by fortune bee denied hym yet he doeth excell him bicause he neuer hath experience of thē he liueth in good prosperous helth he neuer feleth aduersitie he doeth nothing that is wicked he is a father of good childrē he is indued with formosttie beautie who if besides al those things he die welt It is he whō you demaunde that worthely maie be called blessed happy For before he die he can not be called blessed But fortunate he maie bee termed For to obtein al whiles you be a liuyng mā it is impossible For as one countrie is not able to serue it self with all comodities but hauing one it lacketh an other Yet the same countrie that hath moste comodities is the beste And as a mans bodie hauing one prefecciō is not perfect bicause in hauing one he lacketh an other Euē so he that hath most vertue is indued with greatest nōber of the aforesaied comodities so quietly departeth his life he in mine opinion is worthie to be intitled with the name of a king A mā must expect th ende of euery thing whervnto it tendeth For God plucketh vp by the rootes many men to whō he hath giuen abundance of welth treasure Craesus misliking the wordes of Solō suffred him to depart saiyng he was a foole that measured present pleasures no better After whose departure the goddes begā to bend their indignaciō displeasure vpon him bicause he thought himself the happiest of al men Long time after Craesus receiuyng corage cōfort frō Apollo at Delphos Attēpted warrs against Cyrus king of Persia. Who in those warres was ouerthrowen and taken prisoner after he had raigned .xiiij yeres and was broughte by the Persians to Cyrus Then Cyrus caused a stacke of woodde to be piled vp and Craesus fettered with giues was sette vpon the same Who then remēbryng the saiyng of Solon that no liuyng man was blessed or in all poincted happie cried out in lamentable wise O Solon Solon Solon whiche Cyrus hearyng caused his interpreters to demaūde of him what the same Solon was Craesus with muche difficultie tolde what he was and declared all the talke betwene hym and Solon Whereof when Cyrus heard the reporte he acknowledged hymself to be also a man and sore repented that he went aboute to burne hym whiche was equall vnto hym in honor and richesse confessyng nothyng to bee stable and certaine in the life of man Wherevpon he commaunded the fire to be taken awaie whiche then began to flame And so with muche a do he was deliuered Then Cyrus asked hym who gaue hym counsaill to inuade his countrie to make his frēde his foe Euen my self saied Craesus through vnhappie fate by the perswasiō of the Grekishe GOD whiche gaue me counsaill to make warres vpon thee For there is no man so madde that had rather desire warre then peace For in peace sonnes hurte their fathers but in warres fathers hurte their children But that these thinges be come to passe I maie thanke the Deuels good grace Afterwards Cyrus interteigned hym verie honorablie and vsed his counsel whiche he founde very holsome good Of a father that made suite to haue his owne soonne putte to deathe ¶ The .viij. Nouell THere was a man borne in Mardus whiche is a Countrie adioynyng vnto Persia called Rhacon that had seuen children The yongest of theim named Cartomes afflicted diuerse honest menne with greate harmes and mischifes For whiche cause the father began to reforme hym with wordes to proue if he would amende But he litle waiyng the good discipline of his father It chaunced vpon a time that the Iustices of the countrie repaired to the Sessions in that Toune where the father of that childe did dwell Who takyng his sonne and bindyng his handes behinde hym brought him before the Iudges To whom he remēbred by waie of accusacion all the mischiefes whiche his soonne from tyme to tyme hadde committed and desired the Iudges that he might bee condēpned to die The Iudges amased at that request would not them selues giue sentence against hym but brought bothe the father and the soonne before Artaxerxes the kyng of Persia In whose presence the father stil persisted in the accusacion of his sonne Why q the kyng canste thou finde in thy harte that thyne owne soonne should be putte to death before thy face Ye truely q the father For at home in my garden when the yonge Lactuse beginne to growe I cutte of the bitter and sower stalkes from the same For pitie it were the mother Lactuse should sustaine any sorowe for those bastarde and degenerate shrubbes Whiche beyng taken awaie the prospereth and encreaseth so greate swetenesse and bignes Euen so O kyng if he be hanged that hurteth my whole familie and offendeth the honest conuersacion of his brethren bothe my self shal bee increased and the reste of my stocke and ligneage shall in like sorte prospere and continue The Kyng hearyng those woordes did greately praise the wisedome of Rhacon and chose hym to bee one of his Iudges speakyng these wordes before the multitude He that dare thus seuerely iustly pronounce sentence vpon his owne childe doubtles he will shewe hymself to bee an incorrupt and sincere Iudge vpon the offences of other Then the kyng deliuered the yonge man from that present fault threatenyng hym with moste cruell death if after that tyme he were apprehended with like offence Water offred of good will to Artaxerxes the kyng of Persia and the liberall rewarde of the kyng to the giuer ¶ The .ix. Nouell THere was a certaine Persian called Sinaetas that farre from his owne house mette king Artaxerxes and had not wherewith to present him For it was an order emonges the Persians instituted by Lawe that euery man whiche mette with the king should giue hym a present Wherefore the poore man bicause he would not neglecte his duetie ranne to a Riuer called Cyrus taking vp bothe his handes full of water spake to the kyng in this wise I beseche God that your maiestie maie euermore raigne emonges As occasion of the place and myne abilitie at this instant serueth I am come to honour your maiestie to the intente you maie not passe without some presente For whiche cause I giue vnto you this water But if your grace had ones incamped your self I would goe home to my house for the best and derest things I haue to honour your maiestie withall And peraduēture the same shall not be muche inferiour to the giftes whiche other now dooe giue you Artaxerxes delighted with this chaunce saied vnto hym Good followe I thanke thee for this present I assure thee the same is so acceptable vnto me as the most precious gift of the worlde First bicause water is the best of all thynges then bicause the Riuer out of the whiche thou diddest take it dooeth beare the name of Cyrus Wherefore I commaunde thee to come before me when I am at my Campe. When he had spoken those wordes he
the city and calling one of the Guard sayd vnto him Good fellowe I pray theée goe bidde the Counte of Pancalier to prepare hym selfe to mayntaine the false accusation which he hath made against the Duchesse of Sauoie And further tell him that there is a knight here that will make him to denie that accusation before he part the fielde and wil in the presence of all the people cut out that periured tong which durst commit such treason against an innocent Princesse This matter was in a moment published throughout al the citie in such sorte that you might haue séene the Churches full of men and women who prayed to God for the redemption of their maistresse During the time that the Guard had done hys Ambassage the Lorde of Mendozza went towardes the piller where the accusation was written attēding when the accuser should come forth The Earle of Pancalier aduertised hereof began incontinently to féele a certayne remorse of conscience which inwardly gript him so néere that he endured a torment like to very death And being vnable to discharge himselfe thereof would willingly haue wished that he had neuer committed the same Neuerthelesse to the intent he might not séeme slacke he sent worde to the knight that he should write his name vpon the piller to whome Mendozza made aunswere that he might not knowe his name but the combat he would make him fele before the day went downe The Earle of Pancalier made difficultie at the combat if first and formost he knew not the name of him with whome he should haue to doe The matter well aduised it was clearely resolued by the Iudges that the statuts made no mention of the name and therefore he was not bounde therevnto but that the statute did expresly fauor the defendant gyuing vnto him the election of the armour and semblablie it was requisite that the person accused should be brought forth in the presence of the two Champions Which things vnderstanded by the Earle albeit that he trusted not his quarell yet making a vertue of necessitye and not vnlearned in the order of such conflictes forthwith armed himselfe and came into the place ordayned for the campe where he found his enemy armed in a black armour in token of mourning Immediatly after they sent for the Duchesse who ignoraunt of the matter wondered much when she vnderstode there was a knight in the fielde armed all in blacke séeming to be a noble man that promised some greate matter by hys dexteritie and bolde countenaunce and woulde also maintaine against the Earle of Pancalier his accusation to be false The pore Duchesse then not being able to imagine what he should be greatly troubled in her minde and comming forth of the Castle was conducted in a litter couered with blacke cloth accompanied with more than two hundred Ladyes and damsels in semblable attyre vnto the place where the Iudges the people and the two Knightes were who did but attende her comming And after they had wayghted her going vp to a little stage ordained for that purpose the Deputies for the assurance of the campe demaunded of her these wordes saying Madame For that you be accused of adulterie by the Earle of Pancalier here present and the custome requireth that you present a Knight with in the yeare and day by force of armes to trie your right are you determined to accept him that is here present and to repose your self vpon him both for your fault and innocencie The Duchesse aunswered that she committed all her right into the mercy of God who knewe the inward thoughts of her hearte and to the manhode of the Knight albeit she thought that she had neuer séene him And when she had ended those words she fell downe vpon her knées then lifting vp her eyes all blubbered with teares towardes heauen she sayd O Lord God which art the very veritie it self and knowest the bitternesse that I féele in my heart to sée my selfe falsly accused shewe forth nowe the treasure of thy grace vpon me wretched Princesse And as thou diddest deliuer Susanna from her trouble and Iudith from Holosernes deliuer me from the hande of a Tirant Who lyke a Lion hungrie for my bloude deuoureth both mine honour and life And hauing made an ende of her prayer she remained vnmoueable as if she had bene in a traunce And nowe the Knight Mendozza offended to sée the Earle to praunce his horse vp and downe the campe making him to vaute and leape with a countenaunce very furious sayde vnto him Traitoure Counte bycause I am certayne that the accusation whiche thou hast forged against this Princesse is inuented by the greatest villanie of the world I doe maintaine here before al these people that thou hast falsely accused her that thou liest in thy Throte in al that thou hast contriued against her and that the hast deserued to be put into a sacke to be cast into the riuer for that murder that thou hast cōmitted vpon thy Nephewe the innocent bloud of whome doth now cry for vengeāce to be taken for thy sinne before god And scarce had he made an ende of his words but the Earle answered him with a meruellous audacity Infamous villaine which hidest thy name for feare lest thy vices shuld be knowē thou art now fouly deceiued by thinking to warrant her who hath offēded against the Duke her husband by her whoredome adulterie And for that thou hast parled so proudely and wilt not be knowen I can not otherwise think but that thou art some one of her ruffians And therfore I do mayntaine that thou thy self doest lye that thou deseruest to be burnt in the same fyre with her or else to be drawen wyth foure horsses by the crosse pathes of this towne to serue for an exāple in the worldes to come not only for all lasciuious Ladies Dāsels but also for such mischeuous whoremongers as be lyke to thy selfe Incontinently after the Harraulde of armes began to make the accustomed crye and the Knightes to put their Launces in their restes they let run their Horses with such violence that ioyning themselues their shieldes their bodyes and heades togither they brake their staues euen to their harde Gauntlets so roughlye that they fell both downe to the grounde without losing neuerthelesse the raynes of the bridles But the heate of the heart and desire to vanguish made them readily to get vp againe hauing cast away the troncheons of the staues layde handes on their swordes and there began so straunge and cruell a sturre betwéene them that they whiche were the beholders were affighted to sée them able to endure so muche For they were so fleshed one vpon another and did so thick bestow their strokes without breathing that the lookers on cōfessed neuer to haue séene any combat in Piemonte betwene two single persōs so furious nor better followed than that of the Earle and of the Knight Mendozza But the Spanish Knight encoraged with the Iustice of
hole and remouing the stone the Father went in as he did before and fell into the caldron of pitche whiche continually was boyling there vp to the waste and not able to liue any longer he called his sonne vnto him and sayde Ricciardo mine owne swéete sonne death hath taken me prisoner for halfe my body is dead and my breath also is ready to depart Take my heade with thée and burie it in some place that it be not knowen which done commend me to thy mother whome I pray thée to cherish comforte and in any wise take héede that warelie and circumspectlie thou doe depart hence And if any man doe aske for me say that I am gone to Florence about certaine businesse The sonne lamentably began to lamēt his fathers fortune saying Oh deare father what wicked fury hath thus cruelly deuised sodaine death Content thy selfe my sonne sayd the Father and be quiet better it is that one should die than two and therefore doe what I haue tolde thée and farewell The sonne toke vp his fathers heade and went his way and the reste of his bodie remayned in the caldron like a blocke without forme When Ricciardo was come home he buried his fathers heade so well as he could and afterwardes tolde his mother what was become of his father who vnderstanding the maner of his death began piteously to crye out to whom her sonne holding vp his hands sayd Good mother holde your peace and giue ouer your wéeping for our life is in great perill and daunger if your out crie be hearde and therefore quiet your selfe for better it were for vs to liue in poore estate than to die with infamie to the vtter reproche and shame of all our familie With which wordes he appeased her In the morning the body was founde and caried to the Duke who maruelled at it coulde not deuise what he should be but sayde Surely there be two that committed this robberie one of them we haue let vs imagine how we may take the other Then one of the foure Chamberlaines sayde I haue founde out a trap to catche the other if it will please you to heare mine aduise which is this It cā not be chosen but this théefe that is deade hath eyther wife children or some kinsman in the Towne and therefore let vs cause the body to be drawen through out the citie and giue diligent héede whether anye person doe complaine or lament his death And if any suche be founde let him be taken and examined and this is the next way as I suppose to finde out his companion Which being concluded they departed The body was drawen through out the citie with a guard of men attending vpon the same As the execucioners passed by the house of Bindo whose carcasse lay vpon the hardle his wife stode at the windowe and seing the body of her husband so vsed made a great outcrye At which noyse the sonne spake to his mother and sayde Alas mother what doe you And beholding his fathers corps vpon the hardle he toke a knife and made a great gashe into his hande that the bloud abundantlie issued out The guarde hearing the noyse that the woman made ranne into the house and asked the woman what she lacked The sonne answered I was caruing a pece of stone with this knife and by chaunce I hurt my hande which my mother séeing cryed out thinking that I had hurte my selfe more than I haue The guard séeing his hande al bloudy and cut did beleue it to be true and went rounde aboute the liberties of the citie and found none that séemed to lamēt or bewaile that chaunce And returning to the Duke they tolde him howe all that labor was imployed in vaine wherevpon he appointed them to hang vp the deade body in the market place with secret watche in like maner to espie if any person by day or night would come to complaine or be sorrowfull for him Which body was by the féete hanged vp there and a continuall watche appoynted to kepe the same The rumor hereof was bruted through out the citie and euery man resorted thither to sée it The woman hearing tell that her husbands carcasse should be hanged vp in the market place sayde diuerse times to her sonne that it was a very great shame for him to suffer his fathers body in that shamefull sorte to be vsed To whom her sonne made aunswere saying Good mother for gods sake be contented for that which they do is for none other purpose but to proue me wherefore suffer a while til this chaunce be past The mother not able to abide it any longer brake out many times into these words If I were a man as I am a woman it should not be vndone now and if thou wilt not aduenture thy selfe I will one night giue an attempte The yong man séeing the frowarde nature of hys mother determined to take away the body by this policie He borrowed twelue friers frockes or cowles and in the euening went downe to the hauen and hired twelue Mariners and placed thē in a backe house giuing them so much meate and drinke as they would eate And when they had well whitled tippled themselues he put vpon them those friers cowles with visardes vpon their faces gaue euery of them in their handes a burning torche seming as though they had bene diuels of hel And he him self rode vpō a horse all couered with black beset round about with mōstrous and vglie faces euery of them hauing a burning candle in his mouth and riding before with a maruelous hideouse visarde vpon his heade sayde vnto them doe as I doe And then marched forwarde to the market place When they came thether they ran vp downe making a great roring being then past midnight and very darke When the watch saw that straunge sight they were affrayde thinking that they had bene Diuels of hel and that he on horsbacke in that forme had bene the great deuil Lucifer himself And séeing him runne towards the gibet the watch toke ther legges ranne away The yong man in the shape of the great Diuel toke downe the body and layde it before him on horsebacke who calling his companye awaye rode before in post When they were come home he gaue them their money and vncasing them of their cowles sent them away and aferwards buried the body so secretly as he coulde In the morning newes came to the Duke that the body was taken away who sēt for the Guarde to knowe what was become thereof To whom they sayde these wordes Pleaseth your grace about midnight last past there came into the market place a cōpany of Diuels among whome we sawe the greate Deuill Lucifer himselfe who as we suppose did eate vp the body which sight and terrible vision made vs to take our legges The Duke by those wordes perceyued euidently that the same was but a practize to deceiue them of their purpose not withstanding he determined
confesseth the facte before the Magistrates and is put to death The .xlij. Nouell Folio 125. ¶ Wantonesse and pleasaunt lyfe being guides of Insolencie doth bring a miserable ende to a fayre Ladye of Thurm Whom a noble man aduaunced to high estate Wherin he executeth great crueltie vpon his sayd Ladie taken in adulterie The .xliij. Nouell Folio 135. ¶ The loue of Alerane of Saxon and of Adelasia the daughter of the Emperoure Otho the thirde of that name Theire flight and departure into Italie and howe they were knowen againe what noble houses of Italie descended of their race The .xliiij. Nouell Folio 201. ¶ The Duchesse of Sauoie being the King of Englandes sister was in the Duke her husbandes absence iniustlye accused of adulterie by a noble man his Lieutenant And shoulde haue bene put to death if by the prowesse and valiaunt combate of Don Iohn di Mendozza a Gentleman of Spaine she had not bene deliuered With a discourse of meruellous accidents touching the same to the singuler prayse and commendacion of chaste and honest Ladies The .xlv. Nouell Fol. 226. ¶ A King of Englande loued the daughter of one of his noble men which was Coūtesse of Salesburie who after great sute to achieue that he coulde not winne for the intire loue he bare vnto her and her great constācie made her his Quene wife The .xlvj. Nouell Folio 258. Ser Giouanni Fiorentino ¶ A Gentlemā called Galgano long time made sute to Madonna Minoccia her husbande not knowing the same diuerse times praysed and commended the same Gentlemā to his Ladie by reason wherof in the absence of her husbande she sent for him and yelded her selfe vnto him telling him what words her husbande had spoken of him for recompence wherof he refused to dishonest her The .xlvij. Nouell Fol. 279. ¶ Bindo a notable Archietect and his sonne Ricciardo with all his famlie from Florence came to dwel at Uenice where being made citizens for diuerse monuments by them made there through his inordinat expences is forced to rob the Treasure house Bindo being slayne by a pollicie deuised by the Duke the State Ricciardo by fine subtelties deliuereth himselfe from foure daungers Afterwardes the Duke by his owne confession vnderstanding the sleight giueth him his pardon and his daughter in mariage The .xlviij. Nouell Folio 282. Out of Straparole ¶ Philenio Sisterno a Scholer of Bologna being mocked of three faire Gentlewomen at a banket made of set purpose was reuenged vpon them all The .xlix. Nouel Fol. 289. Out of Heptameron of the Quene of Nauarre ¶ The pitious and chast death of one of the Muleters wiues of the Quene of Nauarre The D. Nouell Fol. 296. ¶ A king of Naples abusing a Gentlemans wife in the end did weare the hornes him selfe The Lj. Nouell Fol. 298. ¶ The rashe enterprise of a gentleman against a Princesse of Flaunders and of the damage aud shame which he receyued therof The Lij Nouell Fol. 302. ¶ The loue of Amadour and Florinda wherein be contayned many sleights and dissimulations together with the renowmed chastity of the sayde Florinda The Liij Nouell Fol. 306. ¶ The incontinencie of a Duke and of his impudencie The Liiij Nouell Fol 326. ¶ One of the French kings called Frauncis the first of the name declared his gentle nature to Counte Guillaume that woulde haue killed him The Lv. Nouell Fol. 330. ¶ A punishment more rigorous than death of a husbande towardes his wife that had committed adulterie The Lvj. Nouell Fol. 332. ¶ A President of Grenoble aduertised of the ill gouernement of his wife toke suche order that his honestie was not diminished and yet reuēged the fact The Lvij. Nouel Fol. 334. ¶ A Gentleman of Perche suspecting iniurie done vnto him by his friend prouoked him to execute and put in proofe the cause of his suspition The Lviij Nouell Fol. 336. ¶ The Simplicitie of an old woman that offered a burning candle to saint Iohn of Lyons The Lix Nouel Fol. 338. Out of a little French boke called Comptes du Monde ¶ A Doctor of the Lawes bought a cup and by the subtiltie of two false verlets lost both his money and the cup. The Lx. Nouell Fol. 339. To the Reader NOTHING in mine opinion cā be more acceptable vnto thee friendely Reader than ofte reading dailye perusing of varietie of Histories which as they be for diuersitie of matter pleasaunt and plausible euen so for example and imitacion right good and commendable The one doth reioyce the wearie and tedious minde many times inuolued with ordinarie cares the other prescribeth a direct path to tread the trace of this present lyfe VVherefore if in these newes or Nouelles here presented there doe appeare any thing worthy of regard giue thankes to the noble Gentleman to whome this boke is dedicated for whose sake onely that paine if any seme to be was wholie imployed Inioy therfore with him this present boke curteously with friendelie talke report the same for if otherwise thou doe abuse it the blame shall light on thee and not of me which only of good wil did meane it firste But yet if blaming tongues and vnstayed heades will nedes be busie they shall susteine the shame for that they haue not yet shewen forth any blamelesse dede to like effect as this is ment of me which whē they doe no blame but praise they can receyue For praise be they well worthie for to haue which in well doing do contend No vertuous dede or zelous worke can want due praise of the honest though faulting foles and youthly heades full ofte do chaūt the faultlesse checke that Momus mouth did once finde out in Venus Slipper And yet from faults I will not purge the same but whatsoeuer they seme to be they be in number ne yet in substance such but that thy curteous dealing may sone amend them or forget them VVherefore to giue thee full aduertisment of the whole collection of these Nouelles vnderstand that .vj. of them haue I selected out of Titus Liuius two out of Herodotus certayne out of Aelianus Xenophon Aulus Gellius Plutarche and other like approued authors Other Nouelles haue I adioyned chosen out of diuers Italian and French writers VVherin I confesse my selfe not to be so well trained peraduenture as the fine heades of such trauailers would desire And yet I trust sufficiently to expresse the sense of euery of the same Certayne haue I culled out of the Decamerone of Giouan Boccaccio wherein be contayned one hundred Nouelles amongs which there be some in my iudgement that be worthy to be condempned to perpetuall prison but of them suche haue I redemed to the liberty of our vulgar as may be best liked and better suffred Although the .vj. part of the same hundreth may full well be permitted And as I my selfe haue already done many other of the same worke yet for this present I haue thought good to publishe onely .x. in number the rest
in perusing of histories then fitly haue I intituled this volume with the Palace of Pleasure For like as the outward shewe of Princes Palaces be pleasaunt at the view and sight of ech mans eye bet decked and garnished with sumptuous hangings and costlie Arras of splendent shewe wherein be wrought and be with gold silke of sundrie hewes the dedes of noble states Euen so in this our Pallace here there be at large recorded the Princely partes and glorious gestes of renowmed wights represented with more liuely grace and gorgeous sight than Tapestrie or Arras worke for that the one with deadly shape doth shewe the other with speaking voice declare what in their time they were Vpon whō doe waite as meete it is inferior persons ech one vouchsafing to tell what he was in the transitorie trade of present lyfe VVherefore accept the same in grateful wise and thinke vpon the minde of him that did the same which fraughted is with no lesse plentie of good wil than the coafers of king Craesus were with store of worldly pelfe And so fare well Authors out of whome these Nouelles be selected or which be remembred in diuers places of the same Greke and Latine Authors Titus Liuius Herodotus Aetianus Xenophon Quintus Curtius Aulus Gellius S. Hierome Cicero Polidorus Virgilius Aeneas Syluius Paludanus Apuleius L Caecius Rhodoginus Italian French and English Pietro Messia de Siuiglia Boccaccio Bandello Ser Giouanni Fiorentino Straeparole The Quene of Nauarre A boke in French intitled Comptes du monde Francois Belleforest Pierre Boaistuau surnome Launay Froisarde Fabian ¶ THE PALACE of Pleasure The Romanes and the Albanes beyng at warres for iniuries mutually inferred Metius Suffetius the Albane capitain deuised a waie by a combate to ioigne bothe the cities in one Uictorie falling to the Romanes the Romane victor killeth his sister who notwithstādyng is condempned to die Afterwardes vpon his fathers sute he is deliuered ¶ The first Nouell NVma Pompilius the seconde kyng of the Romanes beeyng deade Tullus Hostilius succeded a lustie and couragious yong gentleman For as Numa was giuē to peace so was he to warres and valiance It chaunced in his tyme that certein peasantes of the Romane dition and the like of the Albanes was foragyng and driuyng of boties the one from the other At that tyme raigned in Alba one C. Cluilius Ambassadours from bothe places were sent to redemaūde the thinges stollen Tullus commaunded his people that thei should deliuer none til commaundement were giuen in that behalfe for he knewe right well that the Alban kyng would restore nothyng by whiche occasion be might vpon iust cause proclaime warres He receiued the Alban Ambassadours in verie courteous maner and thei as curteously celebrated his honourable and sumptuous interteignemente Amitie proceded on bothe partes till the Romanes beganne to demaunde the firste restituciō whiche the Albanes denied and summoned warres to bee inferred vpon them within thirtie daies after Wherevpon the Ambassadours craued license of Tullus to speake whiche beyng graunted thei firste purged themselues by ignoraunce that thei knewe no harme or iniurie doen to the Romanes addyng further that if any thyng were dooen that should not please Tullus it was against their willes hopyng he would remember that thei were but Ambassadours subiecte to the commaundement of their prince Their coming was to demaunde a restitucion without whiche thei wer straightly charged to proclame defiaunce Whervnto Tullus aunswered Tell your maister that the kyng of the Romanes doeth call the goddes to witnes whether of them first maketh the quarrell to thintent all menne maie expecte the reuenge of those warres Whiche answere the Albane Ambassadours retourned to their maister Greate prouision for the warres was made on bothe partes muche like to a ciuile contencion almost betwene the father and the sonne For the citie of Lauinium was builded by the Troians and Alba by the Lauinians of whose stocke the Romanes tooke their beginnyng The Albanes seyng that thei were defied of the Romanes beganne firste to enter in armes and with a maine power perced the land of the Romanes and encamped within fiue miles of the citie enuironyng their campe with a trenche whiche afterwardes was called Fossa Cluilia by the mean of their capitaine wherein Cluilius the kyng died Then the Albanes appointed one Metius Suffetius to bee their Dictator Tullus vnderstāding the death of their prince with greate expedicion marched into the countrie about Alba passyng by the Albanes campe in the night whiche by the watche and scoutes was skried Then he retired to lodge as nere the enemie as he could sendyng an Ambassadour before to require Tullus that he would come to Parle before thei fought wherein he had a thyng to saie no lesse profitable to the Romanes then to the Albanes Tullus not cōtempnyng that condicion agreed Wherevpon bothe did put themselues in readines and before thei foigned bothe the captaines with certaine of their chief officers came forthe to talke where Metius saied these woordes The mutuall iniuries that hath been dooen and the withholdyng and kepyng of thynges caried awaie contrarie to the truce and that our kyng Cluilius is the authour and beginner of these warres I do heare and assuredly vnderstande for a trothe And I doe not doubt Tullus but thou also doest conceiue the same to be the onely occasion of this hostilitie Notwithstandyng if I maie speake rather the truthe then vtter any glosyng woordes by waie of flaterie the ambicious desire of bothe the Emperes doeth moste of all stimulate and prouoke bothe the Cities beeyng of one affinite and neighbours to frequēt this force of armes But whether this my coniecture bee right or wrong thei ought to consider whiche first began the warres The Albanes haue created me their Capitaine of this their enterprise I come to giue aduertisement to thée O Tullus of this one thing Whiche is that the Thuscans beyng a greate nacion and of power right famous doth enuirone vs bothe rounde about and the nerer thei bée vnto you the more knowledge you haue of thē Thei bee mightie vpon the lande and of greate power vpon the sea Call to thy remembraunce and consider that when thou giuest the signe and watche woorde of the battell our twoo armies shall bee but a ridiculous spectacle to them So sone as thei doe perceiue vs twoe to be spent and weried with fightyng thei will bothe assaile the vanquished and hym also that dooeth ouercome Wherfore if the goddes doe fauour either of vs let vs not shewe our selfes to be wearie of our libertie and franchise that is certaine and hazarde the Dice to incurre perpetuall seruitude and bondage Theerfore lette vs deuise some otherwaie whereby the one of vs maie gouerne the other withont effusion of bloodde of either partes This condiciō nothyng displeased Tullus although in corage and hope of victorie he was more fierce and bolder then the other And beyng in consultaciō about that purpose fortune ministered an apte occasion to them
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
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
required his Eunuches to take the present and to putte it into a Cuppe of golde The kyng when he was lodged in his pauilion sente to the man a Persian robe a Cuppe of golde and a thousande Darices which was a coigne emōges the Persians whervpon was the Image of Darius willyng the messenger to saie vnto hym these woordes It hath pleased the kyng that thou shouldest delight thy self and make merie with this golde because thou diddest exhilarate his minde in not suffryng hym to passe without the honour of a present but as necessitie did serue thee diddeste humblie salute hym with water His pleasure is also that thou shalte drinke of that water in this cuppe of golde of whiche thou madest hym partaker Artaxerxes hereby expressed the true Image of a princely mynde that would not disdaine cherefully to beholde the homelie gifte in our estimacion rude and nothyng worthe at the handes of his poore subiecte and liberally to reward that ductifull zeale with thinges of greate price and valour To the same Artaxerxes ridyng in progresse through Persia was presented by one called Mises a verie greate Pomegranate in a Siue The kyng merueilyng at the bignesse thereof demaunded of hym out of what garden he had gathered the same He answered out of his owne Whereat the kyng greatly reioysyng recompenced hym with princely rewardes saiyng By the Sōne for that was the common othe of the Persian kynges this manne is able with suche trauell and diligence in my iudgement to make of a litle citie one that shal be large and greate Whiche wordes seme to declare that all thynges by care sufficiente paine and continuall labour maie against nature be made more excellent better The loue of Chariton and Menalippes ¶ The .x. Nouell I Will rehearse a facte of the tyrant Phalaris farre discrepante from his condictons For it fauoureth of greate kindnes and humanitie and seemeth not to bee dooen by him Chariton was an Agrigentine borne and a greate louer of beautie who with ardente affection loued one Menalippus whiche was also borne in the Citie of honeste condicions and excellent beautie This Tyrant Phalaris hindred Menalippus in a certaine sute For when he contended in iudgement with one of Phalaris frendes the tyraunte commaunded hym to giue ouer his suite wherevnto bicause he was not obediente he threatned to put hym to death except he would yelde But Menalippus ouer came hym in lawe and the noble men whiche wer the frendes of Phalaris would giue no sentence brought the same to a Nonesuite Whiche the yong manne takyng in ill parte saied he had receiued wronge and confessed to his frende Chariton the wronge he had susteined requiryng his aide to reuenge the same vpon the Tirant He made other yong menne priuie to that conspiracie suche as he knewe would be redie and apt for that enterprise Chariton perceiuyng the rage and furie of his frende knowyng that no man would take his parte for feare of the tyraunte began to disswade hym saiyng that he hymself went about the like attempt a litle before to deliuer his countrie into libertie out of presente seruitude but he was not able to sorte the same to any purpose without greate daunger Wherefore he praied hym to committe the consideracion thereof vnto him and to suffre hym to espie a tyme apt and conuenient Menalippus was contente Then Chariton reuoluyng with hymself that deuise would not make his dere frende a partaker of that fact lest it should be perceiued but he alone toke vpon hym to doe the deede that onely hymself might susteine the smarte Wherefore takyng a sworde in his hande as he was sekyng the waie to giue the assaulte vpon the Tiraunte his enterprise was disclosed and Chariton apprehended by the Guarde whiche for the Tirantes defence diligentlie attended about hym From thence he was sent to the Iaole and examined vpon interrogatories to bewraie the reste of the conspiratours For whiche he suffered the racke and the violence of other tormētes Afterwardes Menalippus remembryng the constancie of his frende and the crueltie by him stoutly suffered wente to Phalaris and confessed vnto hym that not onely he was priuie to that treason but also was the aucthour thereof Phalaris demaundyng for what cause he did it told hym the consideracion before rehersed whiche was the reuokyng of sentence and other iniuries doen vnto him The Tirant merueiling at the constante frendship of these twaine acquited thē bothe But vpon condicion that bothe should departe out of the citie and countrie of Scicilia Neuerthelesse he gaue them leaue to receiue the fructes and commodities of their reuenues In recorde and remembraūce of whose amitie Apollo sange these verses The Raisers vp of heauenly loue emonges the humaine kinde VVere good Chariton and Menalippe whose like vnneths we finde This Phalaris was a moste cruell Tyrant of the citie of Agrigentine in Scicilia who besides other instrumētes of newe deuised tormentes had a Bulle made of brasse by the arte and inuencion of one Perillus. Into whiche Bulle all suche as were condempned to death were put and by reason of extreme heate of fire made vnder the same those that were executed yelled forthe terrible soundes and noyses like to the lowyng of a Bulle For whiche ingine and deuise Perillus thinkyng to obteine greate reward was for his labour by commaundemente of the Tyrante throwen into the Bulle beyng the firste that shewed the proofe of his deuise Within a while after also Phalaris hymself for that his greate crueltie could bee susteined no longer was by a generall assault made vpon hym by the people haled into the same Bull and burned And although this Tyrant farre excelled in beastlie crueltie yet there appered some sparke of humanitie in him by his mercie extended vpon Chariton and Menalippus the twoo true louers before remembred the same Phalaris wrote many proper and shorte Epistles full of vertuous instructions and holsome admonicions Kyng Cyrus perswaded by Araspas to dispose hymself to loue a ladie called Panthea entreth into a pretie disputacion and talke of loue and beautie Afterwardes Araspas hymself falleth in loue with the saied Ladie but she indued with greate chastitie auoydeth his earnest loue And when her husband was slaine in the seruice of Cyrus she killed her self ¶ The .xj. Nouell BEfore the beginnyng of this historic I haue thought good by waie of a Proeme to introduce the wordes of an excellent writer called Lodouicus Caelius Rhodoginus Saincte Hierome saieth he that moste holy and eloquent father affirmeth that vertues are not to bee pondered by the sexe or kynde by whom thei be doen but by the minde Wherewith if euer any woman was affected truly it was the faire ladie Panthea wherin I would no man should blame me of vngodlines or indiscrecion for that I doe remēber a woman mencioned in profane aucthours beyng not mynded at this presente to make a viewe of Christe his secretes whiche are his diuine scriptures wherein bee conteined the
pitie mine own dere Antiochus dooeth deserue Who beyng constrained can none otherwise doe But to be silent in loue is a moste euident signe of a noble and rare vertue Dispose thy minde therefore to helpe my soonne For I assure thée that if thou dooe not loue the life of Antiochus Seleucus life muste needes bee hated of thee He can not bee hurte but I likewise must be hurted The wise Phisicion seyng that his aduise came to passe as he thought before and that Seleucus was so instant vpon hym for the healthe of his sonne the better to proue his minde and his intencion spake vnto hym in this wise It is a common saiyng my moste dradde soueraigne Lorde that a man when he is hole cā giue to hym that is sicke and weake verie good counsaile You perswade me to giue my welbeloued wife to another man and to forgo her whom I moste feruentlie doe loue and in lackyng her my life also must faile If you doe take from me my wife you take with her my life Doubtfull it is my lorde if Antiochus pour sonne were in loue with the Quene Stratonica your graces wife whether you would bée so liberall vnto hym of her as you would that I should bee of myne I would it were the pleasure of the Goddes sodainlie answered Seleucus that he were in loue with my best beloued Stratonica I sweare vnto thee by the reuerence that I haue alwaies borne to the honourable memorie of my father Antiochus and my graundfather Seleucus and I sweare by all the sacred Goddes that frelie and forthwith I would render my wife into his handes although she be the dearest beloued vnto me in suche wise as all the worlde should knowe what the duetie of a good and louyng father ought to bée to suche a sone as my intirely beloued Antiochus who if I bée not deceiued is moste worthie of all helpe and succour Alas this his greate vertue in concealing that notable passion as an earnest affection of loue is it not worthie to be consecrated to eternall memorie Is he not worthie of all helpe and comforte Dooeth he not deserue to be pitied and lamented of all the whole worlde Truly he is worsse then a cruell enemie naie he is rather more fierce and vnnaturall then a sauage beast that at suche moderate behauiour as my sonne vseth will not take compassion Many other woordes he spake manifestlie declaryng that he for the healthe of his soonne would not onelie sticke to bestowe his wife but also willinglie his life for his preseruacion Wherefore the Phisicion thought it not good any lōger to kepe secrete the thyng but tooke the king a side and saied vnto hym in this wise The healthe of your soonne my dere Lorde and soueraigne is not in my handes but the same resteth in you and in your wife Stratonica whom as I by certaine signes doe manifestlie knowe he ardētly doeth loue Your grace now doeth knowe from hencefor the what to doe if his life be dere vnto you And tellyng the kyng the maner of suche loue he ioyfully toke his leaue The kyng now doubted but of one thyng whiche was howe to perswade his sōne to take Stratonica to wife and how to exhorte his wife to take his sonne to husbande But it chaūced for diuerse causes that easelie inough he perswaded thē bothe And perchaunce Stratonica made a good exchaūge by takyng a yong man to forsake him that was old After Seleucus had made the accorde betwene his wife and his soonne he caused all his armie to assemble whiche was verie greate To whō he saed in this maner My dere and louyng souldious whiche sithe the death of Alexander the great haue with me achieued a thousande glorious enterprises I thincke it méete and conuenient that ye be partakers of that whiche I purpose to bryng to passe Ye do knowe that vnder myne Empire I haue .lxxij. kyngdomes that I beyng an old man am not able to attende so greate a charge wherfore louyng companions I purpose to deliuer and ridde you frō grief of idlenesse and my self frō trouble and toile reseruyng to me onelie so muche as lieth betwene the Sea and the riuer Euphrates All the rest of my dominions I giue to my soonne Antiochus vpon whom in mariage I haue bestowed my wife Stratonica whiche thing ought to contente you bicause my will and pleasure is suche And whē he had tolde them the loue sicknes of his sonne and the discrete deuise of the gentle Phisician in the presence of a his armie the mariage was celebrated betwene Stratonica Antiochus Afterwards he crouned thē bothe Kyng and Quene of Asia and with royall pompe and triumphe the desired mariage was consummate The armie hearyng and séeyng these thinges verie highlie cōmended the pietie of the father towardes his sonne Antiochus then continued with his welbeloued wife in ioye and quietnesse liuyng together in great felicitie This was not he that for matters of Aegipte did make warres with the Romanes But he that onelie inferred warres vpon the Galatians whiche out of Europa passed into Asia but of which countrie he chased them and ouercame thē Of this Antiochus came Seleucus whiche was father of Antiochus surnamed the greate that attēpted verie notable warres against the Romanes and not his greate graundfather that maried his mother in lawe Finallie this Seleucus of whom I recompte this historie by giuyng his wife to his sonne did accomplishe a miraculous acte and worthie in deede of sempiternall remēbraunce and greatlie to bee commended therefore who although he had achiued infinite victories ouer his enemies Yet there was none of them all so greate as the victorie of hym self and his passions For certainly Seleucus did vanquishe his owne appetites depriuyng hymself of his wife whom he loued and estemed aboue all thynges in the worlde Of the straūge beastlie nature of Timon of Athenes enemie to mankinde with his death buriall and Epitaphe ¶ The .xxviij. Nouell ALL the beastes of the worlde dooe applie themselfes to other beastes of their kinde Timon of Athenes onelie excepted of whose straūge nature Plutarche is astonied in the life of Marcus Antonius Plato and Aristophanes doe reporte his merueilous nature bicause he was a manne but by shape onelie in qualities he was the Capitall enemie of mankinde whiche he confessed francklie vtterlie to abhorre and hate He dwelte alone in a litle cabane in the fieldes not farre from Athenes separated from all neighbours and companie he neuer went to the citie or to any other habitable place excepte he were constrained He could not abide any mannes companie and conuersacion he was neuer seen to goe to any mannes house ne yet would suffer them to come to hym At the same tyme there was in Athenes an other of like qualitie called Apemantus of the verie same nature different from the naturall kinde of manne and lodged likewise in the middest of the fieldes On a daie thei twoo beyng alone together
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
aduentures Who seyng hymself to begin to ware olde was desirous being yet in Ireland to knowe if he could what was become of his childrē Wherefore perceiuyng that he was wholy altred frō his wanted forme and féelyng hymself more lustie through the long excercise and labour whiche he had susteined in seruice then he was in the idle tyme of his youthe he departed from his maister verie poore and in ill apparell with whom he had continued in seruice a longe tyme and came into Englande to that place where he had left Perotto and founde him to be Marshall of the countrie and sawe that he was in healthe lustie and a comely personage whiche reioysed hym merueilously but he would not make hymself be knowen to hym till he had séen what was become of his doughter Gianetta wherefore takyng his iourney he rested in no place till he came to London And there secretly inquiryng of the ladie with whom he had left his doughter of her state he learned that his doughter was her soonnes wife whereof he tooke excedyng greate pleasure And from that tyme forthe he compted his aduersities past as nothing sith he had founde his children liuyng and in suche greate honor And desirous to sée her began like a poore manne to harbour hymself harde by her house wherevpon a certain daie beyng séen of Giachetto Lamyens for that was the name of the husbāde of Gianetta hauing pitie vpō him bicause he sawe hym poore and olde commaunded one of his seruauntes to haue hym into the house and to giue hym meate for Goddes sake whiche the seruaunt willingly did accomplish Gianetta had many children by Giachetto of whiche the eldest was but eight yeres olde and thei were the fairest and beste fauoured children in the worlde who when thei sawe the Erle eate meate thei all came aboute hym and began to make muche of hym as thoughe by natures instruction thei had knowen him to be their Grandfather And he knowyng his nephewes began to shewe them tokens of loue and kindnesse By reason whereof the children would not goe from hym although their gouernour did call them awaie Wherefore the mother knowing the same came out of a chamber vnto the place where the Erle was threatened to beare them if thei would not doe as their maister hadde them The children began to crie and saied that thei would tary by that good manne that loued them better then their maister did whereat the Ladie and the Erle began to laugh The Erle not as a father but like a poore man rose vp to dooe honour to his doughter bicause she was a noble woman Conceiuyng merueilous ioye in his minde to see her but she knewe hym not at all neither at that instant nor after bicause he was so wonderfully transformed and chaunged from that forme he was wonte to bée of Like one that was olde and graie hedded hauyng a bearde leane and weather beaten resemblyng rather a common persone then an Erle And the Ladie seyng that the children would not departe from him but still cried when thei were fetched awaie willed the maister to lette them alone The children remainyng in this sorte with the honest poore manne the father of Giacchetto came in the meane time and vnderstoode this of their maister Wherefore he that cared not for Gianetta saied Lette them alone with a mischief to kéepe companie with beggers of whō thei came For of the mothers side thei bée but verlettes children and therefore it is no meruaile though thei loue their companie The Erle hearing those wordes was verie sorowfull notwithstādyng holdyng doune his hedde he suffred that iniurie as well as he hadde doen many other Giacchetto which knewe the mirth and ioye that the children made to the poore man although he was offended with those woordes neuerthelesse made as muche of the poore Erle as he did before And when he sawe him to wepe he commaunded that if he honest poore man would dwell there to doe some seruice he should bee reteined Who answered that he would carie there with a good will but he said that he could doe nothyng els but kepe horsse wherevnto he was accustomed all the daies of his life To whom a horsse was appoincted to kéepe and daily whē he had dressed his horsse he gaue hymself to plaie with the children Whiles that Fortune thus dealt accordyng to the maner aboue saied with the Erle of Angiers and his children it chaunced that the Frenche kyng after many truces made with the Almaignes died and in his place was crouned his sonne whose wife she was that caused the Erle to bee banished When the last truce with the Almaignes was expired the warres beganne to growe more sharpe for whose aide the kyng of Englande sente vnto hym as to his newe kinsman a greate number of people vnder the gouernemente of Perotto his Marshall and of Giacchetto Lamyens soonne of his other Marshall with whom the poore Erle wente and not knowen of any man remained a greate while in the Campe as a seruaunt where notwithstandyng like a valiaunt man with his aduise and déedes he accomplished notable thinges more then he was required It chaunced that in the time of the warres the Frenche Quene was verie sore sicke and perceiuyng her self at the poincte of death repented her of all her synnes and was confessed deuoutly to the Archebishop of Roane who of all men was reputed an holie and vertuous manne and amōges all her other sinnes she tolde him of the great wrong doen by her to the erle of Angiers and was not onely contented to reueale the same to hym alone but also rehearsed the whole matter before many other personages of greate honour desiryng them that thei would woorke so with the kyng that if the Erle were yet liuyng or any of his children thei might bée restored to their state againe Not longe after the Quene departed and was honourablie buried Whiche confession reported to the Kyng after certaine sorowfull sighes for the iniuries dooen to the valiaunte man he made Proclamacion throughout all the Campe and in many other places that who so euer could bryng forthe the Erle of Angiers or any of his childrē should for euery of them receiue a greate rewarde bicause he was innocent of that matter for whiche he was exiled by the onely confession of the Quene and that he entended to exalte hym to his former estate and more higher then euer he was Whiche thing the Erle hearyng beyng in the habite of a seruaunte knowyng it to be true by and by he wēt to Giacchetto and praied hym to repaire to Perotto that thei might come together bicause he would manifest vnto them the thyng whiche the kyng sent to seeke for And when thei were all thrée assembled together in a chāber the Erle saied to Perotto that now he thought to lette hym vnderstande what he was saiyng these wordes Perotto Giacchetto whom thou séest here hath espoused thy sister and neuer had yet any
surpassed her weakenesse and did set a bolde face on the matter with meruailous sloutnesse determinyng before she made any sute for her self no longer to liue seyng that her frende Guiscardo was alredie deade Wherefore not like a sorowfull woman or one taken in any fault but as a desperate persone with a drie and stoute countenaunce not troubled or vexed she saied thus to her father I doe not purpose deare father to stande in deniall nor yet by humble sute to make requeste For the one will nothyng auaile me the other is to none effecte Moreouer I doe not intende by any meanes to beseche your clemencie and loue towardes me to bée beneuolent and bountifull but cōfessyng the trouthe I will first with true reasons and argumentes defend myne houour and afterwardes prosecute in vertuous wise by effectes the stoutnesse of my courage True it is that I haue loued and dooe loue Guiscardo and will loue hym so long as I liue whiche shal be but a litle tyme. And if so be that a woman maie loue a man after death I will not cease to loue him But womāly frailtie and weakenesse hath not so muche induced me herevnto as the litle care you haue had to bestowe me in mariage and the greate vertues that daiely I haue seen in Guiscardo You ought deare father to knowe that your self is of fleshe and of fleshe you haue engendred me your doughter and not of Stone or Iron In likewise you ought and muste remember although now you be arriued to olde yeres what yonge folkes be and of what great power the law of youth is And although you were duryng the force of your youthlie daies trained and exercised in factes of armes yet now you ought to knowe what greate puissaunce resteth in the idle and delicate life aswell in the aged as emonges yonge people I am then as you bee begotten of fleshe and my yeres so fewe that I am yet but yonge and thereby full of luste and delight Wherevnto the knowledge which I haue had alredie in mariage forceth me to accōplishe that desire to the same be added merueilous forces againste whiche it is impossible for me to resist but rather to followe that wherevnto thei draw me I am become amourous like a yong womā and like a womā as I am and certainly I would haue imploied my whole force that waie so farre as I could not to commit any shame to you or to my self in that wherevnto my naturall offence hath forced me To whiche thyng pitifull Loue and gentle Fortune haue founde out and shewed a waie secrete enough whereby without knowledge of any man I am come to the effect of my desires whiche thyng I will no deny who so euer tolde you of it or by what meanes so euer you are come to the knowledge therof I haue not taken Guiscardo to be my louer by chaunce as many womē haue doen but I haue chosen hym by long aduise and deliberacion aboue all others haue brought him into me in this wise inioiyng with our wise continuaunce of long time the accomplishment of my desire wherof me thinke although I haue not offended but by Loue that you doe purpose to prosecute rather the vulgar opiniō then the truthe purposyng in this wise most bitterly to cōptroll me saiyng that you had not had suche an occasion of anger if I had chosen one that had béen a gentleman Wherein you doe not consider that the fault is not mine but rather to be ascribed to Fortune who ought to bee blamed bicause many tymes she exalteth the vnworthie and treadeth vnder foote those that be moste worthie but now let vs leaue of further talke of this matter and consider the beginnyng hereof Firste of all you see that of one masse of fleshe wée haue all receiued fleshe and that one Creatour hath created euery liuing creature with force and puissance equally and with equall vertue whiche vertue was the first occasion that made the difference and distinccion of vs all that were borne and bee borne equall and thei that obteined the greatest parte of vertue and did the workes of her were called noble the rest continuyng vnnoble And albeit contrary vse afterwardes obscured this Lawe yet therefore she is not remoued ne abandoned from Nature or good maners In like wise he that by vertue performeth all his dooynges doeth manifestlie shewe hymself to bee noble And he that doeth otherwise terme hym doeth committe the faulte and not he that is so called Beholde all your gentlemen and examine well their vertue their condicions and maner of doynges On the other parte beholde the qualities and condicions of Guiscardo then if you please to giue iudgement without affeccion you shall saie that he is right noble and that all your gentlemen bee villaines in respecte of hym The vertues and excellencie of whom I beleue can not be placed in any other wight as in him aswel by your owne report as by the choise of mine owne eyes Who euer praised man in suche wise and with suche ample commendacions praise worthie wherein an honest man ought to be praised as you haue doen him And truely not without cause For if mine eyes be not deceiued you neuer gaue hym any praise but that I haue knowen more in hym then your woordes were able to expresse Notwithstandyng if I haue been deceiued herein it was you by whom I haue béen deceiued will you then saie that I couple my self with a manne of base condicion Truelie you can not well saie so But if you will saie perchaunce with a poore man I confesse it And verely it is to your shame that you haue not vouchesaufed to place in high estate a manne so honest beyng your owne seruaunt Neuerthelesse pouertie doeth not depriue any part of nobilitie but riches hath Many kinges and greate Princes haue béen poore in olde tyme and many plough men and shepherdes in times paste haue been aduaūced to riche estate And the last doubte whiche troubleth you is that you bee doubtfull what to dooe with me caste boldlie out of your mynde that doubte and if you doe intende in thextremitie of your age to vse that whiche in your youth you neuer did I purpose to become cruel also Use your crueltie against me for the aduoidyng wherof I haue not determined to make any supplicacion to you as giltie of this fault if faultes maie bee rehearsed Assuryng you that if you dooe not vnto me that whiche you haue dooen or will dooe to Guiscardo myne owne handes shall dooe it Wherefore goe to and let fall your teares with women and if you purpose to be cruell kill him and lette me also drincke of the same Cuppe if you thinke wee haue deserued it The kyng hearyng the stoute wordes of his doughter thought not that she would haue doen in deede as her wordes pretended and as she saied she would dooe Wherefore departyng from her and not willyng to vse any maner of
made and instructed in his trumperie leauing the poore lorde with a hamer workyng in his hedde that he was like to run out of his wittes So greate is the furious force of the poison of Ialosie which ones hauyng dispersed the venime ouer the harte and intrailes of men the wiseste sort haue lost the due discrecion of their wittes In the mornyng aboute the hower that the amourous foole ignoraunte wherefore he wente in should issue out of his maistresse chamber the Stewarde rauished with inexplicable ioye and gladnesse like to the pleasure of hym that had attained the somme of his desires called his Lorde to see that heauie and dolorous sight The good gentleman perceiuyng the report to be true and thinking that she had vsed the foole to be her bedfelow was like to haue died for sorowe or els to haue torne in peces that vnhappie sotte innocente of the euill suspected by the Lorde who durst not so muche as thinke to dooe suche a wicked facte In the ende giuyng place to reason he caused the poore foole to be apprehended and put in the bottome of a dongeon and beyōde measure was offended with his wife for that he thoughte the simplicitie of the imprisoned wretch had not the face to demaunde the question and therefore did verely beleue that it was she that had induced him to doe the dede to satisfie her vnbrideled and filthie lust and therefore caused her to be shut vp within a darke and stinckyng prison not meanyng to sée her or to heare her speake for her iustification ne yet would suffer that any man should take vpon him to stande in her defence to bring witnesse of her innocencie For saied he replete with wrathe and anger I dooe better beleue that whiche I haue séene and knowen by myne owne presence then your woordes vaine reasons and complaintes of no good grounde and effect as founden vpon her that hath to muche forgotten herself and her duetie towardes me Moreouer vanquished with the Cholere not without cause truely of a husbande that thought hymself by her onely meanes deceiued and betraied sente worde to the poore captiue that she should then prouide for her soules healthe sithe he was determined the very same daie to make her plaie a Tragedie more cruell then that was pleasaunte whiche she had alredie doen with her beloued in extrudyng her to bee deuoured of his Lions whiche were the ministers for the execution of the Iustice ordeined againste her as though she had béen the moste lasciuious and detestable woman that euer the earth brought forthe The faser and innocente Ladie knowyng the humour and cholere of her housband and likewise seing contrarie to right order of all Iudgemente that she could not bée heard or suffred to make answer passed through the rigorous law of him that thought her to be an Adulteresse And could not tell what to doe but to lamēt her ill fortune gushing forth teares in suche abundaunce that the moste part of her attire were wett and bedewed with the same then fortestyng her self in the hope of the mercifull hande of almightie God the father of all consolacion who neuer forgetteth them whiche with intire faithe doe call vpon hym and appeale to the succour of the holie and precious name of his sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour she with compunction of harte and sincere deuocion suith ioyned handes and knées vpō the graund addressyng her eyes to the heauens praied in this wise Alas my God I dooe knowe and confesse that the multitude of my synues doe surpasse the sea sandes am not ignoraunt that this vnhappie tyme is chaunced vnto me for the punishemente of my forepassed offences Notwithstandyng Lorde accordyng to thy greate goodnesse haue no respecte vnto my demerites and wickednesse whereof my life is full but rather extende thy fauour and mercie vpon thy poore creature whose innocencie thou whiche art the searcher of mennes hartes doest well vnderstande and knowe I doe not desire prolongacion of my miserable life onely maie it please thée O God for thy goodnesse and instice sake to saue myne honoure and to graunte that my husbande maie se with what integritie I haue alwaies honoured the holy bande of Mariage by thée ordeined to thintent he maie liue from henceforthe quiet of this inspicion conceiued of me and that my parentes maie not sustein the blot of ignominie whiche wil make them blushe when thei shall beare reporte of my life past She beyng in these contemplacions and holie praiers preparyng her self to receiue death her husband caused her to be conueied into the Parke of Liōs whiche beyng straunge and terrible at the first sighte did merueillously affraie her but remembryng how innocente she was puttyng her hope in God she wente thither with suche constauncie and courage as if she had been ledde to some ioyous banquet and the people which neuer heard tell before of suche a kinde of death was assembled in greate multitude tariyng to sée the ende of that execucion and talkyng diuersly of that sodaine Iudgemente praied all with one voice for the preseruacion of their ladie of whose chastitie thei were alredie right well assured Nowe as thei attended for the time of execucion the Ladie was placed in the mid of the Parke not without teares and sighes of the Assistauntes who murmured at the remembrance of the horror of a sight so furious The innocent Ladie knéeled doune vpon her knées and bothe by gesture and merie countenaunce shewed how ioyfully she went to suffer that whiche she had neuer deserued Then recōmending her soule to God for whose saluaciō she stedfastly hoped she pronounced this praier a loude O my Lorde God whiche diddest ones deliuer Daniel from a daūger like to this whervnto the false accusaciō of the wicked haue wrongfully cast me hedlong And diddest discharge Susanna from the slander of the peruerse and adulterous Iudges pleaseth thée pitifully to beholde thy poore creature Pardon O Lorde forgiue I humblie beseche thee the simplicitie of my deare husbande who dealeth thus with me rather through the circumuencion of deceiptfull cauillyng slaunderers then by his owne malice and crueltie Receiue O my GOD and mercifull father Receiue my soule betwene thy besse handes whiche thou hast redemed by the bloodde sheddyng of thy soonne Iesus vpon the Tree of the Crosse. As she had ended these woordes she sawe the Lions come for the rampyng and bristleyng vp their heare stretchyng foorthe their pawes with roaryng voice cruelly lookyng rounde about them Of whom the Ladie thought to be the present praie But the goodnesse of God who is a iust Iudge and suffreth his own elect to be proued to the extremitie of purpose to make their glorie the greater and the ruine of the wicked more apparaunt manifested there an euident miracle For the Lions beyng cruell of nature and that tyme hungrie and gredie of praie in lieu of tearyng the Ladie in péeces to gorge their rauening paunche thei fill to lickyng and fawnyng
to vnderstād the trouth of his death as his father in Lawe his wife and other kinsmen I would in their presence if it please you to cause them to bee called hither declare that I knowe The magistrates amased to se so greate a lorde to cruelly slaine commited her to warde till after diner and commaūded that al the before named should be somoned to appere Who assembled in the pallace with suche a number of people as the Iudges could skante haue place Violenta in the presence of them all with out any rage or passion first of all recompsed vnto thē the chaste loue betwene Didaco and her which he cōtinued the space of fowertene or fiftene monethes without receiuyng any fruicte or comoditie thereof Within a while after he being vanguished with leue maried her secretly at her house and solempnized the neptialles by a Prieste vnknowen declaryng moreouer how thei hadde liued a yere together in housholde without any occasion of offence on her part giuen vnto hym Then she rehersed before them his second mariage with the doughter of suche a manne being there presente addying for conclusion that sithe he hadde made her to lose her honestie she had sought meanes to make hym to lose his life Whiche she executed with the helpe of Ianique her maide who by her aduise beyng lothe to liue any longer had drouned her self And after she had declared the true state of the matter passed betwene them she saied for conclusion that all that she had rehersed was not to incite or moue thē to pitie or compassion thereby to prolonge her life wherof she iudged her self vnworthie for if you qoud she doe suffer me to escape your handes thinkyng to saue my bodie you shal be the cause and whole ruine of my soule for with these myne owne handes whiche you see before you I will desperately cutte of the threde of my life And with those woordes she helde her peace whereat the people amased and moued with pitie let fall the luke warme teares from their dolorouse eyes and lamented the misfortune of that poore creature imputyng the faulte vpon the dedde knighte whiche vnder colour of mariage had deceiued her The magistrates determinyng further to deliberate vppon the whole matter caused the dedde bodie to be buried and committed Violenta againe to Warde taking awaie from her kniues and other weapons wherewith thei thought she might hurte her self And vsed suche diligent searche and inquirie that the Prieste whiche maried them was founde oat and the seruaunt of Didaco that was presente at the mariage of Violenta beyng examined deposed how by his maisters commaūdement he caried his horsse into the countrie and how he commaunded him to come to hym againe the next mornyng to the house of Violenta And all thynges were so well throught to light as nothyng wanted for further inuestigacion of the truth but onely the confession of hym that was dedde And Violenta by the common opinion of the Iudges was condepned to bée behedded not onely for that she had presumed to punishe the knightes tromperie and offence but for her excessiue crueltie doen vpon the dedde bodie Thus infortunate Violenta ended her life her mother and brethren beyng acquited And was executed in the presence of the Duke of Calabria the soone of kyng Federic of Aragon whiche was that tyme the Viceroy there and afterwardes died at Torry in Fraunce who incontinently after caused this historie to be registred with other thinges worthie of remembraunce chaunced in his tyme at Valencia Bandell doeth write that the maide Ianique was put to death with her maistres but Paludanus a Spaniard a liue at that time writeth an excellent historie in Latine wherein he certainly declareth that she was neuer apprehended whiche opinion as moste probable I haue folowed Wantones and pleasaunt life being guides of insolencie doeth bring a miserable ende to a faier Ladie of Thurin whom a noble mā aduannced to high estate as appereth by this historie wherein he executeth greate crueltie vpon his said Ladie taken in adulterie ¶ The .xliij. Nouell THE auncient and generall custome of the gentlemen and gentlewomen of Piedmonte was daiely to abandon famous cities and murmures of common wealthes for to withdrawe themselfes to their Castles in the countrie and other places of pleasure of purpose to begile the troublesome turmoiles of life with greateste reste and contentacion whiche troubles and griefes thei dooe féele that intermedle with businesse of common wealthe whiche was with greate care obserued before the warres had preposterated the order of auncient gouernement that muche a doe you should haue had to finde a gentleman idle in a citie Who rather did resort to their countrie houses with their families whiche were so well gouerned and furnished that you should haue departed so well satisfied and instructed from a simple gentle mannes house as you should haue dooen from a greate Citie were it neuer so well ruled by some wife and prudent Senatour But sithens the worlde began to waxe olde it is come againe to very infancie in suche sorte that greatest nomber of Cities are not peopled in these daies but with a many of idle gentlemen that make their resiance and abode there not to profite but to continewe their delicate life and thei doe corrupte not onely themselfes but whiche is worste thei infecte them that keepe them companie whiche I will discourse somewhat more at large for so muche as the gentlewoman of whom I will describe the historie was brought vp all the tyme of her youthe in one of the finest and moste delicate Cities of Piedmonte And féelyng as yet some sparke of her former bringing vp she could not be reformed beyng in the countrie with her husbande but that in the ende she fill into greate reproche and shame as you shall vnderstande by the content of this historie In the tyme that Madame Margaret of Austriche doughter of Maximilian the Emperour went in progresse into Sauoie towardes her husbande there was a greate Lorde a valiaunte and curteous gentleman in a certaine Countrie of Piedmonte whose name I will not disclose aswell for the reuerence of hisneresse kinne which doe yet liue as for the immoderatee ruell punishemente that he deuised towardes his wife when he toke her in the faulte This greate Lorde although he had goodlie reuenues and Castelles in Piedmonte yet for the moste parte of his tyme he followed the Courte by commaundemente of the Duke that interteined hym nexte his owne persone vsyng commonly his aduise in al his greatest affaires This lorde at that time maried a maidē in Thurin of meane beautie for his pleasure not estemyng the place from whence she came And bicause he was well nere fiftie yeres of age when he married her she attired her self with suche modestie that she was more like a widowe then a maried woman and knewe so well howe to vse her husband the space of a yere or twoo that he thought hymself the happiest manne a
lawes And besides that I shal not be alone amongst princesses that haue forsaken parents and countries to folow their loue into straunge Regions Faire Helena the Greke did not she abandon Menelaus her husband and the rych citie of Sparta to follow the faire Troian Alexander sayling to Troie Phedria and Ariadne despised the delicates of Creta lefte their Father a very olde man to go with the Cecropian Theseus None forced Medea the wise furious Lady but Loue to depart the Isle of Colchos her owne natiue country with the Argonaute Iason O good God who can resist the force of Loue to whome so many kinges so many Monarches so many wise men of all ages haue done their homage Surely the same is the only cause that compelleth me in making my self bold to forget my duety towards my parents and specially myne honor which I shall leaue to be reasoned vpon by the ignorant people that considereth nothing but that which is exteriourly offred to the view of the sight Ah how much I deceyue my selfe make a reckning of much without myne hoste And what knowe I if Alerane although he doe loue me wyll lose the good grace of the Emperour and forsake his goodes and so it may be to hazarde his life to take so pore and miserable a woman as I am Notwithstanding I will proue fortune death is the worst that can chaunce which I accelerate rather than my desire shall lose his effect Thus the faire and wise Princesse concluded her vnhappy state And all this time her best friend Alerane remayned in great affliction beyond measure and felte suche a feare as cannot be expressed with wordes only true louers know the force altogether like to that wherof the yong Prince had experience and durst not discouer hys euyll to her that was able to giue him her allegeance much lesse to disclose it to any deare friende of his into whose secrecie he was wont to commit the most part of his cares which was the cause that made him fele his harte to burne like a litle fier in the middes of a cleare riuer and sawe himself selfe ouerwhelmed within the waters hotter than those that be intermixed with sulphure do euaporat and send forth ardent smokes in an AEthna hill or Vesuue mountayne The Princesse impacient to endure so long could no longer kepe secrete the flames hydden within her without telling and vttering them to some whom her minde liked best and there to render them where she thought they toke their essense and being casting away all shame and feare which accustomably doth associat Ladies of hir estate and age One day she toke secretely asyde one that was her Gouernesse named Radegonde a Gentlewoman so vertuous wise and sober as any other that was in the Emperoures courte who for her approued manners and chaste life had the charge of the bringing vp and nourishing of Adelasia from her Infancie To this Gentlewoman then the amorous Princesse deliberated to communicate her secretes and to let her vnderstand her passion that she might finde some remedie And for that purpose they two retired alone within a closet the pore louer trembling like a leafe at the blast of the weasterne winde when the sunne beganne to spreade his beames syghing so strangely as if hir body and soule would haue departed sayde thus The trust which dayly I haue had in that naturall goodnesse which appeareth in you my mother and welbeloued Lady ioyned with discretion and fidelitie wherwith all your actes and affaires be recōmended do presently assure me and make me bolde in this my trouble to participate vnto you my secretes which be of greater importance without comparison than any that euer I tolde you persuading my selfe that the thing which I shall tell you whatsoeuer it be be it good or ill you will accepte it in suche wise as your wysedome requireth and to kepe it so close as the secrete of suche a Lady as I am doth deserue And that I may not holde you long in doubte what it is knowe ye that of late the valor prowesse beauty and curtesie of senior Alerane of Saxon hath founde suche place in my hearte that in despite of my selfe I am so in loue with him that my life is not deare vnto me but for his sake my hearte taketh no pleasure but in his glory and vertue hauing chosen him so vertuous a Prince for my friend and one day by Gods sufferaunce for my laweful spouse and husbande I haue assayed a thousand meanes so many wayes to cast him of to blot him out of my minde But alas vnhappy caytife Fortune is so frowarde and so vnmercyfull to my endeuour that the more I labour and goe about to extinguish in me the memorie of his name and commendable vertues so muche the more I do enlarge and augnient them the flames of which loue do take such increase that I do little or nothing estéeme my life without the enioying the effecte of my desire and the tast of such licor which nourishing my hope in pleasure may quench the fier that doth consume me Otherwise I sée no meanes possible but that I am constrayned eyther to lose my good wittes whereof already I felte some alienation or to ende my dayes with extreme anguishe and insupportable hearts sorrowe Alas I knowe well that I shal lose my time if I attempt to pray the Emperour my father to giue me Alerane to my husbande syth he doth already practise a mariage betwene the King of Hungarie and me And also that Alerane although he be a Prince of so noble bloud and so honorable house as the Saxon is yet is to base to be sonne in law to an Emperour In these my distresses it is of you alone of whome I loke for ayde I counsayle being certayne of your prudence and good iudgement and therfore I pray you to haue pity vpon me haue remorse vpon this immoderate passiō that doth torment me beyond measure Radegonde hearing Adelasia disclose this talke wherof she would neuer haue thought was so confounded and astoned that of long tyme she could not speake a word holding her hed downe reuoluing thousand diuers matters in her minde knew not wel what to answere the Princesse Finally gathering her spirits vnto her she answered her with teares in her eyes saying Alas Madame what is that you say Is it possible that the wisest vertuons and most courtcots Princesse of Europa could suffer her selfe in this sort through her onely aduise to be transported to her owne affections and sensual appetites Is it wel done that you seing in me a discretion and modestie doe not imitate the puritie therof be these the godly admonicions which heretofore I haue giuen you that you will so lightly defile your fathers house wyth the blot of infamie and your self with eternall reproche Would you Madame that vpon th ende of my yeares I should begin to betray my Lorde the Emperoure who hath committed to my
of my selfe that I can not tell whether to goe and withdrawe me but euen to him that craueth the same fredome whereof I my selfe do make requeste Alas my right welbeloued Alerane into what extremitie am I brought the verye great loue that I beare you forceth me to forget my duety and the lihneage wherof I come yea and mine honor which is more to be estemed thā all the rest But I repose in you such affiance that you will not deceiue so simple a Lady as I am vtterly voyd of guile deceyt Who if you be tormented liueth not without griefe and sorrowe altogether lyke vnto yours If you doe sigh I am wholly spent and consumed in teares Doe you desire reffe Alas I wishe and craue the same vnto vs both that be now sundred and deuided which cā not be aquired except they be vnited that were before wholly separated Radegonde interrupting their talke smylingly sayde And howe can this separation be vnited where the parties them selues doe liue in that disiunction You say true Madam sayd Alerane for the perfection of vnitie consisteth in the conioyning of that which is separated Wherfore Madame sayde he to Adelasia I humbly besech you aswell for your comfort as my rest not to suffer this diuision to be so long sith the outwarde bonde shall combine the same so inwardely that very death shall not be able hereafter to deface or deminishe the same If I may assure my self sayd she of your fidelitie it so may come to passe that I woulde giue you a very great liberty but hearing tel so many tymes of the inconstancy and fickle trust of men I will be contented with my first fault wythout adding anye further aggrauation to fasten and binde that which specially I esteme in my self Alas Madame sayde Alerane do you thinke that the prouf of my fidelitie may receiue greater perfection by enioying the pleasures of that I hope for than it doth alredy No no Madame therfore assure your selfe of my heart and stedfastnesse For soner shall my body fayle than default in me to serue and honor you if not according to the worthinesse of your estate yet by all meanes so farre as my power shal extend And can you finde in your hart to conceiue that your Alerane would play the traytor with her for whose seruice he feareth not to aduenture a thousād liues if god had giuē him so many Adelasia besprent al with teares was in an extasy or traūce Which Alerane perceuing and sawe that Radegonde was gone into the warderobe to suffer them to talke their fil he began to take possession of her mouthe redoubling kisse vpon kisse sometymes washed wyth teares sometyme dryed vp with frequent vse thereof leauing neyther eye nor cheke vnkissed and seing the pacience of his Ladye he seased vpon her white harde and round breastes whose pappes with sighes moued and remoued yelding a certayne desire for Alerane to passe further Which Adelasia perceyuing dissembling a swete anger and such a chafe as did rather accende the flames of the amorous Prince than wyth moyst licor extinguish the same and making him to gyue ouer his enterprise she fiercely sayde vnto him Howe nowe Sir Alerane how dare you thus malapertly abuse this my secrete friendship in suffering you to come so frankly into my chamber Thinke not that although I haue vsed you this familiarly that I can be able to suffer you to attempt any further For if God be fauourable to conserue me in my right wittes neuer man shall haue that aduauntage to gather the floure of my virginitie but he with whome I shal be ioyned in mariage Otherwise I shal be vnworthy both of my honorable state and also of that man whatsoeuer he be worthy of estimation and preferment So I thinke to Madame answered Alerane For if it would please you to doe me that honor to receiue me for your faithful and loyall espouse I sweare vnto you by him that séeth and heareth al things that neuer any other shall be maystresse of Aleranes hart but the faire princesse Adelasia She that asked no better thing after much talke betwene them in the ende condescended that Alerane shoulde giue his fayth to marrie her and to conuey her out of the courte till the Emperoure were appeased for their fault committed Thus had the Saxon Prince the full possession of his desires and caried away the pray so long time sought for Radegonde was she that receyued the othes of their espousalles and capitulated the articles of their secrete mariage And after the determination made of their flying away and a day therevnto appoynted the two Louers entred the campe to make proufe by combate of their hardinesse and assaye of their trauaile in time to come wherein they thought for euer to perseuere continue Being a bedde then together they did consūmate the band that straightly doth binde the hearts of louers together intiring the vnion diuided which before they thought imperfect and could not be accomplished but by inwarde affections of the minde And God knoweth how this new maried couple vsed their mutual contentation But sure it is that they continued together vntil the morning had vncouered from the night her darknes euen to the poynt of day that Alerane was somoned by Radegonde to depart who to conclude his former ioy very louingly kissed his new wife and sayde vnto her Madame the felicitie that I fele now by enioying that which vniteth me so nerely vnto you which is indissoluble and neuer hereafter to be brokē semeth so great that no perill whatsoeuer doth happen can make me forget the least part of my ioy So it is that seing the state of our present affaires and fearing the daunger that may chaunce I wil for this time take my leaue of you and goe about to put the same in order that no negligence may flacke your ioye and desired pleasure Ah sir sayde she that my heart forethinketh both the best and worste of our intended enterprise But to the intente we may proue our fortune by whose conduction we must passe I do submit my selfe to the wisdome of your minde and to the good successe that hetherto hath accōpained al your indeuours And then they kissed and embraced againe drinking vp one anothers teares which distilled from them in such abundance Thus Alerane departed frō his Ladies chamber went home to his owne house where he solde all his goodes at small price making men to vnderstand that he would employ the money otherwise in things wherof he hoped to recouer greater gaine With that money he bought precious stones and pretie Iewels that he might not be burdened with cariage of to much gold or other money and thē he put his males and bougets in readinesse to go with his wife in the habite and apparel of pilgrimes faire and softely a foote that they might not be discouered Which was done in the night The Princesse faining her selfe to be sicke made her maydes
great amitie that he beareth me that if I did but fauorably behold him fyue or sixe times with plesaunt lokes adding thervnto a few kisses he would hazard a thousand lyues for my sake if he had them to content me And forasmuch as I know him to be a diligent man learned and of great reputation and one that may stande vs to great steade in this businesse I thought good not to cōceale or kepe from your knowledge my aduise herein The Duchesse vnderstanding all this pretie discourse so apte for her affections rauished with great ioy embraced hard Emilia and sayd vnto her Emilia my deare friende if thou diddest know in what wise I doe esteme thée and what I meane in tyme to come to bestow vpon thée I am wel assured albeit thou hast hitherto sufficiently shewed thy good will yet thou wilt hereafter doe me great pleasure promising thée by the fayth of a Princesse that if our enterprise doe wel succéede I wil not vse thée as a seruant but as my kinswoman and the best beloued friend I haue For I hold my self so satisfied wyth that thou hast sayd vnto me that if Fortune be on our side I sée no maner of impediment that may let our enterprise Goe thy way entertaine thy Phisitian as thou thinkest best for it is very expedient that he be a party and for the rest let me alone For neuer was ther any Lazar that better could dissemble his impotency thā I know howe to counterfayt to be sicke The Duchesse being departed from Emilia began to plaine her selfe bitterly fayning sometime to fele a certayne payne in her stomacke sometyme to haue a disease in her head in such sort that after diuers womanly playntes propre to those that fele themselues sicke she was in the ende constrayned to lay her selfe downe and knewe so wel how to dissemble her sickenesse that after she had certaine dayes kept her bed there was much doubt of her health And during this time Emilia had layed so many amorous baytes to féede her Phisitian that he which knewe very wel the most happy remedies for the body coulde not nowe finde any to heale the malady of his owne minde Emilia hauing noseled Maister Appian with amorous toyes began to make him vnderstand the originall of the Duchesse sickenesse the effectes of her passion the order that she had vsed during the furious course of the same Adding thervnto for conclusion that if he would kéepe the matter secrete and ayde them with his counsell she would by and by promise him mariage by wordes for the present tyme and that from thence forth she would neuer denie him any fauour or priuitie That onely reserued which no man can honestly demaund til the mariage be solempnized in the face of the Church In witnesse wherof she kissed him with great affection The Physitian more eased there withall than if he had sene his Hippocrates or Galen raysed agayne fro death promised rather to lose his life thā she should want his help And for the better beginning of this enterprise they went presently to visite the Duchesse In whom they found her pulse so to beate the tongue so charged the stomake so weakned by a continual suffocation of the matrice that the pacient was in very great perill of death Whervnto euery man did easly giue credite for the reputation and great experience of the Phisician And master Appian hauing cōmaunded al the chābre to be voyded made the Duchesse to vnderstand in few words how it behoued her to gouerne her self And the better to cloke her cause he brought her at that instant a little perfume by receyuing the sauour wherof she shoulde often tymes fall into certayne lyttle Soundings and by often vsing the perfume it would eate away her colour for a time that it shoulde séeme as though she had not gone out of her bed in half a yeare Neuerthelesse it should doe her no other displeasure that in thrée or foure dayes with certayne other drugges he would restore her colour as liuely as it was before Which the Duchesse lyked best of any thing in the world And they thre togither played their parts so wel the the common brute throughout at the citie was that the Duchesse would dye The Duke being aduertised of these things caused al the Phisitians of Thurin to assemble to prouide for the health of the Duchesse Who being come togither with the Duke into her bedchāber a little after she had receyued Master Appians perfumes and seing her to sowne diuers times before them were in great dispayre of her health And after they had somwhat debated the matter with Master Appian not knowing whervpon to resolue they sayd vnto the Duke that it behoued him to prouide for her soule for that they saw in her the ordinarie tokens and messangers of death The poore Duke being sorrowfull beyonde measure for that he loued the Duchesse entierlie sent for the Suffragane of the Byshop of Thurin a mā of very holy life to thintent he might giue her good councel To whom she confessed her selfe with a voyce so féeble that it séemed to be more than halfe dead Her talk was not long but yet she made him beleue that nature failed her and that by little and little she drewe towardes her ende Desiring him to haue her in remēbraunce and her poore soule in his orisons and prayers The Suffragane being gone the Duke and others with a great number of Gentlemen and Ladies went into the chambre But she began then to enter into so greate rauing that euerye bodye was afeard of her And after that she had tossed her self in her bed lyke a senselesse creature her speache fayled her Wherat those present striken with no small wonder thinking the soule would strayght wayes haue departed the body some of them cryed vpon her Madame remember Iesus some other sainct Barbara But wylie Emilia more priuy of her counsel than the rest taking her tenderly by the arme cried vpon her with a loud voice Madame call vpō sainct Iames who hath so often succoured you in your aduersities And with that the Duchesse awaked as it were out of a heauy sléepe and rowling her eyes to and fro wyth a straunge trembling of al her members began to pronounce with an interrupted voyce O glorious Apostle in whome from my tender youth I haue euer had my stedfast trust and hope be now mine intercessor in this cruell assault of death to Iesus Christ. And I make a vowe nowe to thée that if I may recouer my health I will my selfe in person goe honour thy sacred body in the proper place where it reposeth And hauing ended her fayned Prayer she coūterfayted a sléepe and so continued the space of .ij. or .iii. houres which caused all the companye to withdrawe themselues except the poore Duke who would not depart from her vntill she waked and in the meane time ceassed not to pray to God for the health of his loyall
her by the arme conducted her vnto his castell deuising of pleasaunt matters And he was greatly astonned to sée so rare a beautie as appeared in the Princesse Which neyther the wearinesse of the way nor the parching beames of the Sunne could in any wise so appaire but that there rested ynough to draw vnto her the very hartes of the moste colde and frosen men of the worlde And albeit the Lorde of Mendozza tooke great pleasure and admiration in beholding her yet was it nothing in respect of the Duchesse who after she had aduised and well marked the beautie excellency and other giftes of grace in the Lorde of Mendozza she confessed that all that which she had hearde of his sister was but a dreame in comparison of the proufe which discouered it selfe vpon the first viewe Seming vnto her by good iudgemēt that all the beauties of the worlde were but paintings in respect of the perfection of that which she saw with her eyes Wherin she was not deceyued albeit that her feruent loue might haue bewitched her senses For all the Histories in Latine Spanishe Italien the which make mention of Mendozza giue vnto him the first place in beautie of all the Princes and Lordes that were in his time The poore Duchesse after she had manifested by outwarde gestures and countenances to the Lord of Mendozza that which was in the inwarde part of her heart without receiuing the full satisfaction of his sight which she desired determined hauing soiourned thrée dayes in his Castle to depart the nexte morning vnwares to the Knight to perfourme her voyage And so soone as the light of the daye began to appeare she went to the chamber of the Lady Isabell whome she thanked affectuously aswell for her good company as for the great courtesie and humanitie that she had receiued in her house And hauing taken leaue of her departed with her trayne The Knight Mendozza about an houre or two after her departure aduertised therof was greatly troubled what the matter might be that she was gone without taking leaue of him And after that he had a little thought therevpon he easily perceyued that all the fault therof was in himself And that this great Princesse had abandoned her countrie of purpose by all iudgement to visite him and that he had shewed himselfe very slack for her satisfaction in that he had not offred her his seruice Whereat being iustly greued she did not vouchsafe to giue him a farewell And so accusing himselfe he determined to follow after her accōpanied only with two Pages And for that he was on horseback it was not long before he espied her in the high way to S. Iames where lighting frō his horse he walked two miles wyth her seasoning the matter without intermission desiring her amongs other things to let him vnderstand what displeasure she had conceiued in his house that caused so spedy and secret a departure adding thervnto that if her pleasure were he would accompanie her to the place whither she was vowed and would also reconduct her in his owne person to Thurin in so honorable sorte that she should haue cause to be contented Then passing further with sighes sayde vnto her Madame Fortune had done me a great benefite if when my sister made her vowe to goe to Rome I had lost the battaile against myne enemies and that her vowe had bene without effect For it might haue bene that I should haue remained quiet by the losse of some of my people But alas I fele nowe since your comming into this countrie a battaile so cruell and assault so furious in my heart as not being able any longer to resist it I finde my selfe vanquished and caught captiue in suche sorte that I knowe not to whome to complayne but to you which is the motion of all my disquietnesse And yet which grieueth me most you dissemble as though you did not vnderstand it And to bring me to my last ende you are departed this day out of my house not dayning to sée me or to appease me with one farewell which hath so further inflamed my passion that I dye a thousande times in a day Beseching you for the time to come to entreat me more fauorably or you shal sée me in that state wherein you woulde be loth to sée your enemy Which is most cruell death And in dede he shewed sufficiently how great the grief was that prest him how well the passion that he felt was agreable to the wordes which he spake For in pronouncing his wordes he sighed so in hys tale and changed his colour so often and had his face so besprent with teares that it semed his soule attached with superfluous sorrowe would at that very instant haue abondoned his body Which the Princesse perceyuing touching at the quick the very spring of al his euill sayde vnto him Seigniour Mendozza I know not what you woulde that I shoulde doe more for you nor for what occasion you doe pretend that I should be the cause of your death For if the occasion thereof should happen through my default my lyfe by strength or abilitie coulde not endure one houre after for the sorow I should conceyue therof Think me to be yours and be not offended I besech you if openly I doe no longer talk with you For I would not to wynne al the goods in the world that any of this traine which doth accompanie me should perceyue any one sparke of the great kindled fier wherin my hart burneth day and night for your sake being assured that if you had felt one houre of my paine in place to accuse me of cruelty your self cōplayning would pitie the griefe which I haue sustayned for your long absence For without the continuall presence of your person representing it selfe in the eyes of myne vnderstanding with a firme hope once to haue séene you it had bene impossible for me to resist the long and hard assault where with loue hath euery houre assailed me But one thing I must nedes confesse vnto you that by reasō of the cold welcome which you made me in the beginning I thought it procéeded of some euill opinion conceyued of me or peraduenture that you had thought me ouer liberall of myne honour to haue lefte the countrie where I commaunde to render my selfe subiect to your good grace which caused me without leaue to depart your house But nowe that I do know by your countenance and teares the contrarie I acknowledge my faulte and desire you to forget it With full promise that at my retorne frō my voyage of S. Iames I wil make you amendes in the very same place where I cōmitted the fault And remayning your prisoner for a certayne time I will not depart from you vntill I haue satisfied by sufficient penaunce the greatnesse of my trespas In the meane tyme you shall content your selfe with my good will and without passing any further retorne againe home to your Castle for feare least
passion and that he coulde not long prolong his lyfe without the fauoure of her good grace who onely was the very remedy of his euill The Duchesse pestred with suche like talke sayde vnto him Sir Countie me think you ought to haue satisfied your self with my first refusall wythout further continuance in the pursuing of your rash enterprise Haue you forgotten the place that you kepe and the honor whervnto my Lorde the Duke my husband hath exalted you Is this now the loyall reward that you rendre vnto him for creating you his Lieutenant ouer all his landes and seigniories to demaunde the preheminence of his bed Assure your selfe for finall warning that if euer hereafter you shal againe fal into lyke error I sweare vnto you by the fayth of a Princesse that I will make you to be chastised in suche sorte as all semblable Traytors and disloyall seruaunts shall take example The Earle seing him selfe refused and thus rebuked and in doubt that the Princesse would make her husband to vnderstand his enterprise vpon his retourne chaunging this great loue into an hate more than mortall determined whatsoeuer should come thereof to inuent all meanes possible vtterly to destroy the Duchesse And after that he had fansied diners things in his minde he deuised by the instinct of the diuell to cause one of his Nephewes being of the age onely of xviij or .xx. yeares which was his heire apparant for that he had no children one of the fayrest and best condicioned Gentlemen of all Thurin to sort that deuilish attempt to purpose m And finding opportunity one day he sayde to the yong man that depended wholly vpon him these wordes Nephewe thou knowest that all the hope thou hast in this worlde lyeth in me alone making accompt of thée as of my childe And for that it pleased God to giue me no children I haue constituted and ordeined thée my sole and onely heire with ful hope that from henceforth thou wilt accompt thy self most bounde vnto me and therefore obedient in all thinges which I shall commaunde thée specially in that which may be moste for thine aduauncement The Duke as thou knowest is absent old and croked and at al houres in the mercy of death through daungers of the warres Nowe if he should chaunce to dye my desire is to mary thée with some great Lady Yea and if it were possible with the Duchesse her selfe which God knoweth what profit it would bring both to thée and thine in my iudgement an easie matter to compasse yf thou wilt despose thy self after my counsell or at least wyse if thou canst not come to the title of husband thou mayst not fayle to be receiued as her friend Thou art a comely Gentleman in good fauor with the Duchesse as I haue oftentimes perceyued by her communication albeit that holding fast the bridle of her honor she hath bene afrayd hitherto to open her selfe vnto thée Spare not my goods make thy selfe braue from henceforth whatsoeuer it cost and be diligent to please her in al that thou mayst and time shall make thée know that which thy tender yeares hath hitherto hidden from thée The poore yong man giuing sayth to the vnfaythfull inuentions of his vncle whom he counted as his Father began ofte to frequent the presence of the Duchesse and shamefastlye to solicite her by lookes and other offices of humanitie as nature had taught him continuing that order by the space of a moneth Which perceyued by the Duchesse she was diligent for her part to accept the honest affectionate seruice that the yong man daylie did vnto her and shewed vnto him likewise a certaine courteous fauor alwayes more than to the reste of the Pages aswell for the birthe and beautie where withall nature had enriched him as for that she fawe him enclined to doe her seruice more than the rest not thinking of anye dishonest appetite in the yong man nor of the malice of his vncle who hauing none other felicitie in the world but in reuenge of the Duchesse his enimie not able to beare the cruel vengeaunce rooted in his heart determined to play double or quitte And calling hys Nephewe before him he sayde vnto him My childe I doe perceiue and sée that thou art one of the most happiest gentlemen of all Europe if thou knewest how to followe thine owne good luck For the Duchesse not onely is amorous of thée but also consumeth for earnest loue which she beareth to thée But as thou knowest women be shamefast and would be sued vnto in secrete and doe delight to be deceyued of men to th ende it might séeme howe with deceit or force they were constrayned to graunt that vnto them which of their owne mindes they woulde willingly offer were it not for a little shame fastnesse that withdraweth thē And thereof assure thy selfe for I haue oftentimes experimented the same to my great contentaciō Wherfore cre dit my Councell and folow mine aduise And thou thy self shalt confesse vnto me before to morrow at this time that thou arte the happyest man of the worlde I will then that this night when thou séest conuenient time thou shalt conuey thy selfe secretely into the chamber of the Duchesse and to hide thy selfe a good way vnder the bedde for feare of being perceyued by any creature where thou shalt remaine vntill an houre after midnight when all men be in the depth of their sléepe And when thou perceiuest euery man at rest thou shalt closely rise and approching the Duchesse bedde thou shalt tell what thou arte and I am sure for the earnest loue which she beareth thée and for the long absence of her husbande she will courteously receyue thée betwene her armes feast thée with such delicate pleasures as amorous folke doe their louers The simple yong man giuing fayth to the wordes of his vncle that was honored as a King thinking perhaps that it procéeded by the persuasion of the Duchesse followed his commaundement and obeyed wholly his trayterous and abhominable request And oportunitie founde accomplished from point to point that which his cruell vncle had commaunded who a little before midnight fearing least his treason should be discouered tooke with him thrée Counsellors and certayne other of the Guarde of the Castle Whervnto as Lieutenant to the Duke he might both enter issue forth at all times when he lift and without declaring hys enterprise went straight to the portal of the Duchesse chambre knocking at the dore sayd that the Duke was come Which being opened he entred in with a number of lightes accompanied with the Guarde hauing a rapier ready drawen in his hande like a furious man besides himselfe began to loke round about and vnder the bed of the Duchesse from whence he caused his owne propre Nephewe to be drawen To whom without giuing him leasure to speake one word for feare lest his mischief should be discouered he sayd O detestable villaine thou shalt dye and there
the Duchesse made into Spaine he sawe him euer more nere her than any other of her gentlemen And after that the Lorde of Mendozza had demaunded of him by what meanes he entred the towne Upon his aunswere he perceyued that he was a man of good experience and well affected to the seruice of his Maistresse that durst hazard his lyfe in such wise to obey her desire Incontinently Maister Appian deliuered vnto him the Duchesse letter Which when he had readde he retired into his chambre with Maister Appian hauing his face all bedewed with teares And bycause that the letter did importe credite he prayed Maister Appian to declare his charge Who sayde vnto him My Lady the Duchesse which is at this day the most afflicted Princesse vnder the coape of Heauen commendeth her selfe vnto your honour and doth humbly beseche you not to be offended for that at her last being in Galisia she departed without accomplishing her promise made vnto you Praying you to impute the fault vpon the importunitie of the Duke her husband Whō being constrayned to obey she could not satisfie the good will that she bare vnto you Then he began to declare in order howe the Earle of Pancalier was enamoured of her and not being able to obtaine his desire caused his Nephewe to hide him vnder her bed and how he had slaine him with his owne handes Finally the imprisonment of the Duchesse and the iudgement giuen against her Whereof the Lorde of Mendozza was greatly astonned And when he had heard the whole dyscourse he began to conceyue some euill opinion of the Duchesse Thinking it to be incredible that the Earle of Pancalier woulde so forget himselfe as to murder his owne propre Nephew and adopted sonne to be reuenged of a selie woman Neuerthelesse he dissembled that which he thought in the presence of Maister Appian and sayde vnto him Appian my friende if mine aduerse Fortune did not speake sufficiently for me I could tell thée here a long tale of my miseries But the séest into what extremitie I am presently reduced in sort that I am vtterly vnable to succor thy maistresse I my self still attending the houre of death And all that which presētly I am able to doe for thée is to set thée at libertie from the perill prepared for vs. And without longer talke he caused a hote skirmish to be giuē to his enemies to set Appian at large who being issued forth made certayne of his men to conduct him to place of suretie Appian seing no way for Mendozza to abandon his city for peril of death prepared for him and his thought his excuse reasonable And to attempt some other Fortune he vsed suche diligence that he in short time was retourned to Thurin where hauing cōmunicated the whole matter to Emilia she went strayght to the Duchesse to whome she sayde Madame God giue you the grace to be so constant in your aduersities as you haue occasion to be miscontented with the heauie newes that Appian hath brought you And then she began to recount vnto her the mysfortune of Mendozza the thraldome wherevnto his enemies had brought him and for conclusion that there was no hope of helpe to be expected at his handes Which when the Duchesse vnderstoode she cryed out Oh poore vnhappy woman amongst all the moste desolate and sorrowfull Thou mayst well now say that the light of thy life from henceforth beginneth to extinguish and growe to an ende séeing the succour of him vpon whome depended thine assuraunce is denyed thée Ah ingrate Knight Now knowe I right well but it is to late that of the extreme loue that I haue borne thée sprong the first roote of all mine euill which came not by any accident of Fortune but from celestiall dispensacion and diuine prouidence of my God Who nowe doth permit that mine Hipocrisie and counterfayt deuotion shall receyue condigne chastisement for my sinne And then Emilia seing her so confounded in teares sayde vnto her Madame it doth euill become a great and wise Princesse as you hitherto haue euer bene reputed for to torment her selfe sith that you know howe all the afflictions which we receiue from heauē be but proues of our fidelitie or as your selfe confesseth by your complayntes to be iust punishment for our sinnes Nowe then be it the one or the other you ought to fortifie your self against the hard assault of your sorrow And to remitte the whole to the mercy of God who of his aboundant grace will deliuer you of your trouble as he hath done manye others who when they thought themselues forsaken of al help and caused certayne drops of his pitie to raine downe vpon them Alas deare heart quod the Duchesse how easie a matter it is for one that is hole to comfort her that is sick But if thou feltest my griefe thou wouldest helpe me to complaine So grieuous a matter it is vnto mée with lyfe to lose myne honour And I muste confesse vnto thée that I sustayne a very cruell assault both against death and lyfe and I cannot eyther with the one or with the other haue peace or truce in my selfe Ne yet doe knowe howe to dissemble my sorrow but that in the ende the same wil be discouered by the fumes of mine ardent sighes which thinking to constrayne or retaine I doe nothing else but burie my selfe wtin mine owne body Assuring thée that greater is one drop of bloud that swelleth the heart within than all the teares that may be wept in the whole life without Wherfore I pray thée leaue me a litle to complaine my dolor before I goe to the place from whence I shal neuer retorne Emilia that willingly would haue sacrificed her selfe to redeme the Princesse from perill not being able any longer to endure the harde attempte where with pitie constrayned her heart was forced to goe forth and to withdraw her self into another chamber where she began to lamēt after so straunge manner that it semed it had bene she that was destened to death Whiles that these Ladies cōtinued thus in their sorowes the Knight Mendozza take no rest by day or night ne ceassed continually to think vpon the misfortune of the Duchesse And after that he had well considered the same he accused himself for fayling her at that her gret néede saying Now do I wel know that I am for euer hereafter vtterly vnworthy to beare armes or to haue the honorable title of a Knight sith the same order was giuen vnto me with charge to succour afflicted persons specially Ladyes whose force onely consisteth in teares And yet neuerthelesse I like a caitise haue so shamefully neglected my duety towardes the chiefe person of the worlde to whome I am greatly bounden that I dye a thousand times that day wherin I thinke vpon the same It behoveth me then from henceforth to establish new lawes to my deliberation and that I breake the gate of myne auncient rigor louing much better to die in honor pore
onely benefit confesse my selfe this day to be eternally bound vnto her Madame quod the Knight I pray you let vs not renewe the memorie of our former griefes wherin if by any meane I haue done you good I was but the organe or instrumente thereof For God who is the righter of all wrong did neuer suffer iustice without his due vengeance howe long so euer he taried So you not being in any wise culpable if I had neuer enterprised the combate whervnto I was bound Our lord God wold haue raised some other to achieue the same Wel then my Lord q the Duchesse sithens it pleaseth you not that I renewe my dolors paste which haue taken ende by your meane I shall humbly beseche you to excuse me if this day I haue not giuen you that honour and good entertainment which you deserued Assuring you that before you shall departe this countrie I will make you amendes according vnto your owne discretion Madame quod the Knight for all the wronges that euer you did vnto mée if they may be called wronges the curtesie fauor and gentlenesse which already I haue receyued doth at one instant acquite and recompence Neuerlesse if it may please you to receyue me for your seconde husbande sith it hath pleased God to call your first out of this lyfe into another that is and shall be the fulnesse of all the felicitie that I loke for in this worlde My Lorde Mendozza sayde the Duchesse the recompence which you demaunde of me is very little in respect of the amendes and satisfaction which I ought to make you But of one thing I can well assure you that if I had the whole worlde at my commaundement and that I were the best Princesse of the earth in al kinde of beauties and gifts of grace I would willingly submit my selfe vnto you in consideration of your worthynesse benefits bestowed vpon me with so willing a mind as presently I do yeld vnto your request And I must néedes confesse that I am now gretly boūd to Fortune that hath deliuered me into your hands from whome I hope neuer to be seuered so long as my soule shall rest within my body being predestinated as I beleue to no other end but to serue and obey you And as they thought to make a longer discourse of their talk Emilia told them that the King was in counsel and that the other Lords of Spaine attended his cōming Who with his cōpany being come before the king hauing done their reuerence vnto him he began to declare his charge and how they were of purpose sente to his maiestie in the behalf of the King of Spaine to demauud the Lady his daughter in mariage for his sonne the prince of Spaine Which he had chosen aswell to haue his alliaunce a matter by him onely desired as for the beautie good grace for the which she was speciallye recommended And if so be he had willed to haue chosen hys matche elsewhere that there was not at that day any Prince in all Europa that woulde not willingly haue accorded vnto him To whome the king aunswered My friendes I féele my selfe so much honored for that it hath pleased the King to sende vnto me as if he had not preuented me I had thought to haue sent vnto him for the same purpose And albeit that herein he hath vanquished me in ciuilitie and courtesie yet I wil not fayle if I can to surmount him in amitie For he hath bounde me during lyfe in such wyse that he and my Lord his sonne may boldly vaunte thēselues to haue a King of Englande and a realme frō henceforth at their commaundement The mariage concluded the Duchesse diligently made sute to talke with the king alone to communicate vnto him the agrement betwene the Lorde of Mendozza and her And perceiuing that the king was gone into his chambre she went vnto him and being alone with him hauing her face all bedewed with teares knéeling she sayd vnto him My Lord when I consider my miseries past and the cruell assaultes that I haue receiued of Fortune being not onely cōmitted to the mercy of a most cruell prison but which is more at the very laste point of a shamefull death I am so afflicted that the onely remembraunce of those miseries terrifieth me and causeth a certaine extreme bitternesse to rise in my heart And when on the other side I thinke of the great goodnesse that almightie God hath shewed vnto me by stretching forth his mightie hande to deliuer me oute of that perill chiefly to make me tryumphe ouer the death of mine enimie I féele such comfort of minde that all the delightes of the worlde be but griefes in respect of the ioye pleasure and contentacion that I receiue Wherin nothing offendeth me so much as hitherto that I haue not acknowledged the benifit receiued of him who was elected of God to be my deliuerer neuerthelesse sir by your onely worde you may both satisfie him and content me yea and as it were prolong the dayes of my lyfe The King who loued his sister no lesse than his daughter seing her pitifull complaynt and teares and to speake with such affection tooke her vp and holding her by the arme sayd vnto her Deare sister and friende if I haue not to this present satisfyed him that was the cause of your deliueraunce I can not be accused of ingratitude for that hitherto I haue not knowen him ne yet your self doth knowe what he is as you haue oftentimes tolde me But of one thing you maye be assured and I sweare vnto you at this present by my Scepter that so sone as I shall vnderstande what he is I will vse him in such wyse as he shal thinke himselfe satisfyed and contented though it did cost me the one halfe of my kingdome For the pleasure which he hath done vnto you byndeth not you alone but me also to be partaker of that bande both our honours being iointly bounde therevnto Alas my Lorde sayde the Duchesse it is the knight Mendozza chief of this Ambassade to whom if it please you to giue your cōsent that we two might marrie all auncient bandes and debtes shall remayne extinct and so by a small rewarde you shall restore life to two persons almost dead for the excessiue loue which one beareth to the other And therwithall she began to declare to the King thoriginall and processe of the whole discourse First the voyage of the sister of Mendozza into Piemont her owne peregrination to S. Iames the honest amitie betwene her Mendozza the message of maister Appian to Mendozza his refusall of that request his retorne after to Thurin her confession the Diamonde knowen agayne finally how al the whole had passed betwene them the counterfayte deuotion to Sainct Iames onely reserued which for her honours sake she would not tell him The king vnderstāding this straunge discourse was so rapt with ioye and appalled with gladnesse that he coulde not for a
gentlewomans bedde and began to imbrace kisse her The mayden when she felte him sodaynelie dipped her finger in the colour stayned his face not perceyued of him when he had accomplished the thing he came for he retourned to his bedde And then began to imagine vpon the Dukes wordes and for what policie he spake them And lying a litle while stil musing vpon the same he went againe to the gētlewomans bed hauing disposed himselfe in the pleasures of this paradise lambe He perceyued her when she dipped her finger in the sawcer rubbed his face Ricciardo marking the fame toke away the sawcer from the beddes head and rounde about bestowed the colour vpon the faces of euery of his felowes who were to fast a slepe that they did not fele him Some he marked with two spottes some with six and some with .x. himself he painted but with foure besides those wherwith already he was berayed by the Gentlewoman Which done he set the saucer agayne vpon the beds head when he had bidden her farewel fayre softly he returned againe to his bed In the morning betimes the Damosels of the chāber came in to helpe the Lady to make her ready which done they waited vpō her to the Duke who asked her howe the matter stode She aunswered well for she had done his cōmaundement And tolde him how one came vnto her three times euery time she gaue him a taint in his face The Duke by and by sent for them that were of his counsell To whome he sayde Sirs I haue founde out this good fellowe and therefore I haue sent for you that we al together may goe to sée him They went all into the chāber and viewing them round about they perceyued all their faces coloured whereat they fell into a great laughter Then one of them sayde to a nother Suerlie this fellowe hath the subtilest head that euer was knowen and concluded the one of the company had set the colour in their faces The yong men beholding one another paynted in that sorte brake into a great sport and pastime Afterwardes the Duke examined euery of them séeing that he was not able by any meanes to vnderstande by whom it was done he determined to knowe the man before he departed and promised to him that shoulde confesse the truth to giue his daughter to him in mariage and with her a very great dowrie and a generall pardon Wherefore Ricciardo vnderstanding the Dukes minde toke hym asyde and tolde him the whole matter particularly from the beginning to the ende The Duke imbraced him and gaue him his pardon and with great ioy and triumph he solemnized the mariage betwene him his daughter Wherewithal Ricciardo encoraged proued a very stoute and valiaunt man in suche wise almost as the affaires of the whole state passed through his handes And liued a long time after with the loue good will of the whole cominaltie of Venice Philenio Sisterno Philenio Sisterno a Scholler of Bologna being mocked of three fayre Gentlewomen at a banket made of set purpose he was reuenged vpon them all ¶ The .xlix. Nouell AT Bologna which is the noblest citie of Lombardie the mother of studies and accomplished with all things requisite for such a florishing citie there was a yong scholler a gentleman of the cuntrie of Crete named Philenio Sisterno of very good grace and behauior It chaunced that in his tyme there was a great feast made in the citie wherevnto were bidden the fairest dames and best of reputation there There was likewise many gentlemen and schollers of Bologna amongs whome was this Philenio Who following the manner of yong men dallying sometime with one sometime with another and perceyuing them for his purpose determined to daūce with one of them And comming to one which was called Emerentiana the wyfe of sir Lamberto Bentiuoglia he prayed her to daunce Who being very gentle and of no lesse audacitie than beautifull refused not Then Philenio leading forth the daunce very softly sometimes wringing her by the hand spake somewhat secretely vnto her these words Madame your beautie is so great that without doubt it surmounteth all that euer I sawe and there is no woman in the worlde to whome I beare so great affection as to your person which if it were correspondent to me in loue I would think my self the best contented man in the worlde otherwise I shall in shorte time be depriued of lyfe and then you shall be the cause of my death And louing you Madame as I doe and as my duety requireth you ought to take me for your seruaunt vsing me and those litle goodes which I haue as your owne And I doe assure you that it is impossible for me to receyue greater fauour from heauen than to sée my self subiect to such a gentlewoman as you be which hath taken me in a net lyke a birde Nowe Emerentiana which earnestly had marked the swéete and pleasaunt wordes lyke a wise gentlewoman semed to giue no eare thervnto and made him no aunswere at all The daunce ended and Emerentiana being set downe in her place this yong scholler went to take another Gentlewoman by the hand and began to daunce with her which was not so sone begon but thus he sayde vnto her It néedeth not Madame that by wordes I doe expresse the feruent loue which I beare you and wil so doe so long as my poore spirite shall gouerne and rule my members and if I could obtaine you for my maistresse and singuler Lady I would thinke my selfe the happiest man on liue Then louing you as I doe and being wholly yours as you may easily vnderstand refuse me not I besech you for your humble seruaunt sith that my lyfe and al that I haue dependeth vpon you alone The yong gentlewoman whose name was Panthemia perceyuing his meaning did not aunswere him any thing at that tyme but honestlie procéeded in her daunce and the daunce ended smyling a little she sat downe with the other dames This done amorous Philenio rested not vntill he had taken the third by the hand who was the gentlest fayrest and trimmest dame in al Bologna and began to daunce with her roming abrode to shew his cunning before them that came to behold him And before the daunce was finished he sayd thus vnto her Madame it may so be as I shall séeme vnto you very malapert to manifest the secrete loue that I haue and doe beare you at this instant for which you ought not to blame me but your beautie which rendreth you excellent aboue al the rest and maketh me your slaue prisoner I speake not of your cōmendable behauior of your excellent maruellous vertues which be such of so great effect that it would make the Gods descend downe to contēplate the same If then your excellent beauty and shape so wel fauoured by nature and not by arte may séeme to contente the immortall Gods you ought not to be offēded
And euery night the olde Gentlewoman brought conflictes to the Lady for her recreation vpon whome the Gentleman wayted who for that he was well beloued very familiar with her brother was not refused to be by her at her rising and going to bedde Whereby he daylie tooke occasion to increase his loue and affection In such sorte that one night after he had caused the Lady to sit vp late she being surprised with sléepe he was forced to depart the chamber and to repayre to his owne Where when he had put on the moste brauest perfumed shirt that he had his cap for the night so trimly dressed that there wāted nothing he thought in beholding himselfe that there was no Ladye in the worlde that could refuse his beautie and comelynesse Wherefore promising himselfe a happy successe in his enterprise he went to hys bed where he purposed not long to abide for the desire that he had to entre into an other which should be more honorable pleasant vnto him And after he had sent his mē away he rose to shut the dore after them hearkened a good while whether he could heare any noyse in the Ladyes chāber aboue And when he was sure that euery man was at rest he began to take his pleasant iorney and by little little opened the falling dore which was so well trymmed with cloth that it made no noyse at all and went vp to the Ladies bed side which then was in her first slepe and withoute respect of the bonde and promise that he made vnto her or the honorable house wherof she came without leaue or reuerence he layed him selfe downe besides her who felt him betwene her armes before she perceyued his cōming But she which was somewhat strong vnfolded her selfe out of his handes and in asking him what he was began to strike to bite and scratch In such wise as he was constrayned for feare least she shoulde cry out to stoppe her mouth with the couerlet which was impossible for him to doe For when she saw him to presse withal his force to despoile her of her honor she spared no part of her might to defende and kepe her selfe called so loude as she could her woman of honor that lay in her chamber which was a Gentlewoman right auncient and sober who euē in her smock ranne straight to her maistresse And when the gentleman perceiued that he was discouered was so fearefull to be knowen of the Lady that so sone as he could he shifted himselfe downe by his trap-dore And when before he had desire hope assurance to be welcome nowe he was brought in despayre for retourning in so vnhappy state When he was in his chamber he founde his glasse and candle vpon the table and beholding his face al bloudy with scratchings and bitings which she had bestowed vpon him the bloude whereof ranne downe his fayre shirte which was more bloudled than gylted he beganne to mone himselfe in this wise O beautie thou art now payed thy deserte for vpon thy vayne promise haue I aduentured a thing impossible And that which might haue bene the augmenting of my contentation is nowe the redoubling of my sorrow Being assured that if she knew howe contrarie to my promise I haue enterprised this folish fact I should vtterly forgoe the honest and common conuersation which I haue with her aboue all other That which my estimation beautie and good behauiour doe deserue I ought not to hide in darknesse To gaine her loue I ought not to assay her chaste body by force but rather by my seruice and humble pacience to waite and attende til loue did vanguish For without loue all the vertue and puissance of man is of no power and force Euen thus he passed the nighte in suche teares griefes and playntes as a man can not well reporte and vtter In the morning when he beheld his bloudy face al mangled and torne he fained himselfe to be very sicke and that he coulde abide no light til the company were gone from his house The Lady which thus remained victorious knowing that there was no man in all her brothers court that durst attempt a déede so wicked but onely he which was so bolde to declare his loue vnto her knewe well that it was her hoste And when she and her woman of honor had searched all the corners of the chamber to knowe what he was and sawe that she would not finde him she sayde vnto her woman in a great rage Assure your selfe it can be none other but the Gentleman of the house whose villanous order I will declare to my brother in the morning in such sort that his head shal be a witnesse and testimonie of my chastitie Her woman séeing her in that furie sayde vnto her Madame I am right glad to sée the loue affection which you haue to your honor for the increase whereof you will not spare the life of one which hath aduentured himself so much forced with the loue that he beareth vnto you But many times suche one thinketh by those meanes to increase his loue which altogether he doth diminishe Wherefore Madame I humblie beseche you to tell me the truth of this facte And when the Lady had recompted the same at length the woman of honor sayde vnto her Your grace doth say that he got no other thing of you but scratches and blowes with your fistes Do I assure you quod the Lady and I am certayne if he get him not a good surgeon the markes will be séene to morrowe Well Madame quod the Gentlewoman sithens it is so me thinketh you haue greater occasion to prayse God than to muse vpon reuengement For you may beleue that fithens he had the courage to enterprise suche a thing that despite hath made him to faile of his purpose you can deuise no greater death for him to suffer thā the same If you desire to be reuenged let Loue shaine alone to bring that to passe who know better which way to torment him than your selfe with greater honor to your person Take héede Madame from falling into such inconuenience as he is in For in place of great pleasure which he thought to haue gayned he hath receyued the most extreme anoyance that any Gentleman can suffer And you Madame by thinking to augment your honor you may decrease and diminishe the same And by making that complaint you shall cause that to be knowen which no man knoweth For of his part you may be assured there shall neuer be any thing reuealed And when my Lord your brother at your request shall execute that iustice which you desire and that the pore gentlemau shal be ready to dye yet the brute wil runne that he hath had his pleasure vpon you And the greatest parte will say that it is a difficult matter for a gentleman to do such an enterprise except the Lady minister some great occasion Your grace is fayre and yong frequenting your
to all thinges good and vertuous hoping therby to attayne the fame of a moste perfect Lady to be counted worthy the interteignement of such a seruant Amadour being arriued at Barsalone was banketted of the Ladyes after the olde maner but they finding him so altered and chaunged thought that Mariage coulde neuer haue had such power vpon man as it had ouer him For he séemed then to disdayne those things which sometime he greatly desired and specially the Coūtesse of Palamons whom he dearely loued coulde deuise no meanes to make him goe alone home to his lodging Amadour tarried at Barsalone so little while as he coulde bicause he might not come late to the place where he should winne and achieue honour And being arriued at Saulse great cruell warres was comenced betwene the two kings which I purpose not to recite ne yet the noble enterprises done by Amadour whose fame was bruted aboue the rest of his companions The Duke of Nagyeres arriuing at Parpignon had charge of two thousād men and prayed Amadour to be his Lieutenant who with that band serued so wel that no crie was hearde in all the skirmishes other than Nagyeres It chaūced that the king of Thunis which of long time had warre with the Spaniardes vnderstanding how the kings of Spaine and Fraunce were together by the eares at Parpignon and Narbone thought that in better time he could not anoy the king of Spaine Wherefore he sent a great number of Foysts and other vessels to robbe and destroy those frontiers which were yll guarded kept They of Barsalone séeing a number of Shippes passe before the Towne aduertised the king that was at Saulse who imediatly sent the Duke of Nagyeres to Palamons And when the Shippes perceyued that the place was well guarded they made as thoughe they woulde passe further But aboute midnight they retourned and landed so many men that the Duke of Nagyeres was taken prisoner Amadour which was very vigilant hearing al arme presently assembled so many men as he coulde and defended himselfe so well that the force of his enemies a long time coulde not hurt him But in th ende knowing that the Duke of Nagyeres was taken prisoner and that the Turkes were determined to burne the Citie of Palamons and then to fier the house which he strongly had forced against them he thought it better to render him selfe than to be cause of the losse of so many good souldiors as were in his bande and also by putting himselfe to raūsome he hoped in time to come to sée Florinda Thē he submitted himself to a Turke called Derlyn the gouernor of the king of Thunis who conueyed him home to his maister where he was well enterteigned and better kept For they thought that hauing him in their handes they had gotten the onely Achilles of Spaine In this sorte Amadour continued almost the space of two yeares in the seruice of the king of Thunis Newes came into Spaine of this ouerthrow wherof the friends of the Duke of Nagyeres were very sorrowfull But they that loued the honor of their countrie thought Amadour to be the greatest losse The brute whereof was noysed in the house of the Countesse of Arande where at that tyme the pore Gentlewoman Auenturade lay very sore sicke The Countesse suspecting very muche the affection that Amadour bare vnto her daughter which he suffered and dissembled for his vertues sake called her daughter aside and tolde her the pitious newes Florinda which could well dissemble sayde vnto her that it was a great losse for all their house but specially she pitied the state of his pore wife bicause at that time she was so sore sick But seing her mother wepe so bitterly she let fall some teares to kepe her companie least through to much dissimulation her loue might be discouered After that time the Countesse spake to her many tymes but she could neuer perceyue by her countenaunce any cause of certayne suspicion I will leaue to speake of the voyages the prayers the supplications and fastings whiche Florinda did ordinarily make for the safegard and prosperitie of Amadour who incontinently so sone as he was arriued at Thunis sente newes to his friendes and by a sure messanger aduertized Madame Florinda that he was in good health and hope to retourne Which newes was to the pore Lady the only meanes to releue and ease her sorrow And doubte ye not but the meanes of writing was vtterly debarred from Amadour whereof Florinda acquited her self so dilygently that by her letters and epistles he receyued gret consolation comfort The Countesse of Arande receyued cōmaundement from the King to repaire to Sarragosa where he that tyme was arriued And there she founde the yong Duke of Cardonne making sute to the King and Quéene for mariage of her daughter The Countesse vnwilling to disobey the king agréed thinking that her daughter being very yong had none other affection but that she had When the accord was concluded she sayde vnto her daughter that she had chosen her that match which she thought best worthy to ioyne with her person Her daughter séeing that in a thing already done it was to late to take counsell sayde vnto her that God was to be praysed in all things And séeing her mother so farre alienated from her intent she thought it better to shew her selfe obedient than to take pitie vpon her selfe And to comforte her in that sorow she vnderstode that the Infant Fortune was at the point of death But before her mother or any other person she shewed not so much as one signe or token thereof strayning her selfe so muche that the teares by force retiring to her heart did cause the bloud to issue forth at her nose in such abundance that her lyfe was in present daunger And to recouer her of that dysease she was maried vnto him for whose sake she had rather haue chaunged her lyfe for presente death After the mariage Florinda wente with her husbande into the Duchie of Cardonne and with her Auenturade to whome she secretly made her complaint aswell of her mothers rigor as also of the sorrowe she conceyued for the losse of the sonne of the Infant Fortune But of her griefe for Amadour she spake neuer a worde but by waye of comforting her This yong Lady then determined to haue God and respect of honor before her eyes and so well to dissemble her griefes that none should at any tyme perceyue that she misliked her husbande In this sorte Florinda passed a long tyme liuing a lyfe no lesse pleasant than death The report whereof she sent to her good seruant Amadour who vnderstanding her great loue and well disposed heart and the loue she bare to the Infant Fortune thought that it was impossible she could liue long lamented her state more than his owne This griefe augmented his paine of imprisonment wishing to haue remained a slaue all the dayes of his lyfe so that Florinda had had a
no more affection to Amadour and thought assuredly that she was voyd of reason bicause she hated all those thinges which she loued And from that tyme forth there was suche warre betwéene the mother and the daughter that the mother for the space of .vij. yeares woulde not speake vnto her except it were in anger Which she did at the requeste of Amadour During which tyme Florinda conuerted the feare that she had to remayne with her husbande into mere loue to anoyde the rigor and checkes of her mother Howebeit seing that nothing coulde preuayle she purposed to begyle Amadour leauing for a day or two her ser straūge countenaunce she counselled Amadour to loue a woman which as she sayde did commonly talke of their loue This Lady dwelt with the Quéene of Spaine was called Lorette who was very ioyful and glad to get suche a seruaunt And Florinda found meanes to cause a brute of this newe loue to be spred in euery place and specially the Countesse of Arande being at the Court perceyued the same who afterwardes was not so displeased with Florinda as she was wont to be Florinda vpon a tyme heard tel that the Captaine the husband of Loret began to be ialous ouer his wife and determined by some meanes or other he cared not how to kill Amadour Florinda notwithstanding her dissembling countenaunce could not suffer any hurt to be done to Amadour and therefore incontinently gaue him aduertisement therof But he retourning againe to his former sollyes answered that if it would please her to interteigne him euery day thrée houres he would neuer speake agayne to Loret whervnto by no meanes she would consent Then Amadour sayde vnto her if you will not haue me to liue wherefore goe ye about to defend me from death except ye purpose to torment me alyue in such wise that a thousand deathes can not doe But for so much as death doth fly from me I wil neuer leaue to seke death til I haue founde him out at whose approch onely I shall haue rest Whilest they were in these tearmes newes came that the King of Granado was about to enter into great warres against the King of Spaine in such wise that the King sent against him the Prince his sonne and with him the Constable of Castille and the Duke of Albe two auncient and sage Lords The Duke of Cardonne and the Counte of Arande not willing to tarrie behinde besought the King to giue eyther of them a charge Which he did according to the dignitie of their houses appointing Amadour to be their guid Who during that warre did suche valiaunt factes that they semed rather to be desperately than hardyly enterprised And to come to the effect of this discourse his great valiaunce was tryed euen to the death For the Moores making a bragge as though they woulde giue battayle when they sawe the army of the Chistians counterfaited a retire whome the Spaniardes pursued but the olde Constable and the Duke of Albe doubting their policie stode still against the wil of the Prince of Spaine not suffering him to passe ouer the riuer but the Counte of Arande and the Duke of Cardonne although they were countremanded did followe the chase and when the Moores sawe that they were pursued with so small a number they retourned and at one recountrie killed the Duke of Cardōne and the Counte of Arande was so sore hurt that he was left for deade in the place Amadour arriuing vpon this ouerthrowe inuaded the battayle of the Moores with suche rage and furie that he rescued the two bodyes of the Duke and Countie and caused them to be conueyed to the Princes campe who so lamented their chaūce as if they had bene his owne brethren But in searching their wounds the Countie of Arande was found to be aliue and was sent home to his owne house in a horslitter wher of long time he was sick and lykewise was conueyed to Cardonne the deade body of the yong Duke Amadour in rescuing those two bodyes toke so little héede to him selfe that he was inclosed with a great number of the Moores bicause he would be no more taken aswell to verifie his faith towardes God as also his vowe made to his Lady and also considering that if he were prisoner to the King of Granado eyther he shoulde cruelly be put to death or else forced to renounce his fayth he determined not to make his death or taking glorious to his enemies Wherefore kissing the crosse of his sworde and rendring his body and soule to the handes of almightie God he stabbed himselfe into the body with such a blow that there neded no second wound to rid him of his lyfe In this sorte dyed pore Amadour so much lamēted as his vertues did deserue The newes hereof was bruted throughout Spaine and Florinda which then was at Barsalone where her husbande in his lyfe tyme ordeyned the place of his buriall after that she had done his honorable obsequies without making her owne mother or mother in lawe priuie thervnto surrendred herselfe into the Monasterie of Iesus there to liue a religious lyfe receyuing him for her husband and friend which had deliuered her from the vehement loue of Amadour from a displeasaunt lyfe so great and vnquiet as was the company of her husbande In this wise she conuerted all her affections to loue God so perfectly that after she had long time lyued a religious life she yelded vp her soule in suche ioy as the Bridgrome doth when he goeth to visite his spouse A Duke of Florence The incontinencie of a Duke and of his impudencie to attayne hys purpose with the iust punishement which he receyued for the same ¶ The Liiij Nouell IN the Citie of Florence there was a Duke that maryed the Ladye Margaret the bastarde daughter of the Emperour Charles the fift And bicause she was very yong it was not lawfull for him to lye with her but tarying til she was of better yeres he vsed her very gently Who to spare his wyfe was amorous of certayne other Gentlewomen of the citie Amongs whome he was in loue with a very fayre wise and honest Gentlewoman that was sister to a Gentleman whome the Duke loued so well as himselfe to whome he gaue so much aucthoritie in his house that his worde was so well obeyed and feared as the Dukes himselfe and there was no secrete thing in the Dukes minde but he declared the same vnto him that he might full well haue bene called a seconde himselfe The Duke seing his sister to be a woman of so great honestie had no wayes or meanes to vtter vnto her the loue that he bare her after he had inuented all occasions possible at length he came to this Gentleman which he loued so well and sayde vnto him My friende if there were any thing in all the worlde wherein I were able to 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 you and woulde not doe it at your request I shoulde be
afrayde to declare vnto you my fantasie and much ashamed to craue your helpe and assistance But the loue is such that I beare you that if I had a wife mother or daughter which were able to saue your lyfe I woulde rather imploye them than to suffer you to die in torment And if you doe beare vnto me the affection which am your Maister thinke verely that I doe beare vnto you the lyke Wherefore I will disclose vnto you such a secrete and priuie matter that the silence thereof hath brought me into that plight which you sée wherof I doe loke for none amendemēt but by death or by the seruice which you may doe me in a certayne matter which I purpose to tell you The Gentleman hearing the reasons of his maister and seing his face not fayned but all be sprent with teares toke great compassion vpon him and sayd My Lord I am your humble seruaunt Al the goodes and worship that I haue doth come from you You may say vnto me as to your friende Assure your selfe that all which resteth in my power and abilitie is alreadie at your commaundement Then the Duke began to tell him of the loue that he bare vnto his sister which was of such force that if by his meanes he did not enioy her his lyfe coulde not long continue For he sayde that he knewe right well that intreatie and presents were with her of no reputacion Wherefore he prayed him that if he loued his lyfe so well as he did his to finde meanes for him to receyue that benefite which without him he was in despayre neuer to recouer The brother which loued his sister and honor of his kindred more than the Dukes pleasure made a certayne reuerence vnto him humbly beseching him to vse his trauayle and payne in all other causes sauing in that bicause it woulde be a sute so slaunderous and infamous as it woulde purchase dishonour to his whole familie adding further that neyther his heart and honor would not serue him to consent to do that seruice The Duke inflamed with an vnspeakable furie put his finger betwéene his téeth and biting of the nayle sayde vnto him in a great rage Well then sithe I fynde in the no friendeship I knowe what I haue to doe The Gentleman knowing the crueltie of his Maister being sore afrayde sayde vnto him My Lorde for so muche as your desire and pleasure is vehement and earneste I will speake vnto her and bring you aunswere thereof And as he was departing the Duke sayd vnto him Sée that thou tender my life as thou wilt that I shall loue thyne The Gentleman vnderstanding well what that worde did meane absēted himselfe a daye or twaine to aduise with him selfe what were best to be done And amongs diuers his cogitations there came to his remembraunce the bounden duetie which he did owe to his maister and the goodes and honors which he had receyued at his hands on the other side he considered the honor of his house the good life and chastity of his sister who he knewe well woulde neuer consent to that wickednesse if by subtiltie she were not surprised or otherwise forced that it were a thing very straunge and rare that he shoulde go about to defame himselfe and the whole stock of his progenie Wherefore he concluded the better it were for him to die than to commit such a mischiefe vnto his sister which was one of the honestest women in al Italie But rather he considered how he might deliuer his countrie from such a Tirant which by force woulde blemish and spotte the whole race of his house For he knewe right well that except the Duke were taken away the life of him and his affinitie coulde not be in securitie and safegarde Wherefore without mocion made to his sister of that matter he deuised a waye to saue his life and the reproch that should follow therof At the two dayes ende he came vnto the Duke and tolde him in what sorte he had practized with his sister and although the same in the beginning was harde difficult yet in the ende he made her to consent vpon condicion that he woulde kepe the same so secrete as none but himself he might know it The Duke desirous glad of those newes did sone beleue him imbracing the messanger promised to giue him whatsoeuer he woulde demaunde praying him with al spede that he might inioye his desired purpose Wherevpon they appointed a time And to demaunde whether the Duke were glad and ioyful of the same it were superfluous And when that desired night did approche wherin he hoped to haue the victorie of her whom he thought inuincible he and the Gentleman alone withdrewe themselues together not forgetting his perfumed coif and swete shirte wrought and trimmed after the best maner And when euery man was gone both they repaired to the appoynted lodging of his Lady where being arriued they founde a chamber in decent and comely order The Gentleman taking of the Dukes night gowne placed him in the bed saying vnto him My Lorde I will now goe seke her which can not enter into this chamber without blushing howebeit I truste before to morrowe morning she will be verye glad of you Which done he left the Duke and went into his owne chamber where he found one of his seruaunts alone to whom he sayd Hast thou the hart to follow me into a place where I shal be reuenged vpon the greatest enemie that I haue in the world Yea sir answered his man Whervpon the gentleman toke him with him so sodaynly that he had no leasure to arme him selfe with other weapon but with his onely dagger And when the Duke heard him come againe thinking he had brought her with him that he loued so greatly he drewe the curteyne and opened his eyes to beholde receyue that ioye which he had so long loked for but in place of séeing her which he hoped should be the conseruation of his life he saw the acceleration of his death which was a naked sword that the Gentleman had drawen and there withall did strike the Duke which was in his shirte voide of weapon althoughe well armed with courage and setting vp in his bedde grasped the Gentleman aboute the bodye and sayde Is this thy promise which thou hast kept and séeing that he had no other weapon but his téeth and his nayles he bitte the Gentleman in the arme and by force of his owne strength he so defended himselfe that they both fell downe into the flower The Gentleman fearing the matche called for his man Who finding the Duke and his Maister fast together that he wyst not whether to take he drewe them both by the féete into the middest of the place and with his dagger assayde to cut the Dukes throte Who defended himselfe till such time as the losse of his bloud made him so weake and féeble that he was not able to contende any longer Then
in his shirt fel downe at the Presidents fete crauing pardon his wife on the other side began to wéepe To whome the President sayde For so much as the thing which thou hast done is suche as thou maist well consider that I cannot abide my house for thée in this sort to be dishonored the daughters which I haue had by thée to be disaduaūced and abased Therfore sayd he leaue of thy wéeping and marke what I shall doe And thou Nicolas for that was his Clarks name hide thy self here in my closet and in any wise make no noyse when he had so done he opened the dore and called in his olde seruant and said vnto him Diddest not thou warrant and assure me that thou wouldest let me sée my Clark and wife in bedde together And vpon thy wordes I am come hither thinking to haue killed my wife and haue found nothing to be true of that which thou diddest tell me For I haue searched the chamber in euery place ◠I will shew thée And with that he caused his seruant to loke vnder the beddes and in euery corner And when the seruant founde him not throughly astonned he sayd to his maister Sir I saw him goe into the chamber and out he is not gone at the dore And so farre as I can sée he is not here Therefore I thinke the Diuell muste néedes carrie him away Then his maister sayde vnto him Thou art a very villaine to set suche diuision betwene my wife and me wherefore I doe discharge thée from my seruice for that which thou hast done me I will pay thée thy duty with the aduantage Therefore get thée hence and take hede that thou doest not tarrye in this towne past .xxiiij. houres The President for that he knewe him to be an honeste and faythfull seruant gaue him fiue or six yeares wages and purposed otherwise to preferre him When the seruant with ill will and weping teares was departed the President caused his Clarke to come out of his Closet And after he had declared to his wife and him what he thought of their yll behauiour he forbad them to shewe no likelyhode of any such matter and commaunded his wife to attire and dresse her selfe in more gorgeous apparel than she was wont to weare and to haunt and resorte to company and feastes willing the Clarke to make a better countenaunce of the matter than he did before but whensoeuer he rounded him in the eare bad him to departe he charged him after the cōmaūdement not to tarry .iiij. houres in the town And when he had thus done he retourned to the pallace as though there had no such thing chaunced And the space of .xv. dayes contrarie to his custome he feasted his friendes and neighbours and after the banket he caused the ministrels to play to make the Gentlewomen daunce One daye seing that his wife did not daunce he commaunded his Clarke to take her by the hande and to leade her forth to daunce who thinking the President had forgotten the trespasse paste very ioyfully daunced with her But when the daunce was ended the President fayning as though he would haue commaunded him to doe some thing in his house badde him in his eare to get him away and neuer to returne Now was the Clarke very sorowful to leaue his Ladye but yet no lesse ioyfull he was that his lyfe was saued Afterwardes when the President had made all his friendes and kinsefolkes and all the coūtrie beleue what great loue he bare to his wife Upon a fayre day in the moneth of May he went to gather a sallade in his garden of such herbes that so sone as she had eaten of them she liued not past .xxiiij. houres after whereof he counterfayted such sorrow as no man could suspect the occasion of her death And by that meanes he was reuenged of his enemy and saued the honor of his house I wyll not by this Nouell sayd Emarsuitte prayse the conscience of the President but herein I haue declared the light behauior of a woman and the gret pacience prudence of a man Praying you good Ladies all not to be offended at the truth If al women quod Parlamente that loue their Clarkes or seruauntes were forced to eate such sallades I beleue they would not loue their gardens so wel as they doe but would teare and pluck vp all the herbes both roote and rinde to auoyd those things that by death might aduaunce the honor of their stocke and ligneage If sallades be so costly q Hircan and so daungerous in May I will prouoke appetite with other sawses or else hunger shal be my chiefest Of a Ialous Gentleman A Gentleman of Perche suspecting iniurie done vnto him by his frende prouaked him to execute and put in proufe the cause of his suspicion ¶ The Lviij Nouell BEsides the cuntry of Perche there where two Gentlemen which from the tyme of their youth liued in such great and perfecte amitie that there was betwéene them but one heart one bed one house one table and on purse Long time continued this perfecte friendship betwéene whome there was but one will and one worde no difference in eyther of them In so much as they not only semed to be two brethren but also they appeared in al semblances to be but one man One of them chaunced to marry Notwithstanding they gaue not ouer their friendship but perseuered in their vsual amitie as they were wont to doe And whē they happened to be strayned to straight lodging the married gentleman would not sticke to suffer his friende to lye with him and his wife But yet you ought for friendship sake to consider that the married man lay in the middes Their goodes were common betwene them that for al the mariage no cause did hinder their assured amitie But in processe of tyme the felicitie of this world which carieth with it a certayne mutabilitie could no continue in the house which was before right pleasaunt and happie For the married man forgetting of the faithfull fidelitie of his friend without any occasion conceyued a great suspicion betwéene him and his wife from whō he could not dissemble the case but sharpely tolde her his mynde She therewithall was wonderfully amazed Howbeit he commaunded her to doe all thinges one thing excepted and to make so muche of his companion as of himselfe Neuerthelesse he for bad her to speake vnto him except it were in the presence of many All which she gaue her husbandes companion to vnderstand who woulde not beleue her knowing that he had neyther by thought or déede done any thing whereof his companion had cause to be offended And likewise bicause he vsed to kepe nothing secrete from him he told him what he had sayd praying him to tell him the truth of the matter bicause he purposed neyther in that ne yet in any other thing to giue occasion of breach of the amitie which of lōg time they had imbraced The maried