differinge altogether from the true ornamentes of the soule or pattorne wherby the perfectioÌ„ of vertue is discerned by thunfayned workes and absolute accion So dismissing this fond philosophie not coÌ„tending greatly whether loue be a natural corrupcion or a thing perticipating with vertue we may be bold to aduouche his power to preauile in things which seame of ympossibilitie to thother passions that be common vnto vs for what thinge can be of greater force in a man then that which constrainynge an alteracion of custome and breach of that which by contynuance hath taken rote within vs doth make as it were A new body and the mynd a meare straunger to her former cogitacions which I neither inferr without cause nor menteyne this argument without great reasoÌ„ for that as of al the vices which spot the lif of maÌ„ ther is none except y e excecrable syn of whoredom which makes vs soner forget god good order then the detestable exercise of vnlawful game neither are we so hardly reclaymed froÌ„ any thing as that cutthrote delite for that it is almost as possible to conuert the crueltie of a she wolffe or lyones into a present mekenes as to mortefie the desier of plaie in him which hath bene norrished and nozelled therin froÌ„ the beginning of his yeres Euen so notwithstanding the force of loue wrought such a misterie in an vnthrist of Naples that of the mo ste prodigall and ryotous spendor that hath bene noted in any age hee made a most staide and sparing gentlemaÌ„ that Italy hath brought furth of many yeres since or afore his time Albeit euen vpon the point and beginning of his new fondacion beinge redie w t all to expose frutes of his happye chang frome euill to good trade he was encowntred wyth the malice of his destinies which abridged hys felicytie and life in one moment wherof you maye discerne a manifeste profe in the sequeile of the historie folowing PERILLO SVFFRETH muche for the loue of Carmosyna and marienge her in the ende vvere both tvvo striken to deathe with a thonderbolte the firste nighte of their vnfortunat mariage IT happened not long synce in the riche and populus Citie of NAPLES who norrisheth ordinarylie an infinitie of youth of all degrees that amongest the rest of the wantons broughte vpp there at that tyme there was one named Anthonio Perillo who enioyenge a libertye more then was necessarye to one of so younge yeres and greene vnderstandyng made absolute declaracion affore the race of youthe did stopp in hym what it is to passe the yeres of correction without the awe of parentes tutour or controller for his father hauyng performed his Jornaye whiche nature appointed hym in this woorlde resigned hys bodie to earthe and his goodes and possessions to his sonne who fyndyng so manye golden cotters and chestes full of treasure to assiste his prodigal and wanton dispocision forgat not ymediatly to enter into the trade of a licencius life Wherein he founde no staye nor ympedyment to his will for that the necligence of his father had lefte hym withoute the awe or authoritie of any And albeit in the life of his father he was a continuall hawnter of the Berlea or common house of vnthriftie exercises where for wante of sufficient demers to furnishe his desier with skill in casting the three deceitfull companions of blacke and white vppon a square table he was forced often tymes to forbeare to playe and learne conynge in lokyng vppon yet tyme with his owne diligence made hym so artificiall that beyng but a cryer of awme there were fewe hable to excede his sleyghte in castinge twelue affore sixe of two dyce or tooke halfe so good accomte or regarde to the course of the cardes and yet notwithstanding he was not so wel grownded in the principles of his arte but often tymes his conyng beguilyng hym he was preuented with a contrarie sleighte and onelye his purse paide the charge of the whole companye whiche was not vnmarked of some two or three of the famyliars of hys father the respect of whose frendship and vertue with sondrie argumentes of ymynent destructioÌ„ to his sonne moued theym to enter into tearmes of admonicion layinge affore him the circumstance of his sondrie faltes but chiefly reprehendinge the greate wronge he did to his owne estimacion for that the waye to atteyne to renowne
of vertue was cleane contrary to the vicious pathe of ydle playe wherein he walked with more delite then belonged to the sonne of so good a father they gaue hym examples of the destruction of manye and not one that vsed that ydle exercise dyed eyther with honour wealthe or estimacion that it was the shopp and storehowse of all morders blasphemy periurye thefte glottonie whoredome with an infynitie of other mortall incōueniences and in th ende when plaie hadd lefte his purse without a lynyng and he not hable any longer to feede the vaine of that humor but by vnlawfull meanes he sholde be payde wyth the hyer of theym who without commission skowringe the plaines do pray of what the fynde and after yeldes accompte to the hangman vppon the fatall hill with a skarffe or collor of corde aboute their necke in token of glorie They required a regarde to the honour of his auncestors but chiefly not to discredit the honeste lyfe of his late father for that saye they as the vyrighte doyng of the child liuing susteyneth the renowme of the father beyng dead so there can happen no greater infamie to the sō then not to make good the vertue and ciuill partes of his father for ende they aduysed hym to dysmisse his prodigall trade of lyfe affore he were vtterly bankeroute of patrimonie and possession but he not liking to be pinched so neare the quicke and muche lesse to heare the secrettes of his falte so plainely decipherede replied accordynge to the discrecion of our wilfull youth now adaies giuen whollie to feede vppon thapetite of their foolyshe fancie that touchyng the companies he hawnted they were no worse then suche as were norished in the houses of princes and familiar compainons to the greatest lordes of the countreye and for the reste as he was not to yelde accompte of his lyfe to anye of theym so he wished theym to bestowe that care vppon their owne children for hym he was of sufficiēt yeres to gouerne hym selfe and giue conuenient order to suche affaires as belonged to his trade wherewith he stopped the further replie of tholdmen who noting tharrogante tearmes of this princkocks committed hym to the meede of his owne follie iudgynge no time conuenient to reclayme hym til he had felte the smarte of the whipp famyn and penury with other pinching ertremities attendyng the ende of an vnthriftye life But he that scamed inuincible againste all good councel was made tractable by hym that plieth the most stronge and stubborne vppon earthe and that which men accomptes the only blindnes of y t world vnsealed the eyes of this yoūgling and so tooke awaye the vaile of his arrogante follie that acknowledging euerie pointe wherein he had offende he was not onely priuie to his owne falte but also pertaker of the penance And as one poyson driueth oute an other and no one vice that is not subiecte to the correctiō of an other falte soo by that inuincible ympression whyche the Poetes haue painted in the shape of a blynde boye properly called loue this gamster was not onely forced to a spedye chaunge and alteracion of lyfe but also after sondrie and sharpe showers of aduersatie restored to his auncient entyer and place of honour and estimacion for at the same instante within Naples soiorned a riche merchante blessed at goddes handes chiefly with a faire and vertuous doughter called Carmosyna whose only beautie made more breaches into the harte of Antonio Perrillo then the graue admonicions of thelders or any other of his frendes and albeit he was as it were soo bewitched and drowned in the deuocion of playe that all tymes seamed hatefull whyche broughte hym not fresh supplies of gamsters yet hauynge once glaunced vppon the glisteringe eyes of this younge girle he coulde not so well gouerne his encounter that not onely the desier of that ydle exercise was cleane mortefyed in hym but also he suffred hym selfe imediatly to be enrolled in the booke of loyall louers in suche sorte as he neuer delited so much in any plaie at the dise as nowe he doateth vppon the beautie of Carmosinae who for her parte notynge sondrie entisynge glées whyche nature had lente to the younge man together with his bowntefull dispocition with braue attyre and courtlyke wearing his apparell whyche as it is one chyef allurement that somons y t affection of a woman at this day so the found woman wil rather delite in his smal waste and exterior pro porcion then ymbrase the vertue and giftes of cōmendacion in a man thoughte it an effect of equal courtesie to retorne his affection with semblable loue wherefore yf he selte any tormente her passion was nothynge inferior whiche also grewe to tearmes of doble gréefe on bothe partes for that they durst neither vse y tcredit of any messinger to discouer their darke meanynge and muche lesse were they assysted with meanes of conference or accesse together for that the maides thear are bownde to a more strayte talke of libertie then in our countree but for thoppynion of their chastetie I leaue it to the iudgment of them that haue had indifferent experience of bothe the places But Perillo as moste hottly assailed and leaste hable to resiste thalaram and felynge a taste of that whereof he was ignoraunte in thoperation doubting altogether of thaccidēt til nature made him vnderstand the mistery entered into his laborinth of endles annoye rauynge and raginge with hollowe dreames with doubte which of his wittes he mighte moste boldly employe in bewraieng his vehemente affection to the newe mistrys of his harte of whose good will if he had but a symple assurance by the breath of her owne mouth he seamed not to doubte any waye the consente of her for that thinequalitie of degrée and honor rested on his side perswadyng withal that the merchant wolde willingly admit thallyaunce because the mariage wold bringe a medley of honour vnto the base and darke complexion of his howse But in this accōpt he forgatt the chiefest charge and that which at this daye is most respected in makinge of mariages I meane wealthe possessions whereof Perillo had alreadie made marchandise exchanged the moste of that whiche was his for a simple remembraunce of vaine delites passed neyther did he consider the condicion of his presente state with diminucion of his aunciente fame honestie by a general brute of his vnthristie life all which notwithstandinge loue forced hym to trie the forde and sounde the harte of the faire Carmosyna assisting him also with a meane to haue thacquaintance of an old matrone her outwarde gouernesse and inwarde credit of harte whom he dandled with suche peppered perswacions and infections of certeine crownes fallynge willingly into her pockett that she gaue assuraunce of her helpe to thuttermost both in folowing and solicityng the matter yf it were once sett a broch by hym selfe whiche he performed by her the next daye in a letter of this
welth was not euill bestowed vpon this marchant considering he was thankefull in ymparting it to the poore accordinge to thadmonicion of the gospell but howe manye maye a man reckon in england that excedes hym in riches and skarce one of semblable vertue for the peruersatie of our age is comme to that pointe that wheare our fathers and grandfathers delited in workes of charitie with care to supplie the necessitie of suche as did wante our Helloes golphes of riches do not only close their eares against the lamētable cries of the néedie but also make no consciēce to dispoile theim either by awe feare or flattery of that litle which their fortune hath lefte theim in such sorte that Almes and deuocion seames such straungers so litle knowē amongest men now a dayes that of thies fewe that soccour the poore the moste parte do it rather of vayne glorie or to condemne the barbarus disposicion of hys neyghbor thē for compassion on the behalfe of him that standes in nede hospitalitye is also so vnknowen amongeste vs that where oure auncestors buylded houses endowinge theim with sufficiēt reuenues to susteine thimpotent and nedye persons with frée annuities and other meanes of reléefe how many of the members of christe do we sée in our tyme voyde of harbour to shroode their naked bodies full of diseases pinched with extremitie of honger and colde redie to giue vpp the ghost at the gate of the richeman yet not reliued with so muche as the cromes that fall from his table I borowe thusmuche on the office of the preacher not with intent to charge hym any waye with imputacion of negligence in the pulpit touching his admonicion to the people to assiste the distresse of suche as god visiteth with the Rodde of affliction but in presenting our marchantes with a familiar example of the office dutie of a true christian to sturr theym to the ymytacion of the like vertue and in beinge ashamed that suche as haue gone affore vs haue caried with theym to heauen all effectes of charitie to dispose theym selues to seame worthye of that whiche they haue by yeldynge a certeyne tenth or tribute of their goodes to suche as y e scripture tearmeth the deputies of christe askinge it in his name But now to our father Minio who for that by thimpediment of sicknes was not hable to performe his voyage to Thunys in person duringe the yere of ymprisonment of the Napolytans gaue charge to certeine his factors to redeme ten Captiues of his countrey or at least to furnishe the nomber with any that professed the Lawe of Christ which was performed accordingly with such good fortune on the behalfe of Antonio Perillo that he enioyed a perticipacion of the deuocion and benefite of Minio and was sent to Naples amongest the rest that were redemed not beinge knowen notwithstanding of any his coprisoners or other of y e company for that they had not had any great enterview together and muche lesse of his famylyar frendes seinge the penurie of imprisonemente had set a die of hideus compleriō vpon his face and his heare and beard exceding their ordynarie length had ouergrowen certeine speciall markes whiche els had discouered hym more easely But what can beguile the eye of a louer or who is hable to conceile from a womā the face of him whose picture she beareth in the bottom of her hart and whose remembrance death hym selfe is skarce hable to deface Carmosyna which made her thought a loking glasse to beholde euery day thymage of her Perillo had no soner glaunced simplie vpon hym but she knew it was he who for her sake had passed the panges of so manye tormentes wherewith no lesse glad of his retorne then hee doble dowtfull of the contynuance of her good wyll wrought so muche by the sleighte of her gouernesse that she had place of conferrence with hym in secrete where after certeine congratulacions of his delyuerye shee exposed tearmes of compforte in this sorte Albeit sayth she fortune hath bene so incensed agaynste you that she hath neither spite nor malice in store whereof you haue not tasted to thuttermost force and extremitie yet your Carmosyna hathe neyther forgot anye parte of thauncient goodwil she hath borne you nor much lesse entred into the leaste contempte that may be ymagyned but where a nomber of other Ladies would haue dismissed their affection at the firste sommonce of aduersatie I am here to aduouche an vndowted contynuacion of zeale wyth a treble increase of true loue towardes you wherof I am also to yelde you a present proofe in doble sort the one wyth an assurance of reciprocal amytie vntil thextreme date of my dayes the other in consideracion that your pouertie proceded by my meanes I haue prouyded a seconde supplie of monie to renewe eftesones your traffique which being guided by a better fortune wil yelde you I hope a successe of suche commoditie as my father will denye you no more the title of hys sonne in law whereof for my parte I pronownce from thinstante suche confirmacion as is in me to performe These newes vnloked for sturred vpp a traunce of such alteracions in the trobled mynde of Perillo that what with the gredie desyer hys eyes had to féede vpon her bewtie whych he had not regarded of longe tyme but by inwarde contemplacion and the passion of present gladnes in th assurance of her loue wyth a franke offer of spedie assistance to restore hys trade he had neyther the vse of hys tongue to expose tearmes of thanks and much lesse the consent of hys sences to beleue that which he hard but as one Zenopholus attēding the aunswere of hys oracle or soddeinly striken wyth a dome apploplexie stode as immouable as thymage of saint petre in the Capitoll of Rome till she rechargde hym wyth a seconde consolacion and withall presented hym wyth certeine bagges full of duckattes wher of she wylled hym to defraie the value of his raunsome to the factors of her father and dispose the rest in a second venture for marchandise which he performed accordinglie wyth the benefyt of so good tyme and fortune that sailyng with a prosperus wynde to Leuant he made hys markett to such aduantage that in hys reatorne to Naples thincrease and gaine of his trade redemed euery possession which earst he solde and left hym besides sufficiente to furnishe his lackes in euery respecte in suche sorte as the common iudgemente passed that his welthe was nothinge inequall to the richesse of his father and his present state as plentiful of all thinges as the first day he seased vppon the coffers and remaine of olde Perillo amongest the rest of the frendes of Antonio whyche reioysed his happie fortune Carmosyna I am sewer was not leaste glad chiefly for that she sawe her father begin to grow in delite with the doinges of the younge man who for hys part also renewinge a dayly increase of affection towardes
his mistres was in deuise by what meanes he might eftsones bord the goodwil of her father whō he iudged colde vse small reason in refusinge his requeste seinge his richesse were equall to thappetit of his gredie mynde and his possessions and patrymony nothing inferior to the best of y e Citie wherfore for the more honor and solemnitie of the demand he sent hys vncle to sommon the faire Carmosyna in sorte of lawfull mariage with an offer of dowry at the discrecion of her father who not ignorante of the league of longe loue betwene his doughter and Perillo whome hee knewe to haue firste entred into chaunge of lyfe for the onely respect of her fauor thought it as great conscience to condiscende as they had reason to make the request wherupon addinge an effect of expedicion to their present agrement the bale of contract was drawen and the mariage published ymediatly betwene Antonio Perillo and the faire Carmosyna to the speciall content ment of theym selues and singler pleasure of the parentes on both sides which notwythstandinge was vnhappelye abbridged contrarye to all their exspectacions by the malice of a pitifull accident which fell vpon theym the very night of their mariage in the house of tholde Minio it was in the middest of the moneth of Iune at what time the heates beinge most vehemente do force terrible thonders and rage of weather in great extremitie by certein drye vapours and exhalacions whych the heat ayre draweth vp from the drye earth when as our infortunat Louers were newe gon to bedd deuisinge together of their sondrye misfortunes since the begynnynge of their loue and as they disposed theym selues to discharge the pleasante shot of mariage behold the eleamentes aboue conuerting theym selues into angrie regardes sett abroche the roaring noyse of the fearefull thonder with suche ympetuositie of blusteringe windes that the trees and houses of depe foundacion in the earthe where not hable to resiste their furie together with an vnnatural openynge of the skye whereby the whole earthe seamed to borne with a glowe or fearefull flame of lyghtenynge at laste the ayre not hable to conteine the heate was forced to auent when a man myghte haue séene fall in waters and places of fyrme ground diuerse stones of sundrye formes some square some rownde some forqued and other longe piked at both endes of the sharpnes of a nedell deriued be like of the congealed substance of the heat vapours of the ayre whereof as the feare of the tempest hadd dryuen the bride and bridgrom to embrase one an other So one of the sayd fatall mynisters of destenye whyche we call properly thonderboltes darted with suche vehemencie vppon the one and other louer percynge the place of lyfe of theim bothe that it gaue ende to their pleasure and life at one blowe Here you sée y t he whych escaped a merueilous peril of shyy wrake was deliuered out of the hāds of the Barbaryans when he dispayred of all reléefe is not hable to shon the surie of the heauens and inclemencye of his fates and muche lesse to excede the momente whyche his destinie determyned vpon hym Albeit if there be any one sparke of pleasure in suche misfortune he was assysted with a moderacion in the greatnes of hys distresse bothe for that he dyed in the armes of her whome he loued no lesse then hym selfe also hadd her companie to hys graue whome he cold not enioye being on liue but in thoughte inward regarde such was y e end of his loue wherī sewer if loue wer a creature of either sēce or feling he deserued to be reprehēded of iniustice for y t he is pertiall showeth fauor not only to such as practise y e sleighte of thefte and stealth in amarus affaires I meane such as albeit they bare not aduow their lasciuious and wanton trade yet he guydes theim saffelye to the praye of theyr desyer and retournes them without the offer of perill but also giueth good successe to theim that dissembling with the vertue of true loyaltie haue no other respecte but to satisfye the glott of their voluptuouse pleasure where on the contrarye this infortunat Perillo embracing his wife in chaste and honeste sorte was no lesse iniustly reuenged then cruelly smothered by the fyery force of thonder whiche strange kinde of death gaue no small amaze to the whole citie of Naples bothe for the rarietie of thaccident and also the greate wronge whiche the guider of amarus destinies semed to do to the loyaltie of the younge man who deserued a better consideracion for his sondrie distresses then a fatall suffocacion or deadlye blowe of the heauens in the firste begynnynge and earnest penny of his pleasure with his deare Carmosyna with whome he was shrined in a Tombe of marble wyth a certeine Epitaphe in Latten whiche I haue here composed in our vulgary verse whiche it maye please your Ladishipp to ymagine to heare pronounced by the mouth of the dead Perillo appearynge halfe out of his graue in his sheete trussed at eyther ende wyth a fatall knott speakynge with a voice of terror according to his ghastelye regarde The Epitaphe vpon the tombe of Perillo and Carmosyna FRom cloddye Couche rise vpp consumed corse You captiue knightes vvhom Cupide sterude vvith care And louers ye that lyue comme take remorce On tvvo that founde suche death as happs but rare See here the sheete that shroudes such faithfull tvvayne As selde are founde to serue in loyall trayne Fovvre vvinters long I ranne a carefull race Wherin I founde the frutes of Crabbed fate Ne colde I gett the graunte of fortunes grace But pinched still vvith panges of misers state I felt the force of euery mortall blaste There vvas no yll vvherof I did not taste My folly forcde a fall of all I hadd And frendes forsoke me in my greatest need My rentes retird vvith route of roisters trade And fancy fedd me vvith the foode of euill spede I soughte to sovve the seedes of stayed lyfe vvhen lo I cropt the frutes of greater stryfe And though the Seas did spite my good intent Yet did they spare to spill me in their sandes But adding force to that vvhich long my fates haue men◠My goodes and I fell in the Pirottes handes VVher I in person pinchd vvith euery pang of care My pennance paide vvith many a hongry share Ne vvas my loue deuoide of lyke annoye Syth she vvith equall grieff paid tribute to my paine She vveard her youth in dule in steade of ioye The vievve of my mishapps bredd vvo in euery vayne Her pleasant tyme passd in continuall teares VVhose sooddes aye bathd her greene and mayden yeres But oh geue eare vvhen vve by happy lott Did deame to fynde the ende of all distresse And as in bedd vve hopte to chaunge the note Of former paine to perfect ioyfulnes Behold alas the flagg of fatall vvrathe Orespred vs both vvith panges of present death Oh heauy happ ô
was conuenient in a maide carefull of the garde of her honor wherein albeit her mother reaposyng indifferent credit in the vertue of theym both gaue leaue to her doughter to kepe hym companie yet as Aristotle affirmeth honesty doth not broke longe dalliance or wanton chatt in chast maydes w t the first that accoasteth theim w t conferēce in corners with any but suche as by consente of the church haue gott the power and possession of their bodie and is or oughte to be the one halfe or moytie of their mynde whiche albeit was thintente and desier of theis two louers yet y e simplicitie of their frendes deferring theffect wrought not only a breach of y e bargain but also sturred vp in her an humor of mortal spite against the sinceritie of her loyal seruāt who endewred y e reuēge of her vniust anger vnder a punishmēt of a most sharp long penance in deserts inhabitable vnknowē for in y e heate of this reciprocal loue betwene thies younglings it chaūced y t a meruellous faire and goodly gentle woman doughter of a greate lorde of the countrey called Forrando de la Sara vsyng familiarly the companie of Geniuera becam by that meanes extremely in loue with Dom Diego assayinge by publike and priuate meanes to imparte vnto hym what power and authoritye she woulde willingly giue hym ouer her harte yf for his part he would requite the sinceritie of her loue with semblable honor and affection wherein experiencynge the benefytt of all honest meanes seamyng any waye to fauour the effecte of her desyer considered at last that aboue all other exercises the knight tooke greatest pleasure in hawkes wherfore vnder coulor to make a breache into his fauour with assistyng the disposition of his delite she sente him one daye a tassell gentle as the chiefeste Iewell she had to presente hym withall excepte the offer of her owne good wyl wherein Dom Diego albeit he was wholly possessed by an other and with the losse of his libertie hadd also so departed wit his iudgement that he could not discerne thintente and honest zeale of the gentlewoman yet he accepted her presente and retorned the messenger with suche thankes as appertayned In the receiuing of this hawke appeared absolute showes of the euill fortune of the pore Diego which immediatly fayled not to thunder vppon hym without cōpassion for as he went often to visitt his mystres so he forgott not continually to cary this hawke vppon his fiste boastinge so farr vppon the goodnes of the birde that he chaunced in her presence to saye that it was one of the thinges in the worlde he helde moste deare Sewerly this wordes were sifted more nerely then there was cause and construed to other end then he mente them seinge that certeine dayes after in his absence deuising vppon his sondry vertues some commended his honeste and curteus behauior some gaue praise to his valyauntnes and dexteritie in armes some exalted in him the sondrye giftes of nature and passing further he was generallye preferred of all the companie for his sinceritie and constant dealynge in matters of loue sauing of one Graciano who rather enuyinge the vertue of the knight by malice then hable to deface y e leaste of his gyftes by reason ioyned with the reste in commendacion of his personage actiuitie and other dowries of nature but for his faith or care of promiss where loyaltye shoulde moste appere I accompte hym sayeth he so apte to dissemble and inconstante by nature that he vseth no difference of personnes in grounding his affections makynge no conscience to seame to languishe mortallye where he meaneth nothing lesse then firme constancie which touched Geniuera so neare that she coulde not giue place any longer to the sinister bable of Graciano desieringe hym to vse other tearmes touchinge the honestie of Dom Diego for saith she I am of opinion that he will rather passe vnder the sentence of any death then forfeyt the leaste pointe of his promise passed alreadie vnder the seale of his faith to a gentlewoman of this contrey besides his loue I knowe is so sincere and vpright that I dare pawne my lif on y e behalf of th assurāce There is the miste that dimmeth your eyes sayeth this cankarde ennemye of Diego for vnder the vaile of a periured loyaltie he abuseth the simplicitie of honeste Ladyes whereof I nede not go farr for a prooff nor you doubt much of the misterye if you conferr the circumstāce of his former profession towardes you with the presente ▪ league of frende shipp betwene him and the doughter of Dom ferrando de la Sara cōfirmed alredye by the gyfte of a tassell gentle which for her sake he estemeth aboue all the thinges in the world which last allegatiō restoring a remembrance of the words pronounced not longe ago by the knight touching the deare accompte he made of his hawke began to brede a suspicion of his constancie and an assured creditt in the information of thunhappie Graciano wherein swelling immediatly with her vniust collor incensed by a simple cold Ielowsie was forced to abandon the place retire into her chamber wher she gaue suche skoape to her synister conceite that she was vpon tearmes manye times to vse force againste her selfe whereunto she had added present dispatche if a hope to procure in time the reuenge of the wronge whiche she perswaded to haue receiued of her Diego had not staide th execution albeit she coulde not so gouerne her malicious disposition but the deadly hate conceiued in this moment against thinnocente gentleman did not onely supplante both stocke and roote of aunciente zeale on her parte but also grewe to suche mortalitie in her venemous stomake that she seamed not to delite so muche in the vse of her owne life as in desyer to take pleasure in the remembrance of the death of hym who no lesse innocent in the cause then ignorante of the grudge came the nexte mornynge as he was wonte to sée her hauing vppon his fiste by euill fortune the birde which bredd firste this mortall Ielowzye And as he satt deuisyng with her mother fyndinge a wante of thaccustomed companie of his mistres he asked where she was whereunto he was aunswered by one of her women that assone as she sawe hym enter the house she tooke her chamber all whiche he dissimuled by his wisdom imagininge the same to procede of some wanton fancie or coye conceite whereunto the most part of women are cōmonly incident so that when he sawe his time he tooke leaue of her mother departed meting by chaunce as he wente downe the steares of the hall one of the chambrieres or Gentlewomen of Geniuera whō he requested to kisse the hande of his mistres on his behalfe whiche she promised to performe hopinge to do a thinge no lesse acceptable to her mistres then to gaine thankes of him on whose behalfe she presented the curtesie Albeit as it is to
thoccasion of her vniust anger with intente to performe nolesse of his owne bodie if she wold not giue place to her displeasure vpon his honest purgacion which wyth the dead hawke he sente by a trustie seruante of hys debated at large in a letter wherein after a nomber of iuste reasons to confute her vniust obiections touchinge lightly her rashe iudgement in gâ—uyng sentence of hys vntrothe without hearinge his iustifycation he preferred certeine humble meanes for moderacion of her displeasure onelesse she reaposed felicitie to sée hym consumed in the martirdom of apyning life or dilited in the newes of hys present death w t other instructoÌ„s which he gaue the messenger but chiefly to note the contenance of hys mistres and make faithfull reaport of euery pointe of her aunswere wherwith the messinger posteth to Geniuera to whom with al humylitie he presenteth the charge of his coÌ„mission albeit the passion of her fretting anger denied her pacience to reade the letter and much lesse wold giue her leaue to accept the present thunfayned witnes of the contrarie of that whych she to lightly beleued but charged the messenger vppon great paine to retorne with the tromperies he hadde brought and say vnto his maister that she knew to well his whistle to come at his call and being lately burned she wold take heede eftsones to fall into the fyer wherwyth albeit the seruant went abowte to prefer thexcuse of hys mayster yet the disdaynefull lady chokinge hys honest intent forced him to vnwilling scilence with charge to ympart her resolucion to hys mayster whom sayth she if I loued earst entyer lye I hate nowe wyth a malyce more thenne mortal wher wyth shée flonge out of the presence of the messenger leauynge hym no lesse amased at her crueltie then dowtefull to retorne to hys infortunate mayster whom hee knewe wold skarcely be kept from the daunger of dispaire in hearinge the sorowfull sommonce of his mistres Albeit seinge he had professed to make a faythfull reaporte hee retorned not forgetting to repete euery point of that whyche she had giuen hym in charge and withall restored the letter and deade presente vnto the selly Diego who at the same instant had giuen lyke ende to his euill and lyfe if hys man had not withstanded thexecucion of hys morderinge handes albeit hée colde not giue suche ympedymente to the furye of hys passion but that it kepte hym occupyed wythe hideus groanes and dolefull regardes the moste parte of the after none till at laste hée quallifyed thextremetye of thys furye in complaynynge to hym selfe in thys sorte Alas saythe hee what iudgemente of fortune is thys that beinge at the pointe to reape the frutes of the contente mente I wishe in the world and fede of the only felycitie I haue in this life to be presented with an extremitie of more desperation then euer happened to any that bare the name of infortunat If such iniquitie beare a swaighe in payinge the due hier of the honeste seruice of men what hope hereafter may sustaine the lyfe of faythful louers what exspectacion haue they in the ende of their trauaile when a Ielous enuye hath power not only to take the praie oute of their handes but also ymparte the frute of their hope to an other not worthy any waye to participate w t so glorious a merit Ah Geniuera if thy disdaynefull anger woulde giue the leaue to make a viewe of my innocencie consider indifferentely the circumstaÌ„ce of my former loue w t ymagynacioÌ„ what assurance I haue hereafter vowed on thy behalfe so long as my body beares lif in this earthly corruptioÌ„ I know thou woldest repeale the sentence of thy former iudgement correcte the sinister instincte that sturred vpp the humor of thy crueltie and wype awaye at laste the teares of my vndeserued sorowe wyth a franke offer of that whyche I haue deserued by iustice Ah vaine hope whyche hetherto haste flattered me wyth pilles of ioyfull disgestion leauing me in the ende to the mercye of a miserable dispaire is it I that muste fele thoperacion of thy poyson and liccour of bitter taste it hadde bene better for me to haue bene repulsed in the begynninge then after a pleasaunt profe of reciprocall loue to be refused and lose the earnest of my desyer for so small an occasion y t the only remembraunce makes me blushe at the symplicitye of the cause Albeit fortune shal not altogether tryumphe ouer me for so longe as I liue so longe wyll I kepe my vowe to the faire Geniuera and preserue my life onlye to witnes the constante force of my loue which albeit I can not performe with out an extreme torment in skorchinge flames of contynuall passion yet the remembrance of my dutie to her to whom I offer this deuocion of a burninge sacrafyce of my selfe wyll quallefye in some parte the heat of my skaldynge gréeffe wherewith he retired into suche sighes and signes of lamentable dollor showinge hym indifferently plunged betwene the Alarams of death and panges of frenzie that hys man was at point to ronn for the old lady to come and blisse her son wyth her last farewell Albeit restoring hys traunce by his owne diligence began so far as he durst to reprehend the weaknes of hys mynde for that he seamed so careles of hym selfe as to offer his life at the sommonce of a folyshe girle who sayth he vseth thys cruell pollecie peraduenture to make a tryall of your constancie neyther ought you to do such wronge to your vertue and much lesse kepe war wyth extremities but if you be resolued to loue her you must also determyn to pursewe her by other meanes and giuinge a lytle place to the malice of fortune attende the benefit of a better tyme who is neuer vnthankfull to theym that suffer her with pacience and who also hath power to mollefye for you thys Dyamantyn harte of your mistres albeit it be tempred wyth the mettell and bloud of the most furious and sauage beastes that euer bredd in the desertes of Lybya Diego did not only allowe thadmonicion of his man but also felte cause of comforte in his aduise with intente to persiste in the pursewte of the good will of his misters to whoÌ„ he preferred sondrie letters ambassages by mouthe other excuses wherin he gayned asmuche as in the firste for that the more he courted her with honeste importunityes the greater grewe her vniuste displeasure in suche sorte that in the end she threatned the messenger with seuere punishement if he continued anye longer the queste of his maisters follye for saith she theis handes shall rather giue ende to my life by a willyng force againste my selfe then my harte consente to be thankefull in anye sorte to hym whome I hate no lesse then the stinge of a venemous serpente which as it brought a fresh supplie of dollor to the languishynge Diego tryeng to thuttermost the vertue of his patience so consideringe the litle gaine he
theis solitarye desertes aswell to endure the pennance of myne owne indiscretion as also to continue in secrett prayer to thalmightye for the continual quiet of her who may boldly vaunte to be the mistres of the most loyall seruante that euer mente honor or seruice to Ladie Who doubtes in y e merueilous forces of loue let him be absolued with this example seing that as the impressiō which we cal loue hath power to bringe to an vnitie the mindes that liued in seperation make indissoluble peace with the quarells which seame immortall quallifying the rigour of those hartes whiche without this passion no other pollecie could appaise So when he discouereth the full perfection of his effectes he preferres suche a facilitie in thinges whiche earste seamed impossible that by his onely meane they become neither dangerous to pursewe nor harde to obtaine whych appered rightly in this younge Lady in whom as the sinister conceite of a former Ielowsie her affected zeale contracted to an other with her iust cause of anger for his death had engendred a disdayne to Dom Diego an extreme desier to reuenge her wronge vpon Dom Roderico and by the same meane to ende her owne lyfe So loue remouinge the vaile that blinded the eyes of her vnderstandinge and breakinge thadamante rocke planted in the middeste of her stomake brought her in one instante to beholde with open eyes the constancy patience and perseuerance of her first and moste loyall seruant whose last prayer and intercession on her behalf stirred vp in her more remorce thē al y e seruices of court or pennance in the painfull wildernes wer hable to prefer whereof she exposed a present effect in castinge her armes a bout the necke of the desperat knyght to whom she forbare no sortes of kisses nor amarus embrasinges seamynge no lesse passioned wyth ioy and loue on hys behalfe then earste he seamed plunged in dispair and sorowe ballancing indifferently betwene life and death in his presence neyther was she hable to pronownce any worde vpon the soddayne tyll beyng restored to the vse of her tongue by the discontynuance of her traunce she excused her former rigour wyth tearmes of humylitie and desyeringe pardon of the follies wher wyth she had abused hys patience offred her selfe hereafter to be the slaue and seruant of hys shadow takyng thassistāce of thym perfections in loue to be in some sort contrybutarye to her falte for that sayth she as loue hathe this vice of nature that such as accompte theym selues to sée moste cleare are they whych most often commit greatest faltes by ignorance So besydes the confession of the wronge I haue don you so many wayes Lo I am ready to abide the punishment of your owne iudgemeut without crauing any dispence of iustice or moderacion of pennance for any respecte of fauor And albeit for my parte I haue not escaped wythout passiō but y t the stormes of aduersatie which you haue séene me endure haue driuen me to thuttermost of my patience yet I my selfe happie to haue passed that awaye for thexperience I haue made of two effects of verteous extremities the one of constant loyaltie in you whych only hath right to chaleng y e crowne of glory frō hym that sacrafized himself vpon the blodie body of hys Lady who in dyenge so gaue ende to his annoyes where you haue chosen a kynde of languishynge life of more hard tolleracion a thousād tymes then the sharp arrowes of death the other consistes in the clemencie wher wyth you haue mortefied so well the rage of your aduersaries that I whych earst hated you to death am now so vanquished by your courtesye that I accompte myne honor and lyfe of to small value to requite your merit wherin also I acknowledge a debte to Seigneur Roderico whose wisedome makes me ashamed of my follie in resisting his rightfull demaunde touching the reléeffe of your vndeserued destresse wherunto as he wold haue replied wyth semblable humylitie Dom Roderico preuented hys meanynge in embrasinge theym both with peculiar commendacion to theyr vertues and speciall thankes to the goodnes of their fortune for that w t out peril of honor they had passed that dangerus passage aduising them to retorne w t hym to hys castel frō whēce hée sayde he wolde gyue warning to their mothers to whom he also vndertoke to cooler thaccidente wyth some other circumstance of fayned substance wher vpon they mounted on horsbacke leauing the stately hospitall to the nexte hermyt and vsing easye iorneys they toke away the tediousnes of the way with the pleasant deuises whych passed betwen the two louers embrasing one an other in honest sort as a simple recompense of their longe and weary annoyes till tyme with the consent of the churche gaue authoritie to consommat the rest of their desiers from the house of Roderico was aduertisement giuen to the two Ladye mothers in equall care for the loss of their childrē excusing the secret departure of Geniuera in that she went to sée Dom Diego lyinge sicke in a castell of hys frende Seigneur Roderico where if it pleased theym to giue their consente the mariage sholde be performed wherin there nedes no pithie solycitors to neither of the widowes for that for the more honor of the feaste and contentmente in the allyance they failed not there in parson at the day appointed where the mariage was performed with pompp accordyng to the magnificence of both their houses And so it is to be thought that the stormes and tormentes past endured by theim both yelded thys conclucion of other tast then they whych wythout painful trauaile in the presence of loue possesse the fyrste daye the full of their desiers whose pleasures certeinly as they resemble the condicion of hym who norished al the dayes of hys lyf in deintie fare cannot iudge so well of delite as he that some times findes want of suche delicatie soo also an extreme thruste makes vs fynde the wyne more pleasant and a long fasting giues a better taste to oure meate neyther is loue wythout annoye any other thyng then a cause without an effecte for he that wyll takeawaye the paynfull traueills and longe sute robbes the louer of the prayse of hys constancie and doth wronge to the glory of hys pursewt seyng that he only is worthy to weare the crowne of tryumphe who encountringe all conflictes doth reapose more assurance in the vertue of hys constancie then feare in any sorte the malice of any fortune Let thys be then the mirrour of loyal louers in detestacion of thimpudicitie of suche whych feare not to giue a charge wher they fynde good countenance and readye retire at the first repuise ympartinge also a participacion of worthy rebuke to thothers who to contente the humor of their fonde affection doo accompte it a vertue to exchaunge their former generositie wythe a gloriouse title to be reputed as true and faythfull champions of loue for y t the perfectiō to loue