a litle longer he fained as though he had made a further searche The other so subtill and malicious as he badde hym to séeke still and when thei sawe tyme thei toke awaie the proppes that staied vp the Tōbe and ran awaie leauyng poore Andreuccio fast shutte in the Graue Whiche when Andreuccio perceiued what chaunced to hym then eche man maie consider Then he assaied sometymes with his shulders sometyme with his hedde to remoue the couer but all was in vaine Wherefore euen for verie sorowe he fill in a sownde vpon the deade bodie of the Bishoppe And if a man had seen them bothe at that instaunt it could not well haue béen discerned whether was the dead corps the Archebishoppe dedde or poore Andreuccio diyng But after he was come to hymsef he began piteouslie to complaine seeyng he was arriued to one of these twoo endes either in the Tombe to die for hunger and with the stenche of the dedde body putrifiyng with wormes if no manne came to open it or els to be hanged as a Thiefe if he were founde within And as he was in these consideracions tormented with sorowe he heard a noyse in the churche of diuerse menne who as he thoughte came to dooe the like facte that he and his fellowes had doen before wherewith his feare began muche more to augment But after thei had opened the graue and staied it vp it came in question emōges them who should goe in And when thei had contended a good space about the same A Priest that was in the companie saied Why are ye afraied Dooe ye thinke that he will eate you The dedde neuer eate men I will goe in my self And when he had saied so he laied hym downe upon his breaste at the drinke of the graue and thrustyng his feete in before he wente doune Andreuccio seyng that erected himself vpright and caught the Prieste by one of the legges makyng as though he would haue drawen hym in whiche when the Prieste perceiued he cried out a loude spéeding himself out so fast as he could Wherewithall the reste dismaied almoste out of their wittes leauyng the graue open tooke their legges and ranne as though a hundred thousande deuelles had béen at their tailes whiche seyng Andreuccio more ioyfull then he looked for lepte out of the graue and ranne as fast as he could out of the Churche at the place where he came in At what tyme daie light beganne to appere and he with the ryng on his finger wandred he wist not whether till he came to the sea side and at lengthe recouered his Inne where he founde his companie and his hoste all that night takyng greate care for hym To whom recomptyng that whiche chaunced his hoste gaue hym aduise incontinently to gette hym out of Naples whiche presently he did and retourned to Perugia hauyng bestowed his v. C. crounes vpon a Ryng whiche he thought to haue imploied vpon horsses For whiche cause he made that iorney The Erle of Angiers beyng falsly accused was banished out of Fraunce and lefte his twoo soonnes in sundrie places in Englande and retournyng vnknowen by Scotlande founde them in greate aucthoritie afterwardes he repaired in the habite of a seruaunte to the Frenche kynges armie And beyng knowen to be innocent was againe aduaunced to his firste estate ¶ The .xxxvii. Nouell THe Romane Empire beyng transferred frō the Frenche menne vnto the Almanes there rose a great discencion betwene bothe the nacions and in the ende a cruell and continual warre For which cause as well for the defence of his kingdome as to offede his enemies the Frenche king and one of his soonnes with all the power of their owne realme and of their frendes and allies assembled a greate hoste of menne to encountre with their enemies and before thei proceded bicause thei would not leaue their realme with out a gouernor knowyng Gualtieri Erle of Angiers to be a gentle and sage knight and their moste trustie frende and that he was a man moste expert in the arte of warfare semyng vnto thē notwithstandyng more apt to pleasure then paine lefte hym Lieutenaunt generall in their place for the gouernement of the whole kyngdome of Fraunce and proceded in their enterprise The Erle then began with greate knowledge and by good order to execute his office committed vnto hym dooyng nothyng without the consente of the Quene and her faire doughter in lawe although thei were lefte to be vnder his custodie and gouernement yet neuer tholesse he honoured them as his maistresses and superiours This Erle Gualtieri was a beautiful personage about the age of fourtie yeres so familier and well condicioned as any gentleman could be and besides that he was the moste excellent and trimmest knight that was knowen in those daies and one most comelie in his apparell It chaunced that the kyng and his soone beyng at the warres aforesaied the wife of the Erle died in the meane while leauyng hym onely twoo little yonge children a soonne and a doughter whiche he had by her He then frequentyng the courte of the aforesaied Ladies talkyng many tymes with them aboute the affaires of the realme the wife of the kynges sonne fixed her eyes vpon him and with great affection for his persone and vertues feruentlie imbraced hym with secrete loue And knowing herself to be yonge and freshe and hym to bee without a wife thought sodainly to bring to passe that whiche she desired and thinkyng that nothyng could lette the same but onely shame to discouer it she purposed vtterly to abandone the same And vpon a daie beyng a lone she sente one to seeke the Erle as though she would haue communicated with hym of other matters The Erle whose minde was farre different from the Ladies incontinently came vnto her who beyng sette doune together vpon a bedde which she desired alone in a chāber he asked her twise vpon what occasion she sent for hym and she hauyng nothyng to sate vnto him pressed in the ende and rapte with loue waxed verie shamfast and almoste wepyng quakyng for feare with fainte wordes began to saie as foloweth My derely beloued and louyng frende and Lorde you maie easelie knowe beyng a wise manne as you bee the frailtie of menne and women and by diuers consideracions the weakenesse to bee more in the one then in the other Wherefore before a iust iudge one fault of diuerse qualities ought not of reason to receiue one like punishemente Moreouer who is he that will saie that a poore man or woman whiche getteth their liuing with the labor of their bodie ought not more to bee reprehended if thei become amourous and subiect to their lustes then the riche Ladie whiche taketh no care for her liuyng or wanteth any thyng that she desireth Truely I beleue there is none suche that will saie so for whiche reason I suppose that the thinges before saied ought to serue the greatest part of the excuse to the aduauntage of her that doeth possesse thē If
should be sent to the mount Auentine to perswade the people but thei vtterly refused the message vnlesse the Decemuiri wer first deposed The Decemuiri made answere that thei would not giue ouer their aucthoritie till suche tyme as those Lawes were ratified whiche were treated vpon before thei were elected to that office Of all these contencions the people was aduertised by M. Duillius their Tribune And when bothe the armies were ioyned at the moūt Auentine aforesaied All the multitude of the citie mē women and children repaired thither in sorte that Rome was like a forlorne and abandoned place The fathers seyng the citie thus relinquished Horatius and Valerius with diuers of the fathers exclamed in this wise What doe ye expecte and looke for ye fathers cōscripte Will ye suffer all thynges to run to extreame ruine and decaie Shall the Decemuiri still persiste in their stubberne and froward determinacions What maner of gouernmente is this O ye Decemuiri that ye thus laie holde vpon and enioye Will ye pronoūce and make lawes within your owne houses and the limites of the same Is it not a shame to sée in the Forum a greater nomber of your Catchpolles and Sergeantes then of other sober and wise Citizens But what will ye doe if the enemie vpon the sodaine doeth approche the walles What will ye doe if the people vnderstandyng that wee care not for their departure doe in armes assaile vs Will ye finishe your gouernment with the ouerthrowe of the citie But either we muste expell and abandon the people or els we must admitte the Tribunes Wee shall soner wante our fathers and Senatours then thei their plebeian officers Thei bereued and tooke awaie from vs the Fathers a newe kinde of aucthoritie whiche was neuer seen before who now feelyng the swetenesse thereof will neuer giue it ouer For wee can not so well tēper our aucthoritie and gouernemente as thei bee able to seke helpe and succour The Decemuiri perceiuing that thei wer hated so well of the Senate as of the people submitted themselues And thervpon Valerius and Horatius were sent to the campe to reuoke the people vpō suche condicions as thei thought moste meete Then the Decemuiri were commaunded to take heede of the peoples furie So sone as the Ambassadours were come to the campe thei were receiued with greate ioye and gladnesse of the people because thei wer the beginners of that sturre and supposed that thei would make an ende of the commocion for whiche cause thei rendred to them their humble thankes Then Icilius was appoincted to speake for the people who required to haue the aucthoritie of the Tribunes restored and their appeale renewed with restitucion of those lawes whiche before the erection of the Decemuiri were ratefied and confirmed Thei demaunded also an impunite and frée pardon to those that firste encouraged and incited the souldiours to that enterprise and the restoryng of their liberties Thei required to haue their enemies the Decemuiri to be deliuered into their handes Whom thei threatened to put to death by fire Whervnto the Ambassadours answered in this wise Your requestes bee so reasonable that thei ought willinglie to bee graunted All whiche ye desire to obtaine as a defence and comforte for your libertie and not to persecute and infest others Your furie and anger ought rather to bee pardoned then permitted or graunted Ye beare a face and séeme to detest and hate seueritie and ye your selues incurre and runne hedlong into all kinde of crueltie and before ye be made free your selues ye desire to be lordes ouer your aduersaries Shall our citie neuer bée voide of tortures and oppressions sometyme of the fathers towardes the people some tyme of the people towardes the fathers You had more néede of a shilde to defende you then of a sworde to fight That manne is of a base state and courage we suppose that liueth in a Citie and beareth hymself so vprighte as neither he inferreth iniurie to others ne yet suffereth wronge hymself If ye shewe your selues so terrible then it is to bee supposed that after ye haue recouered your lawes and magistrates and be placed againe in your former aucthoritie and preeminence ye will also ordeine and appoincte Lawes ouer vs that shall concerne our liues and goodes and euery other lightmatter But for this present I would wishe you to be contented with your former fréedome After the Ambassadours had willed theim to consulte vpon some determinate answere thei retourned to Rome to make reporte to the Senate of the peoples requestes The Decemuiri perceiuyng that contrary to their expectacion no likelihode was of any persecucion to be doen vpon them condescended to those demaūdes Appius beyng a man of nature cruell and malicious measuryng the malice of others by his owne maligne disposicion spake these woordes I am not ignoraunte what fortune is now imminente For I dooe plainlie sée that whiles weapons bee deliuered to our aduersaries the combate is deferred againste vs. With bloodde enuie muste bee rewarded I will not any longer delaie the tyme but depriue my self of the Decemuirate When the Senate was aduertised by the Ambassadours Valerius and Horatius of the peoples aunswere thei decreed that the Decemuiri should bee deposed and that Q. Furius the chief bishoppe should create the plebeian Tribunes Wherein also was enacted that the departure of the people and mutine of the souldiours should bee pardoned When these lawes were renewed the Decemuiri wente foorthe and openly in the assemblie deposed themselues to the greate ioye and comforte of them all All whiche beyng reported the people bothe the souldiours and the reste of the multitude repaired before the Ambassadours vnto whom the Ambassadours spake these wordes We now beseche you all to retourne into your countrie to your domesticall Goddes your wiues and children whiche wée trust shal be right good happie and profitable vnto you and to the common wealth But your modeste and sober behauiour for that no mannes grounde is violated and destroied considering many thinges could not suffice the hugenesse of this multitude that parte of modestie I saie carie with you into the Citie to your immortall fame and glorie Gette ye therefore to the mounte Auentine from whence ye departed whereas in a place moste happie ye renued the foundacions of your auncient libertie and there ye shall create your Tribunes The chief bishoppe shal be presente to kepe the Comirialles Then the Romane people made Aulus Virginius Lucius Icilius and P. Numitorius the Tribunes who with their assistauntes first aduannced and confirmed the libertie of the people Afterwarde Virginius was appointed to bee the accuser and Appius chosen to be the defendant At the daie appointed Appius resorted to the Forum with a greate companie of yonge gentlemen of the patriciall order where Virginius began to renewe the cruell and abhominable facte whiche Appius committed in the tyme of his authoritie and saied Oracion was first deuised founde out for
ambiguous and doubtfull causes therefore I will neither consume tyme in accusyng hym before you frō whose crueltie ye haue by force defended your selues nor yet I will suffre hym to ioyne to his former wickednesse any impudente answere for his defence Wherefore Appius all those thinges whiche he wickedly and cruelly one vpon an other thou haste dooen these twoo yeres paste I dooe fréely forgiue thee But if thou canste not purge thy self of this one thing that against the order and forme of Lawe thou thy self beyng Iudge wouldest not suffer the freman to enioye the benefite of his freedome during the processe made of seruitude I will presently commaunde thee to prison Appius Claudius beyng now a prisoner and perceiuyng that the iuste complaintes of Virginius did vehemētty incite the people to rage and furie and that the peticions and praiers of his frēdes in nowise could mollifie their hartes he began to conceiue a desperacion And within a while after slewe hymself Spurius Oppius also an other of the Decemuiri was immediatly sent to prison who before the daie of his iudgemēte died The reste also of that order fled into exile Whose goodes were confiscate Marcus Claudius also the Assertor was condempned howbeit Virginius was contented he should be banished the citie and then he fled to Tybur Thus vpon the filthie affeccion of one nobleman issued parricide murder rebellion hatred depriuyng of magistrates and greate mischiefes succedyng one in an others necke Wherevpon the noble and victorious citie was like to be a praie to forren nacions A goodlie documente to men of like callyng to moderate themselues and their Magisterie with good and honeste life thereby to giue incouragemente of vertue to their vassalles and inferiours who for the moste parte doe imitate and followe the liues and cōuersacion of their superiours Canduales kyng of Lydia shewyng the secretes of his wiues beautie to Gyges one of his Guarde was by counsaile of his wife slaine by the said Gyges and depriued of his kyngdome ¶ The .vj. Nouell OF all follies wherwith vaine men be affected the follie of immoderate loue is most to be detested For that husband whiche is beautified with a comely and honeste wife whose rare excellēcie doeth surpasse other aswell in lineamentes proporcion and feature of bodie as with inwarde qualities of minde if he can not retaine in the secrecie and silence of his breast that excellyng gifte and benefite is worthie to be inaugured with a laurell croune of follie Beautie eche man knoweth is one of natures ornamentes by her wisedome ordeined not to enter in triumphe as victours vse vpon gaine of victorie with brauerie to ostentate their glorie by sounde of Shalme Dromme but thankfully for the same to proclaime the due praise to the aucthour of Nature For there is nothyng more fraile and fadyng then the luryng lookes of Dame beauties eyes altogether like the flaryng Marigolde floure whiche in the moste feruent heate of the Sommers daie doeth appere moste glorious and vpō retire of the nightes shadowe appereth as though it had neuer been the same And therefore he that conceiueth reioyse in her vncertaine state is like to hym that in his slombryng dreame doeth imagine he hath founde a perelesse iewell of price inestimable besette with the glistering Diamonde and perfectly awaked knoweth he hath none suche If God hath indued a man with a wife that is beautifull and honest he is furnished with double pleasure suche as rather thankes to hym then vaine ostentacion is to bee remembred Otherwise he doateth either in Ielosie or openeth proude vauntes thereof to suche as he thinketh to be his moste assured frendes What ioye the sequele thereof doeth bryng let the historie insuyng reporte Candaules kyng of Lydia had a merueilous beautifull gentlewoman to his Quene and wife whom he loued very dearly and for that greate loue whiche he bare her thought her the fairest creature of the world Beyng in this louing concept he extolled the praise of his wife to one of his guarde called Gyges the sonne of Dascylus whom he loued aboue all the reste of his housholde and vsed his counsaile in all his weightie causes with in a while after he saied vnto Gyges these woordes It seemeth vnto me Gyges that thou doest not greatly beleue the woordes whiche I speake vnto the of the beautie of my wife but because eyes be better witnesses of thynges then eares thou shalte see her naked With these wordes Gyges beyng amased cried out saiyng What wordes be these sir kyng me think you are not well aduised to require me to viewe and beholde the ladie my maistres in that sorte For a woman seen naked doeth with her clothes put of also her chastitie In olde tyme honest thinges were deuised for mannes instruction emonges whiche was vsed this one thing That euery man ought to behold the thinges that were his owne But sir I doe beleue assuredlie that she is the fairest woman in the worlde wherfore desire me not to thynges that bee vnlawfull In this sorte Gyges replied and yet feared lest some daūger might happen vnto hym Whom Candaules encouraged saiyng Be of good there and be not afraid that either I or my wife goe aboute to deceiue thee or that thou shalte incurre any daunger For I will take vpon me so to vse the matter as she by no meanes shal knowe that thou haste seen her I will place thee behinde the portall of our chamber When I goe to bed my wife commonlie dooeth followe And she beyng in the Chamber a chaire is sette redie vpon whiche she laieth her clothes as she putteth them of Which doen she sheweth her self a good tyme naked And when she riseth from her chaire to goe to bedde her backe beyng toward thee thou maiest easilie conueighe thy self out againe but in anywise take heede she doe not sée thee as thou goest out Wherevnto I praie thee to haue a speciall regarde Gyges seeyng that by no meanes he could auoide the vaine requeste of the kyng was redie at the tyme appoincted Candaules about the hower of bedde tyme went into the Chamber and conueighed Gyges into the same and after the Kyng the Quene followed whom Gyges behelde at her goyng in and at the puttyng of her clothes When her backe was towardes hym as he was goyng out she perceiued hym The Quene vnderstanding by her housbande the circumstance of the facte neither for shame did crie out ne yet made countenance as though she had séen Gyges but in her minde purposed to reuenge her husbandes follie For emōges the Lydiās as for the most parte with all other nacions it is coumpted a greate shame to sée a naked man The gentlewoman counterfaited her grief and kepte silence In the mornyng when she was redie by suche of her seruauntes whom she moste trusted she sent for Gyges who thought that she had knowen nothyng of that whiche chaūced For many times before he vsed to haue accesse to the quene when he was