will and so long as it shall please me will keepe you for mine owne store there shall be no man able to defende you nor yet to perswade me from that I haue determined Silla with these wordes beyng stroke into a greate feare did thinke it now too late to rewe her rashe attempte determined rather to dye with her owne handes then to suffer her self to be abused in suche sorte therefore she moste humbly desired the Captaine so muche as he could to saue her credite and seyng that she must needes be at his will and disposition that for that present he would depart and suffer her till night when in the darke he might take his pleasure without any maner of suspition to the residue of his companie The Captaine thinkyng now the goole to bee more then halfe wonne was contented so farre to satisfie her request and departed out leauyng her alone in his Cabin Silla beeyng alone by her self drue out her knife readie to strike her self to the harte and fallyng vpon her knees desired God to receiue her soule as an acceptable sacrifice for her follies whiche she had so wilfully committed crauyng pardon for her sinnes and so forthe continuyng a long and pitifull reconciliation to GOD in the middest whereof there sodainly fell a wonderfull storme the terrour whereof was suche that there was no man but did thinke the Seas would presently haue swallowed them the Billowes so sodainly arose with the rage of the winde that thei were al glad to fall to heauing out of water for otherwise their feeble Gallie had neuer bin able to haue brooked the Seas this storme continued all that daie and the next night and thei beeyng driuen to put romer before the winde to keepe the Gallie ahed the Billowe were driuen vppon the maine Shore where the Gallie brake all is peeces there was euery man prouiding to saue his owne life some gate vpon Hatches Boordes and Casks and were driuen with the waues to and fro but the greatest nomber were drouned amongest the whiche Pedro was one but Silla her self beeyng in the Cabin as you haue heard tooke holde of a Chest that was the Captaines the whiche by the onely prouidence of GOD brought her safe to the Shore the whiche when she had recouered not knowyng that was become of Pedro her man she deemed that bothe he and all the rest had been drouned for that she sawe no bodie vppon the Shore but her self wherefore when she had a while made greate lamentations complainyng her mishappes she beganne in the ende to comforte her self with the hope that she had to see her Apolonius and found suche meanes that she brake open the Chest that brought her to land wherin she found good store of coine and sondrie sutes of Apparell that were the Captaines and now to preuent a nomber of iniuries that might be proffered to a woman that was left in her case she determined to leaue her owne Apparell and to sorte her self into some of those sutes that beeyng taken for a man she might passe through the Countrey in the better safetie and as she chaunged her apparell she thought it likewise conuenient to chaunge her name wherefore not readily happenyng of any other she called her self Siluio by the name of ther owne brother whom you haue heard spoken of before In this maner she trauailed to Constantinople where she inquired out the Pallace of the Duke Apolonius and thinkyng her self now to be both fit and able to plaie the seruyng man she presented her self to the Duke crauyng his seruice the Duke very willyng to giue succour vnto straungers perceiuyng hym to be a proper smouge yong man gaue hym entertainment Silla thought her self now more then satisfied for all the casualties that had happened vnto her in her Iourney that she might at her pleasure take but the vewe of the Duke Apolonius and aboue the rest of his seruaunts was very diligent and attendaunt vppon hym the whiche the Duke perceiuyng began likewise to growe into good likyng with the diligence of his man and therefore made hym one of his Chamber who but Siluio then was most neate about hym in helpyng of hym to make hym readie in a mornyng in the setting of his ruffes in the keeping of his Chamber Siluio pleased his Maister so well that aboue all the rest of his seruaunts about him he had the greatest credite and the Duke put him moste in trust At this very instaunt there was remainyng in the Citie a noble Dame a widowe whose housbande was but lately deceased one of the noblest men that were in the partes of Grecia who left his Ladie and wife large possessions and greate liuynges This Ladies name was called Iulina who besides the aboundance of her wealth and the greatnesse of her reuenues had likewise the soueraigntie of all the Dames of Constantinople for her beautie To this Ladie Iulina Apolonius became an earnest suter and accordyng to y e maner of woers besides faire woordes sorrowfull sighes and piteous countenaunces there must bee sendyng of louyng letters Chaines Bracelettes Brouches Rynges Tablets Gemmes Iuels and presentes I knowe not what So my Duke who in the tyme that he remained in the Ile of Cypres had no skill at all in the arte of Loue although it were more then half proffered vnto him was now become a scholler in Loues Schoole and had alreadie learned his first lesson that is to speake pitifully to looke ruthfully to promise largely to serue diligently and to please carefully Now he was learnyng his seconde lesson that is to rewarde liberally to giue bountifully to present willingly and to write louingly Thus Apolonius was so busied in his newe studie that I warrant you there was no man that could chalenge hym for plaiyng the truant he followed his profession with so good a will And who must bee the messenger to carrie the tokens and letters to the Ladie Iulina but Siluio his man in hym the Duke reposed his onely confidence to goe betweene hym and his Ladie New Gentlewomen doe you think there could haue been a greater torment deuised wherewith to afflicte the harte of Silla then her self to bee made the Instrument to woorke her owne mishapp and to plaie the Atturney in a cause that made so muche against her self But Silla altogether desirous to please her Maister cared nothyng at all to offend her self followed his businesse with so good a will as if it had been in her owne preferment Iulina now hauyng many tymes taken the gaze of this yong youth Siluio perceiuyng hym to bee of suche excellent perfecte grace was so intangled with the often sight of this sweete temptation that she fell into as great a likyng with the man as the Maister was with her self And on a tyme Siluio beyng sent from his Maister with a message to the Ladie Iulina as he beganne very earnestly to solicet in his Maisters behalfe Iulina interruptyng hym in his tale saied Siluio it is enough
that you haue saied for your Maister from henceforth either speake for your self or saie nothyng at all Silla abashed to heare these wordes began in her minde to accuse the blindnesse of Loue that Iulina neglecting the good will of so noble a Duke would preferre her loue vnto suche a one as Nature it self had denaied to recompence her likyng And now for a tyme leauyng matters dependyng as you haue heard it fel out that the right Siluio in deede whom you haue heard spoken of before the brother of Silla was come to his Fathers Courte into the Ile of Cypres where vnderstanding that his sister was departed in maner as you haue heard coniectured that the very occasion did proceed of some liking had betweene Pedro her man that was missing with her and her self but Siluio who loued his sister as dearly as his owne life and her rather for that as she was his naturall sister bothe by Father and Mother so the one of them was so like the other in countenaunce and fauour that there was no man able to descerne the one from the other by their faces sauyng by their apparell the one beyng a man the other a woman Siluio therefore vowed to his Father not onely to seeke but his sister Silla but also to reuenge the villanie whiche he conceiued in Sedro for the carriyng awaie of his sister and thus departyng hauyng trauailed through many Cities and Townes without hearyng any maner of newes of those he went to seeke for at the fast be arriued at Constantinople where as he was walking in an euenyng for his owne recreation on a pleasaunt greene yarde without the walles of the Citie he fortuned to meete with the Ladie Iulina who likewise had been abroade to take the aire and as she sodainly cast her eyes vppon Siluio thinkyng hym to bee her olde acquaintaunce by reason they were so like one an other as you haue heard before saied vnto hym sir Siluio if your haste be not the greater I praie you let me haue a little talke with you seyng I haue so luckely met you in this place Siluio wonderyng to heare hymself so rightly named beeyng but a straunger not of aboue two daies continuaunce in the Citie very courteously came towardes her desirous to heare what she would saie Iulina commaunding her traine something to stand backe saied as followeth Seyng my good will and freendly loue hath been the onely cause to make me so prodigal to offer that I see is so lightly reiected it maketh me to thinke that men be of this condition rather to desire those thinges whiche thei can not come by then to esteeme or value of that whiche both largely and liberally is offered vnto them but if the liberalitie of my proffer hath made to seme lesse the value of the thing that I ment to present it is but in your owne cōceipt considering how many noble men there hath been here before and be yet at this present whiche hath bothe serued sued and moste humbly intreated to attaine to that whiche to you of my self I haue freely offred and I perceiue is dispised or at the least very lightly regarded Siluio wonderyng at these woordes but more amazed that she could so rightly call hym by his name could not tell what to make of her speeches assuring hym self that she was deceiued and did mistake hym did thinke notwithstandyng it had been a poinct of greate simplicitie if he should forsake that whiche Fortune had so fauourably proffered vnto hym perceiuyng by her traine that she was some Ladie of greate honour and vewing the perfection of her beautie and the excellencie of her grace and countenaunce did thinke it vnpossible that she should be despised and therefore aunswered thus Madame if before this tyme I haue seemed to forget my self in neglecting your courtesie whiche so liberally you haue ment vnto me please it you to pardon what is past and from this daie forwardes Siluio remaineth readie prest to make suche reasonable amendes as his abilitie may any waies permit or as it shall please you to commaunde Iulina the gladdest woman that might bee to heare these ioyfull newes saied Then my Siluio see you faile not to Morowe at night to suppe with me at my owne house where I will discourse farther with you what amendes you shal make me to whiche request Siluio gaue his glad consent and thus thei departed very well pleased And as Iulina did thinke the tyme very long till she had reapt the fruite of her desire So Siluio he wisht for Haruest before Corne could growe thinkyng the tyme as long till he sawe how matters would fall out but not knowyng what Ladie she might bee he presently before Iulina was out of sight demaunded of one that was walkyng by what she was and how she was called who satisfied Siluio in euery poinct and also in what parte of the toune her house did stande whereby he might enquire it out Siluio thus departing to his lodging passed the night with very vnquiet sleapes and the next Mornyng his mynd ranne so muche of his Supper that he neuer cared neither for his Breakfast nor Dinner and the daie to his seemyng passed awaie so slowlie that he had thought the statelie Steedes had been tired that drawe the Chariot of the Sunne or els some other Iosua had commaunded them againe to stande and wished that Phaeton had been there with a whippe Iulina on the other side she had thought the Clocke setter had plaied the knaue the daie came no faster forwardes but sixe a clocke beyng once stroken recouered comforte to bothe parties and Siluio hastening himself to the Pallace of Iulina where by her he was frendly welcomed and a sumpteous supper beeyng made readie furnished with sondrie sortes of delicate dishes thei satte them doune passyng the Supper tyme with amourous lookes louyng countenaunces and secrete glaunces conueighed from the one to the other whiche did better satisfie them then the feedyng of their daintie dishes Supper tyme beeyng thus spent Iulina did thinke it very vnfitly if she should tourne Siluio to goe seeke his lodging in an euenyng desired him therefore that he would take a bedde in her house for that night and bryngyng hym vp into a faire Chamber that was very richly furnished she found such meanes that when all the rest of her housholde seruauntes were a bedde and quiet she came her self to beare Siluio companie where concludyng vpon conditions that were in question betweene them thei passed the night with suche ioy and contentation as might in that conuenient tyme bee wished for but onely that Iulina feedyng too muche of some one dishe aboue the rest receiued a surfett whereof she could not bee cured in fourtie weekes after a naturall inclination in all Women whiche are subiect to longyng and want the reason to vse a moderation in their diet but the mornyng approching Iulina tooke her leaue and conueighed her self into her owne chamber and when it was
at home Yea sir ê™ the seruaunte your daughter Emelia is euen now departed into the Citee in the habite of a man But whiche waies she wente I could not for my life deuise for after she gat once forthe of the place where she shifter her I could neuer more set eye of her Is Emelia gone quoth her louer Philotus Oh God what euill newes bee these that I heare And without any further staie bothe the Father and the Louer gat them out at the doores together and aboute the streates thei runne like a couple of madde men Now it fell out that Philerno the Sonne of Alberto and Brother to Emella whom you haue heard before was lefte at Naples beeyng an Infante and had remained there till this tyme at Schoole and at this verie instaunte was come from Naples to Rome to visite his Father and Mother of whom he had no maner of knowledge otherwise then by their names And it fortuned that Alberto and Philotus happened to meete with Philerno in the streates who was so like his sister Emelia that bothe Alberto and Philotus assured themselues that it could bee no other but she Wherefore Alberto commyng to hym saied staie staie moste shamelesse and vngraciâ—us Girle doest thou thinke that by thy disguising of thy self in this maner thou canst escape vnknowne to me who am thy Father Ah vile strumpet that thou art what punishement is sufficient for the filthinesse of thy facte And with this he seemed as though he would haue fline vpon her in the streate to haue beate her but Phllotus thruste in betweene them and desired his neighbour to staie hymself and then imbracyng Philerno in his armes he saied Ah Emelia my sweete and louing wenche how canste thou so vnkindelie forsake thy Philotus whose tender loue towardes thee is suche that as I will not let to make thee soueraigne of my self so thou shalt be Dame and Mistresse of all that euer I haue assuryng thee that thou shalt neuer want for Golde Gemmes Iewelles suche as bee fit and conuenient for thy degree Philerno seeyng a couple of old dotyng foole thus clusteryng aboute hym not knowyng what thei were had thought at the first thei had been out of their wittes but in the ende by their woordes perceiuyng a farther circumstance in the matter he deuised some thyng for his owne disporte to feede them a little with their owne follie saied Pardon me I beseeche you this my greeuous offence wherein I knowe I haue too farre straied from the limites and boundes of modestie protestyng hereafter so to gouerne my self that there shall bee no sufficient cause whereby to accuse me of suche vnmaiden like partes and will euer remaine with suche duetie and obedieÌ„ce as I trust shall not deserue but to be liked duryng life Philotus hauyng heard this pitifull reconciliation made by his Emelia verie gently entreated her father in her behalf well ê™ her father seeyng you will needes haue me to forgiue this her leudnesse at your requeste I am contented to pardon her and then speakyng to Philerno he saied How saie you houswife is your stomacke yet come doune are you contented to take Philotus for your Housebande yea my good Father ê™ Philerno and that with all my harte Oh happie newes ê™ Philotus and here withall he began to sette his cappe on the one side and to turne vp his muschatoes and fell to wipyng of his mouthe as though he would haue falne a kissyng of her by and by in the streates but remeÌ„bryng hym self where he was he brought Alberto with Philerno into a freendes house that was of his familiare acquaintaunce and there the Marriage betweene theim was throughlie concluced and all parties seemyng to giue their full consentes Philotus desired his father in Lawe that he might haue the custodie of Emelia swearing by his old honestie that he would not otherwise vse her then his owne Daughter Brisilla vntill the daie of his Nuptials and then to vse her as his wife to which request Alberto seemed verie willynglie to giue consent but then because Philotus would not carrie his beloued through the streates in her mannes apparell he desired his Father in Lawe to goe home and sende some sute of her apparell wherwith to shift her before he would carrie her to his owne house Alberto seyng matters so throughly concluded toke his leaue of theim bothe and goyng his waies home he caused all his Daughters apparell to be looked together and to bee sent to the place where Philotus was remaining with Philerno who taking forthe suche as should serue the tourne for that present Philerno so well as he could arraied hymself in one of his sisters sutes of apparell and thus departed with Philotus to his owne house where Philotus callyng his daughter Brisilla he saied vnto her beholde here the partie whom I haue chosen to bee your Mother chargyng you of my blessyng that you honour reuerence and obeie her and with all diligence that you be attendaunt vpon her and readie at an ynche to prouide her of any thing that she shall either want or call for And you my deare and louyng Emelia I dooe here ordaine and appoincte you to bee Mistresse of this house and of all that is in it desiryng you to accepte of this my Daughter to doe you seruice in the daie time and in the night to vouchsafe her for your bedfellowe vntill our daie of Marriage bee prefixed and then my self will supplie the rome Philerno seyng the excellent beautie of Brisilla was nothyng sorie to haue suche a bedfellowe but thought euery hower a daie till night was come whiche beyng approched to bedde thei went where Philerno did not thinke it his readiest waie to giue any sodaine attempte but therefore he brake into this discourse followyng My Brisilla were it not but that wee bee founde parciall in the causes of our frendes but especially where the causes doe touche our parentes our iudgementes be so blinded by affection that we can neither see nor well confesse a manifest truth but if matters might be considered on without respect of persones with indifference and accordyng to the truthe and equitie of the cause I durst then put my self in your arbitremente my Brisilla and to abide your sentence whereto I doubte not but you would confesse the preiudice I sustaine it is muche intollerable and almoste impossible for a yong maide to endure and the rather if you would measure my condition by your owne estate who beeyng as you see a yong maiden like your self and should be thus constrained by my freendes to the mariyng of your father whom I doe confesse to bee worthie of a better wife then my self But consideryng the inequalitie of our yeres I can not for my life frame my self to loue him and yet I am forced against my will to Marrie hym and am appointed to be your mother that am more meete to be your coÌ„panion and plaie fellowe But that affiaunce whiche I haue