caused the other dames to bury those two bodies in one graue O how happy famous had these two sisters ben if they had not bene the daughters of so wicked and cruell a father But parentes offence on Childrens trespasse oughte not to deface the vertuous déedes of their posteritie Two Romane Queenes ¶ The maruellous courage and ambition of a Gentlevvoman called TANAQVIL the Quene wife of TARQVINVSPRISCVS the fifth Romane King with hir persuasions and pollicie to hir husbande for his aduauncement to the kingdome hir like encouragement of SIRVIVSTVLLIVS wherin also is described the ambition of one of the. ij daughters of SERVIVSTVLLIVS the sixt Romane King and hir crueltie towards hir ovvne naturall father with other accidents chaunced in the nevv erected common welth of Rome specially of the last Romane Kyng TARQVINVS SVPERBVS who with murder atteined the kingdom with murder mainteined it and by the murder and insolent life of his sonne was with all his progenie banished The sixt Nouell ANcus Marcius being that fourth King after Romulus the first builder of that Citie there came to dwell in Rome one Lucumo a lustie gentleman rich and desirous of honour who determined to continewe his habitation there Thesame Lucumo was the sonne of one Demaratê° a Corinthian who for sedition fled his owne countrie dwelt in 〈◊〉 amongs the stock of the Tarquines and after he was maried he begat two sonnes one of them was this Lucumo and the other was called Arnus Lucumo was heire to his father for that Arnus died before leauing his wife gret with childe The father not knowing that his daughter in lawe was with childe gaue nothing in his will to his Nephewe for which cause the childe was called Arnus Egerius Lucumo being the sole heire of his father maried a noble woman named Tanaquil and bicause the Thuscans could not abide to sée a straunger growe to abundance of welth and authoritie she despised hir owne country rather than she would suffer hir husband in any wise to be dishonoured Wherfore she deuised to forsake the Tarquinians to dwel at Rome where she thought among that honorable sorte and newe rerected state that hir husband being stout and valiant should attaine some place of resiance For she called to remembraunce that Tatius the Sabine Numa borne of the stock of Curetes and Ancus brought forth by a Sabine woman all strangers did raigne and became noble and mightie Thus ambition and desire of honour easily doeth persuade any deuise Wherfore carrying with theÌ„ al their substance they repaired to Rome It chaunced when they came to Ianiculum as he and his wife were sitting in a Wagon an Eagle hoouering hir wings ouer Lucumo sodenly toke away his cappe which done she soared ouer the wagon with great force then she retourned againe as though she had bene commaunded by some celestiall prouidence aptly placed his cappe againe vpon his head and then soared away vp into the element Tanaquil conceiuing this act to be some Augurie or Prophecie being cunning in that knowledge as commonly all the people of Hetruria be imbraced hir husband and willed him to be of good chere and to expect great honour And as they were ymagining and consulting vpon these euents they entred the Citie and when they had gotten a house for him and his familie he was called Tarquinins Priscus His riches and great wealth made him a noble man amongs the Romanes and through his gentle entertainement and curteous behauiour he wanne the good willes of many in so much as his fame and good report was bruted throughout the palace At leÌ„gth he grew in acquaintance with the King him selfe who séeing his liberall demeanor and duetifull seruice estéemed him as one of his familiar and nere srends and both in his warres and also at home he imparted to him the secrets of his counsell and hauing good experience of his wisedom by his last will and testament appointed him to be tutour of his children Ancus raigned xxiiii yeres a man in peace and warre in policie and valiance with any of his predecessours comparable His children were very yong and for that cause Tarquinius was more instant to summon a parliament for creation of a king When the day was come he sente the yong children abroade a hunting and then ambiciously presumed to demaunde the kingdome being the first that euer attempted the like For the better conciation and obteining of the peoples good will he vttered this Oration I doe not presume to require a straunge or newe thyng that was neuer before put in practise nor yet am the first but the third straÌ„ger and foraine borne that affected and aspired to this gouernmeÌ„t For which consideration there is no cause why any man ought to muse or maruell more than behoueth It is euidently knowen that Tatius not onely being a stranger but also an ennimie was made Kyng Numa also was made King being altogether a foraine stranger borne not through his owne request but rather voluntarily accited and called therevnto by the Romanes but for my parte after I was able to gouerne my self I repaired to dwell at Rome with my wyfe my children and all my substance where I haue spent the chiefest porcion of my life specially after it was mature and able to execute ciuile magisterie which I chose rather to bestow at Rome than at home in myne owne countrey I haue lerned the Romane rites and lawes as wel such as be mete to serne abroade in the warres as also necessarie to bée practised at home at the hands of mine olde maister Ancus Martius your late king a maister right worthie and famous in all pointes to bée followed I shewed my selfe an humble and obedient subiecte to the King and in friendeship and familiaritie towarde others I contended with the Kyng him selfe When hée had spoken those wordes which in déede were very true with the whole consent of the people hée was saluted King And as all things succéeded his Noble requeste euen so after hée was settled in his Kyngdome hée gaue hym selfe to 〈◊〉 the common wealth Hée chose an hundred graue persons whiche he called the Fathers of the lesser countries He warred firste with the Latines and 〈◊〉 the Citie of Appiolas who bryngyng from thence a greater spoyle and bootie than was looked for ordeined richer and more gorgeous Playes than any of hys predecessoures Hée builded certayne Galleries and other places of assemblie aboute the Forum hée walled the Citie rounde about with stone And as he was doing these things the Sabines interuented him vpon the 〈◊〉 in so much as they were passed the Kyuer of Anienes before the Romane hoste was in a redinesse Whiche was an occasion of greate feare and stirre at Rome In the 〈◊〉 after the battailes were ioyned betwéene them bothe a cruell and blouddie slaughter was committed the victorie fallyng to neyther parte Then the Romanes sought meanes to renue their force by addyng to their armie a further
the daunger of the mate by and by there grew a greater colour in his face than was wont to be imagining howe he might auoide the checkemate besides his blushing he shaked his 〈◊〉 and fetched diuers sighes whereby the standers by that marked the game perceiued that he was driuen to his shiftes The Senescall espying the Kings demeanour and séeing the honest shamefastnesse of the King woulde not suffer hym to receiue suche foile but made a draught by mouing his Knight backe to open a way for the King to passe as not onely he deliuered him from the daunger of the Mate but also loste one of his Rocks for lack of taking héede whervpon the game rested equall The King who knew the good nature noble minde of his seruant by experience of the same in other causes faining that he had ouerséene the taking of his Rock gaue ouer the game and rising vp sayd No more Ariobarzanes the game is yours and I confesse my selfe ouercome The King thought that Ariobarzanes did not the same so much for curtesie as to binde his soueraigne lorde and king by benefite to recompence his subiectes like behauior which he did not very well like and therfore would play no more Notwithstanding the King neither by signe or dede ne yet in talk shewed any token of displeasure for that curtesie done Nowbeit the King would that Ariobarzanes in semblable act should abstaine to shew him selfe curteous or liberall except it were to his inferiours and equals bicause it is not connenient for a seruaunt to contende with his maister in those qualities Not long after the King being at Persepolis the principall citie of Persia ordeined a not able day of hunting of diuers beastes of that countrey bréede And when all things were in readinesse he with the moste part of his Court repaired to the pastime When they were come to the place the King commaunded a woode to be beset about with nettes and toiles and appointed eche man where he should stande in most conuenient place and he him selfe attended with the doggs and 〈◊〉 to cause the beastes to issue forth of their 〈◊〉 and holes And beholde they roused a wilde beast whiche with greate 〈◊〉 leapte ouer the nettes and ranne away with much spéede The King séeing that straunge beast purposed to pursue him to death And making a signe to certain of his noble men which he desired to kepe him companie he gaue the raine and spurre to his horse and followed the chace Ariobarzanes was one of those noble men that pursued the game It chaunced that day that the King rode vpon a horsse that was the swiftest in his stable which he estemed better than a thousand other as well for his velocitie as for his readynesse in factes of armes Thus followyng with bridle at will the flying rather than running beast they were diuided far from their companie and by reason of the Kings spéedinesse none was able to followe him but Ariobarzanes and behind him one of his seruants vpon a good horsse which alwayes he vsed in hunting inatters which horsse was counted the best in al the Court. And thus folowing the chace with galloping spede Ariobarzanes at length espied that the horsse of his soueraigne lorde had loste his shooes before and that the stones had surbated his hoofs wherevpon the King was driuen either to giue ouer the chace or else to marre his horsse But there was none of these two necessities but would haue greatly displeased the King that did not perceiue his horsse to be vnshodde The Senescall did no sooner espie the same but sodainely dismounted from his own caused his man to deliuer vnto him a hammer and nailes which for such like chaunces he always caried about him and tooke of two shooes from the 〈◊〉 of his good horsse to set vpon the Kings not caring for his own rather than the King should forgoe his pleasure Wherfore hallowing the King which was earnestly bent vpon the chace tolde him of the danger wherin his horsse was for lack of shooes The Kyng hearing that lighted from his horsse séeing two shooes in Ariobarzanes mans hande thinking that Ariobarzanes had brought them with him or that they wer the shooes whiche fell from his owne taried still vntill his horsse was shodde But when he sawe the notable horsse of his Senescall vnshodde before then he thoughte that to be the curtesie of Ariobarzanes so did let the matter passe studying by like meanes to requite him with Curtesie whiche forced him selfe to surmounte in the same And when his horsse was shod he gaue the same to Ariobarzanes in rewarde And so the king chose rather to lose his pleasure of hunting than to suffer hymselfe by his man to bée excelled in Curtesie well noting the stoutnesse of Ariobarzanes mynde which séemed to haue a will to contende with his Prince in factes renoumed and liberall The Senescall thoughte it not conuenient to refuse the gift of his liege Lorde but accepted the same with like good will as before he shodde his horsse still expecting occasion howe he might surpasse his maister in curtesse and so to binde him to requite the same They had not taried there lōg but many of those which came after had ouertaken them And then the King got vp vpon a spare horsse and returned to the citie with all his companie Within fewe dayes after the King by proclamation sommoned a solemne and pompous iust and triumph at the tilt to be done vpon the Kalendes of May next ensuing The rewarde appointed for the victor and best doer in the same was a couragious and goodly Courser with a bridle and bitte of fine golde richely wrought a saddle correspondent of passing greate price the furniture and trappers for the bridle and saddle of like cost and workemanship the raines were two chaines of golde very artificially made the barbe and couerture of the horsse of cloth of golde vpon golde fringed round about with like golde whereat depended certaine belles of golde ouer which horsse was placed a fine sworde the hiltes chape wherof together with the scaverde were curiously beset with pearles and precious stones of inestimable value On the other side was placed a very beautifull strong Mace very cunningly wroughte with damaskin The horsse was placed in fourme of triumph and besides the same all the Armures and weapons méete for a combatant Knight riche and faire without comparison The Placart was maruellous and strong the Launce was guilt and bigge as none greater in all the troupe of the chalengers and defendants And al those furnitures wer appointed to be giuen to him that should do best that day A great assemblie of strangers repaired to that solemne feast as wel to do déedes of Armes as to looke vpon that pompous triumph Of the Kings subiects there was neither Knight nor Baron but in rich sumptuous apparell appeared that day amongs whome of chiefest fame the kings eldest sonne was
as in opinions The Grekes putting their felicitie in eloquence and we in well doing I speake this right honorable Fathers to counsell and exhorteye that when ye bée assembled in Senate ye doe not consume tyme in disputing holdyng opinions for the verification of any thing For if you will iudge without parcialitie and affection without greate disputation ye may come to reason I do remember that being at a lesson of Appolonius Thyaneus I heard hym say that it was not so expédient that Senators and Emperors shold be skilful wise as if they suffred themselues to be gouerned by those that were of greate skill and knowledge and verely he 〈◊〉 truthe For by that meanes he prohibited forbad them not to arrest and stande vpon their owne opinion whereof they ought to be many times suspicious Likewise 〈◊〉 recommende vnto you the Censores who haue charge of iudgement and the Tribunes whose office is to attende the affaires of Common wealth that they bée wise and learned in the lawes expert in the Customes prouident in Iudgementes and ware in their trade of life For I say vnto you that a wise man is more auaileable in gouernement of a common welth than a man of ouermuch skill and experience The forme then which ye shall obserue in matters of iudgement shal be thus That in ciuile processe you kepe the law and in criminall causes to moderate the same bicause hainous cruel and rigorous lawes be rather made to amase and feare than to be obserued and kept When you giue any sentence ye ought to consider the age of the offendāt when how wherfore with whome in whose presence in what time and how long ago for somuch as euery of these things may either excuse or condenme whiche you ought to 〈◊〉 and vse towards them in like sort as the Gods towards vs who giue vs better helpe and succour and correct vs lesse than we deserue That cōsideration the iudges ought to haue bicause the offenders doe rather trespasse the Gods than men If then they be forgiuen of the Gods for offences which they commit reason it is that wée pardon those faultes done vnto others not vnto our selues In like maner we commaunde you that if your enimies do you any anoiance or iniurie not 〈◊〉 to take reuenge but rather to dissemble that same bicause many wrōgs be done in the world which were better to be 〈◊〉 than 〈◊〉 Wherin ye shall haue like regard touching that 〈◊〉 the Senate and Common wealth that they be not 〈◊〉 to ambicious or couetous 〈◊〉 For there is no beast in the world so pestiferous and benemotis as that 〈◊〉 of man is to the Common wealth the ambicious I say in cōmaunding and the couetous in gathering togither Other things we let passe for this time vntil we haue intelligence how these our commaundements be 〈◊〉 This Letter shall be red in the chiefess place within the Senate and afterwards pronoūced to the people that they may both know what 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 and sée also what ye doe The Gods kepe you whome we pray to preserue our mother the Citie of Rome and to sende vs good 〈◊〉 in these our warres A notable Letter sent from the Romane Senate to the Emperour Traiane wherin is declared how sometimes the region of Spayne did furnish Rome with golde from their mines and nowe doe adorne and garnish the same with Emperours to gouerne their Common wealth THe sacred Roman Senate to thée the great Cocceius Traiane newe Emperor Augustus health in thy Gods and ours graces euerlastyng wée render to the immortall Gods for that thou art in health whiche we desire and pray may be perpetual We signified vnto thy maiestie the death of Nerua Cocceius our soueraigne Lorde and thy predecessor a man of sincere life a friende of his common wealth and a zealous louer of Justice wherin also we aduertised that like as Rome did wéepe for the cruell lyfe of Domitian so much the more bitterly doth she bewaile the death of thine vncle Nerua whose councell although hée was very olde and diseased which he gaue vs lying on his bedde we loued better and imbraced with greater comforte than all the enterprises and dedes done by his predecessors when they were in health and lustie And besides the ordinarie mourning vsed to be done in Rome for princes we haue caused all recreation and passetime to cease so well in the common wealth as with euery of vs particularly We haue shut vp the Temples and made the Senat to 〈◊〉 to doe the Gods to vnderstand how displeasantly we accept the death of good men The good old gentleman Nerua died in his house and was buried in the fielde of Mars he died in debt we haue paid his debts He died calling vpon the Gods we haue canonized him amongs their numbre and that which is most to be noted he died commending vnto vs the Common wealth and the Cōmon wealth recommending it selfe vnto him And a little before his latter gaspe the principal of the holy Senate and many other of the people standing about his bedside he sayde O ye Fathers I committe vnto you the cōmon wealth and my selfe also vnto the Gods vnto whome I render infinite thankes bycause they haue taken from me my children to bée mine heires and haue lefte mée Traiane to succéede You do remembre most dread soueraigne Lorde that the good Emperour Nerua had other successours than your maiestie of nerer alliance of greater frendship more bound by seruice and of greter proofe in warfare Notwithstandyng amongs other noble personages vpon you alone he cast his eyes reposing in you such opinion and confidence as to reuiue the prowes and valiant faicts of the good Emperor Augustus by suppressing in obliuion the insolent faicts of Domitian When Nerua came vnto the Crowne he found the treasure 〈◊〉 the Senate in dissention the people in commotion iustice not obserued and the Common welth ouerthrowen which you likewise presently shall finde although otherwise quiet and wholly reformed Wherfore we shall bée right glad that you conserue the common wealth in the state wherin your vncle Nerua left it considering specially that newe Princes vnder colour to introduce new customes do ouerthrow their common wealths Fourtene Princes your predecessours in the empire wer naturally borne in Rome and you are the first straunger Prince Wherefore we pray the immortall Gods sith that the stocke of our auncient Caesars is dead to sende 〈◊〉 good Fortune Out of the countrey of Spayne was wont to 〈◊〉 to this our Romane Citie great abundance of gold siluer stéele leade tinne from their 〈◊〉 but now in place therof she giueth vs Emperours to gouerne oure common wealths Sith then that thou cōmest of so good a countrey as Spayne is from so good a Prouince as is Vandolosia and from so excellent a citie as Cales is of so noble and fortunate a linage as is Cocceius and 〈◊〉 to so noble an Empire It
was the best contented man of the world and durst not hope for greater recompence continuing his woonted life féeding him self still with that beloued sight in suche wise as many gentlemen enuied the fauor borne vnto him by the 〈◊〉 who for none other cause did vse that curtesy but for that she saw him to be a vertuous yong man and wel lerned continually estéemyng those that eyther wyth learnyng or other gyftes of the mynde were indewed and when occasion chaunced shée vouchesafed to bestowe vpon them courteous intertainement and liberall rewardes It fortuned about that time that the Emperor Maximilian died Charles his nephew which was the Emperor Charles the fifthe then being in Spayne by reason of whose death the Lorde Andrea Borgo purposed to 〈◊〉 one of his Gentlemen to kyng Charles for the confirmation of that liuing he enioyed giuen vnto him for his lōg and faithfull seruice by the sayd Maximilian Amongs all he chose this master Philippo for his wisedome and experience in such affaires Whiche done he went to the 〈◊〉 and gaue them to vnderstand that shortely hée would send his Secretarie iuto Spayne and told them the cause humbly praying them both that they would write their fauourable letters in his behalf The 〈◊〉 knowing what paine and trauell he had sustained in the seruice of Maximilian and what daungers hée had passed were very willyng thervnto Now 〈◊〉 Anne 〈◊〉 that she had conuenient time to recompence master Philippo for his long loue born vnto hir And bicause she was the most curteous Lady of the world and ther withall most bountifull and liberall and not only with comely talke and other gesture but also in effecte willing 〈◊〉 do them good whome she honoured in minde concluded what to do requiring the Lorde Andrea to sende his Secretarie vnto hir when he was readie to depart for that besides Letters she would by mouth cōmit certain businesse for hir to do in the Court of Spayne When the Lord Andrea was gone 〈◊〉 Anne began to deuise wyth the other 〈◊〉 what she might do for master Philippo who prayed 〈◊〉 Anne after she had commended him in letters to suffer hir to make the ende and conclusion of the same Wher vpon both the Quéenes wrote many letters into Spayne to king Charles and to the Lord Chācellour and other noble men whome they thought to bée apt and mete ministers to bring the effect of their letters to passe When the Lorde Andrea had put all things in ordre for that dispatch he sayd to master Philippo which was nowe furnished with all things necessarie and appertinent for that long voyage Philippo remembre this day that you go to 〈◊〉 Anne and tell hir that I willed you to come vnto hir to know if she would cōmaund you any seruice to the Catholike Kyng where you shall humbly offer your selfe in what it pleaseth hir to commaunde you shall also tell hir what thyngs I haue gyuen vnto you in charge by speciall commission Neuer coulde more pleasant talke sounde into the eares of Master Philippo than this who for that he should bothe sée and speake vnto his Ladie before his departure and for that she would 〈◊〉 vnto him the doing of hir affaires in Spayne was the gladdest and best contented man of the world The houre come when he thought good to repaire to the 〈◊〉 he went vnto hir gaue hir to vnderstād by one of the priuie Chamber that hée was attendant there to know hir pleasure The 〈◊〉 certified of his readinesse to depart by and by toke order that he should come into hir chābre who entring the same with tremblyng heart after he had done his humble reuerēce with great feare and bashfulnesse sayd Pleaseth your Maiestie that my lorde Borgo being about to addresse me his Secretarie into Spayne to the Catholike King there hath commaunded me to waite vpon your highnesse to know your pleasure for certain affaires to be done for your maiestie Wherfore may it please the same to employe mée youre humble seruaunt I shall thinke my selfe the happiest man of the worlde A thyng so blessed and ioyfull vnto me as no benefite or commoditie can render vnto mée greater felicitie Then he disclosed vnto hir the rest of his message which was cōmitted vnto him by his lord and master The 〈◊〉 beholding him with mery countenance gently sayd vnto him And we for the trust we haue in you to do our message other affaires in Spayne haue required you to come hither And bicause we know you to be a Gentleman and assured that you will gladly do your endeuour in any thing that may do vs pleasure haue chosen you aboue any other Our will and cōmandement is that fyrst you deliuer these letters conteining matters of great importance to the handes of the 〈◊〉 King and that you do our humble commendations to his maiestie Then all the rest accordingly as they be directed which principally aboue other things we praye you to dispatch vpon your arriuall And if we be able to do you any pleasure eyther for your 〈◊〉 or for other commoditie spare not to write vnto vs poure mynde and we do assure you the same shal be effectually accomplished to the 〈◊〉 of our indeuour which we do of our owne motion frankly offre vnto you in cōsideration of the 〈◊〉 worthinesse and 〈◊〉 behauiour always knowen to be in you Master Philippo hering these wordes was replenished with such ioy as he thought himself rapt into the heauens and his heart felt such pleasure as it séemed to flete in some depe sea of delites and after the best maner he coulde thanked hir for hir curtesie and albeit be sayd that he knew hym selfe vnworthie of that fauour yet he dedicated the same to hir commaundement surrendring himself as a slaue and faithfull seruant to hir maiestie Then vpon his knées to his great contentation he kissed hir hāds which of hir self she offred vnto him thē reuerētly he toke his leaue When he was gone out of the chamber he met with the 〈◊〉 coserer that 〈◊〉 for him who taking him aside did put into his hand a purse with 500. crownes the master of the horsse presented vnto him a very goodly and beautifull horsse wherwith master Philippo was so well pleased as he was like to 〈◊〉 out of his skin for ioy Then he toke his iorney arriued at the Courte in Spayne where at 〈◊〉 he deliuered his Letters to King Charles and accomplished other businesse and message prescribed vnto him by 〈◊〉 Anne And when he had dispatched the 〈◊〉 other letters he attended the businesse of his Lorde Andrea Borgo The King perused the contentes of the letters sent vnto him by his sister and kynswoman so did the Lord Chauncelour which at that time was the lord Mercurino Gattinara and other to whom the 〈◊〉 had written whereby the Kyng was solicited to stand good Lord to the Lord Andrea Borgo 〈◊〉 likewise exhorted to be beneficial to
Who knoweth not that furie of a woman specially of the Noble dame by séeing hir self despised No no she loueth me and I will be hir seruaunt and vse the fortune proffred Shal I be the first simple Gentleman that hath married or loued a Princesse Is it not more honourable for me to settle my minde vpon a place so highe than vpon some simple wenche by whome I shall neither attaine profit or aduauncement Baldouine of Flaunders did not hée a Noble enterprise when he caried away Iudith the daughter of the French King as she was passing vpon that seas into England to be married to the king of that Countrey I am neither Pirat nor aduenturer for that the Ladie loueth me What wrong doe I then to any person by yelding loue againe Is not she at libertie To whome ought she to make accompt of hir dedes doings but to God alone and to hir owne conscience I will loue hir and cary like affection for the loue which I know sée that she beareth vnto me being assured that the same is directed to good end and that a woman so wise as she is will not commit a fault so filthy as to blemish and spot hir honor Thus Bologna framed the plot to intertaine the Duchesse albeit hir loue alredy was fully bēt vpon him and fortified him self against all mishap and perillous chaunce that might 〈◊〉 as ordinarily you sée that louers cōceiue all things for their aduauntage fantasie dreames agreable to that which they most desire resembling the mad and 〈◊〉 persons which haue before their eies the figured fansies which cause the conceit of their furie and stay themselues vpon the vision of that which most troubleth their offēded brain On the other side the Duchesse was in no lesse care of hir louer the wil of whom was hid secrete which more did vexe tormēt hir than that fire of loue that burned hir so feruētly She could not tell what way to hold to do him vnderstand hir heart affection She feared to discouer the same vnto him doubting either of some fond rigorous answer or of reueling of hir mind to him whose presēce pleased hir more than all that men of the world Alas said she am I happed into so strāge misery that with mine own mouth I must make request to him which with al humilitie ought to offer me his seruice Shall a Ladie of such bloud as I am be cōstrained to sue wher all other be required by importunat instāce of their suters Ah loue loue what so euer he was that clothed thée with such puissāce I dare say he was the cruel enimie of mans fredom It is impossible that thou hadst thy being in heauen sith that clemencie courteous influence of the same 〈◊〉 mā with better benefits than to suffer hir nourse children to be intreated with such rigor He lieth which sayth that Venus is thy mother for the swéetenesse good grace that resteth in that pitifull Goddesse who taketh no pleasure to sée louers perced with so egre trauails as that which afflicteth my heart It was some fierce cogitatiō of Saturne that brought thée forth sent thée into the world to breake the 〈◊〉 of them which liue at rest without any passion or grief Pardon me Loue if I blaspheme thy maiestie for the stresse and endlesse grief wherein I am plunged maketh me thus to roue at large the doubts which I conceiue do take away the health and soūdnesse of my mind the 〈◊〉 experiēce in thy schole causeth this amaze in me to be solicited with desire that countersayeth the duetie honor and reputation of my state the partie whome I loue is a Gentleman vertuous valiant sage of good grace In this there is no cause to blame Loue of blindnesse for all that inequalitie of our houses apparāt vpon the first sight and shew of the same But frō whence issue the Monarches Princes greater Lords but frō the naturall and common mosse of earth wherof other men doe come what maketh these differēces betwene those that loue eche other if not the sottish opinion which we conceiue of greatnesse and preheminence as though naturall affections be like to that ordained by the fantasie of men in their lawes extreme And what greater right haue 〈◊〉 to ioyn with a simple gentlewoman than the Princesse to mary a Gentleman and such as Anthonio Bologna is in whome heauen nature haue forgotten nothing to make him equall with them which marche amongs the greatest I thinke we be the daily slaues of the fōd and cruell fantasie of those Tyraunts which say they haue puissance ouer vs and that straining our will to their tirannie we be still bound to the chaine like the galley slaue No no Bologna shall be my husband for of a friend I purpose to make him my loyall and lawfull husband meaning therby not to offend God men togither pretend to liue without offēse of conscience wherby my soule shall not be hindred for any thing I do by marying him whō I so straūgely loue I am sure not to be deceiued in Loue. He loueth me so much or more as I do him but he dareth not disclose the same fearing to be refused cast off with shame Thus two vnited wils two hearts tied togithers w e equal knot cannot choose but bring forth fruites worthie of such societie Let men say what they list I will do none otherwise than my head and mind haue alredy 〈◊〉 Semblably I néede not make accompt to any 〈◊〉 for my fact my body and reputation being in ful libertie and fréedome The bond of mariage made shall couer the fault which men would déeme leauing mine estate I shall do no wrong but to the greatnesse of my house which maketh me amōgs men right honorable But these honors be nothing worth where the minde is voide of contentation and where the heart prickt forward by desire leaueth the body and mind restlesse without quiet Thus the Duchesse founded hir enterprise determining to mary hir housholde Maister séeking for occasion and time méete for disclosing of the same albeit that a certaine naturall shame 〈◊〉 which of 〈◊〉 accompanieth Ladies did close hir mouth and made hir to deferre for a certaine time the effect of hir resolued minde Yet in the end vanquished with loue and impacience she was forced to breake of silence and to assure hir self in him 〈◊〉 feare cōceiued of shame to make hir waie to pleasure which she lusted more thā mariage the same seruing hir but for a Maske and couerture to hide hir follies shamelesse lusts for which she did the penance that hir follie deserued For no colorable dede or deceitful trompery can serue the excuse of any notable wickednesse She then throughly persuaded in hir intent dreamyng and thinking of nought else but vpon the unbracement of hir Bologna ended and determined hir conceits pretended follies and vpon a time
not greatly at his ease and quiet who neded no torments to force him confesse the fact for of his owne accorde 〈◊〉 he disclosed the same but he sayde he was prouoked thervnto by the persuasion of Bianca Maria telling the whole discourse as you haue heard before She had already intelligence of this chaunce might 〈◊〉 fled and saued hir selfe before the fact by the confession of Dom Pietro had bene discouered and attended in some secrete place til that stromie time had ben calmed appeased But God which is a rightful iudge would not suffer hir wickednesse extend any further fith she hauing founde out such a nimble wilfull executioner the Coūte of 〈◊〉 could not long haue 〈◊〉 aliue who then in good time and happie houre was absent out of the Citie So soone as Dom 〈◊〉 had accused the Countesse the Lorde of 〈◊〉 sente hir to prison and being examined confessed the whole matter trusting that hir infinite numbre of crownes would haue corrupted the Duke or those that represented his person But hir crownes and hir life passed all one way For the day after hir imprisonment she was condemned to lose hir heade And in the meane time Dom Pictro was saued by the diligence and sute of the captaines was employed in other warres to whome the Duke gaue him for that hée was 〈◊〉 to lose so notable a souldier and the aide of his brother the Counte of Colisano The Coūtesse hauing sentence pronoūced vpon hir but trusting for pardon she wold not prepare hir self to die ne yet by any means craue forgiuenesse of hir faults at the handes of God vntill she was conueyed out of the Castell and ledde to the common place of execution where a scaffold was prepared for hir to play the last acte of hir tragedie Then the miserable Ladie began to know hir self and to cōfesse hir faultes before the people deuoutely praying God not to haue regarde to hir demerites ne yet to determine his wrath against hir or enter with hir in iudgement for so much as if the same were decréed according to hir iniquitie no saluation was to bée looked for She besought the people to praye for hir and the Counte of Gaiazzo that was absent to pardon hir malice and treason which she had deuised against him Thus miserably and repentantly dyed the Countesse which in hir life refused not to imbrace and folow any wickednesse no mischiefe she accompted euill done so the same were imployed for hir pleasure and pastime A goodly example truely for the youth of oure present time sith the most part indifferētly do launch into the gulfe of disordred life suffring them selues to be plunged in the puddles of their owne vain conceipts without consideration of the mischieues that may ensue If the Lord of Cardonne had not ben beloued of his generall into what calamitie had he fallen for yelding him selfe a praie to that bloodie woman who had more regarde to the light and wilfull fansie of hir whome he serued like a slaue than to his duetie and estimation And truely those be voide of their right wittess which thinke them selues beloued of a whoore For their amitie endureth no longer than they sucke from their pursses and bodies any profit or pleasure And bicause almost euery day semblable examples be séene I will leaue of this discourse to take mée to a matter not farre more pleasant than this although founded vpon better grounde and stablished vpon loue the first onset of lawfull mariage the successe wherof chaunced to murderous end and yet the same intended by neyther of the beloued As you shall be iudge by the continuance of reding of the historie ensuing Beare with me good Ladies for of you alone I craue this pardon for introducing the whoorish life of this Countesse and hir bloodie enterprise bicause I know right well that recitall of murders and bloodie facts werieth the mindes of those that loue to liue at rest and wish for faire weather after the troublesome stormes of ragyng seas no lesse than the pilote and wise Mariner hauing long time endured and cut the perillous straicts of the Ocean sea And albeit the corruption of our nature be so great as folies delite vs more than ernest matters full of reason and wisedome yet I thinke not that our mindes be so peruerted and diuided from frouthe but sometimes we care and séeke to speake more grauely than the countrey Hynde or more sobrely than they whose liues do beare the marke of infamie and be to euery wight notorious for the only name of their vocation Suffiseth vs that an historie bée it neuer so full of sporte and pleasure do bring with it instruction of our lyfe and amendement of our maners And wée ought not to be so curious or scrupulous to reiect merrie and pleasaunt deuises that be voide of harmefull talke or without such glée as may hinder the education of youth procliue and redie to choose that is naught and corrupte The very bookes of holy Scriptures do describe vnto vs persons that be vicious so detestable as nothyng more whose factes vnto the symple may séeme vnséemely vpon the leaste recitall of the same And shal we therfore reiect the reading and eschue those holy bookes God forbid but with diligence to beware that we do not resemble those that be remembred there for example for somuch as spéedily after sinne ensueth grieuous and as sodaine punishement For which cause I haue selected these histories of purpose to aduertise youth howe those that folowe the way of damnable iniquitie faile not shortely after their greate offenses and execution of their outragious vices to féele the iuste and mightie hande of God who guerdoneth the good for their good workes and déedes and rewardeth the euill for their wickednesse and mischese Nowe turne we then to the Historie of two the rarest louers that euer were the performaunce and 〈◊〉 whereof had it ben so prosperous as the begynnyng had ioyed 〈◊〉 the fruictes of their intente and two noble houses of one Citie reconciled to perpetuall friendship Rhomeo and Julietta ¶ The goodly Historie of the true and constant Loue betwene RHOMEO and IVLIETTA the one of whom died of poison and the other of sorow and 〈◊〉 wherin be comprised many aduentures of loue and other deuises touching the same The. xxv Nouel I Am sure that they whiche measure the greatenesse of Gods works according to the capacitie of their rude simple vnderstanding wyll not lightly adhibite credite vnto this historie so wel for the va rietie of strange accidēts which be therin described as for that noueltie straungenesse of so rare and perfect amitie But they that haue redde Plinie Valerius Maximus Plutarche and diuers other writers doe finde that in olde tyme a greate numbre of men and women haue died some of excessiue ioye some of ouermuch sorrowe and some of other passions and amongs the same Loue is not the least which when it seaseth vpon
greatest blame and discōmendation amongs men euen so gentlenesse kindnesse ought to bear that title of a most cōmēdable vertue And as the Thebans were accused of that crime for their great captaines Epaminondas Pelopidas The Plateens contrarywise were praised for their solemn obseruation of the Grekes benefits which deliuered them out of the Persians bondage And the Sicyonians beare away the price of eternal praise for acknowledging the good turnes receiued of Aratus that deliuered them frā the crueltie of the tyrants And if Philippo Maria duke of Milan deserued eternall reproch for his ingratitude to his wife Beatrix for the secrete killing of hir he being enriched with hir goodes and treasures a barbarous turke borne in Arabia shall carie the praise from him who being vanquished in Arabia by Baldouine king of Hierusalem and he and his wife taken prisoners and hys treasures fallen into the handes of that good king issued of the Loraine blood Neuerthelesse seing that the Christian had deliuered him and restored againe hys wyfe woulde not be vanquished in magnificence and 〈◊〉 much lesse beare the name of an vnkinde prince but rather when Baldouine was ouercome of that infidels and being retired within a certain citie that Admirall of Arabie came to him in the night and telling him the deuise of his cōpanions conueyed him out of the 〈◊〉 was his guide vntil he saw him frée peril I 〈◊〉 alleaged that premisses bicause the history which I purpose to recite aduoucheth two examples not vulgare or cōmon the one of very great loue the other of such 〈◊〉 ceptaciō and knowledging therof as I thought it pitie the same should lurke from the acquaintaunce of 〈◊〉 Englishe men And that they alone should haue the 〈◊〉 thereof which vnderstande the Italian tongue supposing that it shall bring some frute and commoditie to this our English soil that eche wight may frame their life on those which in straunge Countreys farre from vs haue liued vertuously without reproche that might soile or spot their name In Siena then an auncient and very noble Citie of Toscane which no long time past was gouerned by hir Magistrates and liued in hir own lawes and liberties as the Lucquois Pisans and Florentines doe were two families very rich noble and the chiefe of the Citie called the Salimbenes and Montanines of the race stocke whereof excellent men in their common wealth haue descended very good and experte souldiers for 〈◊〉 of armies Those two houses in the beginning were so great friends and frequented such loue and 〈◊〉 as it séemed they had bene but one house 〈◊〉 daily vsing eche others companie and banketting one another But Italy in all times being as it were a store house of troubles and a very marte of sedition bandes and parcialities specially of ciuill warres in euery Citie it could not be that Siena should alone enioy hir libertie in peace and accorde of Citizens and vaunt hir self to be frée frō knowledge of particular debate For of warres she had good experience against the Florentines who by long remembrance haue done what they could to make hir subiect vnto them Nowe the cause of that discorde rose euen by them which kept the Citizens in vnity and concord and was occasioned by those y. houses the noblest most puissant of their cōmon wealth It is not vnknowne to any man that antiquitie ordained it to be peculiar for nobilitie to traine vp the children of noble houses in hunting aswell to bolden nosel them in daūgers as to make them strong and accustomed in trauail to force them shun the delicate life and great idlenesse which accōpany honorable houses and those of gentle bloud for somuch as by the pursute of beasts sleights of war be obserued the hounds be the square battell the greihoundes be the flanquarts and wings to folow the enimy the horsman serueth to giue the chace when the game spéedeth to couert the hornes be the trumpets to sound the chase and retire for incouragement of the dogges that run To be short it séemeth a very campe in battail ordeined for the pleasure and passetyme of noble youth Neuerthelesse by huntyng diuers missefortunes doe arise and sundry daungers haue happened by the same Meleager lost his life for the 〈◊〉 of the wylde bore of Callydonia Cephalus lost his life for killyng his deare beloued Procris and Acastus was accursed for murderyng the Kings sonne of whome hée was the Tutour William Rufus one of our Englyshe Kyngs the sonne of the Conqueroure was slaine with an arrowe in the Newe forrest by a French gentleman called Walter Tyrel as he was pursuing the harte Other histories reporte dyuers perils chanced in hunting but yet the same worthie to be cherished frequented and vsed by good aduise and moderate passetyme So the hunting of the wylde Bore defiled the Citie of Siena with the bloode of hir owne Citizens when the Salimbenes and Montanines vpon a daye in an assembled companie incountring vpon a greate and fierce bore toke hym by force of men and beastes When they had done as they were banketting and 〈◊〉 of the nimblenesse of their dogs eche mā praising his owne as hauing done best there rose great 〈◊〉 amongs them vpon that matter and procéeded so farre as foudly they began to reuile one another with words and from taunting termes to earnest blowes wherewith diuers in that skirmish were hurt on both sides In the end the Salimbenes had the worsse and one of the principall 〈◊〉 in the place which appalled the rest not that they were discoraged but attending time and season of reuenge This hatred so strangly kindled betwene both parts that by little and little after many combates and ouerthrowes of either side the losse lighted vpō the Montanines who with their welth and richesse were almost brought to nothing and thereby the rigour and choler of the Salimbenes appeased none being able to resist them and in space of time forgot al iniuries The Montanines also that remained at Siena liued in quiet without chalenge or quarell of their 〈◊〉 uersaries howbeit 〈◊〉 talke and haunt of others company vtterly surceased And to say the truth there were almost none to quarell withall for the whole bloud and name of the Montanines rested in one alone called Charles the sonne of Thomas Montanine a yong inā so honest and wet brought vp as any then in Siena who had a sister that for beautie grace curtesy and honestie was comparable with the best in all Thoscame This pore yong Gentleman had no great reuenue for that the patrimonie of his predecessors was wasted in charges for entertainment of souldiers in the time of the hurly burly and debates aforesaid A good parte also was confiseate to the chamber of Siena for trespasses forfaitures committed with the remayne he sustained his familie and indisserently maintained his porte soberly within his own house keping his sister in vecent and moderate order The maiden