things went with the guyde eueÌ„ to the place where he saw the act playde that afterward was the death of the chiefe persoÌ„s in the Tragedy then sayth the spye vnto the Marques I beseeche you my Lord to contemplate a little through this creuise what lyfe they leade in your absence that sith you are present the disloyalty of theÌ„ that be most 〈◊〉 vnto you is so euidently shown The good Marques had no sooner looked through the 〈◊〉 then he spyed his sonne interlased â—â—foldeÌ„ about the neck of the Marchiones and the wantontoyes of the Ladye towardes the County the Father of whome was so constant that hee attended to what ende these imbrasementes and toyes wouldâ— come but when hee sawe the Game woulde redounde to his disaduantage and to the perpetual infamye of hys hoase with great payne he obserued himselfe from being ouercome wyth rage and that he had not broke open the dore of the Chamber vpon the Campe where were these couple of infortunate Louers to haue caused them to dye vpon the very fact alwayes the passyon of his mynde was so penetrable that he coulde not by a good space remooue from thence but remayned there wholy troubled and confused in teares running downe along hys bearde that now beginneth to waxe white in the end euaporating the order of hys harte he began to say Alas vnhappy olde man that I nowe shall be that notwythstanding the flower of thyne Age arte dishonoured by thyne owne bloud and the substaunce of thyne entrayles what is it the onely sonne amongest them that bee lawfull which hath vnlawfullye abused thy Spouse shal I be both the witnesse Party and Iudge in this cause and in executing of this iudgement that I must needes do both by law and iust displeasure I shall put to death two persons that I loue beste in this worlde No no the amitie of Maryage shaâ— ende here towards her that hath put oute the lighte of my honour and hath blotted the reputation common to vs both and the charitye of the father towardes the sonne shall lose his force in me syth the chylde in vsurping the Bed of the Father hath geuen coniecture of his will to take awaye the lyfe of hym of whome he had his owne and of whome hee hath stayned the honour What if once a Romaine Captayne hath punished as it might be to seuerelye hys sonne in that hee had surpassed his commandemente touching a certayne expedition in deedes of Armes whereof although hee had gloryously attayned the wyshed end of his desyres then what shall I doe beholding my self so vyly betrayed and so euill dishonoured by him whyche oughte to bee the reuenger of the cryme whereof my eyes haue seene the execution I beseech God that pytty may not moue my harte to pardon him of this fault or to dissemble this great and extreme hartebreache that lyuing causeth my death and so reuengyng a pryuate iniurye I shall punish the most abhomynable synne that a man can thinke Then for the quyetnesse of my mynde and example of Iustyce to the posteritye my sonne shall dye wyth the vnshamefast loue whiche was cause of all thys and by whych meanes I shall depart from my only lawfull begotten sonne and from my honour whych is more dere then chyldren riches or lyfe The sorrowfull and inraged father with this deliberation seekyng to execute his deuyse his sonne departed into the base Court of the Castle wythout thinking of the perrill or ruyne that hys mysfortune dyd prepare for him and their bandes the Ball with the GentlemeÌ„ of his age where was greater companye of people to see the playe then were there of long tyme before for I think that some coniecture of the future Spectacle had broughte thyther thys route to the ende that wyth more shame the County and hys incestyous Louer shoulde be imprysoned Also these be the Menaces wherewyth God threatneth the wycked that their pryuye sinnes committed in the obscurity of the night shall be one day punished openly and to the sighte of all the people duryng this then that the vnfortunate Prynce more braue and ioyfull then accustomed did contynue hys playe behold there comes the keeper of the Castle wyth a good troupe of Archers wel appoynted he in the presence and hearing of euery one addressing him to the Countye sayeth vnto him O Prince it is nowe full tyme that you make ready your selfe to come before other then these be where you must aunswere to the coniurations Fellonyes conspiracies facts agaynst the person of my Lord the Marques your Father by whose commandement sayth he putting his hand to his coller I make and coÌ„stitute you his Prisoner I am sorry for your misfortune more sorrowful that it should bee I that must keepe you in pryson always trust in your great simplicitie likewyse if it please you excuse that whych I doe being constrayned by him which hath power both ouer mee and you O extreme force and rygor of the conscience which moueste so lyuely the hartes of them that feele themselues guilty of any fault that the blast of euery wynd that blowes by the wagging of euery lefe that they see moue they thinke they behold before their eyes a torment and a contynuall punishment that wyll neuer suffer them to take any rest whereof comes the great griefe and the smal assurance that they haue of themselues whych are so troubled by the very interyour iudgemente of their owne spirite that they gyue sure wytnes of that thing whych as it might haue chaunced otherwyse had bene in doubte so the pore Countye seeing himselfe sommoned to go espouse and defyle another bed then that wherin heretofore he had receiued so much contentment fayled not then to thynke of the accrosyng of hys euils and the small hope that hee might or could haue to be delyuered therefore halfe attached wyth dispayre hee sayeth vnto the Prouest Go forward Captain whether it shall seeme good vnto you for of long tyme I haue attended no other intreaty of him then that whyche I now see prepared for me No no my Lord sayth the Prouest haue a good harte God is able to ayde you puissaunt to make euery one to know y right of your cause also my Lorde the Marques wyll doe nothing agaynst you without the couÌ„sel of y most wise and learned men of his house whych oughte to cause you to hope of some better hap then you thinke of then he conducteth the Prince into the great Tower of the Castle which standeth iust agaynst the Porte Delyon And duryng this tyme there were some gone in lyke sorte and by lyke commandment to seeke the Marchyones as they had done the Countye who then was amongest her Gentlewomen playing this song as the Prognostication of her misfortune and the Prophecy of the common Buryall that vnyted after their death the executed body both of her and the Countye THe man by councell of the Gods In this
perchauÌ„ce lacketh not here and there his imperfections so had God lent to the Authour longer lyfe would haue bene better poolyshed as voyde of faults and escapes in the prynting as his mynd was frée froÌ„ iustly giuing occasioÌ„ of offeÌ„ce to any Which courtesye if accordingly there appeare to remayne wythin thee then doubtlesse is his paynes fully rewarded and my expectation suffycyentlye satysfyed Farewell ¶ CERTAINE STRANGE and Lamentable Tragicall Historyes ¶ A iust Fact but to cruell of Iohn Maria Duke of Myllayne towarde a Priest extreme couetous IOhn Maria Vicont sonne of Iohn Galeas vnto whome the Emperour Ladisilaus gaue the tytle and name of Duke of Myllayne was he that succeeding in the estate and dignity of Duke made himselfe knowne and renowned before all the Princes of his tyme not in shewing himselfe more vertuous then they or in surpassing the good Fortune of that good Galeas his Father who I thinke neuer committed any other notable euill then that he lefte behynde him a plague so great and daungerous as his sonne the successyon of whome was no more fortunate for the Milinois then was once the Romayne Monarch of Marcus Aurelius leauing for the inheritour of the Empyre that Butcher â–ª and Sworde player Commodus a lyuelye example of creweltye and mischiefe and truelye hys Countrey myghte well haue coniectured their Misfortune in that Iohn Maria was called to the Dignitye of the Dukedome after that all Italye had seene the Orygynall of the Ciuill warres so often wrytten of by the Hystoryans whiche so muche weakened the strength of Italye and abased the glorye of those thinges whiche remayned to them as Reliques escaped from the handes of so manye Barbaryans and Straungers that hadde foyled with their feâ—te the honour of that Godlye Prouynce for it was after that the Guelfes and Gibilines had throughlye deuyded themselues leauyng no corner of Italye that was notte Dyed wyth the bloud of the poore Cittizens and was it not pittyfull to see the Nobillitye chased and wandring abroade there beyng no creature that felte not thys Tempeste and whyche perceyued not the vehemencye of a deuysyon so furyoâ—s so that all Natyons of Europe had their accesse to make their Rodes into Italye and there to pyll the Cittyes and Fertyle Fyeldes called into the country eyther by the one or the other of the Factions But this Duke was renowned for the moste cruell and inhumayne Tyraunte that euer was nouryshed in Christendome and I beleeue that Bucyrus Phalaris or that Thracian King which fostred his Horses with the bodyes of the dead did neuer surpasse him in crueltye and although his Predicessoures had bene Princes very mercifull and gentle and that by their modestye they had attayned to the place of suche Prehemynence yet this is he which forgetting the house wherof he came did degenerate from the bloud of his Ancestours being despightfull for that Fortune had bene otherwyse to him then she had bene towardes that excellent Iohn Galeas his Father and to Valentyne that was Wyfe to the Duke of Orleans shee whych was slayne at Paris by the Duke of Burgoyne his men doeth so accarnate hymselfe that hee caused to be deuoured in his presence by Mastyfes broughte vp to that ende those whyche for the leaste occasyon that hee fantasyed in his mynde dydde displease hym hauyng for the Mynyster of hys crueltye and in steade of Prouest Marshall a Gentleman named Squarce Gyrame as courteous as hys Lorde and who in the ende was also payde wyth the same paymente as was hys Mayster being both togyther as cruelly slayne as vnpittifull they had fleshed themselues vppon the myserable people of Millayne during the tyme then that this incorporate Deuill reioyseth himselfe and sheweth these tragicall and detestable actes of hys cruell lyfe this thing chaunced which I am now about to descrybe vnto you to the ende you may beholde the two great and extreame vyces the one of Auaryce in a Priest and the other of the crueltie of the Duke Iohn Maria ryding one day thorough his Cittye as commonly he did not onely for to beholde the faultes of his subiectes but more to search out if any one durst complayn of the detestable maners of his lyfe and the very hauty and tyrannical doings of his raygn to the end he might seeme to haue some reason to tormeÌ„t him that shoulde complayne without cause of his Lord that as yet had giuen him no occasyon Thus as he made these Iorneys he hard a farre of a great crye and the voyce of a woman complayning who clapping her hands did eleuate her voyce verye high thinking that GOD was deafe and that he will not heare our necessityes without such a sturre to whome he sent one of his seruaunts to know the cause of a crye so fearefull who found it at thedore of a pore woman whose husband was lately deceased that thus complayned as well for the losse of her companyon as also for that shee had not wherewith to bring him to the earth Alas sayth the woman half desperate whether may the pore haue their recourse syth the very Church hath denyde their duetyes to them vnto whome they be bounde to whome may I adresse my selfe not hauing wherewith to satisfye or glent the desyre of my vnsatiable Curat that is neyther content with the gayns which he hath suffring this body without life to remayne without Sepulture onely for the herytage of all the goods whiche he hath lefte me in this world for my comforte for if I wyll haue him interred of necessitye I must sell all my moueables and afterwards not knowing how to relieue my Infantes Ah false Pastor I beseech God to punish with some great persecution both thee and them which are of lyke condicions saying so with cryes teares sobs and sighes she pardoneth not her own cheekes and face but scratcheth the one she bepaynteth the others stryking herselfe vpon the stomack and shewing dyuers other sygnes of a woman distraught the Dukes man seeing her to shew such fashyons addrest him towardes her saying My friende what wrong is this that is done to you and wherefore shew you so great dule tell me because I may make the reporte to my Lord who hath sent me hyther to know the matter and assure your self if any one hath offended you he will extend such Iustice that you shall be contente and satisfyed and the authoures shall haue whereof to take example and withholden to doe iniurye to the poore in suche a Towne as thys where the Lorde wyll that Iustyce be done to euery one without respecte of estate The woman who knewe by his Lyuerye that hee was one of the Dukes Seruauntes whose presence although it were not verye agreeable vnto her in thynking that hee came there but onelye to seeke some praye yet not fearing anye worse aduenture then her owne nor anye Fortune more frowarde then the estate wherein shee was and also for that death to her woulde haue bene great solace ioying
also that the Offycer had talked vnto her so gentlye aunswereth him in thys sorte Alas Syr beholde there the deade bodye of my Husbande which the Prieste of thys Parrishe hath refused to burye for that I haue not wherewith to satisfye him for his payne and to content him for the Funerals This is the occasyon why I torment my selfe not knowing how I maye interre the deade Corpes the onely memorye whereof hath made mee so full of sorrowe and dule and to showe before your eyes this outrage The Duke which this space attended to know the occasyon of this crye vnto whome his man being retourned sayth My Lorde in this house before you is a poore woman inuyroned wyth small Chyldren whose Husbande thys morning being dead hath desyred the Priest to burye the bodye of the deade but hee vnlesse shee will paye the interrage and the accustomed Funeralles hath vtterlye denyed her to goe aboute it wherefore shee maketh this noyse not hauing wherewith to doe it and furthermore if shee shoulde sell her mooueables shee hath not wherewyth then to bring vp her small Infantes Iohn Maria hearing him tell of a Facte so Vylonyous and of a couetousnesse so detestable began to laugh whose laughter was a prognostication of the teares of some man Then tourning to them of hys Trayne hee sayth Truely this mayster Curate is very vncharitable and greatly giuen to his owne profyte so to denye his helpe to them that requyre him syth that it is his duety and hee is hyred to doe it Therefore it is good that I shewe him the waye and excercyse our Charitye in this causing this body to be intombed and then to extende our almes to this woman that lamenteth as well for her owne losse as for that shee beholdeth her selfe charged wyth Infantes and not knowing howe to keepe them shoulde not this be well done sayeth he to his Gentlemen Truely my Lorde aunswereth one of the trayne this acte would bee as greatly praysed as any good deede that you can doe in this worlde and especially for that your excellencye in forgetting your Nobillity shall so much abase your selfe as to accompany the most pore to the earth and to succour their widdowes although they neuer did you anye seruyce Let vs go then sayth the Duke the Priest as it may be will doe his duetye to this partye at my desyre wherefore I will giue him such a Salary for his paynes as all hys lyfe after he shall not haue cause to complaine He sayth this thinking so well to chasten the Priest that from thence forth he shoulde make no more such refusals commanding then that he which had bene first at the house of the widdowe should go for the Curate to come talke with the Duke for a matter of great importaunce The mayster Chaplen which thought of nothing lesse then the fault which he had done and remembred not at all of the dead the corpes of whome remayned without Sepulture came sodaynly to the Dukes presence whome after the Duke had wel beholden and seeing him fat grosse in euery poynt and cloathed in rich Apparell was not abashed at all of the refusal that he had made to the pore woman as well for his well lyking whereby hee shewed that one hower of pleasure was an hundered tymes more agreable vnto him then a thousand yeres of seruitude and that also to nourish such a belly it was needefull to haue more gaynes then rose of his cure hauing his Vysage more lyke the picture of some swollen Bacchus then of one professing the studye of diuinitie fynally this Priest did not vary at all from the moste parte of them that at this daye to the great domage of all Christendome haue entered into the Ministery who thinke that they haue done their duety in making a feast or dinner to their equalles without remembring the rest of their office neyther to visyte the poore nor to succour them according to the statutes and ordinaunces of the holy Canons ordayned by the generall and sacred counsels but are become feeders of their owne bellyes and dumme dogges so that the onely name of Priesthood ought to shadowe them and suffyce as they imagyne wythout necessitie to put their hand to the worke and to satisfye by effect that for which they be called Our Curate then bolde and assured presenteth hymself to Iohn Maria saying My Lord it hath pleased your excellency to commaunde mee to come before you may it also please you to shew me the thing wherein you wyll imploy me in which I will obey you as he that desireth nothing but to serue and please you The wyly and subtle Lord seeyng the fayned curtesy and pleasant words of the syr Iohn begaÌ„ to laugh and to mocke him with his glory and to detest his impudent auaryce answering him I haue sent for you to the ende you should cause to bee brought to the earth that poore man which is one of your parishioners I will giue you the rewarde and Salary that you merite for it is neyther iust nor meete that such a man as you should be imployed without recompence Pardone mee my Lord sayth the Priest your only commandement deth suffyce your grace holdeth the place of al satysfaction Wel wel sayeth the Duke I accept all that you haue sayd and beleeue that you woulde doe more for mee then this syth at this tyme I see you so preste to doe your duety in this afayre therefore goe prepare your selfe for I will assist you at the obsequies assuring you that you shal be recompenced before I depart as I intend and according to your desartes Now the Chaplayne which thought that he was already placed in the office of the Dukes Almoner verye pleasaunte and merrye departeth towardes his Church where hee setteth all thinges in order and sendeth for a good companye of Priestes and others whych serued ordinarilye in the Churches because hee would with more greater pompe and honour accompany the Corpes for which the Duke had so desyred him But the myserable Priest sawe not that was the Trayne whyche Fortune had ordayned for him and howe neare the hower dyd approache in which he must paye the arrâ—rages of his afore passed lyfe and aboue all that great and vyle synne of cruell Auaryce by an other crueltye the moste straunge that hath beene hearde of and I am abashed howe he should be so far beside his wyt that seeing the fault which he had committed knowing the nature of his Lord himself hearing him speake so doubtfully and with wordes smelling more of his choller then gentlenesse how he durste retourne and represent himselfe agayne before the furyous face of his Prince But what he was so blynded with Auaryce and led withthe desyre of Money that euerye looke seemed vnto hym curteous and euery word pleasaunte syth the talke of gayne and recompence marched therewyth The vnhappye Prieste had â—orgotten that the Duke for the leaste occasyon that myghte bee caused to
her chamber attending with good deuotyon as I beleeue to communicate vnto you a thing that hitherto hath not bene knowne deuysed or perused by you The Prince taking no regarde to the wordes of the Messenger but guyded by hys mishap goeth to the Chamber of the Marchiones During this the Damsell that wente to seeke the Countye knowing well that the inormitie of the case that she imagyned doeth withhold her to goe agayne to her Mistresse because she would not impeach the ioy of her whose lyfe she had seene led â—yth so much sorrow reâ—yreth into a wardrope where she presaging the misfortune of the faire couple being confounded with teares in the end agreuaded wyth sorrowe and set vppon by slumbring through wearynesse fell on sleepe Then the County being entered into the Chamber of his fayre mother she comming towardes him to receyue him very courteouslye taketh him by the hand and causeth him to syt down by her But when it came to the poynt that the fayre Lady would haue addrest her trayne her hart beginnes to leape within her belly her sences do denye to fulfyll the offyce of the exteryoure members for her tongue was mute her eyes deiecte and her vysage chaunged into suche a Vermillyon that she would haue abashed the vant corrour of the Sonne and surely this chaunge was caused of two contraryes that is to wit loue and shame the one woulde haue her shew forth her greefe the other direct contrary by naturall wyll and inclynation but in the end the more vnperfect and lesse puissaunt in the good cause became victoryous for the Lady after she had syghed a good space with out speaking any worde wearye of her vndiscreete sylence as shee thoughte it in the ende breakyng her sylence wyth a looke whyche was suffycyente to enter into the depth of hys harte suche was her cunning to mooue hym to compassyon hauing her voyce tremblyng and euill assured for the contynuaunce of that whych she felte in her mynde and sustayning dyuers affections that mooued her spirite she tooke the yong Prynce delicately by the fayre hande saying vnto him My Lorde if I had not manye occasyons to addresse my lamentations and iust complaynts you may beleeue if it please you y I am not so vnshamfaste as to deceyue your eares and by myne own meanes to manifest before you a thing that although as it may be you shal thinke it very straunge yet it doth touch you so neare that for the loue which I beare you that are more deare vnto me then you thinke I cannot nor am able to keepe it from you for in so doing I shoulde wilfully betray you should doe both against my conscience and the duty of her towardes you that holdeth the place wherein I am I know you are not ignoraunte of the lyfe that the Marques your Father hath ledde synce the death of her of good memory your Ladye and mother and what troupe of Bastardes euery one seeth at this day in your house which if God doe not otherwyse prouyde shall vse no lesse inhumanitye one day towards you then your father did once towards his Cosyn the lawfull inheritour of this countrey whome he expulsed sent in exile into Candy for I see as well the small account they make of you as of me which haue wished a hundered tunes y I had neuer come into this country not only for the greefs that I haue felt but also for that I forsee the mischiefs that are prepared for you if you doe not wysely preuent theÌ„ I neither do nor would haue you think that I counsell you to fil your hands with the blood life of him of whom you had your beginning but I would haue you vnderstand that I giue you this aduyse that you open the eye of your intendmeÌ„t to forsee to what end these things may turne and as for mee there is nothing in my power wherwith I will fayle to succour you sith it is euen you to say the truth saith she imbrasing kissing him my deare friend whom I loue esteme more then any man that liues which if it please you â–ª I wil cause you know by experieÌ„ce O would to God that the hower of my alyaÌ„s had succeded after my mind truely no other should haue inioyd the daughter of y Lord Maletest then the County Hugnes for when my Lord Father did intreate with me for the mariage of the Lorde of Ferraria it was you whome he talked with me of not the Marques God pardon the folly of him that so fouly deceyued me syth y vnyon of vs two had bene far better denysed theÌ„ with your Father the age equal the coÌ„fyrmity of maners y might haue conioyned vs with a perpetual band which now am bound against my wil to him y despiseth me who it is that loueth cherisheth y mothers of them that one day as it may chance shall depryue you both of your honour lyfe then thinke my Lord what sorrow it should be to me in that I had lost the meanes to bee perpetually yours and consyder what should be my lyfe to come louing you as I doe if I should see the ruine and destructyon of your estate Alas God is my wytnesse wyth what anguyshe I open these my secretes vnto you for the desyre that I haue that you mighte be wholy myne as I am yours is so ingrafted in my harte that only death must make the seperation in saying so she kysseth and imbraseth him of an other fashyon then a chaste woman doth imbrace her Parentes and familliars and then she retourneth to her former purposes saying Therfore my Lorde and greatly beloued friend bee not you the occasyon of the death of her that seketh to increase your honour and thereby doth render her selfe of a most vnhappy the fortunates Lady that liues at this day haue pittie of her which so liberally and prodigallye offereth her selfe vnto you but if crueltye haue more place in you then the prayers I make vnto you and the synguler loue that I beare you kill kill I say my Lord thys miserable Lady the which if you refuse shaâ—l not cease to execute that vpon her selfe whereof you made the refusall whych will be the occasyon both of your dishonour and the losse of the best and moste loyall louer that yoâ— had in this world The County no lesse abashed of the words then of the wanton imbrasinges of his fayre mother was so far besyde himselfe that without aunswering or hauing power to departe from her remayned no lesse immoueable then was once the wyfe of Lot tourned into a piller and Rocke of Salte The Marchyones who was excellent fayre yong tender and delycate and whose lokes were so fyne and gracious that I beleeue if the most wylfull and abstinent of the Philosophers of former tyme had felte the temptation of an obiect so fayre and celestyall they would haue quyte lefte forsaken and forgotten the contemplacyon
hearing the sentence of his death hee began to say weeping very tenderly Ah vnhappye flesh and fylthye desyres it is for thy pleasures that I must dye this daye O vnhappye wretche that I am not for that I dye but because I am the procurer of his choler cause of his dule for that I haue set such trouble in his house as shall not so well so sone be forgotten as I would wysh Alas my Lord father pardon this detestable offeÌ„ce of him that hath vsed himself otherwise toward you then the chyld ought towards y father I coÌ„fesse I am the most myserable that euer was born of a mother the most detestable that the Sunne shyneth on this daye Alas good Lorde suffer not my soule to be punished seruing for the pasture of that vyle serpent deuouring Lyon that doth nothing but go about to deceiue and invyron vs cause vs to fall into his lake O Lord haue mercy haue mercy on me suffer not the bloud of thy sonne to be shed in vayne for me Alas I must dye not for the confessing of the fayth and glorifying of thy name before men but for my owne wickednesse the multitude of my demerites that which next after the great wickednesse committed against thy dyuyne maiesty doth greeue me most is the sorrowe of him that doth and will redounde to my mischiefe dishonour But O my God I beseech thee to comfort him giue me streÌ„gth pacientlye to abyde this infamous cruell punishment that I see euen redy before my eyes The Counseller seeing the repentaunce of the Prince moued with coÌ„passyon begaÌ„ to wepe departed out of the pryson went to make report thereof to the Marques who aunswered him it is not now time to become a good christyan syth he caÌ„not escape the iust vengeance of God by the mynister of his humain iustyce and I beseech God that hee will pardon hys synnes receyue him amongst the number of his elect saying so left of not able to beare the sorrow which did greeue him for the remembraunce of the approching death of his sonne wherfore it was ordayned that they should be quickly dispatched one in the sight of the other and this was done for that the Marques would here no admonition for he heard the sentence was extended as well vppon the Countye as vpon her that had made no sute for her lyfe because she saw they had coÌ„demned the county then in the end seing she had done the faulte she appoynteth with her self to receyue death in as good part as she could which was giueÌ„ to euery of them in their tower within a mynute of an houre not without an infynite nuÌ„ber of teares shead and besprent as well by the Marques which could not dissemble hys affection as by al theÌ„ of his house that vniuersally loued the fayre couple of infortunate Louers y vertue of whom this vlot except could well haue no comparison but a lyttle Leuen as sayeth the Apostle doth easyly rayse season and sower a great peece of dow likewyse a vyce so slaunderous doeth obfuscate all the brightnesse of the former vertues and impoysoneth the good sauour of all the forpassed life These two Patients being executed whylst men were preparing of rych and accustomable Funerals they were broughte into the base Court of the Pallas to the ende all the world should see and beholde the cause of their death that yet renewed the teares and complaynts of men as well for the one as for the other bewayling the one for hys worthynesse the other for her curtesye and them both for their great bewtye and youth wherein they were for as yet the more aged of them had not attayned the age of two and twenty yeares After this the Marques caused to bee prepared a rych and sumptuous furnyture for their funerals and with such pompe as their greatnesse did requyre their bodyes were broughte to be buryed in the couent of Saynt Frances and there was erected a Tomb to be the common bed of the bodyes of them whose hartes had bene surely conioyned togythers when they were alyue so these two myserable creatures had a small ease for the induring of so great a punishment and for all the contentment and satisfaction of their desyres they had this only good that by one kynd of death they both should ende and haue their bones enioy one Sepulcure togither Here it is good to be aduysed how and wyth what counsels men ought to forsee thinges and their accurrenses before they be executed here maye you gather also what is the nature and condition of synne which once ingrafted in the harts of men spreadeth his rootes so broade that by great payne it cannot be exterped but by the disolucyon and death of the subiect whereby they are cheefe cause of their owne ruyne A good example certaynelye for the youth of this age which without aduysement of the daungers that the flesh the Prynce of this worlde doe prepare for them to their great shame vse pryuate companye wyth them that be of their kyndred wythout aduysemente that the moste sage haue once fayled in these doinges and haue perpetrated the thinges that are vnworthy to be thought and punishable only by death in them that commytte them FINIS A cruell custome of the Duke of Millayne Horâ—â—ble waâ—â—â—ease vpon dead bodyes The Hystory of whome is already set forth excellently by Mayster Fenton A monsterous and most cruell 〈◊〉 The wyckâ—d Tyrauntes alwayes in feare full of suspicion God the reuenger of al wrong and iniquitie The Oration of Mahometh ⧠IMPRINTED AT London in Fleetestreate beneath the Conduite at the Sygne of S. Iohn Euaungelist by Hugh Iackson Anno. 1577.
holy of all the rest take some Golden gyfte to heare the Chastitye soulde â—or bargayned sommes and there is not one amongest them all which punisheth this marchandyse of bodyes washed by the bloud of him that through the pryce of hys lyfe hath redeemed vs out of the handes of hym whyche helde vs in bondage wherefore the Gentiles and Infydels of tyme paste doe exceede and vanquish vs in Iustice and polliticke doinges more right then oures that they haue thereby attayned the glory of punishing faults whyche we behold endure and approue and as executers therof do glory and prayse them Vnhappy surely is the world where vyce beres the name of Iustyce and Iniquitye is praysed as a vertue infortunate is the place where such fauoure is shewed to the wicked that their infamye is sustayned and approoued by the moste mightye But the wycked doe not remember at all that GOD is in Heauen regarding and beholding the deedes of men for to doe Iustice one daye by the strength of his hande and the inuytable force of his scourges by whyche wythout exceptynge of persons hee indyfferentlye doeth punishe both the faulte of the offender and of him that fayleth to execute the aucthoritye and the sworde that God hath put into his handes But nowe to retourne to our former matter thys verye lybydynous and wanton olde man keeping this Gyrle at bed and boorde in his Castle lying ordinarily with her and chafeth the cold vnhappy fleshe of the vyle Mountayn Satyre that seketh to contynue that whiche nature doeth deny him and assayeth to ouercome his own force The eldest sonne seeing the dishonesty of his father was sad beyonde all measure vsing neuerthelesse such a modestye and vertuous dissimulation because he would not make sorrowfull his father that hee shewed a better countenaunce to the Palyarde then he coulde well whome he hated to the death as well for that she was such a one as for that he knewe she would be the ruine and shortning of the life of the vnhappy olde man and also for that hee saw her so fonde and vnshamefast that one mighte easilye iudge by her she would not refuse the intertayning of another Captayne which might furnish her somewhat better for the old man doth serue onely for the increasing and prouocation of her sensualitie without power at anye tyme to contente the immoderate wantonnesse that burned within her mynde and therfore she thinketh to practyse a combate more lustye and of better hope which she did because the olde man was not able to suffice her Ah insaciable desyres and depth not to be fylled that is the wantonnesse of an harlot what detestable euils haue chaunced by these loues to them that without all shame haue put all their glory and pleasure in the delightes and flatteryes of the worlde onely Sampson Salomon and Hercules may giue sure testimony Now this gyrle as we sayd before feeling the dimissing of the forces of her louer doth deliberate to pursue another pray therefore she impudently casteth her lookes on the sonne of the Gentleman and in becoÌ„ming Amorous shee purposeth if it be possyble to make him the Liefetenaunt and ayde of hys Father and this she doth not for anye curtesy that was hid vnder the Haggard and rustick nature and bringing vp of the rude countrey but for that she saw the yong man fayre well proporcyoned of his members and for that she iudgeth him apte to performe the Chase in which his father was able to giue but symple attemptes sodaynly shee seaseth from her enterpryse as do the yong Louers not experte or able ynough to detayne their pray by and by agayne she goeth about to shew him al friendship and familiaritie that she coulde and often tymes she seeketh hym fynding him at his boke where she sheweth euidently the desyres that cause her to pursue him But the good chyld neuer thought of such a wickednesse as well to be chaste of his nature as for the feare of God and offending of his father and for that as yet hee had neuer bene kyndled wyth loue nor taken in the trap of worldlye follyes But the Concubyne perceyuing that shee trauayled in vayn thinking to make him vnderstand her desyres by sygnes doeth deliberate as soone as occasyon shoulde be offered to manyfest it vnto him by worde which she dyd one day his Father being gone to see one of his neighboures and before she would assaulte the yong man shee doeth instructe in that myschiefe a Chambermayd her Cosen to the end that when her perswasyons should fayle the other myghte supplye her wante as soone as these eloquente Ieayes hadde prepared themselues they wente to seeke the Gentleman whome they founde recreatyng himselfe in the myddest of a great Chamber the fayre Forrest Nymphe assysted wyth the keeper of her bed began to saye vnto him I knowe not syr what to thynke of you or to make of your doinges whiche loued and desyred of any doe not accoumpte it your parte to recompence them with lyke affections whyche desyre your acquayntaunce I thinke surely that you are not so colde that your hart is not to be attached with any amorous passyon nor I esteeme you so frowarde that if any fayre dame of what state soeuer she were would geue you power to coÌ„mand you would be able to abandon and refuse her To what purpose saye you this aunswereth hâ— haue you seene in mee any sygne of rudenesse or discourtesye towardes any woman that lyues I sweare vnto you that if vnwittingly I haue committed this faulte for a faulte requyres but amendes She which thoughte to haue holy gayned and to imbrace him already within her armes began to weepe verye tenderly in saying Alas syr I know one that would think her the most hapy woman that lyues if you would amend the wrong which you haue done her in not making accoumpte of the signes by which she hath assayed to cause you to vnderstande her griefe I knowe not a woman vnder heauen sayeth he of whom I haue had such acquayntaunce to know anye signe that shoulde show me her priuie affection And would you haue her dispayre of that sayeth she which she seeth also mistaken you not willing to see any thing in so playne a thing and not to perceyue at all wherevnto thinges are offered so openlye to the sences of him that is so vnsensible that hee can not comprehende the meanes and deuyses of the passyonate and which tasteth not the vyands purposed to be discouered I vnderstande not thys talke sayeth hee if you expresse it not otherwyse Thys is then sayeth the Chambermayd that my Cosyn is so amorous of you that if you haue not pittye of her she is in daunger to end her lyfe myserablye Amorous of me sayeth the chaste yong man is it possyble that a daughter of her age should be so vnshamfast and impudeÌ„t as to solocite the sonne after she hath bene deflowred by the father Auaunte you strumpets loue such as you be
desyres of our concupisence for otherwise it were great pitty to behold the faults which we commit euery houre This vnhappye man blynded in his sin forsaking God neyther acknowledged his Iustice nor his mercy experimēteth also the fruits of his infidelity wickednesse obstynacy leauing behynd him the memory of his deeds as wel for the aduertisemēt of al men as for the imitation deterring not only of the aged but of all ages to auoyde the plagues and diuilishnesse of whoredom which do bewytch and take away the sences of men the end whereof is death and punishment in the infernall lake The newes hereof were disperced incontynent throughout al the house so that the rybawd which had adrest this deuise hauing heard and seene the whole mooued by her owne offence the witnesse which her mynd did beare of her sinne fearing she should haue Iustyce if she dyd not immytate the illustryous fact of her detestable louer so that all afrayd she runneth to a pit into which she leapeth headlong and wherin shee was myserably drowned a death truly althogh it was furious yet to good for the punishment of the detestable mallice of a woman so wicked as shee was which merited to haue all the paynes togythers that euer were inuented by men for the scourge of euil liuers Thē there was word sent to Milain to y Maiestrate to inform him who hauing in examinatiō the chamber maid that was the ayder of the desperate Palyard made her to confesse all the facte wherefore she was hāged and her body giuen to be meat to the foules of the ayre and no lesse was done to the carcases of the two louers which agaynst all right both deuyne and humayne had vyolently come to their ende and as for the yong man he was buryed wyth such pompe as hys vertue did well deserue was bewayled of al estates for the modesty that did apeare in him by which he hath semed to immitate the Scipions and Fabions who once liuing with such temperance haue caused their glorious names to remayne euen to this daye So always the death of the well lyuer is fortunate for besides that he passeth to the lyfe whych hath no end and goeth to inioy the holy and Godly companye of the blessed soules hee doeth glorify his memory by the knowledge that the posteritye haue of his vertue which is so grauen and imprynted in the harts of their children that neyther Death nor tyme hath power to deface it Vppon the Tombe of this yong example of chastity some good Poet of that tyme made this Epitaph which insueth to show that such as he was ought to be praysed with such Eglogs and not any of them which haue defyled their lyues wyth a thousande mischiefes LOue and Ielosy the Vertue and the vyce This yong and tender lambe haue caused A fathers wrath vniustly for to feele By outwarde show of mallice false deceyued And eake who was by foolish raging yre And cruell daungerous vice of wilfulnesse procured Whose soule to Heauen and body to the graue To Heauen and earth are now by death assured Thus hath he chaunged his lyfe and is not dead But liueth with God reioycing in his glory That caused him the hauty Skyes t'assend And happy to haue before him of vertue the memory Thus being dead he lyueth without sorrow or greefe Therefore thou that passest by thy teares refrayne If enuye doe not cause thee to bewayle the ioy And happy state wherein the dead remayne ¶ Such is the ende commonly of them that louing vertue auoyde the contrarye syth the vycyous can haue no greater hart breach then to see one that will not bee infected with their unperfection Marke wherfore all wrytinges are so full of deceites addrest by the wicked agaynst the good but to the end the vertuous should know on whome to repose themselues which is the good God that will not suffer any of his to perrishe although for a certayne tyme he semeth to haue forgotten them wheron the contrary parte the wicked doe prosper and flourish as they desyre vntil the Lord wery of their wickednesse doth so ouerthrow their doinges that they which to fore appeared hauty prowde and stately is conuerted into derysyon and despysed or else so well weakened that the very tractes scarcely appeare FINIS ¶ A Mahometan slaue reuengeth the death of his Lord vpon his son that was the Homecyde and rendered the principalitie being chosen of the people to him to whome by righte of Lynage and succession it did appertayne ABout the yere of our saluatiō 1494. After that Christopher Colombe wyth the Nauye of the catholick King Ferdinand sonne of Iohn Aragon did dicouer the West Ilandes not before discouered that can bee founde remembered by the wryting of any Hystory eyther auncyent or new Lewys Bartheny Bolognois as he himself recoumpteth in the ij Boke of his Nauigations in coasting by this countrey for that he would haue knowledge of the naturall things the maner of the liuing of those straunge nations and also to get some profyte in passing by Ethiope he arested in an I le the Capytall town whereof is called Orme not distaunte from the forme Lande aboue twelue myles where he behelde this pittifull Hystory ensuing of an execrable sonne and of his crueltye agaynst his aged father and vpon his bretheren yet in their infancy in this citty Then a little before the sayd Bartheny came thyther the Soulden there was a Lord of the secte of Mahomet a man very vertuous and gentle for a More and Infydell almost an hundered yeares olde he besydes that he was rych in Golde and pearles syth in that quarter there were found the most exquysyth and fayre Pearles that one shoulde see esteemeth his age happye to see himselfe the Father of a leuen sonnes all lawfullye begotten the yongest wherof had better fortune by murther then good chaunce as you maye see by this which followeth for the eldest contrary to the rest was craftye subtle and malicyous the most dessembling Palyard that was in all the countrey who studyed wyth himselfe dyuers tymes how to become imperious ouer his bretheren after the decease of his father But the Souldan had two bondmen that were of that Land of that rich famous Monarch of the Indyans that mē cal Prester Iean these two Indian slaues were so well affectioned to the doings of their Lorde that he had made them as rich as any of his Vassals and they had so well got the good will of the people by their natyue bounty excellente vertue that euery one doth adorate and prayse them as much or more as the Prince himself thus they going about to do good to all men to displese none made no report to y Prince of that which afterwards was cause of the ruine of some of his subiectes these two by their prudence did keepe sylent the doinges of their ambicious yong Lorde not for that the Galland did thereby lose the
the chamber where he behelde the stretched Corps of Cayme and where yet was the Emperour with a smal company who seing Mahometh although hee was surprysed with feare seeing hym in such array yet making a vertuâ— of necessitye comming to incounter with him sayth Ah Villayne sonne of a Villayne art thou yet liuing Yea sayth Mahometh I liue in despight of thy Menaces and false â—â—â—entions ready to send thee to all the diuils to serue for their pray trusting in God that he will geue me strength to reuenge vpon thee most disloyal of al disloyals the death of thy innocent parentes of whome thou haste bene the inhumayne bloodshedder In saying these wordes putting their handes to their â–ª weapons they ioyned togythers and although the Souldan defended himselfe alwayes veryâ— brauely yet the slaue a man very stroÌ„g braue hardy and always brought vp in warres and who for his good deede had the ayde and fauour of the God of that Coast acquyteth himselfe so well in lesse then an howe 〈◊〉 at the Tyraunt was able no longer to supporte the strength of the blowes of Mahometh but in the ende began to declyne towarde the earth the slaue by little and little became victoryous setting his shield vpon his throat to make him to yeelde himself which being done he causeth him to be streightly bound and deliuered vnto the people who sodaynly rente him into a hundred thousand peeces so that he was not esteemed to be the chyld of a good mother that had not done some iniury to the car cases of the miserable tyraunt O iust iudgemente of God he that tofore neuer thoughte himselfe ynough worshipped of his subiectes is now slayne by their sedicions handes to the ende that euerye one shoulde euidently perceyue that goods vniustly gotten alwayes geue the salary of their vniustice to the greedy desyrer the vyolater of right and of all religion After the death of the Souldan they made dilligent inquisytion of the complicis and executers of his cruell murders who being accused and conuicte were rygorously punished according to their lawes and ordinances The people perceyuing themselues so bound to Mahometh for that he had beene the deliuerer of all their Countrye and the punisher of such an offence which they dissembled by constraynt gaue vnto him the gouernment of the I le and woulde absolutelye haue inuested him in the seignory But the sage olde man knowing very wel both the inconstancy of fortune and the vndurable good will of a multitude and not ignorant also that he which vnder the tytle of good fayth occupyeth the goods of another cannot choose otherwyse then ingender the ruine of his successours and commonly giue cause of his infamy and totall dishonor therfore hauing set the affayres of the I le in good order hee causeth vpon a day all the estates of the countrey to be called in counsell before whome he made this Oration There is none of you my good Lords which are ignoraunt that I was borne in this your Iland and much lesse of the blood and race of them which ought to raygne ouer the people I haue bene brought vp and nourished as a slaue in the Court of the former Souldan father of this wicked parracyde of whome and vpon whome you haue taken condigne vengeance for his wickednesse I beseech you refer all that which I haue done or yet shal do to the honour and obedience of the vertuous deceased Lord and to the memory of those goods which I haue receyued of him and also to establish and pacifye the Signory to the yongest sonne of hym who as you know is fugitiue in the Mosque sith the day that his brother the Tyraunt made the horrible slaughter of them of his blood I therefore am of thys mynde if you also shall thinke it good that the successyon he being of the right ligne shoulde be by you rendered vnto him for I haue not at all purposed to vsurpe anye Lande from the sonne of him to whose name during my lyfe I haue borne such honour as the seruaunte to his mayster and the Vassall and subiecte to his Lorde Therefore I resygne and remyt into your handes the supremidence whiche of your good wils you haue giuen me both ouer you and ouer the Landes of my Lorde and your Prince vnto whome by your meanes I maye serue to gyue counsell in all his affayres by which if hee will gouerne himselfe I will assure you that you shall vnderstande you haue oâ—elye chaunged a man and not a vertuous and gentle Prince alwayes thanking you for the amitye and good affection which you haue borne me which if God gyue me lyfe I hope to satisfye by all kynde of humanitie and duety of a good friend and as an obedyent seruaunt of your commynaltye The people abashed of the vertue and continencie of the good olde man who forsaking the honours vnte which their election had called him louing better to lyue a pryuate lyfe then to enioye a whole countrey wythout hauing iust tytle of possessyon doe easily accorde to the counsell and sage opynyon of Mahometh So the yong Prince was fetched from the Temple and placed in the seate of his father wyth thys condicyon that hee should haue alwayes the olde man for assystaunte and counceller and by whose handes shoulde passe all the affayres of importaunce that might chaunce wythin the I le Beholde a notable and rare example of two great extremities in the vertue of one man the assuraunce and Magnaminitye to reuenge a publique iniurye vpon one that of him selfe was publique if by his vyce he had not made himselfe more abiect then the leaste of the common and popular multytude and the modestye conioyned wyth great reason and foresyghte to despyse that wherefore almoste all men at these dayes doe take and adresse for what occasyon soeuer it bee the bloody battayles profayning the sanctitude of Religyon peruerting the order of iudgementes redusyng and rendryng all thinges into wynd and adnychylatyng the charity that euery one oweth to hys Neighboure for wyth a huge heape of sinnes curses they aâ—tayn their Lordships and within a whyle they forget the effusyon of bloud of the good cittizens not appeasing the incursyoâ—s that in the end they ouerthrow themselues as is the flower by the heate of the Sonne in his full force and as was latelye seene in the tyrannous rule of the Myllinois of our tyme and once in the raygn of the Persians and Greekes the Monarchie of whome was lyke a flame that vanisheth away quickly as did their domynyons after their establishement FINIS ¶ The Marques of Ferraria without hauing regarde to fatherly loue caused his owne Sonne to be beheaded for that he was found in Adultery with his faire Mother in law who lykewyse lost her head in Pryson by his commaundement IN the lyfe of Phillip Vicont Duke of Millayne sonne of Iohn Galeas he y so often made warres against the Florentynes and their Lyne then
you Madame if euer I haue done any thing in your seruice that meriteth recompence to do me this pleasure honor to tel me y occasion of your disquietnes to the end that if this power that is in me may do any thing for your conteÌ„tment I wil imploy it with the life that I haue vowed so long time to be obedient to your commandments Alas my friend sayth the Marchiones I am ashamed being such a one as I am so to tormeÌ„t my self beholding me so conteÌ„ned of my Lord y Marques I assure thee that if the hope of some allegeance did not comfort me thou shouldst behold what sacryfyce I would make of my life to the crueltys of him that hath made more accoumpt of one of these common despised women then of me that am his wyfe not inferiour in bewty to any of them What Madame answereth y Damsell haue you no other cause to disquiet your self then the foolish loue of my Lord the Marques truly this is a very small occasyon a cause more then fryuolous to vex your selfe lay away al this from you assay to liue ioyfully with them that loue esteme you attending til time shal cole his ardeÌ„t desyres cause him change his affectioÌ„ take good heede that he haue no cause of miscoÌ„tentment for to quite him of his passions apprehensions vnsemely companyes in the meane time ioy you only of y which is yours not vsing such foly as to stain your honor by vnlawful acquaintance with any other then of him which is giuen you for Lord Espouse with shortning of your life for suche a foolishe mistrust proceeding of that euill â–ª Ielosy O God sayth the Marchyones all bedewed wyth teares howe true is that which euery one speaketh in a common Prouerbe the whole caÌ„ easily giue councel to them that be sick Ah my friend if you felt the disquietues that wil not suffer me to take any rest in my mynd the cause of the bitternesse y doeth bereue me of my sences I am assured that hauing pittye of me thou wouldest councell mee of an other sorte or else helpe to execute that which shoulde serue for the intyre solace and contentmente of my spirite the Marques hath led this lyfe a long tyme and it is vnpossible that hee shoulde chaunge but by death or extreme age and in the meane tyme I passe my tyme in vayn accompanyed without comforts that procures me to ouerpasse the night with teares in steede of rest and the daye agaynst my will I am merry to contente hym that shewes me no pleasure no not that which he oughte by the sacred rightes of those bands which haue coÌ„ioyned vs togyther would God death had takeÌ„ away my lyfe in the Cradle to the end that not remayning vnto this present I should not haue felt of what force is the despighte of an honest Ladye being deceyued by her husbande Alas howe happye are they of base condicion that may wythout great conscieÌ„ce inaculate their blood that doth redound but to the shame of a fewe Ah honor and Nobillitie howe tyrannously doe you brydle the Ladyes that how much the preferment is before men the estate of all should not be alyke to the end that the people should not shadow our brightnesse more then the reâ—own of the common sorte of men and women which dye with the memory of their deedes that are buryed in the same tombe wyth their bodyes or if the Lawes did as well punishe the disloyaltye of the husband as the symple women that by a naturall vyce are sometymes forced to forget themselues euen till they bee ouercome by the appetytes of the flesh how ioyfully woulde I reuenge my selfe of the iniury which that periured and vnlouing husband hath done to me because that euery couple should equallye receyue the payne and punishmente according to their demerites But after the Lawes were made they were Tyrauntes ouer vs the inquyetors of our rest and the common Ennymyes of oâ—â— perfectioÌ„ who did authoryse them without the â—yde helpe or consente of any of vs After that she exclaymeth as one halfe inraged saying wyth a voyce that declared the vehemencye of her torment and the mutacyon of her mynd But syth I must dye a thousand tymes if so be I let this paâ—se without punishmente I would he wel knew it that I intend not to lyue wyth such griefe and sorrow as he hath geuen me cause a good tyme and then let chaunce what may for this is a torment great ynough as I beleeue to abyde such a Tyranny and to feele the puissaunte prickes of loue the better whereof is no lesse to bee wyshed then death hauing sayde so the Marchiones holdeth her tongue attending the aunswere of the Damsell who hauing a long tyme bethought her selfe aunswereth in this sorte Madame as yet I neuer had experyence of what might the force of loue is and by that meanes I haue neuer felt what is the disdayn and sorrow of them that perceyue themselues deceyued of him of whome she oughte to bee the intyre and onely beloued yet I beleeue neuerthelesse that the passion both of the one and the other is so great and vnmeasurable that the surplusage of the alterations that trouble greeue the spirite are nothing in respect of this inexplicable distresse The argument of this I take of you Madame the Constaucye of whome is so troubled by the outrage and fury of Ielosy that heretofore hath â—â—uer giuen suspition of chaunge or miscontentmente of harte But O God I beholde and perceaue the imbecillity of humayn mynds how well they are disquyeted of dyuers vnlawfull desyres which take rest no more in the stomack thoughts â–ª then the sea Sandes instate with a whyrle wynde in an extreame hote daye Ah Madame where is the great Chastity y made you once renowned before al the Ladies of Italy I beseech you assay to contayn your selfe in that honest reputation wherin hytheâ—to you haue lyued to the great contente of your Parents friends What if reason haue so little force in you that you deliberate to followe the vyce of wantonesse and to search another for the accomplishment of your desyres then the Marques your husband by all meanes do the thing so secretly that the house wherof you are come receyue no dishonour and your selfe merite infamy greuous punishment The Marchiones answereth nothing to the sage admonition of the wyse Damsel beginning to think with herselfe not by what meanes she mighte wythdraw her husband from the disordered wanton lyfe that he led but rather howe shee might reuenge her selfe and with whome shee might giue him y counter change in punishing him by the same faulte But reason doeth not extend herselfe to this end that sinne and vertue should be placed alyke for vertue is the superlatiue aboue her contrary which is put vnder her as a subiect for the instruction of anye that knowes not what
of naturall causes to haue geuen themselues to execute the very effectes of nature I thinke also if the Daughter of Mynos had bene of like bâ—wty good graces attemptes and intysementes as was this Lady I doubt not at al. But that her Hypolite although he were frowarde or lunetyque woulde haue enioyed and cherished her and lefte Diana to haue sowne his seedes in the Garden of her that with such instaunce requyred him of mercy Thys fayre Temptaresse then seeing her louer in such alterations and so surprised with shamefastenesse also because he had not showne any semblaunce of displeasure with any thing she had done she purposeth to passe further and to stryke whyles the Yron was whoâ—e to the ende that the yong Prince during his dyners thoughtes shoulde not measure with reason the greatnesse of his misdeedes the abhomination of the sin which he committed against his father in vsing the person of her in whom the blood of his had bene mingled Likewise because he should not discouer the great perrill danger wherinto he cast himselfe headlong in taking the vnhapy counsel of y wanton couÌ„seller Therfore she cast her arme ouer y necke of the Prince kissing imbracing him in suche sort y at the last the pore County yelded to y assault who being once intised by her vnseemely pronocations wicked doings not only fulfilled y which she s on aughtily desyred but was so inflamed with that rage impoysoned with the venim that loue had spread ouer the coralyâ—e cheekes of this new Phedra that begiâ—ning to set apart the duty that he owes to 〈◊〉 father and to the honour of the Nuptial bed the vyolating whereof hath euer broughte with it the ruyne dishonour of the violaters he was so far estraunged from his former modestye that he kisseth the mouth lippes â—yes as also the whyte delicate necke of the Marchyones then passing further he extendeth his hand ouer her two round Dugs that by their equall and lyke quantitie cause two little hils eleuate a little aboue the stomacke of the fayre Lady at the entrye of which there breatheth a wynde that makes thâ—â—n fynely â–ª ryâ—e and fall according to the passyons that mooue wythin the center of her harte he then beholding hys lyceâ—ce to touch any place of his pleasaunt ennemy putteth his hand to the place most desyred and in which louers seeke to obtayne the mercy of loue then feeling her â—elly that was round hard and more whyte theÌ„ the top of the Aâ—lpes after that the wynter had whyted the with frost she then shrinking away from him perceyuing that she had ouercome him so fynely shutteth her eyes fayning a pleasaunte and no great displeasure that did well declare her desyres sayth vâ—to him Alas my deare friend that cause my death oh that you would quench this fyre that consumeth my lyfe and whereof I am â—ure you feele the quick sparks at which wordâ—s the Princâ— was so chafed in his Harneys that without vsing his former reuâ—â—ences he taketh that parte in Musicke whych he neuer tofore had cryed and found the accords so sweet and so correspoÌ„dent to his pleasures he purposeth to continue theÌ„ if in case it should seeme good to his mistresse which was not so vnplesant but that hauing found the beginning so well done by the measure and freedome of hym shee easilye gaue her consente Mark and behold here the second Acte of the Tragedy that thou mayst see if the ioyes and pleasures of men may be pertual if it be not more a doe for the Nobles to keepe secrete their â—olies then for the meane sort to manifest them and surely they are a great deale sooner espyed in the chiefe of the common weale then in the members that are more weake and of lesse puissaunce for where the heade is troubled it is vnpossible that the members shoulde not feele some apprehensyon of their mishappe and sorrowe This is the cause why men intreate alwayes of Prynces and make so small accoumpte of the doinges of the pleban sorte the memory of whome vanisheth away so soons as the wynde But for that these two coulde not well deuyse all thinges themselues wythout hauing a thyrde person they intende to imparte their affayres to the Damsell that was sent to seeke the County and which doubted of that whiche they had done togythers To her then after the County was departed the Chamber enamoured and inflamed of his louing mother the Marchyones addresâ—e her wyth a countenaunce more gay then accustomed saying My deare friend you haue seene in what ease I haue passed my tyme hytherto and the small ioy I receiued during the presence of the Marques but GOD hath so prouyded that hee is absent for certayne dayes to the ende that I should make prouysyon for the tyme to come of that which I stand in neede of and by this his absence might get my selfe that goodnesse which should ende all my euils I haue chosen me such a louer as nature cannot shape a more perfect eyther in bewty liberallitye courtesy or worthynesse and so nâ—ole that he is the seconde in goodnesse to Nobillitie herself which I imparte vnto you for that I haue knowne you hytherto both wyse and faythfull to keepe my secretes in such sort as they oughte to bee also you are she that hath heard the communycations of my former affections and the symple obiections for the appreheÌ„ding of my loue reasoÌ„ would also I should manifest vnto you to what ende all this tendeth and that whych followeth trusting onely in your vertue and honest discretion that you wyll keepe secrete this facte as the persons whome it toucheth doe deserue and as the good and affectionate amitie whych I haue borne you requyreth And as she would haue coÌ„tinued her purpose the Damsell impacyent to be sollicited sayeth vnto her Would that God Madame had cut of the threade of my yeares when I fyrst set my foote in this vnhappye house for by that meanes I shoulde haue auoyded two euils wherevnto my misfortune doeth throwe mee headlong without which I might otherwyse haue lyued for all his Daughters whose I am it shall be a great dishonestye to vse a seruice so vnseemely both for my age and estate and which shall fall out in the ende consydering the abhomination of the facte that I thinke that I muste see an offence that will cause the totall ruine both of you and him for whome you addresse this foolish and naughty deuysed aduyse not for that I am she whych inteâ—d to defanie you for death shall be more agreeable vnto mee as God shall receyue mee then to see an accidente so preiudiciall both to your age and honoure But alas the iudgementes of GOD are so righte and so equall in the Ballaunce of hys Iustyce that there is nothyng done there in vayne I knowe and GOD seeth sayth â—he feâ—â—hing a sygh from the bottome of her harâ— wyth what anguyshe I lameâ—â—e this that
the Countye is hee O GOD the onelye remembraunce makes me blushe in wytnesse whych is the Liefetenant of the bedde â— and the incestyous â—â—â—yuall of hys owne Father it is hee that for your sake bryngeth vengeaunce vppon hymselfe and which thinkyâ—g to remedye youâ— greefes hath composed a mediâ—yne so bytter that the onely smell will cause such an horrour that hee wyll curse the hower a hâ—â—dered tymes â–ª wherein he began that whyche as I perceyue he hath executed Alas woulde God that I were a false Dâ—â—ynatresse in this But as for you Madame hold you assured of my fayth by whiche I sweare vnto you that what torment soeuer shall happen whether it be sorrowe or death how ignominyous soeuer it be shall not force me to say any thing that may denigrate the honour of my Mistresse conserued hitherto with so great good reputatioÌ„ Moreouer Madam imploy me in what it shall please you for syth the thing is done the counsel thereof is alredy taken you shal see by experience effect how I am mynded to do you seruyce in that it shall please you to imploy me Ah my dere friend theÌ„ sayth y Marchyones how your wordes haue pierced my harte â–ª whereby I knowe you haue told me the truth but what the force of loue is so great vehement that I cannot tell how to withdraw myself now from it that I thynke my desteny hath done it for my contentment also because amongst all the humayn passions this is it that hath the preference that cannot be auoided with any forcâ— or study that one bestowes therfore I desâ—re you to talk no more of this misfortune vnto me for we wil vse such prouidence that the most clere sighted shal not know what to think only insâ—ruct you y County of that he hath to do of the howers at which he may coÌ„modiouâ—ly come vnto my chamber it is now in your hands my friend that you may end both my lyfe honour and that yet holde the good or euill Fortune of the Countye in your power Thus there passed certayne Monthes that the two â—oners reioysed togyther wythoute any of the Coortyers suspectynge anye thyng of so detestable a Felonye and exeerable abhomynacyon who although they behelde the courtesyes that the Marchiones shewed to the County whom she then intertayned verye familliarlye But they thought that she did it to please the Marques to the end that hee should not thinke she hated the children of his fyrst wyfe and also for that as I sayde before the County was so honest and curteous that he rauished the hart of euery one towards him which did yet confyrm the opynyon of the Gentlemen that this amity of the Lady towards the yong Prince was extended onely for the sole vertue gentle nurture of the Countye But Fortune that cannot forget her Nobillitie and the heauens angry for an acte so infamous and an iniurye so detestably committed both agaynste God and agaynste the Father and husband of both the offenders styrred vp a more wyly and subtle discouerer of secrete faults which is Time who did the offyce of a good Seruaunt after that by the very foolishnesse of the two louers their folly was made euydent they gouerning themselues so vndiscretly togythers and with so small respecte of persons tyme and place that in the ende blynded in their pleasure and glutted in their ease they thought that Tyme woulde alwayes haue bene so fauourable as she had bene almoste the space of two yeares Now let alone the Marques of Ferraria that doubted nothing of the great dishonoure that his sonne did vnto him and of the false connaye of his wyfe which sent him vnto Cornouall wythout a Boate. It chanced that a yâ—oman of the chamber of the myserable County beganne to suspecte something of that whyche passed betwyxte the two infortunate â—onglinges for he saw ordinarilye that as soone as the Marques was gone anye nighte into the Towne to vysyte some of hys Concubynes the Countye fayled not to goe all alone oute of his Chamber whych was the cause that he assured him of his doubte and therefore purposyng to seeke out the truth beholde the iuste iudgements of God which seeing the mallice that men haue to commit euill and detestable sinnes often tymes giueth speech to yong Infantes or wysedome vnto Beastes to publishe it For this cause hee beginneth to spye all the deedes countenaunces actes and wordes of the Prince and the enterpryse of the gallant succeeded so well that after he had be thought of it beeing in a Wardrope adioyning to the Chamber of the Marchyones marke the dyuynâ— permissyon The sinne being come to the rypenesse of hys abhominatyon he espyed by chaunce a small hole in the wall whyche was iust ouer agaynst the Bed wherein she lay ordinarily by this Creuyse then the cleare eyed spye hoped to see that whych so long tyme he had desyred and imagyned and as he saw the enemy of nature before him he makes a thousand sygnes of the crosses â–ª with such an abashment that then hee woulde not beleeue that which he saw euidentlye with his eyes in the end beholding the thing more merely and perceyuing that he was not deceyued at all hee sayeth very soâ—tly to himselfe and by God it shall not be long before I will also make the Marques to vnderstand it to the end he may punish the one of hys foule temeritie and the other of her great wantonnes lasciuious incontynencye now he attending oportunitye to cause the Marques to view this pittyous and vâ—ruely Spectacle behold it chaunsed two or three dayes after the infortunate Prynce not doubting the treason which the yeoman of hys chamber did coÌ„mit that so sone as he saw hys father gone into the stable to view his Horses euen then he weÌ„t into the chaÌ„ber of the Lady to continue the way begon within the bed of his Lord father but his Argus which slepte not at al following him by little and little and hauing seene him enter the listes returneth towards the father to shew him that which so long tyme he had desyred to make him iudge of the vnfortunate Louers This Traytor although his fact hath some apareÌ„ce of Iustice arriued before the Marques saith vnto him al abashed astonied for that he had sene My Lord if time did suffer me to shew and declare one of the most wicked factes that euer chaunced in Italy I should cause you to maruayle and as it might be by resyting so straunge a thing I should make your cheekes to blush and inrage your hart so abhominable is the case but because I would not make you loose that discourse may it please your noble Lordship to come alone whether I will conduct you where you shall see with your eyes that which I cannot commodyously resyte vnto you in order The Marques which was a maÌ„ of a good corage desyrous to know rare strange
desyre to doe that afterwardes which one would not thinke nor beleeue towarde his father notwithstanding the good intreatmente that the olde man shewed him for the nature of y wicked is so peruerse that the more a man assayeth to obtayn his good will the more he addresseth his mischiefe and whetteth his teeth in murder and enuyous for the exployte of his wickednesse because his harte is so venimous and full of poyson that he cannot indure from executing the thing that is contrarye to vertue by the daungerous infection of his vyces as verye well appeareth in this ambicious and cruell tyraunt which could not indure or attende till Nature had fynished that wherof she had begone to approch and alreadye to attayne the ende he purposeth not onely tyrannyouslye to vsurpe the domynyons of his father but to execute the most detestable acte vpon him that a man can eyther thinke or ymagyne that is to murder them of whome he had his lyfe and to fyll his handes with the innocent bloud of his Bretheren and for the beginning of this Tragedy hee causeth to be imprysoned vnder the tytle of good fayth his Father his Mother and his bretheren except the yongest by the ayde and succours of some of the house as good as hee himselfe for truely the boldenesse of the wicked is vanished as soone as it is excogite if it want companyons to attayne the ende of his imperfectyon Absalon had neuer adrest his force agaynst that Myrrour of pacience Dauid his father without the counsell of Achitofell and wythout the ayd of murmurers that abused the pacyent clemencye of the king But O good God what enorme and straunge Tragedyes haue euery one sene in the Empire of the East that is stayned wyth the bloude of Fathers shead by the Children and of the lighte of the children obscured by the handes of their owne mothers And in our memorye the onely desyre of raygn hath caused that at this day the crueltye of the Vicont Myllinois shoulde be had in memory to declare howe many wayes the ambicious do disguyse themselues to come to the end of their desyres that I am constrained to say that our age is so wicked and so voyde of pittie that a man shall fynde children that feare not to put to death their fathers by veniâ—e thinking to couer their wickednesse and greeuous fault by the meanes they be not bounde by any lawe ordayned for Paracydes agaynst whom neyther Moyses the fyrst and great law maker nor Solon would establishe any law or make ordynances assuring themselues that it were vnpossyble that the chylde could be so vnnaturall as to stayne his handes with the bloud of him of whose substaunce he hath had his beginning But to returne to our matter this wicked sonne being possessed of al theÌ„ of this bloud that he thought could impech the execution of that which he had taken in hand he caused their eyes to be plucked out of their head without exception of father Mother or kyndred O barbarous acte very worthy of the place countrye that ingendereth bringeth forth nothing but moÌ„sters he which saw the light by that meanes of an other stoppeth the way to inioy the same receyued goodnesse to him by whom he had inioyed his This gallaÌ„d then not content with this wicked fact extendeth further to accumilate vyce vpon iniquity and more more to set forward their ruine that were almost at an end for in the chaÌ„ber where the pore old maÌ„ the SouldaÌ„ his father accompanyed with his wyfe did bewaile his misfortune torment himselfe for his blyndnesse the wicked and inraged dog doth thither conduct his .ix. blynded bretheren that by their euil fortuno â–ª the might more greeue the olde man and entering with them he sayth Make hardly good cheare togythers for I wil go to prepare that wherof you shal tast y father hearing this incorporate diuel to speake sayth vnto him Ah Wolf most cruel and insatiable of the bloud of thy friendes what hast not thou done vylany ynough to the most vnhappy olde man in this world without making him so to lament and to leaâ—e such a memory of thy wickednesse before the eyes of men â–ª Fynish murderer execute thy crueltye fulfill the â—elony of thy hart go tyrannyously inioy the goods of that house of which I had made thee without putting thee to this payn y peaceable possesser but I hope this shall not be without the great confusyon and chastisemente of thy detestable lyfe for God is a iust Iudge that will neuer leaue vnpunished a treason so great and a cryme so pernicious As sone as the father had fynished his words a maÌ„ could not haue hard the noyse of thonder in the chamber so excessiue was the cry of y pore infants for to perceiue themselues in such mysery and to heare the iust complaint of their good Lord father the Souldan who did comforte their euill as wel as he could and as wel as his owne misfortune would permit him But the murderer willing to see an end of his wickednesse begon not to gratify him which had desyred him but fearing as long as his father was in lyfe the people woulde ryse agaynste him and go aboute to slea him or else would chase him out of the I le as hee which could not or myghte not raygne wythout the executing of an acte so abhominable therfore I say at the same hower he causeth to be brought a great quantity of wood fagots into the Chamber of the infortunate blynde folkes and commaunded that they should bee set on fyre addressing him to the pâ—â—yentes he sayeth To the ende you may more clearely see to fynde the way into the countrie whether I wil send you I haue prepared this light which may conduct you in steede of a guyde and as for me sayth he laughing it shal be a clensyng of my sinnes hytherto committed in making a sacryfyce so cleane and fayre an Oblation as I will make of you Hauing sayd so he caused the fyre to be put to their myserable bodyes which in the same instaunt were conuerted into Ashes and hee deliuered from the care to haue any man as he thought that mighte impeache his gouernment But the Tyraunt remembreth not at all that the rewarde of the wicked is alwayes peased in the equall Ballaunce of Gods Iustice and that they whiche hope to auoyde the rygour of punishmente by their owne forces doe fully experimente the vengeaunce of the Lord for their owne wickednesse as afterwards this detestable bloudsheader did euidentlye perceyue the evetable furye and iust anger of the Almightye for his wickednesse whose future fortune caused him to forget to murder in his former slaughter the two Indian slaues and his yonger brother which knowing the myserable ende of all his blood fayleth not to conuaye himselfe into the Mosque a place so sacred amongst them that they thinke it Religion to forbeare to vyâ—late