a way to goe out of her own house into a place where privatly she might see him The Gentleman who on that morning had been let blood in the arm finding himself to be better recovered by that Message than he could be by Physick or all the receits that could be given him did teturn word that he would not fail to come at the hour she appointed and that she had wrought an apparent Miracle for by one word she had cured a Man of a Disease for whom all the Physicians could find no Redresse The Evening being come which he so much longed for the Gentleman repaired to the place which was appointed with so great a Contentment that it could not be increased He attended not long but she whom he loved better than his own soul did come to find him He did not study to make any long Oration for the fire which did burn within him did make him hastily to possesse himself of that which he could hardly perswade himself that he had in his own power and being drunk with Love and Pleasure whiles he sought to provide a remedy for his life more than was requisite he found the advancement of his Death for in the love to his Sweet-heart having forgot himself he perceived not his Arm from which the Vein opening again the blood did come forth so abundantly that the poor Gentleman was almost bathed in it But he believing that his faintnesse did proceed from his Excess of pleasure did think with himself to return to his own Lodging But Love who had too much united them together did so dispose of it that in departing from his friend his soul did depart from himself and by the great effusion of blood he had lost he fell down dead at her feet who was so amazd both in the consideration of the loss which she had of so entire a friend of whose Death she was the only Cause as also of the shame that would fall upon her if the dead body were found in her house that not knowing what to do she and one of her Chambermaids in whom she altogether trusted did carry the body into the Street where she would not leave it alone but taking the sword of her dead friend she resolved to partake of his fortune and perish by the effusion of blood also in punishing that heart which was the cause of all this Evil and forcing the sword quite through her she fell down upon the Body of her Friend The Father and the Mother of this young Gentlewoman comming forth out of their house on the next morning did behold this pittiful spectacle And making as great a lamentation as the Case deserved they did bury them both together By this Ladies you may see what mischiefs do attend the extremity of love This is that which doth please me well said Simontault when Love is so equal that the one dying the other cannot live and if God had made me so blest as to have found such a one I do verily perswade my self that no man had ever loved so perfectly as I should have done But I am of opinion said Parlament that love would not have so much blinded you but you would have remembred to have kept your Arm better than that Gentleman did for those days are passed that Men do forget their lives for their Ladies But those days are not passed said Simontault that Ladies for their pleasure do forget the lives of their Servants I am of opinion said Emarsuite that there is no Woman in the World that taketh pleasure in the death of a Man although he were her Enemy Neverthelesse if Men will kill themselves Ladies cannot help their willfulnesse So it is said Saffredant that she who refuseth a piece of bread to a poor men dying for hunger is esteemed to be a Murderesse If your requests said Oysilla were as reasonable as the poor Mans begging for his necessity Ladies should be too cruel to refuse you But God be praised the malady of love doth kill no man but only those who wold die of themselves that year I know not Madam said Saffredant what is the greatest necessity but only that which doth make us to forget all others For when Love is violent we mind neither bread nor any other delicates whatsoever but only the looks and words of those we love They who would suffer you to fest said Oysilla without giving you any other Viands would quickly make you change your thoughts of Love I must confesse said Saffredant that the Body would fail but the Heart and the good will would still remain Then said Parlament God hath given you a great grace that you should addresse your self to one where you find so little Contentment that you must comfort up your self with eating and drinking with which me thinks you may acquit your self so well that you ought to praise God for that friendly cruelty I am so nourished in affliction said Saffredant that I do begin to solace my self in those torments of which others do complain It may be said Longaren that your love doth so withdraw you from all Company that no other contentment can be welcom to you for there is nothing more troublesom than an importunate Lover Nothing said Simontault unlesse it be a cruel Lady I do perceive said Oysilla that if we should attend to hear an end of the Reasons of Simontault that we should bear no Vespers this Evening Wherefore let us rise and praise God that this Days work is so well accomplished She did begin first of all to rise her self and all the rest did follow her but Simontault and Longaren did continue all the way to discusse the Argument and so gently that without drawing of his Sword Simontault did get the better shewing that the strongest passion was the greatest necessity And speaking those words they did enter into the Church where the Monks did attend them Vespers being ended they did go to Supper where they entertained one another with as much discourse as Diet for the Dispute continued all the time of Supper and all the Evening afterwards until Oysilla told them that it was high time to goe to rest and that five days Journeys were adorned with such delightfull Histories that she was afraid that the sixth day would not be like unto it for it was not possible to invent better Accounts than what were here delivered and which were not Fictions but Truths But Guebron said that as long as the world endured there would something fall out every day which would be new and worthy to be remembred for the depravednesse of bad men and their corruptions will be always such as heretofore they have been and in the same way will be the Goodnesse of Good men And as long as Grace and Corruption do reign upon the Earth they will always fill it with one Novelty or another although it be written That there is nothing new under the Sun But we who have not been called to
swear unto him that it should be performed and desired him with confidence to demand it Whereupon he said unto the Mother of the young Lady I do beseech you that you would give her in my arms whom you do promise shall be my Wife and that you do command her to embrace and kisse me The young Lady who was not accustomed to such familiarities did make some difficulty of it but her Mother expresly did command her seeing he had lost both the understanding and the force of a living Man On that Command the Daughter did advance her self upon the bed of the poor sick Gentleman and said unto him My old Friend I pray you to be frolick The poor Gentleman sanguishing in his extreme weaknesse stretched forth his arms despoyled of flesh and blood and with all the force of his body embraced the Cause of his Death and kissing her with his pale and cold lips did hold her close unto him as long as possibly he could and said unto her The love which I have born unto you hath been so great and virtuous that Mariage excepted I never desired of you any other happinesse than what I now enjoy for the event whereof and in this possession of it I with joy shall commend my Spirit unto God who being himself perfect love and charity doth know the greatnesse of my love and the honesty of my desires beseeching him having now my desires in my arms that he would receive my Spirit into his arms And speaking those words he took her again into his arms and with so much vehemence that his weak heart could not endure the strength of his love which was immediately immediately abandoned of all the faculties of life for his Joy was so much dilated that the seat of the Soul failed which did fly to her Creator And although the poor body continued a long time without liâ—e and therefore could no longer possesse the rich prise it so lately gained yet the love which the young Lady had till then concealed did now so violently declare it self that the mother of the living and the servants of the dead had much to do to separate the union and were at last enforced to pull the living almost dead from him who was already dead whom they did honourably interr but the greatest triumph of his obsequies were the tears the sighs and the complaints of the poor young Lady who declaâ—ed her self as much after his death as she concealed her self in his lâ—fe and now as it were satisfied for the injury she had done him And since as I have heard it reported the Husband that was given her to take off from himself thoughts of melancholy could never be entertained with any true joy or comfort of heart You may see here Gentlemen what before you would not believe by my words This Example is sufficient to make you confesse that a true and perfect love being too long concealed or misprised doth bring us as low as death There is none of you who know not the friends and kinred both of the one side and the other wherefore you need not to make any doubt of it and there is no man who hath made experience of it but will believe The Ladies hearing it had every one of them tears in their eyes But Hircan said unto them This is the veryest fool that ever Theaâ—d speak for tell me on your own credit is it likely or reasonable that we should die for women who are made for us and that we should be afraid to ask them what God hath enjoyned them to give unto us I speak not for my self nor for any man here that is married for I have enough of a woman or rather more than will serve my turn but for those only who are in necessity who in my opinion are but fools to be in fear of those whom they ought to make afraid Do you not observe the sorrow which this young Lady suffer'd for her folly for since she imbraced a dead body a thing repugnant to Nature she would not have refused his living body if he had shewed as great boldnesse living as dying be moved pitty Neverthelesse said Oysilla The Gentleman in this made an excellent Remonstrance of the love and civility he did bear her for which he shall be commended throughout the whole world for to find chastity in an amorous heart is a thing more divine than belonging unto man Madam said Saffredant to confirm the opinion of Hircan from whom I differ noâ— I must intreat you to believe me that Fortune doth assist the bold spirit and that there is no man if he be beloved by a Lady but if he can but wisely and affectionately follow his sute will in the end receive all that which he demandeth or at the least in part But Ignorance and a faint heart do cause men to â—ose many brave adventures and then they ground their losse upon the virtue of their Mistresse whom they never did attempt for never was there a place that hath been gallantly assaulted but it hath been taken I do much worder at you two said Parlament that you dare maintain this discourse Surely those whom you have loved have either not held you long or the assault bath been made on so advantagious a place that you think all Women alike Madam said Saffredant As for my self I am so unfortunate that I have no reason to make any boast but I impute not my misfortune to any virtue of the Ladies but to my own defects in having either not wisely begun oâ— too rashly prosecuted my Design and I will allege the old Romant of the Rose instead of many Doctors which saith we are merry Girls and Boys no doubt all alike the Boys for the Girls and the Girls for the Boys Wherefore I do believe that if love be once in the heart of a woman the man may arrive unto his ends if he be not sottishly overseen Parlament said And if I shall tell you of a Lady of a gallant personage that did love and was sollicited and importuned and neverthelesse deported her self most virtuously and was victorious over her own body and her friend will you say that a true thing is impossible Yes said he You are hard of Faith said Parlament if you believe not this example Dagoucin said unto her Madam since I have proved by example the virtuous love of a Gentleman even unto death I must intreat you if you do know any like unto it in the honour of some Lady that you will be pleased to rehearse it for the end of this days journey and you need not fear to be too long for we have yet time enough to speak of many honest Subjects Since the last lot falls to my share said Parlament I will hold you in a long discourse for my History is so good so fair and so true that it seems long unto me until I make you partakers of it and that you know it as well as
City whom in the night he went to court when his Wife was asleep Amongst others there was a most beautifull and virtuous Lady who was Sister to a Gentleman whom the Duke loved as himself and to whom he gave so much authority in his House that his word was obeyed and feared as that of the Dukes and he had no secret in his heart which he declared not unto him Insomuch that he might well be called his second Self The Duke observing his Sister to be so accomplished a Lady and that he had not the means to declare the love which he did bear unto her having sought all wayes that were possible for the effecting of it at last addressed himself to the Gentleman whom so intirely he did affect said unto him If there were any thing in the world my Friend which I would not do for you I should be affraid to declare unto you my thoughts and much more to desire you to be ayding to me in them but I bear you so much good will that if I had Wife Mother or Daughter that might conduce to save your Life I would rather imploy them all in it than to suffer you to die in torment and I believe that the Love which you bear to me is reciprocal to mine And if I who am your Master do bear such an affection to you I presume that you do not bear any lesse to me Wherefore I will declare one secret to you the concealment whereof doth keep me in this estate wherein you see me of which I can look for no amendment but onely by Death or by the service which you may do me The Gentleman observing the Reasons of his Master and that his face in earnest was bathed in tears had so great a compassion of him that he said unto him Sir I am your Creature all the Fortunes and Honours I enjoy do proceed from you you may speak to me as to your friend being assured That all which lies in my power is in your own hands Incontinently the Duke began to declare unto him the love which he did bear unto his Sister which was so great and violent that if by his means he had no redresse he found he could not live long for he knew by experience that neither Letters nor Prayers nor Presents could prevail upon her Wherefore he conjured him If he loved his life as deerly as his life was beloved by him that he would find a means to procure him that benefit which without him he concluded it was impossible to enjoy The Brother who loved his Sister and the honor of his House more than the pleasure of the Duke did endeavour to make him some Remonstrance to the contrary beseeching him in all other ways to imploy him but to excuse him onely in this thing it being too cruel and too unnatural to him to purchase the dishonor of his own bloud that neither his heart nor his Honour could comply with this Command The Duke enflamed with an anger insupportable did bite his nails and made reply unto him in great fury It is no matter seeing I find in you no respects of Friendship to me I know what I have to do The Gentleman understanding the cruelty of his Master was struck into a fear and said unto him Sir Because it is your pleasure I will speak unto her and I will give you an account of her answer to me The Duke answered departing from him As you make much of my life 〈◊〉 will I of yours The Gentleman understood well â—nough what he did mean by those words and absâ—â—ted himself a day or two from the Duke to consider what he had to do On one side there was presented to him the Obligation which he owed to his Master and the benefits and the Honours which he had received from him On the other side his thoughts reflected on the Honour of his House the honesty and chastity of his Sister and the assurance he had that she would never consent to so foul a Motion if she were not surprized by deceit or by force Wherefore having taken these Premises into his consideration he concluded That he would rather die than be the Author of so ill an Office to his Sister who was one of the most virtuous Ladies in all Italy He was rather obliged he did judge to deliver his Countrey from such a Tyrant who by force would stain the Honour of his Family He was assured besides that unlesse the Duke was dead the life of himself and of his Sister were absolutely lost Wherefore without so much as speaking one word unto his Sister he determined with himself to save his own life and by the same way to revenge the shame which was intended to be brought upon her At the end of two dayes he addressed himself to the Duke and told him how he had practised with his Sister who but not without great difficulty did consent unto his pleasure which she hoped should be kept secret seeing none but himself who was her own Brother had any knowledge of it The Duke who desired this News did easily believe it and imbracing the Messenger did promise him whatsoever he would demand and desiring him that it might quickly be put in execution they agreed between themselves upon the day If the Duke were not high with hopes and Joyes I will leave it to you to judge When he saw the night so much desired to approach in which he promised himself to have the Victory over her whom he thought invincible he withdrew himself betimes from his Court having none in his Company but this Gentleman alone and forgot not to take along with him a Night-cap and a shirt perfumed in the best manner as possibly it might be And taking his opportunity in the Evening he did go along with this Gentleman to the Lodging of this Lady where he came into a Chamber very richly prepared The Gentleman assisted him to put off his cloaths and helped him into Bed saying to him Sir I will now go and setch her my self unto you who will not enter into this Chamber without many blushes but I hope before the Morning she will be assured of you In this manner her left the Duke and did go into his own Chamber where he found but one of all his Servants to whom he said Have you the heart to follow me into a place where I will revenge my self on the greatest Enemy I have in the world His Man not knowing what he would do said unto him Yes Sir and it were the Duke himself Immediatly the Gentleman did take him with him who on the sudden had not the leisure to take any other Aâ—ms but a Ponyard only which he had always about him When the Duke did hear him comming conceiving that he had brought her along with him whom he loved so intirely he opened the Curtain and his eyes to behold her and to receive her into his arms whom so long he expected
but instead of beholding her from whom he hoped to have the preservation of his life he beheld the precipitation of his death which was a drawn sword which the Gentleman had in his hand with which he struck at the Duke with all his force who was in his shirt and being without arms but not without heart defended the blow with the Bed-cloaths and taking hold of the Gentleman about the body said unto him Is this the fulfilling of the promise which you made me And seeing he had no other weapon but his teeth and nails he did bite the Gentleman on the pulse of his hands and with the strength of his arms did so long defend himself that they both fell down between the Wall and the Bed The Gentleman who began to be overborn by him called to his servant who sinding the Duke and his Master so tyed together that he knew not which of them to choose did dragg them both by the feet into the middle of the Room and with his Poynard did cut the throat of the Duke who defended himself until the losse of bloud did render him so feeble that he could make no more opposition Then the Gentleman and his Servant did carry him into the bed where with many blows and thrusts of the Ponyard they did over-act their Murder Afterwards having drawn close the Curtains they did both depart and shut up the dead Body in the Chamber When the Gentleman saw himself victorious over his Enemy by whose death he thought to procure the Liberty of the Publick he conceived that his work was imperfect if he did not as much to five or six more of those who were next in power to the Duke And to put his hand to the work he told his Servant that he should go for them one after another and do with them as he had done with the Duke But his Servant who was not of any great heart or courage said unto him Sir Methinks you have done well enough already for one time and that you should rather think of saving your own life than of taking more lives away from others for if we should stay to do as much to every one of them as we have done unto the Duke the day would discover our enrerprize before we should have put any period to it although we should have found them all without defence The Gentleman whose evill conscience did render him fearful did beleeve his Servant and taking him along with him he addressed himself to the Bishop in whose Custody were the charge of the Keys of the City and the Command of the Post-horses The Gent. said unto him I have this Evening received News that my Brother is on the point of Death I have been to demand leave of the Duke to go unto him who hath granted it Wherefore I desire you to command the Posts to let me have two good horses and the Porter of the City to open the Gates unto me The Bishop who esteemed his intreaty no lesse than the Commandement of the Duke with whom he knew he was most gracious did give him incontinently a Ticket by virtue whereof both the Gates of the City were opened to him and the Post-horses suddenly provided accordingly as he desired And instead of seeing his Brother he took his way directly to Venice where he caused the bitings which the Duke had given him to be healed and not long after he travelled into Turkey In the Morning the Servants of the Duke found it very long before he came forth and did attend his return for they suspected that he was gone to see some Lady But seeing the morning far spent and they could hear nothing of him they began to look for him in every place The poor Dutchesse who began to affect him most intirely understanding that they could not hear any News of him waâ— in a great perplexity But when the Gentleman whom so well he loved could be heard of no more than himself they resorted to his house to seek him our and finding some drops of bloud at his Chamber door they did enter into his Chamber and found not any there to give them the least Intelligence but their suspition increasing they followed the tracts of the bloud and came to the Door of the Chamber where the Duke was which they found locked and having broken open the Door they found the place full of bloud and drawing the Curtains they found the body in the Bed asleep to wake no more You may imagine what Lamentation his poor Servants made who carryed his dead body into the Palace whither the Bishop came and informed them how in the time of night the Gentleman in great diligence departed under pretence to see his Brother By which it most clearly did appear that it was hewho did commit that Murther And it was also proved That his poor Sister did never hear the least word of any thing who although she was astonished at the sad news she heard yet it increased her love unto her Brother who had delivered her from so cruel a Prince the Enemy of her Chastity by the apparent hazard of his own life And continuing more and more her Progresse in all virtues although she was poor for her House and all her goods were confiscated she found good friends rich Kinred in Italy by whom being assisted she lived a long time in great and good reputation Ladies here you see what may make you fear that little God who taketh delight to torment Princes as well as Beggars and the mighty as well as the feeble and who doth render them so blind that they lose God and their Conscience and at last their own lives And Princes and those who are in authority may well be afraid how they displease those who are inferiours to them for there is none so weak but he can do hurt when God will take vengeance upon a sinner nor so great that can guard himself from his Enemy when he is under his power This History was much listned to by all the Company but it produced great diversities of Judgement for some maintained that the Gentleman had done his duty in saving his own life and the honour of his Sister as also in delivering his Country from a Tyrant Others were of another mind and affirmed that it was a great Ingratitude in the Gentleman to put him to death who had bestowed upon him so many benefits and honours The Ladies said that he was a good Brother and a virtuous Citizen The Men professed the contrary and that he was a Traitor and a wicked Servant It would be requisite in this place to allege the reasons on both sides but the Ladies according to their Custom did speak as much by passion as by reason assirming that the Duke was worthy of Death and that happy was the hand that did give the blow wherefore Dagoucin perceiving the great contestation that he had made amongst them did say unto them For Gods sake
not permit him to take any Rest but he directed his Course to the Porter of the House and said unto him Friend Moâ—ensieur your Master hath commanded me to go immediatly to our Covent to make some prayers it being now the second hour of Devotion wherefore I pray you give me my Packet of Papers and open the Door but do it so softly that no body may hear it for my businesse is necessary and secret The Porter knowing very well that to obey the Frier was a service very agreeable to his Master did open the Door very softly for him and did let him forth The Gentleman at that instant did awake and finding that the hour did approach which was admitted to him by his Confessor to give a visit to his Wife he did arise from his bed and having put on his Night-Gown he made hast thither whither he lawfully might come by the Ordinance of God without any permission of Man When his Wife did hear him speak unto her being ignorant of her miscarriage she was possessed with such an amazement that she said unto him Is this your promise Sir which you have made to the Confessor to have such a care both of your Soul and mine was it not enough to come to me once before your hour but do you now return again The Gentleman was so troubled to hear this Interrogatory that he could not dissemble his affliction but said unto her What mean these words which you speak unto me I know for a truth that these three weeks I have not lain with you and do you reprove me for comming so often to you If you continue in this discourse you will make me to believe that my Company is hatefull to you and against my custom and desire you will constrain me to look for that pleasure from others which by the Law of God I am to receive from you The young Lady who thought that he had mocked her said unto him Sir I beseech you that in imagining me to be a deceiver you do not deceive your self for though you did not speak unto me about an hour ago when you were with me yet I am satisfied within my self that it was you The Gentleman immediatly understood that they were both deceived and added Oaths to his Protestations that he did not come unto her whereupon the Lady took so great a grief that with tears she besought him to make a diligent scrutiny to find who it was for none that night lay in her house but her Brother and the Frier The Gentleman being surprised with a Jealousie that it was the Frier did in all hast repair unto the Chamber where he lay and found him not there And the better to be assured what was become of him in an angry and a trembling speed he did go unto the Porter and demanded of him if he knew what was become of him who according to what the Frier told him did give him a full Relation of the Truth The Gentleman being fully assured that it was he who did commit this wickednesse did presently return to the Chamber of his Wise and said unto her Without all doubt Sweet-heart the Man who lay with you and did ring so well his Mattens Bell was our Father the Confessor The young Lady who all her life had loved her Honour as her Conscience did enter into such a Despair that forgetting all humanity and the nature of a woman she did on her knees beseech him to revenge that great Injury Wherefore on a sudden without any delay the Gentleman took horse and pursued the Frier The poor young Lady being alone in her Bed and as much without counsel as without comfort save only in her little Infant but newly born considered with her self the marvellous and horrible mischance that had befalln her and without excusing her own Ignorance did repute her self the most guilty and the most unfortunate Woman in the world and found her self so overcome in this assault of her Despair grounded on the enormity and greatnesse of her sin and the love of her Husband to her and on the honour of both their Families that she esteemed Death far more happy than Life and was suddenly transported with so violent a Melancholy that she fell into such a Despair that she not only lost that hope which every Christian ought to have in God but was quite estranged from common sense and forgat her own Nature Insomuch that being as far from all knowledge of God as from all knowledge of her self as a Woman quite bereft of sense and reason she took the cord of her Bed and with her own hands strangled her self and which is worse being in the agony of this cruel Death her body which combated against it did remove it self in such a sort that with her foot she struck against the poor Infant whose Innocence could not preserve it from following by her own Death her most afflicted and dolorous Mother But dying she made so great a noise that one of her Maids in the next Chamber being amazed at it did rise in great hast to light the Candle and on her Return having beheld her Mistresse hanging and strangled with the cord of the bed and her Infant dead and lying at her feet she afrighted did run into the Chamber where her Mistresses Brother did lye whom she took along with her to behold this lamentable spectacle The Brother crying out Woe and Alas and making so great a lamentation as such a Brother ought to do who loved his Sister with all his heart did demand of the Chambermaid Who it was that had committed so great a villany She made answer that she knew not who and that none but her Master came into the Chamber who was not long since gone out of it The Brother entring into the Chamber of the Gentleman and finding him not there did assuredly believe that it was he who was guilty of this horrible Murder and taking his horse without demanding any further did gallop after him and met him in the way returning from the pursute of the Frier being sad that he could not overtake him When ever his Brother-in-law did behold him he did cry out unto him Wicked and Wretched as thou art defend thy self for this day I doubt not but with this sword God will revenge me The Gentleman who would have excused himself did see the sword of his Brother-in-law so near unto his throat that he found he had more need to defend himself than to make any pause to demand the Cause of the Debate and drawing upon him they gave one another so many cuts and slashes that the effusion of their blood and their wearinesse together did constrain them to sit down upon the Ground both on the one side and on the other to take breath The Gentleman said unto him What occasion is it my Brother that hath converted the great love that hath been always between us into so cruel a Fight The Brother-in-law made
him with her misfortune but she did not confesse unto him who was the Father of the Fault and did beseech him to be carefull to preserve her Honour which accordingly he did Some few dayes before she was brought to bed he counselled her to change the air and to make use of his House where she might better recover her health than in her own She repaired thither with a very small Retinue and found a Midwife prepared for her who was sent for under a pretence to come unto her Brothers Wife this Midwife one night without knowing who was the Mother of it did receive the Infant which was a very pretty Girl The Gentleman did deliver it to a Nurse and caused her to bring it up as if it had been his own child The Lady having continued there the space of one moneth did return into her own house where she lived more austerely than before observing dayes of abstinence and all manner of religious discipline But when her Son came unto age and found that at present there was no warre in Italy he sent to his Mother to beseech her that he might return to her House She fearing to sall again into her former Evil would not permit him but in the end he so far importuned her that in reason she could not refuse him Neverthelesse she commanded him That he should not come before her unlesse he were married to some Gentlewoman whom he loved very well and sent him word withall that she did not look after any great Fortune but if she were a Gentlewoman of good Education it was sufficient During this time her Brother the Bastard seeing the Girl of which he had the charge to grow into years and to be accomplished with perfections he determined with himself to send her to a House at some distance from him where she should be unknown and by the Counsel of her own Mother he did give her unto the Queen of Navarre This Girl whose name was Katherine was then thirteen years of age and had her beauties accompanied with such a gracefulnesse that the Queen of Navarre did love her very well and had a great desire to marry her to some personage of Honour but because she had no portion that was considerable she had many servants but no Husband It fell out one day that the Gentleman who was her Father unknown returning into this side of the Alpes did addresse himself unto the Court of the Queen of Navar where whenever he observed this young Maid he was very amorous of her and because he had leave of his Mother to marry whom he pleased he only inquired If she were a Gentlewoman and understanding that she was he desired the Queen that she would be pleased to give her in marriage to him who most willingly did consent unto it for she knew well enough that the Gentleman was very rich and with his riches that he was handsom and honest This Marriage being consummated the Gentleman did write unto his Mother imparting That for the time to come she ought not to shut her door any more against him because he had brought with him as accomplished a young Gentlewoman as could possibly be desired The Lady his Mother who inquired to what allyance he was married did find that it was the Daughter of her own Son and of her self by reason whereof she entered into so great a sorrow that she thought she should forthwith have dyed finding that the more checks and hinderances she did endeavour to give to her Misfortune the more she was the meanes whereby it was increased Not knowing what to do she repaired to the Legat of Avignon to whom she confessed the enormity of her Sin demanding his Counsel how she should demean her self The Legat to satisfie her Conscience did send for divers Doctors of Divinity to whom he did communicate the affair without naming the persons and their Counsel was That the Lady should never speak any thing of it before her Children who by reason of their Ignorance were to be excused from the sin but she ought to repent of it during the whole Course of her life and be carefull to commit the same folly no more And so the poor Lady returned to her own house where not long afterwards her Son and her fair Daughter did arrive who loved one another with such an intire affection that it was never seen that Man or Wife did better agree together for she was his Daughter his Sister and his Wife and he was her Father her Brother and her Husband In this love they flourished and continued all the days of their lives and the poor Lady did continue in her penitence for she never saw them to make much of one another but it was an Occasion of Grief unto her Ladies Here you may observe how they may be deceived who think by the force of their Virtues to overcome both Love and Nature with all the powers wherewith with God hath armed them It is beâ—ter by slight to overcome these Enemies than by Invasion and to say with the Psalmist Make thou O Lord an answer for me It is not possible said Oysilla to hear the account of a stranger story and it appears to me that every Man and Woman ought to stoop and to submit themselves unto the will and the fear of God seeing that under a presumption to do well so many Evils did fall out We may understand also said Parlament that every step that a Man advanceth forward in the Confidence of himself he doth go as many backwards from the Confidence which he ought to have in God He is wise said Guebron who knoweth that he hath no greater Enemies than himself and who whatsoever appearance of goodnesse or of holinesse there be in him doth alwayes suspect his own will and counsels There can be no apparence so great of Good to ensue thereby said Longaren as ought to make a wise Woman to venture to lie with a Man be he never so near of blood for the fire once stopped will break forth with the greater violence Without all doubt said Emarsuite she is some glorious fool who doth think her self so holy that she cannot sin as some will perswade and make the Ignorant to believe that we can do good and refrain from Evil of our selves which is a great Error Is it possible said Oyfilla that there are such fools as to believe that opinion They do a great deal worse said Longaren for they say they can habituate themselves to the virtue of Chastity to prove their strength they discourse with the most handsom creatures that can be found whom they love the best in the world and with kisses and touchings of their hands they make tryal if their flesh be mortified or no And when by such pleasure they find any carnal motions they separat themselves from one another fast and disciplin themselves with the greatest severity And when they have brought their flesh to such
to ly in prison for the space of a whole year and to feed on nothing but bread and water The Ladies also did send for her Husband who after their good Exhortations was contented to take her again after that her dayes of Penance were expired But she finding her self to be a prisoner and that the Canon was resolved never any more to take her again did thank the Ladies that they had brought the Devil our of her by the head and shoulders and she had so great and perfect a contrition for her faults that her Husband instead of staying the space of a whole your to take her again did demand her of the Archdeacon at the end of fifteen weeks ever afterwards they lived together in great love and friendship You may observe here Ladies how the chains of Saint Peter are by evil persons converted into the chains of Sathan and are so hard to be dissolved that even the Sacraments which do cast forth Devils out of Mens Bodies are by them made the means that they continue longer in their Consciences for the better that things are they are by being abused the occasions of greater Dangers Truly said Oysilla this Woman was too wanton and immoderate in her desires but it was punishment enough to appear before such Judges as the Ladies whom you have named for the look only of the Madam Regent was of that Virtue that there was no honest Woman but was almost afraid to stand before her and conceived her self most unworthy to appear in her presence Those whom she did smile upon did think with themsolves that they did merit some great honour knowing that she would not look upon any with a good will but those only who were virtuous Ladies It had been better said Hircan that she had stood in more fear of the blessed Saâ—â—ament the unworthy receiving whereof without Faith and Love is eternal Damnation than of the eyes of a Woman I promise you said Parlament those who are not inspired with the Grace of God do stand in greater fear of temporal than of spiritual punishments Neverthelesse I do believe that this poor Creature was more chastised by her sufferings in the Prison and by the apprehension that she should never see the Canon more than for any remonstrance that either the Queen or the Lady Regent made unto her But you have forgot said Simontault the principal cause which did induce her to return unto her Husband which was that the Canon was fourscore years of age and that her Husband was younger than she her self was And thus she cunningly took the best advantage of all things and gained in all her Markets for had the Canon been but as young you may be sure she would never have abandoned him The instructions and reproofs of the Ladies would have been no more effectual than the Sacraments which she took In my opinion said Nomerfide howsoever she did well in one thing which was that she did not too hastily confesse her offence which should be confessed unto God alone and she did wisely that she spoke so little and did not reveal her self before all the World for although it be true that she was faulty enough yet should she have lyed and sworn unto the contrary and there were no Man present to have disproved her even those lies and oaths would by some have been believed So it is said Longaren that a Sin unlesse it be with difficulty can never be so concealed but at one time or other it will be discovered except when God doth cover it in those who in their Love to him are repentant for it And what will you think of those said Hircan who have no sooner committed a folly but will presently reveal it to all the World It seemeth to be very strange to me said Longaren and it is a great sign that their Sin was very pleasing to them And as I have told you He whose fins are not covered by the Grace of God cannot deny himself before men and there are many who take pleasure to speak of such things and do make it their glory to publish their vices and others again are so foolish that in thinking to conceal they do accuse themselves They conceal themselves but very untowardly then said Saffredant but I pray you if you can give us any example of it that you will take my place and declare it to us Then listen to my Story said Longaren A Gentlewoman giving an account of her own loves and speaking of it in a third Person did unadvisedly declare her self The second Novell IN the time of King Francis the first there was a Lady of Royal bloud accompanied with Honour Virtue and Beauty and who could deliver her mind very elegantly and with a great Grace and she would also laugh as heartily when she heard any subject worthy of laughter This Lady being in one of her Country houses all her Subjects and Neighbours did come to visit her because she was as well beloved as any Woman possibly could be Amongst others there came unto her one afternoon a Gentlewoman who understood that every one who came unto her did account unto her one pretty story or another to passe away the time wherefore she resolved with her self that she would be found as forward as the rest and said unto her Madam I have a story to declare unto you that will make you laugh but you shall promise me not to declare it unto any immediatly she began to express her self Madam The story which I shall exhibite to you is very true upon my Conscience It is that there was a married Gentlewoman who lived very honestly with her Husband although she was but young and he was very antient A Gentleman that was her Neighbour seeing that she was married to that old Man was very amorous of her and did sollicite her many years together but he never received any other answer from her but such as a wise and virtuous Woman ought to give One day the Gentleman thought with himself that if he could take her at advantage peradventure she would not be so rigorous unto him and having a long time in a great fear debated with himself of the danger he should undergoe to obtain his desires the Love which he did bear unto the Genâ—lewoman did so take away all fear that he resolved with himself to seek out both the place and the occasion He did watch so narrowly that one morning when the antient Man Husband to the young Gentlewoman was gone to some houses that he had in the Country and was departed from his Wife very early in the morning because he would avoid the extreme hear of the Day he came into the House where the young Gentlewoman was whom he sound in bed and fast asleep and observing that all the Chamber-maids were gon out of the Chamber without having the apprehension to make fast the door he made hast into the bed to her with his Boots
Queen gave unto their Marriage with the wise answer of the young Lady to the Queen Nov. 1. f. 174. A Frier a great Reformer of the times under the shaddow of Religion did use all temptations and endeavours to seduce a fair Nun and his deceits at last were discovered Nov. 2. f. 198. Three Murders committed in one house on the persons of the Lord the Lady and their Child by the wickednesse of a Frier Nov. 3. f. 212. The gentile Invention of a Gentleman to manifest his love to the Queen of Spain and what insued thereupon Nov. 4. f. 221. The subtile Invention of a great Prince to delight himself with the fair Wife of 〈…〉 vocate of Paris Nov. 5. f. 230. The pleasant discourse of a great Lord to play the wanton with a Lady of Pampelona Nov. 6. f. 236. The rashness of a foolish Secretary who sollicited to Lust the Wife of his Companion by which he received great Disgrace Nov. 7. f. 254. A Secretary thought to cozâ—en one who cozened him and what was the event thereof Nov. 8. f. 257. A Labourer of the Village whose Wife was too familiar with the Curate did permit himself to be easily deceived Nov. 9. f. 261. The wonderfull Example of humane Frailty in a Lady who to conceal her honour did fall from one Evil into a greater Nov. 10. f. 264. The Fourth Journal The Execrable cruelty of a Frier to enjoy his detestable Lust and the punishment which he justly suffered Nov. 1. f. 272. The punishment more cruel than Death commanded by a Husband to be inflicted on his Wife whom he had taken in adultery Nov. 2. f. 279. The abomination of an Incestuous Priest who under the pretence of a holy life did impregnat his own Sister and the blasphemies that were contrived to conceal their sin and the punishment which ensued thereupon Nov. 3. f. 285. Two Friers too curious to listen to what did not belong unto them were struck into so great a fear that they thought they should have dyed Nov. 4. f. 290. The happy Industry which a wise Husband used to divert the love which his Wife did bear unto a Frier Nov. 5. f. 295. A President of Grenoble being advertised of the dissolute Inclinations of his Wife did provide such a remedy that his honor was not interested and he himself revenged Nov. 6. f. 305. The wisdom of a Wife to withdraw her Husband from a fond Love which did torment him Nov. 7. f. 311. The memorable Charity of a Woman of Tours to her Husband taken in Incontinence Nov. 8. f. 316. A good Invention to drive away an Evil Spirit Nov. 9. f. 318. A Lord caused his Brother-in-law to be killed not knowing the allyance Nov. 10. f. 322. The Fifth Journal The strange and new penance given by a Frier Confessor to a young Lady N. 1. f. 331. The Continence of a young Gentlewoman against the obstinate and amorous sute of one of the greatest Lords in France and the happy success which the young Gentlewoman obtained Nov. 2. f. 335. The Hypocrisie of a Lady at Court was discovered by the ill Carriage of her Love which she thought to have concealed Nov. 3. f. 346. Two Lovers who closely did enjoy their loves and the happy issue that did attend them Nov. 4. f. 357. A Husband pretending to chastise his Chambermaid deceived the simplicity of his Wife Nov. 5. f. 365. A Frier who in his Sermon made it a great crime for Men to beat their Wives Nov. 6. f. 371. A Gentleman of Percha wrongfully suspecting the love of his Friend to his Wife did provoke him to put in practise the Cause of his suspition Nov. 7. f. 373. Two Friers on the first night of a marriage did one after another usurp the place of the Bridegoom for which they were soundly punished Nov. 8. f. 360. The subtilty and incontinence of a Countesse to have secretly her pleasure from several Gentlemen and how she was discovered Nov. 9. f. 383. A Gentleman being newly let blood did too familiarly and excessively enjoy his Mistress which was the occasion of his death and of hers also Nov. 10. f. 390. The Sixth days Journal The persidiousnesse and great cruelty of an Italian Duke Nov. 1. f. 395. The nasty Breakfast prepared by an Apothecaries Boy for an Advocate and a Gentleman Nov. 2. f. 400 The personal diligence of a Prince to divert the affections of an importunate Lover Nov. 3. f. 405. A Gentlewoman of so good a disposition that seeing her Husband to kisse her Chambermaid did nothing else but laugh and would never give any other reason but that only she laughed at his shadow Nov. 4. f. 414. The Cunning of a Spanish Woman to defraud the Friers of the last Testament of her Husband Nov. 5. f. 417. A Frier Fraudulently married another Frier who was his Companion to a young Gentlewoman for which they were both punished Nov. 6. f. 420. A ridiculous Account of my Lord who did wear a Ladies Glove on his Habiliments Nov. 7. f. 427. A Lady of the Court did pleasantly revenge her self of a Gentleman who did bear love unto her Nov. 8. f. 431. A Gentleman thinking in private to kisse one of the Chamhermaids of his Wife was discovered and surprized by her Nov. 9. f. 435. A Citizens Wife of Paris did forsake her Husband a rich Merchant to follow a Chanter and â—â—unterfeiting her self dead she caused herself to be buried Nov. 10. f. 442. The Seventh Journal The wonderful and most uncontroul'd affection of a bold but beautiful Burgundian Gentlewoman to a Canon of Autun Nov. 1. f. 449. A Gentlewoman repeating an Account of her own loves speaking in the third person did by misregard declare her self Nov. 2. f. 458. The notable Chastity of a great Lord in France Nov. 3. f. 461. A Gentleman being disdained by a Gentlewoman to be her Husband did turn Frier and put on the habit of Religion for which she afterwards repenting did put on the Habit of a Nun Nov. 4. f. 466. The simplicity of an old Woman who presented a burning Candle of Wax to Saint John of Lyons and did stick it on the brow of a Souldier as he was sleeping at the Sepulcher and what was the issue that did attend it Nov. 5. f. 472. A ridiculous Account that happened to the King and Queen of Navarr Nov. 6. f. 474. The extreme love and severity of life of a French woman in a Forein land Nov. 7. f. 477. A Woman made her Husband to eat Cantharides to receive from him due and desired benevolence by which he thought he should have dyed Nov. 8. f. 482. An Italian suffered himself to be cozened by his Chambermaid who caused his Wife to find him bolting in a Womans habit instead of a Maid Nov. 9. f. 486. The excellent History and the relation of the Incontinence of a Dutchesse which was the cause of her death and of the death of two most absolute Lovers Nov. 10. f. 489. The eighth Journal A Woman at the point of death seeing her Husband to kisse ber Chambermaid did grow so extremely passionate that it was the sudden cause of her recovery Nov. 1. f. 520. The continual repentance of a Nun for having lost her virginity without Force or Love Nov. 2. f. 523. The End of the Table FINIS