the fairest wife in his mind that euer he had seene who after the banquet was doone shee and her husband sang a song with so good grace that it increased her beuty wherwith the king perceiuing two perfections in one body tooke not so much delight in their pleasant voyces as in deuising how to breake thaccord but the difficultie he found was the great and perfect loue he saw to be in them which made him heare that passion in his minde as couertly as he could but to â—ase himselfe he caused certaine banquets to be made for all the Ladies and Gentlewomen within the Citie of Naples where the Gentleman and his wife were not forgotten And because a man is easily induced to beleeue whatsoeuer he seeth it seemed the Gentlewomans eies promised him some good fortune if the husbands presence were no hinderance thereunto and to proue it he sent her husband for 15. dayes or three weekes on message vnto Rome who was no sooner gone but his wife that neuer had bin so long without his company made exceeding sorrow but being in his absence often visited by the king as time and leasure serued both with faire speeches presents and with gifts she was not onely comforted but well content her husband should stay longer and before the three weekes ended wherin he should returne she waxed so amorous of the king that she was as much grieued at his comming againe as she had beene sorrowefull for his going And not to loose the presence of the king they agreed that when her husband went into the country she would make it known to him who therby might assuredly come to her and so secretly that the man whome she feared more than her owne conscience should not he burt in hope whereof this Gentlewoman was ioyfull so that at her husbands returne she seemed very glad who although he heard that in his absence the king had often visited his wife yet he suspected no ill but in proces of time that â—â—re so hardly to be couered beganne by little and little to shew in such maner that the husband in th end doubted some deceit keeping so good watch that he was therof assured but by reson of the feare he had of him that did him iniury he made no shew thereof determining to dissemble as desiring rather to liue in secret griefe than once to hazard his life for a women that had no loue in her Neuerthelesse in that despight hee thought to yeelde the like vnto the king if possibly he might and knowing that oftentimes despight maketh women doe more than loue specially such as haue great heartes and honorable mindes he being in the queenes presence was so bold to say vnto her that it pittied him to see her not so well beloued of the King as shee deserued Whereunto the Queene that knew the loue the king bare to his wife answered him and said I cannot both haue honor and pleasure at one time I know I haue the honour but another reapeth the pleasure and she that hath my pleasure yet hath she not my honour He that perceiued ful wel why she vttered that speech answered her and saide Madam your honour proceedes from birth as being so nobly born that any degree cannot augment your glory but your highnesse beutie grace and honestie hath deserued so much pleasure that she which taketh that from you that is your due doth her selfe more wrong than you for that for a certaine glorie which turneth to shame shee looseth as much pleasure as you or any Gentlewoman in this land can haue An◠〈◊〉 much Madam I wil tell you that if the king would lay his â—â—owne aside I thinke he should haue smal aduantage at my hands to please a woman being well assured hereof that to conteâ—â— so honest a person as your self it would be better for him that 〈◊〉 were of my complexion The queene laughing answered him said although the king my husband be of more deâ—icate complexion than your selfe yet it is the loue he beâ—â—â—th mâ—â— contenteth mee so well that I preferre the saâ—â— before all other thinges The Gentleman replied and said 〈◊〉 if it were so you would not pittie me for hereof am I assured that the honest loue which resteth in your heart would 〈…〉 you more contenâ—ment if it founde the like within the king but God hath well prouided otherwise to them that you not finding that in him which you desire you should not vse him for your God on earth I assure you said the Queene the loue I beare him is so great that in no womanâ— heart but mine the likâ— is to be found Pardon me Madaâ— said the Gentleman you haue not yet well tried the loue of all mens hearts for this I dare wel say there is one that loueth you whose loue is so importable that yours in his respect is not to be compared and for that he seeth the kings loue much quenched towards you his doth so much in crease that if you like thereof you shal be satisfied for all your losses past The Queene therewith beganne as wel by outward gesture as by wordes to finde his speech proceeded from his heart and calling to minde that of long time her sought to do her seruice with such affection that hee wholie seemed melancholy which shee esteemed because of his bad wife but as then the stedfastly beleeued it was for the loue of her as also the vertue of loue which maketh it selfe felt not being done assured her of that which no man else could tell And beholding the Gentleman to be of greater beautie than the king perceiuing him also cleane cast off by his wife as she was of the king being vrged with despite and ielousie of her husband and mooued with the loue of the Gentleman with teares ready to droppe out of her eies sighing shee spake and said O God! must reuenge of wrong work that in me which loue could neuer do Which the Gentleman hearing answered her and said Madam the reuenge is easie to him that in place of killing his enemy giueth life to a perfect friend me thinketh it is time that truth should take from you the foolish loue you beare to him that loueth you not againe and that the iust and reasonable loue should driue that fear out of your mind which neuer can remaine within a vertuous hart Now Madam let vs lay aside the greatnesse of your state and consider our selues to be the man and wife in this worlde most mocked and betrayed of those we dearely loued let vs reuenge our selues good Madam not so much to giue them their desert as to satisfie the loue which on my behalfe can no longer be forborue vnles it cost me my life and this I think if your heart be not hardened more than a Diamond it is impossible you should not feele some sparke of fire which increaseth so much more as I seeke to couer it if pity of me which for your loue stil die
shirt he had with a night coife sutable thereto it seemed vnto him in looking on himselfe that not any Lady in the world could finde in her heart to refuse his loue wherefore perswading with himselfe a happy successe he went to bed wherein he lay not long by reson of the great desire hope he had to obtaine a far more honorable successe and hauing sent his seruants forth he rose to shut the doore listening if he could heare any stirring in the princes chamber and being well assured that euery man was at rest meant to bring his long desired trauaile to effect by little and little letting downe the trap which being so well trimmed and lined with cloth made not any noyse which being doone by the same way went into the â—â—inces chamber and to her bed who as then beganne to sleepe not once remembering the promise made vnto her neither yet respecting her high parentage where without reuerence or once asking leaue he lay downe by her who soner felt her selfe between his armes then once perceiued his comming But she being strong vnlosed her selfe and asking what he was began in such sort to strike bite and scratch that for the feare he had she should cry out he was constrained to couer her mouth which neuerthelesse he could not doe so that when she perceiued he spared not all meanes to force her to his wil she spared not againe to keep him from it calling her waiting gentlewoman as loud as possible she could that slept within her chamber an old vertuous lady as any could be found who in her smocke came strait vnto her mistris But when the gentleman perceiued himselfe discouered hee was in so great feare to be knowne vnto the lady that in as great haste as he could he got down by the trap and so with as much desire and hope as before he had to be receiued with much more feare and deepe dispaire he was glad to goe away and taking his glasse in hand hauing a candle vpon the table he beheld his face by her all bloody scratched and bitten whereby the blood ranne downe vpon his shirt in such maner that it appeared more bloody than wrought with gold Wherewith he said O beuty thou now hast wonne thy iust reward for by thy vaine promise I haue enterprised a thing impossible which in lieu of increasing my desire may be a strong redoubling of my griefe being well assured that if she once do perceiue that contrary to my promise I haue enterprised this folie I shal not only leese my honestie but the daily frequentation with her that more than others I vsually haue hade that which my glory beuty good grace hath wel deserued I ought not once to couer but to obtaine her loue I shoulde not so haue ventured to force her chaste and princely body but rather by true seruice humble patience attend the time when loue might be victorious because that without it al the vertues forces of man can naught auaile In which sort he passed the night in tears sighs griefs vnpossible to reherse in the morning perceiuing his face al mangled he fained to be sicke and not able to indure the light til al the company was gone The Lady that had wonne the victorie knowing that not any man in her brothers house durst once attempt so bad an enterprise but onely he that had so boldly opened his loue vnto her perswaded her selfe assuredly it was her hoste and hauing with her Gentlewoman sought round about the chamber to see if they coulde finde him in a great rage she said Assure your selfe this is not doont but onelie by the maister of the house but in the morning I wil so deale with my Lord my brother that with his head hee shall witnesse my chastitie Which his furie the gentlewoman perceiuing said Madam I much reioyce at the great care you haue vnto your honour which to augment you woulde not spare the life of him that by the force of loue hath hazarded himselfe but oftentimes there are such as seeke to increase it to the contrary do diminish it wherefore Madam I beseech you not to disclose the trueth And when the Princesse had tolde her how it happened the Gentlewoman said vnto her Your Ladiship assureth me that he obtained naught of you but blowes and scratches Of that I assure you said she and in such manner that if he found not a good surgeon I think the markes will easily appeere Madam seeing it is so said the Gentlewoman mee thinketh you haue more occasion to praise God than to think on your reuenge for you may well suppose that seeing he had so good courage to enterprise such a thing than the despight he hath receiued in failing thereof you cannot giue him any death that would not be much easier vnto him If you desire to be reuenged on him let loue and shame worke which knowe howe to torment him better than your selfe and doe it for your honour beware Madam I say to fall into the like for that in lieâ— to obtaine the greatest plesure that he could deuise he hath receiued the most extreme displesure that any gentleman can haue And you madam thinking to increase your honor may thereby diminish it and by making complaint thereof make that known that neuer was knowne before for by him you may be wel assured it neuer shal be reuealed and say my Lorde your brother should do that iustice you require and therby the poore gentleman loose his life yet the common voyce would be that he had his pleasure of you and againe men would not sticke to say It is impossible for a gentleman to enterprise such a thing vnlesse the Lady haue giuen him great occasion You are both yong and faire liuing merrily in companies there is not any man in the Court but seeth wel what fauour you shew to him whome you suspect which will make all men iudge that if he hath enterprised such a thing it was not done without some fault committed on your behalfe And your Honour which hitherto hath made you hold your head aloft shall by that meanes be brought in question wheresoeuer it shal be knowne The Princesse hearing the good reasons alleadged by her gentlewoman knew well she saide the truth and that with good reason shee shoulde bee blamed considering the priuate and good countenance she had alwayes shewen vnto the gentleman asked her what she were best to do who answered her and said madame seeing it pleaseth you to heare councell perceiuing from what affection it proceedeth me thinkes you should be merry at your hart to see that the fairest and honestest gentleman that euer I knew could neither by loue nor force make you dishonest your selfe Wherein madame you ought to thanke God acknowledgeing it not to be doone of your selfe for that many women leading farre more stricter liues then you haue been ouercome and vanquisht by men lesse worthy to be loued
mother saying vnto him be of good courage and I promise you of my faith that if God send you your health my daughter shall never haue other husband then your selfe and here shee is in presence whom I command to giue her faith vnto you The daughter weeping laboured to do that which her mother promised shee should but he knowing that when he should be whole he should not haue his loue and that the good speech shee vttered vnto him was onely but to prooue if that shee could reviue him Once againe he said vnto her that if those words had beene spoken vnto him three months before he had beene the healthfullest and the happiest Gentleman in France but the reliefe came now so late that it could not be beleeved nor yet hoped and when he sawe they inforced themselues to make him to beleeue it he said vnto them Well seeing I perceiue you promise me that good which never wil come to passe although you desire it should for the weaknes wherein I am I craue of you a thing much lesse then that which hitherto I neuer was so bold for to require with that both of them sware to grant it bidding him freely speake I beseech you then said he that you will giue her into my armes whom you doe promise me shall bee my wife and command her to imbrace and kisse me The daughter that neuer had vsed any such entertainement thought to denie it him but her mother commanded her expressely perceiuing there was no more liuely feeling in him then in a dead man Therewith the daughter by her mothers commandement went to the sicke mans bed and said vnto him my good friend I pray you comfort your selfe The poore languishing Gentleman as well as he could in his extreame weakenes stretched forth his armes nothing but shinne and bones and with all the strength of his body imbraced the cause of that his death and kissing hir with his pale and cold lippes held her as long as possible he could and then saide vnto her the loue I haue borne vnto you hath beene so great and honest that neuer mariage set apart did I desire other fauour at your hands then I haue nowe for want whereof and therewith I will most gladly yeeld my spirit vnto God who is perfect loue and charity and knoweth the greatnes of my loue and my honest desire beseeching him hauing my whole delight betweene mine armes to receiue my spirit in his hands saying so took her again into his armes so vehemently that the weake heart beeing not able to sustaine that force was wholy forsaken of all his liuely spirits for that the ioie made it so to reioice that the soule abandoning hir place departed from the body and although the poore body continued without life and by that meanes coulde no more holde her griefe neuerthelesse the loue which the Gentlewoman had alwaies hidden shewed it selfe so much at that time that the mother and her seruants had much adoe to seperate their bodies But by force pulled the liuing almost dead from the dead whom they caused honourably to be buried but the greatest triumph vsed at his obsequie was the teares sorrowes and cries of the poore Gentlewoman which shewed so much the more after his death as shee dissembled them during his life in a maner satisfying the wrong that shee had done vnto him and since that time as I haue heard what husband soeuer shee had giuen her shee was neuer merry at her heart The tenth Nouell ¶ The incontinencie of a Duke together with his impudencie to attaine his desire with the iust punishment of his euill intent LOng since there was a Duke of Florence that had married the ladie Margaret bastard daughter to the emperour Charles the fift and because as yet she was so yong that hee might not lie with her staying till shee came to yeares he vsed her very kindly for that to spare her he was amorous of certaine Ladies in the cittie which by night he went to visite while his wife slept Among others he loued a very faire wise and honest Gentlewoman sister to a Gentleman of whome the Duke made great account and to whom he gaue so great authoritie in his house that his word was as much feared and obeied as if he had bin the Duke himselfe and there was no secret in his hart that he made not knowne to him in such sort that he might well be termed a second Duke The Duke perceiuing his sister to be so honest that by no meanes hee could declare his loue vnto her after he had sought all meanes he could he went to the Gentleman whome he loued so well and said vnto him If there were anie thing in this world my good friend saide he that I would refuse to do for you I should feare to shew you my desire and much more to intreate you to be assistant vnto me But I beare such loue vnto you as that if I had either wife mother or daughter that might be a meanes to saue your life I would rather imploy them therein than let you die for want of them And I esteeme the loue you beare to me to be no lesse and in such sort that if I my selfe which am your maister do beare you such affection you can not at the least beare lesse to me Wherefore I meane to vtter a secret vnto you the secrecie whereof brings mee in such a case as you now see whereof I neuer hope redresse but onelie by death or by the seruice which in this respect you now may do vnto me The Gentleman hearing his maisters reasons and perceuing his face vnfainedly wet with teares took such pitie on him that he saide vnto him My Lord al the good and honour I haue proceedes from you you may speake to me as to your friend being wel assured that the thing which is in my power is already in your handes With that the Duke beganne to declare vnto him the loue he bare vnto his sister which was so great and strong as that if by his means he could not obtaine the same he was not able to liue long as knowing well that in regard of her neither prayers nor presents would ought preuaile wherefore he desired him that if he loued his life as much as he his he would finde meanes to win him that fauour which without him he neuer hoped for The brother that loued his sister and the honour of his house more then the Dukes pleasure sought by certeine reasons to disswade him beseeching him to imploy him in any other thing rather than that which might be so great a dispight vnto him as to purchase the dishonor of his owne blood saying that his heart and honour could not agree to do him seruice therein The Duke inflamed with an insupportable rage put his finger in his mouth biting his naile and answered him in great fury Well seeing I finde no friendship in you I know what I must
whose name I will not disclose but it suffiseth you to knowe that there was not any Frenchman in Italie worthier then he to be beloued for that hee was adorned with all the beauties and good qualities a Gentleman may haue and although he saw this Lady being a widdow wearing a blacke sipres seperated from the younger Ladies and bearing company with the elder sort as one to whome man or woman coulde neuer procure feare he began to entertaine her taking away his vizard and leauing off to dance that he might sit by her and all that night left not off to speake vnto her and the olde ladies togither wherein he found more pleasure then with all the brauest and youngest Ladies in the court in such maner that when he should recite he thought hee had had the leisure onely to sit downe and although he spake not to this Lady but only of common matters which might be spoken in such company yet she perceiued wel he was desirous to acquaint himselfe with her so that she determined to abstaine as much as possible she might in such maner that he could neuer after finde her at any feast or banket whereupon he enquired what her common exercises were and found that she often vsed to the Church and diuers religious houses where hee made so good watch that she could not go so secretly but hee was there before her and that he stayed in the Church as long as he might haue meanes to see her and that as long as he was ther he beheld her with so great affectioÌ„ that she could not be ignorant of the loue he bare her which to avoid she determined for a time to faine her selfe sick and to heare masse within her house whereat the Gentleman was so grieued as more he could not be for that he had no other meanes to see her but onely as I said before she thinking to haue broken off that custome went vnto the Churches as before she vsed to doe which loue presently made knowen vnto the Gentleman who renewed his first deuotions and fearing least she should finde out some other means of hinderance and that he might not haue the time to let her know his minde one morning as shee thought her selfe well hidden within a little Chappell where she heard masse he went and placed himself at the end of the alter and perceiuing that she had but smal company as the Priest held vp the Corpus Domini he turned vnto her and wiâ—h a vnfiâ— speech and great affection said vnto her Madame I take him whom the Priest holdeth in his hands for my damnation if you onely be not the cause of my death for although you take from me all meanes of speaking to you yet can you not be ignorant of my desire seeing that truth sufficiently declareth it vnto you by my languishing eies and dead countenance The Lady counterfeiting not to know his meaning answered him and sayâ— God ought not to be serued in this maner but Poets doe commonly say that Gods do laugh at the othes and lies of louers wherfore women that loue their honours ought to be neither credulous nor pitifull And saying so she rose and went vnto her lodging if the gentleman was displeased at those wordes they that haue tryed the like wil say yea but he that waÌ„ted no courage desired rather that hard aunswere then to haue failed to declare his mind which for the space of three yeares he helde most constantly and both by letters and other meanes ceased not daily to sollicite her but during three yeares space he could never obtaine other answere but that she fled from him as the wolfe doth from the dogs fearing to be taken not for any hatred she did heare vnto him but for the danger of her honour and reputaâ—â—on which hee perceiued so well that more earnestly then before her followed his suit and after many paines refusals torments and dâ—spaires perceiuing the continuance of his loue this Lady had pitty on him granted him that he had so long and earnestly desired and when they had agreed vpon the meanes the French Gentleman failed not to hassard him selfe to go vnto her house although his life thereby might be in great danger because his kinsemen lodged in the same house He that had no lesse subtilty then beauty behaued himselfe so wisely that he entered into her chamber at the time she had appointed where he founde her alone lying in a rich bed and as he made haste to put off his cloathes to go to bed vnto her he heard a great noise of mens voyces speaking softly and of swords that strake against the wals The Lady with a face halfe dead said vnto him nowe at this time your life and my honour are in the greatest danger that euer they were for there I heare my brethren which seek for you to kill you wherefore I pray you hide you vnder the bed for when they finde you not I shall haue an occasion to be offended with them for that without cause they haue giuen me such alarme The Gentleman that as yet had neuer been afraid sayd vnto her and what are your brethren to make an honest man afrayd if all the race of theÌ„ were heere in presence I am sure they would not stay the fourth blowe that I should giue wherefore lie you still and let me keepe the dore with that he wrapt his cloake about his arme and hauing his sword in hand he went to open the dore to see his enemies weapons whereof he heard the noyse and hauing opened it he saw two maides that had two swordes in each hand wherewith they gaue him that alarme which said vnto him pardon vs sir for we haue commandment from our misteris to doe so but you shall haue no more trouble by our meanes The Gentleman perceiuing them to bee weomen could not doe lesse then wish them at the diuell shutting the dore against them and as soone as he could went to bed vnto the Lady whose feare had not in any thing diminished his loue and forgetting to aske her the causes of her skirmishes had no other thought but to satisfie his desire But perceiuing day to appeare desired her to tell him why he had done him that iniury not onely in prolonging time but also in that last enterprise she laughing answered him saying my determination was neuer to loue which sure my widdowe-hood I had alwaies obserued but your honesty from the time you spake vnto me at the banket made me change opinion and that I began as then to loue you as much as you loued me it is true chst lone which alwaies guided me would not permit that loue should cause me doe the thing wherby mine honour should be ought impaired but as the hinde wounded to death thinketh in changing places to change the euill which she heareth in her body so I went from Church to Church thinking to flie that which I bare within my heart whereof
I haue made so perfect proofe that it hath made mine honor to consent vnto my loue but to the end I might be well assured to place my loue and my heart in a perfect honest man I thought to make this proofe which my maides haue now effected assuring you that for feare of life or other respect I had found you fearefull so that you had hidden your selfe vnder my bed I was determined to haue risen and haue gone into another chamber without euer seeing you more but bicause I haue found you faire of good grace and full of vertue and hardines more then was certifyed vnto me and that feare could not ouercome your heart nor in any sort lessen the loue you beare vnto me I am dotermined to content my selfe with you vntill I die being assured that I cannot put my life and honour into a better hand then in his whose like for vertues I neuer found And so as if the mindes of men were not mutable they sware and promised that which was not in their powers that is a perpetuall amity which cannot spring nor yet dwell in mans heart and they knowe it well that haue tried and known how long such opinions doe continue The foureteenth Nouell ¶ A poore simple country man whose wife loued the Curate of the Church suffereth himselfe easily to be deceaued IN the County of Maime in a villadge called Arcelles there was a rich husbandman that in his age had maried a faire young wench that had no children by him but for the losse she had by him till the recompenced her selfe with other men and when gentlemen and other good companions failed she turned to her last reliefe which was the Church and made him companion of her sinne that could obsolue her which was the Curat that oftentimes came to visit his sheepe The husband being old and crasie suspected nothing but because he was rude and churlish his wife plaied her part as secretly as shee could fearing that if her husbaÌ„d should perceiue it he would kill her Vpon a day as he was abroad his wife thinking hee would come so soone againe sent for the Curate to confesse her and as they made good there togither her husband came in vpon the sodaine whereby the Curate had not leisure to go vnto his house but deuised meanes to hide himselfe and by the womans counsell went into a barne and couered the staires head where he went vp with a fanne of corne the husband being in the house she least he should suspect her made him so good cheere to dinner that she spared no drink wherof he tooke so much that togither with the wearines he had by labouring in the fieldes he fell a sleepe sitting in a chaire before the fier The Curate being weary to be so long in the barne hearing no noyse in the chamber went vnto the stairs thrusting out his necke as farre as he could to looke down perceiued the good man to be a sleepe and looking earnestly vpon him leand so hardly vpon the fanne that both fanne and he fell vnto the ground hard by the old man that slept where with he waked the Curate that arose vp sooner then the man could open his eies said vnto him there is your fanne and I thanke you wherewith he went his way and the poore man being abasht asked what it was she answered him it is your fanne that the Curate borrowed and nowe hath brought it home he grumbling said doe men vse to bring home things they borrowe in such rude maner I thought the house would haue fallen downe by which meanes the Curate saued himselfe to the poore mans cost that found fault with nothing but that he brought his fanne so rudely home The fifteenth Nouell ¶ The strange fragilitie of man that to couer his horrour falleth from euil to worse IN the time of king Lewes the twelfth one of the house of Ambois nephew to the legate of France named George being legate in Auigneon had in the country of Languedoc a Lady whose name I wil not rehearse for her kinreds sake that had better than foure thousand crownes yearely reuenue she being very yong was a widow and had but one child being a sonne and for griefe she had for the losse of her husband as also for the loue of her sonne determined not to marry againe And to auoyde all occasions would not vse the company of any other than religious persons thinking that sinne causeth temptations whereby the yong widow gaue her selfe only to diuine seruice wholy forsaking worldly company in such manner that she made conscience to goe to any wedding or to heare the Organs play within the church When her sonne was seuen yeares olde shee chose a man of zealous life to be his schoolemaister by whose good meanes he might be brought vp in godlinesse When hir sonne entred into his fifteenth yeare Nature which of it selfe is a secret Schoolemaister finding him too delicately nourished and full of idlenesse taught him an other lesson than his maister vsed to do for that he beganne to beholde and respect thinges that seemed faire and among the rest a gentlewoman that lodged in his mothers chamber wherof no man euer doubted for that they no more respected him than a yong infant no other thing being spoken of in the whole house but godlinesse This yong gentleman began secretly to seek vnto the maid that told it to her mistris who loued and esteemed her sonne so much that she suspected the maide to tell it her onely to make her hate him but she was so importunate with her mistris that shee said vnto her I wil know if it be true and assure your selfe I wil correct him if I finde it to be so but if you tell mee an vntruth I wil make you feele the price thereof And to finde the trueth she willed her to appoint her sonne to come about midnight to lie with her in a bed neere vnto the doore of the chamber where the maid lay The maid obeyed her mistris and when night came the Gentlewoman laide her selfe in hir maides bed determining if it were true to correct her sonne so well that neuer after he should desire to lie with maide againe And in that thought and displeasure her sonne came to bed vnto her She although she saw him lie downe would not yet beleeue he would commit any dishonest art but stayed to speake with him vntil she perceiued some signes of bad desire but not being persuaded with so small a signe that he would proceed further was so long paâ—ient and so fraile of nature that she conuerted her choller into a most abhominable pleasure forgetting the name of mother and euen as water that by force is holden in when it issueth foorth meketh more noyse than that which runneth his ordinary course so this poore lady turned her glory into the restraint she gaue vnto her body And when she proceeded to decline from the first degree of
cost that neuer could perceiue it The eight Nouell ¶ A certeine man hauing lien with his wife thinking she had bene his mayde sent his companion thither that made him cuckolde his wife not knowing thereof IN the countie of Aller there was a man called Bornet that had married an honest woman whose credit and reputation he loued as all the husbands that are heere in place as I thinke do and although he desired his wife shoulde be faithfull vnto him yet hee woulde not that the lawe in that case shoulde be equall to them both for that hee became amorous of his mayde in which exchange he feared nothing but that diuersitie of meats would not please him He had a neighbour of one condition named Sandras both a Drum maker and a Taylor betweene whom there was so great familiaritie that their wiues onely excepted their goods were in a manner common whereupon hee shewed his friend the enterprise he meant to make vpon his mayde who not onely liked it well but to his power holpe to bring it to passe hoping to haue some share therein The mayd that would not consent thereto perceiuing her selfe so hardly followed shewed to her mistresse desiring her to giue her leaue to goe vnto her friends saying she could not liue in that sort The mistresse that loued her husband well whom she did suspect being very glad to haue occasion thereby iustly to charge him sayd vnto her mayde content your selfe and holde my husband with faire words and in the end appoint him to lie with you but faile not at any hand to tell me certeinly the night when the same shall be and take heede that no man knowes it The mayd did as her mistresse had commanded which pleased her master so well that hee went to tell his friend who desired him that seeing he had bene a partner in making the match he might likewise haue some part of that he left The promise made and the time come the master went to bed as he thoght with his maid but she that had as then renounced the authoritie of commaunding for the pleasure to be a seruant had layde her selfe in the mayds bed and receiued her husband therein not as a wife but rather seemed a bashful mayd and in such maner that her husband could neuer perceiue it I cannot tell you which of them was best pleased whether he in thinking to deceiue his wife or she to deceiue her husband but when he had beene with her not so long as pleased him but as he found himselfe able to beare it out being not altogether so stout a warrier as otherwise he had bene he rose and went out of the house where finding his companion stronger and yonger then himselfe tolde him that he had found the best gown that euer he saw You know sayd his companion what you promised me Go then quickly sayd the master lest she should rise or that my wife should call her for some businesse His companion went thither and found the same mayd there which the husband had mistaken who thinking him to be her husband refused not whatsoeuer he would aske I meane by asking taking for he durst not speake And there he stayed longer then the husband did before whereat the woman wondred for she was not woont to haue such kinde of nights neuerthelesse shee was content comforting herselfe with the speeches which in the morning she meant to vse vnto him and with the mockerie About breake of day the man rose vp and in departing from her being disposed to play by chance hee tooke a ring from off her finger which ring her husband gaue her when they married a thing which the women of that countrey do keepe in great solemnitie and honour much that woman which keepeth her ring vntill she dies and to the contrary if she chance to lose it she is discredited as hauing giuen her faith vnto another man besides her husband shee was content that he shoulde take it thinking that it would serue for a certeine token of his late deceit When the companion returned againe he asked him what he had done and how he liked the match he tolde him he was of his opinion and that if he had not feared day he had not come as yet wherewith as softly as they could they went to bed In the morning as he made him ready the husband perceiued the ring which his companion ware vpon his finger in all points like to that which he had giuen his wife when they were married wherewith hee asked his companion of whom he had it but when he vnderstood he had snatcht it from the mayd he was abasht and began to leane his head against the wal and said Good God haue I made my selfe cuckolde my wife not knowing it his companion to comfort him spake sayd It may be your wife when she went to bed gaue your mayde the ring to keepe With that the husband went into the house where he found his wife fairer finer and merrier then vsually she had beene as she that much reioyced to haue saued the conscience of her mayd and tried her husband euen to the full with no more losse then watching for a night The husband perceiuing her to seem so pleasant sayd within himselfe If she knew my fortune she would not looke so merrily vpon me and speaking vnto her of diuers things he tooke her by the hand and perceiuing she had not the ring which she neuer put off her finger he became so much abasht that with a trembling voice he asked her and sayd What haue you done with your ring but she that was full glad that he began to mooue that which she her selfe desired to vtter sayd vnto him O the most wicked man that euer liued on the earth from whome thinke you you tooke the ring you thought you tooke it from my mayd for whose sake you haue spent double so much more of your good nesse then euer you did for mee for the first time that you came to me I esteemed you so amorous of her that more you could not be but after you went out and then came in againe you seemed to be a deuill and not a man O vnhappy wretch thinke with your selfe what blindnesse hath bewitched you so much to vse my company whereof you haue receiued the pleasure and yet esteemed it not It is not then the beautie or person of your mayd that made you finde such pleasure at this time but it is sinne and filthy lust that burneth in your heart and makes your head so madde that you had taken a goate at that time for a wench Now husband it is time to mend your life and content your selfe with me knowing me to be your owne and an honest woman and thinke what you haue done supposing me to be your chamber mayd that I haue done was onely to withdraw from you sinne to the end that in our age we both may liue in loue with quiet
consciences For if you meane to liue as you haue done I had rather separate my selfe then dayly to beholde the destruction of your soule your body and your goods before my face But if you will confesse your fault and purpose now to liue in godly sort obeying him I will forget all former faults as I beseech the Lord to pardon my ingratitude in not louing him as I ought If euer man was abasht and in despaire surely it was this man perceiuing his wife so faire so chaste and honest to haue bene left by him for one that loued him not and which is worse to haue bene so accurst to haue made her do amisse not knowing it and made another partaker of that pleasure that onely was for him whereby he made himselfe to weare the hornes to his perpetuall shame But perceiuing his wife so moued touching the loue he bare vnto the mayde was well aduised not to disclose the wicked touch he had playd with her but asking her forgiuenesse with promise to forgoe his wicked life he gaue her the ring againe which he had taken from the other man whome he besought not to disclose the fact But diuers thinges are spoken secretly that after come to light for not long time after the trueth thereof was knowne and he was called cuckold without disgrace to her The ninth Nouell ¶ The pitifull death of an amorous Gentleman by hauing ouer late receiued comfort from the Gentlewoman whom he loued BEtweene Daulphinois and Prouance there was a Gentleman much richer in vertue beautie and honestie than of worldly goods that extreamely loued a Gentlewoman whose name I wil not now rehearse for her kinred sake that are proceeded of great and rich houses but assure your selues the thing is most true and because hee was not of the like house he durst not discouer his affection for that the extreme loue he bare vnto her was so great and so perfect that he had rather die than to desire any thing that might haue beene to her dishonour and perceiuing himselfe to be of so meane parentage in respect of hers was wholy out of hope to marrie her Wherefore his loue was grounded vpon no other point than onelie to loue her with all his power as perfectly as he could which he so long continued that in the end she hadde some inkling thereof and perceiuing the loue hee bare vnto her so ful of vertue and good speeches she esteemed herselfe most happy to be beloued of one that was so vertuous and gaue him thereupon so good countenaunces that hee which sought no other thing was there with well pleased But malice the enemy of all quietnes could not indure this honest and happy life for that certaine men saide vnto the mother of the gentlewoman that they were much abashed what that gentleman made so much within her house and that it was thought her daughters beautie was the onely cause with whome he was often seene to speake The mother which nothing doubted of the gentlemans honest behauiour whereof she assured herselfe as much as of any of her owne children was very sorie to heare that it was taken in euil part insomuch that in the ende fearing some slaunder by malitious heades might thereby arise desired him for a time not to frequent her house as vsually hee had doone a thing which hee found very hard to be visgested knowing that the honest speches hee had vsed to her daughter deserued no such cause of absence Neuerthelesse to the end he might cease euill speeches he forbare for so long time and at last returned thither againe as he had done before whose absence had not diminished his goodwill But being in the house hee vnderstoode they meant to marry the Gentlewoman with a gentleman who in his opinion was not so rich that hee should doe him such wrong to haue his loue no more thou he himselfe And thereupon beganne to take heart and to employ his friends to speake for him thinking that if the choise were put vnto the gentlewoman she would preferre him before the other neuerthelesse the mother of the gentlewoman and her friends because the other was richer chose him where at the gentleman was so much displeased that knowing his friend lost as much contentment as himselfe by little and litle without other sickenes beganne to consume and in short space was changed and that in such sort that it seemed hee couered the beauty of his face with the maske of death whereunto from hower to hower he still approched yet could he not refraine but sometimes went to speake with her whom he so deerely loued But in the ende when strength failed him be was constrained to keepe his bed whereof he would not once aduertise her whome he loued fearing to procure her cause of griefe and so suffering himselfe to fall into despaire he lost both his eating drinking and his naturall rest in somuch that it was impossible to know him by reason of his leanenes and strange countenance By chance a friend of his aduertised the mother of his loue who being very charitable and on the otherside loued the Gentleman so well as that if all the friends had beene of her and her daughters opinion they had preferd his honest behauiour before all the riches of the other Gentleman but the fathers kindred would not consent thereto Shee with her daughter went to visit him whome she found rather dead then liuing and knowing his death to approch had confessed himselfe and received the holy sacrament thinking presently to die and never to see any man againe but being as it were within two fingers breadth neere to death seeing her that was his life and resurrection felt himselfe so strong that he cast himselfe vpon a bed saying vnto the lady what occasion hath brought you hither Madame to come and visit him that hath his foote already in the graue and of whose death you are the cause what said the Lady may it be possible that he whom we loue so well should receaue his death by our meanes I pray you shewe vs for what cause you vse this speech Madame said he although as much as in me lay I haue dissembled the loue I beare vnto the Gentlewoman your daughter so it is that my friends speaking of her mariage mine together haue spoken more then willingly I would considering the mischiefe that is fallen vpon me to loose the hope not for my particular pleasure but because I know full well shee shall not be so wel vsed nor so well beloved as shee should haue beene with me The good I perceiue shee looseth of the best and most affectionat servant and friend that shee hath in this world procureth me more grief then the losse of this my life which for her only I would preserue but seeing it can serue her to no end in loosing it it is to me great profit The mother and the daughter hearing his discourse sought by all meanes to comfort him The