to thimperfeuions in the world and to knowe som tyme wherin we offerde yet giues he this councell with al that we conuerte the experience of suche synister encounters to a peculiar defense of our selues againste th assaultes of semblable accidentes and not to vse it as an authoritie or priuiledge to iustifie our wickednes or consume oure tyme in the ymitation of euill wherein as the good men are defended by their vertue so let the worser sorte be ware by so manye millions of examples as our vnhappie age at this present is hable to furnishe in the like affaires And so to our historie the morow after this discourse betwen the dolorous LYVIO and his syster it chaunced that the doughter of RENALDO came all alone to see her companyon CORNELIA who albeit was sufficiently mindefull of her promisse yet was she furthered with a fit occasion by CAMYLLA for that after certaine litle deuises betwene them she asked the cause of the sodaine chaunge and alteracion in her brother why he was no more séene to assiste the honeste assemblies in masque or other sorte to whome CORNELIA aunswered that as she was of equall desyer to knowe thoccasion of his solitarie absence so greuynge aboue the reste with his pyning estate I haue asked saith she the cause of his gréefe which with the circunstance and effecte of all his annoye procedes from you my deare frend and companyon as one in whome is norished the care and trauaile of mynde of my sorowfull brother Howe is it possible saith the simple CAMILLA that I should worke hym any wo seinge hitherunto I haue bene no lesse careful of his wel doing then curious of mine owne health neither haue I saide or don the thing I am sewer wherein was any pointe of euil meanynge towardes hym onlesse he make construction of my simple and honeste zeale lyke as also I would be sorie to be the author of his miscontentemēt any waye the present passion of my brother saith CORNELIA is deriued of a contrarie cause for the to much delite and pleasure he hathe taken in seinge you hathe broughte hym to the brinke of this bane and yet as they wryte of the SCORPION hee hopeth to drawe the remedye frome her that hath geuen him the wounde Yf you make not a more plaine exposition of youre darke texte sayeth CAMILLA I shall hardlye reade the misterye of your readle for as yet I vnderstande nothinge but highe duche eye marye sayeth thother and therein consisteth the chiefeste cause of my greefe for if the peculyar affliction of my brother were comon also to you or that you enioyed but a simple perticipacion of his annoye you shoulde not onlye vnderstande that which I am driuen to vnfolde but be as readie to geue the remedie as hee hathe reason in the meane while to suffer the grefe or I ashamed to be the messenger Do away this philosophie my dearefrende saythe CAMILLA and cutte of at laste my doubtfull suspence touchinge your meanynge for if thuttermoste of that whiche is in me maye stande hym in steade I will eyther performe the full of your demaunde or at least yelde you such reason to the contrarye that you shal be voyde of iust cause to complaine of myne aunswere Here CORNELIA tolde her that thorigynall of her brothers euill proceded of a wonderfull vehemencye of loue he bare to her with addicion that if she yelded hym not the hyer of his zeale wyth a counterchaunge of affection she shoulde see in shorte tyme the ende of his lyfe no lesse desperatelye then in secrete sorowe hee consumeth the beste of his age in the loyall seruitude he hath alreadie vowed on her behalfe and for my parte sayeth shee not without some teares as the violence of his passion only knowen vnto me hathe forced me to stande here thunseamely solycitor of his cause so if it be a vertue to expose compassion vppon thafflicted lette the respecte of my dystresse sturre vppe an increase of pitie in you to ayde the desolation of my carefull brother beholde my CAMILLA the circumstance of my presente extremitie and ymagyn that wyth the losse of my brother dekaieth the onely proppe and pillor of my lyfe and yet simple girle that I am boide of experience in such affayres lo here I am constrayned to builde requestes no lesse inconuenient to my estate then vnseamelye for my yeares albeit for my purgacion to wardesyou I hope the lawe of nature and loue of the syster to wardes her brother will excuse this diligence and indeuor which I vse to preserue the life of him whom I holde no lesse deare then the tendrest part of myne eye wherwith CAMILLA not without argumentes of some litle femynine anger staide her further discourse with this aunswere who wolde haue thought sayeth she that a gentlewoman of your qualytie and callinge wolde haue exceded the lymittes of her estymacion so farr as for the respecte of the folishe appetit of a yonge man to discharge the parte of a shameles messenger in a case no lesse vnworthie for your honour then contrarye to me to whom thimbassage is dressed arte thou so credulus in the constancie of men myne own CORNELIA that thou wilte repose good earnest in that wherin they take pleasure to dissemble or arte thou of opynion that as often as the iolytie of fraile youthe do prefarre sighes and traunces with other dollorous regardes painted by dissymuled pollicie in the forefront of their faces that it is true loue that possesseth theym or honeste desier that moueth their dule nothinge lesse for albeit teares for the moste parte are the true messengers of the dollour of the harte and ought chieflye to moue compassion yet in cases of loue they bee but suborned signes and declaracions of wanton desier and for that cause oughte not to receiue other meede thenne their meanynge dothe meritte seynge wythall that the desierous mynte groundes his pretence moste commonlye vppon the thynge whyche vertue canne not brooke and reason denieth to graunte And admitt it bee a follie peculyar to many and a passion ymparted to all men by nature to follow thinstinct of loue what grudge of conscience I praie you is it to a maide to suffer her vaine louer to pyne vppon creaditte soo that shee stande so surelye vppon the garde of her chastetie that shee be not seduced wyth his flatterynge charmes it is not in our power to lette theym to loue onlye we oughte to be carefull of our honour and shon thinfection leaste we become vnhappye afore the tyme besydes howe greatlye shoulde wee abuse oure dutie and obedience towardes oure parentes in passinge a graunte of oure good will wythoute their consente whyche onely oughte to directe vs in any sorte whatsoeuer No no lett theym almente and measure their mournynge at what intereste they thinke good the same shall not staie the course of my sleepe neither shal their teares eclips y e least momēt of my pleasure contentmente for when
or troubled wyth other bulynes that she coulde not kepe hym companie not lettynge somtime to shoott her gates against hym all whiche because she sawe lacked force to make hym refraine she retired to thassistance of pollecie desyeryng hym wyth simple and colde termes to do her so muche honor as to forbeare from hensfurth all access to her house for that she was in mynde to retourne to her husbande with whome theffect of attonement was alredye wroughte by certeine her frendes who beinge vpon the waye to fetche her hoame she woulde not by any meanes should finde her in the attire of a Cortisan or woman makynge loue Besides syr saith she not without some dissembled teares I féele a remorce of conscience on the behalfe of the longe abuse I haue vsed towardes hym and that albeit my offence procedynge of follye seames not altogether worthye of frée pardon yet it maye appeare in some sorte excusable so he that confesseth his faulte gyueth greate argument of amendement and restoreth the trespasse to sufficient recompense desyerynge you for ende to haue no lesse consideracion of my present case then heretofore you haue founde no wante of good wyll in me to satisfye the respecte of your pleasure at all tymes where with to prefer a more credit to her suborned discourse she promised hym a contynuacion of fauor wyth assuraunce of vnfayned good wyll so longe as nature was content to lende her the vse of lyfe The erle whether he gaue faythe to her fayned woordes or dissembled a credytt for the nonst yet he seamed to perswade a trothe in the matter for that from the hower of suche conference he checked the humour of hys accustomed desyer vsynge exquisitt medecines to mortifye that blynd affection whiche so longe had kepte hym in captiuitye in the bottomles goolphe of his Pyemount And be cause he woulde aswell remoue the cause as take awaye the disease ferynge leaste eyther the viewe of her presence or some force of newe charme mighte eftesones enchaunte hym and sett abroche the humor of former desyers he retired immediatlye to MYLLAN He feared also the fall of some soddaine mischiefe chieflye for that he had sufficient experience of the cursed disposicion of this Viper whose harte was so infected with the poysoned ayre of euery syn that beinge wearye of the excercise of whordome she would make no conscience to furnishe the stage with vnnaturall morders For what exspectation of other frute is in them whose mindes are cleane dispoiled of vertue if not suche as are allowed by the guyde and wicked spirite that gouerneth their diabolicall disposition or who is ignoraunt of the tyrannye of a woman conuerted whollye into the appetit of rage and reuenge neyther is her crueltye any thyng inferior to the deuouring monster and excedes euerye waye the brutishe inclination of the barbarous sorte of creatures whose rage albeit now and then procureth them to vse force against the natural procreacioÌ„ frutes of their owne wombes yet do they staye to committ any kinde of crueltie to suche as haue traffiqned wyth them in the trade of licencious luste accomptinge no greater sacrilege or profanacion of the lawe and ceremonies due to their goddes then to pollute their handes wyth the blodde of suche as earst haue supplied the luste of their sensual pleasure wherin if they whych had no kuowledge of god nor feared the deuill and voyde altogether of discipline and experience in humanitie reserued a certeine honor and respect to nature why shoulde there be eyther frée dispense or tolleracion of punishment to the wretches of our age who notwythstandynge the dayly vse of the lawe written by the very fynger of god and reueiled vnto vs byhys prophetes and Apostles wyth diuerse threateninge inhibicions noted in thinfallible booke do not feare to offende the maiestie of the high este not only in stayninge theyr sowles wyth the spot of adulterie but also in dyenge the earthe wyth the blodd of their bretherne and fellowes in Christe wherein this historie shal present you with a sufficieÌ„t profe for this time The Lord GAIAZO had no soner lefte PAVYA then this infernall goddesse began to attempte the recouerie of her firste louer VALPERGO wherin notwithstandinge there apeared an equalitie of doubt and difficultie chieflie for that she feared that he that laste left her had diciphered her intent wyth reuelacion of the meane she had deuised to procure hys deathe But what enterprise is it that he dare not attempte whose mynde is the bondeman and slaue of syn wherin albeit the beginninge seame to ymport a certeine difficultie for that the soule preferreth a resistance and the conscience waueringe is moued to a remorse and remembrance of repentance yet whan a man is alreadis become old in syn and the harte enuyroned with the braunches of iniquitie the wycked man hath a more facilitie in th execution of mischiefe then he that is good hable to kepe the renowne of vertue euenso when youth is norished in ympudencie and age deuested of honeste shame there is no perill can make the one affraied nor ymputacion of reproch geue cause to the other to blushe like as this ympudent Pyemountâ—â—se renewinge the traffique of her aunciente wickednes practised so far wyth the familiars and frendes of hym whose deathe as you harde she earste conspired by malice excusinge herselfe so amplie by embassages and letters of vehement perswacion that he was content to heare in what sort she was hable to purge her selfe wherin her iustificacion was the sooner admitted for that the iudge was not only pertiall on her behalfe but rather enclyned to foolishe pytie then disposed to enioyne iuste pennance shee promised by protestacion of fayth and religious othe not only to become hys subiect and slaue so longe as her soule was caried aboute vppon the mortall chariot of her bodie but also gaue hym at thinstant a pawne of her lyfe wyth all that she had for the performaÌ„ce of her laste promise Here was the peace eftsones concluded betwene the wicked countesse and vnhappy earle whose articles were registred and seales put to the night folowinge when the Lorde VALPERGO was restored to the possession of the fortresse whiche earste was reuolted and lyued longe dnder the awe of an other prince wherin as they thus renewed the rounde of their amarous daunce the one fynding a more skoape of libertie vnder her recouered louer then afore the other resolued whollie to obserue thappetite of his Ladie beholde a seconde desyer of blodd and suggestion of morder appearing eftsones in the face of this MEGERA who croppinge altogether the hearbe of reuenge longed nowe for the destruction of hym who as you harde promised to do sacrafice on the bodie whyche presentlie she embrased and helde in moste estimacion wherof if she had béene demaunded the cause I thinke she coulde haue geuen no other reason of her malice then that deliting in bloddie enterprises shee accompted it a pryncipall vertue
pitie to your poore Ianiquette who if euer she offended you is here come to yelde her to your mercie and takynge suche vegance as you thynke good to ymploye her further in the seruice that beste maye lyke you onely I commende vnto your goodnes the wretched state of my children whose miseries accompained with a contynuall crye for releeffe hath here presented me prostrat at your féete kissing y e same with no lesse humylitie then signe of submission wythe request eftsones to accept the offer of youre hande mayde in recompence of the wronge I haue heretofore don you but chiefly alas to redeme my children from the rage and vyolence of hounger and prolonge their lyues that oughte not yet to take ende by the Lawe and course of nature Here loue and pitie seamed to quarrell wythin the harte of Luchyn the one puttinge the praye into his handes prouoked hym to croppe the frutes of his longe desier the other defendinge the cause of the wretched captiue preferred perswacions to the contrarye puttinge hym in remembrance y t the glory can not bée greate where the victorye is won by vnlawfull meanes neyther colde hée tryumphe in a better conqueste then in ouercommynge hym selfe to dismisse her wythout vyolacion wherfore comparing her former constancie with the extreme causes that procured her presente offer respectinge also the duetie of hys owne conscience did not only determyne to assiste her pouertie wyth succor of sustentacion but also to absteine hys handes from deflowringe so rare aparagon wherewyth hée tooke her from the grounde kissing her watery chieke sayde vnto her do awaye these teares of dule and conuert the remembrance of auncient sorowe into an vnfayned hope of present consolecion reapose your selfe vpon the vertue of your inuincible chastetie and ymagyne you haue receiued the due meritte of the same for for my parte god forbidd that the malice of your presente necessitie yeldynge you into my handes shoulde make me gréedie to get that whyche loue colde not conquere nor spoâ—le you of the thinge whych I oughte and will holde in chiefe veneracion wherin being thus by your vertue made maister of my self I fele also mortefied in me the wanton suggestions which earst moued me to loue only the bewtie and body of Ianiqueta and now that reason is be come my guide and distresse rather then loue hathe made you thus prodigal of your honor for the sustentacion of your children yt shal suffice me to haue you at my coÌ„mandemeÌ„t withoute anye affore of wronge to your estimacion or honestie And as your chastetie doth challenge her rewarde so because it is you that is to glory in the gifte of so greate a vertue and I to yelde tribute for that treason I haue wroughte you I assure you here in the mouthe of a gentleman not onely to furnish you of all thinges necessarie with honor and estymacion equall to myne owne sister but also to be as carefull of your reputacion as heretofore I haue sought to seduce and spot it with lasciuious infamy Ianiquetta was restored here to doble contentment bothe to haue her pudicitie respected and vndowted assurance of the liberal promisse of the curteous Luchyn whych she would eftsones haue acknowledged with an humble prostitucion and kissinge of his féete but that he not liking such supersticious reuerence preuented her intente and presented her by the hande vnto his wife wyth these wordes Because the conceite of the Ieleus mynde is seldome satisfyed til the cause of the suspicion be cleane taken away and that the grudge is neuer appeased till thoffendor be punished I haue here broughte you the cause of your greatest doubt with the vision that so many nightes hathe appered in your dreame and broken the swéete course of your naturall sléepe enioyninge you full authoritie to commit her to what penance you will giuinge the stroke of vengance at your own discrection to whom she aunswered that if she had no more cause to be doubtfull of his doinges then raison to bée Ielous of the honestie of the poore woman she had béene as frée from suspicion as far froÌ„ cause of disquiet neyther had her eyes anye cause to complaine of thimpediment of sléepe nor her braine so often assailed wyth the Alaram of hollowe dreames for thexperience and proofe of her vertue sayth shée dyd alwayes assure mee of her honestye whyche yett wyll not stowpe to the malice of thée tyme nor loase the glorye of her renowmée althoughe fortune haue layde her heauye hande vppon her in takynge a waye her husbande whiche temperat modestie in hys wyfe doubled his affection with confyrmation of a sincere good wyll towardes her for euer And in recitinge the laste chaunce and discourse passed betwene hym Ianiquette he saide that if she knewe in what sorte he had kepte his fayth towarde her she woulde not doubte to put hym on the phile of moste true and loyal husbandes willynge her to take her furnishe her with all prouision and other thinges necessarie with no lesse care and liberall allowance then if it were for his deare sister whereunto she put no lesse expedicion then her selfe had cause to reioyce in the honeste continencye of her husbande all whiche beinge made immediatly a common brute thorowe the citye became also of greate wonder amongest the people aswell for that thinstigation of harde necessitie had made Ianiquette ployable to that which she hath longe refuced with great detestation as also for the heroicall vertue of the gentleman who abhorring the wicked offer of fortune and time conuerted his lasciuious desier norished in his intralles by so longe contynuaunce into a disposicion of vertue contrarie to the exspectation of all men An example suer worthie of greate veneracion and wherin the sensuall appetites are so restrayned and gouerned by the rule of raison that I doubte whether the Romaines haue noted more continencye in their Fabia Emilya or Scipyo or the Grecians in theyr olde Xenocrates who is not so meritorious of coÌ„mendation for that being charged with yeres he made a proffe of his chastetie as this Luchin who in y e glorie of his age and full of the hoatt humours of youth made a conqueste of his affections wyth a wonderfull showe of vertue and vndoubted signe and assurance of the perfection of his fayth for whych cause I haue noted vnto you his hystorye which also I wyshe myghte serue to sturre vpp the fraile youthe of our dayes to the ymitacion of the lyke vertue remembryug by the viewe of this discourse that the sensuall appetites and prouocation of the fleshe are not of suche force but they are subiecte to correction neyther is loue so inuincible but the wise and vertuous man maye kepe hym alwayes in awe so that he giue hym not to muche libertye at the first nor creaditt to muche the instigation and humour of his owne fancie FINIS The argument WHose youth and yeres of folly haue made an
to resorte thereunto and learne by othermens misdéeds to direct better his owne doinges and not with th' exchange of the worlde to alter also his minde but rather asmuche as lyeth in hym to ymitate the lyfe and conuersation of theym who haue lyued well before wherein seinge in this worlde the nature of man in all ages althoughe the singler personnes bee chaunged remeineth stil one so also the good fortunes felicities calamities and miseries whyche happen both in publike gouernement and to euerye priuate state tourne alwayes to one effect and are lyke those of tymes paste so that by the benefyt of stories presentinge afore oure eyes a true kallender of things of auncient date by the commendacion of vertuous and valyaunt personnes and actes we be drawen by desyer to treade the stepps of their renowme and on thother syde considering the sinister fortune horrible cases which haue happened to certeine miserable soules we behold both th' extreme points wherunto the fraile condicion of man is subiect by infirmitie and also are thereby toughte by the viewe of other mens harmes to eschew the like inconueniences in our selues wherein righte honorable like as I haue rather touched sleightelye then vsed tearmes of commendacion at large according to the worthynes of so precious a Iewell as the knowledg of histories for that now a dayes euery mans mouth is open to commende the frute distilling from so florishynge a vine â—o for my part beyng more forwarde then hable to discharge my zeale in that behalfe haue bestowed some of my voyed howers whilest I was in the other sides the Sea in forcynge certeyne Tragicall Discourses oute of theyr Frenche tearmes into our Englishe phrase presumyng to commende vnto your Ladishypp the frutes and effecte of my trauayle folowynge therein the order of suche as haue spente tyme in the lyke studye who are wounte to declare theyr good wyll by bestowynge theyr labours wherewithe beinge vnhappelye denyed other frendshypp of fortune to make good my desyer in gyuing an vnfayned showe of the dutye and seruice I owe you and the house whereof you tooke youre begynnynge am here vppon tearmes of humilitye for preferment of this rude and simple dedication of theis forrein reapportes to youre honor to whose vertues as I haue chiefelye respected to gyue due renowme by preferrynge a true purtraict of your conuersation and lyfe in the vertues giftes and ornamentes of the noble ANGELIQVA chaste PAROLYNA constant IVLIA and renowned CARMOSYNA wyth others whose integretye of life hath gyuen theim a crowne of immortalitye wyth a glorious remembrance of theyr names for euer after theyr deathe so my seconde indeuor was bent to obserue the necessitie of the tyme chiefly for that vppon the viewe and examples of oure Auncesters lyues the fraile ympes of this age maye fynde cause of shame in theyr owne abuses wyth desyer to exchaunge their badd condicion and order of lyuynge wyth the studye and desyer to ymitate the vertue of their predecessours whose lyfe and renowme after death argueth the vndoubted rewarde at tendynge as a thynge of course the vertuouse and well disposed where of the contrarye appeare wounderfull tormentes and sharpp pennaunce prouided to plage the abhominable and vicious lyuer Besides it is a principle and chiefe rule in our nature and disposition to bee rather instructed by examples of familyar authorityes then reformed by seueritye of lawes for that the one seames to gouerne vs by awe and commaundement and in the other appeares a consent of oure fancie marchinge alwayes accordynge to the direction of our owne willes for whiche cause the Historians of olde tyme in theyr seuerall recordes of the actes conquestes and noble attemptes of Princes and greate men haue lefte oute nothynge seruynge for the ornamente and institution of mannes lyfe not forgettynge to sett oute also in naturall coollers theyr tyrannye and other vices withe contempte of vertue yf theyr lyues were founde guiltye in any suche offence But when they paynte oute a good kynge a magistrate without touche of partiall or couetous mynde a courtyar loyall and withoute dissimulation A minister of the Churche not smellynge of hypocrysye but searchynge purelye the honor of God A Ladye chaste honeste curteouse a louer of charitye vsynge a deuoute reuerence to God and feare to hys lawes yt is then that they allure by traines of familyaritye euerye succession to embrace and beholde as in a glasse the vndoubted meane that is hable and wylt brynge theym to the lyke perfection in vertue whyche also moued me to vse a speciall discrecion in coollynge oute suche examples as beste aggreed wyth the condicion of the tyme and also were of moste freshe and famylyar memorye to the ende that wyth the delyte in readynge my dedication I maye also leaue to all degrees an appetitt and honeste desyere to honor vertue and holde vice in due detestation And albeit at the firste sighte theis discourses maye importe certeyne vanytyes or fonde practises in loue yet I doubte not to bée absolued of suche intente by the iudgement of the indifferent sorte seinge I haue rather noted diuersitie of examples in sondrye younge men and women approuynge sufficientlye the inconuenience happenynge by the pursute of lycenceous desyer then affected in anye sorte suche vncerteine follyes For heare maye bée séene suche patternes of chastetye and maydes so assured and constant in vertue that they haue not doubted rather to reappose a felicitye in the extreme panges of death then to fall by anye violent force into the daunger of the fleshelye ennemye to theyr honour In lyke sorte appeareth here an experience of wounderfull vertues in men who albeit hadd power to vse and commande the thinge they chieflye desyered yet bridlynge wythe maine hande The humour of theyr inordinate luste vanquished all mocions of sensualytye and became maisters of theym selues by abstaynynge from that whereunto they felte prouocation by nature who desyereth to sée the follye of a foolishe lover passionynge hymselfe vppon creditt the impudencie of a maide or other woman renouncynge the vowe of her fayth or honor due to virginitie the sharpp pennance attendynge the rashe choice of greate Ladyes in séekynge to matche in anye sorte wythe degrées of inferior condicion or who wisheth to bée priuie to th'inconueniences in loue howe he frieth in the flame of the fyrste affection and after groweth not onelye colde of hymselfe but is easelye conuerted into a contrarye shapp and disposition of deadlye hate maye bée heare assisted wyth more then double expeperience touchinge all those euills the curtesie of an enemye on the behalfe of hys aduersarye wythe a wounderfull lyberalitye in the other in retournynge the benefytt receyued is heare set furthe in fuche lyuelye coollers that there seames to lacke nothynge for the ornament and decoracion of suche a wooke And who takes pleasure to beholde the fyttes and panges of a frantique man incensed to synister conceites by the suggestion of frettynge Ielouzye forcynge hym to effectes of absolute desperation
iustice were closed againste the complaint of innocents neither durst any man inueighe on his behalfe for feare of hym that was thauthor of thact and the ayde of kynsmen is as colde in that countrey as in other places and frendes nowe a dayes resemble the rauen or hungry kyte who neuer flyeth but towardes the place where they hope to fynde some thinge to praye vpon so the frendes of our age be fled so far from the vertue of true frēdshipp that they will not onely refuse to releue hym whome God and nature hath bounde them to susteine but also make no conscience to disclaime the name of a kinsman to the nearest allye they haue and that without any cause onlesse you will impute it to the want of equall welthe wherein mine owne experience moueth me to make a chalenge to some in England if my power were as indifferent to pleade with hym as I haue iuste reason to put hym in remembraunce of his fault albeit that quarels is tollerable which marcheth vnder the flagge of innocency and truth and iuste obiections wil make the guilty blushe but nowe to the sorowful MONTANYN who complayninge the points of his desaster in a darke prison where was no kynd of consolation nor yet the offer of any ECCHO to resounde his dolorous cryes was saluted the nexte daye with a copye of his sentence diffinitiue wherin he was taxed to the some of a M. Florents or losse of lyfe within ix dayes here he founde what it is to haue an euill neyghbour and how greatly they do thurst that destere to drinke of an other mans cupp but chieflye the insatiable longyng of suche as are with child for an other mans liuyng and albeit his conscience was without grudge for any offence or breache of the lawe yet his grief seamed of harde tolleracion because the cursed trayson of a Cankard Clowen shoulde tryumphe ouer hym so farre that to quenche the glot of his couetous rage he shoulde be forced to disinherite himselfe and leaue without succour his deare syster who for her part was so dolorous on the behalf of this newe desaster fallen vpon her brother that she sturred not out of her chamber nor once suffered her eyes to bee dry from teares since the firste newes of that sorowfull accident whiche she complayned with more vehemency because she sawe a present approche of perentory destruction to the little remeinder of the whole house alas saith she is the crueltye of fortune of suche rigorous condicion or her malice of suche perpetuitye that she will graunte no dispense nor admit any oblacion or offer to purchasse her fauor or is ther no sacrafice to satisfye the angry dispositiō of the heauens who ceasse not to thonder whole millions of mishappes vpon this desolate and wretched house of ours with continuaunce of their angrye regards euen vntill thutter dissolution of the same howe much better had it ben for vs fewe which remaine of the dekayed stocke and withered generacion of MONTANYNO to haue passed amongest the rest of our companions by the edge of the sworde of the enemye then in lyuynge to be miserable partakers of the vniuste malice of such as are not onely common enemies to innocency but bearynge a naturall grudge to the veray remembraunce and name of nobility do hunt with open mouth as the rauenyng wolfe to deuoure the discents of noble kynd how can this beare the name of a free cytie or iustely merite the tytle of a state not incident to seruile lawe where the gouernement passeth vnder the conueyghe of a confused multitude whome nature hath ordeined to drawe the yoke of other mens awe and lawe of kynde in their natiuitie framed to be subiect to suche as their rurall force constraines to stoope to the sentence of their dome Ah brother saith she with a freshe supplye of sorowfull teares howe rightely can I conster the cause of thy presente trouble and indifferent vndoing of vs both the example of thy wronge argues sufficiently the detestable disposition of our cursed Senatours who seame more gredye to hunte the chasse of vnlawfull and fylthye gaine then carefull to kepe their conscience wythout spott or grudge of manifest oppression and wronge for yf the desyre of thy litle liuynge in the countrey and glisteringe shewe of thy greate house in the open gaze and eye of the whole worlde passing by the streetes had not sturred vp the couetous humour of that rauenouse marchaunte thou hadst lyued free from care and thy estate farre from anye question in the SENATE house neyther woulde any man haue charged thee with imputacion of a thing which I wold to God thou hadst not onely vndertaken but also broughte to effecte to the ende thou mightest haue bene the author and I the witnes of the iuste reuenge of this villanous crew whose naturall malice more then eyther reason or iustice doth clogge the with this harde imposition of manifest wronge there is no reason that a peltynge marchaunt neuer norished in anye skole of cyuill or curteous education other then in a shoppe amongest prentises and companions of his owne calibre or the son of hym that is a slaue and seruile borne by kynde shoulde eyther beare office in a common welthe and muche lesse sytte in iudgement of theym whose harts by nature abhores to be tryed by the BARBAROVS voice of so vile and base people oh how happy be theis states contreys where hynges gyue lawes and princes vse respect of fauor to suche as resemble them in condicion and vertue neither hath he greate cause to grudge with his dome that hath his cause debated in the presence of his prince and his sentence published by suche as bee of equall honor and Reputatyon where wee alas maye iustlye exclaime againste oure cursed constellacion that hath broughte vs forthe in so vnhappie a tyme and made vs not onely incident but subiect and slaues to a councell more peruerst and partial then corrupcion it selfe I woulde our predecessours or some good fortune of forreine tyme by reducy nge this countrey into a Monarke had established a seat Royall of a Kynge wyth authorititye that only his seede and succession sholde gouerne the whole ▪ rather then by leauing it thus dispersed into diuerse cōfuced liberties to make vs a mutuall praye one to an other for haue we not the Frenchemen at oure backes and the army of the greate Uicare of Rome one the one side with the subtil Florentins ready to inuade vs on the other side in suche sorte as who so is hongry maye boldly praye vppon vs without resistaunce and yet for a more increase of our wrechednes wee mainteine warre with our selues and the best parte subdued and made thrall to suche as are not worthy any waye to be vallet to the worste of vs that feles our selues greued with suche afflictiō but what can satisfy y e couetousnes of man or what benefit can stay hym that is giuen to perfidie or falsehod to what
on thaduerse partie is leaste exspecte or hope of succoure for how canne a man lay a more sewer soundation of perpetuall glorye then in correctinge the humoure of hys fowle appetite and conquerynge the vn bridled affections of the wilful mind to make them bound vnto the by thy benefyts who wer in dispaire to receiue any pleasure at thy hands y t whiche declaration of true vertue lyke as it happeneth so seldom amongest men now a dayes that we may ve raye well terme it a thinge excedinge the common course and order of nature So he that wyll chalenge the title of true nobilitie seame to excel the rest in thappeale of perfect honor muste prefer in publike suche absolute effects of hys worthynes and vertue as the same may iustlye appeare meritorious of an immortal memory in the successe of al future ages The chiefest pointes of so large cōmendacion which so many recordes of antiquitye do attribute vnto the greate Dictatoure CESAR consiste more in the clemencye hée vsed to his ennemies being vanquished and vnder the awe of hys mercye then in the mortall and manye battailes he fought agaynst the valiaunte GALLES and britons or subduing the renowned POMPEY the grrat ALEXANDER deserued no lesse honor for the pytie and curtesie hee vsed towardes SYSIGAMBIS the mother of DARIVS with other desolate Ladyes whyche hée tooke prysoners in the battaile foughte at Arobella thenne fame in the conqueste of the kynge and contreye of PERCIA and MEDIA and at the death of the wyfe of DARIVS in hys camppe hee let fal no lesse effucion of teares then if hée had bene presente at the buriall of OLYMPIAS his naturall mother neyt her coulde hee haue made so greate a conqueste of the whole easte worlde wyth hys small crewe and companye of MACEDONIANS if he had not subdued more contreys by clemencye thenne force of armes besydes who is ignorante of the late curtesye of DON RODERICO VIVANO of Spayne who all bée it myghte haue reuenged thinfydelytye of DON PIETRO thenne kyng of Aragon for that hée wente a bowte to ympeshe his expedicion agaynst the sarazins being then at Granado did not only for beare to punish hym or put hym to ransom but also beinge his prisoner by order and lawe of armes dismissed hym into his countreye with no lesse honour then belonged to his estate withoute any exaction of his person or realme wherin for my parte the more I reaue in the rariety of their noble vertues so muche the more oughte I to increase my indeuor in thymitacion of the like examples and of the crontrary what great cause haue I to preferre a continuation of the grudge ended alredye by warre or why shoulde I sturre vp eftefones a freshe Remembrance of the faulte alredye forgeuen what iniury haue they don to me ormine which was not retorned vnto them without intrest of double reuenge admit their predecessours haue bene ennemies to my house haue they not borne a more harde penance then the greatnes of their offence deserued What cause haue I then to renew the alaram of their miserie or why stay I to succour their desolate state in some satisfaction of the iniuries they haue receiued by me and mine besides the wrathe of God accordyng to the wordes of the Apostle is alwaies hanginge ouer the heades of suche as seame to take pleasure in the affliction of their neighbour reioyce in the misfortune or misery of an other if all thies lacke sufficient force to mortifie the remembrāce of auncient malice within me and in exposing contrarie to the exspectatiō and opinion of the world a wonderful example of vertue to moue me to releue his distresse that dispaireth of all succour and reclaim by liberalitie the frendeshipe of him who if he euer offended is alredye pardoned like as also if his innocency haue bene abused by me and mine my cōscience calleth me to a remorce in rendring satisfaction in so nedeful a time yet am I drawen by a band of further dutye and incensed by a somaunce or special instigacion of the honour and seruice which my harte hath alredye vowed on the behalfe of her whose beauty vertue deserues a greater méede then the vttermost that I can do eyther for the cōtentement of her or consolation of her brother for like as ther is no man onlesse he bee vtterlye deuested from the gyfte of humanitye beinge passioned with equall affection and sosomoned by semblable desire to doo some notable seruice to my deare ANGELIQVA as I am that woulde not racke hys power to the highest pyn to take awaye the chiefe causes of her dolefull teares and restore her to a spedie contentment conuenient for her merite So in louinge her I muste also imbrace suche as shee accomptes and by good righte are moste deare vnto her And if I will make a declaration of the true zeale I beare her why do I staie to expose it in so nedefull a time and on the behalfe of him whome shee loueth no lesse then her selfe attending euen now the fatall stroake of the morderinge sworde for a tryfflinge due of a thousande florentes and why shoulde I doubte to make it knowen in publike that only the force of loue hathe made me trybutary to the faire ANGELIQVA for seinge that kinges and the greateste monarkes of the Worlde do drawe vnder the yoke of his awe it is not for me to eschewe that by speciall pryuiledge whiche is incidente to all men by nature neyther ought I herein to refuce the offer of my destenie nor straun gers to enter into muche maruaile if I beinge of the mettall of other men and subiect to no lesse impression and passions of mynde then the reste do make presente dedication of my harte and seruice to her whose vertue I am sewer is so in vincible agaynst all aduersitie that neyther necessitie nor the moste extreame message that fortune can send her is hable to make her forfeyte the leaste pointe of her honestie or forgette the renowme of the genelogie wherof she is discended wherin as honest loue hath sturred vp this mocion in me with composicion to expose imediatlye the frutes and effecte of semblable vertue So the spedye delyuerye of thy brother Oh ANGELYQVA shal argue sufficientlye to all men that it is only the regarde of thy beawtie that hath paied the price of his raunsom and remoued frome his tender legges the heauye yrons whiche the penaunce of harde imprisonemente had vniustlye enioyned vnto him tryumphinge also with this increase of further glorye that onlye the regardes and glauncis of thy glisteringe eyes haue made a breach into the hart whiche earste hathe defyed the malice and vttermoste of all force and made hym bowe of his owne kinde that neuer colde bee broughte to bende or stowpe to any of what degree or condition so euer they were And thou SEIGNEVR CHARLES for thy parte hast this daye gained so assured and perfecte a frende that if thou wilt confirme the
honor or commendacion at all due to theim whose liues expose more argumentes and proues of infamie then the moste vile and swearinge ruffyan that euer did seruice to thimpudente curtisan of Rome neither is it a seamlye honor or ornamente for the church of GOD to see a prelatte puffed vpp with vanitie iettinge vp and downe the streetes vppon his footeclothe attended vpon as a satrapas with a traine of dashbucklers or squaringe tospottes and hym selfe pinked and razed in thattire of a yonge bridegrome with hys heare curled by art fallinge in lockes as it were by appointment vppon his forheade with more curyositie then an olde ydoll or ymage of venus perfuming the streetes with the smell of muske and amber whiche he hath conyngely inclosed in the seames of his garmentes besides what example of vertue is it to see one of our reuerend religious fathers and gouernous of couentes more geuen to courte the dames with requestes of sensualitie then to torne ouer the leaues of the new testament or other sacred institucions left vnto vs by christe and his disciples and emploie more studie in deuise to seduce and subborne their neighbors wiues and doughters then to visit their diocesse and defende the sely shepe against the malice of the raueninge wolfe seking to deuoure the few that be left Is he worthy to be admitted to feede the flocke or beare the title of christes shepherd that lyues in more adultery fornycation and dronkenes then he that makes an only profession of suche euil all the daies of his life or how is he hable to reclaime such as be out of the waye to saluacion that detesteth the scripture delites in wickednes and preferres absolute examples of the most perentory synne that can bee whereof thytalyan bandell hath drawen a moste true and lyuelye pattorne in the person of a neapolitaine Abbott whyche I haue accompted of necessitie to prefer amongest my volume of discourses as well to the confucion of hym selfe and such as resemble him in condicion as to geue worthie glorie to the vertue of a pure virgyn who had her honor in such reputacion that she sought rather to end her dayes in the defence of her chastetie thenne to commit the vse of her bodie to the fleshly will of an Abbot more full of villanie thenne perticipatinge with thosfice and dutie of a true christian THE VILLENNIE OF an abbot in sekinge to seduce a mayde by force and her vertue in defendyng her honor against him and his companyons of traison ALl men whose experience by trauaile is a wytnes of the singularities of Italye and spaine are of opinion I am sewer that NAPLES is one of y e most riche pleasante and Populus cities in EVROPE bothe for the beautie and fartilitie of the countreye rounde aboute the magnifical plat and scituacion of the towne prospectinge with open casementes vppon the heyghte of the highe sea TyrenuÌ„ and also the warlyke garrison of gentlemen of al contreis lyenge there for the defence of the frontiers with the ciuill disposicion of the people inhabitynge the sayde paradise There maye you see a plaine and pleasante champaine yeldynge a wonderfull solace wyth her delicate aire breathing vppon suche as vse the feildes for wholsome recreacion and noresheth besides all chases of delite necessarie for thexercise of nobilitie And he that wysheth to be priuie to the pleasure of solitarie places maye see there the wonderfull arte and industrie of nature declared in the conueigh of litle hilles or pendells of the earthe hangynge as it were by a frame of Geometrye beawtified on all partes with an infinitie of orenges lemons and other trees odiferous yeldynge a comoditie and pleasure peculiar to the Towne and generall benefitt to the whole countrey and straungers passynge that waye aswell by thintisinge sauour of that trees as sugred taste of the frute The bottoms of which deliteful groues do discouer certeine valleis no lesse ryche in fruteful graftes and plantes of straung kindes then the chaÌ„pion yeldynge a plentiful increase of corne of al sortes where the meadowe also cladd with his grene garmente at all tymes of the yere is honge continuallie with a tapestrie of all coolors of hearbes and flowers w c other liuerie of dame flora who assystes this heauenly glée in the valleys with the ioystes of sondrie cleare springes yeldynge at all tymes of the daye a temperat dewe to take awaie the vehement heate of the son in suche sorte as the straungers passinge by imparting of the ayre and wholsomnes of the place by the breathe of a milde zephir are drawen thether by delite and forced to repose and refreshe their weary bodyes for a tyme with the solace whereof those places yelde an indifferent plentie to al men besides he that is desierus to be pertaker of the merueiles of nature hidden in thintralles of the earthe let hym take a boate and visit the Ylandes where amoÌ„gest the wonders that Pozzollo bringes furthe he shall see the hott poddells from whence distille the baines so necessarie for the health of man with the pubbling troughe or caue of Sibilla by the which as the poetes fayne ENEAS made his entrey in discendyng into hell to speake with his father There apperes also a remembrance of thartificial laborynth of Dedalus with the sumpteous pallays of the Romaine Lucullus whose lodgyngs with so many crooked turnings windinges euery waye windowes chapells and places of solitarie resorte excedyng accordynge to the poetes the coÌ„putation of man were swallowed in a momente in the deuowrynge throate of TyrenuÌ„ by a soddaine trembling or shakyng of the earth coÌ„monly called an earthequake finally he shal be there presented with the secret and most sure lodgings builded by nature in the belly of the harde rockes with other wonders in such infinite nomber that onely that place yeldes pleasure sufficient to fede the eye and mynde of man with more delite then the whole remainder of Europe is hable to furnish wherin I am chiefly moued to note you a particular discriptioÌ„ of this paradise to th end y t as the places of soleÌ„ne solitary regarde do coÌ„monly mortefie in men all occasions of wanton exercise so the planet that gouerneth those plattes of earthly pleasure pricking forward our effeminate dispocition sturreth vp the humor of Lasciuius luste with an inclinacion more readie to performe the fraile suggestion of the flesh then prouide for the health of the deuyne parte of the mynde which is the sowle neyther is our present age so plentiful of vertue or vertuouse effectes but the view of our auncestors liues past giues vs sufficient cause to blushe and be ashamed in that we are founde so weake in thymyâ—acion of their exploites and exercises of vertue wherin besides an infinitie of examples procedyng of the wickednes of our time I maye be bolde to confirme myne opinion with a familiar experience of an Abbot of Naples whose younge discrecion equall to the grenes of his yeres made hym
mortall so euer they appeare can staye her from performing the end of her dampnable deuise wherof the tragedie of MEDEA follie of the frende of Theseus argueth sufficiently their tickle constaÌ„cie in vertue great zeale and desier to do thinges contrarye to all honestie neither doth the Egle soaring in the ayre conueighe her selfe to so hyghe a gate by the force â—leight of her wings as the vaine conceites ymaginacions of a woman gouernedby her owne opinion filleth her full of deuises of iniquitie with desier and meanes to performe theâ—feâ—t of any euill wherin as I touch only suche as hauing made open sale of their honor are not worthy eftesoones to chalenge their place amongest the societie of chaste verteous dames so I hope the same is sufficient to procure my excuse amongest the crewe of honeste Ladies and gentlewomen the rather for that the publicacioÌ„ and deâ—yphering of the iuste infamye of the corrupted sorte giueth a greater show of your glorie makes your honour and vertue of more reputacion neither woulde I be noted in this place of malice to moue question of theime whose liues and doinges euerie waye are ful of integretie nor vse any pertiall adulacion or flutterie on the behalfe of suche as be notorius of euill in the eye of al the world but in making an indiffrent diuisioÌ„ of the desertes of euery degre to giue to either sorte his peculiar title neither conceiling the corrupcion and villanie of the one nor carping the vertue and iuste renowne of thother whereof I leaue the iudgement and my excuse in ballance amongest you chaste dames who I am sewer do wishe no lesse a discouerie punishement of the faltes of others theÌ„ your selues desier a iuste encrease of glorie and name of reputacion for euer and retornes nowe to the pursute of our countesse of CELAND who dandlinge her husband at CASALIA with a glee of masqued frendship kissinge cherishing him after a Iudas order who embrased her vnâ—ainedlie from the bottome of his hart adding eftesones a freshe remembrance to his late discurtesye with a vehement desyer to satisfye the glotte of her fyltie lust wherein she accompted the presence companie of the countey 〈◊〉 speciall ympediment seing y e so long as she was with him yt was impossible to water her gardeine with other pott then y t which she detested no lesse then thoffer of poisoÌ„ determyned to giue present remedie and putt herself in free libertie by a secret fleighte stealinge awaye from her husbande wherein for a firste begynning or sewer fondation of this deuise she leuied by secret meanes a great soÌ„me of money whiche she put in banke to ronne in interest to her vse and reseruinge a thousande doockattes to supplie her necessarie torne till the daye of receite of the vsurie or hier of her banke wherwith in the only companie of ij or iij. seruantes which wer secretaries of her deuise shee taketh the aduauntage of a faire nighte when the clearenes of the moone and starrs fauored the diligence of the â—â—caboundes and fleethe to PAVYA a towne subiect to the state and dukedome of MYLLAN where shee hyered one of the faireste lodginges in the towne whose windowes opened all vppon the street with certeine backe doares to receiue a secret messenger a shoppe moste necessarie for her trade and whych also she forgat not to decke and trym vpp with faire beddes riche hanginges and other accottrementes of glee more to allure a repaire of gesse then eyther seamelie or necessarie for her estate I leaue you to iudge what Tyntamar entred the head of therle by the soddaine and secret departure of his wyfe and I aske this question how many of you wold haue raised the hewe and crye or dispatched any messengers for the recouerie of so great a losse I aduouche thusmuche on y e behalf of therle that at the first noise brute of thaccident he did not only enter into tearmesof inordinaâ—rage with inteÌ„t to raise the whole contreye but also was readye to pursue the chasse in persoÌ„ albeit after y e furie of his storme was retired giuing place to thinstigacioÌ„ of reasoÌ„ that he had coÌ„ferred y e present effect fact of his wife with the former circuÌ„stance argumeÌ„ts of licencious desier in her he rather gaue thaÌ„kes to his fortune for her freÌ„dship theÌ„ entred into teares or sorowe for thabsence of so lewâ—e a guest and seyng her departure had discharged his head of a greate deale of care he determined not only to vse no impediment to her libertie but also not to offer himself any waye to recouer her whose absence imported an assurance of future quiet and contentemeÌ„t during the remeinder or reste of his age He that is assured saith he of the malice of his enemye hath smal cause to feare his force for that he is warned to stande vpon his guarde againste all doubte or distruste of treason but suche is in treble daunger as embraseth in his armes a mortall enemye in thabite and attire of an assured frende and trustyng to the smilynge regardes of the Cockatrice doth not eschew the peril till she haue won the place to shootefurth her stinge of mischiefe yf my wyf had taken longer dayes in dissimulynge her malice my perill had increased with the ignorance of her wicked intent where nowe I am not only priuye to her whole disposttioÌ„ but happelie rid of so deceiptful a frend secret enemye who no doubte wold not onely haue slauÌ„dered my bed w t vnlawful adulterie but indefiling her handes with my blood woulde one day haue made no coÌ„science to cut my throate or furthered my death otherwayes by some of her ruffyans or coherentes of iniquitie I am content with this indifferent pennance and punishment due to me by ryght for thextreme loue I hare her wythout further desyer that the breath and presence of so pestilent an infection maye eftsones pollute the worste corner in my house let her go and rate her pleasure at what interest she thinkes good for this so late and familiar experience shall suffice not only to instruct but also warne me to be ware of suche deceiptful and counterfeite ymages And procedynge still with tearmes of complaint concluded that the honor of a man did neyther depende nor was any waye defaced by the disorder or dishonestye of his wycked wyfe chieflye where such abuse is deriued rather of a corrupte inclinacion of her selfe then any discurtesie or vnseamelye dealyng on his parte his passion forced hym to exclaime againste all sortes of women sparynge neyther state nor degrée of that sect against whome he séamed to inueygh rather by transport then consent of reason and without all regarde or remembraunce of any one of thinfynite nomber of honeste Ladyes whose simplicitie and vpright order of lyfe do not only defende themselues from the stinge of any reproche but also discouereth the villenie of suche as abandone
liberall sorte that euerye companye whiche he haunted was pertaker of the renowne he gaue to Blanche Marya who hearynge at laste what estymacion she was in thorowe all LOMBARDIE by the reapport of VALPERGO began to enter into tearmes of rage fyndynge a greate difficultie to dysgeste thyngratitude of her loste louer whose doynges notwithstandynge shée allowed some tymes by iustice and sawe some reason in hys reuenge for that her inorderlie dealynge opened the fyrste way to his discurtesie and by by flattered her selfe with a vaine ymagynacion that menne were borne to beare what ymposicions so euer suche tryflors as she woulde laye vppon theyme and that seynge they were but seruantes they dyd but ryghte to endure and take in good parte any thynge sayed or don by theyr mistres albeyt feedynge still of her malicious coller with a certeine secret desyer of vengance determyned at laste to retorne hys discourtesye with no lesse interest then the losse of hys lyfe with resolucion to procure the spedy effect by the hande of hym whom she presumed to haue so muche at commaundement that a simple requeste of her mouthe woulde make hym the minister of that Beholde with what ympudentie and ragethys Tygresse goth abowte to arme one frende agaynste an other and that yt coulde not suffice to abuse her selfe towardes theim bothe in the filthie vse of her bodye but that with intent to morder the one she puttes in hazarde the equall destruction of them bothe confirmynge her abhomynable adulterye wyth manslaughter and wyllfull morder a synne moste haynous of all other affore GOD and manne wherein as her fretting mynde colde admitt neyther quiett nor contentemēt til her eyes wer witnesses of theffect of her deuise or at leaste she had put her intent vpon tearmes to hym whom she ment to make the bloddie boocher of her beastely wyll so attendynge the offer of conuenient tyme and place she was assisted at last so farfurth that one nyght as they were in bedd together and in the chiefest delite of theyr pleasant excercise she burste soddainly into vehement teares with sighes and other signes of dollour in suche sorte that wyth the counterfaite alarams whiche inwarde sorowe seamed to minister and set a broache her passion appeared so mortall that her ignoraunt bedfelowe thinkynge her soule and bodye to be at point to make present seperacion the one from the other enquired the cause of her grefe wyth addicion y t if yt came by displeasure or wronge don to her by any man his handes onely should gyue the reuenge wyth absolute contentement to her selfe hereafter wherewyth vsing the aduauntage of his promise wherein she accompted a sufficiencie to procure the ende of her enemye tolde hym that as nature had gyuen a certeine facilitie to the vile and base sorte of people to beare and brooke the offer of any iniurie so there was nothynge more contrarye to the condicion of the noble mynde then to bee touched wyth such villanie as puttes the honor in interest or the renowme vppon tearmes of publike infamie I saye thusmuche syr sayth she wéeting his face wyth the dewe of her waterie eyes for that the Lorde Valpergo who enioyed I can not denye the like frendshypp I showe vnto you hath not had shame to blab of his doinges slaundring me wyth no worse tearmes of infamye then yf I were the moste infected strompett that euer abandoned her bodye to the Marynors and raskall crewe alonge the costes of SCICILE yf he had but made a simple vaunte of the fauours he founde in me with participacion but to his frendes my honor had been but in question where now it is past all doubte besides if he had not added iniurius wordes to his indecent slaunder and made a common market tale of the thing which ought to be kepte most secret I could haue disgested the euill wyth an ordynarye pacience wherfore seinge the haynous causes of my gréefe import a speciall iustice and reason of reuenge lett not the enemie of the honor of your deare Blanche Marya escape wythout punishment but in accomptynge the wronge whyche I susteine indifferent to vs bothe to bynde me by the benefytt of this reuenge to a more affeccioned zeale towardes you with an assured loyaltye euen vntyll thextreme dissolucion of my naturall dayes otherwayes yf he lyue in the tryumphe of my slaunder what cause haue I to ioye in lyfe or comfort to expose the best part in me for the contentement pleasure of you who stayeth to do me reason to so manifest a wronge Here the young erle felte hymselfe double passioned whether he shoulde performe thexspectacion of his venemous BASILA whom he loued without measure or absteine from violacion of thinnocent blood of his frende whome the lawe of frendshypp forbad hym any waye to abuse Albeit to appease the present rage of the Countesse he promised an effect of her desyer wyth spedye punishment of hym who is not worthie any waye saith he to serue you but in thought féedyng her humour wyth franke wordes dissimulynge notwithstandynge that whiche he thought on the behalfe of the Lord Valpergo whose honestie he knew to be without malice and that his discrecion and wisdom woulde not suffer hym to sturre vp any synister reporte without great occasion on her part besides he considered that the iustice of the quarell rested in hym for that he had taken the pray as yt were out of his mouth albeit by her procurement and that after the other had discontinued his hawnte and course of repayre thether where with eraminyng the circunstance at large he founde the cause farre insufficient to moue any breache of frendshipp betwene theim but determinynge to continue the league he contented her wyth a dissembled promise and restored in the meane tyme the exercise of their former pleasure wherein he passed certaine moneths wythoute the tender of anye quarell to the Lorde Valpergo who retourned by this time to Pauya enioyed a mutuall conuersacion with therle Sanseuerino wyth suche indifferent familiaritie that for the moste parte they vsed but one bedd and one borde wyth one purse common betwene theim both whiche was not vnmarked of the malicious Blanche Maria who seinge so many fyt occasions with the offer of conuenient tyme and place assistinge therecution of her execrable deuise with prouocation to therle to performe his promisse gaue iudgement of the case as it was that her wickednes was not hable to force an ennymitye betwene the ij Lordes and that therle Gaiazo did but kepe her in breath with faire wordes onely to continue the glott of his pleasure whiche he tooke of her wherefore disdaynynge so greate an abuse in hym whome aboue all men she reserued as the chief piller of her truste she determined to make a second experience of the same meane whiche serued her torne in the dispatche of her first frende wherein she omitted neyther occasion nor expedicion for as often as he came to her house she was eyther sicke
their diligence doings deserue by iustice like as the grekes and romans painting with an exquisitedexteritie of y e pen their pollicy in warr the valiantnes of their Captaines their wonderfull fortune and good successe in all enterprises with other discourses of their vertues do argue them more glorious in their owne acts then meritorious in deade of true commendacion for that in arrogatinge vnto themselues the only title and name of all knowledge they make our time seme naked of all vertue sauinge such as is deriued from theim and ymytacion of their doings Albeit we maye obiect with the spartayne agaynste thathenians that those lippwise soldiours or scoole orators had a more facilitie in discouering then facylitie in execucion of noble effects not for that I meane to do such wrong to their estimacion as not to yelde to theim a title of singularitie in all perfections yet I may also be bould to preferr the benefit of oure time which participating wyth their golden age in any respect of honest gift or qualitie is hable to preseÌ„t a furniture of as many examples and authorities of vertue as we rede were found in the politike state of Rome when Cato Camilla or Scipio gouerned that proude Citye or when on Pericles Themistocles or Aristides bare authoritie in the florishinge Acadimia of Athens for if we go about to discourse of the valyantnes in armes or stody to be pryuy to y e sleightes and pollecy in warr we nede not thassistance of one Hannybal discipline of Marius pellecy of Pompeius nor corage of Cesar or Alexander seing our fertile Evropa brings furth such store of excellent captaines that if those great couqwerours and subuertors of whole countries amongs the Grekes and Romains wer now in the feilde with their invincible force they should not finde a mettellus orgalozs without armes nor encounter a company of effemynate Persyans or haue to do with serfull Italyans but they shold buckle wyth the valiant cauelery and gendarmy of fraunce fele the force of the couragious englishmen make a proofe of the puisance of the mightie Almaine and make heade agaynst the armes of the loftie Spanyarde wherein as the shortnes of time denieth me to yelde to euerye captein and souldiour his peculyar commendacion so my endeuor could not escape without ympu tacion of superfluitie if I shold enterlard my Catalogue of the gracious gifts of our tyme withe the due glorye of the fathers of iustice deuising wonderful pollicyes and necessarye Lawes for regarde of the publike weale in the senate wherein our world I thinke oweth nothinge to antiquitie neyther neede I preferr the singularitie and exquisite skil of oure payntors or forgers of curious ymages whose arte at this daye contendes wythe the aunciente conninge of Appelles Albeit vppon the commendacions of these dexterities in armes and arts coÌ„cerning y e hands I find attendinge a worthie cause of generall complaynte agaynst the slowthfulnes of our tyme geuinge wyth al the title of iuste prayse to the diligence of thauncyentes who preseruing the memory of such as deserued reuowme amoÌ„genst them for any vertue hath left vs cause to blush in our owne abuses and be ashamed of the negligence we vse in recording the rarietyes of our time or perfections of suche as are iustly meritorious of prayse and albeit of long time thiniquitie of the bad sort of men haue so much preuailed ouer the worthie renowne of vertuous women that they haue not sticked to whet their malicious tongues with diuerse blasphemous reproches agaynst such as by misfortune haue geuen som salfe bownd to their honor yet ought we not to be vnthanckful to the chastetie and honest conuersacion of the rest who rather then they wold departe wyth the badge of their pudycitie haue bene sene with their bodyes full of wounds and faces died with blode and sometime passed the panges of painfull death in resistinge the force and fleshely vylanye of the wicked corrupters of the virginitie wherin if the Goekes â—aue geuen such great comendacion to the faire Hippo who being made a pray amongest other spoyles of y e countrey to a barbarous pirott on the sea with present daunger to depart wyth the badge of her honor chused rather to bury her body in the belly of some fyshe and consecrat her integrytie to the waues then suffer an insydell pallyard to hurt her soule to the deathe in depryuinge her of that which all the worlde are not able to restore or make good if the Boecyans haue not forgot to engraue in pillors of eternetye the memorye of a Ladye in Thebes who forced to the vyolacion of her bodye by a rude souldiour oft he Kynge of the macedonions dissimuled for the time her dystres wyth fayned showes that she delyted in the pleasure til encountringe at laste a conuenient occasion she reuenged the wronge done to her honor with the death of him that had vsed such force agaynst her where also herself loathing the vse of longer yeares hauing already lost the onlye ioye and felicitie in lyfe gaue place to nature and at thinstanct made a blody sacryfice of herself by her own hands And if the Romains haue had alwayes in their mouthe the prayse of Lucrese whose chastetie they haue placed in the theatrye or circle of Mars and geuen her a chiefe place amonges the trains of the chast Diana if all these I say haue bene so thankfull to the vertuouse womeÌ„ of their time that by their diligence the memorye of their vertue remaineth in recorde to the posteritie of all ages what worthie cause of rebuke haue we who lyuyng vnder a better clymat and constellacion enioying more pure lawes and aspiring nerer thymage or semblaunce of dyuynitie will not erpose the noble frutes of our tyme whyche yeldes not onely example of sembla ble vertue to thauncientes but excedes them in contynent lyuinge and chast disposicion wherof we haue an example of Yphygenne doughter of y e kyng of Ethiopia who hauyng already vowed her vyrginitie to the spouse of oure soules accepted rather the offer of present deathe then to be ioyned in Mariage to a wanton younge prince prouyded for her by her father with a nomber of lyke authorities which I colde infer to proue the sinceritie of womeÌ„ who at the beginning when our religion was first founded did lay the cornerstone of puretie without hauing y e knowledge of man neyther is our age so voide of examples of contynency nor the roote of vertue so cleane extirped from amongest vs but we maye se at this day sundry pattorns of pudycitye in the persons of all degres of women aswel noble as of meaner condicion exceding the vertue of such as antiquitie hath in so great veneraion wherin for a familiar reuenge of our Ladyes now a dayes touching the synyster ympositions of dyuers euil tongues inveighinge agaynst the whole sect I haue presented hereupoÌ„ the stage this historie taken out of Italyon whose authoritie as it is sufficient to
in the eyes wyth euery other signe of counterfeyte dule in the face when the ynner partes laughyng at suche fained showes are in the myddest of theyr banquet for pleasure what offence is it to plage theim in earnest who seke to blaire the eyes of all the worlds wyth charmes of painted substance or rather why shoulde they bee suffred to lyue whose villanous lyues and doynges were hable to deface the glory of the whole feminyne secte yf the vertue of so manye chaste Ladyes were not of force to aunswere the combat of all synister reproche and conquer the infamous chalengers of theyr renowme But now the funeralls performed to the dead Lorde of Chabrye the Ladye albeit she dismissed by lytle and lytle the greatnes of her dollor yet she ceassed not her diligence in the searche of the morderer nor forgat to promisse large hyer to suche as coulde bringe her the ministers of the fact there was publike informacion and secrett inquirye wyth euery point and circumstance so Syfted to the quicke that there lackte nothyng but the confession of him that was dead whiche was impossible to bée had or the testimonys of the bloddie parties whiche were the commissioners appointed to enquire of the morder whose handes smelled of the bloud of the dead innocent whereuppon the matter was husht for a tyme in whiche TOLONIO was not ydle to ransicke euery secret corner in the house not forgettynge I thynke to visytt the treasore he chiefly affected and for a simple pleasure of the whiche he had bene so prodigall of his conscience who yet not satisfyed with the sacrifyze of innocent lyfe stirred vp desyer of greater synne for this tyrannouse wyddow had iiij sonnes whereof as ij of theim were continuallye in the house so the eldest Ialowse not without cause of the famyliaritye betwene his mother and her doctor whose haunte he iudged to excede the compasse of his commission and lymittes of honor colde not so conceile nor disgeste the conceite of that whiche persuaded a staine of infamye in the forheade or forefronte of his house but that he thought to belonge to his dutie to ymparte vnto her y e cause of his suspicion with perswacion in humble sorte to be indiffrently carefull to kepe her former glorie of vertuous life and curious to defend the remeindor of her yeres from worthie cryme or spot of foule ymputacion wherein thincrease of amarus glée betwene the aduocat and her procured a more expediciō then he thought so that hauing one day thassistance of a fyt time and place in a gallerie voide of all company he preferred hys opinion in this sorte not wythout an indiffrent medley of shame and disdaine appearing in all partes of his face if it bée a thinge vnseamly that a kinge shoulde be disobeyed of his subiects it is no lesse necessarie in myne opynion that the prince avoyde oppression of his people by power for that a greate falte in the one is none offence at all by reason of his authoritie and the other sometime is exacted without iuste cause of blame but if it bée a vertue in the maiestie royall to be indiffrent betwene the force of his power geuen hym by god and the compleintes of righte in his vassalls why shoulde it be an offence that the maister or magistrate bée put in remembrance or made tunderstande the pointes wherein hée offendeth seing he hath no greater reason to yelde iustice to such as deserue punishmente then bounde in doble sort to a wōderful care of integretie in lyuing in himselfe so as hys authoritie effectes of vpright cōuersaciō may serue as a lyne to lead the meaner sort seruing vnder his awe to be in loué w c his vertues commended for semblable sinceretie and purytie of life But for my parte good Madame were it not the remorse of an equall respect to your reputacion and honor to al our house and that my conscience hereafter wold accuse me of want of corage and care to make good the vertuous renowme of my dead father I should hardely be forced to the tearmes of my present intent nor my beyng in thys place geue you such cause of amaze doubt of my meaninge for the dutie which nature bindeth me to owe to y e place you hold on my behalf and the law of obedience geuen by god to all chyldren towardes suche as made theyme the members of this worlde makes me as often cloase my mouthe against the discouerie of the longe grudge of my mynde as I haue greate reason to ympart the cause to your ladishipp who is tooched more neare then any other that I wolde too god the thinge wherof my mynde hath giuen a iudgement of assurance were as vntrue as I wishe yt bothe farre from myne opynion and voyde of a trothe then sewerlye sholde my hart rest discharged of disquiett and I dismyssed from thoffice of an oratour whiche also I wolde refuce to performe if thymportance of the cause did nor force my wil in that respect Albeit as the passions of the mynde bée free and the sprite of man howe so euer the bodie bée distressed with captiuitie hathe a pryuyledge of libertie touchyng opynyons or conceites so I hope your wisdome with the iustice of my cause and clearenes of entent are sufficient pillours too supporte that whyche the vertue of naturall zeale to your selfe and dutifull regarde to the honour of my auncestors moues me to communicate with you chieflye for that the best badge of your owne life and bloodd of your late Lorde and husbande my father bée distressed as I am perswaded by the secret haunte and vnsemelie glée of fauour betwene the proccurer Tolonio and you whome God and nature haue made a mother of suche children that neyther deserue suche lewde abuse in you nor can brooke his villany in corruptyng the noble blood wherewith they participate without vengance due to the greatnes of his poysoned malice wherein good madame as my deare affection to you wardes hathe made me so franke in warnynge you of the euill so yf you giue not order hensfurthe for the redresse of that whiche I accompte alredie past euerye cause of dowte you will come too shorte to couer that can bée no longer conceiled when also small compassion wilbée vsed in the reuenge of thiniurye neyther can you in any sort complaine rightelie of me in whose harte is alredye kindled a grudge of the wronge you haue don to y e nobilitie of vs al loathing with all the simple remēbrance of so foule a falte protesting vnto you for ende that yf herafter you become as careles of the honour of your children as heretofore you haue bene voiede of regarde to your owne reputation the worlde shall punishe the abuse of your old yeres with open exclamacion against your lasciuius order of lyfe deuesting you of all titles of highe degrée and thies handes onely shall sende maister doctor to visytt his processe in th infernall senatt
commendacion of our integritye to the remeinder of our race Doste not thou knowe my deare Maryone that in the swete and dewye mornynges of the spring there apperes certeine flowers no lesse delitefull to the beholders then yeldynge an odiferous smell with an inticynge desyer to be gathered so long as their fragrāt and freshe perfumes indures but when the heate of the son perching the gallāds of Aurora shall pearce thorowe bothe boodd and roote and mortifye the liuelye hewe of suche brickle creatures the flower is not only forgotten and loathed whiche earste was so much embraced but the desyer of all men taken awaye as though there neuer had bene any such like wise y e glistering apple growing vpon the high spraies in the pleasant lādes of Angeau semes a thing of great delectacion to the eye of no lesse pleasante taste so long as he is entyer and without corrupcion but after the worme hath eyther made a breach or his gréenes or pleasante maturitie lost his force and conuerted into a rotten ripenesse his bewtie dekaies wyth desier any longer to kepe hym Euen so a mayde what pouertie soeuer oppresse her so longe as she kepes vnspotted her surname and title of chastetie is not only admitted but also may chaleng place amongest the best of a countrye but when the caterpillor hath once cropped the leaffe and deuow red the boodd the trée doth not only die and perish with infamye but the remembrance of such stocke and frute remeines in the recordes of reproche to the opening of the greate booke of general accompt when al faltes shal be reueiled and punished according to their disposicion and qualitie And sewer it is better for a woman of what degrée soeuer she be to dy w t honor and buyrye the bourdē of honest renowm with her bodie in the graue then enioying the fruicion of life to be marked of the multitude with a note of generall rebuke whych as a moothe in a garment will not ceasse to eate and deuour her present estimacion and make notorious besides euery age of her succession by the desert of her disordred life loasing the only cause that makes me ioye in my selfe wyth so great desier to liue wherin because I may the rather per forme theffect of thys last resolucion I will firste wyth an vnfayned hart make inuocation to y e highest for thassistance of his grace to garde me frome thassaltes and peppered prouocations of the fleshe and then cut of all suche occasions as may eftesones aduance the suggestion of the same or seame any way an ympedimente to the vowe I haue presentlie made whych I doubt not wil be armes sufficient enough to repulse y e alarams of Signeur Luchyn raise y e siege which I sée he hath planted agaynst the fortresse of my chastetie wherin she omitted not th execution for from that instante shee kepte her selfe vnsene of anye but her frendes and kinsefolkes comminge lyttle or nothynge abroade and lesse willing to be spied out of windows or stand at the doore leauinge thereby an example worthye of ymitacion to all estates and sortes of women but specially suche gigges and pratlinge houswiues as can not contente theym selues with the ayre of the house nor giue one pricke with the nedle oneless she sit at the doare as though her exercyse were onelye to menteyne chatt wythe the streete walkers or keepe a standynge and make challenge agaynste all commers whyche is the thynge that you mothers and tutours of lytle girles oughte chyefly to respecte in the direction of youre tender charges I meane to bridle and brynge vpp youre pupilles and ympes that haue follye tyed on their backes in the awe of correction yf they transgress the order of good gouernement you must not forgett to offer theym the racke and tormentes of the rodde which you must minister vnto theim in the greenes of their yer es and affore the tendrenes of youthe with wante of discrection wil suffer theim to discerne their owne inclinacion for as the Philosopher tearmeth theym to bée a kinde of cattell more apte to declyne then any other reasonable creature so saith he yf they get once the bit betwene their téethe and crop of the hearbée of ryotus will it is harder to reclayme theym eyther hy awe feare compulsion or gentle intreatie then the wilde haggard or rammish falcon by any connynge or deuise of their keper besides as a maide is a Iewell of no lesse greate price then rarely to be founde so she is a vessell moste bryckle and easye to be broken and being once eyther crackte or corrupted she liueth in none other accompte then in comon wonder of the people and pointed at of all the worlde Wherefore you mothers that in the bringyng vpp of your doughters will giue ashowe of your owne vertue with no lesse care of the honor of your children must forgett to pamper youre younglines with presentes of their willes or dandle theym vppon the lapp of dame folly but féede theym rather with the discipline of good nouriture not sparing the order of due correction leaste you spill the future hope and expectation of their well doynge and better it is to haue a mayde smell of honest simplicitie vsing a temperate scilēce in her toungue and order of talke then ytalianated in legerdemaines of subteltye and pricked full of the fethers of foolyshe pride to haue the tounge of a popingaie bablinge without order or discrecion for that the one is a vertue of it selfe and the veray lyne to leade her to aduauncement and in practisinge the other she procures a discredit to her parentes for their necligence in her education and her selfe but laughte at in the companie of wise and discrete dames and that which worse is led by such guides into the botome les pit of euerlasting infamye Remember thaduise of Marcus Aurelius who writing of the slipper disposition of some women with instruction to abridge the perentory humour which nature hath giuen theim gyues this generall charge to all gouernours of nourceries tutors of litle girles that they stande so sewerly vppon the garde of thonnour of their charges that they neither be sene out of windowes stande as stales at the dore suffred to visit any place of thordynarie hawnte of men called to secrete conference without cōmission or companie of her keapor but also barde thaccesse and presence of all men for that saith he the ill can not be vtterly preuented onelesse the causes that maye procure it bée cleane taken awaie neither is it possibe for a Lady to kepe the reputacion of her honor that makes her selfe incidente to the hawnte of great companies with desier to be a comō feast maker and visit euery banquet and the more she is innested with honor and high callinge the more care is due to the preseruation of so great a title and lesse libertie or licēce is enioyned her to raunge a broade or séeke to satisfie thappetit of
vertue of true loyaltie So he that huntes thappetit of his will and raungeth after chaunge of diot hauing sufficient at hoame standes not onely in hazarde of grace afore god for vyolacion of wedlocke but giuinge occasion to his wyfe to followe hys tracke reapes now and then for rewarde the iuste title and surname of a cockolde bequeathinge besides to the succession of his house a dowry of perpetuall slaunder whyche is skarcely subiect to the expyracion of tyme. Hys wyfe Layd afore hym the whole circumstance of his falte with the generall brute that passed dayly thorowe all the stréetes of IEYNE together with the wronge he did to the reputacion of the poore IANIQVETTA whose honestie saith shée albeit is without iust cause of reprehencion yet haue you broughte it in question amongeste the slaunderous sorte whose iudgementes are alwayes accordinge to the mallice of their disposicion desieringe him for ende in dismissinge his former trade to wythdrawe his accesse least he purchased not the like preferment for himselfe that he sought to procure to an other to whome albeit he could not denye the frendeshippe he bare to IANEQVETTA yet he excused the same not to ymporte any preiudice to the behalfe of his wyfe wyth further protestacion that IANEQVETTA was one of the paragons of honestie that our age did norishe and the respect of her vertue was thonlye cause of his admiracion procuringe chieflye his recourse and desier of her companye for the rest sayth he the bable of the people is rather of custom then of credit and the clerenes of my conscience takes awaye the spott of reproche if any be neyther can the mouthe of the slaunderor preuaile where the integretie of the mynde offers to encounter his malice desieringe her to dismysse the remembrance of her grudge wythe a forgeuenes of the falte promissinge her from thinstante to correcte the humor of his former follie and become suche one on her behalfe as her honest modestie and other vertues deserued wherewyth he closed so sewerly the mouthe of his wyfe that longe after he liued frée from the tumulte of suche quarrells and she not voyde of suspicion dispused her selfe to contentmente by force with exspectacion to sée an ende of the daunce thexpedition wherof exceded her ymagynacion for wythin a shorte tyme after the maryner makynge sayle into Sardynia was incowntred by certeine pirottes and sente prisoner to CALLARIA a towne subiect to the turkishe gouernmente wyth no small desolacion to hys wyfe who as one depriued of her chiefeste stay and comforte and ouercharged wyth a nomber of litle children whose sustentacion depended whollie vppon the trauell of their father is nowe voide of meanes to succor theym and that whyche pinched more greuouslye was the generall darthe y e ouerwhelmed al the Lande in such sorte that a sacke of corne was seldome solde vnder nyne or ten Duckattes whyche arguynge greate distresse to the state of poore IANIQVETTA chiefelye for that shée was denied habylitye to redeme her husbande and also in dispair of meanes to releue her children cryinge contynuallye for meat began to prefer in her a faintnes of corage and y e hart whom the whole assaltes of loue and longe importunityes of Luchyn his greate presentes and proffers with promisses of large price coulde not once stirre or remoue from the seate of constancie feles nowe suche an alteracion of fortune that she is at pointe to surrender of her selfe that whiche neyther power nor pollecie coulde put to vtterance And albeit the extremitie of her case ministred persuaciōs to make an offer of her selfe to hym that of longe had serued her in harte wyth sute for her good wyll yet the grudge of so greate an offence preferrynge argumentes to the contrary wylled her rather to exchaunge her presente lyfe and former reuowme wyth death then liue with the spott of so fowle an acte wherin waighinge thus in the ballance of doubteful ymaginaciōs pinched extremely wyth two of the greatest plages of the world the lamētable noyse of her children cryenge for foode with open mouth as the younge birde in the rooffe complayninge in his kynde vppon hunger till he receiue refreshinge at the beake of his damme ronge of freshe in her eares whiche preferred suche cōpassion to the tender harte of the desolate mother that only their rage and infirmitye forced her to a determinacion of that whiche earste she detested to remember a meruelous force sewer of necessitie who as she is the mistres of artes so her malice importes suche a distresse that it makes vs many tymes abuse the goodnes of our nature in committyng thynges whiche neither honor nor conscience can iustifye for what greater mischiefe coulde she haue thondred vppon this pore woman then in depriuynge her of naturall and womanlȳe shame to compell her to make sale of her honor for the susteine of her selfe and supporte of her miserable children whose doleful tunes exclayming against their wretched mother that had not to satisfye the rage of their hunger restored her eftesones to suche pitie that she addressed her selfe immediately to the lodgynge of Luchin who walkinge all alon in his base courte was no lesse astonyed to see her ther then she ashamed to be at the point to yelde him a villanous homage yf god had not bene the protector of her chastetie And beynge affore him with face and garmentes besprente and dyed with the droppes of her watery eyes she fell flatt at his féete yelding her honor to hys orde vnder thies tearmes Albeit sir saieth she the prince or capteine that hathe often somoned his enemye to surrender his hold and he denienge suche offers dothe merteyne the quarrell euen vntill thextreme sentence of warre which is fyer or famine ys forced at laste to strike saile and hange oute a flagge of submission maye by all lawe of armes put hym to the sworde and his citie to vtter saccage yet the glorye of that conquest will appeare greater and honour the capteine with treble fame if in preferryng compassion affore the rigour of iustice he admitt the captiues to fauour sparing to spill the blood of suche as willinglie yelde their heades to the blocke vnder the stroke and edge of his sworde neither is any man of what degree so euer he be of suche commendacion eyther for hys corage bowntie or other qualities and ornamētes of nature as worthelye honored w t veneration for the gifte of compassion and pitie whiche as it is a vertue excedynge all the reste so by the aduise of the scripture shee is chiesly to be declared on the behalfe of such wretches as fallen into daunger and distresse by offendynge the prince or his people in office haue nothing to preuent the malice of y e lawe and iuste méede of their deserte but thexpectācion and hope in the frutes of so precious a vertue I saye thusmuch sir to sturr vpp your humor of compassion and dismissing the remembrance of all offences paste to extende presente
rashely haue entred the sea of my owne sorowe and sawe at setting from the shoare sufficyent argumentes of mortall euills threatenynge my present peril wherein albeit I was flattered at the first with a calme and pleasant ebb whiche made my hoyse sayle and floate without anye feare yet in the veraye inconstancy which all men attributes to that element and vnruly waues raging without measure in the heighte of that trobled sea appered plainelie enoughe the likelehodes of my present daunger whiche I woulde hadde power to destrdye me by some soddaine shypwrake or caste me spedelye into the bottomles golphe to be deuowred in the throate of some monster in the merciles occean Ah Loue with what iustice cold I exclaime againste thy infydelitie for that thou hast alwaies flattered me with an assurance of that whyche now I fynde furthest from me haste thou a pollecie to perswade a creadit in that wherein thou meanest absolute deceite and then to triumphe in the thraldome of suche as beleue thy charmes yf this bée thy order of dealinge why bearest thou the title of a necessarye vertue or ympartest thyne authoritie with the powers aboue for my parte yf there were cause of hope or exspectacion of deliuerie I colde in some sorte qualefye the rage of my preseÌ„t annoye with imaginacioÌ„ of future redresse or yf the contynuance of my gréeffe argued a lykelehodd of contentement hereafter the remembraunce of my felycitie to come wolde mortefye the panges whych nowe I am forced to féele without releace of paine but alas too what ende doo I ymagyne a composicion with hym that is not leuyable to any order and muche lesse partaker of the nobled vertue or gifte of piti why do I pleade for grace in a courte of comon crueltie wher tyranny shootes the gates of compassion against complaintes of iustice or to what end sholde I expect so much as a simple offer of help in him who is borne the common enemie destruction of many is there exspectacion of remedie in him whose breath is a poisoÌ„ more infectiue then any venym that earste hath bene made by the moest conning enchauntor that euer was bred in the myerye vale or is there reason to depende vppon the delyuery of hym who lyeth in ambushe to assalte me in worse sorte then yet I haue felte Ah cruell mistrys full euill do you measure the circunstance and effect of my goodwill with protestacion of vowe neuer to departe out of the lease of your commandementes fewer yf your waspish mynd wold confirme and make good the consent of your beautie or that your inwarde partes wolde giue leaue to thoutewarde arguments to worke an effect of that which they promysse by showe I sholde not haue cause to lament suche lacke in you and muche lesse indure thys extremetye by hopynge for that whyche I knowe I shall neuer haue Oh coulde recompence and vnthankefull retourne of the loyall zeale I haue borne wythout spotte of dishonest intente in any sortt Aâ— serpent and masqued basylyke in whome is rather a fayned showe then true effect of any curtesye the only glaunces of thyne eyes haue had power to fill euery corner of my hart full of poysoned infection wherein at leaste if I hadd thassistance of any arte or droague to remoue thy forces I should bée restored to myne aunciente quiet and thow liue at rest without the noyse of so manye ymportunities And nowe do I sée an experience of auncient opynion touchinge the maladie of loue who is neyther healed by salue nor cured by arte for to make insicion to the sore wolde giue but increase to my payne to vse thapplicacion of medicins wer but to féede the tyme with incertenties and to staye the humor were enoughe to giue ende to my lyfe by present suffâ—cacion so that alas I sée no choice of remedie then to bée touched wyth the hande that first gaue vent and set abroach the cause of the wound that I wishe in ful satisfaction of al my torment that she might sée the verye depth and furthest part of my hart to the nde shée might bée iudge of my loyaltie and acknowledge the wronge she doth to the vertu of my honest meaninge But alas I fynde herein that my destynies contende agaynst my desyer and the viewe of her former crueltie makes me dispair of other fauor then suche as hithervnto I haue founde so that as I whollie depende vppon her goodnes and my lyfe paiseth only in the ballance of her good will so I know she is fully desolued in a contrarye disposicion agaynst me makinge a Iest of my humble sute and offer of seruice takes pleasure in my martirdom and reapose a speciall felycitie in the pointes of my peculiar and mortall gréefe whych he ended not without suche abundance of teares and supply of other sorowe that the messenger was forced to abandon the place and leaue him in the middest of his passion ymparting notwithstanding the pointes of her aunswere to a deare frende of the knighte wyth aduise to supplante his affection or els seke his remedie by some other meanes wherin albeit he performed thindeuor of a frende euerye waye yet the successe argued a small vertue in his diligence and the patient rather resolued in extremeties the hable to admit any thinge whiche ymported a moderacion to his gréefe the whych gréew ymediatlie to suche extreme tearmes that the strength and desyer of the stomake was conuerted ymediatlie into a contempt of necessarie sustentacion and in place of sléepe he embraced the offer of vaine conceites appearinge as it were by visyon thorowe the mistery of hollowe dreames refusinge conference with all men if not that sometyme he wolde complaine vpon the crueltie of one whom he wold not name wyth desyer to end his life in the pursewte of that quarel The phizicions were found at the end of their wittes both vnhable to discerne the cause of his disease and wythout sâ—il to giue a remedie to his euil what inspection soeuer they made in his vryne or tryeng of his pulses or other signes to iudge his gréeffe or any authorytye of their arte wherevpon the gentleman his companion entred into such tearmes of sorowe for the sicknes of his frende that his dollor seamed of equall qualytie to the passion of his coÌ„panion not ceassing notwithstanding to solicite the goodwil of Zilya by his own trauell letters whych put her in remembrance of the pytie that women oughte to vse to thafflicted presentes and promises of no smal price wyth other deuises wherin he iudged any vertu to moue her haggarde disposicion and for that he sawe that in the very view of her presence consisted the recouery of his frende he forgat not to entreat her w t tearmes due as he had sewed to the greatest princesse of Spayne or Italye wherein notwythstandynge he gayned asmuche as if he had vndertaken to nomber the starres or stay y t course of the sonne for that she excused her selfe vppon her
wydo wheade and how euyll it became a gentlewoman of her estate and callynge to comit her honor to dowte and honest name to question in visiting the sicknes of one who is neyther parent nor allye nor almoste any waye knowen vnto her whyche as it dryue hym frome further attempte that waye so waighinge the distres of his trend y e vertu which nature hath giuen to onewomaÌ„ to entreat an other thought it a pece of pollecie to geue a secoÌ„d charge of her who first broached his request to his cruel mistrys to whom he preferred suche reasons as he accompted of force to perswade her sometime alledginge the pytie which naturallie is incydent to all women and when and vppon whom it ought to bée exposed hée preferred also the glory w t names of ymmortalytie which diuerse of forreine time haue won by semblable vertue where with he won a seconde graunte of her furtherance so farr furth as at thinstant they wente together to the lodginge of Seignenr Virley in whom the very view of his aunciente frende and nexte neighbour sturred vp a more encrease of sorowe forcinge hym to a further complaint then affore with desyer chiefly that he had neuer made exsperience of her faith nor she cause to attempte the frendshipp of her whose crueltie in preseruinge her honor is greater then is necessarye and compassion lesse then is conuenient for his distresse proceding only of an honest zeale without intent of violacion of honor or honeste name which wyth dyuerse argumentts of ghastelye regarde accompanienge his last wordes wrought such effectes of pytie and remorse in the honest matrone his neighbour that to preuent his further daunger shée gaue hym assurance of her vttermost in boarding eftsoÌ„es the goodwil of his â—oye mistrys with protestacion of waranty that if he wer deliuered of his sicknes she wold procure a mutual conference betwen him and the cause of his vniust torment wherunto albeit he gaue litle credit for that he thought it was but a broth brued of artifyciall liccour to féed him with dropps of vncertaine consolacion yet in the very offer of her frendship appered a hoâ—e of spedie deliuery which she promised eftsones in sort as you haue hard willinge him to reapose himselfe whollie in the vertue of her indeuor and worde which seamed to breath an ayre of such compfort and force thorow all his partes that defyenge the malice of his late sicknes hée seamed euen then to lacke no part of his former health neyther had he néede of restoretiues or force of confections to confirme his recouerye or assistance of staffe or crooche to supporte his feble lymmes weakned with so longe sicknes but perswadinge a wounderfull felicyty in the very remembrance whiche his mistrys seamed to haue of his distresse he ymagyned to syt alredie in the paradise of his pleasure dismissinge ymediatly the messenger who carefull for her part to put her promisse in vse attended thoffer of coÌ„uenient time to worke theffect accordingly wherin she was assisted with a speciall fauor of fortune who for the more expedicion of y e matter brought Zylya the lady messenger to mete w tin iij. daies after in one pew or cloase deske in y e church wher y e solicitor of Seigueur Virley forcing certeine teares in her eyes begaÌ„ to practise for her clyent in such sort y t what w t repeticion of the passion of the knighte speciall reproche againste the crueltie of women in those cases with generall comeÌ„dacion to y e vertue of such as declare compassion vpon the distress of thafflicted she wrought her to a remorse of his paine with consent to preuente his further perill wyth a simple offer of the viewe of her presence and that vnder tearmes of condicion that frome and after the tyme of such frendshipp he shold disclayme al ymportunities in the pursute of further fauor wherewyth she enioyned hym only a libertie of an howers conference the next day at ij of the clocke in thafter none where saith shée I haue more regard to thextremetie of his distresse wyth desyer to stop the course of further daunger in him then to giue hym any cause at al to make his proffit of this frendeshippe or perswade a hope of further fauor in me hereafter prayinge you for your part to giue hym in straite charge neyther to breake the moment of appointmente nor excede the lymyt of his tyme wherein as I reappose a chiefe credit in youre honestie so if the successe aunswere not my exspectacion assure your selfe youre vertue cann not escape wythe oute slaunder and the best parte of youre faythe remeyne in question for euer wherewyth they departed the one to her lodging conuerted whollly into deuise wyth what tearmes she sholde aunswere the day followinge the follie of her folishe louer the other repaireth to her passioned Vyrle who dispairinge still of the goodnes of Zylya preuented the reaporte of the messenger by askinge her what newes and whether his mistrys were still shodd with her mettall of aunciente tyranny or no that you shall try your selfe saith she if you haue the hart to meete her tomorowe in her house at the seconde hower after dynner according to her owne appointement whiche brought such newe ioye into all his desperat partes that he feell of embrasing the bringer of those glade some newes offringe her the choice of a thousand thankes with libertie to dispose of him and all that was his at her pleasure thinking the exposicion of his life to a thousande perils for her sake was farr insufficiente to counteruaile the greatnes of the pleasure shee had procured him in that simple appointmente whiche he promised to performe the next daye accordinge to the hower with intente to endure what soeuer it pleased fortune to bestowe vppon hym agaynst whom to stryue sayth he albeit is as though a man sholde make warr agaynst hymselfe whereof the victorie cannot bee without doble daunger yet am I determined to embrase her doome although the same contend agaynste my felicitie in whiche or suche like termes hee passed the daye whyche seamed to excede the space and compasse of a yeare to hym that lyueth in exspectacion of frendshipp at the handes of his mistrys wyth whose snares he was taken without that he had libertie to giue iudgement of the malice of a woman when she is disposed to spyt out the vttermoste stynge of her venym And sewerly that man is farr from the guide of discrecion that is touched with the furye of such charmes seing the daunger of so many thousandes tastinge of the like abuses ought to warne vs to eschewe such euils in oure selues neytheer haue they don suche wronge to themselues as generall discredit to the whole masculyne sect â–ª for that with out wisdome they haue become subiecte to theim who haue their beyng in this worlde for no other respect then to depende vppon the will and comandement of the man but as this mortall
peruersd destenie Oh lyues ay framd in mould of vvretchednes And borne to vveare the vvreath of miserie From all that earst haue felt distresse He is most cursd vvose state is so opprest That in his lyfe fyndes no one daye of rest Resigne your tearmes and tunes of auncient vvoo VVho earst haue vvept in teares of equall greeff No tvvo on lyue nor all that slepe belovve More loyall vveare aye vvantinge still relieff Then vve vvhose pictures here are placd in depe And shrovvded both vvithin the fatall sheete FINIS The argument THe tragicall chaunces happeninge toth infortunate sorte of this world albeit at the firste do present a certeine bitter tast with vnsauerye disgestion yet who Syfteth theym to the quicke construinge rightly euerye cause of their commyng and vertue in operacion wil not only iudge theim necessarie for some respectes but also discerne in theim an indifferent proffit and pleasure to all degrees of present being but specially to future posterities who may learne by the view of former illes to eschewe the like harmes in theim selues And because euery thinge is appointed his peculiar season and al actes cannot agre with euery time and al places I haue deuised that as I began my histories with a comiqual discourse So I intende to knit up with a tragicomiqual reaport treating chiefly vpon the selfe same subiect which the fonde do coÌ„monly prefer as a speciall couerture or sheelde of their faltes Thexperience is not straunge nowe a dayes what humor of rage doth directe our fraile youth gouerned by the planet of loue and what mortall inconuenience dothe and wold springe thereupon if reason serued not in some sorte as a moderacion of our follie euen from the cradle to the ful maturitie of our age quallefyeng besides by wholsom principles the heate of our wilfull appettites wherin like as amongest all the tyranous enemies which afflicte the bodie or mynde of man he only gloriethe of force to alter our propper nature what perfection so euer it ymporte conuerting our libertie into a disposicion of seruile thraldome guided only by the reyne of his discrecion So amon the nomber of authorities heretofore alledged for the profe of the same I haue thought good to preferr an example of ourtyme happening in a gentlemaÌ„ of Catalonia who declaringe in him selfe by his togreat constancie two extremyties of loue and follie hath also painted out the picture of a gentlewoman no lesse light and inconstante then loue and such as followe his loaâ—e be vaine seing the small vertue whiche assistes their sonde indeuor and slender commoditie growinge by their vncerteiue seruice A WONDERFVL CONstaÌ„cie in Dom Diego who for the respect of Geniuera la blonde vndertoke a harde Pennance vppon the mountes pyrenei where he ledd the lyfe of an hermytt till hèe was found out by chaunce by one of hys frendes by whose helpe he recouered both fauor and mariage of hys cruell mistres VPon the confynes of Catalonia deuydinge Barcellonia and the mountes liued not loÌ„g since an auncient Lady the wydowe and late wife of a knight of that contrey who left her only a daughter to supplie hym in succession and giue comforte to the desolacion and old yeres of her mother in whom appered rather a fonde zeale then awfull diligence in theducation of her childe for that she semed more willinge to flatter the vaine humor of her young yeres then careful to reprehend the argumentes of wanton dispocision apperinge in the younglinge who besides her curius shapp of body and lymmes with wonderful perfection of bewtie wherein nature gloreth yet of her conninge was assisted wyth so fayre a haire fallinge by deuyne arte in to crisped lockes deuidynge theym selues as it were by appointmente that the golde purifyed and tryed by the flame of the furnaise seamed but a darke metall in respecte of the glisteringe glee of her curled haire whereby shée was called of all men Geniuera la blonde not far from whose castell or place of a bode was y e dwelling of an other vertuouse wydow of noo lesse estimation for her riches large dominions then the other and of equall honour and renowme for honeste life who hauynge only the presence of a son to restore the remembrance of her deade husbande vsed no lesse care to brynge hym vpp in the discipline of euery vertue studie of good letters together with a participation in thexercise of all noble recreacions couenient for a gentleman of his condicion and calling then the faire Geniuera reapposed felicitie in the beautie of her glorious heare wherein to assiste the natural towardines of her son she sent him to Barcelonia the chefest citie of the contrey where fortune fauoured his diligence with suche dexteritie in all thynges that vppon the eyghtenth yeare of his age his perfection in learnyng with wonderfull sleyghte in exploytes of chiualrye gaue causes of shame to all gentlemen and other degrees what so euer norrished and bredd vpp in the lyke exercises whyche sturred vpp suche contentemente in the good Ladie hys mother that she knewe not with what countenance to couer the pleasure shee tooke in the felicitie of her sonne a falte familiar enoughe to a nomber of fonde menne and a vice moste common to all mothers who glorienge in the towardenes of their children do flatter theym selues with an vncerteine hope of their future vertue wherein they do indifferente wronge to their owne ymagination and aduauncement of theyr wilfull and wanton youth who blynded with vayne perswacion of creaditt of their parentes do thynke theym selues dispensed with all frome further diligence or to expose effectes of other dutie whereuppon followeth often tymes a nomber of indifferent myshappes to theym bothe with cause of equall rebuke to the one and the other and so pursewyng the queste of my hystorye it happened in the florishynge yeares of thys younge gentleman Dom Diego that Phillipp of Austriche onely heyre to hys father newlye deceased passynge thorowe Fraunce towardes Spaine to inueste hym selfe in the Seignories of hys late father gaue warnynge of hys comynge to the Citie of BARCELONIA who for their parts entred ymediatly into deuise touchinge the pompp and magnifisence wherewith they mighte do honor to the maiestie of so great a prince as y e son of the Emperour of the Romaines amongest other solemnities they dressed a riche and curious iust furnyshynge the listes onely with younge gentlemen here to fore not greatly exsperienced in the vse of armes wherof as Dom Diego was chosen chiefe of th one parte so the kyng for a more contentement to hys subiectes beynge vppon the skaffolde to iudge the loftie corage of thies younge gallandes had onely his eyes vpon the younge DIEGO with a wonderfull admiration of his force in so younge yeres arguyng an vndowted vertue with thincrease of further age to whome onelye he awarded the glorie of the féelde with protestation that in hys lyfe he hadd not séene a medly better performed seamynge rather a
presence drowned wyth thinundacion of vndeserued sorow proceding by his wickednes wherewith her eyes performed her desier with such plentie of teares that there was not one of the companie voyed of compassion on the hehalfe of the dollor whych tormented her not ceassing notwithstanding to perswade her to pitie towarde that poore Diego who beynge newely recouered by the diligence of thassistance sprinkling fresh water of the fountayne vpon his face dyd no soner lift vp his sorowfull lyddes beholdinge the lamentable passion of hys mistres with certeine likelehodes he espied showing an encrease of her disdayne towardes hym but he retired to his former debilitie fallinge downe dead betwene the armes of suche as suported hym and albeit hée was eftsones restored yet the force of hys passion assailed hym stil wyth thrée or foure mortal panges one in the necke of an other in such sorte as the whole company gaue iudgment of hys death amongest the whych Roderico was not the leaste amased who greuing indifferently with thobstinate crueltie of Geniuera and present perill of hys deare freÌ„d Diego was in long debate what pollecie to vse to qualifie the one and preuent the daunger of the other he perswaded that if he killed the willful Geniuera he shold also giue ende to the dayes of Diego for that vpon the viewe and remembrauce of the one depended the life of the other and so in doinge no good to any he sholde commit doble offence to god and the world both in spottinge his soule with vnciuill morder and also to become the author of his death in whose lyfe he reaposed his most worldly felycitie on thother side y e vntowardnes of the girle argued her intractable in suche sorte as hee desiered which confirmed the continuall martirdom of hys frend whose distresse as it moued hym to suche inwarde remorce that to procure his deliuerye he made no conscience to lighte a candle afore the deuill so he gaue a newe charge vppon the good will of Geniuera with gentle perswacions lainge afore her what vertue ought to appere in suche tender and delicate yeres and how greatly the vice of ingratitude defaced the renowme of a gentlewoman assisted wyth crueltie without reason wherein gaininge no lesse then if he had neuer put the deuise in execution he retired to thextremitie of his former threates and last pollecie swearinge that she shoulde fynde no difference betwene the sommonce and effecte seing that by her death he should giue ende to her disdayne and desolate state of hys frende whom as he doubted not woulde deserne in tyme what commoditie it were to purge the ayre of suche contagiouse filthes of ingratefull arrogancie so he was also of opynion that tyme wold yelde commendacion to his fact chiefly for that in preseruinge y e honour of a familie he thought it more expediente to exterminat the two principall offenders then to reserue the lyfe of eyther of them for an vtter extinction of the glorye of the whole house wherefore regarding the rest of his traine hee commanded to laye handes of the obstinate gentlewoman with her two companions with charge to vse no lesse mercy in their seuerall executions then the chiefeste of the three extended pitie to the amarus knighte whyche he thoughte wold yelde vp the ghost afore her The Ladye hearinge the sentence diffinitiue of her life escrâ—ed the morder with open mouthe as yf she had exspected some succour to defende her from deathe wherein her hope was frustrate for the deserte fostred no other companye but suche as were readye in the place to commit execution The page and poore Chambriere helde vpp their handes for mercie to Roderico who fainyng an ympedimente in hys hearyng made a signe to his men to put effecte to his commandement Geniuera entreating for the liues of her page and woman desiered that their ynnocentie mighte not do pennance for the offence whych she had don crauyng with great humilitie that the punishement myght be performed vppon her froÌ„ whom the falte yf it be a matter meritorious of blame sayeth she for a womaÌ„ to kepe her fayth to her husbande is deriued and yeld iustice to thies infortunat wretches least th execution of their ynnocentiâ— increase your detestable offence oh saieth she with her handes and eyes beholdyng the heauens thou my most deare and lawfull husbande whose soule I see walkyng in the middest of the loyal louers what better proffe canste thou haue of the sinceritie of my loue then to see me laye my body vppon thalter of ymmolation to vntymely death for thy sake neyther shalte thou for thy parte oh boocher and mortall morderour of my carkasse to whose crueltie my destenie hathe consented in quenching thy thurste with the blodd of a pure mayde glorifie hereafter to haue forced the harte of a simple gentlewoman and muche lesse made a breache into her honor eyther by terrible threates or sugred perswations vpoÌ„ which laste wordes notwithstandyng attended suche argumentes of terrour that a man wolde haue thoughte that the veraye remembrance of death hadd somewhat quallified her vehemency and mortified the greatest part of her former furies Dom Diego by this tyme came to hym selfe and seynge the discourse of the tragedye readye to presente hys laste acte with the death of his faire mistres Geniuera la blonde was driuen to force hym selfe to speake for the lyfe of her whose crueltie hadde committed hym allmoste to the panges of extreme daunger wherefore staynge the diligence of suche as had the charge of execution he addressed hym to Roderico with this requeste My lorde and great frende the present experience of your rare frendshypp hath made so lyberall a prooff of youre vndoubted meanyng towardes me that if I sholde liue the age of a whole worlde I shoulde not be hable to discharge the bondes of your desert So considering the cause of this misfortune procedes only of the malice of mine owne destenie and that it is a vanitie to contende with the thynges which the heauens haue determined vpon vs I beseche you by the vertue of your honor for a confirmation of all the good tornes you haue done me to graunte me yet one requeste whiche is that in pardonning the life of this gentlewoman and her companie you will retourne theim to the place from whence you broughte theim with no lesse assuraunce and saffetie then yf you guided your miserable Dom Diego for my parte being fullie resolued not to kepe warre with my destenies I am perswaded to a contentement touchinge my lot assurynge you for the reste that the sorowe whiche I sée she suffreth giueth me more cause of passion then y e gréef which I endure by her meanes troubleth me let her liue in peace and me in exspectation to receiue ende of my tormentes by the deuouring knif which is ordeyned to cut in sonder the fillet whereuppon dependes the fatall course of my cursed yeres till whiche tyme I haue sworne to kepe resideÌ„ce in