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
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
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
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
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
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
low earth that 's placed Hath not so many ioyfull dayes But one mishap hath them defaced And vnto whome hath not Fortune assigned For euery ioy a hundereth greefes to taste Why should I then my selfe so sore annoy And shead so many teares day and night in waste The Pleasure which my nourishment doth giue And cake my weary troubled mynde doth case That only ioy which should my lyfe sustayne Is fled away to shorten now my dayes Alas O God alas what meaneth this chaunce That of myne ende so sure a sygne to be As cake a token playne of greefe for to ensue Of much vnrest and great mischaunce to me What must I see of him the cruell death By whome my perfectnesse doth come O God O God that all things doest behold Thy holy will for euermore be done And cause thou me vnperfect wight To see thy gloryous throne in highest Skye Syth euery one alyke by death shall ende And hyest State on earth that lyues must dye AS soone as the poore Lady atchieued the end the Marshall of the Houshold vsing the same ambassage to her as before to the Prince carried her Prisoner vnto another tower a good space from that wherin the Prince was inclosed The Marques during this styrre beholding all the worlde astonyed to see a thyng of so much maruayle and a Spectacle so cruell as the imprysonment of hys sonne that shoulde one daye suceeede him and of hys wife whom he had so derely loued because men should not accounte hys facte vnlawfull or cruell Tyranny he procured sylence to be commaunded and before a great company of his Barrons and houshold Gentlemen with a graue Maiesty that exteryously gaue euident token of his interyour greefe After he had spent an infynite number of teares accompanyed with sorrowfull sighes he began to say What one amoÌ„gst you all my good and louing friends can well brooke that whyche is lately done by mee both vppon my Sonne and vpon the Marchyoues for that you know not the true occasyon and by that meanes you esteeme mee an vnkynde husbande and a Father seuere and cruell agaynst all right and reason and would it might please God that your playntes were lawfull and that I had done wrong in thys truelye then my deare friendes I should haue no occasyon to make you partakers of my heauynesse nor of the sheddyng of those teares that you see runne downe along the face of hym that wythout them cannot expresse vnto you the iuste cause of hys dule and also the greate reason of hys so sodayne crueltye if it oughte not to be named equitye that neuer heretofore hath shewed any effecte of hys mallyce towardes anye man that lyues if fyrste hee haue not gyuen hym the occasyon for it is no lesse prayse worthye in a Prynce to gouerne hys people wyth gentlenesse equytye and clemencye then to punishe the sedicious and disquyetors of the peace because that such pacience shewed to one should not bee the common ruyne of all the whole people Thys is it wherevnto he oughte to extende all hys force no lesse to chasten the temerritye of the foolyshe then to recompence the fydelitie of them whyche hath serued hym faythfully shewing all the offyce of obedience towardes their Lordes What if the law doe inioyne this duety in the Vassall and subiecte â–ª towards the naturall and liege Lorde nature conioyned with the lawe doe constrayne and more streightly bynde the infants which owe to their Parents honour obedience piety al good succours not only of that whiche is exteriour but also of the interyour it selfe which is the good will and perfect amitye by which the harte of the Sonne ought to be vnyted wyth the pleasure and wil of the Father But O immortall God what Father would be so pittious and merciful that seing the Knyfe of hys sonne vpon his owne throate and coulde staye him would suffer him to depryue hym of lyfe But what lyfe oughte to be equall to honour for the atchieuing and attayning whereof all the noble and gentle myndes haue once despyced and yet do despyse their lyues Alas my friends the complaynt which I make before you is against my sonne wyfe the forgetfulnesse of whome is extended euen vnto the defacyng of myne honoure wherin both I and my predecessors haue passed our age I wyll bring you no other wytnesse then myne owne eyes that haue seene one of the moste abhominable and wicked facts that a man can think it is that which I cannot speake withoute an vnmeasurable greefe and without hanging my countenaunce for the shame hee hath done me That is the County Hugnes hath defyled the nuptiall bed of the Marques of Ferrarya his Father and the soueraign Lord of you all it is he that hath polluted the house that is counted in the raygne of the moste noble in all Europe this is he that incestyously hath vyolated the secretes and pruâ—ties the entrance whereof were lawfully permitted to none but me alone To whome shall I complayne and who shall reuenge me of thys iniurye Alas my harte breaketh my sences fayle me and my forces are weakned only there remaines a desyre to do Iustice not that it might be condign to the abhomination of the faulte but that I might thereby take awaye this blot from my stocke and moderate a little the greefe that prickes me and whiche yet serueth for the repentance of them that haue offended the Maiesty deuyne so greououslye that their doyngs haue giuen cause to them that come after to blase abroade the follye of their youth and in saying so his speech fayled him and ouercome wyth sorrow and the unpacience of his cholor he founded in the armes of his GentlemeÌ„ who carryed him into his chamber greatly abashed of the wickednesse of the two offeÌ„ders which they beleeued as wel for the reuerences of him that did wytnesse to haue seene it as for the remembraunces of the impudent lookes and lasciuious toyes of the Marchiones towardes the Countye that made them thinke it was she that made the pit wherein both she and the Countye were intrapped as sone as the Marques was come to himself there was no man so bolde that durst say any word vnto him but depending wholye of the wyll of their Lorde were of that aduyse that the processe should be quickly dispatched and that Iustyce should be done to the two Patientes as well for their comfortes as to gyue some contentmente to a Father rightly duspleased agaynste his sonne and as a husband deadlye hating the Palyardyse of his wyfe towardes whome he sente one of his Counsellers wyth two good Father Fryers men well lyked of the people both for their lyfe and learning the one to carrye the heauy and sorrowfull newes of his death and the others to mooue hym to repentance of his synnes and to pray to God to haue mercye on hys soule As soone as they were come before the yong Prynce who seeing the Counceller and
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.