chaste gentiles Lucresia chefe crowne of the nacion romayne wyfe to Colatyne knowynge her selfe enforsed defowled by Traquyne she sayde to her husband Colatyne dere spouse know for trouth that a strange man hath defowled thy bedde Howbeit though my body be enforced my harte is innocent though I be fre fro the trespace I can not be assoyled fro y e payne and to th entent that no lady nor other woman hereafter by myne ensample shuld erre and so with speking of those wordes with a sharpe sword she ryd her owne lyfe Also Porcia who was doughter to the noble Catone and wyfe to the noble vertuos Bruto and when she knew the deth of her husband she tooke such greuous sorow that to the ende of her lyfe she dyd eate hote coles to make sacrefice of her selfe Penolope wyfe to Ulixes she knowyng that he went in to warre agaynst the Troyans knowyng that yonge men of Italy were sore enamored vpon her beautie in the absence of her husband dyuerce desyred to mary with her And she desyrynge to kepe her chastitie to defende her selfe agaynst them sayd how she wold make a webbe as ladies vsed in those dayes when it was finished she promysed her wowers then to accomplish theyr desyres And when she hadde graunted this by her subtile wyt asmoche as she made in the day she brake it agayn in y â— nyght And by that meanes she draue of the seasone xx yere and then Ulixes came home alone olde in greate pouertie yet the chast lady receued hym ad though he hadde come in greate prosperytie Also Iulia doughter to Cesar fyrst enperour beinge wyfe to Pompeye she loued hym so entierly that on a day she fyndynge his clothes bloudy beleuynge that he hadde bene dede fell sodenly to the erth and dyed for sorow Atrenisa amonge other mortayll creatures worthy to be praysed she beinge maried to Mansall kynge of Icaria she loued hym with so ferme a harte that when he was dede she gaue hym sepulture within her owne brest she brente his bones and y e asshes of them she dranke litle and litle and the seremonies made of his obsequy thinkinge that she wold go to hym slew her selfe with her owne handes Argea doughter to kynge Adastro and wyfe to Polymytes sonne to Egisto kynge of Thebes when Polimites was slaine in a batayll by the handes of his brother she knowinge therof withoute fearing of her enemyes or of any other wylde bestes nor fearynge the emperous law wente oute of Athenes in the nyght in to the felde and found oute amonge the dede bodies her husbandes body and caryed it in to the citie and caused it to be brent accordyng to the custome with bytter wepynge puttynge the asshes in to a cofer of golde and then promysed her lyfe to perpetuall chastite Ipola of Grece saylynge by thy see by her euyll fortune she was taken by her enemyes and they wolde haue enforsed her and she to conserue her chastite went to the one side of the shyp and wyllyngly fell ouer the boorde in to the see and there was drowned Howbeit the fame of her dead was not greatly laudable No lesse worthy of prayse was the wyfe of Amede kynge of Thesale she knoweng by y â— aunswere of the god Apollo that her huâ—bnad shulde receyue the deth withoute voluntaryly some other personne wolde dye for hym and so wyllyngly to saue the kynge she disposed her selfe to dye Now of the nacioÌ„ of the Iues. Sara wyfe of father Abraham when she was taken and in the power of kynge Pharao defendynge her chastitie with the armes of prayer desyred god to delyuer her oute of his handes And when the kyng thought to haue fulfylled his enyll dead god heryng her petecion the kynge waxyde seke in suche wyse that then he knew well it was for his wantoÌ„ desyre Then he commaydyd to delyuer her quyte w toute any spotte of vnclennis Delbora enduyd with so many vertues deseruyd to haue the spirite of prophesye she shewyd not alonely her vouÌ„te in artes femenyne but also in stronge batayles feyghtynge agaynste her eâ—emyes with a valyante and a vertuous harte And she was of suche excellence that .xl. yere she rulyd the people of the iues Hestere brought in captyuyte in to Babilone for her vertue fayernes she was takeÌ„ to wyfe to kyng Assuara who at that tyme rulyd a C.xxvii prouynces And by her merites prayers delyuered the iues fro theyr captyuyte Also the mother of Sampson desyrynge to haue a sonne deseruyd by her vertue that an angell shewyde the natyuyte of Sampsone Elisabeth wyfe to Sacarias as she was the very seruant of god for her deseruynge she had a sonne sanctified or he was borne which was saynte Iohn Now of olde stories of cristen women I can not wryte them at lenght but to be breue to shew some of a latter tyme of the nacion of Castile Don Marya Coronell by whome beganne y â— lynage of the Coronelles bycause her chastite was praysede and her bountie not hyd she was accusyde of a cryme wherfore wyllyngly she brente her selfe hauyng lesse feare of the deth then to be founde culpable Also Done Isabell mother to the mayster of the order of Calatrane Done Rodigo and mother to .ii. erles of Urema Done Alonso Don Iohn she beyng a widowe fell in to a sikenes and the phisycions to procure her helth sayd how she coulde not lyue withoute she maryed or had the company of man then her chyldren knowynge what case she was in desyryd and counsayled her to take an husbande she aunswerd and sayd by the grace of god that shall I neuer do for I had rather dye to be called mother to suche chyldren as ye be then to lyue and to be called wyfe to another husband And with this chaste consyderacyon and by the pleasoure of god when she dyed ther were mysteries sene of her saluacion Also Don Maria gracia the blessed woman borne in Tolledo of the gretest lynage in all the citie she wolde neuer mary kepynge her vyrginite .iiii. score yere at whose deth were sene dyuerce myracles the whiche yet in Tolledo be had in perpetuall remembrance O what may a man say of the pure vyrgyns of gentiles Atrisalya Sybela borne in the citie of Babilone for her merites she prophesied by diuyne reuelacion many thinges to come after always conseruinge her vyrginytie tyll she dyed Pallas Mynerua fyrst sene about the ryuer of Tritonia newe inueÌ„ters of many offices perteynynge to the femynyne sex and also to men alwayes lyuyng as vyrgins And so ended Atalanta she that fyrst strake the porke of Calydonia in virgynite and noblenes she coÌ„tynuyd Canulla doughter to Macabeo kyng of y e Bostos she dyd no lesse then other dyd in kepyng of her virgynite CalaÌ„dea Uesta Clodya Romayne they kepte the same law till theyr dethe yf it were not to length my trouble yf I shuld lyue this M. yere I coulde not resite
this lyfe then to haue taryed on the yerth alyue so with sighes I went my way and depertyd wyth wepyng and with lamentacion I sore complaynyde and with suche thoughtes I wente to my lodgynge And when I saw that the consentynge and desirynge of my deth could not remedy hym that was passyd nor could be no comforte to my selfe theÌ„ I determyned to deperte and to go in to myne owne countrey and yet fyrst I purposed to go to the courte to here and se what was sayd for y e deth of Lereano and to se how Laureola toke the mater Thus I thought to go thyther what for this cause for other busynes that I had ther to do with some of my freÌ„des also I purposyd to speke with Laureola if I myght to know if I myght se in her any repentance and to se what true louers wolde say of her crueltye vsyde against hym that deseruyd hygh reward And also I was glad to deperte fro the place wher as Lereano dyed to put parte of my sorow out of my mynde So I came to the courte more accompanyed with sorow then with any desire to lyue remembryng how he that made me begynne this mater was in his sepulture At the palayce I was receyuyde with moche heuynes of many that knew the deth of Lereano then I resyted to suche as were his frende the secretenes of his deth Then I went in to y e hall where I was acustumed to speke with Laureola to se if I myght se what chere she made And I who by reasone of sore wepynge had nere lost my syght I lokyd all abouteâ— but I culde not se her yet when she saw meâ— lyke a dyscrete ladye suspectynge that I wolde haue spoken with her wenynge that I hadde not seen her she turâ—ed towarde her chambre and as she came by me I spied well it was she who hadde brought Lereano fro his lyfe me almoste withoute knowledge then I with sore wepynge and payneful sighes began to speke to her in this maner ¶ The auctor to Laureola LAdy moche more it hadde bene better for me to haue lost my lyfe then to haue knowâ—n your cruelnes and small pytie I say this bycause I had rather with reason haâ—e praysed your gentlenes with â—einge you to haue satisfied the seâ—uyce that hath bene done to you by Lereano then to prayse your beautie great deseruynge gyuyuge dethe to hym that so often tymes with so good will to do you seruyce hath desyred to dye but syn your mynde was to gyue hym the deth ye haue not begyled hym nor me for ye haue payed hym ther with ye haue bleryd the clennes of your lynage Remembre that suche as be of so hygh blud as ye be are asmoch bouÌ„d to satisfy the lest seruyce that is done to them aswel as to kepe and defend theyr honour And certaynly I say that if ye had sene his deth all the dayes of your lyfe ye wolde wepe Remembre now what charge of conscience ye brought hym in for when he died where as he shulde haue had most memory vpon hys sowle and what shuld haue ben done with his body he then remembred more the letters that ye had sent hym the whiche he toke and tare in peces drank them in water because they shuld neuer be sene and bycause he wold cary with gym some thynge that had bene yours to the entent that ye shulde haue more compassioÌ„ of his deth then ye had of his lyfe I shew you for certayne thus I saw hym dye bycause ye shewyd hym no compassion Now ye shew your selfe to be sory that in the absence of your small loue was clene forgoten O how many now do wepe for his deth and yet they know not the cause But as to me fro whom the secretnes was not hiden then moche more it muste nedes greue me remembrynge how in your handes restyd his lyfe and seynge your crueltie and his small remedy ye caused hym to dye cause his mother to lyue in sorow bycause she can not dye and as for me lyuynge I ame alwayes dyeng and I beleue ye couytte not gretly your owne lyfe to remembre what ye haue done but that ye know well there be but few persons that know what ye haue done I thynke ye feare but litle the fame of your euyll name for ye se clerely how I ame lyke to dye therfore ye feare not y t I shuld publishe youe crueltie thynke not that I ame in feare to say thus to you for yf I trouble you with the qualitie content you then with the quantite syn I haue so greate reason to speake and not to ende properly and for this my boldenesâ— yf I deserue any punyshement cause me to be slain for ye shal better reward me with deth then to suffre me to lyue in this case ¶ The auctor Sore troubelyd stode Laureola yet for all that euery I sayd her face shewyd no alterasion of her hart howbeit lyke a discret lady refreynynge wepynge dissimuled her sorow and not blamyuge my boldenes with an heuy chere she aunswered me as foloweth ¶ Laureola to the auctor I wolde I had asmoche wisdome to satisfye the as I haue reasone to discharge my selfe and yf it were so thou shuldest fynd me aswel discharged as I repute the dylygent Thou sayest thou woldest thou haddest asmoche case to prayse my pytye as thou hast cause to blame my crueltie and on that condicion y â— desyryst no lenger to lyue thon blamyst me sayng how I thought to sle Lereano and that begylyde hym and weryde the. I wolde thou knewyste I neuer thought to gyue hym the deth for doyng as thou sayst what is it that I haue done I neuer brake any promise what do I owe the or hym that thou dyddest trawayll for or what dyde I to satisfye thyne entensioÌ„ I dyde put hym without doubte and the w toute charge if I had ben beleuyd then myne is but a small charge thou saist I ought to regarde the clennes of my lynage lokyng profoundly theron hath causyde me to do as I haue done thou knowyst well all women are more bounde to regarde theyr honors rather theÌ„ to accomplysh any amorous wyll or appetight Then syn all women are bounde to this how moche more then by reasone are those bouÌ„de that be dyscedyd of a blude roiall thynk not that I receyue any pleasure for the deth of Lereano nor beleue not that it caÌ„ somoch greue y â— as it sorowith me how be it the feare of my honour the feare of my father dyd more in me then the euyll wyll that I bare hym nor thynke not that the knowledge of his seruice was forgoten but that I gaue hym great thank and yf w t any reward I myght haue payed hym sauynge my honour it shuld haue ben done and cost hym nothyng then both he and thy selfe shulde asmoche haue praysede as now thou blamyste me for
haue sene hym now I wolde neuer haue come hither to se hym but rather haue suffered payne with his absence then glory to se hym seinge I can not remedy hym I had thought neuer to haue had suche payne for hym for the more that the greatnes of astate withstode denyed yet for all that I thought to haue done the contrary or my lyfe had departed for with great trauayll I thought to haue suyd to the kyng my father for his libertie it was not by my consent that he was cōmaundyd not to come in to y e courte where as he myght haue place to haue sene me yet for al y t he neded not to haue dyed for the tyme myght haue come y t he shulde haue hadde no cause to haue disparyd for thought I by my crueltie had consentyd to haue put hym to passion yet I myght aswell agayne haue rewarded hym by my bountie and pitie as to haue denyed hym I wyll as now make no quarell to my wyll syn his seruyce good warkes I thought to haue rewardyd but I quarell with the bautie that god hath gyuen me and so myght Lereano haue done for that more begyled hym then other condiciō or wyll But bycause the tyme is short and the passion great I wyll no more say but I make the sure that thought Lereauo were not worthy of a state nor lynage to haue had me to his wyfe◠yet he shuld not haue bene in dispayre ther of but syn I can not as now rewarde his warkes and good seruyce I desyre the not to depart fro the courte thouhg thy desyre be in to thyne owne natural countrey so doinge thou shalt know by the rewardes that I shal gyue the what honour I bare to Lereano lyuing ¶ The auctor WHen Laureola had endyd her wordes she was so heuy and so full of wepyng y t in a maner hre payneful lyfe greuyde me as sore as the dethe of Lereano And to all this that she hadde sayd I wolde haue aunswerde her and thankyd her of her great bountie to me shewyd aswell as for the curtesye of her meke speche And so me thought as I was mouyd sodēly with a great sighe she depertyde fro me and with a loude voyce sayd I can no more sorow y e deth which is euer certeyne then the losse of the lyfe of hym that is dede thē I lokyd all aboute and saw how I was left all alone and therwith awoke out of my dreme then was I so sorowfull that I wist not what to do nor thynke of my dreme and when I saw no man to speke vnto I was so pēsyue that oftē tymes with myne owne handes I thought to haue ryde my lyfe◠therby thynkynge to haue founde that I had lost and when I remembryd that with my deth I could not recouer the lyfe of the dede then I thought it a great errour to lese myne own sowle w tout the ioyeng of his body And as it is a sure xeperiēce that musyk encreasith payne to hym y t is in sorow so lyke wyse it encreasith pleasur in the harte of them that be contente and in ioye then I toke an harpe and songe as folowith Harte take no payne in this lyfe for it may be ouercome for it canne not endure longe bicause we be mortall the euyll that shewith her force is redy to take the deth synne that lyfe is most euyll thē I coūsayl the shew no strēgth against y e ouercome for who that sleith the lyfe with deth is pleasyd therfore that lyfe is good that takith deth after the best sorte he that dyeth lyuyng hath not moche to suffre but he that lyueth dyenge his euyll payne is stronge who can not suffre euyll when they be satisfyed with euyll and though they be mortall yet the sorow is equall thus I make an ende of my songe and then without any more studyng that I had to do I cōmaunded to sadell my horse for I thought it was tyme for me to deperte to go in to my owne country And thus I departed fro them that I mette in the streate more acompaned w t sorow and wepynge yes then with any other consolasion of pleasoure my heuynes so encreased and my helth so payred that I neuer thought to come a lyue in to my countrey when I was well entered on my way there came so many thynges to my fantasye that thynkyng on them I was nere oute of my witte howbeit at last remembrynge my selfe that it was no profyt to muse on them I traueled my self asmoch as I myght to brynge them out of my remembrance So I traueled my body in this yourney and my sowle in sundry thoughtes and fynally I arryued at my owne poore mansion and thus I bydde fare well adew all true louers And all y e readers an herers of this proces desyryng them where they fynd faulte to amend it and I shall pray to god for theyr prosperyte and at theyr ende to send them the ioyes of paradyce Amen Finis ¶ Prynted at London in Pauls churcheyarde by Iohan Turke at the sygne of the byble
good hope of that thou desyrest and not to be condempnyd in thyne own thought for yf thou returne agayn to make new request thou wylt repent it I will aduyse the lette this be the last spekyng of that mater oreles y u mayste well know thou shall repent it for sekyng remedy for a nother shalt fayle remedy for thy selfe ¶ The Auctor THe wordes of Laureola dyd bryng me in to great cōfusyon for when I thought best to vnderstand her then I knew lest of her wyl whā I had most hope then I was farthest out of y e way And when I thought my selfe most sure then I was in most feare for y e dyuersyte of her Iesture behauour blyndyd myne vnderstandyng The receyuyng of the letter satisfyed me but the ende of her wordes put me in dyspayre so that I know not what way to folow nor how I shuld fynd any hope And thus as a man without counsayll I departyd fro her went to Lereano thynkyng to gyue hym some counsayll and to seke y e best meanes that I coulde deuyse to remedy parte of his euell and when I cam to hym I said as foloweth ¶ The Auctor to Lereano FOr the expediciō that I bryng ye may well knowe where woordes fayle dylygence can not preuayll Thou dyddyst recōmaūde thy remedy to me but fortune hath bene to me so cōtrary in that she wolde not be to me so fauourable as to satysfye me in any thyng that is passyd but fortune is rather myne enemy Though in this case I hadde good excuse to ayde the for tough I was the messenger thyne was the besynes The mater that I haue passyd with Laureola I cā not vnderstand it nor can not shew it bycause it is of so newe and dyuerce cōdycyons a thousand tymes I thought to haue bene at the poynte to haue gyuen the remedy And agayne as often to haue gyuen the thy sepulture al tokens of her wyl wonne vanquysshed I saw in her cōtenance and all the folysh frowardenes of women withoute loue I harde in her woordes Iudgyng vpon her demeanour I was ioyfull and heryng her wordes I was sorowfull Sometyme I thought she dyd prudently dyssimule and agayne I thought she wantyd loue but fynally when I saw her so moueable changable I beleuyd then veryly that ther was no loue in her for if a persone be taken with loue the hart shall be constante and where as loue lacketh ther is mutabylyte On the other parte I thought she dyd it for fare of the cruell harte of the king her father what shall I say she hath receyued thy letter manyshed me to the deth yf I speke any further in thy cause beholde now this greuous case Ther semyth in one poynt .ii. dyfferences yf I shuld shew the all that was passyd bytwene her me I shulde want tyme to speke yt I requyre the enforce thy wytte and aswage thy passion for in folowyng thy payne thou hast more nede of sepulture thenne of comforte for withoute thou take some repose thou shalt leue here thy boones in stede of thy true fayth the whych thou oughtest not to do for satysfying of thy selfe it were more conuenyent for the to lyue rather then to dye for to be out of payne This I say bycause I se the gloryfye in thy payne but in sufferyng payne thou mayst attaygne to the crowne of lawde prayse In that it may be sayd y t thou enforcest thy felfe to suffre payne for the ladyes sake Suche as be stronge vertuous in theyr grettyst mysfortune shew grettest harte Ther is no dyfference bytwene the good euyll w tout the bountye be tempt and prouyd Consider that w t longe lyfe a thyng maye be wonne haue good hope in thy fayth Thynke y t the purpose of Laureola may change and thy ferme stedfast loue neuer I wyll not say all that I thynke for thy consolacion for I perceyue by thy wepynges complaynt that ardent deth hath lyghtened his flames but what so euer thou thynkyst that I can do for the cōmaund it for I haue no lesse wyl to serue the then I haue to remedy thy helth ¶ Lereano to the auctor THe dysposycion that I ame in y e seyst The priuasyō of my vnderstandyng thou knowest y e turbasyon of my tong thou mayst well note merke therfore haue no meruaylle though myne aunswere be more with wepyng then with ornate wordes bycause y e Laureola putteth fro her harte the swete appetyght of my wylle the thynges that be past bytwen y t and her for all that thou arte at thy liberte yet thy iudgement can not vnderstande her meanyng how shuld I thē knowe them for I ame so passyonyd than I can not lyue but alonely to prayse her beautie to repute my last ende happy I wolde these shulde be y e last wordes of my lyfe bycause they be to prayse her◠what gretter welth can I haue then y t if I were so happy to be rewardyd therwith as I deserue by reason of the payne that I suffre who then shuld be lyke me better it were for me to dye syn I haue seruyd her thē to lyue causyng her to haue any trouble or dyspleasour The thyng that most shall greue me is when I dye that the eyen shall peryshe that hath seen her and the harte that remembreth her The which consyderyng what she is al my wyttes are past the ordre of reason I say thus bycause thou seyst that in the warkes of my harte in steade of faynte loue my stedfast loue encreaseth if in my captyue harte they consolaciōs could take any frute This that thou hast done to me suffyseth to enforce me but as the heryng of them that be in heuynes and lockyd in passyō in to whose sowle can entre no wordes of comforte and where thou saest I shuld suffre none euyll Gyue me the strength therto and I shall put to my good wyll As for thynges of honor that thou shewest me I know them by reason and I deny them agayne by the same reasone I say I know them for a man fre in liberte shuld vse honor and agayn I denye it as consernyng to my selfe yet I seke in my greuous payne to chose an honorable death The trauayll that thou hast receyuyd for my sake and y e desyre that I se thou hast to delyuer me fro payne byndeth me to offre for the my lyfe as often as it were nedefull But syn ther is but smal lyfe left in me take for satysfaction my desyre and not my power yet I requyre the syn this shall be the fynall good dede that thou canst do for me the last that I shal receyue as to bere fro me a nother letter to Laureola with suche newes as she shall be gladde of and wherby she shall know how I dyspose me to passe out of this transytory lyfe and no more to trouble her to the
the ensaÌ„ples that I could reherce therfore Tesio accordyng as thou haste harde thou and suche other as do blaspheme the nature femenyne are well worthy of iuste punysion the which I counsaill the not to abide to receyue it of a nother but rather punyshe thy selfe yf thou do it of malyce condemne the shame therof ¶ The auctor ALl suche as were present had great maruayll of his wordes seynge by his spekynge to be so nere the deth as he was for when he had ended his wordes his tonge began to fayll and his syght nere lost then his seruauntes began to crye and wayle and his frend begane to wepe and his subiectes cryynge oute in the streates so that all ioy was turned to sorow and the lady his mother beynge absente for his sekenes was kept fro her knowledge howbeit she gyuynge more credyte to her feare then to that was shewyd her with boldnes of maternall loue she deperted fro her owne howse and came to Susa and when she entered the gate euery persone that she saw gaue her euydence of dolour with wordes of extreme passyon rather then with wordes well ordered she herynge how her sone Lereano was in the extremyties of deth her strenght fayled her so that she fell downe to the erth in a trance so longe she laye that euery man thought that y â— mother and the sonne shulde take theyr sepulture at one tyme howbeit with harde remedy she came agayne to her selfe and then went to her sone and when she saw hym in that astate with greate wepynge and passyon of deth she sayd as folowith ¶ The complaynte of Lereanos mother O Lereano the myrth comforte rest and supporte of myne olde dayes O swete companyon to my wyll this day I ame lyke to leue callyng the any more sonne nor thou to call me mother of this I haue greate feare by the sygnes that I se of thy shorte dayes often tymes I hadde suche dremes where with I haue bene in greate feare all the nyght durynge other tymes when I haue ben in my oratory prayng for thy helth my harte hath faylede me and a colde sweat hath taken me in suche maner that of along tyme I wyst not what to do also y e besâ—es haue cretified me of thyne euyll for on a day as I came out of my chamber ther came to me a dogge and made sodenly suche a howlyng that for feare ther of I lost the strength of my body and could not speke nor could not remoue oute of the place that I was in And therby I gaue more credence to my suspecte then to thy messengers and to satysfie my selfe I ame come to se the. O the lyght of my syghte and lyfe O blyndnes of the same if I se y â— dye I can se none occasioÌ„ of thy deth y u beyng in age to lyue y u hast alwayes ben fearefull of god louer of all vertues and enemye to all vyces freÌ„de to freÌ„des and belouyde thynke for certane this day y â— force of thyne euyll fortune takith away the ryght of reasoÌ„ syn thou dyest or thy tyme withoute any infyrmytie Happy be they that be of low and base coÌ„dicioÌ„ and rude of wytte for they feale no thynge but take euery thynge as it comyth And vnhappy be they that by subtyll wytte and sharpe vnderstaÌ„dyng know euery thynge wolde to god thou werte one of the rude and dull for I had rather to be callyd mother to a rude persone hauynge thy lyfe then to haue thy deth beyng neuer so wyse O cruell deth enemy to all mortal creatures thou wilt perdone no synners nor aâ—soyll the innocentes thou arte suche a traytour that no man can make defence agaynst the thou thretenyst age and takest awaye yough the one thou sleyste by malyce and y e other for enuy though thou tary longe yet thou wylte not forget to come at laste thou gouernyst thy selfe with oute law or reasone it had ben better for the to haue coÌ„seruyd my sonne beyng of xx yeres rather then to leue me his mother of .lxx. yeres of age why doste thou turne y e ryght vpse down I haue lyued longe inough and he is yong yet for to lyue perdon me y t I thus say to the for thou by thy cruell warkes causyste dolours yet agayne thou gyuist comforte takyng away them shortely that thou leuist behynde them that thou takest away for the which yf thou wylte so do with me I were moche bouÌ„d to the that I myght go with my sonne Lereano but yf he myght lyue and I to dye it shulde be my comeforte O sone what shall become of my age remeÌ„bryng the ende of thy yough yf I lyue it shal be rather to wepe and bewayll my synnes then by reasone to haue any wyll or desyre to lyue with what thyng coulde I receyue more cruell payne then to lyue long thyne euyll is very great that ther canne be found no remedye what auay lyth now the strength of thy body or the vertue of thyne harte or the hardynes of thy corage all these thynges that shulde auayll y e faylythe yf for the price of loue thy lyfe myght be bought I wolde desyre deth to do his offyce vpon me and to delyuer the quyte fro hym but thy fortune wyll not suffer it nor I caÌ„ not therfore sorow shal be my drynke and my mete and my thought my slepe vntyll the tyme that the force of dethe and my desyre shall brynge me to my sepulture ¶ The auctor THe wepyng that Lereanos mother made encreasyde the payne of all them that were presente and all wayes Lereano had Laureola in his remembrance of that was past he had but small memory and coÌ„syderyng that he shulde ioy but a shorte space with the syght of the .ii. letters that Laureola hadde sente hym he wiste not how to order them when he thought to breke them he thought he shuld offende ther by Laureola in castynge away suche wordes of so worthy price as was wryteÌ„ in them and when he thought to put in to any of his seruauÌ„tes haÌ„des he fearyd leste they shulde be seâ—e wherby perell myght folow then in all these doubtes he toke the sureste way he callyd for a cup of water and then brake the lettres in to small peces and so sette vp in his bed and dranke vp the water with the peces of the letters and so he satisfyde therby his wyll and then drawynge to his ende warde he cast his syght vpon me sayde freÌ„de now all myne euylles be endydâ— and therwith gaue vp his lyfe in witnes of his true fayth Then what sorow I felte and what I dyd is lyghtly iudged the wepynges that was there made of his deth are of suche esteme that me thynke it cruelty to wryte it theÌ„ his obsequyes and buryals were done most honourably accordyng to the deserdes of his vertues as for my selfe with a better wyll I wolde haue depertyd
vnkyndnes in his lyfe without the losse of lyfe I could not rewarde hym accordyng to his desire I wyll thou know that his deth causith me to lyue alwayes dyenge now shalte thou se how moche it sorowith me and how moche he pleasyde me now thou shalt iudge what loue I bare hym and know yf I dyd well to suffer hym to dye thou knowist well that with his lyfe he myght haue wonne that by his deth he dysparyd and lost it but syn I can not now paye nor rewarde hym I shall satisfye the make the bere witnes yf I rewarde not seruice as I ought to do ¶ The auctor SHe endyd her wordes with suche heuynes that she coulde scante make an ende for sorow then she went fro me subbyng and sore wepyng wherby her tonge was sore troubelyd chaunged colour and so went in to her chamber with sore inwarde lamenâ—acioÌ„ for feare she shuld haue ben hard Then I weÌ„t to my lodgyng w t so great sorow that often tymes I was desperate of my lyfe with myne owne deth I wold haue ben reuengyd if I coulde not puttynge my selfe in dyspayre And thus beynge alone withoute pleasure aswell as with oute frendes to speke vnto for werynes I layd me downe and as though I had sene Lereano before me presente I sayd to hym as folowith ¶ The auctor to Lereano O Lereano enemye to thy adueÌ„ture and frende to thy myshape who can be cause of thy lyfe with this ambassade as I was cause of thy deth w t my message for now if thou knewyst the repentance of Laureola thou woldest change the glory celostyall for thy lyfe temporal for by thy deth thou hast lost thy desyre if thou haddest sauyd thy lyfe without doubte thou shuldest haue wonne that by thy deth thou hast lost Dyd I nat say to the when thou lay a dyenge that by thy deth thou shuldest lese all and by thy lyfe thou myghtest attayne to thy desyre O vnhappy y t I am y t I were not in y â— place where as I myght shew the all that Laureola hath sayd to me and of the thought that she takâ—th for lesynge of thy lyfe though w t the deth thou hast wonne the desire of thy will by that she shewith now thou oughtest to thynke thy deth well bestowyd great ioy I shuld recene if I knew that thou dyddeste here me and beleue mâ— for thou maist se that alonely her repentance suffy seth to pay y â— thy reward yf thou haddeste lyuyde thou shuldeste haue had no cause to haue beÌ„ in trouble now thy payne shal be withoute hope of sufferance now thou nediste not to be troubly with thy lyfe nor take no ioy of thy deth O what welth shuld it be for me if god wold suffer me to lese my lyfe to recouer thyne why doth god leue me here without the. who can lese the and lyue after wold to god that the good will that I haue in thy lyfe that thou myghtest pay me with my deth y t which I hope thou shuldest do if thou haddest as good wyll to se me as I haue desire to serue y e. Thus I wyll leue any further to trouble the. ¶ The auctors dreme THus I was so wery that I left my talkynge and as he that wyst not what he dyd I fell in a slombere and amonge other thynges I beganne to dreme wherby I had more payn then pleasure I drempt that I saw Lereano before me aparelled after this maner he had on his hedde a bonet of scarlet with a grene ryband of an euyll colour with a worde enbrowdered saieng thus hope is dead with his colour slayne by your vnkyndnes and when he came nere me I sawe he had on a shyrte wrought with blak sylke with a border of letters sayenge encreasyng my stedfastnes at the ende I found deth Also he had a doblet of yeolow saten enbrowdered with this worde my passion with my ioye satisfied in doynge that I haue done Also he had on a iaket of blake veluyt with a border of saten of the same colour and theron a wrytynge that sayd in my stedfastnes shewed is myne euyll and your trespace Also he had a gerdell of golde with letters reportynge more rather was my dethe then lyfe if ye wolde be seruyd therwith He had also a dager y â— knyues and pomell of asure w t letters sayeng ryght sore was the passion that ye gaue me and yet ye neuer repentyde it Also he had a sworde with the sheth gyrdell of sylke enbrowderyde w t this worde gyuyn to my lyfe such torment that diyng and lyuyng I was content Also his hosen one white a nother blew w t this word chastite ielus of my lyfe could not be sufferyd to serue And ouer all this he had a cappe of blacke enbrowderyd with darke tawny with a worde that sayd heuynes can not so trauayll me that it shulde chaÌ„ge my stedfastnes His slippers were enbrowdered w t smal letters that sayde myne euyls are at an ende for my seruyce and denyed me is the benyfyte And on his gloues was writen thus begynnyth and endeth the name that most deseruyth So when I had at length regarded his aparell and the stedfaste thoughtes that by lykelyhod he enduryd I behelde his face and I saw his iesture so beautefull that it semed he had neuer taken thought and with an amorous semblant After he had curtesly salutyd me with the same voyce as he was wonte to speke me thought he began to say in this maner ¶ Lereano to the auctor O Thou my true frende thou hast thought that my presence hath bene longe fro the so that I could not tell what y u dyddest nor hard what thou hast spoken thynke not so for I shall neuer be so farre fro the but that I shall alwayes be ioyned with the for though by aduenture in my lyfe I deperted fro the neuer in the deth I shall deperte fro the I shall alwayes be ionyed with the. And all that thou hast sayd of Laureola and of me I was present and hard it god knowith if I myght I wold haue spoken to the but I could not nor feare wold not leue me for I certifie the that this that I do though my speche be short yet it tormenteth me and therfore acordynge to the trust that I haue in thy great vertue I wyll not put the to the payne with long wordes therfore I wyll goo to the effect of thy wordes and to my aunswere Thou sayest thou woldest gladly put me agayne in to life as thou puttedest me to deth beleue nat that thy message gaue me the deth nor I in the begynnynge can not be excused fro coming to this ende thou sayst thou woldest that I were in the dysposicion that I myght ioy me for the repentynge of Loureola I can not thanke the therfore bycause I can not make y â— a recompence for the gretest seriuce that
any sentence apon me And the better to execute on me his true iustyce demaundyd of eche of them yf they consentyd that I shuld be taken prisoner bicause if any of them wolde not haue consentyd he wolde haue asoyled me fro payne and blame to the whiche demaunde all .iiii. aunswerd in this maner First vnderstaÌ„dynge said I consent to the euill of the payne for the welth of the cause wherfore my wyll is that he be taken Then sayd Reason I consent not allonely that he be in prison out I ordeyne that he there abyde and dye for it were better for hym the happy deth then to lyue in dispayre coÌ„sidering for whom he shal suffre it Then sayd Memory syn that vnderstanding reason coÌ„sentyth that without deth he can not be deliuered I then pinyse he shall neuer forget it but alwayes haue it in his remembraunce Then sayd wyll seyng it is thus I will then be the key of his prisone and determyne alwayes to be persecuter of wyll and desyre This seing the god of loue who ought to haue sauid mâ—e coÌ„demned me gaue this cruell sentence agaynst me As for y e .iii. images standing on y e walles of y e towre eche of them of a contrary colour as tawny blacke gray The one is heuynes the other anguish and the thirde trauaill The cheynes in theyr handes are their strengthes wher with they holde falte tyed the harte in such wyse that it can recouer none ease nor rest The great clerenes shynyng that the Egle hath in his bek wynges as thou hast sene in the hyghest parte of the towre whiche is myne inwardes thoughtes whiche hath so great clevenes in it selfe that it suffiseth to enlumyne y e darknes of this clowdy prison and the force therof is so great that the strength of the thick walles can not leâ— it but that it wyll attaigne to the Eglâ— in suche wyse y t they wyll go together in coÌ„pany bycause they are the thinges that mountyth and ascendyth hyghest for the which cause my pryson is in the hyghest place of the lande The .ii. watches that thou heâ—est so dilygently watchyng be Mishap Hate They be of that deuise y t no hope nor remedy shuld entre into me y e darke stayres to mount on is anguysh wheron I mountyd as thou seyst The fyrst porter was desyre who to all heuynes openyth the gate Therfore he sayd to the y t thou shuldest leue al thyne armure of pleasoure The other porter was tormeÌ„t who brought me hyther who is of the same coÌ„dicyoÌ„ The chayre of fier wherin thou seist me syt is my iuste affection whose flames alwayes brynneth in myne entrayles The .ii. women y t gaue me the crown of martyrdom are called payne passyon who satisfyeth my fayth with this present reward The olde man y t thou seyst syt in so great study representeth great thought pensyfenes w t greuous care soliâ—itude The which ioyned with y e other euyls manisheth my poore lyfe The blacke more veâ—â—uryd in yelowe who traueyleth to take awaye my lyfe is named dispayre the sheld that issueth out of my hed defending me fro his strokes is my wytte who seynge y e dispayre wold slee me coÌ„mandeth me to defende my lyfe coÌ„syderyng the deserte of Laureola he coÌ„maundeth me to desyre long life w t sufferance rather then with deth to make an ende The black boord for me to eate on is ferme stedfastnesse wheron I eate Thynke slepe theron are the heuy meates of myne conteplatioÌ„s The .iii. diligeÌ„t seruaÌ„tes y t serueth me are named euyl payne and dolour One bereth the meat of doubtfulnesse wherof I eate a nother bereth dispayre wherin y e meat is brought another bereth y e cup of tribulatioÌ„ wherin I drink drawing water fro y e hart to the eyen from y â— eien to the mouth Now iudge thy self if I be wel serued if I haue nede of remedy y u seyst I requyre the syn y u arte here aryued that thou wylt serche for me some remedy sorow myne euyll I desyre of the none other good but that Laureola may be aduertysedâ— knowe by the state how thou seyst me and peraduenture thou wylt excuse the bycause thou seyst me fayle power to make the a recompence I requyre the let it not be vndone for that cause for more vertue it is to remedy them that be in tribulation then to susteyne them that be in prosperite let thy workes be suche that thou repente not thy selfe for lacke of doynge it when thou myghteste haue done it ¶ The aunswer of the auctour to Laureola THy wordes shewe well that loue hath taken and occupieth thy lybertie but not thy vertue the whiche I proue by that I se in the to be more redyer to dye then to speke how be it thou hast forcyd thy wyll to proue the werynes of my lyfe iudgynge what for trauels passyd for my solycitude present that I haue but small hope to lyue without doubt so it is for thou causest my perdicion desyrynge doughtes remedy and yet thou doest remedy the same as a perfight iudge And surely I haue hadde no lesse pleasour to heare the then I haue had sorowe to se the. For by thy persone is well sene thy payne by thy reasons knowen is thy bountie in gyuynge socour and ayde to the nedyâ—lyke as thou hast doâ—e now to me For I consyderynge the strange mysteries of this thy pryson I doubted of my saluacyon beleuynge all had ben but illusions done by arte diabolycke rather then by any coÌ„dycyon amorous For this thou hast shewed me I thanke the and nowe I knowe what thou arte I thynke well enployed the trauayll that I haue enduryd for thy sake the knowledge of the moralite of these figures hath ryght well pleased me for though I well regardyd them yet for lacke of knowledge my harte was in captyuyte and prisone and now I ame out of doubt feare And where as thou hast coÌ„maundyd me that I shuld gyue knowlege to Laureola in what casâ— I haue sene y â— the which to do I fynd gret perel for a man of a strange nacioÌ„ what maner forme shuld he fynde to execute such a message I haue not alonely this doubt but dyuerce other The rudenes dulnes of my wytte the dyfference of oure speche tonge the noblenes of Laureola and the grauite of this be synes so that in this case I fynde but small remedy but alonely my good will whiche vanquyssith all other inconuenientes and daungers for to thy seruice I offre my selfe as moche as though I hadde bene thyne owne seruant all the dayes of my lyffe And I promyse the y t with good hart I shal accoÌ„plish to my power al thy coÌ„mandemeÌ„tes I pray to god I may be as happy as I ame desyrous to serue the so that thy deliuerance may bere witnes of my true dilygence
so great affeccion I bere to the so moche I ame bound to loue thy noblenes that if I myght remedy thy trybulacions I shuld repute my selfe well rewardyd for all my trauyls so that in the meane tyme thou wylt bere al maner of assautes pacyently in trustyng vpon me that when I returne and bryng y â— any remedy y t thou mayste take suche corage in thy lyfe that thou mayst feale the sparkels therof The Auctor WHen I had endyd myne aunsewre to Lereano then I deptyd fro hym and lernyd the waye to the cytie of Suria where as lay y e kyng of Mazedonia which was halfe a iourney fro y â— prisone fro whence I deptyd Thus I came to the courte wente to y e palays to treat and to se y e maner of the people of that courte and to regarde the forme and situacion of the palayce and how I myght resorte goo come or abyde to entre in to the enterprice that I had in hand And this I dyd dyuers dayes to lerne and to se what way shulde be best moste couenable to my purpose the more I studyed the lesse disposycion I found to attayne to that I desyryd when I had serched al maner of wayes I thought most auayleable to my purpose to acquaynte my selfe w t the yong courters and with the principall of y e courte for generally among them is found good maner and curtesye and thus I drew so longe to theyr company with in a breue tyme I was estemydde among them as though I had bene one of theyr ppre nacion and at last I fell in aquayntance among the ladyes and lytle and lytle I fell in acquayntance with the ladye Laureola and dyuerce tymes I recountyd to her of the meruayls of spayne and of other places where as I had bene The whiche she gretly delyghtyd to here Then I seyng my selfe in maner with her as a seruant I thoâ—ght then I myght shewe her that thyng that I desyryd and on a day as I saw her aparte fro other ladyes I knelyd downe and sayd as folowith The Auctor to Laureola IT is lesse goodnes to perdone the great puyssante persones when they haue dseruyd trespace then to be reuengyd vpon the symple small psonages when they haue done iniury for y â— one wyll make amendes by reason of theyr honour and the other are perdonyd by vertue the whiche is due to be vsyd amonge greate personages and most specyally to noble ladyes gentle women hauing noble hartes according to theyr birth they ought naturally to haue pyte in theyr condicions Lady I say thys for peraduenture in shewyng to you myne entent I shal be reputyd to bolde not hauyng respecte to your great magnyficens In the begynnyng or I was determyned to speake to you I was in great doubt But at the ende I thoughte it for the best that yf ye entreate me inhumaynly to suffre y e payn for my speakyng rather then to endure in dolour for beynge styll Lady ye shal knowe that rydynge on a daye amonge sharpe mountayns I sawe by the commandement of Amours how Lereano sonne to duke Guerro was taken led to prison as a prisoner who prayed me to ayde hym in his trouble and besynes By whose occasion I lefte the waye of my reste and toke the daungerous way of his trauayle and after that I hadde longe gone with hym I sawe howe he was put in to a swete prisone as toward his wyll but it was ryght bytter as to his lyfe for there he susteyneth all the euyls and paynes of the world Dolour turmenteth hym passyoÌ„ foloweth hym dispaire distroieth him deth manasheth hym payne executeth hym thoughtes waketh hym desyre troubleth hym heuynes coÌ„demneth hym his fayth wyll not saue hym I knewe by hym that all this ye are the cause And I iudge by that I sawe hym his dolour whiche he kepethe secrete in his mynde to be more greater then he hath discouered to me by wepinges but by reason of the syghte y t I se of your presence I fynde that his torment is not without a iuste cause And w t sore syghes issuynge fro his harte he desyred me to gyue you knowledge of his euyl his request was with payne dolour my obedience of pure coÌ„passyon of his payne torment though I iudge you cruelâ— yet by y e frequeÌ„tatioÌ„ of your geÌ„tlenes I se thinke ye be piteous not w tout reason for by reasou of your excelleÌ„t fayrenes dignite he beleueth the one by your noble coÌ„dicion hopeth on y e other his payne wherof ye be causer yf ye wyll remedy w t pitie accordyng to his deseruinge ye shal be theÌ„ praised aboue al other womeÌ„ y t euer were Remembre nowe behold whether it is better to be praysed for gyuynge remedy orels to be blamyd for sleyng of hym CoÌ„syder how moch ye be bouÌ„d to hym y â— for al his passioÌ„ aduersite yet he doth serue you if ye remedy hym theÌ„ he is y e occasioÌ„ to cause you to do as moch as god maye do for it is of no lesse esteme the redemer then is y e creator for in takynge fro hym the deth ye shall do as moche as god to gyue hym lyfe I knowe not what excuse ye can make not to remedy hym without ye beleue that sleynge is a vertue I desyre of you none other good but to be sory for his euyll and payne This desyre shall be to you nothynge greuable for he had rather endure in hym selfe styll payne and aduersite then to cause you to feale any payne displeasour This my bolde speakynge condemneth me but the dolour of hym that hathe sente me assoyleth me agayne his payne is so great that none euyll can come to me to be equall to his payne I requyre your gentlenes let your aunswer be coÌ„fortable to your vertue and not to the fercenes that ye shew by your regardes And in your so doynge ye shal be praysed and I reputyd a good messenger and the paynefull prisoner Lereano delyuered quyte fro all payne◠¶ The aunswer of Laureola to the auctourâ— Lykewyse as thy reasons be temerous and fearefull to declare semblably they are great and greuous to perdone yf thou were of Macedonia as thou arte of Spaygne thy reasons and thy lyfe shuld fynishe together but thou beynge a straunger shalte not receyue the payne that thou deseruyste And as for the pytie that thou thynkest to be in me I wolde thou knewest that in suche lyke cases doubtefull iustice crueltie is as ryue and dewe as is clemence or pitie the whiche yf I shulde execute vpon the shulde be cause of .ii. welthes The one therby al other shuld take ensample of feare And the other all noble women shulde be estemed and reputed accordynge to theyr demerites How be it if thy fole hardynes requyre punycion yet my mekenes and benignite consenteth to
entent that with good wyll thou shuldest bere it to her I wyll begynne it in thy presence wherof the mater shal be as folowith ¶ The letter of Lereano to Laureola Syn that the sepulture is the rewarde of all myne euels I ame redy now to receyue it beloue that deth shall not dysplease me for he is of small wytte that abhorryth that thyng y t gyueth libertie but one thyng dyspleaseth me that is in dyeng I shal lose all my hope euer to se you agayn the whiche sore greueth me It may be sayd in so shorte a space as I haue ben your seruant how shuld I so sone lose my puyssance ye ought not to meruail therat for y e hope that ye haue brought me in and smalle comeforte with my greate passyon suffyseth to put away to destroy greater force then myne yet I can not beleue that ye are cause therof without your workes do certifie the same but alwayes I haue beleuyd that your coÌ„dycyon piteous shulde surmouÌ„t your obstynate wyl but sin ye wyll that my life shal receue this domage y e faute therof is myne owne mysfortune I am sore abasshyd that ye sorow not in your selfe your owne ingratitude I haue gyuen you my liberte intyerly haue gyueÌ„ you my harte nothyng retaynyng to my selfe for all that I can haue no rewarde of loue yet I desyre to serue you Who wold thynke that ye shulde dystroy that thyng that is your owne certaynly ye are your owne enemy with oute ye fynde some remedy to saue me This ye onght to do orels ye coÌ„demne your selfe for my deth perdycyon can not profyght you But I desyre that ye wold sorowe for myne euyll yet yf your sorow shuld do you any payne then I desyre it not syn that lyuyng I neuer dyd ye seruyce It were no ryght that dyeng I shuld cause you to haue trouble They that loke agaynst the sonne y e more they regard it the blynder they be And so the more I remember your fayrenes the blynder is myne vnderstandyng This I say to th entent that of this my rude wrytyng ye shuld haue no meruayll for in the hard case that I ame in accordyng to my wyll I am better dysposed to ende my lyfe then to make any reasones yet I wolde that thyng that ye ought to regarde were so orderyd that ye shuld not occupye your vnderstandyng on a thyng so fayre fro your condycioâ— yf ye consent that I shall dye bycause ye wold haue it publyshed ye haue the power to slee meâ— then be ye euyll cousayled for without hope your beautie hath sertyfyed me therof And if ye esteme my deth to be good bycause I ame not worthy to receyue your grace the whiche I haue â—â—â—pyd to wynne by reasone of my true fayth the which I lese for lacke of deseruyng and w t this thought I thynk to suffre all my payne And if it seme to you that the paynes that I endure for your sake can not be remedyed with oute offence to your honor Thyuk that I wyll neuer desyre y e thyng that shuld torne you to blame what profyght shuld any thyng do to me that shuld be euyll to you Allonely I desyre your aunswere for my fyrst last reward to be brefe I requyre you syn ye make an ende of my lyfe yet at lest honor my deth for in the place where as the desperate sowles becometh yf ther be any welth There I desyre to feale none other ioy but y t ye wyll honor my dede bones that I may ioy a lytle with that great glory ¶ The auctor THe wordes and letter of Lereano finyshed In stede of wordes mynâ— eyen were satysfyed with greate wepyng so withonte power to speke I departyd thynkynge my iudgement y t it shuld be the last tyme that I had any hope to se hym agayn alyue And as I was on my way I wrote a superscâ—ypcion vpon the letter to th entent that Laureola shuld be in doubt fro whence it came And when I came in to her presence I delyuered her the letter who beleuyng that it had come frome some other persone receyuyd it and began to rede it And all the season that she was redyng I regardyd styll her vysage when she hadde made an ende I saw well she was sore troubelyd as though she had sufferyd a great euyll yet the regardyng of her turbacyon excusyd not my trouble Then to assure my selfe I demaundyd of her other questyons no thyng concernyng to that purpose And to delyuer her selfe fro company y t whych in suche case is perelous lesse that the manyfest mutacions discouer not the secrete thoughtes of the harte Therfore she withdrew her selfe a parte and all that nyghte she was without spekyng of any word to me as tuchyng that purpose And the next day she sent for me shewed me many vertuous resons to dyscharge her selfe fro any thyng consentyng to release y e payne of lereano howbeit she sayd y t she thought great inhumanite to lese suche a man as Lereano for so small a pryce as in wrytyng of a letter how be it in the redyng of his letter I take but smal pleasour Therfore here I haue wrytten a letter not w t so pleasant and swet wordes as be in his reasons for who so euer here the wordes in this my letter may well knowe y t I haue lytle studyed in the arte of eloquence So for shamefastnes sodenly her face was inflamyd and as sodenly agayne pale she was so sore alteryd and shorte wyndyd that in maner she brethed for y e deth her harte voyce so sore trymbled that her dyscrecion could not enforce her selfe to speke therfore her aunswere was shorte and also the place requyred no lenger tyme. So she toke me the letter and kyst her hand and I receyuyd it The tenour wherof ensuyth ¶ The letter fro Laureola to Lereano THe deth that thou lokest for by reasone of thy payne I haue rather deseruyd it yf I shulde put my wyll to thyne but that is not so for this my wryttyng is more to redeme thy lyfe then to satisfy thy desyre what shulde it profytte me to accomplysh it for yf I were accusyd therof I coulde haue no wytnes to salue me but alonely my pure entensyon which is so pryncypall a pertye that his wordes shulde not be taken nor beleued And with this feare I haue put to my hande to this paper my harte mynde beyng in heuyn makyng hym iudge of my mynde to whome the trouthe of all thynges is manyfest knowen The cause why y â— I doubtyd to aunswere the was bycause withoute my condemnacion thou canst not be assoyled as thou mayst well se for though no creature know of this letter but thy selfe the berer yet I know not what iudgement any of you may make vpon me though it be but good yet I ame spottyd with y e suspecte therof Therfore
the deth of Laureola the whiche I will shewe she hathe deseâ—uyd by iust causes determyned acordyng to honour and iustice and yf her errour shulde be lefte vnpunnisshed I shulde then be no lesse culpable then Lereano As tochyng my dishonour and shame yf it were publisshed that I shulde perdone such a case of my neigbours I shuld be dispraised and of myne owne subgettes disobeyed and of euery man smally eâ—â—â—ed And also I might well be accused y t I haue euil conserued the generosite of my predecessours And this faulte myght be so far exstemed that it might spotte defowle the fame of myne auncettours passed blemysh y e honour of them that be present and steyne y e blud of them that be to come for one spotte in our lignage myght confounde all our generacion The perdonynge of Laureola shuld be cause of other great euils the whiche shulde folow by reasoÌ„ of my perdonyng wherfore I hadde rather to cause feare by reasone of my crueltie then to cause boldnes to do euil by reasone of my pitie And in my so doing I shal be estemed as a kinge ought to be by reason of doing iustice Be holde how many reasons there be that shlude lede y t she ought to haue sentence ye knowe well our lawes hath stablisshed that a woman accused in such causes shuld suffre deth and ye se well how it were better for me to be called a kyng in mynystrynge iustice then to perdone the culpable And it ought well to be noted y t in stede of consernyng the lawe if I do breke it my selfe y e whiche I ought not to do then I coÌ„demne my self The righte waye oughte equally to be kept obserued for the hart of a iuge ought not to be mouede for fauoure for loue nor couetyse nor for none other accideÌ„t folowing the right iustyce is laudable And yf it be fauourable then it is abhorred Iustice ought neuer to go oute of the ryght way syne it is cause of so moche goodnes It cansith feare to them that be euyll and it susteynyth them that be goode It pacefyeth all differences it determynyth al questions it expelith all stryues and contensions it agreith all debates it assurith the wayes it honourith the people it fauourith the small people and of base condicion it bridilith the myghty men and to the comon weale it is ryght profytable Then to conserue such a welthe and that the lawes susteynyth it It is ryght that I shuld vse iustice yf ye desire so moch the helth of Laureola and prayse so moche her goodnesse brynge forth one witnes of her innocensy as I haue .iii. to charge her then she shall be perdonyd with reasone and praysed with trouth Also where as ye say that I shulde gyue faith to the iudgemente of god aswell as to the wytnes of other men it is no meruayll thought I do not so for I se the wytnes certayne at myne eye and as for the iudgment is not yet endyd For thoughe Lereano hadde the better of the batayll we may iudge the myâ—â—es but we know not the ende I will not aunswere to al your alegasyons and sayenges bycause I wyll make no longe proces and at the ende sende you away without hope I desire moche to accept your requestes bycause of your well deseruyng therof and if I do not yet I requyre yon take it for none euyll for ye ought no lesse to desyre the honour of the father then the saluacion of his doughter ¶ The Auctor THe desperate aunswere of y e kyng was to the herers great heuynes And when I saw that this remedy was to me contâ—ary then I sought for a nother way trustyng that shulde be more profitable And y t was I thought to go to the quene that she shuld desyre the kyng for the saluacyoÌ„ of her doughter Laureola So I wente to her who was partaker of her doughters sorow And I founde her in an hall acoÌ„panyd with many noble ladyes and other who were suffycyente to haue atteygnyde theyr desyres other iuste or vniuste though the mttaer hadde ben neuer so greate yet theyr desyres ought not to haue ben refused bycause of y e auctorite of the quene who knelyd downe and spake wordes to the kyng aswel leyeng charge to hym for his ire as also wordes of pitie to apeace hym And she shewed hym the moderacyon that a kyng ought to haue and reprehendyd the perceueraÌ„ce of his ire and shewyng hym how he was a father and allegyd reasones ryght dyscrete to note and full of sorow sayng that if he wolde nedes execute his cruell iudgemente to do it rather vpoÌ„ her selfe seyeng great parte of her yeres were passyd then vppon Laureola in her yonge age aprouyng that by her owne deth the fame of the iudge shulde be sauyde and the lyfe of her that is iudgyd and the mynd of the desyrer fulfylled But the kynge styll was indurate in his fyrst purpose All the quenes rasones could not serue nor yet her bytter wepynges And therwith the quene went in to her chamber with small strength sore wepyng and as redy to dye And when I sawe that the quene could gette no grace of the kyng I went to the kyng withoute any feare of his fersâ—es and sayd how he ought to gyue his senteÌ„ce with clere iustice for Lereano shulde fynde a man to fyght agaynst all those .iii. false wytnesses orelles to do it his owne proper person and to pay them accordynge to theyr desertes and then god shall shew where the ryght is Then the kyng aunswered me that I shuld leue myne ambassade for Lereano sayeng how the heryng of his name encresyd his passyon and ire And when the quene knewe there was no remedy to saue the lyfe of Laureola She went to the prisone and kyssed her dyuerce tymes and sayde as folowith ¶ The quene to laureola O Bountie by malice accusyd O vertue by ire coÌ„demnyd O doughter borne of thy mother to sorow thou shalte dye withoute iustice and I must wepe by reason Thyne vnhappe hath more pusance to condempne the then thyn innoceÌ„cy to saue the without the I shall lyue accompanyed with doloures the whiche in thy stede thou shalt leue me Thy deth shal ende .ii. lyues the one is thyne without cause and myne by good reasone and ryght To lyue after y â— shuld be to me a sorer deth then that thou shalte receue for it is farre greatter tormente to desyre the deth then to suffre it Wolde to god thou myghtest be called the doughter of the mother y t shuld dye rather then to be she y t I shuld se dye Of euery maÌ„ thou shalte be bewailedâ— as long as the worlde endureth all that of the haue any knowledge wyll sette litle by this realme y â— whiche thou shuldest enheryte accordyng to thy desertes for all that y u art fallen in to thy fathers displeasour yet all suche as knowith the affyrmyth that
can be in no suretie And the thyng that most greuith me is iâ— gyuyng sentence agaynst me ye do iustice against your owne honour the wiche all wayes shal be recoâ—dyd more for the cause then for iustice in it selfe My blode shall occupye but a small place but your crueltie shal sprede ouer all the yerth ye shal be callyd the cruell father and I the doughter innocent For syn god is iuste he shall clere my trouth for I shal be lefte w t oute faulte when I haue receyuyd the payne of dethe ¶ The Auctor WHen Laureola had endyd her letter she sent it to the kynge by one of her kepers who loued and fauoured her in suche wyse y t he wolde gladly she had bene at her libertie for he was asmoche moued te pytie her as to obey the kinges comaundement And when the kynge hadde receyued y e letter and redde it he coÌ„maunded streygthly that the berer therof shulde auoyde his presence And when I saw that then newly agayne I cursed my mysaduenture thought that my tormente was so great that it occupied my harte in dolour yet my mynde forgat not to do y t I ought And though I hadde more space to endure payne rather then to fynde remedy yet then I wente and spake with the lorde Gawlo her vncle and shewyd hym how Lereano was determynyd to take Laureola perforce out of presone wherfore I desyred hym to be redy with a certayne nombre of men that when Lereano hadde taken her oute of presoÌ„ then he wold delyuer her to his power to sette her in sauegarde Because that if Lereano shulde cary her away with hym it shulde veryfy the wytnes of the false accusers And bycause that y e deth of Laureola was as dere to hym as to the quene his suster he aunswered me sayde how he was content therwith And when his wyll and my desyre were confyrmable together then I depertyd secretly bycause that or any brute were made y e dead myght be executyd sodeÌ„ly And when I came to Lereano I shewyd hym all that I hade done and of the small effect therof And then I delyuered hym Laureolas letter and what for the compassion of the wordes therin and with the thoughtes that he determyned to do his harte therwith was so oppressyd y t he wist not what aunswere to make me He wepte for compassion any coulde not refrayne his ire and was sore discomefortyd by reasone of his euyll fortune and yet he hopyde accordyng to iustice When he thought to reskew Laureala he was ioyfull And agayne when he doughtyde to brynge it aboute his harte changyde Fynally leueng al doubtes knowyng the aunswere of Galleo then he began to study what waye to accomplishe his enterprice And lyke a wyse knyghte well prouydyde whyle I hadde ben in the courte he had assemblyd to gether of his own seruaÌ„tes .v. C. men of armes without knowledgyng of any of his kynne or frendes Some peraduenture wolde haue agreyd with hym with discrete consideracion suche as were made priuy Some of them sayd y e kyng dyd euil And some sayd it was a ieopdous enterprice and perilous to accomplysh Therfore to exchew al such incoÌ„uenieÌ„ts he thought to execute his dead alone w t his owne men So the day before that Laureola shuld haue bene iudged Lereano callyd before hym all his seruantes and sayde to them how the good vertuous men were more bounde to feare theyr shame then the perell of theyr lyues Also sayenge how yet lyueth the fame of them that be passyd by reasone of theyr deades that they haue done And he desired them that for couetyse of worldly goodes y e whiche shall haue an ende that they shulde not for that lose the glory of them that liueth perpetually And he desyred them to haue in theyr memory the rewarde of well dyeng he shewyd theÌ„ what folyshnes it was to feare deth And in theyr so doyng he promysed them great gyftes rewardes And when he hadde made to them a long sermon then he declaryd y e cause that he sent for them and all they with one voice proferyd to lyue and dye with hym And when Lereano saw theyr good wylles he thought hym selfe then well accompanyd and so depertyd in the nyght and came in to a valey nere to the citie ther he taryed all the nyght and infourmyd his meÌ„ what they shulde do He apoyntyd one capitayne with a. C. men of armes that they shuld go streyght to the lodging of Persyo and to slee hym and asmany as dyd resyst them Then he apoyntyde other .ii. capitayns with eche of them .l. footemen to go vp the two principall streates goyng to the presone where as Laureola was `coÌ„maundyng them that when they came to the preson then they to torne theyr faces to the citie warde kepe defende that no person shulde entre in to the castell vntyll suche tyme as he with other .iii. C. men came to take oute Laureola And the capitayne that he hadde coÌ„maundyd to sle Persio he chaâ—gyd hym that when he had done to come and mete with hym at the presoÌ„ and they to defende the passage yf any came to entre in to the castell whyle he were taking oute of Laureola And all this thus agreyd coÌ„cluded when the gates were opened in the â—ornynge sodenly he and all hys men entered in to the citie and euery capitayneâ— toke hede to his charge The capitayne that had the charge to sle Persio executed his coÌ„maundemente for he slew Persio all other that were in his way to lette hym Ther Persio endyd his myserable lyfe and Lereano went to the preson and what with the furour of his ire with the vertue of his force fought so fercely with the kepers of the presone and slew so many that he could not get for dede bodyes but with moâ—he payne But as iâ— al peâ—els the bountie encrea seth by force of armes So by clene force he came in to the preson wher as Laureola was and there he toke her with as greate seremony and honour as thought hit hadde bene in tyme of peace he knelyd downe to the yerth and kylâ— her hande lyke the doughter of a kynge and with that present turbacion she stode without strenght so that she coulde not moue her selfe Her harte dismayd her colour faylyd litle parte of any lyfe was lefte in her Then Lereano tooke and caryed her oute of prisone and then mette with Galleo her vncle accordynge to his promyse who came thyther with a certayn nomber of men and there in the presence of euery man Lereano delyueryd Laureola in to his handes and still his men fought against them that came againste hym but he set Laureola vpon an hakeney that Galleo had ther redy and agayne kyste her hande and then went to ayde his men that were styll fyghtyng and still he regardyd after Laureola till he hadde loste
I could make is not so greate but the lest deseruynge that I huae receyued of the is moche gretter As for her rewardes I desyre them not for I can haue as now no ioye of them though I desyre them neuer somoche and though now with her repentynge she thynk to satysfie me yet her cruelnes was so trobelous that though she dyd more yet I can not be rewardyd Thou sayst I shuld thynke my dethe well enployede syn I haue wonne by her that without her I lost now wold I do it if lyfe were lefte with me for though I myght ioy therwith what profyt shuld it be to me to beleue this without I myght se what she doth and I beleue if she myght se me agayne to lyue she wolde gyue me more payne and lesse hope but the best to be delyueryd fro hope is deth for it is better to suffer a good deth then to endure with an euyll lyfe beleue not but and I had beleuyd that I shuld haue seruyd her better lyuyng then to dye I wold not haue dyed yet but syn that with my lyfe I could not preuayll I thought then with deth to remedy me thynke not that I was so farre withoute wytte that I knew not that it was good to lyue to serue her though I coulde haue no ioy of her but I could neuer know by her aūswere that she was cōtēt w t my seruyce as y u knowist ryght well but she dyd let me dye for I desiryd lyfe to leue me also y u seist that y u desirest to recouer me to lese thy lyfe I beleue y ◠and I thāke y ◠therof though I cā do none other thyng y u desirist me to pray for thy deth bycause we myght lyke frendes ioy to gether syn we could not in our lyfe be not of y ◠beleue for I had rather her spekynge of thy lyfe withoute syght of the then to know thou shuldest be with me dede howbeit by thy deth thou shuldest but change thy lyfe for thy fame shuld neuer dye but euer lyue thus I wyll leue the not bicause I wyll go farre fro the. wherfore I requyre the take it for none euyll that I speke no more to the for though I wolde I can not ¶ The auctor WHen Lereano had made an ende of his wordes I thought to haue aunswerd hym but then in my dreme me thought I saw Laureola entre into my chambre as vysyble as though I had bene wakyng me thought she was in a strange aparel and with a new companyon and in y e regardynge of so new a vision I left aunswerynge Lereano and began to marke the maner of her aparell◠and I so regarded her◠that I left lokyng vpon Lereano She hadde vpō her hed a fresh atyer frete enbrowdered with letters sayeng my cruel condicion gyueth no deth to seruyce nor yet rewarde Her smocke wrought with whyte sylke tyed with letters sayeng thy deth is so fastened to my lyfe that I can not scape without deth Her kertell of blacke saten with a folyage of tawny w t letters sayeng thy stedfastnes myght haue gyuen me suche payne that at the ende it myght haue wonne me Her gyrdell was wrought with thredes of gold reportynge More rather shulde haue bene my glory with thy lyfe then with thy deth Her mantel was of .ii. colours the one parte red the other blew with a wrytynge that sayde now ioye can not enioye me without great thought She had a tabard of blew russet with letters sayeng with thy deth my memory is certayne so that lyuynge my glory is dede Also on her gloues was wryten thus with that I began I make an ende though I deserue no deth her slyppers were enbrowdered with this word I haue more payne for thy payne then for myne own yet more deserueth my shame So when I had well regarded her aparell and marked well the sygnificacions of the wrytynges I saw how w t moche sorow and smal pleasure by semblant more lykely to dye then to lyue she turned her face towardes Lereano wher as he stode and began to say in this maner ¶ Laureola to Lereano FRende Lereano neuer thynke that the force of thy strenght for so litle an incōuenience that I shuld consent to lose for as thou hast sayd to be desyrous to serue me more honour y u shuldest haue done me in lyuynge then I to gyue y ◠deth for surely thy wekenes nor thy payne nor yet thy loue coulde not make me beleue that thou shuldest haue died therfore thou maist clerely se what euyll thou hast done yf y u thynk that I dyd was to mocke the or to proue the what errour then I haue done to thy purpose yf true louers cane not suffre how shall they come to theyr desyrs he that can not suffre can not ioy nor but seldome attayne to his glory there is no vertue but in sufferynge of payne therby to haue ioye of theyr good aduenture thou oughtest more to be blamed beynge discrete for that thou hast done then to be praysed for a trew louer And beleue surely that yf I had not ben surer of thy fayth I wolde haue gyuen no credence to thy stedfastnes nor yet haue gyuen the none occasion at the begynnynge to haue come to this ende and more to shew the the trouth◠then to rewarde the of thy payne I make the sure yf I had beleued that y u shuldest haue died I wold rather haue taken the deth my selfe ◠then to haue consented to thy deth for it shuld haue bene greate conscience to me to haue sffuered the to dye for the trust that I had in that thou dydest for my seruyce caused me in maner to beleue thy wrytynge but then agayne the suretie y t I thought had ben in thy wysdome and dyscrecion caused me to doubte it and in this maner I gaue more credence to thy discrecion then to thy determyned deth Lereano it ought to haue suffysid the to remēber in what case myne honour stode in and perell of my lyfe and to haue ben cōtent to know that I ought the my fauour for thy euyll greuyd me worse thē myne owne though I shewyd it not to the if thou wylte denye this remember what I was and how small necessite I had of thy seruice ones writyng to the shuld haue sufficyd though I dyd not put the in no suretie for thou knewist well that my wrytyng procedyd of no feare but of myne owne good wyll thou canste not denye whan of my message thou dyddeste dispaire and dyed dyd I not put the in hope when I sayde that if I lyuyd lenger then my father then shuldest se how I wold rewarde thy deseruyng so that thou shuldeste not blame me for any vnkindnes I will speke no more syn I shall no more se the and by cause I can receyue no more passiō then I do for thy deth therfore I make short my wordes
though my payne be large makynge the sure I shall rewarde thy sowle syn by myne vnhap by reasone of thy deth I can not rewarde thy body ¶ The auctor WHen Laureola spake these wordes to Lereano I stode in a strange maner ryght sore abasshyde to se her greate pite and ioynynge her wysdome and knowyng her wyll and heryng of her amorous reasones these ouer came my strength though she spake not to me yet I praysede moche her sayeng though it auaylyd but lytle howe be it me thought her reasones were so iust y â— Lereano coulde make none aunswere to satisfye them not for the small coÌ„fydence that I hadde in his wisâ—ome but bycause of the trouble of his spirytes in seynge present before hym the creature whome he most desiryd yet me thought he cast vp his eyen to heuyn and with great curtesye he aunswere her in this maner ¶ Lereano to Laureola O Dere lady yf I had the wisdome to shew you the case and quarell of myne euyll aswell as I haue reasone to suffer it I coulde then aswell aunswere you as if I myght lyue to serue you ye say ye coulde neuer beleue y t the force of my dethe coulde ouercome my strength Haue no meruayl thereof for without my desyre I coulde fynde no thyng to defende me but of that ye blame me ye deserue the payne for ye myght haue gyuyn me remedy ye coÌ„sentyd that I shuld dye And where as ye say I erred bycause I wold not defeÌ„d my selfe affermynge that I shuld haue sought all the wayes therto yf ye dyd it to proue or to mocke me iudge what ye say and beholde what case I was in ye shall say that a harte full of sorowe neuer takyth good newes for certayne and of euyll newes it makith no doubte and all this that ye haue sayd I beleue it trew of your owne parte knowyng your great cruelte and my small hap thynke not that the small trauayll that I toke was in defeÌ„dyng of my lyfe but that it was to serue you for it had ben more payne for me to haue defeÌ„dyd my selfe fro the dethe then to suffre it remeÌ„brynge my selfe that I had no desire to lyue but alonely to serue you and when I â—aw that I erryde and that ye wolde not of my seruice lyuyng theÌ„ I thought to serue you with my deth and thynke not y t I ioy so litle of my deth but that I thynke it well enployed syn ye haue now discoueryd your pitie the which in my lyfe allwayes ye denyed ye say the hope that ye gaue me shuld haue suffisyd me I denye it not accordyng to y â— ye be for one loke of you had ben sufficient for any seruice that I could haue done for where as the lesse hope aperyd certayne then moche more was your deseruyng and of my deseruyng I was in doubte for the greâ—ter that y â— reward was the lesse I beleuyd it and therfore I dyd as ye haue seen And where as ye speke of is honour and lyfe ye know well for certayne if ye forgette it not what small charge it was to you and the experieÌ„ce which geemd me ye know your selfe y e warkes are witnes Also ye say that at the begynnynge ye were w toute any charge and after what perell I saw you in and that I was redy to haue gyuen occasion to haue brought you in to suspect I begyled you not for afterwarde I shewed your clennes ye neuer sayde in your wrytynge any thyng for certayne but alwayes I was in doubt of any rewarde and the lesse I â—oâ—yd the more I feared and thus ye may se that by your owne excuse ye condempe your selfe and syn I can not serue you I will not trouble you nor speke no more saue I desire of you in rewarde of my true faith to let me kysse your hand bycause with that glory I may ioy in my deth seyng I coâ—ld not in my lyfe nor ye wolde not suffer me and thus I wyll deperte fro you besechyng you as ye saye to haue remeÌ„braÌ„ce of my sowle syn ye haue forgoten my body nor I desire no more to trouble you nor to be inportunate with any mo wordes thus I make an ende desirynge you of perdone if any thynge may presume to auayll for the ryches of my seruice that ye wyll remember my trouth and good wyl the which I setâ—e before your eyen to th entent that of my deth ye shulde haue some compassion syn ye had none of my lyfe ¶ The auctor WHen this mater was thus passed betwene them I stode and behelde the curtesy that Lereano made and the small thought that he shewed of his deth for then he knowyng that she was no lesse sorowfull for his deth then hym selfe was therfore to th entent not to trouble her he sufferyd the payne and wolde speke no more of his deth and asmoche as it pleased me to se them to gether asmoche it greued me the remembrance of the deth of Lereano and accordynge to ther reasones they ioyed me so that I wolde theyr reasons shulde neur haue endyd for then I knew well that Lereano receyued glory to se her and Laureola receyued no payne to se hym though he were dede I desyre that theyr speche shuld neuer haue endyd nor theyr â—yght depertyd a sounder but alwayes the thynges of pleasour seldome endâ—rith longe And as I thus lay dremyng at last me thought I harde a heuy voice that said come away Lereano and tary no longer And then w t adolorous sygh Lereano with his bonet in his haÌ„d weÌ„t to Laureola and kyst her hand and she to gyue hym some glory sufferyde hym the which in his lyfe tyme she wold neuer do and so kyssyng her hand he sayd O y â— deth y u hast slayne my memory yet to my deth is giueÌ„ gloryâ— therw t he vanished away And wheÌ„ I saw I could se hym no more theÌ„ I regarded Laureola to se what coÌ„tenaÌ„ce she made I saw her staÌ„d in greate heuynes her eyen bathed in water her beautie â—adyd of colour pale and wanne and had lost her spech and I seynge her in suche maner of disposicion hadde compassioÌ„ to se her then Lereano that was dede what with the syght of the one and of the other was in suche perell and so disperate that to say the truth I desyred rather to haue folowed Lereano dede then to haue folowyd Laureola lyuynge who with great heuynes asmoche as she myght dyssimuled her payne that she enduryd for the deth of Lereano discretly she dyd refrayne her wepynge and sayd to me as folowith ¶ Laureola to the auctorâ— FRende truely with a better harte and wyll I wyll contynew this lyfe rather thenne to goo oute of thy chamber without it wereâ— that I beleue in my goynge away my sowle shall departe for surly yf I had beleued to haue sene Lereano i that case as I