gentlewomans bedde and began to imbrace kisse her The mayden when she felte him sodaynelie dipped her finger in the colour stayned his face not perceyued of him when he had accomplished the thing he came for he retourned to his bedde And then began to imagine vpon the Dukes wordes and for what policie he spake them And lying a litle while stil musing vpon the same he went againe to the gētlewomans bed hauing disposed himselfe in the pleasures of this paradise lambe He perceyued her when she dipped her finger in the sawcer rubbed his face Ricciardo marking the fame toke away the sawcer from the beddes head and rounde about bestowed the colour vpon the faces of euery of his felowes who were to fast a slepe that they did not fele him Some he marked with two spottes some with six and some with .x. himself he painted but with foure besides those wherwith already he was berayed by the Gentlewoman Which done he set the saucer agayne vpon the beds head when he had bidden her farewel fayre softly he returned againe to his bed In the morning betimes the Damosels of the chāber came in to helpe the Lady to make her ready which done they waited vpō her to the Duke who asked her howe the matter stode She aunswered well for she had done his cōmaundement And tolde him how one came vnto her three times euery time she gaue him a taint in his face The Duke by and by sent for them that were of his counsell To whome he sayde Sirs I haue founde out this good fellowe and therefore I haue sent for you that we al together may goe to sée him They went all into the chāber and viewing them round about they perceyued all their faces coloured whereat they fell into a great laughter Then one of them sayde to a nother Suerlie this fellowe hath the subtilest head that euer was knowen and concluded the one of the company had set the colour in their faces The yong men beholding one another paynted in that sorte brake into a great sport and pastime Afterwardes the Duke examined euery of them séeing that he was not able by any meanes to vnderstande by whom it was done he determined to knowe the man before he departed and promised to him that shoulde confesse the truth to giue his daughter to him in mariage and with her a very great dowrie and a generall pardon Wherefore Ricciardo vnderstanding the Dukes minde toke hym asyde and tolde him the whole matter particularly from the beginning to the ende The Duke imbraced him and gaue him his pardon and with great ioy and triumph he solemnized the mariage betwene him his daughter Wherewithal Ricciardo encoraged proued a very stoute and valiaunt man in suche wise almost as the affaires of the whole state passed through his handes And liued a long time after with the loue good will of the whole cominaltie of Venice Philenio Sisterno Philenio Sisterno a Scholler of Bologna being mocked of three fayre Gentlewomen at a banket made of set purpose he was reuenged vpon them all ¶ The .xlix. Nouell AT Bologna which is the noblest citie of Lombardie the mother of studies and accomplished with all things requisite for such a florishing citie there was a yong scholler a gentleman of the cuntrie of Crete named Philenio Sisterno of very good grace and behauior It chaunced that in his tyme there was a great feast made in the citie wherevnto were bidden the fairest dames and best of reputation there There was likewise many gentlemen and schollers of Bologna amongs whome was this Philenio Who following the manner of yong men dallying sometime with one sometime with another and perceyuing them for his purpose determined to daūce with one of them And comming to one which was called Emerentiana the wyfe of sir Lamberto Bentiuoglia he prayed her to daunce Who being very gentle and of no lesse audacitie than beautifull refused not Then Philenio leading forth the daunce very softly sometimes wringing her by the hand spake somewhat secretely vnto her these words Madame your beautie is so great that without doubt it surmounteth all that euer I sawe and there is no woman in the worlde to whome I beare so great affection as to your person which if it were correspondent to me in loue I would think my self the best contented man in the worlde otherwise I shall in shorte time be depriued of lyfe and then you shall be the cause of my death And louing you Madame as I doe and as my duety requireth you ought to take me for your seruaunt vsing me and those litle goodes which I haue as your owne And I doe assure you that it is impossible for me to receyue greater fauour from heauen than to sée my self subiect to such a gentlewoman as you be which hath taken me in a net lyke a birde Nowe Emerentiana which earnestly had marked the swéete and pleasaunt wordes lyke a wise gentlewoman semed to giue no eare thervnto and made him no aunswere at all The daunce ended and Emerentiana being set downe in her place this yong scholler went to take another Gentlewoman by the hand and began to daunce with her which was not so sone begon but thus he sayde vnto her It néedeth not Madame that by wordes I doe expresse the feruent loue which I beare you and wil so doe so long as my poore spirite shall gouerne and rule my members and if I could obtaine you for my maistresse and singuler Lady I would thinke my selfe the happiest man on liue Then louing you as I doe and being wholly yours as you may easily vnderstand refuse me not I besech you for your humble seruaunt sith that my lyfe and al that I haue dependeth vpon you alone The yong gentlewoman whose name was Panthemia perceyuing his meaning did not aunswere him any thing at that tyme but honestlie procéeded in her daunce and the daunce ended smyling a little she sat downe with the other dames This done amorous Philenio rested not vntill he had taken the third by the hand who was the gentlest fayrest and trimmest dame in al Bologna and began to daunce with her roming abrode to shew his cunning before them that came to behold him And before the daunce was finished he sayd thus vnto her Madame it may so be as I shall séeme vnto you very malapert to manifest the secrete loue that I haue and doe beare you at this instant for which you ought not to blame me but your beautie which rendreth you excellent aboue al the rest and maketh me your slaue prisoner I speake not of your cōmendable behauior of your excellent maruellous vertues which be such of so great effect that it would make the Gods descend downe to contēplate the same If then your excellent beauty and shape so wel fauoured by nature and not by arte may séeme to contente the immortall Gods you ought not to be offēded
was no soner out of his fathers house but his harte was vexed with greater tormentes then before beyng depriued frō the sight of faire Stratonica whose presence did better contente hym then all the pleasures and sportes of the worlde Neuerthelesse desirous to vanquishe his indurate affections he continued abrode for a certaine time duryng whiche space vnable to quenche the fire he ledde a more desolate and troublesome life then he did before In the ende victorious loue tooke hym prisoner and caried him home againe to his fathers house Who seyng the greate loue that his father bare to his wife and the ioyfull time that he spent with faire Stratonica trāsported into many carefull panges many tymes he complained to hymself in this wise Am I Antiochus the sonne of Seleucus Am I he that my father loueth so well honoreth so muche and estemeth better then all his realmes and dominions Alas If I be Antiochus in deede the sonne of so louyng a father where is the duetifull loue and bounden reuerence that I ought to beare vnto him Is this the duetie of a sonne towardes his father Ah wretche and caitife that I am Whether hath grosse affection vaine hope and blinde loue caried me Can loue be so blinde Shall I bee so voide of sense that I knowe not my mother in law from an other woman who loueth me no lesse entertaigneth me so well as if she were myne owne mother that laboured with painfull pangues to bryng me into light Whiche beyng true as it is moste true why then dooe I loue her naie rather more then loue her Why doe I séeke after her What meane I to hope for her Why dooe I precepitate my self so fōdlie into the snares of blind deceiptfull loue and into the trappe of deceiptfull hope Can I not perceiue that these desires these vnstaied appetites vnbridled affections doe procede frō that whiche is dishonest I se well inough that the waie I take leadeth me into greate inconuenience And what reproche should I sustaine if this vnreasonable loue were made common to the worlde Ought not I rather to suffer infamous death then to see my father depriued of suche a wife whom he so derely loueth I will giue ouer this vnsemely loue and reuerting my minde to some other wight I will accomplishe the duetie of a good and louyng sonne toward his father Reasonyng thus with hymself he determined whollie to giue ouer his enterprise And he had no soner purposed so to do but sodainlie the beautie of the Ladie appered as it were in a vision before the face of his minde and felt the flames to growe so hotte that he vpon his knees craued a thousande pardons of the louyng God for the abandoning of his gentle enterprise And therewithall contrarie imaginacions began to rise whiche so contended with mutuall resistaunce that thei forced hym thus to saie Shall not I loue this Ladie bicause she is my fathers wife Shall not I prosecute my suite for all that she is my mother in lawe Ah coward faintharted and worthie to be crouned a prince of follie if therfore I should giue ouer my former mynde Loue prescribeth no suche lawe to her suters as pollicie dooeth to manne Loue commaundeth the brother to loue the sister loue maketh the doughter so loue the father the brother his brothers wife and many tymes the mother her sonne in lawe whiche beyng lawfull to other is it not lawfull to me If my father beyng and old man whose nature wareth cold hath not forgottē the lawes of loue in louyng her whom I loue Shall I beyng a yonge man subiecte to loue and inflamed with his passions be blamed for louyng her And as I were not blame warthie if I loued one that were not my fathers wife so muste I accuse Fortune for that she gaue her not to wife to an other mā rather then to my father bicause I loue her would haue loued her whose wife so euer she had been Whose beautie to saie the trouth is suche whose grace and comelinesse so excellente that she is worthie to be receiued honoured and worshipped of al the worlde I thinke it then conuenient for me to pursue my determinaciō and to serue her aboue all other Thus this miserable louer trauersyng in seuerall myndes and deludyng his owne fancie chaunged his mynde a thousande tymes in an hower In th ende after infinite disputacions to hymself he gaue place to reason consideryng the greate disconnenience that would insue his disordinate loue And yet not able to giue it ouer And determinyng rather to die then to yelde to suche wicked loue or to discouer the same to any manne By litle and litle he consumed as fletyng Snowe againste the warme Sonne wherewith he came to suche feble state that he could neither slepe nor eate and was compelled to kepe his bedde in such wise that with superfluous paine he was brought to meruellous debilitie Whiche his father perceiuyng that loued hym verie tenderite conceiued greate grief and sorowe And sent for Erasistratus which was a verie excellent Phisicion and of greate estimacion whō verie instantlie he praied diligently to looke vnto his soonne and to prouide for hym suche remedie as was conueniente for the greatnesse of his disease Erasistratus viewyng and beholdyng all the partes of the yonge gentlemannes bodie and perceiuyng no signe of sicknes either in his vrine or other accidente wherby he could iudge his bodie to be diseased after many discourses gaue iudgemente that the same infirmitie proceded from some passion of the minde whiche shortlie would coste hym his life Whereof he aduertised Seleucus Who louyng his sonne after a fatherly maner and speciallie bicause he was indued with vertue and good condicions was afflicted with vnspeakable grief The yong gētleman was a merueilous trumne yongeman so actife and valiaunt as any that liued in his tyme and therewithall verie beautifull and comelie Whiche made hym to bee beloued of all men His father was continually in his chamber and the quene her self oftentymes visited hym with her owne handes serued hym with meates and drinkes whiche bicause I am no Phisteiō I knowe not whether the fame did the yonge man any pleasure or whether it did him hurt or good But I suppose that her sight was ioyfull vnto hym as of her in whom he had placed all his cōforte all his hope quietnesse delight But beholding before his eyes so many times the beautie of her whō so greatlie he desired to enioye hearyng her speake that was the occasion of his death and receiuyng seruice of meates and drinkes at her hādes whom he loued better then the balles of his eyes vnto whom he durste not make any requeste or praier whether his grief surmounted all other aud therefore continually pined and consumed I thinke if of reason to bée beleued And who doubteth but that he felyng hymself to bée touched with those her delicate handes and seyng her to sitte by hym and
handes the most precious iewell of his house Shall I be so vnconstant in mine olde dayes to become an vnshamfast minister of your fonde and folish Loue a thing which I neuer dyd in the ardent time of my youth Alas Madame forget I besech you this folishe order cast vnder your feete this determination wickedly begon suche as to the blemishing of the honorable brightnes of your fame may cause the ruine of vs al. Follow the counsel of your deare nourice Radegond who loueth you better than her owne soule Quench these noysome parching flames which haue kindled throwen forth their sparks into your chast tēder hart Take hede I besech you that a vaine hope do not deceyue you a folish desire abuse you Alas think that it is the part of a sage and prudent minde to refrayne the first motions of euery passion to resist the rage that riseth in our willes the same very oft by succession of time bringeth to it self to late noysome repentance This your thought procedeth not of Loue for he that thinketh to sustaine himselfe with venim sugred with that drogue in the end he séeth himself so desperatly impoysoned that only death is the remedie for such disease A Louer truly may be called the slaue of a tirant most violent cruel bloudy that may be found whose yoke once put on can not be put of but with paynefull sorrow and vnspeakable displeasure Do you not knowe Madame that Loue and follie be two passions so like one another that they engendre like effectes in the mindes of those that doe possesse them in such wise as the affection of the pacient can not be concealed Alas what shall become of you and him that you loue so well if the Emperour do know and perecyue your light and folish determinations Shew Madame for Gods sake what you be Let the ripe fruites of your prudence so long time tilled appeare abrode to the world Expell from you this vnruled loue which if you suffer frankly to enter into your heart assure your self he wil take such holdfast of the place that whē you think to extrude the enemie oute it is he that will driue awaye that smal portion of force and reason that resteth in you And then all the comforte of your miseries will be the lamentation of your losses and repentance for that which cannot be by any meanes recouered Adelasia burning in Loue and fretting with anger not able to abide contrarie replie to her minde began to loke furiously vpon the Lady that gaue her such holsome admonition to whom she sayd with more than womanly stoutnesse these wordes And what are you good gentlewoman that dare so hardely prescribe lawes to Loue that is not subiecte or tied vnto the fantasie of men Who hath giuen you commission to take the matter so hote against that I haue determined to doe say you what you can No no I loue Alerane and will loue him whatsoeuer come of it And sith I can haue none other helpe at your handes or mete counsell for mine ease comfort Assure your self that I wil do mine endeuor to finde it in my self And likewise to prouide so well as I can for myne affaires that eschewing the alliaunce which the Emperour prepareth I will liue at heartes ease with hun whom in vaine you goe about to put out of my remembraunce And if so be I chaunce to sayle of my purpose I haue a medicine for my calamities which is death the last refuge of al my miseries Which wil be right pleasaunt vnto me ending my life in the contemplation and memorie of the sincere and perfect Loue that I beare to mine Alerane Radegonde no lesse abashed than surprised with feare hearing the resolution of the princesse could not at the first make any answere but to make her recourse to teares the most familiar weapons that women haue Then seing by the countenances of Adelasia that the passion had set in fote to déepe for any body to attempte to pluck out the rootes frō that time forth she wiped her eyes nor without euident demonstration for al that of her great grief conceyued with infinite sighes turning her face to the Lady she sayde to her with pleasaunter countenance than before Madame sithe your missehap is such that without Alerane you cannot be quiet or pacified in minde appease your playntes wipe away your teares shewe your contenaunce ioyfull aud setting aside all care put on good corage and repose in me all your anguish and trouble For I doe promise you and sweare by the fayth that I doe owe you Madame come whatsoeuer thing shall vnto me I will deuise in practising your rest to begin mine owne sorow And then you shall se how muche I am your frend that the wordes which I haue spoken do not procede els where but from the desire that I haue to doe you seruice seking al wayes possible your aduauncement Adelasia at these last wordes felt such a motion in her minde that much a doe she had for the exceding great ioy and pleasure she conceiued to stay her soule from leaping forth of that corporall prison like the spirite of that Romaine Lady which once left the body to descende into the Elisien feldes to vse the perfection of her ioye with the blessed soules there when she saw her sonne retorne safe and sounde from the battaile of Thrasimene besides the lake of Peruse where the Consul Flaminius was ouercome by Haniball but in the ende the hope to haue that which Radegonde had promised made her to receyue heart againe and to clepe her counseler saying God forbid deare mother that the thing you do for me should rebound to your mishap or discontentation sith the affection which you haue consisteth in the only pity and conseruation of a pore afflicted mayden And your desire tendeth to the deliuerance of the most passionate Princesse that euer was borne of mother And beleue that Fortune wyll be so fauorable that what mischief so euer should chaunce you remayning without paine I shall be she that alone shall beare the penance Wherfore once againe I besech you sayde she embracing Radegonde to bring that to passe wherof you giue such an assured hope Care not you Madame sayd Radegonde I trust within a while to make you proue the effecte of my promise And will cause you to speake vnto him whom you desire so muche Only be mery and forget these straunge fashions in tormenting your selfe so much before your maides to the intent that which hetherto hath bene kept secrete may not be reueled to your great shame and hinderance and to the vtter ruine ouerthrowe of me During all this time Alerane liued in despaire hardie cowardnesse for although he sawe the amorous gestes of Adelasia yet he durst fire no certayne iudgement of his owne satisfaction althoughe hys hearte tolde hym that he was her onely fauoured friende and promysed him that which almost he
lyfe and all the partes of her body to ware colde she quickly layde her downe and then with helpe and other things apte for sownings she made her come to her selfe againe and thinking wholy to recouer her she earnestly promised her to do what she would haue her and then sayd vnto her Doe away your teares Madame moderate your selfe a litle from your tormentes reuoke your former ioy and be of good chere for I am disposed to obey you God defende that I shoulde be the cause of the payne whiche I sée you to suffer Nowe I am readye to goe with you to the King where it shall please you we two without other companye will doe oure owne errande and attempte the beginning of our enterpryse The mother full of ioye lifting vp her handes to the heauens tenderly embraced her daughter and many times did kisse her and after she had commaunded her Coche to be made ready she went forth wyth her daughter accompanied onely with two Gentlewomen her Damoselles to the Kings Pallace When they were come thyther they sent worde to the Secretarye that broughte her the message who conducted them to the Kinges chamber and presenting them before the King sayde Syr beholde the company which you haue so long time desired They be come to doe your grace humble reuerence The King gretly astonnied came to mete them and with ioyfull countenāce sayde Welcome Ladie Countesse and your long desired companie But what good fortune conducted you hyther nowe The Countesse hauing made her obeysance yet alfryghted with feare aunswered him Beholde here my Lorde your fayre AElips so long tyme wished for who takyng repentaunce for her former crueltye and rigor is come to render her selfe at your commaundement Then the King beholding the yong Countesse trembling for feare lyke a leafe shaken with the winde with her eyes fixed on the ground approching nere her toke her by the hande and kissing her sayde Welcome my lyfe and soule But she no more moued than a fierce Lyon enuironed with cruell beastes stode still and helde her peace her heart so constrained for sorrowe and dispite that she was not able to aunswere a worde The King who thought that suche passion procéeded of shame commaunded that the gentlewomen that were come in her companie shaulde depart the chamber sauing the mother which brought her to the entrie of the kings chamber Then wythdrawing her selfe backe she left her to the mercy of loue and the King So sone as the King was entred the chamber he shut the dore after him Which AEllps perceyuing began to fele a furious combat betwéene her honor and lyfe fearing to be defloured and seing her abandoned of all humayne succour falling downe prostrate at his fete she sayde vnto him Gracious and redoubted Prince sithe that my heauy fortune hath brought me hither lyke an innocent lambe to the sacrifice and that my parents amazed through your furie as rauishers of me agaynst my will and contrarie to the duetie of their honor haue deliuered me into your handes I humblie beseche your maiestie yf there remayne in your noble personage any sparke of vertue and Princely affection before you passe any further to satisfie your desire to let me proue and vnderstand by effecte if your Loue be such as oftentymes by letters and mouth you haue declared vnto me The request which I will make vnto you shall be but easie and yet shall satisfie me more than al the contentation of the worlde Otherwise sir doe not thinke that so long as my lyfe doth continue I am able to doe any thing that can content your desire And if my sute shall seeme reasonable and grounded vpon equitie before I doe open and declare the same more at large assure the performaunce thereof vnto me by othe The King hearing her prayer to be so reasonable wherevnto rather than to refuse it he swore by his Scepter taking God to witnesse and al the heauenly powers for confirmation of that which he pretended to promise then he sayde vnto her Madame the onely maistresse keper of my louing heart sithe that of your grace and curtesie you haue vouchsafed to come to my Palace to make request of my only fauour and good will which now I irreuocably doe consent and graunt swearing vnto you by that honorable sacrament of Baptisme whereby I was incorporated to the Church of God and for the Loue that I beare you for greater assurance I can not giue I wil not refuse any thing that is in my power and abilitie to the intent you may not be in doubt whether I doe loue you intend hereafter to imploy my self to serue and pleasure you for otherwise I shoulde falsifie my fayth and more feruently I cannot bynd my selfe if I shoulde sweare by all the othes of the worlde The fayre Countesse sitting stil vpon her knées although the King many times prayed her to rise vp reuerently toke the King by the hande saying And I doe kisse this royall hande for loyall testimonie of the fauour which your grace doth shew vnto me Then plucking out a sharpe knife which she had vnder her kirtle all bathed and washed in teares reclining her pitiefull eyes towardes the King that was astonned and appalled with that sight she sayde vnto him Sir the gift that I require and wherfore your faith is bound is this I most humbly desire you that rather than to dispoyle me of myne honor with the sworde girded by your side you wil vouchsafe to ende my lyfe or to suffer me presently with this sharpe poynted knife in my hande to thrust my self to the heart that myne innocent bloude doing my funerall honor may beare witnesse before God of my vndefiled chastity being so resolued honorably to dye and that before I doe lose myne honor I may murder my selfe before you with this blade knife in my hande The king that burned with amorous heate beholding this pitifull spectacle and considering the inuincible constancy chastitie of the Countesse vanquished with remorse of cōscience ioyned with lyke pitie taking her by the hand sayde Rise vp Lady liue frō henceforth assured for I will not ne yet pretend all the dayes of my life to commit any thing in you agaynst your will And plucking the knife out of her hand exclamed This knife hereafter shal be the Pursiuant before God men of this thine expugnable chastitie the force wherof wanton Loue was not able to endure rather yelding place to Uertue which being alienated from me hath made me at one instante victorious ouer my selfe which by and by I will make you to vnderstande to your great contentacion and greater maruell For assuraunce whereof I desire none other thing of you but a chaste kisse Which receyued he opened the dore and caused the Countesse to come in with the Secretarie and the gentlewomen and the same time he caused the Courtiers and Pieres of the Realme which were then in the base Court of the
to all thinges good and vertuous hoping therby to attayne the fame of a moste perfect Lady to be counted worthy the interteignement of such a seruant Amadour being arriued at Barsalone was banketted of the Ladyes after the olde maner but they finding him so altered and chaunged thought that Mariage coulde neuer haue had such power vpon man as it had ouer him For he séemed then to disdayne those things which sometime he greatly desired and specially the Coūtesse of Palamons whom he dearely loued coulde deuise no meanes to make him goe alone home to his lodging Amadour tarried at Barsalone so little while as he coulde bicause he might not come late to the place where he should winne and achieue honour And being arriued at Saulse great cruell warres was comenced betwene the two kings which I purpose not to recite ne yet the noble enterprises done by Amadour whose fame was bruted aboue the rest of his companions The Duke of Nagyeres arriuing at Parpignon had charge of two thousād men and prayed Amadour to be his Lieutenant who with that band serued so wel that no crie was hearde in all the skirmishes other than Nagyeres It chaūced that the king of Thunis which of long time had warre with the Spaniardes vnderstanding how the kings of Spaine and Fraunce were together by the eares at Parpignon and Narbone thought that in better time he could not anoy the king of Spaine Wherefore he sent a great number of Foysts and other vessels to robbe and destroy those frontiers which were yll guarded kept They of Barsalone séeing a number of Shippes passe before the Towne aduertised the king that was at Saulse who imediatly sent the Duke of Nagyeres to Palamons And when the Shippes perceyued that the place was well guarded they made as thoughe they woulde passe further But aboute midnight they retourned and landed so many men that the Duke of Nagyeres was taken prisoner Amadour which was very vigilant hearing al arme presently assembled so many men as he coulde and defended himselfe so well that the force of his enemies a long time coulde not hurt him But in th ende knowing that the Duke of Nagyeres was taken prisoner and that the Turkes were determined to burne the Citie of Palamons and then to fier the house which he strongly had forced against them he thought it better to render him selfe than to be cause of the losse of so many good souldiors as were in his bande and also by putting himselfe to raūsome he hoped in time to come to sée Florinda Thē he submitted himself to a Turke called Derlyn the gouernor of the king of Thunis who conueyed him home to his maister where he was well enterteigned and better kept For they thought that hauing him in their handes they had gotten the onely Achilles of Spaine In this sorte Amadour continued almost the space of two yeares in the seruice of the king of Thunis Newes came into Spaine of this ouerthrow wherof the friends of the Duke of Nagyeres were very sorrowfull But they that loued the honor of their countrie thought Amadour to be the greatest losse The brute whereof was noysed in the house of the Countesse of Arande where at that tyme the pore Gentlewoman Auenturade lay very sore sicke The Countesse suspecting very muche the affection that Amadour bare vnto her daughter which he suffered and dissembled for his vertues sake called her daughter aside and tolde her the pitious newes Florinda which could well dissemble sayde vnto her that it was a great losse for all their house but specially she pitied the state of his pore wife bicause at that time she was so sore sick But seing her mother wepe so bitterly she let fall some teares to kepe her companie least through to much dissimulation her loue might be discouered After that time the Countesse spake to her many tymes but she could neuer perceyue by her countenaunce any cause of certayne suspicion I will leaue to speake of the voyages the prayers the supplications and fastings whiche Florinda did ordinarily make for the safegard and prosperitie of Amadour who incontinently so sone as he was arriued at Thunis sente newes to his friendes and by a sure messanger aduertized Madame Florinda that he was in good health and hope to retourne Which newes was to the pore Lady the only meanes to releue and ease her sorrow And doubte ye not but the meanes of writing was vtterly debarred from Amadour whereof Florinda acquited her self so dilygently that by her letters and epistles he receyued gret consolation comfort The Countesse of Arande receyued cōmaundement from the King to repaire to Sarragosa where he that tyme was arriued And there she founde the yong Duke of Cardonne making sute to the King and Quéene for mariage of her daughter The Countesse vnwilling to disobey the king agréed thinking that her daughter being very yong had none other affection but that she had When the accord was concluded she sayde vnto her daughter that she had chosen her that match which she thought best worthy to ioyne with her person Her daughter séeing that in a thing already done it was to late to take counsell sayde vnto her that God was to be praysed in all things And séeing her mother so farre alienated from her intent she thought it better to shew her selfe obedient than to take pitie vpon her selfe And to comforte her in that sorow she vnderstode that the Infant Fortune was at the point of death But before her mother or any other person she shewed not so much as one signe or token thereof strayning her selfe so muche that the teares by force retiring to her heart did cause the bloud to issue forth at her nose in such abundance that her lyfe was in present daunger And to recouer her of that dysease she was maried vnto him for whose sake she had rather haue chaunged her lyfe for presente death After the mariage Florinda wente with her husbande into the Duchie of Cardonne and with her Auenturade to whome she secretly made her complaint aswell of her mothers rigor as also of the sorrowe she conceyued for the losse of the sonne of the Infant Fortune But of her griefe for Amadour she spake neuer a worde but by waye of comforting her This yong Lady then determined to haue God and respect of honor before her eyes and so well to dissemble her griefes that none should at any tyme perceyue that she misliked her husbande In this sorte Florinda passed a long tyme liuing a lyfe no lesse pleasant than death The report whereof she sent to her good seruant Amadour who vnderstanding her great loue and well disposed heart and the loue she bare to the Infant Fortune thought that it was impossible she could liue long lamented her state more than his owne This griefe augmented his paine of imprisonment wishing to haue remained a slaue all the dayes of his lyfe so that Florinda had had a
frequent vse of mighty in countrie terrible shocke of shield Launce is familier in the Court famous in the towne and countrie In whom may pacient bearing of aduersitie and constant suffrance of Fortunes threates more duly to the world appere than in him that hath coÌ„stantly susteined quietly passed ouer the bruntes of the same To whom may be giuen a Theatre of the world and stage of humaine miserie more worthily than to him that hath with comely gesture wyse demeanor and orderly behauiour bene an actor in the same Who is he that more condignely doth deserue to be possesin a Palace of Pleasure than he that is daylie resiant in a pallace of renowmed fame guided by a Queene adorned with most excellent beautie and shape indewed and garnished with great learning passing vertues and rare qualities of the minde To whom I say may constancie of Ladyes and vertuous dedes of Dames nore aptly be applied than to him that hath in possession a Lady and Countesse of noble birth whose sire was the olde Earle of Bedforde a graue and faithfull councelor to her Maiesties most noble Progenitors and father is the same in deare estimation and regard with her highnesse vnder whoÌ„ he trustily honorably serueth whose curteous and couÌ„tesse like behauior glistereth in the court amongs the troupe of honorable Dames and for her towarde disposition first preferred by the Quenes Maiestie into her secrete chamber and after aduaunced to be Countesse of your noble Earledome Besides al which rare giftes by Nature ingrafted in your honor and by her bountifully bestowed vpon the same the perfect pietie and brotherly loue betwene you and the right noble and vertuous the Earle of Lecester your honorable brother is had in greatest admiration Whose noble courage in dedes of honor and passing humanitie to his inferiours is very commendable to the worlde But here I will stay my selfe lest whilest I goe about to extoll your fames I doe for wante of skill in due praise seme to diminishe that which among all men by daily experience is sufficiently renowmed And as your honor dothe with great prudence gouerne that office of the Ordinance wherof I am a member euen so the same hath with great care and diligence commended suche to the Quenes Maiestie to ioyne and serue in the same as officers right worthy their vocations specially the worshipfull Edwarde Randolfe Esquire Lieutenaunt of that office a man for his experience and good aduise rather fostred in the bosome of Bellona her selfe than nourced in kentish soyle although in the scholehouse of curtesie and humanitie he appeareth full carefully to haue bene trayned vp by his vertuous parents which is familiarly knowen vnto me and other that domestically as it were doe frequent his companie But alas my Lorde amonges the midde of my reioyce of those before remembred I can not pretermit the lamentable losse of the best approued gonner that euer serued in our time his Prince and countrie Robert Thomas the Maister Gonner who for skill and seruice both a title of Prince of Gonners iustlye did deserue And see the luck when he thought best to signifie his good will to honor Hymeneus bed at Nuptiall night a clap of that he neuer feared did ende his lyfe Such is the dradfull furie of Gonners arte and hellish rage of Vulcanes worke And therefore that daungerous seruice in skilfull men is specially to be recommended and cherished Wherevnto as your honor hitherto hath borne singuler affection by preferring to her Maiestie suche as from their infancie haue bene trained vp in that necessarie seruice and very painefully haue imployed the same in the time of the Quenes maiestie that nowe is and her progenitors euen so I humbly besech your honor for continuaunce of the same specially in those that be indewed with greatest experience in whome onely resteth the brunt of our defence A seruice so commendable and needeful as none more But what neede I to prouoke the willing mynde whose honor is more prest to cherish such than I am able by wishing heart for to conceyue Finallie yet once againe I humbly besech your honor gratefully to accept this boke at your leisure conuenieÌ„t time to reade peruse the same By reuoluing wherof your honor I trust shal be delighted with the rare histories good examples therin coÌ„tayned such as to my knowlege heretofore haue not ben made coÌ„mon to our countrimen which with al my good wil indeuor I duetifully exhibit Beseching Almighty God fauourably to defend and gouerne your honor prosperously to maintayne and kepe the same godly to direct my right honorable Lady in the steppes of perfect vertue bountifullye to make you both happie parentes of many childreÌ„ and after the expence of Nâ—stor yeares in this transitorie lyfe mercifully to conducte you to the vnspeakable ioyes of his kingdome Nere the Tower of London the first of Ianuarie 1566. By your L. moste bounden William Pamter ¶ A Recapitulacion or briefe Rehearsal of the Arguments of euery Nouell with the places noted in what Author euery of the same or theffect be reade and contayned Titus Liuius ¶ The Romanes and Albanes being at warres for iniuries mutually inferred Metius Suffetius the Albane Capten deuised a way by a Combat to ioyne both the Cities in one Uictorie falling to the Romanes the Romane victor killeth hys sister who notwithstanding is condempned to dye Afterwardes vpon his fathers sute he is deliuered The first Nouell Folio 1. ¶ Sextus Tarquinius rauisheth Lucrece who bewayling the losse of her chastitie killeth her selfe The .ij. Nouell Folio 5. ¶ The siedge of Rome by Porsenna and the valiaunt deliuery therof by Mntius Scoeuola The .iij. Nouell Folio 7. ¶ Martius Cortolanus going about to represse the common people of Rome with dearth of Corne was vanished For reuengement wherof he persuaded Accius 〈◊〉 King of the Uuolcians to make warres vpon the Romanes he himself in their ayde came in his owne person The citie brought to great miserie the fathers deuised meanes to deliuer the same and sent into the Uuolscian camp the mother the wife children of Cortolanus Upon whose coÌ„plaints Cortolanus withdrew the Uuolscians And the citie was reduced to quietnesse The .iiij. Nouell Folio 9. ¶ Appius Clandius one of the Decemuiri of Rome goeth about to rauish Virginia a yong maideÌ„ which indeuor of Appius when her father Virginius vnderstode being then in the warres he repayreth home to rescue his daughter One that was betrouthed vnto her doth clayme her wherevpon rose great contencion In the ende her owne Father to saue the shame of his stock killed her with a Butchers knife and commeth into the Forum and cryeth vengeance vpon Appius Then after much contencion and rebellion the Decemviri were deposed The .v. Nouell Folio 13. Herodotus ¶ Candiules king of Lydia shewing the secretes of his wiues beautie to Gyges one of his Guarde was by counsayle of his wife slayne by the saide Gyges and
depriued of his kingdome The .vj. Nouell Folio 19. ¶ King Craesus of Lydia reasoneth with the wyseman Solon of the happy life of man Who little esteming his good aduise vnderstode before his death that no man but by vertue can in his lyfe attaine felicitie The .vij. Nouell Folio 21. AElianus ¶ Of a Father that made sute to haue his owne sonne put to death The .viij. Nouell Folio 24. ¶ Water offered of good will to Artaxerxes the king of Persia and the liberall rewarde of the king to the giuer The .ix. Nouell Folio 24. ¶ The loue of Chariton and Menalippus The .x. Nouell Folio 25. Xenophon ¶ King Cyrus persuaded by Araspas to dispose himselfe to loue a Ladie called Panthea entreth into a pretie disputacion and talke of Loue and beauty Afterwardes Araspas himselfe falleth in loue with the sayde Ladie but she indued with great chastitie auoideth his earnest Loue. And when her husbande was slayne in the seruice of Cyrus she killed herself The .xj. Nouell Folio 27. Quintus Curtius ¶ Abdolominus is from poore estate aduauÌ„ced by Alexander the great through his honest lyfe to be king of Sydone The .xij. Nouell Folio 33. ¶ The Oracion of the Scythian Ambassadours to Alexander the great reprouing his ambicion and desire of Empire The .xiij. Nouell Folio 34. Aulus Gellius ¶ The wordes of Metellus of mariage and wyuing with the prayse and disprayse of the same The .xiiij. Nouell Folio 36. ¶ Of Lais and Demosthenes The .v. Nouell Fol. 38. ¶ C. Fabritius and Aemilius Consulls of Rome being promised that king Pyrrhus for a somme of money shoulde be slayne which was a notable enemie to the Romane state aduertised Pyrrhus thereof by letters and of other notable things done by the same Fabritius The .xvj. Nouell Folio 38. ¶ A Scholemaister trayterouslye rendring the noble mennes sonnes of Faleâ—â—a to the handes of Camillus was well acquited and rewarded for his paines and labor The .xvij. Nouell Folio 39. ¶ The Historie of Papyrius Pretextaetus The .xviij. Nouell Folio 41. ¶ How Plutarche did beate his man And of pretie talke touching signes of anger The .xix. Nouell Fol. 42. ¶ A pretie tale of Aesope of the Larke The .xx. Nouell Folio 42. ¶ A merye ieft vttered by Haniball to king Antiochus The .xxj. Nouell Folio 44. ¶ The meruelous knowledge of a Lyon being acquainted with a man called Androctus The .xxij. Nouell Fol. 44. ¶ A pretie disputacion of the Philosopher Phaeuorinus to persuade a woman not to put forthe her childe to nursse but to nourishe it her selfe with her owne milke The .xxiij. Nouell Folio 45. ¶ Of Sertorius a noble Romane Capitaine The .xxiiij. Nouell Folio 48. ¶ Of the bookes of Sybilla The .xxv. Nouel Fol. 49. ¶ A difference and controuersie betweene a Maister and a Scholer so subtill that the Iudges coulde not giue sentence The .xxvj. Nouell Folio 50. Plutarche ¶ Seleueus King of Asia gaue his wife to his owne sonne in mariage being his mother in lawe Who so feruentlye did loue her that he was like to dye Which by a discrete wyse inuencion was discouered to Seleueus by a Phisician The .xxvij. Nouell Folio 51. ¶ Of the straunge and beastlye nature of Timon of Athenes enemie to mankinde with his death buriall and Epitaphe The .xxviij. Nouell Folio 57. S. Hierome and Pietro Messia ¶ The mariage of a man and woman he being the husbande of xx wiues and she the wife of .xxii. husbandes The .xxix. Nouell Folio 59. Bocaccio ¶ How Melchisedech a Iewe by telling a pretie tale of three Kinges saued his lyfe The .xxx. Nouell Folio 60. ¶ One called Guglielmo Borsiere with certen wordes well placed taunted the couetous life of Ermino Grimaldi The .xxxj. Nouell Folio 61. ¶ Maister Alberto of Bologna by a pleasaunt aunswere made a Gentlewoman to blushe which had thought to haue put him out of countenance in telling him that he was in loue with her The .xxxij. Nouell Folio 63. ¶ Rinald. of Esti being robbed arriued at Castel Guglielmo was succoured of a widowe and restored to his losses retourning safe and sounde home to his owne house The .xxxiij. Nouell Fol. 64. ¶ Three yong men hauing fondlye consumed all that they had became verye poore whose nephewe as he retourned out of Englande into Italie by the waye fyll in acquaintaunce with an Abbot whome vpon further familiaritie he knew to be the king of Englandes daughter which tooke him to her husbande Afterwards she restored his vncles to all their losses and sent them home in good state and reputacion The .xxxiiij. Nouell Folio 68. ¶ Landâ—lfo Ruffolo being inpouerished became a Pirate and taken by the Geneuois was in daunger of drowning who sauing himselfe vpon a little Coafer full of riche Iewelles was receiued at Corsu and being cherished by a woman retorned home very riche The .xxxv. Nouell Folio 73. ¶ Andreuccio of Perugia being come to Naples to buy horsse was in one night surprised with three meruelous accidents All which hauing escaped with one Rubie he retorned home to his house The .xxxvj. Nouell Folio 76. ¶ The Earle of Angiers being falslie accused was banished out of Fraunce and left his two sonnes in sundrie places in Englande and retourning vnknowen by Scotlande founde them in great authoritie afterwardes he repayred in the habite of a seruant to the French kings armie and being knowen to be innocent was againe aduaunced to his first estate The .xxxvij. Nouell Folio 85. ¶ Gilettae a Phisitians daughter of Narbona healed the French king of a Fistula for rewarde whereof she demaunded Beleramo Counte of Rossigliont to husbande The Counte being maried against his will for despite fledde to Florence and loued an other Gâ—â—etta his wife by pollicie founde meanes to lye with her husbande in place of his Louer and was begotten with childe of two sonnes Which knowen to her husbande he receiued her againe and afterwardes she liued in great honor and felicitie The .xxxviij. Nouell Folio 95. ¶ â—ancredi prince of Salerne caused his daughters louer to be slayne and sent his heart vnto her in a cuppe of Golde which afterwardes she put into poysoned water and drinking therof dyed The .xxxix. Nouell Folio 100. Bandello ¶ Mahomet one of the Turkishe Emperors executeth cursed crueltie vpon a Greke mayden whome he tooke prisoner at the winning of Constantinople The .xl. Nouell Folio 107. ¶ A Ladie falsely accused of adulterie was condemned to be deuoured of Lions the maner of her deliuerie and how her innocencie being knowen her accuser felt the payne for her prepared The .xl. Nouell Folio 112. ¶ Didaco a Spaniarde is in Loue with a poore Mayden of Valentia and secretely maryeth her afterwards lothing his first mariage because she was of base parentage he maryeth another of noble birth His firste wife by secrete messinger prayeth his companie whose request he accomplisheth Being a bedde she and her mayde killeth him She throweth him into the streate She in desperate wise
bothe for in either campes there were three brethren of age and valiaunce semblable The brethren that were in the Romane campe were called Horatij the other Curiatij Wherevpon a cōbate was thought meete betwene these sixe persones After the Romanes had vsed their solempne maners of consecratyng the truces and other rites concerning the same either partes repaired to the combate Bothe the armies stoode in readines before their campes rather voide of presente perill then of care for the state of either of their Empires consisted in the valiautce and fortune of a fewe Wherefore their mindes were wonderfully bent and incensed vpon that vnpleasaunt sight The signe of the combate was giuen The thre yong men of either side dooe ioigne with furious and cruell onsette representing the corages of twoo battelles of puissaunt armies For the losse consisted in neither those thre but the publique gouernemente or common thraldome of bothe the cities and that was the future fortune which thei did trie and proue So sone as the clashyng armure did sounde at their firste incountrie and their glitteryng swordes did shine an incredible horror and feare perced the beholders and hope inclining to neither partes their voice and mindes were whist and silent But after thei were closed together not onely the mouyng of their bodies and doubtfull weldyng and handlyng of their weapons but blooddie woundes appered twoo of the Romanes fallyng doune starke deade one vpon an other but before the three Albanes were sore hurt Whereat the Albane hoste shouted for ioye The Romane Legions were voide of hope amazed to see but one remain against thrée It chaūced that he that liued whiche as he was but one alone an vnmeete matche for the rest euen so he was fierce and thought hymself good inough for them all Therefore to separate their fight he fleeth backe meanyng thereby to giue euery of them their welcome as thei followed Whē he was retired a good space from the place where thei fought lookyng backe he sawe them followe a good distance one from an other and one of them was hard by him vpon whō he let driue with greate violence And whiles the Albane hoste cried out vpon the Curatij to help their brother Horatius had killed his enemie and demaunded for the seconde battaill Then the Romanes incoraged their chāpion with acclamations and shoutes as fearfull men be wont to doe vpon the sodaine and he spedeth hymself to the sight And before the other could ouertake hym whiche was not farre of he had killed an other of the Curatij Now thei were equallie matched one to one but in hope and strengthe vnlike For the one was free of wounde or hurte cruell fierce by reason of double victorie the other fainct for losse of bloodde and wearie of runnyng with pantyng breath and discomfited with his brethrens slaughter slaine before hym is now obiected to fight with his victorious enemie whiche was no equall matche Horatius reioysing saied twoo of thy brethren I haue dispatched the thirde the cause of this battaill I will take in hande that the Romanes maie bée lordes of the Albanes Curiatius not able to sustaine his blowe fill doune and liyng vpon his backe he thruste hym into the throte with his sworde whiche dooen he dispoiled hym of his armure Then the Romanes in a great triumphe and reioyse interteigned Horatius and their ioye was the greater for that the feare of their ouerthrowe was the nerer This combate beyng ended the Albanes became subiecte to the Romanes and before Metius departed he asked Tullus if he would cōmaunde hym any further seruice Who willed hym to keepe the young souldiours still in interteignemente for that he would require their aide againste the Verētes The Armie dissolued Horatius like a Conquerour marched home to Rome the three spoiles of his enemies beyng borne before hym The saied Horatius had a sister whiche was espoused to one of the Curatij that were slaine who meetyng her brother in the triumphe at one of the gates called Capena and knowyng the Coate armure of her paramour borne vpō her brothers shulders which she wrought and made with her owne handes She tore and rente the heare of her hedde and moste pitiouslie bewailed the death of her beloued Her brother beyng in the pride of his victorie taking the lamētacion of his sister in disdainfull part drewe out his sworde and thruste her through saiyng these opprobrious woordes Auaunte with thy vnreasonable loue get thee to thy spouse Hast thou forgotten the death of thy twoo brethren that bee slaine the prosperous successe of thy victorious brother chieflie the happie deliueraunce of thy countrie Let that Romane woman what soeuer she bee take like rewarde that shall bewaile the death of the enemie Whiche horrible facte seemed moste cruell to the fathers and people For whiche offence he was brought before the king whom he deliuered to be iudged accordyng to the lawe The lawe condempned him Then he appealed to the people In which appeale P. Horatius his father spake these wordes My doughter is slain not without iust desert whiche if it were not so I would haue sued for condigne punishment to be executed vpō my sōne accordyng to the naturall pietie of a father Wherfore I beseche you dooe not suffer me whom you haue seen in time past beautified with a noble race and progenie of children now to bee vtterly destitute and voide of all together Then he embrased his sonne emonges them all and shewed the spoiles of the Curatiens saiyng Cā you abide to see this noble champion O ye Romanes whom lately ye behelde to goe in order of triumphe in victorious maner to lye now bounde vnder the gibet expecting for tormētes of death Whiche cruell and deformed sight the Albanes eyes can not well be able to beholde goe to then thou hangman and binde the hādes of hym who hath atchieued to the Romane people a glorious Empire Goe I saie couer the face of him that hath deliuered this citie out of thraldome and bōdage Hang him vpon some vnhappy trée and scourge hym in some place within the Citie either emonges these our triumphes where the spoiles of our enemies doe remaine or els without the walles emonges the graues of the vanquished Whether can ye dauise to carrie hym but that his honourable and worthie actes shall reuenge the villanie of his cruell death The people hearyng the lamentable talke of his father and seyng in hym an vnmoueable mynde able to sustaine all aduersitie acquited hym rather through the admiracion of his vertue and valiance then by Iustice and equitie of his cause Suche was the straicte order of iustice emonges the Romanes that although this yong gentilman had vindicated his countrie from seruitute and bondage a noble memorie of perfecte manhode yet by reason of the murdre committed vpon his owne sister thei were very straict and stacke of grauntyng hym pardon because thei would not incorage the posteritie to like inconuenience nor prouoke
well doers in their glorie and triumphe to perpetrate thynges vnlawfull Sextus Tarquinius rauisheth Lucrece who bewailyng the losse of her chastitie killeth her self ¶ The seconde Nouell GReate preparacion was made by the Romanes against a people called Rutuli who had a citie named Ardea excellyng in wealth and richesse whiche was the cause that the Romane kyng beyng exhausted and quite voide of money by reason of his sumptuous buildynges made warres vpon that countrie In the tyme of the siege of that citee the yong Romane gentlemen bāqueted one an other emonges whom there was one called Collatinus Tarquinius the sonne of Egerius And by chaunce thei entred in communicacion of their wiues euery one praisyng his seuerall spouse At length the talke began to growe hotte where vpon Collatinus said that wordes wer vaine For within fewe howers it might be tried how muche his wife Lucrecia did excell the rest wherfore q he if there be any liuelihod in you Let vs take our horse to proue whiche of our wiues doth furmoūt Wherevpō thei rode to Rome in poste At their coming thei found the kynges doughters sportyng themselfes with sundrie pastymes From thence thei went to the house of Collatinus where thei founde Lucrece not as the other before named spendyng the time in idlenes but late in the night occupied and busie emonges her maides in the middes of the house spinning of Wolle The victorie and praise wherof was giuen to Lucretia who when she sawe her husbande gently and louingly interteigned hym curteously biddyng the Tarquinians welcome Imediatlie Sextus Tarquinius the sonne of Tarquinius Superbus that tyme the Romane kyng was attached and incensed with a libidious desire to construprate and defloure Lucrece When the yong gentlemen had bestowed that night pleasantlie with their wiues thei retourned to the Campe. Not long after Sextus Tarquinius with one man returned to Collatia vnknowen to Collatinus and ignoraunte to Lucrece and the reste of her houshold for what purpose he came Who beyng right hartely interteigued after supper was conueighed to his chamber Tarquinius burnyng with the loue of Lucrece after he perceiued the housholde to bee at reste and all thynges in quiet he with his naked sworde in his hande goeth to Lucrece beyng a slepe and kepyng her doune with his lefte hande saied Holde thy peace Lucrece q he I am Sextus Tarquinius my sworde is in my hande if thou crie I will kill thee The gentlewoman beyng sore a fraied newlie awaked out of her slepe and seyng iminent death could not tell what to doe Then Tarquinius confessed his loue and began to intreate her and therewithall vsed sundrie menacyng woordes by all meanes attemptyng to make her quiet when he sawe her obstinate and that she would not yelde to his requeste notwithstandyng his cruell threates he added shamefull and villanous woordes saiyng That he would kill her and when she was slaine he would also kill his slaue and place hym by her that it might be reported she was slain beyng taken in adulterie She vāquished with his terrible and infamous threat His fleshly and licencious enterprise ouercame the puritie of her chast harte whiche doen he departed Then Lucrece sente a poste to Rome to her father and an other to Ardea to her housbande requiryng them that thei would make speede to come vnto her with certaine of their trustie frendes for that a cruell facte was chaunced Then Sp. Lucretius with P. Valerius the soonne of Volesius Collatinus with L. Iunius Brutus made haste to Lucrece Where thei founde her sittyng verie pensife and sadde in her chamber So sone as she sawe theim she began pitiouslie to weepe Then her housebande asked her whether all thynges were well vnto whom she saied these woordes No dere housebande for what can bee well or safe vnto a woman when she hath loste her chastitie Alas Collatine the steppes of an other man be now fixed in thy bedde But it is my bodie onely that is violated my minde God knoweth is gililes whereof my death shal be witnesse But if you be men giue me your hādes and trouthe that the adulterer maie not escape vnreuenged It is Sextus Tarquinius who beyng an enemie in stede of a frende the other night came vnto me armed with his sworde in his hand and by violence caried a waie from me and tooke to himself a pestiferous ioye Then euery of thē gaue her their faith and comforted the pensife and languishyng ladie imputing the offence to the aucthor and doer of the same affirmyng that her bodie was polluted and not her mynde and where consente was not there the crime was absent Wherevnto she added I praie you consider with your selues what punishment is due for the malefactour As for my parte though I clere my self of the offence my bodie shall feele the punishemente for no vnchast or ill woman shall hereafter take example of Lucrece Then she drew out a knife whiche she had hidden secretly vnder her kirtle and stabbed her self to the harte Whiche doen she fell doune grouelyng vpon her wounde and so died Wherevpon her father and housebande made greate lamentacion and as thes were bewailyng the death of Lucrece Brutus plucked the knife out of the wounde whiche gushed out with abundance of blood and holdyng it vp saied I swere by the chaste blood of this bodie here deade and I take you the immortall goddes to witnesse that I wil driue and extirpate out of this Citie bothe L. Tarquinius Superbus and his wicked wife with all the race of his children and progenie so that none of them ne yet any others shall raigne any longer in Rome Then he deliuered the knife to Collatinus Lucretius and Valerius merueilyng at the straungenesse of his woordes And from whence he should conceiue that determinacion Thes al swore that othe And folowed Brutus as their capitaine in his conceiued purpose The bodie of Lucrece was brought into the markette place where the people wondred at the vilenesse of that facte euery mā cōplainyng vpon the mischief of that facinorous rape committed by Tarquinius Wherevpon Brutus perswaded the Romanes that thei should cease from teares and other childishe lamentacions and take weapons in their handes and shewe themselues like men Then the lustiest and moste desperate persones within the citie made theimselues presse and readie to attempt any enterprise And after a guarrison was placed and bestowed at Collatia diligente watche and warde was kepte at the gates of the citie to the intent the kyng should haue no aduertismente of that slurre The reste of the souldiours followed Brutus to Rome Whē he was come to Rome the armed multitude did beate a meruellous feare throughout the whole citie but yet because thei sawe the chiefeste personages goe before that thought that the same enterprise was not taken in vaine Wherefore the people out of all places of the citie ran into the marketplace Where Brutus complained of the abhominable Rape of Lucrece committed by Sextus Tarquinius whervnto
ambiguous and doubtfull causes therefore I will neither consume tyme in accusyng hym before you frō whose crueltie ye haue by force defended your selues nor yet I will suffre hym to ioyne to his former wickednesse any impudente answere for his defence Wherefore Appius all those thinges whiche he wickedly and cruelly one vpon an other thou haste dooen these twoo yeres paste I dooe fréely forgiue thee But if thou canste not purge thy self of this one thing that against the order and forme of Lawe thou thy self beyng Iudge wouldest not suffer the freman to enioye the benefite of his freedome during the processe made of seruitude I will presently commaunde thee to prison Appius Claudius beyng now a prisoner and perceiuyng that the iuste complaintes of Virginius did vehemētty incite the people to rage and furie and that the peticions and praiers of his frēdes in nowise could mollifie their hartes he began to conceiue a desperacion And within a while after slewe hymself Spurius Oppius also an other of the Decemuiri was immediatly sent to prison who before the daie of his iudgemēte died The reste also of that order fled into exile Whose goodes were confiscate Marcus Claudius also the Assertor was condempned howbeit Virginius was contented he should be banished the citie and then he fled to Tybur Thus vpon the filthie affeccion of one nobleman issued parricide murder rebellion hatred depriuyng of magistrates and greate mischiefes succedyng one in an others necke Wherevpon the noble and victorious citie was like to be a praie to forren nacions A goodlie documente to men of like callyng to moderate themselues and their Magisterie with good and honeste life thereby to giue incouragemente of vertue to their vassalles and inferiours who for the moste parte doe imitate and followe the liues and cōuersacion of their superiours Canduales kyng of Lydia shewyng the secretes of his wiues beautie to Gyges one of his Guarde was by counsaile of his wife slaine by the said Gyges and depriued of his kyngdome ¶ The .vj. Nouell OF all follies wherwith vaine men be affected the follie of immoderate loue is most to be detested For that husband whiche is beautified with a comely and honeste wife whose rare excellēcie doeth surpasse other aswell in lineamentes proporcion and feature of bodie as with inwarde qualities of minde if he can not retaine in the secrecie and silence of his breast that excellyng gifte and benefite is worthie to be inaugured with a laurell croune of follie Beautie eche man knoweth is one of natures ornamentes by her wisedome ordeined not to enter in triumphe as victours vse vpon gaine of victorie with brauerie to ostentate their glorie by sounde of Shalme Dromme but thankfully for the same to proclaime the due praise to the aucthour of Nature For there is nothyng more fraile and fadyng then the luryng lookes of Dame beauties eyes altogether like the flaryng Marigolde floure whiche in the moste feruent heate of the Sommers daie doeth appere moste glorious and vpō retire of the nightes shadowe appereth as though it had neuer been the same And therefore he that conceiueth reioyse in her vncertaine state is like to hym that in his slombryng dreame doeth imagine he hath founde a perelesse iewell of price inestimable besette with the glistering Diamonde and perfectly awaked knoweth he hath none suche If God hath indued a man with a wife that is beautifull and honest he is furnished with double pleasure suche as rather thankes to hym then vaine ostentacion is to bee remembred Otherwise he doateth either in Ielosie or openeth proude vauntes thereof to suche as he thinketh to be his moste assured frendes What ioye the sequele thereof doeth bryng let the historie insuyng reporte Candaules kyng of Lydia had a merueilous beautifull gentlewoman to his Quene and wife whom he loued very dearly and for that greate loue whiche he bare her thought her the fairest creature of the world Beyng in this louing concept he extolled the praise of his wife to one of his guarde called Gyges the sonne of Dascylus whom he loued aboue all the reste of his housholde and vsed his counsaile in all his weightie causes with in a while after he saied vnto Gyges these woordes It seemeth vnto me Gyges that thou doest not greatly beleue the woordes whiche I speake vnto the of the beautie of my wife but because eyes be better witnesses of thynges then eares thou shalte see her naked With these wordes Gyges beyng amased cried out saiyng What wordes be these sir kyng me think you are not well aduised to require me to viewe and beholde the ladie my maistres in that sorte For a woman seen naked doeth with her clothes put of also her chastitie In olde tyme honest thinges were deuised for mannes instruction emonges whiche was vsed this one thing That euery man ought to behold the thinges that were his owne But sir I doe beleue assuredlie that she is the fairest woman in the worlde wherfore desire me not to thynges that bee vnlawfull In this sorte Gyges replied and yet feared lest some daūger might happen vnto hym Whom Candaules encouraged saiyng Be of good there and be not afraid that either I or my wife goe aboute to deceiue thee or that thou shalte incurre any daunger For I will take vpon me so to vse the matter as she by no meanes shal knowe that thou haste seen her I will place thee behinde the portall of our chamber When I goe to bed my wife commonlie dooeth followe And she beyng in the Chamber a chaire is sette redie vpon whiche she laieth her clothes as she putteth them of Which doen she sheweth her self a good tyme naked And when she riseth from her chaire to goe to bedde her backe beyng toward thee thou maiest easilie conueighe thy self out againe but in anywise take heede she doe not sée thee as thou goest out Wherevnto I praie thee to haue a speciall regarde Gyges seeyng that by no meanes he could auoide the vaine requeste of the kyng was redie at the tyme appoincted Candaules about the hower of bedde tyme went into the Chamber and conueighed Gyges into the same and after the Kyng the Quene followed whom Gyges behelde at her goyng in and at the puttyng of her clothes When her backe was towardes hym as he was goyng out she perceiued hym The Quene vnderstanding by her housbande the circumstance of the facte neither for shame did crie out ne yet made countenance as though she had séen Gyges but in her minde purposed to reuenge her husbandes follie For emōges the Lydiās as for the most parte with all other nacions it is coumpted a greate shame to sée a naked man The gentlewoman counterfaited her grief and kepte silence In the mornyng when she was redie by suche of her seruauntes whom she moste trusted she sent for Gyges who thought that she had knowen nothyng of that whiche chaūced For many times before he vsed to haue accesse to the quene when he was
saied that her doughter might not bothe sustaine paine in the birthe and also trouble to nourishe it her self I praie thee mother saied Phauorinus to suffer thy doughter to be the hole intire mother of her owne sonne What kind of half and vnperperfect mothers be thei whiche so sone as thei bee deliuered doe against nature by and by thrust the childe a waie from them Can thei nourishe with their owne bloode the thyng whiche thei see not and will thei not vouchsaufe to bestowe their Milke vpon that whiche is now a liuyng creature criyng out before their faces for the mothers help and duetie O thou vnkinde woman dooest thou thinke that Nature hath giuen thee twoo breastes for nothyng els but to beautifie and adorne thy body and not to giue sucke to thy children In like sorte many prodigious and monstruous women haue dried vp and extinguished that moste sacred foūtaine of the bodie the educatour of mākinde not without perill of their persones as though the same were a disgracyng of their beautie and comelinesse The like also some doe attempt by deuises and subtile secrecies to extrude their concepcions that the swellyng of their body might not irrugate and wrinckle their faces and that their painfull labours and greate burdeins dooe not make them looke olde in their youthly daies And like as it is generally to bee abborred that man in his first beginnynges when he is fashioned and inspired with life and in the handes of the cunnyng and wise woman daine Nature should be killed and slaine euē so with not muche lesse detestacion it is to be had cōpted when he is perfect and borne and the child of thine owne blood to be depriued from his due sustenaunce But it is no matter will some saie with whose Milke he bee nourced so he receiue Milke and liue The like maie be saied to that man whiche is so dull in perceiuyng the prouidence of Nature that what matter had it been in whose bodie and with whose blood he hymself had been formed and brought into light Hath not she whiche nowe respireth and with beautie waxeth white and fake the same bloodde now in her breastes which was before remainyng in her wōbe Is not the wisedome of Nature manifest in this thyng that after the cunnyng woorkeman the bloodde hath framed in the inwarde partes euery bodie of man straight waie when the tyme of birthe approcheth the same bloodde infudeth hymself into the vpper partes and is redie to nourishe the rudimentes of life and light offryng acquaintaunce familier sustinance to the newe borne Wherefore in vaine is not that reporte and belief that like as the force and Nature of the generacion séede is able to shape the similitudes of the minde bodie euen so the qualities and properties of the Milke doe auaile to like effecte Whiche thing is not onely marked in men but also in brute beastes For if Kiddes bee sockled vp with Ewes Milke and Lambes with Goates the Wolle of th one will growe more rough and hard and the heare of the other more tēder and soft In trées also and fruictes there is for the moste parte a greater force and power in the nature of the soile and Water where thes growe either for the pruning and planting then there is if straunge impes and séede be grifted and sowen there And many tymes you sée that a fruictfull trée caried and set in an other place decaseth through the nature of the grounde more barren What reason is this then to corrupte the noble Nature of this borne childe whose bodie and minde is well begonne with naturall beginnynges and to infecte the same with the degenerate foode of straunge Milke Specially if she to whom you shalt put forthe this childe to giue sucke be either a bonde and serulte woman and as commonlie it chaunceth of a forrein and barbarous nacion bee she wicked ill fauoured whorishe or dronken For diuers times without difference children be put forth to suche Nursses whose honestitie and condicions in the tyme of the puttyng for the be vtterly vnknowen Shall we suffer therefore this our infaunt to bée corrupted with pestiferous Milke Shall we abide a newe nature and spirit to be renued in his minde and bodie deriued frō that whiche is most vile and wicked Muche like to the same whiche many tymes we see and wonder how diuers children borne of chaste and honest women haue bodies and qualities farre discrepant from their honest parentes Wherefore verie trimlie and cunnynglie Maro folowyng Homeres verses doeth safe speakyng of the cruell nature of Achilles Sir Peleus that gentle kinght was not thy father sure Nor yet thy dame faire Thetis was whose grace the Goddes did lure The raging Sea and stonie rockes did bryng thee forthe to light Thy nature is so bloudie bent so fierce in cruell fight He did not herein reprehende the birthe of Achilles but the nature of the cruel sauage beast that brought hym vp for he added this of his owne And the Hircan Tigres did giue hym sucke And truely the condicion of the Noursse and nature of the Milke disposeth almoste the greater parte of the childes condicion whiche notwithstādyng the fathers séede and creacion of the bodie and mynde within the mothers wombe dooeth now in the begiunyng of his nouriture configurate and frame a newe dispositiō in him Moreouer who can saie the cōtrary but that suche women as putte their children from them deliueryng thē to be nourced of other doe cutte of naie rather doe wipe a waie and extinguishe that bande and increase of minde and affection that doeth consociate and ioyne in nature the parentes toward their children For whē the childe is put forthe to an other place and remoued from the mothers sighte the vigor and tendernesse of her affection is by litle ant litle forgotten and out of memorie the derest care of her tender babe groweth to vtter silence The sendyng awaie of the childe to an other Nourice is not muche inferiour to the forgetfulnesse that chaunceth when death doeth take it awaie Againe the affection the loue and familiaritie of the childe is prone to her that giueth it sucke And so as it is enidently seen in them that be put forthe the childe taketh no knowledge or desire of the owne mother that brought it forthe Therefore when the elementes and beginnynges of naturall pletie and loue bee ones abandoned and defaced how soeuer suche children in that sort brought vp shall seeme to loue the parentes yet for the moste parte it is no pure and naturall affection but rather a supposed and Ciuile loue Thus this noble Philosopher giueth counsaill to euery good mother not to be ashamed or grieued to bryng vp her childe with her owne Milke after her greatest paine past whom before with her owne bloudde she disdained not to féede in her bodie Of Sertorius a noble Romane capitaine ¶ The .xxiiij. Nouell LIke as in a good Capitaine chosen out
so many tymes for his sake to fetche so many sighes and with suche sweete woordes to bidde hym bet of good there aud that if he wanted any thyng to tell her and praied hym with pleasaunt wordes to call for that he lacked and that for his sake she would gladlie accomplish his desire who doubteth I saie but he was merueilouslie tormented with a thousande cogitacions now conceiuyng hope and by and by dispaire and still concludyng with hymself rather to die then to manifest his loue And if it be a grief to all yonge men bee thei neuer of so meane and base cōdicion in their youthlie tyme to lose their life what shall we thinke of Antiochus that beyng a yongman of freshe and flourishyng age the sonne of a riche and mightie kyng that looked if he might escape after the death of his father to be heire of al did willingly craue death of that small disease I am assured that his sorowe was infinite Antiochus then beaten with pitie with loue with hope with desire with fatherly reuerence and with a thousande other thynges like a ship tossed in the depe seas by litle and litle begā to growe extremelie sicke Erasistratus that sawe his bodie hole and sounde but his minde greuouslie weakened and the same vanquished with sundrie passiōs After he had with hymself considered this straunge case he for cōclusiō foūde out that the yong man was sicke through loue for none other cause Moreouer he thought that many tymes wise and graue menne through Ire hatred disdaine malinconie and other affections could easilie faine and dissemble their passions but loue if it be kept secrete doeth by the close kepyng thereof greater hurte then if it be made manifeste And albeit that of Antiochus he could not learne the cause of his loue yet after that imaginacion was entred into his hedde he purposed to finde it out by continuall abode with hym and by greate diligence to obserue and marke all his actions and aboue all to take heede to the mutacion of his poulses and wherevpon their beatyng did alter This deliberacion purposed he sat downe by the bedde side and tooke Antiochus by the arme and helde him fast where the poulses ordinarily doe beate It chaunced at that instant that the quene Stratonica entred into the chamber whom so sone as the yonge man sawe cōmyng towarde him sodainlie the poulce whiche were weake féeble began to reuiue through mutacion of the blood Erasistratus féelyng the renforcyng of the poulce and to proue how longe it would continewe moued not at the commyng of the Quene but still helde his fingers vpō the beatyng of the poulces So long as the Quene contiuned in the chamber the beatyng was quicke and liuelie but when she departed it ceased the wonted weaknes of the poulces retourned Not long after the quene came againe into the chāber who was no soner espied by Antiochus but that his poulces receiued vigor and begā to leape and so still continued Whē she departed the force and vigor of the poulce departed also The noble Phisicion seyng this mutacion and that still it chaunced vpō the presence of the Quene he thought that he had founde out the occasion of Antiochus sickenesse But he determined better to marke the same the next daie to be more assured The morowe after Erasistratus sat doun againe by the yonge gentleman and toke hym again by the arme but his poulce made no mociō at all The king came to se his sonne and yet for all that his poulses were still And beholde the Quene came no soner in but sodainlie thei reuined and yelded suche liuelie mouyng as if you would haue said yonder is she that setteth my harte on fire Beholde where she is that is my life death Then Erasistratus was well assured and certaine that Antiochus was feruently inflamed with his mother in lawe but that shame constrained hym to conceale the hotte firebrandes that tormented hym and to keepe them close and secrete Certified of this opinion before he would open the matter he considered what waie were best to giue knowledge therof to kyng Seleucus And when he had well debated of this matter he deuised this waie He knewe that Seleucus loued his wife beyonde measure and also that Antiochus was so dere vnto hym as his owne life Wherevpon he thus saied vnto the kyng Noble Seleucus thy sonne is affected with a grieuous maladie and that whiche is worse I deme his sickenesse to bee incurable At whiche wordes the sorowfull father began to vtter pitifull lamētacion and bitterlie to complaine of Fortune To whom the Phisicion saied If it please yon my lorde to vnderstande the occasion of his disease This it is The maladie that affecteth and languisheth your soonne is Loue and the loue of suche a woman whiche excepte he enioye there is no remedie but death Alas quod the Kyng weepyng with bitter teares and what woman is she but that I maie procure her for hym whiche am kyng of all Asia and maie with intreatie money giftes or other pollicie whatsoeuer make her obediente and willyng to my soonnes requeste Tell me onelie the name of the woman that I maie prouide for my soonnes healthe yea though it cost me all my goods and realme to if other wise she can not bee gotten For if he die what shall I doe with my kyngdome Wherevnto Erasistratus answered If it like your grace your sōne is in loue with my wife but bicause that loue semeth vnto him discōuenient he dareth not to manifest the same for shame but rather wisheth to die then to opē his minde Howbeit I by certaine euident signes doe wei perceiue it When Seleucus heard these woordes he saied O Erasistratus thou beyng so worthie a man to whom fewe in goodnesse and humilitie be comparable so dere and welbeloued of me and beareth the bruite to be the verie hauen and harborough of wisedome wilt thou not saue my sonne whiche is a yonge man now vpon the floure of his youth and most worthie of life for whom the Empire of all Asia is worthelie reserued O Erasistratus the soonne of thy frende Seleucus is thy kyng who through loue and silence is at the poineted death thou seest that for modestie and honestie sake at this his laste and doubtfull passage he had rather chose to die then by speakyng to offende thee and wilte thou not helpe hym This his silence this discrecion that his reuerence whiche he sheweth ought to moue thee to cōpassion Thinke my welbeloued Erasistratus that if he loue ardently that he was forced to loue For vndoubtedlie if he could not loue he would do the best he could not to loue yea and all his endeuour to resist it But who is able to prescribe lawes to Loue Loue I knowe not onelie forceth men but also commaūdeth the immortall Goddes and when thei bee not able to resist him what can mannes pollicie preuaile Wherfore who knoweth not what
pitie mine own dere Antiochus dooeth deserue Who beyng constrained can none otherwise doe But to be silent in loue is a moste euident signe of a noble and rare vertue Dispose thy minde therefore to helpe my soonne For I assure thée that if thou dooe not loue the life of Antiochus Seleucus life muste needes bee hated of thee He can not bee hurte but I likewise must be hurted The wise Phisicion seyng that his aduise came to passe as he thought before and that Seleucus was so instant vpon hym for the healthe of his sonne the better to proue his minde and his intencion spake vnto hym in this wise It is a common saiyng my moste dradde soueraigne Lorde that a man when he is hole cā giue to hym that is sicke and weake verie good counsaile You perswade me to giue my welbeloued wife to another man and to forgo her whom I moste feruentlie doe loue and in lackyng her my life also must faile If you doe take from me my wife you take with her my life Doubtfull it is my lorde if Antiochus pour sonne were in loue with the Quene Stratonica your graces wife whether you would bée so liberall vnto hym of her as you would that I should bee of myne I would it were the pleasure of the Goddes sodainlie answered Seleucus that he were in loue with my best beloued Stratonica I sweare vnto thee by the reuerence that I haue alwaies borne to the honourable memorie of my father Antiochus and my graundfather Seleucus and I sweare by all the sacred Goddes that frelie and forthwith I would render my wife into his handes although she be the dearest beloued vnto me in suche wise as all the worlde should knowe what the duetie of a good and louyng father ought to bée to suche a sone as my intirely beloued Antiochus who if I bée not deceiued is moste worthie of all helpe and succour Alas this his greate vertue in concealing that notable passion as an earnest affection of loue is it not worthie to be consecrated to eternall memorie Is he not worthie of all helpe and comforte Dooeth he not deserue to be pitied and lamented of all the whole worlde Truly he is worsse then a cruell enemie naie he is rather more fierce and vnnaturall then a sauage beast that at suche moderate behauiour as my sonne vseth will not take compassion Many other woordes he spake manifestlie declaryng that he for the healthe of his soonne would not onelie sticke to bestowe his wife but also willinglie his life for his preseruacion Wherefore the Phisicion thought it not good any lōger to kepe secrete the thyng but tooke the king a side and saied vnto hym in this wise The healthe of your soonne my dere Lorde and soueraigne is not in my handes but the same resteth in you and in your wife Stratonica whom as I by certaine signes doe manifestlie knowe he ardētly doeth loue Your grace now doeth knowe from hencefor the what to doe if his life be dere vnto you And tellyng the kyng the maner of suche loue he ioyfully toke his leaue The kyng now doubted but of one thyng whiche was howe to perswade his sōne to take Stratonica to wife and how to exhorte his wife to take his sonne to husbande But it chaūced for diuerse causes that easelie inough he perswaded thē bothe And perchaunce Stratonica made a good exchaūge by takyng a yong man to forsake him that was old After Seleucus had made the accorde betwene his wife and his soonne he caused all his armie to assemble whiche was verie greate To whō he saed in this maner My dere and louyng souldious whiche sithe the death of Alexander the great haue with me achieued a thousande glorious enterprises I thincke it méete and conuenient that ye be partakers of that whiche I purpose to bryng to passe Ye do knowe that vnder myne Empire I haue .lxxij. kyngdomes that I beyng an old man am not able to attende so greate a charge wherfore louyng companions I purpose to deliuer and ridde you frō grief of idlenesse and my self frō trouble and toile reseruyng to me onelie so muche as lieth betwene the Sea and the riuer Euphrates All the rest of my dominions I giue to my soonne Antiochus vpon whom in mariage I haue bestowed my wife Stratonica whiche thing ought to contente you bicause my will and pleasure is suche And whē he had tolde them the loue sicknes of his sonne and the discrete deuise of the gentle Phisician in the presence of a his armie the mariage was celebrated betwene Stratonica Antiochus Afterwards he crouned thē bothe Kyng and Quene of Asia and with royall pompe and triumphe the desired mariage was consummate The armie hearyng and séeyng these thinges verie highlie cōmended the pietie of the father towardes his sonne Antiochus then continued with his welbeloued wife in ioye and quietnesse liuyng together in great felicitie This was not he that for matters of Aegipte did make warres with the Romanes But he that onelie inferred warres vpon the Galatians whiche out of Europa passed into Asia but of which countrie he chased them and ouercame thē Of this Antiochus came Seleucus whiche was father of Antiochus surnamed the greate that attēpted verie notable warres against the Romanes and not his greate graundfather that maried his mother in lawe Finallie this Seleucus of whom I recompte this historie by giuyng his wife to his sonne did accomplishe a miraculous acte and worthie in deede of sempiternall remēbraunce and greatlie to bee commended therefore who although he had achiued infinite victories ouer his enemies Yet there was none of them all so greate as the victorie of hym self and his passions For certainly Seleucus did vanquishe his owne appetites depriuyng hymself of his wife whom he loued and estemed aboue all thynges in the worlde Of the straūge beastlie nature of Timon of Athenes enemie to mankinde with his death buriall and Epitaphe ¶ The .xxviij. Nouell ALL the beastes of the worlde dooe applie themselfes to other beastes of their kinde Timon of Athenes onelie excepted of whose straūge nature Plutarche is astonied in the life of Marcus Antonius Plato and Aristophanes doe reporte his merueilous nature bicause he was a manne but by shape onelie in qualities he was the Capitall enemie of mankinde whiche he confessed francklie vtterlie to abhorre and hate He dwelte alone in a litle cabane in the fieldes not farre from Athenes separated from all neighbours and companie he neuer went to the citie or to any other habitable place excepte he were constrained He could not abide any mannes companie and conuersacion he was neuer seen to goe to any mannes house ne yet would suffer them to come to hym At the same tyme there was in Athenes an other of like qualitie called Apemantus of the verie same nature different from the naturall kinde of manne and lodged likewise in the middest of the fieldes On a daie thei twoo beyng alone together
whiche is a great shame and selaundre to the world in these daies proofe whereof is euident enough for that the vertues past haue forsaken the present sorte whiche liue in the ordure and filth of all vices But to procede in that whiche I haue begonne although vpon lust occasion I haue a litle more digressed then I thought I saie that the foresaide Guglielmo Borsiere was honored visited of the gentelmen of Genoua who making his abode for a certen time in the Citie and hearinge tell of the misery and couetousnes of M. Ermino had great desire to sée him M. Ermino hearinge tell that this Guglielmo Borsiere was an excellent man hauinge in him although a couetouse man some sparke of gētilite he receiued him with frendlie woordes and good countenaunce entring into communication with him of diuers and sundrie matters and in talking brought him with certen other Citizens to one of his houses whiche was very faire and newe where after he had shewed him his house he saide vnto him Oh M. Guglielmo you that haue séene and hearde many thinges can you shewe vnto me any newe deuise neuer séene before that I may cause the same to be painted in my hall To whome M. Guglielmo hearinge his fonde talke answered Sir I cā shewe you nothing but that whiche hath béen knowen before excepte Nesinges or suche like But if it please you sir I will gladly teache you one whiche I thinke you neuer sawe M. Ermino gladde to here of that saied I praie you sir tell me what it is not thinckinge he would haue made that answere To whom maister Guglielmo redely saied Cause the figure of Liberalitie to be painted At which answere maister Ermino was so sodenly ashamed that he was forced to chaūge his minde in a maner cleane contrary to his accustomed vse and saied Maister Guglielmo I will cause the same to be painted in such wise as neither you nor any man elles shall haue occasion iustlie to obiecte the same againste me And from that time foorthe suche was the force of that taunte he was the moste liberall and bountifull Gentleman that dwelt in Genoua and one that honoured straungers and Citizens more then euer any did in his time Master Alberto of Bologna by pleasant answeare made a Gentlewoman to blushe which had thought to haue put him out of countenaunce in tellinge him that he was in loue with her ¶ The .xxxij. Nouell NOt many yéeres paste their was at Bologna a notable Phisician renoumed through out the whole worlde called Master Alberto who beinge olde almost lx yeeres of age had suche an excellent witte that although naturall heate was expired in his bodie yet he disdained not to conceiue some amorouse flames of loue Seinge at a banket a very faire gentlewoman a widowe called as some saie Madonna Margherita de Ghisiheri she pleased his fancie so well that he fixed her so fast in the siege of his remembrance as if he had béene a younge man of ripe and youthly yeeres In suche wise as that night he coulde take no reste if the daie before he had not seene the faire and beautifull face of this faire gentlewoman For whiche cause sometimes a foote and sometimes on horsebacke as he thought best he continually vsed to passe before her lodginge whiche was the cause that she and diuerse other gentlewomen did marke thoccasion of his ofte passinge to and fro that waie And many times they lested and dalied amongest them selfes to sée a man of suche yeeres and experience to be in loue thinckinge that the displeasant passion of loue coulde fallen no holde but in the fonde mindes of younge people and no where else Wherefore Master Alberto daylie passinge to and fro by the house of that gentlewoman it chaunced vpon holy daie that she sittinge with other dames before her dore and seinge Master Alberto a farre of cominge towardes them they all determined curteousely to receiue him and reuerently to salute him and afterwardes merely to talke and sport of his loue whiche accordingly they did The gentlewomen risinge vp they brought him into a Courte of aire freshe and pleasant where they caused to be brought foorth excellente wines and comfites and in the ende with many cheerefull nd pleasaunt woordes they asked him howe it was possible he coulde be in loue with that faier gentlewoman specially sithens many faire and trimme yongemen did loue her Master Alberto perceiuinge himselfe touched and gesled at very honestly answered with smilyng countenaunce Mastres No wise man what so euer he be ought to maruel why I am in loue chiefely with you bicause your beautie woorthines dothe well deserue the same And although that naturally the forces whiche be incident to exercises of Loue doe finde in olde men good will therefore is not in them depriued nor the iudgement in knowlege in that which ought to be beloued But bicause they haue more knowledge then yonge men therfore by nature thei better know the qualitie of Loue. The hope that moueth me an old man to loue you that is so well beloued of yonge mē is this I haue many times béene conuersant in places where I haue seene gentlewomen for there collation and pleasure after dinner oftentimes to eate lupines and lekes and albeit that in the leke there is nothing good yet the hedde thereof is less hurtefull and most pleasant to the mouthe whereof generally through a folish lust ye holde the hedde in your hande and chawe the leaues whiche not only be cuel and nought but also be of an ill fauored smell and fauour And what doe I know mistres if in the choise of your frendes ye doe the like Whiche if ye doe no doubt it is I whom you haue chosen and haue forsaken all other This gentlewoman sometime ashamed and blushing with the rest saide Master Alberto you haue full well and curteousely paied vs home and answered our presumptuouse obiection Notwithstanding I doe estéeme and accepte your amitie loue as I ought to regarde the loue of a wise and honest personage And so mine honestie and honour saued all that I haue to doe you pleasure assuredly is at your cōmaundement Therewith all Master Alberto rose vp thanckinge the gentlewoman and with muche sporte and pleasant talke takinge his leaue of the company departed In this maner the gentlewoman giuinge ouer her scoffes and tauntes whereby she thought to put Master Alberto out of concept was ouercome her selfe Where of I in the name of Panfilo Filostrato and Dioneo by way of intreatie doe beseech ye Ladies Pampinea Fiāmerta Philomena and other gentlewomen to beware howe ye doe contriue your hollie day talke by waste of wordes issuing forth your delicate mouthes in carpinge gaudinge and iestinge at yonge gentlemen and specially olde men and Master Alberto of Bologna that for loue like the grene stalkes or graie he dres of lekes doe desire to sauer your mouthes and by honest recreacion and pleasure to gratefie your comely
it happē that she giue her self fully to the conductiōs of loue and the superplusage of her said excuse ought to consist in that she hath chosen her a sage and vertuous frende if she that loueth hath doen so in deede Whiche twoo thinges as thei should be I suppose are in me and many other also whiche ought to induce me to loue accordynglie as my youth requireth and the great space that is betwene my husbande and me It behoueth now then that thei should aduaunce themselfes in your presence for the defence of my burnyng loue and if the same doe raigne in you whiche haue power in the wise then I beseche you to giue me counsaile and aide in the thing whiche I shall demaunde True it is that for the long absence of my husbande not able to resist the prickes of the fleshe and the force of loue whiche be of suche greate effecte that thei haue many times past and yet daily doe vāquishe and ouercome not onely feble and weake women but also the strongest men I liuyng in ease and idlenes as you sée and forced to folowe the pleasures of loue and to become amourous as I doe knowe well that such thynges if thei were knowen should not bee reputes honest Neuerthelesse the same beyng kepte secrete I thinke shall not be muche dishonest Notwithstanding dame Loue is so fauourable vnto me that not onelie she hath giuen me true iudgement in choise of a frende but hath reueiled vnto me that it is you which is worthie to be beloued of suche a ladie as I am For if I bée not greatlie deceiued I do make accompt that you be the fairest personage the semeliest the most curteous and wisest gentleman in all the Realme of Fraunce And as I maie saie by reason of his absence that I am without a husbande so maie you affirme that you bee without a wife wherfore I beseche you for the loue that I beare vnto you that you wil not denie me your loue and frendship that you wil haue pitie vpon my yong yeres whiche doubtles dooe consume for you as Ice against the fierie flames At whiche worde the teares ran doune in suche abundance that where she thought to make further supplicacion and praiers she had no more power to speake But holdyng doune her heade like one that was ouercome she threwe her self doune into the Erles lappe who like a faithfull knighte began to blame with sharpe rebukes her fonde and foolishe loue pushyng her from hym as she was about to clepe hym aboute the necke and swore greate othes that rather he would bee drawen in fower peces then consent to suche a thyng to be doen by hym or any other against the honor of his lorde maister Whiche wordes the Ladie hearyng sodainly forgatte her loue and in greate rage saied vnto hym Shall I then bee frustrate thou arrant villaine in this wise of my desired ioye But sithens thou goest about to seke my distruction I will cause thee to be put to death or els to be banished the worlde When she had saied so by and by she caught her self by the heare of the head and almoste tare it of cleane and then laied handes vpon her garmentes rentyng the same in peces and afterwardes cried out aloude Helpe helpe The Erle of Angiers wil rauishe me by force The Erle seyng that and farre more doubtyng of the enuie and malice of the Courte then his owne conscience for any committed facte fearyng also that more credite would bee giuen to the wickednesse of the Ladie then to his innocencie conueied hymself from that place and so sone as he could he went out of the palace and fledde home to his owne house where without any further aduise he placed his children on horsebacke and so well as he could caried them to Callice At the brute and noyse of the Ladie many people assembled Who seyng and hearyng thoccasion of her crie not onely beleued her wordes but also affirmed that the pompouse state of the Erle was vsed by hym to bryng to passe the effecte of his desire Then thei ranne to the houses of the Erle in greate furie to arreste his persone but not findyng him there thei first sacked his houses and afterwardes ouerthrewe them to the grounde The newes hereof so wicked as might bee deuised arriued at the Kyng and Dolphins Campe whereat thei were so troubled and offended that thei condempned the Erle and all his progenie to perpetuall exile promisyng greate giftes and rewardes to them that would presente them quicke or deade The Erle beyng offended in his conscience for that he was fledde innocente of the facte made hymself culpable thereof and arriued at Callice with his children dissemblyng what he was and sodainly passed ouer into Englande and in poore apparell traueiled vp to London And before he entred the citie he gaue his children diuers admonicions but specially of two thinges First that thei should beare paciently the pouertie whervnto Fortune without their offence had brought them Afterwardes that wisely thei should take héede at no time to manifest declare to any man from whence thei came and whose childrē thei were as thei loued the price of their owne liues The soonne was named Lewes almoste of the age of ix yeres and the doughter called Violēta was about the age of .vij. bothe whiche childrē as their age could suffer them did well obserue their fathers lesson as afterwardes it did right well appere And bicause that this might the better be brought to passe it semed good vnto hym to alter their names namyng the soonne Perotto and the doughter Gianetta And when thei were arriued at Lōdon in maner of beggers thei craued their almose and beyng by Fortune for that purpose one mornyng at a churche doore it came to passe that a greate ladie whiche was one of the Marshalles of Englandes wiues in goyng out of the Churche sawe the Erle and his two litle childrē beggyng their almose of whom she demaunded what countrie man he was and whether those children were his owne or not To whom the Erle answered that he was a Picarde and by reason of a wicked facte dooen by his eldest soonne that was an vnhappie boie he was forced to departe his countrie with those his twoo children The Ladie whiche was pitifull fixed her eyes vpō the girle who pleased her verie muche bicause she was beautifull gentill and pleasaunt saiyng Good man if thou be contēt to leaue vnto me this thy litle doughter whiche hath a good face I will willingly take her and if she become a duetifull maiden when she is mariageable I will marie her in honeste wise This demaunde greatly pleased the Erle who redely answered that he was contented and with teares trickeling doune his eyes he deliuered and commended his pretie doughter vnto her And whē he had thus wel bestowed her he determined to tarrie no lōger there but in beggyng his almose traueiled through the countrie with his
soonne Perotto went into Wales not without greate labour and paine as one neuer accustomed to traueile on foote Where dwelte one other of the kyng of Englandes Marshalles that was of greate aucthoritie and kept a noble house To whose court the Erle and his sonne oftentymes repaired to practise begge their liuyng where one of the Marshalles sonnes and other gentlemennes children doyng certaine childishe sportes and pastymes as to runne and leape Perotto began to entermedle hymself emonges them who in those games did so excellently well as none was his better whiche thyng diuers tymes the Marshall perceiuing and well pleased with the order of the childe asked of whence he was It was told him that he was a poore mannes soonne whiche many tymes came thither to begge his almose The Marshall desiryng the childe the Erle whiche praied vnto God for nothyng els liberally gaue hym vnto hym although it gréeued hym to departe from hym The Erle then hauyng bestowed his sonne and his doughter determined no lōger to tarry in Englande but so well as he could he passed ouer into Irelande and when he was arriued at Stanford he placed hymself in the seruice of a man of armes belōging to an Erle of that countrie doing all thinges that did belong vnto a seruing man or page not knowen to any mā he cōtinued there a long time with great paine and toile Violenta named Gianetta that dwelte with the Ladie at London grewe so in yeres in beautie in personage and in suche grace and fauour of her lorde and Ladie and of all the rest of the house and so well beloued of all them that knewe her that it was meruailous to sée All men that sawe her maners and countenaunce iudged her to be worthy of greate honour and possessions by reason whereof the Ladie that receiued her of her father not knowyng what she was but by his reporte purposed to marrie her honourablie accordyng to her worthinesse But God the rewarder of all mennes desertes knowyng her to be a noble woman and to beare without cause the penaunce of an other mannes offence disposed her otherwise and to the intente that this noble gentlewoman might not come into the hādes of a man of ill condicion it must be supposed that that whiche came to passe was by Goddes owne will and pleasure suffred to be dooen The gentlewoman with whom Gianetta dwelt had but one onely sonne by her husbande whiche bothe she and the father loued verie dearly as well because he was a soonne as also that in vertue and good merites he greatly excelled For he surpassed all other in good condicions valiaunce goodnesse and beautie of personage beyng about sixe yeres elder then Gianetta who seeyng the maiden to bee bothe faire and comely became so farre in loue with her that he estemed her aboue all thinges of the worlde And bicause he thought her to be of base parentage he durste not demaunde her of his father and mother to wife But fearyng that he should lose their fauour he kepte his loue secrete whereby he was worse tormented then if it hadde been openly knowen And thereby it chaunced through Loues malice he fill sore sicke For whose preseruacion were many Phisians sente for and thei markyng in hym all signes and tokens of sickenes and not knowyng the disease were altogether doubtfull of his health whereof the father and mother tooke so greate sorowe and grief as was possible and many tymes with pitifull praiers thei damaunded of hym the occasion of his disease To whom he gaue for answere nothyng els but heauie sighes and that he was like to consume die for weakenesse It chaunced vpon a daie there was brought vnto hym a Phisicion that was verie younge but in his science profoundlie learned and as he was holdyng hym by the poulces Gianetta who for his mothers sake attended hym verie carefully entred vpon occasion into the chamber where he laie sicke and so sone as the yonge gentleman perceiued her and that she spake neuer a worde or made any signe or demonstracion towardes hym he felt in his harte to arise his moste amourous defire wherefore his poulces beganne to beate aboue their common custome whiche thyng the Phisicion immediatly perceiued and merualled stādyng still to se how long that fitte would continue Gianetta was no soner gone out of the chamber but the beatyng of the poulces ceased wherfore the Phisicion thought that he had founde out some parte of the gentlemannes disease and a litle while after seming to take occasiō to speake to Gianetta holdyng hym still by the armes he caused her to be called in and she incontinently came but she was no soner come but the poulces beganne to beate againe and when she departed the beatyng ceased Whervpon the Phisicion was throughly perswaded that he vnderstode the effecte of his sicknes and therewithall rose vp and takyng the father and mother aside saied vnto them The health of your sonne doeth not consist in the helpe of Phisicions but remaineth in the handes of Gianetta your maide as I haue perceiued by moste manifest signes whom the yonge man feruently dooeth loue And yet so farre as I perceiue the maiden doeth not knowe it you therefore vnderstande now what to doe if you loue his life The gentleman and his wife hearyng this was somewhat satisfied for so muche as remedie mighte bee founde to saue his life athough it greued them greatly if the thing wherof thei doubted should come to passe which was the marriage betwene Gianetta and their soonne The Phisicion departed thei repaired to their sicke soonne the mother saiyng vnto hym in this wise My soonne I would neuer haue thought that thou wouldest haue kept secrete from me any parte of thy desire specially seyng that without the same thou dooest remaine in daūger of death For thou art or ought to bée assured that there is nothyng that maie be gotten for thy contētacion what so euer it had been but it should haue been prouided for thée in as ample maner as for my self But sith thou haste thus doen it chaūceth that our Lorde God hath shewed more mercie vpon thée then thou hasle doen vpō thy self And to th ende thou shalt not die of this disease he hath declared vnto me the cause of the same whiche is none other but the great loue that thou bearest to a yonge maide wherso euer she bee And in deede thou oughtest not to bée ashamed to manifest thy loue bicause it is meete and requisite for thyne age For if I wist thou couldest not loue I would the lesse esteme thee Now then my good sonne be not afraied franckly to discouer all thyne affectiō Driue awaie the furie and thought whiche thou hast taken whereof this sickenes commeth And comfort thy self Beyng assured that thou shalt desire nothyng at my handes that maie be doen for thy contentacion but it shall bee accomplished of me that loueth thee better then myne owne life and
haue proued that mischiefe and am yet in the greatest excesse and pangues of my disease I féele alas a diuersitie of anguishes a Sea of troubles whiche tormente my minde yet I dare not discouer the occasiō seing that the thing which is the cause of my grief to be of suche desert that my seruice past all that is to come is not able to giue the proofe if one speciall grace and fauor doe not inlarge the litle power that is in me to counteruaile the greatenesse and perfection of that cause whiche thus doeth variat and alter bothe my thoughtes and passions Pardon me madame if I doe speake obscurely for the confusion of my mynde maketh my wordes correspondent to the qualitie of the same Notwithstandyng I will not kepe silente from you that whiche I dooe suffre and muche lesse dissemble what passiō I indure beyng assured aswel for your vertue gentlenes that you moued with compassion will succour me so much as shal lie in you for preseruacion of the life of hym that is the best and moste obedient seruaunt emōges them all that doe you humble seruice The Ladie whiche neuer thought of the wickednesse whiche this insensate man began to imagine answered him very curteously I am sory truely for your mishappe and doe merueile what should be the effecte of that passion whiche as you saie you fele with suche dimunicion of that whiche is perfecte and accomplished in you For I doe sée no cause that ought to moue you to so straunge infirmitie whereof you tolde me wherwith I had alredie found fault although you had said nothyng I would to GOD I knewe whiche waie to helpe you aswel my lorde my husbandes sake who I am sure doeth beare you good will as for the honestie which hetherto I haue knowen to be in you which as I thinke all men resemblyng you for vertue and good condicions doe deserue that accōpt and consideracion He that thought her alredie to be taken in his nettes seyng so faire a waie open and cleare to disclose that whiche he had kept couert so long tyme in the depth of his harte answered Ah madame are ye ignoraunt of the forces of Loue how much his assaultes can debilitate the liuelihode of the bodies and spirites of men Knowe ye not that he is blinde and naked not caryng whether he goeth manifestyng hymself there where occasion is offred Alas madame if you haue not pitie vpon me and doe not regarde that whiche I doe suffer for the loue of you I knowe not how I am able to auoide Death whiche will approche so sone to cutte of and abridge my yeres as I shall vnderstande a refusal of that whiche the extreme Loue that I beare you madame forcethe me to require whche is to receiue a newe seruice of your aunciente and faithfull seruiture who inflamed by the bright beames of your diuine face knoweth not now how to chaunge the affeccion muche lesse to receiue helpe but of that place where he receiued the pricke Excuse madame I beseche you my rashenesse and pardon my follie accusyng rather either your celestiall beautie or els that tiraunt Loue who hath wounded me so luckelie that I esteme myne euill fortunate and my wounde happie sithe by his meane my thoughtes and cogitacions doe onely tende to doe you seruice and to loue you in myne harte whiche is the Phenix of the faireste and moste curteous ladies within al our Prouince Alas that excellencie whiche thus maketh me your seruasit shall one daie be my ruine if by your good grace speakyng it with wepyng teares you doe not fauor hym whiche liueth not but to obeie you and whiche lesing your good grace will attempte to depriue hymself of life whiche being depriued through your crueltie will goe to complaine himself of his bolde attempt and also of your rigor emonges the ghostes and shadowes of thē that be alredie dedde for like occasions The chaste Ladie was so rapt of wittes for the straungenes of the case and for the grief whiche she conceiued to sée the vnshamefast hardinesse of the varlette that she could not tell how to make hym answere But in the ende breakyng silence and fetchyng a great sighe from the bottome of hec harte her face slained with a fresh Uermilion rudde whiche beautified her colour by reason of disdaine conceiued against this impudent Orator she answered hym verie seuerely O God who would haue thought that from a hart nobly brought vp and deriued from an honourable race a villanie so greate could haue taken roote and spryng vp with suche detestable fruicte What maister Stewarde Haue ye forgotten the duetie of a seruaunt towarde his lorde and maister Haue ye forgotten I saie the duetie of a vertuous gentleman well nourished and trained vp towarde suche and so greate a Ladie as I am Ah These and Traitour that thou art Is this the venime whiche thou kepest so couert and secrete vnder the swetenesse of thy counterfaicte vertue A vaunte varlette a vaunte Goe vtter thy stuffe to them that be like thy self whose honour and honeslie is so farre spent as thy loialtie is lighte and vaine For if I heare thee speake any more of these follies bee assured that I will mortifie that ragyng flame whiche burneth thy light beleuyng harte and will make thée feele by effecte what maner of death that is wherein thou reposeste the rest of thy trauell As this deceued Oratour was framyng his excuse and aboute to moderate the iuste wrathe of his Ladie displeased vpon good occasion she not able to abide any more talke saied further And what signes of dishonestie haste thou séen in me that moue thée to perswade a thing so wicked and vncomely for myne estate yea and so preiudiciall to me to my frendes the house of thy maister my lorde and spouse I can not tell what it is that letteth me from causyng thée to bée caste for the emong the Lions cruell and capitall enemies of adulterie emonges thē selfes sithe thy pretence is by violatyng my chastite to dishonor the house wherevnto thou owest no lesse then all the aduauncemente thou haste from the taste whereof thou haste abandoned Uertue the best thyng wherewith thou were affected Auoide now therefore let me heare no more of this vpon paine of thy life otherwise thou shalt féele the rewarde of thy teinerite and vnderstande the bitternesse of the litle pleasure whiche I haue conceiued of thy follies So the good ladie helde her peace reseruyng in her harte that whiche should be her helpe in tyme and place howbeit she said nothyng hereof vnto her husbande aswell for raisyng offence or slaunder as for prouokyng her husbande against him whiche susteined the punishement himself sithe that this refuse did more straungely pinche hym more nere at the harte then euer the Egle of Caucasus whereof the Poetes haue talked so muche did tier the mawe of the subtil these Prometheus And yet the vnhappie
it is to me shall thinke thei haue made a pretie conquest And that I maie haue no cause to repente to late I haue stopped myne eares for feare that I bée not a rested and staied with the violence of your charmes a thyng as you saie proper to Serpentes But I haue fortefied my harte armed my self in suche wise within that if God continue that grace in me whiche hitherto he hath doen I hope not to bee surprised Although that I must néedes confesse to my shame that I haue receiued merueilous assaultes of loue not onely for the common renowme of your vertues and through the curtesie and gentlenesse daiely imparted to me by your letters but speciallie by your presence whiche hath yelded vnto me experience and assurance of that whiche all the letters of the worlde could not doe nor all other messages were not able to conceiue And to the ende that I maie not bee vtterly ingrate and that you doe not departe from me altogether miscontent I doe promis you now that from henceforthe you shall inioye the firste place of my harte wherevnto an other shall neuer entre if so be you can bée contente with honest amitie wherin you shall finde me in tyme to come so liberall in al that whiche honestie shall permitte that I am contente to forgoe the name of a presumptuous or cruell Damosell for your sake But if you meane to abuse me or hope for any thyng of me contrary to myne honour you be merueilously deceiued Wherefore if you thinke your worthinesse to greate ta cary awaie a recompence so small you shall dooe very well bothe for me and your self in forgettyng that is past to cutte of all hope in tyme to come And she thinkyng to prolonge a further discourse the mother of Violenta whiche still stode at the windowe all the time that Senior Didaco was with her doughter came downe to the doore interruptyng their talke saied to Didaco Sir I suppose you take greate pleasure in the follie of my doughter bicause you cary and abide here rather to contriue your tyme then for any other contentacion you can receiue For she is so euill taught and of suche rude behauiour that her demeanour will rather trouble you then giue you cause of delight Maistresse saied Didaco although in the beginnyng I purposed not to tarie so long yet when I entred in more familier acquaintaunce and had well experienced her good graces I confesse that I haue staied here longer then I thought And were he neuer so greate a lorde that liueth at this daie I dare auouch that he might thinke his tyme well bestowed in hearyng suche sober and honest talke wherwith I thinke my self so well satisfied and instructed that all the dayes of my life I will witnesse that vertue curtesie and sober behauiour is to be founde aswell in meane degrées and houses and in them that bee right noble emonges whiche meane families although she be one it maie so be that one more illustre and noble cannot be more excellente and accomplished with better maners then she whiche is now well manifested to me in this litle discourse And after certaine other commō talke Didaco tooke his leaue and wente home to his house where he liued fourtene or fiftene monethes without any reste assaiyng by all meanes to mortifie his desires but it auaileth not For although he was riche a trimme courtiar and an eloquent gentleman and had opportunitie to speake vnto her many tymes and she gentle inough to heare him and to vnderstand his errantes and was assured by frendes that she for her parte was also in loue yet he was not able by humane arte and pollicie to conuerte her to his mynde Wherewithall he was longe tyme molested and at lengthe pressed with grief and anoiaunce he was aduised to sende sixe hūdred Ducates to the mother for a Relief to the mariage of her doughter promising besides that he would assigne her an honest dowrie when she founde a manne worthie to be her husbande vpon condicion that she would yelde to hym some comforte to ease his affection But she which could not be wōne with loue was not able to bée recouered with money and was offender that Senior Didaco had forgotten himself so muche as to thinke to gaine that for money whiche with so greate paine teares and sighes hadde been denied hym And to make hym vnderstande that she was offended she sent worde by hym that brought her the money that he should goe and proue hereafter to deceiue them that measured their honour with the price of profite and not to set trappes to deceiue other that would buye nothyng contrary to vertue And after Didaco was aduertised of her mynde and perceiued that he lost tyme in all his enterprises and was able no lōger to sustaine his extreme paine and sorowe whiche daily augmented and when he had debated in his minde all the successe of his loue he resolued in the ende vpon that whiche he thought moste profitable for the quiete of his mynde whiche was to marie her And although she was of no suche house and yet lesse indowed with substaunce as he deserued Yet her beautie and vertue and other giftes of grace wherewith she was inriched made her worthie of a great Lorde And resolued vpon this he repaired to Violenta to whom he saied Maistresse Violenta if the true Touchestone to knowe them that be perfect louers emonges other is mariage certainly you haue gotten a husbande of me if it please you to accept me for suche a one whom in tyme you shall make to vnderstande the difference betwene gooddes and vertue and betwene honestie and richesse Violenta then rauished with ioye and incredible contentacion somewhat abashed saied vnto hym Senior Didaco I knowe not whether you pretende by woordes to proue my constancie or els to bryng me into fooles paradise but of one thyng I can assure you that although I acknowledge myself inferiour to you in merites gooddes and vertue yet if that come to passe whiche you promis I will not giue place to you in loue trustyng if God sende vs life together you shall well vnderstande one daie that you would not exchaunge my persons for a great Ladie what so euer she be For confirmacion whereof Didaco plucked frō his finger an Emeralde of greate value which when he had kissed her he gaue vnto her in the waie of mariage praiyng her that she would not disclose it for a certaine tyme vntill he hymself had made all his frēdes priuie vnto it Notwithstandyng he willed her to impart the same to her twoo brethren and to her mother and he would gette some prieste of the Countrie to solempnize the Mariage within their house whiche was dooen in a chamber aboute fower of the clocke in mornyng beyng onely presente the mother the brethren the prieste and a sernuaunt of the house brought vp there from her youthe and his owne man without makyng any other preparacion or
to bee simple and voide of guile would haue framed a platte for suche treason saied to the olde woman Receiue the letter at the doore but in any wise let hym not come in and I will accomplishe the contentes The olde woman whiche thoughte onely but to receiue the letter betwene the doore was astoned when the keper who giuyng her a blowe with his foote vpon the stomacke threwe her backewarde where she laie more then a quarter of an houre without speking or mouing And then thei thre entryng the chaumber in greate rage with their Pistolettes in their handes founde the twoo miserable louers starke naked who seyng themselfes surprised in that state were so sore a shamed as Eue and Adam were when their synne was manifested before God And not knowyng what to dooe reposed their refuge in waimentyng and teares but at the verie same instaunt thei bounde the armes and legges together of the poore gentleman with the choller 's of there horfse whiche thei broughte with them of purpose And then the Lorde commaunded that the twoo maides whiche were in the Castell and the reste of the seruauntes should bee called to assiste them to take example of that faire fighte And all the meane people beyng gathered in this sorte together the Lorde tournyng hym self vnto his wife saied vnto her Come hither thou vnshamefaste vile and detestable whore like as thou hast had a harte so traiterous and vnfaithfull to bring this infamous Ruffian in the nighte into my Castell not onely to robbe and dispoile me of myne honoure whiche I preferre and esteme more then life but also whiche is more to be abhorred to infringe and breake for euer the holie and precious bande of Mariage wherewithall we be vnited and knitte together Euen so I will euen forthwith that with these thyne owne handes with whiche thou gauest me the firste testimomonie of thy faithe that he presently shal bee hanged and strangled in the presence of all menne not knowyng how to deuise any other greater punishemente to satisfie thyne offence then to force thée to murder him whom thou haste preferred before thy reputacion aboue mine honour and estemed more then thine owne life And hauyng pronounced this fatall Iudgemente he sent one to seke for a greate naile of a Carts which he caused to bee fastened to the beame of the chamber and a ladder to bee fetched and then made her to tye a Coller of the order belongyng to Theues and male-factours aboute the necks of her sorowfull louer And bicause she alone was not able to do that grieuous and waightie charge he ordained that like as the olde woman had been a faithfull minister of his wiues loue so she should putte her hande in performyng the vttermoste of that woorke And so these twoo wretched women were by that meanes forced to suche extremitie that with their owne handes thei strangled the infortunate Gentleman with whose death the Lorde not yet satisfied caused the bedde the clothes and other furnitures wherevpon thei had taken their pleasures past to be burned He commaunded the other vtensiles of the chāber to be taken awaie not suffryng so muche strawe as would serue to couche of twoo Dogges to be lefte vnconsumed Then he saied to his wife Thou wicked woman emonges all other moste wicked For so muche as thou hast had no respecte to that honourable state where vnto Fortune hath aduanced thée beyng made by my meanes of a simple damosell a great Ladie and bicause thou haste preferred the lasciuious acquaintaunce of one of my subiectes aboue the chaste loue that thou oughtest to haue borne to me my determinacion is that from henceforthe thou shall kepe continuall companie with hym to the vttermoste daie of thy life bicause his putrified carcase hath giuen occasion to ends thy wretched bodie And then he caused all the windowes and doores to be mured and closed vp in suche wise that it was impossible for her to goe out leauyng onelie a litle hole open to giue her breade and water appoinctyng his Stewarde to the charge thereof And so this poore miserable woman remained in the mercie of that obscure and darcke prison without any other companie then the deade bodie of her louer And when she had continued a certaine tyme in that stinckyng Dongeon without aire or comfort ouercome with sorrowe and extreme paine she yelded her soule to GOD. The loue of Alerane of Saxone and of Adelasia the Daugther of the Emperour Otho the thirde of that name Their flight and departure into Italie and how they were knowen agayne and what noble houses of Italie descended of their race ¶ The .xliiij. Nouell THe auncient Histories of Princes aswell vnder the name of King as of the title of Duke which in time past dyd gouerne the Countrey of Saxone doe reporte that Otho the seconde of that name which was the first Emperour that lawfullye raigned after the Empire ceassed in the stock of Charles the great had of his wife Matilde daughter of the King of Saxone one sonne which succeded him in that Imperial crowne called Otho the thirde who for his vertuous education and gentle disposition acquired of all men the surname of The loue of the Worlde The same Emperour was curteous and mercifull and neuer to any mans knowledge gaue occasion of grief to any person he did good to euery man and hurt no man likewise he thought that that kingdome was well gotten and gotten was better kept if the King Prince or Ruler thereof did studie and séeke meanes to be beloued rather than feared sith loue ingendreth in it selfe a desire of obedience in the people And contrarywise that Prince which by tyrannie maketh himselfe to be feared liueth not one houre at rest hauing his conscience tormented indifferently both wyth suspition feare thinking still that a thousād swords be hanging ouer his head to kill and destroy him Otho then vnder his name of Emperor couered his clemencie with a certayne swéete grauitie and Princely behauiour Who notwithstanding declared an outwarde shewe of his courtesie to make swéete the egrenesse of displeasure which they féele and taste that be subiect to the obeysaunce of some new Monarchie Man being of his owne nature so louing of himselfe that an immoderate libertie semeth vnto him swéeter more iust and indurable than auctorities rightlie ordayned the establishment wherof semeth to represent the onely gouernement of that first King which from his highe throne giueth being and mouing to all things That good Emperour then knowing very well the malice of men who although he was a good man of warre hardie of his handes and desirous of glory yet moderated so well the happie successe of hys enterprises that his grace and gentlenesse principally appeared when he had the vpperhande for that he cherished and well vsed those whome he had subdued vnder his obedience his force and felicitie was declared when he corrected and chastised rebels and obstinate persons which wilfully would proue the
did thoffice of the handes and tongue as trusty secretaries and faythfull messangers of the effectes of the minde That which kindled she fler most was their frequent talke together which was but of common matters without vtterance of that which the hart knew wel ynough and whereof the eyes gaue true testimonie A passion truely almost intollerable for a yong Princesse aswel bycause she neuer had experience of like sorrow as for hir tender age and yet more for a naturall abashmēt and shame which with the vayle of honor doth serue or ought to serue for a bridle to euery Lady couetous of fame or like to be the ornament or beauty of her race Adelasia then floting in the tempestuous seas of her appetites guided by a master which delighteth in the shipwracke of them he carieth vanquished wyth an immoderate rage of loue tormēted with grief vnspeakable offended with hir owne desires being alone in hir chāber began to complayne her sorrowes and sayde Ah what passion is this that is vnknowen vnto me that ingendreth an obliuion of that which was wont to delight and content me From whence commeth this newe alteration and desire vnaccustomed that solitary being alone is the rest argument of my troubles What diuersities and alterations be these that in this sorte do poyse weygh my thought Ah Adelasia what happy miserie doest thou finde in this frée prison where pleasure hath no place tyll the Enemies haue dysquieted the lyfe with a Million of paynfull and dangerous trauayles What is this to say but that agaynst the nature of maydens of my yeares I will not or can not be quiet day nor night but to take my repaste and féeding vpon cares and thoughtes Alack I thought then to finishe my sorrowes griefes when being alone I began to frame the plot of my torments and paynes with so many formes deuises in my fansie as I doe make wishes and requests vpon the thing I loue and esteme aboue all vpon which all mine affections doe depende and take their beginning What is this to say but that my maydes do offend me when with discrete wordes they goe about to diuert me from my follies and pleasaunt noysom thoughtes Wherefore should not I take in good part that care which they haue of my helth and the paine which they take to remember me of my torment Alas they know not wherein consisteth the force of mine euil and muche lesse is it in their power to remedie the same Euen so I would haue none other playster but him that hath giuen me the wound nor none other meate but the hunger that drieth me vp I craue none other comforte but the fire which burneth me continually the force whereof pearceth the sucke and marie within my bones Ah Alerane Alerane the floure and mirror of all prowesse and beauty It is thou alone the liuest in me of whome my minde conceyueth his hope and the harte his nourishment Alas that thy worthinesse should be the ouerthrowe of mine honor and thy perfection the imperfection of my lyfe Ah Loue Loue howe diuersly thou dealest with me For seing mine Alerane I am attached with heate in the myddes of yce that is full colde In thinking of him I doe both rest and trauaile continually Nowe I flée from him and sodaynely agayne I desire him In hearing him speake the suger and hony that distilleth from his mouth is the contentmēt of my minde till suche time as his words appeare to be different from my desire For then ah Lord my rest is conuerted into extreme trauaile the hony into gall and wormewood more bitter than bytternesse it selfe the hope of my minde is become despaire so horrible that the same onely will bréede vnto me if God haue not pitie vpon me shorte occasion of my death After these wordes she rested a long time without speaking a worde with hir armes a crosse and hir eyes eleuate on high which ranne downe like a riuer of teares and semed to be so rauished that a man would haue iudged her rather a thing without life than a creature sensible and labouring for lyfe til recouering her spirites againe as comming from an Extasie and sounde she began hir plaintes againe in this sort What must such a Princesse as I am abase my selfe to loue her owne subiecte yea and her kinnesman and specially not knowing yet how his mynde is disposed Shall I be so vnshamefast and voide of reason to surrendre my self to any other but to him whome God and my fortune hath promised to be my espouse Rather death shall cut of the threde of my yeares than I will contaminate my chastity or that any other enioy the floure of my virginitie than he to whom I shal be tied in mariage Ah I say and promise muche but there is a tormenter in my minde which dealeth so rigorously with my reason that I cannot tell where vpon well to determine I dare not thinke which also I ought not to do that Alerane is so folish to despise the loue of one that is the chiefest of the daughters of the greatest Monarches of the worlde and much lesse that he should forget himself in such wise to forsake me hauing once enioyed the best dearest thing that is in me whereof I meane to make him the only and peaceable possessor Truly the vertue gētlenesse and good nuriture of Alerane doe not promise suche treason in him and that great beautie of his cannot tell how to hide such rigor that he will refuse one that is one of the most deformed and ill fauored creatures and which loueth him with suche sinceritie that where she shall lose the meanes to enioy him there shall feele euen forthwith the miserable end of her sorowful dayes And then againe she helde her peace tossed and turmoiled with diuers thoughtes fleting betwene hope and feare by and by she purposed to deface from her heart the memorie of Loue which already had taken to faste footing and would not be separated from the thing which heauen himself seemed to haue prepared for the perfectiō and glorie of his triumphe Loue then constrayned her to resolue vpon her last determination Then continuing her talk sighing wtout ceasing she sayd Chaunce what may to the vttermost I can but wander like a Uagabonde and figitiue with mine owne Alerane yf he will shewe me so muche pleasure to accepte me for his owne For sure I am the Emperour wil neuer abide the mariage which I haue promised and sooner wil I die than another shal possesse that which Alerane alone deserueth hauing a long time vowed and dedicated the same vnto him And afterwardes let them report what they lift of the bolde and folish enterprises of Adelasia when my heart is contented and desire satisfied Alerane enioieth her that loueth him more than her self Loue verily is not liable to the fansie of the parents nor yet to the will euen of them that subiugate themselues to his
feared to thinke which was to haue her one day for friende if the name of spouse were refused Thus tormented wyth ioye and displeasure wandering betwene doubt and assurance of that he hoped The self same day that Adelasia practised with Radegonde for the obtayning of her ioy and secret ministerie of her Loue he entred alone into a garden into which the Princesse chambre had prospecte and after he had walked there a good space in an Alley viewing diligently the order of thé fruitfull trées of so diuers sortes as there be varietie of colours with in a faire meade during the vedure of the spring time and of so good and sauorous taste as the hearte of man coulde wyshe He repaired vnder a Laurel trée so well spredde and adorned with leaues about which trée you might hane sene an infinit number of Myrtle trées of smell odoriferous and swéete of Oringe trées laden wyth vnripe fruite of pliable Mastickes and tender Tameriskes And there he fetched his walkes along the thick grene herbs beholding the varietie of floures which decked beautified the place wyth their liuely and naturall colours He then rauished in this contemplation remembring her which was the pleasure and torment of his minde in sighing wise began to say O that the heauens be not propitious and fauourable to my indeuors Sith that in the middes of my iolities I fele a newe pleasaunt displeasure which doth adnihilate all other solace but that which I receyue throughe the Image paynted in my heart of that diuine beautie which is more variated in perfection of pleasures than this paradise and delicious place in varietie of enamell and paynting although that nature and arte of man haue workemanly trauailed to declare and set forth their knowledge and diligence Ah Adelasia the fairest Lady of all faire and most excellente Princesse of the earth Is it not possible for me to féede my self so well of the viewe and contemplation of thy heauenly and Angelicall face as I do of the sight of these faire and sundrie coloured floures May it not be broughte to passe that I may smell that swete breath which respireth through thy delicate mouthe béeing none other thing than Baulme Muske and Aumbre yea and that which is more precious which for the raritie and valor hath no name euen as I doe smell the Roses Pincks and Uiolets hanging ouer my head franckly offering themselues into my handes Ah infortunat Alerane there is no floure that ought to be so handeled nor sauor the swetenesse whereof ought not to be sented without desert merited before Ah Loue Loue that thou hast fixed my minde vpon so highe thinges Alas I feare an offence so daungerous which in the ende will bréede my death And yet I can not wythdrawe my heart from that smoke of Loue although I would force my selfe to expell it from me Alas I haue read of him so many times and haue heard talk of his force that I am afrayd to borde him and yet feare I shall not escape his gulfe Alas I knowe well it is he of whome is engendred a litle mirth and laughing after whiche doeth followe a thousande teares and weapings which for a pleasure that passeth away so sone as a whirle winde doth gyue vs ouer to greate repentance the sorrow wherof endureth a long time and sometimes his bitternesse accompanieth vs euen to the graue The pacients that be taynted with that amorous feuer althoughe continually they dye yet they can not wholy sée and perceiue for al that the defaut and lacke of their life albeit they doe wish and desire it still But alas what missehap is this that I do see the poyson that causeth my mischief and do know the way to remedie the same and yet neuerthelesse I can not or will not recouer the help Did euer man heare a thing so strange that a sick man seking help and finding recouery shoulde yet reiecte it Saying so he wepte and syghed so piteously as a little chylde threated by his mother the nourice Then roming vp and down vpon the grasse he séemed rather to be a man straught and bounde wyth chaynes than like one that had his wittes and vnderstanding Afterwardes being come againe to himselfe he retourned to his first talke saying But what am I more wise more constant and perfecte than so many Emperors Kinges Princes and greate Lordes who notwithstanding their force wisedome or richesse haue bene tributarie to loue The tamer and subduer of monsters and Tirants Hercules vanquished by the snares of loue did not he handle the distaffe in stead of his mighty mace The strong and inuincible Achilles was not he sacrificed to the shadowe of Hector vnder the color of loue to celebrate holy mariage wyth Polixena daughter to King Priamus The great Dictator Iulius Caesar the conqueror of so many people Armies Captaines and Kings was ouercome with the beautie and good grace of Cleopatra Quene of Egipt Augustus his successour attired like a woman by a yeoman of his chamber did he not take away Liuia from him that had first maried her And that cōmon enemie of man and of all curtesie Claudius Nero appeased yet some of his furie for the loue of his Lady What straunge things did the learned wise and vertuous Monarch Marcus Aurelius indure of his welbeloued Faustine And that great captaine Marcus Antonius the very terror of the Romaine people and the feare of strange and barbarous nations did homage to the childe Cupido for the beautie of Quéene Cleopatra which afterwardes was the cause of his whole ouerthrowe But what meane I to alledge remember the number of louers being so infinite as they be Wherfore haue the Poets in time past fayned in their learned and deuine bokes the loues of Iupiter Appollo Mars but that euery man may knowe the force of Loue to be so puissant that the Gods theselues haue felt his force to be inuincible ineuitable Ah if sometimes a gentleman be excused for abassing himselfe to Loue a woman of base birth and bloude why should I be accused or reprehended for loning the daughter of the chiefest Prince of Europe Is it for the greatnesse of her house and antiquitie of her race Why that is al one betwene vs two toke his originall of the place whereof at this day my Father is the chiefe and principall And admit that Adelasia be the daughter of an Emperoure Ah Loue hath no regarde to persons houses or riches rather is he of greater commendation whose enterpryses are moste famous and haute gestes extende their flyght farre of Nowe resteth then to deuise meanes howe to make her vnderstande my payne For I am assured that she loueth me sauing that her honoure and yong yeares doe let her to make it appeare more manifest But it is my propre duty to make request for the same considering her merites and my small desertes in respect of her perfections Ah Alerane thou must vnlose that tongue which
grauity which once made hir maruelous and singuler aboue all them that lyued in her dayes In the time that this ioly company had furnished and prepared themselues in readinesse Gunfort sent a gentleman of that troupe toward the Emperour to aduertise him of the successe of his iourney Wherof he was exceding ioyful and attended for the comming of his children with purpose to entertayne them in louing honorable wise When al things were in readynesse and the traine of Adelasia in good order according to the worthyuesse of the house whereof the came they rode towarde Sauonne which iourney séemed to them but a sport for the pleasure mixt with compassiō that eche man conceyued in the discourse the Alerane made vpon his misfortunes chaunces aswell in his iourneys as of his abode and continuance in the desertes Which William calling to remembraunce praysed God yelded him thankes for that it had pleased him to inspire into his minde the forsaking of his parentes considering that the same only fault was the cause of their restitution and of his aduauncement and glory being the sonne of such a father and the neuewe of so great a Monarche The fame of whose name made al men quake and tremble and who then had cōmaunded al the troupe of the gentlemen of his court to goe and seke the forlorne louers so long time lost and vnknowen To be short their entrie into Sauonne was so royal and triumphant as if the Emperour himself would haue receyued the honor of such estate pomp Which he commaunded to be done aswell for the ioy that he had recouered the thing which he accompted lost as to declare and acknowledge to euery wyght that vertue can not make her self better knowen than at that time when the actions and dedes of great personages be semblable in raritie excellence to their nobilitie For a Prince is of greater dignitie and admiration than he comonly sheweth himselfe which can neuer enter into the head of the popular sorte that déemeth the affections of other according to their owne rude and beastely fansies As the Gréeke Poet Euripides in his tragedie of Medea doth say Ill luck and chaūce thou must of force endure Fortunes fickle stay needes thou must sustaine To grudge thereat it booteth not at all Before it come the witty wise be sure By wisedomes lore and counsell not in vaine To shunne and eke auoyd The whirling ball Of fortunes threates the sage may wel reboūd By good foresight before it light on ground The Emperoure then hauing forgotten or wisely dissembling that which he coulde not amende met his daughter and sonne in law at the Pallace gate with so pleasant chéere and ioyfull countenance as the like long time before he did not vse Where Alerane and Adelasia being light of from their horse came to kisse his hands and both vpon their knées began to frame an oration for excuse of their fault and to pray pardon of his Maiestie The good Prince rauished with ioy satisfied with repentance stopped their mouthes with swete kisses and hard embracinges O happy ill time sayde he and sorowfull ioy which now bringeth to me a pleasure more great than euer was my heauy displeasure From whence commeth this my pleasant ioy O well deuised flight by the which I gaine that by preseruing my losse once made and committed which I neuer had yf I may so say considering the ornament of my house and quietnesse of my lyfe And saying so he kissed embraced his litle Neuewes and was lothe that Adelasia should make rehersal of other talke but of mirth and pleasure For sayde he it sufficeth me that I haue ouerpassed and spent the greatest parte of my lyfe in heauinesse vtterly vnwilling nowe to renewe olde sores and woundes Thus the mariage begon vnknowen against the Emperours wil was consummate celebrated with great pompe and magniffcence by his owne commaundement in the Citie of Sauonne where he made Sir William Knight with his owne hand Many goodly factes at the Tourney and Tilt were done and atchieued wherat William almost euery day bare away the prise victory to the great pleasure of his father contentation of his graundfather who then made him Marques of Monferrat To the second sonne of Alerane he gaue the Marquisat of Sauonne with al the appurtenances and iurisdictions adioyning of whome be descended the Marqueses of Caretto The thirde he made Marques of Saluce the race of whom is to this day of good fame and nobilitie Of the fourth sonne sprange out the originall of the house of Cera The fift was Marques of Incise whose name and progeny liueth to this day The sixt sōne did gouerne Pouzon The seuenth was established Senior of Bosco vnder the name and title of Marques And Alerane was made and constituted ouerséer of the goods and dominions of his children and the Emperours Lieutenaunt of his possessions which he had in Liguria Thus the Emperour by moderating his passion vanquished himselfe and gaue example to the posteritie to pursue the offence before it doe take roote but when the thing can not be corrected to vse modestie and mercy which maketh kings to liue in peace and their Empire in assurance Hauing taken order with all his affaires in Italie he toke leaue of his daughter and children and retired into Almaigne And Alerane liued honorable amōgs his people was beloued of his father in lawe and in good reputation and fame arriued to olde yeares still remembring that aduersitie ought not to bring vs to dispaire nor prosperity to insolencie or ill behauiour and contempt of things that seme small and base sith there is nothing vnder the heauens that is stable and sure For he that of late was great and made all men to stoupe before him is become altogether such a one as though he had neuer bene and the pore humble man aduaunced to that estate from whence the first did fal and was deposed making lawes sometimes for him vnder whom he liued a subiect And behold of what force the prouidence of God is and what poyse hys balance doth contayne and howe blame worthy they be that referre the effectes of that diuine counsell to the inconstant and mutable reuolucion of fortune that is blind and vncertaine The Duchesse of Sauoie The Duchesse of Sauoie being the King of Englandes sister was in the Duke her husbandes absence vniustlie accused of adultery by a noble man his Lieutenāt And shoulde haue bene put to death if by the prowesse and valiaunt to combate of Don Iohn di Mendozza a Gentleman of Spaine she had not bene deliuered With a discourse of maruellous accidents touching the same to the singuler prayse and commendation of chaste and honest Ladies ¶ The .xlv. Nouell LOue commonly is counted the greatest passion amongs all the most greuous that ordinarily do assault the spirites of men which after it hath once taken hold of any gentle subiecte followeth the nature of the
sorrowe The nightes and dayes were all one to him for he coulde take no reste giuing ouer vse of armes administration of iustice hunting and hauking wherein before that time he had great delight And all his study was many tymes to passe and repasse before the gate of the Countesse to proue if he might attayne to haue some sight of her And things were brought to so pitifull state that within fewe dayes the Citizens and other gentlemen began to perceyue the raging loue of their Prince euery of them with common voice blaming the crueltie of the Countesse that was vnmaried who the more she proued the king inflamed with her loue the more squeymishe she was of her beautie The Peres and noble men seing their king reduced to such extremitie moued with pitie and compassion began secretely to practise for him some with threatnings some with flatteries persuasions some went to the mother declaring vnto her the eternall reste and quiet prepared for her al her friendes if she woulde persuade her daughter to encline to the kings minde and contrarywise the daunger iminent ouer her head But all these deuises were in vaine for the Countesse moued no more than a harde rocke beaten with diuers tempestes Notwithstanding at length seing that euery man spake diuersly as their affections did leade them she was so troubled and penfife in heart that fearing to be taken and that the king vanquished with his strong passion by successiō of time would vse his force and violently oppresse her founde meanes to gette a great sharpe knife which she caryed about her secretly vnder her gowns of purpose that if she sawe her self in peril to be defloured she might kill her selfe The Courtyers offended with the martirdome of their Maister and desirous to gratifie him and to seke meanes to do him pleasure conspired all in general against the Earles familie letting the king to vnderstand that it were most expedient sith that things were out of hope to cause AElips to be brought to his Palace to vse her by force Whervnto the king being dronke in his owne passion did willingly agrée Notwithstanding before he passed any further for that he faythfullye loued the Countesse he determined to aduertise the mother of the Countesse of that whiche he intended to doe and commaunded his Secretarie to goe séeke her with diligence and without concealing any thing from her knowledge to instructe her of the whole The Secretarie finding the mother of the Countesse sayd vnto her Madame the King hath willed me to say vnto you that he hath done what he can and more than his estate requireth to wynne the grace and Loue of your daughter but séeing that she hath despised his prayers disdained his presence and abhorred his griefes and complaintes knowing not what to doe any more his last refuge is in force letting you to vnderstande hereof to the intent that you she may consider what is to be done in this behalfe For he hath determined whether you will or no to fetch her out openly by force to the great dishonour slaunder and infamie of al your kinne And where in time past he hath loued fauored the Earle your husbande he trusteth shortly to make him vnderstande what is the effecte of the iuste Indignation of such a Prince as he is The good Lady hearing this sodaine and cruel message was astōned in such wise that she thought how she saw her daughter already trained by the heares of the head her garments haled and torne in pieces with a rufull and lamentable voyce crying out to him for mercy For this cause with blubbering teares trembling for feare she fell downe at the Secretaries féete straightly imbracing his knées sayd vnto him Maister Secretarie my deare and louing frende Beseche the King in my name to remember the paine and seruice done vnto him by mine Anncestors Intreate him not to dishonour my house in the absence of the Earle my husbande And if you be not able by your persuasion to molifie his harde heart desire him for a while to take pacience vntill I haue aduertised my daughter of his wil and pleasure whome I hope so to persuade that she shall satisfie the kings request When she had made this answere the Secretarie declared the same to the King who madde with anger Loue was contente and neuerthelesse commaunded his gentlemen to be in a readynesse to seke the Countesse In the meane time the mother of faire AElips went to her daughters chamber and after she had commaunded all her maydes which accompanied her to withdrawe themselues out of the chamber she began in fewe wordes to recite vnto her the message done vnto her by the Secretary Finally with sobbing sighes she sayde vnto her The dayes haue bene deare daughter that I haue séene thée to kéepe thy state amonges the chiefest of all the Ladyes of the Realme And I haue counted my selfe happie that euer I did beare thée in my wombe and thought by meanes of thy beautie vertue one day to sée thée to become the ioy and comfort of all thy frendes But now my cogitacions be tourned cleane contrarie thorowe thyne vnluckie fate Now I thinke thée to be borne not only for the vniuersall ruine of all our familie but also which grieueth me most to be an occasion and instrument of my death and the desolation of al thy frends But if thou wilt somewhat moderate thy rigor all this heauinesse shortly shall be tourned into ioy I or our King and soueraigne Lorde is not onely in Loue with thée but for the ardent affection and amitie that he beareth vnto thée is out of his wittes and nowe doth conspire againste vs as thoughe we were Traitors and murderers of our Prince In whose handes as thou knowest doth rest the lyfe honor and goodes both of thy selfe and vs all And what glory and tryumphe shall be reported of thée to our posteritie when they shall knowe that by thy obstinate crueltie thou hast procured the death of thyne olde father the death of thy hore headed mother and the destruction of thy valiant and coragious brethren and dispoyled the rest of thy bloude of their possessions and abilitie But what sorrowe and griefe will it be to sée them wander in the worlde like vagaboundes banished from their liuings and remaine in continuall pouertie without place and refuge in their miserie who in steade of blessing or praysing the houre of thy birth will cursse thée in their mynde a thousande times as the cause of all their ouerthrowe and yll fortune Thinke and consider vpon the same deare daughter for in thée alone consisteth the coseruation of our liues and hope of al our frendes This lamentable discourse ended the afflicted Coūtesse not able any longer to resist that pangue but that her heart began to waxe so faynt that with her armes a crosse she fel downe halfe dead vpon her daughter who seing her without mouing and without any apparaunce of
passion so couerte as he possibly coulde But partly for his owne solace and comfort he feasted all the Lordes and Ladyes of Naples where the gentleman and his wyfe was not forgotten And bicause man willingly beleueth that he doth sée he thought that the lokes of that gentlewoman promised vnto him some grace in time to come if the presence of her husband were not let thervnto And to proue whether his coniecture were true he sent her husband in commission to Rome for .xv dayes or thrée wéekes And so sone as he was gone his wyfe which hitherto had not felte any long absence from her husband made great sorrow for the same wherof she was recomforted by the King many times by swéete persuasions by presentes and giftes in suche sorte that she was not onely comforted but contented with her husbandes absence And before the thrée wéekes were expired of his returne she was so amorous of the King that she was no lesse sorrowful of his comming home than she was for his departure And to the intent the Kings presence might not be lost they agréed together that when her husbande was gone to his possessions in the countrie she should send worde to the King that he might haue safe repaire vnto her and so secretly that his honour which he feared more than he did the fact might not be impaired Upon this hope this Ladies heart was set on a merie pinne And when her husband was come home she welcomed him so well that albeit he knewe howe the King made much of her in his absence yet he would not beleue it But by continuance of time this fier that could not be couered by little and little began to kindle in suche wise that the husband doubted muche of the truth and watched the matter so néere that he was almost out of doubt But for feare leaste he whiche did the wrong shoulde doe him greater hurts if he séemed to knowe it he determined to dissemble the matter For he thought it better to liue with some griefe than to hazarde his lyfe for a woman which loued him not Not withstanding for this displeasure he thought to be euen with the king if it were possible And knowing that many times despite maketh a woman to doe that which Loue can not doe specially those women that haue honorable hearts and stoute stomakes was so bolde without blushing vpon a day in speaking to the Queene to say vnto her that he had pitie vpon her for that she was no better beloued of the king her husband The Quéene which heard tell of the loue betwene the king and his wife I can not quod she both inioy honor and pleasure together I know well that honor I haue whereof one receyueth the pleasure and as she hath the pleasure so hath not she the honor that I haue He which knew wel by whome those wordes were spoken sayde vnto her Madame honor waited vpon you euen at your birth For you be of so good a house that to be a Quéene or Empresse you can not augment your nobilitie but your beautie grace honestie hath deserued so much pleasure as she that depriueth you of that which is incident to your degrée doth more wrong to her selfe than to your person For she for a glory that hath turned her to shame hath there withall lost so much pleasure as your grace or any Lady in the realme maye haue And I may say vnto you Madame that if the king were no king as he is I thinke that he could not excell me in pleasing of a woman Being sure that to satisfie such a vertuous personage as you be he might exchange his complexion with mine The Quéene smiling answered him Although the king be of more delicate and weaker complexion thā you be yet the loue that he beareth me doth so muche content me that I esteme the same aboue all thinges in the worlde The gentleman sayde vnto her Madame if it were so I woulde take no pitle vpon you for I knowe wel that the honest loue of your heart woulde yelde vnto you great contentation if the like were to be found in the king But God hath foresene and preuented the same leaste enioying your owne desire you woulde make him your God vpon earth I confesse vnto you sayde the Quéene that the loue I beare him is so great that the like place he could not finde in no womans heart as he doth in muse Pardon me Madame sayde the Gentleman vnto her if I speake more frankely your grace hath not sounded the depth of eche mans heart For I dare be bolde to saye vnto you that I knowe one that doth loue you in suche wise whose loue is so great that you loue in respect of his is nothing And for so muche as he séeth the Kings loue to fayle in you his doth grow and increase in suche sorte that if your loue were agreable vnto his you should be recompensed of all your losses The Quéene aswell by his words as by his countenaunce began to perceyue that the talke proceded from the bottom of his hart and called to her remembrance that long time he had endeuored him self to do her seruice with such affection as for loue he was growen to be melancolike which she thought before to come through his wiues occasion but nowe she assuredly beleued that it was for her sake And thus the force of Loue which is well perceyued when it is not fayned made her sure of that which was vnknowen to all the worlde And beholding the gentleman which was more amiable than her husband and séeing that he was forsaken of his wife as she of the king pressed with despite and ialousie of her husbande and prouoked with loue of the gentleman beganne to say with finger in eye and sighing sobbes O my god must vengeaunce get that at my hand which Loue can not do The gentleman well vnderstanding her meaning aunswered Madame vengeance is swéete vnto him which in place of killing his enemy giueth life to a perfect frende I thinke that it is time that trouth shoulde remoue from you the folish loue that you beare vnto him which loueth you not And that iust and reasonable loue shoulde expell frō you the feare which neuer can remayne in a noble vertuous heart But nowe Madame omitting to speake of the greatnesse of your estate let vs consider that we be both man woman the most deceyued of the worlde and betrayed of them which we haue most derely loued Let vs now reuēge our selues Madame not onely to render vnto them as they haue deserued but to satisfie the loue whiche for my parte I can no longer beate except I shoulde die And I thinke that if your heart be not harder than Flint or Diamont it is impossible but you must perceyue some sparke of fier which increaseth more than I am able to dissemble And if pitie of me which dyeth for your loue doth not moue you to loue me
at least wyse let loue of your selfe constrayne you which being so perfect a creature as you be doth deserue to enioye the heartes of all the honest men of the worlde And let I say the contempt forsaking of him moue you for whom you haue disdayned all other persons The Quéene hearing those wordes was so rauished that for feare to declare by her countenaunce the trouble of her spirite leaning vpon the Gentlemās arme went into a garden harde by her chamber where she walked a long time not able to speake a worde But the Gentleman seing her halfe wonne when he was at the ende of the Alley where non̄e coulde sée them he certified her by effect the loue which so long tyme he kept secrete from her And both with one consent reioyced in reuenge wherof the passion was importable And there determined that so oft as he went into the countrey and the King from his Castle to the Citie he shoulde retourne to the Castle to sée the Quéene Thus deceyuing the deceyuers all foure were partakers of the pleasure which two alone thought to enioy The accorde made they departed the Ladye to her chamber and the Gentleman to his house with suche contentacion as they had quite forgotten all their troubles past And the fears that eyther of them had of the assembly of the King and of the Gentlewoman was tourned to desire which made the Gentleman to go more ofte than he was wont to doe into the Countrey beyng not past halfe a myle of And so sone as the king knewe thereof he fayled not to visite his Ladie and the Gentleman the night folowing went to the Castle to salute the Quéene to doe the offyce of the Kings Lieutenant so secretly as neuer any man did perceyue it This voyage endured of long tyme but the King bicause he was a publike person coulde not so well dissemble his loue but all the worlde did perceyue it and al men pityed the gentlemans state For diuers light persons behinde his backe woulde make hornes vnto him in signe of mockerie which he right well perceyued But this mockerie pleased him so wel that he estemed his hornes better than the Kings Crowne who and the Gentlemans wyfe one daye could not refrayne beholding a Stagges heade set vp in the Gentlemās house frō breaking into a laughter before his face saying how that head became the house very well The Gentleman that had so good a heart as he wrote ouer that heade these wordes These hornes I weare and beare for euerye man to viewe But I weare and beare them not in token they be trewe The King retourning agayne to thys Gentlemans house finding this superscription newely written demaunded of the Gentleman the signification of them Who sayde vnto him If Princes secrete things be from the horned Hart concealed VVhy should lyke things of horned beastes to Princes be reuealed But content your selfe All they that weare hornes be pardoned to weare their cappes vpon their heades For they be so swéete and pleasaunt that they vncappe no man and they weare them so light that they think they haue none at all The king perceyued well by his wordes that he knewe something of his doings but he neuer suspected the Loue betwéene the Quéene and him For the Quéene was better contented with her husbandes lyfe and with greater ease dissembled her griefe Wherefore eyther partes liued long time in this loue till age had taken order for dissolueiō therof Beholde Ladyes q Saffredante thys Historie which for example I haue willingly recyted vnto you that when your husbandes doe make you hornes as big as a Goate beareth you may render vnto him the monstruous heade of a Stagge peace q Emarsnite smyling no more wordes A Princesse of Flaundres The rashe enterprise of a Gentleman against a Princesse of Flaundres and of the damage and shame which he receyued thereof ¶ The. Lij Nouell THere was in Flaundres a Lady of an honorable house which had two husbandes by whome she had no children that were liuing During the time of her widowhode she dwelt within one of her brothers that loued her very wel which was a noble man and had maryed a Kings daughter This yong Prince was muche giuen to pleasure louing hunting pastime and the company of fayre Ladyes according as youth doth require He had a wyfe that was curst and troublesome whome the delectations of her husbande in no wise did content and please Wherefore this noble man caused his sister daylie to kéepe companye with his wyfe This Gentlewoman his sister was of pleasaunt conuersation and therewithall very honest and wyse There was in the house of this noble man a Gentleman whose worship beautie and grace did surpasse all the rest of hys companions This Gentleman perceyuing the sister of his Lorde and Maister to be pleasaunt of ioyfull countenance thought to proue if the attempt of an honest friende would be vouchsaued at her handes but he founde her aunswere to be contrarie to her countenance And albe if that her aunswere was suche as was méete for a Princesse and right honest Gentlewomā yet bicause she perceyued him to be a goodly personage and curteous she easily pardoned his bolde attempt and séemed that she toke it not in yll parte when he spake vnto her Neuerthelesse she warned him after that time to moue no such matter which he promised bicause he would not lose his pleasure and honor that he conceyued to entertayne her Notwithstanding by processe of tyme his affection increased so much that he forgot the promise which he had made vnto her not hazarding his enterprise by wordes for he had to long against his will experimented her wyse discrete aunsweres But he thought if he coulde finde her in some conuenient place bicause she was a widowe yong of lusty yeares good complexion it were possible she would take pitie vpon him of her selfe And that he might bring his purpose to effect he sayde to his Maister that he had besides his owne house very goodly game that if it pleased him to kill three or foure Stagges in the moneth of Maye he coulde neuer sée better pastime The Lorde aswell for the loue he bare to the Gentleman as for the pleasure he had in hunting graunted his request And went to his house which was so fayre and well furnished as the best Gentleman in all the Countrey had not a better and did lodge his Lorde and Ladie in one side of the house and in the other directly against it her whome he loued better than himselfe The Chamber was so well hanged with Tapistrie and furnished and so trimly matted as it was impossible to perceyue a falling dore which was by the beddes side descending to the chamber where hys Mother laye which was an olde Ladie that was troubled with the Catarre or Rume And bicause she had a Coughe fearing to disease the Princesse which lay aboue her she chaunged chambres with her sonne
And euery night the olde Gentlewoman brought conflictes to the Lady for her recreation vpon whome the Gentleman wayted who for that he was well beloued very familiar with her brother was not refused to be by her at her rising and going to bedde Whereby he daylie tooke occasion to increase his loue and affection In such sorte that one night after he had caused the Lady to sit vp late she being surprised with sléepe he was forced to depart the chamber and to repayre to his owne Where when he had put on the moste brauest perfumed shirt that he had his cap for the night so trimly dressed that there wāted nothing he thought in beholding himselfe that there was no Ladye in the worlde that could refuse his beautie and comelynesse Wherefore promising himselfe a happy successe in his enterprise he went to hys bed where he purposed not long to abide for the desire that he had to entre into an other which should be more honorable pleasant vnto him And after he had sent his mē away he rose to shut the dore after them hearkened a good while whether he could heare any noyse in the Ladyes chāber aboue And when he was sure that euery man was at rest he began to take his pleasant iorney and by little little opened the falling dore which was so well trymmed with cloth that it made no noyse at all and went vp to the Ladies bed side which then was in her first slepe and withoute respect of the bonde and promise that he made vnto her or the honorable house wherof she came without leaue or reuerence he layed him selfe downe besides her who felt him betwene her armes before she perceyued his cōming But she which was somewhat strong vnfolded her selfe out of his handes and in asking him what he was began to strike to bite and scratch In such wise as he was constrayned for feare least she shoulde cry out to stoppe her mouth with the couerlet which was impossible for him to doe For when she saw him to presse withal his force to despoile her of her honor she spared no part of her might to defende and kepe her selfe called so loude as she could her woman of honor that lay in her chamber which was a Gentlewoman right auncient and sober who euē in her smock ranne straight to her maistresse And when the gentleman perceiued that he was discouered was so fearefull to be knowen of the Lady that so sone as he could he shifted himselfe downe by his trap-dore And when before he had desire hope assurance to be welcome nowe he was brought in despayre for retourning in so vnhappy state When he was in his chamber he founde his glasse and candle vpon the table and beholding his face al bloudy with scratchings and bitings which she had bestowed vpon him the bloude whereof ranne downe his fayre shirte which was more bloudled than gylted he beganne to mone himselfe in this wise O beautie thou art now payed thy deserte for vpon thy vayne promise haue I aduentured a thing impossible And that which might haue bene the augmenting of my contentation is nowe the redoubling of my sorrow Being assured that if she knew howe contrarie to my promise I haue enterprised this folish fact I should vtterly forgoe the honest and common conuersation which I haue with her aboue all other That which my estimation beautie and good behauiour doe deserue I ought not to hide in darknesse To gaine her loue I ought not to assay her chaste body by force but rather by my seruice and humble pacience to waite and attende til loue did vanguish For without loue all the vertue and puissance of man is of no power and force Euen thus he passed the nighte in suche teares griefes and playntes as a man can not well reporte and vtter In the morning when he beheld his bloudy face al mangled and torne he fained himselfe to be very sicke and that he coulde abide no light til the company were gone from his house The Lady which thus remained victorious knowing that there was no man in all her brothers court that durst attempt a déede so wicked but onely he which was so bolde to declare his loue vnto her knewe well that it was her hoste And when she and her woman of honor had searched all the corners of the chamber to knowe what he was and sawe that she would not finde him she sayde vnto her woman in a great rage Assure your selfe it can be none other but the Gentleman of the house whose villanous order I will declare to my brother in the morning in such sort that his head shal be a witnesse and testimonie of my chastitie Her woman séeing her in that furie sayde vnto her Madame I am right glad to sée the loue affection which you haue to your honor for the increase whereof you will not spare the life of one which hath aduentured himself so much forced with the loue that he beareth vnto you But many times suche one thinketh by those meanes to increase his loue which altogether he doth diminishe Wherefore Madame I humblie beseche you to tell me the truth of this facte And when the Lady had recompted the same at length the woman of honor sayde vnto her Your grace doth say that he got no other thing of you but scratches and blowes with your fistes Do I assure you quod the Lady and I am certayne if he get him not a good surgeon the markes will be séene to morrowe Well Madame quod the Gentlewoman sithens it is so me thinketh you haue greater occasion to prayse God than to muse vpon reuengement For you may beleue that fithens he had the courage to enterprise suche a thing that despite hath made him to faile of his purpose you can deuise no greater death for him to suffer thā the same If you desire to be reuenged let Loue shaine alone to bring that to passe who know better which way to torment him than your selfe with greater honor to your person Take héede Madame from falling into such inconuenience as he is in For in place of great pleasure which he thought to haue gayned he hath receyued the most extreme anoyance that any Gentleman can suffer And you Madame by thinking to augment your honor you may decrease and diminishe the same And by making that complaint you shall cause that to be knowen which no man knoweth For of his part you may be assured there shall neuer be any thing reuealed And when my Lord your brother at your request shall execute that iustice which you desire and that the pore gentlemau shal be ready to dye yet the brute wil runne that he hath had his pleasure vpon you And the greatest parte will say that it is a difficult matter for a gentleman to do such an enterprise except the Lady minister some great occasion Your grace is fayre and yong frequenting your
husband according to her desire forgetting his owne griefe by féeling that his friende did suffer And bicause he vnderstode by a friende which he had gotten in the courte of the King of Thunis that the King was mynded to offer him the gibbet or else to make him renounce his faith for the desire he had to retayne him still and to make him a good Turke howbeit he behaued himself so wel with him that toke him prisoner that he gaue him leaue to depart vpon his faith taxing him at so great raunsome that he thought a man of so small substaunce was neuer able to pay And so without speaking to the king his Maister he let him goe vpon his faith After he had shewed himselfe at the court of the King of Spaine he departed incontinently to his friends to get his raunsome and went straight to Barsalone whether the yong Duke of Cardonne his mother Florinda was gone about certayne affaires Auenturade so sone as she heard tell that her husband was come declared the same to Florinda who semed for her sake greatly to reioyce thereat But fearing that the desire she had to sée him woulde make her chaunge countenaunce and that they which knewe not the cause thereof woulde conceyue some ill opinion she stode still at a window to sée him come a far of And so sone as she espied him she went downe a paire of staires which were so darke that none coulde perceyue if she chaunged colour When she had imbraced Amadour she led him into her chamber and from thence to her mother in lawe which had neuer sene him before He had not continued there two dayes but he was so well beloued as he was before in the house of the Countesse of Arande I will omit the words and talke betwéene Florinda and Amadour and the complaints which he made vnto her of his ill aduenture that he had sustained in his absence And after many teares vttered by her for the heauinesse she had taken aswell for the mariage against her will as for the losse of him that she loued so dearely whome she thought neuer so sée agayne she determined to take her consolation in the loue and fidelitie that she bare to Amadour which not withstanding she durst not open and declare But he that muche doubted thereof lost no occasion and tyme to let her knowe and vnderstande the great loue he bare her And euen vpon the point that she was ready to receyue him not as a seruant but for her assured and perfect friende there chaunced a maruellous fortune For the king for certayne matters of importance incōtinently sent forth Amadour whereof his wife conceyued suche sorrowe that hearing those newes she sounded fell from the stayres where she stode where with she hurt her selfe so sore that neuer after she reuiued Florinda that by the death of her had lost al cōforte made suche sorrowe as one that was destitute of good friendes kinssolke but Amadour toke the same in worste parte For he had not onely lost one of the moste honest women that euer was but also the meanes that he shoulde neuer after that time haue occasion to visit Florinda For which cause he fell into such a sicknesse that he was like to haue died sodaynly The olde Duchesse of Cardonne incessantlie did visit him and alledged many philosophicall reasons to make him paciently to receyue death but it auayled nothing For if Death of th one side did torment him Loue of the other side did augmēt his martirdome Amadour séeing that his wife was buried that the king had sent for him hauing no occasion of longer abode there he entred into suche dispaire that he séemed to be out of his wittes Florinda which in comforting him was almost desolate remained by him one whole afternone vsing the moste honest and discrete talke that was possible thinking therby to diminishe the greatnesse of his sorrowe assuring him that she woulde deuise wayes that he might visit her more ofte than he did thinke for And bicause he must depart the next morning and was so feble and weake that he coulde not rise from his bedde he intreated her to come sée him at night after euery man was gone Which she promised to do not knowing that Loues extremity was voyd of reason And he that saw no hope euer after that time to sée her againe whom so long time he had serued and of whom he had neuer receyued other interteignement than that you haue hearde was so beaten and ouercome with Loue long dessembled and of the despaire he conceyued that all meanes to vse her companye taken awaye he purposed to playe double or quitte eyther to lose her or to winne her fauour and to paye himselfe at one instant the thing which he thought he had right wel deserued Wherfore he caused the Curtaynes of his bedde to be drawen that they which came into the chamber might not sée him complaining of sickenesse more than he was wont to doe whereby they of the house thought he woulde not haue liued .xxiiij. houres After euery one of the house had visited him at night Florinda at the speciall request of her husband came to sée him thinking for his comforte to vtter vnto him her affection and howe aboue all other she woulde loue him so farre as her honor did permit And sitting down in a chaire at the beddes heade she beganne to comfort him and therewithall poured out many teares Amadour seing her sorrowful pensife thought that in her great torment he might easelie atteyne the effect of his intent And lifted himselfe vp in his bed which Florinda perceyuing she woulde haue stayed him thinking that through weakenes he was not able to moue And kneling vpon his knées he sayde vnto her Must I for euermore forgoe your sight mine owne deare Ladye And in saying so he fell downe betwene her armes like one that fainted for lacke of strength Then poore Florinda imbraced him and of long time helde him vp doing al that was possible for his comfort But the medecine she gaue him to case his sorrowe did rather increase the same more strong For in fayning himself half deade without speaking anye worde he attempted the which that honor of womanhode doth defend Whē Florinda perceyued his ill intent she coulde scarce beleue the same considering his honest requestes made before time and therefore asked him what it was that he desired But Amadour fearing to heare her aunswere which he knewe well coulde be none other but chaste and vertuous without further talke pursued his purpose so earnestly as he coulde wherewith Florinda being astōned did suspect he had bene out of his wittes rather than beleue that he went aboute her dishonor Wherefore with loude voyce she called a Gentleman which she knew well to be in the chamber Which Amadour hearing vtterly in dispaire threwe himself so sodaynely into his bed that the Gentleman thought he had bene deade Florinda rising out
him agayne yet the heart which is not subiect vnto vs would not accord to that crueltie For which consideracion she loued him no lesse than she was wont to doe and knowing that loue was the cause of that faulte she purposed for satisfaccion of Loue to loue him with all her hearte and yet throughe obedience and fealtie due to her honor she thought neuer to make other semblance In the morning Amadour departed in this sorte troubled as you haue heard neuerthelesse his coragious heart entred not in dispaire but renued a fresh hope once againe to sée Florinda and to winne her fauour Then he toke his iourney towards the court of Spaine which was at Tolledo taking his way by the Countesse of Arande where late in an euening he arriued and founde the Countesse very sicke for the absence of her daughter Florinda When she sawe Amadour she kissed and imbraced him as if he had bene her owne childe aswell for the loue she bare vnto him as for the lyke which she doubted that he bare to Florinda of whome very earnestly she inquired for newes who told her the best that he could deuise but not the whole truth and confessed vnto her the loue betwéene Florinda and him which Florinda had stil conceled kept secrete praying her ayde to bring him agayne into her fauour and the next morning he departed And after he had done his businesse with the Quéene he repaired to the warres so sadde and chaunged in all his conditions that the Ladyes Captaines and all they that were wonte to kepe him companie did not know him His apparel was all black mourning for the death of his wyfe whereby he couered the sorrowe which was hid in his heart In this wise Amadour passed thrée or foure yeares before he returned to the Court. And the Countesse of Arande which heard tell that Florinda was so sore chaunged that it would haue moued any mans heart to beholde her sente for her hoping that she would haue come but her expectatiō was frustrate for when Florinda vnderstode that Amadour had told her mother the good wil betwene them and that her mother being so wise vertuous giuing credit to Amadour did beleue his wordes she was in meruellous perplexitie bicause of the one side she saw that her mother did esteme him so wel that if she declared vnto her the truth Amadour might conceyue some displeasure Which thing she had rather dye than to doe wherefore she thought her selfe strong ynough to chastise him of his folly without helpe of her friends On the other side she perceyued that by dissembling the euill which she knew by him she shoulde be constrayned by her mother and her friendes to speake vnto him and to beare him good countenaunce whereby she feared his euill opinion would be the more encoraged But seing that he was far of she passed the lesse of the matter And when the Countesse her mother did commaund her she wrote letters vnto him but they were suche as he might wel gather that they were written rather vpon obedience than of good will the reading whereof bred sorrow vnto him in place of that ioye he was wont to cōceyue in her former letters Within the terme of two or thre yeares after he had done so many noble enterprises that all the paper of Spaine could not contayne them he deuised a newe inuention not to winne and recouer the hearte of Florinda for he déemed the same quite lost but to haue the victorie ouer his enemye sithens she had vsed him in that sort and reiecting all reason and speciallye feare of death into the hazarde whereof he hasted himselfe he concluded and determined his enterprise in suche sorte that by reason of his behauiour towardes the Gouernor he was deputed sent by him to treate with the king of certayn exploites to be done at Locates sparing not to impart his message to the Countesse of Arande before he tolde the same to the king to vse her good aduise therin And so came in poste strayght into the Countie of Arande where he had intelligence in what place Florinda remayned and secretly sent to the Countesse one of his frends to tel her of his comming to pray her to kepe it close and that he might speake with her that night in such secret wise as no man might haue knowledge thereof The Countesse very ioyful of his coming told it to Florinda sent her into her husbandes chamber to put of her clothes that she might be ready when she should sende for her after euery man was gone to bed Florinda which was not yet well boldened by reasō of her former feare making a good face of the matter to her mother withdrewe her selfe into an orato rieor chappel to recōmend her selfe to God praying him to defend her hart from all wicked affection considered howe often Amadour had praysed her beautie which was not impaired or diminished although she had bene sick of long time Wherfore thinking it better to doe iniurie to her beautie by defacing it than to suffer the heart of so honeste a personage by meanes thereof wickedly to be inflamed she toke vp a stone which was within the Chappell and gaue her selfe suche a great blow on the face that her mouth eyes and nose were altogether deformed And to the intent no man might suspect what she had done when the Countesse sent for her in going out of the Chappell she fell downe vpon her face vpon a great stone and there withall cried out so loud that the Countesse came in and found her in that pitious state who incontinently dressing her face and binding it vp with clothes conueyed her into her chamber and prayed her to goe into her closet to enterteigne Amadour til she were weary of his cōpanie Which she did thinking that there had bene some body with him But finding him alone and the dore shut vpon her Amadour was not so wel pleased as she was discontented Who nowe thought eyther with loue or force to get that which he had so long tyme desired And after he had spoken a fewe wordes vnto her and founde her in that minde he left her and that to die for it she woulde not chaunge her opinion desperately he sayde vnto her By God Madame the fruit of my labour shall not be thus taken from me for scruples and doubtes And sith that Loue pacience and humble desires can not preuaile I will not spare by force to get that which except I haue it will be the cause of my destruction When Florinda sawe his face and eyes so altered that the fayrest die and colour of the worlde was become so red as fyer and his most pleasaunt and amiable loke transformed horrible and furious that very hote burning fyer séemed to sparkle within his heart and face and in that furie with one of his strong fiftes he griped her delicate and tender handes On the other side she séeing all her defences
to fayle her and that her fete and handes were caught in suche captiuitie that she could neyther run away nor yet defend herselfe knew none other remedie but to proue if he had yet remayning in him any griftes of the former loue that for the honor therof he might forget his crueltie Wherfore she sayde vnto him Amadour if now you doe accompt me for an enemie I besech you for the honestie of the loue which at other times I haue found planted in your heart to giue me leaue to speake before you doe torment me And when she sawe him reclining his eare she pursued her talke in this wise Alas Amadour what cause haue you to seke after the the thing whereof you shall receyue no contentation inflicting vpon me suche displeasure as there can be no greater You haue many tymes proued my will and affection in the tyme of my youthfull dayes and of my beautie farre more excellent than it is nowe at what tyme your passion might better be borne with and excused than nowe In suche wise that I am amased to sée that you haue the heart to torment me at that age and greate debility wherwith I am now indued I am assured that you doubte not but that my will minde is such as it was wont to be Wherefore you cannot obtayne your demaunde but by force And if you sawe how my face is arraied you woulde forget the pleasure which once you receyued in me and by no meanes would forcibly approche nere vnto me And if there be left in you yet any remnantes of loue it is impossible but that pitie may vanguishe your furie And that to pitie and honestie whereof once I had experience in you I doe make my plainte and of the same I doe demaund grace and pardon to thintent that according to your persuasion and good aduise you maye suffer me to liue in peace honesty which I haue determined during my life And if the loue which you haue borne me be cōuerted into hatred that more for reuengement than affection you doe purpose to make me the most vnhappy wight of the worlde I assure you you shall not be able to bring your intent to passe besides that you shall constrayne me against my determination to vtter and reueale your villany disordinate appetite towards her which did repose in you an incredible affiance by discouering whereof thinke verely that your life cannot continue without perill Amadour breaking her talke sayde vnto her If I die for it I wil presentlie be acquieted of my torment But the deformitie of your face which I thinke was done by you of set purpose shall not let me to accomplishe my will For since I can get nothing of you but the bones carcasse I wil holde them so fast as I can And when Florinda sawe that prayers reason nor teares coulde not auaile but that with crueltie he woulde néedes followe his villanous desire which she had stil auoided by force of resistance she did helpe her selfe so long til she feared the losse of her breath and with a heauy and pitious voice she called her mother so loude as she coulde crye who hearing her daughter calling with such rufull voyce began gretly to feare the thing that was true Wherfore she ranne so fast as she could into the warderobe◠Amadour not being so nere death as he sayd he was left of his hold in such good time as the Lady opening her closet founde him at the dore and Florinda farre ynough from him The Countesse demaunded of him saying Amadour what is the matter Tell me the truth Who like one that was neuer vnprouided of excuse with his face pale and wanne and his breath almoste spente sayde vnto her Alas Madame in what plight is my Lady Florinda I was neuer in all my life in that amase wherein I am now For as I sayde vnto you I had thought that I had inioyed part of her good will but now I know right well that I haue nothing at all I thinke Madame that sith the time she was brought vp with you she was neuer lesse wise and vertuous than she is but she is very daungerous and squeimish in speaking and talking and euen now I woulde haue loked vpon her but she woulde not let me And when I sawe that countenaunce thinking that it had bene some dreame or vision I desired to kisse her hand according to the fashion of the countrie which she vtterly refused True it is Madame I haue offended her wherof I craue pardon of you but it chaūced only for that I toke her by the hande which I did in a maner by force kissed the same demaunding of her no other contentation But she like one as I suppose that hath sworne my death made an outery for you as you haue heard for what cause I know not except that she were affrayde that I woulde haue forced some other thing Notwithstanding Madame what so euer the matter be I protest vnto you the wrong is mine and albeit that she ought to loue all your honest seruants yet fortune so willeth that I alone the most affectioned of thē all is clearelye exempt out of her fauour And yet I purpose still to continue towardes you her the same man I came hither beseching your good grace and fauour sithens that without my desert I haue lost hers The Countesse which partelye beleued and partelye mistrusted his talke went vnto her daughter and demaunded of her wherefore she cried out so loude Florinda aunswered that she was affrayd And albeit the Countesse subtilly asked her of many things yet Florinda would neuer make other answere for that hauing escaped the hands of her enemie she thought it punishment ynough for him to lose his labor After that the Coūtesse had of long time cōmuned with Amadour she left him yet once againe to enter in talke with Florinda before her to sée what coūtenaūce she would make him To whō he spake few words except they were thanks for that she had not cōfessed the truth to her mother praying her at least wife that seing he was dispossessed out of her heart she would suffer none other to receiue his place But she answering his former talke sayd If I had had any other meanes wherwith to defend my self from you than by crying out she shoulde neuer haue heard me and of me you shall neuer heare worse except you doe constrayne me as you haue done and for louing any other man you shal not néede to feare For sith I haue not founde in your heart which I estemed the moste vertuous in all the worlde the good successe that I desired I will neuer beleue hereafter that vertue is planted in any man And this outrage shal make me frée from all passions that Loue can force and in saying so she toke her leaue The mother which behelde her countenaunce could suspect nothing and after that tyme she knew wel that her daughter bare
no more affection to Amadour and thought assuredly that she was voyd of reason bicause she hated all those thinges which she loued And from that tyme forth there was suche warre betwéene the mother and the daughter that the mother for the space of .vij. yeares woulde not speake vnto her except it were in anger Which she did at the requeste of Amadour During which tyme Florinda conuerted the feare that she had to remayne with her husbande into mere loue to anoyde the rigor and checkes of her mother Howebeit seing that nothing coulde preuayle she purposed to begyle Amadour leauing for a day or two her ser straūge countenaunce she counselled Amadour to loue a woman which as she sayde did commonly talke of their loue This Lady dwelt with the Quéene of Spaine was called Lorette who was very ioyful and glad to get suche a seruaunt And Florinda found meanes to cause a brute of this newe loue to be spred in euery place and specially the Countesse of Arande being at the Court perceyued the same who afterwardes was not so displeased with Florinda as she was wont to be Florinda vpon a tyme heard tel that the Captaine the husband of Loret began to be ialous ouer his wife and determined by some meanes or other he cared not how to kill Amadour Florinda notwithstanding her dissembling countenaunce could not suffer any hurt to be done to Amadour and therefore incontinently gaue him aduertisement therof But he retourning againe to his former sollyes answered that if it would please her to interteigne him euery day thrée houres he would neuer speake agayne to Loret whervnto by no meanes she would consent Then Amadour sayde vnto her if you will not haue me to liue wherefore goe ye about to defend me from death except ye purpose to torment me alyue in such wise that a thousand deathes can not doe But for so much as death doth fly from me I wil neuer leaue to seke death til I haue founde him out at whose approch onely I shall haue rest Whilest they were in these tearmes newes came that the King of Granado was about to enter into great warres against the King of Spaine in such wise that the King sent against him the Prince his sonne and with him the Constable of Castille and the Duke of Albe two auncient and sage Lords The Duke of Cardonne and the Counte of Arande not willing to tarrie behinde besought the King to giue eyther of them a charge Which he did according to the dignitie of their houses appointing Amadour to be their guid Who during that warre did suche valiaunt factes that they semed rather to be desperately than hardyly enterprised And to come to the effect of this discourse his great valiaunce was tryed euen to the death For the Moores making a bragge as though they woulde giue battayle when they sawe the army of the Chistians counterfaited a retire whome the Spaniardes pursued but the olde Constable and the Duke of Albe doubting their policie stode still against the wil of the Prince of Spaine not suffering him to passe ouer the riuer but the Counte of Arande and the Duke of Cardonne although they were countremanded did followe the chase and when the Moores sawe that they were pursued with so small a number they retourned and at one recountrie killed the Duke of Cardōne and the Counte of Arande was so sore hurt that he was left for deade in the place Amadour arriuing vpon this ouerthrowe inuaded the battayle of the Moores with suche rage and furie that he rescued the two bodyes of the Duke and Countie and caused them to be conueyed to the Princes campe who so lamented their chaūce as if they had bene his owne brethren But in searching their wounds the Countie of Arande was found to be aliue and was sent home to his owne house in a horslitter wher of long time he was sick and lykewise was conueyed to Cardonne the deade body of the yong Duke Amadour in rescuing those two bodyes toke so little héede to him selfe that he was inclosed with a great number of the Moores bicause he would be no more taken aswell to verifie his faith towardes God as also his vowe made to his Lady and also considering that if he were prisoner to the King of Granado eyther he shoulde cruelly be put to death or else forced to renounce his fayth he determined not to make his death or taking glorious to his enemies Wherefore kissing the crosse of his sworde and rendring his body and soule to the handes of almightie God he stabbed himselfe into the body with such a blow that there neded no second wound to rid him of his lyfe In this sorte dyed pore Amadour so much lamēted as his vertues did deserue The newes hereof was bruted throughout Spaine and Florinda which then was at Barsalone where her husbande in his lyfe tyme ordeyned the place of his buriall after that she had done his honorable obsequies without making her owne mother or mother in lawe priuie thervnto surrendred herselfe into the Monasterie of Iesus there to liue a religious lyfe receyuing him for her husband and friend which had deliuered her from the vehement loue of Amadour from a displeasaunt lyfe so great and vnquiet as was the company of her husbande In this wise she conuerted all her affections to loue God so perfectly that after she had long time lyued a religious life she yelded vp her soule in suche ioy as the Bridgrome doth when he goeth to visite his spouse A Duke of Florence The incontinencie of a Duke and of his impudencie to attayne hys purpose with the iust punishement which he receyued for the same ¶ The Liiij Nouell IN the Citie of Florence there was a Duke that maryed the Ladye Margaret the bastarde daughter of the Emperour Charles the fift And bicause she was very yong it was not lawfull for him to lye with her but tarying til she was of better yeres he vsed her very gently Who to spare his wyfe was amorous of certayne other Gentlewomen of the citie Amongs whome he was in loue with a very fayre wise and honest Gentlewoman that was sister to a Gentleman whome the Duke loued so well as himselfe to whome he gaue so much aucthoritie in his house that his worde was so well obeyed and feared as the Dukes himselfe and there was no secrete thing in the Dukes minde but he declared the same vnto him that he might full well haue bene called a seconde himselfe The Duke seing his sister to be a woman of so great honestie had no wayes or meanes to vtter vnto her the loue that he bare her after he had inuented all occasions possible at length he came to this Gentleman which he loued so well and sayde vnto him My friende if there were any thing in all the worlde wherein I were able to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you and woulde not doe it at your request I shoulde be
he neuer saw a better in his lyfe You haue reason sayde the king And I beleue that if a gentleman were determined to kill me and did knowe the force of myne armes and the goodnesse of my heart accompanied with this sword he would be twice well aduised before he attempted the enterprise Not withstanding I would accompte him but a cowarde we being alone without witnesses if he did not attempt that which he were disposed to doe The Counte Guillaume with bashfull and astonned countenaunce answered Sir the wickednesse of the enterpâ—ise were very great but the folly in the execucion were no lesse The King with those wordes fell in a laughter and put the sworde into the skaberd againe And hearing that the chase drew nere him he made to the same so fast as he could when he was come thether he sayde nothing of that which had passed betwéene him and the Counte verely thought that Counte Guillaume althoughe that he was so strong and stoute a gentleman as was in that tyme yet he was no man to doe so great an enterprise But the CouÌ„te Guillaume fearing to be bewraied or suspected of the facte next day morning repayred to Robertet the Secretarie of the Kings reuenewes and sayd that he had well wayed the giftes and annuities which the king woulde giue him to tarrie but he perceyued that they were not sufficient to interteigne him for halfe a yere that if it pleased not the king to double the same he should be forced to depart praying the sayd Robertet to knowe his graces pleasure so sone as he coulde who sayde vnto him that he himselfe coulde without further commission coulde disbirsse no more vnto him but gladlie whithout further delaie he would presentlye repayre to the king which he did more willingly bicause he had séene the aduertisements of the Gouernor aforesayde And so sone as the king was awake he declared the matter vnto him in the presence of MoÌ„sier Trimouille and Monsier Bouiuet Lord Admirall who were vtterly ignorant of that which the king had done To whom the king sayd Loe ye haue bene miscontented for that I woulde not put away the Counte Guillaume but now ye sée he putteth away himselfe Wherefore Robertet tell him that if he be not conteÌ„t with the state which he receyued at his first entrie into my seruice wherof many GeÌ„tlemen of good houses would think themselues happy it is mete that he seke his better fortune and tell him that I woulde be loth to hinder him but wil be very well contented that he seke where he may liue better accordingly as he deserueth Robertet was so diligent to beare this aunswere to the Counte as he was to present his sute to the king The Counte sayde that with his licence he woulde gladly goe forthwith And like one that feare forced to departe was not able to beare his abode .xxiiij. houres And as the King was sitting downe to dinner fayning to be sorye for his departure but that necessitie compelled him to lose his preseÌ„ce he toke his leaue He went likewise to take leaue of the kings mother which she gaue him with so great ioye as she did receyue him being her nere kinsman friende Then he went into his Countrie And the king séeing his mother and seruants astoned at that his sodayne departure declared vnto them the Al Arme which he had giuen him saying that although he was innoceÌ„t of the matter suspected so was his feare great ynough to depart from a maister with whose condicions hitherto he was not acquainted A straunge punishment A punishment more rigorous than death of a husband towarde his wyfe that had committed adultery The Lvj. Nouell KIng Charles of Fraunce the .viij. of that name sent into Germany a Gentleman called Bernage Lorde of Cyure besides Amboise Who to make spéede spared neyther day nor night for execution of his Princes commaundement In such wise that very late in an euening he arriued at the castle of a Gentleman to demaunde lodging which very hardly he obtayned Howbeit wheÌ„ the gentleman vnderstode that he was the seruaunt of such a king he prayed him not to take in ill part the rudenesse of his seruaunts bicause vpon occasion of certaine his wiues friendes that loued him not he was forced to kepe his house so straight At what tyme Bernage told him the cause of his iourney wherein the Gentleman offered to doe to the King his Maister al seruice possible Leading him into his house where he was feasted lodged very honorably When supper was ready the Gentleman conueyed him into a parler well hanged with fayre Tapistrie And when the meate was set vpon the table he perceyued a woman comming forth behinde the hanging which was so beautifull as might be sene sauing that her heade was all shauen and apparelled in Almaine blacke After both the Gentlemen had washed water was brought to the gentlewoman who when she had washed she sat downe at the table without speaking to any man or any word spokeÌ„ vnto her The Lord Bernage beholding her wel thought her to be one of the fayrest Ladies that euer he sawe if her face had not bene so pale her countenaunce so sad After she had eaten a little she called for drink which one of the seruants brought vnto her in a straunge cup. For it was the head of a dead man trimmed with siluer Whereof she drancke twice or thrice When she had supped and washed her handes making a reuerence to the Lorde of the house she retourned behinde the hangings without speaking any worde Bernage was so muche amazed at that strauÌ„ge sight that he waxed very heauie and sad The gentleman that marked him sayd vnto him I sée wel that you be astonned at that you saw at the table But seing your hnoest demeanor I wil not kepe the thing secret froÌ„ you bicause you shall not note that crueltie to be done without gret occasion This gentlewoman which you sée is my wife whome I loued bettter than any gentleman could loue his wife In such sort that to marry her I forgat all feare and brought her hither in dispite of her parents She likewise shewed vnto me such signes of loue that I attempted a thousand wayes to place her here for her ioy and myne where we liued a long tyme in suche rest and contentation that I thought my selfe the happiest Gentleman in Christendome But in a iourney which I made which to attempt mine honor forced me she forgot both her selfe her conscience and the loue which she bare towardes me and fell in loue with a Gentleman that I brought vp in this house which vpon my returne I perceyued to be true Notwithstanding the loue that I bare her was so great that I had no mistrust in her til such tyme as experience did open myne eyes and saw the thing that I feared more than death For which cause loue was tourned into furie and dispaire in suche wise that I
there was a yonge man called Euathlus who beyng desirous to be an Orator and a pleadyng aduocate to the intent he might postulate accordyng to the accustomed maner of Athenes in those dates accorded vpon a price with a renewned Oratour named Protagoras that he should instructe hym that arte for a price agreed vpon betwene them vpon condicion that the Scholer should paie the one halfe of the money before hande vnto his Maister and the rest at suche tyme as he should proue to be an Aduocate so well instructed that at the first matter whiche he did pleade he should obteine sentence on his side and gaine for his labour and industrie But if sentēce were pronounced against him he should not be boūde to paie the same Uppon this conclusion the Maister taughte hym with greate diligence the vttermoste of his knowledge in that arte The Scholer againe learned and reteined his teachyng with greate prōptitude and redinesse of witte When Protagoras had taught hym the vttermoste of his knowledge The scholer Euathlus to defraude hym of the reste of his money determined neuer to be Aduocate whose craft Protagoras perceiuyng cited hym by write to appere before the Iudge to answere the rest of the bargaine When thei were bothe come in the Iudges presence Protagoras spake to his scholer in this wise Euathlus the bargain betwene vs thou canst not chose but confesse and acknowledge whiche in effecte is this It was agreed that I should teache thee the arte of pleadyng and in the first matter whiche thou diddest pronoūce and sentence giuen on thy parte thou shouldest paie me the other halfe of the money for the firste moitie I receiued before hande and now to auoide the satisfaction thereof although thou knowest that I haue full well deserued it thou to defraude me of my duetie refusest to bee an aduocate But I will tell thee this thy determinacion is but vaine frustrate for I haue intangled thee in suche nettes that thou canste not escape but by one meane or other thou shalte be forced to paie me For if the Iudge doe condempne thee then mangre thy head thou shalt be constrained and if contrarie wise sentēce be giuen on thy side thou shalte be likewise bounde to paie me by thy verie couenaunt sitheus thou art boūd therevnto when thou pleadest first and sentence giuen in thy behalf Doe now then what thou list for in fine thou shalt be forced to paie me in despite of thy teeth All the assistauntes helde with Protagoras affirming his suite to be verie reasonable Notwithstandyng Euathlus with a bolde spirite aunswered for hymself in this maner Sir Protagoras it semeth vnto you that I am conuicted but staie a while and giue me leaue to speake and then you shall perceiue in what whise I will cōfounde your argument Here you haue brought your action against me whereof I trust vpon my reasonable aunswere before the Iudges to be discharged For if by this your pleadyng by circumstaunces art of an Oratour whiche you haue vsed in all your discourse the matter shall fall so out as sentence be giuē on your side then the bargaine made betwene vs is voide and of none effecte bicause I losyng the profit of my first pleadyng wherein by our agrement sentence should be giuē on my behalfe the same bargaine is not accōplished For you should bee paied the moitie of the money behind with that cōmoditia which I did gaine by my first pleadyng For whiche cause there is no reason but I must be discharged of your demaunde After this debatyng of the matter the Iudges wated the argumentes of bothe partes whiche seemed so doubtfull vnto them that knowyng not how to giue sentence thei suspended the processe The same Aulus Gellius reciteth an other like question whiche he referreth to Plinie as the first aucthor thereof There was a lawe saieth he in a certain citie that what soeuer he were that committed any valiant facte of armes the thyng that he demaunded what soeuert were should be graunted vnto hym It chaunced that a certaine persone did this worthie act and required that a mannes wife whom he derelie loued should be giuen vnto hym whiche wife by force vertue of the lawe was accordingly deliuered But afterwardes the man from whom his wife was taken did the like facte and demaunding his wife to be redeliuered vnto hym againe saied vnto hym that had her if thou wilt obserue the lawe thou muste of force deliuer vnto me my wife but if thou do not like the law thou oughtest yet to rēder her vnto me as myne owne The other answered hym in like sorte If thou obserue the lawe this woman is myne for I haue first wonne her by the lawe but if thou doe not approue the lawe thou hast no right to demaunde her she now beyng myne ¶ Seleueus kyng of Asia gaue his wife to his owne soonne in mariage beyng his mother in lawe who so feruentlie did loue her that he was like to die Whiche by a discrete and wise muencion was discouered to Seleucus by a Phisician ¶ The .xxvij. Nouell ALthough the wise Philosopher Plutarche elegantly and brieslie describeth this historie in the life of Demetrius yet because Bandello aptly more at large doeth discourse the same I thought good to applie my yenne to his stile Who saieth that Seleucus kyng of Babylone a man verie victorious in battaill was emonges the successors of Alexander the greate the moste happie and fortunate He had a sōne called by his fathers name Antiochus After the deceasse of his wife his sonne increased and gaue great hope of valiaunce in future time to become a valiante gentleman worthie of suche a father And beyng arriued to .xxiiij. yeres of age It chaunced that his father fill in loue with a verie faire yonge gentlewoman discended a greate parentage called Stratonica whom he tooke to wife and made her Quene and by her had one sonne Antiochus seyng his mother in lawe to be besides her greate beautie a curteous and gentle Ladie begā to be verie amourous of her whose hart was so sette on fire without apparante shewe that incredible it is to expresse the loue that he bare her And yet he thought that loue to be vnnaturall bicause she was his fathers wife and therefore durfte not discouer it to any man And the more secrete he kepte it the more the heate began to boile and consume him But bicause he sawe that loue had fixed so deepe footyng that he was not wel able to retire he determined after long sorowe and great turmoile to seke some quiet hauē to rest his weather beaten barke that hadde been tossed with the waues of pensife and sorowful cogitacions His father had many Kyngdomes prouinces innumerable vnder his Empire At whose handes Antiochus craued license to visite some of them for his disporte and recreaciō of purpose to proue if he could auoide that vnseasonable loue wherewith his harte was surprised But he