discourse whiche setteth before your eyes what ende the fonde loue of them ordinarelie haue whiche without reason not measuryng their owne abilitie doe suffer themselfes to be guided and ledde into their sensuall lustes and appetites For ill successe faileth not in a beginnyng the grounde whereof abhorryng reason is planted and laied vpon the sandie foundacion of pleasure whiche is shaken and ouerthrowen by the least winde and tempest that Fortune can bluster against suche buildyng Didaco and Violenta Didaco a Spaniarde is in loue with a poore maiden of Valencia aud secretely marieth her afterwardes lothyng his firste mariage bicause she was of base parentage he marieth an other of noble birthe His first wife by secrete messenger praieth his companie whose request he accomplisheth Beeyng a bedde she and her maide killeth hym She throweth hym into the streate she in desperate wise cōfesseth the facte before the Magistrates and is put to death ¶ The .xlii. Nouell THere is no manne but doeth knowe that Valencia is at this daie the chief and onely Rampar of Spaine the true seate of Faithe Iustice and Humanitie And emōges all the rare and excellent-ornamentes that citie is wel furnished with so trimme Ladies and curteous gentlewomen as thei knowe how to baite and féede yonge men with foolishe daliaunce and idle passetyme So that if there be any beetle hedde or grosse persone the better to allure and prouoke him to those follies thei tell hym by a common Prouerbe that he must goe to Valencia In this citie there was in old tyme as it is at this daie a verie auncient stocke and familie called Ventimiglia out of whiche be descended a great nomber of riche and honorable knightes Emonges whom not longe tyme passe there was one named Didaco verie famous and renowmed to be the moste liberall and familer gentleman of the citie who for wante of better businesse walked vp and doune the citie and so consumed his youth in triūphes maskes and other expences common and apt for suche pilgrimes addressing his loue indifferently to all women without greater affection to one then to an other and continued that order till vpon an holy daie he espied a yong maide of smal yeres but of verie exquisite beautie whiche maiden sodainly castyng her eye vpon hym so pearced the knight Didaco with her looke that from that tyme forthe she entred more nere his harte then any other And after he had wel marked her dwellyng place he many tymes passed and repassed before the doore to espie if he might gette some looke or other fauour of her that began alredie to gouerne the bridle of his thoughtes and if it chaunced that the gentlemanne behelde her she shewed herself curteous and amiable indued with grace so good that he neuer departed ill contēted out of that streate The gentleman continuyng certaine tyme in those vanities was destrous to know a farre of what she was of what lineage and of what vocacion And after he had curiously serched out all her originall he vnderstoode by diuers reporte that she was a Goldsmithes doughter whose father was dedde certaine yeres before hauyng no more but her another aliue and twoo brethren bothe of their fathers occupacion Notwithstandyng of life she was chaste honeste defamed with none although she was pursued of many Her outwarde beautie did not so muche sette her forthe as her grace and order of talke who although brought vp in a citizens house yet no ladie or gentlewoman in the Citie was comparable to her in vertue and behauiour For from her tender yeres she was not onely giuen to her nedle a méete exercise for maides of her degrée but also was trained vp to write and reade wherin she tooke so great pleasure that ordinarilie she carried a boke in her hande whiche she neuer gaue ouer till she had gathered some fruicte thereof This knight hauing receiued that first impression of the valor and vertue of Violenta for that was her name was further in loue then before and that whiche added more oile to the matche was the continuall lookes wherwith she knewe how to delight him and with them she was so liberall that so oft as he passed through the streate she shotte them forthe so cruelly that his poore harte felyng it self so tormēted could not indure that newe onset By reason whereof thinkyng to quenche the fire that by litle and litle consumed hym he would attempt her chastite with giftes letters and messengers whiche he continued the space of halfe a yere or more Wherevnto Violenta giuyng no place in the ende he was constreined to assaile her with his own presence and one daie findying her alone at the doore after he had made a verie humble reuerence vnto her he saied Maistresse Violenta consideryng your order and the colde regarde that you haue to my letters and messages I doe remember the subtiltie that is attributed to the Serpente who with his taile stoppeth his eares bicause he will not heare the woordes whiche hath power to constraine hym to doe against his wil which hath made me to leaue to write vnto you to desire specially to speake vnto you that myne affectuous accentes my sorowfull wordes and feruente sighes might certefie you better then Paper the rest of my passion beleuyng verely that if the heauie sounde of my greuous complaintes maie come to your eares thei will make you to vnderstande a parte of that good and euill whiche I feele continually in my harte although the loue whiche I beare you be suche that I can not giue suche liuelie experience outwardly beyng but litle in comparison of them whiche maie be séen within And pronouncyng those wordes there followed so many teares sobbes and sighes that thei gaue sufficiēt testimonie that his tongue was the true and faithfull messenger of his harte Whereof Violenta somewhat ashamed with a constaunte grace said vnto hym Senior Didaco if you dooe yet remember your life past and mine honestie whiche peraduenture you haue thought either rude or cruell I doubte not that you haue any cause to maruaile of my presumpcion and to attribute that to vice whiche is familier with vertue For although that you haue sollicited me to loue you by an infinite nomber of letters and messages yet it is so that followyng the nature of maides of my degrée I haue neither allowed them nor yet cōdempned thē as where vnto accordinglie I haue made none answere not for despite or contempte but to lette you knowe more certainlie that by fauoryng your enterprises I should increase your grief whiche can receiue none ende by the waie you pretēde For although that I haue made the first proofe vpon my self and therfore of reason I ought to lamente them whiche bee in semblable paine yet I will not let slippe the bridle in suche wise to my passion that myne honestie shall remaine in an other mannes power and so it maie bée at the mercie and curtesie of them who not knowyng how dere
well doers in their glorie and triumphe to perpetrate thynges vnlawfull Sextus Tarquinius rauisheth Lucrece who bewailyng the losse of her chastitie killeth her self ¶ The seconde Nouell GReate preparacion was made by the Romanes against a people called Rutuli who had a citie named Ardea excellyng in wealth and richesse whiche was the cause that the Romane kyng beyng exhausted and quite voide of money by reason of his sumptuous buildynges made warres vpon that countrie In the tyme of the siege of that citee the yong Romane gentlemen bāqueted one an other emonges whom there was one called Collatinus Tarquinius the sonne of Egerius And by chaunce thei entred in communicacion of their wiues euery one praisyng his seuerall spouse At length the talke began to growe hotte where vpon Collatinus said that wordes wer vaine For within fewe howers it might be tried how muche his wife Lucrecia did excell the rest wherfore q he if there be any liuelihod in you Let vs take our horse to proue whiche of our wiues doth furmoūt Wherevpō thei rode to Rome in poste At their coming thei found the kynges doughters sportyng themselfes with sundrie pastymes From thence thei went to the house of Collatinus where thei founde Lucrece not as the other before named spendyng the time in idlenes but late in the night occupied and busie emonges her maides in the middes of the house spinning of Wolle The victorie and praise wherof was giuen to Lucretia who when she sawe her husbande gently and louingly interteigned hym curteously biddyng the Tarquinians welcome Imediatlie Sextus Tarquinius the sonne of Tarquinius Superbus that tyme the Romane kyng was attached and incensed with a libidious desire to construprate and defloure Lucrece When the yong gentlemen had bestowed that night pleasantlie with their wiues thei retourned to the Campe. Not long after Sextus Tarquinius with one man returned to Collatia vnknowen to Collatinus and ignoraunte to Lucrece and the reste of her houshold for what purpose he came Who beyng right hartely interteigued after supper was conueighed to his chamber Tarquinius burnyng with the loue of Lucrece after he perceiued the housholde to bee at reste and all thynges in quiet he with his naked sworde in his hande goeth to Lucrece beyng a slepe and kepyng her doune with his lefte hande saied Holde thy peace Lucrece q he I am Sextus Tarquinius my sworde is in my hande if thou crie I will kill thee The gentlewoman beyng sore a fraied newlie awaked out of her slepe and seyng iminent death could not tell what to doe Then Tarquinius confessed his loue and began to intreate her and therewithall vsed sundrie menacyng woordes by all meanes attemptyng to make her quiet when he sawe her obstinate and that she would not yelde to his requeste notwithstandyng his cruell threates he added shamefull and villanous woordes saiyng That he would kill her and when she was slaine he would also kill his slaue and place hym by her that it might be reported she was slain beyng taken in adulterie She vāquished with his terrible and infamous threat His fleshly and licencious enterprise ouercame the puritie of her chast harte whiche doen he departed Then Lucrece sente a poste to Rome to her father and an other to Ardea to her housbande requiryng them that thei would make speede to come vnto her with certaine of their trustie frendes for that a cruell facte was chaunced Then Sp. Lucretius with P. Valerius the soonne of Volesius Collatinus with L. Iunius Brutus made haste to Lucrece Where thei founde her sittyng verie pensife and sadde in her chamber So sone as she sawe theim she began pitiouslie to weepe Then her housebande asked her whether all thynges were well vnto whom she saied these woordes No dere housebande for what can bee well or safe vnto a woman when she hath loste her chastitie Alas Collatine the steppes of an other man be now fixed in thy bedde But it is my bodie onely that is violated my minde God knoweth is gililes whereof my death shal be witnesse But if you be men giue me your hādes and trouthe that the adulterer maie not escape vnreuenged It is Sextus Tarquinius who beyng an enemie in stede of a frende the other night came vnto me armed with his sworde in his hand and by violence caried a waie from me and tooke to himself a pestiferous ioye Then euery of thē gaue her their faith and comforted the pensife and languishyng ladie imputing the offence to the aucthor and doer of the same affirmyng that her bodie was polluted and not her mynde and where consente was not there the crime was absent Wherevnto she added I praie you consider with your selues what punishment is due for the malefactour As for my parte though I clere my self of the offence my bodie shall feele the punishemente for no vnchast or ill woman shall hereafter take example of Lucrece Then she drew out a knife whiche she had hidden secretly vnder her kirtle and stabbed her self to the harte Whiche doen she fell doune grouelyng vpon her wounde and so died Wherevpon her father and housebande made greate lamentacion and as thes were bewailyng the death of Lucrece Brutus plucked the knife out of the wounde whiche gushed out with abundance of blood and holdyng it vp saied I swere by the chaste blood of this bodie here deade and I take you the immortall goddes to witnesse that I wil driue and extirpate out of this Citie bothe L. Tarquinius Superbus and his wicked wife with all the race of his children and progenie so that none of them ne yet any others shall raigne any longer in Rome Then he deliuered the knife to Collatinus Lucretius and Valerius merueilyng at the straungenesse of his woordes And from whence he should conceiue that determinacion Thes al swore that othe And folowed Brutus as their capitaine in his conceiued purpose The bodie of Lucrece was brought into the markette place where the people wondred at the vilenesse of that facte euery mā cōplainyng vpon the mischief of that facinorous rape committed by Tarquinius Wherevpon Brutus perswaded the Romanes that thei should cease from teares and other childishe lamentacions and take weapons in their handes and shewe themselues like men Then the lustiest and moste desperate persones within the citie made theimselues presse and readie to attempt any enterprise And after a guarrison was placed and bestowed at Collatia diligente watche and warde was kepte at the gates of the citie to the intent the kyng should haue no aduertismente of that slurre The reste of the souldiours followed Brutus to Rome Whē he was come to Rome the armed multitude did beate a meruellous feare throughout the whole citie but yet because thei sawe the chiefeste personages goe before that thought that the same enterprise was not taken in vaine Wherefore the people out of all places of the citie ran into the marketplace Where Brutus complained of the abhominable Rape of Lucrece committed by Sextus Tarquinius whervnto
he added the pride and insolent behauiour of the kyng the miserie and drudgerie of the people and how thei which in tyme paste were victours and Conquerours were made of men of warre Artificers and Labourers He remembred also the infamous murder of Seruius Tullius their late kpng These and suche like he called to the peoples remembraunce whereby thei abrogated and deposed Tarquinius banishyng him his wife and childrē Then he leuied an armie of chosen and piked men and marched to the campe at Ardea committing the gouernemente of the citie to Lucretius who before was by the kyng appoineted Lieutenant Tullia in the tyme of this hurlie burlie fledde from her house al the people cursyng and criyng vengeaunce vpon her Newes brought into the Cāpe of these euentes the kyng with greate feare retourned to Rome to represse those tumultes And Brutus hearyng of his approche marched an other waie because he would not meete hym When Tarquinius was come to Rome the gates wer shutte against hym and he hymself commaunded to auoide into exile The cāpe receiued Brutus with greate ioye and triumphe for that he had deliuered the citie of suche a tiraunte Then Tarquinius with his children fledde to Caere a citie of the Hetrurians And as Sextus Tarquinius was goyng he was flain by those that premeditated reuengement of olde murder and iniuries by hym doen to their predecessours This L. Tarquinius Superbus raigned .xxv. yeres The raigne of the kynges from the first foundacion of the citie continued CC.xliiij yeres After which gouernement two Consuls wer appoincted for the order and administracion of the citie And for that yere L. Iunius Brutus and L. Tarquinius Collatinus The siege of Rome by Porsenna and the valiaunte deliuerie thereof by Mutius Scaeuola ¶ The .iij. Nouell WHen P. Valerius and T. Lucretius were created Consuls Porsenna kyng of Hetruria vpon the instigacion of the banished Tarquinians came before the Citie with an huge armie Whos 's same did wōderfully appail the Senate for the like occasion of terrour neuer before that tyme chaunced to the Romanes who did not onely feare their enemies but also their owne subiectes suspecting lest thei should be forced to reteine the kinges again All which afterwardes was through the wisedome and discreciō of the fathers quietly mitigated and appeased and the citie reduced to suche a vnitie and courage as all sortes of people despised the name of king Whē the enemies were approched the rurall people abandonyng their colonies fledde for rescue into the citie The citie was diuided into guarrisons Some kepte the walles and some the waie ouer Tybre whiche was thought verie saufe and defensible Although the woddē bridge made ouer that Riuer had almoste been an open waie for the enemies entrie whereof Horacius Cocles as fortune serued that daie had the charge Who so manfully behaued himself that after he had broken vp and burned the bridge and dooen other notable exploites he defended that passage with suche valiance that the defence thereof seemed miraculous to the great astonishemēt of the enemies In fine Porsenna seyng that he could little preuaile in the afsault retourned to the Campe determynyng neuerthelesse to continue his siege At whiche tyme one Caius Mutius a yong gentleman of Rome purposed to aduenture some notable enterprise saiyng to the Senators these wordes I determine to passe the Riuer and enter if I can into the campe of the enemies not to fetche spoile or to reuēge mutuall iniuries but to hazarde a greater enterprise if the Goddes be assistaunt vnto me The Senate vnderstandyng the effect of his indeuour allowed his deuise And then hauyng a sworde vnder his garmente went foorthe When he was come into the throng he conueighed hymself as uere to the kynges pauilion as he could It chaunced that he was paiyng wages to his souldiours by whom his Secretarie did sitte in suche apparell almoste as the kyng hymself did weare Mutius beyng a ferde to demaunde whiche of theim was the kyng lest he should betraie hymself sodainly killed the Secretarie in stede of the kyng and as he was makyng waie with his blouddie sworde to escape he was apprehended and brought before the kyng and with merueilous stoutnesse and audacitie spake these wordes I am a citizen of Rome and my name is Mutius and beyng an enemie I would faine haue killed myne enemie For whiche attempte I esteme no more to die then I cared to committe the murder It is naturally giuen to the Romanes bothe valiantly to doe and stootely to suffer And not I alone haue conspired thy death but a greate nomber of vs haue promised the like and hope to aspire to seblable praise and glorie wherefore if this beginnyng doe please thee make thy self redie euery hower to expecte like perill and to fight for thy self And make accompte that euery daie euen at the doore of thy lodgyng thy enemie armed doeth awaite for thée we alone yong gentlemen of the Citie dooe stande at defiance and pronounce vpon thée this kinde of battaill Feare no armies or other hostilitie For with thée alone and with euery one of vs these warres shal be tried The king astoned with that holde and desperate enterprice fill into a greate rage and furie commaundyng Mutius presently to bée consumed with fire vnlesse he would out of hande tel him the order of the purposed and diuised treason Beholde O king q he how litell thei care for their bodies that dooe aspire and séeke for fame and glorie And then he thrust his right hande into the fire and rosted the same in the flame like one that had béen out of his wittes The kyng amazed with the straungenesse of the facte stepped doune from his seate and caused hym to be taken from the fire saiyng Awaie frende q the kyng thou hast killed thy self and aduentured hostilitie vpō thy self rather then against me Surely I would think my self happie if like valiance were to be found in my countrie Wherefore by lawe of Armes I sette thée at libertie vntouched and without harme wherevnto Mutius for acquilyng that deserte answered For as muche as thou hast thus honourably delte with me I will for recompence of this benefite saie thus muche vnto thée which by threates thou shouldest neuer haue gotten at my hādes Thrée hundred of vs that be yong noble men of Rome haue conspired thy death euen by the like attempt It was my lofte to come first the rest whē fortune shall giue oportunitie of tyme euery one his tourne will giue the aduenture Wherevpon he was dismissed and afterwardes was called Scaeuola for the losse of his right hande Then peace was offered to the Romanes who vpon cōdicions that the enemies guarrisons should be withdrawen from Ianiculum and that the countrie wonne of the Veientines should bee restored againe gaue hostages Emonges whom there was a gentlewoman called Cloelia deliuered into the handes of the Hetrurians who deceiuyng her keepers conueighed her self and the other pledges from their enemies and swimmyng
ouer the riuer of Tybre arriued at Rome in sauftie whiche beyng redemaūded by Porsenna wer sent backe againe The kyng driuen into a wōderfull admiracion for the desperate and manly enterprises doen by the Romane nacion retourned the maiden home againe to Rome In whose honour the Romanes erected an Image on horsebacke placed at the vpper ende of the strete called Sacra via And so peace was concluded betwene Porsenna and the Romanes Martius Coriolanus goyng about to represse the common people of Rome with dearth of Corne was banished For reuengemeut whereof he perswaded Accius Tullius Kyng of the Volscians to make warres vpon the Romanes and he hymself in their aide came in his own persone The citie brought to greate miserie the fathers deuised meanes to deliuer the same and sent into the Volscian campe the mother the wife and children of Coriolanus Upon whose cōplaintes Coriolanus withdrewe the Volscians And the Citie was reduced to qiuetnesse ¶ The .iiij. Nouell IN the yere that Titus Geganius Publius Minutius were Consuls when all thinges were quiet abrods and dissensiō at home appeased an other greate mischief inuaded the citie Firste a dearth of victuals by reason the lande was vntilled by the peoples departure then a famine suche as chaunceth to the besieged whiche had brought a greate destruccion of people had not the Consuls forséen the same by prouision in forren places Thei sent purueiors into Scicilia but the malice of the cities adioynyng staied the prouision that was made a farre of The Corne prouided at Cumas was staied for the goodes of Tarquinius by Aristodemus the tirant whiche was his heire The next yere folowyng a great masse of corne was transported out of Scicile in the tyme of the Consuls M. Minutius and A. Sempronius Then the Senate consulted vpon the distribucion of the same vnto the people Diuers thought that the tyme was then come to bridle and oppresse the people whereby thei might recouer those priuileges that were extorted from the fathers Emonges whiche Martius Coriolanus a yong gentleman was the chiefest who beyng an enemie to the Tribune aucthoritie said these wordes If the people will haue victualles and corne at that price whereat it was assised and rated in time past then it is mete and necessarie that thei rēder to the fathers their aunciente aucthoritie and priuilege For to what purpose be the plebeian Magistrates ordeined For what consideracion shall I suffer my self to bee subiugated vnder the aucthoritie of Sicinius as though I were conuersant emonges theues Shall I abide these iniuries any longer to continue then is necessarie I that could not suffer Tarquinius the kyng shall I be pacient with Sicinius Let Sicinius departe if he will let him drawe the people after hym the waie yet is open to the sacred hill and to the other mountaignes Let them robbe vs of our Corne whiche thei tooke awaie from our owne lande as thei did thrée yeres passe let them inioye the victualles whiche in their furie thei did gather I dare bée bolde to saie thus muche that béeyng warned and tamed by this present penurie thei had rather plowe and till the lande then thei would suffre the same to be vncultured by withdrawyng thē selues into Armure It is not so easie to bée spokē as I thanke it maie with facilitie bée brought to passe that vpon condicions the prices of victualles should be abated the fathers might remoue the aucthoritie of the Tribunes and disanull all those lawes whiche against their willes were ratefied and confirmed This sentence seemed cruell to the fathers and almoste had set the people together by the eares who would haue torne hym in péeces had not the Tribunes appoincted a daie for his apparance Wherevpon their furie for that tyme was appeased Coriolanus seyng the peoples rage to encrease and consideryng that thei should bée his Iudge when the daie of his apparance was come he absented hymself and for lacke thereof was condempned Then he fledde to the Volscians of whom he was gently interteigned and lodged in the house of Accius Tullius the chief of that citie and a deadly enemie to the Romanes Upon daily conference and consultacion had betwene theim thei consulted by what sleight or pollicie thei might comence a quarrell againste the Romanes And bicause thei doubted that the Volscians would not easely bee perswaded therevnto beyng so oft vanquished and ill intreated thei excogitated some other new occasion In the meane time T. Latinius one of the plebeian sorte perceiuyng that the Romanes went about to institute great pastimes conceiued a dreame wherin he sawe Iuppiter to speake vnto hym and saied that he liked not the towardnesse of those games and in case the same were not celebrated with greate roialtie and magnificence thei would ingender perill to the citie whiche dreame he declared to the Consuls Then the Senate gaue order that the same should bée addressed with great pompe triumphe wherevnto through thinstigacion of Accius a great nomber of the Volscians resorted But before the plates begonne Tullius accordyng to the compacte agréed vpon betwene hym and Coriolanus secretly repaired to the Consuls and takyng theim a side declared that he had to saie vnto them a matter iouchyng the publike wealthe of their citie vtteryng these woordes I am forced against my will to signifie vnto you a matter concernyng myne owne subiectes and countrie men I come not to accuse them for that thei haue alreadie admitted any thyng but I come to giue you a premonicion left thei should perpetrate some occasion contrary to the order of your citie The disposition of my countrie men is more inconstant then I would wishe whiche we haue felte to our greate losse and decaie The cause of our securitie at this presente is rather suffered by your patience then by our desert Here bée at this instaunte a greate multitude of Volscians Here be games prepared and the citie throughly bent to beholde the same I dooe remember what was doen vpon like occasion in this citie by the Romane youthe I tremble to thinke what maie be rashely attempted wherefore I thought good bothe for your own sakes and for auoidyng of displeasure to foretell you of these thinges And for mine own parte I purpose immediatly to returne home bicause I will auoide the daunger perill that maie chaunce by my presence When he had spoken those wordes he departed The Consuls immediatly recompted the request of Accius to the Senate who more estemyng the personage from whēce the same did procede then the matter that was spoken determined to prouide a remedy for the same and immediatly caused the Volscians to auoide the citie sendyng officers about to commaunde theim to departe that night vpon whiche sodein commaundemente at the first thei began to meruaile what should be the cause And afterwardes thei conceiued a greate grief and offence for that vnneighbourly enterteignement And as thei wer passyng out of the citie in a long traine Tullius beyng vpō
the top of the hille called Ferrentine to waite for the people as thei passed by called vnto hym the chief and principall personages to prouoke them to take that aduaūtage and then assembled the multitude in the valleie harde by the high waie to whom he pronounced these wordes Forgetting all iniuries and displeasures past doen by the Romane people against the Volsciās how can you abide the contumelte committed this daie wherein to our greate shame and ignomie thei begin to ostentate and shewe forthe their plaies Do not you beleue that euen to daie thei triumphe ouer you Is not your departure thinke ye ridiculous to al the Romanes to straungers and other cities adioynyng Bée not your wiues and children trowe ye now passyng homewardes laughed to scorne What thinke you your selues be whiche were warned to departe at the sounde of the trumpet What suppose ye will all thei thinke whiche dooe meete this multitude retiryng homewardes to their greate reproche shame Truely except there be some secrete occasion whereby wée should bee suspected to violate the plaies or committe some other crime and so forced to relinquishe the companie and fellowship of the houest I knowe not what should be the cause of this repulse Were wee liuyng when we made suche festinacion to departe If it maie bee called a departure and not a runnyng awaie and shamefull retire I perceiue ye did not accompte this to bee a citie of our enemies where I thinke if ye had taried but one daie longer ye had all béen slaine Thei haue denounced warres vpon you whiche if you bee men of corage shall redounde to the vtter destruccion of them whiche first gaue the defiaunce The Vollcians perceiuyng themselues greatly derided for consideracions before remembred determined by common accorde to inferre warres vpon the Romanes vnder the conduccion of Accius Tullius and Coriolanus After thei had recouered diuers of the Romane Cities thei proceded further and in sundry places spoiled and destroied the same encampyng theimselues fiue miles from Rome besides the trēches called Fossas Cluilias In the meane tyme contencion rose betwene the people and the fathers howbeit the fears of forren partes linked their myndes together in the bandes of concord The Consuls and fathers reposed their whole cōfidence in battaill whiche the common peoplem nowise could abide Wherefore thei were constrained to assemble the Senate wherein was determined that Ambassadours should bee sente to Coriolanus to demaunde peace who retourned them again with a frowarde answere to this effecte that first thei should restore to the Volscians their Countrie whiche thei had conquered that doen he willed them to seke for peace Yet thei sent again Ambassadours but in nowise thei wer suffered to come into their campe Then the priestes cladde in their ornamentes and other diuine furniture were sent humblie to make peticion for peace And yet thei could not perswade theim Then the Romane Dames repaired to Veturia the mother of Coriolanus and to his wife Volumnia But whether the same was dooen by common consente or through the feminine kinde it is vncertain It was appoincted that Veturia beyng an aunciente gentlewoman and mother of Coriolanus and Volumnia his wife with her twoo yong children should goe into the Campe to the intente thei by their pitifull lamentacion might defende the citie whiche otherwise by force was not able to be kept At their arriuall Venturia was knowen by one of her soonnes familier frendes standyug betwene her doughter in lawe and her twoo neuies who caried woorde immediatly to Coriolanus saiyng I am verie muche deceiued but that thy mother thy wife and children bee here in the Campe. Coriolanus hearyng him saie so descended from his seate like one not well in his wittes and went forthe to embrase his mother The olde gentlewoman from supplicacions fill into a greate rage speakyng these woordes Abide a while before I do receiue thy embracementes let me knowe whether I am comen to mine enemie or to my soonne or whether I am a prisoner in thy Campe or thy mother Alacke how long haue I prolonged these auncient yeres and hoare heares moste vnhappie that now firste I doe beholde thée an exile and then viewe thée myne enemie Canst thou finde in thy harte to depopulate and destroie this thy countrie wherein thou waste begotten and brought vp Could not thy rage and furie bee mitigated and appeased when thou diddest first put foote into the limites of this thy countrie Did not naturall zeale pearce thy cruell harte when thou diddest first cast thyne eyes vpon this citie Is not the house of thy mother and her domesticall Goddes conteined within the walles of youder citie Dooe not thy sorowfull mother thy deare wife and children inhabite within that compasse Wherefore O I cursed creature if I had neuer had childe Rome had not been now assailed If I had neuer brought forthe a sonne I should haue laied myne olde bones and ended my life in a frée countrie But I could neuer haue susteined or suffred more miserie then is now incident and fallen vnto me nor neuer more dishonour then to beholde thée in pitifull plight a traitour to thyne owne countrie And as I am the moste wretched wight of al mothers so I truste I shall not longe continue in that state If thou procede in this thine enterprise either sodaine death or perpetuall bondage bée thy reward When his mother had ended these woordes the whole traine of gentlewomen brake into pitifull teares bitterly bewailyng the state of their Countrie whiche at lengthe did mitigate the stomacke of Coriolanus And whē he had imbrased his wife and children he dismissed them Then he withdrewe the Volscian campe frō the citée and out of the Romane Prouince Upon the displeasure of whiche facte he died It is saied that when he was an olde manne he vsed many tymes to speake and vtter this sentence That verie miserable it is for an olde manne to liue in banishemente The Romanes disdained not to attribute to women their due praise For in memorie of this deliuerie of their Countrie Thei erected a Temple Fortunae Muliebri to womens fortune Appius Claudius one of the Decemuiri of Rome goeth about to rauishe Virginia a yonge maiden which indeuour of Appius when her father Virginius vnderstode being then in the warres he repaireth home to rescue his doughter One that was betrouthed vnto her doeth claime her wherevpon rose greate contencion In the ende her owne father to saue the shame of his stocke killed her with a Bochers knife and cometh into the Forum crieth vengeauce vpon Appius Then after muche contencion and rebellion the Decemuiri were deposed ¶ The .v. Nouell SPurius Posthumius Albus Aulus Manlius and P. Sulpitius Camerinus were sente Ambassadours to Athenes and cōmaunded to write out the noble lawes of Solon and to learne the Institucions orders and Lawes of other Greke citées Upon whose retourne the Tribunes were verie instāt that at length lawes should be enacted and
called Beyng come before her presence She saied vnto him Gyges I offer vnto thee now two condicions take whether thou wilte For either thou muste kill Candaules and take me to thy wife and the kyngdome also or els thou must die thy self that thou maiest vnderstande how in all thynges not meete to be knowen it is not necessary to obeie Candaules For either he must needes die whiche gaue thee that counsaile or thy self whiche diddest sée me naked and therby committed a thyng vnlawfull Whiche woordes for a while did wonderfully amase Gyges then he beseched the Quene that she would pardon hym frō that vnlawful choise When he sawe that he could nor perswade her he required her to shewe him by what meanes he might attempte that enterprise Marie q she euen in that place where thou sawest me naked when he is a slepe thou shalte committe that facte After thei had deuised the treason nighte approched And Gyges with stoute courage bente hymself therevnto For he sawe no remedie but that he must kill or els be killed Wherefore with a Dagger whiche the Quéene deliuered hym he killed Candaules when he was a slepe And so gotte from him bothe his wife and kyngdome A goodlie example to declare that the secretes of Marriage ought not to be disclosed But with reuerence to bee couered lest God dooe plague suche offences with death or other shame to manifeste to the worlde how derely he estemeth that honourable state Kyng Craesus of Lydia reasoneth with the wiseman Solon of the happie life of manne Who litle esteming his good aduisee Understoode before his death that no mā but by vertue cā in this life attaine felicitie ¶ The .vij. Nouell A Noble gentleman of Athenes called Solon by thappoinctment of the Athenians made lawes for that citie and bicause none of the same lawes should bee abrogated for the space of tenne yeres he bounde the Citizens by othe And that the same might the better bee obserued he hymself trauailed into farre countrees as into Egipte to visite king Hamasis and so to Sardis to kyng Craesus where he was liberallie interteigned This Craesus was kyng of Lydia sonne of Haliattes that brought to subiectiō great Countries in Asia and Graecia and gathered together an innumerable masse of money and richesse Who three or fower daies after the arriuall of Solon whiche was ledde aboute by his seruauntes to viewe his notable wealthe and substaunce saied vnto Solon these woordes My frende of Athens bicause thy famous wisedome is well knowen to the worlde and I haue heard tell of the excellencie thereof and of the greatenesse of thy trauell where thou haste attaigned to the singuler knowledge of Philosophie I desire to learne of thee now hauyng seen my greate treasures who is the happiest man and moste blessed that thou knowest in the worlde Thinkyng he would haue iudged hym to be the same But Solon made answere that Tellus was the happiest Who was an Athenien and had vertuous and honeste soonnes and thei likewise had honest children all whiche were that tyme liuing And when by the space of many yeres he had ledde a vertuous and godlie life he died an honourable death in the warres whiche the Athenians had with their neighbors at the battaill of Eleusina Where he was indued with sumptuous funeralles to his greate honour and praise Then Craesus asked him who was happie next Tellus thinkyng he would haue attributed to him the second place For so the q he that is Cleobis and Bito whiche were Argiues and liued a contented life And in all pastimes to proue force and maisterie thei bare awaie the prise and victorie And of theim these thynges be remembred When the feastfull daie of Iuppiter was celebrated emonges the Argiues Tkeir mother should bee caried to the Temple in a Chariotte drawen with a yoke of Oxen whiche were not come out of the countrie at the appoincted time The yonge men seeyng that the hower was come entred into the yoke theimselues and drewe the chariotte the space of xlv stades to the Temple After this acte seen of all the people there th ende of their life was suche as certainly God gaue to vnderstande by theim that better it is to dye then liue For the Argiues that were assembled about Bito and Cleobis with shoutes and acclamacions praised the good willes of those children and the women themselues saied that happie was the mother whiche brought for the suche lineage Their mother then ioyfull for that facte and of the reputacion of of her sōnes kneled doun before the Image of Iuno hūbly beseching her to giue to her sōns the thing that wer best for a mā to attain vnto Her praier ended she made her sacrifice which doen the .ij. yong men presently died in the temple In tokē of whose noble liues the Argiues erected .ii. images at Delphos And to thē Solō appointed the second place of blisfulnes Craesus moued with these wordes said vnto Solō Thou stranger of Athenes is our felicitie in suche litle reputacion with thee that thou doest preferre before vs these priuate mē Solon answered Sir shall I assure you of humain thynges knowyng that God enuieth the state of men and troubleth thē so often In lēgth of time many thinges be séen whiche mē would not se and many thinges be suffred that men would not suffer Lette vs assigne to mās life the terme of .lxx. yeres In which yeres are the nomber of .xxv. M.cc daies in whiche computaciō the leape moneth whiche is February is not cōprehended But if you will that other yeres be lōger by reason of that moneth to th ende the howers maie be adioined to thē that wāt then the leaps monethes maketh the tyme to amount aboue .lxx. yeres to .xxv. monethes and the daies of those monethes amoūt to M.v. C. But admit that .lxx. yeres with their leape monethes be the totall somme of mans life then is producted the sōme of .xxvi M.CC. daies Truelie one daie is not like an other in effecte Euen so Craesus I conclude that man is full of miserie But although your grace seemyng bothe in welth also in multitude of men to be a rich mightie king yet I cannot answere fully your demaūde before I se how wel you do ende your life For the riche mā is not happier bicause he hath lōg life excepte to his riches fortune graunt that he leade a good honest life Many men be verie riche yet for all that be not blessed happie And many that haue but mean wealth be fortunate He that is riche welthie and therwithall not happie excelleth hym that is fortunate happie onely in .ij. thinges but thother surmounteth the riche mā in many thinges The .ij. thinges wherin the riche excelleth thother be these Th one in satisfiyng his lust affectiō thother in power abilitie to sustein ill fortune and aduersitie And as the mean man is inferior to the riche in those .ij. poinctes whiche
at dinner Apemantus saied vnto hym O Timon what a pleasaunt feast is this and what a merie companie are wee beyng no more but thou and I. Naie quod Timon it would be a merie banquette in deede if there were none hers but my self Wherein he shewed howe like a beaste in deede he was For he could not abide any other manne beyng not able to suffer the companie of hym whiche was of like nature And if by chaunce he happened to go to Athenes it was onelie to speake to Alcibiades who then was an excellent Capitaine there whereat many did meruaile And therefore Apemantus demaunded of him why he spake to no man but to Alcibiades I speake to hym some tymes said Timon bicause I knowe that by his occasion the Atheniens shal receiue great hurte and trouble Whiche wordes many tymes he tolde to Alcibiades himself He had a garden adioynyng to his house in the fieldes wherein was a Figge tree wherevpon many desperate menne ordinarilie did hange themselfes In place whereof he purposed to sette vp a house and therefore was forced to cut it downe for whiche cause he went to Athenes and in the Markette place he called the people aboute hym saiyng that he had newes to tell them Whē the people vnderstoode that he was aboute to make a discourse vnto them whiche was wonte to speake to no manne thei merueiled and the citizens on euery parte of the citie ranne to heare hym to whom he saied that he purposed to cutte doune his Figge tree to builde a house vpon the place where it stoode Wherefore quod he if there bee any man emonges you all in this companie that is disposed to hange hymself let hym come betymes before it be cutte doune Hauyng thus bestowed his charitie emonges the people he retourned to his lodging where he liued a certain time after without alteraciō of nature And bicause that nature chasiged not in his life tyme he would not suffer that death should alter or varie the same For like as he liued a beastlie and chorlishe life euen so he required to haue his funerall dooen after that maner By his last will he ordeined hymself to bée interred vpon the sea shore that the waues and surges mighte beate and vexe his dead carcas Yea and that if it were possible his desire was to bee buried in the depth of the Sea causyng an Epitaphe to be made wherein was discribed the qualities of his brutishe life Plutarche also reporteth an other to bee made by Calimachus muche like to that whiche Timon made hymself whose owne soundeth to this effecte in Englishe verse My wretched caitife daies expired now and past My carren corps intered here A pluralitie of husbandes is fast in grounde In waltryng waues of swellyng Seas by surges cast My name if thou desire The Goddes thee doe confounde The mariage of a manne and woman he being the husbande of .xx. wiues and she the wife of xxii husbandes ¶ The .xxix. Nouell MEn commonlie doe reproue the honour of widowes bicause thei beeyng twise or thrise wedded doe marie againe And albeit by outwarde apparaunce thei whiche so blame them seeme to haue reason yet no manne ought to iudge the secrecie of the harte Mariage is holie and ought to be permitted and therefore by any meanes not to bee reproued Although it can not be denied but that the chast life is moste perfecte notwithstanding that perfection in nothyng dooeth diminishe the other The widowe mariyng againe doeth not offende God by mariage to the worlde she committeth the lest fault And bicause many old and auncient widowes in these daies maie not after three or fower mariages bee dismaied terrified from that state I will recite an historie auouched by S. Hierome in an Epistle Ad Gerontiam viduam de monogamia whom for his holinesse and vertue wee ought to beleue It is also pretelie set forthe by Pietro Messia de Seuiglia an excellent aucthour a gentleman of Spaine in the .xxxiiii. Chapiter of the firste parte of his woorke called La Selua di varie Lezzioni Sainct Hierome saieth that in the tyme of Pope Damasus he sawe and knewe in Rome one woman lawfully maried to .xxij. men and was the widowe of .xxii. husbandes There was also a manne whiche had had .xx. wiues and was then the widower of the .xx. Bothe whiche beyng free and of equall state and condicion thei made sute one to other and that either of them mighte proue whiche should bee the victor in buriyng eche other thei maried together whiche mariage was in greate admiracion emonges the Romanes Who mused whiche of them should die firste promisyng that at the funerall thei would beautifie the corps bothe with their presence also with tokens of victorie It chaunced sore againste her will I dare saie that the woman died firste At the celebracion of whose buriall all the Romane husbandes laied their heades together howe thei might exornate and garnishe the same Thei concluded to goe before the corps with Laurell garlandes vpon their beades singyng verses of praise for the obteinyng of suche a victorious conqueste Now where the women went I can not tell For I finde written that populus totius vrbis praecedebat feretrum where populus as I take it signifieth the whole route of mē and women And yet I thinke womens hartes would tell scorne to goe before Therefore I thinke thei came behinde like mourners bearyng braunches without leaues their beades in their handes praiyng for all christen soules But giuyng women leaue to mourne for suche an ouerthrowe I would wishe all my frendes that be widowes if in her conscience she can finde in her harte to folowe the noble Romane matrone and widowe called Annia who when her frendes and familiers exhorted her to marie againe bicause she was yonge and beautifull answered that she would not For quod she if it be my fortune to haue a good man as I had before I shall stil be afraied lest death should take hym awaie But if it bee my chaunce to matche with an ill manne how can I be able quietlie to beare that hauyng had so good a husbande before Declaryng thereby that beyng ones well matched greate héede ought to be taken how to chose the nexte least in making a hastie choise leasure for repētance do folow How Melchisedeche a Iewe by tellyng a pretie tale of three Rynges saued his life ¶ The .xxx. Nouell SAladine whose valiaunce was so greate that not onelie the same of a base man made hym Souldan of Babilone but also therby he wāne diuerse victories ouer the Saracene Rynges and Christianes hauyng through his manifolde warres and magnificent triumphes expended all his treasure and by reason of one accident which he had to doe lacking a greate some of money he knewe not where to haue the same so redie as he had occasion to imploy it Who called to remembraunce a riche Iewe called Melchisedech that lent out money for interest in
where it maie chaunce that you neuer vnderstoode so muche before this tyme I will tell you the whole discourse So it is that Pietro my father yours dwelte of long time wherof it is possible that you haue heard report at Palermo where through the goodnesse and frendlie behauior of hym there be yet some remaining that did beare hym singular good will and frendship But emonges other whiche loued him moffe my mother which was a gentlewoman and then a widowe without doubt did loue him best In such wise that she forgettyng the loue of her father and of her brethren and the loue of her owne honour and reputacion thei dealed so together that thei begatte me and am here as you see Afterwardes when your father and mine had occasion to departe from Palermo he retourned to Perugia leauing my mother behinde and me his yong doughter neuer after that so farre as I knowe caring either for my mother or me wherof if he were not my father I would blame him very muche cōsidering his ingratitude towardes my mother Albeit he ought to vse towardes me so muche affection fatherlie loue as to his owne doughter being come of no kitchin maide ne yet of any basewoman For my mother otherwise not knowyng what he was did commit into his handes moued of mere loue bothe her self and all that she had But what Thynges ill dooen and so long tyme paste are more easie to be reprehended then amended Thus the matter went he left me a litle infant at Palermo where when I was growen to yeres my mother whiche was riche gaue me to wife to one of the house of Gergenti a gentleman of greate honestie and reputacion who for the loue of my mother and me retourned to dwell at Palermo where greatlie sauoryng the faccion of the Guelphi he began to practise a certaine enterprise with our kyng Charles whiche being knowen to Kyng Federic before the same enterprise could take effecte we were forced to flie out of Scicilia At what tyme I had thought to haue been the chiefest Ladie that euer was in that Island wherefore taking with vs suche fewe thinges as we were able to carie fewe I maie well call them in respecte of thē we possessed and leauyng our houses and pallaces we came vnto this citie Where we founde kyng Charles so benigne towardes vs that he hath recompenced parte of our losses whiche wee susteined in his seruice For he hath giuen vs possessions and houses with good prouision of housholde to my husbande and your brother in lawe as you now sée and perceiue And in his maner I doe remaine here where swete brother I thāke God and not you that at this presente I sée you and therewithall she tooke hym aboute the necke wepyng tenderly and then kissed his face againe Andreuccio hearyng this tale spoken in order and digested from poinct to poinct with good vtterance wherof no worde stucke betwene her teeth or was impeached by default of tongue And remembryng how it was true that his father dwelte at Palermo knowyng also by hymself the maner of yonge menne whiche in their youthe be prompt and willyng to loue and seyng her tender teares her imbracynges and honest kisses thought al that she had spoken to bée moste certaine and true And after she hadde doe on her tale he answered in this wise Madame you maie not thinke vnkindnesse if I dooe meruaile at this for that in verie déede I haue no acquaintance of you no more then if you had neuer been borne But whether my father hath spoken of you or of your mother at any tyme truely I doe not now remēber but so muche the more I dooe reioyce that I haue founde a sister here as I trust bicause I am here alone And certainly I knowe none so honourable but you maie seme agreable vnto hym so well as to me which am but a poore marchaunte howbeit I doe beseche you to tell me how you did knowe that I was in the citie To whom she answered This mornyng a poore woman whiche oftentymes repaireth to my house gaue me knowledge thereof bicause of longe tyme as she tolde me she did dwell with your father at Palermo and at Perugia And bicause I thought it more conuenient and mete to bid you home to myne owne house then to seke you in an other mannes I thought good to sende for you After these woordes she began in order to inquire of the state of his parentes callyng them by their proper names wherevnto Andreuccio made answer that now he perceiued he had better cause to giue credite vnto her woordes then before Their discourse and talke of thynges beyng long and the weather hot she called for Greke wine and Comfittes and made Andreuccio to drincke Who after the banquette destrous to departe to his lodgyng for it was about supper time she by no meanes would suffer him but makyng as though she were angrie saied vnto hym Oh God I see now moste euidently that you doe make litle accompt of me beyng your owne sister whom you neuer sawe before and in her house where vnto you ought to resort when so euer you come to towne And will you now forsake the same to suppe in an Inne But of trouth you shall not chose but take part of my supper And although my husbande bee not at home whereof I am right sorie yet you shal knowe that his wife is able to make you some good there To whom Andreuccio not knowyng well what to saie els made this answere I do loue you as I ought to loue a sister But if I go not to mine Iune I knowe thei will tarie for me all this night before thei goe to supper to my greate reproche and shame Praised bee God quod she then I haue seruauntes to aduertise your hoste that you be here with me to the intent he shall not tarie for you But pleaseth you sir to dooe me this greate curtesie that I maie sende for your companions hither to beare you companie that afterwardes if you will néedes depart ye maie goe all together Andreuccio answered that he would sende for none of his companie that night but for so much as she was so importunate he hymself was right well contente to satisfie her requeste Then she made as though she had sente to his Inne to giue worde that thei should not tarie for him And after muche communication supper was placed vpon the table serued in with many deuises and sundrie delicates abundantlie and she with like sleightes continued the supper till it was darke night And whē thei rose from the table Andreuccio made hast to departe but she would not suffre hym tellyng hym that Naples was a Towne so straight of orders that none might walke abrode in the night and specially straūgers And that like as she had sente woorde howe thei should not tary for hym at supper euen so she had doen for his bedde All whiche Andreuccio beleuyng and
furnished with siluer and precious Iewelles tellyng no man whither she wente and neuer rested till she came to Florence where arriuyng by Fortune at a poore widowes house she contented her self with the state of a poore pilgrime desirous to here newes of her lorde whom by fortune she sawe the next daie passing by the house where she lay on horsebacke with his companie And although she knewe him well enough yet she demauÌ„ded of the good wife of the house what he was who answered that he was a straunge gentleman called the Counte Beltramo of Rossiglione a curteous knighte and welbeloued in the Citie and that he was merueilously in loue with a neighbor of hers that was a gentlewoman verie poore and of small substaunce neuerthelesse of right honest life and report by reason of her pouertie was yet vnmaried and dwelte with her mother that was a wise and honest Ladie The Countesse well notyng these wordes and by litle and litle debatyng euery particular point thereof comprehendyng the effecte of those newes concluded what to doe and when she had well vnderstanded whiche was the house and the name of the Ladie and of her doughter that was beloued of the Counte vpon a daie repaired to the house secretlie in the habite of a pilgrime where finding the mother and doughter in poore estate emonges their familie after she hadde saluted them tolde the mother that she had to saie vnto her The gentlewoman risyng vp curteouslie interteigned her and beyng entred alone into a chamber thei satte doune and the Countesse began to saie vnto her in this wise Madame me thinke that ye be one vpon whom Fortune doeth frowne so well as vpon me but if you please you maie bothe comfort me and your self The ladie answered that there was nothyng in the worlde whereof she was more desirous then of honest comforte The Countesse procedyng in her talke saied vnto her I haue nede now of your fidelitie and trust wherevpon if I doe staie and you deceiue me you shall bothe vndoe me and your self Tel me then what it is hardelie saied the gentlewoman if it bée your pleasure for you shall neuer bée deceiued of me Then the Countesse beganne to recite her whole estate of Loue tellyng her what she was and what had chaunced â—â— that present daie in suche perfite order that the gentlewoman beleuyng her woordes bicause she had partlie heard report thereof before beganne to haue coÌ„passion vpon her and after that the Countesse had rehearsed all the whole circumstance she continued her purpose saiyng Now you haue heard emonges other my troubles what twoo thynges thei bée whiche behoueth me to haue if I doe recouer my husbande whiche I knowe none can helpe me to obtain but onely you If it bee true that I heare whiche is that the Counte my husbande is farre in loue with your doughter To whoÌ„ the gentlewoman saied Madame if the Counte loue my doughter I knowe not albeit the likelihoode is greate but what am I able to doe in that whiche you desire Madame answered the CouÌ„tesse I will tell you but first I will declare what I mean to doe for you if my determinacioÌ„ be brought to effect I see your faier doughter of good age redie to marie but as I vnderstaÌ„d the cause why she is vnmaried is the lacke of substaÌ„ce to bestowe vpoÌ„ her Wherfore I purpose for recompence of the pleasure whiche you shall dooe for me to giue so muche redie money to marie her honorably as you shall thinke sufficieÌ„t The CouÌ„tesse offer was very well liked of the ladie bicause she was but poore yet hauing a noble hart she said vnto her Madame tell me wherin I maie do you seruice and if it be a thing honest I will gladlie performe it the same being brought to passe do as it shal please you Then saied the countesse I thinke it requisite that by some one whom you truste that you giue knowledge to the Counte my husbande that your doughter is and shal be at his commaundement And to the intent she maie bée well assured that he loueth her in déede aboue any other that she praieth him to sende her a ring that he weareth vpoÌ„ his finger whiche ring she heard tell he loued verie derely And wheÌ„ he seÌ„deth the ryng you shall giue it vnto me and afterwardes sende hym woorde that your doughter is redie to accomplishe his pleasure and then you shall cause hym secretly to come hither and place me by hym in stéede of your doughter peraduenture God will giue me the grace that I maie bée with childe and so hauyng this ryng on my finger and the childe in myne armes begotten by him I shall recouer him and by your meanes coÌ„tinue with hym as a wife ought to doe with her husbande This thing semed difficulte vnto the GeÌ„tlewoman fearyng that there would folowe reproche vnto her doughter Notwithstandyng consideryng what an honest parte it were to be a meane that the good Ladie should recouer her husband and that she should doe it for a good purpose hauyng affiaunce in her honest affection not onely promised the Countesse to bryng this to passe but in fewe daies with greate subtiltie folowyng the order wherein she was instructed she had gotten the ryng although it was with the Countes ill will and toke order that the Countesse in stede of her doughter did lye with hym And at the first meetyng so affectuously desired by the CouÌ„te God so disposed the matter that the Countesse was begotten with childe of twoo goodly sonnes her deliuery chauÌ„ced at the due time Whervpon the gentlewoman not onely coÌ„tented the Countesse at that tyme with the companie of her husbande but at many other times so secretly that it was neuer knowen the Counte not thinkyng that he had lien with his wife but with her whom he loued To whom at his vprisyng in the mornyng he vsed many curteous and amiable woordes and gaue diuers faire and precious Iewelles whiche the Countesse kepte moste carefullie and when she perceiued her self with childe she determined no more to trouble the gentlewoman but saied vnto her Madame thankes bée to God and you I haue the thyng that I desire and euen so it is tyme to recompence your desert that afterwardes I maie departe The gentlewoman saied vnto her that if she had doen any pleasure agreable to her mind she was right glad thereof whiche she did not for hope of rewarde but bicause it apperteined to her by well doyng so to doe Whervnto the Countesse saied your saiyng pleaseth me well and likewise for my parte I dooe not purpose to giue vnto you the thing you shall demaunde of me in rewarde but for consideracion of your well doyng whiche ductie forceth me so to dooe The gentlewoman then constrained with necessitie demaunded of her with greate bashefulnesse and hundred poundes to marie her doughter The Countesse perceiuyng the shamefastnesse of the gentlewoman and hearyng her
that time he gaue him selfe to those affaires And Maister Stricca he cōtineallie obserued both with singuler loue and duetifull frendshippe Whereby it is vncertayne whether was most singuler in him his continency at the very instant by refrayning that vehement heate of loue which so long time with great trauayle cost he had pursued or his regarde of frendship to Sir Stricca vpon wordes of commendacion spoken behinde his backe Bothe no doubte be singuler vertues méete of all men to be obserued but the subduing of his affections surmounted and passed Of a Duke of Venice Bindo a notable Architecte hys sonne Ricciardo with all his familie from Florence went to dwell at Venice where being made citizens for diuers monuments by them done there through inordinate expences were forced to robbe the Treasure house Bindo being slayne by a pollicie deuised by the Duke and the State Ricciardo by fine subtelties deliuereth himselfe from foure daungers Afterwardes the Duke by his owne confession vnderstanding the sleightes giueth him his pardon and his daughter in mariage ¶ The .xlviij. Nouell IN the noble Citie of Venice there was once a Duke that was verye stoute and riche and therewithall of great experience wysedome called Valeriano di messer Vannozzo Accettani In the chiefest Churche of which Citie called San Marco there was a stéeple which was very fayre sumptuous and of greatest fame of any thing at that time that was in Venice which stéeple was lyke to fall downe by reason of certayne faultes and decayes in the foundation Wherefore the Duke caused to be searched thorowe out all Italie some cunning workeman that would take in hande the reparation amendment of the same With promise of so much money as he wold demaund for doing therof Wherevpon an excellent Architect of Florence named Bindo hearing tell of this offer determined to goe to Venice for the accomplishment of that worke and for that purpose with his only sonne and wife he departed Florence And when he had séene and surueyed the stéeple he went straight to the Duke and tolde him that he was come thither to offer his seruice for reparing of the same whom the Duke courteously interteygned and prayed him that he woulde so sone as he coulde begin the worke Whervnto Bindo accorded and with suche diligence and small time he finished the same in better forme and suretie than it was at the first Which greatly pleased the Duke and gaue Bindo so muche money as he demaunded making him besides a citizen of Venice for the mayntenaunce of whole state he allotted him a sufficient stripende Afterwards the Duke called him vnto him and declared that he woulde haue a Treasure house made wherein should be disposed and layde vp all the Treasure and common ornaments for the furniture of the whole Citie which Bindo by and by toke vpon him to doe and made it of suche singuler beautie as it excelled al the monumentes of the citie wherin al the sayde treasure was bestowed In which worke he had framed a stone by cunning that might be remoued in and oute at pleasure and no man perceyue it Meaning therby to go into the chamber when he list Whervnto none in all the worlde was priuie but himselfe When this Palace and Treasure house was done he caused all the furnitures of silkes hangings wrought with golde canapées clothes of state riche chayres plate and other ornamentes of golde and siluer to be caryed thither whiche he called La Turpea del doge was kept vnder fiue keyes wherof foure were deliuered to foure of the chiefe citizens deputed to that office and were called Chamberlaynes of the Treasure house and the fift key the Duke himselfe did kéepe so that the chamber coulde not be opened except they were all fiue present Now Bindo and his familie dwelling at Venice and he being a Citizen of the same began to spende liberally and to liue a riche and welthy lyfe and his sonne Ricciardo consumed disordinately wherby in space of time they wanted apparell to furnishe their bodyes whiche they were not able to maintayne for their inordinate expences Wherfore the father vpon a night called his sonne vnto him and got a ladder and a certaine yron instrument made for the purpose taking also with him a litle lime and went to the hole which Bindo artificially had made in that chamber taking out the stone wente in and toke out a fayre cuppe of Golde which was in a closet and afterward he went out and placed the stone agayne in his due place And when they were come home they brake the cup in peces caused it to be solde by pece meale in certayne cities of Lombardie And in this sort thei maintained their disordinate life begon It chaūced not long after that a Cardinall arriued at Venice about affaires with the Duke and the State who the more honorablie to receyue hym opened the Treasure house to take out certaine furnitures within as plate clothes of state other things When the dore was opened had taken out the sayde necessaries they found a cuppe lesse than ought to be wherwith the chamberlaines contended among themselues and wente to the Duke telling him that there wanted a cuppe Whereat the Duke maruelled and sayde that amongs them it must nedes be gone And after many denials and much talke he willed them to say nothing till the Cardinall was departed The Cardinall came aud was receyued with honorable interteignement and when he was departed the Duke sent for the foure Chamberlaynes being desirous to knowe howe the cuppe was gone And commaunded them not to departe the Pallace before the same was founde saying that amongs them it muste néedes be stolen These foure persones being together and debating amongs themselues howe and by what meanes the cuppe should be taken away were at their wittes ende At length one of them sayd Let vs consider whether there be any comming into the chamber in anye place els besides the dore and viewing the same they coulde not perceiue any entrie at all And to proue the same more effectuallie they strawed the chamber aboute with fyne chaffe and did sette fyre on the same which done they shut fast the windowes and dores that the smoke and smoulder might not goe out The force of which smoke was such as it issued through the hole that Bindo made wherby they perceiued the way howe the robberie was committed and wente to the Duke to tell him what they had done The Duke vnderstanding the fact willed thē to say nothing for that he woulde deuise a way to take the théefe who caused to be brought into the chamber a caldron of pitche and placed it directly vnder the hole aud commaunded that a fyre shoulde be kepte day and night vnder the caldron that the same might continually boyle It came to passe that when the money was spent which the father and the sonne had receyued for the cuppe one night they went againe to the
watched her so nere that vpon a day fayning my selfe to goe abrod I hidde my selfe in the chamber where nowe she remaineth Into the which sone after my departure she repaired and caused the gentleman to come thether Whome I did beholde to doe that thing which was altogether vnméete for any man to doe to her but my selfe But when I sawe him get vp vppon the bed after her I stepped forth and toke him betwene her armes and with my dagger immediatly did kil him And bicause the offence of my wife semed to be so great that like death was not sufficient to punish her I deuised a torment which in myne opinion is worsse vnto her than death I do lock her vp in the chamber wherein she accustomed to vse her delightes and in the companie of him that she loued far better than me In which chamber I haue placed the anatomie of her friend reseruing the same in a little closet as a precious Iewell And to the ende she may not forget him at meales at the table before my face she vseth the heade of that verlet in stead of a cup to drink to the intent she may behold him aliue in the presence of him whome through her owne faulte she hath made her mortall enemie him dead slaine for her sake whose loue she preferred before mine And so beholdeth those two things at dinner supper which ought to displease her most her enemie liuing and her friend dead al through her owne wickednesse howbeit I do vse her no worse than my self although she goeth thus shauen for the ornament of the heare doth not appertayne to an adultresse nor the vaile or other furniture of the heade to an vnchast woman Wherefore she goeth so shauen in token she hath loste her houestie If it please you sir to take the payne to sée her I will bring you to her Wherevnto Bernage willingly assented And descending into her chamber which was very richely furnished they found her sitting alone before the fier And the Gentleman drawing a Curteyne which was before the Closet he saw the anatomie of the deade man hanging Bernage had a gret desire to speake vnto the Lady but for feare of her husband he durst not The Gentleman perceyuing the same sayde vnto him If it please you to say any thing vnto her you shall vnderstand her order of talke Therewithall Bernage sayde vnto her Madame if your pacience be correspondent to this torment I deme you to be he happiest woman of the worlde The Lady with teares trickling downe her eyes with a grace so good and humble as was possible spake thus vnto him Sir I doe confesse my fault to be so greate that al the affliction and torment that the Lorde of this place for I am not worthy to call him husbande can doe vnto me be nothing comparable to the sorrowe I haue conceyued of mine offence And in saying so she began pitifully to wéepe Therewithall the Gentleman toke Bernage by the hand and ledde him forth The next day morning he departed aboute the businesse which the king had sent him Notwithstanding in bidding the gentleman farewel he said vnto him Sir the loue which I beare vnto you the honor and secrets wherewith you haue made me priuie doth force me to saye vnto you howe I doe thinke good séeing the great repentance of the poore Gentlewoman your wife that you doe shewe her mercye And bicause you be yong and haue no children it were a very gret losse and detriment to lose such a house and ligneage as yours is And it may so come to passe that your enimies therby in time to come maye be your heires and inioye the goodes and patrimony which you do leaue behind you The Gentleman which neuer thought to speake vnto his wife with those wordes paused a great while and in th ende confessed his wordes to be true promising him that if she would continue in that humilitie he woulde in time shewe pitie vpon her with which promise Bernage departed And when he was retourned towards the king his maister he recompted vnto him the successe of his iourneyes And amongs other things he tolde him of the beautie of this Lady who sent his Painter called Iohn of Paris to bring him her counterfaicte which with the consent of her husband he did Who after that long penance for a desire he had to haue children for the pitie he bare to his wife which with great humblenesse receyued that affliction toke her vnto him againe and afterwardes begat of her many children A President of Grenoble A President of Grenoble aduertised of the yll ouernement of his wife toke suche order that his honestie was not diminished and yet reuenged the facte ¶ The Lvij. Nouell IN Grenoble the chiefe citie of a Country in Fraunce called Daulphine which citie otherwise is named Gratianopolis there was a Presidēt that had a very fayre wyfe with whome quietly and very louingly he led his lyfe She perceyuing her husband to begin to waxe olde began to loue a yong man that was his Clarke a very faire and comely personage Upō a time when her husband in a morning was gone to the pallace the Clarke entred his chamber and toke his Maisters place which thing one of the Presidents seruaunts that faithfully had serued him the space of .xxx. yeares lyke a trustie seruaunt perceyuing could not kepe it secret but told his Maister The President which was a wise man would not beleue it vpon light report but sayde that he did it of purpose to set discord betwéene him and his wyfe not withstanding if the thing were true as he sayde he might let him sée the thing it selfe which if he did not he had good cause to thinke that he had deuised a lye to breake and dissolue the loue betwéene him and his wyfe The seruaunt did assure him that he would cause him to sée the thing whereof he had tolde him And one morning so sone as the the President was gone to the Court and the Clarke entred into his chamber the seruaunt sent one of his companions to tell his Maister that he might come in good time to sée the thing that he declared vnto him he himself standing still at the dore to watche that the Clarke might not goe out The President so sone as he sawe the signe that one of his made vnto him fayning that he was not well at ease left the audience and spéedely went home to his house where he found his old seruaunt watching at the chamber dore assuring him for truth that the Clarke was within and that he should make no more a doe but presently to goe in The President sayde to his seruant Doe not tarrie at the dore for the knowest there is no other going out or comming in but this except it be a little closet whereof I alone beare the key The President entred the chamber and found his wife the Clarke a bed together who
so good store of Crownes that he caused to be made a very great and costly Cup of siluer for payment of whiche Cup he went to the Goldsmithes house and after he had payed for the siluer the guilt and for the fashion hauing not his Clarke with him to carie it home he prayed the Goldsmith to lend him his man By chaūce there were newly come to the citie two yong men that were Romanes which ranged vp and downe the stretes with their eares vpright viewing marking euery thing done in the same bearing about them counterfaicts Iewels and lingots guilt of Sainct Martines touch to deceyue him that would play the fole to buy them One of them was called Liello the other Dietiquo These two marchants being at good leasure to goe vp and downe the streates beholding the passangers to and fro by fortune espied the Goldsmithes man who to set forth the workmanship and making of the cup caried the same open These Gallants bearing a spite to the cup more for the siluer than for other malice purposed to inuent some sleight to get the same and a farre of with slie pase followed the Goldsmithes mā of whom they craftilie inquired of the owner of the cup and where he had left maister Florien when they had concluded vpon their enterprise Liello the finest boy of them both went strayght way to buy a Lamprey of great price and hiding the same vnder his cloake repayred straight to maister Doctors house Where finding his wife of semblable wit and behauior that her husband was with vnshamefast face and like grace sayd vnto her Mystresse Master Florien your husbād hath sent you a fishe and prayeth you to dresse it and to make dinner readie bicause he bringeth a company of other Doctors with him In the meane time he requireth you to sende him the cuppe agayne which he sent you this morning by the Goldsmithes man bicause he had forgotten to marke his armes vpon it The woman receyuing the fishe franklie deliuered him the cup and went about to prepare dinner Liello which hunted after game but better caught his pray hied him a pace and conueyed himselfe with spede to the house of one of his Countriemen and there reioyced with his companions attending for the comming of the Royster Dietiquo who tarried in the Towne wayting and viewing what pursute was made after his fellow Sone after Maister Florien retourned to his house and finding his dinner more delicate than it was wont to be was astonned and asked his wife who was at all that cost His wife very scornefully answered Why you haue forgotten that you sent me worde this morning that you would bring home with you diuers gentlemen to dinner What quod the Doctor I thinke you be a fole I am not sayde she and for more witnesse you sent me this fishe that I would you had bene better aduised before you had bestowed suche cost I assure the quod he I sent the no fishe but belike it was some folish knaue that had forgotten his arrāt mistaken the house But how soeuer it was wife we at this time wil be content to fare well at other mens charge Why sir sayde his wife cal your selfe to better remembrance For he that brought the Lamprey came to me for your cup by this token that you would haue your armes engrauen vpon the same At those wordes the poore Doctor after he had discharged thrée or foure canons laden with haileshot of scolding wordes went out into the strete running hither and thither demaūding of al thē he met if they sawe none carrie a Lamprey home to his house And you would haue sayde if you had séene him with his hode hanging at one side that the goodman had bene out of his wittes Dietiquo stode stil in a corner and behelde the Doctors frantike order and albeit that he was sure that the stealing of the cup by Liello his companion was impossible to be knowen yet being sorie that the Lāprey cost so muche determined also to play his parte and séeing the Doctor stayed from making further complaints he went home to the Doctors house where smiling with a good grace and bolde countenance sayd to the Doctors wife Mistresse Doctor good newes the cup is found One whō you knowe caused the same to be done in sport to bring your husband Master Florien in a choler who now is amongs diuers of his friends iesting at the pleasant deceyt and hath sent me to fetch their dinner wherin they pray you to remember the Lamprey and to come your self to take parte of the same bicause they purpose to be merie The woman ioyfull of those newes began somewhat to complayne of the griefe which she had taken for losse of the cup deliuered to Dietiquo the rosted Lamprey with the sause betwene two platters who innontinentlie hidde the same vnder his cloke with so much spéede as he could went to séeke out his companion Liello their countriemen which all that while had tarried for him And God knoweth whether those good fellowes did laugh mocke the poore Doctor and his wife or not And when she had made her selfe gaye and trimme to goe eate parte of the Lamprey as she was going out she met Master Florien loking lowringlie vpon the matter to whome she sayde smiling like a frumentie pot how now sir come they hither to dinner I haue sent you the lamprey ready dressed Then Master Doctor after fayre talk began to discharge his double Canons calling his wife Bitche Beast and stinking Goate and vnderstāding that he was twice begiled and coulde not tel by whom for spite and despayre he tare of his beard the heare of his head Which bruted knowē in the City the Iesters pleasant felowes bent themselues to finde occasion to laugh deuise pastime at the poore begiled Doctor and his wife FINISH Faultes escaped in the printing Leaf side line Faultes Correction 11. 1 17. ignomie ignominie 11. 2 14. Cluilas Cluilias 19. 2 12. Canduales Candaules 22. 2 31. to his with his 33. 1 2. best leste 36. 2 6. descried desired 40. 1 1. the same the Citie 61. 2 1. so he did which he did 61. 2 9. celled called 63. 2 23. finde fayle 64. 1 8. sometime somewhat 64. 2 23. Pompinea Pampinea 88. 2 33. Phisians Phisicians 107. 2 22. spoi spoile 110. 1 12. Cliectans Cilicians 112. 2 24. and had he had 113. 1 30. formed forced 119. 1 1. the other his other 123. 1 3. besse blissed 131. 1 34. out one 135. 2 31. sewing seming 206. 1 1. their father her father 206. 2 23. beganne beginneth 220. 1 1. vedure verdure 212. 2 10. abrode a bed 229. 1 24. should would 241. 1 10. so his to his 258. 2 4. in the with the 272. 2 26. I haue I had 272. 2 28. he will would 272. 2 29. will suffre would have suffered 276. 2 9. Aelips Aelips 286. 1 30. Fiornio Fiorino 286. 2 4. flesh meate fresh meate 323. 1 16. that to pitie to that pitie 327. 1 24. knowe knewe Wordes superfluous in the print Leaf side line Superfluous 41. 2 31. she 42. 1 5. into 76. 2 3. with 108. 2 32. vnto him 110. 1 6. shall 132. 2 18. then 245. 1 18. and 262. 1 7. an 272. 2 16. although that 272. 2 30. so 286. 1 32. it Wordes lacking in the print Leaf side line Lacking 12. 1 5. that 25. 1 1. vs 56. 1 10. is 63. 1 3. a 91. 2 1. of 98. 1 20. she 212. 1 14. of 117. 2 15. so 124. 2 34. more 129. 1 15. the 135. 2 1. aboute 140. 1 14 the 207. 2 10. a 273. 2 21. those 278. 1 22. of Other faultes by small aduise and lesse payne may by waying the discourse be easely amended or lightly passed ouer Imprinted at London by Henry Denham for Richard Tottell and William Iones Anno Domini 1566. Ianuary 26. These Bookes are to be solde at the long shoppe at the Weast ende of Paules
takyng pleasure that he was with his sister deceiued though he were of his false belief was well contented to tarie Their talke and communicacion after supper was of purpose dilated and protracted and one part of the night beyng spent she left Andreuccio in his chāber goyng to bedde and a litle boie to waite vpon hym to see that he lacked nothing and she with her women went into an other chāber The tyme of the yere was verie hotte wherefore Andreuccio beyng alone striped hymself and laied his hose and dublette vnder his beddes head and desirous to goe to the priuie he asked the boie where it was who poinctyng to the doore in a corner of the chamber saied vnto hym Goe in there Andreuccio saufly went in and chaunced by Fortune to sette his foote vpon a borde whiche at bothe endes was lose from the Ioiste wherevpon it laie by reason wherof the borde he tombled doune into the Iakes God so loued hym that in the fall he receiued no hurt although it were of a good heigth sauyng he was unbroined and arraied with the dōge of the place wherof the Iakes was ful Whiche place to the intent you maie the better vnderstande what is saied and what shall folowe euen as it was I will describe vnto you There was in a litle straighte entrie as many tymes we see betwene twoo houses certain bordes laied vpō twoo Ioistes betwene the one house and the other Upon whiche was placed the seate of the priuie one of whiche bordes was the same that fill downe with Andreuccio who now beyng in the bottome of the Iakes sorowfull for that sodain chaunce cried out to the boie for helpe But the boie so sone as he heard that he was fallen went in to tell his maistres who by and by ran into his chamber to seke for his clothes and when she had founde them and in the same his money whiche Andreuccio like a foole without mistrust still caried about hym she now possessed to thyng for whiche she had before laied the snare in fainyng her self to bee of Palermo and the doughter of one of Perugia And caryng no longer for hym she straight waie shutte faste the priuie doore whereat he went forthe when he fell Andreuccio seyng that the boie would not answere began to crie out a loude but all was in vaine wherfore suspecting the cause and beginnyng somewhat to late to vnderstande the deceipte he leapte ouer a litle wal which closed that place frō the sight of the streate And when he was in the open streate he wente to the doore of the house whiche he knewe well enough makyng a noise rapping harde and long at the doore but it was in vaine For whiche cause he began to complaine and lament like vnto one that manisfestly sawe his misfortune saiyng Alas in how litle tyme haue I lost fiue hundred crounes and a sister And after many other wordes he began againe to bounse at the doore and to crie out He rapped so long and cried so loude that he waked many of the neighbours there aboutes whō not able to suffer that noise rose out of their beddes and emōges others one of the maides of the house faining her self to be slepie loked out at the windowe and saied in greate rage What noise is beneath Oh said Andreuccio do ye not knowe me I am Andreuccio the brother of madame Floredelice Thou haste dronke to muche me thinketh q she maide go slepe come again to morow I knowe none called Andreuccio nor yet do vnderstand what thou meanest by those foolishe woordes get thee hence good man and lette vs slepe I praie thee Why quod Andreuccio dooest thou not heare me what I saie Thou knowest me well inough if thou wilte but if the Scicilian kindred bee so sone forgotten Giue me my clothes whiche I haue lefte behinde me I will goe hence with al my harte Whereat the maide laughed and saied I thincke the man is in a dreame and with that she tourned her self and shutte faste the windowe Andreuccio now sure and certaine of his losses attached with incredible sorrowe conuerted his anger into rage thought to recouer by anoiaunce that whiche he could not gette with faire wordes Wherefore takyng vp a bigge stone he beganne againe with greater blowes to beate at the doore Whiche whē many of the neighbours that before were waked out of their slepe and risen did heare thinkyng that it was some troublesome man that fained those wordes to anoye the good wife of the house and all thei likewise troubled with the noise lookyng out of their windowes beganne to rate hym with one voice like a sorte of Curres of one streate whiche dooe baule and barke at a straunge Dogge that passeth by saiyng This is to muche shame and villanie to come to the houses of honest womē at this tyme of the night and to speake suche fonde woordes Wherefore good man gette thee hence for Goddes sake and let vs slepe If thou haue any thing to doe with the good wife come againe to morowe and disquiet vs no more to nighte With whiche wordes as poore Andreuccio was somewhat appeased one that was within the house a Russian that kept the good wife whom Andreuccio neuer sawe nor heard before looked out of the windowe and with a bigge and horrible voice demaunded who was beneath Whereat Andreuccio liftyng vp his heade sawe one that so farre as he could perceiue seemed to bee a large rubber with a blacke bearde and a sterne visage lokyng as though he were newlie risen from bedde full of slepe gaping rubbing his eyes Whom Andreuccio answered in scarfull wise saiyng I am the good wifes brother of the house But the Russian interrupting his answere speaking more fiercely then at the firste saied I knowe not who thou arte but if I come doune I will so codgell and bombaste thee that thou shalt not be able to sturre thy self like an asse and dronken beaste as thou art whiche all this night wilte not suffer vs to slepe And with these wordes tourning hymself aboute he shutte the windowe Diuers of the neighbors which knewe better the condicions of that terrible Russian speakyng faire to Andreuccio saied vnto hym For Gods sake good man departe hence in tyme and suffer not thy self to be slaine gette thee hēce quod an other and say not but thou haddest warning Where Andreuccio appalled with the Russians woordes and sight moued likewise by the counsale of the neighbors that spake to hym as he thought in charitable wise toke his waie to retourne to his Inne the sorowfullest man that euer liued and in greatest despaire for losse of his money Turning that waie wherin he was guided by a litle girle the daie before and anoyed with the stenche that he felte aboute hym desirous to goe to the sea side to washe hym he declined so muche of the left hand takyng the waie vp to the streat called La Ruga Catellana and as he
was marching vp the highest parte of the Citie by chaunce he sawe twoo men before hym with a lanthorne light in one of their handes comyng towardes hym for auoidyng of whō bicause he feared that it was the watch or some other ill desposed persones he hidde hymself in an old house harde by But thei as of purpose wente to the verie same place Where one of them dischargyng hymself of certaine instrumentes of yron whiche he bare vpō his backe bothe of them did viewe and surueie those yrons debatyng of diuers thinges touchyng the same and as thei were talkyng togethers one of them said what meaneth this I smell the foulest stenche that euer I felt in all my life And whē he had saied so he lifted vp the Lanthorne and espied miserable Andreuccio couchyng behinde the wall being afraied asked who it was Andreuccio helde his peace But thei approchyng nere him with their light demaunded what he made there so filthely arraied To whom Andreuccio rehersed the whole aduenture as it chaūced Who consideryng the cause of that misfortune saied one to an other this no doubt was doen in the house of Scarabone Butta Fuoco and tournyng towardes Androuccio one of them saied vnto hym Good manne although thou hast loste thy money yet thou hast greate cause to praise God that it was thy chaunce to falle and not to entre again into the house For if thou haddest not fallen assure thy self that when thou haddest been a slepe thy throte had been cutte and so with thy money shouldest haue lost thy life But what auaileth it now to wepe and lamente For thou shaite so sone plucke the starres out of the elemente as euer recouer one penie of thy losse And without doubt he will kill thee if he vnderstande that thou make any woordes thereof When thei had saied so and had giuen hym that admonicion thei cōforted hym in this wise Good felowe we doe lament thy state And therefore if thou wilte ioyne thy self with vs about an enterprise whiche we haue in hande we warraunte thee thou shalte gette a great deale more then thou hast lost Andreuccio like one in extreame despaire was contente The date before was buried one Messer Philippo Minutulo an Archebishoppe of Naples in riche pontificalles and ornamentes with a Rubie vpon his finger that was worthe fiue hundreth Ducattes of golde whom thei purposed to robbe and dispoile telling Andreuccio the whole order of their intente who more coueitous then well aduised went with them And going towardes the greate churche Andreuccio his persume began so sente verie stronge wherevpon one of them saied Is it not possible to deuise awaie that this shitten beaste maie washe hymself in some place that he stincke no more thus filthelie Yes quod the other There is a pitte here harde by ouer whiche there hangeth a pulley and a greate bucket where we maie presently washe hym When thei were come to the pitte thei founde the rope hangyng still vpō the pulley but the bucket was taken awaie wherefore thei thought beste to tye hym to the rope and to lette hym doune the pitte to washe himself And that when he was washed he should wagge the rope and thei would hoiste hym vp again Whiche thei did But it chaunced that whiles he was thus clensyng himself in the pitte The watche of the citie because thei swette and the nighte was verie hot being drie thirstie came to the pitte to drincke The other twoo perceiuyng the watche at hande left Andreuccio in the pitte and ranne awaie The watche whiche was come thither to drinke perceiued not those twoo that were fledde And Andreuccio beyng still in the bottome when he had clensed hymself beganne to wagge the rope The watche sittyng doune by the pittes side caste of their clokes and laied doune their halbardes and other weapons and began to drawe vp the rope thinkyng that the bucket full of water was tiede to the same When Andreuccio was haled vp to the brincke of the pitte he forsoke the rope and cast hymself with one his handes vpon the side of the same When the watche sawe that thei for feare ranne awaie so faste as thei could without speakyng any worde Whereof Andreuccio did meruaile very muche And if he had not taken good holde he had fallen again doune to the bottome to his greate hurte and peraduenture not without perill of his life Notwithstandyng beyng out of the pitte and findyng halberdes and other weapons there whiche he knewe well his fellowes brought not with them he then began muche more to wonder But betwene feare and ignoraunce of that whiche happened complainyng hymself of his harde Fortune without touchyng of any thing he determined to goe from thence and wente he could not tell whether But as he was departyng from that place he mette his fellowes retiryng backe to drawe hym vp And when thei perceiued hym alredie haled out of the pitte thei were wonderfully abashed and asked who drewe hym out Andreuccio made answere that he could not tell rehearsyng to them in order what had chaunced and of the thynges he founde without Thei vnderstandyng the matter laughed and tolde hym again the cause wherfore thei ranne awaie and what thei were that drewe hym vp And without further talke beyng then about midnight thei repaired to the greate churche Into the whiche thei easely entred And wente to the Tombe whiche was of Marble verie huge and weightie The couer whereof beyng verie greate with their crowes of yron and other tooles thei lifted it vp so farre that one man was able to entre whiche doen one asked an other who should goe in Not I quod one and not I quod the other No nor I quod Andreuccio Thother twoo hearyng Andreuccio saie so stepped vnto hym saiyng Wilte thou not goe in By the faithe we owe to God if thou goe not in we will so beate thee with one of these yron barres that thou shalte neuer sturre againe out of this place Andreuccio beeyng made their common ridyng foole greatly fearyng when he heard them saie so went in And when he was in the graue he saied vnto hymself These good felowes doe make me goe in bicause thei would deceiue me For when I haue giuen them all that is here and I redie to come out thei meane to runne awaie to saue them selfes and to leaue me behinde without any part therof Wherefore he purposed first to take his owne porcion to hymself And remembryng the Rynge of great valour whereof thei tolde hym so sone as he was in the graue he pulled it of from the Archbishops finger and putte it vpon his owne And afterwardes taking the Crosse the Miter and the Gloues dispoiling hym euen to his shurt he gaue them all saiyng That there was nothyng els But thei pressyng vpon hym that there was a Ring behinde willed hym throughly to make serche for it howbeit he still answered that he could not fiude it And bicause he would make thē tary