theis solitarye desertes aswell to endure the pennance of myne owne indiscretion as also to continue in secrett prayer to thalmightye for the continual quiet of her who may boldly vaunte to be the mistres of the most loyall seruante that euer mente honor or seruice to Ladie Who doubtes in y e merueilous forces of loue let him be absolued with this example seing that as the impressiō which we cal loue hath power to bringe to an vnitie the mindes that liued in seperation make indissoluble peace with the quarells which seame immortall quallifying the rigour of those hartes whiche without this passion no other pollecie could appaise So when he discouereth the full perfection of his effectes he preferres suche a facilitie in thinges whiche earste seamed impossible that by his onely meane they become neither dangerous to pursewe nor harde to obtaine whych appered rightly in this younge Lady in whom as the sinister conceite of a former Ielowsie her affected zeale contracted to an other with her iust cause of anger for his death had engendred a disdayne to Dom Diego an extreme desier to reuenge her wronge vpon Dom Roderico and by the same meane to ende her owne lyfe So loue remouinge the vaile that blinded the eyes of her vnderstandinge and breakinge thadamante rocke planted in the middeste of her stomake brought her in one instante to beholde with open eyes the constancy patience and perseuerance of her first and moste loyall seruant whose last prayer and intercession on her behalf stirred vp in her more remorce thē al y e seruices of court or pennance in the painfull wildernes wer hable to prefer whereof she exposed a present effect in castinge her armes a bout the necke of the desperat knyght to whom she forbare no sortes of kisses nor amarus embrasinges seamynge no lesse passioned wyth ioy and loue on hys behalfe then earste he seamed plunged in dispair and sorowe ballancing indifferently betwene life and death in his presence neyther was she hable to pronownce any worde vpon the soddayne tyll beyng restored to the vse of her tongue by the discontynuance of her traunce she excused her former rigour wyth tearmes of humylitie and desyeringe pardon of the follies wher wyth she had abused hys patience offred her selfe hereafter to be the slaue and seruant of hys shadow takyng thassistāce of thym perfections in loue to be in some sort contrybutarye to her falte for that sayth she as loue hathe this vice of nature that such as accompte theym selues to sée moste cleare are they whych most often commit greatest faltes by ignorance So besydes the confession of the wronge I haue don you so many wayes Lo I am ready to abide the punishment of your owne iudgemeut without crauing any dispence of iustice or moderacion of pennance for any respecte of fauor And albeit for my parte I haue not escaped wythout passiō but y t the stormes of aduersatie which you haue séene me endure haue driuen me to thuttermost of my patience yet I my selfe happie to haue passed that awaye for thexperience I haue made of two effects of verteous extremities the one of constant loyaltie in you whych only hath right to chaleng y e crowne of glory frō hym that sacrafized himself vpon the blodie body of hys Lady who in dyenge so gaue ende to his annoyes where you haue chosen a kynde of languishynge life of more hard tolleracion a thousād tymes then the sharp arrowes of death the other consistes in the clemencie wher wyth you haue mortefied so well the rage of your aduersaries that I whych earst hated you to death am now so vanquished by your courtesye that I accompte myne honor and lyfe of to small value to requite your merit wherin also I acknowledge a debte to Seigneur Roderico whose wisedome makes me ashamed of my follie in resisting his rightfull demaunde touching the reléeffe of your vndeserued destresse wherunto as he wold haue replied wyth semblable humylitie Dom Roderico preuented hys meanynge in embrasinge theym both with peculiar commendacion to theyr vertues and speciall thankes to the goodnes of their fortune for that w t out peril of honor they had passed that dangerus passage aduising them to retorne w t hym to hys castel frō whēce hée sayde he wolde gyue warning to their mothers to whom he also vndertoke to cooler thaccidente wyth some other circumstance of fayned substance wher vpon they mounted on horsbacke leauing the stately hospitall to the nexte hermyt and vsing easye iorneys they toke away the tediousnes of the way with the pleasant deuises whych passed betwen the two louers embrasing one an other in honest sort as a simple recompense of their longe and weary annoyes till tyme with the consent of the churche gaue authoritie to consommat the rest of their desiers from the house of Roderico was aduertisement giuen to the two Ladye mothers in equall care for the loss of their childrē excusing the secret departure of Geniuera in that she went to sée Dom Diego lyinge sicke in a castell of hys frende Seigneur Roderico where if it pleased theym to giue their consente the mariage sholde be performed wherin there nedes no pithie solycitors to neither of the widowes for that for the more honor of the feaste and contentmente in the allyance they failed not there in parson at the day appointed where the mariage was performed with pompp accordyng to the magnificence of both their houses And so it is to be thought that the stormes and tormentes past endured by theim both yelded thys conclucion of other tast then they whych wythout painful trauaile in the presence of loue possesse the fyrste daye the full of their desiers whose pleasures certeinly as they resemble the condicion of hym who norished al the dayes of hys lyf in deintie fare cannot iudge so well of delite as he that some times findes want of suche delicatie soo also an extreme thruste makes vs fynde the wyne more pleasant and a long fasting giues a better taste to oure meate neyther is loue wythout annoye any other thyng then a cause without an effecte for he that wyll takeawaye the paynfull traueills and longe sute robbes the louer of the prayse of hys constancie and doth wronge to the glory of hys pursewt seyng that he only is worthy to weare the crowne of tryumphe who encountringe all conflictes doth reapose more assurance in the vertue of hys constancie then feare in any sorte the malice of any fortune Let thys be then the mirrour of loyal louers in detestacion of thimpudicitie of suche whych feare not to giue a charge wher they fynde good countenance and readye retire at the first repuise ympartinge also a participacion of worthy rebuke to thothers who to contente the humor of their fonde affection doo accompte it a vertue to exchaunge their former generositie wythe a gloriouse title to be reputed as true and faythfull champions of loue for y t the perfectiō to loue
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
with notes of vuiuersall prayse in pillers of eternitie then to be buried without pompe in the tombe of darke obliuion Ah deare brother what is become of thy auncient generosity and vertue of minde whych heretofore thou hast exposed on the behalfe of the honest chast Ladies of thy kinred race haste thou conuerted that care and curious zeale whiche hythervnto all men haue noted in the on my behalfe into a present intent to take awaye my lif renowme after my death because thy peruersed fortune hath depriued the of the moste part of thy possessions liuinges wilt thou therfore that I make lyke sale of min honor whyche I haue kepte hethervnto with so greate watche and diligence wilte thou my deare brother that ANSEAMO do triumphe with more glory in the victorie of my virginity then if he had cōstrained the rest remeinder of our miserable race to passe by the edge of his mordrynge sworde Remember alas that the hurtes and diseases of the soule be farre more vehement and of a contrary disposition to them which afflict annoy the body And is it I vnhappie thryswretched girle that must do penaūce for thoffences of vs all is this the iustice of the gods or rigorous dome of my angry destinies if y e heauens haue resolued my ruine why do they not rather cōmitt me to fatal execution thē present me vpon the Alter of fylthie ymolacions or offrings to the deuouring goddesse of filthie lust and that to appease the appetit of a young man who peraduenture desiereth no other pray then y e spoiles of my honor How pappie was the noble VIRGINIA of Rome who was slaine by the hādes of her owne father to auoyde violaciō of her bodye by y e lasciuious Emprour APPIVS the cōmon enemie to the honor reputacion of al honest Ladies alas why staith my brother to purchasse like renowme by performing semblable execution vpō me rather then of his owne mind to become the infamous minister of my life readye to abide the daunger of dishoneste force if God become not the protectour of his seruant take my cause into his hande why dothe death deferre to do his dutie or staye to dip the end of his venemous dart in the congeiled blod of my dieng sprit dispatch me with spede to visit the shadowes of my happy predecessours who vnderstanding my present distresse can not be voyde I am sewer of passion on y e behalfe of my wretched extremety why did not God nature giue power to the midwyf to smother me at thinstant that her cursed handes receiued me from the wombe of my mother rather then in preseruyng my lyfe with the milke of tender norriture to make my youth subiect to sondry sortes of affliction now in the age exspectation of quiet to present me the choice of ij of the most mortall euils in the world what councel haue I to assiste me in so doubtefull a case or whiche waye can I tourne me where I am not indifferently assailed with remorse on the behalf of my brothers request shame with desperacion in the simple remembrance of the fact Alas shall I loase him whom nature and law of kinde haue named the one halfe of my selfe and to cōmit theffect of his demande is no lesse dampnable afore God then if I did violence force against my selfe with mine own handes neyther haue I remedie or reason to eschew either of theis euils but by thassistance of the oh cruel Attropos whom I besech with the laste teares of this complaint to whet thy fatall knif and shred in sonder with spede y e twyst of my wretched daies least in preuentinge thy slacknes or slender haste theis handes of mine vndertake to supplie thine office with vnnaturall reuenge of my present sorow wherewith her teares sighes ceassed vpon a sodaine and her tounge foltering in her mouth her complexion of face was also conuerted into a pale ghastlye regard in suche sorte as the passion of this traunce stopping the conduites and course of her breath she seamed to haue as litle féeling or show of lyfe as the seat wheron she sat which when CHARLES behelde with resolution that the misterie conteined neither vision nor dreame nor charme of deceit but that his syster had bene as vtterly without hope of recouery as she seamed senceles and without breath ouercome with dolor and dispair to lyue after her whome he onely had preferred to so wretched a death fel vpon a sodaine from the place wher he sat vpon the grounde without mouing either hand or foote the noise of whose fal restored ANGELIQVA to some litle rebalation and vse of breath recouerynge in like sorte the opening of her eyes with a general mocion and féelyng in al her parts being thus at libertie of frée consideracion her eyes disclosed immediatly the piteous estat of her brother whom she iudged now to haue deliuered her of further care to performe his requeste wherein seing a generall retire of all his sences and onelye viewe of his deade bodie remeynynge to encrease her doloure she stoode at the point to vse the same reuenge of her selfe that THIS BE dyd when she founde her frende dead but finding his bodye warme wyth some argument of recouerye she forgat not the vse of any medecine wherin she iudged vertu to reclaime life and falling with all flat vpon the body of her deade brother shée began to curse her fortune and accuse the starres of crucltie inueighing withal against the slēder frendship of her selfe towardes hym who made no cōscience to offer to dye to preserue his patriimonie and inheritaunce only for her sustentation in the ende by thapplicatiō of certeine medecines and odoriferous smels somtime sprinkling colde water vpō his face dropping viniger into his mouth and somtime rubbynge his temples and pulses wyth other sleightes to reuoke hym that is but halfe dead she brake the bed of his traunce openyng a vent to vtter the course of his breath wherewith also his eys disclosed and chalenged their wonted lyght beholdinge with dolefull regardes his desolate syster who seinge all his partes replenished eftsones with vital mocions that he was in case to vnderstand and gyue iudgement of her wordes sayed vnto hym seinge my mishap is so great that she will admit no dispense of her malice thou deare brother so whollie resolued in thy wilful imagination that I must yelde to thy somance become the minister of the sentence of thy harte more prodigall and bountiful then is conuenient by the consent of raison I am content to become thankefull accordyng to thy desyer and more readye to performe thy requeste then thou haste raison to eracte so muche vppon me wherefore do awaye thy desperat regardes and lookes not vnliket o him that is plunged in a passion of tremblyng feare receyuynge with gladnes the present offer of thy carefull syster who here presentes herselfe the handemaide of
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
depended y e recouery of his soueraine but she being alredy as you haue hard enaâ—ored of the knyght who was the first y t wooed her with arguments felt euen now by y e discours of this letter such encrease of affectioÌ„ pinching so extremely y e desyre to sée him that without all order of womaÌ„ly discrecion she Imbraced the page in the behalf of his maister gyuinge him this answere to require his maister not to doubte to come to her house wherof saith she I also desier him to th end I may be resolued by y e breth of his own mouth of y t which I yet doubte touching the report of the letter wherin she preferred vedement importunities she winge the boye whiche waye he shoulde bringe hym to her chaÌ„ber where saith she I wil attend his coÌ„ming this euening wherwith y e Page returned discoursing point by point y e successe of his embassage to y e dolorous knight who reuiued by the gladsome newes of his boye but chieflye by the shorte appointmeÌ„t resolued vpoÌ„ by his mistresse cast of at thinstant thapparell of dule disposinge himselfe euery waye to performe thexspectation of the charge coÌ„mitted vnto him by the mouth of her whose commaundement he would not transgresse though his lyfe should incurre the hazard of a thousand perilles putting himselfe in as seamelye order as he thought good went only with his page in solemne maner to visit the saint who was of her selfe more redye to graunt fréelye then the pylgrym to demaunde by petition and who attending his commyng with more desier to ease the passion of the patient in quenching the feruent rage of her vnsaciable appetit then he for his part had cause to yelde adoration to so detestable a shryne was withdrawn all alone into her chamber where he found her coyfed for the nonst onely in a nyght gowne attire for the night redie to go to bed which with the naturall shewe of her liuelye beautye set out to the most aduantage by the shining light of the wax candels droue the knight at the first into such astonishment that the vse of his spech was conuerted into scilence his eyes onely occupied in beholding the rare beauty of her who was vtterly vnworthye to weare so precious a Iewell of nature albeit expulsing at last the feuer of his dombe traunse with kyssyng her white delicat handes as his firste entre into a further matter proposed the cause of his coÌ„ming in this sort I may by good reason accoÌ„pt my selfe more in the fauor of fortune then any gentilmaÌ„ y t euer was incideÌ„t to any good hap seing good madam that besides thassistaÌ„ce of the place I am also preferred to a conuenient meane to vnfold vnto you at large the smothered greife preserued hetheruÌ„to to my great payne in thutermost parte of my intrailles whiche longe sins had sought a vent to burst out in open flame if the dewe of the hope of that fauor whiche now I finde in you had not serued as a necessary licour of comfort to delaye the raginge heat of the furnaise for otherwise good madame I assure you the smal experteÌ„ce I haue to disgest the bitter pylles of loue had offered my life an vntimely sacrifise to death and nowe seing by thinter cessioÌ„ of fortune and greate curtesie of your good Ladyship I am not only sprinkled with the water of new consolation but also ariued before thoracle to whome I haue so long desyred to present the earnest penie of my humble seruice I besech you sayth hee not witthout teares and sighes of pytiful disposition open the windows of your pytye let fall the swete showers of compassion vpon this torment dealing so extremely with me without seassing which because you shal not thinke to be of lesse passioÌ„ theÌ„ the words of my mouth seme troubled in vtteryng the secret sorow of my hart looe her I am become in your presence the pytifull solyciter of min owne cause where with Pandora who hetherto had loued but only to satisfye her inordinat lust seynge with all thimportunities of her clyent all to be sprinkled with the teares of his eyes requited him with like argumeÌ„ts of kyndnes and feling now with in her hart certain mocioÌ„s assayling the secret of her thoughts with vnfained affectioÌ„ towarde her loyall Parthonope coulde not any lenger dissimull that which she chiefly desired but imbracing hym with sundry signes of assured familiaritye sayde vnto him more for maners sake then otherwise I maruaile syr that being armed with so smale experience you cane so darkly discouers of theffects of loue whose misteryes are not so plainly to be reueiled by anye as by those that haue taken degree in his skoole and wel could I impute that to your rashnes whiche by your letters you haue tearmed a crueltie in me for your sute hath not ben of such continuaunce as it may craue sentence in poste nor your trauayle so painfull as the reward ought to folow with suche hoat expedition albeit as you féele your owne hurt not escapinge peraduenture without some panges of affection So you must thinke the martyredom is not peculyar to one but diuidyng himselfe into a lyke SIMPATHIA of passion hath wayed vs both in thindiferent ballance of affection for if loue hathe buylte his bowre in the botome of your harte I must confesse vnto you syr that I draw vnder the yoke of his awe neyther is my torment any thyng inferior to yours wherof I had long eare this gyuen you vnderstandyng by plaine practi se if the vaile of shame a comen enemye to the amorous enterprises of vs women had not couered mine eyes and closed my mouth with feare that I durst neuer why lest my husband was at home caste forth suche baytes of the greate good will I haue borne you sins you weare our neighbour wherby you might perceiue wyth what loyaltye I haue chosen and adopted you thonlye owner yf my hart and wyth whom I wyshe to passe the remainder of my lyfe with suche pleasure and contentement as is necessary for the solace of twoe true louers whiche last wordes for the more assuraunce of the bargaine she forgot not to seale with sundry sortes of kysses and other homlye trickes of familiaritie wherby the knight being absolutlye resolued of that whyche earste hee douted began to take possession of her mouth adorynge her eyes wyth lookes of louyng admiration and passyng in order to her whyt necke of the colour of the freshe Lylye came at laste to beholde her bare brestes semynge lyke twoo little hyls or mountaynes enuironnynge a rosye valleye of moste pleasaunt prospect whiche he forgat not humbly to honor wyth the often print of his mouthe And passynge some space in these amorous traffiques wyth a thousand other sleights of folye wherof our vayne louers haue no lacke when they seme to dispute of pleasure wyth contentement of desyere they entred the lystes of their singuler combat in
capteine being one of the traine of the lord Iames TRIVOVLSE a great fauorer of the faction of GEBALYNO in Italye and at that tyme gouernor of the duchie of MILLAYNE vnder y e frenche kinge LOYS the thirde of that name whether it were to make a further proffe of the pacience of his wife or by absence to mortefie and forgett his fonde opinion conceiued without cause retired vpon a soddaine to Neweastel y e court and ordenarie place of abode of y e sayd Lord TRYVOVLSE which albeit was of hard disgestion to the ladie for a time yet beinge not vnaquainted with such chaunces and no pren tise in the practise of her husbande retired to her auncient patience and contentment by force dyssimuling with a new greefe and secrete sorowe this newe discourtesie to th ende that her waspishe husbande should take no excepcions to her in any respect but fynde her in this as the former stormes bent wholly to obey thappetit of his will and not to mislike with that whyche he fyndes necessarye to be don This TRIVOVLSE hadde not spente many monethes in fraunce but there was commenced informacion agaynste him to the king that he was reuolted from the frenche and become frend to the Swytzers and sworne to their seigneurye and faction wherewyth ymediatelye fame the common carier of tales filled all eares of MILAN and the prouince there about with this further â—ddicion that the king for that cause had seÌ„t him headles to his graue albeit as fame is rather a messenger of lyes then a treasure of truthe and ra her to be harde then beleued so this brute beinge not true in the laste did ymporte a certeine credit in the fyrste for TRYVOVLSE not liking to liue in the displeasure of his prince abandoned his charg and came into Lumbardy wher beinge sommoned by the messenger of deathe gaue place to nature and dyed who beinge the onelye maister and meynteynor of the ALBANOYSE capteine whilest bee liued colde not casely be forgotten of him after his death for after his departure was past the general doubte of the people and eche voice resolued that he was laide in hys graue Don Capitaino spado resolued whollye into teares seamed here to pass the mistery of a newe traunce whiche with the freshe remembraunce of his auncient harme and gréene wounde of vnworthie Ielowsye bledynge yet in his minde broughte hym in that case that he neyther desyred to liue nor doubted to die and yet in dispaire of theim both his solace of the daye was conuerted into teares and the howers of the night went awaye in vistons and hollowe dreames he loathed the companye of his frendes and hated the thynges that shoulde susteine nature neither was he contented with the presente nor cared for the chaunce of future tyme which sodaine alteracion in straunge maner driue his carefull wife into no lesse astonishement then she had cause and being ignoraunt of the occasion she was also voide of consolation which doubled her gréefe till tyme opened her at laste a meane to communicate familiarly with hym in this sorte Alas syr sayth she to what ende serue these pininge conceites forcing a generall debilytie thorow al your parts or why do you languishe in griefe without discoueryng the cause of youre sorowe to suche as holde your health no lesse deare then the swéete and pleasant taste of their owne lyfe from whence coÌ„mes this often chaÌ„ge of complexion accoÌ„panied with a dispositioÌ„ of malencolicke dompes arguing your inward fretting care of minde why staye you not in time y e source of your skorching sighes that haue alredye drayned your bodye of his wholsome humours appointed by nature to giue sucke to thintrals and inward partes of you and to what ende serueth this whole riuer of teares flowynge by such abundance froÌ„ your watery eyes almost worne awaye with wéeping is your gréefe growen great by coÌ„tinuance of time or haue you conceiued some mislike of newe Yf your house be out of order in any sorte or that wante of dutie or diligence in me procureth your grudge declare the cause to th ende the faulte maye be reformed in me and you restored to your auÌ„cieÌ„t order of quiet we both enioye a mutual traÌ„quillitie as apperteineth But he that labored of an other disease then is incideÌ„t coÌ„monly to men of good gouernemeÌ„t absolued her of all faultes or other mislikes he founde in the state of his house or other his affaires committed to her order lesse lacke of her diligence to make declaracion of her dutye to thutermoste but alas saith he with a depe sighe deriued of the â—retinge dolour of his minde and doubled twise or thrise within his stomacke afore he coulde vtter it what cause of comfort or consolation hath he to lyue in this world from whom the malice of destenie hath taken the chiefeste pillor of his life or to what ende serueth the fruicion or interest of longer yeres in this vale of vnquietnes when the bodie abhorreth alredie the longe date of his abode heare or why shold not this soma or masse of corrupcion which I receiued of the world bée dismissed to earth and my soule haue leaue to passe into the other worlde to shonne this double passion of present torment whiche I féele by the death of my deare frende Ah my deare Ladye and loyall wyfe my grief is so great that I dye to tell you the cause and yet the veray remembrance presents me with treble torments wherin I must confess vnto you that since the death of the late Lorde Ihon Tryuulso I haue had so lytle desyer to lyue that all my felicitie is in thinking to die neyther can ther be any thinge in the world more acceptable to me then death whose hower and time if they wer as certeine as himselfe is moste sewer to coÌ„me in the ende I could somwhat satisfye the greate desyer I haue to die moderate the rage of my passion in thinking of the shortnes of the dome that should giue ende to my dyeng ghost and vnrulye sorowes together besides waighing thinâ—inite miseries of our time accompanieng vs eueÌ„ from the wombe of concepcion with the reaste and reapose which dead men do finde And knowing withall how muche I am in the debte of him that is dead I can not wishe a more acceptable thinge then the spedie approche and ende of my dayes to th ende that being denied the viewe of his presence here I may folow him in thother world where participating indiferently such good and euil as falleth to his share I may witnes with what duetiful zeale affectioned harte I sought to honor and serue hym in all respectes But the Ladye that sawe as farre into the disease of her husbande as his phizicion into his vryne knowynge well enoughe that he dyd not languishe so muche for the desyer of hym that was dead as the ticklishe humour of Ielowsye troubled hym was content to admit his coollours
expedicion for that wythin some xviii or xx dayes after VALPERGO had taken possession and entred the forte of the countesse there arryued at PAVYA SEIGNEVR SANSEVERINO earle of GAIAZO whose promptenes of wit and perfection of bodie and membres with a valyant corage of the harte as they made his name and renowme excede all other betwene that the mountes so thys desloyal Aleyne cruel Medea had no soner takē a simple view on him w t a flickering glance of her vncertein eye but she felt a mociō of vehemēt zeale sturr and kindle within her whiche within shorte tyme grewe to tearmes of suche certeine affection that she which earste had dalyed with all men becomes now to doate vppon this new earle and that in such sorte that yf fortune wold not award present compassion and loue lende her a spedie meane to recouer thobiect of her desier she seamed not only to enter the tormentes of dispair but also to make smal accompte of the vse of longer lyfe iudging by thexterior and outewarde promises of this younge Lorde that it was only he that seamed sufficient to quenche the thurste of her greedie appetit wherfore she began to dispatche her handes of her first frend Valpergo with whom from that instant she did not onlye refuse to speake but also shonninge all places of his presence and repaire wold not sticke sometime to shott her gates against hym whych he colde not disgest without certeine iniurious wordes and tearmes of reproche whereuppon she grounded a grudge of suche mortall enimitie and spite againste him that her mynd reteined a remembrance of the quarrell till her malice had procured his death wherof the discourse followeth in his place desiering as yt seamed thacquaintāce of therle Gainzo aswel for her assistāce in thexcucion of theffect of her presēt spite against Valpergo as for the respect of true affection wherein as she was whoattlye called vppon by ij earnest solicitours loue and reuenge the one sewinge for a consommacion of her wicked deuise the other prickyng her with desier to procure theffect of her newe affection wyth the seconde earle to whom albeyt she displayed suche manyfeste sygnes of good wyll as eyther the arte of loue coulde imagyne or her wanton and idle brayne deuise yet seynge so slender a replye on his parte withe an encrease of her burning appetite she thought it necessarie to put spurs to his dull disposicion makinge no conscience to become the shameles clyent in a cause wherin the most vile and simple woman that is suffreth her selfe to be sewed vnto with no small adoo wherein beinge voyde of meanes to vse mutuall conference she makes this litle letter the messenger of her vnseamelie request The respect of the place and estimacion whiche I holde syr I am sewer will putt you in some amaze at the firste viewe of theis lynes vndoubted messengers of my harte seing that in preferring the lewde suggestiō of my vnrulie fancie afore the due regarde and consideracion of modestie whiche oughte to accompanie all Ladies of honor I make requeste of that whose simple remembrance makes me blushe at so greate an abuse But yf you consider the commission of loue who sommoneth rather by commandement then requeste with suche a generall awe ouer all estates and peculiar authoritie to punishe vs women with vehemencye of affection in desyeringe the thinges whiche nature hath forbidden vs to attempte you will not onelye dispense with my rashe follye but dispose your selfe to take awaye or at leaste diminish the greatnes of my present passion whiche as it was founded at fyrst vppon the generall fame of your vertues so the often viewe of your rare perfection of person since your repaire to Pauya hath forced suche an increase of zeale with aggrauacion of my desyer that if my destenie denye me a spedye supplye of reléefe or fortune forbide you to come and visitt my longyng estate your crueltye shall mortifye my passion and giue ende to my lyfe together wherein seinge loue hath fauored you wyth the victorie and conqueste of her who earste had power to vanquishe all men showe your selfe no lesse willynge to embrace the benefytt then worthie of the glorye and deferr not syr to expose effectes of pitie on the behalfe of her who lyueth onely vnder the mercie of a simple hope whiche yf the retourne of your resolucion do make frustrate and conuerte my desyer into ayre the same shall also pronounce the fatall ende of the vnhappie and your moste loyall Blanche Maria. This embassage with further commission by the mouth of the bringer sturred vp no smal alteracion in the mynde of the younge earle chieflye for that he sawe hymselfe pursued with a franke offer of that whiche yf the affectioned zeale he bare to his deare frende and companion the Lorde Valpergo had not stayed thattempte he had soughts longe since to obteine And albeit he iudged it neyther tollerable by humanitie nor thoffice of a gentleman to supplant the pleasure of his frende and marche in the steppes of his praye yet being charmed as it were with the vehement wordes of the letter with opinion that the discurtesie were to greate to abuse the liberal offer of so faire a Ladye gaue place to the sommonce and wente immediatlye to her house where fyndynge her voyede of all companie in her bedd chamber sawe small occasion to preferr halfe the circumstance and courtlike wooing wiche Seigneur Valpergo vsed for that both the one and the other after certeine intisinge kisses and other drawyng allurements performed on both partes disposed themselues tomake present sacrifyce to the goddesse of loue in putting an effect to the thyng which they both thirsted to accomplish with equalitye of desyer which amarous practise continued betwen them certeine monethes in such sorte that therle was so assotted became so ydolatrous on her behalfe that he performed no deuocion to other saint sauing the vnseamely shryne of his new mynion who also seing him stāde in water to the chin whollie subiect to the yoke of her awe determined to kepe a harde hande of the bridle with intent to make hym the bloddye executioner of her detestable deuise against her former louer Valpergo whose felicitie defended him eyther frō the peril of that imaginacion or els God wold not yet gyue leaue to her wickednes for that her hope was deceiued touching any help or assistance of her newe frend for Valpergo seing himself not onely dispossessed of the loue of his Ladye but dishonored by her mouthe wyth diuerse wordes of reproche in hys absence iudged it no grudge of conscience to mynister semblable reuenge on her behalfe the rather for that she was bothe the authour of the euyll euill first breaker of her faithe without cause and now the begyner of the quarrell of slaunder wherefore departynge from PAVIA he painted her dishonestie vppon euerie poste he passed by blasynge her armes with suche base and vile coollours and in suche
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
fall into the daunger of that euill then careful to preuent all occasions of the same wold not admit any dispense or abstinence of trauaile sauynge of the hollydaies which she vsed as seasons of honest recreaciō in the open feldes amongest other her cōpagniōs detestyng vnlauful haunts and secret chattinge with men in corners the chefest meane to bryng their name and doynge in question for she that abandoneth the companie of her companions forsakinge the place of publike assembly to retire into the desolate and darke corners of the chamber doth not only bryng her doyngs in doute but also settes the sclanderer of worke to forge a thousand informacions against her former title name of honestie how clere and strong so euer it seamed in the iudgment of all the world and what other opiniō ys to be had of her that delites in secret conference hatyng to haue her sayngs procede in publike then that shée treates of other affayers then she may wel iustifie for if she liued as she ought vsed none other tearmes then were to be aduouched she neade neither feare y e creaking of y e dore nor vse obscure darke vaults as only witnesses of her talke wherof I could enlarg the proff with authoritie of antiquitie yf the misery of our present time did not prefer examples sufficiēt which I wish may so instructe y e careles mothers of Englād that keping their doughters within the awe of correction they make thē also subiecte to the lawe order of good gouernemēt least both the one the other become the wōder of y e multitude cause of folysh enterluds deuised on publicke stage by the like occasions but now to our Iulya whose chast vpright order of lyuing being yet fresh within the memorie of our age not to be defaced with the lengthe of tyme serues also as a line to lead you yong Ladies to direct your liues as nere as you can by the dyall of her vertues for she treading thus both the stepps of honest traueile traded in the path of true perfection of life deuided the wéeke into dailie exercises of toile and necessary affayers of her father spending the holy dayes only in honest recreacion amonge semely companie in the churche yarde or other conuenient place of publicke assemblie wher being vnhappely spied of a detestable palliard common enemy of the honor of women was sodenly sōmoned by the sentence of her destines fell by no lesse misfortune into y e dāger of a fleshly louer for at y e same instant the noble Loys gonsaga thē byshop of the douchy of Mantua kept his residence at Gazolo where amongest hys traine of houshold gentlemen ther was one who seruyng the byshop in the office of a vallet of his chamber hadd bene no lesse worthye of the credite of that rowmthe then of greter preferment at the hāds of his maister if he had not byn vnhappely encoūtered by the desaster which this history pre sēts vnto you but what a small spot staines a faier garmēt and one vice that is detestable darkneth the credit of a nōber of vertues it is to be noted as I haue said y t in Italye y e méeting of youth daunsing is tollerable so it be in the viewe eye of the people but whatsoeuer other men do thincke of y e art of daunsing I am perswaded that it is rather a discipline deuised within the scoole of Sathan then an exercyse mete to encourage youth to thimitaciō of vertue wherin I appeale to iustifie my opinion to the frute effectes appearing daily in that lasciuius trade leuing a parte the inuectiues and infinite examples which the histories on both partes do infer in detestacion of that wantō allurment or prouocation to sin I thought it sufficiēt to confirme my aduise only w t the authoritie of the Romaine who diswading al men from the exercise of daunsing saith that the countenaunce gestes and other behauyors of a daunser do nothinge differ from the order disposicion of a foole here this valet of chaūber to y e byshop being vnhappelie presēt in an assēbly of youth espied by the like milfortune the order behauior of Iulia who albeit she was y e porest of the cōpanie yet was she nothing inferior to y e best in semely grace and womanly order appearing in her during y e time of the daunce which infectyng alredy the eies of the gallād of FERRARA moued him also w t present desier to go nere take a better view of her beautie which he was not hable to cōsider w t such iudgmēt assured stay of him self but the glymering complexion of her face dyed w t a natural coolor of white and red made suche a breache into his harte that wearing the picture of her beautie in the botome of the same proclaimed her without further aduise y t soueraygne Lady of hys lyfe and only mysters and ruler of hys thoughtes and aduowing herew t to yeald her the whole honor of his seruice protested in secrett to himselfe with lyke vowe and ceremonye of vayne conceyte not to leue the pursute of suche a praye till he had made a conquest of that he ymagined and encountred theffect of his desyre by wearyng the garland of the flower and firste frutes of the maidenhedd of IVLYA whom because he stode on thornes til he had presented the firste ernest penie of his seruice he requested too daunce whyche not knowynge the cause of hys courtesye she refused not to doe as one no lesse redy too performe all requests and affayres of cyuilitie and good bringing vp accordynge to her callynge then excellyng all the reste of her tyme in beautie and other vertues without exception but yf this fonde younglynge and pupill of CVPIDO dyd féele afore the symple mocions of loue beginnyng too tickle him but with desyre onelye to vewe her at large yt is nowe that he resygned hymselfe wholy into the daunger of hym who as a subtill serpent lyeth in wayte to inuade them whome he fyndes vnarmed with vertue laughynge afterwarde to hym selfe at oure redynes to lysten to the lure of hys bayte and ronne hedlonge into the laborynthe of endles dysquyet and that whyche brought more oyle to hys matche and kyndled in hys harte the present sparkes of hoat affection was when he felt the tendernes of her hande whiche albeit was euery daye dipped in dyuers vnholsom confections and alwayes bare tabide the violence of the wether not refrayninge the hardnes or hard labour of any toyle reteyned suche a dilicate softnes and naturall hewe of it selfe that it seamed equall for the fynes smothnes of skyn to some Ladyes which I know are assisted with the helpe of waters and lée made for the nonce and other legerdemeins deuised by the potticarye to preserue their handes in a continual moysture with a fyne whyte pleasant show The plesant reflection of her ladylike hand
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
her pleasure and her falte of treble slaunder in the mouthes of the blasphemous nomber which albeit is without the compasse of my history yet I thoughte it not vnmete to note this litle remembraunce both to warne theim that vse lesse care then is necessarie to preuente so greate a mischiefe and to wishe all Ladies to accompte their honour as the gifte of god and speciall ornament of their life whiche I could enlarge with copie of authorities if I had the assistaÌ„ce of conuenient time and consent of my historie willinge me now to repaire to â—aniquette who perswadinge great impossibilitie in a younge mayde of intisinge beautie desierus to enncownter thamarus glées of menne and kepe cacquett with all comers to escape eyther without some great falte in thabuse of her bodie or at leaste to leaue occasion of suspicion and Ieleus opinion of her honestie amonge suche as vse commonly to recorde the lyfe and doinges of greate Ladies loughte to preuente the like accidente with a contrary vertue for keping her selfe for the moste parte within the house of her father she barred thaccesse of Luchyn and closed her eyes from the view of his presence and if at some tyme her affaires required her to visitt the doare and Luchyn by lyke chaunce reiterate his appeale with semblable somonce and salutacions of accustomed courtesie she fixed her eyes vppon her worke dissemblinge not to sée the thinge whiche her harte colde not brooke and her eyes detested to beholde and douting that vnder the vailâ— of that masqued humilitie and kynde of courtinge not conuenient for her callynge might lurke some secrete mischiefe and displeasure of doble consequence she semed to abhor bothe the one and the other with equal detestacion and conuerting his sighes into ayre and teares to paye hym the hier of his follie she seamed only to supplie the whole tyme of her beinge there in the companie of her companions leauing pore Luchyn no lesse amased at theys newe toyes and trickes of a haggarde then at the first he tooke pleasure when she requited him with semblable glée al which notwithstanding colde neyther discourrage him froÌ„ the pursute of the resolucion of his mynde nor put him in dispaire of his future fortune thinckynge that time wold remoue the vaile of her rigour and conuert her into a creature more plyable assisted therin with thoppinioÌ„ of such as accompting smal conquest of things gotten with litle labour do yelde the greateste glorie to that whiche is won with thertremitie of time and trauell And being still norished with the hope of victorie renewed eftesones his purmenades palewalkes affore herdoare aduauncing hym self so farfurth somtimes that he entred into deuise discourse of loue albeit so coldly that the same neither declared thymportance of his desier nor bewrayde the present passion of his minde whereunto notwithstanding she gaue so slender regarde that her replie dismissed him w t no lesse contentemente for the presente then lykelihood of better successe hereafter It is a custome amongest the Ieneueys and all the prouince about that the young men hauing poeseys of flowers and meting their mistresses in the stréetes or elswhere may present theym there with without any mislike or cause of suspicion of the people beyng also a note of no lesse curtesie for the woman hauing flowers in her hande or bossome to make lyke retourne to her seruant whyche kynde of courtyng thamarus Luchyn forgatt not too prefer as a testey of hys seruice and furtherer of his sute for watchynge longe tyme the hawnte of his mistres he found her at laste not onely aloane and voyde of compainie but in place conuenient to put his longe requeste vppon tearmes whiche gretinge of fortune or gifte of happie chaunce yf it were welcomme to hym I leaue it to the iudgemente of suche as languishynge in the lyke disease dare neyther discouer their gréefe nor demaunde their due remedie and hauynge of purpose peraduenture certeine Ielly flowers in his hande whiche were of more price because winter raged then with extremitie of coulde the chiefeste enemye too flowers and tender boods on th earth he saluted her with his requeste in this sorte Yf the continuance of my seruice were hable to warrant me at leÌ„gth the merite of the same or the offer of any hope in y e meane time had vertue to procure moderatioÌ„ to my passion the one shold not ende but by the sentence of death and the other wolde I embrace as a speciall preseruer of my life but seynge the one is of no lesse momente with you then the other vnlikely too happen I am dryuen to exclaime agaynste youre beautie as the onelye cause of my gréefe and entire enemye to my rest but chieflye thunnaturall rigour which you suffered to rampier hym selfe so depely in thintralles of your hart and séele your eyes of compassion agaynst me that you will neyther admit my teares sighes and other pitifull regardes without nomber whereof the pale complexion of my face with other trembling ioyntes of therterior partes haue made sufficient declaracion nor credit the infynit simptomes and thundringe alarams whiche the only glymmeringe viewe of your bewtie ceasseth not to minister to the weake forces of my feble harte who as your prisoner ready to resigne the keyes and castel of his libertie is heare becom the pitiful solycitor of his own cause coniuringe you by that compassion which ought to accompanie so rare and precious an ornamente of nature to remoue at laste the vaile of youre former crueltie and in beholdinge what power loue hath giuen you ouer me to dismisse all delaies of comfort and admit me into your seruice that haue vowed neuer to departe out of the least of your commaundementes whereunto she was driuen to answere rather by compulsion of the place and tyme then any desyer to debate wyth him in a matter of such vanitie The merite of your seruice Sir sayth she is farr greater then I can or may graunte his due méede and your passion like to be restored by her that is ignorante of the cause and lesse knoweth the order of your disease And touchinge the reste of youre protestacion coated rather withe argumentes of illusions and subtill cerimonies to seduce my simplicitie thenne any resemblance of vertue or intente to expose the frutes of true affection I can not aunswere with other tearmes then iuste disdayne of youre liberall offer with litle care you vse to the reputacion of myne honour neyther is it to me that you ought to addresse thys ambushe or traine of allurementes considringe the inequalitie of our houses denieth a consente of mariage and to graunte loue to one that craues it in other sorte thenne thinstitucion of that sacred lawe dothe allowe I thynke if no lesse detestable afore god then a spot of perpetuall infamye which tyme it selfe can not rase out of the remeynder of my house and small honor is it for you to pursue a queste of
so litle a vaile whose begynninge as it proceded of a superfluytie of founde humors raginge withoute reason or guide of vertue so the contynuance wyll ymporte but a discredit to your calling and the end yeld you neyther content meÌ„t nor commendacion wherfore I pray you suffer th assurance of my vertue to worke her force who in correctinge the ronning appetit of your follie wyll make you mayster of your selfe and let not so vaine a thinge as the simple glaunce of bewtie which is more apte to declyne then hable to indure preuaile aboue your aunciente estimacion of honor nor draw you wythout the lymittes and bondes of your callinge for for my parte I haue inclosed myne honor and life together in one vessell wyth intent to make a presente of theym bothe at one instant to hym whom I beseche maye take awaye your traunce and restore you to your entyer and defende mée at all tymes from thinuasion of so pernicious an enemye What sayth he not wythout some argument of collor do I seame altogether vnworthy of your fauor or am I not likely to performe thoffer of my seruice both the one and the other Quod Ianiqneta for I oughte not nor wyll not passe a graunt of my good wyll to any but suche as the Lawe of the Churche and consente of my frendes shall enioyne me to marie neither can you do agreater wrong to your own estimacion then in embasing your greatnes to becom the seruant of so pore a mayde as I And albeit you were contented to make an equallitie and indifferent distribucion of the greatnes of your estate wyth the litle estymacion that for tune hath preferred me vnto yet the grudge of my coÌ„science quarrelling with the foulnes of y e act wil neither suffer me to admit your offer nor conseÌ„t to your request desiring you for end to exchang your intent and make a present of your seruice to some other that knoweeth how to requit so great a courtesie better then I for I neyther like your phrase nor circunstance and muche lesse determyn to spende any loÌ„ger tyme with you wherewith albeit he began eftesones to replie with y t offer of his flowers which she refuced she whipped into the house and shoot the doare vppon the nose of her amarus clyent who became so amased with the soddaines of the facte that he seamed as one newe fallen out of the clowdes or dreamyng of the disolucion of the world at last being past the misterye of his trauÌ„ce he repaired to his house with his head full of proclamacions where entringe into a warr of newe deuises he seamed to doble his tormente not hable to ymagyn the meane to wyn the good will of the mayde who seamed no lesse harde to be plied then the sharpeste and most steape rockes vpon all the coaste of spaine loue had so infected hym with desier to enioye her that he coulde haue perswaded hym selfe to haue maried her yf it had not bene for the ympedyment of his parentes whose displeasure he knewe wolde stretche so farre that they wolde not sticke too destroye the mayde to th ende the note of such a facte mighte be vtterly extirped and rooted out of the remembrance of all ages besides thestimacion of hym selfe appered also as a staie to his meanyng and the authoritie he bare in the citie of no lesse effecte to diswade him and yet the poison that first infected him preuailing aboue the force of any perswacions presentinge hym eftesones a newe hope to cool the maydenhead of Ianiquette declared vnto him that both she and her parentes were the children of pouertis and that there was no dore so stronge but a golden keye myghte open his locke nor fortresse of such strength but he wolde yelde to thoffer of monye wherefore restored to a freshe hope with the offer of this new deuise and desierus to see what thies ministers cold do by their art he addressed him to one of his neighbors of no lesse familiaritie then great trust w t Ianiquette whom he so coniured with the charme of his pleasant tounge certeine peces of gold that marched betwene theim that shée promised to become the solicitor of his cause and giue such a charge to the maide that she sholde not finde suche conning to confute her raisons as she seamed valliant in the repulse of thassaltes of her louer who because his messeinger shold not departe vnarmed at all pointes he willed her to be no nigarde of large promisses offrynge wholl mounteines of golde siluer or Iewells or any other thinge of what price so euer it were that seamed any waie hable to perce her and make her plyable to his desier and if she be assailed saith he with the comon feare that trobles all women I meane yf she doute the swelling of her bellye assure her that I will not onely mary her to her conteÌ„tacion but make her porcion worthe a thousande doccates his neyghbour albeit her arte was not to deale in messages of loue and that shée estemed greatly the chastetie of maydes yet comparinge the pouertie of Ianiquette with his present promisse to releue it gaue hym eftesones a seconde assurance of her diligence with protestacion to make her strike sayle and comme vnder hys lee wherein shee was deceiued for neyther his large promisses nor presentes of greate price coulde perswade her and much lesse thoracion of the messenger who vttered the cause of her comming in this sorte Recordyng my girle the harde condicion of thy presente state I fynde the same more subiecte to a clymatt of longe contynuance then in hope or apte to be reliued by any industrie of thy parents who albeit haue he retofore enioyed the goodnes of fortune and borne a porte of honeste callynge yet thowe seeste they are nowe in the daunger of desolatioÌ„ and fallen so farre into the mallice of pouertie that they wante meanes not only to supplie the needy disposicion of their owne lyfe but also to preferr the to aduauncemente due to thy deseruyng I greue no lesse also to see the flower of thy youth slyp away by such stealthe and the pyninge misery of thy pareÌ„ts to be an impedimeÌ„t to the prefermeÌ„t of thy beauty which albeit is honored of a noÌ„ber w t the offer of marriage yet wheÌ„ thei haue sifted thy state tried to thutermost the small inheritance and simple dowrie of thy father they do not only disclayme their sâ—te but seame to departe and breake of as thoughe they were infected with some contagius disease of your house wherefore seinge the dispaire in thy parentes habilitie takes awaye all hope of assistance at their handes or by their meanes and that fortune once in the course of our life dothe put into our handes the offer of a good torne yf thowe wilte repose thy selfe vppon my aduise I will sett the in better state then euer was the beste of thy house the maide dowtynge no trayson in
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
so muche for the glorye of the acte as gaine of the moneye without anye helpe notwithstandinge to the sickman that the kinge was dryuen to adde to his golden offer an expresse condicion that who soeuer vndertoke the cure wythoute performynge the effecte within a certeine time shoulde make good the saied sume to the commodytie of the kinge or for want of paymente to leaue his head in pawne whiche proclaimed ymediatlye a generall retire to Monseur le Medecyn wyth the rest of his mistical crwe wypinge his nose with the insyde of his sleue detested with ympietie both Galleine Hypocrates and Auiecenes with other patrons and auncient fathers of phisicke that wolde not leaue theim a sufficient net to fysh so great an honor and riches as ten thousand frankes the brute was no soner made then thofficers of fame vndertooke to disperse it into euery corner of the countreye w t participacion of the royall edicts and liberalitie of the king to euery prouince as well on thissyde as beyonde the mountes wberuppon Montcall became pertaker of the newes and Zylya the firste and onlye cause of al was pryuie by this meanes to the place of aboade of her penytenciall louer and also perswaded of his loyaltie in keping his promise vnworthy any way of such firme regard seinge that wher fraude and force do occupie the hart the religion of promises yea the very bond of faith already giuen do loase their force neyther is a man bownde to performe y t wherin is coÌ„straint of bond The couetous widow assuring her self of no lesse authoritie ouer Seigneur Virley theÌ„ when he made court to her at Montcal determyned to go visit him at Parys not so much of intent to vndo the charme of his dome disease as desierous of the ten thousand fraÌ„kes whereof she made as sure accompte as if they were alreadye vnder the sewereste locke in her closset at MONTCALL perswadyng her selfe also that the gentleman being absolued of his promiss by her would gladly consent and that she only should haue the rewarde and fame of the thinge wherin all others were hable to worke no effect Here you sée a woman whom neyther the vertue of honest and true loue nor intent of vnfained and loyall seruice colde earste moue to compassion and muche lesse aggrée to giue ease to the sinister affliction of her seruant wrested to a remorse and ouercome with a desyer of fylthie gaine to enlarge her richesse Oh execrable thurste and desyer of money vntyll when endureth thy authoritye ouer the worlde or howe longe wilte thou blynde the myndes of men with a foggie myste of fylthie lucre Ah insatiable and perillous golphe howe manye haste thou deuoured and drowned in thy bottomles throate whose glorye had pearsed the heighte of the cloudes vertue shyned more cleare then the brightnes of the son yf the darke vaile or shadowe of thy contagiouse infection had not eclipsed their renowme that waye the frutes alas whiche thou bringeÌ„st furth what sugred showe so euer they gyue outwardely yeldes in déede neyther honest fame nor true felicitye to such as reape theim Seinge that that dropseye and infectyng humour whiche ouerronneth all their partes makes them more desyerous of the thing then hable to bée satisfyed whereby groweth a double discommoditie to the euill of that whiche is thonly fountayne of all mischiefe neyther is any state more miserable then to haue a desyer to haue muche and gettinge al can not bée satisfyed wyth any thinge and in the ende ouerthrowen in their couetous trauell by infamouus deathe whereof I am content to omitt the familiar prooffes of our tyme and presente you wyth the authoritye of the riche Crassus in Rome to whome was awarded the punishment of God by fallynge into the handes of the Parthens for violacion and commyttynge sacriledge within the temple in Ierusalem sexti mulâ—us fryinge in like sorte in the flame of money and whollie infected wyth the poyson of hym that formentes the hart of the couetous cutt of the head of hys patrone and only defendor Caius Gracchus trybune of the people Wherin touching lyke examples in the femenine secte I will nowe passe ouer both forrein and familiar recordes and restore to your memory thabuse of this Zilya who forgetting her former regarde to vertue the onely ornament of her honestye and reputacion feared not also the toyle and trauell of the waye nor other inconuenience what so euer to committ her lyfe to daunger and honor to the mercy of hym in whom the remembrance of her former wrong sturred vpp a desyer of double reuenge vppon the leaste occasion he coulde fynde neyther doubted she to hazarde the effect of her buysynes in a straunge region vnknowen to al men sauyng to hym for the only honor of whome the misterye was wrought but vsynge a shorte consideracion for the order of her affaires at Montcall she strippes the mountes and by extreame labor arryued at last at Parys at suche time as euery man dispaired most of recouerye of the dome knighte albeit enquiringe for theim that had authoritye to admitte such as vndertoke the cure she made it be published that God had putt the remedye of his disease into her hande and that only she doubted not to performe thexspectation of the kinge that waye the Commissaries layde afore her the edict with the condicion of death in the ende if the knighte were not made to speake within xv dayes all whiche she admitted pawned her lyfe for the performance of the enterprise with protestation eftesones that god had opened vnto her a secrett meane to restore hym whereof the knighte was furthwith aduertised merueilynge notwithstandynge what straunge gentlewoman yt was that had vndertaken to vndoo the charme of his disease and force hym to breake the vowe of his pennance to his cruell ZYLIA in whom of all other he accompted not so muche frendshipp as to make so longe a iorney for the ease of the euill whereof she onely was the cause he was rather of opinion that it was hys neyghbour of Montcall she I meane that fyrste solicited Zylya on his behalfe and now had forced her to a compassion of his pennance wyth commission to absolue hym of the rest of his hard vow wherof as he deuised diuersly without stayinge vpon any certaintie or trothe beholde the deputies presentes Zilya in the chamber of Seigneur Virley who seinge an effect of that which earst he was not hable to ymagyne gaue iudgemente by and by of the cause of the comminge of hys ennemye and that the promisse of ten thousande frankes had more power to make her passe the mountes then the respect of frendship or compassioÌ„ to his straung distresse which so long had kept him in the likenes of a dead man wherw t the viewe of her former incyuilitie and rigour exceding the disposicion of any woman that euer was noted cruel procured lymedyatlye a conuersacion of his auncient loue andre garde to
thē dispair to be intreated according to the iustice of my merit Ah Geniuera god forbid that thy bewtie haue power to send so many tormentes and punishmentes to my yelded hart as the tre wherupon thou takest thy name hath prickes to anoye them that touche it and bitter in disgestion to such as make a tast of the Iewse Ah paragon and only praise of bewtie sewerly the fearefull hare whych thy dogges tare in peces afore thy face this eueninge was not more martired by the bloudy Iawes of thy greyhoundes then my harte is tormented and deuided into dyuersatie of opynions vppon the affection whyche I beare the wherein alas as I knowe not whether thou wilt admit me worthy of they seruice or hast already paste a graunte of thy loue to an other more worthye of fauor then the loyal Dom Diego So yet I may be bolde to vaunte vpon thys ympossibilitie that no mā is hable to approche thunfayned sinceritye of my harte determyned rather to geue place to the sentence of my deathe then to dysmysse the leaste part of the dutie I haue vowed to thy bewtie whole outwarde showe promiseth an inwarde vertue that I cannot dispaire to possesse in the ende the due méede of my loyaltie til whych tyme I wyll praye onlye vppon the foode of exspectacion wyth assured intente for my parte not onlye to abandon all other ympressions or desiers but such as shall seame to fauor the honor and seruyce I haue already sworne but also to endeuor by extreme diligence to make my selfe worthye of the goodwill of the fairest Lady that thys daye is shrewded vnder the globe or circuit of heauen wherwyth after he had consumed certeine ho wers in reauyng and raginge vppon hys amarus complot and that he had sufficiently swete at the browes wyth the force and vehemencye of his passion he founde the chiefeste medecyn for moderacion of hys gréefe to communicate vnto her the pointes of hys good wyll wyth desyer he had not only to serue her but also from henseforth to accept in good part such sentence as she shall thinke good to pronounce of hys life or deathe and to do nor say any thyng but suche as shal be awarded him by the dome of the faire Geniuera who for her parte also was not voyde of passion nor dispensed from semblable tormente for offring to performe the ceremonies of the night she was demed to close her eyes yet knewe not the cause that hindred the course of slepe by which meanes making a laborinth of her riche and faire feldbed she was no less assailed with contrariety of conceites then her languishing seruant wherfore finding the burdē of affectiō to excede the grenes of her yeres not yet assisted w t any discrecion or experiēce in loue dytermined to allow the resolucion of the knight if he ymparted the same either by subtil signes or secret conference This was thexercise of that nighte of bothe the louers equall in desier and yet the one ignorant of the others greffe wastinge indifferently in sighes and wishes as apprentises of the thinge wherin those that begyn be alwayes most hoat and such as contynue gaine skill by longe practise and yet the best experienced of al are voyde of resistance against such an euill and lacke gouernement in the conueigh of so hurtfull a case The morninge had no soner discouered her glorious beames and the messēger of the son somoned the loathsom night to retire but the weary knight left his restles bedd with intent to take leaue of his hostesse and chalenge the skoape of the larg feldes to record enterteine hys amarus thoughts in retorning to hys mothers house wherin notwithstanding he founde a staie of his meaning by the honest ymportunitie of tholde lady who with more intreatie then was nedefull to so willyng a gueste won hym easely to determyn hys taryenge till dynner till whyche tyme he founde a supplye of exercise wyth her companie and conference of her daughter in whom he saw contynual cause to aggrauat his affection and doble occasion to encrease hys desier in such sorte as his astonyed countenance and broken aunsweres ymporting most oftē the cōtrary of their demaunds showed sufficiently y e troble war in his mind which albeit y e subtil Geniuera cōstrued according to a troth yet her simple mother imputed it to an honest shame want of audacitie in y e gentlemā for y t he had not much haunted y e cōpany of ladyes wherin as they spente the most part of the morning without notwithstāding that Dom Diego had the hart to discouer the leaste part of his promise of y e night so y t hower of dinner sōmoned them to breake their discourse performe y e due to thappetit of nature wyth suche delicate sumpteouse fare as the good lady had prouided in declaracion of y e hartie zeale she bare to her guest who after dinner failed not in humble sorte to be thankfull to his hostes with assuraunce that albeit he was not hable to requite her curtesse with equall consideracion yet his goodwill at all tymes sholde be nothinge inferior to the greatnes of her merit wherewith he addressed the rest of hys dutie to her daughter whose bewtie as you sée had made so great a wound in hys harte that the remembrance remayned till the last hower of hys lyfe and as he kissed her hande with intente to decipher that whych he had ymagined all the night he became so amazed wyth thympedimente he felte in his tongue with straunge diuersatie in all hys sences that he seamed no lesse ashamed of his present weaknes in that place then afore he was fullie resolued to discharge there solucion and meaninge of hys hart whych albeit gaue some cause of litle astonishment to the younge Lady yet she founde indifferente occasion of pleasure and pitie in hys passion for that as y e one proceded by her meanes so she felt a motion in conscience to expose the other for the relefe of hym who suffred for her sake wherefore with a trobled regarde tempered with sufficiente argumentes of affection on her behalf she brake his dome traunce with these words I wish sir sayth she that you might fynde asmuch pleasure in your passion as the same hath ymparted equall gréefe to others and that your future absence may pinche you with no lesse annoye then your present departure leaueth me desyerus to enioye a longer tyme of your presence whyche philosophye not loked for of the knight did not only dismysse his scilence and vntye the charme of hys tongue but also renforced hym to an audacitie to yelde her thankes for the compassion she vsed to hys distres with addicion that onely he was happie aboue all the worlde to be partaker of so liberal a wishe but chiefly to heare her in tearmes of desier touchinge hys presence whych wyth hys lyfe and al that he had he bound ther by othe to be preste
beautie of yours wyth an acte of more TYRRANNIE then euer hath bene noted in anye woman of former tyme or accompte you yt a vertue to kyll hym who dyethe euerye hower in the veray viewe and remembrance of the heauenlye perfection wherein you only excell al that euer haue bene called faire if you resolued haue my ruyne why stay you to do executiō abridge godd Ladye my lingringe torment with a presente dispatche and ende of lyfe deferr no longer the fatall ministers of your wyl seynge you are aggreed to performe the effect and suffer at laste my waterye eyes to stop the streames of their auncient sorowe deryued of the onelye viewe and remembrance of the mystrys of their contemplacions whereby my harte shall also supp the laste Syropp of desperate hope and my affections vanyshe with the dekaye of my bodye who is heare readie to become your fattall harbenger in the other worlde with hope to reape there the hyer of my present merytt The Ladye whether her anger woulde gyue no longer place to hys complaint or that she dowted a force or charme in the same to ouerthrow the fortresse of her chastetie gaue him the looke of a waspishe mynd reprehending his rashnes with theis or suche like tearmes of reproche Yf my pacience woulde yet giue leaue to your fonde discourse I see no wante of desyer in you to attempte me with requestes which neither is your parte to preferr to one of my condicion and callynge nor yet my honor can brooke to heare of the mouth of suche as soeke but to seduce the honestie of chaste Ladies wherein as you haue exacted vpon the frendshipp and facilitye in me to here the vttermost of your sute presumyng belike of my consent to depart wyth that whiche you can not restore me againe So besides that the present experience of your foule intent shall serue me hereafter as a warraunte againste the assaultes of suche offers eyther in your selfe or any other equal to you in disposictō I can giue no other aunswere to the tearmes of your requeste nor fauor to your fowle attempte but that from the instant you ceasse to solicite me eyther by your selfe or any embassador on your behalfe protestynge vnto you for my part neyther to be séene in the stréete nor other place of publike beinge so longe as you are in the countreye and muche lesse suffer thaccesse of anye Gentleman within my house onles he bée my neare parent or allye by whiche meanes your importunities onely shall punishe me wyth a sorowful restrainte and absence from the societie of my olde companions and frendes whiche laste resolucion seamed suche a mistery to the mynde of thinfortunat Virley that for the time he stoode as enchaunted or one newlye dropped fourth of the cloudes till at laste as one whollie conuerted into dispaire of further fauor at her hande he craued onelye for consideracion of his paynes paste and laste farewell of his loyall fayth to her a kysse which he sayed sholde satisfye his longynge at full and discharge her of further pursewete accordynge to her requeste The malicious Ladye notinge the fonde desyer of the knighte and wyth what small coste she mighte nowe rydd her of an importuante suter meanynge notwythstandyng to departe with so small a fauor but for a price of greate pennance to hym that soughte to buy it tolde hym that aswell to satisfye his present request as also to make a further prooffe of his faith she wolde performe the full of hys last demaunde yf he wolde giue her assurance by the sayth of a gentleman to do one thinge wherein she was to require hym whiche the simple Vyrley did not onely promisse by all protestations of religion or othe but pawned also the maiestie of the highest for performyng euery such commandement as it pleased her to enioyne hym wherewith she seamed satisfyed touchyng th assurance of his consent and thervpon entred into theffect of her owne promisse embracinge and kissynge hym as yf it had bene the firste nighte of theyr mariage requiryng hym in like sorte to become the maister of his worde and aduouche the pointes of his late graunte The pore gentleman suspectynge no one thoughte of suche tyrannye in his mistrys and muche lesse that he shoulde buye his kisses at so deare a price tolde her he attended the only sommonee of her cōmaundement to th ende she mighte witnes his readye indeuor to obeye her she enioyned hym that from that hower till iij. yeres were expired he shoulde become muett without speakynge in any sorte to any creature lyuing how great so euer his occasion appeared in the true obseruynge whereof saith she shall appeare an experience of your faith whiche also maye force hereafter a further benefit for you where the contrarie wil not only discouer your villānte but be readye to accuse you of periurie on the behalfe of a Gentlewoman He thinkes I see the perplexed countenaunce of the pore knighte who hearinge the sentence of his hard pennaunce iudged as greate iniustice in her for taxing him at so cruell a rate as difficultie in him selfe to performe theffect of so strāge a charge albeit his hart was so greate and he so papisticall in performynge hys vowe that he began euen then to enter into the pointes of her commaundement declarynge by signes that she should bée obeyed wherewith he gaue her an humble reuerence and retyred immediatly to hys lodgynge faygnynge to suche as were aboute hym that the extremetie of a colde rhume distillynge from the partes of the braine had taken awaye the vse of his tounge And because his domnes shoulde not bee a gréeffe to his frendes nor they moue his disquiett in demaundynge the cause he determyned to bée a straunger to his countrey till the yeares of pennaunce were runne oute wherewith committynge the order of his affayres at Mountcall or els where in Pyemount to the creditt of suche as he thought méete to supplye the place of suche truste tooke twoo or thrée of his familyar companions to assiste his voyage whiche he directed rightelye into fraunce as a countreye moste méete for hys abode chiefly for the mortall warres as then betwen CHARLES the seuenth and the valyaunt Englishe men possessynge his countrey in the yeare 1451. And as the Kynge was then in campp in Gascoyne with intent to pursewe the goodnes of his fortune and delyuer his contrey altogether from thenglishe nacion he addressed hymselfe and force to the Duchye of Normandye where this Pyemountaine knight being in the campp was knowen by and by to diuerse of the chiefstaines aboute the kynge aswell by the notable seruice they had seene hym do in diuerse places as also greate creditt he hathe had afore wyth thearle of Pyemount who after became Duke of Scauoye where was greate repaire of the nobilitye of Fraunce for that he maryed Madame Iolante seconde doughter to CHARLES the seuenth after they hadde a whyle lamented his lacke of speache not knowynge for all they coulde
doo the cause of suche disease they presented hym afore the Maiestye wyth suche commendacyon of hys vertue and valyauntnes in armes as was necessarye for the worthynes of the same whyche forced a greate lykynge in the Kynge towardes hym alalbeit his outwarde apparaunce argued infficiently his inwarde dexteritie that way whych also he confyrmed in pub licke view in an assalte which the kinge gaue to the english men within Roan the chiefe and only bool warke of the whole country of Normandy where Signeur Philibarto gaue suche effecces of his forwardnes that he was the first that was séene vpon the walles making waye to the souldiours to enter the breache and towne wherein not longe affore the Duke of Sommerset had burned the counterfait prophet of Fraunce called La Pucelle leane whome some pratinge frenchmen do affirme to haue wrought merueiles in armes during those warrs but chiefly that vnder the conduite of her our countryemen lost Orleance w c diuerse other holdes in those partes and for a memory of that forged ydoll they kepe yet amongest other relikes in the abbay of S. Denys whych I sawe in May last a great roostie sworde wherwith they are not ashamed to aduowche that shee performed diuerse expedicions and victories againste thinglishe nacion whych seames as true as that which they are a shamed to put in a chronicle of credit touching their saint Denys whom they affirme was erecuted at Parys and came from thence with his heade in his hand which he buyried in the abbaye albeit they saye he rested foure tymes by the way where they haue founded iiii crosses with the headles ymage of saint Denys holding a stonye skalpe in his hande but nowe to oure Dom Philiberto whose forwardnes and fortune in the last assalte being wel noted of the kinge began to kindle a credit in the mynde of the maiestie towards hym in such sorte as besydes speciall praises giuen to his worthynes in the hearing of all his capteines he presented hym wyth the state of a gentleman of his chamber with pension sufficient to menteyne the port of that place promisinge besydes an encrease of his bowntye as he saw a contynuance of hys good seruice for the whyche the mute knighte gaue the kynge humble thankes by signes lyfting hys handes towards heauen as a witnes of y e faithe he promised to kepe without spot to hys prince wher of he gaue good declaracion not long after in a skirmishe procured by the frenche agaynst the Englishe soldiours vnder the guide of the onlye flower of chyualrye of that tyme and valyant Captcine the Lorde Talbot whose vertue made hym so famons in those warrs that the verye remembrance of hys name procureth a terror to the stowtest frencheman that thys daye lyueth ther in this skirmish if a mā may credit a french bragge the Pyemontoyse and Talbot met and vnhorssed eche other wherupon the kynge in consideracion of hys present seruice and encrease of further corage to contynue his souldiour made hym Capteyne of diuerse holdes with charge of fyftie men at armes wyth promisse in the word of a prince y t her eafter he shold find in more ample ma ner in what sorte princes oughte to consider the seruice of suche whose vertue broughte soccours to the necessitie of hym and his people wherein truely a prince hath greate reason not only to bestowe rewardes vpon such as deserue well but embrase that whyche carieth a licknes of hys owne nobylitie seinge that vertue in what place soeuer shee take roote can not but bring furthe good frutes the vse and effect wherof ought to appeare vpon such as approche or resemble the place where the first séedes were sowen neyther doth any degrée of men according to thopinion of Plyny deserue so well of hys prince as the souldiour in whose woundes sayth he are inclosed the sauetie of the whole countrey and quiet of the seat royal neyther doth he shrinke to aduenture hys bodye agaynst thennemye to establish the reapose of his neyghbour at hoame who to requite his many daungers in y e felde or releue hys maymed lymmes cōsumed w c y e warrs comittes hym at hys retorne to the rigour of iustice and that most cōmonly wythout cause of iust offence wherof I think no one contry of christendom is hable to furnish so many examples of that miserie as the state of Englande where as god be praysed hath benn no greate occasion of warr since the happie raigne of oure moste blessed Quene that nowe gouerneth so the Lorde and her maiestie amend it it is a pitye to sée how slenderly soldiours be prouided for and how tyranouslye they are persecuted by the malice of caterpillors in Cyties and franklinges in the countrye wherof I wishe some suche as I coulde name to mooster in the mowthe of a trenche or stande in the face of a breache to th ende they might both witnes the daunger and be partakers of the perill of warr which I doubt not wolde force in the moste of theim a compassion touching the souldiour whom also they wolde defende from beinge deuowred of the gallowes by their malice Thus muche on the behalfe of souldiours towardes whom I wishe as indiffrent a care in tyme of peace as they are readie and most sewer to abide al daunger when it pleaseth the prince and realme to call theym to seruice and now to oure dome knighte who embrased of the kyng wyth honor of all his Capteines was assisted with a second meane of further credit with hys prince for that ymedyatlie after the heate of the warrs in fraunce and the countrey resolued to a quiet staie it pleased the kinge for the solace of hymselfe and generall contentinente of hys Capteynes to call a torney royall on horsebacke where Seigneur Virley enioyeng y e benefyt of his former fortune wan only y e glorye of y e tryumphe which gaue such encrease to y e good opiniō of the king y t he entred into councell to cure his dome disease greuinge not a litle that so valyant a gentleman colde not declare his deuise whych seamed to argue no lesse wisedom for the direction of a cōmon welthe or contrey then the force and agilitye of his body had sufficientlie approued his vertue in diuerse exploites during tha◠war wherfore he dispatched generall letters thorowout his owne Realme with speciall requestes to the countreys adioyninge hys kingdome that who colde giue remedye to his euill and conuert his present scilence into a liberty of frée speche should haue ten thowsande frankes for rewarde then mighte a man sée suche a mooster of phizisions Chirurgions with their appoticaries carienge their bagges and boxes of all confections that their rowte seamed rather a newe supplie of power to assiste the kinge against his ennemies then a conuocation of gownesmen to consulte of the disease who began also to make such war with the ten thousande frankes skirmishinge one with an other not