before Tel me I beséech you what rewarde and gift what honour and preferment haue I euer bestowed vpon you sithens my first arriuall to this victorious raigne that euer you by due desert did binde me therunto Which if you did then liberall I can not bée termed but a slauishe Prince bounde to do the same by subiects merite High mightie Kings doe rewarde and aduaunce their men hauing respect that their gift or benefite shal excede desert otherwise that preferment can not bée termed liberall The great conquerour Alexander Magnus wanne a great and notable Citie for wealth and spoile For the principalitie and gouernment wherof diuers of his noble men made sute alleaging their painefull seruice and bloudie woundes about the getting of the same But what did that worthie King was he moued with the bloudshead of his Captaines was he stirred with the valiance of his men of warre was he prouoked with their earnest sutes No truely But calling vnto him a poore man whome by chaunce he founde there to him he gaue that riche and wealthie Citie and the gouernement thereof that his magnificence and liberalitie to a person so poore and base might receiue greater fame estimation And to declare that the cōferred benefit did not procede of 〈◊〉 or duetie but of mere liberalitie very curtesie true munificence and noble disposition deriued from princely heart and kingly nature Howbeit I speake not this that a faithfull seruant shoulde be vnrewarded a thyng very requisite but to inferre and proue that rewarde should excell the merite and seruice of the receiuer Now then I say that you going about by large desert and manifold curtesie to binde me to recompence the same you séeke next way to cut of the meane whereby I shoulde be liberall Doe you not sée that through your vnaduised 〈◊〉 I am preuented and letted from mine 〈◊〉 liberalitie wherwith dayly I was wont to reward my kinde louing and loyall seruants to whome if they deserued one talent of gold my maner was to giue them two or thrée If a thousande crownes by the yeare to giue them fiue Do you not know that when they looked for least rewarde or preferment the sooner did I honour and aduaunce them Take héede then from henceforth Ariobarzanes that you liue with suche prouidence and circumspection as you may be knowen to be a seruaunt and I reputed as I am for your soueraigne Lorde and maister All Princes in mine opinion require 〈◊〉 things of their seruants that is to say Fidelitie Loue which being had they care for no more Therfore he that list to contend with me in curtesie shall finde in the end that I make small accompt of 〈◊〉 And he that is my trustie and faithfull seruaunt diligent to execute and doe my commaundements faithfull in my secrete affaires and duetifull in his vocation shall trulie witte and most certainly féele that I am both curteous and liberall Which thou thy selfe shall well perceiue and be forced to confesse that I am the same man in déede for curtesie and liberalitie whom thou indeuorest to surmount Then the king held his peace and Ariobarzanes very reuerently and stoutly made answer in this maner Most Noble and victorious Prince Wel vnderstanding the conceiued griefe of your inuincible minde pleaseth your sacred maiestie to giue me leaue to answer for my selfe not to aggrauate or heape your wrath and displeasure which the Gods forbid but to disclose my humble excuse before your maiestie that the same poized with that equall balance of your rightful mind my former attemptes may neither seme presumptuous ne yet my wel meaning minde well measured with iustice ouerbold or malapert Most humbly then prostrate vpon my knées I say that I neuer went about or else did thinke in minde to excéede or compare with your infinite and incomprehensible bountie but indeuored by all possible meanes to let your grace perceiue and the whole worlde to know that there is nothing in the worlde which I regarde so much or estéeme so deare as your good grace and fauour And mightie Ioua graunte that I doe neuer fall into so great errour to presume for to contende with the greatnesse of your mind which fond desire if my beastly minde should apprehend I might be likened to the man that goeth about to berieue and take away the clerenesse of the Sun or brightnesse of the splendant starres But euer I did thinke it to be my bounden duetie not onely of those fortunes goods which by your princely meanes I do inioy to be a distributer and large giuer but also bounde for the profite and aduauncement of your regal crowne and dignitie and defence of your most noble person of mine owne life and bloude to be both liberall and prodigall And where your maiestie thinketh that I haue laboured to compare in curteous déede or other liberall behauior no déede that euer I did or fact was euer enterprised by me for other respect but for to get continue your more ample fauour and dayly to increase your loue for that it is the seruants part with all his force and might to aspire the grace and fauor of his soueraine lord Howbeit most noble Prince before this time I did neuer beleue nor heard your grace cōfesse that magnanimitie gentlenesse and curtesie wer vertues worthie of blame correction as your maiestie hath very 〈◊〉 done me to vnderstād by words seuere taunting checks vnworthy for practise of such rare and noble vertues But how so euer it be whether life or death shall depende vpon this praiseworthie honorable purpose I mean hereafter to pelde my dutie to my souerain lord then it may please him to terme my déedes courteous or liberall or to think of my behauior what his own princely mind shall déeme iudge The King vpon those words rose vp said Ariobarzanes nowe it is no time to continue in further disputation of this argumēt cōmitting the determination and iudgement hereof to the graue deliberation of my Councell who at conuenient leisure aduisedly shall according to the Persian lawes and customes conclude the same And for this present time I say vnto thée that I I am disposed to accompte the accusation made against thée to be true and confessed by thy selfe In the means time thou shalte repaire into thy countrey and come no more to the Court till I commaunde thée Ariobarzanes receiuing this answere of his soueraigne Lorde departed and to his greate contentation went home into his countrey merie for that he shoulde be absent out of the dayly sight of his ennimies yet not well pleased for that the King had remitted his cause to his Councell Neuerthelesse minded to abide and suffer all fortune he gaue him selfe to the pastime of hunting of Déere running of the wilde Boare and flying of the Hauke This noble Gentleman had 〈◊〉 only daughters of his wife that was deceassed the most beautifull Gentlewomen of the countrey the eldest of which
house Upon this Anniuersarie day of Artaxerxes coronation when all things were disposed in order the King desirous to accomplishe a certaine conceiued determination cōmaunded one of his faithful chamberlains spéedily to seke out Ariobarzanes which the sayde faithfull chamberlaine did and telling him the kings message sayd My lord Ariobarzanes the King hath willed me to say vnto you that his pleasure is that you in your owne person euen forthwith shall cary your white stéede and Courser the mace of gold and other 〈◊〉 due to the office of Senescall vnto Darius youre mortall enimie and in his maiesties behalfe to say vnto him that the king hath giuen him that office and hath clearely dispossessed you thereof Ariobarzanes hearing those heauie newes was like to die for sorowe and the greater was his griefe bicause it was giuen to his greatest enimie Notwithstanding like a Gentleman of noble stomacke woulde not in open apparance signifie the displeasure which he conceiued within but with merrie cheare and louing countenance sayde vnto the chambrelaine Do my right humble cōmendations vnto the kinges maiestie and say vnto him that like as he is the soueraigne lorde of all this lande and I his faithfull subiect euen so myne office my life landes and goods be 〈◊〉 his disposition and that willingly I will performe his 〈◊〉 When he had spoken those wordes he rendred 〈◊〉 his office to Darius who at dinner serued in the same And when the king was set Ariobarzanes with comely countenaunce sat downe amongs the rest of the Lordes Which sodaine deposition and depriuation did 〈◊〉 lously amaze the whole assemblie euery man secretly speking their minde either in praise or dispraise of that fact The king all the dinner time did marke note the countenance of Ariobarzanes which was pleasant and merie as it was wont to be whereat the king did greately maruell And to attaine to the ende of his purpose hée began with sharpe wordes in presence of the nobilitie to disclose his discontented minde and the grudge which he bare to Ariobarzanes On the other side the king suborned diuers persons diligently to espie what he sayde did Ariobarzanes hearing the kings sharpe wordes of rebuke and stimulated by the persuasion of diuers flatterers which were hired for that purpose after he perceiued that his declared pacience preuailed nothing that his modest talke his long and faithful seruice which he had done vnto the king his losse and hinderance sustained the perill of his life which so many times he had suffered at length banquished with disdaine he brake the Bridle of Pacience and sorted out of the boundes of his wonted nature for that in place of honor he receiued rebuke in stede of reward was depriued of his office begā in a rage to cōplain of that king terming him to be an vnkind prince which amongs the Persians was estéemed a worde of great offence to the maiestie wherefore faine he would haue departed the court and retired home to his coūtrey which he coulde not doe without speciall licence from the king and yet to craue the same at his handes his heart would not serue him Althese murmures and complaintes which secretely he made were tolde the king therfore the king commaunded him one day to be called before him vnto whome he sayde Ariobarzanes youre grudging complaints and enuious quarels which you disparcle behinde my backe throughout my Courte and your continuall rages outragiously pronounced through the verie windowes of my Palace haue 〈◊〉 myne eares whereby I vnderstande that thing which hardly I would haue beleued But yet being a Prince as wel inclined to fauour and quiet hearing of al causes as to credite of light reports would faine know of you the cause of your lamentation and what hath moued you thervnto For you be not ignorant that to murmure at the Persian King or to terme him to be vnkinde is no lesse offence than to blaspheme the Gods immortall bicause by auncient Lawes and Decrées they be honored and worshipped as Gods And among all the penalties conteined in our lawes the vice of Ingratitude is moste bitterly corrected But leauing to speake of the threates and dangers of our lawes I pray you to tell me wherin I haue offended you For albeit that I am a king yet reason persuadeth me not to giue offence to any man which if I shoulde doe and the Gods forbid the same I ought rather to be termed a tyrant than a King Ariobarzanes hearing the King speake so reasonably was abashed but yet with stoute countenaunce he feared not particularly to remembre the wordes which he had spoken of the King and the cause wherefore he spake them Well sayd the King I perceiue that you blushe not at the words ne yet fear to reherse the same vnto my face wherby I doe perceiue and note in you a certaine kinde of stoutenesse which naturally 〈◊〉 from the greatnesse of your minde But yet wisedome would that you shoulde consider the reason and cause why I haue depriued you from your office Doe you not knowe that it appertaineth vnto me in all mine affaires and déedes to be liberall curteous magnificent and bounteous Be not those the vertues that make the fame of a Prince to 〈◊〉 amongs his subiects as the Sunne beames do vpon the circuit of the worlde Who ought to rewarde well doers and recompence eche wight which for any seruice and aduantage haue all the dayes of their life or else in some particuler seruice vsed their painful trauaile or aduentured the perill of their life but I alone béeing your soueraigne Lord and Prince To the vertuous and obedient to the Captaine and Souldier to the politike and wise to the lerned and graue finally to eche well 〈◊〉 wight I know how to vse the noble princely vertues of Curtesie and Liberalitie They bée the comely ensignes of a King They be the onely ornaments of a Prince They bée my particuler vertues And will you Ariobarzanes béeing a valiant souldier a graue counsailer and a politike personage goe aboute to dispossesse me of that which is mine Will you which are my seruant and subiect of whom I make greatest accompt and haue in dearest estimation vpon whome I did bestowe the greatest dignitie within the compasse of my whole Monarchie grate benefite at my hands by abusing those vertues which I aboue other do principally regard You do much abuse the credite which I repose in your greate wisedome For hée in whome I thought to finde moste graue aduise and déemed to bée a receptacle of all good counsell doth seke to take vpon him the personage of his Prince and to vsurpe the kingly state which belongeth only vnto him Shall I be tied by your deserts or bound by curteous dedes or else be forced to rendre recompēce No no so long as this imperiall crown shall rest on royall head no subiecte by any curteous déede of his shall straine vnwilling minde which meant it not
times and places doth brighten the Starres and maketh the Moone to shine Euen so the woman dependeth of the man and of him doth take hir nobilitie The King therefore thoughte the matche not mete for Ariobarzanes to marrie his daughter and 〈◊〉 red he shoulde incurre some blemishe of his house But for all respect and feare of shame the emulation whiche he had to be victorious of his forced curtesie did surpasse Wherefore he sent for Ariobarzanes to come vnto the Court. And he vpon that commaundement came And so soone as he was entred the Palace he repaired to do his reuerence vnto the king of whome he was welcomed with glad and ioyfull entertainement And after they had a while debated of diuers matters the King sayde vnto him Ariobarzanes for so much as thou art without a wife we 〈◊〉 to bestowe vpon thée a Gentlewoman which not onely we well like and loue but also is suche a one as thou thy selfe shalt be well contented to take Ariobarzanes answered that he was at his commaundement And that such choyse as pleased his Maiestie shoulde very well content and satisfie him Then the King caused his daughter 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 attired to come before him and there openly in presence of the 〈◊〉 Courte commaunded that Ariobarzanes shoulde marrie hir Which with séemely ceremonies being 〈◊〉 Ariobarzanes shewed litle ioy of that parentage and in apparance made as though he cared not for his wife The nobles and Gentleman of the Court 〈◊〉 to sée the straunge 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 consideryng the great 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of their Prince towards his subiect by taking him for his father and sonne in lawe and greatly murmured to sée the obstinacie and rudenesse of Ariobarzanes towardes the King and the faire newe maried spouse much blaming and rebuking his vnkinde demeanour Ariobarzanes that day fared as though he were besides him selfe voide of ioy and mirth where all the rest of the Courte spent the time in sport and triumph the Ladies and noble women together with the King and Quéene them selues dauncing and 〈◊〉 vntill the time of night did force 〈◊〉 wight to retire to their chambers Notwithstanding the King did marke the gesture and countenance of Ariobarzanes and after the bankette the King in solemne guise and greate pompe caused his daughter to bée accompanied with a great train to the lodging of Ariobarzanes and to be caried with hir hir princely dowrie where Ariobarzanes very honourably receyued his wife and at that instant in the presence of all the noble men and Barons that waited vpon the Bride he doubled the dowrie receyued and the same with the ten hūdred thousand crownes giuen him by the King he sent backe againe This vnmeasured Liberalitie séemed passing straunge vnto the King and bredde in him such disdaine as doubtfull he was whether to yelde or to condemne him to perpetual banishment The King thought that the greatnesse of Ariobarzanes minde was inuincible and was not able paciently to suffer that a subiect in matters of Curtesie and liberalitie shoulde compare with his King and maister Herewithall the King conceiuing malice coulde not tell what to say or do An easy matter it was to perceiue the rage and 〈◊〉 of the king who was so sore displeased as he bare good looke and coūtenance to no man And bicause in those days the Persian kings 〈◊〉 honored and reuerenced as Gods there was a lawe that when the king was driuen into a 〈◊〉 or had conceiued a iust displeasure he shoulde manifest vnto his counsellers the cause of his anger who afterwards by mature diligēce hauing examined the cause 〈◊〉 finding that king to be 〈◊〉 displesed shold seke means of his appeasing But if they founde his anger displeasure to be iustly cōceiued the cause of the same according to the qualitie of the offence little or great they shoulde punishe either by banishment or capital death The sentence of whome should passe and be pronounced without appeale Howbeit lawfull it was for the kyng the pronounced sentence either in all or in part to diminishe the paine or clearely to assoile the partie Wherby it euidently appeared that the Counsellers sentence once 〈◊〉 termined was very iustice and the kings will if he pardoned was mere grace and mercy The King then was constrained by 〈◊〉 statutes of his kingdom to disclose 〈◊〉 to his Counsell the cause of his displeasure which parti cularly he recited The Counsellers when they heard the reasons of the king sent for Ariobarzanes of whome by due examination they gathered that in diuors causes he had prouoked the kings offence Afterwards the lords of the Counsell vpon the proposed question began to argue by inuestigation serch wherof in the end they iudged Ariobarzanes worthy to lose his head For that he woulde not onely compare but also goe about to 〈◊〉 him in things 〈◊〉 and to she we him self discontented with the mariage of his daughter vnthankfull of the benefites so curteously bestowed vpon him A custome was obserued among the Persians that in euery act or enterprise wherin the seruant endeuored to surpasse and vanquishe his lorde and maister albeit the attempt were commendable and praise worthy for 〈◊〉 of want of duetie or contempt to the royall Maiestie he 〈◊〉 lose his best ioynt And for better confirmation of their iudgement the Counsellers alleaged a certain 〈◊〉 sentence registred in their Chronicles 〈◊〉 done by the Kings of Persia. The cause was this One of the Kings of that Region disposed to disporte with certain of his noble men abrode in the fields went a Hanking and with the 〈◊〉 to flie at diuers gante Within a while they sprang a Hearon and the Kyng commanded that one of the Faulcons which was a notable swift and soaring Hauke shold be cast off to the Hearon which done the Hearon began to mount and the Faucon spéedily pursued and as the Hauke after many batings and intercourses was about to seaze vpon the Hearon he espied an Egle. The stoute Hauke séeing the Egle gaue ouer the fearfull Hearon and with swift 〈◊〉 flewe towards the Egle and fiercely attempted to 〈◊〉 vpon hir But the Egle very stoutly defended 〈◊〉 self that the Hauke was forced to let go hir hold In the end 〈◊〉 good Hauke with hir sharpe talands again seazed vpon the Egles neck with hir beake strake hir starke dead wherwithall she fell downe amidde the companie that waited vpon the King All the Barons and Gentlemen highly cōmended and praised the Hauke affirming that a better was not in the worlde attributing vnto the same such praise as they thought mete The King for all the acclamations and shoutes of the troupe spake not a worde but stode musing with him selfe and did neither praise nor blame that Hauke It was very late in the euening when the Faucon killed the Egle and therefore the King commaunded eche man to depart to the Citie The next day the King caused a Goldsmith to make an
garmente and Crowne was taken off from his head together with his other apparel The Executioner 〈◊〉 for commaundement to doe his office and lifting vp his sworde to do the facte 〈◊〉 King desired to sée the countenaunce of Ariobarzanes who neuer chaunged colour for all that terrour of death The King séeing the great constancie and inuincible minde of Ariobarzanes spake 〈◊〉 that all men might heare hym these wordes Thou knowest Ariobarzanes that it is not I whych haue wroughte thy condemnation ne yet by 〈◊〉 desyre haue soughte thy bloude to bryng thée to this extremitie but it hath bene thy yll disordred life and the statutes of 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 which haue found thée guiltie and therevpon sentence and death pronounced and execution now redie to be done and the minister redie to aduaunce his arme to play the last acte of this tragedie And yet for that our holy lawes doe giue libertie that I may assoile and deliuer whome I list and them restore to their former state if nowe thou wilt acknowledge thy selfe vanquished and ouer come and accept thy life in gratefull part I will pardon thée and restore thée to thine offices and promotions Ariobarzanes hearing these wordes knéeled downe with his head declined and expecting the blow of the sworde lifted by himselfe and turning his face to the King perceiuing his malice not so sore bente against him as the enuie and malice of his ennimies desired he determined to proue and vse the pitifull liberalitie and fauor of his soueraigne Lorde that his foes by his death might not triumph ne yet attaine the thing for which so long they aspired Wherefore in reuerent wise 〈◊〉 before his maiestie with a 〈◊〉 perfect voice sayd these words Most victorious merciful soueraine Lord in equal worship and honour to the immortall Gods sith of thy abundant grace and mercie it hath pleased thée to graunt me life I do most humbly accept the same which if I wist should be prolonged in thy disgrace and wrath coulde not be pleasaunt vnto me and therfore do 〈◊〉 my self altogether 〈◊〉 ouercome I most humbly then do giue thée 〈◊〉 for preseruation of the same hoping hereafter to employ the vttermost of mine endeuoure for the benefite and honour of thy Crowne and dignitie as readily and without supplication made in my behalfe thou hast 〈◊〉 to restore the same And sith thy 〈◊〉 hath reuiued me thine humble 〈◊〉 I 〈◊〉 thy maiestie to giue me leaue to say my minde trusting thereby to doe thée to vnderstande the effecte and cause of that my former presumption The King made signes that he should rise and boldly speake the summe of his desire When he was vpon his féete silence was proclaimed who then began to speake these wordes Two things there bée most sacred Prince which doubtlesse doe resemble the raging waues of surging seas and the mutabilitie of vnstable windes and yet greate is the follie of an infinite numbre which imploy their whole care and diligence to séeke the same These two things wherof I speake and be so derely beloued of flattering courtiers are the grace and fauour of their soueraine Lord and the luring loue of Amorous dames which two things doe so often beguile the Courtly Gentleman that in the ende they engendre nought else but repentance And to begin with the loue of Ladies they as by common experiēce is proued most commonly do recline to their inferiours It is dayly sene by too much vnhappie proofe that a yong Gentlemā by birth comely and noble otherwise riche vertuous and indued with many goodly gifts shall choose and worship one for his soueraigne Ladie and maistresse and hir shall serue and honour with the same faith and fidelitie due to the immortall Gods and shal not sticke to employ for hir loue and seruice all the possible power and trauell be is able to doe and yet shée in despite of all his humble endeuour shal loue an other voide of all vertue making him possessour of that benefite after which the other séeketh and she not long cōstant in that minde afterwadrs will attend vnto the first suter but in such mouable and 〈◊〉 sort as the wandring starres through their naturall instabilitie be moued to and fro and him in the ende will suffre to fall headlong into the bottomlesse pit of dispaire and he that asketh hir the reason of this varietie she maketh none other answere but that hir pleasure is such and wilful will to dallie with hir suters that seldome times a true and perfit louer can fasten his foote on certaine holde but that his life is tossed vp and downe like the whirling blastes of the inconstant windes In like maner in the Courts of Kings and Princes he which is in fauour with his soueraigne Lord in al mens eyes so great and neare as it séemeth the Prince is disposed to resolue vpon nothing without his aduise coūsell when such fauoured person shall employ his whole care and industrie to maintaine and increase the cōmenced grace of his soueraigne Lorde beholde vpon the sodaine his mind and vaine is changed and an other without desert which neuer carked or laboured to win good will is taken in place cherished as though he had serued him an hundred yeares before and he that was the first minion of the Court in greatest grace and estimation is in a moment despised and out of all regarde An other within fewe days after shall be brought in place of the other twaine very diligent and carefull to serue trained vp in Courtly exercise whose mindefull minde shall bée so caring ouer his lordes affaires as vpon the safegarde and preseruation of his owne propre life But all his labour is employed in vaine and when the aged dayes of his expired life approch for the least displeasure he shall be thrust out without rewarde for former trauell that right aptly the Common Prouerb may be applied The common Courtiers life is like a golden miserie and the faithfull seruant an Asse perpetuall I haue séene my self the right wel learned man to 〈◊〉 in Court for want of meate and a blockish beast voide of vertue for lust and not for merite aduaunced and made a Gentleman But this may chaunce bicause his lorde is not disposed to lerning and vertue little estéeming those that be affected with good sciences for lacke of carefull trayning vp in youthfull days or else for that their mind can not frame with the gentle spirites of them the closets of whose brests be charged and fraught with infinite loades of lerning and haue not ben noscled in trade of Courtes ne yet can vse due courtly spéeche or with vnblushing face can shuffle them selues in presence of their betters or commen with Ladies of dame 〈◊〉 toyes or race of birth not mingled with the noble or gentle Sire For these causes perhaps that vertuous wight can not attain the happe of Fortunes giftes Which person though in Court he be not estéemed in
and Physitian dwelling at Cutiano a Citie of Boeme where plenty of siluer Mines and other mettals is The knight whose Castle was not farre from Cutiano had occasion to repaire vnto that Citie and according to his desire found out Pollacco which was a very olde mā and talking with him of diuers things perceiued him to be of great skill In end he entreated him that for so much as he had done pleasure to many for 〈◊〉 of their loue he wold also instruct him how he might be assured that his wife did kéepe hir self honest all the time of his absence and that by certaine signes he might haue sure knowledge whether she brake hir faith by sending his honesly into Cornwall Such vain trust this Knight reposed in the lying Science of Sorcery which although to many other is found deceitfull yet to him serued for sure euidence of his wiues sidelitie This Pollacco which was a very cunning enchaunter as you haue hard sayd vnto him Sir you demaund a very straūge matter such as where with neuer hitherto I haue bene acquainted ne yet searched the depthe of those hidden secretes a thing not commonly sued for ne yet practised by me For who is able to make assurance of a womans chastitie or tel by signes except he were at the déede doing that she hath done amisse Or who can gaine by proctors wryt to summon or sue a sprituall Court peremptorily to affirme by neuer so good euidence or testimony that a woman hath hazarded hir honesty except he sweare Rem to be in Re which the greatest 〈◊〉 that euer Padua bred neuer sawe by processe duely tried Shall I then warrant you the honesty of such 〈◊〉 cattell prone and ready to lust easy to be vanquished by the suites of earnest pursuers But blame worthy surely I am thus generally to speake for some I know although not many for whose pore honesties I dare aduenture mine owne And yet that number howe small so euer it be is worthy all due reuerence and honoure Notwithstanding bicause you séeme to be an honest Gentleman of that knowledge which I haue I will not be greatly 〈◊〉 A certaine secrete experiment in déede I haue wherwith perchaūce I may satisfie your demaunde And this is it I can by mine Arte in small time by certaine compositions frame a womans Image which you continually in a little boxe may carry about you and so ofte as you list beholde the same If the wife doe not breake hir mariage faith you shall still sée the same so faire and wel coloured as it was at the first making séeme as though it newly came from the painters shop but if perchaūce she meane to abuse hir honesty the same wil waxe pale and in déede committing that filthy facte sodainely the colour wil be black as arayed with cole or other 〈◊〉 the smel wherof wil not be very plesāt but at al times when she is attempted or pursued the colour wil be so yealow as gold This maruellous secrete deuise greatly pleased the Knight verely beleuing the same to be true specially much moued assured by the fame bruted abrode of his science wherof the Citizens of 〈◊〉 told very strange incredible things When the price was paid of this precious iewel he receiued the Image ioyfully returned home to his castle wher tarying certain dayes he determined to repair to that Court of the glorious king Mathie making his wife priuy to his intent Afterwards whē he had disposed his houshold matters in order he cōmitted that gouernment therof to his wife hauing prepared all necessaries for his voyage to the great sorow griefe of his beloued he departed arriued at Alba Regale where that time the King lay with Quéene Beatrix his wife of whom he was ioyfully receiued entertained He had not long continued in the Court but he had obtained won the fauor good will of all men The King which knew him full well very honorably placed him in his court by him accōplished diuers and many waighty affaires which very wisely and trustely he brought to passe according to the kings mind pleasure Afterwards he was made Colonel of a certaine nūber of footemen sent by the king against the Turks to defend a holde which the enimies of God begā to assaile vnder the conduct of Mustapha Basca which cōduct he so wel directed therin stoutly behaued himself as he chased al the Infidels out of those coastes winning therby that name of a most valiant soldier prudent captain Whereby he meruellously gained the fauor grace of the king who ouer and besides his daily intertainement gaue vnto him a Castle and the Reuenue in fée farme for euer Such rewards deserue all valiāt men which for the honor of their Prince countrey do willingly imploy their seruice worthy no dout of great regard cherishing vpō their home returne bicause they hate idlenesse to win glory deuising rather to spēd hole dayes in field than houres in Courte which this worthy Knight deserued who not able to sustaine his pore estate by politik wisdō prowesse of armes endeuored to serue his Lord and countrey wherin surely he made a very good choise Then he deuoutly serued and praised God for that he put into his minde such a Noble enterprise trusting daily to atchieue greater fame and glory but the greater was his ioy and contentation bicause the image of his wife inclosed within a boxe which still he caried about him in his pursie continued freshe of coloure without any alteration It was noysed in the Court that this valiant Knight Vlrico had in Boeme the fairest and goodliest Lady to his wife that liued either in Boeme or Hungarie It chaūced as a certaine company of yong Gentlemen in the Court were together amongs whome was this Knighte that a 〈◊〉 Earon sayd vnto him How is it possible syr 〈◊〉 being a yeare and a half since you departed out of Boeme that you haue no minde to returne to sée your wife who as the common fame reporteth is one of the goodliest women of all the Countrey truely it séemeth to me that you care not for hir which were great pitie if hir beautic be correspondent to hir fame Syr quod Vlrico what hir beautie is I referre vnto the worlde but how so euer you estéeme me to care of hir you shall vnderstande that I doe loue hir and will doe so during my life And the cause why I haue not visited hir of lōg time is no little proofe of the great assurance I haue of hir vertue and honest life The argument of hir vertue I proue for that she is contented that I shold serue my Lord and king and sufficient it is for me to giue hir intelligence of my state and welfare which many times by letters at opportunitie I faile not to doe the proofe of my Faith is euident by reason of my bounden duety to our soueraigne Lord of whome
pangs of death by remēbring the glory of my thought sith the recitall bringeth with it a tast of the trauails which you haue suffred for my ioy contentation It is therfore quod she that I think my self happy for by that meanes I haue knowne the perfect qualities that be in you haue proued two extremities of vertue One consisteth in your cōstancie and loyaltie wherby you may vaunt your self aboue him that sacrificed his life vpō the bloudy body of his Lady who for dying so finished his trauails Where you haue chosen a life worse than death no lesse painfull a hundred times a day than very death it self The other cōsisteth in the clemency wherwith you calme and appease the rage of your greatest aduersaries As my self which before hated you to death vanquished by your curtesie do confesse that I am double bound vnto you both for my life and honor and hearty thankes doe I render to the Lord Roderico for that violence he did vnto me by which meanes I was induced to acknowledge my wrong the right which you had to complaine of my folish resistance All is wel sayd Roderico sith without perill of honor we may returne home to our houses I intend therefore sayd he to send woord before to my Ladies your mothers of your returne for I know how so wel to couer and excuse this our enterprise and secrete iorneis as by Gods assistāce no blame or displeasure shal ensue therof And like as sayd he smiling I haue builded the fortresse which shot into your campe and made you flie euen so I hope Gentlewoman that I shall be the occasion of your victory when you combat in close cāpe with your swéete cruel enimy Thus they passed the iorney in pleasant talke recompēsing the. 〈◊〉 louers with al honest vertuous intertainmēt for their 〈◊〉 and troubles past In the meane while they sent one 〈◊〉 their seruants to the two widow ladies which were 〈◊〉 great care for their childrē to aduertise them that Gineura was gone to visite Dom Diego then being in one of the castles of Roderico where they were determined if it were their good pleasure to consūmate their mariage hauing giuen faith affiance one to the other The mother of Gineura could not here tel of more pleasant newes for she had vnderstāded of the folish flight escape of hir daughter with that steward of hir house wherof she was very sorowful for grief was like to die but assured recōforted with those news she 〈◊〉 not to mete the mother of Dom Diego at the apointed place whither the y. louers were arriued two days before There the mariage of that fair couple so long desired was 〈◊〉 with such magnificence as was requisite for the state of those two noble houses Thus the torment 〈◊〉 made the ioy to sauour of some other taste than they do feele which without pain in that exercise of loues pursute attain the top of their desires And truly their pleasure was altogether like to him that nourished in superfluous delicacie of meates can not aptely so well iudge of pleasure as he which sometimes lacketh that abundance And verily Loue without bitternesse is almost a cause without effectes for he that shall take away griefs and troubled fansies from louers depriueth them of the praise of their stedfastnesse and maketh baine the glorie of their perseuerance for he is vnworthie to beare away the price and garlande of triumph in the conflict that behaueth himself like a coward and doth not obserue the lawes of armes and manlike dueties in the combat This historie then is a mirrour for loyall louers and chaste suters and maketh them detest the vnshamefastnesse of those which vpon the first view do folowe with might and maine the Gentlewoman or Ladie that giueth them good face or countenāce wherof any gentle heart or mind noursed in the scholehouse of vertuous education will not bée squeymish to those that shal by chast salutation or other incountrie doe their curteous reuerence This historie also yeldeth contempt of them which in their affection forget them selues abasting the generositie of their courages to be reputed of fooles the true champions of Loue whose like they be that desire such regarde For the perfection of true Loue consisteth not in passions in sorowes griefes martirdomes or cares and much lesse arriueth he to his desire by sighes exclamations wepings and childish playnts for so much as vertue ought to be the bande of that indissoluble amitie which maketh the vnion of the two seuered bodies of that woman man which Plato describeth causeth man to trauell for his whole accomplishment in that true pursute of chast loueIn which labor truly fondly walked Dom Diego thinkyng to finde the same by his dispaire amidde the sharp solitarie deserts of those Pyrene mountains And truly the duetie of his perfect friende did more liuely disclose the same what fault so euer he dyd than all his countenances eloquent letters or amorous messages In like maner a man dothe not know what a treasure a true friend is vntil he hath proued his excellencie specially where necessitie maketh him to tast the swetnesse of such delicate meate For a friend being a second himself agréeth by a certaine natural 〈◊〉 attonement to the affections of him whō he loueth both to participate his ioyes and pleasures and to sorrowe his aduersitie where Fortune shall vse by some misaduentures to shewe hir accustomed moblitie Salimbene and Angelica ¶ A Gentleman of SISNA called ANSELMO SALIMBENE curteously and gently deliuereth his 〈◊〉 from death The condemned partie seing the kinde parte of SALIMBENE rendreth into his hands his sister ANGELICA with whome he was in loue which gratitude and curtesie SALIMBENE well marking moued in conscience woulde not abuse hir but for recompense toke hir to his wife The. xxx Nouel WE do not mean here to discouer the sumptuositie magnificence of Palaces stately won derfull to the viewe of mē ne yet to reduce to memorie that maruellous effects of mās industry to build and lay foúdations in the déepest chanel of the maine sea ne to describe their ingenious industrie in breking the craggy mountaines and hardest rocks to ease the crooked passages of wearie wayes for armies to marche through inaccessible places Onely now do we pretende to shewe the effects of loue whiche surmount all opinion of cōmon things and appere so miraculous as the founding and erecting of the Collisaei Colossaei Theatres Amphitheatres Pyramides and other workes wonderful to the world for that the hard indured path of hatred and displeasure long time begoon and obstinately pursued with straunge crueltie was conuerted into loue by theffect of loue and concorde suche as I know none but is so much astoonned as he may haue good cause to wonder consideryng the stately foundations vpon which kings and great monarches haue employed the chiefest reuenues of their prouinces Nowe like as Ingratitude is a vice of
this time of the night to take vpon me without daunger to bring him to his Palace Wherfore said the King Wherefore quod you bicause the Marshes be so daungerous as in the day time if one knowe not well the way the 〈◊〉 be he neuer so strong and lusty may chaunce to sticke fast tary 〈◊〉 for gage And I wold be sory if the King were héere that he shold fall into my perill or sufler anoyance therwithal wold deme my self vnhappy if I did let him to incur such euil or incōbrance Mansor that delighted in the cōmunication of this good mā and desirous to know the cause that moued him to speake with such affection sayd vnto him And why carest thou for the life health or preseruation of our king What hast to do with him that art so sory for his state and carefull of his safety Ho ho sayd the goodman doe you say that I am careful for my prince Uerily I loue him a hundred times better than I do my self my wife or children which God hath sent me and what sir doe not you loue our Prince Yes that I doe replied the King for I haue better cause than thou for that I am many times in his company and liue vpon his charge and am entertained with his wages But what 〈◊〉 thou to care for him Thou knowest him not he neuer did thée any good turne or pleasure nor yet thou nedest not hope henceforth to haue any pleasure at his hands What sayd the fisher man must a Prince be loued for gaine and good turnes rather than for his iustice curtesie I sée wel that amongs you master Courtiers the benefits of kings be more regarded and their gifts better liked than their vertue and nobility which maketh them wonderful vnto vs and ye do more esteeme the gold honor and estates that they bestow vpon you than their health and sauegarde which are the more to be considered for that the King is our head and God hath made him suche one to kepe vs in peace and to be careful of our states Pardon me if I speak so boldly in your presence The King which toke singulare delite in this Coūtrey Philosopher answered him I am not offended bicause thy woords aproche so neare the troth but tel me what benefit hast thou receiued of that king Mansor of whome thou makest suche accompte and 〈◊〉 so wel For I cannot thinke that euer he did thée good or shewed thee pleasure by reason of thy pouerty and the little furniture within thy house in respecte of that which they possesse whom he loueth and fauoreth and vnto whome he she weth so great familiaritie and benefite Doe 〈◊〉 me sir replied the good man for so much as you so greatly regard the fauoures which subiectes receiue at their Princes handes as in déede they ought to doe What greater goodnesse 〈◊〉 or benefite ought I to hope for or can receiue of my King being suche one as I am but the profit and vtilitie that all we which be his vassalles doe apprehend from day to day in the iustice that he rendreth to euery wight by not suffering the puissant and riche to suppresse and 〈◊〉 the feeble and weake and him that is 〈◊〉 of fortunes goodes that indifferency be maintained by the officers to whome he committeth the gouernment of his prouinces and the care which he hathe that his people be not deuoured by exactions and intollerable tributes I do esteme more his goodnesse clemency and loue that he beareth to his subiects than I doe all your delicates and ease in following the court I most humbly honor and reuerēce my king in that he being farre from vs doeth neuerthelesse so vse his gouernment as we féele his presence like the Image of God for the peace and vnion wherein we through him doe liue and enioy without 〈◊〉 that little which God and fortune haue giuen vs. Who if not the King is he that doeth preserue vs and defend vs from the 〈◊〉 and pillages of those Theues and Pirates of Arabie which make warre and inuade their neighbors and there is no frend they haue but they wold displease if the King wisely did not forbio preuent their villanies That great Lord which kepeth his Court at Constantinople and maketh himselfe to be adored of his people like a God brideleth not so muche the Arabians as our King doeth vnder the Protection and sauegarde of whome I that am a pore Fisher man do ioy my pouertie in peace and without 〈◊〉 of théeues do norish my little familie applying my selfe to the fishing of Eeles that be in these diches and fenny places which I cary to the market townes and sell for the sustenaunce and féeding of my wife and children and 〈◊〉 my selfe right happy that returning to my cabane and homely lodge at my pleasure in what so euer place I do abide bicause albeit farre of from neighboures by the bene 〈◊〉 and diligence of my Prince none staye my iourney or offendeth me by any meanes which is the cause sayd he lifting vp his hāds and eyes aloft that I pray vnto God and his great Prophet Mahomet that it may please them to preserue our King in health and to giue him so great happe and contentation as he is vertuous and debonaire and that ouer his ennimies flying before him 〈◊〉 may euermore be victorious for norishing his people in peace and his children in ioy and Nobilitie The King séeing that deuout 〈◊〉 of the 〈◊〉 and knowing it to be without guile or 〈◊〉 would gladly haue discouered himself but yet willing to reserue the same for better oportunitie he sayd vnto him For somuch as thou 〈◊〉 st that king so wel it is not impossible but those of his house be welcome vnto thee and that for thy Mansors sake thou wilt helpe and doe seruice to his Gentlemen Let it 〈◊〉 you replied he that my heart is more inclined to the King than to the willes of those that serue him 〈◊〉 hope of preferment Now being so affectionate to the King as I am thinke whither his housholde seruaunts haue power to commaund me and whither my willing minde be prest to doe them good or not But me thinke ye néede not to stay héere at the gate in talke being so wet as you be wherefore vouchsafe to come into my house which is your own to take such simple lodging as I haue wher I wil entreat you not according to your merite but with the litle that God and his Prophet haue departed to my pouertie And to morow morning I wil conduct you to the Citie euen to that royal Palace of my Prince Truely answered the King albeit necessitie did not prouoke me yet 〈◊〉 honestie deserueth wel other reputation than a simple Countrey man and I do thinke that I haue profited more in hearing thée speake than by hearkening to the flattering and 〈◊〉 tales of Courting triflers which daily imploy thēselues to corrupt the eares
of the charge whiche it pleaseth you to giue me and wherevnto for lacke of trainyng vp and vse of suche a dignitie I am altogether vnfitte But 〈◊〉 that the graces of God and the 〈◊〉 of Kyngs oughte neuer to be reiected by acceptyng this benefite wyth humble thankes for the clemencie of your royall maiestie I reste the seruant and slaue of you and yours The Kyng hearyng him speake so wisely toke him vp and imbraced him saying Would to God and his greate Prophete that all they whiche rule Cities and gouerne Prouinces hadde so good a nature as thine then I durste be bolde to say that the people shoulde lyue better at theyr ease and Monarches without greate charge of conscience for the yll behauiours of theyr officers Lyue good man lyue at thine 〈◊〉 maynteyne thy people obserue our lawes increase the beautie of the Citie wherof from this time forth we do 〈◊〉 thée possesser And truely the present was not to bée contemned for that the same at this day is one of the fairest that is in Affrica and is the lande of the black people suche as the Spaniards call Negroes It is very full of gardeins furnished with aboundaunce of Spices brought from the Molucces bicause of the martes and 〈◊〉 ordeined there To be short Mansor shewed by this gift what is the force of a gentle heart which can not abide to be vanquished in curtesie and lesse suffer that vnder forgetfulnesse that memorie of a receiued good turne be lost King Darius whilome for a litle garment receiued in gift by Silofon the Samien recompenced him wyth the gaiue and royall dignitie of that citie and made him soueraine Lord therof and of the Isle of Samos And what greater vertue 〈◊〉 illustrate the name of a noble man than to acknowledge and preferre them which for naturall shame and 〈◊〉 dare not behold the maiestie of their greatnesse God sometimes with a more curteous eye doth loke vpon the presents of a poore mā than the fat and rich offerings of him that is great and wealthie Euen so a benefite from what hande soeuer it procedeth cannot choose to bring forthe the frutes of his liberalitie that giueth the same who by vsing largesse feleth also the like in him to whome it is imployed That magnificēce no long time past vsed the Seigniorie of Venice to Francesco Dandulo who after he had dured the great displeasures of the Pope in the name of the whole Citie vpon his returne to Venice for acknowledgement of his pacience and for abolishmente of that shame was with happie and vniforme acclamation of the whole state elected and made Prince and Duke of that Common welth Worthie of praise truly is he that by some pleasure 〈◊〉 an other to his curtesie but when a noble man acknowleageth for a 〈◊〉 that which a subiect is bound to giue him by dutie and seruice there the proofe of prayse caryeth no fame at all For which cause I determined to displaye the historie of the barbarous king Mansor to the intent that our Gentlemen norished and trained vp in great 〈◊〉 may assay by their mildenesse and good education to surmount the curtesie of that Prince of whom for this time we purpose to take our Farewell The Conclusion with an Aduertisement to the Reader 〈◊〉 thou hast gained for thy better instruction or what conceiued for recreation by reading these 〈◊〉 Nouells I am no iudge althoughe by deeming in reading and perusing thou mayst at thy pleasure gather both But how soeuer profite or delight can satisfie mine appointment wherfore they were preferred into thy hands contented 〈◊〉 I that thou doe vouchsafe them Good lessons howe to shunne the darts and prickes of insolencie thou findest in the same The vertuous noble may sauor the frutes and taste the licour that stilleth from the gummes or buds of Uertue The contrary may sée the blossoms fal that blome from the shrubs of disloyaltie and degenerat kind Yong Gētlemen Ladies do view a plot founded on sured ground and what the foundation is planted in shattring 〈◊〉 with a fashion of attire to garnish their inward parts so well as sparelesse they imploy vpon the vanishing pompe Euery sort and 〈◊〉 that warfare in the fielde of humaine life may sent here the sauourous frute to outward liking that fanished the sensuall tast of Adams wife They sée also what griftes such fading frutes produce vnto 〈◊〉 what likewise the lustie growth and spring of vertues plant and what delicates it brauncheth to those that carefully kéepe the slips therof within the orchard of their mindes Diuerse Tragicall she 〈◊〉 by the pennes description haue bene disclosed in greatest number of these histories the same also I haue 〈◊〉 and swéetened with the course of pleasant matters of purpose not to 〈◊〉 the deyntie mindes of those that shrinke and feare at suche rehersall And bicause sodainly contrary to 〈◊〉 this volume is risen to greter heape of leaues I do omit for this present time sundry Nouels of merie deuise reseruing the same to be ioyned with the rest of an other part wherein shall succéede the remnant of Bandello specially suche suffrable as the learned Frenche man François de Belleforrest hath selected and the 〈◊〉 done in the Italian 〈◊〉 also out of Erizzo Ser Giouani Fiorentino Parabosco Cynthio Straparole Sansouino and the best liked oute of the Quéene of 〈◊〉 and other Authors 〈◊〉 these in so good parte with those that haue and shall come 〈◊〉 as I do offre them with good will curteously 〈◊〉 such faults and errors as shall present themselues either burying 〈◊〉 in the 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 or prefermitting them with the beck of Curtesie The which in déede or the most part had not offended thée if time had not ben spent before the Printer could 〈◊〉 to an ende hereof FINIS Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman for Nicholas Englande ANNO. M. D. LXVIL Nouembris 8. Diuers Faultes escaped in Printyng Faultes Correction In the Summarie of the Nouels Tarquinus Tarquinius Fol. 5. line 12. bicause for that Fol. 39. page 2. line 19. On Or Fol. 41. line 22. conciacion Conciliacion Fol. 47. line 33. and to Fol. 53. page 2. line 26. these the Fol. 76. page 2. xiij Nouel xij Nouel Fol. 87. line 7. xiiij Nouel xiij Nouel 〈◊〉 Fol. line 22. the these Fol. 92. line 15. page 2. she a word 〈◊〉 Fol. 94. line 2. 〈◊〉 Sestertios Eodem line 28. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Eodem page 2. line 8. must be was Fol. 95. line 5. Nouel xv Nouel xiiij Eodem Zenobia Quene of c. who although she was a gentle Quéene yet a Christian Princesse c. Zenobia Quéene of c who although she was a Gentile Quéene yet a Princesse so worthy of c. Fol. 102. line 31. 〈◊〉 susteined Fol. 105. line 12. committing to commit Fol. 135. line 25. Dicilia Sicilia Fol. 141. line 27. Paolina Paola Eodem line 3. In a word 〈◊〉 Fol. 154. page 2. Tinnagoras Timagoras Fol. 161. line 26. fawcons 〈◊〉 Fol. 163. line 8. grislie 〈◊〉 Fol. 167. pag. 2. line 〈◊〉 insūmate insinuate Fo. 178. line 2. page 2. qualitied qualified Fol. 185. line 8. page 2. Romida Romilda Fol. 214. line 22. To a word 〈◊〉 Fol. 242. line 22. then when Fol. 249. line 6. pa. 2. Sansantino San Fantino Fol. 292. page 2. line 3. his hir Fol. 306. page 2. line 17. arriued approued Fol. 359. line 30. ssued issued Fol. 404. page 2. line 32. mans man is Fol. 407. line 22. To So Le buone parole onzeno Le cattiue ponzeno
spirite and boldnesse be thought good in the front of this second volume to be described bicause of diuers womens liues plentifull varietie is offered in the sequele And for that some mencion hath bene made of the greate Alexander and in what wise from vertue he fell to vice the seconde Nouell ensuing shall giue some further aduertisement Alexander the great ¶ The great pitie and cōtinencie of ALEXANDER the great and his louing entertainmēt of SISIGAMBIS the wife of the greate Monarch 〈◊〉 after he was vanquished The second Nouel GReat Monarches and princes be the Gods and onely rulers vpon earthe and as they be placed by Gods only prouidence and disposition to conquere and rule the same euen so in victorious battailes and honorable exploites they ought to rule order their conquests like Gods that is to say to vse moderate behauiour to their captiues and slaues specially to the weaker sorte feminine kinde whome like tyrants and barbarous they ought not to corrupt and abuse but like Christians and vertuous victors to cherish and preserue their honour For what can be safe to a woman sayd Lucrece when she was 〈◊〉 by the Romaine Tarquine hir chastitie being defiled Or what can be safe to a man that giueth him selfe to incontinencie For when he hath despoiled the virgin robbed the wife or abused the widow of their honor and good name they protrude them selues into many miseries they be impudent vnshamefast aduenturous and carelesse how many mischiefes they do And when a Prince or gouerner doth giue him self to licencious life what mischieues what rapes what murders doth he cōmitte No frende no 〈◊〉 no subiecte no enimie doth he spare or defende Contrarywise the mercifull and continent captaine by subduing his affections recouereth immortal fame which this historie of king Alexāder full well declareth And bicause before we spake of that great conquerour in the Nouell of the Amazones and of the repaire of Quene Thalestris for vse of his bodie at what tyme as Curtius sayth he fell from vertue to vice wée purpose in this to declare the greate continencie and mercie that he vsed to Sisigambis the wife of the Persian Prince Darius and briefly to touch the time of his abused life which in this manner doth begin Alexander the great hauing vanquished Darius and his infinite armie and retiring with his hoste from the pursute and slaughter of the Persians entred into their campe to recreate him selfe And being with his familiars in the mids of his bāket they sodenly heard a pitifull crie with straunge howling and crying out which did verie much astonne them The wife and mother of Darius with the other noble women newly taken prisoners wer the occasiō of that present noise by lamenting of Darius whome they beleued to be slaine which opinion they cōceiued through one of the Eunuches which standing before their tent doore sawe a souldier beare a piece of Darius Diademe For which cause Alexander pitying their miserie sent a noble man called Leonatus to signifie vnto them that they were deceyued for that Darius was liuing Repairing towards the tent where the women were with certaine armed men he sent word before that he was coming to them with message from the king But when such as stode at the tent 〈◊〉 saw armed men they thought they had ben sent to murder the Ladies for whiche cause they ranne in to them crying that their last houre was come for the souldiers were at hande to kill them When Leonatus was entred the pauilion the Mother and wife of Darius fell downe at his féete intreating him that before they were slain he wold suffer them to burie Darius according to the order and maner of his countrey after the performance of which obsequies they were content they sayd willingly to suffer death Leonatus assured them that both Darius was aliue and that there was no harme towardes them but shoulde remaine in the same state they were in before When Sisigambis heard those wordes she suffered hir selfe to bée lifted vp from the grounde and to receyue some comfort The next day Alexander with great diligence buried the bodies of suche of his owne men as coulde be founde and willed the same to be done to the noble men of the Persians giuing licence to Darius mother to burie so many as she liste after the custome of hir countrey She performed the same to a fewe that were next of hir kinne according to the habilitie of their presente fortune for if shée shoulde haue vsed the Persians pompe therin the Macedonians might haue enuied it which being victors vsed no great curiositie in the matter When the due was performed to the dead Alexander signified to the women prisoners that he him selfe would come to visit them and causing such as came with him to tarie without he onely with Ephestion entred in amongs them The same Ephestion of al men was best beloued of Alexander brought vp in his cōpanie from his youth and most priuie with him in al things There was none that had such libertie to speke his mynd plainly to the king as he had which he vsed after such sorte that he semed to do it by no authoritie but by suffrance And as he was of like yeares vnto him so in shape and personage he did somwhat excel him Wherfore the women thinking Ephestion to be the king did fall downe and worship him as their countrey maner was to do to kings till suche time as one of the Eunuches that was taken prisoner shewed which of them was Alexander Then Sisigambis fell downe at his féete requiring pardon of hir ignorance for somuch as she did neuer see him before The King toke hir vp by the hande and sayde Mother you be not deceiued for this is Alexander also Then he behaued him self after such a maner that he erceded in continencie and compassion al the kings that had ben before his time He entertained the two Quéenes with those virgins that were of excellent beautie so reuerently as if they had bene his sisters He not onely absteined from al violation of Darius wife which in beautie excelled all the women of hir time but also toke great care diligence that none other should procure hir any dishonor And to all the women he commaunded their ornaments and apparel to be restored So that they wāted nothing of the magnificence of their former 〈◊〉 sauing only the assured trust that creatures want in miserie which things considered by Sisigambis she sayd vnto the king Sir your goodnesse towards vs doth deserue that we should make the same prayer for you that whilome we did for Darius and we perceiue you worthie to passe so greate a king as he was in felicitie and good fortune that abounde so in iustice and clemencie It pleaseth you to terme me by the name of Mother and Quéene but I confesse my selfe to be your handmaide For both I conceyue the greatnesse of my state past and féele that I can
the daunger of the mate by and by there grew a greater colour in his face than was wont to be imagining howe he might auoide the checkemate besides his blushing he shaked his 〈◊〉 and fetched diuers sighes whereby the standers by that marked the game perceiued that he was driuen to his shiftes The Senescall espying the Kings demeanour and séeing the honest shamefastnesse of the King woulde not suffer hym to receiue suche foile but made a draught by mouing his Knight backe to open a way for the King to passe as not onely he deliuered him from the daunger of the Mate but also loste one of his Rocks for lack of taking héede whervpon the game rested equall The King who knew the good nature noble minde of his seruant by experience of the same in other causes faining that he had ouerséene the taking of his Rock gaue ouer the game and rising vp sayd No more Ariobarzanes the game is yours and I confesse my selfe ouercome The King thought that Ariobarzanes did not the same so much for curtesie as to binde his soueraigne lorde and king by benefite to recompence his subiectes like behauior which he did not very well like and therfore would play no more Notwithstanding the King neither by signe or dede ne yet in talk shewed any token of displeasure for that curtesie done Nowbeit the King would that Ariobarzanes in semblable act should abstaine to shew him selfe curteous or liberall except it were to his inferiours and equals bicause it is not connenient for a seruaunt to contende with his maister in those qualities Not long after the King being at Persepolis the principall citie of Persia ordeined a not able day of hunting of diuers beastes of that countrey bréede And when all things were in readinesse he with the moste part of his Court repaired to the pastime When they were come to the place the King commaunded a woode to be beset about with nettes and toiles and appointed eche man where he should stande in most conuenient place and he him selfe attended with the doggs and 〈◊〉 to cause the beastes to issue forth of their 〈◊〉 and holes And beholde they roused a wilde beast whiche with greate 〈◊〉 leapte ouer the nettes and ranne away with much spéede The King séeing that straunge beast purposed to pursue him to death And making a signe to certain of his noble men which he desired to kepe him companie he gaue the raine and spurre to his horse and followed the chace Ariobarzanes was one of those noble men that pursued the game It chaunced that day that the King rode vpon a horsse that was the swiftest in his stable which he estemed better than a thousand other as well for his velocitie as for his readynesse in factes of armes Thus followyng with bridle at will the flying rather than running beast they were diuided far from their companie and by reason of the Kings spéedinesse none was able to followe him but Ariobarzanes and behind him one of his seruants vpon a good horsse which alwayes he vsed in hunting inatters which horsse was counted the best in al the Court. And thus folowing the chace with galloping spede Ariobarzanes at length espied that the horsse of his soueraigne lorde had loste his shooes before and that the stones had surbated his hoofs wherevpon the King was driuen either to giue ouer the chace or else to marre his horsse But there was none of these two necessities but would haue greatly displeased the King that did not perceiue his horsse to be vnshodde The Senescall did no sooner espie the same but sodainely dismounted from his own caused his man to deliuer vnto him a hammer and nailes which for such like chaunces he always caried about him and tooke of two shooes from the 〈◊〉 of his good horsse to set vpon the Kings not caring for his own rather than the King should forgoe his pleasure Wherfore hallowing the King which was earnestly bent vpon the chace tolde him of the danger wherin his horsse was for lack of shooes The Kyng hearing that lighted from his horsse séeing two shooes in Ariobarzanes mans hande thinking that Ariobarzanes had brought them with him or that they wer the shooes whiche fell from his owne taried still vntill his horsse was shodde But when he sawe the notable horsse of his Senescall vnshodde before then he thoughte that to be the curtesie of Ariobarzanes so did let the matter passe studying by like meanes to requite him with Curtesie whiche forced him selfe to surmounte in the same And when his horsse was shod he gaue the same to Ariobarzanes in rewarde And so the king chose rather to lose his pleasure of hunting than to suffer hymselfe by his man to bée excelled in Curtesie well noting the stoutnesse of Ariobarzanes mynde which séemed to haue a will to contende with his Prince in factes renoumed and liberall The Senescall thoughte it not conuenient to refuse the gift of his liege Lorde but accepted the same with like good will as before he shodde his horsse still expecting occasion howe he might surpasse his maister in curtesse and so to binde him to requite the same They had not taried there lōg but many of those which came after had ouertaken them And then the King got vp vpon a spare horsse and returned to the citie with all his companie Within fewe dayes after the King by proclamation sommoned a solemne and pompous iust and triumph at the tilt to be done vpon the Kalendes of May next ensuing The rewarde appointed for the victor and best doer in the same was a couragious and goodly Courser with a bridle and bitte of fine golde richely wrought a saddle correspondent of passing greate price the furniture and trappers for the bridle and saddle of like cost and workemanship the raines were two chaines of golde very artificially made the barbe and couerture of the horsse of cloth of golde vpon golde fringed round about with like golde whereat depended certaine belles of golde ouer which horsse was placed a fine sworde the hiltes chape wherof together with the scaverde were curiously beset with pearles and precious stones of inestimable value On the other side was placed a very beautifull strong Mace very cunningly wroughte with damaskin The horsse was placed in fourme of triumph and besides the same all the Armures and weapons méete for a combatant Knight riche and faire without comparison The Placart was maruellous and strong the Launce was guilt and bigge as none greater in all the troupe of the chalengers and defendants And al those furnitures wer appointed to be giuen to him that should do best that day A great assemblie of strangers repaired to that solemne feast as wel to do déedes of Armes as to looke vpon that pompous triumph Of the Kings subiects there was neither Knight nor Baron but in rich sumptuous apparell appeared that day amongs whome of chiefest fame the kings eldest sonne was
two was péerelesse without comparison older than the other by one yeare The beautie of those fair Ladies was bruted throughout the whole Region of Persia to whome the greatest Lordes and Barons of the countrey wer great and importunate suters He was not in his countrey resiant the space of iiij monethes which for salubritie of aire was most holsome and pleasant full of lordelike liberties and gentlemanlike pastimes as well to be done by the hounde as by the spaniell but one of the Kings Haraulds sent from the Court appeared before him with message to this effect saying My lord Ariobarzanes the King my soueraigne Lorde hath commaunded you to send with me to the Court the fairest of your two daughters for that the report of their famous beautic hath made him hardly to beleue them to be such as common brute would fayn do him to vnderstande Ariobarzanes not wel able to conceiue the meaning of the kings commaundement reuolued in his minde diuers things touching that demaunde and concluding vpon one which fel to his remembrance determined to send his yonger daughter which as we haue sayd before was not in beautie comparable to hir elder sister whereupon he caused the maiden to be sent for and sayd vnto hir these words Daughter the King my maister and thy soueraigne Lorde hath by his Messanger commaunded me to send vnto him the fairest of my daughters but for a certain reasonable respect which at this time I purpose not to disclose my mynde is that thou shalt goe praying thée not to say but that thou thy selfe art of the twaine the fairest the concealing of which mine aduise will bréede vnto thée no doubte thy greate aduauncement besides the profite and promotion that shall accriue by that thy silence and the disclosing of the same may happe to engendre to thy dere father his euerlasting hindrance and perchance the depriuation of his life but 〈◊〉 so be the King doe beget thée with childe in any wise kéepe close the same And when thou 〈◊〉 thy 〈◊〉 begin to swel that no longer it can be closely kept then in conuenient time when thou séest the King most merily disposed thou shalt tell the King that thy sister is farre more beautifull than thy self and that thou art the yonger sister The wise maiden well vnderstanding hir fathers minde and conceiuing the summe of his intent promised to performe his charge so with the Haraulde and honorable traine he caused his daughter to be conueyed to the Courte An easie matter it was to deceiue the King in the beautie of that maiden For although the elder daughter was the fairest yet this Gentlewomā séemed so péerelesse in the Court that without comparison she appeared the most beautifull that was to be 〈◊〉 either in Courte or countrey the behauiour and semblance of which two daughters were so like that hard it was to iudge whether of them was the eldest For their father had so kept them in that seldome they were séene within his house or at no time marked when they walked abroade The wife of the King was deade the space of one yere beforé for which cause he determined to marie the daughter of Ariobarzanes who although shée was not of the royall bloud yet of birthe she was right noble When the King saw this Gentlewoman he iudged hir to be the fairest that euer he sawe or heard of by report whom in the presence of his noble mē he 〈◊〉 did marrie seut vnto hir father to appoint the 〈◊〉 of his married daughter out of hande and to returne the same by that messanger When Ariobarzanes herd tell of this vnhoped mariage right ioyefull for that 〈◊〉 cesse sent vnto his daughter that dowrie which he had promised to giue to eyther of his daughters Many of the Courte did maruell that the King béeing in aged yeares would mary so yong a maiden specially the daughter of his subiect whome he had vanished from the Courte Some praised the Kings disposition for taking hir whom he fansied Eche man speakyng his 〈◊〉 minde 〈◊〉 to the diuers customes of men Notwithstanding there were diuers that moued the King to that mariage thereby to force him to confesse that by taking of the goodes of Ariobarzanes he might be called Courtenus and Liberall The mariage being solemnized in very 〈◊〉 and princely guise Ariobarzanes sente to the King the like dowrie which before he had sent him for mariage of his daughter with message to this effect That for so much as hée had assigned to his daughters two certain dowries to marie them to their equal 〈◊〉 and seing that he which was without exception was the husbande of the one his duetie was to bestow vpon his grace a more greater gift than to any other which shold haue bene his sonne in lawe But the King woulde not receiue the increase of his dowrie déeming him self well satisfied with the beautie and good cōdicions of his new spouse whome he entertained honored as Quéene In the meane time she was great with childe with a sonne as afterwardes in the birth it appered which so wel as she coulde she kept close and secrete but afterwards perceiuing hir bellie to ware bigge the greatnesse whereof she was not able to hide being vpon a time with that King and in familiar disporte she like a wise and sobre Lady induced matter of diuers argumēt amongs which as occasion serued she disclosed to the King that she was not the fairest of hir fathers daughters but hir elder sister more beautifull than she The King hearing that was greatly offended with Ariobarzanes for that he had not accomplished his commaundement and albeit he loued well his wife yet to attaine the effect of his desire he called his Haraulde vnto him whome he had firste sent to make request for his wife and with him returned again his new maried spouse vnto hir father cōmaunding him to say these words That for so much as he knewe him self to be vanquished and ouercome by the Kings humanitie his grace did maruell that in place of Curtesie he would vse such contumacie and disobedience by sending vnto him not the fairest of his daughters whiche he required but such as he himselfe liked to sende A matter no doubt worthy to be sharpely punished and 〈◊〉 For which cause the King being not a litle offended 〈◊〉 home his daughter againe and willed him to sende his eldest daughter and that he had returned the dowrie which he gaue with his yonger Ariobarzanes receiued his daughter and the dowrie with willing minde sayd these words to the Harauld Mine other daughter which the King my soueraigne Lord requireth is not able presently to go with thée bicause in hir bed she lieth sick as thou mayst manifestly perceiue if thou com into hir chāber but say vnto the King the vpon my faith allegiance so soone as she is recouered I will sende hir to the court The Haraulde séeing the maiden lie sicke
singuler vertue hauing dispersed and broken the armes and malice of all his enimies if before he were curteous and liberall after these so stout aduentures he became more than Princely in his déedes and if somtimes he had done one curteous act now he doubled the same But such was his Magnanimitie so noble were his indeuours tempred with such measure and equanimitie as the whole worlde clearely might discerne that not to contende with his soueraigne Lorde but to honour him to expresse the Maiestie of his Prince he imployed the goods and liuing which the King and Fortune had boūtifully bestowed vpon him Who vntill his dying day famously mainteined him selfe in the good grace and fauour of his Prince in such wise as the King more clerely than the shining Sunnebeames knew Ariobarzanes to be framed of Nature for a christalline mirrour of curtesie and Liberalitie and that more easie it was to berieue the fire of heate and the Sunne of light than despoile Ariobarzanes of his glorious déedes Wherefore he ceassed not continually to honour exalte and enriche him that he might vse the greater liberalitie And to say the truthe although these two vertues of 〈◊〉 and Liberalitie be commendable in all persons without the which a man truly is not he wherof he bereth the name yet very sitting and mete it is for euery riche and welthie subiect to beware howe he doth compare in those noble vertues with Princes and great men whiche béeing right noble and péerelesse vpon earth can abide no comparisons which according to the Prouerbe be odious and hateful Aristotimus the Tyrant ¶ LVCIVS one of the Garde to ARISTOTIMVS the Tirant of the Citie of 〈◊〉 fell in loue with a faire maiden called MICCA the daughter of one 〈◊〉 and his crueltie done vpon hir The stoutnesse also of a noble Matrone named MEGISTONA in defence of hir husbande and the common wealth from the tyrannie of the sayd ARISTOTIMVS and of other actes done by the subiects vpon that Tyrant The fifth Nouell YOu haue heard or as it were in a manner you haue beholden the right images curteous conditions of two well conditioned persons mutually eche towards other obserued In the one a Princely mind towards a noble Gentleman his subiecte In the other a dutiefull obedience of a louing vassall to his soueraigne Lorde and Maister In both of them the true figure of Liberalitie in liuely orient colours described Now a contrary plotte yll grounded vpon extreme tyrannie is offred to the viewe done by one Aristotimus and his clawbacks against his humble subiects of the citie of Elis standyng in Peloponessus a countrey of Achaia which at this day we call Morea This Aristotimus of nature was fierce and passing cruell who by 〈◊〉 of king Antigonus was made Tyran of that Citie And like a Tyran gouerned his Countrie by abuse of his authoritie with newe wrongs and straunge cruelties vering and afflicting the poore Citizens and all his people Which chaunced not so much for that of himself he was cruel and tyrannous as for that his Counsellours and chief about him were barbarous and vicious men to whom he committed the charge of his kingdom the guarde of his person But amongs al his mischiefes wrongfully done by him which were innumerable one committed against Philodemus the same which afterwardes was the cause of the depriuation of his life and kingdom is speciallie remembred This Philodemus had a daughter called Micca that not onelie for hir right chast and honest qualities and condicions which 〈◊〉 florished in hir but for hir extreame goodlie beautie was in that Citie of passing 〈◊〉 and admiration With this fair maiden one of the Tyrants guard called Lucius fell in loue if it deserue to be called loue and not rather as the end full well declared a most filthie and heastlie lust This Lucius was derelie beloued of Aristotimus for the flendish resemblāce and wicked 〈◊〉 of his vile abhominable condicions and therefore feared and obeyed as the Tyrants owne person For which cause this Lucius sent one of the 〈◊〉 of the kings chambre to 〈◊〉 Philodemus at an appointed houre al excuses set apart to bring his daughter vnto him The parents of the maiden hearing this sodain and fearefull message constrained by Tyrants force and fatall necessitie after many teares and 〈◊〉 sighes began to persuade their daughter to be contented to goe with hym declaring vnto hir the rigour of the magistrate that had sent for hir the 〈◊〉 that would be executed that there was no other remedie but to obey Alas how sore against their willes with what trembling gessure with what 〈◊〉 the good parents of this 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 were affected to consider the purpose of that dreadfull message all dere fathers and naturall mothers can tell But this gētle maiden 〈◊〉 which was of nature stout 〈◊〉 lessoned with sundrie right good and holsome instructions from hir infantes age was determined rather to die than to suffer hir self to be defloured This 〈◊〉 maiden fell downe prostrate at hir fathers féete and clasping him fast about the knées louingly did pray him and pitifully besought him not to suffer hir to be haled to so 〈◊〉 and vile an office but rather with the piercing blade of a two edged sword to kill hir that thereby she might be rid from the violation of those fleshlie and 〈◊〉 varlets saying that if hir virginitie were taken from hir she should liue in eternall reproche and shame As the father and daughter were in these termes Lucius for the long tariance and 〈◊〉 dronke with the wine 〈◊〉 lechery made impacient and furious with 〈◊〉 spéede posted to the house of Philodemus and finding the maiden prostrate at hir fathers féete wéeping hir head in 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 with taunting voice and threatning woordes commaunded presentlie without longer delaie she should rise and goe with him She refusing his hastie request and crying out for fathers help who God wot durst not resist stoode still and would not goe Lucius séeing hir 〈◊〉 full of furie and proud disdnine began furiously to hale hir by the garments vpon whose struggling he fare hir 〈◊〉 and furnitures off hir head and shoulders that hir alablaster necke and bosome appeared naked without compassion tare and whipt hir flesh on euery side as the bloud ranne downe beating that tendre flesh of hirs with manifold and grenous blowes O 〈◊〉 tirant more 〈◊〉 and sauage than the desert beast or mountaine 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Could crueltie be so déepelie rooted in the hart of man which by nature is affected with reasons instinct as with out pitie to lay handes and violontly to hurt the tendre bodie of a 〈◊〉 Maiden Can such inhumanitie harbor in any that beareth about him the shape of man But what did this martyred maidē for al this force Did 〈◊〉 yeld to violence or rendre hir self to the disposition of this mercilesse man No surelie But with so great stoutnesse of minde she suffred those impressed woundes
caused the other dames to bury those two bodies in one graue O how happy famous had these two sisters ben if they had not bene the daughters of so wicked and cruell a father But parentes offence on Childrens trespasse oughte not to deface the vertuous déedes of their posteritie Two Romane Queenes ¶ The maruellous courage and ambition of a Gentlevvoman called TANAQVIL the Quene wife of TARQVINVSPRISCVS the fifth Romane King with hir persuasions and pollicie to hir husbande for his aduauncement to the kingdome hir like encouragement of SIRVIVSTVLLIVS wherin also is described the ambition of one of the. ij daughters of SERVIVSTVLLIVS the sixt Romane King and hir crueltie towards hir ovvne naturall father with other accidents chaunced in the nevv erected common welth of Rome specially of the last Romane Kyng TARQVINVS SVPERBVS who with murder atteined the kingdom with murder mainteined it and by the murder and insolent life of his sonne was with all his progenie banished The sixt Nouell ANcus Marcius being that fourth King after Romulus the first builder of that Citie there came to dwell in Rome one Lucumo a lustie gentleman rich and desirous of honour who determined to continewe his habitation there Thesame Lucumo was the sonne of one Demaratê° a Corinthian who for sedition fled his owne countrie dwelt in 〈◊〉 amongs the stock of the Tarquines and after he was maried he begat two sonnes one of them was this Lucumo and the other was called Arnus Lucumo was heire to his father for that Arnus died before leauing his wife gret with childe The father not knowing that his daughter in lawe was with childe gaue nothing in his will to his Nephewe for which cause the childe was called Arnus Egerius Lucumo being the sole heire of his father maried a noble woman named Tanaquil and bicause the Thuscans could not abide to sée a straunger growe to abundance of welth and authoritie she despised hir owne country rather than she would suffer hir husband in any wise to be dishonoured Wherfore she deuised to forsake the Tarquinians to dwel at Rome where she thought among that honorable sorte and newe rerected state that hir husband being stout and valiant should attaine some place of resiance For she called to remembraunce that Tatius the Sabine Numa borne of the stock of Curetes and Ancus brought forth by a Sabine woman all strangers did raigne and became noble and mightie Thus ambition and desire of honour easily doeth persuade any deuise Wherfore carrying with theÌ„ al their substance they repaired to Rome It chaunced when they came to Ianiculum as he and his wife were sitting in a Wagon an Eagle hoouering hir wings ouer Lucumo sodenly toke away his cappe which done she soared ouer the wagon with great force then she retourned againe as though she had bene commaunded by some celestiall prouidence aptly placed his cappe againe vpon his head and then soared away vp into the element Tanaquil conceiuing this act to be some Augurie or Prophecie being cunning in that knowledge as commonly all the people of Hetruria be imbraced hir husband and willed him to be of good chere and to expect great honour And as they were ymagining and consulting vpon these euents they entred the Citie and when they had gotten a house for him and his familie he was called Tarquinins Priscus His riches and great wealth made him a noble man amongs the Romanes and through his gentle entertainement and curteous behauiour he wanne the good willes of many in so much as his fame and good report was bruted throughout the palace At leÌ„gth he grew in acquaintance with the King him selfe who séeing his liberall demeanor and duetifull seruice estéemed him as one of his familiar and nere srends and both in his warres and also at home he imparted to him the secrets of his counsell and hauing good experience of his wisedom by his last will and testament appointed him to be tutour of his children Ancus raigned xxiiii yeres a man in peace and warre in policie and valiance with any of his predecessours comparable His children were very yong and for that cause Tarquinius was more instant to summon a parliament for creation of a king When the day was come he sente the yong children abroade a hunting and then ambiciously presumed to demaunde the kingdome being the first that euer attempted the like For the better conciation and obteining of the peoples good will he vttered this Oration I doe not presume to require a straunge or newe thyng that was neuer before put in practise nor yet am the first but the third straÌ„ger and foraine borne that affected and aspired to this gouernmeÌ„t For which consideration there is no cause why any man ought to muse or maruell more than behoueth It is euidently knowen that Tatius not onely being a stranger but also an ennimie was made Kyng Numa also was made King being altogether a foraine stranger borne not through his owne request but rather voluntarily accited and called therevnto by the Romanes but for my parte after I was able to gouerne my self I repaired to dwell at Rome with my wyfe my children and all my substance where I haue spent the chiefest porcion of my life specially after it was mature and able to execute ciuile magisterie which I chose rather to bestow at Rome than at home in myne owne countrey I haue lerned the Romane rites and lawes as wel such as be mete to serne abroade in the warres as also necessarie to bée practised at home at the hands of mine olde maister Ancus Martius your late king a maister right worthie and famous in all pointes to bée followed I shewed my selfe an humble and obedient subiecte to the King and in friendeship and familiaritie towarde others I contended with the Kyng him selfe When hée had spoken those wordes which in déede were very true with the whole consent of the people hée was saluted King And as all things succéeded his Noble requeste euen so after hée was settled in his Kyngdome hée gaue hym selfe to 〈◊〉 the common wealth Hée chose an hundred graue persons whiche he called the Fathers of the lesser countries He warred firste with the Latines and 〈◊〉 the Citie of Appiolas who bryngyng from thence a greater spoyle and bootie than was looked for ordeined richer and more gorgeous Playes than any of hys predecessoures Hée builded certayne Galleries and other places of assemblie aboute the Forum hée walled the Citie rounde about with stone And as he was doing these things the Sabines interuented him vpon the 〈◊〉 in so much as they were passed the Kyuer of Anienes before the Romane hoste was in a redinesse Whiche was an occasion of greate feare and stirre at Rome In the 〈◊〉 after the battailes were ioyned betwéene them bothe a cruell and blouddie slaughter was committed the victorie fallyng to neyther parte Then the Romanes sought meanes to renue their force by addyng to their armie a further
bande of horsmen Wherefore Tarquinius sente to the Rammenses Titienses Luceres To the bandes that Romulus had conscribed hée added other new troupes of horsemen purposing that the same should continue in memorie of him after his death And bicause Romulus dyd the same without aduise of the Southsayers one Accius Nauius the notablest Prophecier in those daies withstoode that constitution 〈◊〉 that it was not lawsull for him eyther to appoint a newe order or to alter the olde except the birdes and auguries did assent thervnto Wherwith the king was displeased deluding that science said Go to M. Sothsayer tell me now quod he is it possible to bring that to passe which I haue now conceiued in my minde Yea quod the Southsayer if you tel me what it is Then quod Tarquinius I haue deuised that thou shalt pare thine owne skin with a Raser Therfore take this knife doe as thy birdes doe portend and signifie And as it was reported he pared his own skin in déede In memory wherof an Image of Accius was erected with his head 〈◊〉 After that time there was nothing attempted without those auguries Notwithstanding Tarquinius procéeded in his constitution and added to the Centurias an other number for that 1800. horsemen were conteined in the thrée Centuriae The later addition was called also by the same name which afterward were doubled into vj. Centurias Whē his numbre was thus increased once againe he ioyned battel with the Sabines who by a notable pollicie recouered a great victorie And bicause the Sabines doubled a freshe onset without any order of battell or good aduisement they were ouerthrowen and then constrained to make peticion for peace The citie of Collatia and the Coūtrie confining vpon the same was taken from the Sabines The Sabine warres being in this sortended Tarquinius in triumphant maner 〈◊〉 to Rome At that time a prodige and miraculous 〈◊〉 chaunced to be séene in the Palace The head of a childe whose name was Seruius Tullius lying a sléepe in the palace was séene to burne The king was brought to sée that miracle And as one of his seruants was going to fetch water to quēch the fire he was staid by the Quene who commaunded that the childe should not once be touched vntill he awaked of himselfe And so soone as he rose from sléepe the fire vanished Then she tooke hir husband aside and said doe you sée this childe whom we haue verie basely and negligently brought vp I assure you sir said she he wil be the only safegard and defender of this our doubtfull state and will be the preseruer of our houshold when it is afflicted Wherefore let vs make much of him that is like to be the ornament and a worthie stay to all our familie After that they had accompted him amongs the number of their children traded him vp in those Arts which excite all good dispositions to aspire vnto honoure the pleasure of the Gods appeared in short time For the child grew to a royal behauior in so much as among all the Romane youth there was none more méete to mary the daughter of Tarquinius This Seruius Tullius was the sonne of one Seruius Tullius that was a Captain of a towne called Corniculum at the apprehension whereof it chaunced that the sayd Tullius the father was 〈◊〉 leauing his wife great with child the mother being a captiue and bonde woman was deliuered of hir childe at Rome in the house of Priscus Tarquinius After Tarquinius had raigned xxxviij yeres the yong man began to growe to great honor and estimation aswell with the king himself as also with the Fathers Then the Romanes conceiued a hateful indignation against the king for that he being put in trust to be the Tutor gouernor of Ancus children displaced them from their right inheritance and specially for that he himself was a stranger fearing also that the kingdom should not return againe to the election of themselues but degenerat and grow into seruile bondage They also called to remembrāce that the Citie continewed one hundred yeres after the sublation of Romulus an intier kingdome within one Citie and that it was a shame for them to suffer a bondman borne of seruile kind to possesse the same and would rebound to their perpetual ignominie hauing the progenie of Ancus aliue to suffer the same to be open to straungers and bōdmen Wherfore they determined to defend the griefe of that iniurie and to be reuenged rather vpon Tarquinius than vpon Seruius In fine they committed the execution of that fact to two shepherds chosen out for that purpose Who deuised this pollicie Before the entrie into the Palace they fell togither by the eares vpon which fray all the kings officers assembled and repaired thither to know the cause of their falling out when they were parted they appealed to the king with such exclamation as they were heard to the Palace Being called before the king both of them fell to brawling and one of thē striued of purpose to hinder the tale of the other The kings sergeant rebuked them commaunding them to tel their tales in order Whē they were a litle quieted one of thē beginneth to discourse the tale And as the king was attentife to heare the plaintif the other toke vp a hatchet threw it at the king and leauing the weapon sticking in the wound they conueied themselues out of the dores Those that waited vpon the King made hast to relieue him and the sergeants followed to apprehende the malefactors With that a hurlie burlie rose amōgs the people euery man maruelling what the matter shoulde be Tanaquil commaunded the palace gates to be shut and séeketh remedie to cure hir husbande as though some hope of life had bene remaining When hope failed of his recouerie shée called Seruius before hir which maried hir daughter and shewed vnto him hir dead husbande holding him fast by the right hande shée intreated him that he would not suffer the death of his father in lawe to be vnreuenged to the intent he might not be ridiculous to the traitours saying to him further these words If thou be a man of thy hands O Seruius the kingdom is thine and not theirs which thus cruelly by the hands of other haue committed this abhominable facte Wherefore put forth thy selfe and the Gods be thy guide For they did portende this noble head to be the Gouernour of this citie at such time as they circumfused the same with a fire descendyng from aboue Let that heauenly 〈◊〉 excite thy courage Be throughly awaked We being straungers sometime haue raigned Thinke and consider what thou art not from whence thou camest If the strangenesse of the case doe affray thée my counsel from time to time shall relieue thée The crie and stirre of the people being vnmesurable that one could scarse heare an other Tanaquill opened the windowes that had their prospect to the new way for the King dwelt at the temple of
Gods of comforte The affaires be so manifold and businesse so graue and weightie which we haue to doe with diuers countreyes that scarce wée haue time to eate and space to take any rest the Roman Princes hauing still by auncient custome both lacke of tyme and commonly wante of money And bicause that they which haue charge of common wealths to the vttermost of their power ought to be frends to traficke of marchandise and enimies of heaping treasure togethers Princes haue so many people to please and so greate numbre of crauers that if they kepe any thing for them the same shall rather 〈◊〉 a spice of theft than of prouidence To take away an other mans goodes truly is a wicked part but if it bée permitted to accumulate treasure and money together better it were to take it out of the Temples than to defraude the people For the one is consecrated to the immortall Gods and the other to the poore Commons I speake this right honorable Fathers to put you in remembraunce and also to aduise you that you take good héede to the goodes of the Common welthe howe they be dispended howe gathered together howe they be kept and how they be employed For ye ought to vnderstande that the goodes of the Common wealth be committed to you in trust not to the ende ye shoulde enioy them but rather by good gouernement to vse them We do heare that the walles be readie to sall the towers in decay and the temples be come to great ruine wherof we be not a little offended and you ought also to be ashamed for so much as the damages and detrimentes of the Cōmon welth we ought either to remedie or else to lament Ye haue written vnto me to know my pleasure whether the Censors Pretors Ediles shold be 〈◊〉 chosen and not perpetuall as hitherto they haue bene and specially you say that the state of the Dictator which is the greatest and highest dignitie in Rome is onely 〈◊〉 sixe moneths To that I answere that we are well contented with that aduise For not without cause and iust reason our predecessours did 〈◊〉 the firste Kings of Rome and ordeined that the Consuls shoulde yerely bée chosen in the common wealth Which was done in consideration that he whiche had perpetuall gouernement many times became insolent and proude And 〈◊〉 that the charges and offices of the Senate should be yerely to auoide daunger which if they should be perpetuall there might ensue great hurte and damage to the Common wealth For if the Officers being yerely chosen be good they may be continued And if they bée euill they may be chaunged And truely the officer which knoweth that vpon the ende of euery yeare he must be chaunged and examined of his charge he wil take good hede to that which he speaketh and first of all will wel consider what he taketh in hande The good Marcus Portius was the fyrst that caused the Officers of the Romane Common wealthe to thée thus visited and corrected And bycause that these Almayne warres dee still increase by reason that the Kyng Deceball wyll not as yet bée brought to obedience of the Romanes but rather goth about to occupie and winne the Kingdomes of Dacia and Polonia I shall be forced through the businesse of the warrs so long continuing to deuise and consult here vpon the affaires cōcerning the gouernemēt of the cōmon welth of Rome For a lesse euill it is for a Prince to be negligent in matters of warre than in the gouernement of the common wealth A prince also ought to thinke that he is chosen not to make warres but to gouerne not to kill the enimies but to roote out vices not that he go in person to inuade or defend his foes but that he reside and be in the cōmon welth not to take away other mens goodes but to do iustice to euery mā for somuch as the prince in that warres can fight but for one and in the publike wealth he cōmitteth faults against a numbre Truly it liketh me wel that from the degrée of Captains men be aduaūced to be Emperors but I thinke it not good that Emperours do descend to be Captains considering that the realme shal neuer be in quiet whē the Prince is to great a warrior This haue I spokē Fathers cōscript to the intēt ye may beleue that I for my part if these warres of Almayne were to begin I beyng at Rome it were impossible that I should be brought vnto the same for that my principall intent is to be estemed rather a good gouerner of a common wealth than a foreward Captain in the field Now then principally I commend vnto you the veneration of the Temples and honor of the Gods bicause Kings neuer liue in suretie if the Gods be not honored and the Temples serued The last words which my good Lorde Nerua wrote vnto mée were these Honour the Temples feare the Gods maynteine Iustice in thy Common wealth and defende the poore in so doing thou shalte not bee for gotten of thy friende nor vanquished by thy ennimies I do greatly recommende vnto you the vertues of 〈◊〉 and Fraternitie for that you know that in great cōmon wealthes greater hurt and damage do ciuile and neighborly warres bring vnto the same than those attempted by the enimies If parents against parentes and neighbours againste neighbours had not begon their mutuall hatred contencion neuer had Demetrius ouerthrowen the Rhodes neuer had Alexander conquered Thyr Marcellus Syracusa Scipio Nuimantia I recōmende vnto you also the poore people loue the Orphanes and fatherlesse children support and help the widowes beware of quarels and debates amongs you and the causes of the helplesse fée that ye maintaine and defende bicause the gods did neuer wreake more 〈◊〉 vengeance vpon any than vpon those which did ill intreat and vse the poore and nedie And many times I haue heard my lorde Nerua say that the Gods neuer shewed them selues so rigorous as against a mercilesse and vnpitiful people Semblably we pray you to be modest of wordes pacient to suffer ware in your forme of life For a great fault it is and no lesse shame to a gouerner that he praise the people of his cōmon wealthe and gyue them occasion to speake euill of him And therfore they which haue charge of the cōmon welth ought rather to repose trust in their workes than in their words for so much as the citizens or cōmon people do rather fire their iudgement vpon that which they sée than on that which they heare I woulde wishe that touchyng the affaires appertinent to the Senate they might not know in you any sparke of ambicion malice deceipt or enuie to the intent that the iust men might not so much complaine of the commaunding of the common wealth as vpon the entertainement and profite of the same The Empire of the Grekes and that of the Romanes were euer contrary as well in armes and lawes
wyth immortall same fame glorie hath in it self these only marks and propertyes to bée knowne by Chastitie toleration of aduersitie For as the mynd is constant in loue not variable or giuen to chaunge so is the bodie continent comely honest and 〈◊〉 of Fortunes plagues A true cōstant mynd is moued with no sugred persuasions of friendes is diuerted with no eloquence terrified with no threates is quiet in all motions The blustering blastes of parents wrath can not remoue the constant mayde from that which she hath peculiarly chosen to hir selfe The rigorous rage of friendes doth not dismay the louing man from the embracement of hir whom he hath amongs the rest selected for his vnchanged féere A goodly exāple of constant noble loue this history ensuing describeth although not like in both yet in both a semblable cōstancie For Euphimia a Kings daughter abandoneth the great loue borne vnto hir by Philon a yong Prince to loue a seruant of hir fathers with whome she perseuered in greate constancie for all his 〈◊〉 and ingrateful dealings towards hir Philon séeyng his loue despised neuer maried vntill hée maried hir whome afterwardes hée deliuered from the false surmised treason of hir cancred and malicious husbande Euphimia fondly maried against hir fathers wil and there fore deseruedly after wards bare the penaunce of hir fault And albeit she declared hir selfe to bée constant yet dutie to louing father ought to haue withdrawen hir rashe and headie loue What daungers doe ensue such like cases examples be 〈◊〉 and experience teacheth A great dishonour it is for the 〈◊〉 and Gentlewomā to disparage hir no 〈◊〉 house with mariage of hir inferior Yea and great grief to the parents to sée their children obstinate wilfull in carelesse loue And albeit the 〈◊〉 Propertius describeth the vehemente loue of those that be noble and haue wherwith in loue to be 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 in these verses Great is the 〈◊〉 of Loue the constant mynde doth 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 And he that is well fraught with wealth in Loue doth much preuaile Yet the tender damosell or louing childe be they neuer so noble or riche ought to attende the fathers time and choise and naturally encline to their 〈◊〉 liking otherwise great harme and detriment ensue For when the parents sée that disobediēce or rather rebellious minde of their childe their conceiued sorowe for the same so gnaweth the rooted plante of naturall loue as either it hastneth their vntimely death or else ingēdreth a heape of melancholie humors which force them to proclaime 〈◊〉 and bitter cursse against their 〈◊〉 fruite vpon whome if by due regarde they had 〈◊〉 ruled they woulde haue pronounced the swéete blessyng that Isaac gaue to Iacob the mothers best beloued boye yea and that displeasure may chaunce to dispossesse them of that which should haue bene the only comfort and stay of the future age So that negligence of parents 〈◊〉 and carelesse héede of youthful head bréedeth double woe but specially in the not aduised childe who tumbleth him selfe first into the breach of diuine lawes to the cursses of the same to parents wrath to orphans state to beggers life and into a sea of manifold miseries In whome had obedience ruled and reason taken place the hearte mighte haue bene 〈◊〉 the parent well pleased the life ioyfully spent and the posteritie successiuely tast the fruits that elders haue prepared What care and sorrow 〈◊〉 what extremitis the foresayde noble Gentlewoman 〈◊〉 for not yelding to hir fathers minde the sequele shal at large declare There was sometimes in Corinth a Citie of 〈◊〉 a King which had a daughter called Euphimia very tenderly beloued of hir father and being arriued to the age of mariage many noble men of Grecia made sute to haue hir to wife But amongs all Philon the yong king of Peloponessus so fiercely fell in loue wyth hir as hée thought he coulde no longer liue if hée were maried to any other For which cause hir father knowing him to be a King and of singular beautie and that he was far in loue with his daughter woulde gladly haue chosen him to be his sonne in law persuading hir that she shold liue with him a life so happie as was possible for any noble lady matched with Gentleman were he neuer so honorable But the daughter by no meanes woulde consent vnto hir fathers will alleaging vnto him diuers sundry considerations wherby hir nature by no means woulde agrée nor heart consent to ioyne with Philon. The king aboue al worldly things loued his fair daughter and albeit he woulde faine haue broughte to passe that she should haue taken him to husband yet he wold not vse the fathers authoritie but desired that Loue rather than force should match his daughter and therfore for that tyme was contented to agrée vnto hir will There was in the Court a yong mā borne of hir fathers bondman which hight Acharisto and was manumised by the King who made him one of the Esquiers for his bodie and vsed his seruice in sundry enterprises of the warres and bicause he was in those affaires very skilfull of bolde personage in conflictes and 〈◊〉 verie hardie the King did very much fauor him aswell for that hée had defended him from manifold daungers as also bycause he had deliuered hym from the 〈◊〉 pretended against him by the king of the Lacedemonians Whose helpe and valiance the king vsed for the murder and destruction of the sayde Lacedemonian King For which valiant enterprise hée bountifully recompenced him with honorable prefermentes and stately reuenues Upon this yong man Euphimia fired hir amorous eyes and fell so farre in loue as vpon him alone she bent hir thoughtes and all hir louing cogitations Wherof Acharisto béeing certified and well espying and marking hir amorous lookes nourished with like flames the fire wherewith she burned Notwithstandyng his loue was not so 〈◊〉 bent vpon hir personage as his desire was ambicious for that she shoulde be hir fathers onely heire and therfore thought that he shold be a most happie man aboue all other of mortall kynde if hée might possesse that inheritance The king perceuing that loue told his daughter that she had placed hir mynde in place so straunge as hée had thought hir wisdome wold haue more warely forséen and better wayed hir estate birth as come of a princely race and would haue demed such loue farre vnworthie hir degrée requiring hir with fatherly words to withdraw hir settled mynde to ioyne with him in choise of husbande for that he had none other worldly heire but hir and tolde hir howe he meant highly to bestowe hir vpon such a personage as a moste happie life she should leade so long as the destenies were disposed to weaue the webbe of hir predestined life And therefore was resolued to espouse hir vnto that noble Gentleman Philon. Euphimia hearkned to this vnliked tale with vnliked words refused hir fathers hest protesting vnto him such reasons
was authour of the enterprise or partaker of a treason so wicked Then the king incontinently caused the foure Gentlemen of his chamber 〈◊〉 be rewarded according to the worthinesse of their offense and wer put to death and Acharisto to be repriued in sharpe and cruell prison vntill with tormentes he should be forced to confesse that which he knew to be most certain and true by the euidēce of those that were done to death Euphimia for the imprisonment of Acharisto conceiued incredible sorrow and vneths coulde bée persuaded that he woulde imagine much lesse conspire that 〈◊〉 fact as well for the loue which Acharisto séemed to beare vnto hir as for the greate good will wherewith he was assured that shée bare vnto him and therfore the death of the 〈◊〉 to be no lesse griefe vnto him than the same would be to 〈◊〉 self the king being hir naturall and louyng father Acharisto thoughte on the other side that if he might speake with Euphimia a way woulde be founde eyther for his escape or else for his deliuerie Wherupon Acharisto being in this deliberation founde meanes to talke with the Iailors wife intreated hir to shewe him so much fauor as to procure Euphimia to come vnto him She accordingly broughte to passe that the yong gentlewoman in secret wise came to speake with this traiterous varlet who so sone as he sawe hir sheding from his eyes store of teares pitifully complaining sayde vnto hir I knowe Euphimia that the King your father doth not inclose me in this cruell prisō ne yet afflicteth me with these miserable tormēts for any suspicion hée conceiueth of me for any intended facte but onely for the loue which I beare you and for the like for which I rendre humble thankes that you do beare to me bicause that I am werie of this wretched state knowe that nothing else can 〈◊〉 me from this painful life but onely death I am determined wyth mine owne propre hands to cut the thréede of lyfe wherwith the destinies hitherto haue prolonged the same that this my brething ghost which breatheth forth 〈◊〉 dolefull plaintes maie flée into the Skies to rest it selfe amonges the restfull spirites aboue or wandre into 〈◊〉 pleasant hellish fieldes amongs the shadowes of Creusa Aeneas wife or else with the ghost of complaining Dido But ere I did the same I made myne humble prayer to the maiestie diuine that hée would vouchsafe to shewe me somuch grace as before I dye I might fulfyl my 〈◊〉 eyes with sight of you whose ymage still appereth before those gréedie Gates and 〈◊〉 representeth vnto my myndefull heart Which great desired thing sith God aboue hath graūted I yelde him infinit 〈◊〉 and sith my desteny is such that such must bée the end of loue I doe reioyce that I must dye for your sake which only is the cause that the King your father so laboureth for my death I néede not to molest you with the false euidence giuen against me vp those malicious vilaines that bée alreadie dead which onely hath thus incensed the Kyngs wrath and heauie rage against me whereof I am so frée as woorthily they bée executed for thesame For if it were so then true it is and as lightly you might beleue the I neuer knewe the loue you beare me and you likewise did neuer know what loue I bare to you and therfore you maye thinke that so impossible is the one as I did euer meane thinke or ymagine any harme or perill to your fathers person To bée short I humbly doe besech you to beleue that so faithfully as man is able to loue a womā so haue I loued you that it may please you to bée so myndfull of me in this fading life as I shal be of you in that life to com And in saying so with face all bathed in teares he clyped hir about the myddle and fast imbracing hir said Thus taking my last farewell of you myne onely life and ioye I commende you to the gouernment of the supernall God my selfe to death to be disposed as pleaseth him Euphimia which before was not persuaded the Acharisto was guiltie of that deuised treason now gaue ful beliefe and credite to his wordes and weping with him for company comforted him so wel as she coulde and bidding him to bée of good chere she sayde that she would seke such meanes as for hir sake and loue he should not dye And that before long time did passe she would help him out of prison Acharisto although hée vttered by ruful voice that 〈◊〉 talke for remedie to ridde him selfe from prison yet he didde but 〈◊〉 all that he spake addyng further Alas Euphimia doe not incurre your fathers wrath to please my minde suffer me quietly to take that death which sinister Fortune and cruell fate hath prouided to abridge my daies Euphimia vanquished with inspeakable griefe and burning passion of loue saide Ah Acharisto the onely ioye and comfort of my lyfe doe not perce my heart with such displeasant wordes For what should I doe in this wretched worlde yf you for my sake shold suffre death wherfore put awaie the cruel thought and be content to saue your life that hereafter in ioye myrth you may spend that same Trusting that yf meanes maye be founde for your dispatche from hence we shall liue the rest of our prolonged life together in swete and happie daies For my father is not made of stone of flint nor yet was nourced of Hircan Tigre he is not so malicious but that in tyme to come hée may 〈◊〉 made to know the true discourse of thyne innocent life and hope thou shalt atteyne his fauour more than euer thou 〈◊〉 before the care wherof onely leaue to me and take no thought thy self for I make promise vpon mine assured faith to bring the same to passe Wherefore giue ouer thy conceiued griefe and bende thy selfe to liue so merie a life as euer gentleman did trained vp in court as thou hast bene I am content sayd Acharisto thus to doe the Gods forbid that I should declyne my heart and mynde from thy behest who of thy wonted grace dost seke continuance of my life but rather swete Euphimia than thou shouldest suffre any daunger to performe thy promise I make request for the common loue betwene vs both to leaue me in this present dangerous state Rather wold I lose my life than 〈◊〉 shouldest hazard the least heare of thy heade for my reliefe We shal be both safe ynough answered Euphimia for my deuise proceding from a womans heade hath alreadie drawen the plotte of thy deliuerance and wyth those wordes they both did ende their talke whose trickling teares did rather finishe the same than willing myndes and eyther of them gyuing a kysse vnto the Tower walle wherein Acharisto was faste shutte Euphimia departed turmoiled with a thousand amorous prickes and ceased not but first of all to corrupte and wynne the Iaylers wife whose husband
was sent forth on businesse of the kings The conclusion of which practise was that when she caried meate to Acharisto according to the ordre appointed she should faine hir selfe to bée violentlie dispoyled of the prison-key by Acharisto who taking the same from hir should shut hir in the prison and escape and wheÌ„ hir husband did returne she should make compl 〈…〉 of the violence done vnto hir according to which deuise the practise was accomplished And when hir husbande returned home hearing his wife crie out within the Tower was meruellously amazed and vnderstanding that Acharisto was deade ignorant of the pollicie betwene his wyfe and Euphimia hée fell into great rage speâ—delie repaired to the king and tolde him what had chauÌ„ced The King thinking that the breache of prison was rather through the womans simplicitie than purposed malice did mitigate his displeasure 〈◊〉 forthwith he sent out Scoutes to spie and watche in to what place Acharisto was gone whose secrete flight made all their trauell to be in vaine Then the King when he saw that hée coulde not be found made proclamation throughout his realme that who so would bring vnto him the hed of Acharisto should haue to wife his onely daughter and after his decease should possesse his Kingdome for dowrie of that mariage Many knightes did put themselues in redinesse to themselues that enterprise aboue al Philon was the chiefe not for gredinesse of the kingdome but for loue which hée bare vnto the Gentlewoman Wherof Acharisto hauing intelligence and perceuing that in no place of Europa he coulde be safe and sure froÌ„ daunger for the multitude of them which pursued hym vnto deth caused Euphimia to vnderstand the miserable estate wherin he was Euphimia which bent hir mind employed hir studie for his safegarde imparted hir loue which she bare to Acharisto to an aged Gentlewoman which was hir nurse gouernesse besought hir that she wold intreat hir sonne called Sinapus one very wel beloued of the King so reach his help vnto hir desire that Acharisto might return to the court again The Nurse like a wise woman lefte no persuasion vnspoken nor counsell vnremembred which she thought was able to dissuade the yong gentlewoman froÌ„ hir conceiued loue but the wounde was so déepely made and hir heart so greuously wounded with the thrée forked arrows of the litle blinde archer Cupide that despising all the reasons of hir beloued nurse she sayde howe shée was firmely bente eyther to runne from hir father and to séeke out Acharisto to sustaine with hym one equall fortune or else with hir owne handes to procure death if some remedie were not founde to recouer the Kynges good grace for the returne of Acharisto The Nurse vanquished with pitie of the yong mayden fearyng bothe the one and the sorte daunger that myght ensue sent for Sinapus and vpon their talke together Euphimia and hée concluded that Acharisto shoulde bée brought agayne vnto the Courte and that shée hir selfe should present him to the Kyng wherin should want no kinde of diligence vntill the Kyng did enterteyne him againe for his faithfull seruaunt as hée was woont to doe Upon which resolution Acharisto was sente for and being come Sinapus and Euphimia together wyth the Nurse tolde hym in what 〈◊〉 they thrée had concluded touching his health and safegarde Which of him being well lyked did giue 〈◊〉 humble thankes And then Sinapus went vnto the Kyng and tolde him that there was one newely arriued at Corinth to make a present vnto his grace of the hed of Acharisto At which newes the King shewed him selfe so ioyful as if he had gotten an other Kingdome and being placed vnder his cloath of state with his Counsell and Princely trayne about him telling them the 〈◊〉 of that assemblie coÌ„maunded hym that brought those newes to bring the partie forth newely come vnto the Citie to presente the head of Acharisto Then Sinapus broughte Acharisto before the presence of the King who no sooner looked vpon hym but fell into such a rage as the fire séemed to flame out of his angrie eyes and commaunded hym presentlye to bée taken and put to death But Acharisto fallyng 〈◊〉 vpon his knées humbly besoughte his Maiestie to gyue hym leaue 〈◊〉 speake But the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 sufferyng hym to vtter one woorde 〈◊〉 him away Then the Counsellours and other Lordes of the Courte intreated his grace to heare him At whose requestes and supplications hée 〈◊〉 to 〈◊〉 contente Then Acharisto began to say Most sacred Prince and redoubted Soueraigne Lord the cause of thys my presumptuous repaire before your Maiestie is not to shew my selfe guiltie of the late beuised conspiracie ne yet to craue pardon for the same but to satisfie your Maiestie with that contented desire whiche by proclamation ye haue prondunced through your highnesse 〈◊〉 and 〈◊〉 whiche is to offer this heade for reuenge of the fault vniustly laid vnto my charge by those foure which woorthily haue tasted the deserued pame of their 〈◊〉 Whersore I am come hither of mine owne accorde to shewe the loue and greate desire whiche euer I had to serue and please your Maiestie And for that I would not coÌ„sume my lyfe in your displeasure I make offer of the same to your mercifull will and disposition chosing rather to die and leaue your maiestie satisfied contented than to lyue in happie state your princely minde displeased But desirous that hour maiestie shuld know myne innocencie I humbly besech your grace to heare what I can say that my fidelitie may bée throughly vnderstanded the wickednesse of the 〈◊〉 myne accusers wel wayed and considered Then hée began to rehearse all the things done by him for the seruice of his crowne and maiestie and finally into what daunger he did put himself when he killed the Lacedemonian king that went about by treason to murder him which enterprise might appere vnto him to be 〈◊〉 sure and euident testimonie that he ment nothing hurtfull or preindicial to his highnesse And that hée cstemed not his life when he aduentured for his seruice sauegarde to employ the same after these alleaged causes he added briefly that the loue which his maiestie knew to bée betwene him Euphimia his daughter ought to 〈◊〉 persuaded him that 〈◊〉 had rather haue suffered death himselfe than commit a thing displeasant to Euphimia And knowing that a more 〈◊〉 thing could not chauÌ„ce to hir than the 〈◊〉 death of hir father he might wel thinke that he wold haue deuised the death of a thousand other rather than that horrible 〈◊〉 déede such as his greatest enimie would neuer haue done much lesse 〈◊〉 which was bounde vnto him by so many receiued benefits for whose service preseruacion he had dedicated vowed his life and soule But if so be his maiesties rancor and displeasure could not bée mitigated but by doing hym to death hée desired that none of his alleaged reasons should bée accepted and
a day greate talke was had in the court of King Philip surnamed Luscus bicause he was poreblinde who likewise was making preparation to depart out of Fraunce in the sayd iorney Reporte was made by a Knight whiche knewe the sayd Marquize that in all the worlde there was not the like maried couple as the Marquize and his wyfe were as well bicause the Marquize had the fame to bée an excellent Gentleman as also for that his wyfe amonges all the troupe of Ladies that liued in the world that time was the fairest and most vertuous which words so entred the French Kings head as sodainely neuer séeing hir in all his life he began to loue hir And for that purpose determined to imbarke him selfe at Genoua that by trauailing that way by lande he might haue good occasion to sée the Marchionisse thinking that hir husbande being absent he might easily obtein that he desired And as he had deuised he began his enterprise who sending al his power before toke his iorney with a meane train of Gentlemen and being within a days iourney of the Ladies house he sente hir worde that the next daye hée would visite hir at dinner The sage and discrete Ladie ioyfully answered the Messanger that she would accōpt his comming for a greate and singular pleasure sayde that his grace shuld be most heartily welcom Afterwardes she maruelled why such a King as he was would in hir husbāds absence come to hir house And in that maruel consideration she was no whit deceiued coniecturyng that the fame of hir beautie was the cause of his comming Neuerthelesse like a wise Lady and honest Gentlewoman she determined to do him honor caused the worshipful of hir countrey such as remained behinde to be assēbled for aduise in all things that were necessarie for his intertainement but the feast varietie of meats that should be serued she alone toke vpon hir to dispose and order Wherfore spedily sending about and making prouision for al the hennes that might be gottē throughout the countrey cōmaunded hir cookes of those hennes without other thing what so euer to prepare diuers seruices The Kyng failed not the next day to come accordingly as he had sent worde and was with great honor receiued of the lady and in beholding hir she semed vnto him bisides his imagination comprehended by the former wordes of the Knight to be farre more faire honest and vertuous than hée thought attributing vnto hir singular praise and commendation And so much the more his desire was kindled as she passed the estimation bruted of hir And after that the King had withdrawen him selfe into the chamber ordeined and made ready for him as appertained to a Prince so greate that dinner time was come the Kyng Madame the Marchionisse sat together at one boorde and other according to their degrées were placed at seueral tables The King serued with many dishes and excellent wines beholding some times the ladie Marchionisse conceiued greate delight and pleasure But viewing the seruice and meates although dressed in diuers sortes to be but hennes he began to wonder specially knowing the soile wherin they were to be so rich plentiful as by litle trauaile great abundance of foule veneson might haue ben prouided and thought that she had indifferent leisure to chase and hunt after that he had sent hir word of his cōming Notwithstanding he woulde not take occasion to enter into talke of those wants of better chere hir hennes only excepted who looking vpon hir with mery countenance he said vnto hir Madame wer al these hennes bred in this countrey without a cock The Marchionisse which full wel vnderstode the cause of his demaund thinking that God had sent hir an apt time for answere as she desired boldly answered the King No and it please your grace but of women albeit in honour and apparell there is some difference yet they be al made in this 〈◊〉 as they be else where The King hearing hir 〈◊〉 right well did know the occasion of the bankette of Hennes and whervnto hir wordes did tende and considred that to bestow any further talke to so wise a ladie it were in vaine and that force there could take no place Like as vnaduisedly he fell in loue so it behoued him of necessitie wisely to 〈◊〉 the fire for his honour sake without any more taunting wordes fearing hir reuenge he dined without hope to get other thing of hir And when 〈◊〉 had done to the intent by his sodaine departure he might couer his dishonest commyng thankyng hir for the honour which he had receiued and she recōmending him to God he departed to Genoua Here may be proued the great difference betwene wisedom and 〈◊〉 betwene vertue and vice The King more by lust than other desire by circumstances indeuoured to sounde the deapth of the ladies minde She by comely aunswer payde hym home for his follie A liuely representation of a noble creature so well bedecked with vertue as with beautie Mistresse Dianora ¶ Mistresse DIANORA demaunded of 〈◊〉 ANSALDO a Garden so faire in Ianuarie as in the moneth of May. Maister ANSALDO by meanes of an obligation whiche he made to a Necromancer caused the same to be done The husband agreed with the Gentlewoman that she should do the pleasure which maister ANSALDO required who hearing the liberalitie of the husband acquited hir of hir promise and the Necromancer likewise discharged maister ANSALDO The. xvij Nouell OF all things commonly accompanying the maner and trade of mans lyfe nothyng is more circumspectly to bée attended prouided for than regarde 〈◊〉 of honestie which attire as it is moste excellent and comely so aboue all other vain toyes of outward apparell to be preferred And as honestie hath al other good cōditions included in it self as the same by any meanes can not straye oute of that tract troden before by the steppes of that most excellent vertue Euen so impossible it is for the partie adorned with the same to wander one 〈◊〉 from that 〈◊〉 path Wherefore lette eche wight that traceth this worldly life foresée the due obseruation of all things incident to that which is honest Nothing in this life saith Tullie in his oration for the Poet Archias is so much to be desired as Honestie for the getting wherof all tormentes of bodie all perilles and daungers 〈◊〉 death bée not to bée regarded Honestie then beyng a treasure so precious what care not only for the atchieuing but for the conseruation ought to be employed In the practise wherof one speciall thing ought to be attended whiche is how a vowe or promise ought to be made or how the estimation of honestie oughte to bée hazarded for any thing séeme it neuer so impossible For what is it that loue and money hath not brought to passe What hard aduentures by Iason what sleight by Alexander the son of King Priamus what monsters slaine and labours susteined by Hercules
cōpassion and desire to giue some ease vnto hir most earnest louer yelded hir selfe to couetous gain and gredinesse for to encrease hir richesse O curssed hunger of Money how long wilt thou thus blinde the reason and sprites of men Ah perillous gulfe how many hast thou ouerwhelmed within thy bottōlesse throte whose glory had it not bene for thee had surpassed the clouds and bene equal with the brightnesse of the Sunne where now they be obscured with the thicknesse of thy fogges and palpable darknesse Alas the fruites which thou bringest forth for all thine outwarde apparance conduce no felicitie to them that be thy possessors for the dropsey that is hidden in their mind which maketh them so much the more thirsty as they drinke oft in that thirsty Fountaine is cause of their alteration and most miserable is that insaciable desire the Couetous haue to glut their appetite which can receiue no contentation This only 〈◊〉 somtimes procured the death of the great and rich Romane Crassus who through Gods punishment fell into the hands 〈◊〉 the Persians for violating and sacking the Temple of God that was in Hierusalem Sextimuleus burning with Couetousnesse and gredinesse of money did once cut of the head of his patron and defender Caius 〈◊〉 the Tribune of the people incited by the Tyrant which tormenteth the hearts of the couctous I will not speake of a good number of other examples in people of all kindes and diuers nations to come againe to Zilia Who forgetting hir vertue the first ornament and shining quality of hir honest behauior feared not the wearinesse and trauaile of way to commit hir self to the danger of losse of 〈◊〉 and to yeld to the mercy of one vnto whom she had done so great iniury as hir conscience if she hadde not lost hir right sense ought to haue made hir thinke that hee was not without desire to reuenge that wrōg 〈◊〉 done vnto him specially being in place where she was not knowne and he greatly honoured and esteemed for whose loue that Proclamation and searche of Physicke was made and ordained Ziha then hauing put in order hir affairs at home departed from Montcall and passing the Mountes arriued at Paris at such time as greatest dispaire was had of the dumbe Knights recouery When she was arriued there within fewe dayes after she inquired for them that had the charge to entertaine such as came and would take vpon them the cure of the sayd pacient For sayd she if there be any man in the world through whome the Knight may get his health I hope in God that I am she which shal haue the praise Héereof the Commissaries deputed hereunto were aduertised who caused the faire Physician to come before them and asked hir if it were she that wold take vpon hir to cure this dumbe Gentleman To whome she answeared my masters it hath pleased God to reueale vnto me a certain secrete very proper and meete for the cure of his malady wherewithall if the pacient will I hope to make him speake so well as he did these two yeres past more I suppose sayd one of the Commissaries that you be not ignorant of the 〈◊〉 of the Kings Proclamation I know ful quod she the effect therof therfore do say vnto you that I wil loose my life if I doe not accomplish that which I doe promise vpon condition that I may haue licence to tary with him alone bicause it is of no lesse importance than his health It is no maruell sayde the Commissary considering your beauty which is sufficiēt to frame a new tong in the most 〈◊〉 person that is vnder the heauens And therefore do your indeuor assuring you that you shall doe a great pleasure vnto the King and besides the prayse which you shall acquire gette the good wil of the dumbe gentleman which is the most excellent man of the world and therefore shall be so wel recompensed as you shal haue good cause to be routented with the Kings liberalitie But to the intent you be not deceiued the meaning of the Proclamation is that within xv dayes after you begin the cure you must make him hole or else to satisfie the paines ordained in the same Wherunto she submitted hir self blinded by Auarice and presumptiō thinking that she had like power ouer the Lord of Virle as when she gaue him that sharpe and cruel penance These conditions promised the Commissaries went to aduertise the Knight how a Gentlewoman of Piedmont was of purpose come into Fraunce to helpe him whereof he was maruellously astonned Now he would neuer haue thought that Zilia had borne him so great good wil as by abasing the pride of hir corage would haue come so farre to ease the grief of him whome by such great torments she had so wonderfully persecuted He thought againe that it was the Gentlewoman his neighboure which sometimes had done hir endeuor to helpe him and had prouoked Zilia to absolue him of his faithe and acquite him of his promise Musing vpon the diuersitie of these things not knowing wherupon to settle his iudgement the deputies commaunded that the woman Physitian shold be brought to speake with the patient Which was done and brought in place the Commissaries presently with drew themselues The Lord of Virle seeing his enimie come before him whom sometimes he loued very 〈◊〉 iudged by and by the cause wherefore she came that onely auarice and gredy desire of gaine 〈◊〉 rather procured hir to passe the mountains trauail than due and honest amitie wherwith she was double boūd through his perseuerance and humble seruice wherby hée was estraunged of himselfe as he fared like a shadowe and image of a dead man Wherfore callyng to mynd the rigour of his Ladie hir inciuilitie and fonde commandement so long time to forbidde his speache the loue which once he bare hir with a vehement desire to obey hir sodainly was so cooled and qualified that loue was turned into hatred and will to serue hir into an appetite of reuenge whervpon he determined to vse that present fortune and to playe his parte with hir vpon whom he had so foolishly doted and to pay hir with that mōney wherwith she made hint féele the fruites of vnspeakable crueltie to giue example to fonde and presumptuous dames how they did abuse Gentlemen of such degrée whereof the Knyght was and that by hauing regarde to the merite of such personages they be not so prodigall of themselues as to set their honoure in sale for vile rewarde and filthy mucke which was so constantly conserued and defended by this Gentlewoman against the assaultes of the good grace beautie calour and gentlenesse of that vertuous and honest suter And notwithstanding in these dayes we sée some to resist the amitie of those that loue for an opinion of a certaine vertue which they thinke to be hidden within the corps of excellent beautie who afterwards do set them selues to sale to him that giueth
most and offreth greatest reward Such do not deserue to be placed in ranke of chast Gentlewomen of whom they haue no smack at all but amongs the throng of strumpets kynde that haue some sparke and outward shew of loue for she which loueth money 〈◊〉 hunteth after gaine will make no bones by treasons trap to betray that vnhappie man which shall yelde himselfe to hir hir loue tending to vnsensible things and such in dede as make the wysest sorte to falsifie their faithe and sell the righte and equitie of their Judgemente The Lorde of Virle séeing Zilia then in his companie and almost at his commaundement fayned as though hée knew hir not by reason of his small regarde and lesse intertainment shewed vnto hir at hir first comming Which gretly made the poore Gentlewoman to muse Neuerthelesse she making a vertue of necessitie and séeing hir selfe to bée in that place from whence 〈◊〉 coulde not departe without the losse of hir honor and lyfe purposed to proue Fortune and to committe hir selfe vnto his mercie for all the mobiltie whiche the auncient attribute vnto Fortune Wherfore shutting fast the doore shée went vnto the Knight to whom she spake these words And what is the matter sir knight that now you make so litle accompte of your owne Zilia who in tymes past you sayde had greater power and authoritie ouer you What is the cause that moueth you herevnto Haue you so soone forgotten hir Behold me better and you shal sée hir before you that is able to acquite you of youre promise and therefore prayeth you to pardon hir committed faultes done in tymes past by abusing so cruelly the honest and 〈◊〉 loue which you bare hir I am she which through follie and temeritie did stoppe your mouth and tied vp your tong Gyue me leaue I beséeche you to open the same agayne and to breake the lyne which letteth the libertie of your speache She séeyng that the dumbe Gentleman woulde make no aunswere at all but Mumme and shewed by signes that hée was not able to vndoe his tong wéepyng began to kysse hym imbrace hym make much of him in such wyse as he whiche once studied to make eloquent orations before his Ladie to induce hir to pitie forgat then those ceremonies and spared his talke to shewe hymselfe to bée suche one as shée had made at hir commaundement mused and deuysed altogether vpon the execution of that whiche sometyme hée hadde so paynefully pursued both by words and continuall seruice and coulde profite nothyng Thus waked agayne by hir whiche once had mortified hys mynde assayed to renue in hir that whyche long tyme before séemed to bée a sléepe She more for feare of losse of lyfe or the price of the rewarde than for any true or earnest loue suffered hym to receyue that of hir which the long suter desireth to obtaine of his mistresse They lyued in this ioy and pleasure the space of xv dayes ordayned for the assigned terme of hir cure wherein the poore Gentlewoman was not able to conuert hir offended frend to speake although she humbly prayed hym to shewe so muche fauour as at least she might go frée from eyther losse tellyng hym howe litle regarde shée hadde to hir honour to come so farre to doe hym pleasure and to discharge hym of his promise Muche other gay and lowlye talke shée hadde to moue the Knyghte to take no regarde of that she sayde for he determined to bryng hir in suche feare as he had bene heaped full of heauinesse whiche came to passe at the expired time For the cōmissaries seing that their pacient spake not at all summoned the gentlewomā to pay the penaltie pronounced in the edict or else to lose hir lyfe Alas howe bytter séemed this drinke to thys poore Gentlewoman who not able to dissemble the grief that prest hir on euery side beganne to say Ah I wretched and Caitife woman by thinkyng to deceiue an other haue sharpened the sworde to finishe mine owne life 〈◊〉 it not enough for me to vse such crueltie towardes this myne enimie which moste cruelly in double wise taketh reuenge but must I come to be thus tangled in his snares and in the hands of him who inioying the spoiles of mine honour will with my life depriue me of my fame by making me a common fable to all posteritie in time to come O what hap had I that I was not rather deuoured by some furious and cruell beast when I passed the mountains or else that I brake not my neck down some stéepe headlong hil of those high and hideous mountaines rather than to be set here in stage a pageant to the whole citie to gaze vpon for enterprising a thing so fondely done of purpose by hym whome I haue offended Ah Signior Philiberto what 〈◊〉 rewardest thou for pleasures receiued and fauors felt in hir whom thou didst loue somuch as to make hir die such shamefull and dreadfull death But O God I know that it is for worthie guerdon of my foolishe and wicked life Ah disloyaltie and fickle trust is it possible that thou be harbored in the hearte of hym whiche hadde the brute to bée the moste loyall and curteous Gentleman of his countrey Alas I sée well nowe that I must die through mine only simplicitie and that I muste sacrifice myne honoure to the rigour of hym which with two aduantages taketh ouer cruel reuēge of the litle wrong wherwith my chastitie touched him before As she thus had finished hir complaint one came for hir to cary hir to prison whether willingly she wēt for that she was already resolued in desire to liue no longer in that miserie The gentlemā contented with that payne and not able for to dissemble the griefe whyche hée conceyued for the passion which he sawe his welbeloued to endure the enioying of whome renued the heate of the flames forepast repaired to the kyng vnto whom to the great plesure of the standers by and exceding reioyse of his maiestie to heare him speake he tolde the whole historie of the loue betwene him and cruell Zilia the cause of the losse of his spech and the summe of his reuenge By the faith of a Gentleman sayd the King but here is so straunge an historie as euer I heard and verily your faith and loyaltie is no lesse to be praised and cōmended than the crueltic and couetousnesse of the woman woorthye of reproch and blame which truly deserueth some greuous and notable iustice if so be she were not able to render some apparant cause for the couerture and hidyng of hir follie Alas sir sayde the Gentleman pleaseth your maiestie to deliuer hir although she be worthy of punishment and discharge the reste that be in prison for not recouerie of my speache sith my onely helpe did rest either at hir comandement which had bounde me to that wrong or else in the expired time for which I had pledged my faith To whiche request the Kyng very
to point the particulers of this intended iorney this poore deceiued Baron in short time proued a very good Spinner by exercise wherof he felt such solace as not onely the same was a comfortable sporte for his captiue tyme but also for wante of better recreation it séemed so ioyfull as yf he had bene pluming and 〈◊〉 his Hauke or doing other sportes belongyng to the honourable state of a Lorde Whiche his well arriued labour the maiden recompensed with abundance of good and delicate meates And although the Ladie was many tymes required to visite the Baron yet she woulde neuer to that request consent In whiche time the Knight Vlrico ceased not continually to viewe and reuewe the state of his image which appeared still to bée of one well coloured sorte And although thys vse of his was diuers times marked and séene of many yet being earnestly demaunded the cause thereof hée would neuer disclose the same Many coniectures thereof 〈◊〉 made but none coulde attaine the trouthe And who would haue thought that a Knight so wise and prudent had worne within his pursse any inchanted thing And albeit the King and Quéene hadde intelligence of thys frequent practise of the Knight yet they thoughte not mete for any priuate and secret mysterie to demaund the cause One Moneth and a halfe was passed nowe that the Lord Alberto was departed the Court and become a castle knight and cunning spinster which made the Lord Vladislao to muse for that the promise made betwene them was brokē and heard neither by letter or messanger what successe he had receiued After diuers thoughts imagined in his mind he conceiued that his companion had happily enioyed the end of his desired ioy and had gathered the wished frutes of the Lady and drowned in that maine sea of his owne pleasures was ouerwhelmed in the bottome of obliuion wherefore he determined to set forwarde on his iourney to giue onset of his desired fortune who without long delay for execution of his purpose prepared all necessaries for that voyage and mounted on horsebacke with two of his men he iourneyed towards Boeme within few dayes after arriued at the Castle of the faire and most honest Lady And when he was entred the Inne where the Lord Alberto was first lodged he diligently enquired of him and hard tell that he was returned into Hungarie many dayes before wherof much maruelling could not tel what to say or thinke In that end purposing to put in proofe the cause wherefore he was departed out of Hungarie after diligent inquirie of the maners of the Lady he vnderstoode the general voyce that she was without comparisō the most honest wise gentle and comely Ladie within the whole Countrey of Boeme Incontinently the Ladie was aduertised of the arriuall of this Baron and knowing the cause of his cōming she determined to pay him also with that money which she had already coyned for the other The next day the Baron went vnto the Castle knocking at the gate sent in woord how that he was come from the Court of King Mathie to visite and salute the Lady of that Castle and as she did entertain the first Baron in curteous 〈◊〉 and with louing countenaunce euen so she did the seconde who thought thereby that he had attained by that pleasant entertainment the game after which he hunted And discoursing vpon diuers matters the Lady shewed hir self a pleasant and familiar Gentlewoman which made the Baron to thinke that in short time he shold win the price for which he came Notwithstanding at the first brunt he would not by any meanes descend to any particularitie of his purpose but his words ran general which were that hearing tel of the fame of hir beautie good grace and come linesse by hauing occasion to repaire into Boeme to doe certaine his affaires he thought it labor well spent to ride some portion of his iourney though it were besides the way to digresse to doe reuerence vnto hir whome fame aduaunced aboue the skies and thus passing his first visitation he returned againe to his lodging The Ladie when the Baron was gone from hir Castle was rapte into a rage greatly offended that those two Hungarian Lordes so presumptuously had bended them selues like common Théeues to wander and roue the Countreys not onely to robbe and spoile hir of hir honoure but also to bring hir in displeasure of hir husbande and thereby into the daunger and perill of deathe By reason of which rage not without cause conceiued she caused an other Chamber to be made ready next wal to the other Baron that was become suche a Notable spinster And vpon the next returne of the Lord Vladislao she receiued him with no lesse good entertainment than before and when night came caused him to be lodged in hir owne house in the Chamber prepared as before where hée slept not very soundly all that night through the continuall remembraunee of his Ladies beautie Next morning hée perceiued himselfe to be locked fast in a Prison And when hée had made him ready thinking to descend to bidde the Ladie good morrow séeking meanes to vnlocke the doore and perceiuing that he could not he stoode still in a dumpe And as hée was thus standing maruelling the cause of his shutting in so faste the Maiden repaired to the hole of the dore giuing his honor an 〈◊〉 salutation which was that hir Mistresse commaunded hir to giue him to vnderstand that if he had any lust or appetite to his breakefast or minded from thence for the to ease his hunger or conteine life that he should giue him selfe to learne to réele yarne And for that purpose she willed him to looke in such a corner of the Chamber and he shoulde finde certaine spindles of thréede and an instrument to winde his yarne vpon Wherefore quod she apply your self thereunto and lose no time He that had that time beholden the Baron in the face woulde haue thought that hée hadde séene rather a Marble stone than the figure of a man But conuerting hys colde conceiued moode into madde anger he fell into tenne times more displeasure wyth himselfe than is before described by the other Baron But séeing that hys madde béhauioure and beastly vsage was bestowed in vaine the next day he began to réele The Ladie afterwardes when she hadde intelligence of the good and gainefull spinning of the Lorde Alberto and the well disposed and towardly réeling of the Lorde Vladislao greately reioyced for making of suche two Notable woorkemen whose woorkemanship excéeded the laboures of them that hadde béene apprentyzes to the occupation seuen yeares together Suche be the apte and ready wittes of the Souldioures of loue Where in I would wishe all Cupides dearlings to be nousled and applied in their youthly time thē no doubt their passions would appease and rages assuage and would giue ouer their ouer bolde attemptes for which they haue no thank of the chast and honest And to this goodly
was called Angēlica a name of trouth without offense to other due to hir For in very déede in hir were harbored the vertue of curtesy and gentlenesse and was so wel instructed and nobly brought vp as they which loued not the name or race of hir could not forbeare to commend hir and wish that their daughter were hir like In suche wise as one of hir chiefest foes was so sharpely beset with hir vertue and beautie as he lost his quiet sléepe lust to eate drinke His name was Anselmo Salimbene who wold willingly haue made sute to marry hir but the discord past quite mortified his desire so sone as he had deuised the plot within his braine and fansie Notwithstāding it was impossible that the loue so liuely grauen and 〈◊〉 in his minde could easily be defaced For if once in a day he had not séene hir his heart did fele the tormēts of tosting flames and wished that the Hunting of the Bore had neuer decayed a familie so excellent to the intent he might haue matched himself with hir whome none other coulde displace out of his remembraunce which was one of the richest Gentlemen and of greatest power in Siena Now for that he ourst not discouer his amorous grief to any person was the chiefest cause that martired most his heart for the auncient festred malice of those two families he despaired for euer to gather either floure or fruit of that affection presupposing that Angelica would neuer fire hir loue on him for that his Parents were the cause of the defaite ouerthrow of the Montanine house But what There is nothing durable vnder the heauens Both good and euill 〈◊〉 their reuolution in the gouernement of humane affaires The amities and hatreds of Kings and Princes be they so hardned as commonly in a moment he is not 〈◊〉 to be a hearty friend that lately was a 〈◊〉 foe and spired naught else but the ruine of his aduer farie We sée the varietie of humane chaunces and then 〈◊〉 iudge at eye what great simplicitie it is to stay settle certain and infallible iudgemit vpon 〈◊〉 vnstayed doings He that erst gouerned a king made all things to tremble at his word is sodainly throwne downe dieth a shamefull death In like sort another which loketh for his owne vndoing séeth himselfe aduaunced to his estate againe and vengeaunce taken of his enimies Calir Bassa gouerned whilom that great Mahomet that wan the Empire of Constantinople who attempted nothing without the aduise of that Bassa But vpon the sodain he saw himself reiected the next day strangled by commaundement of him which so greatly honored him without iust cause did him to a death so cruell Contrariwise Argon the T artarian entring armes against his vncle Tangodor Caui when he was vpon the point to lose his life for his rebellion and was conueyed into Armenia to be executed there was rescued by certain T artarians the houshold seruaūtes of his dead vncle and afterwards proclaimed king of T artarie about the yere 1285. The example of the Empresse Adaleda is of no lesse credit than the former who being fallen into the hands of Beranger the vsurper of that Empire escaped his fury and cruelty by flight in the end maried to Otho the first saw hir wrong reuenged vpō Beranger and al his race by hir sonne Otho the second I aduouch these histories to proue the mobility of fortune the chaunge of worldly chaunces to the end you may sée that the very same miserie which followed Charles Montanine hoisted him aloft again when he loked for least succor he saw deliueraunce at hād Now to prosecute our history know ye that while Salimbenc by little litle pined for loue of Angelica wherof she was ignorāt carelesse and albeit she curteously rendred health to him when somtime in his amorous fit he beheld hir at a window yet for al that she neuer gessed the thoughts of hir louing enimy During these haps it chaūced that a rich citizen of Siena hauing a ferme adioyning to the lāds of Montanine desirous to encrease his patrimonie annere the same vnto his owne and knowing that the yong gentleman wanted many things moued him to sel his inheritaunce offring him for it in redy mony a M. Ducates Charles which of all the wealth substaunce left him by his auncester had no more remaining but that countrey ferme a Palace in the Citie so the rich Italians of eche city terme their houses and with that litle liued honestly maintained his sister so wel as he could refused flatly to dispossesse himselfe of that porcion which renewed vnto him that happy memory of those that had ben the chief of al the cōmon wealth The couetous wretch seing himself frustrate of his pray conceiued such rancor against Montanine as he purposed by right or wrōg to make him not only to for fait the same but also to lose his life following the wicked desire of tirannous Iesabel that made Naboth to be stoned to death to extorte and wrongfully get his vineyarde About that time for the quarels cōmon discordes raigning throughout Italy that nobilitie were not assured of safety in their countreis but rather the cōmon sort rascall nūber were that chief rulers and gouerners of the cōmon wealth whereby the greatest part of the nobilitie or those of best authoritie being banished the villanous band and grosest kind of common people made a law like to the Athenians in the time of Solon that all persons of what degrée cōditiō so euer they were which practized by himselfe or other meanes the restablishing or reuocation of such as wer banished out of their Citie shold lose forfaite the sum of M. Florens and hauing not wherewith to pay the condempnation their heade should remaine for gage A law no dout very iust and righteous scenting rather of the barbarous cruelty of the Gothes and 〈◊〉 thā of true christians stopping the retire of innocents exiled for particular quarels of Citizens incited one against another and rigorously rewarding mercy and curtesie with execution of cruelty incomparable This citizen then purposed to accuse Montanine for offending against the lawe bicause otherwise he could not purchase his entent and the same was easy inough for him to compasse by reason of his authority and estimation in the Citie for the enditement and plea was no sooner red and giuen but a number of post knightes appeared to depose against the pore gentleman to beare witnesse that he had trespassed the lawes of the Countrey and had sought meanes to introduce the banished with intent to kill the gouerners and to place in state those 〈◊〉 that were the cause of the Italian troubles The miserable gentleman knew not what to do ne how to defend himself There were against him the Moone the. vy starres the state of the Citie the Proctor and Iudge of the court the witnesses that gaue
of Princes What 〈◊〉 said the paisant thinke you that this pore coate and simple lodging be not able to apprehend the preceptes of vertue I haue sometimes heard tell that the wise auoiding Cities troupes of men haue withdrawne themselues into the deserts for leisure to contemplat heauenly things Your skill is great replied Mansor Goe we then 〈◊〉 you please to doe me that curtesie as this night to be mine hoste So the King went in to the rusticall lodge where in stéede of Tapistery and Turkey hangings he saw the house stately hanged with fisher nettes and cordes and in place of riche séeling of Noble mens houses he beheld Canes and Redes which serued bothe for the séeling and couering The fishermanaes wife continued in the kitchen whilest Mansor himselfe both walked and 〈◊〉 his owne horse to which horse the fisher man durst not once come neare for his corage stately trappour with one thing he was abundātly refreshed and that the most néedeful thing which was fire wherof there was no spare no more then there was of fishe But the King which had bene daintely sed and did not well tast and like that kinde of meat demaunded if his hunger could not be supplied with a little flesh for that his stomake was anoyed with the only sauoure of the Eeles The pore man as ye haue somwhat perceiued by the former discourse was a plesaunt fellowe and delighted rather to prouoke laughter than to prepare more dainty meat said vnto the King It is no maruel though our Kings doe furnishe themselues with countrey men to serue them in their warres for the delicate bringing vp and litle force in fine courtiers We albeit the raine doth fal vpon our heads and the winde assaile euery part of our bodies all durtie and wet doe not care either for fire or bed we fede vpon any kinde of meat that is set before vs without séeking sause for increasing of our appetite and we behold are númble healthy lusty and neuer sicke nor our mouth out of taste where ye doe féele suche distemperaunce of stomake as pitie it is to sée more adoe there is to bring the same into his right order and taste than to ordaine and dresse a supper for a whole armie The King who laughed with displayed throte hearing his hoste so merily disposed could haue bene contented to haue heard him still had not his appetite prouoked him and the time of the night very late Wherfore he said vnto him I doe agrée to what you alleage but performe I pray thée my request then we will satisfie our selues with further talke Well sir replied the Kings hoste I sée well that a hungry belly hathe no lust to heare a mery song whereof were you not so egre and sharpe set I could sing a hundred But I haue a little Kidde which as yet is not weaned the same wil I cause to be made ready for I thinke it cannot be better bestowed The supper by reason of the hostes curtesie was passed forth in a thousande pleasant passetimes which the Fisherman of purpose vttered to recreate his guest bycause he sawe him to delight in those deuises And vpon the ende of supper he sayd vnto the King Now sir how like you this banket It is not so sumptuous as those be that be ordinarily made at our Princes court yet I thinke that you shall sléepe with no lesse appetite than you haue eaten with a good stomacke as appereth by the few words you haue vttered in the time of your repast But whervnto booteth it to employ time or deined for eating in expense of talke which serueth not but to passe the time and to shorten the day And meates ought rather to be taken for sustentation of nature than for prouocation or motion of this féeble and transitorie fleshe Uerily sayde the Kyng youre reason is good and I doe meane to ryse from the table to passe the remnant of the night in rest therwith to 〈◊〉 my selfe so well as I haue with eatyng and do thanke you hartily for your good aduertisement So the King went to bedde and it was not long ere he fell a sléepe and continued 〈◊〉 the mornyng And when the Sunne dyd 〈◊〉 the Fisherman came to wake hym tellyng hym that it was time to rise and that he was readie to bring him to the Court. All this while the Gentlemen of the Kings traine were searching rounde aboute the countrey to finde his maiestie making cries and hues that he mighte heare them The Kyng knowyng their voices and the noyse they made went forth to méete them and if his people were gladde when they found him the Fisherman was no lesse amazed to séethe honor which the courtiers did vnto his guest Which the curteous King perceiuing said vnto him My friend thou 〈◊〉 here that Mansor of whome 〈◊〉 thou madest so great accompt and whom thou saydst that thou didst loue so well Be 〈◊〉 that for the 〈◊〉 thou hast done him before it be long the same shal be so well acquited as for euer thou shalte haue good cause to remembre it The good man was alreadie vpon his mary-bones beséeching the King that it would please him to pardon his rude entertainment and his ouermuch familiaritie whiche he had vsed vnto him But Mansor causing him to rise vp willed him to depart and said that within few days after he shoulde heare further newes Now in these fennes and marrish groundes the Kyng had alreadie builded diuers Castles and lodges for the pleasure and solace of hunting Wherefore he purposed there to erect a goodly Citie causing the waters to be voided with great expeditiō which citie he caused to be builded immediatly and compassing the circuite of the appointed place with strong walles and déepe dyches he gaue many immunities priuiledges to those that wold repaire to people the same by meanes wherof in litle time the same was reduced to the state of a beautiful welthie Citie which is the very same that before we sayd to be Caesar Elcabir as much to say The great Palace This goodly worke being thus performed Mansor sent for his host to whom he sayd To the end from henceforth thou mayest more honourably entertayne Kyngs into thy house and mayest intreate them with greater sumptuositie for the better solacyng of them wyth thy Curtesie and pleasaunt talke beholde the Citie that I haue buylded whyche I doe 〈◊〉 vnto thée and thyne for euer reseruing nothyng but an acknowledgemente of good wyll to the ende thou mayest knowe that a Gentlemans mynde nousled in villanie is discouered when forgetting a good turne he incurreth the vice of Ingratitude The good man seing so goodly an offer 〈◊〉 present woorthie of suche a King fell down vpon his 〈◊〉 and kissyng his foote with all humilitie sayd vnto hym 〈◊〉 if youre liberalitie dyd not supplie the imperfection of my merite and 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 what wanted in me to attaine so 〈◊〉 state I would excuse my selfe