capteine being one of the traine of the lord Iames TRIVOVLSE a great fauorer of the faction of GEBALYNO in Italye and at that tyme gouernor of the duchie of MILLAYNE vnder y e frenche kinge LOYS the thirde of that name whether it were to make a further proffe of the pacience of his wife or by absence to mortefie and forgett his fonde opinion conceiued without cause retired vpon a soddaine to Neweastel y e court and ordenarie place of abode of y e sayd Lord TRYVOVLSE which albeit was of hard disgestion to the ladie for a time yet beinge not vnaquainted with such chaunces and no pren tise in the practise of her husbande retired to her auncient patience and contentment by force dyssimuling with a new greefe and secrete sorowe this newe discourtesie to th ende that her waspishe husbande should take no excepcions to her in any respect but fynde her in this as the former stormes bent wholly to obey thappetit of his will and not to mislike with that whyche he fyndes necessarye to be don This TRIVOVLSE hadde not spente many monethes in fraunce but there was commenced informacion agaynste him to the king that he was reuolted from the frenche and become frend to the Swytzers and sworne to their seigneurye and faction wherewyth ymediatelye fame the common carier of tales filled all eares of MILAN and the prouince there about with this further â—ddicion that the king for that cause had seÌ„t him headles to his graue albeit as fame is rather a messenger of lyes then a treasure of truthe and ra her to be harde then beleued so this brute beinge not true in the laste did ymporte a certeine credit in the fyrste for TRYVOVLSE not liking to liue in the displeasure of his prince abandoned his charg and came into Lumbardy wher beinge sommoned by the messenger of deathe gaue place to nature and dyed who beinge the onelye maister and meynteynor of the ALBANOYSE capteine whilest bee liued colde not casely be forgotten of him after his death for after his departure was past the general doubte of the people and eche voice resolued that he was laide in hys graue Don Capitaino spado resolued whollye into teares seamed here to pass the mistery of a newe traunce whiche with the freshe remembraunce of his auncient harme and gréene wounde of vnworthie Ielowsye bledynge yet in his minde broughte hym in that case that he neyther desyred to liue nor doubted to die and yet in dispaire of theim both his solace of the daye was conuerted into teares and the howers of the night went awaye in vistons and hollowe dreames he loathed the companye of his frendes and hated the thynges that shoulde susteine nature neither was he contented with the presente nor cared for the chaunce of future tyme which sodaine alteracion in straunge maner driue his carefull wife into no lesse astonishement then she had cause and being ignoraunt of the occasion she was also voide of consolation which doubled her gréefe till tyme opened her at laste a meane to communicate familiarly with hym in this sorte Alas syr sayth she to what ende serue these pininge conceites forcing a generall debilytie thorow al your parts or why do you languishe in griefe without discoueryng the cause of youre sorowe to suche as holde your health no lesse deare then the swéete and pleasant taste of their owne lyfe from whence coÌ„mes this often chaÌ„ge of complexion accoÌ„panied with a dispositioÌ„ of malencolicke dompes arguing your inward fretting care of minde why staye you not in time y e source of your skorching sighes that haue alredye drayned your bodye of his wholsome humours appointed by nature to giue sucke to thintrals and inward partes of you and to what ende serueth this whole riuer of teares flowynge by such abundance froÌ„ your watery eyes almost worne awaye with wéeping is your gréefe growen great by coÌ„tinuance of time or haue you conceiued some mislike of newe Yf your house be out of order in any sorte or that wante of dutie or diligence in me procureth your grudge declare the cause to th ende the faulte maye be reformed in me and you restored to your auÌ„cieÌ„t order of quiet we both enioye a mutual traÌ„quillitie as apperteineth But he that labored of an other disease then is incideÌ„t coÌ„monly to men of good gouernemeÌ„t absolued her of all faultes or other mislikes he founde in the state of his house or other his affaires committed to her order lesse lacke of her diligence to make declaracion of her dutye to thutermoste but alas saith he with a depe sighe deriued of the â—retinge dolour of his minde and doubled twise or thrise within his stomacke afore he coulde vtter it what cause of comfort or consolation hath he to lyue in this world from whom the malice of destenie hath taken the chiefeste pillor of his life or to what ende serueth the fruicion or interest of longer yeres in this vale of vnquietnes when the bodie abhorreth alredie the longe date of his abode heare or why shold not this soma or masse of corrupcion which I receiued of the world bée dismissed to earth and my soule haue leaue to passe into the other worlde to shonne this double passion of present torment whiche I féele by the death of my deare frende Ah my deare Ladye and loyall wyfe my grief is so great that I dye to tell you the cause and yet the veray remembrance presents me with treble torments wherin I must confess vnto you that since the death of the late Lorde Ihon Tryuulso I haue had so lytle desyer to lyue that all my felicitie is in thinking to die neyther can ther be any thinge in the world more acceptable to me then death whose hower and time if they wer as certeine as himselfe is moste sewer to coÌ„me in the ende I could somwhat satisfye the greate desyer I haue to die moderate the rage of my passion in thinking of the shortnes of the dome that should giue ende to my dyeng ghost and vnrulye sorowes together besides waighing thinâ—inite miseries of our time accompanieng vs eueÌ„ from the wombe of concepcion with the reaste and reapose which dead men do finde And knowing withall how muche I am in the debte of him that is dead I can not wishe a more acceptable thinge then the spedie approche and ende of my dayes to th ende that being denied the viewe of his presence here I may folow him in thother world where participating indiferently such good and euil as falleth to his share I may witnes with what duetiful zeale affectioned harte I sought to honor and serue hym in all respectes But the Ladye that sawe as farre into the disease of her husbande as his phizicion into his vryne knowynge well enoughe that he dyd not languishe so muche for the desyer of hym that was dead as the ticklishe humour of Ielowsye troubled hym was content to admit his coollours
the gaze and wonder of the multytude cannot claime the priuiledge of any place but the people wyl point at them neyther can they hyde theym in so secret a corner but infamye wyll hunt them out shame discouer them atteÌ„ding them to the very end of theyr daies no no let not them lyue that are desirous to dye and death is moste acceptable to suche as hate the fruicion of lyfe for my parte I loth alredy the remembrance of lyfe seing I haue lost the chefest pillor of the same wherof I meane to make spedy declaracion by the sentence I haue alredy pronounced of my ende wherin it shall appeare to the worlde that although my bodye haue tasted of the malice of the wicked by force yet my mynde remains entire without spott or consentement to the villany whiche as my chiefe bequeste and last testament in this worlde I leue registred in the remembrance of you good awnt to make relacion to my desolat parents and the whole worlde besides of thaccideÌ„t of my wretched desaster that although your vnhappy néece and miserable IVLIA hath by meare force lost the outward show of her honor yet her conscience remeinyng vnspotted and soule cleare ready to flye to the heaueÌ„s to witnes her iÌ„tegry tye afore the sacred theatrye or tribunall seate of GOD can not departe wyth worthye contentement afore I offer my lyf to y e waues to purifie the fylthye spottes wherewith my bodye remeins painted on all parts by thinfection of the detestable rape of force wherewith she departed not taryinge the replye of her awnt who thoughte to haue diswaded her from the pursuete of her desperate intent and beinge coÌ„me to the riuer of Oglyo kyssing her sister with a last crye to god to receyue her soule to his mercy she lept hedloÌ„g into the water who as a mercyles element respectinge neyther thinnocency of her cause nor desperate order of dying committed her to the botomles throts goolphes of the sourges whiche was the ende of this miserable IVLIA whose lyfe only deserues commendation for thexample of her vertue and deathe worthie to be committed to oblyuyon for the signes of desperacion wherewyth it was infected But after this chaunce burst out into tearmes became the report of the people God knoweth what generall desolacion was amonge all the estate of the Cytie aswell for the strangnes of the facte as for that the villeyne was fledd that caused the brute who if he had ben taken had don penance of this falte with the losse of his lyfe in example of others the bodye was founde by the diligence of Loys Gonzaga who woulde not suffer it to be buryed in the Churche yarde or other sanctuarye because of the desperat maner of her death but caused it to be solempnelye accoÌ„panyed with the teares great dule of diuerse Ladyes into a place or graue in the felde where he ment in shorte tyme to sett vpp a tombe of marble wyth a monument of the particular discourse of the vertues and singuler gyftes of grace in his pore countrewomaÌ„ whose death I wishe may learne al estats to eschewe the perill of dispaier and order of lyfe to instructe all the yonge Ladyes of England to resiste the charmes and sugred allurements of loue who the more he is feasted with pleasaunt regardes of the eye or encountred with secret conference in corners or courted wyth embassages or lastlye banqueted wyth dishes of delicate toyes or vaine importunityes the more is he redye to inuade and apte to ouercome but on the contrarye parte the waye to kepe warre wyth that vaccabound and to flée his infections is as IVLIA did to marche against hym with a flagge of vertue vsyng wythall the pollycy of VLIXES in stopping your eares from the pepered harmonye of them that delitinge only in the praye of your outwarde beautye haue no respecte to the ornament of the soule whiche beinge kepte pure and vndefyled to th ende yealdes you a rewarde of immortalitye and your renowme neuer to be rased out of remembraunce tyll thextreame dissolucion of the worlde FINIS The argument THere was neuer mischiefe of former time nor vice in present vse wherein men are or haue bene more drowned or drawen by a beastly desyer then in therecrable and deadly synne of whoredome by the which besides that the spirituall fornicacion is figured in some sorte yet is it forbidden vnto vs expresly by thinuiolable lawes not written in the tables wher thauncientes were wonte to graue directions and orders to pollitique states of the Romaines Athenyens Egiptiens or Sparteins but recorded in theuerlasting booke within the whiche the veraie finger of god hath sealed his infallible statutes wher of as he wolde that his children and faithfull heires of his kingdom were made partakers with desyer and indeuor of ymytacion so we are al warned by y e same defence that besides the wrong and harme we do to our owne bodies we offend â—eynously against the health of our soules specially in corruptinge the wife of our neighbour with thabuse of that part of her which is necessarie to be garded with as great care and watche as we reade was vsed somtime in the supersticious ceremonies of the vestals of Rome in keping a contynuall fyer in their temple The greatnes also of this synne of adulterie bringing as you se an equal hurt to the soule and bodye hath forced a wonderful seueretie in both the lawes punishinge by deathe such as do prophane that hollye and invyolable bond and bed of mariage wher is only a place of purity and no oblacion to be offred or admitted but the sacrifice of honeste lawful substaÌ„ce besides what slaunders and mortalitie amongest men haue spronge out of the vicious fountaine of that synne y e mariage bed of Menelaus defyled by y e kinges sonne of Troye hath left sufficient example and cause of exclamacion amongest the phrigiens with reason to all posterities to deteste such villanie as a vice moste abhomynable in Egipt the Sychemetyens for like respect vnder Abraham and Isaac haue felt the mighty hand of god althoughe their offence in some sort was excusable by ignoraunce for that they thought the wyues which they toke had bene vnmaried Likewise if there be any faithe in the poeticall fictions we see thargumentes of most of their tragedies were founded eyther vpon the punishmente or dispair of such as not hable to reuenge the wrong of their lasciuions wife and wicked Sathanist her mynyon conuert and execute their rage and furie vpon theimselues wherin our worlde at this daye is growen to such a malicious golphe and bottomles sea of vices that the wilde nacions without eyther awe of God or feare of his lawes gouerned only by an instinct of nature are more curious to kepe the honor of their bedd then diuerse contryes in the harte and bowells of Christendom wher thadulteror is not punished but by protestacion or attorney and wher the poore
to resorte thereunto and learne by othermens misdéeds to direct better his owne doinges and not with th' exchange of the worlde to alter also his minde but rather asmuche as lyeth in hym to ymitate the lyfe and conuersation of theym who haue lyued well before wherein seinge in this worlde the nature of man in all ages althoughe the singler personnes bee chaunged remeineth stil one so also the good fortunes felicities calamities and miseries whyche happen both in publike gouernement and to euerye priuate state tourne alwayes to one effect and are lyke those of tymes paste so that by the benefyt of stories presentinge afore oure eyes a true kallender of things of auncient date by the commendacion of vertuous and valyaunt personnes and actes we be drawen by desyer to treade the stepps of their renowme and on thother syde considering the sinister fortune horrible cases which haue happened to certeine miserable soules we behold both th' extreme points wherunto the fraile condicion of man is subiect by infirmitie and also are thereby toughte by the viewe of other mens harmes to eschew the like inconueniences in our selues wherein righte honorable like as I haue rather touched sleightelye then vsed tearmes of commendacion at large according to the worthynes of so precious a Iewell as the knowledg of histories for that now a dayes euery mans mouth is open to commende the frute distilling from so florishynge a vine â—o for my part beyng more forwarde then hable to discharge my zeale in that behalfe haue bestowed some of my voyed howers whilest I was in the other sides the Sea in forcynge certeyne Tragicall Discourses oute of theyr Frenche tearmes into our Englishe phrase presumyng to commende vnto your Ladishypp the frutes and effecte of my trauayle folowynge therein the order of suche as haue spente tyme in the lyke studye who are wounte to declare theyr good wyll by bestowynge theyr labours wherewithe beinge vnhappelye denyed other frendshypp of fortune to make good my desyer in gyuing an vnfayned showe of the dutye and seruice I owe you and the house whereof you tooke youre begynnynge am here vppon tearmes of humilitye for preferment of this rude and simple dedication of theis forrein reapportes to youre honor to whose vertues as I haue chiefelye respected to gyue due renowme by preferrynge a true purtraict of your conuersation and lyfe in the vertues giftes and ornamentes of the noble ANGELIQVA chaste PAROLYNA constant IVLIA and renowned CARMOSYNA wyth others whose integretye of life hath gyuen theim a crowne of immortalitye wyth a glorious remembrance of theyr names for euer after theyr deathe so my seconde indeuor was bent to obserue the necessitie of the tyme chiefly for that vppon the viewe and examples of oure Auncesters lyues the fraile ympes of this age maye fynde cause of shame in theyr owne abuses wyth desyer to exchaunge their badd condicion and order of lyuynge wyth the studye and desyer to ymitate the vertue of their predecessours whose lyfe and renowme after death argueth the vndoubted rewarde at tendynge as a thynge of course the vertuouse and well disposed where of the contrarye appeare wounderfull tormentes and sharpp pennaunce prouided to plage the abhominable and vicious lyuer Besides it is a principle and chiefe rule in our nature and disposition to bee rather instructed by examples of familyar authorityes then reformed by seueritye of lawes for that the one seames to gouerne vs by awe and commaundement and in the other appeares a consent of oure fancie marchinge alwayes accordynge to the direction of our owne willes for whiche cause the Historians of olde tyme in theyr seuerall recordes of the actes conquestes and noble attemptes of Princes and greate men haue lefte oute nothynge seruynge for the ornamente and institution of mannes lyfe not forgettynge to sett oute also in naturall coollers theyr tyrannye and other vices withe contempte of vertue yf theyr lyues were founde guiltye in any suche offence But when they paynte oute a good kynge a magistrate without touche of partiall or couetous mynde a courtyar loyall and withoute dissimulation A minister of the Churche not smellynge of hypocrysye but searchynge purelye the honor of God A Ladye chaste honeste curteouse a louer of charitye vsynge a deuoute reuerence to God and feare to hys lawes yt is then that they allure by traines of familyaritye euerye succession to embrace and beholde as in a glasse the vndoubted meane that is hable and wylt brynge theym to the lyke perfection in vertue whyche also moued me to vse a speciall discrecion in coollynge oute suche examples as beste aggreed wyth the condicion of the tyme and also were of moste freshe and famylyar memorye to the ende that wyth the delyte in readynge my dedication I maye also leaue to all degrees an appetitt and honeste desyere to honor vertue and holde vice in due detestation And albeit at the firste sighte theis discourses maye importe certeyne vanytyes or fonde practises in loue yet I doubte not to bée absolued of suche intente by the iudgement of the indifferent sorte seinge I haue rather noted diuersitie of examples in sondrye younge men and women approuynge sufficientlye the inconuenience happenynge by the pursute of lycenceous desyer then affected in anye sorte suche vncerteine follyes For heare maye bée séene suche patternes of chastetye and maydes so assured and constant in vertue that they haue not doubted rather to reappose a felicitye in the extreme panges of death then to fall by anye violent force into the daunger of the fleshelye ennemye to theyr honour In lyke sorte appeareth here an experience of wounderfull vertues in men who albeit hadd power to vse and commande the thinge they chieflye desyered yet bridlynge wythe maine hande The humour of theyr inordinate luste vanquished all mocions of sensualytye and became maisters of theym selues by abstaynynge from that whereunto they felte prouocation by nature who desyereth to sée the follye of a foolishe lover passionynge hymselfe vppon creditt the impudencie of a maide or other woman renouncynge the vowe of her fayth or honor due to virginitie the sharpp pennance attendynge the rashe choice of greate Ladyes in séekynge to matche in anye sorte wythe degrées of inferior condicion or who wisheth to bée priuie to th'inconueniences in loue howe he frieth in the flame of the fyrste affection and after groweth not onelye colde of hymselfe but is easelye conuerted into a contrarye shapp and disposition of deadlye hate maye bée heare assisted wyth more then double expeperience touchinge all those euills the curtesie of an enemye on the behalfe of hys aduersarye wythe a wounderfull lyberalitye in the other in retournynge the benefytt receyued is heare set furthe in fuche lyuelye coollers that there seames to lacke nothynge for the ornament and decoracion of suche a wooke And who takes pleasure to beholde the fyttes and panges of a frantique man incensed to synister conceites by the suggestion of frettynge Ielouzye forcynge hym to effectes of absolute desperation
be taken awaye from the dolourous regarde of suche wretched desolation to th ende that I alon mighte not liue as the od relike or vttermost reste of our subuerted house And albeit we may chalēge the first place in the beadrol of vnhappy wretches seinge our fortune hath exchaunged oure auncient felicitie for a present lyfe of extreme miserye yet yf there be anye cause of consolation in aduersitie we haue raison to ioye in the condicion of our state chefly for that we are not iustely to be charged with imputacion of euil or dishonest trade any waie and that notwithstanding the raging malice of our fortune with the force of pouertie pinchynge extremely the discourse of our lyues hath so confirmed the generositie of our auncestors that we kepe the consent of al voices to be nothing inferior to the best of them in any respect of vertue or showe of true nobilitie For I haue alwaie indeuored to obserue this one rule discipline of the re nowmed Emperour captaine MARCVS ANTHONIVS who persuadeth that as the heyght of estate ought not to alter the goodnes of nature So the frowarde disposition of fortune oughte not to take awaye or diminishe the constancie of the mynde with this addicion that he beareth her malice best that hydes his myserye moste Besides thusmuche dare I aduouche of my selfe that as I was neuer presented with the offer of any good tourne whiche I haue not thankefullie requited to thuttermoste So I haue not bene a nigarde of anye thinge I haue on the nedefull behalfe of my frende or other companion detestynge alwayes that anye iote of ingratitude shold staine the reputatiō wherin I haue lyued hytherunto For as amongest a nomber of vices in men nowe a dayes the note of vnthanfulnes is no lesse detestable then anye of the reste So for my parte I wishe the rigour of THATHENYANS lawe vpon hym who seames eyther forgetfull of the benefyt passed or vnthankefull to the frendship of hym that brought succours to his necessitie when he dispaired of relief wherin my deare sister albeit you maye happelye imagine the cause of this longe circunstaunce yet can you giue no certeine iudgement of the ende or conclusion nor diuine ryghtely the meanynge of the misterye whiche I purpose to reueale vnto you The threatnynge perill whiche earste houered to cut in sonder the fyllet of my lyfe is of so late a tyme that I am sewer youre minde hath not yet dismissed the remembraunce of so fearefull a tragedye neyther haue you forgotten I knowe howe as it were by speciall miracle I was boughte out of the handes of the executioner of iustice and redemed from the rigorus sentence of the partiall senatt without thassistance of any my parentes or alyes by eyther simple offer of worde or effect wherin as I am warned by this experience not onlye to putt small confidence in anye of my kynsmen hereafter but also to reappose no assurance at all in their flatteringe show of fained face so I haue tasted of so great a pleasure at the handes of hym who neuer deserued well of mee nor I cause to ymagyne any one droppe of humanitye in hym on my behalfe that yf I do ryght to his vertue I haue reason to admitt hym not onlye amonge the felowshippe but also the firste and chiefe of my deare frendes for beinge pressed so muche wyth the iniquitte of the tyme wyth freshe assaltes of newe afflictions and forsaken with all of my nearest frendes I had reason to ymagyne and cause to feare that thonly malice of oure mortall enemyes for the extirpation of the whole stocke and roote of oure race had bene the workers of my laste trouble and daunger of deathe But good syster in this distruste I haue abused the vertue of our late aduersary deseruynge to indure pennance for entringe into conceites of conspiracye agaynste hym whose late benefyte excedinge the ymaginacion of all men hath made me bounde to honor the remembrance of his name with a debte of dutie so longe as nature shall phan in mee the breathe of lyfe for in place where I feared most daunger I founde moste sauetie and where I exspected least sewertye I encowntred moste assurance And that hande whiche I attended only to giue the fatal blowe of my destruction hath not only remoued all occasions or offers of present perill but become the chiefest pillor and proppe of mine honour and lyfe hereafter wherin because you shal be partaker of the playnnesse of my tale aswell as you haue vsed patience in the hearinge of the circumstance yt is ANSEAMO SALYMBYNO the son and heir of our aunciente persecutours who hath made so manyfeste a declaration of his affected zeale towardes our howse that in taking your brother owte of the handes of thunrighteous senate present daunger of perentorye destruction he hath seamed so lauishe of his liberal mynde that in place of vii C florentes he hath paide a thousande Duckattes for the ransom of hym who iudged hym the moste crewell enemye of the worlde what argumente of noble harte is this or howe seldom dothe a man encounter suche rare frutes of vertue frendes knitt together by a speciall league of amytie or mutuall vowe of frendeshippe do oftentymes make the worlde wonder of the sondry frutes and effectes of constancie which appeareth betwene theime but where the mortall enemie beinge neyther reconciled nor required nor demaundinge any assuraunce for the pleasure he dothe paieth not only the debte of his aduersarye but restoreth his state when hee is at pointe to performe the last of his fatal somaunce I thinke it excedes all the consideration of suche as vse to discourse vppon the doinges of menne I knowe not what title to geue to the acte of SALYMBYNO nor howe to tearme this his curtesye yf not that his doinges deserue a better meede thenne the renowne of DAYMON and PITHIAS or other moste loyall frendes whome the writters doo fauor wyth suche surnames of glorye but as I am a chiefe witnes of hys vertue so the example of hys presente honestie hathe sturred vppe suche an affected humor wythin me that eyther I wyll dye in thindeuor or els I wylbe equall yf not hable to excede hym in the retourne of hys liberalitie wherein beinge iustelye bownde to engage the beste parte in me for the recompense of that good torne whiche gaue increase to my lyfe I am to craue a special assistance of you Syster for the complotte of the deuise whyche I haue alreadye ymagyned and fullye resolued to performe to th end I maye bee onelye bownde to you for thacquitaunce of the liberalytye of SALIMBINO by whose helxe you that earste Lamented the losse of libertye and lyfe of youre brother maye nowe congratulate hys healthe and happye delyuerye where wyth the faire ANGELIQVA fully resolued by this laste report of her brother that it was SALEMBINO whyche hadde surmounted all her parentes and frendes in the delyuerye of her onelye confort
howe fyne so euer they were aswell to preferr her dutie to thuttermoste as also to auoyde imputacion or cause of suspicion on her parte wherwith entring into termes of persuacion she added also this kynde of consolacion folowinge More do I greue syr sayth she wyth the small care you seame to take of your selfe then the tearmes of your disease do trouble me consideringe the same procedes of so slender occasioÌ„ that the veray remeÌ„brance of so great an ouersight ought to remoue the force and cause of your accident admit your griefe were greate indéede and your disease of no lesse importance yet ought you so to bridle this wilful rage and desyere to dye that in eschewing to preuent the wyl and set hower of the Lorde you séeke not to further youre fatall ende by vsynge vnnaturall force against your selfe making your beastly will the blodye sacrifize of your bodie whereby you shal be sewer to leaue to the remeinder of youre house a crowne of infamie in the iudgement of the worlde to come and put your soule in hazarde of grace afore the troane of iustice aboue you knowe syr I am sewer that in this transitorye and paineful pilgrimage there is nothing more certeine then death whom albeit wee are forbiddeÌ„ to feare yet oughte wee to make a certeine accompt of his coÌ„ming neyther is it any other thinge according to the scripture then the minister and messenger of God executynge his infallible wil vpon vs wretches sparinge neyther age condicion nor state It is he that geues ende to oure miserie heare and saffe conduyte to passe into the other worlde and assoâ—e as we haue taken possession of the house of reste he shooteth the gates of all annoye againste vs fedinge vs as it were with a swete slomber or pleasant sléepe vntil the last soÌ„moÌ„ce of generall resurrection So that syr methinkes they are of the happie sorte whome the great God vouchesafeth to call to his kyngdome exchangynge the toiles manifolde cares incident to the creatures of this worlde with the pleasures of his paradise place of reapose that neuer hath ende And touchinge your deuocion to him that was dead with vaine desyer to visit his ghoste in the other worlde persuadynge the same to procede of a debte and dutifull desyer you haue to make yet a further declaracioÌ„ of your vnfained minde towardes him I assure you syr â–ª I am more sorye to see you subiect to so great a follie then I feare or exspect the effect of your dreame for as it seames but a ridle procedinge of the vehemencie of your sicknes So I hope you will directe the sequeile by sage aduise conuertinge the circumstance into ayre without further remeÌ„braÌ„ce of so foolish a matter wherin also I hope you wyll suffer the wordes of the scripture to direct you who allowinge smal ceremonies to the dead forbides vs to yelde any debte or dutie at all to suche as be alredie passed out of the worlde and muche lesse to sacrifyze oure selues for their sakes vpon their tombes accordynge to the supersticious order of y e barbarians in olde time remeinyng at this daye in no lesse vse amonge the people of the weste worlde but rather to haue their vertues in due veneracion and treadynge in the steppes of their examples to imytate theyr order with like integretye of lyfe And for my parte saith she dyenge her garmentes with the droppes of her waterye eyes prouynge to late what it is to loase a husbande and to forget hym whome bothe the lawe of God and nature hathe gyuen me as a seconde parte of my selfe to lyue wyth mutuall contentement vntyll the dissolucion of oure sacred bonde by the heauye hande of God am thus farre resolued in my selfe protestynge to performe no lesse by hym that lyueth that yf the furie of your passion prevaile aboue your resistaunce or your disease growe to suche extreame tearmes that death wyll not be otherwayes aunswered but that you muste yelde to hys sommance and dye I wyl not lyue to lament the losse of my second husbande nor vse other dule in the funerall of youre corps then to accompanye it to the graue in a shéete or shroode of lyke attire for youre eyes shall no sooner cloase their liddes or loase the lyght of this worlde then theis haÌ„ds shal be readye to performe the effecte of my promisse and the bell that gyueth warnyng of your last hower shall not ceasse his doleful knil til he haue published with like sound y e semblable ende of your deare and louynge wyfe whose simple and franke offer here openynge a most conuenient occasion for her wylfull husbande to disclose the true cause of hys disease preuailed so muche ouer his doubtefull and waueringe mynde that dismissing euen then his former dissimulacion he embraced her not without suche abundance of teares and vnruly sighes that for the tyme they tooke awaie the vse of his tounge Albeit beinge deliuered of his trauÌ„ce and restored to the benefit of his speche he disclosed vnto her the true cause and circumstaunce of his gréefe in this forte Albeit since the time of my sicknes saith he you haue séene what distresse and desolation haue passed me wyth fyttes of straunge and diuerse disposition marueilynge no lesse I am sewer from what fountaine haue flowed the Symptomes of so race a passion wherein also your continuall presence and â—iewe of my weake state is sufficientlye hable to recorde the whole discourse of my disease yet are you neyther partaker of my payne nor priuye to the principall causes of so straunge an euill neyther haue I bene so hardie to discouer theim vnto you because I haue ben hetherto doubtful of that whereof your laste wordes haue fullye absolued me And nowe being weakened with the wearines of tyme sicknes in suche sort as nature hath ridd her handes of me and gyuen me ouer to the order of death who is to spare me no loÌ„ger but to vtter these laste wordes vnto you I accompte it a special felicitie in my harde fortune that in thoppenyng of the true causes of my greâ—e I may cloase and seale vp the laste and extreame tearme of my lyfe And because I wil cleare in few wordes the misterie which seames to amaze you You shall note that there be iij. onely ministers and occasyons of my disease whereof the firste and of leaste importance is for the death of my late Lorde and maister Don Ihon tryuoulso whereof you are not ignorant the second excedinge the firste in greatnes of grefe and force againste me is to thinke that the rigour of my destinies and violence of sicknes yeldynge me into the handes of death will dissolue and breake by that meanes the league of longe and loyall loue whiche from the beginnynge my harte hath vowed vnto you but the thirde and laste of a more strange qualitie then eyther of the reste is to thinke that when I am dead and by time worne
so nearely since your comming to Mantua that you haue not spoken or don a thinge of suche councell but fame hath discouered your intent and made your aduersaries partakers of your meaning it behoueth yon to thinke that of late she is not become so wel affected towards you as she can or will conceile this last most perillous resolution besides in what sorte could you disguise your selfe that your sondrie secret markes wold not bewraye you or what waye haue you to passe where you are out of knowledge of al mē admit your owne sleight pollecie were hable to preuayle aboue the malice of your fortune in defending you frō the daunger of the waye diuerse ambushes of your enemyes are you so persuaded of th assurāce of your Plaudina that you wil cōmit your life losse of honor to the fained faith of a deceitefull woman that without a proffe of her cōstancie Yf the miste of fonde affection doth so much dim your eyes and gifte of present vnderstanding that you are not hable to discouer the legerdemaines of lighte womē let my experiēce warne you to beware of the subtill sleightes fyne Allurementes of so venemous a serpent What can you tell whether this traine she hath made be a stale to betraye you and committ you to the mercye of your enemye or peraduenture she hathe sente for you because she séeth an impossibilitie in thenterprice and rather to bringe you in daunger then of intent to yelde satisfaction to your desyer But lett vs conster her meaning to the best with ymaginacion that her faith is without corrupcion and that she is no lesse desyrous to sée you then you assotted vpon her beautie seame readie to run thorow the fyer of a thousande perils only to content her will you by so vaine a pleasure that is of lesse moment or abode then the thoughte of a man at so deare a price as the losse of your honor and lyfe Remember that the end of that enterprise can not be good whose begining is not founded vppon discrecion and sequell gouerned by the rule of raison neyther can you more greatlye deface the auncient renowme of your honor nor leaue a greater spot of reproche to your house and frendes that liue after you then to conclude and ende the course of your life in the purseute of so dishonest a queste and your enemyes can not so lardgelie triumphe in your ouerthrowe and deathe as your frendes haue cause to lament that your owne rashenes and follie were the only furtherours of the fatall bane of your lyfe where of the contrarye parte yf beyng cut in peces in the seruice of some noble prince or yelde to the loare of nature in som valiant exploit or enterprise of warr you shold not only aggrauate the praise of your lyfe passed with the glorie of an honorable death discarge your frendes and succession of al imposicions of villanous infamie but also force your enemies to a conuersion of their malice into a general comendacion of your vertue and vndouted faith towardes your prince Besides if you will wayghe the mortall plages threatened in the gospell to be thondered vpon thadulteror and suche as contaminat the maried mans bedd or rightly measure the penaunce of the falte with the foulnes of the fact you shal not only iudge with me that there is no lyfe more dampnable afore god nor deathe more skandalus to the worlde then to be ouerthrowne in the combat whiche of ryght is due to bee parformed by an other but also that there is more vertue and ease in sufferance then profit or pleasure in hast or comoditie in rashe execution But yf the power of the fleshe preuailynge aboue your resistance hath sturred vp this humor of hoat desier whiche seames to presse you so far that you make no conscience to exchange your former glorie for a title or surname of a fylthie adulteror go not so far to seke your destruction seing MANTVA presentes you with sufficiēt choice and change of releif better cheape and with less peril then the hazarde of reputation or losse of lyfe This charme of DELYO seamed so to enchante and driue reason into the waueringe mynde of the MYLLANOIS that hee tooke respite to replie till the nexte morninge thanking him notwithstanding of his frendlie aduertisementes whiche saith he haue so vnséeled the eyes of my minde that I fynd my selfe now hable to discerne that whych loue wold not suffer me earste to perceiue and muche lesse to feare or doubte wherewith retiringe to his lodginge hee passed the nighte in the onely contemplacion of his fancie wherein appered suche warr and contrarietie of thoughts with figures of hollowe conceites that the desyer and course of slepe was whollie conuerted into an humor of vncerteine ymagynacions And if by chaunce his eyes offred to cloase their liddes and sommon the reste of the partes to the quiet reapposed in sléepe the remembrance and care of his buysynes interuptinge the office of the eyes presented eftfones a new conflict and second supplie of his passion in such sorte as beynge to weake to resiste the alaram he yelded to the stronger parte whiche was the maisterles appetit of sensualtie and holdinge more deare the pleasures of the fleshe then the sauegarde of his life determined to take the forde and trye if fortune wolde performe asmuche as shee seamed to promise by a flatteringe hope whych appeared in his ydle braine to embrace his mistres without daunger ympartinge the nexte daye his resolucion to his deare frende DELYO to whom saith he because perils are commonly made greater by reapport then found daungerous in thaduenture and that all likelehodes seldom or neuer do happen the valyant ought not to feare the thinge that is doubtfull nor dread the simple mouinge of a shadowe neyther is there glorie of the victorie but where thaduenture excedeth thexspectacion of men wherfore I am perswaded to geue a charg of the good will of fortune and take my iorney towardes MILLAN tomorow wher if I bée sommoned wyth the writ of my destynies or malicious dome of vnhappye fortune by death MYLLAN will serue me aswell of a tombe as eyther MANTVA or other santuarie of the worlde neyther can I make a better declaracion of my fayth towardes my mistres then in defyenge the feare of so many perills to appeare more readie to obey her commaundemente then curious or carefull of myne owne life whyche I accompte ymploied with no lesse iustice on her behalfe then honor to my selfe if the same be put to extreme torments and vtterlie executed in the place wher the view of her own eyes may bée thindifferent iudges betwene my firme constancie and small dissymulacion neyther can I leaue her a more precious pawne of myne indissoluble loue then beinge cut in peces in the pursewte of her seruice to leaue the walls and posterns of her pallais painted and all to besprent with the bloode of the most
or out of the window or in other place which denied him fauor or libertie to speake to her I thinke he forgat not to expose arguments of his grefe by the pitiful regards of his countenance wanton torninge of the eye and other messengers of his passion arguing the torment he endewred for the desier he had to do her seruice he vnderstode at last by secret inquisition what churche her mother haunted for the performing of her prayers and that her doughter was her only companion in these deuocions whither also hée directed his pilgrymage and dissymulinge with GOD hée plaide thypocrite in conuertinge his regardes from thalter or place of leuacion to beholde the bewtie of the goldsmithes daughter the saint to whom his hart yelded most honor making of the house of prayer y e shop or forge to frame iniquitie exceding in this respect the barbarouse abuse of the Etheniques turkes and infidells who geue more reuerence to their Mosques wher God is blasepheimed and his Son abiured then the christians now a dayes to the temples and houses dedicated to the Lord to performe the ministracion of the sacraments with open publicacion of the wil of our sauiour Christ whom wyth saint Paule we ought to pray for the subuercion of babilon and restauracion of the true Church dispersed into diuers corners of the world by the malice of the pope and his wicked disciples wherof this Abbot being not the least in authoritie was nothing inferiour to the most abhominable in al vices wherof he gaue sufficiente proofe in two offences of equall detestacion the one in seking to deflowre a mayde contrarye to the othe of hys religion the other in abusinge the house of GOD as a place of bawdye practise to performe theffecte of hys cursed deuise beinge more deuowte in courtinge the Ladies of NAPLES thenne curious to reforme thabuses of his idle couente But the girle notinge thinconstant order of prayer in our reuerende father GONSALDO to gether wyth hys wanton regardes full of lasciueous desyer ymagined by and by wyth what yron the gentlemanne was shod and to what sainct hée would gladlye offer his candell wherefore thinkinge it noo breache of good manner to playe mockhallyday wyth such a maister foole gaue hym skoape now and thenne to hehold her at large and to beat the hammer more depe into his head would requite his amarous glaunce wyth a semblable glée and sodaynly retire and vanish out of hys sight wyth an angry farewel as thoughe shée disdayned his wanton offer wyth intente notwythstandynge to shonne hys voyce and place of presence no lesse then thincounter of any venemus beaste fearinge to reapose eyther credytt in hys honestie or so muche assurance in her owne pudicitie as to open her eare to the charme of a friuolous louer or who thinkes it no offence to take awaye the puritie of a mayde whom wée may compare to the red rose desiered of enery one so longe as the morning dewe mainteineth hym in odyferous smell and pleasaunt coollor but when the force and heate of the son hath mortyfied hys oryent hew and conuerted hys naturall freshnes into a withered leafe the desier to haue it dekaieth wyth the bewtye of the thynge euenso shée that hathe once morgaged the flower of her virginitie is not only dispised of hym to whom shée hath béene so prodigal of that whych shée oughte to make a moste precious Iewell but also in common contempte wyth all men what showe of dissembled courtesie soeuer they presente vnto her wherof the mistres of GONSALDO was nothing vnmindfull who preferringe the honor and reputacion of chastetie affore all the respecttes of the worlde seing wythall that the blinde Abbot pursewed more and more his amarous quest preuented hys expedicion by making her a straunger to his presence shonnynge all places of hys repaire and to take awaye all occasions that myghte geue increase to his desyer shée forbare to visit the churches onelesse it were at suche howers as they were voyde of other companie and yet wyth suche regarde that shée made as it were a priuy searche in all the corners and quyers of the temple to preuent his subteltie in dressinge some ambushe to inuade her vppon a soddaine and if by chaunce hée saw her and saluted her in the stréetes shee crossed saite on the other side and closed her eyes as agaynst some hurtfull encownter yelding hym no other countenance then she mighte haue auowched to the most infydell in the vttermost Ilandes of Tartaria whych brought the sely freare into suche mortall perplexitie that dispaire beganne to appeare wyth thapproche of sondrye perentorie diseases chiefly for y t the hyer of his earnest loue was retorned with sondry sorts of crueltye and disdainefull repulses occupyinge his brayne with suche contrarietie of thoughtes that he was voide of councell to what saint to vow himselfe or vpon what wood to make his arrowes seinge he was neither hable to mortifye nor vse moderacion in his passion and muche lesse was assisted with any meane to communicate the greatnes of his gréefe to her whose beautie had made hym the slaue of follie wherein albeit he sawe a vanitie to vse the office of a Dariolleta or bawde for that the vertue of the maide argued a detestation of suche Embassadors and to write to her appeared a great difficultie for that she was alwayes in the presence of her mother who vsinge the vertue of her doughter as a solace of her olde yeres was no lesse carefull of her honestie then be longed to so precious a Iewell yet felinge a continuall aggrauation of desyer wyth a flatterynge offer of loue to rewarde hym in the ende with the praye of his purseute he determined to suborne a shameles messenger to bewraye his shameful intente and therefore put his requeste vpon tearmes in a letter of this effecte Yf my destenies had don execution vppon my bodie when firste they brought me to the viewe of your beautie I had not ben a presente experience of your crueltye nor you thoccasion of my vnworthie torment for if death by nature had preuented the begynnynge of my loue I had ben frée from the force of passion discharged of all mortall greefe and you dispensed with al from the imputation cause of a double ill the one to abuse the vertue of your selfe do wronge to the renowme of al women by preferring effectes of rigour the other in disdaynyng the seruice of him whose life and death payseth indifferentlye in the ballaunce of your good will dissemblynge also not to sée the circunstaunce of my loue to driue me to desperacion and at the point to vse vnnaturall force againste my selfe Howe often alas haue I made you priuye to thinwarde affection of my mynde by the outwarde regardes glaunces of my exterior partes Howe often haue you acknowledged the same by argument of semblable glée and immediatly denied the whole by a soddaine showe of angrie complexion eyther disdayning vtterly
assailed by the other who perswading her to scilence said her brauery was to great for one of her calling and that they came not thither to take pitty of her complaints neither shold she escape so good cheape as she thought she desired theÌ„ to abstein from violation of her body geue her what death they thought good they excused them selfes of any intent to do mordore only saye they we are com hither to bend you by force that will not bow by any entreatye wherefore if you thincke you haue any wronge referr the cause to the longe contynuance of your crueltie which is now at point to be reuenged pytty it was to heare the dolorous tunes of the poore maide with the miserable skrikes which she thrue vpp into the ayre to witnes her innocencye wherein shee contynued wythout any eccho of reschewe til y e detestable pallyard had spoyled the flower of her virginitie and then he begaÌ„ to perswade her to pacyeÌ„ce willing her her eafter not to become so curious of her chastitie nor refuce to admit y e offer of his freÌ„dshipp wherof he promised so largly that if she wold he wold take her from her father and kepe her at his charges presenting at thinstaÌ„t a purse ful of money willing her thensfurth to caste awaye all cause of care and dispose her selfe onlye to cherishe and make much of the rest of her life for the whiche saith he you shal fynde me as careful as you shal thinke conuenieÌ„t and if hereafter you haue a desyre to mary doubt not to repose your selfe therin vpon me for I wil so wel prouide and assiste you wyth so good a porcion that the same shal be plentifull inoughe to susteine you and releue the needfull condicion of your parentes but she no lesse loathing the offer of his filthy promise then detesting the villen that wold not cease yet to corrupt her hauinge by this time recouered her sences defyed him wyth his mynisters of infection saing that although his villeny force hath defiled the chastitie of her body and geuen him theffecte of his lasciuious desier yet shold he neuer be hable eyther wyth his money or other wayes to corrupt the sincerytie of her hart whose innocencye saith she wyl tryumphe ouer thy execrable acte afore him who is to yelde the the due hyer of thy trauaile is it in thy power to satisfie or leue me coÌ„tented y t froÌ„ me which al y t world caÌ„not eftsones restore me No no it is god of whoÌ„ I must claime satisfactioÌ„ in punishing y e two trayterous Borre ans and rauenous spoilers of y e virginitie of me pore wretch who was borne to abyde y e setence of my destinye y e galland thinckyng to appease thextremitie of her passion began to prefer perswacions of coÌ„fort which she defied with such spite and bitter termes of iust reproche against him that lothyng to suffer her eyes to féede vppon him that had infected all the partes of her body tolde him that the only veiwe of his villanous lookes made her forgett all order of pacience which he toke as a comission to depart fearyng withal y t the noyse of her coÌ„plaints might bechauÌ„ce com to y e eares of som that passed y e way who vnderstandyng the discourse of the rape wold make reporte to the bishop whose profession and othe is chefelye to punishe offendours in the like accydentes here the sorowful IVLIA being void of companie sauyng the doleful ecchoes of woodes and ryuers that answered her cryes wyth lyke complaint renewes the warre of her present desaster which tearing her heares without respecte and quarellyng with y e dowery that nature had gyuen her wold gladly haue touched her with ymputacion in makyng her incydent to so wretched a destenye in exclaiming still vppon the malice of her Fortune yf thabundaunce of teares accompayned wyth sighs of pytyfull disposicion hadd not so stopped the course of speche that for the time she was dryuen into scilence and beyng by litte and litle restored againe to the libertie of her tounge and the source of her sorrowe somewhat retyred she made a short inuocacion to God in this sorte oh heuenlye father sayeth she I sée that the rigour of thy iustice hath preuailed aboue the benefytt of thy mercie and that thou doste awarde me this harde penaunce for the punyshment of my faltes passed w t what face alas shal I behold my poore father whose compfort as it consisted in my wel doing so his gréefe wil be without comparison hering of the hard termes of my myschaunce in desolacion shal he knitt vpp the remeynder of his olde yeres that commyng into any place the remembrauÌ„ce of my falte drawing the blood of shame into his face will make him blushe and eschewe the companye wher afor he neded not haue douted to haue marched amoÌ„gest the best and shall I dissemble that whyche I entende not to hydd or kepe it secret that toucheth me so nere No no as thinâ—â—cencye of my mynde is recorded afore god so because the world shall also witnes how clere I was from consente I wil vse no other water to washe away so great a spott then the sacryfice of death which I will followe with no lesse expedicion then the treason of the villaine hath bene cruel in takinge from me that whyche made me to lyue wherwithe dismissing her complaint she ceassed also froÌ„ teares and put herselfe in order to go to the house of her father who by euill â—ucke was not then at home there she puts on the beste garment she had and attyring her self in order to go to some great méeting or banquet shittes the doare of her cotage and leading her yonger syster in her haÌ„d went furthwith to an awnt of hers who as one ouercharged with sicknes and yeres was not hable to sturr out of her bedd affore whome as she was in the middest of the repeticion of her chaunce reueiling the whole order and circumstance of the fact which she cold not do without great effusion of teares for that the very remembrance of the deede restored a freshe alaram of her sorowes she fel sodeinly into a qualme or passion of soundyng wherein she remayned traunced wythout all argument of lyfe til by the helpe of the assistaÌ„ce she was eftsones delyuered to thuse and libertie of her senses when quarelling stil w t the horror of the fact desire to be reuenged by death she seamed to rebuke her owne ymbecillitie and faintnes of corage saing what signe of vertu is this to seame to shrink when argumeÌ„ts of constancy ought chiefly tappere who wyll desire to lyue that hath lost the renoume of honor which ought to be the most precious Iewel and badge of the lyfe or what pleasure is it to possesse the presence of the body alredy spotted with infamye when the soule wery of her habytacioÌ„ is redy to resigne her auncyent aboade what felicitie haue they in lyfe that being
kinde of embassages and lesse wonte to be courted wyth requestes of the like courtesie began here to enter into suche a disposicion of collor that at the fyrste she was readye to wreake her malice vppon the letter committynge it into a thousande peces and retourne the messenger without any aunswere albeit reseruing by chaunce some sparke of modestie which oughte to be incidente to all women she opened and redds the contentes of her clyante not without signes of greate alteracion in her face arguynge lyuelye enoughe the contrarietie of thoughtes which semed to quarel in her mind for within lesse then a moment of tyme she chaunged coolor twize or thrice some tyme pale lyke the crosse of Dyana whiche beinge set againste the sonne loaseth by and by the glorye of his borowed lighte and retourned immediatly to a crymsyne not muche vnlike the florishinge dye of the fragrante rose glisterynge in his orient coolour in the pleasant mournynges of the springe notwithstanding hauyng redd and ouer red with thies alterations the some of his demaunde beinge not hable any longer to conceile or moderate the passion of her yre clawed her neyghbour wyth this crabbed aunswere I woulde neuer haue thoughte that vnder the outwarde showe of your vertuouse conuersacion whereof you haue bene no lesse noted then commended by the mouth of all men hetherunto had lorked suche foule frutes of abhominable substance and specially in a desier to become a celecarier of letters in the fauor of loue wherin as you haue semed to waighe the reputacion of your selfe the renowme of mine honor in thindifferente ballance of your owne lighte iudgemente Euenso if the lawe of frend shippe did not stopp my mouthe and make me dissymule that whych I thinke or yf any other had bene the messenger of thies affaires I assure you the publicacion of the facte shoulde haue made her honour no lesse notorius and subiecte to perpetuall infamye hereafter then I seme to make deare accompte of my chastetie which I woulde you shoulde knowe is armed with more assurance then to bée shaken with any assaltes of thies follies wherefore if you be as carefull to liue in quiett withoute skandall hereafter as I am absolutely resolued not to dimynish the title of my honor by any acte of myne owne lett this first falte diswade you to wade any further in an enterprise of so small commendacions seyng that she that is eyther mynister or messenger in these amarouse trafficques or a furtheror of such practises of loue is no lesse guiltie affore God and her conscience then yf she were eyther pillowe or bolster to the detestable facte And for mine aunswere to Siegneur de Virley whose demaund I deteste no lesse then his follie deserues yf he haue opened his eare to thinchauntment of loue lett hym expulse thennemye with a countercharme by raison or elles make the best of his owne bargaine for seynge hys disease commes of him selfe let hym exspecte no consolacion at my hande for I had rather be a frende to death then fauour the leaste iotte of his demaunde wherein for a confirmacion of my resolucion I intende hensfurthe to barr hym al meanes of accesse to my presence wherewith on my behalfe you maye salute hym The lady messenger seyng her selfe in this sorte clawed where it itched not no lesse ashamed of her sharpe repulse then sory y t her medicine was of no better operacion on the behalfe of her patient semynge notwithstandyng to be litle moued with the angrie complexion of ZYLIA desiered that God wolde reduce the difference and inequalitie of their diseases into a Sympathia and equalitie of passion I meane saieth she madame that you maye be taken oute of this conceite of cruell disdaine whiche makes you incapable of reason and he restored to his libertie which he can not redeme but by thastistance of your goodnes wherewith she toke a shorte leaue and departed and beynge arryued at the lodging of her knighte she founde him all plunged in extreme dollour vpon a felde bedd with more argumentes of death then likelihods of lyfe who whether he felte some sygnes of yll lucke by the secrett instigation of his hart whyche commonly preferres diuers conceites of feare when the minde is occupyed with dowte or whether the sorowefull countenance of the messenger dyd signefie her yll successe in hys sute or what it was I can not tell but as his neyghbour was entringe into the reporte of her aunswere he stopped her mouthe and preuented her meanynge with this exclamacion followyng What state is more wretched then he that lyueth dowtefull of hymselfe with dispaire of dispence from disquiett by any assistaunce of tyme or other mediator on his behalf who is wrapte in suche miserie or hath more cause to complaine then he to whom fortune hathe vowed a contynuaÌ„ce of her malice w tout hope to reclaime her fauor is there any pennance greater then to be punâ—shed w t continual passion or plage of more mortality then to consume by pecemeale in y e flame of languishyng dule Ah infortunat gentleman how vnhappelie art thou falleÌ„ froÌ„ the felicitie of a lyfe ful of pleasant libertie w t exchaung of thine auncient blysse for a tribute of tormentes more supportable then death how happie and thrysblissed was thy estate enioying the sweete maydenhedd of thy affection and vse of fredome without awe or controlement of any where now alas the touche of a contrarye experience yeldes me the effect of a thousande deathes without lycence notwithstandynge to dye whereby I sholde dismisse euerye plage that staieth the fattall desyer of my dyeng hart wherein hathe fortune this cause of displeasure againste me yf not that shée is disdainefull of the quiett whyche wee wretches fynde vppon earthe and suche an ennemye to the common contentement of vs all that only to manifest her power amongeste vs she vppon a soddaynes choake oure pleasant thurste and desyer of free lyfe wyth pilles of passions and annoyes of more bitter taste then any gall tempered with the moste stronge ruberbe that euer came oute of Alaxandria comittinge vs in th ende to a martirdome of more extremetie then the pange appointed by deathe to breake in peces the force and strengthe of the harte whereof who is a more familiar experience then the miserable Philiberto who in exchaunge of his former quiett and contentement of will hath coughte alas a captiuitie more cruell then he that is condemned to end his dayes in the bottom of a dongeon Ah madame how your countenance argueth the small regarde whyche Zylia hathe of my paine full well do I sée alas that she neyther maks accompte of my letters nor vseth pitie to my distresse and muche lesse giues any creditt at all to your honest frendeshipp whyche I confesse I haue greatelye abused in procuring you displeasure for the ease of my disquiett let loue beare the blame and I the iuste pennance of myne owne indiscrecion that so
dyed she had not lyued to haue reuenged his wronge nor lamented her owne desolacion for the same affection whyche moued her to suche care of his life woulde also haue procured her to haue bene his companion to the graue whereby one tombe at one instaunt shold haue serued to shroode the ij bodies last remaynder of the whole race house of the MONTANYNS And that which scamed to restore her dollorous passion with a freshe supply and increase of newe sorowe was the heauie newes of diuerse of her neare kynsmen touching the spedy approch of the extreme date delay of the sentēce diffinitiue which as they had not onli indeuored to differ yet som lōger time but also to purchase a moderation of the rigour so beyng no lesse frustrate in the one then voyed of assuraunce or hope of the other they sayed there rested nothing on their powers to performe or discharge the office of true frends on her behalf sauing to perswade her to consolacion and to vse patience in cases of aduersitie chiefly wher there appeares absolute dispaire of all remedie and the sinister suggestion of malicious fortune hath suppressed a hope and expectation of deliuery wherin as an vnfained witnes of their presente dollour they let fall certaine teares to accompanie the pitifull dule of her who vpon the reaport of theis last accurrauntes forgat not to fyll the aire ful of hollowe sighes with open exclamacion against the lawe of nature that seamed so careles of her creatures as not only to leaue them without armour or sufficent resistance against the ordinary assaultes of the world but also to make thē subiect by speciall destenie to the sentence dome of a most vnrighteous and hard fortune but albeit aduersity besides that she is subiect to sondry sortes of calamitie is also so quarellous of her one disposition that for the respect of one simple or peculiar wronge she makes vs to exclaime generally against all liberties and lawes of God and man yet ought we so to checke that same humour of inordinat rage that mortifieth within vs all regarde of dutie and reason that we dispaire not in the goodnes of him who beyng the giuer of all comfort and GOD of consolation is more ready to dispose it on our behalfe then we hable to deserue the gift of so greate a benefit and who in the middes of the teares of this desolate Ladye beyng with the reste of her frendes wholly resolued to endure the rigorous sentence of their fate presented the CATASTROPHE of y e tragedy with such an offer or meane of spedye deliuery of the prisoner that it did not only excede thexpectation of all men but seamed also the worke of suche a wonderfull misterie that no man was hable to imagin the deuise afore their eyes gaue iudgement of theffect ▪ for the same day aboute the nynth or tenth hower of the euenyng ANSEAMNO SALYMBYNO whome heretofore you haue harde to bee sore passioned with the loue of ANGELYQVA hauing spente certaine dayes of recreacion in the contrey is now returned to SYENNA where passyng by the gate of his ladye he chaunced to heare a lamentable noyse of women bewailyng the misery of the montanynes wherwith pursewyng the brute with a more diligente eare spyed at last commyng out of the pallayes of ANGELYQVA certain olde dames his nexte neighboures all to bee sprent and died with the dew of sorowfull teares as though they hadd then cōme from the funeral of some of their frendes of whom he enquired the cause of suche vnacustumable Dule and whether what new misfortune wer happened of late to y e house of y e Montauyns and being at larg resolued of that which you haue hard by speciall reporte went imediatlye to his chamber where he began to discourse diuersely of this soddaine chaunce sometyme determining the deliuerie of CHARLES for the only respect of his syster whose good wil he thought he cold not purchase any waye so well as by the benefyt and pryce of so greate a frendshyppe by and by hee accompted the death of her brother a moste necessarye meane to make him the maister of his desire ouer his sister wherin after he had spente somtyme in secrete cogitacion without any certeyne resolution notwithstandyng what to do he seamed to aske open councel of himselfe in this sorte What cause haue I hereafter to dowte of the thing I chiefly desyer seyng fortune seames to take more care of my contentement then I am hable to wishe or imagyn vndertaking as it seames to presente me wyth theffecte of my busynes whenne I leaste thoughte of any hope or likelihod of good successe for by the death of the MONTANYN who is to be executed to morowe in publike as a rebell or heynous offendor of the state I shal not only see the laste reuenge of the most mortall enemyes of our house but also liue without feare hereafter to be molested by any that shal discend of hym and on the other syde his death takes away al impedimētes offering either to stay or hinder me from enioying of her whom I loue so dearely for her brother being deade and his goodes and liuinge confiscat to the state what stay or support hath she if not in her beauty and loue of some honest gentleman who takyng cōpasion of the losse of so Rare an ornament and worke of nature may entertaine her for his pleasure vntill the glasse of so brikle a gyfte dekay with his delyte in her companye and then for the respect of pytye to bestow her in mariage with some compotent porcion But what SALYMBYNO shal the offer of any vnseamely reueng preuaile aboue that respect and duty thou art borne to beare and owe vnto true vertue or wilt thou so much abuse y e former glory of thy auncestors and present renowne of thy selfe with an acte no lesse detestable afore GOD then hatefull to the cares of all degrees of honestye and wilte thou thus deceaue thexlpectation of thy frends and leaue them in continual reproche to the posteritye of all ages with a note of suche infamye that tyme her selfe can skarce race out of the remembrance of man if all thies lacke authority to diswade the let only the respect and awe of vertue with remorce of conscience kepe the frome comitting so hainousanoffence for to wh at other end haue the auncients put a diffrence betwene the gētlemen creatures of baser condition but that in exposyng fruites of cyuill courtesye wée should also stryue to make our selues noble and excede theim in thimitacion of true vertue and as it is far frō the office of a noble hart to thunder Reueng vpon such as are not hable to resyst thy power so there can be no greater argument or proffe of true magnanimytie then in buryenge the desyer of vengeaunce in a tombe of eternall obliuion to expose moste fruites of compassion where there appeares greate cause to extende the vttermost of rigour and where
rather perswaded my deare brother for that the tearmes of thy laste requeste dependinge vpon yssues of extremeties do argue bothe a iustice to performe thy desyer and an incyuilitie in the in makinge so vnreasonable a demaunde the one chalenginge a consente in me by thympression of nature and bonde of dutifull zeale on my behalfe towards the the other charginge the wyth iniquitie for the respecte of that whiche thou wouldest haue me to do But seinge euerye requeste craueth a retorne of aunswere and the greater qualytie or condition the cause is of the greater delyberacion oughte wee to vse â—â—iefelye where it ymportes eyther thabsolute breache or firme confirmation of the league of lyneall consanguynitye I beseche you graunte no lesse patience to the wordes of my replie then I haue bene contented to fauor your vehement protestacion with a dollorous scilence neyther let me any longer inveighe in myne aunswere then I shall seame to preferre good reason to iustefye my iuste complaint the cause wherof doth marche with more alarams of annoye thorow all the partes in me then if I wer presently pinched with the most greuous tormentes of the worlde seing that my life with therposition of the same is nothing in respecte of that which thy ymportunities do labour to set abroche and put in vent for the onely satisfaction of a prodigall liberalitye for if the price of my life woulde suffice for the raunsom of myne honor and appaisement of thy appetit thou couldest no soner ymagyn thy contentement then the same shoulde be exposed on thy behalfe neyther wolde I take halfe the tyme to performe it which I haue vsed in making y t the promise I thought alas the late delyuery of my brother had brought to vs all an vndowted dispense of further trouble and that he had buryed in the pitt of his ymprysonmente all occasions of further disquiette And who wolde haue iudged but in the laste assalte and vniuste offer of vndeserued deathe fortune had spitt the vttermoste of her poysened malice and that in deuestinge herselfe frome the theatrye or throane of rigorous crueltie she had also broken in peces the bloddye arrowes wherewith of so longe time shee hathe persecuted our desolate howse pronounced trewyce at last to the wearye miferies of the wretched state of the MONTANINS But alas vnhappie creature that I am I fynde nowe our destenie is rather deferred then our miserye at an end seing y t that vniuste goddes of vnworthy reuenge and moste cruell stepmother inuadinge mee wythe more fury then affore doth threaten my yonge and tender yeares with more perentorye plages then euer shee thondred vppon any of my former race for if euer shee pursewed oure fathers graundefathers or anye predecessours with mortall affliction or intente of vtter ruyne it is nowe shee hathe chosen her tyme to put to her laste hande to the extreame extirpacion of the miserable reliques and remeyndor of oure pore house eyther by the wilfull losse and perpetuall exile of y e my deare brother or vntymely death of thy dysolate ANGELIQVA who canne not make prostitucion of her chastetye wythout the sacrafyce and oblation of her miserable life what is destenye if this be not the consent and iudgement of the heauens w t resolutioÌ„ to subplaÌ„t y e stock graâ—tes of our house seing y t I a simple girle w tout force voide of assistance of age or experience is constrained to admytt th one of two euils whereof the choise oughte and is hable to amase the moste wise and experienced creature that this day enioyeth the benefytt of mortall life alas my harte faileth me and reason forsaken and flede from me hath lefte my minde ballauncinge in suche confucion and contraryetie of thoughtes that beinge broughte to thertremetye of two distresses of equall perill and indifferente terror I doubte whether to coÌ„mit my life to shorte and sharppe penaunce or prolonge my dayes in pyninge dollor and secrete care of minde for the sentence which thou haste pronounced of both our estates is eyther to make a seperation by extreme exile of my brother who is no lesse deare in my harte then the ten drest part of myne eye and in whom nexte after GOD I haue reposed the whole assuraunce of my hope and consolacion of life or els in conseruinge him I see my selfe at pointe to bee constrained to make marchandise I can not tell in what sorte nor for what price of that precious treasure whiche once loste is not to be reclaimed by any meanes and for the garde wherof al women of vprighte minde honoring vertue or desierous of reputacion oughte rather to expose theimselues to a thousande mortal perilles and hazardes of deathe if nature and life were hable to abide soo manye encownters then to suffer one spotte of infamie to staine or corrupt this precious ornament and gifte of chastitie which as it is the only support and decoration of y e life of an honest woman so for a contrarye she that loseth the possession of so riche a Iewel or deuesteth her selfe of the title and crown of so great a glorye althoughe she seame to liue and kepe place amonge other creatures yet is she dead in effecte and her life recorded in the booke of blacke defame as a witnes againste herselfe in the latter days and in the meane tyme a continual reproch and obiection of shame to such as she leaueth to succede her in kindred or name How can that Lady or gentlewoman marche amongeste the crewe of vertuous dames whose honor is eyther in doubte or reputacion in dekaye by the losse of her honour but that the blod of shamo appearyng in all parts of her face wil not only discouer her faulte but makes her wearye of her lyfe by the remorce or remembrance of so foule a forfaiture How could the doughters of the Emprour AVGVSTVS seame iustly meritorious of the title of true nobilitie or worthely deserue to be called the children of such a father after their sondry villaines and lasciuious trade of lyuing hadd dispoyled them of the giftes and ornamentes of vertue presentyng theim to the eyes of all the world as creatures not worthy to haue the common ayre to breath vpon them what honor hadd FAVSTINA in wearyng the Imperial crowne vpon her head seyng she had loste the crowne and garlande of chastetie by her disordred and dishonest life Sewer she ought not to enioy the breath of lyfe nor participati with the presence or benefitt of the earth that makes lesse stoare of her honestie then of the deareste part belongynge to her soule or bodye neyther is shée worthie to be admitted amongest the felowshipp of vertues Dames that departeth with so precious an ornament at other priceâ— then the exchange or loasse of her lyfe notwithstandynge the writers of former tyme haue done manifest wronge to diuerse simple women whose vertue in preseruinge their honest name with true title of pudicitie deserueth rather an euerlastynge remembrance
thoratour the faire and good are so conioyned together that the one glorifyenge in the other are confirmed both with equal estimation why shoulde I not pursue the loue of my deare CAMILLA whose exterior regardes argew a greater vertue then to refuse the offer of my simple and honest seruice supported with an intente of vnfayned loyaltie so longe as nature shall assiste me with one moment of tyme in this worlde But alas what reason hath she to graunte to that whiche I dare not demaunde or howe shoulde she satisfye my requeste beinge altogether ignoraunte of my meanynge and seynge by conceylinge my desyer my greefe is growen to an agrauacion of torment why staye I to disclose the cause to the ende I maye eyther receyue the soueraine CATAPLAME for my sore or els the laste and fatall syroppe whiche maye sende me to complaine mine euill in the other worlde wherin as he made here his plat to communicate his loue with his mistres so the veray presence of CAMILLA feare to offende her toke awaye theffect of that resolucion conuerlinge his complot into a misterie of some dreame or vision inuisible whereby what with the increase of his passion and feare to bewraye thoccasion his greefe grewe to a disease presentyng argumentes of debilitye and diminutioÌ„ of strength w t lose of auncieÌ„t colour in his face so far furth y t he seamed not the same LYVIO which earst was so welcome into all companies no lesse for hys grace and perfection of nature then his guifte of pleasante discourse seinge that nowe in so shorte a tyme he is so transposed into the habite and disposition of a malencolike and solitarie harmit that there appeared no lesse impossibilitie to haue hym assiste any assemblye accordynge to the commendable custome of nobilitie or youth of gentle discente throwe all the franchises in ITALY then to mortifye in one instante the furye of his solitary passion in suche sort that the young Ladyes and gentlewomen companyons to his syster began to deskande of his coye and religious trade of lyfe some of theim accusinge hym of folishe disdaine noted a sorte of sauage and hagarde disposition and some seinge as fare into his disease as the phizicion into his water referred the cause of this soddaine chaunge to the mortall and ineuitable woundes of the cruell son of the faire CYPRIS wherwith CORNELIA troubled withoute measure that the alteracion of her brother was the onely wonder of the multitude greuyng no lesse for her parte then the reste seamed amazed accoasted hym one mournyng in a close arbore or alleye of his gardin where he was recording his amarous coÌ„ceits and disposed her selfe tunderstande the cause vnder these termes I hope sayeth she my present coÌ„myng excedyng my ordinary custome will not moue you to conceytes of presumption against me chiefly for that I desier to coÌ„municate with you in that which your self ought to disclose to such as are deare vnto you to th ende that if the meane to restore you consiste in straungers the remedie may folow with expedicion but if a sleighte slaue may cure a slender sore that your gréefe is of no other coÌ„sequence then a passion of ymaginations why do you not take vp the vaine that fedes the humour of such fonde conceites of your selfe dismisse the darke cloudes of youre troubled fansie For I assure you the shame whiche I haue on the behalfe of your doing is nothyng inferiour to the panges you féele chiefly for that your solenme trade of life ringing in mine cares by a general reaporte of all men makes me not only refuse diuerse asseÌ„blies whiche I ought to visite but also loath the companie of my deare coÌ„panions who forget not to reproche me with imputacion of our change protesting vnto you that if you coÌ„firme it with any loÌ„ger time I wyl also assiste your solitarie trade and kepe my self so recluse that in forbearing to visite my frends abroade I wil also forbid thaccesss of any at home for what delit do I fynde in any coÌ„panye when al degrees salute me with your desolate order of liuyng and iudge you what pleasure I take that earst did glory w t the best in y e behauior of my brother most welcome aboue all men to euery estate now to heare you loaden with titles surnames of proude disdainful ful of faâ—â—ies with a thousand other imposicions of like reproch Wherfore for end if ther remaine in you any care of your owne estimation or respect to coÌ„tent me I besech you eftesones sticke not with me in so small a sute as y e discouerie of the cause and circumstaunce of your annoye assuring you for my part by the vertue of our parents decessed that my life shal refuse no peril to remoue your distres that with no lesse good will then I desier with my harte a spedie coÌ„uersion of your malencolike countenance into regardes of auncient ioye imparting by that meanes an vniuersal gladnes to al your freÌ„ds who are driuen to participat with you in sorow til they sée a restauracion of your former quiet wherwith LYVIO takyng thaduauntage of thaffected zeale of his syster who gaue him assuraunce of her promisse in that whiche he durste not demaunde knewe not at the firste what replye to preferre but that it was not against nature for a man to flitt from happye lyfe to heauye state neyther oughte it sayth he to seame a wonder to the people when we expose alteracion of complexion for suche are equall to angels or semblable to the brutall sorte with out sence that are priuiledged from passion or can kepe so temperate a meane in receyuyng and disgestyng thaccidents of this worlde which accordynge thoccurrance and euenem entes of tymes do expose argumentes of mirthe or sorow in the faces of them whome they possesse and albeit I confesse vnto you that as he beares his miserie beste that hides it moste so suche are worthye to haue the name of perfecte men who enconteringe their disaster with a constante magnanimitye of minde do dissimule their greefe afore the worlde to th ende they only may giue remedye to that which is common to none but theym selues wherin for my parte I coulde neuer enioye a participation of suche perfection neyther is thoccasion of my extremitie so easely couered but the drouping regardes in my face are readie to make declaration of my torment besides I haue no greate cause of shame of mine euill consideringe the same importes an enterprise of noble consequence albeit I make some conscience to discouer the principall cause But considering the roundnes of your offer and howe boldly one of vs maye participat wyth an other I am contente to imparte with you the circumstance of my passion wherin as you haue charged me with chaunge and alteracion of countenance debilitie and diminucion of the strongest partes in me with a sauage and hagarde order of lyuynge as you haue tearmed it
her bead in a litle cabynett ioyninge to the lodginge of LIVIO who by the thinnes of the wall which only deuided their chambers was pertaker of the leaste worde that was spoken in the lodgynge of hys sister whose greuous groanes forced by the violence of a burnynge feuer gaue such increase to the daunger of LIVIO that he was at point to yelde to the laste alaram of life if the sicknes of his sister had not broughte the spedye remedye of hys dysease for CAMILLA astonied without measure that she neyther mette CORNELIA at the churche sawe her at the gate nor wyndowe nor any assemblye what soeuer learned so much by inquisicion that she was aduertised of the mortall daunger of LIVIO together wyth thertremitye of hys syster who yf they were not reskewed by greate merueyle were at poynte to be shrined together at one instante in theyr fatall tombe Here CAMYLLA began to recante her auncient creweltye for in ceassynge any longer to dissimule her secrett affection to her LIVIO and the sorowe shee suffered for thafâ—â—iction of hys syster she seamed to purifie the wronge shee hadde donne to theym bothe thorowe a ryuer of affected teares distillynge by suche aboundance from her watery eyes that she seamed at the poynte to visitt the purgatorye of thother woorlde to doo penaunce for the twoe euilles whereof she confessed her selfe to bee thonlye occasion wherein after she hadde spente certainne howers in publicke complainte whose dollour seamed of force to moue the heauens to teares and staye the course of the sonne fealynge still an increase of passion by the vehemencye of loue shee was constrayned to abandon the place and performe the reste of her exclamacion agaynste her crueltie all alone in her chamber with thys tearmes What furye or force infernall is thys whyche shakyng the fortresse and most constante parte in me hathe made me in one moment yelde to that wherin I haue bene hitherto inuincible is it possible alas that that whyche I iudged a dissembled passion in thys infortunat Gentleman shoulde torne to a true effecte of vndowted faith confirmed by the power of that whiche we call loue in the hartes of men why haue not I considered that the horse whyche is of noble corage will be gouerned by the shadowe of a Rodde where the dull beaste is skarcely sturred with the princkyng of the spurres the fearefull dogge doth also barke more then bite and depest riuers do ronne with leaste noyse so nature hathe imparted a peculiar instinct to the noble minde not only to be more delicate in diet and ardante in affection but also to embrase the obiecte of their fancie with a more vehemencie of desite and passion then the rest of the rude and grosse sorte who are not worthy to be partakers of the misteries in true loue Ah LIVIO LIVIO howe doo I feele a mocion of that whych I can not tearme other wayes then a free force without constrainte and a dollour without cause of complainte for I am possest with an euill wherein I take pleasure and feeles an experience of a paine without the which I thinke the lyfe of man can hardely be sustained and yet my mynde wauereth in suche dredefull conceites that I feare to make declaracion of that which bothe law of loue and dutie of my conscience bindes me to expose for the solace and relyefe of thy presente affliction but alas the renoume of myne honeste name is so deare vnto me that I wyshe rather to embrase the extreme panges of death then giue one symple occasion of discredit to mine auncient vertue for that as mans wisdome is hable to supplie y e losses of all other thinges so it is not only vnfurnished of meanes to restore the forfait of our honestye but also voyde of arte to couer the falte of so greate an offence but is it a iuste imputation or worthye falte when in our busynes wee respecte vertue and concludes the ende of our enterpryse wyth an honeste meanynge ys it not a deede of compassion to gyue soccours to hym that standes in watter vpp to the throte and at the pointe to peryshe for want of help what can we do lesses then be careful to recouer hym who offereth hys lyfe in the sacrefise of affection for our sakes who can iustly tearme our doynges by the title of offence when we yelde a mutual amitye to hym that pursueth our goodwill wyth a respecte and intente of lawfull mariage no no CORNELIA thowe shalte not lose thy brother nor I the companie of so deare a frende for lacke to aunswere in reciprocal wil to him who with the peril of his life coÌ„ceiles the argument of hys sorow Ah most constant loyall LYVIO seyng the reputacion of myne honour denieth me accesses and coÌ„ference with the and y e shame doth close my mouthe from discouerynge the secret of my good meaning towardes y e take courage discharg thou thoffice of a bolde soliciter to her that is no lesse readye to graunte then thou meritorious to haue and dispoiled alreadye of all hagarde crueltie is not onely prest to reknowledge the honour whyche thou offreste me but also whollye framed to the POSTEY and appetit of thy will and nowe do I fele that againste the force and power of loue the strongest resistaunce is to weake neyther is the whole worlde of sufficient strength to put to vtteraunce the soldiours whome he preferreth in the feylde whereof who is a more late experience then my selfe who earste defyinge hys malice am nowe to attende vpon the chariott of hys triumphe and yeld me prisonner to hym who beyng hither unto my bondman hathe nowe made me the slaue of his importunat requestes And seynge the sentence is alredye paste and confirmed by the voice of my destymes why do I conceile my passion in the myddest of a thousande flames whiche tormentes me within or why do I dissemble that I desire moste or retire myne eyes from the view wherein they chieflye delite why do my feete staye to transporte thys body to the place where the harte hath already taken possession wherwith she determyned the spedye consolation of LYVIO wyth no other drogue or confection then a free consente of her loue yf the same were eftesoones demaunded and there vppon collored her goynge to hys logynge to see CORNELIA whome as shee founde in her bedde wythe more argumentes of deathe then apparance of lyfe by reason of a generalle weakenes whyche hadde mortyfyed the whole strengthe of her body so she hadde not spent in any wordes in the consolation of her companion but LIVIO smellynge as it were the presence of hys ladye asked hys syster who was wyth her who aunswered that onely CAMYLLA kepte her companye wherewith forcing a supplie of courage in his fainte harte with intente to knowe the fynall areste of his lyfe or death began to plede wyth hys absent mistres in this sorte Yf there be any hope in extremetye or expectacion of
with a chaste kysse of her seruant and frendlye farewel to CORNELIA she retireth to her fathers Palais leauynge her louer well lightned of all his cares sauyng of a necessarye meane to sounde the good will of the olde REINALDO wherin notwithstandynge he vsed suche expedicion of diligence that afore hymselfe could enioye the benefyt of perfect health he procured certaine auncient Gētlemen his neare parents to performe his reqneste to thold niā whom they solicited with suche instance in sorte of mariage that he admitted theyr offer and confirmed the bargaine with theis wordes that onely LIVIO shoulde be the firste that should renounce the bale albeit saith he because of thinfirmitie of mine age I vse the cōsent of my son in all my affaires of importance so I craue onely your patience in the fynall conclusion of the mariage til his retourne frō Rome at which time only your selues shal name the day of consommation in this aunswere albeit appeared an impediment to the performance of the mariage for that as you haue harde CLAVDIO enuyed the state of LIVIO which argued a difficultie in him to approue shallyance yet CAMILLA vnderstanding the resolution of both their parentes gaue as sewer iudgemente of the mariage as if it had bene alredie published in the churche and therupon began to enlarge her familiar hawnte and repairs to LIVIO whom if she embrased afore with earneste zeale it was nothinge in respectt of the vehemencie of her present affection which also deuyded hymselfe into such a SYMPATHIA and equalitie of loue in theim bothe that it spredde abrode by indiffrent braunches in bothe their hartes like as the morninge son in the easte giueth by litle and lytle contynuall encrease to his beames comforting the creatures vppon earth And in this often enterviewe together LYVIO enioyenge nowe his auncient health and dexterytie of body being one daye amongest the rest with his lady in the cham ber of his syster toke his lute and songe a ditie whiche hee had made of their reciprocall passion wyth suche contentemente to hys CAMILLA that she desired hym eftesones to repaite it in semblable note aswel for the delyte of the tune which he performed with a voice to her contentacion as also the subtill stile and fyne conueighe of the matter arguinge a conclucion of that which they bothe wished wyth equall appitit seinge that as their continuall haunt and frequentacion together gaue increase to their desyer so they were both of opynion that loue colde not beare the title of perfecte affection if theffect of that whych was indiffrently wished of theim both did not make perfect the thyng which hithervnto was debated but by wordes other wayes that whiche was passed betwene theim beinge but a naked loue whithout effecte other then certeine delicate kysses whyche serued rather to kyndle the coales of desyer then quenche the flame alredye burning within their intralls seamed but a simple platte or playne table whiche the conninge painter hath smothed for the nonst to drawe some ymage of exquisytt skille wherein being ouercharged with intolleracion of desyer and fynding thabode of CLAVDIO longer thenne they ymagined they passed vnhappely a pryuye contracte betwene shem selues with erspectaciō to consomat the ful of y e matter with a due hyer of y e paines they indured indiffrently in attendinge an effecte of their pleasure at the retorne of CLAVDIO from Rome But here fortune began to presente her selfe vppon the stage as one that wil be knowen to beare a swaighe in the good happe or infelicitie of man and vs of suche vnconstante and malicious regard towardes vs that when we thinke we bee paste the feare of all perill and trodden all desasters vnder our féete it is then that we fynd least assurance in the thinges wherein we reapposed our chiefest pleasure and in the turninge of her weale is figured the alte racion of oure wordlie affaires I meane by a conuersion of thinges which earste seamed pleasant and delicat into a taste ercedinge the bitternes of gal in such sorte that often tymes wée fynde deathe of more easye burden then wée are hable to beare the panges whiche ordenarilye attende the flatteries of this vncerteine FORTVNE whom the Poetes and painters not wythout cause haue drawen in y e picture of a blynd woman standing vppon a tickle staie of an vnconstant globe or bowle representinge thereby her fragilitie and how blind lye she guides the thinges of y e world what authorities colde inferr to exclaime agaynst her mobylitie if it were not for the shortnes of tyme and that I wil not cloye your memory wyth so tedious a discourse howe manye haue wee féene at the point to enioye a monarkye kingdom or siegneury who when they leaste thought of commutacion or change haue loste their honoure expulsed their estates and at laste ended their lyues by a miserable death Who haue redde the sixte booke of VALERIVS MAXIMVS may iustefye my opynion by thexample of QVINTVS SCIPIO a valiant capteyne and consull in Rome who longe tyme hauinge fortune at commaundement was seene in a moment cut in morselles seruinge as vnworthie foode to the rauenouse beastes issuinge oute of the sauage desarts RADAGASO sometime king of the GOTHES for all thassuerance he reapposed in his inuincible armye as he thought was not expempted frome the dome of inconstante and mortall destynie for that his people slaine his capteines fled and he taken prysoner passed vnder the sentence of an infamous deathe by STILICON generall of tharmye at that time for themprour HONORIVS wyth other infynit proffes of antiquitie wherwith it is no neede to fyll my paper seinge the domesticall accedentes and like chaunces happeninge amongest our neighboures at hoame do giue sufficient testymonye and faithe of that whiche wee go aboute to proue And nowe beinge vpon the discourse of LIVIO and his vnfortunat CAMILLA who albeit were ney ther princes nor gouernors of kingdomes yet beinge in the paradise of their pleasure and at the pointe to performe the last acte of their delytes encountred in one moment a chang and synister subuercion all contrarye to the appointmente whiche they had resolued vpon their future mariage And sewer it is an argumēt of the greatest folly that can bée to promisse our selues an assurance of thinges whiche depende vppon the will and dispocition of an other vppon whiche the yssue is also most vncerteine for that differing frō vs in coun cell and ymaginacion they are also without care in what sort wée take their iudgement seinge they depende no waye vpō vs nor our fancy like as it happened to these .ii. infortunat louers for CLAVDIO nowe retorned and not likinge any way thallyance betwene LYVYO and sister wrought so muche with his father who sawe not but by the eyes of his son nor attempted any thinge wherinto CLAVDIO added not the conclusion that REINALDO renounced the words of his former consent pacifyenge the parents of LIVIO by the beste
they short of without eyther mache slint or pouder and of whose folyshe and vnshamful lyghtnes procedes the argument of so many comodies and Enterludes playd in open stage not so much to the confusion of them selues and parentes as open scandall to their husbands and houses for euer wherof the familyer example is to be noted in the sequel of this Pandora who was not only in short time vtterly detested of y t ROMAIN but also a commeniestinge stocke and pointed at by his meanes of al men for her rashe familiaritye vsed towards hym who not long after the fyrst foundatioÌ„ of this frendship was cald home from exile by Leo de Medicis their soueraigne vycar of the Sea of Rome perdonyng his offence and restoryng the vse of his former lybertye at whose departure vnloked for Pandora entred into no small passion of dolour not for any seruent affection or loue whiche she bare to her Romain frende but bycause his sodaine goinge awaye lefte her voyde of all lycours to quenche the burnynge flame of the gredy goote of her vnnatural concupiscens and chiefly because Monsieurle Page began also to ware cold in the combat whiche he had wonte to maintayne wyth suche courage But fortune here was so frendlye to the fulfyllynge of her licencious appetit that she styring vp a fresh supplie of her desire presented in the listes a yonge knyght of Myllan called Cesar Parthonope who by chaunce hyrynge the lodging of the late Romain succeded hym also in desyre and diligence for he at the fyrste vewe regardynge the flateringe beautye of this ALCYNE his neyghbour suffered himselfe vnaduisedly to flyppe into the snares of loue honoryng that in his hart with true sinceritie as a deare Iewel which his predecessour worthely hated wyth dewe detestacion And entrynge here into the pagant of loue his fyrst part was to gyue som outwarde arguments of his inward affection wherin he begaÌ„ to make many pale walkes afore her gate rouynge wyth his eyes at her chamber wyndowes accordyng to the amorous order of the vayne Spanyard vtterynge by the dolefull vewe of his troubled countenaunce the greate and secrete desyre quarelynge inwardlye wyth his vnrulye thoughts But what nede a man vse polycie wher slender sute wyll preuayle or who wyll bend his battery to that fortresse wherof the captayne demaundes partly and sues for composition And besides wheÌ„ the vaile of shame is once remoued from our eyes what let is there to staye the sensual cours of our bestly appetits And they that suffer the raine of reasoÌ„ to slacke or wholly to slip out of their hands semes as traÌ„sformed in a momeÌ„t so weakned touching the liuely mocions forces of the spirit y t the exterior prouocacions appetit of desyre preuaile wholy aboue the inwarde resistance accions of the soule lyke as this glotton impudent Pandora who seing her somtimes saluted with a pleasant eye of her new neighbour forgot not to requit him with such wanton glaunces of suche open vnderstandynge that the knyght doubtynge not of the successe of his interprise assured himselfe alredy of the victorye wherin he was somwhat holpen by the hand of fortune who prouiding a iorney for the husband of Pandora touchinge therecution of a commission in a forein countrye kept hym absent in those affaires the space of a yere or more wherein Parthonope forgot not to vse thoportunitye of so conuenient a time being ignorant with al of the great libertie of his mistres who drew him on al this whyle by fine traines to thend to make him more eager of bit had no waye to vnfold y e cause of his passion but by a letter which he made the messenger of his grefe and soliciter of his desyre in this sorte The curious Artificer coninge worke woman Dame Nature I sée wel good madame was not so careful to worke you in her semelie frame of all perfections as the powers deuine difposers of the daungerous loftye planets assisting her endeuour with certaine peculier ornaments of their speciall grace weare redye to open their golden vessell of precious treasur powring by great abuÌ„daÌ„ce their heauenly gifts vpoÌ„ you striuing as it semes whiche of theÌ„ for thencrease of his glory shold dispose himself most liberaliy on your behalf like as according to the Poets they contended of olde for the adoring by seueral ornameÌ„ts the late Pandora whom for all respects they agréed to be the odd ymage of the world but specially for beautie which if it dazeled y e eyes of the gods shining as a twinkling starr in thelemeÌ„ts aboue yours I thinke was reserued as a torch of glistring flame to giue light to y e creatures of the midel world wherof for my part vewing w t to ardent affectioÌ„ y e sundry celestial ornameÌ„ts imparted to you by the Gods w c the percinge beames of rare beautie gyuen you for your dowrie of Nature I doubt whether mine eyes duâ—med altogether w t admiracioÌ„ wil first crie out for y e losse of their former sight or my whole bodie plunged in the passion of affectioÌ„ wil accuse the heart with the rest of thinward senses consentinge so easely to the cause of their disquiet wherein my lyfe wayeth indiferentlye in the ballance of a thousand annoyes and mine auncient libertie in the meane whyle kept close in an extreme captiuitye Albeit measuring your heauely shape with thutwarde showe of singuler curtesye that semes to occupye al your partes I can not resolue of any crueltie to consiste in you neither canne I iudge by the argument of your beauty but y t my captiuitie shal be spedely caÌ„uerted a happie deliuerie like as also my hope half assureth me triumphinge with honor ouer the doubtfull obiect of my thought to tast at your hands of the pleasaunt frutes of the thinge I chiefly desyre which is in accepting me for your seruant secret frend to admit me into such place of pitye as the dewe merit of my vnfayned seruice deserues by Iustice wherin your act shal seme no lesse meritorious afore the throne of the hyghe goddesse then honorable wyth generall fame for euer in the worlde for releuynge him who without your assistance being wholy transformed to thappetite of your wyll fyndes the burden of lyfe of such vneasye tolleracioÌ„ that y e least repulse of his sute at your haÌ„ds iports his fatal summonce to resigne the tearme of his borowed ye res in this worlde Neither doth he desyre to haue the fruicion of his earthly dayes any lenger then to imploye the same withal humilitie in the seruice of you whome his hart hath alredy pronounced the souerein Ladye of his lyfe wherof you only maye dispose at your pleasure Your vnfayned Cesar Parthonopee Whiche letter he deliuered vnto his Page experienced alredye in the conueye of like affaires who accordinge to the sharp passioÌ„ of his maister vsed therpedicioÌ„ oftime in the dispatch of his charge whereupoÌ„
CAMONIKA gat by the helpe of those sprites and lymmes of the deuill inhabytynge that hellishe ylande certayne flowers gathered in the waine of the moone wyth droagues and other tromperie of witchecrafte requisite for coniurers and suche as occupye the pernicious trade of enchauntynge all whiche legerdemaines and deuises of Sathan were as auaileable to the furthering of thenterprise of Pandora as there is certentie or assuraunce in thopperacion of that darke and hellishe science what inuocation so euer they make of the name of God who beynge the father and author of all troth wyll neuer haue the triumphant glorye of his name polluted wyth the cursed ceremonies of suche ydolatryes neyther wyll he bowe downe his eares to the peticion of such Diabolicall deuynours who practisynge to seduce the simple sorte wyth charmes of sorceries do preferre the absolute destruction of theyr owne soule And trulye thalmightie whose iudgementes are inscrutable is content somtyme to suffer those confurers and enchaunters the veray officers of hel aswel for the scourge of our synnes as to manifeste theyr owne infidelitie to worke many greate and incredible wounders As we reade of the magicians in Egypte before Pharao thenchaunteresse stirrynge vp the sprit of Sâ—muell muell in the presence of Saule kinge of the Hebrues and Simon the coiurer honored as a God of the folishe prince and people of Rome to th ende the faythfull flocke strengthened and confirmed by the grace of the holye sprite maye glorye in theyr assured belyef in the true God by the peremptorye fal of those infedels together wyth all suche as vnhappelye lysten to theyr pernicious doctrine Here PANDORA seynge all her deuises accompanyed with a crooked fortune retourne a successe contrary to her meanynge began to enter into a newe passion of suche rage and dispaire that she had euen nowe dismissed the residue of her dayes by the fatall dome of her owne handes yf she had not bene eftsones interupted by FINEA who for thappeasinge of her present dule preferred vnto her the ayde of a graye frier a greate ghostly father in that Cytie whom she affirmed to haue wroughte meruelous effectes by the healpe of certeine distilled waters tempered wyth the iewice of stronge hearbes growynge secretlye within the intrailles of the earthe the nature of hidden stoanes and mettals pouders and séedas not knowen to manye wyth diuerse other suffumigacions incident to witchecrafte and who in déede was noted to haue bestowed more of hys tyme in the studie of that darke art and philosophie of Sathan then in tourninge ouer the sacred volumes of holye scripture and testament of the Lorde whiche oughte to bée the only exercise of those that are cladâ— in the habite of religion Beholde here an example of greate vertue in oure Abbaye men who beinge appareilled in a simple habite in signe of humilitye doe carie the deuill in the cowle of theyr hoodes And who accordynge to saint Augustin beinge the chiefe pillors that susteine supersticion are also the greatest frendes to ydolatrie dimâ—ynge the puritie of religion which they oughte to honor and professe with sincere ymitacion with a cloude of suche darknes of the deuises of the deuill that thonlye vapour of theyr poysoned infection is hable to corrupte the whole ayre wyth a contagiouse pestilence Howe shoulde the ignoraunt bée guided in the righte waye to saluacion if they whiche oughte to open the lyght of the gospell do giue manifest examples of errours or how can the glorye of God bée renoumed amongest men Yf they whiche standynge in the pulpit of truth and ought sincerelye to preache the lawe of the Lorde do conuerte theyr dutie towardes the true Religion into practises of Nygromancie and tearmes of inuocation of deuils vnprofitable memdres certeinlye deseruinge rather to bée vtterlye weded out of the common welth then norrished in the idle trade of an abbaye lownde to be suffred vnder the vaile of Godlynes and deuocion to practise haynous conspiracies againste God and man But what doe I medle thys parte of my historye wyth thoffice of the preacher to whome it chiefilye belongeth to treate vppon the sondrye abuses committed daylye in Nonries and other lyke tenementes of Babylon To this holye father then commes Pandora with a countenaunce all cladd wyth sorowe declarynge the circumstaunce of her loue passed the cause of her present passion with the whole discourse of her former lyfe hitherunto crauynge wyth greate intercession in the ende thassistance of his arte for moderation in the martiredome which she endured by the feruent affection she bare to the knighte The freare notwitstanding his vowe and straite othe of his order had not his conscience so armed wyth the vertue of charitye nor his handes so cleane washed from the couetous desyer of fylthie gaine but he receyued certeine peces of golde of Pandora whome he persuaded shoulde buye certeine drogues and other necessaries whiche he thought conuenient for the makynge of hys Diabolicall confection but to be shorte theis charmes and deceitfull perfumes of the freare were of equall operation in this enterprise to the hearbes and other healpes lately gathered in the vale Camonika by the woman of Pandora who seing her selfe vtterly defyed of fortune in receiuyng semblable successe in all her magicall deuises expectynge withall a spedie retourne of her husbande determined to reuenge the desloyaltie of her louer vpon the frute sturryng in her owne wombe beynge nowe vj. monethes since she conceiued thinkyng she sholde neuer be voyde of desyer to sée PARTHONOPE or at least to reuenge his treason vntill she had vtterlye extirped the rootes of that séede whiche he had sowen in the soile of her tender sydes Oh crueltye more then barbarous Is it possible that a Gentelwoman of so tender yeres deriued of honest parentage norrished in ciuilitie and that whyche more is a Christian borne in the harte of EVROPE shold so muche forget the feare of God and regarde to his lawes as in augmentynge the haynous faulte of the wronge alredye don againste her husbande by so many and vnchaste adulteries to committ in the ende an execrable effusion of the blood deriued of the droppes of her owne substance Oh howe cursed and vnhappye is the condicion of them that declinynge for wante of grace from the pathe of reason do suffer theim selues to bée ledd by the lyne of fleshelye appetyt the chiefest meane that makes vs forgett God and all good order For this PANDORA desyrous to couer her faulte albeit not hable to hide her bigge bellye assayed to destroye the creature mouynge within her by crushynge her sydes wyth greate force drynkynge cawdels made for the nonst and swallowinge diuerse other pouders of such strong confection that theyr vehement operation within her had bene able to preuaile aboue the strengthe of the highest complexion of the worlde Albeit seynge her exspected successe of this beastelye pollecye was also denied her she deuised a laste meane for the accomplishment of
chyefe and principal vertue to withstande the mallice of fortune with magnanimitie of mynd thought it not also the office of a noble hart to yeld to the sentence of aduersitie or geue any place to the iniurie of present time consideringe that in euerye distresse fortune bearethe the greateste swaighe whose mallice is neyther of perpetuitie nor yet to be feared of such as haue their harts armed with assurance in vertue for as she is no lesse vncertaine of her selfe then her doinges full of mutabilitie so accordinge to thaduice of the philosopher she is to be vsed with suche indifferencie of all estates that wee neade neyther laughe whē she smyles nor feare when she threates neither hathe she anye to followe the chariot of her victorie but the caityffe or Towarde and suche as are denied the assistaunce and benifet of trew vertue This gentleman whom mine author termeth by the name of PIERRO BARZO wearie euē nowe with drawinge the heauie yecke of harde erile left the rest of his contrymen and companions of care complaining their mutuall myseries together and retired to the rythe and populous Cytie of MANTVA where his cyuell gouernemente and prudent behauior accompanied with a singuler dexteritie in exploytes of armes and other exercises of the ualrye arguinge thunfayned noblenes of his mynde gaue suche a shewe of his vertue that he was not onlye in shorte tyme intertained of the marques and gouernour there but also made generall of the whole armie of footemen where enioyinge thus the benefyt of his vertue who commonly yeldes no lesse successe to such as imbrace her with true ymytacion and treade the pathe of her loare with semblable sinceretie of mynde he had there with him at the same instante his wyfe beinge also of MODONA deriued of no lesse nobilytie then he and nothinge inferiour in all gyftes of nature and ornamentes of vertue for touching her bewtie seaming of suche wonderfull perfection that it was thoughte nature was dryuen to the ende of her wittes in framinge a pece of so great excellencie they dowted not to geue her therby the tytle of the faire Helene of grece nether was she lesse meritorious for her vertues being blessed therwith so plentifully at the handes of thalmighty that it was doubted to the writers of that tyme whether god or nature deserued the greatest prayes in forminge so perfecte a creature If this were a consolation and singuler contentment of the pore MODONOYSE waighinge earste in the ballance of his vnhappye fortune denied anye more to enioye the fredome of his countrye dryuen by force from the auncient succours and solace of his frendes wandringe in wooddes and deserte places vnknowne and that whiche worse is lefte onely to the mercie of hunger and coulde with exspectation to fall eftesones into the handes of hys enemyes and nowe to bee taken from the malice of all theis myseries and restored to a place of a bode richesse and entertainement sufficient for sustentation to beare office and authoritie amongeste the best and rampierd besydes within thassured good will and opinion of the chiefe gouernor of a countrye I appeale to thopinions of those who earst haue changed their miserable condicion or state of aduersytie with the benefyt goodnes of the lyke fortune or if againe he had cause to reioyce and make sacrifice to his fortune that had gyuen hym a wyfe noted to be the odd Image of the worlde for beautye behauiour courtesey and vprighte dealyng constant wythout cause or argument of dishonesty and that whiche is the chiefest ornement and decoracion of the beautie of a woman to bee of disposition readye to obeye her husbande yeldinge hym suffraintye with a deutifull obedience with other vertues that made her an admiration to the whole multitude and her lyfe a spectacle to the Laoyes of our age to beholde Imitate the like vertues I leaue it to the Iudgemēt of that smal number of happy men who by a speciall grace from aboue are ordeined to enioye the benefyt of so rare and precious a gyfte This couple thus reioysinge the retourne of happy lyfe resigned with all their teares of auncient dule and embraced the gyfte of present time with intent to spend the remainder of their yeres in mutual cōsolacion contertement of mynde wherein they were assisted wyth a second blessyng of God who for the increase of theyr new comfort sent them a doughter who in beautye vertue and all other gyftes of grace dyd nothynge degenerate from the patterne and mould from whence she was deriued wherof she gaue great showes as nature seamed to increase her yeres and conferme her in discrecion But what assuraunce is ther in the pleasure of people seinge the worlde hit selfe is appointed his date whiche he can not passe or why shoulde we repofe a perpetuitye in our worldlye afaires seinge that both theyr continuance and confidence endes wyth the lengthe of tyme And fortune who is alwayes Ielouse of the ease of man and not content to let vs lyue longe in quiet is alwayes laying her ambushe deuisyng howe to interrupte oure felicitie and as she is blinde of her selfe and lesse certeintie in her doinges so she forgettes not to discouer her conspiracies when we leste thinke of her and invade vs when we accompte vs moste sewer of her frendshippe wherof she gaue a manifest declaration in the person of this faire Ladye from whome she toke her deare husband in the flower of his yeres and she not yet confermed in age and discretion hable to beare and withstande thordinarye assaultes of the worlde whiche she founde also of more vneasye tolleracion aswell for the feruent zeale and affiance whiche lawe of kynde dyd bynde her to beare to her late spouse and loyall husbande as also for that she sawe her selfe lefte amongest the handes of straungers farre from her parentes and frendes voyde of refuge in her owne countrye and with oute a heade to defende her from the malice of men whiche commonlye rageth wyth more extremytie againste weake and desolate widowes and pore fatherles orphanes then againste theim that are hable to withstande their malice and represse theyr violence wyth equall power And albeit she was left to her owne lybertye to lyue as she lyste as you haue harde and not yet felynge the burden of xx wynters an age fyt to engender susspicion of the euell diposed yet hauinge no lesse care to preuent the malice of slaunder then to kepe in entyer the small reuenue lefte vnto her by her husbande she toke order wyth her domesticall affaires according to her present fortune and so dismissing her ordinary traine of seruantes retyred to a brother of hers whiche dwelte also in the same towne wher after the funerals of her dead husbande were performed with sufficient teares and dueties appertaynynge she qualifieth somewhat her dule for him that was dead with the dayly view of her yong doughter the lyuelye ymage of her
inconstancie neyther can a bodye of so rare perfection harbor suche dyssemblynge disposicion But as the desyerous harte is seldome at rest so the doubtefull mynde is dreadefull of deceite and quareliynge continuallye with his good hap or synister fortune is alwayes in ymaginacion what iudgement to resolue vppon the condition of his owne estate so my case is of no lesse perpleritie for wafting indifferētly betwene happie chaunce euil successe I fele my selfe double passioned somtime moued to reioice my good hap in beīg loued of so honest curteouse noble a gentlemā as Cornelio and by by driuen to inueighe againste my euill fortune that hath put suche distance and seperacion of oure bodies when we weare at point to performe the consommacion of our acquaintaunce And albeit the common chaunces of this worlde resemble a confection made of hony and gall and that the banquettes of loue beinge garnished with dishes of both sortes will vs to make choice wyth deliberacion alledgynge that the pleasure is not so great as the repentaunce penaunce of harde disgestion yet I thinke the vertue to performe the vowe of the hart takes awaye the greatnes and haynous disposicion of the faulte wherefore seing my hart hath made his choice and the reste of my partes resolued to performe the quest I wyll not onelye dismisse all doubtes of the assurance of his good wyll but studye to excede hym in affection deuisinge the meanes from hensfurth to make hym féele the force of my goodwill with the desyer I haue to knitt an indissoluble vnitye of the ij mindes whose bodies are forced to lyue in seperacion by the malice of the worlde and angrie dome of our fortune Here yf PLAVDINA inueighed onely vpon ij pointes of her desaster the one for the soddaine departure of her frende and the other for the doubte she seamed to put in the assuraunce of his loue it is to bée thoughte that CORNELIO had cause of treble complaint bothe to be driuen to saue his lyfe by cowardlye flighte to steale awaye in suche secret scilent maner as only his guide was pryuie to his goinge also to bée distressed with such shortnes of time that he was barred to seame thankeful to his Ladye with a simple farewel whiche was sufficient to sturre vp her Ielous humour againste hym but that whiche exceded the rest in greatnes of gréef was that he had no man of trust to carye her newes of his being and muche lesse durste he communicat his buysynes wyth any straunger neyther had he hope to be aduertised of the accurrantes of MYLLAN nor meane to make reaport of his owne estate at MANTVA for that he durst not discouer the place of his present abode there wherefore cryeng out of the constellation and clymat of his destynies he complained his vnhappie case in this sorte If my offence were as greate as my punyshmente is greuous I wolde thinke no submission worthie of place nor my falte meete to be dispensed withall or if I had as iustlye deserued this wronge as I am sewer to suffer the smarte I had no reason to commence cause of complaint agaynste the malice of y e world much lesse accuse the iniquitye of present tyme nor yet crye out of y e synister disposition of fortune to whom as the poetes seame to attribute some power ouer our worldly affaires bestowinge their indeuor therin I thinke rather to féede the time and ymagynacions of the people with a shape or figure of an vnconstante creature then wyth intente to perswade a credit in so senceles an ymage so I am also perswaded by the present experience of her inconstancie that she is not so liberall to geue as readye to take awaye a lesse hable to contynue the felicitie wherwyth she seames to flatter y e conceite of y e simple for whō she hath brought to beleue in her she makes manytimes more desirous of glory then hable to receiue it wherin who maye more iustely exclaime agaynst her mobylitie thē y e vnhappie CORNELIO whō being fauored w t y e offer of a reciprocal affection and at the pointe to be put in the possession of his desyer shee hath not only taken the praie out of my mouthe but comitted me wyth cruelty into the vale of extreme desolacion of what moment are y e greatnes of princes or to what end serues honor or highe callinge seinge bothe the one and the other are subiect to confucion and readye to yelde at the leaste poffe of winde that bloweth from a contrary shoare Yet if I were a simple cytisen or companion of meaner callinge thennemie wolde neyther watche my doings wyth so manye eyes nor pursewe my deathe by publike or pryuate inuacion and I suffered to liue as free from the troubles and tumultes of the worlde as farr from any care or accompte of the doings of great men where nowe alas thonly heighte of my estate tipped wyth the tytle of honor depryueth me of thuse of my contrey societie of my frendes and contemplacion of the thinge I holde no lesse deare thenne the healthe of my soule But if any thinge colde stoppe the couetous humor of man and euerye one contente wyth the lot of his porcion would cease to inuade the dominion of an other kinges shoulde sytt sewer in their troanes and the pallais of princes voide of suspicious feare and care and then myne owne PLAVDINA shoulde not I liue wythout the companie of the nor thou haue cause to doubt the firme constancie of thy seruant whose reputacion of honor and faythe towardes his prince denieth hym for the presente to honor the wyth the duetye whych thy vertues deserue and albeit it is no lesse follye then tyme loste to trauell in dispite of loue and fortune whyche bothe haue conspired my distruction and ioyned in confente to kepe mee frome enioyenge the fauor of her who merites the seruice of one more noble and worthie euery way then I and because no distāce shal dissolue my affection nor dymynishe the leaste braunche of good will nor yet time her selfe haue power to ouertreade the vertue of my faythe I will so dispose of the reste of my life as the same shall make absolute declaracion of the vnfained constancie of my mynd wyth the sincere vowe of loyaltie whiche I haue sworne and dedicated to the seruice of her deuyne bewtie euen vntill the laste and extreme seperacion of my soule and bodie wherin because aduersatie is rather subiect to many miseries then apte to admit any consolation and that the goodwill of fortune comes rather at vnwares then won by speciall sute I wyl perforce contente my selfe wyth the gyfte of presente time and vsinge the remembrance of my mistres as a speciall moderation of the hardnes of my exile so honor thymage and picture of her bewtie painted alreadie in thintralls of my harte that thonly remembrance and inward view of my deare PLAVDINA shall norishe the remeindor or my
simple desyer of the mynde nor in the foolishe prouocacions of our vaine conceites but passing further the pleasante reward and tryumphe of that victorie consisteth in the consommacion of the worke wythout the whiche loue seameth no other thinge then a bare plat or table whervpon the painter maye drawe what propercion hee lyste And truely as there is no manne happie in loue nor hathe cause to vaunte of the victorye but hée that encountrethe thobiecte of hys desyer soo mee thinketh a manne shoulde not loue that hee hathe not nor desyer the thynge that is vtterlye vnknowen vnto hym I saye thus muche Syr because youre resolute affection towardes youre Ladye of MYLLAN seamethe rather to argue ann humor of frenzye then vertue in loue and vayne opinion then true effect aduisynge you for ende to haue a care of your selfe and speciall regarde to this laste request of myne that is in leauyng the shryne to honor the sainct and to cloase your mouthe from gapinge after that you can not get as the vuquiet dogge in the night that barketh at the shadowe of the Moone The Oration of this bawde semed suche Musicke to the eares and mynde of CORNBLIO that he rather wished a continuance of her iargon then an abridgement of her tale but seynge she gaue ende to her owne discourse with exspectatioÌ„ to heare hys replye he dysmissed her with this shorte aunswere albeit your present repeticion of thabuse in loue seaminge in some respect to bee assisted bothe with rayson and Iustice dothe discouer diuerse faltes in sondrye women wherof as you say the most part deliteteth asmuch to Ronne ryot and seeke a chaunge of pasture as the other takes pleasure in the vertue of true constancie yet oughte wee to vse suche an integretie betwene the good and euill that the faltes of the wicked do not deface the renowme of theym that deserue but well and as you saye it is harde for a manne to loue that he hathe not so I note no lesse-rashnes in you to giue iudgement of the thinge you knowe not but by examinacion for I am fullie perswaded that no distance of places nor aduersitie of times haue power to dyminishe and much lesse dissolue thaffection of her whose presence I hope hereafter to enioye with no lesse pleasure then her absence seames now to gyue me cause of annoye And albeyt I haue not yet tasted of the frute whiche all louers do wyshe and fewe happen to fynde yet dare I accompte my selfe as depelye in the fauor of my absent mistrys as the best of that happye companie and suche weakelinges as accompte no vertue in loue but in thencounter of their lasciuius desyer and can not rest satisfied except they crop the hearbe of pleasure are alwayes founde more liberall in wordes then constant in loue and more hoat in the begynnyng then hable to continue to the end neyther do I see any experience to the contrary but that the passion whiche I suffer ought rather too beare the true title of loue then the surname of a simple desier seynge the delite I take in the remeÌ„brance of her beautie is no lesse pleasure vnto me then if I had alredie performed and tasted of the delicat effect of loue which I am determined to attende tyl eyther the goodnes of a better fortune restore me to my desert or the force of death giue end to my desolacion willing you herewith to correct your iudgemeÌ„t and cesse to inueyghe against her whose constancie vertue only defaceth the vsurped comendacion of the most of your corrupte sect for the rest the iustice of my cause I hope wil make my excuse tollerable in the opinion of her that sent you and for your paiues I can but yelde you the choice of a thousande thankes wherewith mother retrician tooke her leaue and retired with lesse contentemeÌ„t in her bad successe then assured hope to preuaile in the beginning towards her MANTVAN lady to whom recounting eftesones y e particularities of her discourse with CORNELIO she coÌ„cluded that he beyng limed with an other bushe had no power to make a grauÌ„t of his good wil without a special pasport froÌ„ MILAN where saith she he hath lefte both body hart and appereth here but in the liknes and shape of a figure with out sence or feelyng and lesse hable to admitt the preferment of honor or proffer of raison which albeit seamed greatly to grudge the conscience of the lady chiefly for that she was intercepted of that which she accompted no lesse sewer then the articles of her credear to be beleued yet waighing y e reasons of his excuse with y e raging ouersight of her selfe in indifferent ballance she made of necessitie a vertue retired to a pacience parforce forgetting not to punish her falt w t the pennance of repeÌ„taÌ„ce comend to y e skies the incoÌ„perable loialty of CORNELIO with no lesse gratulation on the behalf of her y t had made choice of so constant a seruant who for her part also al this while was in no lesse care of his weldoyng then busily occupied in deuise how to recouer his presence requite the passion of his painful torment which he chiefly desyred iustely deserued wherein as she for her part wyshed no lesse to embrace hym then he meritorius to possesse her So albeit there passed certaine letters betwene theim seaminge rather to doble the desier of theym both then yeld moderatioÌ„ to the passion of either of theim yet she found the meanes to coaste the malice of her fortune with a contrarye sleyghte by procuryng to her husbande a iorneye of xx or xxx dayes traueil wherevpon she dismissed imediatly a corrior to CORNELIO with the reaport of y e newes in this letter folowing Albeit sir calamitie of her owne nature is so quarelous that she ceasseth not to assaile thafflicted with continual sommonce of perentorye dispaire yet oughte we not reappose so slender assurance in the assystance of vertue as eyther to make a marchandise of the goodnes of our fortune muche lesse sell the hope of future filicitie nor yet vtterlie dispaire of the benefyt of time who as she is thaÌ„â—eful enoughe to suche as suffer her with pacience so hathe she presentlye entred into suche compassion of our mutuall distresse that somonyng my husbande with a iorney of a monethes trauel in forreine affaires she hath opened vs a most sewer meane to meete and reioyce together without daunger wherein as all such seldome proffers of frendshypp ought to be no lesse welcome when they come then they seame of tickle aboade wheÌ„ we haue theim so if you wish to be resolued of y e which you doute and haue no lesse care of your owne contentement my aduise is you embrace the benefyt of so conuenieÌ„t a time persuadyng your selfe that if you were here I wold communicate with you more liberally then I dare discourse by letter and onelye yourselfe is of creditte to
who in the furye of a storme wil not sticke to preuent the destruction of the whole with the losse of the lesser parte and bestowynge his wares of precius value in the sewrest comethes of his shyp makes no consciēce in suche an extremety to expose the reste to the mercie of thangrye waues so knowynge that yf CORNELIO were not discouered the matter woulde neyther growe to suspicion and muche lesse to daunger or cause of feare she willed hym to mounte into the middest of a narrowe chymney where beynge denied scoape to sytt or to leane sometimes for his ease the litlenes of the place gaue hym onely licence to stande vprighte vpon a barr of yron rammed with stoane and morter in bothe sydes of the chymney where hauynge his sworde drawen in his hande he resembled thymage of some Iupiter holdynge a thonderbolte betwene hys fyngers readye to throwe at suche as disquietynge hys sleepe do hunte the litle cryckettes chirpynge in the walles and creuisses of the earthe and herselfe as more hardye or rather readye of wytt in extremeties discendes to the court wyth all the keyes of her howsse in her hande amongest the rude watche where after she had founde the capteine she forgate not to fordge sondrye causes of grudge against his discurtesye reprehendinge his inorderly dealynge with many waspishe words but chiefly for that at so indecent an hower and vnseamelie order he soughte to abuse the reputacion of her husbande in breakyng open the doares of his pallays that in his absence wherewith albeyt her complaint seamed to importe a semblance of iustice with no lesse reason on her behalfe yet the neyghbour or firste accusor aduowchynge eftesones his confession forced the capteine halfe agaynste his wil to follow the searche whereuppon he had the keyes deliuered with libertie to ransecke eche corner and cabynet of the house at his pleasure wherein he omitted neyther diligence in execution nor pollecye in the searche for there was no coffer escaped without his bottom torned vpwarde euerye bedd and bolster was tryed with the point of a sharpp dagger ye no benche nor hollowe place apte to hyde a tennesball was dispenced from the malice of thies rakehells of the watche But when the frenchemen in armor came into the chamber where our CORNELIO was cammed vp in the tewell of a chymney god knoweth whether he wished hym at Mantua with hys frende DELIO or no you louers that haue passed the lyke straites maye better iudge his passion then I hable to reaport the misterie but me thynkes I heare hym curse and Comitt to the deuil both loue all hys practises and beynge in continuall expectacion that some roostye halbarde shoulde bee throste vpp into the chymney where he stoode I thynke at that instant he powred owte more prayers to god for hys deliuerie then euer affore hee made requestes or peticions to hys Ladie to enioy her beautie neyther ys it lyke that his appetit continued or his amarus humor so feruent as hys desyer greate to be further frome the place of suche daunger albeyt as yt is a generall rule that one euil neuer cometh alone so this feare was not so greate as the future pennance of harde disgestion neyther had he scarce tyme to take breathe afore he was assailed with a seconde misfortune for vnderstandynge the watche to bee retired and the whole guarryson of thennemies without the gates wher vppon beyng at the point to discend from his smoaky pauillion as one that accōpted himself past the feare of fortune beholde the goodman alyghted at the doare who fyndynge the streetes pestered with people in armor hys doares open with hys house confused and all thinges out of order was no lesse astonied then he had cause and yet not so abashed at the straungenes of the thynge as hys wyfe in doble dispair of meanes to auoyde thys seconde inconuenience albeyt as increase of perill sturrynge vpp a freshe supplie of shyftes pearseth the vttermoste corner of the wittes so PLAVDINA standyng betwene the present offer of open shame and the malice of a most vnhappye fortune was dryuen to retire to y e benefitt of that gyfte which the Philosopher attrybutes in comon to al women sayinge that in an extremety the witt of a woman is so muche at cōmaundement that she is as sewer of a shyfte as certaine of her lyfe and makynge of necessetie a vertue she vsed suche artificial sleighte in bleiring the eyes of the goodman Iohn her husband that he allowed greately the honest diligence of hys wyfe and blamed altogether thabuse of the capteyne whome he threatened to requyte with semblable curtesye wherin as she dowted nothing of the tractable nature of her simple husbande beyng glad notwithstandyng to haue so smothly appeased the humor of his iust anger so she accompted her selfe neyther free from cause of feare nor quite deliuered from distresse till she had made a meane to manifest the comming of her husbande to her louer in the chymneye whom as she knew to be passed the feare of the frenchemē So dowting he wold dread no further daunger but discende ymediatly from his frozen mewe toke her goodman by the hand and led hym from place to place where the watche had lefte al thynges oute of order bringing hym at last into the chamber where CORNELIO stoode like a crowe in a gutter or an oracle to giue aunswer to suche as are desyerus to bee resolued of dowtefull demaundes And albeit the vyolence of the frost with the Nyppynge season of the wynter had so pinched al his partes with extremety of cold together with the passion of feare which he felte duringe his abode in hys narrow castell or cage of small ease y t the pennance he indured seamed rather to excede the haynous respect of his offēce then a sufficient punishement for his falte beyng only a desyer and no vyolacion nor act don yet the veraye voice of her husbande restored hym to suche treble perplexitie that he seamed to feele thapproche and vttermost sommonce of hys fates and passe thorowe the laste traunce and passion of life for beynge escaped from the daunger he feared most he sawe hymself subiect to thaudersatye he dowted leaste wherin also as the present viewe of hys seconde perill renewed a lyuelye remembrance of hys daunger paste presentyng more ympedymentes to hys delyuerye then meanes or wayes to escape So yf yt were not that necessitie geueth corage to the faint stomacke and dispaire bryngeth often tymes a cause of good hope I thynke in defyenge all the delayes and dallyenges of fortune he had at that instant abridged the pursute of his amarus enterprise and naturall course of hys owne lyfe by showynge a tomblinge caste from the topp or greeselye rooff of his grymie pallais But PLAVDINA had doble reason in her deuise both to aduertise her louer as yt were in a visyon that albeit he was bownde to too longe a deuocion in so vnseamelye a
liberall sorte that euerye companye whiche he haunted was pertaker of the renowne he gaue to Blanche Marya who hearynge at laste what estymacion she was in thorowe all LOMBARDIE by the reapport of VALPERGO began to enter into tearmes of rage fyndynge a greate difficultie to dysgeste thyngratitude of her loste louer whose doynges notwithstandynge shée allowed some tymes by iustice and sawe some reason in hys reuenge for that her inorderlie dealynge opened the fyrste way to his discurtesie and by by flattered her selfe with a vaine ymagynacion that menne were borne to beare what ymposicions so euer suche tryflors as she woulde laye vppon theyme and that seynge they were but seruantes they dyd but ryghte to endure and take in good parte any thynge sayed or don by theyr mistres albeyt feedynge still of her malicious coller with a certeine secret desyer of vengance determyned at laste to retorne hys discourtesye with no lesse interest then the losse of hys lyfe with resolucion to procure the spedy effect by the hande of hym whom she presumed to haue so muche at commaundement that a simple requeste of her mouthe woulde make hym the minister of that Beholde with what ympudentie and ragethys Tygresse goth abowte to arme one frende agaynste an other and that yt coulde not suffice to abuse her selfe towardes theim bothe in the filthie vse of her bodye but that with intent to morder the one she puttes in hazarde the equall destruction of them bothe confirmynge her abhomynable adulterye wyth manslaughter and wyllfull morder a synne moste haynous of all other affore GOD and manne wherein as her fretting mynde colde admitt neyther quiett nor contentemēt til her eyes wer witnesses of theffect of her deuise or at leaste she had put her intent vpon tearmes to hym whom she ment to make the bloddie boocher of her beastely wyll so attendynge the offer of conuenient tyme and place she was assisted at last so farfurth that one nyght as they were in bedd together and in the chiefest delite of theyr pleasant excercise she burste soddainly into vehement teares with sighes and other signes of dollour in suche sorte that wyth the counterfaite alarams whiche inwarde sorowe seamed to minister and set a broache her passion appeared so mortall that her ignoraunt bedfelowe thinkynge her soule and bodye to be at point to make present seperacion the one from the other enquired the cause of her grefe wyth addicion y t if yt came by displeasure or wronge don to her by any man his handes onely should gyue the reuenge wyth absolute contentement to her selfe hereafter wherewyth vsing the aduauntage of his promise wherein she accompted a sufficiencie to procure the ende of her enemye tolde hym that as nature had gyuen a certeine facilitie to the vile and base sorte of people to beare and brooke the offer of any iniurie so there was nothynge more contrarye to the condicion of the noble mynde then to bee touched wyth such villanie as puttes the honor in interest or the renowme vppon tearmes of publike infamie I saye thusmuche syr sayth she wéeting his face wyth the dewe of her waterie eyes for that the Lorde Valpergo who enioyed I can not denye the like frendshypp I showe vnto you hath not had shame to blab of his doinges slaundring me wyth no worse tearmes of infamye then yf I were the moste infected strompett that euer abandoned her bodye to the Marynors and raskall crewe alonge the costes of SCICILE yf he had but made a simple vaunte of the fauours he founde in me with participacion but to his frendes my honor had been but in question where now it is past all doubte besides if he had not added iniurius wordes to his indecent slaunder and made a common market tale of the thing which ought to be kepte most secret I could haue disgested the euill wyth an ordynarye pacience wherfore seinge the haynous causes of my gréefe import a speciall iustice and reason of reuenge lett not the enemie of the honor of your deare Blanche Marya escape wythout punishment but in accomptynge the wronge whyche I susteine indifferent to vs bothe to bynde me by the benefytt of this reuenge to a more affeccioned zeale towardes you with an assured loyaltye euen vntyll thextreme dissolucion of my naturall dayes otherwayes yf he lyue in the tryumphe of my slaunder what cause haue I to ioye in lyfe or comfort to expose the best part in me for the contentement pleasure of you who stayeth to do me reason to so manifest a wronge Here the young erle felte hymselfe double passioned whether he shoulde performe thexspectacion of his venemous BASILA whom he loued without measure or absteine from violacion of thinnocent blood of his frende whome the lawe of frendshypp forbad hym any waye to abuse Albeit to appease the present rage of the Countesse he promised an effect of her desyer wyth spedye punishment of hym who is not worthie any waye saith he to serue you but in thought féedyng her humour wyth franke wordes dissimulynge notwithstandynge that whiche he thought on the behalfe of the Lord Valpergo whose honestie he knew to be without malice and that his discrecion and wisdom woulde not suffer hym to sturre vp any synister reporte without great occasion on her part besides he considered that the iustice of the quarell rested in hym for that he had taken the pray as yt were out of his mouth albeit by her procurement and that after the other had discontinued his hawnte and course of repayre thether where with eraminyng the circunstance at large he founde the cause farre insufficient to moue any breache of frendshipp betwene theim but determinynge to continue the league he contented her wyth a dissembled promise and restored in the meane tyme the exercise of their former pleasure wherein he passed certaine moneths wythoute the tender of anye quarell to the Lorde Valpergo who retourned by this time to Pauya enioyed a mutuall conuersacion with therle Sanseuerino wyth suche indifferent familiaritie that for the moste parte they vsed but one bedd and one borde wyth one purse common betwene theim both whiche was not vnmarked of the malicious Blanche Maria who seinge so many fyt occasions with the offer of conuenient tyme and place assistinge therecution of her execrable deuise with prouocation to therle to performe his promisse gaue iudgement of the case as it was that her wickednes was not hable to force an ennymitye betwene the ij Lordes and that therle Gaiazo did but kepe her in breath with faire wordes onely to continue the glott of his pleasure whiche he tooke of her wherefore disdaynynge so greate an abuse in hym whome aboue all men she reserued as the chief piller of her truste she determined to make a second experience of the same meane whiche serued her torne in the dispatche of her first frende wherein she omitted neyther occasion nor expedicion for as often as he came to her house she was eyther sicke
to commit mischieues of greateste detestacion for the whyche notwythstandynge the rewarde of mordore was thondered vppon her at laste wyth a shamefull and miserable ende to her selfe and vntymelye deathe of hym who as the fyrst companion and next neighbour to her follie wyth equall perticipacion of filthie pleasure reapposed to muche truste in the villenie of her who preferred vice afore vertue and toke pleasure in the deuise of bloddie affaires whereof you shall haue the discourse at large in the last act of this historie BLANCHE Marya seinge her so rempierd in the harte of Valpergo that her only worde was currant to commaunde hym determyned to prefer hym to thoffice of a morderer vppon the person of hym who earst refuced the charge wherin addinge an expedicion to her deuise one night beinge in bedd together after she had embrased and feasted him frankly wyth the filthie follies in loue wherein she had more then sufficient experience shee discontynued her kisses wyth a soddaine scilence and drawinge her traison a farr of tolde hym that it is longe since she had to present hym wyth one request of speciall fauour wherin because shee doubted eyther to moue hys displeasure or receiue a repulse she hathe not onely defferred to be ymportunate but stayed to declare the cause whyche sayth she althoughe it touche you no lesse then the sauegarde of your lyfe and vnworthie infamye to your deare Blanche Marya yet is the respecte of your fauor of such authoritie wyth me that I had rather vse scilence with your frendshipp and contentment then bee thawthor of the thinge that should incense you to anger He gaue her not only libertie to make her demaund but assurance for hys part to performe the effect at what price so euer it were for saith he if the matter ymport any perill to me it behoueth me to vse care of my lyfe but if the honor of you be abused or your selfe destressed you can not ymagyne the diligence I will put to the reuenge of your wronge and vndertake all your quarelles wherfore doubte not good Ladye to ymploye hym who lyuethe but to serue you and is readye to dye to doo you pleasure Here shee asked hym of the frendeshyype betwene therle GAIAZO and hym and what assuraunce hee hadde of hys loyaltie suche experiences saythe hee as nothinge is hable to dissolue our amytie for I woulde not stande to be intreated to offer my bodie to presente daunger to remoue hys perill nor hee I am sewer woulde make anye conscience to redéeme my extremetie wyth the hazarde of hys owne lyfe neyther doo wée vse other thenne a common conuersacion of all thinges betwene vs but nowe to the cause of youre question wherewyth the traitresse seynge sufficiente wordes passed in circumstance thought e nowe tyme to broach a vente for her poyson wherefore kissynge hym in more amarous sorte thenne euer hée felte hym selfe embrased afore tolde hym the poynies wherein hée was deceiued touchynge the truste hee seamed to reappose in hys frende for saythe shée you are not soo constante and assured on hys behalfe as hee full of villanyein dyssemblynge thée malice whyche hee hathe of longe hatched vnder the winge of hys deceytful harte And to vse a simple playnes in soo sewer a case you haue cause to geue uone other iudgemente of hym thenne as youre moste cruell and capitall ennemye in all the worlde wherein because I wyll not presse you to be credulous of a dreame nor moue you to beleue anye thynge whose Author is not of sufficiente authoritie yon shal vnderstande that hee aduowched noo lesse thenne I haue reapported by the breathe of hys owne mouthe at suche tyme as hee practysed wyth mee in youre late absence wyth thys addycion that hee shoulde neuer enioy a perfectte quiett of mynd nor taste of the benefite of assured reste or reappose til his hands had made morsells of your body and deuyded al your partes into small peces confirmynge at the same instaunte hys bloddye resolucion by othe of the honoure and lyfe of a gentlemanne that wythin the compasse of noo longe tyme hee woulde bydde you too suche a banquette that you shoulde not neede anye longer to bee carefull of the worlde nor myndefull to make loue to ladyes wherein hee seamed so resolute groūded in his malice that notwithstandyng all the persuacions I colde prefer I colde neuer wrest from him the originall or cause of this mortall grudge and albeit at that tyme I was entred into termes of collour agaynste you with more iustice to further his spite then reason to preuent your perill or showe fauor in the sauynge of your life yet the remembrance of our auncient loue as a vertue but halfe mortefied or dead in me moued me to suche a remorse on your behalfe that I dyd not onlye thuttermost of my indeuor to remoue the vaile of his entent but also desyered hym with teares to desyste from suche enterprise whilest I was in place where you abode for that I cold not endure the viewe of your iniury and much lesse see you distressed to death with out the spedie sacrafyce of myne owne lyfe whereunto he gaue not onely a deaff eare but bounde him eftesones to his former protestacion by a seconde othe that eyther hys dead carkasse in the place shold witnes hys good wil or els he wolde delyuer the world of the Lord Valpergo all which I had no meane as thē to imparte vnto you by reason of your absence and small accesse you had hether wherein sir seing since thē your felicitie hath defended you from daunger and consomacion of his intent so nowe I beseche you not only to stande vppon your garde in defending his malice but also to preuent his pernicius resolucion with an acte of equall curtesye for yt is more wysdome to take awaye the lyfe of your enemie then in giuinge place to his malice to comit your bodye to the mercie of his morderinge hande besides yt is no breache of vertue to requite thintent of iniurie with an effect of equall reuēge and your wisdom shold be of greater estimacion and his traison more haynous for that he hathe first abused and broken the lawe of frendshyp in dressinge suche mortall ambushes againste so deare a frende wherein for my part as I haue discouered the whole conspiracie vnder a franke reapport of an vnfained trueth so beinge no lesse carefull of your sauetie then curius of myne owne lyfe waghinge theim both in the ballance of indifferent zeale I wishe you to followe my aduise in preuentyng so ymmynent a daunger and for a more assurance of your sauetie to offer thassalte to hym that hathe alreadye sworne your destruction wherein also you shall performe the vertue of a valyant knyghte with full satisfaction of the desyer of her whom you can nott so amplie gratefye if you presented her with the fre gifte of the best Dukedome in Italye and nowe shall I see an effect of the
the cause to procede of the sinister subornation of the Countesse Blanche Marie whose lyfe and trade accordyng to the discourse you haue alredy harde he ymparted at large to the DVKE and reste of the councell she beynge aduertised of the whole had tyme and libertie to flee but god whyche is iuste would not that her wickednes shoulde bée assisted with anye longer date seynge that if she had liued her malice woulde also haue raged vppon therle GAIAZO who by good chaunce was at that tyme out of the towne The nexte daye shée was sente into an other prison in the towne to auoyde conference betwene Dom Pierro and her whereof there was more cause of feare then néeded for that vppon the firste examination she confessed the whole conspiracie trustynge belyke in I can not tell howe manye her thousande crownes where with shée hoped to corrupte the gouernour or suche as bare authoritie vnder him wherin her exspectation was no lesse frustrate then her destinies seamed wearie to fauour her with longer lyfe for the offer of her crownes was hatefull to the vpryghte ministers of instice and other meanes of medyacion hadde no place in the senate for that she was iudged to bée taken oute of prison the seconde daye after the morder and loase her head in the place of publicke execution in the meane while the capteines of the armye purchassed the lyfe of the bastarde of CARDONO and sente hym with diuers letters of comendacion to themperour who for the respecte of hys experience and practis in warre aduaunced him to a charge conueniente for his skil And albeit the laste arreste and sentence diffinitiue of the miserable countesse was communicated vnto her to th ende she mighte put her selfe in readines to passe the dreadfull iourney of deathe yet seamynge to repose muche for her selfe in th' assistance of her coffers she neyther dismayed at the newes nor disposed her self any waye toward God vntill the sergeantes criminall taking her out of her dongeon in the castell led her to the fatall theatrie in the market place where was erected a faire skaffolde to playe the laste acte of her tragedye vppon there y e wretched Ladye entred into open confession of her faltes and former lyfe in the hearyng of the multitude desiring God vpon her knées wyth greate effusion of teares not to deale with her according to her deserts but that she mought enioye the benefytt of his mercye and that he woulde not argue agaynste her for yf he iudged her accordinge to her iniquities shée was not hable to abyde it and so desyering the people to preferr their prayers on her behalf for her better assistance of y e spirit of grace in her perillous passage which she had to parforme she renounsed nature by the deadly blow of the sword of execution whiche toke awaye the head from the parnicious bodie of her who in her life neuer founde any wickednes whyche shee dyd not onelye ymbrace but excede wyth ymitation and increase with further vylanye nor was acquaynted with any vertue whyche she dyd not abuse or conuert into an agrauacion of synne a goodlye example suer for the youth in oure tyme seynge that the greatest parte launsynge indifferentlye into the gulphe of all abhominacion are gouerned onelye by the transport of their vaine foolysh conceits without hauing respect to the suÌ„dry mischefes impositions of shame which fayle not to attend the end of suche exercises for yf the Lord of Cardonne hadd not bene rescowed by th' assistance of a good fortune and taken out of the handes of distresse by speciall ayde of thother Captaynes it may be easely iudged what miserie had thundered vpon him by geuinge himselfe in praye to the flatteringe appetit of a lighte and foolishe woman who seamed to yelde him more glée or fauor for the satisfieng of her own lust and to performe her malicious deuise then for any respect of loyaltye or true loue Indiferent care of his honor or honest regard to her own estimation and trewlye as hys misfortune is great that bestoweth his affectioÌ„ vpoÌ„ a whore for that he is incident to a thousande inconueniences So his folye is no lesse that perswades himselfe to be beloued of a common doxie seinge their amytie continueth no longer then they reape eyther pleasure or profit neyther are they so inconstant in loue as voyde of measure in Imaginacion of mischiefes wherin for that our plentiful time yeldes vs choyse of examples and sorte of familyar experience I am content to abridge the Iustification at this tyme for that to maintain continuall argument of morders or affaires full of peril is often hurtful to the quyet mynde desiring somtime a pleasant recreacion from affliction no lesse then the pylot or weary mariner couets a present calme and appeasement of angrye EOLE after they haue bene longe forwearyed in contending against the malice of their fortune amonge the perillous strayghts of thunquiet occean And albeit the corruption of our owne nature is so great that we take more delight to heare a discours or beadroll of folyes then in reportes enterlarded with admonicions full of reason and wysedom yet am I perswaded that suche as haue their mindes typped wyth vertue caÌ„not be so peruaâ—â— nor voyde of good disposition as the other wretches whose lyues bearynge the badge of infamie makes theim also sequestrated from the reste of the good sort wherin we ought to be fullye resolued that there is no Hystorie howe full of pleasant delyte so euer it appeare which yeldes not with all wholsomme Instructions to dyrecte oure lyues neyneyther ought we to be soscrupulous or ful of curiositie As eyther to condemne or mislike the pleasaunt comodye for that it is not painted with y e serenety of the Stoickes seing the volumes of prophaned records scripture it self do note vnto vs the lyues of sundre vicious parsons not for that we shoulde enter into tearmes of grudge againste the reaport of suche auncient antiquitie nor dispose our selues to the imitation of the like vices but rather in vewynge the strange and greuous punishment whiche ordinarily hath ouerwhelmed suche sin to learne and labor to directe our lyues by the contrary of their examples whiche is one respecte that made me put my penne in exercise to prefer this historie to our vulgar tonge to thend also that the frayle youth of our countrie that folowe the damnable path of iniquitie maye sée howe sewer they are to féele the heauye hand of God who blesseth the good sorte wyth a plentyfull gyft of his grace and punisheth the wycked with sundrye sortes of affliction FINIS The argument WE sholde not neede so muche thassistance of foreine recordes nor reporte of aunciente histories excedinge the compase of our age and memorie if we were as carefull to note thaccydentes of our own time as we seame curious in admiracion of rare things whose glorious antiquitie with parcialitie of fame settes a more price of thindeuor of others theÌ„
in the eyes wyth euery other signe of counterfeyte dule in the face when the ynner partes laughyng at suche fained showes are in the myddest of theyr banquet for pleasure what offence is it to plage theim in earnest who seke to blaire the eyes of all the worlds wyth charmes of painted substance or rather why shoulde they bee suffred to lyue whose villanous lyues and doynges were hable to deface the glory of the whole feminyne secte yf the vertue of so manye chaste Ladyes were not of force to aunswere the combat of all synister reproche and conquer the infamous chalengers of theyr renowme But now the funeralls performed to the dead Lorde of Chabrye the Ladye albeit she dismissed by lytle and lytle the greatnes of her dollor yet she ceassed not her diligence in the searche of the morderer nor forgat to promisse large hyer to suche as coulde bringe her the ministers of the fact there was publike informacion and secrett inquirye wyth euery point and circumstance so Syfted to the quicke that there lackte nothyng but the confession of him that was dead whiche was impossible to bée had or the testimonys of the bloddie parties whiche were the commissioners appointed to enquire of the morder whose handes smelled of the bloud of the dead innocent whereuppon the matter was husht for a tyme in whiche TOLONIO was not ydle to ransicke euery secret corner in the house not forgettynge I thynke to visytt the treasore he chiefly affected and for a simple pleasure of the whiche he had bene so prodigall of his conscience who yet not satisfyed with the sacrifyze of innocent lyfe stirred vp desyer of greater synne for this tyrannouse wyddow had iiij sonnes whereof as ij of theim were continuallye in the house so the eldest Ialowse not without cause of the famyliaritye betwene his mother and her doctor whose haunte he iudged to excede the compasse of his commission and lymittes of honor colde not so conceile nor disgeste the conceite of that whiche persuaded a staine of infamye in the forheade or forefronte of his house but that he thought to belonge to his dutie to ymparte vnto her y e cause of his suspicion with perswacion in humble sorte to be indiffrently carefull to kepe her former glorie of vertuous life and curious to defend the remeindor of her yeres from worthie cryme or spot of foule ymputacion wherein thincrease of amarus glée betwene the aduocat and her procured a more expediciō then he thought so that hauing one day thassistance of a fyt time and place in a gallerie voide of all company he preferred hys opinion in this sorte not wythout an indiffrent medley of shame and disdaine appearing in all partes of his face if it bée a thinge vnseamly that a kinge shoulde be disobeyed of his subiects it is no lesse necessarie in myne opynion that the prince avoyde oppression of his people by power for that a greate falte in the one is none offence at all by reason of his authoritie and the other sometime is exacted without iuste cause of blame but if it bée a vertue in the maiestie royall to be indiffrent betwene the force of his power geuen hym by god and the compleintes of righte in his vassalls why shoulde it be an offence that the maister or magistrate bée put in remembrance or made tunderstande the pointes wherein hée offendeth seing he hath no greater reason to yelde iustice to such as deserue punishmente then bounde in doble sort to a wōderful care of integretie in lyuing in himselfe so as hys authoritie effectes of vpright cōuersaciō may serue as a lyne to lead the meaner sort seruing vnder his awe to be in loué w c his vertues commended for semblable sinceretie and purytie of life But for my parte good Madame were it not the remorse of an equall respect to your reputacion and honor to al our house and that my conscience hereafter wold accuse me of want of corage and care to make good the vertuous renowme of my dead father I should hardely be forced to the tearmes of my present intent nor my beyng in thys place geue you such cause of amaze doubt of my meaninge for the dutie which nature bindeth me to owe to y e place you hold on my behalf and the law of obedience geuen by god to all chyldren towardes suche as made theyme the members of this worlde makes me as often cloase my mouthe against the discouerie of the longe grudge of my mynde as I haue greate reason to ympart the cause to your ladishipp who is tooched more neare then any other that I wolde too god the thinge wherof my mynde hath giuen a iudgement of assurance were as vntrue as I wishe yt bothe farre from myne opynion and voyde of a trothe then sewerlye sholde my hart rest discharged of disquiett and I dismyssed from thoffice of an oratour whiche also I wolde refuce to performe if thymportance of the cause did nor force my wil in that respect Albeit as the passions of the mynde bée free and the sprite of man howe so euer the bodie bée distressed with captiuitie hathe a pryuyledge of libertie touchyng opynyons or conceites so I hope your wisdome with the iustice of my cause and clearenes of entent are sufficient pillours too supporte that whyche the vertue of naturall zeale to your selfe and dutifull regarde to the honour of my auncestors moues me to communicate with you chieflye for that the best badge of your owne life and bloodd of your late Lorde and husbande my father bée distressed as I am perswaded by the secret haunte and vnsemelie glée of fauour betwene the proccurer Tolonio and you whome God and nature haue made a mother of suche children that neyther deserue suche lewde abuse in you nor can brooke his villany in corruptyng the noble blood wherewith they participate without vengance due to the greatnes of his poysoned malice wherein good madame as my deare affection to you wardes hathe made me so franke in warnynge you of the euill so yf you giue not order hensfurthe for the redresse of that whiche I accompte alredie past euerye cause of dowte you will come too shorte to couer that can bée no longer conceiled when also small compassion wilbée vsed in the reuenge of thiniurye neyther can you in any sort complaine rightelie of me in whose harte is alredye kindled a grudge of the wronge you haue don to y e nobilitie of vs al loathing with all the simple remēbrance of so foule a falte protesting vnto you for ende that yf herafter you become as careles of the honour of your children as heretofore you haue bene voiede of regarde to your owne reputation the worlde shall punishe the abuse of your old yeres with open exclamacion against your lasciuius order of lyfe deuesting you of all titles of highe degrée and thies handes onely shall sende maister doctor to visytt his processe in th infernall senatt
wrongefull conceyte of suche a villenie dothe troble you whyche shée forgatt no too accompanye with all sortes of syghes and sygnes of dollour entrermedled with suche regardes of dyssembled pitie in all partes of her face that albeyt he was paste all dowte touchynge the trothe of hys owne conceyte yet the teares of hys deceytefull mother moued hym to admitt her excuses with suche compassion of her sorowe that he seamed also to passe the panges of her present passion with protestacion vnder tearmes of greate humilitie that he greued no lesse in that he hadde sayd then shée hadd greate reason to complaine of the wronge he hadd donne to the renowne of her vertue albeyt saythe he wyth a countenance of repentance yf you measure the force of my affection with the cause of my late plaines your discrecion I hope will conster my woordes accordyng to the honeste intent of my hart with excuse to my rashenes whyche you shall sée hereafter so mortefyed in me that I will neyther bée so hastye to accuse nor suspect without better aduise for the whyche shée seamed thankefull vnto hym with a present appeasement from Anger attendyng the offer of oportunitie when she myghte preferr her sōne to a parte in the tragedye whyche her wickednes hadde alredye begon vppon hys late father for shée was doutefull styll of the youngeman and gaue lesse faythe to his wordes wherein certeinely appeareth an experience of an ordinarie custume in the wicked who payseth thinfydelitie of others in the ballance of their owne iniustice and wante of faithe for the tyrant dowteth to whose creditt to comitt the sauetie of himselfe because his crueltie is hated of all men neyther dothe he good to any yf not for the respect of profit or to performe some malicius attempte wherein as they consider thaffexcions of their people by the passions in theimselues soo in passynge theyr owne lyfe in continuall feare they procure lyke terror to suche as bée conuersant with theim makyng the disquiett of others equall to the miserie of theimselues lyke as thys new Megera or tyrannouse monster of oure tyme who no more satiffied with the blood of her husband then glutted or cloyed with y e continual pleasures in whoredome with her detestable Tolonyo determined to rydde the world of her innocent sonne to thend their villanous trade mighte passe with more assurance and lesse cause of feare or suspicion of any for th executiō wherof her wickednes deuised this spedy and necessarie meane There was within the castel a highe gallery borded vnderfote with certeine plankes fastned to rotten planchers where as y e young gentleman vsed his dailye recreacion in walkinge by reason of the delitefull ayre pleasant prospect vppon dyuerse feldes and gardyns so the Tygresse his mother reserued that place as a most chiefe mortal minister in the death of her son for she and her pernicius proccurer one euenyng knocked oute of either ende of diuerse of the plankes the nayles that kepte theime cloase to the plancher in suche sorte that the nexte that happened too make hys walke there shoulde haue no leasure to discouer the traison and much lesse lyue to bring reapport of the hardnes of the rockes growing in the diches vnder the sayd gallerie which chaunced vnhappelie to the sonne of this she wolffe who no more happie in a mother then his father fortunate in a wife renewed the next day his accustumed walkes in the valte wher he had not spent thre or foure tornes but his destynie brought hym to treade vppon the fatall bourd es who hauinge no holde nor staye to rest vpon disioyned theimselues wyth the wayght of thinfortunat gentleman who falling soddeinly vpon the rockes wyth hys heade forwarde was brused to peces beinge dead in dede almost so sone as he felte thapprehencion of death Who wold haue iudged such trayso in a mother to work such an end to her son or noted such wate of pitie in any of y e sect as to soe the séedes sprong in her owne flankes deformed and he wed in peces vpon the edge of sharppe and piked stoanes what mistortune to the sonne and villanie in a mother seinge the title of a sonne ought to be so deare and name of a mother is so delicate and of such vertue that no hart of what mettal soeuer it be made is not mollefyed and doth homage to that dignitie yea euerye one holdeth his blodde so deare that the beastes theimselues by a prouocacion of nature although other wayes insensible haue such affectioned regarde to their fawnes that they feare not to contend against euery peril of death to defende their youngons from daunger what greater felicity hath mā trauelling in the stormy sea of this worlde then to see as it were a regeneracion of hymselfe in hys children wyth a plentifull and gladsome encrease of his séede for whych cause chiefely god ordeyned the holye institucion of mariage not respecting altogether the mortefyeng of the ticklyshe instinctes of our declayning fleshe but rather of regarde as thappostel affirmeth to kepe the societie of man in order making it appear'e pure and aeceptable to the great monarke and syrst founder of so noble a worke But to retorne now to our historie this ympp of th infernall lake and hellish Lady beinge already dispoyled of all affection and dutie required in a woman towardes her husband detested also euery point of charitie and zeale whych nature chalenged in her to the frute flowered wythin the tender partes of her intralls whose fall and miserable deathe as you sée filled ymediatlie euerie corner of the castel with desolacion and teares some weping in the want of their brother other complayned the lacke and misfortune of ther kynsman the viewe of whose dysmembred bodye sturred vp also a freshe sorowe on the behalfe of their late Lorde but all their dollor was nothing to the howlinge and cries of the detestable mordress who entermedled her greffe wyth such argumentes of desperacion that her sorowe seamed sufficient to make the earth tremble and moue the heauens to teares neyther seamed she to make other accompte of the world then a place of most loathsome abode by which masqued semblance of outwarde heauines she couered an inward ioye at her hart and by this pollecie of painted dule she blaired the eyes of the simple multitude who after y e retire of the heate of theyr lamemtable stormes consulted vppon the buyrial wyth general consent in the ende that thinnocent striplinge should be laiede in the tombe of his infortunate father to thend he might participat with hym in the fatal pitt as he was equal to hym touching the malice of his mother And now as this bloddie Lady had in this sort discharged as she thought euery doubt and feare hereafter chiefly for that she stoode no more in awe of any Censor or spie to kepe a kalender of her faltes wherby she vsed lesse care in the conueigh of her beastly traffique wyth her
viperus aduocat So not wythstanding her seconde sonne grudginge still in the deathe of hys brother and some what doubtful of the cause began to be Ieleouse in the pointes of his mislike and beinge of equal corage to his brother and of no lesse nobilitye in hart cold not also disgest the view of dishonour specially in the highest degree of hys house and affynitie whereof he gaue declaracion in his sterne countenances to TOLONYO to whome yf he spake at times by any occasion his wordes argued the disdayne in his hart vsing vnhappelie the lyke regardes and tearmes to his mother who not liking to haue any tutor to note or controll her villanie and hardned with all in th execution of fleshe and life iudged it no offence to embrue her handes with the blod of this innocente and paint euery post and posterne of her castel with the braines of her posteri ie resoluing ymediatly vppon the fatall conspiracie agaynst her second sonne swearinge his death with her execrable mynister TOLONYO who vnder toke y e charge with promise to perform theffect wherin he vsed the meane and expedicion by hym who first distressed the father for this reuerende lawyer rather studied in the philosophie of Sathan then traded in the skill of thordynances of kynges and Emprours or experienced in matters belonginge to the senat so coniured the morderer wyth perswacions and proffers of rewarde that he admitted the bargayne and gaue assurance of the consommacion wherin he failed not of any point or article for certeine dayes after the gentleman being on huntinge vppon certayne mountaines enuyronning a hollow and lowe valleye as his men were buysye in rewarding their howndes wyth the pawnche and intrals of certeine chasses they had killed their vnfortunate maister reapposed hymselfe vppon the edge of a steape and high hill whose discent ymported a perillous regard by the deepe and hollow vaulte in the valleye replenished on euery side with sharppe and hideous rockes here as he accompted hymselfe most sewer and furthest from cause or effect of traison hee founde greatest daunger wyth stroake of mortall destruction for that the hyerd mynister of his death tracing his step yes all the daye to fynde an occasion fyt to further the ende of hys buysynes refused not thoffer of so coÌ„uenient a meane place for as they were in familiar deuise together the one dreadinge no harme the other attending thassistance of the deuil to performe his wickednes stept of a soddaine behinde thrust the vnhappie gentleman from the topp of y e mountaine to the bottom of the valleye where the sharp rockes receyuing him wythout respect of hys innocencie made morsels of his guiltles carkasse What difference may a man set betwene the desolacion of hys house and myserie of the succession of Atreus the Greeke whose children were cruelly cut in peces the wyfe of one of theym suruiuing a noted woman of all the world for incestious lyfe becomes in the end the mordresse of her husband by thassistance of thadulteror and defyler of their mariage bed and she wyth her rybaud oppressed at last wyth vengance equal to their offence by the handes of her owne sonne what pytie is it to sée an experience of such examples amongest christians and in this age yea in the place and contry where the regarde of parentes towards their children is suche that they make no conscience to hazarde their owne lyues to defende the health of suche as nature hathe geuen theym for succession where this execrable ympp of infernall procreacioÌ„ borne for the skourge and plage of her posteritie respecting more to conceile aggrauat her wickednes then careful any way to repeÌ„t her synnes delited as it seamed to sprinkle the earth wyth innocent blod whych cryed vengance both against her and her companioÌ„ of these horryble morders according to the iudgement of the great god who keping a true reckoning of euery drop of blod that hath ben spilt since the deathe of Abell the iust vntil the last affliction of as many as hath bene or shal be vniustlie persecuted punished or mordered hy y e malice of y e wicked prouideth coÌ„monly y t such acts of detestacioÌ„ receiue end by the discouerye of the life passed of such infamous wretches wherof behold an experieÌ„ce in this cursed lady who after the funerals of her yonger son seing y t al her seruants kept eye watche vpoÌ„ her w t suspicioÌ„ of her vicious dealing ymparted y e whole to the gallaÌ„d her minioÌ„ who consulted and coÌ„cluded ymedyatly the end of their pleasures and exercises of blodd togeger whiche was to marye one an other wherein albeit appeared a diffycultye for that TOLONYO hadde alreadie a wyfe no lesse wise faire and vertuous then he cruell spitefull and vicious yet it seamed not ympossible for that the wicked man accompteth a facilytie in euerye thynge whych he estemeth eyther reasonable or lawfull He determyned at what price soeuer it wer to make her plaie a fourth parte in the former tragedie of the father and his ii sonnes ympartinge his bloddie resolucion to his beastlye trooll who no lesse assured in such euill then ready to make a mynister in thattempt as the common villeine that sturreth not from the straites of the mounteynes stripping eue ry passenger not hable to resyste his force allowed the deuise wyth speciall request of expedicion in thaccomplishmeÌ„t Al whiche it is to be thought the couetus doctor did not deuise wyth intent to performe for the respecte altogether of loue or frendshipp he bare to her whom he goeth nowe abowte to marye for he considered that men for the moste part embrase traitors to make their proffyt of their inuentions and subtelties which when they haue wrested frome them eyther the traitors bée punished by death or at leaste so disdained that their miserye in lyuinge showeth thundowted difference betwene vertue and vice disposicion of an infidell or one that esteâ—eth not his fayth and he that is carefull to kepe his conscience cleare from suche spott So Tolonyo not ignorant of y e large reuenue and great summes of moneye of the ladye of CHABRYE wyth store of other welthe aboute the castel accompted it a commoditie to exchaunge the lyfe of hys wyfe for the fylthie vse of so greate riches meaning notwythstanding to enioye the spoiles of so plentifull a praye and after to sende her packinge and make her passe by the pathe of so manye morders committed both by the one and thother Oh vnbridled couetousnes and execrable desyer of vnhonest gaine howe haste thou blaired the eyes and vnderstandynge of men now a dayes hardning their hartes agaynst the dread of god and feare of his lawes what mischiefe hath ouerwhelmed vs by thy meanes seing the father is Ielowse of the faythe of hys sonne the wyfe doubtful of her husbande the neighbour fearyng ambushes of treason in his nexte companion and the prince often tymes in daunger of his sauetye beinge
her pleasure and her falte of treble slaunder in the mouthes of the blasphemous nomber which albeit is without the compasse of my history yet I thoughte it not vnmete to note this litle remembraunce both to warne theim that vse lesse care then is necessarie to preuente so greate a mischiefe and to wishe all Ladies to accompte their honour as the gifte of god and speciall ornament of their life whiche I could enlarge with copie of authorities if I had the assistaÌ„ce of conuenient time and consent of my historie willinge me now to repaire to â—aniquette who perswadinge great impossibilitie in a younge mayde of intisinge beautie desierus to enncownter thamarus glées of menne and kepe cacquett with all comers to escape eyther without some great falte in thabuse of her bodie or at leaste to leaue occasion of suspicion and Ieleus opinion of her honestie amonge suche as vse commonly to recorde the lyfe and doinges of greate Ladies loughte to preuente the like accidente with a contrary vertue for keping her selfe for the moste parte within the house of her father she barred thaccesse of Luchyn and closed her eyes from the view of his presence and if at some tyme her affaires required her to visitt the doare and Luchyn by lyke chaunce reiterate his appeale with semblable somonce and salutacions of accustomed courtesie she fixed her eyes vppon her worke dissemblinge not to sée the thinge whiche her harte colde not brooke and her eyes detested to beholde and douting that vnder the vailâ— of that masqued humilitie and kynde of courtinge not conuenient for her callynge might lurke some secrete mischiefe and displeasure of doble consequence she semed to abhor bothe the one and the other with equal detestacion and conuerting his sighes into ayre and teares to paye hym the hier of his follie she seamed only to supplie the whole tyme of her beinge there in the companie of her companions leauing pore Luchyn no lesse amased at theys newe toyes and trickes of a haggarde then at the first he tooke pleasure when she requited him with semblable glée al which notwithstanding colde neyther discourrage him froÌ„ the pursute of the resolucion of his mynde nor put him in dispaire of his future fortune thinckynge that time wold remoue the vaile of her rigour and conuert her into a creature more plyable assisted therin with thoppinioÌ„ of such as accompting smal conquest of things gotten with litle labour do yelde the greateste glorie to that whiche is won with thertremitie of time and trauell And being still norished with the hope of victorie renewed eftesones his purmenades palewalkes affore herdoare aduauncing hym self so farfurth somtimes that he entred into deuise discourse of loue albeit so coldly that the same neither declared thymportance of his desier nor bewrayde the present passion of his minde whereunto notwithstanding she gaue so slender regarde that her replie dismissed him w t no lesse contentemente for the presente then lykelihood of better successe hereafter It is a custome amongest the Ieneueys and all the prouince about that the young men hauing poeseys of flowers and meting their mistresses in the stréetes or elswhere may present theym there with without any mislike or cause of suspicion of the people beyng also a note of no lesse curtesie for the woman hauing flowers in her hande or bossome to make lyke retourne to her seruant whyche kynde of courtyng thamarus Luchyn forgatt not too prefer as a testey of hys seruice and furtherer of his sute for watchynge longe tyme the hawnte of his mistres he found her at laste not onely aloane and voyde of compainie but in place conuenient to put his longe requeste vppon tearmes whiche gretinge of fortune or gifte of happie chaunce yf it were welcomme to hym I leaue it to the iudgemente of suche as languishynge in the lyke disease dare neyther discouer their gréefe nor demaunde their due remedie and hauynge of purpose peraduenture certeine Ielly flowers in his hande whiche were of more price because winter raged then with extremitie of coulde the chiefeste enemye too flowers and tender boods on th earth he saluted her with his requeste in this sorte Yf the continuance of my seruice were hable to warrant me at leÌ„gth the merite of the same or the offer of any hope in y e meane time had vertue to procure moderatioÌ„ to my passion the one shold not ende but by the sentence of death and the other wolde I embrace as a speciall preseruer of my life but seynge the one is of no lesse momente with you then the other vnlikely too happen I am dryuen to exclaime agaynste youre beautie as the onelye cause of my gréefe and entire enemye to my rest but chieflye thunnaturall rigour which you suffered to rampier hym selfe so depely in thintralles of your hart and séele your eyes of compassion agaynst me that you will neyther admit my teares sighes and other pitifull regardes without nomber whereof the pale complexion of my face with other trembling ioyntes of therterior partes haue made sufficient declaracion nor credit the infynit simptomes and thundringe alarams whiche the only glymmeringe viewe of your bewtie ceasseth not to minister to the weake forces of my feble harte who as your prisoner ready to resigne the keyes and castel of his libertie is heare becom the pitiful solycitor of his own cause coniuringe you by that compassion which ought to accompanie so rare and precious an ornamente of nature to remoue at laste the vaile of youre former crueltie and in beholdinge what power loue hath giuen you ouer me to dismisse all delaies of comfort and admit me into your seruice that haue vowed neuer to departe out of the least of your commaundementes whereunto she was driuen to answere rather by compulsion of the place and tyme then any desyer to debate wyth him in a matter of such vanitie The merite of your seruice Sir sayth she is farr greater then I can or may graunte his due méede and your passion like to be restored by her that is ignorante of the cause and lesse knoweth the order of your disease And touchinge the reste of youre protestacion coated rather withe argumentes of illusions and subtill cerimonies to seduce my simplicitie thenne any resemblance of vertue or intente to expose the frutes of true affection I can not aunswere with other tearmes then iuste disdayne of youre liberall offer with litle care you vse to the reputacion of myne honour neyther is it to me that you ought to addresse thys ambushe or traine of allurementes considringe the inequalitie of our houses denieth a consente of mariage and to graunte loue to one that craues it in other sorte thenne thinstitucion of that sacred lawe dothe allowe I thynke if no lesse detestable afore god then a spot of perpetuall infamye which tyme it selfe can not rase out of the remeynder of my house and small honor is it for you to pursue a queste of
who when they wéepe are pleased with tryffles delytinge more in the lollynge of the nursse then in the offer of A monarke But nowe to Ianiquetta who durynge the solitarie time and desolate aboade of Luchyn in his house was maried by the trauell and assistance of her frendes to a mariner or maister of a shipp whose trade was to conueye the marchantes of all partes from porte to porte as their traffique and trade required this mariage was no soner performed in the churche but fame fyllynge the eares of LVCHYN made hym partaker of the newes with aduyse to renewe the earneste of hys fomer bargayne wyth a doble diligence and treble desyer preferrynge as it were an assured hope of spedye victorye the rather for that hée accompted the mariage a conuenient meane to couer the falte of his fowle desier wherein he receyued a successe of his former attemptes for she that detested hys indeuour beyng at libertie thoughte the offence of doble disposicion in offendynge God and the worlde in breakynge the league of her faith and vowe of obedience to her husbande ▪ whose simplicitie and state subiecte to néede and lacke Luchyn forgatt not to feede with large proffers of his frendshyppe in suche sorte as what with the hope of his assistance and feare of the authoritie he bare then in the citie he had him as it were in a famyliar awe neyther suspectynge his accesse too his house nor mislikynge his conference with his wyfe of whome notwithstandynge he coulde not obteyne but the vse of wordes whyche as she durste not denye for the respecte of awe and honour whiche her husbande bare to hym so hauynge a notable wisdome ioyned with her rare gifte of chastetie reposynge her selfe in the grace of GOD to defende her honour kepte his meanynge secrette and woulde not communicate the fowlenes of his intente to anye and muche lesse to her waspishe husbande leauynge in example to all Ladies not sufficiente in vertue rather to resyste all suche alarams of theyme selues or at leaste make a secrett concealement then in bewraynge theyr awne weaknes to breede a bées neste in the heades of their husbandes wyth reaportes of small substance But nowe the amarus traffique of Luchyn and common haunte to the mariners house began to bréede a doubt of his doing amongest his nearest frendes who not knowinge of the mariage of IANIQVETTE ymagyned what might happen and as careful gardeines of their nephewe studied to preuent the wourste wherfore leaste thalluremente of her bewtie and disposiciō of his follie might vnhappely conclud a secret contract betwene theym they accosted hym one day wyth earnest request that in ceassing at last to pursewe the wanton instigacions of his youthe he wold crosse saile and retire to a trade of honest life wherin saye they verye loath to offende hym albeit we haue no great cause to infer ymputacion of any haynous enormytie or desorder not conueniente yet seinge the pleasante tyme of youre younge yeres slipp awaye vnder a vaile of vaine and barreine life whose sequeile if in tyme you abridge not the race of your Ronninge course argues no small inconuenience to your selfe with greate discredit to your deade father we haue thought good to enter into deuise for preseruinge of that whyche yet remeines and to preuent the malice of future tyme wherefore accordyng to the credit and resolued truste reaposed in vs by your late father the verye remembrance of whome restores vs to a speciall care and zeale of youre honor and well doinge we wishe you to conuert this ydle and desolate order of liuing into a disposicion and desier of honest mariage wherby you shall not only deceiue thexspectaciō of y t had sorte deuyninge already of your destruction but eschewe the sentence of ordinary mischiefe appoynted to fall vppon suche as wallowing in sensuall pleasures regarde not the honor and estimacion of their house and whiche appeares euen readie to thonder vpon you if you dispatche not youre selfe of the principall cause of this great and ymynente misfortune wherin for a declaracion of the special care we haue of you we present you heare wyth a franke offer of our traueile diligence and councel to be ready at all tymes to assiste you in the choise of her whom god shal enioyne you to make the lawfull com panion of your bedd The younge man vnderstanding sufficiently their intent cutt of their further discourse wyth hys promise not onelye to make spedie exchaunge of his former trade but also commits hym selfe whollie to their discrecion and wysedomes wyth resolucion to be ready to enter into mariage with such one as they iudged of equalytie and euery way cōuenient for his condicion calling wherin there was such expedicion of diligence vsed by his frendes that wythin a space of two or thre monethes he was maried no lesse richely then honorablie and to a bewtie sufficient to contēt a reasonable man whereof if any reioyced wyth good cause I thinke it was poore Ianiquette who perswadinge herselfe to be ryd by thys meanes of an ymportunat clyent blessed the goodnes of her fortune in prouidinge so well for thennemye of her honor and deliueringe her wyth honestie from y e daunger of hys charmes albeit her conceyte was aunswered wythe a contrarye successe And as our nature for the moste parte now a dayes is growen to such corruption by a contynual desier of filthie gaine that as Aristotle sayth nothing is hable to satisfye the couetusnes of man Euenso thinfection of loue after hee haue once preuayled aboue the wholesome partes in vs is of suche wonderfull operacion that he doth not only choke the gift of our vnderstanding in suche sort as we are founde more apte to embrace the thinges that be hurtfull then hable to followe the loare of wisedome and vertue but also takes awaye the respect and dutie of our conscience whyche you may easely descerne in the discurse of thys Luchyn who notwithstandinge the vowe he made to god and honor that euery man ought to geue to mariage cold not content hym selfe wyth the companye of his owne wyfe but renewed hys resorte wythe alarames of freshe ymportunyties to poore IANIQVETTA whyche being noted and spied diuers times of his wife made her doubt that which was not and albeit she was resolued of a participacion and equalitie of loue yet she feared not muche that the mariners wife deceiued her of any thinge that she accompted due to herselfe for that the common reaport of her chaste and honeste life assured her of the contrary chieflye she repined that so vaine a hope shoulde wythdrawe hym from her companye feling wyth all a certeine wante in thaccomplishment of the exercise and desier of the bedd at hoame And truly as there is nothing more hurtful to the breach of amytie betwene the good man and wife then when the stronger parte conuertes his affection confirmed by vowe into a disposicion and desier to abuse the
hymself suche newe affections quarellynge wyth hys former quiet and all his bodie possessed of so vnruly a gueste that beinge at the ende of his wittes to ymagyn the cause was no lesse hable to withstaÌ„d the ill then moderate the furie of his new feuer but miserablye had lefte his life in gage if fortune her selfe had not become y e phizicion to his disease whereof you shal haue large relacion in the due place of this historie But duringe the time of the sermon and all the matutinall prayer our vnhappie Phillyberto waâ—ered in contrarietye of thoughtes reseruynge notwythstandyng his eyes assuredly and firmly fixed vpon her who makes no more accompte of theim that regarde her wyth suche greate admiration then they theim selues of their liues and libertye committynge rashelye twoo suche precious Iewels betwene the merciles handes of so cruell a woman of whose estate condicion trade and order of lyuynge this newe enamored Virley beinge comme from the churche to his lodging forgatt not to make diligent inquisition which as oyle to light his matche retourned vnto him a generall reaporte of her honestie wherein beinge confirmed by the mouth of euery man he made no conscience immediatlye to proclayme her the soueraine Ladye of his lyfe and thonly disposer of his secret thoughtes And yet amongste the sondrie commendacions gyuen to her vertues he was made tunderstande by secret information of some his deare familyar frendes of thinciuilitie wyth certeine vnsemelye pointes of vnnaturall discourtesie raignyng in her whiche albeit suspended his resolution for a tyme occupying his doubtfull mynde with varietye of cogitacions yet seinge his destynie had alredye enioyned him to be a thrall to her beautye for the whiche he had alredye put his lybertye as a pawne betwene the handes of hym who hauynge once gotten the hartes of men within the iurisdiction of his durance will not release their imprisonment nor restore their libertye so sone nor when they wishe it he determined to pursewe th ende of his enterprise committyng hym selfe to be guyded by the fauor of fortune and the successe of his indeuor to y e good wil of loue who leadyng hym thorowe the blynde vale of vaine hope and ticklynge hym by certeine argumentes or likelihodes of good spede to make hym mery for the tyme wyth the conceite of his owne phantasie willed hym to put hys intente vppon tearmes whereby and wyth the continuance of his long seruice he semed to assure him at last to wreste the good wil of the wydow to thappetite exspectation of his desyer wherein for his firste entrye into his laborinth of miserable toyle he committed thorder of his owne house at Virley and affaires of importance to the direction of others and determined his abode at Montcall to th ende that if in plaÌ„tyng his batterye nor with thassistance of thuttermost of his force he coulde make no reasonable breache into the forte whiche he ment to assaile in the wynnyng wherof him selfe was most in daunger to be first taken yet at the least he might recreat and solace hym selfe with the contemplacion of an ymage of so rare and excellente beautye the remembrance whereof seamyng rather to double his gréefe then giue moderacioÌ„ to his passion serued more to stirre vp the malice of that poisoned humour of loue then to repulse the furie of his newe feuer And lastely preferring absolute argumeÌ„ts of his perentorye destructioÌ„ offred diuers likelihodes of future disquiet for the latter remeinder residue of his yeres yet to coÌ„me And being now becoÌ„me a Citizen of Montcal he begaÌ„ to hauÌ„te the church aboue his ordinarie not so much peradueÌ„ture for any ferueÌ„t zeale he had to prayer or inuocation to god as for the amarus deuocioÌ„ he oughte to his newe saint whose presence albeit he could not enioye but in the body of y e church that in times of preaching publique seruice of the Lorde yet did he refraine to make the house of God a place to communicat his practis of loue persuading him self th offence to be to heynous to defile the sacred temples holly places dedicated to the highest with any spot of villanie and specially with attemptes of such folly being chieflye forbidden by the mouth of our sauiour Domus mea domus orationis vocabitur my house shal be called the house of praier not a den for adulterers or theues nor place to practise any iniquitie or synne wherein albeit the zeale of Religion forbadd hym to vse conference wyth her in the churche yet the pearcing stinge of affection openyng hym an other meane putt hym in remembrance to attende duelye her commynge out where with greate humilitye he offred his seruice often tyme in beynge her guyde to her lodgyng whiche as he forgat not to performe with al the curtesie and semly behauior he colde ymagyn so notwithstandinge al the vehement perswacions he colde inferre for thaccoÌ„mplishment of his desier yet reaped he thereby no more contentemente nor meanes to qualefie his greeffe then she tooke pleasure in hearinge the discourse and loyall offer of his vnfayned good will for she as a cruell enemye to curtesie faynyng not to vnderstande what he sayde replied to all his allegacions of loue wyth some conference of housewiuerye or housekepyng wherewith tornyng the carte against the horse he became no lesse amased at her ouerthwart reasons then she seamed to take pleasure in the teares of his complayntes whyche argewed not only colde compforte in the sute of the wooer but also ymynent occasion of hys owne destruction yf by thassistance of some other meane he auoyded not with expedicion the sondrie illes that threatned to thunder vpon him wherefore deuising certeinne banquettes and gossep metynges at hys lodging of diuers of the burgess wyues of that towne he entred thereby into the good opynion of certeine dames that were no lesse familiar with the rigerous ZILYA amongest whom he chused out one whose bossome he thoughte to make the regester of his secret with entente to impart with her both the cause of his dollor the meane to mitigate the same in bewrayinge hys gréeffe to her that was the fountaine and occasion of his presente passion to her then beyng his nexte neyghbor no lesse subtill of her owne inclynacion then well experienced in suche affaires neyther ignorante what dishe they féede vppon that sitt at the table of loue nor what bitter taste those brathes comonly haue which cupide brueth for his guests he addresseth him selfe coniunynge her in the firste place of his preamble too make councel of the cause of hys coÌ„plainte wherw t entring into the discourse of his loue conceiles nowithstandyng the name of his ladie vntill he hard the annswere of his neighbour who perceiuynge alredie the marke whyche he shott at offred him frankelie her helpe to thuttermoste of her power whereof she gaue hym assurance by promisses of large skope that inconsideracion of the honestie whiche she had noted in hym
a wretched and stinkinge dongeon here maye be noted one chiefe frute of couetous desier and an effecte of filthie gaine when the gredie mynde in goinge about to glott thappetit of his coffers leaueth an example of his wretched follie to all ages Oh howe happie be they who contented with the gifte of a meane fortune do not seke to loade shippes and remeine from hower to hower within thrée inches of death either to be buried in the bellies of the monsters in the Sea or beinge caste vppon some deserte shoare to serue as praye to the deuouring Iawes of wilde beastes was it not sufficiente alas to be touched with the experience of a repulse in loue but y t I must fele the heauye hande mobilitie of fortune in an element more incoÌ„stante then the variable course of the moone Ah Carmosyna what wroÌ„g dost thou to my misery if thy teares do not helpe to lament my distress seing y t in seking to haue the to my wyfe I am maryed to a heauie burden of boltes and shackells of yron and in place of my mariage bedde with the my destenies haue appoynted me a pillowe of carthe in a darke and filthie hoale where notwithstanding yf there were any offer of hope eftesones to enioye thy presence I coulde easely disgeste the Symptomes of my martirdome and in attenâ—â—ng the happie consent of such good fortune to make a plaiâ—ante exercyse of my presente and paynefull ymprisonment By this tyme fame had ymparted the desolacion of our venturers to the whole Citie of Naples not withoute the generall sorowe of all men and speciall teares of such as were contributarie to the losse albeit makyng of necessitie a vertue tyme gaue ende to their dollor and dismissed theym all with desier to redeme his captif frend but Carmosyna knowyng her PERILLO to be one of the miserable nomber and waighing the circumstance of his mishapp whiche stode vppon tearmes of more extremitie then all the reste bothe for that by the losse of his porcion she douted to set him on foote againe and muche more dispaired of meanes to paye hys raunson entred into suche presente rage that she was redy to vse force againste herself whereunto she hadd putt an effect if it had not bene for her gouernesse who reprehending sharply her wilfull follie appeased at laste with greate raison her desperatt intente conuertynge the furious humor of the desolate mayde into a riuer of teares distillynge a mayne downe her reasie chekes complayninge notwithstandynge with tearmes of gréef the misfortune of her frende but chiefly for that her selfe was the principall cause of his ruynous estate and that the rude aunswere of her father forced him to abandon his countrey for the gaine of a contynuall captiuitie Ah infortunat girle saieth she and insatiable couetusnes in the old age of my father who in refusing the honest request of Perillo respected more the masse of filthie treasure then the vertues or good disposicion in the younge man Why wolde not he consider that the manners of men do chaunge of a prodigall youthe procedes a sparing olde man neither oughte we to dispaire of his recouerie who fynding y e falte of his owne follie disposeth him selfe to amendment of life what cause of care hathe he either of the pouertie or richâ—â—â— of his children after his death seynge the remembrance of the worlde dekayeth with the loss of lyfe can he carie with hym any care of our aduauncement seynge he is forced to leaue behynde hym the thynge whyche is more deare vnto hym then the prosperetie or healthe of hys children yf he presente me with a husbande and porcion of a kingdom the offer of no millions shall mortefie in me the loue I beare my PERILLO neither is it a vertue to sell affection for the price of monie and muche lesse to seame to loue hym whom my harte can not brooke for there is neyther pleasure nor contententent where the mynde is not in quiett No no lett hym vse the skoape of hys crabbed age and do what he thynkes good for my parte I will not be desloyall on the behalfe of hym who I knowe honoreth me with sincere affection neyther shall he lye longe in prison nor contynue any tyme the sonne of pouertie for I knowe wher be a companie of duckattes whyche sawe no lyghte since I hadde the vse of discrecion whyche I doute not will bothe pawne his deliuerie and furnyshe hym wyth a seconde trade more fortunate I hope then the firste and for my parte the gréenes of my age gyueth me leaue to suspend certeine yeres without any haste to marie wherein she demaunded thassistance of her gouernes who gaue her not onely a firme assurance of her ayde but also promised a supply of monie towardes the furniture of her expedicion desieringe her for the reste to do awaye all argumentes of dollar leaste the same discouered her passion to her father wherein as they consumed certeine monethes in beauise to deliuer PERILLO with secrett practisses in leuienge the price of his raunsom so fortune began to enter into tearmes of pitie towardes hym and preuented the meanyng of his mystris by takyng hym oute of prison in sorte as you shall heare Wherein albeit she exceded the mayde with spede in excucion yet oughte wee to gyue the title of worthie thankes to Carmosyna whose example of vertue in this case I wishe maie soÌ„mon a remorce to our lighte and inconstante dames nowe a dayes who are so incerteine in true affection that the respecte of presente pleasure takes awaye the remembrance of their absente frende and maketh theim vnmyndfull of the faith of their former promisse wherin I am not prouided to enter into argument at this presente bothe for that I doâ—t to gaine displeasure in discoueryng a truth and also suche discourse is without the compasse of my comissioÌ„ whiche is nowe to recompte vnto you the deliuerie of pore Antonio Olde Minyo the father of Carmosyna had ioyned with hys richesse and desyer of worldly gaine certeine vertues and commendable giftes as veraye deuote in visiting the churches and places of prayer of a charitable disposicion in releuing the distresse of thafflicted and so full of compassion on the behalf of the nedie that seldome any pore man departed from hym emptie handed besides he extended amerueilus charitie and acte of pitie to the desolate captiues amongeste the Moares in suche sorte as making euery yere a voyage into Barbaria he made an ordinarie to redeme and bring awaie with hym ten or twelue christian prisoners of whome such as were hable restored the price of their raunson whithout any interest thinkinge the gaine sufficient in that he was the cause of their deliuerie but the reste he sente frelie into their countrey exspectynge the méede of that vertue at the handes of god with this onely charge that in remeÌ„brance of the benefit they wold not forget him in their priuat praiers The gifte of
battaill or combatt of experienced knyghtes then an exercise of delicate youth not yet accustomed to beare the burden of armour and lesse acquainted with the trauell of warr wherewith aswell inconsideracion of the present towardnes in the wydowes son with corage to contynue hys trade so well begon as also to féede the hope and showe of his future vertue he was admitted the nexte mornynge into the order of knigthode inuested with the coller of sainte Andrewe and other ceremonies of spaine by the hande of the sayde Philipp who after he had fulfilled the date of his aboue at Barcelonia pursewed his iorney towardes Castile leauyng our newe knyghte Dom Diego reioysinge not a litle in his presente honor ymparted vnto him by his prince retiring with the newes of his good fortune to his owne possession and liuing more to performe tharrerages of his dutie to his mother whom the hadd not sene of longe tyme then with intente to make longe staye there or enter into delite with the pleasures y t be in the contrey wherof notwithstanding he receiued so sewer a taste that his captiuitye in the ende exceded euerye waye in greatnes of greff the restrainte of libertie or other mislike or impedimente he founde at any tyme in the Citye like as also the Poetes haue ymagined that loue pitchinge his tentes in deserte places not apte to discouerye dothe discharge his dartes and arrowes in the thicket of woddes and forestes vppon the borde of the Sea or shaded fountaines and some tyme vppon the heighte of the highest hilles in the pursewte of the Nimphes of all sortes iudginge therby a libertie and moste sewer waye to treate vppon matters of loue without suspicion Ielousye enuie false reaporte synister opinion or common crye of the people to be in the wide and open feldes where they maie be bolde to communicate their mutuall passion without feare of witnesses enioyinge also the pleasures of all kinde of chasses whiche the champion doth norrishe with participacion of the chirpinge harmonie and naturall musicke of birdes and somtime the delitefull noise of sondrye pleasante chanels and siluer streames qualyfyinge in their kinde the vehemencie of their languishinge greeffe and recordinge also with greate ceremonie the firste place of their amarus enteruiew or acquaintance arguynge thereby treble felicitie to suche as abandonynge the sondrie annoyes attendynge continuall abode in the Citie do resort to the pleasant lawndes in the contrey to yelde tribute of their studies to the muse wherunto they be most affected So Dom Diego beinge at hoame loued enterely of his mother serued with all dutifull obedience of his subiectes and seruantes after his ordinarie howers of studie were passed vsed his chief pleasure in thexercise of y e felde I meane some tyme to dislodge the great and loftie hart to dresse the toiles to entrapp the wilde boare and some tyme to trye the goodnes of his hawke with the mayne winge of the hearon or fearefull partridge in the stuble feldes or valleys inuyroned with huge hills wherein one daie amoÌ„gest the rest hunting the wilde goate whiche he had forced from his habitation of the high and craggie rockes he sawe launsing afore hym a harte whiche his dogges had rozed and so hoatly purse wed that to his iudgemente he seamed more then halfe spente wherewith aswell for the pleasure whiche the pastyme it selfe did offer hym as also to ease the traueile of his howndes he putt spurres to his horse forcinge hym to a mayne gallopp wherein he continued till his houndes loasynge the tracke of theyr praye were at defalte and hym selfe without the sighte and hearyng of all hys men wyth suche ignorance of the coste where he was that he knewe no readie waye of retourne to his companie and muche lesse the place where his fortune had put hym greuynge moste in this perplexitie that his horse beinge oute of breath refuced for wante of force to carye hym anye further wherfore after he hadd blowen diuers calls for his men without other aunswere then an Eccho of the woddes and waters he deuided his distresse into two pointes the one to demounte and ease the wearines of his horse the other to retire backe by the same path whyche broughte hym thither wherin his expectation was no lesse frustrate then hym selfe deceiued by the malice of his fortune for that meanyng to take the next way to his castell he mett with a contrarye pathe whiche after he had trauelled the moste parte of the afternoone broughte hym in the ende within the viewe of a stately house builded vppon the side of a hill whiche by certeine markes appearinge on thuttermoste partes of the house albeit argued the contrarie of his intente yet hearinge the bable of certeine hunters ymagininge the same to be his people drewe neare the place whiche discouered aboue his exspectacion A companie of strangers beinge certeine seruantes of the mother of GENIVERA whiche attended their mistres wyth a brase of younge greyhownds that had newlye â—â—â—â—ne a hare to deathe and beinge thus rencountred with this seconde misfortune he grewe also into tearmes of greater destresse then afore for that â—happroche of the nighte begynninge to expose shadoes of darknes vppon the earth by the departure of the son toke from hym all hope of other harbor then the offer of some hollowe trée or greene bedd vppon the grounde when lo thauncient Ladye discernynge betwene the viewe of her eye and regardes of the clowdes whiche hadd not yet cloased in the lyghte of the firmamente the shadowe of a man discendynge from the vppermost parte of a hil wyth his horse in his hande seamynge by his maiestie marching with the semblance of a prince to be some degrée of honor sente one of her men to knowe what he was who reatorned with aunswere accordynge to his demaunde wheruppon the Ladye wydowe with her faire doughter indifferently gladd of thapproche of theyr neyghbour whome albeit they neuer sawe yet fame had made theim partakers of his vertue renowme wente in solemne order to mete hym forgettynge no kynde of curteyse gretyng that belonged to the honor and estate of so noble a personage wherevnto he replied with thankes accordinge to the greatnes of the benefytt with addition that he founde hym selfe greatly in the fauor of fortune for that his painefull trauelle in wandryng so many howers had giuen hym at laste so fit an occasion to visitt the house whereunto he doubted not for his parte to confirme the league of frendshipp begon and happelye continued of longe time by his parentes and predecessours the Ladye whose longe absence from the courte had not diminished her grace in courtelike conference aunswered that if they haue greatest cause of contentements that gaineth the moste or if large benefittes require ample consideration it is she that ought to offer to fortune the sacrafize of thankesgeuinge for that she hadd brought her a guest no lesse deare then the life of her selfe and as welcome
was conuenient in a maide carefull of the garde of her honor wherein albeit her mother reaposyng indifferent credit in the vertue of theym both gaue leaue to her doughter to kepe hym companie yet as Aristotle affirmeth honesty doth not broke longe dalliance or wanton chatt in chast maydes w t the first that accoasteth theim w t conferēce in corners with any but suche as by consente of the church haue gott the power and possession of their bodie and is or oughte to be the one halfe or moytie of their mynde whiche albeit was thintente and desier of theis two louers yet y e simplicitie of their frendes deferring theffect wrought not only a breach of y e bargain but also sturred vp in her an humor of mortal spite against the sinceritie of her loyal seruāt who endewred y e reuēge of her vniust anger vnder a punishmēt of a most sharp long penance in deserts inhabitable vnknowē for in y e heate of this reciprocal loue betwene thies younglings it chaūced y t a meruellous faire and goodly gentle woman doughter of a greate lorde of the countrey called Forrando de la Sara vsyng familiarly the companie of Geniuera becam by that meanes extremely in loue with Dom Diego assayinge by publike and priuate meanes to imparte vnto hym what power and authoritye she woulde willingly giue hym ouer her harte yf for his part he would requite the sinceritie of her loue with semblable honor and affection wherein experiencynge the benefytt of all honest meanes seamyng any waye to fauour the effecte of her desyer considered at last that aboue all other exercises the knight tooke greatest pleasure in hawkes wherfore vnder coulor to make a breache into his fauour with assistyng the disposition of his delite she sente him one daye a tassell gentle as the chiefeste Iewell she had to presente hym withall excepte the offer of her owne good wyl wherein Dom Diego albeit he was wholly possessed by an other and with the losse of his libertie hadd also so departed wit his iudgement that he could not discerne thintente and honest zeale of the gentlewoman yet he accepted her presente and retorned the messenger with suche thankes as appertayned In the receiuing of this hawke appeared absolute showes of the euill fortune of the pore Diego which immediatly fayled not to thunder vppon hym without cōpassion for as he went often to visitt his mystres so he forgott not continually to cary this hawke vppon his fiste boastinge so farr vppon the goodnes of the birde that he chaunced in her presence to saye that it was one of the thinges in the worlde he helde moste deare Sewerly this wordes were sifted more nerely then there was cause and construed to other end then he mente them seinge that certeine dayes after in his absence deuising vppon his sondry vertues some commended his honeste and curteus behauior some gaue praise to his valyauntnes and dexteritie in armes some exalted in him the sondrye giftes of nature and passing further he was generallye preferred of all the companie for his sinceritie and constant dealynge in matters of loue sauing of one Graciano who rather enuyinge the vertue of the knight by malice then hable to deface y e leaste of his gyftes by reason ioyned with the reste in commendacion of his personage actiuitie and other dowries of nature but for his faith or care of promiss where loyaltye shoulde moste appere I accompte hym sayeth he so apte to dissemble and inconstante by nature that he vseth no difference of personnes in grounding his affections makynge no conscience to seame to languishe mortallye where he meaneth nothing lesse then firme constancie which touched Geniuera so neare that she coulde not giue place any longer to the sinister bable of Graciano desieringe hym to vse other tearmes touchinge the honestie of Dom Diego for saith she I am of opinion that he will rather passe vnder the sentence of any death then forfeyt the leaste pointe of his promise passed alreadie vnder the seale of his faith to a gentlewoman of this contrey besides his loue I knowe is so sincere and vpright that I dare pawne my lif on y e behalf of th assurāce There is the miste that dimmeth your eyes sayeth this cankarde ennemye of Diego for vnder the vaile of a periured loyaltie he abuseth the simplicitie of honeste Ladyes whereof I nede not go farr for a prooff nor you doubt much of the misterye if you conferr the circumstāce of his former profession towardes you with the presente ▪ league of frende shipp betwene him and the doughter of Dom ferrando de la Sara cōfirmed alredye by the gyfte of a tassell gentle which for her sake he estemeth aboue all the thinges in the world which last allegatiō restoring a remembrance of the words pronounced not longe ago by the knight touching the deare accompte he made of his hawke began to brede a suspicion of his constancie and an assured creditt in the information of thunhappie Graciano wherein swelling immediatly with her vniust collor incensed by a simple cold Ielowsie was forced to abandon the place retire into her chamber wher she gaue suche skoape to her synister conceite that she was vpon tearmes manye times to vse force againste her selfe whereunto she had added present dispatche if a hope to procure in time the reuenge of the wronge whiche she perswaded to haue receiued of her Diego had not staide th execution albeit she coulde not so gouerne her malicious disposition but the deadly hate conceiued in this moment against thinnocente gentleman did not onely supplante both stocke and roote of aunciente zeale on her parte but also grewe to suche mortalitie in her venemous stomake that she seamed not to delite so muche in the vse of her owne life as in desyer to take pleasure in the remembrance of the death of hym who no lesse innocent in the cause then ignorante of the grudge came the nexte mornynge as he was wonte to sée her hauing vppon his fiste by euill fortune the birde which bredd firste this mortall Ielowzye And as he satt deuisyng with her mother fyndinge a wante of thaccustomed companie of his mistres he asked where she was whereunto he was aunswered by one of her women that assone as she sawe hym enter the house she tooke her chamber all whiche he dissimuled by his wisdom imagininge the same to procede of some wanton fancie or coye conceite whereunto the most part of women are cōmonly incident so that when he sawe his time he tooke leaue of her mother departed meting by chaunce as he wente downe the steares of the hall one of the chambrieres or Gentlewomen of Geniuera whō he requested to kisse the hande of his mistres on his behalfe whiche she promised to performe hopinge to do a thinge no lesse acceptable to her mistres then to gaine thankes of him on whose behalfe she presented the curtesie Albeit as it is to
thoccasion of her vniust anger with intente to performe nolesse of his owne bodie if she wold not giue place to her displeasure vpon his honest purgacion which wyth the dead hawke he sente by a trustie seruante of hys debated at large in a letter wherein after a nomber of iuste reasons to confute her vniust obiections touchinge lightly her rashe iudgement in gâ—uyng sentence of hys vntrothe without hearinge his iustifycation he preferred certeine humble meanes for moderacion of her displeasure onelesse she reaposed felicitie to sée hym consumed in the martirdom of apyning life or dilited in the newes of hys present death w t other instructoÌ„s which he gaue the messenger but chiefly to note the contenance of hys mistres and make faithfull reaport of euery pointe of her aunswere wherwith the messinger posteth to Geniuera to whom with al humylitie he presenteth the charge of his coÌ„mission albeit the passion of her fretting anger denied her pacience to reade the letter and much lesse wold giue her leaue to accept the present thunfayned witnes of the contrarie of that whych she to lightly beleued but charged the messenger vppon great paine to retorne with the tromperies he hadde brought and say vnto his maister that she knew to well his whistle to come at his call and being lately burned she wold take heede eftsones to fall into the fyer wherwyth albeit the seruant went abowte to prefer thexcuse of hys mayster yet the disdaynefull lady chokinge hys honest intent forced him to vnwilling scilence with charge to ympart her resolucion to hys mayster whom sayth she if I loued earst entyer lye I hate nowe wyth a malyce more thenne mortal wher wyth shée flonge out of the presence of the messenger leauynge hym no lesse amased at her crueltie then dowtefull to retorne to hys infortunate mayster whom hee knewe wold skarcely be kept from the daunger of dispaire in hearinge the sorowfull sommonce of his mistres Albeit seinge he had professed to make a faythfull reaporte hee retorned not forgetting to repete euery point of that whyche she had giuen hym in charge and withall restored the letter and deade presente vnto the selly Diego who at the same instant had giuen lyke ende to his euill and lyfe if hys man had not withstanded thexecucion of hys morderinge handes albeit hée colde not giue suche ympedymente to the furye of hys passion but that it kepte hym occupyed wythe hideus groanes and dolefull regardes the moste parte of the after none till at laste hée quallifyed thextremetye of thys furye in complaynynge to hym selfe in thys sorte Alas saythe hee what iudgemente of fortune is thys that beinge at the pointe to reape the frutes of the contente mente I wishe in the world and fede of the only felycitie I haue in this life to be presented with an extremitie of more desperation then euer happened to any that bare the name of infortunat If such iniquitie beare a swaighe in payinge the due hier of the honeste seruice of men what hope hereafter may sustaine the lyfe of faythful louers what exspectacion haue they in the ende of their trauaile when a Ielous enuye hath power not only to take the praie oute of their handes but also ymparte the frute of their hope to an other not worthy any waye to participate w t so glorious a merit Ah Geniuera if thy disdaynefull anger woulde giue the leaue to make a viewe of my innocencie consider indifferentely the circumstaÌ„ce of my former loue w t ymagynacioÌ„ what assurance I haue hereafter vowed on thy behalfe so long as my body beares lif in this earthly corruptioÌ„ I know thou woldest repeale the sentence of thy former iudgement correcte the sinister instincte that sturred vpp the humor of thy crueltie and wype awaye at laste the teares of my vndeserued sorowe wyth a franke offer of that whyche I haue deserued by iustice Ah vaine hope whyche hetherto haste flattered me wyth pilles of ioyfull disgestion leauing me in the ende to the mercye of a miserable dispaire is it I that muste fele thoperacion of thy poyson and liccour of bitter taste it hadde bene better for me to haue bene repulsed in the begynninge then after a pleasaunt profe of reciprocall loue to be refused and lose the earnest of my desyer for so small an occasion y t the only remembraunce makes me blushe at the symplicitye of the cause Albeit fortune shal not altogether tryumphe ouer me for so longe as I liue so longe wyll I kepe my vowe to the faire Geniuera and preserue my life onlye to witnes the constante force of my loue which albeit I can not performe with out an extreme torment in skorchinge flames of contynuall passion yet the remembrance of my dutie to her to whom I offer this deuocion of a burninge sacrafyce of my selfe wyll quallefye in some parte the heat of my skaldynge gréeffe wherewith he retired into suche sighes and signes of lamentable dollor showinge hym indifferently plunged betwene the Alarams of death and panges of frenzie that hys man was at point to ronn for the old lady to come and blisse her son wyth her last farewell Albeit restoring hys traunce by his owne diligence began so far as he durst to reprehend the weaknes of hys mynde for that he seamed so careles of hym selfe as to offer his life at the sommonce of a folyshe girle who sayth he vseth thys cruell pollecie peraduenture to make a tryall of your constancie neyther ought you to do such wronge to your vertue and much lesse kepe war wyth extremities but if you be resolued to loue her you must also determyn to pursewe her by other meanes and giuinge a lytle place to the malice of fortune attende the benefit of a better tyme who is neuer vnthankfull to theym that suffer her with pacience and who also hath power to mollefye for you thys Dyamantyn harte of your mistres albeit it be tempred wyth the mettell and bloud of the most furious and sauage beastes that euer bredd in the desertes of Lybya Diego did not only allowe thadmonicion of his man but also felte cause of comforte in his aduise with intente to persiste in the pursewte of the good will of his misters to whoÌ„ he preferred sondrie letters ambassages by mouthe other excuses wherin he gayned asmuche as in the firste for that the more he courted her with honeste importunityes the greater grewe her vniuste displeasure in suche sorte that in the end she threatned the messenger with seuere punishement if he continued anye longer the queste of his maisters follye for saith she theis handes shall rather giue ende to my life by a willyng force againste my selfe then my harte consente to be thankefull in anye sorte to hym whome I hate no lesse then the stinge of a venemous serpente which as it brought a fresh supplie of dollor to the languishynge Diego tryeng to thuttermost the vertue of his patience so consideringe the litle gaine he
meritt with the cause of his vniuste tormeÌ„t vsynge with all thaduise of reason he hadde not seamed so symple in his owne blyndnes nor bene so sowne abused by y e foly of a folish girle his man dowting any further tattempt hym with perswacions for feare to procure thuttermost of hys displeasure was forced to an vnwillinge patience greuinge notwithstandynge on the behalfe of the misfortune of his maister who with his euill dyott and worse lodgyng quarrelyng both two with his former order of bringing vp was become so pale and hideuse of regarde that he rather resembled the dryed barke of a withered trée then the shapp of a man bearynge lyfe besides the course of continual teares and skorchyng syghes deriued from the bottome of his stomake had so drained the conduites and vaynes fedynge the partes of his bodie with naturall moisture that his eies sonke into his heade his bearde forked and growen oute of order the heares of his headd starynge lyke a forlorne man or one loathinge the vse of longer lyf hys skyn and face ful of forrowes and wrinkelles procedyng of â—retting thought argued him rather a wilde man borne and bredde vpp al the dayes of his lyfe in the wildernes then the valyante Diego whose fame exceded earste the whole compasse and Circuit of Spaine But here lett vs leaue our amarus hermitt ful of passioÌ„s in hys symple cloyster or cane vnder the earthe and see what followed the deliuery of his letters to his cruell Geniuera to whom the seruante the fourthe daye after his departure accordyng to his charge presented the letters not with oute a greate showe of dutie and reuerence who notwithstanding assone as she perceiued by the direction froÌ„ whence they cam forgatt not to retire into her aunciente disdaine and casting in greate anger the letters vppon the ground vouche safed not once to giue leaue to the messenger to declare the reste of his embassage wherwith her mother some what reprehendyng thinciuilitie of her doughter demaunded to sée the packett for saieth she I am perswaded of thonestie of Diego neyther do I doute any deceyte in his vertue nor you doughter for your parte oughte to seame so curious to tooche theym seynge that yf they ymporte anye poyson your beautie only is to be blamed whiche was the firste baite that infected the knighte and if he putt you in remembraunce of your rigour I sée no wronge he doth you considering the greatnes of his deserte and the slender care you haue of his due consideration in whyche meane tyme a page tooke vpp the letters and gaue theym to tholde Ladie who founde his complaynte in suche or semblable tearmes Seynge good madam myne Innocencie is denyed to worke theffecte of her vertue and iuste excuses confirmed with thautoritie of equitie and reason are altogether voyde of force to make a breach into your harte so hardned against me with vniuste disdaine that the simple remembrance of my name is no lesse hatefull vnto you then the offer of any tormente what tiranny so euer it ymporte I fynd the nexte acceptable seruice I can do you is in mortefyinge whollye the cause of your displeasure and with my punishment to yelde you contentemente to putt suche distance betwene vs that neyther you nor any other shall knowe the place of myne abode and muche lesse the pitte of fattal repose where in I entende to cowche my corrupte bones wherein albeit my contynuall passion procedyng of the viewe of your discourtesie hath bredd suche a generall debilitie thorowe all the â—aynes and places of force within me that I féele my self alredye fallen into the handes of the dreadefull messenger So affore theffecte or execution of the extreme hower I am thus holde hereby with the true toochestone or witnes of myne Innocentie to putt you in remembrance of your vnnaturall rigor not for that I meane to accuse you to the hier of your deserte but that the worlde beynge priuie to my case maie be thindifferent iudge betwene my integrity and your crueltie my loyall affection and the wronge you do to y e rewarde of my seruice assurynge my selfe notwithstandynge that the reaporte of my deathe will bringe a remorse to your conscience with a compassion albeit to late seynge the same shal be thequal ballance to paise my sincere and constante intente with your credulous and rashe iudgement in admittinge for trothe the false suggestion of suche as enuyed the vertue of our honeste loue with a suborned informacion of a frendshypp betwene me and the doughter of the Lorde of Sera yf you will make it good madam vnlawful for a gentleman traded in the disciplines of ciuilitie to receiue the presentes of a Ladye or gentlewoman equall in degrée or honor to hym self wherein will you to consiste the pointes of humanitie howe can we glorie or séeme meritorious of the title of nobilitie yf it be an offence to he thaÌ„kefull to suche as do homage to our honour with thoffer of anye courtesie wherein notwithstandynge I was so curious to offende you that thâ—nly respect or feare of your displeasure forcinge me to abuse y e goodnes of myne owne inclination made me retorne the offer of her frendeshypp with a simple Gram mercy And for your parte if your hate hathe taken suche roote against me and your self so resolued to do wronge to the sacred pitie exspected in al women and shrowded commonly vnder the vaile of suche beautie as nature hathe paynted in your face that neyther the sacrefice whiche I haue made of the cause of your vniuste disdaine my languishing penance nor lawful excuses haue power to perswade you to the contrary of your synyster ymagynation I sée no other choyce then to yelde to the partiall sentence of your iudgemente whyche as an enemye to thequitie of my cause fauoreth wholly the iniustice of your conceite wherein seynge the spottes of your mortall displeasure can not be wiped awaie but by the blodd of my lyfe whyche showeth your contente mente to consiste wholly in my destruction I accompte it a dutie of reason to honour you with the sacrafise of my deathè aswell as I founde cause to auowe vnto you the seruice of my lyfe whiche also I am yet to performe so longe as my sowle dothe kepe her holde by the mortall thred and fraile fillett of my bodye fyndinge this one thynge to increase the miserye of my death passynge as the breath of a pleasant sighe whych shall haue power to dysmiss my soule vnder the sommonce of a softe and shorte pange that myne ynnocencye wil alwaies lyue to accuse you as a cruel mordresse of your moste constant and loyall seruant Dom Diego The tragicall contentes of this letter strick such soddaine dollor into the mynd of thold lady that she seamed to participate w t thaffliction of the pore forrestian hermit albeit dissimuling her passioÌ„ affore her howshold seruaÌ„tes retired into her chaÌ„ber with her doughter only whoÌ„ she failed not
that whiche gaue also credit to his conceite was a locke of his curled heare whiche he kepte wrapte about his righte eare whereupon he dismissed all suspicion as one assured of his doubte threwe his armes about the necke of his frende wateryng his breste with the teares of his eyes and saide vnto him Alas Seigneur Diego what disfauor of the heauens haue kepte you so longe from the companie of those that dye of distresse in the absence of you whose presence was the piller of their consolation What be they that haue procured this longe eclipps of your name when it ought to expose the clearest light both for the glorie of your present youth honor of your future old age Ah is it my company that moues this longe scilence in you is it I that haue deserued this wrong at your handes to abuse the vertue of my honeste frendshipp with a shamefull feare to disclose your self vnto me doom regardes without argument of gladnes Do you thinke alas that I know not him whome I embrace no no I can not be so simple nor my iudgement blinded any longer in the knowledge of him whom the secret instinct of my harte discouered at my first entrey into this caue neither is there any part in me of iudment that doubteth you to be the same Seigneur Diego whose renowme resowndes thuttermost confynes of spaine and God forbid that I departe here hens without carieng with me the glorie of equal contentement to ii indifferently passioned in your absence the one to my selfe ioyinge in my happie fortune to drawe you out of the dongeoÌ„ of this calamitye the other in makinge so gladsome a present to your mother impartinge also the ioyful newes to your subiectes and seruantes whose eyes are not yet drie with the teares of your departure Here Dom Diego seing he could no loÌ„ger dissemble that which was so plainly disclosed construing to the best the thankeful coÌ„gratulacioÌ„s of his frend began to relente in his hart no lesse then the gladsom mother in recoueringe her childe that hath bene longe kepte from her or the chaste wiâ— loÌ„gâ— destitute of the presence of her deare husbaÌ„de reioyseth wheÌ„ she holdes him in her armes may embrase him at pleasure wherin being also indifferently passioned betwene delite dollor honest shame semblable feare passinge a declaratioÌ„ of his inwarde trouble of minde by the coÌ„duites of his eyes distilling streames of sorowe ioye by great aboundance retourned thimbrassements of his frende with no lesse hartie affection then the other with good will somoned this new acquaintance sainge Ah howe secret is the determination of God his iudgementes inscrutable I resolued here to attende the ende of my miserable dayes without making my intente priuie to any man in the worlde and lo nowe am I delâ—ried when I feared leaste my discouerie I am trulye sayeth he with a pitifull discharge of a nomber of dollorous sighes the same infortunat Diego and your deare frende who persecuted with continuall affliction and tormente of fortune was so weary of the worlde that I chosed this deserte habitation as a secrett receptacle to performe the reste of the voyage which nature hath enioyned me in this transâ—torie and wretched vale where seinge you haue vnhappely discouered me I beseche you by the honor of your name vertue of that frendship contynued betwene vs from the beginning let it suffice you that you haue séene me without procuring impedimente to the reste of my willing pennance by imparting the place of my retreate to any Wherunto Roderico did not only refuse to coÌ„disceÌ„de but also continuing his former earnest perswaded him to discoÌ„tinue that brutal lif with admonitioÌ„ y t God had made theim noble giuen theim authoritie not with charge to liue idle eyther in their pallaceis or other obscure place but so to bestowe their tallente y t with the exaÌ„ple of their vertue thignorant may be instructed in y e trade of honeste liuing the good men supported in their integritie the bad sorte kepte in awe by their iustice And for your part saith he how vainely may your subiectes people reioyse in that God hath blessed theim with a Lord to their contentacion yf affore thexperience of our vertue they loase the cause of their contentement what comfort or quiett thynke you can harbor within the carefull breste of your desolate mother who hath made the world happy with so honest a son bringinge you vp with suche diligence that you lacke nothing to make you parfect in this sort to loase the frute exspectacioÌ„ of such norriture it is you sir whoÌ„ dutie commaunds to yeld obedience to your parentes soccour to thafflicted do iustice to such as demaunde right at your hand alas it is your pore subiectes who lamenting your absence complaines of the wrong you do to theym in deÌ„nieng the vse of your presence it is you that ouerwhelmes tholde yeares of your mother with vntymely desolation it is you that reneweth the course of her continuall complaintes in breakyng your faith towching the day of your reatorne Wherwith thinpatience of Dom Diego in hearynge thobiections of his owne faltes brake his furder discourse excusyng him selfe in this sorte Yt is easie saieth he for hym that is well to compforte the sicke and harde for such as be in distres to admitt any councell in their euil you finde a facilitie to giue iudgemente of my disease beinge whollye ignorante of the cause accuse my absence rather by desier to do me good theÌ„ of any malice you owe to my wretched state but if you vnderstode the circunstance of my misfortune and the occasion that first moued me to make trial of this solitary life you wold conuerte I doute not this sinister conceite of the wronge which you charge me to do to all men to an oppinion of ryghte on my behalfe seing the most wise assured of al assailed with the lyke tormente of sprite which I féele quarrelling with the constancye of my mynde haue lefte example of faltes of no lesse fragilitie then myne I confesse is iustely meritorious of reprehencion wherewith drawing Rodorico aparte frome the reste he preferred a particular discourse of his loue his possibilitie good hope in y e beginning his sinister successe in th end withe the continu acion of the vniuste crueltye of his mistres whose name he cold not pronounce without suche fluddes of teares and skorchynge sighes that for the tyme they staied the course of his wordes mouinge suche compassion to the tender harte of Roderico that he was forced to kepe him companie w t semblable kindnes assaing notwithstanding to remoue the vaile of such desperat opinion with request to discontinue his sauage lyfe in the desolate forrestes wherein he preuailed asmuche as if he had vndertaken to perswade a multitude without a toung for that the resolued hermit told hym that he wolde not only
whoÌ„ he gaue warning of his coÌ„ming by a foreryder of his coÌ„ pany who also for his part as he had receiued suche coÌ„pfort in exspectacioÌ„ of theffect of y e promise of his freÌ„d y t in y e tyme of his absence he seamed to recouer y e best part of his auncient bewty so y e newes of thaproch of his mistres breathed in him such doble passioÌ„ of Jeleose ioy and doutfull feare that seaming vncertein wherin to resolue himself durste skarcely admit a possibilitie in that wherof y e message ymported absolute assurance yelding notwithstanding speciall thankes to the director of the starres for thys laste fauor showed vpon his distresse in preferrynge hym to the sighte of her who beynge thée cause of hys tormente maye also put her laste hande to hys fatall execution for wythe what greater ioye or contentemente saythe hee canne can I visit the darke shadoes and ghostes disburdned of this lyfe then to yelde vp breath in the presence of her whom if I haue honored in my life it is nothing in respect of the seruice my soule hath vowed on her behalfe in the other world in goinge affore to performe the office of her harbinger amonge the Angels in paradise in the meane while Dom Roderico who hetherto had not discouered himselfe to Geniuera was disarmed and with open face accosteth her as she rydes debating with her in this sort I dowt not at all but you finde it very straunge to sée me in this place in such attyre and vpon an occasion so contrary to the rancke and honor I professe the rather by thexperience of the present Iniury you thinke you haue receiued by me who hetherto haue borne the face of an affectioned frende to all your house and me thinke I sée how you dispose your selfe to accuse thiniustice of my cause in forcinge you to exchaunge the companie of your deare frende to commit you to the societie of these deserte confines wherein also as I haue nothing to defend me from ymputacioÌ„ of iust blame on your behalfe but the vertue of that true frendship which knittes together with an indissoluble vnitie the hartes of men so for your part if you will rightly measure my honest meaninge in this enterprise and remouing the vaile of pertiall disdayne disgest the angrie beginning with ymagynacion of a pleasante ende I dare abide the sentence of your in different iudgement whether I be wholly worthie of reprehencion or you altogether voyde of falte I besech you also consider that the true and loyal seruante indeuoringe hymselfe to performe to thuttermoste the will of hym that hath power to commaunde hym dothe not only deserue a chiefe place of fauor with his Lord but also a consideracion according to the merit of his seruice whych I do not infer to solicit my thankes wyth you whom I haue rather offended then contented in exposing on effecte of honest zeale I owe to all verteus and chast Ladyes whereof for your parte you shall fynde me no nigardee on your bebehalf in time and place of nede desiering you in dismissing al sinister conceites of vnworthie grudge to preferr no less modestie then oughte to accompanie a gentlewomaÌ„ of your age calling seing that honor seameth beste contented with the place subiecte where he remeineth vsing curtesie then in abusing their greatnes to preferre malicious crueltye and because we approche neare the place where I intende God willing to presente you cutting of now your suspeÌ„ce with an exposicion of my meanynge you muste note that that whiche is alreadye paste with the residue yet to be performed tendeth to no other ende then to releue the distresse of y e most loyal louer that this daye hath his being vnter the circle of the moâ—e Yt is the noble valyante knighte Dom Diego the moste constante seruan te that euer bare name to be worthie to do seruice to any Ladye who for the respecte of your displeasure hath registred hymselfe amydd the hideus rockes of theis sauage and solitarie valleys it is to hym I leade you protestinge to you by the heauens that the miserie wherein I sawe hym plunged on all sides not sixe wekes passed touched me so neare that if the sacrifize of my life onelye woulde haue discharged the price or raunsom of his martirdom you had bene frée from this passion of perplexitie by my meanes and I not partaker of theis angrie regardes which threaten the vtter losse of your good will wherin as it is only I that haue committed the offence if there be any falte at all so I beseche you let me onlye endure the punishment with requeste that you extende compassion vpon the desolation of him who almoste wasted with pyninge miserie reaposeth for your sake a felicitie in thextremitie of his hard pennance If Geniuera were halfe desperat afore for the death of her Biskaine louer it is now she is readie to excede the lymittes of raison frettinge with such inwarde spite against the simple recorde of the name of Diego y t her malicious rage forcing a scileâ—â—ce for the time driue her to a respit in forminge her aunswere albeit as the passioÌ„ of impatience is neither so perillous nor of such continuaÌ„ce as other traunces accidental or proper so vnclosing her eyes she fixed theim vpon Roderico with no lesse furious regard then the tigress beholding y e deuouring of her whelps afore her face and wringing her handes with her long and smale armes a crosse vppon her tender breste she exclaymed against his discourtesie in this sorte Ah mordring traitor saieth she no more worthie of the honor of knightehodd for that thou hast forfeited thy faith by a detestable traison is it vpon me thou oughtest to wreake such an effecte of thy malicious villanye or hast thou dissembled thy grudge so longe with a showe of fliering fauor like the cockadrell towardes all our house to vomitt thy venim vpon me who neuer deserued but wel at thy handes Haste thou the face to intreate me for an other seinge in my presence thou hast killed him whose blood I wil purse we vpoÌ„ the thine so longe as I haue one gaspe of breath to accuse thy villanie what authoritye hast thou to inquire of my doinges or impesh my determination or in what sorte am I bound to yelde y e accoÌ„pte of any resolution of mine who hath made the arbitrator or much lesse giuen the coÌ„mission to debate vpoÌ„ tharticles of my mariage onlesse thy malice will force me to loue that desloyall villaine for whom thou haste coÌ„mitted an acte of perpetuall infamie to thy name whereof also for my part I wil reserue such remeÌ„brance in the store-house of my hart that only death shal take awaie y e desier to reuenge the wrong thou hast done me albeit fortune hath made me thy prisoner with power to dispose of me at thy pleasure yet haue I one resistance to defeate the extremitie of thy force
more of this gentleman theÌ„ in forgiuing the falte of thy false coÌ„tracte with thy last minion not only to forbeare to enter into suspicioÌ„ touching thy vnsemely ronnyng awaye with an vnknowen villeine but also crauing the guerdoÌ„ of his constancie is at point to sacrafice his life to appaise thy anger and yeld the contentment for end I aduise you to chaunge opinioÌ„ least I coÌ„mitt to as many morsels thy desloial body as this wofull knight not long since made bloddie deuision of his vnhappie hawke the only cause of his preseÌ„t distresse and by your owne folly ready to giue you a title of the most tyrannouse arrogant gentlewoman that is neither haue I begon this enterprise to leaue it vnperfecte or giue it ouer with this successe wherfore seynge you take pleasure in extremities I will fede your delite with the offer of loue or death wherof as I giue you the benefitt of the choice so I sweare vnto you by hym that is not ignorante of my intente that if you refuce the first you shall not faile in thys place to passe vnder the sentence of the last wherin my selfe will not feare to discharge thoffice of the fatall minister in embruyng my handes in the blood of her whose follie only causeth the death of one of my dearest frendes Thies threates dismayed nothing the malicious Geniuera nor abated any parte of her presumptuouse arrogancie for who had sene the fyerie regardes of her eyes the knittynge of her browes whettyng of her teethe closinge her delicate fingars withe other braueries excedynge farre the simplicitie of suche tender yeres vnexperienced asyett in thassaltes and malice of an aduerse fortune wolde haue sayed shée hadd rather procured terrour to Roderico then giuen place to his fearefull offer or somounce of loue or death defyenge also the rigour of his authoritie with thies tearmes Lyke as thowe kaitife knighte sayeth she he that is once thorough bathed in the suddes of ynnocente blodde is so fleshed and hardened in villenie that no acte of detestation seames any synne to hym So it is no merueile if thowe whyche haste committed vnnaturall slaughter of one whose true vertue exceded the flatterynge fame of thy renowne and gaue no place to the integretie of life arte not without feare to committ me to the same guide leaste in sufferynge me to liue thou couldest not auoyce the iustice whyche I am to procure vpon the iniury I haue receiued besides I am here readie to laye my heade vppon the blocke of execution rather then to giue the honour of my virginitie to any seinge the cursed handes haue depriued me of hym to whome bothe the trée and frute dyd only apperteine neyther do I tremble in the remembrance of the stroke of deathe howe cruell so euer it appere for that I shall the rather stande affore the troane from whence is graunted all vengaunce to suche wretches as thou arte ha God seing thou arte righteouse why doste thou not thonder iustice vpon the wronge which thies outlawes haue don thy ynnocente hande mayde Ah traitor Roderico perswade thy selfe that thou canste not offer me so cruell a deathe as I am moste readye to endure the tormente hopynge the same shall serue hereafter as the only cause and meane of thindifferent destructiou of thy selfe and hym for whom thou trauellest thus in vaine here her woman and page began to perswade her to pitie on the behalfe of the knighte that suffred such passion for her sake with consente to the honeste requestes of Roderico solicitynge her so frankelye towchynge thextremities of theym both that she entred into tearmes of reprehencion againste their honeste meanynge will you saieth she be eyther enchaunted with the fayned teares of this deloyall who passioneth hym selfe vppon creditt or stande in awe of the tyrannouse threates of thys morder or whose villanie wyth couered face hathe taken awaye the lyfe of youre mayster Ah vnhappye girle that I am it is nowe alas that I feele the heauie handes of fortune whose malyce hathe not onelye putte me béetwene the handes of hym whome I hate no lesse then I haue already experienced his dyssembled loue but also in doublynge my mishap assaileth me with the sinister perswacions of my seruants coÌ„panioÌ„s of care who ought rather to allowe my resolucion in death then prefer motion in any sort touchinge my consente to requests of no less corruption then theim selues be infected who solicite in so bad a caâ—e Ah loue I proue to late alas thinfydelytie of thy promise fyndinge so bad a recompense for so dutifull obedience to yelde at thy sommonce and so slender defence for suche as commit theim selues faythfullye to the gouernmente of thy lore why sholde nature be more curius to frame vs of a more delicate molde tempered with a mettel of fragilitie then careful to leaue vs armour of resistance agaynste thassaltes of fortune for if I had not had a perle of flattering affection painted in my face I had not tasted y e beginning of a pleasure whose dollorous farewell for euer brings more cause of gréeff then thapprehencion at the first engendred parfecte contentment for beinge alas vppon the point to Sipp of the sugred cup wyth exspectacion to féede of the frute of my pleasant attainte Lo how traiterus loue serueth me with dishes of mortal annoye and in place of the deynties which others finde in the ende of their longe hope it is I that am presented with the banquet of al bitter confections which makes me heare resigne and declare my fatal testament vpon thinconstancye of that pleasante follye whom as I leaue at libertie to make hys gaine of others aswell as he hath dallied with me so I reioyce in thexchaunge of so great an euil for so present a consolacion as deathe in whom I hope to fynd no lesse contentment and quiet then the other hath assailed me with diuersatie of passion Retire oh cursed mishap to th ende that dyenge by thy meanes I may liue without the in thother worlde wherein place of a thousand annoyes which yf I shold consente to longer life thou hast yet to thonder vpon me I shal be sewer of eternall reapose norished with thinuisible foode whych god ympartes to hys Angels and soules assistinge his heaueÌ„ly paradise Come deathe and do thyne office vpon thys wretched girle who attendes the sharpnes of thy darte to preuente the â—earcinge arrowes of myne aduersarye Ah poore harte deuoyde of hope am desperate touching the consommacion of thy desyers ceasse hensfurth to wishe the fruytion of longer tearme seinge destenie loue and lyf are determined to dysmisse me here hence to sewe for peace elswhere and embrase the ghost of hym whose lif was sacrafized to the deloyaltie of thys wretche who also for his parte not satisfyed with the blod of ynnocencye takes no compassion vpon my teares which I wishe to distyll by suche abundance that in ouerflowing the vital paxtes in me he might sée me perishe in his
theis solitarye desertes aswell to endure the pennance of myne owne indiscretion as also to continue in secrett prayer to thalmightye for the continual quiet of her who may boldly vaunte to be the mistres of the most loyall seruante that euer mente honor or seruice to Ladie Who doubtes in y e merueilous forces of loue let him be absolued with this example seing that as the impressiō which we cal loue hath power to bringe to an vnitie the mindes that liued in seperation make indissoluble peace with the quarells which seame immortall quallifying the rigour of those hartes whiche without this passion no other pollecie could appaise So when he discouereth the full perfection of his effectes he preferres suche a facilitie in thinges whiche earste seamed impossible that by his onely meane they become neither dangerous to pursewe nor harde to obtaine whych appered rightly in this younge Lady in whom as the sinister conceite of a former Ielowsie her affected zeale contracted to an other with her iust cause of anger for his death had engendred a disdayne to Dom Diego an extreme desier to reuenge her wronge vpon Dom Roderico and by the same meane to ende her owne lyfe So loue remouinge the vaile that blinded the eyes of her vnderstandinge and breakinge thadamante rocke planted in the middeste of her stomake brought her in one instante to beholde with open eyes the constancy patience and perseuerance of her first and moste loyall seruant whose last prayer and intercession on her behalf stirred vp in her more remorce thē al y e seruices of court or pennance in the painfull wildernes wer hable to prefer whereof she exposed a present effect in castinge her armes a bout the necke of the desperat knyght to whom she forbare no sortes of kisses nor amarus embrasinges seamynge no lesse passioned wyth ioy and loue on hys behalfe then earste he seamed plunged in dispair and sorowe ballancing indifferently betwene life and death in his presence neyther was she hable to pronownce any worde vpon the soddayne tyll beyng restored to the vse of her tongue by the discontynuance of her traunce she excused her former rigour wyth tearmes of humylitie and desyeringe pardon of the follies wher wyth she had abused hys patience offred her selfe hereafter to be the slaue and seruant of hys shadow takyng thassistāce of thym perfections in loue to be in some sort contrybutarye to her falte for that sayth she as loue hathe this vice of nature that such as accompte theym selues to sée moste cleare are they whych most often commit greatest faltes by ignorance So besydes the confession of the wronge I haue don you so many wayes Lo I am ready to abide the punishment of your owne iudgemeut without crauing any dispence of iustice or moderacion of pennance for any respecte of fauor And albeit for my parte I haue not escaped wythout passiō but y t the stormes of aduersatie which you haue séene me endure haue driuen me to thuttermost of my patience yet I my selfe happie to haue passed that awaye for thexperience I haue made of two effects of verteous extremities the one of constant loyaltie in you whych only hath right to chaleng y e crowne of glory frō hym that sacrafized himself vpon the blodie body of hys Lady who in dyenge so gaue ende to his annoyes where you haue chosen a kynde of languishynge life of more hard tolleracion a thousād tymes then the sharp arrowes of death the other consistes in the clemencie wher wyth you haue mortefied so well the rage of your aduersaries that I whych earst hated you to death am now so vanquished by your courtesye that I accompte myne honor and lyfe of to small value to requite your merit wherin also I acknowledge a debte to Seigneur Roderico whose wisedome makes me ashamed of my follie in resisting his rightfull demaunde touching the reléeffe of your vndeserued destresse wherunto as he wold haue replied wyth semblable humylitie Dom Roderico preuented hys meanynge in embrasinge theym both with peculiar commendacion to theyr vertues and speciall thankes to the goodnes of their fortune for that w t out peril of honor they had passed that dangerus passage aduising them to retorne w t hym to hys castel frō whēce hée sayde he wolde gyue warning to their mothers to whom he also vndertoke to cooler thaccidente wyth some other circumstance of fayned substance wher vpon they mounted on horsbacke leauing the stately hospitall to the nexte hermyt and vsing easye iorneys they toke away the tediousnes of the way with the pleasant deuises whych passed betwen the two louers embrasing one an other in honest sort as a simple recompense of their longe and weary annoyes till tyme with the consent of the churche gaue authoritie to consommat the rest of their desiers from the house of Roderico was aduertisement giuen to the two Ladye mothers in equall care for the loss of their childrē excusing the secret departure of Geniuera in that she went to sée Dom Diego lyinge sicke in a castell of hys frende Seigneur Roderico where if it pleased theym to giue their consente the mariage sholde be performed wherin there nedes no pithie solycitors to neither of the widowes for that for the more honor of the feaste and contentmente in the allyance they failed not there in parson at the day appointed where the mariage was performed with pompp accordyng to the magnificence of both their houses And so it is to be thought that the stormes and tormentes past endured by theim both yelded thys conclucion of other tast then they whych wythout painful trauaile in the presence of loue possesse the fyrste daye the full of their desiers whose pleasures certeinly as they resemble the condicion of hym who norished al the dayes of hys lyf in deintie fare cannot iudge so well of delite as he that some times findes want of suche delicatie soo also an extreme thruste makes vs fynde the wyne more pleasant and a long fasting giues a better taste to oure meate neyther is loue wythout annoye any other thyng then a cause without an effecte for he that wyll takeawaye the paynfull traueills and longe sute robbes the louer of the prayse of hys constancie and doth wronge to the glory of hys pursewt seyng that he only is worthy to weare the crowne of tryumphe who encountringe all conflictes doth reapose more assurance in the vertue of hys constancie then feare in any sorte the malice of any fortune Let thys be then the mirrour of loyal louers in detestacion of thimpudicitie of suche whych feare not to giue a charge wher they fynde good countenance and readye retire at the first repuise ympartinge also a participacion of worthy rebuke to thothers who to contente the humor of their fonde affection doo accompte it a vertue to exchaunge their former generositie wythe a gloriouse title to be reputed as true and faythfull champions of loue for y t the perfectiō to loue