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
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
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
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
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
mortall paynes could not susteyne hym selfe no leÌ„ger but perforce coÌ„streynede to lye downe vpoÌ„ his bedde where he wolde nother eate drynke nor sâ—epe nor take any thyng for susteÌ„tacion of his lyfe euer calyng hym selfe happy to come to the case to do some seruice to Laureola as by his dethe to brynge her oute of all trouble so anone it was publyshed abrode in the realme and in the courte how Lereano was lyke to dye Theu his kynne frendes came to comforte hym and to torne his purpose they sayde and dyde asmoche as they coulde Imagyne to preuayle his lyfe bycause his infyrmite was to be curyd by holsome reasones euery maÌ„ sharpyd theyr wyttes to do the best they coulde And there was a knyghte callyd Teseo a greate frende of his he considerynge that his sekenes was for loue though he knewe not for whome it was he sayd and shewyde to Lereano all the euyls of women that he coulde deuise and to conferme his owne reasones he alegyd asmany thynges as he coulde in the defamyng of women thynkyng therby to haue restoryd Lereano to his heltheâ— when Lereano hadde well harde hym and consyderyde that Laureola was a woman he rebukyde greatly Teseo for spekynge of suche wordes and though as then his disposicion was not moche to speke yet he enforcyd his tonge and with the passion of greate iri sayde as folowith ¶ Lereano agaynst Teseo and agaynst all euell spekers agaynst women FRend Teseo yf another man that owed the not so good loue as I do hard my wordes it wolde cause the to receyue payne accordynge to thy deserte howbeit my reasons shal be to the suche an ensample to cause the to kepe thy tonge and it shal be a chastisement in stede of thy payne in the which I shall folow the condicion of a true frende for yf I shewyd the not thy fault by quyke reasons peraduenture thou woldest vtter forth agayne in other places suche like wordes as thou ryght now sayd it shal be most for thy profyt to amend thy self by my contradictions rather then to shame thy selfe with perseuerance the entent of thy wordes was as a frende the whiche I well considre thou sayedest them bycause I shulde abhorre them that hath brought me in to the case that thou seist me in And by reason of thy sayeng euyll of women thyne entension was therby to gyue me remedy of my lyfe and therby thou hast gyuen me the soner deth for the shamefull wordes that thou hast sayd putteth me to suche torment bycause it is a woman that hath put me to this payne therfore by reasone of herynge of thy wordes I shall lyue the lesse season wherby I shall receue a great welth for the receyuynge of this dolorous deth were better to be shortely then to susteyne y e lyfe any lenger for it is a thyng delectable to suffre and with a swet rest to make an ende of this lyfe the whiche swete ende shal be by reason that these my last wordes shal be in the prease of women and my wyl is somewhat to satisfye her in whome resith al the cause to begynne to shew the thyne errour I wyll alledge .xv. poyntes agaynste all them that erreth in spekynge euell of women and .xx. other reasones I shall lay wherby we are bound to say well of all women with dyuerce other samples of theyr bountie goodnes And as to the fyrst let vs found our reasone how that all thynges made by the hande of god are necessarily good for accordyng to the warkeman the warke ought to procede then knowynge that womeâ— are his creatures they that speke euyll of them offende not allonely them but also they blaspheme the workeman the which is god y e .ii. cause is y e before god man ther is not a more abhomynable synne nor harder to be perdoned then is ingratitude for where can ther be a greatter synne then to put out of knowledge and to forgette the welth that is to come to vs by reasone of the vyrgyn mary and dayly cometh she delyuered vs fro payne and causeth vs to meryte the glory of heuen she saueth vs she susteyneth vs she defeÌ„deth vs she gydeth vs she gyueth vs lyght of grace Then seynge she was a woman then all other for her sake ought to be crowned with lawde and prayse The .iii. is bycause it is defended to all men accordynge to vertue to shew any strength agaynst the weke sex femynyne And this is obserued amonge brewt bestes wherfore men shulde folow the same yet some suche as lyst to speke euyll say though that women can make but small resystence with theyr handes yet they haue no lesse liberte with theyr tonges The iiii is a man ought not to say euyll of womeÌ„ withoute he dishonour hym selfe bycause he was creatyde and noryshede in the wombe of a woman and is of her substance and also bycause of y e honour and reuereÌ„ce that euery child ought to do to his mother The .v. is bycause of the disobedience to god who sayde with his owne mouth that father mother shulde be honouryde therefor suche as do other wyse do serue sore punishemeÌ„t payne The .vi. is bycause noble men are bouÌ„de to occupye them selfe in vertuous deades aswell in woordes as in workes then yf fowle wordes defowle clenlynes then in perell of slander and defamy is the honour of suche persons that wasteth theyr lyfe in suche vayne wordes The .vii. is when that the ordre of chyuaylry was fyrste stablysshed among other thynges who soeuer shuld take the ordre of knighthod he shuld be bound to kepe defend all women and to gyue them all reuerence and honeste and who so doth the contrary breketh the lawe of noblenes The .viii. is to defend honour fro perell the auncyent noble men with greate deligence and study kepte and obserued alwayes such thynges as perteyned to bountie and they reputed that so great that they had no greater feare of any thynge in the worlde then they had to leue behynde them the remembrance of infamy and reproche y e which they kept not y e preferreth turpitud fowlnes before vertue putting spottes in theyr fame by reason of theyr euyll tonge For oftentymes a maÌ„ is iuged to be accordyng to his worâ—es The .ix. most princypal is for the condeÌ„nacioÌ„ of y â— sowle al thiges wrong fully takeÌ„ may be satysfyed but y â— fame robbyd and taken away the satisfaccioÌ„ thereof is doughtfull y â— which is more completly determynyde in our beleue The .x. is to eschew hatryd for suche as bestowe theyr tyme in euyll spekynge agaynst women they make them selfe not onely enemyes agaynste them but also to them that be vertuous for lyke as vertue vice are contrary and haue dyfferente propreties so the euyll speker can not be withoute hate and euyll wyll and many enemyes The .xi. bicause of the hurtes y t by suche malicious deades are encreasyde for
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
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
which lyuynge I haue serchyd for This wolde I do and it were not that I shulde leue you defamyd as to be renomyd a murtherer Unhappy shulde be that remedye to delyuer me out of payne and to cause you to bere blame Therfore in eschewynge of all such incoÌ„uenientes I requyre you send me your lettre as a reward for all myne euyls that I slee not my selfe for I can not lyue with that I suffre my deth shuld so toche your honor that all the dayes of your lyfe ye shuld be defamyd And yf it maye please you to do me any relefe tary not nor be not slowe lest ye shall haue no tyme to repent you nor no place to redeme me ¶ The auctor ANd where as Lereano accordyng to the grauite of his passyoÌ„s wold further haue executed his wrytyng but then vsyng prudent discrecioÌ„ for all hiâ— payne wrote no larger for that he had wryten was sufficyeÌ„t to cause Laureola to knowe hys euyll and payne for when letters be wryten at length that is vsyd when the writer thynketh that the redeâ— hath as good wyll to rede them as thâ— sender hath to write them but Laureola was quyte deliuered fro that pÌ„sumpcioÌ„ wherfore he extendyd hys letter no larger The which when it was endyd I receyuyd with greate heuines to se the sore wepyng that Laureano made the which I felt more then I can expresse Then I went fro hym and spedde me to Laureola when I came ther as she was I found a tyme propyse to speke to her and or I delyuered the letter I said to her as foloweth ¶ The auctor to Laureola Ryght excellent Lady fyrst or I say any thynge to you I require you to receyue the dolour payne of me your poore kaytiue for the discharging of myne importunat suet for wher so euer ye shall fynde me of custome I shal be euer more redy to serue you theÌ„ to be importunate And surely Lereano endureth more payne for the trouble that ye receyue then for the passioÌ„ that he suffreth wherof he wold excuse hym selfe though his wyll desire to suffre it to the eutent that it shuld not trouble you yet his sowle desireth not to suffre but rather to be in reste The one coÌ„maundeth hym to be styll and the other byddeth hym put oute his voyce But trustyng in your vertue his dolour is oppressyd desyryng to put all his euyll in to your presence beleuyng on the one parte ye shuld be dangerous on the other parte that it shulde cauâ—e you to haue compassyon Beholde now many wayes he deseruyth meryte to forget his trouble he desyreth the deth and not withoute ye consent therto and bycause it shuld not be said that ye consent therto he desyreth the life in that he receued his payne to be happy and for lacke of his desyre he loseth his vnderstandyng and to prayse your beawte he desyreth ayde of all the worlde Beholde how moche ye are bounde to him for he prayseth them that distroyeth him he hath all his remembrance vpon that thyng that is the occasyon of all his euyl and by aduenture I shuld be so vnhappy that he shuld lese his loue by my intercession which he hath deseruyd by reason of his faythfull harte yet I had rather I were dede wherfore I requyre you to receyue this letter fro hym and in the redyng therof to shew hym some mercy for the payne that he hathe sufferyd and yf ye blame hym ye are more culpable then he for that ye haue sufferyd hym to endure payne so longe ye perceyue well the sorow that he is in by the wordes in his letter the which though his mouth spake them his hand wrote them yet his dolour dydde ordeyne and deuise them as god sende you parte of heuen as ye haue deseruyd in the erth that ye will receyue this his letter make hym an aunswere and alonely with this reward ye maye redeme hym and therby do away his debilite mynysh hys torment and fauor his sykenes and brynge hym in to that state that he wyll desyre no more welth nor endure no more payne and if ye wyll not thus moch do for hym to whom ye are so moch bounde nor at my request I maye then well repute you cruell but I hope so moche in your vertue y t accordyng to yuor olde custome ye can do no thyng but vertue ¶ Thanuswere of Laureola to the Auctor THe perseuerance in thy pursewt bryngeth me to so streyght a case that many tymes my thought is dought what to do other to banysh the owt of this lande orels to Ieobarde my fame in gyuyng the place leysure to say what thou lyst yet I ame agreyd not so to do nor to put the to that extremyte by reason of the compassyon that I haue of the for though thyne ambassade be euyll yet thyne entensyoÌ„ is good as to fynd remedy for y e sorowfull And the other way I wyll not take bycause of myne honor for he can not be delyuered fro payne without I be defamed yf I could remedy his euyll withoute daunger or blottyng of myn honour I wold do it with no lesse affeccyon then thou desyrest but thou knowest well how that women are bound to preserue theyr good fame rather then theyr lyfe at the lest they shuld esteme it more then theyr bounte for though y e lyfe of Lereano shuld fynysh by deth yet iudge thy self whether I ought rather to be piteful to me self or to his euyll And if all women ought thus to do then specially such as be of noble blod ought so to do for al peple soner regardeth a smal spot in noble persons then a great fawte in low psonages Therfore in thy wordes conferme the to reason for thy demauÌ„d is vniust y u thynkest I ame pleased w t thy comoniÌ„g which is coÌ„trary though thy demauÌ„d trouble me yet thy coÌ„dycioÌ„ pleaseth me I haue pseasour to shew the myne escuse w t iust reasons to saue me fro charge blame sclaunder The letter that thou woldest haue me to receyue maye well be excusyd for my defence is of no lesse power than the perceuerance of his hope but syn thou haste brought it I ame pleasyd to receyue it but hope not of any aunswere trauayll no more to desyre it nor at lest speke no more therof lesse that my dysplesure trowble y t not asmoche as thou now prayseste my pacyence sufferyng I blame my selfe that in ii thynges bycause I comon so longe w t the. The one is bycause y e qualyte heate of the cause hath brought me in trouble The other is bycause thou mayst thynke y t I ame well pleasyd to speke with the in this mater and beleuest how I shuld agre to Lereano though thou thynke so I haue no meruayll for wordes is the Image of the harte Go thy way coÌ„tent the with thyne owne Iudgement and cary with the
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
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
be cause of .ii. liberties I requyre you take me not as your enemy for any thing that ye suffre syn my merites are nat the cause but rather it is myne euell fortune And ye may well beleue that though your dolours be neuer so great yet I fele more torment in y e thinkyng vpon them then ye do in the suffrynge Wolde to god that I hadde neuer knowen you and yet therby I shulde haue lost the sight of you the which to me is the gretest welth of this worlde I shulde haue ben ryght happy and I hadde neuer sene nor harde of the dolour that ye suffre and I ame so accustumyd to lyue in heuynes that I ame fayne to take counsaill for your cause but in the payne y t I fele now I take no counsayl nor I haue no rest nor my harte can not be quyt for the payne that ye suffre Feare not the deth for my propre handes shal saue you therfro I shall serche all the remedies that I cane fynde to apeace y e kynges ire And if y t faylle trust in me that for your liberte I shall deale in such wyse that as long as the world endureth there shal be remembrance and ensample of hardy valiantnes For this that I say is no great thyng to be done for besilde your excellent valeure The cruell Iustice of your presone causeth my hardynes who caÌ„ resist my strength syn I haue it by your meanes What thing is it that the harte dare not enter price your beaute being fixed therin Ther is allonely but one euyll in your saluasion the which may be bought w t an easy pryce accordyng to your deserte that is losynge of my lyfe And though I so do it is but a smalle losse so it may delyuer you With my good hope strengh your febleâ—es for and ye shuld sette your thoughtes vpon al ieoperdes ye myght sone therby ende your life wherby .ii. greate inconuenientes shuld ensue The fyrst and principall is your deth The .ii. is I shuld theÌ„ be preuatyd fro the gretest honour that any man myght haue as in that I shulde not then saue you Lady beleue in my wordes and trust my promyse do not as some other women do to take great feare for a small cause If your femynyne condycion accuse you with feare Then lete your discrecion strength you agayne which ye may well do by myne assurance and bycause this that I say shal be wel prouyd Therfore I requyre you beleue me I wryte not to you at length as I wold do but I shall proue to further your lyfe ¶ The auctor WHyle Lereano wrote his letter I made me redy to deperte and receyuyd his letter and made all the dylygence that I coulde tyll I came to the courte and dyd my deuour that in me was to haue spoken with Laureola to haue gyuen her some comeforte but I was denyed to se her Then I was enfourmyde of the chamber wher she laye wher was a wyndow with a great grate of irone And at nyghte I came thyther wrappyd the letter together and sette it on a spere poynte so with moche trauaill I dyd cast the letter in at the wyndowe in to her chamber and y e next mornyng I came thyder agayne and saw the wyndow open and I saw wher Laureola stode but the latyse was so thycke y t I cowlde haue no perfyght syght of her Fynally I aprochyd nerer to the wyndowe and when she saw me marchyng for by y e wyndowe She cast sodenly oute a letter withoute spekyng of any worde bycause of the prease that was nere hande And as I was goyng away she sayd Take there the reward of the pite that I haue shewed and by cause her kepers were nere aboute her I durst make none aunswere but her wordes dyd put me in to suche passion that who so hadde folowyd me by the trace of my wepynge myght well haue found me out The tenour of her letter folowith ¶ Laureolas letter to Lerea I Cannot tell the Lereano how to aunswer and where as euery man lawdith pite and reputith it for a vertue and in me it is taken for a vice And accordyng therto I ame chastysed I do as I ought to do accordynge to pitie I haue as I deserue accordyng to my mysfortune For surely thy fortune nor thy workes is no cause of my presone nor I complayne not of the nor of none other persone lyuynge but alonely vpon my selfe who to kepe the fro the deth charge my selfe culpable howbeit this compassyon that I haue of the is more paynefull then charge I do remedy as innocent and yet I ame punyshed as culpable How be it moche more pleasyth me this presone beynge withoute errour then to be at liberte infectyd therw t. And though yt be paynefull to suffre yet I ame easyd agayne that I haue not deseruyd it I ame she that amonge all lyuynge creatours ought leste to lyue without the kynge saue me I hope vppon no thinge but deth for yf thou delyuer me or any of thyne in what so euer maner it be I shal be dolorous And yf thou do not remedye me I ame sure to dye and yf thou delyuer me and take me awaye I shal be condempned as culpable Therfore I requyre the to trauayll to saue myne honoure and fame rather then myne lyfe for the one muste ende and the other wyll endure As I haue sayde serche to apeace the furour of the kynge my father for otherwyse I can not be saued without the destruction of myne honour How be it I remytte all to thy good counsayle and adnyse Thy wysdome can chose the beste waye thou mayste se the rewarde that I haue for the fauoure that I haue shewed the. I ame put in prisone where as murderers were wonte to be kepte and I ame tyed with cheynes and with sharpe tormentes my tendre flesshe is tormented and with force of armes I ame kepte as though I hadde the force and power to skape awaye Thus delicate is my sufferynge and my paynes so cruell that besyde y e sentence of deth my father myght otherwyse haue takeÌ„ vengeance vpon me then to suffre me to dye iu this cruell prisoÌ„ I haue great meruayle how of suche a cruell father shulde issue so pacyente a doughter yf I shulde be lyke hym in condicion I shulde not feare his iustice syn he wyll do it so vniustely As to that touched Persio I wyll make none aunswer bycause I wyll not defyle my tongue as he hath done my fame and renowne I had rather he wolde reuoke and denye his wordes that he hath sayde rather then he shuld dye for them but what so euer I say determyne thy selfe as thou lyste thou mayest not erre in that thou wylte do ¶ The Auctour Ryghte dowtious I was when I hadde receyued and redde the letter sent fro Laureola to Lereano whether I shulde sende it to Lereano orels kepe it styll
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