liue that he had founde so louyng a wife This woman beyng serued and reuerēced with greate honour waxed werie of to muche rest and quiet and begā to bée inamoured of a Gentlemanne her neighbour whom in a litle time she knewe so well to vse by lookes and other wanton toies that he did easely perceiue it notwithstandyng for the honour of her husbande he would not some to knowe it but a farre of Now this warme loue by litle and litle afterwardes began to growe hotte for the yonge woman wearie of suche long delaie not able to contēt her self with lookes vpon a daie findyng this yonge gentleman in conueniente place as he was walkyng harde by her house beganne to reason with hym of termes and matters of loue tellyng hym that he liued to solitarie in respect of his yonge yeres and how she had alwaies béen broughte vp in Townes and places of greate companie and resorte in suche wise that now beyng in the Countrie she could not easely digeste the incommoditie of beyng a lone speciallie for the continuall absence of her husbande who scarse thrée monethes in a yere remained at home in his owne house And so fallyng from one matter to an other loue pricked them so sore that in fine thei opened a waie to that that troubled them so muche specially the woman who forgettyng her honour whiche ordinarily dooeth accompanie greate Ladies priuely she tolde hym the loue that she hadde borne hym of longe tyme whiche notwithstandyng she had dissembled waityng when he should haue giuen the firste onsette for that gentlemenne ought rather to demaunde then to be required of Ladies This gentleman vnderstandyng by halfe a woorde her disease tolde her that although his loue was extreme neuerthelesse demyng hymself vnworthie of so high degrée he still concealed his grief which bicause he thought it could not come to passe feare forced hym to keepe it secrete But sithe it pleased her so muche to abasse her self and was disposed to doe hym so muche honour to accepte hym for her seruaunte he would imploie his indeuour to recompence that with humilitie and humble seruice whiche Fortune had denied hym in other thynges And hauyng framed this foundacion to their loue for this tyme thei vsed no other contentacion one of an other but onely deuise But thei so prouided for their affaires to come that thei neded not to vse longer oracion For being neighbours and the husbande many tymes absent the high waie was open to bryng their enterprises to desired effecte Whiche thei full well acquieted and yet vnable wisely to maister and gouerne their passions or to moderate theim selues by good discrecion the seruauntes of the house by reason of the frequented communicacion of the gentleman with the gētlewoman began to suspecte them and to conceiue simster opiniō of their maistresse although none of them durst speake of it or make other semblaunce of knowledge Loue holdyng in full possession the hartes of these twoo louers blinded them so muche that leauyng the bridle to large for their honour thei vsed themselues priuely and apertly at all tymes one with an other without any respecte And when vpon a time the Lorde retourned home to his owne house from a certaine voiage wherin he had béen in the Dukes seruice he found his wife to bée more fine and gorgeous then she was wōt to be which in the beginnyng did wōderfully astonne hym And perceiuyng her sometymes to vtter wanton woordes and to applie her minde vpon other thinges when he spake vnto her he beganne diligently to obserue her countenaunce and order and being a man broughte vp in courtly trade and of good experience he easely was perswaded that there was some ele vnder the stone and to come to the trouthe of the matter he made a better countenaunce then he was wonte to doe whiche she knewe full wel how to requite and recompēce And liuyng in this simulacion either of them attempted to begile the other that the simplest and lest craftie of thē both could not be discouered The yong gentleman neighbour of the Lorde grieued beyonde measure for that he was come home passed and repassed many tymes before his Castell gate thinkyng to gette some looke of his Ladies eye but by any meanes she could not for feare of her husbande who was not so foolishe that after he sawe him goe before his gate so many tymes without some occasion but that he easely iudged there was a secret amitie betwene thē Certaine daies after the gentleman of insinuate hymself into the lordes fauour and to haue accesse to his house sent hym a verie excellente Tercelet of a Faucon and at other tymes he presented hym with Ueneson and vmbles of Dere whiche he had killed in hūtyng But the Lorde whiche well knewe that flatterie many tymes serued the torne of diuerse menne to begile foolishe husbandes of their faire wiues that he might not seme vngratefull sente hym also certaine straunge thynges And these curtesies cōtinued so long that the lorde desirous to laie abaite sent to praie hym to come to diner to whiche request the other accorded liberally for the deuotion he had to the sainct of the Castell And when the Table was taken vp thei went together to walke abrode in the fildes And the more frēdly to welcome hym he praied his wife to goe with them wherevnto she made no greate deniall And when thei hadde debated of many thynges the Lorde saied vnto hym Neighbour and frende I am an olde manne and Melancholie as you knowe wherefore I had neede from henceforthe to reioise my self I praie you hartely therfore to come hither many tymes to take parte of our diner and suche fare as God dooeth sende And vse the thynges of my house as thei were your owne Which the other gratefullie accepted humblie praiyng that his Lordship would commaunde hym and that he had when it were his pleasure to vse him as his very hūble and obedient seruaunte This Pantere laied the yong gentleman ordinarily came ones a daie to visite the Lorde and his wife So long this order continued that the Lorde vpō a daie fainyng hymself to be sicke commaunded that no man should come into his chamber bicause al the night before he was il at ease could take no rest Whereof the gentleman was incontinently aduertised by an olde woman hired of purpose for a common messanger of whom a none we purpose to make menciō Being come to the Castle he demaūded how the Lorde did and whether be might goe se hym to whom answer was made that he could not for that he was fallen into a slomber Madame nowe was in the gardein alone comyng vp and doune for her pleasure was aduertised that the gentleman was come Who beyng broughte into the gardeine and certified of the Lordes indisposicion began to renewe his olde daliaunce with the Ladie and to kisse her many tymes eftsons puttyng his hande into her bosome and vsyng other pretie
husbande and respect of her owne honestie she had filthely giuen her self ouer to him which was called her Dareling The good gentleman hearyng this straunge case was astonned like one that had béen stroken with a flashe of lightenyng then drawing nere to the Accuser he answered It is possible that suche wickednesse canne lie hidden in the breast of our madame I sweare vnto thée by God that if any other had tolde it me besides you I would not haue beleued it and truely yet I am in doubt thereof No no saied this wicked blasphemer I will make you sée that whiche you can not beleue And hauyng lessoned his foole in his wonted follie the nexte daie he tooke the gentleman thither who seyng the Ladies minion going out of her chamber whiche many times laie seuerallie from her husbande could not refraine weepyng lamentyng the ill fortune of his Lorde who thinkyng that he had had an honeste wife was abused with an impudente and vnshamefast whore Then he began to frame a long Oracion againste the incontinencie of women moued rather through the good will he bare to his maister then to the truthe of the matter whiche vndiscretely he spake against the order of women kinde So ignoraunte was he of the treason and indeuour of the Stewarde who demaunded of hym what was to be dooen in that matter What saied the olde gentleman Suche wickednesse ought not to bée vnpunished My Lorde must be aduertised hereof that the house maie be purged of suche a plague and infeccion that he maie euidently vnderstande the hypocrisie of her that so long tyme hath kepte close her incontinencie vnder the vaile of fained chastitie But the righteous God made openly to appere before mennes eyes the secrete sinnes of the wicked to thintent greater slaunders should not increase The Steward verie ioyfull that he had gotten so honest a manne to bee a witnesse of his accusaciō approued his aduice for that it agreed well with his intente So thei wood together went to the Lorde with countenaunce sadde and heauie correspondente to their mynde and speciallie the Traitour whose sense was so confounded with gladnesse that thinkyng to beginne his tale his wordes so stucke in his mouthe as he was not able to vtter a worde Whereat the Lorde was wonderfully abashed merueilyng what that tinudice did meane till he had heard the vnfaithfull Steward tell his tale who saied to hym in this maner My Lorde I am sorie that it is my lot to declare vnto you a matter hitherto vnknowen and not marked or taken héede of by any manne whiche wil so muche offende you as any pleasure that euer till this daie did please and contēt you And God knoweth what grief it is to me in your presence to be an accuser of a persone in the worlde whiche I haue estemed next vnto you aboue any other creature that liueth But beyng in the place I am I mighte by good desert be accused of treason and felonie if concealyng suche a detestable crime I should leaue the same of fidelitie to an other lesse desirous to do you seruice then I am Who beleueth there is no seconde persone that desireth better to acquite the goodnesse and prefermēt whiche I haue receiued of your Lordship then I dooe This it is my Lorde My Ladie misprisyng her duetie to your lordshippe and the honor of the house whereof she came hath not disdained to receiue into her chāber at inconuenient time the foole that is called her Darelyng and in the place into whiche none but your honor ought to haue peaceable entrie wherof this gentleman present whom you knowe to be without comparison shal be witnesse Touchyng my self the faithe and truste whiche alwaies I haue vsed in all your affaires and the litle affection whiche I haue to thinges contrary to vertue shall giue true testimonie of that whiche I haue saied The lorde bearyng these pitifull newes which perced his harte more depe then any two edged sworde at the first was so astōned that he could not tell what to saie or doe sauyng the ardente furie of Cholere made hym distill a certaine Melancholique humor into his eyes whiche receiued the superfluous vapours of his braine At length breaking that sorthe whiche troubled hym within and grindyng his téethe for furie with stuttering and vncertain voice fetching sighes betwene saied O GOD what newes bée these that I heare Is it possible that the fairest and chastest Ladie that liueth hath in this wise defaced her honour and so wickedly blemished my reputacion Alas if it so be that she hath in this wise disparaged her self no truste is to be reposed in any other what soeuer she be Ah God vnder what Planet was I borne that after so long pleasure receiued with my beloued fere and companion I should by her sele a displeasure an hundred times worsse then death Is there no remedie but that my house must receiue and sée an enterprise to vilanous by her onely meane whiche ought rather to haue béen the ornament and beautie of the same Then he chaused vp and doune the chamber without speakyng any more woordes with his eyes rollyng in his hedde makyng straunge countenaunces whiche did well expresse the grief that vexed and tormented his mynde In the ende halfe pacified he tourned his face toward the Accuser saiyng My frende if this be true whiche thou hast tolde me I sweare by GOD that I will make her fele the smart of suche greuous punishment as shal be spoken of for euer But if my wife bée slaundred and accused wrongfully assure thy self that I will bee reuenged vpon thee I knowe the vertue of this gentleman very well hauyng hadde good proofe thereof of thy fidelitie I am nothyng at all in doubt But alas the loue that I beare vnto my wife and her former vertue whiche maketh me to loue and esteme her so muche dooeth throughly pearce my harte and muche adoe I haue to liue hearing this report whiche doeth deface and blotte al the honestie and vertue that euer remained in me And that was it my Lorde answered the Traitour whiche did deceiue you For the shewe of that painted vertue did so delude you that you bee almoste bewitched from vnderstanding the wrong so manifestlie perpetrated against you and all your house Now to th ende that you thinke not the accusacion to be false I trust if it please you to assist me to let you sée the thing whereof we haue giuen you intelligence I will dooe saied the Lorde what you will haue me although it be to my greate grief and sorow To morowe mornyng then answered the Traitour one hower before daie I will let you sée the varlet goyng out of her chamber with so greate ioye as I dooe conceiue heauinesse and griefe for the simple remembraunce of so greate wickednesse When thei were agréed herevpon this knaue moste detestable weauing the toile wherein he hymself was caught went to suborne the personage of his foole whole
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
The Palace of Pleasure Beautified adorned and well furnished with Pleasaunt Histories and excellent Nouelles selected out of diuers good and commendable Authors ¶ By William Painter Clarke of the Ordinaunce and Armarie 1566 IMPRINTED AT London by Henry Denham for Richard Tottell and William Iones To the Right Honorable my very good Lorde Ambrose Earle of Warwike Baron Lisle of the most excellent order of the Garter Knight Generall of the Quéenes Maiesties OrdinauÌ„ce within her Highnesse Realmes and Dominions William Painter Clarke of the same office prayeth long lyfe increase of Honor and felicitie PROVOKED or rather vehementlye incited moued I haue bene right honorable my verye good Lorde to ymagine and deuise all meanes possible to auoid that vglie vice of Ingratitude which as it is abhorred amonge creatures voide of reason and diuine knowledge so of meÌ„ indewed and full possessed with both it is speciallye to be detested And to the intent I myght not be touched with that vnkinde vice odible to God and man I haue many times with my selfe debated how I might by anye meanes shewe my selfe thankfull and beneuolent to your honor which hath not onely by frequenâ—e talke vnto my friendes priuatelye but also vpon my selfe openly imployed benefites and commendacion vndeserued The one I haue receyued by friendely reporte of your dere and approued friendes the other I doe feele and taste to my great staye and comfort For when it pleased your Honor of curteous inclination vpon the first view willingly to consent and agree to the confirmation of that which I doe inioye for that bountie then euer sithens I haue studied by what meanes I myght commende my good wyll and affection to the same Wherfore incensed with the generositie and natural instinct of your noble minde I haue purposed many times to imploy mine indeuor by some small beginnings to giue your honour to vnderstande outwardlye what the inwarde desire is willing to doe if abilitie thervnto were correspondent And as opportunitie serued respiring as it were from the wayghtie affayres of that Office wherein it hath pleased our moste dradde Soueraigne Ladie worthelye to place you the chiefe and Generall I perused such volumes of Noble Authors as wherwith my poore Armarie is furnished And amongs other chaunced vpon that excellente Historiographer Titus Liuius In whome is conteyned a large Campe of noble factes and exploites achieued by valiaunt personages of the Romane state By whome also is remembred the beginning and continuation of their famous common wealth And viewing in him great plentie of straunge Histories I thought good to select suche as were the best and principall wherin trauailing not farre I occurred vpon some which I deemed most worthy the provulgation in our natiue tongue reducing them into such compendious forme as I trust shall not appeare vnpleasaunt Which when I had finished seing them but a handefull in respect of the multitude I fully determined to procede in the rest But when I considered myne owne weakenesse and the maiestie of the Author the cancred infirmitie of a cowardely minde stayed my conceyued purpose and yet not so stayed as vtterly to suppresse myne attempt Wherfore aduauncing agayne the Ensigne of courage I thought good leauing where I left in that Author til I knew better how they would be liked to aduenture into diuers other out of whome I decerped and chose raptim sundrie propre and commendable Histories which I may boldly so terme because the authors be commendable and wel approued And thervnto haue ioyned many other gathered out of Boccaccio Bandello Ser Giouanni Fiorentino Straparole other Italian and French authors Al which I haue recueiled and bounde together in this volume vnder the title of the Palace of Pleasure presuming to consecrate the same and the rest of my beneuolent mynde to your honor For to whom duely appertaineth mine industrie and diligence but to him that is the Patrone Imbracer of my well doings Wherevnto also I may applie the words of that excellent Orator Tullie in his first boke of Offices De beneuolentia aeutem quam quisque haebeaet erga nos primum illud est in officio vt et plurimum tribuamus à quo plurimum diligimur Of beneuolence which ech man beareth towards vs the chiefest duetie is to giue most to him of whome we be most beloued But how wel the same is done or how praise worthy the translation is I referre to the skilfull crauing no more praise therfore than they shal attribute and giue To nothing seke I to aspire by this my presumptioÌ„ right honorable but cherefull acceptation of the same at your hands desirous hereby to shew my self studious of a friend of so noble vocation And where greater thinges cannot be done these small I trust shall not be forsaken and comtempned which if I doe perceyue to be fauored hereafter more ample indeuor shal be imployed to achieue greater if abilitie thervnto be consonant In these histories which by another terme I call Nouelles be described the liues gestes conquestes and highe enterprises of great Princes wherein also be not forgotten the cruell actes and tiranny of some In these be set forth the great valiance of noble Gentlemen the terrible combates of coragious personages the vertuous mindes of noble dames the chaste hartes of constant Ladyes the wonderfull pacience of puisaunt Princes the milde sufferance of well disposed Gentlewomen and in diuers the quiet bearing of aduerse fortune In these histories be depainted in liuely colours the vgly shapes of Insolencie and Pride the deforme figures of Incontinencie and Rape the cruell aspectes of Spoile breach of order treason ill lucke and mischiefe of States and other persons Wherin also be intermixed pleasant discourses merie talke sporting practises deceytful deuises and nipping tauÌ„tes to exhilarat the readers minds And although by the first face and view some of these may seme to intreat of vnlawfull Loue and the foule practises of the same yet being throughly read and well considered both olde and yong may learne howe to auoyde the ruine ouerthrow inconuenience and displeasure that lasciuious desire and wanton will doth bring to the suters and pursuers of the same All which may render good example for all sortes to follow the best and imbrace the vertuous contrariwise to reiect the worste and contempne the vicious For which intent and purpose be al things good and bad recited in histories Chronicles and monuments by the first authors and elucubrators of the same To whome then may the same wherein be contayned many discourses of nobilitie be offred with more due desert than to him that in nobilitie and parentage is not inferior to the best To whome may factes and exploites of famous personages be consigned but to him whose prowesse and valiant actes be manifeste and well knowen to Englishemen but better to straungers which haue felt the puissance therof To whome may the combats gestes and courses of the victorious be remembred but to him whose
should be sent to the mount Auentine to perswade the people but thei vtterly refused the message vnlesse the Decemuiri wer first deposed The Decemuiri made answere that thei would not giue ouer their aucthoritie till suche tyme as those Lawes were ratified whiche were treated vpon before thei were elected to that office Of all these contencions the people was aduertised by M. Duillius their Tribune And when bothe the armies were ioyned at the moūt Auentine aforesaied All the multitude of the citie mē women and children repaired thither in sorte that Rome was like a forlorne and abandoned place The fathers seyng the citie thus relinquished Horatius and Valerius with diuers of the fathers exclamed in this wise What doe ye expecte and looke for ye fathers cōscripte Will ye suffer all thynges to run to extreame ruine and decaie Shall the Decemuiri still persiste in their stubberne and froward determinacions What maner of gouernmente is this O ye Decemuiri that ye thus laie holde vpon and enioye Will ye pronoūce and make lawes within your owne houses and the limites of the same Is it not a shame to sée in the Forum a greater nomber of your Catchpolles and Sergeantes then of other sober and wise Citizens But what will ye doe if the enemie vpon the sodaine doeth approche the walles What will ye doe if the people vnderstandyng that wee care not for their departure doe in armes assaile vs Will ye finishe your gouernment with the ouerthrowe of the citie But either we muste expell and abandon the people or els we must admitte the Tribunes Wee shall soner wante our fathers and Senatours then thei their plebeian officers Thei bereued and tooke awaie from vs the Fathers a newe kinde of aucthoritie whiche was neuer seen before who now feelyng the swetenesse thereof will neuer giue it ouer For wee can not so well tēper our aucthoritie and gouernemente as thei bee able to seke helpe and succour The Decemuiri perceiuing that thei wer hated so well of the Senate as of the people submitted themselues And thervpon Valerius and Horatius were sent to the campe to reuoke the people vpō suche condicions as thei thought moste meete Then the Decemuiri were commaunded to take heede of the peoples furie So sone as the Ambassadours were come to the campe thei were receiued with greate ioye and gladnesse of the people because thei wer the beginners of that sturre and supposed that thei would make an ende of the commocion for whiche cause thei rendred to them their humble thankes Then Icilius was appoincted to speake for the people who required to haue the aucthoritie of the Tribunes restored and their appeale renewed with restitucion of those lawes whiche before the erection of the Decemuiri were ratefied and confirmed Thei demaunded also an impunite and frée pardon to those that firste encouraged and incited the souldiours to that enterprise and the restoryng of their liberties Thei required to haue their enemies the Decemuiri to be deliuered into their handes Whom thei threatened to put to death by fire Whervnto the Ambassadours answered in this wise Your requestes bee so reasonable that thei ought willinglie to bee graunted All whiche ye desire to obtaine as a defence and comforte for your libertie and not to persecute and infest others Your furie and anger ought rather to bee pardoned then permitted or graunted Ye beare a face and séeme to detest and hate seueritie and ye your selues incurre and runne hedlong into all kinde of crueltie and before ye be made free your selues ye desire to be lordes ouer your aduersaries Shall our citie neuer bée voide of tortures and oppressions sometyme of the fathers towardes the people some tyme of the people towardes the fathers You had more néede of a shilde to defende you then of a sworde to fight That manne is of a base state and courage we suppose that liueth in a Citie and beareth hymself so vprighte as neither he inferreth iniurie to others ne yet suffereth wronge hymself If ye shewe your selues so terrible then it is to bee supposed that after ye haue recouered your lawes and magistrates and be placed againe in your former aucthoritie and preeminence ye will also ordeine and appoincte Lawes ouer vs that shall concerne our liues and goodes and euery other lightmatter But for this present I would wishe you to be contented with your former fréedome After the Ambassadours had willed theim to consulte vpon some determinate answere thei retourned to Rome to make reporte to the Senate of the peoples requestes The Decemuiri perceiuyng that contrary to their expectacion no likelihode was of any persecucion to be doen vpon them condescended to those demaūdes Appius beyng a man of nature cruell and malicious measuryng the malice of others by his owne maligne disposicion spake these woordes I am not ignoraunte what fortune is now imminente For I dooe plainlie sée that whiles weapons bee deliuered to our aduersaries the combate is deferred againste vs. With bloodde enuie muste bee rewarded I will not any longer delaie the tyme but depriue my self of the Decemuirate When the Senate was aduertised by the Ambassadours Valerius and Horatius of the peoples aunswere thei decreed that the Decemuiri should bee deposed and that Q. Furius the chief bishoppe should create the plebeian Tribunes Wherein also was enacted that the departure of the people and mutine of the souldiours should bee pardoned When these lawes were renewed the Decemuiri wente foorthe and openly in the assemblie deposed themselues to the greate ioye and comforte of them all All whiche beyng reported the people bothe the souldiours and the reste of the multitude repaired before the Ambassadours vnto whom the Ambassadours spake these wordes We now beseche you all to retourne into your countrie to your domesticall Goddes your wiues and children whiche wée trust shal be right good happie and profitable vnto you and to the common wealth But your modeste and sober behauiour for that no mannes grounde is violated and destroied considering many thinges could not suffice the hugenesse of this multitude that parte of modestie I saie carie with you into the Citie to your immortall fame and glorie Gette ye therefore to the mounte Auentine from whence ye departed whereas in a place moste happie ye renued the foundacions of your auncient libertie and there ye shall create your Tribunes The chief bishoppe shal be presente to kepe the Comirialles Then the Romane people made Aulus Virginius Lucius Icilius and P. Numitorius the Tribunes who with their assistauntes first aduannced and confirmed the libertie of the people Afterwarde Virginius was appointed to bee the accuser and Appius chosen to be the defendant At the daie appointed Appius resorted to the Forum with a greate companie of yonge gentlemen of the patriciall order where Virginius began to renewe the cruell and abhominable facte whiche Appius committed in the tyme of his authoritie and saied Oracion was first deuised founde out for
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
by any Prince Monarche to serue in his warres and exploites manhode and valiance is to bée desired and wished euē so in the same a politique minde to forecast preuente aswell the saustie and good gouernement of his owne charge as the anoiauuce of the enemie is to bee desired Cicero in his oracion Prolege Manilia affirmeth fower thynges méete to be in a Generall or Lieutenaunte That is to saie Scientia rei militaris virtus authoritas foelicitas Knowledge of warfare Manhode Aucthoritie and good Fortune Kuowledge and experience in choice of his souldiors in trainyng the ignoraunte in lodgyng the campe in politique order how to dispose the scoutes and watche in making the approche and defence of the armie lodged with other necessarie orders incident to the same In manhode boldlie to aduenture warely to retire paciently to suffer misfortune hardlie to lie sparely to sare stoutlie to abide stormes and colde weather In aucthoritie wisely to gouerne gentlie to speake iustly to threaten deseruedlie to punishe mercifullie to forgiue liberallie to deuide and louingly to be obeied And in felicitie and good successe To honor God To be faithfull to the Prince to preuente the enemie not to triumph before the victorie To be constaunt in frowarde fortune and coragious in extremitie Al which and many other are verie meete and requisite in hym that shal be put in trust by his soueraine Lorde or Ladie to aduenture the painful charge of a Deputie Generall Lieutenaunt or Capitaine Whereof or in the chiefest of the same this noble gentleman Sertorius a capitaine of the Romane Citie in tyme of Marius and Sylla when the citie of Rome were at ciuile discensiō had greate skill and knowledge For besides his experience in the warres as Plutarche sateth in his life he was verie abstinent from pleasures and continente in other disorders arare thynge in menne of his callyng But bicause I purpose not to staie in the full discourse of his vertues and qualities I meane but to touche in this Nouell so muche as Aulus Gellius in whom I am now cōuersant doeth of hym make remembrance Referring the studious reader desirous to knowe the state of his life doinges to the plentifull recorders of suche memorable and worthie personages Plutarche de vitis illustrium and Appianus de ciuili Romanorū bello Whiche beyng Greke aucthours be verie eloquentlie translated into the Latine the one by Gulielmus Xilander 1561. and thother by Sigismundus Gelenius 1554. This Sertorius was of a pregnaunte witte and therewithall a noble capitaine verie skilfull in the vse and gouernmente of an armie In distresse and harde aduentures he practised for pollicie to make lies to his souldiours to proue if thei could preuaile He vsed coūterfaicte letters to imagine dreames and to conferre false religions to trie if those thynges could serue his tourne in comfortyng and incouraging his souldiors Emonges all the factes of Sertorius this in suyng was very notable and famous A white Stagge of exceding beautie and liuelie swiftnesse was giuen vnto hym by a Lusitanian He perswaded euery man that the same was deliuered vnto hym by the Goddes and howe the Goddesse Diana had inspired that beaste to admonishe and teache what was meete and profitable And when he went aboute to cause his souldiours to aduenture any harde and difficile exploit he affirmed that the Stagge had giuen hym warnyng thereof whiche thei vniuersallie beleued and willinglie obeied as though the same had been sent downe frō the goddes in deede The same Stagge vpon a tyme whē newes came that thene mie had made incursion into his campe amased with the haste and turmoile ranne awaie and hid hym self in a Marishe harde adioynyng Afterwardes beyng sought for he was supposed to bee deade Within fewe daies after tidynges was brought to Sertorius that the Stagge was found The messenger was commaunded by hym to holde his peace and threatened to be punished if he did disclose it The next daie the same messenger was appoincted sodainlie to brynge the Stagge into the place where he and his frendes did cōsulte together When thei were assembled he tolde thē how the daie after that he had lost his Stagge he dreamed that he was come againe and according to his custome tolde hym what was nedefull to be doen. Then Sertorius makyng a signe to haue the order fulfiilled whiche he had giuen the daie before by by the stagge brake into the Chaumber Wherewithall a greate shoute was made and an admiracion raised of that chaunce Whiche credulitie of the barbarous cositries serued Sertorius turne in his weightie affaires A worthie matter also is to bee remembred of hym that no souldiour that euer serued hym of those vnciuile countrees that tooke his parte did ueuer reuolte or forsake him although those kinde of people be moste inconstāt Of the bookes of Sybilla ¶ The .xxv. Nouell IN auncient Chronicles these thinges appere in memorie touchyng the bokes of Sybilla A strange and vnknowen old woman repaired to the Romane kyng Tarquinius Superbus bearyng in her armes nine bookes whiche she said were deuine Oracles and offred them to bee solde Tarquinius demaunded the price The woman asked a wonderfull some The kyng makyng semblaunce as though the olde woman toted began to laughe Then she got fire in a chasing dishe aud burned three bookes of the nine She asked the kyng againe if he would haue the sixe for that price whereat the kyng laughed in more ample sort saiyng that the olde woman no doubt did date in deede By and by the burned other thre humblie demasidyng the kyng the like question if he would buye the reste for that price Wherevpō the kyng more earnestlie gaue heede to her request thinkyng the constant demaundes of the woman not to be in vaine brought the three bookes that remained for no lesse price then was required for the whole Therewithall the woman departed from Tarquinius and was neuer seen after These bokes wer kept in the capitole at Rome whervnto the Romanes resorted whē thei purposed to aske counsalle of the Goddes A good example for wisemen to beware how thei despise or neglecte auncient bokes and monnmentes Many the like in this realme haue been defaced founde in Religious houses whiche no doubt would haue conduced greate vtilitie and profite bothe to the common wealth and countrie if thei had been reserued and kepte whiche bookes by the ignoraunte haue been torne and raised to the greate grief of those that be learned and of them that aspire to learnyng and vertue I difference and contronersie betwenes Master a scholer so subtill that the Iudges could not giue sentence ¶ The .xxvj. Nouell DIuers thynges bee writen whiche although thei seme of litle importaunce yet thei bée wittie and comfortable to recreate honest myndes and deserue to be had in remēbrance Emonges which Aulus Gellius who reporteth ten of the former Histories selected out of his booke De noctibus atticis remembreth this pretie contrauersie In Athenes
furnished with siluer and precious Iewelles tellyng no man whither she wente and neuer rested till she came to Florence where arriuyng by Fortune at a poore widowes house she contented her self with the state of a poore pilgrime desirous to here newes of her lorde whom by fortune she sawe the next daie passing by the house where she lay on horsebacke with his companie And although she knewe him well enough yet she demauÌ„ded of the good wife of the house what he was who answered that he was a straunge gentleman called the Counte Beltramo of Rossiglione a curteous knighte and welbeloued in the Citie and that he was merueilously in loue with a neighbor of hers that was a gentlewoman verie poore and of small substaunce neuerthelesse of right honest life and report by reason of her pouertie was yet vnmaried and dwelte with her mother that was a wise and honest Ladie The Countesse well notyng these wordes and by litle and litle debatyng euery particular point thereof comprehendyng the effecte of those newes concluded what to doe and when she had well vnderstanded whiche was the house and the name of the Ladie and of her doughter that was beloued of the Counte vpon a daie repaired to the house secretlie in the habite of a pilgrime where finding the mother and doughter in poore estate emonges their familie after she hadde saluted them tolde the mother that she had to saie vnto her The gentlewoman risyng vp curteouslie interteigned her and beyng entred alone into a chamber thei satte doune and the Countesse began to saie vnto her in this wise Madame me thinke that ye be one vpon whom Fortune doeth frowne so well as vpon me but if you please you maie bothe comfort me and your self The ladie answered that there was nothyng in the worlde whereof she was more desirous then of honest comforte The Countesse procedyng in her talke saied vnto her I haue nede now of your fidelitie and trust wherevpon if I doe staie and you deceiue me you shall bothe vndoe me and your self Tel me then what it is hardelie saied the gentlewoman if it bée your pleasure for you shall neuer bée deceiued of me Then the Countesse beganne to recite her whole estate of Loue tellyng her what she was and what had chaunced â—â— that present daie in suche perfite order that the gentlewoman beleuyng her woordes bicause she had partlie heard report thereof before beganne to haue coÌ„passion vpon her and after that the Countesse had rehearsed all the whole circumstance she continued her purpose saiyng Now you haue heard emonges other my troubles what twoo thynges thei bée whiche behoueth me to haue if I doe recouer my husbande whiche I knowe none can helpe me to obtain but onely you If it bee true that I heare whiche is that the Counte my husbande is farre in loue with your doughter To whoÌ„ the gentlewoman saied Madame if the Counte loue my doughter I knowe not albeit the likelihoode is greate but what am I able to doe in that whiche you desire Madame answered the CouÌ„tesse I will tell you but first I will declare what I mean to doe for you if my determinacioÌ„ be brought to effect I see your faier doughter of good age redie to marie but as I vnderstaÌ„d the cause why she is vnmaried is the lacke of substaÌ„ce to bestowe vpoÌ„ her Wherfore I purpose for recompence of the pleasure whiche you shall dooe for me to giue so muche redie money to marie her honorably as you shall thinke sufficieÌ„t The CouÌ„tesse offer was very well liked of the ladie bicause she was but poore yet hauing a noble hart she said vnto her Madame tell me wherin I maie do you seruice and if it be a thing honest I will gladlie performe it the same being brought to passe do as it shal please you Then saied the countesse I thinke it requisite that by some one whom you truste that you giue knowledge to the Counte my husbande that your doughter is and shal be at his commaundement And to the intent she maie bée well assured that he loueth her in déede aboue any other that she praieth him to sende her a ring that he weareth vpoÌ„ his finger whiche ring she heard tell he loued verie derely And wheÌ„ he seÌ„deth the ryng you shall giue it vnto me and afterwardes sende hym woorde that your doughter is redie to accomplishe his pleasure and then you shall cause hym secretly to come hither and place me by hym in stéede of your doughter peraduenture God will giue me the grace that I maie bée with childe and so hauyng this ryng on my finger and the childe in myne armes begotten by him I shall recouer him and by your meanes coÌ„tinue with hym as a wife ought to doe with her husbande This thing semed difficulte vnto the GeÌ„tlewoman fearyng that there would folowe reproche vnto her doughter Notwithstandyng consideryng what an honest parte it were to be a meane that the good Ladie should recouer her husband and that she should doe it for a good purpose hauyng affiaunce in her honest affection not onely promised the Countesse to bryng this to passe but in fewe daies with greate subtiltie folowyng the order wherein she was instructed she had gotten the ryng although it was with the Countes ill will and toke order that the Countesse in stede of her doughter did lye with hym And at the first meetyng so affectuously desired by the CouÌ„te God so disposed the matter that the Countesse was begotten with childe of twoo goodly sonnes her deliuery chauÌ„ced at the due time Whervpon the gentlewoman not onely coÌ„tented the Countesse at that tyme with the companie of her husbande but at many other times so secretly that it was neuer knowen the Counte not thinkyng that he had lien with his wife but with her whom he loued To whom at his vprisyng in the mornyng he vsed many curteous and amiable woordes and gaue diuers faire and precious Iewelles whiche the Countesse kepte moste carefullie and when she perceiued her self with childe she determined no more to trouble the gentlewoman but saied vnto her Madame thankes bée to God and you I haue the thyng that I desire and euen so it is tyme to recompence your desert that afterwardes I maie departe The gentlewoman saied vnto her that if she had doen any pleasure agreable to her mind she was right glad thereof whiche she did not for hope of rewarde but bicause it apperteined to her by well doyng so to doe Whervnto the Countesse saied your saiyng pleaseth me well and likewise for my parte I dooe not purpose to giue vnto you the thing you shall demaunde of me in rewarde but for consideracion of your well doyng whiche ductie forceth me so to dooe The gentlewoman then constrained with necessitie demaunded of her with greate bashefulnesse and hundred poundes to marie her doughter The Countesse perceiuyng the shamefastnesse of the gentlewoman and hearyng her
pallaice wherein the ladie laie whiche was out of all mennes minde bicause it was not occupied many a daie before and shutte vp with a verie strong doore But Loue in the eyes whereof nothing is so secrete but it will come to knowledge had brought the same again into the remembraunce of the amourous Ladie The openyng of whiche doore that no manne might knowe it many daies did trouble her wittes afterward when she had found the waie she went doune a lone into the Caue and viewyng the vente wherevnto she had giuen order for Guiscardo to come she told him of what height it was from the grounde For the execucion whereof Guiscardo prepared a rope with knottes and degrées to goe vp and doune and puttyng vpon him a leather coate to kepe hym from the thornes and bushes went douns the next night at the saied vent vnknowen of any man and fastenyng one of the endes of the rope to the stocke of a trée that grewe at the mouthe of the vēt he slipte doune into the Caue and taried there for the Ladie who next daie fainyng her self to slepe after diner sente her maides out of her chamber and locked herself within a lone and then opened the doore and went doune into the Caue where findyng Guiscardo thei merueilously reioysed one with an other And frō thence went vp together into her chamber where thei remained togethers the moste parte of that daie to their greate contentacion And hauyng giuen good order for the affaires of their Loue and the secrete vse thereof Guiscardo retourned into the Caue and the ladie locked the dore and came out emonges her maides The next night after Guiscardo issued out of the vent vpon the rope wherewith he descended and conueied hymself into his chamber And hauyng learned the waie he resorted thither many tymes after But Fortune enuious of that pleasure so long and greate with dolorous successe tourned the ioye of those twoo louers into heauie and sorowfull ende The Prince accustomed sometimes to resort alone into his doughters chamber and there for a while to tarie and talke with her so to depart Who vpon a daie after diner when the Ladie whose name was Gismonda was in the garden withall her maidens repaired vnknowen or séen of any man into her chamber But beyng lothe to trouble his doughter of her pleasure and findyng the windowes of her chamber shutte and the curtens of the bedde drawen he satte doune vpon a stoole at the beddes feete and leanyng his hedde to the bedde the Curteine drawen ouer hym as he had béen hidden of purpose he fell a slepe And the Kyng beyng thus a slepe Gismonda that in euill tyme the same daie had appoincted Guiscardo to come left her maidens in the Gardein and entred verie softly into her chamber lockyng faste the doore after her And not knowyng any manne to bée there she opened the dore of the Caue to Guiscardo who was redie to waite for her commyng Then thei cast thē selues vpon the bedde as thei were wont to doe and thus solacing themselfes and passing the tyme together it chaunced that the Prince awaked who heard and sawe what Guiscardo and his doughter did Wherof beyng verie sorowfull he would vpō the firste sighte haue cried out but that he thoughte it better for that tyme to holde his peace and still to kepe hymself secrete to the intent that he might more priuilie and with lesse shame accomplishe that whiche he purposed to doe The twoo louers continued togethers a greate tyme as thei were wont to dooe without any knowledge of the Prince his beyng there when thei sawe tyme thei went doune from the bedde and Guiscardo retournyng to the Caue she went forthe of her chamber fro whence Tancredi as olde as he was conueied hymself into the Gardein out at a windowe of the same vnséen and not perceiued of any man Who like a pensife manne and carefull euen vnto death repaired to his owne chamber and the next night about one of the clocke he caused Guiscardo to bee apprehended by an order that he had prescribed at his comyng foorthe of the Caue euen clothed as he was with his leather coate and by twoo men was secretly conueied to the Prince Who so sone as he sawe hym saied vnto hym with teares standyng in his eyes Guiscardo my beneuolence and goodnes towardes thée haue not merited this outrage and shame that thou haste committed this daie in myne owne house whiche I sawe with myne owne eyes To whom Guiscardo gaue no other answere but that Loue was of greater force then either the Prince or hymself Then the Prince commaunded hym to be kept in a chamber adioinyng The nexte daie the Kyng Gismonda beeyng ignoraunte hereof reuolued in his minde diuers and sundrie matters and after diner as he was accustomed he wente into his doughters chamber and caused her to bée called vnto hym and shuttynge the Chamber doore in lamentable wise saied vnto her Gismonda I had so muche affiance and trust in thy vertue and honestie that it could neuer haue entred into my minde although it had béen tolde me if I had not séen it with myne owne proper eyes but that thou haddest not onely in déede but also in thought abandoned the companie of all men excepte it had béen thy husbande wherof I shal be right pensife and sorowfull so long as this litle remnaunte of life that myne olde age doeth preserue indureth in me And sith thou couldest not conteine thy self from suche dishonest loue I would it had pleased God that thou haddest taken a manne equall to thine estate But emonges so many that doe frequent my court thou hast chosen this yong manne Guiscardo whose birthe is verie vile and base and brought vp as it were for Gods sake from a child to this present daie in our courte For whiche consideracion I am verie sore disquieted not knowyng how to take this at thy handes For with hym whō I haue caused to be taken this night in going out of the caue and now kepte as prisoner I haue alredie concluded what to doe But with thee what I shall doe God knoweth Of the one side the loue that I still beare thee more then any father euer bare to his doughter doeth drawe me on the other side a iuste displeasure and indignacion taken for thy greate follie doeth moue me The one mocion would that I should pardon thee the other forceth me against my nature to bee cruell vnto thée Notwithstandyng before I dooe make any certaine resolucion I desire to heare what thou canst saie for thy self When he had spoken those wordes he kissed her face wepyng verie bitterly like a child that had béen beaten Gismonda hearyng her father and knowyng that not onely her secrete loue was discouered but also her louer Guiscardo to be in prison conceiued an inestimable sorowe vttering the same many tymes without cries and schreches accordyng to the maner of women how beit her greate courage
discourse whiche setteth before your eyes what ende the fonde loue of them ordinarelie haue whiche without reason not measuryng their owne abilitie doe suffer themselfes to be guided and ledde into their sensuall lustes and appetites For ill successe faileth not in a beginnyng the grounde whereof abhorryng reason is planted and laied vpon the sandie foundacion of pleasure whiche is shaken and ouerthrowen by the least winde and tempest that Fortune can bluster against suche buildyng Didaco and Violenta Didaco a Spaniarde is in loue with a poore maiden of Valencia aud secretely marieth her afterwardes lothyng his firste mariage bicause she was of base parentage he marieth an other of noble birthe His first wife by secrete messenger praieth his companie whose request he accomplisheth Beeyng a bedde she and her maide killeth hym She throweth hym into the streate she in desperate wise cōfesseth the facte before the Magistrates and is put to death ¶ The .xlii. Nouell THere is no manne but doeth knowe that Valencia is at this daie the chief and onely Rampar of Spaine the true seate of Faithe Iustice and Humanitie And emōges all the rare and excellent-ornamentes that citie is wel furnished with so trimme Ladies and curteous gentlewomen as thei knowe how to baite and féede yonge men with foolishe daliaunce and idle passetyme So that if there be any beetle hedde or grosse persone the better to allure and prouoke him to those follies thei tell hym by a common Prouerbe that he must goe to Valencia In this citie there was in old tyme as it is at this daie a verie auncient stocke and familie called Ventimiglia out of whiche be descended a great nomber of riche and honorable knightes Emonges whom not longe tyme passe there was one named Didaco verie famous and renowmed to be the moste liberall and familer gentleman of the citie who for wante of better businesse walked vp and doune the citie and so consumed his youth in triūphes maskes and other expences common and apt for suche pilgrimes addressing his loue indifferently to all women without greater affection to one then to an other and continued that order till vpon an holy daie he espied a yong maide of smal yeres but of verie exquisite beautie whiche maiden sodainly castyng her eye vpon hym so pearced the knight Didaco with her looke that from that tyme forthe she entred more nere his harte then any other And after he had wel marked her dwellyng place he many tymes passed and repassed before the doore to espie if he might gette some looke or other fauour of her that began alredie to gouerne the bridle of his thoughtes and if it chaunced that the gentlemanne behelde her she shewed herself curteous and amiable indued with grace so good that he neuer departed ill contēted out of that streate The gentleman continuyng certaine tyme in those vanities was destrous to know a farre of what she was of what lineage and of what vocacion And after he had curiously serched out all her originall he vnderstoode by diuers reporte that she was a Goldsmithes doughter whose father was dedde certaine yeres before hauyng no more but her another aliue and twoo brethren bothe of their fathers occupacion Notwithstandyng of life she was chaste honeste defamed with none although she was pursued of many Her outwarde beautie did not so muche sette her forthe as her grace and order of talke who although brought vp in a citizens house yet no ladie or gentlewoman in the Citie was comparable to her in vertue and behauiour For from her tender yeres she was not onely giuen to her nedle a méete exercise for maides of her degrée but also was trained vp to write and reade wherin she tooke so great pleasure that ordinarilie she carried a boke in her hande whiche she neuer gaue ouer till she had gathered some fruicte thereof This knight hauing receiued that first impression of the valor and vertue of Violenta for that was her name was further in loue then before and that whiche added more oile to the matche was the continuall lookes wherwith she knewe how to delight him and with them she was so liberall that so oft as he passed through the streate she shotte them forthe so cruelly that his poore harte felyng it self so tormēted could not indure that newe onset By reason whereof thinkyng to quenche the fire that by litle and litle consumed hym he would attempt her chastite with giftes letters and messengers whiche he continued the space of halfe a yere or more Wherevnto Violenta giuyng no place in the ende he was constreined to assaile her with his own presence and one daie findying her alone at the doore after he had made a verie humble reuerence vnto her he saied Maistresse Violenta consideryng your order and the colde regarde that you haue to my letters and messages I doe remember the subtiltie that is attributed to the Serpente who with his taile stoppeth his eares bicause he will not heare the woordes whiche hath power to constraine hym to doe against his wil which hath made me to leaue to write vnto you to desire specially to speake vnto you that myne affectuous accentes my sorowfull wordes and feruente sighes might certefie you better then Paper the rest of my passion beleuyng verely that if the heauie sounde of my greuous complaintes maie come to your eares thei will make you to vnderstande a parte of that good and euill whiche I feele continually in my harte although the loue whiche I beare you be suche that I can not giue suche liuelie experience outwardly beyng but litle in comparison of them whiche maie be séen within And pronouncyng those wordes there followed so many teares sobbes and sighes that thei gaue sufficiēt testimonie that his tongue was the true and faithfull messenger of his harte Whereof Violenta somewhat ashamed with a constaunte grace said vnto hym Senior Didaco if you dooe yet remember your life past and mine honestie whiche peraduenture you haue thought either rude or cruell I doubte not that you haue any cause to maruaile of my presumpcion and to attribute that to vice whiche is familier with vertue For although that you haue sollicited me to loue you by an infinite nomber of letters and messages yet it is so that followyng the nature of maides of my degrée I haue neither allowed them nor yet cōdempned thē as where vnto accordinglie I haue made none answere not for despite or contempte but to lette you knowe more certainlie that by fauoryng your enterprises I should increase your grief whiche can receiue none ende by the waie you pretēde For although that I haue made the first proofe vpon my self and therfore of reason I ought to lamente them whiche bee in semblable paine yet I will not let slippe the bridle in suche wise to my passion that myne honestie shall remaine in an other mannes power and so it maie bée at the mercie and curtesie of them who not knowyng how dere
coste requisite for suche a matter In this sort thei spent the daie in great ioye and mirthe whiche thei can conceiue that bee of base birthe and exalted to some high degree of honor till night was come and then euery man withdrewe themselfes leauyng the bride and her husbande to the mercie of Loue and order of the night Who beyng alone receiued equall ioye and like contentacion which thei fele that beyng pressed with ardent and greuous thirst doe in th ende afterwardes with liuely ioye and all kinde of libertie quenche that cruell discommodite and continued in those pleasures till mornyng that daie began to appere to whom Violenta saied My honourable Lorde and dere husbande sithe that you bee now in possession of that whiche you haue so greatlie desired I humbly beseche you to consider for the tyme to come howe and what wise your pleasure is that I shall vse my self For if God graunte me the grace to be so discrete in pleasyng you as I shal be redie and desirous to obeye you in all that you shall commaunde me there was neuer gentle mannes seruaunte that did more willingly please his maister then I hope to do you Wherevnto Didaco answered My sweete and welbeloued wife Let vs leaue this humblenesse and seruice for this tyme to them whiche delight in those thynges For I promis you of my faithe that I haue you in no lesse reuerence estimacion then if you had come of the greateste house in Cathalongne as I will make you vnderstande some other tyme at more leasure But till I haue giuen order to certaine of myne affaires I praie you to kepe our Mariage secrete and bee not offended if many tymes I doe resorte home to myne owne house although there shall no daie passe by my will but at nighte I will keepe you companie In the meane tyme to buie you necessaries I will sende you a thousande or twelue hundred Ducates to imploie not vpon apparell or other thynges requisite to your degrée for I will prouide the same my self at an other tyme but vpon small trifles suche as be apt and conuenient for housholde And so departed Senior Didaco from his wiues house who did so louyngly interteigne hym that by the space of a yere there was no daie wherein he was content without the viewe and sight of his wife And vpon his oft resort to their house the neighbours began to suspect that he kept the maiden and rebuked her mother and brethren but specially Violenta for sufferyng Didaco to vse their house in suche secrete wise And aboue all thei lamented the ill happe of Violenta who beyng so well brought vp till she was twētie yeres of age and a maiden of suche beautie that there was none in all the citie of Valencia but greatly did esteme her to bee of singuler honestie and reputacion Notwithstandyng degeneratyng from her accustomed vertue thei iudged her to be light of behauiour giuen to lasciuious loue And albeit that very many times suche checkes and tauntes were obiected and that she vnderstode that murmur and talke yet she made small accompt of them knowing that her consciēce by any meanes was not charged with suche reproche hoping therewithall that one daie she would make them to giue ouer that false opinion when her Mariage should be published and knowē But certain tymes féelyng her self touched and her honestie appaired could not conteine but when she sawe tyme with her husbande she praied hym very earnestly to haue her home to his owne house to auoide slaūder and defamacion of neighbors But sir Didaco knewe so well how to vse his wife by delaies and promises that she agreed vnto hym in all thynges had rather displease the whole worlde together then offende hym alone Beyng now so attached with the loue of the knighte that she cared for nothyng els but to please and contēt hym in all thinges wherevnto she sawe hym disposed and like as in the beginnyng she was harde and verie slacke in loue now she became so seruent earnest in her affections that she receiued no pleasure but in the sight of Didaco or in that whiche might contente and please him best Whiche the knight did easely perceiue and seyng himself in full possession of her harte began by litle and litle to waxe cold and to be grieued at that which before he compted deare and precious perswadyng himself that he should doe wrong to his reputacion if that Mariage vnworthie of his estate were discouered and knowē in the citie And to prouide for the same he more seldome tymes repaired to visite his wife Violenta yea and whē so euer he resorted to her it was more to satisfie his carnall pleasure then for any loue he bare her And thus forgettyng bothe God and his owne consience he frequēted other companies in diuerse places to winne the good will of some other gentlewoman In the ende by sundrie sutes dissimulacions and hipocrisies he so behaued hymself that he recouered the good will of the doughter of Senior Ramyrio Vigliaracuta one of the chiefest knightes and of moste auncient house of Valencia And as we haue declared before bicause he was riche and wealthie and issued of a noble race her parentes did easely agrée to the Mariage And the father hauyng assigned an honourable dowrie to his doughter The Nuptials were celebrated publikely with greate pompe and solempnitie to the greate contentacion of all men The Mariage doen and ended sir Didaco and his newe wife continued at the house of his father in lawe where he liued a certaine tyme in suche pleasure and delectaciō as thei dooe that be newly maried Whereof the mother and brethren of Violenta beyng aduertised conceiued like sorowe as accustomablie thei dooe that sée the honour of them that be issued of their owne bloodde vniustly and without cause to bée dispoiled And these poore miserable creatures not knowyng to whom to make their complainte liued in straunge perplexitie bicause thei knewe not the Prieste whiche did solempnise their Mariage On the other side thei had no sufficient proofe of the same And albeit thei were able to verifie in some poinctes the first Mariage of Didaco yet thei burste not prosecute the lawe against twoo of the greateste Lordes of their Citie And knowyng the stoute harie of Violenta thei thoughte to conceale the same from her for a time but it was in vaine For not longe after she was certified thereof not onely by the nexte neighbours but by the common brute of the citie whiche reported that in tēne yeres space there was not seen in Valencia a Mariage more honourable or roiall nor better frequented with a noble companie of gentlemen and Ladies then the same was of the yong knight Didaco with the doughter of Senior Ramyrio Wherwithall Violenta vexed beyonde measure pressed with yre and surie withdrewe her self into her chāber alone and there beganne to scratche and teare her face and heare like one that was madde and
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
some suspicious person in my company should conceiue that in me which al the dayes of my lyfe I neuer gaue occasion so muche as once to thinck To whom the Lorde of Mendozza obeyed more to content her than otherwise for he had the beauties and good behauiours of the Princesse so imprinted in the most pleasant place of his heart that he would haue desired neuer to haue departed her cōpanie But like as they determined iocundly to imploy and satisfie their desires at her retorne from her voyage euen so Fortune in the meane while did beset the same and so fully brake the threde of their enterprises that the issue had not so good successe as was their prefixed hope Nowe leaue we the Duchesse to perfourme her voyage and the Lorde of Mendozza to entertayne his amorous passions and let vs digresse to the Duke who about .x. or .xii. dayes after the Duchesse his wife was departed began to fele her absence which not being able to sustayne for the gret loue that he bare vnto her and specially knowing the great fault that he had committed being the sister of a King and wife of suche a Prince so to let her goe like an vnfeathered shafte in so long a voyage determined with himselfe for feare least if any misfortune should happen vnto her the same should touch his honor to call together his counsell and to prouide some remedie The counsell assembled and the cause proponed euerie of them told the Duke that he had ouer lightly consented to the will of the Duchesse and that if she should happen to fall into any inconuenience all men would impute it to his reproch whereof they would haue aduertised him at the beginning sauing for feare they had to displease him Adding for conclusion that it was most expedient the Duke should put himselfe on the sea to goe and séeke her in Galisia Which he did and imbarked himselfe with a great companie of gentlemen to whome the winde was so fauourable that he ariued at S. Iames before her And hauing made enquirie for her vnderstode she was not come Neuerthelesse he was aduertised by certayne pilgrimes that it could not be long before she would be there for that they had lefte her not past thrée or .iiii. dayes iourney from thence trauailing with her traine by smal iorneys whereof the Duke was exceding glad and sent certaine of his gentlemen to méete her vpon the way as she came who trauailed not farre before they met the Duchesse with her companie and did her to vnderstand of the Dukes arriuall and of the cause of his comming from Thurin Which tidings was not verie ioyful to her and by her wil would haue wished that he had not taken so much paines Neuerthelesse preferring honor before affection she made the more hast to sée him and at her arriuall séemed to be glad of his comming and to lament the payne that he had taken by committing himselfe in so many daungers for her sake Afterwardes they entred into the church with great deuotion where when the Duchesse had made certaine particuler prayers she began to perceyue that God had withstanded her lasciuious will and pitying the good Duke her husbande whould not permit him to be deceyued in such disloyall sort repentantly bewayling her forepassed fault And seling her selfe pressed euen at the very soule with a certaine remorse of conscience she was so victorious ouer her affections that she determined wholly to forget Mendozza and his beautie Praysing God neuerthelesse that it had pleased him to graunt her the grace so well to dispose her matters that her affections had not excéeded the bondes of honor Determining from thenceforth not onely to put Mendozza in vtter obliuion but also for euer clearely to cut of his amorous practise and therfore would not so much as did him once farewell nor yet to let him in any wise vnderstand those newes And so settled in this deliberatiō solicited her husband very instantly to depart which he did and all thinges prepared to the sea they tooke againe their course to Thurin and had the winde so prosperous that from thence in fewe daies they arriued at Marsellis And weary of the seas he caused horses to be prepared to ride from thence to Thurin by land where he and his wife liued together in right great ioy and amitie The Lorde of Mendozza greatly payned with the long absence of the Duchesse sent a gentleman of purpose to Galisia to know the occasion of her long tarying Who brought certaine newes that the Duke was comen in person to fetche his wise and that he had caried her awaye with him by sea Where withal he was maruellously out of pacience determining neuerthelesse one day when his affaires were in good order to goe visite her at Thurin During the tyme that these thinges remained in this estate aswell of the one side as of the other the Almaines prepared a great army and entred into Fraunce where they wasted burned all the countrie as they passed The King being aduertised hereof sent for the Duke of Sauoie to goe méete them with the men of armes of Fraunce But before his departure from Thurin he left for his Lieutenant general the Earle of Pancalier by the aduise and counsell of whome he intended that all the affaires of the Duchie should be ruled and gouerned in his absence and that he should in so ample wyse be honored and obeyed as his owne propre person This Earle of Pancalier being a noble man very prudent in his doings and knewe right well howe to gouerne the common wealth seing the he had the whole countrie at his commaundement and himselfe manye times in presence of the Duchesse and viewing her so faire and comelie could not so well rule hys affections but that by little and little he fell in loue with the Duchesse in suche wise as that he forgat him self making no conscience to offer his seruice vnto her But the Princesse who was resolued to liue a good womā abhorred al his lasciuious orations requiring him to be better aduised another time before he presumed to vtter such talke except to such as were his equals Telling him that a man ought not to be so vnshamefast to offer his seruice to anye greate Ladye or to make other sute vnto her before he had first knowen by her gesture or wordes some likelyhode of loue which he could not déeme in her forsomuch as she neyther to him or to any other had euer till the day in all her life shewed such fauour as other suspicion coulde be conceyued than that which was conuenable and méete for her honor Which when the Countie of Pancalier vnderslode he toke his leaue of her ashamed of that he had done But he following the custome of louers not thinking himselfe cast of for the first refuse eftsones renewed his requestes And framing a louing stile besought her to haue pitie vpon him and to respect the greatnesse of his
withall he thrust the rapier into him vp to the hard hiltes and doubling the blow to make him faile of his spéech he gaue him another ouerthwart the throte so fiercely that the pore innocent after he had a litle réeled to and fro fell downe stark dead to the ground When he had put vp his rapier he turned towards the Counsellers and sayde vnto them My friendes this is not the first time that I haue espied the lasciuious and dishonest loue betwene this my locherous Nephewe and the Duchesse whome I haue caused to die to honourably in respect of his desert For by the very rigor of the lawe he deserued to haue bene burnt quicke or else to be torne in pieces with .iiij. horses But my Lady the Duchesse I meane not to punishe or to prouide chastisement for her For you be not ignoraunt that the ancient custome of Lombardie and Sauoie requireth that euery woman taken in adultery shall be burned aliue yf with in a yeare a day she finde not a Champion to fighte the combase for her innocencie But for the bounden duery that I deare to my Lorde the Duke and for respect of the estate which he hath committed to my charge I will to morrowe dyspatche a Poaste to make hym vnderstande the whole accident as it is come to passe And the Duchesse shal remaine in this Chambre with certayue of her maides vnder sure keping and safegard All this time the Duchesse who had both iudgement and spirite so good as any Princesse that raygned in her time suspected straightwayes the treason of the Earle And with a pitiful eye beholding the dead body of her Page fetching a déepe sighe cryed out Oh innocent soule which sometyme gauest lyfe to this bodye that nowe is but earth thou art now in place where thou séest clearely the iniquitie of the murderer that lately did put thée to death And hauing made an end of this exlamation with her armes a crosse she remained as in a sowne without mouing eyther hande or foote And after she had continued a while in that estate she desired the Counsellers to cause the body to be buried and to restore it to the earth whereof it had the first creation For quoth she it hath not deserued to be tied to the gibet and to be fode for birdes of the ayre Which they graunted not without a certaine greuous suspicion betwéene her and the Page For so much as she excused not her self but the innocencie of him without speaking any worde of her owne particular iustification This pitiefull aduenture was out of hande published through all the citie with so great sorrow and murmure of the people that it semed as though the enemies had sacked the towne For there was not one from the very least to the greatest of all but did both loue and reuerence the Duchesse in suche sort that it séemed vnto them that this misfortune was fallen vpon euery one of their children The Earle of Pancalier did nothing al that day but dispatch the Poastes And hauing caused all the whole matter to be registred as it was séene to be done he commaunded the Counsellers and them of the Gard to subscribe his letters And al the matter being put in order he sent away two Currors with diligence the one into Englande to aduertise the King her brother and the other to the Duke Who being arriued eche man in his place presented their charges Wherevnto both the brother and the husband gaue full credite without any maner of difficultie persuaded principally therevnto by the death of the Nephewe Who as it was very likely had not bene put to death by his owne vncle and of whome he was also the very heire without his most grieuous faulte praysing greatly the fidelitie of the Earle that had not pardoned his owne propre bloud to conserue his duetie and honor so his soueraigne Lorde And it was concluded betwene them by deliberate aduise counsayle aswell of those of the King of England as by a gret nūber of lerned men of Fraūce whom the french king made to assemble for that respect in fauour of the Duke that the custome should be inuiolably kepte as if it were for the most simple damsell of all the country to the end that in time to come great Lords and Ladies which be as it were lampes to giue light to others might take example And that from thenceforth they should not suffer their vertues to be obscured by the cloudes of such execrable vices The King of Englande to gratifie the Earle of Pancalier who in his iudgement had shewed himselfe right noble in this acte sent him an excellent harnesse with a sworde of the selfe same trampe by the Currour with letters of aunswere written with his owne hande howe he vnderstode the manner of his procedings And the messanger vsed such diligence that wythin fewe dayes he arriued at Thurin Shortly after that the King of England had sent backe the Currour the Duke of Sauoie retorned his whome he stayed so much the longer bycause the matter touched him more nere And he would that it should be debated by most graue and deliberate counsell And when he had resolued he wrote to the counsellers and other Magistrates of Thurin aboue all things to haue respect that the custome should be inuiolablie kept and that they should not in any case fauour the adultery of his wife vpon payne of death Then in particuler he wrote his letters to the Earle wherby he did greatly allow his fidelity for the which he hoped to make him such recompence as both he and his should taste thereof during their liues The Currour of the Duke arriued and the matter proponed in counsell it was iudged that following the auncient custome a piller of Marble should be placed in the fieldes neere Thurin which is betwene the bridge of the riuer Poo and the citie wherevpon should be written the accusation of the Earle of Pancalier against the Duchesse Which the Duchesse vnderstanding hauing none other companie but Emilia and a yong damsell dispoiled her self of her silken garmēts and did put on mourning wede martired with an infinite numbre of sundrie tormentes seing her selfe abandoned of al worldly succour made her complaints to God beseching him with teares to be protector of her innocencie Emilia who vnderstode by her that she was vniustly accused and seing the iminent perill that was prepared for her determined by her accustomed prudence to prouide therfore And after she had a little comforted her she sayde vnto her Madame the case so requireth nowe that you shoulde not consume tyme in teares and other womanish plaintes which can nothing diminishe your euill It séemes most expedient vnto me that you fortefie your selfe agaynst your enemie and to find some meáne to send Maister Appian in poast to the Duke of Mendozza one of the best renowned in prowesse of al the Knights in Spaine who being aduertised of your misfortune wil
the Duchesse made into Spaine he sawe him euer more nere her than any other of her gentlemen And after that the Lorde of Mendozza had demaunded of him by what meanes he entred the towne Upon his aunswere he perceyued that he was a man of good experience and well affected to the seruice of his Maistresse that durst hazard his lyfe in such wise to obey her desire Incontinently Maister Appian deliuered vnto him the Duchesse letter Which when he had readde he retired into his chambre with Maister Appian hauing his face all bedewed with teares And bycause that the letter did importe credite he prayed Maister Appian to declare his charge Who sayde vnto him My Lady the Duchesse which is at this day the most afflicted Princesse vnder the coape of Heauen commendeth her selfe vnto your honour and doth humbly beseche you not to be offended for that at her last being in Galisia she departed without accomplishing her promise made vnto you Praying you to impute the fault vpon the importunitie of the Duke her husband Whō being constrayned to obey she could not satisfie the good will that she bare vnto you Then he began to declare in order howe the Earle of Pancalier was enamoured of her and not being able to obtaine his desire caused his Nephewe to hide him vnder her bed and how he had slaine him with his owne handes Finally the imprisonment of the Duchesse and the iudgement giuen against her Whereof the Lorde of Mendozza was greatly astonned And when he had heard the whole dyscourse he began to conceyue some euill opinion of the Duchesse Thinking it to be incredible that the Earle of Pancalier woulde so forget himselfe as to murder his owne propre Nephew and adopted sonne to be reuenged of a selie woman Neuerthelesse he dissembled that which he thought in the presence of Maister Appian and sayde vnto him Appian my friende if mine aduerse Fortune did not speake sufficiently for me I could tell thée here a long tale of my miseries But the séest into what extremitie I am presently reduced in sort that I am vtterly vnable to succor thy maistresse I my self still attending the houre of death And all that which presētly I am able to doe for thée is to set thée at libertie from the perill prepared for vs. And without longer talke he caused a hote skirmish to be giuē to his enemies to set Appian at large who being issued forth made certayne of his men to conduct him to place of suretie Appian seing no way for Mendozza to abandon his city for peril of death prepared for him and his thought his excuse reasonable And to attempt some other Fortune he vsed suche diligence that he in short time was retourned to Thurin where hauing cōmunicated the whole matter to Emilia she went strayght to the Duchesse to whome she sayde Madame God giue you the grace to be so constant in your aduersities as you haue occasion to be miscontented with the heauie newes that Appian hath brought you And then she began to recount vnto her the mysfortune of Mendozza the thraldome wherevnto his enemies had brought him and for conclusion that there was no hope of helpe to be expected at his handes Which when the Duchesse vnderstoode she cryed out Oh poore vnhappy woman amongst all the moste desolate and sorrowfull Thou mayst well now say that the light of thy life from henceforth beginneth to extinguish and growe to an ende séeing the succour of him vpon whome depended thine assuraunce is denyed thée Ah ingrate Knight Now knowe I right well but it is to late that of the extreme loue that I haue borne thée sprong the first roote of all mine euill which came not by any accident of Fortune but from celestiall dispensacion and diuine prouidence of my God Who nowe doth permit that mine Hipocrisie and counterfayt deuotion shall receyue condigne chastisement for my sinne And then Emilia seing her so confounded in teares sayde vnto her Madame it doth euill become a great and wise Princesse as you hitherto haue euer bene reputed for to torment her selfe sith that you know howe all the afflictions which we receiue from heauē be but proues of our fidelitie or as your selfe confesseth by your complayntes to be iust punishment for our sinnes Nowe then be it the one or the other you ought to fortifie your self against the hard assault of your sorrow And to remitte the whole to the mercy of God who of his aboundant grace will deliuer you of your trouble as he hath done manye others who when they thought themselues forsaken of al help and caused certayne drops of his pitie to raine downe vpon them Alas deare heart quod the Duchesse how easie a matter it is for one that is hole to comfort her that is sick But if thou feltest my griefe thou wouldest helpe me to complaine So grieuous a matter it is vnto mée with lyfe to lose myne honour And I muste confesse vnto thée that I sustayne a very cruell assault both against death and lyfe and I cannot eyther with the one or with the other haue peace or truce in my selfe Ne yet doe knowe howe to dissemble my sorrow but that in the ende the same wil be discouered by the fumes of mine ardent sighes which thinking to constrayne or retaine I doe nothing else but burie my selfe wtin mine owne body Assuring thée that greater is one drop of bloud that swelleth the heart within than all the teares that may be wept in the whole life without Wherfore I pray thée leaue me a litle to complaine my dolor before I goe to the place from whence I shal neuer retorne Emilia that willingly would haue sacrificed her selfe to redeme the Princesse from perill not being able any longer to endure the harde attempte where with pitie constrayned her heart was forced to goe forth and to withdraw her self into another chamber where she began to lamēt after so straunge manner that it semed it had bene she that was destened to death Whiles that these Ladies cōtinued thus in their sorowes the Knight Mendozza take no rest by day or night ne ceassed continually to think vpon the misfortune of the Duchesse And after that he had well considered the same he accused himself for fayling her at that her gret néede saying Now do I wel know that I am for euer hereafter vtterly vnworthy to beare armes or to haue the honorable title of a Knight sith the same order was giuen vnto me with charge to succour afflicted persons specially Ladyes whose force onely consisteth in teares And yet neuerthelesse I like a caitise haue so shamefully neglected my duety towardes the chiefe person of the worlde to whome I am greatly bounden that I dye a thousand times that day wherin I thinke vpon the same It behoveth me then from henceforth to establish new lawes to my deliberation and that I breake the gate of myne auncient rigor louing much better to die in honor pore
mortall body And if I should so farre forget my selfe as willingly to commit a thing so dishonest your grace ought for the loyall seruice of my father and husbande towarde you sharpely to rebuke me and to punishe me according to my deserte For this cause moste dradde soueraigne Lord you which are accustomed to vanquishe and subdue other be nowe a conquerour ouer your selfe and throughly bridle that concupiscence if there be any vnder the raines of Reason that being quenched and ouercome they may no more reuiue in you and hauing liuely resisted the first assaultes the victorie is but easie which shall be a thousand times more glorious and gainefull for you than if you had conquered a kingdome The Countesse had scarce made an ende of her tale but one came to tell them that the Tables were couered for dinner the King well fedde with Loue dyned for that tyme very soberlye and not able to eate but vpon amorous dishes did caste his lokes inconstantly here and there and still his eyes threwe the last loke vpon that part of the table where the Countesse satte meaning thereby to extinguishe the boyling flames which incessantly did burne him howbeit by thinking to coole them he further plondged himselfe therein And wandering thus in diuers cogitations the wise aunswere that the Countesse made like a vaunte curreur was continually in his remebrance and was well assured of her inuincible chastitie By reason wherof seing that so harde and enterprise required a longer abode and that a heart so chaste could not so quickly be remoued frō purpose careful on the other side to giue order to the waightie affaires of his realme disquieted also on euery side throughe the turmoile of warres determined to depart the next day in the morning reseruing till another tyme more conuenient the pursute of his Loue. Hauing taken order for his departure in the morning he went to seke the Countesse and taking his leaue of her he prayed her to thinke better of the talke made vnto her the day before but aboue all he besought her to haue pitie vpon hym Wherevnto the Countesse answered that not onelye she prayed God incessantly to giue him victorie ouer his outwarde enemies but also grace to tame that carnall passion which did so torment him Certaine dayes after that King Edward was arriued at London which was the place of his ordinarie abode the Countesse of Salesburie was aduertised that the Earle her husbande being out of prison consumed with griefe sicknesse died by the way homewardes And bicause they had no children the Earledome retorned to the King which first gaue the same vnto him And after she had lamented the death of her husbande the space of many dayes she retourned to her fathers house which was Earle of Warwicke And for so muche as he was one of the Kinges priuie Counsell and the most part of the affaires of the realme passed by his aduise and counsell he continued at London that he might be more nere vnto the Kinges person The King aduertized of the comming of the Countesse thought that fortune had opened a way to bring his enterprise to desired effecte specially for that the death of her husbande and the witnesse of his earnest good will would make her more tractable The king seing all thing as he thought to succede after his desire began to renewe his first affections séeking by all meanes to practise the good wil of the Countesse who then was of the age of .xxvi. yeares Afterwardes he ordayned many triumphes at the Tilte and Torney Maskes Momeries feastes banquets and other like pastimes wherat Ladies accustomably doe assemble who made much of them all and secretely talked with them Notwithstanding he could not so well disguise and counterfait his passions but that he still shewed himselfe to beare beste good will to the Countesse Thus the king coulde not vse suche discretion in loue but that from his secret fier some euident flames did issue out But the Countesse which was a wise and curteous Lady did easely perceyue how the king by chaunging the place had not altered his affection and that he still prosecuted his talke begon at Salesberic She despising all his amorous countenaunces continued her firme and chaste minde And if it chaunced that sometimes the king made more of her than discretion required sodainly might haue bene discried a certaine palenesse in her face which declared the little pleasure that she toke in his toyes with a certayne rigor appearing that yelded to the king an assured testimonie that he laboured in vaine Neuerthelesse she to cut of all meanes of the Kings pursute kept still her fathers house shewing her self in no place where the king might sée her The king offended seing himselfe depriued and banished her presence whome he estemed as the comfort of his lyfe made his secretarie priuie to the whole matter whose fidelitie he had wel proued in matters daungerous with minde to pursue her by other way if it chaunced that she persisted in her wonted rigor and refusall Howbeit before he proceded any further sith he could not secretely talke with her he purposed to sende her a letter the Tenor whereof insueth MAdame if you please by good aduise to consider the beginning of my Loue the continuance of the same then the last issue whervnto it is brought I am assured that laying your hand vpon your heart you will accuse your self not onely of your curst and froward stomacke hitherto appearing but also of that newe ingratitude which you shewe vnto me at this houre not contented to be bathed plondged by you in the missehap of my payne paste but yet by a newe onset you abandon your felfe from my presence as from the sight of your mortall enemie wherin I find that heauen and al his influences doe cry out for mine ouerthrow wherevnto I doe agrée since my lyfe taking no vigor and increase being onely sustained by the fauour of your diuine graces can not be maintained one onely minute of a day without the liberall helpe of your swéetenesse and vertue beseching you that if the heartie prayers of any mortall tormented man may euer haue force and power to moue you to pitie it may please you miraculously to deliuer from henceforth this my poore miserable afflicted mynde eyther from death or martirdome He that is more yours than his owne Edwarde the desolate King of Englande The letter written with his owne hand and sealed with his seale he commaunded the Secretarie to goe to the Countesse at her fathers house and secretly to deliuer the same which he did And the Countesse hauing read and perused it sayde to the Secretarie My frende you shal tell the king that I doe beseche him most humbly to send me no more letters or messages touching the matters wherof he hath written For I am in such wise resolued in the aunswere which I made him in my Castle that I will persist immutable to the ende
afrayde to declare vnto you my fantasie and much ashamed to craue your helpe and assistance But the loue is such that I beare you that if I had a wife mother or daughter which were able to saue your lyfe I woulde rather imploye them than to suffer you to die in torment And if you doe beare vnto me the affection which am your Maister thinke verely that I doe beare vnto you the lyke Wherefore I will disclose vnto you such a secrete and priuie matter that the silence thereof hath brought me into that plight which you sée wherof I doe loke for none amendemēt but by death or by the seruice which you may doe me in a certayne matter which I purpose to tell you The Gentleman hearing the reasons of his maister and seing his face not fayned but all be sprent with teares toke great compassion vpon him and sayd My Lord I am your humble seruaunt Al the goodes and worship that I haue doth come from you You may say vnto me as to your friende Assure your selfe that all which resteth in my power and abilitie is alreadie at your commaundement Then the Duke began to tell him of the loue that he bare vnto his sister which was of such force that if by his meanes he did not enioy her his lyfe coulde not long continue For he sayde that he knewe right well that intreatie and presents were with her of no reputacion Wherefore he prayed him that if he loued his lyfe so well as he did his to finde meanes for him to receyue that benefite which without him he was in despayre neuer to recouer The brother which loued his sister and honor of his kindred more than the Dukes pleasure made a certayne reuerence vnto him humbly beseching him to vse his trauayle and payne in all other causes sauing in that bicause it woulde be a sute so slaunderous and infamous as it woulde purchase dishonour to his whole familie adding further that neyther his heart and honor would not serue him to consent to do that seruice The Duke inflamed with an vnspeakable furie put his finger betwéene his téeth and biting of the nayle sayde vnto him in a great rage Well then sithe I fynde in the no friendeship I knowe what I haue to doe The Gentleman knowing the crueltie of his Maister being sore afrayde sayde vnto him My Lorde for so muche as your desire and pleasure is vehement and earneste I will speake vnto her and bring you aunswere thereof And as he was departing the Duke sayd vnto him Sée that thou tender my life as thou wilt that I shall loue thyne The Gentleman vnderstanding well what that worde did meane absēted himselfe a daye or twaine to aduise with him selfe what were best to be done And amongs diuers his cogitations there came to his remembraunce the bounden duetie which he did owe to his maister and the goodes and honors which he had receyued at his hands on the other side he considered the honor of his house the good life and chastity of his sister who he knewe well woulde neuer consent to that wickednesse if by subtiltie she were not surprised or otherwise forced that it were a thing very straunge and rare that he shoulde go about to defame himselfe and the whole stock of his progenie Wherefore he concluded the better it were for him to die than to commit such a mischiefe vnto his sister which was one of the honestest women in al Italie But rather he considered how he might deliuer his countrie from such a Tirant which by force woulde blemish and spotte the whole race of his house For he knewe right well that except the Duke were taken away the life of him and his affinitie coulde not be in securitie and safegarde Wherefore without mocion made to his sister of that matter he deuised a waye to saue his life and the reproch that should follow therof At the two dayes ende he came vnto the Duke and tolde him in what sorte he had practized with his sister and although the same in the beginning was harde difficult yet in the ende he made her to consent vpon condicion that he woulde kepe the same so secrete as none but himself he might know it The Duke desirous glad of those newes did sone beleue him imbracing the messanger promised to giue him whatsoeuer he woulde demaunde praying him with al spede that he might inioye his desired purpose Wherevpon they appointed a time And to demaunde whether the Duke were glad and ioyful of the same it were superfluous And when that desired night did approche wherin he hoped to haue the victorie of her whom he thought inuincible he and the Gentleman alone withdrewe themselues together not forgetting his perfumed coif and swete shirte wrought and trimmed after the best maner And when euery man was gone both they repaired to the appoynted lodging of his Lady where being arriued they founde a chamber in decent and comely order The Gentleman taking of the Dukes night gowne placed him in the bed saying vnto him My Lorde I will now goe seke her which can not enter into this chamber without blushing howebeit I truste before to morrowe morning she will be verye glad of you Which done he left the Duke and went into his owne chamber where he found one of his seruaunts alone to whom he sayd Hast thou the hart to follow me into a place where I shal be reuenged vpon the greatest enemie that I haue in the world Yea sir answered his man Whervpon the gentleman toke him with him so sodaynly that he had no leasure to arme him selfe with other weapon but with his onely dagger And when the Duke heard him come againe thinking he had brought her with him that he loued so greatly he drewe the curteyne and opened his eyes to beholde receyue that ioye which he had so long loked for but in place of séeing her which he hoped should be the conseruation of his life he saw the acceleration of his death which was a naked sword that the Gentleman had drawen and there withall did strike the Duke which was in his shirte voide of weapon althoughe well armed with courage and setting vp in his bedde grasped the Gentleman aboute the bodye and sayde Is this thy promise which thou hast kept and séeing that he had no other weapon but his téeth and his nayles he bitte the Gentleman in the arme and by force of his owne strength he so defended himselfe that they both fell downe into the flower The Gentleman fearing the matche called for his man Who finding the Duke and his Maister fast together that he wyst not whether to take he drewe them both by the féete into the middest of the place and with his dagger assayde to cut the Dukes throte Who defended himselfe till such time as the losse of his bloud made him so weake and féeble that he was not able to contende any longer Then