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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
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
ympartes a wonder full strength and constancie of mynd to suche as be chast in dede and the vertue of whom consisteth not only in thoutwarde argumentes but is sewerly ram pierd within the strongest part of their harte like as in the mynd of this to whom as you see thalmighty gaue force to vanquishe wyth mayne hande the wicked enemye of her honor FINIS The argument YF the wisemen of olde time founde cause of cohibicion in their vnruly children and ympes of wanton youthe I thinke we haue double reason in this age to vse a steddie eye bothe vpon our daughters and such as are geuen vs in socyetie of wedlock not for that I wish the one to be kepte vnder as seruants or seruile slaues nor to take awaye from the other the whole skoope of libertie appointed by the preferment of mariage but exposinge an Indifferent and honeste meane I wishe to eschewe the murmore of the world by cuttinge of suche infyuit occasions of infections as seme to offer them selues to corrupte and seduce the fragillitie of our youth chieflye seinge a dayly experience of so many assaltes and alarams of fylthye loue offered to our daughters and litle girles beinge yet in the firste flame of the fyre whiche nature kindleth in the hartes of such as accompt themselues most confirmed in the yeres of maturitie or discrecion neyther wolde I that either the maide or the maried woman shold refuse to haue a bridel put to her libertie coÌ„sideriÌ„gitis such a garde of her quiet and honest name wyth chiefe defence against the malice of the reprochefull worlde that it were better to be chayned in the bottom of a darke pryson then to enioye the benefit of the open ayer being noted of such spottes of infamy as coÌ„monly attendes vpon an inordynat libertie and lice nâ—ious life Wherein if the desolacion of so many parentes wepinge in the villanie of their wiues and daughters vtter ruine and subuercioÌ„ of so many houses presented in stage playes to feed the â—aine eyes of the reprochefull multitude argued not the nomber of inconuenience happening by a dissolute and libertines lif and y t in the persones of diuerse our great mens daughters now a daies wee nede not seame so curious in keping this continuall watche and garde but resigne such ceremonies to be practised in strang contries wher meÌ„ are Ielous of their owne shadow w t opinioÌ„ that their wiues or daughters are not able to resist the least and most simple attaynt y t can be offred But wher thexamples are more then manifest and the frutes of y e folly burst out in open shew let vs leaue to allow or assise the brutal opinion of such as perswade that awe is not necessary for youth or y e seuere correctioÌ„ or rather folysh pamperiÌ„g bredes a dolnes of wit w t impedimeÌ„t of y e dispositioÌ„ of y e mind or hinderance to thincrease of natural giftes The daughters of Rome lyued alwaies within the house of their fathers with no more libertie theÌ„ was measured vnto theim by y e eye of their mother and yet weâ— they vertuous matrons in their houses and so sufficently instructed in cyuilitie that I doubt y e most perfect courtier we haue at this day deserueth not comparison with y e least of their perfectioÌ„s for what other ciuilitie or exaÌ„ple of honest life caÌ„ y e maides of our time learn in any coÌ„pany now a dayes if not to seame eloqueÌ„t in pratlinge discourses of vaine filthie loue with words ful of vaine and filthy loue and intiâ—ing behauiors of an open curtisan somtime to make an experieÌ„ce of an act no lesse detestable in dede theÌ„ the remeÌ„brance ought to be hateful to al honest meÌ„ albeit as I wold not by this meanes procure a general inhibicioÌ„ of honest conference and coÌ„pany amongest the nobilitie of our coÌ„try with exercises tollerated by y e perscriptioÌ„ of libertie lefte vnto vs by our auncieÌ„ts So it is an indeuor most necessary in mine opinion to make a conteÌ„placioÌ„ or view of the maners or inclinacioÌ„ of wils with a discression to check such as be to froward make slack in some sort the raine of awful gouermente to them that seame of more tender disposicioÌ„ by y e assistaÌ„te of which polycie it cold not be chosen but vertue shold glyster as greatly in y e houses of great meÌ„ as rude behauior in the cabynet of y e paisaÌ„t or vnciuile trankeling who coÌ„moÌ„ly goeth more neare the discipline of thelders in norriture of their childreÌ„ theÌ„ such as vndertake to be maisters of art of exquisit skil toochiÌ„g y e educatioÌ„ of yongliÌ„ngs for which cause the wise Emperour Marcus Aure lius wold not haue his doughters brought vp in y e court for how caÌ„ the norce saith he he honest herself or ympart vertu to her rhild seing nothing but practises of euil and vniuersatie of y e disputacioÌ„ of loue with a thousaÌ„d vaine delites to with drawe her from wel doinge or to showe effectes of a godly lyfe but to auoide the imputacion or title of a rigorous iudge whiche some of oure ladies or gentlewomen maye peraduenture bestowe vppon me in prescribinge suche straite rules of their reformacioÌ„ I prefer for my only defeÌ„ce y t benefit of vertue who I am sewer wil alwaies appeare perfecte as she is both in bud braÌ„ch in what soile soeuer she be planted wherin aswel for mine owne excase as also to make more noble y e sinceritie of noble dames by thimpudeÌ„t life of y e slipperie sort of womeÌ„ I haue preferred this exaÌ„ple of an ItaliaÌ„ couÌ„tesse who so loÌ„g as her first husbaÌ„d not igno raÌ„t of y e humor of her inclinacion kept her within the blew of his eye seamed so curious of her reputacioÌ„ y t y e same only was hable to pleade against al thennemies of her renowme but y e vaile of this fre captiuitie was no soner takeÌ„ away by the death of her husband but God knoweth what valyant exploites she performed and your selues may be iudges what false bowndes she gaue to her owne honor with badges of infamie to hym that shold haue gouerned her in her second mariage if you wil use patience in readinge the discourse that followeth THE DISORDERED LYF of the countesse of Celant who liuynge long in adultery and after she had procured diuerse morders receaued the hier of her vvickednes by a shameful death IN thuttermoste partes of Pyemount is a percell of thinheritaunce of the Marques mountferrat called CASALIA where dwelte sometyme one Iames Scarpadon a manne more notorius in those partes by his treasure and abhomynable trade of vsurie and fylthie gaine then of anye reputacion elswhere by disceÌ„t of parentage or monument of any vertue or godly disposicion who marienge a grecian damefell of equal qualitie and calibre begat of her a dought ter more faire then vertuouse lesse honest then was necessarie and worse disposed then well
possession of him that desired nothing so much as to enioye the pillage of so precious a praye albeit she fisshed afor the nete made her reckoning without her hoast for assone as shée comes to the cottage of Iulya and began to enter into the preamble of her embassage openynge with all the bore of her marchandise Iewels the mayde abhorring no lesse the company of y e bawde then lothing the sight of y e ministers of corrupciō could not so bridle her humor of iust anger but interrupting her bablyng discourse shée seased in hast vpon y e Iewls other presents which without respect of their valew she cast into the middest of the strete imparting the like curtesie to the lewde bringer whom shée toke by the sholders and thrust out of her house with threats that yf shée aduentred eftesones to come thither she would present her with her message affor the Ladye marquise who hated suche trolls and corrupters of youth as a pestilence or worse infectiō sayng besides y t he y t sent her gaue sufficiēt profe of his follie in seking to seduce her by money and presents y t toke no pittie of his teares former complaints of dolor neyther was he lesse vyle to thincke to buye her with money that ys not to be solde but by the price of vertue then she detestable afor God and the worlde that mesureth her honor by the price of her profit warnyng her as for all hensfurth to desist for feare of the reward of shame and he to rest contented with the wrong he had alredy don without pressing her any further to put his falte punishment in publicacion which last threates stroke such a feare into the hart of the olde hag with a present dispaier to preuaile any waie in the pursute of her quest that being only glad to escape so wel the danger of her deferuing she retired in hast to the seely Ferraroys to whome in place of good newes or plesant reporte of her successe she mynistred perswacions to correct hys fancye and forgett to loue suche one as makes no accompte of hys seruice willing him withal to plant hys affection in some better soyle vpon suche one as were not brutishe or voyd of reason to requyt the meryt of his seruice for saieth she thies beasts impes whithout wit or order of ciuilitie do also lack discresion to consider in cases of loue or yelde the due méede of true affection neither can they degenerat from the climat of their base discent or do other thinge then suche as the wilfull loare of their follie doth lead them vnto and beyng fauored as it were of nature with the gyfte of a certen beautie whiche bringes them in estimacion amongest men they are so assotted in the humor of selfe will that they seme rather to abuse the benefyte of so precious a Iewel then worthie to weare so rare an ornament and for this sayeth she that will not be moued with prayer nor present nor anye deuise serue to reclaime her haggard mynd seaming but to quarrel wyth all offers of curtesie I cannot thyncke but it ys some hard rocke conuerted in the shappe of a woman or fygure of beautie to become the tyrranouse tormenter of them that vnhappely are sommoned to serue her wherfore seing I am denied to assist you by my trauaile accordynge to my promyse I praye you lett me aduise you to stoppe the course of affection and choke the chanell of your loue affore yt ouerflowe the hope of recouery and cease any longer to féede the humor of your passion with the remembrance of her that semes to take pleasure in youre gryef well well sayth the dolorous louer I woulde I coulde as easely forget as you are apte to perswad or that you had thusmuch aduised me afore you gaue me assuraunce of relyef by youre dylygence but chyefly I wish that I hadd eschued the yll when I admitted the cause then had I reserued my lybertye liued free from passion voyd from vnacquainted ertremyties and not lamēt to late in thys sort myne owne disaster nor stande neadē to communicate wyth you who selleth youre aduise for money and makes youre trauayle the marchaunt of fylthye gaine albeyt seynge want of discresion hath styrred vp this error and the folly of youth preuayled aboue the force of wisdom I muste be dryuen to make of necessytye a lawe and geue place to y e sentēce of my presēt fortune greuing not withstādynge that the frendshyppe and vndouted zeale of affection which I bare her shold reape the fruts of rigour and receue the meryite of their vertue at the handes of crueltie at the least I wil not so dispair but that the argument of a future hope shall kepe me in breathe and expectyng the benefytt of a better time I wil comitt my selfe to the gouerment of pacience who as I haue harde is the onely tuche stone to trye a man that ys fallen into termes of affliction But here the galland semed rather to féede the tyme then bynd himselfe to performe theffecte of his owne wordes neyther mente he to suffer hys last resolution to passe for currant money muche lesse to content hym selfe with his cardes seyng he lyked not his game and seing he colde not preuaile by pollicye nor wyn the fort by somonce or offer of composicion he determined as his laste helpe to vse the vttermoste of hys forces and performe hys conquest what so euer yt cost him But thusmuch by the waye ther ys nogreate enterprice to what ende so euer it tende whether yt bée guided by vertue or conducted by vice whose effecte can aunswere therpectacion of thinuentour onlesse ther be a roumthe reserued for a thirde to perticipate therein aswel for the erpedicion of the cause as suer conueyghe of the mysterye soo thys vallet of chamber resolued absolutely in the pursuete of hys queste imparteth the discourse of hys loue passed hys synyster successe in the same hys dyuerse assalttes too the forte and hys fundrie and sharpe repulses too a dashbuckler of the bushops who made no more conscience to bee a minister of euil then y e outlawes of shooters hil vse curtesie in stripping our marchauntes and after send them to London with penyles budgettes he forgate not also to make him preuye to hys laste resolucion crauyng therein the assystaunce of hys fryndeshyppe in suche sorte as vppon thynstant he made hym aduowe the same to thuttermoste of his power onelye sayeth he deuise the waye and my diligence shall declare the zeale I bere thee with the desire I haue too place thée in the bosome of thy felicitie yt were a follie saieth this desperat louer to reiterate the order of my former deuises and to present her eftesones with offices of curtesie it were but time lost onlie there restes to offer her the racke I meane to oppresse her with force neyther doo I care what peny worths be made of my life so
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
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
commendacion of our integritye to the remeinder of our race Doste not thou knowe my deare Maryone that in the swete and dewye mornynges of the spring there apperes certeine flowers no lesse delitefull to the beholders then yeldynge an odiferous smell with an inticynge desyer to be gathered so long as their fragrāt and freshe perfumes indures but when the heate of the son perching the gallāds of Aurora shall pearce thorowe bothe boodd and roote and mortifye the liuelye hewe of suche brickle creatures the flower is not only forgotten and loathed whiche earste was so much embraced but the desyer of all men taken awaye as though there neuer had bene any such like wise y e glistering apple growing vpon the high spraies in the pleasant lādes of Angeau semes a thing of great delectacion to the eye of no lesse pleasante taste so long as he is entyer and without corrupcion but after the worme hath eyther made a breach or his gréenes or pleasante maturitie lost his force and conuerted into a rotten ripenesse his bewtie dekaies wyth desier any longer to kepe hym Euen so a mayde what pouertie soeuer oppresse her so longe as she kepes vnspotted her surname and title of chastetie is not only admitted but also may chaleng place amongest the best of a countrye but when the caterpillor hath once cropped the leaffe and deuow red the boodd the trée doth not only die and perish with infamye but the remembrance of such stocke and frute remeines in the recordes of reproche to the opening of the greate booke of general accompt when al faltes shal be reueiled and punished according to their disposicion and qualitie And sewer it is better for a woman of what degrée soeuer she be to dy w t honor and buyrye the bourdē of honest renowm with her bodie in the graue then enioying the fruicion of life to be marked of the multitude with a note of generall rebuke whych as a moothe in a garment will not ceasse to eate and deuour her present estimacion and make notorious besides euery age of her succession by the desert of her disordred life loasing the only cause that makes me ioye in my selfe wyth so great desier to liue wherin because I may the rather per forme theffect of thys last resolucion I will firste wyth an vnfayned hart make inuocation to y e highest for thassistance of his grace to garde me frome thassaltes and peppered prouocations of the fleshe and then cut of all suche occasions as may eftesones aduance the suggestion of the same or seame any way an ympedimente to the vowe I haue presentlie made whych I doubt not wil be armes sufficient enough to repulse y e alarams of Signeur Luchyn raise y e siege which I sée he hath planted agaynst the fortresse of my chastetie wherin she omitted not th execution for from that instante shee kepte her selfe vnsene of anye but her frendes and kinsefolkes comminge lyttle or nothynge abroade and lesse willing to be spied out of windows or stand at the doore leauinge thereby an example worthye of ymitacion to all estates and sortes of women but specially suche gigges and pratlinge houswiues as can not contente theym selues with the ayre of the house nor giue one pricke with the nedle oneless she sit at the doare as though her exercyse were onelye to menteyne chatt wythe the streete walkers or keepe a standynge and make challenge agaynste all commers whyche is the thynge that you mothers and tutours of lytle girles oughte chyefly to respecte in the direction of youre tender charges I meane to bridle and brynge vpp youre pupilles and ympes that haue follye tyed on their backes in the awe of correction yf they transgress the order of good gouernement you must not forgett to offer theym the racke and tormentes of the rodde which you must minister vnto theim in the greenes of their yer es and affore the tendrenes of youthe with wante of discrection wil suffer theim to discerne their owne inclinacion for as the Philosopher tearmeth theym to bée a kinde of cattell more apte to declyne then any other reasonable creature so saith he yf they get once the bit betwene their téethe and crop of the hearbée of ryotus will it is harder to reclayme theym eyther hy awe feare compulsion or gentle intreatie then the wilde haggard or rammish falcon by any connynge or deuise of their keper besides as a maide is a Iewell of no lesse greate price then rarely to be founde so she is a vessell moste bryckle and easye to be broken and being once eyther crackte or corrupted she liueth in none other accompte then in comon wonder of the people and pointed at of all the worlde Wherefore you mothers that in the bringyng vpp of your doughters will giue ashowe of your owne vertue with no lesse care of the honor of your children must forgett to pamper youre younglines with presentes of their willes or dandle theym vppon the lapp of dame folly but féede theym rather with the discipline of good nouriture not sparing the order of due correction leaste you spill the future hope and expectation of their well doynge and better it is to haue a mayde smell of honest simplicitie vsing a temperate scilēce in her toungue and order of talke then ytalianated in legerdemaines of subteltye and pricked full of the fethers of foolyshe pride to haue the tounge of a popingaie bablinge without order or discrecion for that the one is a vertue of it selfe and the veray lyne to leade her to aduauncement and in practisinge the other she procures a discredit to her parentes for their necligence in her education and her selfe but laughte at in the companie of wise and discrete dames and that which worse is led by such guides into the botome les pit of euerlasting infamye Remember thaduise of Marcus Aurelius who writing of the slipper disposition of some women with instruction to abridge the perentory humour which nature hath giuen theim gyues this generall charge to all gouernours of nourceries tutors of litle girles that they stande so sewerly vppon the garde of thonnour of their charges that they neither be sene out of windowes stande as stales at the dore suffred to visit any place of thordynarie hawnte of men called to secrete conference without cōmission or companie of her keapor but also barde thaccesse and presence of all men for that saith he the ill can not be vtterly preuented onelesse the causes that maye procure it bée cleane taken awaie neither is it possibe for a Lady to kepe the reputacion of her honor that makes her selfe incidente to the hawnte of great companies with desier to be a comō feast maker and visit euery banquet and the more she is innested with honor and high callinge the more care is due to the preseruation of so great a title and lesse libertie or licēce is enioyned her to raunge a broade or séeke to satisfie thappetit of
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
enchauntement procedyng of the beautie of women bothe pleasant and hurtefull to men seames too bee typped with a certeine vertue of delite drawing the fondlinges of the worlde to bee in loue with the cause of their owne distruction So I am of oppinon also that yt is a kinde of punishemeÌ„t whiche God hath appointed to plage and torment vs for our offences that waye seynge that the most of vs now a dayes syppynge of the cupp of that infection do conuert the remembrance and care whiche wée oughte to haue of thestimacion of vertue into a speciall affection towardes oure fonde fancies séekinge our felicitie and quiet in the tombe wherein is shrowded the topp and roote of all our my shapps Besides vertuouse and chaste Ladyes are not so simple nor voide of discrecion but they beholde affarr of and are pryuye to the meanyng of thies franke offers of seruice and loyaltie sett out fynelie with diuerse coollours of fayned vertue not doutynge also that suche masqued louers disfer nothynge from the venemous skorpion whose poison lyeth altogether in her taile for that the ende of such loue argues a subuercion of the renowme and former vertues of a man whych of falleth out rightelie in y e sequeile of this Virey who thinking to haue made a greate conquest in the victorie of free conference with his vnkynde mistrys is nowe vppon the waye to her pallais or rather pathe of hys owne misfortune with more contentement I am sewer then hertofore he hathe receiued disquiett by his former torment And beinge now in the base courte of herl odgyng he found her in a lowe hal attended vppon with one gentlewoman only where after certeine cold gretinges entermedled with a countenance of counterfaite ioye on her parte she slented at his sicknes with thies tearmes yf euerye euill were as mortal in deède as yt is made by reapport a sleighte salue colde not so soone cure so great disease nor vnproued medecins worke suche meruelous operacions in so shorte a tyme speciallye vppon so daungerous a greeff as yours Seigneur Virley seamed to bée by the reaport of al men vnto me whiche shall serue me as an vndouted experience hereafter that the passions of men bée of no longer aboade then the subiect of their affectioÌ„ appeares before their eyes neyther bée they other thinges then certeine mirroiers or lookinge glasses wherein albeyt are represented the veray licknes or fygure of theime that beholde theime yet takyng awaye the obiect or cause and the forme vanisheth also as the poff of winde passinge along the straite of a plaine or déepe valleye Ah madame saith he how easye yt is to deuise of my disease and harde for me to hope for remedye at youre hande that doutes of the greatnes of my passion and easlye may he prefer either mirth or sorowe at hys pleasure whose mind is free from conceits of dout or dispayre where theharte truelye passioned dreades to make declaracion of eyther of theim least in excedyng in the one or seaminge to muche a nigard of the other the showe of eyther of theim bringe his sute or honest intent in Iâ—lewse suspicion with theym in whom onely resteth the Cataplama of his sore so that I accompte hym now the most infortunat man whose state is vnhapelye broughte vnder the awe of suche two mortal extremeties and for my parte yf I were as frée from thextreame pointes of affection as you seame farre from reason to doute of the greatnes of my gréeff I coulde with better will allowe your discreditt in the faythe and inconstancye of menne but alas hee that is caughte with the snares of true loue canne beholde no other figure nor make other liknes thenne of the true cause of hys affection the picture whereof remeyneth for euer within the sewrest part of the hart whiche in deede as you saye is the true mirroer wherein appereth not a fayned shadowe fadyng with the forme but a contynuall viewe and remeÌ„brance of her by whome wée lyue in suche heauenly contemplacioÌ„ in whych dyol or lokyng glasse I haue ympryn ted y e true effect of the thing which by vertue ofdue meritt ought to restore streÌ„gth to my preseÌ„t weaknes dealing so extreamelie w t me from the first tyme of this contemplacion that thonly offer of hope to restore in th ende my dekayed partes hathe hetherunto preuented theffect of vtter destruction to euery pece and member of my bodie And touching thargumentes of healthe whiche you note in me I am to yeld you alone all homage and honour for the same for that the fauor whiche I fynde in thys present appointement and conference with you hathe sturred vpp thys glee of good lykyng thorow all my partes with more contentement of the happy encounter theÌ„ my former gréeues gaue me cause of extreme dystresse and yet my martirdome hath neyther bene so small nor secrett but the whole worlde hathe witnessed my panges and you also myghte haue beleued theyme yf eyther the sorowe of my selfe or reapport of such as tooke pitie of me had bene of creditt with you whereof also I am yet to endure a more harde share yf yt maye bee ymagyned by any braine so that the same were hable to force a remorse in you on my behalfe for the greatest felicity I haue in this worlde is to haue the fauor of any coÌ„maundement at youre hande what perill soeuer yt ymportte to th ende my diligence and readie indeuor to do you seruice therein or other your affaires what so euer maye iustefye the vowe of my vnfained hacte towardes you like as also I perswade my selfe to bee reysed from a hundreth thousande deathes together when I ymagyn but a simple compassion in you touchynge the torment I suffer for youre beautie wherein yf euer I hadde reason to take pleasure by a delite whyche nature hathe wroughte in the thynge I am sewer alredie to haue hadd my parte of a thousande annoies by the regards of crueltie I haue found in you â—â—â—â—el at last good ladie the comission of former torments ceasse hensfurth to plage him that is readye in the place to comitt hys bodie to any sacrafy ce for the ransome of your fauour what moueth you alas to a discreditt or doute of my payne wyth opynion that my passion is dyssembled lett the sondrye sortes of teares heretofore distilled on the behalfe of youre discurtesye so many dayes broughte to end with continuall sorow and nyghtes drawen out at lengthe with drayninge sighes ye the present viewe of my pale and ghastelye ghost perswade you of the contrarye with assurance of my vndowted loyaltie for euer wherewith he behelde her not without a vente of soddayne teares trycklynge alonge hys cheekes and shee for her parte regarded the earthe wyth a face full of dysdaine as yt seamed whyche notwithstandynge he construed to a proffitt of hys sute pursewynge the same eftesones in this sorte Ah madame haue you the hart to deface the glorie of that deuyne
be thoughte that Geniuera enioyed litle quiet and lesse contentemente in this meane while solicited I can not tell by what desyer to defye whollye the remembrance of Diego wherein she was the rather forthered by an information that he bare still the tarssell of hys fyste whyche she iudged to be done onely in despite of her So when her woman offred to presente thimbassage of the knighte she fell into suche tearmes of frenzie that the simple brute or name of Dom Diego sturred vp such hainous alterations within her that to her former wroth was added a present wodnes in such sorte that she seamed for the tyme to labor indifferently betwene thextreme panges of death and vse of longer lif albeit restored at laste by the greate diligence of her woman she coulde not so wholly dismisse her furie but she imparted the passion of her anger to her eyes who after they had some what eased her inwarde greef by a nomber of dollorous teares put her eâ—tesones in the possession of her former speache whiche she witnessed in theis exclamations Ah traitor and disloyall knighte vnworthie euery waye to participat with the breathe of the common ayre and no lesse meritorious of the honor or bare title of knighthodde hath the coÌ„stant honest loue I haue borne the deserued this vnhoneste recompense is it a vertue to pretende loyaltye vnder a masqued vyserne of detestable deceite if theis be the frutes of thy fayth purifyed thorowe so many othes what exspectatioÌ„ of assurance is there in the promisse of any man Is it I that must fele the stynge of thy infectioÌ„ What cause haue I giuen the to imagin the spoile of mine honor and imparte the praye to an other vnworthie euery waye of iust comparison to me Yf not in louynge the more then was conuenient to thy inconstante and dissemblinge disposition I haue embased mine honor to aduaunce thy renowme howe couldest thou without blushing attempte the offer of my good will hauing thy conscience poysened wyth so many spotes of abhominable traison howe dareste thow presente me the baise les â—ains by the mouth of a messenger seinge thy whole bodye is alredie vowed to the seruice of an other no no seinge God hath reueiled the vnto me afore thy villanye put effecte to the ruine of mine honor I doubte not only to defende me hereafter from the force of thy deceitfull charmes but also sweare vnto the by the eternall maiestie of the higheste that albeit force makes me the treasores of thye wickednes yet assure thy selfe from hensfurth at my handes of such fauor as thou maist exspect of the most mortall enemy thou hast in the world wherwith to giue the last farewel to the pore Diego she writ ymediatly certeine lynes and deliuered theym sealed to her page with commissyon that the nexte daye hee shoulde méete the knyghte on the waye commynge thether and delyuer the letter wyth Instruction besydes that affore hee came to the house hee shoulde reade the contentes and performe the effecte whereof the page beinge made to the string fayled not of any point for the next day hée met Dom Diego a quarter of a league frome the house presentynge hym the letter wyth hys commission by mouth who kissinge the paper of his mistres in honor of her that sent it opened the packet and founde that whych foloweth Albeit the coutynuall complaynt of my gréeffe ymportes no dispence of my dollor yet in exclayming against the wroÌ„g thou haste don me I shal so desypher thy villanye that the whole world shall fynde cause not onely to proclayme open shame vpon the but also by my misfortune beware of thin fections of thy detestable traison whereunto if I haue added more credit then ther was cause on thy side the remeÌ„braÌ„ce of that whyche is past preferring a contynuall view of thy periured trothe is to defende mée hereafter from the offer of semblable perill neyther wyll I liue hensfurthe in feare of future euyl or stand in awe eftsones to be infected by the for that I haue not onely banished the remembraunce of Diego oute of euery corner of my mynde but also am of intente to performe such vengance and punishmente of my selfe that if I fele any vaine member or other parte in me bente neuer so little to fauor the or sewe for grace on thy be halfe to vse no lesse crueltie in tearinge the same from the reste then thy disloyaltie hath sturred vp suche iuste cause of vnsemely tyranny in me And for thy parte O periured knight sith it is thy only trade to beate euery bushe where thou thinkeste to bée eyther birde or neste goo pitche thy nettes where thou art sewer of praye and baite thy hookes with tearmes of deceite to entrapp her whose late presente is of more force wyth the then the honeste and chaste loue which vertue began in vs both for seing abirde hath made y t more lighte then the winde that supportes her in the ayre God forbid that Geniuera eyther admit thy excuses or allowe thy iustifycacion and muche lesse wishe the other good then to sée the torne in peces wyth the moste extreme tormentes that euer martired any traitor whych is the laste fauor thou hast to hope for of me who lyueth not but to worke the spite aboue any enemye thou hast in the world Geniuera la blonde He had no soner redd these sorowfull newes but liftynge hys eyes to heauen he called God to witnes of hys innocencye who onely beyng priuye to thynteggretie of hys mind colde also iustefye hys loyall meanynge towardes her who vniustly abused the sincere vertue of hys vnmouable affection and as he ment ther to prefer some discourseâ—n hys purgacion the page who was not so amplie instructed of hys mistres as mortall enemye to Dom Diego staide thintente of hys meaninge by the reaporte of that whyche he hadde in charge by mouth saying that he colde do no greater pleasure to Geniuera then to shon all places of her repaire seing saith he that as the frendshipp you haue vowed to the doughter of the Lord Sero hath discouered your vntroth towardes her So she hath geuen iudgement agaynst youre vertue for fedyng two simple gentlewomen indifferently with the foode of one vncerteine hope wherewith he departed leauinge the knight in lesse care thenne affore for that conferringe her grudge with the cause he thought the small occasion founded also vpon an vntrothe wold in shorte tyme take awaye the force of her collor albeit hee colde not so whollie dismisse the remembrance of her displeasure nor gouerne his owne passion but retorning to his castell aboue an ordynary pase went to hys chamber wher pulling the poore hawke from the pearche committed her presentlye to a thousande morsels and cursing her that sent her wyth his owne follie in receiuing so vile a thinge enchaunted as he thought by some furye or magicall charme determyned ymediatlye to presente hys mistres with the sacrafize of
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
presence drowned wyth thinundacion of vndeserued sorow proceding by his wickednes wherewith her eyes performed her desier with such plentie of teares that there was not one of the companie voyed of compassion on the hehalfe of the dollor whych tormented her not ceassing notwithstanding to perswade her to pitie towarde that poore Diego who beynge newely recouered by the diligence of thassistance sprinkling fresh water of the fountayne vpon his face dyd no soner lift vp his sorowfull lyddes beholdinge the lamentable passion of hys mistres with certeine likelehodes he espied showing an encrease of her disdayne towardes hym but he retired to his former debilitie fallinge downe dead betwene the armes of suche as suported hym and albeit hée was eftsones restored yet the force of hys passion assailed hym stil wyth thrée or foure mortal panges one in the necke of an other in such sorte as the whole company gaue iudgment of hys death amongest the whych Roderico was not the leaste amased who greuing indifferently with thobstinate crueltie of Geniuera and present perill of hys deare freÌ„d Diego was in long debate what pollecie to vse to qualifie the one and preuent the daunger of the other he perswaded that if he killed the willful Geniuera he shold also giue ende to the dayes of Diego for that vpon the viewe and remembrauce of the one depended the life of the other and so in doinge no good to any he sholde commit doble offence to god and the world both in spottinge his soule with vnciuill morder and also to become the author of his death in whose lyfe he reaposed his most worldly felycitie on thother side y e vntowardnes of the girle argued her intractable in suche sorte as hee desiered which confirmed the continuall martirdom of hys frend whose distresse as it moued hym to suche inwarde remorce that to procure his deliuerye he made no conscience to lighte a candle afore the deuill so he gaue a newe charge vppon the good will of Geniuera with gentle perswacions lainge afore her what vertue ought to appere in suche tender and delicate yeres and how greatly the vice of ingratitude defaced the renowme of a gentlewoman assisted wyth crueltie without reason wherein gaininge no lesse then if he had neuer put the deuise in execution he retired to thextremitie of his former threates and last pollecie swearinge that she shoulde fynde no difference betwene the sommonce and effecte seing that by her death he should giue ende to her disdayne and desolate state of hys frende whom as he doubted not woulde deserne in tyme what commoditie it were to purge the ayre of suche contagiouse filthes of ingratefull arrogancie so he was also of opynion that tyme wold yelde commendacion to his fact chiefly for that in preseruinge y e honour of a familie he thought it more expediente to exterminat the two principall offenders then to reserue the lyfe of eyther of them for an vtter extinction of the glorye of the whole house wherefore regarding the rest of his traine hee commanded to laye handes of the obstinate gentlewoman with her two companions with charge to vse no lesse mercy in their seuerall executions then the chiefeste of the three extended pitie to the amarus knighte whyche he thoughte wold yelde vp the ghost afore her The Ladye hearinge the sentence diffinitiue of her life escrâ—ed the morder with open mouthe as yf she had exspected some succour to defende her from deathe wherein her hope was frustrate for the deserte fostred no other companye but suche as were readye in the place to commit execution The page and poore Chambriere helde vpp their handes for mercie to Roderico who fainyng an ympedimente in hys hearyng made a signe to his men to put effecte to his commandement Geniuera entreating for the liues of her page and woman desiered that their ynnocentie mighte not do pennance for the offence whych she had don crauyng with great humilitie that the punishement myght be performed vppon her froÌ„ whom the falte yf it be a matter meritorious of blame sayeth she for a womaÌ„ to kepe her fayth to her husbande is deriued and yeld iustice to thies infortunat wretches least th execution of their ynnocentiâ— increase your detestable offence oh saieth she with her handes and eyes beholdyng the heauens thou my most deare and lawfull husbande whose soule I see walkyng in the middest of the loyal louers what better proffe canste thou haue of the sinceritie of my loue then to see me laye my body vppon thalter of ymmolation to vntymely death for thy sake neyther shalte thou for thy parte oh boocher and mortall morderour of my carkasse to whose crueltie my destenie hathe consented in quenching thy thurste with the blodd of a pure mayde glorifie hereafter to haue forced the harte of a simple gentlewoman and muche lesse made a breache into her honor eyther by terrible threates or sugred perswations vpoÌ„ which laste wordes notwithstandyng attended suche argumentes of terrour that a man wolde haue thoughte that the veraye remembrance of death hadd somewhat quallified her vehemency and mortified the greatest part of her former furies Dom Diego by this tyme came to hym selfe and seynge the discourse of the tragedye readye to presente hys laste acte with the death of his faire mistres Geniuera la blonde was driuen to force hym selfe to speake for the lyfe of her whose crueltie hadde committed hym allmoste to the panges of extreme daunger wherefore staynge the diligence of suche as had the charge of execution he addressed hym to Roderico with this requeste My lorde and great frende the present experience of your rare frendshypp hath made so lyberall a prooff of youre vndoubted meanyng towardes me that if I sholde liue the age of a whole worlde I shoulde not be hable to discharge the bondes of your desert So considering the cause of this misfortune procedes only of the malice of mine owne destenie and that it is a vanitie to contende with the thynges which the heauens haue determined vpon vs I beseche you by the vertue of your honor for a confirmation of all the good tornes you haue done me to graunte me yet one requeste whiche is that in pardonning the life of this gentlewoman and her companie you will retourne theim to the place from whence you broughte theim with no lesse assuraunce and saffetie then yf you guided your miserable Dom Diego for my parte being fullie resolued not to kepe warre with my destenies I am perswaded to a contentement touchinge my lot assurynge you for the reste that the sorowe whiche I sée she suffreth giueth me more cause of passion then y e gréef which I endure by her meanes troubleth me let her liue in peace and me in exspectation to receiue ende of my tormentes by the deuouring knif which is ordeyned to cut in sonder the fillet whereuppon dependes the fatall course of my cursed yeres till whiche tyme I haue sworne to kepe resideÌ„ce in