that she would have no Supper of such Viands again and that she resolved to live in such a manner that he should not be the Butcher of her second Husband for she could hardly be induced to believe that he would pardon another having shewed himself so mercilesse to him whom he loved best in the world And although she was but weak and unable to revenge her own Cause yet her Hope was in HIM who is the true Judge and who will suffer no Sin to passe unpunished to whose only love she would devote her self during her life in that Hermitage which she did accordingly for she never departed thence until the day of her Death untill her Soul departed from her Body living with such patience and austerity that after her Death every one did run thither as to the Seat of a Saint and so great a Ruine did fall upon her Brothers House that of six Sons which he had not one remained alive but all of them dyed most miserably and in the end the Inheritance was devolved as you heard in my other Account upon his Daughter Rolâ—ndine who succeeded in the Prison which was made for her Aunt Ladies I pray to God that this Example may be prefitable to you that none of you may have a desire to marry for your own pleasure without the consent of those â—o whom you do ow obedience for Marriage is an Estate of so long a Continuance that it ought not lightly to be undertaken nor without the Consent of our best Friends and Kinred And it cannot at the best be so well managed but it will undoubtedly bring with iâ— as much pain as pleasure In good faith said Oysilla if there were neither God nor Law to teach fools to be wise this Example is sufficient enough to instruct them to bear more reverence to their Parents and Kinred than to marry at their own pleasure Madam It is so said Nomerfide that she who hath one good day in a year is not unfortunate throughout all her life She had a long time the pleasure to see and to discourse with him whom she loved better than she loved her self and after that she had the delight of the Marriage-bed without any trouble or remorse of Conscience And I esteem that Contentment to be so great that it seems to me it doth exceed the sorrow it brought with it You will say then said Saffredant that Women do receive more pleasures to ly with their Husbands than they do receive grief to to see them killed before their eyes That is not my in tention said Nomerfide for I should then speak against the Experience which I have of married Women but I conceive that so great and extraordinary a pleasure as to marry that man whom we love best in the world is more greatly to be esteemed than to lose him by death which is a common calamity So it is said Guebron if it were by a natural death but this here spoken of was too cruel for it is very strange to me seeing this Signior was neither her Father nor her Husband but her Brother only and moreover that she was of full age and that the Laws doe permit the Daughters to marry whom they please how he durst execute such a cruelty I do find it not strange at all said Hircan for he killed not his Sister whom so perfectly he did love but the young Gentleman whom he cherished and brought up as his own Son and loved as his own Brother and having preferred him and inriched him in his Service the Gentleman ought to have been content and not to have sought his Sister in marriage which nothing at all did pertain unto him The Honour and pleasure said Nomerfide is not usual for a Gentleman who is but a Servant to marry a Lady of so great a Family And if the death be strange the pleasure must be new also and so much the greater that it hath the opinion of all wise men to affirm it and the contentment of a heart full of love to aid it and the repose of the Soul to attend it which is a quiet Conscience seeing God is not offended with it And as for that death which you say was cruel it seems to me that it being inevitable the speediest death is the best for we all know that of necessity we must passe through Nature to eternity And I esteem them most happy who stay not any long time in the Suburbs and from the felicity which only in this world can be so called do in an instaet fly unto that which is eternal What do you call the Suburbs of death said Simontault Those said Nomerfide who have had many tribulations in Spirit those who have been a long time sick those who by the extremity of corporal or Spiritual griefs are come so far as to despise death and to complain that their last hour comes too slowly These are they who have already passed through the Suburbs of Death and have lodged in those Inns in which there is more noise than rest It was impossible but that this Lady must lose her Husband by death but in losing him by the choler of her Brother being exempted from seeing him sick or bedrid and exchanging the joy she had to be with him into the love and the service of God she might well call her self happy Do you make no reckoning said Longaren of the disgrace which she received and of her tedious imprisonment I do believe said Nomerfide that a Man or Woman who absolutely doe love according to the Commandment of God do know neither shame nor dishonour but when they alter or diminish from the perfection of their love for the glory to love truly doth not know nor is it capable of disgrace And as for the imprisonment of the Body I do believe this Lady had such an inlargement of her Soul which was united to God and to her Husband that she was hardly sensible where she was but esteemed her solitude to be the greatest liberty for they who cannot behold that which they love have no other happinesse but incessantly to think upon iâ— And that confinement is never streight where the Soul is free and the thoughts can exercise themselves at their own preasure There is nothing more true said Simontault than that which Nomerfide doth declare but he who by his fury made that separation may truly be called guilty and unhappy for he at one and the same time offended both God and Love and Honour In good earnest said Guebron I do much wonder at the different loves of women and do well observe that those who have the most love have the most virtue and that those who have the least do indeavour by dissimulation to counterfeit themselves to be virtuous It is true said Parlament that a Heart honest to God and Men doth love more sincerely than that which is vicious for it feareth not that we may sound the depth of its intention I have
in whatsoever they do say or do to supplant our female simplicity would find themselves a great way off from their Hope I pray you Nomerfide said Guebron let me give you my voice that we may hear from you some Account to that purpose I will rehearse unto you one said Nomerfide as much to the commendation of true Lovers as yours have been to the dispraise of foolish Women Of two Lovers who subtilly did enjoy their Loves and of the happy issue thereof The fourth Novell IN the City of Paris there were two Citizens of a considerable Estate the one a Lawyer the other a Mercer who for a long time did bear a great affection to one another by the means whereof the Son of the Lawyer called James a young Man and a fine Companion did oftentimes frequent the Mercers house in pretence of the Love that was shewed to his Father but it was indeed in love to the fair Daughter of the Mercer whose Name was Frances And James did make his addresses so effectual to her that he knew he was no less beloved than he did love But in the time of this Courtship the War began in Provence by reason of the Invasion of Charls of Austria and James was enforced to follow the War to serve according to the Estate in which he was In the beginning of these Wars his Father dyed the News whereof did convey a double affliction to him the one was for the loss of his Father the other was for the inconvenience which that losse brought with it which was that on his return he should be deprived of the opportunity of seeing his Sweet-heart so often as he hoped to have done Neverthelesse in a short process of time the one was forgotten and the other increased for as Death is a thing natural and more natural to the Father than to the Children so grief by little and little of it self doth wear away But Love instead of conveying death unto us doth bring us life by the propagation of Children who doe render us immortal which is one of the most principal motives to increase our desires James being returned to Paris had no other thought or care than to put himself again into the train and the vulgar frequentation of the Mercers house where under the umbrage of his former love he might traffick with his dearest merchandise On the other side during his absence Frances was sollicited and courted by diverse as well for her beauty as for her wit and understanding and also because she was fully marriageable although her Father was not forward to seek out a Husband for her whether it were through covetousnesse or a provident desire to have her richly placed she being his only Daughter And this conduced nothing at all unto her Honour for tongues now a days are proâ—e to slander and detraction when no occasion is administred and especially if it be upon any thing which concerns the Chastity of Maid or Woman This her Father understood who was neither blind nor deaf to the vulgar chat nor would he be like those Fathers who instead of censuring Vice in their Wives or Children do provoke them to it for he did keep her so short that even those who came unto her as Suters only could hardly be admitted to see her although she was always in hâ—r Mothers Company I need not to ask you if this were not very grievous to James to endure being not able in his understanding to resolve himself what was the reason that she was guarded with so much severity and finding no occasion for it he could not tell what certainly to conclude upon but did waver betwixt Love and Jealousie At the last he was resolved with himself come what would of it he would know the reason But first of all to understand if she were of the same affection as she was before he did so often goe and come where she used to resort that one Morning hearing Masse in the Church and being very near unto her he perceived by her countenance that she was no lesse glad to see him than he was to see her and knowing also that her Mother was not so strict over her as her Father he took one day the boldnesse as it were unexpectedly seeing them goe from their House unto the Church to accost them with a familiar and vulgar complement and not too expressely to declare himself that he might better arrive to the end of his Design The end of the year approaching in which his Father died he determined with himself to leave off his mourning and to put himself into such a habit as might become the honour of his Ancestors and acquainted his Mother with it who did like it very well desiring with all her heart to see him well married because she had no more Sons and but one Daughter who was already married and very richly and moreover she did inure her heart to the Love of virtue by the infinite Examples of other young Gentlewomen of her age who either did advance themselves or at least shewed themselves worthy of the Family from whence they were descended There was nothing more to doe but to consider in what shop they might best provide themselves His Mother said unto him James I think it most expedient to goe to my Husbands Compeeire Master Peters who was the Father of Frances for said she he it one of our Friends and will not deceive us That word much pleased her Son and he greedily swallowed it neverthelesse he said unto his Mother we will buy it there where we can find our best Market but because he was an acquaintance of my Fathers I am content to goe thither in the first place The Agreement was made and one morning the Mother and the Son did go to Mr. Peters house who received them with many expressions of respect as you know few Shop-keepers are unprovided in that kind A great variety of whole pieces of Silks were laid open upon the board and they might chuse what they pleased but they could not agree upon the price which James did on purpose because he could not see the Mother of his Sweet-heart and at last they were going without buying any thing at all to try what they could do in another place But James did like nothing so well as what he cheapned at his Sweet-hearts Fathers house whither some hours afterwards they returned They found then her Mother within who did give them the best welcom in the world and after the words of course which are accustomed in such shops the Wife of the Mercer being more hard to deal with than the Mercer himself James said unto her You are grown Lady very hard see what it is to lose a good Father Now we cannot be known here and with that he made an apparence as if he wept and wiped his eys in the remembrance of the dear Father which he lost but this was only to play his own cards the better The
did love art dead Thy heart so pure and undefiled could not without death endure to understand the Vice which was in me your friend O my God wherefore didst thou create me a Man having a love so light and a heart so ignorant Why didst not thou rather create me a little dogg who so faithfully did know to serve his Mistresse Alas little Dog the joy which thy barking brought unto me is now turned into perpetual mourning because by my means another was admitted to hear thy voice But so it is dear friend that neither the Love of the Dutchesse nor of any Woman in the World hath caused me to change my affections although she oftentimes hath importuned me to it But ignorance overcame me thinking for ever to preserve your Love but this ignorance cannot excuse me for I have revealed the secret of my friend I have falsified my promise which is the only cause that I see you dead before my eyes Shall death be lesse cruel to me than to your self who only for Love have put an end to your innocent life I must believe shall I believe that death will not vouchsafe to touch my unfaithful and accursed heart for a dishonourable life and the memory of my losse through my own default is more insupportable than ten thousand deaths Woe is me my friend If any one either through malice â—r misfortune had been so cruel as to kill you I should readily have put my hand upon my Sword to have revenged you It is no reason therefore that I should pardon the murtherer who was the occasion of your death and by a more unrighteous act than to have killed you with a Sword If I knew any more wicked Executioner than my self I would desire him to see Justice performed on your treacherous friend O Love By the ignorance of loving I have offended thee and wilt not thou relieve me as thou didst her who inviolately did keep all thy Laws Is it nor reason that by the like honest means I doe end my life It is and most reasonable it is that it be done by my own hand and since with my tears I have bathed your face and with my Tongue I have required pardon of you nothing now remains but that with my own hand I doe render my body like unto yours and that my Soul do follow wheresoever yours is gone before me knowing that a virtuous and an honest love can have no end either in this world or in the World to come And immediately rising from the body as a man transported and out of his sense he drew his Sword and fixing the pummel of it against the Wall and the point of it against his Brest he with great violence did drive it quite through his body and falling down he took his Sweet-heart in his arms and did kisse and imbace her with such affection that he seemed to be more surprized by love than by death The Damosel observing him to draw his Sword did immediately run forth to cry out for help The Duke hearing the cry and doubting some sad accident had befallen those whom he most intirely loved was the first that came into the Wardrop and beholding this lamentable spectacle he endeavoured to take off the Gentleman from the body of the dead Lady if it were possible to save him but he held his Sweet-heart so fast in his arms that he could not sever him from her with all the strength he had until he was quite dead himself Neverthelesse understanding that the Duke did speak unto him and demanded who was the occasion of it he did lift up his head and looking furiously upon him he made answer Your Tongue Sir and my own and bowing down his head again he immediately dyed his face being close joyned to that of his Friends The Duke desiring to be thoroughly informed with all the particulars of this Tragedy did command the Damosel to declare at large unto him whatsoever she had seen or heard which she did all along without sparing any thing whereupon the Duke perceiving that he was the Original of all this Evil did throw himself upon the two dead Lovers and with great Lamentation craving pardon of them for his offence he oftentimes did kiss them rising from them in a fury he drew out the sword froÌ„ the dead body of the Gentleman And as a wild Boar being wounded by a Lance doth run with resistlesse violence at him who made the thrust so the Duke did addresse himself to her who had wounded him quite through his Soul He found her dancing in the Hall and more frolick by farr than she was accustomed to be conceiving that in some measure she had revenged her self upon the Niece of the Duke In the middle of the Dance the Duke did lay hold on her and said unto her you promised not to reveal the Secret upon the forfeit of your life And your life shall answer for your trespasse and speaking those words he took her by her Headgeer and sheathed the sword in her Body at which all the Company were so amazed that they conceiv'd the Duke was bereaved of his Senses Having thus put a violent period to the Life of his Dutchesse he called together his Friends and his Servants and did declare unto them the lamentable and most virtuous story of his Niece and the great Injury that his Wife had done her which caused many tears in all the standers by The Duke afterwards commanded that his Wife should be buried in an Abbey which he had founded and caused a fair Sepulcher to be builded where the bodies of his Niece and of the Gentleman were interred together and an Epitaph was laid upon the Monument declaring the History of their loves and their Tragical Deaths The Duke afterwards did undertake a Voyage against the Turks and God so prospered him that he atchieved great honours and gained large Revenues And on his Return finding his eldest Son able to manage the Government of his Estate he did put on the habit of Religion in the same Abbey where his Wife and the two Lovers were buried where devoutly he passed away the Remainder of his life Ladies this is the History which you have intreated me to declare unto you and which I perceive by your eyes that you have not received without compassion From hence methinks we ought to take an Example to have a care not to fix too much our affections on men For how honest and virtuous soever the love may seem to be in the beginning yet for the most part it goes off with an unpleasing Farewell And moreover you may read that Saint Paul would not that married people should set altogether their affections on one another for by how much the more our hearts are ingaged in a terrestrial Love by so much the lesse they are addicted to the Love of Heaven and spiritual things and the more noble and the more virtuous the Love is the more difficult it is to break
opening the trap-door which was so fitly made and covered with cloath that it made not the least crack he went up into the Ladies Chamber between the bed and the wall and without any regard to the obligation which he made her nor to the illustrious family of which she was descended and without demanding any leave or making reverence to her he lay down close unto her who sooner found her self in his arms then perceived his comming But she being a lusty woman did wrest her self out of his arms and asking him who he was began to strike and bite and scratch him insomuch that he was constrained for fear she should cry out to stop her mouth with the coverlet which was impossible for him to doe for when she saw that he spared nothing of all his strength to procure her shame she spared nothing of her own to defend her self and as lowd as she could she called for her Lady of Honour an antient and wise Woman who lay in her Chamber who presently in her Smock made hast unto her Mistresse when the Gentleman found that he was discovered he had so great a fear to be known who he was that as fast as he could he went down the same way he came up and as great as his hope was before and desire to be entertained so great a grief and despair possessed him to find himself return'd in that sad condition He found his Glasse and the Candle upon the table and looking on his face bleeding with the scratches which she had given him and the blood dropping on his short which had discoloured the gold he began to say O beauty thou hast now well rewarded me according to my merit for through thy vain promises I have attempted a thing which is impossible and which it may be instead of augmenting my contentments may be the doubling of all my sorrows being assured that if she should know that against the promise I have made her I have enterprised this folly I should lose all the respect and familiar frequentation which no man hath with her more than my self To gain the love of her heart I should not by force have attempted to have surprized her fair body but by my service and humble patience have attended untill that Love became victorious for without it all the virtue and force of Man have no power at all In this manner he passed away the night in complaints tears and sighs which cannot be number'd In the Morning beholding his face so torn he counterfeited that he was sick and not able to endure the light untill the Princes were gone from his House The Lady who remained victorious being confident that there was not a man in her Brothers Court who durst have attempted so lewd an enterprise but he only who assumed the boldnesse to declare his love unto her did assure her self that it was he who endeavoured so much to work her shame and with her Lady of Honor sought every place and corner of the Chamber to find which way it could be and when she could not discover any thing she spoke unto her in a great choler Assure your self that it can be no other but the Master of the house and in the morning I will make such a complaint to my Brother of him that his head shall be the witnesse of my Chastity Her Lady of Honour seeing her in this resolution spake unto her Madam I am very sensible of the Love which you have unto your Honor to increase which you will not spare the life of one who hath too much hazarded it through the force of that love he bears you but oftentimes we think to increase that which we diminish Wherefore I beseech you Madam that you would vouchsafe to represent unto me the truth of the fact and when the Lady had given her an account of it all along her Lady of Honor said unto her You assure me then that he received nothing but blows and scratches from you The Lady made answer Nothing else I dare assure you and if he meet not with a good Chirurgion I do beleeve that on to morrow the marks will be apparent Madam since it iâ—slo said her Lady of Honour it seems to me that you have more occasion to praise God than to resolve with you self to be revenged of him for you ought to beleeve since he hath so great a heart to make such an enterprise the despite he hath to have failed in it is more grievous to him than any Death that you can give him If you desire to be revenged on him let him alone to Love and Shame which know better how to torment him than you or any Instigations of your Honor. Take heed Madam to fall into an Inconvenience such as is his own for instead of enjoying the greatest pleasure that possibly he could desire he hath received the greatest shame that possibly a Gentleman can indure So you Madam thinking to increase your Honour do go the next way to diminish it For if you will make a complaint you will make that publick which now no Man knows for you may be sure that for his part he will not reveal it unto any And whe Monsieur your Brother shall perform that Justice which you demand and the poor Gentleman shall come to suffer death the Report will run that he would have to doe with you according to his pleasure and the greatest part will say That it is a strange thing for a Gentleman to make such an enterprise if the Lady had not given him some great occasion her self You are fair and young and merry in all Company there is not any in this Court who doth not observe the daily respects of Love which you vouchsafe this Gentleman you suspect who will not judge that if he hath made such an attempt it is not without some fault on your side And your Honour which untill now hath always gone with an advanced head shall be disputed of in every place where this story shall be repeated The Lady understanding the good reasons of her Lady of Honour did apprehend that she spake the truth and that justly she should be blamed especially by reason of the familiar love that she was pleased to shew unto him She therefore demanded of her Lady of Honour what she should do who said unto her Madam since you are pleased to receive my counsell and do observe the affection from whence it comes it seems to me that you ought to entertain a perfect joy in your heart that the most handsom and most accomplished Gentleman that I have seen knew neither by love nor force to dispossesse you of your Chastity And for this Madam you ought to humble your self before God and to acknowledge that this is not by your virtue for many great Ladies who have led a life more austere than your self have been humbled by Men lesse worthy to be loved than himself And moreover you ought to take heed to
my self And although I am no eye-witnesse of it yet it hath been repeated to me by one of my greatest and most entire friends in the world to the praise and honour of her whom he most affected in the world who conjur'd me that if ever I should come to give any others an account of it that I would change the names of the persons The story I dare assure you is all true the Names the Places and the Country only excepted The Love of Amadour and Florinda wherein is contained many great subtilities and dissimulations and the admirable chastity of Florinda The Tenth Novell IN Aragon in the County of Arand there was a Lady who although very young was the widdow of the Count of Arand she had by him one Son and a Daughter called Florinda The said Lady did bring up her Children in all virtues and honourable exercises which belong to Lords and Ladies insomuch that her house was accounted to be one of the most honourable in all Spain She resorted oftentimes to Toledo where the King of Spain did keep his Court and when she came to Saragossa which was not far from her own house she stayed long with the Queen and was as highly esteemed in her Court as any Lady could be Upon a time according to her custome repairing to the King who was then in Sarragossa in his Castle of Iuissur this Lady in her way passed by a village which belonged to the Viceroy of Catalonia who stirred not from the frontires of Perpignan by reason of the great wars which were then betwixt the King of France and himself but at that time there was peace insomuch that the Vice-roy with all his Captains were come to do reverence to the King The Vice-roy understanding that the Countesse of Arand did passe through the Land of his Jurisdiction did go to meet her as well for the antient love he did bear unto her as for the honour of being a Kinswoman of the Kings The Vice-roy had in his company many gallant Gentlemen who by the long exercise of their arms had acquired so much Fame and Honour that those thought themselves happy that could see them and enjoy their company Amongst others there was one called Amadour who although he was not of above eighteen or nineteen years of age had so assured a grace of Deportment and so excellent an understanding that amongst a thousand he was thought most worthy to govern a Kingdome It is true that his understanding was accompanied with so great and so sweet a beauty that there was not any ey which conveyd not down to the heart a more than ordinary pleasure to behold him and so excellent a discourse did accompany his exquisite beauty that it could not be known to which to give most honour either to the gracefulnesse of his beauty or the excellency of his elocution But that which made him most esteemed was his height of Courage the fame whereof was increased by his youth for in many places he made so many gallant demonstrations of it that not only Spain but also France and Italy did highly esteem his virtues for in all the wars wherein ever he was he was always prodigal of his blood and proud of danger and when his own Country was in peace he did seek out Forein wars and was beloved and esteemed both by his Friends and Enemies This Gentleman for the love of his Captain was now in this land where the Countesse of Arand was arrived and beholding the beauty and gracefulnesse of her Daughter who was not then twelve years of age he thought with himself that she was the most fair and most accomplished creature that ever he beheld and if he could but obtain her favour he should be more satisfied than with all the pleasures and profits that he might receive from any other After he had a long time looked upon her he determined with himself to love her whatsoever impossibility there was on the contrary both in regard of the Illustrious Family from whence she was descended and the tendernesse of her age which as yet could not understand his Courtship Against these fears he fortisied himself with hope and promised to himself that at the last Time and Patience would bring a happy end unto his labours From that time Gentle love who without any other occasion but freely by his own force had entred into the heart of Amadour did promise him favour and opportunity to arrive unto the end of his desires and to provide for the greatest difficulties which was the distance of the Country where he lived and the small occasions he had to see Florinda he determined but against the first resolution he had taken to marry one of the Ladies of Barcelona or of Perpignan amongst whom by reason of the Wars he was so conversant that he seemed rather to be a Catalonian than a Castilian although he was born not far from Toledo and was descended of a rich and honourable family but because he was but a younger Brother he had no great patrimonies to inherit So it was that Love and Fortune seeing him abandoned of his Kinred did determine to make a Master-piece of him and by the means of his Virtues gave him that which the Laws of his Country did deny him He was singularly experienced in the feats of War and so well beloved by all Lords and Princes that he oftentimes refused their gifts which he never took any thought to demand The Countesse of which I told you did come accordingly unto Sarragossa and was magnisicently entertained by the King and all the Court The Governour of Catalonia came oftentimes to visit her and Amadour never failed to accompany him for the pleasure he received to speak unto Florinda And that he might better understand himself and what Company did frequent unto the house he addressed himself to the daughter of an antient Cavalier called Avanturade who was one of the next neighbors She from her Youth had been brought up with Florinda insomuch that she knew all which was hidden in her heart Amadour as well for the honesty he found in her as for that she had three thousand Duckets to her portion did resolve to entertain her as that person whom he would espouse to which she did lend a willing ear but because he was but poor and the Father of the Damfell rich she thought that he would never agree unto the Marriage unlesse it were by the means of the Countesse of Arand Wherupon she addressed her self to Florinda and said unto her Madam You have seen the Castilian Gentleman who oftentimes doth here speak to me I do believe what he doth pretend which is to take me in Mariage You know what a father I have who will never give way unto it if he be not sollicited to it by Madam the Countesse and your self Florinda who loved the Maid as her self did assure her that she would take that affair upon her and lay it as neer her
having payed his ransom he hoped withall that he should be so happy as to see again Florinda On this he yeelded himself prisoner to a Turk called Derlin Governour of Tunis for the King who immediately did bring him to his Master where he was very well received and honoured and had a stronger guard set on him for the Turks thought having him in their hands that they had got the Achilles of the Spaniards In this condition Amadour continued almost two yeats under the King of Tunis In the mean time the News of this Captivity was brought into Spain for which the Kinsmen of the Duke of Naygueres made a great lamentation but those who loved the honour of their Country did esteem the losse of Amadour to be far greater The report of this Defeat was brought unto the House of the Countesse of Arand at the same time when poor Avanturade was extremely sick The Countesse who had a great doubt her self of the affection which Amadour did bear unto her Daughter which she suffered and dissembled by reason of the great virtues which she saw to shine in him did call her Daughter to her and did acquaint her with this melancholly News Florinda who knew well enough to dissemble said unto her that it was a great losse to all their House but most of all she pityed his poor Wife especially considering the great weaknesse she was in but seeing her Mother weep so bitterly she let fall a few tears also to keep her company to the end that by dissembling too much her dissimulation might not be discovered After that her Mother did speak often to her concerning him but could never collect any thing from her countenance whereby to assure her judgment I will here forbear to make mentiō of those Pilgrimages Prayers Orisons and Fasts which Florinda ordinarily made for the safety and deliverance of Amadour who as soon as ever he arrived at Tunis did not fail to send the News of his Misfortunes to his friends and by a sure Messenger he advertised Madam Florinda that he was in good health and in good hope to see her again which was the only comfort this poor young Lady had to sustain her affliction And you may be assured that she found the means to write back unto him which she did so diligently that Amadour could not complain for any want of comfort in her Letters and Epistles Some moneths after the Countesse of Arand was commanded to come to Saragossa where the King was arrived and the young Duke of Cardona with him who used such importunities with the King and Queen that they intreated the Countesse to make up the Marriage betwixt him and her Daughter The Countesse being she who in nothing would disobey them did consent unto it believing that her Daughter being very young had no other desire but what was hers When all was agreed upon she told her Daughter That she had made choice of that party for her who was most necessary The Daughter knowing that in a thing that was already done there needed not any more counsel made answer to her God be praised for all And seeing her Mother to grow strange unto her she chose rather to obey her than to have any pity on herself And to increase her affliction she understood that the Son of the Infant Fortunate was sick unto Death but before her Mother or any other she made not the least appearance of any sorrow and did contain her self so much that her tears by force being retired into her heart did make the blood to spin out of her nose in such abundance that she was in danger of her life but her Mother to recover her did marry her unto him whom willingly she would have exchanged for her Death After the celebration of this Marriage Florinda did repair with her Husband into the Dukedom of Cardona and took along with her Avanturade whom she made partaker of her Complaints as well of the severity of her Mother as of the grief she had to have lost the Son of the Infant Fortunate but of her chief grief for Amadour she spake not one word unto her but only in the way to comfort her After this this young Lady did resolve with her self to have God alwayes and her Honour before her eyes and so well concealed her afflictions that not any of her Servants did ever understand that her Husband was unpleasing to her Thus a long time Florinda continued and lived a life not much better than Death of which she failed not to inform her good Servant Amadour who knowing her great and honest heart and the love which she did bear to the Infant Fortunate did conceive with himself that it was impossible that she should live long and did lament her as one whom he concluded to be worse than dead This affliction did augment that which he had for himself for he wished that he might continue all his life a Slave as he was so that Florinda had but a Husband according to her desire Thus he forgat his own sorrow for that which he perceived his Mistresse did endure And because he understood by a friend That the King of Tunis had an Intent to send for him to the Court and put him to death by drawing a stake through him or to make him renounce his Faith for the desire he had to have him turn Turk and to keep him with him he prevailed so much with the Governour that took him Prisoner that he gave him leave to goe away upon his parole to procure his Ransom which was so great that he thought it was impossible for a Man of his Estate to pay it And thus without speaking one word to the King the Governour let him go Having shewed himself at Court to the King of Spain he made no long stay there but made hast to procure his Ransom amongst his Friends to which purpose he did direct his course to Barcelon to which City the young D. of Cardona his Mother and Florinda were gon to disparch some businesse Avanturade as soon as she had heard the good news of the approach of her Husband made no delay to acquaint Florinda with it who was very joyfull to hear it but so carried it as it were for the love only she did bear to Avanturade But fearing lest the Joy which she had to see him should make her change her countenance and that those who did observe it might give a bad construction to it she stayed at a window to see him afar off and when ever she did behold him to approach she went down a pair of winding stairs so obscure that one could not perceive that she changed her colour and having embraced him she brought him first into her own Chamber and from thence into the Chamber of her Mother-in-Law who had never seen him But he had not continued there two dayes but he so carried himself that he was as well beloved there as he was before in the
House of the Countesse of Arand I will leave unto you to imagine what was the discourse which Amadour and Florinda had between themselves and of the complaints they made of the sorrows they had suffered in the absence of one another After a floud of tears from Florinda's eyes for the grief she entertained as much that she was married against her heart as that she had lost him whom so intirely she did love and was out of hope ever to see him alive again she resolved with her self to take comfort in the love and the assurance which she had of Amadour which neverthelesse she durst not declare unto him but he who debated with himself what to do did lose neither time nor occasion to make her understand how great was the love which he did bear unto her Just on the time as she was almost gained to receive him not as a servant but for her best and most assured friend there fell out a wonderfull Accident For the King on some businesse of great Importance did immediately send for Amadour for which his Wife did take so great a grief that in hearing of the News she swouned away and falling down the stairs on which she stood she hurt her self so grievously that she never did rise up again Florinda who in her Death did lose all her comfort did make so great a Lamentation as she could do who found her self destitute both of her Friends and Kinred and Amadour took it as much to heart for on the one side he lost one of the most honest Women that ever lived and on the other he lost the means ever to be able to see Florinda again by reason whereof he fell into so great a sicknesse that he thought that immediately he should die The old Dutchesse of Cardona did visit him uncessantly and alleged to him some Reasons from Philosophy to cause him with Patience to endure that Death but nothing would serve for if Death on the one side did torment him Love on the other did encrease his Martyrdom Amadour observing that his wife was interred and that the Goverour had sent for him and that it was impossible to pretend an excuse to continue where he was entertained such a despair in his heart that he thought he should have lost his life with his understanding Florinda who was in a desolation her self to comfort him did come unto him one day after dinner to administer unto him the best words of comfort that she could hoping thereby to abate the greatnesse of his grief assuring him that in what place soever he was she would find the means to see him and oftner than he conceived And because he was to be gone the next morning and was for the present so weak that he did keep his bed he did beseech her that after every one was departed from him she would be pleased to give him a visit in the Evening which she accorded to being ignorant that the extremity of Love doth know no reason and he who saw no hope left ever to see her again whom for so long a time he had served and who never had received any entertainment from her but what you have heard was so assaulted with his love a long time dissembled and with despair that did present unto him that it was almost impossible for him to see her again that he did resolve with himself to play with her either Double or Quit either to lose all or to win all and in one hour to pay himself with that which he thought he had so well deserved For this purpose he commanded that the Curtains should be drawn close about his bed that those who came into the Chamber might not see him and complained far more than he was accustomed to do insomuch that those of the House did think he could not live four and twenty hours longer In the Evening after every one had been with him Florinda at the request of her own Husband did repair unto him deliberating with her self the more to comfort him to declare unto him her affection and that she would love him altogether and none but him as far as her honour would permit and sitting in a chair near to the tester of Amadours bed she did begin to comfort him by weeping with him Amadour seeing her filled with lamentation thought that in that trouble of her mind he could most easily arrive to the end of his intention and rising up in his bed Florinda thought that he was in some extasie being too far spent and with all the eyes of sorrow began to look upon him who kneeling on his knees did say unto her And must I for ever lose the sight of you and speaking those words he did let himself fall into her arms just like a man that swouned away Poor Florinda did imbrace him and held him up a pretty while doing the uttermost of her desires to comfort him but this Physick which she gave him to amend his grief did render his power more strong for in counterfeiting himself half dead and speachless he began to search after that which the honour of Women doth forbid to be found When Florinda perceived his ill intention she could not believe it and remembring the most civil and vertuous discourse that had always passed betwixt them she said unto him What is it you would have But Amadour fearing to hear her words which he knew would be no other but chast and honest returned no answer at all but pursued his intention with all the force he had whereat Florinda being amazed suspected that he was our of his wits and would rather have conceived any thing of him than that he attempted to dishonor her Wherefore she spake aloud and called unto a Gentleman whom she knew to be in a Chamber hard by whereat Amadour being throughly amazed did throw himself upon the bed and that so suddenly that the Gentleman believed that he had been dead Florinda who was risen up from the chair said unto him Go quickly and bring hither some good Vinegar which the Gentleman did who being departed Florinda began to say unto him Amadour what folly hath possessed your understanding And what is that which you thought and would have donâ— Amadour who by the force of Love had lost all his reason did say unto her Doth so long a service as is mine deserve to be rewarded with such a cruelty Florinda replyed And where is now the Honour concerning which so many times you have preached to me O Madam said Amadour It seems to me impossible to love your Honour more perfectly than I have done For when you were to marry I knew so well to master my heart that you never understood my Desires but now since you are marryed and your Honour may be concealed What wrong do I do unto you to demand that of you which is my own for by the force of love I have gained you He who first had your heart was so cold a Suiter
City whom in the night he went to court when his Wife was asleep Amongst others there was a most beautifull and virtuous Lady who was Sister to a Gentleman whom the Duke loved as himself and to whom he gave so much authority in his House that his word was obeyed and feared as that of the Dukes and he had no secret in his heart which he declared not unto him Insomuch that he might well be called his second Self The Duke observing his Sister to be so accomplished a Lady and that he had not the means to declare the love which he did bear unto her having sought all wayes that were possible for the effecting of it at last addressed himself to the Gentleman whom so intirely he did affect said unto him If there were any thing in the world my Friend which I would not do for you I should be affraid to declare unto you my thoughts and much more to desire you to be ayding to me in them but I bear you so much good will that if I had Wife Mother or Daughter that might conduce to save your Life I would rather imploy them all in it than to suffer you to die in torment and I believe that the Love which you bear to me is reciprocal to mine And if I who am your Master do bear such an affection to you I presume that you do not bear any lesse to me Wherefore I will declare one secret to you the concealment whereof doth keep me in this estate wherein you see me of which I can look for no amendment but onely by Death or by the service which you may do me The Gentleman observing the Reasons of his Master and that his face in earnest was bathed in tears had so great a compassion of him that he said unto him Sir I am your Creature all the Fortunes and Honours I enjoy do proceed from you you may speak to me as to your friend being assured That all which lies in my power is in your own hands Incontinently the Duke began to declare unto him the love which he did bear unto his Sister which was so great and violent that if by his means he had no redresse he found he could not live long for he knew by experience that neither Letters nor Prayers nor Presents could prevail upon her Wherefore he conjured him If he loved his life as deerly as his life was beloved by him that he would find a means to procure him that benefit which without him he concluded it was impossible to enjoy The Brother who loved his Sister and the honor of his House more than the pleasure of the Duke did endeavour to make him some Remonstrance to the contrary beseeching him in all other ways to imploy him but to excuse him onely in this thing it being too cruel and too unnatural to him to purchase the dishonor of his own bloud that neither his heart nor his Honour could comply with this Command The Duke enflamed with an anger insupportable did bite his nails and made reply unto him in great fury It is no matter seeing I find in you no respects of Friendship to me I know what I have to do The Gentleman understanding the cruelty of his Master was struck into a fear and said unto him Sir Because it is your pleasure I will speak unto her and I will give you an account of her answer to me The Duke answered departing from him As you make much of my life 〈◊〉 will I of yours The Gentleman understood well â—nough what he did mean by those words and absâ—â—ted himself a day or two from the Duke to consider what he had to do On one side there was presented to him the Obligation which he owed to his Master and the benefits and the Honours which he had received from him On the other side his thoughts reflected on the Honour of his House the honesty and chastity of his Sister and the assurance he had that she would never consent to so foul a Motion if she were not surprized by deceit or by force Wherefore having taken these Premises into his consideration he concluded That he would rather die than be the Author of so ill an Office to his Sister who was one of the most virtuous Ladies in all Italy He was rather obliged he did judge to deliver his Countrey from such a Tyrant who by force would stain the Honour of his Family He was assured besides that unlesse the Duke was dead the life of himself and of his Sister were absolutely lost Wherefore without so much as speaking one word unto his Sister he determined with himself to save his own life and by the same way to revenge the shame which was intended to be brought upon her At the end of two dayes he addressed himself to the Duke and told him how he had practised with his Sister who but not without great difficulty did consent unto his pleasure which she hoped should be kept secret seeing none but himself who was her own Brother had any knowledge of it The Duke who desired this News did easily believe it and imbracing the Messenger did promise him whatsoever he would demand and desiring him that it might quickly be put in execution they agreed between themselves upon the day If the Duke were not high with hopes and Joyes I will leave it to you to judge When he saw the night so much desired to approach in which he promised himself to have the Victory over her whom he thought invincible he withdrew himself betimes from his Court having none in his Company but this Gentleman alone and forgot not to take along with him a Night-cap and a shirt perfumed in the best manner as possibly it might be And taking his opportunity in the Evening he did go along with this Gentleman to the Lodging of this Lady where he came into a Chamber very richly prepared The Gentleman assisted him to put off his cloaths and helped him into Bed saying to him Sir I will now go and setch her my self unto you who will not enter into this Chamber without many blushes but I hope before the Morning she will be assured of you In this manner her left the Duke and did go into his own Chamber where he found but one of all his Servants to whom he said Have you the heart to follow me into a place where I will revenge my self on the greatest Enemy I have in the world His Man not knowing what he would do said unto him Yes Sir and it were the Duke himself Immediatly the Gentleman did take him with him who on the sudden had not the leisure to take any other Aâ—ms but a Ponyard only which he had always about him When the Duke did hear him comming conceiving that he had brought her along with him whom he loved so intirely he opened the Curtain and his eyes to behold her and to receive her into his arms whom so long he expected
him too late both by his laughter and his voice was strook into an amazement with the shame she had brought upon her self and called him a thousand times wicked Traytor and Impostor and would have thrown her self out of the Bed to look out a knife to have killed her self because she was so unfortunate to have lost her Honour with one whom she loved not and who to be revenged of her might divulge her shame throughout the world But he held her in his arms and by sweet words did assure her That he loved her more than he did whom she loved and that he would conceal that which touched her Honour that she never should receive the least discredit which the poor Lady believed and understanding the Invention which he had contrived to obtain her and the difficulties he went through to accomplish it she did swear unto him That she did love him better than the other who knew not how to conceal a Secret And moreover whereas there was a false report raised on the French she now knew to the contrary and that they were more wise constant and discreet than the Italians wherefore she would now differ from the opinion of her own Nation to comply with them But she did heartily entreat him that for a time he would forbear to appear at any Feast or Meeting where she was unlesse it were a Mask only for she knew well enough that she should have so many blushes upon her cheeks that her Countenance would declare it to all the world This he promised to perform and also entreated her That when his Friend should come about two hours hence that she would make him good cheer and by little and little withdraw her self from him Of which she made a great difficulty but because it was his desire she at last consented to it And taking his Farewel of her he did leave her so satisfied that she could have been well contented to have had him to have stayed longer with her After that he rose and had dressed himself he made hast out of the Chamber and left the door half shut and half open as he found it And because it was almost two a-clock after midnight he entertained a fear that he should find the Gentleman in the way he retired himself a little into a private corner on the top of the stairs where not long afterwards he observed the Gentleman to passe by and to enter into the Ladies Chamber whereupon he himself repaired directly to his own Lodging to take some repose after his nights travels which he did and did not rise untill it was past nine of the clock in the morning at what time the Gentleman came to him who never failed to give him an account of his Fortune which was not now so good as he hoped it would have proved For he told him That when he came into the Chamber of the Lady he found her out of Bed and in her Night-gown having a great Feaver on her her pulse beating very violently her face all on fire and a great sweat running down her face wherefore she did immediatly intreat him to return from whence he came for fear that she should be inforced to call unto her Maids to come to her assistance so violent was her distemper insomuch she said that she had more need to think of Death than Love and to talk rather of God than of Cupid Howsoever she was very sorry for the hazard into which he had put himself for the love of her because she had no power to make him in this world any requital for his true love being ready to be gone into another At this he was so sad and so astonished that his Fire and his Joy were converted into Ice and Sorrow and so immediatly he departed In the morning on the break of Day he sent to be more surely informed of her health and found for certain that she was in an extreme Indisposition and multiplying his complaints for her he wept so abundantly that it seemed his Soul was comming out with his tears Boninet who had as great a desire to laugh as the other to weep did comfort him the best that possibly he could and told him That things of a long continuance did alwayes meet with an untoward beginning and that Love did a little draw back but to come on with the greater force and to make the Delight more gratefull And on these words they departed The Lady for a certain time did keep her Bed and on the recovery of her health she bid Adieu to her first Servant and grounded it on the fear which she had of Death and the Remorse of her Conscience and continued her familiarities with Signior Boninet the continuation of whose Love according to the Custom was as the Beauty of the Flowers of the Fields It seems to me my Ladies that the subtilties of this Gentleman did equal the hypocrisie of the Lady who having so long counterfeited her self a virtuous woman did at the last declare her self a Fool. You may speak what you will of women said Emarsuite but that Gentleman acted a wicked part for suppose the Lady had a Friend must another circumvent him by his policy You may assure your self said Guebron that such Merchandises can never be better sold but to those that offer most and to those Buyers who come last and give the greatest price Never believe that those who in this nature do court Ladies do endure any great pain for the love of them No no it is only for the love of themselves and for their own pleasures On my credit said Longaren I do believe you for to declare the truth unto you all those Gentlemen which ever yet courted me began all their Complements on my behalf pretending to desire my Life my Good my Honor but the end was only for themselves and for their own pleasure and their own glory therefore it is the safest course to take leave of them at the first part of their Sermon for when we come to the second it is not so much honour to refuse them seeing that Vice when it is once known is refusable of it self It behooveth then said Emarsuite that as soon as ever a Man doth begin to open his mouth we must refuse him without knowing what he would say Parlament answered My Companions you must not understand it so for you know well that at the first words a Lady should not seem to understand any thing neither after he hath declared himself should she much lesse believe him but when he comes to swear and adde oath unto oath it seems to me that it is the best course for a Lady to forsake him then at his climbing of the Hill before he hath have to come down unto the Valley Shall we believe 〈◊〉 said Nomerfide that they love all for ill Is it not a sin to judge our Neighbor You may believe as you will said Oysilla but you ought to be in fear
her chamber with her Governesse where all the time her Companions were at dinner and supper she had the leisure to speak unto him whom so intirely she affected and by how much their time by constraint was made more short by so much their words did come from them with a more great affection for they did steal time to maintain their discourse as a thief doth steal a pretious creasure But this meeting could nor be kept so secret but one of the Grooms did observe the Bastard constantly to enter into the chamber upon the days when Rolandine did keep her fasts and at last it was known to all and to the Queen herself who was thereupon so passionate that the Bastard after that check durst never to enter again into the chamber of the Maids Neverthelesse not to lose the happinesse to converse with her whom so much he loved he often pretended to take a journey out of Town and on the Evening would return to the Church or to the Chapel at the Court in the habit of a Friar or a Monk so well disguised that it was impossible for any one to know him and to the same Church or Chapel Rolandine with her Governess did not fail to come to entertain him He observing the great love which she did bear unto him was not afraid to speak unto her Madam you know the danger into which I do put my self for your service and the Queens prohibitions that you should speak no more unto me You know also too well what a Father you have who careth not to whom he shall espouse you you have refused so many good matches I must confesse I am but a poor man and that you may marry a Gentleman with a fortune far greater than my own but if love and good will be to be esteemed a treasure I ought to be accounted the richest man in the world God hath indued you with a great estate and you are in a possibility to have yet a far greater if I could be so happy as that you would vonchsafe to choose me for your Husband I would all my life be both a Husband a Friend and a Servant to you and if you should take one equal to your self which is very hard to do he would become your master and would more regard your goods than your person and altogether making it his imployment to be conversant in your estate aâ—d to receive the Rents and profits thereof he would not be observant to your self as you do desire The desire I have to give you this contentment and the fear which doth surprise me that you cannot enjoy it with any other doth cause me to beseech you that at once you will make me happy and your self the most satisfied woman that ever was Rolandine hearing these words which she had resolved with her self to speak unto him with an assured countenance did make answer to him I am very glad that you have begun this disscourse which a long time I had thought to have propounded my self unto you Those two last years since I had more perfect knowledge of you I have thought and thought again and examined within my self all the reasons which I could invent either for you or against you And at the last resolving with my self that I would take upon me the estate of Marriage it was time I conceived that I should begin to make choice of him with whom I believed I should live best with most peace of mind I cannot find any one be he never so handsom so rich or so great that my heart my spirit do so well accord with as your self I know that in marrying you I shall not offend God but do that which he commandeth And as for Monsieur my Father he hath so little sought after my Good nay he hath so much refused it that the Law will give leave that I may marry without him although it lies in his power to dis-inherit me Yet let me have but that which belongs unto me in marrying such a Husband as you are I shall esteem my self to be the richest Woman in the world As for the Queen my Mistresse I ought not to make it a point of Conscience to displease her to obey God for she did not forbear to hinder me of that comfort in my youth which I should have enjoyed But that you may understand that the love which I do bear unto you is founded upon Virtue and Honour you shall promise faithfully unto me that although I do accord unto this marriag that you shall not undertake the consummation of it until my Father be dead or until I have found a means to procure his consent unto it To this the Bastard most willingly did ingage himself on these promises they did give to one another a ring in the obligation of marriage and kissed each other in the Church before the Face of God whom they took to be the witnesse of their promises and afterwards during the society of their loves there was no other familiarity betwixt them but a kisse only This little contentment gave great satisfaction to the hearts of those two perfect lovers and they lived a long time in this assurance without being discovered by any And there was no place where Honour might be gained to which with great contentment this Bastard did not goe being confident that he could never be poor or miscrable being blessed by God in so happy and so rich a Wise who in his absence did so well preserve her perfect love that she took not the least delight in any man in the world And although that diverse did demand her afterwards in marriage she made no other answer to them but that having stayed so long without a Husband she was now resolved never to marry This answer was given and understood by so many that it came at last to the ear of the Queen who demanded of her what was the reason of it Rolandine made answer That it was to obey her for she understood well enough that she never desired that she should be married to any who should not honourably provide for her and to her own content and that Age and Patience had instructed her to content her self with the Estate in which she was And evermore when they discoursed with her concerning Marriage she did return the like answers When the Wars were ended and the Bastard entertained again at the Court she never had any conference with him before any but repaired alwayes to the Church to hold Discourse with him there under the colour of Confession for the Queen had forbid both him and her to talk together upon pain of Death unlesse it were in some great Company But the Honesty of Love which knows no prohibition was more ready to find means to bring them to speak together than all their Enemies were prepared to prevent them and under the habit of all the religious Orders they could devise they entertained their honest love untill
the time that the King made a progresse to one of his Houses of pleasure which was not so near to any Church as to go on foot to it so that the Ladies were inforced to repair in their Devotions to the Chapel of the Castle which was so inconveniently builded that there was no place to conceal ones self at the time of Confeilion and the Confessor himself must apparently be seen Neverthelesse although on the one side Opportunity failed them Love on the other side did provide them with a more gratefull Expedient For there arrived a Lady at the Court who was a neer Kinswoman of the Bastards This Lady with the young Prince her Son were lodged in the House of the King and the Lodgings of the young Prince advanced themselves all along beyond that part of the House where the King lodged so that the Bastard might see and speak with Rolandine out of the Princes window for the windows did butt forth one against another at the Corner of the House And in that Chamber which was above the Hall of the King were lodged all the young Ladies of the Nobility who were the Companions of Rolandine who oftentimes observing the young Prince to look out of the window did by her Governesse advertise the Bastard of it who having taken a full notice of the place did pretend to take great pleasure in reading the Book of the Knights of the Round Table which was in the Chamber of the Prince And when they were all gone to Dinner he desired the Groom of the Chamber to lock him in it that he might read it over assuring him that during his abode in the Chamber nothing should be lost or displaced The Groom knowing him to be a Kinsman of his Masters and an honest Gentleman did give him leave to read as long as he pleased On the other side Rolandine came to the window of the Maids and for no other occasion but to continue there some hours together did counterfeit to have an infirmity in one of her leggs and dined and supped by her self so early that she did not go to the Ordinary of the young Ladies She had begun to make a Bed with Crimson Silk and did fasten the woof to the window where she would abide alone and when she saw that there was none in the Room she entertained her Husband at the window and when any approached she would cough and make a sign by which on the other side the Bastard might draw back from being seen Those who were imployed to watch them did believe for certain that their Love was passed over for she never stirred out of her Chamber where they were sure the Bastard durst not come because he was expresly forbidden it by the Queen One day the Mother of the young Prince being in the Chamber of her Son did go to the window where the great Book was and staid there not long but one of the Companions of Rolandine who was of her own Chamber seeing the Queen at the window over against her did assume the civil boldnesse to salute her and to speak unto her The Queen did ask her how Rolandine did she made answer to her That she should see her if she pleased and caused her to come to the window having a Night-kercher on her head and having spoken some few words to her concerning her Malady they did both withdraw The Queen looking on the great Book of the Round-Table did speak unto the Groom of her Sons Chamber I do wonder that young people can spend their time in reading such follies as these The Groom of the Chamber made answer to her That he more wondred that Gentlemen of Age and Understanding should take greater delight to read it than those of younger years and to give an Instance for his wonder he assured her That the Bastard her Cozen would stay there four or five hours together to look on that goodly Book The Occasion wherefore it was did suddenly touch the apprehension and the heart of the Queen and she gave a charge to the Groom of the Chamber to hide himself in some place to observe what the passages were which he did accordingly and found that the Book which he did read in the window was Rolandâ—ne who came to hold Conference with him and understood many words of desire and love betwixt them which they thought they had kept secret In the morning he acquainted the Mother of the young Prince with it who sent for her Cozen the Bastard and after many Reasons and Remonstrances did expresly forbid him to be seen there any more In the evening she did speak with Rolandine threatning That if she continued any longer in that foolish love she would inform the Queen of it and of all the tâ—ains they had made Rolandine who was nothing 〈◊〉 at it did protest unto her That since the Injunction of the Qu. to the contrary she never spake any word unto him whatsoever she might allege to the contrary and if she pleased she might be satisfied with the truth thereof by her Companions and her Servants and as concerning the window she did talk of she understood not what she meant by it and for her part she did never speak to the Bastard out of it But the Bastard fearing that the affair was revealed did remove himself from the Danger and returned not a long time afterwards to the Court Neverthelesse he did write to Rolandine and so finely contrived a way for the delivery of his Letters that for all the strict watches of the Queen there passed not a week but twice at least she had Intelligence of him And when the Means under a Religious habit by which they oftentimes assisted themselves did fail he sent a little Page sometimes in one Livery sometimes in another who stayed at the door where all the Ladies were to passe and privately in the crowd would deliver his letters unto Rolandine Upon a day when the Queen was gone into the Fields one of the Spies suspecting the Page having a charge narrowly to watch him concerning that affair did run after him but the Page who was as cunning as himself doubting that he would examine search him did run into the house of a poor woman who was making her pot to boyl on the sire into which fire he immediatly did thrust the Letters The Gentleman who did follow him did strip him naked and examined his clouths all over but finding nothing he did let him go When the boy was departed the old woman demanded of him wherefore so rudely he did handle the poor boy He made answer that it was to find some Letters which he thought he had about him You came not soon enough said the old woman to find them for he did hide them where you could not easily find them I pray you said the Gentleman tell me where flattering himself with a great hope to recover them But when he understood that he had hid them in
her just reasons instead of reproving her and killing her as oftentimes he threatned in his words he took her in his Arms and weeping abundantly said unto her My daughter you are more righteous than my self for if there were any fault in you I was the principal cause But since God hath so ordained it I will give you satisfaction with advantage for the time to come and having brought her into his house he did use her as his only child She was at last demanded in marriage by a Gentleman of her Fathers own name and who gave with him the same Coat of arms who was a wise and a virtuous man and so highly esteemed Rolandine that he praised her for that for which other men did blame her knowing that the end did only tend unto virtue The marriage was agreeable both to the Father and Rolandine and was immediatly concluded True it is that a Brother which she had who was the only heir of the house would not agree that she should have any part in the Estate objecting against her that she had been disobedient to her Father and after the death of the good Man he did deport himself so churlishly unto her that her Husband who was but a younger brother and her self had enough to do to live for which God provided for the Brother who would needs have all by a sudden death did leave unto her all the Fortunes which he had of hers and of his own with it And thus was she the Heiresse of a very great Estate and lived honourably and holily in her husbands love And after she had brought up two children which God had given her she rendred with joy her Soul to him of whom for a long time she had such perfect knowledge Now my Ladies I would desire that those men who do declare us to be so inconstant would come hither and shew me as good a Husband as this was a wife and such a faith and perseverance I am confident it would be so difficult unto them that I had rather acquit them than put them to such an endlesse task But I must beseech you Ladies by the lustre of this example to continue your glory not to love at all or as perfectly as this Lady did and to have a care that your honours be not scandaliz'd since by her firmnesse and constancy she is an occasion to increase yours In good earnest Parlament said Oysilla you have reported to us the story of a Lady who had a great and an honest heart and who gained as much glory by her constancy as her Husband contracted shame by his disloyalty who did leave her for another I believe said Longaren that this affliction was too grievous to be endured for there is no burthen so heavy but the love of two persons well united may sweetly undergoe it but when one of them doth fail and lays all the charge upon the other the weight is insupportable You ought then said Guebron to have compassion on us who carry all the love and doe not deign of your selves so much as to put one finger forth to assist us Ah Guebron said Parlament the burthens of the Husband and the Wife doe often differ much For the love of the Wife being well grounded and depending upon God and on her Honour is so just and reasonable that he who parts himself from that love ought to be esteemed an inordinate man and guilty before God and all honest men But the love of the most part of men is grounded only upon pleasure and ignorant Women are oftentimes too prone to serve their loose desires but when God doth instruct them to understand the wickednesse of the hearts of those men whom they esteemed to be good they will leave them with honour and reputation The knowledge of the sin doth leave a greater guilt upon the Conscience Hircan replyed A goodly reason indeed grounded on a fancy that honest women may honestly leave the love of their Husbands and not honest men the love of their Wives because forsooth their hearts you say are different but suppose they are and that they doe differ as much as the countenances and the habits of men do differ from those of women yet I believe their affections and wills are both alike unlesse they differ in this that their follies being more covered are alwayes the worse Parlament in a little choler said unto him I understand well enough that you esteem those to be least evil whose intentions are most discovered But let us leave off this discourse said Simontault for to draw a conclusion from the hearts of men or women the best of them is worth nothing Let us know to whom Parlament will give her voice that we may hear some new account I do give it said she to Guebron Before I doe begin said he to speak of the Grey Fryers I must not forget those of the order of Saint Benedict and what befell unto two of them in my time Howsoever in giving you an account of a man wickedly religious It is not my intent to alter your good opinion which you ought to have to those of them who are religious indeed But since the Psalmist says that every man is a lyar And in another place that there are none that do good no not one It seems to me that we cannot erre in esteeming Man to be such as be is For if there be any thing good in him we ought to attribute it to him who is the original of all good and not unto the Creature in giving too much praise and glory to it or in esteeming better of men than indeed they are the greatest part of men are deceived and deceivers And to the end that you may see it is not impossible under an extreme severity to find an extreme concupiscence understand what not long since happened in the time of King Francis the first of that name A Prior a great Reformer of the times under the shaddow of Hypocrisie did by all means attempt to seduce a religious Virgin whose wickednesse at last was discovered The Second Novell IN the City of Paris there was a Prior of St. Martins in the Fields whose name I will conceal for the love which I have born unto him His life until he was fifty years of age was so austere that the report of his holinesse was spread over all the Kingdom of France insomuch that there was neither Prince nor Princesse but entertained him with all honour and reverence when he came to see them And there was no Reformation of Religion but it passed first through his hand for he was call'd the Father of true religion He was chosen Visitor of the great religion of the Ladies of Frontenaux who stood in such fear of him that when he came into any of their Monasteries all the religious women did tremble for fear and to appease him in taking off the great rigours which he did impose upon them they did entertain
any cruelty at all you may perceive I have a just cause for it That Lady which you beheld is my Wife whom I loved better than it is possible for any other to love his Wife insomuch that to marry her I did forget all fear and brought her hither in spight of all her Kinred She also did expresse unto me such signes of love that I would have hazarded ten thousand lives to have her always with me to her own content and mine Having married her we lived a long time in such a mutual assurance of one anothers love that I conceived my self to be the most happy Gentleman in Christendom But in a Voyage which I made to which my Honour did engage me she so much forgat her own Honour and her Conscience and the Love which she had in to me that she became amorous of a young Gentleman whom I brought up in this House which aâ— my retuâ—n I thought not to have found So it is that the love which I did bear unto her was so great that I could not harbour the least mistrust of her untill Experience opened my eyes and I beheld that which I feared more than Death wherefore my Love was converted into fury and despair and I did watch her so narrowly that one day pretending to go abroad I did hide my self in that Chamber where now she resideth into which not long after my departure she retired and caused the young Gentleman to come to her whom I saw to deport himself with that familiarity that it did belong to none but to my self only when I beheld him to lye down upon the Bed by her I came forth and taking him in her arms I did kill him And because the guilt of my Wife did appear to be so great that such a Death was not enough wherewith to punish her I contrived a punishment for her which I believe was more unpleasing to her than Death it self I locked her up in that chamber to which she was accustomed to retire to receive her greatest delights and in his company whom she loved better than mine into which place I sent her inclosed in an armory all the bones of her friend hanging as some precious Jewels in a Cabinet and to conclude when she eateth and drinketh at the Table before me that she might not forget the memory of him I cause her to be served instead of a cup with the scull of that fond Young-man to the end that she may both see him alive whom by her fault she hath made her Mortal Enemy and see him dead for the love of her whose friendship she preferred above my own And thus constantly at Dinner and Supper she beholds two objects which ought most to displease her her Enemy living and her Friend dead and all by her own default For the rest I do use her as I do use my self only she doth go without any hair at all for the ornament of hair doth not belong to an Adulteresse nor a veil to one that is unchast wherefore she doth go without a veil and without hair to show that she hath lost her honour and her chastity If you please to take the pains to see her once more I will conduct you to her to which Bernage seemed very willing and descended with him into a low place where he found her in a very fair Chamber fitting alone before the fire The Gentleman opened a curtain which was before a great Armory where he did see hanging all the bones of a dead man Bernage being touched with compassion had a great desire to speak unto her but durst not for fear of her Husband The Gentleman perceived it and said unto him If you please to speak any thing unto her you shall observe what words and language she hath Whereupon Bernage immediately said unto her Madam if your patience be equal to your torment I doe esteem you to be the happiest Lady in the World The Lady having tears in her eyes did answer him with a most gracefull hudblenes I doe confesse my fault to be so great that all the Evils which the Signior of this place whom I am not worthy to name Husband can bring upon me are nothing in comparison of my deserts and the grief I have so much to have offended him And speaking those words she did weep abundantly which the Gentleman observing took Bernage by the hand and did lead him forth The morning being come Beruage departed to put his charge in execution which the King had given him and taking his farewell of the Gentleman he could not forbear to say unto him Monsieur the love which I do bear unto you and the honour and the privacy which you have shewed to me in your house do constram me to declare unto you that it seems to me seeing the great repentance of your poor Wife that you ought to look upon her and to use her with compassion and since you are but young and have no children it will be a great losse that so noble a House should fall for want of Heirs that those who love you not peradventure will succeed you The Gentleman who determined with himself never more to speak unto his Wife did consider with himself of this discourse and Counsel of Bernage and acknowledged that he had given him good advice and did promise him that if she persevered in this humility he would look with some pity on her In this manner Bernage departed to the performance of his Commission and when he was returned to the King his Master he gave him all along the Account of what he had done in his behalf which the King found to be as he expressed and amongst other things Bernage having spoken of the beauty of that Lady the King sent his own Painter named John de Paris to limn that Lady to the life and bring her picture to him which having the consent of her Husband in it he performed And some weeks afterwards the Husband after the long penance of his Wife as well in the desire to have Children by her as in the compassion of her did take her again into his bed and had by her many lovely children Ladies if all those who have committed the like fault should drink in the like vessels I am shrewdly afraid that many gilded cups should be converted into Dead mens Skulls Now God take us into his keeping for if his Grace doth not restrain us there is not one here amongst us but is prone to doe as much but having our confidence in him he will preserve those who confesse they are not able to preserve themselves and those Ladies who doe most of all confide in their own strength and virtue are in greatest danger to be tempted to acknowledg their own infirmity and be you assured that there are very many whom Pride hath made to fall in such a case whiles humility hath saved others who were esteemed lesse virtuous The old Proverb doth therefore truly affirm
when ever she turned her back unto him he observed plainly the white stroak of Chalk upon her shoulder whereat he was so amazed that he could hardly believe what he did see with his own eyes and having a long time observed her height and the symmetry of her body which in all particulars resembled her whom he had in his arms and marked well the fashion of her countenance which he could not so perfectly discover as he would he knew for certain that it was she for which he was very glad that a young Lady who never before was know to have a servant but did refuse the love of many gallant Gentlemen should be surprized by him alone Love who is never constant to one estate could not endure that he should live long in this safe happinesse but did transport him into such a glory and vain hope that he resolved with himself to make his love known unto her thinking that when she found that it was discovered it would be a means to his advantage to make her to encrease it One day when the great Lady her Mistresse did delight her self in the Garden Camilla did walk by her self in one of the Alleys of the Garden The Gentleman seeing her alone did advance himself to entertain her and counterfeiting that he had never seen her in any other place he did say unto her Lady A long time it is since in my heart I have carryed a great affection to you and for fear to displease you I have not dared to reveal it unto you which hath rendred me so weak that without death I can no longer endure this torment for I am confident that never any one did know or feel so much of love as my self The young Lady Camilla would not permit him to finish his discourse but said unto him in a great choler Did you ever hear in your life that I entertained either friend or Servant I am sure you have not And I doe much wonder from whence this boldnesse should proceed that you should presume to hold this discourse with one of so known and unblemished a reputation as my self for by my Carriage and Demeanour in this Court you might easily understand that I never loved any but my Husband only and for this cause take heed how you continue this discourse The Gentleman observing her great dissimulation could not contain himself from laughter and said unto her Madam you have not been so rigorous unto me as you are at this present To what end doth it serve you to use such dissimulation to me were it not far better to have a love perfect than imperfect Camilla made answer to him I bear no more love unto you either perfect or imperfect than I do unto any other of the Servants of my Mistress But if you continue in the discourse you have begun you shall find that I do bear such a hate unto you that you may have the leisure to repent it The Gentleman for all that did pursue his Discourse and said unto her And where is now the good entertainment you were accustomed to give me when I must not see you why do you deprive me of the happiness that the Day may not shew me your beauties attended with so many Graces Camilla making a great sign of the Cross did say unto him You have either lost your understanding or are one of the greatest lyars in the world For never in my life as I do know of did I either give you better or worse entertainment than at this present and I pray let me understand what you doe mean by it The poor Gentleman thinking to assure her to him did name unto her the place whither she sent for him and the mark which he made with the Chalk upon her shoulder to gain a more perfect knowledge of her whereat she was so transported with Choler that she told him that he was the most wicked man in the world and that he contrived so scandalous a lie against her that she would make him to repent it whilst he â—â—ved The Gentleman who knew in what credit she was with her Mistress did endeavour to appease her but it was impossible For leaving him in the Alley she did repair to her Mistresse in a most violent Rage who loving her as her self and seeing her so transported did forsake all the Company to enquire of her the occasion of her choler which Camilla did not conceal but word for word did acquaint her all along with the Discourse which passed betwixt the Gentleman and her self and so much to the disadvantage of the poor Gentleman that on that very Evening his Mistress did command him immediatly to depart her Court and without speaking any thing to any body to retire himself to his own house and to stay there until she sent for him This Command of his Mistress was disagreeable unto him but he did suddenly perform it for fear of worse and as long as Camilla lived with her Mistress the Gentleman came not any more to the Court nor ever received any News from her concerning that which she had so often promised and which he had lost on that hour when hee had discovered who she was Ladies by this you may perceive how she who above her Conscience preferred the glory of this world did lose both the one and the other for that was discovered to the eys of all men which she would have concealed from her Husband and her Servant and seeking to avoid the mockery of them she fell into the scandal of all And she cannot be excused by the simplicity of a powerfull Love on which every one ought to have Compassion but she is doubly to be condemned to have shaddowed her Deceit under the mantle of Honour and of Glory and to make her self before God and Men to be better than she was But he who giveth not his Glory unto another in drawing open the Curtain did reveal her to her double Infamy We may here see said Oysilla an inexcusable sin for who can speak for her when God her Honour and Love himself do accuse her Who said Hircan Pleasure and Folly who are the two great Advocats for Ladies If we have no other Advocats said Parlament but those two amongst you men our Cause would be very ill maintained But those who suffer themselves to be overcome with pleasure ought not any more to be called Women but Men whose Fury and Concupiscence do augment their honour For a man who doth revenge himself upon his Enemy and doth kill him onely for the Lie is esteemed to be the bravest Gentleman and so is he who is in love with a dozen more besides his Wife But the honour of Women is grounded on another Bottom which is Mildness Patience and Chastity You talk only of some few Women who are wise said Hircan I do said Parlament because I do know no others If there were none of us fools said Nomerfide those who would be believed
the privy Counsel of God being ignorant of the first Causes do find all things new and so much the more admirable as we have the lesse desire or ability to perform them Wherefore fear not but that the Days Works that are to come will be altogether as pleasing and as full of variety as those which are passed only do you on your parts use your best indeavours Oysilla said that she did recommend her self unto God in whose name she did bid them Goodnight with that all the Company withdrew putting a period to the fifth Days Work The End of the fifth Days Work The Sixth Days VVork of the Novells of the Queen of NAVARRE The Preface IN the Morning more early than ordinary Madam Oysilla was in the Hall ready to begin her Lecture of which when of all those her Company were advertised for the desire they had to pertake in her good instruction they did make themselves ready with so much diligence that she stayed not long for them She knowing their hearts did read unto them the Epistle of Saint John the Evangelist which is full of Love The Company found those Viands to be so sweet that although they stayed there above half an hour longer than on other dayes they were accustomed yet it did not seem to them to be half a quarter of an hour departing from thence they repaired to Masse where every one of them did commend himself to the holy Spirit that on that day they might satisfie the pleasant audience After they had dined and taken a little repose in their chambers they resorted to the Meadow to continue there their accustomed Recreations Madam Oysilla demanded who should begin that days Journey Longaren made answer Madam I do give you my voice for this day you have read unto us so excellent a Lecture that it is impossible but you should rehearse unto us some history that may deserve to accomplish the glory which this morning you have merited It doth much grieve me said Oysilla that I cannot rehearse unto you this afternoon something which may be as profitable to you as what I did speak in the morning Neverthelesse the intention of my History shall not stray much from the Doctrine of the Word of God where it is written Put not your Confidence in Princes nor in the Sons of Man for of them cometh not your Salvation And that for want of an Example you may not bury that truth in oblivion I will recite unto you a sad Legend the memory whereof is so fresh that the tears are yet scarce wiped from their eyes who beheld the pitiful spectacle THE NOVELLS Of Queen MARGARET The perfidiousnesse and cruelty of an Italian The first Novel A Duke of Italy whose name I will conceal had a Son of eight and twenty years of age who was much in love with a young Maid of a good and honest Family and because he could not have the liberty to speak unto her as he would according to the custom of the Country he assisted himself by a Gentleman who was his Servant who was amorous also on a handsome young Maid a Servant to his Mother by whom he caused the great affection which he did bear unto his Sweetheart to be discovered The poor Maid thought no hurt of it but did take pleasure to doe him service conceiving his desires to be so just and honest that he had no other intention but she might well doe the message with honour and a good Conscience But the Duke who had more regard to the advancement of his House than to honest Love had so great a fear that these Loves might proceed to marriage that he did set a very strict watch over them and he was informed that the poor Girl was imployed to carry Letters from his Son to her whom he loved at which he was so incensed that he resolved to give an order to prevent it But he could not so well dissemble his choler but the Damosel was advertised of it who knowing the cruelty of the Prince which was as great as his Conscience was little she was in a marvellous fear and addressed her self unto the Dutchesse beseeching her to give her leave to withdraw her self into some place out of his sight until his choler was passed over But her Mistresse made answer to her that she would know her Husbands pleasure before she would give her leave Not long afterwards she understood the evil resolution of the Duke and knowing his complexion too well she not only did give the Maid leave to depart but advised her to retire her self into a Monastery until the Tempest was blown over which accordingly she did and as privately as possibly she could howsoever the Duke by his Spies was advertised of it with a countenance pretending Joy he demanded of his Wife where the Maid was who thinking that he already knew the truth did confesse unto him where she was for which he seemed to be sorry and told her that she needed not to put on so sad a Countenance for he on his part did mean no hurt unto her wherefore he advised her to send for her back again for he said the report of such a thing would not be good The Dutchesse said unto him if the poor Girl were so unfortunate as to be deprived of his favour it were better that for a certain time she should not appear in his presence But he would not receive nor allow her reasons and did command her that she should send for her again The Dutchesse did not fail to declare unto the Maid the pleasure and good will of the Duke of which she could not assure her self but besought her that she might not tempt her fortunes for she knew well enough the conditions of the Duke and whatsoever pretence he made it was most difficult unto his Nature to forgive The Dutchesse assured her that she should receive no prejudice at all and by her Messenger made protestations to her of it upon her life and honour The Maid who knew well enough that her Mistresse loved her and would not for any thing circumvent her did take a confidence in her promise believing that the Duke would never violate that security in which the honour of his Wife was ingaged and thereupon returned to the Dutchesse The Duke when ever he understood thereof did come into his Wives Chamber and having seen the Maid he said unto his Wife look yonder who is returned and turning himself towards the Gentlemen that followed him he commanded them to take hold of her and to carry her to prison The poor Dutchesse who upon the honour of her Word had tempted her out of the place of her protection was so astonished at it that she kneeled down before him and besought him most importunately for his own honour and for the honour of his House that he would not commit such an Act seeing that to obey him she had taken her from the place of security where she
the bonds And this Ladies doth excite me to intreat you that every hour you would demand of God his Holy Spirit that your hearts may be inflamed on his Love and that you may find no difficulty in the hour of Death to forsake that which too much in the world you loved If their love was so virtuous said Hircan as you describe it what was the reason that it was kept so secret Because said Parlament the malice of Men is such they will not believe that a great Love as such as this was can ever be joyned with honesty for they judge of virtuous Men and Women according to their own passions and for that occasion it is requisite that if a virtuous Woman doth please to entertain a virtuous Friend she must discourse secetly with him if she intends to discourse long with him for the Honour of a woman is as apt to be disputed on for loving according to the Laws of Virtue as to the unruly instructions of Vice for we judge not but only according to apparence You say something indeed said Guebron but when the secret comes to be revealed we judge not oftentimes so bad as there is occasion for I do confesse it in some cases said Longaren and therefore the best course is not to love at all We will appeal from that Sentence said Dagoucin for if we thought Ladies were without love we could wish our selves without life We understand that they only live to be beloved and although it sometimes doth fall out that they doe misse of this love yet hope doth sustain them and doth cause them to perform a hundred thousand honourable actions until old age doth change their honest desires into more sanctified resolutions They who would deprive us of the Love of Women must take Arms and Honour from Men and make them all Merchants and instead of acts of Chivalry must make it their only businesse to heap up riches If it were not then for Women said Hircan you will say that we were miserable and wretched as if Men had no hearts but what Women do give unto them But I am of a contrary opinion do believe that there is nothing which doth more abate the heart of Man than too much to love Women and to frequent their conversation And for that occasion it is that the Hebrews were forbid to go unto the warrs in that year wherein they were married for fear that the love of the Wife should draw him from those dangers which there he is bound to undergo For my own part said Saffredant I find no great reason in that Law for there is nothing that can make a Man sooner to goe out of his House than to be married for the Warrs without doors are always more grateful and more tollerable than that within and I do believe that to give a desire to men to travel into forein Countreys and not slothfully to amuse themselves at their own fires they ought to marry It is true said Emarsuite that marriage doth take from them all care of their own houses for being married they trust altogether to their Wives and they think on nothing themselves but on the purchase of Honour being confident that their Wives at home will take care enough for their profit In whatsoever sense you will render it said Saffredant I am very glad that you are of my opinion But all this while said Parlament you discourse not of that which is most considerable which is why the Gentleman which was the occasion of this most unhappy accident did not die of meer sorrow as well as the young Gentlewoman who was innocent Nomerfide made answer to her It is because that women do love better and more faithfully than Men. No said Simontault It is because the jealousie and the desire of Women do make them believe that which they have no reason to believe and the Wisedom of Men doth direct them to seek after the Truth only which being rightly understood doth show the greatnesse of their hearts as is apparent by this Gentleman who having understood that he was the occasion of the death of his Sweet-heart did make it remarkable how much he did love her without sparing his own life Howsoever said Emarsuite she died for true love for her faithfull and loyal heart could not endure to be so unexpectedly betrayed It was not Love but Jealousie said Simontault which would give no place to reason and because she did believe that Evil to be in her friend which indeed was not as she thought it was her death was constrained by an excesse of grief for it lay not in her power to help it but the death of her friend was voluntary and of his own accord after he knew the injury he had done her The Love must needs be great said Nomerfide which caused so great a sorrow You need not fear at all said Hircan that you will ever die of that Feaver And as much I dare undertake for you said Nomerfide you will never kill your self after you have known your offence Parlament doubting their debate might prove to her expence did smiling say unto them It is enough that two already have been dead for Love let Love let you two alone And hark this is the last time that the Bell rings in to Vespers Will you go or no Speaking those words the Company all did rise and did repair to the Evening Song not forgetting in their good prayers the soules of true Lovers for which the Monks of their own accord did sing their Hymn De profundis And afterwards as long as Supper did continue they had no other discourse but of Madam Du Verger and having for a pretty while passed away their time in such Conference they did all retire into their Chambers and did put an End to the Accounts of the seventh day The End of the seventh Journall The Eighth Dayes Iournal of the Novells of the Queen of NAVARRE The Preface THe Morning being come they sent to understand in what a readiness their Bridge was and understood that within two or three dayes it would be finished which did nothing please some of the Company who from their hearts desired that the Work would last longer that the contentment might contitinue which they received in that happy company And seeing they had but two or three days at most they were resolved not to lose that time and desired Madam Oysilla to administer unto them the Spiritual pasture of their Souls as she had been accustomed to do which accordingly she did and held them longer than was usual for before that they departed one from another she desired to put an end to her readings on Saint John in which she did so well acquit her self that it seemed â—he Holy Ghost full of Love and Sweetness did speak by her Mouth And all of them being inflamed with that Holy fire did repair to hear high Masse After Dinner talking together on the Journal of the Day
But observing that his wife was throughly mov'd at the love which he did bear to his Chamber-maid he did forbear to acquaint her with the evil turn that he had done her and asking pardon of her he did faithfully promise to abandon all-together his idle course of life This being done he gave back unto her the Ring which he had taken from his Companion whom he intreated not to reveal his shame to any But as all things whispered in the car are preached upon the House-top so not long afterward the truth was known and he was called Cuckold without any disgrace unto his wife Ladies I believe that if all those who have committed the like offences should endure the same punishment Hircan and Saffradant would be in a great fear and danger And why so Longaren said Saffredant Are there none married in this Company but only Hircan and my self There are said she but none that do play at such a Game When or where have you seen said Saffredant that we have made Chamber-maids of our Wives If the Ladies whom it concerneth would speak the truth said Longaren there may be found of their Chambermaids who have been gon from them before the Quarter day Truly said Guebron Are not you a strange Lady who instead of making the Company to laugh according to your promise do put these two poor Gentlemen into a choler T is all one said Longaren as long as it proceeds not to the drawing of swords their choler shall but double our laughter Let it pass said Hircan But if our wives were so rash as to believe his Lady she would move the most temperate of them unto Jealousie I know well enough before whom I speak said Longaren for their Ladies are so discreet and so intirely do affect them that although we should make them horns as great as those of a Stagg yet they would perswade themselves and the world also that they were Chaplets of Roses At that the Company and they themselves whom most nearly it did concern did begin to laugh so heartily that for the present they could not speak a word Dagoucin who had yet been silent could no longer contain himself and said That Man is unreasonable who having wherewith to content himself will search after other things for I have often seen that thinking to fare better and not to content themselves with their own sufficiency Men do fall into the worst of all when it is too late to complain for inconstancy is always to be disproved Simontault said unto him But what think you of those who have not yet found out their half part of love Do you call it inconstancy to seek for it in every place where it is to be found Dagoucin made answer Because a Man cannot tell what that â—alf part is whose union is so equal that the one differeth not from the other it is requisite that we should stay there where Love constraineth and whatsoever the temptation may be to change neither the heart nor the will for if she whom you love be so like unto you that she is of the same will the same desire with you It is your self whom you love rather than her Hircan replyed Dagoucin I will affirm That if our love be founded upon beauty complexion fashion or the favour of a woman and the end of that love be for pleasure honour or for profit the love cannot long continue for if that on which we doe ground our love prove defective the love will suddenly decay but I am confident in my Judgement that he who loveth hath no other end or desire but to be beloved and will rather lose his life than his love Upon my faith said Simontault I do not believe Dagoucin that you were ever in love for if you had known that fire as well as others you would not here have given us a description of Plato's Commonwealth which he did write of onely and had no other experience of it If I ever did love said Dagoucin I do love still and will love as long as I live but I have so great a fear that the expression of my love shall not be answerable to the perfection of it thaâ— I forbear to speak of it lest she from whom I do desire thâ— like height of love should not understand me according 〈◊〉 the absolutenesse of it as indeed it is And I dare not think my own thoughts for fear my eyes should reveal something of them For the more that I keep this fire concealed and covered the more doth the pleasure increase in me to find that I love so perfectly Shall I not believe then said Guebron that you would be glad to be beloved I do not say the contrary said Dagoucin but when I shall be so well beloved as I do love our love shall be so great that it shall not know how to increase nor be capable either of extension or diminution And till I find that love I shall be carefull how I do reveal it Parlament who suspected whither that fancy tended said unto him Take heed Dagoucin to your self for I have seen others who had rather die than confesse their loves Those said Dagoucin do esteem themselves to be thrice happy I said Saffredant and worthy to be put in the Chronicle of Innocents of whom the Church speaketh Non loquendo sed moriendo confessi sunt I have heard much Discourse of these extasies of love but never yet have I seen any one to die for Love And because I have escaped all the torments that love can afflict and have seen as I conceive the utmost of his tyranny on others I am of opinion that no man can die for love Say you so Saffredant said Dagoucin and would you be beloved because none of your opinion do die for love I can reckon a whole Catalogue to you of those who died of no other disease than of too violent a love Because you are so well experienced in the stories of them I will give you my voice said Longaren to give us an account of one which shall make the Ninth of this Journall To the end said Dagoucin that my true History followed with signs and miracles should work a faith into you to believe it I will in this place recite unto you what to my knowledge did happen about three years ago The Lamentable Death of a Gentleman in Love who too late received comfort of her whom he affected The ninth Novell BEtween Dauphin and Provence there lived a Gentleman more rich in virtue beauty and in courtesie than in the goods of Fortune who most intirely loved a young Gentlewoman whose Name I will not rehearse in respect unto her Kinred who are descended of good and great Families but you may assure your selves that the Story is most true and because he was not descended of so great a house as she was he durst not discover his affection to her for the extreme love which he did bear unto her
was so absolute and perfect that he did chuse rather to die than to desire any one thing which might tend to her dishonor and seeing himself in so low a condition in comparison of her he could not entertain the least hope to espouse her Wherefore his love was grounded on no other end but only with all his power to love her as perfectly as possibly he could of which at last she had some Intelligence And seeing the honest affection which he did bear unto her so full of virtue and civility she thought her self happy to be beloved by so worthy a personage and made so much of him that he who could not have wished for more was greatly contented at it But Malice the Enemy to all Quiet could not long suffer the continuance of a life so happy For some Informers whispered in the Mothers ear That they much wondred that this Gentleman was of such power in her house and that they suspected the beauty of her Daughter to be the only occasion of it with whom they oftentimes observed him to hold discourse The Mother who no wayes doubted the honesty of the Gentleman of whom she was as much assured as of any of her own Children was very forry that there was spread abroad such an uncharitable opinion of him but fearing that some scandall might arise by the malice of bad tongues she intreated him at last that for a certain time he would not come so often to her house as he was accustomed to do This was hard of digestion to him knowing that the civil discourse which he held always with her Daughter did not deserve that restraint Neverthelesse to stop the report of all ill tongues he retired for a time untill that report was silenced afterwards returned as he had been accustomed to do His absence had no ways diminished his affection Being in the house he understood that the young Lady was to be married to a Gentleman who in his opinion was not of that great Estate but that his own service might be as well entertained and be as acceptable as his He therefore began to take heart to imploy his friends to speak on his behalf supposing that if the choice were offered to the young Lady that she would prefer him unto the other Neverthelesse the Mother of the Daughter and her Kinred did make choice of the other because he was far more rich whereat the Gentleman was extremely melancholly knowing that his Mistresse would lose thereby as much contentment as himself Whereupon by little and little without any other Sicknesse he did begin to consume away and in a short time was so much changed that it seemed he had covered the beauty of his countenance with the Mask of Death to which day succeeding day and hour following hour he did joyfully repair So it was that he could not sometimes forbear from speaking to her whom he loved so intirely But at last his strength failed him and he was inforced to keep his Bed of which he would not advise her whom he loved because he was unwilling that she should partake in his affliction And suffering himself to sink into despair he at last could neither eat nor drink nor sleep nor take any rest insomuch that it was impossible to know him by reason of his leanenesse and the strange and sharp countenance which he had Some there were who advertised the Mother of his Mistresse of it who was a Woman full of pity and loved the Gentleman so well that if all her Kinred and Confidents had been of the same opinion as her self was and her Daughter they had preferred his Honesty and fair Deportment above all the Fortunes of the other but the Kinred who were on the Fathers side would not understand it Neverthelesse she resorted with her Daughter to visit the poor Gentleman whom they found rather dead than alive And perceiving that the end of his life did approach he sent for the Priest and having made his Confession he received the holy Sacrament thinking to have died without seeing any one But being ready to descend unto the sleep of Death and unexpectedly beholding her who was both his Life and Resurrection he found himself so fortified that he did arise up in his Bed and said unto the old Lady Some occasion hath brought you hithâ—â— Madam to give a visit unto him who hath already one foot in his Grave and of whose Death you are the occasion The Lady made answer How can that be possible that he whom we do love so well can receive his Death by our neglect Tell me I pray you upon what account of Reason do you speak these words Madam said he Although as much as it was possible for me I have dissembled the love which I most faithfully have born unto Madamoiselle your Daughter so it is that my friends speaking of the Marriage betwixt her and me have been more hot upon it than I desired seeing thereby I have received this Misfortune to lose all my hopes neither doth it so much afflict me for my particular but for that I am confident she can never be so well intreated by any other nor will be so well beloved as by me The observation which I make that she shall lose the most best and most affectionate friend and servant that she hath in the world doth more afflict me than the losse of my own life which onely for her alone I would preserve but because I find it cannot be serviceable any wayes unto her it is a gain unto me to lose it The Mother and the Daughter hearing these words did do the best they could to comfort him The Mother said unto him Take courage my Friend and I promise you upon my faith that if God shall restore you unto your health my Daughter shall have no other Husband but your self Behold she stands here before you and I command her upon the obligation of her Duty to make the same promise to you Her Daughter melting into tears did the best that she could to give him an assurance of that which her Mother had promised But he apprehending that if he were recovered he should not enjoy his Mistresse and that the good words that were given him were onely by degrees to restore him unto his lost health did say unto them That if these words had been spoken to him but three Moneths agoe he had been the most healthfull and the most happy Man in all France but this Relief came so late unto him that it could neither be believed nor hoped And when he observed that they did indeavour to inforce a belief into him of what they promised he said unto them Since so faithfully you have promised that great happinesse which can never arrive unto me though now your selves would have it so by reason of the great weaknesse in which I am I shall crave a far lesse favour which as yet I have not had the boldnesse to demand Immediatly they did both
swear unto him that it should be performed and desired him with confidence to demand it Whereupon he said unto the Mother of the young Lady I do beseech you that you would give her in my arms whom you do promise shall be my Wife and that you do command her to embrace and kisse me The young Lady who was not accustomed to such familiarities did make some difficulty of it but her Mother expresly did command her seeing he had lost both the understanding and the force of a living Man On that Command the Daughter did advance her self upon the bed of the poor sick Gentleman and said unto him My old Friend I pray you to be frolick The poor Gentleman sanguishing in his extreme weaknesse stretched forth his arms despoyled of flesh and blood and with all the force of his body embraced the Cause of his Death and kissing her with his pale and cold lips did hold her close unto him as long as possibly he could and said unto her The love which I have born unto you hath been so great and virtuous that Mariage excepted I never desired of you any other happinesse than what I now enjoy for the event whereof and in this possession of it I with joy shall commend my Spirit unto God who being himself perfect love and charity doth know the greatnesse of my love and the honesty of my desires beseeching him having now my desires in my arms that he would receive my Spirit into his arms And speaking those words he took her again into his arms and with so much vehemence that his weak heart could not endure the strength of his love which was immediately immediately abandoned of all the faculties of life for his Joy was so much dilated that the seat of the Soul failed which did fly to her Creator And although the poor body continued a long time without liâ—e and therefore could no longer possesse the rich prise it so lately gained yet the love which the young Lady had till then concealed did now so violently declare it self that the mother of the living and the servants of the dead had much to do to separate the union and were at last enforced to pull the living almost dead from him who was already dead whom they did honourably interr but the greatest triumph of his obsequies were the tears the sighs and the complaints of the poor young Lady who declaâ—ed her self as much after his death as she concealed her self in his lâ—fe and now as it were satisfied for the injury she had done him And since as I have heard it reported the Husband that was given her to take off from himself thoughts of melancholy could never be entertained with any true joy or comfort of heart You may see here Gentlemen what before you would not believe by my words This Example is sufficient to make you confesse that a true and perfect love being too long concealed or misprised doth bring us as low as death There is none of you who know not the friends and kinred both of the one side and the other wherefore you need not to make any doubt of it and there is no man who hath made experience of it but will believe The Ladies hearing it had every one of them tears in their eyes But Hircan said unto them This is the veryest fool that ever Theaâ—d speak for tell me on your own credit is it likely or reasonable that we should die for women who are made for us and that we should be afraid to ask them what God hath enjoyned them to give unto us I speak not for my self nor for any man here that is married for I have enough of a woman or rather more than will serve my turn but for those only who are in necessity who in my opinion are but fools to be in fear of those whom they ought to make afraid Do you not observe the sorrow which this young Lady suffer'd for her folly for since she imbraced a dead body a thing repugnant to Nature she would not have refused his living body if he had shewed as great boldnesse living as dying be moved pitty Neverthelesse said Oysilla The Gentleman in this made an excellent Remonstrance of the love and civility he did bear her for which he shall be commended throughout the whole world for to find chastity in an amorous heart is a thing more divine than belonging unto man Madam said Saffredant to confirm the opinion of Hircan from whom I differ noâ— I must intreat you to believe me that Fortune doth assist the bold spirit and that there is no man if he be beloved by a Lady but if he can but wisely and affectionately follow his sute will in the end receive all that which he demandeth or at the least in part But Ignorance and a faint heart do cause men to â—ose many brave adventures and then they ground their losse upon the virtue of their Mistresse whom they never did attempt for never was there a place that hath been gallantly assaulted but it hath been taken I do much worder at you two said Parlament that you dare maintain this discourse Surely those whom you have loved have either not held you long or the assault bath been made on so advantagious a place that you think all Women alike Madam said Saffredant As for my self I am so unfortunate that I have no reason to make any boast but I impute not my misfortune to any virtue of the Ladies but to my own defects in having either not wisely begun oâ— too rashly prosecuted my Design and I will allege the old Romant of the Rose instead of many Doctors which saith we are merry Girls and Boys no doubt all alike the Boys for the Girls and the Girls for the Boys Wherefore I do believe that if love be once in the heart of a woman the man may arrive unto his ends if he be not sottishly overseen Parlament said And if I shall tell you of a Lady of a gallant personage that did love and was sollicited and importuned and neverthelesse deported her self most virtuously and was victorious over her own body and her friend will you say that a true thing is impossible Yes said he You are hard of Faith said Parlament if you believe not this example Dagoucin said unto her Madam since I have proved by example the virtuous love of a Gentleman even unto death I must intreat you if you do know any like unto it in the honour of some Lady that you will be pleased to rehearse it for the end of this days journey and you need not fear to be too long for we have yet time enough to speak of many honest Subjects Since the last lot falls to my share said Parlament I will hold you in a long discourse for my History is so good so fair and so true that it seems long unto me until I make you partakers of it and that you know it as well as
heart as it were her own businesse And Avanturade so much prevailed that she presented Amadour unto her who in â—issing of her hand had almost swouned away for Joy and although he was esteemed the best Speaker in all Spain yet he was struck dumb before Florinda at which she was much amazed for although she was but of twelve years of age yet she well understood That there was not one in all Spain that could speak better or with a greater grace and seeing that he said nothing she began to speak unto him Amadour the Renown which you have gained throughout all Spain is so great that it makes you known in this place and company and administers both a desire and an occasion to those that know you to imploy themselves to doe you good wherefore if there be any thing in which I may be beneficial to you you may imploy me in it Amadour who observed the beauty of the Lady was so ravished with it that he had much to do to say I thank you Although Florinda was astonished to see him without an Answer she did impute it rather to his bashfulnesse than to any force of Love and departed from him without speaking any more Amadour observing the virtue which in such a tendernesse of youth did begin to show it self in Florinda did say unto her whom he intended to make his Wife Marvail not at all that I became as a dumb Man before Florinda for her virtues and wise discourse hid in so young an age did so amaze me that I knew not what to say unto her But Avanturade I must beseech you to inform me for you know the Secrets of the House what Princes Lords and Gentlemen do frequent it for they that know her and do not love her are either Stones or Beasts Avanturade who before did love Amadour better than any one in the world could conceal nothing from him and told him That Madam Florinda was beloved of all the world but because of the custom of the Countrey there were but few admitted to speak unto her and that as yet she had not seen any that had made any profession of love unto her but only two young Princes of Spain who desired to espouse her one whereof was of the House and the Son of the Infant Fortunate and the other was the young Duke of Cadouce I pray you said Amadour Tell me which of them do you think that she loveth best She is so wise said Avanturade that she professeth that she hath no other will but that of her Mothers but as far as we can judge she loveth the Son of the Infant Fortunate far better than the young Duke of Cadouce And I esteem you to be a man of that Judgement that on this day if it please you you may satisfie your self therein for the Son of the Infant Fortunate is brought up in this Court and is one of the most lovely and most absolute young Princes in Christendom And if this Marriage should be according to the opinion desire of us Maids he should be sure to have Madam Florinda that we might see together the most gallant couple in the World And you ought to understand that although they are both of them very yong she not being above twelve and he fifteen years of age yet it is three years since first their love began And above all things if you would obtain the favour of Florinda I would advise you to be a Friend and Servant to the Infant Fortunate Amadour was very glad to understand that Florinda loved any thing hoping at last that he might gain the place if not of a Husband yet of her Servant for he feared nothing in her virtue but only that she could not be induced to love After this Amadour did altogether frequent the Lodgings of the Son of the Infant Fortunate whose favour easily he obtained for all the Pastimes which the young Prince loved Amadour knew how to perform and above all things he was most expert in the riding of great Horses and in all kind of weapons and in other recreations and exercises which a young man ought to know After this the War began in Languedoc and Amadour of necessity was to return with the Governor which was not without great grief for he had no longer the means nor opportunity to come into that place where he might behold Florinda for which purpose he did speak unto his Brother who was the Major Domo in the Court of the Queen of Spain and told him of the entertainment he found in the House of the Countesse of Arand and of the Damosell Aventurade desiâ—ing him that in his absence he would use his utmost endeavour that the Marriage might suddenly be solemnized and that he would imploy therein the Reputation of the King and Queen and of all his friends The Gentleman who loved his Brother as well for his virtues as for the contiguity of blood did promise to perform the uttermost he was able which he did accordingly Insomuch that the old and covetous Father of Avanturade did forget his nature to regard the virtues of Amadour which the Countesse of Arand and above all the beautifull Florinda did set forth before his eyes In the same manner also did the young Count of Arand who as he did grow in age did grow also in love with gallant and virtuous men When the Marriage was accorded on the Major Domo sent to seek out his Brother whiles the Truce lasted betwixt both the Kings During this time the King of Spain retired to Madrid to avoid the contagion of the bad ait which was in many places And by the advice of his Council and the request also of the Countesse of Arand he made the Marriage betwixt the Dutchesse Medina-Coeli an Heiresse and the young Count of Arand as well for the benefit and Union of both Houses as for the love he did bear to the Countesse of Arand and he commanded that that this Marriage should be celebrated in the Castle of Madrid At this Marriage Amadour was present who followed his own so closely that he espoused her by whom he was better beloved than he did love for he onely made this Marriage as a Coverture and a means to frequent the place where his Soul incessantly did abide After he was Married he assumed that boldnesse and was so familiar in the House of the Countesse of Arand that the Ladies had no more regard of him than of one of the Gentlewomen of the House And although he was then but two and twenty years of age he did deport himself so discreetly that the Countesse did communicate to him all her affairs and commanded her Son and her Daughter to make much of him and to take that counsell which he advised them Having gained this high Esteem he did carry himself so wisely and so cunningly that even those whom he loved did not know his affection But Florinda loved the wife of Amadour more than
any other and was so intimate with her that she concealed not from her her most private thoughts and declared to her all tho love which she did bear to the Son of the Infant Fortunate and she who did hope to gain him intirely did speak of him incessantly and on any Discourse where mention was made of him she would with delight take hold of it and a long time entertain it Amadour after his Marriage with Avanturade stayed not above one moneth with this Company but was constrained to return to the War where he continued above two years without seeing of his Wife who kept alwayes with her with whom she was brought up During this time Amadour did often write unto her but the greatest part of his Letter was Commendations to Florinda Avanturade did not fail to show the Letters to Florinda who returned him thanks for it and sometimes with her own hand would signifie as much unto him in the Letters which Avanturade answered which was the occasion that made her Husband more carefull to write more often unto her But in all this Florinda knew nothing but only that she loved and respected him as her own Brother This was the Intercourse of Letters betwixt Amadour and Avanturade and Amadour who in the space of five years had hardly seen Florinda two whole moneths yet neverthelesse his Love in despite of absence did continually encrease But now the time was come that he made a voyage to see his Wife and found the Countesse of Arand a great way from the Court. For the King of Spain was gone to Vandelusia and had taken with him the young Count of Arand who already did begin to bear arms His Mother the Countesse was retired to a House of pleasure which she had upon the Frontires of Arragon and Navarre she was very joyfull to see Amadour returned who almost for three years together had been absent He was very welcom to them all and the Countesse of Arand commanded that he should be entertained as her own Son As long as he was with her she declared to him the whole state of her affairs and committed the greatest part of the Government of her House to his discretion He gained so great an estimation that in all places thereof wheresoever he came they opened the doors unto him believing him to be so able and so wise a personage that in all things they did put their confidence in him as if in some Saint or Angel Florinda for the love which she did bear to his Wife and to himself did give great respect unto him in all the places wheresoever she did see him not knowing any thing of his Intention wherefore she minded not what countenance she gave him for her heart felt not any heat of a violent passion but onely she received a great contentment when she was near Amadour and no other thought of love possessed her Amadour to avoid the Judgement of those who are experienced in the looks of Lovers in comparison of others was in a great perplexity For when Florinda came familiarly to speak unto him as one who thought no hurt the fire concealed in his heart did so violently inflame it that do what he could his colour would rise in his checks and the sparkles of Desire would fly from his eyes And to the end that in their daily conversation it might not be discerned he pretended to court a very fair Lady called Paulina a Lady who in her time was esteemed so beautifull that few men that ever saw her did escape her bonds This Paulina understanding how well Amadour had deported himself at Barcelona and Perpignan insomuch that he was beloved by all the most beautifull and virtuons Ladies of that Country and above all by the Countesse of Palamons who in beauty was esteemed the chiefest in all Spain told him That she much pityed him that after so many great fortunes he had married so ill-favoured a woman Amadour apprehending by those words that she had a desire to remedy her own necessity did entertain her with the best Language that possibly he could thinking by making her to beleeve a pretence that she should serve to be a coverture for the truth but she being cunning and experienced in love was not contented with words but conceiving to her self that his heart was not satisfyed with her Love she doubted lest he did not make her serve for a cloak only whereupon she did so closely observe him that her eyes were always fastened upon his but he did so well dissemble it that she could not make any certain judgment of any thing but only had an obscure suspition which was a great torment to this Gentleman But Florinda who was ignorant of all those Jealousies did speak oftentimes before Paulina so familiarly to Amadour that he put himself to an extraordinary task to command his eys against his heart And to prevent the falling into an Inconvenience speaking one day to Florinda and leaning both upon the Window he said unto her Madam I beseech you that you will be pleased to advise me which is the best to speak or to die Florinda readily made answer to him I shall alwayes advise my friends that it is best to speak and not die for a few words may be mended but life being lost can never be recovered You shall promise me then said Amadour that you shall neither be offended nor be astonished at the words I shall speak untill you shall understand the end for which I speak them She replyed to him Speak what you please for if you shall astonish me no man else shall recover me to my senses I assure you He then began to speak Madam I have not yet expressed unto you the great affection which I bear you for two Reasons First That I intended by my long service to give you an experience of it and Secondly because I doubted you would conceive it to be an unpardonable arrogance to addresse my self unto you who were I a Prince as your self yet the loyalty of your heart would not suffer any other but he who hath taken possession of it the Son of the Infant Fortunate to hold any discourse of Love with you But Madam as in great wars Necessity doth constrain us to make a wast of our own goods and oftentimes to spoil the Corn in the blade that the Enemy may make no advantage of it so have I made an adventure to hazard the fruit which in time I did hope to gather that neither your nor my Enemies might make to themselves any profit by our Damage Understand Madam that since you were scarce twelve years of age I have been so devoted to your service that I have never ceased from searching out the means to obtain your favour and for that occasion I married her whom I thought that you loved best And understanding the love which you bear to the Son of the Infant Fortunate I have endeavoured to serve and honour him as you
have seen And whatsoever I thought would be pleasing to you I have sought it with all my power you see How I have procured the good opinion of the Countess your Mother of the Count your Brother and of all those whom you doe love in a manner that in this house I am not taken so much to be a Servant as a Child and all the travel that for these five years I have undertaken hath been to live all the remainder of my life with you And you must understand that I am none of those who by this means presume to enjoy any pleasure or profit by you but what shall be virtuous I know well enough and am confident that I can never marry you and if I could I would not do the least Injury to the love which you bear to him whom I desire to see your Husband To prosecute you with a vicious love as those who hope for some recompence for their service by the dishonor of their Mistresses I am so far from that that I had rather see you dead than to know you lesse worthy to be beloved or that virtue was abated in you for any pleasure that could arive to me For the end and recompence of all my service I doe desire only but one thing which is that you will be so constant a Mistress to me that you will never remove me from your favours and continue me in the degree in the which I am reposing more confidence in me than in any other and having this assurance that if for your honour or any thing that doth concern you you shall need the life of a Gentleman mine shall be imployed with all my heart for you In like manner that all honest and virtuous things that I shall doe shall be done onely for the love of you And if for Ladies of a far lower condition than your self I have performed deeds that have highly been esteemed be you assured that for such a Mistresse my enterprizes shall be doubled so that those things which before I left off as difficult and impossible shall now become easie to me But if you will not accept me to be altogether yours I have resolved with my self to leave off the Exercise of Arms and to bid Adieu to Virtue that hath not helped me at my need Wherefore Madam I most humbly beseech you that my just sute may be granted to me which neither your Honor nor your Conscience can deny The young Lady hearing those words so unusuall to her did begin to change her colour and held down her eyes as a Woman astonished Howsoever being of a ready and a great understanding she said unto him Since it is so Seignior Amadour that you demand that of me which you have already how doth it come about that you have made unto me so long an Oration I have so great a fear that under your honest words there are some ill Intentions hid to deceive the Ignorance of my youth that I am in a great perplexity to answer you For if I should deny that honest love which you offer me I should do contrary to that which hitherto I have done who do put more confidence in your self than in all the Men in the world Neither my Conscience nor my Honor do contradict your Demand nor the love which I do bear to the son of the Infant Fortunate for that love is grounded upon Marriage to which you can have no pretence I know nothing that may withhold me from giving you an answer according to your desire but onely Fear which invades my heart grounded on the small occasion you have to begin this Discourse for if you have already that which you demand what is it doth constrain you to speak so affectionatly Amadour who now was not without an answer said unto her Madam you speak most wisely and do me so much Honour by the Confidence which you say you repose in me that if I should not content my self with this happinesse I should be unworthy of any other But you are to understand Madam that he who would raise a lasting edifice ought to regard that he doth lay a sure foundation therefore I who desire to continue perpetually in your service do not only look upon the means to keep me near unto you but also to hinder what I can that the great affection which I bear unto you may not be discovered For though it be so honest that the least sin cannot be found in it yet so it is that those who know not the hearts of true lovers do oftentimes judge against the truth and from hence proceed so many ill reports the events whereof have been so mischievous The cause which hath enforced me to speak and to declare this unto you is Paulina who doth so strongly suspect me perceiving in her own heart that I cannot love her that in all places wheresoever I do come she is alwayes with a watchfull eye looking stedfastly on my face and when you come to speak familiarly unto me before her I have so great a fear to give some sign by which she might ground some bad construction that I am ready to fall into an Inconvenience from which I would fain keep my self so that I have conceived it expedient to beseech you That before her and such creatures as she is you would not be pleased to speak so suddenly unto me for I had rather by far be out of the world than any one alive should have the least knowledge of it And were it not for the love which I owe unto your Honour I should not have taken this resolution to speak these words unto you for I am sufficiently happy in the love and confidence you have in me without demanding any thing more but onely your continuation of it At these words Florinda received so great content that she could not indure a greater and began to feel in her heart something more than before she was accustomed to find and considering the honest reasons he alleged she told him That Virtue and Honour had made answer for her and did accord to that which he desired If Amadour was not joyfull of this assurance I leave it to those to judge who have been themselves in love But Florinda began to follow his counsel more than he desired for she who was fearfull did not only forbear to speak unto him before Paulina but also before all others and in this discontinuance of Discourse she began her self to suspect the frequent communication which Amadour had with Paulina who did like it very well and now did confidently beleeve that Amadour did love her Florinda to passe away this sorrow did daily entertain Aventurade who began to be very jealous of her Husband and Paulina and oftentimes did complain of it to Florinda who did comfort her the best she cold being one who was infected her self with the same Disease Amadour quickly perceived by the Countenance of Florinda that not only she estranged her self
Lady both together Now much good do 't such Husbands said Parlament who love nothing but their own pleasure but a Woman of Honour will never love her Husband so Neverthelesse said Simontault this Lady of whom the Account hath â—in made had for the present Time forgotten that she was a woman for a Man knows not how to exercise a fuller vengeance She was not wise said Oysilla and it is not requisite that others should be accounted such as she was Such as she was said Saffredant why what was she He that shall under your Petticoats examine what are the fair and honest accoutrements you carry there shall find you all to be but Women Nomerfide said unto him We have enough of this I would fain hear an Account that should carry some observations of worth in it Therefore I pray you Longaren to give your voice to whom you please Longaren looked on Guebron and said unto him If you have any story of some virtuous Lady I pray you to give us the Narrative of it Guebron replyed to her I am to speak what I conceive my self to be expedient I will therefore account unto you what not long since did happen in the City of Milan A Lady of Milan approved the hardiness and conrage of her Friend which was the reason that afterwards she loved him with all her heart The Sixt Novell IN the time of the grand Master de Chaumont there was in the City of Milan a Lady who was esteemed one of the most virtuous women that lived in that age She had been married to an Italian Count whose Relict she was and lived in the same house with her Brother-in-laws She could never indure to hear any talk of a second Husband and did deport her self so discreetly and devoutly that there was not either a Frenchman or Italian in the whole Dutchie of Milan who did not highly esteem her One day when her Brother-in-laws and others of her Kinred made a great Feast to the grand Master De Chaumont this widdow was constrained to be present at it being never before at such a meeting since her Husbands Death or in any other publike place When the Frenchmen beheld her they did highly extol her beauty and flowing carriage and above all one Gentleman whose Name I will conceal but it shall suffice that in all Italy there was not a Frenchman more worthy to be beloved than himself For he was accomplished with all the beauties and the graces that are requisite to a gallant Gentleman And although he beheld this Lady Dowager in her black attires severed from the youth and in a corner amongst the old Ladies yet he whom neither man nor woman could ever subdue unto a Capacity of Distrust did begin with confidence to court her and to take off her mask and forsaking the Dancing did altogether addict himself to the Company of this Lady And all the evening he stirred not from her but discoursed with her and the old Ladies in her Company amongst whom he found more delight than amongst all the brave and gallant Ladies of the Court Insomuch that when they were all to depart he had not the leisure he thought to hold discourse with any of the rest And although he talked with her of common subjects fit for such a publick Company yet she perceived well enough that he had a great desire to be acquainted with her and resolved with her self to keep from him as much as possibly she could insomuch that he could never see her afterwards neither at any Feasts or Publick assembly which made him to enquire the more after her and he found that she often frequented the Churches and religious places where he kept so good a watch that she could not go so privately but he would be there before her and would be sure to stay in the Church as long as possibly he could see her and all the time he was there he would contemplate on her beauties with so devout an affection that she could not be ignorant of the love which he did bear unto her To avoid which she for a certain time resolved with her self to counterfeit her self sick and to hear Masse in her own House at which the Gentleman was so sorry that it was impossible to be more for he had no other means to see her but only in the Church She believing that in her absence he had discontinued his Custom to frequent the religious places did return to the Churches as before which love presently declared to the Gentleman who betook himself again to his former Devotions and because she should make no more obstructions in the progresse of his love and for fear that he should not have that happy leisure again to make known his affections to her one morning when she thought she was safe enough in a little Chapel where she heard Masse he came to the end of the Altar and seeing but two or three more neer unto her as the Priest shew'd them Corpus Domini he turned to her and said Madam Let that be my Damnation whom the Priest now holds in his hands if you are not the only cause of my Death For although you have taken from me all the means of speaking to you yet you cannot be ignorant of my Love for the Truth doth sufficiently declare it to you by my languishing eyes and by my pale countenance The Lady seeming not to understand him made answer That God ought not in that manner to be invoked in vain although the Poets do affirm that at Lovers perjuries the Gods do laugh and that women who love their honour ought nor to be credulous or compassionate And speaking those words she did arise and return'd to her Lodging If the Gentleman were not touched to the heart with this answer those who by experience have found the like are able to affirm But he who wanted not a good heart had rather go away with that unpromising answer than to have failed in declaring his good will unto her which he continued for the space of two or three years and courted her by Letters and presents without losing time or tide But during all that time he could obtain no other answer but that she did fly from him as the Lamb did from the Wolf yet something was insinuated that it was not so much for any hatred she did bear him but for the fear of her honour and reputation which he perceived so well that more vigorously than ever before he pursued his affair And after many pains refusals torments and despairs the Lady observing the force and continuance of his love did take pity on him and did grant him that which he had so much desired and so long attended And when they had agreed upon the means the French Gentleman failed not to adventure into the House although his life thereby was in great jeopardy seeing that a great part of her Kinred did lodge in the same house with her But she who had
no lesse wit than beauty did direct him so discreetly that he came into her Chamber on the hour she assigned where he found her lying alone in a very rich Bed and as he made hast to put off his cloaths to go into the Bed to her he heard a great noise at the door of people speaking to one another and of swords clashing against the walls The Lady with a Countenance half dead said unto him At this minute is both your Life and my Honour in the greatest Danger that possibly can be for too well I understand that my Brothers are seeking you out to kill you Wherefore I intreat you to conceal your self under my Bed for when they cannot find you I shall have a just occasion to be angry with them by reason of this alarm which without Cause they have given The Gentleman whose noble heart did always scorn the base effects of Fear replyed unto her And who are your Brothers that they should make me afraid If the whole Generation of them were together I am confident that they would not stand against the point or the edge of my Sword wherefore lie still in your Bed and let me alone to guard your Door Immediatly he clapped his cloak about his arm and took his Sword in his hand and opened the Door to find those Swords more neer him which made so great a noise The Door being opened he beheld two Chambermaids who with two swords in either hand did occasion the Alarm they said unto him Monsieur Pardon us for we have received Commission from our Mistresse to do as we have done but you shall have no other hinderance or disturbance by us The Gentleman seeing they were two Maids did wish all the Devils in Hell take them both and shutting the Door on the faces of them he made all the speed he could to the Ladies Bed whose frights had no ways diminished his love and forgetting to ask her the reason of that skirmish he thought on nothing but to satisfie his desires And perceiving that the Day approached he intreated her to tell him wherefore she had done him so ill an office by holding him so long in delayes and also what was the meaning of the Enterprise of the two Chambermaids the last night She laughing made answeâ— to him My Resolution was never to love again which from my Widdowhood I had a long time observed but your civil Deportment from the first hour wherein you spake unto me at the Banket hath made me to alter my purpose and I began at that instant to love you as much as you could love me It is true that Honour which in all my actions hath been my guide would not permit that Love should cause me to do any thing whereby my Reputation might suffer but as the Hart wounded to Death doth think by changing of place to change the malady he beareth along with him so did I remove from Church to Church thinking to flie from him whom I carried in my heart who hath now proved his love to be so perfect that the Agreement is made and Honour doth accord with Love But to the end that I might be the more assured to commit my heart my love to an absolute Man I was willing to make this last proof by my Chambermaids assuring you that if either for fear of your life or any other regard I had found you so timorous and so tame as to have hid your self under my Bed I was resolved with my self to rise and to withdraw my self into another Chamber without ever seeing you again But because I have found you courteous and lovely and more full of Spirit and courage than it was reported to me that fear cannot enter into your heart nor make cold that love which you bear unto me I am resolved to continue with you untill the end of my dayes being confident that I cannot put my Life and Honour in a surer hand than in his who I believe hath not his equal in all Virtues And as if the Will and Desires of Lovers were immutable they did promise and swear unto one another to perform that which was not in their power to perform which was a perpetual Love which cannot continue in the hearts of Men as those Women know who have made trial of it and how long those Resolutions do endure And therefore Ladies you should take heed of us as the Buck if he had understanding would of the Hunter For our Glory Felicity and Indeavour is to see you surprized and to take that from you which is more dear unto you than life it self How now said Hircan unto Guebron How long ago is it since you have been a Preacher I have known the time that you have maintained another Doctrine It is true said Guebron I do speak now against that which I have practised heretofore all the whole Course of my life but because I have teeth so weak that I cannot eat Venison my self I would advertise the poor Does to beware of the Hunters to make some recompence in my old age for the sins I have committed in my youth We thank you Guebron said Nomerfide for that which you have counselled us to our profit but we do now perceive our selves to be a great deal too young for you for it appears that in your Youth you gave not the same exhortations to her whom you loved which is a sign that now in your age you do neither love us nor your self neither would you willingly suffer us to be loved by any other Howsoever we think our selves to be as wise and virtuous as she whom so long you followed and courted in your Youth But it is alwayes the Glory of the gray beard and those that walk with a staff to think themselves more wise than those who do come after them Nomerfide said Guebron it is very well when the Deceit of some of your Servants shall by experience teach you to understand the subtilty of Men you will then believe what now I have spoken to be truth Oysilla said to Guebron It seems to me that the Gentleman whom you so much commend for Courage ought to be praised more for the violence of his love which is a Power so strong that it will make the greatest Cowards in the world to enterprise that which the most valiant would think and think of again before they would undertake it Saffredant said unto him Madam It seems to me that if this French Gentleman esteemed not the Italians to excell more in their words than in their deeds he might have some great occasion for fear He had so indeed said Oysilla were it not for that fire in his heart which consumed his fear If you find not his Courage commendable enough said Hircan give us an account of some one else who is more worthy of praise To speak the Truth said Oysilla the Gentleman was to be praised but I can give you an instance of One in the
you have married her yes Sir said the Bastard but by words and a contract only and if you please the full period will be put unto it The King did hold down his head and without speaking any word returned directly unto the Castle and when he came neer unto it he called the Captain of the Guard and commanded him to take the Bastard prisoner Immediatly one of his friends who observed the countenance of the King did advise the Bastard to absent himself and to withdraw into a house of his not far from thence and if the King commanded him to be sought out as he suspected he would that immediatly he should have notice of it that he might provide for his own safety by his slight out of the Kingdom but if the King seemed not to be displeased he would send him word to return to the Court The Bastard did believe him and his diligence made such dispatch that the Captain of the Guard could not find him The King and the Queen did take counsel together what they should do with Rolandine who had the honour to be their Kinswoman and by the counsel of the Queen it was concluded that she should be sent unto her Father to whom the whole truth of the businesse was to be declared But before she did goe it was ordered that diverse of the Kings Counsel and some also of the Church should represent unto her that as yet there had passed nothing in her marriage but her word only and that she might easily recall herself if both one of them and the other would alter their opinions and their loves and disclaiming all interests make the contract of no effect This the King desired that she would do to preserve the honout of the house of which she was but she made answer that in all other things she was both obliged and ready to obey the King but in this only which so nearly concern'd her conscience she desired to be excused alleging that those whom God had put together ought not to be separated by men and desired that she might not be tempted to so unreasonable a thing for if love and good will grounded on the fear of God is the true and sure tye of Marriage she was tyed so fast that neither Steel nor Fire nor Water could either break or consume that bond but death only to whom alone and to none else she was resolved to surrender her oath and her ring beseeching them not to urge her to the contrary for she was so firm in her resolution that she had rather perish keeping her saith than live having infringed it Those who were deputed by the King made the report unto him of her constancy and when they saw they could provide no remedy to cause her to renounce her husband they carried her to her Father in that pitiful manner that wheresoever she passed they did all fall on weeping to behold her and although she had her failings in this contract yet so great was her punishment and so strong her constancy that she made her fault to be esteemed a virtue Her Father hearing this unwelcom news would not see her but sent her to a Castle of his in a Forrest which he had builded for another occasion worthy to be declared after this Novel He kept her there a long time in prison and sent her word oftentimes that if she would forsake her Husband he would account her for his daughter and set her at liberty Neverthelesse she always did hold firm in her determination loved better the place of her prison and the miseries she endured for her Husband than all the liberty of the world without him and it seemed to those who did behold her that all her punishments were but pleasant recreations because she suffered them for him whom so intirely she affected What shall I say in this place of men The Bastard who as you have heard was so much obliged to her did fly into Germany where he had many friends and shewed by his Inconstancy that not Truth and perfect Love but Avarice and Ambition did perswade him to the marriage of Rolandine Insomuch that in a short time after he grew so amorous of a German Lady that by his Letters he did forget to visit her who sustained so many tribulations for him For Fortune as rigorous as she was unto them did never take from them the means to write to one another but the heart of Rolandine had of its self the first apprehension of the foolish love into which the Bastard was fall'n so that she could not take any rest for she observed that the language in his Letters was so cold and so much altered that they nothing resembled those hearty expressions which she was accustomed to receive from him she therefore truly did suspect that some new love had diverted her Husband from her and when all the punishments and the torments she endured could nor work the least change in her at all and because her perfect love would not allow that she should ground her judgement upon a suspition she did contrive a way to send privatly a servant of hers in whom she trusted not to speak unto him or bring any Letters from him but strictly to observe him and to relate the truth He being returned from his Journey told her that for certain he found the Bastard passionatly amorous of a German Lady and the report was that he did court her in way of marriage for she was very rich This news did convey so extreme a grief to the heart of poor Rolandine that being unable to endure it she fell grievously sick Those who understood the occasion did acquaint her that since she perceived the great inconstancy of the Bastard she might now justly abandon him and did the uttermost they could to perswade her to it but notwithstanding she was thus tormented to the last they could find no means to make her change her resolution And in this last temptation to the great commendation of her virtue she did manifest the absolute love which she did bear him For as love did diminish on his side so it did increase on hers and did continue firm when he had no intire nor perfect love for love which failed on his side did turn on her side and when she knew that the love was intire in her alone which before was divided betwixt them both she resolved to preserve it to her death both for him and her self Wherefore the Divine bounty who is perfect charity and true love had pity on her griefs and did regard her patience insomuch that after a few days the Bastard dyed in pursute of another woman she being well advertised of his death by those who saw him laid in the earth did send unto her Father to beseech him that he would be pleased to come unto her who having not spoken to her since the time of her imprisonment did immediatly repair unto her and having all along understood
and see him hoping also that his sight would conduce something to the health of his Wife Signior D' Avanes having received the Letter did make no delay at all and came in Post to the House of his Father At the entrance into the house he found the Men servants and the Maid servants making so great a lamentation as the losse of so good a Mistresse did deserve whereat the Signior was so amazed that he stayed at the door like a man in a trance the good old man his Father seeing him did make hast to imbrace him and began to weep so abundantly that he was not able to speak one word He brought him into the Chamber where his Wife was who turning her languishing eyes towards him did give him her hand and drawing him with it towards her with all the strength she had she imbraced him and kissing him again and again did make a marvellous complaint and said unto him O Sir the hour is now come that all dissimulation must cease and that I must confesse the truth which I have so much indeavoured to conceal from you It is that if you for your part have born any love to me you may believe that my love hath been altogether as great as yours but my affliction hath surpassed yours because I have taken such pains to conceal it against my own heart For Sir you are to understand that God and my Honour did not permit me to declare it to you fearing that I should add that unto you which I had a desire to diminish But know Sir that the word of Denyal which I have so often spoke unto you hath done me so much prejudice to pronounce it that it is the occasion of my death with which I am well contented since God hath made me so happy that neither the violence nor the excesse of my love hath blemished at all my conscience or reputation For with a far lesse Fire than is mine there hath been far greater and more noble structures ruined But now I shall depart contented that before I die I shall declare my affection to you to be equal unto yours nothing excepted but that the honour of men and women are not alike I shall desire you Sir for the time to come that you will enforce your self to make no addresses but to the most noble and most virtuous Ladies for in their hearts do dwell the strongest passions and are alwayes most wisely managed and the Grace Beauty and Civility which is in you will not permit that you shall be fruitlesse And I beseech you so to remember me and to think of my constancy as that you will not impute that unto cruelty which is to be attributed to Honour Conscience and Virtue which ought a thousand times to be more dear unto us than life it self Now Sir I shall bid you farewell and commend you to the good man whom you vouchsafe to call Father and who is my Husband to whom I must beseech you to declare the truth what you know of me that he might throughly understand how much I have loved God and himself and I must beseech you to forbear to come any more before my eyes for the few hours I have to live I will altogether imploy them in the meditation of the promises which God hath made unto me before the Creation of the World and speaking these words she gave him the last kisse and imbraced him with all the force of her feeble arms Signior D' Avanes who had his heart within him as surprized with compassion as was hers with the Agony of Death being not able to speak one word unto her did withdraw himself from before her and threw himself upon a Bed which was in the next Chamber where oftentimes he swouned away Not long after the Lady called for her Husband and having made many honest remonstrances unto him she did recommend unto him the care of Signior D' Avanes assuring him that next unto himself he was the person whom she best loved in the World And kissing her Husband she did bid him adiew Immediatly afterwards she commanded that the Sacrament of the Altar should be brought unto her and after that the Unction which she received with great joy as being assured of her Salvation And finding that her eyes began to grow dim and all her strength to fail her she did speak aloud her In manus At that Cry Signior D' Avanes did rise from the bed and looking compassionatly on her he came in a sweet sigh to render his Soul unto her as she was rendring her Soul unto God to whom she was going and when he perceived that she was dead he did run to the dead body to which being alive he durst not approach but in fear and imbraced it and kissed it in such a manner that with much difficulty they did take her from between his Arms her Husband was much astonied at it for he never perceived that he did bear such an affection to her and saying to him Sir It is too much they both retired from her And having made a long lamentation the one for the Death of his Wife the other for the Death of his Friend Monsieur D' Avanes did give him an account at large of the whole course of his Love and that to her Death she never made any signe unto him but what did expresse Severity and an obstinate Chastnesse whereat her Husband being more contented than ever did double his grief for the losse of her and continued all his life afterwards in doing good services to Signior D' Avanes who was then not above eighteen years of Age. After this he departed to the Court where he continued divers years without seeing or speaking to any Woman in the world and he did wear mourning apparel two years together for her Ladies you may here observe the difference betwixt a wise woman and a foolish who do shew distinctly by themselves the different effects of love by which one of them received a death commendable and glorious and the other did lead a life loose and infamous For as the Death of a holy Man or Woman is pretious before God so the Death of a Sinner is as displeasing Truly Saffredant said Oysilla you have rehearsed to us as pleasant a History as I have ever heard and he who knew the persons as well as my self would find it yet more pleasant for I have never seen a braver Gentleman nor of a greater Gracefulness than the said Signior D' Avanes Do you think said Saffredant that a wise and a young Woman to dissemble her love which the counsel of Nature doth admit that she should bear to so desireable a Gentleman should ever suffer her self to dy for denying her self that pleasure of which so violently she desired the content covertly and he openly If she had such a desire said Parlament she had place and occasion enough to declare it to him but her Virtue was so great that she would
strange doth make me to forget all fear and it may be that Folly being discovered will make others more wise A marvellous Example of humane frailty in a Lady who to have her Honour concealed did fall from bad into worse The tenth Novel IN the time of King Lewis the twelfth one of the house of Amboys named George being then Legat in Avignon and Nephew to the Legat of France had a Lady in the County of Languedock whose name I will conceal for the Love I doe bear unto her Family she had yearly about four thousand Crowns in Rent and was a Widdow in a very young age being the Mother but of one Son And for the grief for the losse of her Husband and for the love she did bear unto her Infant she resolved with her self never to marry again and to avoid all occasions enducing thereunto she refused to keep company with any but only with people of Devotion thinking with her self that it is opportunity that makes sinners This young Lady Dowager did altogether addict her self to the reading of Godly books and did eschew all companies that had relation to the World Insomuch that she made Conscience to assist at any marriage or to hear the Organs to play in the Church When her Son arrived at the age of seven years she took a Man of a holy conversation to bring him up at School by whom he might be indoctrinated in all virtues moral and divine When her Son was of fifteen years of age Nature who is the most secret School-Master finding him high fed and living a life as slothful as luxurious did teach him another Lesson than ever the Doctor did for he began to behold and to desire those things which were beautiful and amongst others a young Maid who did lie in his Mothers Chamber of which not any had the least suspition for the Woman took no more regard of him than if he had been still an Infant and because that all the house over there was no other talk but of God only This young man began privatly to court this Maid who could not be quiet for him insomuch that she came to her Mistresse and did acquaint her with it who did so much love and esteem her Son that she conceived with her self that the Maid had made this report unto her of him only to cause her to hate him But she so often did presse her Mistresse concerning it that she said unto her I will know if it be true or noe and if I find it to be true accordingly as you report it I will chastise him but if it shall appear to be otherwise and the report shall be found to be false be sure that you shall endure punishment And to make tryal of it she did command her to appoint her Son a set time to come at midnight to lye with her in her chamber in the bed hard by the door where the said Damoisel was accustomed to lie alone The Damsel obeyed her Mistresse and when the night came the Lady did put her self into the Maids bed being resolved that if it were true as the Maid reported she would chastise him so well for it that she would make him to remember whiles he lived how he lay with a woman again Being in this determination and choler her Son did come at the set hour to lie with her She who for all she saw him come into the Bed to her did believe that he would not commit the dishonest act it self and deferred to speak unto him till she knew some evident sign of his hot will believing that his desires would content themselves with some small pleasures and not proceed unto the Act it self But her patience was so strong and her Nature so frail that forgetting the Name of a Mother she converted her choler into an abhominable pleasure And as the water by force retained doth run with a greater impetuousnesse when way is made for it than when it runneth in its ordinary course so this poor Lady did forfeit her glory by the restraint which she did give unto her self For when she began to descend from the first degree of her honesty she found herself suddenly transported to the last and she herself was great with child by him whom she watched to keep another from running into the same enormity with him This Sin being committed the remorse of Conscience did bring unto her so great a torment that her repentance did not leave her during her life Rising from her Son who alwayes afterwards thought it had been the Maid she entred into her Cabinet where calling to mind her good resolutition and her bad execution of it she passed away all that night in tears and lamentations hy her self But instead of humbling her self as she ought to doe and acknowledging an impossibility in her self and the perversenesse of her flesh which without the grace of God can do nothing else but fin thinking of her self and by her own tears to give fatisfaction for what was passed and by her own prudence to eschew all evil to come excusing her sin by the occasion and not imputing it to her own weaknesse for which there is no remedy but only the grace of God she resolved with her self that she would doe a thing whereby she would never fall into the like inconvenience again And as if there were but one kind of sin to condemn her only she indeavoured with her self for the time to come to avoid that sin But the root of Pride did increase continually in her heart insomuch that eschewing one evil she committed divers others for the next morning as soon as it was day she sent for the Governour of her Son and said unto him My Son begins to grow up it is time to send him to travel I have a Kinsman that is on the other side of the Hills with Monsieur the Grand-Master Chaumont who will be very glad to give him entertainment I would desire you presently to goe along with him and that I may take no grief at his departure let it be your care that he comes not to me not so much as to crave my blessing and speaking those words she did give him so much money as was necessary for the Journey On that morning the Young-man departed who was very glad of it for he desired nothing more than after his Pleasure with his Sweet-heart to travel to the Wars The Lady continued a long time in a great me lancholy and were it not that she had the fear of God before her eyes she had oftentimes made an end of that unhappy fruit with which her womb was pregnant wherefore she for many moneths pretended her self to be sick that her Night-Gown might cover her Imperfection And when she was ready to lye down finding there was none in the world in whom she had so much considence as in her Bastard Brother whom she had endued with great possessions she sent to seek him and did acquaint
that those whom God keeps are well kept In my opinion said Parlament the punishment is but reasonable and as just as moy be for as the offence was worse than death so was the punishment worse than death I am not of your opinion said Emarsuite for I had rather all my life time behold the bones of dead Servants in my Cabinet than indure to die for them there is no crime so great which cannot be amended but after death there is no amendment at all How is that said Longaren can you amend your Honour you know I am sure that after such a misfortune whatsoever a Woman can doe she can never recover her honour Tell me I pray you said Emarsuite if Mary Magdalen hath not more honour now amongst men than her Sister who was a Virgin I must confesse said Longarine that we do praise her more but it is for the great love which she did bear our Saviour and for her repentance for if you doe observe it the title of a Sinner doth continue with her still I care not said Emarsuite what name men give unto me for if God doth pardon me and my Husband to boot there is nothing that I know of for which I would die Although that Gentlewoman did not love her Husband as she ought said Dagoucin yet I doe wonder that she did not die for grief to behold the bones of him whose death she occasioned by her own offence Say you so Dagoucin said Simontault are you yet to understand that Women are capable neither of grief nor love Yes said he and that is the reason that I never dare to tempt their loves for fear I should find lesse than I desire You live then said Nomerfide like a Plover of the Wind upon Faith and Hope we may seed you at a cheap rate I am contented said he with the love which I doe find in my self and the hope I have in the heart of one Lady which if I know to be such as I hope it is the extream content thereof would so transport me that I should not endure it without death Nay be wise said Guebron and take heed of that Plague for it is a dangerous malady I dare assure you But I would know to whom Madam Oysilla will give her voice I doe give it said she to Simontault who I do know will not spare any You praise me so highly said Simontault that you doe almost call me a Detractor Howsoever I will not forbear to represent unto you that those whom they call Detractors have spoken the truth And Ladies I am confident ye are not so foolish to believe that in all these Novells which have been spoken whatsoever appearance they may have of truth yet if they were brought to the triall the proof is not so great but they may be a sufficient Subject for the Sceptick nay oftentimes we find a great abuse under the pretence of a miracle and therefore I have a desire io give you an account of one which will be no lesse to the honour of a faithfull Prince than to the Dishonour of a wicked Minister of the Church The abhomination of an incestuous Priest whose Sister under the pretence of a holy life was great with child by him and of the punishment that did follow thereupon The third Novell COunt Charles of Angoulesm Father to King Francis the first of that name a virtuous Prince and fearing God being at Coignac intelligence was brought unto him that in a Village not far from thence called Chernes there was a Vigin lived so austere a life that it was admirable yet neverthelesse she was great with Child which she no ways dissembled but was proud of it and assured all the people that came to behold her that she never knew man and that she could not conceive which way she conceived it if it were not by the adumbration of the Holy Ghost which the people easily believed and did repute her to be a second Virgin Mary Every one that knew her did affirm that from her Infancy she was so precise that there never appeared the least sign of any worldlinesse in her She fasted not only the Fasts commanded by the Church but many days in the week she made Fast-days for her private Devotion and as song as any service was said in the Church she never stirred from it wherefore her life was so much esteemed by all the people that every one did come on purpose to look upon her as a wonder and happy was he who could but touch her garment The Curat of the Parish was her Brother a man of about fifty years of age and of a very austere life and accounted by his Parishioners to be a very holy Man who to outward appearance did intreat his Sister so roughly that he did in a House keep her shut up as in a prison at which the people were very much displeased and the report of this miracle was so great that the news thereof was brought to the Ears of the Count who perceiving the abuse with which all the world was possest did desire to take it away wherefore he sent the Master of the Requests and his Almoner two very accomplished personages to understand the truth thereof who repaired to the place and to be informed as diligently as possibly they could they did addresse themselves to the Curat who seemed to be much amazed at the affair and besought them both to assist him in the attestation of it which he said he hoped would give satisfaction to the World The next morning the said Curat did sing Masse in the Church at which his Sister did assist him on her knees being very big with Child At the end of the Masse the Curat did take into his hand Corpus Domini and in the presence of all the Assembly did speak unto his Sister Wicked and Blasphemous as thou art accused to be Behold here him who hath suffered death and who was crucified for thee before whom I demand if thou art a Virgin as thou hast always assured me She boldly and without the least Impression of fear made answer to him Yes And how then is it possible said he that thou shouldest be great with Child and yet remain a Virgin She answered I can give no other cause thereof but that it is only by the Grace of the Holy Spirit who doth in me that which he pleaseth Howsoever I ought not to deny the grace which God hath vouchsafed to me which is to preserve my Virginity for I had never the least desire to a Husband Her Brother then said unto her I give thee here the precious Body of Jesus Christ which thou shalt receive to thy own Damnation if it be otherwise than thou allegest of which these Honourable personages who are sent hither from the Count shall be the Witnesses whereupon his Sister who was about thirty years of age did take this following Oath I take the Body of my Lord here present to
History but to Parlament only but if they had not I should have given it her before any other because from her we do always learn something that is both gratefull and remarkable Since I must put an end to the discourse of this Afternoon said Parlament and that I promised yesterday to give you the reason wherefore the Father of Rolandine did build that Castle in the Forest where so long a time he did keep her a prisoner I will in this place give you an Account thereof The Excellent Relation of a Lord who caused his Brother-in-law to be put to death not knowing the nearness of the Allyance The tenth Novell THe Lord who was the Father of Rolandine had many Sisters some whereof were married very richly others of them were Religious Votaries and one of them who lived in his own house was beyond comparison more beautifull than the rest Her Brother did love her so intirely that he preferred her above his Wife and Children She was demanded in Marriage by many gallant personages but because he would not have her removed from him or peradventure because he loved his wealth too well he would not seem to understand it which was the Cause that she lived the greatest part of her age unmarried leading a most virtuous life in her Brothers House in which there was bred up with her a gallant young Gentleman who as he increased in age so he increased in beauty and was so esteemed for his virtue that he governed all things in his Masters house insomuch that when he desired his Sister to doe any thing he imployed this Gentleman to deliver his mind unto her This authority was the occasion of a great familiarity which by sending him both early and late unto her was by their dayly frequentation much increased But the young Lady fearing her Honour and the Gentleman his life if he should offend his Master they received no other pleasure by their love but only the content to converse together At the last her Brother told her how much he was obliged to this young Guntleman who was in the same house with her and that he never saw any man whom he desired more to his Brother in law than this Gentleman He so often expressed these words unto her that she having communicated them to this Gentleman they presumed that if they should marry he would give them an easie pardon And Love which willingly believeth that which it desireth did prompt them to conceive that if they should marry nothing but good would come of it In this assurance therefore they did conclude and accomplish their marriage there being no man that knew of it but the Priest only and some few Women And having lived certain years in that pleasure which a married man and woman ought mutually to enjoy as being the most accomplished couple at that time and the truest Lovers that were in Cristendom Fortune envying to behold two persons to live in so great a happinesse would not vouchsafe to grant a continuance to it but stirred up an Enemy to them who observing this Lady did take notice of her great happinesse not knowing of her marriage Whereupon she came unto her Brother and informed him that this Gentleman in whom he reposed so great a trust had recourse too often to his Sister in her Chamber and in such hours when entrance ought not to be admitted This report was not believed the first time so much he trusted to his Sister and this Gentleman but the woman brought in against them so many informations pretending that it was for the honour she did bear unto his house that he so narowly did watch them that these two parties thinking no ill were surprized fast asleep in one anothers Arms. Her Brother having one Evening received advertisement that the Gentleman was gone into his Sisters Chamber he immediatly repaired thither and found them both blinded with love and asleep together The indignation which possessed him at the sight thereof did take away the utterance of his words and drawing his sword he did run after the Gentleman to kill him but he being very nimble of body did fly away in his shirt and being not able to escape out of the door did leap out of the window into the Garden The poor Lady his Sister being in her smock did on both her knees kneel down to her Brother and said unto him Sir Save the life of my Husband for I am espoused to him and if he hath offended punish me only for what he hath done hath been at my request Her Brother being outragious made no answer at all but only said And if he were your Husband a hundred thousand times yet will I punish him as an unfaithfull Servant who hath both deceived and disgraced me And speaking those words he did put his head out of the Window and commanded aloud that they should kill him without mercy which was suddenly put in execution before his own eyes and his Sisters who beholding this lamentable spectacle which no prayers of hers could remedy did talk unto her Brother as a woman out of her senses Brother said she I have neither Father nor Mother alive and I am at that age that I may marry whom I will at my own pleasure I have chosen that Gentleman concerning whom you your self have oftentimes spoke unto me and assured me that it was your desire that I should marry him and for my obedience to your Counsel although for what I have done I could justifie my self by Law without you you have killed that Man whom you your self loved the best in all the world Since it is so that my prayers could not preserve him from Death I do beseech you by all the love that you have born unto me that at this present you will make me the Companion of his Death as I have been in the fortunes of his Life Doing this you shall both satisfie your cruel and most unjust choler and give rest unto her Soul and Body who neither can nor will live without him Her Brother notwithstanding he was so transported that he had even lost all Reason yet he was touched with such a compassion at his Sisters words that without granting or denying her Request he did leave her alone to her self and having considered what he had done and understood in earnest that the Gentleman had married his Sister he wished with all his heart that he had never committed so rash a deed and he was possessed with so strong a fear that his Sister would demand either Justice or Vengeance that he caused a great Castle to be builded in the midst of a Forest into which he did put her and did forbid that any one should speak unto her Some years afterwards to satisfie his Conscience he did assay to gain her and did imploy some persons of trust to commune with her concerning a second Marriage but she sent him word That he had given her already so bad a Dinner
and happinesse It is true that the Honour you have done me will make me the more to be esteemed amongst People of my condition but what Man is there after I have seen you that I shall take care to look upon And by this means my heart shall be in a perpetual liberty but only for the obligation with which it always shall be charged to pray to God for you for there is no other service which I can doe you The young Prince observing this honest answer although it was not according to his desire did not esteem lesse of her than he did before and used the utmost of all his art and eloquence to perswade her to a belief that he would never love any other Woman but her self but she was so discret that so unreasonable a thing could never enter into her understanding During this discourse although it was often represented to him that his Cloaths were brought from the Castle yet he took such a delight to hear her that he caused it to be reported that he was asleep until the hour of Supper was come at which he durst not but be present by reason of his Mother who was one of the wisest Ladies in the world And thus this young Prince departed from the house of his Butler and mote highly than ever esteemed of the honesty of this Maid He oftentimes discoursed of her to the Gentleman that did lie in his Chamber who conceiting that money would prevail more than love did counsell him to offer her a round sum of money to condescend unto his will But the young Prince whose Mother was his Treasuresse had no large allowances for such petty pleasures howsoever he did take up all he could borrow and made up a sum of five hundred Crowns which he did send unto her by his Gentleman desiring her to alter her resolution But she when ever she did behold the present did say unto the Gentleman I pray Sir tell your Master that I have a heart so upright and honest that if I must obey him in that which he commands me the beauties and the graces that are in him had already overcome me to it but if they have not prevailed upon my honour all the money in the world can never corrupt me to it wherefore I pray you to return it back unto him for I preferr an honest poverty above all the Goods that can be desired The Gentleman seeing her obstinatenesse had recourse unto thoughts of Cruelty and did proceed so far that he did threaten her with the power and the Authority of his Master But she smiling did reply unto him Make those afraid with that who do not understand it for I know well enough that he is so wise and so virtuous that such words cannot proceed from him and I am most confident that he will disavow them when you shall repeat them to him But if it should be as you say there is neither Torment nor Death so cruel that shall make me to alter my resolution for as I have told you since Love cannot turn my heart not all the Good nor all the Evil that in this world can arrive unto me shall ever be able to divert me from the fastness of my Counsels The Gentleman who had made a Promise to his Master that he would gain her for him did with a marvellous despite bring back this answer to him and did perswade him to use all means possible to obtain his Desires of her telling him that it was not for his Honour to be denyed by a Maid of her Condition But the young Prince who would use no other means but what Honesty did command fearing also the report that might ensue thereon if it were brought to his Mothers ear who being a very austere Lady would be very angry with him did not dare to undertake it But his Gentleman at last contrived a way so easie for him that he did think he had her already in his Arms and to put it in execution he did speak unto the Butler who resolving with himself to serve his Master in any way whatsoever it were did one dey desire his Wife and his Sister-in-law to go with him to a House which he had near unto a Forest to see his Vineyard there which they both promised to do When the Day was come he did acquaint the young Prince with it who determined with himself to go thither without any Companion at all but his Gentleman who lodged in his Chamber and gave order to have his Mule in readinesse on the appointed hour But God so pleased that on that day his Mother did accouter a marvelous rich Cabinet which she had made and to assist her in it she had all her Children with her where amongst the rest the young Prince was busied until the appointed hour was passed Being with-held by his Mother the young Prince could not keep his word with his Butler who had taken his Sister-in-law on horseback behind him and advised his Wife to counterfeit her self sick so that when they were ready to set forth there came one to tell him that she was fallen ill on the sudden and could not go with them When the Butler was at his Farm in the Country and saw that the hour was passed in which he expected the young Prince he said unto his Sister-in-law It is in vain to stay any longer we will return from whence we came His Sister asked him who it was he stayed for I did expect the young Prince here said the Butler who did promise to give me a meeting When his Sister-in-law did understand that wickednesse she said unto him Make no stay at all my Brother for his occasions at the Court are so importunate that on this day I doe know he cannot come Her Brother did believe her and did ride back to the City with her When she was come back she told her Brother in the height of her choler that he was the Varlet of the Devil and did more than he was commanded by the Prince for she was assured that this design of carrying her abroad was an invention of his own and of the Gentlemans and not of the Princes whose money he had rather gain to encourage him in his follies than perform the office of a good Servant and because she had found him to be such a man she would stay no longer in his house and immediately she departed from her Sister and did goe to her own inheritance The chief Butler having failed in his enterprise did repair unto the Castle to understand the reason why the Prince did not come according to his promise and in the way he found him on his Mule and none with him but the Gentleman in whom so much he trusted The Prince said unto him what now is she there The Butler declared every thing to him according as it fell out The young Prince was heartily sorry that he performed not his promise and the rather because he
good Woman the Widdow who was James his Mother being present did comply with him and said I in good troth since his Death we are no more visited than if we had never seen one another and this is all the reckoning that is made of poor Widdows Hereupon they did grow into new Indearments and the Mercers Wife did promise to visit her more often than ever And as they were speaking those words there came in other Customers whom the Master did lead into another Shop And the young Man taking his opportunity said unto his Mother I would forsooth that she would be pleased to come to us upon some Festival days to visit the holy places which are about us and especially the Religious if she would vouchsafe sometimes as she passeth by to take a Cup of wine it would be a great pleasure and an honour to us The Mercers Wife who thought no evill made answer to them that a fortnight ago she had determined with her self to walk abroad to see her friends and that if the Sunday following was a fair day she would take her pleasure then and as she passed by she would give a visit to her This being agreed upon the agreement followed for the price of the pieces of silk for James thought it was not requisite for the value of a litttle silver to lose so fair an opportunity The plot being laid and the Merchandise carryed away James perceiving that he alone was not able to carry on the enterprize was constrained to declare himself unto a faithfull Friend and they both did lay their heads so well together that there wanted nothing but the performance On the Sunday following the Mercers Wife and her Daughter on their return from their Devotions did not fail to call at the Widdows house where they found her with a good Woman a Neighbour of hers talking together in the gallery belonging to the Garden there was also the Daughter of the Widdow James his Sister who was walking up and down the Allees of the Garden with her Brother and Oliver James when he beheld his Sweet-heart did so compose his countenance that he did not reveal the least sign of Joy and in that grave garb did address himself both to the Mother and the Daughter And as it is ordinary that the Old do always keep company with the Old the three Women did sit upon a Bank which was so made that they were inforced to turn their backs towards the Garden into which by degrees the two lovers entred and walked untill they came unto the place where Oliver and his Sister were where some Salutations and Complements being passed they did walk again in the Allees of the Garden where the young Man did so well declare his intire affection to Frances that she could not but have compassion on him and did not altogether refuse that which her friend demanded so that he perceived that she was comming on and according to his expectation But you are to understand that during the time they were in this Communication they oftentimes walked up and down by the Bank where the good Women sate to take away suspition from them talking sometimes aloud of vulgar and familiar Subjects and sometimes making an apparence as if they were in a great Contestation And in this manner they passed up and down not far from the good Women for the space of half an hour at which time James made a sign to Oliver who played his part also vellâ—ry we with the other Maid whom he discoursed with insomuch that it could not be perceived when the two Lovers entred into a green plat shadowed with Cherry trees and enclosed with Goosberry Bushes and Roses where they pretended to goe to beat down Almonds in one corner thereof but it was indeed to gather Plumbs Here James instead of giving his Sweet-heart a Green Gown did give her a Red one for her blood did flush into her cheeks to find her self surprised before she was aware They had so readily gathered their plumbs because they were ripe that Oliver could not believe it were it not that he beheld the Maid to hold her head down towards the ground as if she had been ashamed which gave unto him a token of the Truth for before as she walked she did hold up her head without any fear that the vein in her eye which ought to be red should be seen to have taken the Azure colour which James perceiving with Remonstrances necessary to that purpose did endeavour to restore it to its first complexion and walking afterwards three or four turns in the Garden it was 〈◊〉 without tears and sighs Frances saying oftentimes unto him Wo is me Was it for this that you did love me Good God And if I had but thought on it What shall I doe you have undone me for ever In what Fame shall I now live What shall become of me I assure my self that you will make no more reckoning of me especially if you are in the number of those who do only love for pleasure Alas the time that ever I was born or being born that I had not died before I fell into this error These words were not uttered without abundance of tears But James did so comfort her with so many solemn Promises and Oaths that after they had walked three or four turns in the Garden more and he had made a sign to his Companion they ented again into the Grasseplat by another way where James did not behave himself so unmanly but she received far more pleasure at the giving of the second Green Gown than at the first and moreover did like so well of it that they entred into a consultation how they might see one another more often and more to their delight In which a young Woman a Neigbour of the Merchants and one of James his Kinswomen and one who was a very good Friend to Frances did very much assist them In this condition of life for ought that I can understand they continued without scandal until the consummation of their marriage which was a very rich one for the Daughter of a Mercer in regard she was the only child he had True enough it is that James a long time stayed for the death of the Father who was so locked up to himself that it seemed to him what he held fast in one hand the other would steal from it Ladies you may here behold a Love well begun well continued and best of all concluded for although it is a common thing with you Men to disdain a Maid or Woman who hath been too liberal to you of that which you most seek of her so it is that this Gentleman being possessed with a true and sincere Love and having known that in his Sweet-heart which every Husband desireth in her whom he hath espoused and finding her also wise and well descended would not forsake her he himself being the occasion of the fault that was committed neither would he
fashion of a Collar they came to attend the Countesse as she was going to Church who when she beheld them so strangely accoutred began to laugh and said unto them From whence come these dolorous people Madam said Astillon We your poor slaves and prisoners are come to do you service The Countess making a semblance as if she knew nothing at all did say unto them You are not my prisoners neither can I understand what occasion you have to do service to me more than to any other whereupon Valtebron advanced himself more near unto her and said Since we have fed so long on your Bread we should be ungratefull Madam if we should not do you service She did put so good a countenance upon it pretending to understand nothing at all that she thought with her bold dissimulation to have amazed them but they followed their process so closely that she perceived that the businesse was discovered Wherefore incontinently she did find an expedient to deceive them for she who had lost her honour and her Conscience would not receive the shame which they thought to have brought upon her who but as one who preferred her pleasure above all the honour of the world did make nothing of what they said and did not alter her Countenance at all at which they were all astonished seeing that they had brought upon themselves that shame which they thought to have done to her Ladies If you find not this History able enough to make you understand that there are Women as subtle and as wicked as Men I will look out some others for you Howsoever it seems to me to be sufficient to demonstrate to you that a Woman having lost her shame is a hundred times more bold and more ready to do evil than a Man There was not a Woman in all the Company who heard this History but made as many signes of the Cross as if at that present before their eyes they had seen all their Enemies in Hell But Oysilla said Ladies Let us humble our selves when we do hear of such horrible things for a Woman forsaken by God doth render her self like unto him with whom she joyneth For as they who do adhere to God have his Spirit with them So they who adhere unto the Devil have always with them the temptations of the Prince of Darkness And there is nothing so Bestial as a Woman destitute of the Spirit of God Why what had this poor Lady done said Emarsuite I can find nothing I only hear a story of Men who vaunted of their prison I am of opinion said Longaren that it is no lesse pain and trouble for a man in this kind to conceal his good fortune than it is for them to obtain it for there is no hunter but sounds his horn at the fall of the Game nor Lover but doth glory having gained the Victory over his Mistresse Loe here an opinion said Simontault which before the inquisition it self I will maintain to be heretical for there are more men by far than Women that can keep Secrecies and I do know very well that there may be some found who had rather have no good cheer at all than that any body should understand it And the Church as a good Mother hath ordained Priests who are men to be Confessors and not Women because they can conceal no secrets It is not for that occasion said Oysilla but because Women are so great Enemies to Vice that they would not so easily give absolution as Men and would be far more austere in their injunctions of penance If they would be as severe in their penances said Dagoucin as they are in their answers they would make Sinners rather to despair than they would lead them to Salvation Wherefore the Church hath provived well in all things Howsoever I cannot excuse those Gentlemen who did boast so much of their Prison for there was never any Man that received honour by speaking ill of Women Because the Act was common amongst them all said Hircan in my opinion they did well to comfort one another But they ought not to have confessed it said Guebron for their own honour for the Books of the Round Table do teach us that it is no point of honour in Chivallry to beat one who is not worth any thing I do much wonder said Longaren that this poor Lady did not die for shame before these Prisoners Those who have once lost it said Oysilla do hardly or never recover it again unlesse it be those whom a violent Love hath made to forget it and I have seen many of those to recover their lost shame I believe said Hircan that you have seen those to return who have never set foot forward for an entire love in a VVoman is very hard to find I am not of your opinion said Longaren for I know there have been some who have loved until death I have such a desire to hear that Novelty said Hircan that I doe give you my voice to find that Love in Women which I thought had never been But when you have heard it said Longaren you will believe it and confesse that there is no passion so violent as that of Love And as it makes us to undertake things almost impossible to purchase a little contentment in this life so more than any other passion it inforceth Him or Her who have lost the hope of their desire as it will appear unto you by this History One in love having been let blood received the gift of Mercy by which he died and his Sweet-heart killed her self for the losse of him The tenth Novel IT is not yet a full year since there was a Gentleman in the City of Cremona named Monsieur John Peter who a long time had loved a Lady who lived near unto his house but in the purchase which he made did not receive the Answer he desired although she did love him with all her heart At which the poor Gentleman was so perplexed that he retired into his own Chamber and determined with himself no more in vain to seek after that the pursuit whereof did consume his life and indeavouring to divert his fancy and affection he did keep within some dayes without seeing the Lady whom he loved by reason whereof he did fall into so extreme a melancholy that it quite altered his Complexion His Kinsman caused the Physicians to come unto him who finding his complexion to be turned yellow did judge it to be an opilation of the Liver and did prescribe him Medicines for his Recovery The Lady who had been so rigorous unto him knowing well enough that his Disease came only by her denials did send unto him an old Woman in whom she trusted and did command her to acquaint him from her that since she found by experience that his love was true and not counterfeit she was resolved to accord unto him in all those things which for so long a time she had refused She had found
a way to goe out of her own house into a place where privatly she might see him The Gentleman who on that morning had been let blood in the arm finding himself to be better recovered by that Message than he could be by Physick or all the receits that could be given him did teturn word that he would not fail to come at the hour she appointed and that she had wrought an apparent Miracle for by one word she had cured a Man of a Disease for whom all the Physicians could find no Redresse The Evening being come which he so much longed for the Gentleman repaired to the place which was appointed with so great a Contentment that it could not be increased He attended not long but she whom he loved better than his own soul did come to find him He did not study to make any long Oration for the fire which did burn within him did make him hastily to possesse himself of that which he could hardly perswade himself that he had in his own power and being drunk with Love and Pleasure whiles he sought to provide a remedy for his life more than was requisite he found the advancement of his Death for in the love to his Sweet-heart having forgot himself he perceived not his Arm from which the Vein opening again the blood did come forth so abundantly that the poor Gentleman was almost bathed in it But he believing that his faintnesse did proceed from his Excess of pleasure did think with himself to return to his own Lodging But Love who had too much united them together did so dispose of it that in departing from his friend his soul did depart from himself and by the great effusion of blood he had lost he fell down dead at her feet who was so amazd both in the consideration of the loss which she had of so entire a friend of whose Death she was the only Cause as also of the shame that would fall upon her if the dead body were found in her house that not knowing what to do she and one of her Chambermaids in whom she altogether trusted did carry the body into the Street where she would not leave it alone but taking the sword of her dead friend she resolved to partake of his fortune and perish by the effusion of blood also in punishing that heart which was the cause of all this Evil and forcing the sword quite through her she fell down upon the Body of her Friend The Father and the Mother of this young Gentlewoman comming forth out of their house on the next morning did behold this pittiful spectacle And making as great a lamentation as the Case deserved they did bury them both together By this Ladies you may see what mischiefs do attend the extremity of love This is that which doth please me well said Simontault when Love is so equal that the one dying the other cannot live and if God had made me so blest as to have found such a one I do verily perswade my self that no man had ever loved so perfectly as I should have done But I am of opinion said Parlament that love would not have so much blinded you but you would have remembred to have kept your Arm better than that Gentleman did for those days are passed that Men do forget their lives for their Ladies But those days are not passed said Simontault that Ladies for their pleasure do forget the lives of their Servants I am of opinion said Emarsuite that there is no Woman in the World that taketh pleasure in the death of a Man although he were her Enemy Neverthelesse if Men will kill themselves Ladies cannot help their willfulnesse So it is said Saffredant that she who refuseth a piece of bread to a poor men dying for hunger is esteemed to be a Murderesse If your requests said Oysilla were as reasonable as the poor Mans begging for his necessity Ladies should be too cruel to refuse you But God be praised the malady of love doth kill no man but only those who wold die of themselves that year I know not Madam said Saffredant what is the greatest necessity but only that which doth make us to forget all others For when Love is violent we mind neither bread nor any other delicates whatsoever but only the looks and words of those we love They who would suffer you to fest said Oysilla without giving you any other Viands would quickly make you change your thoughts of Love I must confesse said Saffredant that the Body would fail but the Heart and the good will would still remain Then said Parlament God hath given you a great grace that you should addresse your self to one where you find so little Contentment that you must comfort up your self with eating and drinking with which me thinks you may acquit your self so well that you ought to praise God for that friendly cruelty I am so nourished in affliction said Saffredant that I do begin to solace my self in those torments of which others do complain It may be said Longaren that your love doth so withdraw you from all Company that no other contentment can be welcom to you for there is nothing more troublesom than an importunate Lover Nothing said Simontault unlesse it be a cruel Lady I do perceive said Oysilla that if we should attend to hear an end of the Reasons of Simontault that we should bear no Vespers this Evening Wherefore let us rise and praise God that this Days work is so well accomplished She did begin first of all to rise her self and all the rest did follow her but Simontault and Longaren did continue all the way to discusse the Argument and so gently that without drawing of his Sword Simontault did get the better shewing that the strongest passion was the greatest necessity And speaking those words they did enter into the Church where the Monks did attend them Vespers being ended they did go to Supper where they entertained one another with as much discourse as Diet for the Dispute continued all the time of Supper and all the Evening afterwards until Oysilla told them that it was high time to goe to rest and that five days Journeys were adorned with such delightfull Histories that she was afraid that the sixth day would not be like unto it for it was not possible to invent better Accounts than what were here delivered and which were not Fictions but Truths But Guebron said that as long as the world endured there would something fall out every day which would be new and worthy to be remembred for the depravednesse of bad men and their corruptions will be always such as heretofore they have been and in the same way will be the Goodnesse of Good men And as long as Grace and Corruption do reign upon the Earth they will always fill it with one Novelty or another although it be written That there is nothing new under the Sun But we who have not been called to
did seem to accord to his demand and told him that for that purpose she would goe into a Chamber of hers which was three stories high where she knew well enough there would be none to disturb them and counsolled him as soon as be observed her to go out of the Room where she was not to fail to follow her assuring him that he should find her there alone to satisfie the heat of that Love which he did bear unto her The Gentleman who believed her words was so glad that he began to be frolick with the other Ladies attending the happy minute of her going forth being himself immediately to follow her And she who did excell in the Arts of Subtilty with which all other Women do abound did repair unto two great Princesses with whom she was familiar and said unto them If you please I will shew you the best pastime that you ever saw They who of themselves were not addicted to Melancholy did intreat her to tell them what it was and with whom She made answer It is with one whom you know to be as honest a Gentleman as may be and withall as audacious You are not ignorant of the many evil offices he hath done me and especially that at this time when I loved him best of all he is in love with others for which I do endure more grief than I do make apparent At this time God hath given me the means to revenge my self it is That I am now going up up into my chamber which is above this and if you please but to watch him you shall immediately observe him to follow after me and after he hath gon all along the Gallery when you shall find that he goes up the stairs to my Chamber I must beseech you that you will stand both at the Windows to assist me to cry out A Thief A Thief and you shall perceive how red he will kindle with choler and hear what a noise he will make And although I do believe that he will carry it with confidence and gracefulnesse enough if he doth not make any lowd Complaints I shall believe that he is sensible of the Injuries he hath done me This Agreement was not made without some laughing for there was not a Gentleman in all the Court that did quarrel more with the Ladies than himself and he was so beloved and esteemed by every one of them that they could not well be without him and were glad when they found themselves in the danger and circle of his mockery and now they thought they should all three partake in that Glory and Victory which only one Woman hoped to obtain against him Therefore when ever they did see the Lady to go out of the Room who had undertaken the Enterprise they did begin to observe the Countenance of the Gentleman who shifted himself from one place to another and when he was gone out of the door the two Ladies did follow him into the Gallery because they would not lose the sight of him He who suspected nothing did cast his cloak over his shoulders and muffled himself with it because he would not be seen and first of all he did go down the stairs into the Court and afterwards came up again and descrying one whom he would not have a Witnesse of what he was about to doe he did goe down the Stairs into the Court again and immediately going round about did come up on the other side The two Ladies did observe him all the while and he thought himself to be undiscovered by any When he came to the Stairs on which he was to ascend to the Chamber of the Lady the two Ladies did begin to put their heads out of the Window and immediately they perceived the Lady in her own Chamber who putting her Head out of the Window as far as ever she could stretch it did cry out a Thief a Thief and the two Ladies at the Window below bid repeat her words so shrilly that all the Castle did ring with them I leave unto you to judge in what a choler the Gentleman was who did run down the Stairs into his own Lodging not so much muffled but he was plainly enough discovered by those who knew the Mystery who have since upbraided him with it especially she did by whom the plot was laid who told him that she was now revenged of him but he had his defences and his ananswers so ready that he made them believe that he knew before hand of their enterprise well enough and that he had promised the Lady to give her only a civil visite as for any love he did bear unto her he said that was gone long agoe Howsoever it was the Ladies were unwilling to allow his reasons the truth whereof is yet under doubt But if it were so that he did believe that Lady as it is not probable seeing he was so wise and full of spirit that of his age there was not the like in his time as he hath made apparent to us by his most resolute death you must confesse with me that the love of virtuous Men is such that they are oftentimes deceived in believing the flatteries of Women In good earnest said Emarsuite I do commend that Lady in what she hath done for when a Man is beloved of a Lady and doth forsake her for another she cannot too much revenge the injury Especially said Parlament If she were not beloved for there are some who do love Men without being assured to be beloved again and when they know that they do love others all they can allege is that they are inconstant Wherefore those who are wise are never deceived with their Words for they make no reckoning of them and will not believe any but those only whom by experience they do find to be true because they will not throw themselves away upon Lyers for both the true and the false have both of them one language If all were of your opinion said Simontault Gentlemen may put up their Requests in their Pockets But for all that either you or such as you are can object we will always believe that Women are as incredulous as they are beautiful and this opinion shall make us live as contentedly as you would put us into trouble with your temptations Truly said Longaren knowing well enough who that Lady was who did give that affront unto that Gentleman I cannot find any thing whereof to accuse her for since she spared not her own Husband she ought not to forbear her Friend It seems then said Simontault that you know more of her than my self wherefore I do give you my place to recite unto us the Account of her A Gentleman thinking in secret to kisse one of the Maid-servants of his Wife was taken by her in the manner The ninth Novel THe Lady of whom you made the Account was married to a Husband of a good and an antient Family A rich Gentleman and one who loved both
with so great a sorrow and anguish of mind that she was almost dead with the extremity thereof And if it were possible her conscience and honour being preserved she would willingly have dissembled her fortune But that was impossible For the Rumor thereof being spread abroad the Church did begin to look after them and gave order at first that the good Man and his Wife should live asunder until the truth of the fact was more fully known Whereupon the poor Man to his great grief was constrained to abandon his good Wife to seek after his bad one and came to Bloys a little after that King Francis the first of that Name was made King in which City he found Qu. Claudia and Madam the Regent before whom he made his complaint demanding her whom with all his heart he desired not to have seen but it must be so whether he would or no for which he had the pity of all the Inhabitants And when his Wife was presented to him she a long time would maintain that it was not her Husband but some Impostor which he also if possibly he could would have believed with all his heart She being more sorrowful than ashamed did professe openly That she had rather die than return to Paris with him at which he was much discontented But the Ladies before whom she did express her self so boldly did so much condemn her that she returned with him and they so preached to the Chanter and followed what they preached with so many uses of Reproof and Terror that he was constrained to advise his Sweet-heart to go home with her Husband and to assure him that he would visit her no more And thus being discountenanced on all sides the poor unfortunate Woman was constrained to go with her Husband by whom she was far better used than she deserved Ladies You may observe from hence that if at first this Husband had been but vigilant of his Wife he had never been robbed of her for a purchase well guarded is hardly lost and it is abundance that makes a Thief It is a strange thing said Hircan that Love should be so strong where it is most unreasonable I have heard it spoken said Simontault that it is easier to dissolve a thousand Marriages than to separate the Loves of a Priest and his Lemman I do easily believe it said Emarsuite for they who so often doâ—ty others in Mariage do know of themselves so well to tamper with the kuott that nothing but they and Death can dissolve it And since the Doctors do affirm that the spiritual language is the most excellent of all it doth by consequence fall out that the spiritual Love also doth surpasse all other Loves It is a thing said Dagoucin which I know not how to pardon in Ladies to forsake an honest Husband or a Friend for a Priest be he never so handsom or so civil I must beseech you said Hircan that you would forbear to speak or to censure our Mother the Church but to believe that it is a great pleasure to Women fearful and secret to sin with those who when ever they have don can absolve them of them sins for there are divers who are more ashamed to confess a sin than to commit it You speak of those only said Oysilla who have not the fear of God and who believe that secret things shall not one day be revealed before the Angels in Heaven But I have this opinion of those Women that they desire not so much Confession as the Confessours for the Enemy hath so blinded them that they seek rather to be in a place most covert and secure than to be absolved of their Evil of which they are not touched with the least Remorse Nay said Saffredant they are so far from Remorse that they conceive themselves to be more holy than other Women and I am confident there are some who think themselves much honour'd to persevere in such Loves You speak of some only said Oysilla and it appears that you know something of them Wherefore I shall desire you that to begin our Journal to morrow you would inform us of something which you know of this Subject for this is the last time that the Bell doth tole and hark the Saints Bell doth now ring in all to Vespers You might also have observed that at the end of the sixth Novell of this day the Religious men did all depart from the shade of yonder hedge and left us to our selves to compleat our Histories Having spoke those words all the Company did rise and repaired to the Church where they found that the Monks did attend their coming and having heard Vespers they supped altogether entertaining one another with excellent discourse Supper being ended they delighted themselves with walking in the meadow according to their custome and afterwards every one did go to rest in their several lodgings to have the better Memory for the next day The end of the sixth Days Work of the Novels of the Queen of Navarr The Seventh Days VVork of the Novells of the Queen of NAVARRE The Preface IN the Morning Madam Oysilla failed not to administer to them the saving food of their Soules which she had gleaned in reading of the Acts and Virtuous Deeds of the glorious Martyrs and Apostles of Jesus Christ as they are declared by Saint Luke telling them That what she read there did inflame her with a devout desire to see the happy condition of those times and to lament the Iniquity of these And when she had sufficiently read and expounded the beginning of that excellent Book she desired them to repair to the Church with her in the same Vnion as the Apostles did make their prayers and to demand Grace of God which is never refused to those who do in faith desire it This holy Counsel was well approved by all and they came into the Church just as the Mass of the holy Spirit did begin which seemed to conduce much to their present purpose which made them to give ear unto it with more than ordinary devotion and afterwards at Dinner all their Discourse was concerning the happy lives of the Apostles in those Primitive times in which they took so much delight that it seems they had forgot what they had been accustomed to do in the Afternoon of which Nomerfide being the youngest did advise them and said Madam Oysilla hath so long deteyned us with Discourses of Devotion that we have let pass the accustomed hour to retire us for the preparation of our Novells Her words were the occasion that all the Company presently did arise and having made a little stay in their Chambers they failed not to meet all together in the Meadow as they had done on the dayes before And being set one by one Madam Oysilla said to Saffredant Although I am assured that you will speak nothing that shall tend to the advantage of Women yet I must desire you that you will rehearse that
and descended of honourable parentage and did not rashly thrust himself into her service but first of all did acquaint her with it and did understand her intention which was that she gladly did accord that he should be her Husband And this as I have said was carried on by their friends on both sides who having met together for this effect did think very well of the Marriage and the rather because as they thought the young Gentlewoman her self did seem to have a good desire to it But afterwards whether she thought to find a better Husband or to dissemble the Love which she did bear unto him or whether she conceived that the greatest contentment was in a single life the Marriage day was deferred and the Company that were assembled to see the accomplishment thereof were constrained to depart not without a great grief that they could not put a good conclusion to it knowing that the parties on both sides were before so well agreed But above all the poor Gentleman was extremely discontented who had more patiently carried his affliction if he could have found that the fault proceeded from her kinred and not from her self But understanding the truth the knowledge whereof did cause in him a grief as strong almost as death it self without speaking to his Sweet-heart or any one else he did withdraw himself into his own House and having given order for the management of his affairs he did repair into a solitary place where he endeavoured with himself to forget that unprofitable love and did intirely convert it into the love of our Saviour Jesus Christ to which not long afterwards he did altogether oblige himself During this time of his retirement he received not the least news either from the Gentlewoman whom he had loved or from any of her friends wherefore he resolved with himself since he was disappointed of that life which of all others he conceived to be the most happy to choose and take that life upon him which was the most austere and the most unpleasing to him that he could imagine In this sad resolution which may be truly called a despair he did goe to enter himself into a religious house which was a Monastery of the order of Saint Francis It was not far from the place where many of his friends had their habitations who understanding of his despair did the utmost of their indeavours to divert him from his melancholy resolution but they found it to be so strongly grounded in his heart that it was impossible to disswade him from it Neverthelesse understanding from whence the occasion of his Malady did proceed they concluded to look out some redresse and repaired to her who was the original of his sudden Devotion who was possessed with such a sorrow and an amazement at the news thereof thinking that her refusal for a short time would conduce only to give her a more sure experience of his love and not for ever to lose him of which she saw the danger too apparent that she immediatly did send a Letter to him to give him the assurance of her love and to desire him to return to take possession of her heart which was intirely his own This Letter being delivered by one of her friends with all the remonstrances of affection that could possibly be expressed was received and read by the Gentleman Frier with so sad a Countenance and accompanied with so many sighs and tears that it seems he would have both burned it and drowned it at once He gave no other answer to it but desired the Messenger to acquaint the Gentlewoman that the mortifying of his Passion did cost him â—o deer that it had taken from him both the desire to live and the fear to die Wherfore he desired her who was the occasion of it that she would let him injoy a quiet misery and since she would not content him in the passion of his grand desires that she would not torment him now when he was dispossessed of them but content her self with what already she had done for which he could find no other remedy than to choose so sharp a life and a continual penitence which might cause him to forger his sorrow and her unkindnesse and by so many fasts and disciplines so to humble and chastise his Body that the memory of Death only should be his most Soveraign Consolation wherefore above all things he did beseech her that he might hear no more tidings of her for only the remembrance of her Name was a Purgatory insupportable unto him The Gentleman returned with this sad answer and made a report thereof unto her who could not understand it without a grief incredible But Love who would not suffer her heart to fail until the last extremity did put it into her fancy to make a sudden trial if her sight and her words could prevail more upon him than her Letters Wherefore taking her Father and her nearest friends along with her she repaired to the Monastery where he had his residence having first examined all her Boxes and her Glasses for those things which might make her look most beautiful and perswading her self if she could be but admitted to that happinesse as but to see him once and speak unto him it were impossible but the fire which had so long a residence in his heart should grow into a flame as strong as ever In this confidence she entred into the Monastery at the end of Vespers and sent unto the Gentleman desiring him that he would be pleased to give a friend of his a visit in the Chapel within the Cloyster He who did not know who it was that did send for him did make hast to goe unto the greatest and most dangerous battail in which he ever did fight He did look so pale and spiritlesse that she did hardly know him neverthelesse being accompanied with a grace no lesse amiable than before Love did enforce her to stretch forth her Arms thinking to imbrace him but the compassion which she had to see him in that estate did so surround and invade her heart that swouning away she did fall unto the Ground The poor Gentleman who had taken upon him the habit of Religion observing it and being not destitute of Brotherly Charity did raise her up and did bring her to a seat in the Chappel And he himself having no lesse need of succour did dissemble his passion fortifying his heart in the love of God against all the temptations with which she could assault it insomuch that when he beheld her he did seem not to know who it was or what her desires were She having recovered her self from her dyings away did begin a little to hold up her head and did look upon him with such fair and withall such affecting eyes that they were able to make a rock to relent and having made a little pause she did expresse her self unto him in that studdied language which she conceived most effectual to withdraw him
amorous of her she turned from him to the other side and said unto him Sir since you bear no love to me nor to the Infant with which I goe let us perish both together And with those words she poured forth such an abundance of toars and made such a lamentation that the Duke was much afraid that she would lose the fruit of her Womb. Wherefore taking her in his Arms he desired her to acquaint him with what she did desire and assured her that he would conceal nothing from her Ah Sir said she and sobbed as she spake what hope have I that you will doe any thing for me that is difficult when you deny me the most easie and the most reasonable request in the World which is to tell me who is the Sweet-heart of the most ungrateful Servant you ever had I did once believe that you and I had but one heart But now I find that you doe use me as a stranger for those secrets which ought to be revealed unto me are by you concealed and kept from me as if I were your greatest Enemy Call Sir to mind how many secrets and businesses of the greatest importances have you imparted to me and which of them have you ever understood that I have disclosed You have made so great an experience of my good will equal unto yours that you ought not mistrust me for I am more yours than my own And if peradventure you have taken an Oath that you will not reveal the secret of the Gentleman to any in acquainting me with it you cannot break your Oath for I neither am nor can be any other than your self I have you in my heart I do hold you in my arms I carry your Infant in my womb in whom you live again and yet I cannot enjoy your love as you have mine but the more loyal and faithful I am to you the more cruel and perverse you are to me that a thousand times a day I do desire by a sudden Death to deliver your Infant from such a Father and my self from such a Husband which I hope shortly to perform because I do find that you prefer an unfaithful Servant before your Wife and such a Wife as I am to you and before the life of a Mother and to the fruit of her womb which is so little regarded by you being not able to obtain that of you which I desire to know Speaking those words she imbraced and kissed her Husband wetting his face with her tears and breathed forth such sighes that the poor Prince who was afraid to lose his Wife and his Child at once did determine with himself to acquaint her with the truth but withall he did swear unto her That if she revealed it to any creature in the world she should be sure to die and by no other hand but his own To which she condiscended and accepted of the punishment Whereupon the poor deceived Husband did account unto her all that he had seen from the beginning to the end whereat she seemed to be very much contented although her heart was surprized with an intolerable anguish Neverthelesse for fear of the Duke she did dissemble her passion as well as possibly she could Not long after the Duke made a great Feast at his Court to which he invited all the Ladies of the Countrey and amongst others his Niece where Dinner being ended Dancing did begin and every Lady did endeavour to set forth her self in the best manner that she could but the Dutchess who was tormented to behold the great beauty and the gracefulnesse of her Niece could take no Delight an all much lesse could she forbear from making her spitefull fury to appear For after that Dancing was ended having called all the Ladies together she caused them to sit down near unto her and did begin to Discourse unto them concerning the Affairs of Love And observing that her Niece was silent and did speak nothing at all she said unto her with a heart inflamed with Jealousie And you my fair Niece Is it possible that your Beauty can be without either Friend or Servant Madam she replyed My Beauty looks not after such a purchase for since the Death of my Husband I desire no other Sweet-hearts but only his children with which I am well contented Fair Niece Fair Niece the Dutchesse replyed to her in an extreme Indignation Fair Niece Fair Niece There is no Love so secret but may be discovered nor little Doggs so well taught and brought up to the hand whose Barking may not be understood Ladies I leave it to you to imagine how great a sorrow on those words surprized the heart of the poor young Lady finding a thing that had been kept so close to be so openly declared to her Dishonour Her Honor so carefully guarded and so unfortunately lost did greatly torment her but most of all did the strong suspition she entertained that her Friend had failed in his promise which she thought he never would have done unlesse for the Love of some Lady more beautifull than her self to whom the extremity of his Love did foolishly perswade to declare this effect Her Virtue neverthelesse was so great that for all this apprehension she made no apparence of discontent and smiling did make answer that she did not understand the language of Beasts and in this wise dissimulation her heart was so overburthened with sorrow that she was constrained to rise up and passing by the Chamber of the Dutchesse she entred into a Wardrop where the Duke walking in the Gallery did behold her to goe in When the poor Lady thought she was in a place where none could either soe or hear her she did throw her self upon the bed with so great a violence that a damosel who was sat in a corner of the room to sleep was awakened at it and did rise up to see who it might be But finding it was the Niece of the Duke who thought she had been alone she durst not speak unto her but gently listned to the complaint she made The poor Lady with a voice half dead did begin in these words to lament her self O unfortunate that I am What are the words which I have heard what an arrest of death have I understood by them What a sentence to condemn me have I received O thou the most beloved that ever was Is this the reward of my chastity and of my honest and virtuous love O my heart why didst thou make so dangerous a choice to take for the most loyal the most unfaithful for the most honest the most crafty for the most secret the loudest Detractor in the World Wo is me Is it possible that a thing hid from the Eyes of all Men should be revealed to Madam the Dutchesse Alas poor little Dog the only means of my long and virtuous love it is not thou that hast discovered me but he who hath a voice more barking than a Dog and a heart more ungrateful than
any beast He it is who contrary to his oath and promise hath revealed the happy life which without any prejudice to any we have a long time lived O my friend my friend whose only love is entred into my heart with whose life my own hath been woven must it now come to passe that in declaring you my mortal Enemy my Honour must be carryed away by the winds my body crumble into ashes and my Soul for ever depart to its last place of residence What was the beauty of the Dutchess so inchanting that it hath had the power to transform you as somtimes had that of Circe Hath she made you of virtuous to become vicious of good wicked of a Man a Beast a cruel Beast O my Friend my Friend although you have failed in your promise made to me yet I will keep my promise made to you which is that I will never see you again after the divulgation of our Love and being no longer able to live without your presence I do willingly accord to the extreme sorrow which I feel and for which I will provide no remedy neither by Reason nor Physick for Death only shall put an end to it which shall be more pleasant to me than to continue in the World without a Friend without Honour and without Contentment Neither Death nor the War hath deprived me of my Friend neither Lust nor Rage have taken from me my Honour neither Deviation nor Demerit of my own hath made me to lose my Contentment but the cruelty of treachery which hath caused the most obliged of all Men to become the most ingratefull Alas Madam the Dutchesse What pleasure was it unto you when by mockery you did upbraid me with my little Dogg Go on as you have begun and continue to delight your self with that happinesse which doth belong to me alone You make your sport at her who by wisely concealing and who by virtuously loving did promise to her self to be exempted from all mockery O how hath this word contracted my heart How hath it made me to look red with shame and pale with jealousie Wo is me my heart my heart I do feel you can hold out no longer Love unadvisedly or treacherously made known doth consume you with Fire Jealousie and the Injury you have received do freez you with Ice and with Grief and Indignation kils you not permitting the least consolation to arrive Alas for thee O my Soul who by too much adoring the Creature hast forgot the Creator Thou must return again into the hands of him from whom vain Love hath ravished thee Take Confidence O my Soul thou shalt find God a better Father than thou hast found him a Friend for whom thou so often hast forgot God O my God my Creator who art the true and only Friend by whose Grace the love which I have born unto my Friend hath been stained with no Vice unlesse by too much loving him I beseech thee of thy infinite mercy to receive the Soul and Spirit of her who doth truly repent that she hath so much disobeyed thy first and most just Commandement And for the merit of him whose Love is incomprehensible be pleased to excuse that fault which too much love hath caused me to commit for in Thee alone I have perfect Confidence And adieu my false Friend whose Name without the Effect hath broken my Heart Having spoke those words she did fall down from the Bed upon the Ground and her colour waxed pale and her lips blew and an universal coldnesse seized on every part of her Body At that instant the Gentleman who did love her came into the hall and seeing the Dutchesse dancing with the other Ladies looked every where up and down where his Mistresse was and not finding her he did repair into the Chamber of the Dutchesse near unto which he found the Duke walking in the Gallery who conjecturing what his thoughts were did whisper him in the ear and said Your Sweet-heart is gone into yonder Wardrobe I am afraid she is not well The Gentleman demanded of him that he would be pleased to give him leave to wait upon her to which the Duke was easily intreated As soon as he was entred into the Wardrobe he found that she was even ready to breath forth the last breath of her life and falling down on his knees he imbraced her and said unto her O my dear Love How do you do What will you forsake me The poor Lady hearing the voice which so well she knew did begin a little to recover her colour and opening her eyes she looked stedfastly on him who was the occasion of her Death But so looking on him Love and Despite did so violently increase upon her that with a pittifull sigh she rendred her Soul to God The Gentleman more dead than she that was dead did demand of the Damosel How that Extremity seized upon her who all along did account unto him the words which she had heard her speak whereupon he immediately perceived that the Duke had revealed the Secret to the Dutchesse and was transported with so great a fury that imbracing the Body of his Sweet-heart he did along time bedew it with his tears and at last said Wo is me the most treacherous most wicked and the most unfortunate Man in the world How is it come to passe that the punishment of my Treason is not fallen on my self but on her who is innocent O why did Heaven spare me Why did not Thunder check my Tongue in that hour when I first revealed our most secret and most virtuous Love Why did not the Earth open her self Why did it not devour this unadvised Breaker of his Faith Be thou punished O my tongue as was the tongue of the rich Glutton in Hell O my heart be thou perpetually torn in pieces by Eagles as was the heart of Titius O Dear Sweet-heart the most unfortunate misfortune of all misfortunes is befallen me Thinking to have preserved you I have lost you thinking to see you live a long time with content I imbrace you discontented and dead O thou the most loyal and the most faithfull Woman that ever was I shall by all be condemned to be the most inconstant disloyal and the most unfaithful man in the world I might complain of the Duke in whose promise I so much trusted hoping by that to give a longer continuance to our happy life but alas I might know that no man could keep my secret better than my self The Duke had more reason to impart it unto his Wife than I to impart it unto him I can accuse none but my self of the greatest disloyalty that ever was committed by a Lover I had better by far be thrown into the River accordingly as the Duke did threaten that thou my dear friend mightst be preserved alive and I gloriously might have died in observing the laws which true love commandeth but breaking them I remain alive and thou who most perfectly
who brought you to this place The poor Nun who did not know her did make answer Woe is me my friend my misfortune is so great that I have no recourse but unto God only whom I doe beseech to vouchsafe unto me the means that I may speak to Madam the Dutchesse of Alençon for to her alone will I declare my business being confident that if there be any redress for such a miserable Creature as my self she will grant it to me Friend said the Dutchess to her you may speak as confidently unto me as unto her I am one of her gratest friends Pardon me said the Nun none but her self only shall understand my secret Whereupon the Dutchesse said unto her that she might speak freely for she had found her whom she demanded The poor Nun did prostrate her self at her feet and having wept a long time she gave her the whole account of what already I have expressed unto you whereupon the Dutchesse did comfort her so well that exhorting her to repentance for her misdeed she took from her quite the resolution of going to Rome and sent her back to the Prioresse with a strict charge to entertain her and with Letters to the Bishop of that place to take order for the expulsion of that scandalous Monk who having abused the Body of the Nun did afterwards most petulantly upbraid her and caused her to depart the Covent I received this Acount from the Dutchesse her self by which Ladies you may understand that the Rule of Nomerfide is not proper to all sorts of Persons for these two both touching aed burying the dead were neverthelesse at the same time touched and overcome with infirmities This was an invention said Hircan which I believe was never practised before to speak of death and at the same instant to do the works of life It is not said Oysilla any work of life to sin for we all know well enough that sin produceth death You may believe said Sassredant that at that time neither the Monk nor the Nun had the least thought of that Divinity but as the Daughters of Lot having made their Father drunk did think by that means to preserve human Nature so this Monk and the Nun would repair that which death had destroyed by making of a new Body Therefore I cannot but reflect again upon the tears of tho Nun who always wept and always returned to the cause of her weeping I have seen too many of those said Hircan who at the same time bewailed their sins and yet kept their pleasures I do much doubt said Parlament by whom you do speak those words wherefore it seems to me that their laughter hath lasted long enough it would be now time that weeping should begin Hold your peace said Hircan The Tragedy is not yet finished which doth begin with laughter But to change the Subject of our discourse said Parlament it seems to me that Dagoucin hath wandred from our first determination which was that the Accounts of this day should be all pleasant and this hath been a sad one You made a motion said Dagoucin that we should not forget to give an Account of the greatest follies and in that I am sure I have not failed but to hear one that is more pleasant I do give my voice to Nomerfide hoping that she will mend my fault She made answer I have an Account ready for you and one which is worthy to follow yours for it speaks of Religious persons and of death also Give ear unto it if you please The End of the Accounts of the Novels of the late Queen of Navarr which are all that can be recovered of them A Table of the Summary of the Novells of the Queen of Navarre The first Journal AN Advocats Wife of Alençon had two Friends one of them for pleasure and the other for profit she caused that man of her two Lovers to be slain who first discovered her wanton life for which murder she begged pardon both for her self and for her sagitive Husband who afterwards to save a sum of money did repair to a Negromancer and their Enterprize was discovered and punished Novel 1. Fol. 1. The chast and lamentable Death of the Wife of one of the Mule-keepers of the Queen of Navarre Nov. 2. f. 11. A King of Naples abusing the Wife of a young Gentlewoman did at last wear the horn himself Nov. 3. f. 15. The rash Enterprise of a Gentleman to incounter with a Princess and the shame and disgrace which he received Nov. 4. f. 22. A Ferry-woman escaped from two Friers who would have forced her and did deport her self so wisely that their sinne was discovered to all the world Nov. 5. f. 30. The subtilty of a woman who shewed her friend a way to escape when her Husband who had but one eye thought to have surprized them Nov. 6. f. 34. A Merchant of Paris deceived the Mother of his Sweet-heart to conceal their fault Nov. 7. f. 37. A certain man having lain with his own Wife instead of his Chambermaid did send his Neighbour to her who made him a Cuckold without his Wives knowledge Nov. 8. f. 40. The sad death of a Gentleman in love having received comfort too late from her whom he loved Nov. 9. f. 47. The Loves of Amadour and Florinda in which are contained many subtilties and Inventions and the most commendable chastity of Florinda Nov. 10. f. 52. The Second Journal The petulant Discourses of a Frier in his Easter-Sermons at Amboise Nov. 1. f. 93. The Incontinence of a Duke and his Impudence to arrive at his Designs with his just punishment Nov. 2. f. 97. A Captain of the Galleys under the shaddow of Devotion did fall in love with a Lady and what insued thereon Nov. 3. f. 106. The subtilty of a Lover who under the pretence of the right Friend did reap from a Lady of Millan the fruits of what so long he had desired Nov. 4. f. 117. A Lady of the Court seeing her self disdained by her Husband who made love elsewhere did revenge her self by the like practice Nov. 5. f. 125. A Lady of Millan approved the Courage and the Resolution of her Friend whereupon she afterwards loved him with all her heart Nov. 6. f. 141. King Francis shewed his generous resolution to Count William who would have killed the King Nov. 7. f. 148. A fair young Lady made tryal of the fidelity of a young Scholar before she would admit him to intrench too farr upon her honour Nov. 8. f. 152. Two Lovers despairing to be marryed did enter themselves into two Religions houses the Man into a Covent of Saint Francis and the Female into the Nunnery of Saint Clare Nov. 9. f. 159. A Gentleman suddenly cured of the malady of Love finding his rigorous Lady in the arms of her Horseman Nov. 10. f. 169. The Third Journal The wonderful and honest love betwixt a Lady of honourable birth and a Bastard and the check which the
Queen gave unto their Marriage with the wise answer of the young Lady to the Queen Nov. 1. f. 174. A Frier a great Reformer of the times under the shaddow of Religion did use all temptations and endeavours to seduce a fair Nun and his deceits at last were discovered Nov. 2. f. 198. Three Murders committed in one house on the persons of the Lord the Lady and their Child by the wickednesse of a Frier Nov. 3. f. 212. The gentile Invention of a Gentleman to manifest his love to the Queen of Spain and what insued thereupon Nov. 4. f. 221. The subtile Invention of a great Prince to delight himself with the fair Wife of 〈…〉 vocate of Paris Nov. 5. f. 230. The pleasant discourse of a great Lord to play the wanton with a Lady of Pampelona Nov. 6. f. 236. The rashness of a foolish Secretary who sollicited to Lust the Wife of his Companion by which he received great Disgrace Nov. 7. f. 254. A Secretary thought to cozâ—en one who cozened him and what was the event thereof Nov. 8. f. 257. A Labourer of the Village whose Wife was too familiar with the Curate did permit himself to be easily deceived Nov. 9. f. 261. The wonderfull Example of humane Frailty in a Lady who to conceal her honour did fall from one Evil into a greater Nov. 10. f. 264. The Fourth Journal The Execrable cruelty of a Frier to enjoy his detestable Lust and the punishment which he justly suffered Nov. 1. f. 272. The punishment more cruel than Death commanded by a Husband to be inflicted on his Wife whom he had taken in adultery Nov. 2. f. 279. The abomination of an Incestuous Priest who under the pretence of a holy life did impregnat his own Sister and the blasphemies that were contrived to conceal their sin and the punishment which ensued thereupon Nov. 3. f. 285. Two Friers too curious to listen to what did not belong unto them were struck into so great a fear that they thought they should have dyed Nov. 4. f. 290. The happy Industry which a wise Husband used to divert the love which his Wife did bear unto a Frier Nov. 5. f. 295. A President of Grenoble being advertised of the dissolute Inclinations of his Wife did provide such a remedy that his honor was not interested and he himself revenged Nov. 6. f. 305. The wisdom of a Wife to withdraw her Husband from a fond Love which did torment him Nov. 7. f. 311. The memorable Charity of a Woman of Tours to her Husband taken in Incontinence Nov. 8. f. 316. A good Invention to drive away an Evil Spirit Nov. 9. f. 318. A Lord caused his Brother-in-law to be killed not knowing the allyance Nov. 10. f. 322. The Fifth Journal The strange and new penance given by a Frier Confessor to a young Lady N. 1. f. 331. The Continence of a young Gentlewoman against the obstinate and amorous sute of one of the greatest Lords in France and the happy success which the young Gentlewoman obtained Nov. 2. f. 335. The Hypocrisie of a Lady at Court was discovered by the ill Carriage of her Love which she thought to have concealed Nov. 3. f. 346. Two Lovers who closely did enjoy their loves and the happy issue that did attend them Nov. 4. f. 357. A Husband pretending to chastise his Chambermaid deceived the simplicity of his Wife Nov. 5. f. 365. A Frier who in his Sermon made it a great crime for Men to beat their Wives Nov. 6. f. 371. A Gentleman of Percha wrongfully suspecting the love of his Friend to his Wife did provoke him to put in practise the Cause of his suspition Nov. 7. f. 373. Two Friers on the first night of a marriage did one after another usurp the place of the Bridegoom for which they were soundly punished Nov. 8. f. 360. The subtilty and incontinence of a Countesse to have secretly her pleasure from several Gentlemen and how she was discovered Nov. 9. f. 383. A Gentleman being newly let blood did too familiarly and excessively enjoy his Mistress which was the occasion of his death and of hers also Nov. 10. f. 390. The Sixth days Journal The persidiousnesse and great cruelty of an Italian Duke Nov. 1. f. 395. The nasty Breakfast prepared by an Apothecaries Boy for an Advocate and a Gentleman Nov. 2. f. 400 The personal diligence of a Prince to divert the affections of an importunate Lover Nov. 3. f. 405. A Gentlewoman of so good a disposition that seeing her Husband to kisse her Chambermaid did nothing else but laugh and would never give any other reason but that only she laughed at his shadow Nov. 4. f. 414. The Cunning of a Spanish Woman to defraud the Friers of the last Testament of her Husband Nov. 5. f. 417. A Frier Fraudulently married another Frier who was his Companion to a young Gentlewoman for which they were both punished Nov. 6. f. 420. A ridiculous Account of my Lord who did wear a Ladies Glove on his Habiliments Nov. 7. f. 427. A Lady of the Court did pleasantly revenge her self of a Gentleman who did bear love unto her Nov. 8. f. 431. A Gentleman thinking in private to kisse one of the Chamhermaids of his Wife was discovered and surprized by her Nov. 9. f. 435. A Citizens Wife of Paris did forsake her Husband a rich Merchant to follow a Chanter and â—â—unterfeiting her self dead she caused herself to be buried Nov. 10. f. 442. The Seventh Journal The wonderful and most uncontroul'd affection of a bold but beautiful Burgundian Gentlewoman to a Canon of Autun Nov. 1. f. 449. A Gentlewoman repeating an Account of her own loves speaking in the third person did by misregard declare her self Nov. 2. f. 458. The notable Chastity of a great Lord in France Nov. 3. f. 461. A Gentleman being disdained by a Gentlewoman to be her Husband did turn Frier and put on the habit of Religion for which she afterwards repenting did put on the Habit of a Nun Nov. 4. f. 466. The simplicity of an old Woman who presented a burning Candle of Wax to Saint John of Lyons and did stick it on the brow of a Souldier as he was sleeping at the Sepulcher and what was the issue that did attend it Nov. 5. f. 472. A ridiculous Account that happened to the King and Queen of Navarr Nov. 6. f. 474. The extreme love and severity of life of a French woman in a Forein land Nov. 7. f. 477. A Woman made her Husband to eat Cantharides to receive from him due and desired benevolence by which he thought he should have dyed Nov. 8. f. 482. An Italian suffered himself to be cozened by his Chambermaid who caused his Wife to find him bolting in a Womans habit instead of a Maid Nov. 9. f. 486. The excellent History and the relation of the Incontinence of a Dutchesse which was the cause of her death and of the death of two most absolute Lovers Nov. 10. f. 489. The eighth Journal A Woman at the point of death seeing her Husband to kisse ber Chambermaid did grow so extremely passionate that it was the sudden cause of her recovery Nov. 1. f. 520. The continual repentance of a Nun for having lost her virginity without Force or Love Nov. 2. f. 523. The End of the Table FINIS